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Spherical powders are required for many advanced manufacturing techniques due to their inherent requirement of flowability, either within feed tubes or during powder spreading. As advanced manufacturing of magnets continues to develop, new production methods for feedstocks are also sought. Plasma spheroidization is a high-yield method to produce spherical Nd–Fe–B powders from irregularly shaped particles, with advantages including high throughput and a well-controlled size distribution. Highly spherical Nd–Fe–B powders with large scale production (i.e., kg) have been demonstrated using an inductively coupled thermal plasma system; however, the magnetic properties of the output powder display significant degradation. The coercivity was decreased from the initial 8 kOe (636 kA/m) of the as-received to 0.7 kOe (55 kA/m) for spheroidized powders. Microstructural investigation reveals 6% Nd depletion caused by the extreme temperatures of the plasma, leading to the formation of low-coercivity α-Fe and a subsequent decrease in energy product. Post-spheroidization heat treatments with Nd can partially mitigate the coercivity degradation, increasing to 1.7 kOe (135 kA/m), potentially offering a pathway toward spherical powders for a range of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical and experimental approaches have been employed for studying the lattice site occupation effect on the electronic structure and some physical properties of CoMnCrAl Heusler alloy (HA). Among possible variants of the ordered stoichiometric CoMnCrAl HA lattice site occupation by Co, Mn, Cr, and Al atoms, the first-principle calculations have been performed for three nonequivalent ones (marked by us as type 1, type 2, and type 3, respectively). CoMnCrAl HA with atomic order of the first type is half-metallic ferromagnet (FM) with resulting magnetic moment of m t o t 1 = 0.9999 μ B /f.u. and spin-polarization degree of Fermi electrons P 1 = 100 % , for atomic orders of second and third types, m t o t and P are equal to m t o t 2 = 1.0186 μ B /f.u., P 2 = 89 % and m t o t 3 = 6.8673 μ B /f.u., P 3 = 77 % , respectively. Changes in the order type on the way T1 → T2 → T3 cause a decrease in the spatial electron density, weakening of the covalent chemical interatomic bonds, lead to a decrease in the cohesion energy E c o h and hence to loss of the thermodynamic stability of the CoMnCrAl alloy. Despite various high-temperature heat treatments, only B2- and A2-types of atomic order have been obtained in bulk and film CoMnCrAl alloy samples. Experimentally, it was found that bulk B2-type ordered CoMnCrAl alloy demonstrates significantly lower magnetization [ M (300 K) = 0.442 μ B /f.u.] and spin-polarization degree of Fermi electrons [ P ≈ 30 % ] than theoretically predicted. More disordered crystalline CoMnCrAl films with A2-type of atomic order practically are non-FM at T = 300 K with P = 0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we study the effect of quenching and annealing on the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties at room temperature and elevated temperatures of a new ternary BiFeO3-PbTiO3-Li0.5Bi0.5TiO3 bulk piezo ceramic. While sacrificing part of the maximally obtainable piezoelectric constant value, using an optimal heat treatment, a quasi-stable value for the piezoelectric constant of 65 pC/N was obtained irrespective of the annealing temperature. All experimental results point to the direction of unusual defect behavior in this novel ternary system leading to a well-defined metastable state. The quenching and annealing process are completely reversible and can be used in combination with additional chemical modifications to tailor the properties of this new high-temperature piezoelectric ceramic to the intended use conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this manuscript, perovskite oxide LaCoO3/LaMnO3/LaCoO3 (LLL) trilayers and the single-layer LaMnO3 (LMO) and LaCoO3 (LCO) films are epitaxially grown on (001)-oriented SrTiO3 substrates by polymer-assisted deposition combining with heat treating in Ar, air, and O2 atmospheres, respectively. The crystal structure and magnetic properties are investigated. It is found that the responses of LMO and LCO films to oxygen content are different, and the magnetic property of LMO is more sensitivity to oxygen content than that of LCO. The oxygen content can directly affect the structure and magnetic properties of LMO and LCO layers, which, in turn, modulate the interfacial magnetic properties of the LLL trilayers through interlayer coupling. By comparison with the magnetic properties of the single-layer films, an abnormal ferromagnetic (FM) transition is found in the LLL trilayers at around 216 K, besides two known FM transitions corresponding to those in the LCO and LMO layers, respectively. It is suggested that the abnormal FM transition is attributed to Mn4+–O–Co2+ FM super-exchange interaction, which is induced by the charge transfer from Mn3+ to Co3+ ions and the interlayer coupling between the LMO and LCO layers. The interlayer coupling of the trilayers, including the interfacial coupling and the diffusion-induced inlayer coupling, dominates the interface properties, which are tuned by oxygen content-dependent charge transfer. The cooperative function of the orbital/charge structure and the interlayer coupling dominates the magnetic properties of the LLL trilayer under the tensile strain. These findings provide new avenues to regulate the electronic and magnetic states of perovskite oxide multilayers and another way to the development of multifunctional electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, influence of SbCl3 treatment on CdTe films deposited by the close space sublimation method was investigated. SbCl3 treatment was compared with conventional CdCl2 treated and untreated samples. It was determined that CdTe grew as Cd-rich and there was a slight decrease in Cd-amount after SbCl3 and CdCl2 treatments. In addition, a significant amount of Sb was detected in the SbCl3 treated sample. The samples crystallized in the cubic structure of CdTe. However, graded structures such as phase-I and phase-II with different structural parameters were formed. In the SbCl3 sample, it was revealed that the presence of Sb- caused a slight increase in the lattice parameter, compared to the other samples. Morphological analyses of the samples showed facet and large-small grain structures. CdCl2 treatment caused a slight decrease in grain size, while SbCl3 treatment resulted in a coarser and rougher grain structure. CdCl2 treatment increased transmittance, whereas SbCl3 treatment caused a decrease in transmittance (hence, an increase in absorbance). It was observed that the bandgaps were ∼1.49 eV in all samples, and annealing, as well as CdCl2 and SbCl3 heat treatments did not cause a sharp change in the bandgaps. Photoluminescence spectra revealed the presence of band-edge and shallow-level defect transitions (except CdCl2 treated) in the samples. All results suggest that SbCl3 heat treatment has a significant effect on CdTe and may be an alternative to CdCl2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of modern industry, the discharge of dye wastewater is increasing year by year, and the damage caused by this wastewater to the ecosystem is often irreversible. Therefore, the research on the harmless treatment of dyes has attracted much attention in recent years. In this paper, commercial titanium dioxide (anatase nanometer titanium dioxide) was heat treated with anhydrous ethanol to synthesize titanium carbide (C/TiO2). Its maximum adsorption capacity for cationic dyes methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B is 27.3 and 124.6 mg g−1, respectively, which is much higher than that of pure TiO2. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm model of C/TiO2 were studied and characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and other methods. The results show that the carbon layer on the surface of C/TiO2 promotes the increase in surface hydroxyl groups, which is the main reason for the increase in MB adsorption. Compared with other adsorbents, C/TiO2 showed excellent reusability. The experimental results of adsorbent regeneration showed that the adsorption rate R% of MB was almost unchanged after three cycles. During the recovery of C/TiO2, the dyes adsorbed on its surface are removed, which solves the problem that the adsorbent cannot degrade dyes simply by adsorption. Additionally, C/TiO2 has a stable adsorption effect, is insensitive to the pH value, has a simple preparation process, and has relatively low raw material prices, making it suitable for large-scale operation. Therefore, it has good commercial prospects in the organic dye industry wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operational stability is a current bottleneck facing the quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). In particular, the device working around turn-on voltage suffers from unbalanced charge injection and heavy power loss. Here, we investigate the operational stability of red emissive CdSe QLEDs operated at different applied voltages. Compared to the rising luminance at higher voltages, the device luminance quickly decreases when loaded around the turn-on voltage, but recovers after unloading or slight heat treatment, which is termed fatigue effects of operational QLED. The electroluminescence and photoluminescence spectra before and after a period of operation at low voltages show that the abrupt decrease in device luminance derives from the reduction of quantum yield in quantum dots. Combined with transient photoluminescence and electroluminescence measurements, as well as equivalent circuit model analysis, the electron accumulation in quantum dots mainly accounts for the observed fatigue effects of a QLED during the operation around turn-on voltage. The underlying mechanisms at the low-voltage working regime will be very helpful for the industrialization of QLED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new hybrid material was created by blending sodium titanate ceramics (Na2Ti3O7/Na2Ti6O13) with a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix, resulting in enhanced semiconductive characteristics. The synthesis process involved intense ultrasonic treatment and subsequent heat treatment at 900 °C. Utilizing a solvent casting method, Na2Ti3O7/Na2Ti6O13/PVA composites were fabricated. Raman spectra confirmed the presence of PVA chains and distinctive bands of sodium titanates. Elemental analysis verified the existence of Na and Ti in both composites. Morphological observations revealed the formation of irregular agglomerates upon introducing sodium titanates into the PVA structure, leading to a rise in the average surface roughness (Ra) from ~ 1.5 to 7.9 nm post-incorporation of heated Na2Ti3O7/Na2Ti6O13. Differences in morphology between samples loaded with unheated and heated Na2Ti3O7/Na2Ti6O13 suggested a more effective particle incorporation into the polymeric matrix after heat treatment. Electrical measurements indicated that the composite loaded with unheated Na2Ti3O7/Na2Ti6O13 exhibited the lowest electrical resistance (105 Ω) and a relaxation time of 3.16 × 10− 5 s. These results demonstrate that the inclusion of sodium titanate ceramics enhances the semiconductive properties of the PVA matrix. This finding highlights the potential of this material for various electronic applications, including components for solid-state batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium silicate coating foams seriously at high temperature. SiO 2 , TiO 2 and Ti particles were added to solve this problem. Micro-morphologies, phase composition, mass change kinetics were analyzed, porosity and volatilizable water contents (κ 0) of coatings were calculated to reveal the effects of adding SiO 2 , TiO 2 , and Ti particles on the foaming behavior of potassium silicate coatings at 500 °C. The higher the κ 0 , the more severe the foaming becomes. Results shows that addition of fillers improved the anti-foaming resistance due to volume occupier effect. Among them, SiO 2 particles did not alter κ 0 of the as-prepared coatings due to similar tetrahedral structure with silica, addition of TiO 2 particles increased κ 0 because titania can form more -Ti-OH groups than silica, Ti particles decrease κ 0 because dissolved Ti4+ ions can decrease the number of the pending -Si-OH bonds. Combined with the volume expansion occurred due to the oxidation of Ti particles during heat treatment, potassium silicate coating modified by 30 wt% Ti exhibited the best anti-foaming performance with the lowest porosity, at 1.8%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rapid advancements in medical radiography, nondestructive inspection, and radiation detection, there is an increasing demand for scintillators that offer both cost-effectiveness and high-resolution X-ray imaging. In this study, we have successfully synthesized transparent glass-ceramic scintillator by embedding Tb3+-doped NaLu 2 F 7 nanocrystals in a glass matrix. This scintillator demonstrates excellent spatial resolution of 20 lp/mm in X-ray imaging due to its high transmittance (over 90% at 550 nm) and intense luminescent intensity when excited by X-ray (151% higher than that of the Bi 4 Ge 3 O 12 scintillator). More significantly, the as-synthesized scintillator exhibits exceptional stabilities at high temperature, moisture levels, and moderate radiation exposure. Notably, any decline in performance caused by long-term exposure to high-dose X-ray can be fully recovered through heat treatment at 350 °C for 30 min. These findings highlight the great potential of NaLu 2 F 7 :Tb3+ glass ceramics as suitable options for high-resolution and retrievable X-ray imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) biomaterials are intended for use as bone substitutes, target functional agents in theranostics or bioimaging due to affinity for hard tissues, biocompatibility, and bioactivity. This study is devoted to HAp doped with cerium, having distinctive feature to change the oxidation state (3+/4+), which affects the physico-chemical and optical properties of the obtained powders. Cerium-doped HAp nanopowders with Ce content up to 0.5 wt% were obtained through precipitation technique and then were heat treated. The following conditions for heat treating were used: (i) heating in air atmosphere, (ii) hot