Composition-Regulated Photocatalytic Activity of ZnInS@CdS Hybrids for Efficient Dye Degradation and HO Evolution.

Heterostructures of visible light-absorbing semiconductors were prepared through the growth of ZnInS crystallites in the presence of CdS nanostructures. A variety of hybrid compositions was synthesized. Both reference samples and heterostructured materials were characterized in detail, regarding their morphology, crystalline character, chemical speciation, as well as vibrational properties.

Generic method for the detection of short & long chain PFAS extended to the lowest concentration levels of SERS capability.

The detection of the highly toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, PFAS, constitutes a challenging task in terms of developing a generic method that could be rapid and applicable simultaneously to both long and short-chain PFAS at ppt concentration level. In the present study, the method introduced by the USA Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to detect surfactants, using methylene blue, MB, which is identified an ideal candidate for PFAS-MB ion pairing, is extended at the lowest concentration range by a simple additional step that involves the dissociation of the ion pairs in water. In this work, Surface Enhanced Raman Scattering, SERS, is applied via Ag nanocolloidal suspensions to probe MB and indirectly either/or both short-chain (perfluorobutyric acid, PFBA) and long-chain (perfluoloctanoic acid, PFOA) PFAS downt to 5 ppt.

Raman Spectroscopy Unfolds the Fate and Transformation of SWCNTs after Abrasive Wear of Epoxy Floor Coatings.

Nanomaterials are integrated within consumer products to enhance specific properties of interest. Their release throughout the lifecycle of nano-enabled products raises concerns; specifically, mechanical strains can lead to the generation of fragmented materials containing nanomaterials. We investigated the potential release of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs-brand TUBALL™) from epoxy composite materials.

Production efficiency and properties of poly(3hydroxybutyrate-co-3hydroxyvalerate) generated via a robust bacterial consortium dominated by Zoogloea sp. using acidified discarded fruit juices as carbon source.

In the current study, a mixed microbial culture (MMC) of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) producers was developed under nutrient stress and was assessed as biocatalyst for the production of high-yielding PHAs from fermented (acidified) discarded fruit juices (DFJ). The structure of the MMC was analyzed periodically to determine its microbial dynamics, revealing that Zoogloae sp. dominated throughout the operation of the system.

Environmentally Friendly Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Halogen-Free Coatings for Wood Fire-Retardant Applications.

Wood and wood-based products are extensively used in the building sector due to their interesting combination of properties. Fire safety and fire spread, however, are of utmost concern for the protection of buildings. Therefore, in timber structures, wood must be treated with fire-retardant materials in order to improve its reaction to fire.

High Catalytic Efficiency of a Nanosized Copper-Based Catalyst for Automotives: A Physicochemical Characterization.

The global trend in restrictions on pollutant emissions requires the use of catalytic converters in the automotive industry. Noble metals belonging to the platinum group metals (PGMs, platinum, palladium, and rhodium) are currently used for autocatalysts. However, recent efforts focus on the development of new catalytic converters that combine high activity and reduced cost, attracting the interest of the automotive industry.

Flame Retardant Nano-Structured Fillers from Huntite/Hydromagnesite Minerals.

In the current study, we propose a simple hydrothermal pathway to synthesize nano-structured Mg(OH) after application of thermal decomposition followed by hydration of commercial minerals based on hydromagnesite and huntite. The synthesis of nano-materials is performed without the use of any catalyst. The effect of decomposition temperature on the hydrothermal synthesis of Mg(OH) is extensively studied.

Wet-chemistry assembly of one-dimensional nanowires: switching characteristics of a known spin-crossover iron(II) complex through Raman spectroscopy.

In this study, a simple, fast, one-pot approach for the isolation of nanowires (NWs) in coordination chemistry is reported. Nanowires (NWs) of spin-crossover (SCO) materials are extremely rare. Here, an innovative and easy synthetic process was developed to prepare NWs of a switchable polymorph of the known complex -[Fe(NCS)(abpt)] using a wet-chemistry approach for the first time; abpt is the bidentate chelating ligand 4-amino-3,5-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole.

