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Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have become a powerful tool for investigating electrical double layers (EDLs), which play a crucial role in various electrochemical devices. In this Review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the techniques used in MD simulations for EDL studies, with a particular focus on methods for describing electrode polarization, and examine the principle behind these methods and their varying applicability. The applications of these approaches in supercapacitors, capacitive deionization, batteries, and electric double-layer transistors are explored, highlighting recent advancements and insights in each field. Finally, we emphasize the challenges and potential directions for future developments in MD simulations of EDLs, such as considering movable electrodes, improving electrode property representation, incorporating chemical reactions, and enhancing computational efficiency to deepen our understanding of complex electrochemical processes and contribute to the progress in the field involving EDLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Film boiling occurs when an overheated sample is rapidly plunged into the liquid. The study of film boiling is paramount in many engineering applications, like, cooling of nuclear reactor fuel rods, regenerative cooling of rockets, and wet treatment of blast slag furnaces. The objective of the present study is to explore the influence of boric acid at various concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 3%, and 5% vol.) and subcooling temperature on film boiling heat transfer using stainless steel rod (304 L). We performed vertical immersion quenching experiments in subcooled (50 °C) and saturation temperature at atmospheric conditions. Under saturated conditions, the sample quenched in deionized water took 73 s to cool down to 100 °C, while in the subcooled condition, the sample only took 13 s. At both saturated and subcooled conditions, 1% vol. boric acid solution accelerated the quenching rate and facilitated lowest film boiling time than other solutions considered. Conversely, film boiling time is higher when the sample is quenched in deionized water with 5% vol. of boric acid. The coolant temperature and additive concentration influence the film boiling time and Leidenfrost temperature, with a local build-up of boric acid concentration at the liquid–vapor interface being the governing mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we synthesized a polymer hydrogel(PPNS), which features multiple hydrogen bonds through copolymerization, by using N -isopropylacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, and octadecyl polyoxyethylene ether acrylate (SGA 15) as raw materials. The PPNS hydrogel demonstrated outstanding high-resolution, repeatable recording capabilities, enabling reversible recording, encryption, and decryption of information using anhydrous ethanol as the inducer. Due to their responsive and dynamic nature of PPNS hydrogels are positions them as promising candidates for use as innovative information storage platforms. [Display omitted] Smart hydrogel materials, known for their sensitivity to external stimuli, exhibit a reversible dynamic response and find applications in diverse fields, particularly in information storage. Despite significant efforts in this domain, developing a hydrogel with high-resolution, repeatable recording, and robust information encryption/decryption capabilities still remains a challenge. In this study, we synthesized a polymer hydrogel, namely polyvinyl alcohol- n -isopropylacrylamide-octadecyl polyoxyethylene ether acrylate hydrogel (PPNS), which features multiple hydrogen bonds through copolymerization, by using N -isopropylacrylamide, polyvinyl alcohol, and octadecyl polyoxyethylene ether acrylate (SGA 15) as raw materials. The PPNS hydrogel demonstrated outstanding high-resolution, repeatable recording capabilities, enabling reversible recording, encryption, and decryption of information using anhydrous ethanol as the inducer. Varying the SGA 15 monomer concentration revealed that the PPNS-2% hydrogel, prepared with 2% SGA 15 , outperformed the other hydrogels in terms of information recording and encryption/decryption when immersed in anhydrous ethanol and deionized water. Furthermore, the PPNS-2% hydrogel exhibited the ability to undergo multiple information cycles while maintaining excellent mechanical properties even after 25 cycles. Notably, ethanol served as a specialized ink for inscribing different patterns on the hydrogel surface for information recording. The recorded information could be erased through water wiping or ethanol volatilization, enabling reversible information recording, encryption, and decryption. Due to their responsive and dynamic nature of PPNS hydrogels are positions them as promising candidates for use as innovative information storage platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The utilization of Na 2 MnSiO 4 as a Faraday electrode in hybrid capacitive deionization (HCDI) is investigated to achieve efficient desalination. The Na 2 MnSiO 4 /C (NMSO) materials were fabricated via a simple sol–gel method, in which the synthesis process was modulated by adjusting the volume ratio of ethanol to water. When maintaining the volume ratio of water to ethanol at 3:1, the resultant NMSO-3/1 exhibited expected salt adsorption capacity of 31.06 mg g−1 and salt adsorption rate of 20.43 mg g−1 min−1. This distinguished desalination performance was mainly attributed to its inherent multiple redox pairs, as well as the integration of ethanol, which enhanced both specific capacitance and hydrophilicity of the material. This study opens a new perspective for the development of highly efficient materials in HCDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seawater intrusion is a worldwide increasing challenge, which lowers the freshwater availability by salination of fresh groundwater resources in coastal areas. The abstraction-desalination-recharge (ADR) methodology can combat seawater intrusion, whereby desalination is hereby the key factor for the overall efficiency of aquifer remediation. Which desalination technique is suitable within ADR depends on several factors and was not discussed before. We use a multi-criteria decision analysis and cost analysis to compare nanofiltration, reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, and (membrane) capacitive deionization and show for three case scenarios which desalination technique is most suitable within ADR. Overall, electrodialysis, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis have shown the best utility value for saline groundwater salinity of 1–10 g L−1, whereby electrodialysis is more suitable for lower salinities. The lowest desalination costs are calculated for nanofiltration and reverse osmosis with 0.3–0.6 € m−3 depending on specific energy costs. Even capacitive deionisation can be a suitable alternative for low, slightly saline groundwater (1 g L−1) if the technology readiness level and a lifetime of electrodes increase and material costs decrease. These new insights provide a data analysis, costs, and decision support for desalination which are needed for the holistic approach to counteract seawater intrusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics and nanoplastics (collectively, MNPs) are increasingly entering soils, with potential adverse impacts to agriculture and groundwater. Environmental detection, characterization, and quantification of MNPs is difficult and subject to artifacts, often requiring labor-intensive separation from environmental matrices. These analytical challenges make it difficult to conduct experiments investigating specific MNP characteristics influencing their transport and fate, particularly when examining multiple plastic types at low concentrations. By synthesizing a suite of metal-tagged polymers, which are cryomilled to create polydisperse fragmented particle suspensions, single particle ICP-MS (spICP-MS) can be used to quantify MNP particle size and concentration in controlled fate and transport studies. Use of unique metal-polymer pairs enables accurate, simultaneous analysis of multiple MNP types which can be used to track total particle transport and retention within a variety of environmental matrices. This was demonstrated using saturated sand column transport experiments to quantify the movement of two plastics having different properties: tin-tagged polystyrene (Sn-PS) and tantalum-tagged polyvinylpyrrolidone (Ta-PVP). The behavior of these polydisperse, fragmented MNPs was compared to that of fluorescent, carboxylated monodisperse PS spherical microspheres (Fl-PS). Mobility of all MNP types increased with decreasing particle size, and hydrophilic Ta-PVP particles migrated more effectively than the hydrophobic Sn-PS particles. Furthermore, the addition of humic acid (HA) to the carrier solution increased the colloidal stability of both metal-tagged MNP suspensions, resulting in much greater elution from the column than in HA-free