Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) have gained significant interest in the agricultural and food industry as a means of killing or reducing the activity of microorganisms. The antibacterial properties of ZnO-NPs may improve food quality, which has a direct impact on human health. ZnO-NPs are one of the most investigated inorganic nanoparticles and have been used in various related sectors, with the potential to rapidly gain attention and increase interest in the agriculture and food industries. In this review, we describe various methods for preparing ZnO-NPs, their characterizations, modifications, applications, antimicrobial activity, testing procedures, and effects, including bactericidal and bacteriostatic mechanisms. It is hoped that this review could provide a better understanding of the preparation and application of ZnO nanoparticles in the field of food and agriculture, and promote their development to advance the field of food and agriculture.

Microbial pathogens cause a quarter of all deaths worldwide annually due to deadly infectious diseases. Nevertheless, the fast and precise identification of pathogens remains one of the most challenging tasks in the medical sector. Early identification and characterization of microbes through medical diagnosis could pave the way for specific treatment strategies that could dramatically improve infection management, reduce healthcare costs, mitigate increasing antimicrobial resistance, and save numerous lives. To date, numerous traditional and molecular methods have been employed to diagnose illnesses with proven accuracy, reliability, and efficiency. Here, we have reviewed the most reliable tools that are prerequisites for the rapid detection of microbes. In particular, the remarkable roles of surface-enhanced Raman scattering, Fourier-transform infrared, electrochemical impedance, near-infrared, and MALDI-TOF/TOF in the identification and characterization of pathogenic microbes are di... [more]

Continuous SiC fiber is a kind of high−performance ceramic fiber that combines many advantages, such as high strength, high modulus, high hardness and low density. It has excellent mechanical properties, high−temperature and oxidation resistance, which could be applied as essential reinforcement in advanced ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) in the fields of aerospace and advanced weaponry. Melt−spinnable polytitanocarbosilane (PTCS) is an important precursor, which can be used to prepare continuous SiC fibers through a precursor−derived method. In this work, low−softening−point polycarbosilane (LPCS) and tetrabutyl titanate were used to prepare polytitanocarbosilane with a ceramic yield of 67.5 wt% at 1000 °C. FT−IR, TGA, GPC, 1H NMR, 29Si NMR, and elemental analysis were used to analyze the composition and structure of the PTCS precursor. Finally, Si−C−Ti−B fibers with an average tensile strength of 1.93 GPa were successfully prepared by melt spinning, pre−oxidation, pyrolysis, and hig... [more]

The excessive utilization of additives in chemical reactions is a troublesome problem in industrial processes, due to their adverse effects on equipment and processes. To acquire oxidative functionalization of alkyl aromatics under additive-free and mild conditions, a large library of metalloporphyrins was applied to the oxygenation of alkyl aromatics as catalysts with H2O2 as an oxidant. On the basis of systematic investigation of the catalytic performance of metalloporphyrins, it was discovered that, surprisingly, only porphyrin irons(II) possessed the ability to catalyze the oxygenation of alkyl aromatics with H2O2 under additive-free conditions and with satisfying substrate scope. Especially with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2,6-dichlorophenyl) porphyrin iron(II) (T(2,6-diCl)PPFe) as the catalyst, the substrate conversion reached up to 27%, with the selectivity of 85% to the aromatic ketone in the representative oxygenation of ethylbenzene with H2O2 as oxidant and without any additive used.... [more]

Aluminum nitride has been widely used as heat-management material for large-scale integrated circuits and semiconductor packages because of its excellent insulation, high thermal conductivity, low dielectric constant and loss, similar expansion coefficient to that of silicon, and non-toxicity. However, the increase of oxygen content caused by the hydration of aluminum nitride powder during storage often decreases the thermal conductivity of aluminum nitride ceramics. In this work, we propose an approach for preparing high-thermal-conductivity AlN ceramics via octyltrichlorosilane-modified AlN powder. The octyltrichlorosilane reacted with the hydroxyl group on the surface of the AlN powder forming a siloxane protective layer. The protective layer not only enhanced the water contact angle of AlN powder from 34.8° to 151°, but also ensured the phase of AlN powder did not change in the distilled water at 25 °C for 72 h. High-thermal-conductivity AlN ceramics up to 186 W·m−1·K−1 were succes... [more]

