Ferrite-based permanent magnets with complex geometries are in increasing demand for various industrial applications. In this work, strontium hexaferrite samples were fabricated using extrusion based free-forming method. The printing paste optimized to achieve a high solid loading of 75 wt% enables stable printing with good structural integrity. Samples were printed in absence (3DP) and presence (M3DP) of an external magnetic field applied during printing to induce magnetic anisotropy. The printed samples were sintered at 1050-1300 degrees C. Rietveld refinement of the XRD patterns confirms the formation of hexagonal P63/mmc phase, while the March-Dollase model incorporated in the refinement quantifies the preferred crystallographic-orientation in the sintered M3DP samples. FESEM microstructure analysis showed enhanced grain growth with increasing sintering temperature. The M3DP samples sintered at 1250 degrees C showed the highest energy product of 2.10 MGOe. These results demonstrate the potential of magnetic field-assisted 3D printing for developing anisotropic sintered ferrite magnets.

This study investigates the 3D printing of La-Co co-doped SrFe12O19 (Sr0.8La0.2Fe11.8Co0.2O19) in absence (A3DP) and presence (M3DP) of applied magnetic field, followed by sintering at 1050-1300 degrees C. Magnetic field assisted 3D printing of Sr0.8La0.2Fe11.8Co0.2O19 by extrusion free forming (EFF) method is reported for the first time in the literature. The slurry rheology was optimized for 75 wt% solid loading yielding a viscosity of similar to 3 Pa & centerdot;s at 20 s(-1), which is suitable for extrusion free forming. Rietveld refinement confirmed the formation of P6(3)/mmc hexaferrite phase. M3DP samples exhibited strong basal texture, validated by XRD pole figures and EBSD, and increasing texture intensity at higher temperatures. The synergistic effects of grain growth with accompanying grain alignment significantly enhanced the magnetic properties, achieving a maximum energy product (BHmax) of 2.30 MGOe for the M3DP sample sintered at 1250 degrees C. These results establish magnetic field-assisted 3D printing combined with thermal processing as a promising route for developing high-performance hexaferrite permanent magnets.

Double perovskite La2NiMnO6 (LNMO) and holmium ( Ho) doped LNMO were synthesized via solid state route. The existence of a monoclinic crystal structure belonging to the P2(1)/n space group was confirmed by the attained PXRD patterns. It is found via temperature-dependent and frequency-dependent dielectric studies that, the introduction of holmium as a dopant brought about a decline in both the dielectric constant and dielectric loss compared to pure LNMO. This phenomenon was ascribed to variations in the Ni and Mn ions' charge states resulting from the inclusion of holmium into the lattice. Impedance analysis showed a drop in conductivity upon Ho incorporation, indicating the influence of holmium on electrical conductivity.

The rise in cancer fatalities necessitates the development of advanced treatments employing nanomaterials with better biocompatibility and efficacy. 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), a pyrimidine analogue with potent antitumor effects, inhibits diverse solid tumors by blocking thymidylate synthase and incorporating its metabolites into RNA and DNA, preventing cancer cell proliferation. However, poor oral absorption and bioavailability limit its therapeutic efficiency. Hence, the development of a pH-stable carrier is imperative to bolster the efficacy and mitigate side effects. In this study, the synthesis of 0 to 15 wt % yttrium (Y)-doped ZnO nanostructures via the sol-gel process and the distinct characteristics from their pure counterparts have been reported. Y doping modifies the energy bandgap of ZnO, fosters oxygen vacancy formation, hinders crystal growth by reducing the energy bandgap, facilitates Y3+ surface segregation, and augments Y3+ surface enhancement. The investigation demonstrates that 10% and 15% Y-doped materials exhibit enhanced inhibitory effects on MCF-7 cancer cells relative to pure ZnO and Y-doped ZnO with 5% and 15% concentrations. With an increase in the concentration of the structure-directing doping agent, the release rate also increases, reaching a maximum after a specific duration under pH 4 conditions. The synthesized Y-doped 5-FU ZnO demonstrates precise administration of the anticancer drug at the tumor site in a stimuli-responsive, pH-dependent manner, indicating controlled release over a defined time frame. In conclusion, the findings of the reported study highlight the anticancer potential of Y-doped ZnO nanoparticles, suggesting their importance for future medicinal applications.

