Search results for: PITCH, PITCH-BASED POLYMER, DESTRUCTION, STABILIZER, IRGANOX, MELAMINE.
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A Novel Method of Endotoxins Removal from Chitosan Hydrogel as a Potential Bioink Component Obtained by CO2 Saturation
PublicationThe article presents a new approach in the purification of chitosan (CS) hydrogel in order to remove a significant amount of endotoxins without changing its molecular weight and viscosity. Two variants of the method used to purify CS hydrogels from endotoxins were investigated using the PyroGene rFC Enzymatic Cascade assay kit. The effect of the CS purification method was assessed in terms of changes in the dynamic viscosity of...
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Influence of conductive carbon and MnCo2O4 on morphological and electrical properties of hydrogels for electrochemical energy conversion
PublicationIn this work, a strategy for one-stage synthesis of polymer composites based on PNIPAAm hydrogel was presented. Both conductive particles in the form of conductive carbon black (cCB) and MnCo2O4 (MCO) spinel particles were suspended in the three-dimensional structure of the hydrogel. The MCO particles in the resulting hydrogel composite acted as an electrocatalyst in the oxygen evolution reaction. Morphological studies confirmed...
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Structurally well-defined functionalized polyolefins and graft copolymers thereof as bitumen modifiers
PublicationHere we demonstrate the application of hydroxyl-functionalized propylene-based copolymers, poly(propylene-co-1-hexene-co-10-undecen-1-ol) (FPP) and poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (SMA) graft copolymers derived thereof, poly(propylene-co-1- hexene-graft-styrene-co-maleic anhydride) (FPP-g-SMA) as bitumen modifiers. The FPP samples were synthesized via solution copolymerization, while FPP-g-SMA products were obtained via transesterification...
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Insights into Seawater Biodegradation of Sustainable Mater-Bi/Poly(ε-caprolactone)-Based Biocomposites Filled with Diisocyanate-Modified Cellulose Particles
Publication: Due to rapid economic growth, the use of plastics in almost all areas of human life has significantly increased over recent decades, leading to massive pollution. Therefore, works dealing with sustainable and biodegradable polymer materials are vital now. Herein, sustainable MaterBi/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)-based biocomposites, filled with diisocyanate-modified cellulose particles, were prepared and subjected to 12-week seawater...
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Compatibility of Sustainable Mater-Bi/poly(ε-caprolactone)/cellulose Biocomposites as a Function of Filler Modification
PublicationDespite their popularity and multiplicity of applications, wood–polymer composites (WPCs) still have to overcome particular issues related to their processing and properties. The main aspect is the compatibility with plant-based materials which affects the overall performance of the material. It can be enhanced by strengthening the interfacial adhesion resulting from physical and/or chemical interactions between the matrix and...
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Long-Term Impact of Wind Erosion on the Particle Size Distribution of Soils in the Eastern Part of the European Union
PublicationWind erosion is the leading cause of soil degradation and air pollution in many regionsof the world. As wind erosion is controlled by climatic factors, research on this phenomenon isurgently needed in soil and land management in order to better adapt to climate change. In thispaper, the impact of wind erosion on the soil surface in relation to particle size distribution wasinvestigated. Changes in percentage of sand, silt and...
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Bioactivation of Konjac Glucomannan Films by Tannic Acid and Gluconolactone Addition
PublicationWound healing is a dynamic process that requires an optimal extracellular environment, as well as an accurate synchronization between various cell types. Over the past few years, great efforts have been devoted to developing novel approaches for treating and managing burn injuries, sepsis, and chronic or accidental skin injuries. Multifunctional smart-polymer-based dressings represent a promising approach to support natural healing...
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Study on Polymer Elements for Mitigation of Earthquake-Induced Pounding Between Buildings in Complex Arrangements
PublicationPounding between neighboring structures during seismic events has been revealed as one of the most commonly observed reasons for severe damage or even total collapse of the adjacent buildings. Therefore, pounding effects have recently become an issue of great interest of many numerical and experimental investigations in many earthquake-prone regions of the world. It has also been observed that the differences in dynamic characteristics...
