Enhancement of glass-ceramic performance by TiO2 doping: In vitro cell viability,proliferation, and differentiation

A new TiO₂-containing bioactive glass and glass-ceramics based on 50SiO₂-(45-X)CaO-(XTiO₂)-5P₂O₅ system was designed using a sol–gel technique (where X = 5, 7.5 and 10 wt %). The roles of the crystallization behavior and physicochemical characteristics of the designed glass and glass-ceramics which were played in the introduction of TiO₂ substitutions were investigated. Moreover, cell proliferation and differentiation were evaluated against human osteosarcoma cells (Saos-2). The TiO₂/CaO replacements led to the formation of a stronger glass structure and thus increased thermal parameters and the chemical stabilization of the designed materials. The FTIR data confirmed the existence of Ti within the glass and glass-ceramics samples, and no remarkable effect on their chemical integrity was observed. The XRD patterns indicated that calcium-containing minerals, including Ca₂SiO₄,Ca₃(PO₄)₂, Ca(Ti,Si)O₅, CaTiSiO₅, and Ca₁₅(PO₄)₂·(SiO₄)₆ phases were developed as a role of structure/texture under the applied heat-treatment. The results of the cytotoxicity test proved that a safe sample dose is 12–50 μg/ml, at which cell viability is ≥ 85%. The cell differentiation determined by ALP test proved the superiority of glass-ceramics compared with their native glasses. Therefore, the obtained materials could be safely used as novel biocompatible materials for the regeneration of bone tissue.     

Sol–gel synthesis of Nd-doped BiFeO3 multiferroic and its characterization

Neodymium doped bismuth ferrite (BiFeO₃, BFO) nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a facile sol–gel route. The influence of annealing temperature, time, Bi content and solvent on the crystal structure of BFO was studied. Results indicated that the optimum processing condition of BFO products was 550–600 °C/1.5 h with excess 3–6% Bi and ethylene glycol as solvent. On the other hand, Nd³⁺ ion was introduced into the BFO system and the effect of Nd³⁺ concentration on the structure, magnetic and dielectric properties of BFO were investigated. It was found that the magnetization of BFO was enhanced significantly with Nd³⁺ substitution, being attributed to the suppression of the spiral cycloidal magnetic structure led by the crystal structure transition. Furthermore, with increasing Nd³⁺ content, the dielectric constant was found to decrease while the dielectric loss was enhanced, which was mainly due to the hoping conduction mechanism with the reduction of oxygen vacancies.     

SiC/SiC mini-composites with multilayer ZrSiO4 interphase: Room-temperature properties and toughening mechanism

SiC/SiC mini-composites reinforced with SiC fibers coated with different numbers of ZrSiO₄ sublayers prepared via a non-hydrolytic sol-gel process were fabricated. The tensile strength and work of fracture of the prepared SiC/SiC mini-composites were determined, and the relationship between their mechanical properties and fracture morphologies was discussed. The toughening mechanism and the variation tendency of their mechanical properties were further elaborated by analyzing the interfacial debonding morphologies of the SiC/SiC mini-composites with 1 and 4 layers of ZrSiO₄ interphase as well as the results of prior studies. A relatively rare phenomenon—the delamination of the multilayer ZrSiO₄ interphase in the SiC/SiC mini-composites but not on the SiC fibers—was observed, which clearly demonstrated the weak bonding between the ZrSiO₄ sublayers in the SiC/SiC mini-composites. The ZrSiO₄ sublayer delamination mechanism was then explained based on the high-magnification morphologies found in and beside the ZrSiO₄ interphase.     

Efficient dye-sensitized solar cells based on CNTs and Zr-doped TiO2 nanoparticles