Design of piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) with high power output requires piezoceramics with a large transduction coefficient (d33 × g33). However, since the dielectric permittivity εr typically increases with the piezoelectric charge coefficient d33, it leads to a reduction in the voltage coefficient g33, making it challenging to simultaneously achieve a high d33 × g33 in PEH materials. In this study (BCZT) ceramics were prepared with varying grain sizes to modify the influence of εr and improve the dij and gij coefficients. Sol–gel derived BCZT powders were sintered at 1400 ℃ with varying peak dwell time (1 h to 12 h) resulting in grain sizes from approximately 10 µm to 30 µm. BCZT ceramics containing grain size larger than 16 µm showed better ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties. Sharp dielectric transition and a high permittivity of 17000 were observed for larger grain sized BCZT ceramics. A notable remnant polarization (Pr) of 12 µC/cm2 along with a low coercive field (Ec) of 0.14 kV/mm was obtained from the BCZT sample with a grain size 24 µm. Grain size larger than 20 µm had shown higher piezoelectric coefficients (d33, d33*, g33) and electromechanical coefficient (kp). A high transduction coefficient d33 × g33 = 15.1 × 10−12 m2/N, with high figure of merit FOM = 13.7 × 10−10 m2/N were obtained in this study. These values are mostly significant for PEH applications, as they directly correlate with the power generation efficiency of the material under external mechanical stimulus. The ability to achieve such high transduction coefficients and FOM in lead-free BCZT ceramics highlights its strong potential for use in next-generation PEHs and in similar such energy harvesting devices. The insights gained on this grain size study of this lead-free system provide a solid foundation for further material optimization tailored specifically for high-performance and environmentally friendly energy harvesting systems.

A simple and facile single step hydrothermal process has been approached for the synthesis of Vanadium (V) doped MoS2 and utilized as HER cathode during electrocatalytic splitting of acidic, alkaline, and saline water. V (II) and V(IV) co-doping results narrowing of the electronic band gap, increases the intrinsic conductivity of MoS2 and optimizes the free energy for hydrogen adsorption. Moreover, V doping is also responsible for the formation of defects and sulfur vacancies as well as high content of 1 T phase to improve the electrocatalytic activity of MoS2 towards HER and exhibited lowest overpotential of only 111 mV vs. RHE (acidic medium), 218 mV vs. RHE (alkaline medium) & 266 mV vs. RHE (saline medium) at cathodic current of 10 mA.cm-2 and excellent electrochemical stability. Furthermore, as HER cathode, V-MoS2 displayed cell potential of +2.08 V (acidic medium), +2.12 V (alkaline medium) and +2.23 V (saline medium) during electrocatalytic water splitting.

Tailoring magnetic performance through strategic doping is critical for next-generation hexaferrite applications. This study systematically explores the structural, microstructural, and magnetic behaviours of La-Co-doped SrFe₁₂O₁₉ (Sr₁₋xLaxFe₁₂₋xCoxO₁₉, x = 0, 0.2, 0.3) as a function of doping concentration and sintering temperature (from 1050 °C to 1300 °C). XRD and subsequent Rietveld refinement confirm a stable single-phase magnetoplumbite structure with lattice contraction due to the substitution of smaller La3⁺ and Co2⁺ ions. SEM micrographs reveal hexagonal platelet-like grains, with grain size decreasing for x = 0.2 due to lattice strain but marginal grain growth for the sample with x = 0.3. Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the stoichiometric incorporation of La and Co into the lattice. Magnetic property measurements revealed that coercivity (Hc) decreases with increasing sintering temperature, while a marginal increase in saturation magnetization (Ms) was observed possibly due to enhanced grain growth and densification. The Optimal magnetic performance was achieved for x = 0.2, with higher coercivity attributed to reduced grain size and increased magnetocrystalline anisotropy. However, for x = 0.3, excessive doping led to grain growth and weakened superexchange interactions, reducing the coercivity. XPS analysis has shown that La and Co were successfully incorporated, leading to an increase in Fe2+ ions and also increase in the oxygen vacancies. These results demonstrate the critical interplay of doping and sintering temperature in tailoring the structural and magnetic properties of La-Co-doped SrFe₁₂O₁₉. The study provides valuable insights into optimizing hexaferrite materials for advanced magnetic applications.

