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Anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysers have shown their potential in green hydrogen production. One of the crucial tasks is to discover novel cost‐effective and sustainable electrocatalyst materials. In this study, a low‐cost Ni−S‐based catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction was prepared via a simple electrodeposition process from a modified Watts bath recipe. Physical characterisation methods suggest this deposit film to be amorphous. Optimisation of the electrodeposition parameters of the NixSy catalyst was carried out using a rotating disk electrode setup. The optimised catalyst exhibited excellent catalytical performance in 1 M KOH on a microelectrode, with overpotentials of 41 mV, 111 mV and 202 mV at 10, 100 and 1000 mA cm−2 with Tafel slope of 67.9 mV dec−1 recorded at 333 K. Long‐term testing of the catalyst demonstrated steady performance over a 24 h period on microelectrode at 100 mA cm−2 with only 71 mV and 37 mV overpotential increase at 293 K and 333 K respectively. Full cell testing with the optimised NixSy as cathode and NiFe(OH)2 as anode showed 1.88 V after 1 h electrolysis at 500 mA cm−2 in 1 M KOH under 333 K with FAA‐3‐30 membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disordered hyperuniformity (DHU) is a recently discovered novel state of amorphous systems characterized by strongly suppressed density fluctuations at large length scales as in crystalline materials, which offers great potential for achieving unusual mechanical, electronic, and photonic properties. However, despite the fundamental and technological importance of thermal transport in amorphous solids, the effect of DHU remains largely unexplored. Here, we theoretically study thermal transport in a class of two-dimensional DHU materials—monolayer amorphous carbon (MAC). Beginning with a perfect graphene lattice, we continuously apply Stone-Wales transformations to generate a series of MAC models with varied degrees of disorder and defects, which are quantified through comprehensive structural analysis including the so-called hyperuniformity index (H), where a smaller H indicates a higher degree of hyperuniformity. Subsequently, we conduct molecular dynamics simulations to obtain the thermal conductivity (κ). A significant correlation between the thermal transport behavior and degree of hyperuniformity is observed, with the room-temperature κ decreasing from 26.3 to 5.3 W m−1 K−1 while H is tuned from 0.0004 to 0.024. Remarkably, two distinct transport regimes are identified, including a nearly-DHU regime at small H (< 0.005) where κ drops sharply and a non-DHU region at larger H where κ becomes relatively flat. Mode-resolved analysis reveals longer lifetime and higher participation ratio for the heat carriers in nearly-DHU MAC, implying that the hidden long-range correlations could support extended modes that enhance transport. Our work highlights the impact of DHU on the thermal properties of amorphous materials and represents a conceptual advancement that is worthy of future exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of highly efficient and durable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts for seawater electrolysis is of great importance for applications. Here, an amorphous FeMoO4 nanorod array on Ni foam is reported as a highly active OER electrocatalyst in alkaline seawater, requiring only overpotentials of 303 and 332 mV to achieve 100 and 300 mA·cm−2, respectively. Moreover, it shows strong long-term electrochemical durability for at least 50 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gout is caused by excessive uric acid in the blood deposited in tissues (visceral gout) or joints (articular gout), leading to severe inflammation and pain. A female leopard gecko was presented to the University Veterinary Hospital, University of Putra, Malaysia, with a history of swelling at the left caudal mandible, inappetence, and weight loss. An oral examination indicated a swollen mouth with scabs on the upper right mandible and multiple whitish deposits inside the mouth. The preliminary diagnosis was mouth rot, and the treatment included metronidazole and a multivitamin supplement. The leopard gecko died 12 days after treatment since there was no improvement. Post-mortem examination revealed that the liver was slightly enlarged with generalized moderate congestion and the presence of whitish deposits, as well as noticeable whitish deposits on the pleural surface of the lungs. Histopathological examination of the lungs revealed a granuloma with an inflammatory reaction predominantly by abundant mononuclear cells and fibrin deposition. An irregular collection of amorphous materials in the visceral pleura suggested gout tophi. The liver was infiltrated with amorphous material and fibrinous tissue, and it had mild congestion, indicating visceral gout and bacterial infection. Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus mirabilis were isolated from the lungs and liver samples, respectively. In conclusion, gout tophi is common in reptiles, but visceral involvement is rare, and early detection is critical to avoid secondary bacterial infection, as demonstrated in this case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a sol-gel film based on lead sulfide (PbS) quantum dots incorporated into a host network was synthesized as a special nanostructured composite material with potential applications in temperature sensor systems. This work dealt with the optical, structural, and morphological properties of a representative PbS quantum dot (QD)-containing thin film belonging to the Al2O3–SiO2–P2O5 system. The film was prepared using the sol-gel method combined with the spin coating technique, starting from a precursor solution containing a suspension of PbS QDs in toluene with a narrow size distribution and coated on a glass substrate in a multilayer process, followed by annealing of each deposited layer. The size (approximately 10 nm) of the lead sulfide nanocrystallites was validated by XRD and by the quantum confinement effect based on the band gap value and by TEM results. The photoluminescence peak of 1505 nm was very close to that of the precursor PbS QD solution, which demonstrated that the synthesis route of the film preserved the optical emission characteristic of the PbS QDs. The photoluminescence of the