Iranian Journal of Materials Science and Engineering

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Green synthesis refers to the synthesis of nanoparticles using plants and microorganisms. It is preferred over conventional methods as its sustainable, eco-friendly, cost effective and rapid method. The phytochemicals and enzymes present in plants and microorganisms respectively acts as the reducing and capping agent for the synthesis of nanoparticles. Phytochemicals and enzymes have the ability to reduce precursor metal ions into nanoparticles. As the conventional methods involve the use of high energy and toxic chemicals which are harmful to both environment and organisms, these synthesis methods are discouraged. Of the nanoparticles, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have gained lots of attention owing to their multiple applications and less toxicity. In addition, various in-vitro studies have reported the antimicrobial activity of AgNPs and AuNPs against various microbes. This particular review portrays the methods of nanoparticles synthesis, components of green synthesis, mechanism of green synthesis, antimicrobial activity, other applications and various factors affecting the green synthesis of AgNPs and AuNPs.

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The success of a drug delivery system relies heavily on its interaction with cells from the target tissue. The range of applications for ibuprofen-loaded chitosan (ICH) films is widening, mainly due to the biodegradability of chitosan (CH) films and ibuprofen’s safety and versatility, with a particular interest in exploring it as neural drug delivery system. In this study, CH and 12% (w/w) ICH films were prepared through the solvent cast, and characterized regarding their physicochemical composition, surface and bulk morphology, drug release profile, and cell viability of primary neurons from the rat spinal cord. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses demonstrated that both groups had a similar composition. According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, ibuprofen particles were entrapped on the surface and inside the polymeric matrix. In vitro drug release profile indicated that release starts as diffusion within the first hours, is best fitted by the Higuchi model, and continues for at least 30 days, in agreement with the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. Therefore, ibuprofen is first released through the diffusion process of the particles found on the surface and later through a combination of diffusion and erosion of the chitosan matrix. Regarding in vitro cell viability of primary neurons, CH and ICH extracts are non-toxic, as both groups displayed cell viability over 50%. ICH films are mildly reactive in neuronal cells, but do not cause severe cell death i.e., it allowed non-cytotoxic neuronal and glial differentiation. These findings enhanced our understanding of ICH films as a safe neural drug release system to be explored.

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Recently, using calcium phosphates and at the top of them, hydroxyapatite (HA) has been considered in medical and dental applications as an artificial biomaterial due to their chemical and structural similarity to the bodychr('39')s skeletal tissues such as bone and tooth. Because of reinforcement of hydroxyapatitechr('39')s mechanical and biological properties by substitution of OH- groups by F- ions to produce fluorapaptite (FA) has been proven, in this article synthesis methods, properties and medical applications of fluorapatite and its pros and cons in comparison with hydroxyapatite have been reviewed.

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Biocompatible ceramics, commonly known as “bioceramics”, are an extremely versatile class of materials with a wide range of applications in modern medicine. Given the inorganic nature and physico-mechanical properties of most bioceramics, which are relatively close to the mineral phase of bone, orthopedics and dentistry are the preferred areas of usage for such biomaterials. Another clinical field where bioceramics play an important role is oculo-orbital surgery, a highly cross- and interdisciplinary medical specialty addressing to the management of injured eye orbit, with particular focus on the repair of orbital bone fractures and/or the placement of orbital implants following removal of a diseased eye. In the latter case, orbital implants are not intended for bone repair but, being placed inside the ocular cavity, have to be biointegrated in soft ocular tissues. This article reviews the state of the art of currently-used bioceramics in orbital surgery, highlighting the current limitations and the promises for the future in this field.

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The present study aimed to assess the effect of replacing copper as a multi-functional ingredient in the brake pad material with potassium titanate platelet (PTP) and a particular type of ceramic fiber (CF) copper-free composite. Chase dynamometer tests were conducted to compare a brake padchr('39')s tribological behavior when PTP and CF are added to the composition with that of the copper-bearing pad. The results concluded that PTP and CF demonstrated promising outcomes such as a stable coefficient of friction (COF), lower wear rate, and better heat resistance in copper-free friction composite. Scanning electron microscope (SEM/EDS) analysis was conducted to investigate the role of main elements such as Ti, Fe, K, O, and C on the formation of contact plateaus (CPs) upon the worn surface of friction composites. PTP maintained both continuous contact and smooth friction braking application of a brake pad. The uniform distribution of Ti on the wear track on the disc worn surface depicts the role of PTPs on stabilizing the friction film formation and eventually on the stability of COF.

