7th Intl Symposium on New & Advanced Materials and Technologies for Energy, Environment, Health and Sustainable Development

The concept of viscosity is one of the central themes in rheology. There are many factors, including temperature T, pressure P, shear velocity  , mass of polymer M and branching, which have great impacts on the shear viscosity of polymer solution. Based on the analysis and principle of each factor’s influence on the viscosity of polymer solution, a unified expression for the viscosity of polymer solution is put forward in this work. This new formula has two adjustable parameters (A and B), as well as three polymer constants ( M , n, C M ), where M is mass of polymer, n stands for the non-Newtonian index and C M is threshold mass for chain entanglememt of polymer.

The idea concerning the control strategy of a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) functioning to meet the electrical demand of a public utility building is meticulously detailed. This innovative strategy was thoughtfully designed and structured with the integral assistance of an Artificial Neural Network, a type of artificial intelligence that models human brain function and can adapt to new data.

This complex network, the Artificial Neural Network, was employed for a critical function; it was used to forecast the electricity demand, a task requiring significant computational intelligence and adaptability. These intricate calculations and simulations were performed specifically using the example of a prominent structure, the building of the Institute of Heat Engineering at Warsaw University of Technology.

The control strategy's effectiveness and operation aren't static, they are significantly influenced by a multitude of diverse factors. These factors could be internal or external, varying with the dynamic changes in market conditions, as well as the operating characteristics of the SOFC itself. As a result, we can effectively define several different objective functions tailored to meet the circumstances. These objectives can range from operating solely for self-sustenance, to functioning for maximum profitability, and even to achieving the longest possible service life.

Moreover, the article goes on to showcase a comprehensive simulation of the SOFC's operation, specifically tailored to the electricity demand profile of the aforementioned Institute of Heat Engineering (IHE) building. The simulation takes into account the data from a selected period of time, providing a rich and detailed view of the SOFC's potential capabilities and performances under various operating conditions and demand scenarios. This case study acts as a demonstration of the practical application of the control strategy and offers potential insights for its broader implementation.

As the function of strain, the second derivatives of free energy to strain form a matrix, of which the eigenvalues are directly related with elastic properties. By adjusting temperature, pressure and shape change properly, those eigenvalues can increase, or become non-zero from the initial zero value, which thus inhibit the occurance of martensitic phase transformation. Meanwhile, elastic constants increase and many elastic properties are strengthened, therefore, the elasticity and safety of glass is improved. In summary, we can expect that the smash danger of glass will be reduced greatly due to this anti-martensitic phase transformation.

It is given a brief overview of high efficiency motors [1-3] and the materials used in these machines.

This subject has attracted big interest because the applications in electric vehicles

Internal Permanent Magnet Synchronous Reluctance Motors have attracted a significante attention because its high efficiency.

It is discussed motor designs with or without permanent magnets.

Axial flux machines are also discussed, as well as in-wheel motors.

It is  also discussed the possibility of using Halbach arrays of magnets.

It is shown that, for embedded magnets, the Halbach arrangement is not advantageous.

Halbach arrangements usually are surface mounted.

It is also discussed the types of magnets used in electric cars. A better design avoids the heating of system, thus allowing the use of magnets with small amount of dysprosium in the phase (NdPrDy)2Fe14B

A simple way of improving motor efficiency is by decreasing the thickness of the steel sheets used as soft magnetic core.

Segmentation is a possibility for using high permeability materials as for example GO (Grain Oriented) steels

Condition monitoring means troubleshooting and maintenance of machines without interruption in their operation and is performed based on accurate information obtained from the equipment status [1]. The basis for condition monitoring is troubleshooting and the prediction of the fault occurring without causing the machine to stop working [2]. There are four general strategies for fault prediction, namely experience-based methods, statistical modeling, artificial intelligence methods, and physical modeling [3].

In this paper, the estimation of the remaining useful life (RUL) of angular contact ball bearing using time-domain signal processing method is discussed. An experimental setup based on acoustic emission (AE) signal is used to extract and collect the desired data. The residual life test is performed on the SKF 7202 BEP angular contact ball bearing. Sixty-time domain features have been introduced and used for fault detection. Improved Distance Evaluation (IDE) method has been used for feature dimensionality reduction and the best 10 features have been selected. K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) algorithm has been used to investigate the classification accuracy of IDE based on selected features for classifying healthy and faulty bearings. The results show that the IDE method enables natural fault detection in bearings with high precision. To validate the performance of the KNN classifier, performance indices such as accuracy, precision, and specificity are applied. The results show that kurtosis, FM4, k factor, energy, and peak are the best features and kurtosis has the highest KNN rank with accuracy, precision, and specificity of 97%, 93%, and 94%, respectively.

Smoking is harmful to human health [1], and among more than 2000 chemicals in tobacco leaf, tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) are strong carcinogens to cause gene mutations and cancers threatening public health. Among various methods to remove TSNA in source, one strategy is to trap TSNA from tobacco extract solution, controlling the TSNA pollution in the initial stage of cigarette and snus production [2, 3]. However, this tobacco solution includes hundreds of substances so it needs special sorbent with the high capability of trapping TSNA. Here, we choose discarded cigarette butts (DCB) as carbon precursor [4] because the trillions of DCB generated each year throughout the world. Unlike natural biomass like coconut shell with perfect three-dimensional network, cigarette filter consists of numerous paralleled manufactured hairlike diacetate fibre and forms microporous carbon in carbonization so that modification is necessary.

After a systemic investigation, a kind of hierarchical porous composite was fabricated via one-pot synthesis by means of cigarette filters and low-cost metal salts, and the optimal conditions had been determined. The type and amount of metal salt in the carbon precursor took charged of pore texture, electrical property and morphology, forming a new sorbent beyond activated carbon and zeolite in the selective liquid adsorption of TSNA. Moreover, the used cigarette butt was better than the fresh filter rod as the carbon source. With the 10%-16.5% of ferric oxide doped, new sorbent could capture the 29%-33% of TSNA in tobacco solution. Moreover, it exhibited a zeolite-like selectivity for 4-methylnitrosamino-1-3-pyridyl-1-butanone (NNK), which is beneficial for environment protection and recycling waste.

Alumina was also introduced in the carbon sorbent in recent research through one-pot synthesis to form an efficient TSNA-trapper with a huge capacity and high rate in the adsorption of NNK in aqueous solution. With a capacity of 50 mg g^-1, it worked much better than zeolite NaZSM-5 and activated carbon did.  Apart from anti-cancer and environment protection, these progresses offer a clue for preparation of new functional material and resource regeneration.

Porous bulbs made from slip-cast kaolin as catalyst supports for microchannel reactors are described. The platelike surfaces of the naturally occurring kaolinite mineral are decorated with catalyst by infiltration with metal salts, decomposed and reduced in situ for nucleation and growth. 

The process of making the ceramic bulbs with nanoparticles using nickel acetate is described in detail. High catalyst loading up to 75 mg/cm³ was achieved, giving on the order of 10¹⁵ 25 nm nanoparticles per cm³ with high total surface area on the order of 2 x 10⁶ m²/m³, making these catalytic membranes competitive with the best microchannel reactors. 

The microstructure of ceramic bulbs made from two different types of clays, before and after nickel infusion is investigated, and the gas permeation flux as a function of applied differential pressure is presented.

The efficient removal of atmospheric pollutants such as oxides of carbon and nitrogen is of great concern for society since it those oxides are directly related to the human health as well as climate changes. Cerium dioxide is a reducible oxide, which often is crucial component in various adsorption or catalytic systems for removal of nitrogen oxide, the so-called deNO_x processes, as well as for adsorption or conversion of carbon monoxide. By this reason, understanding of atomistic details of the interaction of CO or NO_x with ceria-based systems is important for developing of new air purification technologies and improving the existing ones. This is the goal of the present work, which was done with the support by the project EXTREME, funded by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science, D01-76/30.03.2021.

The main feature of cerium dioxide is the oxygen storage capacity, allowing release and accommodation of oxygen depending on the reaction conditions [1]. In order to clarify the specific sorption and catalytic properties of cerium dioxide based systems we performed series of periodic quantum chemical calculations. The calculations were performed with DFT+U approach using periodic code VASP with the gradient corrected PW91 exchange-correlation functional. 

In relation to deNOx processes we modeled the interaction of NO and NO₂ with cerium dioxide surface and nanoparticles and studied the formation of various surface species for which we estimated the reaction energies and vibrational frequencies to be compared with experimental data. On reduced ceria we considered two new surface species, nitric oxide dianion and surface azides [2]. In addition, we clarified the vibrational frequencies of specific types of hyponitrites, nitrites and nitrites [3].

For CO adsorption on cerium dioxide we studied also several surface intermediates – different types of carbonates, hydrogen carbonates, and formates [4]. For carbon monoxide we also clarified the reaction paths for catalytic oxidation on platinum, supported on cerium dioxide as we considered both isolated ionic platinum species and small platinum clusters as active sites for the process [5].

Supercritical fluids (SCFs) represent the state of matter that exists whenever pressure of fluids reach above their critical point. This state holds a special diffusivity similar to gases with combined dissolving power comparable to liquids. SCFs provide an effective reaction environment for the synthesis of novel types of polymer materials and their modification into composites, blends, useful nanostructures ,nanocomposites  and nanohybrids. Tuning supercritical conditions allows for precise regulation of filler size, shape, aspect ratios, infusion, deposition, dispersion, and exfoliation. Carbon dioxide offers as the source of the most useful supercritical fluid, so called supercritical carbon dioxide. The primary objectives of the talk will pertain to the salient characteristics of SCFs and their applications in the production of technologically valuable polymer materials used to make durable structures, sensors, energy storage, and items of biomedical importance.[1-6]. Final thoughts on simplicity, diversity, and the marketplace of supercritical fluid technology in material science and engineering will be presented.

