Stereolithography (SLA) is an additive manufacturing technique that uses photopolymerization to cure resins, creating solid parts layer by layer from a CAD design. In the manufacture of clear dental aligners, the use of this technique is increasing. This technique is used to create resin molds, which are then used to obtain customized aligners through a thermoforming process. SLA offers significant advantages in terms of precision, customization, and reduced manufacturing time and cost compared to other conventional technologies.

In this study, different printing parameters (layer thickness and orientation) and post-curing parameters (temperature and curing time) were tested to evaluate their effect on the mechanical properties.

A fractional Taguchi design was first used to identify the most influential parameters, leading to the development of the first specimens. By analyzing the results obtained for these specimens in impact using compression and tensile tests, complemented by thermal characterization and roughness tests, the most impactful fabrication parameters on the mechanical properties of the resin were determined.

Once these parameters were determined, a full factorial design was performed to analyze the effect of each variable and their interactions on the properties of the final product in a more comprehensive statistical manner.

Once the results were obtained and the process were optimized, a time reduction was achieved, which improved the aligner manufacturing process without affecting the mechanical and surface properties of the resin dental molds.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that has become a global health issue. Due to the annual increase in the number of diagnosed patients, there is growing interest in research works and the development of novel materials applicable to glucose biodetection. In this context, bimetallic materials are being implemented in the improvement of biosensors due to the enhanced physical and chemical properties that are provided by the combination of two related metallic elements. In this study, a copper–nickel (Cu-Ni) bimetallic system was synthesized via a hydrothermal approach, using them as precursors. The effect on different physical and chemical properties of the pH variation between 5 to 10 was evaluated while maintaining a constant temperature (140 °C), a reaction time (6 h), and a molar rate of the precursors (1:1). The synthesized Cu-Ni system was characterized by X-ray diffraction, determining diffraction peaks at 2θ angles of 44.33°, 51.62° and 76.31°, corresponding to the Ni element, and at 2θ angles of 43.34°, 50.47° and 74.23°, associated with Cu. The diffraction peaks of both metals correspond to the (111), (200), and (220) crystallographic planes of the face-centered cubic structure. Scanning electron microscopy characterzation was carried out, where the morphology analysis showed bar- and sphere-shaped particles for the bimetallic synthesized within the varied pH range. Finally, an FTIR spectroscopy analysis in the range from 400 to 4,000 exhibited absorption bands at 470 and 517, which are attributed to the bending vibrations of the Ni-O and Cu-O bonds, respectively. The obtained results support the formation of the Cu-Ni bimetallic system and provide evidence of its suitable properties for use as a receptor element in a capacitive biosensor for glucose detection.

The switching effect in thin films of poly(diphenylene phthalide), a non-conjugated and wide-band gap dielectric polymer of the poly(arylene phthalide) class, is investigated. However, at thicknesses below the critical submicron value, electronic switching to a state with high conductivity, initiated by various effects, is observed in the films. Switching can be caused by changing the electrical voltage, the thickness of the polymer film, and the mechanical uniaxial pressure. Switching caused by a change in the electronic parameters of the metal at the metal/polymer interface in particular is of great interest. It was found that phase transition, superconducting transition, and elastic and inelastic deformations lead to the switching of the polymer film. In this case, it is possible to initiate both switching to the "on" state and to the "off" state. A mechanism is proposed that explains this effect in terms of band-like conductivity. The transport of the polymer's charge carriers occurs along a narrow conductivity band located in the middle of the band gap. Studies using different methods confirmed the presence of groups of electronic states in the Fermi level of the polymer, as well as deep states. With a band gap width of 4.2 eV, the injection maximum is located near the middle of the band gap at a level of 2.4 eV.

The study of wettability has attracted significant academic and industrial interest due to the scientific and technological potential of its properties. However, the relationship between the protective nature of surface topography and wettability is not yet fully understood, lacking an adequate theoretical model. To investigate this issue, thin films of metallic and non-metallic oxides will be deposited using the dip-coating method, in successive layers, to construct hierarchical surfaces. They will then be subjected to physical and chemical etching to achieve different levels of roughness. Subsequently, they will be functionalized to exhibit superhydrophobic behavior. The aim is to identify optimal experimental conditions, characterize topography and wettability, and assess protective properties. These evaluations will be carried out using different experimental techniques, either for mechanical resistance analysis, through profilometry, or for the study of superhydrophobic property retention after abrasion, using the sessile drop method. Optical analyses will also be conducted to investigate improvements in transmittance, particularly at wavelengths most relevant for the photovoltaic energy production of the samples. The experimental data obtained will be correlated with the theoretical model, aiming, based on the wettability and topography of hierarchical surfaces, to elucidate the role of micro- and nanostructures in maintaining wettability under abrasive conditions.

