INTL. SYMP. ON NEW AND ADVANCED MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGIES FOR ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The energy level alignment between the metal electrodes and adjacent organic semiconductor, as well as between the buffer layers and adjacent electrode/active layer is a key issue in organic electronics and photovoltaics. A frequently used approach in this context is the introduction of a suitable interfacial dipole by modification of the electrodes/buffer layers with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM). For this purpose, SAMs are usually decorated with a specific dipolar terminal group, attached to the molecular backbone, which, however, can affect the growth of organic semiconductor and be easily modified itself, thus distorting the desirable energy level alignment. An alternative novel concept involves embedding of a dipolar functional group into the backbone of the SAM constituents, thus decoupling dipole control and interfacial chemistry [1,2]. The validity of this concept is demonstrated by the example of several model SAMs, containing embedded dipolar groups with different chemical compositions and orientations. Combining molecules with oppositely oriented dipolar groups in a mixed SAM allows continuous variation of the interfacial dipole in a broad range, enabling its exact adaptation to the requirements of a particular device. Using a specific spectroscopic signature of the embedded groups, within the concept of electrostatic shift, the morphology of the mixed films can be precisely monitored down to the molecular scale by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy [3,4]. As an example of potential usefulness of this novel class of SAMs in organic electronics and photovoltaics, their application in organic field-effect transistors is demonstrated, resulting in decrease of the contact resistance by ca. three orders of magnitude accompanied by significant improvement in the performance and stability of the devices. As a continuation of these activities, application of novel dipolar SAMs in organic solar cells is now under consideration [5].

This presentation gives an overview of ab-initio calculations [1-3] addressing the thermoelectric performance of MXenes. Specific examples include a comparison of Ti₂CO₂, Zr₂CO₂, and Hf₂CO₂ in order to evaluate the role of the metal atom. The lattice thermal conductivity is demonstrated to grow along the series Ti-Zr-Hf in the temperature range 300-700 K, resulting in the highest figure of merit in the case of Ti₂CO₂. Flat conduction bands promote the thermopower in the case of n-doping. Functionalization effects are studied for Sc₂C, which is semiconducting for various functional groups, including O, F, and OH. The lowest lattice thermal conductivity is found for OH functionalization. Therefore, despite a relatively low thermopower, Sc₂C(OH)₂ may be interesting for intermediate-temperature thermoelectric applications due to a high electrical conductivity. We also discuss results on heterostructures built from MXenes and transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers. Low frequency optical phonons are found to occur as a consequence of the van der Waals bonding. They contribute significantly to thermal transport and compensate for reduced contributions of the acoustic phonons (strong scattering in heterostructures), such that the thermal conductivities become similar to those of the constituent MXenes.

This paper introduces an integrative systems engineering framework for pursuing and achieving sustainable industrial processing. The environment is the setting, surroundings, or conditions in which living objects operate. Several concepts come together for sustainable industrial processing. The basic questions include the following: What needs to be done? What can be done? What will be done? Who will do it? When will it be done? Where will it be done? How will it be done?
The aspects that are critical to sustainability are the most basic ones. These include the environment, chemistry, natural resources, energy, air, water, and their proper use, and finally the understanding of physics, chemistry, biology, and geology. As humans, we must be economical so that none of these resources become depleted without completing industrial processing goals. Many may ask, "Why should I protect my environment, and why should I be economical?" The answer is simple, it is for the well-being of all living and inanimate things. This well-being can be of an individual person, an organization, resources, work, proper living manners, production infrastructure, and personal satisfaction. Without being sustainable, our environment will suffer from aspects such as pollution and not having enough renewable resources, especially the essential ones. The same aspects that are considered in everyday life for our own well-being should be considered for our work environment as well. Emissions are powerful and must be reduced to be successful. Some companies are mandated to only pollute a certain percentage into the environment during industrial operations. Because of the multi-faceted aspects of sustainability, it is only through a structured and integrative systems view that sustainable industrial processing can be successful.
Sustainable industrial processing is everyone's responsibility. We must all work together to pursue and implement intellectual initiatives and research to advance sustainable industrial processing. Systems engineering is essential for achieving this goal.

In civil engineering, the development of new materials has been highly dynamic, when taking into account the progress of research as well as the high demand driven by society. Due to the constantly diminishing primary natural resources, the global economy is increasingly focusing on recycling waste and reintroducing it into the circuit of creating new materials with improved properties. In this context, the current paper aims to present advanced experimental designs and optimization methods as alternatives to existing ones, as they not only involve very high additional costs, but whose capacity is also being surpassed. Thus, we present a set of methods that by their specific nature contribute to diminishing the time of the research, development, and obtaining of new materials, but also to the drastic reduction of the costs related to the experimental calibration. "It's about Design of Experiments", together with "Response Surface Methodology", offers to researchers an advanced approach to experimental designs with the possibility of quantifying the influence of different factors on this process, and the needed combination to optimize certain characteristics of them. Artificial Neural Networks are another way to obtain this time by learning from the examples of the required combination to optimize. A comparison of the two methods will also be presented. All these will have both a theoretical approach and also one based on the scientific work of the authors, and not only using these methods. Thus, the new materials developed in civil engineering will be produced using experimental design adapted to the complexities of physical phenomena, which are often unknown, involved in this process, and also optimizing their properties by obtaining some characteristics that respond to the requirements of safety, security, and durability.

The transition metal tungstates is an inorganic oxides family are widely used in many applications such as environmental purification, clear fuel production, etc. [1,2] Among the metal tungstates, the Silver tungstate (Ag₂WO₄) is applied in various fields like photocatalysts, sensors, antibacterial agents, etc [2,3]. In this work, different Ag₂WO₄ polymorphs; alfa- (stable); and beta- and gamma- (metastables); were synthesized by a facile and low cost effective co-precipitation method. The synthesized materials were characterized by XRD, FT-IR spectroscopy, and SEM analysis. The XRD pattern reveals the formation of each Ag₂WO₄ structure. The FT-IR and Raman analysis confirms the presence of Ag-O and W-O bonds in Ag₂WO₄ crystals. The morphologies of the as-synthesized Ag₂WO₄ were analyzed by SEM. Other than that, to the best of our knowledge, the reports on the photocatalytic properties of all Ag₂WO₄ polymorphs are obtained rarely. Under UV-Vis irradiation, the photocatalytic action of each polymorph was tested for the degradation of amiloride and the photoactivity performances and degradation reactions were evaluated. Beta- Ag₂WO₄ showed the best photocatalytic activity among the three kinds of samples, 100 % degradation within 35 min. In particular, the metastable polymorphs exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity when compared to more stable polymorphs, due to more active surfaces. All polymorphs were a durable and stable photocatalyst during recycling experiments. The present work contributes to a deeper understanding of metastable photocatalysts with high photocatalytic activity, in order to address future demands on environmental remediation.

Diluted, mild, or flameless oxyfuel combustion has shown huge successes in past years as an optimization tool for different high temperature applications. This innovative combustion technology has a lower flame temperature, more uniform temperature distribution, and low concentrations of oxygen as well as nitrogen inside the furnace, leading to low fuel consumption and very low NOx levels. In this work, we analyze the optimization processes of different types of rotary and reverberatory furnaces (fix, tiltable) with Messer Oxipyr® burners, which led to impressive savings, dross reduction, and ecological improvements for the customers. A review of the available literature on this topic is also given.

Numerous nuclear accidents clearly illustrate the risks associated with the present design of reactors based on pure uranium dioxide fuel, with low thermal conductivity that deteriorates with temperature increase and upon further oxidation. Additionally, zircaloy cladding reacts rapidly with water at higher temperatures (> 800°C) and highly explosive hydrogen can be released. Although many factors need to be investigated before alternative nuclear materials can be adapted to the service of the harsh environment in the nuclear reactor, the suitable fuels must have a high thermal conductivity.
We use density functional theory to calculate thermomechanical properties since it has predictive power, which is needed when there are no experimental results available. We investigate thoria [1], since it has been considered as an alternative fuel with a high melting point and higher thermal conductivity than urania. It has desirable properties, as our calculations also confirm onset of a significantly higher oxygen diffusion (due to oxygen lattice pre-melting) at higher temperatures than in urania. It also has higher retention of fission products (FP) and thermal conductivity of thoria does not deteriorate because it does not oxidize. We also investigate metallic alternative nuclear fuel, since they have high thermal conductivity that increases with increasing temperature [2].
Additionally, using finite difference method, we demonstrate that thoria and metallic fuels would not only be safer due to a higher thermal conductivity, allowing faster dissipation of heat and thus lowering the centerline fuel temperature, but they would have higher longevity due to reduced thermal stress [3].

The changing landscape of research, from pure scientific ventures towards industrial applications, necessitates investigation of novel materials for several applications. In the present work, I will discuss various aspects of research on materials for industrial applications, with emphasis on use of chalcogenides for optical fibers, electrochemical sensing, imaging and detection, biochemical sensing, data storage, photovoltaics and infrared detection.
The peculiar properties of chalcogenides arise due to the lone pair orbitals forming the valence band as a result of their electronic configuration. At the same time, dangling bonds play an important role to modify the electrical behavior of chalcogens in amorphous forms. In particular Sulfur (S), Selenium (Se) and Tellurium (Te) find applications in a variety of devices used in the electronics and optoelectronics industry. Sulfur based materials exhibit interesting properties such as a high refractive index, large Kerr non-linearities, ability to be directly patterned by exposure to near band gap light, good transmission in the IR beyond 1.5m. Selenium based materials find wide applications in rectifiers, solar cells, photographic exposure meters, xerography and anticancer agents. It is also used in the glass industry to eliminate bubbles and remove undesirable tints produced by iron. In addition, selenium also has a high reactivity towards a wealth of chemicals that can be potentially exploited to convert selenium into other functional materials such as CdSe, ZnSe, Ag2Se and so on. Selenium based materials in amorphous form are used for imaging and biomedical applications. In crystalline form, their combination with other materials such as lead (Pb), Copper (Cu) and Indium (In) are widely used for photovoltaic and photo-detection applications. Se and Te are lone pair, polymeric divalent materials with chain structures. They can be designed to bond with cross-linking elements of different bond strengths such as Ge, Sb and As. The cross linked Te/Se alloys have a huge number of non-bonded lone pair electrons which could easily be excited by optical and electrical fields. When the amorphous phase cannot contain the excitation energy, a phase change to a crystalline phase occurs. Such polymeric lone pair structures are vibronic in nature wherein electronic transitions are made possible by vibrational motion of the chains. These simultaneous vibrational and electronic transitions form the basis of optical and electrical phase change memories. Tellurium based materials are widely used for data storage devices based on phase change characteristics exhibited by them.
Applications such as optical fibers for communication and sensing, X-ray imaging, electrochemical sensors, data storage devices, biomedical applications, photovoltaics and IR detectors will be presented and the future scope and expected improvements to existing technologies will be discussed depending on the availability of time.

Development of biomaterials from renewable sources is gaining increasing interest and importance over the past decades, due to several reasons related to environmental protection, public health, and most importantly, new legislative requirements. This suggests and encourages the development and use of biodegradable polymers, especially in the field of packaging, where large amounts of plastics are used and contact with biodegradable items (such as for instance, food) is frequent [1]. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is absolutely one of the most important biodegradable polymers; Mater-Bi is also a biodegradable/compostable polymer that is receiving increasing commercial interest. Both can be considered as alternatives for traditional, petroleum-based polymers, and show interesting nontoxicity and biodegradation characteristics [2].
In addition to this, it is further of interest to take into account the possibility of using biodegradable polymers as matrices for bio-nanocomposites, since it is already known that nanocomposites can show improved mechanical, rheological, and barrier properties [3, 4] in comparison to the corresponding matrices.
We investigated the behavior of different biodegradable polymers and different nanocomposites based on biodegradable polymers, in terms of processability, mechanical, and rheological properties. In particular, different processing techniques were adopted (injection molding, film blowing, fiber drawing) and comparison with petroleum-based counterparts was also taken into account.

Massive use of fossil fuels has led to an increase in the CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere, and this has caused global climate changes. In contradistinction, biofuels, which are produced from plant sources, and in particular biodiesel, do not affect the greenhouse gas balance. Conventional sources of biodiesel are agricultural crops, such as corn, soybean, canola, cotton, mustard, and palm. However, use of these crops for biodiesel leads to the depletion of global food resources. The aim of the present study was to develop a scheme for rapid and efficient production of biodiesel from brown grease, i.e. cooking oil waste, which has a high free fatty acids content. Biodiesel is produced by free fatty acid esterification and triglyceride trans-esterification [1]. These processes can be performed under thermal activation and classical homogeneous catalysis; however, this scheme cannot serve for production of biodiesel in a continuous regime [2]. The present research proposes performance of continuous biodiesel production using heterogeneous catalysts. Application of this process can help replace fossil energy sources by renewable biofuels, decrease greenhouse gas exhausts, and contribute to wastewater treatment.

