Curing of visible light-activated dental restorative composites

FTIR spectroscopy and microhardness measurements were employed to follow the degree of curing of visible light activated dental composites. The observed dependence of curing on grade and shade of the materials, exposure time and depth from the light exposed surface have been discussed. Immediately after curing, it was found that direct correlation of microhardness values with that of double bond conversion estimated by FTIR technique could not be established.     

Cure behaviour and void development within rapidly cured out-of-autoclave composites

This study investigates the effect of slow and fast heating rates (1.5 and 10 °C/min) on the formation of voids during the out-of-autoclave curing process of an aerospace composite (HexPly 8552). The cure cycles were interrupted at pre-defined stages for each heating rate enabling the in situ behaviour of the resin, void content and growth of voids to be studied. It was found that the morphology and content of voids remained unchanged up to the second heating stage of the cure cycle, regardless of heating rate. Thereafter, differences to minimum resin viscosity for the faster heating rate (5.2 Pa s compared to 32.5 Pa s) and a higher gelation temperature (177 °C compared to 160 °C) caused a slight increase to void growth for the rapid curing conditions. The causes of voids were the result of moisture volatiles contained within the prepreg, identified by mass spectrometry. Overall, the faster heating rate reduced the cure cycle time by 32% without any effect on the final degree of cross-linking (88.4%) or overall void content, which remained below 2%.     

Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic evaluation of visible light activated C-doped TiO2 nanoparticles

We have demonstrated heterogeneous photocatalytic degradation of microcystin-LR (MC-LR) by visible light activated carbon doped TiO(2) (C-TiO(2)) nanoparticles, synthesized by a modified sol-gel route based on the self-assembly technique exploiting oleic acid as a pore directing agent and carbon source. The C-TiO(2) nanoparticles crystallize in anatase phase despite the low calcination temperature of 350 °C and exhibit a highly porous structure that can be optimized by tuning the concentration of the oleic acid surfactant. The carbon modified nanomaterials exhibited enhanced absorption in the broad visible light region together with an apparent red shift in the optical absorption edge by 0.5 eV (2.69 eV), compared to the 3.18 eV of reference anatase TiO(2). Carbon species were identified by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis through the formation of both Ti-C and C-O bonds, indicative of substitution of carbon for oxygen atoms and the formation of carbonates, respectively. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed the formation of two carbon related paramagnetic centers in C-TiO(2), whose intensity was markedly enhanced under visible light illumination, pointing to the formation of localized states within the anatase band gap, following carbon doping. The photocatalytic activity of C-TiO(2) nanomaterials was evaluated for the degradation of MC-LR at pH 3.0 under visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation. The doped materials showed a higher MC-LR degradation rate than reference TiO(2), behavior that is attributed to the incorporation of carbon into the titania lattice.     

Nature of light scattering in dental enamel and dentin at visible and near-infrared wavelengths

The light-scattering properties of dental enamel and dentin were measured at 543, 632, and 1053 nm. Angularly resolved scattering distributions for these materials were measured from 0° to 180° using a rotating goniometer. Surface scattering was minimized by immersing the samples in an index-matching bath. The scattering and absorption coefficients and the scattering phase function were deduced by comparing the measured scattering data with angularly resolved Monte Carlo light-scattering simulations. Enamel and dentin were best represented by a linear combination of a highly forward-peaked Henyey-Greenstein (HG) phase function and an isotropic phase function. Enamel weakly scatters light between 543 nm and 1.06 μm, with the scattering coefficient (μ(s)) ranging from μ(s) = 15 to 105 cm(-1). The phase function is a combination of a HG function with g = 0.96 and a 30-60% isotropic phase function. For enamel, absorption is negligible. Dentin scatters strongly in the visible and near IR (μ(s)?260 cm(-1)) and absorbs weakly (μ(a) ? 4 cm(-1)). The scattering phase function for dentin is described by a HG function with g = 0.93 and a very weak isotropic scattering component (? 2%).     

AgBr/纳米管钛酸复合材料可见光催化性能研究

以钛酸纳米管为前驱体,通过共沉淀-煅烧的方法制备得到了AgBr/纳米管钛酸复合材料。透射电镜(TEM)和X射线衍射分析(XRD)结果表明,经过不同温度的焙烧,钛酸纳米管的形貌由一维管状逐渐转变为颗粒状,晶体结构也由正交晶系转化为锐钛矿结构;紫外-可见漫反射光谱(UV-Vis DRS)表明,担载的AgBr明显拓展了纳米管钛酸的可见光吸收范围;X射线光电子能谱(XPS)对样品中Ag元素的价态进行了分析,Ag物种主要以Ag+形式存在。以甲基橙(MO)的可见光降解为探针反应,结果表明,当煅烧温度为200℃时,光催化活性最高,MO的降解率在30min内就达到了90%以上;随着煅烧温度的增加,催化活性有逐渐降低的趋势。     

Effect of Ag loading on activated carbon doped ZnO for bisphenol A degradation under visible light

Silver modified activated carbon doped zinc oxide (Ag/AC-ZnO) was synthesized via a calcination-electroless deposition route. The samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the Ag/AC-ZnO was evaluated for bisphenol A degradation in the presence of H₂O₂ under visible light irradiation. The archived results showed that the photocatalytic activity of the Ag/AC-ZnO was higher than that of AC-ZnO and pure ZnO. The cytotoxicity of the bisphenol A after photocatalysis under visible light irradiation was tested using L929 mouse fibroblast cells and the obtained results indicated that the treated bisphenol A solution exhibited no cytotoxicity against normal cells.     

