Heavy metals have a major contribution to biosphere pollution due to toxicity. The detection and monitoring of the environmental agents in soil, water and air is very important for the general health of humans and animals. It has been recently shown that electrochemical techniques such as differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) using modified electrodes are very attractive methods for detecting heavy metals. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of hydrothermal process combined with electrochemical techniques to obtain modified electrodes based on functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and polyaniline (PANI) for metals detection. Commercial multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were functionalized by a mixture of HNO3/H2SO4 and further used for hydrothermal synthesis of CNT-PANI composites with different mass ratios. The resulted powders were analyzed by spectral (Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy) and thermal (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) methods, and then dispersed in a surfactant/electrolyte solution for preliminary electrochemical experiments (cyclic voltammetry, CV and DPV) to obtain modified electrodes. The influence of the CNT: PANI mass ratio and the synthesis time on the formation of composites with the desired structural and electrochemical properties were studied. It was found that CNT-PANI composite powder having mass ratio 1:4 and synthesis time 3h has the best structural and thermal characteristics and formed a weakly conductive film on the surface of the glassy carbon electrode. Preliminary electrochemical tests revealed the electroactive forms of polyaniline, through the presence of characteristic oxidation peaks but also reduction peaks, corresponding to reversible redox reactions, demonstrating that glassy carbon electrode has been electrochemically modified with CNT-PANI coatings. Further studies will be conducted to test the potential application of glassy carbon electrode modified with CNT-PANI coatings as electrochemical sensor for heavy metals detection.
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This research deals with the mechanical properties, microstructure, and interrelations of triple nanocomposite based on PET/EPDM/Nanoclay. These properties were examined in different percentages of PET/EPDM blend with compatibilizer (Styrene-Ethylene/Butylene-Styrene)-G-(Maleic anhydrate) (SEBS-g-MAH). Results showed that the addition of 15% SEBS-g-MAH improved the toughness and impact strength of this nanocomposite. SEM micrographs indicated the most stable fuzzy microstructure in a 50/50 mixture of scattered phases of EPDM/SEBS-g-MAH. The effects of percentages of 1, 3, 5, 7 nanoclay Cloisite 30B (C30B) on the improvement of the properties were evaluated. With the addition of nano clay, the toughness and impact strength was reduced. Thermal destruction of nanoclay in processing temperature led to the decreasing dispersion of clay plates in the matrix and a reduction in the distances of nano clay plates in the composite compared to pure nano clay. XRD and TEM analysis was used to demonstrate the results. By adding 1% of nanoclay to the optimal sample, maximum stiffness, and Impact strength, among other nanocomposites, was achieved.
The current research explored the potential of microalgal species Chlorella vulgaris and Pretreatment to remediate plastic waste. It was concluded from the results that Pretreatment had a marked effect on the cracking and alteration of plastic polymer, which helped to grow microbial species on the cracked surface as evident by Compound Microscopy (CM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. FTIR data also supported the notion that in the absence of any pretreatment, the microbial species were not able to mediate plastic biodegradation efficiently as the nature of functional groups was different in the presence and absence of Pretreatment. GCMS analysis revealed that the microbial specie could produce the biodegradation products which were likely to be found in the structure of PET, including alkanes ester, fatty acids, benzoic acid, and aromatics and the most toxic product of biodegradation is Bis (2-Ethyl hexyl phthalate), which is the biodegradation product of toxic ingredient of plastics that is phthalic acid.
Achievements in the field of biomaterials have as a basis three scientific domains: chemistry, biology and physics, then the technical application or the putting up culminating with clinical achievements. Dental prostheses, regardless of their type, replaced the lack of teeth. Although, mainly, many people that lost their teeth could continue life with the help of prostheses in a way pretty decent, dental prostheses shows some disadvantages that make them even unbearable for some people. The study aims at analyzing the biological behavior of sandwich type structures that reunite the classic acrylate and a silicone layer, namely the Flexite type elastic acrylate. We used a silicone material, RUBBER 732 RTV, which is frequently used in mucous-bone support deficits, especially in oral maxillofacial surgery post interventions. The tensile strength was tested ona TEXTENSER traction test machine, in view of establishing the chemical analysis of the 2 materials used. Regarding the maximum tensile strength for sandwich-type test samples, the flexible acrylate - silicone RUBBER 732 RTV structure broke at 1125N, while for the classic acrylate – silicone material a fracture value of 950N was recorded. The structure of the two biomaterials within the sandwich type test samples decisively influences the force and tension at which the fracture occurs, as well as the fracture route, which is linear, without the displacement of fragments, both the flexible acrylate and the silicone being affected, respectively a linear route at the level of the acrylic structure, affecting the acrylate – silicone interface for the classic acrylate – silicone test samples.
