Magnetic core–shell nanoparticles are one of the most interesting nanocarriers. Smart polymers can be attached to nanoparticles as a suitable shell. Cancer tissues, with higher temperature than normal one, are one of the best targets for these systems in which the polymeric shell shrinks and thus drugs are released. The aim of this research is to synthesize such a smart nanocarrier with a thermoresponsive shell. Magnetic nanoparticles are coated with poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide). Afterward, the as prepared nanoparticles are analyzed through different characterization methods (scanning electron microscope, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, carbon–hydrogen–nitrogen–sulfur elemental analysis, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy) and their response to the temperature is investigated in different temperatures (37 and 40 °C). Results demonstrate that a biocompatible nanocarrier with the average size of about 35 nm and 83% entrapment efficiency for curcumin is successfully synthesized. The drug release process shows a controlled behavior over temperature. It has an increasing trend by increasing the temperature from 4 to 37 °C and then to 40 °C. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of drug loaded nanocarrier is obviously increased at 40 °C compared to 37 °C. It can be concluded that this new smart nanotheranostics agent can be successfully applied for cancer treatment.
The use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has grown in recent years, making them a promising source of secondary raw materials due to their rich composition of valuable materials, such as Cobalt and Nickel. Recycling LIBs can help reduce fossil energy consumption, CO2 emissions, environmental pollution, and consumption of valuable materials with limited supplies. On the other hand, the hazards associated with spent LIBs recycling are mainly due to fires and explosions caused by unwanted short-circuiting. The high voltage and reactive components of end-of-life LIBs pose safety hazards during mechanical processing and crushing stages, as well as during storage and transportation. Electrochemical discharge using salt solutions is a simple, quick, and inexpensive way to eliminate such hazards. In this paper, three different salts (NaCl, Na2S, and MgSO4) from 12% to 20% concentration are investigated as possible candidates. The effectiveness of discharge was shown to be a function of molarity rather than ionic strength of the solution. Experiments also showed that the use of ultrasonic waves can dramatically improve the discharge process and reduce the required time more than 10-fold. This means that the drainage time was reduced from nearly 1 day to under 100 minutes. Finally, a practical setup in which the tips of the batteries are directly immersed inside the salt solution is proposed. This creative configuration can fully discharge the batteries in less than 5 minutes. Due to the fast discharge rates in this configuration, sedimentation and corrosion are also almost entirely avoided.
Building envelopes have a critical role in the construction sector's sustainability. The main aim of this research is to assess the environmental impacts of typical exterior wall assemblies and present the best option to the Iranian market, taking into account both embodied and operational energy. Autodesk Green Building studio is used to determine the operating loads of each wall. Simapro, a life cycle assessment software, is used to help manage data on environmental impacts. The results show that the most severe damage category for all of the analyzed walls is human health. Also, the environmental impact of the end-of-life stage is insignificant in comparison with the production and use stages. If reducing carbon emissions is a major priority, replacing one square meter of masonry brick wall (the worst option) with Prefabricated extruded polystyrene (XPS) drywall (the best option) could save 1257.85 kgCO2eq. The operational phase of the specified walls has a wide range of environmental impacts. Prefabricated Knauf drywall and prefabricated XPS drywall consume less energy for the operating phase since they use a sufficient quantity of isolations, leading to better total environmental performance. In conclusion, the thermal performance of building materials should be given more attention.
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