Landmark University

This study focused on the development of insulating refractory bricks using quartzite, with a comprehensive analysis of their mechanical and thermal properties. The bricks were made from quartzite with 10% bentonite binder and water, added for mixing. Various tests were done (Xray Fluorescence, Thermogravimetric and Differential Thermal Analyses, apparent porosity, shrinkage, Loss on Ignition (LOI), compressive yield stress, and water absorption (WA)), following American Society for Testing and Materials' procedures. Microstructural analysis of the sample was observed using Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). These results provided valuable insights into the stability of the developed refractory bricks at high temperatures. Analysis of chemical composition from quartz bricks revealed significant SiO2 content (94.303%), emphasizing the material's superior refractory properties. LOI (0.5%) and shrinkage (0.2%) results indicated enhanced performance with good thermal stability and strength. Compressive stress yield indicated that the material exhibits good strength relative to the amount of binder used. WA results confirmed that the brick sample is suitable for high-temperature applications. SEM/EDS analysis unveiled intricate microstructural features, affirming the bonding agent's influence on the material's composition.

This study comparatively analyses the coverage of rural and urban communities in Nigerian newspapers to substantiate the claim of quantitative and qualitative imbalance in the coverage of rural Nigerian communities that are considered to be in urgent need of development. Three widely read national newspapers-The Guardian, The Punch and Vanguard-were studied between January and December 2023. The unit of analysis included news reports, editorials and articles. Categories analysed were the quantity of rural and urban stories, issues reported, slant of the reports, and depth and prominence given to the stories. Thirty-six editions were randomly selected across the three newspapers using Stempel's constructed week procedure. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data, and T-test to test statistical differences be24tween the averages of rural and urban coverage. The findings contradicted long-held evidence of an imbalance in reporting rural areas by Nigerian newspapers and found that while there is a quantitative imbalance, there is no evidence of qualitative imbalance in rural coverage by the Nigerian press. Any observed qualitative imbalance is because the urban areas have a greater number of stories appearing in the newspapers. A serious commitment to establishing indigenous media in rural areas of Nigeria is advised.

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have displayed a significant potential in green recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) cathode materials. In this study, we proposed a computational screening strategy based on the binding energy and hydrogen bonding performance via density functional theory and molecular dynamic calculation, achieving a novel DES system composed of tetramethylammonium chloride (TMAC) and oxalic acid dihydrate (OA) for a dual closed-loop process to recycle LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 (NCM811) cathode of spent LIBs. The binding energy between DESs and Li/Ni/Co/Mn ions were shown to critically influence metal leaching efficiency, implying that DESs with higher binding energy exhibited superior extraction performance. DES TMAC-OA was screened out as optimal potential, and then followed by experimental validations to achieve the leaching of valuable metals from spent NCM811 cathode powder in a much milder condition (80 degrees C, 30 min) with high efficiency. Combined with the coordination regulation of water and ethanol, a high selectivity separation of Li and Ni/Co/Mn can be achieved to regenerate high-value precursors of NCM811 with both high purity and yield. The regenerated precursors can be used to produce new NCM811 with considerable electrochemical performances. More importantly, DESs can be perfectly regenerated and recycled many times, indicating that the process is cost-effective and eco-friendly. Such a strategy provides a feasibility basis to demonstrate a promising potential of DESs in the green recovery and recycling of valuable materials from spent LIBs, therefore benefiting the circular economy and the sustainable management of electronic waste. (sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(DESs)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(LIBs)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(DFT)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(MD)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(BE)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(TMAC)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(OA)(sic)(sic)(sic)DES,(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)NCM811(LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).DESs(sic)Li/Ni/Co/Mn(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)DESs(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)DES TMAC-OA(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(80 degrees C,30(sic)(sic))(sic)(sic)(sic)NCM811(S-NCM)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)Li(sic)Ni/Co/Mn(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)NCM811(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)NCM811(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),DES(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic),(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic)(sic).

Understanding genetic variability and the relationships among nutritional and agronomic traits is essential for guiding maize (Zea mays L.) biofortification strategies. In this study, we evaluated 30 extra-early provitamin A quality protein maize (PVA-QPM) inbreds and two commercial checks. We measured grain yield and nutritional composition, including beta-carotene, total carotenoids, lysine, tryptophan, iron, zinc, and starch quality. The field experiments were conducted under rainfed conditions at Oke-Oyi, Nigeria, during the 2023 and 2024 cropping seasons. Experiments used a randomized complete block design with three replications. We employed multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering, to assess trait variability, examine interrelationships, and classify genotypes based on their nutritional and agronomic performance. The results showed significant variation among the inbreds. TZEIORQ 19, TZEIORQ 57, and TZEIORQ 29 had the highest levels of PVA carotenoids. TZEIORQ 7 and TZEIORQ 19 were superior in lysine and tryptophan content. Iron- and zinc-rich genotypes, including TZEIORQ 19 and TZEIORQ 7, showed strong potential for reducing micronutrient deficiencies. PCA revealed that the first principal component (PC1) captured most of the variation in key nutritional traits. This helped to clarify the relationships between traits. Using multivariate statistical methods made it possible to clearly differentiate elite PVA-QPM inbreds that combine high yield with enhanced nutritional quality. These genotypes are promising candidates for large-scale planting and biofortification programs to improve dietary quality and food security in sub-Saharan Africa.

This study assessed the adoption of digital financial services (DFS) among smallholder farmers in North Central Nigeria. It investigated their usage, knowledge, and how their educational level affected the adoption of DFS. A total of 812 respondents were selected from three states: Kogi, Kwara, and Niger. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select eight hundred and twelve () crop farmers for the study. Collection of data was done using structured interview schedule. Frequency counts, percentages, and Pearson correlation were used to analyse the data. Results revealed that farmers had a relatively high level of knowledge of basic DFS features such as mobile money (????? =1.61), airtime recharge (????? = 1.67), and digital withdrawals (????? = 1.71). While DFS adoption was lowest for financial services, such as loan access (????? = 2.31), it was higher for purchasing agricultural inputs (????? = 3,23) and checking account balances (????? = 3.07). A significant correlation (r = 0.120, p = 0.001) was found between education and DFS adoption. Education significantly influences DFS use, underscoring the role of literacy in technology uptake. Extension agencies should implement targeted capacity-building programs aimed at improving farmers’ literacy and digital skills.