Article
Energy & Fuels
Ihor Zavaliy, Vasyl Berezovets, Roman Denys, Oleksandr Kononiuk, Volodymyr Yartys
Summary: The catalytic effect of eta-Zr3V3O0.6 mixed suboxide and graphite additives on MgH2 properties in hydrogen storage and generation processes was investigated. Hydride composites were obtained by reactive ball milling and characterized using XRD and SEM. The addition of Zr3V3O0.6 and graphite significantly enhanced hydrogen absorption and desorption rates, as well as lowered the activation energy and desorption temperature. The synthesized composite showed improved kinetics and enhanced hydrogenation capacity, making it a promising material for hydrogen storage. The catalytic composites also exhibited efficient hydrogen generation in hydrolysis reaction. Overall, the research received a rating of 8 out of 10.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Tatiana Priamushko, Patrick Guggenberger, Andreas Mautner, John Lee, Ryong Ryoo, Freddy Kleitz
Summary: In this study, highly ordered mesoporous mixed metal oxides were synthesized using the nanocasting technique and low-temperature calcination in a quasi-sealed container. The resulting electrocatalysts exhibited improved electrocatalytic properties for water splitting reactions in alkaline media.
ACS APPLIED ENERGY MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
V. V. Berezovets, R. Denys, I. Yu Zavaliy, Yu Kosarchyn
Summary: MgH2-based nanocomposites were synthesized using reactive ball milling and various catalytic additives. The additives improved the hydrogen absorption-desorption kinetics and stability of the composites. Nano-Ti showed the most stable hydrogen absorption-desorption characteristics compared to TiO2 and Ti4Fe2Ox additives.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
N. Y. Yusnizam, N. A. Ali, N. A. Sazelee, M. M. Nasef, A. A. Jalil, M. Ismail
Summary: This study investigated the effect of barium cobalt fluoride (BaCoF4) on the de-/rehydrogenation properties of magnesium hydride (MgH2) for the first time. The addition of 10 wt% BaCoF4 significantly enhanced the de-/rehydrogenation kinetics and hydrogen absorption capacity of MgH2. BaCoF4 lowered the desorption temperature, improved the sorption kinetics, and reduced the activation energy for hydrogen desorption of MgH2 by forming CoF3 and Ba or Ba-containing species.
JOURNAL OF ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Kudzaishe Caren Tome, Senliang Xi, Yuanyi Fu, Chang Lu, Ni Lu, Meili Guan, Shixue Zhou, Hao Yu
Summary: This study investigates the catalytic effect of Ni and ZrO2 nanoparticles on the hydrogen absorption and desorption properties of MgH2. The nanocomposites were prepared using high-energy ball-milling and characterized by various techniques. The homogenous dispersion of ZrO2 and Ni nanoparticles in the MgH2 matrix significantly decreases the apparent activation energy for dehydrogenation, resulting in improved hydrogenation and dehydrogenation kinetics.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Estefania Velez-Pena, Ruddy Morales, Carlos Reyes-Escobar, Cecilia C. Torres, Marcia Avello, Kelly P. Marrugo, Joaquin Manzo-Merino, Joel B. Alderete, Cristian H. Campos
Summary: Non-silica-based metal oxide nanomaterials, especially those with significant porosity, are promising drug nanocarriers with enhanced biocompatibility compared to silica-based nanocarriers. In this study, lanthanum-manganese and barium-titanium mixed oxide mesoporous materials were synthesized and evaluated as new drug nanocarriers for methotrexate. The nanocarriers showed high drug loading efficiency, pH-dependent drug release, and different biocompatibility properties.
