The thermodynamic analysis of the reaction between the main phase in magnesium slag and NH₄Cl solutions was carried out, and the ions leaching behaviors of Ca, Mg, Fe, and Al in magnesium slag under room temperature and microwave conditions were compared. Meanwhile, the effects of parameters on the leaching rate of Ca and Mg were investigated under the microwave heating conditions. The experimental results show that, in 273.15–373.15 K, Ca₂SiO₄, CaSiO₃, Ca₂Fe₂O₅, and Mg₂SiO₄ might react with NH₄Cl solution, while MgSiO₃, MgO, Fe₂O₃, and Al₂O₃ are difficult to be leached. The leaching rates of Ca and Mg are 70.29% and 24.64%, respectively, when the conditions are 300 W of microwave power, 1:20 of solid-liquid ratio, 400 mL of 2 mol/L NH₄Cl solutions, and 90 min of leaching time. In addition, in the non-isothermal stage, the leaching process of Ca is changed from chemical reaction control to diffusion control, and the leaching rate of Ca gradually increases. However, the leaching process of Mg is always controlled by chemical reaction, and the leaching rate of Mg remains unchanged after the reaction reached equilibrium.

BiCuSeO thermoelectric ceramics were fabricated using self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) combined with spark plasma sintering (SPS), and their phase compositions, microstructure, electrical properties, and thermal properties were systematically characterized and analyzed. The experimental results demonstrate that applying high-pressure condition during the sintering process will effectively restrict grain growth, reduce porosity, and lead to an increase in electrical conductivity. Simultaneously, high pressure sintering conditions reduce grain size and introduce additional grain boundaries and defects, which strengthens phonon scattering, thereby further decreasing both lattice thermal conductivity and total thermal conductivity. As a result, the high-pressure conditions significantly improve the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) of BiCuSeO. In brief, the samples sintered at 600 °C under 200 MPa achieve a maximum ZT value of 0.64 at approximately 792 K.

Octahedral Fe₃O₄-modified coke Fenton catalyst (Fe₃O₄/PCWQ) was prepared via in-situ one-pot oxidation method inspired by grapefruit peel, and characterized by SEM, EDS, XRD, XPS, FTIR, BET, VSM, and Raman, respectively. Fe₃O₄ crystals was predominantly in octahedral morphology with an average particle size of 60 nm. Fe₃O₄/PCWQ exhibited graphene-like structure. The synergistic effect between oxygen functional group and Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ cycle in Fe₃O₄/PCWQ enhances the degradation performance of p-nitrophenol (P-NP). Under the optimal conditions (1.0 g/L catalyst, 30 mmol/L H₂O₂, pH 3.0, 25 °C), Fe₃O₄/PCWQ exhibits high degradation efficiency of P-NP (91.25% in 30 min and 98.21% in 180 min) and stability (90.72% after 6 cycles) with low iron leaching (<0.528 mg/L), following the quasi-first-order degradation kinetics. Fe₃O₄/PCWQ has better catalytic performance than pure Fe₃O₄ under the action of H₂O₂, and is an efficient, stable and repeatable green catalyst.

A two-step approach was employed to create a composite coating consisting of TiO₂ nanoparticles and extremely elastic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The TiO₂-PDMS composite coating demonstrates exceptional superhydrophobicity and antifouling efficacy, as evidenced by the static contact angle, contact angle hysteresis, and antifouling tests. The electron microscopic analysis reveals that the composite coating consists of TiO₂ particles and agglomerates, which forms a dual-level roughness structure at the nanometer and micron scales. This unique structure promotes the Cassie-Baxter state of the coating when in contact with the liquid, resulting in an increased static contact angle and a reduced contact angle hysteresis. The PDMS primer facilitates the attachment of TiO₂ particles, resulting in a composite coating with excellent scratch-resistant characteristics. Additionally, the PDMS primer possesses the capacity to retain low surface energy modifiers. Simultaneously, the PDMS primer serves as a reservoir for a low surface energy modifier, enhancing the self-repairing properties of the TiO₂-PDMS composite coating. This composite coating exhibits effective self-cleaning capabilities against many forms of contaminants, including liquids, solids, and slurries.

