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Abisha, M., Priya, R. K., Arunachalam, K. P., Avudaiappan, S., Flores, E. I. S., & Parra, P. F. (2023). Biodegradable Green Composites: Effects of Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4) Treatment on Thermal, Mechanical, and Morphological Behavior of Butea Parviflora (BP) Fibers. Polymers, 15(9), 2197.
Abstract: This study emphasizes the importance of utilizing biodegradable material Butea parviflora (BP) fiber for sustainable solutions. BP fiber offers numerous ecological benefits, such as being lightweight, biodegradable, and affordable to recycle. The study examines the effects of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) treatment on BP fiber and analyzes its physical and chemical behavior using various methods, including X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, tensile testing, thermogravimetric analysis, thermal conductivity, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopic (FTIR) analysis. The results demonstrate that BP fiber possesses low density (1.40 g/cc) and high cellulose content (59.4%), which fosters compatibility between the matrix and resin. XRD analysis indicates a high crystallinity index (83.47%) and crystallite size (6.4 nm), showcasing exceptional crystalline behavior. Treated fibers exhibit improved tensile strength (198 MPa) and Young's modulus (4.40 GPa) compared to untreated fibers (tensile strength-92 MPa, tensile modulus-2.16 GPa). The Tg-DTA thermograms reveal the fiber's thermal resistance up to 240 degrees C with a kinetic activation energy between 62.80-63.46 KJ/mol. Additionally, the lowered thermal conductivity (K) from Lee's disc experiment suggests that BP fiber could be used in insulation applications. SEM photographic results display effective surface roughness for composite making, and FTIR studies reveal vibrational variations of cellulosic functional groups, which correlates with increased cellulosic behavior. Overall, the study affirms the potential of BP fiber as a reinforcing material for composite-making while emphasizing the importance of utilizing biodegradable materials for sustainability.
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Araya-Letelier, G., Antico, F. C., Burbano-Garcia, C., Concha-Riedeld, J., Norambuena-Contreras, J., Concha, J., et al. (2021). Experimental evaluation of adobe mixtures reinforced with jute fibers. Constr. Build. Mater., 276(2021), 122127.
Abstract: Due to their sustainability as well as physical and mechanical performance, different natural fibers, both vegetal and animal fibers, have been successfully used in adobe mixtures (AMs) to enhance properties such as cracking control, flexural toughness and water erosion resistance, among others. However, the use of jute fibers (JFs), one of the most largely produced vegetal fiber worldwide, has not been extensively studied on AMs. Consequently, this study evaluates the effects of the incorporation of varying dosages (0.5 and 2.0 wt%) and lengths (7, 15, and 30 mm) of JFs on the physical/thermal/mechanical/fracture and durability performance of AMs, a specific type of earth-based construction material widely used globally. Experimental results showed that the incorporation of 2.0 wt% dosages of JFs increased the capillary water absorption of AMs, which might affect AM durability. The latter result could be explained by the additional porosity generated by the spaces left between the JFs and the matrix of adobe, as well as the inherent water absorption of the JFs. The incorporation of JFs significantly improved the behavior of AMs in terms of thermal conductivity, drying shrinkage cracking control, flexural toughness and water erosion performance, without affecting their compressive and flexural strength. For example, flexural toughness indices were increased by 297% and crack density ratio as well as water erosion depth values were reduced by 93% and 62%, respectively, when 2.0 wt%-15 mm length JFs were incorporated into AM. Since the latter combination of JF dosage and length provided the overall best results among AMs, it is recommended by this study as JF-reinforcement scheme for AMs for construction applications such as adobe masonry and earth plasters.
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Baraneedharan, P., Shankari, D., Arulraj, A., Sephra, P. J., Mangalaraja, R. V., & Khalid, M. (2023). Nanoengineering of MXene-Based Field-Effect Transistor Gas Sensors: Advancements in Next-Generation Electronic Devices. J. Electrochem. Soc., 180(10), 107501.
