In this study, we characterized submicron and nanosized aerosol particles by investigating their number concentration, morphology, and elemental composition in three areas of Moscow representing low (urban park), moderate (industrial), and high (traffic-influenced residential) anthropogenic load. Measurements were performed during 17–21 June 2021; each site was monitored for one full 24-h period on different days using SMPS scans at 5-min resolution. Particle number concentrations (mean ± SD) were lowest in the park area (11,981 ± 4028 cm ^-3 ), intermediate in the industrial area (49,864 ± 340 cm ^-3 ), and highest in the residential area adjacent to a major highway (94,857 ± 5420 cm ^-3 ). Daily concentration dynamics were consistent with local anthropogenic activity: in the residential area, peaks coincided with rush hours, while in the industrial area they aligned with the operating period of a thermal power plant. Morphological analysis indicated ragged-edged particles in the park area, smoothed-edge particles in the residential area, and large aggregates as well as spherical particles in the industrial area; elemental composition likewise differed among zones from a basic set of elements in the park area to more complex signatures in the residential and industrial areas. Overall, these observations demonstrate pronounced short-term zonal contrasts in aerosol characteristics under the measurement conditions.

The electrification of powertrains could pave the way for fresh perspectives and new opportunities for electric traction machines. As in the case of traditional drive systems, it is essential to fulfill the requirements of power, torque, efficiency, and comfort when designing electric machines. External factors such as temperature, humidity, mechanical factors (e.g., vibrations) and chemical stresses significantly impact the performance of drive systems when electrification is deployed in vehicles. In this case, the insulation of the copper winding and the oil-based fluid, which are part of the cooling circuit are heavily stressed. The increased electrical stress results in partial discharges and other loads, leading to the damage and failure of the entire system. This study focuses on the experimental investigation of the degradation mechanism of polyalphaolefin-based cooling oil (PAO oil) under the influence of a high-intensity electric field. To explore the effects of aging, we propose a novel accelerated experimental approach. The laboratory tests involve inducing localized partial discharges within a specially designed aging cell containing a small quantity of PAO oil. We reveal the effect of a repetitive pulse electric field (high-voltage pulse train) on the dielectric properties of the fluid and compared it with thermal cycling; rapid formation of oxidation products is detected. Finally, we propose a theoretical mechanism for aging-product formation and provide practical confirmation by Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (Pyrolysis CG-MS) and Evolved Gas Analysis (EGA).

Electrocatalytic transformations of oxygen, i.e., the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), are key processes in renewable energy conversion, defining to a large extent, the efficiency of numerous energy conversion technologies, such as fuel cells, metal-air batteries or water electrolyzers. However, the development of highly effective, stable and inexpensive materials for such conversion processes is a bottleneck. Hence, establishing generic catalyst design principles by identifying structural features of catalysts that influence their performance would constitute a major step towards the rational engineering of advanced electrocatalysts. In this study, by investigating a series of metal-substituted manganese oxide (spinel), Mn3O4:M (M = Sr, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu), nanoparticles as a model system, we demonstrate experimentally and rationalized the dependence of the activity of Mn3O4:M for ORR and the oxygen binding strength in Mn3O4:M oxides on the properties of the M substituent, viz. the enthalpy of formation of the binary MO oxide and the Lewis acidity of the M2+ substituent. Incorporation of elements M that have a low enthalpy of formation of MO (i.e., highly exothermic oxides featuring relatively strong M‒O bonding) enhances the oxygen binding strength in Mn3O4:M, which increases its activity in ORR due to the established correlation between ORR activity and the binding energy of *O/*OH/*OOH species on the catalyst surface. Our work provides a new perspective on the design of new compositions for oxygen electrocatalysis relying on the substitution by redox-inactive elements affecting the binding energy of oxygen to the surface of the complex metal oxide catalysts (ORR/OER activity descriptor). We speculate that this concept is general and transferrable to a broad selection of materials and processes involving oxygen adsorption and redox, beyond electrocatalysis.

A homological series of novel piperidinium surfactants containing N-ethylcarbamate fragment and dodecyl, tetradecyl, or hexadecyl substituents was synthesized. Quantitative parameters describing their surface activity and aggregation behavior in water were determined using tensiometry and spectrophotometry. These cationic surfactants exhibit significant antimicrobial activity against several pathogenic plant strains, particularly bacteria, which increases with the transition from dodecyl to hexadecyl derivatives.

