Top News of Last Week with ANA
Azad News Agency (ANA) published a number of scientific and technological news during the past week whose top ones are as follows:
Iranian Researchers Produce Toys, Entertainment Equipment by Using Magnetic Nanofluids
A group of Iranian researchers used a substance based on MRF fluids, with application in military industry, to produce toys and entertainment tools.
“One of the plans of the research group is production of materials based on magnetorheological fluid or MRF which is a fluid that takes special arrangements in the presence of magnetic fields and can have different applications,” said Masoud Azimian, one of the researchers.
He explained that an application of these materials is polishing the surface of military lenses, adding that now these fluids are used in production of toys and entertainment kits.
“We produced slime paste from MRF fluids in the presence of magnetic fields. This paste will take different shapes inside the MRF fluid and under the magnetic field,” Azimian said, noting that these fluids are manufactured based on iron nanoparticles.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Unveils 3 New Catalysts for Steel Industry
An Iranian knowledge-based company active in production of industrial catalysts unveiled three improved catalysts used in making direct reduced iron or sponge iron.
These catalysts are used in steel industry and have received the necessary standards in terms of quality and performance during four years of use on a semi-industrial scale and in steel modules.
"We started production of these catalysts in 2005 in cooperation with Khuzestan Steel Company, and this company cooperated very well with us to check the performance of catalysts. The cooperation resulted in manufacturing 70% of the country's sponge iron catalysts by our company,” said Mehran Rezayee, the director of catalyst engineering and research department of the company.
“We used new compounds in formulation of the new products, which led to better regeneration properties in the new catalysts than the previous ones and they could be used on industrial scale in a shorter time,” he added.
Herbal Supplements Produced in Iran to Help Treatment of Common Diseases
A technological company in Iran succeeded in making herbal supplements to lower blood sugar and help the treatment of certain common diseases like diabetes.
“First, we started our work as a research team in the incubator center of Islamic Azad University’s Kahnouj branch with the idea of producing compressed herbal tablets used as a spice in the food industry,” Amin Ganjali, a PhD graduate in chemistry and the managing director of the technological ‘Arinashimi Gwashir’ company stationed at the incubator center for the development of new technologies in transformation industries, told ANA.
“During the pre-growth and research period, the company succeeded in making samples of herbal supplements to help treat certain common diseases like diabetes,” he added.
“Now we have offered a number of 100% herbal products, which we are going through the process of patenting and obtaining the necessary licenses from Iran’s Food and Drug Administration to present them to the consumer market,” Ganjali said.
Scientists Getting Closer to Understanding Why Moment of Death Is So Peaceful
Undergoing a brush with death may sound terrifying. But people who have had a near-death experience (NDE) typically report feeling peace, comfort, and calm throughout the ordeal, said scientists at the University of Virginia.
Perhaps it's the brain's way of coming to terms with its mortality. Or perhaps something more complex is going on. Scientists have several theories to explain some of the surprising sensations associated with NDEs, such as physiological changes in the brain as brain cells die, the Business Insider reported.
But a lot about NDEs remains a mystery, in part, because it's practically impossible to study in real-time, said Dr. Bruce Greyson, a professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the University of Virginia and co-founder of the International Association of Near-Death Studies.
Researchers must rely on anecdotes, memory recall, and in some cases, animal studies to understand how brains change from a NDE and what it could mean for future medicine.
When it comes to describing NDEs, there are two sides to the coin: what's physically happening to you versus what you're perceiving on a psychological level.
Physically, NDEs are typically associated with extremely painful events, including a head injury, heart attack, or respiratory arrest.
Iran-Made High Voltage Power Supply Device Used in Different Industries
The high voltage power supply device made by an Iranian knowledge-based company can be used in companies and universities for various applications from making hydrophilic surfaces to sterilization of medical equipment.
“The device has various applications in different industries, from military and chemical to petrochemical industries, and it is used to make surfaces hydrophilic and eliminate pollution,” said Farbod Golshanian, one of the researchers of the knowledge-based company.
