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Purpose: After a thorough study of literature it is concluded that the studies related to unskirted/skirted octagonal footings on sand have not yet been investigated. Thus, this paper presents a numerical analysis to assess the ultimate bearing capacity of the unskirted, unskirted-embedded, singly and doubly skirted octagonal footings resting on different sands (S1, S2, and S3). The length of skirt and depth of the embedded footing were varied from 0.0B to 1.5B. Design/methodology/approach: The numerical square and octagonal footing with singly and doubly skirted footing models were developed using Plaxis 3D software. Findings: The results of the doubly skirted octagonal footings ultimate bearing capacity were marginally higher in comparison to the singly skirted footing at all normalised skirt depths as well as for all sands up to a Ds/B ratio 0.25 beyond which the increase in the ultimate bearing capacity in case of doubly skirted footing was appreciable. Research limitations/implications: The results presented in this paper were based on numerical analysis. However, for the actual footings the soil placement and compaction, details of skirt construction and the stress level will be different from the numerical analysis. Further investigations using full-scale numerical models simulating field size footings were recommended to generalize the results. Originality/value: No such study on singly and doubly skirted octagonal shaped footings were conducted so far. Hence, an attempt was made in this article to predict the bearing capacity of those footings using Plaxis 3D.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate the possibility of sintering raw (natural) halloysite and pure halloysite to produce porous ceramic preforms, and determination of sintering temperature based on the results of investigations into thermal effects, linear changes and phase transitions. Design/methodology/approach: Due to mullitisation ability of halloysite at high temperature, alternative applications based on the sintering technology (including the production of reinforcement of metal matrix composites) are being searched for. Pure halloysite and Dunino halloysite were selected for the study. Findings: Pure halloysite, characterized by low impurities, dimensional stability during sintering, softening temperature above 1500ºC and ability to transform into mullite at temperatures above 950ºC could be used as a base for the production of sintered, porous mullite preforms. Research limitations/implications: Presence of impurities in Dunino halloysite, contribute to the shift of the sintering temperature towards lower temperatures and caused a rapid and uncontrolled shrinkage of the sample and the appearance of the softening temperature at 1300ºC. Practical implications: Based on the research of thermal (DTA/TG, linear changes in high-temperature microscopy) and XRD studies it is possible to determine the sintering temperature of pure halloysite to manufacture the porous mullite preforms with open porosity. Originality/value: The received results show the possibility of obtaining the new mullite preforms based on pure halloysite.

Purpose: The paper is a comprehensive review of the literature on manufacturing technologies thick-layer coatings on various substrates and manufacturing gradient materials using powders of metals, their alloys and ceramics. Design/methodology/approach: Extensive literature studies on manufacturing technologies thick-layer coatings on various substrates and manufacturing gradient materials using powders of metals, their alloys and ceramics have been carried out. The paper is illustrated with examples of various structure images obtained as part of research of engineering materials made by authors with powders. By using knowledge engineering methods, development perspectives of individual technologies were indicated. Findings: The manufacturing technologies thick-layer coatings on various substrates and manufacturing gradient materials using powders of metals, their alloys and ceramics as the advanced digital production (ADP) technologies are proves the highest possible potential and relatively good attractiveness, as well as their fully exploited attractiveness or substantial development opportunities in this respect. Originality/value: According to augmented holistic Industry 4.0 model, many materials processing technologies and among them manufacturing technologies thick-layer coatings on various substrates and manufacturing gradient materials using powders of metals, their alloys and ceramics are becoming very important among product manufacturing technologies. They are an essential part of powder engineering.

Purpose: The paper is a literature review indicating the importance of powder engineering in the modern stage of Industry 4.0 development. 47 technologies for the manufacturing and use the powders of metal and their alloys and ceramic in the manufacturing of products are indicated. All those technologies were compared in terms of their potential and attractiveness, pointing to their development trends. The focus was solely on powder production methods. Other technologies will be discussed in other papers in the powder engineering cycle. Design/methodology/approach: The authors' considerations are based on an extensive literature study and the results of the authors' previous studies and empirical work. In order to compare the analyzed technologies, the methodology of knowledge engineering are used, including the own method of contextual matrices for comparative analysis of a large set of technologies by presenting them on a dendrological matrix. Findings: The most interesting intellectual achievements contained in the paper include presentations of the authors' original concepts regarding the augmentation of the Industry 4.0 model. Material processing technologies occupy an important place in it, among them powder engineering technologies, both conventional and additive. The most attractive and promising development technologies in powder engineering are identified. Originality/value: The originality of the paper is associated with the novelty of the approach to analysing powder engineering, an indication of its importance for the development of the Industry 4.0 idea, where progress does not depend only on the development of IT technologies. It is also not true that from among technologies only additive technologies play a key role. Using avant-garde analyses in the field of knowledge engineering, the most avant-garde technologies of powder engineering are pointed out.

Purpose: Among the technologies that play a crucial role in the current stage of development of Industry 4.0 conventional powder engineering technologies are of great importance. Based on a comprehensive literature review, conventional technologies using the powders of metals, their alloys and ceramics are described. Development perspectives of the most widespread among them were indicated. Design/methodology/approach: Extensive literature studies on conventional powder engineering technologies have been carried out. By using knowledge engineering methods, development perspectives of individual technologies were indicated. Findings: In addition to the presentation of conventional sintering technological methods, sintering mechanisms in solid-state and liquid phase sintering which accounts for 90% of the commercial value of sintered products are presented. Originality/value: According to augmented holistic Industry 4.0 model, many materials processing technologies and among them conventional powder engineering technologies play a key role in current industry development. For this reason, these technologies have been characterized in detail on the basis of available literature sources.

With the advantages of high utilization of raw materials, high precision and low cost, micro metallic parts produced by micro deep drawing (MDD) have been tremendously used in a variety of fields such as micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), vehicle engineering and chemical engineering. In order to study the deformation behavior of two-layer stainless steel-copper composite foils during MDD, a series of MDD tests were performed with specimens annealed at temperatures ranging from 600 to 1000 °C. The results show that complete circular cups cannot be formed using the as-received material due to its poor formability. For the specimens annealed at 600 and 700 °C, significant wrinkling is observed on the drawn cups. Differently, few wrinkles are characterized on the drawn cups when the composite foils are annealed at temperatures ranging from 800 to 1000 °C. An optimal annealing temperature of 800 °C is obtained for the MDD of stainless steel-copper composite cups with high surface quality.

