Systematic optimization of corrosion,bioactivity, and biocompatibility behaviors of calcium-phosphate plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings on titanium substrates

To optimize the corrosion, bioactivity, and biocompatibility behaviors of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings on titanium substrates, the effects of five process variables including frequency, current density, duty cycle, treatment time, and electrolyte Ca/P ratio were evaluated. In our systematic study, a Taguchi design of experimental based on an L16 orthogonal array was used. For this, the coatings characteristics such as the surface roughness, wettability, rutile to anatase and Ca/P ratios, and corrosion polarization resistance were investigated. After determining the optimum process variables for each response, the apatite forming ability in SBF (bioactivity behavior) and MG63 cell attachment and flattening (biocompatibility behavior) for two groups of coatings were examined. The first group was optimized based on the maximum corrosion polarization resistance and the variables were set as the frequency of 2000 Hz, the current density of 5 A/dm², the duty cycle of 30%, the treatment time of 5 min, and the Ca/P ratio of 0.65 at. % in the electrolyte. For the second group, the maximum surface roughness, greatest Ca/P ratio, and highest wettability as well as the minimum rutile to anatase ratio in coatings, could be obtained when the variables were set as the frequency of 10 Hz, the current density of 12.5 A/dm², the duty cycle of 50%, the treatment time of 12.5 min, and the Ca/P ratio of 1.70 at. % in the electrolyte. The results showed that while both groups of coatings indicated a significant apatite forming ability and can serve as bioactive coatings, a proper attachment and flattening of cells and consequently, the favorable biocompatibility properties were seen only in the first group.     

Thermal shock effects on the impact resistance,tolerance and flexural strength of alumina based oxide/oxide ceramic matrix composites

In this study the effects of thermal shock on the impact damage resistance, damage tolerance and flexural strength of Nextel 610/alumina silicate ceramic matrix composites were experimentally evaluated. Composite laminates with balanced and symmetric layup were gradually heated to 1200°C in an air-based furnace and held for at least 30 min before being removed and immersed in water at room temperature. The laminates were then subjected to low velocity impacts via a hemispherical steel impactor. The resultant damage was characterized non-destructively, following which the laminates were subjected to compression tests. Three-point bend tests were also performed to evaluate the effect of thermal shock on the flexural strength and related failure modes of the laminates. Thermally shocked laminates showed smaller internal damage and larger external damage areas in comparison to their pristine counterparts. For the impact energy and resultant damage size considered, the residual compressive strengths for the thermally shocked and pristine laminates were similar.     

Laser damage resistance of plasma-sprayed alumina and honeycomb skeleton/alumina composite ceramic coatings

Al₂O₃ and honeycomb skeleton-Al₂O₃ composite coatings on Titanium alloy (Ti–6Al–4V) were prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying. A laser ablation experiment on as-sprayed coatings was performed. In this paper, the laser damage resistance, microstructure, phase composition of Al₂O₃ coatings were examined. 3D Dimensional Confocal Microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (EDS) characterized the laser damage morphology, microstructure, phase composition, and element analysis, respectively. The influence of the honeycomb skeleton on the laser ablation damage on as-sprayed coatings was investigated by a comparative analysis of the laser damage morphology with different laser ablation times and gas flow. The results show that the honeycomb skeleton raises thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity. Moreover, a “tower”-like dendrite was generated during the laser irradiation of the composite coating. The honeycomb skeleton refined the structure, suppressed crack propagation, and reduced the influence of gas flow on cracks. Under the same experimental laser ablation parameters, the laser damage area of the honeycomb skeleton-Al₂O₃ composite coating was smaller than that of the Al₂O₃ coating. It was demonstrated that the laser damage resistance of the honeycomb skeleton-Al₂O₃ composite coating was superior to that of the Al₂O₃ coating.     

Influence of Se and Te substitutions at Tl-site of Tl(Ba,Sr)CaCu2O7 superconductor on the AC susceptibility and electrical properties

The Sr and Ba bearing Tl-1212 phase, Tl(Ba,Sr)CaCu₂O₇ is an interesting superconductor. The Sr only bearing TlSr₂CaCu₂O₇ is not easily prepared in the superconducting form. The Ba only bearing TlBa₂CaCu₂O₇ on the other hand does not show improvement in the transition temperature with elemental substitution. In this work the influence of multivalent Se (non-metal) and Te (metalloid) substitutions at the Tl-site of Tl_1-xM_x(Ba,Sr)CaCu₂O₇ (M = Se or Te) superconductors for x = 0–0.6 was studied. The samples were prepared via the conventional solid-state reaction method. XRD patterns showed a single Tl-1212 phase for x = 0 and 0.1 Se substituted samples. The critical current density at the peak temperature, T_p of the imaginary (χ”) part of the AC susceptibility (χ = χ’ +χ”), J_c-inter(T_p) for all samples was between 15 and 21 A cm⁻². The highest superconducting transition temperature was shown by the x = 0.3 Se-substituted sample (T_c-onset = 104 K, T_c-zero = 89 K, T_cχ’ = 104 K and T_p = 80 K). Te suppressed the superconductivity of Tl-1212 phase. The order of highest transition temperatures are as follows: Tl_1-xTe_x(Ba,Sr)CaCu₂O₇<Tl(Ba,Sr)CaCu₂O₇<Tl_1-xSe_x(Ba,Sr)CaCu₂O₇. This work showed that Se was better than Te in improving the transition temperature and flux pinning of the Tl-1212 phase. The roles of ionic radius of Se and Te on the superconductivity of Tl(Ba,Sr)CaCu₂O₇ are discussed in this paper.     

