Flexural and thermomechanical properties of the epoxy-based carbon fiber composites (CFCs) on addition of single and binary nanoparticles (nanoclay and graphene) have been investigated. It was found that nanoclay acts more effectively in increasing the stiffness of the CFCs, whereas graphene is more effective in achieving higher strength. Nanoclay-added samples exhibited highest flexural (64.5 GPa) and storage (25.3 GPa) modulus among all types. Graphene-added samples showed highest improvement (by 21%) in flexural strength and exhibited most stable thermomechanical properties with highest energy dissipation capability (3.1 GPa loss modulus) in flexural test and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), respectively. By contrast, addition of binary nanoparticles reduced the stiffness and significantly increased the strain to failure (42%) of the composites. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy indicated that addition of nanoparticles significantly reduced delamination and matrix cracking of the CFCs because of strong interfacial bonding and toughened matrix, respectively.

The FeMnCoCr high-entropy alloy/TiC/CaF2 self-lubricating coatings were successfully prepared on a Cu–Zr–Cr alloy for continuous casting mold by laser cladding for wear-resistance. The intriguing finding was that the laser-cladded FeMnCoCr is mainly composed of face-centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed solid solution phases. During the cladding process, the FeMnCoCr/TiC or the FeMnCoCr/TiC/CaF2 mixed sufficiently with Cu matrix, while FeMnCoCr exhibited a spherical shape owing to being insoluble in Cu. The average hardness of the FeMnCoCr/TiC/CaF2 self-lubricating high-entropy alloy (HEA) coatings was twice that of the pure FeMnCoCr HEA coating. By addition of TiC, the friction coefficient and wear rate were decreased from 0.35 and 3.68 × 10−15 mm3/m to 0.27 and 3.06 × 10−15 mm3/m, respectively. When CaF2 was added, the friction coefficients and wear rate were decreased to 0.16 and 2.16 × 10−15 mm3/m, respectively, which was 54% lower than the pure FeMnCoCr HEA coating. The main wear mechanism of the FeMnCoCr coating is abrasive wear while that of the FeMnCoCr/TiC coating is abrasive and adhesion wear. But adhesion wear is dominant for the FeMnCoCr/TiC/CaF2 coating.

As distinctive spontaneous polarization and far-infrared radiation characteristics, the natural mineral tourmaline (TM) has the regulatory effect on crystallization behavior, which possesses potential application in biomimetic mineralization and bone regeneration. In this study, polyurethane (PU) and gelatin (GE) membranes with different adding proportion of TM nanoparticles were prepared via electrospinning. Additionally, the effect of TM nanoparticles on the mineralization process of hydrophobic PU and hydrophilic GE was investigated by immersing the composite TM/PU and TM/GE electrospun membranes in the 10× simulated body fluid (10SBF) at 37 °C for varying periods of time. SEM images confirmed the well-dispersed TM nanoparticles in the PU and GE electrospun fibers. The mineralization deposition was characterized by the SEM, EDS, XRD, and FTIR, and it indicated that two types of calcium phosphate deposits with different Ca/P molar ratios were obtained when TM/PU membranes and TM/GE membranes were incubated in 10SBF. Honeycomb-like hydroxyapatite crystals nucleated and grew faster on TM/PU and TM/GE membranes than the pure PU and GE membranes, respectively. Furthermore, with the increase of the added TM nanoparticles in the composite membranes, more calcium phosphate crystals were precipitated. These results showed that the added TM nanoparticles were able to improve the mineralization of polymer fibrous membranes, which is potential for the composite bone scaffold.

Nowadays, hierarchical materials have received tremendous interests because of their unique physical and chemical properties. In this article, a novel and facile particle aggregation method was used to fabricate vertically aligned diamondoid nanowires and hierarchical branched nanowire cluster array by using an electrophoresis template method. Triamantane, a three-cage diamondoid, was applied as raw material in current research. Diamondoids are nanometer-sized, hydrogen-terminated diamond-like, saturated hydrocarbons, which process great potential in nanotechnology due to biocompatibility and ultrahard nature. By electrophoresis template method, triamantane molecules dissolved in toluene were transferred into a porous alumina template by electric field and form the one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure with high aspect ratio. After that, a two-step thermal treatment was applied to the nanowires to achieve hierarchical branched nanowires. The surface morphologies of triamantane nanowire array with different treatments were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. This approach opens a new avenue for mass production of the vertically aligned diamondoid nanowires and hierarchical branched nanowire cluster arrays.