lead sulfide QD-containing film in the near infrared domain demonstrates that this material is a promising candidate for future sensing applications in temperature monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using a simple co‐precipitation method, new Fe2O3‐based nanocatalysts (samples) were synthesized. The samples were composites of two or three transition metal oxides, MOx (M=Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, and Cu). The average size of CuO crystallites in the composites composed of two oxide components (CuO−Fe2O3) was about 14.3 nm, while in those composed of three (CuO−MnOx−Fe2O3), the composite's phase compositions were almost in the amorphous form when annealing the sample at 300 °C. The latter sample had a specific surface area higher than that of the former, 207.9 and 142.1 g/m2, respectively, explaining its higher catalytic CO oxidation. The CO conversion over the CuO−MnOx−Fe2O3‐300 catalyst (1 g of catalyst, 2600 ppm of CO concentration in air, and 1.0 L/min of gas flow rate) begins at about 40 °C; the temperature for 50 % CO conversion (t50) is near 82 °C; and CO removal is almost complete at t99 ≈110 °C. The activity of the optimal sample was tested in different catalytic conditions, thereby observing a high durability of 99–100 % CO conversion at 130 °C. The obtained results were derived from XRD, FTIR, BET, SEM, elemental analysis and mapping, as well as catalytic experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many works on topological insulators have focused on periodic lattice systems; where short- and long-range order is considered. Here we construct a two-dimensional amorphous photonic crystal with short-range order and a controllable level of long-range order and experimentally investigate the transport of topological edge states in this amorphous system. We demonstrate that topology properties remain constant with unidirectional edge state propagation; immune to specific disorder strength. The partition phenomena of edge states are also observed at the intersection of four topological channels in microwave experiments. This proposed amorphous configuration provides new opportunities to explore the relationship between short-range order and topology and may alleviate the fabrication difficulties of topological optical devices for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to provide a new analytical exact solution for the crystallization phenomena pyrolysis process of the non-isothermal nth-order instead of using numerical methods. A more considerable solution has been obtained and compared with the approximate numerical solution. The multi-order reactions of crystallization kinetics are demanded in a wide variety of short time and length scales. In addition, our solution adds an accurate result using different kinetic parameters such as pre-exponential factor and activation energy.

The use of recycled glass sand in building materials requires the assessment of its strength and thermodynamic properties. The paper presents the results of research on the influence of glass sand on the structure and properties of silicate brick and the composition of the material modified by introducing a glass composite. The structure of the sand-lime material was assessed on the basis of scanning electron microscopy analyzes using the SEM QUANTA FEG 250 microscope. From the obtained results, it was found that glass sand had a positive effect on the compressive strength, keeping the material at a level not exceeding 20 MPa. Research based on SEM shows that the modification with glass sand leads to the crystallization of the C-S-H phase towards gyrolite and natrolite in the modified brick and tobermorite in the reference brick. Silicates, as natural materials, fit into the criteria of ecological construction and due to this fact, the work has relevance on the subject of sustainable construction.

Introduction: Bottom ash (BA) constitutes a significant by-product obtained during the incineration of municipal solid waste in waste-to-energy (WtE) plants. BA is a heterogeneous material made of different fractions, glass, minerals, metals, and unburned residual organic matter. Due to the non-hazardous nature of the unburned material, BA can be effectively recycled, becoming a valuable resource. However, BA displays a high content of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) within its finer grain size. The presence of these elements raises concerns regarding the potential toxicity associated with BA.Materials and methods: The release of PTEs in the smaller fraction (0.063–0.2 mm; 0.3–0.5 mm; 2–4 mm; bulk

A bio-catalyst made of natural resources, such as Carica papaya latex, is very challenging for nanoparticle separation. In addition, differences in thermal conditions between nanoparticles affect the movement of substances in the separation process. The study experimentally investigated the role of Carica papaya latex bio-catalyst and thermal shock in water on synthesizing rice husk (RH). The synthesis retained the Mg and C elements attached to SiO2, which were generally neglected during the process. The study's objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of biocatalysts and thermal effects on the separation of Mg-SiO2-C from rice husk carbon nanoparticles (CNPs-RH). The research involved various treatment processes, such as RH pyrolysis in obtaining charcoal, High energy milling (HEM) to have carbon particles, and washing to get nano-sized carbon particles. The bonding of elemental compounds to rice husk carbon particles (CPs-RH) was released using NaOH and coagulation using a bio-catalyst. Coagulated CPs-RH was injected into water at a temperature of 60–70 °C to have a thermal shock effect for H2O clusters in Na+ and Mg2+ ions attached to the surface of the nanoparticles. Several tests were carried out, such as the SEM-EDX, TEM, XRD, and FTIR tests, to investigate the two nanoparticle clusters formed up to the nanometer scale. The results indicated that CNPs-RH nanoparticles consist of spherical particles with a diameter of 1.2 nm, while Mg-SiO2-C nanoparticles have a diameter of 0.6 nm. Both are classified as amorphous. Based on the FTIR test, CNPs-RH is hydrophilic, while Mg-SiO2-C is hydrophobic. Thermal shock in water strengthens the ion's mobility, increasing the interfacial dipole forces between nanoparticles and accelerating the separation process.

