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We report a spray deposition technique for patterning liquid metal alloys to form stretchable conductors, which can then be encapsulated in silicone elastomers via the same spraying procedure. While spraying has been used previously to deposit many materials, including liquid metals, this work focuses on quantifying the spraying process and combining it with silicones. Spraying generates liquid metal microparticles (~5 μm diameter) that pass through openings in a stencil to produce traces with high resolution (~300 µm resolution using stencils from a craft cutter) on a substrate. The spraying produces sufficient kinetic energy (~14 m/s) to distort the particles on impact, which allows them to merge together. This merging process depends on both particle size and velocity. Particles of similar size do not merge when cast as a film. Likewise, smaller particles (<1 µm) moving at the same speed do not rupture on impact either, though calculations suggest that such particles could rupture at higher velocities. The liquid metal features can be encased by spraying uncured silicone elastomer from a volatile solvent to form a conformal coating that does not disrupt the liquid metal features during spraying. Alternating layers of liquid metal and elastomer may be patterned sequentially to build multilayer devices, such as soft and stretchable sensors.

Glass-ceramic spray deposition (GCSD) is a novel technique for coating lithium disilicate (LD) glass-ceramics onto zirconia through simple tempering steps. GCSD has been proven to improve the bonding of zirconia to resin cement, but the effect of etching time on GCSD and the long-term durability of the bond achieved remain unknown. The effects of air abrasion with aluminum particles (ABB) and air abrasion (GAB) or etching with 5.0% hydrogen fluoride (HF) for 20, 60, 90, and 120 s (G20, G60, G90, and G120) on the resin cement–zirconia bond were studied. LD was included as a control (LDG). The microstructure, sub-micron roughness, wettability, and phase changes of samples were analyzed. After resin cement was bonded to zirconia, half of the samples were subjected to thermocycling (5000 cycles at 5–55 °C). The bond strengths of the samples were determined in shear bond strength (SBS) tests (n = 10 per group). An LD structure can be formed on zirconia after GCSD and proper etching processes, which result in high roughness and a hydrophilic nature. GCSD and HF etching significantly improved SBS, with G90 and G120 samples with pre- or post-thermocycling exhibiting SBS values comparable to those of LDG (p > 0.760). The surface characteristics of the LD layer are influenced by the etching time and affect the SBS of the bond of zirconia to resin cement. HF etching for 90–120 s after GCSD results in zirconia with SBS and bond durability comparable to LD.

Electrostatic spray deposition was applied to prepare pH sensing with spinel ZnCO2O4 thin films based on the measurement of extended-gate field-effect transistors (EGFET). The influence of annealing temperatures on the characteristics of the prepared films was analyzed. The structural and morphological properties of the annealed ZnCo2O4 films were assessed by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and contact angle measurement. The effect of the ZnCo2O4 annealing temperature on the characteristics of pH sensing for the prepared ZnCo2O4 films in EGFET measurement were examined with pH buffer solutions in a pH range of 2–12 at room temperature. The sensing films annealed at 550°C demonstrated a high voltage and current sensitivity at 67.6 mV/pH and 1.033 (µA)½/pH, with linearity values of 0.9968 and 0.9991, respectively. Moreover, the annealed 550°C ZnCo2O4 film exhibited low hysteresis at 4.99 mV and high retention stability. The results revealed that the pH sensing of the ZnCo2O4 EGFET device showed a super-Nernstian sensitivity, which indicated the influence of the surface properties of the annealed film. Therefore, the ZnCo2O4 film should be considered a potential option for the pH sensing layer in EGFET applications.

In Europe, there is a growing interest in crop spraying using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, drones), although current legislation imposes significant limitations on this technique. Spraying of orchard crops with drones remains particularly challenging due to the risks of spray drift and insufficient deposition uniformity. This study evaluated spray deposition within tree canopies (in two application terms), airborne and sediment drift losses, and contamination of the spraying equipment. The performance of a medium-sized drone (ABZ Innovation L10, maximum take-off weight 29 kg) was compared at flight speeds of 1.8, 2.7, and 3.6 m·s−1 with that of a conventional orchard sprayer (Munckhof axial sprayer with column attachment, operating at 1.7 m·s−1). A fluorescent tracer (BF7G, 1200 g·ha−1) was used in all trials, with spray volume rates of 27 or 40 L·ha−1 for the drone and 400 L·ha−1 for the sprayer. In most cases, deposition within the tree canopy was significantly lower for the drone. Poor uniformity of spray distribution was observed, especially between the upper and lower surfaces of collector plates with attached filter papers and between the top and bottom canopy zones. Airborne drift increased significantly with higher drone flight speeds, while sediment drift decreased. At 1.8 m·s−1, both drift types were comparable to those from the conventional sprayer. Drone surface contamination was several times lower than that of the ground sprayer, even when accounting for differences in equipment surface area.

