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Abstract Global crop protection and food security have become critical issues to achieve the ‘Zero Hunger’ goal in recent years, as significant crop damage is primarily caused by biotic factors. Applying nanoparticles in agriculture could enhance crop yield. Nano-silver, or AgNPs, have colossal importance in many fields like biomedical, agriculture, and the environment due to their antimicrobial potential. In this context, nano-silver was fabricated by Citrus medica L. (Cm) fruit juice, detected visually and by UV–Vis spectrophotometric analysis. Further, AgNPs were characterized by advanced techniques. UV–Vis spectroscopic analysis revealed absorbance spectra at around 487 nm. The zeta potential measurement value was noted as -23.7 mV. Spectral analysis by FT-IR proved the capping of the acidic groups. In contrast, the XRD analysis showed the Miller indices like the face-centered cubic (fcc) crystalline structure. NTA revealed a mean size of 35 nm for nano-silver with a 2.4 × 108 particles mL−1 concentration. TEM analysis demonstrated spherical Cm-AgNPs with 20–30 nm sizes. The focus of this research was to evaluate the antifungal activity of biogenic AgNPs against post-harvest pathogenic fungi, including Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, and Alternaria alternata. The Cm-AgNPs showed significant antifungal activity in the order of A. niger > A. flavus > A. alternata. The biogenic Cm-AgNPs can be used for the inhibition of toxigenic fungi.

Abstract Titanium and its alloys exhibit a favorable integration of characteristics, including notable strength and high resistance to corrosion. However, they are deficient in terms of wear resistance and thermal conductivity, among other properties. The aforementioned limitations impose constraints on the utilization of these alloys across diverse applications. Currently, various strategies involving the utilization of composite materials are being implemented in order to address and mitigate these previously mentioned limitations. The utilization of micro- or nano-sized reinforcements has been employed to improve the characteristics of the metal matrix. Diverse techniques are employed to uniformly distribute the reinforcement within the matrix, thereby generating titanium metal matrix composites (TMCs). The use of TMCs has become increasingly prevalent in diverse sectors, including defense, automotive, aerospace, and biomedical, owing to their remarkable characteristics, which encompass lower weight, higher specific strength, and compatibility with biological systems. The present study discusses various manufacturing techniques, including spark plasma sintering (SPS), additive manufacturing, and vacuum melting. This study further examines different reinforcements that are considered in the production of TMCs. The current study also investigates the effects of reinforcements on properties such as mechanical and tribological characteristics. The study demonstrated that the incorporation of reinforcements resulted in enhanced properties.

Knowledge of wear resistance properties of newly emerging materials as complements to their mechanical properties is important to broaden their applications. This study focuses on wear resistance properties of particle-reinforced epoxy. Results obtained reveal that surface wear of the examined epoxy-based composites occurred by the crack initiation by the abrasive tips of the wear tester, crack propagation and/or crack pinning. Linear regression model has accuracies of 99.94, 99.92, 99.93, 99.88, 99.91 and 99.92% with respect to various grades of composites examined. Response surface two-functional interaction model exhibits a better goodness of fit than the response surface linear model that shows an outlier. The response surface linear model best fits the wear rates of AlnpUCSnp/epoxy and AlnpCCSnp/epoxy with respective adequate precision of 14.138 and 10.204 affirming the model's adequate signal. Hence, this study establishes that epoxy-based hybrid composite having 4.7%–82.47 nm-sized aluminium-5.76%–49.85 nm-sized carbonised coconut shell hybrid particles experiences a surface wear of 0.00272721 g per metre when it is in contact with a rough surface under an applied load of 16.71 N at a speed of 0.7 ms−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen has been regarded as a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuels, presenting itself as a viable and environmentally friendly energy choice. The design and fabrication of highly efficient hydrogen storage materials is crucial to the wide utilization of hydrogen‐based technologies. Magnesium‐based nanocrystalline materials have received significant interest in the field of hydrogen storage due to their remarkable hydrogen storage capabilities and release efficiency. This review emphasizes on the most useful techniques including vapor deposition, sol‐gel synthesis, electrochemical deposition, magnetron sputtering, and template‐assisted approaches used for the fabrication of Magnesium‐based nanocrystalline hydrogen storage materials (Mg‐NHSMs), stressing their advantages, limitations, and recent advancements. These cutting‐edge techniques demonstrate their significance in offering useful insights into the performance of Mg‐NHSMs. Further, this review describes various applications of Mg‐NHSMs. In addition, this review highlights the conclusion and future perspectives on the improvement of magnesium based nanocrystalline materials for efficient hydrogen storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of smart nanocomposites by reinforcing carbon nanomaterials into polymer composite materials has gained significant attention due to their extensive potential applications, especially in the field of monitoring of mechanical, aerospace and infrastructure systems. These smart nanocomposites exhibit excellent electro-mechanical sensing capability. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with outstanding electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties can be reinforced into polymer composite materials by appropriate dispersion to produce polymer/CNTs-based smart nanocomposites with excellent sensitivity. Understanding the processing, characterization and properties of the nanocomposites will help in yielding a deeper insight into the effect of incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the matrix of the polymer composites. This study provides a comprehensive overview (primarily in the last 2 decades) of the major influencing factors on the underlying mechanisms involved in the fabrication and performance of nanocomposites which can cause a paradigm shift in instrumentation and sensing for structural health monitoring (SHM). Therefore, this review article presents the recent advancement in the development of CNTs-reinforced polymer nanocomposites-based sensors encompassing the mechanism for electrical conductivity/piezo properties, fabrication, applications for various types of sensing, and the futuristic application for smart sensing through appropriate tailoring of nanocomposites using CNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript proposes an enhanced technique for the friction stir welding (FSW) of ceramic particle‐reinforced aluminium‐related metal matrix composites. The proposed technique is the joint implementation of both the Aquila Optimizer and Pelican Optimization Algorithm. This proposed method aims is to enhance the welding efficiency, quality, and overall performance of the weld joints. The test is conducted in an all‐purpose machine at cutting speeds that permit temperatures that are comparable to the FSW of stainless‐steel, aluminium alloys and copper. Reaction–diffusion studies are conducted to better understand the diffusion‐control process under tool wear, and the tool wear rate is determined by the length of the cutting tool's nose tip. Rotational speed at 10 mm/min is examined. SiC exhibits the highest performance of aluminium and stainless steel. As the fraction of SiC increases to 18%, the axial force and rotational speed of FSW also increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistant dextrin (RD) is a kind of glucan extracted and processed from starch. It has been approved as a Generally Recognized as Safe food which has a promising future. However, there is less comprehensive basic and applied information about RD. Therefore, this paper presents the progress of research on the preparation and purification methods, physicochemical properties, physiological activities and applications of RD, with a focus on highlighting its physiological activities and potential mechanisms of action. The aim is to provide theoretical references for the comprehensive development and utilization of RD in the fields of functional foods and medicinal foods, so that RD can be better applied in the treatment of chronic metabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trustworthy literature is an essential part of knowledge, evidence-based information, and science. However, publications can contain mistakes or have results from unreliable research, which may compromise their integrity. In this review, we discuss publication integrity, with a focus on our field of biomedicine, and how it could be improved. In our experience, compromised publication integrity is frequently poorly handled, and we, and others, have reported that responses to publication integrity concerns can be inefficient, inconsistent, slow, opaque, and incomplete. Checklists and tools are now available to assist in the assessment of publication integrity, but systemic changes are needed. However, this requires many of the key parties involved (journals, publishers, institutions, academic societies, and regulators) to acknowledge and engage with the problem. There is little evidence of a willingness to do this. We conclude that it has been recognised for many years that the system for dealing with publication integrity is broken, but currently, there appears little interest in trying to improve it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silk fibroin (SF), a natural protein derived from silkworms, has emerged as a promising biomaterial due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, degradation rate, and tunable mechanical properties. This review delves into the intrinsic attributes of SF that make it an attractive candidate for scaffold development in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The distinctiveness of this comprehensive review resides in its detailed exploration of recent advancements in the fabrication techniques of SF‐based fibrous scaffolds, namely electrospinning, freeze‐drying, and 3D printing. An in‐depth analysis of these fabrication techniques is conducted to illustrate their versatility in customizing essential scaffold characteristics, such as porosity, fiber diameter, and mechanical strength. The article meticulously discusses process parameters, advantages, and challenges of each fabrication technique, highlighting the innovative advancements