D. A. Solís-Casados, L. Escobar-Alarcón, R. López, D. S. García-Zaleta, J. M. Vázquez Rodríguez, C. Encarnación-Gómez
{"title":"Characterization of Pd-modified TiO2-based thin films and their effect on photocatalytic activity","authors":"D. A. Solís-Casados, L. Escobar-Alarcón, R. López, D. S. García-Zaleta, J. M. Vázquez Rodríguez, C. Encarnación-Gómez","doi":"10.1186/s40712-025-00279-8","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40712-025-00279-8","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Thin film technology has made significant contributions to the field of photocatalysis through improvements in surface properties and a decrease in material costs. Therefore, the present study aims to evidence the properties that Pd can confer to TiO<sub>2</sub> thin films prepared by chemical vapor deposition technique and to verify their effectiveness as photocatalysts in the degradation reaction of the carbinol-based malachite green dye. TiO<sub>2</sub> films with different nominal Pd contents (2.8, 3.7, 4.6, and 6.4 at. % Pd) synthesized by CVD at 400 °C and 1 Torr pressure exhibit significant changes in their crystal structure, morphology, and electronic properties. On the one hand, at low concentrations (2.8 and 3.7 at. % Pd), substitutional doping is promoted. In contrast, the increase in concentration (4.6 and 6.4 at. % Pd) encourages the formation of PdO and PdTiO<sub>3</sub> phases, as indicated by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results. The anatase phase is partially inhibited by other phases, such as Pd–O and Ti-Pd–O; consequently, the grain size that constitutes the film is considerably reduced, and microstrains are increased. On the other hand, the study of the optical properties reveals a decrease in the bandgap energy and the recombination velocity of the charge carriers, resulting in a maximum degradation of 67% of the dye, which is obtained with film 4.6 at. % Pd, attributed to a synergistic effect between the observed properties.\u0000</p></div>","PeriodicalId":592,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://jmsg.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40712-025-00279-8","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143892746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Anderson Gomes Vieira, Petrus d’Amorim Santa-Cruz, Antonio Carlos Pavão
{"title":"3D-printable nanocomposite for the production of unique nanotextured surfaces: art-inspired distribution of magnetic nanorods","authors":"Anderson Gomes Vieira, Petrus d’Amorim Santa-Cruz, Antonio Carlos Pavão","doi":"10.1186/s40712-025-00268-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40712-025-00268-x","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study reports the development of printable magnetic nanocomposites designed with a novel nanotextured surface, featuring nanospikes—composed of iron oxide magnetic nanorods—distributed with a subtle vertical alignment tendency, inspired by the Beam Drop Inhotim artwork,termed here “Beam Drop Inhotim Surfaces” (BDIS). The nanorods were synthesized via reflux and hydrothermal routes, then incorporated into a commercial photopolymerizable resin, forming a printable magnetic nanocomposite. It was printed using masked stereolithography (MSLA) 3D printing process, with real-time application of a neodymium magnet-induced magnetic field during photopolymerization—an innovative approach compared to plasma or laser surface treatments used in other studies. Characterizations of the nanorods, photosensitive resin, and nanocomposite, conducted via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, magnetic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry, confirmed successful nanocomposite production without compromising printability, enabling a unique nanotextured surface.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":592,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://jmsg.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40712-025-00268-x","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143879691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yunhao Zhang, Ye Zhou, Conghao Xu, Jiacheng Zhang, Zhendong Sha
{"title":"A structural design approach toward metallic glass with simultaneous tunable thermal expansion and high structural stiffness","authors":"Yunhao Zhang, Ye Zhou, Conghao Xu, Jiacheng Zhang, Zhendong Sha","doi":"10.1186/s40712-025-00257-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40712-025-00257-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Although metallic glasses (MGs) possess relatively low thermal expansion coefficient (<i>α</i>) compared to their crystalline counterparts due to the existence of free volume, their <i>α</i>-values are still too large to meet the demands of practical application. Here, we report that a bi-material structure (BMS) consisting of curved traditional materials (e.g., Al alloy) with MGs can be used to obtain tunable <i>α</i> while maintaining high structural stiffness. The curved Al alloy has a pulling effect on the MGs when the curvature changes, limiting the thermal expansion of MGs. Through the theoretical model and finite element method analysis, it is further found that both <i>α</i> and stiffness can be significantly altered through changing the degree of curvature, the contact surface, and the thickness ratio of MG over Al alloy. The present study not only offers a solution to the <i>α</i> reduction of MGs but also suggests that BMS can be used to design advanced structural materials that possess adjustable <i>α</i> and high stiffness.