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Journal of Chemical Education Oct 2022Electrochromism encompasses reversible changes of material's optical properties (color, opacity) under the influence of an external electric current or applied voltage....
Electrochromism encompasses reversible changes of material's optical properties (color, opacity) under the influence of an external electric current or applied voltage. The effect has been known for decades, but its importance continues to grow due to the rapid development of smart systems and the accompanying demand to build devices that consume less power. Most commercial electrochromic devices (ECDs) require sophisticated chemicals and advanced material preparation techniques. Also, the demonstration of electrochromism in chemistry classes mainly uses expensive WO films, intrinsically conductive polymers, and/or optically transparent electrodes (OTEs). The aim of this article is to present a simple and fast educational method to build ECDs from household materials without the need for OTEs: unsharpened kitchen knives are used as electrodes, curcumin from turmeric is used as the electrochromic dye, and baking soda is used as the electrolyte. The laboratory experiments presented will help students gain a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of electrochemistry (electrolysis, pH change) and electrochromism (in our case, color changes due to pH-induced keto-enol tautomerism of curcumin).
PubMed: 36246424
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00176 -
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology 2024The use of ''smart materials,'' or ''stimulus responsive'' materials, has proven useful in a variety of fields, including tissue engineering and medication delivery.... (Review)
Review
The use of ''smart materials,'' or ''stimulus responsive'' materials, has proven useful in a variety of fields, including tissue engineering and medication delivery. Many factors, including temperature, pH, redox state, light, and magnetic fields, are being studied for their potential to affect a material's properties, interactions, structure, and/or dimensions. New tissue engineering and drug delivery methods are made possible by the ability of living systems to respond to both external stimuli and their own internal signals) for example, materials composed of stimuliresponsive polymers that self assemble or undergo phase transitions or morphology transformation. The researcher examines the potential of smart materials as controlled drug release vehicles in tissue engineering, aiming to enable the localized regeneration of injured tissue by delivering precisely dosed drugs at precisely timed intervals.
Topics: Tissue Engineering; Humans; Biocompatible Materials; Animals; Drug Delivery Systems; Stimuli Responsive Polymers
PubMed: 37594093
DOI: 10.2174/1389201024666230818121821 -
Evolutionary Computation Dec 2022Evolution-in-Materio is a computational paradigm in which an algorithm reconfigures a material's properties to achieve a specific computational function. This article...
Evolution-in-Materio is a computational paradigm in which an algorithm reconfigures a material's properties to achieve a specific computational function. This article addresses the question of how successful and well performing Evolution-in-Materio processors can be designed through the selection of nanomaterials and an evolutionary algorithm for a target application. A physical model of a nanomaterial network is developed which allows for both randomness, and the possibility of Ohmic and non-Ohmic conduction, that are characteristic of such materials. These differing networks are then exploited by differential evolution, which optimises several configuration parameters (e.g., configuration voltages, weights, etc.), to solve different classification problems. We show that ideal nanomaterial choice depends upon problem complexity, with more complex problems being favoured by complex voltage dependence of conductivity and vice versa. Furthermore, we highlight how intrinsic nanomaterial electrical properties can be exploited by differing configuration parameters, clarifying the role and limitations of these techniques. These findings provide guidance for the rational design of nanomaterials and algorithms for future Evolution-in-Materio processors.
Topics: Algorithms
PubMed: 35289840
DOI: 10.1162/evco_a_00309 -
Journal of Visualized Experiments : JoVE Sep 2022Triplet fusion upconversion (UC) allows for the generation of one high energy photon from two low energy input photons. This well-studied process has significant...
Triplet fusion upconversion (UC) allows for the generation of one high energy photon from two low energy input photons. This well-studied process has significant implications for producing high energy light beyond a material's surface. However, the deployment of UC materials has been stymied due to poor material solubility, high concentration requirements, and oxygen sensitivity, ultimately resulting in reduced light output. Toward this end, nanoencapsulation has been a popular motif to circumvent these challenges, but durability has remained elusive in organic solvents. Recently, a nanoencapsulation technique was engineered to tackle each of these challenges, whereupon an oleic acid nanodroplet containing upconversion materials was encapsulated with a silica shell. Ultimately, these nanocapsules (NCs) were durable enough to enable triplet fusion upconversion-facilitated volumetric three-dimensional (3D) printing. By encapsulating upconversion materials with silica and dispersing them in a 3D printing resin, photopatterning beyond the surface of the printing vat was made possible. Here, video protocols for the synthesis of upconversion NCs are presented for both small-scale and large-scale batches. The outlined protocols serve as a starting point for adapting this encapsulation scheme to multiple upconversion schemes for use in volumetric 3D printing applications.