made in the respective field. Furthermore, the review goes beyond fabrication techniques to provide an overview of the latest biomedical applications and research endeavors utilizing SF‐derived scaffolds. From nerve regeneration and wound healing to drug delivery, bone regeneration, and vascular tissue engineering, the diverse applications underscore the versatility of SF in adopting various biomedical challenges. Finally, the article emphasizes the need for standardized characterization techniques, scalable manufacturing processes, and long‐term in vivo studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfaces with high aspect ratio microarray structures can implement sophisticated assignment in typical fields including microfluidics, sensor, biomedicine, et al. via regulating their deformation or the material properties. Inspired by natural materials and systems, for example sea cockroaches, water spiders, cacti, lotus leaves, rice leaves, and cedar leaves, many researchers have focused on microneedle functional surface studies. When the surface with high aspect ratio microarray structures is stimulated by the external fields, such as optical, electric, thermal, magnetic, the high aspect ratio microarray structures can undergo hydrophilic and hydrophobic switching or shape change, which may be gifted the surfaces with the ability to perform complex task, including directional liquid/air transport, targeted drug delivery, microfluidic chip sensing. In this review, the fabrication principles of various surfaces with high aspect ratio microarray structures are classified and summarized. Mechanisms of liquid manipulation on hydrophilic/hydrophobic surfaces with high aspect ratio microarray structures are clarified based on Wenzel model, Cassie model, Laplace pressure theories and so on. Then the intelligent control strategies have been demonstrated. The applications in microfluidic, drug delivery, patch sensors have been discussed. Finally, current challenges and new insights of future prospects for dynamic manipulation of liquid/air based on biomimetic surface with high aspect ratio microarray structures are also addressed. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Locally controlling the position of electrodes in 3D can open new avenues to collect electrochemical signals in complex sensing environments. Implementing such electrodes via an electrical network requires advanced fabrication approaches. This work uses corner lithography and Pt ALD to produce electrochemical 3D electrodes. The approach allows the fabrication of (sub)micrometer size Pt octahedra electrodes spatially supported over 3D fractal‐like structures. As a proof of concept, electrochemical sensing of ferrocyanide in biofouling environments, e.g., bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), is assessed. Differences between before and after BSA addition show a reduction in the active electrode surface area (ΔAeff) ≈49% ± 7% for the flat electrode. In comparison, a ΔAeff reduction of 25% ± 2% for the 3D electrode has been found. The results are accompanied by a 24% ± 16% decrease in peak current for the flat Pt substrate and a 14% ± 5% decrease in peak current for the 3D electrode 24 h after adding BSA. In the case of P. aeruginosa, the 3D electrode retains electrochemical signals, while the flat electrode does not. The results demonstrate that the 3D Pt electrodes are more stable than their flat counterparts under biofouling conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study primarily covers the design and development of an MEMS based accelerometer. Frequency, displacement sensitivity, and capacitance are the subject of analytical modelling; the corresponding values are found to be 7.41kHz, 4.5096∗10−9 m/g, and 0.289pF respectively. COMSOL Multiphysics is used to design the structure of accelerometer and the MATLAB simulator tool is used to analyse the accelerometer. In order to obtain precise results, simulations are done and theoretical calculations are compared. Silicon-on-Insulator Multi-User MEMS Processes (SOIMUMPS) technology is employed to fabricate the accelerometer structure at MEMSCAP foundry, United State. The characterization of the fabricated device is done at CENSE, IISc, Bangalore. The capacitance values on either side of the device obtained from the test results are 0.36pF and 0.85pF when 5 V is applied to the electrodes. The proposed accelerometer is employed in the actuating parts of the sensor due to its properties like linearity and low sensitivity.

We report on the successful fabrication of orthomode transducer-coupled transition-edge sensor (TES) bolometer arrays for cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarimetry experiments with the superconductor electronics fabrication facility at SEEQC Inc. Commercial microfabrication foundry could provide increase in detector fabrication throughput for a next-generation CMB experiment, CMB-S4, that would deploy approximately one order of magnitude more detectors than current CMB experiments. We also developed TES bolometers with two TESs in series that have two different superconducting temperatures (Tc) using a superconducting proximity effect between niobium (Nb) and aluminum-manganese (AlMn) alloy. We will discuss the motivation, design considerations, fabrication processes, test results, and how industrial detector fabrication could be a path to fabricate hundreds of detector wafers for future CMB polarimetry experiments and other experiments that require TESs and superconducting RF circuits.

