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Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Dec 2023This study critically reviews lithium slag (LS) as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM), thereby examining its physiochemical characteristics, mechanical... (Review)
Review
This study critically reviews lithium slag (LS) as a supplementary cementitious material (SCM), thereby examining its physiochemical characteristics, mechanical properties, and durability within cementitious and geopolymer composites. The review reveals that LS's particle size distribution is comparable to fly ash (FA) and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), which suggests it can enhance densification and nucleation in concrete. The mechanical treatment of LS promotes early hydration by increasing the solubility of aluminum, lithium, and silicon. LS's compositional similarity to FA endows it with low-calcium, high-reactivity properties that are suitable for cementitious and geopolymeric applications. Increasing the LS content reduces setting times and flowability while initially enhancing mechanical properties, albeit with diminishing returns beyond a 30% threshold. LS significantly improves chloride ion resistance and impacts drying shrinkage variably. This study categorizes LS's role in concrete as a filler, pozzolan, and nucleation agent, thereby contributing to the material's overall reduced porosity and increased durability. Economically, LS's cost is substantially lower than FA's; meanwhile, its environmental footprint is comparable to GGBS, thereby making it a sustainable and cost-effective alternative. Notwithstanding, there is a necessity for further research on LS's fine-tuning through grinding, its tensile properties, its performance under environmental duress, and its pozzolanic reactivity to maximize its utility in concrete technologies. This study comprehensively discusses the current strengths and weaknesses of LS in the field of building materials, thereby offering fresh perspectives and methodologies to enhance its performance, improve its application efficiency, and broaden its scope. These efforts are driving the sustainable and green development of LS in waste utilization and advanced concrete technology.
PubMed: 38203995
DOI: 10.3390/ma17010142 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Dec 2023Zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (ZLS) ceramic is a new innovative dental material with unique a chemical composition that is designed to combine harmoniously with... (Review)
Review
Zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate (ZLS) ceramic is a new innovative dental material with unique a chemical composition that is designed to combine harmoniously with the appropriate optical properties of lithium disilicate and the enhanced mechanical strength of zirconia. A thorough understanding of ZLS materials is essential for both clinicians and dental technicians. At present, the mechanical behavior and optical properties of the ZLS ceramic system have not been extensively researched, and there is still a lack of consensus regarding the fabrication process and clinical behavior of ZLS all-ceramic restorations. The aim of the present study was to present a selection of comprehensive information concerning zirconia-reinforced lithium silicate ceramics and their optical and mechanical properties, as well as to assess data regarding cementation procedures and clinical outcomes for ZLS all-ceramic restorations. Three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) were used for the research by two independent reviewers. The search was limited to articles published in the English language, as well as clinical and in vitro studies of color and studies on mechanical behavior and the cementation procedures of ZLS restorations. The exclusion criteria comprised abstracts, questionnaire-based studies, case reports, literature reviews, and studies that were not available in English. Zirconia-reinforced lithium-silicate-based ceramic presents a unique and complex microstructure that increases mechanical resistance but decreases aesthetic appearance, especially its translucency, due to tetragonal zirconia content. A material's thickness, the color of the underlying tooth structure, and the resin cement shade are important factors that influence the final shade and aesthetic appearance of ZLS restorations. Mechanical properties, which are defined by the fracture toughness, flexural strength, elastic modulus, and hardness of ZLS ceramic are higher compared to feldspathic, lithium disilicate, and hybrid ceramics, as well as resin nanoceramics; however, they are lower than translucent or high-translucency zirconia. Acid etching, sandblasting, and laser etching represent the most used methods to prepare the ZLS restoration surfaces for proper bonding procedures.
Topics: Humans; Ceramics; Dentistry; Lithium; Materials Testing; Silicates; Surface Properties
PubMed: 38138238
DOI: 10.3390/medicina59122135 -
Heliyon Nov 2023The absorption spectrum of a material reveals the absorbed light frequencies, characteristic peaks, and the line width of absorption bands. This information is critical...
The absorption spectrum of a material reveals the absorbed light frequencies, characteristic peaks, and the line width of absorption bands. This information is critical for understanding the energy levels involved in the absorption process as well as the material's electronic structure. In this study, an equation connecting the absorption line width with the static dielectric function is derived for narrow and wide gap materials. It is then compared with the Penn model. It has been found that the constant in the Penn model has a value that is restricted to the range of 0.5 to 1. Application of this equation to various narrow and wide gap materials is then discussed.
