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Gdańsk University of Technology

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  • Study of various machine learning approaches for Sentinel-2 derived bathymetry
    • Andrzej Chybicki
    • Paweł Sosnowski
    • Marek Kulawiak
    • Tomasz Bieliński
    • Waldemar Korlub
    • Zbigniew Łubniewski
    • Magdalena Kempa
    • Jarosław Parzuchowski
    2023 Full text PLOS ONE

    In recent years precise and up-to-date information regarding seabed depth has become more and more important for companies and institutions that operate on coastlines. While direct, in-situ measurements are performed regularly, they are expensive, time-consuming and impractical to be performed in short time intervals. At the same time, an ever-increasing amount of satellite imaging data becomes available. With these images, it became possible to develop bathymetry estimation algorithms that can predict seabed depth and utilize them systematically. Since there are a number of theoretical approaches, physical models, and empirical techniques to use satellite observations in order to estimate depth in the coastal zone, the presented article compares the performance and precision of the most common one to modern machine learning algorithms. More specifically, the models based on shallow neural networks, decision trees and Random Forest algorithms have been proposed, investigated and confronted with the performance of pure analytical models. The particular proposed machine learning models differ also in a set of satellite data bands used as an input as well as in applying or not geographical weighting in the learning process. The obtained results point towards the best performance of the regression tree algorithm that incorporated as inputs information about data localization, raw reflectance data from four satellite data bands and a quotient of logarithms of B2 and B3 bands. The study for the paper was performed in relatively optically difficult and spatially variant conditions of the south Baltic coastline starting at Szczecin, Poland on the west (53˚26’17’’ N, 14˚32’32’’ E) to Hel peninsula (54˚43’04,3774’’ N 18˚37’56,9175’’ E). The reference bathymetry data was acquired from Polish Marine Administration. It was obtained through profile probing with single-beam sonar or direct in-situ probing.

  • Study of ZrS3-based field-effect transistors toward the understanding of the mechanisms of light-enhanced gas sensing by transition metal trichalcogenides
    • Katarzyna Drozdowska
    • Adil Rehman
    • Sergey Rumyantsev
    • Michelle Wurch
    • Ludwig Bartels
    • Alexander Balandin
    • Janusz Smulko
    • Grzegorz Cywiński
    2023 Full text Materials Today Communications

    Extending knowledge of the properties of low-dimensional van der Waals materials, including their reactivity to the ambiance, is important for developing innovative electronic and optoelectronic devices. Transition metal trichalcogenides with tunable optical band gaps and anisotropic conductivity are an emerging class among low- dimensional structures with the possibility of gate tunability and photoreactivity. These properties can be combined into light-enhanced field-effect transistor gas sensors. We demonstrated prototype zirconium trisulfide (ZrS3) sensors for nitrogen dioxide, ethanol, and acetone. Photoconductivity and photogating play a critical role in photoinduced gas sensing, with the dominance of the first for blue (470 nm) and green (515 nm) and the second one prevailing for red (700 nm) irradiations. Our results suggest that surface trap states lead both to trapping and scattering of the charge carriers in the channel. The gas detection is guided by charge transfer and modulation of the carrier mobility, resulting in distinct I-V characteristics for selected irradiation conditions.

  • Study on effective front region thickness of PCM in thermal energy storage using a novel semi-theoretical model
    • Rafał Andrzejczyk
    • Muhammad Saqib
    • Tomasz Kowalczyk
    • Hafiz Muhammad Ali
    2023 Full text INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS IN HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER

    Thermal energy storage in mobile applications, particularly battery of electric vehicles, is currently gaining a lot of importance. In this paper, a semi-theoretical time-dependent mathematical model of the phase change in a double shell thermal energy storage module has been developed where the inner tube is a heat exchange surface. An effective front region thickness for the melting and solidification process has been studied. The proposed model is calibrated based on our experimental data. The purpose of such a model is to enable the optimization of the geometry of the energy storage modules in terms of the PCM to the TES container mass ratio and enhancement of phase change rate. In addition, results obtained for a single tube can be used in the bundle of tubes in shell and tube TES design. The results have shown that for the larger diameter of the module (smaller difference between the working tube and shell diameter) the optimal working time is around 2000 s.

  • Study on Microstructure-Property Relationship of Inconel 617 Alloy/304L SS Steel Dissimilar Welds Joint
    • Amit Kumar
    • Krishna Guguloth
    • Shailesh M. Pandey
    • Dariusz Fydrych
    • Sachin Sirohi
    • Chandan Pandey
    2023 METALLURGICAL AND MATERIALS TRANSACTIONS A-PHYSICAL METALLURGY AND MATERIALS SCIENCE

    Welding of Inconel 617 (IN617) alloy and austenitic 304L SS steel has been attempted using the autogenous Laser Beam Welding (LBW) process. Characterization of dissimilar weldments was performed on either side of the fusion boundaries. The metallographic results showed that the inhomogeneous microstructure formation for weld metal contained columnar and cellular dendrites near the interface, whilst the columnar, cellular and equiaxed types of dendrites were in the weld centre. The energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) studies revealed the white layer near the interface on both sides of the fusion line, as well as a significant change in the concentration of alloying elements (Fe, Cr, Ni, Co, and Mo). The weld metal accompanied by Cr, Ti and Mo precipitates evolved in the inter-dendritic spaces. The Cr and Mo-rich M23C6 and Mo-rich M6C phases in IN617 heat-affected zone (HAZ) were found in SEM/EDS and EPMA studies. The 304L SS side showed a distinct HAZ, whilst on the IN617 side, no distinct HAZ was seen. Samples were prepared from the dissimilar weldments to evaluate their mechanical properties, such as tensile strength and hardness. The microhardness plot showed the non-uniformity in hardness along the weldments. The weld metal hardness was 253 ± 10 HV. The tensile test of the welded joint results was compared with the base metals. The tested results exhibited that the failure of the specimen from 304L SS base metal (BM) or from weld metal with tensile strength was marginally lower than the Inconel 617 base metal but significantly higher than the 304L SS BM. The fracture surface study revealed the presence of Mo and Cr segregation in inter-dendritic spaces, which impoverished the tensile properties. The order of impact toughness was measured as follows: 304L SS BM > 304L SS HAZ>IN617 BM>weld metal>IN617 HAZ. The IN617 HAZ was recognised as the weakest area of the weldments in terms of impact strength. The welded joint was considered safe for AUSC application because the stress-rupture properties were evaluated in between base metals data.

  • Study on transmission quality in cellular 4G and 5G networks between 2019–2021: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the level of provided services by operating base transceiver stations
    • Przemysław Falkowski-Gilski
    • Tadeus Uhl
    2023 Full text Zeszyty Naukowe Akademii Morskiej w Szczecinie

    The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly limited user mobility, not least among students. Remote learning had a particular impact on resource allocation in relation to using terrestrial cellular networks, especially 4G systems in urban agglomerations. This paper presents the results of a quality evaluation of an outdoor environment, carried out between 2019 and 2021 on the campus of a technical university. Annual studies are conducted using our own custom-built mobile application, installed on 50 mobile devices (i.e., smartphones) running Android OS. This study aims to determine the impact of reduced user mobility on access parameters in mobile networks, that is, both download and upload throughput as well as delay (ping), with a particular focus on serving base transceiver stations (BTSs). This research scenario involves long-term evolution (LTE) compatible user equipment (UE) that operates under four Polish mobile network operators (MNO), which includes roaming connections and the newly launched 5G standard.

