Journal of Materials Science最新文献

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) is widely used in advanced oxidation processes. Fe(II) is an excellent catalyst for PMS, and organic pollutants in water can be effectively degraded in the Fe(II)/PMS system. However, the pollutant degradation efficiency is limited by the low conversion efficiency of Fe(II). Natural antioxidants exist in the water environment and have strong electron-donating ability. At present, the research on the introduction of natural antioxidants into the advanced oxidation processes to degrade pollutants focuses on a few polyphenols, and the effects of other natural antioxidants on the removal of pollutants are worth studying. In this study, natural antioxidants, proanthocyanidins (PCs), saponins (SPs), and Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs), were introduced into the Fe(III)/PMS system. The reduction ability of natural antioxidants was used to improve the conversion efficiency of Fe(III) to Fe(II), and PMS was more effectively activated to produce ROS, which promoted the degradation of ofloxacin (OFL). After the introduction of PC in the Fe(III)/PMS system, 80% of OFL was degraded at 20 min, and 90% of OFL was degraded at 120 min after the introduction of SP. The experimental results showed that the degradation of OFL was affected by the amount of antioxidants, PMS and Fe(III), pH value, and coexisting anions. Free radical quenching experiments showed that ¹O₂, SO₄⁻·, and ·OH play an important role in the degradation of OFL in the Fe(III)/antioxidant/PMS system. This paper proves that the introduction of proanthocyanidins and saponins into the advanced oxidation processes can remove organic pollutants more efficiently.

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Food safety is an important issue related to the life and health of all people, and food packaging can effectually protect food from surface damage, mildew, rot, etc., while ensuring food quality to extend the shelf life, effectively preventing food safety problems. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are functional materials with special physical and chemical properties, such as a high specific surface area, high porosity and adjustable structure, which can be designed and adjusted according to the characteristics of different food packaging materials, so they have significant application prospects in food packaging. This review systematically introduced the types and properties of MOFs materials, summarized the methods to synthesize MOFs, and discussed the application progress of MOFs in food packaging by evaluating the safety of MOFs. Further, the potential uses of MOFs in food packaging applications were explored. This review may provide systematic insight into the use of MOFs for food packaging and explore new ideas.

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Air-conditioning (A/C) systems in tropical regions are characterized by significant energy consumption for latent load handling. Decoupling of the latent load from the A/C units can be achieved using a dedicated dehumidification system while the A/C systems handle only the sensible heat at high efficiencies. Desiccants are widely used in industry, and adsorbent materials that exhibit a unique isotherm shape, i.e. "S shape", have been developed extensively. Recently, activated carbons (ACs) have been discussed as effective adsorbents for dehumidification applications. Although pristine ACs are considered to be hydrophobic materials, certain surface treatments initiate surface phenomena that promote water vapour uptake at relative pressures above 0.4 due to microdroplet aggregation. This work reviews and reports the latest developments of sustainable activated carbons for dehumidification using a multiscale approach spanning from the sustainable precursor selection, “green” activation processes and surface functionalization, adsorption thermodynamics, and system-level developments. With the focus on sustainability, we demonstrate that water adsorption and viable adsorption range are gradually improving with the progressing research, and they are reaching operational values required for practical use. The unique adsorption process of water onto ACs is further explained in detail using solvation theory on the microdomains created by the hydrophilic functional groups while providing clarification of thermodynamic properties adopting the specificities of water/activated carbon adsorption pair. The predicted performance of a desiccant dehumidification system utilizing activated carbon is evaluated using the local weather conditions of numerous major cities worldwide. The highest dehumidification performances of activated carbon, as indicated by the unified SDP (specific dehumidification power) value, are reached particularly in cities that suffer from high humidity and temperature the most proving the viability of this cheap and sustainable material.