Acids are ubiquitous to many chemical processes, including polymerization. The first synthetic polymer was derived from the action of sulfuric acid on natural olefins (i.e., terpenes) in 1789. Fast forward to today and a large variety of commodity goods, essential to everyday life, are the sole products of this (i.e., cationic) technique. They include adhesives, synthetic oils, and certain rubbers. Although its industrial use is somewhat limited in scope (ca. 3.5x106 tons of polymers are derived from cationic polymerization of vinyl monomers every year), the route is capable of polymerizing > 2,000 olefins. Despite its long history and utility, such chemistry is plagued by environmental issues. Examples are the difficulty in recycling acid components, the toxicity of the acid components and the solvents employed, sensitivity to moisture, and the need for cryogenic T to reach high molecular weight. This talk covers advances (most, previously undisclosed) made by the speaker that overcome the above obstacles such a number of aqueous cationic polymerization systems for olefins, hydrocarbon soluble forms of AlCl3, heterogeneous initiators, and a highly recyclable Lewis acid in addition to detailing results from some pilot plant studies. Finally, a unique resource on the cationic methodology is provided to the audience that will be of value to both those skilled in this art as well as the newcomer.

Acids are ubiquitous to many chemical processes, including polymerization. The first synthetic polymer was derived from the action of sulfuric acid on natural olefins (i.e., terpenes) in 1789. Fast forward to today and a large variety of commodity goods, essential to everyday life, are the sole products of this (i.e., cationic) technique. They include adhesives, synthetic oils, and certain rubbers. Although its industrial use is somewhat limited in scope (ca. 3.5x106 tons of polymers are derived from cationic polymerization of vinyl monomers every year), the route is capable of polymerizing > 2,000 olefins. Despite its long history and utility, such chemistry is plagued by environmental issues. Examples are the difficulty in recycling acid components, the toxicity of the acid components and the solvents employed, sensitivity to moisture, and the need for cryogenic T to reach high molecular weight. This talk covers advances (most, previously undisclosed) made by the speaker that overcome the above obstacles such a number of aqueous cationic polymerization systems for olefins, hydrocarbon soluble forms of AlCl3, heterogeneous initiators, and a highly recyclable Lewis acid in addition to detailing results from some pilot plant studies. Finally, a unique resource on the cationic methodology is provided to the audience that will be of value to both those skilled in this art as well as the newcomer.

Drug delivery systems (DDS) based on colloidal structures have become an emerging field of interest in the past few decades, owing to their outstanding ability in transporting and delivering drugs, protecting the drug against degradation, and preventing adverse side effects of toxic drugs. Further, these colloid-based DDS can provide contrast agents for early diagnoses, delay the release of their content, and improve therapeutic efficiency of drugs and photosensitizers by enhancing their availability in physiological mediums or by delivering them to specific targets [1,2]. This talk will summarize new achievements in the field of colloid-based DDS. In particular, we will present our recent results on the production of iron oxide-based drug delivery systems. More specifically, the talk will focus on production and structural features of iron oxide nanoparticles [3] functionalized with chondroitin sulphate, and glucosamine hydrochloride. Chondroitin sulphate and glucosamine hydrochloride are recognized for their therapeutic action against osteoarthritis. To produce colloidal dispersions at optimized conditions, and investigate the drug incorporation models, UV-vis, Raman, fluorescence, and infrared spectroscopies, as well as dynamic light scattering, X-ray photoelectron spectra, transmission electron microscopy, and magnetic measurements, were performed. Further, the colloidal stability of the dispersions was studied in phsyiological media, as well its cytotoxicity effects via the MTT assay. Colloidal suspensions comprising chondroitin or glucosamine coating magnetite nanoparticles presented good stability and no toxicity, and are thus promising nanocarriers for site specific delivery of chondroitin sulfate and/or glucosamine.

We describe large-scale ab initio simulations of nanoscale sensors and transistors, which can predict the best-performing structures. In the sensors part we focus on mechanisms of detection of small molecules: ammonia, nitrogen dioxide, glucose and ethylene by nanotube-based sensors, and on a novel nano circuit involving a nanotube functionalized with a fragment of polymerase I enzyme. The nano circuit monitors replication of a single-stranded DNA and can potentially be used to sequence DNA by detecting electrical signatures of the adding bases. We discuss modifications that should enable reliable distinction between some of the bases, and our work towards complete sequencing. We also describe computational optimization of graphene nanoribbon (GNR) structures and devices, including the determination of atomically precise polymer-GNR conversion mechanism due hole injection, the design of realistic, experimentally realizable negative differential resistance device based on 7-GNR, and optimization of transistor structures consisting of a GNR channel, BN insulating layers and an Al gate.

When I was young I was fascinated by projections of future technologies. The future looked like an exciting place and I could not wait to see it. Many new technologies have been introduced in my lifetime and most were enabled by new materials. What future technologies are awaiting new materials and how do we develop them? Is it possible to create materials that will provide a leap in performance compared to existing materials, rather than just an incremental change? What can we learn from previous developments? This presentation will look briefly at the history of the impact of structural materials development on our culture and society. In addition, the lack of sufficient quantities of key elements will be shown to have a devastating effect on societies. Drawing from lessons learned from this review, the possibility of new culture shocking technologies will be discussed. Today the pace of technological change is moving faster than the development of new materials, and many initiatives are designed to improve the rate of introduction of new materials. However, a vision as to what the materials needs of the future are is required in order to direct the development required. The requirements of these new technologies are basically hindered by the lack of compact power sources and light-weight structural materials. Some solutions to these dramatically higher performance materials will be suggested, with the goal of stimulating new discussions and research into material systems.

Today, many harmful chemicals such as volatile halogenated organics and defatting cleaners are still being used. The former has been used for mechanical metal parts or dry cleaning detergents, and the latter has been for agrichemicals and pesticide or industrial materials.
Unfortunately, they are thought as origins of pollution in groundwater and soil. In addition, their usage is restricted, or at least reduced to a degree that no longer causes health disasters for humans, due to their harmful effects on hepatic function and cancer generation, according to guidelines on drinking water quality by the World Health Organization (WHO). The acceptable limit of halogenated organics in water is determined based on Japan's laws on the environmental quality standards of wastewater. Since toxicity of halogenated organics can be reduced by dehalogenation of the substituent, dehalogenation that utilizes the chemical or biological process must be effective in eliminating toxicity. For example, in the biological process, dehalogenation by a few kinds of fungus has been reported. On the other hand, it was known that the chemical process is more effective on the dehalogenation reaction than the biological one on the decomposition rate of industrial wastewater dehalogenation. Furthermore, the chemical process has effects that can be utilized even under environments that would be inadequate for the biological process, i.e. under high halogen concentration.
In material science fields, many kinds of processes have been developed to make porous materials. Combustion synthesis has been known as one of the processes, which is an exothermic reaction for preparing intermetallic compounds and ceramics with very high temperatures. One of the characteristics of combustion synthesis is self-propagating reaction, which occurs by heating an end of a compact consisting of raw material metal and/or nonmetallic powders, and the other is to utilize the residual heat with sintering effect after completion of the combustion synthesis. One of the authors has produced various alloy and composites by using combustion synthesis [1-3].
In this paper, Raney catalysts obtained from NiAl intermetallic compounds prepared by combustion synthesis have been provided to evaluate a performance as purification treatment for industrial wastewater. It is reported concretely that dehalogenation reaction in the case of using 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (TCPh) of 50 ppm was investigated by column method using the NiAl alloy.
As a result, from the relationship between the flowing volume of TCPh solution and TCPh concentration, it was found that the TCPh concentration was reduced to a value lower than the quantification limit (<0.1 ppm) of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), when the flowing volume was up to 200 mL. Correspondingly, Ph was generated, and dichlorophenol (DCPh) and chlorophenol (CPh), which have been predicted as intermediate products, were not observed. As a result, the dehalogenation amount of TCPh per 1 g of catalyst was found to be 174 mg / g (0.881 mmol / g). The industrial wastewater standard value of TCPh is considered to be 0.3 ppm in Japan. Also, the flow rate of this experiment was 0.1 mL / min (S.V. = 87.0 in terms of space velocity), which was a industrially high processing speed. Therefore, it is considered that the Raney nickel catalyst can be fully applied to industrial wastewater.

Faced with the energy crisis and environmental pollution, hydrogen has drawn more and more attention as a new, clean, and renewable energy source for sustainable development. Metal hydride is viewed as one of the most ideal hydrogen storage means [1]. With respect to the metal hydrides, magnesium hydride (MgH₂) is one of the most attractive candidates for reversible hydrogen storage. Nevertheless, its poor hydrogen sorption kinetics and unfavorable thermodynamic stability impede its commercial use [2]. Alloying of Al is a promising choice to lower the thermodynamic stability of MgH₂. It has been proven that the in-situ Al (denoted as Al*) generated in the hydriding of Mg-Al alloys is better than as-received Al in enhancing the hydrogen sorption performances of Mg, because this kind of Al* is oxide-free, possesses high chemical activity, and uniformly distributes in the samples [3]. Moreover, using Mg-Al alloys instead of Mg means that the hydrogen desorption reaction pathway of MgH₂ would alter and result in the destabilization of MgH₂. In this work, we intend to fabricate MgH₂-Al* composites with the hydrogenation of Mg-Al alloys by the process of hydriding combustion synthesis (HCS, which has been acknowledged as an effective way to fabricate Mg based hydrogen storage alloys [4]) following mechanical milling (MM) and to study the effect of Al* on the dehydriding properties of Mg-based hydrogen storage alloys. DSC analysis showed that the peak temperature of dehydriding of MgH₂ was reduced by 298 K and by 284 K when 20 at% Al was added in HCS process and in MM process, respectively. Isothermal dehydriding at 573 K for 3 h demonstrated that it took 81 min for the HCS+MM-MgH₂ to desorb 50% of hydrogen, while only 24 min was required for HCS+MM-MgH₂-20 at% Al, in which Al was added in HCS. The SEM/EDS measurements demonstrated that Al generated in situ from the hydriding of Al₁₂Mg₁₇ was uniformly distributed, which would make it more beneficial for Al to perform high thermal conductivity. The apparent activation energy for dehydriding of MgH₂ was reduced from 144.3 kJ/mol for the HCS+MM-MgH₂ to 118.8 kJ/mol for HCS+MM-MgH₂-10 at% Al when Al was added in HCS.

Phosphors doped by divalent or trivalent lanthanides are in the spotlight of scientific investigations due to its possible applications as domestic lighting, laser materials, or scintillator crystals. Quantum chemical calculations (semi-empirical and non-empirical) are used to design new phosphors by predicting their luminescence properties. The model using Density Functional Theory is based on an effective Hamiltonian that includes electrostatic, spin-orbit, and ligand field contributions. From these calculations the multiplet energy levels arising from the ground [Xe]4fⁿ and excited [Xe]4f^n-15d¹ electron configurations of Ln²⁺ and Ln³⁺ in their chemical environment are obtained. The results are in good agreement with the experimental investigations, validating the usefulness of the theoretical modelling to understand and characterize the luminescence spectra of phosphors.

Polymer concretes, unlike common concrete (produced based on cement, as cohesive material), are notable for high durability on compression 50-90 MPa, and especially, on tension 6-10 MPa, with unique corrosion resistance. However, they are also associated with negative properties, such as high creep deformability. Because polymer concretes work well on tension, their application is prospective for the production of shock resistant construction materials, but for this, strengthening by additional reinforcing mechanisms is necessary. In addition, because of differences in the durability and deformability on compression, as well as on tension, it is important to reinforce the polymer concrete's tensile and bended properties.
This work presents and discusses the reinforcement of polymer concrete by hybrid fibers. The major goal of this work is the production of such polymer concretes with high durability on tension and high shock resistance that preserves these properties under the effect of aggressive environments. The primary cohesive materials are unsaturated polyester resins, as polymers. The fiber reinforcements (coarse and fine) are primarily three types of basalt, polypropylene, two types of metal fibers, andesite and quartz, all selected for their chemical resistance and durability. The technological parameters for the production and processing of nano and ultrafine dispersive powders from rocks using vibration and planetary mills, and the physical and mechanical properties of these concretes are presented and discussed. The data on the corrosion resistance of these processed polymer concretes (corrosion resistance coefficient, diffusion coefficient of aggressive liquids, coefficient of liquids- sorption, and the coefficient of liquids penetration in the concretes) are also presented and discussed.