  • Substancje groźne, niebezpieczne i pożyteczne. Tom 2. Związki organiczne
    • Aleksander Kołodziejczyk
    • Aleksandra Kołodziejczyk
    2023

    Streszczenie W drugim tomie prezentowanej książki przedstawione zostały informacje nt. związków organicznych, ich występowania, otrzymywania, właściwości oraz zagrożeń jakie one stwarzają, a także korzyści, jakich dostarczają. Do związków organicznych zaliczane są te substancje, które zawierają atom lub atomy węgla, z pewnymi wyjątkami (szczegóły w książce). Szacunkowo, liczba znanych związków organicznych sięga kilkudziesięciu milionów (wg PubChem), a rocznie przybywa ich około 200 tys. W związkach organicznych obok węgla i wodoru najczęściej występują także tlen, azot i siarka, dlatego te pięć pierwiastków nazwano pierwiastkami organicznymi. Połączenia organiczne, które zawierają jeszcze inne atomy bezpośrednio związane z atomami węgla noszą nazwy wynikające z ich obecności np. związki z atomami metali nazywane są związkami metaloorganicznymi. Do najczęściej spotykanych należą też związki halogenoorganiczne, siarkoorganiczne czy fosforoorganiczne. Od ich nazw zatytułowane zostały poszczególne rozdziały książki. Z racji bardzo zróżnicowanych edukacyjnie potencjalnych czytelników książki poprzedzono je omówieniem głównych grup związków organicznych, a więc węglowodorów, alkoholi, eterów, związków karbonylowych, kwasów karboksylowych i ich pochodnych. Szczególny nacisk został położony na zagrożenia, jakie stwarzają najniebezpieczniejsze z nich, a także sposoby ochrony przed nimi. Przed przystąpieniem do pisania tej książki z niektórych zagrożeń nie zdawali sobie sprawy nawet jej autorzy, chemicy organicy z długoletnim doświadczeniem. Przykładem może być eteromania, nałóg narkotyzowania się eterem dietylowym, bardzo rozpowszechniony w okresie międzywojennym. Znamiennym przykładem ogromnego zagrożenia jest siarczan dimetylu, popularny odczynnik używany w laboratoriach chemicznych i biochemicznych. Powszechnie wiadomo, że jest to substancja szkodliwa, ale mało kto wie jak bardzo – był rozważany jako potencjalny gaz bojowy.

  • Succinite, Baltic Amber: A Chemical Masterpiece of Nature
    • Ewa Wagner-Wysiecka
    2023 Full text Journal of Gems & Gemmology

    Succinite, Baltic amber, is one of the most appreciated fossil resins. Its beauty has fascinated people since prehistoric times. It is a substance, and also gemstone, whose uniqueness is due to its compelling, though still not fully understood, physicochemical nature. In this article, some facts about the physical and chemical properties of succinite in order to find an answer for questions about the unique properties of this resin, such as color, transparency, texture etc., are discussed. These properties are among the factors that determine the choice of Baltic amber as a gemstone. Commonly known properties of succinite, but also some less obvious features, have been linked to the organic and inorganic chemical composition and structural factors, including the sophisticated supramolecular structure masterfully created by nature. Changes of the properties of succinite used as a jewelry stone are discussed as a reflection of changes in its physicochemical nature. In this light, some methods that can be used to identify succinite (i.e., infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy) and their relevance to the classification of fossil resins are briefly discussed. This article highlights an important point: only by understanding the chemical and physical nature of the material we able to identify, modify and effectively use the goods that have been given to us by mother nature.

  • Suitableness of SLM Manufactured Turbine Blade for Aerodynamical Tests
    • Janusz Telega
    • Piotr Kaczynski
    • Małgorzata Śmiałek-Telega
    • Piotr Pawłowski
    • Ryszard Szwaba
    2023 Full text Materials

    settingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessArticle Suitableness of SLM Manufactured Turbine Blade for Aerodynamical Tests by Janusz Telega 1,*ORCID,Piotr Kaczynski 1ORCID,Małgorzata A. Śmiałek 2ORCID,Piotr Pawlowski 3ORCID andRyszard Szwaba 1ORCID 1 Institute of Fluid Flow Machinery Polish Academy of Sciences (IMP PAN), Fiszera 14, 80-231 Gdansk, Poland 2 Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Ship Technology, Institute of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland 3 Institute of Fundamental Technological Research Polish Academy of Sciences (IPPT PAN), Pawinskiego 5B, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Materials 2023, 16(7), 2866; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072866 Received: 27 February 2023 / Revised: 24 March 2023 / Accepted: 29 March 2023 / Published: 4 April 2023 (This article belongs to the Topic Additive Manufacturing: Design, Opportunities, and Applications) Download Browse Figures Versions Notes Abstract This paper describes some insights on applicability of a Selective Laser Melting and Direct Metal Laser Sintering technology-manufactured turbine blade models for aerodynamic tests in a wind tunnel. The principal idea behind this research was to assess the possibilities of using ‘raw’ DLMS printed turbine blade models for gas-flow experiments. The actual blade, manufactured using the DLMS technology, is assessed in terms of surface quality (roughness), geometrical shape and size (outline), quality of counterbores and quality of small diameter holes. The results are evaluated for the experimental aerodynamics standpoint. This field of application imposes requirements that have not yet been described in the literature. The experimental outcomes prove the surface quality does not suffice to conduct quantitative experiments. The holes that are necessary for pressure measurements in wind tunnel experiments cannot be reduced below 1 mm in diameter. The dimensional discrepancies are on the level beyond acceptable. Additionally, the problem of ‘reversed tolerance’, with the material building up and distorting the design, is visible in elements printed with the DLMS technology. The results indicate the necessity of post-machining of the printed elements prior their experimental usage, as their features in the ‘as fabricated’ state significantly disturb the flow conditions.

  • Superconductivity in a breathing kagome metals ROs2 (R = Sc, Y, Lu)
    • Karolina Górnicka
    • Michał Winiarski
    • Dorota I. Walicka
    • Tomasz Klimczuk
    2023 Full text Scientific Reports

    We have successfully synthesized three osmium-based hexagonal Laves compounds ROs2 (R = Sc, Y, Lu), and discussed their physical properties. LeBail refinement of pXRD data confirms that all compounds crystallize in the hexagonal centrosymmetric MgZn2- type structure (P63/mmc, No. 194). The refined lattice parameters are a = b = 5.1791(1) Å and c = 8.4841(2) Å for ScOs2, a = b = 5.2571(3) Å and c = 8.6613(2) Å for LuOs2 and a = b = 5.3067(6) Å and c = 8.7904(1) Å for YOs2. ROs2 Laves phases can be viewed as a stacking of kagome nets interleaved with triangular layers. Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility, resistivity and heat capacity measurements confirm bulk superconductivity at critical temperatures, Tc, of 5.36, 4.55, and 3.47 K for ScOs2, YOs2, and LuOs2, respectively. We have shown that all investigated Laves compounds are weakly-coupled type-II superconductors. DFT calculations revealed that the band structure of ROs2 is intricate due to multiple interacting d orbitals of Os and R. Nonetheless, the kagome-derived bands maintain their overall shape, and the Fermi level crosses a number of bands that originate from the kagome flat bands, broadened by interlayer interaction. As a result, ROs2 can be classified as (breathing) kagome metal superconductors

  • Superconductivity in Bismuth Pyrochlore Lattice Compounds RbBi2 and CsBi2: The Role of Relativistic Effects
    • Sylwia Gutowska
    • Bartlomiej Wiendlocha
    • Tomasz Klimczuk
    • Michał Winiarski
    2023 Full text Journal of Physical Chemistry C

    Superconducting properties of two bismuthide intermetallic compounds, RbBi2 and CsBi2, were studied by means of experimental measurements and ab initio calculations. We show that in both compounds, the superconductivity emerges from the pyrochlore Bi lattice and its formation is heavily influenced by relativistic effects. Based on our analysis of the effect of spin–orbit coupling on the electron–phonon coupling, we suggest a possible criterion for finding new superconducting materials by looking for structures featuring relativistically stabilized hypervalent networks of heavy p-block elements.

  • Superconductivity of Ta-Hf and Ta-Zr alloys: Potential alloys for use in superconducting devices
    • Tomasz Klimczuk
    • Szymon Królak
    • Robert J. Cava
    2023 Full text Physical Review Materials

    The electronic properties relevant to superconductivity are reported for bulk Ta-Hf and Ta-Zr body centered cubic alloys, in a large part to determine whether their properties are suitable for potential use in superconducting qbits. The body centered cubic unit cell sizes increase with increasing alloying. The results of magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and heat capacity characterization are reported. While elemental Ta is a type I superconductor, the alloys are type II strong coupling superconductors. Although decreasing the electron count per atom is expected to increase the density of electronic states at the Fermi level and thus the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) in these systems, we find that this is not sufficient to explain the significant increases in the superconducting Tc’s observed.