JOURNAL OF DRUG DELIVERY SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Huanhuan Zhang, Qianqian Kong, Song Hu, Dafeng Zhang, Haipeng Chen, Chunbao Charles Xu, Baojun Li, Yanping Fan, Baozhong Liu
Summary: A Na2Ti3O7-O-v catalyst synthesized from Ti3C2-MXene was found to significantly enhance the hydrogen storage performance of MgH2, reducing the initial dehydrogenation temperature and improving hydrogen absorption/desorption kinetics. Experimental and theoretical calculations data confirmed that the oxygen vacancies in Na2Ti3O7-O-v play a key role in reducing reaction activation energy during MgH2 dehydrogenation, leading to excellent hydrogen storage kinetics. This work provides a new design strategy for defect-based nanocatalysts for the MgH2 hydrogen storage system.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Wanchai Deeloed, Tatiana Priamushko, Jakub Cizek, Songwut Suramitr, Freddy Kleitz
Summary: In this study, defect-rich ordered mesoporous spinel oxides were developed as bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction and evolution reactions (ORR and OER). Chemical treatment with a NaBH4 solution enhanced the defect concentration and contributed to improved catalytic activity. The results provide insights into the development of highly active electrocatalysts through defect engineering methods.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhewen Ma, Subrata Panda, Qiuyu Zhang, Fengzhan Sun, Darvaish Khan, Wenjiang Ding, Jianxin Zou
Summary: A novel scaffold material (CoS-NBs) was developed, successfully nanoconfining MgH2 particles within its mesoporous structure, resulting in the MgH2@CoS-NBs composite. The uniform distribution of MgH2 nanocrystals within the scaffold, surface decoration by MgS phase, and nano-size effect notably enhance the thermodynamic properties and hydrogen sorption kinetics.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Ting-Zhi Si, Xue-Yang Zhang, Jing-Jing Feng, Xiao-Li Ding, Yong-Tao Li
Summary: Comparative study on ball-milled MgH2 with varied Ni particle sizes showed that Mg + nano-Ni (5 at%) composites significantly decreased the onset desorption temperature and greatly enhanced absorption kinetics. This enhancement is attributed to the superior catalytic effect of Ni, which depends on its particle size and close contact with MgH2.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Min Hu, Qing Zhu, Yuan Zhao, Guozhen Zhang, Chongwen Zou, Oleg Prezhdo, Jun Jiang
Summary: The study proposed an effective strategy of removing oxygen vacancy bulk defects in metal oxides by evaporating hydrogen dopants, which lowers the migration barrier of V-O and pushes V-O away. The coevaporation mechanism was supported by a neural networks potential-based molecular dynamics simulation.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Huafeng Fu, Jia Hu, Yangfan Lu, Xiaomei Li, Yu'an Chen, Fusheng Pan
Summary: By incorporating bimetallic oxide MnV2O6 as a catalyst in MgH2, the hydrogen desorption kinetics and low-temperature reversible hydrogen storage performance are significantly improved.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Eli Grigorova, Pavel Markov, Boyko Tsyntsarski, Peter Tzvetkov, Ivanka Stoycheva
Summary: This study investigates the hydrogen sorption performance of materials based on 80 wt.% MgH2 with the addition of 15 wt.% Ni or V and 5 wt.% activated carbons synthesized from polyolefin wax, a waste product from polyethylene production (POW), walnut shells (CAN), and peach stones (CPS). The composition and performance of the samples are analyzed through milling, hydrogenation, X-ray diffraction, and TEM.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ying Cheng, Wei Zhang, Biqing Shi, Siqi Li, Bing Dong, Yulian Quan, Xianbin Ji
Summary: Magnesium hydride (MgH2) is a promising solid-state hydrogen storage material due to its high capacity, abundance, and reversibility. However, its practical application is limited by high dehydrogenation temperatures and sluggish kinetics. Doping catalysts, such as CeMnZr, have been found to significantly improve the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2. The presence of CeMnZr reduces the decomposition temperature and enhances the absorption and desorption capacities of MgH2.
KOREAN JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Puttimate Thongtan, Sophida Thiangviriya, Oliver Utke, Rapee Utke
Summary: This study investigates the performance of a MgH2-based hydrogen storage tank with enhanced packing volume and finds that the loading content of MWCNTs significantly affects the thermal conductivity and hydrogen diffusion in the tank. By increasing the MWCNTs content, the hydrogen sorption kinetics is improved, leading to an enhancement in the reversible hydrogen capacity. The de/rehydrogenation behavior of the tank at different positions is also studied.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICS AND CHEMISTRY OF SOLIDS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Marzia Mureddu, Jose F. Bartolome, Sonia Lopez-Esteban, Maria Dore, Stefano Enzo, Alvaro Garcia, Sebastiano Garroni, Lorena Pardo
Summary: Lead-free (Ba0.92Ca0.08)(Ti-0.95 Zr-0.05) O-3 (BCZT) ceramics were successfully prepared using solid-state route and low-temperature synthesis. The activation and homogenization process significantly decreased the perovskite formation temperature. The elimination of secondary phases was achieved through a two-step sintering treatment, resulting in a pure phase BCZT ceramic with excellent electromechanical properties.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Deepti Raj, Gabriele Barrera, Federico Scaglione, Federica Celegato, Matteo Cialone, Marco Coisson, Paola Tiberto, Jordi Sort, Paola Rizzi, Eva Pellicer
Summary: Dense and mesoporous FePd nanowires were successfully fabricated using template- and micelle-assisted pulsed potentiostatic electrodeposition. The structural and magnetic properties of the nanowires were investigated, and it was found that the mesoporous core and dense shell structure slightly affected the magnetic properties. Moreover, the mesoporous nanowires showed excellent performance as SERS substrates for the detection of 4,4'-bipyridine, attributed to the mesoporous morphology and the close proximity of the embedded nanowires enabling localized surface plasmon resonance.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Ilaria Frosi, Daniela Vallelonga, Raffaella Colombo, Chiara Milanese, Adele Papetti
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the polyphenolic extract from rice husk's ability to counteract protein glycation at different stages, using in vitro assays. Microwave-assisted extraction was used to recover the polyphenols, and the extraction parameters were optimized. The extract showed dose-dependent activity in inhibiting fructosamine formation in the early stage of glycation and almost completely inhibited advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the middle stage, as well as demonstrating good trapping ability against alpha-dicarbonyl intermediates. The presence of ten polyphenols, mainly hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids, supported the results.
