Novel rechargeable calcium phosphate nanoparticle-containing orthodontic cement

White spot lesions （WSLs）, due to enamel demineralization, occur frequently in orthodontic treatment. We recently developed a novel rechargeable dental composite containing nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate （NACP） with long-term calcium （Ca） and phosphate （P） ion release and caries-inhibiting capability. The objectives of this study were to develop the first NACP- rechargeable orthodontic cement and investigate the effects of recharge duration and frequency on the efficacy of ion re-release. The rechargeable cement consisted of pyromellitic glycerol dimethacrylate （PMGDM） and ethoxylated bisphenol A dimethacrylate （EBPADMA）. NACP was mixed into the resin at 40% by mass. Specimens were tested for orthodontic bracket shear bond strength （SBS） to enamel, Ca and P ion initial release, recharge and re-release. The new orthodontic cement exhibited an SBS similar to commercial orthodontic cement without CaP release （P〉 0.1）. Specimens after one recharge treatment （e.g., 1 min immersion in recharge solution repeating three times in one day, referred to as ＂1 min 3 times＂） exhibited a substantial and continuous re-release of Ca and P ions for 14 days without further recharge. The ion re-release did not decrease with increasing the number of recharge/re-release cycles （P〉 0.1）. The ion re-release concentrations at 14 days versus various recharge treatments were as follows： 1 min 3 times〉3 min 2 times〉 1 min 2 times〉6 min 1 time〉3 min 1 time〉 1 min 1 time. In conclusion, although previous studies have shown that NACP nanocomposite remineralized tooth lesions and inhibited caries, the present study developed the first orthodontic cement with Ca and P ion recharge and long-term release capability. This NACP-rechargeable orthodontic cement is a promising therapy to inhibit enamel demineralization and WSLs around orthodontic brackets.

A novel synthesis of LiFePO_4/C from Fe_2O_3 without extra carbon or carbon-containing reductant

A novel synthesis of LiFePO4/C from Fe2O3 with no extra carbon or carbon-containing reductant was introduced： Fe2O3 （＋NH4H2PO4）→Fe2P2O7（＋Li2CO3＋glucose）→LiFePO4/C. X-ray diffractometry （XRD）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR） and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） were utilized to characterize relevant products obtained in the synthetic procedure. The reaction of Fe2P2O7 and Li2CO3 was investigated by thermo-gravimetric and differential thermal analysis （TGA-DTA）. Fe2O3 is completely reduced to Fe2P2O7 by NH4H2PO4 at 700 ℃ and Fe2P2O7 fully reacts with Li2CO3 to form LiFePO4 in the temperature range of 663.4-890 ℃. The primary particles of LiFePO4/C samples prepared at 670, 700 and 750 ℃ respectively exhibit uniform morphology and narrow size distribution, 0.5-3 μm for those obtained at 670 and 700 ℃ and 0.5-5 μm for those obtained at 750 ℃. LiFePO4/C （carbon content of 5.49%, mass fraction） made at 670 ℃ shows an appreciable average capacity of 153.2 mA·h/g at 0.1C in the first 50 cycles.

Boosting the catalytic performance of Cu-SAPO-34in NO_(x) removal via hydrothermal treatment

Phosphate ions promoted Cu-SAPO-34(P-Cu-SAPO-34)were prepared using bulk CuO particles as Cu^(2+)precursor by a solid-state ion exchange technique for the selective catalytic reduction of NO_(x) with NH_3(NH_3-SCR).The effects of high temperature(H-T)hydrothermal aging on the NO_(x) removal(de-NO_(x))performance of Cu-SAPO-34 with and without phosphate ions were systematically investigated at atomic level.The results displayed that both Cu-SAPO-34 and P-Cu-SAPO-34 presented relatively poor NO_(x) removal activity with a low conversion(<30%)at 250-500℃.However,after H-T hydrothermal treatment(800℃ for 10 hr at 10%H_2O),these two samples showed significantly satisfied NO_(x) elimination performance with a quite high conversion(70%-90%)at 250-500℃.Additionally,phosphate ions decoration can further enhance the catalytic performance of Cu-SAPO-34 after hydrothermal treatment(Cu-SAPO-34H).The textural properties,morphologies,structural feature,acidity,redox characteristic,and surface-active species of the fresh and hydrothermally aged samples were analyzed using various characterization methods.The systematical characterization results revealed that increases of 28%of the isolated Cu^(2+)active species(Cu^(2+)-2Z,Cu(OH)^(+)-Z)mainly from bulk CuO and 50%of the Bronsted acid sites,the high dispersion of isolated Cu^(2+)active component as well as the Bronsted acid sites were mainly responsible for the accepted catalytic activity of these two hydrothermally aged samples,especially for P-Cu-SAPO-34H.