A Ti₃SiC₂-modified high-silica oxygen/phenolic aerogel composite with excellent oxidation resistance and high-temperature performance was prepared. The experimental results show that the obtained composite has significantly improved oxidation resistance. When the addition amount of Ti₃SiC₂ is 75%, the carbonization volume shrinkage rate of the composite after aerobic static combustion is only 5.95%. At the same time, the LAR and MAR after 30 seconds of oxyacetylene ablation under a heat flux density of 1.5 MW/m² are 0.0307 mm/s and 0.0149 g/s, respectively. The compressive strength after aerobic static combustion at 1 000 °C is up to 20.43% of that before aerobic static combustion, which is 1.99 times that of the unfilled material, significantly improving the high-temperature mechanical properties of the composite.

We employed Monte Carlo simulations via Geant4 to model the interactions of ⁶⁰Co gamma rays (1.25 MeV), electrons (0.1–10 MeV), and protons (0.5–10 MeV) with Ta₂O₅ optical coatings. By analyzing secondary electron generation and energy deposition, we found that 1.0 MeV electrons and protons produce 67.5 and 67 secondary electrons per particle, respectively, compared to 116 from 1.25 MeV gamma rays in thick targets. Boltzmann-function fitting revealed depth-dependent ionization equivalence: 0.582 gamma photons match the secondary electron yield of a 1.0 MeV electron, and 0.577 gamma photons match a 1.0 MeV proton. These results establish a framework to convert ground-based gamma-ray test data to space environment scenarios, accounting for critical differences in penetration depth-protons deposit energy within 10 µm (coating layers), while gamma rays penetrate >100 mm into substrates. This provides a theoretical basis for evaluating radiation effects using existing ⁶⁰Co facilities, enabling reliable predictions of optical component durability in complex space environments.

We selected a cell with superior electrochemical performance to characterization microstructure characterization. Here, we employed high-resolution SEM and X-ray nano-CT to investigate a porous LSCrRu-GDC composite anode. These experimental results are utilized for characterize and quantify the key structural parameters, such as the volume ratio of the three phases (LSCrRu, GDC, and pore), connected porosity, tortuosity, surface area of each phase, interface of LSCrRu/GDC, and three-phase boundary length (TPB where the LSCrRu, GDC and fuel gas phases come together) of the anode.

Carbonaceous cathode materials were prepared by a low-cost and facile molten salt carbonization of lotus stalks in molten carbonates at 850 °C for aqueous zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSCs). The lotus stalk-derived carbon by carbonization of one hour displayed excellent capacitive performance benefits from the comprehensive effect of hierarchically porous structure with large SSA, more mesopores, good electrical conductivity and high heteroatom doping. Coin-type ZHSCs deliver 164.4 F·g⁻¹ at 0.2 A·g⁻¹ and 70.0 F·g⁻¹ at 20 A·g⁻¹ with capacitance retention of 42.6% assembled with carbonic cathode and Zn@Zn₃(PO₄)₂ anode using 2 M ZnSO₄ solution as electrolyte. Moreover, coin-type ZHSCs deliver the maximum energy density of 65.0 Wh·kg⁻¹ at 168.7 W·kg⁻¹ and the maximum power density of 11.4 kW·kg⁻¹ at 12.7 Wh·kg⁻¹. Thanks to the multifunctional Zn₃(PO₄)₂ interphase as Zn²⁺-transfer ionic conductor and physical barrier. Moreover, coin-type ZHSCs exhibit outstanding recyclability with capacitance retention of 97.5% and coulombic efficiency of 100% after 10000 charge-discharge cycles at 1 A·g⁻¹.

A highly thermally conductive magnesium borate/boron nitride (A-MBN) composite whisker was developed which was surface functionalized by (3-Aminopropyl)triethoxysilane. Its growth mechanism was proposed. Then, A-MBN/epoxy composites were prepared. When the A-MBN content is 8wt%, the thermal conductivity of the A-MBN/EP composite is 0.61 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹, which is 230% higher than that of pure EP. At the same time, the tensile strength of the composite material is 85.4% higher than that of the pure EP, and it also maintains excellent electrical insulation property. Finally, the infrared imaging test verifies the excellent heat dissipation performance of the composite material, indicating that the composite material has broad application prospects in the field of thermal conductive materials.

