Journal of Materials Science最新文献

For the sake of environmental health, it is imperative to find sustainable and affordable methods for biogas molecule detection. In this study, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to investigate the adsorption behavior of biogas molecules (CH₄, CO₂, SO₂, and CS₂) on a ruthenium carbide (RuC) nanosheet. The biogas molecules were placed at various adsorption sites on the RuC nanosheet and geometrically relaxed to obtain the most desirable adsorption configurations. The RuC nanosheet showed higher adsorptivity toward the sulfur-containing biogas molecules, including CS₂ and SO₂, rather than CO₂ and CH_4, with adsorption energy (E_ads) values of −40.77, −28.00, −4.80, and −3.40 kcal/mol, respectively. The charge transfer (Q_t) values demonstrated the electron-accepting nature of the RuC nanosheet toward the biogas molecules, with Q_t values of −0.0187, −0.0355, −0.1665, and −0.0864 e for the CH₄∙∙∙, CO₂∙∙∙, SO₂∙∙∙, and CS₂∙∙∙RuC complexes, respectively. From the frontier molecular orbital analysis, the RuC nanosheet exhibited the most significant adsorptivity toward the SO₂ molecule, followed by the CS₂, CO₂, and then CH₄, with %∆E_gap values of 57.75, 28.17, 2.82, and 1.41%, respectively. The emergence of additional bands and peaks in the band structure and density of states plots further verified the interaction of the biogas with the RuC nanosheet. The obtained outcomes demonstrated the potential application of the RuC nanosheet as an adsorption platform for biogas molecules, exhibiting substantial adsorptivity toward sulfur-containing molecules.

Graphical abstract

Water pollution led to prolonged organic pollutants, like pharmaceuticals, dyes, pesticides, and industrial chemicals, which pose a serious risk to both aquatic ecosystems and human health because of their toxicity, bioaccumulation, and resistance to natural degradation. Conventional wastewater treatment methods are often ineffective in completely removing these contaminants. To tackle this problem, advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) have evolved into promising technologies capable of transforming or mineralizing such pollutants into lower risk by-products. The review highlights a broad perspective of key AOP techniques, including ozonation, Fenton and photo-Fenton reactions, electrochemical oxidation, ultraviolet and solar photolysis, and ultrasonic irradiation. The underlying mechanisms of pollutant degradation are explained with emphasis on the formation of highly reactive hydroxyl radicals and other oxidative species. Critical factors influencing treatment efficiency, such as temperature, pH, catalyst type, and pollutant concentration, are examined. The review also highlights recent progress in catalyst development, energy efficiency, and reactor design, in combination with the adoption of renewable energy sources. Furthermore, emerging hybrid systems that combine AOPs with biological treatment or membrane filtration are discussed for their potential to enhance performance and reduce operational costs. Finally, the major challenges and future perspectives are outlined, emphasizing the environmental and technological significance of AOPs in advancing sustainable wastewater treatment.

Despite the existence of numerous de-icing methods, real-time monitoring of the icing process remains understudied. To address this, we developed a multifunctional flexible pressure sensor via electrostatic adsorption, integrating droplet impact detection, ice formation monitoring, and electrothermal de-icing capabilities. The sensor consists of a Ti₃C₂T_xMXene/bacterial cellulose (BC)-modified Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) pressure-sensitive film and interdigitated electrodes. It detects droplet impacts through pressure-induced electrical signal changes, monitors ice accumulation via increasing pressure responses, and achieves rapid electrothermal de-icing (reaching 0 °C in 22 s at 20 V). Additionally, its flexibility enables human joint motion monitoring through deformation signals. This all-in-one solutionspans from icing process tracking to active de-icing and biomechanical sensing. Such a device shows significant potential for aerospace, infrastructure, and healthcare applications.

The cyclic compressive deformation of articular cartilage incurred during weight-bearing activities (e.g., walking, running) is recovered after the activity ceases. This reversible behavior is essential for nutrient transport and functional integrity. In this study, we conducted the unconfined cyclic compression tests combined with digital image correlation (DIC) on pig knee cartilage to analyze the effects of peak stress, frequency, and loading/recovery duration on cartilage deformation and recovery. The recovery time was predicted based on the experimental data. Additionally, the microstructures of cartilage were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) before and after loading. The compression strain increases with higher peak stress, frequency, and loading duration, whereas the strain growth rate declined over time. The recovery process exhibits two phases, rapid phase and steady phase. Higher peak stress significantly increases the depth-dependent recovery rates of cartilage, with the most pronounced effect observed in the deep zone, while the influence of frequency was minimal. Intermittent loading reduces accumulated strain and shortens recovery time compared to continuous loading. Cyclic loading induced reversible surface pore deformation and collagen fiber realignment. The findings may support exercise prescription for articular cartilage protection.