</p>","PeriodicalId":592,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://jmsg.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40712-025-00257-0","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143879692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. F. Shaffei, Hala S. Hussein, Ahmed. M. Awad Abouelata, Nagwa M. Khattab
{"title":"Testing of advanced selective black coating in a prototype of solar water heater","authors":"M. F. Shaffei, Hala S. Hussein, Ahmed. M. Awad Abouelata, Nagwa M. Khattab","doi":"10.1186/s40712-025-00242-7","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40712-025-00242-7","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The development of selective coating in solar absorbers is required for higher photothermal energy conservation. Hence, a promising process for producing such an efficient selective coating is the electrolytic coloring of anodized aluminum. It comprises the electrodeposition of tin nanoparticles in the outer porous surface layer of an aluminum strip. In this work, the aluminum surface was anodically anodized in H<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub> and colored with tin. In the coloring step, tin was electrodeposited from sulfate salt-based electrolyte to give a black layer on the aluminum surface. In this research, the scaling up of an advanced black coating in a prototype of a solar water heater was investigated. Realization of practical heating efficiency is performed by constructing and testing two prototypes of a solar water heater. The tested solar absorber was prepared by electrolytic coloring of anodized aluminum after one step of anodization. The other type is prepared by coloring aluminum strips with commercial black paint for comparison. The highest observed temperature of the outlet water was 82 °C for the anodized type. However, the highest temperature for black paint was 62 °C. Furthermore, at 750 W/m<sup>2</sup> of maximum solar intensity, the black anodized absorber has a higher heating efficiency of 72.3%, while the other kind decreased to 61.3%.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":592,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://jmsg.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40712-025-00242-7","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143871329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Luiz Antonio Azevedo Rosa, Luis Rogerio de Oliveira Hein, Marcos Valério Ribeiro
{"title":"Retrogression and reaging — aluminum alloy AA7012","authors":"Luiz Antonio Azevedo Rosa, Luis Rogerio de Oliveira Hein, Marcos Valério Ribeiro","doi":"10.1186/s40712-025-00269-w","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40712-025-00269-w","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Retrogression and reaging (RRA) is of interest to the automotive industry for manufacturing components of high-strength aluminum alloys. This study describes obtaining the retrogression and reaging curve for the aluminum alloy AA7012-T6 (Al–Zn–Mg–Cu) — UNS A97012. The RRA heat treatment consists of two stages: the first stage is retrogression, which was carried out on samples in the T6 hardening condition for a time ranging from 5 s to 4 h at different temperatures: 180 °C, 210 °C, and 240 °C. The second stage, reaging, was conducted at 120 °C for 24 h (process parameters for obtaining the T6 temper). The RRA curve was obtained by measuring hardness Vickers (HV). The samples were also evaluated for electrical conductivity (%IACS — International Annealed Copper Standard). The best response for the RRA curve was obtained with retrogression at 180 °C/1 h and reaging at 120 °C for 24 h. The increase in hardness (HV) obtained with RRA 180 °C/1 h and reaged at 120 °C/24 h was 19%.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":592,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://jmsg.