He described medical field as another area for application of the device, saying, “It is used to remove skin wrinkles and also as a surgical blade.”
Golshanian noted that food sterilization is another field for application of the device, adding, “The device has been presented to the market and is being used in universities and companies.”
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Develops Online Market for Smart Business
A knowledge-based company in Iran designed and developed a technological online market with a smart city infrastructure which helps the businesses’ easiest access to customers.
‘Haminja’ software is a platform that has created a local online market for all Iranian cities so that people can operate in the market for service and store businesses.
“All service-providing and organizational businesses and stores in the Iranian cities can operate under this infrastructure, and the business managers can send and manage their goods, services and online advertisements on this platform, and the citizens of each city can easily visit the market of their city, search and shop online which will ultimately improve the economic situation of the city and its citizens,” Mohammad Akbarpour Sekkeh, a Ph.D. graduate in software engineering and the managing.director of the knowledge-based company, told ANA.
“Pioneer businesses of every city create free businesses for themselves through this platform,” he said, adding that at present, the markets of Shirvan, Bojnourd, Behshahr and the online market of Islamic Azad University have been established by using this infrastructure and the online markets of other Iranian cities will also be created soon.
Minimized Noise Pollution inside Cars Possible by Iran-Made Nanomaterial Sealants
An Iranian technological company managed to produce polymer sealants reinforced by using nanotechnology, which can minimize noise pollution inside cars.
Mohammad Nourmohammadi, the company’s manager for research and development, said Iran is the fourth country in the world that has attained the technology for manufacturing polymer baffles that are expandable.
The company produces sound insulation sealants for use in the automotive industry aimed to reduce noise pollution inside the car, he added.
The use of nanoparticles reduces noise pollution and decreases the amount of noise entering the car, he said, adding that the car’s body reinforcement materials and rubber insulators which have been manufactured by using nanotechnology are among the products of the company.
Iran’s Researchers Fabricate Self-Healing Polymer Sheets Containing Spherical Microcapsules
Iranian scientists at Amirkabir University of Technology succeeded in making and analyzing self-healing polymer sheets containing multi-core spherical microcapsules by coaxial electrospraying method with application in industry.
“In this research, a cost-effective method has been presented with suitable efficiency for self-healing in polymers based on reparative microcapsules by making an electrospraying device and introducing a new way for making multi-core microcapsules with a two-step electrospraying method where both polymer repair and hardening agents are included in a single microcapsule,” said Reza Barbaz Esfahani, a graduate of Amirkabir University of Technology and manager of the project.
“Also, the multi-scale and macro finite element method developed in this research is of great help to researchers and industrialists in assessing the repair efficiency of this category of self-healing systems based on the selected materials,” he added.
Barbaz Esfahani explained that results of the research can be used in all basic and advanced industries that deal with polymers in mechanical loading, adding, “For instance, in medical industry, polymers are used as prosthesis for body parts and in aviation industry, polymers are applied to make the required structures.”
Iranian Researchers Produce Food for Aquatic Animals by Treatment of Wastewater
Iranian scientists at the University of Tehran used a scientific method to treat the wastewater of alcohol-making plants to produce food for aquatic animals.
Arash Javanshir, a faculty member of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department University of Tehran, used a method based on performance of the particle capture system and treated wastewater and recycled water from the effluent resulted from alcohol production, and could treat the polluted wastewater of alcohol-producing plants to make food for aquatic animals.
“Treatment of this wastewater and the protein in the obtained sludge is not only suitable for the food diet of aquatic animals, but it will also lead to purification of water and returning it for reuse in plants and reduction of water consumption,” he said
Warning that the wastewater is harmful to plants and animals due to the existence of the hydrogen sulfide gas,” Javanshir said, adding if all plants use this system, they will help both in decreasing water and electricity consumption and keeping the environment clean.
Iran-Made Molecular Sieve Using Walnut Skin Able to Remove Carbon Monoxide
A team of Iranian researchers succeeded in producing and optimizing molecular sieves using walnut skin in order to remove carbon monoxide.