The present work introduces the fabrication of 3D interconnected porous structure in the Zn-Mg (Zn₉₀Mg₁₀) alloy system using vapor-phase dealloying (VPD) technique, carried out in a dry environment. Vacuum heating leads to selective evaporation of Zn, resulting in a connected porous network. Detailed SEM, STEM-EDS, atom probe tomography, and X-ray tomography analysis have established the presence of a bimodal pore distribution in the interconnected porous structure. Nanoscale pores are mainly formed when the Zn gets evaporated from the Mg₂Zn₁₁ phase, whereas micron-sized pores formed when the Zn phase evaporation takes place from the alloy matrix. The dual-scale porosity established here is in stark contrast to traditional pore fabrication process which only creates either nanoscale pores or micron-size pores, but not both. Kinetic study of the dealloying process of the bulk sample (mm scale) reveals that the evaporation of the Zn begins at the interface between Mg₂Zn₁₁ phase and Pure Zn phase. Therefore, the interface reaction plays a major role in the pore formation process. This study also confirms that the pore network architecture strongly depends on the dealloying temperature over holding time in the complete dealloying duration. In situ TEM experiments reveal that the Mg₂Zn₁₁ phase undergoes grain coarsening phenomena followed by solid-state phase transformation (i.e., MgZn₂) prior to noticeable Zn evaporation. The resulting multiscale porous framework possesses high surface area and very high permeability. Due to these properties, Zn-Mg porous scaffolds have great potential as biodegradable implants and as functional porous electrodes.

Many hydrophobic anticancer drugs are severely limited in their clinical utility due to their extremely low aqueous solubility. Herein, we propose a facile supramolecular solubilization strategy by introducing a small aromatic molecule bearing hydrophilic groups to enhance drug solubility, achieving stabilization through π-π stacking and complementary non-covalent interactions. Dopamine (DA), a catecholamine neurotransmitter with hydrophilic functional groups, was selected as a model scaffold to assemble with hydrophobic drugs. Experimental results demonstrated that the aqueous solubility of 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN38) was enhanced by 33.5-fold upon complexation with DA. Furthermore, compared with the free drug, the DA-SN38 complex not only retained the intrinsic pharmacological efficacy of SN38 but also further enhanced its cytotoxicity against cancer cells. This work highlights a generalizable approach for improving the formulation of poorly soluble aromatic drugs through supramolecular assembly with biocompatible small molecules, providing a promising new paradigm for pharmaceutical research and development.

Nano-sized molecularly imprinted polymers (NMIPs), synthesized using methacrylic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, were developed to enhance the recognition and adsorption of penicillin G (PenG) sodium. A noncovalent imprinting approach was employed, wherein the functional monomer methacrylic acid and the crosslinker ethylene glycol dimethacrylate were combined with the PenG template. The pre-polymerization mixture was emulsified via probe sonication into a miniemulsion, yielding PenG–NMIP particles with diameters ranging from 50 to 100 nm. To evaluate this noncovalent imprinting performance, non-imprinted polymers were prepared as controls. The adsorption behavior of the PenG–NMIPs was optimized by systematically investigating the effects of pH, contact time, polymer dosage, and PenG concentration. The maximum binding capacity achieved was 2.56 mg/g, confirming the effectiveness of the imprinting process. The adsorption data were fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, with the PenG adsorption process aligning with the Langmuir model. The selectivity of the PenG–NMIPs was further assessed against structurally similar antibiotics—ampicillin and amoxicillin—to evaluate competitive binding. This approach demonstrates promising selectivity and efficiency in the removal of PenG from pharmaceutical formulations, highlighting potential applications of PenG–NMIPs in drug purification and environmental remediation.

The anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) poses a formidable kinetic bottleneck in electrochemical energy conversion. Here, we present three-dimensional porous CuNiCoIrRu high-entropy alloy aerogel synthesized via a facile one-pot co-reduction route. By synergizing compositional complexity with an interconnected conductive network, the catalyst achieves an ultralow overpotential of 203 mV at 10 mA cm⁻² in alkaline environment, along with a mass activity 176 and 16.1 times higher than IrO₂ and RuO₂, respectively. In a full water-splitting cell paired with Pt/C, it requires a lower cell voltage than IrO₂- or RuO₂-based counterparts. The as-synthesized catalyst also demonstrates outstanding stability over 80000 s, offering a promising high-performance, durable OER electrocatalyst for sustainable energy conversion systems.

Trace oxygen-doped FeSe_0.4Te_0.6 single crystals were synthesized using the self-flux method to investigate the effects of oxygen incorporation on their crystal structure, superconducting transition, and flux pinning properties. Experimental results indicate that trace O-doping effectively modulates the superconducting transition temperature (T_c) and enhances the critical current density (J_c), with a more pronounced improvement in current-carrying capacity observed under high magnetic fields. Based on the Dew–Hughes model analysis, the sample with 0.5% O-doping exhibits the most robust pinning effect. This study demonstrates that trace oxygen doping can effectively optimize the superconducting performance of FeSe_0.4Te_0.6 and reveals the existence of an optimal doping regime, which provides valuable insights into the mechanism and practical application of iron-based superconductors.