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Morphology, Thermo-Mechanical Properties and Biodegradibility of PCL/PLA Blends Reactively Compatibilized by Different Organic Peroxides
PublicationReactive blending is a promising approach for the sustainable development of bio-based polymer blends and composites, which currently is gaining more and more attention. In this paper, biodegradable blends based on poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) were prepared via reactive blending performed in an internal mixer. The PCL and PLA content varied in a ratio of 70/30 and 55/45. Reactive modification of PCL/PLA...
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Synthesis and structural characterization of bio-based bis(cyclic carbonate)s for the preparation of non-isocyanate polyurethanes
PublicationBio-based cyclic carbonates are of significant research interest as monomers for non-isocyanate polyurethane (NIPU) synthesis. This research describes the synthesis of a series of five-membered bis(cyclic carbonate)s using bio-based polyether polyols (PO3G) with different molecular weights (250, 650 and 1000 g mol−1) and carbon dioxide as green feedstocks. The utilization of CO2 as a source of carbon in the chemical reaction is...
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Helium-assisted, solvent-free electro-activation of 3D printed conductive carbon-polylactide electrodes
PublicationFused filament fabrication is one of the most rapidly developing 3D printing techniques, with numerous applications, including in the field of applied electrochemistry. Here, the utilisation of conductive carbon black polylactic acid (CB-PLA) for 3D printouts is the most promising. To use CB-PLA as an electrode material, an activation process must be performed, removing the polymer matrix and uncovering the electrically conductive...
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Development of an asymmetric cellulose acetate-ionic liquid P6,6,6,14[PHOS] gel membrane for the perstraction of succinic acid from a model fermentation solution of yarrovia lipolytica
PublicationThis study introduces a novel approach to separate succinic acid (SA) from fermentation mixtures using an asymmetric membrane based on the gelation of the ionic liquid [P6,6,6,14][PHOS] coated with two layers of cellulose acetate. The membrane was designed to explore the synergistic effect of polymer-ionic liquid interfaces according to the solution-diffusion theory. The gelation of the ionic liquid was achieved using 12-hydroxystearic...
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Simple synthesis route for fabrication of protective photo‐crosslinked poly(zwitterionic) membranes for application in non‐enzymatic glucose sensing
PublicationThis work focuses on the fabrication of non-enzymatic glucose sensing materials based on laser-formed Au nanoparticles embedded in Ti-textured substrates. Those materials possess good catalytic activity toward glucose oxidation in 0.1 × phosphate buffered saline as well as resistance to some interferants, such as ascorbic acid, urea, and glycine. The electrodes are further coated with three different polymers, that is, Nafion,...
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Synthesis and characterization of biopolyols through biomass liquefaction of wood shavings and their application in the preparation of polyurethane wood composites
PublicationThe sustainability of production systems in wood processing, wood industry, and wooden waste disposal is an important issue for European industry and society. Proper development of products based on renewable wood resources gives an opportunity to provide materials with long-term environmental, social, and economic sustainability. This study aims to establish a new way of forestry and agricultural waste materials utilization by...
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Sustainable Chemically Modified Mater-Bi/Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Cellulose Biocomposites: Looking at the Bulk through the Surface
PublicationSustainable polymer composites are progressively under development in a technological paradigm shift from "just use more and more" to "convert into value-added products". The bio-based blends based on Mater-Bi bio-plastic (A) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (B), at a weight ratio of 70:30 (A:B) were developed, followed by the addition of UFC100 cellulose (C) filler to yield 70/30 (w/w) (A:B)/C sustainable biocomposites. The effects of...