Polymer microgels are smart materials used to fabricate and encapsulate different enzymes. Encapsulation of enzymes in the polymer gel particles prolong their life span, enhance and tune their activity in biomedical field to prevent cell damage and make possible tunable drug delivery. Enzymes are natural catalysts and have prodigious ability to make the reaction kinetically feasible. Enzymes encapsulated polymer microgels gained much attention due to their synergistic properties. Here, different methods adopted for the synthesis of enzyme encapsulated polymer microgels, their properties, and classification based on responsive behavior have been described in detail. Applications of these enzyme encapsulated polymer microgels in sensing, catalysis, environmental remediation, useful product formation, and biomedical field to prevent disabilities have also been elaborated with future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scaffolds offer a three-dimensional framework supporting cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation of cells which are used to repair and regenerate tissues. Recent advancements in scaffold technology have significantly exploited the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This comprehensive review provides in-depth exploration of scaffold materials, fabrication techniques, and their recent progress in applications. Composite scaffolds have promising applications in bone and dental tissue regeneration due to their greater mechanical properties and ability to promote cell growth. The inherent crosslinking present in hydrogels allows them to maintain their integrity and three-dimensional structure without dissolving. However, there is a growing interest in smart hydrogels which can respond to changes in their external surroundings like pH, ionic strength, temperature, or specific molecules. dECM scaffold is an alternative potential technique for reconstructing the functional organs/tissues by excluding the cell-associated antigens while maintaining the native ECM compositions like growth factors, basement membrane structural proteins, and GAG's. The degree of porosity in scaffolds can be increased by various fabrication techniques such as TIPS, SCPL, gas foaming, and freeze drying. GelMA hydrogels have shown promising potential in cell proliferation and tissue regeneration. In addition, graphene and its derivatives have been instrumental in the fabrication of bioactive scaffolds for cartilage regeneration. The introduction of additive manufacturing technologies, specifically 3D bioprinting, has significantly improved the precision and control of scaffold fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop asbestos-free and environmentally friendly brake pads using apus bamboo powder (Gigantochloa apus). In the experiments, bamboo powder, resin, and catalyst were used as the raw materials and varied to ensure the quality of the prepared brake pads. To analyze the performance of brake pads, the fabricated brake pads are subjected to physicochemical tests (such as microscopic tests and functional group analysis) and mechanical tests (such as puncture tests, compression tests, and friction tests). The research results showed that adjusting the composition of the raw materials allowed a change in the performance of the brake pad, including porosity, morphological structure, and mechanical properties. Indeed, the condition of the low porosity on the inside of the brake pad strategically optimizes the compression strength of the material, making this design ideal for applications that require high resistance to compression loads. This study shows the possibility of apus bamboo powder as an alternative to asbestos in the production of non-asbestos brake pads, offering a safer and environmentally friendly solution as well as giving ideas for supporting current issues in the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

This study compared carcass yield and cutout value of conventional beef and dairy cattle to high-yielding (HY) and low-yielding (LY) crossbred beef × dairy cattle and identified the contribution of carcass regions to carcass yield andcutout value among beef × dairy crossbreds. Carcasses of conventional beef, beef × dairy crossbred, and dairy cattle were selected according to industry-average slaughter endpoints for their cattle type. Carcasses were fabricated at a commercial processing facility, and weights of carcass components were obtained. Post hoc subsampling was used to segregate HY and LY beef × dairy crossbreds based on subprimal yield. Multiple linear regression was used to assess carcass yield and sub-primal cutout value between the 4 cattle types (n=21 to 26 per cattle type). Beef cattle and HY crossbreds produced 1.59 to 3.04 percentage units greater (P0.05) between HY crossbreds and beef cattle, and subprimal to fat was lesser (P beef cattle > LY crossbreds > dairy cattle. In beef × dairy cattle, subprimal to bone in the round contributed most greatly to an increase (P=0.02), by 3.79 USD/45.4 kg, in subprimal cutout value. Together, these results suggested carcass value of beef × dairy cattle may be maximized when cattle are harvested at a lesser overall fatness than conventional beef cattle and when considerable muscling, especially in the round, is achieved.

Antennas play a critical role in modern technology. They are used in various devices and applications, including wireless communication, broadcasting, navigation, military, and space. Overall, the importance of antennas in technology lies in their ability to transmit and receive signals, allowing communication and information transfer across various applications and devices. Three-dimensional printing technology creates antennas using multiple materials, including plastics, metals, and ceramics. Some standard 3D printing techniques used to create antennas include Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Stereolithography (SLA), and Selective Laser Sintering (SLS). These antennas can be made in various shapes and sizes. 3D printing can help create complex and customized antenna designs that are difficult or impossible to produce using traditional manufacturing methods. 3D-printing technology has many advantages for building antennas, including customization, ease of fabrication, and cost-effectiveness. This review comprehensively evaluates the usage of 3D-printing technology in antenna fabrication.

Abstract The recent surge in demand for human–machine interaction (HMI), Internet of Things (IoTs), and artificial intelligence (AI) has created both opportunities and challenges for room‐temperature wearable gas sensors. These sensors serve as a source of perceptual information and can be easily integrated into wearable electronic devices due to their portability and miniaturization. In recent years, various types of wearable room temperature gas sensors have been developed for fields like environmental monitoring, healthcare, smart home, industrial security, food safety monitoring, and public security. These sensors not only adjust to the movements of human effortlessly but also have reduced power consumption. Therefore, room temperature wearable gas sensors hold great promise for the development of integrated intelligent gas sensing system worn on the human body. These sensors can be fabricated using various sensing materials to detect diverse target gases. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the preparation of sensing materials with extraordinary sensing capabilities at room temperature. Additionally, the article includes a brief discussion of the sensing mechanism, employing four models to explain it: oxygen adsorption, direct electron transfer, proton transfer, and ions conduction. Finally, this article discusses the various applications and future perspectives of room‐temperature wearable gas sensors.

