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Topic Review
Biodegradable Film Materials for Packaging
In today’s world, the problem of “white pollution” is becoming more and more serious, and many countries have paid special attention to this problem, and it has become one of the most important tasks to reduce polymer waste and to protect the environment. Due to the degradability, safety, economy and practicality of biodegradable packaging film materials, biodegradable packaging film materials have become a major trend in the packaging industry to replace traditional packaging film materials, provided that the packaging performance requirements are met. Degraded plastics are plastics that have been subjected to defined environmental conditions for a period of time and contain one or more steps that result in significant changes in the chemical structure of the material resulting in loss of certain properties (such as integrity, molecular mass, structure or mechanical strength) and/or fragmentation.
  • 629
  • 19 May 2022
Topic Review
Micro/Nano Soft Film Sensors for Intelligent Plant Systems
Being abundant as natural intelligence, plants have attracted huge attention from researchers. Soft film sensors present a novel and promising approach to connect plants with artificial devices, helping researchers to investigate plants’ intelligence further. For micro/nano soft film sensors that can be used for establishing intelligent plant systems are summarized, including essential materials, fabrications, and application scenarios.
  • 626
  • 30 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Polysiloxane-Based Electrolytes
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are a very promising solution as remote sustainable low power sources for portable electronics and Internet of Things (IoT) applications due to their room-temperature and low-cost fabrication, as well as their high efficiency under artificial light. In addition, new achievements in developing semitransparent devices are driving interest in their implementation in the building sector. However, the main obstacle towards the large-scale exploitation of DSSCs mainly concerns their limited long-term stability triggered by the use of liquid electrolytes. 
  • 625
  • 24 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Nanocarriers for Sustainable Active Packaging
Lockdown has been installed due to the fast spread of COVID-19, and several challenges have occurred. Active packaging was considered a sustainable option for mitigating risks to food systems during COVID-19. Biopolymeric-based active packaging incorporating the release of active compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity represents an innovative solution for increasing shelf life and maintaining food quality during transportation from producers to consumers. However, food packaging requires certain physical, chemical, and mechanical performances, which biopolymers such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids have not satisfied. In addition, active compounds have low stability and can easily burst when added directly into biopolymeric materials. Due to these drawbacks, encapsulation into lipid-based, polymeric-based, and nanoclay-based nanocarriers has currently captured increased interest. Nanocarriers can protect and control the release of active compounds and can enhance the performance of biopolymeric matrices. 
  • 624
  • 26 Jan 2022
Topic Review
Phase Behavior of Blend Materials
Blend materials refer to two or more polymers are formed by mixing together by physical or chemical methods, such as mixing block copolymers with block copolymers, block copolymers with homopolymers.
  • 619
  • 13 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Gas/Solid Interface Charging Phenomena
Surface charge accumulation in the spacer modifies local electric fields, which restricts the industrialization of high voltage direct current (HVDC) gas-insulated transmission lines (GILs). In this paper, the state of art in gas/solid interface charging physics and models, covering areas of charge measurement techniques, charge transport mechanisms, charge related DC surface flashover models, and charge control methods, is reviewed and discussed. Key issues that should be considered in future studies are summarized and proposed. The purpose of this work is to provide a brief update on the most important and latest progress in this research area, and to educate readers as to the current state of the gas-solid interface charging phenomenon, which has seen great progress in the past few years.
  • 593
  • 10 Dec 2020
Topic Review
Physical Vapor Deposition for Decorative Applications
Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) is a widely utilized process in various industrial applications, serving as a protective and hard coating. However, its presence in fields like fashion has only recently emerged, as electroplating processes had previously dominated this reality. The future looks toward the replacement of the most hazardous and toxic electrochemical processes, especially those involving Cr(VI) and cyanide galvanic baths, which have been restricted by the European Union. Unfortunately, a complete substitution with PVD coatings is not feasible. The combination of both techniques is employed to achieve new aesthetic features, including a broader color range and diverse textures, rendering de facto PVD of primary interest for the decorative field and the fashion industry.