deionized water or moderately- hard water (ionic strength = 5mM). This combination of particle synthesis and spICP-MS analysis provides insights into the transport of MNP having physical properties that are representative of environmental MNPs and opens up a broad range of applications for study of MNP environmental fate and transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive review addresses the need for sustainable and efficient energy storage technologies against escalating global energy demand and environmental concerns. It explores the innovative utilization of waste materials from oil refineries and coal processing industries as precursors for carbon-based electrodes in next-generation energy storage systems, including batteries and supercapacitors. These waste-derived carbon materials, such as semi-coke, coal gasification fine ash, coal tar pitch, petroleum coke, and petroleum vacuum residue, offer a promising alternative to conventional electrode materials. They present an optimal balance of high carbon content and enhanced electrochemical properties while promoting environmental sustainability through effectively repurposing waste materials from coal and hydrocarbon industries. This review systematically examines recent advancements in fabricating and applying waste-derived carbon-based electrodes. It delves into the methodologies for converting industrial by-products into high-quality carbon electrodes, with a particular emphasis on carbonization and activation processes tailored to enhance the electrochemical performance of the derived materials. Key findings indicate that while higher carbonization temperatures may impede the development of a porous structure, using KOH as an activating agent has proven effective in developing mesoporous structures conducive to ion transport and storage. Moreover, incorporating heteroatom doping (with elements such as sulfur, potassium, and nitrogen) has shown promise in enhancing surface interactions and facilitating the diffusion process through increased availability of active sites, thereby demonstrating the potential for improved storage capabilities. The electrochemical performance of these waste-derived carbon materials is evaluated across various configurations and electrolytes. Challenges and future directions are identified, highlighting the need for a deeper understanding of the microstructural characteristics that influence electrochemical performance and advocating for interdisciplinary research to achieve precise control over material properties. This review contributes to advancing electrode material technology and promotes environmental sustainability by repurposing industrial waste into valuable resources for energy storage. It underscores the potential of waste-derived carbon materials in sustainably meeting global energy storage demands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comparative analysis of the thermal performance of a flat plate solar collector featuring deionized water and MWCNT-water nanofluid with Gum Arabic, a bio-surfactant. A two-step method is adopted to formulate the nanofluid, which is utilized as a heat transport fluid to improve the thermal performance of a flat plate solar collector. A zeta potential analyzer is employed to characterize the nanofluid. The collector consists of a copper tube heat exchanger for closed-loop cyclic operation. Temperature, pressure and flow rate measurements are carried out. The comparative collector efficiency is investigated at 0.50 and 0.94 lpm flow rates and at MWCNT concentrations of 0.05 and 0.10 wt%, respectively. The thermal conductivity of the MWCNT-water nanofluid with Gum Arabic bio-surfactant exhibited a higher value than that of the SDS surfactant. The absorbed and removed energy parameters at 0.5 lpm for MWCNT-water (0.10 wt%) are found to be increased by 50.42% and 158.75%, respectively, when compared to the corresponding values obtained for DI water. The distribution of collector efficiency with time during the peak hours with maximum solar radiations suggests that a maximum thermal efficiency of 61% can be achieved for 0.94 lpm and 0.10 wt% of MWCNT nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced Geothermal Systems (AGS) may in principle be able to satisfy the global energy demand using standard continental-crust geothermal temperature gradients of 25–35 ∘ C/km. However, conventional mechanical rotary drilling is still too expensive to cost-competitively provide the required borehole depths and lengths for AGS. This highlights the need for a new, cheaper drilling technology, such as Plasma-Pulse Geo-Drilling (PPGD), to improve the economic feasibility of AGS. PPGD is a rather new drilling method and is based on nanoseconds-long, high-voltage pulses to fracture the rock without mechanical abrasion. The absence of mechanical abrasion prolongs the bit lifetime, thereby increasing the penetration rate. Laboratory experiments under ambient-air conditions and comparative analyses (which assume drilling at a depth between 3.5 and 4.5 km) have shown that PPGD may reduce drilling costs by approximately 17–23%, compared to the costs of mechanical drilling, while further research and development are expected to reduce PPGD costs further. However, the performance of the PPGD process under deep wellbore conditions, i.e., at elevated temperatures as well as elevated lithostatic and hydrostatic pressures, has yet to be systematically tested. In this paper, we introduce a standard experiment parameter to examine the impact of deep wellbore conditions on PPGD performance, namely the productivity (the excavated rock volume per pulse) and the specific energy (the amount of energy required to drill a unit volume of rock). We employ these parameters to investigate the effect of temperature on PPGD performance, with temperatures increasing up to 80 ∘ C, corresponding to a drilling depth of up to approximately 3 km. Highlights: This study introduces an experiment protocol for studying the impact of deep wellbore conditions on Plasma-Pulse Geo-Drilling performance. When deionized water is used, increasing the temperature decreases Plasma-Pulse Geo-Drilling productivity and increases the specific energy. The effect of increasing temperature on Plasma-Pulse Geo-Drilling depends significantly on the drilling fluid used. Deionized water negatively affects Plasma-Pulse Geo-Drilling, while other studies have shown that the effect of oil-based drilling muds is negligible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The astaxanthin nanocapsules (ASX-LNC) was prepared by high-pressure homogenization technology, the microstructure, stability, antioxidant activity, and in vitro release characteristics of ASX-LNC were characterized and evaluated. The ASX-LNC comprised a core material and wall materials. The core material was composed of astaxanthin oil, and the wall materials were composed of β-cyclodextrin, decapolyglycerol monooleate, soybean lecithin (PC60), glycerol, and deionized water. The mean particle size of the ASX-LNC was 206.9 ± 2.8 nm, and the polydispersity index (PdI) value was 0.218 ± 0.026. The zeta potential of ASX-LNC was −26.16 ± 0.87 mV. The loading amount of ASX-LNC was 0.546%±0.032%, and the encapsulation efficiency was 99.65%±0.13%, indicating that the preparation process was feasible. The stability of ASX-LNC was determined under different conditions, indicating good stability of the ASX-LNC. In antioxidant research, the inhibition rate of free radicals of ASX-LNC was 91.03 ± 0.87% under 250 μg/mL for 30 min, and the inhibition rate of free radicals of astaxanthin ethanol solution was 90.83 ± 1.37%. The antioxidant capacity of astaxanthin was not affected by the encapsulation, which demonstrated the effect of prolonging the release of active ingredients due to the protection of the biological activity of astaxanthin by encapsulation. Compared with the astaxanthin ethanol solution, the ASX-LNC had a slow-release effect and could prolong the action time of active substances. Overall, ASX-LNC is a potential carrier for application in food and health products, which can control the release of active substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pectin gel and retinyl palmitate (RP)-loaded monoolein (MO) cubic phases were prepared by a melt-hydration method as a salt-responsive and anti-oxidative vehicle. The pectin gel was formed maximally when CaCl2 concentration in aqueous pectin solution (0.25% to 2%) was 50 mM. The phase transition temperature (PTT) of the cubic phase, determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), decreased from 58 to 46.9 ℃ as the RP content increased from 0 to 1.5%. The maximum release degree at 22 ℃ of a dye (amaranth) loaded in a cubic phase was about 15.9% and 51.3%, respectively, when the release medium was deionized water and PBS (10 mM, pH 7.4). An ion exchange between Na+ and Ca2+ seemed to cause the extensive release in the saline. The in vitro radical scavenging capability (RSC) of RP loaded in the cubic phase was proportional to the RP concentration and the RSC was substantially higher than that of free