  • Superhydrophobic and superoleophilic melamine sponges impregnated with deep eutectic solvents for oil spill cleanup
    • Patrycja Makoś-Chełstowska
    • Edyta Słupek
    2023 SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY

    The extensive extraction of oil from the bottom of seas and oceans and its transportation by tankers increase the risk of potential environmental disasters associated with hydrocarbon fractions entering water reservoirs. Therefore, this paper presents the preparation of a simple impregnation of a melamine sponge with deep eutectic solvents (DES), which can be obtained from natural sources, including coconut oil, palm kernel oil, seed oils, mammalian milk, and substances commonly used in pharmacological and physiological studies. A preselection method based on the COSMO-RS model was used to select the most suitable DES among 760 solvents. The selected DES were prepared and impregnated on melamine sponge (MS). Structural and surface analyses were performed by DES-MS. The process parameters that affect the sorption capacity of DES-MS and the affinity tests were performed for specific oil groups. The highest absorption capacities were obtained for MS impregnated with tetraethylammonium chloride and decanoic acid in a 1:2 M ratio. The prepared new DES-MS were characterized by very high sorption capacities ranging from 40.9 to 99.8 g/g, as well as superhydrophobicity (water contact angle 151°), superoleophobicity (oil contact angle 0°), low density (0.177 g/cm3), high porosity (88.25 %), high thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability, and the possibility of multiple regenerations without loss of sorption capacity. In addition, the preparation of DES-MS is simple and involves little time and consumption of toxic organic solvents. These results indicate that DES-MS may be a “green” and low-cost alternative to current approaches for removing oil from water.

  • Suppressors of lapC mutation identify new regulators of LpxC, which mediates the first committed step in lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis
    • Akshay Maniyeri Suresh
    • Alicja Wieczorek
    • Aravind Ayyolath
    • Weronika Sugalska
    • Gracjana Klein-Raina
    • Satish Raina
    2023 Full text INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES

    Gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli, are characterized by an asymmetric outer membrane (OM) with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) located in the outer leaflet and phospholipids facing the inner leaflet. E. coli recruits LPS assembly proteins LapB, LapC and LapD in concert with FtsH protease to ensure a balanced biosynthesis of LPS and phospholipids. We recently reported that bacteria either lacking the periplasmic domain of the essential LapC protein (lapC190) or in the absence of LapD exhibit an elevated degradation of LpxC, which catalyzes the first committed step in LPS biosynthesis. To further understand the functions of LapC and LapD in regulating LPS biosynthesis, we show that the overproduction of the intact LapD suppresses the temperature sensitivity (Ts) of lapC190, but not when either its N-terminal transmembrane anchor or specific conserved amino acids in the C-terminal domain are mutated. Moreover, overexpression of srrA, marA, yceJ and yfgM genes can rescue the Ts phenotype of lapC190 bacteria by restoring LpxC amounts. We further show that MarA-mediated suppression requires the expression of mla genes, whose products participate in the maintenance of OM asymmetry, and the SrrA-mediated suppression requires the presence of cardiolipin synthase A.

  • Surfactants application in sample preparation techniques: Insights, trends, and perspectives
    • Khrystyna Vakh
    • Stanislawa Koronkiewicz
    2023 TRAC-TRENDS IN ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

    Since the implementation of Green Chemistry into analytical practice, significant efforts have been made to improve the sustainability of chemical analysis. These include reducing the use of hazardous chemicals and solvents, minimizing waste, and improving energy efficiency. Surfactants can be applied in chemical analysis as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional solvents and chemicals. The use of surfactants can increase extraction efficiency by improving solubility, increasing selectivity, and reducing organic solvent consumption. In addition, surfactants can also reduce interference with the sample matrix and improve limits of detection. This review covers recent developments in surfactant-based extraction techniques, highlighting the use of surfactants in both liquid-phase and solid-phase extraction. The main principles of surfactant-based extraction methods are discussed, as well as their application as assisting agents or surface modifiers. The effects of deep eutectic solvents on surfactants micellization and the application of biocompatible surfactants are also discussed.

  • Suspended-sediment transport related to ice-cover conditions during cold and warm winters, Toudaoguai stretch of the Yellow River, Inner Mongolia, China
    • Shui-Xia Zhao
    • Quancheng Zhou
    • Wen-Jun Wang
    • Ying-Jie Wu
    • Chao Lin
    • Qiang Quan
    • Parisa Radan
    • Youcai Tuo
    • Tomasz Kolerski
    2023 Full text ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS

    The presence of winter ice in cold regions changes the water level, flow rate, velocity distribution, and other parameters of the river, which in turn affects the sediment concentration and channel evolution. Based on data obtained from Toudaoguai Hydrological Station from 1959 to 2021, this study examines the characteristics of the ice regime during cold and warm winters and the water and sediment transport processes along the Yellow River in Inner Mongolia in the context of climate change. The Mann–Kendall test and trend analysis were applied to define the years of temperature mutations and their trends, and the temperature mutation point was determined to be the 1987/1988 season. The study considers the effect of climate change on the combination of hydrological and hydraulic conditions. Therefore, trends in suspended sediment transport, ice type formation, water discharge, and storage in different ice flood seasons (November 1 to March 31, from 1998 to 2021) were attained. Based on the cumulative negative air temperature, winters were categorized into three types, warm, normal, and cold (52.2%, 17.4%, and 30.4%, respectively). Strong and weak grades further divide cold and warm winters, and statistical analyses were used to examine the characteristics of ice, water discharge, channel storage, and sediment transport. The duration of open water, freeze-up, ice cover, and breakup periods were calculated, and the relationship between the suspended sediment transport rate and discharge rate in these various ice periods was defined. The obtained relations show that the suspended sediment rate during the ice cover and first drift was smaller than that during the open water and post-breakup conditions. For the ice cover period, the sediment transport rate was on average approximately four times smaller than the freeze-up condition and six times smaller than the open water condition. The reduced sediment transport rate in the freeze-up period can be attributed to the weakened vertical turbulent mixing and increased flow resistance.

  • Sustainability objectives and collaboration lifecycle in cluster organizations
    • Anna Lis
    • Małgorzata Rozkwitalska
    • Adrian Lis
    2023 Full text Quality and Quantity

    In our paper, we combine two issues, collaboration in cluster organizations and sustainability, aiming to answer the question: Does complex governance structure of cluster organizations support members in formulating and reaching sustainability objectives? Based on four case studies of cluster organizations and a still novel abductive approach, we present the ways in which sustainability was executed in their functioning. Our study shows that the role of cluster organizations in formulating and reaching sustainability objectives varied with regard to their collaboration life cycle. The “Formation” stage laid the foundations for collaboration and relational governance, the “Growth” stage aimed at improving the economic performance of cluster members, while the “Extension” stage impacted more cluster stakeholders with regard to the economic, social and environmental sustainability objectives. Nevertheless, stakeholders' self-interest induced collaboration, whereas relational governance was its essential feature. Moreover, the potential of cluster organizations' governance structures was not fully exploited in the context of sustainability, their structures have played a role in raising awareness, but it was more the competitive factors that drove companies to engage in an activity because they wanted to stay in the market, change the conditions and keep up with trends. Our research also provides practical implications for various cluster organizations’ stakeholders.

  • Sustainable bioethanol production from first- and second-generation sugar-based feedstocks: Advanced bibliometric analysis
    • Claudia Elisa Cesar Guimaraes
    • Francisco Simao Neto
    • Viviane de Castro Bizerra
    • Jean Gleison Andrade do Nascimento
    • Roberta Bussons Rodrigues Valério
    • Paulo Gonçalves de Sousa Junior
    • Rafael Leandro Fernandes Melo
    • Ada Amelia Sanders Lopes
    • Ajay S. Desai
    • Muhammad Bilal
    • Wojciech Smułek
    • Teofil Jesionowski
    • José Cleiton Sousa dos Santos
    2023 Bioresource Technology Reports

    Bioethanol is produced from carbohydrate-containing feedstocks through fermentation. Based on a bibliometric review of studies published between 2012 and 2021, we analyzed those on sustainable bioethanol production. The Web of Science main collection yielded 1647 publications, which were analyzed using VOSViewer, CiteSpace, and ArcMap software. More than half of these publications originated from some Asian countries, corresponding to 63.6 %, with India being the most participatory country. The most studied area was energy fuels, and Bioresource Technology (Elsevier) was the journal that published most on the topic, while Universiti Tenaga Nasional in Malaysia had the most interactions. Four emerging trends were identified, in mention: enzymatic hydrolysis, alternative process arrangements, use of the bacterium Zymomonas mobilis and structural features. In conclusion, it was found that the studies generally identified more advantages than disadvantages, and the research showed a positive trend, but there are still existing obstacles, which may be overcome through improved processes.