Carbon-coated lithium iron phosphate cathode material (LiFePO₄/C) was synthesized through an ultrasonic-assisted process, utilizing carbon aerogel as the carbon source and employing the hydrothermal method. The optimal synthesis process for LiFePO₄/C was determined by adjusting parameters such as ultrasonic time, ultrasonic power, hydrothermal conditions, and calcination conditions. Material Studio simulation, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and laser particle size analysis were employed to characterize the crystal structure, morphology, and particle size of the material. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of preparing a carbon-coated lithium iron phosphate cathode material with superior morphology and uniform coating using ultrasonic assistance.

The structural, relative stability, and electronic properties of two-dimensional AsP₂X₆ (X=S, Se) were predicted and studied using the particle-swarm optimization method and first principles calculations. We proposed two low energy structures with P312 and P-31m phases, both of which the structures are hexagonal in shape and show non-centrosymmetry for the P312 phase and centrosymmetry for the P-31m phase. According to our results, two structural phases are found to be stable thermally and dynamically. The P312 phase of AsP₂X₆ (X=S, Se) are indirect semiconductors with band gaps of 2.44 eV(AsP₂S₆) and 2.18 eV(AsP₂Se₆) at the HSE06 level, and their absorption coefficients are predicted to reach the order of 10⁵ cm⁻¹ from visible light to ultraviolet region, but the main absorption is manly in the ultraviolet region. The P-31m phase of AsP₂X₆ (X=S, Se) exhibits metal character with the Fermi surface mainly occupied by the p orbital of S/Se. Remarkably, estimated by first principles calculations, the P-31m AsP₂S₆ is found to be an intrinsic phonon-mediated superconductor with a relatively high critical superconducting temperature of about 13.4 K, and the P-31m AsP₂Se₆ only has a superconducting temperature of 1.4 K, which suggest that the P-31m AsP₂S₆ may be a good candidate for a nanoscale superconductor.

In order to realize the resource utilization of construction waste, industrial waste slag and silt, this paper used Portland cement, mineral waste residue and phosphogypsum composite to make cementing material (CMPS) with construction waste recycled aggregate to solidify silt. The mechanical properties of the solidified silt were analyzed by laboratory solidification test and microscopic examination respectively. In order to clarify the mineral composition, microscopic morphology and pore characteristics of the regenerated aggregate and CMPS solidified silt, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and nitrogen adsorption pore analyzer (NA) were used to further explore and analyze the regenerated aggregate and CMPS solidified silt effectively, and further reveal the internal mechanism of the regenerated aggregate and CMPS solidified silt effectively. The experimental results show that the strength of Portland cement-mineral waste residue phosphogypsum terpolymer system curing agent increases by 107.34% than that of single Portland cement solidified silt at 56 d, and the strength of CMPS solidified silt increases by 25.68% under the action of recycled aggregate framework. The curing age and moisture content of the silt have a high correlation with the strength of the solidified silt. Therefore, the influence law of the above two influencing factors on its mechanical properties is further explored and the strength prediction is made. The microscopic test results show that, based on the hydration of Port-land cement and the pozzolans reaction of mineral waste residue, the solidified system has produced calcium silicate hydrate gel and ettringite crystals with gelatinous properties, which helps to fill the pores and form a denser structure.

We presented a novel porous alumina ceramics (PACs) with superoleophilicity and superoleophobicity when immersed in different oil-water environments. The wettability, separation efficiency, permeation flux and reusability of the PACs for oil/water separation were investigated and characterized via extensive experiments. The PACs material had favourable properties including mechanical strength and chemical durability compared with fabric-based materials and organic sponge-based materials previously reported in literature for oil/water separation. It is believed that the PACs material and methodology presented in this work may provide wastewater remediation industry with a promising alternative for dealing with the catastrophic ocean oil pollution and other oil contamination.