Titanium (Ti) has been extensively used in medical devices owing to their low density, high strength, excellent corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. However, thrombus formation and bacterial infections are still challenges for their application in specific clinical cases. Hence, we have developed a simple, efficient, and stable strategy that endow Ti with anticoagulant and antibacterial properties through chemical bonding and electrostatic bonding. A large number of hydroxyl groups were produced on the surface of Ti by annealing at 500 °C. Then, heparin was immobilized on annealed surface with chemical bonding and chitosan was captured in an electrostatically bound manner by simply soaking in solution. The results indicated that the surface-functionalized Ti exhibited excellent anticoagulant properties by a reduction in platelet adhesion and prolonged blood clotting time. Furthermore, the modified Ti also showed antibacterial properties against both Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).

In recent years, tissue engineering has helped to reduce hospital stays and deaths caused by skin wounds. Scaffolds are one of the main factors that influence the success of any tissue graft. Collagen is one of the main components of the extracellular matrix, and there has been much interest in new sources for application as a biomaterial. In this work, a tissue engineering scaffold was developed using the electrospinning technique. The chicken skin was used as an alternative source to obtain collagen. The combination of this collagen with elastin was successfully electrospun, and a distribution of diameters was obtained, less than 100 nm. In vitro tests showed the adhesion and proliferation of the cells, as well as an absence of cytotoxicity from non–cross-linked scaffolds and scaffolds that were cross-linked with carbonyldiimidazole. The structure and composition of the developed scaffolding provide a favorable environment for cell growth and generating a skin substitute.

The current paper focuses on the issue associated with the biological response of medical grade cobalt chromium (Co–Cr) alloy treated with electrical discharge at different spark energy levels by a varying current, pulse on-time, and pause (off) time. Three types of electrodes, namely, graphite (C), tungsten (W), and copper tungsten (Cu–W) were utilized for treating Co–Cr substrates in two different dielectric media such as mineral oil and deionized water. Electrochemical potentiodynamic tests were performed to investigate the corrosion resistance of untreated and treated surfaces. Furthermore, in vitro hemocompatibility tests were executed on the superior corrosion resistance samples for scrutinizing the red blood cell lysis (human blood response). The study revealed a significant improvement in the corrosion resistivity (<80%) and biological response for the surface treated with W–Cu electrode at low pulse pause duration. X-ray diffraction verified the formation of oxides and phosphides on the treated surface that promotes the biocompatibility.

This article showcases details on enumerative information of dissimilar aluminum (Al) to steel welds manufactured using different friction-based welding processes with an emphasis on the description of the manufacturing process, influence of parameters, microstructural variations, formation of intermetallic compounds (IMCs), and variations in mechanical properties. Friction-based welding processes such as friction welding, friction stir welding, hybrid friction stir welding, friction stir spot welding, friction stir spot fusion welding, friction stir scribe welding, friction stir brazing, friction melt bonding, friction stir dovetailing, friction bit joining, friction stir extrusion, and friction stir assisted diffusion welding are analyzed for the formation of dissimilar Al–steel joints. It can be summarized that friction-based joining processes have great potential to obtain sound Al–steel joints. The amount of frictional heat applied decides the type and volume fraction of IMCs that subsequently affects mechanical joint properties. Process variations and novel process parameters can enhance joint properties.

Bond coats are essential in gas turbine technology for oxidation protection. Freestanding MCrAlY (M = Ni, Co) bond coats were investigated with respect to their creep strength at elevated temperatures. Three types of MCrAlY, a Ni-based bond coat Amdry 386, a Co-based bond coat Amdry 9954 and Amdry 9954 + 2 wt% Al2O3 (ODS = oxide dispersion strengthened) produced by low pressure plasma spraying, were analyzed. The two phase microstructure of the bond coats consists of a fcc γ-Ni solid solution and a B2 β-NiAl phase. Constant load experiments were performed in a thermomechanical analyzer at temperatures between 900 and 950 °C. Microtensile test specimens with a diameter of 450 µm were produced by a high-precision grinding and polishing process. Creep rupture was mainly due to void nucleation along the β–γ interfaces and grain boundaries. The time to failure is larger in Ni-based Amdry 386 compared to that in Co-based Amdry 9954 due to a higher fraction of the high-strength β-NiAl phase at test temperatures. The addition of ODS-particles in the Co-based bond coat Amdry 9954 resulted in a better creep resistance but lower ductility in comparison to ODS-particle-free Amdry 9954.

