2nd International Conference on Recent Advances in Mechanical Engineering Research and Development, ICRAMERD 2021

The proceedings contain 79 papers presendted at a virtual meeting. The special focus in this conference is on Recent Advances in Mechanical Engineering Research and Development. The topics include: Firmware of Indigenous and Custom-Built Flexible Robots for Indoor Assistance;Automation of AM Via IoT Towards Implementation of e-logistics in Supply Chain for Industry 4.0;Evaluation and Optimization of Process Parameter for Surface Roughness of 3D-Printed PETG Specimens Using Taguchi Method at Constant Printing Temperature;Evaluation of Preventive Activities of COVID-19 Using Multi-criteria Decision Making Method;mechanical Characterization of Concrete with Rice Husk-Based Biochar as Sustainable Cementitious Admixture;Ranking of Barriers for SSCM Implementation in Indian Textile Industries;Framework to Monitor Vehicular GHG Footprint;solution to Real-Time Problem in Shifter Knob Assembly at Automobile Manufacturing Industry;performance of Chemical Route-Synthesized SnO2 Nanoparticles;a Numerical Study to Choose the Best Model for a Bladeless Wind Turbine;Effect of Tissue Properties on the Efficacy of MA on Lungs;effect of Process Parameters and Coolant Application on Cutting Performance of Centrifugal Cast Single Point Cutting Tools;Study and Analysis of Thermal Barrier Application of Lanthanum Oxide Coated SS-304 Steel;recovery of Iron Values from Blast Furnace Gas Cleaning Process Sludge by Medium Intensity Magnetic Separation Method;fatigue Analysis of Rectangular Plate with a Circular Cut-Out;protection of Vital Facilities from the Threat of External Explosion Using D3o Material;investigation on Coefficient of Heat Transfer Through Impact of Engine Vibration;electrical Modulus and Conductivity Study of Styrene-Butadiene Rubber/Barium Hexaferrite Flexible Polymer Dielectrics;preface.

Preparation, Characterization and Antimicrobial Properties of Nanosized Silver-Containing Carbon/Silica Composites from Rice Husk Waste.

Rice husk, one of the main side products in the rice production, and its sustainable management represent a challenge in many countries. Herein, we describe the use of this abundant agricultural bio-waste as feedstock for the preparation of silver-containing carbon/silica nano composites with antimicrobial properties. The synthesis was performed using a fast and cheap methodology consisting of wet impregnation followed by pyrolysis, yielding C/SiO2 composite materials doped with varying amounts of silver from 28 to 0.001 wt %. The materials were fully characterized and their antimicrobial activity against ESKAPE pathogens, namely E. faecium, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli, and the pathogenic yeast C. albicans was investigated. Sensitivities of these strains against the prepared materials were demonstrated, even with exceptional low amounts of 0.015 m% silver. Hence, we report a straightforward method for the synthesis of antimicrobial agents from abundant sources which addresses urgent questions like bio-waste valorization and affordable alternatives to increasingly fewer effective antibiotics.

Plant-derived silica nanoparticles and composites for biosensors, bioimaging, drug delivery and supercapacitors: a review.

Silica nanoparticles have rapidly found applications in medicine, supercapacitors, batteries, optical fibers and concrete materials, because silica nanoparticles have tunable physical, chemical, optical and mechanical properties. In most applications, high-purity silica comes from synthetic organic precursors, yet this approach could be costly, polluting and non-biocompatible. Alternatively, natural silica sources from biomass are often cheap and abundant, yet they contain impurities. Silica can be extracted from corn cob, coffee husk, rice husk, sugarcane bagasse and wheat husk wastes, which are often disposed of in rivers, lands and ponds. These wastes can be used to prepare homogenous silica nanoparticles. Here we review properties, preparation and applications of silica nanoparticles. Preparation includes chemical and biomass methods. Applications include biosensors, bioimaging, drug delivery and supercapacitors. In particular, to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, recent research has shown that silver nanocluster/silica deposited on a mask reduces SARS-Cov-2 infectivity to zero.