A generic model for diffusive dynamics of the substrate and fluorescein tagged enzyme in microfluidic platform

Microsystem Technologies - The aim of this study was to develop a model that describes enzymatic conversion in a microfluidic system along with convective and diffusive transport of...     

The effect of sample preparation on the DSC analysis of 6061 alloy

Deformation introduced by punching had a big impact on the response of the 6061 alloy to DSC heating. Clustering at low temperatures was suppressed while the precipitation of the metastable precursors of the equilibrium β-Mg₂Si phase were accelerated. The β″ peak in the DSC curve has transformed into a doublet when the samples were punched after the solution treatment. This change in the peak arrangement was accounted for by the operation of two distinct mechanisms for the formation of the β″ phase. While a fraction of the β″ needles has formed through evolution of the GP-1 zones, the rest had to form in the solid solution matrix. Acceleration in the kinetics of β″ precipitation and its transformation to β′ was confirmed by hardness measurements.     

Impact of partial recrystallization on the performance of 6005A tube extrusions

Strain distribution in tube extrusion involves gradients not only across the thickness but also around the diameter in a cyclic fashion favouring recrystallization at the surfaces and weld seams where the peak strains occur. Recrystallized grains are coarse since only a small fraction of the potential nuclei are activated while the rest are pinned by the dispersoids. While coarse surface grain structure is typical in all 6005A tubes, only those with fully recrystallized weld seams have failed. Having been largely depleted of its defects during recrystallization, weld seams respond to a subsequent artificial ageing treatment favourably and enjoy a relatively higher hardness owing to the precipitation of the hardening precursor phases of the Mg₂Si. The interface between the harder weld seams and the relatively softer fibrous zones is believed to be a weak link, a very favourable site for crack initiation. Once initiated, cracks propagate along this interface until they reach the recrystallized surface layer. The recrystallized weld seams are judged to be a serious threat to the integrity of hollow extrusions.     

Effect of different surface treatments on the shear bond strength of resin cement to zirconia ceramic and metal alloy*

The bonding of resin cement to ceramic materials plays an important role in dentistry. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of various surface treatments on the shear bond strength (SBS) of zirconia ceramic and metal alloy. A total of 60 specimens were prepared from Y-TZP ceramic and metal alloy. The specimens were divided into three subgroups (n = 10) that received different surface treatments for each material. An Er:YAG laser (ER), a femtosecond laser (FS), and air-borne particle abrasion (A) were employed as surface treatments. One specimen from each group was analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) at 500 x magnification after surface treatments. The self-adhesive resin cement was then bonded to the treated surfaces using a Teflon mold. The specimens were thermocycled for 5,000 cycles at 5–55 °C, and then the SBS test was performed. Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests were used to determine the differences between the groups (p = 0.05), and failure modes were evaluated for each specimen. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences between the surface treatment methods. The mean SBS values of the air-borne particle-abraded groups were higher than those of the other groups. The femtosecond-irradiated groups of each material showed significantly higher SBS values than the Er:YAG-irradiated groups (p < 0.05). Within the limitations of this study, air-borne particle abrasion and the femtosecond laser were more effective than Er:YAG laser treatment.     

Biological hydrogen production from sugar beet molasses by agar immobilized R. capsulatus in a panel photobioreactor

Biohydrogen production from sugar beet molasses was investigated by using agar immobilized R. capsulatus YO3. A panel photobioreactor (1.4 L) was employed for a long-term hydrogen production in both indoor and outdoor conditions. The impact of several initial molasses concentrations on hydrogen production, yield and productivity were assessed. Indoor studies revealed that initial sucrose concentration in molasses should be kept below 20 mM to prevent inhibition of hydrogen production. The highest hydrogen productivity of 0.64 ± 0.06 mmol H₂ L^?1 h^?1 and yield of 12.2 ± 1.5 mol H₂/mol sucrose were obtained in indoors throughout 20 days of operation. For outdoors, hydrogen production continued for 40 days including consecutive 10 rounds under natural outdoor conditions. In outdoor conditions, the maximum hydrogen productivity and yield were 0.79 ± 0.04 mmol H₂ L^?1 h^?1 and 5.2 ± 0.4 mol H₂/mol sucrose respectively. These results indicate that the proposed system is promising for biohydrogen production from molasses at large-scale natural conditions.     

