Higher Institute on Territorial Systems for Innovation
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New insights in large-pores mesoporous silica microspheres for hemostatic application
Hemorrhages are still considered a common cause of death and despite the availability of different hemostatic agents it is still necessary to develop more effective hemostats for bleeding managements in emergency situations. Herein, large-pores mesoporous silica microspheres (MSM) were synthesized, and their surface was modified to enrich the hydroxyls population with the aim of achieving a material with enhanced water adsorption capacity and high hemostatic ability. The success of surface modification was investigated by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), which confirmed the increase in the amount of surface hydroxyl groups. A hemolysis assay as well as a clotting test were carried out to evaluate the hemocompatibility and hemostatic ability, respectively. It was found that the modified material presented the lowest hemolytic ratio and the lowest clotting time. The novelty of the paper is mainly due to the coupling of the hemostatic ability test with the adsorption microcalorimetry of water. In fact, being the water adsorption on the material surface a crucial factor in the hemostatic activity, microcalorimetry was used for the first time to study the adsorption of water and estimate its heat of adsorption. The data obtained showed that the modified MSM presents a surface able to adsorb a higher amount of water, compared to the pristine MSM, with a low molar heat of adsorption (about 35 kJ/mol), which renders the modified MSM presented in the present study an excellent candidate for producing novel hemostats
Tensile Response and Durability of Flax-TRMs
Textile Reinforced Mortar (TRM) systems are currently among the most effective retrofitting solutions for masonry structures, thanks to their high compatibility with the substrate, and reversibility. Recently, the adoption of natural textiles as reinforcement in TRM systems has attracted the interest of researchers and industry, due to their great potential of providing a cost effective and sustainable solution while ensuring adequate structural performance. Despite the increasing number of studies focusing on the characterisation of short-term tensile properties, the long-term durability performance of natural TRMs, which is fundamental to ensure their viability in construction applications, has not been examined in detail. This paper aims to investigate the tensile behaviour of flax textiles and flax-TRM composites and assess their residual performance after exposure to accelerated ageing. Composites consisting of two and three layers of a bi-directional flax fabric embedded in a lime-based mortar were conditioned in water for 1000 h and 2000 h at controlled temperatures of 23°C and 40°C. Bare textiles were also aged in an alkaline solution for equivalent exposure times and temperatures, to replicate the conditions within the lime-based matrix environment. Both unconditioned and aged textiles and composites were tested under uniaxial tension to determine their tensile behaviour. The complete load-deformation response was assessed employing both contact and non-contact methods (i.e. 2D Digital Image Correlation). It is shown that ageing strongly affects the textile reinforcement, resulting in a significant strength loss of the composite system
A New Approach to Assess the Building Energy Performance Gap: Achieving Accuracy Through Field Measurements and Input Data Analysis
The performance gap is defined as the difference between a calculated and measured quantity, and in buildings, it may refer to the energy performance or the indoor thermal conditions. According to the literature analysis, most studies start from simulation results and define methods and approaches to minimise the discrepancy against the measured values. This paper presents an alternative and innovative approach to the problem, starting with measurements in a fully instrumented and monitored living lab consisting of seven office rooms used to build and validate an accurate calculation model. The model is applied to observe how different input modes of the most relevant parameters affect the performance gap. The model exhibits high accuracy: the coefficient of variation of the root mean square error scores is 2.3% for thermal free-floating and 10% and 14% for final cooling and heating energies, respectively. Depending on the single input variations, overestimation above 50% and underestimation below 40% are calculated for a given energy service. Results show that the weather data, occupancy profiles, related internal gains, and ventilation rates can significantly affect the performance gap. The outcomes of this field study call for new analyses aimed at generalising the achieved results and developing appropriate modes to input the relevant parameters to minimise the performance gap with limited calculation efforts
Experimental investigation of a novel modular multi-purpose floating structure concept
Modular multi-purpose floating structures (MMFS) provide a possible solution to the growing need for space resulting not only from the rapidly growing global population but also from the emerging blue economy and specifically offshore renewables sector. The desired space is generated in a more sustainable way than traditional land reclamation methods, by interconnecting together modular floating platforms, making this technology adaptable and suited to a broad range of possible offshore activities. This study experimentally investigates the hydrodynamic response of a novel concept of modular multi-purpose floating structure, composed by floating modules connected with semi-rigid connectors and moored at the seabed using a taut mooring system solution. The 1:50 model consists of three hexagonal floating platforms, linked together by a semi-rigid connector system that emulate the mechanical behaviour of the full-scale system. The model has been tested under representative sea state conditions at the wave basin of the Laboratory of Hydraulic Engineering (LIDR) of Università degli Studi di Bologna. This paper describes the experimental setup and preliminary results of the dynamic behaviour of the MMFS system, with particular focus on platforms kinematics, mooring and connectors loads
