Leaf infiltration in plant science: old method, new possibilities

The penetration of substances from the surface to deep inside plant tissues is called infiltration. Although various plant tissues may be effectively saturated with externally applied fluid, most described infiltration strategies have been developed for leaves. The infiltration process can be spontaneous (under normal atmospheric pressure) or forced by a pressure difference generated between the lamina surface and the inside of the leaf. Spontaneous infiltration of leaf laminae is possible with the use of liquids with sufficiently low surface tension. Forced infiltration is most commonly performed using needle-less syringes or vacuum pumps.Leaf infiltration is widely used in plant sciences for both research and application purposes, usually as a starting technique to obtain plant material for advanced experimental procedures. Leaf infiltration followed by gentle centrifugation allows to obtain the apoplastic fluid for further analyses including various omics. In studies of plant-microorganism interactions, infiltration is used for the controlled introduction of bacterial suspensions into leaf tissues or for the isolation of microorganisms inhabiting apoplastic spaces of leaves. The methods based on infiltration of target tissues allow the penetration of dyes, fixatives and other substances improving the quality of microscopic imaging. Infiltration has found a special application in plant biotechnology as a method of transient transformation with the use of Agrobacterium suspension (agroinfiltration) enabling genetic modifications of mature plant leaves, including the local induction of mutations using genome editing tools. In plant nanobiotechnology, the leaves of the target plants can be infiltrated with suitably prepared nanoparticles, which can act as light sensors or increase the plant resistance to environmental stress. In addition the infiltration has been also intensively studied due to the undesirable effects of this phenomenon in some food technology sectors, such as accidental contamination of leafy greens with pathogenic bacteria during the vacuum cooling process.This review, inspired by the growing interest of the scientists from various fields of plant science in the phenomenon of infiltration, provides the description of different infiltration methods and summarizes the recent applications of this technique in plant physiology, phytopathology and plant (nano-)biotechnology.

Facile Synthesis of Co3O4 Nanoparticle-Functionalized Mesoporous SiO2 for Catalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue from Aqueous Solutions

In this study, a series of Co3O4 nanoparticle-functionalized mesoporous SiO2 (Co–SiO2) were successfully synthesized via a spontaneous infiltration route. Co species were firstly infiltrated into the confined spaces between the surfactant and silica walls, with the assistance of grinding CoCl3·6H2O and the as-prepared mesoporous SiO2. Then, Co3O4 nanoparticles (NPs) were formed and grown in the limited space of the mesopores, after calcination. Structures, morphologies, and compositions of the materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersion spectrum, N2 adsorption, and Fourier transform infrared spectra. Results showed that the high content of Co (rCo:Si = 0.17) can be efficiently dispersed into the mesoporous SiO2 as forms of Co3O4 NPs, and the structural ordering of the mesoporous SiO2 was well-preserved at the same time. The Co3O4 NP functionalized mesoporous SiO2 materials were used as Fenton-like catalysts for removing methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions. The catalyst prepared at rCo:Si = 0.17 could completely remove the high-concentration of MB (120 mg·L−1), and also showed an excellent performance with a removal capacity of 138 mg·g−1 to 180 mg·L−1 of MB. Catalytic mechanisms were further revealed, based on the degradation results.

Copper infiltrated high speed steel skeletons

Purpose: This article is a monographic summary of the most important research results from the last 10 years regarding HSS based materials. This materias were produced with powder metallurgy technology using spontaneous infiltration. The presented results answer the question of how iron, tungsten carbide and copper additives influence the final properties of these materials and present additional microstructural phenomena revealed during their manufacture. Design/methodology/approach: Materials were produced by spontaneous infiltration. Porous skeletons for infiltration were produced by pressing and pressing and sintering of mixed powders. Copper was used as the infiltrant. Findings: The molten copper was drawn into the porous skeletons, through a capillary action, and filled virtually the entire pore volume to get the final densities exceeding 97% of the theoretical value. Research limitations/implications: As part of further research, microstructures of M30WC composites obtained by direct infiltration of copper into as-sintered porous skeletons using TEM are planned. Practical implications: Efficiant mechanical strength, high hardness, adequate heat resistance and good wear resistance of M3 type 2 HSS powder produced by woter atomisation make it an attractive material for manufacture of valve train components, for example valve seat inserts. Originality/value: The novelty in the article are the results of research on the microstructure made using TEM, the results of testing materials after heat treatment, untypical for high- speed steels. The article attempts to explain the influence of iron addition on properties - such a slight loss of mass as a result of its addition. The second aim of this work is to analyse the microstructural changes during sintering porous skeletons made from HSS with WC additions.