Thermally conductive silicone rubber (TCSR)-based thin sheets with low thermal resistance and high electrical insulation properties have been widely used in thermal management applications in the electronic and energy storage fields. The low thermal resistance is mainly attributed to the sheets’ small thickness. In order to further decrease the sheets’ thermal resistance, it is necessary to decrease their thickness. However, the sheets mostly have a thickness of at least 0.20 mm, and it is still a challenge to decrease the thickness to less than 0.10 mm mainly due to the difficulty of smooth calendering through a narrow roll-to-roll gap on calenders. Here, a low-viscosity calendering method has been developed to prepare TCSR-based ultra-thin sheets. The sheets present unprecedentedly small thickness (~0.08 mm), low thermal resistance (0.87 cm2K/W), high tensile strength (~8 MPa), high flexibility, high electrical resistance (>1014 Ω·cm), and high thermal dissipation (>30 °C decrease in... [more]

This paper studied laser induced thermal-crack propagation (LITP) dicing of a glass-silicon double-layer wafer with high scanning speed. A defocusing continuous laser was used in the experimental system as the volumetric heat source for the glass layer and the surface heat source for the silicon layer. Based on the principle of thermal-crack propagation, the commercial software ABAQUS was used on the simulated analysis, and the results of temperature field and thermal stress field distribution with high and low speed were compared. The experiment was executed in accordance with the simulation parameters. The surface morphology of the cut section was described by optical microscopy and a profilometer, and combined with the results, the non-synchronous propagation process of the crack under high speed scanning was revealed. Most importantly, the scanning section with a nanoscale surface roughness was obtained. The surface roughness of the silicon layer was 19 nm, and that of glass layer... [more]

Inorganic elements in crude oil have been used in the reconstruction of the sedimentary environment and oil−oil (source) correlations; however, the effect of biodegradation on these elements has not been investigated sufficiently. In this study, 14 crude oils from the Miaoxi Sag of the Bohai Bay Basin, eastern China, were analyzed using molecular markers, trace elements, and major elements to determine the effect of biodegradation on inorganic elements. The molecular markers indicated that the oils are in the low maturity stage and are derived from similar parent materials in lacustrine source rocks. The high-sulfur oil came from a more reductive and saltier environment compared with the low-sulfur oil. The oils were subjected to varying degrees of biodegradation. The concentrations of Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Be, Sc, Rb, Sr, Zr, Pb, Th, and U increased significantly throughout the biodegradation process, while the concentrations of Na, K, Ti, Al, Cr, Zn, Cs, Nb, Ba, Hf, and Tl increased consid... [more]

Shape memory nanocomposites are excellent smart materials which can switch between a variable temporary shape and their original shape upon exposure to external stimuli such as heat, light, electricity, magnetic fields, moisture, chemicals, pH, etc. Numerous nanofillers have been introduced in shape memory polymers such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, nanodiamonds, carbon nanofibers, etc. Among nanocarbons, graphene has attracted research interest for the development of shape memory polymer/graphene nanocomposites. Graphene is a unique one-atom-thick two-dimensional nanosheet of sp2-hybridized carbon atoms. Graphene has been used as an effective nanofiller in shape memory polymeric nanocomposites owing to its remarkable electrical conductivity, flexibility, strength, and heat stability. Thermoplastics as well as thermoset matrices have been used to form the shape memory nanomaterials with graphene nanofiller. In shape memory polymer/graphene nanocomposites, their shape has been fixed ab... [more]

