Exfoliation of graphite is a promising approach for large-scale production of graphene. Oxidation of graphite effectively facilitates the exfoliation process, yet necessitates several lengthy washing and reduction processes to convert the exfoliated graphite oxide (graphene oxide, GO) to reduced graphene oxide (RGO). Although filtration, centrifugation and dialysis have been frequently used in the washing stage, none of them is favorable for large-scale production. Here, we report the synthesis of RGO by sonication-assisted oxidation of graphite in a solution of potassium permanganate and concentrated sulfuric acid followed by reduction with ascorbic acid prior to any washing processes. GO loses its hydrophilicity during the reduction stage which facilitates the washing step and reduces the time required for production of RGO. Furthermore, simultaneous oxidation and exfoliation significantly enhance the yield of few-layer GO. We hope this one-pot and fully-scalable protocol paves the road toward out of lab applications of graphene.

Heterostructured materials are an emerging class of materials with superior performances that are unattainable by their conventional homogeneous counterparts. They consist of heterogeneous zones with dramatic (> 100%) variations in mechanical and/or physical properties. The interaction in these hetero-zones produces a synergistic effect where the integrated property exceeds the prediction by the rule-of-mixtures. The heterostructured materials field explores heterostructures to control defect distributions, long-range internal stresses, and nonlinear inter-zone interactions for unprecedented performances. This paper is aimed to provide perspectives on this novel field, describe the state-of-the-art of heterostructured materials, and identify and discuss key issues that deserve additional studies. IMPACT STATEMENT This paper delineates heterostructured materials, which are emerging as a new class of materials with unprecedented properties, new materials science and economic industrial production.

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This study reports that solid-state reactions occur by the application of high-pressure torsion (HPT) to the Al-Cu system even at low homologous temperature. A bulk form of disc consisting of two separate half-discs of pure Al and pure Cu are processed by HPT at ambient temperature under a pressure of 6 GPa. X-ray diffraction analysis and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirm the formation of different intermetallic phases such as Al 2 Cu, AlCu and Al 4 Cu 9 , as well as the dissolution and supersaturation of Al and Cu in each matrix. It is shown that the diffusion coefficient is enhanced by 10 12-10 22 times during the HPT processing in comparison with the lattice diffusion and becomes comparable to the surface diffusion. The enhanced diffusion is attributed to the presence of a high density of lattice defects such as vacancies, dislocations and grain boundaries produced by HPT processing.

PurposeThe sinus lift procedure requires detailed knowledge of maxillary sinus anatomy and the possible anatomical variations. This study evaluated the location and prevalence of maxillary sinus septa using computed tomography (CT).MethodsThis study was based on the analysis of CT images for posterior maxilla which were obtained from patients who visited Chonbuk National University Dental Hospital during the period of June 2007 to December 2008. With the exclusion of cases presenting any pathological changes, 236 maxillary sinuses in 204 patients were retrospectively analyzed. The average age of the patients was 50.9. The cases were divided into two groups, an atrophy/edentulous segment and a non-atrophy/dentate segment, and maxillary sinus septa of less than 2.5 mm were not taken in-to consideration. The location of septa was also divided for analysis into 3 regions: the anterior (1st and 2nd premolar), middle (1st and 2nd molar) and posterior (behind 2nd molar) regions.ResultsIn 54 (20.9%) of the 204 patients there were pathologic findings, and those patients were excluded from the analysis. Sinus septa were present in 58 (24.6%) of the 236 maxillary sinuses and in 55 (27%) of the 204 total patients. In the atrophy/edentulous ridge group (148 maxillary sinuses), 41 cases (27.7%) were found, and 17 cases (19.3%) were found in the non-atrophy/dentulous ridge group (88 maxillary sinuses). In terms of location, septa were found in 18 cases (27.3%) in the anterior, in 33 cases (50%) in the middle and in 15 cases (22.7%) in the posterior regions.ConclusionsIn the posterior maxilla, regardless of type of ridge (atrophy/edentulous or non-atrophy/dentate), the anatomical variation of sinus septa is diverse in its prevalence and location. Thus, accurate information on the maxillary sinus of the patient is essential and should be clearly understood by the surgeon to prevent possible complications during sinus lifting.

Despite the advance of on-skin sensors over the last decade, a sensor that solves simultaneously the critical issues for using in everyday life, such as stable performance in various environments, use over a long period of time, and repeated use by easy handling, has not yet been achieved. Here, we introduce an auxetic hygroscopic sensor that simultaneously meets all of the conditions. The auxetic structure with a negative Poisson's ratio matches with deformation of the skin in ankles; hence, a conformal contact between the sensor and the skin could be maintained during repeated movements. Sweat was absorbed in the auxetic electrode made of a hydrogel pattern coated with Ag nanowires and evaporated quickly; such hygroscopic characteristic led to excellent breathability. An electrocardiogram sensor and a haptic device were fabricated according to the proposed design for a sensor electrode. The sensors provide stable detecting performance in various environments, such as exercising, submersion in water, exposure to concentrated salt water, and continuous wearing for long time (7 days). Also, the sensors could be manually attached repeatedly without degrading the performance. This study provides new structural insights for on-skin sensors and presents future research directions.

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Titanium (Ti) and its alloys with a high mechanical strength and a small diameter can be effectively exploited for minimally invasive dental implantation. Here, we report a multipass caliber-rolled Ti alloy of Ti13Nb13Zr (MPCR-TNZ) with a high mechanical strength and strong fatigue characteristics. For further dental applications, MPCR-TNZ was surface-modified with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and loaded with osteogenic dexamethasone (Dex) via π-π stacking on the graphitic domain of RGO. The Dex-loaded RGO-MPCR-TNZ (Dex/RGO-MPCR-TNZ) resulted in significantly enhanced growth and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells into osteoblasts, which was confirmed by Alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase activity test, immunocytochemistry, and real-time PCR. Moreover, we could confirm the feasibility of Dex/RGO-MPCR-TNZ from the implantation test of a prototype of a dental implant to an artificial bone block for clinical dental applications.