Permeation of indomethacin from semisolid preparations through various semipermeable membranes

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the permeation of model drug indomethacin (IND) from various types of gels through several semipermeable membranes.

Methods: Permeation of IND from gels based on carbomer (CA), hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC), and polyacrylamid/laureth-7/isoparaffin was performed via diffusion cell method through membranes: shed snake skin, full thickness chicken skin, mucosa of pork small intestine, and cellophane.

Results: The least permeation of IND was observed in the case of shed snake skin and full thickness chicken skin. It did not exceed 5.4% of original amount in the preparation after 3?h of measurement regardless the type of gel. In the case of mucosa of pork small intestine and cellophane the permeated amount of IND ranged from 9.4 to 55.4% depending on the type of gelling agent used. There was also quite a significant influence of a gelling agent on the permeation of IND observed. The permeation of IND was highest from CA gel, where it ranged from 0.6 to 52.2% of original amount in the preparation depending on the type of membrane used. Gelling agent inhibiting the permeation the most was HEC, where the permeated amount of IND did not exceed 12.3% regardless the type of membrane used.

Conclusions: In general the permeated amount of IND through biological membranes containing stratum corneum represented just a small part of the amount in original preparation. Gelling agent has significant effect on the extent and rate of permeation.     

Magnetocaloric effect in Gd(1−y)DyyAl2

In this work we calculate the magnetic properties and the magnetocaloric effect in Gd_1−yDy_yAl₂ (y = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1). The model Hamiltonian includes contributions from the Zeeman effect, the crystalline electrical field anisotropy and the exchange interactions among Gd–Gd, Gd–Dy and Dy–Dy ions. To obtain a composite with ΔS_T as constant as possible in the temperature range from T = 60 K to 170 K, the appropriate concentrations of the five compounds investigated were calculated using the Smaili and Chahine method. The magnetization and ΔS_T dependences on temperature in the composite were simulated and compared with the partial contributions of the single magnetic component materials. Also, the magnetic field dependence on magnetization was investigated in Gd_0.25Dy_0.75Al₂, where the discontinuous spin reorientation transitions were predicted for magnetic fields lower than 2 T, applied along <110> direction.     

Oxygen Permeation and Stability of Ce0.8Gd0.2O2-δ-PrBaCo2-xFexO5＋δ Dual-phase Composite Membranes

Dual-phase membranes of 60 wt% Ce0.8Gd0.2O2-δ-40 wt% Pr Ba Co2exFexO3 d（0 x 2） were prepared by a combined citrate and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid（EDTA） complexing method. X-ray diffraction（XRD）results revealed the good chemical compatibility between ion-conducting phase CGO and electron-conducting phases PBC2 xFxO after sintering in air. The Fe ionic dopant had a significant effect on the phase structure stability and oxygen permeability under CO2 atmosphere, which was confirmed by XRD, thermogravimetrye differential scanning calorimetry（TGeD SC）, scanning electron microscopy（SEM） and oxygen permeation experiments. CGOeP BC0.5F1.5O dual-phase membrane demonstrated a stable oxygen permeation flux of2.71x10-7mol cm 2s 1with 50 mol% He/CO2 as the sweep gas at 925 C, and this value was much higher than that of perovskite-type membranes. The rate-limiting step in the oxygen permeation process changed from the bulk diffusion to the surface oxygen exchange when the CGOeP BC0.5F1.5O membrane thickness decreased to 0.8 mm or less. Due to the high oxygen permeation fluxes and the excellent structural stability under CO2 atmosphere, the CGOeP BC0.5F1.5O membrane is a great potential candidate material for separating oxygen from air in the oxy-fuel combustion techniques.     

Gas transfer through wine closures: A critical review

BackgroundGas transfer, and especially oxygen, through wine closures has been studied since the 90's. It started with the problem of premature oxidation in wine. To that purpose, different techniques, issued from food packaging and wine analysis, have been developed to measure gas permeation through wine stoppers.Scope and approachThe objectives of this review is, first, to briefly remind the basic knowledge of gas transfer through materials and applied to wine stoppers. Then, after a short survey about the techniques of measurement, a compilation of all currently available permeation data has been done using the international system of units (when conversion was possible). This finally allowed to establish a critical appraisal between the different methods and closures.Key findings and conclusionsAlthough relying on different principles, with different accuracy (and respective pros and cons), all methods are well suited to investigate gas transfer through closures. The manometric method appears as the most versatile one, allowing to study all gases with various sample geometry. Whatever the method used, it appears that the technical stoppers are the lowest permeable ones to gas transfer, followed by screwcaps, natural corks and synthetic stoppers. Finally, it is worthy to note that the diffusion coefficient, as an intrinsic parameter, is the most relevant parameter to characterize the gas barrier properties of wine stoppers.     

