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Abstract: This study aims to explore the combination of newspaper waste-derived cellulose and silica from geothermal solid waste to produce the silica-cellulose (Si-cellulose) aerogel as an enhanced sound insulation composite material. Cellulose was used as the matrix, while silica was applied as the impregnated particle to improve the characteristics and sound absorption ability of the composite. Subsequently, two datasets of central composite design (CCD) were used to generate the regression models the aerogel with the independent variables of cellulose and polyethylene glycol (PEG) concentrations as well as sound absorption coefficient (SAC) as the response. The generated regression models were evaluated using root-mean-square error (RMSE), analysis of variance (ANOVA), model adequacy, as well as diagnostics through normal plot of residuals, Cook’s distance, leverage, and predicted vs. residuals plots. The generated response surface plots suggest that the maximum SAC will be achieved by maximizing the cellulose composition. Based on several characterizations, it was concluded that the embedded silica changed the physical, chemical, mechanical, and thermal stability of the fabricated composite evidenced by the enhanced acoustic insulation performance. Furthermore, the optimum point for Si-cellulose aerogel was found at cellulose and PEG compositions of 25%-w and 1.78%-w/v, respectively, which produced the predicted maximum SAC of 0.9896 with a desirability score of 0.967. Based on the validation experiment results, the actual SAC was 0.9992 with a difference from the predicted value of 0.96%, indicating that the generated model can precisely predict the actual SAC value for utilizing Si-cellulose as an acoustic insulation material. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-13
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Abstract: A novel method for improving the thermal protection performance of protective materials in high temperature flame environment was provided. The aramid fiber fabric reinforced hybrid silica aerogel composite (AF-HSiO2) was prepared by the two-step sol-gel method using AF nonwovens as the three-dimensional reinforced materials, deionized water as the sole solvent and hybrid silica aerogel (HSiO2) as the growth substrate followed by freeze-drying method (FD). The resulted composites perfectly owned their nano porous structure and excellent properties of high porous (81.12%), low bulk density (0.1612 g cm−3) and large surface area (659 m2 g−1). In addition, when the composite was exposed to a high heat flux of 84 ± 2 kW m−2, the thermal protection performance increased by 27.97% compared with the commercial thermal liner of fire-fighting clothing. The nature also endowed the composites with tensile strength (319.2 N) and hydrophobic angle (136°). These favorable multi-features indicate that composites have broad prospects in thermal protection filed. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-12
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Abstract: Abstract Transparent materials with a low refraction index are used to eliminate an important energy loss in photovoltaic conversion which is caused by the Frensenl reflection at the air-substrate interface of a solar cell. Herein, we prepared the silica antireflection coating (AR) with low index by an acid-base-catalyzed sol-gel approach. The application of the AR coating can efficiently reduce the light reflection and which exhibits a maximum transmittance of Tmax = 99.4% at visible wavelengths from 380 nm to 800 nm. When the AR coating was applied to the silicon modules, leading to a significant efficiency enhancement from 16.18% to 16.83%. In addition, the AR coatings feature good adhesion and exhibit satisfactory mechanical stability under outdoor conditions. These results indicate a significant development for AR coatings applied in silicon modules as well as present a promising alternative to reduce the cost of energy. The AR film prepared in this paper has both high transmittance and abrasion resistance. The current density of solar modules has been significantly improved, and the photoelectric conversion efficiency has increased by 4%. PubDate: 2022-05-12
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Abstract: Abstract In this paper, poly3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid crosslinked acrylamide hydrogel (P(AAPBA-co-AM) gel) with super tensile characteristics was prepared by acrylamide polymerization using 3-aminophenylboric acid as the raw material, which was used in flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors. By altering the crosslinking density, the gel’s tensile strength was optimized. It can be used as an ideal safe and non-toxic solid-state electrolyte for supercapacitors due to its ability to absorb aqueous electrolytes. The specific capacitance of the flexible supercapacitor is 116 F g−1 and the energy density is 16.11 Wh kg−1. Additionally, the gel created with a solvent content of 65% may withstand a 5000% strain under 170 kPa stress while retaining electrochemical characteristics at various bending angles. This gel has exceptional tensile deformability, making it suitable for supercapacitors with varying needs. A non-covalent cross-linked flexible P (AAPBA-co-AM) gel was designed to be used as an electrolyte in supercapacitors. The capacitors not only have good electrochemical performance, but also keep stable performance under different degrees of bending and folding. PubDate: 2022-05-11
