The amount of recycled concrete powder (RCP) experiences an exponential increase due to the construction and demolition activities associated with buildings and infrastructure. To enhance the reactivity and use ofRCP, this study investigated the effect of thermal (calcination), inorganic (calcium hydroxide [CH]), organic (diethanolisopropanolamine [DEIPA]), and synergistic activation on the strength development of RCP-cement (RCP-C) pastes. The microstructure of hardened pastes was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that the optimal compressive and flexural strengths were achieved when pastes were activated by calcination at 700 degrees C for 30 minutes, followed by inorganic and organic activation using CH and DEIPA as activators successively. The compressive (flexural) strength at 1, 3, and 28 days increased by 42% (26.9%), 27.0% (18.6%), and 25.5% (16.3%), respectively, compared to the control group. The microstructure analysis revealed that the enhancement mechanism can be attributed to a thermal-inorganic-organic synergistic activation.

To address the limitations of traditional silicone hydrogel contact lenses in wettability and drug release, an innovative approach was proposed by incorporating polyethylene glycol (PEG) and sodium hyaluronate (SH) into these lenses. Aminoalkyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (KF8010) was reacted with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) to synthesize GKF8010, which was then mixed with methacryloxymethyltris (trimethylsiloxy) silane (TRIS), N,N-Dimethylaniline (DMA), and PEG400 to fabricate PEG-modified silicone hydrogel contact lenses (PEG-SCL) via UV molding. Unmodified lenses (SCL) were served as controls. The effects of PEG modification on lens properties, including water content, wettability, and optical clarity, and SH loading efficiency and drug release were evaluated. Additionally, the protein adsorption and biocompatibility of the lenses with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were assessed. Results indicated that PEG-modified lenses exhibited superior water content, reduced protein adsorption, enhanced SH loading capacity and controlled release profiles, highlighting their potential for treating dry eye syndrome.

Corrugated cardboard, renowned for its exceptional eco-friendliness, safety, and non-toxicity, has been increasingly widely used in transportation packaging, display cabinet construction, and even in the furniture industry. However, recycled old corrugated containers (OCC), the major raw material for corrugated board, undergo fiber shortening and hornification during repeated recycling, leading to progressive mechanical deterioration. This loss of strength makes the recycled cardboard highly susceptible to localized cracking, particularly under the low-temperature and dry conditions prevalent. To address this problem, the present study developed a multiscale composite surface sizing agent with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the matrix and cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) as the functional filler. Experimental results demonstrated that the surface sizing agent formed a dense three-dimensional hydrogen-bonding network between the coating and the corrugated cardboard fibers, achieving a balance between toughness and mechanical strength at the optimal KH550-CNF loading. The optimal amount depended on the service environment: under high-humidity conditions (approximately 60% RH), the folding endurance increased dramatically from 501 folds (without sizing) to 20,200 folds when the KH550-CNF content was 1 wt%; under low-temperature and dry conditions (10 °C, 10% RH), the folding endurance significantly improved from 5 folds (without sizing) to 242 folds at a KH550-CNF content of 3 wt%. Furthermore, the compressive mechanical behavior of various types of corrugated paper boxes was studied, and the locations where the paper boxes are prone to cracking were identified to provide theoretical guidance for more efficient and cost-effective use of the sizing agent.

Recycled concrete powder (RCP) is a fine powder (particle size <75 mu m) generated from crushing waste concrete. Its low reactivity poses a significant challenge for use as a supplementary cementitious material. This study investigates the effects of diethanolisopropanolamine (DEIPA), triisopropanolamine (TIPA), and a combined activation method involving calcination followed by the addition of DEIPA and TIPA on the strength development of RCP-cement mortar. The results demonstrated that the combination of calcination at 700 degrees C for 30 min with the successive addition of 0.04% DEIPA and 0.25% TIPA, yielded optimal results. An apparent synergistic enhancement was observed, with S-combined > S-calcined + S-chemical - S-control. The 1-, 3-, and 28-day compressive strength of the combined-activated group increased by 45.9%, 34.0%, and 30.1%, respectively, compared to the control group. Quantitatively, FT-IR showed a red shift from 1122 cm(-1) to 1105 cm(-1) (Delta nu = 17 cm(-1)), and TGA-normalized mass loss increased from 7.8% (control) to 11.3% (combined-activated). Microstructural characterization suggests that the enhancement mechanism involves several inferred effects: (i) generation of new active components during calcination; (ii) hypothesized complexation of alkanolamines with metal ions; and (iii) formation of ettringite (AFt) and monocarbocaluminate (Mc) in the presence of TIPA.