The world is constantly challenged regarding managing environmental and ecological contamination due to human and industrial activities. This is because of the constant threat posed by pollution. Nowadays, membrane‐based technology is a growing field, making practically all the separation of foulant from wastewater possible. The membrane fouling resulting from the interaction between the foulant and the membrane surface presents a challenge for the technology in maintaining performance over extended periods of operation. As a result, there is a rising interest in research focusing mainly on creating patterned membrane surfaces that reduce fouling and effectively enhance the surface area. This article comprehensively overviews the most recent and cutting‐edge techniques that can be applied to modify and construct high‐performance patterned membranes suitable for ultrafiltration, microfiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis (UF, MF, NF, and RO) water purification processes. In this study, recent developments in membrane material are dissected, focusing on methods for improving surface chemistry, structure, and hydrodynamics, as well as the consequences of these characteristics on filtering performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work introduces a practical reinforcement learning (RL) techniques to address the complex scheduling challenges in producing Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode displays. Specifically, we focus on autonomous optimization of the photolithography process, a critical bottleneck in the fabrication. This provides an outperforming scheduling method compared with the existing rule-based approach which requires diverse rules and engineer experience on adapting dynamic environments. Our purposing RL network was designed to make effective schedules aligning with layered structures of the planning and scheduling modules for mass production. In the training phase, historical production data is utilized to create a representative discrete event simulation environment. The RL agent, based on the Deep Q-Network, undergoes episodic training to learn optimal scheduling policies. To ensure safe and reliable scheduling decisions, we further introduce action filters and parallel competing schedulers. The performance of RL-based Scheduler (RLS) is compared to the Rule-Based Scheduler (RBS) over actual fabrication in a year-long period. Based on key performance indicators, we validate the RLS outperforms the RBS, with a remarkable improvement in step target matching, reduced setup times, and enhanced lot assignments. This work also paves a way for the gradual integration of AI-based algorithms into smart manufacturing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to enhance the limited information on elevated temperature stability of MAX phase materials, Ti 2 AlN MAX phase composites were fabricated in a two-step procedure and subsequently tested regarding their oxidation and creep behavior. Furthermore, commentary testing on material enhanced with different amount of Al 2 O 3 fibers was performed. The compressive creep was investigated in the temperature range of 900–1200 °C under stresses ranging from 20 to 100 MPa, with a loading direction parallel and perpendicular to the compression direction during sintering. The oxidation behavior was characterized, demonstrating excellent oxidation resistance of the samples up to 1200 °C. Supported by microstructural investigations, the impact of the texturing of the matrix grains, the content and the orientation of Al 2 O 3 fibers, as well as that of the interfaces between matrix grains and the Al 2 O 3 fibers were investigated. De-cohesion and cracks formed at the triple junctions of the MAX phase grains indicate grain boundary sliding as predominant creep mechanism for the composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, hydroxylapatite (HA) nanoparticles were constructed through the ultrasound‐assisted dispersion method. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we studied the preparation methods of HA nanoparticles, and spherical HA nanoparticles with a size of about 50 nm were prepared. Besides, we constructed the HA/PLA composite nanoparticles with polylactic acid (PLA) as the material. The effects of different composite proportions on the HA/PLA composite nanoparticles were investigated before Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), and SEM, were applied to preliminary evaluate the effects of the above‐mentioned nanoparticles on capsaicin release. Through an in vitro study, we found that the release rate of the drug could be influenced by various release media and different compounding ratios (of HA and PLA). Furthermore, the pharmacokinetics study of capsaicin powder and capsaicin‐loaded HA/PLA composite nanoparticles demonstrated marked increased Cmax, prolongation of Tmax to 8 h, increased T1/2 and mean retention time (MRT) by 6.7 and 5.6 times respectively, coupled with 9240.2 % increase in relative bioavailability. Of note, HA/PLA composite nanoparticles showed good biocompatibility and exhibited good long‐term controlled release carriers, coupled with the ability to improve the solubility and bioavailability of a lipophilic drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve Si‐free refractory ceramic matrix composites exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere at approximately 2000°C, a Ti–Zr–Mo ternary alloy melt‐infiltration (MI) method was developed for the production of carbon fiber‐reinforced refractory high‐entropy ceramic matrix composites (C/RHECs), with high‐entropy carbides serving as the matrix. This approach was designed using calculation phase diagrams (CALPHADs) and the calculation of thermodynamic parameters. The combination of CALPHAD and the calculation of alloy and carbon reactivity enabled the prediction of reaction and infiltration behavior into a preform comprising carbon fiber, carbon black, and transition metal carbide powders. Furthermore, C/RHECs featuring a (Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Nb, Mo)C matrix were experimentally fabricated through the Ti–Zr–Mo alloy MI method in accordance with the design. The arc‐wind tunnel tests on