Lead-free ceramic, (1−x)(BiFeO3)–x(CaTiO3) with x values of 0, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8 and 1.0 (0 ≤ x ≥ 1) were synthesized from BiFeO3 (BFO) and CaTiO3 (CTO) powders prepared by the chemical solution combustion method. Powder X-ray diffractogram revealed the structural features of the samples. FESEM results were analyzed to examine the microstructure of the samples. Terahertz (THz) region characteristics of polycrystalline BFO-CTO samples were investigated and reported in 0.2–3.5 THz range. Submillimeter spectroscopy (on a THz time-domain spectrometer) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in the frequency range of 0.2 to 3.5 THz have been used to study the reflection infrared spectra of BiFeO3 ceramic samples. In the 30 to 60 cm−1 range, an additional absorption with a significant dielectric contribution has been found. It has been shown that the matching oscillators couple with both phonon modes with the lowest frequencies.

The development of high-performance electrostatic energy storage dielectrics is essential for various applications such as pulsed-power technologies, electric vehicles (EVs), electronic devices, and the high-temperature aviation sector. However, the usage of lead as a crucial component in conventional high-performance dielectric materials has raised severe environmental concerns. As a result of this, there is an urgent need to explore lead-free alternatives. Ferroelectric ceramics offer high energy density but lack stability at high temperatures. Here we present a lead-free (1 - x)BiFeO3-xCaTiO(3) (x = 0.6, 0.7, and 0.8; BFO-CTO) ceramic capacitor with low dielectric loss, high thermal stability, and high energy density up to similar to 200 degrees C. The introduction of CTO (x = 0.7) to the BFO matrix triggers a transition from the normal ferroelectrics to the relaxor ferroelectrics state, resulting in a high recoverable energy density of 1.18 J cm(-3) at 190 degrees C with an ultrafast dielectric relaxation time of 44 mu s. These results offer a promising, environmentally friendly, high-capacity ceramic capacitor material for high-frequency and high-temperature applications.

Novel dielectrics with electrostatic energy storage capabilities attracted significant attention in recent years for high-energy storage applications due to their high-power density. The structural, electrical, and dielectric properties play a pivotal role in attaining high power densities in dielectric ceramics. Here, the authors presented the influence of CaTiO3 on the structural, electrical, and dielectric properties of BiFeO3-CaTiO3 (BFO-CTO) lead-free ceramics. (BFO)(1−x)–(CTO)x (x = 0, 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 and 1) ceramics were fabricated from calcined powders of BFO and CTO using the microwave sintering technique. Due to the partial substitution of Ca2+ and Ti4+ into the A and B sites (of Bi3+ and Fe3+, respectively) structural phase transformation occurred from rhombohedral to orthorhombic crystal structure for x ≥ 0.3. As the CTO concentration is increased, the resistivity of BFO-CTO samples is enhanced by two orders of magnitude, from 2.21 × 103 Ω cm (x = 0) to 8.80 × 105 Ω cm (x = 0.5). The leakage current density was reduced by two orders of magnitude, from 2.60 × 10–1 A cm−2 (x = 0) to 2.50 × 10–3 A cm−2 (x = 0.5). The improved resistivity, reduced leakage current and enhanced dielectric properties make lead-free BFO-CTO dielectrics as an excellent alternative to existing energy storage systems.

