Numerical simulation of gas-assisted polymer-melt electrospinning: Parametric study of a multinozzle system for mass production

In this study, we developed a multiphysics model for simulation of a gas-assisted melt-electrospinning (GAME) process, focusing on jet formation and propagation behavior. By numerically calculating the stresses acting on the jet during a single-nozzle GAME process, the shear viscous stress was identified as the main factor with respect to jet stretch; thus, the relationship between shear viscous stress and jet thickness was investigated. The jet stretch ratio increased sharply when shear viscous stress reached the level at which jet sharpening occurred, leading to stable jet formation. We defined this stress as the critical shear viscous stress to determine stable spinnability. By imposing an electric field distribution calculated for a multi-nozzle array (number of nozzles, tip-to-tip distance, and applied voltage) on the boundary condition of the single-nozzle GAME simulation model, multinozzle GAME was simulated; this enabled proposal of a spinnability diagram for stable spinning.     

Recent Progress of Fiber Shaped Lighting Devices for Smart Display Applications—A Fibertronic Perspective

Advances in material science and nanotechnology have fostered the miniaturization of devices. Over the past two decades, the form-factor of these devices has evolved from 3D rigid, volumetric devices through 2D film-based flexible electronics, finally to 1D fiber electronics (fibertronics). In this regard, fibertronic strategies toward wearable applications (e.g., electronic textiles (e-textiles)) have attracted considerable attention thanks to their capability to impart various functions into textiles with retaining textiles' intrinsic properties as well as imperceptible irritation by foreign matters. In recent years, extensive research has been carried out to develop various functional devices in the fiber form. Among various features, lighting and display features are the highly desirable functions in wearable electronics. This article discusses the recent progress of materials, architectural designs, and new fabrication technologies of fiber-shaped lighting devices and the current challenges corresponding to each device's operating mechanism. Moreover, opportunities and applications that the revolutionary convergence between the state-of-the-art fibertronic technology and age-long textile industry will bring in the future are also discussed.     

Effects of Fe2O3 doping on structural and electrical properties of 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte for solid oxide fuel cells

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - The effects of doping a trace of Fe2O3 on the structural and electrical properties of 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) are...     

A Generalized Crystallographic Description of All Tellurium Nanostructures

Despite tellurium being less abundant in the Earth's crust than gold, platinum, or rare‐earth elements, the number of industrial applications of tellurium has rapidly increased in recent years. However, to date, many properties of tellurium and its associated compounds remain unknown. For example, formation mechanisms of many tellurium nanostructures synthesized so far have not yet been verified, and it is unclear why tellurium can readily transform to other compounds like silver telluride by simply mixing with solutions containing silver ions. This uncertainty appears to be due to previous misunderstandings about the tellurium structure. Here, a new approach to the tellurium structure via synthesized structures is proposed. It is found that the proposed approach applies not only to these structures but to all other tellurium nanostructures. Moreover, some unique tellurium nanostructures whose formation mechanism are, until now, unconfirmed can be explained.     

Don’t Cry While You’re Driving: Sad Driving Is as Bad as Angry Driving

While driving research on affect has mostly focused on anger and road rage, there has been little empirical research on other affective states. Affect researchers widely acknowledge the “sadder but wiser” phenomenon, but there is little evidence if this tendency can be applied to the driving environment as well. The objective of the present study is to empirically test whether sadness enhances driving performance as the sadder but wiser notion might predict or sadness impairs driving performance as its negative valence or low arousal dimension might predict. The study consists of a simulated driving experiment with induced anger, sadness, and neutral affect to examine how anger and sadness influence driving-related risk perception, driving performance, and perceived workload. Sixty-one young drivers drove under three different road conditions with either induced anger, sadness, or neutral affect conditions. After affect induction, there was no difference in subjective risk perception across three affect conditions. However, participants in both affect conditions showed significantly more errors and took longer driving time than those in the neutral condition. Only participants with induced anger reported significantly higher physical workload and frustration than participants with neutral affect. Results are discussed in terms of affect mechanisms, design directions for the in-vehicle affect mitigation system, and limitations of the study.     

Efficient Electron Transfer Processes and Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity of Cobalt(II) Porphyrin Anchored on Graphene Oxide

We investigated the electronic perturbation between graphene oxide and cobalt porphyrin to reveal the origin of the enhanced electrocatalytic activity of a hybrid complex using time-resolved spectroscopic measurements and theoretical calculations. The impulsively generated charge-separated state, GO⁻-(Co^IIAPFP)⁺, undergoes fast charge recombination (<10 ps) between GO⁻ and (Co^IIAPFP)⁺ moieties. This fast charge recombination is directly related to the quick neutralization of (Co^IIAPFP)⁺, which shortens the dead time of inactive Co^IIIAPFP after the electrocatalytic reduction reaction. The fast transformation of inactive Co^IIIAPFP to active Co^IIAPFP is an important factor in the enhanced electrocatalytic activity of the hybrid complex.