From Dielectric to Electro-Responsive Thermoplastics: An Approach Based on Electro-Thermal Reorientation and Charged Gas Activation.

The transition from insulator to electro-responsive has been successfully achieved by earlier studies for some inorganic materials by applying external stimuli that modify their 3D and/or electronic structures. In the case of insulating polymers, this transition is frequently accomplished by mixing them with other electroactive materials, even though a few physical treatments that induce suitable chemical modifications have also been reported. In this work, a smart approach based on the application of an electro-thermal reorientation process followed by a charged gas activation treatment has been developed for transforming insulating 3D printed polymers into electro-responsive materials.

Green Synthesis of Urea from Carbon Dioxide and Ammonia Catalyzed by Ultraporous Permanently Polarized Hydroxyapatite.

The sustainable synthesis of urea from ammonia (NH) and carbon dioxide (CO) using ultraporous permanently polarized hydroxyapatite (upp-HAp) as catalyst has been explored as an advantageous CO-revalorization strategy. As the simultaneous activation of N and CO (single-step) demands an increase of the reaction conditions, we have re-visited the industrial two-step Bazarov reaction. upp-HAp has been designed as a stable multifunctional catalyst capable of promoting both CO and NH adsorption for their subsequent C-N bond formation.

Size-Dependent High-Pressure Behavior of Pure and Eu-Doped YO Nanoparticles: Insights from Experimental and Theoretical Investigations.

We report a joint high-pressure experimental and theoretical study of the structural, vibrational, and photoluminescent properties of pure and Eu-doped cubic YO nanoparticles with two very different average particle sizes. We compare the results of synchrotron X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence measurements in nanoparticles with ab initio density-functional simulations in bulk material with the aim to understand the influence of the average particle size on the properties of pure and doped YO nanoparticles under compression. We observe that the high-pressure phase behavior of YO nanoparticles depends on the average particle size, but in a different way to that previously reported.

Translating the COVID-19 epidemiological situation into policies and measures: the Belgian experience.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to sustained surveillance efforts, which made unprecedented volumes and types of data available. In Belgium, these data were used to conduct a targeted and regular assessment of the epidemiological situation. In addition, management tools were developed, incorporating key indicators and thresholds, to define risk levels and offer guidance to policy makers.

Establishing Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation (QCM-D) Coupled with Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) as an Advantageous Technique for the Characterization of Ultra-Thin Film Hydrogels.

Despite the considerable significance of utilizing ultra-thin film (utf) hydrogels as multipurpose platforms for biomedical applications, there is still an important lack of adequate characterization techniques suitable for such materials. In this Perspective, the use of quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D) coupled with spectral ellipsometry (SE) is presented as a potential tool for the complete characterization of utf-hydrogels due to its nanometric sensitivity and high versatility. Herein, the fundaments for utf-hydrogel characterization are settled down as far as the QCM-D/SE response is explored under a wide range of different in operando wet working conditions measurements such as temperature or liquid media, among others.