Dry type acid gas pollutants removal processes offer the significant advantages of low capital and operating costs when compared to wet type acid gas removal processes. They hold great potential for the reduction of SO2 and HCl emissions from power and incineration utilities that use high-sulfur coal and high halide base acids wastes. One of the project's major goals was the development of dry, calcium-based sorption processes for removing sulfur dioxide and hydrogen chloride from the combustion gases and incineration gases produced by high-sulfur coal and high halide base acids wastes.
Dry sorbent circulating reactor system for flue gas cleaning highlights a number of experimental research findings that have had a significant and lasting impact in terms of scientific understanding. For example, the experimental investigation in demonstration test unit SO2 and HCl capture by dry sorbent obtained a removal efficiency of more than 99%, thereby revealing the well fluid mixing with sorbent and flue gas and longer residence time in the reactor. We also identified a number of important areas for future research, including reaction mechanisms, sorbent material, transport effects, simulation of particle fluid dynamics and efficient system development. Dry sorbent circulating reactor system includes the sorbent storage silo, precision feeding and injection units, main reactor, bag filter, recycle unit, induced draft fan and control unit.
Dry sorbent circulating reactor system for flue gas cleaning will appeal to chemical and environmental engineers who examine different ways to use coal and waste in a more environmentally benign manner. It will make an essential reference for air pollution control researchers from coal, lime, cement, and utility industries.

In the ethylene dimerization process, the reactor effluent contains a homogenous Ti-based catalyst system that is contacted with an amine-type inhibitor to deactivate the catalyst. For the improved catalysts with high activity and selectivity, the kind of amine and its amount have great importance to completely deactivate it in the previously mentioned stream and hence prevent the polymerization reaction and fouling formation in the downstream heat exchangers of the process. In the present study through simulation of the effluent conditions of the industrial 1-butene reactor in a 1-L laboratory reactor of BA�chi type, the effects of temperature and molar ratio of cyclohexylamine (CHA) as the catalyst deactivator to modified catalyst on weight of polymer (WPE (mg)) and weight percentage of oligomer (OL (wt. %)) were investigated. The results showed that the increase of temperature from 86 A�C to 98 A�C resulted in the remarkable increase of WPE and slight increase of OL (wt. %). For the [CHA/modified catalyst] molar ratio, the optimum value to achieve both minimum WPE and OL (wt. %) was 1. Increasing this molar ratio to 1.5 led to a noticeable increase of WPE. A further increase of the [CHA/modified catalyst] molar ratio resulted in the decrease of WPE. However, with increase of this molar ratio from 1 to 3, OL (wt. %) was continuously increased. In addition, we performed the studies using 1H-NMR spectrum for better understanding of the steric coordinative interaction of CHA over the titanium center of the catalytic system.

The application of electroerosion coagulation together with in-situ manufactured polyvalent powdered aluminium oxides and iron oxides allowed efficient water purification from heavy metal ions and radioactive alkali ions (Fe, Cr, Cu, Mo, Zn, Co, Ni, Cd, Mn, As, Sn, Pb, Al, Ba, Cs and Sr) as well as from organic contaminations (from the liquid waste landfills, in particular) [1]. The method of electroerosion dispersion is very effective for production of nanopowders (5-500 nm) of metals, oxides, nitrides and carbides, as well as for recycling of any conductive materials such as cemented carbides, alloys of heavy metals, any metallic granules or chips, cans, etc [2]. The iron magnetic nanoparticles produced by electroerosion dispersion have considerable interest in many fields of research and application due to their attractive properties. They have high potential for applications in the field of biomedical sciences (diagnostics and therapy), ferrofluids, catalysis, colored pigments, high-density magnetic recording, printer toners, Li-ion batteries, wastewater treatment and absorption of electromagnetic waves.

The occurrence of cyanobacteria in freshwater is a global problem, particularly when considering that these waters are used for human consumption as drinking water. Because cyanobacteria contains toxic substances that produce hepatoxins and neurotoxins, it can cause acute and chronic intoxication, which reaches the liver cells and the neuromuscular system, making it harmful to human health. Cyanobacteria cells are still difficult to remove in conventional treatment systems. For the removal of cyanobacteria in water sources used for public water supply, the electroflotation process is presented as a viable treatment alternative. Thus, this research had the objective of studying the removal of cyanobacteria from the water supply through the electroflotation process, using DSA®-type, dimensionally stable anodes composed of Ti / Ru0,3Ti0,7O2. The spring water from Peri Lagoon was used, which is located in the city of Florianópolis / SC, Brazil. In the pilot system, the effects of the operational variables of the electrochemical reactor, water input rate and electric current density, were studied. The performance of the electroflotation process was determined by the removal of cyanobacteria cells in the treated water. According to the results, there was approximately a 73% removal of cyanobacteria after 30 min of electrolysis, and approximately 78% after 60 min, for the water input rate of 100.84 m3m-2d-1 and electric current density of 68.26 A m-2. Under these conditions, the energy consumption was 1.28 kWh m-3. The electrochemical process also showed a removal of 60% and 49% of the apparent color and turbidity of the water, respectively. These results encourage the applicability of the electroflotation process as a pre-treatment alternative for the removal of cyanobacteria from the water supply.

Excited, ionized, and electron attached states of 3-D parabolic quantum dots (often referred to as "artificial" atoms) are treated with the relativistic 4-component multi-reference Intermediate Hamiltonian Fock-space coupled cluster method [1]. Collective excitations, spin-orbital splittings, and quasi-degenerate structure of many open shell quantum dots are important, implying the need for accurate inclusion of dynamic and non-dynamic correlation effects, along with first principles relativistic treatment of excitation spectra. The effects of correlation and relativity on structure and properties of n-electronic quantum dots (with 1Recently few-electrons quantum dots, confined by 3-dimensional isotropic harmonic potentials, with impurities that mimic finite-size atomic nuclei, have been also studied [2]. The relative weight of the correlation correction is significant for these systems, in particular for small systems with weak confining potentials and low impurity charges Z, where it constitutes up to 17% of the total energy. Strong nonadditivity is observed for some low values of Z and I, where correlation increases with Z and I, opposite to the effect of each of these potentials separately. A suggestion is made to investigate quantum dots with impurities off the dot center.

Recently, studies of amorphous magnetic wires have attracted great attention, owing to excellent magnetic properties such as magnetic bistability, excellent magnetic, mechanical, and corrosion properties, Giant Magnetoimpedance (GMI) effect [1]. Aforementioned GMI effect consisting of a large change of the impedance of a magnetic conductor under magnetic field is quite interesting for magnetic sensors applications [1].
Recent tendency in devices miniaturization stimulated development of thin (few micrometer diameters) and soft magnetic microwires prepared using Taylor-Ulitovsky method. Excellent soft magnetic properties and GMI effect have been reported for properly prepared and processed Co-rich microwires [1]. Less expensive Fe-rich microwires are preferable for the applications. But amorphous Fe-rich materials exhibit rather high magnetostriction coefficient and consequently present quite low GMI effect [1].
The most common method for magnetic softness optimization is the annealing. Nevertheless, recently the optimization of soft magnetic properties and GMI effect after are reported mostly for brittle devitrified Fe-rich microwires [1].
From previous studies of Co-rich amorphous materials it is known that stress annealing can considerably affect the magnetic properties of amorphous materials [1].
Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to present our recent experimental results on influence of stress- annealing on magnetic properties and GMI effect of Fe- and Fe-Co based glass-coated microwires.
We observed that Fe-rich microwires annealed under stress at appropriate annealing conditions (time and temperature) can present low coercivity, considerable magnetic softening and enhanced GMI effect. For interpretating observed changes of hysteresis loops after stress annealing, we considered internal stresses relaxation and different mechanisms of stress-induced anisotropy. Observed versatile properties of stress annealed glass-coated microwires with enhanced and tunable soft magnetic properties make them suitable for technological sensing applications.

The growth in population and in the standard of living in developing countries, coupled with inefficient use of water and pollution of available water resources, have driven desalination to be a major source of fresh water for both domestic and industrial purposes. The challenges in water management are among the most important problems facing the world today. The shortage of clean water is at the heart of critical health issues in developing countries, and is the focus of ecological and safety concerns even for the highly developed nations. To provide water for drinking and agriculture, we must desalinate and clean natural water sources, reclaim polluted water, purify water with different degrees of contaminants, and improve the effectiveness of water handling (storage and delivery) systems ranging from large desalination plants to waste water treatment facilities and down to family's water purification systems. We must remove contaminants that include inorganics (metals and ions), organics (e.g. toxic waste, pharmaceuticals) and microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, etc.). At the heart of these diverse problems stands the need for new ways to clean water, to safely dispose of the extracted waste, to properly reuse the cleaning systems and to keep the environment clean.
The cost of desalinated water is higher than the cost of natural water if available in the vicinity but can be lower if natural water is brought from long distance. The popular concept is that desalination consumes high energy; however, like in the process industry, the cost is based on optimization of all parameters involved, not only the energy. It is not only the cost of the process components, but also most importantly, the environmental parameters that need to be properly considered. The potential environmental impacts of desalination are related to the energy generation process as well as to the design and management of the desalination process. The importance of these impacts depends on the type of technology used.
Energy consumption of desalination processes is very low in comparison with the total national energy consumption for electricity and transportation. It was shown that the energy consumption of most desalination processes constitute only a small fraction of the total national energy consumption. For example, the energy requirement to produce an annual desalinated water capacity of 600 million m3/y in Israel is less than 1.3% of the Israeli national energy consumption. It should be noted that it is easier to save 1.3% of the national energy consumption than about 80% of the urban water consumption.
Energy consumption depends on the location of the plant and the distance of the plant from the seawater suction point, and the energy cost is highly dependent on the type of energy source. Other environmental issues may also affect the water cost, and it is important to keep the environment intact while keeping desalinated costs to the possible minimum. In literature and in real life there are considerable concerns regarding the environmental impacts of desalination technologies. The main concerns are related to emission of air pollutants and greenhouse gases, entrapment of marine life on the intake side, and discharge of relatively high-temperature, salinity-elevated and chemical-laden concentrate. Nevertheless, limited research is available on these possible ecological and biological impacts, particularly on the long term effects on the marine environment. Existing data revealed that only a small area, adjacent to the concentrate disposal point, is affected by elevated salinity and temperature after which complete dilution with the seawater diminishes any further affects.
Israel made significant steps to provide affordable solutions based on a wide distribution system, desalination (80% of the urban water consumption), tertiary treatment of wastewater for irrigation, drip irrigation for reduction of water consumption, and improved agriculture techniques. However, there is always room for improvements. It is essential to improve desalination steps in order to reduce the cost. New directions may include improved membranes—especially UF membranes, improved pretreatment processes, and increased recoveries as applied effectively near zero liquid discharge in inland brackish water desalination. It is essential to improve wastewater treatment by better techniques like MBR and better treatment for removal of tracers of organic and inorganic contaminants. An important subject is the treatment of produced water from the gas and oil industry, treatment of polluted aquifers, development of small water treatment and recovery for remote communities, and more.
Priority should be given in the near future to development of renewable energy sources and water supplies that meet sustainability and environmental requirements. This presentation summarizes the environmental impacts of most aspects of desalination processes, highlighting the recognized problems and their available industrial solutions. The aspects related to techniques, energy and environmental issues investigated in our water research program would also be discussed.

Whereas biorepulsive oligo- and poly(ethylene glycols) (OEGs and PEGs) are widely used for different applications, they have not been utilized yet as materials for free-standing nanomembranes. In this context, I discuss fabrication and potential applications of novel PEG hydrogel films and membranes, abbreviated as PHFs and PHMs, respectively. They were prepared by thermally activated crosslinking of amine- and epoxy-terminated, star-branched PEG oligomers, and characterized by tunable thicknesses of 4-300 nm [1]. These systems possess a variety of useful properties, including biocompatibility, robustness, and extreme elasticity [1,2]. They can serve as a basis for hybrid materials, advanced nanofabrication, and lithography, using electron irradiation and ultraviolet light as writing tools [1-3]. They can also be used as highly sensitive elements in MEMS as well as in humidity sensors and moisture-responsive nanoelectronic devices, relying on optical or resistive transduction technique. In particular, their resistance changes by ca. 5.5 orders of the magnitude upon relative humidity variation from 0 to 100%, which is an unprecedented response for homogeneous materials [4]. The PHFs and PHMs are also able to host protein-specific receptors, providing, at the same time, protein-repelling and humidity-responsive matrix with a characteristic mesh size up to 8.4 nm [5]. A noticeable grafting density of the test avidin protein, specifically attached to the biotin moieties, coupled to the free amine groups in the PHMs, was achieved, whereas non-specific protein adsorption was efficiently suppressed. The engineering of PHMs with biomolecule-specific receptors and their loading with biomolecules are of potential interest for sensor fabrication and biomedical applications, including tissue engineering and regenerative therapy.

