Additive Manufacturing of Graphene–Hydroxyapatite Nanocomposite Structures

In this article, a powder‐bed class of additive manufacturing (AM) is incorporated into the manufacturing of graphene nanocomposite 3D structures. For AM of graphene‐based 3D structures, graphene oxide (GO)/hydroxyapatite (Hap) nanocomposite (GHN) was synthesized at different GO to Hap percentage (wt.%), including 0.2% and 0.4% to develop a printable powder. The synthesized powder was utilized in a powder‐bed AM system to fabricate 3D porous structures of GHN powder. It was shown that at layer thickness of 125 μm and core binder saturation level of 400%, the compressive mechanical strength of the samples with higher content of graphene was improved significantly.     

A “four-ferrocene” modified stem-loop structure as a probe for sensitive detection and single-base mismatch discrimination of DNA

We report the use of a four-ferrocene modified oligonucleotide as a probe for DNA detection with a gold electrode microsystem. This oligonucleotide is synthesized by automated solid-phase synthesis with four successive ferrocene moieties at the 5′-end and a C6-thiol modifier group at the 3′-end. The grafting of this 4Fc-DNA probe on a gold electrode microsystem results in the appearance of the ferrocene redox couple in cyclic voltammetry. The probe sequence is a stem-loop structure that folds efficiently on the electrode, thus optimizing electron transfer. Such architecture serves as sensor for DNA detection which is based on hybridization. The resulting disposable voltammetric sensor allowed direct, reagentless DNA detection in a small volume (20 μL). Electrochemical response upon hybridization with complementary short sequence (30-base length) and long sequence (50-base length) strands was observed by differential pulse voltammetry. Current variations were compared. The longer the sequence, the greater the decrease in current. The system's detection limit was estimated at 3.5 pM (0.07 fmol in 20 μL) with the 50-base length target and provided a dynamic detection range between 3.5 pM and 5 nM. Single mismatch detection showed a good level of sensitivity. The system was regenerated twice with no significant loss of Fc signal. Finally, 1 pM sensitivity was reached with a long chain analog of DNA PCR products of Influenza virus.     

Fabrication and in situ characterization of microcapsules in a microfluidic system

We have designed a microfluidic system that enables both the fabrication of calibrated capsules and the in situ characterization of their mechanical properties. The fabrication setup consists of a double flow-focusing system. A human serum albumin aqueous solution is introduced in the central channel of a first Y-junction. Intercepted by the lateral flows of a hydrophobic phase, it is dispersed into microdroplets. A cross-linking agent is then introduced at a second Y-junction allowing a membrane to form around the droplets. The time of cross-linking is controlled by the length of a wavy channel located downstream of the second junction. A cylindrical microchannel finally enables to deform and characterize the capsules thus formed. The mechanical properties of the capsule membrane are obtained by inverse analysis. The results show that the drop size increases with the flow rate ratio between the central and lateral channels. The mean shear modulus of the capsules fabricated after 23 s of cross-linking is of the order of the surface tension between the two phases indicating that a reaction time of 23 s is too short for an elastic membrane to form around the droplet. When the cross-linking time is increased to 60 s, the microcapsules surface is wrinkled, thus confirming that a solid membrane is formed around the drop. The mean shear modulus of the capsule membrane increases with the cross-linking time, which is in agreement with our previous chemical results and proves that a fine control of the mechanical properties is possible by choosing adequately the control parameters of the system.     

Toward More Comprehensive Chinese Internet Users’ Studies: Translation and Validation of the Chinese–Mandarin Version of the 8-Item Information Retrieval on the Web Self-Efficacy Scale (Ch-IROWSE)

In this article, we fill a dearth in the literature of Internet self-efficacy (ISS) measurement. We introduce the translation and validation of the Chinese-Mandarin version of the 8-item Information Retrieval On the Web Self-Efficacy scale (IROWSE scale), which has been originally developed in the French language (Rodon & Meyer, 2017). After back-forward translation procedure and content clarity, we ran a test of this new version. We checked the intrinsic psychometric properties including reliability, factor structure (CFA), and criterion-related validity regarding skills for retrieving information on the Web, general attitude toward the Web, experience, gender, and age. Assessment of construct validity indicated, as expected, a one-factor model for the eight items (with coefficient alpha equal to 0.90). Its sum-scores were not confounded with skill levels or general attitudes, and it founds its sources in direct experiences. Furthermore, research would take into account the Internet World population more broadly beyond the West with this new version.     

Effect of preparation methods on the performance of Ni/Al2O3 catalysts for aqueous-phase reforming of ethanol: Part I-catalytic activity

The effect of preparation method on the performance of Ni/Al₂O₃ catalysts for aqueous-phase reforming of ethanol (EtOH) has been investigated. The first catalyst was prepared by a sol–gel (SG) method and for the second one the Al₂O₃ support was made by a solution combustion synthesis (SCS) route and then the metal was loaded by standard wet impregnation. The catalytic activity of these catalysts of different Ni loading was compared with a commercial Al₂O₃ supported Ni catalyst [CM (10%)] at different temperatures, pressures, feed flow rates, and feed concentrations. Based on the product distribution, the proposed reaction pathway is a mixture of dehydrogenation of EtOH to CH₃CHO followed by C–C bond breaking to produce CO + CH₄ and oxidation of CH₃CHO to CH₃COOH followed by decarbonylation to CO₂ + CH₄. CH₄(C₂H₆ and C₃H₈) also can form via Fischer–Tropsch reactions of CO/CO₂ with H₂. The CH₄ (C₂H₆ and C₃H₈) reacts to form hydrogen and carbon monoxide through steam reforming, while CO converts to CO₂ mostly through the water–gas shift reaction (WGSR). SG catalysts showed poorer WGSR activity than the SCS catalysts. The activation energies for H₂ and CO₂ production were 153, 155 and 167 kJ/mol and 158, 160 and 169 kJ/mol for SCS (10%), SG (10%), and CM (10%) samples, respectively.     

Effect of mixed solvents on PCDTBT:PC70BM based solar cells

We investigated the effect of solvents on the morphology, charge transport and device performance of poly[N-9″-hepta-decanyl-2,7-carbazole-alt-5,5-(4′,7′-di-2-thienyl-2′,1′,3′-benzothiadiazole)] (PCDTBT) and [6,6]-phenyl C71-butyric acid methyl ester (PC₇₀BM) based solar cells. To carry out this investigation, chloroform and 1,2-dichlorobenzene were chosen as good solvents of the two compounds. Films prepared with chloroform exhibit larger domains than those prepared with 1,2-dichlorobenzene and their size increases with the amount of PC₇₀BM. Fine tuning of the domain size was realized by using a solvent of mixed chloroform and 1,2-dichlorobenzene. At a mixing ratio of 50%:50%, a power conversion efficiency of 6.1% was achieved on PCDTBT:PC₇₀BM (1:3) devices with an active area of 1 cm², under air mass 1.5 global (AM 1.5 G) irradiation at 100 mW/cm².