Tunable TiZrMoC Coatings: A Comprehensive Study of Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and Wear Resistance.

TiZrMoC coatings were deposited on Si(100) substrates using a DC dual magnetron sputtering. The composition was controlled by adjusting the sputtering parameters of the TiZrMo and graphite targets. The influence of graphite target current on the resulting coating properties was explored.

Tailored MXene-derived nano-heterostructure oxides for peroxymonosulfate activation in the treatment of municipal wastewaters.

Nowadays, in the field of environmental protection, a huge effort is focused on efficient and sustainable processes to treat wastewaters. The current study emphasizes the photocatalytic performance of TiNbO, a nano-heterostructure material derived from the oxidation of (TiNb)CT MXene. The TiNbO nano-heterostructure exhibited remarkable performance in the degradation of caffeine (CAF) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX) under UVA irradiation in the presence of peroxymonosulfate (PMS).

MXene-Derived Oxide Nanoheterostructures for Photocatalytic Sulfamethoxazole Degradation.

Herein, we report for the first time the use of ternary oxide nanoheterostructure photocatalysts derived from (Nb , Ti )CT MXene in the treatment of water. Three different compositions of binary MXenes, viz., (TiNb)CT , (TiNb)CT , and (TiNb)CT (with T = OH, F, and Cl), were used as single-source precursor to produce TiNbO -3:1, TiNbO -1:1, and TiNbO -1:3 by controlled-atmosphere thermal oxidation.

A Metatitanic Acid Particulate Xerogel: Green Synthesis, Structure Determination, and Detailed Characterization.

The manuscript focuses on an original method of preparation of metatitanic acid when only environmentally safe base substances are used in the synthesis process. The synthesis is based on the reaction of solid titanyl sulfate in an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide. This method allows for (i) a full preservation of the morphology of the starting titanyl sulfate and (ii) a preparation of metatitanic acid substances with specific parameters.

Composite Materials with Nanoscale Multilayer Architecture Based on Cathodic-Arc Evaporated WN/NbN Coatings.

Hard nitride coatings are commonly employed to protect components subjected to friction, whereby such coatings should possess excellent tribomechanical properties in order to endure high stresses and temperatures. In this study, WN/NbN coatings are synthesized by using the cathodic-arc evaporation (CA-PVD) technique at various negative bias voltages in the 50-200 V range. The phase composition, microstructural features, and tribomechanical properties of the multilayers are comprehensively studied.

Application of MXene for remediation of low-level radioactive aqueous solutions contaminated with Ba and Cs.

MXene is an innovative multilayered material that has been prepared by an acid-salt (HCl + NHF) etching route and tested for the removal of Ba and Cs in radioactive conditions for the first time. MXene has exhibited high uptake capacity of about 154.9 and 121.

Polycaprolactone-MXene Nanofibrous Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering.

New conductive materials for tissue engineering are needed for the development of regenerative strategies for nervous, muscular, and heart tissues. Polycaprolactone (PCL) is used to obtain biocompatible and biodegradable nanofiber scaffolds by electrospinning. MXenes, a large class of biocompatible 2D nanomaterials, can make polymer scaffolds conductive and hydrophilic.

FeO-PEI Nanocomposites for Magnetic Harvesting of , , , and .

Magnetic separation of microalgae using magnetite is a promising harvesting method as it is fast, reliable, low cost, energy-efficient, and environmentally friendly. In the present work, magnetic harvesting of three green algae ( and ) and one cyanobacteria () has been studied. The biomass was flushed with clean air using a 0.

Contribution of photocatalytic and Fenton-based processes in nanotwin structured anodic TiO nanotube layers modified by Ce and V.

In the present work, nanotwin structured TiO nanotube (TNT) layers are prepared by the electrochemical anodization technique to form the anatase phase and by surface modification spin-coating of Ce and V precursors to form Ce-TNT and V-TNT, respectively. The surface and cross-sectional images by SEM revealed that the nanotubes have an average diameter of ∼130 nm and a length of ∼14 μm. In addition, the TEM images revealed the nanotwin structures of the nanotubes, especially the anatase (001) and (112) twin surfaces, that increase the transport of photogenerated charges.