Post-forming monotonic and cyclic behavior in a HSLA steel sheet after large deformations by in-plane compression

The effects of large prestrains (18–40%), produced by in-plane compression, on the asymmetry and the anisotropy of the stress response and on the fatigue life are investigated under fully reversed axial strain for a 345 MPa yield strength V–N high strength low alloy steel sheet. After prestraining, the hysteresis loops are asymmetric and the stress response is anisotropic, i.e., the response differs in directions parallel and perpendicular to that of the compressive prestrain. To understand the cyclic flow stress asymmetry, monotonic tension and compression tests were conducted in these two directions after prestraining. It is shown that the loop asymmetry is related to the Bauschinger effect after prestraining. Two cyclic stress strain curves, one corresponding to the tension side of the hysteresis loops and the other to the compression side, are defined to accurately describe the post-prestraining behavior. The amount of strengthening gained by prestraining is partially retained after cycling. Prestraining increases the fatigue life at low strain amplitudes but decreases it at high strain amplitudes.     

Evaluating Schmid criterion for predicting preferential locations of persistent slip markings obtained after very high cycle fatigue for polycrystalline pure copper

Very high cycle fatigue carried out on pure copper polycrystals promotes early slip markings, labelled as slip markings of types II and III, localized close to grain or twin boundaries. In this work, we focus on whether Schmid criterion can predict the preferential sites of slip markings of types II and III and identify the active slip systems. Combining observations of slip markings and polycrystalline modeling, it is shown that considering pure cubic elastic behavior, maximum resolved shear stress as a criterion for type II slip markings preferential sites is 70% reliable criterion. Concerning slip markings of type III, the reliability falls to 30%. The role of cross slip is highlighted and a scenario rationalizing the stress amplitude conditions and sites to observe early slip markings of type II or III for copper polycrystals is proposed.     

Influence of the grain structure of yttria thin films on the hydrogen isotope permeation

Steel components are required in the infrastructure and the facilities of the hydrogen economy. The high hydrogen pressures in the hydrogen economy lead to embrittlement and surface corrosion of the steels. For the functionality of the facilities it is necessary to suppress the embrittlement and the surface corrosion of the steels by protective layers, e.g. ceramic thin films. With regard to fusion power plants ceramic thin films on the structural steel materials are also required. These thin films work as a tritium permeation barrier that is necessary to prevent the loss of the radioactive fuel inventory. Oxide thin films, e.g. Al₂O₃, Er₂O₃, and Y₂O₃, are promising candidates as tritium permeation barrier layers. In terms of the application in the first wall, this is especially true for yttrium due to its favorably short decay time after neutron activation compared to the other candidates. The Y₂O₃ layers with thicknesses of 0.5 μm–1 μm are deposited on both substrate sides by RF magnetron sputter deposition. Since the microstructure of the barrier layer plays an important role for the permeation reduction, layers with three different magnetron process modes and thus three different microstructures are prepared. After annealing the cubic crystal structure of all thin films is verified by X-ray diffraction and the different microstructures are investigated by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The Y₂O₃ stoichiometry of all thin films and a chromium oxide material segregation at the interface are verified by analysis methods such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The permeation reduction factors of all thin films are determined in gas-driven deuterium permeation experiments. Corresponding to the three different microstructures, reduction factors of 25, 45, and 1100 are identified. Thus, the permeation reduction is strongly dependent on the Y₂O₃ microstructure. The measurement results suggest that a high density of grain boundaries leads to a high hydrogen permeation.     

Estimation of anisotropic properties of nano-structured arrays by modal vibration control at microscale

Nano-structured arrays are engineered to meet the requirements of a variety of applications such as microfilters, sensors, and structural interface due to their unique mechanical characteristics, which cannot be achieved by conventional solid materials. However, it is hard to evaluate the elastic properties of nano-structured arrays owing to the discrete structure, sample size, and availability of suitable techniques. To facilitate this, we develop an advanced three-dimensional microscale vibration testing process. In the test, a specially designed three-dimensional microspecimen with tuned mass is excited by a piezoelectric actuator, and the resonance frequencies are detected by a laser device successfully. The anisotropic elastic moduli of nano-structured array composed of helical nano-springs are identified from a single spectrum. This array shows so strong characteristic anisotropy that the solid one hardly can attain. The microscale testing technique can be extended to other materials and microstructures.