POMs/ZrO2纳米可见光催化材料的制备及性能研究

多金属氧酸盐-氧化锆(POMs/ZrO2)复合材料是我们研制的一类具有可见光催化活性的新材料.本文结合可见光催化领域研究的最新进展,重点介绍POMs/ZrO2微孔纳米材料,包括它们的复合膜材料的制备、表征、表面物理特性、网络结构形成机理以及在可见光作用下对有机染料分子降解的光催化性能.     

N掺杂C包覆NaTaO3复合材料制备及其可见光催化性能

以五氯化钽(TaCl₅)、乙酸钠为原料,三聚氰胺为N源,十六烷基三甲基溴化铵(CTAB)和聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP)为表面活性剂,通过溶胶-凝胶法制备了N掺杂C包覆NaTaO₃复合材料。采用XRD、TEM、XPS、UV-Vis DRS等对样品进行表征,以罗丹明B(RhB)溶液为目标降解物,测试了不同N比例掺杂的复合材料的吸附性能和光催化性能。结果表明,加入的CTAB和PVP经过N₂保护的热处理后在NaTaO₃周围形成超薄的碳膜,不仅限制NaTaO₃粒径增长,而且提高复合材料对目标污染物的吸附性。N掺杂C包覆NaTaO₃复合材料具备良好的可见光催化活性,其中三聚氰胺与TaCl₅的摩尔比n为1.5时,制备的N掺杂C包覆NaTaO₃复合材料可见光催化效率最高,暗中吸附80 min、可见光照8 h时,RhB的去除率为96.46%,其光催化反应过程符合准一级反应动力学规律。      

Deep nulling of visible laser light

Nulling interferometry, a proposed technique for dimming a star relative to its surroundings by destructively interfering the light collected by two individual telescopes [Bracewell, Nature 274, 780-781 (1978); Shao and Colavita, Ann. Rev. Astron. Astrophys. 30, 457-498 (1992)], has the potential to permit the direct detection of nearby extrasolar planets. However, because of the extremely high degree of symmetry required for useful levels of starlight nulling, the technique remains in its infancy. We present results of laboratory experiments with a rotational shearing interferometer that are aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of deep nulling at the levels needed for direct planet detection. Our first results include the successful nulling of red laser light to a part in 10(5) and the stabilization of the null leakage to a part in 10(4).     

Mn、N共掺杂TiO_2负载竹质活性炭纤维的制备及可见光光催化性能

为研究Mn、N共掺杂TiO_2负载竹质活性炭纤维(Mn-N/TiO_2-BACF)的可见光光催化性能,首先,以MnSO_4·H_2O为锰源,尿素为氮源,采用溶胶-凝胶法制备了光催化复合材料Mn-N/TiO_2-BACF;然后,利用SEM、XRD及XPS等考察了煅烧温度对Mn-N/TiO_2-BACF结构和可见光光催化性能的影响。结果表明:Mn、N共掺杂使光催化复合材料的光响应范围由紫外光区域拓宽至可见光区域;随煅烧温度的提高,光催化复合材料表面的晶格氧含量逐渐降低,吸附氧含量先降低后增加,而羟基氧含量有所增加;光照400min后,350℃锻烧制备的Mn-N/TiO_2-BACF在可见光下对亚甲基蓝的光降解率达99.7%。同时,还发现Mn-N/TiO_2-BACF在可见光下的光降解率与煅烧温度没有相关性。     

Thermomechanical behaviour of composites

This paper derives the governing equations for the thermomechanical behaviour of composites. When the basic equations for the thermoelastic behaviour of solids were first derived in the nineteenth century several approximations were made. The effect of these assumptions are discussed and illustrated by the results of a simple laboratory test. The implications of this work on the analysis of impact damaged laminates are then discussed.     

Influence of light polymerization modes on degree of conversion and crosslink density of dental composites

This study analyzed the influence of light polymerization modes on crosslink density (CD) and the degree of conversion (DC) of dental composites. A minifilled hybrid and a nanofilled dental composite were photoactivated with two light polymerization modes: Conventional—850 mW/cm² for 20 s and Gradual—50 up to 1,000 mW/cm² for 10 s + 1,000 mW/cm² for 10 s. DC was determined by the use of FT-Raman-spectrometer. A softening test, using Knoop diamond indentation, was carried out at the top and bottom of 2 mm thick dental composite disks, before and after storage in 100% ethanol for 24 h, in order to represent the amount of crosslink density. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Student–Newman–Keuls’ multiple range test (α = 0.05). The DC was influenced by light polymerization modes, with Gradual mode presenting lower DC. On bottom surfaces, the nanofilled dental composite was more susceptible to softening by ethanol than minifilled hybrid, and gradual light polymerization of nanofilled dental composite resulted in more softening than when conventional light polymerization was used. The results suggest that nanofilled composites are capable undergoing more plasticization if applied in thick increments.     