The prevalence of ocular diseases significantly impairs the daily lives of billions of people worldwide. Conventional topical formulations, such as eye drops, face significant limitations due to poor ocular bioavailability and the risk of systemic adverse effects. Due to their non‐invasive nature and ability to enhance drug residence time on the cornea, contact lenses have gained recognition as effective carriers for ocular drug delivery. This review explores the evolution of drug delivery strategies using contact lenses, tracing the progression from simple soaking approaches to drug‐eluting strategies. This includes creating Vitamin E diffusion barriers, embedding nanoparticles, fabricating molecularly imprinted hydrogels, and incorporating functional molecules to extend drug release duration. A significant advancement is the development of stimuli‐responsive contact lenses that release drugs in response to specific ocular microenvironmental cues, such as pH, temperature, enzyme activity, or intraocular pressure, enabling more precise disease management. Notably, real‐time monitoring of ocular biomarkers is achievable by the integration of drug reservoirs, biosensors, and wireless communication technologies into smart contact lenses, which heralds a new era for on‐demand personalized therapy. Despite these technological advances, challenges remaining in clinical translation and market adoption are also discussed. Both the progress achieved and the hurdles faced by therapeutic contact lenses in ocular disease management are highlighted.

Ocular bacterial infections are typically associated with elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Nevertheless, for treating ocular bacterial keratitis (BK), broad-spectrum antibiotics in eye drops or ointments are unable to inhibit ROS and encounter swift clearance and reduced bioavailability. This work developed antibiotic levofloxacin (LEV)-loaded hollow ceria nanoparticles (hCe NPs, ROS scavengers), which were embedded into poly-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (pHEMA) hydrogels to prepare dual-functional contact lenses (LEV@hCe-pHEMA), enabling extended ocular drug delivery and enhanced bioavailability. The integration of LEV@hCe NPs within pHEMA contact lenses preserved good optical transmittance (> 90.0 %), fortified UV-blocking capacities (200-400 nm), achieved controllable LEV release (84.2 % within 120 h), and enhanced ROS scavenging-antioxidative potential (78.4 % within 60 min). In vitro cytotoxicity evaluations revealed low cytotoxicity (cell viability >95.0 %) of the hCe-pHEMA contact lenses and affirmed their good biocompatibility. Notably, LEV@hCe-pHEMA exhibited significant antibacterial efficacy against S. aureus ATCC29213 (89.8 %) and E. coli ATCC25922 (94.2 %), demonstrating their therapeutic potential. In vivo safety evaluations in rabbit models showed no ocular irritation or pathological changes during a 7-day wearing period, confirming the good biocompatibility of the hCe-pHEMA lenses. LEV@hCe-pHEMA contact lenses could be utilized to treat rabbit BK model induced by S. aureus. It could near-completely remove the keratitis (within 7 days), reducing corneal edema and further recovering corneal transparency. The results suggested that LEV@hCe-pHEMA contact lenses could be employed as promising dual-functional smart ocular drug delivery systems for non-invasive ocular therapy.

Ensuring the photovoltaic efficiency of flexible solar cells while maintaining their mechanical durability presents a significant challenge for flexible CZTSSe solar cells. In this paper, an innovative Sb doping approach is introduced to regulate defects, mitigating the significant open-circuit voltage loss attributed to defects and enhancing the mechanical stability of flexible solar cells. The crystal quality of CZTSSe absorber undergoes a noticeable improvement, without altering the original kesterite structure at a SbCl3 concentration of 0.8 mol/L. The porosity and residual stress undergo a substantial reduction from 8.19 % to 2.18 % and-10.11 GPa to-3.84 GPa, respectively. Consequently, the CZTSSe/CdS heterojunction prepared on this basis exhibits optimal band matching, characterized by a conduction band offset (CBO) of-0.23 eV. The final structured flexible device demonstrates remarkable mechanical stability, maintaining over 90 % of its original efficiency, even after enduring 500 cycles of concave and convex bending. This methodology offers a suite of theoretical insights for the development of flexible copper-based solar cells.