Copper/aluminum (Cu/Al) laminated composite has been extensively applied in the fields of batteries, electronics and electrochemistry owing to its cost reduction, light weight, good conductivity and resistance to corrosion. The Cu/Al composite strips produced by micro flexible rolling consist of three regions based on different thickness, i.e. the thicker, the transition and the thinner zones, and have a broad application prospect, especially in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS). In this study, the effect of rolling reduction on the coordinated deformation of the Cu/Al interface and the microstructure of Cu/Al matrixes at three regions were investigated. The microstructure of the specimens was characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and the thickness of thin strips with varying thickness (TSVT) were measured by laser scanning microscope to explore the mechanism of microstructural evolution. The results show that the increase of rolling reduction gives a rise to the proportion of deformation occurred in the Al matrix, and the fracture of the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) is observed at the interface, which plays a significant role of transmitting and releasing stress during plastic deformation.

This paper is a literature review with additional virtual analyses of the authors’ own experimental research results. Knowledge from various areas was synergistically combined, appropriately for concurrent engineering, presenting several possible methodological approaches used in research, optimizing the selection of engineering materials and the conditions of their application with particular application in endodontics. Particular attention was paid to the theoretical aspects of filling material strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats SWOT analysis. Attention was paid to the original concepts of Sustainable Dentistry Development in conjunction with Dentistry 4.0, which includes endodontics as an important element. The dentists’ actions, among others, in conservative dentistry, along with endodontics, requires close cooperation with engineers and the enginering sciences. Methods of root canal preparation were described, together with selected tools, including those made of nitinol. Principles concerning the process of cleaning and shaping the pulp complex are presented. The importance of obturation methods, including the Thermo-Hydraulic-Condensation THC technique, and the selection of filling materials with the necessary sealants for the success of endodontic treatment are discussed. The experimental studies were carried out in vitro on human teeth removed for medical reasons, except for caries, for which two groups of 16 teeth were separated. After the root canal was prepared, it was filled with studs and pellets of a filling material based on polyester materials, which has gained the common trade name of resilon or, less frequently, RealSeal (SybronEndo) with an epiphany sealant. The teeth for the first group were obturated by cold lateral condensation. In the second case the obturation was performed using the Thermo-Hydraulic-Condensation technique using System B and Obtura III. The experimental leakage testing was done using a scanning electron microscope SEM and a light stereoscopic microscope LSM, as typical research tools used in materialography. The research results, in a confrontation with the data taken from the literature studies, do not indicate the domination of resilon in endodontics.

Purpose: The influence of UV radiation on the antibacterial properties of titanium oxide nanoparticles was examined using yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain for this purpose. Design/methodology/approach: Nanopowders were made with sol-gel method. Surface morphology studies of the obtained materials were made using Zeiss's Supra 35 scanning electron microscope. In order to confirm the chemical composition of observed nanopowders, qualitative tests were performed by means of spectroscopy of scattered X-ray energy using the Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS). The DLS (Dynamic Light Scattering) method was used to analyse the particle size distribution using the AntonPaar Litesizer 500 nanoparticle size analyser. Changes in particle size distribution at elevated temperatures were also observed. The antibacterial properties of titanium oxide nanoparticles were examined by subjecting the yeast sample to irradiation with an UV lamp. Findings: Samples containing yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae were irradiated with and without the addition of TiO2 nanoparticles. A faster decrease in the colony count was observed compared to irradiated exposures without the addition of a suspension. Practical implications: Presented materials can be used in the production of antibacterial coatings for surfaces occurring in public spaces such as schools, hospitals, public toilets for the simple and effective elimination of bacteria and fungi as a result of exposures. Originality/value: The antibacterial properties of titanium oxide nanoparticles under UV radiation were confirmed.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to present the author's method of planning the procedure of immediate implant-prosthetic restoration in place of a tooth qualified for removal by performing a surgical template and implant-prosthetic restoration based on data obtained in the CBCT test and intraoral scanning 3D model. Design/methodology/approach: The method of planning the implant surgery through the design and manufacture of surgical templates and implant prostheses performed before the start of medical procedures was described on the basis of actual clinical data from patients with anterior segment teeth qualified for extraction for reasons of complications after endodontic treatment. The placement of the implant was planned using virtual reality, where the bone model and the virtual soft tissue model were combined, which made it possible to perform a surgical template and prosthetic implant restoration. For the manufacturing, 3D printing as stereolithography SLA and selective laser sintering SLS for the surgical template manufacturing and CNC milling in the case of the prosthetic implant were used for restoration. Findings: The method allows planning the implant position based on two connected bone and soft tissue models and allows to design and manufacture a surgical guide. In this way, it becomes possible to place implants in the patient's bone during surgery procedure in the planned position and to install the prosthetic implant restoration in the form of an individual abutment and a PMMA crown during the same procedure in the surgical part. Practical implications: Thanks to the method of computer-aided design/manufacturing CAD/CAM production of surgical templates and prosthetic restoration based only on digital models and the planned position of the implant, it is possible to carry out the procedure of immediate tooth extraction and replacement with permanent prosthetic restoration. The whole process is based on the CBCT test performed at the beginning. The presented method allows shortening the procedure time by four times and the rehabilitation time by 3-6 months when performing the procedure in a minimally invasive manner. Originality/value: This article presents the original design and production method of surgical guides. It allows for precise planning of the implant position and transfer of this data to the patient's mouth during the procedure, enabling permanent prosthetic restoration before starting medical procedures.

From time immemorial to the present day, health has been considered to be of the highest value [...]