Amorphous, non-doped, and copper- and selenium-doped Sb2S3 nanoparticles were synthesized by a hot-injection method. Zinc-doped Sb2S3 nanoparticles were prepared for the first time using the same approach. Electron microscopy revealed that spherical nanoparticles of 1–4 nanometers aggregated into larger spherical clusters. Introducing dopants into the Sb2S3 structure neither influenced the samples' spherical morphology nor their sizes. The presence of the dopants (Cu, Se, or Zn) was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and, in the case of Zn, also by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) patterns of the non-doped and doped samples imply an amorphous structure. Crystalline Zn-doped Sb2S3 revealed defined peaks from only the Sb2S3 phase, indicating successful doping. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) revealed high optical bandgap energies (2.03–2.12 eV) compared to the values (1.6–1.7 eV) for large non-doped and doped particles obtained at 240 °C, which might be attributed to a quantum size effect. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) revealed a phase without any impurities for the undoped and characteristic peaks for copper, selenium, and zinc Auger for the doped samples. XPS valence band confirm for the Zn-doped particles a shift towards lower binding energy compared to the non-doped samples, indicating successful doping. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements show that embedding Zn into the Sb2S3 host lattice suppresses the wide luminescence band related to intrinsic vacancy defects. Narrow peaks at 1.7–2.4 eV were found to be associated with singlet excitons. The energy dependence of the light emission on the synthesized nanoparticles' size suggests quantum confinement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to provide a new analytical exact solution for the crystallization phenomena pyrolysis process of the non-isothermal nth-order instead of using numerical methods. A more considerable solution has been obtained and compared with the approximate numerical solution. The multi-order reactions of crystallization kinetics are demanded in a wide variety of short time and length scales. In addition, our solution adds an accurate result using different kinetic parameters such as pre-exponential factor and activation energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fracture and crack growth of materials can be practically and conveniently predicted through numerical analysis and linear elastics fracture mechanics. On this basis, the current study aims to present experimental work supported by a numerical technique for mimicking the crack propagation by Version 5.6 of COMSOL Multiphysics (version 5.6), used for the simulation of the coating made from Fe-based amorphous material with a thickness of 300 µm. The paper shows the effects of mixed-mode loading on cohesive zone parameters attained from load-crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) curves. The microstructure dominates the fracture, which in mode I is altered from all-transgranular cleavage to nearly all-intergranular structure in mode II. Two common criteria for failure are linked to the mixed-mode results: Maximum energy release rate criterion (Maximum G) and maximum tensile stress criterion (Maximum S). However, distinguishing between the two criteria is made impossible by the large scatter in the data. The stress intensity factor is the basis for the. The stress intensity factor is the leading parameter facilitated by the singular element and should be estimated with accuracy. With the aim of comparing each criterion and illustrating the numerical schemes' robustness, a number of examples are presented. It can be concluded that the Maximum G and Maximum S were successful and accurate in predicting the propagation of the Fe-based amorphous material prepared on mild steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous electro-Fenton (hetero-EF) technology represents a promising and safe approach to water treatment. However, conventional hetero-EF catalysts still face the challenges of removing contaminants selectively and operating efficient in complex water quality. We proposed a novel system utilizing amorphous CoS x (A-CoS x) that overcame these limitations. This material generated only singlet oxygen (1O 2), a highly specific oxidant, for contaminants degradation. Unlike traditional crystalline catalysts, A-CoS x efficiently utilized hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) to directly produce 1O 2 , exhibiting high catalytic activity across a wide pH range (3.0–11.0). The formation mechanism of 1O 2 was confirmed through experimental investigations, density functional theory (DFT) calculations, and advanced characterization techniques. This system effectively degraded contaminants even in complex water with interferences and enabled selective targeting of pollutants