Rapid eutectic growth: from rod growth to diffusionless solidification

Numerous experimental data on the rapid solidification of eutectic systems exhibit the formation of metastable solid phases with the initial (nominal) chemical composition. This fact is explained by the suppression of eutectic decomposition due to diffusionless (chemically partitionless) solidification beginning at a high but finite growth velocity of crystals. In the present work, a model is suggested for the diffusionless growth to analyse the atomic diffusion in the rod eutectic couples growing into supercooled liquid. A simplified calculating method for the equation related to the Bessel function in the solution of the growth of rod eutectics is obtained. This method can also be used in the calculation of other rod eutectic growth models. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Transport phenomena in complex systems (part 2)’.

First principle methods for calculating the linear coefficient of thermal expansion of quasi-binary eutectic systems

To calculate the linear coefficient of thermal expansion (LCTE) and its temperature dependence, a combination of the method of a priori pseudopotential and quasi-harmonic approximation (author's methods) is used. After approximating the results obtained for metal-like materials (carbides, borides, silicides), the LCTE is presented in an analytical form. In the case of quasi-binary eutectic systems based on carbides, borides, silicides, to estimate the interaction energy of the elements of two components, the concept of a virtual crystal (with a virtual cell) along the line of contact of two components is introduced. A virtual cell is assigned a volume average between the volume of a unit cell of two components, taking into account their concentration ratio. The components that make up the eutectic retain their crystal structure, their LCTE can be estimated as for pure components. Without taking into account the influence of interphase interaction, the LCTE of the eutectic system is determined using the rule of mixtures based on the LCTE components, taking into account their volume fraction. Taking into account the influence of the interface on thermal expansion is estimated by the virtual cell assigned to it. To determine the LCTE of the eutectic system, a ratio is proposed that connects the LCTE components and the docking boundaries through the concentration ratio. This method more realistically describes the structure of a quasi-binary eutectic. There is a consistency between the calculated and experimental data. Keywords: electron-ion system energy, interatomic interaction potential, quasiharmonic approximation, linear coefficient of thermal expansion, eutectic temperature.

Therapeutic Deep Eutectic Systems towards the Treatment of Tuberculosis and Colorectal Cancer: Opportunities and Challenges

What if a new technology based on therapeutic deep eutectic systems would disrupt the current treatment of major economic and socially burdensome diseases? The classical definition of eutectic systems is that they are the combination of two or more compounds that interact via hydrogen bonds, from which results a melting temperature depression in comparison with that of its individual components. Therapeutic deep eutectic systems are defined as eutectic systems in which at least one of the individual components is an active pharmaceutical ingredient, or a eutectic system in which the active pharmaceutical ingredient is dissolved. Current literature reports on tuberculosis have been mostly based on the most common anti-tuberculosis drugs prescribed. Using eutectic systems based on naturally occurring molecules known for their anti-microbial activity may also present a promising therapeutic strategy able to cope with the prevalence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and prevent the appearance of multidrug resistance strains. With regards to colorectal cancer, literature has been unravelling combinations of terpenes with anti-inflammatory drugs that are selectively cytotoxic towards colorectal cancer cells and do not compromise the viability of normal intestinal cells. This technology could contribute to preventing tumor growth and metastasis while providing a patient compliance therapeutics, which will be crucial to the success of overcoming the challenges presented by cancers.

Influence of the Molecular Structure of Constituents and Liquid Phase Non-Ideality on the Viscosity of Deep Eutectic Solvents

Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (DES) have recently been used as green alternatives to conventional solvents in several applications. In addition to their tunable melting temperature, the viscosity of DES can be optimized by selecting the constituents and molar ratio. This study examined the viscosity of 14 eutectic systems formed by natural substances over a wide range of temperatures and compositions. The eutectic systems in this study were classified as ideal or non-ideal based on their solid–liquid equilibria (SLE) data found in the literature. The eutectic systems containing constituents with cyclohexyl rings were considerably more viscous than those containing linear or phenyl constituents. Moreover, the viscosity of non-ideal eutectic systems was higher than that of ideal eutectic systems because of the strong intermolecular interactions in the liquid solution. At temperatures considerably lower than the melting temperature of the pure constituents, non-ideal and ideal eutectic systems with cyclohexyl constituents exhibited considerably high viscosity, justifying the kinetic limitations in crystallization observed in these systems. Overall, understanding the correlation between the molecular structure of constituents, SLE, and the viscosity of the eutectic systems will help in designing new, low-viscosity DES.