Expanding the processing space of quantum confined, one-dimensional titania-based lepidocrocite nanofilaments

In this study, we expand the processing space of new, quantum-confined one-dimensional lepidocrocite (1DL) titania-based nanofilaments (NFs). Our previous work to date entailed reacting Ti-precursors (e.g., TiB2, TiOSO4, TiN, TiC, etc.) with the quaternary ammonium compound (quat) tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) for tens of hours under ambient pressures at temperatures ranging from 50°C to 80°C. Herein, we expand the list of quats that result in 1DL NFs to tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAH), tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TPAH), tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH), and choline hydroxide (ChoH). We also show that tetrabutylphosphonium hydroxide (TBPH) can be used to the same end result. These quats and TBPH are less toxic than TMAH, especially Cho+, which is fully biocompatible. And, while all the quats and TBPH result in the same 1D product, their de-flocculation in various organic solvents is different. Reacting with less polar quats (e.g., TBA) and washing with less polar solvents (e.g., dichloromethane) favors the formation of porous mesostructured particles. 2D structures are favored if the opposite is chosen. Said otherwise, by the judicious choice of a quat (e.g., TPAH) and solvent (e.g., tert-butanol) combination, we produced stable 1DL colloidal suspensions in dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, ethanol, acetonitrile, isopropyl alcohol, butanol, and acetone. This enhanced colloidal stability is critical in applications in coatings, inks, and catalytic systems where non-aqueous stable dispersions are paramount. The high band-gap energies, Eg, measured (3.8–3.9 eV) confirm quantum confinement. The Eg are also quite insensitive to d spacings between the 2D sheets. These 1DLs exhibit significant adsorption and dye (rhodamine 6G) degradation capabilities. For example, TEA-1DL colloidal suspensions adsorb 64% of the dye in the dark in about 5 min and decolorize 99% of the remaining dye within 30 min under the irradiance of one sun. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved

Hydrothermal doping of Ag and ZnO nanoparticles in Sterculia cellulose mat for antimicrobial and photocatalytic applications

Lignocellulose biomass is being used as starting material for wide range of applications. In this study, lignocellulose biomass obtained from Sterculia villosa (Roxb.), a traditionally important fibrous plant, was processed chemo-mechanically to get cellulose sheet. The sheet was then doped with Ag and ZnO nanoparticles following single-pot hydrothermal synthesis. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the mat showed uniform distribution of the nanoparticles. The characteristic features of Ag and ZnO nanoparticles were observed in UV–Vis, XRD, and SEM–EDX data. These features were also found in the sonicated sample suggesting stable doping of the nanoparticles in the mat. Antimicrobial activity of the mat was tested for two bacterial (Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis) strains and a fungal (Candida albicans) strain, and showed good antimicrobial activity against E. coli. The mat also showed excellent photocatalytic property tested for degradation of methylene blue under UV irradiation. These findings suggested that multifunctional nanocomposite mat can be fabricated using Sterculia villosa lignocellulose biomass which can be potentially used for antimicrobial packaging and water purification applications. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved

MXene/graphitic carbon nitride-supported metal selenide for all-solid-state flexible supercapacitor and oxygen evolution reaction

We report a new type of combination of rare earth metal selenides (Ce2Se3 and Er2Se3) with a Ti3C2Tx/S-doped graphitic carbon nitride heterostructure for bifunctional application in flexible supercapacitors and oxygen evolution reactions. The incorporation of S-doped graphitic carbon nitride in MXenes reduced the layer stacking tendency of both two-dimensional sheets and eliminated volume expansion by forming a heterostructure. Cerium and erbium rare earth metal centers induce reactive surface sites, whereas binary layers of Ti3C2Tx/S-doped graphitic carbon nitride provide a conducting matrix for the homogeneous growth of the metal selenides. The assembled all-solid-state flexible asymmetric supercapacitor exhibited a high specific capacitance of 60 F g−1, an energy density of 10.1 W h kg−1 (volumetric energy density: 0.9 mW h cm−3) at 2 A g−1, and 100% capacitance retention after 10 000 charge-discharge cycles with good flexibility for real-time applications. Furthermore, the optimum nanohybrid showed a low overpotential of 280 mV and a Tafel slope of 99 mV dec−1 with durable electrocatalytic performance. This work is the first to investigate the bifunctional energy efficiency of rare earth metal selenides grown over MXene materials. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved

FSU in the News 2018-2024

A summary of Fayetteville State University\u27s growth and achievements from 2017-2024.https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/fsu_news_2017-2024/1009/thumbnail.jp

Exploration of Black/African American College Survivors of IPV During COVID-19 Utilizing Descriptive Analysis