pressing, (iii) heating in a carbon filling. For characterization, the complex methodology was implemented, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and high temperature XRD, X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, and, finally, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. It was shown that the monophase cerium-HAp is stable up to a temperature of 1000 °C in the oxidizing atmosphere, above 1000 °C cerium(4+) oxide forms. Using reducing atmosphere during heating prevents the transition of Ce3+ to Ce4+. PL, EPR and XANES studding clarified obviously the Ce3+ content in the materials obtained under different processing conditions. It was shown, that Ce-HAp powders produced by precipitation and hot pressing contain Ce3+ and exhibit luminescence. The significant luminescence of hot pressed Ce-HAps was caused by a higher concentration of Ce3+ ions and incorporation of carbonate ions as a result of the processing. [Display omitted] • Cerium-doped hydroxyapatite with cerium content of 0–0.5 wt% was produced by precipitation technique. • As-dried powders contain Ce(3+) and exhibit luminescence in Vis range. • Heating in air above 1000 °C leads to oxidation of Ce(3+) to Ce(4+) with CeO2 formation and decreasing of emission of the materials. • Heating in reducing atmosphere by hot pressing or heating in a carbon filling prevents the oxidation of Ce(3+). • Hot pressing stabilizes the HAp structure; heating in a carbon filling leads to HAp decomposition with Ce-TCP formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-based materials are widely used in electrical heaters, resistors, battery electrodes, and other applications. Membranous electronic components, with light weight, small volume, extraordinary mechanical flexibility, can be used in microelectronic devices and flexible electronic devices. The C/Si 3 N 4 composite film was prepared by circulating 16% sucrose solution on the coating machine for 4 times and heat treating with nitrogen at 850 °C for 60min. The composite film has excellent electrical conductivity, and the resistivity is 15 mΩ cm at normal temperature (20 °C), and the minimum resistivity can be less than 1 mΩ cm at high temperature. In addition, the composite film maintains the inherent flexibility of silicon nitride fiber paper, and the minimum bending radius is as low as 3 mm. Compared with polymer flexible membranes, C/Si 3 N 4 composite membranes show excellent long-term stability at high temperatures, and the preparation process is green, low cost, easy to operate, and suitable for large-scale production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Electrochemical CO 2 reduction reaction (CO 2 RR) presents a unique opportunity to convert carbon dioxide (CO 2) to value-added products while simultaneously storing renewable energy in the form of chemical energy. However, particle applications of this technology are limited due to the poor efficiency and product selectivity of the existing catalyst. In this study, we demonstrate a facile method for the heat-induced transformation of copper nanowires into CuO x /Cu nanotubes with defect-enriched surfaces. During this transformation, the outward migration of copper results in the formation of tubular structures encased within nanosized oxide grains. Notably, the hydrogen faradaic efficiency (FE) decreases with extended heat treatment, while carbon monoxide (CO) FE increases. As compared to Cu NWs, Cu NTs exhibit lower selectivity towards H 2 and single-carbon (C 1) products and favor the formation of multi-carbon (C 2+) products. Consequently, a 2-fold increase in the single pass CO 2 conversion (SPCC) and C 2+ half-cell energy efficiency (EE half cell) was noted after heat treatment. The Cu NT-4 variant, synthesized under optimized conditions, exhibits the highest FE of 72.1 % for C 2+ products at an operating current density (I D) of 500 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZnO–Al 2 O 3 –B 2 O 3 –SiO 2 (ZABS) glass powder was designed and innovatively employed to join AlN ceramics. The crystallization, thermal expansion and wettability behavior of the ZABS glass and glass-ceramic were investigated. The results shows that Zn 3 B 2 O 6 , ZnSiO 4 and Zn 4 B 6 O 13 were precipitated after heat treatments at different temperature, respectively, resulting in a variation in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the ZABS glass ceramic. Then guided by the wetting behavior on the AlN ceramic substrate, the joining of the AlN ceramics by ZABS glass at various temperatures and holding times were conducted. Notably, Zn 3 B 2 O 6 was identified to be the primary product in the joints bonded at temperature of 700–800 °C due to the crystallization within the glass and no discernible reaction was observed between the substrate and the interlayer, while ZnSiO 4 was observed at the periphery of Zn 3 B 2 O 6 after 750 °C. Moreover, the crystalline phase Zn 3 B 2 O 6 gradually grew with the temperature and holding time increasing as the glassy phase gradually diminished, resulting in a reduction of the strength and reliability of the joints. The optimal flexural strength of the joints was 156 ± 11 MPa at 700 °C for 30min. The reason for the high strength can be attributed to the interactions between the glass precipitated crystalline phase interlocking each other and the glass phase tightly bonded with the crystalline phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comparison between as-received and multistage annealed NiFe 2 O 4 @SiO 2 (NFO@SiO 2) core-shell nanoparticles is presented. The studied ferrites were synthesized by co-precipitation followed by microemulsion. The presence of cubic inverse spinel ferrite structure with tetrahedral and octahedral iron occupancy is confirmed in all analyzed samples. The structural characterization revealed the gradual crystallization of NFO cores up to about 12 nm crystallite size at the last annealing stage. Simultaneously, a partial crystallization of the silica matrix is evidenced. The superparamagnetic (SPM) behaviour is demonstrated based on complex magnetic performance and confirmed by Mössbauer spectrometry. The spin-canting phenomenon on the surface dead magnetic layer (MDL) is revealed based on the Yafet-Kittel model. A slight change in MDL thickness versus heat treatment is proved. The X-ray photoemission and absorption studies confirmed the complex nature of the Fe-based states. The Si–O–Ni/Fe intermixing on the NFO – SiO 2 nanoparticles interface is revealed by the core-level lines analysis, proving the existence of a disordered layer on the NFO surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in-situ TiB whiskers (TiBw)-reinforced TC18 composite was fabricated using spark plasma sintering (SPS), then the effects of solution and aging treatment (2HT), solution and two-step aging treatment (3HT) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the composite were investigated, respectively. The results showed that the α-phase microscale concentration control can be successfully achieved by different heat treatments. Concretely, a large amount of rod-like α-phase (α p) and needle-like α-phase (α s) were precipitated during the 2HT process. After the 3HT, the coarser α p formed a dense micro-network