Bulk nanostructure materials are characterized by high specific strength, hardness, corrosion, and wear resistant properties, and in particular, conditions by super-plasticity [1, 2, 3]. They exhibit specific electrical, thermal, magnetic, optical, chemical and other properties. Accordingly, the demand on nanoparticles and bulk nanocomposites in increased for practical application. Therefore, the development of new technologies for fabrication of bulk nanocomposites is big challenge.
This paper consists of an experimental investigation and manufacture of multifunctional bulk nanostructured composite materials in Ti-Al-B-C, Si-B-C, SiC-B-C B₄C-SiC, B₄C-Si-C systems.
The coarse crystalline Ti, Al, amorphous Boron and Carbon (Graphite) elementary pure (at least 98%) powders were used as precursors. The blend with different percentage contents of the powders were prepared. The high energetic "Fritsch" Planetary ball mill was used for blend processing, mechanical alloying, amorphization, and nanopowder production. The time of processing varied in range of: 1-36h. The optimal technological regimes for nanopowder preparation are determined experimentally. Ball milled blend compacted by explosive consolidation technology and bulk composite materials are fabricated. For shock wave generation, the industrial explosives and new explosives obtained from decommissioned weapons were used in the experiments. The technological parameters of the explosive consolidation and the structure-properties relationship are presented and discussed in the paper.

Inorganic fluorine-based compounds are present today as components in many advanced technologies, in particular energy storage and conversion, such as Li-ion batteries, F- ion-based all-solid-state batteries, and fuel cells [1]. Other than these types of applications, fluoride materials are also decisive elements in microphotonics, fluorescent chemical sensors, solid-state lasers, nonlinear optics, etc. Most of these outstanding properties can be correlated to the exceptional electronic properties of the element "Fluorine" [2]. The strategic importance of inorganic fluoride materials will be illustrated by some examples:
- In energy storage and conversion fields, fluorinated carbon nano-particles (F-CNPs) are tested as electrodes active materials in primary lithium batteries. In secondary Li batteries, 3d-transition metal fluorides and oxyfluorides are proposed as electrodes.
- Among the huge variety of solid-state d-transition metals fluorides derived from the perovskite, layered BaMF₄ and iron fluorides (TTB- K₃Fe₅F₁₅), are noticeable multiferroics, in which magnetism and ferroelectricity coexist.
- Finally, functionalization processes and surface modifications using various fluorination treatments yield nanosized materials, high surface area fluorides, switchable hydrophobic/hydrophilic coatings. Concerning environmental issues, new alternatives are proposed to substitute CFCs, HCFCs and HFCs, by molecules much favorable for our troposphere because of their lower GWP. In many areas of the world where the level of fluorine in water is dangerously high, various defluoridation processes improve the quality of drinking water, lowering the risks of fluorosis and bringing most promising development for these populations [3].
Acknowledgements: This presentation was made possible with the support of ARC Corp. (Dr. Dayal Meshri, CEO)

Organic electronics and optoelectronics have recently drawn significant attention because they are easy to manufacture, light weight by nature, structurally flexible and possess many other desirable properties which are difficult to achieve using inorganic electronic materials. In recent years much attention was paid to materials built of two or more components. Our group is focused on creation of two-component organic or organic-inorganic crystals with the potential application as semiconductors and light emitting diodes.
There are several ways to obtain crystals of such materials. The most popular way is to grow them from solution. Some years ago, growth of organic compounds from vapor phase started to be used [1,2]. Recently our group worked together with crystallography group from Nanyang Technological University and by using different methods, growth from solution and from vapor phase we were able to obtain different polymorph structures of the same cocrystal tetracene-TCNQ [3]. Growth from vapor phase allows us to grow crystals with much higher purity and larger size.
At present we are optimizing conditions for our setup for organic crystal growth by vapor deposition. The main distinguishing feature of this setup is that we have precise control of each step of the process and we can change parameters to procure the most favorable conditions for crystal growth.
Results of X-Ray diffraction studies of potential charge transfer two component materials obtained by growing from vapor phase and from solution such as OBNc - F6TNAP, AP-tetraene-TCF will be presented. It was found that by performing process of growth from vapor phase we can obtain several different polymorph structures of one compound.

Heusler compounds have composition XYZ (so called half-Heuslers) or X₂YZ (so called full-Heusler). Their tuneability originates from large number of elements. This provides the opportunity to adjust electronic structure and hence material properties in many desired directions, such as: half-metallic material for spintronic applications, zero-gap topological semiconductors etc [1]. The properties of Heusler alloys are very sensitive to any non-stoichiometry and crystalline defect.
Due to this, in our work we presented the fabrication of the thin films by DC magnetron sputtering in Ar gas by co-sputtering from three single elements targets with independent controlled powers supplies, when the film composition was controlled by DC power. Depositions were carried out in an UHV vacuum chamber evacuated before deposition to pressure 5x10^-8 Pa. The plasma composition and energy of the species were monitored by mass spectroscopy using a Hiden 500 spectrometer. The relation between plasma properties and films structured was carefully examined. The spatial distribution of particular metals were characterised by means of EDX analyses performed at 3 inch Si substrate placed at the same target substrate distance. With this method, we fabricated two different kinds of Heusler alloys (i) magnetic Rh₂MnBi films with high (ii) ultrathin Fe₂ZrSi corrosion protection films.
The structural properties of all films were studied by surface techniques such as STM, AFM, and by NanoESCA (Oxford instruments Omicron Nanoscience) instrument, which is based on a PEEM (Photoelectron Emission Microscope) and PES (Photoelecton Spectroscopy). The structural properties were characterized by XRD and SEM equipped by EDX and EDSB techniques. Firstly, the epitaxial Rh-Mn-Bi crystalline films were grown at substrate temperature from RT up to 500 °C on the MgO substrates. Theoretical calculations predict very high magnetic moment for Rh₂MnBi, Aiμ_B = 5 Bohr magnetons per formula unit. Another study reports calculations showing enhanced magneto-optical response of the material. However, in case of the Rh-Mn-Bi system, there is a huge dissimilarity among the metals; a) The melting temperature of Rh reaches 2000 °C b) Although the Mn melting temperature is relatively medium high, 1250 °C, it has a relatively high vapor pressure ; c) Mn oxidizes easily; d) The Bi melting temperature is only 271.4°C, and its vapor pressure is very high, which make the fabrication of these films very difficult. Our attention was focused on the relation of the deposition parameters on the structural and following magnetic properties of the films characterized by vibrating sample magnetometer and by Magneto-optical Kerr effect.
Secondly we studied initial stages of Fe and Si atoms interactions with Zr (0001) surface. Ultrathin Fe-Si films were evaporated on the Zr(0001) surface [2]. The formation of the stable corrosion resistance Fe₂ZrSi or FeZrSi Heusler alloys was formed. Following by means of DC magnetron sputtering, the multicomponenct gradient films Fe-Si-Zr from Zr, Fe and Si targets were fabricated on polycrystalline disc Zr (99%) with diameter 12 mm. The depositions were carried out in UHV conditions in pure argon atmosphere at substrate temperature varied from 20-700 °C [3]. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy was employed to analyse the corrosion characterization of Zr with protective Heusler-like films. The effect of Fe-Si-Zr films composition and structure on surface chemistry, morphology, and corrosion behaviour of Zr was examined and evaluated.

Fibers made purely of aligned carbon nanotubes (ACNT) exhibit remarkable properties, such as high specific strength, stiffness, electrical and thermal conductivity, as well as extreme flexibility [1-3]. The uniqueness of ACNT fibers lies in the fact that during the application of certain potentials they undergo the unusual process of swelling [4]. Since this process leads to the increase in radial dimension and effective surface area, swollen ACNT fibers can be considered as advantageous materials for electrodes in ion batteries and supercapacitors. In this paper, we demonstrate that through the process of swelling, the effective surface area of ACNT fiber can be significantly increased. The effect of swelling on the enlargement of effective surface area is extensively investigated by means of chronoamperometry in the function of applied potential and time of potential application. It is shown that by the careful choice of swelling process parameters, it is possible to increase the effective surface area of ACNT fiber up to 450 times when compared with the initial geometric area of the fiber, reaching the specific effective surface area of 7.5 m2 g-1.

The results of a structural and mechanical properties study of aluminum dodecaboride (a-AlB₁₂, AlB₁₂C₂, a-AlB₁₂-TiB₂-TiC)- and boron carbide (B₄C and B₄C-SiC)-based ceramics, hot pressed at 30 MPa, 1950 - 2240°C, and high pressure (2 GPa) as well as high temperature (1200-1400°C) sintered and synthesized, will be under discussion. The materials can be used as protective armor or constructional ceramics for nuclear power plants, additives to the boron-carbide-based materials, or as solid fuel, abrasives, explosives, etc. [1-5]. The materials were manufactured from a-AlB₁₂, AlB₁₂C₂, C nanopowders and B₄C, SiC, TiC micropowders. The preliminary mixtures of powders were prepared using high speed planetary activator. The a-AlB₁₂ powder with and without carbon additions can be sintered to the dense state of 1200-1400°C, 2 GPa, 1 h, while the hardness of the materials was not high (12.5-17.8 GPa at 49 N-load). The AlB₁₂C₂ nanopowder sintered at 1400°C, 2 GPa, 1 h contained 89 wt.% AlB₁₂C₂ and 11 wt.% of admixture Al₂O₃ (according x-ray diffraction study) and demonstrated hardness HV(49 N-load)=26.6-0.6 GPa, fracture toughness K_1c (49 N)=5.9-0.5 MPa-m0.5, density g=2.73 g/сm³. The materials obtained at 30 MPa, 2240-1950°C had much higher characteristics. γ-AlB₁₂ (94-98 wt.%, p=2.53-2.58 g/cm³) showed HV(49 N)=24.1 GPa; K_1c (49 N)=4.9 MPa-m0.5; bending R_bs=336 MPa and compressive R_cs=378 MPa strengths. Composite 74 wt.% AlB₁₂C₂, 22 wt% TiB₂ , 4 wt% Al₂O₃ (p=3.1 g/сm3) had HV(49N)=37.65-6.74 GPa, K_1c(49 N)=5.2 MPa-m0.5, R_bs = 646 MPa and R_cs =795 MPa. B4C(p=2.52 g/сm3) demonstrated HV(4.9 N)=40 GPa, K_1c (3-point bending)=4.89 MPa-m0,5, R_cs=392 MPa, R_cs=1551 MPa and B₄C-20%SiC (p = 2.67 g/cm³) had HV(49 N)= 35 GPa, K_1c(3-point bending)=5.9 MPa-m0,5, R_bs=474 MPa, R_cs=1878 MPa.

Hydrogen is the most accredited fuel for the future, and hence, several efforts are focused towards the development of processes and catalysts for producing hydrogen rich syngas from bio-fuels, including biogas. Conversion of biogas to produce syngas (a mix of hydrogen and carbon oxide) is not yet a commercially used process, due to the lack of highly effective catalysts with resistance to or absence of coke formation. The sol-gel method, as one of approaches to create nanomaterials, is extensively applied to prepare nanosized catalysts. This strategy leads to narrow size distribution of metal particles, their high thermal resistance against agglomeration, and low deactivation rate.
This work deals with the design and synthesis of catalysts prepared by the sol-gel method (Pechini) and their testing in biogas reforming to produce hydrogen rich syngas. The multicomponent Co-based catalysts with varied metal content were synthesized according to the slightly modified procedure [1]. The catalysts were studied by a number of physico-chemical methods (TEM, SEM, BET, TPR etc.) The catalytic properties of new nanomaterials were tested in dry and steam reforming of a model biogas with a ratio CH₄/CO₂=1in a flow tubular reactor under atmospheric pressure, gas hourly space velocity - 1000 h-1, and varying temperature within 300-800°C and steam amount within 0-2 vol. parts. The synthesized catalysts perform a high stable activity in both dry and steam biogas reforming with producing hydrogen rich syngas. At 700°C, P=0.1 MPa, and GHSV=1000 h-1, methane conversion reaches 99.0% and syngas produced gets a ratio of H₂/CO =1.8.

The future of the international accord on mitigating the impact of climate change is linked to the successful implementation of nano-technology. The latter is strongly dependent on finding commercially viable methods for nano-functionalization of the energy related materials. Drop-on-demand inkjet printing methods combining scalability and low equipment cost with high-resolution ink delivery have been proven a feasible solution in various areas: 2D functionalization — (i) fabrication of multifilamentary superconducting YBCO structures by inkjet printing of a low-fluorine YBCO precursor solution on SS/ABAD-YSZ/CZO substrates creating a multifilamentary structure by an inverse technique (Jc of up to 3 MA cm-2 at 77 K) [1]; (ii) in situ fabrication of conductive silver coatings without additional heat treatment from micron-sized elongated silver flakes [2].
3D functionalization — Composite solid oxide fuel cells LSCF/CGO cathodes were nano-engineered via "dual" inkjet printing infiltration. The structure was found to extend the active three-phase boundary and to promote adsorption/dissociation/surface exchange reactions. Electrochemical impedance tests showed a reduction in the polarisation resistance of between 1.5 and 7.0 times.