Freeze-thaw damage of cement-based grouts in reinforced concrete structures is a serious durability issue in cold regions. In this study, the strength loss and mass loss were investigated to evaluate the impact of nano-silica particle/emulsion on the freeze-thaw resistance of cement-based grouts. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed to analyze the hydration products and microstructure of hardened grout matrix. After 300 freeze-thaw cycles, the compressive strength loss of control, 5NSP, 10NSE, and 16NSE mixtures had been 11.8 +/- 1.3%, 3.65 +/- 0.9%, 3.02 +/- 0.4%, and 1.92 +/- 0.5%, respectively. After 100, 300, and 500 cycles, the mass losses of control mixture (16NSE mixture) were -0.36 +/- 0.1% (-0.94 +/- 0.2%), 1.09 +/- 0.3% (0.15 +/- 0.1%), and 2.4 +/- 0.3% (0.37 +/- 0.15%), respectively. The microstructure analysis suggested that the introduction of nano-SiO2 emulsion may enhance nucleation and pozzolanic effects, leading to the production of additional C-S-H gels and improved the freeze-thaw resistance of cement-based grouts.

Au@WO3 nanosheets with controlled Au nanoparticle sizes were synthesized to investigate their plasmon-mediated photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance. The Deposition of Au nanoparticles on WO3 nanosheets effectively effectively utilized surface plasmon resonance (SPR), significantly broadening the light absorption range and enhanced photogenerated carrier separation. Experimental results showed that the Au@WO3 nanosheets with 8 nm Au nanoparticles exhibited the best PEC performance, achieving a photocurrent density of 0.78 mA/cm(2) at 1.23 V vs. RHE, which is 1.9 times higher than that of pristine WO3 nanosheets. Structural characterization (XPS, SEM) confirmed the uniform distribution of Au nanoparticles on the WO3 nanosheets, with their size and distribution controlled by adjusting the ratio of Au precursor to WO3. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results indicated that Au nanoparticles acted as efficient electron collectors, promoting the separation and transport of photo-generated carriers, thereby greatly improving PEC performance. This work provides valuable insights into the surface modification of plasmonic photoanode and a theoretical basis for optimizing the application of noble metal nanoparticles in PEC water splitting.

Magnesium alloys are promising biodegradable orthopedic implant materials, but their clinical translation is hindered by rapid, unregulated corrosion in physiological environments. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) coating has attracted substantial attention for addressing the issue above. However, it suffers from insufficient interfacial adhesion to Mg alloy substrates. In this work, we propose a Zr-based pretreatment strategy to enhance PVDF coatings. The pretreatment was performed via a chemical conversion deposition method, which fabricated a Zr-based film on AZ31 magnesium alloy and greatly promoted the adhesion of the following PVDF coating. Interface analysis showed that coating adhesion was improved from 0.44 MPa to 2.48 MPa. In light of this, corrosion protection performance was significantly improved. Electrochemical tests in simulated body fluid revealed the enhanced PVDF coating shifted the corrosion potential from −1.594 V to −1.392 V and reduced the corrosion current density by over five orders of magnitude. Immersion tests also showed stable pH level, low weight loss, and good hydrophobicity with the enhanced PVDF coating. In summary, the enhanced PVDF coating provides excellent corrosion protection for magnesium alloys, thus boosting their biomedical use.

Fe2O3/ZnO fiber membranes, characterized by their high specific surface area and expanded UV–Vis absorption spectrum, were successfully synthesized through a process of electrospinning followed by calcination. The diameters of Fe2O3/ZnO fibers are approximately 150 nm, and the specific surface areas of Fe2O3/ZnO fiber membranes are around 29 m2/g. XRD, SEM, and XPS results confirm the formation of a heterojunction between ZnO and α-Fe2O3. Compared with pure ZnO fiber membrane, the UV–Vis absorptions of the Fe2O3/ZnO fiber membranes are extended, and transient photocurrent intensities are significantly increased from 0.65 mA/cm2 to 0.86 mA/cm2. Free radical capture experiments further reveal the generation of abundant •OH radicals, which play a crucial role in enhancing the photocatalytic performance of these Fe2O3/ZnO fiber membranes. Optimization studies have determined that the optimal molar ratio of Fe to Zn is 8 mol

