This study aimed to evaluate the physico-chemical properties, biocompatibility and bioabsorption of 3 different new membranes for bone guided regeneration (PLGA associated with hydroxyapatite and beta-TCP) with three thicknesses (200, 500 and 700 µm) implanted in mice subcutaneously. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the quantification of Carbon, Hidrogen and Nitrogen were used to characterize the physico-chemical properties. One hundred Balb-C mice were divided into 5 experimental groups: Group 1 - Sham (without implantation); Group 2 - 200 μm; Group 3 - 500 μm; Group 4 - 700 μm; and Group 5 - Pratix®. Each group was subdivided into four experimental periods (7, 30, 60 and 90 days). Samples were collected and processed for histological and histomorphometrical evaluation. The membranes showed no moderate or severe tissue reactions in the experimental periods studied. The 500 μm membrane did not show tissue reaction for any experimental periods studied. The 200 μm membrane membranes began to exhibit fragmentation after 30- day, while the 500 and 700 µm membranes started the fragmentation at 90-day. All membranes studied were biocompatible, and the 500µm membrane showed the best results being a promissory membrane for bone guided regeneration.

In the European Union, the demand for polyurethane is continually growing. In 2017, the estimated production value of polyurethane was 700,400T, of which 27.3% is taken to landfill, which causes an environmental problem. In this paper the behaviour of various polyurethane foams from the waste of different types of industries will be analysed with the aim of assessing their potential use in construction materials. In order to this, the wastes were chemically tested by means of CHNS, TGA, and leaching tests. They were tested microstructurally by means of SEM. The processing parameters of the waste was calculated after finding out its granulometry and its physical properties i.e. density and water absorption capacity. In addition, the possibility of incorporating these wastes in plaster matrices was studied by determining its rendering in an operational context, finding out its mechanical resistance to flexion and compression at 7 days, its reaction to fire as well as its weight per unit of area and its thermal behaviour. The results show that in all cases, the waste is inert and does not undergo leaching. The generation process of the waste determines the foam’s microstructure in addition to its physical-chemical properties that directly affect building materials in which they are included, thus offering different ways in which they can be applied.

With the rapid development of MEMS (Micro-electro-mechanical Systems) fabrication technologies, manifolds microelectrodes with various structures and functions have been designed and fabricated for applications in biomedical research, diagnosis and treatment through electrical stimulation and electrophysiological signal recording. The flexible MEMS microelectrodes exhibit multi-aspect excellent characteristics beyond stiff microelectrodes based on silicon or SU-8, which comprising: lighter weight, smaller volume, better conforming to neural tissue and lower fabrication cost. In this paper, we mainly reviewed key technologies on flexible MEMS microelectrodes for neural interface in recent years, including: design and fabrication technology, flexible MEMS microelectrodes with fluidic channels and electrode-tissue interface modification technology for performance improvement. Furthermore, the future directions of flexible MEMS microelectrodes for neural interface were described including transparent and stretchable microelectrodes integrated with multi-aspect functions and next-generation electrode-tissue interface modifications facilitated electrode efficacy and safety during implantation. Finally, the combinations among micro fabrication techniques with biomedical engineering and nanotechnology represented by flexible MEMS microelectrodes for neural interface will open a new gate to human lives and understanding of the world.

Ice formation on aircraft surfaces poses significant safety risks, and current detection systems often struggle to provide accurate, real-time predictions. This paper presents the development and comprehensive evaluation of a smart ice control system using a suite of machine learning models. The system utilizes various sensors to detect temperature anomalies and signal potential ice formation. We trained and tested supervised learning models (Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, Random Forest), unsupervised learning models (K-means clustering), and neural networks (Multi-Layer Perceptron) to predict and identify ice formation patterns. Experimental results demonstrate that our smart system, driven by machine learning, accurately predicts ice formation in real-time, optimizes de-icing processes, and enhances safety while reducing power consumption. This solution holds the potential for improving ice detection accuracy in aviation and other critical industries requiring robust predictive maintenance.

Hexakis(2-alkoxy-1,5-phenyleneimine) macrocycles were synthesized using a simple one−pot procedure through by precipitation−driven cyclization. The acetal−protected AB−type monomers, 2-alkoxy-5-aminobenzaldehyde diethyl acetals, underwent polycondensation in water or acid−containing tetrahydrofuran. The precipitation−driven cyclization based on imine dynamic covalent chemistry and π−stacked columnar aggregation played a decisive role in the one−pot synthesis. The progress of the reaction was analyzed by MALDI−TOF mass spectrometry. The macrocycles with alkoxy chains were soluble in specific organic solvents such as chloroform, allowing their structures to be analyzed by NMR. The shape−anisotropic, nearly planar, and persistent macrocycles aggregated into columnar assemblies in polymerization solvents, driven by aromatic π−stacking. The octyloxylated macrocycle OcO−Cm6 exhibited an enantiotropic columnar liquid crystal−like mesophase between 165°C and 197°C. In the SEM image of (S)-(−)-3,7-dimethyloctyloxylated macrocycle (−)BCO-Cm6, columnar substances with a diameter of 100−200 nm were observed. The polymerization solution for 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxylated macrocycle (TEGO−Cm6) gelled and showed thixotropic properties by forming a hydrogen bond network.

It is known that the elastic characteristics of polyamides change with increasing temperature, in particular, the Young's modulus decreases significantly. This fact is practically not taken into account in design calculations of metal-polymer plain (MP) bearings, operating under conditions of the boundary and dry friction. The purpose of the study is the analysis of the effect of temperature on the change of the Young's modulus and, accordingly, the contact strength and triboresource according to the developed method of calculating MP bearings. MP bearings with a bushing made of polyamide PA6 reinforced with glass or carbon dispersed fibers were investi-gated. Quantitative and qualitative regularities of change of the maximum contact pressures and resource of the bearings at temperature increase under conditions of boundary and dry friction are established. The pressures in the bearing bushing made of PA6+30GF will be lower than for the bushing made of PA6+30CF. The resource of the bushing made of PA6+30CF will be significantly greater than for PA6+30GF. For thermoplastic polymers, the increase in temperature will have a useful practical effect due to the decrease in the rigidity of the polymer composites of the bearing bushing.

Cloud Computing is a promising and emerging technology that is rapidly being adopted by many IT companies due to a number of benefits that it provides, such as large storage space, low investment cost, virtualization, resource sharing, etc. Users are able to store a vast amount of data and information in the cloud and access it from anywhere, anytime on a pay-per-use basis. Since many users are able to share the data and the resources stored in the cloud, there arises a need to provide access to the data to only those users who are authorized to access it. This can be done through access control schemes which allow the authenticated and authorized users to access the data and deny access to unauthorized users. In this paper, a comprehensive review of all the existing access control schemes has been discussed along with analysis. Keywords: role-based access control, attribute-based access control, attribute-based encryption

The rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of pathogenic bacteria is of utmost importance in ensuring food safety and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Here, we present a novel, reusable, and cost-effective impedimetric sensor based on a dual bacteria-imprinted polymer (DBIP) for the specific detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Staphylococcus aureus. The DBIP sensor stands out with its remarkably short fabrication time of just 20 minutes, achieved through the efficient electro-polymerization of o-phenylenediamine monomer in the presence of dual bacterial templates, followed by in-situ template removal. The key structural feature of the DBIP sensor lies in the cavity-free imprinting sites, indicative of a thin layer of bacterial surface imprinting. This facilitates rapid rebinding of the target bacteria within a mere 15 minutes, while the sensing interface regenerates in just 10 minutes, enhancing the sensor's overall efficiency. A notable advantage of the DBIP sensor is its exceptional selectivity, capable of distinguishing the target bacteria from closely related bacterial strains, including different serotypes. Moreover, the sensor exhibits high sensitivity, showcasing a low detection limit of approximately 9 CFU mL-1. The sensor's reusability further enhances its cost-effectiveness, reducing the need for frequent sensor replacements. The practicality of the DBIP sensor was demonstrated in the analysis of real apple juice samples, yielding good recoveries. The integration of quick fabrication, high selectivity, rapid response, sensitivity, and reusability makes the DBIP sensor a promising solution for monitoring pathogenic bacteria, playing a crucial role in ensuring food safety and safeguarding public health.

In order to assess the human exposure risks from the release of contaminants from water pipes made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), experiments were carried out by subjecting the PVC pipe material to burning and leaching conditions followed by analysis of the emission and leachate samples. The emissions of burning pipes were analyzed by both infrared spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The emission results indicate the presence of chlorinated components including chlorine dioxide, methyl chloride, methylene chloride, allyl chloride, vinyl chloride, ethyl chloride, 1-chlorobutane, tetrachloroethylene, chlorobenzene, and hydrogen chloride were detected in the emissions of burning PVC pipes. Furthermore, the concentrations of benzene, 1,3-butadiene, methyl methacrylate, carbon monoxide, acrolein, and formaldehyde were found at levels capable of affecting human health adversely. The analysis of PVC pipe leachates using GC-MS shows that there are 40-60 tentatively identified compounds, mostly long-chain hydrocarbons such as tetradecane, hexadecane, octadecane, and docosane, were released when the burned PVC materials were soaked in deionized water for one week. Quantitative analysis shows that 2-butoxyethanol, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, and diethyl phthalate were found in the burned PVC polymer at the average levels of 2.7, 14.0, and 3.1 micrograms per gram (g/g) of pipe material. This study has significant implications for understanding the benzene contamination of drinking water in the aftermath of wildfires that burned polymer pipes in California.

Central composite design (CCD) is a methodology that utilizes experimental conditions based on the combination of variable points to be studied. This study aimed to select a hydrogel from the combinations provided by CCD for 3D bioprinting applications. Three biopolymers were chosen: sodium alginate (SA), gelatin (GEL), and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and their maximum and minimum concentrations were defined. After CCD provided the suggested combinations, the hydrogels were mixed and analyzed for their swelling degree (SD) in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) and Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (DMEM), and printability was assessed in 2D and 3D assays. The hydrogel with the concentrations of 7.5%, 7.5%, and 2.5% for SA, GEL, and CMC, respectively, was chosen for presenting the highest SD in both fluids and good printability parameters in manual and 3D printer-based extrusion. This study demonstrated the potential utilization of Design of Experiments (DoE) methodologies to assist the development of hydrogels for 3D bioprinting purposes.

Low-frequency peaks in the Raman spectra of amorphous poly (ether ketone) (PEEK) are investigated. An amorphous sample with zero crystallinity, as confirmed by WAXRD, was used in this study. In a previous study, two peaks were observed in the low-frequency Raman spectra of crystallized samples. One of the peaks at 135 cm-1, disappeared for the amorphous sample. Furthermore, the peak at 50 cm-1 was observed for the first time in the crystallized sample. The peak at 50 cm-1, similar to the peak at 135 cm-1, disappeared in the amorphous state, and its intensity increased with increasing crystallinity. The origins of the two peaks were both associated with the Ph-CO-Ph-type intermolecular vibrational modes in the simulation. It was suggested that the Ph-CO-Ph vibrational mode observed in the low-frequency region of PEEK was strongly in-fluenced by the intermolecular order.

Reactions of N‚N'-bis(3-methylpyridyl)oxalamide (L1), N,N’-bis(3-methylpyridyl)adipoamide (L2) and N,N’-bis(3-methylpyridyl)sebacoamide (L3) with tricarboxylic acids and Cu(II) salts afforded {[Cu(L1)(1,3,5-HBTC)]·H2O}n (1,3,5-H3BTC = 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid), 1, {[Cu1.5(L2)1.5(1,3,5-BTC)(H2O)2]·6.5H2O}n, 2, [Cu(L2)0.5(1,3,5-HBTB)]n (1,3,5-H3BTB = 1,3,5-tri(4-carboxyphenyl)benzene), 3, [Cu4(L3)(OH)2(1,3,5-BTC)2]n, 4, {[Cu3(L3)2(1,3,5-BTB)2]·2.5MeOH·2H2O}n, 5, and {[Cu3(L3)2(1,3,5-BTB)2 ]·DMF·2H2O}n, 6, which have been structurally characterized by using single crystal X-ray crystallography. Complexes 1 – 4 form a 2D layer with the {44.62}-sql topology, a 2D layer with the (4.62)2(42.62.82)-bex topology, a 3-fold interpenetrated 3D net with the (412.63)-pcu topology and a 3D framework with the (410.632.83)(42.6)2(43.63) topology, respectively, whereas 5 and 6 are 3D frameworks with the (63)2(64.82)(68.85.102) topology. Complex 5 shows a better iodine-adsorption factor of 290.0 mg g-1 at 60 oC for 360 minutes than the other ones, revealing that the flexibility of the spacer ligand governs the structural diversity and the adsorption capacity.