structure in the composite, while αs disappeared. Compared to the TiBw/TC18 composite, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the 2HT composite increased by 11%, which is the result of the dense α s and α p co-hindering the dislocation movement, and the ductility of the composite increased by 221% after 3HT, which is the result of the coarsened α p blunting the crack tip, consuming the crack expansion energy and slowing down the crack expansion rate. By designing different heat treatment processes, this study aims to guide the suitability of TC18 composites under different working conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal history sensors are valuable tools for thermal analysis of high-temperature components within aero-engines and gas turbines. However, most thermal history sensors have an upper temperature limit of ∼1200 °C, which is insufficient to meet the requirement of gas turbines. This study introduces a novel material for thermal history sensing capable of measuring temperatures up to 1400 °C. We show thermal history measurements based on the emission intensity ratio of a Eu3+-doped yttrium–aluminum mixture, whose luminescence characteristics undergo irreversible changes when exposed to high temperature. The primary mechanism is the decrease of the symmetry ratio owing to the phase transformation from YAG (Y 3 Al 5 O 12), YAM (Y 4 Al 2 O 9) to YAP (YAlO 3) utilizing the combination reaction of YAP induced by heat-treatment. The intensity ratio between 5D 0 →7F 1 and 5D 0 →7F 2 exhibits a monotonic decrease from 1.3 to 0.4 as the heat-treatment temperature increases from 1000 °C to 1400 °C. Moreover, we demonstrate that the irreversible change in intensity ratio after heat treatment remains insensitive to exposure time and oxygen partial pressure. Thus, the Eu3+-doped yttrium-aluminum mixture is a promising material for manufacturing high-temperature thermal history sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium-zinc-germanate glass-ceramics doped with Mn ions are synthesized by volume crystallization method. Structural studies show nucleation of different forms of lithium germanate crystals depending on the isothermal treatment regime of the initial glass. With the increase of the heat treatment temperature and the lithium content in the initial glass, the [GeO 4 ] /[GeO 6 ] ratio in the nucleated crystalline phases increases. The initial distribution of Mn2+/Mn3+/Mn4+ is defined by the Li 2 O/ZnO ratio in the glass composition: the ratio growth increases the contribution of Mn4+ over the Mn2+ and Mn3+. Low-temperature heat treatment of initial glass leads to uprise of intense red emission of Mn4+ ions in the octahedral environment. High-temperature heat treatment leads to occurrence of intense green emission related to Mn2+ ions in a tetrahedral environment. Discussions on all transformations of symmetry, the crystal field strength of Mn ions' environment and their valence state based on the results of optical spectroscopy, ESR and XRF studies are provided. The maximum quantum yield of red luminescence is 61%, and of green luminescence is 23%. The synthesized glass-ceramics can be used as a luminescent converter of the UV LED radiation with the maximum energy efficiency of 20%. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present the results of an investigation of the influence of excess energy applied through ball milling on surface hydration behavior of alumina particles manufactured by three different methods. It is shown that different hydration amount are generated due to the defects and newly generated surfaces introduced during high energy ball milling processes. And the various gibbsite/bayerite ratio of the formed hydrates are attributed to the coordination defects resulting from heat treatment during the manufacturing process. As a result, it is confirmed that the dispersant works more efficiently with particles in which hydrates are formed, and the surfaces with structures closer to gibbsite seem to respond more effectively to dispersant in slurries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

:In paper, recycled Al-1.15Mg-1.02Si-0.7Cu alloy was optical prepared by meiting and casting, the microstructural evolution of the alloy were analyzed by using optical nicroscopy(OM), scanning e!ectron microscopy (SEM), e!ectron back scattered diffraciion(EBSD) and transmission e!ectron nicroscope(TEM),the effects of heal treatment on the mechanical and corrosionlresistant properties of the extruded proUes were invesiigated. The results show that the recrystaliization of the alloy was competed by soiid solution at 550C and fine equaaxaal crystass were obtanned. The iime required for the alloys to reach peak hardness under artificia1 aging cond!tions at 155,175 and 195 C was 18,8 and 4 h, respectively, and the peak hardnesses were 132.96 HV,132. 94 HV and 132.22 HV, respectively, wtth the extruded profiles obtanning the highest tensle strength of 410. 42 MPa and higher elongation of 14. 75% under aging cond!tions at 175 C/8 h. The optimizedsoid solution process ss 550 C/1 hand the artifidal aging process ss 175 C/8 h. The tendency of the alloy to intergranular corrosion ss more pronounced,and the alloy corrodes most severely under peakaged cond!tions, followed by over-aged and weakest underaged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of quenching and tempering temperatures on the microstructure and mechanccal properties of H13 hot work die steel were rnvestigated by using metallograplic microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, microhardness tesiing,and tensle testing. The findings revealed that secondary tempering treatment and appropriate reduction in tempering temperature result in the effective precipitation of iiner and more dispersed carbides and the complete release of quenching stress. As a resutt, the hardness and toughness of H13 hot work de steel were significantly improved. Notably,when the quenching temperature was 1 000 C and the tempering temperature was 520 C, the mechanical properties are superior, characterized by smaler tempering martenstte size and more uniform structural dsstribution. Under these cond!tions, the hardness measureed 487 HV, the tenslle strength reached 1 779 MPa,and the elongation was 11. 