RP. The double bond of MO contained in the cubic phases was chemically stable during 6 months storage at 25 ℃ and 40 ℃, evidenced by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The cubic phases maintained their integrity and retained their unique structure (the water channels winded by the lipid layers) under the same storage conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-mediated processes offer a more straightforward and cost-effective alternative to conventional chemical and physical methods for the reduction of silver ions to silver metallic nanoparticles. This study was conducted to synthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a solution of silver nitrate (AgNO3) and a local Basciftlik white potato cultivar (S. tuberosum). Furthermore, the study aimed to compare antioxidant activity of nano-silver particles with that of the potato extract. The potato cultivar was extracted with deionized water and the solution was filtrated. The filtrate was reacted with AgNO3 solution to obtain the AgNPs. The structure of synthesized AgNPs was determined by a spectroscopic study, and characteristic functional groups were analyzed by a fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The signal observed at 3267 cm−1 is indicative of the hydroxyl functional group. The highest absorption at 429 nm in ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectrum confirmed the occurrence of the synthesized AgNPs. The biogenic crystalline structure of the synthesized AgNPs was verified by an X-ray diffraction analysis. Average size and morphology of the St-AgNPs were determined by Scanning Electron Microscope analysis, which also indicated the formation of the AgNPs with an average size of 37.31 nm. Antioxidant activity study revealed that the synthesized AgNPs had higher antioxidant activity compared to that of the potato extract alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, (Bi0.5Na0.5)0.94Ba0.06TiO3 (BN6BT) lead‐free ceramics were prepared via cold‐sintering followed by annealing, and effects of grain size of precursor powders and annealing temperature on microstructure, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties of the ceramics were studied. The precursor powders for cold sintering were obtained by mixing the powders with sub‐micrometer (average grain size, AGS = 0.26 μm) and nanometer (AGS = 73 nm) grains in various mass ratios (1:0, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:4). The precursor powders were mixed with deionized water and cold sintered at 180°C for 1 h under 500 MPa. The cold‐sintered samples were then annealed at temperatures between 800 and 1000°C for 2 h. For the ratios of 1:2 and 1:4, the corresponding ceramics annealed at 950°C exhibit dielectric and ferroelectric properties similar to those of the BN6BT ceramics sintered at 1170°C via the solid‐state sintering method. The present BN6BT ceramics exhibit dense microstructure with finer grains with AGS = 280 nm, higher breakdown strength (BDS = 160 kV· cm−1) compared to the solid‐state sintered BN6BT ceramics with AGS = 1.6 μm and BDS = 75 kV· cm−1. The results demonstrate that the cold‐sintering followed by annealing is effective in preparing BN6BT ceramics with fine grains and excellent dielectric and ferroelectric properties at relatively low temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical devices based on the proton conducting ceramic BaZrO 3 have shown their immense potential for efficient energy conversion and gas separation processes at intermediate temperatures. A major drawback of this material class is the inevitably high sintering temperature, which is necessary to reach sufficient densities for gas tightness. Recently, cold sintering has been applied to densify BaZrO 3 – BaCeO 3 solid solutions at low temperatures using a partial dissolution of the Ce-rich phase. Here, we apply the method to BaZr 0.8 Y 0.2 O 3-ẟ (BZY20), which is a Ce-free proton conducting ceramic. We show that densification by cold sintering is viable at temperatures between 150 °C and 250 °C under uniaxial pressures of 400 MPa and deionized water as a sintering aid. The dissolution of yttrium from BZY20 during cold sintering acts as the trigger for densification at low temperatures but forms Y(OH) 3 as an instable side product. Therefore, we developed a two-step cold sintering process that adds an additional thermal treatment between 900 and 1100 °C directly after the cold sintering process to enable electrochemical characterization and transmission electron microscopy investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocompatible and biodegradable resistive random‐access memory devices using Mg/agarose/Al2O3/Mg‐based organic/inorganic structures are reported, showing nonvolatile bipolar resistive switching memory behavior. The organic/inorganic‐based hybrid active layer has large working windows (≈106) and is highly stable up to 200 continuous sweeps. The device can be also tuned into multilevel memory by varying the compliance current from a few microamperes to several milliamperes. The formation of metallic filaments inside the active layer during SET and RESET stages using an X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy depth profile and magnesium (Mg) metallic ions that penetrate the agarose layer is confirmed. For the bioresorbable test in both deionized water and phosphate‐buffered saline solution, the erasing time of whole devices can be adjusted by using an ultrathin ALD‐grown Al2O3 film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have shown that capacitance deionization (CDI) has great potential in salt‐water treatment, one of the issues of great concern in many countries, especially Vietnam. The electrode material in CDI is one of the essential factors contributing to the desalination efficiency of this technology, so it is of research interest. In this study, TiO2 and TiO2/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized from the sol‐gel process and utilized as an electrode for desalination. The composite materials were intensively characterized by X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and thermal analysis. The electrochemical properties were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and galvanostatic charge/discharge. The fabricated TiO2/CNTs nanocomposite electrode consisting of 1% CNTs (electrode T1) exhibited remarkable capacitance, conductivity, and durability; thus, it was employed as an electrode for desalination. With this electrode T1, the maximum salt adsorption capacity of 17.5 mg g−1, together with the highest charge efficiency of 90%, was achieved. Therefore, TiO2/CNTs can be considered a suitable electrode candidate for CDI technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethyl cellulose (EC) is one of the most abundant natural polymers with outstanding properties. Between various forms of EC, EC fibers have been used for food industries, drug delivery, and medical applications. In this study, we developed an EC nanofibrous membrane containing linseed oil (LO) via the electrospinning method. The effect of solvent composition, including two different ratios of ethanol: deionized water (80:20 and 90:10) and polymer concentrations (8–15 wt.%), on the properties of the fibers was investigated. Results revealed that using the solvent volume ratio of 80:20 and 12 wt.% of EC provided more uniform and bead-free EC nanofibers, determined as the optimum composition for producing nanofibers. Moreover, LO was successfully loaded into the nanofibers. The presence of LO in the EC nanofibers was investigated by FTIR spectroscopy and water contact angle measurements. The fiber morphology was uniform, bead-free, and continuous, with an average diameter of 281 nm ± 86 nm. Building on this work, EC nanofibers containing different drugs could be produced and used in sustained released systems in a wide range of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research develops a physicochemical framework to understand the saturated–unsaturated behavior of low plasticity compacted clays. Test results indicate that matric suction covers the entire range of the water retention curve thereby allowing the determination of air entry and residual suction values. In contrast, osmotic suction is operative within a limited range such that it increased eight-fold and bounced back to a lower value. The swell-shrink path is a j-shaped curve for deionized water and has two cascading j-shaped curves for concentrated brine. The identical paths from 100 to 70% saturation are due to osmotic-induced consolidation whereas the remainder is governed by matric suction. On the contrary, transient swelling exhibits s-shaped curves for both fluids and comprises initial (ion hydration to develop a diffuse double layer), primary (formation of water menisci within the soil pores), and secondary (saturation of some clay particles in smaller pores) stages. Furthermore, the effect of pore fluid on consolidation is subdued as indicated by the compression index (0.13) and the rebound index (0.04). During consolidation, hydraulic conductivity decreased showing an initial steep slope (0.16) and a final mild slope (0.06); values for concentrated brine were lower than the deionized water by five times and ten times, respectively. The identical stress–strain trends showed no distinct peaks and values for concentrated brine were ~ 12% higher than those with deionized water. These findings illustrate that physicochemical interactions in low plasticity compacted clays govern the two independent stress state variables (applied stress and soil suction) thereby affecting soil behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of the green energy transition by reducing reliance on fossil fuels has fueled the burgeoning demand for lithium‐ion batteries in grid‐level energy storage systems and electric vehicles. The growth of portable electronic devices has also contributed to this exponential demand, creating both logistical and environmental challenges in the supply of raw materials such as lithium and the management of end‐of‐life batteries. Current recycling methods for spent batteries are both energy‐intensive and inefficient. To address these issues, a green approach using organic acid mixtures has been proposed to reclaim lithium from spent cathodes and recover and purify graphite from spent anodes, while also regenerating its structure. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated through the use of organic acid mixtures to leach and reclaim lithium from NCM 622 batteries. On the anode side, a curing–leaching strategy using organic acids is employed to purify spent graphite, which is subsequently calcined to enhance its interlayer structure conducive to better intercalation of Li+ and improve electrochemical performance. Additionally, recovered graphite is tailored with carbon using water bath carbonization to repair structural defects caused by lithium intercalation and improve electrochemical performance while augmenting the regenerated graphite's quality, equipping it to be reused in batteries or upcycled applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents, the synthesis of microwave‐assisted biodegradable polyacrylamide grafted tragacanth gum (Tr‐g‐PAM), which was utilized as a bioflocculant to treat textile effluent and compared against the conventional flocculant. The reaction parameters for maximal grafting were optimized by varying the reaction factors. The grafting of acrylamide onto the backbone of Tragacanth gum was confirmed by FTIR, XRD, TGA, and SEM–EDX studies. Swelling studies were performed in deionized water and different salts. Tr‐g‐PAM exhibited pH and temperature‐dependent swelling behavior. Biodegradation studies of the graft copolymer were carried out by the soil composting method. Tr‐g‐PAM showed 91.54% degradation within 60 days, compared to Tragacanth, which degraded within 15 days. SEM techniques were used to describe various phases of biodegradation. Flocculation performances of the graft copolymers were evaluated in simulated colloidal wastewater. Influencing variables such as bioflocculant dosage, pH, and flocculation mixing speed were examined. The maximum decolorization at the optimum pH of 6 and 120 mg/L dosage was found to be 91.8% and 88.5% for Tr‐g‐PAM and Tragacanth. In conclusion, a biodegradable Tr‐g‐PAM with better flocculation efficiency than that of Tragacanth and other commercial flocculants would be a promising choice as an eco‐friendly adsorbent for the removal of contaminants from water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rhizosphere pH determines nutrient bioavailability, but this pH is difficult to measure. Standard pH tests require adding water to growth media. This dilutes hydrogen ion activity and increases pH. We used a novel, in situ, pointed-tip electrode to estimate rhizosphere pH without dilution. Measurements from this electrode matched a research-grade pH meter in hydroponic nutrient solutions. We then compared measurements from this electrode to saturated paste and pour-through methods in peat moss, coconut coir, and pine bark. The pointedtip electrode was unable to accurately measure pH in the highly-porous pine bark media. Adding deionized water to the other media at container capacity using the saturated paste method resulted in a pH that was 0.59 ± 0.30 units higher than the initial in situ measurement at the top of the container. This increase aligns with established solution chemistry principles. Measurements of pH using the pour-through method were 0.38 ± 0.24 pH units higher than in situ measurements at the bottom of the container. We conclude that in situ pH measurements are not subject to dilution and are thus more representative of the rhizosphere pH than the saturated paste and pour-through techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for novel components with antibacterial potential has recently gained increasing significance due to growing worldwide bacterial infections by antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Therapeutic plants are crucial to human health due to their antiseptic potential against bacterial pathogens. Botanical sources have benefitted healthcare for many years due to the various active compounds present, such as tannins, terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids. This study seeks to report the antibacterial potential of Cuminum cyminum against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, and Staphylococcus aureus. The research proceeded with the use of methanolic extract of C. cyminum preparation using the Soxhlet extraction technique. Formulating five concentrations (150, 180, 200, 220, and 250 mg/ml) used deionized water and incurred testing at varying temperatures (40 °C, 60 °C, 80 °C, 100 °C, and 121 °C) and pH (3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 pH) ranges. The well-diffusion assay and minimum inhibitory concentration helped analyze the antimicrobial properties of C. cyminum methanolic extract as observed against selected bacterial strains. The results' analysis engaged the one-way ANOVA. It was evident that the maximum effect of plant extract against E. coli, B. subtilis, and B. cereus was at 200 mg/ml and against Staph. aureus, a maximum zone emerged at 180 mg/ml. At varying temperatures, the maximum inhibition of E. coli, Staph. aureus, and B. cereus occurred at 121 °C, with B. subtilis inhibited at 80 °C. For pH changes, it revealed that all strains were sensitive to acidic pH (3) at both concentrations (150 and 250 mg/ml). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To prepare a soft magnetic powder core, the magnetic powder surface has to be insulated by phosphating treatment. Organic chemicals such as ethanol and acetone are generally used as solvents for phosphoric acid, which may cause serious environmental problems. This work proposed deionized water as the environmentally friendly phosphating solvent for FeSiCr powder. The soft magnetic composites (SMCs) were prepared using phosphoric acid for inorganic coating and modified silicon polymer for organic coating. The effect of different phosphating solvents, including deionized water, ethanol, and acetone, on the structure and magnetic properties of SMCs were investigated. It is found that the solvent affects the phosphating solution's stability and the phosphoric acid's ionization. The phosphoric acid is more stable in deionized water than in ethanol and acetone. The phosphating reaction in deionized water is also more stable in deionized water, resulting in a dense phosphate coating on the particle surface. The effects of phosphoric acid concentration and temperature on the magnetic properties of FeSiCr-based SMCs were further studied. With the increase in phosphoric acid concentration and temperature, the magnetic permeability and saturation magnetization of the powder core decrease, and the core loss decreases, followed by an increase. The optimized combination of properties was obtained for the SMCs phosphated with 0.2 wt.