This paper concerns the assessment of the current state of dentistry in the world and the prospects of its sustainable development. A traditional Chinese censer was adopted as the pattern, with a strong and stable support on three legs. The dominant diseases of the oral cavity are caries and periodontal diseases, with the inevitable consequence of toothlessness. From the caries 3.5–5 billion people suffer. Moreover, each of these diseases has a wide influence on the development of systemic complications. The territorial range of these diseases and their significant differentiation in severity in different countries and their impact on disability-adjusted life years index are presented (DALY). Edentulousness has a significant impact on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The etiology of these diseases is presented, as well as the preventive and therapeutic strategies undertaken as a result of modifying the Deming circle through the fives’ rules idea. The state of development of Dentistry 4.0 is an element of the current stage of the industrial revolution Industry 4.0 and the great achievements of modern dental engineering. Dental treatment examples from the authors’ own clinical practice are given. The systemic safety of a huge number of dentists in the world is discussed, in place of the passive strategy of using more and more advanced personal protective equipment (PPE), introducing our own strategy for the active prevention of the spread of pathogenic microorganisms, including SARS-CoV-2. The ethical aspects of dentists’ activity towards their own patients and the ethical obligations of the dentist community towards society are discussed in detail. This paper is a polemic arguing against the view presented by a group of eminent specialists in the middle of last year in The Lancet. It is impossible to disagree with these views when it comes to waiting for egalitarianism in dental care, increasing the scope of prevention and eliminating discrimination in this area on the basis of scarcity and poverty. The views on the discrimination of dentistry in relation to other branches of medicine are far more debatable. Therefore, relevant world statistics for other branches of medicine are presented. The authors of this paper do not agree with the thesis that interventional dental treatment can be replaced with properly implemented prophylaxis. The final remarks, therefore, present a discussion of the prospects for the development of dentistry based on three pillars, analogous to the traditional Chinese censer obtaining a stable balance thanks to its three legs. The Dentistry Sustainable Development (DSD) > 2020 model, consisting of Global Dental Prevention (GDP), Advanced Interventionist Dentistry 4.0 (AID 4.0), and Dentistry Safety System (DSS), is presented.

The general goals of advanced digitized production in the Industry 4.0 stage of the industrial revolution were presented along with the extended holistic model of Industry 4.0, introduced by the authors, indicating the importance of material design and the selection of appropriate manufacturing technology. The effect of the global lockdown caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission pandemic was a drastic decrease in production, resulting in a significant decrease in the gross domestic product GDP in all countries, and gigantic problems in health care, including dentistry. Dentists belong to the highest risk group because the doctor works in the patient&rsquo, s respiratory tract. This paper presents a breakthrough authors solution, implemented by the active SPEC strategy, and aims to eliminate clinical aerosol at the source by negative pressure aspirating bioaerosol at the patient&rsquo, s mouth line. The comparative benchmarking analysis and its results show that only the proprietary solution with a set of devices eliminates the threat at the source, while the remaining known methods do not meet the expectations. The details of this solution are described. Photopolymer materials and additive Digital Light Printing (DLP) technology were used.

Product miniaturization is a trend for facilitating product usage, enabling product functions to be implemented in microscale geometries, and aimed at reducing product weight, volume, cost and pollution. Driven by ongoing miniaturization in diverse areas including medical devices, precision equipment, communication devices, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) and microsystems technology (MST), the demands for micro metallic products have increased tremendously. Such a trend requires development of advanced micromanufacturing technology of metallic materials for producing high-quality micro metallic products that possess excellent dimensional tolerances, required mechanical properties and improved surface quality. Micromanufacturing differs from conventional manufacturing technology in terms of materials, processes, tools, and machines and equipment, due to the miniaturization nature of the whole micromanufacturing system, which challenges the rapid development of micromanufacturing technology. Against such a background, the Special Issue "Micromanufacturing of Metallic Materials" was proposed to present the recent developments of micromanufacturing technologies of metallic materials. The papers collected in the Special Issue include research articles, literature review and technical notes, which have been highlighted in this editorial.micromanufacturing; metallic materials; miniaturization; micro products.

The paper is a comprehensive but compact review of the literature on the state of illnesses of the human stomatognathic system, related consequences in the form of dental deficiencies, and the resulting need for prosthetic treatment. Types of prosthetic restorations, including implants, as well as new classes of implantable devices called implant-scaffolds with a porous part integrated with a solid core, as well as biological engineering materials with the use of living cells, have been characterized. A review of works on current trends in the technical development of dental prosthetics aiding, called Dentistry 4.0, analogous to the concept of the highest stage of Industry 4.0 of the industrial revolution, has been presented. Authors’ own augmented holistic model of Industry 4.0 has been developed and presented. The studies on the significance of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in planning prosthetic treatment, as well as in the design and manufacture of prosthetic restorations, have been described. The presented and fully digital approach is a radical turnaround in both clinical procedures and the technologies of implant preparation using computer-aided design and manufacturing methods (CAD/CAM) and additive manufacturing (AM) technologies, including selective laser sintering (SLS). The authors’ research illustrates the practical application of the Dentistry 4.0 approach for several types of prosthetic restorations. The development process of the modern approach is being observed all over the world. The use of the principles of the augmented holistic model of Industry 4.0 in advanced dental engineering indicates a change in the traditional relationship between a dentist and a dental engineer. The overall conclusion demonstrates that it is inevitable and extremely beneficial to implement the idea of Dentistry 4.0 following the assumptions of the authors’ own, holistic Industry 4.0 model.

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the changes in the surface layer (Inconel 625), obtained during the laser treatment of tool-steel alloy for hot work by the use high-power fibre laser. Design/methodology/approach: Observations of the layer structure, HAZ, and substrate material were made using light and scanning microscopy. The composition of elements and a detailed analysis of the chemical composition in micro-areas was made using the EDS X-ray detector. The thickness of the resulting welds, heat affected zone (HAZ) and the contribution of the base material in the layers was determined. Findings: As a result of laser cladding, using Inconel 625 powder, in the weld overlay microstructure characteristic zones are formed: at the penetration boundary, in the middle of weld overlay and in its top layer. It was found that the height of weld overlay, depth of penetration, width of weld overlay and depth of the heat affected zone grows together with the increasing laser power. Practical implications: Laser cladding is one of the most modern repair processes for eliminating losses, voids, porosity, and cracks on the surface of various metals, including tool alloys for hot work. Laser techniques allow to make layers of materials on the repaired surface, that can significantly differ in chemical composition from the based material (substrate material) or are the same. Originality/value: A significant, dynamic development in materials engineering as well as welding technologies provides the possibility to reduce the cost of production and operation of machinery and equipment, among others by designing parts from materials with special properties (both mechanical and tribological) and the possibility of regeneration of each consumed element with one of the selected welding technologies.