A novel thermoplastic elastomer, kernel resin (KN), alpha-nucleating agent (HPN), and beta-nucleating agent (DCHT), which acted as toughener and nucleating agents (NAs), were used to improve the mechanical properties and crystallization behaviors of isotactic polypropylene (PP). The impact strength of the PP/KN blends increased significantly with increase in KN concentration. Surprisingly, the impact strength of PP/KN/NA blends improved further upon addition of NA. The toughening effect of DCHT was stronger than that of HPN. The maximum impact strength of PP/KN/DCHT blend reached 69.2 kJ/m2 when the DCHT content was 0.05%, which was six times higher than that of neat PP. The SEM images of fractured surfaces of the blends showed a change from brittle fracture to ductile fracture. Moreover, the WAXD results showed that the incorporation of HPN promoted the formation of the alpha form of crystalline PP. Addition of DCHT induced the generation of alpha-beta crystal transition of PP. Furthermore, differential scanning calorimetry showed that the crystallizability and the overall crystallization rate of PP were enhanced by the addition of KN and NA. The half-crystallization time of PP at 128 degrees C decreased from 5.52 (neat PP) to 0.34 min (PP/KN/DCHT-0.3).

The high-value utilization of recycled powder (RP), primarily derived from construction and demolition waste, has been limited due to its low reactivity. In this study, the effect of RP subjected to three types of inorganic alkalis (sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and calcium hydroxide [CH]), two alkanolamines (diethanolisopropanolamine [DEIPA] and triisopropanolamine [TIPA]), elevated temperatures, and their combined activation on the technical properties of RP grouts was analyzed. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to investigate the development of the mineral composition and micromorphology of the grout pastes. The results indicated that alkali and thermal activation of RP had negative effects, while combined activation improved the fluidity of the grout pastes. The compressive strength of alkali-activated groups was slightly enhanced at 1 day but significantly decreased at 28 days. In contrast, the compressive strength of grouts activated with CH, alkanolamines, and thermal treatment was found to be improved at all ages. The compressive strength of the grout paste containing 40% combined-activated RP was measured at 43.1, 73.3, and 95.7 MPa at 1, 3, and 28 days, respectively, which represented increases of 20.4, 19.6, and 17.7%, respectively, compared to the non-activated grout. Combined activation demonstrated the most improvement in the microstructural density of the grouts when compared to the single-activation mode.

Hematite (α-Fe2O3), an n-type semiconducting material, is considered one of the most promising photoanodes for water splitting, yet exhibits unsatisfactory photoelectrochemical (PEC) activity stemming from poor conductivity and inferior charge carrier transport. Doping is an effective strategy to improve conductivity and enhance carrier transport in α-Fe2O3. However, there is a limit of the doping method, because some dopants will pin the Fermi level via defect complexes and aggregate carrier recombination, leading to positive shift of onset potential and depressed saturated photocurrent. Herein, a strategy based on shallow dopants locating at multiple energy levels is developed to surpass the restriction by introducing niobium (Nb) into the titanium-doped Fe2O3 (Ti-Fe2O3) through post-treatment. The resulting Nb/Ti-Fe2O3 composite film is confirmed to further increase the carrier concentration of Ti-Fe2O3 and exhibit a 625

Well-designed Au nanoparticles (Au NPs) deposited CuAl2O4 (Au@CuAl2O4) fibers were successfully fabricated using electrospinning and magnetron sputtering methods. XRD and XPS results indicate that crystalline Au and CuAl2O4 are formed in Au@CuAl2O4 fibers after calcination at 800 °C. Au NPs are tightly connected with CuAl2O4 fibers, and the deposition contents and the sizes of Au NPs could be easily regulated by adjusting the sputtering time. After depositing 1.46 wt

Magnesium alloys have great potential in biomedical applications due to their unique combination of satisfactory mechanical property and decent biodegradability. However, their poor corrosion resistance limits their applications in biomedical fields. In this work, we employ a chemical conversion deposition method to prepare a Zr-based conversion film on the surface of AZ31 magnesium alloy to serve as a passivation layer. The mechanism for the film formation was studied and it showed the deposition process consists of four steps: substrate dissolution, nucleation, film growth, and film equilibrium. The film is mainly composed of Zr(OH)4/ZrO and Mg(OH)2/MgO with small amount of MgF2 and ZrF4. The protective performance of the Zr-based film was investigated by electrochemical and immersion tests in simulated body fluid (SBF). Electrochemical results showed a significant decrease in the corrosion current density (Icorr), a positive shift of corrosion potential (Ecorr), a bigger capacitive loop diameter and higher impedance values for the Zr-coated substrate as compared with an uncoated one. Immersion results indicated the corrosion rate of the Zr-coated sample was similar to 20% lower than that of an uncoated one. All above results corroborate the great potential of Zr-based coating in enabling AZ31 alloy for biomedical applications.