% phosphoric acid in deionized water at 35 °C, including a high effective permeability μe of 25.7, high quality factor Q of 80.2, low core loss Pcv of 709.5 mW/cm3 measured at 0.05 T @ 100 kHz, and high withstanding voltage of 276 V, due to the formation of uniform and dense insulating coating layers. In addition, the SMCs prepared with phosphated powder show good corrosion resistance. The anti-corrosion properties of the SMCs using deionized water as a phosphating solvent are better than those using ethanol and acetone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional printing allows accurate geometries to be obtained across a wide range of applications and it is now also moving into the architecture and construction industry. In the present work, a unique binary mix composed of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and quick-setting cement (QSC) was combined with silica sand aggregate in different proportions for a customized binder jetting 3D printing (BJ3DP) process. Specimens were printed using the blended dry powders and deionized water to determine the impact of the processing variables on the properties of the realized specimens. The results show that the properties are influenced by the binary mix proportions and the layer thickness. The investigation found significant improvement in mechanical performance on increasing the proportion of OPC and optimal conditions were identified with proportions of 35 wt% OPC and 5 wt% QSC. Notable enhancements were also observed as the layer thickness was reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis of metallic nanoparticles has ignited intense interest over the last decade due to their unique properties, which make them applicable in a variety of fields of science and technology. In this study, iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe2O3 NPs) were synthesized, characterized, and their antibacterial activity was determined using a low-cost and simple method. Method: In this paper, magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized by a physical method of pulsed laser ablation in a liquid medium with 600 mJ energy. Magnetic Fe2O3 NPs were prepared by using a 1064 nm Nd-YAG laser and bombarding the α -Fe2O3 target in a deionized aqueous solution. An absorption spectrometer was used to study the optical properties and structures of nanoparticles, the prepared nanoparticles were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Besides, utilizing FESEM, the morphological and surface characteristics were examined. The antibacterial activity of Fe2O3 NPs against several pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria isolated from various human infection sites was investigated using a disk diffusion experiment with laser pulse lengths of (100 nm, 150 nm, 200 nm and 300 nm) with the same laser energy. Result: The results showed the success of this method as the first sign that can be inferred from the change in the color of the solution to prepare nanoparticles. Fe2O3 NPs are mostly spherical in shape, with nano sizes ranging between 66.7 nm and 9.5 nm. The energy gap was found to be in the range of 1.79–2.39 eV for almost all nanoparticles prepared. Fe2O3 NPs were formed in almost spherical surface morphology with regular size and shape. The results showed their effect on stopping the growth of bacteria of type E. coli maximum zone of inhibition of 20 mm and 19 mm of S. epidermidis, 18 mm of type S. mutans and 16 mm of P. aeruginosa. As a result, in this study, it was shown that Fe2O3 NPs produced in water by laser ablation method can be used as antibacterial agents due to these properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TNAs have been synthesized using a two-step anodization method by increasing the second-step voltages. The titanium (Ti) foil was used as the anode, and the first step of anodization layer was removed by sonication in the deionized water. The second anodization step was conducted using the same electrolyte but at a higher potential. The modification of the second-step voltage was discussed with correlation for the morphology and photoelectrochemical performance of TNAs. Increasing the second voltage of two-step anodization leads to a decrease in the bandgap of the anatase phase of TNAs at 3.09 eV. The highly ordered TNAs were formed by increasing the second-step voltage based on the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) images with a higher regularity ratio (RR) with 30 V for 30 min in the first step and 40 V for 30 min in the second step. The tube length of TNAs was produced in a short time of anodization. The photocurrent density of TNAs prepared by increasing voltage in the second step is higher than that of the one-step anodization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An efficient CuHCF/C electrode was prepared for Cu2+ removal by CDI. • CuHCF/C achieved high Cu2+ adsorption capacity of 134.47 mg g−1 at low applied voltage of 0.8 V. • CuHCF/C manifested excellent Cu2+ selectivity in multi-ion coexisting solution. • The mechanism of removing Cu2+ by Faradaic pseudocapacitance was explained. The efficient capture of copper ions (Cu2+) in wastewater has dual significance in pollution control and resource recovery. Prussian blue analog (PBA)-based pseudocapacitive materials with open frameworks and abundant metal sites have attracted considerable attention as capacitive deionization (CDI) electrodes for copper removal. In this study, the efficiency of copper hexacyanoferrate (CuHCF) as CDI electrode for Cu2+ treating was evaluated for the first time upon the successful synthesis of copper hexacyanoferrate/carbon sheet combination (CuHCF/C) by introducing carbon sheet as conductive substrate. CuHCF/C exhibited significant pseudocapacitance and high specific capacitance (52.92 F g−1) through the intercalation, deintercalation, and coupling of Cu+/Cu2+ and Fe2+/Fe3+ redox pairs. At 0.8 an applied voltage and CuSO 4 feed liquid concentration of 100 mg L−1, the salt adsorption capacity was 134.47 mg g−1 higher than those of most reported electrodes. Moreover, CuHCF/C demonstrated excellent Cu2+ selectivity in multi-ion coexisting solutions and in actual wastewater experiments. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to elucidate the mechanism. This study not only reveals the essence of Cu2+ deionization by PBAs pseudocapacitance with promising potential applications but also provides a new strategy for selecting efficient CDI electrodes for Cu2+ removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of phosphates has sparked researchers' considerable interest in the electrochemical detection of phosphates within aqueous solutions in recent years. In this study, we present a novel all-solid-state phosphate ion-selective electrode (ISE) that integrates copper, copper nanoparticles, and copper phosphate. By modifying the copper substrate of the electrode with a copper nanoparticle film and creating a lamellar copper phosphate film through electrochemical treatment, we significantly enhanced the electrode's electron transfer efficiency. This microstructure with large specific surface area markedly improved the electrode's responsiveness to the targeted ions by accelerating the achievement of chemical equilibrium on the electrode surface, thereby boosting its sensitivity and stability. The newly developed electrode was capable of detecting phosphate ions in solutions with a pH range from 6 to 11 and performed optimally in neutral solutions at pH 7, following Nernst principle, with a detection limit of 1 × 10 − 6 M. The electrode exhibited a short response time of less than 10 s with significant reproducibility, stability, longevity—maintaining functionality for more than two months. It also displayed good selectivity as the electrochemical equilibrium was not influenced by up to 1 mM of potential competing species like HCO 3 − , NO 3 − , Cl − and SO 4 2 − . We compared the detection results of current phosphate ion sensor and conventional determination methods for phosphate content in natural lake and aquaculture water samples, with a detection discrepancy of about 10% (RSD). Considering all feasible performance characteristics combined with its low cost, simple manufacture and portability, the sensor provides a new possibility for rapid, reliable, and long-term real-time in situ detection of phosphates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current process of recovering lithium from wasted aluminum electrolyte mostly entails extracting lithium from lithium-containing aluminum electrolyte by acid leaching and dissipation. Aiming at the disadvantages of the existing treatment method, such as the long process flow, environmental pollution, poor working environment, etc., we propose a new technology to extract lithium from the wasted aluminum electrolyte and systematically investigate the effects of raw material particle size, holding time, temperature and other factors on the recovery of lithium. The results show that the better process conditions for the recovery of lithium are as follows: the raw material particle size is 75~150 μm, the additive is CaCl2, the mass ratio of calcium chloride to lithium-containing aluminum electrolyte is 3:5, the reaction temperature is 1473 K, and the holding time is 3 h. After the product of the reaction is crushed and leaching is carried out by using deionized water (pH = 6.8), the temperature of the leaching is 368 K, the leaching time is 3 h, and the solid–liquid ratio is 1/3, and the leaching rate of Li can be up to 75.1%. In addition, the purity of the recovered AlF3 is more than 92.7%. This process realizes the comprehensive and efficient use of lithium-containing aluminum electrolyte and provides a new idea for the development of lithium extraction technology from lithium-containing aluminum electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of cut flower preservation technology can significantly enhance both the ornamental and economic value of fresh-cut flowers. Research on vase solutions has become a concentrated area in current studies on cut flower preservation. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), as a type of carbon nanomaterial with bactericidal and membrane-penetrating properties, can be used as a component in vase solutions. This supplementation of energy substances aims to improve antioxidant enzyme activity, thereby enhancing the postharvest quality of cut chrysanthemums. In this study, deionized water and a standard preservative solution were employed as control groups to compare the effects of MWCNTs applied at different concentrations, combined with common preservatives such as sugar and 8-hydroxyquinoline, on the postharvest flowering and preservation of Chrysanthemum × morifolium 'Jinba'. By observing the distribution of MWCNTs in the tissues surrounding the cut and changes in water content, carbon sources, osmoregulatory substance levels, and the expression of relevant key genes, a formulation with excellent postharvest treatment effects was identified. Preliminary investigations into its action and mechanism were also conducted. The results indicated that the combined treatment with 5 mg L−1 MWCNTs, 30 g L−1 sucrose, and 0.2 g L−1 8-hydroxyquinoline effectively promoted water and sugar uptake in chrysanthemum flowers, accelerating bud opening, maintaining larger inflorescence diameter, and extending the vase life. Ultimately, this enhanced the ornamental value of cut chrysanthemums. These research findings provide theoretical and experimental foundations for the application of multi-walled carbon nanotubes as auxiliary additives to improve the ornamental quality of cut flowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gold nanoparticles in their colloidal state have different colors, and the equipment for their characterization, such as UV-Vis spectrophotometers, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), has high costs. The research aimed to characterize metallic gold nanoparticles by artificial vision based on the color of the samples in the colloidal state. The sensor used for the sampling was a 50 MP triple-lens camera with the optical image stabilization (OIS) of a smartphone. The Vision Acquisition and Vision Assistant blocks in the NI LabVIEW platform were used to implement an artificial vision device. The camera interface was used to identify the color of each of the 10 samples of colloidal gold nanoparticles produced by the YAG laser and chemical reduction in 15 ml of deionized water. The characterization consisted of the determination of the size and concentration of the gold nanoparticles based on their color, which ranged from pink to red wine. As a result, the artificial vision device adequately identified the color of the metallic gold nanoparticles in a colloidal state with a certainty of more than 95%, allowing the nanoparticles to be adequately characterized. Therefore, it is concluded that artificial vision adequately characterized gold nanoparticles’ wavelength, absorbance, diameter, and concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silk fibroin (SF) is a natural material with polymorphic structures that determine its water solubility and biodegradability, which can be altered by exposing it to heat. Here, a hybrid thermal lithography method combining scalable microscale laser‐based patterning with nanoscale patterning based on thermal scanning probe lithography is developed. The latter enables in addition grayscale patterns to be made. The resolution limit of the writing in silk fibroin is studied by using a nanoscale heat source from a scanned nanoprobe. The heat thereby induces local water solubility change in the film, which can subsequently be developed in deionized water. Nanopatterns and grayscale patterns down to 50 nm lateral resolution are successfully written in the silk fibroin that behaves like a positive tone resist. The resulting patterned silk fibroin is then applied as a mask for dry etching of SiO2 to form a hard mask for further nano‐processing. A very high selectivity of 42:1 between SiO2 and silk fibroin is obtained allowing for high‐aspect ratio structure to be fabricated. The fabricated nanostructures have very low line edge roughness of 5 ± 2 nm. The results demonstrate the potential of silk fibroin as a water‐soluble resist for hybrid thermal lithography and precise micro/nanofabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most challenging noncommunicable diseases, as it causes significant costs for medical treatment as well as high morbidity and mortality rates. Dietary plants with antidiabetic properties have been explored as an alternative to synthetic medicines to treat DM because of their safety and nutrition. Hence, the objective of the present study was to determine the inhibitory activities of twenty commonly consumed Thai culinary vegetables against α-glucosidase and α-amylase. All vegetables were extracted using deionized water, ethanol, and hexane at 150 rpm and 30°C for 24 hours. The enzyme inhibitory activities were performed using a colorimetric assay. Diverse results for α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities were found for all vegetable extracts. The most potent anti-α-glucosidase activity was obtained from the ethanolic extract of Leucaena leucocephala (Lamk.) de Wit with the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 13.39 ± 0.14 μg/mL, followed by the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Polygonum odoratum Lour with IC50 of 25.60 ± 0.42 and 49.03 ± 0.72 μg/mL, respectively. All the samples exhibited mixed, noncompetitive, and uncompetitive inhibition. It can be concluded that the α-glucosidase and α-amylose inhibitory effects of the investigated extracts may be an indicator of antidiabetic potency, and these extracts might potentially be beneficial as functional components for postprandial hyperglycemia treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabrication of mineralized materials through the nature‐mimicking dynamic biomineralization process has attracted great interest but remains a huge challenge till now. Here, a drug‐mineralized hydrogel (DMH) with spontaneous dynamic mineralization behaviors is reported, which highly mimics the dynamic mineralization process of natural tissues. The hydrogel is facilely fabricated via directly mixing sodium hyaluronate (HA) with alendronate sodium (ADA) and CaCl2 in deionized water. The resultant hydrogel possesses a white‐to‐semi‐transparent transition and a soft‐to‐hard transition during incubation at 37 °C. Mechanism studies reveal that the spontaneous dynamic change of the hydrogel is ascribed to the HA‐regulated dynamic mineralization of ADA/Ca2+ complexes, where amorphous ADA/Ca2+ complexes will gradually transform into mineral crystals with the prolongation of incubation time. Owing to the dynamic transformation process, the DMH shows excellent injectability and moldability at the initial stage. More importantly, the DMH exhibits a sustained release behavior of ADA in vitro, superior adhesiveness with bone, biodegradability, and good biocompatibility. As a result, the developed DMH demonstrates promising uses for accelerating bone repair in a rat cranial defect model. Overall, the research provides a general strategy to prepare drug‐mineralized hydrogels with spontaneous dynamic mineralization behaviors, which may find potential uses in various biomedical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textile‐based generators that can convert low‐grade energy from the human body or environment into sustainable electricity have generated immense scientific interest in self‐powered wearable applications. However, their low power density and environmental suitability have extremely restricted their portable applications in complex and mutable environments. Herein, an asymmetric sandwich structure between molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)‐carbonized silks (MCs) and MoS2/MXene–Cottons (MMCs) to construct efficient thermo–hydroelectric generators (THEGs) that synergistically harvest heat‐moisture energy to generate considerable electricity is rationally designed. Notably, the large surface area of MoS2/MXene van der Waals heterojunctions (vdWhs) enables efficient charge collection, and the vertical MoS2 nanosheet arrays supply abundant nanochannels for a highly efficient hydration effect, generating an output power density of 32.26 µW cm−2 after wetting with deionized water. Combined with the sensitive temperature recognition ability with a Seebeck coefficient of 23.5 µV K−1, the application possibilities of these prepared THEGs in the mutual conversion of fingertip temperature/language, and the monitoring of the human physiological state is foresee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a universal demand due to global water scarcity, capacitive deionization (CDI) has emerged as an energy-effective, eco-friendly desalination technology for removing dissolved salts from brackish water by forming electric double-layers through adsorption onto electrode surfaces, and there is a potential direction to be used for desalination of drinking water. It is still necessary to enhance desalination performance to desalinate raw salty water. In this work, commercial activated carbon electrodes were prepared for investigation in a CDI cell for water desalination with a minimum required construction at two different