Polymer films with high refractive index are suitable for a wide range of applications, such as optical fibers, lens and other components for optoelectronic devices. In this work, polyvinyl alcohol films were prepared from aqueous solutions, which were homogenized by ultrasonication. In order to increase the refractive index, the polymer was reinforced with barium titanate nanoparticles, which are previously ultrasonicated for an adequate dispersion inside the host polymer. The dispersion of the refractive index in visible domain was analyzed as a function of filler percent introduced in polymer, showing that an increase in sample`s polarizability determined an increase in the refractive index values. The reinforcement caused a decrease of Abbe number indicating a higher light dispersion in the samples. Optical dispersion parameters were extracted from dispersion curves, revealing a reduction of band gap from 3.448 eV for pure polymer to 2.605 eV for the sample containing 2% barium titanate. Doping with the ceramic nanofiller determined a increase in optical conductivity and real part of dielectric constant as a result of appearance of new level states in the band gap. The increase of third order nonlinear optical susceptibility and nonlinear refractive index indicates the suitability of the analyzed nanocomposites for nonlinear optics applications.
Composite resin materials for posterior restorations are becoming more and more popular. According to the market, Ormocer materials are more expensive than composite resin this paper is comparing the resistance to fracture between nanohybrid composites and Ormocers under vertical forces to evaluate their cost efficiency in the dental cabinets. 20 teeth were prepared and filled with Ormocer and 20 with nanohybrid composite respectively. All the samples were sent for measuring under vertical pressure with the use of a universal testing machine. The average value of fracture for Ormocer was slightly higher (1541 N) than the average value of fracture of the nanohybrid composite (1431 N). Considering the similarity in the average values of the two materials we should look into the other properties (biocompatibility, shrinkage, aesthetics, etc) to take a final decision. Both materials can be used with the same rate of success taking in account always the protocol provided by the manufacturer.
The form of the outer and inner surfaces of hollow spherical parts determines the developments of some particular categories of efforts during the compression tests. The overall purpose of the research presented in this paper was to study the behaviour of the hollow spherical parts under axial compression. The PLA hollow spherical parts were obtained by 3D printing and using distinct values for certain process input factors. The finite element method was used to theoretically investigate the behaviour of the parts and it highlighted the total plastic deformation of the test pieces. To experimentally verify the theoretical considerations, an L9 Taguchi orthogonal design was performed. The empirical mathematical model thus determined highlighted the stronger influence exerted by the printing plate temperature, printing speed, and part wall thickness.
The needs of environmental protection led to the introduction of composites based on the use of plastics reinforced with biodegradable materials or other easily accessible materials. The overall purpose of the research was to experimentally investigate the possibilities of using some accessible reinforcement materials. Textile based on plants fibers and glass fibers were used as reinforcement materials, while the matrix was a polymer type material. An empirical mathematical model was proposed to highlight the effect of the number of glass fiber reinforcements on the tensile strength. The determined mathematical empirical model and graphical representations highlight how the number of glass fiber reinforcements affects the modulus of elasticity of the composite materials.
It is actual now to work out new radiation protecting sheeting on the basis of non-curing polymeric composition which possess self-adhesion properties, are easily mounted and dismantled and provide high tightness and low permeability. Mechanical properties of non-curing composites consisting of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), industrial oil (IO), alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin (PF) with addition of barite (52 %) to the total material volume were investigated in this article. The aim of investigation is to find optimal content of the above mentioned components at which it would be possible to get the following properties: composite would be sticky enough (peel strength not less than 4 N/cm); character of a separation would be cohesive (on a material) and thus there would be no migration of softener and satisfactory resistance of fluidity. The results showed that PF addition till 20 % in the system EPDM/PF leads to the increasing of adhesive strength, in this case optimal oil concentration in the system EPDM/PF/IO is in the interval from 45 till 55 %. New self-adhesion lead-free material, exhibited higher X-ray-shielding properties, is also received in the result of investigation.
The paper presents the mechanical behaviour and properties of a new hybrid vegetal based resin. For this, through static loading tests, the main mechanical characteristics were determined: static Young modulus, breaking strength, breaking elongation and transversal Poisson ratio. Samples of the proposed materials were subjected also to free vibration tests, by clamping them at one end and leaving them free at the other. The observation and results from these were used for deduction of the first vibration mode eigenfrequency, the dynamic Young modulus, the loss and damping factors. Some representative SEM images with an electronic microscope were collected and the samples surface roughness was determined. By using the Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the mass loss up to 800° C was investigated. Compared to the other resins that have dammar in composition, the proposed dammar based resin from this research has a 15.32 times higher static Young modulus than the oil palm trunk and 8.885 times higher than the oil palm trunk (OPT) with 20% dammar resin.