Search Results (95)

This work investigates the feasibility of synthesis hybrid x Gd₂O₃ + (100 − x) Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles using the scalable method of high-energy ball milling for dual-contrast magnetic resonance imaging applications. Comprehensive studies of the structure, magnetic and functional properties of the hybrid nanoparticles were conducted. It was found that the milling process initiates the transformation of the cubic phase c-Gd₂O₃ ($\mathrm{I}\mathrm{a}\overline{3}$) into the monoclinic m-Gd₂O₃ (C2/m). Measurements of the magnetic properties showed that the specific saturation magnetization of the Fe₃O₄ phase is substantially reduced, which is a characteristic feature of nanoparticles due to phenomena such as surface spin disorder and spin-canting effects. The transmission electron microscopy results confirm the formation of hybrid Fe₃O₄-Gd₂O₃ nanostructures and the measured particle sizes show good correlation with the X-ray diffraction results. A comprehensive structure–property relationship study revealed that the obtained hybrid nanoparticles exhibit high r₂ values, reaching 160 mM⁻¹s⁻¹ and low r₁ values, a characteristic that is determined primarily by the presence of a large fraction of Gd₂O₃ particles with sizes of ≈30 nm and Fe₃O₄ crystallites of ≈10 nm. Full article

Ceramic balls, as an emerging grinding medium, require a systematic method for optimizing their size distribution in wet ball mills. This study proposes an innovative approach that integrates Duan’s semi-theoretical ball diameter formula with breakage statistical mechanics to determine the optimal ceramic ball size distribution. The ideal ball diameters for grinding 2.36–3.0 mm, 1.18–2.36 mm, 0.60–1.18 mm, and 0.30–0.60 mm tungsten ore were identified as 55 mm, 50 mm, 35 mm, and 20 mm, respectively. Subsequently, the optimal ball size distribution was formulated as CB3: Ø55 mm:Ø50 mm:Ø35 mm:Ø20 mm = 30%:40%:20%:10%. Comparative sieve analysis and discrete element method (DEM) simulations confirmed that the CB3 distribution yields the highest proportion of qualified particles, the most favorable collision frequency, and the greatest kinetic energy among all tested configurations. The proposed method demonstrates both accuracy and practicality, providing a theoretical foundation for the industrial application of ceramic ball grinding systems. Full article

To achieve the upcycling of annually upsurging lignocellulosic wastes, the artificial humification of furfural residue is investigated under hydrothermal conditions with the objective of producing a high-concentration nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) suspension fertilizer. Through orthogonal analysis, process conditions are optimized as a liquid-to-solid (aqueous KOH to furfural residue) ratio of 15, a reaction time of 5 h and a hydrothermal temperature of 160 °C. Subsequently, we screen out a formulation of suspension agents to stabilize the alkaline leachate, in which 0.50% sodium lignosulfonate, 0.20% xanthan gum and 0.05% potassium sorbate are incorporated via wet ball-milling. The Herschel–Bulkley equation well fits the rheological characteristics of the resulting suspension fertilizer with R² value exceeding 0.99. This suspension system is thus determined as one pseudoplastic non-Newtonian fluid. Due to higher static viscosity, it demonstrates superior anti-agglomeration capacity within a temperature range of 15–55 °C, while flowing smoothly through pipes during high-speed spraying onto the soil relied on its shear thinning. These findings provide novel insights for the high-value utilization of bio-waste and the development of new fertilizers with less consumption of energy and water. Full article