Purpose: The article concerns the development of completely new groups of composite materials that can be used to produce functional replacements for damaged bones or teeth. Design/methodology/approach: A selective laser sintering was used to produce the reinforcement of those materials from titanium and its Ti6Al4V alloy in the form of skeletons with pores with adjustable geometric features. The matrix of those materials is either air or crystallised from the liquid AlSi12 or AlSi7Mg0.3 alloys condition after prior vacuum infiltration or human osteoblast cells from the hFOB 1.19 (Human ATCC - CRL - 11372) culture line. Findings: The porous material may be used for the non-biodegradable scaffold. After implantation into the body in the form of an implant-scaffold one, it allows the natural cells of the patient to grow into the pores of the implant, and it fuses with the bone or the appropriate tissue over time. The essential part of the implant-scaffold is the porous part inseparably connected with the core of solid materials. Into pores can grow living cells. Research limitations/implications: Biological-engineering composite materials in which natural cells were cultured in the pores in the laboratory next are combined as an artificial material with the natural cells of the patient in his/her body. Practical implications: The hybrid technologies of the all group of those materials were obtained and optimised. Numerous structure research was carried out using the most modern research methods of contemporary materials engineering, and mechanical tests and biological research involving the cultivation of natural cells were realised. Originality/value: The results of the research indicate the accuracy of the idea of implementing a new group of biological-engineering materials and the wide possibilities of their application in regenerative medicine.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to synthesized NiO nanostructures by sol-gel method and characterized them for use in dye sensitized solar cells. For this purpose, a paste prepared from nanoparticles was prepared and screen printed on a glass substrate with the FTO layer. Design/methodology/approach: Nickel oxide nanoparticles was synthesized with participation of nickel (II) nitrate hexahydrate and citric acid. The prepared nanopowder has been subjected to structural analysis using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM) images were taken with a Zeiss Supra 35. Qualitative studies of chemical composition were also performed using the Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS). The structure of nickel oxide was investigated by X-ray crystallography. An average crystallite size were calculated using Scherrer method and Williamson-Hall analysis. Light harvesting efficiency LHE was calculated from measured absorbance. Findings: The uniform nickel oxide nanoparticles with spherical shape were successfully produced by sol-gel method. The diameter of the as prepared nanoparticles does not exceed 25 nm which is confirmed by the XRD and TEM analysis. The light harvesting efficiency of the electrode in the entire studied range it’s over 90%. Therefore the NiO can be an attractive alternative to the most commonly used TiO2. Research limitations/implications: The next step in the research will be to investigate the ZnO/NiO composite on the properties of the photoelectrode of dye sensitized solar cell. Practical implications: The unique properties of produced NiO nanostructural materials have caused their interest in such fields as medicine, transparent electronics and photovoltaics. Originality/value: The NiO nanoparticles were prepared using sol-gel method and then effectively used in the photoanode of dye sensitized solar cell.

Purpose: The publication aims to find the relationship between the proliferation of surface layers of living cells and the deposition of thin atomic layers deposition ALD coatings on the pores internal surfaces of porous skeletons of medical and dental implant-scaffolds manufactured with the selective laser deposition SLS additive technology using titanium and Ti6Al4V alloy. Design/methodology/approach: The extensive review of the literature presents the state-of-the-art in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. General ageing of societies, increasing the incidence of oncological diseases and some transport and sports accidents, and also the spread of tooth decay and tooth cavities in many regions of the world has taken place nowadays. Those reasons involve resection of many tissues and organs and the need to replace cavities, among others bones and teeth through implantation, more and more often hybridized with tissue engineering methods. Findings: The results of investigations of the structure and properties of skeleton microporous materials produced from titanium and Ti6Al4V alloy powders by the method of selective laser sintering have been presented. Particularly valuable are the original and previously unpublished results of structural research using high-resolution transmission electron microscope HRTEM. Particular attention has been paid to the issues of surface engineering, in particular, the application of flat TiO2 and Al2O3 coatings applied inside micropores using the atomic layers deposition ALD method and hydroxyapatite applied the dip-coating sol-gel method, including advanced HRTEM research. The most important part of the work concerns the research of nesting and proliferation of live cells of osteoblasts the hFOB 1.19 (Human ATCC - CRL - 11372) culture line on the surface of micropores with surfaces covered with the mentioned layers. Research limitations/implications: The investigations reported in the paper fully confirmed the idea of the hybrid technology of producing microporous implants and implant-scaffolds to achieve original Authors’ biological-engineering materials. The surface engineering issues, including both flat-layered nonorganic coatings and interactions of those coverings with flat layers of living cells, play a crucial role. Originality/value: Materials commonly used in implantology and the most commonly used materials processing technologies in those applications have been described. Against that background, the original Authors' concept of implant-scaffolds and the application of microporous skeleton materials for this purpose have been presented.