The study focused on the development of novel adjuvants for agricultural applications. For this, a comprehensive investigation was carried out that included the design and synthesis of surfactants, characterization of their aggregation behavior in aqueous solutions, evaluation of functional properties based on in vitro experiments, and assessment through vegetation trials. Using tensiometry and conductometry methods, CMC values, degree of counterion binding, contact angle, and adsorption parameters were determined to characterize the surface activity and aggregation behavior of a homologous series of piperidinium surfactants with ethylcarbamate fragment in the head group (1-CB(Et)-P-n) in water. By mean of agar diffusion and broth dilution methods it was found out that these surfactants exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against various plant pathogens, particularly against bacteria, which increased with the transition from dodecyl to hexadecyl derivatives. Using tebuconazole as an example, it was shown that synthesized surfactants can act as effective adjuvants in pesticide formulations. These substances taken in a concentration of 0.1 % not only increase the solubility of the active ingredient in water by 2-4 times and improve the wetting of treated surfaces by 50 %, but also provide the formula with antibacterial properties. Phytotoxicity assessment and vegetative testing of oat seedlings (Avena sativa L.) infected with Alternaria alternata spores and treated with the 1-CB(Et)-P-16/tebuconazole (1:3 wt. ratio) composition demonstrated that the combined formulation effectively inhibited the growth of both phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria, being the safe and effective during the vegetative growth period of the plant.

Определены эксплуатационные параметры минеральных малоклинкерных вяжущих, полученных на основе гранулированных доменных шлаков, и бетонов на основе этих вяжущих. При лабораторных исследованиях применен новый способ ускоренных испытаний коррозионной стойкости бетонных изделий в условиях непрерывного контакта с морской водой. Показано, что минеральные малоклинкерные вяжущие на основе гранулированных доменных шлаков имеют значительно более высокую устойчивость к коррозионному разрушению в морской воде при сохранении прочностных показателей, чем наиболее распространенные марки портландцемента. Разработан проект технических условий на активную минеральную добавку на основе молотого доменного гранулированного шлака. Внедрение предложенной технологии позволит перерабатывать вторичные ресурсы металлургической отрасли, а также получить качественный и недорогой строительный материал.

The work investigates the thermoelectric effect in mixtures of colloidal solutions with ionic electrolytes in the initial state, when the formation of concentration gradients under the influence of an inhomogeneous temperature field can be neglected. Based on experimental measurements in mixtures with different concentrations of colloidal particles and ions, the conditions under which with the coefficient of thermoelectric electromotive force (EMF) is governed by the ionic subsystem and when the main contribution to the value of the thermoelectric EMF is made by colloidal particles are determined.

In the present work, biomimetic approach was implemented using benzimidazole as a biofragment for the synthesis of amphiphilic compounds. A homologous series of cationic surfactants with a benzimidazolium head group and different lengths of the alkyl tail (BI-n, n = 10, 12, 14, 16) was obtained. The influence of the surfactant structure on aggregation, functional and biological properties was studied. In particular, the self-association of surfactants in aqueous solutions, solubilizing ability, antimicrobial and hemolytic activity, and cytotoxic effect were studied. For higher homologues, the effect of salt additives (NaCl) of various concentrations on the Krafft temperature and aggregation activity of surfactants were studied. It was shown that with an increase in the length of the hydrophobic tail of the amphiphile, a decrease in the aggregation thresholds and an increase in the Krafft temperature occurred (from 17.5 °C for BI-10 to 48 °C for BI-16). Benzimidazolium surfactants exhibit high bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity, as well as low hemolytic activity. In addition, the BI-n series showed a selective cytotoxic effect on cancer cells. The surfactants also turned out to be effective solubilizers for the hydrophobic substrate. Addition of salt to solutions of higher surfactants homologues (BI-14 and BI-16) made it possible to achieve a significant decrease in the Krafft temperature (by 8 degrees), as well as aggregation thresholds by 6 times. This study is expected to improve the understanding of the influence of structural parameters of surfactants on their aggregation and biological activity.

