Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is considered as a novel approach in biofabricating cell-laden constructs that could potentially be used to promote skin regeneration following injury. In this study, a novel crosslinked chitosan (CH)–genipin (GE) bioink laden with keratinocyte and human dermal fibroblast cells was developed and printed successfully using an extruder-based bioprinter. By altering the composition and degree of CH–GE crosslinking, bioink printability was further assessed and compared with a commercial bioink. Rheological analysis showed that the viscosity of the optimised bioink was in a suitable range that facilitated reproducible and reliable printing by applying low pressures ranging from 20–40 kPa. The application of low printing pressures proved vital for viability of cells loaded within the bioinks. Further characterisation using MTT assay showed that cells were still viable within the printed construct at 93% despite the crosslinking, processing and after subjecting to physiological conditions for seven days. The morphological study of the printed cells showed that they were mobile within the bioink. Furthermore, the multi-layered 3D printed constructs demonstrated excellent self-supportive structures in a consistent manner.

Biodentine is one of the most successful and widely studied among the second generation of calcium silicate-based endodontic cements. Despite its popularity, the setting reactions of this cement system are not currently well understood. In particular, very little is known about the formation and structure of the major calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel phase, as it is difficult to obtain information on this poorly crystalline material by the traditional techniques of powder X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In this study, the hydration reactions of Biodentine are monitored by XRD, FTIR, isothermal conduction calorimetry and, for the first time, ²⁹Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (²⁹Si MAS NMR) is used to investigate the structures of the anhydrous calcium silicate phases and the early C-S-H gel product. XRD analysis indicated that the anhydrous powder comprises 73.8 wt% triclinic tricalcium silicate, 4.45 wt% monoclinic β-dicalcium silicate, 16.6 wt% calcite and 5.15 wt% zirconium oxide. Calorimetry confirmed that the induction period for hydration is short, and that the setting reactions are rapid with a maximum heat evolution of 28.4 mW g⁻¹ at 42 min. A progressive shift in the FTIR peak maximum from 905 to 995 cm⁻¹ for the O-Si-O stretching vibrations accompanies the formation of the C-S-H gel during 1 week. The extent of hydration was determined by ²⁹Si MAS NMR to be 87.0%, 88.8% and 93.7% at 6 h, 1 day and 1 week, respectively, which is significantly higher than that of MTA. The mean silicate chain length (MCL) of the C-S-H gel was also estimated by this technique to be 3.7 at 6 h and 1 day, and to have increased to 4.1 after 1 week. The rapid hydration kinetics of Biodentine, arising from the predominance of the tricalcium silicate phase, small particle size, and ‘filler effect’ of calcite and zirconium oxide, is a favorable characteristic of an endodontic cement, and the high values of MCL are thought to promote the durability of the cement matrix.

The aim of the study was the manufacturing and scale-up of theophylline-nicotinamide (THL-NIC) pharmaceutical cocrystals processed by hot-melt extrusion (HME). The barrel temperature profile, feed rate and screw speed were found to be the critical processing parameters with a residence time of approximately 47 s for the scaled-up batches. Physicochemical characterization using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X-ray diffraction of bulk and extruded materials revealed the formation of high purity cocrystals (98.6%). The quality of THL-NIC remained unchanged under accelerated stability conditions.

The underutilized cement-rich fine fraction of concrete-based demolition waste is a potential sorbent for aqueous metal ion contaminants. In this study, crushed concrete fines (CCF) were found to exclude 33.9 mg g⁻¹ of Cr³⁺, 35.8 mg g⁻¹ of Ni²⁺, and 7.16 mg g⁻¹ of Sr²⁺ from ~1000 ppm single metal nitrate solutions (CCF:solution 25 mg cm⁻³) under static batch conditions at 20 °C after 3 weeks. The removal of Sr²⁺ followed a pseudo-second-order reaction (k₂ = 3.1 × 10⁻⁴ g mg⁻¹ min⁻¹, R² = 0.999), whereas a pseudo-first-order model described the removal of Cr³⁺ (k₁ = 2.3 × 10⁻⁴ min⁻¹, R² = 0.998) and Ni²⁺ (k₁ = 5.7 × 10⁻⁴ min⁻¹, R² = 0.991). In all cases, the principal mechanism of interaction was the alkali-mediated precipitation of solubility-limiting phases on the surface of the CCF. Four consecutive deionized water leaching procedures (CCF:water 0.1 g cm⁻³) liberated 0.53%, 0.88%, and 8.39% of the bound Cr³⁺, Ni²⁺, and Sr²⁺ species, respectively. These findings indicate that CCF are an effective sorbent for the immobilization and retention of aqueous Cr³⁺ and Ni²⁺ ions, although they are comparatively ineffectual in the removal and sustained exclusion of Sr²⁺ ions. As is commonly noted with Portland cement-based sorbents, slow removal kinetics, long equilibrium times, the associated release of Ca²⁺ ions, high pH, and the formation of loose floc may preclude these materials from conventional wastewater treatments. This notwithstanding, they are potentially suitable for incorporation into permeable reactive barriers for the containment of metal species in contaminated groundwaters, sediments, and soils.