A critical review on progress of the electrode materials of vanadium redox flow battery

Nowadays, renewable energy sources are taken great attention by the researchers and the investors around the world due to increasing energy demand of today's knowledge societies. Since these sources are non-continuous, the effective storage and re-use of the energy produced from renewable energy sources have great importance. Although classical energy storage systems such as lead acid batteries and Li-ion batteries can be used for this goal, the new generation energy storage system is needed for large-scale energy storage applications. In this point, vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) are shinning like a star for this area. VRFBs consist of electrode, electrolyte, and membrane component. The battery electrodes as positive and negative electrodes play a key role on the performance and cyclic life of the system. In this work, electrode materials used as positive electrode, negative electrode, and both of electrodes in the latest literature were complained and presented. From graphene-coated and heteroatom-doped carbon-based electrodes to metal oxides decorated carbon-based electrodes, a large scale on the modification of carbon-based electrodes is available on the electrode materials of the VRFBs. By the discovering of novel electrode components for the battery system, the using of the VRFBs probably increase in a short time for many industrial and residential applications.     

Effect of iron and molybdenum addition on photofermentative hydrogen production from olive mill wastewater

Photofermentative hydrogen production from olive mill wastewater (OMW) by Rhodobacter sphaeroides O.U.001 was assessed under iron and molybdenum supplementation. Control cultures were only grown with 2% OMW containing media. The analysis included measurements of biomass accumulation, hydrogen production, pH variations of the medium, and changes in the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the wastewater. Growth under control and Mo-supplemented experiments yielded about the same amount of biomass (∼0.4 g dry cell weight per L culture). On the other hand, Mo addition slightly enhanced the total volume of H₂ gas production (62 mL H₂), in comparison with the control reactor (40 mL H₂). Fe-supplemented cultures showed a significant increase on H₂ production (125 mL H₂), tough having a longer lag time for the observation of the first H₂ bubbles (24 h), compared to the control (15 h) and Mo-supplemented ones (15 h). Fe-added cultures also yielded better wastewater treatment by achieving 48.1% degradation of the initial chemical oxygen demand (COD) value compared to the control reactor having 30.2% COD removal efficiency. Advances described in this work have the potential to find applications in hydrogen industry while attempting an effective management of cheap feedstock utilization.     

Chrome and cobalt-based novel electrolyte systems for redox flow batteries

In the present work, novel redox ion-pairs (as cobalt and chromium) have been used in aqueous medium for the first time in the literature as electrolyte component of redox flow battery system. The electrochemical performance of the Co(II) and Cr(III) redox species as anolyte and catholyte was investigated by cyclic charge-discharge tests, respectively. Electrochemical behaviors of Cr(III) solutions in sulfuric acid solution were determined by using differential pulse voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry via a typical three-electrode system. Morphological analyses of surface of pencil graphite electrode, which was used as anode in differential pulse voltammetric analysis, were done by scanning electron microscopy. Discharge capacity of the battery system consisting of 1.0 M Cr(III) as anolyte (negative electrolyte) and 1.0 M of Co(II) as catholyte (positive electrolyte) in 4.0 M of sulfuric acid was determined as 682.5 mAh (1.4 Ah L⁻¹) with 4 mA cm⁻² charge current density and 0.4 mA cm⁻² discharge current density. Voltage efficiency, energy efficiency and coulombic efficiency of the battery were 70.1%, 53.8% and 57.2%, respectively. The discharge cell potential of the battery was also determined as 1.40 V.     

Solid-phase micro extraction of food irradiation marker 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (2-DCB) from chicken jerky treated with glycerol

The food irradiation marker, 2-dodecylcyclobutanone (2-DCB), assayed by SPME provides a fast and simple method to estimate the irradiation history of fat-containing food products. The SPME conditions were optimized to maximize the extraction of 2-DCB from chicken jerky treats (CJT) irradiated at low (5 kGy) and high (50 kGy) doses. The extracted 2-DCB was measured using GC-MS in selected ion mode (m/z 98, and 112). Water dilution (1:5) was needed to mobilize 2-DCB and allow partition to the headspace form the CJT matrix. Increasing the incubation temperature to 80 °C resulted in higher response. Spiking control jerky samples with 2-DCB from 10 to 150 ng/g CJT compared with spiking water revealed a significant food matrix effect. This method provides a fast, simple, and environmental friendly alternative for the existing solvent extraction methods.     

Impact of cyclic wetting–drying on swelling behavior of lime-stabilized soil

In this study, the impact of cyclic wetting and drying on swelling behavior of lime-stabilized clayey soils has been investigated. Swelling potential and swelling pressure tests have been carried out on soil mixtures with various amounts of kaolinite–bentonite clays, and on a high plasticity clayey soil sample. The tests have been repeated after the addition of lime to the lime-treated samples in different preparation. In each cycle the tested samples were allowed air dry to their initial water content thus shrinking to their initial height, which is called ‘partial shrinkage’ method. The results showed that the initial beneficiary effect of lime stabilization was lost after the first cycle and the swelling potential increased at the subsequent cycles. On the other hand, the swelling potential and the swelling pressure of the untreated soil samples started decreasing after the first cycle and they reached equilibrium after the fourth cycle.