As a selective and non-destructive method, the diffraction method applied for in-situ tensile test is particularly useful in analysing the evolution of phase behaviour during elastic and elasto-plastic deformation of polycrystalline materials [1-3]. This experimental technique enables determination of the mechanical properties for group of grains inside the gauge volume defined by diffraction condition. The measurements are carried out using selected hkl reflections during tensile/compression tests. In the case of multiphase polycrystalline materials, the measurement of separate diffraction peaks enables independent investigations of the mechanical behaviour of each phase.
In this work, a methodology combining diffraction experiments and self-consistent calculations was used to study behaviour of phases within two-phase polycrystalline materials (Al/SiCp composite and duplex austenitic-ferritic steel). Special attention was paid to the role of first and second order stresses on the yield stresses of the phases, as well as on the evolution of these stresses during the deformation process. The stresses were determined from lattice strains measured in situ during tensile tests and after sample unloading [4,5] using neutron diffraction (JINR, Dubna, Russia and ISIS, RAL, UK) and diffraction of X-ray synchrotron radiation (ID15B, ESRF, Grenoble, France).
Comparison of the elasto-plastic self-consistent model with measured lattice strains allowed the determination of micro-mechanical properties of each phase in two-phase polycrystalline materials. The partitioning of the load between phases were correctly predicted by the self-consistent model. It was shown that the developed version of this model can be used to predict the consequences of damage processes occurring in a given phase.
The experimental and model results obtained in this work were used to study slip on crystallographic planes, localisation of stresses in polycrystalline grains [4,5] and initiation of micro-damage [6] occurring during plastic deformation.

Search for an efficient and low cost alternative to Silicon-wafer solar cells has led to the popularity of thin film photovoltaics. Tin Sulphide (SnS), being an earth abundant, cheap, and less toxic semiconducting material [1,2] with a high absorption coefficient (> 104 cm-1) in visible range [3], stands out as a potential candidate. Theoretical simulations by Loferski et al. [4] predicted 24% efficiency for SnS based solar cells, however maximum efficiency achieved to date is far less than the predicted value. In this work, a detailed analysis of the poor performance of CdS/p-SnS heterojunction solar cells is carried out. ITO/CdS/p-SnS/Au solar cells with varying thickness of p-SnS absorber layer were made using a thermal evaporation technique. Best conversion efficiency of 0.005% was obtained for the cell having p-SnS layer of thickness 1068nm. Defects present in p-SnS thin films along with the band misalignment at the interface of CdS/SnS layers lead to poor performance of the cell by increasing the trap-assisted tunneling recombinations at the junction. Ideality factor was calculated from the dark J-V characteristics, using the modified piecewise model [5] to quantify the junction characteristics. It was found that the ideality factor has a direct impact on the device performance, with efficiency decreasing as the ideality factor of the junction increases.

Efficient hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass to fermentable sugars is a challenging step and the primary obstacle for the large scale production of cellulosic ethanol. Ionic liquids are well known for their ability to dissolve cellulose and our interest in the search for efficient catalytic methods for saccharification of polysaccharides has led us to develop -SO₃H functionalized Brönsted acidic ionic liquids (BAILs) as solvents as well as catalysts [1]. Later we found that these sulfuric acid derivatives can be used as catalysts in water as well. For example, BAIL 1-(1-propylsulfonic)-3-methylimidazolium chloride aqueous solution was shown to be a better catalyst than H₂SO₄ of the same [H⁺] for the degradation of cellulose [2]. This observation is an important lead for the development of a BAIL based cellulase mimic type catalyst for depolymerization of cellulose [3]. In an attempt to develop a recyclable, simple enzyme mimic type catalysts we have studied quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR) of BAIL catalysts and found that activity decreases as: imidazolium > pyridinium > triethanol ammonium [4]. Furthermore, we have investigated the effects of selected metal ions on BAIL catalyzed hydrolysis of cellulose in water at 140-170 °C. The total reducing sugar (TRS) yields produced during the hydrolysis of cellulose (DP ~ 450) in aq. BAIL solution at 140 - 170 °C using Cr³⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe³⁺, Co²⁺ Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, and La³⁺ chlorides as co-catalysts. The highest catalytic effect enhancement is observed with Mn²⁺ and produced TRS yields of 59.1, 78.4, 91.8, and 91.9 % at 140, 150, 160, and 170 °C respectively; whereas cellulose hydrolyzed without Mn²⁺ produced TRS yields of 9.8, 16.5, 28.0, and 28.7 % at the same four temperatures. This paper will present the development of BAIL based artificial cellulase type catalysts, QSAR, catalyst immobilizations, biomass applications (corn stover, switchgrass, poplar) and recycling studies.

The quantity and speed of electronic waste (E-waste) discard has increased rapidly in recent years. Research to develop electronics that disappear has progressively gained importance, as it's a necessity to assure a sustainable environment [1, 2]. Interest in emerging green electronics follows from possibilities for broad types of applications that cannot be addressed with traditional rigid electronics, such as flexibility and foldability. Flexible devices that can be easily fabricated on polymeric substrates, which typically constitute the majority of the weight in a device, are suitable for a broad range of applications to empower conformal devices and displays[1]. Nanocellulose, extracted from wood, has been explored as bio-derived and biodegradable materials due to its good thermo-mechanical properties[3]. Even still, the current substantial thermal mismatch between nanocellulose and inorganic electronics, can result in the malfunction of electronic devices[4]. In this work, we have developed rollable nanoclay incorporated nanocellulose free standing films for flexible and recyclable electronics with improving their coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and thermo-mechanical properties. Specifically, we have used Laponite® nanoclay to generate nacre mimetic nanocellulose films. The electrostatic interaction of Laponite® with nanocellulose formed a flexible film with mechanically stable, thermally stable (310 °C) and low CTE (40 ppm/°C) properties. Electronic patterns were deposited on Laponite®-nanocellulose films using lithographic techniques through a shadow mask, and demonstrated their possibility in foldable electronics applications.
Note: Laponite® is a trademark of BYK Additives Ltd.

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) belong to the anionic clays family, having the general formula M²⁺_1-xM³⁺_x(OH)₂A^n-_x/n·mH₂O with a M²⁺/M³⁺ molar ratio between 1.5 and 4 [1]. M²⁺ and M³⁺ are bivalent (e.g., Mg²⁺, Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺) and trivalent (e.g., Al³⁺, Ga³⁺, In³⁺, Cr³⁺, Mn³⁺, Fe³⁺) cations, respectively, with ionic radii not too different from that of Mg²⁺ [2]. They are hexa-coordinated to hydroxyl groups, forming brucite-like sheets which stack to create a layered structure. A large variety of inorganic and organic counter-anions A^n- can be intercalated in the inter-layer space to compensate the positive charge introduced by the M³⁺ cations partially replacing M²⁺ cations in the layers. Two or more cations can simultaneously enter the brucite-like sheets, where they are homogeneously distributed and intimately mixed together. Due to their structure, along with their compositional flexibility, the LDH possess versatile physico-chemical properties which make them good candidates as multifunctional nanostructured catalysts and catalyst precursors [1, 3].
Various transition metals cations can be introduced into the layers of the LDH structure, but also into the inter-layer space as heteropolyanions and organometallic complexes where they are responsible for the redox properties of these materials and, therefore, for their catalytic properties in oxidation reactions. They can be used as such, particularly for low-temperature liquid-phase oxidation and epoxidation processes, or as mixed oxides obtained by their controlled thermal decomposition for high-temperature gas-phase selective oxidation, oxidative dehydrogenation, and total oxidation processes [4].
The thermal decomposition of the LDH leads to highly homogeneous mixed oxide structures with high specific surface areas, thermal stabilities, and tunable acid-base and redox properties. Due to these properties, the transition-metal-containing mixed oxides obtained from LDH precursors have been recognized as very promising catalysts for sustainable chemical processes, such as catalytic selective oxidation for obtaining chemicals and intermediates and complete oxidation as a promising valuable technology for the destruction of volatile organic compounds [4].
Through a number of examples selected mainly from our own research work, the high potential of transition-metal-containing LDH-based materials as catalysts for sustainable oxidation processes will be clearly demonstrated based on the correlation preparation method— physico-chemical characteristics— catalytic performance.

Rapid quenching from melt has been successfully used during more than 60 years for quick preparation of amorphous, nanocrystalline, or metastable crystalline materials with planar (ribbons) or cylindrical (wires) geometry. Most attention has been paid to preparation and studies of amorphous and nanocrystalline rapidly quenched materials exhibiting soft magnetic properties [1]. However, if the quenching rate achieved during the rapidly quenching process is not sufficiently high or if the phase diagram of the alloy is not appropriate for preparation of amorphous materials, a metastable crystalline material (i.e. supersaturated solid solutions, nanocrystalline, microcrystalline or granular alloys) can be prepared [1].
It is worth mentioning that even crystalline magnetic wires present a number of interesting and unusual magnetic properties suitable for various applications: propagation of single domain wall along the magnetic wire and giant magnetoimpedance effect (GMI) [1]. In fact, rapid solidification and subsequent processing is a well-established route to the formation of hard magnets[1]. Additionally, glass-coating can enhance mechanical properties of magnetic microwires. Therefore, few attempts have been made to enhance the coercivity on glass-coated microwires [1].
The principal limitation for the preparation of hard magnetic glass-coated microwires containing rare-earth metals using the Taylor-Ulitovsky method is related to the chemical interaction with the glass during the rapid quenching from the melt. This is the limiting factor for rare-earth containing materials. Therefore, recently we paid attention to FePt alloys for magnetic microwires preparation [2]. FePt magnetically hard alloys have attracted great attention because of their excellent magnetic and mechanical properties [2]. Thus, Fe-Pt alloys are quite ductile and chemically inert. Elevated coercivity of FePt alloys is usually attributed to high magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the L10 FePt phase. Moreover, FePt alloys usually present relatively high Curie temperature (T_c = 750 K) and spontaneous magnetization of about 1.43 T. Consequently we have prepared Fe-Pt and Fe-Pt- M (M=B, Si) microwires using Taylor-Ulitovsky technique and studied their magnetic properties. Magnetic properties depend considerably on the metallic core composition and annealing conditions. As-prepared microwires present either amorphous or mixture of amorphous and nanocrystalline phases with a presence of BCC FePt, FCC PtFe and small amount of tetragonal FePt phase. After annealing at 500 ^oC Fe₅₀Pt₄₀Si₁₀ microwires we observed a remarkable magnetic hardening related to crystallization of as-prepared amorphous Fe₅₀Pt₄₀Si₁₀ microwires. Coercivity increasing from 5 Oe up to 500 Oe is attributed to the crystallization of amorphous Fe₅₀Pt₄₀Si₁₀ microwires. Annealed Fe₅₀Pt₅₀ sample present coercivity up to 800 Oe at 5K, but the magnetization of FePt is low and rapidly decreases with temperature. We discussed peculiarity of Fe₅₀Pt₅₀ microwires considering the influence of internal stresses on magnetic ordering of Fe-atoms.

Our primary research objective is to design magnetically targeting magnetoplasmonic nanoheterodimers as multimodal nanotherapeutics for synergistic cancer therapy. Therefore, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were merged with gold nanospheres, nanoclusters, or nanopatches, either through a thermal decomposition procedure or via a facile coprecipitation synthesis. SPIONs with sizes around 20 nm were shown to feature superparamagnetism as well as perform an enormous capacity as X-ray dosage enhancer when internalized by tumor cells [1,2]. The Au-SPION nanoheterodimers combine high-Z material with catalytically active Fe₃O₄ surfaces and moreover, plasmonic properties with superparamagnetic performance [3]. The X-ray enhancing effect was demonstrated to be increased by endowing the Au and Fe₃O₄ surfaces with charged and distinctly, specifically acting chemical moieties as being for instance, nitrosyl tetrafluoroborate and S-nitroso glutathione. We could substantiate synergistic interactions between X-ray exposed Au and SPION surfaces, which were manifest by the simultaneous production of the nitric oxide radical at the SPION surface and the superoxide radical at the Au surface. The surface-confined reaction between these radicals generated peroxynitrite. This highly reactive species may cause nitration of mitochondrial proteins, lipid peroxidation, and induces DNA strand breaks. Therefore, high concentrations of peroxynitrite are expected to give rise to severe cellular energetic derangements and thereupon, entail rapid cell death.