Synthetic 11 Å tobermorite (Ca₅Si₆O₁₆(OH)₂.4H₂O) and its Al-substituted analogue are layer-lattice ion-exchangers with potential applications in nuclear and hazardous wastewater treatment. The present study reports the facile one-pot hydrothermal synthesis of an Al-tobermorite-rich cation-exchanger from a combination of paper recycling ash, post-consumer container glass, and lime, with compositional ratios of [Ca]/[Si + Al] = 0.81 and [Al]/[Si + Al] = 0.18. The reaction products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction analysis, ²⁹Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Hydrothermal processing in 4 M NaOH_(aq) at 100 °C for 7 days yielded an Al-tobermorite-rich product that also contained katoite (Ca₃Al₂SiO₁₂H₈), portlandite (Ca(OH)₂), calcite (CaCO₃), and amorphous silicate gel. The hydrothermal product was found to have a Cs⁺ cation exchange capacity of 59 ± 4 meq 100 g⁻¹ and selective Cs⁺ distribution coefficients (K_d) of 574 ± 13 and 658 ± 34 cm³ g⁻¹ from solutions with molar ratios [Cs⁺]:[Na⁺] and [Cs⁺]:[Ca²⁺] of 1:100. In a batch sorption study at 20 °C, the uptakes of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Cs⁺ were determined to be 1.78 ± 0.04, 0.65 ± 0.06, and 0.36 ± 0.03 mmol g⁻¹, respectively. The kinetics of Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Cs⁺ removal were described by the pseudo-second-order rate model, which gave respective rate constants (k₂) of 0.010, 0.027, and 1.635 g mmol⁻¹ min⁻¹, and corresponding correlation coefficients (R²) of 0.997, 0.996, and 0.999. The metal ion sorption properties of the tobermorite-rich product compared favorably with those of other waste-derived tobermorites reported in the literature. Potential strategies to improve the yield, crystallinity, and sorption characteristics of the product are discussed.

This study investigated the one-pot hydrothermal synthesis of mixed-phase ion-exchangers from waste amber container glass and three different aluminium sources (Si/Al = 2) in 4.5 M NaOH_(aq) at 100 °C. Reaction products were characterised by X-ray diffraction analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ²⁷Al and ²⁹Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy at 24, 48 and 150 h. Nitrated forms of cancrinite and sodalite were the predominant products obtained with reagent grade aluminium nitrate (Al(NO₃)₃∙9H₂O). Waste aluminium foil gave rise to sodalite, tobermorite and zeolite Na-P1 as major phases; and the principal products arising from amorphous aluminium hydroxide waste were sodalite, tobermorite and zeolite A. Minor proportions of the hydrogarnet, katoite, and calcite were also present in each sample. In each case, crystallisation was incomplete and products of 52, 65 and 49% crystallinity were obtained at 150 h for the samples prepared with aluminium nitrate (AN-150), aluminium foil (AF-150) and amorphous aluminium hydroxide waste (AH-150), respectively. Batch Pb²⁺-uptake (~100 mg g⁻¹) was similar for all 150-h samples irrespective of the nature of the aluminium reagent and composition of the product. Batch Cd²⁺-uptakes of AF-150 (54 mg g⁻¹) and AH-150 (48 mg g⁻¹) were greater than that of AN-150 (36 mg g⁻¹) indicating that the sodalite- and tobermorite-rich products exhibited a superior affinity for Cd²⁺ ions. The observed Pb²⁺- and Cd²⁺-uptake capacities of the mixed-product ion-exchangers compared favourably with those of other inorganic waste-derived sorbents reported in the literature.