Facile synthesis,in vitro biocompatibility,and antibacterial activity of porous hollow hydroxyapatite microspheres

In this study, porous hollow hydroxyapatite (HAp) microspheres are prepared using chitosan microspheres as novel sacrificial templates and their microstructure, biocompatibility, and drug delivery properties are evaluated. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations show that HAp microspheres are spherical in morphology with a diameter of 100–300 μm and have a porous and core–shell structure. X-ray diffractometer patterns show that HAp microspheres consist of apatite phase. MTT assay indicates that HAp microspheres are biocompatible and have no significant cytotoxicity. SEM observations show that HAp microspheres support attachment and proliferation of osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells. After being soaked in the solution of tetracycline hydrochloride (TH, model drug), HAp microspheres adsorb TH with an adsorption capacity of 47% to derive TH-loaded HAp microspheres. When exposed to two types of representative bacteria: Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, TH-loaded HAp microspheres maintain the biological activity of TH to inhibit the growth of bacteria.     

Ozone Generator with Cylindrical Type of Rotating Electrode

An ozone generator using a rotating electrode to improve ozone generation efficiency is proposed. The ozone generator electrode unit consists of a rotating electrode and fixed electrode. The rotating electrode has the grounded 36 pieces of tungsten wires fixed in parallel to the rotation axis on the rotating cylinder surface. A dielectric electrode is used as a fixed electrode located on the inside of the tube of the electrode unit. The width of the apparent discharge gap is 1mm. Alternating current with a frequency of 50 Hz is applied to the electrode unit. The rotation speed can be adjusted from 0 rpm to 1200 rpm by a variable speed motor. Oxygen gas is used as the material gas. Higher ozone concentration and higher ozone generation efficiency are obtained compared with that when the rotation speed is 0 rpm. The gas temperature is measured at the inlet and outlet of the ozone generator, and the rotation speed for the cooling effect is most effective at about 500 rpm. The maximum generation efficiency is estimated to be 61 g/kWh at 800 rpm, and this value is twice as large as in the case of 0 rpm.     

Osteoinduction by Functionally Graded Apatites of Bovine Origin Loaded with Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2

Bioresorbable and functionally graded apatites (fg-HAp) ceramics, which are characterized by gradations in crystallinity and the grain size of hydroxyapatite (HAp:Ca₁₀(PO₄)₆(OH)₂), were designed using bovine bone by the calcination and partial dissolution–precipitation method. The fg-HAp ceramics had macropores of 100–600 μm originated from spongy bone, and micropores of 10–160 nm. Fg-HAp ceramics loaded with recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2/fg-HAp) were implanted into the subcutaneous tissue of rats. Eight weeks after the implantation, the surface and bulk degradations of the fg-HAp-containing body fluid occured, and small pieces of fg-HAp were incorporated into the induced bone and fatty marrow, suggesting that osteoinduction occurred in conjunction with bone remodeling. The rhBMP-2/fg-HAp ceramics developed could become a resorbable biomimetic material with fast bioresorption and osteoinduction characteristics.     

Fabrication of Transparent, Sintered Sc2O3 Ceramics

We report here the fabrication of transparent Sc₂O₃ ceramics via vacuum sintering. The starting Sc₂O₃ powders are pyrolyzed from a basic sulfate precursor (Sc(OH)_2.6(SO₄)_0.2·H₂O) precipitated from scandium sulfate solution with hexamethylenetetramine as the precipitant. Thermal decomposition behavior of the precursor is studied via differential thermal analysis/thermogravimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, and elemental analysis. Sinterability of the Sc₂O₃ powders is studied via dilatometry. Microstructure evolution of the ceramic during sintering is investigated via field emission scanning electron microscopy. The best calcination temperature for the precursor is 1100°C, at which the resultant Sc₂O₃ powder is ultrafine (∼85 nm), well dispersed, and almost free from residual sulfur contamination. With this reactive powder, transparent Sc₂O₃ ceramics having an average grain size of ∼9 μm and showing a visible wavelength transmittance of ∼60–62% (∼76% of that of Sc₂O₃ single crystal) have been fabricated via vacuum sintering at a relatively low temperature of 1700°C for 4 h.     

Radiation tolerance of type IIa synthetic diamond detector for 14 MeV neutrons

Radiation tolerance of a type IIa synthetic diamond detector was examined from irradiation of mono-energetic 14 MeV neutrons. Measurements of I–V (current–voltage) characteristics and energy spectrum for 5.486 MeV alpha particles were performed after neutron irradiation. In the I–V characteristics measurement, enhancement of rectification was observed after neutron irradiation of up to 2.0 × 10¹² n/cm². Concurrently with the enhancement of rectification, significant decrease in signal amplitude was observed in energy spectrum measurement for alpha particles. It is considered that these changes were due to increase in the concentration of defects acting as shallow energy levels in the forbidden band. For neutron irradiation of higher than 1.6 × 10¹³ n/cm², weakening of the rectification characteristics and recovery of the signal amplitude were observed. These changes imply that deep energy levels, which were also considered to be introduced by defects, were dominant and weakened the effects of the shallow energy levels. Increase in the concentration of the deep trapping levels resulted in gradual decrease of the signal amplitude and degradation in the energy resolution. The peak for the alpha particles was obtained up to 5.5 × 10¹³ n/cm².     