As global temperatures rise, the need for thermal comfort increases, and household incomes rise around the world, the energy consumption for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems increases [1], [2]. Monthly electricity consumption increases by 3.2% for each additional day with a mean temperature exceeding 90 °F (32.2 oC) relative to a 65–70 °F (18.3-21.1 oC) day[2]. During summer days the highest electricity demand is during the peak hours (from 12 pm to 6 pm). Power companies are seeking methods to shift some of the load to off-peak hours because they have difficulty in keeping up with the demand during peak hours [3]. Significant economic benefit could be achieved when some of the electric load is shifted to off-peak due to differential pricing system for peak and off-peak periods of energy use [4]. One of the solutions investigated in this study is the integration of phase change materials (PCM) in the ceilings and walls of a building enclosure [3]. The PCMs are latent heat energy storage materials with high heat of fusion. These materials absorb or release the latent heat during the phase change. Different kinds of PCMs are available for use in a latent heat storage system such as salts hydrates, paraffin, and fatty acids [5]. The integration of PCMs will enhance energy storage in building envelop, maintain a room temperature closer to the desired temperature for a longer time, delay air temperature maximum to an off-peak demand period, and increase human comfort by decreasing the frequency of internal air temperature swings [4]. Energy storage improves energy utilization and conversation and decreases carbon emissions. Presently, in buildings thermal energy is primarily stored as sensible heat in the envelop and interior. Latent heat storage systems have certain benefits in comparison to sensible heat storage systems in that phase change materials store a relatively large amount of heat per unit volume.
In this study, an energy storing oriented strand board (OSB) wood-based panel has been developed. OSB is widely used in the northern hemisphere for the outer building envelope as it has good mechanical properties to bear loads. Thermal energy storing capability has been achieved by integrating wax, a phase change material (PCM), in wood board. Shape stabilized phase change material (SSPCM) based on high density polyethylene is the host for the PCM in the oriented strand board (OSB). Different additives were added to increase the percentage of PCM that can be used in SSPCM preparation without leakage during the phase change, serve as flame retardant since organic PCM is flammable, or to enhance the bonding between the SSPCM and wood strands which will lead to better mechanical properties. The heat flux and the temperature through the thickness of the board were recorded. To evaluate the heat storage properties of SSPCM, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used. While a Cone Calorimeter was used to test the flammability properties of OSB-SSPCM boards. The results suggest that the integration of SSPCM in oriented strand board lowers the heat flux as compared to OSB without SSPCM and could be a viable material for use in buildings to reduce energy consumption and that the addition of nano magnesium hydroxide enhances the desired flammability properties of OSB-SSPCM, which can be potentially used in civil construction.

The MCFFP are an eco-efficient disruptive invention in industrial production processes that has industrial applicability in several industrial segments. It is an incorporation and productive modernization that manages to make a new lean manufacturing technique and has its management philosophy focused on a few items (quality, waste, overproduction, inventory, logistics, transport, customization, reuse). In short, it is a division and decentralization of production where products are made in two production stages, providing a competitive advantage and making an evolution of the production processes of current industries.

With this, innovations occurred in the production process, organization, marketing, and product. Covering the purposes of an industry 4.0, circular economy, smart cities, SDG, the supra secular decline, the industrialization and green reindustrialization of countries that do not have productive capacity (industries), offering a new dynamic of industrialization of industrialized countries, break of the state of art, change the status quo, create a masterpiece of contemporary industry, create a new industrial ERA and a new future for mankind.

There is no literature for the production process because it is unique and pioneering, the literature is still being written. The proof of the non-existence of literature is associated with supra-secular decline. The supra-secular decline is a study done by Harvard, Ohio, British Bank, and others in relation to the fall in the average real (world) interest rate that has been falling since it was created (change from feudalism to capitalism (1300)). In the thesis of the MCFFP, this decline will be contained because the problem comes from the productive processes that were made in a centralized way and the invention in the productive process of the MCFFP is the decentralization of this production model.

Nanodispersed iron oxides obtained using the electroerosion dispersion (EED) technology [1-3] were developed by M. Monastyrov, and used to produce dietary supplement Lisoferrin^TM and feed additive Nano-Fe+^TM. The supplement and additive were certified in Ukraine and Poland.The effects of composition of polyvalent nanodisperse iron oxide, quercetin and vitamin C - Lisoferrin^TM was studied on 60 women with metabolic syndrome (MS) who were divided equally into the main and control groups. Patients of the main group received dietary supplement Lizoferrin^TM, patients of the control group received a placebo. Anthropometric indicators, blood plasma glucose fasting and 2h after oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), fasting blood serum lipids, microvascular endothelium function were determined before and 1 month after use of Lizoferrin^TM or placebo. The use of Lizoferrin^TM led to a decrease fasting plasma glucose and glucose level 2h after OGTT in patients with prediabetic disorders. Serum concentration of total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol were decreased in individuals with atherogenic dyslipidemia. Along with this, there was an improvement in the functional state of the endothelium of microvessels, which is evidenced by an increase in the maximum volume velocity of skin blood flow as tested with reactive hyperemia. The beneficial effects of polyvalent nanodisperse iron oxide, quercetin and vitamin C on cardiovascular risk factors were demonstrated by the authors for the first time in patients with metabolic syndrome [4] .

The efficiency of nanodispersed iron oxide powder solved in glycerin - nano-Fe+^TM was studied during agricultural animal growing. The dosage of nano-Fe+^TM feed additive was carried out at the rate of 0.1 mg of powder per 1 kg of live weight of animals per day. According to the results of research, the effectiveness of the nano-Fe+^TM during the cultivation of various species and technological groups of agricultural animals (suckling piglets, young pigs in the growing period and young sheep in the growing period) has been established. The use of the nano-Fe+^TM contributes to an increase in productivity - increases in the live weight of piglets by 11.4%, young pigs by 7.7%, young sheep by 7.3%. The effectiveness of the nano-Fe+^TM is confirmed by the data obtained during the research on the average daily increase in the live weight of animals, the difference between young pigs and sheep during the growing period of the experimental and control groups according to this indicator was statistically significant in favor of the animals of the experimental groups (Р < 0.05). For example, the difference in average daily live weight gains between young pigs of the experimental (403 ± 36 g) and control (343 ± 39 g) groups is 60 g (17.5%).

The preservation of the animal population of the experimental groups is at the same level as the control group and is 100%. Nano-dispersed iron oxide powder (nano-Fe+^TM) is characterized by its effectiveness during the cultivation of young farm animals and was recommended for use on livestock farms in Ukraine by L. Pogorilyy UkrNDIPVT. 

The electrodynamic properties of new composite materials based on AlN and made by the free sintering method, with the addition of diamond powders in the amount of 1-5 wt.% were investigated, in the frequency range of 1-10 GHz. As a result of the studies of the structure and phase composition, it was established by  X-ray phase analysis that during the sintering process, the graphitization of diamond powder takes place, and after refining the results obtained by the Rietveld method, show that the content of the graphite phase was 0.8, 1.7, and 3.8 wt.% for the materials in which added diamond powder before sintering in amounts of 1, 3, and 5 wt.%, respectively. The study of electrodynamic characteristics showed an increase in the imaginary and real values of the dielectric constant with an increase in the graphite content. Dielectric losses at 10 GHz increase from 0.05 to 0.08 for composites as the amount of graphite phase increases from 0.8 to 3.8 wt. %. It is shown that at frequencies from 1 to 10 GHz, the real part of the dielectric constant for composite materials of each composition practically does not change, while the imaginary part increases slightly. At the same time, an increase in dielectric losses with increasing content of the graphite phase was noted in the entire measured frequency range. 

High-entropy alloys have been in development for about two decades [1,2]. The ever-increasing interest of researchers in these materials is due to the broad possibilities of obtaining unique mechanical and functional properties [3]. The selection of alloying elements and heat treatments allows properties to be shaped for a wide variety of applications. In the AlCoCrFeNi alloy, the greatest effects are observed when the aluminum content is changed, which is due to the difference in atomic radii of the constituent elements [4]. One of the most important topics is to clarify the mechanisms of strengthening of these materials.

The authors of this paper analyzed the deformation and fracture processes of AlxCoCrFeNi-based alloys (x=0¸1.0). They studied the effect of aluminum content and titanium addition on changes in microstructure and mechanical properties.  Materials were produced by arc melting of pure metals in an argon atmosphere. Crystal structures of the samples were analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) using an Empyrean Panalytical powder diffractometer (Malvern Panalytical). Microstructure studies were carried out on a SEM-FIB DualBeam Scios 2 scanning electron microscope equipped with an EDS chemical composition analyzer. Keyence optical microscope was used to analyze the fractures. Tensile tests were carried out during a tensile test of microsamples on an Instron machine using an Aramis vision system for strain assessment. Hardness was measured by the Vickers method under a load of 98 N using an INNOVATEST hardness tester.

XRD studies showed that the crystal structure of the alloys is dependent on the aluminum content. At x=0 there is a homogeneous structure of a solid solution, crystallizing in the fcc system, increasing the content of Al causes the appearance of a bcc phase, the proportion of which increases with increasing Al content, while the addition of titanium caused the appearance of numerous intermetallic phases. Similar changes were observed in the microstructure of the materials. The x=0 alloy is characterized by a homogeneous structure with no separations. In contrast, at x=0.5, the microstructure shows a large proportion of dendrites of the solid solution of the alloying elements. A mixture of phases is visible in the interdendritic spaces, with the structural elements of this mixture having dimensions of less than 1 mm. Segregation of alloying elements within the phases is observed. As the aluminum content increases, the proportion of the phase mixture increases. At x=1.0, the microstructure consists of regular grains inside which a substructure at the nanometer level is visible. In the case of an alloy with the addition of titanium, numerous separations of intermetallic phases additionally appear. Mechanical properties also change decisively with the aluminum content in the alloy. An increase in Al content resulted in an increase in Rm (Rm=560¸1200 MPa for x=0¸0.7 respectively) and hardness, and a decrease in ductility. With up to x=0.7 content, the samples showed high ductility within e=15¸30%. At x=1 and for the alloy with the addition of titanium, brittle fracture of the alloy took place. Analysis of the obtained results allows us to conclude that the mechanical properties are influenced by both the mechanism of solution strengthening and the microstructure of the alloys.

