Structural properties of mixed conductor BaGdLaCoO.

BaGdLaCoO (BGLC) compositions with large compositional ranges of Ba, Gd, and La have been characterised with respect to phase compositions, structure, and thermal and chemical expansion. The results show a system with large compositional flexibility, enabling tuning of functional properties and thermal and chemical expansion. We show anisotropic chemical expansion and detailed refinements of emerging phases as La is substituted for Ba and Gd.

Cerium oxide thin films: synthesis, characterization, photocatalytic activity and influence on microbial growth.

The resistance of surfaces to biofouling remains a significant advantage for optical devices working in natural conditions, increasing their lifetime and reducing maintenance costs. This paper reports on the functionalities of transparent CeO thin films with thicknesses between 25 and 600 nm deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering on the glass substrate. The CeO photocatalytic performance exhibited an efficiency of 30% on imidacloprid degradation under 6 h of UV radiation and increased linearly with the irradiation time, suggesting a complete degradation within 48 h.

Photoelectrochemical glycerol oxidation on Mo-BiVO photoanodes shows high photocharging current density and enhanced H evolution.

Mo-doped BiVO's lower efficiency can be attributed in part to exciton recombination losses. Recombination losses during photoelectrochemical water oxidation can be eliminated by using glycerol as a hole acceptor. This results in an enhanced photocurrent density.

Design of Electrochemical Microfluidic Detectors: Accurate Potential Measurement.

Potential drop due to the electrolyte conductivity between the reference electrode (RE) and the working electrode leads to measurement error. Because of the limited amount of electrolyte and constricted geometry in microfluidic systems, the total potential drop in a microfluidic system is confined within a small part of the cell. This makes the choice and placement of the RE an important consideration.

Effect of yttrium content in the LaYMgNi battery anode alloys on the structural, hydrogen storage and electrochemical properties.

The present work focuses on the studies of influence of yttrium on the crystal structure, hydrogenation properties and electrochemical behaviors of the PuNi-type LaYMgNi ( = 0.25; 0.50; 0.

The Origin of High-Voltage Stability in Single-Crystal Layered Ni-Rich Cathode Materials.

Compared with the polycrystal (PC) Ni-rich cathode materials, the single-crystal (SC) counterpart displayed excellent structural stability, high reversible capacity and limited voltage decay during cycling, which received great attention from academics and industry. However, the origin of fascinating high-voltage stability within SC is poorly understood yet. Herein, we tracked the evolution of phase transitions, in which the destructive volume change and H3 phase formation presented in PC, are effectively suppressed in SC when cycling at a high cut-off voltage of 4.

Visible-Light-Active Black TiO Nanoparticles with Efficient Photocatalytic Performance for Degradation of Pharmaceuticals.

Special attention has recently been paid to surface-defective titanium dioxide and black TiO with advanced optical, electrical, and photocatalytic properties. Synthesis of these materials for photodegradation and mineralization of persistent organic pollutants in water, especially under visible radiation, presents interest from scientific and application points of view. Chemical reduction by heating a TiO and NaBH mixture at 350 °C successfully introduced Ti defects and oxygen vacancies at the surface of TiO, with an increase in the photocatalytic degradation of amoxicillin-an antibiotic that is present in wastewater due to its intense use in human and animal medicine.

Learning by mistakes in memristor networks.

Recent results revived the interest in the implementation of analog devices able to perform brainlike operations. Here we introduce a training algorithm for a memristor network which is inspired by previous work on biological learning. Robust results are obtained from computer simulations of a network of voltage-controlled memristive devices.

Improved electrochemical performance and solid electrolyte interphase properties of electrolytes based on lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide for high content silicon anodes.

Electrodes containing 60 wt% micron-sized silicon were investigated with electrolytes containing carbonate solvents and either LiPF or lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) salt. The electrodes showed improved performance, with respect to capacity, cycling stability, rate performance, electrode resistance and cycle life with the LiFSI salt, attributed to differences in the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). Through impedance spectroscopy, cross sectional analysis using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and focused ion beam (FIB) in combination with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrode surface characterization by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), differences in electrode morphological changes, SEI composition and local distribution of SEI components were investigated.

Investigating the effectiveness of a HyFlex cyber security training in a developing country: A case study.

HyFlex termed as hybrid-flexibility is a teaching approach where teachers and students have the alternative to participate in planned courses either remotely or face-to-face. This study examines the effectiveness of the HyFlex pedagogical method to teach highly interactive digital and face-to-face cyber security training in Nigeria amidst the pandemic. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire from 113 participants to evaluate student's perception towards the effectiveness of the Hyflex method using physical and Zoom teleconferencing which allow students to participate remotely in the cyber security training.

Physical and chemical properties of dust in the Pre-Aral region of Uzbekistan.

The aim of this work is study of physical and chemical properties of dust of the Pre-Aral region of Uzbekistan such as Karakalpakstan and Khorezm that are located near the three deserts such as the Aralkum, Karakum, and Kyzylkum. The dust particles fell on glass have been collected in Karakalpakstan and Khorezm and studied systematically by employing wide range of methods. Particle volume vs size distribution has been measured with maximum around 600 nm and ~ 10 µm.

Operando XRD studies on BiMoOas anode material for Na-ion batteries.

Based on the same rocking-chair principle as rechargeable Li-ion batteries, Na-ion batteries are promising solutions for energy storage benefiting from low-cost materials comprised of abundant elements. However, despite the mechanistic similarities, Na-ion batteries require a different set of active materials than Li-ion batteries. Bismuth molybdate (BiMoO) is a promising NIB anode material operating through a combined conversion/alloying mechanism.

