3-D manipulation of millimeter- and micro-sized objects using an acoustically excited oscillating bubble

This communication describes novel 3-D manipulations of objects using an acoustically excited oscillating bubble deposited on a hydrophobic rod tip. The oscillating bubble captures various millimeter- and micron-sized neighboring objects including glass and polystyrene beads (~100 μm), fish egg, and live water flea (~1 mm). The captured objects are carried in a 3-D space by traversing the bubble tip, and released at desired positions by simply turning off the oscillation. Carrying performance is characterized along with high-speed imaging of oscillating bubbles by varying the frequency and amplitude of the acoustic excitation and the carrying speed. The higher the oscillation amplitude, the higher the carrying efficiency. The maximum carrying speed is measured at over 3 mm/s. This method is effective with a low-level acoustic excitation (bubble oscillation amplitude relative to the diameter ≤5%), possibly providing a cost-effective, soft-contact manipulating tool for handling biological objects.     

Applications, techniques, and microfluidic interfacing for nanoscale biosensing

Biosensors based on nanotechnology are rapidly developing and are becoming widespread in the biomedical field and analytical chemistry. For these nanobiosensors to reach their potential, they must be integrated with appropriate packaging techniques, which are usually based on nano/microfluidics. In this review we provide a summary of the latest developments in nanobiosensors with a focus on label-based (fluorescence and nanoparticle) and label-free methods (surface plasmon resonance, micro/nanocantilever, nanowires, and nanopores). An overview on how these sensors interface with nano/microfluidics is then presented and the latest papers in the area summarized.     

Conical microlens arrays that flatten optical-irradiance profiles of nonuniform sources

One can create conical microlens arrays on a glass plate by simply spin coating spin-on-glass film on the glass, patterning the photoresist, and then etching the glass in a HF solution. These arrays can be used to obtain more-uniform irradiance profiles from nonuniform incoherent sources.     

Synthesis of Co/SiO2 hybrid nanocatalyst via twisted Co3Si2O5(OH)4 nanosheets for high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch reaction

A cobalt-silica hybrid nanocatalyst bearing small cobalt particles of diameter ～5 nm was prepared through a hydrothermal reaction and hydrogen reduction.The resulting material showed very high CO conversion (＞82％) and high hydrocarbon productivity (～1.0 gHc·g-1cat,·h-11) with high activity (～8.5 x 10-5 molco·g-1Co·S-1) in the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction.     

Improvement in mechanical properties of recycled GF prepreg with CNT reinforced composites using a spray coating method

Dispersion and shape of nanoparticles, as well as interfacial conditions, add significantly to difficulties in composite manufacture. In the work reported here, an innovative method of recycling composites using out-of-date prepreg was investigated in which the carbon nanotube (CNT) on the prepreg was optimally coated. Nanocomposites utilizing the out-of-date prepreg were coated with CNT and fabricated by a sheet molding method. CNT nanofillers were observed to be uniformly dispersed on epoxy prepreg by spray coating. The mechanical and interfacial properties of these CNT coated nanocomposites were improved over those of more conventionally manufactured carbon fiber/epoxy composites. The CNT nanofillers were embedded at the epoxy and fiber interface, as a result of etching of the epoxy prepreg surface by a CNT dispersion solution which enhanced interfacial reactivity.     

Surface modification of polyetherurethaneureas and their antithrombogenicity

Polyetherurethaneurea (PU) films were treated by oxygen plasma discharge followed by acrylic acid (AA) grafting. The carboxyl groups of the AA-grafted PU (PU-AA) surface were coupled with bovine serum albumin and heparin via water soluble carbodiimide. Surface characterization of the modified PUs was carried out by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA). The amount of immobilized albumin and heparin on the PU surface was 1.8 and 1.5 g/cm², respectively, as determined by the dye interaction method. Interactions between the surface-modified PUs and blood components such as plasma proteins and platelets were investigated to evaluate the blood compatibility of the samples. Plasma recalcification time (PRT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) of the albumin-immobilized PU (PU-Al) were almost the same as those of PU, while platelets were less adhered on the PU-Al than on PU. On the other hand, PRT and APTT of the PU-He were significantly longer than those of the PU, PU-AA, and PU-Al. Moreover, adhesion of platelets was effectively suppressed on the PU-He, leading to good in vitro blood compatibility.     

Microstructure and fracture of SiC-particulate-reinforced cast A356 aluminum alloy composites

A microstructural analysis of local microfracture of cast A356 Al-SiC _p composites fabricated by permanent mold re-casting and squeeze-casting methods was made. Notch fracture toughness tests were conducted on these composites to identify critical fracture parameters using a stress-modified critical-strain criterion. The composite microstructure shows continuous networks of densely populated SiC and eutectic Si particles along the intercellular regions. Squeeze casting produces a more homogeneous structure and larger spacing of brittle particles and increases the tensile ductility and fracture toughness, while strength levels are almost identical to the re-casting case. The calculated values of the microstructurally characteristic distancel* for the re-cast and squeeze-cast composites are about 40 μm, which is comparable to the average sizes of the intercellular network. However, the reference critical strain for squeeze casting is larger than that for re-casting, showing a trend to higher ductility and fracture toughness.     

SSPQL: Stochastic shortest path-based Q-learning

Reinforcement learning (RL) has been widely used as a mechanism for autonomous robots to learn state-action pairs by interacting with their environment. However, most RL methods usually suffer from slow convergence when deriving an optimum policy in practical applications. To solve this problem, a stochastic shortest path-based Q-learning (SSPQL) is proposed, combining a stochastic shortest path-finding method with Q-learning, a well-known model-free RL method. The rationale is, if a robot has an internal state-transition model which is incrementally learnt, then the robot can infer the local optimum policy by using a stochastic shortest path-finding method. By increasing state-action pair values comprising of these local optimum policies, a robot can then reach a goal quickly and as a result, this process can enhance convergence speed. To demonstrate the validity of this proposed learning approach, several experimental results are presented in this paper.     

Simulation framework for small scale engagement

Developing future weapons systems has become increasingly complicated and costly. The armed forces of major nations use modeling and simulation techniques for new weapons systems from the conceptual stage to design, production, deployment and training stages to shorten the development cycle and guarantee their effectiveness. Failure in the development cycle carries too much loss in time and money. Therefore, computer-based modeling and simulation techniques are applied from the conceptual stage to gauge the efficacy of new weapons systems. The objective of this study is to develop a modeling and simulation methodology for small scale engagement using the DEVS formalism. The entities required for modeling and simulation are divided into three categories: combat, logical, and environmental entities. Combat entities represent the military hardware or combatants; logical entities represent the judgment and decision entities for the interaction between various entities; and environmental entities emulate the constituents of real combat environment. The combat entities are further modeled into Shell and Core Parts to maximize their reusability under various combat scenarios. The proposed framework is verified using a one-on-one combat engagement simulation (written in C++) between two submarines.