Topics: Nanocapsules; Oleic Acid; Oxygen; Silicon Dioxide; Solvents
PubMed: 36155426
DOI: 10.3791/64374 -
Journal of the American Chemical Society Aug 2019The light-responsive adaptation of polymer materials typically requires different wavelengths or additional heat to induce reversible covalent bond formation and...
The light-responsive adaptation of polymer materials typically requires different wavelengths or additional heat to induce reversible covalent bond formation and dissociation. Here, we bypass the use of invasive triggers by introducing light-stabilized dynamic materials that can undergo a repeatable change in topology from a covalently cross-linked material into a liquid polymer formulation by switching one visible light source on-and-off without the need for any additional triggers. Specifically, we exploit the photo-Diels-Alder reaction of triazolinediones with naphthalenes as a dynamic covalent cross-linking platform that enables green light-induced network formation, while the cross-linked material collapses through spontaneous cycloreversion upon standing in the dark at ambient temperature. Importantly, the covalent cross-links remain stabilized for as long as visible light is present, thereby retaining the material's structural integrity. This enables their potential use in an array of light-directed applications whereby network properties such as stiffness can be tuned by the mildest trigger of all: darkness.
PubMed: 31240918
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b05092 -
Frontiers in Bioengineering and... 2022The state-of-the-art approach to regenerating different tissues and organs is tissue engineering which includes the three parts of stem cells (SCs), scaffolds, and... (Review)
Review
The state-of-the-art approach to regenerating different tissues and organs is tissue engineering which includes the three parts of stem cells (SCs), scaffolds, and growth factors. Cellular behaviors such as propagation, differentiation, and assembling the extracellular matrix (ECM) are influenced by the cell's microenvironment. Imitating the cell's natural environment, such as scaffolds, is vital to create appropriate tissue. Craniofacial tissue engineering refers to regenerating tissues found in the brain and the face parts such as bone, muscle, and artery. More biocompatible and biodegradable scaffolds are more commensurate with tissue remodeling and more appropriate for cell culture, signaling, and adhesion. Synthetic materials play significant roles and have become more prevalent in medical applications. They have also been used in different forms for producing a microenvironment as ECM for cells. Synthetic scaffolds may be comprised of polymers, bioceramics, or hybrids of natural/synthetic materials. Synthetic scaffolds have produced ECM-like materials that can properly mimic and regulate the tissue microenvironment's physical, mechanical, chemical, and biological properties, manage adherence of biomolecules and adjust the material's degradability. The present review article is focused on synthetic materials used in craniofacial tissue engineering in recent decades.
PubMed: 36440445
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.987195 -
Global Challenges (Hoboken, NJ) Feb 2023Photovoltaic silicon converts sunlight in 95% of the operational commercial solar cells and has the potential to become a leading material in harvesting energy from... (Review)
Review
Photovoltaic silicon converts sunlight in 95% of the operational commercial solar cells and has the potential to become a leading material in harvesting energy from renewable sources, but silicon can hardly convert clean energy due to technologies required for its reduction from sand and further purification. The implementation of the novel materials into photovoltaic systems depends on their conversion efficiency limited by the material's inherent properties, longevity dependent on internal stability, and ease of manufacturing process. A major challenge is discovering a multilayered set of different photovoltaic materials capable of converting clean energy from a wider spectra range since emerging materials and technologies such as dye-sensitized and quantum dots suffer from low conversion efficiencies while perovskite and organic cells have short longevity in atmospheric conditions. Presently, improving technologies for commercialized materials and creating multijunction solar cells enhanced by new photovoltaic materials is a path toward cleaner energies. With the rapid development of the integrative technologies and challenges that photovoltaics for clean energy conversion are facing, the entire clean photovoltaic industry could arise by bottom-up course as a part of integrative technologies rather than erecting large power plants.