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40712-025-00269-w","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143871169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Synthesis and applications of polymorphic CeO2 and AgI/CeO2 nanocomposites","authors":"Yan Zhao, Zhenglu Gao, Chenzheng Lv, Huilong Zhao, Jinghang Li, Yuguang Lv","doi":"10.1186/s40712-025-00273-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40712-025-00273-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This paper delves into the innovative synthesis of various morphologies of CeO₂, including flower-like, spherical, quasi-spherical, and rod-shaped, as well as AgI/CeO₂ composites. Utilizing cold coprecipitation and one-pot hydrothermal methods, a range of CeO₂ and highly efficient photocatalytic AgI/CeO₂ composites were successfully prepared. These composites were, for the first time, applied to bamboo scrimber for antimicrobial research, significantly enhancing its antibacterial properties. Advanced characterization techniques such as XRD, SEM, TEM, and FT-IR were employed to analyze the prepared materials’ structural characteristics systematically. Under visible light irradiation, the photocatalytic activity of AgI/CeO₂ composite catalysts with varying AgI loadings was evaluated using levofloxacin (LVF) as a model pollutant. The results indicated that the 20%AgI/CeO₂ composite exhibited a unique mesoporous structure, high-specific surface area, and optimal photocatalytic degradation efficiency for LVF, achieving a degradation rate of up to 94.06%. Additionally, this composite significantly bolstered the antibacterial efficacy of the bamboo scriber under visible light conditions. It was securely anchored onto the surface of the bamboo scriber through a specific surface treatment process, forming a durable and practical antibacterial protective layer. In conclusion, AgI/CeO₂ composites demonstrate exceptional performance in both photocatalytic degradation and bamboo scrimber modification, making significant contributions to environmental protection and the development of green building materials.\u0000</p></div>","PeriodicalId":592,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://jmsg.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40712-025-00273-0","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143865584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
U. Sudhakar, K. V. Raghavulu, S. P. Jani, Sunil Kumar Shetty, Adisu Haile
{"title":"Mechanical and microstructural analysis of AA7075/B4C/ZrO2 hybrid composite","authors":"U. Sudhakar, K. V. Raghavulu, S. P. Jani, Sunil Kumar Shetty, Adisu Haile","doi":"10.1186/s40712-025-00232-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40712-025-00232-9","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The primary objective of this study is to examine the impact of incorporating boron carbide (B<sub>4</sub>C) and zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) on the mechanical characteristics of AA7075 composites. Different weight fractions of B<sub>4</sub>C and ZrO₂ were used to fabricate the composites via powder metallurgy, and mechanical tests, including hardness and compression strength, were performed to assess their properties. Microstructural analysis was conducted to evaluate the dispersion and interfacial bonding of the reinforcements within the matrix. The results revealed a significant enhancement in mechanical properties, with a maximum compression strength of 252 MPa, representing a 165% increase compared to the unreinforced alloy. This improvement is attributed to key strengthening mechanisms, including strain hardening induced by dislocation-particle interactions, grain boundary strengthening through refinement, effective load transfer between the matrix and reinforcements, and Zener pinning that stabilized the microstructure during sintering. The addition of ZrO₂ as a secondary reinforcement further enhanced these effects, leading to optimized mechanical performance. These findings provide valuable insights into the design and development of advanced hybrid composites for industrial applications.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":592,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://jmsg.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40712-025-00232-9","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143852574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mantosh Mandal, B. Aashranth, Ashish Kolhatkar, M. Arvinth Davinci, Dipti Samantaray, V. Karthik, M. Vasudevan
{"title":"Dynamic transformation as a tool to enhance the cold-working response of a 9% Cr steel through stress and strain partitioning","authors":"Mantosh Mandal, B. Aashranth, Ashish Kolhatkar, M. Arvinth Davinci, Dipti Samantaray, V. Karthik, M. Vasudevan","doi":"10.1186/s40712-025-00272-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40712-025-00272-1","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Dynamic transformation in a 9% Cr steel is shown to improve the room-temperature workability through microstructural modification. The dynamically transformed microstructure contains 10–18% of ductile ferrite in a brittle martensitic matrix. The two-phase microstructure results in 40% higher uniform elongation and 25% lower tensile strength, which facilitate cold working. Further, the presence of ductile ferrite is shown to increase the strain hardening exponent, further enhancing the workability. It is also shown that the dynamic transformation alters the martensitic matrix, and creates a secondary source of softening. These softening effects and overall mechanical response are accurately modelled by a robust modified rule-of-mixtures formulation with prediction error of ~ 0.3%. This investigation reveals the potential of dynamic transformation to create intermediate microstructures suitable for cold working during the manufacturing process and establishes the limits within which deformation can be safely imparted.