Easy Direct Functionalization of 2D MoS2 Applied in Covalent Hybrids with PANI as Dual Blend Supercapacitive Materials
The pressing demand for more sustainable energy provision and the ongoing transition toward renewable resources underline the critical need for effective energy storage solutions. To address this challenge, scientists persistently explore new compounds and hybrids and, in such a dynamic research field, 2D materials, particularly transition metal di-chalcogenides (TMDCs), show great potential for electrochemical energy storage uses. Simultaneously, also conductive polymers (CPs) are interesting and versatile supercapacitor materials, especially polyaniline (PANI), which is extensively studied for this purpose. In this work, a powerful method to combine TMDCs and PANI into covalently grafted hybrids starting from aniline functionalized few-layers 1T-MoS2, attained by a facile direct arylation with iodoaniline, is presented. The hybrids provide circa 70 F g(-1) specific capacitance in a pseudo device setup, coupled with a robust capacitance retention of well over 80% for up to 5000 cycles. These findings demonstrate the potential of similar covalent composites to work as active components for novel, innovative energy storage technologies. At the same time, the successful synthesis marks the efficacy of direct covalent grafting of conductive polymer on the surface of 2D TMDCs for stable functional materials
Unfolding Potential and Challenges in Molecular Field-Coupled Nanocomputing
Molecular Field-Coupled Nanocomputing (MolFCN) represents a revolutionary approach to
computational technology, exploiting single molecules for encoding and processing logical
information. MolFCN permits zero-current logical operations to achieve ultra-low power and
hyper-miniaturized computing units. This perspective article explores the current state and future
potential of MolFCN, highlighting recent technological advancements, potential applications, and
the significant challenges that lie ahead. Despite the challenges, the pathway to practical
implementation holds significant promise, with obstacles such as scalability, stability, integration,
and practical considerations offering opportunities for innovation and advancement. MolFCN can
shape the future of nanocomputing and contribute to current major challenges in nanoelectronics
by opening key research directions
Fire safe and sustainable lightweight materials based on Layer-by-Layer coated keratin fibers from tannery wastes
The increasing consciousness about the depletion of natural resources and the sustainability agenda are the major driving forces to try to reuse and recycle organic materials such as agri-food and industrial wastes. In this context, keratin fibers, as a waste from the tannery industry, represent a great opportunity for the development of green functional materials. In this paper, keratin fibers were surface functionalized using the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) deposition technique and then freeze-dried in order to obtain a lightweight, fire-resistant, and sustainable material. The LbL coating, made with chitosan and carboxymethylated cellulose nanofibers, is fundamental in enabling the formation of a self-sustained structure after freeze-drying. The prepared porous fiber networks (density 100 kg m–3) display a keratin fiber content greater than 95 wt% and can easily self-extinguish the flame during a flammability test in a vertical configuration. In addition, during forced combustion tests (50 kW m–2) the samples exhibited a reduction of 37 % in heat release rate and a reduction of 75 % in smoke production if compared with a commercial polyurethane foam. The results obtained represent an excellent opportunity for the development of fire-safe sustainable materials based on fiber wastes
Technical academia goes back to school: the role of universities in environmental and sustainable education for childhood
This paper aims to investigate the relationship between academia and society focusing on how technical universities perform Third Mission (TM) to promote knowledge outside the academic environment producing multiple benefits. This investigation is performed through the conceptual approach. The theoretical background of the TM is explored through scientific literature review. It analyses a selected pool of experiences focused on Environmental and Sustainable Education (ESE). The study identifies significant aspects of two specific case studies, designed and implemented by the authors. Outcomes show opportunities and limitations in the application of ESE on behalf of technical academia. The study suggests solutions, precautions and systemic changes to promote ESE for childhood as TM activity in technical engineering academia. These recommendations can be useful for policymakers to set academic goals and plan the strategic management of teaching, research and TM. The paper focuses on the role of technical engineering universities and criticalities faced by academics to foster and perform ESE. Future perspectives aim to create new opportunities to strengthen the social impact of scientific and technical research by building bridges with childhood education