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Materials Design for the Titanium Scaffold Based Implant
PublicationThe main objective of here presented research is a design the scaffold/porous titanium(Ti) alloy based composite material demonstrating better biocompatibility, longer lifetime andbioactivity behaviour for load-bearing implants. The development of such material is proposed bymaking a number of consecutive tasks. Modelling the mechanical, biomechanical and biologicalbehavior of porous titanium structure and an elaboration of results...
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Water absorption and blistering of glass fibre-reinforced polymer marine laminates with nanoparticle-modified coatings
PublicationMacro and microstructural damage was studied in typical glass fibre-reinforced polymer laminates with two types of coating systems – (a) isophtalic gel coat: pure or mixed with SiO2 nanoparticles 5 wt% (5%N) or 10 wt% (10%N) and (b) a two-layer coating system: urethane-modified vinyl ester-based gel coat and additional polyester barrier coat layer. Accelerated tests were performed at 50C for 50 days for specimens with nanoparticle-modified...
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Materials Design for the Titanium Scaffold Based Implant
PublicationThe main objective of here presented research is a design the scaffold/porous titanium(Ti) alloy based composite material demonstrating better biocompatibility, longer lifetime andbioactivity behaviour for load-bearing implants. The development of such material is proposed bymaking a number of consecutive tasks. Modelling the mechanical, biomechanical and biologicalbehavior of porous titanium structure and an elaboration of results...
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Effect of modified soybeen oil amount on rheological characteriza-tion of polyurethane pre-polymers
PublicationPolyurethanes (Pu’s) are the polymeric materials which have got urethane groups in the structure. The properties of Pu’s depend both on the method of preparation and monomers used. Polyurethanes are produced by two methods known as one step or two step method called as “pre-polymers method”, especially for the case of segmented polyurethanes (SPU’s). These materials are thermoplastic block copolymers of the (AB)n type consisting...
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On the Correlation of Lignocellulosic Filler Composition with the Performance Properties of Poly(ε-Caprolactone) Based Biocomposites
PublicationIn this work, three types of agricultural waste: olive stones (OS), date seed (DS) and wheat bran (WB) were applied as potential lignocellulosic fillers in poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) based biocomposites. Differences in composites’ performance were related to the higher content of proteins, noted for WB comparing to other fillers applied, which enhanced plasticization of PCL matrix. The mechanical properties of biocomposites were...
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Mechanical, Thermal and Rheological Properties of Polyethylene-Based Composites Filled with Micrometric Aluminum Powder
PublicationInvestigations related to polymer/metal composites are often limited to the analysis of the electrical and thermal conductivity of the materials. The presented study aims to analyze the impact of aluminum (Al) filler content (from 1 to 20 wt%) on the rarely investigated properties of composites based on the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix. The crystalline structure, rheological (melt flow index and oscillatory rheometry),...
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Comparison of calculated and measured thermal stresses in asphalt concrete
PublicationThe paper presents the comparison of calculated and measured thermal stresses induced in restrained asphalt concrete specimens by cooling. Thermal stresses were measured in the Thermal Stress Restrained Specimen Test. The calculations of thermal stresses were performed with the use of a theoretical formula based on the temperature dependent stiffness modulus. The novel approach applied in this paper was that the stiffness modulus...
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Recycling of Waste Rubber by Thermo-Mechanical Treatment in a Twin-Screw Extruder
PublicationRecycling of waste tires is a significant issue considering both environmental and economic aspects. One of the leading recycling routes is the shredding of tires resulting in the generation of ground tire rubber. This material can be easily introduced into various polymer matrices as a filler, reducing the use of conventionally applied petroleum-based materials. In such cases, it is essential to ensure sufficient interfacial compatibility,...
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Customizing nano-chitosan for sustainable drug delivery
PublicationChitosan is a natural polymer with acceptable biocompatibility, biodegradability, and mechanical stability; hence, it has been widely appraised for drug and gene delivery applications. However, there has been no comprehensive assessment to tailor-make chitosan cross-linkers of various types and functionalities as well as complex chitosan-based semi- and full-interpenetrating networks for drug delivery systems (DDSs). Herein, various...
