Salinity effects on the degree of hydrophobicity and longevity for superhydrophobic fibrous coatings

Previous studies on submerged superhydrophobic surfaces focused on performance variables such as drag reduction and longevity. However, to use such surfaces for practical applications, environmental factors such as water salinity must be investigated and understood. In this work, experiments were carried out to investigate the impact of salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) concentrations in aqueous solutions on the hydrophobicity and longevity of polystyrene (PS) fibrous coatings. Rheological studies using salt water as a test fluid were performed to determine the effect of salt concentration on drag reduction. Contact‐angle measurements were used to validate the results from the rheometer. In situ noninvasive optical reflection was used to measure the longevity of the coating—time‐dependent loss of entrapped air within the coating—as a function of salinity. The superhydrophobic coating used herein consisted of PS fibers that were deposited using DC‐biased AC‐electrospinning. Electrospinning is scalable and far less expensive than conventional methods (e.g., microfabrication), bringing the technology closer to large‐scale submerged bodies such as submarines and ships. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Polyacrylonitrile-based carbonized fibers and metal-carbonized fiber nanocomposites for thermal transport

This work examines the fabrication and thermal analysis of metal-carbon composite fibers prepared via an electrospinning process. The metal-carbon composite fibers of silver, copper, gold, and nickel were prepared by electrospinning of a composite solution of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and metal precursor followed by heat treatment in air, nitrogen to 1000 degrees C and in 6% H2, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) were applied to characterize the metal-carbon fibers. TEM analysis showed a relatively uniform, contact-free distribution of the nanoparticles on the surface of the carbon fibers with size range of 3 nm-10 nm. Thermal analysis data showed an enhancement in the thermal conductivity of the nanomaterials when compared with the model PAN-based carbonized fibers. This was attributed to the incorporation of metal nanoparticles in the fiber matrix and on the surface.     

Cloud identification in atmospheric trace molecule spectroscopy infrared occultation measurements

High-resolution infrared nongas absorption spectra derived from the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment are analyzed for evidence of the presence of cirrus clouds. Several nonspherical ice extinction models based on realistic size distributions and crystal habits along with a stratospheric sulfate aerosol model are fit to the spectra, and comparisons are made with different model combinations. Nonspherical ice models often fit observed transmission spectra better than a spherical Mie ice model, and some discrimination among nonspherical models is noted. The ATMOS lines of sight for eight occultations are superimposed on coincident geostationary satellite infrared imagery, and brightness temperatures along the lines of sight are compared with retrieved vertical temperature profiles. With these comparisons, studies of two cases of clear sky, three cases of opaque cirrus, and three cases of patchy cirrus are discussed.     

Microstructural development and solidification cracking susceptibility of Cu deposits on steel: Part II—use of a Ni interlayer

The tool and die industry is interested in depositing Cu onto steel using direct metal deposition techniques in order to improve thermal management of mold dies manufactured from steel alloys. However, Cu is a known promoter of solidification cracking in steel. Ni, however, is known to improve weldability of Cu containing alloys and steel. The goal of this work was to identify the range of Ni concentrations necessary to eliminate solidification cracking in Steel–Cu deposits and understand the cracking susceptibility through analysis and modeling of microstructural development. A wide range of Steel–Ni–Cu deposits, containing up to 75 wt% Ni, and Ni–Cu deposits were fabricated using the Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) process with cold wire feed. The Ni–Cu and Fe–Ni deposits were found to be crack free over the entire concentration range. However, Ni concentrations of up to 75 wt% were insufficient to eliminate cracking when subsequent layers of Cu were deposited. Therefore, to ensure crack free deposition of Cu onto Steel, the concentration of the interlayer must be 100 wt% Ni. The resultant microstructures were characterized by various microscopy techniques to understand the influence of Ni and Cu on solidification cracking of Steel. Additionally, solidification modeling was undertaken to determine the amount of terminal Cu rich liquid and solidification temperature range that would form under non-equilibrium solidification conditions.     

The Development of Novel Drug Treatments for Stroke Patients: A Review

Acute ischemic stroke is a critical condition that can result in disability and death. The consequences of this medical condition depend on various factors, including the size of the stroke, affected brain region, treatment onset, and the type of treatment. The primary objective of stroke treatment is to restart ischemic penumbra tissue perfusion and reduce infarct volume by sustaining blood flow. Recent research on the condition’s pathological pathways and processes has significantly improved treatment options beyond restoring perfusion. Many studies have concentrated on limiting injury severity via the manipulation of molecular mechanisms of ischemia, particularly in animal research. This article reviews completed and ongoing research on the development of acute ischemic stroke drugs. This study focuses on three main categories of antithrombotic drugs, thrombolytic drugs, and neuroprotective agents. The paper outlines findings from animal and clinical trials and explores the working mechanisms of these drugs.     