Influence of Lysine and TRITC Conjugation on the Size and Structure of Dextran Nanoconjugates with Potential for Biomolecule Delivery to Neurons.

As a potent nonviral system for biomolecular delivery to neurons via their axons, we have studied molecular characteristics of lysinated fluorescent dextran nanoconjugates with degrees of conjugation of 0.54-15.2 mol lysine and 0.

High Performance Predictable Quantum Efficient Detector Based on Induced-Junction Photodiodes Passivated with SiO/SiN.

We performed a systematic study involving simulation and experimental techniques to develop induced-junction silicon photodetectors passivated with thermally grown SiO and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) SiN thin films that show a record high quantum efficiency. We investigated PECVD SiN passivation and optimized the film deposition conditions to minimize the recombination losses at the silicon-dielectric interface as well as optical losses. Depositions with varied process parameters were carried out on test samples, followed by measurements of minority carrier lifetime, fixed charge density, and optical absorbance and reflectance.

CO Adsorption Enhanced by Tuning the Layer Charge in a Clay Mineral.

Due to the compact two-dimensional interlayer pore space and the high density of interlayer molecular adsorption sites, clay minerals are competitive adsorption materials for carbon dioxide capture. We demonstrate that with a decreasing interlayer surface charge in a clay mineral, the adsorption capacity for CO increases, while the pressure threshold for adsorption and swelling in response to CO decreases. Synthetic nickel-exchanged fluorohectorite was investigated with three different layer charges varying from 0.

New insights into submarine tailing disposal for a reduced environmental footprint: Lessons learnt from Norwegian fjords.

Submarine tailing disposal (STD) in fjords from land-based mines is common practice in Norway and takes place in other regions worldwide. We synthesize the results of a multidisciplinary programme on environmental impacts of STDs in Norwegian fjords, providing new knowledge that can be applied to assess and mitigate impact of tailing disposal globally, both for submarine and deep-sea activities. Detailed geological seafloor mapping provided data on natural sedimentation to monitor depositional processes on the seafloor.

Glyceraldehyde as an Efficient Chemical Crosslinker Agent for the Formation of Chitosan Hydrogels.

The rheological changes that occur during the chemical gelation of semidilute solutions of chitosan in the presence of the low-toxicity agent glyceraldehyde (GCA) are presented and discussed in detail. The entanglement concentration for chitosan solutions was found to be approximately 0.2 wt.

A Rational Analysis on Key Parameters Ruling Zerovalent Iron-Based Treatment Trains: Towards the Separation of Reductive from Oxidative Phases.

The development of treatment trains for pollutant degradation employing zerovalent iron has been attracting a lot of interest in the last few years. This approach consists of pre-treatment only with zerovalent iron, followed by a Fenton oxidation taking advantage of the iron ions released in the first step. In this work, the advantages/disadvantages of this strategy were studied employing commercial zerovalent iron microparticles (mZVI).

Rapid Calculation of Residual Stresses in Dissimilar S355-AA6082 Butt Welds.

An analytical model is proposed to rapidly capture the thermal and residual stresses values induced by the hybrid metal extrusion and bonding (HYB) process on dissimilar-metal butt-welded joints. The power input for two welding velocities is first assessed using a thermal-mechanical model solved by a heat generation routine written in MATLAB code. Subsequently, the obtained temperature history is used as input to solve the equilibrium and compatibility equations formulated to calculate the thermal and residual stresses.

Experimental and computational characterization of phase transitions in CsBH.

Metal hydroborates are versatile materials with interesting properties related to energy storage and cation conductivity. The hydrides containing BH (triborane, or octahydrotriborate) ions have been at the center of attention for some time as reversible intermediates in the decomposition of BH (3BH↔ BH + 2H), and as conducting media in electrolytes based on boron-hydride cage clusters. We report here the first observation of two phase transitions in CsBH prior to its decomposition above 230 °C.

Screening bioactive food compounds in honey bees suggests curcumin blocks alcohol-induced damage to longevity and DNA methylation.

Various bioactive food compounds may confer health and longevity benefits, possibly through altering or preserving the epigenome. While bioactive food compounds are widely being marketed for human consumption as 'improving health and longevity' by counteracting harmful effects of poor nutrition and lifestyle, claimed effects are often not adequately documented. Using the honey bee (Apis mellifera) as a model species, we here employed a multi-step screening approach to investigate seven compounds for effects on lifespan and DNA methylation using ELISA and whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS).

Surface Treatment of Industrial-Grade Magnetite Particles for Enhanced Thermal Stability and Mitigating Paint Contaminants.

Pigments can retain their color for many centuries and can withstand the effects of light and weather. The paint industry suffers from issues like aggressive moisture, corrosion, and further environmental contamination of the pigment materials. Low-cost, long-lasting, and large-scale pigments are highly desirable to protect against the challenges of contamination that exist in the paint industry.

Stoichiometry-Controlled Reversible Lithiation Capacity in Nanostructured Silicon Nitrides Enabled by Conversion Reaction.

In modern Li-based batteries, alloying anode materials have the potential to drastically improve the volumetric and specific energy storage capacity. For the past decade silicon has been viewed as a "Holy Grail" among these materials; however, severe stability issues limit its potential. Herein, we present amorphous substoichiometric silicon nitride (SiN) as a convertible anode material, which allows overcoming the stability challenges associated with common alloying materials.