The light scattering, harvesting and adsorption effects in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are studied by preparation of coated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with TiO₂ and Zr-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles in the forms of mono- and double-layer cells. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that the phase composition of Zr-doped TiO₂ electrode is a mixture of anatase and rutile phases with major rutile content, whereas it is the same mixture with major anatase content for coated CNTs with TiO₂. Furthermore, the average crystallite size of Zr-doped TiO₂ electrode is slightly decreased with Zr introduction. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) images show that the porosity of Zr-doped TiO₂ electrodes is higher than that of undoped electrode, enhancing dye adsorption. UV–visible spectroscopy analysis reveals that the absorption onset of Zr-doped TiO₂ electrodes is slightly shifted to longer wavelength (the red-shift) in comparison with that of undoped TiO₂ electrode. Moreover, the band gap energy of TiO₂ nanoparticles is decreased by Zr introduction, enhancing light absorption. It is found that electron injection of monolayer TiO₂ electrode is improved by introduction of 0.025 mol% Zr, resulted in enhancement of its power conversion efficiency (PCE) up to 6.81% compared with 6.17% for pure TiO₂ electrode. Moreover, electron transport and light scattering are enhanced by incorporation of 0.025 wt% coated CNTs with TiO₂ in the over-layer of double layer electrode. Therefore, double layer solar cell composed of 0.025 mol% Zr-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles as the under-layer and mixtures of these nanoparticles and 0.025 wt% coated CNTs with TiO₂ as the over-layer shows the highest PCE of 8.19%.     

Polyimide/nano-TiO2 hybrid films having benzoxazole pendent groups: In situ sol–gel preparation and evaluation of properties

Polyimide/titania (PI/TiO₂) nanocomposite films have been successfully fabricated through the in situ formation of TiO₂ within a PI matrix via sol–gel method. Poly(amic acid) (PAA), which is the precursor of PI, was successfully synthesized by mixing pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), with equimolar amount of a diamine monomer having a pendent benzoxazole unit and two flexible ether linkages in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent. Tetraethyl orthotitanate [Ti(OEt)₄] and acetylacetone were then added to the resulted PAA. After imidization at high temperature, PI/TiO₂ hybrid films were formed. The structure and morphology of the hybrid nanocomposites with different titania contents (0 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 15 wt%) were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The results indicate that the TiO₂ nanoparticles were homogeneously dispersed in the hybrid films. The thermogravimetric analysis of nanocomposites confirms the improvement in the thermal stability with the increase in the percentage of titania nanoparticle. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the nanoparticles with an average diameter of 25–40 nm were dispersed in the polymer matrix.     

丙烯酸酯聚氨酯紫外固化凝胶生成动力学研究

采用丙烯酸酯聚氨酯和二苯甲酮/安息香乙醚复合光敏剂,对该体系紫外光固化反应的凝胶生成动力学进行分析。用红外光谱定量测定光聚合过程的变化,发现光聚合反应主要是以双键打开,交联为特征的,并得出1408cm~(-1)双键吸收峰随光照时间而变化的关系式:P_(c=c)=0.325 t~(0.135)。临界凝胶点可由双键反应程度与凝胶分数之间关系外推得到,凝胶点后,体系中存在一个凝胶与溶胶之间分配关系,此时凝胶与溶胶共存,凝胶中双键反应程度P_(A(g))>总双键反应程度P_A>溶胶中双键反应程度P_(A(S))。随着凝胶增加,P_A和P_(A(g))逐渐上升,而P_(A(s))下降。此体系的紫外固化实验工作曲线与理论值基本一致。     

硅溶胶型壳的制壳工艺参数--对硅溶胶型壳的几点认识之二

硅溶胶型壳的面层和背层对硅溶胶和耐火粉料的要求是不一样的。分析了硅溶胶胶粒直径和分布、锆英粉中(ZrHf)O2和Fe2O3的含量、耐火粉料的粒度等对型壳质量的影响：面层和背层制壳对干燥室的温度、湿度、风速有不同的要求，应分别制订不同的工艺规范。     

影响PEO—SiO_2体系复合材料溶胶—凝胶时间的因素分析

利用溶胶法制备有机无机复合材料,具有广阔的应用前景。目前国内对其各项性能、反应条件进行了大量研究。为寻求更理想的性能及制备手段.本文就PEO—SiO2体系有机一无机复合材料的一些参数对凝胶时间的影响进行了研究。     

精密铸造4种制壳工艺特点分析及改进方向探讨

对目前国内精铸行业中广泛应用的4种制壳工艺的特点进行了分析对比。从精铸件质量比较，水玻璃型壳较差，复合型壳、硅溶胶-低温蜡型壳次之，硅溶胶-中温蜡型壳最好。而从制壳成本比较，水玻璃型壳最低，硅溶胶-中温蜡型壳最高。对这4种制壳工艺分别提出了改进措施。