Effect of carbon nanotubes growth topology on the mechanical behavior of hybrid carbon nanotube/carbon fiber polymer composites

In this study, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were incorporated into carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer composites (CFRPs) by growing them on the surface of PAN‐based carbon fibers utilizing a relatively low temperature technique. The effect of various surface treatments of the carbon fibers on the in‐plane and out‐of‐plane mechanical performance of the hybrid CFRPs (e.g., exposure to or shielding against elevated temperatures, patterned vs. unpatterned growth of the CNTs over the carbon fibers) were investigated. The in‐plane quasi‐static mechanical properties and out‐of‐plane dynamic properties of the hybrid CFRPs were examined utilizing tension and dynamic impact tests, respectively. To study the progressive damage mechanism of the hybrid CFRPs, spherical punch tests as well as X‐ray radiography of the impact damaged hybrid CFRPs were carried out. The results revealed that the strength and impact energy dissipation of the CFRPs improved by 11% and 127%, respectively, utilizing patterned growth of CNTs on the surface of the carbon fibers. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:2639–2648, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Application of Grid partitioning based Fuzzy inference system method as a novel approach for prediction of interfacial tension of hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide

Nowadays the importance of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes increases because of increasing demand of energy and declination of oil reservoirs. Due to this fact the researchers attracted to study performance of EOR methods. one of the high efficient methods is carbon dioxide injection which is favorable because of low cost and environmental friendly viewpoints. One of important parameters which have straight effect on recovery of injection is interfacial tension between carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons. In the present investigation the main objective is proposing the Grid partitioning based Fuzzy inference system method as novel approach to predict interfacial tension of carbon dioxide and hydrocarbon in terms of temperature, pressure, liquid and gas densities and molecular weight of alkane. The coefficients of determination for different datasets of training and testing of estimating algorithm are determined as 0.9919 and 0.9899. This results express the algorithm has potential of estimating interfacial tension of hydrocarbons and carbon dioxide.     

PLAAT1 Exhibits Phosphatidylcholine:Monolysocardiolipin Transacylase Activity

Tissue-specific cardiolipin fatty acyl profiles are achieved by remodeling of de novo synthesized cardiolipin, and four remodeling enzymes have thus far been identified. We studied the enzyme phospholipase A and acyltransferase 1 (PLAAT1), and we report the discovery that it has phosphatidylcholine (PC):monolysocardiolipin (MLCL) transacylase activity. Subcellular localization was analyzed by differential centrifugation and immunoblotting. Total levels of major phospholipids, and the fatty acyl profile of cardiolipin, were analyzed in HEK293 cells expressing murine PLAAT1 using gas chromatography. Apparent enzyme kinetics of affinity-purified PLAAT1 were calculated using radiochemical enzyme assays. This enzyme was found to localize predominantly to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but was detected at low levels in the mitochondria-associated ER matrix. Cells expressing PLAAT1 had higher levels of total cardiolipin, but not other phospholipids, and it was primarily enriched in the saturated fatty acids myristate, palmitate, and stearate, with quantitatively smaller increases in the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids linolenate, eicosatrienoate, and eicosapentanoate and the monounsaturated fatty acid erucate. Affinity-purified PLAAT1 did not catalyze the transacylation of MLCL using 1-palmitoyl-2-[¹⁴C]-linoleoyl-PC as an acyl donor. However, PLAAT1 had an apparent V_max of 1.61 μmol/min/mg protein and Km of 126 μM using [9,10-³H]-distearoyl-PC as an acyl donor, and 0.61 μmol/min/mg protein and Km of 16 μM using [9,10-³H]-dioleoyl-PC. PLAAT1 is therefore a novel PC:MLCL transacylase.     

Hierarchical analysis and multi-scale modelling of rat cortical and trabecular bone

The aim of this study was to explore the hierarchical arrangement of structural properties in cortical and trabecular bone and to determine a mathematical model that accurately predicts the tissue''s mechanical properties as a function of these indices. By using a variety of analytical techniques, we were able to characterize the structural and compositional properties of cortical and trabecular bones, as well as to determine the suitable mathematical model to predict the tissue''s mechanical properties using a continuum micromechanics approach. Our hierarchical analysis demonstrated that the differences between cortical and trabecular bone reside mainly at the micro- and ultrastructural levels. By gaining a better appreciation of the similarities and differences between the two bone types, we would be able to provide a better assessment and understanding of their individual roles, as well as their contribution to bone health overall.     

Thermally Activated Aromatic Ionic Dopants (TA-AIDs) Enabling Stable Doping,Orthogonal Processing and Direct Patterning

Doping plays a critical role in organic electronics, and dopant design has been central in the development of functional and stable doping. In this study, there is departure from conventional molecular dopants and a new class of dopants are reported – aromatic ionic dopants (AIDs). AIDs consist of a pair of aromatic cation and anion that are responsible for molecular doping reaction and charge balancing separately. It is shown that the first AID made from cycloheptatrienyl (tropylium) cation and pentacyanocyclopentadienide anion (PCCp), abbreviated as T-PCCp, can function as an effective p-type dopant to dope polydioxythiophenes. Here, tropylium cation induces the doping reaction while the PCCp anion stabilizes the generated polarons and bipolarons. With T-PCCp, a highly doped (≈120 S/cm) and stable system is achieved up to 150 °C, an orthogonal (sequential)solution processing resulting from the immiscibility of the dopant and the polymer host, and a high-resolution direct micropatterning with laser writing resulted from a thermally activated doping process.     

Recapitulating Antioxidant and Antibacterial Compounds into a Package for Tissue Regeneration: Dual Function Materials with Synergistic Effect

Oxidative damage and infection can prevent or delay tissue repair. Moreover, infection reinforces reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, which makes the wound's condition even worse. Therefore, the need for antioxidant and antibacterial agents is felt for tissue regeneration. There are emerging up-and-coming biomaterials that recapitulate both properties into a package, offering an effective solution to turn the wound back into a healing state. In this article, the principles of antioxidant and antibacterial activity are summarized. The review starts with biological aspects, getting the readers to familiarize themselves with tissue barriers against infection. This is followed by the chemistry and mechanism of action of antioxidant and antibacterial materials (dual function). Eventually, the outlook and challenges are underlined to provide where the dual-function biomaterials are and where they are going in the future. It is expected that the present article inspires the designing of dual-function biomaterials to more advanced levels by providing the fundamentals and comparative points of view and paving the clinical way for these materials.     

The Nanocrystalline Nickel with Catalytic Properties on Methanol Oxidation in Alkaline Medium

The hexagonal closed packed (hcp) nanocrystalline nickel (Ni), with an average diameter of 9.7 ± 2.27 nm was deposited uniformly on composite graphite (CG) by the rapid scanning (6,500 mVs^–1) voltammetry technique. The hcp‐nano Ni‐modified CG electrode was investigated for the catalytic oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium through the formation of NiOOH. A high anodic current was obtained at peak potential of +570 mV vs Ag/AgCl. Both the scan rate and the methanol concentration affected the oxidation of methanol. The results showed that catalytic activity had increased with decrease in Ni particle diameter. It was also shown that the hcp‐nano Ni/CG modified electrode was the most efficient catalyst in the oxidation of methanol.     

Efficiency enhancement of thin-film solar cell by implementation of double-absorber and BSF layers: the effect of thickness and carrier concentration

Journal of Computational Electronics - A back surface field CIGS multilayer solar cell structure is simulated by SCAPS 1D, in which a CZTSSe layer is added between BSF and CIGS layers as a second...