Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Bogdan Lewczuk, Natalia Szyrynska
Summary: Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) offers high-resolution imaging, while field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) overcomes the limitation of analyzing large areas and volumes of biological samples posed by TEM. Various FE-SEM techniques have been developed in the 21st century for ultrastructural studies of cells, tissues, organs, and organisms, transforming the role of scanning electron microscopes (SEM) in biological and medical laboratories.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chunjie Li, Shili Guo, Songhao Shang, Pengcheng Qi, Bailian Li
Summary: This study aimed to compare the biochemical processes and mechanisms at the microaggregate scale for different land use types in the water source area of China's Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. The results showed that microaggregates from forests and shrublands had a flocculent spatial structure, while those from terraces had a nondirectional plate-like spatial structure, and those from cultivated land had a laminar spatial structure. The mineral composition and spatial structure of microaggregates are important determinants of soil biochemical processes and mechanisms.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zaka Ullah, Javed Rehman, Faheem Ur Rehman, Shagufta Gulbadan, Muhammad Adil Mahmood, Muhammad Azhar Khan
Summary: Perovskite type Ba1-xSrxZr0.2Ti0.8O3 ceramics were synthesized using a conventional solid-state reaction method, and their structure and properties were characterized. The results showed that the Ba1-xSrxTi0.8Zr0.2O3 composition does not transform from normal ferroelectric to relaxor ferroelectric in the current range. Diffusivity increases with increasing Sr concentration, while the transition temperature decreases.
APPLIED PHYSICS A-MATERIALS SCIENCE & PROCESSING
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Raja Soma Sundaram Pillai, Rajesh Rajamoni, Indran Suyambulingam, Isaac Rajamony Suthies Goldy, Divya Divakaran
Summary: The research focuses on using agricultural waste like Cymbopogon flexuosus plant shoot as reinforcement in biocomposites due to its abundance and eco-friendly nature. Carbonized CFPS is rich in SiO2 and hard ceramic particles, making it a feasible reinforcement option. Non-carbonized CFPS, on the other hand, has a semi-crystalline nature and can serve as a filler or substitute for silica-based inorganic fillers.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Arslan Ashfaq, Rasmiah S. Almufarij, Islam Ragab, Yasir Ali, Lamiaa G. Alharbe, Elsammani Ali Shokralla, S. M. Alghamdi, Emaan Alsubhe, Ohood Albeydani, Romulo R. Macadangdang Jr, Adnan Ali
Summary: The thermoelectric material BiAgSe2 is a strong candidate for energy conversion due to its low thermal conductivity. Through phase transition, grain refinement, and post-selenization treatment, the material's Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity can be improved, enhancing its thermoelectric performance.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Shengang Li, Chaozhe Zhang, Tianbiao Zhang, Wentao Li, Pengjiao Jia
Summary: The study found that cement improved the strength of saline soil, while micro-silica helped increase its frost-thaw cycle durability. Saline soil treated with a cement-micro-silica (CMS) binder showed the best performance, with higher compressive strength and lower collapsibility coefficient.
CASE STUDIES IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Muhammad Danish, Alia Ashraf, Zeshan Ali Sandhu, Muhammad Asam Raza, Ali Haider Bhalli, Abdullah G. Al-Sehemi
Summary: Nanocomposites of various metal sulfides were synthesized using a soft template method and characterized for their spectral, morphological, and electrochemical properties. The results showed that these composites exhibited desirable properties for potential energy storage applications.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Savani Vidana Pathiranagei, Ivan Gratchev
Summary: The study investigates the effect of high temperatures on the engineering properties of sandstone. Temperatures ranging from 200-400 degrees C are found to decrease porosity and increase rock strength, while temperatures above 600 degrees C result in a significant increase in porosity and decrease in strength. These changes are attributed to alterations in rock mineralogy and microstructure.
BULLETIN OF ENGINEERING GEOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Raja Rajeswary Suppiah, Pavithra Nermoggan, Nasir Shafiq
Summary: This paper presents an experimental investigation on the effects of temperature on the morphological characteristics of geopolymer binders. The results show that increasing temperature significantly impacts the geopolymerization process, resulting in better mechanical strength.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
F. A. Ibrahim, M. H. Habib
Summary: The study created silver vanadate nanosheets using the sol-gel process and found their uniform size distribution and superior electrochromic characteristics. The addition of silver enhanced the crystallinity of V2O5 and improved the compositions' performance, making them suitable for manufacturing electronic devices.