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":592,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://jmsg.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40712-025-00272-1","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143840286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Systematic review and thematic analysis of the utilization of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) in construction materials","authors":"Lapyote Prasittisopin, Rungkiat Nganglumpoon, Chanachai Thongchom, Joongjai Panpranot","doi":"10.1186/s40712-025-00258-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40712-025-00258-z","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) have emerged as promising organic nanomaterials due to their unique physicochemical properties and versatile applications. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in exploring the role of CQDs in improving the performance of construction and building materials, including cement, concrete, and asphalt. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review of recent articles focusing on the synthesis methods of CQDs and graphene quantum dots (GQDs), their characteristics, and their effects on the mechanical, thermal, and durability properties of cement-based materials. Furthermore, the potential challenges and future research directions in this field towards carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) direction are also discussed. The mechanisms behind these improvements are analyzed, focusing on the interfacial bonding between CQDs, seeding nucleation of the cement hydration process, and filling effect. Additionally, the review addresses the challenges associated with CQD implementation, such as cost-effectiveness and large-scale implementation. Finally, a suggested outline for optimizing CQDs used in construction materials in many research directions is discussed, suggesting novel ways for high-performance, functional, and sustainable construction materials for smart applications.</p><h3>Graphical Abstract</h3>\u0000<div><figure><div><div><picture><source><img></source></picture></div></div></figure></div></div>","PeriodicalId":592,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://jmsg.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40712-025-00258-z","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143821914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jamal Mohamed S., Sasi Karan Ramanujam Rajakumar, Murugasenapathi N. K., Tamilarasan Palanisamy
{"title":"Fabrication of cylindrical diffusion-facilitated organic electrochemical transistor and its sweat glucose sensing application","authors":"Jamal Mohamed S., Sasi Karan Ramanujam Rajakumar, Murugasenapathi N. K., Tamilarasan Palanisamy","doi":"10.1186/s40712-025-00267-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s40712-025-00267-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have been widely tested used for biosensing applications due to high sensitivity, low operating potential, better signal-to-noise ratio and operation in aqueous medium. The electrochemical de-doping in OECTs is a diffusion-controlled process which crucially depends on the geometry of the channel. This report presents OECT with cylindrical channel and its application in detection of sweat glucose concentration. The cylindrical channel OECTs were fabricated by incorporating PEDOT:PSS-coated single cotton fibre as a channel. The cylindrical diffusion of ions into the channel is confirmed by the parallel combination of a resistor and Warburg impedance in electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The non-linear current–voltage characteristics of the device closely follow Bernard<i>-</i>Malliaras model. The transconductance has been derived to be 2.48 × 10<sup>−4</sup> S from the transfer characteristics. The developed OECTs were deployed for glucose sensing by bioconjugating the gate terminal with glucose oxidase enzyme. A 1.4 mg/dL limit of detection, 2.8 mg/dL limit of quantification and 7.14-s average response time have been achieved with the device. As the device shows higher responsivity between 5 and 50 mg/dL, the OECT has been demonstrated as a wearable sweat glucose sensor.</p>","PeriodicalId":592,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Mechanical and Materials Engineering","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-04-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://jmsg.springeropen.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/s40712-025-00267-y","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143801173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}