This article is a literature review aimed at presenting the general state of knowledge in manufacturing engineering and materials engineering to develop engineering materials applied for endodontic treatment as filling materials. Particular attention was paid to theoretical analyses concerning the selection of methods for developing and obturating root canals and discussing the results of experimental studies available in the literature. These activities aimed to compare the importance of the most commonly used endodontic filling materials based on gutta-percha or polymeric polyester materials, commonly known as resilon, respectively. The motivation to take up this complex, multi-faceted topic in this paper is the extent of caries, periodontal disease, and other oral diseases in 3 to 5 billion people, often affecting toothlessness and contributing to an increase in the index of disability-adjusted life years (number). Endodontics is an important element of the authors’ concept of Dentistry Sustainable Development (DSD) > 2020. The principles of qualifying patients for endodontic treatment are discussed. The introduction of rotary tools, especially manufactured from Nitinol alloy, to develop root canals and the latest thermohydraulic and condensation techniques for obturation guarantee progress in endodontics. The “Digital Twins” methodology was used, rooted in the idea of Industry 4.0 and the resulting idea of Dentistry 4.0, as well as knowledge management methods, to perform experimental research in virtual space, concerning methods of developing and obturating the root canal and assessing the tightness of fillings. Microscopic visualization methods were also used. Significant factors determining the effectiveness of endodontic obturation are the selection of the filling material and the appropriate obturation method. The generalized dendrological matrix of endodontic filling materials considers the criteria of mechanical strength influencing the potential root fracture and the quality of root canal filling. The results of the SWOT point analysis (strengths and weaknesses, opportunities, threats) were also compared. For both filling materials, the weaknesses are much less than the strengths, while the threats are slightly less than the opportunities for the gutta-percha-based material, while for resilon the opportunities are much smaller than the threats. It requires the application of an appropriate development strategy, i.e., MAXI-MAXI in the case of a filling material based on gutta-percha and MAXI-MINI in the case of resilon. Therefore, the analysis of these experimental data does not indicate the real competitiveness of resilon for the gutta-percha-based material. This material deservedly maintains its strong position as the “Gold Standard of Endodontics”.

The paper is an extensive monographic review of the literature, and also uses the results of the authors’ own experimental research illustrating the noticed developmental tendencies of the filling material based on gutta-percha. The whole body of literature proves the correctness of the research thesis that this material is the best currently that can be used in endodontics. Caries is one of the most common global infectious diseases. Since the dawn of humankind, the consequence of the disease has been the loss of dentition over time through dental extractions. Both tooth caries and tooth loss cause numerous complications and systemic diseases, which have a serious impact on insurance systems and on the well-being, quality, and length of human life. Endodontic treatment, which has been developing since 1836, is an alternative to tooth extraction. Based on an extensive literature review, the methodology of qualifying patients for endodontic treatment was analyzed. The importance of selecting filling material and techniques for the development and obturation of the root canal during endodontic treatment was described. Particular attention was paid to the materials science aspects and the sequence of phase transformations and precipitation processes, as well as the need to ensure the stoichiometric chemical composition of Ni–Ti alloys, and the vacuum metallurgical processes and material processing technologies for the effects of shape memory and superelasticity, which determine the suitability of tools made of this alloy for endodontic purposes. The phenomena accompanying the sterilization of such tools, limiting the relatively small number of times of their use, play an important role. The methods of root canal preparation and obturation methods through cold side condensation and thermoplastic methods, including the most modern of them, the thermo-hydraulic condensation (THC) technique, were analyzed. An important element of the research hypothesis was to prove the assumption that to optimize the technology of development and obturation of root canals, tests of filling effectiveness are identified by the density and size of the gaps between the root canal wall, and the filling methods used and devices appropriate for material research, using mainly microscopy such as light stereoscopic (LSM) and scanning electron (SEM). The most beneficial preparations were obtained by making a longitudinal breakthrough of 48 natural human teeth, extracted for medical reasons, different from caries, with compliance with all ethical principles in this field. The teeth were prepared using various methods and filled with multiple obturation techniques, using a virtual selection of experimental variants. The breakthroughs were made in liquid nitrogen after a one-sided incision with a narrow gap created by a diamond disc using a materialographic cutter. The best effectiveness of the root canal filling was ensured by the technology of preparing the root canals with K3 rotary nitinol tools and filling the teeth with the THC thermoplastic method using the System B and Obtura III devices with studs and pellets of filling material based on gutta-percha after covering the root canal walls with a thin layer of AH Plus sealant. In this way, the research thesis was confirmed.

In this paper, new cost-effective platinum-free and flexible counter electrodes (CEs) for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were reported. The ITO/PET CEs were produced using graphene films synthesized by CVD method and graphene flakes with addition PEDOT: PSS or PEDOT: PSS/PVP. The influence of mechanical stress arising from the bending of a flexible substrate on morphology, resistance of CEs as well as electrical properties of DSSCs was analyzed. The testing of these electrodes in DSSCs have demonstrated a power conversion efficiency of up to 3.95% to compare with the power conversion efficiency of 4.39% for DSSC with a standard Pt-based CE. After 100 bending cycles the electrodes demonstrated power conversion efficiency in range the 2.37–3.23% to compare with the power conversion efficiency of 2.08% for DSSC with a standard Pt-based CE. HRTEM investigation confirms the crystallographic structure of graphene. The obtained results demonstrate the possibility of replacing expensive platinum in DSCC by using graphene-based counter electrode.

The paper presents the results on the wear resistance of PVD coatings on cutting inserts made from sintered carbide and sialon ceramics. The exploitative properties of coatings in technological cutting trials were defined in the paper, which also examined the adhesion of coatings to the substrate, the thickness of the coating, and the microhardness. As a result, it was found that isomorphic coating with AlN-h phase of covalent interatomic bonds exhibits much better adhesion to the sialon substrate than isomorphic coating with titanium nitride TiN. These coatings assure the high wear resistance of the coated tools, and the high adhesion combined with the high microhardness and fine-grained structure assure an increase in the exploitative life of the coated tools. In the case of coatings on substrate made from sintered carbide, there was a significant influence on the properties of the tools coated with them as concerns the existence of the diffusion zone between the substrate and the coating.

Purpose: This article is presenting the Material Science Virtual Laboratory. Developed laboratory is an open scientific, investigative, simulating and didactic medium helpful in the realisation of the scientific and didactic tasks in the field of material Science. It is implemented in the Institute of Engineering Materials and Biomaterials of Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice, Poland. Design/methodology/approach: The laboratory is a set of testers and training simulators, set in the Virtuality and created in several languages and the programming techniques, which interprets the properties, functionality and manual rules of actual equipment installed and accessible in the real science labs of scientific universities. Findings: Application of the equipment, that is practically imperishable, cheap in exploitation and ease in the use encourages students and scientific workers to independent audits and experiments in places, where the possibilities of their performance in the real investigative laboratory will be restricted because of the high material costs, difficult access to real equipment or the possible peril of his impairment. Research limitations/implications: The proposed solutions allow the utilisation of the developed virtual environment as a new medium in both, the scientific work performed remotely, as well as in education during classes. Practical implications: The usage possibilities of the virtual laboratory are practically unrestricted; it can be a foundation for any surveys, course or training plan. Originality/value: The project of the virtual laboratory corresponds with the global tendency for expand the investigative and academic centres about the possibilities of training and experiments performance with use of the virtual reality. This enriches investigation and training programmes of the new abilities reserved so far exclusively for effecting only on actual equipment.