Differences in the synthesis methods can affect the performance of nanocomposite materials. The synthesis methods of SiO2-based nanocomposite pour point depressants synthesized by chemical hybrid are mostly in situ polymerization and chemical grafting. However, there are still some gaps in the synthesis of nanocomposites using chemical grafting. In this paper, the amino-modified Nano-SiO2 and octamethyl methacrylate-maleic anhydride copolymer was used to prepare PM18-g-NSiO2 by an amidation reaction, and the product was compared with PM18/SiO2 prepared by the solution blending method. The characterization results of FT-IR and SEM showed that the chemical bond formed between PM18 and NSiO2 and PM18-g-NSiO2 showed a more regular morphology structure. The results of rheological tests showed that the optimal concentration of PM18-g-NSiO2 and PM18/SiO2 is 300 mg·kg−1, but the decrease of PM18-g-NSiO2 is 19 °C, while the decrease of PM18/SiO2 is only 13 °C. The lowest viscosity of model oil... [more]

Penetration grouting technology is an important technical means to improve the mechanical properties of gravel soil layers, and the time-varying characteristics of Newtonian fluid viscosity have an important influence on the morphology and effect of penetration grouting. However, these time-varying properties are not considered in the current research on the mechanism of Newtonian fluid penetration grouting. In this paper, by studying the basic rheological equation of Newtonian fluids and its dynamic viscosity time-varying law, the penetration motion equation of viscosity time-varying Newtonian fluids is discussed, by means of theoretical analysis and experimental research. Based on this, the time-varying viscosity Newtonian fluid columnar penetration grouting diffusion mechanism (TVNCPGDM) equation is derived, the application scope of the equation is analyzed and a grouting experiment is designed to verify it. The results show that the theoretical value of the grouting diffusion radiu... [more]

Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) is a key area of research for CO2 abatement. To that end, CO2 capture, transport and storage has accrued several decades of development. However, for successful implementation of CCUS, utilisation or conversion of CO2 to valuable products is important. Electrochemical conversion of the captured CO2 to desired products provides one such route. This technique requires a cathode “electrocatalyst” that could favour the desired product selectivity. Copper (Cu) is unique, the only metal “electrocatalyst” demonstrated to produce C2 products including ethylene. In order to achieve high-purity Cu deposits, electrodeposition is widely acknowledged as a straightforward, scalable and relatively inexpensive method. In this review, we discuss in detail the progress in the developments of electrodeposited copper, oxide/halide-derived copper, copper-alloy catalysts for conversion of CO2 to valuable products along with the future challenges.

Three activated carbons with different physicochemical characteristics are prepared and their N2 isotherms at 77 K and CO2 isotherms at 273 K are determined. The energetic interaction between three activated carbons with different physicochemical properties, and two hydrocarbons as pure liquids and as binary mixtures at different concentrations, was characterized by determining the enthalpy of immersion, in order to evaluate the effect of adsorbents and adsorbates, as well as that of the addition of another adsorbate to the system. For the pure solvents, the enthalpy of immersion (ΔHi) is higher for the aromatic compound (−94.98 to −128.80 J g−1) than for the aliphatic compound (−16.36 to −53.35 J g−1); for the mixtures, the values are between −36.39 and −98.37 J g−1, where the interaction increases with the solid that was subjected to thermal treatment and presented the lowest content of surface oxygenated groups, while the energetic parameter decreases with the solid that presents ch... [more]

In this work, we present and characterise an experimental setup that allows the generation of porous packings from nanosuspensions. By defined positioning and drying of solid-containing droplets, large-scale porous structures can be generated. Examples of such structures are shown and characterised. Operational challenges are presented, and it is discussed how they can be overcome to allow the maximum degree of freedom in packing generation.

We used the Taylor−Ulitovsky technique to prepare nanocrystalline Co2MnGe Heusler alloy glass-coated microwires with a metallic nucleus diameter of 18 ± 0.1 µm and a total diameter of 27.2 ± 0.1 µm. Magnetic and structural studies were carried out to determine the fundamental magneto-structural characteristics of Co2MnGe glass-coated microwires. XRD revealed a well-defined nanocrystalline structure with an average grain size of about 63 nm, lattice parameter a = 5.62 and a unique mixture of L21 and B2 phases. The hysteresis loops measured at different temperatures indicated a well-known ferromagnetic behavior for the reduced remanent, where a monotonic increasing in the reduced remanent and saturation magnetization occurs. The coercivity shows anomalous behavior compared to the Co2Mn-based glass-coated microwires. The magnetization curves for field cooling and field heating (FC−FH) demonstrate a considerable dependence on the applied magnetic field, ranging from 50 Oe to 20 kOe. Intern... [more]

