Adhesion and internalization of functionalized polystyrene latex nanoparticles toward the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The toxicity and the internalization, adhesion, and dispersion behavior of manufactured polystyrene latex (PSL) nanoparticles (nominal diameter: 50 nm) with various functional groups toward the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (which was applied as a model eukaryote) were examined using the colony count method, and microscopic observations. The colony count tests suggested that PSL nanoparticles with a negative surface charge showed little or no toxicity toward the yeast. In contrast, PSL nanoparticles with an amine functional group and a positive surface charge (p-Amine) displayed a high toxicity in 5 mM NaCl. However, the yeast cells were mostly unharmed by the p-Amine in 154 mM NaCl, results that were quite different from the toxicological effects observed when Escherichia coli was used as a model prokaryote. Confocal and atomic force microscopies indicated that in 5 mM NaCl, the p-Amine nanoparticles entirely covered the surface of the yeast, and cell death occurred; in contrast, in 154 mM NaCl, the p-Amine nanoparticles were internalized via endocytosis, and cell death did not occur.     

The evaluation of the effects of control factors on surface roughness in the drilling of Waspaloy superalloy

In this study, the effects of cutting tool type (Ct), cutting speed (Vc), feed rate (f) and drill bit angle (A) on the average surface roughness (Ra) were investigated in the drilling of Waspaloy superalloy with coated and uncoated solid carbide drills. Experimental studies were performed in the orthogonal array of L18 (2¹ × 3³) by using Taguchi method. A second order predictive equation was developed with Linear Regression Analysis and coefficient of correlation for Ra calculated as R² = 96.9%. The most effective parameters on Ra were determined as A, f, Vc and Ct with 49.44%, 15.0%, 14.45% and 13.47% contribution ratios, respectively. Ra surface roughness values increased with the increasing tool wear. In this study, the chip formation and tool wear were also evaluated. Three types chip formation such as spiral chip, string chip and short chip were observed in the drilling of Waspaloy with solid carbide drills.     

Parametric study of abrasive wear of Co–CrC based flame sprayed coatings by Response Surface Methodology

Co base powder (EWAC1006 EE) was modified with the addition of 20%WC and the same was further modified by varying amounts of chromium carbide (0, 10 and 20 wt%) in order to develop three different coatings. Microstructure, elemental mapping XRD, porosity and hardness analysis of the three coatings was carried out. The effect of CrC concentration (C), load (L), abrasive size (A), sliding distance (S) and temperature (T) on abrasive wear of these flame sprayed coatings was investigated by Response Surface Methodology and an abrasive wear model was developed. A comparison of modeled and experimental results showed 5–9% error.     

An approach to the evaluation of multivariate data during ball end milling free-form surface fragments

We present a method for investigating the process of ball end milling, a technology widely used in tool making and moulding. We analyse the main features of free-form surfaces used in this technology, and propose a sequence of steps to identify the most suitable milling strategy. The basic idea of such a sequence lies in the definition of the tangible fragments of free-form surfaces applicable to tool making. Tangible fragments represent the parts of tooling and signed radii that can distinguish both the active and transitional surfaces of tooling. Free-form surface fragments were selected since they are capable of securing definiteness in measurement of roughness parameters and surface errors. We investigated the operation capability of solid ball end milling cutters in terms of cutting tool edge micro-geometry. Cutting edge radius (r_n) and roughness parameters of the tool edge were measured to determine the relationship between new and worn tool edges. Roughness parameters were measured at different parts of the machined surfaces, which take on typical features of dies and moulds, such as inclined wall, ridge lines, valley lines, as well as, the active surfaces defined by signed radii. Surface error such as scallop height, gouging, tolerances and actual signed radii were measured at transitive surfaces. The traditional approach of evaluating roughness parameters was used to determine the suitability of factors such as milling operation, milling strategy and direction of milling. In addition, traditional approaches such as relationships, distributions and histograms were also used. We applied Khattree–Naik’s plot, which proves its suitability to visualise all the data being measured in the same units: microns and millimetres. Characteristic features of the ball end milling process, such as tool edge micro-geometry, geometry of the machined surface, and unit length of the transitive surface were applied in Khattree–Naik’s plots. We found that this plot was capable of processing multivariate data to distinguish specific markers of the quality of machined surfaces, which are produced in ball end milling.     

Surface dispersive energy determined with IGC-ID in anti-graffiti-coated building materials

Coating building materials with anti-graffiti treatments hinders or prevents spray paint adherence by generating low energy surfaces. This paper describes the effect of coating cement paste, lime mortar, granite, limestone and brick with two anti-graffiti agents (a water-base fluoroalkylsiloxane, “Protectosil Antigraffiti^®”, and a Zr ormosil) on the dispersive component of the surface energy of these five construction materials. The agents were rediluted in their respective solvents at concentrations of 5 and 75% and the values were determined with inverse gas chromatography at infinite dilution (IGC-ID).     