Green chemistry started for the search of benign methods for the development of nanoparticles from nature and their use in the field of antibacterial, antioxidant, and antitumor applications. Bio wastes are eco-friendly starting materials to produce typical nanoparticles with well-defined chemical composition, size, and morphology. Cellulose, starch, chitin and chitosan are the most abundant biopolymers around the world. Cellulose nanoparticles (fibers, crystals and whiskers) can be extracted from agrowaste resources. Chitin is the second most abundant biopolymer after cellulose, it is a characteristic component of the cell walls of fungi, the exoskeletons of arthropods and nanoparticles of chitin (fibers, whiskers) can be extracted from shrimp and crab shells. Starch nano particles can be extracted from tapioca and potato wastes. These nanoparticles can be converted into smart and functional biomaterials by functionalization through chemical modifications due to presence of large amount of hydroxyl group on the surface. The preparation of these nanoparticles includes both series of chemical as well as mechanical treatments; crushing, grinding, alkali, bleaching and acid treatments. Since large quantities of bio wastes are produced annually, further utilization of cellulose, starch and chitins as functionalized materials is very much desired. The cellulose, starch and chitin nano particles are currently obtained as aqueous suspensions which are used as reinforcing additives for high performance environment-friendly biodegradable polymer materials. These nanocomposites are being used as biomedical composites for drug/gene delivery, nano scaffolds in tissue engineering and cosmetic orthodontics. The reinforcing effect of these nanoparticles results from the formation of a percolating network based on hydrogen bonding forces. The incorporation of these nano particles in several bio-based polymers have been discussed. The role of nano particle dispersion, distribution, interfacial adhesion and orientation on the properties of the ecofriendly bio nanocomposites have been carefully evaluated.

 Green composites are an alternative to conventional non biodegradable composites in many applications. In the reported work, the mechanical and physical properties of vulcanised natural rubber (NR) reinforced with wool fibre were investigated. A comparative study of vulcanised rubber with vulcanised rubber-wool composite was conducted with emphasis on diffusion characteristics, moisture absorption, thermal and UV degradation, biodegradation, acoustic properties, cure characteristics etc. The developed NR-wool composite contained 50% vulcanised rubber and 50% wool fibre. Various analytical techniques such as XRD, SEM, FTIR, etc. were adopted to characterize both vulcanised rubber and the composites. The thermal and UV degradation of the composites were also investigated by keeping the composites for ageing under standard conditions. The results showed that, in comparison with the vulcanized rubber sample, the tensile strength of the NR-wool composites was reduced whereas, the hardness increased by 84.26%. During diffusion studies, it is observed that the mol % uptake of toluene into the matrix of the composites was considerably less in comparison to that of vulcanised rubber. The cure time data shows that the maximum torque in the cure curve which is an indication of the extent of crosslinking increased to almost 500% in the NR-wool composites in comparison with vulcanized rubber. After incorporating 50% wool in NR, the curing time was reduced to almost half in comparison with vulcanized rubber. The cross-sectional SEM images depict fibre pullout and voids, which indicates less interfacial adhesion of the wool fibre with the rubber matrix. The FTIR studies indicate no specific chemical interaction between the wool and NR inside the composites. The moisture uptake of the NR-wool composite was found to be higher than the vulcanized rubber due to the presence of hydrophilic wool fibre.

Increased concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere due to both natural and anthropogenic activities have resulted in severe environmental consequences threatening the biosphere of the Earth due to global warming and sea level rise. Therefore, strategies to reduce GHG emissions in both global and local contexts is mandatory. In this lecture, the terms ecological footprint (EFP), carbon footprint (CFP), global warming potential (GWP), and climate footprint will be defined and factors contributing to these terms discussed. The different strategies to reduce CFP include improving and promoting energy conservation and efficiency, using fuels with low carbon output such as nuclear and hydrogen fuels, changing to renewable energy (solar, hydropower, wind, and bioenergy), promoting carbon capture and storage, and using and promoting geoengineering approaches (reforestation, afforestation).

The global GHG emissions by sector include energy, direct industrial processes, waste, and agriculture, forestry, and land use. The energy sector includes electricity, heat and transport which accounts for 73.2% and direct industrial processes, waste, and agriculture, forestry and land use contribute to 5.2%, 3.2% and 18.4%, respectively, as per 2016 data [1]. The countries contributing to GHG in 2020 are in the order China > USA > India > EU27 > Indonesia > Russian Federation > Brazil and the international transportation coming to next place. However, as per capita GHG emissions, the order is USA > Russian Federation > China > Brazil > Indonesia > EU27 > World > India. In EU countries, in 2020, the fuel combustion in energy industries, transportation including international aviation, households, commercial and other institutions, and manufacturing and construction industries account for 23.3%, 23.2%, 15.4%, and 12.1% GHG emissions thus totalling to 74.0%. In EU countries, there is a considerable reduction in GHG emissions from 1990 to 2020 in most sectors except fuel combustion in transport, including international aviation. The fuel combustion in transportation has a significant increase in by 50 million tonnes of CO2-equivalents [2].

According to the World Resources Institute Climate Analysis Indicators Tool (WRI CAIT), the contributions to Sri Lanka’s GHG emissions, in 2011, are from energy sector (40%), waste (28%), land use change and forestry (LUCF) (15%), agriculture (14%) and industrial processes (3%). Energy sector emissions include transportation (39%), electricity and heat (28%), other fuel combustion (27%), and manufacturing and construction (5%). However, the energy sector which includes power generation and transport dominates over all other sectors [3]. The R&D activities currently in action in Sri Lanka such as developing carbon capture methods, conversion of carbon dioxide to useful chemicals, green energy technologies (hydropower, wind power, solar energy conversion and storage, hydrogen generation, fuel cells and supercapacitors), floating solar panels fixed under NORPART programme, development of all electric sport car “VEGA” and electric three wheeler vehicles and carbon negative vehicle body parts, alternative to cement in concrete production, carbon-negative construction materials, waste management and conversion of sludges to organic fertilizer will be discussed.

The "green industrialization" of heat and surface treatments involves the search for new technologies and processes. Hybrid technologies open new perspectives for protection and durability for heavily stressed mechanisms requiring multifunctional properties, while being energy efficient.

We studied two hybrid technologies and the properties obtained in relation to the applications. For each of these Duplex processes, we also evaluated the benefits from an energy and environmental point of view.

[1].[2]The first hybrid process carried out either in a plasma nitriding system either in a "coating system" is a combination of a plasma nitriding treatment and a DLC tribological coating intended for heavily stressed mechanical components . While obtaining remarkable multifunctional properties, this process is particularly well suited for the energy and ecological transition. We present an example of the potential for "green industrialization" through a hybrid duplex DLC treatment, gearboxes for electric cars compared to the current process.

In addition, the very energetic plasma sources available in a coating equipment allow the nitriding of AISI 316L and 304 stainless steels and to obtain strong S phase growth kinetics [3]. Thus, by associating the characteristics of the substrate with the nitriding properties (S phase) of wear and compression resistance and the tribological properties of a DLC coating, this hybrid process opens up great industrial perspectives.

The second hybrid process studied consists of the association of PVD coating by arc evaporation and magnetron sputtering. The research was conducted in two directions:

• To improve tribological or corrosion resistance properties by associating hard layers with layers or self-lubricating particles.
• To improve biocompatibility and inhibition of bacterial proliferation by associating TiN, ZrN, TiAlN coatings with the addition of copper or silver by co-deposition or multilayers [4]

Hybrid processes, by implementing several technologies in a single piece of equipment, allow for the realization of multifunctional processes. These offer a very strong potential for industrialization not only thanks to the multiple properties obtained, but also thanks to the reductions in CO2 emissions that they allow.

Nanodispersed iron oxides obtained by the electroerosion dispersion (EED) technolog were used to produce dietary supplement LisoferrinTM and feed additive Nano-Fe+TM, developed by M. Monastyrov The supplement and additive were certified in Ukraine and Poland.

The effects of LisoferrinTM (composed from EED nanodispersed iron oxide quercetin and vitamin C) were studied on 60 women with metabolic syndrome. The use of LizoferrinTM led to a decrease of cardiovascular risk factors, fasting plasma glucose and glucose level 2h after OGTT in patients with prediabetic disorders. Serum concentration of total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol were decreased in individuals with atherogenic dyslipidemia. Along with this, there was an improvement in the functional state of the endothelium of microvessels, which was evidenced by an increase in the maximum volume velocity of skin blood flow at test with reactive hyperemia.

The efficiency of nano-Fe+TM (composed from EED nanodispersed iron oxide and glycerin) was studied during agricultural animal and fishes growing. Dosage of nano-Fe+TM was carried out at the rate of 0.1 mg of powder per 1 kg of live weight of animals per day and at 1 mg of nanopowder per 1 kg of feed for fishes. The increase of live weight of piglets by 11.4%, young pigs by 7.7%, 289 and young sheep by 7.3% was observed. The difference in average daily live weight gains between young pigs of the experimental (403 +/- 36 g) and control (343 +/- 39 g) groups was 60 g (17.5%). The preservation of the animal population of the experimental groups was at the same level as the control group - 100 %. After 35 days of study of the effects of nano-Fe+TM microadditive in feed for two-year-old sterlet in mesh cages in water areas of a reservoir with uncontrolled aquatic conditions demonstrated the advantages of the experimental variant over the control one: in terms of individual (+30.7%) and relative gain (+41.8%) body weight, specific growth rate (+41.2%), mass accumulation (+38.3%) and the value of the feed conversion ratio (-31.9%). A positive effect on the results of fish breeding, probably was due to the strengthening of the ability of fish blood to transport oxygen and the corresponding activation of growth and digestion processes.

Air quality is deteriorating throughout the world due to emissions from power plants, automobiles and industrial processes. In addition, organics used in indoor building materials, carpets, paints and surface finishes add to the indoor air quality problems. According to USEPA, indoor air can be 5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Filtration of air has been the dominant way of improving the indoor air quality, HEPA filters being the standard for air filters. However, many recent studies, especially from the medical literature have shown that filtration of air is not enough to take care of the indoor air quality problems. This is because particles smaller than the pore sizes of the filters, especially, Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs) are able to pass through the filters and any micro-organisms trapped on the filters continue to multiply on the filters and eventually get back into the air. 

Photo-electrochemical oxidation (PECO) technology was introduced in the market by Molekule in 2016, which does not just capture the pollutants but destroys them by oxidation process. The technology has been shown to be effective against biological pollutants, such as, bacteria, viruses and spores and also against molecular pollutants, such as, VOCs. 

