Effects of mechanical milling on the carbothermal reduction of oxide of WC/Co hardmetal scrap

The effects of mechanical milling on the carbothermal reduction of oxidized WC/Co hardmetal scrap with solid carbon were examined. Mixed powders were manufactured by milling the WC/Co hard metal scrap oxide and carbon powder in either a tumbler-ball mill or a planetary-ball mill. The milling type affected the carbothermal reduction of the oxide owing to the differing collision energies (mechanical milling energies) in the mills. The hardmetal scrap oxide powder (WO₃, CoWO₄) milled at high energy was more greatly reduced and at a lower temperature than that milled at lower mechanical energy. The formation of WC by the carburization reaction with solid carbon reached completion at a lower temperature after higher-energy milling than after lower-energy milling. The WC/Co composite particles synthesized by the combined oxidationmechanical milling-carbothermal reduction process were smaller when the initial powder was milled at higher mechanical energy.     

Development of an optimal multifloor layout model for the generic liquefied natural gas liquefaction process

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is attracting significant interest as a clean energy alternative to other fossil fuels, mainly for its ease of transport and low carbon dioxide emission. As worldwide demand for LNG consumption has increased, liquefied natural gas floating, production, storage, and offloading (LNG-FPSO) operations have been studied for offshore applications. In particular, the LNG-FPSO topside process systems are located in limited areas. Therefore, the process plant layout of the LNG-FPSO topside systems will be optimized to reduce the area cost occupied by the topside equipment, and this process plant layout will be designed as a multifloor concept. We describe an optimal layout for a generic offshore LNG liquefaction process operated by the dual mixed refrigerant (DMR) cycle. To optimize the multifloor layout for the DMR liquefaction cycle process, an optimization was performed by dividing it into first and the second cycles. A mathematical model of the multifloor layout problem based on these two cycles was formulated, and an optimal multifloor layout was determined by mixed integer linear programming. The mathematical model of the first cycle consists of 725 continuous variables, 198 equality constraints, and 1,107 inequality constraints. The mathematical model of the second cycle consists of 1,291 continuous variables, 286 equality constraints, and 2,327 inequality constraints. The minimization of the total layout cost was defined as an objective function. The proposed model was applied to DMR liquefaction cycle process to determine the optimal multifloor layout.     

Highly sensitive electrochemical sensor based on zirconium oxide-decorated gold nanoflakes nanocomposite 2,4-dichlorophenol detection

Journal of Applied Electrochemistry - In this study, a sensitive and selective electrochemical sensor based on a zirconia oxide-decorated gold nanoflake nanocomposite-modified glassy carbon...     

Wetting characteristics of a water droplet on solid surfaces with various pillar surface fractions under different conditions

A numerical study was carried out using a molecular dynamics program to examine the wetting characteristics of nano-sized water droplets on surfaces with various pillar surface fractions under different conditions. Square-shaped pillars had surface fractions that increased from 11.1 % to 69.4 %. The pillars had 4 different heights and 3 different surface energies. When the pillar surface fraction changed, the contact angle of a water droplet also changed due to the attraction between the droplet and the pillar surface or the inner attraction of the water molecules. The pillar height also has different effects on the water droplet depending on the magnitude of surface energy.     

Preparation,properties, and applications of acrylic–polyurethane hybrid emulsions in extinction electrophoresis

Aqueous acrylic–polyurethane hybrid emulsions (PUA) were fabricated by semibatch emulsion copolymerization using a mixture of acrylic (AC) monomers in the presence of an isocyanate terminated polyurethane (PU). The effects of PU content on the morphology of the hybrid emulsions and film properties were here investigated in detail using FT‐IR, UV, TEM, and SEM. TEM images clearly showed that hybrid emulsions exhibited a core‐shell structure before neutralization. However, after neutralization with N,N‐dimethylethanolamine, the typical particles exhibited phase inversion, producing particles with irregular hemispheres shapes and diameters about 0.5 μm. SEM images showed that the film surface became rougher as PU content increased, peaking at 10 wt %, the gloss of this film was 23.1 (60°). The UV transmittance spectra of the PUA hybrid emulsion within a wavelength range 700–200 nm decreased as PU content increased. This was consistent with the changes in the surface roughness of the film. Electrophoresis took place on an aluminum alloy surface and the product was dried at 120°C. The film exhibited excellent mechanical performance due to curing reaction between the N?C?O group on PU and hydroxyl group on the AC copolymer. The gloss of the film was found to be as low as 4.0 after electrophoresis testing. These films may be useful in practical extinction electrophoresis. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40078.     

