Cooling small components is becoming an attractive topic for researchers. In this paper, an attempt is made to use an ethylene glycol/water mixture as a cooling liquid. This liquid is a helpful application for when the fluid is in a harsh environment and should not freeze. The experiment uses an ethylene glycol/water mixture circulating through a triply periodic minimal surface structure (TPMS) made of aluminum and silver. A constant heat flux equal to 38,000 W/m² is applied, and three different flow rates, 11.8 cm³/s, 15.5 cm³/s, and 19.6 cm³/s, are studied. The experimental setup is complemented with numerical modelling by solving the Navier–Stokes equation and the energy equation using the finite element technique. The flow is Newtonian, and a laminar regime is implemented. Results reveal that the performance of the ethylene glycol/water mixture did not enhance heat removal when compared to water. The average Nusselt number is similar regardless of the concentration of ethylene glycol in the mixture. This average Nusselt number, Nu_average, in the presence of aluminum TPMS ranges between 60 and 80 (60 < Nu_average < 80) and between 65 and 85 (65 < Nu_average < 85) using silver TPMS. The increase in the mixture’s viscosity due to ethylene glycol increased the pressure drop. The performance evaluation criteria reach the maximum value of 90 when the mixture is composed of 5%vol ethylene glycol in water with aluminum TPMS. In the presence of silver TPMS, the maximum performance evaluation criterion is around 95 with a 5% ethylene glycol/water mixture. Finally, it is proven experimentally and confirmed numerically that the TPMS structure secures uniform heat extraction from the hot surface.

β-Cyclodextrin (βCD), the less water soluble of the cyclodextrins, has been used as a capping agent in the preparation of semiconductor nanocrystals or quantum dots (QDs). Nevertheless, no reports have been found in the use of the highly water-soluble polymer of this, prepared by the crosslinking of the βCD units with epichlorohydrin in basic medium (βCDP). This polymer, besides to overcome the low solubility of the βCD, increases the inclusion constant of the guest; two parameters that deserve its use as capping agent, instead of the native cyclodextrin. In the present manuscript, we afforded the in-situ aqueous preparation of cadmium telluride (CdTe) QDs capped with βCDP. The polymer influence on the photoluminescent properties of the nanocrystals was analyzed. The βCDP controls the nanocrystals growth during the Oswald ripening stage. Consequently, the CdTe capped βCDP QDs showed lower Stokes-shift values, higher photoluminescent efficiency, and narrower size distribution than for nanocrystals obtained in the absence of polymer. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) micrographs and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis revealed the composition and crystallinity of the CdTe QDs. This βCDP capped CdTe QDs is a potential scaffold for the supramolecular modification of QDs surface.

A set of AuNPs-l-TiO₂NPs nanoaggregates which showed efficient covering of the semiconductor's surface by AuNPs, as well as suitable AuNP sizes for LSPR-sensibilization were used as highly efficient photocatalysts for photoinduced HER.

Poly( g -hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and its copolymers (P(HB-co-HV)) are biocompatible 'green' thermoplastics. These polymers would be in widespread use if it were not for their high price. One method of reducing this price is by blending it with another, less expensive, material while retaining or improving its desirable properties. Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (P(HB-co-HV)) - polyadipate (PEA) blends were studied. DMA and DSC experiments were used. The thermal analysis indicates that these blends are miscible until close to 30 wt% polyadipate content. The study of the blend crystallinity was carried out by the isothermal melt of the blend. The crystallization process has a induction time. The addition of polyadipate (less than a 30 wt%) decreases the induction time. As consequence, PEA can be used as nucleating agent for the crystallization of P(HB-co-HV). The mechanical properties and the thermal decomposition were studied too. The elastic modulus and the activation energy of the thermal decomposition decrease with PEA addition.