The latest innovative technology for indoor air disinfection and detoxification is Plasmonic Photonic technology. This technology uses nanoparticles to generate surface plasmons, which when subjected to an incident light of the same frequency causes resonance to multiply the effect of incident light to disinfect the indoor air by phtoctalysis. This technology is being introduced to the market as an integral part of the air conditioning system in buildings, as a protection against next viral pandemic.

The lecture will describe the science and technology behind each innovation and its impact on indoor air quality and in keeping indoor air disinfected and alleviating the allergy and asthma symptoms of patients.

Twenty six percent of reinforced and prestressed concrete highway bridges in the United States need repair or replacement. Proper use of available and promising sustainable technologies plays a critical role in the nation’s economy and the safety of the traveling public. Employing fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) advanced materials has recently been accepted as a rational and sustainable rehabilitation option for structurally deteriorated infrastructure. Despite the advancement in FRP techniques, inspection of its installation presents a significant challenge to its widespread use. To ensure durability and capacity of externally bonded FRP structures, it is critical to evaluate the potential for debonding failure and surface defects. In this study, experimental and theoretical investigations on employing ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and infrared tomography (IRT) methods were carried out to evaluate reinforced concrete bridge deck slabs externally bonded with glass FRP (GFRP), carbon FRP (CFRP), and a combination thereof. Eight externally bonded FRP concrete deck slab specimens were prepared: three with CFRP, four with GFRP, and one with hybrid CFRP/GFRP. Cracks, voids, and debonding were artificially made on the surface of the concrete deck slabs. Test variables include location and size of surface voids, and rebar diameters and debonding. Improved 2-D and 3-D image reconstruction was established. The results showed that the developed software, using the enhanced image reconstruction technique, provide clear images of the FRP-strengthened deck slabs. Test data revealed that the GPR technique could accurately determine rebar diameters, as well as size and location of voids. The GRP, however, could not well predict debonding and cracks. Results obtained from the IRT indicated that it can detect and locate near-surface defects with a good accuracy. The study suggests that the combination of the GPR and IRT techniques can be effectively employed to image internal defects of FRP-strengthened concrete bridges.

Facing today’s demands on components in general industry, aerospace, automotive or medical industry, lightweight and a tailored surface might be the right answer to reduce waste in terms of wear or frictional energy losses. PEO, plasma-electrolytical oxidation, remains as an unknown or at least niche surface technology, giving lightweight metals a hard and robust protection shell. Expiring an increasing interest in the research society in the last decade, it is supposed to be a promising candidate for increasing lightweight potential but being not ready for wide industrial applications by being too expensive or applicable only on small parts or series [1]. The Ultraceramics^® PEO surfaces are on the market for over 20 years, applied under different harsh conditions. The Ultraceramic^® -surfaces can withstand high loading by vibrations giving lightweight alloys like Aluminum or Magnesium a very high corrosion and wear protection [2].

Combining the high wear resistance of the PEO surfaces with polymers like doped PEEK, we can achieve low friction and wear in tribological applications without additional lubricants, leading to sustainable systems. Further improvement can be done using laser radiation for patterning and selective laser sintering of the polymer top coating [4].

Most recently, we found that especially in the case of Aluminum casting alloys an adopted PEO process leads to positive tribological behavior in combination with novel low-viscosity oils. The utilization of Direct interference laser structuring and hybridizing with a solid lubricating polymer manifold the positive effect. A 1000-h tribological test just being finished before this submission proves a very promising solution with low friction and almost no wear after a long period [3].

In this talk we will report on our tribological and corrosion test results within our laboratory accompanied by SEM and EDS findings for different CERANOD surface solutions. These findings we will compare and correlate with some different application cases of our clients, who utilize our solutions on their end products to enable the usage of lightweight metals under harsh tribological, vibrating and /or corrosive environments, and, thus, saving a lot of energy and resources.

Predicting and interpreting experimental results in the field of materials science poses many challenges and also represents a promising path. As a result, the directions for improvement or extension related to materials engineering procedures are multiple and constantly expanding. In view of assisting synthesis and characterization of functional compounds, a consequent contribution is nowadays provided by computational modelling. This latter offers the opportunity to both complement the experimental works towards mechanism comprehension or structural characterization during the process of concrete evaluation of materials capabilities and to predict certain features prior to experiments. Quantum mechanical modelling is notably reaching growing use, in many ways and for various areas including notably the case of materials for energy (see e.g. [1,2]). Beyond the possibility to access properties of electrochemical/spectroscopic/structural or defects nature as well as indications concerning ion transport, electron conduction, etc. of these compounds or those belonging to other research fields – for instance by calling to density functional theory calculations [3-11] –, particular attention can additionally be focused on accurate electronic structure scrutinization. In many situations, this further step is of crucial help when searching for structure-property relationships. The route towards innovation and breakthrough can surely be accelerated thanks to the combination of quantum chemical modelling and methodologies belonging in particular to topological analysis of the electron density. While doping, oxygen/lithium or other metal (de-)insertion, effects of polymorphism, polyanion modulation, etc in inorganic matrices for M-ion batteries or Solid Oxide Fuel Cells traditionally constitutes one of the most prevalent playgrounds for computational studies, the more nascent field – in terms of development and applications – of batteries relying on organic electrode materials brings new perspectives and shifts the search in new directions. In this last context, the quest for most performant compounds is linked e.g. to new backbones identification, functionalization, isomerism/heteroatom substitution, redox centre change, etc. may benefits from the possibility to employ molecular modelling, prior to experiment, as a first estimation of their capabilities. 

By focusing on selective examples, the interest of combined use of quantum chemical modelling and topological analysis of the electronic structure of various compounds belonging either to organic or inorganic species will be illustrated in the purpose of driving the engineering search towards rationalization of phenomena and an educated guess of novel, innovating or optimized materials

The increasing demand for the application of hydrogen in different domains of the Global Industry should bring these technologies to the next level of development and contribute with important solutions to significant logistic and energy challenges as well, such as the transportation of gas or liquid hydrogen (LH₂). The boiling temperature of LH₂ is 20 K, what makes promising application of high temperature superconductors. It has been proposed [1] to construct a centrifugal type LH₂-pump (with superconducting bearings, immersed in liquid hydrogen, with an impeller diameter of 32 mm and rotating speed 15 000 rpm.) to fill a 100 l mobile Dewar in about 5 mins. Because of this it is of great importance to understand which comparatively well developed superconducting material can be more stable and efficient in such working conditions. 

We analyzed the functional superconducting characteristics of MgB₂-based bulks without and with additions of Ti, Ti-O and TiC, prepared by hot pressing (30 MPa), spark plasma sintering (50-96 MPa) and under high quasy-hydrostatic pressure (2 GPa) conditions. Their stability in gas hydrogen under 4.2 bar pressure was under the study. The trapped magnetic fields were studied using hollow cylinders of the same geometry prepared from magnesium diboride-based materials and MT-YBCO. The high critical current densities and critical magnetic fields should ensure high trapped fields in all these materials. Indeed all materials demonstrated the required performance; however, flux jumps are a serious issue in MgB₂ even in crack free cylinders and impeded higher trapped fields. An inhomogeneous and porous MgB₂ structure was found to be less stable against flux jumps. On the other hand, deviations of the material matrices from MgB₂ stoichiometry did not impede high J_c and trapped fields. The superconducting properties of all materials investigated in this study occurred to be sufficient for magnets in submersible liquid hydrogen pumps with a required trapped field of about 500-600 mT.

The climate change that we are driving with our hunger for energy, mobility, consumption and global networking will primarily harm ourselves and our future generations. Economic prosperity and global resource consumption have so far gone hand in hand - our planet is already no longer sufficient for our needs, we are living "on credit". How can we make the leap forward to a resource-conserving circular economy? On the one hand, globalization and worldwide networking create prosperity and jobs; on the other, they create enormous competitive pressure in production and social standards. To survive in this competition, we need to drive key technologies forward. As parent institute to quite a number of different entities, the Fraunhofer ISC is privileged to combine first-rate expertise in materials science with long-standing experience in materials processing, application and analysis. The Institute focuses on affordable health care and regenerative therapies, on resource and energy efficiency, and on sustainability, emphasizing the use of regrowing and economically friendly raw materials, the avoidance of critical materials as well as on smart and sustainable processing techniques. The ISC is one of the leading European R&D centers for material-based research and development in the fields of energy, environment and health with innovative material solutions and technologies for sustainable products and essential contributions to solving the major global issues and challenges of the future. Our talk will go through several approaches of Fraunhofer ISC to go forward saving our blue planet.

Ti₂InN is the first nitride in the MAX-phase family (into Cr₂AlC prototype) for which superconductivity was reported A.D. Bortolozo et al. [1]. It was proposed that the substitution of carbon in Ti₂InC for nitrogen increases the superconducting transition temperature from 3.1 K to about 7.3 K due to an increase of the electronic density of states at the Fermi level (E_F) from 3.67 for 4.02 states/(eV cell) [1]. The structure of Ti₂InN in [1] was characterized only by X-ray. X ray pattern showed peaks of in Ti₂InN and the presence of small amount of In. Unfortunately, SEM EDX or TEM studies of the synthesized material were not reported in literature. The Ti₂InN samples of the study by Bortolozo et al. [1] 