masses, and the investigated cells were subjected to 25 cycles of adsorption and desorption (each cycle 800 s) in a direction to investigate the deep cycles of stability and refreshment methods. The CDI cell with low-mass electrodes shows a higher electrosorption capacity of 33.77 mg/g using NaCl solution with an initial concentration of 870 ppm at the applied voltage of 2 V. An interesting refreshment behavior was observed and investigated for the high-mass cell electrodes after stability measurement for 25 cycles using different strategies. This refreshment behavior will open the route for more understanding of the ion's kinetics by adsorption and desorption on the electrode surfaces and the changes in the electrode structures. This paper presented a relatively simple and easily scalable treatment for recovering the stability of the capacitive deionization cells and demonstrated the great potential of its use in water desalination applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a load‐bearing tissue, natural cartilages possess a compressive stress above 50 MPa, a water content around 60%, and a friction coefficient (FC) less than 0.1, which remains difficult for synthetic materials to realize. Herein, a facile strategy was reported to achieve this goal. The hydrogel was obtained through a three‐step strategy from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chitosan (CS), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC‐Na), lecithin (LS), and deionized water. First, freezing–thawing the aqueous solution of PVA and CS three times generated the precursor gel. Second, immersing it in aqueous solution of CMC‐Na to form multiple linkages (hydrogen bonds, ionic interactions, and crystallize domains). Third, it was coated with LS to form a lubrication layer. Due to the synergy of dynamic interactions, the compressive stress was 115 MPa, superior to most tough hydrogels. Owing to existence of LS, the FC was 0.03, better than the requirement for artificial cartilage. Remarkably, the FC remained stable within 50,000 wear cycles. On account of the reversible break/reformation of physical linkages, the creep recovery efficiency was 93%. The raw materials are all biocompatible and the fabrication process exclude the adoption of toxic additives. All of these features make it an ideal material for cartilage replacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers (PEMEL) are promising for the production of green hydrogen, but costs have to be reduced and lifetime has to be improved. In this study we investigate PEMEL with low catalyst loading achieved by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and 3D printing of the electrodes. Degradation processes were characterized and allocated using different electrochemical and physicochemical methods. The cell setup was optimized using Distribution of Relaxation Times Analysis (DRT) of the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements and the long-term performance of the optimized cell was investigated using different electrolytes (sulfuric acid and deionized water). • PEMWE cells with a low catalyst loading and 3D printed electrode show high mass activity. • Cell configuration is optimized using electrochemical methods. • Cell degradation is shown by polarization curves and impedance measurements. • Degradation processes can be allocated using DRT analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explores the hypothesis that crystalline hydrophilic additives (CA) can enhance concrete's resistance to freeze/thaw cycles, crucial for assessing building durability. Employing EU standards, the research evaluates concrete resistance through standardized European freeze/thaw procedures. Monitoring concrete slabs exposed to freezing in the presence of deionized water and in the presence of 3% sodium chloride solution, the study measures surface damage and relative dynamic modulus of elasticity. Additionally, it assesses internal damage through monitoring of relative dynamic modulus of elasticity on cubes and prisms submerged in water and exposed to freezing/thawing. The pore spacing factor measured here aids in predicting concrete behavior in freeze/thaw conditions. Results suggest that the standard air-entraining agent offers effective protection against surface and internal damage due to freeze/thaw cycles. However, the CA displays potential in enhancing resistance to freeze/thaw cycles, primarily in reducing internal damage at a 1% cement weight dosage. Notably, a 3% replacement of cement with CA adversely affects concrete resistance, leading to increased surface and internal damage. The findings contribute to understanding materials that can bolster concrete durability against freeze–thaw cycles, crucial for ensuring the longevity of buildings and infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanghar District is located in the central part of Sindh Province and shares a boarder with India to the east. This work examines the water quality of the groundwater of three subdistricts, Sanghar, Khipro, and Jan Nawaz Ali, mostly used for human consumption, cattle farming, and irrigation. A total of 74 representative samples were collected and analyzed for 26 different parameters, including anions, cations, trace, and toxic elements. The total dissolved salts (TDSs) contained in 41 samples (55.4%), the major cations, K, Na, Mg, and Ca, in 44.6–93.2% of samples, and the major anions, Cl, HCO3, and SO4, in 68.6–81.0% of samples were within the permissible guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). The samples containing elements Cr (24.0%), Pb (29.7%), Ni (39.2%), Cd (40.5%), As (10.8%), and F (39.18%) were above the permissible limits of the WHO. The groundwater samples were examined for water quality index (WQI), contamination index (Cd), chronic daily intake indices (CDIs), hazard quotient indices (HQ), principal component analysis (PCA), piper diagrams, Gibbs diagrams, and cluster analysis to ascertain nature of the groundwater present in the study area. The samples were also examined for suitability for irrigation by sodium percentage (Na%), sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), Kelly's index (KI), permeability index (PI), and Wilcox diagrams. Samples in the range of 0 to 58.33% were inappropriate for irrigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: One of the most widely recognized biostimulators of plant development; is oligoalginate, which regulates the biological processes of plants and was used in horticultural fields as a plant growth regulator. The plan of the current research was to study, however, the foliar application of un-irradiated and irradiated Na-alginate (UISA and ISA) to improve the growth, physiological activity, and other active components of the Egyptian iceberg lettuce plant. Degraded Na-alginate is equipped with exposure of sodium alginate in its solid state to gamma-rays at different dose levels (0.0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 kGy). The characterization of the oligo-alginates achieved by γ-radiation deprivation at different dose levels was performed by FTIR, XRD, TGA, SEM, and TEM. Different concentrations of irradiated sodium alginate at dose levels of 100 kGy (200, 400, 600, and 800 ppm, as well as deionized water used as a control) were sprayed with a hand sprayer every week after transplanting the iceberg lettuce seedlings in the field until the harvest stage. Morphological traits were evaluated, as well as pigments, ascorbic acid, phenols, flavonoids, soluble proteins, and antioxidant activity. Results: Irradiated Na-alginate resulted in the depolymerization of Na-alginate into small molecular-weight oligosaccharides, and the best dose to use was 100 kGy. Certain chemical modifications in the general structure were observed by FTIR analysis. Two absorbed bands at 3329 cm−1 and 1599 cm−1, were recognized that are assigned to O–H and C-O stretching, respectively, and peaks achieved at 1411 cm−1 represent the COO-stretching group connected to the sodium ion. The peak obtained at 1028 cm−1 was owing to the stretching vibration of C-O. The results of TGA provided that the minimum weight reminder was in the ISA at 100 kGy (28.12%) compared to the UISA (43.39%). The images of TEM pointed out that the Na-alginate was globular in shape, with the particle distribution between 12.8 and 21.7 nm in ISA at 100 kGy. Irradiated sodium alginate caused a noteworthy enhancement in the vegetative growth traits (leaf area, stem length, head weight, and leaf number). By spraying 400 ppm, ISA showed a maximum increase in total pigments (2.209 mg/g FW), ascorbic acid (3.13 mg/g fresh weight), phenols (1.399 mg/g FW), flavonoids (0.775 mg/g FW), and antioxidant activities (82.14. %). Also, there were correlation coefficients (R values) between leaf area, stem length, head weight, and leaf number values with total pigment content, antioxidant activity, total soluble proteins, and ascorbic acid. Conclusions: The outcomes of the recent investigation demonstrated that the application of spraying irradiated Na-alginate (100 kGy) resulted in an improvement of the