with electron-donating groups. This innovative approach using amorphous materials offers a promising strategy for the regulation of ROS and enabling selective contaminant removal in water treatment. [Display omitted] • The role of amorphous CoS x catalyst for 1O 2 generation in hetero-EF system was revealed. • A-CoS x achieved nearly 100 % H 2 O 2 utilization efficiency and 1O 2 conversion in the hetero-EF system. • The A-CoS x /hetero-EF system demonstrated exceptional efficiency and selectivity in water decontamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have studied how the initial state of polycrystals of the metastable compounds Bi2GeO5 and Bi2SiO5 with an Aurivillius-type structure and a glass phase with the equimolar composition Bi2O3 : SiO2 influences the performance of in situ forming catalysts for oxidative dimerization of methane (ODM). The results confirm the effect of the gas phase consisting of the starting components of the catalyzed reaction on improvement of the performance of the catalyst obtained upon thermal decomposition of its initial metastable state: in situ catalyst "self-adjustment" effect. The best catalytic properties for ODM reaction are offered by bismuth silicate (Bi2SiO5) decomposition products, and the highest activity is exhibited by the catalyst forming upon crystallization of the glass phase. Bismuth-containing oxide catalysts have been shown to have the best properties if high-purity starting reagents are used to synthesize them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anion exchange membrane (AEM) water electrolysers have shown their potential in green hydrogen production. One of the crucial tasks is to discover novel cost-effective and sustainable electrocatalyst materials. In this study, a low-cost Ni-S-based catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction was prepared via a simple electrodeposition process from a modified Watts bath recipe. Physical characterisation methods suggest this deposit film to be amorphous. Optimisation of the electrodeposition parameters of the Ni x S y catalyst was carried out using a rotating disk electrode setup. The optimised catalyst exhibited excellent catalytical performance in 1 M KOH on a microelectrode, with overpotentials of 41 mV, 111 mV and 202 mV at 10, 100 and 1000 mA cm -2 with Tafel slope of 67.9 mV dec -1 recorded at 333 K. Long-term testing of the catalyst demonstrated steady performance over a 24 h period on microelectrode at 100 mA cm -2 with only 71 mV and 37 mV overpotential increase at 293 K and 333 K respectively. Full cell testing with the optimised Ni x S y as cathode and NiFe(OH) 2 as anode showed 1.88 V after 1 h electrolysis at 500 mA cm -2 in 1 M KOH under 333 K with FAA-3-30 membrane., (© 2024 The Author(s). Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

In order to investigate the synergistic effect of different deformation modes (dislocations and local atomistic rearrangements) on the strength of mixed crystalline and amorphous materials, tensile and compressive deformation analyses of a two-dimensional binary system with various microstructures is performed through molecular dynamics simulations. The binary system is composed of atoms with two different atomic radii. By varying the mixing ratio and the interaction force between different atoms, 66 binary system models with various structures are represented, and each model is classified into three categories, crystalline, amorphous, and mixed crystalline/amorphous, through structural analysis. Deformation analysis shows that the strength of the mixed crystalline/amorphous models tends to be weaker than that of the crystal and amorphous models. The is because the edge of the force chain in the amorphous phase appears at the crystalline/amorphous interface, where dislocation release from the interface to the crystalline phase occurs easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the catalytic mechanism of the noble metal Pd single-atom catalyst for the formation of formic acid in CO2 syngas, the vintage adsorption location of Pd on two-dimensional crystalline/amorphous Al2O3 was studied based on density functional theory. The stability and high efficiency of the catalyst were verified by calculating the density of states, band structure and adsorption energy, and combined with the analysis of surface energy and migration energy barrier in the process of CO2 reduction and conversion reaction, the catalytic mechanism is qualitatively explained. The consequence shows that two dimensional α-Al2O3 loaded Pd single-atom has good chemical stability and higher electron migration ability. The transition state energy barrier is controllable with range, which can realize the green catalysis of catalyst. The synergistic effect between the amorphous structure and the single-atom is more significant due to the higher local electron concentration on the surface. This is for understanding the