Developing highly active, stable, and economic electrocatalysts for sustainable hydrogen (H-2) production is crucial for efficient water electrolysis. In this study, a highly effective and affordable electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution was developed using an easy and straightforward one-step hydrothermal method for in situ doping of Pd into the lattice of MoS2. The physico-chemical and electrochemical properties of the as-prepared Pd-doped MoS2 systems were thoroughly studied. After Pd was doped into the MoS2 lattice, sulfur vacancies were induced, which led to a phase change from the semiconducting (2H) to the metallic (1T) phase of MoS2. These changes altered the material's morphology and optimized its electronic structure, making it a superior electrocatalyst for water splitting. The electrocatalytic activity of a cathode prepared via drop-casting using Pd-MoS2 nanostructured powder for HER applications was studied in acidic water, alkaline water, and simulated sea water. In order to attain a current density of 10 mA cm(-2) during HER application, nanostructured Pd-MoS2 exhibited greater electrocatalytic activity in acidic conditions with an overpotential of only 89 mV vs. RHE (acidic) compared to 149 mV vs. RHE (alkaline) and 165 mV vs. RHE (simulated sea water). Moreover, in acidic, alkaline, and simulated sea water, Pd-MoS2 demonstrated superior activity during electrocatalytic water splitting and low cell potentials of +1.98, +2.03, and +2.18 V, respectively. This study demonstrates that Pd doping makes MoS2 a promising candidate for the HER and electrocatalytic water splitting compared to expensive metals.

Indian mustard is an important oilseed crop in India. The productivity of Indian mustard needs to be increased in marginal environments such as in arid and semi-arid areas to boost production. For this, identification of promising genotypes with high yield and quality under arid and semi-arid climate is required. In this study, 65 genotypes of Indian mustard were evaluated in Augmented Randomized Block Design in the Purulia district of West Bengal, a mustard growing zone characterized by red laterite soil and semi-arid climate. Considerable variation was observed between the genotypes for most characters such as number of seeds per siliqua (coefficient of variation [CV] 7.39%), followed by days to first flowering (CV 6.9%) and total number of siliquae (CV 6.43%), respectively. However, variation was less for days to maturity and quality parameters. Strong positive correlations were observed between many traits such as number of branches and number of siliquae on branches (0.82), number of branches and siliquae per plant (0.73), number of branches and yield per plant (0.72), number of siliquae on branches and siliquae per plant (0.91), number of siliquae on branches and seed yield per plant (0.76). Relatively strong negative correlation was observed only between oil and glucosinolate content (-0.60). Most of the traits showed high heritability along with high genetic advance over mean. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis classified the genotypes into six clusters. Based on yield, its components, and other quality parameters, promising genotypes such as Pusa Mahak, Narendra Ageti Rai 4, and JM-1 were identified. These genotypes may be targeted for further genetic improvement or be incorporated in breeding programmes for developing high-yielding mustard varieties for arid and semi-arid climate.

In the present research work phase-pure BiFeO3 and CaTiO3 powders were synthesized using the standard solution combustion technique. BFO and CTO powders were calcined at different temperatures and optimized at 650 °C/2h for BFO and 1250 °C/4h for CTO. XRD characterization was carried out to identify the crystal structure. Rietveld refinement tool was used to confirm the phase. The rhombohedral crystal structure for BFO with R3c symmetry and orthorhombic crystal structure for CTO with Pbnm symmetry was obtained. Thermal characteristics were observed using TGA in a controlled atmosphere up to 1000 °C. Morphology features of (BiFeO3)(x) – (CaTiO3)(1-x) sintered pellets were observed using FESEM. The average grain size for x = 0.2 was found to be ∼1.70 µm and for x = 0.4 ∼0.9 µm. P-E hysteresis behaviour shows the maximum polarization of ∼8.03 µC cm−2 for x = 0.2 and 5.24 µC cm−2 for x = 0.3 at a frequency of 25Hz. Maximum polarization has been seen to decrease with increasing BFO content.

