Contact resistance and megahertz operation of aggressively scaled organic transistors

Bottom-gate, top-contact organic thin-film transistors (TFTs) with excellent static characteristics (on/off ratio: 10(7) ; intrinsic mobility: 3 cm(2) (V s)(-1) ) and fast unipolar ring oscillators (signal delay as short as 230 ns per stage) are fabricated. The significant contribution of the transfer length to the relation between channel length, contact length, contact resistance, effective mobility, and cutoff frequency of the TFTs is theoretically and experimentally analyzed.     

Energy-Efficient Low Rank Coal Drying Based on Enhanced Vapor Recompression Technology

Vapor recompression is considered a highly energy-efficient technology to recover the heat involved in a process. Unfortunately, in conventional vapor recompression technology, not all of the heat can be recovered effectively. In this study, an enhanced vapor recompression technology enabling more effective heat recovery is proposed, and its ability to dry low rank coal (LRC) is evaluated. We consider the factors of exergy recovery and heat coupling. In addition to conventional vapor recompression, enhanced vapor recompression technology used to dry LRC can recover effectively the sensible heat of dried solid LRC through water recirculation. Moreover, we show that there is an optimum amount of recirculated water for each initial and target moisture content. A temperature–enthalpy diagram reveals that the proposed enhanced vapor recompression technology shows effective heat coupling for each type of heat, which results in less exergy loss so that a marked reduction in energy consumption can be achieved.     

Evaluation of Spaceborne SiC Mirror Materials Using Samples Cut from the Periphery of a Mirror Body

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency has studied large-scale, lightweight mirrors constructed of SiC-based materials as a key technology for future earth observations and astronomical missions. One of the most important technical issues for large-scale ceramic components is their quality stability (viz., differences in material properties depending on the part and the processing), which might influence the structural and/or thermal reliability through unforeseen deformation and breakage. In this study, the authors used a simple, low-cost method for evaluating the properties of SiC mirror materials. Using mechanical testing, thermodilatometry, and microstructural analysis on samples cut from the periphery of a prototype 800-mm-diameter mirror body, the overall quality of the mirror body material was determined.     

A twin unidirectional impulse turbine topology for OWC based wave energy plants – Experimental validation and scaling

The twin unidirectional turbine topology was recently proposed with the promise of very significant improvements in the energy capture in Oscillating Water Column (OWC) based wave energy plants. Here, we present the initial results of the experimental validation of the twin unidirectional impulse turbine topology. A scale model of the concept was built and tested using simulated bidirectional flow. The model consists of two 165 mm impulse turbines each individually coupled to 375 W grid connected induction machines. An oscillatory flow test rig was used to simulate bidirectional flow to test the model. The results of the experiments validate the concept of the twin turbine configuration. The proposed topology utilizes no moving parts and achieves more than 50% efficiency over a broad range of flow coefficients. A comparison with other competing turbines (viz, a twin Wells’ turbine, a linked guide vane impulse turbine and a fixed guide vane impulse turbine) is done, based on actual measurements in the Indian wave energy plant. The results from the experiments are scaled to evaluate the design features of a 50 GWh wave energy plant.     

Temperature-Responsive Poly(?-caprolactone) Cell Culture Platform with Dynamically Tunable Nano-Roughness and Elasticity for Control of Myoblast Morphology

We developed a dynamic cell culture platform with dynamically tunable nano-roughness and elasticity. Temperature-responsive poly(ɛ-caprolactone) (PCL) films were successfully prepared by crosslinking linear and tetra-branched PCL macromonomers. By optimizing the mixing ratios, the crystal-amorphous transition temperature (T_m) of the crosslinked film was adjusted to the biological relevant temperature (~33 °C). While the crosslinked films are relatively stiff (50 MPa) below the T_m, they suddenly become soft (1 MPa) above the T_m. Correspondingly, roughness of the surface was decreased from 63.4–12.4 nm. It is noted that the surface wettability was independent of temperature. To investigate the role of dynamic surface roughness and elasticity on cell adhesion, cells were seeded on PCL films at 32 °C. Interestingly, spread myoblasts on the film became rounded when temperature was suddenly increased to 37 °C, while significant changes in cell morphology were not observed for fibroblasts. These results indicate that cells can sense dynamic changes in the surrounding environment but the sensitivity depends on cell types.     

Focus on the interlude between topographic transition and cell response on shape-memory surfaces

Shape-memory surfaces with on demand, tunable nano-patterns have been developed to observe time dependent changes in fibroblast cell alignment using temperature-responsive poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) films. The PCL films were prepared by crosslinking tetra-branched and linear PCLs, each with acrylate end-groups. Permanent surface patterns were generated by crosslinking the PCLs in a mold. Temporary surface patterns were later embossed into the crosslinked PCL. NIH 3T3 cells cultured on the temporal nanopatterns showed marked alignment along the pattern direction, regardless of their ridge and groove widths. Then, the direction of grooves was suddenly transitioned 90° to the temporary ridges. Holographic microscope revealed that the application of heat quickly and completely transitioned temporal to permanent patterns within 30 s. However, it took more than 2 h for cells on substrate with 500 nm grooves to change their orientation, while it took more than 8 h on substrate with 2000 nm grooves. This different alignment behavior can be explained by the different adhesion strength and reorganization of cytoskeletal proteins on nano-v.s. micro-patterns. Dynamically tunable nano-structured surfaces, therefore, can be used to study the effects of surface nano-geometries on time-dependent cytoskeleton remodeling under biological relevant conditions.     

Immobilization of cholesterol esterase in mesoporous silica materials and its hydrolytic activity toward diethyl phthalate

Cholesterol esterase (CE, cholesteryl ester hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.13) from porcine pancreas (molecular weight 400–500 kDa) exhibits hydrolytic activity toward various toxic organic phthalate esters. CE was confined in the nanospace (diameter 3–30 nm) of five types of mesoporous silica (MPS) that differ in structural properties such as pore diameter, pore volume, and particle morphology. These structural properties were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray diffraction, N₂ adsorption–desorption experiments, solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and solid-state ²⁹Si NMR. Catalytic activities of immobilized and free CE were evaluated by the hydrolysis of diethyl phthalate in phosphate buffer solutions containing an organic cosolvent. Optimal activity recovery was achieved when CE was immobilized in n-decane-functionalized MPS, which had a large pore size (22.5 nm). The immobilization also protected against effects of temperature within the range 30 °C–60 °C; CE immobilized in n-decyl-functionalized MPS exhibited better thermal stability than in non-functionalized MPS or free CE. Moreover, it retained approximately 60% of its catalytic activity even after six catalytic cycles.