the C/RHECs conducted at approximately 2000°C revealed surfaces covered with complex oxides. The apparent oxidation rate of the C/RHECs was similar to that of Si‐containing ceramics and composites. These results indicate that complex oxides act as a barrier to oxygen diffusion toward unoxidized regions, making Si no longer essential for protecting materials from oxidation above 2000°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest research progress of ultrathin bismuth-based materials in the field of photocatalysis in recent years is reviewed, including pollutant degradation, photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, and reduction of carbon dioxide. As an innovative kind of semiconductor photocatalytic material, bismuth-based material is a kind of photocatalyst with moderate band gap, low cost, non-toxic and harmless. Its band gap adjust-ability and morphology adjustability provide the basic conditions for achieving good photocatalytic performance under ultrathin structure. The development of visible-light-responsive photocatalysts with two-dimensional layered structures has attracted extensive interest from scholars. Then, various bismuth-based photocatalytic materials that have been extensively studied are briefly introduced. The synthesis and modification methods of ultrathin bismuth-based photocatalysts are summarized, including sonication-assisted liquid exfoliation, ion intercalation-assisted liquid exfoliation, hydro/solvothermal synthesis, atomic layer deposition, etc. The problems existing in the preparation of ultrathin bismuth-based photocatalysts and the potential application value and development trend in the future are prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feasibility of a non‐stoichiometric synthesis strategy for uranium mononitride (UN) pellet fabrication is experimentally verified with spark plasma sintering of U2N3 powder in this study. The method removes the denitride process (reduction of U2N3 to UN powder) from the conventional UN pellet fabrication, and it still successfully provided near‐perfect UN stoichiometry and high density (94 %TD). During the spark plasma sintering of U2N3 powder, vacuum pressure increase and powder height, decrease were concurrently measured above ∼1173 K, which indicates the nitrogen gas emission and higher density UN powder formation from the in‐situ decomposition of lower‐density U2N3 powder. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis on the sintered pellets obtained directly from U2N3 powder showed an excellent match with the existing XRD reference data of UN. The measured density of U2N3‐sintered UN pellets was higher (85 %TD) than that of UN‐sintered UN pellets (79 %TD) at relatively low sintering temperature (1773 K). With a higher sintering temperature of 2073 K, high pellet densities (94 %TD) were obtained from both U2N3 and UN powders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an efficient processing route was developed to fabricate C f /(Ti 0.2 Zr 0.2 Hf 0.2 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.2)C-SiC composites via slurry infiltration lamination (SIL) combined with precursor infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP). The (Ti 0.2 Zr 0.2 Hf 0.2 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.2)C powder was initially synthesized at 1900 °C. Then the 2D C f /(Ti 0.2 Zr 0.2 Hf 0.2 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.2)C-SiC composites were obtained via SIL and PIP at temperatures no higher than 1100 °C. The as-fabricated composites show a density of 2.52 g/cm3 and an open porosity of 15.2 vol%, with a bending strength of 255 ± 15 MPa. The 2D C f /(Ti 0.2 Zr 0.2 Hf 0.2 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.2)C-SiC composites also present excellent ablation resistance, with the linear and mass recession rates of 0.33 µm/s and 0.60 mg/s after ablation at 2000 °C/300 s. This work provides a route for the efficient fabrication of C f /(Ti 0.2 Zr 0.2 Hf 0.2 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.2)C-SiC composites, and also inspires new strategies to develop high-entropy ceramic matrix composites with high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research addressed studying the issue of complex consensus among fundamentalists and jurists, identifying the definition of this fundamentalist term linguistically and terminologically, and related terms or similar models. This was followed by a study of the validity of the complex consensus and an explanation of its relationship to some fundamentalist issues, such as the issue of fabrication and others, which the fundamentalists stipulated about its link to the complex consensus. Then, the research revealed some jurisprudential effects and applications on the problematic consensus. This is done by combining the methods of description and induction through observation, as some fundamentalists have stated in reasoning by complex consensus or some of its forms in jurisprudential applications. The research presented an introduction of several sections, the necessary requirements for each topic, a conclusion that included the most important results and recommendations, and an index of sources and references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of mobility in Canada's history can hardly be overstated. The built waterways, railways, and roadways that allowed for the movement of peoples, goods, and ideas within the country have long been considered cultural icons conveying collective ideas of Canadian identity. Yet, little has been written on the history of the modern construction machines that made this mobility infrastructure possible after Confederation, along with their designers, manufacturers, and operators. This article helps fill that gap by examining the technological development, manufacturing, and commercialization of earthmoving equipment in Canada (especially Ontario) in the 1860s-1920s, a period of great construction activity, including two of the world's largest civil engineering and earthmoving projects and one of the fastest-expanding road networks in North America. It discusses the role of the federal, provincial, and municipal governments in developing, adopting, and disseminating