SrRuO₃ is an infinite-layer Ruddles den Popper series compound. This compound stabilizes in the orthorhombic Pbnm space group and has a Tc value around 160K . Ca-doped SrRuO3 shows the smeared quantum phase transition from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic behavior. The smeared quantum phase transition could be due to the disorder induced in the system as the Ca is doped on the Sr site. We synthesized the compound with chromium doping by using the solid-state method and XRD measurements were performed using 9 kW Rigaku Smart lab X ray diffractometer with Cu Kα radiation and Bragg Brentano-focused geometry. Rietveld refinement was carried out for all the three compounds, which suggests the compounds stabilize in a single orthorhombic Pbnm space group and is in a single phase. In the magnetic measurements M vs T, it clearly shows that the transition temperature for all samples increases significantly. In χ^-1 vs T, a downturn is observed in all the above compounds, which could be due to the Griffith regime around the critical point, and the Griffith's region becomes less strong as the applied field increases for all samples. Curie-Weiss fitting suggests an increase in ferromagnetic interaction with Cr doping. To relate the observed magnetic behavior with theory, we carried out DFT for spin polarization (FM phase and A-type, C-type and G-type) and thus we calculated the magnetic exchange constant (J).

With the improvement of health awareness and the rapid development of Internet of Things technology, intelligent wearable sensors that support multi-parameter physiological monitoring have become the research frontier. This paper develops a fabric-based dual-mode sensor, which can simultaneously achieve strain and temperature sensing functions. Lycra cotton was adopted as the flexible substrate, and the sensing units were firmly integrated by optimizing the impregnation-drying process. The experiment found that graphene (GR) has excellent mechanical strain response characteristics, while reduced graphene oxide (rGO) shows ideal temperature conduction performance. Silicone rubber (SR) is not only highly compatible with fabric substrates, but also can work in synergy with rGO/GR to construct three-dimensional conductive pathways.

By systematically regulating the ratio of rGO/GR and the number of dip coating times, the strain sensitivity (15) and linearity (0.99) of the sensor were optimized, and the physical model of micro-nano structures was innovatively introduced to explain the strain sensing mechanism. In terms of temperature sensing, GR forms continuous adhesion at the rGO interface through SR, and the constructed three-dimensional conductive network achieves wide-range detection from 20 to 48° C. The temperature coefficient of resistance reaches -1.438°C-1 and the linearity remains at 0.99. During the prototype test, this sensor was successfully applied in tracking the sleeping position status of young children and early warning of dangerous actions beside the bed, confirming its application potential in realizing multimodal sensing in the field of intelligent health monitoring.

In recent years, the need for effective and durable solutions for the rehabilitation and strengthening of existing structures has led to the development and widespread adoption of advanced composite materials. Among these, Fabric-Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) systems have emerged as a promising alternative to traditional strengthening techniques, particularly in the field of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. FRCM composites offer several advantages, including compatibility with existing substrates, resistance to high temperatures, and improved mechanical performance without significantly increasing the weight or stiffness of the structural elements.

FRCM composites, consisting of high-strength fibre fabrics embedded into inorganic matrices (cement or lime-based), are suitable systems used for the strengthening and repair of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. The widespread use of these composites is a result of the effective improvement they provide on both the flexural and shear capacities of RC members.

Although several studies predicting the shear capacity of FRCM-strengthened structures are available in the technical literature, some limitations related to the use of experimental data depending on the mechanical properties of specific FRCM systems have to be taken into account. The principal aim of this work is to provide enhanced insights into the shear performances of FRCM-strengthened RC beams. To attain this goal, experimental results, including the characteristics of different FRCM systems and the design parameters of RC beams, were collected in an extensive database. Available design models were subsequently used to predict the contribution of the FRCM systems to the shear capacity of the RC beams presented in the database. Furthermore, a new model to estimate the effective strain of the FRCM system was proposed and also validated with the experimental data, thus extending their applicability and generalisation for design purposes.