The work is devoted to the synthesis, study of self-assembly and functional activity of novel amphiphiles based on a conjugate of pyrrolidinium fragment and lipoic acid (LPS-n, where n = 10, 12, 14, 16). It was shown by tensiometry, conductometry, and fluorescence spectroscopy, that embedding the lipoic acid fragment reduced the critical micelle concentration of the pyrrolidinium surfactants by up to 15 times compared to their analogues functionalized with hydroxyethyl group. The amphiphiles exhibit high solubilizing capacity toward poorly soluble drugs, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (indomethacin and naproxen) and antidiabetic (glipizide) medicines. The formation of large, spherical vesicles with a diameter of up to 250 nm was established, depending on the alkyl chain length. The bactericidal activity of amphiphiles against E. faecalis and S. aureus (including methicillin-resistant MRSA-2 strain) was 3-6 times higher compared with norfloxacin. The anticancer activity of LPS-16 (IC50=5.6 mu M) against duodenal adenocarcinoma cells HuTu 80 was at the level of 5-fluorouracil (IC50=5 mu M) with a selectivity index of 4.6.

To the effectiveness of commercial herbicide, clopyralid, carbamate-containing surfactants were explored as adjuvants. A systematic study of the phytotoxic effect and wetting ability of these compounds by varying the length of the hydrophobic tail and the alkyl substituent in the carbamate fragment (in the presence and absence of an agrochemical) was carried out. Phytotoxic effect was attested in terms of seed germination energy, seed germination, length of roots and seedlings of a number of monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants (sweet corn, meadow fescue, watercress, dandelion medicinal). Among the tested surfactants, N-[2-(butylcarbamoyl)oxy)ethyl]-N,N-dimethylhexadecanammonium bromide [Ur-16 (Bu)] demonstrated the optimal characteristics as a potential adjuvant. This surfactant exhibits a high wetting effect, improved transport of pesticide molecules into the plant, relatively low phytotoxicity, and rapid biodegradation. Vegetation experiments demonstrated that the addition of 0.1 wt

Comprehensive assessment of polymer-colloid systems based on cationic surfactant with triallyl head group (TAS-16) in the presence of synthetic polyelectrolytes (polyacrylic acid (PAA), sodium polyacrylate (SPA), and sodium polystyrene sulfonate (PSS)) has been carried out. The addition of a weak polyelectrolyte PAA reduces the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the amphiphile up to 50 times, while the strong polyelectrolytes PSS and SPA, have a minor effect on the aggregation thresholds of the surfactant. Transmission electron microscopy shows the formation of mixed spherical aggregates grouped together like a pearl necklace. The mixed compositions exhibit antitumor activity against the HuTu 80 cell line and lower cytotoxicity toward normal Chang liver cells. The polymers do not induce hemolysis and hemagglutination, while TAS-16 exhibits moderate hemolytic activity in single system and in the composition. The polymer-colloid complexes containing strong polyelectrolyte SPA were more effective as nanocontainers to enhance the solubility of the hydrophobic antibiotic Amphotericin B.

New hexadecylpiperidinium surfactants, containing one or two butylcarbamate fragments, were synthesized. The antimicrobial activity, toxicity, aggregation behavior in aqueous solutions, and solubilization capacity of these surfactants towards the hydrophobic drug ibuprofen were characterized. These surfactants demonstrated a high antimicrobial activity against a wide range of pathogenic bacteria, including both Gram-positive and Gram-negative strains, as well as fungi. By forming mixed-micellar compositions of the cationic surfactant 1-CB(Bu)-P-16 and the nonionic surfactant Brij®35, highly functional and low-toxic formulations were obtained. Furthermore, the transition from mixed micelles to niosomes was accomplished, enhancing their potential as drug delivery systems. Niosomes were found to be less toxic compared to mixed micelles, while also increasing the solubility of ibuprofen in water. The modification of niosomes with cationic surfactants made it possible to increase the stability of the system and improve the solubility of the drug. The data obtained indicate that these new carbamate-containing hexadecylpiperidinium surfactants have significant potential in biomedical applications, particularly in the formulation of advanced drug delivery systems.