  • Sustainable Chemically Modified Mater-Bi/Poly(ε-caprolactone)/Cellulose Biocomposites: Looking at the Bulk through the Surface
    • Aleksander Hejna
    • Mateusz Barczewski
    • Paulina Kosmela
    • Olga Mysiukiewicz
    • Agnieszka Tercjak
    • Adam Piasecki
    • Mohammad Saeb
    • Marek Szostak
    2023 Full text Research Square

    Sustainable polymer composites are progressively under development in a technological paradigm shift from "just use more and more" to "convert into value-added products". The bio-based blends based on Mater-Bi bio-plastic (A) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (B), at a weight ratio of 70:30 (A:B) were developed, followed by the addition of UFC100 cellulose (C) filler to yield 70/30 (w/w) (A:B)/C sustainable biocomposites. The effects of chemical modification of C with three diisocyanates, i.e., hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), methylene bisphenyl isocyanate (MDI), or toluene diisocyanate (TDI) on the surface properties of biocomposites was evaluated by water contact angle and surface roughness detected by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Biocomposites containing C modified with HDI, MDI, or TDI revealed contact angle values of 93.5°, 97.7°, and 92.4°, respectively, compared to 88.5° for reference blend, indicating enlarged hydrophobicity window. This action was further approved by increased fracture surface roughness and miscibility detected by microscopic observation (scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and AFM) and in-depth oscillatory rheological evaluation. Correspondingly, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analyses showed more residue and higher melting temperatures for biocomposites, more promisingly with MDI and TDI modifiers. In conclusion, either incorporation or diisocyanate modification of C affects both surface and bulk properties.

  • Sustainable Development of Water Housing Using the Example of Poland: An Analysis of Scenarios
    • Emilia Miszewska
    • Maciej Niedostatkiewicz
    • Radosław Wiśniewski
    2023 Full text Sustainability

    At the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, Polish cities began the process of returning to live by water. There is a growing interest in water reservoirs not only as places for recreation, but also as new areas suitable for living, at the very center of the city. Unfortunately, due to the lack of appropriate legal regulations, the dynamic development of floating homes (FHs) is starting to raise increasing concerns in Poland. Regardless of the potential direction of development in water construction in Poland (growth, stabilization, or regression), the question arises of “how to make the potential vision of the future of water construction in Poland consistent with the idea of sustainable development (SD)”. In order to try to answer this question, the authors of this publication indicate the future limitations of formulating a strategy for the development of houses on water in Poland, according to different domains of SD. These domains are the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental spheres. Using the states of surrounding scenarios method (SSSs for short), we developed future scenarios for FHs (an optimistic scenario, a pessimistic scenario, a surprise scenario, and the most probable scenario). Then, using five inferential methods, we defined the constraints that should be taken into account when strategizing for water construction in accordance with the values of SD.

  • Sustainable development requires risky decisions - problematic 300 ton overweight transport passing a bridge
    • Mikołaj Miśkiewicz
    • Andrzej Kozakiewicz
    • Łukasz Pyrzowski
    • Bartosz Sobczyk
    2023 Full text

    Oversize load passages over bridges are one of the research issues related to sustainable development that engineering and scientific teams around the world have to deal with . The article presents the scope of activities that enabled the passage of an oversized vehicle with a total weight of over 300 tons over a reinforced concrete slab. The bridge load capacity is 30 tons. In order to assess the capacity of the bridge, detailed visual inspection, inventory, tests during a load test, field and laboratory tests of concrete, location and inventory of reinforcement, static and strength calculations were carried out. Unfortunately, the tests done during the passage of an oversize vehicle on the bridge showed that the actual weight of the set were greater than originally declared. Fortunately, it turned out that there were still some reserves in the structure load-bearing capacity and the over-weighted vehicle entered the bridge without any damage to its structure.

  • Sustainable Investing. Socio-Economic Impacts of Exchange-Traded Funds
    • Ewa Lechman
    • Adam Marszk
    2023

    Sustainable Investing: Socio-Economic Impacts of Exchange-Traded Funds examines the social and economic effects of sustainable investing ETFs and their impacts on the global financial system. The book presents the key issues with regard to sustainable investing, discussing exchange-traded funds mechanisms and categories in comparison to competing investment funds. The book outlines the theoretical determinants of ETF markets development and the effects of their diffusion, both at the investor and firm levels, as well as financial system, entire economy, and society levels. The book presents various possible implementations of sustainable investing, and covers the methodological aspects of their identification and categorization. Hybrid investment products—such as exchange-traded funds that combine the investment features of mutual funds with the trading features of stocks—are one of the most rapidly growing categories of investment funds with their total global value reaching almost $5 trillion. The book examines the linkages between ETFs and the FinTech sector in the context of sustainable development, as well as global sustainable development policies in relation to their effects on the popularity of sustainable investing. The book concludes with a discussion of the significance for other entities that may be affected, such as policy makers and recipients of funds invested through sustainable investment strategies.

  • Sustainable nitrogen removal in anammox-mediated systems: Microbial metabolic pathways, operational conditions and mathematical modelling
    • Hussein Al-Hazmi
    • Lu Xi
    • Dominika Derwis
    • Joanna Majtacz
    • Michael Badawi
    • Jacek Mąkinia
    2023 SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT

    Anammox-mediated systems have attracted considerable attention as alternative cost-effective technologies for sustainable nitrogen (N) removal from wastewater. This review comprehensively highlights the importance of understanding microbial metabolism in anammox-mediated systems under crucial operation parameters, indicating the potentially wide applications for the sustainable treatment of N-containing wastewater. The partial nitrificationanammox (PN-A), simultaneous PN-A and denitrification (SNAD) processes have demonstrated sustainable N removal from sidestream wastewater. The partial denitrification-anammox (PD-A) and denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation-anammox (DAMO-A) processes have advanced sustainable N removal efficiency in mainstream wastewater treatment. Moreover, N2O production/emission hotspots are extensively discussed in anammox-based processes and are related to the dominant ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and denitrifying heterotrophs. In contrast, N2O is not produced in the metabolism pathways of AnAOB and DAMO-archaea; Moreover, the actual contribution of N2O production by dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) and DAMO-bacteria in their species remains uncertain. Thus, PD-A and DAMO-A processes would achieve reduction in greenhouse gas production, as well as energy consumption for the reliability of N removal efficiencies. In addition to reaction mechanisms, this review covers the mathematical models for simultaneous anammox, partial nitrification and/or denitrification (i.e., PN-A, PD-A, and SNAD). Promising NO3 − reduction technologies by endogenous PD, sulfur-driven autotrophic denitrification, and DNRA by anammox are also discussed. In summary, this review provides a better understanding of sustainable N removal in anammox-mediated systems, thereby encouraging future investigation and exploration of the sustainable N bio-treatment from wastewater.

  • Sustainable polymers targeted at the surgical and otolaryngological applications: Circularity and future
    • Przemysław Gnatowski
    • Justyna Kucińska-Lipka
    2023 Full text Polymers from Renewable Resources

    The ongoing climate changes, high air and noise pollution have significant impact on humans’ health. This influence is especially visible in otolaryngology, which focuses on respiratory and hearing systems disfunctions. However, even though surgeries are done in response to diseases related to climate changes, they also have a negative impact on the environment, mostly connected with the inherence of single-use fossil fuel derived polymers. This leads to a self-perpetuating emission of greenhouse gases, as human beings developed a lot of synthetic materials to combat climate change derived dysfunctions, which itself endangers human health in a chaotic circular chain. Mitigating issues arising from using synthetic plastics would be possible by imparting biodegradable polymers from renewable resources. Nowadays, sustainable polymers are adopted mostly in emerging fields of medicine, such as 3D printing, tissue engineering of drug delivery systems. Sustainable polymers are particularly useful in otolaryngology, e.g., in the form of nasal drug eluting stents or bone substitutions. Nevertheless, some limitations in wider usage of renewable polymers in surgery should also be underlined, mainly related to lack of legislation, clinical considerations, and also inadequate materials’ circularity. Herein we briefly overviewed commonly used polymers in general surgery and otolaryngology, defined the trends in sustainable polymer usage in these fields, and highlighted the limitations in renewable polymers applications together with possible solutions. What this short review emphasizes, is that the significant increase in interest and demand for sustainable solutions will revolutionize the future of clinical treatments, where contribution to climate change and waste management will be centered in decision making protocols.

  • Sustainable Strategy for Algae Biomass Waste Management via Development of Novel Bio-Based Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomers Composites
    • Ewa Głowińska
    • Olga Gotkiewicz
    • Paulina Kosmela
    2023 Full text MOLECULES

    This work concerns the waste management method of algae biomass wastes (ABW). For this purpose, we prepared bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (bio-TPU) composites. Algae biomass wastes are derived from algal oil extraction of Chlorella vulgaris and from biomass of Enteromorpha and Zostera marina. ABWs were used in the bio-TPUs composites as a filler in the quantity of 1, 5, 10, and 15 wt.%. The bio-based composites were prepared via the in situ method. Polymer matrix was synthesized from a bio-based polyester polyol, diisocyanate mixture (composed of partially bio-based and synthetic diisocyanates), and bio-based 1,3 propanediol. In this study, the chemical structure, morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of prepared composites were investigated. Based on the conducted research, it was determined that the type and the content of algae waste influence the properties of the bio-based polyurethane matrix. In general, the addition of algae biomass wastes led to obtain materials characterized by good mechanical properties and noticeable positive ecological impact by increasing the total amount of green components in prepared bio-TPU-based composites from 68.7% to 73.54%.