catalytic mechanism at the atomic level, and promotes the research and development of new functional supported catalysts with industrial catalytic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Tremendous efforts have been made to create significant energy storage devices using nanoscale design and hybrid techniques. Toward this end, herein, we have fabricated, a binder‐free, amorphous iron‐doped nickel‐cobalt phosphate (FexNiCo(PO4)2, ie, F‐NCP) thin film on stainless steel substrate using a facile successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method. Furthermore, the influence of Fe doping concentration on physico‐chemical properties is investigated. The various F‐NCP‐series electrodes contain nanoparticle‐like morphology that is beneficial for charge transfer and efficient diffusion of electrolytes in supercapacitors. Such nanoparticle‐like morphology and the synergy among iron, cobalt, and nickel elements in the F‐NCP‐3 electrode deliver a maximum specific capacity of 987 C g−1 at a current density of 2.1 A g−1 with excellent cyclic retention of 95.3% after 5000 galvanostatic charge‐discharge cycles. Especially, when an asymmetric solid‐state supercapacitor (ASSS) is fabricated in polyvinyl alcohol‐KOH gel electrolyte with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a negative electrode, the designed F‐NCP‐3//rGO ASSS device shows the wide (1.6 V) potential window, and a maximum specific capacitance of 116 F g−1 at 1.5 A g−1. In addition, the ASSS device gives a higher energy density of 41.26 Wh kg−1 at 1.22 kW kg−1 power density and exhibits superior cyclic stability (93% after 5000 cycles). The suggested asymmetric configuration makes a promising alternative of the cathode material to construct energy storage devices for various portable electronic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-defined electroactive bipolar derivatives of new structure have been synthesized from 3-(N,N-diphenylamino)-9H-carbazole and bis(4-fluorophenyl)sulfone, 4-fluorophenylsulfone or 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone, respectively. The full characterization of their structure is described. The amorphous materials with very high glass transition temperatures of 111–173 °C also possess high thermal stability, with onset decomposition temperatures of 351–398 °C. Some of the compounds having the best solubility were tested as the emitters dispersed in 4,4′-bis(N-carbazolyl)-1,1′-biphenyl (CBP) host for preparation of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). A device containing 15 wt% of the guest bis[4-{3-(N,N-diphenylamino)carbazol-9-yl}phenyl] sulfone demonstrated the best overall characteristics with maximum brightness exceeding 2630 cd/m2, current efficiency of 3.2 cd/A, power efficiency of 2.2 lm/W, and external quantum efficiency exceeding 1.7% at 100 cd/m2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) has attracted great attention as an important half-reaction in the electrochemical splitting of water for green hydrogen production. However, the inadequacy of highly efficient and stable electrocatalysts has impeded the development of this technology. Amorphous materials with long-range disordered structures have exhibited superior electrocatalytic performance compared to their crystalline counterparts due to more active sites and higher structural flexibility. This review summarizes the preparation methods of amorphous materials involving oxides, hydroxide, phosphides, sulfides, and their composites, and introduces the recent progress of amorphous OER electrocatalysts in acidic and alkaline media. Finally, the existing challenges and future perspectives for amorphous electrocatalysts for OER are discussed. Therefore, we believe that this review will guide designing amorphous OER electrocatalysts with high performance for future energy applications.

In order to solve the problem that it is difficult to prepare highly amorphous Ni-B alloy coating, the control variable method was used to explore the influence law of bath composition on the amorphous process of Ni-B alloy coating, and the electrodeposition method was used to prepare high-B amorphous Ni-B composite coating. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to characterize the phase structure of the sedimentary layer, and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy spectrum analysis (EDS) were used to investigate the microscopic morphology and element distribution composition of the sedimentary layer. The results show that the sedimentary layer can be changed from crystalline state to amorphous state by controlling the composition of solution. The resulting sediments are highly amorphous. This system can be electrodeposited to obtain amorphous Ni-B alloy sediments with a complete, close and meticulous surface, and almost no metal crystal diffraction peak. The content of B in the sediments can be increased to 10.21%(mass fraction).