Periodic Exposure of Plasma-Activated Medium Alters Fibroblast Cellular Homoeostasis

Excess amounts of redox stress and failure to regulate homeostatic levels of reactive species are associated with several skin pathophysiologic conditions. Nonmalignant cells are assumed to cope better with higher reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) levels. However, the effect of periodic stress on this balance has not been investigated in fibroblasts in the field of plasma medicine. In this study, we aimed to investigate intrinsic changes with respect to cellular proliferation, cell cycle, and ability to neutralize the redox stress inside fibroblast cells following periodic redox stress in vitro. Soft jet plasma with air as feeding gas was used to generate plasma-activated medium (PAM) for inducing redox stress conditions. We assessed cellular viability, energetics, and cell cycle machinery under oxidative stress conditions at weeks 3, 6, 9, and 12. Fibroblasts retained their usual physiological properties until 6 weeks. Fibroblasts failed to overcome the redox stress induced by periodic PAM exposure after 6 weeks, indicating its threshold potential. Periodic stress above the threshold level led to alterations in fibroblast cellular processes. These include consistent increases in apoptosis, while RONS accumulation and cell cycle arrest were observed at the final stages. Currently, the use of NTP in clinical settings is limited due to a lack of knowledge about fibroblasts’ behavior in wound healing, scar formation, and other fibrotic disorders. Understanding fibroblasts’ physiology could help to utilize nonthermal plasma in redox-related skin diseases. Furthermore, these results provide new information about the threshold capacity of fibroblasts and an insight into the adaptation mechanism against periodic oxidative stress conditions in fibroblasts.     

Solid-state phase transformations toward a metal-organic framework of 7-connected Zn4O secondary building units

In the development of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), secondary building units (SBUs) have been utilized as molecular modules for the construction of nanoporous materials with robust structures. Under solvothermal synthetic conditions, dynamic changes in the metal coordination environments and ligand coordination modes of SBUs determine the resultant product structures. Alternatively, MOF phases with new topologies can also be achieved by post-synthetic treatment of as-synthesized MOFs via the introduction of acidic or basic moieties that cause the simultaneous cleavage/reformation of coordination bonds in the solid state. In this sense, we studied the solid-state transformation of two ndc-based Zn-MOFs (ndc = 1,4-naphthalene dicarboxylate) with different SBUs but the same pcu topology to another MOF with sev topology. One of the chosen MOFs with pcu nets is [Zn₂(ndc)₂(bpy)]_n (bpy = 4,4′-bipyridine), (6C_bpy-MOF) consisting of a 6-connected pillared-paddlewheel SBU, and the other is IRMOF-7 composed of 6-connected Zn₄O(COO)₆ SBUs and ndc. Upon post-structural modification, these pcu MOFs were converted into the same MOF with sev topology constructed from the uncommon 7-connected Zn₄O(COO)₇ SBU (7C-MOF). The appropriate post-synthetic conditions for the transformation of each SBUs were systematically examined. In addition, the effect of the pillar molecules in the pillared-paddlewheel MOFs on the topology conversion was studied in terms of the linker basicity, which determines the inertness during the solid-state phase transformation. This post-synthetic modification approach is expected to expand the available methods for designing and synthesizing MOFs with controlled topologies.

     

氟橡胶与金属黏接的研究进展

介绍了氟橡胶与金属的黏接机理,综述了氟橡胶与金属黏接用硅烷偶联剂、有机硅胶黏剂和含增黏组分胶浆的研究进展状况,指出简便实用、效果良好的黏接工艺是今后的发展方向。     

基于FPGA的高速链路通信系统实现

介绍了利用FPGA实现了基于LVDS接口的高速链路通信系统。在硬件上实现了高速链路通信系统中数据帧的处理、并串转换、串并转换和LVDS接口的输入输出;在软件上实现了终端链路通信软件。此系统可用于两路50Mbps的终端用户数据收发,在链路合路器中进行加帧处理后发出,链路分路器接收到该加帧数据流后进行解帧操作,最终根据不同的用户输出相应分路的50Mbps的LVDS用户数据。     

Human Endothelial Progenitor Cells Protect the Kidney against Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury via the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Mice

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) and progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, no effective therapeutic intervention has been established for ischemic AKI. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have major roles in the maintenance of vascular integrity and the repair of endothelial damage; they also serve as therapeutic agents in various kidney diseases. Thus, we examined whether EPCs have a renoprotective effect in an IRI mouse model. Mice were assigned to sham, EPC, IRI-only, and EPC-treated IRI groups. EPCs originating from human peripheral blood were cultured. The EPCs were administered 5 min before reperfusion, and all mice were killed 72 h after IRI. Blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and tissue injury were significantly increased in IRI mice; EPCs significantly improved the manifestations of IRI. Apoptotic cell death and oxidative stress were significantly reduced in EPC-treated IRI mice. Administration of EPCs decreased the expression levels of NLRP3, cleaved caspase-1, p-NF-κB, and p-p38. Furthermore, the expression levels of F4/80, ICAM-1, RORγt, and IL-17RA were significantly reduced in EPC-treated IRI mice. Finally, the levels of EMT-associated factors (TGF-β, α-SMA, Snail, and Twist) were significantly reduced in EPC-treated IRI mice. This study shows that inflammasome-mediated inflammation accompanied by immune modulation and fibrosis is a potential target of EPCs as a treatment for IRI-induced AKI and the prevention of progression to CKD.