Zero-dimensional (0D) tin halide perovskites have emerged as promising luminescent materials owing to their broadband emission, high quantum yield, and negligible self-absorption. Yet, their luminescence efficiency and stability remain insufficient for practical optoelectronic applications. Here, Sb³⁺ dopants are introduced into Cs₄SnBr₆ through a water-assisted wet ball milling strategy, resulting in bright and thermally robust emission. The doped materials exhibit pronounced self-trapped exciton (STE) luminescence centered at 525 nm with a broad full width at half maximum of 110 nm, a large Stokes shift of approximately ~1.3 eV, and a photoluminescence lifetime of ~0.8 µs. Remarkably, Sb³⁺ incorporation boosts the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) up to 64% at room temperature while simultaneously improving thermal stability. Correlated spectroscopic analyses reveal that the Sb³⁺-induced lattice distortion of the [SnBr₆]⁴⁻ octahedra strengthens electron–phonon interactions and elevates the STE binding energy, thereby stabilizing the excited states and suppressing nonradiative losses. Full article

Agricultural and food by-products offer valuable opportunities for circular and bio-based innovation across sectors. In the textile industry, replacing fossil-based coatings with sustainable alternatives is increasingly urgent. This study evaluates the performance of a textile coating based on coffee silverskin (CS)—an abundant by-product of coffee roasting—applied to four natural fibre substrates: cotton, lyocell, wool, and silk. A formulation combining 60% CS sludge (8% solids), treated by wet ball milling, with an aliphatic polyester-polyurethane dispersion was applied via knife coating. Standardised tests assessed mechanical resistance, air permeability, colour fastness, moisture management, and water repellency, including contact angle and drop absorption analyses. Results revealed that all substrates were compatible with the CS-based coating, which reduced air permeability and increased hydrophobicity. Notably, silk showed the most significant functional enhancement, transitioning from hydrophilic to waterproof with increased durability—indicating strong potential for technical applications such as outerwear and performance textiles. Given the renewable origin of both the substrate and coating, this study highlights the feasibility of valorising agri-food waste in high-performance, bio-based textile systems. These findings demonstrate the potential of CS as a bio-based coating for technical textiles, supporting the development of high-performance and sustainable materials within the textile industry. Full article

Pineapple peel cellulose nanofibrils (PCNFs) were facilely prepared by the ball milling method assisted by alkali solution (3 wt% NaOH) and a wet grinding medium, using various treated pineapple peels (hot water treatment (WT), bleaching treatment (BT), alkaline treatment (AT), and baleaching–alkaline treatment (ABT)) as raw materials. The structure of the obtained PCNFs (i.e., WT-PCNF, BT-PCNF, AT-PCNF, and ABT-PCNF) was characterized to analyze the influence of component intervention. The results indicated that NaOH-assisted ball milling did not change the crystal structure of cellulose, and the yield and thermal stability of the PCNFs was improved. The average diameters of WT-PCNF, BT-PCNF, AT-PCNF, and ABT-PCNF were 24.16, 21.53, 23.04, and 19.46 nm, respectively, in which BT-PCNF and ABT-PCNF exhibited a higher defibrillating degree and smaller diameter. Particularly, NaOH-assisted ball milling can promote the removal of non-cellulose components. The viscosity and modulus of BT-PCNF were relatively higher due to the presence of residual hemicellulose as a natural linker of fibers. The current research provides insights for simplifying the preparation and functionalization of nanocellulose. Full article

The inferior electrical conductivity and elevated hardness of AgSnO₂ electrical contact materials have impeded their development. To investigate the effects of Co, Bi, and La doping on the stability and electrical properties of AgSnO₂, this study established interfacial models of doped AgSnO₂ based on first-principles calculations initiated from the atomic structures of constituent materials, subsequently computing electronic structure parameters. The results indicate that doping effectively enhances the interfacial stability and bonding strength of AgSnO₂ and thereby predicted improved electrical contact performance. Doped SnO₂ powders were prepared experimentally using the sol–gel method, and AgSnO₂ contacts were fabricated using high-energy ball milling and powder metallurgy. Testing of wettability and electrical contact properties revealed reductions in arc energy, arcing time, contact resistance, and welding force post-doping. Three-dimensional profilometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to characterize electrical contact surfaces, elucidating the arc erosion mechanism of AgSnO₂ contact materials. Among the doped variants, La-doped electrical contact materials exhibited optimal performance (the lowest interfacial energy was 1.383 eV/Ų and wetting angle was 75.6°). The mutual validation of experiments and simulations confirms the feasibility of the theoretical calculation method. This study provides a novel theoretical method for enhancing the performance of AgSnO₂ electrical contact materials. Full article