Nanocrystalline and nanolaminated materials show enhanced radiation tolerance compared with their coarse-grained counterparts, since grain boundaries and layer interfaces act as effective defect sinks. Although the effects of layer interface and layer thickness on radiation tolerance of crystalline nanolaminates have been systematically studied, radiation response of crystalline/amorphous nanolaminates is rarely investigated. In this study, we show that irradiation can lead to formation of nanocrystals and nanotwins in amorphous CuNb layers in Cu/amorphous-CuNb nanolaminates. Substantial element segregation is observed in amorphous CuNb layers after irradiation. In Cu layers, both stationary and migrating grain boundaries effectively interact with defects. Furthermore, there is a clear size effect on irradiation-induced crystallization and grain coarsening. In situ studies also show that crystalline/amorphous interfaces can effectively absorb defects without drastic microstructural change, and defect absorption by grain boundary and crystalline/amorphous interface is compared and discussed. Our results show that tailoring layer thickness can enhance radiation tolerance of crystalline/amorphous nanolaminates and can provide insights for constructing crystalline/amorphous nanolaminates under radiation environment.

The recent observation of spectacular photocatalytic activity enhancements generated tremendous interest in the synthesis, properties, and potential applications of black titania. Most black titania are core–shell structures consisting of a perfect crystalline core surrounded by a defective surface shell. Because the properties are attributed to the defective shell, it is particularly important, but very challenging, to obtain atomic structure information of the core, the shell, and the core–shell relationship on a single particle level. While the role of various synthesis approaches for producing black titania with different properties has been extensively reviewed, this review focuses on understanding the structure–functionality relationship in black titania on a single particle level. We start by introducing the crystal and electronic band structure of different TiO2 phases, followed by the discussion of particle size effects, the origin of lattice distortions, and phase control by synthesis, and concluding with the discussion of crystalline order formation and evolution creating the defective shell.

Graphite nitride carbon nanosheets have received more and more attention toward the photocatalytic research and applications. Ultrathin g-CN nanosheets with porous structure were synthesized successfully by thermal calcination of melamine supramolecular complexes, which was obtained by pre-treating melamine in nitric acid solution at different concentrations (0.5–2 mol/L). Effects of HNO3 pre-treatment on the microstructure of supramolecular complexes were studied. The characteristics of g-CN nanosheets were investigated by X-ray diffractometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The degradation performance for RhB and water splitting hydrogen production performance were used to evaluate the photocatalytic performances of g-CN nanosheets. The morphology and microstructure of HNO3/melamine supramolecular complexes are different from those of melamine precursor due to the better arrangement of the melamine units. Ultrathin porous g-CN nanosheets which possess a thickness of less than 2 nm were successfully prepared by calcination of melamine pre-treated with 1.0 mol/L nitric acid. The g-CN(1.0) nanosheets possess the highest photocatalytic degradation performance and water splitting hydrogen production performance due to the effective separation of photogenerated carriers and high specific surface area providing a large number of active sites.

Three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic scaffolds are critical for tissue engineering to support stem cell culture and organoid formation. Embryonic stem (ES) cells hold promising potential for tissue regeneration and ES cell-derived specific lineages are expected to be strongly influenced by the size of embryoid bodies (EBs). However, the fundamental knowledge needed to achieve the goal of highly reproducible, efficient, and scalable differentiation of how EB size affects differentiation is missing. Here, we used 3D biomimetic scaffolds with highly uniform porous structure to regulate size of EBs and differentiated them toward hepatic fate. The results showed EBs formed within the scaffolds were precisely controlled by pore sizes of the scaffolds. We found that EBs equals to or larger than 180 ± 27 µm maintained the ability to differentiate to hepatic lineage. The 3D biomimetic scaffold provides the effective tools toward accurate regulation of EB sizes for tissue engineering.

The effect of polypropylene (PP) molecular weight on the properties of styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SBS)/PP blends was studied. All SBS/PP blends (50/50 and 90/10) exhibited a sandwich structure where the co-continuous SBS/PP layer was between the top and bottom PP layers. Solvent extraction tests suggested that the continuous phase structure of PP was independent of the blending ratio and PP molecular weight, while the SBS phase changed from a dispersed phase to a continuous phase as the SBS content increased. The decrease in PP molecular weight decreased the PP layer thickness but increased the phase domain size of SBS in SBS/PP(50/50) blends. As a result, less noticeable “stress-hardening” phenomenon was observed. The mechanism for the structural change was attributed to the different melt viscosities of each component. The crystallinity of the blends did not change with the variable PP molecular weight but decreased with the increasing SBS content.

A new constant contact pressure (CCP) indentation creep method is presented, which is based on keeping the mean contact pressure as defined through Sneddon’s hardness constant, until a steady-state strain rate is achieved. This is in contrast to the conventional constant load–hold (CLH) creep experiments, where the load is held constant and relaxation in both hardness and strain rate occurs at the same time. Besides controlling the mean contact pressure, the dynamic stiffness is furthermore used to assess the indentation depth, thereby minimizing thermal drift influence and pile-up or sink-in effects during long-term experiments. The CCP method has been tested on strain rate sensitive ultrafine-grained (UFG) CuZn30 and UFG CuZn5 as well as on fused silica, comparing the results with those of strain rate jump tests as well as the CLH nanoindentation creep tests. With the CCP method, strain rates from 5 × 10−4 s−1 down to 5 × 10−6 s−1 can be achieved, keeping the mean contact pressure constant over a long period of time, in contrast to the CLH method. The CCP technique thus offers the possibility of performing long-term creep experiments while retaining the contact stress underneath the tip constant.