In the present study, we prepared samples by different methods. The first two stages of synthesis followed exactly the route described in [1]. The third stage (pressure treatment) was modified. Route1: We repeated the method described in [1] but with 130 bar of nitrogen instead of argon. Route 2: Sintering in Ar in a sealed quartz ampoule. Routes 3, 7 and 8: Spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 38-50 MPa in contact with hBN. Route 4: High pressure-high temperature (HP-HT) sintering under 4 GPa in contact with hBN. Route 5: Repetition of Route 1 after removing air from the furnace more carefully. Using HP-HT, SPS methods and sintering in sealed quartz ampoule in Ar in the third stage (Routes 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8), we succeeded to synthesize Ti₂InN samples containing 85.3-94 wt.% of Ti₂InN (with lattice parameters a=0.3073(7)-0.3078(8) nm, c=1.4012(4)-1.4030(8) nm, unit cell volume V=114.667´10^-3 - 115.114 ´10^-3 nm³ ) which demonstrated superconducting behavior with Tc (onset) near 5 K. The samples prepared by SPS and HP-HT methods were highly dense. However, all samples showed a very broad magnetic transition (as susceptibility) not saturating down to 2 K. No macroscopic Meissner phase was established. The magnetization was far too weak to evidence bulk superconductivity of the entire sample (would require around 30 A/m) and hence of Ti₂InN. The signal stems either from a minority phase, or from surface superconductivity. According to SEM EDX study, the stoichiometry of the Ti₂InN phase of these samples were very close to 211, but in many cases a small excess of nitrogen or the presence of oxygen and even carbon (in one case) were found. We should not exclude that superconductivity in Ti₂InN may be very sensitive towards non-stoichiometry (like in the case of oxygen content in YBa₂Cu₃O_7-d , when reduction of oxygen below 6.6-6.5 atoms per one unite cell leads to disappearance of superconductivity) or toward impurities.  A pressure of 130 bar of nitrogen was not enough to suppress the decomposition of Ti₂InN at 900 ^oC (Routes 1 and 5). The material decomposed because of In sublimation and aggregation into drops on the top of the samples (a maximum of 54 wt.% Ti₂InN was observed in the materials after 10 h heating). The sample prepared by Route 1 demonstrated the best SC behavior, but the amount of Ti₂InN was only 6.5 wt.%. Instead, 9 wt. % TiN, 14.5 wt. % In, 61 wt. % TiO₂ and 9 wt. % In₂O₃ were found. The large amount of oxygen containing phases can be explained by the fact that not all air was removed from the furnace before the high nitrogen pressure was created. In the case of Route 5, when air was removed carefully, the sample decomposed as well and contained besides 54 wt.% of Ti₂InN, 25 wt. % TiN, 20 wt.% In, and 1 wt.%TiO₂ It seems unlikely that using nitrogen instead of argon would allow to overcome this problem (i.e. that 130 bar Ar pressure can prevent In from sublimation from Ti₂InN).  All our samples contain TiN in the form of separate inclusions (with a small amount of oxygen and a very small amount of indium,). The beginning of the SC transition of all our samples was approximately 5K. The SC transition temperature of TiN was reported to be 5.3-6 K. We did not find a clear correlation between the amount of TiN and the magnetization of the materials. However, the grains of TiN phase are still a candidate for the superconducting phase in our materials. 

A detailed study of the Ti₂InN materials structures which demonstrated Tc=7.3 K would be of great interest. Especially in view of the transition temperatures reported for g-Ti₃O₅ (7.1 K) and TiO (7.4 K) films.

Bioactive compounds in edible plants and foods are vital for human and planetary health, yet their significance and potential remain underappreciated. These natural bioactives, as part of whole diets, ingredients, or supplements, can modulate multiple aspects of human health, wellness, and performance [1]. 

Recent advancements in omics, computational biology, and artificial intelligence, combined with the development of personalised [2] and precision nutrition [3], have catalysed the convergence of nutrition and medicine, and facilitated more efficient and affordable healthcare solutions that leverage the power of food for prevention and therapy. 

Innovation in this field is crucial to feed a growing global population sustainably and healthily. This requires significant changes in our food system, spanning agriculture, production, distribution, and consumption [4]. As we are facing pressing population and planetary health challenges, investing in bioactive-based solutions is an opportunity to improve and sustain our health care systems, protect biodiversity and the health of our soils, waters, and atmosphere, while creating value for consumers, patients, communities, and stakeholders [5]. 

Translational research and innovation in the field of natural bioactives are currently being developed at two levels, using a systems-oriented approach: first, at biological level, the interplay between these compounds and the human host and microbiome is being elucidated through omics research [6], computational biology [7], and artificial intelligence [8], to accelerate both discovery and validation; second, at ecosystem level, efforts are focused on producing diverse, nutrient-rich, flavourful, and resilient, yet high-yield agricultural crops, and educating consumers to make informed choices that benefit both their health and the planet [4]. 

Adopting such systems perspective helps: unravel the relationships between bioactives, nutrition, and sustainability outcomes, harnessing the power of nature to promote human health and wellbeing; foster sustainable agriculture and protect the ecosystem [5]. Therefore, interdisciplinary and international collaboration is needed for a new era of science, research, and development of practical food-based solutions for some of the most pressing challenges of humanity in the Anthropocene [9].

Sustainable development is a comprehensive and complex system of systems requiring multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary science and technology inputs with economic, environmental, and social objectives. In broad terms, sustainable development is achieved when the present needs and challenges are met without placing in jeopardy the ability of future generations to meet their own needs and challenges. The trade space is very wide, and the multitude of trade-offs generate considerable challenges and make it often difficult to achieve an effective balance, most beneficial to all concerned. During the last sixty years the planet’s population has grown exponentially, from 2 to almost 8 billion people, and the technological progress achieved in certain global locations has been tremendous, especially in the industrialized countries. These trends are expected to continue, even at faster rates, and to extend to other global locations. However, all these associated technological activities in the pursuit of better living standards have created a considerable depletion of resources and pollution of land, water, air, and natural resources. Thus, it is imperative that we achieve more with less, implementing considerable energy efficiencies and activating the transition to alternative and renewable energy sources. To reach these goals considerable achievements have been obtained in the development of new and advanced materials such as light weight metallic alloys, metal matrix composites, intermetallic and carbon fiber composites, and hybrid materials systems. Nano, nano-structured and nano-hybrid carbon-based materials systems and nanotechnologies have also been deployed with considerable and transformative impact on energy, environment, and health. This presentation focuses on global perspectives of the impact of certain new and advanced materials and technologies on sustainable development with examples from several of its domains.

There is a great worldwide effort in research for the creation of technologies that allow the generation of energy through the use of new renewable biofuels that replace the traditional fuels derived from petroleum. We propose the synthesis of renewable biodiesel that was synthesized via chemical reaction of homogeneous alkaline transesterification and with ethyl route, from mixtures with different organic sources of fatty acids, proportions of composition between residual vegetable oil from frying and commercial linseed vegetable oils. The reaction was carried out in basic medium. The catalyst used (potassium hydroxide) was finely dispersed in infinite dilution condition, in order to ensure an effective nanotechnological condition for optimizing the degree of conversion of the mixture. The objective of these study is to understand the influence on the quality of the biodiesel produced, based on the most up-to-date specifications informed by the ANP. The evaluated parameters were measurement of specific mass; reaction yield of esters by mass; acid index and kinematic viscosity measurement at 40 ⁰C. In addition, the results showed that regardless of the sample composition, the results of the kinematic viscosity measurement at 40 ⁰C are in accordance with the current national biodiesel specifications. In conclusion, the results showed that the rheological classification for all samples consisted of the Newtonian fluid model, or the Power Law model when the power index is equal to unity (n=1).

To better dissipate energy under transient loading with less solid fraction, shocked metallic foam responses have been investigated with different spatial discretization methods at different scales. Molecular dynamics (MD) and the finite element method (FEM) are representative discrete particle and continuous methods, respectively. The Material Point Method (MPM) is a continuum-based particle method that is formulated based on the weak form of the governing equations in a way like the FEM. Based on the recent research results [Saffarini et al., 2023; Su and Chen, 2023], we are performing a comparative study of shocked metallic foam responses with both MD and MPM to understand the porous interfacial effect on failure evolution in shocked metallic foam assembly. Essential features of the responses at the same spatial scale as obtained with both discretization procedures will be presented in the conference for a representative composite system. It appears from the preliminary study that the MD and MPM solutions are consistent at the same scale. Thus, it might be feasible to compare the MD and MPM solutions for verification in multiscale simulation of extreme events. In addition, the porous interfacial effect might produce the failure evolution similar to the failure wave phenomenon as observed in shocked brittle solids [Kanel et al., 2005]. Further research is required to quantify the failure evolution in metallic solids shocked at different levels.

X rays are high-energy ionizing rays, which can cause severe damage to the human body if the proper protection is not in place. Traditionally, lead-containing radiation shielding materials have been used for protection of both, the patients and the operators, in medical X ray diagnostic and interventional settings. Lead is known to be a good X ray attenuation metal due to its high atomic number (Z), high density and low cost, but its weight and toxicity have prompted the search for light-weight and lead-free shielding materials [1, 2]. In this study, recyclable non-lead radiation shielding materials with superior protection in an extended range of diagnostic X ray energies from 50 to 150 kV are presented. The radiation protective materials consist of optimized elastomeric matrix filled with non-lead protective metal particles, such as antimony, bismuth, tungsten, barium, etc. Light-weight radiation shielding materials were made by selecting the proper combination of metals with certain Z, density and K-adsorption edge, and by optimizing their loading level, particle sizes and particle size distributions. The materials showed a superior attenuation level against primary and scatter X rays compared to competitive materials, as tested in a modified broad beam geometry (BBG*) according to the IEC 61331-1: 2014 standard [3]. The attenuation level of the presented lead-free materials is comparable to that of lead-containing shielding materials [4]. Moreover, the materials have improved mechanical properties, viz. tensile strength, toughness and elongation, which enable applications in various medical settings, such as protective aprons, caps, sleeves, vests, thyroid shields, drapes, blankets, and other protective garments. Lastly, but not least, the presented lead-free protective materials are recyclable and can be re-processed in the same manufacturing processes used for their original production.

E-mobility advancements and green power generation are central to achieving Green Deal's goals toward a low-carbon society. High-performing rare earth elements-transition metals permanent magnets (REE-TM PMs), such as Nd-Fe-B and Sm-Co, vital in e-motors and generators, are thus indispensable to meet these aims. Thus, in-depth study into REE-TM PMs is essential to boost their performance. However, the challenge lies in the limited availability of REEs, as they're flagged as critical for EU. Comprehensive solutions in recourse efficient magnet processing and reprocessing, including recycling, should now be integral to future PMs development. We are actively researching ways to make Nd-Fe-B and PMs reprocessing and recycling more viable [1]. Applying the electrochemical separation of anodic oxidation showed that the Nd-Fe-B scrap magnets can be successfully recycled either to matrix Nd₂Fe₁₄B matrix phase grains or be separated down to rare earth precursors [2]. Additionally, we have found that Sm-Co PMs can also be effectively recycled using electrochemical methods [3]. A step towards upscaling of Nd-Fe-B recycling principles is realized by selective chemical leaching of the Nd-rich secondary phase out of Nd-Fe-B feedstocks via organic acid which is considered as environmentally friendly approach [4]. These recycling routes open up new possibilities for reengineering Nd-Fe-B magnets from scratch, breaking away from conventional approaches and potentially improving magnet performance, such as energy products. In ongoing work related to the Nd-Fe-B system, we are exploring fast consolidation techniques through spark plasma sintering. These techniques hold promise in advancing the perspective of Nd-Fe-B magnet development. 