The previous reports have indicated that the tunic of Halocynthia roretzi, which has chitin sulfate-like polysaccharide and cellulose Ibeta, responds to various stimulus, including mechanical stimuli and neurotransmitters, and deforms as a result [1 -4]. Moreover, the water content of the tunic was changed when the deformation occurred [1]. While the tunic in the artificial seawater increased its mass at 5 °C, whose temperature reduced the activity of the metallo-protease secreted from the cells in the tunic, the propagation of bacteria in the tunic would be prevented [1]. However, whether or not the condition of the cells in the tunic could be maintained at 5 °C has been barely examined. If the activity of the cells in the tunic is maintained in the artificial water, the conditions of the tunic could be controlled on its own. In this study, the motility of the cell obtained from the tunic, kept at 5 °C for 10 days, by centrifugation (1000G, 7 min) was examined. In addition, the contents of the dissolved organic matter and nitrate in the supernatant and seawater used for keeping the tunic were evaluated by the absorbance at 250 -350 nm and 220 nm in the spectroscopic analysis, respectively. The actively moving cells observed although the tunic were just kept in the artificial seawater. In the meantime, the contents of the dissolved organic matter and nitrate in the supernatant were more than those in the artificial seawater used for keeping the tunic. When these two types of the solutions were kept for 10 days at 5 °C, most of the samples indicated the decrease in the contents of the dissolved organic matter and nitrate. The tunic of Halocynthia roretzi could maintain its condition suitable for the cells independently.

Sustainable development demands advanced materials to transform or conserve energy, which have to satisfy the durability requirements under working conditions with enhanced energy performance. Constitutive modeling and life prediction are core tasks for durability design, especially with thin margins at increasing operating temperature and lowering weight. Traditionally, these two tasks were handled separately, via phenomenological approaches that employ too many empirical correlations, with parameters that do not physically connect to each other. This is not the way to go, when facing the challenges of sustainable development.
Recently, an integrated creep-fatigue theory (ICFT) has been developed, which constructs the material constitutive law based on physical decomposition of the total deformation as the sum of elastic strain, rate-independent plastic strain, intragranular dislocation glide, climb, as well as grain boundary sliding [1]. This mechanism-based approach allows delineation of inelastic deformation in creep, fatigue, and thermo-mechanical fatigue into mechanism strains, which in turn describes the various forms of physical damage, such as persistent slip bands, grain boundary cavitation and cracking in relation to the responsible mechanism(s), respectively. Furthermore, the holistic damage accumulation in a material under random thermomechanical loading generally consists of nucleation of surface/subsurface cracks by fatigue [2], environmental effects, and their propagation in coalescence with internally distributed damage such as cavities promoted by creep.
Application of ICFT to creep has led to a deformation mechanism-based true-stress (DMTS) model that describes the three-stage creep behaviour with the influence of oxidation [3]. The DMTS model can be used for long-term creep life prediction. Application of ICFT to low-cycle fatigue and thermomechanical fatigue of ductile cast iron and austenitic cast steels has demonstrated that the complicated hysteresis behaviors are governed by fundamental deformation mechanisms operating under the corresponding loading profiles [4,5,6]. In general, ICFT provides an integrated approach to constitutive modeling and life prediction with the physics-based "genome" to include all effects of environment and material internal damage, enabling a holistic durability analysis for materials under user-specified loading profiles.

Thin-film Si solar cells on glass have the potential to reduce both material usage and production costs as compared to wafer-based Si solar cells [1-3]. The first sample under consideration was prepared first by deposition of a-Si onto glass substrates by physical vapor deposition at room temperature, followed by heating from the front side to ~300°C and deposition of an indium metallic solvent. Droplets form and move along the surface, leaving traces of c-Si, a process referred to as amorphous-liquid-crystalline transition [4,5]. At the preparation of the second sample, an additional silicon layer with the thickness of 400 nm was deposited on an ALC layer. A sample, when after that a c-Si was grown on the seed layer by steady-state liquid phase epitaxy from indium solution will be referred as a third sample. SEM characterization shows that microcrystalline Si layer with grain sizes of up to several tens of micrometers was grown.
Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry has shown that the resulting samples have a strong absorption edge in the mid-infrared region around 1960 cm−1. I–V measurements show that the lower surface resistance (1.3 kΩ) has sample #2, but higher one (35.7 kΩ) – sample #3, due to the high purity of crystallites grown by SSLPE.
Magnetic field dependence of the electric sheet resistance was measured in Faraday geometry at room temperature. On MR curves, six well-resolved oscillations with an average period of δB=0.1214 T were revealed. Either Aharonov–Bohm effect or kinetic phenomena taking place in the grains boundaries at current flow are responsible for those oscillations. Since the period of A–B oscillations is given by δB=4Φ0/πDe2, where Φ0=h/e is the quantum flux, a diameter of De=215±10 nm is obtained. Presented results will be promising with regard to the designated use in photo- and thermophotovoltaics.

In the recent years, asymmetric rolling has attracted the attention of metallurgists and material scientists. This deformation process has a number of advantages: it can be used to improve material properties as well as some technological rolling parameters [1-5]. This geometry of deformation is relatively easy to implement on existing industrial rolling mills, and it can provide large volumes of a material. The study of microstructure, crystallographic texture, and stored energy in asymmetrically rolled polycrystalline metals (copper, aluminum and titanium) are presented in this work. The characteristics above were examined using the EBSD technique, X-ray diffraction, and calorimetric measurements. The mechanical aspects of the process were examined experimentally and studied using the Finite Element Method. The rolling asymmetry was realized using either two identical rolls rotating with different angular velocities, or two rolls with different diameters rotating with the same angular velocity.
It was found that asymmetric rolling leads to important microstructure modifications, grain refinement, texture rotation and its homogenization. The mechanical strength and hardness of the processed material are improved. The estimated stored energy accumulated during deformation is higher after asymmetric rolling, which influences the subsequent annealing process. The material bending, resulting in this process, can be partly controlled by an appropriate choice of rolling process parameters. The rolling normal force is reduced and distribution of torques between two work rolls is modified in asymmetric rolling process, as compared with the symmetric one.

Membrane technology is successfully commercialized in various industrial applications, e.g. in treatment of chemicals, food, gas, water or wastewater. Recently it has also emerged in clean and renewable power applications [1]. In particular, dense ceramic membranes having mixed ionic-electronic conductivity (MIEC) can be used for the production of a high purity hydrogen and oxygen via gas separation route, but also for preparation and processing of syngas, e.g. by a partial oxidation of methane. Such membranes can be applied as well in gas separation technology [2]. For instance, oxygen can be preferentially transferred from a gas mixture through the MIEC membrane, allowing to obtain a high-purity O₂ for further usage. Many considered MIEC-type oxides, candidate membrane materials which exhibit high mixed ionic-electronic transport properties, and possess either perovskite-type or perovskite-related crystal structure. In such compounds, the electronic component of the electrical conductivity is governed by a double exchange mechanism, while the ionic component in ABO_3-δ perovskite-type oxides proceeds by the oxygen vacancy mechanism. However, depending on the chemical composition, temperature, and the oxygen partial pressure, A₂BO_4±δ compounds may exhibit ionic transport through the oxygen vacancies or the interstitial oxygen. Movement of the interstitial oxygen is unique, due to a low activation energy but also nature of the transport, which is described as the interstitialcy mechanism [3, 4]. Unfortunately, due to the 2D-type conduction in A₂BO_4±δ, the observed macroscopic conductivity of polycrystalline sinters is relatively low. In this work, various approaches are discussed concerning methods of enhancement of the oxygen permeation through A₂BO_4±δ ceramic membranes, including preparation of a functional layer having 3D conductivity and introduction of the A-site nonstoichiometry and the B-site doping. It is shown that the A-site deficient A_2-xCu_1-yNi_yM_zO_4±δ (A - larger lanthanides, M - Sc³⁺, Ga³⁺) possess excellent transport properties, and are a suitable basis for the development of a highly-conducting, barium-free, dense ceramic membranes, which can be further enhanced with the functional layer.

Asphalt coatings are preferred for the construction and/or rehabilitation of highways. They are very common in the world, and have the advantage of being more easily executed and maintained than cement concrete. The use of new technologies using added and/or modified bitumen, fiber additions (cellulose, synthetics, etc.) has been observed in recent years, allowing for improved performance in terms of increased lifetime and widening the thermal domain where the mix improves its properties. Adhesion between bitumen and natural aggregates is a key factor in the service life of wearing courses. Very often, the cause of the defects appearing on the surface of the road can be attributed to an inadequate adhesiveness between the bitumen and the natural aggregates. The main function of the bitumen is to act as an adhesive, and its good adhesiveness to the mineral aggregate is essential for obtaining a mixture of high quality asphalt. The need to ensure a link between aggregates and asphalt is very important and that is why we use, more and more often, the doping of bitumens, namely to add small amounts additive (0.1-0.5%) in the bitumen mass. Analyzing and assessing wetted materials in the laboratory is not an easy mission. They are based especially on the expert opinion (assessment) of the technician that performs the assays, even if some of the mechanical characteristics are quantified or standardized. Although the incidence of premature failure due to adhesiveness is relatively rare, fractures can involve significant costs when they occur. The goal of this research is to compare the adhesiveness results of a set of bitumen (achieved through quantitative determination method and Rolling Bottle Method (RBM) like classic methods) to the results achieved through experimental trials on the same set using the "Average Percentages of Black" (APB) method and PHP program. Not only are the two sets of results compared, but also the two methods—a traditional and a modern one, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

The challenges in water management are among the most important problems facing the world today. The shortage of clean water is at the heart of critical health issues in developing countries, and is the focus of ecological and safety concerns in even the most highly developed nations. To adequately provide water for drinking and agriculture, we must reclaim polluted water, purify water with different degrees of salinity, and improve the effectiveness of water handling (storage and delivery) systems, ranging from desalination plants to waste water treatment facilities to home water purification systems. We must remove contaminants that include inorganics (metals and ions), organics (e.g. toxic waste, pharmaceuticals) and microorganisms (e.g. bacteria). At the heart of these diverse problems stands the need for new ways to clean water, to safely dispose of the extracted waste, and to properly reuse the cleaning systems.
Nanotechnologies stem from new developments in micro-electronics; however, new tools developed recently allow us to better understand problems related to water. Many of the problems that exist are related to nano-size and smaller particles, like viruses and molecular size contaminants. Nanotechnology may be used for modern, improved water treatment techniques. Nanoparticles can be used for water purification, provided their proper removal from the product. This is essential, since some of those materials may be dangerous for drinking, off spec for purified water, or cause problems to membranes, as in higher cleaning steps. In nano-particles categories, those based on oxides of iron, titanium, and other metals may be included, as they act as catalysts for oxidation of dissolved organic matter to water and CO2. They may also act as nano-adsorbents for removal of heavy metals and other molecules from water.
Other uses of nanoparticles are in new membranes design, controlling the known properties of current membranes and/or production of new types of membranes that may possess better properties. Uses of properties of nano-particles, as monitors in modern devices, may give proper information on water quality and contaminant content. The thickness of the active layer of a reverse osmosis membrane is currently in the range of 40-150 nanometers, and is reduced for newer membranes. Controlling pore sizes and pore size distributions in different membranes is comparable to problems associated with the control of lines in modern semi-conductor devices.

This presentation will summarize the current situation related to water and nanotechnology, followed by some examples under development.

Human clinical trials of protein or cell therapy for ischemic cardiovascular diseases have shown disappointing outcomes, mainly because of the poor uptake and retention by the targeted site. We aim to develop novel strategies using nanomaterials and nanotechnologies for improving targeted delivery of cardiovascular therapeutics. Several examples will be highlighted, including (1) instructive nanofiber scaffolds with a protein drug VEGF to establish an intramyocardial engineered vascular niche which attracts endogenous stem cells to home to the injury site for tissue regeneration (Lin et al. Sci Transl Med. 2012), (2) functionalized nanoparticles allowing local or systemic injection to prevent thromboembolism or tissue injury following ischemia (Tang et al. ACS Nano. 2012; Chang et al. J Control Release. 2013), (3) a drug capture system using a mixture of hyaluronan hydrogel and anti-PEG antibodies to capture systemically injected PEGylated therapeutics at injection sites (Wu et al. Sci Transl Med. 2016), and (4) platelet-like proteoliposomes which biomimic platelet interactions with circulating monocytes, allowing an EPR-independent drug delivery to the heart infarct (Cheng et al. Adv Healthc Mat. 2016). These strategies improve the efficacy of cardiovascular therapy and can be applied to other biomedical applications.

It is now generally accepted that the performance of all lithium ion or lithium batteries (including liquid or solid electrolyte) depends on the surface chemistry developed on the electrode / electrolyte interface system. This work presents a contribution to the knowledge of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) from two different examples: The first one concerns Spinel Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) which is considered as a good alternative negative electrode material for Li-ion batteries. The reactivity of LTO toward commons carbonates based electrolytes has been evidenced by surface analysis and an important gassing occurring at the electrode/electrolyte interface was reported. Therefore it is essential to better understand the interfacial phenomena. A precise understanding of the Spinel Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) electrode/electrolyte interfaces in relation with batteries (Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/Li half-cells) electrochemical performances is presented. The influence of various parameters (cycling temperature, electrode and electrolyte composition, cycling potential window) upon the SEI formation and dissolution through cycles is investigated. Finally, full cells as Li₄Ti₅O₁₂/LiMn₂O₄ cells having potential assets in term of cost and safety will be investigated, in order to point out the changes in the SEI formation due to interactions between both electrodes. The samples are analyzed using 3 complementary extreme surface characterization techniques XPS-AES-TOF-SIMS (analysis depth 1-10 nm), operating at different spatial resolutions.
The second example is related to the recent technological development of miniaturized systems which has induced a strong demand for developing compact power sources with high efficiency and small dimensions that are suitable for portable devices. Among these systems, the lithium microbattery may be relevant for a wide range of applications (microelectronic devices). An all solid state battery LiCoO₂ / LiPON / Li is considered and more specifically the behaviour of the interface between the positive electrode and the solid electrolyte, studied by ion milling cross section / Auger Spectroscopy coupling.