Annealing temperature-dependent structural and electrical properties of (Ta2O5)1-x - (TiO2)x thin films,x ≤ 0.11

(Ta₂O₅)_1-x- (TiO₂)_x (TTO_x) thin films, with x = 0, 0.03, 0.06, 0.08, and 0.11, were deposited using magnetron direct current (DC) sputtering method onto the P/boron-silicon (1 0 0) substrates by varying areas of Tantalum and Titanium metallic targets, in oxygen environment at ambient temperature. The as-deposited thin films were annealed at temperatures ranging from 500 to 800 °C. Generally, the formation of the Ta₂O₅ structure was observed from the X-ray diffraction measurements of the annealed films. The capacitance of prepared metal– oxide– semiconductor (MOS) structures of Ag/TTO_x/p-Si was measured at 1 MHz. The dielectric constant of the deposited films was observed altering with varying composition and annealing temperature, showing the highest value 71, at 1 MHz, for the TTO_x films, x = 0.06, annealed at 700 °C. With increasing annealing temperature, from 700 to 800 °C, the leakage current density was observed, generally decreasing, from 10^?5 to 10^?8 A cm^?2, for the prepared compositions. Among the prepared compositions, films with x = 0.06, annealed at 800 °C, having the observed value of dielectric constant 48, at 1 MHz; and the leakage current density 2.7 × 10^?8 A cm^?2, at the electric field of 3.5 × 10⁵ V cm^?1, show preferred potential as a dielectric for high-density silicon memory devices.     

Radiation- and Photo-Induced Oxidation Pathways of Methionine in Model Peptide Backbone under Anoxic Conditions

Within the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by cellular metabolisms, hydroxyl radicals (HO^•) play an important role, being the most aggressive towards biomolecules. The reactions of HO^• with methionine residues (Met) in peptides and proteins have been intensively studied, but some fundamental aspects remain unsolved. In the present study we examined the biomimetic model made of Ac-Met-OMe, as the simplest model peptide backbone, and of HO^• generated by ionizing radiation in aqueous solutions under anoxic conditions. We performed the identification and quantification of transient species by pulse radiolysis and of final products by LC-MS and high-resolution MS/MS after γ-radiolysis. By parallel photochemical experiments, using 3-carboxybenzophenone (CB) triplet with the model peptide, we compared the outcomes in terms of short-lived intermediates and stable product identification. The result is a detailed mechanistic scheme of Met oxidation by HO^•, and by CB triplets allowed for assigning transient species to the pathways of products formation.     

Bio-Based,Self-Crosslinkable Eucommia ulmoides Gum/Silica Hybrids with Body Temperature Triggering Shape Memory Capability

At present, the synthesis of body temperature triggering shape memory polymers usually requires elaborate structural design, which limits their wide application. Herein, starting from bio-based Eucommia ulmoides gum (EUG), a series of EUG/silica hybrids (ESHs) are prepared through a facile one-pot process, in which EUG is epoxied and then self-crosslinked with SiO₂ by epoxy ring-open reaction. Varying the amount of H₂O₂, the shape memory transition temperature (T_trans) of ESHs is adjusted to 47.4–36.6 ℃, which is close to human body temperature (37 ℃). Among them, ESH-17 exhibited the best body temperature triggering shape memory ability (T_trans = 36.6 ℃), which can restore the permanent shape within 60 s at 37 ℃ with a shape fixity ratio of 99% and shape recovery ratio near 100%. In addition, the shape memory mechanism is discussed and shows some application scenarios of ESHs. The as-produced materials can be used as smart biomaterials such as self-tightening sutures, self-sealing root canal filling materials, and so on.     

Antioxidant Activity of Piceatannol in Canola Oil

Piceatannol has shown to be a strong antioxidant in vivo, however, its ability to suppress lipid oxidation in foods has not been examined. The present study is to examine the antioxidant effect of piceatannol on heated canola oil compared with that of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The oxidation of canola oil is conducted at 60, 90, 120, and 150 °C by monitoring the depletion of oxygen, the decrease in unsaturated fatty acids, and the changes of primary and secondary oxidation products. Results demonstrated that piceatannol can suppress lipid oxidation of canola oil in a dose-dependent manner with its effect being more effective than BHT. Practical Applications: Lipid oxidation is a major factor in the deterioration of food quality. Synthetic antioxidants, such as BHT and butylated hydroxyanisole, are used to inhibit oxidation in foods, but their safety has been always concerned. Piceatannol has exhibited a strong antioxidant activity to attenuate lipid oxidation and it should be further explored for use as a natural antioxidant in foods.