PubMed: 37964851
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21507 -
Small (Weinheim An Der Bergstrasse,... Aug 2023Layered Cobalt (Co)-free Nickel (Ni)-rich cathode materials have attracted much attention due to their high energy density and low cost. Still, their further development... (Review)
Review
Layered Cobalt (Co)-free Nickel (Ni)-rich cathode materials have attracted much attention due to their high energy density and low cost. Still, their further development is hampered by material instability caused by the chemical/mechanical degradation of the material. Although there are numerous doping and modification approaches to improve the stability of layered cathode materials, these approaches are still in the laboratory stage and require further research before commercial application. To fully exploit the potential of layered cathode materials, a more comprehensive theoretical understanding of the underlying issues is necessary, along with active exploration of previously unrevealed mechanisms. This paper presents the phase transition mechanism of Co-free Ni-rich cathode materials, the existing problems, and the state-of-the-art characterization tools employed to study the phase transition. The causes of crystal structure degradation, interfacial instability, and mechanical degradation are elaborated, from the material's crystal structure to its phase transition and atomic orbital splitting. By organizing and summarizing these mechanisms, this paper aims to establish connections among common research problems and to identify future research priorities, thereby facilitating the rapid development of Co-free Ni-rich materials.
PubMed: 37154228
DOI: 10.1002/smll.202302208 -
Materials (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023Four-dimensional (4D) printing is an innovative additive manufacturing technology used to fabricate structures that can evolve over time when exposed to a predefined... (Review)
Review
Four-dimensional (4D) printing is an innovative additive manufacturing technology used to fabricate structures that can evolve over time when exposed to a predefined environmental stimulus. 4D printed objects are no longer static objects but programmable active structures that accomplish their functions thanks to a change over time in their physical/chemical properties that usually displays macroscopically as a shapeshifting in response to an external stimulus. 4D printing is characterized by several entangled features (e.g., involved material(s), structure geometry, and applied stimulus entities) that need to be carefully coupled to obtain a favorable fabrication and a functioning structure. Overall, the integration of micro-/nanofabrication methods of biomaterials with nanomaterials represents a promising approach for the development of advanced materials. The ability to construct complex and multifunctional triggerable structures capable of being activated allows for the control of biomedical device activity, reducing the need for invasive interventions. Such advancements provide new tools to biomedical engineers and clinicians to design dynamically actuated implantable devices. In this context, the aim of this review is to demonstrate the potential of 4D printing as an enabling manufacturing technology to code the environmentally triggered physical evolution of structures and devices of biomedical interest.
PubMed: 37895643
DOI: 10.3390/ma16206661 -
International Journal of Molecular... Nov 2023In an effort to prepare non-autologous bone graft or biomaterial that would possess characteristics comparable to autologous bone, many different allogenic bone... (Review)
Review
In an effort to prepare non-autologous bone graft or biomaterial that would possess characteristics comparable to autologous bone, many different allogenic bone derivatives have been created. Although different existing processing methods aim to achieve the very same results, the specific parameters applied during different stages material preparation can result in significant differences in the material's mechanical and biological properties The properties, including osteoconductive, osteoinductive, and even osteogenic potential, can differ vastly depending on particular preparation and storage techniques used. Osteogenic properties, which have long been thought to be characteristic to autogenic bone grafts only, now seem to also be achievable in allogenic materials due to the possibility to seed the host's stem cells on a graft before its implantation. In this article, we aim to review the available literature on allogenic bone and its derivatives as well as the influence of different preparation methods on its performance.
Topics: Bone and Bones; Biocompatible Materials; Osteogenesis; Bone Regeneration; Dentistry; Bone Transplantation
PubMed: 38068918
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242316598 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... May 2024We can visually discriminate and recognize a wide range of materials. Meanwhile, we use language to express our subjective understanding of visual input and communicate...
We can visually discriminate and recognize a wide range of materials. Meanwhile, we use language to express our subjective understanding of visual input and communicate relevant information about the materials. Here, we investigate the relationship between visual judgment and language expression in material perception to understand how visual features relate to semantic representations. We use deep generative networks to construct an expandable image space to systematically create materials of well-defined and ambiguous categories. From such a space, we sampled diverse stimuli and compared the representations of materials from two behavioral tasks: visual material similarity judgments and free-form verbal descriptions. Our findings reveal a moderate but significant correlation between vision and language on a categorical level. However, analyzing the representations with an unsupervised alignment method, we discover structural differences that arise at the image-to-image level, especially among materials morphed between known categories. Moreover, visual judgments exhibit more individual differences compared to verbal descriptions. Our results show that while verbal descriptions capture material qualities on the coarse level, they may not fully convey the visual features that characterize the material's optical properties. Analyzing the image representation of materials obtained from various pre-trained data-rich deep neural networks, we find that human visual judgments' similarity structures align more closely with those of the text-guided visual-semantic model than purely vision-based models. Our findings suggest that while semantic representations facilitate material categorization, non-semantic visual features also play a significant role in discriminating materials at a finer level. This work illustrates the need to consider the vision-language relationship in building a comprehensive model for material perception. Moreover, we propose a novel framework for quantitatively evaluating the alignment and misalignment between representations from different modalities, leveraging information from human behaviors and computational models.
PubMed: 38328102
DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.25.577219 -
Small (Weinheim An Der Bergstrasse,... Jul 2023Heterovalently substituting toxic lead is an increasingly popular design strategy to obtain environmentally sustainable variants of the exciting material class of halide...