Collagen orientation probed by polarized Raman spectra can serve as differential diagnosis indicator between different grades of meniscus degeneration.

The purpose of the present study was to analyze normal and degenerated menisci with Raman methodology on thin sections of formalin fixed paraffin embedding tissues and to correlate the Raman findings with the grade of meniscus degeneration. Menisci (n = 27) were removed from human knee joints after total knee replacement or meniscectomy. Following routine histopathological analysis to determine the grade of meniscal lesions obtained from healthy and degenerated formaline fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) meniscal sections, Raman polarization approach was applied to evaluate the orientation of collagen fibrils in different levels of the same 5 μm thick FFPE meniscal tissue sections, used for histopathological assessment.

Highly Efficient Simulated Solar Light-Driven Photocatalytic Degradation of 4-Nitrophenol over CdS/Carbon/MoS Hybrids.

Among the various organic pollutants and industrial chemicals, 4-nitrophenol has been one of the most monitored substances in aqueous environments, due to its enhanced solubility in such systems. This research reports for the first time the microwave-assisted synthesis of CdS/carbon/MoS hybrids and the subsequent utilization of such systems as photocatalysts for 4-nitrophenol degradation. The hybrids demonstrated a variable photocatalytic activity, by using a variety of organic substances as precursors for the solvothermal carbonization step.

Patterned, organoid-based cartilaginous implants exhibit zone specific functionality forming osteochondral-like tissues in vivo.

Tissue engineered constructs have the potential to respond to the unmet medical need of treating deep osteochondral defects. However, current tissue engineering strategies struggle in the attempt to create patterned constructs with biologically distinct functionality. In this work, a developmentally-inspired modular approach is proposed, whereby distinct cartilaginous organoids are used as living building blocks.

Poly(ethylene Terephthalate) Carbon-Based Nanocomposites: A Crystallization and Molecular Orientation Study.

Hybrid polymeric materials incorporating carbon nanostructures or inorganic constituents stand as a promising class of materials exhibiting distinct but also complementary features. Carbon nanotubes have been proposed as unique candidates for polymer reinforcement; however, sustained efforts are further needed in order to make full use of their potential. The final properties of the reinforced polymer are controlled in part by the morphology and the eventual molecular orientation of the polymer matrix.

On the Ferroelectric to Paraelectric Structural Transition of BaTiO Micro-/Nanoparticles and Their Epoxy Nanocomposites.

BaTiO is one of the most widely used ceramic components in capacitor formulation due to its exceptional ferroelectric properties. The structural transition from the ferroelectric tetragonal to the paraelectric cubic phase has been studied in both nano- and micro-BaTiO particles. Several experimental techniques were employed for characterization purposes (X-ray diffraction-XRD, laser Raman spectroscopy-LRS, differential scanning calorimetry-DSC and broadband dielectric spectroscopy-BDS).

Rapid Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of CdS/Graphene/MoS Tunable Heterojunctions and Their Application in Photocatalysis.

Nanoscale two-dimensional nanostructures have shown great potential as functional components in photocatalysis. Here, investigations on the synthesis of heterostructured hybrids, comprised of 0D CdS nanoparticles as semiconductor and 2D/2D graphene/MoS as co-catalyst, are reported. The approach involves a rapid microwave-assisted reaction in autoclave conditions, by adopting either a one-step or a two-step protocol.

A Known Iron(II) Complex in Different Nanosized Particles: Variable-Temperature Raman Study of Its Spin-Crossover Behavior.