The reliability of the future electronics and photonics products, including the micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) and MOEMS (optical MEMS), will depend, first of all, on the performance of their materials, devices and packages [1]. The forty years old highly accelerated life testing (HALT) (see, e.g., [2]) has many merits, but is unable to predict the probability of failure of the product in the field. The recently suggested probabilistic design for reliability (PDfR) concept [3,4] in electronics and photonics engineering is based on 1) highly focused and highly cost-effective failure oriented accelerated testing (FOAT) [5], aimed at understanding the physics of the anticipated failures and at quantifying, on the probabilistic basis, the outcome of the FOAT conducted for the most vulnerable element(s) of the product of interest (such as, e.g., solder joint interconnections); 2) predictive modeling (PM) aimed at evaluating the reliability in actual operation conditions from the FOAT data and for the most likely operation conditions; and 3) subsequent sensitivity analyses (SA) that enables changing, if necessary, using the developed models, the obtained information, so that the acceptable probability of failure is assured. The PDfR concept proceeds from the recognition of the fact that the difference between a highly reliable and an insufficiently reliable product is “merely” the level of the never zero probability of their failure. If this probability, evaluated for the anticipated loading conditions and the given time in operation, is not acceptable, SA can be effectively employed to determine what could/should be changed to improve the situation. The PDfR can be used also to make sure that the product of interest is not made more robust than necessary for the accepted level of the probability of failure. The operational reliability cannot be low, of course, but does not have to be higher than necessary either: it has to be adequate for the given product and application. Both reliability and cost-effectiveness are imperative, of course. To get the best reliability "bang for the buck" is an obvious challenge for a product designer and manufacturer. The total cost of a product can be computed as the sum of its initial (manufacturing) cost and the cost of maintenance (repair). It has been found [4] that this sum can be minimized, if the product's availability (i.e., the probability that the device is available to the user when he/she needs it) is maximized. The design-stage FOAT is intended to be carried out when developing a new design or a new manufacturing technology and when high operational reliability, like the one required, e.g., for aerospace, military, or long-haul communication applications, or the future medical device engineering, is imperative. The recently suggested multi-parametric Boltzmann-Arrhenius-Zhurkov (BAZ) [6] equation could be used to predict the probability of FOAT failure and the field failure from the FOAT data. The equation can be effectively used to analyze and design products with the predicted, quantified, assured, and, if appropriate and cost-effective, even maintained and specified probability of operational failure. These concepts and methodologies can be accepted as an effective means for the evaluation of the operational reliability of EP materials and products, and that the next generation of qualification testing (QT) specifications and practices for such products could be viewed and conducted as a quasi-FOAT that adequately replicates the initial non-destructive segment of the previously conducted comprehensive full-scale FOAT. Burn-in-testing (BIT) [7], the chronologically final HALT that is routinely conducted at the manufacturing stage of almost every IC product is also of a FOAT type: it is aimed at eliminating the infant mortality portion (IMP) of the bathtub curve (BTC) [8] by getting rid of the low reliability "freaks" prior to shipping the hopefully “healthy” products, i.e., those that survived BIT, to the customer(s). All the indicated analyses were carried out using analytical ("mathematical") predictive modeling [9]. It 2 is suggested that physically meaningful predictive modeling, preferably of the PDfR type, should always be considered and conducted prior to and during the actual testing procedure and that analytical modeling should always complement computer simulations. Future work should be focused, in the author's view, on the experimental verification of the obtained findings and recommendations and should be conducted in application to particular devices, designs, manufacturing technologies, products and applications. 

As the global leaders grapple with their stated goals to achieve Net Zero Carbon Emissions (NZE) by 2050 or 2060, one must take a serious look at the trends and what needs to be done in the future. Despite all the trends in the right direction, both International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and International Energy Agency (IEA) project that we will fall woefully short of achieving the NZE2050 or limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5⁰C if we continue with the current policies of the countries. 

While IEA and IRENA, project future estimates of energy based on the present technologies and some incremental improvements, they are not in a position to foresee what innovative new technologies will be available in the future, which might completely change our predictions. As an example, about 25% of all the energy used in the U.S. is for cooling of buildings. Although that percentage is lower for the rest of the world, it is rapidly increasing. Since buildings are cooled exclusively by electrical power, at present we can only hope to replace that electricity with power from renewable energy. However, a very promising innovation on the horizon in scientific and engineering research is to develop coatings for building skins that will emit long wavelength infra-red radiation in the atmospheric window (8–13 mm wavelength) to deep space, which is at a temperature close to absolute zero. The technology known as plasmonic cooling, when developed, will cool the buildings simply by transferring the heat from the buildings to the outer space by radiation. When this technology becomes practical and commercially available, there might not be any need for mechanical cooling or heating of buildings in many parts of the world. Just as we have seen developments in computer and information technologies in the last two decades that we could not even imagine 30 years back, we will see developments in solar and ambient energy space that we can barely imagine today. 

The presentation will describe some of the transformative developments, including plasmonic cooling that we expect to see in the future. Such transformative information is being communicated via a new open access journal, Solar Compass, journal of the International Solar Alliance. 

Shape memory alloys take place in a class of adaptive structural materials called intelligent or smart materials by giving stimulus response to changes in the external conditions. These alloys exhibit dual characteristics, from viewpoint of shape reversibility, shape memory effect and superelasticity with the recoverability of two shapes at different conditions. These alloys are functional materials with these properties and used as shape memory elements in many interdisciplinary fields. Shape memory effect is initiated with thermomechanical treatments on cooling and deformation and performed thermally on heating and cooling, with which shape of the materials cycles between original and deformed shapes in reversible way. Therefore, this behavior can be called Thermoelasticity. Deformation in low temperature condition is plastic deformation, with which strain energy is stored in the materials and releases on heating by recovering the original shape. 

This phenomenon is governed by the thermomechanical and thermoresponsive transformations, thermal and stress induced martensitic transformations. Thermal induced martensitic transformations occur on cooling with cooperative movement of atoms in <110 > -type directions on {110} - type plane of austenite matrix along with the lattice twinning reaction and ordered parent phase structures turn into the twinned martensite structures. Twinned structures turn into detwinned martensite structures by means of stress induced martensitic transformations with deformation. On heating after these treatments, detwinned martensite structures turn into the ordered parent phase structures, by means reverse austenitic transformation. 

Superelasticity is performed in only mechanical manner by stressing and releasing the material in elasticity limit at a constant temperature in the parent austenite phase region, and shape recovery occurs instantly upon releasing, by exhibiting the elastic material behavior. Therefore, this behavior can be called mechanical memory. Superelasticity is performed in non-linear way, unlike normal elastic materials behavior, loading and releasing paths are different in stress-strain diagram, and cycling loop refers to the energy dissipation. 

Superelasticity is also result of stress induced martensitic transformation, and the ordered parent phase structures turn into the detwinned martensite structures by stressing the materials. It is important that lattice twinning and detwinning reactions play important role in martensitic transformations.

Copper based alloys exhibit this property in metastable beta-phase region. Lattice twinning and lattice invariant shear is not uniform in these alloys and cause the formation of complex layered structures. The layered structures can be described by different unit cells as 3R, 9R or 18R depending on the stacking sequences on the close-packed planes of the ordered lattice. The unit cell and periodicity are completed through 18 layers in direction z, in case of 18R martensite in ternary copper-based alloys, and unit cells are not periodic in short range in direction z.

In the present contribution, x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies were carried out on copper based CuAlMn and CuZnAl alloys. X-ray diffraction profiles and electron diffraction patterns exhibit super lattice reflections. X-ray diffractograms taken in a long-time interval show that diffraction angles and intensities of diffraction peaks change with the aging duration at room temperature.  This result refers to the rearrangement of atoms in diffusive manner. 

Due to the increased specific area-to-volume ratio (S/V), silica-based nanomaterials may have different and in many cases better chemical and physical characteristics than bulk materials. Many of these properties can be improved by surface modification and functionalization of nanomaterials, which can be done by altering the functionality and features of their surfaces, such as roughness, hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity, surface charge, biocompatibility, and reactivity. In this way, the functionality of nanomaterials can be adapted to the desired application. Due to their extremely fascinating and useful chemical and physical properties, nanomaterials exhibit an interest in many fields of applications such as sensor technology, biomedicine and biotechnology, environmental protection, photonics, and, the production of paints and varnishes, textiles, footwear, packaging, electronics, aerospace and automotive, etc. Although nanomaterials, on the one hand, offer technical and commercial opportunities and challenges, on the other hand, they can pose a risk to the environment and raise concerns about the health and safety of humans and animals, as regulation of nanomaterials is debated, and many questions related to the risks of exposure to nanomaterials are still unanswered.

            This presentation will introduce some recent examples from our Sensor Research Group demonstrating the use and challenges that may be tackled by functional nanomaterials, and some risks will be briefly mentioned.   

Photocatalytic hydrogen generation from water on conjugated polymer semiconductors has drawn considerable attentions for providing a clean alternative energy to resolve the environmental and energy issues in an economic route [1, 2].Polyimides (PIs), famous as an engineering material, represent another kind of polymer photocatalyst that is functionally comparable with g-C₃N₄. Prepared by solid-state thermal condensation (PI-TC), they commonly possessed branched morphology because lack of structural tailoring strategies. The performance for photocatalytic water splitting based on this polymer was largely limited due to the intrinsic structure defects in the dendritic chains of PI-TC impeded the electron delocalization and inter-chain charge transport. In the present work, a two-dimensional imide-based conjugated polymer (PI-SM) with preferred (001) orientation was constructed by solvent induced assemblage. High performance of 1640 μmol h^-1g^-1 for solar driven photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and excellent stability were achieved due to tunnelling charge transport between neighbour molecular sheets. The strong solvent dependent conformation variation is found to be intimately related to the specific interactions between the polymer chain and solvent molecules that play primary driving force for the chain diffusion and rearrangement [3]. This work provides further insight into the intrinsic interacting mechanism of solvent induced crystallization of conjugated polymer and paves an innovative way for synthesis of efficient polymer semiconductor photocatalysts.  

