Comparison of Calculation Methods of Elastic Bonding: Limits of the Gamma Method Using an Example of a Wood-Concrete Composite Floor with Single Loads.

Various methods are available for the calculation of timber-concrete composite floors. The gamma method, which is important in construction practice, as well as the differential equation method, are based on the simplified assumption of a continuous bond between wood and concrete. This makes it possible to analytically calculate the internally statically indeterminate partial section sizes and deformation sizes, analogous to the force size method.

Promoted formation of stereocomplex in enantiomeric poly(lactic acid)s induced by cellulose nanofibers.

Stereocomplex (SC) crystallization between enantiomeric poly(-lactic acid) (PLLA) and poly(-lactic acid) (PDLA) is believed to yield poly(lactic acid) (PLA) with superior physiochemical properties. However, homocrystallization (HC) crystallites are inevitably generated in the PLLA/PDLA blends. Herein, we report a simple approach to fabricate PLLA/PDLA racemic blends with high contents of SC crystallites by introducing cellulose nanofibers (CNFs).

Biomimetic anti-freezing polymeric hydrogels: keeping soft-wet materials active in cold environments.

As one of the most outstanding materials, the analysis of the structure and function of hydrogels has been extensively carried out to tailor and adapt them to various fields of application. The high water content, which is beneficial for plenty of applications in the biomedical setting, prevents the adoption of hydrogels in flexible electronics and sensors in real life applications, because hydrogels lose their excellent properties, including conductivity, transparency, flexibility, etc., upon freezing at sub-zero temperatures.

Effectiveness of an ocular adhesive polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane hybrid thermo-responsive FK506 hydrogel in a murine model of dry eye.

Dry eye is a common ocular disease that results in discomfort and impaired vision, impacting an individual's quality of life. A great number of drugs administered in eye drops to treat dry eye are poorly soluble in water and are rapidly eliminated from the ocular surface, which limits their therapeutic effects. Therefore, it is imperative to design a novel drug delivery system that not only improves the water solubility of the drug but also prolongs its retention time on the ocular surface.

Analysis and Identification Genetic Effect of SARS-CoV-2 Infections to Alzheimer's Disease Patients by Integrated Bioinformatics.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis which results in millions of deaths and causes long-term neurological sequelae, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Objective: We aimed to explore the interaction between COVID-19 and AD by integrating bioinformatics to find the biomarkers which lead to AD occurrence and development with COVID-19 and provide early intervention.

Methods: The differential expressed genes (DEGs) were found by GSE147507 and GSE132903, respectively.

Strong intrinsic room-temperature ferromagnetism in freestanding non-van der Waals ultrathin 2D crystals.

Control of ferromagnetism is of critical importance for a variety of proposed spintronic and topological quantum technologies. Inducing long-range ferromagnetic order in ultrathin 2D crystals will provide more functional possibility to combine their unique electronic, optical and mechanical properties to develop new multifunctional coupled applications. Recently discovered intrinsic 2D ferromagnetic crystals such as CrGeTe, CrI and FeGeTe are intrinsically ferromagnetic only below room temperature, mostly far below room temperature (Curie temperature, ~20-207 K).

Cationic peptide-based salt-responsive antibacterial hydrogel dressings for wound healing.

Development of biological dressings has received widespread attentions due to their good breathability, biocompatibility, wettability, and the ability to absorb wound exudate without sticking to the wound. However, current proposed antibacterial hydrogels are limited antibacterial ability, short service life and insufficient biocompatibility, which are still challenging to address intricate practical applications. Here we develop a cationic peptide-based, salt-responsive hydrogel dressing with triple functions of antifouling, bactericidal, and bacterial release by combining ε-poly-l-lysine, poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether, and poly(DVBAPS-co-GMA) via a one-pot method.

Robust and Multifunctional Porous Polyetheretherketone Fiber Fabricated via a Microextrusion CO Foaming.

Fabrication of multifunctional porous fibers with excellent mechanical properties has attracted abundant attention in the fields of personal thermal management textiles and smart wearable devices. However, the high cost and harsh preparation environment of the traditional solution-solvent phase separation method for making porous fibers aggravates the problems of resource consumption and environmental pollution. Herein, a microextrusion process that combines environmentally friendly CO physical foaming with fused deposition modeling technology is proposed, via the dual features of high gas uptake and restricted cell growth, to implement the continuous production of porous polyetheretherketone (PEEK) fibers with a production efficiency of 10.

Recent Progress in Superhydrophilic Carbon-Based Composite Membranes for Oil/Water Emulsion Separation.

