Novel preparation approach with a 2-step process for spherical particles with high drug loading and controlled size distribution using melt granulation: MALCORE®

A novel approach for preparing drug-containing particles (DCPs) with controlled size distribution and high drug loading was developed using melt granulation. This approach comprises two steps. First, melting component adsorbed particles (MAs) were prepared by mixing and heating the melting components with a porous carrier using a high shear granulator. Second, DCPs were prepared by layering the drug on MAs using a fluidized bed rotor granulator. The time taken for both steps was within 30 min. Adding the polymer in the second step remarkably increased the viscosity of the mixture of melting components and the polymer. Therefore, DCPs could be successfully loaded with a high amount of drug (70% w/w). The particle size distribution of the DCPs was narrow, and it depended on that of the MAs. The flowability of the DCPs was excellent, and the sphericity was close to 1. A unique particle formulation mechanism was suggested based on the observation of DCPs using scanning electron microscopy. The manufacturing time and DCP characteristics were not affected by the manufacturing scale. In conclusion, we have successfully developed a highly efficient novel approach for preparing optimal DCPs through melt granulation, named “Melt Adsorption and Layering with Porosity Core” (MALCORE®).     

Fabrication and properties of diatomite ceramics with hierarchical pores based on direct stereolithography

Porous diatomite ceramics with hierarchical pores and high apparent porosity (50.29–56%) were successfully fabricated via direct stereolithography. The pre-ball-milling time, dispersant type and dispersant concentration were systematically investigated to prepare diatomite pastes with high solid loading, low viscosity and a self-supporting effect. The results showed that a pre-ball-milling time of 24 h was more suitable to prepare diatomite pastes with high solid loading, and Span80 at 2 wt% was the optimal dispersant to obtain 40 vol% diatomite paste with a low viscosity and a self-supporting effect. To restrain the formation of defects, a heating rate as low as 0.2 °C/min was allowed to control the pyrolysis rate in the multistage debinding process. At sintering temperatures ranging from 900 °C to 1000 °C, porous diatomite ceramics exhibited a typical bimodal porosity, high apparent porosity and great flexural strength.     

Shear and mode II fracture of PUR foams

Polyurethane (PUR) foam materials are widely used as cores in sandwich composites, for packing and cushioning. They are made of interconnected networks of solid struts and cell walls incorporating voids with entrapped gas. The main characteristics of foams are lightweight, high porosity, high crushability, and good energy absorption capacity. Fracture toughness in mixed mode loading is of particular interest because foam cracking weakens the structure’s capacity for carrying loads.Present paper assesses the shear elastic (shear modulus) and mechanical (shear strength) properties of polyurethane foams. Also, three different types of specimens were used to determine mode I and mode II fracture toughness. The shear modulus, shear strength and fracture toughness increases with increasing foam density. Also the effect of loading direction and loading speed is investigated. The authors propose a micromechanical model to estimate fracture toughness based on the tensile strength of the solid material and the topology of the cellular structure.     

Predictions of frame compliance and apex morphology in sharp nanoindentations

If all components in a nanoindentation system are well calibrated and a reference material has unique hardness, H and reduced modulus, E_r independent of the indentation depths, the load, L and the penetration depth, h in the indentation loading curve of the reference material can be correlated by L=Kh². Here the constant K is expressed by H, E_r and indenter geometry constants. By using H and E_r of a fused silica and the Berkovich geometry, an analytical expression for the indentation loading curve could be derived. To compare with this analytical loading curve, experimental indentation data were measured with two commercial nanoindenters. The experimental loading curves shifted leftward or rightward from the analytical loading curve and this depth deviation was attributed to improper calibration of the nanoindenters. Quantitative calibrations of frame compliance and indenter bluntness were tried for the raw nanoindentation data and this resulted in consistent nanoindentation data regardless of the used nanoindenters.     