Purpose: of this research was examination Al2O3 thin film obtained with two different method, by sol-gel and ALD, and comparison the surface morphology and structure of deposited thin films. The films deposited on the monocrystalline silicon were tested for their suitability for use in silicon solar cells. Design/methodology/approach: Trimethylaluminum (TMA) was used as a precursor of Al2O3 which is reacted with water enabled the deposition of thin films by ALD method. By the sol-gel method the aluminium tri-sec butoxide (TBA) was used as a precursor to obtain Al2O3 thin films. The aluminium oxide solutions prepared by sol-gel method were deposited by spin coating technique. Examination of the structure and morphology of the surface of the Al2O3 thin films deposited by sol gel and ALD method were performed using atomic force microscope and transmission electron microscope. For the analysis of surface topography deposited thin films atomic force microscope XE-100 from Park Systems was used. Qualitative analysis of the chemical composition was carried out using an energy dispersion spectrometer (EDS). The detailed structural studies were conducted using a Titan 80-300 scanning-transmission electron microscope S/TEM from the FEI Company. Detailed research on the structure of the deposited Al2O3 thin films were performed. The HRTEM images and diffraction SAED were recorded. Findings: The small atoms clusters of a width less than 20 nm were documented. The thin film deposited by spin-coating technique on silicon substrate with 3000 rpm is characterized by RMS and Ra values of, respectively, 0.26 and 0.2 nm. RMS was defined as rough mean square parameter and Ra was defined as the arithmetic mean deviation of the profile from the mean line. An analysis of the frequency histograms of irregularities of the thin film obtained by the spin coating on a silicon substrate at 3000 rpm shows that a large part of them does not exceed 0.5 nm, and the single irregularities reach up to 2.2 nm. When comparing the AFM pictures with the thin films deposited by ALD technique and spin-coating it has been found that the thin films obtained on polished silicon substrates are similar in morphology. The EDS spectra shows the characteristic for oxygen (0.525 keV) and aluminum (1.486 keV) reflections derived from the thin film. In Al2O3 thin film obtained by ALD method the occurrence of α phase of aluminum oxide with a hexagonal structure was identified, just like in the case of thin film deposited by sol-gel. Practical implications: Known aluminium oxide properties and the possibility of obtaining a uniform thin layer show that it can be good material for different application. Precise description of the properties of Al2O3 is very important, since this material is one of the most frequently used in catalyst industry, in medicine, electronics and photovoltaics, as well as a protective layer. The Al2O3 thin film can act as passive and anti-reflective layer simultaneously in silicon solar cell. Using this thin film can simplify the technology of manufacturing silicon solar cells Originality/value: The paper presents researches of aluminium oxide thin films deposited by sol-gel and atomic layer deposition method on monocrystalline silicon.

This paper is divided into seven main parts. Its purpose is to review the literature to demonstrate the importance of developing bioengineering and global production of biomaterials to care for the level of healthcare in the world. First, the general description of health as a universal human value and assumptions of a long and healthy life policy is presented. The ethical aspects of the mission of medical doctors and dentists were emphasized. The coronavirus, COVID-19, pandemic has had a significant impact on health issues, determining the world’s health situation. The scope of the diseases is given, and specific methods of their prevention are discussed. The next part focuses on bioengineering issues, mainly medical engineering and dental engineering, and the need for doctors to use technical solutions supporting medicine and dentistry, taking into account the current stage Industry 4.0 of the industrial revolution. The concept of Dentistry 4.0 was generally presented, and a general Bioengineering 4.0 approach was suggested. The basics of production management and the quality loop of the product life cycle were analyzed. The general classification of medical devices and biomedical materials necessary for their production was presented. The paper contains an analysis of the synthesis and characterization of biomedical materials supporting medicine and dentistry, emphasizing additive manufacturing methods. Numerous examples of clinical applications supported considerations regarding biomedical materials. The economic conditions for implementing various biomedical materials groups were supported by forecasts for developing global markets for biomaterials, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering. In the seventh part, recapitulation and final remarks against the background of historical retrospection, it was emphasized that the technological processes of production and processing of biomedical materials and the systematic increase in their global production are a determinant of the implementation of a long and healthy policy.

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to present the designing and manufacturing process ofthe screw-retained superstructure of the dental arch in the maxilla based on six implants usingCAD/CAM technology.Design/methodology/approach: The methodology is presented on the example of theimplantoprosthetic treatment in a 55-year-old female patient with a significant deficit of the alveolarbone. 6 implants were placed to achieve a good anchorage for the ceramic suprastructure. Theprosthetic reconstruction was milled out of a zirconium dioxide block and covered with veneeringceramics to obtain good aesthetics of the restoration. Special copings were designed andmanufactured to achieve stabile connection between the implants and the suprastructure.Findings: To properly plan the prosthetic work rebuilding the alveolar ridge on dental implantsit is necessary to plan the final prosthetic work before implant placement planning the numberof implants and their location in the bones and the possibility of using a fixed or a mobilesuprastructure.Practical implications: Design of the suprastructure has to take into account the followingfactors: 1. The number of implants, copings and openings for the abutment screws, 2.Arrangement of teeth in the prosthesis, 3. The shape of the alveolar ridge, 4. The shape of thespace for the porcelain and for the individual crowns, which will be pasted on the suprastructure.Originality/value: For technological reasons it is not possible to make an extensivesuprastructure in a single piece. It is necessary to execute the foundation of the reconstructionof the alveolar ridge and the teeth in one piece and separately the individual crowns. Itis possible, however, to design and manufacture the complex screw-retained prostheticsuprastructures by means of CAD/CAM technology.