  • 586
  • 22 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Hydrodynamics on Microbial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation
Studying microbial adhesion and biofilm growth is crucial for understanding the physiology of sessile organisms and forming the basis for the development of novel antimicrobial materials. Fluid hydrodynamics is one of the most important factors affecting cell adhesion, as well as biofilm structure and behavior. Therefore, to simulate the relevant biofilms of different fields (environment, industry, and medicine) in the laboratory, it is of utmost importance to select an adequate biofilm platform and be able to operate it at hydrodynamic conditions that are as close as possible to those encountered in a real scenario.
  • 583
  • 21 Oct 2021
Topic Review
Development of Antifouling Strategies for Marine Applications
Marine biofouling is an undeniable challenge for aquatic systems since it is responsible for several environmental and ecological problems and economic losses. Several strategies have been developed to mitigate fouling-related issues in marine environments, including thermal stress, osmotic shock, deoxygenation, and the development of marine coatings using nanotechnology and biomimetic models, as well as the incorporation of natural compounds, peptides, bacteriophages, or specific enzymes on surfaces. 
  • 574
  • 07 Jul 2023
Topic Review
Alkyl Chains Impact in Polymer-Based organic Solar Cells
The research for efficient organic materials organized in bulk heterojunction (BHJ) thin films for organic photovoltaics (OPVs) has shown a significant breakthrough. Desired structural organization can be attained through various strategies. Conjugated polymer-based bulk heterojunction solar cells have exhibited high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). The role of side chain engineering in solution-processable conjugated polymers is taking a growing role in these record performances. 
  • 570
  • 20 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Natural Polymeric Carbohydrate-Based Antibiofilm Materials
Natural biopolymers, especially carbohydrates, show excellent material properties, such as mechanical strength, plasticity, and biodegradability. In addition, the anionic charges of hydrophilic polysaccharides (such as sulfate polysaccharides, hyaluronic acid, etc.) allow ionic attraction with metal ions or organic salts, and thereby they achieve antibacterial material properties. These antibacterial materials can be used to make implants for biomedical use. However, in-vivo compatibility remains a major limitation of such polymeric materials. 
  • 560
  • 16 Aug 2022
Topic Review
Essential Oils Stabilization into Biodegradable Food Packaging Materials
Human health, food spoilage, and plastic waste, which are three great topical concerns, intersect in the field of food packaging. This has created a trend to replace synthetic food preservatives with natural ones, to produce bio-functional food packaging, and to shift towards biodegradable polymeric materials. Essential oils are gaining more and more attention in food packaging applications due to their various benefits and fewer side-effects. Fixation into polymeric matrices by emulsification and electrospinning, represents suitable strategies  for protection and stabilization of essential oils, promoting the benefits and reducing the drawbacks. This review focuses on creating correlations between the use of essential oils as natural additives, stabilization methods, and biodegradable polymeric matrices or substrates in developing bioactive food packaging materials.
  • 554
  • 11 Nov 2021
Topic Review
Agro-Food Waste Valorization for Sustainable Bio-Based Packaging
The increase in the generation of agro-food processing waste, coupled with uncontrolled disposal and inefficient recovery methods, has raised concerns among society, industries, and the research community. This issue is compounded by the accumulation of conventional synthetic packaging. Owing to their significant environmental and economic impacts, the development of sustainable, biocompatible, and biodegradable materials has become an urgent target. In this context, research efforts have been directed toward developing new packaging materials based on renewable sources, such as agro-food waste, contributing to the circular economy concept.
  • 544
  • 17 Feb 2024
Topic Review
Characterization of Polymeric Coatings
The development of anti-corrosion polymeric coatings has grown exponentially in the fields of material science, chemistry, engineering, and nanotechnology and has prompted the evolution of efficient characterization techniques. Polymeric coatings represent a well-established protection system that provides a barrier between a metallic substrate and the environment. However, the increase in complexity and functionality of these coatings requires high-precision techniques capable of predicting failures and providing smart protection.