空间H形梁柱节点的节点域滞回性能试验研究

为研究空间效应对节点域滞回性能及稳定性的影响，设计了4个不同构造的空间H形梁柱节点试件，于柱端施加恒定轴向荷载，于柱弱轴平面梁端施加恒定反对称荷载，于柱强轴平面梁端施加反对称往复荷载。试验及分析结果表明：基于平面梁柱节点试验提出的考虑竖向连接板对提高节点域稳定性的推荐公式仍适用；柱弱轴平面不平衡弯矩通过竖向连接板及横向加劲肋传递至柱翼缘，当该荷载不致引起节点域周边构件过早屈服时，若传力路径连续，节点域不直接抵抗该荷载作用；在本试验的柱弱轴平面荷载应力水平下，构造设计合理的空间试件节点域的承载力、变形能力、稳定性、耗能能力均不低于相应的平面试件。     

Creep compliance mapping by atomic force microscopy

We present a method for mapping the spatial distribution of viscoelastic properties of heterogeneous samples using the atomic force microscope (AFM). By applying a force step load protocol to induce time dependent sample indentations we measured the local creep compliance of the sample. The creep compliance was quantified in terms of the standard linear solid model to give maps of the instant glassy modulus, the equilibrium rubbery modulus, and the retardation time. To reduce the influence of plastic deformations, the sample was preformed with an initial preload step. Different polymer samples with a homogeneous or a heterogeneous material composition on a microscopic scale were investigated.     

Efficient loading and entrapment of tamoxifen in human serum albumin based nanoparticulate delivery system by a modified desolvation technique

Herein, the poorly water-soluble drug, Tamoxifen (Tmx), was loaded in the amphipathic matrix of human serum albumin (HSA) nanoparticles by a modified desolvation method. In order to enhance the drug loading (DL) and drug entrapment efficiency (DEE) (<2% and 10%, respectively), ultrasonication of Tmx-HSA mixture was performed prior to desolvation process. Tmx loading and entrapment efficiency were optimized by employment of the response surface methodology (RSM)-central composite design (CCD) of experiments. Under the optimum conditions of 1.59 mg Tmx/ml concentration, 7.76 pH and 5 h incubation of HSA-Tmx, the DL of 6.7% and DEE of 74% are achievable. Particles with the average size of 195 nm, zeta potential of −21 mV and polydispersity index of 0.09 were produced under these conditions. A more sustained Tmx release behavior was observed from polyethylene glycol (PEG) conjugated nanoparticles in comparison to the non-PEGylated ones. The short-term stability investigation showed no alteration in physicochemical properties of nanoparticles at 4 and 37 °C, but small increase in nanoparticles size was observed after three months of storage at room temperature. This is the first report for efficient production of a Tmx delivery system based on HSA nanoparticles.     

壳聚糖包裹广藿香精油微胶囊的制备及表征

采用复合凝聚法,以广藿香精油为芯材,壳聚糖（CTS）和阿拉伯胶（GA）为壁材,制备了广藿香精油微胶囊。采用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、激光粒度仪、傅里叶红外光谱（FT-IR）等对微胶囊进行表征。结果表明,当乳化剂用量为质量分数1%,芯壁质量比为1∶2,乳化转速为2 500r/min,复凝pH为5,固化剂用量为1.5g时,微胶囊包封率和载药量最佳,微胶囊球形规则、分散性好,平均粒径为10.5μm。     

300kt/a低压氨合成技术应用总结

详细介绍了300 kt/a低压氨合成装置的系统配置、催化剂装填、催化剂升温还原、生产运行等情况。低压氨合成装置投运后,各项工艺指标均较为理想,表明GC型低压氨合成技术较为成熟、稳定、可靠、先进。     

生活污水最佳污泥负荷确定研究

污泥负荷（ Ns）是指单位质量的活性污泥在单位时间内所去除的有机污染物的量,单位kgCOD/（ kgMLSS·d）。利用泰州市紫光水业污水处理厂初沉池出水和曝气池的活性污泥制作一定浓度的污泥混合液,并在0.1~0.3 kgCOD/（ kgMLSS·d）污泥负荷中选择5个实验点,改变停留时间进行好氧生化反应,分别测COD, TP, NH3-N, TN的去除率,讨论不同污泥负荷不同停留时间对污水处理效果的影响,综合考虑污泥沉降性能和去除污水COD和脱氮除磷的效果,确定最佳污泥负荷为0.20 kgCOD/（ kgMLSS·d）。