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     Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanorods and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanostructures thin films were prepared onto glass substrates by the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The ZnO was structured as nanorods (NRs) while TiO₂ was formed as nanoflowers plate as confirmed by Field-Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) images. The ZnO/Fe₃O₄ and TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ nanostructures thin films were prepared via drop-casting Fe₃O₄ NPs onto the grown ZnO and TiO₂ nanostructures thin films. The diameter of Fe₃O₄ NPs was deposited onto ZnO NRs thin films and TiO₂ nanostructures thin films was ranged from 8nm to 59nm with dominated range between 10nm to 30 nm.  The crystalline structure of prepared samples was investigated through X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. However, the particles size of Fe₃O₄  was estimated  by XRD as well as FESEM images was around 22 nm. The photocatalytic activity of the as-prepared ZnO/Fe₃O₄ and TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ nanostructures thin films was investigated against methylene blue (MB) dye at room temperature with a pH value of 10 under different exposure time by visible light. The photodegradation rate of MB dye by ZnO/Fe₃O₄ and TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ nanostructures thin films was higher than that obtained by ZnO and TiO₂ nanostructures thin films. The best photodegradation rate of MB dye was 100% after exposure time of 180 min was obtained by ZnO/Fe₃O₄ nanostructures thin film whereas it was 82% for TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ nanostructures thin films after exposure time of  240 min.  
 

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The goal of the present study is to prepare a room temperature cured hydrophobic and self-cleaning nano-coating for power line insulators. As a result, the installed insulators operating in power lines can be coated without being removed from the circuit and without the need to cut off power. For this purpose, hydrophobic silica nanoparticles were synthesized by sol-gel method using TEOS and HMDS. The synthesized hydrophobic silica nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM, and TEM analyses to investigate phase formation, particle size, and morphology. Then the surface of the insulator was cleaned and sprayed by Ultimeg binder solution, an air-dried insulating coating, as the base coating. Then the hydrophobic nano-silica powder was sprayed on the binder coated surface and left to be air-cured at room temperature. After drying the coating, the contact angle was measured to be 149^o. Pull-off test was used to check the adhesion strength of the hydrophobic coating to the base insulator. To evaluate the effect of environmental factors, UV resistance and fog-salt corrosion tests were conducted. The results showed that 150 hours of UV radiation, equivalent to 9 months of placing the samples in normal conditions, did not have any significant effect on reducing the hydrophobicity of the applied coatings.

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Li₇La₃Zr₂O₁₂ (LLZO) garnets are one of the promising materials as electrolytes for solid-state batteries. In this study, Li_7-3xAl_xLa₃Zr₂O₁₂ (x= 0.22, 0.25, and 0.28) garnet is synthesized using the combustion sol-gel method to stabilize the cubic phase for higher ionic conductivity. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results of as-synthesized powders reveal that by addition of 0.22 and 0.25 mole Al, the tetragonal phase still co-exist, whereas 0.28 mole Al addition resulted in a single cubic phase. Afterward, the as-synthesized powders are pressed and sintered at 1180°C for 10h. The hardness evaluation revealed that Al addition increases the hardness that shows better resistance against Li dendrite formation. Besides, the secondary electron microscopy results demonstrate that the dopant has not a huge impact on particle size and grain growth whereas the porosity content has been changed. Finally, the investigation of samples' electrochemical behavior reveals that the addition of Al increases the ionic conductivity of samples by increasing the density and stability of the cubic phase as well. The results declare that the 0.25 Al sample has the highest ionic conductivity. This behavior is thought to be due to the promotion of sintering and increment of bulk ionic conductivity by doping Al.

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In this work, the addition of a combination of Graphene Oxide Nanoplatelets (GONPs) and Ground
Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GGBFS) was studied as admixture in concrete. Tests on physical and mechanical
properties and chloride permeability were conducted. GGBFS was replaced with Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC)
and it was determined that GGBFS Up to 50% by weight improves the physical and mechanical properties of
concrete. GONPs with an optimal amount of 50% by weight of GGBFS were added to the concrete and the physical
and mechanical properties of the samples were determined. It was observed that the addition of GONPs was effective
in improving the mechanical strength and physical properties of specimens. The results indicated that addition of
0.1 wt.% GO and 50 wt.% GGBFS would increase the compressive strength of the concrete sample up to 42.7%
during 28 days and 46% during 90 days compared to OPC. Concrete with a combination of 0.1 wt.% GONPs and
50 wt.% GGBFS witnessed an increase in its flexural strength up to 58.5% during 28 days and 59.2% during 90
days. The results indicated that by adding 0.1 wt.% GO and 50 wt.%, concrete chloride permeability decreased
substantially 72% for 90 day cured samples compared to OPC. GONPs as an alternative to cement up to 0.1% by
weight can accelerate the formation of C-S-H gel, thereby increasing the strength and improving the resistance of
water absorption and chloride permeability. The effects of pozolanic reaction in the concrete leading to the filling
of the pores were significant factors in the proposed curtailment mechanism