Understanding the solubility of CO2 is critical for implementing CO2-enhanced oil recovery (CO2-EOR). In this work, the solubility of CO2 in n-decane in a temperature range between 303.15 K and 353.15 K and pressures up to 15 MPa was measured using a fused silica capillary cell with in situ Raman spectroscopy. A semi-empirical CO2 solubility prediction model was obtained according to the experimental results. In order to improve the solubility of CO2 in n-decane, the solubility of CO2 in n-decane and co-solvent n-hexane (3% wt) mixture was also comparatively investigated. The results indicated that the solubility of CO2 in n-decane was 1.6355~64.0084 mol/kg. The data from the prediction model were in good agreement with the experimental data, and the mean relative deviation was 3.65%, indicating that the prediction model could be used to predict the solubility of CO2 in n-decane under different conditions. The solubility of CO2 in n-decane + n-hexane system ranged from 1.0127 mol/kg to... [more]

Water-soluble polymers are becoming increasingly important in various applications, such as stabilizer fluids and drilling muds. These materials are used as viscosifiers and filtration control agents, flocculants, and deflocculants due to their superior properties in increasing viscosity and gelling ability in the presence of crosslinkers. In general, studying the rheological behavior of drilling fluids is of paramount importance to ensure successful well drilling operations. Partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide is one of the polymers widely used in water-based muds. The main objective of this study is to optimize the rheological properties of drilling muds through a characterization study of various parameters, including rheological behavior, viscosity, temperature (23 °C, 40 °C, and 60 °C), salinity using KCl and NaCl contents, aging, pH, solubility, and structural analysis using infrared of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide. The study aims to demonstrate the importance of using pol... [more]

In order to enhance the anti-impact mechanical properties of the roadway support system, an automatic anchoring pre-tightening energy absorbing anchor composed of rod body, tray, constant resistance energy absorber, energy-absorbing casing bulging block, pre-tightening force warning washer, and nut and anchorage force warning stopper was designed and developed for the special requirements of rock burst roadway support. The anchor can automatically judge the anchoring force and pre-tightening force of the anchor, and also has the functions of energy absorption and early warning. The static load tensile test and impact test are used to study the mechanical properties of the energy absorbing anchor, such as the displacement distance, energy absorption, and impact time, and they are then compared with the mechanical properties of the conventional anchor. It is concluded that under static load, the yielding distance of the energy absorbing anchor is 1.67 times that of conventional anchor. T... [more]

The micro-pore structure of a tight sandstone reservoir remarkably impacts the occurrence characteristics of the tight oil. The micro-pore structure of the Jiyuan Chang 8 tight sandstone reservoir in the Ordos Basin was examined in this research using a core physical property test, an environmental scanning electron microscope, thin section identification, and high-pressure mercury intrusion. Using nano-CT scanning and nuclear magnetic resonance technologies, representative core samples were chosen for studies evaluating the tight oil occurrence statically and dynamically. The micro-pore structure effect of a tight sandstone reservoir on the occurrence of tight oil was investigated, and the occurrence of tight oil in the reservoir forming process was discussed. It was significant to the study of tight oil in the reservoir forming process in Ordos Basin. Findings indicated that the Chang 8 reservoir in Jiyuan, Ordos Basin has poor physical properties and exhibits a high degree of hetero... [more]

The problem of temperature variation in mass concrete construction is a crucial problem in civil engineering. The problems of the temperature field, damaged areas, and the cracking of the structure during the construction process of concrete pouring are analyzed in this paper. An elastic and damaged constitutive model for concrete and a fully coupled analysis method for analyzing the temperature-stress field was proposed to simulate and predict the construction process of a concrete structure in a metro station. The influence of different concrete compositions and material properties was not taken into account in this study. The results show that the temperature-stress complete coupling analysis method can be applied to the calculation and analysis of cracking in a concrete structure that is caused by internal temperature variations during the pouring process of complex concrete structures. An efficient method and research approach is proposed by this study to analyze the damage and cr... [more]