  • Sustainable utilization of copper post-flotation waste in cement composites
    • Szymon Kalisz
    • Marek Lieder
    • Elżbieta Haustein
    • Aleksandra Kuryłowicz-Cudowska
    2023 CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING MATERIALS

    The current way of managing the copper ore flotation waste is by placing it in waste neutralization facilities. However, flotation waste has great potential in application in cement composites. The article presents the detailed characteristics of post-flotation waste (PFW) and three types of cements: CEM I, CEM II/B-V, and CEM III/A, 42.5 MPa class. The post-flotation waste added for 20% of the cement mass increase the water demand to obtain the standard consistency. The highest pozzolanic activity was noted for mortars made of Ordinary Portland Cement and cured at 20 °C. The lower curing temperature, i.e. 10 °C, delays the hydration reaction, extends setting time, and reduces compressive strength. The conducted tests showed that the specimens produced from CEM I and PFW have the highest compressive strength (after 28 and 90 days), which means that PFW does not react with silica fly ash (from CEM II/B-V) and granulated blast furnace slag (from CEM III/A). The reaction of the waste with the components of the Portland clinker is preferred. The performed studies proved that the utilization of copper post-flotation waste allows for the development of sustainable and durable composite made of CEM I and indicated the possibilities of further testing of waste, in the direction of its use as a mineral additive for concrete.

  • Sustainable Waste Management for Implementation of a Circular Economy Model in a Port
    • Agnieszka Deja
    • Paweł Weichbroth
    • Wojciech Ślączka
    2023 Full text Procedia Computer Science

    The manuscript presents the management of waste from marine vessels and cargo handling companies in a selected European Union port. The main objective of the paper is to analyse and evaluate the existing waste management model in the port of Szczecin in the context of circular economy. The expert research carried out is aimed, inter alia, at identifying which of the solutions currently in use need to be improved from an environmental perspective. These measures could serve as a basis for the development of green logistics chains for waste generated in connection with the organisation of shipping. What is of particular importance in this regard is the information flow, which preferably should be an integral part of an international IT system enabling tracking of waste streams from their place origin to final disposal. In light of the above, it is particularly important to look for solutions which will support the creation and adoption of models providing sufficient control over the entirety of green waste management activities, in line with the circular economy concept.

  • Synchronization system for underwater acoustic communications using in shallow waters
    • Jan Schmidt
    • Aleksander Schmidt
    2023 Full text Vibrations in Physical Systems

    A reliable synchronization system of the transmitted data frame has a significant impact on the efficiency of the underwater communication system. This applies in particular to communication systems dedicated to work in shallow waters, where the phenomenon of multipath permanently occurs. To overcome these difficulties, the concept of a synchronization system consisting of two broadband signals of opposite monotonicity was presented. The method of receiving these signals has been described in detail. The stochastic channel model with Rician fading and the Watermark simulator was used to test the efficiency of the synchronization system in the underwater multipath channel.

  • Synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy of the oxygen modified CrCl3 surface
    • S Kazim
    • D Mastrippolito
    • Paolo Moras
    • Matteo Jugovac
    • Tomasz Klimczuk
    • Mohamad Al Ali
    • Luca Ottaviano
    • Roberto Gunnella
    2023 Full text PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS

    We investigate the experimentally challenging CrCl3 surface by photon energy dependent photoemission (PE). The core and valence electrons after cleavage of a single crystal, either in a ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) or in air, are studied by keeping the samples at 150 1C, aiming at confirming the atomic composition with respect to the expected bulk atomic structure. A common spectroscopic denominator revealed by data is the presence of a stable, but only partially ordered Cl–O–Cr surface. The electronic core levels (Cl 2p, Cr 2p and 3p), the latter ones of cumbersome component determination, allowed us to quantify the electron charge transfer to the Cr atom as a net result of this modification and the increased exchange interaction between metal and ligand atoms. In particular, the analysis of multiplet components by the CMT4XPS code evidenced the charge transfer to be favored, and similarly the reduced crystal field due to the established polarization field. Though it is often claimed that a significant amount of Cl and Cr atomic vacancies has to be included, such a possibility can be excluded on the basis of the sign and the importance of the shift in the binding energy of core level electrons. The present methodological approach can be of great impact to quantify the structure of ordered sub-oxide phases occurring in mono or bi-layer Cr trihalides.

  • Synergistic effects of nitrogen-doped carbon and praseodymium oxide in electrochemical water splitting
    • Patrycja Grabowska
    • Mariusz Szkoda
    • Malgorzata Skorupska
    • Jerzy P. Lukaszewicz
    • Anna Ilnicka
    2023 Full text Scientific Reports

    Hybrid materials featuring perovskite-type metal oxide in conjunction with heteroatom-doped graphene hold immense promise as alternatives to costly noble metal catalysts for electrochemical water splitting, facilitating the generation of environmentally friendly hydrogen. In this study, perovskite-type oxide containing praseodymium, barium, strontium, cobalt, and iron atoms dispersed in a carbon matrix as a catalyst is synthesized via annealing of the carbon material with substrates for the preparation of perovskite oxide. The mass ratio of reagents regulates the porous structure and elemental composition. The result of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), suggests that the hybrid catalysts exhibit intermediate HER kinetics compared to the commercial Pt/C and the catalyst without carbon. The Tafel slope for HER is lower for materials containing carbon, because of the improved reaction kinetics, facilitated proton transfer, and enhanced electrochemical surface area. Therefore, the study provides an effective strategy for the preparation of catalyst and their use as the active catalyst of water splitting.

  • Synteza oraz charakterystyka strukturalna i elektrochemiczna wieloskładnikowych nanokompozytów jako materiałów elektrodowych w urządzeniach do magazynowania energii
    • Anita Cymann
    2023 Full text

    W trakcie studiów doktoranckich prowadziłam badania strukturalne i elektrochemiczne materiałów elektrodowych zarówno do zastosowania w kondensatorach elektrochemicznych, jak i bateriach. Celem moich badań było wytworzenie wieloskładnikowych materiałów kompozytowych do zastosowań w urządzeniach magazynujących energię o dużej mocy. Łącząc ze sobą materiały o różnych sposobach magazynowania ładunku elektrycznego uzyskałam materiały kompozytowe o lepszych właściwościach elektrochemicznych (np. o wyższej pojemności) oraz strukturalnych (np. poprawa przewodności elektrycznej). Badałam między innymi wpływ dodatków węglowych na właściwości kompozytu opartego na matrycy z polimeru przewodzącego. Pojemności materiałów elektrodowych kondensatora elektrochemicznego badałam głównie w elektrolitach wodnych. Syntezowałam również związki o strukturze superprzewodników jonów sodu (fosforan sodowo-wanadowy) do zastosowania jako materiały katodowe w ogniwach sodowo-jonowych. Głównym celem była poprawa niskiej przewodności fosforanu sodowo-wanadowego poprzez równomierne rozmieszczenie materiału węglowego w próbce, co w efekcie pozwoliło na uzyskanie zarówno wyższej wartości pojemności jak i lepszej stabilności w trakcie pracy półogniwa.

  • Synteza poliuretanu z udziałem biomonomerów i jego recykling chemiczny
    • Marcin Włoch
    • Barbara Wojciechowska
    • Janusz Datta
    2023 Full text Przemysł Chemiczny

    Przeprowadzono recykling chemiczny (aminoliza i glikoliza) zsyntezowanego wcześniej poliuretanu, otrzymanego z wykorzystaniem surowców pochodzenia naturalnego, oraz zbadano podstawowe właściwości otrzymanych produktów depolimeryzacji chemicznej. Poliuretan otrzymano metodą prepolimerową, wykorzystując surowce pochodzenia naturalnego, czyli poliol PriplastTM 1838 i diizocyjanian TolonateTM X FLO 100. Łańcuchy prepolimeru uretanowego zostały przedłużone z wykorzystaniem 1,4-butanodiolu (BDO). Depolimeryzację prowadzono, stosując trietylenotetraminę (TETA) i glikol etylenowy (GE), przy stosunkach masowych poliuretanu do czynnika depolimeryzującego równych 2:1, 1:1 i 1:2. Strukturę chemiczną poliuretanu i otrzymanych produktów depolimeryzacji zweryfikowano z wykorzystaniem spektroskopii w podczerwieni z transformacją Fouriera (FTIR). Dla uzyskanych produktów recyklingu chemicznego oznaczono liczbę aminową oraz określono właściwości reologiczne i stabilność termiczną (z wykorzystaniem analizy termograwimetrycznej).