One-dimensional nanomaterials can offer large surface area, facile strain relaxation upon cycling, and efficient electron transport pathway to achieve high electrochemical performance. Hence, nanowires have attracted increasing interest in energy related fields. The authors designed a single nanowire electrochemical device for in situ probing the direct relationship between electrical transport, structure, and electrochemical properties of the single nanowire electrode, in order to understand the intrinsic reason for capacity fading. The results show that during the electrochemical reaction, conductivity of the nanowire electrode decreased, which limits the cycle life of the devices. We have developed a facile and high-yield strategy for the oriented formation of CNTs from metal organic frameworks (MOFs).The appropriate graphitic N doping and the confined metal nanoparticles in CNTs both increase the densities of states near the Fermi level and reduce the work function, hence efficiently enhancing its oxygen reduction activity. Then, we fabricated a field-tuned hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) device with an individual MoS₂ nanosheet to explore the impact of field effect on catalysis. In addition, we demonstrated the critical role of structural H₂O on Zn²⁺ intercalation into bilayer V₂O₅·nH₂O. The results suggest that the H₂O-solvated Zn²⁺ possesses largely reduced effective charge and thus reduced electrostatic interactions with the V₂O₅ framework, effectively promoting its diffusion. Through preparing CaV₄O₉ nanowires, we also identified exciting electrochemical properties (including high electric conductivity, small volume change, and self-preserving effect) and superior sodium storage performance of alkaline earth metal vanadates. The work presented here can inspire new ideas in constructing novel one-dimensional structures and accelerate the development of energy storage applications.

Oxytree has achieved many indicators of success, and is a great business idea because it ensures tangible financial results over many years. Being unrivaled and highly profitable, it is a predictable and measurable business concept. In view of the global problems, more and more are being said about the Green Gold potential, an ecological agriculture business. It is of great interest to different plants on different continents, because Ecology + Business + Investment generates long term and substantial profits. Oxytree is beneficial to: the plantation, because it regenerates quickly; the environment, because it removes CO₂ from the air; the farmer, because it is a source of alternative income; the entrepreneur, as an innovative business idea; and the investor, due to it being an inexpensive fixed asset with a high return on investment.

Synthesis, properties, and applications of plasmonic nanostructures with tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) have been a subject of intense investigation over the past decade. Unlike typical metal nanoparticles, colloidal plasmonic semiconductor nanocrystals have LSPR frequencies tunable in the near- to mid-infrared region, which can potentially allow for their applications in terahertz imaging, heat-responsive devices and surface-enhanced infrared spectroscopic techniques [1]. Furthermore, the ability to control type and concentration of charge carriers, as well as their activation, trapping, and scattering via nanocrystal composition and/or surface chemistry allows for fine tuning of the energy, band width, and quality factor of LSPR in semiconductor nanocrystals. Besides expanding the LSPR range, semiconductor nanocrystals bring about numerous other opportunities related to single-phase plasmon-exciton interactions. However, non-resonant nature of the LSPR and exciton in semiconductor nanocrystals has been a major obstacle toward realizing such opportunities.
This talk will first introduce the general properties of colloidal plasmonic semiconductor nanocrystals and compare them with those of noble metal nanoparticles. Then, various ways of generating and controlling the type, concentration, and mobility of charge carriers in these materials [2] will be reviewed. The second part of the talk will focus on the results of our recent work on structure and composition dependent plasmonic properties of transparent metal oxide nanocrystals [3,4], and particularly on generating robust electron polarization in degenerately-doped In₂O₃ nanocrystals owing to non-resonant magnetic-field-induced plasmon-exciton coupling [5]. Applications of these materials for photocatalysis, solar energy conversion, and new energy-efficient and sustainable electronic and quantum information technologies will also be discussed. The talk will conclude with general outlook, and future research directions.

The global trend towards sustainability and resource efficiency urges us to transform our concept of chemical plants and strive for compact, safe, energy-efficient, and environment-friendly sustainable processes. These developments share a common focus on process intensification.
At the level of core conversion processes in a biorefinery, one way to achieve process intensification entails combining reaction and separation in such a way that the overall result is more sustainable, delivers better product quality, reduces the equipment size, lowers the solvent use both for (i) bioprocesses and (ii) chemical processes. Several bio-based processes are plagued by limited product titers and volumetric productivities due to product inhibition. Other processes suffer from side reactions decreasing the yield of the process. Many enzymatic reactions are characterized by suboptimal reaction equilibria. For such processes, it can be advantageous to invest in a recovery technology that allows the selective separation of the product during fermentation or biocatalysis. In-situ product recovery (ISPR) is a key technology platform to intensify bioprocesses. Specific cases will be presented and the benefits for the selected processes explained. Clever integration of separation technology can also be beneficial for chemical processes requiring high dilution to prevent precipitation or intramolecular reactions or processes that suffer from substrate inhibition. The concept of volume intensified dilution not only allows to get similar or better yields and purities, but also a considerable reduction of solvent use.
In upstream and downstream processing, proper pretreatment of feedstocks to remove inhibitory components and selective separations in downstream processing are essential as well. Bioprocesses have the disadvantage to operate under quite dilute conditions. This means that concentrating the product, re-using the water and desalinating the water are becoming key challenges for the success of future bio-based processes. These challenges will be explained via different examples from practice.

The nature-inspired self-healing strategies have been explored in biomimetic engineering designs with a goal of repairing structural damages or facilitating the anti-corrosion protection by means of systematic transport of healing materials, which can be cured and polymerized at the damaged sites. Microscopic capsules filled with healing agents, which were proposed first, are certainly viable and require no external energy to trigger the healing process but such capsules is inherently thick due to their bulky size. A different approach with a much smaller confinement for the healing materials and a capability of multiple healing is desired. Here we overview the efforts of our group and the other research groups toward development and testing of nano-textured vascular self-healing materials and discuss the state-of-the art in the field of such materials, which emerged to mimic multiple natural materials, for example, those characteristic of our own body (skin, bones healed by means of vascular system) [1,2].
Self-healing materials formed by electrospinning and solution blowing are expected to be capable of self-restoring their mechanical properties, e.g. stiffness, toughness, adhesion and cohesion. It is important to heal the invisible and practically undetectable fatigue cracks, which endanger airplanes, and multiple other composite-made vehicles and constructions. Nano-textured vascular self-healing also prevent or delay delamination in composites on ply surfaces [3].
Another field where nano-textured vascular self-healing materials are extremely desirable is the anti-corrosion protection. Numerous corrosion protection approaches are hindered by toxicity of the chemical paints and other problems related to the cost, as well as to the environment, remain as serious concerns. Accordingly, the bio-inspired vascular self-healing techniques have been recently explored as alternative approaches for prevention corrosion. We discuss in detail the extrinsic self-healing based on nano-textured vascular nanofiber networks and demonstrate successful performance of such materials in healing cracks in the anti-corrosion protection layers [4,5].

We envision living spaces and structures that could self-regulate their comfort and utility levels such as temperature, light, or air purity, in response to cyclic external environmental changes occurring in nature. The concept of self-regulation is natural for biological structures such as plants, which can regulate their internal parameters that do not require a centralized control. With current advances in materials science and engineering focusing on development of multi-functional materials, design and control of materials' microstructures, as well as advances in architectural design of functional units and architectured materials, it has become possible to construct self-regulatory structures without sensors or centralized control. By using materials that can self-modify their form and morphology in response to localized environmental cues such as gradient changes in temperature, vapor pressure, mechanical pressure, and pH, there exists the potential to modify permeability of air, water, and heat transfer across a structure's skin, as well as modulate light and other comfort related parameters. The design principle underscoring this perspective is to apply non-equilibrium statistical thermodynamics, which governs the behavior of dynamic systems as a function of field gradients; eg.. temperature gradient leading to energy flow, concentration gradients montioring mass flow and potential gradient guiding eurrent flow. The level and treshold of the flows is guided by the materials response functions — thermal conductivity, viscosity, resistivity, and other coupled transport coefficients. There are many existing highly active functional materials, such as shape memory alloys, bi-metallic strips, stimuli-responsive polymers, dendritic or star polymers, abundant phase changing materials and piezoelectric materials, that can provide such self-regulatory behavior [1-5]. We will describe various materials systems that provide opportunities in design materials and material systems for construction of self-regulating structures.

Shock wave action generates high temperature, high pressure, and high strain rate that last for a very short time (~10^-6 s), which may cause a series of catastrophic changes to the chemical and physical properties of materials. Shock induced doping is a new method to realize elemental doping in specific materials. Two types of shock-induced doping are realized in our experiments; one is pressure-induced diffusion doping, the other is in-situ doping through shock-induced chemical reaction. Shock wave action has been successfully utilized for enhancing certain properties of materials by elemental doping. This work provides a simple but efficient route for elemental doping of materials.
In this work, elemental doped TiO₂ nanopowders are synthesized through shock induced doping method. A shock-loading apparatus is designed for generating shock wave and recovering the doped powders, consisting of a sample container, a flyer, and a cylindrical explosive container with an explosive and a detonator. A mixture of dopants and TiO₂ powder is filled in the sample container and impacted by a detonation-driven high-velocity flyer, leading to the doping of N, S, B, Ga in TiO₂powder under high temperature and high pressure. The characterizations of recovered samples confirm the presence of elemental doping. The visible light photocatalytic activity and photo-electrochemistry of shock doped TiO₂ are tested.
N-doped graphene nanopowders are synthesized using the mixture of carbon source, strong reductant and nitrogen source through shock waves. Under the impact action of detonation-driven high-velocity flyer, the carbon source is reduced to form carbon atoms with the decomposition of nitrogen source under high temperature and pressure. Subsequently, as the formation of graphene nanosheets occurs from carbon atom deposition, the nitrogen atoms are doped in the formed graphene nanosheets. The nitrogen-doped graphene demonstrates and acts as a metal-free electrode with an efficient electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline solution.

The properties of bulk organic materials are determined by organization of their constituents' molecules. Implicit within is the fact that the structures of organic molecules that make up the bulk materials crucially control the properties of the latter. We believe that organic structure is essential to control both reactivity as well as molecular organization, and hence the properties of materials.
I will demonstrate how organic compounds may be maneuvered by a diligent design to control photoreactivity[1] and molecular self-assembly to develop functional materials.[2] As to the latter in particular, I will present our very recent de novo approaches to the development of stimuli-responsive 2D metal-organic framework nanosheets (MONs).[3]

Because the strength, toughness, and other engineering properties of heterogeneous materials are strongly dependent on their grain size and density, the quest to achieve simultaneously dense and fine, ultrafine, and nanostructured grain size materials has been one of the most important issues in materials science and engineering. In this work we explore novel approaches for producing dense and fine, ultrafine and nanostructured heterogeneous materials. Typical approaches consist of acoustic cavitation, high energy planetary ball milling, reaction synthesis, and shock synthesis and modified spark plasma synthesis, followed by dynamic and static consolidation and densification pre- and post-reaction synthesis. Typical heterogeneous multiphase, multi microstructural constituent materials covered in this work consist of tungsten heavy alloys, coated graphite powders, metal silicide and aluminides and ceramic composites. The synthesized and densified materials were fully characterized by OM, SEM, TEM, EDX analysis, quantitative image analysis, X-Ray diffraction and mechanical testing. This paper presents and discusses the effect of reaction and processing parameters on the microstructure, densification and strength and toughness of typical heterogeneous materials.

Due to the ability to control the structure and properties of nanocomposites, they are very promising for use as catalysts for petrochemical processes based on synthesis gas (mix of CO and H₂), such as Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, methanol synthesis, dimethyl ether synthesis, etc. [1] The original approach to the synthesis of composite materials with high activity in reactions based on CO and H₂ was created in A.V. Topchiev Institute of Petrochemical Synthesis (Russia) [2,3]. Using active component metal-polymeric composite particles leads to formation of fundamentally new catalytic active particles with unique properties. The selectivity and activity of composites in reactions based on H₂ and CO can be controlled by the polymer nature, polymer concentration, and a method of introducing a polymer composition in the composite material. Synthesized composites were characterized by complex phys-chemical methods: magnetometry in situ, IR- spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. Nanoheterogeneous contacts distributed in solid organic matrix were synthesized by method of polymer-containing composite materials. Initial organic matrixes represent polyconjugated systems decomposing to carbon during formation of the catalyst. These particles of 10-20 nm in size formed metal from salts immobilized on polymers. The polymers' flexibility and its effect on coils formation was determined by molecular modeling method. [4] Analysis of the polymers folding into coils, and a comparative study of their geometry revealed significant differences of the final structure of the polymer molecules, forming a complex metal-containing particle - polymer structure.