The conducted investigation encompassed the comprehensive integration of mechanical, envi-ronmental, chemical, and microstructural evaluations of a composite amalgamating sandy soil and a synthetic polymer at two distinct concentrations (2.5% and %) across multiple curing in-tervals (0, 1, 2, 4, 7, 15, 30, and 45 days). The studied soil originates from an environmentally sig-nificant protected area in Brazil. The implementation of mechanisms for soil improvement in the region must adhere to technical criteria without causing environmental harm. Direct shear testing was conducted, permeability was assessed, and microstructure analysis and XRD and XRF/EDX studies of both the soil and composites were conducted. It was observed that longer curing times yielded improved results in shear stress, friction angle, and cohesive intercept, with SP_5% exhibiting the highest values compared to the soil and SP_2.5%. Adding the polymeric so-lution to the soil contributed to cementation and cohesion gains in the substrate. Through mi-crostructural characterization, the polymer's role as a cementing agent for the grains is evident, forming a film on the grains and binding them together. Based on the analyses and studies con-ducted in the research, it can be concluded that there is technical feasibility for applying the pol-ymeric solution at both dosages in geotechnical projects.

Dental polymers are often advertised and selected for use in restorations based upon the flexural strength of prefabricated discs, which may not accurately reflect their performance in dental applications. The objectives of this study were, therefore, to determine whether the three-point bending (3PB) test for flexural strength would be predictive of the “crunch-the-crown” CTC test for the failure load. Three brands of polymers (Trilor, Juvora, and Pekkton) were fabricated into rectangular bars and fully contoured crowns (10 specimens of each polymer brand, 30 specimens of each shape). Bars were tested in 3PB to determine flexural strength, and crowns were CTC tested to determine failure load after luting to resin abutments. Statistical significance was evaluated by one-way ANOVA ( = 0.05) and Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The fracture mechanisms were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). There were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the mean crown failure loads (Trilor [7,033 N] > Juvora [5,217 N] > Pekkton [3,023 N]) and mean flexural strengths of the bars (Trilor [468 MPa] > Juvora [197 MPa] = Pekkton [192 MPa]). There were no correlations between flexural strength and failure load. The mode of crown fracture was different between the polymers, and included deformation (Juvora), ductile-to-brittle fracture (Pekkton), and a combination of cracks and deformation (Trilor). The flexural strength was not correlated with the corresponding crown failure load. Dental practitioners should not rely on the value of flexural strength obtained from the three-point bending test, as advertised from the manufacturer, to predict the performance of polymeric crowns.

The main purpose of this work is to contribute to understanding the mechanism of oxidation of the polymeric components of common disposable masks used during the COVID-19 pandemic to offer the chemical basis to predict their long-term behaviour under typical environmental conditions. Artificial ageing of representative mask layers under isothermal conditions (110℃) or accelerated photoageing showed that all the PP-made components underwent a fast oxidation process, following the typical hydrocarbon oxidation mechanism. In particular, yellowing and the melting temperature drop are early indicators of their diffusion-limited oxidation. Morphology changes also induced a loss of mechanical properties, observable as embrittlement of the fabric fibres. Results were validated through preliminary outdoor ageing of masks, which allows us to predict they will suffer fast and extensive oxidation only in the case of contemporary exposure to sunlight and relatively high environmental temperature, leading to their extensive breakdown in the form of microfiber fragments, i.e., microplastics.

: We report on a direct correlation between macroscale structural variations and the gas sorption capacities of an ion gel. Here, we chose 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl sulfonyl)imide ([Emim][TF2N]) and poly(vinylidene fluoride)-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP) as the ionic liquid and host polymer, respectively. The CO2 sorption in the thin films of IL-polymer was measured by the gravimetric method. The results of our experiment show that the trend of CO2 uptake of these mixtures is non-linearly correlated with the content of IL. Here we highlight the variation in the molecular structure of the polymers is the main reason behind the observed trend. The presented data suggest the possibility of using the composition of mixtures containing IL and polymers to realize a synergistic gain for gas sorption in these mixtures.

This paper is focused on understanding multiscale modelling to obtain a bridge among different time and length scales of simulation techniques. These techniques are vital as it holds the potential to understand and predict the capabilities of polymer nanocomposites (PNCs). However, an appropriate approach in controlling the interfacial interaction between nanoparticle and polymer in nanocomposites structure is still needed to develop. In this review, an initial brief introduction to various trending simulation techniques has been discussed at all three levels of scale (nm, μm, mm). Later, descriptive study on fundamental issues such as thermodynamics, kinetics, mechanical properties, and morphology has been studied deeply. The multiscale modeling bridges the gaps of simulation between the different scales of models from molecular to mesoscale levels working over the broad range of length and timescale. Through the sequential, adaptive, and concurrent approaches, we can develop a system that may comprehend multiscale mode modeling adaptive resolution approach has recently added approach the molecule of the subject can shift their position freely in the domain and through this approach and studied the Brownian motion. Co-The co-current coach is also termed as handshaking path and it is linked aiming at different scale models. Covering the rigid techniques smoothly and linking them at different scales helps in normalizing the statistical behaviour.

The coexistence of ferroelectric and magnetic order parameters in multiferroic materials opens up a host of new collective properties. In particular, the magnetoelectric (ME) effect namely the induction of electric polarization by a magnetic field or magnetization by an electric field has been widely studied in multiferroics. PVDF is a ferroelectric polymer that has attracted considerable research interest for sensing applications. Compared to traditional ceramic composites, the polymer-ceramic nanocomposites offer inherent advantages, including easy processing, mechanical flexibility and the ability to be moulded into complicated configurations for advanced devices with reduced volume and weight. Additionally, polymer composites generally exhibit superior ME coefficients, attributable to the improved displacement transfer capability of the flexible polymer matrix. In this report, free-standing, flexible and lightweight polymer–ceramic nanocomposite thin films with a fixed weight percentage of ferromagnetic CoFe2O4 nanoparticles have been fabricated using a solution casting technique. The structural, microstructural, and electrical properties of the composite have been characterized by standard experimental techniques. The structural and chemical analyses prove a homogeneous dispersion of the fillers in the microstructure of the composite. The electrical response investigated by impedance spectroscopy reveals the contributions of grains and grain boundaries to the whole impedance of the composites. The ac conductivity as a function of frequency obeys Jonscher’s power law. The improved magnetoelectric properties suggest promising applications in multifunctional devices, including field sensor applications.

A major obstacle faced by nanopore-based polymer sequencing and analysis is the high speed of translocation of an analyte (nucleotide, DNA, amino acid (AA), peptide) through the pore; the rate currently exceeds available detector bandwidth. Except for one method that uses an enzyme ratchet to sequence DNA, attempts to resolve the problem satisfactorily have been largely unsuccessful. Here a counterintuitive method based on reversing the pore voltage, and, with some analytes, increasing their mobility, is described. A simplified Fokker-Planck model shows a significant increase in translocation times for single nucleotides and AAs (up from ~10 ns to ~1 ms). More realistic simulations show that with a bi-level positive-negative pore voltage profile all four nucleotides in DNA (dAMP, dTMP, dCMP, and dGMP) and the 20 proteinogenic amino acids can be trapped inside the pore long enough for detection with bandwidths of ~1-10 Khz.

Two region asymmetric polymers PR2F and PR1F with three repeat units of A-D-A, π-D-A, and π-D-π along the polymer backbone were attained by polymerizing different fluorinated benzothiadiazole-thiophene units, FBT-T and 2FBT-T units (A–π), with benzodithiophene unit (D), respectively. Here, the new region asymmetric polymers were in contrast to the traditional polymers featuring a D–A or D–π–A–π backbone. Both the region asymmetric polymers showed a low lying of HOMO energy level in relation to that of the PC61BM acceptor and then obtained the high open-circuit voltage of ~1 V in both PR2F and PR1F devices. Bulk-heterojunction devices based on PR2F with difluorinated BT exhibited an appreciable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.73% due to the relatively high and balanced charge carrier mobilities, while the mono-fluorinated BT polymer PR1F-based devices gave a lower PCE of 2.92%. These results indicate that the region asymmetric conjugated polymer is a promising class of materials for polymer solar cell applications, and it is significant to further understand the influence of polymer structure on optoelectronic properties.

Polymeric drag reducers have been developed over many years due to the great number of practical applications. In all of them, the molecular stability is an essential requirement. Usually, polymers break down under turbulent flows, which causes a decrease in their efficiency as drag reducers. Besides that, some specific applications, in agro and biomedical fields, impose a specific requirement that must be fulfilled, which is the use of non-toxic materials. A suitable stable material that is elected to accomplish this necessity is the mucilage of aloe vera, which is a bio-polymer that can be used as an alternative to the synthetic ones. Here, we investigate the role played by the aging of aloe vera on its capacity to reduce drag. The results obtained by ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance indicate that the compositions of young and mature leaves of aloe vera are different and such a difference plays an important role on their efficiency as drag reducers. Tests were performed to analyse the drag reduction in a rotating apparatus and in a pipeline system and the efficiencies of leaves of different ages were compared to their composition. The main conclusion of these experiments is that the young mucilage samples, which are richer in complex polysaccharides and exhibit lower acid contents, are more efficient drag reducers.

The synthesis these past few years of novel organic molecules that spontaneously self-assemble into a large variety of molecular architecture, particularly generating organogels, has opened up new horizons for preparing functional materials. Here, we present an original preparation path of such materials through the making of hybrid gels of these molecules together with covalent polymers. Three types of systems are described: i) intermingled gels where a polymer gel and an organogel pervade one another; ii) encapsulation of self-assembled filaments in polymer fibrils, which provides a system with unusual magnetic properties; iii) the reverse situation where self-assembled nanotubes sheathe polymer fibrils. Here two covalent polymers are considered: a neutral polymer, namely stereoregular polystyrene (isotactic or syndiotactic), and a semi-conducting polymer, P3BT. In the latter case, semi-conducting nanowires are obtained.

The global polyvinyldene flouride market is estimated to reach $937,278.5 thousand by 2019, therefore to develop new membranes and gain pioneering ideas, which could create innovative business opportunities, a fundamental knowledge about membrane properties fabricated from recent commercially available PVDF polymers is highly mandatory. In this study, we successfully prepared nine non-woven supported PVDF membranes using a phase inversion precipitation method starting from a 15 wt% PVDF solution in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone. Various membrane morphologies were obtained by using (1) PVDF polymers with diverse molecular weight in a range from 300.000 Da to 700.000 Da and (2) different temperatures of the coagulation bath (20, 40, and 60 ±2°C) used for the films precipitation. Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) was used for surface and cross-section morphologies characterization. Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was employed to investigate surface roughness, while Contact Angle (CA) instrument was used for membranes wettability studies. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) results show that the fabricated membranes are formed by a mixture of TGTG’ chains in α phase crystalline domains and all-TTTT trans planar zigzag chains characteristic to β phase. Moreover, generated results indicate that the phases content and membrane morphologies depend on the polymer molecular weight and conditions used for the membranes preparation. The diversity of fabricated membranes could be applied by the End User Industries for different applications.