Cure cycle optimization of composites by dielectric measurements

Cure cycle monitoring by dielectric loss factor was investigated for prepreg composites based on epoxy, epoxy-phenolic, polyimide and phenolic matrices. Dielectric loss measurements were carried out to establish optimal cure conditions for the various polymer composites with respect to testing rates, curing temperature and timing for pressure application. For each polymer composite studied, initial laboratory experiments were carried out in a temperature-programmable oven to determine the onset of polymer flow, the temperature range where resin viscosity is appropriate for pressure application and the duration of the cross-linking reaction. Subsequently, autoclave processing was conducted using similar conditions accompanied by in situ dielectric loss monitoring. Dielectric cure monitoring of room temperature aged, epoxy-based prepreg indicated that curing of aged prepregs is possible provided a flow region exists. Flexural properties of specimens prepared from composite laminates processed under optimized conditions substantiated the adequacy of in situ dielectric loss measurements for cure monitoring of prepreg composites.     

Mn掺杂TiO_2负载竹质活性炭纤维的制备及可见光光催化性能研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法和浸渍法制备Mn掺杂TiO2负载竹质活性炭纤维(Mn/Ti-BACF)光催化复合材料,利用扫面电镜(SEM)、X射线衍射仪(XRD)、傅立叶变换红外光谱(FT-IR)、紫外-可见光分光光度计(UV-Vis)等考察了Mn掺杂量对Mn/Ti-BACF复合材料结构和可见光光催化性能的影响。结果发现,Mn掺杂改善了TiO2在竹质活性炭纤维表面的负载;Mn离子的掺杂并没有改变样品基材的碳网结构,也未出现新的Mn—O的特征吸收峰。随着Mn掺杂浓度的增加,Mn/Ti-BACF样品中TiO2粒径逐渐减小,可见光下的吸光度先增加后减少。当n(Mn)∶n(Ti)=1∶200时,样品在可见光下对亚甲基蓝的降解率达到了97.7%。     

A carpet cloak for visible light

We report an invisibility carpet cloak device, which is capable of making an object undetectable by visible light. The cloak is designed using quasi conformal mapping and is fabricated in a silicon nitride waveguide on a specially developed nanoporous silicon oxide substrate with a very low refractive index (n<1.25). The spatial index variation is realized by etching holes of various sizes in the nitride layer at deep subwavelength scale creating a local effective medium index. The fabricated device demonstrates wideband invisibility throughout the visible spectrum with low loss. This silicon nitride on low index substrate can also be a general scheme for implementation of transformation optical devices at visible frequencies.     

Effects of carbon content on the photocatalytic activity of C/BiVO4 composites under visible light irradiation

Carbon-loaded BiVO₄ composite photocatalysts were prepared using an impregnation method, and their ability to photocatalytically degrade Rhodamine B dye solution under visible light irradiation was investigated. The prepared composite photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area measurements, and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra. We found that the carbon was well-dispersed on the surface of BiVO₄. The photocatalytic activity of the composite photocatalysts for the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation (>420 nm) was higher than that of pure BiVO₄. Moreover, the degradation efficiency increased as the carbon content increased up to 3 wt%. The mechanism of enhanced photocatalytic activity is discussed with reference to surface area, optical absorption properties, and charge separation.     

Fatigue behaviour of hybrid composites

A study has been made of the fatigue behaviour in repeated tension of unidirectional and [(±45, 0, 0)₂]_s hybrid laminates composed of XAS carbon fibres and E-glass fibres in the same 913 epoxy resin. The ordinary mechanical properties of these composites are close to those predicted by simple, conventional models of hybrid behaviour. For the unidirectional materials, the fatigue stress for a given life is not a linear function of composition, showing a substantial positive deviation from the rule of mixtures. This behaviour closely mirrors that of unidirectional carbon-Kevlar hybrids reported in Part 1 of this work. In terms of strain-life comparisons, results for all hybrid compositions and plain carbon fibre reinforced plastic fall within a single scatter-band. These features are also reflected in the fatigue behaviour of the more complex hybrid laminate.     

Oxidation behaviour of mullite-SiC composites

The oxidation kinetics of three mullite-SiC composites were studied. The materials were all processed with the same amount of SiC, 10% by volume; in two of the composites the second phase was added as whiskers, and in the third as powders. The sintered composites were exposed to high temperatures (1200 to 1500 ° C) during variable time periods (maximum 122 h) under the oxidizing furnace atmosphere. The nature of the reaction layer formed has been analysed specifying the oxidation rate constants for each composite. The influence on the bend strength of the composites for one of the isothermal oxidizing treatments has also been measured.