Graphene-based materials such as graphene oxide (GO) and chemically reduced graphene oxide (rGO) thin films have been fabricated using electrostatic spray deposition (ESD), followed by thermal annealing under Ar/H 2 atmosphere. The thickness and surface morphology of thin films of GO and rGO on silicon substrates were controlled by varying deposition time and content of GO/rGO in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution. Here, we present a comparative analysis between GO and rGO thin films. Water contact angle (WCA) measurements of these thin films were ~88° for the GO films and >127° for the rGO films. We discuss how their hydrophobic behaviour is influenced by removal of oxygen-containing functional groups during the reduction process. Graphical abstract

The development of novel materials is essential for the next generation of electric vehicles and portable devices. Tin oxide (SnO2), with its relatively high theoretical capacity, has been considered as a promising anode material for applications in energy storage devices. However, the SnO2 anode material suffers from poor conductivity and huge volume expansion during charge/discharge cycles. In this study, we evaluated an approach to control the conductivity and volume change of SnO2 through a controllable and effective method by confining different percentages of SnO2 nanoparticles into carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The binder-free confined SnO2 in CNT composite was deposited via an electrostatic spray deposition technique. The morphology of the synthesized and deposited composite was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron spectroscopy. The binder-free 20% confined SnO2 in CNT anode delivered a high reversible capacity of 770.6 mAh g−1. The specific capacity of the anode increased to 1069.7 mAh g−1 after 200 cycles, owing to the electrochemical milling effect. The delivered specific capacity after 200 cycles shows that developed novel anode material is suitable for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

With the ongoing advancement of global agricultural modernization, intelligent technologies have gained significant attention in agricultural production—particularly in the field of intelligent orchard sprayers, where notable progress has been achieved. Intelligent orchard sprayers, equipped with precise sensing and control systems, enable targeted spraying. This enhances the efficiency of crop health management, reduces pesticide usage, minimizes environmental pollution, and supports the development of precision agriculture. This review focuses on three core modules of intelligent sprayer technology: perception and intelligent control, spray deposition and drift control, and autonomous navigation with system integration. By addressing key areas such as sensor technologies, object detection algorithms, and real-time control strategies, this review explores current challenges and future directions for intelligent orchard sprayer technology. It also discusses existing technical bottlenecks and obstacles to large-scale adoption. Finally, this review highlights the pivotal role of intelligent orchard sprayer technology in enhancing crop management efficiency, improving environmental sustainability, and facilitating the transformation of agricultural production systems.

Air assistance and electrical charge transfer to droplets can optimize pesticide applications and reduce losses in sweet pepper cultivation. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of spray rate and pneumatic spraying with and without an electrostatic charge on spray deposition, spray coverage, and ground losses in sweet pepper crops. Four application techniques were employed: standard farmer hydraulics (SFH), reduced volume hydraulics (RVH), pneumatic with air and electrostatic assistance (PAEA), and pneumatic with air assistance (PAA). The effects of the application techniques on spray deposition varied as a function of plant height, canopy depth, and leaf surface. The SFH resulted in the greatest amounts of spray deposition on the adaxial leaf surface. In contrast, PAEA resulted in the greatest amounts of deposition on the abaxial leaves. The PAEA treatment improved spray coverage on abaxial leaves of the external canopy but did not improve spray coverage on the internal canopy. Compared to the SFH treatment, the 50% reduction in the spray rate of the RVH treatment decreased deposition and spray coverage. The pneumatic treatments, regardless of electrostatic charges, resulted in lower spray loss to the ground.

Viscose fabric is susceptible to mold erosion and nourish bacteria, which limit its application. In this study, the efficient and green silver-loaded viscose fabric was prepared by simple liquid phase spray deposition method. The microstructure, physical properties, antibacterial durability of silver-loaded viscose fabric were further evaluated. The result showed that the silver-loaded viscose fabric not only kept their superior comfortability but also had an air permeability that was more than three times higher than the bare viscose fabric. In addition, the silver-loaded viscose fabric showed good antibacterial activity and the antibacterial rate reach to 99.9%. Meanwhile, the silver-loaded viscose fabric still maintained good antibacterial activity after friction treatment. The washing and chemical resistance of the silver-loaded viscose fabric could be further improved through chemical crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. This work provided a feasible way to manufacture green and durable antibacterial viscose fabric, which also improves the application potential of viscose fabric during current respiratory disease pandemic.

To realize the online evaluation of spray quality, an online measuring system for spray coverage and deposition quality is developed. The measuring theory of spray coverage and deposition quality on an LWS (leaf wetness sensor) surface is analyzed. When the spray conditions are constant, there is a linear correlation between the spray coverage on the sensor surface, the spray deposition quality and the LWS output voltage increment. The results of calibration experiments show that when the spray conditions are constant, the coefficient of determination R2 of the regression curves between the sensor output voltage increment and the spray coverage on the sensor surface is more than 0.75, and the coefficient of determination R2 of the regression curves between the sensor output voltage increment and the spray deposition quality on the sensor surface is more than 0.90. Based on ZigBee wireless sensor technology, this paper reports an online measuring system for spray coverage and deposition quality at multiple points in the field. The test results show that the online measuring system has good uniformity. Field test results show that the LWS voltage increment and the coverage rate of water-sensitive paper have a good correlation, and the measuring results of the spray deposition quality trend are in good agreement. The fit of the spray deposition quality curves measured by the two methods was 0.8924. The research results in this paper can provide a reference for using LWS sensors to measure spray coverage and deposition quality.