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Nanoporous hard templates provide a two-dimensionally confined space in which self-organization processes such as crystallization, protein secondary structure formation, and phase separation can be fundamentally different from those obtained in thin films and in the bulk. Understanding the crystallization, thermodynamics and dynamics of polymers under confinement allow for their rational design as functional devices with tunable mechanical strength, processability, electronic and optical properties. The principal focus of this lecture is finding the basic underlying principles that give rise to nucleation and crystal growth in a range of soft materials (crystallizable polymers, amphiphilic molecules, liquid crystals, low-molecular weight liquids and biopolymers) under hard-confinement. Bulk crystallization of polymers proceeds usually via heterogeneous nucleation and gives rise to structure over multiple length scales: from the crystalline unit cell (1-2 nm), to alternating crystalline/amorphous lamellae (50-100 nm) and to spherulitic superstructures (>500 nm and up to cm). This is the dominant nucleation mechanism in bulk polymers. Important studies of polymer crystallization confined to droplets and within the spherical nanodomains of block copolymers emphasized the interplay between heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation and explored the kinetics of homogeneous nucleation observed at high supercooling. Some authors have even reported only homogeneous nucleation of polymers confined to AAO nanopores. This finding is surprising and leads to several questions about the type of nucleation under hard confinement typical for AAO: Is the crystallization process always homogeneous within the small AAO nanopores? Do surface effects always dominate? And even more, can hard confinement completely suppress polymer crystallization and if so what is the required size? Providing answers to these questions is of technological relevance for the understanding of nanocomposites c

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The production of green hydrogen through water electrolysis is a crucial component of sustainable energy systems. One key challenge is the development of cost-effective electrocatalysts with high performance. Here, we report on the fabrication of a multilayered electrode by coating a nickel foam with nickel–cobalt–iron (Ni–Co–Fe) oxide layers (NiCoFe@NF/SD). The detailed physical and electrochemical characterizations demonstrated that the topmost layer is rich in Fe active sites. The electronic shuffling between the different layers creates an optimal environment for intermediate adsorption–desorption during the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions. The NiCoFe@NF/SD electrode exhibits high catalytic performance due to the presence of intrinsically reactive active sites, as well as high structural, chemical, and mechanical durability with a low overpotential of 210 and 166 mV for the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions, respectively, to deliver a geometric activity of 20 mA cm–2. In a two-electrode configuration, NiCoFe@NF/SD as cathode and anode requires a relatively small input voltage of 1.56 V to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm–2 and sustained a current density of 100 mA cm–2 for over 90 h with no noticeable degradation. This work offers a simple approach for the rational design of electrodes to produce green hydrogen through water electrolysis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common degenerative disease that develops over time, characterized mainly by inflammatory joints, cartilage deterioration, and ultimately loss of normal joint function. Some of the limitations that restrict the effectiveness of current OA treatment procedures include minimal penetration of medications into cartilage and lack of vascularity, leading to insufficient bioavailability and systemic toxicity. To increase the effectiveness of treatment, it is necessary to create novel non-invasive OA treatment techniques. Porous nanomaterials (PNMs) show great promise as sustained drug delivery systems (DDSs) due to their functionality, variable porosity, and high loading capacity. In addition, they can provide targeted drug delivery, facilitate controlled release of drugs, and prolong drug circulation and retention time while reducing adverse reactions and improving drug solubility. First, the current treatment methods and challenges are summarized. Subsequently, recent advances in DDSs for OA treatment based on PNMs with various pore sizes and structures are presented. Lastly, the parameters that affect the performance of DDSs are discussed by giving some suggestions for their design. The purpose of this review is to provide new insights into PNM-based DDS design and to inspire readers to adopt the smart design of intra-articular DDSs in the future.

