Amine-based plasma polymer thin films (NH2-PPTFs) are favorable due to their potential ability for binding a variety of biomolecules, especially in biotechnologic studies. In this context, to understand the effect of different amine sources on quartz tuning forks’ (QTF) surface functionalization and isolation, we prepared PPTFs by single-step plasma polymerization process. The amino-group concentration of PPTF's was proportionally increased by increasing discharge powers, whereas not affected from exposure time. It was observed that the resistivity increased with the increasing molecular weight of the precursor. In conclusion, NH2-PPTF-modified QTFs present as a great candidate for future biotechnologic applications.

A thermoresponsive large-area plasmonic architecture, made from randomly distributed gold nanoparticles (GNPs) located at the substrate interface of a cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) cell, is fabricated and thoroughly characterized. A photo-thermal heating effect due to the localized plasmonic resonance (LPR) mechanism is generated by pumping the GNP array with a resonant light beam. The photo-induced heat, propagating through the CLC layer, induces a gradual phase transition from the cholesteric to isotropic phase. Both the plasmonic and photonic properties of the system as both the selective reflection properties and frequency of the LPR are modulated.

Akin to the natural tissues, soft artificial muscles possess a life cycle limited by aging and degradation phenomena. Here, we propose a rejuvenation method aimed at silicone-ethanol soft composite actuators, in which ethanol escape occurs during prolonged actuation, thus compromising their performance. The rejuvenation is achieved by immersion of the material–actuator in ethanol, allowing its diffusion into the silicone-based material until saturation. Repeatable rejuvenation of a soft robot, based on the soft material–actuator, resulted in retention of up to 100% of its functionality. Thus, we suggest that this method may be used for the rejuvenation of soft artificial muscles and material–actuators.

We have investigated the equilibrium conformation of Pt2Ru3 nanoparticles in the presence of H2 and CO mixture gas using density functional theory (DFT) and Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. A multiple linear regression equation was prepared using DFT results to calculate adsorption energy from the structural descriptors. Using the regression equation, MC simulations were employed to elucidate the equilibrated conformation of Pt2Ru3 particles at a finite temperature of H2/CO where CO concentration in the range 100–500 ppm. MC results indicate that CO/H2 coadsorption induced the rearrangement of alloying atoms and Pt/Ru ratio exposed to the surface decreases with the increase of CO concentration.

Cation doping is a practical way of engineering the optical properties of one-dimensional semiconductor nanomaterials, such as their band gap. We have grown zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods doped with sodium cations (Na+) using a hydrothermal method at temperatures as low as 60 °C. We have investigated the effect of different concentrations of Na+ on structural and optical properties and morphology of the ZnO nanostructures. We have also simulated and discussed the chemical route of formation of doped and undoped ZnO nanorods. We found that, for low-temperature hydrothermal doping of ZnO nanorods with Na+, the optimum concentration ratio of zinc to sodium precursors is 1:10.

We synthesized two types of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) for comparison, the first NPs were produced using a Zn(Ac)2.2H2O solution in distilled water and the second were produced using a Zn(Ac)2.2H2O solution in an aqueous extract of Mentha (mint). The x-ray diffraction patterns were indexed on the basis of a hexagonal (wurtzite) structure. The samples illustrate the high crystalline quality, and the average crystal sizes of the NPs were calculated to be 50 and 60 nm for GS and NS, respectively. ZnO nanorods were produced for the first time by using green synthesis method.

The time-dependent pyramidal or conical indentation of viscoelastic–plastic materials, such as glassy polymers, is examined by a flexible, Kelvin-like model. The model equation is simply solved numerically for a wide range of material properties and indentation loading sequences. The flexibility of the model is demonstrated by generating typical indentation responses for a metal, a ceramic, an elastomer, and a glassy polymer. Polymer indentation is further examined under ramp, hold, and cyclic loading conditions, including adhesive effects. The model and approach should be particularly useful in identifying the various deformation components contributing to observed instrumented indentation phenomena.

In this work, using density functional theory we study electronic and atomic structure as well as redistribution of ions at the interface between cubic-Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZO) (001) and LiCoO2 (LCO) (10–14). It is found that a large lattice-mismatch-induced compressive strain of ~12% at the interface leads to disordering of LLZO (001). However, even a large tensile strain of ~13.5% does not influence ordering of LCO (10–14). Li ions tend to move from the surface of LCO and bulk LLZO to occupy the interstitial sites at the topmost layers of the LLZO slab. Li ion transfer from LCO to LLZO accompanies with electron transfer from the former to the latter and the formation of gap states.

Binder-free three-dimensional Co3O4 electrodes are fabricated by an economical and scalable one-step flame combustion method, namely Reactive Spray Deposition Technology. The electrodes are composed of porous nanostructured Co3O4 uniformly distributed throughout the conductive substrate. In the absence of any further optimization on the processing conditions, the as-synthesized electrodes demonstrate high capacitance of 567 F g−1 at 1.5 A g−1, excellent rate capability, and stable cycling performance with a capacity retention ratio of 96.7% after 1000 charge/discharge cycles from the three-electrode half-cell testing. This study presents the pathway to a significantly simplified manufacturing process of three-dimensional electrodes with the desirable porous nanostructure.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONPs) are successfully synthesized in this study by co-precipitation method using actinobacterial metabolites as reducing agent. Physicochemical and morphological features of the nanoparticles (NPs) are analyzed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray-based techniques, vibrating sample magnetometer, thermal gravimetric analysis, and electron microscopic analysis, with an average size of 15–30 nm. Anticancer activity of the magnetite-NPs is systematically evaluated on HeLa cells using MTT assay, Hoechst nuclear staining, acridine orange/ethidium bromide dual staining and flow cytometric analysis. The obtained results open a new route for biosynthesis of SPIONPs, which to be used for various biomedical applications, particularly in cancer therapy.

Three different hydrothermally grown carbonaceous materials and their molybdenum chalcogenides derived from glucose (HTC, HTC–MoO2, HTC–MoS2) were investigated to evaluate their potential as Li-ion battery anodes. All tested materials exhibited good cycling performance at a current density of 100 mA/g and showed high coulombic efficiency, >98%, after the 50th cycle. Reversible charge capacities of HTC, HTC–MoO2, and HTC–MoS2 were 296, 266, and 484 mAh/g, respectively, after 50 successive cycles. This study demonstrated that the HTC–MoS2 showed the highest reversible charge capacity which promises to be a good candidate for an environmentally friendly anode material for Li-ion batteries.

The present work focuses on the radiation-modification of chitosan (CS) with N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAAm) presented as three different architectures: comb-type grafting hydrogels (net-CS)-g-DMAAm, interpenetrating networks of CS and DMAAm (net-CS)-inter-(net-DMAAm), and semi-interpenetrating networks (net-DMAAm)-inter-CS. The syntheses of different polymeric architectures were realized by gamma irradiation by a 60Co source. The optimum conditions for the syntheses of the three systems were at a dose of 6 kGy. Only the comb-type system presented a well-defined critical pH. All the hydrogels showed porous and interconnected structures according to scanning electronic microscopy. These different architectures could be used as three-dimensional cell culture scaffolding.