The paper deals with the issue of obtaining iron-sulfur-containing binders through their mechanochemical treatment using mutual neutralization and detoxification structure formation, and the curing stage of arbolite concrete composites based on industrial waste under long-term loading were also studied. Due to abrasion and impact, the mutual neutralization and detoxification methods of industrial waste toxic components through their mechanochemical treatment on the structures of ball mill LShM-750, were used to obtain iron-sulfur-containing binders. Pyrite cinders acted as oxidizing agents, and elementary technical sulfur had reduced properties. To determine the rate of creep strain growth, the load on prism samples was applied in the form of specially made spring units at stress levels of 0.15 R_bn, 0.44 R_bn, and 0.74 R_bn, where R_bn is the prism strength of iron-sulfur-containing arbolite concrete in compression. The strength and fracture formations of lightweight iron-sulfur concrete were studied using strain gauge apparatus and depth strain gauges glued on shredded reed fibers using adhesive, installed before concreting. It was revealed that the introduction of a sulfur additive within the range from 10 to 13% increases the compressive strength of iron-sulfur-containing concrete composites prepared with that of mortars at a water/solid ratio equal to 0.385 in wet and dry states. It is found that the deformations occurring under applied load growth proportionally to it, and deviation from this regularity was observed for lightweight iron-sulfur-containing concrete only at high compressive stresses. It was also proved that the destruction of iron-sulfur-containing arbolite occurs sequentially. First, the destruction of the mortar component is observed, and then the organic aggregate in the form of crushed reed fiber is destroyed. It was confirmed that arbolite concrete composite can be used as an effective wall material for civil engineering structure, especially in seismic regions of Kazakhstan. Full article

The development of robust and scalable tablet manufacturing methods remains a key objective in pharmaceutical technology, especially when dealing with active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients that exhibit suboptimal processing properties. This study evaluated two alternative manufacturing strategies for tablets containing sodium naproxen (20%, API), dolomite (65%, sustainable mineral filler), cellulose (7%), polyvinylpyrrolidone (5%, binder), and magnesium stearate (3%, lubricant). The direct compression method used a vibrating ball mill (SPEX SamplePrep 8000M), while the indirect method employed wet granulation using a pan granulator at different inclination angles. Physical properties of raw materials and granules were assessed, and final tablets were evaluated for mass, thickness, mechanical resistance, abrasiveness, and API content uniformity. Direct compression using vibratory mixing for 5–10 min (DT2, DT3) resulted in average tablet masses close to the target (0.260 g) and improved reproducibility compared to a reference V-type blender. Wet granulation produced tablets with the lowest abrasiveness (<1.0%) and minimal variability in dimensions and API content. The best uniformity (SD < 0.5%) was observed in batch IT2. Overall, vibratory mixing proved capable of achieving tablet quality comparable to that of wet granulation, while requiring fewer processing steps. This highlights its potential as an efficient and scalable alternative in solid dosage manufacturing. Full article