The spin-crossover (SCO) polymorph B (complex 1) of the known compound [Fe{N(CN)}(abpt)], where abpt is 4-amino-3,5-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole, has been prepared in three different particle sizes averaging ∼300 (sample 1a), ∼80 (sample 1b), and ∼20 nm (sample 1c). Two independent octahedral molecules possessing Fe1 and Fe2 were found to be present in the crystal of B. Magnetostructural relationships had established that at room temperature both Fe sites are in the high-spin state (HS-HS), whereas a decrease in the temperature to 90 K induces the complete high-spin to low-spin conversion of the Fe1 site, with Fe2 remaining in the high-spin state (LS-HS).

Thermal dewetting tunes surface enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) performance.

Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) belongs to the techniques of ultra-sensitive chemical analysis and involves both identification and quantification of molecular species. Despite the fact that theoretically derived enhancement factors imply that even single molecules may be identified, which in some cases has indeed been experimentally observed, the application of this specific technique as an analytical tool is still an open field of research due to the need for reproducible, stable and simple to prepare SERS active substrates. The current work attempts to contribute to the already established knowledge on the substrates of metallic nanostructured films by a systematic study on the optimal conditions required for the detection of a specifically selected (model) material, the antitumor drug mitoxantrone (MTX).

Polymer Conformation under Confinement.

The conformation of polymer chains under confinement is investigated in intercalated polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites. Hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)/sodium montmorillonite, PEO/Na⁺-MMT, hybrids were prepared utilizing melt intercalation with compositions where the polymer chains are mostly within the ~1 nm galleries of the inorganic material. The polymer chains are completely amorphous in all compositions even at temperatures where the bulk polymer is highly crystalline.

The effect of the degree of oxidation on broadband nonlinear absorption and ferromagnetic ordering in graphene oxide.

We report on the effect of the degree of oxidation on the broadband non-linear optical response and magnetic behavior of graphene oxide, as well as on a route for obtaining reduced graphene oxide with enhanced optical properties without sacrificing the high dispersibility of the parent graphene oxide. As more sp(3) states evolved with the rise in oxidation degree, it turned out that the sp(2)/sp(3) fraction and sp(2) clustering are crucial parameters for tuning the broadband non-linear optical absorption over a wide range from ps to ns laser pulses for both visible and infrared laser irradiation. This was clearly confirmed by two different approaches, namely by a synthetic route through the gradual oxidation of graphene oxide from 1 to 3 oxidizing cycles, and reversely by in situ reduction of graphene oxide by UV laser irradiation.

Effect of in vitro aging on the flexural strength and probability to fracture of Y-TZP zirconia ceramics for all-ceramic restorations.

Objectives: Dental zirconia restorations should present long-term clinical survival and be in service within the oral environment for many years. However, low temperature degradation could affect their mechanical properties and survival. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of in vitro aging on the flexural strength of yttrium-stabilized (Y-TZP) zirconia ceramics for ceramic restorations.

Micro-Raman and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy data fusion for the classification of ochre pigments.

Two different data-fusion strategies are evaluated for the combination of the outputs of combined Raman/X-Ray fluorescence instrument. The studied application deals with the classification of ochre pigments investigated in the field of cultural heritage. The two fusion strategies are: (1) first level fusion: combines raw signals obtained from each technique and (2) second level fusion: combines extracted features provided individually by each technique.

Evaluating a Cumaean Sibyl: Domenichino or later? A multi analytical approach.

The purpose of this study is to clarify important details about a Cumaean Sibyl painting that is preserved in a private collection. This work, bearing neither signature nor date, has never undergone conservation. It was executed after Domenichino's Cumaean Sibyl, a work known to have been used as a model by many 18th century painters.

Fuzzy logic for identifying pigments studied by Raman spectroscopy.

Fuzzy logic and linguistic variables are used for the automatic interpretation of Raman spectra obtained from pigments found in cultural heritage art objects. Featured bands are extracted from a Raman spectrum of a reference pigment and the methodology for constructing the library is illustrated. An unknown spectrum is then interpreted automatically and a process for identifying the corresponding pigment is described.