The review is devoted to the physical, chemical and technological aspects of the breath-figures self-assembly process. Main stages of the process and the impact of the polymer architecture and physical parameters of the breath-figures self-assembly on the eventual pattern are covered. The review is focused on the hierarchy of spatial and temporal scales inherent for the breath-figures self-assembly. Multi-scale patterns arising from the process are addressed. The characteristic spatial lateral scales of patterns vary from nanometers to dozens of micrometers. The temporal scales of the process span from micro-seconds to seconds. The qualitative analysis performed in the paper demonstrates that the process is mainly governed by the interfacial phenomena, whereas the impact of inertia and gravity is negligible. Characterization and applications of polymer films manufactured with breath-figures self-assembly are discussed.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns are fiber-like materials that exhibit excellent mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. More importantly, they exhibit a piezoresistive response that can be tapped for sensing purposes. The objective of this study is to determine experimentally the piezoresistive response of CNT yarns that are embedded in a polymeric medium while subjected to either compression or tension, and compare it with that of the free or unconstrained CNT yarns. The rationale for this study is the need to know the response of the CNT yarn while in a medium, which provides a lateral constraint to the CNT yarn thus mimicking the response of integrated CNT yarn sensors. The experimental program will include the fabrication of samples and their electromechanical characterization. The CNT yarns are integrated in polymeric beams and subjected to four-point bending, allowing the determination of their response under tension and compression. The electrical resistance data from an Inductance-Capacitance-Resistance (LCR) device is used with the data acquired from the mechanical testing system to determine the piezoresistive response of the CNT yarns. This data and information will be used for future modeling efforts and to study the phenomena that occur when CNT yarns are integrated in polymeric and composite materials and structures.

The increasing adoption of student-centred learning environs by the institutions of higher education in business, has led to new mechanisms and methodologies such as the Simulation-Based Learning (SBL), Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). Literature has shown evidence of raising interest in these methodologies towards a more experiential paradigm with regard to upcoming events from the surrounding real-world context. This paper presents a Systematic Bibliographic Literature Review (SBLR) with respect to the integration and application of these innovative and collaborative methodologies in higher education. It aimed to identify its relevant advantages, challenges, and consequences for the future of business education. Bibliographic databases were searched for documents published up to May 2024 to categorize key topics discussed in the literature on SBL, PBL and CBL. The review process identified 89 empirical and non-empirical papers on SBL, PBL and CBL, business related paperwork, which resulted from the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) method. PRISMA is a framework with evidence-based data designed to help authors perform a systematic literature review. Data analysis revealed diverse subthemes for those methodologies uses in business higher education institutions. The research questions “What are the advantages, challenges and implications of SBL, PBL and CBL altogether, in the training of business students?” guided the study. The central output of the research is the discovery of the varying uses of SBL, PBL and CBL overall, to cope with diverse demands arising within environmental context. Future research directions are suggested.

Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) have emerged as a pivotal technology in the automotive industry, significantly contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The high material costs of the gas diffusion layer(GDL) and bipolar plate(BP) creates a barrier for large scale commercial application. This study aims towards addressing this challenge by optimizing the material and design of the cathode, GDL and BP. While Deterministic design optimization(DDO) methods have been extensively studied, they often fall short when manufacturing uncertainties are introduced. This issue is addressed by introducing Reliability based design optimization(RBDO) to optimize four key PEMFC design variables i.e., δ_gdl, d_ch, w_ch, and w_land. The objective is to maximize cell voltage(V_cell) considering material cost of cathode gas diffusion layer(Cost_cGDL), and cathode bipolar plate(Cost_cBP) as reliability constraints. Results of the DDO show an increment in V_cell of 31mV, with reliability of around 50% for Cost_cGDL and Cost_cBP. In contrast RBDO method provides a reliability of 95% for both Cost_cGDL and Cost_cBP.

In recent years, the demand for solid, thin, and flexible energy storage devices has surged in modern consumer electronics, which require autonomy and long duration. In this context, hybrid supercapacitors have become strategic, leading to significant efforts to develop cells with an energy density close to that of batteries, while maintaining the power density of conventional supercapacitors. Motivated by these requirements, we report the development of a new high-performance dual-redox-mediator supercapacitor. In this study, cells were constructed using fully moldable buckypapers (BPs), composed of carbon nanotubes and cellulose nanofibers, as electrodes. We evaluated the compatibility of BPs with hydrogel polymer electrolytes, based on 1 mol L-1 H2SO4 and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), supplemented with different redox species: methylene blue, indigo carmine, and hydroquinone. Solid cells were constructed containing two active redox species to maximize the specific capacity of each electrode. Considering the main results, the dual-redox-mediator supercapacitor exhibits a high energy density of 32.0 Wh kg-1 (at 0.8 kW kg-1) and is capable of delivering 25.9 Wh kg-1 at high power demands (4.0 kW kg-1). Stability studies conducted over 10,000 galvanostatic cycles revealed that the PVA polymer matrix benefits the system by inhibiting the crossover of redox species within the cell.

Nanostructured polymer dispersed liquid crystals (nano-PDLCs) are transparent and optically isotropic materials, in which submicron-sized liquid crystal (LC) domains are dispersed within a polymer matrix. Nano-PDLCs can induce their birefringence by applying an electric field (E-field) based on reorientation of LC molecules. If nano-PDLCs are utilized as light scattering-less birefringence memory materials, it is necessary to suppress the relaxation of LC molecules orientation after removal of the E-field. We focused on a ferroelectric smectic A (SmA) to suppress the relaxation of LC molecules due to their layered structure and high viscosity. Although nano-PDLCs require a strong E-field to reorient LC molecules due to the anchoring effect on the LC/polymer interface, the required field strength can be reduced by using a ferroelectric smectic A (SmAF) LC with a large dielectric constant. In this study, we fabricated a nano-PDLC by irradiating an ultraviolet light to a mixture comprising of a SmAF LC, photocurable monomers and a photo-initiator and its electro-birefringence effect was evaluated using a polarizing optical microscopy. After removal of an E-field, enhanced memory effect was observed on the sample using SmAFLC comparing to nematic LC based nano-PDLCs. (193 words/ 200 words)

The rheological properties of a polyamide (PA) resin with low crystallinity were modified by melt-mixing it with a small amount of an alternative a-olefin–maleic anhydride copolymer as a reactive compound. Because PA has a low melting point, rheological characterization was performed over a wide temperature range. Owing to the reaction between PA and the alternative a-olefin–maleic anhydride copolymer, the blend sample behaved as a long-chain branched polymer in the molten state. The thermo-rheological complexity was obvious owing to large flow activation energy values in the low modulus region. The primary normal stress difference under steady shear was greatly increased in the wide shear rate range, leading to a large swell ratio at capillary extrusion. Furthermore, strain hardening in the transient elongational viscosity, which is responsible for favorable processability, was clear. Because this is a simple modification method, it will be widely employed to modify the rheological properties of various polyamide resins.

Due to the high temperature limitation associated with silicon, SiC, Si₃N₄, TiC, TiN, TiB₂, cBN, CNx, SiO₂, Al₂O₃ and novel multicomponent nanocomposites polymer derived ceramics (PDC) based thin films like Si-C-N, Ti-Si-B-C-N and Si-O-CN that are compatible with silicon and have a wider range of operation in ambient conditions are being investigated. Apart from small scale electro-mechanical devices like N/MEMS, sensors, areas like metallurgical protection, water purification, energy storage, bio medical implants and aerospace have been benefited. The cross-sectional study involving the role of oxygen and nitrogen dissolution at different interfacial configurations has been presented.

Polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs), which contained cellulose tri-acetate used as a polymer base, a plasticizer in the form of o-NPOE, and meso-tetra methyl tetrakis-[methyl-2-(4-acetlphenoxy)] calix[4]pyrrole (KP) used as a carrier, were prepared and tested for the effective purification of aqueous solutions of methylene blue dye. The scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) were used to define the microstructure and surface of PIMs. Experimental results showed that with the increased concentration of methylene blue in an aqueous solution, the removal percentage also increased. Further observation also showed that the flux increased with the rise of the source phase pH values from 3 to 10. The carrier and plasticizer content in the membrane significantly influenced the membrane’s transport properties. The optimal composition of the membrane in per cent by weight was for KP: 74% plasticizer; 18% support; 8% carrier. It was shown that the membrane with optimal composition showed good reusability and enabled the easy and spontaneous separation of methylene blue from aqueous solutions.

Detecting the presence of explosives is important to protect human lives in military conflicts and peacetime. Gas-phase detection of explosives can make use of the change of material properties, which can be sensitive to environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity. This paper describes a remote-controlled automatic shutter method for environmental impact assessment of photoluminescence (PL) sensors under near-open conditions. Utilizing the remote-sensing method, we obtained environmental effects without being exposed to sensing vapor molecules, and explained how PL intensity was influenced by the temperature, humidity, and exposure time. We also developed a theoretical model including the effect of exciton diffusion for PL quenching, which worked well under limited molecular diffusions. Incomplete recovery of PL intensity, or degradation effect, was considered as an additional factor in the model.

Synthetic bone made of calcium phosphate is widely used for the clinical treatment of bone defects caused by trauma and bone tumors. Although synthetic bone is easy to use, its effects are only partial depending on the size and location of the bone defect, and there are many treatment options other than the use of synthetic bone. Various biodegradable polymers that are being considered for use as scaffolds for regenerative medicine are also being considered for use as synthetic bones; however, commercial synthetic bone products with performance comparable to that of calcium phosphate bioceramics have not yet been clinically applied. This review introduces the practice of bone regeneration therapy with synthetic bone and recent research on bone regeneration therapy with biodegradable polymers.

This study aims to comprehensively compare and evaluate the toughening effects of different nanocarbon materials on vinyl ester resin composites. The incorporation of nanocarbon materials has gained significant attention due to their potential to enhance the mechanical properties of polymers. In this research, carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), and carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were chosen as nanocarbon additives. The mechanical properties, including tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact strength, were systematically investigated and compared for each nanocomposite. Additionally, microstructural analysis was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to understand the dispersion of nanocarbon materials within the vinyl ester matrix. The results indicated that all three nanocarbon materials contributed to the toughening of the vinyl ester resin, with varying degrees of improvement in mechanical properties. This study provides valuable insights into the selection of nanocarbon additives for enhancing the toughness of vinyl ester resin and offers guidance for designing advanced polymer composites.

(1) Background: The study aimed to investigate compressive strength for three computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) dental materials: glassceramic IPS Empress CAD (IvoclarVivadent), hybrid ceramic Cerasmart (GC) and polymer-reinforced graphene G-CAM (Graphenano Dental). (2) Methods: 45 samples consisted of the molar crowns fabricated by three CAD/CAM materials were cemented adhesively on 3D printed abutments (Asiga DentalResin). The samples were divided into 3 groups (n=15) according to the crowns thickness; group 1 under the cusps/cervical margins - 0.6 mm/0.4 mm, group 2 - 1 mm/0.7 mm respectively, and group 3 - 1.5 mm/1 mm. Additionally, 20 cylindrical specimens fabricated by the three crowns and abutments material (n=5) were prepared by CAD/CAM technique. All samples and specimens were subjected to an axial compressive load by using a universal testing machine (Instron 3366-10kN, USA) until fracture. (3) Results: The compressive strength were for Empress CAD 1258 MPa, Cerasmart 501.3 MPa, G-CAM 435 MPa and Asiga resin 360 MPa. G-CAM crowns exhibited a higher maximum compressive load (1701.5-2011.8N) than both Cerasmart (1295.4-1642.9N) and Empress CAD (494.3-597.5N). (4) Conclusions: The CAD/CAM crown materials presented different mechanical behavior; Empress CAD and Cerasmart presented a fragile behavior, with a high compressive strength when compared to G-CAM and Asiga resins.

Hydrogels prepared from natural polymer have attracted extensive attentions in biomedical fields such as drug delivery, wound healing, and regenerative medicine due to their good biocompatibility, degradability and flexibility. This review outlines the commonly used natural polymer in hydrogel preparation, including cellulose, chitosan, collagen/gelatin, alginate, hyaluronic acid and starch. The polymeric structure and process/synthesis of natural polymers are illustrated, and natural polymer-based hydrogels including the hydrogel formation and properties are elaborated. Subsequently, the biomedical application of hydrogels based on natural polymer in drug delivery, tissue regeneration, wound healing and other biomedical field is summarized. Finally, the future perspectives of natural polymers and hydrogels based on them are discussed. For natural polymer, novel technologies such as enzymatic and biological methods are developed to improve the structural properties and the development of new natural based polymers or natural polymer derivatives with high performance is still very important and challenging. For natural polymer-based hydrogels, novel hydrogel materials, like double-network hydrogel, multifunctional composite hydrogels and hydrogel microrobots are designed to meet the advanced requirements in biomedical application, and new strategies such as dual-crosslinking, microfluidic chip, micropatterning and 3D/4D bioprinting, have been explored to fabricate advanced hydrogel materials with designed properties for biomedical application. Overall, natural polymeric hydrogels have attracted increasing interests in biomedical application, and the development of novel natural polymer-based materials and new strategies/methods for hydrogel fabrication is badly desirable and still challenging.