Atom probe tomography has been applied to study lithium-induced corrosion of Pulsed-Laser Deposition grown Al 2 O 3 , which is a candidate coating material for breeder blankets for nuclear fusion reactors. Coated Eurofer97 specimens were immersed in static Pb-17Li for 7000 h with samples extracted from the regions near the ceramic-substrate interface to determine the extent of Li penetration. Li-enriched regions, which are non-stoichiometric with respect to any known equilibrium phases predicted by the Li-Al-O phase diagram at 823 K, are reported for the first time in Al 2 O 3. The nature and composition of the Li-enriched features were characterized with nanometre resolution. It was found that the Li content inside these features may increase to a maximum of 35 at%, with the adjacent Al 2 O 3 matrix containing approximately 5–10 at% Li. Based on these results, the corrosion mechanism of amorphous Al 2 O 3 is proposed to be Li substitution of Al atoms. • The near-interface region of the alumina barrier coating on a fusion steel was extracted by focused ion beam milling. • The distribution of Li atoms intruding into an alumina coating is imaged for the first time with atom probe tomography. • Nanoscale region significantly enriched in Li were observed near the ceramic-metal interface. • Their compositions were identified as non-stoichiometric and implied these are non-equilibrium microstructural features. • A possible lithiation mechanism for amorphous alumina was proposed based on composition of the clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bipolar derivatives having aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties were synthesized in reactions of 4,4′-difluorobenzophenone, 4-fluorophenyl-phenylsulfone or bis(4-fluorophenyl)sulfone with prepared key starting materials: 1,1,2-triphenyl-2-(9H-carbazol-2-yl)ethylene or 1-(9H-carbazol-2-yl)-4-(1,2,2-triphenylethenyl)benzene. The objective materials have shown high thermal stabilities and can form amorphous layers having high glass transition temperatures in the region of 110–173 °C. The photoluminescence spectra of the prepared derivatives registered using tetrahydrofuran-water solutions demonstrated strong blue emissions, confirming their AIE property. Thin films of the compounds were tested in multilayer organic light-emitting diodes. The device using bis(4-{2-[4-(1,1,2-triphenylethylenyl)phenyl]carbazol-9-yl}phenyl)sulfone emitter (EM3) outperformed the other devices, achieving a peak efficiencies of 3.4 % (5.6 cd/A and 4.7 lm/W) with maximum luminance of about 11000 cd/m2. However OLED using 4-{2-[4-(1,1,2-triphenylethylenyl)phenyl]carbazol-9-yl}phenyl-phenylsulfone (EM2) as emitter demonstrated higher efficiency at higher luminance values. The maximum efficiencies of the device were obtained at a luminance value of about 100 cd/m2 and were recorded as 3.2 % (5.2 cd/A and 4.1 lm/W) with luminance of 17515 cd/m2. • Bipolar derivatives having aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties were synthesized. • The compounds have shown high thermal stabilities. • The materials can form amorphous layers having high glass transition temperatures. • Thin films of the compounds were tested in multilayer organic light-emitting diodes. • Peak efficiencies of 3.4 % (5.6 cd/A and 4.7 lm/W) were registered for one device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • WO 3 /EuMOF assembly was firstly prepared by an electrodeposition method. • The assembly was applied as a fluorescence switch. • The "on" and "off" states can be modulated by changing the voltage. • The assembled fluorescence switch exhibits good reversibility. In recent years, lanthanide metal organic frameworks have been widely used in various fields because of their excellent fluorescence properties. Fluorescence switch has also been considered as a research hot spot and widely applied in many fields. The combination of fluorescent material and electrochromic material has emerged in the preparation of fluorescence switch. Herein, a simple and rapid electrodeposition method is proposed for the preparation of amorphous EuMOF film. The whole process takes only half an hour under room temperature. The prepared amorphous EuMOF film exhibits significant emission peaks characteristic of Eu3+ when excited by 277 nm UV lamp. In addition, the prepared EuMOF is also applied in an electrochromic device to construct WO 3 /EuMOF fluorescence switch by stepwise electrodeposition using polystyrene microsphere as template. By changing the voltage, the coloring and fading of the device color, and the quenching and recovery of fluorescence can be reversibly regulated, in order to achieve the control of the "on" and "off" states of the fluorescence switch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fracture and crack growth of materials can be practically and conveniently predicted through numerical analysis and linear elastics fracture mechanics. On this basis, the current study aims to present experimental work supported by a numerical technique for mimicking the crack propagation by Version 5.6 of COMSOL Multiphysics (version 5.6), used for the simulation of the coating made from Fe-based amorphous material with a thickness of 300 µm. The paper shows the effects of mixed-mode loading on cohesive zone parameters attained from load-crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) curves. The microstructure dominates the fracture, which in mode I is altered from all-transgranular cleavage to nearly all-intergranular structure in mode II. Two common criteria for failure are linked to the mixed-mode results: Maximum energy release rate criterion (Maximum G) and maximum tensile stress criterion (Maximum S). However, distinguishing between the two criteria is made impossible by the large scatter in the data. The stress intensity factor is the basis for the. The stress intensity factor is the leading parameter facilitated by the singular element and should be estimated with accuracy. With the aim of comparing each criterion and illustrating the numerical schemes’ robustness, a number of examples are presented. It can be concluded that the Maximum G and Maximum S were successful and accurate in predicting the propagation of the Fe-based amorphous material prepared on mild steel.