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Abstract: Controlling the density and the nanograin size is challenging but essential to prepare continuous alumina fibers with excellent performance. In this study, the continuous alumina fibers were prepared using the sol-gel method. The fibers calcined under different conditions were characterized to reveal the effect of calcining conditions on the fiber microstructure evolution. The results show that the phase transformation from amorphous Al2O3 to γ-Al2O3 and then to α-Al2O3 takes place during the calcining process. The fiber, prepared using a single-step calcining method, cannot obtain a fully dense and nanocrystal microstructure through optimizing the calcination conditions. Thus, a novel two-step calcining process was proposed, through which an almost fully dense α-Al2O3 fiber with an average grain size of ~150 nm was prepared and the tensile strength of fibers reaches 2.2 GPa. Based on the results, the effect mechanism of residual organics, phase transformation, densifying, and grain growth on the fiber microstructure evolution was discussed in depth. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-11
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Abstract: A series of ZnO photocatalysts were developed by sol-gel method for photocatalytic degradation of dyes in textile wastewater under visible light irradiation. Eight different metal elements (barium, cobalt, copper, chromium, iron, manganese, nickel, and tin) were incorporated into ZnO structure to improve the photocatalytic activity of the samples in the visible region. The synthesized particles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma, N2 adsorption techniques and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. Two different types of dyes, rhodamine B and methylene blue, were used to study the effect of dye structure on degradation rates. The results showed that addition of different metal elements on ZnO structure had remarkable effects on textural and optical properties, crystal structures, and photodegradation rates. The surface area of ZnO increased with the metal ion additives. The band gap energy of the ZnO was reduced by addition of Sn dopant. The diverse photocatalytic trends of metal-doped ZnO samples for both dyes undoubtedly showed the significant and drastic effect of metal dopant on the photocatalytic activity. For photodegradation of both rhodamine B and methylene blue under visible light, Sn doped ZnO showed the highest photocatalytic owing to the decreased band gap of ZnO and suppressed recombination of electron-hole pairs. The pH of the reaction medium had also significant effect on degradation rate. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-11
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Abstract: Coal fly ash (CFA), as a kind of aluminosilicate-rich solid wastes that was generated by the combustion of coal, was used as support to load TiO2 nanoparticles to improve the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of textile dye with the advantage of low cost. In this article, a novel acid-etched coal fly ash/TiO2 nanocomposites photocatalyst was prepared by HCl etching followed by sol-gel method. The prepared nanocomposite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and UV–vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) techniques. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency were evaluated by using methyl orange as model. Compared with the CFA (no HCl etching)/TiO2 nanocomposites, the prepared CFA/TiO2 nanocomposites had much better photodegradation efficiency. The preparation and application of CFA/TiO2 nanocomposites will promote the high value-added application of CFA greatly. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-10
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Abstract: Silicic acid components from bioactive glass activate osteoblasts gene for bone generation. Many studies have been reported on osteoblast compatibility and bone regeneration using composites and hybrids, including silica or siloxane units. We previously synthesized chitosan−siloxane hybrids via a sol-gel method and observed bone and nerve regeneration. However, it is not clear the structure of molecules involving silicon atoms that has a more effective role in the cell activity and their mechanisms of cell activation. In this study, we prepared hybrid materials from chitosan and different types of alkoxysilane, 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS), 3-glycidoxypropyldimethoxymethylsilane (GPDMS), and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), and investigated the structures of the silicon-containing species dissolved from each hybrid and their effect on the proliferation of nerve cells. The silicon-containing species in the extraction were mainly 100–600 molecular weight, indicating they were chitin/chitosan units and monomeric hydrolyzed GPTMS, GPDMS, and TEOS. The nerve cell proliferation was inhibited by the chitosan–GPTMS and GPDMS hybrid extractions. The silicon-containing species were not taken up by the cells. The silicon-containing species dissolved from the hybrids were adsorbed to the cells or they inactivated biomolecules in the culture medium, suppressing cell proliferation. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-07
