Calcined Oyster Shell Powder as an Expansive Additive in Cement Mortar.

The present study prepared calcined oyster shell powder having chemical composition and crystal structure of calcium oxide and lime, respectively, and investigated the fresh and hardened properties of cement mortar incorporating calcined oyster shell powder as an additive. The test results indicated that the hydration of calcined oyster shell powder promoted the additional formation of Ca(OH) at the initial reaction stage, thereby increasing the heat of hydration. In particular, the volumetric increase of calcined oyster shell powder during hydration compensated the autogenous shrinkage of mortar at early ages, ultimately leading to a clear difference in the shrinkage values at final readings.

Facile Supramolecular Processing of Carbon Nanotubes and Polymers for Electromechanical Sensors.

We herein report a facile, cost-competitive, and scalable method for producing viscoelastic conductors via one-pot melt-blending using polymers and supramolecular gels composed of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), diphenylamine (DP), and benzophenone (BP). When mixed, a non-volatile eutectic liquid (EL) produced by simply blending DP with BP (1:1 molar ratio) enabled not only the gelation of CNTs (EL-CNTs) but also the dissolution of a number of commodity polymers. To make use of these advantages, viscoelastic conductors were produced via one-pot melt-blending the EL and CNTs with a model thermoplastic elastomer, poly(styrene-b-butadiene-b-styrene) (SBS, styrene 30 wt %).

Signal-Induced Release of Guests from a Photolatent Metal-Phenolic Supramolecular Cage and Its Hybrid Assemblies.

The coordination chemistry of plant polyphenols and metal ions can be used for coating various substrates and for creating modular superstructures. We herein explored this chemistry for the controlled release of guests from mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs). The selective adsorption of tannic acids (TAs) on MSN silica walls opens the MSN mesoporous channels without disturbing mass transport.