iki farklı yeni tasarım geliştirilmiş, üretilmiş ve CES İleri Kompozit ve Savunma Teknolojileri firması tarafından gerçekleştirilen balistik testlerle test edilmiştir. Birinci tasarım alüminyum levha üzerinde anodizasyon yöntemi ile büyütülen nanogözenekli alümina, ikinci tasarım ise alüminyum levha üzerinde anodizasyon yöntemi ile büyütülen polimer emdirilmiş nanogözenekli alüminadır. Balistik test sonuçlarına dayanarak, polimer emdirilmiş konfigürasyonun, polimer emdirilmemiş nanogözenekli yapıya ve herhangi bir işlem uygulanmamış alüminyum plakaya kıyasla enerji soğurma kapasitesi açısından daha iyi performans gösterdiği gözlemlenmiştir., Gelişen balistik tehditlere karşı balistik koruma sistemlerinin geliştirilmesi önem kazanmaktadır. Malzeme üretim teknolojisinin gelişmesi ile balistik zırhlarda hafiflik, yüksek enerji soğurma kapasitesi ve yüksek balistik koruma sağlayacak yeni malzeme türleri arayışı başlamıştır. Seramik, düşük yoğunluğu, yüksek sertliği ve basınç dayanımı nedeniyle balistik zırhta yaygın olarak kullanılan bir malzeme haline gelmiştir. Seramik panel sistemlerinin ağırlığını azaltmak ve enerji soğurma kapasitelerini artırmak için literatürde çok sayıda çalışma yapılmıştır. Bu çalışmaların incelenmesi sonucunda nanogözenek yapılı seramik paneller üzerinde herhangi bir çalışmaya rastlanmamıştır. Bu proje kapsamında

The presented study introduces an interdisciplinary and inter-scale collaborative research project of the Department of Material Science and Nanotechnology Engineering and the Department of Architecture. The main objective of the project is to investigate appropriate methods of developing polymer capsules made of upcycled waste plastics for plant seeds, which are to place in permeable/porous concrete mixture. Furthermore, we plan to modify recycled plastic to make it biodegradable. Porous concrete is a special type of concrete with a high permeability rate due to its material composition. It is composed of narrowly-graded course aggregate, cement or cementitious materials, and water. It does not include sand. Therefore, it is able to transmit water and air because of its inner voids, 15-35% compared to conventional concrete. The voids are considered for seed capsules. The teams of Material Science and Nanotechnology Engineering and Architecture discussed and elaborated on the issues and problems of developing waste plastic upcycling for biodegradable seed capsules in porous concrete. The recycling of waste plastic, thermal conditions of porous concrete during curing, uniformity, controllability, versatility, mass-productivity, high efficiency, and reproductivity of polymer encapsulation methods for properly scaled dimensions have been considered. The process has been formulated but could not have been tested due to the pandemic. It is planned to carry out the project in early 2022. It is our utmost concern to initiate projective and experimental research for innovate technological advancement and know-how to introduce, develop and settle new, smart, resilient, and sustainable human-nature ecosystems and biodiversity by means of creative dialogue/collaboration among various disciplines and professions.

Micro/nanoparticles generated after the combustion of coal/lignite in the thermal power plants were modified with amino groups of (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES). These silane-based functional particles were applied in textile dye (xylenol orange, XO and methyl orange, MO) removal process to deal with an industrial wastewater problem. The maximum adsorption efficiencies of APTES coated micro/nanoparticles for MO and XO dye molecules were calculated to be around 98% and 75%, respectively. The adsorption behavior of the LCFA against dyes is also assessed by investigating the effect of adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH, and temperature. The optimum dye removal was observed at a pH of 4.0, and the equilibrium was achieved within 5 min. The maximum uptake capacities of LCFA-APTES for MO and XO dye molecules were calculated to be around 17.91 and 14.72 mg g-1, respectively. This value is approximately 3 - 5 times higher than the similar adsorbent in the literature. The uptake mechanism of MO and XO dyes onto LCFA-APTES is governed by electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding between dye molecules and APTES. The surface chemical modifications and the nature of functional groups were ascertained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The application of recovered micro/nanoparticles from solid wastes and their utilization for wastewater treatment is important not only for economy of developing countries but also for protecting the environment., Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG); Borcelik Steel Industry Inc., H.D. gratefully acknowledges Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG) for the financial support of the MPIP-TOBB ETU Partner Group Program (Soft Matter in Nanoconfinement). We are grateful to members of the UNAM, Bilkent University, for their enduring support and helpfulness. Also, Thanks are due to Borcelik Steel Industry Inc. for their support to use SEM and EDX analyses. Gratefully acknowledges Eczacibas ; imath; Building Products (Vitra) for their support to obtain textile dyes.