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Zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF-8) modified cellulose acetate NF membranes for potential water treatment application
PublicationIn this study, cellulose acetate (CA)-based nanofiltration membranes, modified with zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) particles, were prepared with various ZIF-8 contents (0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 wt%), to obtain membranes with improved flux and filtration performance by combining advantages of CA polymer and ZIF-8 metal-organic frameworks. Removal efficiency studies were carried out with bovine serum albumin and two different...
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Redesigning Informal Beirut: Shaping the Sustainable Transformation Strategies
PublicationLebanon is distinguished by its strategic geographical location among the Arab countries. Beirut, as the capital city and the major commercial and cultural centre of the country, is a point of interest for migrants. The region has witnessed many changes since the end of World War II, which have resulted in internal and external conflicts, migrations, the centralization of the country’s economy, etc. Furthermore, the city has witnessed...
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Initial Field Validation of Poroelastic Pavement Made with Crumb Rubber, Mineral Aggregate and Highly Polymer-Modified Bitumen
PublicationTire/road noise in most driving conditions dominates other sources of traffic noise. One of the most efficient ways of reducing tire/road noise is to use the so-called “low noise pavement”. According to numerous studies, at present, poroelastic road pavement that is composed of rubber and mineral aggregate and polyurethane or bituminous binder gives the best noise reduction up to 12 dB. Unfortunately, there are many problems with...
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Current trends in analytical strategies for the determination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in samples with different matrix compositions – Part 2: New approaches to PBDEs determination
PublicationHerein, we review the latest technical solutions for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) determination in samples with different matrix compositions, largely focusing on gas chromatography but also presenting some liquid chromatography–based solutions. Moreover, we discuss the use of diverse sample injection techniques while considering the advantages and disadvantages of each injection system in the context of PBDEs analysis....
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Rubber wastes recycling for developing advanced polymer composites: A warm handshake with sustainability
PublicationRecycling and management of rubber wastes experiences an early-stage maturity in the quest for sustainable and circular materials. Up to now, solutions proposed for sustainable development of rubber wastes are limited, so that properties and performance features of recycled products are inadequate for practical applications. Herein, an experimental protocol is introduced for manufacturing semi-sustainable polymer composites based...
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Microcrack monitoring and fracture evolution of polyolefin and steel fibre concrete beams using integrated acoustic emission and digital image correlation techniques
PublicationThe use of polymer and steel fibres in plain concrete appears to be an excellent solution for limiting crack propagation and improving the post-ductility performance of concrete structures. Based on this premise, this study investigated the fracture evolution of polyolefin fibre-reinforced concrete (PFRC) and steel fibre-reinforced concrete (SFRC) specimens through the integrated application of two diagnostic techniques, acoustic...
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Tensile validation tests with failure criteria comparison for various GFRP laminates
PublicationThe paper studies the mechanical properties of glass fibre reinforced polymers (GFRP) with various types and orientation of reinforcement. Analyzed specimens manufactured in the infusion process are made of polymer vinyl ester resin reinforced with glass fibres. Several samples were examined containing different plies and various fibres orientation [0, 90] or [+45, –45]. To assess the mechanical parameters of laminates, a series...
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Injectable bone cement based on magnesium potassium phosphate and cross-linked alginate hydrogel designed for minimally invasive orthopedic procedures
PublicationBone cement based on magnesium phosphate has extremely favorable properties for its application as a bioactive bone substitute. However, further improvement is still expected due to difficult injectability and high brittleness. This paper reported the preparation of novel biocomposite cement, classified as dual-setting, obtained through ceramic hydration reaction and polymer cross-linking. Cement was composed of magnesium potassium...
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The potential of LC–MS technique in direct analysis of perfume content
PublicationPerfumes are products that consist of a wide range of natural and synthetic compounds. Due to complex composition, the determination of their ingredients is a difficult task. Most of the perfume components are either volatile or semi-volatile; however, most of the attention has been paid to volatile ones, and thus, gas chromatography or electronic noses are generally used. Nevertheless, in this study, liquid chromatography coupled...
