Superhydrophilic Transparent Titania Films by Supersonic Aerosol Deposition

Photocatalytic and hydrophilic TiO₂ thin‐film applications include water purification, cancer therapy, solar energy conversion, self‐cleaning devices, and antifogging windows. We demonstrate superhydrophilicity of aerosol‐deposition (AD) TiO₂ films on a glass substrate without use of a carrier solvent, thereby removing the possibility of impurity contamination. AD films exhibit high visible light transmittance (greater than 80%) and superhydrophilicity (0° contact angle) with even minimal UV‐light irradiation exposure. This AD method represents a significant step toward the realization of economically viable, functional thin films for the aforementioned applications.     

The Application of a Gradient Method in the Finite Element Solution of Elastohydrodynamic Problems

A gradient method is described which can be used to solve problems in elastohydrodynamics. The method involves the minimization of an error function, and is compatible with such numerical schemes of solving continuum problems as the finite element or the finite difference method. A finite length slider bearing is used to illustrate the method, and numerical results for the elastohydrodynamic pressure distribution are presented.     

Design of thin plate-type speed reducers using balls for robots

A review of the recent trends of robots would show that robots are gradually being miniaturized. However, most commercially available speed reducers suffer from the limitations in terms of structure and vibration when applied to small robots. A new speed reducer mechanism was designed to check the reducer ratio and contact points between the balls and inclined planes. Contact force analysis between the gear curves and the balls and contact force analysis between the balls and inclined planes were conducted using a numerical method and FEM analysis. This virtual prototype simulation provided essential data and analysis foundation for the physical prototype’s manufacture and testing. Meanwhile, it also provided the important basis for optimizing the tooth profile and the performance. A speed reducer was manufactured to check the performance. This manufactured thin plate-type speed reducer imposed less compressive stress on the tooth profile and the balls, which greatly increased the facility of the robot.     

Effects of CO2 dilution on the interactions of a CH4–air nonpremixed jet flame with a single vortex

We carried out numerical simulations to understand how CO₂ dilution in either fuel or oxidizer stream changes the flame-vortex interactions in terms of hydrodynamic effects in CH₄–air nonpremixed jet flames. The simulation used a time-dependent, axisymmetric computational model and a low Mach number approximation. Reaction rates were calculated from a two-step global reaction mechanism that considered six species. Studies were conducted with fixed initial velocities for three different cases of CO₂ introduction: (1) without dilution, (2) dilution in a fuel stream, and (3) dilution in an oxidizer stream. A single vortex was generated by an axisymmetric jet driven of cold fuel, after a flame development was reached to quasi steady-state condition. The simulation shows that CO₂ dilution in a fuel stream leads to a slightly increased vortex radius and more entrainment of surrounding fluids compared to the other dilution methods tested. Thus, dilution of CO₂ in a fuel stream enhances the mixing inside a single vortex and increases the stretching of the flame surface. The vorticity transport equation budgets were examined to reveal the mechanisms of vortex formation in the presence of CO₂. In the stage of vortex formation, vortex production due to baroclinic torque and vortex destruction due to volumetric expansion were found to be greater in the case of CO₂ dilution in a fuel stream than in the other dilution cases. However, after vortex formation, there terms showed the opposite tendencies.     

Effect of Nafion gradient in dual catalyst layer on proton exchange membrane fuel cell performance

The role of Nafion^® binder in the electrodes was evaluated by changing its content for the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication. In the study, we prepared MEAs that have two different compositions of catalyst layers in electrodes. One layer which is close to the electrolyte membrane has the higher Nafion^® content. The other which is near the gas diffusion media (GDM) has the lower one. Also, we changed the thickness of two layers to find the ideal composition of the binder and Pt/C in the electrode. The dual catalyst layer coated MEA showed higher cell performance at high current density region than the pristine MEA.     

Indirect evaluation of the long-term oxidation properties of Al−21Ti−23Cr and Al−37Ti−12Cr coating materials for TiAl alloy

The most pertinent coating materials in the Al−Ti−Cr alloy system to improve the high temperature oxidation resistance of a TiAl alloy, with respect to oxidation properties, resistance to thermal stress, and chemical compatibility, are the two-phase alloys of Al−21Ti−23Cr (L1₂+Cr₂Al) and Al−37Ti−12Cr (γ+TiAlCr). In this study, cyclic oxidation tests at 1000 °C and 1200 °C were performed for the specimens coated with both materials of 10 im thickness. Furthermore, breakaway oxidation caused by the formation of a rutile TiO₂ scale was observed, though both bulk alloys showed very stable oxidation behavior. This phenomenon was resulted from the depleted Al content in the coating layer due to Al₂O₃ oxide growth and interdiffusion with the substrate. Considering the decrease of Al content due to oxide growth, the Al−21Ti−23Cr coating with the initial higher Al content was more effective for long-term oxidation protection of the TiAl alloy. On the other hand, when the Al content changes due to the interdiffusion with the substrate, the Al−37Ti−12Cr coating with a smaller compositional gradient with the TiAl substrate was more effective than the Al−21Ti−23Cr coating. Cyclic oxidation tests at 1000 °C and 1200 °C confirmed that for the longer lifetime of coating materials the initial Al content was more important than the smaller compositional gradient with the substrate. Consequently, the Al−21Ti−23Cr coating was considered as more effective one for the long-term oxidation resistance of TiAl alloys.     