This article presents the results of a research on the effects and properties of the potassium iodide additive onto the structure of the MEH-PPV polymer material, in its aspect of application in the dye-sensitized solar cell. Changes in MEH-PPV surface morphology were researched through increasing of the potassium iodide content measured by scanning electron microscope. The increased content of potassium iodide also led to increased electrical conductivity measured by the Keithley meter. The electrical properties of the dye-sensitized solar cell were also studied, in which the liquid electrolyte was replaced with a thin layer of polyelectrolyte, based on MEH-PPV and potassium iodide.

The goal of the carried out research is to fabricate, by selective laser melting (SLM), a metallic and/or ceramic scaffold based on a virtual model corresponding to the actual loss of a patient's craniofacial bone. Scaffolds are produced with biocompatible materials that can be employed for a long time in an organism or may be subject to gradual degradation and resorption. The real manufacturing process of a scaffold is preceded with creating a model of an element in the stl format that allows to present the element surface by means of a net of triangles. Once the shape is defined of a unit cell and its net parameters, i.e. height, depth and width, they are duplicated with appropriate mathematical algorithms as a result of which a strictly defined, densed and complicated structure of pores defined by a designer is created. The data concerning a virtual 3D porous implant model was transferred into a SLM device and a scaffold was produced from metallic and/or ceramic powders with this machine. The s...

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to present the methodology of computer aided designingand manufacturing of an all-ceramic multi-unit bridge restoring missing teeth and the lostsoft and hard tissues of the oral cavity as a result of surgical treatment of oral tumor.Design/methodology/approach: The methodology of computer aided designing andmanufacturing of the multi-unit all-ceramic bridge was presented on the basis of an actualclinical case of a patient who underwent the surgical treatment of myxoma of the oral cavity.All the steps of clinical and technical production of the bridge were described and illustrated.Findings: It is possible to use the CAD/CAM technology to design and manufactureall-ceramic multi-unit bridges restoring missing teeth and the lost soft and hard tissues ofthe oral cavity. The design of the bridge must be clinically validated using mock-ups and onlythen can be implemented for the CAM software.Practical implications: Thanks to the method of designing and manufacturing of multiunitall-ceramic bridges for patients with significant lost of the soft and hard tissues of themouth it is possible to carry out a prosthetic rehabilitation of patients after trauma and tumorsurgery.Originality/value: : The execution of extensive bridges with the maximum available heightof about 25 mm requires a high technological rigor at the design and manufacture stage. Toensure longevity of the reconstruction, it is necessary to plan all the work while maintainingthe maximum thickness of the substructure. It is desirable to provide minimum of 2 mmthick substructure and the surface of at least 20 mm2 or more in the cross-sections. At thesame time, the structure of the bridge must be supported on the alveolar ridge to provideaesthetics and endurance.

In this paper are presented the investigation results concerning microstructure as well as mechanical properties of the surface layer of cast aluminium-silicon-copper alloy after heat treatment alloyed and/ or remelted with SiC ceramic powder using High Power Diode Laser (HPDL). For investigation of the achieved structure following methods were used: light and scanning electron microscopy with EDS microanalysis as well as mechanical properties using Rockwell hardness tester were measured. By mind of scanning electron microscopy, using secondary electron detection was it possible to determine the distribution of ceramic SiC powder phase occurred in the alloy after laser treatment. After the laser surface treatment carried out on the previously heat treated aluminium alloys, in the structure are observed changes concerning the distribution and morphology of the alloy phases as well as the added ceramic powder, these features influence the hardness of the obtained layers. In the structure, there were discovered three zones: the remelting zone (RZ) the heat influence zone (HAZ) and transition zone, with different structure and properties. In this paper also the laser treatment conditions: the laser power and ceramic powder feed rate were investigated. The surface laser structure changes in a manner, that there zones are revealed in the form of. This carried out investigations make it possible to develop, interesting technology, which could be very attractive for different branches of industry.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of manufacturing conditions on the structure and properties of porous halloysite preforms, which during pressure infiltration were soaked with a liquid alloy to obtain a metal matrix composite reinforced by ceramic, and also to find innovative possibilities for the application of mineral nanotubes obtained from halloysite. The method of manufacturing porous ceramic preforms (based on halloysite nanotubes) as semi-finished products that are applicable to modern infiltrated metal matrix composites was shown. The ceramic preforms were manufactured by sintering of halloysite nanotubes (HNT), Natural Nano Company (USA), with the addition of pores and canals forming agent in the form of carbon fibres (Sigrafil C10 M250 UNS SGL Group, the Carbon Company). The resulting porous ceramic skeletons, suggest innovative application capabilities mineral nanotubes obtained from halloysite.

The influence of the carbon nanotubes counter electrode deposited on the FTO glass substrates on the structure and optoelectrical properties of dye-sensitized solar cells counter electrode (CE) was analysed. Carbon materials have been applied in DSSC s in order to produce low-cost solar cells with reasonable efficiency. Platinum is a preferred material for the counter electrode because of its high conductivity and catalytic activity. However, the costs of manufacturing of the platinum counter electrode limit its use to large-scale applications in solar cells. This paper presents the results of examining the structure and properties of the studied layers, defining optical properties of conductive layers and electrical properties of dye-sensitized solar cells manufactured with the use of carbon nanotubes.Such counter electrodes are promising for the future fabrication of stable, low-cost and effective dye-sensitized solar cells.

The purpose of the paper is to investigate X73MnSiAlNbTi25-1-3 high manganese austenitic steel containing 0.73% C to determine structural mechanisms decisive for increasing a reserve of cold deformation energy of such steel. The influence of a strain rate on the structure of the investigated steels and on the structural mechanisms decisive for their properties was analysed. Specialist research instrumentation was used for this purpose such as Scanning Transmission Microscopy (including EBSD examinations), conventional and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy together with diffraction examinations and metallographic examinations. It was found that the principal cause of an increased reserve of cold deformation energy of the investigated steels in dynamic conditions is the activation of mechanical twinning in the mutually intersecting systems in austenite grains and annealing twins, which are densifying when a cold deformation rate is growing, thereby confirming the basic mechanism of TWIP (TWinning Induced Plasticity).