The purification of stabilized oil/water emulsions is essential to meet the ever increasing demand for monitoring water in the environment, which has been addressed with superwetting carbon-based separation membranes. These include superhydrophilic carbon-based membranes whose progress in recent years and perspectives are reviewed in this paper. The membrane construction strategy is organized into four parts, vacuum-assisted self-assembly, sol-gel process, electrospinning, and vacuum-assisted filtration.

Thermal Stability of Nanosilica-Modified Poly(vinyl chloride).

The thermal stability of PVC with 1 wt % of spherical porous nanosilica, prepared by roll milling at processing time varied from 1 to 20 min, was investigated by means of visual color changes, Congo red, and thermogravimetric tests (TGA and DTG), as a function of rolling time and composition of PVC matrix. The melt flow rate (MFR) measurements were realized to identify the degradation-induced changes of processing properties. A high level of gelation of the PVC matrix for all samples was verified by DSC (differential scanning calorimetry).

Recent progress in the shape deformation of polymeric hydrogels from memory to actuation.

Shape deformation hydrogels, which are one of the most promising and essential classes of stimuli-responsive polymers, could provide large-scale and reversible deformation under external stimuli. Due to their wet and soft properties, shape deformation hydrogels are anticipated to be a candidate for the exploration of biomimetic materials, and have shown various potential applications in many fields. Here, an overview of the mechanisms of shape deformation hydrogels and methods for their preparation is presented.

Facile Synthesis of Unimodal Polymethacrylates with Narrow Dispersity via NIR LED Light-Controlled Bromine-Iodine Transformation Reversible-Deactivation Radical Polymerization.

A facile and clean strategy for synthesizing unimodal polymethacrylates with narrow dispersity (Đ < 1.10) is successfully developed by a near-infrared (NIR) light-emitting diode (LED) light (λ = 740 nm)-controlled in situ bromine-iodine transformation reversible-deactivation radical polymerization system without the use of NIR dyes and expensive catalysts. In this system, alkyl iodide ethyl α-iodophenylacetate (EIPA) initiator is generated in situ by the nucleophilic substitution reaction between an alkyl bromide compound ethyl α-bromophenylacetate and sodium iodide (NaI).

Pore Development during the Carbonization Process of Lignin Microparticles Investigated by Small Angle X-ray Scattering.

Application of low-cost carbon black from lignin highly depends on the materials properties, which might by determined by raw material and processing conditions. Four different technical lignins were subjected to thermostabilization followed by stepwise heat treatment up to a temperature of 2000 °C in order to obtain micro-sized carbon particles. The development of the pore structure, graphitization and inner surfaces were investigated by X-ray scattering complemented by scanning electron microscopy and FTIR spectroscopy.

High-frequency vibration effects on the hole integrity in rotary ultrasonic drilling of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic composites.

This investigation represented a fundamental research on the potential effects of the high-frequency vibration on the hole integrity involved in rotary ultrasonic drilling (RUD) of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites. It was found the increased thickness of the CFRP plate shrunk the flowing velocity of the coolant, which brought about the residual chippings gradually accumulated at the radial clearance between the tool and the material. Furthermore, the chipping accumulation at the clearance seriously increased the friction effects and the resultant thermal load, thus leading to the chipping adhesions on the tool surface and machined cylinder jamming at the central hole of the tool.

A green fabrication method of poly (lactic acid) perforated membrane via tuned crystallization and gas diffusion process.

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) perforated membrane is typically obtained through the solvent-volatilization-induced or non-solvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) method. However, the residual organic solvents would unavoidably limit the application of PLA perforated membrane in biomedical and high-end water purification fields. Herein, an innovative solution-free method was proposed for preparing the PLA perforated membrane via a simple and environmentally friendly way.

Superior Wear-Resistance of TiCT Multilayer Coatings.

Owing to MXenes' tunable mechanical properties induced by their structural and chemical diversity, MXenes are believed to compete with state-of-the-art 2D nanomaterials such as graphene regarding their tribological performance. Their nanolaminate structure offers weak interlayer interactions and an easy-to-shear ability to render them excellent candidates for solid lubrication. However, the acting friction and wear mechanisms are yet to be explored.

In Situ Nitrogen Retention of Carbon Anode for Enhancing the Electrochemical Performance for Sodium-Ion Battery.

Retaining nitrogen for polyacrylonitrile (PAN) based carbon anode is a cost-effective way to make full use of the advantages of PAN for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Here, a simple strategy has been successfully adopted to retain N atoms in situ and increase production yield of a novel composite PAZ by mixing 3 wt % of zinc borate (ZB) with poly (acrylonitrile-co-itaconic acid) (PANIA). Among the prepared carbonised fibre (CF) samples, PAZ-CF-700 maintains the highest N content, retaining 90 % of the original N from PANIA.