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Abstract: A new solid phase microextraction fiber was successfully synthesized using sol–gel technique. The selective and efficient graphitic carbon nitride modified with titanium dioxide (g-C3N4–TiO2) adsorbent was first recruited as fiber coating. The fabricated fiber was exploited for extraction and preconcentration of Pb(II) ions in real samples, using direct solid-phase microextraction method. The structure of the synthesized fiber was confirmed by FE-SEM, FT-IR, and EDX analyses. The optimum values of some parameters were obtained. The limit of detection (LOD) of the procedure was 0.16 μg L−1, and the relative standard deviations for repeatability (for one fiber) and reproducibility (fiber-to-fiber) of fabricated fibers (RSDs) were found to be 3.8% (n = 5) and 3% (n = 5), respectively. In addition, according to the results, the fiber approved that can be reused 17 times without a significant reduction in the percentage of analyte recovery. Finally, the method was used to extract and preconcentrate lead ions from real samples, viz. tea, medicinal plants, etc. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-07
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Abstract: Abstract In this study, we investigate the prospect of using dual alkoxysilane precursor chemistry for the scalable deposition of antireflection thin films on soda lime silicate glass. The hybrid chemistry involves the use of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) in combination with methyltriethoxysilane (MTES). Throughout the study, we use a dual acidic catalyst system comprising an organic (acetic acid) and an inorganic (nitric acid) acid. After the coating process, the coated glasses are cured at 100 °C and then annealed at 700 °C to mimic a typical industrial tempering process. The effects of altering the MTES/TEOS mole ratio on the resulting colloidal sol are studied with five different sols using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis and the final properties of solid thin films are investigated in detail through optical spectrophotometry, contact angle measurements, optical microscopy and electron microscopy (Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM)) techniques. In addition to the coated glasses, we investigate the thermal stability of dried gels at room conditions as well as at 100 °C, 400 °C, and 700 °C annealing temperatures. Since the PV panel glasses are typically deployed to stay in contact with the external environment, the weathering durability of the samples having optimum properties are investigated in accordance with EN 1096-2 and IEC 61215 standard test methods. It is shown that the presented dual precursor chemistry can produce coatings that exhibit high mechanical and chemical resistance and retain their anti-reflective properties when treated with an industrial tempering process. Finally, we provide evidence that laboratory scale dip coating process can be directly scaled up to a roller coating process without compromising optical performance. Our results show that commercial solar module dimensions and patterned glasses can be directly accommodated with the proposed coating chemistry. Sample preparation process flow chart and contact angle measurements of coated samples which were cured at 100 °C and then annealed at 700 °C using S0.3, S0.6, S1.2, S2.4, and S4.8 solutions with different time intervals. PubDate: 2022-05-07
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Abstract: Titanosilicate mesoporous materials (TiSi-MMs) with adjustable textural properties were synthesized by the sol-gel method. Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) was used as Si source, while tetraethyl orthotitanate (TEOT) or potassium titanium oxide oxalate dihydrate (PTOOD) was used as Ti source. With an increase of Ti content, the specific surface area and pore volume of TiSi-MMs decrease while the pore size increases. The specific surface area, pore volume and average pore diameter of TEOT-derived TiSi-MMs are larger than those of PTOOD-derived TiSi-MMs. In the acetalization reaction of biomass-derived furfural with n-propanol, the conversions of furfural over TEOT-derived TiSi-MMs are higher than that over silicate mesoporous material (Si-MM), demonstrating that the introduction of Ti significantly enhances the catalytic performance. Furthermore, the catalytic performance of TEOT-derived TiSi-MMs is better than that of PTOOD-derived TiSi-MMs. The sample with the largest Ti content and the highest number of strongly acidic sites shows the best catalytic performance. The numbers of strong acidic sites are positively correlated with the Ti contents of TiSi-MMs. Ti content and specific surface area are the two main factors affecting the catalytic performance because they determine the density and intensity of accessible Lewis acidic catalytic sites (coordinatively unsaturated Ti4+) in the catalyst channels, thus determining the catalytic performance in the acetalization reaction. These TiSi-MMs show good catalytic performance and can be used to efficiently catalyze the acetalization reaction of biomass derived furfural and n-propanol. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-07