Today when Moore law gradually loses its effect and conventional charge-based electronics will soon come to the end development of high speed and low energy consuming information systems is urgently needed. Up to now, many new methodologies have been proposed, such as molecular electronics, nanoelectronics, spintronics, magnetronics, optronics, etc. Modern Electronics (Micro Nano Spin Electronics) and its future mainly based on novel materials (metals and nonmetals), their preparation technologies and new properties. Perfection and ultra-purity are not the only parameters characterized  materials usefulness for quantum devices. Modification of material properties by different structural nonperfections (structural defects: impurities, isotopes, etc.) is the smart instrument for regulation of their characteristics. Based on difference from conventional electronics e electron’s which uses the electron’s charge degree of freedom for information processing, spintronics is devoted to incorporating the electron’s spin degree of freedom. Despite its great potential advantages, spintronics now faces a number of challenges, such as generation of fully spin-polarized carriers (pure spins) and injection of spin into devices, long distance spin transport, and manipulation and detection of carriers’ spin orientation. The solutions to these issues rely on the development of device fabrication and designing new spintronics materials with specific properties. [1]. Pure spin generation and injection mainly depends on the degree of spin polarization in the used semiconductors or metals. Thanks to the discovery of carbon based nanomaterials such as graphene [2] and carbon nanotubes, the challenge of long distance spin transport is likely to be solved in the near future. Because of their very weak spin–orbit coupling (SOC), carbon-based nanomaterials can have a long spin coherence length up to a few micrometers, thus are very good spin transportation materials. According to their electronic and magnetic properties, spintronics materials can be classified as magnetic metals, topological insulators, and magnetic semiconductors In a spintronic device, magnetic metals and  topological insulators, serve as spin sources and drains, while magnetic semiconductors constitute the central region of the device.[3]. At the same time usage of electron spins as quantum bits for quantum information processing in so called quantum computers, were  a qubit exists in more than one state simultaneously, is clear. Qubits in this state display a degree of correlations impossible in classical physics. This phenomenon is called entanglement and is crucial property of quantum computing. The main requirements of quantum computation are: Scalable physical systems with well characterized qubits (Zeeman Spliting); Long decoherence time: Existence of qubits at the ground state; Set of quantum gates; measurement capabilities, etc. Candidate for a qubit needs longer decoherence time than gate operation time. The transformation of digital computers from bulky machines to portable systems has been enabled by new materials and advanced processing technologies that allow ultrahigh integration of solid- state electronic switching devices. As this conventional scaling pathway has approached atomic- scale dimensions, the constituent nanomaterials increasingly possess properties that are dominated by quantum physics. [4]. 

The convergence between quantum materials properties and prototype quantum devices is especially apparent in the field of 2D materials, which offer a broad range of materials properties, high flexibility in fabrication pathways and the ability to form artificial states of quantum matter. Along with the quantum properties and potential of 2D materials as solid- state platforms for quantum- dot qubits, single- photon emitters, superconducting qubits and topological quantum computing elements it is necessary to select a the best method of their preparation. Potential of laser plasma process for 2D materials preparation, particularly its usefulness for organization of nanostructures applicable in spintronic and quantum computing devices novadays  is actively developing. Laser plasma formed under the ionizing effect of powerful laser radiation on the thing. For example, LP arises during optical breakdown in gaseous media, laser radiation on top solid body, in laser thermonuclear targets.  LP can exist in a wide range of temperatures - from 1 eV to 104 eV (104–108 K) and arising as a result of ionization of the electron impact with the subsequent image electronic avalanche, or as a result of many photon ionization.  The impact of a light wave on LP leads to the formation of plasma waves (coil -ny electronic and ionic densities), which interact with the primary and scattered light. As a result, electric magnetic waves are formed with a frequency that is a multiple of the frequency of the incident light this wave (the so-called harmonics). The probability of generating high harmonics increases with an increase in intensity of laser radiation.
The properties of nanomaterials prepared by laser plasma technique are unique, and they are not reproducible by any other method including chemical ones. The usage of resonance light heat creates the opportunity to energize the selected atoms as well as their groups (assemble) and to produce plasma with the necessary properties relevant to structures which must be prepared  This technique was successfully used by the authors of the project to study the conditions for obtaining diamond-like films, as well as thin layers of boron carbide. In the last two decades, the Laser plasma method was used to form both homogeneously doped GaAs:Mn layers and two-dimensional structures, including  a δ-doped GaAs:Mn layer and a InxGa1 – xAs quantum well separated by a GaAs spacer with a thickness of d = 3–6 nm. It is obvious that only Mn ions, which are part of the GaMnAs solid solution and are distributed almost uniformly in it, can noticeably exchange with quantum well carriers, leading to their spin polarization and, consequently, to the anomalous Hall effect [5].. We are looking for farther development of LP processes aim of preparation the next (higher) level of spintronic nanostructures based on above mentioned and some other diluted semiconductors. Our works shown that the LP method and technology is very useful for preparation of semiconductor silicon and graphene nanosystem in one sandwich for creation of a new highly effective multiqubit element. Selection of laser sources and their parameters is giving the possibility to vary the energy of ionized atoms in plasma plum, activate them to the necessary level and deposit the hot atoms and their clusters on substrates of different origin (semiconductors: Silicon, GaAs, etc.; Metals: Fe, Ni, etc.; Insulators: Al2O3, etc). For organization of these processes it is also possible to use the resonance wavelength of the light sources in order to have the direct and strong interaction with electron’s bonding energies. 

As the use of radiation increased from last few decades, the need for the study of radiation effects on materials, a phantom etc is most important. We know nowadays the radioisotopes or radioactive substances used in many fields like in medical field, nuclear power plants, and radiation research etc. Many researchers did a lot of experiments in this field and found different conclusions.  In the present study we used the polymeric materials which can be available easily, having low cost, can be used at large scale. The results investigated and calculated were most useful in the fields of gamma radiation shielding, dosimetry, material science etc. Also radiation is widely used in biomaterial science for the surface modification, sterilization and to improve bulk properties of materials.

In the present work we investigated the gamma radiation parameters as mass attenuation coefficient, the total atomic scattering cross-sections, the electronic scattering cross-sections, the effective atomic numbers, and the effective electron densities for some polymers such as polyoxymethylene (CH₂O), poly acrylonitrile (C₃H₃N), natural rubber (C₅H₈), poly ethyl acrylate (C₅H₈O₂ ), polyphenyl methacrylate (C₁₀H₁₀O₂ ), and polyethylene tetraphthalate (C₁₀H₈O₄ ). The gamma ray photons were detected by NaI(Tl) detector with resolution of 8.2 % at 662 keV, using radioactive gamma ray sources ₅₇Co, ₁₃₃Ba, ₁₃₇Cs, ₅₄Mn, ₆₀Co, and ₂₂Na at energies 122, 356, 511, 662, 840, 1170, 1275, and 1330 keV. Values of m/e for the chosen polymers decrease with increasing energy. The results of investigated data are useful in plastic industry, building materials, agriculture fields radiation shielding, accelerator centers, polymer industry, medical field, etc.

A large part of infrastructure in different high-tech countries e.g. in the USA, Germany was built in the 60’s and 70’s. Not only bridges and tunnels, but also nuclear power plants were built in these years. Our modern state is based on this infrastructure.
Currently, the focus of everybody is on the infrastructure, following the first catastrophic failures. The load on the infrastructure is higher than ever planned and their reliability reached its limits. Even with the plan to renew the infrastructure in the upcoming years, the particular task would be impossible. With the current trend to sustainability it appears obvious, that there is a need for a change.
The solution might be found in aerospace and aviation. In the late 80’s, the safety critical sector of aviation was faced with a similar situation: The need for airplanes was rising, however the predicted safe-lifetime of the planes was reached. The solution was to accept defects in the components. “Have Cracks Will Travel” a project of the US Airforce was called, which describes the change of the lifetime assessment towards the damage-tolerant concept, supported by a non-destructive testing program. This program made the lifetime extension possible and saved billions of dollars, at the same time increasing the reliability of aircrafts.
Based on this example, we developed a useable framework for various safety critical industries and it has been introduced worldwide in different industries. For the presentation, we prepared examples from Finland and their approach on the final deposit of spent nuclear fuel, the German Automotive market and the Swiss Railway safety plan as well as a solution for the civil engineering issue of aged bridges in Germany.
We also give an outlook what is possible using the tools of an environment called Industry 4.0, regarding the sustainability. We are convinced that the topics non-destructive inspections and monitoring are an essential part of our future. And sustainability is not a choice, it is a necessity all over the world! Where the presented procedure will be a helpful tool to establish safety, social endurance and economical resilience .

Air pollution is one of the largest health and environmental problems in the world. It is a treat for the human and animal health and is one of the leading risk factors for death. In fact, the air pollution is responsible for more than 6.5 million deaths each year globally [1].

In this study, we are presenting sustainable and biodegradable materials, which can be used as sorbents for air pollutants, such as CO2, CO, CH4, NOx, SOx, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and others. The presented sorbent materials are composed of agricultural by-products in a network of fungal threads (mycelia), named My-Com™. My-Com™ composites can be easily made in any shape, form and size. Preliminary life-cycle assessments show negative CO2 emissions for the composite production, i.e. the material production uses CO2 from the environment to produce the “mycelium-wrapped” agricultural by-product composites [2]. My-Com™ composites in their original state, as well as the amine-functionalized My-Com™ composites efficiently adsorb the small-molecule environmental pollutants, viz. CO, CO2, CH4 and others [3]. The studies of the VOC-adsorption on My-Com™ materials are in progress. Overall, My-Com™ composites are promising sustainable materials for removing pollutants from the environment, and at the end of their use, when disposed, they are completely biodegradable. 