Peroxo Species Formed in the Bulk of Silicate Cathodes.

Oxygen redox in Li-rich oxides may boost the energy density of lithium-ion batteries by incorporating oxygen chemistry in solid cathodes. However, oxygen redox in the bulk usually entangles with voltage hysteresis and oxygen release, resulting in a prolonged controversy in literature on oxygen transformation. Here, we report spectroscopic evidence of peroxo species formed and confined in silicate cathodes amid oxygen redox at high voltage, accompanied by Co /Co redox dominant at low voltage.

Sphagnum Inspired g-C N Nano/Microspheres with Smaller Bandgap in Heterojunction Membranes for Sunlight-Driven Water Purification.

Membrane separation is recognized as one of the most effective strategies to treat the complicated wastewater system for economic development. However, serious membrane fouling has restricted its further application. Inspired by sphagnum, a 0D/2D heterojunction composite membrane is engineered by depositing graphitic carbon nitride nano/microspheres (CNMS) with plentiful wrinkles onto the polyacrylic acid functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs-PAA) membrane through hydrogen bond force.

Tillandsia-Inspired Hygroscopic Photothermal Organogels for Efficient Atmospheric Water Harvesting.

Tillandsia species with degenerated roots have evolved into hygroscopic leaves that absorb moisture from air. This interesting biological adaptability has inspired us to develop an integrated hygroscopic photothermal organogel (POG) to achieve a solar-powered atmospheric water harvesting (AWH). The well-designed hydrophilic co-polymeric skeleton is fabricated to accommodate hygroscopic glycerin medium, which enables the POG self-contained property, mechanically flexibility and synergistic enhancement of moisture sorption.

Multifunctional Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Based Hybrid Porous Materials for CO Uptake and Iodine Adsorption.

In this study, two different types of hybrid porous organic polymers (POPs), polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane tetraphenylpyrazine (POSS-TPP) and tetraphenylethene (POSS-TPE), were successfully synthesized through the Friedel-Crafts polymerization of tetraphenylpyrazine (TPP) and tetraphenylethene (TPE), respectively, with octavinylsilsesquioxane (OVS) as node building blocks, in the presence of anhydrous FeCl as a catalyst and 1,2-dichloroethane at 60 °C. Based on N adsorption and thermogravimetric analyses, the resulting hybrid porous materials displayed high surface areas (270 m/g for POSS-TPP and 741 m/g for POSS-TPE) and outstanding thermal stabilities. Furthermore, as-prepared POSS-TPP exhibited a high carbon dioxide capacity (1.

The Influence of Sub-Zero Conditions on the Mechanical Properties of Polylactide-Based Composites.

Polylactide-based composites filled with waste fillers due to their sustainability are a subject of many current papers, in which their structural, mechanical, and thermal properties are evaluated. However, few studies focus on their behavior in low temperatures. In this paper, dynamic and quasi-static mechanical properties of polylactide-based composites filled with 10 wt% of linseed cake (a by-product of mechanical oil extraction from linseed) were evaluated at room temperature and at -40 °C by means of dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), Charpy's impact strength test and uniaxial tensile test.

Multifunctional CNTs-PAA/MIL101(Fe)@Pt Composite Membrane for High-throughput Oily Wastewater Remediation.

A surge of effort has been devoted to establishing super-wetting membranes with versatility for oily waste water purification. However, persistent challenge remains the lower separation flux. Moreover, the majorities of catalysts are only adsorbed on the surface and easily fall off after multiple cyclic separations.

Stabilizing γ-CsPbI Perovskite via Phenylethylammonium for Efficient Solar Cells with Open-Circuit Voltage over 1.3 V.

Cesium lead iodide (CsPbI ) perovskite has gained great attention due to its potential thermal stability and appropriate bandgap (≈1.73 eV) for tandem cells. However, the moisture-induced thermodynamically unstable phase and large open-circuit voltage (V ) deficit and also the low efficiency seriously limit its further development.

Actuating Supramolecular Shape Memorized Hydrogel Toward Programmable Shape Deformation.

Inspired by nature, diverse biomimetic hydrogel actuators are fabricated and become one of the most essential components of bionics research. Usually, the anisotropic structure of a hydrogel actuator is generated at the early fabrication process, only a specific shape transformation behavior can be produced under external stimuli, and thus has limited the development of hydrogel actuators toward the biomimetic shape deformation behavior. Herein, a novel bilayer hydrogel having a thermoresponsive actuating layer and a metal ion-responsive memorizing layer is proposed, therefore, a 2D hydrogel film can be fixed into various 3D shapes via supramolecular metal-ligand coordination, with further realizing programmable 4D shape deformation under the stimulus of temperature.