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The article discusses the effect of calcined clays on the properties of Portland cement. An optimal method for calcining clays is proposed, which makes it possible to reduce the proportion of Portland cement clinker in cement to 60% and increase the strength characteristics from 55 MPa to 79 MPa. The study of the composition and structure of clays made it possible to select the optimal heat treatment parameters, at which the calcination products are characterized by the highest pozzolanic activity. It is shown that the use of alkali-activated calcined clays significantly increases the strength and durability of hardened cement binders compared to the composition without additives. In addition, calcined clays increase the frost resistance of cement in a 5% NaCl solution. The obtained experimental data are confirmed by thermodynamic calculations and the results of scanning electron microscopy.

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In this paper, Pb_1-xFe_x(Zr_0.52Ti_0.48)O₃ (PFZT) nanopowders, with x from 0.00 up to 0.20, were synthesized by using the sol-gel method. The PFZT samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and impedance spectroscopy. According to the experimental results, PFZT combines rhombohedral and tetragonal symmetries for all the samples without a change in phase structure. The SEM investigation indicated that the grains are homogeneous with regular form and the average grain size of PFZT ceramics changed with Fe concentration. The dielectric characterizations show that the dielectric permittivity increases with increasing temperature, and the Fe amount shifts down the temperature of transition. Moreover, a dielectric resonance phenomenon is observed for all the PFZT ceramics.

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Abstract
The effect of different heat-treatment temperatures on the magnetic, crystallization, and structural properties of 20SiO2.50FeO.30CaO (mol%) glass ceramics was studied. The initial glass was synthesized by the sol-gel method at 25℃  with a precursors to solvent ratio of 1/5. After aging the resulted gel for 24 h at room temperature, it was dried in an electric dryer at 110 ℃ . By heat treatment at different temperatures, different phases such as magnetite, maghemite, and hematite were crystallized in the glass. The maximum stability temperature of magnetite and maghemite were 360℃  and 440℃  respectively. By increasing the heat treatment temperature to higher than 440℃ , the oxidation of maghemite to hematite was occureds. The highest magnetization amount (1.9 emu/g) belonged to sample heat treated at 680℃ . By increasing the heat treatment temperature to 840℃ , the magnetization decreased to 0.8 emu/g, due to the oxidation of maghemite. By increasing the heat treatment temperature from 440℃  to 680℃ , crystalline size of maghemite was increased from 40 to 200 nm. By forther increment of temperature to 840℃ , the size of maghemite crystals decreased to 17nm, due to the oxidation of maghemite to hematite.
Abstract
The effect of different heat-treatment temperatures on the magnetic, crystallization, and structural properties of 20SiO2.50FeO.30CaO (mol%) glass ceramics was studied. The initial glass was synthesized by the sol-gel method at 25℃  with a precursors to solvent ratio of 1/5. After aging the resulted gel for 24 h at room temperature, it was dried in an electric dryer at 110 ℃ . By heat treatment at different temperatures, different phases such as magnetite, maghemite, and hematite were crystallized in the glass. The maximum stability temperature of magnetite and maghemite were 360℃  and 440℃  respectively. By increasing the heat treatment temperature to higher than 440℃ , the oxidation of maghemite to hematite was occureds. The highest magnetization amount (1.9 emu/g) belonged to sample heat treated at 680℃ . By increasing the heat treatment temperature to 840℃ , the magnetization decreased to 0.8 emu/g, due to the oxidation of maghemite. By increasing the heat treatment temperature from 440℃  to 680℃ , crystalline size of maghemite was increased from 40 to 200 nm. By forther increment of temperature to 840℃ , the size of maghemite crystals decreased to 17nm, due to the oxidation of maghemite to hematite.
 