In the present study, the phase evolution and microstructure of CrMoNbTiW, a new equi-atomic refractory high-entropy alloy, are studied. The alloy was synthesized through mechanical alloying (MA) followed by consolidation using spark plasma sintering. After MA, a major BCC solid solution along with residual Cr and Nb were observed. However, secondary phases such as Laves and carbides were also observed in addition to the major BCC solid solution after sintering. Unsolicited contamination from the milling media is found to be one of the reasons for the formation of secondary phases. The high hardness of 8.9 GPa after sintering was attributed to the presence of secondary phases along with the nanocrystalline nature of the alloy. To understand the phase evolution, calculation of phase diagram was carried out using CALPHAD. Further, binary phase diagram inspection and simple empirical parameters were also used to assess their effectiveness in predicting phases.

Lithium-ion batteries featuring electrodes of silicon nanoparticles, conductive carbon, and polymer binders were constructed with electrolyte containing 1.2 M LiPF6 in ethylene carbonate and diethyl carbonate (1:1, w/w). Material binders used include polyvinylidene difluoride (PVdF), polyacrylic acid (PAA), sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and a mixture of equal masses of CMC and PAA (CMCPAA). Hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) was performed on the electrodes when fresh, cycled at reduced potential, and cycled one full time to study how substrate material binders affect the early formation of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer. Electrodes cycled 5, 10, and 20 times were also analyzed to discern what changes to the SEI occur after initial formation. We also present estimates of the SEI thickness by cycle count, indicating that PAA develops the thinnest SEI, followed by CMCPAA, CMC, and PVdF in order of increasing layer thickness.

The kinetics of silica polymerization was measured in silicic acid solutions containing a suite of 0.1 M amino acids, 0.1 M citric acid, 0.7 M NaCl, and 0.10 M NaCl (Control). Fitting a modified classical rate model to measurements of induction time (τ) at 20 °C for a series of supersaturated solutions, we estimate the thermodynamic barrier (ΔGc), interfacial free energy (γ), and kinetic barrier (Δagk) for silica nucleation. For 0.10 M NaCl solutions, γControl = 54.9 ± 1.6 mJ/m2 and ΔagkControl = 2.29 × 10−19 J/mol. These values are consistent with previous reports for amorphous and fused silica materials. To facilitate comparisons with the treatments, ΔagkControl is converted to a molar basis and used as a reference datum, such that ΔagkControl = 0.0 J/mol. The effects of salt and organic acids on nucleation rate have thermodynamic and kinetic origins, respectively. Faster nucleation rates measured in 0.7 M NaCl solutions arise from a lower interfacial free energy, such that γ0.7 M NaCl = 51.4 ± 1.7 mJ/m2. Organic acids increase rate through biomolecule-specific reductions in Δagk. Catalytic effects are greatest for lysine (Δagklysine = −1685 ± 315) and citric acid (Δagkcitric = −1690 ± 96 J/mol). Reductions in the kinetic barrier correlate with net positive charge of the amino acids and dissociation of the amine $\left( {{K_{\alpha {\rm{ ‐ N}}{{\rm{H}}_3}^ {\bf{+}} }}} \right)$ group and thus the abundance of the conjugate base. Citric acid, lacking amine groups, promotes the greatest rate enhancement, thus demonstrating the role(s) of additional kinetic factors in promoting nucleation rate. Catalytic activity correlates with multiple physical and chemical properties of the organic acids.

The defect fluorite titanium-doped yttrium niobate samples Y3Nb1−xTixO7−δ have been synthesized and investigated by the means of high-temperature X-ray diffraction, dilatometry, and thermogravimetry. Thermal expansion coefficients (TECs) as well as chemical expansion coefficients for material with 5, 10, and 15 mol% of titanium were determined. All investigated samples exhibit chemical contraction caused by Ti doping. The values of TECs obtained by two different methods show similar results, which suggests the isotropy of the polycrystalline ceramic. Thermogravimetric studies have shown that all of the compositions exhibit a mass increase upon being exposed to a humid air atmosphere. The total proton concentration calculated on the basis of these results was in the range of 0.1 mol%. Moreover, titanium content influences chemical expansion coefficient, water uptake, and protonic defects concentration, whereas it does not significantly affect the values of TECs.