Preparation and electrooptical properties of liquid crystal dispersed film by electron-beam irradiation

Polymer films consisting of nematic liquid crystal (LC) droplets and polymer networks were prepared by using a low-energy electron beam to irradiate a homogeneous mixture of nematic LC and bifunctional methacrylate monomer. Influences of such polymerization conditions as polymerization temperature, monomer concentration, and radiation energy on electrooptical properties of the compound films were examined. The polymer yield, affecting to a large extent the film properties, depended on the monomer concentration and the radiation energy. Compound films, which have a switching function from the scattering state to transparency by applying approximately 20–30 V between the two sides of the film, were obtained. In addition, it was found that a compound film with excellent electrooptical properties was prepared by changing impure LC in the droplets into pure LC. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 65:1675–1681, 1997     

Effect of Microstructural Control on Thermoelectric Properties of Hot-Pressed Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide

The thermal conductivity of polycrystalline Al-doped ZnO was controlled through the fabrication of nanostructured polycrystalline materials, by hot-pressing nanosized Zn_{1– x} Al _x O ( x = 0.01, 0.02) particles, which were synthesized by a coprecipitation and spray-drying method. This process resulted in an improved thermoelectric power factor because of the nanosized Zn_0.99Al_0.01O particles of the polycrystalline products. The thermal conductivity also was decreased as a result of the formation of nanocrystalline Zn_0.99Al_0.01O.     

Indentation-induced ductile behavior of glass–ceramics involving layered aluminosilicates

Contact damage in materials is critical in engineering applications because it influences mechanical resistance, such as wear, erosion, and impact failure. Indentation tests were performed using a tungsten carbide ball indenter (Hertzian contact) on the surfaces of glass–ceramics containing hexagonal CaAl₂Si₂O₈ or mica crystals (fluorophlogopite), both of which have a layered structure. The stress–strain relation and the permanent deformation on the surface, as well as the observation of the microcrack zone by X-ray computed tomography using synchrotron radiation, revealed that the glass–ceramic with hexagonal CaAl₂Si₂O₈ showed ductility similar to the quasi-plastic behavior previously observed in the mica glass–ceramic. The yield stresses of the glass–ceramics were estimated from the stress deviating from the stress–strain relation assuming complete elastic response between the ball and the sample. The ratio of the yield stress to Young modulus (Y/E) of the glass–ceramic with hexagonal CaAl₂Si₂O₈ was determined to be higher than that of the mica glass–ceramic.     

Dip Coating of Water-Resistant PEDOT:PSS Films Based on Physical Crosslinking

Water-resistant poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) films are valuable in biomedical applications; however, they typically require crosslinkers to stabilize the films, which can introduce undesired aggregation or phase separation reactions. Herein, a dipping-based process to prepare PEDOT:PSS films on nonplanar surfaces without crosslinker is developed. Sequential soaking of a dip-coated PEDOT:PSS film in ethanol and water imparts water resistance to the film. Microscopic and spectroscopic techniques are used to monitor the process and confirm that the ethanol soaking elutes the excess PSS from the film bulk, which stabilizes the film prior to the water-soaking process. The obtained films act as conductors and semiconductors on curved surfaces, including 3D-printed objects. A film deposited on a curved surface is successfully applied as the channel layer in a neuromorphic organic electrochemical transistor. This approach can enable integrated bioelectronic and neuromorphic applications that can be readily deployed for facile prototyping.     

Probability distributions of gas hydrate formation

Induction time distributions for gas hydrate formation were measured for gas mixtures of methane + propane at pressures up to 11.3 MPa using a high‐pressure automated lag time apparatus (HP‐ALTA). Measurements were made at subcooling temperatures between 4.3 and 13.5 K and, while isothermal induction times between 0 and 15,000 s were observed, the median isothermal induction times for the distributions ranged from 100 to 4000 s. A hyperbolic relationship between median induction time and subcooling was used to correlate the data. A graphical interpretation is presented that relates the two types of data that can be acquired by using the HP‐ALTA in one of two modes to study hydrate formation: induction time distributions at constant subcooling and formation temperature distributions observed during linear cooling ramps. The equivalence of these two modes provides a robust method for studying the variation of formation phenomena in different hydrate systems. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 59: 2640–2646, 2013     

Inorganic Design of Protein Assemblies as Supramolecular Platforms

In the last decade, there has been great deal of progress in the study of self-assembly processes of protein assemblies as biotemplates to create and construct one-dimensional arrays of nanocrystalline metals and semiconductors. Successful attempts in fabricating the protein-based bioelectronics could serve as a promising alternative to synthetic template based nanomaterials. Another perspective of protein assemblies is its use in the field of tissue engineering either as scaffold for cell adhesion and proliferation or as a foreign (bio)nanofunctionality to communicate with the macromolecules present in the extracellular or intracellular milieu and participate in the precise control of vital cell functions. Three-dimensionally arranged protein monomers to form bionanotubes are promising in terms of innate biocompatibility, easy bio-conjugation to incorporate multiple functionalities and well-defined nano-scale lengths. Such unique chemical properties of protein assemblies are described in this review.     

