Hydrophobicity, olephobicity, hemophobicity, amphiphobicity, omniphobicity, icephobicity [...
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInhibitors for the prevention of corrosion in reinforced concrete are chemical substances able to reduce carbon steel reinforcements corrosion without altering the overall properties of concrete. Today, many commercially available substances have a negative impact on human safety during either the inhibitor synthesis, their handling or application in field. Green corrosion inhibitors are nontoxic, biodegradable and environmentally biocompatible substances.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe topic of sustainability of reinforced concrete structures is strictly related with their durability in aggressive environments. In particular, at equal environmental impact, the higher the durability of construction materials, the higher the sustainability. The present review deals with the possible strategies aimed at producing sustainable and durable reinforced concrete structures in different environments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCellulose derivatives have found significant applications in composite materials, mainly because of the increased mechanical performance they ensure. When added to cement-based materials, either in the form of nanocrystals, nanofibrils or micro/nanofibers, cellulose acts on the mixture with fresh and hardened properties, affecting rheology, shrinkage, hydration, and the resulting mechanical properties, microstructure, and durability. Commercial cotton wool was selected as starting material to produce multifunctional nanocelluloses to test as additives for mortars.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this paper, we report the preparation of a new composite (TiO/SiO/γ-FeO/rGO) with a high photocatalytic efficiency. The properties of the composite were examined by different analyses, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), photoluminescence (PL), UV-Visible light diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman, vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), and nitrogen gas physisorption (BET) studies. The photocatalytic efficiency of the proposed composite was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue under UV and visible light, and the results were compared with titanium dioxide (TiO), where degradation increased from 30% to 84% and 4% to 66% under UV and visible light, respectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA novel nanohybrid composite of TiO, SiO, γ-FeO, and reduced graphene oxide (TiO@Si:Fe:rGO) is fabricated by the sol-gel method. The properties of the coated film were examined by structural and self-cleaning analyses using simulated discoloration/soiling and roofing tests. The fabricated transparent TiO@Si:Fe:rGO composite showed excellent photoactivity and wettability, behaving well in self-cleaning applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhotoactivity represents the ability of a material to activate when interacting with light. It can be declined in many ways, and several functionalities arising from this behavior of materials can be exploited, all leading to positive repercussions on our environment. There are several classes of effects of photoactivity, all of which have been deeply investigated in the last few decades, allowing researchers to develop more and more efficient materials and devices.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis review presents "a state of the art" report on sustainability in construction materials. The authors propose different solutions to make the concrete industry more environmentally friendly in order to reduce greenhouse gases emissions and consumption of non-renewable resources. Part 1-the present paper-focuses on the use of binders alternative to Portland cement, including sulfoaluminate cements, alkali-activated materials, and geopolymers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe availability of immobilized nanostructured photocatalysts is of great importance in the purification of both polluted air and liquids (e.g., industrial wastewaters).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Appl Biomater Funct Mater
January 2018
Titanium is well known as one of the most corrosion-resistant metals. However, it can suffer corrosion attacks in some specific aggressive conditions. To further increase its corrosion resistance, it is possible either to modify its surface, tuning either thickness, composition, morphology or structure of the oxide that spontaneously forms on the metal, or to modify its bulk composition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Appl Biomater Funct Mater
November 2017
Titanium has outstanding corrosion resistance due to the external natural oxide protective layer formed when it is exposed to an aerated environment. Despite this, titanium may suffer different forms of corrosion in severe environments: uniform corrosion, pitting and crevice corrosion, hydrogen embrittlement, stress-corrosion cracking, fretting corrosion and erosion. In this first review, forms of corrosion affecting titanium are analyzed based on a wide literature review.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA new protocol to synthesize size-controlled Au nanoparticles (NPs) loaded onto vertically aligned anatase TiO nanotubes arrays (TNTAs) prepared by electrochemical anodization is reported. Ligand-free Au NPs (<10 nm) were deposited onto anatase TNTAs supports, finely tuning the Au loading by controlling the immersion time of the support into metal vapor synthesis (MVS)-derived Au-acetone solutions. The Au/TNTAs composites were characterized by electron microscopies (SEM, (S)TEM), X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: In the past few years there has been growing interest in memristive devices. These devices rely on thin metal oxide films with a peculiar structure and composition, making precise control of oxide features vital. To this end, anodic oxidation allows a very large range of oxides to be formed on the surface of valve metals, whose thickness, structure and functional properties depend on the process parameters introduced.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe exploited the ability of photocatalytic titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) as an agent for the biofilm control. Two photocatalytic systems were investigated: a 3 g L(-1) suspension of TiO(2) nanopowder in demineralized water and glass slides coated with a TiO(2) thin film, achieved by sol-gel deposition. A running protocol for the photoactivation of TiO(2) was set up using the dye rhodamine B.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Appl Biomater Biomech
March 2012
Titanium biomaterials are widely employed to produce medical components, such as hip and knee-joint prostheses, bone plates and screws, dental implants, pacemaker cases, surgical equipment, etc. Their diffusion is ascribed to the broad spectrum of optimal mechanical and surface properties, such as the corrosion resistance and correlated low ionic release, the biocompatibility, and especially, the enhanced osseointegration that can be achieved by surface modifications, particularly by suitable anodizing treatments. This review is intended to provide a survey of the wide class of anodic oxidation treatments on titanium, focusing on the oxide structures, morphologies, and compositions that best apply to the variegated fields of titanium applications.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Appl Biomater Biomech
October 2012
Purpose: The research presented is aimed at the characterization of the mechanical resistance of an innovative system of an abutment-fixture connection in dental implants. This innovative connection system is composed of a triangular prismatic connection designed to improve the anti-rotational properties of the implant, and to seal any gap between the abutment and the fixture.
Methods: The mechanical performances of the dental implant system were investigated by means of static mechanical strength tests, which allowed the identification of the bending, torque and compression resistance of the system, and fatigue testing, according to the practice standard - ISO 14801.