The aerospace industry demands high-performance materials that can withstand extreme conditions and maintain efficiency in a variety of applications. Bio-inspired polymer coatings have emerged as a promising approach to meet these demands, by drawing inspiration from natural systems to develop new coatings that exhibit enhanced properties, such as self-cleaning, anti-icing, thermal management, and corrosion resistance. In this review, recent developments in the field of bio-inspired polymer coatings for aerospace applications are presented, covering a range of coatings and their respective properties. We discuss the recent developments and applications of bio-inspired coatings, with a focus on their advantages and challenges in aerospace applications. We also highlight the potential for future research and development in this field, including the integration of advanced technologies such as nanotechnology and additive manufacturing. The review aims to provide insights into the current state-of-the-art of bio-inspired polymer coatings for aerospace applications and to inspire further research in this rapidly growing field.

The illicit use of fentanyl has led to hundreds of thousands of opioid-related deaths worldwide. Therefore, the detection of fentanyl by law enforcement and recreational users is of utmost importance. However, current detection methods are expensive, time-consuming, require special storage conditions and necessitate complex instrumentation that is generally unportable and requires skilled personnel to operate. An alternative approach would be using molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as the recognition component of a handheld sensor, testing strip, or color-based assay. In this work, a molecularly imprinted polymer was made by using methacrylic acid (MAA) and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the functional monomer and cross-linking monomer respectively, and benzylfentanyl (Bfen) as the template. The use of benzylfentanyl is advantageous because it closely resembles the structure of fentanyl but does not have any physiological effects as a narcotic. Important studies herein determined the optimum ratio of the template:functional monomer, with subsequent evaluations of selectivity versus the commonly encountered narcotics such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine. The data obtained from the HPLC analysis showed that the Bfen-MIP was successful in selectively binding the template and actual fentanyl, better than other common narcotics.

A partial least squares (PLS) quantitative chemometric method based on the analysis of the MID-FTIR spectrum of polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs) used for the extraction of Cr(VI) from aqueous media is developed. The system previously optimized considering the variables membrane composition, extraction time, and pH, is characterized in terms of its adsorption isotherm, distribution coefficient, extraction percent and enrichment factor. A Langmuir type adsorption behavior with KL = 21.99 L/mg, qmax = 0.242 mmol/g and 0&lt;RL&lt;1, indicates that metal adsorption is favorable. The characterization of the extraction reaction is performed as well showing an 1:1 Cr(VI):Aliquat 336 ratio, in agreement with solvent extraction data. The principal component analysis (PCA) of the PIMs revels a complex pattern, which is satisfactorily simplified and related to Cr(VI) concentrations through the use of a variable selection method (iPLS) in which bands in the ranges 3451–3500 cm-1 and 3751–3800 cm-1 are chosen. The final PLS model including the 100 wavelengths selected by iPLS and 10 latent variables shows excellent parameter values with RMSEC: 3.73115, RMSECV: 6.82685, Bias: -1.91847e-13, CV Bias: 0.185947, R2 Cal: 0.98145, R2 CV: 0.940902, recovery%: 104.02 ± 4.12 (=0.05), sensitivity%: 0.001547 ppb, γ: 3.8 ppb, γ- 1: 0.6 ppb-1, selectivity: 0.0155, linear range: 5.8–100 ppb, LD: 1.9 ppb, and LQ: 5.8 ppb. The developed PIM sensor is easy to implement as it requires few manipulations and reduced number of chemical compounds in comparison to other similar reported systems.

The disc brake rotors are designed to withstand both, Maximum possible deceleration (emergency braking) and a series of frequent braking cycles. A effective rotor design and superior heat dissipating material provide better performance during the braking mechanism. In this experiment, modified ventilated disk brake rotors are developed with holes and slots and the stress, deformation, heat flux and temperature distribution has been analysed. Designing of the Finite element models of the rotor are created with SolidWorks and simulated using ANSYS. Structural and thermal characteristics are compared with a reference disk brake rotor of the motorcycle (TVS Apache RTR180). It is found that the modified rotors outperform the conventional one in terms of stress generation, temperature distribution and deformation. Furthermore, this Analysis helps us to find out the best suited material for one of the proposed designs. This experiment provides us an insight of the structural and thermal characteristics of the geometrically modified rotor that can be used to upgrade and outperform the current disc brake rotor used in the motorcycle (TVS Apache RTR180).

Hydrogel-based wearable electrochemical biosensors (HWEBs) are emerging biomedical devices that have recently received immense interest. The exceptional properties of HWEBs include excellent biocompatibility with hydrophilic nature, high porosity, tailorable permeability, the capability of reliable and accurate detection of disease biomarkers, suitable device-human interface, facile adjustability, and stimuli-responsive to the nanofiller materials. Although the biomimetic three-dimensional hydrogels can immobilize bioreceptors, such as enzymes and aptamers, without any loss in their activities. However, most HWEBs suffer from low mechanical strength and electrical conductivity. Many studies have been performed on emerging electroactive nanofillers, including biomacromolecules, carbon-based materials, and inorganic and organic nanomaterials, to tackle these issues. Non-conductive hydrogels and even conductive hydrogels may be modified by nanofillers as well as redox species. All these modifications have led to the design and development of efficient nanocomposites as electrochemical biosensors. In this review, both conductive-based and non-conductive-based hydrogels derived from natural and synthetic polymers are systematically reviewed. The main synthesis methods and characterization techniques are addressed. The mechanical properties and electrochemical behavior of HWEBs are discussed in detail. Finally, the prospects and potential applications of HWEBs in biosensing, healthcare monitoring, and clinical diagnostics are highlighted.

Mucilage from Coccinia grandis was extracted, isolated by maceration technique and precipitated, accordingly. The mucilage was evaluated for its physicochemical, binding, and disintegrant properties in tablets using paracetamol as a model drug. The crucial physicochemical properties such as flow properties, solubility, swelling index, loss on drying, viscosity, pH, microbial load, cytotoxicity were evaluated and the compatibility was analysed using sophisticated instrumental methods (TGA, DTA, DSC, and FTIR). The binding properties of the mucilage were used at three different concentrations and compared with starch and PVP as standard binders. The disintegrant properties of mucilage were used at two different concentrations and compared with standard disintegrants MCCP, SSG, and CCS. The wet granulation technique was used for the preparation of granules and was evaluated for the flow properties. The tablets were punched and evaluated for their hardness, friability, assay, disintegration time, in vitro dissolution profiles. In vitro cytotoxicity study of the mucilage was performed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cell line using cytotoxic assay by MTT method. The outcome of the study indicated that the mucilage had good performance when compared with starch and PVP. Further, the mucilage acts as a good disintegrant than MCCP, SSG and CCS to paracetamol tablets. Moreover, the in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation results demonstrated that the mucilage is non-cytotoxic to human cells and is safe.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) have been widely used in nanomedicine during the last few years. However, their potential is limited by their intrinsic properties resulting, for instance, in lack of control in drug release processes or complex detection for in vivo imaging. Recent attempts in creating hybrid nanomaterials combining MIPs with inorganic nanomaterials succeeded in providing a wide range of new interesting properties suitable for nanomedicine. Through this review, we aim to illustrate how hybrids molecularly imprinted polymers may improve patient care with enhanced imaging, treatments and combination of both.

Shape-memory hydrogels (SMH) are as multifunctional, actively-moving polymers of interest in biomedicine. In loosely crosslinked polymer networks gelatin chains may form triple helices, which can act as temporary netpoints in SMH, depending on the presence of salts. Here, we show programming and initiation of the shape-memory effect of such networks based on a thermomechanical process compatible with the physiological environment. The SMH were synthesized by reaction of glycidylmethacrylated gelatin with OEG α,ω-dithiols of varying crosslinker length and amount. Triple helicalization of gelatin chains is shown directly by wide-angle X-ray scattering and indirectly via the mechanical behavior at different temperatures. The ability to form triple helices increased with the molar mass of the crosslinker. Hydrogels had storage moduli of 0.27-23 kPa and Young’s moduli of 215-360 kPa at 4 °C. The hydrogels were hydrolytically degradable, with full degradation to water soluble products within one week at 37 °C and pH = 7.4. A thermally-induced shape-memory effect is demonstrated in bending as well as in compression tests, in which shape recovery with excellent shape recovery rates Rr close to 100% were observed. In the future, the material presented here could be applied e.g. as self-anchoring devices mechanically resembling the extracellular matrix.

The diffusion process of water molecules within a polyetherimide (PEI) glassy matrix has been analyzed by combining the experimental analysis of water sorption kinetics performed by FTIR spectroscopy with theoretical information gathered from Molecular Dynamics simulations and with the expression of water chemical potential provided by a non-equilibrium lattice fluid model able to describe the thermodynamics of glassy polymers. This approach allowed to construct a convincing description of the diffusion mechanism of water in PEI providing molecular details of the process related to the effects of the cross- and self-hydrogen bondings established in the system on the dynamics of water mass transport.

Hybrid microparticles based on an iron core and amphiphilic shell have been prepared to respond simultaneously to external (magnetic and ultrasounds field) and internal (pH) stimuli for delivery of the anticancer drug doxorubicin. The microparticles have been prepared in three main steps; including surface modification of the iron core followed by conjugation with the amphiphilic chitosan and drug loading. The particles demonstrate spherical shape and dimension in the range 1-3 m with tunable surface charge by changing the pH of surrounding environment. The microparticles demonstrate good stability in simulated physiological solutions and able to allocate up to 400 g of drug per mg of bare carrier. The response to ultrasound and the changes in the shell structure when exposed to different pH allows to control the doxorubicin release. In vitro cytotoxicity tests performed on fibloblast NIH/3T3 demonstrate a reduction in the cell viability when doxorubicin was administrated by microparticles compared to the free formulation; in particular when ultrasound were applied. The bare microparticles demonstrate cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility up to 50g/mL and 60 g/mL, respectively.

Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) can often bind target molecules with high selectivity and specificity. When used as MIPs, conductive polymers may have unique binding capabilities; they often contain aromatic rings, which have a great tendency to undergo covalent and hydrogen bonding interactions with similarly structured target (or template) molecules. In this work, an electrochemical method was used to optimize the synthetic self-assembly of poly(aniline-co-metanilic acid) and testosterone, forming testosterone-imprinted polymers (TIPs) on sensing electrodes. The linear sensing range for testosterone ranged from 0.1 to 100 pg/mL, and the limit of detection was as low as ~pM. Random urine samples were collected and diluted 1000 fold to measure testosterone concentration using the above TIP sensors in comparison with a commercial ARCHITECT ci 8200 system. The testosterone concentrations in the tested samples were in the range of 0.33± 0.09 to 9.13±1.33 ng/mL. The mean accuracy of the TIP-coated sensors was 90.3 ±7.0 %.

The isolation and characterization of chitin (CHI) obtained from Vespa velutina (CHIVV) is described. Moreover, a trapping procedure is presented to selectively catch the invasive species. The chitin contents of dry Vespa velutina was observed to be 11.7 %. The physicochemical properties of CHIVV was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), solid-state NMR (ssNMR), elemental analysis (EA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). Obtained CHIVV is close to pure (43, 47% C, 6.94% H, and 6.85% N) and full acetylated with a value of 95.44%. Also, lifetime and kinetic parameters such as activation E and the frequency factor A using model-free and model-fitting methods, were determined. For CHIVV the solid state mechanism that follows the thermodegradation is of type F2 (Random nucleation around two nuclei). Vespa velutina chitin should not be used at temperatures above 60ºC, since its half-life would be only one year, and from an industrial point of view it would not be profitable. Based on certain factors such as the current and probable continued abundance of Vespa velutina and the quality of the product obtained, the invasive Asian hornet is a promising alternative source of chitin.