Centrifugal Filter for Aerosol Collection

Air filters collect particles by the mechanical collection mechanisms, namely, inertia, interception, gravitational settling, and Brownian diffusion. There exists the most penetrating particle size (MPPS) in submicron size range for which none of the collection mechanisms work effectively. In this study, we propose a new type of filter named as “centrifugal filter,” which collects aerosol particles by centrifugal force together with the conventional mechanical collection mechanisms. The centrifugal filter proposed in the present work may be rotated by a motor or compressed air. Air passes through the filter in the axial direction of filter rotation. The filter rotates so does the air embedded in the filter, and therefore centrifugal force exerts on particles. In addition to the mechanical collection mechanisms, small migration of particles due to the centrifugal force enhanced the collection efficiency of submicron particles significantly without increasing the pressure drop. The performance tests of centrifugal filter were conducted by changing the fiber diameter, the air flow velocity and the rotation speed. We found that the collection efficiency of filter is enhanced significantly by rotating the filter without increasing the pressure drop and that the filter efficiency is well predicted by the conventional filtration theory accounting for the centrifugal force.

Copyright 2015 American Association for Aerosol Research     

Enhanced Development of Azoxymethane-Induced Colonic Preneoplastic Lesions in Hypertensive Rats

Metabolic syndrome is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer. This study investigated the impact of hypertension, a component of metabolic syndrome, on azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colorectal carcinogenesis using SHRSP/Izm (SHRSP) non-diabetic/hypertensive rats and SHRSP.Z-Lepr^fa/IzmDmcr (SHRSP-ZF) diabetic/hypertensive rats. Male 6-week-old SHRSP, SHRSP-ZF, and control non-diabetic/normotensive Wister Kyoto/Izm (WKY) rats were given 2 weekly intraperitoneal injections of AOM (20 mg/kg body weight). Two weeks after the last injection of AOM, the SHRSP and SHRSP-ZF rats became hypertensive compared to the control WKY rats. Serum levels of angiotensin-II, the active product of the renin-angiotensin system, were elevated in both SHRSP and SHRSP-ZF rats, but only the SHRSP-ZF rats developed insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and hyperleptinemia and exhibited an increase in adipose tissue. The development of AOM-induced colonic preneoplastic lesions and aberrant crypts foci, was significantly accelerated in both SHRSP and SHRSP-ZF hypertensive rats, compared to WKY normotensive rats. Furthermore, induction of oxidative stress and exacerbation of inflammation were observed in the colonic mucosa and systemically in SHRSP and SHRSP-ZF rats. Our findings suggest that hypertension plays a role in the early stage of colorectal carcinogenesis by inducing oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, which might be associated with activation of the renin-angiotensin system.     

Annealing effect on temperature coefficient of resistivity in La1−xSrxMnO3 ceramics

We investigated annealing effects of La_1?xSr_xMnO₃ (x = 0–0.6) on electrical resistivity and the temperature coefficient of resistivity (TCR). The annealed samples’ resistivity was lower than those of non-annealed samples. For example, annealing changed the resistivity of x = 0.3 at 25 °C from 4.50 × 10^?5 to 3.71 × 10^?5 Ω m. Remarkable difference in TCR was observed after annealing, for x = 0.3, 0.45, and 0.5. For x = 0.3, the TCR after annealing was 4000 ppm/°C, which was 1250 ppm/°C greater than that before annealing. We investigated (1) crystal phase, (2) Mn average valence, (3) Mott insulator–metal transition temperature, and (4) microstructure. The microstructure was remarkably varied for annealed x = 0.3 and 0.5. The average grain size of the x = 0.3 increased from 1.60 up to 2.38 μm. Results show that annealing affects resistivity and TCR because of grain growth during annealing.     

Sonochemical Preparation and Properties of Pt–3Y-TZP Nano-Composites

A uniformly aggregated 3 mol% yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia nano-powder (3Y-TZP) was prepared using thermal hydrolysis and the ultrasonic deagglomeration technique. The possibility of nano-engineering of Pt–3Y-TZP composite aggregates was studied. The as-synthesized Pt nano-particles (∼2 nm) were impregnated into zirconia nano-aggregates (20–45 nm). The morphology manipulation technique allowed production of the composite zirconia-based aggregates in which a significant fraction of the Pt particles was embedded into the densified zirconia aggregates. Using the colloidal technique and low-temperature (1150°C) sintering, we prepared the Pt-zirconia (0.5–1.5 wt% of platinum) nano-composites with average 3Y-TZP grain sizes of 120 nm, and with the platinum grains size in the range of 20–60 nm. The catalytic properties of composite Pt–3Y-TZP nano-composites were studied and described.