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The self-doping of oxygen vacancy and Ti³⁺ by electrochemical reduction (ER) method has been proved to be an effective means to improve the PEC performance of TiO₂. However, the effect of the surface structure on ER treatment remains ambiguous. In this work, three kinds of nanostructured rutile TiO₂ (nanowire arrays (TNWs), etched nanowire arrays (E-TNWs) and nanorod arrays (TNRs)) were reduced electrochemically to explore the factors influencing the ER process of rutile TiO₂. The experimental results show that alkaline environment (1 M NaOH) is more conducive to the occurrence of ER reaction. And the reduced three kinds of nanostructured TiO₂ photoanodes show a significantly higher photocurrent density of about 1.46, 1.65 and 1.45 mA cm⁻² at 1.23 V vs. relative hydrogen electrode (RHE), respectively, which are 15, 16 and 1.1 times that of pristine TiO₂. The different degrees of photocurrent density enhancement can be ascribed to the different degrees of electrochemical reduction of TiO₂ with different crystallinity and exposed crystal facets as well as specific surface area. This study provides new insights into the mechanism of electrochemical reduction method.

The application of wood-plastic composites (WPCs) in outdoor settings has led to growing emphasis on their aesthetics and weathering. Therefore, it is necessary to study the effect of inorganic pigments on the weathering behavior of WPCs. In order to reveal the effect of inorganic pigments on the aging process of composites, wheat straw fiber/polyvinyl chloride composites (WSFPs) incorporating inorganic pigments were prepared, and accelerated weathering tests of the different colored WSFPs were carried out, and the changes of chemical structure, color stability, three-dimensional morphology, mechanical properties and physical properties of composites during weathering were investigated. The results showed that WSFPs with inorganic pigment showed high color stability and weather resistance during accelerated weathering. After weathering for 480 h, the color change exhibited by WY was the least, only 13.00, and its tensile, flexural and impact properties decreased by 5.14%, 8.72% and 3.10%, respectively. This study demonstrates that inorganic pigments not only enhance the aesthetics of WSFPs through coloration, but also effectively improve their weather resistance. Inorganic pigments help maintain the vibrant color and structural integrity of the material during long-term use.

Recent progress in using copper oxide (CuO) nanomaterials to prepare superhydrophobic properties has encouraged significant advancements across various applications. This comprehensive review examines and consolidates the latest progress in CuO nanostructure synthesis and its applications in fabricating superhydrophobic surfaces. The review includes a multifaceted investigation, beginning with an analysis of the synthesis methods, followed by a study of natural superhydrophobic surfaces, drawing inspiration from their innate properties to prepare artificial equivalents. It proceeds to explore recent advancements in creating and employing CuO superhydrophobic surfaces and the inherent factors impacting their preparation. A crucial aspect involves characterizing the wetting properties of CuO superhydrophobic layers, unveiling the mechanisms governing their functionality across surfaces. Highlighting the essential role of CuO superhydrophobic surfaces, this review emphasizes their significance in various industry applications. However, it also confronts the inherent challenges and limitations in harnessing CuO nanostructure to prepare effective superhydrophobic surfaces, paving the way for future research directions. This comprehensive review fills a critical void in current knowledge and guides the evolution and application of CuO superhydrophobic surfaces in diverse domains.

This study uses numerical simulations to investigate projectile shape’s influence on the ballistic performance of 3D shallow bend-joint woven fabrics (3DSBWFs). The projectiles, including conical, flat, hemispherical, and spherical shapes, were analyzed for their impact on energy absorption, stress distribution, and deformation mechanisms. Results indicated that flat projectiles exhibited the highest total energy absorption, reflecting extensive energy transfer and broad impact force distribution. In contrast, conical projectiles caused localized energy absorption, concentrating stress at the tip and leading to early rupture of fabric yarns through minimal energy dissipation. Hemispherical and spherical projectiles demonstrated balanced energy absorption and uniform impact force distribution. Stress propagation varied significantly, with conical projectiles causing localized damage, while flat projectiles displayed broader stress propagation. Deformation patterns also differed, with conical projectiles causing severe localized deformation and flat projectiles resulting in extensive yarn deformation. Hemispherical and spherical projectiles induced more balanced deformations. These findings underscore the importance of projectile shape in designing protective materials, providing insights for optimizing fabric structures to enhance ballistic performance.