Adsorption is an effective strategy for the removal of pollutants from the wastewater. Herein, a 2-hydroxyterephthalic acid (HTC) modified hypercrosslinked polymer (HTC-HCP) is successfully synthesized via Friedel-Crafts reactions, and used as an adsorbent for the different types of pollutants including organic contaminants and heavy metal ions from wastewater. Excellent adsorption capacities are observed for amines (aniline, p-methylaniline (p-MA), p-chloroaniline (p-CA), and p-aminobenzoic acid (p-ABA)), phenols (phenol, p-chlorophenol (4-CP) Bisphenol A (BPA), 1-Naphthol (1-NP)), dyes (rhodamine B (RhB) and methyl orange (MO)), and metal ions (Pb2+, Hg2+, and Cd2+). The resulting polymers exhibited excellent adsorption performance towards these pollutants. Especially, the removal rate of aniline is above 95% in the concentration of 2.5 mg/L in 40 min at 25 °C. The interaction mechanism has been investigated, and confirmed by FTIR and the theoretical calculation results. It is due to surface complexation and chemisorption between adsorbent and adsorbate. The polymer exhibits good performance such as high adsorption capacity, high separation efficiency, biodegradable properties, and easy regeneration, suggesting that its potential technological applications for the removal of organic compounds and heavy metal ions from actual industrial effluent.

Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) is one of the important material used for strengthening and retrofitting of reinforced concrete structures. The commonly used fibers are glass, carbon and aramid fibers. Durability of structures can be extended by selecting appropriate method of strengthening. FRP wrapping is one of the easiest methods for repair, retrofit and maintenance of structural element. Deterioration of structures may be due to moisture content, salt water, or contact with alkali solutions. There is significant effect of permeability, rise in temperature, chemical attack, fatigue action, micro pores on members of structures. Using FRP additional strength can be gained by structural elements. This paper investigates durability of aramid fiber subjected to acid attack and temperature rise. Concrete cubes are prepared as specimens with double wrapping of aramid fibers. Diluted hydrochloric acid solution is used for immersion of specimen for curing period of 7, 30 and 70 days. In case of fire resistance test, such specimens are kept in hot air oven at a temperature of 2000C at different time intervals. The effect of aramid fiber wrapping on compressive strength and weight loss of specimen is studied.

In this study, two donor-acceptor (D-A) type conjugated polymers namely PQSeCz and PQSeFl were designed and synthesized. Selenophene was incorporated as a π -bridge, quinoxaline as an acceptor unit while carbazole and fluorene were used as the donor units. Polymers were synthesized via palladium catalyzed Suzuki polymerization reaction. All molecules were characterized by 1H and 13C NMR Spectroscopy. The weight and number average molecular weights of the two polymers were determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical characterizations of the polymers were performed to investigate their optoelectronic properties. Oxidation potentials were 1.15 V/ 0.82 V and 1.11 V/ 0.82 V for PQSeCz and PQSeFl respectively, while reduction potentials were -1.26 V /-1.14 V and -1.48 V/ -1.23 V, respectively. In the visible region, maximum absorption wavelengths for the two polymers were 551 nm and 560 nm, respectively. Optical band gaps (Egop) were found from the lowest energy π – π∗ transition onsets as 1.71 eV and 1.58 eV, respectively. Both polymers showed good solubility in common solvents.

Solvent-free, single-ion conducting electrolytes are sought after for use in electrochemical energy storage devices. Here, we investigate the ionic conductivity and how this property is influenced by segmental mobility and conducting ion number in crosslinked single-ion conducting polyether-based electrolytes with varying tethered anion and counter-cation types. Crosslinked electrolytes are prepared by the polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate, and ionic monomers. The ionic conductivity of the electrolytes is measured and interpreted in the context of differential scanning calorimetry and Raman spectroscopy measurements. A lithiated crosslinked electrolyte prepared with PEG₃₁DA and STFSI monomers is found to have a lithium ion conductivity of 3.2 × 10^-6 and 1.8 × 10⁻⁵ S/cm at 55 and 100 °C, respectively. The percentage of unpaired anions for this electrolyte was estimated at about 23% via Raman spectroscopy. Despite the large variances in metal cation – STFSI binding energies as predicted via DFT and large variations in ionic conductivity, STFSI-based crosslinked electrolytes with the same charge density and varying cations (Li, Na, K, Mg, and Ca) were estimated to all have unpaired anion populations in the range of 19 to 29%.

High-performance poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate (PBT) nanocomposites have been developed via the consideration of phosphorus-containing agents and amino-carbon nanotube (A-CNT). One-pot functionalization method has been adopted to prepare functionalized CNTs via the reaction between A-CNT and different oxidation state phosphorus-containing agents, including chlorodiphenylphosphine (DPP-Cl), diphenylphosphinic chloride (DPP(O)-Cl), and diphenyl phosphoryl chloride (DPP(O3)-Cl). These functionalized CNTs, DPP(Ox)-A-CNTs (x = 0, 1, 3), were respectively mixed with PBT to obtain the CNTs-based polymer nanocomposites through a melt blending method. SEM observations demonstrated that DPP(Ox)-A-CNT nano-additives were homogeneously distributed within PBT matrix compared to A-CNT. The incorporation of DPP(Ox)-A-CNT improved the thermal stability of PBT. Moreover, PBT/DPP(O3)-A-CNT showed the highest crystallization temperature and tensile strength, due to the superior dispersion and interfacial interactions between DPP(O3)-A-CNT and PBT. PBT/DPP(O)-A-CNT exhibited the best flame retardancy resulting from the excellent carbonization effect. The radicals generated from decomposed polymer were effectively trapped by DPP(O)-A-CNT, leading to the reduction of heat release rate, smoke production rate, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide release during cone calorimeter tests.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common joint disorder found mostly in elderly people. The role of mechanical behavior in the progression of OA is complex and remains unclear. The stress-relaxation behavior of human articular cartilage in clinically defined osteoarthritic stages may have importance in diagnosis and prognosis of OA. In this study we investigated differences in the biomechanical responses among human cartilage of ICRS grades I, II and III using polymer dynamics theory. We collected 24 explants of human articular cartilage (eight each of ICRS grade I, II and III) and acquired stress-relaxation data applying a continuous load on the articular surface of each cartilage explant for 1180 s. We observed a significant decrease in Young’s modulus, stress-relaxation time, and stretching exponent in advanced stages of OA (ICRS grade III). The stretch exponential model indicated that significant loss in hyaluronic acid polymer might be the reason for the loss of proteoglycan in advanced OA. This work encourages further biomechanical modelling of osteoarthritic cartilage utilizing these data as input parameters to enhance the fidelity of computational models aimed at revealing how mechanical behaviors play a role in pathogenesis of OA.

We focus on macromolecules which are modelled as sequentially growing dual scale-free networks. The dual networks are built by replacing star-like units of the primal treelike scale-free networks through rings, which are then transformed in a small-world manner up to the complete graphs. In this respect, the parameter γ describing the degree distribution in the primal treelike scale-free networks regulates the size of the dual units. The transition towards the networks of complete graphs is controlled by the probability p of adding link between non-neighbouring nodes of the same initial ring. The relaxation dynamics of the polymer networks is studied in the framework of generalized Gaussian structures by using the full eigenvalue spectrum of the Laplacian matrix. The dynamical quantities on which we focus here are the averaged monomer displacement and the mechanical relaxation moduli. For several intermediate values of the parameter’s set (γ, p) we encounter for these dynamical properties regions of constant in-between slope.

A new approach for the preparation of polymer brush was developed via the union of controlled/“living” radical polymerization and click chemistry. The application of the approach realized the more quickly and accurate design and synthesis of the polymer brushes. A novel functional polymer brush of poly(acrylonitrile-g-glycidyl methacrylate) with tremendous application potential in the field of biology has been successfully synthesized via the new approach. The reaction conditions of click chemistry were optimized with the reaction time and the reactant ratio and judged from UV-vis spectra. Under the optimum of click chemistry, the novel functional polymer brushes were prepared. The GPC, FTIR analyses, 1H NMR spectrum and TGA were employed to ensure the successful synthesis of poly(acrylonitrile-g-glycidyl methacrylate) polymer brushes.

This study was conducted to explore the potential of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) from used disposable diapers as soil moisture conditioner. Swelling behavior of the proposed hydrogel in response to external stimuli such as salt solutions, temperature and pH was studied. In addition, laboratory experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of incorporation hydrogel on germination of bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and pumpkin (C. pepo) seeds. The structure of the superabsorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results indicate that the proposed SAP exhibited a maximum swelling capacity of 189 g.g-1 of dry gel. It was observed that the swelling capacity decreased with an increase in the ionic strength of the swelling medium. When this SAP was mixed with sandy soil, the mixture was able to lose water more slowly. The seeds germination and seedling growth was remarkably influenced by the application of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 w/w% of SAP compared to the untreated soil. Therefore, it follows that it is possible to take advantage of SAPs property from used disposable diapers to retain the moisture in soil as an alternative to value the use of such waste, showing that it has potential for diverse applications in agriculture.

The internet of things and growing demand for smaller and advanced devices has created the problem of high heat production in the electronic equipment which greatly reduces the work performance and life of the electronic instruments. Thermal interface materials (TIMs) are placed in between heat generating micro-chip and the heat dissipater to conduct all the produced heat to the heat sink. Development of suitable TIMs with excellent thermal conductivity (TC) in both in-plane and through-plane directions is a very important need at present. For efficient thermal management, polymer composites are potential candidates. But in general their thermal conductivity is low compared to that of metals. The filler integration into the polymer matrix is one of the two approaches used to increase the thermal conductivity of polymer composites and is also easy to scale up for industrial production. Another way to achieve this is to change the structure of polymer chains, which fall out of the scope of this work. In this review, considering the first approach, the authors have summarized recent development in many types of fillers with different scenarios by providing multiple cases with successful strategies to improve through-plane thermal conductivity (TPTC) (K⊥). For better understanding of TC the comprehensive background is also presented. In the end, it is given a detailed conclusion which provides drawbacks of some filler, multiple significant routes recommended by other researchers to build Thermally Conductive Polymer Composites, future aspects along with direction so that the researchers can get a guideline to design an effective polymer based Thermal interface materials. A number of methods to improve the effective (out-plane) thermal conductivity of polymer composites are also discussed.

On using a 3D model to teach students a topic in astronomy, feedback was evaluated via a questionnaire. Analysis of students' responses to the questions revealed that user interface had a significant impact on their attitudes, which in turn could increase users' willingness to use immersive technology in e-learning. The results also showed that improving visual features through immersive technology and augmented reality tools were effective. The results confirm all hypotheses about positive relationships between facilitating conditions and usability of metaverse technology for students' attention and study motivation.

In recent years there has been an increasing interest in developing novel materials based on natural biopolymers as a renewable alternative of petroleum-based plastics. The availability of proteins derived from agricultural by-products, along with their favourable properties, has fostered a renewed interest in protein-based materials, promoting research in innovative technologies. In this study we propose the use of rapeseed protein-rich meal as main ingredient for the preparation of novel sustainable materials combining excellent environmental properties such as biodegradability and renewable origin. Application as sustainable products in the present high-tech society needs modification of basic native properties of these natural compounds. The original route proposed in this paper consists in the preparation via compression moulding of flexible biomaterials stabilized by crosslinkers/chain extenders. Investigation of the effects of different denaturing and disulfide bond reducing agents, crosslinkers, and preparation conditions on the material mechanical behaviour demonstrated that the novel materials have appreciable strength and stiffness. The results show the potential of utilizing full meal from vegetable by-products to prepare protein-based materials with granted ecofriendly characteristics and mechanical properties adequate to specific structural applications.