5%. The analysis of the tenslle fracture morphology reveals the presence of numerous dimples in the specimen after the tempering process, indccative of typca! ducile fracture charac t eris i ccs. Fur t hermore,a model was developed to describe t he soft ening behavior of H13 s t eel during t empering n t he t empera t ure range of 520 C to 600 C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oil amounts of raw and roasted mustard seeds were reported between 12.05 (control) and 16.30% (oven). Total phenolic and flavonoid amounts of untreated (control) and roasted mustard seeds were recorded to be between 473.90 (control) and 569.96 mgGAE/100 g (oven) to 345.48 (control) and 479.76 mg/100 g (microwave), respectively. Antioxidant capacity results of untreated and roasted mustard seeds were determined to be between 6.71 (oven) and 6.97 mmol/kg (control). Total phenolic and flavonoid amounts of oven-roasted seeds were higher than those of control and microwave-roasted seeds. L* values of mustard seeds varied between 35.04 and 65.52. Heat treatment caused a decrease in L* values. The lowest L* value was observed in the sample dried in conventional oven. The quantitative values of gallic and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acids of mustard seeds were recorded to be between 8.47 (control) and 117.31 mg/100 g (microwave) to 2.16 (control) and 11.79 mg/100 g (microwave), respectively. Erucic acid values of the oils extracted from raw and roasted mustard seeds were reported between 41.38 (control) and 42.81% (microwave). Oleic and linoleic acid amounts of mustard oils differed between 26.06 (microwave) and 26.90% (control) and between 13.08 (oven) and 13.98% (control), respectively. The oven roasting system had the most effect on the element and protein contents of the seeds, followed by the microwave in decreasing order. As with the bioactive components of the seeds, the amounts of phenolic constituents of roasted mustard seeds increased significantly compared to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of cubic and tetragonal systems of nano-sized ceramic barium titanate powder on hemolytic activity, free radical processes and antioxidant activity was studied. The physicochemical properties of BaTiO3 obtained by heat treatment in air at 800°C and 1200°C of the precursor synthesized by the sol-gel method were investigated. Based on X-ray phase analysis in conjunction with Raman spectra and heat capacity measurements, it was found that the crystal structure of BaTiO3 calcined at 1200°C is a tetragonal crystal system, while that of BaTiO3 calcined at 800°C is a cubic crystal system. The analysis of the scanning electron microscopy method in combination with the dynamic light scattering method showed a distribution of nanosized particles from 50 to 250 nm for BaTiO3 at 800°C and from 100 nm to 240 nm at 1200°C. Depending on the processing temperature, the powders were found to have different pore sizes: at 800°C - micropores and at 1200°C - mesopores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to study the metallurgical and mechanical changes that occurred due to the T6 heat treatment of SiC particle-reinforced A356 matrix composite. The stir-casting technique was used for the fabrication of the composite. The fabricated composite was T6 heat-treated. Along with Mg2Si, MgAl2O4 a new phase, MgO was identified through energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping. An improvement in the mechanical properties was observed. All the mechanical properties are not equally influenced by T6 heat treatment. The formed phases act as strong obstacles to the slip and dislocation of the matrix which improves the ultimate tensile strength value by 40–42%, and impact strength 3 times higher than that of unheat-treated composite but only 10–12% improvement in hardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many different processes have been developed to grow graphene film to protect metals. These processes are primarily based on chemical vapour deposition and are challenging to scale. In this paper, we have attempted to grow the reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-like film using the natural resin 'shellac' as a precursor through the simple process of dip coating of shellac varnish and annealing of coated substrates in a reducing atmosphere. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and Raman spectroscopy were used to establish the rGO phases grown in the coating. The corrosion studies of rGO films grown on cold-rolled interstitial-free steel are investigated with different loadings of shellac in the varnish solution and subsequent heat treatments. Scanning electron probe micro-analysis was done to do elemental analysis, and potentiometric studies were done to investigate the corrosion behaviour of the coatings. The structure–property correlation of the film has established the corrosion mechanism using different microscopy techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current work investigates the metallurgical and corrosion characteristics of the interface between Nickel foam and AA7075 alloy. Nickel foam is conjoined with AA7075 alloy (composite) through a melt-infiltration technique. The composite specimen is characterized for microstructure, microhardness, microhardness, exfoliation corrosion susceptibility, and electrochemical corrosion parameters, including corrosion potential, corrosion current density, and polarization resistance. Also, the influence of T6 heat treatment on the corrosion of the composite specimen is analyzed. The texture, morphology, and composition of the interface and corroded surface are comprehensively analyzed using instrumental analytical techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction. The results indicate that T6 heat treatment increases the corrosion resistance of the composite specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dy 2 O 3 –Sm 2 O 3 co-doped transparent glass ceramics (GCs) containing NaBi(WO 4) 2 crystalline phase were prepared by melt-curing-crystallization method. The optimal heat treatment condition is 580 °C/2 h. The optimum incorporation concentration of Dy 2 O 3 is 0.4%, exceeding which a quenching phenomenon dominated by quadrupole-quadrupole interactions emerges. Meanwhile, when the concentration of Dy 2 O 3 was fixed, the chromaticity coordinate of the sample moved the cool white light region to the warm white light region as the concentration of Sm 2 O 3 increased. The temperature-dependent emission spectra of the 0.4% Dy 2 O 3 -0.7% Sm 2 O 3 co-doped GC samples show that emission intensity at 575 nm at 185 °C still reaches 80% of the room temperature. The thermal quenching activation energy was 0.1537 eV and the activation energy after the addition of Mo6+ was 0.1957 eV. This study indicates that Dy 2 O 3 –Sm 2 O 3 co-doped GCs containing NaBi(WO 4) 2 crystalline phase can achieve light-color tunable emission, which is potentially valuable for solid-state color rendering and illumination applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although high-temperature solid-phase methods have become the dominant route for manufacturing layered oxide cathode materials in industry, severe Li+/Ni2+ cation mixing problems caused by high-temperature processes still prevent the realization of high-performance lithium-ion batteries. Herein, a wet chemical lithiation method by stepwise lithium intercalation to reduce and shorten the sintering temperature and time of the post-treatment process is proposed. Li 0.6 H x Ni 0.52 Co 0.19 Mn 0.29 O 2 stepwise products with lithiation efficiencies exceeding 60% were obtained at reaction temperatures below 200 °C. The as-prepared LiNi 0.52 Co 0.19 Mn 0.29 O 2 (HT-52-S) exhibits low Li+/Ni2+ cation mixing and good comprehensive electrochemical performance after subsequent heat treatment to complete all lithiation. Compared with LiNi 0.52 Co 0.19 Mn 0.29 O 2 (SS-52) prepared by the conventional high-temperature solid-phase method, the Li+/Ni2+ cation mixing of HT-52-S was relatively reduced by 57.9%, and the capacity retention after 100 cycles at 1 C was relatively improved by 22.1%. We believe that this work can serve as a useful