Effect of the Electric Field on the Biomineralization of Collagen.

Collagen/hydroxyapatite hybrids are promising biomimetic materials that can replace or temporarily substitute bone tissues. The process of biomineralization was carried out through a double diffusion system. The methodological principle consisted in applying an electric field on the incubation medium to promote the opposite migration of ions into collagen membranes to form hydroxyapatite (HA) on the collagen membrane.

Properties of the PVA-VAVTD KOH Blend as a Gel Polymer Electrolyte for Zinc Batteries.

Rechargeable zinc-air batteries are promising for energy storage and portable electronic applications because of their good safety, high energy density, material abundance, low cost, and environmental friendliness. A series of alkaline gel polymer electrolytes formed from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and different amounts of terpolymer composed of butyl acrylate, vinyl acetate, and vinyl neodecanoate (VAVTD) was synthesized applying a solution casting technique. The thin films were doped with KOH 12M, providing a higher amount of water and free ions inside the electrolyte matrix.

Green Nanocomposites Based on Thermoplastic Starch: A Review.

The development of bio-based materials has been a consequence of the environmental awareness generated over time. The versatility of native starch is a promising starting point for manufacturing environmentally friendly materials. This work aims to compile information on the advancements in research on thermoplastic starch (TPS) nanocomposites after the addition of mainly these four nanofillers: natural montmorillonite (MMT), organically modified montmorillonite (O-MMT), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), and cellulose nanofibers (CNF).

A protein folding robot driven by a self-taught agent.

This paper presents a computer simulation of a virtual robot that behaves as a peptide chain of the Hemagglutinin-Esterase protein (HEs) from human coronavirus. The robot can learn efficient protein folding policies by itself and then use them to solve HEs folding episodes. The proposed robotic unfolded structure inhabits a dynamic environment and is driven by a self-taught neural agent.

Exploring the nature of the interactions between the molecules of the sodium dodecyl sulfate and water in crystal phases and in the water/vacuum interface.

The nature of the interaction between the molecules of the sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant forming two crystal phases, one anhydrous, NaCHOS and the other, NaCHOS.HO, hydrated with one water molecule for unit cell, has been studied in detail using the quantum theory of atoms in molecules and a localized electron detector function. It was found that for the anhydrous crystal, the head groups of the surfactant molecules are linked into a head-to-head pattern, by a bond path network of Na-O ionic bonds, where each Na atom is attached to four groups.

Peroxide Electrochemical Sensor and Biosensor Based on Nanocomposite of TiO Nanoparticle/Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode.

A hydrogen peroxide (HO) sensor and biosensor based on modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with titanium dioxide (TiO) nanostructures was designed and evaluated. The construction of the sensor was performed using a glassy carbon (GC) modified electrode with a TiO-CNT film and Prussian blue (PB) as an electrocalatyzer. The same sensor was also employed as the basis for HO biosensor construction through further modification with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) immobilized at the TiO-fCNT film.

Exploring the electron density localization in MoS nanoparticles using a localized-electron detector: Unraveling the origin of the one-dimensional metallic sites on MoS catalysts.

The nature of the electron density localization in two MoS2 nanoclusters containing eight rows of Mo atoms, one with 100% sulphur coverage at the Mo edges (n8_100S) and the other with 50% coverage (n8_50S) was studied using a localized-electron detector function defined in the local moment representation. For n8_100S, pairs of neighboring S2 dimers cover the edges and the electron density localization function analysis shows the presence of a local triangular-shaped ring zone of highly delocalized electrons along these edges, which corresponds to a good metallic conductor zone. The optimized geometry analysis shows that the Mo-S2 bond length is much longer than that of the Mo-S bonds inside the cluster.