  • Synthesis and application of biomass-derived magnetic biochar catalyst for simultaneous esterification and trans-esterification of waste cooking oil into biodiesel: modeling and optimization
    • Samuel Latebo Majamo
    • Temesgen Amibo
    • Tesfaye Kassaw Bedru
    2023 Full text Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy

    This work created, characterized, and used a magnetic biochar catalyst that is both eco-friendly and very effective. Sugarcane bagasse was selected as primary raw material for catalyst preparation, because it is renewable and ecofriendly biomass. Cata- lyst created by doping sugarcane bagasse biochar with magnetic material in the form of (FeSO 4 ·7H 2 O). Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to characterize the catalyst. In addition, physical and textural characteristics of the catalyst were identified and interpreted. The characterization outcome showed that the catalyst has good catalytic qualities. For the manufacturing of biodiesel, discarded cooking oil served as the primary feedstock. The experiment was created utilizing the Box–Behnken Design (BBD) technique. There are four variables with the following three levels each: temperature, methanol to oil ratio, catalyst concentration, and reaction time. 29 experiments in total were carried out. Using the RSM function, optimization was done. The optimal conditions for obtaining biodiesel yield—temperature, methanol to oil ratio, reaction time, and catalyst weight—were 43.597 °C, 9.975 mol/L, 49.945 min, and 1.758 wt%. A study of the produced biodiesel using a FTIR showed that the conventional biodiesel IR spectra were confirmed. All physiochemical characteristics found suggested the biodiesel complied with ASTM and EN norms. Overall, the synthesized catalyst had conducted simultaneous reactions in a single batch reactor and had demonstrated suitability for converting used cooking oil to biodiesel.

  • Synthesis and crystal structure of ferrocenyl benzothiazole derivatives
    • Yordan Stremski
    • Maria Bachvarova
    • Stela Statkova-Abeghe
    • Plamen Angelov
    • Iliyan Ivanov
    • Anife Ahmedova
    • Anna Dołęga
    2023 JOURNAL OF ORGANOMETALLIC CHEMISTRY

    Novel ferrocenyl-containing benzothiazole derivatives were synthesised in moderate yields by one-pot α-amidoalkylation of ferrocene. The reaction conditions were critically evaluated and the crystal structure of one of the amidoalkylated ferrocenes was resolved. Oxidation of the obtained compounds led to known fully aromatic 2-ferrocenylbenzothiazole in 81 % yield, which represents a convenient alternative to earlier methods utilizing cyclocondensation reactions.

  • Synthesis, Antimicrobial and Mutagenic Activity of a New Class of d-Xylopyranosides
    • Karol Sikora
    • Piotr Szweda
    • Karolina Słoczyńska
    • Justyna Samaszko-Fiertek
    • Janusz Madaj
    • Beata Liberek
    • Elżbieta Pękala
    • Barbara Dmochowska
    2023 Full text Antibiotics-Basel

    Eight N-[2-(2′,3′,4′-tri-O-acetyl-α/β-d-xylopyranosyloxy)ethyl]ammonium bromides, a new class of d-xylopyranosides containing a quaternary ammonium aglycone, were obtained. Their complete structure was confirmed using NMR spectroscopy (1H, 13C, COSY and HSQC) and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). An antimicrobial activity against fungi (Candida albicans, Candida glabrata) and bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli) and a mutagenic Ames test with Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 strain were performed for the obtained compounds. The greatest activity against the tested microorganisms was shown by glycosides with the longest (octyl) hydrocarbon chain in ammonium salt. None of the tested compounds exhibited mutagenic activity in the Ames test.

  • Synthesis, characterization, and application of 2D/2D TiO2-GO-ZnFe2O4 obtained by the fluorine-free lyophilization method for solar light-driven photocatalytic degradation of ibuprofen
    • Izabela Malinowska
    • Piotr Madajski
    • Adam Ostrowski
    • Cristina Gómez-Polo
    • Laura Carvera
    • Waldemar Bednarski
    • Paweł Kubica
    • Anna Zielińska-Jurek
    2023 Full text ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH

    In this study, we report the potential of 2D/2D TiO2- GO-ZnFe2O4 photocatalyst obtained using the fluorine-free lyophilization technique for the degradation of ibuprofen belonging to the group of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). The improved ibuprofen degradation under simulated solar light was achieved in the presence of a composite of 2D TiO2 combined with GO and embedded ZnFe2O4, which additionally provides superparamagnetic properties and enables photocatalyst separation after the photodegradation process. After only 20 min of the photodegradation process in the presence of 2D/2D TiO2- GO-ZnFe2O4 composite, more than 90% of ibuprofen was degraded under simulated solar light, leading to non-toxic and more susceptible to biodegradation intermediates. At the same time, photolysis of ibuprofen led to the formation of more toxic intermediates. Furthermore, based on the photocatalytic degradation analysis, the degradation by-products and possible photodegradation pathways of ibuprofen were investigated. The photodegradation tests and electronic spin resonance analyses indicated the significant involvement of superoxide radicals and singlet oxygen in the ibuprofen photodegradation process.

  • Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Investigations of Half-Sandwich Ruthenium(II) Complexes Containing Benzimidazole Moiety
    • Patrycja Rogala
    • Agnieszka Jabłońska-Wawrzycka
    • Grzegorz Czerwonka
    • Katarzyna Kazimierczuk
    • Katarzyna Gałczyńska
    • Sławomir Michałkiewicz
    • Justyna Kalinowska-Tłuścik
    • Marta Karpiel
    • Karel D. Klika
    2023 Full text MOLECULES

    Half-sandwich Ru(II) complexes belong to group of biologically active metallo-compounds with promising antimicrobial and anticancer activity. Herein, we report the synthesis and characteri- zation of arene ruthenium complexes containing benzimidazole moiety, namely, [(η6-p-cymene)RuC l(bimCOO)] (1) and [(η6-p-cymene)RuCl2(bim)] (2) (where bimCOO = benzimidazole-2-carboxylate and bim = 1-H-benzimidazole). The compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR, UV–vis and CV. Molecular structures of the complexes were determined by SC-XRD analysis, and the results indicated the presence of a pseudo-tetrahedral (piano stool) geometry. Interactions in the crystals of the Ru complexes using the Hirshfeld surface analysis were also examined. In addition, the biological studies of the complexes, such as antimicrobial assays (against planktonic and adherent microbes), cytotoxicity and lipophilicity, were performed. Antibacterial activity of the complexes was evaluated against S. aureus, E. coli, P. aeruginosa PAO1 and LES B58. Cytotoxic activity was tested against primary human fibroblasts and adenocarcinoma human alveolar basal epithelial cells. Obtained biological results show that the ruthenium compounds have bacteriostatic activity toward Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 strain and are not toxic to normal cells. A molecular docking study was applied as a predictive source of information about the plausibility of examined structures binding with HSA as a transporting system.

  • Synthesis of 3-(2-Alkylthio-4-chloro-5-methylbenzenesulfonyl)-2-(1-phenyl-3-arylprop-2-enylideneamino)guanidine Derivatives with Pro-Apoptotic Activity against Cancer Cells
    • Aneta Pogorzelska
    • Jarosław Sławiński
    • Anna Kawiak
    • Grzegorz Stasiłojć
    • Jarosław Chojnacki
    2023 Full text INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES

    The untypical course of reaction between chalcones and benzenesulfonylaminoguanidines led to the new 3-(2-alkylthio-4-chloro-5-methylbenzenesulfonyl)-2-(1-phenyl-3-arylprop-2- enylideneamino)guanidine derivatives 8–33. The new compounds were tested in vitro for their impact on the growth of breast cancer cells MCF-7, cervical cancer cells HeLa and colon cancer cells HCT-116 by MTT assay. The results revealed that the activity of derivatives is strongly related to the presence of hydroxy group in the benzene ring at the 3-arylpropylidene fragment. The most cytotoxic compounds 20 and 24 displayed mean IC50 values of 12.8 and 12.7 uM, respectively, against three tested cell lines and were almost 3- and 4-fold more active toward MCF-7 and HCT-116 when compared with non-malignant HaCaT cells. Furthermore, compound 24 induced apoptosis in cancer cells and caused a decrease of mitochondrial membrane potential as well as an increase of cells in sub-G1 phase in contrast to its inactive analog 31. The strongest activity against the most sensitive HCT-116 cell line was found for compound 30 (IC50 = 8 uM), which was 11-fold more effective in the growth inhibition of HCT-116 cells than those of HaCaT cells. Based on this fact, the new derivatives may be promising leading structures for the search for agents for the treatment of colon cancer.

