A containerless chemical reaction observed in a levitating droplet cluster for the first time is used for information processing.

Coacervation is a self-assembly strategy based on the complexation of polyelectrolytes, which is utilized in biomedicine and agriculture, as well as automotive and textile industries. In this paper, we developed a new approach to the on-demand periodic formation of polyelectrolyte complexes through a Liesegang-type hierarchical organization. Adjustment of reaction conditions allows us to assemble materials with a tunable spatiotemporal geometry and establish materials’ production cycles with a regulated periodicity. The proposed methodology allows the membrane to self-assemble when striving to reach balance and self-heal after exposure to external stimuli, such as potential difference and high pH. Using chronopotentiometry, K+ ion permeability behavior of the PEI–PSS coacervate membranes was demonstrated. The periodically self-assembled polyelectrolyte nanomembranes could further be integrated into novel energy storage devices and intelligent biocompatible membranes for bionics, soft nanorobotics, biosensing, and biocomputing.

In this paper, we report a simple modification of a commercially available printer with fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology for the implementation of extrusion printing of hydrogels. The main difference between an FDM printer and a gel-extrusion printer is their material propulsion system, which has to deal with ether a solid rod or liquid. By application of plastic 3D printing on an FDM printer, specific details, namely, the plunger system and parts of the gel supply system, were produced and combined with a modified printer. Two types of printing of polymer hydrogels were optimized: droplet and filament modes. The rheological ranges suitable for printing for each method were indicated, and the resolution of the samples obtained and the algorithms for creating g-code via Python scripts were given. We have shown the possibility of droplet printing of microspheres with a diameter of 100 microns and a distance between spheres of 200 microns, as well as filament printing of lines with a thickness of 300–2000 microns, which is appropriate accuracy in comparison with commercial printers. This method, in addition to scientific groups, will be especially promising for educational tasks (as a practical work for engineering students or for the introduction of 3D printing into school classes) and industrial groups, as a way to implement 3D extrusion printing of composite polymer hydrogels in a time- and cost-effective way.

The use of the technology of active ventilation of the sugar beet piles allows reducing the loss of beet pulp by up to 5%, increasing the duration of operation of the sugar factory by 9-22% and reducing the cost of sugar by 2-4.5%. The installation of ventilation branches is carried out directly during the formation of the sugar beet piles and is limited by the time for installation work, since it is necessary to install from 6 to 12 branches in one shift. The unification of the size of the passage section of the ventilation branch makes it possible to increase the productivity of installation work and prevent work stoppages of the sugar beet pilers during the formation of sugar beet piles. According to the results of analytical and theoretical studies, dependencies have been identified for determining the design parameters of ventilation branches, taking into account the technical characteristics of shoulder-laying machines and heavy-duty vehicles with a trailer, as well as the physical and mechanical properties of sugar beet root crops. Taking into account the height and length of the field clamp, the distance between the ventilation branches, the number of ventilation branches and the length of one ventilation branch are determined. With a length of 120 meters and an optimal height of 6 meters, the number of ventilation branches is 16 pcs, the distance between them is 6 meters, the length of the ventilation branch is 26 meters. With the maximum permissible air velocity of the main air ducts at 11 m/s and the ventilation intensity of 40 m3 /hour per 1 ton of sugar beet root crops, the air consumption for one ventilation branch is determined to be equal to 22400 m3 /hour. Taking into account the speed and air flow, the following are determined: the area of the duct is 0.5026 m2 , the area of one air outlet is 0.005 m2 , the number of air outlets is 150 pcs. The obtained parameters will serve as the basis for the development of a system for the automatic formation of ventilated sugar beet piles.

New SERS detection platforms are required for the quick and easy preparation of sensing devices for food, agriculture, and environmental science. For quantitative sensing, it is important that a sensing material, in addition to efficient sensing, provides extraction and concentration of the target molecules such as toxic pesticides or healthy vitamins. We design such films adopting the Liesegang rings formation process that includes the reaction-diffusion of silver nitrate and melamine followed by the precipitation of different intermediates and their reduction by light in a pectin medium. Surprisingly, we find that the presence of melamine provides an excellent substrate for the extraction of pollutants at the solid-liquid interface giving rise to a powerful but easy and fast method for the quantification of fruits' quality. The complex silver and melamine containing films show high sensitivity even at relatively low silver concentrations.

Originally regarded as auxiliary additives, nanoparticles have become important constituents of polyelectrolyte multilayers. They represent the key components to enhance mechanical properties, enable activation by laser light or ultrasound, construct anisotropic and multicompartment structures, and facilitate the development of novel sensors and movable particles. Here, we discuss an increasingly important role of inorganic nanoparticles in the layer-by-layer assembly—effectively leading to the construction of the so-called hybrid coatings. The principles of assembly are discussed together with the properties of nanoparticles and layer-by-layer polymeric assembly essential in building hybrid coatings. Applications and emerging trends in development of such novel materials are also identified.

In the present work, transparent flexible thin polymer films with silver patterns have been created. The resulting structures made by the printing method represent a new alternative approach for recording, protecting, and transmitting information as well as for nonlinear gradient material formation. An alphabet for process automatization was created, and an automated system for recording and reading information was developed. To protect the information, we suggest the usage of a classic XOR function: the idea of scrambling is to demonstrate the simple and clear example of coding the ITMO University logo, and the code is provided. Additionally, the resulting samples are functional gradient materials with peaks of surface plasmon resonance. In the following, automated peak decoding by UV-vis spectroscopy allows an additional physicochemical method for structure decoding.

SrLnCuS3 (Ln = La–Lu) compounds melt incongruently. Their thermochemical parameters are determined. The melting temperatures and the enthalpies of melting are: for SrLaCuS3, T = 1513 K and ΔH = 6.9 kJ mol−1; for SrCeCuS3, T = 1468 K and ΔH = 5.2 kJ mol−1; for SrPrCuS3, T = 1459 K and ΔH = 13.2 kJ mol−1; for SrNdCuS3, T = 1429 K and ΔH = 16.8 kJ mol−1; and for SrSmCuS3, T = 1605 K and ΔH = 2.8 kJ mol−1. Three high-temperature polymorphic transitions are found to occur in SrLnCuS3 (Ln = Sm, Gd–Lu) compounds. The parameters of these transitions are determined: for SrSmCuS3, Tα ↔ β = 1452 K, ΔHα ↔ β = 3.0 kJ mol−1, Tβ ↔ γ = 1464 K, ΔHβ ↔ γ = 0.2 kJ mol−1, Tγ ↔ δ = 1476 K, and ΔHγ ↔ δ = 1.1 kJ mol−1; for SrDyCuS3, Tα ↔ β = 1530 К, Tβ ↔ γ = 1568 К, and Tγ ↔ δ = 1585 K; for SrTmCuS3, Tα ↔ β = 1580 K, Tβ ↔ γ = 1618 K, and Tγ ↔ δ = 1631 K; and for SrYbCuS3, Tα ↔ β = 1567 K, Tβ ↔ γ = 1608 K, and Tγ ↔ δ = 1621 K. The transitions are observed both upon heating and upon cooling. The high-temperature phases are not quenchable. Phase-transition temperature versus r(Ln3+) curves for SrLnCuS3 (Ln = La–Lu) feature the tetrad effect. The SrLnCuS3 (Ln = La–Nd) compounds are classified as thiocuprates; their melting temperatures decrease systematically from La to Nd. The SrCuLnS3 (Ln = Sm, Gd–Lu) compounds are classified as thiolanthanates; their melting temperatures increase in the order from Sm to Tm and from Tm to Lu.