The real part of the dielectric permittivity of bulk ceramic ferroelectric of composition Bi1-xNdxFeO3 (x = 0, 0.15, 0.2), synthesized by solid-state route, was characterized in the frequency range 0.1-3.5 THz using time-domain Tera-Hertz spectroscopy, and the effect of Nd3+ concentration on the Terahertz (THz) properties of polycrystalline BiFeO3 (BFO) was investigated and is being reported for the first time. A partial transformation in the rhombohedral structural symmetry of BiFeO3 was noticed with increasing Nd3+ % concentration. With increasing Nd3+ concentration, a gradual increase in the THz signal strength has been observed indicating a reduction in losses. For the first time, the refractive index and absorption coefficients of Bi1-xNdxFeO3 (x = 0.0, 0.15, 0.20) samples were measured in the THz reflection mode, and the sample with higher Nd concentration was found to be more stable in terms of refractive index and absorption coefficient. The sample with x = 0.2 has the highest dielectric value (similar to 4.5) at 3.5 THz radiation, which could have potential for THz applications. The detected temporal and spectral THz profiles of Bi1-xNdxFeO3 (x = 0, 0.15, 0.2) bulk ceramic have shown exceptional stability in the frequency range studied.

This research article focuses on analyzing the behavior of high-temperature dielectric relaxation and electric conduction mechanisms in Bi1–xNdxFeO3 (BNFO) samples, where the value of x varies as 0, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.2. The study's findings indicate that all these samples exhibit two distinct dielectric transitions. The first transition occurs at a lower temperature (Ts), typically in the range of 425 to 450 K, and is characterized by a frequency-dependent shoulder. This transition is associated with the presence of polar nanoregions (PNRs). The second transition takes place within a temperature range of approximately 580 to 650 K, marking the transition from a ferroelectric to a paraelectric state at the Curie temperature (TC). Furthermore, impedance analysis of the specimens reveals a negative temperature coefficient of resistance, indicating a wide range of relaxation behavior that does not conform to the Debye-type model. Additionally, the study of conductivity provides valuable insights into the transport phenomena observed in these samples. The obtained energy storage properties of these bulk ceramics are quite significant compared to the similar systems reported in the literature.

The real part of the dielectric permittivity of bulk ceramic ferroelectric of composition Bi 1− x Nd x FeO 3 ( x = 0, 0.15, 0.2), synthesized by solid-state route, was characterized in the frequency range 0.1–3.5 THz using time-domain Tera-Hertz spectroscopy, and the effect of Nd 3+ concentration on the Terahertz (THz) properties of polycrystalline BiFeO 3 (BFO) was investigated and is being reported for the first time. A partial transformation in the rhombohedral structural symmetry of BiFeO 3 was noticed with increasing Nd 3+ % concentration. With increasing Nd 3+ concentration, a gradual increase in the THz signal strength has been observed indicating a reduction in losses. For the first time, the refractive index and absorption coefficients of Bi 1− x Nd x FeO 3 ( x = 0.0, 0.15, 0.20) samples were measured in the THz reflection mode, and the sample with higher Nd concentration was found to be more stable in terms of refractive index and absorption coefficient. The sample with x = 0.2 has the highest dielectric value (~ 4.5) at 3.5 THz radiation, which could have potential for THz applications. The detected temporal and spectral THz profiles of Bi 1− x Nd x FeO 3 ( x = 0, 0.15, 0.2) bulk ceramic have shown exceptional stability in the frequency range studied.