  • Synthesis of Cyano-Benzylidene Xanthene Synthons Using a Diprotic Brønsted Acid Catalyst, and Their Application as Efficient Inhibitors of Aluminum Corrosion in Alkaline Solutions
    • Amin Mohammed
    • Gaber Mersal
    • Morad El-Hendawy
    • Abdallah Shaltout
    • Ali Badawi
    • Johan Boman
    • Adil Gobouri
    • Murat Saracoglu
    • Fatma Kandemirli
    • Rabah Boukherroub
    • Jacek Ryl
    • Mohamed Khalifa
    2023 Full text MOLECULES

    Novel cyano-benzylidene xanthene derivatives were synthesized using one-pot and condensation reactions. A diprotic Brønsted acid (i.e., oxalic acid) was used as an effective catalyst for the promotion of the synthesis process of the new starting xanthene–aldehyde compound. Different xanthene concentrations (ca. 0.1–2.0 mM) were applied as corrosion inhibitors to control the alkaline uniform corrosion of aluminum. Measurements were conducted in 1.0 M NaOH solution using Tafel extrapolation and linear polarization resistance (LPR) methods. The investigated xanthenes acted as mixed-type inhibitors that primarily affect the anodic process. Their inhibition efficiency values were enhanced with inhibitor concentration, and varied according to their chemical structures. At a concentration of 2.0 mM, the best-performing studied xanthene derivative recorded maximum inhibition efficiency values of 98.9% (calculated via the Tafel extrapolation method) and 98.4% (estimated via the LPR method). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the morphology of the corroded and inhibited aluminum surfaces, revealing strong inhibitory action of each studied compound. High-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) profiles validated the inhibitor compounds’ adsorption on the Al surface. Density functional theory (DFT) and Monte Carlo simulations were applied to investigate the distinction of the anticorrosive behavior among the studied xanthenes toward the Al (111) surface. The non-planarity of xanthenes and the presence of the nitrile group were the key players in the adsorption process. A match between the experimental and theoretical findings was evidenced.

  • Synthesis of N-doped TiO2 nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalytic activity for 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation and H2 production
    • Javed Ali Khan
    • Murtaza Sayed
    • Noor S. Shah
    • Sanaullah Khan
    • Ashfaq Ahmad Khan
    • Muhammad Sultan
    • Ammar M. Tighezza
    • Jibran Iqbal
    • Grzegorz Boczkaj
    2023 Full text Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering

    Nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide (N-TiO2) nanoparticles were prepared using a modified sol-gel method. The as-prepared nanoparticles were characterized by state-of-the-art techniques for their optical, structural and morphological properties. The crystallite size, surface area and bandgap energy of reference TiO2 and N-TiO2 nanoparticles were found to be 16.1 and 10.9 nm, 83.6 and 131.8 m2 g−1 and 3.23 and 2.89 eV, respectively. The photocatalytic activities, in terms of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) degradation, of reference TiO2 and N-TiO2 were found to be 46.9% and 65.4% at 120 min of treatments under UV light irradiation and 21.5% and 77.6% at 240 min of treatment under visible light irradiation, employing 153.4 µM 2,4-DCP, 1 g/L photocatalyst dosage, and pH 5.6. Interestingly, considerable H2 production rate (i.e., 386 μmol h−1 g−1) was observed for visible/N-TiO2 system in presence of 0.2 wt% Pt. The study revealed that visible/N-TiO2 photocatalytic system can be used as an economically viable technology for environmental sustainability.

  • SYNTHESIZING MEDICAL TERMS – QUALITY AND NATURALNESS OF THE DEEP TEXT-TO-SPEECH ALGORITHM
    • Bożena Kostek
    • Barbara Szyca
    2023 Full text Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

    The main purpose of this study is to develop a deep text-to-speech (TTS) algorithm designated for an embedded system device. First, a critical literature review of state-of-the-art speech synthesis deep models is provided. The algorithm implementation covers both hardware and algorithmic solutions. The algorithm is designed for use with the Raspberry Pi 4 board. 80 synthesized sentences were prepared based on medical and everyday language employing the TTS algorithm. For tests, an application is built, containing a questionnaire allowing for evaluating the quality and naturalness of the synthesized speech, for both types of language. It is followed by the algorithm efficiency tests. A presentation of the performed tests, along with the results obtained from 30 respondents, is shown. The discussion consists of a statistical analysis of the obtained results and a comparison with other speech recognition solutions used as a reference. Finally, in the summary section, there is an overall conclusion of this approach and promising directions for future development. This work is supported by the Polish National Center for Research and Development (NCBR) project: “ADMEDVOICE-Adaptive intelligent speech processing system of medical personnel with the structuring of test results and support of therapeutic process,” no. INFOSTRATEG4/0003/2022.

  • System Loss Model for Body Area Networks in Room Scenarios
    • Manuel M. Ferreira
    • Filipe D. Cardoso
    • Sławomir Ambroziak
    • Mariella Särestöniemi
    • Luis M. Correia
    2023

    This paper presents an analysis of system loss in Body Area Networks for room scenarios, based on a wideband measurement campaign at 5.8 GHz. The measurements were performed with a fixed antenna transmitting vertically and horizontally polarised signals, while the user wears dualpolarised antennas. The average system losses in co- and crosspolarised channels are 41.4 and 42.6 dB for vertically polarised transmitted signals and 41.8 and 45.0 dB for horizontally ones, showing that polarisation plays a role in the radio channel. Analytical models for the average and standard deviation of system loss are presented, with a linear dependence on user mobility, on transmitted/received polarisation, and on link visibility and dynamics. Overall, a good fit between model and measurements is obtained, with a mean square error of 2.3 and 0.12 dB for the average and standard deviation, respectively.

  • System Loss Model for Body-to-Body Networks in Indoor and Outdoor Environments
    • Sławomir Ambroziak
    • Krzysztof Cwalina
    • Manuel M. Ferreira
    • Filipe D. Cardoso
    • Luis M. Correia
    2023

    A system loss model for body-to-body networks in indoor and outdoor environments is proposed in this paper, based on measurements taken at 2.45 GHz. The influence of the type of environment, antenna visibility and user mobility on model parameters has been investigated. A significant impact of mutual antennas’ placement and their visibility is shown. The proposed model fits well to empirical data, with the average root mean square error being 2.1 dB and the coefficient of determination being above 0.6 in the majority of cases. For designing purposes in generalised cases, it is recommended that the system loss exponent is set to 1.5, and the system loss at the reference distance is equal to 55.9 dB.

  • System monitorowania korozji w instalacjach wodnych platformy wydobywczej Baltic Beta
    • Kinga Domańska
    2023 Full text

    Realizacja doktoratu rozwiązała problemy korozyjne w jednym ze strategicznych obszarów procesu eksploatacji ropy. Polegała na uruchomieniu monitoringu korozji w instalacji zatłaczającej wodę morską do złoża ropy, na platformie wydobywczej firmy LOTOS Petrobaltic. Wdrożono automatyczny system monitorowania korozji metodą polaryzacji liniowej, oszacowano korozyjność uzdatnionej wody, zidentyfikowano rodzaje korozji występujące w instalacji. Zainstalowano dwa czujniki korozyjne: na odcinku, gdzie realizowane jest chlorowanie i filtracja wody oraz po wieży odtleniającej, gdzie odtleniona woda jest obrobiona dodatkiem inhibitora korozji. Wskazania automatycznego systemu monitorowania korozji zestawiano z parametrami pracy instalacji oraz wynikami dodatkowych analiz chemicznych i biologicznych uzdatnianej wody. Pozwoliło to zidentyfikować zagrożenia korozyjne oraz określić wpływ parametrów pracy instalacji na szybkość korozji. Opracowano skuteczną metodę ochrony antykorozyjnej, wybrano najefektywniejszy inhibitor korozji, przeprowadzono jego testy laboratoryjne i polowe bezpośrednio w instalacji. Przyczyniło się to do polepszenia jakości wody zatłaczanej i zmniejszenia ryzyka kolmatacji złoża ropy B3, które mogłoby doprowadzić do zmniejszenia wielkości wydobycia ropy oraz do pogorszenia jej jakości. Zdobyte doświadczenie będzie w przyszłości wykorzystywane również w innych instalacjach zatłaczających LOTOS Petrobaltic’u.