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Abstract: This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent studies on the superacid-catalyzed preparation of ionic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSSs) and their properties, polymerization, and hybridization, that have been developed by the author and co-workers so far. Octameric POSSs (T8-POSS) containing ammonium side-chain groups as the main products can be obtained at a high yield within a short reaction time by dissolving amino group-containing organotrialkoxysilanes in an aqueous superacid (e.g., trifluoromethanesulfonic acid) solution, followed by hydrolytic condensation by heating in an open system to evaporate the solvents. When these reactions were performed in a hydrophobic alcohol, such as 1-hexanol, a POSS mixture with a high proportion of decameric POSS (T10-POSS) was obtained. It was found that the proportion of T10-POSS can be increased by properly controlling the reaction conditions (temperature, pressure, and solvent evaporation time) using a Kugelrohr apparatus during POSS preparation in an aqueous superacid solution. Furthermore, a low-crystalline POSS and ionic liquids containing POSS components can be obtained by the superacid-catalyzed hydrolytic condensation of the mixtures of two types of organotrialkoxysilanes containing functional groups, which can be converted into ionic groups. This superacid-catalyzed hydrolytic condensation can be applied to the preparation of carboxyl-functionalized POSSs and an ammonium-functionalized specific cyclotetrasiloxane isomer. An antifogging film with a hard-coating property comprising polyamide obtained by the polycondensation of ammonium- and carboxyl-functionalized POSSs was developed as an ionic POSS application. Furthermore, using an ionic POSS and cyclotetrasiloxane as crosslinking agents, polyacrylamide hydrogels exhibiting extremely flexible and irrefrangible properties can be obtained. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-06
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Abstract: Abstract Silica aerogel composites reinforced with reclaimed cotton fibers obtained from textile industry wastes are here presented. These fibers were obtained from fabric leftovers of textile clothing industry, using only mechanical processes for reverting wasted fabric scraps to elementary fibers. The syntheses were carried out following environmentally friendly solutions. The post-gelation silylation/washing steps were performed applying ethyl acetate, recognized as a non-hazardous solvent. The tetraethyl orthosilicate-based aerogel composites were developed with a co-precursor having a non-hydrolysable bulky branch, isobutyltriethoxysilane, aiming to reduce brittleness and increase hydrophobicity. The aerogel matrix composition used here, reinforcement conception and modification solvent are being presented for the first time in the literature. The composites, manufactured in small cylindrical-shape (diameter ~3 cm) and disk-shape (diameter ~9 cm and ~14 cm) were silylated with hexamethyldisilazane and ambient pressure dried. Thermal conductivities were assessed by non-stationary and steady-state methods, the later yielding values 25–37% lower, achieving a value as low as 21 ± 3 mW m–1 K–1. The composites exhibit a high degree of flexibility conferred by the embedded cotton fibers, that imparted as well good acoustic insulation, since at frequencies near 1300 Hz, the sound absorption coefficient is 0.8. Cotton fibers are well known by their moisture buffering. By taking advantage of that water adsorption/desorption, the thermal regulation ability of the aerogels is studied here as a novel application for these materials. At 85% of relative humidity, silica aerogel composites with ~15 wt% of cotton fibers adsorbed 2.6 wt% of moisture and the process reversibility was confirmed. Silica aerogel composites reinforced with textile waste cotton fibers and processed with ethyl acetate, able to perform moisture buffering while acting as thermal and acoustic barrier. PubDate: 2022-05-05