Ordered NiCo₂O₄/rGO nanowire arrays (NWAs) grown on a Ni foam substrate were synthesized using a template-free hydrothermal method and employed as an electrode with outstanding electrochemical properties for supercapacitors. After conducting a series of time-variable controlled experiments, the structure, morphology, and electrochemical properties of NiCo₂O₄/rGO NWAs were analyzed to find the most suitable growth time. Benefited from such unique array architectures, the designed NiCo₂O₄/rGO NWAs electrode demonstrates significant electrochemical properties, showing a specific capacitance of 2418 F·g⁻¹ at a charge-discharge current density of 1 A·g⁻¹. Moreover, it demonstrates exceptional stability, maintaining a capacity retention of 81.5% after undergoing 2,000 cycles, even when subjected to a current density of 10 A·g⁻¹. The reason of high stability is that the spacing between the nanowire arrays is large and the diffusion resistance of the electrolyte is significantly reduced, which facilitates the diffusion of the electrolyte into the interior of the electrodes and establishes an effective contact with the surface of the nanowires. Furthermore, the NiCo₂O₄/rGO nanowire array grows directly on the Ni foam without binder, which establishes rapid electron transport pathways on the Ni foam substrate, resulting in excellent electrochemical properties.

We tried to collect all publications based on Scopus for 24 years in English for the keyword Wollastonite. We analyzed the most popular journals, top authors, top-cited papers, and the role of top countries in the world on the usage of Wollastonite in construction. Moreover, a comprehensive examination of literature and patent data pertaining to the production and utilisation of wollastonite and materials derived from wollastonite was conducted. We then consolidated and presented our findings about Wollastonite’s characteristics. We demonstrated the theoretical possibility of using recycled wollastonite in some areas of cement-based construction materials and product manufacture. Our research results shows that the number of available articles on Wollastonite-mineral as a fibre and aggregate is less than that on other areas. In addition, the research enables us to discover potential deficiencies in the utilization of Wollastonite in situations where there is currently no available published literature.

An evaluation method for self-healing capacity was designed, which includes the control of initial cracks and subsequent permeability testing. This method was employed to evaluate the self-healing behavior of mortars incorporating crystalline admixtures (CAs) under various conditions, including water immersion, limewater soaking, and wet-dry cycles, with varying CA dosages and crack widths. The experimental results indicate that cement possesses inherently self-healing capability. Limewater environments inhibits healing compared with water immersion; however, wet-dry cycles enhance the effectiveness of higher CA dosages. Increasing the CA content can not improve healing performance, and wide cracks (0.3 mm) substantially reduce the intrinsic self-healing potential of cement.

To study the effects of fine-aggregates on the drying-shrinkage properties of concrete, two types of manufactured-sand and one type of natural sand (excluding <75 µm particles) were selected for tests, and nine sets of concrete drying shrinkage tests were designed with three strength grade (C30, C40, and C50) as variables. By observing the drying-shrinkage deformation of the specimens over 360 days, the effects of fine-aggregate properties on the drying shrinkage properties of concrete of different strength grades were analyzed and a prediction model was developed. Compared with natural sand concrete, the development of drying shrinkage of manufactured-sand concrete exhibits the phenomenon of advancement. The apparent density of the fine-aggregate and the strength grade are the two main factors affecting the limit value of the drying shrinkage of concrete. With a reduction in the water absorption or apparent density of the fine-aggregate or the strength grade of concrete prepared using the same fine-aggregate, the prediction accuracy of the existing models decreases. According to the GL 2000 model, two coefficients-and-were introduced to propose a prediction model for the drying shrinkage of fine-aggregate concrete, which is applicable to different strength grades.