To demonstrate the multifunctionality of the nanopatterned titanium oxide, we present the results of our investigation of various TiO₂-based systems. In the first case, we study the photoactivity of the highly ordered nanotubes, where we force the nanotube growth by manipulating the electric field distribution by introducing a layer of thin titanium antidots on the substrate surface. The addition of titanium antidots results in overcoming the physical limit of nanotube ordering from grain boundaries (a few um²) to several cm². By controlling the ordering, the photocatalytic reaction rate may be tuned in the range of 0.2 to 0.6 μmol L^-1min^-1 depending on the antidots' diameters.

The TiO₂ nanotubes create an array of artificially made surface defects with controllable parameters, enabling us to alter the magnetic properties of thin iron films, such as saturation magnetization and effective anisotropy constant. Moreover, the iron films partially oxidize at the titanium oxide/iron interface, inducing a two-phase magnetic composition with weak exchange interaction. Due to the formation of the nanocrystallites of iron oxide at the interface, the system shows an additional low-temperature glass-like magnetic state.

The nanopatterned titanium oxide may be used as an interlayer in heterojunctions, allowing manipulation of not only magnetic but also electric transport properties and magnetoresistance of the system. This method allowed us to fabricate the double-barrier Schottky junction with the following structure of trilayer: Ti/TiO_x/Fe. Such a junction exhibits magnetoresistance with different signs: positive at room temperature and negative at 5 K. The switching temperature decreases with an increase in the size of the nanotubes. Detailed characterization uncovers that the positive MR originates from the titanium/titanium oxide interface, and the negative MR arises from the titanium oxide/iron interface.

The growing demand for eco-friendly and carbon-neutral concrete technologies has driven interest in microbial solutions for CO₂ sequestration and self-healing properties. Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) is a promising biomineralization process in which specific microorganisms hydrolyze urea via urease enzymes, increasing pH and promoting calcium carbonate formation. This precipitate fills pores and cracks in concrete, enhancing durability and enabling self-repair. In this study, microorganisms were isolated from waste concrete, yielding a total of 42 isolates. Biological analyses identified 11 distinct strains, from which those with high urease activity or spore-forming ability for alkaline survival were selected. The selected strains were tested in CaCl₂–Na₂CO₃ media, revealing that one strain exhibited the highest biomineralization efficiency. Genomic analysis identified a complete urease gene cluster (ureA–ureC structural genes and ureD, ureE, ureF, ureG maturation genes), with genetic variations influencing ureolytic activity. Additionally, genes such as nhaC, involved in pH homeostasis, and mgtE, regulating Mg²⁺ for membrane stability, were found to contribute to performance in alkaline concrete environments. These functional and genomic insights position the strain as a strong candidate for microbial concrete enhancement. Future work will focus on improving strain viability within concrete and validating its performance in real structures. This research advances sustainable construction materials by enabling enhanced durability, reduced carbon emissions, and the potential for large-scale CO₂ mitigation in the concrete industry.

Background. Scintillators are used in a variety of applications, from medical imaging to detectors of extreme temperatures or radiation fluxes. In this sense, measurements on the luminescence output, using a range of temperatures or radiation flux, are useful. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of temperature on the luminescence efficiency of a barium fluoride (BaF₂) single-crystal scintillator. The crystal output was compared with a cerium fluoride (CeF₃) and a commercially available bismuth germanate (Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂-BGO) of equal dimensions in similar experimental conditions.

Materials and Methods. The experimental setup, which comprised a CPI series CMP 200 DR medical X-ray source, was set to a fixed high voltage (90kVp) to expose the sample to X-ray radiation under temperature conditions in the range of 19–174 ^oC. Barium fluoride has a fast decay component, at around 0.6–0.87 ns, and a slow one, at around 620–630 ns. The maximum emission of these two components is within the ultraviolet (UV) range of 310 nm (slow) to 225 nm (fast). Heating was performed using a Perel 3700–9 2000 W heating gun. The temperature on the crystal surface was monitored using an Agilent Technologies U1253A digital multimeter, coupled to a U1185A thermocouple (J-Type) with a temperature probe adapter.

Results. The luminescence efficiency of BaF₂ decreases with increasing temperature, between 1.56 EU at 19.5^oC and 0.32 EU at 174.2^oC (EU is an abbreviation for μWm^-2/(mGy/s)). The corresponding absolute efficiency values at 90 kVp for BGO and CeF₃, in room temperature, were 2.96 and 0.69 EU, respectively.

Conclusion. BaF₂ is an inorganic scintillator that balances luminescence performance, speed and resolution, especially for applications requiring fast materials. Knowledge of its performance under various temperatures could be useful for various applications, from medical imaging to detectors in extreme environments.