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Introduction to MIP synthesis, characteristics and analytical application
PublicationOne of the trends in analytical chemistry is associated with designing and developing new types of sample preparation techniques, which might significantly increase the efficiency and selectivity of the analytes isolation or/and preconcentration process. One of the most widely employed solutions are selective sorption materials, defined as molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), as well as the sorbents with the molecular fingerprint....
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Shape Memory Polyurethane Materials Containing Ferromagnetic Iron Oxide and Graphene Nanoplatelets
PublicationIntelligent materials, such as memory shape polymers, have attracted considerable attention due to wide range of possible applications. Currently, intensive research is underway, in matters of obtaining memory shape materials that can be actuated via inductive methods, for example with help of magnetic field. In this work, an attempt was made to develop a new polymer composite—polyurethane modified with graphene nanoplates and...
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A universal NDT method for examination of low energy impact damage in CFRP with the use of TLC film
PublicationThe article presents an attempt to use a sheet of laminated thermochromic liquid crystal film (TLC film) for non-destructive testing of the impact damage (energy values: 1J, 2J, 3J and 4J) in carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP). This is a new, alternative NDT approach based on the thermo-optical effect. The main advantages of this method are a) the low cost of TLC film, b) the low cost of recording devices due to the usage of...
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Comparative Study of Taste Substance Sensing by Liquid Membrane Oscillator and Electrochemical Systems With All-Solid-State Electrodes
PublicationIn food industry, different types of sensors are used for characterizing and quantifying taste substances. Therefore, it is important to establish the principal advantages and disadvantages of these sensors for optimal application. In this paper, two possible systems are compared for sensing the four fundamental tastes: sour (citric acid), salty (sodium chloride), sweet (sucrose), and bitter (caffeine or quinine hydrochloride). One...
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Nonlocal elasticity analysis of moderately thick porous functionally graded plates in a hygro-thermal environment
PublicationThis work performs a novel quasi three-dimensional (3D) bending analysis for a moderately thick functionally graded material (FGM) made of nanoceramics and metal powders, in presence of porosities due to some incorrect manufacturing processes. Such porosities can appear within the plate in two forms, namely, even and uneven distributions. The modeled system assumes a polymer matrix where both shear and transverse factors coexist....
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Polymers for burn dressings and skin substitutes
PublicationSkin burns belong to the group of the most complex injuries due to convoluted skin structure which includes nerve cells, muscles, sweat and sebaceous glands and blood vessels. Both on the market and at the research stage, there are many different dressing and skin substitutes proposals that utilize various materials and active substances. This chapter focuses on summarizing and describing the most popular polymer-based commercial...
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Highly Reliable Passive RFID-Based Inductor–Capacitor Sensory System Strengthened by Solvatochromism for Fast and Wide-Range Lactate Detection
PublicationA passive radio frequency-identification-based inductor-capacitor (LC) lactate sensory system with a specific dye-containing interdigitated capacitor (IDC) in which the sensing signal is amplified by the solvatochromic effect is proposed. When a lactate solution contacts the IDC of the LC lactate sensor, the capacitance of the IDC changes, changing the resonance frequency of the sensor. This changes the oscillation frequency of...
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Fault diagnosing system of wheeled tractors
PublicationA defect of complex wheeled tractor assembles most frequently negative influence on exploitation efficiency, safety and exhaust gases emission. Structure complexity of wheeled tractors requires more and more advanced diagnostic methods for identification of their serviceable possibilities as well in manufacturing step as in exploitation. In classical diagnosing methods of wheeled tractor defects states mapping by measured diagnostic...