The effects of isocyanate (IA) incorporation on the toughness and volume stability of AAFS were systematically investigated. Various IA dosages were introduced into AAFS, and their influence on mechanical properties, microstructure, and shrinkage behavior was evaluated. The experimental results indicate that, with the incorporation of 5% IA, the 28-day compressive strength reaches 48.6 MPa, the 56-day drying shrinkage decreases by 35.91%, and minimal cracking is observed in the ring test. Microstructural analyses using SEM, XRD, and FTIR reveal that IA reacts with water to form urethane and biuret, which crosslinks into a durable network structure. This network fills pores, reducing internal stresses and improving both toughness and volume stability. These findings offer new insights into optimizing alkali-activated materials for construction applications and provide a potential pathway for the development of more durable and stable geopolymers.

In order to clarify the preparation process parameters of manufactured sand, optimize its quality, and analyze the effect of its grading on the microstructure of concrete, the three-dimensional models of jaw crusher, vibrating screen and conveyor belt were established by using SolidWorks 2016 software. Rocky DEM4.5 software was used to simulate the initial crushing, screening, and transportation stages of the manufactured sand preparation process, with Linear Spring Dashpot as the normal contact model and Coulomb as the tangential contact model; furthermore, the key process parameters were defined. The manufactured sand grading model was then proposed, thereby, the influence of the grading of manufactured sand on the distribution of pore structure in concrete and the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) was studied. The experimetal results show that the particle size of granite, after being crushed in the jaw crusher, is primarily concentrated between 80 and 130 mm, with a crushing energy consumption typically below 100 000 J. However, certain instances of granite exhibit higher energy consumption due to undergoing multiple crushings within the chamber. At the same time, the granite causes significant wear on the jaw crusher plate. Furthermore, the tilt angle of the vibrating screen should be adjusted to between 10 and 15 degrees, while the layout angle of the conveyor belt needs to be set at 16 degrees. The proposed manufactured sand grading model is feasible, and the pore diameter distribution inside concrete increases with an increase in the fineness modulus of manufactured sand.

We considered adding different amounts (1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) of EMR to prepare manganese residue polymer magnesium phosphate cement composite (EMR-PMPC). The influence mechanism of EMR doping on the early macroscopic and microscopic pore structure properties of composites was studied by combining macroscopic and microscopic testing methods. The experimental results show that the addition of EMR can improve the working performance of the slurry and enhance the strength in the later stage, the 28 d compressive strength value of the slurry doped with EMR can reach 49.5 MPa. The Mn element and NH₄⁺-N in EMR react with MgO in the raw material to produce Struvite and Mn(OH)₂ and Mn₃(PO₄)·6H₂O gel, the hydration products coexist with each other and lap each other to form a dense microfine structure and effectively refine the pores. The hydration process consists of five stages, mainly concentrated in the first 10 h or less to exothermic mainly, infrared spectral absorption band is mainly composed of O-H bond, H-O-H bond, PO₄ bond and metal oxygen bond 3 parts, EMR makes the wave number of the absorption band from the ground wave number to the high wave number. EMR doping T₂ spectral relaxation time will lag behind, the pore size distribution changes. The total porosity and bound fluid saturation decrease with increasing, the free fluid saturation shows the opposite trend, the permeability decreases and then increases.

To efficiently address the current high cost associated with preparing pseudo-boehmite from organic aluminum, a low-cost alternative, AlCl₃, is employed as the raw material. The sol-gel method is utilized, and H₂O₂ is incorporated for the modification of pseudo-boehmite. The modification mechanism is thoroughly investigated through the use of X-ray powder diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, and BET data analysis, as well as molecular dynamics simulations. Under specific conditions (temperature at 80 °C, pH=7, and H₂O₂ volume ratios of 0.5:1, 1:1, and 2:1), mesoporous pseudo-boehmite is synthesized with a specific surface area of 227 m²/g, a pore volume of 0.281 cm³/g, a pore size of 6.78 nm, and a peptizing index of 99.47%. A novel and innovative methodology for the cost-effective production of high-performance alumina is offered through the approach.