this technology, and their ultimate reliance on American manufacturers despite the National Policy's protectionism. This article supports the argument that technological development in Canada during the Second Industrial Revolution was continentally integrated in ways that involved technological dialogue with American companies, associations, and publications. While this manufacturing sector became dominated by American corporations by the First World War, the extent to and manner by which that happened varied depending on the type of machinery and the construction sectors in which they were used. The technological transition from steam-powered machines to electric, gasoline, and diesel motors and how it impacted Canadian manufacturers are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, increasing demand of microstrip patch antennas have made them desirable prospects for applications in the wireless communications field. The rise in popularity is attributed to their miniature sizes, thereby proving effectiveness in the fabrication process. Despite all these features, major drawback of these structures is narrow bandwidth, that can be enhanced moderately using procedures like increasing patch width, substrate thickness reduction, slot introduction within patch and substrate selection with comparatively lesser dielectric constant. However, incorporating these methods alongside stacked arrangement causes significant enhancement in their bandwidths alongwith radiation pattern improvements. Keeping above advantages in mind, a stacked antenna is proposed in this paper that generates a broad impedance bandwidth (47.62%) for designated frequency range in S-band region (2–4 GHz). This arrangement typically comprises of a triple-layer arrangement with intermediate Rogers-RT/duroid-5880 substrate-layer having relatively lower dielectric constant (2.2). This is surrounded by double FR4 substrate-layers to comply with the stacked arrangement. Besides broad bandwidth, wide radiation intensity of 18 dB is achieved which is perfectly symmetrical. Furthermore, a very healthy gain of 6.17 dB is recorded at resonant frequency (2.625 GHz), with augmented gain-bandwidth-product (GBP) of 2650 MHz which facilitates broad bandwidth generation. The suggested design could prove to be useful in wireless applications like radar, Wi-Fi and 5G-network based implementations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium subrogated lanthanum strontium manganite LSMO (La0.5Sr0.5Mn1-xTixO3; Ti ratio = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) nanoparticles have been prepared based on an organic acid precursor pathway using glycine-nitrate as a fuel. The effectuation of Ti4+ ion concentration on the crystallo-aspects, microstructure as well as the optical features was scrutinized. Exemplary, orthorhombic perovskite LSMTO with a space group Pbnm were manifested at low annealing temperature 800 °C for period 2h. Further, insertion of Ti4+ ion instead of Mn4+ ion in LSMO commenced to increment the crystallite size from 14 to 24 nm. The FT-IR spectrum demonstrated that band around 600 cm−1 linked to Mn-O become broad imputed to Ti-O stretching modes. The morphology of all samples presented the spherical clusters with enhancing the grain size by incorporation of Ti4+ ion into the LSMO crystal. Band gap energy with boost of Ti4+ ion weight ratio was found to augment from 1.83 to 2.1 eV. Meanwhile, the refractive index was found to slightly minify from 2.78 to 2.66. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern industrialisation and the need for low-density material initiated the up-gradation of material for the necessity of sustainability, and the same goes for engineering materials as well. Right from ancient times, composites have an important place in the field of engineering materials, but now demand for such materials, especially fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, proliferates just to improve the quality of materials as well as the quality of life. The present work provides a comprehensive literature review on hybrid FRP composites, techniques involved in its fabrication, machining and variation in mechanical properties due to hybridisation. The main focused fibre-reinforced composite are glass fibre, carbon fibre, basalt fibre and Kevlar fibre-reinforced polymeric composites. The paper includes recent work that showcases the hybridisation behaviour and their field of application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging two-dimensional (2D) layered metal carbide and nitride materials, commonly termed MXenes, are increasingly recognized for their applications across diverse fields such as energy, environment, and catalysis. In the past few years, MXenes/carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-based hybrids have attracted extensive attention as an important catalyst in energy and environmental fields, due to their superior multifunctions and mechanical stability. This review aims to address the fabrication strategies, the identification of the enhancement mechanisms, and recent progress regarding the design and modification of MXenes/CNTs-based hybrids. A myriad of fabrication techniques have been systematically summarized, including mechanical mixing, spray drying, three-dimensional (3D) printing, self-assembly/in-situ growth, freeze drying, templating, hydrothermal methods, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and rolling. Importantly, the identification of the enhancement mechanisms was thoroughly discussed from the two dimensions of theoretical simulations and in-situ analysis. Moreover, the recent advancements in profound applications of MXenes/CNTs-based hybrids have also been carefully revealed, including energy storage devices, sensors, water purification systems, and microwave absorption. We also underscore anticipated challenges related to their fabrication, structure, underlying mechanisms, modification approaches, and emergent applications. Consequently, this review offers insights into prospective directions and the future trajectory for these promising hybrids. It is expected that this review can inspire new ideas or provide new research methods