  • 542
  • 22 Jun 2022
Topic Review
Thermochromic Smart Windows Assisted by Photothermal Nanomaterials
Thermochromic smart windows are optical devices that can regulate their optical properties actively in response to external temperature changes. Due to their simple structures and as they do not require other additional energy supply devices, they have great potential in building energy-saving.
  • 540
  • 23 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Grain Boundary Diffusion Sources
Grain boundary diffusion process provides a promising way to enhance coercivity for Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets with a tiny consumption of critical rare earth resources. By this method, during a diffusion heat treatment, diffusion sources infiltrate from magnet surface into interior of magnet through melting grain boundary phases. Nowadays, 3 generations of grain boundary diffusion sources haven been developed, i.e., heavy rare earth based, light rare earth based, and non-rare earth based sources.
  • 535
  • 24 Sep 2021
Topic Review
Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Seed Priming against Environmental Stresses
Drastic climate changes over the years have triggered environmental challenges for wild plants and crops due to fluctuating weather patterns worldwide. This has caused different types of stressors, responsible for a decrease in plant life and biological productivity, with consequent food shortages, especially in areas under threat of desertification. Nanotechnology-based approaches have great potential in mitigating environmental stressors, thus fostering a sustainable agriculture. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) have demonstrated to be biostimulants as well as remedies to both environmental and biotic stresses. Their administration in the early sowing stages, i.e., seed priming, proved to be effective in improving germination rate, seedling and plant growth and in ameliorating the indicators of plants’ well-being. Seed nano-priming acts through several mechanisms such as enhanced nutrients uptake, improved antioxidant properties, ROS accumulation and lipid peroxidation. The target for seed priming by ZnO NPs is mostly crops of large consumption or staple food, in order to meet the increased needs of a growing population and the net drop of global crop frequency, due to climate changes and soil contaminations. 
  • 534
  • 11 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Principle of Cold Spray Technology
Copper (Cu)-based composite coatings have been widely applied in all kinds of important industry fields due to their outstanding comprehensive properties. The preparation temperature of a composite coating is the key factor affecting the properties, so the cold spray (CS) technology is characterized by low-temperature solid-state deposition, which ensures its emergence as the most promising technology for preparing the Cu-based composite coatings. The CS process is achieved using high-pressure gas, during which the solid particles are regulated to impact the substrate at a supersonic speed and then deposited on the substrate surface to form a coating through severe plastic deformation. As a low-temperature solid-state deposition method, CS is characterized by a low deposition temperature, a low oxidation ratio of powder, a high deposition efficiency, little thermal influence on the substrate, etc., by which coatings with low porosity, high compactness, and controllable thickness can be prepared, establishing its indispensable position among coating preparation technologies.
  • 527
  • 14 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Organic Coating-Embedded Health Monitoring Technologies
In line with the recent industrial trends of hyperconnectivity, 5G technology deployment, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0, the ultimate goal of corrosion prevention is the invention of smart coatings that are able to assess their own condition, predict the onset of corrosion and alert users just before it happens. It is of particular interest to tackle corrosion that occurs in non-accessible areas where human inspectors or handheld devices are useless. To accomplish this, a variety of technologies that are embedded or could potentially be embedded into the coatings are being developed to monitor coating condition, which are based, for instance, on the evolution of electrochemical or mechanical properties over time. For these technologies to be fully embedded into the coatings and work remotely, solutions are needed for connectivity and power supply. A paradigm shift from routine prescheduled maintenance to condition-based preventive maintenance could then become a reality.
  • 520
  • 11 May 2022
Topic Review
Buried Interface of Perovskite Solar Cells
Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been developed rapidly in recent years because of their excellent photoelectric performance. However, interfacial non-radiative recombination hinders the improvement of device performance. The buried interface modification strategy can minimize the non-radiation recombination in the interface and can obtain the high efficiency and stability of PSCs.
  • 520
  • 31 Jul 2023
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