The introduction of nanostructures has been considered as one of the promising strategies to enhance the thermoelectric performance of bulk materials. In this work, we report a low-cost and facile aqueous solution method to prepare (Sb, Bi)2(Te, Se)3 nanocrystals with controllable composition and morphology by using short ligands containing thiol, acid and amine groups. The control of the morphology of the nanostructures such as nanowires and nanosheets is studied, and both n-type and p-type nanoparticles have been prepared successfully. The results show that the thermal conductivities of these nanocrystals are effectively reduced due to phonon scattering and the thermoelectric performance is affected greatly by the morphology. TE measurements show that the electrical conductivity can be enhanced significantly by using Bi2Te3 nanosheets, and as a result, a maximum thermoelectric figure-of-merit (ZT) of 0.86 is obtained for Bi2Te3 nanosheets at 225 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]Copyright of Journal of Materials Chemistry C is the property of Royal Society of Chemistry and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The present study investigated the influence of a covalently grown polythiophene (polyTh)-based adlayer on the N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) dispersion of chemically modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Poly(thiophen-3-yl-acetic acid) (PTAA), poly(ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and PTAA/PEDOT co-polymer have been oxidatively grown from the surface of functional MWCNTs afforded corresponding polyThA-, polyThB-, and polyThA/B-MWCNTs, respectively. To study and quantify the MWCNT particle sedimentation behavior of corresponding dispersion systems, an analytical centrifuge system was used. Comparison of dispersion quality of such polyTh-MWCNT composites with both commercial MWCNTs (COM-MWCNTs) and oxidized MWCNTs (polyCOOH-MWCNTs) was established. Analysis of sedimentation results combined with TGA, Elemental Analysis (EA), and Kaiser Test data showed that the COOH groups present on the surface of MWCNTs strongly promote the dispersability much beyond current sedimentation rate observed for COM-MWCNTs, – sedimentation rates were higher than 80% and below 2% for oxidized polyCOOH-MWCNTs. However, regarding MWCNTs coated with polyTh polymers in a core (MWCNT)–shell (polyTh) structure, outer functional groups are not the only influential factor for promoting high dispersion qualities. For these dual phase composite systems, the weight and thickness of polyTh-shell on the composite must be considered.

The present disclosure is directed to dispersions of a Dead Sea material in oil, the Dead Sea material is present in the dispersions in the form of solid nanoparticles. Further disclosed are formulations comprising the dispersions, method of treating and/or preventing diseases or disorders of the skin comprising topical application of the dispersions or formulations thereof onto a skin of a subject, method of inducing a heat sensation on the skin of a subject by topically applying the dispersions or formulations thereof onto a skin of a subject and methods of prepg. the dispersions. Thus, an oil phase was prepd. by dissolving 1.8 g (9 wt%) Abil Em 90 in 11.48 g (57.4 wt%) cyclomethicone, 1 g (5 wt%) DOW 9041, 0.02 g (0.1 wt%) Vitamin E Acetate and 0.2 g (1 wt%) Retinyl palmitate mixt.; an aq. phase was prepd. by adding a 0.5 g (2.5 wt%) Dead Sea water (40 % dead sea salt, 1 % DSS final concn.) to 4.2 g (21 wt%) deionized water, 0.2 g (1 wt%) glycerol, 0.4 g (2 wt%) 1,3-propane diol and 0.2 g (1 wt%) PVP (MW = 40000); the total wt. of water and oil phase was 20 g; the aq. phase was added to the oil phase while being mixed for 10 min with a high speed homogenizer at a speed of 13000 rpm with or without addnl. sonication; the nanoparticles were obtained by water evapn. at reduced pressure (15 mbar, 50 °C for 40 min); the nanoparticles size obtained in the two processes, with and without sonication, measured by DLS was 99 nm and 255 nm, resp. [on SciFinder(R)]

Disclosed are novel ink formulations based on metal salts and metal complexes dispersed in a suitable liq. carrier. Also disclosed are a method of forming a printing formulation, a process for forming a conductive pattern on a surface region of a substrate using the printing formulation, and a conductive pattern obtainable by the process, wherein said conductive pattern has high oxidn. resistance at ambient atm and low sheet resistance. [on SciFinder(R)]

The present invention relates to the use of pomegranate seed oil and fractions thereof for preventing and treating neurodegenerative diseases. Particularly, the present invention relates to emulsions of the pomegranate oil or fractions thereof for the prevention and treatment of brain diseases, including Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD) and multiple sclerosis (MS). The pomegranate seed oil or fraction thereof is administered in a form of an emulsion as a medical food, a functional food, a food additive, or a dietary supplement. A self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) comprising pomegranate seed oil 31.46%, Tween 80 44%, Span 80 19.5%, and ethanol 4.97% was exemplified. Also, pomegranate oil and punicic acid significantly inhibited the toxic effect of copper in a transgenic mouse model of genetic prion disease, as measured by elevated percentage of cell survival. [on SciFinder(R)]