Peroxynitrite-based advanced oxidation technology has gradually become a research hotspot for degrading dye wastewater due to its high efficiency and environmentally friendly features. Transition metal elements, which are commonly used as catalysts for the activation of persulfates, suffer from problems such as easy deactivation and leaching of metal ions, which limit their practical application. In this study, Co₇₈Si₈B₁₄/g-C₃N₄ composite catalysts were prepared by wet milling and ball milling methods to investigate their degradation of Orange II dyes by assisting the activation of peroxynitrite under visible light, and the effects of the catalyst ratio, light intensity, and the dosage of catalysts on the degradation performance were investigated. It was shown that the optimum ratio of Co₇₈Si₈B₁₄ to g-C₃N₄ was 1:3, and the reaction rate constants for the degradation of orange dye by Co₇₈Si₈B₁₄/g-C₃N₄ + PMS + VIS were 4.3 and 5.37 times higher than those of single g-C₃N₄ + PMS and Co₇₈Si₈B₁₄ + PMS, respectively. Meanwhile, the composite catalyst also showed good degradation performance for rhodamine B, methyl orange, and methylene blue dyes, and the degradation effect could reach more than 75%. Cyclic stability tests showed that the catalyst maintained a high degradation efficiency of more than 94% over multiple cycles with low ion dissolution concentration. Its high catalytic activity is attributed to the lowest adsorption energy of the composite catalyst to PMS (E_ads = −1.97 eV), which facilitates the degradation reaction, while the synergistic effect of g-C₃N₄ and Co₇₈Si₈B₁₄ promotes the production of ·SO₄, ·OH, and ·O²⁻. This study provides new ideas for the development of stable and efficient catalysts to expand the synergy between PMS-based and other advanced oxidation technologies. Full article

The rapid detoxification and mineralization of Cr(VI) in aqueous environments hold critical importance for emergency response and resource recovery yet remain technically challenging. Herein, we report the synthesis of FeS₂/ZVI composites through ethanol-assisted wet ball-milling and their application in Cr(VI) removal under microwave (MW) irradiation. This study systematically investigates the effects of MW irradiation on the removal efficiency of Cr(VI) using FeS₂/ZVI composites, with particular focus on key parameters including composite dosage, initial pH, MW temperature, and Cr(VI) concentration. Notably, 1 g/L FeS₂/ZVI composites achieved near-complete removal (>99%) of 50 mg/L Cr(VI) within 7 min at a MW irradiation temperature of 333 K, which exhibited 5.9-fold and 13.1-fold superior performance compared to pure pyrite and ZVI, respectively. Additionally, there is a 96.1% reduction in reaction time in comparison to non-MW irradiation system. In real electroplating wastewater samples, Cr(VI) concentration was reduced from 38.93 to 0.42 mg L⁻¹ by MW irradiation-assisted treatment, validating its potential for practical applications in industrial Cr(VI) pollution control. The activation energy determined by fitting the Arrhenius equation showed a 39.7% reduction for the MW-assisted FeS₂/ZVI system (16.0 kJ mol⁻¹) compared to conventional thermal heating (from 25.6 kJ mol⁻¹), indicating that MW irradiation induced catalytic enhancement of FeS₂/ZVI, thereby lowering the energy barrier for Cr(VI) reduction. Moreover, MW irradiation-assisted processes facilitated the mineralization of reduced Cr(III) to stable spinel FeCr₂O₄. These findings collectively establish a synergistic mechanism between MW activation and FeS₂/ZVI composites, offering innovative pathways for efficient Cr(VI) detoxification and resource recovery from high-strength industrial wastewaters. Full article

This study evaluated the structural, physicochemical, and functional characteristics of blueberry residue dietary fiber (DF) extracted by wet ball milling (WB) and cross-linking (C) treatments. The particle size of WB-DF showed a significant decreasing trend (p ≤ 0.05) compared to that of C-DF and blueberry residue. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that WB treatment unfolded the flaky structure of DF and caused more pores to occur. The results showed that the modifications of WB increased the release of active groups and enhanced the hydration and adsorption capacities. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed the highest crystallinity observed for C-DF, resulting in the increased thermal stability of C-DF. The molar ratios of monosaccharides were also influenced by different modification techniques. In addition, WB-DF showed the lowest ζ-potential and highest viscosity among all samples. Conclusively, DF extracted by WB treatment exhibited remarkable application potential in the functional food industry. Full article