Upgrading wet biomass to char via hydrothermal carbonization is a promising method to produce valuable resources for adsorption of organic impurities. In this work, a fresh green seaweed, Ulva pertusa, was investigated to demonstrate the effects of pre-drying and pre-washing on the process and the hydrochar production. Surface moisture and bound moisture were found to affect this process. Hydrochar produced from fresh seaweed with additional water showed similar adsorption capacity to fresh seaweed without additional water and 38% higher than hydrochar from soaked dry seaweed. This was supported by FTIR spectra analysis, which showed that these hydrochars produced from fresh seaweed without additional water have the highest proportion of carboxyl functional groups.

In this research, we evaluated the effects of different frequencies (25 and 45 kHz) and times (15 and 30 min) of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) applied to fresh raw milk on the textural properties of Oaxaca cheese. When HIU was applied for 15 min, the cheese melting time was reduced by up to 23.4 s compared to the control. The cheeses produced with ultrasonicated milk at 45 kHz presented larger melting and exudate areas. They were softer, but consumer acceptability was lower. Frequencies of 25 and 45 kHz (15 or 30 min) reduced the temperature of the solid−liquid transition by 1.9−3.6 °C and 0.6−1.8 °C, respectively, compared to controls. Consequently, the melting time in ultrasonicated cheese was significantly reduced. The strands were perfectly aligned and well organized in the direction of stretching with 25 kHz ultrasonication. In addition, these cheeses were more consistent, chewy, and rubbery. Consequently, they were preferred and more accepted in flavor, aroma, and texture, with... [more]

Ionic liquids are molten salts that possess excellent chemical and thermal stability. Due to their inherent qualities in green chemistry, ionic liquids have been identified as potential substitutes for traditional organic solvents. These useful physical and chemical properties lead to some promising applications in fields such as building polymer engineering alternative materials and renewable energy technologies. Although they are classified as green solvents, these new solvents exist in a high-temperature environment, which is related to thermochemical reactivity and safety; there are few related studies. To analyze the possible high-temperature application environment of ionic liquids in the future, we analyzed the new ionic liquid 1-Benzyl-3-methylimidILlium bis (trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide ([BZMIM][TF2N]), which lacks thermal analysis basis. This study used thermogravimetric analysis as the basis of the reaction model. We calculated the thermal hazard, kinetics, and parameter a... [more]

To disclose the pore distribution characteristics of different lithofacies lacustrine shales, ten samples collected from the Shahejie Formation, Dongying Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, China, were examined using argon ion beam milling−scanning electron microscopy (SEM). A quantitative method was adopted to characterize shale pore distributions based on the SEM images. Mercury intrusion capillary pressure was employed to determine the pore throat size distributions of the shales. The SEM images indicated that in shale reservoirs, interparticle pores at the edges of brittle particles and intraparticle pores in clay mineral aggregates primarily contribute to the reservoir spaces and that in calcite-rich shales, dissolution pores provide secondary reservoir space. Among the morphologies of dissolution, intraparticle, and interparticle pores, the morphology of the dissolution pores is the simplest, followed by those of intraparticle and interparticle pores in that order. Clay and felsic minerals pri... [more]

In order to avoid microstructure degradation caused by low frequency induction heat in laser-induction hybrid deposition, this paper proposes a laser/ultra-high frequency (UHF) induction hybrid deposition method. Microstructure observation is carried out to reveal the effect of UHF induction heat on the microstructure of the deposited layer. Results indicate that the laser-UHF induction hybrid deposited layer, under a current density of 1.14 × 108 A/m2, exhibits a finer microstructure and fewer Laves phases than that of the laser deposited layer. As the current density increases from 1.01 × 108 A/m2 to 1.14 × 108 A/m2, the microstructure of the laser-UHF induction hybrid deposited layer is significantly refined; however, as the current density further increases, the microstructure is only slightly further refined, since the enhanced thermal effect, along with the increasing current density, may help grain growth. Wear test demonstrates that the laser-UHF induction hybrid deposited laye... [more]