Material conversion from paper sludge ash in NaOH solution to synthesize adsorbent for removal of Pb^(2+),NH_4^+and PO_4^(3-) from aqueous solution

Material conversion from paper sludge ash （PSA） in NaOH solution was attempted to synthesize the adsorbent for removal of inorganic pollutants, such as Pb^2＋, NH^4＋ and PO4^3- from aqueous solution. PSA of 0.5 g was added into 10 mL of 3 mol/L NaOH solution, and then heated at 80, 120, and 160℃ for 6-48 hr to obtain the product. PSA mainly composed of two crystalline phases, gehlenite （Ca2Al2SiO7） and anorthite （CaAl2Si2O8）, and amorphous phase. Hydroxysodalite （Na6Al6Si6O24-8H2O） was formed at 80℃, and anorthite dissolved, whereas gehlenite remained unaffected. Katoite （Ca3Al2SiO4（OH）8） was formed over 120℃, and hydroxycancrinite （Nas（OH）2Al6Si6O24·2H2O） was formed at 160℃, due to the dissolution of both gehlenite and anorthite. Specific surface areas of the products were almost same and were higher than that of raw ash. Cation exchange capacities （CECs） of the products were also higher than that of raw ash, and CEC obtained at lower temperature was higher. Removal abilities of products for Pb^2＋, NH4＋, and PO4^3- were higher than that of raw ash. With increasing reaction temperature, the removal efficiencies of Pb^2＋ and NH4＋ decreased due to the decrease of CEC of the product, while removal efficiency for PO4^3- was almost same. The concentrations of Si and AI in the solution and the crystalline phases in the solid during the reaction explain the formation of the product phases at each temperature.

Cytocompatible 3D chitosan/hydroxyapatite composites endowed with antibacterial properties:toward a self-sterilized bone tissue engineering scaffold

Bone tissue scaffolds based on bioactive polymer–hydroxyapatite composites have caused infections that seriously limit their extended application. In this study, we proposed a practical ion substitution method to synthesize in situ silver phosphate on the surface of a two-level, threedimensional chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite scaffold. A release test of silver ions in a phosphate buffered saline(PBS) solution was performed to demonstrate that silver ions were released continuously from the silver phosphate during the initial 6 days of the study. The antibacterial property and cytocompatibility of the scaffolds treated with different concentrations of silver nitrate solution were assessed by in vitro assays with Escherichia coli and MC3T3-E1, respectively. The ability of the silver-containing scaffolds to induce bacteriostasis was confirmed by the inhibition zone(15 mm) and high bactericidal rate([99 %). Cell proliferation, morphology and the alkaline phosphatase activity of MC3T3-E1 cultured on the scaffold with low silver phosphate contents were comparable with those cultured on control samples.

Nanocomposite LiFePO_4·Li_3V_2(PO_4)_3/C synthesized by freeze-drying assisted sol-gel method and its magnetic and electrochemical properties

Nano-sized LiFePO_4·Li_3V_2（PO_4）_3/C was synthesized via a sol-gel route combining with freeze-drying. X-ray diffraction results show that this composite mainly consists of olivine Li Fe PO4 and monoclinic Li3 V2（PO4）3 phases with small amounts of V-doped LiFePO_4 and Fe-doped Li_3V_2（PO_4）_3. The magnetic properties of LiFePO_4·Li_3V_2（PO_4）_3/C are significantly different from LiFePO_4/C. Trace quantities of ferromagnetic impurities and Fe_2P are verified in LiFePO_4/C and LiFePO_4·Li_3V_2（PO_4）_3/C by magnetic tests, respectively. LiFePO_4·Li_3 V_2（PO_4）_3/C possesses relatively better rate capacities and cyclic stabilities, especially at high charge-discharge rates.The initial discharge capacities are 136.4 and 130.0 mA h g^（-1）,and the capacity retentions are more than 98% after 100 cycles at 2C and 5C, respectively, remarkably better than those of LiFePO_4/C. The excellent electrochemical performances are ascribed to the mutual doping of V^（3＋）and Fe^（2＋）, complementary advantages of LiFePO_4 and Li_3V_2（PO_4）_3 phases, the residual high-ordered carbon and Fe_2P with outstanding electric conductivity in the nanocomposite.