To reveal the relationship between microstructures and mechanical properties in friction stir welding under water (FSWUW), a numerical model is proposed with full experimental validations. Monte Carlo model was established to simulate the recrystallization, and precipitate evolution model was developed to study the mechanical property changes. It was found that the main strengthening phase is changed from precipitates to Cu–Mg co-cluster in FSWUW due to the higher cooling rate. Results indicated that the maximum temperature is decreased by 20.2–44.7%, and the maximum cooling rate is increased by 92.4–344.5% in FSWUW compared with friction stir welding (FSW). The change of the temperature variations leads to the decrease in the average grain size by 6.6–44.8% in FSWUW. Due to the high cooling rate in FSWUW, the precipitate growth is limited, and Cu–Mg co-cluster consists of the main phase in the final microstructure, which leads to the change of the main contribution item to the yield strength in FSWUW. In FSWUW, the contribution from the Cu–Mg co-clusters is the main contribution to the yield strength and ranges 61.3–73.4% of the final yield strength. The average grain size and the maximum cooling rate decreases with the increase in the translational speed and the decrease in the rotating speed in the heat-affected zone of FSWUW.

Drug-resistant bacterial wound infections have become a major threat to human health worldwide, and there is an urgent need to develop a new generation of antibacterial agents to replace conventional antibiotics. In this work, we proposed an efficient nanoplatform that combines photothermal therapy (PTT) and light-triggered release of nitric oxide (NO) to combat bacteria. A multifunctional nanoplatform (BBDH NPs) based on a BODIPY probe, NO thermal responsive donor [N, N′-di-sec-butyl-N, N′-diniroso-1,4-phenylenediamine (BNN6)], and a PEGylated polymer was prepared with a nanoprecipitation method. BBDH NPs represent a one-two punch against bacterial infections, combining potent photothermal therapy and the controlled release of NO, enabling rapid and efficient eradication of gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Histological analysis on a mouse model demonstrates that wounds treated with BBDH NPs and 685 nm laser irradiation have completed re-epithelialization, significant collagen deposition, and a number of hair follicle formation. BBDH NPs also exhibit a remarkable therapeutic effect on wounds infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). These results highlight that the proposed synergistic antibacterial strategy can be used as a potential therapeutic tool in drug-resistant, bacterial-infected wounds.

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Hybrid organic–inorganic nanomaterials made of various types of organosilanes display very promising applications in a variety of fields, including biocompatible materials. Currently, these types of nanomaterials are studied in various physical forms due to the tunable combination of organic and inorganic parts bringing numerous properties into the field of medicine. Particularly, in the field of regenerative medicine, nanofibrous organosilane scaffolds are under wide investigation due to their morphological similarity to the extracellular matrix. Here, we describe the economically and procedurally simple synthesis and successful preparation of pure organosilane nanofibres (NFs) using only an N,N´-bis(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl)oxamide precursor via a one-pot synthesis process utilising the acid-catalysed sol–gel process. Unlike established practices, the organosilane scaffolds proposed in this work are prepared thanks to the conscious and precise setting of the sol–gel process parameters without the need for any potentially harmful additives such as co-polymers, surfactants, and/or alkoxides. In addition, the synthesis of the precursor (BTPO) contains silicates for the polymerisation and a simple organic alkyl linker with amide bonds being akin to the biological friendly peptide bond. BTPO NFs were successfully electrospun on a large scale using a Nanospider™ and fully characterised and analysed for cytocompatibility using 3T3 fibroblasts. Formed organosilane NFs displaying negligible cytotoxicity, along with good cell proliferation and metabolic activity, open up the possibility of introducing various organic structures, using the synthetic strategies presented here, for inherent functional properties which could be exploited further in tissue engineering.

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