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Nanoparticles preparation using microemulsion systems
PublicationMetallic nanoparticles become of current interests because they exhibit unique properties compared with those of metal atoms or bulk metal due to the quantum size effect and their large surface area, which make them attractive for applications in optics, electronics, catalysis biology and medicine. TiO2 has been used for environmental remediation purposes such as in the purification of water and air and also solar-to chemical energy...
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More than just a beer – Brewers' spent grain, spent hops, and spent yeast as potential functional fillers for polymer composites
PublicationBeer is among the most popular beverages in the world, with the production distributed uniformly between the biggest continents, so the utilization of brewing by-products is essential on a global scale. Among their potential recipients, the plastics industry offers extensive range of potential products. Herein, the presented study investigated the application of currently underutilized solid brewing by-products (brewers' spent...
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Toward Polyethylene–Polyester Block and Graft Copolymers with Tunable Polarity
PublicationThe synthesis and characterization of polyethylene–polyester block and graft copolymers and their potential as compatibilizers in polyethylene-based polymer blends are being described. The various routes to functionalized polyethylenes and the corresponding block/graft copolymers have been compared and evaluated for their scalability to industrial scale production. Hydroxyl chain-end and randomly OH-functionalized HDPE as well...
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Evolution of the nanostructure of Pt and Pt–Co polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell electrocatalysts at successive degradation stages probed by X-ray photoemission
PublicationWe present a set of XPS (X-ray photoemission spectroscopy) measurements and detailed data-analysis of electrodes for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) based on carbon supported catalysts (Pt and Pt–Co) subjected to a step-like potential cycling (accelerated degradation test). The results of the measurements complete and corroborate parallel TEM (transmission electron microscopy), XRD (X-ray diffraction) and XAS (X-ray...
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Polymer derived SiOC/Sn nanocomposites from a low-cost single source precursor as anode materials for lithium storage applications
PublicationMetal- based materials capable of lithium (Li) alloy formation are key to realization of the next generation of high-energy density anodes for Li-ion batteries, owing to their high storage capacity. Designing a good sup- porting matrix is essential for homogeneously nesting these metallic nanodomains, to effectively utilize their high capacity while tackling the volume expansion issues. Silicon oxycarbides (SiOC), obtained via...
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Dual-Setting Bone Cement Based On Magnesium Phosphate Modified with Glycol Methacrylate Designed for Biomedical Applications
PublicationMagnesium phosphate cement (MPC) is a suitable alternative for the currently used calcium phosphates, owing to beneficial properties like favorable resorption rate, fast hardening, and higher compressive strength. However, due to insufficient mechanical properties and high brittleness, further improvement is still expected. In this paper, we reported the preparation of a novel type of dual-setting cement based on MPC with poly(2-hydroxyethyl...
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Topological behavior mimicking ethylene–hexene copolymers using branched lactones and macrolactones
PublicationPolyolefins are of paramount importance in the world of polymers due to their technological and economic potential.1 However, their nonpolar character significantly restricts the compatibility and adhesion properties, which consequently limits their versatility. Moreover, an intensified demand for materials from renewable resources can also become a problematic venture for the current polyolefin industry.2 Although Braskem and...
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Eco-friendly modification of bitumen: The effects of rubber wastes and castor oil on the microstructure, processability and properties
PublicationThe bitumen industry in the European Union is facing several difficulties, including rising demand, unstable oil supply, rising prices for synthetic polymer modifiers, and a focus on lowering carbon footprint. Bitumen modification with crumb rubber (CR) is one of the most promising solution to these challenges. However, CR-modified bitumen have poor processability and low storage stability. To overcome these flaws we are introducing...
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Enzyme Conjugation - A Promising Tool for Bio-catalytic and Biotransformation Applications – A Review
PublicationEnzymes have revolutionized conventional industrial catalysts as more efficient, eco-friendly, and sustainable substitutes that can be used in different biotechnological processes, food, and pharmaceutical industries. Yet, the enzymes from nature are engineered to make them adapt and enhance their durability in the industrial environment. One promising approach involves the combined use of multiple enzymes that catalyze highly...