Simultaneous removal of nitrate and arsenic from drinking water sources utilizing a fixed-bed bioreactor system

A novel bioreactor system, consisting of two biologically active carbon (BAC) reactors in series, was developed for the simultaneous removal of nitrate and arsenic from a synthetic groundwater supplemented with acetic acid. A mixed biofilm microbial community that developed on the BAC was capable of utilizing dissolved oxygen, nitrate, arsenate, and sulfate as the electron acceptors. Nitrate was removed from a concentration of approximately 50 mg/L in the influent to below the detection limit of 0.2 mg/L. Biologically generated sulfides resulted in the precipitation of the iron sulfides mackinawite and greigite, which concomitantly removed arsenic from an influent concentration of approximately 200 ug/L to below 20 ug/L through arsenic sulfide precipitation and surface precipitation on iron sulfides. This study showed for the first time that arsenic and nitrate can be simultaneously removed from drinking water sources utilizing a bioreactor system.     

Optimization of cutting conditions for minimum residual stress,cutting force and surface roughness in end milling of S50C medium carbon steel

Residual stresses are usually imposed on a machined component due to thermal and mechanical loading. Tensile residual stresses are detrimental as it could shorten the fatigue life of the component; meanwhile, compressive residual stresses are beneficial as it could prolong the fatigue life. Thermal and mechanical loading significantly affect the behavior of residual stress. Therefore, this research focused on the effects of lubricant and milling mode during end milling of S50C medium carbon steel. Numerical factors, namely, spindle speed, feed rate and depth of cut and categorical factors, namely, lubrication and milling mode is optimized using D-optimal experimentation. Mathematical model is developed for the prediction of residual stress, cutting force and surface roughness based on response surface methodology (RSM). Results show that minimum residual stress and cutting force can be achieved during up milling, by adopting the MQL-SiO₂ nanolubrication system. Meanwhile, during down milling minimum residual stress and cutting force can be achieved with flood cutting. Moreover, minimum surface roughness can be attained during flood cutting in both up and down milling. The response surface plots indicate that the effect of spindle speed and feed rate is less significant at low depth of cut but this effect significantly increases the residual stress, cutting force and surface roughness as the depth of cut increases.     

Freeform texture representation and characterisation based on triangular mesh projection techniques

Texture characterisation for freeform non-Euclidean surfaces is becoming increasingly important due to the widespread of the use of such surfaces in different applications, e.g. the additive manufacturing. Four main steps are required to analyse and characterise those surfaces which include new surface representation, surface filtration and decomposition, texture representation methods and finally the calculation of the surface parameters. Recently, the representation, as well as the filtration and decomposition, of freeform surfaces have been investigated and some algorithms have been proposed. This paper, however, shed the light on how to represent the texture of freeform non-Euclidean surfaces before calculating the parameters. A novel model for freeform surface parameterisation is introduced; this new model proposes the use of a projection algorithm before the actual calculation of the parameters. Different projection algorithms have been adopted from the mesh projection techniques found in the field of computer graphics. The results of applying those algorithms to represent the texture of both simulated and bio-engineering surfaces are shown, also a comparison between those algorithms has been carried out. Furthermore, examples of calculating some of the surface parameters for freeform surfaces are given.     

A comparative study of walking‐induced dust resuspension using a consistent test mechanism

Human walking influences indoor air quality mainly by resuspending dust particles settled on the floor. This study characterized walking‐induced particle resuspension as a function of flooring type, relative humidity (RH), surface dust loading, and particle size using a consistent resuspension mechanism. Five types of flooring, including hardwood, vinyl, high‐density cut pile carpet, low‐density cut pile carpet, and high‐density loop carpet, were tested with two levels of RH (40% and 70%) and surface dust loading (2 and 8 g/m²), respectively. Resuspension fraction r_a (fraction of surface dust resuspended per step) for house dust was found to be varied from 10^?7 to 10^?4 (particle size: 0.4–10 µm). Results showed that for particles at 0.4–3.0 µm, the difference in resuspension fraction between carpets and hard floorings was not significant. For particles at 3.0–10.0 µm, carpets exhibited higher resuspension fractions compared with hard floorings. Increased RH level enhanced resuspension on high‐density cut pile carpet, whereas the opposite effect was observed on hard floorings. Higher surface dust loading was associated with lower resuspension fractions on carpets, while on hard floorings the effect of surface dust loading varied with different RH levels.     

The Effect of Particle Morphology on the Physical Stability of Pharmaceutical Powder Mixtures: The Effect of Surface Roughness of the Carrier on the Stability of Ordered Mixtures

The effect of particle morphology of the components on the physical stability of ordered mixtures was determined for a model system comprised of a mixture of micronized aspirin and a monodisperse carrier. Spray-dried lactose, crystallized lactose, microcrystalline cellulose, and dextrate were used as carriers. The surface texture of the carriers was quantified in terms of the ratio of the perimeter of the particles to that of an idealized shape at a constant magnification. Mixtures containing highly textured carriers segregated to a lesser extent than those containing smoother textured carriers. This was postulated to be due to the presence of a higher concentration of surface asperities on the coarse carriers that can constitute potentially strong adhesion sites for the fine component because of their higher energy relative to adjacent areas on the surface. The effect of the addition of a ternary component, magnesium stearate, on the stability of the above mixtures was studied. The observed differences in the segregation response were attributed to electrostatic charge effects.