reference to develop manufacturing processes for high-performance layered oxide cathode materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, glass samples were obtained by melt-quenching in the binary system (100-x)KPO 3 -xNb 2 O 5 with x = 20, 30, 40, and 50 mol%. Thermal properties investigated by DSC together with structural investigations by Raman spectroscopy allowed to understand the structural effect of Nb 2 O 5 incorporation in the potassium phosphate glass network. A transparent glass-ceramic has also been produced by heat treatment of the 50KPO 3 –50Nb 2 O 5 glass sample. Density, molar volume, atomic packing, and refractive index were determined and increased with Nb 2 O 5 content. Chemical resistance in several corrosive aqueous solutions was found to increase with Nb 2 O 5 content and crystallization. Vickers hardness as well as elastic modulus and hardness obtained from nanoindentation experiments also strongly increased with higher niobium contents, indicating that not only optical properties but also chemical and mechanical properties are improved with niobium incorporation in the phosphate glass network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibrous porous ceramics play a vital role in the field of thermal protection systems. In this work, novel lightweight Y 2 Si 2 O 7 fibrous porous ceramics were successfully prepared based on Y 2 Si 2 O 7 fibrous membranes by molding method. The effects of mechanical dispersion speed and heat treatment temperature on the properties of Y 2 Si 2 O 7 fibrous porous ceramics were characterized. The results revealed that benefiting from the appropriate fiber length, the ceramics had a better performance at a mechanical dispersion speed of 4000 revolutions per minute. The density, shrinkage, and compressive strength of the ceramics increased, but the porosity decreased slightly with the increasing heat treatment temperature. The prepared Y 2 Si 2 O 7 fibrous porous ceramics exhibited favorable properties like low density (0.37 g/cm3), high porosity (90.56%), good high-temperature resistance (∼1350 °C), and low thermal conductivity (∼0.12 W m−1 K−1 at 27 °C, ∼0.566 W m−1 K−1 at 1000 °C). These properties indicate that Y 2 Si 2 O 7 fibrous porous ceramics could be a promising candidate as thermal insulation materials in high-temperature environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heat recovery steam generator (HRSG) can be regarded as a heat exchanger, which uses the heat rejected from the gas cycle to supply steam for the vapor cycle. HRSGs are consisted of many tube bundles (or harps). Supplying a duct burner in the upstream of an HRSG necessitates constructing the first bundle using different finned-tube materials with dissimilar fin configurations including unequal fin-pitch sizes. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been widely used to study the flow through tube bundles; however, considering a fixed fin-pitch size for all rows of the finned-tubes. There is no trace of numerical analyses to treat tube bundles with unequal fin pitch sizes, apparently, because there are major challenges for the classical strategies, say unified-domain approach, to simulate tube bundles constructed from tubes with different fin configurations. This work introduces the splitted-domain approach as an innovative strategy to pass over the challenges with using the unified-domain approach. Then, these two approaches are used to model the superheater module of a real HRSG with available online measured data. The calculated Nusselt numbers and pressure drops indicate that the splitted-domain approach provides more accurate results than the unified one in simulating tube bundles constructed from tubes with dissimilar fin configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additive manufacturing (AM) provides exceptional geometrical freedom to the architects and designers and enables the construction of architecturally exposed steel structures. However, the AM structural elements inherently possess microscale defects that can affect their ductility. This study aims to identify the fracture-initiating mechanism in AM 17-4 stainless steel that is popularly used owing to its excellent engineering properties. To this end, axisymmetric cylindrical notched and unnotched tension specimens are manufactured employing direct metal laser sintering from 17-4 stainless steel powder with established processing and build parameters. The test specimens were manufactured using a 90° build orientation with the build plate and a layer thickness of 40 μm. Postprocessing heat treatment was avoided as the study focused on understanding the failure mechanism in as-built AM test specimens. Detailed metallurgical analysis is performed employing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electron backscatter diffraction. Subsequently, micro–computed tomography (CT) studies are conducted on the tension specimens before and after mechanical testing. Although the SEM analyses of fracture surfaces are inconclusive, the micro-CT analysis revealed evidence of nucleation of new microvoids, growth of existing voids, and void coalescence in the vicinity of the fracture surface, which is unequivocal evidence for ductile fracture. Furthermore, the larger AM defects were found to play an important role in lowering the ductility in addition to stress concentration, and the fracture was initiated when the AM defects coalesced over a length of around 600 μm. The conclusions of this study emphasize the importance of controlling the maximum size of defects in AM structural elements to improve their performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accumulation of municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash (MSWI-BA) not only occupies land, but also leads to severe environmental pollution. In order to improve the utilization of MSWI-BA and reduce carbon emissions, the effect of alkali content on alkali-activated slag (AAS) paste containing 12% MSWI-BA under high-temperature exposure was studied. The alkali contents, i.e., the mass of Na2O in the water glass, were 2%–6% of the total mass of the precursors. The weight loss, thermal shrinkage, and strength of AAS were investigated. The results show that at the same heat treatment temperature, as the alkali content increases, the flexural and compressive strengths of AAS increase and then decrease, reaching the maximum at AAS with 4% alkali content (NS4). As the alkali content increases from 2% to 4%, the higher OH− concentration reduces the Ca dissolution of portlandite in MSWI-BA, resulting in a lower increase in Ca concentration than Si concentration. This leads to a decrease in Ca/Si and an increase in Al/Si of C─ A─ S─ H, which is beneficial for improving the structural stability of C─ S─ H after high temperature. When the alkaline content increases from 4% to 6%, excessive matrix shrinkage leads to an increase in microcracks. It was found that NS4 has the best high-temperature resistance and has good application prospects in engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of multifunctional materials with good thermophysical and electromagnetic shielding properties is desirable to overcome overheating and electromagnetic interference (EMI) in electronic devices. In this study, three‐dimensional (3D) continuous SiC skeleton‐reinforced highly oriented graphite flake (GF@SiC) composites were fabricated by combining molten salt synthesis, heat treatment, and spark plasma sintering. When the SiC content was higher than 9 vol.