The production of green hydrogen through water electrolysis is a crucial component of sustainable energy systems. One key challenge is the development of cost-effective electrocatalysts with high performance. Here, we report on the fabrication of a multilayered electrode by coating a nickel foam with nickel–cobalt–iron (Ni–Co–Fe) oxide layers (NiCoFe@NF/SD). The detailed physical and electrochemical characterizations demonstrated that the topmost layer is rich in Fe active sites. The electronic shuffling between the different layers creates an optimal environment for intermediate adsorption–desorption during the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions. The NiCoFe@NF/SD electrode exhibits high catalytic performance due to the presence of intrinsically reactive active sites, as well as high structural, chemical, and mechanical durability with a low overpotential of 210 and 166 mV for the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions, respectively, to deliver a geometric activity of 20 mA cm–2. In a two-electrode configuration, NiCoFe@NF/SD as cathode and anode requires a relatively small input voltage of 1.56 V to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm–2 and sustained a current density of 100 mA cm–2 for over 90 h with no noticeable degradation. This work offers a simple approach for the rational design of electrodes to produce green hydrogen through water electrolysis.

iki farklı yeni tasarım geliştirilmiş, üretilmiş ve CES İleri Kompozit ve Savunma Teknolojileri firması tarafından gerçekleştirilen balistik testlerle test edilmiştir. Birinci tasarım alüminyum levha üzerinde anodizasyon yöntemi ile büyütülen nanogözenekli alümina, ikinci tasarım ise alüminyum levha üzerinde anodizasyon yöntemi ile büyütülen polimer emdirilmiş nanogözenekli alüminadır. Balistik test sonuçlarına dayanarak, polimer emdirilmiş konfigürasyonun, polimer emdirilmemiş nanogözenekli yapıya ve herhangi bir işlem uygulanmamış alüminyum plakaya kıyasla enerji soğurma kapasitesi açısından daha iyi performans gösterdiği gözlemlenmiştir., Gelişen balistik tehditlere karşı balistik koruma sistemlerinin geliştirilmesi önem kazanmaktadır. Malzeme üretim teknolojisinin gelişmesi ile balistik zırhlarda hafiflik, yüksek enerji soğurma kapasitesi ve yüksek balistik koruma sağlayacak yeni malzeme türleri arayışı başlamıştır. Seramik, düşük yoğunluğu, yüksek sertliği ve basınç dayanımı nedeniyle balistik zırhta yaygın olarak kullanılan bir malzeme haline gelmiştir. Seramik panel sistemlerinin ağırlığını azaltmak ve enerji soğurma kapasitelerini artırmak için literatürde çok sayıda çalışma yapılmıştır. Bu çalışmaların incelenmesi sonucunda nanogözenek yapılı seramik paneller üzerinde herhangi bir çalışmaya rastlanmamıştır. Bu proje kapsamında

Article; Early Access, Nickel-based chalcogenides have recently gained considerable interest due to their potential as efficient electrocatalysts for overall water splitting. For example, nickel sulfide (NiSx) with suitable chemisorption energy for both oxygen-and hydrogen-containing intermediates can catalyze both half-cell reactions. Here, we report the synthesis of Ni3S2 nanostructures of similar to 8 nm mean size, anchored over electrospun N-doped carbon nanofibers using microwave synthesis. Careful optimization of the process parameters enabled the structural synthesis of three different types of Ni3S2 (mostly amorphous, partially crystalline, and mostly crystalline) over carbon nanofibers. Scanning and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the catalysts and electrochemical performance evaluated in an alkaline medium. The partially crystalline phase of Ni3S2 supported over carbon nanofibers was the best-performing catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to its high electrochemically active surface area, N-doping of carbon, presence of a crystalline and amorphous mixed phase, and high conductivity of the carbon support which resulted in a low overpotential of 270 mV for the OER with a Tafel slope of only 51 mV/ dec and a low charge transfer resistance of 1.08 omega. Moreover, the catalyst was stable and yielded more than 95% Faradaic efficiency in both the oxygen evolution and hydrogen evolution reactions., Higher Education Commission of Pakistan under the National Research Program for Universities (HEC-NRPU) [4430, 5911], Funding from the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan under the National Research Program for Universities (HEC-NRPU) grant numbers 4430 and 5911 is greatly acknowledged.