  • SYSTEM RADIOLOKALIZACYJNY OPARTY NA FARMIE TURBIN WIATROWYCH
    • Jacek Stefański
    • Jarosław Sadowski
    2023 Przegląd Telekomunikacyjny + Wiadomości Telekomunikacyjne

    W referacie zaproponowano wykorzystanie farmy turbin wiatrowych do budowy systemu radiolokalizacyjnego dla obiektów latających (samolotów). Zaproponowane rozwiązanie umożliwia oszacowanie położenia obiektu w przestrzeni, zwłaszcza w ruchu, za pomocą sygnałów lokalizacyjnych nadawanych asynchronicznie z wież turbin wiatrowych. Przedstawiono matematyczną analizę metody oraz wyniki badań symulacyjnych efektywności pracy rozwiązania dla wybranych parametrów systemowych.

  • System waluty lokalnej dla wspierania zrównoważonych zachowań wśród mieszkańców Gdańska
    • Piotr Czyż
    • Małgorzata Romanowska
    • Iga Perzyna
    2023 Alcumena. Pismo Interdyscypliname - Alcumena. Interdisciplinary Jouma

    Niniejszy artykuł ma na celu wprowadzenie do systemu alternatywnej waluty lokalnej, wspierającej zrównoważone działania, która jest rozwijana na terenie Gdańska pod marką PULA. System waluty alternatywnej jest wielostronną umową na używanie czegoś innego niż legalny środek płatniczy (np. pieniądz krajowy) jako medium wymiany. Jego stworzenie ma na celu łączenie niezaspokojonych potrzeb z nieużywanymi zasobami (Telalbasic, 2017). Waluty alternatywne (inaczej: uzupełniające) są specyficznym rodzajem innowacji społecznej, łączącym aspekty społeczne z procesami ekonomicznymi (Dagnes, Storti, 2020). Wspierają lokalny rozwój, gospodarkę, a także wzmacniają wzajemne uznanie i relacyjne zaufanie. Mają na celu lepsze zaspokajanie potrzeb społecznych i nawiązywanie nowych powiązań między działalnością gospodarczą a podstawami społecznymi.

  • Systematic Literature Review on Click Through Rate Prediction
    • Paulina Leszczełowska
    • Maria Bollin
    • Marcin Grabski
    2023

    The ability to anticipate whether a user will click on an item is one of the most crucial aspects of operating an e-commerce business, and clickthrough rate prediction is an attempt to provide an answer to this question. Beginning with the simplest multilayer perceptrons and progressing to the most sophisticated attention networks, researchers employ a variety of methods to solve this issue. In this paper, we present the findings of a comprehensive literature review that will assist researchers in getting a head start on developing new solutions. The most prevalent models were variants of the state-of-the-art DeepFM model.

  • Systemic analysis of a manufacturing process based on a small scale bakery
    • Radosław Drozd
    • Radosław Wolniak
    • Jan Piwnik
    2023 Quality and Quantity

    The main aim of the article is to present two new innovative concepts of reliability of a functioning manufacturing system in the process of making bread in small-scale bakeries. Reliability is understood as one of the representations of an operator acting on specifc streams in time to - t. One of these represents the global reliability of a system as a function of parallel action of all the streams of the system in time to to t and is denoted as Pg(t). The second representation of reliability is a scalar value, Pss It shows a new function of global reliability of a manufacturing process as a product of system stream reliability. In order to plot the fow of the manufacturing process’s global reliability function, we need to perform detailed calculations, computations, and analysis of the diferences of individual values in real time, as well as plan an algorithm of the fow of system streams. This needs a lot of efort, translating however, to a detailed picture of the process. In the analysed example, measurements and research revealed an important increase of the value of reliability in a transition from a traditional to a robotised bakery. The article also presents a new concept of the reliability of a technological process, based on the analysis of relations of elements of the following streams: energy, matter, information, time, and fnances. It shows the method of specifying streams and the method for defning the reliability of important and supportive relations. Important relations between stream elements are defned as having the reliability value of one in time. The Pss value characterises failure-free operation of the whole system. Its average value in the normative time tn expresses the efciency of the manufacturing system. The value Pss is a quotient of the number of important relation and the sum of important and supportive relations. The formula for Pss shows the method of optimising the process through the increasing of the number of important relations between the input stream components. The concept has been applied to study the efciency of operation of a small-scale bakery. Systemic analysis of a bakery allows for important increase in the reliability of baking bread if robotisation has been implemented. The concept of systemic-stream reliability Pss may be applied to analyse the efficiency of any technological process and optimisation of any manufacturing process.

  • Szlifowanie na docierarkach tarczowych
    • Adam Barylski
    2023 Stal Metale & Nowe Technologie

    Przedstawiono technologie szlifowania powierzchni płaskich na docierarkach tarczowych. Omówiono stosowane narzędzia segmentowe, obrabiarki dwutarczowe i zalety mikroszlifowania. Porównano proces docierania konwencjonalnego luźnym ścierniwem z mikroszlifowaniem z kinematyką docierania.

  • Tacit knowledge acquisition & sharing, and its influence on innovations: A Polish/US cross-country study
    • Wioleta Kucharska
    • G. Scott Erickson
    2023 Full text INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

    This study measures the relationship between tacit knowledge sharing and innovation in the Polish (n=350) and US (n=379) IT industries. Conceptually, the study identifies the potential sources of tacit knowledge development by individuals. That is, the study examines how “learning by doing” and “learning by interaction” lead to a willingness to share knowledge and, as a consequence, to support process and product/service innovation. This study empirically demonstrates that tacit knowledge internalization and externalization (awareness and sharing) significantly mediate between tacit knowledge experimentation and socialization (acquisition) and its final combination (knowledge in action). While such theoretical assumptions already exist, they have not yet been empirically explained and revealed in a single structural model. Further, this empirical approach enabled a demonstration that internalization and externalization of tacit knowledge may occur consciously or unconsciously with equal success. Even so, the study also showed conscious tacit knowledge’s greater impact on innovation. Therefore, an organizational effort to manage autonomous, informal, and strongly contextual tacit knowledge is worthwhile and creates the capacity for superior competitive advantage. Finally, this study also demonstrates that national context influences tacit knowledge acquisition. In the US, “learning by doing” is dominant, whereas in Poland, “learning by interaction” and critical thinking are more common. This might be related to factors such as risk acceptance that could be studied in more detail and provide opportunities for future research.

  • Tackling microplastics pollution in global environment through integration of applied technology, policy instruments, and legislation
    • Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan
    • Ahtisham Haider
    • Ayesha Mohyuddin
    • Rida Fatima
    • Muhammad Salman
    • Anila Shaheen
    • Hafiz Muhammad Ahmad
    • Hussein Al-Hazmi
    • Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman
    • Faissal Aziz
    • Abdelkader Anouzla
    • Imran Ali
    2023 JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

    Microplastic pollution is a serious environmental problem that affects both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Small particles with size of less than 5 mm, known as microplastics (MPs), persist in the environment and pose serious threats to various species from micro-organisms to humans. However, terrestrial environment has received less attention than the aquatic environment, despite being a major source of MPs that eventually reaches water body. To reflect its novelty, this work aims at providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of MPs pollution in the global environment and various solutions to address MP pollution by integrating applied technology, policy instruments, and legislation. This review critically evaluates and compares the existing technologies for MPs detection, removal, and degradation, and a variety of policy instruments and legislation that can support the prevention and management of MPs pollution scientifically. Furthermore, this review identifies the gaps and challenges in addressing the complex and diverse nature of MPs and calls for joint actions and collaboration from stakeholders to contain MPs. As water pollution by MPs is complex, managing it effectively requires their responses through the utilization of technology, policy instruments, and legislation. It is evident from a literature survey of 228 published articles (1961–2023) that existing water technologies are promising to remove MPs pollution. Membrane bioreactors and ultrafiltration achieved 90% of MPs removal, while magnetic separation was effective at extracting 88% of target MPs from wastewater. In biological process, one kg of wax worms could consume about 80 g of plastic/day. This means that 100 kg of wax worms can eat about 8 kg of plastic daily, or about 2.9 tons of plastic annually. Overall, the integration of technology, policy instrument, and legislation is crucial to deal with the MPs issues.