Comparison of activities in selective catalytic reduction of NOx by C3H8 over Co/MFI, Fe/MFI, and H/MFI zeolite catalysts

The Co/MFI(SiO₂/Al₂O₃ = 30) were prepared by a precipitation method with NaOCl in alkali solutions exhibited high activities to N₂ at 250 °C for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO_x. These catalysts showed two UV–vis bands at 700 and 400 nm, indicating the presence of octahedral Co(III) as well as tetrahedral Co(II). The high SCR activity over such Co(III, II)/MFI(30) seems to come from Co(III)---O moieties. The Co(II)MFI(30) catalysts prepared from Co(II)Cl₂ exhibited low SCR activities due to the presence of tetrahedral Co(II) ions in MFI. Less CO formation occurred over Co/MFI catalysts. The Fe/MFI(30) catalyst exhibited high activity due to the presence of some Fe---O species in MFI but more amount of CO were produced during SCR. H/MFI(30) catalyst exhibited a good SCR activity. However, more amount of carbonaceous deposits were produced on it. The correlation between acid concentration and SCR activity was discussed over H/MFIs.     

Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Propane with CO2 Over Cr/H[B]MFI Catalysts

Abstract  

Cr/silicalite-1 and Cr/H[B]MFI catalysts were prepared by the impregnation method, and Cr/H[B]MFI were further treated by steaming. The catalysts were employed for the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propylene with CO₂ as the oxidant. Cr/H[B]MFI showed significantly higher catalytic activity than Cr/silicalite-1, and steamed Cr/H[B]MFI was superior in the reaction stability to Cr/H[B]MFI. The nature of the supported chromium species have been characterized by a number of physicochemical techniques, such as Raman, UV–vis and NMR. It is concluded that the steaming led to the auto-reduction of some Cr⁶⁺ to Cr³⁺, and resultant Cr³⁺ species might be located near the boron center in the borosilicate framework to counterbalance the negative charge of the framework. The transformation of Cr⁶⁺ species to Cr³⁺ species, facilitated by the steaming process and the presence of boron in the catalyst, is responsible for the enhanced stability of oxidative dehydrogenation of propane to propylene with carbon dioxide as the oxidant.     

Voltammetric study of electrocatalysis for dioxygen reduction by trinuclear rutheniumammine complex confined in a polymer membrane

Electrocatalytic O₂ reduction was studied using a modified electrode coated with a Nafion membrane (Nf) dispersing a trinuclear ruthenium ammine complex ([(NH₃)₅Ru^IIIORu^IV(NH₃)₄ORu^III(NH₃)₅]Cl₆, Ru-red). When measuring cyclic voltammogram under O₂ atmosphere (at 0.5 mV s⁻¹), catalytic currents due to O₂ reduction were found to develop below −0.2 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Since Ru-red undergoes irreversible decomposition into the mononuclear complexes via the reduced state (Ru^III-Ru^III-Ru^III) (∼−0.1 V), it is suggested that the electrocatalysis originates from the decomposed species (initial active species: Ru^II(NH₃)₅(OH₂) and Ru^II(NH₃)₄(OH₂)₂) rather than from the Ru-red. Although the present electrocatalyst was also applied to H₂O₂ reduction system, the catalytic activity was found to be poor from the voltammetric behavior. It appeared that the kinetics of the electrocatalysis is much faster in the O₂ reduction than in the H₂O₂ one. A selective and direct catalysis for O₂ reduction into H₂O was suggested from a ring-disk voltammogram to take place by an aggregate of the mononuclear ruthenium complexes in the polymer matrix. In addition, it was found that electrocatalytic O₂ reduction involves a slow kinetic process, so that factors affecting the overall kinetics were discussed in terms of the catalysis mechanism.     

程序控温吸附法对分子筛扩散性能的研究

提出了研究气体分子在沸石分子筛晶内孔中活化扩散的抛物线降温吸附法,经理论推导得到了计算晶内活化扩散动力学参数的基本公式,同时解决了降温过程中吸附动力学参数的计算问题。在前人工作的基础上,对研究多孔物质扩散性能的 TPD 公式加以改进,使其能够适于沸石分子筛的晶内活化扩散研究。对实际体系的研究结果表明:当采用抛物线降温吸附法对沸石分子筛进行研究时,可根据一次实验的数据,经一次回归计算得到气体分子在沸石分子筛晶内孔中的活化扩散动力学参数及吸附动力学参数,能够方便地进行活化扩散及吸附的研究,并可结合 TPD 数据进一步说明扩散和吸附所具有的特性。     

Simulation of mechanical properties of epoxy-based chemically amplified resist by coarse-grained molecular dynamics

The mechanical properties of an epoxy-based chemically amplified resists with various cross-linking ratios were simulated using a newly developed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation that employs a bead–spring model. Models with the different cross-linking ratios were created in the molecular dynamics calculation step and uniaxial elongation simulations were performed. The results reveal that the simulated elastic modulus of the resist modeled by the Kremer–Grest model with an extended angle bending potential depends on the cross-linking ratio, its dependency exhibits good agreement with that determined by nanoindentation tests.