This study compares thirteen natural and industrial samples of supplementary or emerging supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs): slag, fly ashes, pozzolan, obsidian, silica fume, and recycled glass. These materials are used or are under consideration for decarbonization in cement plants. XRF, XRD and Raman microspectroscopy were used in order to achieve a deeper understanding of the structural characterization of SCMs. The changes in position and shape of the XRD diffuse halos were compared. Raman spectroscopy was used to study the glass part of the SCM families, to better understand their structure in terms of depolymerization degree, angle, ring size and incorporations into the glass. The chemical composition of each glassy part was also estimated using reverse Bogue calculations. The hump position is correlated with the Raman shift, and with the XRF bulk or with the calculated glass chemical composition of SCMs, in terms of CaO/(SiO 2 + Al 2 O 3) or network modifiers to formers ratios. • Natural and industrial Supplementary Cementitious Materials • Characterization of the amorphous part by XRF, XRD and Raman spectroscopy • Depolymerization degree of glass network • Correlation between XRD hump position and Raman shift • Correlations between XRD hump position and bulk chemical XRF or glass composition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqua Traiana is an ancient Roman aqueduct, built to supply water to the ancient city of Rome and still working nowadays. This work is focused on the characterization of its mortars, and in particular the binders, to identify the reasons of such a durable resistance. Samples collected inside the aqueduct were analysed by Optical Microscopy (OM) in thin sections, X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), High Resolution Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (HR-FESEM-EDS), Electron Microprobe (EMPA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry coupled with Thermogravimetric Analysis (DSC-TGA), Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure (XANES) spectroscopy and N 2 adsorption/desorption measurements. The presence of an amorphous gel-like C-(N,K)-A-S-H binder and the complete absence of calcite in Trajan Age samples constitute a unique case, and may be the reason of the high hydraulicity of the mortar. Establishing how these features were produced could allow them to be replicated in high-durability and high-compatibility restoration mortars. • Ancient mortars from Aqua Traiana are characterised by a multi-analytical approach. • Trajan mortars have pozzolanic aggregate, amorphous gel-like binder without calcite. • The absence of calcite in Trajan samples constitutes a unique case in history. • The amorphous binder gives better hydraulicity and mechanical strength. • High-durability and green mortars could be produced from ancient recipes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an outlook about the present of electrical aviation is given. The relatively small energy density of current battery technologies is adequate to build usable electric car, but not suitable for electric aircraft. Because of the very limited amount of energy available on-board, a couple of percent in efficiency can give significant increase in range and flight time, hence the development of more efficient propulsion system and E-motor is as important as the development of battery technologies. Current research results at the University of Dunaujvaros show, that building E-motors from amorphous materials is possible, and can easily increase the efficiency of high speed E-motors.

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2,7-Di(4-biphenyl)-9,9-dihexylfluorene was synthesized by a multi-step synthetic rout. The material was characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analyses. The electro-active derivative could form thin amorphous films and was tested as solution processed hole transporting layers in organic light- emitting diode with Alq3 as an emitter, which also has served as electron transporting material. The prepared electroluminescent device demonstrated low turn voltage of 3.2 V, a maximal photometric efficiency of 4.5 cd/A and maximum brightness exceeding 15600 cd/m2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the extremely limited structural deformation caused by the introduction of guest ions that their rigid structure can sustain, crystalline materials typically fail owing to structural collapse when utilized as electrode materials. Amorphous materials, conversely, are more resistant to volume expansion during dynamic ion transport and can introduce a lot of defects as active sites. Here, The amorphous polyaniline-coated/intercalated V 2 O 5 ·nH 2 O (PVOH) nanowires are prepared by in situ chemical oxidation combined with self-assembly strategy, which exhibited impressive electrochemical properties because of its short-range ordered crystal structure, oxygen vacancy/defect-rich, improved electronic channels, and ionic channels. Through in situ techniques, the energy storage mechanism of its Zn 2+ /H + co-storage is investigated and elucidated. Additionally, this work provides new insights and perspectives for the investigation and application of amorphous cathodes for aqueous zinc ion batteries., (© 2023 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

A significant amount of red mud generated as a by-product of the Bayer process in the aluminum industry may cause environmental problems if appropriate treatment is not carried out. The presented research dealt with the possibility of application of red mud as a pigment or as raw material for use in the construction material industry. In relation to the aim of this work, the physicochemical characterization was performed and the natural radioactivity of red mud as an industrial waste and a geopolymer sample based on it was determined. The presented research is a contribution to the potential solution for environmental protection through the synthesis of possible construction material based on red mud. The radiological hazard orginating from 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K in the samples was assesed throught the absorbed dose rate and the annual effective dose rate, calculated in accordance with the UNSCEAR 2010 report. Physicochemical characterization of all samples was conducted using X-ray diffraction and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III 45012]