Carbon capture and storage potential in coal-fired plant in Malaysia—A review

Secure, reliable and affordable energy supplies are necessary for sustainable economic growth, but increases in associated carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, and the associated risk of climate change are a cause of major concern. Experts have projected that the CO₂ emissions related to the energy sector will increase 130% by 2050 in the absence of new policies or supply constraints as a result of increased fossil fuel usage. To address this issue will require an energy technology revolution involving greater energy efficiency, increased renewable energies and nuclear power, and the near-decarbonisation of fossil fuel-based power generation. Nonetheless, fossil fuel usage is expected to continue to dominate global energy supply. The only technology available to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from large-scale fossil fuel usage is carbon capture and storage (CCS), an essential part of the portfolio of technologies that is needed to achieve deep global emission reductions. However, CCS technology faces numerous issues and challenges before it can be successfully deployed. With Malaysia has recently pledged a 40% carbon reduction by 2020 in the Copenhagen 2009 Climate Summit, CCS technology is seen as a viable option in order to achieve its target. Thus, this paper studies the potential and feasibility of coal-fired power plant with CCS technology in Malaysia which includes the choices of coal plants and types of capture technologies possible for implementation.     

The effect of annealing on amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide thin film transistors

This paper presents the post-annealing effects, caused by rapid thermal annealing (RTA), on amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin film transistor's (TFT) electrical characteristics, and its contact resistance (R_C) with thermally grown SiO₂ gate dielectric on silicon wafer substrates. The electrical characteristics of two types of TFTs, one post-annealed and the other not, are compared, and a simple model of the source and drain contacts is applied to estimate the R_C by a transmission line method (TLM). Consequently, it has been found that the post-annealing does improve the TFT performances; in other words, the saturation mobility (μ_sat), the on/off current ratio (I_ON/OFF), and the drain current (I_D) all increase, and the R_C and the threshold voltage (V_T) both decrease. As-fabricated TFTs have the following electrical characteristics; a saturation mobility (μ_sat) as large as 0.027 cm²/V s, I_ON/OFF of 10³, sub-threshold swing (SS) of 0.49 V/decade, V_T of 32.51 V, and R_C of 969 MΩ, and the annealed TFTs have improved electrical characteristics as follows; a μ_sat of 3.51 cm²/V s, I_ON/OFF of 10⁵, SS of 0.57 V/decade, V_T of 27.2 V, and R_C of 847 kΩ.     

Osteoclastic cell behaviors affected by the α-tricalcium phosphate based bone cements

Calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) have recently gained great interest as injectable bone substitutes for use in dentistry and orthopedics. α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP) is a popularly used precursor powder for CPCs. When mixed with appropriate content of liquid and kept under aqueous conditions, α-TCP dissolves to form a calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite and then hardens to cement. In this study, α-TCP based cement (CP) and its composite cement with chitosan (Ch-CP) were prepared and the osteoclastic responses to the cements and their elution products were evaluated. Preliminary evaluation of the cements revealed that the CP and Ch-CP hardened within ~10 min at an appropriate powder-to-liquid ratio (PL) of 3.0. In addition, CP and Ch-CP were transformed into an apatite phase following immersion in a saline solution. Moreover, the osteoblastic cells were viable on the cements for up to 10 days. Mouse-derived bone marrow cells were isolated and activated with osteoclastic differentiation medium, and the effects of the CP and Ch-CP substrates and their ionic eluants on the osteoclastic activity were investigated. Osteoclastic cells were viable for up to 14 days on both types of cements, maintaining a higher cell growth level than the control culture dish. Multi-nucleated osteoclastic cells that were tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive were clearly observed when cultured on the cement substrates as well as treated with the cement eluants. The TRAP activity was found to be significantly higher in cells influenced by the cement substrates and their eluants with respect to the control culture dish (Ch-CP > CP ≫ control). Overall, the osteoclastic differentiation was highly stimulated by the α-TCP based experimental cements in terms of both the substrate interaction and their elution products.     

A multistage perceptual quality assessment for compressed digitalangiogram images

This paper describes a multistage perceptual quality assessment (MPQA) model for compressed images. The motivation for the development of a perceptual quality assessment is to measure (in)visible differences between original and processed images. The MPQA produces visible distortion maps and quantitative error measures informed by considerations of the human visual system (HVS). Original and decompressed images are decomposed into different spatial frequency bands and orientations modeling the human cortex. Contrast errors are calculated for each frequency and orientation, and masked as a function of contrast sensitivity and background uncertainty. Spatially masked contrast error measurements are then made across frequency bands and orientations to produce a single perceptual distortion visibility map (PDVM). A perceptual quality rating (PQR) is calculated from the PDVM and transformed into a one to five scale, PQR(1-5), for direct comparison with the mean opinion score, generally used in subjective ratings. The proposed MPQA model is based on existing perceptual quality assessment models, while it is differentiated by the inclusion of contrast masking as a function of background uncertainty. A pilot study of clinical experiments on wavelet-compressed digital angiogram has been performed on a sample set of angiogram images to identify diagnostically acceptable reconstruction. Our results show that the PQR(1-5) of diagnostically acceptable lossy image reconstructions have better agreement with cardiologists' responses than objective error measurement methods, such as peak signal-to-noise ratio A Perceptual thresholding and CSF-based Uniform quantization (PCU) method is also proposed using the vision models presented in this paper. The vision models are implemented in the thresholding and quantization stages of a compression algorithm and shown to produce improved compression ratio performance with less visible distortion than that of the embedded zerotrees wavelet (EZWs).