Vegetable fiber cement is a new compound made from a mixture of cement, inorganic waste (slag) and plant fibers (banana, sisal, coconut, eucalyptus or other plants). Vegetal fiber cement has several advantages over common fiber cement. This material stands out mainly for not offering health risks related to inorganic dust, as occurs with mineral fibers. In addition, reinforcing the cementitious matrix with plant fibers improves the mechanical performance and durability of these materials. Another advantage is related to water absorption. The vegetable fiber cement samples have a relevant waterproofing capacity.

The purpose of this work is the development and characterization of a concrete material reinforced with natural fibers. The use of plant fibers in civil construction is sustainable and environmentally friendly. The inorganic residue used was red clay. Vegetal fibers of Sansevieria trifasciata (popularly known as Espada de São Jorge in Brazil) were tested as reinforcement of the cementitious matrix. Sansevieria trifasciata fibers can increase the mechanical strength of the cementitious matrix. The fibers were subjected to an alkaline treatment in order to increase their surface area. In addition, the fiber size was also tested. The fiber size has a direct influence on its dispersion in the matrix. The material was subjected to compression and structural physical tests (absorption index, voids index, specific mass), treatment and characterization of the vegetable fiber, and also the granulometry of the cement mixture. The results indicate that the fiber size and the chemical treatment previously carried out significantly influence the physical properties and ability to withstand compressive load.

Water bodies have systematically suffered from pollution caused by urban and industrial activities. Heavy metals are in a category of contaminants of lakes, rivers and seas that are of great concern. The development of environmentally correct alternatives is necessary to neutralize the action of heavy metals. It is worth noting that numerous solutions have already been adopted in order to remove heavy metals from seas and lakes. However, the production of some products to remove contaminants causes environmental pollution. Therefore, it is extremely important to develop an environmentally friendly synthesis route, so that the production process is consistent with the purpose of the final product. The objective of this work is the development of an environmentally friendly route for the synthesis of bifunctional zero valency iron using agro-industry residues with low added value. They have a metallic phase (zero valency iron) to degrade the harmful metals and an organic phase (grape peel biomass) suitable for adsorption pollutants. The particles were produced by a green route using Mentha spicata extract as an iron-reducing agente of Fe³⁺. The results indicated the presence of ferrous material in the samples. Furthermore, the functionality of the composite was analyzed by spectrophotometry, with a reduction of up to 53% of heavy metal ions (Cr^{6 +}) in contaminated water. Therefore, the biocomposite is functional and has the ability to remove heavy metals.

Coumarins are natural compounds with wide application in organic synthesis as acceptors in different organic reactions with nucleophilic reagents and dienophiles in Diels-Alder reactions as well in reactions of [2+2] or [2+3] cycloaddition and as intermediates in the synthesis of products of practical interest. On the other hand, especially important are their antimicrobial, antiviral, anticancer, enzyme inhibition, anti-HIV, and antioxidant activities as well as their influence over central nervous system [1]. A third large area of application of coumarin derivatives are modern technologies. They can be applied as excellent luminophores and laser dyes. Coumarin derivatives may be used as ligands for metal complexes and for modification of organic and inorganic supports.

The investigations on the chemical behavior of the 3-substituted 2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyranes (coumarins) toward nucleophilic reagents represented them as good acceptor in the 1,4-addition reactions. 

Acknowledgements: The support by the project EXTREME, funded by the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science, D01-76/30.03.2021 through the program “European Scientific Networks” is gratefully acknowledged.

Reactions of the 3-substituted coumarins with organomagnesium, and organozinc reagents as well as with Ivanov’s reagent were carried out and the corresponding 2-oxochromanes were isolated with good yields. The reactions with their analougs 1,2-benzoxaphosphorine as substrate had the same synthetic progress but in these cases were isolated only two of possible diastereoisomers. The reactions were carried out under ultrasound irradiation and the yields of the target products were higher and the results were accurate and precise. 

Interestingly nucleophilic addition of halogen subsituted anhydride in the presence of Zn lead to formation of biscoumarins. Conditions suggested by us represent a new method for the synthesis of this type of compounds under simple and eco-friendly experimental set up.

The physical safety of people and the protection of infrastructure from accidents caused by man-made, accidental and terrorist acts are still one of the major challenges for humanity. The most common of the many causes of accidents are industrial and terrorist explosions and fires, often accompanied by toxic gases and uncontrolled sources of radiation. Therefore, fast / rapid identification of such threats, processing the information and timely informing of emergency or other structures are the only way to prevent them, minimize and/or avoid the serious negative consequences. In this regard under high-risks are all kind of critical infrastructure facilities (tunnels, underground structures and confined spaces) and crowded civilian/ social places (transportation hubs, airports, shopping malls, etc.) Georgia (as well as European countries) has adopted the National Security Concept (NSC-GEO (1) .pdf), where in the first place in the list of main threats is "terrorist acts organized by the Russian Federation from the occupied territories of Georgia" and at the  fifth place is " International Terrorism and Transnational Organized Crime. " The situation is further complicated due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war in the Black Sea region and its consequences in future. In the civil field, the most dangerous increased threat spaces in terms of technogenic (man-made) and accidental explosions are tunnels, in particular coal mines, nuclear power plants, radiation sources and waste storage areas.   As annual statistics show, many miners around the world die due to methane and coal dust explosions in coal mines. Cases of toxic gas poisoning are frequent. During a single explosion in a Turkish (Soma) mine killed 301 miners. Recently the one of the last such accident occurred on January 31 of this year, 2022 in the Tkibuli (Georgia) coal mine. Besides there are also very serious consequences due to the fires at radiation sources, provoked by emergency or accidents, which leads to dangerous increases in radiation levels and environmental pollution.

Protecting facilities (especially tunnels and underground spaces) from accidental and terrorist explosions and fires, taking into account their accompanying toxic gases, and in some cases from increased radiation, still remains as highly topical problem.

Molecular inclusion has been in chemical practice for over two centuries but it happened in the 1950^th when the physicochemical nature of the systems became clear to science. The subset named ‘clathrates’ was the first to be characterized on structural (1948) and thermodynamic (1959) background. Presently a very large class of compounds are considered as clathrates. These are either genuine clathrates, with no bonding interactions between host and guest components, and several structurally analogous compounds with stronger interactions, namely ionic, inorganic and other ‘clathrates’.

Water is extremely important host material, able to form a variety of clathrate or clathrate-like ‘compounds’. This behaviour was first discovered by Davy in 1809 who crystallized chlorine in the form of pentahydrate (as determined a couple of years later by Faraday). Characteristic feature of these compounds is non-stoichiometry, hence the ‘penta’-hydrate was the approximate value. Very many clathrate hydrates are known recently and some are of special technological importance. Of special value is methane clathrate. Huge amounts of this material have been found in permafrost regions and even much more is  present under the sea, at depths approximately equal 500 m or more. Since 2013 these deposits are being exploited, however experimentally, by Japan and somewhat later by China.  Some details will be discussed, including the idea of methane desorption combined with CO₂ sequestration. Ecological problems associated with the processes will be signalled.

Another class of inclusion compounds known sine the end of 19^th century are cyclodextrins, obtained by a special fermentation of starch. Also in this very case the technology-oriented studies started in mid XX century. Cyclodextrins, native and chemically modified,  are presently a huge industry worldwide providing enormously large variety of products, from pharmaceutical, food additives, environment friendly additives in technological processes, It will be briefly illustrated with the use of cyclodextrin derived anti-COVID preparations.

Of historical value are technological attempts to apply the high selectivity of molecular inclusion expressed by some coordination complexes towards petrochemical mixtures[KM1] , like C₈ (xylenes and ethylbenzene). Labofina has arrived up to semicommercial scale but the process appeared non-competitive due to a trivial problem of filtering fine powders of the clathrates. It is nevertheless important to point out extremely important and controllable selectivities in these systems enabling even efficient separations of mixtures of isotopomers. On analytical scale these compounds are used in thee, so-called, clathrate chromatography.

Other examples will be shown and illustrated, including the family of calixarene hosts, cucurbiturils and cavitands. Some dynamic properties of the solids will be demonstrated on selected examples.

This work aims to provide theoretical guidance about fabricating high-efficiency electroluminescent materials by means of smart molecular design. 

Density functional theory is utilized to investigate the geometric structures of the two heterocyclic thiophene and silicon pentadiene dithienosiloles (DTS) derivatives. 

It is shown that different substituents in the side chain have minor influences on the geometric properties of rigid molecules, whereas the electronic structure and charge transport performance can be tuned effectively. 

5-flurophenyl DTS can be regarded as a promising bipolar charge transport material with equilibrated hole and charge transfer performance.  

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with offset quadrature amplitude modulation (OQAM) has been widely discussed in the literature and is considered a popular waveform for 5^th generation (5G) wireless telecommunications and beyond. In this work, we show that OFDM-OQAM can be generated using the Hilbert transform and is equivalent to single sideband modulation (SSB), that has roots in analog telecommunications [1]. The symbol density in time-frequency space is greater than unity. OFDM-OQAM is also known as filter bank multicarrier (FBMC). One of the key advantages of OFDM-OQAM/FBMC over OFDM [2, 3, 4] is its immunity against frequency offsets. In other words, it may not be necessary for an OFDM-OQAM/FBMC system to estimate and cancel the frequency offset, unlike OFDM. The other important feature of OFDM-OQAM is the spectral containment of each subcarrier using a transmit filter, which is absent in OFDM. However, OFDM is more attractive than OFDM-OQAM in terms of implementation simplicity.

 The transmit filter for OFDM-OQAM is complex valued and is given by    where   is a real-valued pulse shape that satisfies the zero intersymbol interference (ISI) condition, is its Hilbert transform and  .  The real-valued digital data (message) are transmitted through    and frequency division multiplexed on orthogonal subcarriers. The message bandwidth corresponding to each subcarrier is assumed to be narrow enough so that the channel can be considered ideal. Therefore, at the receiver, a matched filter can used to recover the message. Turbo coding is used to achieve bit-error-rate (BER) as low as 10^-5 at an average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) per bit close to 0 db. The system has been simulated in discrete time.