The study is the first to examine the combined use of blast-furnace sludge as a source of microelements and converter slag as a soil-deoxidizing agent in oat (Avena sativa L.) cultivation in sod-podzolic soils. It has been established that blast-furnace sludge is a highly dispersed waste, which contains about 50% iron, 7% zinc, and a small amount of calcium, silicon, magnesium, aluminum, and sulfur. Hazardous components such as lead, arsenic, etc., are not detected. Converter slag comprises porous granules up to 3 mm in size, consisting mainly of calcium compounds (CaO, Ca(CO)3, CaSiO3, CaFe2O4) and a small amount of Mn, Al, and Mg trace elements. In a laboratory experiment, blast-furnace sludge increased the germination of oats by 5–10%, regardless of the addition of a deoxidizer (slag), but at the same time suppressed the growth of stem length by a maximum of 18% at 1 g∙kg−1. The addition of slag raised substrate pH and increased the index by 8% at a sludge concentration of 0.1 g∙kg−1. Root length in deoxidizer-free variants increased by 50–60% and with the addition of slag by 27–47%. Root dry mass also increased under the addition of sludge by 85–98%; however, the addition of slag reduced the indicator to the control level. In a field experiment with the combined application of waste, an increase in yield by more than 30% was shown. When soil was treated with slag and sludge, the height of plants increased by an average of 18%. It should be noted that the introduction of waste did not affect the quality of the grain. The use of slag increased the lead content in the soil, which is probably due to the sorption properties of calcium compounds in the slag, since lead was not found in the analyzed waste. Presumably, lead is sorbed by slag from the lower soil horizons, concentrating and immobilizing it in the upper layer. This version is supported by the absence of lead accumulation in straw and oat grain. The zinc-containing sludge increased the content of this element by 33% in the soil, as well as by 6% in straw and by 14% in grain. Thus, we found that the studied metallurgical wastes can be used as nutrients for agriculture, both individually and jointly. Overall, the proposed approach will contribute both to reducing the amount of accumulated waste and to improving the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural production and CO2 sequestration. However, the features of the accumulation of heavy metals in soil and plants under the influence of the analyzed types of waste require more in-depth study, including within the framework of long-term field experiments.

Metal halide perovskite solar cells being one of the fastest emerging technologies for renewable energy still has to become more industry friendly in a way that will allow using it for thin film modules or tandems with conventional silicon devices. The simplest way to achieve this is to use chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technique for tandem production. In this work, we show a method for a single step production of MAPbI3 films in a simple two-zone CVD reactor from lead diacetate and methyl-ammonium iodide powders. Obtained films show highly ordered cubic MAPbI3 phase with a thickness of 400-500 nm, good photoluminescence response and absorption band edge similar to spin-coated film. We used those films to produce p-i-n solar cells with ITO/NiO/MAPbI3/C60/Cu structure. The best cell showed negligible 0.23 % PCE right after the manufacturing but significantly improved to 5.5 % PCE after 8 hours of storage in the dark. The main limiting factor affecting the efficiency is low current density, which we attribute to non-optimized growth conditions; however, our approach is a first step to a single step CVD deposition of MAPbI3 on any type of substrates including texturized silicon subcells for better overall efficiency

Monitoring the spontaneous reconstruction of the surface of metal oxides under electrocatalytic reaction conditions is critical to identifying the active sites and establishing structure-activity relationships. Here, we report on a self-terminated surface reconstruction of Ruddlesden-Popper lanthanum nickel oxide (La2NiO4+delta) that occurs spontaneously during reaction with alkaline electrolyte species. Using a combination of high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM), surface-sensitive X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (sXAS), as well as electrochemical techniques, we identify the structure of the reconstructed surface layer as an amorphous (oxy)hydroxide phase that features abundant under-coordinated nickel sites. No further amorphization of the crystalline oxide lattice (beyond the similar to 2 nm thick layer formed) was observed during oxygen evolution reaction (OER) cycling experiments. Notably, the formation of the reconstructed surface layer increases the material's oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity by a factor of 45 when compared to that of the pristine crystalline surface. In contrast, a related perovskite phase, i.e., LaNiO3, did not show noticeable surface reconstruction, and also no increase in its OER activity was observed. This work provides detailed insight into a surface reconstruction behavior dictated by the crystal structure of the parent oxide and highlights the importance of surface dynamics under reaction conditions.