Effect of Multiply Twinned Ag Nanoparticles on Photocatalytic Properties of TiO Nanosheets and TiO Nanostructured Thin Films.

Ag-decorated TiO nanostructured materials are promising photocatalysts. We used non-standard cryo-lyophilization and ArF laser ablation methods to produce TiO nanosheets and TiO nanostructured thin films decorated with Ag nanoparticles. Both methods have a common advantage in that they provide a single multiply twinned Ag characterized by {111} twin boundaries.

Microstructure, Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Advanced Layered WN/MeN (Me = Zr, Cr, Mo, Nb) Nanocomposite Coatings.

Due to the increased demands for drilling and cutting tools working at extreme machining conditions, protective coatings are extensively utilized to prolong the tool life and eliminate the need for lubricants. The present work reports on the effect of a second MeN (Me = Zr, Cr, Mo, Nb) layer in WN-based nanocomposite multilayers on microstructure, phase composition, and mechanical and tribological properties. The WN/MoN multilayers have not been studied yet, and cathodic-arc physical vapor deposition (CA-PVD) has been used to fabricate studied coating systems for the first time.

Effect of Sub-Zero Treatments and Tempering on Corrosion Behaviour of Vanadis 6 Tool Steel.

Sub-zero treatment of Vanadis 6 steel resulted in a considerable reduction of retained austenite amount, refinement of martensite, enhancement of population density of carbides, and modification of precipitation behaviour. Tempering of sub-zero-treated steel led to a decrease in population density of carbides, to a further reduction of retained austenite, and to precipitation of MC carbides, while MC carbides precipitated only in the case of conventionally quenched steel. Complementary effects of these microstructural variations resulted in more noble behaviour of sub-zero-treated steel compared to the conventionally room-quenched one, and to clear inhibition of the corrosion rate at the same time.

Atomic-Resolution EDX, HAADF, and EELS Study of GaAsBi Alloys.

The distribution of alloyed atoms in semiconductors often deviates from a random distribution which can have significant effects on the properties of the materials. In this study, scanning transmission electron microscopy techniques are employed to analyze the distribution of Bi in several distinctly MBE grown GaAsBi alloys. Statistical quantification of atomic-resolution HAADF images, as well as numerical simulations, are employed to interpret the contrast from Bi-containing columns at atomically abrupt (001) GaAs-GaAsBi interface and the onset of CuPt-type ordering.

Ni-mediated reactions in nanocrystalline diamond on Si substrates: the role of the oxide barrier.

Nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films grown on Si substrates by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MWPECVD) were subjected to Ni-mediated graphitization to cover them with a conductive layer. Results of transmission electron microscopy including electron energy-loss spectroscopy of cross-sectional samples demonstrate that the oxide layer on Si substrates (∼5 nm native SiO) has been damaged by microwave plasma during the early stage of NCD growth. During the heat treatment for graphitizing the NCD layer, the permeability or absence of the oxide barrier allow Ni nanoparticles to diffuse into the Si substrate and cause additional solid-state reactions producing pyramidal crystals of NiSi and SiC nanocrystals.

GaAsBi growth on Ge: anti-phase domains, ordering, and exciton localization.

The dilute bismide alloy GaAsBi has drawn significant attention from researchers interested in its fundamental properties and the potential for infrared optoelectronics applications. To extend the study of bismides, molecular-beam heteroepitaxy of nominally 1.0 eV bandgap bismide on Ge substrates is comprehensively investigated.

Tuning the orientation of few-layer MoS films using one-zone sulfurization.

Few-layer MoS films are promising candidates for applications in numerous areas, such as photovoltaics, photocatalysis, nanotribology, lithium batteries, hydro-desulfurization catalysis and dry lubricants, especially due to their distinctive electronic, optical, and catalytic properties. In general, two alignments of MoS layers are possible - the horizontal and the vertical one, having different physicochemical properties. Layers of both orientations are conventionally fabricated by a sulfurization of pre-deposited Mo films.

Covalent Diamond-Graphite Bonding: Mechanism of Catalytic Transformation.

Aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy of the atomic structure of diamond-graphite interface after Ni-induced catalytic transformation reveals graphitic planes bound covalently to the diamond in the upright orientation. The covalent attachment, together with a significant volume expansion of graphite transformed from diamond, gives rise to uniaxial stress that is released through plastic deformation. We propose a comprehensive model explaining the Ni-mediated transformation of diamond to graphite and covalent bonding at the interface as well as the mechanism of relaxation of uniaxial stress.

Modeling age-specific facial development in Williams-Beuren-, Noonan-, and 22q11.2 deletion syndromes in cohorts of Czech patients aged 3-18 years: A cross-sectional three-dimensional geometric morphometry analysis of their facial gestalt.

Three-dimensional (3D) virtual facial models facilitate genotype-phenotype correlations and diagnostics in clinical dysmorphology. Within cross-sectional analysis of both genders we evaluated facial features in representative cohorts of Czech patients with Williams-Beuren-(WBS; 12 cases), Noonan-(NS; 14), and 22q11.2 deletion syndromes (22q11.

Formation of silica aggregates in sorghum root endodermis is predetermined by cell wall architecture and development.

Background And Aims: Deposition of silica in plant cell walls improves their mechanical properties and helps plants to withstand various stress conditions. Its mechanism is still not understood and silica-cell wall interactions are elusive. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of silica deposition on the development and structure of sorghum root endodermis and to identify the cell wall components involved in silicification.

Preparation, properties and anticancer effects of mixed AsS/ZnS nanoparticles capped by Poloxamer 407.

Arsenic sulfide compounds have a long history of application in a traditional medicine. In recent years, realgar has been studied as a promising drug in cancer treatment. In this study, the arsenic sulfide (AsS) nanoparticles combined with zinc sulfide (ZnS) ones in different molar ratio have been prepared by a simple mechanochemical route in a planetary mill.

Cristobalite and Hematite Particles in Human Brain.

Foreign substances get into the internal environment of living bodies and accumulate in various organs. Cristobalite and hematite particles in the glial cells of pons cerebri of human brain with diagnosis of Behhet disease with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive microanalysis (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with diffraction were identified. SEM with EDX revealed the matter of irregular micrometer-sized particles sometimes forming polyhedrons with fibrilar or stratified structure.

Photo-catalytic inactivation of an Enterococcus biofilm: the anti-microbial effect of sulphated and europium-doped titanium dioxide nanopowders.

The control and prevention of biofilm-related infections is an important public healthcare issue. Given the increasing antibiotic resistance among bacteria and fungi that cause serious infections in humans, promotion of new strategies combating microorganisms has been essential. One attractive approach to inactivate microorganisms is the use of semiconductor photo-catalysis, which has become the subject of extensive research.

CdS/ZnS nanocomposites: from mechanochemical synthesis to cytotoxicity issues.

CdS/ZnS nanocomposites have been prepared by a two-step solid-state mechanochemical synthesis. CdS has been prepared from cadmium acetate and sodium sulfide precursors in the first step. The obtained cubic CdS (hawleyite, JCPDS 00-010-0454) was then mixed in the second step with the cubic ZnS (sphalerite, JCPDS 00-005-0566) synthesized mechanochemically from the analogous precursors.

Iron oxides in human spleen.

Iron is an essential element for fundamental cell functions and a catalyst for chemical reactions. Three samples extracted from the human spleen were investigated by scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Mössbauer spectrometry (MS), and SQUID magnetometry. The sample with diagnosis of hemosiderosis (H) differs from that referring to hereditary spherocytosis and the reference sample.

The effect of salivary gland extract of Lucilia sericata maggots on human dermal fibroblast proliferation within collagen/hyaluronan membrane in vitro: transmission electron microscopy study.

Background: Lucilia sericata maggots are applied to chronic wounds to aid healing when conventional treatments have failed. After their application into a necrotic wound, they potentially influence wound healing with a combination of specific proteinases that are involved in the remodeling of extracellular matrix. These proteases cause changes in fibroblast adhesion and spread upon extracellular matrix protein surfaces, affecting integrity of the protein surfaces-especially fibronectin-while maintaining cell viability.