Particle Characteristics' Influence on FLASH Sintering of Potassium Sodium Niobate: A Relationship with Conduction Mechanisms.

The considerable decrease in temperature and time makes FLASH sintering a more sustainable alternative for materials processing. FLASH also becomes relevant if volatile elements are part of the material to be processed, as in alkali-based piezoelectrics like the promising lead-free KNaNbO (KNN). Due to the volatile nature of K and Na, KNN is difficult to process by conventional sintering.

Effect of Solution Conditions on the Properties of Sol-Gel Derived Potassium Sodium Niobate Thin Films on Platinized Sapphire Substrates.

If piezoelectric micro-devices based on KNaNbO (KNN) thin films are to achieve commercialization, it is critical to optimize the films' performance using low-cost scalable processing conditions. Here, sol-gel derived KNN thin films are deposited using 0.2 and 0.

Sustainability criteria for assessing nanotechnology applicability in industrial wastewater treatment: Current status and future outlook.

Application of engineered nanomaterials for the treatment of industrial effluents and to deal with recalcitrant pollutants has been noticeably promoted in recent years. Laboratory, pilot and full-scale studies emphasize the potential of this technology to offer promising treatment options to meet the future needs for clean water resources and to comply with stringent environmental regulations. The technology is now in the stage of being transferred to the real applications.

Pairing High Piezoelectric Coefficients, d, with High Curie Temperature (T) in Lead-Free (K,Na)NbO.

The largest piezoelectric properties, d = 416 pC/N and 490 pC/N, in KNaNbO ceramics have been reported for compositions close to polymorphic phase transition (PPT); however, they also have Curie temperatures, T, of around 217-304 °C, considerably lower than those of undoped KNN ceramics (420 °C). High d along with high T remains the ideal choice for applications but, unfortunately, not attained up to now. Here, we show that using KNN single crystals as seeds for template grain growth (TGG) of KNN ceramics enables dramatic improvements in the electromechanical properties while maintaining a high T.

Complex effect of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles on the differentiation and functional activity of human pre-osteoclastic cells.

Nanosized hydroxyapatite (HA) is a promising material in clinical applications targeting the bone tissue. NanoHA is able to modulate bone cellular events, which accounts for its potential utility, but also raises safety concerns regarding the maintenance of the bone homeostasis. This work analyses the effects of HA nanoparticles (HAnp) on osteoclastic differentiation and activity, an issue that has been barely addressed.