The external bonding system using CFRP composite was widely used for strengthening of different structures worldwide. However, premature debonding in this strengthening technique is the critical failure that leads to the fiber not reaching its ultimate capacity. In order to enhance the capacity of the externally bonded (EB) FRP and to slow the premature debonding failure mechanism, numerous anchoring techniques have been applied to improve the bonding capacity. The externally-bonded reinforcement on grooves (EBROG) technology is one of the strategies that have been recently developed to postponing the debonding issue. Although the extensive studies have been conducted in literature on (EBROG) method, most of these studies have been focused on the bonding characteristics of longitudinal grooves direction, and there is lack in studies about effect of different design and configurations (width, height, and spacing) of transverse grooves direction. In present study, an experimental investigation was carried out to study the bond behavior of the externally bonded reinforcement on transverse grooves (EBROTG) technique on the CFRP-to-concrete joints involving different parameters, including groove width, depth, spaces between grooves, strain values, and bond stress-slip relationships. 24 concrete prisms, divided into 8 groups of three specimens, were tested using a single-lap shear test set-up. The result of testing proved that the EBROTG method furnished a proper anchor system and highly enhanced the bonding force of the tests. The increasing range in bond strength with the specimens reinforced by the transverse grooving method was ranging from 11 to 86 % compared with the externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) reflecting the effect of different width, depth and distance between grooves

This article raise a topic of critical examination of polypropylene, a key polymeric material, and its extensive application within the automotive industry, particularly focusing on the manufacturing of brake fluid reservoirs. The study aims to enhance the understanding of polypropylene's behavior under mechanical stresses through a series of laboratory destruction tests and numerical simulations, emphasizing the Finite Element Method (FEM). A novel aspect of this research is the introduction of the PEAK parameter, a groundbreaking approach designed to assess the material's resilience against varying states of strain, known as triaxiality. This parameter facilitates the identification of critical areas prone to crack initiation, thereby enabling the optimization of component design with a minimized safety margin, which is crucial for cost-effective production. The methodology involves conducting burst tests to locate crack initiation sites, followed by FEM simulations to determine the PEAK threshold value for the Sabic 83MF10 polypropylene material. The study successfully validates the predictive capability of the PEAK parameter, demonstrating a high correlation between simulated results and actual laboratory tests. This validation underscores the potential of the PEAK parameter as a predictive tool for enhancing the reliability and safety of polypropylene automotive components. The research presented in this article contributes significantly to the field of material science and engineering by providing a deeper insight into the mechanical behavior of polypropylene and introducing an effective tool for predicting crack initiation in automotive components. The findings hold promise for advancing the design and manufacturing processes in the automotive industry, with potential applications extending to other sectors.

In this paper thermo-mechanical behavior of 4D printed Polylactic Acid (PLA) was investigated, focusing on its response to varying strain rates and temperatures below the glass transition temperature. Dynamic mechanical analysis and uniaxial tensile tests confirmed PLA's dependency on strain rate, showcasing its sensitivity to external stimuli. Stress-strain curves exhibited typical thermoplastic behavior, with yield stresses varying with strain rates, underscoring PLA's responsiveness to different deformation speeds. Clear strain rate dependence was observed, particularly at quasi-static rates, with temperature and strain rate fluctuations significantly influencing PLA's mechanical properties, including yield stress and deformation behavior. Isothermal compression tests demonstrated predictable stress-strain curves with distinct yield points, while adiabatic tests reveal additional complexities such as heat accumulation leading to further softening. Thermal imaging revealed temperature increase during deformation, highlighting the material's thermo-sensitive nature. These findings provide the basis for future research with the focus on advanced modeling techniques and mitigation strategies for self-heating effects, aiming to enhance PLA-based product reliability and performance in applications with deformations at higher strain rates, while also developing models to simulate shape recovery in 4D printed PLA structures at both cold and hot programming temperatures.

Polymer-based composites are widely used in the automotive, security, aeronautical and space industries, to mention a few. This is because of their good mechanical properties, which are similar to those of metals but with the attraction of being lightweight. Kevlar® as a reinforcement is extensively used in the security industry owing to its good ballistic properties. This investigation presents the mechanical characterization based on in-plane quasi-static tensile testing of Kevlar® composite using a universal testing system. The methodology developed for the preparation of coupons is based on pressure, temperature and time. As a result of this work, elastic moduli (EL and ET), Poisson’s ratio (νLT), shear modulus (GLT) and strengths (XT, YT, S) were obtained. It is worth mentioning that there is scarce or no characterization of this material in the literature, and those studies that do characterize it do not present the coupon thermoforming conditions or the reasons of the specimen dimensions (width, length and thickness).

The growing interest in modern polymer materials targeted the research on complex plastic coatings and the possibilities of modifying their features and properties during manufacturing. Today's modern coatings, including polyurea and polyurethane, are among the most modern developed resins. Compared to other polymer coatings, they are distinguished by their versatility, strength, and durability. They undoubtedly represent the next step in the evolution of coatings. Advances in coating technology have also led to the development of spray, injection, and roto-cast application equipment, improving polyurea-based elastomers’ performance. For many years, there has been much interest in increasing the flame resistance of polymers. This is dictated by safety considerations and the increasing requirements for the flammability of plastics, the area of application of which is growing every year. This text attempts to provide an overview of current research on flame retardant composites. Particular attention was paid to polyurea (PU) and polyurea-based hybrids and the application areas of polyurea coatings. The paper defines flame retardants, discusses how they work, and presents types of flame retardants and the current trends of their usage in the production of plastics.

In this work, a colorimetric indicator based on gold nanoparticles (AuNP) and a biodegradable and eco-friendly polymer (sodium alginate, Alg.), has been developed, for the real-time detection of fish spoilage products. AuNP and colorimetric indicator were characterized by: UV-Vis, FTIR spectroscopies, TGA, DSC, XRD, TEM, and colorimetry. The UV-Vis spectrum and TEM showed the successful synthesis, the spherical shape, and the size of AuNPs. Results indicated color changes of the indicator in packaged fish on day 9 of storage at refrigerated temperature (5ºC). These results showed the successful application of colorimetric indicator in the detection of TVB-N in packaged fish.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become indispensable energy storage devices for various applications, ranging from portable electronics to electric vehicles and renewable energy systems. The performance and reliability of LIBs depend on several key components, including the electrodes, separators, and electrolytes. Among these, the choice of binder materials for the electrodes plays a critical role in determining the overall performance and durability of LIBs. This review introduces polymer binders that have been traditionally used in the cathode, anode, and separator materials of LIBs. Furthermore, it explores the problems identified in traditional polymer binders and examines the research trends in next-generation polymer binder materials for lithium-ion battery as alternatives.

Hydrogen is believed to be the principal domain of sustainable energy drive as an alternative to fossil fuels. Unlike the existing standards and knowledge for other fuels, the integrity of sealing and storage materials under the hydrogen environment is not comprehensively studied due to the comparatively new technology and lack of standard laboratory protocols. Typically, storage and polymer materials used as sealing experience degradation and damage in different ways over time in the exposure of hydrogen at different operating conditions, called aging. Improved understanding of the physical and chemical mechanism of degradation due to gaseous hydrogen atmosphere; helps to select and develop the materials best suited to carrier and sealing for respective applications. Damage to materials from aging is inevitable in high-pressure hydrogen gas exposure. This review discusses the mechanism of different categories of aging of storage and sealing materials under the hydrogen environment. Also, the article approaches discussing different laboratory test methods for each type of aging simulation. It covers the limitation of current research on determining material integrity through existing techniques of aging experiments and also explores the latest development. Important improvements are suggested in terms of materials development and testing procedures to meet the existing knowledge in the literature.

To date, zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) have been attracting extensive attention due to their outstanding properties and the potential to be the solution for next-generation energy storage systems. However, the uncontrollable growth of zinc dendrites and water-splitting issues seriously restrict the further scalable application. Over the past few years, solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have been regarded as a promising alternative to address these challenges and facilitate the practical advancement of zinc batteries. In this review, we revisited the research progress of SPEs applied in zinc batteries in the past few years and focus on introducing cutting-edge polymer science and technologies that can be utilized to prepare advanced SPEs for high-performance zinc batteries. The operating mechanism of SPEs and the functions of polymers will be summarized. To highlight the polymer functions, SPEs are categorized into three types, respectively, homogenous polymer SPEs, hybrids polymer SPEs, and nanocomposites SPEs, which are expected to reveal the roles and principles of various polymers in zinc batteries. This review presents the current research progress and fundamental mechanisms of polymer-based SPEs in zinc batteries, outlines the challenging issues encountered, and meanwhile proposes potential solutions for future endeavours.

An extensive review of literature simulations of polymer melts is given, considering results that test aspects of the Rouse model in the melt. We focus on the mean-square amplitudes < (X_p(0))^{2} > and time correlation functions < X_p(0) X_p(t) > of the Rouse modes $X_p(t)$. Contrary to the Rouse model: (i) Mean-square Rouse mode amplitudes < (X_p(0))^2> do not scale as sin^{-2}(p \pi/2N), N being the number of beads in the polymer. For small p (say, p <= 3) < (X_p(0))^2> scales with p as p^{-2}$; for larger p it scales as p^{-3}. (ii) Rouse mode time correlation functions < X_p(t) X_p(0) > do not decay with time as exponentials; they instead decay as stretched exponentials exp(-a t^b)$. b depends on p, typically with a minimum near N/2 or N/4. (iii) Polymer bead displacements are not described by independent Gaussian random processes. (iv) For p not equal to q, < X_p(t) X_{q}(0) > is sometimes non-zero. (v) The response of a polymer coil to a shear flow is a rotation, not the affine deformation predicted by Rouse. Simulations thus conclusively demonstrate that the Rouse model is invalid in polymer melts. We also briefly consider the Kirkwood-Riseman polymer model.

β-cyclodextrin-based star polymers have attracted much interest because of their unique structures and potential biomedical and biological applications. Herein, we synthesized well-defined folic acid (FA)-conjugated and disulfide bond-linked star polymer ((FA-Dex-SS)-βCD-(PCL)14) acted as theranostic nanoparticles for tumor-targeted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and chemotherapy. Theranostic nanoparticles were obtained by loading doxorubicin (DOX) and superparamagnetic iron oxide particles (SPIO) were loaded into the star polymer nanoparticles to obtain ((FA-Dex-SS)-βCD-(PCL)14@DOX/SPIO) theranostic nanoparticles. In vitro drug release studies showed that approximately 100% of the DOX was released from disulfide bond-linked theranostic nanoparticles within 24 h under a reducing environment in the presence of 10.0 mM GSH. DOX and SPIO could be delivered into HepG2 cells efficiently, owing to folate receptor-mediated endocytosis process of the nanoparticles and GSH triggered disulfide-bonds cleaving.Moreover, (FA-Dex-SS)-βCD-(PCL)14@DOX/SPIO showed strong MRI contrast enhancement properties. In conclusion, folate-decorated reduction-sensitive star polymeric nanoparticles are a potential theranostic nanoparticle candidate for tumor-targeted MRI and chemotherapy.

The SiBOC precursor ceramics were fabricated by polymer-derived method SiBOC precursors with different B/Si molar ratios were synthesized by controlling monomer content. The effects of different process conditions on SiBOC ceramics and the oxidation resistance of SiBOC ceramics at a high temperature (1400 ℃) were studied. The SiBOC precursor’s bonds of Si-O-C, Si-O-Si, and Si-O-B were detected by FTIR. The precursor is converted to a rigid ceramic material that has an 85.3 wt % ceramic yield of SiBOC ceramics with B/Si=0.4 by TG-DSC. The results of SEM analysis show that the SiBOC ceramics surface bulges and folds increase with the increase of boric acid content. With the increase of pyrolysis temperature and pyrolysis time, the size and number of pores on the surface of SiBOC ceramics also increase. Static oxidation tests show that SiBOC ceramics with B/Si=0.4 have better oxidation resistance under other conditions being the same.

The aims of this work were to examine the new electrode, based on polymer bacteria modified aluminum electrode for simultaneous production of electricity and degradation of phenol. This electrode is based aluminum modified by bacteria inserted in the polymer matrix, developed in situ on the surface. This electrode, designated subsequently by bacteria-polymer-aluminum, Showed stable response and was characterized with voltametric methods, as cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The experimental results revealed that the prepared electrode could be a feasible for degradation of hazardous phenol pollutants. The sensor was successfully applied to the determination of phenol in a real sample with satisfactory results.

Electrospinning polymer fibers for is a well-understood process, primarily resulting in random mats or single strands. More recent systems and methods have allowed for the production of nanofiber yarns (NFY) for ease of use in textiles. This paper presents a method of NFY manufacture using a simplified dry electrospinning system to produce self-assembling functional NFY capable of conducting electrical charge. The polymer is a mixture of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), polyvinyl acrylate (PVA) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). When treated with Ethylene Glycol (EG) to enhance conductivity, fibers touching the collector plate align to the applied electrostatic field and grow, twisting together as additional nanofiber polymer is added by the jet. The longer the electrospinning continues, the longer and more uniformly twisted the NFY becomes. This process has the added benefit of reducing the electric field required for NFY production from >2.43 kV cm-1 to 1.875 kV cm-1.