To develop surface-coating technology for fabricating functionalized biomedical implant and overcome implant-associated bacterial infections, this study presented an innovative antifouling and antibacterial dual-functional nanogel coating methodology for engineering silicon-based biomedical implants/biochips. Firstly, zwitterionic core-shell PAA@(GMA/SBMA) nanogels were designed and prepared via reflux-precipitation polymerization and were characterized through NMR, FTIR, DLS, AFM and TEM. The nanogels exhibited uniform and spherical morphology, salt-ion responsiveness, and high lysozyme loading capability. Subsequently, the PAA@(GMA/SBMA) nanogels were covalently grafted onto the surface of silicon wafers, via an epoxy-amine ring-opening reaction, to prepare nanogel-coated silicon wafers (Si@nanogels). A comprehensive array of characterization techniques, including SEM-EDS, contact angle measurements, and XPS, validated the effective nanogel-coating. These coatings demonstrated notable resistance to protein adsorption, highlighting their robust antifouling properties. Upon loading with the antibacterial agent lysozyme, the nanogel coating displayed remarkable antibacterial efficacy against both Gram-negative (E. coli) and Grampositive (S. aureus) bacteria and effectively inhibited biofilm formation. Furthermore, the nanogel coatings exhibited good biocompatibility and dynamic stability, thus facilitating the surface-mediated adhesion and growth of fibroblast 3T3 cells. Significantly, this work provided a facile, economic and efficient surface modification approach to fabricate nanogel-coated antifouling/antibacterial dual-functional biomedical implant model towards potential clinical applications.

Zinc-doped CuAl2O4 (Zn-CuAl2O4) nanofiber membranes with a high specific surface area, multi-pore structure, and a partial inverse spinel structure were successfully fabricated by controlling the electrospinning process and calcination atmospheres. The excessive doping of Zn2+ ions results in the formation of ZnAl2O4/CuAl2O4 fiber membrane, which has a poor UV-Vis absorption ability. The diameter of Zn-CuAl2O4 nanofibers is about 80 nm, and the specific surface area of the Zn-CuAl2O4 nanofiber membrane is 45.2 m2/g. XRD and XPS results indicate that Zn-CuAl2O4 nanofiber membranes contain spinel and inverse spinel phases. Compared with pure spinel CuAl2O4 nanofiber membranes, the UV-Vis absorption ability of the Zn-CuAl2O4 nanofiber membrane is enhanced, and transient photocurrent intensity was increased from 0.14 mA/cm2 to 0.16 mA/cm2. The free radical capture experiments and EPR spectra indicate that huge ·O2− are generated on the surface of the Zn-CuAl2O4 nanofiber membrane, and the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of MB is increased by 14

This work exhibits a remarkable enhancement in visible photocatalytic activity through the fabrication of a 0D/ 3D composite photocatalyst of AuPt@g-C3N4 foam. Au and Pt elements with a mole ratio of 1:1 are in the bimetallic alloy nanoparticle form, which is uniformly dispersed on the surface of g-C3N4 foam. When the average AuPt alloy nanoparticle size is 21 nm, AuPt@g-C3N4 foam shows the highest photocatalytic activity, which is about 1 time higher than that of bare g-C3N4 foam. Based on the experimental results, the enhanced photocatalytic activity of AuPt@g-C3N4 foam is mainly ascribed to the enhancement of visible-light adsorption and the acceleration of charge separation.

Ga-doped CZTSSe is achieved by evaporating Ga layer in precursor combined with subsequent selenization to balance the efficiency and bending durability of flexible CZTSSe solar cells in this paper. Ga doping can simultaneously alleviate the residual stress and reinforce the microstructure of CZTSSe, retaining the original lattice structure of CZTSSe and suppressing Sn-related deep level defects. The gratifying residual stress reduction from -5.31 GPa to -3.82 GPa with decreased porosity from 6.24% to 3.24% of CZTSSe thin film spontaneously promotes the device performance after evaporating the 20 nm Ga layer. A desirable efficiency enhancement from 2.61% to 5.04% with preferable bending durability of flexible device is achieved, which strategy provides substantial assistance for the potential application of flexible solar cells.