Heterovalently substituting toxic lead is an increasingly popular design strategy to obtain environmentally sustainable variants of the exciting material class of halide perovskites. Perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) obtained through solution-based methods exhibit exceedingly high optical quality. Unfortunately, most of these synthesis routes still require reaction under inert gas and at very high temperatures. Herein a novel synthesis routine for lead-free double perovskite (LFDP) NCs is presented. An approach based upon the hot injection and ligand-assisted reprecipitation (LARP) methods to achieve a low-temperature and ambient atmosphere-based synthesis for manganese-doped Cs NaBiCl NCs is presented. Mn incorporation is critical for the otherwise non-emissive material, with a 9:1 Bi:Mn precursor ratio maximizing the bright orange photoluminescence (PL) and quantum yield (QY). Higher synthesis temperatures slightly increase the material's performance, yet NCs synthesized at room temperature are still emissive, highlighting the versatility of the synthetic approach. While the material's indirect bandgap limits its appeal for optoelectronics, this feature could benefit photocatalysis due to longer carrier lifetimes. Moreover, the developed synthesis is facile and can rapidly be adapted to other more viable material compositions and up-scaled to realize applications directly.
PubMed: 37060231
DOI: 10.1002/smll.202300525 -
Gels (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2023Self-assembly of the blood protein fibrinogen is a highly relevant topic in materials science and medical research. This originates from fibrinogen's beneficial material...
Self-assembly of the blood protein fibrinogen is a highly relevant topic in materials science and medical research. This originates from fibrinogen's beneficial material properties such as cell interaction and biocompatibility. Within recent decades, several enzyme-free strategies to create fibers and hydrogels out of fibrinogen have been presented, broadening the spectrum of fibrinogen-based material enormously. Herein, we describe a further method to obtain such a material by adding specifically MgSO to fibrinogen. The key of this material is the combination of Mg and a kosmotropic anion, for example sulfate or (hydrogen)phosphate. This effect is most likely related to occupancy of fibrinogen's well-known binding sites for Mg, resulting in a significant increase in fiber yield and gel stability. Here, we shine light on the question of how electrostatic interactions via Mg enhance fibrillogenesis and the gelation of fibrinogen and discuss first insights into the material's properties.
PubMed: 37998982
DOI: 10.3390/gels9110892 -
Injury Feb 2024Proximal humerus locked plates (PHLPs) are widely used for fracture surgery. Yet, non-union, malunion, infection, avascular necrosis, screw cut-out (i.e., perforation),... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Proximal humerus locked plates (PHLPs) are widely used for fracture surgery. Yet, non-union, malunion, infection, avascular necrosis, screw cut-out (i.e., perforation), fixation failure, and re-operation occur. Most biomechanical investigators compare a specific PHLP configuration to other implants like non-locked plates, nails, wires, and arthroplasties. However, it is unknown whether the PHLP configuration is biomechanically optimal according to some well-known biomechanical criteria. Therefore, this is the first review of the systematic optimization of plate and/or screw design variables for improved PHLP biomechanical performance.
METHODS
The PubMed website was searched for papers using the terms "proximal humerus" or "shoulder" plus "biomechanics/biomechanical" plus "locked/locking plates". PHLP papers were included if they were (a) optimization studies that systematically varied plate and screw variables to determine their influence on PHLP's biomechanical performance; (b) focused on plate and screw variables rather than augmentation techniques (i.e., extra implants, bone struts, or cement); (c) published after the year 2000 signaling the commercial availability of locked plate technology; and (d) written in English.
RESULTS
The 41 eligible papers involved experimental testing and/or finite element modeling. Plate variables investigated by these papers were geometry, material, and/or position, while screw variables studied were number, distribution, angle, size, and/or threads. Numerical outcomes given by these papers included stiffness, strength, fracture motion, bone and implant stress, and/or the number of loading cycles to failure. But, no paper fully optimized any plate or screw variable for a PHLP by simultaneously applying four well-established biomechanical criteria: (a) allow controlled fracture motion for early callus generation; (b) reduce bone and implant stress below the material's ultimate stress to prevent failure; (c) maintain sufficient bone-plate interface stress to reduce bone resorption (i.e., stress shielding); and (d) increase the number of loading cycles before failure for a clinically beneficial lifespan (i.e., fatigue life). Finally, this review made suggestions for future work, identified clinical implications, and assessed the quality of the papers reviewed.
CONCLUSIONS
Applying biomechanical optimization criteria can assist biomedical engineers in designing or evaluating PHLPs, so orthopaedic surgeons can have superior PHLP constructs for clinical use.
Topics: Humans; Fracture Fixation, Internal; Shoulder Fractures; Bone Screws; Bone Plates; Humerus; Biomechanical Phenomena
PubMed: 38056059
DOI: 10.1016/j.injury.2023.111247