PubMed: 36778780
DOI: 10.1002/gch2.202200146 -
Expert Opinion on Drug Delivery Nov 2019: There is growing emphasis on the development of bioinspired and biohybrid micro/nanorobots for the targeted drug delivery (TDD). Particularly, stimuli-responsive... (Review)
Review
: There is growing emphasis on the development of bioinspired and biohybrid micro/nanorobots for the targeted drug delivery (TDD). Particularly, stimuli-responsive materials and magnetically triggered systems, identified as the most promising materials and design paradigms. Despite the advances made in fabrication and control, there remains a significant gap in clinical translation. : This review discusses the opportunities and challenges about micro/nanorobotics for the TDD as evolutionary evidence in bio-nanotechnology, material science, biohybrid robotics, and many more. Important consideration in context with the material's compatibility/immunogenicity, ethics, and security risk are reported based on the development in artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning described in literature. The versatility and sophistication of biohybrid components design are being presented, highlighting stimuli-responsive biosystems as smart mechanisms and on-board sensing and control elements. : Focusing on key issues for high controllability at micro- and nano-scale systems in TDD, biohybrid integration strategies, and bioinspired key competences shall be adopted. The promising outlook portraying the commercialization potential and economic viability of micro/nanorobotics will benefit to clinical translation.
Topics: Drug Delivery Systems; Humans; Nanotechnology; Robotics
PubMed: 31580731
DOI: 10.1080/17425247.2019.1676228 -
The International Journal of... 2020To undertake a scoping review of the available research on the application of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) in implant prosthodontics, map the available literature in... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
To undertake a scoping review of the available research on the application of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) in implant prosthodontics, map the available literature in order to highlight possible gaps in knowledge and, if possible, extract clinical guidelines.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The literature on PEEK in implant prosthodontics published through August 2018 was identified with an online search of MEDLINE (via PubMed), Science Direct, Embase (via Ovid), and Google Scholar databases. Qualitative and quantitative syntheses were carried out for original research studies.
RESULTS
The amount of published original research studies was found to be limited. PEEK was found to be applied as a material in the fabrication of implant-supported fixed dental prosthesis (IFDP) frameworks (43%), prosthetic implant abutments (35%), implant abutment screws (15%), and retention clips on implant bars (7%). Only 38% of the studies were clinical studies, while 15% were observational and 47% were in vitro. The studies identified did not permit the estimation of long-term survival nor success rates for any of the prosthetic components. The results only allowed a preliminary short-term assessment of PEEK IFDP frameworks, which presented satisfactory survival but alarming success rates over the first year of service.
CONCLUSION
In light of the paucity of evidence on the viability of PEEK as an implant-prosthodontic material, its use cannot yet be endorsed. Clinicians should heed the suggested protocols to improve mechanical performance and lower the incidence of prosthetic complications. Further high-quality research is needed for an enhanced understanding of the material's viability.
Topics: Benzophenones; Dental Implants; Ketones; Polyethylene Glycols; Polymers; Prosthodontics
PubMed: 33284910
DOI: 10.11607/ijp.6649 -
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Jul 2023Exploring low-grade waste heat energy harvesting is crucial to address increasing environmental concerns. Thermomagnetic materials are magnetic phase change materials...
Exploring low-grade waste heat energy harvesting is crucial to address increasing environmental concerns. Thermomagnetic materials are magnetic phase change materials that enable energy harvesting from low-temperature gradients. To achieve a high thermomagnetic conversion efficiency, there are three main material requirements: (i) magnetic phase transition near room temperature, (ii) substantial change in magnetization with temperature, and (iii) high thermal conductivity. Here, we demonstrate a high-performance GdSiGe thermomagnetic alloy that meets these three requirements. The magnetic phase transition temperature was successfully shifted to 306 K by introducing Ge doping in GdSi, and a sharper and more symmetric magnetization behavior with saturation magnetization of = 70 emu/g at a 2 T magnetic field was achieved in the ferromagnetic state. The addition of SeS, as a low-temperature sintering aid, to the Gd-Si-Ge alloy improved the material's density and thermal conductivity by ∼45 and ∼275%, respectively. Our results confirm that the (GdSiGe)(SeS) alloy is a suitable composite material for low-grade waste heat recovery in thermomagnetic applications.
PubMed: 37458990
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c03158