The critical wear rate, surface damage, deformation layer, crack initiation and propagation of U76CrRE heavy rail steel samples of two different cooling conditions (rolled rail, and heat-treated rail) under intermittent load were measured and observed by friction and wear tester, laser confocal microscope, scanning electron microscope and EBSD. The experimental results show that when the same kind of rail is matched with wheel steel with low hardness and high hardness successively, the critical wear rate of rail moves to the right. Moreover, when the rolled rail is matched with wheel steel with low hardness, the deformation layer and wear amount are larger than those of heat-treated rail are, while when it is matched with wheel steel with high hardness, the deformation layer and wear amount are smaller than those of heat-treated rail. When the rolled rail and heat-treated rail are matched with the same kind of wheel steel successively, the critical wear rate moves down, and the wear deformation layer of heat-treated rail is smaller than that of rolled rail. The failure life of the heat-treated rail is better than that of the rolled rail, which is due to the increase of the hardness of the heat-treated rail and the refinement of pearlite lamellae. With the increase of the distance from the surface layer, the proportion of large-angle grain boundaries of ferrite grains gradually increases of rolled rail and heat-treated rail, but the rolled rail presents the characteristics of large crack angle, deep depth and small length, mainly due to wear failure. While the heat-treated rail has the characteristics of small crack angle, shallow depth and long length, the crack propagation trend is obvious, and the failure form of the heat-treated rail is mainly fatigue failure. Moving the critical wear rate to the right and down is beneficial to inhibit the formation and propagation of fatigue cracks.

This study systematically investigated the microstructural evolution of binary Ni-Cu alloys (Cu55Ni45, Cu60Ni40, and Ni65Cu35) under deep undercooling conditions. The controlled rapid solidification experiments combined with optical microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis demonstrate that increasing undercooling (ΔT) can induce a consistent sequence of microstructural transitions: coarse dendrites, fine equiaxed grains (first refinement), oriented fine dendrites, and fine equiaxed grains (second refinement). Two distinct grain refinement events are identified, with critical undercooling thresholds (ΔT) dependent on composition: increasing Cu content increases the critical undercooling ΔT* required for the second refinement (Cu55Ni45: 227 K; Cu60Ni40: 217 K; Ni65Cu35: 200 K). The BCT (Bridgman Crystal Growth) model quantitatively elucidates this behavior, revealing a shift from solute-diffusion-dominated growth at low undercooling to thermally dominated diffusion at high undercooling (ΔT). Crucially, refined grains at high undercooling exhibit smaller sizes (10 µm) and higher uniformity than those at low undercooling (20 µm). These findings provide fundamental insights into non-equilibrium solidification mechanisms and establish a foundation for designing high-performance Ni-Cu alloys via deep undercooling processing.

The 304 austenitic stainless steel was processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) at room temperature with 10, 20, and 30 rotations under a pressure of 3 GPa and a rotation speed of 1 r/min. The phase transformation and microstructural evolution of 304 stainless steel after HPT were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoindentation test and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis. The experimental results show that HPT causes elongated nanocrystalline grains of 25 nm width along the torsion direction. After 10 turns of HPT, the deformation-induced martensitic transformation is completed and the hardness increases from 3 GPa to 8.5 GPa at the edge of the disc. However, a local reverse phase transformation from martensite to austenite is observed in the peripheral regions of the sample after 30 turns of HPT, leading to a higher volume fraction of austenite, and the hardness of the sample also decreases accordingly.

On the basis of Al-V-B grain refining agent, rare earth element La was added, and Al-5V-3B-0.5La intermediate alloy was prepared by sintering method. The size, distribution, and morphology of nucleation particles in the refining agent at different sintering temperatures and the refining effect on A356 alloy were studied. The experimental results show that with the increase of sintering temperature, the addition of La element reduces the particle size of nucleated particles in the refining agent, makes the distribution more uniform, and has a good grain refinement effect on A356 alloy, with a significant reduction in grain size to around 184.62 µm. It provides reference for the development of high-quality grain refining agents.