The researchers came from the Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch; the Islamic Azad University, Damavand Branch; the Oil Industry Research Institute of Tehran; and the Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute.
The studies showed that the carbon molecular sieve made of walnut skin has the ability to absorb and reduce carbon monoxide, which is considered one of the main environmental pollutants.
Using walnut skin, which is mostly thrown away, the researchers made a type of molecular sieve that can absorb and collect the polluting carbon monoxide gas from the atmosphere.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Produces Automated Plastic Welding Kit
An Iranian knowledge-based company has produced an automatic plastic welding machine for different types of trampolines sheets, industrial fabrics and thermoplastics, and heat welding the flooring of sports halls and hospitals.
“Automatic plastic welding machines are small robots produced based on mechatronics knowledge to perform the welding process in an automatic, continuous and unified manner at a high working capability. In that process various data-x-items such as pressure, speed and degree are brought under control in analog or digital methods,” Pooya Tafreshi, a member of the board of directors of the Iranian knowledge-based company, said, according to the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology’s news service.
He considered the precise electronic control of hot air from 40 to 500 degrees Celsius, lightness, small volume and portability, the ability to install on other machines and continuous operation as the advantages of their automatic welding machine.
“This device is used in construction industries, agricultural industries, dam construction, water and sewage systems construction, in landfills and oil, gas and petrochemical industries,” Tafreshi added.
He said that the automatic plastic welding machine is used in welding all kinds of geomembrane lining and insulation sheets at subway tunnel walls, lagoons, concrete pipes for sewage transfer and landfills, and in the construction of reservoirs and tanks for water storage and transfer it, and in the construction of ponds for fish farming.
Iranian Knowledge-Based Firm Produces Agents for Cleaning Plastic Surfaces
An Iranian knowledge-based company has produced antimicrobial agents to protect a plastic’s surface from the growth of microorganisms.
“The increase in the use of plastic materials in human life comes with dangers for human health and people now pay more attention to those dangers than in the past. Our products remove the microbes from the surfaces of plastic materials to become antibacterial. For example, the car's steering wheel or dashboard can become antibacterial using this product which is produced based on nanotechnology” Reyhane Etefaq, the chairwoman of the board of directors of the Iranian knowledge-based company said, according to the news service of Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology.
She pointed to zinc oxide as one of the other knowledge-based achievements of their company and said, “This substance is antibacterial and is used in the production of products such as tiles and ceramics. Ceramic tiles with a layer of this nanotechnology product are more hygienic. These tiles and ceramics are used in hospitals or kitchens. It is also possible to produce carpets, rugs and carpets, especially in pilgrimage, religious places that usually get crowded, using these substances as antibacterial to supply them to the consumer and raise the level of environmental health.”
Iranian Firm Develops Biological Fertilizers to Boost Agriculture in Country
An Iranian knowledge -based company produced biological fertilizers to increase the volume of crops harvested in the country.
The knowledge-based companies operating in the field of producing agricultural inputs such as seeds, seedlings, fertilizers, poisons and drugs in the country have been able to boost agriculture and horticulture by developing new agricultural technologies and producing micronutrient fertilizers and bio-toxins, a report by the Iranian Vice-Presidency for Science and Technology’s news service said.
Biologicial fertilizers and the nutrients produced by the Iranian companies have already replaced almost half of the phosphate chemical fertilizers such as nitrogen and urea in the farms.
Moreover, biological potassium has already replaced at least half of potash chemical fertilizer and sulfur biofertilizer, along with sulfur fertilizers, are the best regulators of soil alkalinity.
Iranian Companies Showcase Ceramics, Tiles at Int'l Exhibition
The 27th edition of the International Exhibition of Ceramics, Tiles, Sanitary Porcelain and Relevant Industries, dubbed CeraFair 2023, was held at the venue of Tehran International Permanent Fairgrounds from January 19 to 22 with more than 500 companies showcasing their products.
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