%, a 3D continuous SiC skeleton was formed, which effectively constrained the cross‐plane thermal expansion of the GF@SiC composites. Highly oriented GFs endowed the composites with good thermal conductivity (TC) along the basal plane and effective EMI shielding in the X‐band. The composites with SiC concentrations of 9 vol.% exhibited an optimal comprehensive performance with a high TC of 322 W/m/K in the basal plane direction, a low thermal expansion value of 10.5 × 10−6/K in the through‐plane direction, and EMI shielding effectiveness of 36 dB. Our strategy provides a promising and practical approach for realizing graphite‐based composites to meet the current demands for electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report, a facile wet chemical method using acetonitrile combined with thermal annealing was used to prepare Li2S‐P2S5 (LPS) based glass‐ceramic electrolytes with (1 wt%, 3 wt%, and 5 wt% Ce2S3) and without Ce2S3 doping. The crystal structure, ionic conductivity, and chemical stability of Li7P3S11 glass‐ceramic electrolytes were examined at varying temperatures (250–350°C). The results indicated that the highest ionic conductivity of 3.15 × 10−4 S cm−1 for pure Li7P3S11 was observed at a temperature of 325°C. By incorporating 1 wt% Ce2S3 and subjecting it to a heat treatment at 250°C, the glass ceramic electrolyte attained a remarkable ionic conductivity of 7.7 × 10−4 (S cm−1) at 25°C. Furthermore, it exhibited a stable and extensive electrochemical potential range, reaching up to 5 volts when compared to the Li/Li+ reference electrode. By tuning the glass transition and crystallization temperature, cerium doping seems to make Li7P3S11 more chemically stable, compared to its original 70Li2S‐30P2S5 counterpart. According to Raman and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses, cerium doping inhibits the decomposition of highly conductive P2S74‐ (pyro‐thiophosphate) to PS43− and P2S64−. Doped LPS has a greater crystallinity and more uniform microstructure than pure LPS, according to XRD, Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Consequently, Li7P2.9Ce0.1S11 electrolyte shows great potential as a solid‐state electrolyte for constructing high‐performance sulfide‐based all‐solid‐state batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rare‐earth disilicates are a focus of study for use as environmental barrier coatings in gas‐turbine engines. These coatings require thermomechanical and thermochemical stability at elevated temperatures and properties can be tailored through the use of multicomponent rare‐earth disilicates. Producing rare‐earth disilicates via sol–gel is documented in literature, but there are differing procedures with varying phase purities. This work establishes trends that dictate the effects of water content, pH, and heat treatment conditions that determine the final phase purity of Yb, Er, Lu, Sc, and Y disilicate powders made via sol–gel. The phase(s) of the powders were identified and quantified using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) to extract weight fractions. In situ XRD during heating from room temperature to 1200°C was used to observe the crystallization and phase evolution of the sol–gel‐based powders, allowing for the identification of a rarely reported low temperature triclinic phase in ytterbium‐, erbium‐, and lutetium‐based disilicate sol–gels that forms prior to transformation into a monoclinic phase. Ex situ XRD allowed for the phase identification of sol–gels processed at 1400°C. These experiments demonstrated that phase‐pure disilicates could be formed under conditions with no intentional water additions, a target pH of 2, and long heat treatment times at high temperatures (e.g., 1400°C). These conditions remain valid for not only single‐cation rare‐earth disilicates of Yb, Er, Lu, Sc, and Y but also a multicomponent disilicate containing equimolar concentrations of all of these cations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramic fibers are potential lightweight materials for high‐temperature insulation due to their excellent high‐temperature stability and low thermal conductivity. However, the grain growth at high temperatures leads to the loss of flexibility and decreases in the thermal insulation performances of the ceramic fibers. Herein, we prepared flexible (La0.2Nd0.2Sm0.2Gd0.2Yb0.2)2Zr2O7 (LNSGY) high‐entropy ceramic nanofibrous membranes using polyacetylacetone rare‐earth zirconium precursors by electrospinning method. According to the XRD and TEM analyses, the LNSGY nanofibrous membranes exhibited dual phases of defective fluorite and ordered pyrochlore structures. The grain size of the LNSGY fibers increased from 15.4 to 40.8 nm at heat treatments increasing from 800 to 1200°C; the slow grain growth in high‐entropy ceramic nanofibrous membranes contributed to the good flexibility. The fiber morphology was continuous and well distributed with diameters less than 500 nm. The thermal conductivity at room temperature was 0.0339 W/(m K). In addition, the high‐entropy ceramic nanofibrous membranes exhibited tensile strength and thermal stability at high temperatures. These performances provide further applications for high‐entropy ceramic nanofibrous membranes as high‐temperature insulation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramic aerogels are considered promising thermal protection materials for their excellent thermal insulation performance and high-temperature stability. Lightweight aerogel-like silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) was prepared from polyhydromethylsiloxane (PHMS) as precursor and divinylbenzene (DVB) as crosslinker through solvothermal, freeze casting/drying and pyrolysis. The aerogel-like SiOC ceramic can achieve a low density of 0.087 g·cm−3 under the optimized mass ratio of DVB:PHMS of 1.5:1, with a directionally honeycomb-like structure induced by cyclohexane ice-crystals during the freeze casting. The unique porous structure endows the aerogel-like SiOC with low effective thermal conductivity (0.051–0.057 W·m−1·K−1) and good compressive strength (0.30–0.34 MPa). Moreover, the aerogel-like SiOC maintains structural and property stability after heat treatment (1400 °C in argon or 800 °C in air) for good thermal stability and oxidation resistance, which sheds light on the preparation of high-performance SiOC thermal insulation materials for high-temperature environments. • Lightweight aerogel-like SiOC with directionally structure by freeze drying. • Ice-crystal assembly of Si-O-C network for low density • Realizing low effective thermal conductivity and good compressive strength. • Achieving enhanced thermal stability at 1400 °C in Ar and 800 °C in air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the microstructure and thermal properties of the plasma-sprayed free-standing Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 coating before and after thermal aging at 1350 °C were investigated. The tri-layer