This article provided a preparation protocol for poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/modified epoxidized soybean oil (ECP)/nano-magnesium oxide(n-MgO) ternary composites and studied their mechanical and antibacterial properties. By means of an organic synthesis technique, epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) is chemically grafted to PLA to synthesize ESO chemically plastically modified PLA, abbreviated ECP. To fabricate PLA/ECP/n-MgO composite materials, ECP acts as a plasticizer and a compatibilizer simultaneously, and n-MgO acts as an enhancer. Then scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, universal tester, and antibacterial research were exploited to characterize the morphology, thermal resistance, mechanical properties, and antibacterial performance of PLA/ECP/n-MgO composites. The experimental results show that ECP acts as a plasticizer by causing heterogeneous nucleation, which increases PLA’s crystallinity. Evenly distributed n-MgO can greatly improve PLA’s antibacterial qualities. Furthermore, ECP and n-MgO work together to improve the positive aspects of PLA/ECP/n-MgO composites, with PLA/ECP/n-MgO 100/1/0.5 composites having the best overall properties. While improving the mechanical performance and toughness of PLA, this work offers a prospective approach and foundational database for the creation of multifunctional biodegradable composites.

We investigated the adsorption mechanisms including physical and chemical adsorption for heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, Co, Cu) on C-lignin using density functional theory (DFT) simulations. Physical adsorption, involving metal atoms near carbon atoms, is found to be endothermic; meanwhile, chemical adsorption, where hydroxyl groups replace metal ions, is exothermic and spontaneous. Pb exhibits the highest physical adsorption potential, while Cu and Co demonstrate the strongest chemical adsorption due to their highly negative adsorption energies. These findings provide valuable insights into the design of eco-friendly nano lignocellulosic composite films for effective heavy metal removal from contaminated water sources.

This study employed a microwave-ultrasonic-hydrothermal multifield coupling method to synthesize nano β-Tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) powder, systematically evaluating the impact of various parameters, including reaction temperature, time, sintering temperature, reactant types and concentrations, and graphene oxide (GO) concentration, on the physicochemical properties of the nano β-TCP powder. The synthesized powder was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), and thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC). The experimental results indicate that the optimal synthesis conditions are achieved with a 0.6 mol/L Ca(NO₃)₂·4H₂O solution and a 0.4 mol/L (NH₄)₂HPO₄ solution at a reaction temperature of 35 °C for 40 minutes, followed by sintering at 720 °C for 2 hours with 1×10⁻¹g/L GO. The prepared β-TCP powder exhibits high crystallinity, a pure phase, good dispersibility, no significant aggregation, and uniform particle size of 59.75±12.84 nm. In vitro cytotoxicity tests show excellent biocompatibility and no cytotoxic effects on bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) even at concentrations up to 0.8 mg/mL. Furthermore, results from live-dead staining and nuclear membrane staining of cells co-cultured with the material demonstrate that the β-TCP can promote the proliferation and differentiation of BMSCs to a certain extent, highlighting its potential as a safe and effective material for bone tissue engineering.

The hydrophobic sonosensitizer IR780 iodide (IR780) was loaded into liposomes to form Liposome@IR780 nanoparticles (NPs) for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) to enhance SDT via low-intensity ultrasound (LIU) irradiation. The NPs were characterized using various physicochemical methods including size distribution, zeta potential, and morphology. In vitro experiments show that the Liposome@IR780 NPs can generate more reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon LIU irradiation. The apoptosis experiment results further demonstrate that Liposome@IR780 NPs show better apoptosis rate against 4T1 cells. Our results indicate that Liposome@IR780 NPs will provide a promising approach for TNBC upon SDT treatment.

An environmentally friendly waterborne polyurethane (CWPU) emulsion was developed via a dual modification strategy by combining both the silane coupling agent KH-602 with renewable castor oil (CO) as a sustainable substitute for petroleum-based polyols. The resulting materials were thoroughly characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Furthermore, the influence of KH-602 content on the material properties was systematically investigated. The experimental results reveal that the incorporation of KH-602 significantly improves the thermal stability of the composite coating. As the KH-602 content increases, the tensile strength exhibits a gradual enhancement, while the elongation at break displays an initial increase followed by a subsequent decline. At an optimal KH-602 content of 3%, the coating demonstrates a balanced performance, achieving a tensile strength of 14.19 MPa and an elongation at break of 731.12%. These results suggest that the dual modification approach enhances mechanical and thermal properties while maintaining water resistance, making it suitable for sustainable coating applications.