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Abstract: Perovskite-type (A,La)TiO3 (A: Li or Na) nanoplates were synthesized by hydrothermal reaction using titanium bis(ammonium lactate) dihydroxide as a starting material at 260 °C for 48 h. When NaOH was used as a mineralizer, perovskite single phase was obtained, but when LiOH was used, impurities including lanthanum hydroxide were obtained, and no perovskite phase was obtained. Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) analyses demonstrated that perovskite NPs have plate-like morphology with plane index of {100}. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) revealed that Na partly occupied in A-site of perovskite structure. The nanoplates were pressed into a pellet and sintered at 1000 °C. The pellet exhibited an ionic conductivity of 3.8 × 10−6 S/cm. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-05
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Abstract: Sodium super ion conductor (NASICON) structure materials, known for fast diffusion channels for Na+, are promising solid electrolyte materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the high carbon content in the NASICON electrolyte materials originated from the carbothermal reduction (CR) reaction will cause short-circuit and self-discharge of the batteries. Herein, we developed a facile and straightforward two-stage calcining strategy to prepare Na3V2(PO4)3 (NVP) with high purity and crystallinity. By precisely controlling the dosage of reducing agent and heat temperature, the purity of NVP can reach 99.97%. Moreover, the NVP film was prepared by the as-synthesized pure NVP powder via fast hot-pressing sinter, whose Vickers hardness is (5.0 ± 0.4) × 102 HV and relative density is 99.05%. This study provides a safe and facile strategy to prepare high-purity NVP powder and high-quality NVP films, which is of great significance in exploring NVP as a solid electrolyte for SIBs. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-02
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Abstract: Herein Ag exchanged phosphomolybdic catalysts were synthesized by ion-exchange method and characterized using numerous techniques such as XRD, TEM, FTIR, and N2 adsorption-desorption measurements. The surface acidity of the as-synthesized materials was examined through FTIR spectra of chemisorbed pyridine and non-aqueous potentiometric titration of n-butylamine. XRD analysis displayed the weakness of the amorphous peak related to MCM-41 and the appearance of well-defined diffraction lines of the heteropoly acid by the addition of AgxPMA to MCM-41, indicating that the Ag salts of PMA@MCM-41 have good crystallinity compared with MCM-41. TEM images displayed the homogeneous distribution of AgxPMA inside and outside the pores of MCM-41 and maintained the hexagonal morphology of MCM-41. All the catalysts exhibited both Lewis and Brønsted acid sites; the Lewis acidity increased with increasing silver contents while the Brønsted acidity decreased as confirmed by FTIR spectra of chemisorbed pyridine. The catalytic activity of the prepared samples was studied through the preparation of 7-hydroxy-4-methyl coumarin and hydroquinone diacetate. The catalytic activity and the surface acidity decreased by loading an extra amount of silver ions due to the decrease in the protons of PMA. Reusability of the prepared catalysts showed that the catalyst could be reused numerous times without losing its catalytic performance. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-05-01
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Abstract: In this study, Ag powders with different molar ratios were added into the La0.7Ca0.26K0.04MnO3 (LCKMO) powders prepared by sol-gel method to obtain LCKMO: Agy (y = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4) composites. The crystal structure of the ceramics were determined via x-ray diffraction (XRD). The surface morphology and grain size of the ceramics were determined via scanning electron microscope (SEM). The resistance-temperature (ρ-T) curves of the ceramics were determined by four probes under the conditions of 0 T and 1 T magnetic fields. The experimental results show that the temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR) value and magnetoresistance (MR) value increase first and then decrease with the increase of Ag. When y = 0.2, the maximum value of TCR reached 34.29 %, and the maximum value of MR reached 66.36%. This is the highest value for LCKMO series ceramics so far. These findings indicate that LCKMO: Ag0.2 ceramics can be used for high-sensitivity infrared bolometers. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-04-09
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Abstract: This paper offers new insights into the physical phenomena in light emission from ZnO. The effect of the annealing atmosphere and temperature on defect-related emission in ZnO thin films prepared by the sol–gel method and nonpolar ZnO bulk substrates is investigated by photoluminescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and DC electrical measurements. It is demonstrated that the post-annealing treatment is a powerful tool to modify intrinsic/extrinsic defects in ZnO and that the defect-related emission can be accurately tailored in a wide range from blue to red by changing the post-deposition processing parameters. Accurate tailoring of the deep-level emission wavelength in ZnO is of great importance in optoelectronics, particularly in white-light-emitting diodes, display devices, or biological labeling. Graphical abstract PubDate: 2022-04-01