Yb 2 SiO 5 /Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 /Si EBCs were designed and prepared onto SiC f /SiC substrates, and its thermal shocking behaviors were also explored. Results showed that the as-sprayed coating was mainly composed of Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 and amorphous phase, and significant microstructural evolution, such as grain growth and defects reduction, was observed after thermal aging. Plastic deformation and well damage tolerance including twinning and dislocation were confirmed by TEM analysis. The CTE of the coating before and after heat treatment were similar, while the thermal conductivity increased after thermal aging. After 100 thermal cycles, penetrating microcracks in the Yb 2 SiO 5 top layer were mostly stopped at the Yb 2 SiO 5 -Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 interface, implying the excellent crack propagation resistance of the tri-layer EBCs. The thermal shock behaviors were clarified based on microstructure combined with thermal stresses analysis. • Microstructure and thermal property of Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 coating were studied. • Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 exhibited microstructure and thermal property evolution after aging. • The Yb 2 SiO 5 /Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 /Si EBCs possessed excellent thermal shock resistance. • Lu 2 Si 2 O 7 could be a promising interlayer material for tri-layer EBCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a highly dense GdB 6 bulk ceramic material was fabricated using one-step in-situ reaction spark plasma sintering technology. The sample with a relative density of 96.7 % and a purity of 96.9 wt% was successfully obtained by sintering at 1800 °C for 30 min under a uniaxial pressure of 50 MPa. The Vickers hardness, elastic modulus and fracture toughness of the as-obtained GdB 6 bulk ceramics were 18.9 GPa, 209 GPa and 1.6 MPa·m1/2, respectively. The thermal conductivity of GdB 6 at room temperature was 28.68 W·m−1·K−1, 70 % of which was mainly attributed to phonon vibration, while the remaining 30 % to the electrical thermal conductivity. In addition, the as-obtained GdB 6 ceramics showed no phase transformation after heat treatment at a relatively high temperature of 2100 °C for 20 min in Ar atmosphere. The highly covalent octahedral boron framework played a critical role in maintaining the phase stability of the GdB 6 crystal lattice. This suggested that GdB 6 ceramics could be used as potential ultra-high temperature ceramics for aerospace applications and high-power vacuum electronic devices operated at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a two-step method combining the direct foaming process with the control of solid content and heat treatment temperature was employed to prepare ZrP 2 O 7 -CePO 4 composite porous materials with varying porosities. The results indicate that an increase in solid content and heat treatment temperature leads to a reduction in porosity and average pore size while simultaneously improving the mechanical properties. The porosities, compressive strengths, thermal conductivities, ε and Tanδ ranged from 63.2 to 85.3 vol%, 19.43 to 0.99 MPa, 0.089 to 0.088 W/(m·K), 1.64 to 2.72, and 0.88 × 10−3 to 1.99 × 10−3, respectively. Electromagnetic simulations have validated that ZrP 2 O 7 -CePO 4 composite porous ceramics, when used as the core layer material for A-sandwich antenna radomes, exhibit excellent transmittance properties. This suggests the potential application of these materials for supersonic aircraft antenna radomes. • A novel ZrP 2 O 7 -CePO4 porous ceramic were prepared by foaming method combining a two-step method. • Our work greatly improved the compressive strength of high-porosity ZrP 2 O 7 with low thermal conductivity. • The dielectric properties of ZrP 2 O 7 ceramics with high porosity were studied for the first time in this study. • The feasibility of ZrP 2 O 7 -CePO 4 ceramics for supersonic aircraft is verified by electromagnetic simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sesame is an allergenic food with an increasing allergy prevalence among the European/USA population. Sesame allergy is generally life-persisting, being the cause of severe/systemic adverse immune responses in sesame-allergic individuals. Herein, clinical data about sesame allergy, including prevalence, diagnosis, relevance, and treatments are described, with focus on the molecular characterization of sesame allergens, their cross-reactivity and co-sensitization phenomena. The influence of food processing and digestibility on the stability/immunoreactivity of sesame allergens is critically discussed and the analytical approaches available for their detection in foodstuffs. Cross-reactivity between sesame and tree nuts or peanuts is frequent because of the high similarities among proteins of the same family. However, cross-reactivity phenomena are not always correlated with true clinical allergy in sensitized patients. Data suggest that sesame allergens are resistant to heat treatments and digestibility, with little effect on their immunoreactivity. Nevertheless, data are scarce, evidencing the need for more research to understand the effect of food processing on sesame allergenicity modulation. The demands for identifying trace amounts of sesame in foods have prompted the development of analytical methods, which have targeted both protein and DNA markers, providing reliable, specific, and sensitive tools, crucial for the effective management of sesame as an allergenic food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cubic Sm@CdS quantum dots (QDs) are grown in a glass matrix with good thermal stability for the first time. The band gap of CdS particles embedded in glass is observed to be in the range of 3.8 to 2.4 eV. The present system is compared with CdS/Sm nanocrystals (NCs) doped in a silica-based glass system. The CdS quantum dots, having a size in the range of 3–6 nm, are grown in the silica glass. Structural characterization has been carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), which shows the cubic structure of Sm@CdS quantum dots in glass, whereas the pristine CdS Q-dot glass shows hexagonal structure. The optical characterization of the glasses has been carried out using a UV-visible spectrophotometer. A spectroscopic study showed a shift in optical transmittance due to thermal treatment, i.e., due to the growth of CdS quantum dots in the glass matrix. The semiconductor crystals are uniform in size and distributed evenly in the glass matrix. The size quantization effect has been seen in both systems. There is a drastic change in the optical band gap with the size of the quantum dots. Under natural sunlight, the hydrogen production experiment was conducted, and an increase of 42.5% in the hydrogen evolution rate was observed from 1 wt% Sm3+ doped CdS (3769.2 μmol h−1 g−1) heat-treated at 525 °C when compared to the CdS Q-dot glass with a similar heat treatment temperature (2626 μmol h−1 g−1). Such cubic CdS QD–glass nanocomposites have great significance owing to their potential applications in solar cells, LEDs, and other optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]