In this work, the wetting and evaporation behaviour of non-polar solvent droplets on thin soluble coatings is investigated experimentally. The wetting process on spin coated polymer layers by the solvent is captured using shadowgraphy. Initial spontaneous dynamic wetting as well as later stages of wetting are recorded and evaluated. Furthermore, structures obtained by wetting and subsequent evaporation of solvents on polymer coatings are studied by confocal microscopy. The solubility of the substrate has been varied by using polymers with different molecular masses. We observe that initial spreading dynamics does not depend on the molar mass in the studied range. However, we find a strong influence of the molar mass on the late stage wetting dynamics and on the surface structure after solvent evaporation.

Extensive experimental and theoretical research over the past several decades has culminated in the understanding of the mechanisms behind nanoparticle-mediated enhancements on the mechanical properties of hydrogels. This information is not only crucial to realizing applications that directly benefit from developing hydrogels with high mechanical strength, but also to guide the development of strategies to further enhance hydrogel properties by combining different approaches. In our study, we investigated the effect of combining two approaches – addition of nanoparticles and crosslinking two different polymers (to create double-network hydrogels) – on the mechanical properties of hydrogels. Our studies revealed that these approaches may be combined to synthesize hydrogel composites with enhanced properties; however, both polymers in the double-network hydrogel must strongly interact with the nanoparticles to fully benefit from the addition of nanoparticles. Moreover, the concentration of hydrogel monomers used for the preparation of the double-network hydrogels had a significant effect on the extent of nanoparticle-mediated enhancements; double-network hydrogel nanocomposites prepared using lower monomer concentrations showed higher enhancements in elastic moduli compared to those prepared using high monomer concentrations. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the hypotheses previously developed to understand the role of nanoparticles on the mechanical properties of hydrogel nanocomposites may be extended to double-network hydrogel systems and guide the development of next generation hydrogels with extraordinary mechanical properties through a combination of orthogonal approaches.

Here we report highly efficient, indium tin oxide (ITO)-free polymer solar cells (PSCs) with an ultrathin copper (Cu) film(~10 nm) coated with a thin layer of poly[(9,9-bis(3‘-(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl)-2,7-fluorene)-alt-2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene)] (PFN) as transparent electrode. Despite of its lower far-field transmittance of the electrode, the obtained ITO-free device based on the ultrathin Cu film can delivery higher absorption efficiency than that of the device based on ITO substrate in the long wavelength region, which can be attributed to the formation of metal resonant microcavity between the opaque back metal mirror (MoO3/Al electrode) and the transparent Cu film with high reflectance. As a result, polymer solar cells based on poly[[2,6'-4,8-di(5-ethylhexylthienyl)benzo[1,2-b;3,3-b]dithiophene][3-fluoro-2[(2-ethylhexyl)carbonyl]thieno[3,4-b]thiophenediyl]] (PTB7-Th) and [6,6]-phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) blend show a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.21 %, comparable to that of the control device based on ITO electrode (with a PCE of 9.60% ). The results demonstrate that thermally evaporated Cu thin film electrode can be promising candidate to replace ITO for highly efficient PSCs, thus may open up the possibility for massive production of PSCs with low cost.

Butyl rubber-based composite (BRC) is one of the most popular materials for the fabrication of protective glove against chemical and mechanical risks. However, in many working places such as metal manufacturing or automotive mechanical services, its mechanical hazards usually appear together with metalworking fluids (MWFs). The presence of these contaminants, particularly at high temperature, could modify its properties due to the scission, the plasticization, the crosslinking of polymer network and thus led to severe modification of mechanical and physicochemical properties of material. This work aims to determine the effect of temperature and a metalworking fluid on mechanical behavior of butyl rubber composite dealing with crosslinking density, cohesion forces and elastic constant of BRC on the based on Mooney-Rivlin’s theory. The effect of temperature with and without MWFs on thermo dynamical properties and morphology of butyl membranes is also investigated. The prediction of service lifetime is then evaluated from extrapolation of Arrhenius plot at different temperatures.

In order to design effective protective coatings against corrosion, the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as compound and composite with silver nanoparticles (nAg/PVA) were electrodeposited on copper surface employing electrochemical techniques such as linear potentiometry and cyclic voltammetry. A new paradigm was used to distinguish the features of coatings, i.e., a Deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) was implemented to automatically and hierarchically extract the discriminative characteristics from the information given by optical microscopy images. The main arguments that invoke a CNN implementation in the surface science of materials are the following: artificial intelligence techniques can be successfully applied to learn differences between surface coatings; based on their popularity for image processing, CNN can model images related to the problem of coatings; deep learning is able to extract the features that are distinguishable between material surfaces. To provide an overview of the copper surface, CNN was applied on microscope slides (CNN@microscopy) and inherently learnt distinctive characteristics for each class of surface morphology. The material surface morphology controlled by CNN without the interference of the human factor was successfully conducted, in our study, to extract the similarities/differences between unprotected and protected surfaces to establish the PVA and nAg/PVA performance to retard the copper corrosion.

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanocomposites processed with different morphologies, such as porous and non-porous films and fibres, have been prepared with silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) of varying diameter (17, 100, 160 and 300 nm) which in turn have encapsulated perylenediimide (PDI), a fluorescent molecule. Structural, morphological, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites, with SiNP filler concentration up to 16 wt% were evaluated. Further, cytotoxicity and cell proliferation studies were performed. All SiNPs are negatively charged independently of the pH and more stable from pH 5 upwards. The SiNPs introduction within the polymer matrix increases the contact angle independently of the nanoparticle diameters and the smallest ones (17 nm) improve the PVDF Young modulus from 0.94 ± 0.04 GPa for the pristine polymer film to 1.05 ± 0.06 GPa. Varying filler diameter, physico-chemical, thermal and mechanical properties of the polymer matrix were not significantly affected. Finally, the SiNPs inclusion does not induce cytotoxicity in murine myoblasts (C2C12) after 72 h of contact and proliferation studies reveal that the prepared composites represent a suitable platform for tissue engineering applications, as they allow to combine the biocompatibility and piezoelectricity of the polymer with the possible functionalization and drug encapsulation and release of the SiNP.

The possibilities of manufacturing batteries with Nafion 117 membranes in the Na⁺-form intercalated by mixtures of non-aqueous organic solvents used both as electrolyte, separator and binder were investigated. Electrochemical stability of various organic solvent mixtures based on N,N-dimethylacetamide, ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, tetrahydrofuran was characterized. It was shown that sodium battery based on Nafion-Na membrane intercalated by mixture of ethylene carbonate ‑ propylene carbonate with Na₃V_1.9Fe_0.1(PO₄)₃/C positive electrode is characterized by a discharge capacity of ca. 110 mAh g^-1 (C/10) at room temperature and shows the ability to cycle for a long time. Batteries with Nafion membrane electrolytes, containing N,N-dimethylacetamide were characterized by capacity fading during cycling, which is due to the interaction of N,N-dimethylacetamide and a negative sodium electrode.

Optimum selectivity of enhanced oil recovery techniques would play a substantial role in the economic prosperity of petroleum industries which might be virtually eliminated unnecessary expenditures. In this paper, the simultaneous utilization of foaming agent, surfactant polymer (SP), and supercritical carbon dioxide were taken into the investigation under the miscible condition to evaluate the efficiency of each scenario on the cumulative recovery factor, water cut and pressure drop. According to the results of this experimental evaluation, SP-foam flooding had witnessed the highest blockage which is caused to have the maximum recovery factor due to the mobilization of more oil volume in the low permeable pores and cracks. Furthermore, the utilization of surfactant with supercritical carbon dioxide had experienced the least recovery factor regarding the insufficient foam generation which is led to less mobilization of oil phase in the pore throats.

Herein, we present preparation of solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) comprising of PEO, NaPF₆ and varying fraction of Succinonitrile (SN) by standard solution cast technique. The morphological features and structural properties were studied by the FESEM, XRD, respectively. FTIR was performed to study the interactions between polymer host, salt, and SN. Impedance spectroscopy, Transference number measurements, LSV and CV were used to examine the electrochemical properties. The complex permittivity/conductivity & modulus were studied to understand the dielectric properties by evaluating the dielectric strength, relaxation time, hopping frequency and dc conductivity. Based on the experimental results an interaction mechanism is presented.

Many theoretical models of iron-based superconductors have been proposed but Tc calculations based on the models are usually missing. We have chosen two models of iron-based superconductors in the literature and then compute the Tc values accordingly: Recently two models have been announced which suggest that superconducting electron concentration involved in the pairing mechanism of iron-based superconductors may have been underestimated, and that the antiferromagnetism and the induced xy potential may even have a dramatic amplification effect on electron-phonon coupling. We use bulk FeSe, LiFeAs and NaFeAs data to calculate the Tc based on these models and test if the combined model can predict the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of the nanostructured FeSe monolayer well. To substantiate the recently announced xy potential in the literature, we create a two-channel model to separately superimpose the dynamics of the electron in the upper and lower tetrahedral plane. The results of our two-channel model support the literature data. While scientists are still searching for a universal DFT functional that can describe the pairing mechanism of all iron-based superconductors, we base on the ARPES data to propose an empirical combination of DFT functional for revising the electron-phonon scattering matrix in the superconducting state, which ensures that all electrons involved in iron-based superconductivity are included in the computation. Our computational model takes into account this amplifying effect of antiferromagnetism and the correction of the electron-phonon scattering matrix together with the abnormal soft out-of-plane lattice vibration of the layered structure, which allows us to calculate theoretical Tc values of LiFeAs, NaFeAs and FeSe as a function of pressure that correspond reasonably well to the experimental values. More importantly, by taking into account the interfacial effect between an FeSe monolayer and its SrTiO3 substrate as an additional gain factor, our calculated Tc value is up to 91 K high, and provides evidence that the strong Tc enhancement recently observed in such monolayers with Tc reaching 100 K may be contributed from the electrons within the ARPES range.

Coastal zones, although vital for human livelihoods and environmental services, are increasingly vulnerable to climate change, especially communities dependent on marine ecosystems. These areas face significant threats from urbanization, population growth, and climate impacts, leading to biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Recognizing these challenges, the United Nations declared 2021--2030 the Decade for Ecosystem Restoration, led by the UNEP and FAO, with the aim of restoring degraded ecosystems to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). The link between healthy ecosystems and disaster risk reduction (DRR) has gained global prominence, especially through the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (SFDRR), which emphasizes the importance of ecosystems in mitigating risks. Despite this, many tools for assessing risks in different ecosystem scenarios remain inaccessible to key stakeholders in disaster management. Advances in spatial modelling have supported ecosystem management, policy-making, and ecosystem health assessment, particularly following the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. These models have been applied in regions such as the Great Bahamas, Haiti, and the Republic of Congo, helping shape ecosystem-based approaches to development. Improving access to spatial tools and models is crucial to enabling effective ecosystem-based DRR and climate adaptation strategies.

One of the efficient data mining tools is density-based clustering, including the density grid-based clustering. However, a common drawback always existing in clusters made by the density grid-based method is the existence of weakly connected grids deriving mainly from noise. Appearing such an unwanted connection with a high frequency reduces the accuracy of the obtained cluster data space (CDS) and its application efficiency. Here, we present an essential improvement to overcome this problem. First, we describe a concept of the weak-connected grid cell (WCG) and present a fuzzy-type approximation to depict the density-based distribution of data points at grid nodes. Then, we propose a strategy of searching WCG for density grid-based clustering (SWCG-DGB) to set up a CDS, filter noise, and tune the created CDS. A buffer is deployed during this phase to collect border points and filter noise, which improves the computational time significantly, especially for noisy datasets. Results from numerical surveys reflected the compared efficiency of this method in clustering validity, including the accuracy of the number of clusters.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) is the etiological agent of tuberculosis (TB), a disease that alt-hough preventable and curable, remains a global epidemic due to the emergence of resistance and a latent form responsible for a long period of treatment. Drug discovery in TB is a challenging task due to the heterogeneity of the disease, the emergence of resistance and an uncomplete knowledge of the pathophysiology of the disease. The limited permeability of the cell wall and the presence of multiple efflux pumps remain a major barrier to achieve effective intracellular drug accumulation. While the complete genome sequence of Mtb has been determined and several potential protein targets have been validated, the lack of adequate models for in vitro and in vivo studies is a limit-ing factor in TB drug discovery programs. In current therapeutic regimens, less than 0.5% of bac-terial proteins are targeted being the biosynthesis of the cell wall and the energetic metabolism two of the most important processes exploited for TB chemotherapeutics. This review provides an overview on the current challenges in TB drug discovery and emerging Mtb druggable proteins, and how chemical probes for protein profiling enabled the identification of new targets and bi-omarkers, paving the way to disruptive therapeutic regimens and diagnostic tools.