Abstract: In recent years, Two-Dimensional (2D) materials have gained significant attention for their distinctive physical and chemical properties, positioning them as promising contenders for the next generation of electronic technologies. One notable group within these materials is MXenes, which have exhibited remarkable breakthroughs across various technological domains, including catalysis, renewable energy, electronics, sensors, fuel cells, and supercapacitors. By making subtle modifications to the surface termination, introducing metal ions, precise etching timing, and applying surface functionalization, the characteristics of MXenes can be fine-tuned to achieve desired band structures, rendering them suitable for sensor design. This review focuses on the strategic development of gas sensors based on Field-Effect Transistors (FETs), thoroughly examining the latest progress in MXene-based material design and addressing associated challenges and future prospects. The review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of MXene, summarizing its current applications and advancements in FET-based gas sensing.
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Nandhakumar, E., Selvakumar, P., Arulraj, A., Vivek, E., Venkatraman, M. R., Sasikumar, A., et al. (2023). Investigation on rod like SnO2@CdCO3 nanocomposite-based electron transport layer for CsPbBr3 heterojunction perovskite solar cell applications br. Mater. Lett., 330, 133396.
Abstract: A novel carbonate-based nanocomposite synthesized by hydrothermal technique for planar perovskite solar cells (PPSCs) applications. According to this study, SnO2@CdCO3and SnO2/SnO2@CdCO3 performs as dual electron transporting layers for CsPbBr3 based perovskite solar cell. The fabricated PSCs with architecture of FTO/SnO2/ SnO2@CdCO3/CsPbBr3/C showed a Voc of 0.84 V, Jsc of 12.30 mA cmi 2, PCE of 6.67 % and FF of 0.64 are obtained at ambient condition.
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Thandapani, P., Aepuru, R., Beron, F., Mangalaraja, R. V., Varaprasad, K., Zabotto, F. L., et al. (2023). Multiferroic Electroactive Polymer Blend/Ferrite Nanocomposite Flexible Films for Cooling Devices. ACS Appl. Polym. Mater., 5(8), 5926–5936.
Abstract: In recent days, the interest toward the development ofmulticaloricmaterials for cooling application is increasing, whereas multiferroicmaterials would be the suitable alternative to the conventional refrigerants.To explore them, the poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PMMA/PVDF-HFP) blend and PMMA/PVDF-HFP/Zn0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4 flexible multiferroicnanocomposite films were fabricated by the solution casting method.The structural analyses prove that the strong interfacial interactionbetween the PMMA/PVDF-HFP blend and the Zn0.5Cu0.5Fe2O4 (ZCF) through hydroxyl (-OH) andcarbonyl group bonding with PVDF-HFP enhanced the thermal stabilityand suppressed the electroactive & beta; phase from 67 to 62%. Experimentalresults show that 10 wt % of superparamagnetic ZCF nanoparticles witha particle size of 6.8 nm induced both the magnetocaloric and magnetoelectriceffects in a nonmagnetic PMMA/PVDF-HFP ferroelectric matrix at roomtemperature. A set of isothermal magnetization curves were recordedin the magnetic field strength of 0-40 kOe and a temperaturerange of 2-400 K. The maximum magnetic entropy changes (& UDelta;S (M)) of -0.69 J & BULL;kg(-1) K-1 of ZCF nanoparticles and -0.094 J & BULL;kg(-1) K-1 of PMMA/PVDF-HFP/ZCF nanocompositesshowed an interesting table-like flat variation in the temperaturerange of 100-400 K as a function of the magnetic field. Thesamples display a large temperature span with a relative cooling power of 293 and 40 J & BULL;kg(-1) for ZCF and PMMA/PVDF-HFP/ZCF,respectively. The magnetoelectric effect of the PMMA/PVDF-HFP/ZCFcomposite was proved, but it generated only 1.42 mV/m & BULL;Oe in theapplied field of 5 kOe. Hence, the entropy change of the present nanocompositewas only due to the magnetocaloric effect, where the magnetoelectriccross-coupling coefficient was negligible. The multicaloric effectcould be established if the nanocomposite showed a larger magnetoelectriccross-coupling in addition to the magnetocaloric effect. This approachprovides the research findings in functional multiferroic polymernanocomposites for miniaturized cooling devices.
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