Understanding external plasticization of melt extruded PHBV–wheat straw fibers biodegradable composites for food packaging

The objective of this work is to get further knowledge on the external plasticization mechanisms of melt extruded polyhydroxyl‐3‐butyrate‐co?3‐valerate (PHBV) when combined with wheat straw fibers (WSF). Different types of biodegradable substances, all authorized for food contact according to the European regulation, i.e., acetyltributyl citrate (ATBC), glycerol triacetate (GTA) and (PEG) at different molecular weights, were tested at different percentages (5, 10 and 20 wt %). Thermal and mechanical characterization of PHBV/plasticizer blends showed that a significant plasticizing effect was obtained using hydrophobic substances such as ATBC and GTA, with an increase of the elongation at break from 1.8% up to about 6% for an additive content of 10 wt %. However, the incorporation of WSF in plasticized PHBV led to a dramatic decrease in the elongation at break of composites, neutralizing the increase of this parameter by the addition of the plasticizers. The stress at break of plasticized films was also significantly decreased by the introduction of fibers. Such a loss of ductility was mainly explained by the occurrence of microscopic defects in the materials induced by the presence of fibers and to a poor adhesion at the fiber/matrix interface. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41611.     

Hydroxide-Bonding Strength Measurements for Space-Based Optical Missions

Optical contacting has long been used in interferometric experiments both on the ground and in space-based missions. Its optical clarity makes it an ideal method to joint materials of comparable coefficients of thermal expansion. Once the two pieces are bonded, they are commonly broken through thermal or vibrational cycling. Unfortunately, larger bond areas are needed for the bond to form appreciable strength, which often excludes it from being used in complex optical bench designs in space-based missions. Another method, known colloquially as hydroxide bonding, has shown to have superior strength to optical contacting using smaller bonding areas. In addition, the hydroxide bonding process will work on several materials that do not need to meet the stringent polishing requirements of optical contacting. These properties make hydroxide bonding suitable for complex optical bench designs that can withstand the large accelerations encountered during launch conditions for use in space-based missions. In this paper, we report on shear strength measurements of BK7-to-BK7 hydroxide bonds as well as present new results for BK7-to-silicon carbide and BK7-to-Super Invar bonds.     

Very high frequency SAW devices based on nanocrystalline diamond and aluminum nitride layered structure achieved using e-beam lithography

Very high frequency surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices based on the AlN/diamond layered structure are fabricated by direct writing using e-beam lithography on the nucleation side of nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) films deposited by microwave plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition process. The NCD nucleation side is characterized from the point of view of microstructure, morphology and surface topography. Surface roughness as low as 6 nm is reached, which enhances the deposition of AlN film on this flat surface. The interdigital transducers IDTs made in aluminum with lateral resolution down to 600 nm are successfully patterned on the AlN/NCD layered structure with an adapted technological process. Experimental results show that the Rayleigh wave and the higher mode are generated. A high frequency around 4 GHz (mode 1) is obtained for the considered layered structure SAW device, exhibiting a phase velocity of 9200 m/s taking into account the wavelength of 2.4 μm. This value agrees well with calculated values determined from dispersion curves of phase velocity.     

光捕捉技术有望推进光电通信

普林斯顿大学的研究人员已经发现了制造准晶聚合物（quasicrystalline polymer）结构的方法，这代表了光子学潜在的重大进步。这种结构能够控制光的传播，使得光子通信系统成为可能。目前，在光子电路中，光不能进行锐角的转折，准晶点阵技术可使光在电路中传播时产生锐角转折，这将推动高速通信和计算设备的发展。     

Effect of stress and temperature on the micromechanics of creep in highly irradiated bone and dentin

Synchrotron X-ray diffraction is used to study in situ the evolution of phase strains during compressive creep deformation in bovine bone and dentin for a range of compressive stresses and irradiation rates, at ambient and body temperatures. In all cases, compressive strains in the collagen phase increase with increasing creep time (and concomitant irradiation), reflecting macroscopic deformation of the sample. By contrast, compressive elastic strains in the hydroxyapatite (HAP) phase, created upon initial application of compressive load on the sample, decrease with increasing time (and irradiation) for all conditions; this load shedding behavior is consistent with damage at the HAP–collagen interface due to the high irradiation doses (from ~ 100 to ~ 9,000 kGy). Both the HAP and fibril strain rates increase with applied compressive stress, temperature and irradiation rate, which is indicative of greater collagen molecular sliding at the HAP–collagen interface and greater intermolecular sliding (i.e., plastic deformation) within the collagen network. The temperature sensitivity confirms that testing at body temperature, rather than ambient temperature, is necessary to assess the in vivo behavior of bone and teeth. The characteristic pattern of HAP strain evolution with time differs quantitatively between bone and dentin, and may reflect their different structural organization.     

Efficient transposition in mycobacteria: construction of Mycobacterium smegmatis insertional mutant libraries

The Tn611 transposon was inserted into pCG63, a temperature-sensitive plasmid isolated from an Escherichia coli-mycobacterial shuttle vector which contains the pAL5000 and pUC18 replicons. The resulting plasmid, pCG79, was used to generate a large number of insertional mutations in Mycobacterium smegmatis. These are the first mycobacterial insertional mutant libraries to be constructed by transposition directly into a mycobacterium. No highly preferential insertion sites were detected by Southern blot analysis of the chromosomal DNAs isolated from the insertion mutants. Auxotrophic mutants with various phenotypes were isolated at a frequency ranging from 0.1 to 0.4%, suggesting that the libraries are representative. The pCG79 system thus seems to be a useful tool for the study of M. smegmatis genetics and may be applicable to other mycobacteria, such as the M. tuberculosis complex.     

A rare form of total abnormal pulmonary stenosis return: atresia of the common pulmonary vein

One case of atresia of the common pulmonary vein is discussed at the light of the few reports found in the literature. The presence of criteria distinguishing this type of obstacle to pulmonary venous return from the other cases, is of practical diagnostic interest; indeed, its diagnosis leads to surgical intervention, theoretically curative.