The last few decades have ushered in an increase in scholarship focused on campus-based violence, specifically sexual violence, sexual assault, and unwanted sexual experiences. This rise in sexual violence scholarship has promoted the examination of current campus-based interventions, resources, and response systems. However, there exists a dearth of research exploring the experience of intimate partner violence for college students within college/university settings. In this descriptive analysis, we capture the prevalence of intimate partner violence for a nationwide sample of 1,035 college students across diverse college and university campuses within the United States. Researchers utilized a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Intimate Partner Violence Screening Questionnaire to capture and measure college students’ experiences of intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic. To analyze the data, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 28) was used. Univariate analyses and cross-tabulation analyses were conducted to examine the data. Specifically, due to the majority of research focusing on cisgender, White heterosexual women respondents, we focus our analysis on the experiences of Black and/or African American survivors of intimate partner violence on college campuses, in hopes of capturing the prevalence of intimate and relationship violence for Black/African American college students across colleges and universities. Results of this study revealed the prevalence of all types of intimate partner violence and abuse such as emotional/psychological, physical, and sexual violence within Black/African American college students. Findings from this database study produce implications for college/university campuses to consider capacity to address enduring psychological concerns and outcomes tied to intimate partner violence within college/university campuses, while also considering culturally responsive prevention and intervention efforts. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved

Dr. Dorrance Kennedy - A. Philip Randolph

Dr. Dorrance Kennedy speaks at the Chesnutt Library of Fayetteville State University about his research into Black History Month and activist A. Philip Randolph. Presented live on February 27, 2025 as part of Chesnutt Library\u27s Faculty Author Series.https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/faculty_author/1011/thumbnail.jp

Boundless Possibilities: Reimagining Blackness in Wilson Kwamogi Okello’s On Blackness, Liveliness, and What It Means to Be Human

Wilson Kwamogi Okello\u27s *On Blackness, Liveliness, and What It Means to Be Human* theorizes the inheritances of systemic anti-Blackness while affirming Blackness as a site of creativity, vitality, and world-making. Okello examines how Western humanism and the coloniality of knowledge have excluded and restricted Black life both socially and within educational systems and epistemology. The volume is composed of three parts and critiques the regulative logics of higher education, the aesthetics and relationality of Black life, and the pervasive reach of carceral systems. At its core, Okello proposes a reconceptualization of Blackness in terms of liveliness, viewing it as a generative power that goes beyond mere survival and resistance. Through expressions of Black specificity, imagination, and limitless possibility, he challenges the deficit perspectives that depict Blackness as a source of scarcity instead of a means of world-making. This review highlights Okello\u27s theoretical synthesis, which presents a dual mandate: dismantling anti-Black systems while also establishing futures grounded in justice, equity, and the transformative power of Black life

Cancer diagnosis, treatment and care: Reflections for the education of survivors and healthcare providers

Cancer affects millions of lives worldwide, not only impacting those diagnosed but also their families, caregivers, educators, and healthcare providers. Understanding the emotional, social, and systemic challenges that come with a cancer diagnosis is essential for improving care, support, and education. By giving voice to survivors, caregivers, and professionals, society can foster a more compassionate, informed approach to cancer treatment and its broader implications. Addressing disparities in healthcare, the role of stress, and the management of grief can help communities navigate the complexities of cancer care with greater awareness and resilience. Creating spaces for reflection and shared experiences strengthens our collective ability to support those affected and advance more equitable and holistic care solutions. Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment and Care: Reflections for the Education of Survivors and Healthcare Providers provides a platform for cancer patients, survivors, and those who have experienced grief to share their voices with professionals in education, healthcare, and public service. Through reflective narratives and research-informed insights, it explores cancer diagnosis, treatment, and care while fostering awareness, understanding, and potential solutions. Covering topics such as cancer imaging, immunity cell components, and family-centered care, this book is an excellent resource for oncologists, healthcare providers, professionals, researchers, scholars, academicians, and more. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved

Developing Nigrescence to Resolve the Double Bind Challenges in Community Engagement for Novice Critical Literacy Teacher Educators

This paper seeks to understand Black racial identity development as defined by Cross\u27s (1991) Nigrescence and how nigrescence aids with solutions to the double bind challenges experienced by novice Black critical literacy teacher educators committed to community engagement during their becoming processes in academia. This paper will explain the double binds of alienating role conflict for novice Black teacher educators between their private identities versus their public roles in community engagement. This paper explores the implications of incorporating the study of nigrescence in the racial literacy experiences of novice Black critical literacy teacher educators

Performance analysis and scientific mapping of the literature on political marketing and brand: a systematic review

This paper aims to examine the scholarship of political marketing and brand. The systematic literature review method was conducted to assess the emergence and influence of the evolving scholarship by performance analysis and scientific mapping. Whereas performance analysis summarizes publication trends and most influential papers based on citation counts at the micro level, scientific mapping examines keywords, papers, and themes with network analysis for interwoven relationships at the meso and macro levels. The results revealed the rising dominance of the voter-consumer paradigm to view voters and political campaigns as political brand consumers and branding strategies. This research has identified the lack of promotion and engagement for social goods through political marketing in scholarship, which threatens the important role of civic society: the collective pursuit of social good. Theoretical implications were drawn from the critical marketing perspective by examining the risks, consequences, and remedies of the voter-consumer paradigm. Practitioners may develop strategies for working with emerging technologies for political brands, as exhibited in Truth Social’s engagement and political polarization. Future researchers gain insights from the research propositions based on the Theory-Context-Characteristics-Methodology (TCCM) framework. They may conduct an empirical investigation with longitudinal research from the processual perspective with big data to expand empirical contexts. This approach helps enhance the representation of social issues on diversity, equity, and inclusion and advises implementing evidence-driven strategies to co-create political brands