This study aims to explore the feasibility of producing submicrometer and nanometer cellulose fibers derived from rice husk treated with a novel method which selectively eliminate hemicellulose and lignin, while maintaining the integrity of the cellulosic and silica constituents. Three distinct processing methods are tested to extract the nanocellulose, namely hand milling, ball milling, and wet milling using a high-shear wet media mill from Masuko Sangyo Co., Ltd., Kawaguchi-city, Japan. A range of analytical methods, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), are utilized to characterize the morphology, elemental composition, thermal stability, and chemical properties of the samples. The study revealed that among the tested methods, only wet milling successfully produced cellulose nanofibrils and silica nanoparticles, forming a biogenic organic–inorganic nanohybrid system. The nanofibers had lengths in the range of 120 nm and below, while the nanoparticles were in the tens of nanometers. The silica nanoparticles were found to adhere to the cellulose nanofibrils, forming a biogenic organic–inorganic nanohybrid system, with potential applications across diverse fields, including biomedical (drug delivery, biosensing, bone regeneration, and wound healing), cosmetic (skin and dental care), technical (insulating aerogels, flame retardants, and UV-absorbing pigments), and food applications (dietary supplements, thickeners). Full article

Fumed silica, a nanomaterial with a high specific surface area, excellent chemical stability, and electrical insulation, serves as an effective filler for rubber compounding. Compared to traditional carbon black, silica (SiO₂), the main component of fumed silica, improves the hardness and tear resistance of tread rubber, making it a viable substitute in some formulations. However, silica-filled compounds generally exhibit lower tensile properties and abrasion resistance than carbon black. Fumed silica, with its higher structural integrity, provides additional reinforcement points within natural rubber matrices, enhancing tensile strength and abrasion resistance. Studies demonstrate that replacing carbon black with an equivalent amount of fumed silica as the primary filler significantly improves tread rubber’s hardness (by 20%) and 300% tensile modulus (by 14%) while also reducing rolling resistance and enhancing wet skid performance. Fumed silica’s large specific surface area and low density (10–15% of conventional silica) make it challenging to use directly as a tread rubber filler due to dust formation and prolonged mixing times. This study developed a process combining fumed silica with deionized water, followed by drying and ball milling. This treatment reduces the material’s volume, forming a cohesive gel that, upon processing, minimizes dust and significantly decreases mixing time and difficulty. The interaction between the hydroxyl (–OH) groups on the surface of fumed silica and water molecules likely results in hydrated silica. This interaction enhances surface polarity and forms a hydration layer, improving the hydrophilicity and dispersion of fumed silica in rubber matrices. This reduces the shear modulus difference (ΔG′) between low and high strain, maintaining a consistent elastic modulus over a wide strain range. Such stability enables rubber to perform better under dynamic loads or in complex working conditions. The experimental results demonstrate that the hydration–ball milling process enhances the tensile strength of vulcanizates, improves the dispersion of fumed silica in rubber, strengthens the filler network, boosts dynamic performance, and enhances the wet skid resistance of tread rubber. Full article

Calcium-silicate-based ceramic composites with different CaO/SiO₂ weight ratios (10/90, 20/80, 30/70, 40/60, 50/50, 60/40, 70/30, 80/20, and 90/10) have been prepared from chicken eggshells and silica gel using attrition milling for 3 h in wet conditions and conventional pressing–heat treatment in the air at 800 °C for 1 h. The effect of the CaO/SiO₂ weight ratio and the calcination period of the eggshells on the microstructural features including apparent density, phase evolution, and morphological properties were investigated. The phase transformation of the powder mixtures after attrition milling for 3 h in ethanol with powder/ball milling mass ratio of 0.0996 (110/1104.7) revealed to have calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)₂) as a dominate phase, which was observed to increase with the increase in calcium oxide (CaO) amount in the powder mixtures. The phase transformation of ceramic samples after heat treatment at 800 °C for 1 h, on the other hand, showed different phases depending on the CaO/SiO₂ weight ratio. The results also show a linear relationship between the CaO/SiO₂ weight ratio and apparent density when the CaO/SiO₂ ratio increase from 0.11 (10/90) to 0.67 (40/60) due to the densification of ceramics. An inversely proportional relationship was found between CaO/SiO₂ and density when the CaO/SiO₂ weight ratio increased from 0.67 (40/60) to 9 (90/10). Full article