Lake Rawapening, Semarang Regency, Indonesia, has incorporated a holistic plan in its management practices. However, despite successful target achievements, some limitations remain that a review of its management plan is needed. This paper identifies and analyzes existing lake management strategies as a standard specifically in Lake Rawapening by exploring various literature, both legal frameworks and scholarly articles indexed in Google Scholar and published in Water by MDPI about lake management in many countries. There are two major types of lake management, namely pillar-based and object-based. While the former is the foundation of a conceptual paradigm that does not comprehensively consider the roles of finance and technology in the lake management, the latter indicates the objects to manage so as to create standards or benchmarks for the implementation of various programs. Overall, Lake Rawapening management should include more programs on erosion-sedimentation control and monitoring of operational performance using information systems.

Nature-based solutions (NbS) are increasingly recognised for their potential to address both the climate and biodiversity crises. These outcomes are interdependent, and both rely on the capacity of NbS to support and enhance the health of an ecosystem: its biodiversity, the condition of its abiotic and biotic elements, and its capacity to function normally despite environmental change. However, while understanding of ecosystem health outcomes of nature-based interventions for climate change mitigation is growing, the outcomes of those implemented for adaptation remain poorly understood with evidence scattered across multiple disciplines. To address this, we conducted a systematic review of the outcomes of 109 nature-based interventions for climate change adaptation using 33 indicators of ecosystem health across eight broad categories (e.g. diversity, biomass, ecosystem functioning and population dynamics). We showed that 88% of interventions with positive outcomes for climate change adaptation also reported measurable benefits for ecosystem health. We also showed that interventions were associated with a 67% average increase in local species richness. All eight studies that reported benefits in terms of both climate change mitigation and adaptation also supported ecosystem health, leading to a triple win. However, there were also trade-offs, mainly for forest management and creation of novel ecosystems such as monoculture plantations of non-native species. Our review highlights two major limitations of research to date. First, only a limited selection of metrics are used to assess ecosystem health and these rarely include key aspects such as functional diversity and habitat connectivity. Second, taxonomic coverage is poor: 67% of outcomes assessed only plants and 57% did not distinguish between native and non-native species. Future research addressing these issues will allow the design and adaptive management of NbS to support healthy and resilient ecosystems, and thereby enhance their effectiveness for meeting both climate and biodiversity targets.

Internet of thing (IoT) has been used in different aspect of life as industry, and daily life. Aligned with IoT, Quantum computers have been generated with high features that can accomplish complicated tasks with high speed. IoT and Quantum computers don’t match in resources and due to this collaboration between the two terms, it was found there are many challenges with quantum computers brought some security concerns. This paper will examine all challenges and future direction that face the use of IoT through using different quantum cryptograph methods. The first part on the paper discussed the vulnerabilities of existing cryptographic methods like RSA and ECC. these two methods were used as basic level for IoT security protocols. These cryptographic algorithms could be easily attacked by quantum computers so to ensure that IoT devices are secure must develop quantum resistant cryptographic algorithms. Next this paper will examine the challenges in implementing quantum resistant cryptographic algorithm in any IoT device through quantum resistant cryptographic algorithms such as lattice-based cryptography, code-based cryptography, multivariate cryptography, and hash-based signatures. Then, the paper discussed the future direction of securing IoT in quantum computing. In conclusion, securing IoT devices in quantum presents many challenges that require to be addressed where quantum resistant algorithms can be a solution that mitigate threats.

Gene therapy is a medical approach capable of correcting genetic and epigenetic alterations in pathological conditions, including cancer. Different strategies have been pursued for cancer gene therapy, aiming to restore the function of tumor suppressor genes or inhibit oncogenes. These comprise the use of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology and therapeutic oligonucleotides, such as microRNAs, anti-microRNAs, small interfering RNAs, DNAzymes, and epigenetic modifiers. However, despite great potential, their broad clinical use is hindered due to the lack of safe and efficient systems for targeted delivery to cancer cells. To this purpose, aptamers could represent an ideal tool. They are short single-stranded oligonucleotides that bind receptors selectively present or overexpressed on cancer cell membranes, often undergoing cell-specific internalization. Thanks to this last feature, numerous internalizing aptamers have been investigated as targeting moiety to deliver therapeutic oligonucleotides, viral vectors, and nanoparticle-based systems in preclinical studies. Here, we summarize the state-of-the-art of aptamer applications in cancer gene therapy, providing key examples and discussing their advantages, limitations, and clinical perspectives.

Due to their increased surface area, extent of swelling and active substance loading capacity and flexibility, nanogels made from natural and synthetic polymers have gained significant interest in the scientific and industrial areas. Especially, customized design and implementation of non-toxic, biocompatible, and biodegradable micro/nano carriers makes their usage very feasible for a range of biomedical applications, including drug delivery, tissue engineering, and bioimaging. The design and application methodologies of nanogels have been outlined in this review. Additionally, the most recent advancements in nanogel biomedical applications have been discussed, with a particular emphasis on applications for the delivery of drugs and biomolecules.

Vision-based tactile sensors (VBTS) have become the de facto method of giving robots the ability to obtain tactile feedback from their environment. Unlike other solutions to tactile sensing, VBTS offers high spatial resolution feedback without compromising on instrumentation costs or incurring additional maintenance expenses. However, conventional cameras used in VBTS have a fixed update rate and output redundant data, leading to computational overhead downstream. In this work, we present a neuromorphic vision-based tactile sensor (N-VBTS) that employs observations from an event-based camera for contact angle prediction. Particularly, we design and develop a novel graph neural network, dubbed TactiGraph, that asynchronously operates on graphs constructed from raw N-VBTS streams exploiting their spatiotemporal correlations to perform predictions. Although conventional VBTS uses an internal illumination source, TactiGraph is reported to perform efficiently in both scenarios, with and without an internal illumination source. Rigorous experimental results revealed that TactiGraph achieved a mean absolute error of 0.62∘ in predicting the contact angle and was faster and more efficient than both conventional VBTS and other N-VBTS, with lower instrumentation costs. Specifically, N-VBTS requires only 5.5% of the compute-time needed by VBTS when both are tested on the same scenario.

For disciplines like biological science, security, and the medical field, link prediction is a popular research area. To demonstrate the link prediction many methods have been proposed. Some of them that have been demonstrated through this review paper are TransE, Complex, DistMult, and DensE models. Each model defines link prediction with different perceptions. We argue that the practical performance potential of these methods, having similar parameter values, using the fine-tuning technique to evaluate their reliability and reproducibility of results. We describe those methods and experiments; provide theoretical proofs and experimental examples, demonstrating how current link prediction methods work in such settings. We use the standard evaluation metrics for testing the model's ability.

Zoos are increasingly putting in place formalized animal welfare assessment programs to allow monitoring of welfare over time, as well as to aid in resource prioritization. These programs tend to rely on assessment tools that incorporate resource-based and observational animal- focused measures since it is rarely feasible to obtain measures of physiology in zoo-housed animals. A range of assessment tools are available which commonly have a basis in the Five Domains framework. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted to bring together recent studies examining welfare assessment methods in zoo animals. A summary of these methods is provided with advantages and limitations of the approach es presented. We then highlight practical considerations with respect to implementation of these tools into practice, for example scoring schemes, weighting of criteria, and innate animal factors for consideration. It is concluded that would be value in standardizing guidelines for development of welfare assessment tools since zoo accreditation bodies rarely prescribe these. There is also a need to develop taxon or species- specific assessment tools to inform welfare management.

Side-chain liquid crystal polymers have been mixed with ferromagnetic particles, and the for-mation of a monodomain in magnetic fields studied. At relatively low concentrations, the presence of ferroparticles substantially speeds up the rate of formation of a monodomain with the magnetic field and at a given concentration of ferrofluid that rate is independent of the magnetic field strength. In this way, rapid formation of a monodomain is possible at magnetic field strengths far lower than required for the liquid crystal polymer alone. This is anticipated to very helpful in the fabrication of devices based on monodomain liquid crystal elastomers. Wide angle x-ray scattering has been used to monitor the formation of the monodomain and small angle x-ray scattering can give some indication of the ferroparticle behaviour. A model is developed to explain the behaviour. The alignment properties of the ferroparticles is related to their ability to form chains under the influence of very low magnetic fields; these chains are of relatively low stability and may become disrupted after long times, high magnetic fields, or high concentrations. In general, the best results for alignment were at volume fractions below 1%, and under these con-ditions there is the potential for producing monodomain samples with improved properties; in particular shape changes with temperature are significantly larger as a result of improved backbone orientation. Experiments involving monodomain formation and director realignment suggest that the presence of ferroparticles results in a modification in the mechanism for alignment development driven by the organisation of the polymer backbone as a consequence of the con-straints offered by the morphology of the chains of ferroparticles.

The article delves into the intricate phase transitions of 1-Octadecanol and n-Nonadecane within a binary system, unveiling dynamic structural changes under varying conditions. Through Fouri-er-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, specific molecular vibrations were identified, shedding light on the molecular composition and interactions. The study highlights the challenges in detecting subtle phase transitions and emphasizes the individuality of molecular behaviours in closely related compounds. The findings underscore the complexity of phase transitions in binary systems and advocate for a nuanced approach to studying molecular structures and behaviours. Addi-tionally, the research contributes valuable insights into the molecular dynamics of Organic Polymer Functional Adsorption Materials, offering implications for synthetic waxy layers in plant epidermis.

To address friction and wear challenges in dry contacts, manufacturers often employ self-lubricating materials. Graphite and its derivatives stand out as particularly suitable due to their exceptional tribological properties. However, under intense friction conditions, graphite can experience a decline in lubricating efficiency due to severe abrasive wear. This abrasive damage results in elevated activated carbon surfaces with increased surface energy, fostering greater adhesion between sliding surfaces. The low friction coefficient of graphite is not an inherent property but rather a consequence of water vapor adsorption by the material. Beyond 150°C, desorption of the vapor occurs, leading to a transition in the friction coefficient from µ=0.1 to µ=0.6. To address this issue, impregnation solutions for self-lubricating materials have been developed, with various compositions tailored to specific objectives. Common types include molybdenum disulfide, soft metals, or polymers. In this predominantly experimental study, the impact of polymer impregnation on the evolution of friction force and wear rate in graphite material bearings subjected to a dry fretting contact under severe thermal stresses at 270°C was investigated. Additionally, the mechanical stresses in the bearings throughout different phases of our tests were analyzed using a numerical model.

Regenerative capacity of well-preserved blood clot may be enhanced by biologics like enamel matrix derivative (EMD). This retrospective analysis compares outcomes reported by three centers using different heterografts. Center 1 (C1) treated intrabony defects combining cross-linked heavy weight hyaluronic acid (xHyA) with a xenograft, Center 2 (C2) used EMD with an allograft combination to graft residual pocket. Center 3 (C3) combined xHyA with placement of resorbable polymer membrane for defect cover. Clinical parameters, BoP reduction and radiographically observed defect fill at 12-months examination are reported. The 12-months evaluation yielded significant improvement in PPD and CAL at each center (p&lt;0.001, respectively). Analyses of Covariance revealed significant improvement of all parameters, significantly greater CAL gain disclosed C2 vs. C1 (p=0.006). Radiographic defect fill presented with significantly higher scores for C2 and C3 vs. C1 (P=.003 and =.014; C2 vs. C3 P=1.00). Gingival recession increased in C1 and C3 (P=1.00), while C2 reported no GR after 12-months (C2:C1 P=.002; C2:C3 P=.005). BoP tendency and pocket closure rate shared similar rates. Within limitations of the study, data comparison indicated that xHyA showed similar capacity to enhance regenerative response, as known for EMD. Radiographic follow-up underlined xHyA staying alone role in new attachment formation.