Selective Bragg reflection of visible light from coaxial electrospun fiber mats

Electrospinning is a relatively unsophisticated technique for generating continuous fibers whose diameters can approach nanoscale dimensions. In coaxial electrospinning, two different liquids can be spun, one inside the other, to produce a composite fiber with a core-sheath structure. We prepared dual-core fibers consisting of poly vinyl-pyrrolidone sheaths and cores of the short-pitched chiral nematic mixture CB15:E9. The flow rates, polymer concentration, and applied voltage were optimized prior to fiber production. The fibers were deposited as uniform nonwoven mats that displayed selective reflection of visible light from the blue phase of the confined chiral liquid crystal. These reflections are both temperature dependent and reversible and such mats offer potential as flexible sensors.     

Control of residual aluminum from conventional treatment to improve reverse osmosis performance

Soluble aluminum (Al³⁺) may react with both ambient silica and antiscalant components to form colloidal foulants during reverse osmosis (RO) treatment. Whereas conventional treatment (coagulation/filtration/sedimentation/dual-media filtration) was being used prior to RO, aluminum sulfate (alum) and polyaluminum chloride (PACl) coagulants were evaluated at ambient pH (pH 7.8–7.9) and suppressed pH (pH 6.7) in an effort to lower the total aluminum to below 50 μg/L — a level previously observed to prevent RO membrane fouling. Additional tests were conducted with 5 mg/L citric acid added to the RO influent to chelate the soluble aluminum fraction. All tests were conducted with 1.5–2.5 mg/L chloramines present. Testing of a RO process fed with optimized alum- or PACl-coagulated water showed that PACl outperformed alum regardless of pH. Alum coagulation at ambient pH resulted in 184–273 μg/L total aluminum passing through the filtration process. Only by lowering the mean influent water pH to 6.7 was the mean soluble aluminum residual (45 μg/L) for alum coagulation reduced to below the 50 μg/L aluminum goal. Regardless of pH, for alum-coagulated waters, the higher aluminum carryover resulted in severe RO membrane fouling within 500 h of operation. Only when a chelating agent (citric acid) was added to the RO feed was the loss in productivity and selectivity arrested. However, PACl consistently met the 50-μg/L goal for both total and soluble aluminum for all pH levels tested, which resulted in more stable membrane performance over time. Further research on the compatibility of PACl and polyamide membranes in the presence of chloramines is needed as data from this project suggest PACl coagulation may facilitate membrane oxidation.     

Femtosecond two-photon high-resolution 3D imaging, spatial-volume rendering and microspectral characterization of immunolocalized MHC-II and mLangerin/CD207 antigens in the mouse epidermis

Langerhans cells (LCs) play a sentinel role by initiating both adaptive and innate immune responses to antigens pertinent to the skin. With the discovery of various LCs markers including antibodies to major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecules and CD1a, intracellular presence of racket-shaped "Birbeck granules," and very recently Langerin/CD207, LCs can be readily distinguished from other subsets of dendritic cells. Femtosecond two-photon laser scanning microscopy (TPLSM) in recent years has emerged as an alternative to the single photon-excitation based confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM), particularly for minimally-invasive deep-tissue 3D and 4D vital as well as nonvital biomedical imaging. We have recently combined high resolution two-photon immunofluorescence (using anti MHC-II and Langerin/CD207 antibodies) imaging with microspectroscopy and advanced image-processing/volume-rendering modalities. In this work, we demonstrate the use of this novel state-of-the-art combinational approach to characterize the steady state 3D organization and spectral features of the mouse epidermis, particularly to identify the spatial distribution of LCs. Our findings provide unequivocal direct evidence that, in the mouse epidermis, the MHC-II and mLangerin/CD207 antigens do indeed manifest a high degree of colocalization around the nucleus of the LCs, while in the distal dendritic processes, mLangerin/CD207 antigens are rather sparsely distributed as punctuate structures. This unique possibility to simultaneously visualize high resolution 3D-resolved spatial distributions of two different immuno-reactive antigens, namely MHC-II and mLangerin/CD207, along with the nuclei of LCs and the adjacent epidermal cells can find interesting applications. These could involve aspects associated with pragmatic analysis of the kinetics of LCs migration as a function of immuno-dermatological responses during (1) human Immunodeficiency virus disease progression, (2) vaccination and targeted gene therapy, (3) skin transplantation/plastic surgery, (4) ultraviolet and other radiation exposure, (5) tissue-engineering of 3D skin constructs, as well as in (6) cosmetic industry, to unravel the influence of cosmeceuticals.