Application of the Extended Langmuir Model for the Determination of Lyophobicity of 1-Propanol in Acetonitrile

Surface tensions (σ) of binary liquid mixtures of acetonitrile (ACN) with 1-propanol (PrOH) were measured over the entire composition range at eight different temperatures, 278.15 K, 283.15 K, 288.15 K, 293.15 K, 298.15 K, 303.15 K, 308.15 K, and 313.15 K. The lyophobicities (β) of the surfactant PrOH relative to that of ACN as well as the surface mole fractions () of PrOH at various temperatures were derived using the extended Langmuir model (Langmuir 17, 4261, 2001). The β values indicate the greater affinity of PrOH for the surface, and this trend slightly increases with rising temperature. The determined values indicate that the surface concentration of PrOH is always higher than its bulk concentration and consequently confirm that the surface is enriched with PrOH.     

Effects of nanocrystalline ferrite particles on densification and magnetic properties of the NiCuZn ferrites

Effects of nanocrystalline ferrite particles addition on densification behavior and magnetic properties of the NiCuZn ferrites were investigated. It was confirmed that nanocrystalline ferrite particles enhanced densification of the samples obviously. The reason was attributed to the nanocrystalline particles, which spread around the micron-sized ferrite particles, increased contacting area and inter-diffusion of the particles. When the amount of nanocrystalline particles addition reached to 30 wt%, the samples obtained an approximate densification behavior as the 1.5 wt% Bi₂O₃ added samples. Due to relatively bigger grain size, higher sintering density and no different chemical composition sintering aids added, the sample with 30wt% nanocrystalline ferrite particles got the highest permeability and relatively high Q-factor when sintered at 900.     

Rapid growth of angle-confined large-domain graphene bicrystals

In the chemical vapor deposition growth of large-area graphene polycrystalline thin films,the coalescence of randomly oriented graphene domains results in a high density of uncertain grain boundaries (GBs).The structures and properties of various GBs are highly dependent on the misorientation angles between the graphene domains,which can significantly affect the performance of the graphene films and impede their industrial applications.Graphene bicrystals with a specific type of GB can be synthesized via the controllable growth of graphene domains with a predefined lattice orientation.Although the bicrystal has been widely investigated for traditional bulk materials,no successful synthesis strategy has been presented for growing two-dimensional graphene bicrystals.In this study, we demonstrate a simple approach for growing well-aligned large-domain graphene bicrystals with a confined tilt angle of 30° on a facilely recrystallized single-crystal Cu (100) substrate.Control of the density of the GBs with a misorientation angle of 30° was realized via the controllable rapid growth of subcentimeter graphene domains with the assistance of a cooperative catalytic surface-passivation treatment.The large-area production of graphene bicrystals consisting of the sole specific GBs with a tunable density provides a new material platform for fundamental studies and practical applications.     

Reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS) of Eugene Garfield’s publications

Which studies, theories, and ideas have influenced Eugene Garfield’s scientific work? Recently, the method reference publication year spectroscopy (RPYS) has been introduced, which can be used to answer this and related questions. Since then, several studies have been published dealing with the historical roots of research fields and scientists. The program CRExplorer (http://www.crexplorer.net) was specifically developed for RPYS. In this study, we use this program to investigate the historical roots of Eugene Garfield’s oeuvre.     

Can porous polymeric scaffolds be functionalized by stem cells leading to osteogenic differentiation? A systematic review of in vitro studies

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of nanoporous structure of polymeric biomaterials on the in vitro osteogenic induction of human stem cells. An electronic search in three databases (MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and Web of Science) was performed for articles that were published before May 2018. In vitro studies were included if they met the following criteria: (1) the use of polymeric scaffolds (natural or synthetic); (2) the co-culture of human stem cells with the scaffold; and (3) cell viability, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation assays. The main characteristics of the published studies were summarized, and a quality assessment tool was used to analyze methodological features. Eighty-eight potential articles were firstly retrieved. Thirteen were eligible for qualitative analysis. Only three studies characterized cell stemness. Nanostructure of the scaffolds showed a significant influence on viability, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of human stem cells. Combination of porosity between 72 and 93% and a large range diameter between 50 and 224 μm resulted in more remarkable cellular proliferation and differentiation. Porous polymeric scaffolds can be functionalized by stem cells leading to osteogenic induction. High standards of laboratory practice and accurate methodological reporting are essential for the credibility of the results.     

Semi-empirical Density Estimations for Binary,Ternary and Multicomponent Alkali Nitrate–Nitrite Molten Salt Mixtures

For sensible thermal energy storage in Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants, a molten salt mixture of 60 wt% sodium nitrate (NaNO₃) and 40 wt% potassium nitrate (KNO₃), known as Solar Salt, is commonly utilized. The paper presents semi-empirical estimation results of the density of Solar Salt and alternative molten salt mixtures with low melting temperatures in a range from 70 °C to 140 °C. These mixtures are Hitec, HitecXL, LiNO₃–KNO₃–NaNO₃ and a multicomponent mixture. The paper shows that density values of mixtures can be closely predicted from single salt densities. The paper examines different estimation rules for mixtures. The quasilinear volumetric additivity rule (QVAR) is known for ternary reciprocal systems. For the first time, the presented work extends the QVAR to multicomponent mixtures. Temperature-dependent densities of selected salt mixtures of the system Ca,Li,K,Na//NO₂,NO₃ were estimated. Estimations are motivated by a fast and reliable method compared to time-consuming and error-prone measurements of several mixtures.     

DEPP functionally graded piezoceramics via micro-fabrication by co-extrusion

This paper introduces the Dual Electro/Piezo Property (DEPP) gradient technique via Micro-Fabrication through Co-eXtrusion (MFCX) which pairs a high displacement lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoceramic with a high permittivity barium titanate (BT) dielectric. By grading with this material combination spatially across an actuator, the electric field is concentrated in the more active region for improved efficiency, higher displacements, and complex motions. To aid in synthesis and analysis of any gradient profile, compositional maps are provided for key material properties (density, stiffness, permittivity, and piezoelectric coefficients). The DEPP technique was validated, independent of the MFCX process, by powder pressing a conventional bimodal gradient beam which demonstrated through experiments high displacement capabilities at lower driving potentials than comparable functionally graded piezoceramic actuators. For more complex gradients, the MFCX process was adapted to the DEPP gradient technique and illustrated by the fabrication of a linearly graded prototype whose monolithic nature and gradual material variation significantly reduces internal stresses, improves reliability, and extends service lifetime.     

Effect of carrier screening on ZnO-based resistive switching memory devices

The carrier screening effect occurs commonly in dielectric materials. It reduces the electric potential gradient, thus negatively affecting the functionality of resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices. An Au/ZnO film/Al-doped ZnO device fabricated in this work exhibited no resistive switching (RS), which was attributed to the carrier screening effect. Therefore, annealing was used for alleviating the screening effect, significantly enhancing the RS property. In addition, different on/off ratios were obtained for various bias values, and the screening effect was accounted for by investigating electron transport mechanisms. Furthermore, different annealing temperatures were employed to modulate the free carrier concentration in ZnO films to alleviate the screening effect. The maximal on/off ratio reached 10⁵ at an annealing temperature of 600 °C, yielding the lowest number of free carriers and the weakest screening effect in ZnO films. This work investigates the screening effect in RS devices. The screening effect not only modulates the characteristics of memory devices but also provides insight into the mechanism of RS in these devices.

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