APPLIED PHYSICS A-MATERIALS SCIENCE & PROCESSING
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Jianguo Wu, Chao Luo, Kesu Zhong, Yi Li, Guoliang Li, Zhongming Du, Jijin Yang
Summary: To accurately and comprehensively analyze the properties of organic nanopores in marine shale, an integration method using helium ion microscope (HIM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), focused ion beam-HIM (FIB-HIM), and FIB-SEM was proposed. Results showed that organic pores below 10 nm significantly impact shale gas storage and productivity evaluation by affecting porosity, surface area, pore size distribution, and connectivity characteristics. The integration method revealed an increase in surface porosity by 10.73% and an increase in specific surface area by 76%. It also showed that the formation of organic nanopores occurs in multiple stages, with larger bubble pores appearing during oil generation and smaller spongy pores appearing during gas generation. The organic pores revealed by FIB-HIM exhibited higher coordination numbers and a higher proportion of inner-connected volume, indicating more complex connectivity characteristics. Despite limitations, these novel insights highlight the importance of exploring organic nanopores at the nanoscale and have the potential to inform further research in this field.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Shunchun Deng, Lang Liu, Pan Yang, Caixin Zhang, Yin Lv, Lei Xie
Summary: With the increase in global demand for lithium resources, the emissions of spodumene tailings, a waste product of extracting lithium from spodumene, are also increasing. This study investigates the influence of tailings-cement ratios (TCR) and solid mass concentration (SC) on the mechanical properties, hydration characteristics, and microstructure of early cemented tailings backfill (CSTB). The findings show that TCR and SC have significant effects on the compressive strength, hydration characteristics, and microstructure of CSTB. The addition of spodumene tailings reduces sulfate ion concentration and alters the hydration exotherm of CSTB. Increasing TCR or decreasing SC enhances the compactness and strength of CSTB. These results provide crucial insights for the mix design of underground backfill spodumene tailings.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Athithanambi Anna Anban, Manonmani Krishnaswamy, Rajesh Appasamy
Summary: The biodegradability and environmental friendliness of natural fibers make them suitable for implementation in a circular economy. The hybridization of natural fibers with synthetic fibers leads to promising characteristics of the resulting composite materials.
MATERIALI IN TEHNOLOGIJE
(2022)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Xiaogang Wu, Jianhui Yang, Haixiao Lin, Qinting Wang, Zhengzheng Cao
Summary: The study found that the spalling characteristics of lightweight shale ceramsite concrete (LWSCC) at high temperatures are closely related to its water content. The axial compressive strength of LWSCC decreases linearly with increasing target temperature, but it has a higher resistance to high-temperature deterioration compared to normal weight concrete. Dry LWSCC has a low probability of spalling even at high temperatures. These findings provide a basis for designing LWSCC with high-temperature resistance and evaluating the safety of LWSCC buildings after fires.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Textiles
P. Sivaranjana, E. R. Nagarajan, N. Rajini, Nadir Ayrilmis, A. Varada Rajulu, Suchart Siengchin
Summary: By utilizing Cassia alata leaf extract as a reducing agent, eco-friendly nanocomposites containing silver nanoparticles were developed, showing significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and potential for wound dressing and biomedical applications.
JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL TEXTILES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sushant Kumar, Rohit Srivastava, Jayeeta Chattopadhyay
Summary: Multi-shelled NiO/Ni/Graphene and Co3O4/Co/Graphene nano-spheres were synthesized for high-performance electrocatalytic activity in water electrolysis using a multistep solvothermal process. The concentration of polyvinyl pyrrole (PVP) during synthesis affected the formation of nano-crystalline particles and surface area values. Both materials exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity in acidic media, with Cobalt catalysts performing better in hydrogen production.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2021)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Sushant Kumar, Rohit Srivastava, Daewon Pak, Jayeeta Chattopadhyay
Summary: This article reviews the progress in the synthesis and energy applications of multishelled spherical nano-materials over the past decade, discussing the basic principles, challenges, and advantages of different synthetic strategies, and emphasizing the potential applications of these materials in electrocatalysis, electrodes, lithium ion batteries, and solar cells. It also explores the correlation between the number of shells, geometric, and compositional structure with their properties and specific applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Niwesh Ojha, Atanu K. Metya, Sushant Kumar
Summary: In this study, silver and copper nanoparticles were inserted into β-Ga2O3 and their effects on photo reduction of CO2 were investigated. The results showed that 2Ag:Cu/β-Ga2O3 exhibited the highest photo-activity, with CO, H2, and CH4 activities being 1.81, 1.57, and 1.5 times higher than using pristine β-Ga2O3, respectively. In situ DRIFTS and ESR spectroscopy provided insights into the charge transfer mechanism and key intermediates. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that the presence of bimetals increased the hydrophobicity of β-Ga2O3, enabling the accumulation of CO2 molecules near the surface for photo reduction. These findings are of significance for the development of catalysts for other solar energy applications.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Hung M. Le, Sushant Kumar, Nathan May, Ernesto Martinez-Baez, Ravishankar Sundararaman, Bala Krishnamoorthy, Aurora E. Clark
Summary: Identifying collective variables (CVs) for chemical reactions is crucial but challenging due to the nonmeaningful motions of bulk solvent. This work proposes a distance-attenuated projection method that enables both PCA and UMAP to accurately identify CVs in the presence of explicit solvent and determine the specific importance of solvent molecules in chemical reactions.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL THEORY AND COMPUTATION
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Kanhaiya Chawla, Deepak Kumar Yadav, Abhinav Bajpai, Sushant Kumar, I. P. Jain
Summary: The effect of PdCl2 on the hydrogenation properties of Mg/MgH2 was investigated in this study. The results show that the addition of PdCl2 improves the hydrogen storage capacity and onset temperature of the Mg/MgH2 nanocomposites.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES AND ASSESSMENTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Niwesh Ojha, Kavita Thakkar, Abhinav Bajpai, Kavita Joshi, Sushant Kumar
Summary: Ag-containing ZnO/b-Ga2O3 semiconductors with reduced bandgap, increased light absorption, and hydrophilicity are useful for photocatalytic CO2 reduction and N2 fixation. Ag@GaZn shows the highest photocurrent response and AQY, as well as significant NH4+ ion generation. Isotopic labeling experiments confirm the photoactivity of the synthesized catalysts, and density functional theory provides insights into the relative affinity of different planes of heterostructures. The structure-photoactivity rationale of Ag@GaZn offers fundamental insights into plasmonic Ag and heterostructure design for improved photoactivity and stability.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Noohul Alam, Niwesh Ojha, Sushant Kumar, Debajit Sarma
Summary: Healing and photosynthesis are two important abilities in plants, and researchers are currently interested in developing materials that can heal themselves and perform artificial photosynthesis. In this study, a new waterborne self-healing metallogel (Nd-SHMG) and a nitrogen-doped carbon quasiaerogel (Nd@NCA) catalyst were synthesized. The stiffness of the metallogel can be controlled by adjusting the synthetic conditions. The catalysts exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for converting CO2 into CO without sacrificial agents. This work provides a convenient strategy for preparing active carbon quasiaerogel-based catalysts that can selectively adsorb and convert CO2 into CO in the presence of water and light.
ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hyeuk Jin Han, Sushant Kumar, Gangtae Jin, Xiaoyang Ji, James L. Hart, David J. Hynek, Quynh P. Sam, Vicky Hasse, Claudia Felser, David G. Cahill, Ravishankar Sundararaman, Judy J. Cha
Summary: The increasing resistance of copper (Cu) interconnects in integrated circuits is a major challenge for downscaling beyond 7 nm technology. Topological semimetals like molybdenum phosphide (MoP) nanowires show unprecedented resistivity scaling, superior to nanoscale Cu interconnects. MoP has better stability against electromigration and resistance to surface oxidation compared to Cu, making it an attractive alternative for the scaling challenge of Cu interconnects.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Abhinav Bajpai, Sushant Kumar
Summary: The transformation of CO2 into value-added chemicals is a challenge, but it has been demonstrated that BaTiO3-mixed NiO/CeO2 and Co3O4/CeO2 catalysts activated by nonthermal plasma can achieve this conversion. The optimum Co/Ce+ catalyst showed high formation rates of CO and O-2. The CO2 conversion rate was influenced by catalyst surface basicity, CO2 flow rate, plasma input power, and relative humidity.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Pintu Kumar Roy, Sushant Kumar
Summary: Experimental study demonstrates the effectiveness of bimetallic catalysts comprised of Fe with Ru or Co in activating nitrogen molecules and facilitating ammonia formation. These catalysts exhibit stability and efficiency in ammonia synthesis under ambient pressure and temperature range (400-550 degrees C). The inclusion of Ru or Co changes the rate-determining steps to NHx formation, and the co-catalysts are negatively charged due to electron-donating Fe sites.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