A series of new drugs derived from 3-acyl imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidines, obtained from Nheteroarylformamidines in good yields, was tested in silico and in vitro for binding and inhibition of seven Candida species [Candida albicans (ATCC 10231), Candida dubliniensis (CD36), Candida glabrata (CBS138), Candida guilliermondii (ATCC 6260), Candida kefyr, Candida krusei (ATCC 6358) and Candida. tropicalis (MYA-3404)] as well as on six cancer cell lines U251 (human glioblastoma), PC-3 (human prostatic adenocarcinoma), K-562 (human chronic myelogenous leukemia), HCT-15 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma), MCF-7 (human mammary adenocarcinoma), and SKLU-1 (human lung adenocarcinoma), and FGH (human gingival fibroblast).
Each compound was docked in the active site of the lanosterol 14a-demethylase enzyme (CYP51) essential for fungal growth of each Candida species, thus predicting its binding mode and energy. Additionally, we carried out the docking molecule on the active site of Topoisomerase I enzyme. Antimycotic activity was evaluated as the 50% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) for the test compounds and two reference drugs, ketoconazole and fluconazole. All test compounds had better binding energy (range: -6.11 to -9.43 kcal/mol) than that found for the reference drugs (range: 48.93 to -6.16 kcal/mol). In general, the test compounds showed greater inhibitory activity of yeast growth than the reference drugs. Some compounds were most active, indicating an important role for the different ectron-withdrawing substituents in biological activity. On the other hand, all compounds show IC50 better than observed for the reference drug topotecan. These findings suggest that the 3-benzoyl imidazo[1,2-a]pyrimidine derivatives, herein synthesized by a sustainable and accessible methodology, are potential antifungal and anticancer drugs.

The author of this work, based on her own investigations of A_xMO₂ cathode materials (A=Li, Na; M=3d), has demonstrated that the electronic structure of these materials plays an important role in the electrochemical intercalation process. The proposed electronic model of intercalation [1-3] is universal and has outstanding significance with regard to tailoring the properties of electrode materials to the most efficient application in Li-ion and Na-ion batteries.
The paper reveals correlation between electronic structure, transport, and electrochemical properties of layered Li_xCoO₂, Na_xCoO₂ and Li_xNi_1-y-zCo_yMn_zO₂ cathode material and explains of apparently different character of the discharge/charge curve in Li_xCoO₂ (monotonous curve) and Na_xCoO₂ systems (step-like curve). Comprehensive experimental studies of physicochemical properties of Li_xNi_1-y-zCo_yMn_zO₂ cathode material (XRD, electrical conductivity, thermoelectric power) are supported by electronic structure calculations performed using the Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker method with the coherent potential approximation (KKR-CPA) to account for chemical disorder. It is found that even small O defects (~1%) may significantly modify DOS characteristics via formation of extra broad peaks inside the former gap leading to its substantial reduction. Furthermore, the variations of the electromotive force of the Li/Li⁺/Li_xNi_1-y-zCo_yMn_zO₂ cell (for 0 < x < 1) remains in quite good agreement with the relative variation of EF on DOS calculated from the KKR-CPA method.

Physical techniques for surface modification of plastics use surface-active agents, which are allowed to self-assemble at the surface. Many techniques, which are important in modern technologies, use polymer blends, and there is considerable interest in understanding the composition extent of the surface layer differs from that in the bulk for molten polymer mixtures. Dynamical and structural properties of polymers in the melt state are strongly influenced by molecular architecture [1-4] and blending polymers with different molecular topologies could be potentially exploited to control interfacial segregation of the polymer film, and to achieve optimal mechanical properties of the plastic material [5,6]. However, a deep understanding of the role of chain architecture and molecular mass in determining which species preferentially adsorb at a given interface is lacking. Experiments to resolve the matter are typically conducted by mixing polymers possessing the same repeat chemistry, but different molecular architecture [10-14]. Here we show the results obtained in large-scale molecular dynamics simulations of linear-cyclic polymer films, and we find clear evidence of enhancement of linear polymers at the interface [7], in agreement with recent experimental results [8]. The behavior predicted by the self-consistent field theory (SCF), i.e., enhancement of cyclic polymers at the interface [9], emerges for relatively long chains. In our presentation, we provide a picture of the microscopic mechanisms through which the chain length arbitrates the competition between the different packing constraints imposed by the loop and linear geometry of the two polymers. We also discuss the role of enthalpic and entropic factors of the interfacial free energy of the system in determining which species in the blend preferentially adsorbs at the interface.

Multi-layer structures based on TiO₂ have been designed, developed, and assembled into functional nanostructures at the molecular-level to control the materials' properties. Controlling microstructure and homogeneity of nano-sized materials with well-defined properties will be done by sol-gel method and dip-coating methods. Due to the possibility of controlling the hydrolysis, condensation, and densification processes, the sol-gel method offers the opportunity to synthesize a large variety of new materials.
The glazing surfaces with photocatalytic water pollutants decontamination, low-E and thermochromic properties were obtained by epitaxial growth of nanostructures on commercial low-E glass substrate, thus ensuring multi-functionality of existing materials on the market, for the next generation of integrated windows in buildings with low energy consumption.
The thin films with multi-layers structure had following structure: substrate (low-E glass)/layer 1/layer2. Layer 1 is an oxide thin film of TiO₂ formed on the substrate, and acts as a barrier to prevent Na⁺ from diffusing into the thermochromic layer. Layer 2 is a thermochromic layer of V_xO_y.
Characterisation of coating on low-E glass in terms of crystallinity, roughness, morphology, band gap energy, functional properties of glazing, and optical properties (transmittance, reflectance, and absorbance) will be performed. Materials that have transmittance of <70% are considered non-compliant with the target of at least 80% for which the glazing had kept the visual comfort. The coatings passed the stability and durability tests in climate chamber, humidity, salt spray testing, and exposure of glazing to a dry atmosphere at a temperature of 0-50°C, according to the ISO/ASTM standards. Photocatalysis standard tests of pollutants degradation consist in efficiency evaluate of methylene blue (MB) photodegradation in aqueous solution, according ISO 10678/2010.

Organic ferroelectric materials that can operate at room temperature are in demand in the emerging field of lightweight and environmentally friendly electronics. In recent years, attention has focused on mixed stack charge-transfer (ms-CT) co-crystals, made up by planar pi-electron donor (D) and acceptor (A) molecules alternating along the stack direction. These materials are characterized by r, the degree of CT, ranging from 0 to 1, with r ~ 0.5 separating the neutral (N) from the ionic (I) ground state. Increase of the Madelung energy, following lattice contraction by lowering temperature, may induce a peculiar phase transition, the N to I one, with r crossing the N-I borderline. Ionic systems are subject to the Peierls instability, yielding to dimerization of the stack, hence potential ferroelectricity. Indeed, the prototypical ms-CT crystal Tetrathiafulvalene-Chloranil (TTF-CA) becomes ferroelectric in the low temperature (below 80K) I dimerized phase [1]. The TTF-CA ferrolectricity is electronic in nature, rather than ionic, being characterized by higher polarization and fast response to the electric field [2]. However, the search for other ms-CT crystals exhibiting electronic ferroelectricity at higher temperatures proved to be very challenging [3], since ionic or intermediate ionicity systems are relatively rare, and other conditions have to be met. In this paper, the quest for electronic ferroelectricity will be shortly reviewed. A strong electron donor, 3,3,5,5-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) has been coupled with a series of pi-electron molecules of increasing acceptor strength [4]. The co-crystal of TMB with Tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) undergoes a valence instability transition around 200 K, ending in the same ferroelectric structure as TTF-CA. Unfortunately, the ferroelectricity could not be directly tested, since the crystals are damaged at the transition. Other systems in the series are currently being investigated. Results on other ms-CT crystals with polar structure will be presented, even if they do not exhibit true ferroelectricity. The aim is to find the conditions which have to be met to obtain electronic ferroelectricity, so that suitable systems can be properly engineered.

Direct heat to electricity energy conversion by use of thermionic electron emission from hot elec-trodes is a long standing issue; however, it suffers from several shortcomings. In this work, a thermionic theory for general electron dispersion relations E(k), relating electron wave number k to its energy in the electrode-material and depending only on the magnitude of wave-vector k, will be presented. The theory does not require the construction of a model-Hamiltonian for the electrode's materials. Instead use is made of band-structure data, as e.g. the parabolic E(k) ap-proximation for the Richardson-Dushman equation and linear E(k) as used for Dirac semimetals. The new theory confirms previous findings on parabolic E(k), e.g. that the emission current is independent of effective electron mass in the material as long as it is larger than the electron mass m0. For effective mass lower than m0 , the emission is reduced and tends to zero for vanishing effective mass. It turns out that linear E(k) dispersion for the Dirac semimetals, does not have the potential to surpass Richardson emission. Also, a more rigorous electron emission theory is established by utilizing the real anisotropic band-structure data En(k) of a periodic crystal elec-trode-material. However, the theory is incomplete, for lack of a general theory relating the elec-tron's wave-numbers transverse to the 1D electric field in the vacuum to the wave-numbers in the material which are integrated over. In the special case of collimated electron emission normal to the surface, the transverse wave-numbers can be set to zero, i.e. the transverse derivatives of En(k) disappear or are very small. It is not known, whether such electrode-materials can exist. If so, a considerable increase of electron emission is possible compared to the Richardson- Dush-man theory, especially for small lattice constants perpendicular to emission direction. For realistic values, an increase of the emission current by a factor 100 or more can be achieved. The new findings may pave the way for optimized material design with respect to thermionic emission.

Most electricity generating plants must be able to achieve greater flexibility of operation than was traditionally the case. Thus, high energy components must exhibit reliable, long-term performance under cyclic operating conditions. Historically, assessment of the performance of these components focused on defining the transients related to hot, warm, and cold starts and stops. The complexity and range of cycles in many plants now include rapid changes in generating output to operating levels of 30% of rated capacity. In many cases, the desirable levels of low load operation are below the values considered in the original design. EPRI programs have thus been working with utilities to implement monitoring campaigns which record the changes in local pressure, temperature, and flow with time at different locations within a system, and to undertake analysis to assess the influence of these effects on performance. This work is challenging since both the cycles and the low load operation can lead to problems associated with thermal and/or mechanical loading, as well as potential issues with control of water chemistry, oxidation, and corrosion. The present review summarizes EPRI achievements linked to transient effects in modern generating plant, with particular emphasis on the behavior of creep strength enhanced steels. These steels, typically based on 9 to 12% Cr, offer significant benefits to the design and fabrication of components in high efficiency fossil fuelled plants because when properly processed tempered martensitic steels offer an excellent combination of strength and toughness. However, assessment of in-service experience demonstrates that cracking in CSEF steel components has occurred relatively early in life. In many cases, the occurrence of damage has been linked to less than optimal control of steel making, processing, and component fabrication. The results of EPRI facilitated collaboration to establish best practice guidelines for component design and the use of these steels in high efficiency plants are discussed, and the ongoing commitment to knowledge creation and technology transfer is described.

MAX phases combined best properties of metals and ceramics [1-3]. Short-time synthesis under relatively low (10-15 MPa) pressures using hot pressing technique allowed us to obtain MAX-phase-based materials suitable for manufacturing of current-loaded inserts of pantographs. The most effective appeared to be the material containing 93% Ti₃AlC₂, 4% TiC and 3% Al₂O₃. Its wear after the 5 km of friction path in contact with copper under 0.25 MPa load (which is typical for pressing pantographs to electrical wire) was 0.0003 g, and the wear of the counter body (copper M1) at this was 0.0011 g. The wear of MAX-phase-based material was 20 times less than the wear of silumin AK (which is used for electrical transport pantographs manufacturing) and the wear of copper in contact with MAX phase occurred to be 10 times less than its wear in contact with silumin AK. It has been found that the amount of Ti₃AlC₂ (or 312), Ti₂AlC (or 211), TiC and the material density effect the wear resistance of MAX-phases-based materials. The wear of highly dense materials based on MAХ phases containing both phases of structural types 312 and 211 (61% Ti₃AlC₂, 22% Ti₂AlC, 17% TiC (I) and 40% Ti₃AlC₂ + 60% Ti₂AlC (II)), when rubbed in pairs with copper M1 under 0.25 MPa, after 5 km of the path was 0.0005 g and 0.0018 g of composition (I) and (II), respectively, while the wear of the silumin was much higher: 0.0228 g and 0.022 g, respectively.