Prussian blue analogues (PBA) are regarded as promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) owing to their open framework with large interstitial sites to accommodate Na+ ions. However, PBA suffer from low electronic conductivity and mechanical instability, which may be improved by their structural modification leading to enhanced kinetics. In this regard, we report an in-situ integration of ultra-small PBA cubes into threedimensional metal organic framework (MOF) derived carbon-doped manganese oxide nanorods (C-Mn2O3), which form a continuous conductive architecture with intimate PBA/C-Mn2O3 contact. The C-Mn2O3 nanorods provide nucleation sites for the growth of PBA cubes and further act as the electronic pathway to improve electrode reaction kinetics. This hierarchical configuration effectively buffers the lattice expansion, which improve the structural stability of NiCoPBA. Consequently, the composite exhibits promising performance in aqueous Na+ batteries. Specifically, it delivers a high capacity of 97 mAh/g within a narrow potential window of and retained 82% capacity for 1000 cycles in aqueous electrolyte. It shows even higher capacity of 136 mAh/g and similar capacity retention (76% after 1000 cycles) in non-aqueous electrolytes. The promising performance of developed materials demonstrates the significant impact decreasing the size of PBA cubes has on the capacity by reducing the diffusion pathways and thus facilitating intercalation/deintercalation within the cubes. This study offers new insights of exploiting redox-active substrates to modify and stabilize PBA materials for energy storage applications., Lahore University of Management Sci-ences (LUMS); Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS); Higher Education Commission (HEC) , Govt. of Pakistan [14830], IH acknowledges support by Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) including financial support through Faculty Initiative Fund (FIF) 2020 - 2021, and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) , Govt. of Pakistan, for awarding an NRPU project (14830) to explore the applications of these materials in battery technology. We gratefully acknowledge Prof. Michael A. Pope for providing lab facilities in department of chemical engineering, Quantum Nano Centre, university of Waterloo for electrochemical characterization of developed materials for batteries application.

Electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) coupled with methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) is an innovative process to attain energy-efficient hydrogen generation with more valuable formate product co-generation. Herein, we present 3D porous bimetallic NiCo nanostructures with oxygen vacancies grown on a nickel foam surface (O-v-NiCo@NF) as efficient electrocatalysts that show integrated highly selective methanol oxidation along with hydrogen evolution. The electronic structure of O-v-NiCo@NF is tuned by surface oxygen vacancies that provide a high active surface area and optimum chemisorption energy for selective methanol upgradation to formate. The metallic porous nanostructures and interconnected dendritic growth of nanoparticles ensure electrolyte penetration, with faster gas release ability, that enhances charge transfer kinetics and suppresses support passivation during MOR and HER. The 3D porous Ov-NiCo@NF exhibits improved methanol conversion activity, requiring 1.30 and 1.42 V (vs RHE) to achieve 50 and 100 mA cm(-2) current densities for MOR, respectively. Furthermore, an integrated two electrode setup (Ov-NiCo@NF//Ov-NiCo@NF) requires a cell voltage of 1.41 V to attain 25 mA cm(-2) current density for methanol-upgrading-assisted water electrolysis, while a higher cell voltage (1.62 V) is required in the electrolyte without methanol (overall water splitting)., Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Pakistan (FIF grant), F.A. and F.S. appreciate the financial support providedby the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS), Pakistan (FIFgrant).