Supramolecular systems based on amphiphilic triphenylphosphonium (TPP) conjugates of the diterpenoid isosteviol in which the diterpenoid skeleton and the TPP cation are linked by a polymethylene linker of varying length (n = 3, 6 or 8) have been fabricated. Elongation of this linker from 3 to 8 methylene units, allows for an 8-fold decrease in the amphiphile aggregation thresholds in aqueous solutions. These systems exhibit tunable self-assembly behavior, with the formation of both small aggregates (with a hydrodynamic diameter of ~5-10nm), as well as large vesicle-like structures (with a diameter of ~50-100nm), depending on the amphiphile concentration and length of the spacer fragment. The biotechnological potential of these amphiphiles has been demonstrated on the example of its membranotropic properties toward liposomes consisting of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC). Significant capacity for integration into lipid bilayer has been revealed in these amphiphiles, which could be increased by extending the length of the polymethylene linker. Cationic liposome formulations have been prepared on the basis of these amphiphiles and DPPC by a noncovalent modification approach. Sustainability of its DH and zeta potential during longtime storage has been demonstrated. The studied systems exhibit a selective cytotoxic effect on M-HeLa cancer cell line and are a less toxic to normal Chang liver cells. The mechanism of the cytotoxic action of the liposomes is associated with the induction of apoptosis through mitochondrial pathway. The obtained formulations have successfully been applied for metronidazole encapsulation, characterized by high encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity, as well as prolonged time of drug release.

The paper deals with the results of experiments to investigate the thermoelectrokinetic effect in colloidal solutions of tannin. As the theoretical analysis and results of mathematical modeling show, in the classical formulation of the experiment to measure the thermoelectrokinetic EMF, significant upward free-convective flows should be formed, which significantly distort the temperature and velocity field of the electrically conducting medium. In addition, in this case it is impossible to achieve a significant temperature gradient, the value of thermoelectrokinetic EMF depends on its value. As experiments show, in colloidal solutions of tannin at suppression of free-convective flows a noticeable thermoelectrokinetic effect is observed, which exceeds similar values for solutions of ionic electrolytes.

The paper presents the results of experimental measurements of thermoelectromotive force and electrical conductivity of animal blood samples and Ringer's medical solution, which are similar in their properties and chemical composition to human blood. The influence of the contributions of the ionic component and the contribution of blood corpuscles on the value of the thermoelectromotive force coefficient is analyzed. The effect of dilution with distilled water on thermoelectric properties and electrical conductivity of blood has been studied. The influence of the ionic composition of a model medical Ringer's solution on the coefficient of thermoelectromotive force is analyzed. The experimental results show that the coefficient of thermoelectromotive force of the blood samples under study is determined to a greater extent by the colloidal component of the shaped elements than by the contribution of the ionic subsystem. The results obtained indicate that thermoelectric phenomena in biological fluids can affect the activation of biochemical processes in the body of animals. Keywords: thermoEMF, electrical conductivity, colloidal solutions, blood plasma.

Background. The study considers the thermoelectrokinetic effect, which belongs to a specific class of cross transport phenomena occurring under the simultaneous influence of three thermodynamic forces. The influence of natural convection on the steady-state fluid temperature and velocity fields formed in the presence of the thermoelectrokinetic effect is evaluated. The method of suppression of natural convection in the measurement of thermoelectrokinetic EMF is developed and the corresponding study in aqueous solution of tannin is carried out. Materials and methods. Assessment of the influence of natural convection on the temperature and velocity distributions of the liquid is carried out on the basis of experimental measurements of its temperature field using a laboratory thermal imager and calculations of the corresponding fields on the basis of numerical solution of the Navier- Stokes, heat conduction, and continuity equations by the finite element method. Measurement of thermoelectrokinetic EMF in colloidal tannin solution with suppression of free convection is carried out using a modified experimental setup in which the direction of the temperature gradient is reversed. Results. On the basis of numerical modeling and experimental measurements, the temperature and velocity distributions of the liquid in the Ushaped tube are obtained. The results of numerical calculations agree with the results of insitu experiment. It is shown that in the classical formulation of the experiment to measure thermoelectrokinetic EMF when heating the liquid in a U-shaped tube from below, it is not possible to create a significant temperature drop, on which the value of thermoelectrokinetic EMF depends. The thermoelectrokinetic EDS of colloidal tannin solution was measured under conditions of suppressed convection. Under these conditions, the EMF reaches a significant value. Conclusions. Thus, natural convection significantly affects the manifestation of the thermoelectrokinetic effect in liquid electrically conducting media, and its suppression contributes to the formation of higher temperature gradients. Due to this, the value of thermoelectrokinetic EMF increases.