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Luminescent nanoparticles based on wide bandgap metal oxides offer an alternative to lanthanide phosphors, as they assure the material demand for white light emitting diodes (WLEDs) and down-shifters for solar cells, mainly thanks to their high chemical and thermal stability, low toxicity and low cost of fabrication. We recently reported a simple route to synthesize highly efficient organic-inorganic hybrid material combining ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) and PAAH (polyacrylic acid) to be used as white down-converting phosphor [1]. This material turns out to be highly efficient is in terms of high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY = 70 %) and gives white light emission.

Machine learning has been applied in the natural sciences for many years, including in bioinformatics and molecular modeling. However, it is only within the last decade that the rapid development of deep learning, along with the increased availability of data and computational power, has enabled a qualitative leap in the application of these methods. In my presentation, I will showcase selected examples of machine learning techniques developed and applied in our laboratory, illustrating their potential in protein analysis and modeling.

The presence of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO₂) in geothermal process fluids acidifies the environment and accelerates the corrosion of the carbon steel pipes. Under certain conditions, the precipitation of iron carbonate (FeCO₃) corrosion products onto pipeline walls can form a protective layer that significantly reduces further corrosion rates. To accurately predict corrosion rates in these environments, an improved understanding of the protective properties of FeCO₃ layers is required.

In the last decade five main application pathways have been developed in heterogeneous photocatalysis, including: (i) air treatment, (ii) water treatment, (iii) hydrogen evolution, (iv) CO2 photoconversion, and very recently (v) ammonia synthesis. These technologies are at different levels of maturity, from TRL 3-4 for ammonia synthesis and CO2 photoconversion, through TRL 6-7 for hydrogen generation, up to TRL 9 for pollutants degradation.

Neutrons due to their penetrability, non-perturbative nature, isotopic and low-Z elements sensitivity are perfect scattering tool to study variety of systems including interfaces in different environments.

X-ray Free Electron Lasers (XFELs) are among the world's largest ongoing scientific endeavors. They provide intense, ultrashort pulses of coherent X-ray radiation, creating groundbreaking research opportunities [1]. XFEL experiments significantly advance our understanding across various fields, including medicine, pharmacology, chemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, energy, and electronics.

The instrumented indentation technique is a widely adopted method for assessing mechanical properties such as hardness, elastic modulus, and yield strength. Its ability to continuously measure penetration depth and applied force makes it particularly valuable for in-situ mechanical testing, especially at the nanoscale, enabling multi-purpose evaluations. However, challenges persist in accurately determining...

KAERI conducted tensile tests on Zircaloy-4 cladding and Cr-coated cladding at room temperature, 350°C, and 600°C. Two types of tensile tests were performed: the ring tensile test and the axial tensile test. This presentation provides...

Small modular reactors (SMRs), with capacities ranging from 30 to 300 MWe per unit, offer a scalable and compact alternative to traditional large-scale nuclear plants. They provide a promising solution to meet the growing energy demands driven by technology sectors like AI and data centers. These advanced reactors utilize molten salt as both fuel and coolant, exposing structural materials to the combined effects of high-temperature corrosion and intense irradiation from neutron fluxes. Understanding both...

The use of composite materials is constantly evolving, requiring further development and optimization of the mechanical properties of these materials. A number of strategies have been used in the past, choosing different types of fibers, resins and innovative geometric orientations for these fiber-reinforced plastics. Today's discussion will focus on polymer resins and their behavior during dynamic deformation. It is known that the mechanical properties of polymeric materials show...