Article
Biology
Agostina Vitali, Maria Paola Demichelis, Greta Di Martino, Ian Postuma, Silva Bortolussi, Andrea Falqui, Chiara Milanese, Chiara Ferrara, Patrizia Sommi, Umberto Anselmi-Tamburini
Summary: In this study, multifunctional boron carbide nanoparticles stabilized with polyacrylic acid (PAA) and a gadolinium (Gd)-rich solid phase were synthesized and their biological activity was evaluated. The incorporation of a fluorophore (DiI) allowed for confocal microscopy imaging of the nanoparticles. Novel correlative microscopy techniques were employed to analyze the interaction and activity of these fluorescent Gd-containing B4C nanoparticles (FGdBNPs) with cultured cells. The results indicate that these nanoparticles have the potential to achieve high boron concentration in tumor cells.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Teklit Gebregiorgis Ambaye, Francesca Formicola, Silvia Sbaffoni, Shiv Prasad, Chiara Milanese, Francesco Saverio Robustelli della Cuna, Andrea Franzetti, Mentore Vaccari
Summary: This study conducted an experiment to treat soil polluted with petroleum hydrocarbon using a hybrid electro-Fenton and biological process stimulated with long-chain rhamnolipids. The results showed that the optimized electrolysis time for the electro-Fenton was 12 h, and the combined system achieved 93.6% PHC degradation after 72 h. GC-MS analysis confirmed the formation of various compounds during the PHCs degradation process.
Article
Energy & Fuels
W. A. M. A. N. Illankoon, Chiara Milanese, Anurudda Karunarathna Karunarathna, A. M. Y. W. Alahakoon, Puhulwella G. Rathnasiri, Maria Medina-Llamas, Maria Cristina Collivignarelli, Sabrina Sorlini
Summary: This study designs and develops a pyrolysis reactor for producing biochar from rice husks. The main objective is to develop a technology that can easily control pyrolysis temperature and biomass residence time under field and household conditions. The reactor achieves a biochar yield of 49% with a production rate of 1.8 kg/h, and the gaseous products from pyrolysis can be used as fuel for the process.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Debora Maria Conti, Cristina Fusaro, Giovanna Bruni, Pietro Galinetto, Benedetta Albini, Chiara Milanese, Vittorio Berbenni, Doretta Capsoni
Summary: ZnS-graphene composites were synthesized and loaded onto carbon nanofibers to obtain self-standing anodes for SIBs. The ZnS nanocrystals with sphalerite structure covered by graphene sheets were successfully synthesized. The self-standing anodes showed improved specific capacity at high C-rate compared to the tape-casted example.