Article; Early Access, Nickel-based chalcogenides have recently gained considerable interest due to their potential as efficient electrocatalysts for overall water splitting. For example, nickel sulfide (NiSx) with suitable chemisorption energy for both oxygen-and hydrogen-containing intermediates can catalyze both half-cell reactions. Here, we report the synthesis of Ni3S2 nanostructures of similar to 8 nm mean size, anchored over electrospun N-doped carbon nanofibers using microwave synthesis. Careful optimization of the process parameters enabled the structural synthesis of three different types of Ni3S2 (mostly amorphous, partially crystalline, and mostly crystalline) over carbon nanofibers. Scanning and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the catalysts and electrochemical performance evaluated in an alkaline medium. The partially crystalline phase of Ni3S2 supported over carbon nanofibers was the best-performing catalyst for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) due to its high electrochemically active surface area, N-doping of carbon, presence of a crystalline and amorphous mixed phase, and high conductivity of the carbon support which resulted in a low overpotential of 270 mV for the OER with a Tafel slope of only 51 mV/ dec and a low charge transfer resistance of 1.08 omega. Moreover, the catalyst was stable and yielded more than 95% Faradaic efficiency in both the oxygen evolution and hydrogen evolution reactions., Higher Education Commission of Pakistan under the National Research Program for Universities (HEC-NRPU) [4430, 5911], Funding from the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan under the National Research Program for Universities (HEC-NRPU) grant numbers 4430 and 5911 is greatly acknowledged.

Micro/nanoparticles generated after the combustion of coal/lignite in the thermal power plants were modified with amino groups of (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES). These silane-based functional particles were applied in textile dye (xylenol orange, XO and methyl orange, MO) removal process to deal with an industrial wastewater problem. The maximum adsorption efficiencies of APTES coated micro/nanoparticles for MO and XO dye molecules were calculated to be around 98% and 75%, respectively. The adsorption behavior of the LCFA against dyes is also assessed by investigating the effect of adsorbent dosage, contact time, pH, and temperature. The optimum dye removal was observed at a pH of 4.0, and the equilibrium was achieved within 5 min. The maximum uptake capacities of LCFA-APTES for MO and XO dye molecules were calculated to be around 17.91 and 14.72 mg g(-1), respectively. This value is approximately 3 - 5 times higher than the similar adsorbent in the literature. The uptake mechanism of MO and XO dyes onto LCFA-APTES is governed by electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding between dye molecules and APTES. The surface chemical modifications and the nature of functional groups were ascertained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The application of recovered micro/nanoparticles from solid wastes and their utilization for wastewater treatment is important not only for economy of developing countries but also for protecting the environment., Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG), H.D. gratefully acknowledges Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG) for the financial support of the MPIP-TOBB ETU Partner Group Program (Soft Matter in Nanoconfinement). We are grateful to members of the UNAM, Bilkent sity, for their enduring support and helpfulness. Also, Thanks are due to Borcelik Steel Industry Inc. for their support to use SEM and EDX analyses. Gratefully acknowledges Eczacibasi Building Products (Vitra) for their support to obtain textile dyes.

Article; Early Access, Hybrids of nitrate-based molten salts (KNO3, NaNO3, and Solar Salt) and anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) with various pore sizes (between 25 and 380 nm) were designed for concentrated solar power (CSP) plants to achieve low melting point ( 200 degrees C) and high thermal conductivity (> 1 W m(-1) K-1). AAO pore surfaces were passivated with octadecyl phosphonic acid (ODPA), and the results were compared with as-anodized AAO. The change in phase transition temperatures and melting temperatures of salts was investigated as a function of pore diameter. Melting temperatures decreased for all salts inside AAO with different pore sizes while the highest melting temperature decrease (delta T = 173 +/- 2 degrees C) was observed for KNO3 filled in AAO with a pore diameter of 380 nm. Another nanoconfinement effect was observed in the crystal phases of the salts. The ferroelectric phase of KNO3 (gamma-phase) formed at room temperature for KNO3/ AAO hybrids with pore size larger than 35 nm. Thermal conductivity values of molten salt (MS)/AAO hybrids were obtained by thermal property analysis (TPS) at room temperature and above melting temperatures of the salts. The highest increase in thermal conductivity was observed as 73% for KNO3/AAO-35 nm. For NaNO3/AAO-380 nm hybrids, the thermal conductivity coefficient was 1.224 +/- 0.019 at room temperature. To determine the capacity and efficiency of MS/AAO hybrids during the heat transfer process, the energy storage density per unit volume (J m(-3)) was calculated. The highest energy storage capacity was calculated as 2390 MJ m(-3) for KNO3/AAO with a pore diameter of 400 nm. This value is approximately five times higher than that of bulk salt., TUBITAK [118M582], H.D. and M.G.Y. gratefully acknowledge TUBITAK for the financial support of the 118M582 project.