The aim of this work was to study the effect of different methods of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) dispersion, and their influence on the microstructure and properties of aluminium alloy matrix composites produced using the powder metallurgy techniques, such as powder milling/mixing and hot extrusion. The main problem in the manufacturing of nanocomposites is the homogeneous distribution of MWCNTs in the metal matrix. To achieve their proper distribution a high-energy and low-energy mechanical milling, using a planetary ball mill, and mixing, using a turbulent mixer, were applied. Studies have shown that composite materials prepared using milling and extrusion have a much better dispersion of the reinforcing phase, which leads to better mechanical properties of the obtained rods. The low-energy mechanical mixing and mixing using the turbulent mixer neither change the powder morphology nor lead to adequate dispersion of the carbon nanotubes, which directly affects the resulting properties.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the influence of high strain rates on the structure and mechanical properties of high-Mn austenitic TWIP steel. Low and high strain deformation rates in the range of 0.001 s–1 to 1000 s–1 have a significant effect on the forming of the structure and mechanical properties of high-manganese austenitic steel. Also, the strain energy per unit volume of advanced high-Mn TWIP steel containing Mn, Al and SI, with Nb and Ti microadditions, increases considerably in dynamic conditions. This group of steels not only shows excellent strength, but also excellent formability due to twinning, thereby leading to a unique combination of strength, ductility and formability when compared with conventional dual phase steels or transformation induced plasticity TRIP steels. The microstructure of the investigated steel was determined in metallographic investigations using scanning and high-resolution transmission electron microscopies (HRTEM). Results obtained in static and dynamic conditions for new developed high-manganese austenitic steel indicate their possible employment for the constructional elements of vehicles, especially passenger cars, to take advantage of the significant growth of their strain energy per unit volume. This guarantees a reserve of plasticity in the zones of controlled energy absorption during possible collision resulting from the activation of twinning induced by cold working, which may lead to a significant growth of the passive safety of these vehicles' passengers.

The influence of the graphene-based counter electrode on the structure, optical properties and electrocatalytic activity of dye-sensitised solar cells (DSCC) was analysed. The graphene and reduced graphene oxide were deposited by CVD and spin-coating method on the FTO glass substrate, respectively. HRTEM investigation confirms the crystallographic structure of graphene. The investigated layers show flat transmittance spectra across the visible and near-infrared region. The charge transfer resistance of the graphene-based film was analysed by electrochemical impedance measurement. The obtained results show the possibility of replacing expensive platinum in DSCC by using graphene-based counter electrode.

The porous ceramic preforms were manufactured using the powder metallurgy technique. First, the start-up material (halloysite with the addition of carbon fibres as the pore-forming agent) was slowly heated to 800 °C and then sintered at 1300 °C. Degradation of the carbon fibres enabled the open canals to form. At the end of the sintering process, the porous ceramic material consisting mainly of two phases (mullite and cristobalite) was formed, without any residual carbon content. During infiltration, the liquid metal filled the empty spaces (pores) effectively and formed the three-dimensional network of metal in the ceramic. The cristobalite was almost entirely decomposed. In the areas of its previous occurrence, there are new pores, only in the ceramic grains. The mullite, which was formed from halloysite during annealing, crystallized in the Pbam orthorhombic space group, with the (3Al2O3·2SiO2) stoichiometric composition. The mullite structure does not change during the infiltration. The composite components are tightly connected. A transition zone between the ceramics and the metal, having the thickness of about 200 nm, was formed. The nanocrystalline zone, identified as γ-Al2O3, was formed by diffusing the product of the cristobalite decomposition into the aluminium alloy matrix. There is an additional, new phase, identified as (Mg,Si)Al2O4 in the outer parts of the transition zone.

This paper presents a comparison of the impact of milling technology in the computer numerically controlled (CNC) machining centre and selective laser sintering (SLS) and on the structure and properties of solid Ti6Al4V alloy. It has been shown that even small changes in technological conditions in the SLS manufacturing variant significantly affect changes from two to nearly two and a half times in tensile and bending strengths. Both the tensile and bending strength obtained in the most favourable manufacturing variant by the SLS method is over 25% higher than in the case of cast materials subsequently processed by milling. Plug-and-play SLS conditions provide about 60% of the possibilities. Structural, tribological and electrochemical tests were carried out. In vitro biological tests using osteoblasts confirm the good tendency for the proliferation of live cells on the substrate manufactured under the most favourable SLS conditions. The use of SLS additive technology for the manufacturing of dental implants and abutments made of Ti6Al4V alloy in combination with the digitisation of dental diagnostics and computer-aided design and manufacture of computer-aided design/manufacturing (CAD/CAM) following the idea of Dentistry 4.0 is the best choice of technology for manufacturing of prosthetic and implant devices used in dentistry.

The purpose of this paper is to compare the impact of selective laser-sintering (SLS) technology and computer numerical control (CNC) machining methods on the structure and properties of solid Co-Cr-W-Mo-Si alloys. Structural tests were carried out using x-ray structural analysis; energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy chemical composition analysis; metallographic investigations using stereoscopic, light, and scanning electron microscopes using computerized methods of quantitative metallography; and tests of tensile, bending, and compression strength. Individually designed microsamples were used, and the results were statistically processed. It was shown that if optimal conditions of SLS technology are used, it is possible to obtain a structure with a pore content of 0.1 % smaller than in the case of solid cast materials. This ensures better mechanical properties than cast materials. At the same time, it was pointed out that even minor technological errors associated with SLS technology caused a lowering of all strength properties associated with a significant increase in porosity by up to 10 %. Allowing small changes in technological conditions, including the width of the laser spot, the width of the laser beam, the allowance associated with the overlap of the laser beam, disturbances in the flow of inert gas, and uncontrolled changes in the laser power, can cause a significant reduction in strength. A plug and play approach is unacceptable. If even one layer with a thickness of 25 μm is produced in suboptimal conditions, the manufactured element cannot meet the assumed requirements. The use of SLS additive technology for the production of prosthetic components made of Co-Cr alloys is the best choice among the methods currently used in dentistry. The use of SLS technology together with the digitization of design and manufacturing processes is an important element in implementing the Dentistry 4.0 approach as part of the Industry 4.0 stage of the industrial revolution.