Article
Agronomy
W. A. M. A. N. Illankoon, Chiara Milanese, A. K. Karunarathna, Kumuditha D. Hikkaduwa Epa Liyanage, A. M. Y. W. Alahakoon, Puhulwella G. Rathnasiri, Maria Cristina Collivignarelli, Sabrina Sorlini
Summary: Circular bioeconomy methodologies were applied to examine value-adding entrepreneurial activities for rice industry by-products (RIB) in Sri Lanka. Biochar production was identified as the optimal valorization strategy for RIB management. The development of a sustainable business model for biochar production was done based on commercial motivations and value addition in the manufacturing processes. Successful implementation of sustainable circular business models requires subsidies, regulations, collective actions, and marketing strategies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Piersandro Pallavicini, Luca Preti, Maria L. Protopapa, Daniela Carbone, Laura Capodieci, Yuri A. Diaz Fernandez, Chiara Milanese, Angelo Taglietti, Lavinia Doveri
Summary: A synthetic approach was developed to prepare silica gel monoliths embedded with well separated silver or gold spherical nanoparticles with different diameters. The oxidation and removal of silver nanoparticles from silica was achieved using Fe3+, O-2/cysteine, and HNO3, while aqua regia was necessary for gold nanoparticles. NP-imprinted silica powders were obtained by grinding the monoliths, which showed efficient reuptake of silver ultrafine nanoparticles and remarkable size selectivity based on the match between nanoparticle radius and cavity curvature. The materials and methods described in this paper may provide an efficient solution for capturing and safely disposing of silver ultrafine nanoparticles from environmental waters.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zheng Ma, Laura Fuentes-Rodriguez, Zhengwei Tan, Eva Pellicer, Llibertat Abad, Javier Herrero-Martin, Enric Menendez, Nieves Casan-Pastor, Jordi Sort
Summary: Magneto-ionics is a unique approach to control magnetism with electric field. This study demonstrates wireless control of magnetism through induced polarization in conducting materials, providing a new pathway for voltage-driven magnetism control. The results have potential applications in various fields such as bioelectronics, catalysis, neuromorphic computing, and wireless communications.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Maduka L. Weththimuni, Giacomo Fiocco, Chiara Milanese, Alberto Spinella, Maria Luisa Saladino, Marco Malagodi, Maurizio Licchelli
Summary: The aim of this research is to investigate the improvement of varnish resistance to different aging processes for classical violins. The traditional varnish was recreated in the laboratory and functionalized with a cross-linking agent. The functionalized varnish exhibited enhanced resistance to aging, particularly in terms of photostability and hardness.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Cristina Collivignarelli, Francesca Maria Caccamo, Stefano Bellazzi, Maria Medina Llamas, Sabrina Sorlini, Chiara Milanese
Summary: Due to decreasing rainfall, the problem of drought is becoming increasingly alarming. Direct reuse of treated wastewater, in compliance with current legislation, could be a solution to address water scarcity. This study analyzed wastewater treatment plants in the Lombardy region of Italy to identify the most critical parameters in their effluents. The use of biochar filters as a means of final adsorption for wastewater treatment plant effluents could improve water quality for direct reuse. The study also investigated the efficiency of removing various pollutants from real wastewater using batch adsorption tests.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zofia Nuc, Gloria Brusotti, Laura Catenacci, Ana Grenha, Jorge F. Pontes, Joana Pinto da Silva, Ana Maria Rosa da Costa, Paola Moro, Chiara Milanese, Pietro Grisoli, Milena Sorrenti, Aldona Dobrzycka-Krahel, Maria Cristina Bonferoni, Carla Marcella Caramella
Summary: This study extracted chitin and chitosan from the shells of two crayfish species and evaluated their physicochemical properties and activities. The obtained chitosan showed antimicrobial activity, with chitosan from F. limosus shells having better characteristics.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Aleksandra Bartkowska, Oriol Careta, Adam Benedict Turner, Andreu Blanquer, Elena Ibanez, Margarita Trobos, Carme Nogues, Eva Pellicer, Jordi Sort
Summary: Porous FeMn(-xAg) alloys were fabricated through powder metallurgy methods. The effects of porosity and Ag addition on the microstructure, biodegradability, magnetic and mechanical properties of the alloys were investigated. Cytocompatibility, inflammatory cytokine response, and antibacterial effect studies were also conducted. The fabricated alloys exhibited a macro- and nanoporous structure with uniformly distributed silver particles. The biodegradability tests showed higher release of Mn compared to Fe, without significant differences between the alloys. The degradation products mainly consisted of Fe, Mn, O, and compounds enriched in Ca, P, and Cl. The as-sintered alloys showed low saturation magnetization values, which did not significantly increase with immersion time. The biocompatibility results indicated that all tested alloys were non-cytotoxic, but the addition of Ag might interfere with cell proliferation. However, the ions released by the FeMn(-xAg) alloys did not induce an inflammatory response in macrophages. The obtained results on microbiological interactions revealed a significant reduction in the total biofilm biomass of both live and dead bacteria after 24 hours in Ag containing FeMn-5Ag surfaces, although no significant bactericidal effect was observed at 4 hours between FeMn control and FeMn-5Ag.
MATERIALS ADVANCES
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Damiano Angioni, Roberto Orru, Giacomo Cao, Sebastiano Garroni, Devis Bellucci, Valeria Cannillo
Summary: New Hydroxyapatite-Bioactive Glass composites were successfully developed in this study using different milling times to modify the properties and crystal structure of the materials. Ball milling promoted the consolidation of HA powders and reduced the crystallite size. Spark Plasma Sintering process changed the crystal structure and composition of the composites, affecting the mechanical properties. Moreover, the milling treatment showed no negative effects on cell viability.
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN CERAMIC SOCIETY
(2023)