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In recent years, Thermochemical Heat Storage (THS) systems and storage materials are important for the development of these systems have attracted a great interest. In this study, composite materials were prepared by impregnating sorbent salts (MgCl2, LiNO3) into vermiculite (V). The cyclical heat storage behaviors of the obtained composite structures were investigated with the laboratory scale thermochemical heat exchanger prototype system. Accordingly, the stability of the V+MgCl2 composite during repeated cycles and the energy storage density (Ed) value calculated as a result of the measurements in the prototype were found to be higher than the V+LiNO3 composite, as in the DSC analysis results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our previous article (Özkan, Philos. Mag. 2014) described a practical method to determine temperature dependence of the bulk modulus by using pressure dependence of the bulk modulus and the related analytical equations. The present study extended the method at low temperatures to obtain the bulk modulus of the superconducting peroxide MgCNi3, below room temperature. The bulk modulus of MgCNi3, decreases with temperature at a rate less than -0.008 GPa/K below 100K, then it decreases at a higher rate, -0.020GPa/K near 300 K, being close to corresponding theoretical values for the other non-oxide perovskites. Moreover, the Gruneisen parameter of MgCNi3, decreases from 300 K to 120 K, goes through a minimum and increases at lower temperatures. The thermal pressure, otvKT gradually increases from 1.1 MPa/K at 40 K to 2.0 at 100K then, increases with slightly reduced rate to 4.9 MPa/K at 300 K being in reasonable agreement with the related data in the literature. This study verifies that the outlined method may be used to predict bulk moduli data below room temperature to substantiate the related studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed-phase TiO2 nanocomposite thin films consisting of anatase and rutile prepared on commercially pure Ti sheets via the electrochemical anodization and annealing treatments were investigated in terms of their photocatalytic activity for antibacterial use around dental implants. The resulting films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The topology was assessed by White Light Optical Profiling (WLOP) in the Vertical Scanning Interferometer (VSI) mode. Representative height descriptive parameters of roughness Rα and Rz were calculated. The photocatalytic activity of the resulting TiO2 films was evaluated by the photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye solution. The antibacterial ability of the photocatalyst was examined by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans suspensions in a colony-forming assay. XRD showed that anatase/rutile mixed-phase TiO2 thin films were predominantly in anatase and rutile that were 54.6 wt% and 41.9 wt%, respectively. Craters (2-5 µm) and protruding hills (10-50 µm) on Ti substrates were produced after electrochemical anodization with higher Rα and Rz surface roughness values. Anatase/rutile mixed-phase TiO2 thin films showed 26% photocatalytic decolorization toward RhB dye solution. The number of colonizing bacteria on anatase/rutile mixed-phase TiO2 thin films was decreased significantly in vitro. The photocatalyst was effective against A. actinomycetemcomitans colonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ni-B-Mo coating on steel by electroless plating and the evaluation of the morphology and corrosion performance after applying heat treatments at different temperatures for 1 h were investigated in this study. The 25-μm-thick coating was uniform and adhesion between the substrate and the coating was good. The coating consisted of an amorphous-like structure in their as-plated condition, and after annealing at 400 °C for 1 h, crystallized nickel, nickel borides, and molybdenum carbide were formed. Immersion tests in 10% HCl solution and potentiodynamic polarization measurements in 3.5% NaCl aqueous solution were applied to investigate corrosion resistance. The corrosion performance of heat-treated coatings was compared with steel and the as-plated coating. By increasing the annealing temperature, corrosion potential shifted toward a noble direction, corrosion current density decreased and the weight loss of specimens decreased, demonstrating an increase in corrosion resistance. Best corrosion performance was achieved by the coating heat treated at 550 °C . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed-phase TiO2 nanocomposite thin films consisting of anatase and rutile prepared on commercially pure Ti sheets via the electrochemical anodization and annealing treatments were investigated in terms of their photocatalytic activity for antibacterial use around dental implants. The resulting films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The topology was assessed by White Light Optical Profiling (WLOP) in the Vertical Scanning Interferometer (VSI) mode. Representative height descriptive parameters of roughness R a and R z were calculated. The photocatalytic activity of the resulting TiO2 films was evaluated by the photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dye solution. The antibacterial ability of the photocatalyst was examined by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans suspensions in a colony-forming assay. XRD showed that anatase/rutile mixed-phase TiO2 thin films were predominantly in anatase and rutile that were 54.6 wt% and 41.9 wt%, respectively. Craters (2-5 µm) and protruding hills (10-50 µm) on Ti substrates were produced after electrochemical anodization with higher R a and R z surface roughness values. Anatase/rutile mixed-phase TiO2 thin films showed 26% photocatalytic decolorization toward RhB dye solution. The number of colonizing bacteria on anatase/rutile mixed-phase TiO2 thin films was decreased significantly in vitro. The photocatalyst was effective against A. actinomycetemcomitans colonization.

It is important to develop functional transmucosal implant surfaces that reduce the number of initially adhering bacteria and they need to be modified to improve the anti-bacterial performance. Commercially pure Ti sheets were anodized in an electrolyte containing ethylene glycol, distilled water and ammonium fluoride at room temperature to produce TiO2 nanotubes. These structures were then annealed at 450°C to transform them to anatase. As-annealed TiO2 nanotubes were then treated in an electrolyte containing 80.7 g/L NiSO4 ·7H2O, 41 g/L MgSO4 ·7H2O, 45 g/L H3BO3, and 1.44 g/L Ag2SO4 at 20°C by the application of 9 V AC voltage for doping them with silver. As-annealed TiO2 nanotubes and as-annealed Ag doped TiO2 nanotubes were evaluated by SEM, FESEM, and XRD. Antibacterial activity was assessed by determining the adherence of A. actinomycetemcomitans, T. forsythia, and C. rectus to the surface of the nanotubes. Bacterial morphology was examined using an SEM. As-annealed Ag doped TiO2 nanotubes revealed intense peak of Ag. Bacterial death against the as-annealed Ag doped TiO2 nanotubes were detected against A. actinomycetemcomitans, T. forsythia, and C. rectus indicating antibacterial efficacy.