Micro and Nanosystems - Volume 16, Issue 1, 2024

Background: The manufacture and study of innovative materials that enable the availability of relevant technologies are vital in light of the energy demands of various human activities and the need for a substantial shift in the energy matrix. Objective: A strategy based on the creation of enhanced applications for batteries has been devised to reduce the conversion, storage, and feeding of renewable energy like fuel cells and electrochemical capacitors. Methods: Conductive polymers (CP) can be utilised instead of traditional inorganic chemicals. Electrochemical energy storage devices with similar capabilities can be built using approaches based on the production of composite materials and nanostructures. Results: CP's nanostructuring is notable for its concentration on synergistic coupling with other materials, which sets it apart from other nanostructures that have been developed in the preceding two decades. This is due to the fact that, when paired with other materials, their distinctive morphology and adaptability significantly enhance performance in areas like the suppression of ionic diffusion trajectories, electronic transport and the improvement of ion penetrability and intercalation spaces. Conclusion: The present study forecasts the wide-ranging modern applications of diverse nanostructured dielectric materials along with its future prospectives. The potential contributions of nanostructured carbon nanotubes to the development of innovative materials for energy storage devices are also critically discussed in this context, which delivers a summary of the present state of information on this emerging topic.

Background: Nanomaterials are very useful in energy harvesting and energy storage devices. Morphological features play a vital role in energy storage devices. Supercapacitors and batteries are examples of energy storage devices. The working of a supercapacitor is decided by the nature of the microstructure and other features of the electrode material. Vanadium Pentaoxide (V2O5) is one of the promising materials due to its attractive features, such as band gap, multiple oxidation state, and large conductivity transition from semiconducting to conducting domain. Objective: This study aimed to perform the tuning of structural, optical and morphological properties of V2O5 nanomaterials using the hydrothermal method. Methods: A low-cost hydrothermal method was used in this work. Hydrothermal synthesis was carried out at different concentrations of Ammonium Metavanadate (NH4VO3), varying from 0.06 M, 0.08 M, and 0.1 M in the aqueous medium. Moreover, the pH of the solution was maintained at 4 using drop-wise addition of H2SO4. Hydrothermal synthesis was carried out at 160°C for 24 hours. The synthesized precipitate was annealed at 700°C for 7 hours in ambient air. Structural, optical, morphological, and elemental probing was carried out. Results: XRD revealed the formation of monoclinic crystalline phase formation of V2O5. Crystallite size increased with an increase in the concentration of vanadium precursor. The band gap obtained using UV-Vis spectroscopy decreased upon an increase in concentration. SEM micrographs displayed nanosheet and nanorod-like distorted morphology. The presence of vanadium and oxygen was noticed in the EDS study. Conclusion: Nanoparticles with attractive features are very useful as an electrode material for supercapacitors. Upon changing concentration, we can change the band gap of the material, adding an extra edge in the use of these materials.

Background: The global RC interconnects have become the controlling parameter for a circuit’s performance. But with the decrease in technology, an increase in resistance has become prominent. This increase further directly affects the performance of the system by increasing the performance parameters of the circuit like delay and power consumption. To resolve this issue and to be compatible with Internet of Things (IoT) applications, the interconnect circuits are required to be high speed with less heat generation. Methods: In this paper, a new RC and RLC interconnect circuit design was proposed for 45 nm technology to enhance the performance parameters. Furthermore, the RC interconnect design was simulated for lumped and distributed networks. The parasitic component values (resistance, inductance, and capacitance) are evaluated using PTM technology. Results: The proposed interconnect circuit's resistance value decreased by a factor of 4, but the capacitance remains the same. Furthermore, power consumption and delay values were attained. An overall comparison was done between RC and RLC networks. Conclusion: 63.13% power improvement and 24.87% delay improvement were observed in the RLC network over RC distributed network.

Background: Topical delivery of NSAIDs through organogels might transport lornoxicam to the site of action, minimizing gastrointestinal problems and adverse effects. Methods: In the current investigation, a lecithin organogel containing lornoxicam was made by microemulsion method. For this purpose, a certain amount of pure soya lecithin was dispersed in suitable isopropyl myristate as a dispersant and emulsifier at room temperature to form the oily phase. The lecithin was completely dissolved in the combination by the next morning. Sorbic acid was then added to the mixture as a preservative, Pluronic F-127 and potassium sorbate were weighed out, and then they were mixed with cold water to create an aqueous phase, and menthol was added. On the next morning, lornoxicam, the active component, became soluble in polyethylene glycol-400 and combined with the lecithin isopropyl palmitate mixture. The oily portion was agitated using a mechanical stirrer at 400 rpm while the aqueous phase was introduced gradually. Results: The lornoxicam organogel preparation was it was assessed for its physical appearance, organoleptic characteristics, consistency, gelation temperature, drug content, and in vitro release studies. The active ingredient content of formulation F5 was the highest at 93.33. Formulations F4 and F5 were selected for kinetic studies because they had all physical characteristics under reasonable limits, the active ingredient level was the greatest, and the active ingredient release was the fastest in eight hours. Conclusion: The transdermal organogel formulation of lornoxicam was found to be effective for topical distribution of the drug and when administered topically, it has strong anti-inflammatory and anti-rheumatic action.

Introduction: Composite research is adopting innovative materials in the current period due to their better qualities, such as being lightweight, having excellent mechanical properties, being relatively inexpensive, having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, etc. Methods: Composite materials play a crucial part in this challenge, with the fast market growth for lightweight and high-performance materials. In the present research, different weight percentages of aramid fiber, glass wool, aluminum, and silicon carbide-reinforced high-density polyethylene hybrid composite are introduced. The degree of adhesion between the matrix and reinforcement was determined through microstructural investigation utilizing an optical and scanning electronic microscope. Results: Mechanical properties (tensile behaviors, flexural behavior, impact strength and hardness property) of the fabricated composites are investigated. Comparative study of mechanical properties for different combinations of fabricated composites reveals an increase in elongation at break, flexural strength, flexural modulus and hardness, while tensile strength and impact strength have decreased sequentially from 5 to 40 wt.%. Conclusion: The mechanical properties of HDPE-PPTA-GW-Al-SiC hybrid composites obtained at 40 wt.% PPTA (Poly (p-phenylene terephthalamide)), GW (glass wool), Al, and SiC powder loading are superior as compared to other hybrid composites.

Background: Gastric irritation and kidney problems occur due to excess ascorbic acid content, whereas the lack of ascorbic acid in the human body leads to poor wound healing, muscle degeneration, and anemia. Objectives: Herein, we report the development of an electrochemical sensor for the detection of ascorbic acid using poly-thionine/ graphene (P-Th/Gr) modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) in 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution (PBS) (pH 7.4). Electrostatically fused graphene affixed with poly-thionine was successfully illustrated for effective voltammetric sensing of ascorbic acid. Methodology: FE-SEM indicated the blended edge of a 2D graphene sheet with a deposited thin layer of polymer, which confirmed the formation of a poly-thionine/graphene composite. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique was utilized for the electrochemical assay of ascorbic acid (AsA, Vitamin C). Results: With the increased concentrations of AsA, the oxidation peak current of ascorbic acid increased at 0.0 V, and the overpotential showed a decrease compared to bare GCE. The effect of scan rate on cyclic voltammograms was recorded with 500 μM of ascorbic acid from 10 mV/s to 250 mV/s, which indicated that AsA oxidation is a diffusion-controlled process on poly-thionine/ graphene-modified electrode. Conclusion: It was concluded that a poly-thionine/graphene composite-based sensor could be useful for the determination of ascorbic acid in various biological samples.