Bi1-xNdxFeO3 (x = 0, 0.1, 0.15, 0.20) bulk ceramics were successfully synthesized by solid-state method and influence of Nd3+ substitution on the electrical properties of polycrystalline BiFeO3 (BFO) was studied at lower electric fields (≤ 2 kV/cm) and reported for the first time. With progressive Nd3+ substitution a change in the rhombohedral symmetry of BiFeO3 was observed and reduction in impurity phases was achieved. The average crystallize size varied from 37 to 24 nm with increasing Nd3+ concentration. The average grain size of the sintered Bi1−xNdxFeO3 ceramics also found to decrease from 28 µm to 4.74 µm with increasing Nd3+ concentration from x = 0 to 0.20. A significant decrease (4 orders of magnitude) in the leakage current density has been achieved from 6.36 × 10–4 A/cm2 for x = 0 to 4.03 × 10–8 A/cm2 for x = 0.20 at an electric field of 2 kV/cm with Nd3+ substitution, while the conduction mechanism was predominantly Ohmic in nature.

Performing wet bench experiments to search for lead molecules for drug delivery is a long and tedious process where computational tools have played a crucial role. Molecular docking studies have been carried out for selecting the nanocarrier, and the results of the computational studies have been validated using the model protein Ova albumin and anticancer drug 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) with mesoporous silica (MSNPs) and chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) as the nanocarriers. Formulated nanocarriers were tested for in-vitro release, which showed a sustained release of the drugs. In-vitro studies on the lung cancer cell line A459 revealed excellent biocompatibility and non-toxic nature of the designed drug delivery system. This chitosan nanoparticle-based drug delivery system could have the potential for chemotherapeutic treatment of cancer.

The physiological mechanisms of shade tolerance and trait plasticity variations under shade remain poorly understood in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Twenty-five genotypes of rice were evaluated under open and shade conditions. Various parameters to identify variations in the plasticity of these traits in growth irradiance were measured. We found wide variations in specific leaf weight (SLW) and net assimilation rate measured at 400µmolm-2 s-1 photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD; referred to as A 400 ) among the genotypes. Under shade, tolerant genotypes maintained a high rate of net photosynthesis by limiting specific leaf weight accompanied by increased intercellular CO2 concentration (C i ) compared with open-grown plants. On average, net photosynthesis was enhanced by 20% under shade, with a range of 2-30%. Increased accumulation of biomass under shade was observed, but it showed no correlation with photosynthetic plasticity. Chlorophyll a /b ratio also showed no association with photosynthetic rate and yield. Analysis of variance showed that 11%, 16%, and 37% of the total variance of A 400 , SLW, and C i were explained due to differences in growth irradiance. SLW and A 400 plasticity in growth irradiance was associated with yield loss alleviation with R 2 values of 0.37 and 0.16, respectively. Biomass accumulation was associated with yield loss alleviation under shade, but no correlation was observed between A 400 and leaf-N concentration. Thus, limiting specific leaf weight accompanied by increased C i rather than leaf nitrogen concentration might have allowed rice genotypes to maintain a high net photosynthesis rate per unit leaf area and high yield under shade.

This study investigates the effect of chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) processing parameters such as platen velocity, the concentration of the oxidizer and abrasive nanoparticle, slurry pH and surfactant types on the surface roughness of cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe) substrate. It was found that these parameters have a significant effect on the quality of the polished surfaces. It was found that lower platen velocity, lesser concentration of abrasive particles, basic slurry pH, and addition of anionic surfactant (SDS) into the CMP slurry solution showed improved surface planarity. Optical Surface Profiler and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques were used to monitor the surface topography before and after polishing. A notable root-mean-square surface roughness, (Rq), ∼0.9 nm, has been obtained on the polished CdZnTe (CZT) surface over a scan area of 481 × 361 μm2 under the optimized conditions of 60 rpm relative velocity, slurry pH of 9, 3.75 vol% of oxidizer (H2O2) and 1.25 wt% of abrasive (SiO2 nanoparticle). A probable mechanism of the present CMP surface planarization of CZT substrate has been proposed. Unlike the conventional surface planarization processes, which involve two-step lapping followed by CMP for the CZT surfaces, we have developed a single step CMP process to obtain good surface planarity.