considered characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two Cd(II) MOFs based on the 1,4-bis[(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-methyl]benzene (1,4-mbix) and succinate (Suc2−) or azelate (Aze2−) ligands have been hydrothermally synthesized, namely, {[Cd2(Suc)2(1,4-mbix)2]·5H2O}n (1) and [Cd(Aze)(1,4-mbix)]n (2). Both MOFs were structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In MOF 1, the Cd(II) centers are connected by Suc2− and 1,4-mbix to generate a two-dimensional (2D) sql layer with (H2O)5 water cluster. Each 2D layer is further interlocked with two adjacent layers to form a 2D + 2D → 3D parallel polycatenated structure. In MOF 2, when the Suc2− was placed by Aze2−, the Cd(II) centers are connected by Aze2− and 1,4-mbix into a 2D sql layer but without any water molecules. And two 2D sql layers interpenetrate with each other to generate a twofold 2D + 2D → 2D sheet. MOFs 1 and 2 display photoluminescence at 343 nm (λex = 288 nm) and 298 nm (λex = 271 nm), respectively. Luminescent quenching experiments show that 1 and 2 have good ability for detection of Fe3+ in deionized water with low detection limits as 0.58 μM for 1 and 0.54 μM for 2, respectively. Two MOFs also can serve as luminescent sensors for Fe3+ in real tap water and river water. The luminescent quenching of 1 and 2 toward Fe3+ can be attributed to the competition among the absorption of Fe3+ with the excitation and emission of two MOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the importance of chemical separations in industrial manufacturing processes and their significant energy use in the United States. It focuses on the potential of electrochemical separations for applications such as critical minerals recovery, CO2 purification, and water desalination. The text highlights the role of electrode and electrolyte materials in achieving selective separations and mentions various strategies and materials used in electrochemical platforms. It also mentions the advantages of electrochemical separations, such as their potential to be powered by renewable energy and generate less chemical waste. The article provides a list of references from various scientific journals and publications, covering a wide range of topics and years, which can be useful for further research. [Extracted from the article]

Human society annually produces nearly 100 billion gallons of wastewater, containing approximately 3600 GWh of energy. This study introduces a proof of concept utilizing graphene materials to extract and instantly store this energy. A hybrid device, mimicking a microbial fuel cell, acts as both a battery and supercapacitor. Wastewater serves as the electrolyte, with indigenous microorganisms on the graphene electrode acting as biocatalysts. The device features a capacitive electrode using a 3D nickel foam modified with a plasma-exfoliated graphene mixture. Compared to controls, the Gr/Ni configuration shows a 150-fold increase in power output (2.58 W/m2) and a 48-fold increase in current density (12 A/m2). The Gr/Ni/biofilm interface demonstrates outstanding charge storage capability (19,400 F/m2) as confirmed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Microscopy, spectroscopy, and electrochemical tests were employed to elucidate the superior performance of Gr/Ni electrodes. Ultimately, the capacitive energy extracted from wastewater can power small electrical equipment in water infrastructure, addressing energy needs in remote regions without access to a typical power grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water deficit (WD) promotes great losses in agriculture, and the development of new sustainable technologies to mitigate the effects of this stress on plants is essential. This study aimed to evaluate the morphophysiological and biochemical alterations induced by the priming of tomato seeds with different formulations in plants under field capacity and WD conditions. In the first experiment, the treatments consisted of nanoparticles of alginate/chitosan and chitosan/tripolyphosphate containing gibberellic acid (GA3) in different concentrations (0.5, 5, and 50 µg mL−1 GA3), in addition to control with deionized water. The alginate/chitosan (5 µg mL−1 GA3) provided the greatest gains in plant growth under field capacity. In addition, under WD this treatment reduced damage to photosystem II (−14%), stomatal conductance (−13%), and water loss (−38%) and increased the instantaneous carboxylation efficiency (+24%) and intrinsic water use efficiency (+12%). In the second experiment, the treatments were alginate/chitosan nanoparticles containing GA3 (NPGA3 5 µg mL−1), free GA3 (GA3 5 µg mL−1), nanoparticles without GA3 (NP), deionized water (WATER), and non-primed seeds (CONT). Under WD, GA3 and CONT maintained plant growth and lost water rapidly, reducing stomatal conductance (−87%) and net photosynthesis (−69%). In contrast, NPGA3 decreased leaf area (−44%) and increased root-to-shoot ratio (+39%) when compared to GA3, reducing water loss (−28%). Activation of protective mechanisms (e.g., superoxide dismutase and catalase activities) by WATER, NPGA3, and NP treatments also resulted in lower susceptibility to WD compared to CONT and GA3. The results highlight the positive effect of seed priming on plant response to WD, which was enhanced by the use of nanoencapsulated GA3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, activated red mud particles are used as adsorbents for phosphorus adsorption. HCl solutions with different concentrations and deionized water are employed for desorption tests, and the desorption mechanism under the following optimal conditions is investigated: HCl concentration = 0.2 mol/L, desorbent dosage = 0.15 L/g, desorption temperature = 35 °C, and desorption time = 12 h. Under these conditions, the phosphate desorption rate and amount reach 99.11% and 11.29 mg/g, respectively. Notably, the Langmuir isothermal and pseudo-second-order kinetic linear models exhibit consistent results: monomolecular-layer surface desorption is dominant, and chemical desorption limits the rate of surface desorption. Thermodynamic analysis indicates that phosphorus desorption by the desorbents is spontaneous and that high temperatures promote such desorption. Moreover, an intraparticle diffusion model demonstrates that the removal of phosphorus in the form of precipitation from the surface of an activated hematite particle adsorbent primarily occurs via a chemical reaction, and surface micromorphological analysis indicates that desorption is primarily accompanied by Ca dissolution, followed by Al and Fe dissolutions. The desorbents react with the active elements in red mud, and the vibrations of the [SiO4]4− functional groups of calcium–iron garnet and calcite or aragonite disappear. Further, in Fourier-transform infrared spectra, the intensities of the peaks corresponding to the PO43− group considerably decrease. Thus, desorption primarily involves monomolecular-layer chemical desorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microscale electronics have become increasingly more powerful, requiring more efficient cooling systems to manage the higher thermal loads. To meet this need, current research has been focused on overcoming the inefficiencies present in typical thermal management systems due to low Reynolds numbers within microchannels and poor physical properties of the working fluids. For the first time, this research investigated the effects of a connector with helical geometry on the heat transfer coefficient at low Reynolds numbers. The introduction of a helical connector at the inlet of a microchannel has been experimentally tested and results have shown that this approach to flow augmentation has a great potential to increase the heat transfer capabilities of the working fluid, even at low Reynolds numbers. In general, a helical connector can act as a stabilizer or a mixer, based on the characteristics of the connector for the given conditions. When the helical connector acts as a mixer, secondary flows develop that increase the random motion of molecules and possible nanoparticles, leading to an enhancement in the heat transfer coefficient in the microchannel. Otherwise, the heat transfer coefficient decreases. It is widely known that introducing nanoparticles into the working fluids has the potential to increase the thermal conductivity of the base fluid, positively impacting the heat transfer coefficient; however, viscosity also tends to increase, reducing the random motion of molecules and ultimately reducing the heat transfer capabilities of the working fluid. Therefore, optimizing the effects of nanoparticles characteristics while reducing viscous effects is essential. In this study, deionized water and deionized water–diamond nanofluid at 0.1 wt% were tested in a two-microchannel system fitted with a helical connector in between. It was found that the helical connector can make a great heat transfer coefficient enhancement in low Reynolds numbers when characteristics of geometry are optimized for given conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]