At the isothermal annealing below the crystallization temperature, dependences of the internal friction on time for the thin-film nanogranular composite consisting of crystalline nickel (Ni) and an amorphous material based on lead zirconate titanate [Pb0.81Sr0.04(Na0.5Bi0.5)0.15][(Zr0.575Ti0.425)]O3 have been studied. We have observed a relaxation in the amorphous phase of the composite. The structural relaxation studied is irreversible and thermally activated, and dependences of its parameters on temperature and the Ni content are discussed in terms of the model of stress relaxation in local regions of the amorphous material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

[Display omitted] • A simple and controllable method was employed to synthesize TMP with c-a HS. • The formation mechanism and the catalytic mechanism of c-aHS is explained. • The catalyst exhibits excellent overall water splitting performance. The crystal-amorphous (c-a) heterostructure is a promising structure for electrocatalysts in water electrolysis. In this study, stable, efficient, and abundant c-a interfaces were formed by synchronously synthesizing crystalline FeP and amorphous MoP on foam ferrum by controlling the crystalline phase transition temperature. In 1 M KOH, the a-MoP/FeP@FF catalyst showed overpotentials of 75 mV and 253 mV for HER and OER processes, respectively, at a current density of j 10. The Tafel slopes were small at 60 mV∙dec−1 and 77 mV∙dec−1 for HER and OER, respectively. Theoretical calculations indicate that the c-a interface optimizes the overall electronic structure, enabling Mo and Fe to have excellent HER and OER activity, respectively. The two types of active sites collaborate fully to promote overall water splitting. This study confirms that the c-a heterostructure can significantly enhance the catalytic performance of transition metal phosphides and explains the mechanism of enhanced catalytic activity. This synthesis method and reaction mechanism not only apply to other transition metal phosphides but also provide reference for other types of catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiconductors often have limited photocatalytic water-splitting performances owing to the narrow light absorption and low effective carrier density. In response to these challenges, we report the discovery of metallic amorphous cobalt boride (Co 2 B) as the first first-row transition metallic photocatalyst. It was prepared via a simple chemical reduction method and performs efficient water splitting spanning the UV, visible light and near-infrared region (NIR) via interband transitions. It achieves bifunctional water splitting activities with H 2 evolution rate of 202.3 μmol h−1 g−1 and O 2 evolution rate of 74.8 μmol h−1 g−1, superior to the existing (semi-)metallic photocatalysts. The material shows over 1 % apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) and 20 % incident photon to current conversion efficiencies (IPCE) at the NIR region >800 nm. Theoretical and photophysical experimental studies synergistically confirm that the metallic nature with high carrier concentrations and amorphous structure with abundant active sites contribute to the good water splitting performance of Co 2 B. This research sets the foundation for the utilization of highly efficient transition metal-based metallic photocatalysts in photocatalysis across the entire solar spectrum. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bipolar derivatives having thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) functions were synthesized by multistep synthetic procedure by using 3-(N,N -diphenylamino)-9 H -carbazole and 9-(4-(4-fluorophenylsulfonyl)phenyl)carbazole or 4-(carbazol-9-yl)-4′-fluorobenzophenone in the final step. The materials have high thermal stabilities and form molecular glasses with very high glass transition temperatures of 140 °C–143 °C. The compounds were tested in multilayer TADF based organic light emitting diodes. The most efficient green device demonstrated low turn-on voltage of 2.2 V, maximum luminance of 60155 cd/m2 and high peak efficiency values of 12.1 % (35.4 cd/A and 46.3 lm/W). The device maintained high efficiency at practical luminance levels of 100 cd/m2 and 1000 cd/m2, registering 12.1 % and 11.1 %, respectively. [Display omitted] • New derivatives with TADF functions are synthesized. • The materials demonstrate high thermal stability. • The emitters were used in OLEDs. • External quantum efficiency over 12 % was reached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physics of metallic glass local devitrification employing ultrafast laser irradiation is the cradle of complex phenomena that are still not understood despite its applicative potential in material processing for nanotechnology. This paper reports a theoretical simulation combining the two temperature model and classical molecular dynamics simulations to unravel the mechanisms that lead to the localized phase transition in Cu–Zr metallic glass. According to observations, the initial composition of amorphous samples plays an essential role, in addition to nonequilibrium thermodynamic processes caused by the laser energy deposition that alters the atomic environment. We further demonstrate that specific compositions devitrify despite its high glass-forming ability. The thermodynamic conditions fostering the emergence of a stable nanocrystalline phase are clearly established. The compressive pressure wave and the rapid heating process caused by ultrafast laser energy deposition synergistically contribute to disrupt the microstructure of the glass significantly, thereby initiating the devitrification process. Results are discussed using additional classical MD simulations that provide valuable insights for interpreting the distinct contributions of temperature and pressure to the phase transformation. Finally, the impact of the formed nanocrystals on the phononic thermal conductivity of the alloy is presented confirming the potential application of the laser-induced devitrification process for the development of a new generation of nanoarchitectured materials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]