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Glasses in the B₂O₃-Li₂ (O, Cl₂, I₂) system were prepared through the conventional melt-quenching method. Then, the conductivity of the molten and glassy states of these compositions was evaluated. Furthermore, the thermal and crystallization behavior of the glasses was determined using simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The electrical conductivity of the melts was measured at temperatures ranging from 863 to 973 K, and the activation energy of the samples was calculated using the data obtained from ion conduction in the molten state and found to be in the vicinity of 32 kcal/mol. In glassy states, electrical conductivity was also measured. To determine this property, the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy method (EIS) was used. In the molten state, temperature played an important role in the ion conductivity; however, at lower temperatures, other factors became important. Based on the results, the addition of LiI and LiCl to the B₂O₃-Li₂O base glass system (75 B₂O₃, 10 Li₂O, 7.5 LiI, 7.5 LiCl) (mol%) increases the ionic conductivity of the glass from 3.2 10^-8 S.cm^-1 to 1.4 10^-7 S.cm^-1 at 300 K.
 

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In the present investigation, an attempt was made to evaluate the dissolution behavior of Ti in molten KCl-LiCl. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of heated Ti plate at 800 oC for 4 h without carbon black in molten salt revealed that TiCl3 formation was feasible. For more assurance, Ti plate was heated at 950 oC for 4 h in the presence of carbon black to identify synthesized TiC. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) images from precursors and the final product showed that nano-crystalline TiC formation from coarse Ti particles was almost impossible without Ti dissolution. Thermodynamics calculations using Factsage software proved that it was possible to form various TiClx compounds. The TiC formation mechanism can be discussed in two possible ways: a reaction between Ti ion and carbon black for synthesizing TiC (direct) and a reaction between TiCl4 and carbon black led to indirect TiC synthesis. Elemental mapping using energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDS) indicated that up to 815 oC, chlorine existed in the map. 

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This study explores the fabrication, structural analysis, and cytocompatibility of cobalt-doped bioactive glass scaffolds for potential applications in bone tissue engineering. A specific glass composition modified from Hench's original formulation was melted, quenched, and ground to an average particle size of 10 μm. The resulting amorphous powder underwent controlled sintering to form green bodies and was extensively characterized using simultaneous differential thermal analysis (DTA), Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier Transform Infrared analysis (FTIR). After mixing with a resin and a dispersant, the composite was used in digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing to construct scaffolds with interconnected macropores. Thermal post-treatment of 3D printed scaffolds, including debinding (Removing the binder that used for shaping) and sintering, was optimized based on thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and the microstructure was examined using FE-SEM and XRD. In vitro bioactivity was assessed by immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF), while cytocompatibility with MC3T3 cells was evaluated through SEM following a series of ethanol dehydrations. The study validates the fabrication of bioactive glass scaffolds with recognized structural and morphological properties, establishing the effects of cobalt doping on glass behavior and its implications for tissue engineering scaffolds. Results show, Low cobalt levels modify the glass network and reduce its Tg to 529 ^oC, while higher concentrations enhance the structure in point of its connectivity. XRD results shows all prepared glasses are amorphous nature, and DTA suggests a concentration-dependent Tg relationship. Spectroscopy indicates potential Si-O-Co bonding and effects on SiO2 polymerization. Cobalt's nucleating role promotes crystalline phases, enhancing bioactivity seen in rapid CHA layer formation in SBF, advancing the prospects for bone tissue engineering materials.

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Abstract
The power line insulators are permanently exposed to various environmental pollutants such as dust and fine particles. This may lead to flashovers and therefore widespread power blackouts and heavy economic damage. One way to overcome this problem is to make the insulator surface superhydrophobic. In this research, the superhydrophobic properties of the insulators were improved by applying room-temperature cured composite coatings consisting of epoxy and hydrophobic nano-silica particles. Either octadecyl trichlorosilane (ODTS) or hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) was used to coat the silica nanoparticles and make them hydrophobic. Then, the hydrophobic silica was added to a mixture of epoxy resin and hardener. The suspension was applied on the surfaces of a commercial porcelain insulator and cold cured at ambient temperature. The coating increased the water contact angle from 50° to 149°. Even after 244 h exposure to the UV light, the samples preserved their hydrophobic properties. The adhesion of the coating was rated as 4B according to the ASTM D3359 standard. The coating decreased the leakage current by 40% and increased the breakdown voltage by 86% compared to the uncoated sample and showed promise for making power line insulators self-cleaning.