for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants such as Galium aparine show directional gripping to various surfaces because of their microscale hook structures. A bio‐inspired artificial version of microhooks holds potential as a bidirectional, reversible, and reusable dry adhesive for soft, wet, or fibrous substrates such as skin or textiles. However, current methods for fabricating 3D structures are often costly, time‐consuming, or require precise alignment steps. Herein, a facile, cost‐effective, scalable, and unconventional microfabrication technique is proposed using tilted photolithography on a rotary stage and shear molding to fabricate a soft polydimethylsiloxane polymer mold containing the inverse replica of directional microneedle structures. To demonstrate the proof‐of‐concept, polyurethane is then added to the mold to obtain directional microneedles, referred to as microhooks. Friction force measurements using a nanotribometer show anisotropic performance (strong attachment in one direction and easy detachment in the opposite direction over multiple cycles) similar to the natural microhooks. Tribological characterization of the microhooks shows a gripping force 2.25 times greater than the sliding force. The fabricated microhook structures also provide an adhesion force of ≈0.62 N cm−2 to artificial skin. This biomimetic approach promises precise adhesion control and material versatility for attaching wearable devices and patches to the skin in biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A flipper is an interim removable partial denture used for immediate esthetic restoration and space maintenance for a limited period before definitive treatment. Traditional methods for fabricating flippers are labor-intensive and manual. With the advent of technological advancement in dentistry, fully digitalized fabrication including computer designing and three-dimensional (3D) printing can be used. This study aimed to demonstrate the complete digital workflow for fabricating flippers and compare the features of different digital methods. In a partially edentulous patient, three flippers were fabricated using different digital protocols: individual printing (tooth and base parts) and combination, i.e., one-body printing and gingival layering and one-body printing and gingival coloring. Each flipper was tried into the oral cavity, and the adaptation of flippers was evaluated using the triple-scan technique. This study confirms that fully digital fabrication of a flipper is an effective method compared with traditional methods and shows various digital workflows available in 3D printing. Thus, an appropriate fabrication method must be selected for each situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textile materials for protection against electromagnetic radiation are used now not only for special purposes but in everyday clothing too. In this regard, the thermo-physical properties of such materials are very important. In this study, the hybrid knitted fabrics with electromagnetic shielding properties manufactured on 8E flat-bed machine from 0.12 mm stainless steel wire and 30 × 2 tex cotton yarn have been tested. Fabric samples differ by variant of stainless steel wire incorporation (separately or along with cotton yarn) and their positioning in the structures (loop and/or tuck). Hybrid fabric formed by the alternation of two courses of rib 1 × 1 from cotton yarn and two courses from steel wire has higher porosity and therefore higher relative water vapor permeability and lower thermal conductivity compared with fabric formed from cotton yarn and a steel wire simultaneously. The research results showed that the introduction of stainless steel wire along with cotton yarn into the knitted structure leads to changes in stitch density and therefore in the area of porosity compared with cotton fabric. The thermal conductivity coefficient and evaporative resistance of these fabrics are similar to cotton 1 + 1 rib fabric. Thus, the studied hybrid knitted fabrics with shielding properties against electromagnetic radiation can be recommended for clothing manufacturing. The half-Milano rib fabric knitted from cotton yarn and a steel wire with the greatest electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness has a good level of comfort similar to cotton fabric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hard-magnetic soft materials (hMSMs) are smart composites that consist of a mechanically soft polymer matrix impregnated with mechanically hard magnetic filler particles. This dual-phase composition renders them with exceptional magneto-mechanical properties that allow them to undergo large reversible deformations under the influence of external magnetic fields. Over the last decade, hMSMs have found extensive applications in soft robotics, adaptive structures, and biomedical devices. However, despite their widespread utility, they pose considerable challenges in fabrication and magneto-mechanical characterization owing to their multi-phase nature, miniature length scales, and nonlinear material behavior. Although noteworthy attempts have been made to understand their coupled nature, the rudimentary concepts of inter-phase interactions that give rise to their mechanical nonlinearity remain insufficiently understood, and this impedes their further advancements. This holistic review addresses these standalone concepts and bridges the gaps by providing a thorough examination of their myriad fabrication techniques, applications, and experimental, and modeling approaches. Specifically, the review presents a wide spectrum of fabrication techniques, ranging from traditional molding to cutting-edge four-dimensional printing, and their unbounded prospects in diverse fields of research. The review covers various modeling approaches, including continuum mechanical frameworks encompassing phenomenological and homogenization models, as well as microstructural models. Additionally, it addresses emerging techniques like machine learning-based modeling in the context of hMSMs. Finally, the expansive landscape of these promising material systems is provided for a better understanding and prospective research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]