Deposition and characterization of diamond-like nanocomposite coatings grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition over different substrate materials

Diamond-like nanocomposite (DLN) coatings have been deposited over different substrates used for biomedical applications by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD). DLN has an interconnecting network of amorphous hydrogenated carbon and quartz-like oxygenated silicon. Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform–infra red (FT–IR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) have been used for structural characterization. Typical DLN growth rate is about 1  ${\upmu} $ m/h, measured by stylus profilometer. Due to the presence of quartz-like Si:O in the structure, it is found to have very good adhesive property with all the substrates. The adhesion strength found to be as high as 0·6 N on SS 316 L steel substrates by scratch testing method. The Young’s modulus and hardness have found to be 132 GPa and 14· 4 GPa, respectively. DLN coatings have wear factor in the order of 1 × 10^???7 mm ³ /N-m. This coating has found to be compatible with all important biomedical substrate materials and has successfully been deposited over Co–Cr alloy based knee implant of complex shape.     

Synthesis, characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity assessment of hydroxyapatite from different bioresources for tissue engineering application

In the present study, hydroxyapatite (HAp) is synthesized from different biosources like eggshell, fish scale and bovine bone in a cost effective and ecofriendly way. HAp materials were synthesized from eggshell by wet precipitation method whereas thermal decomposition method was applied in case of fish scale and bovine bone. The phase purity and crystallinity of different calcined HAp powder were determined by XRD and FTIR analyses. The thermogravimetric analysis was carried out to show thermal stability of HAp powder. Average grain sizes of sintered samples were in submicron range. The morphology of the powders were observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The dried powders were wet ball milled for several hours and surfactants like Triton-X small fillers (2 / 4 mm long rod-shaped) were made for in vitro testing. In order to verify the biocompatibility of HAp powders, cytotoxicity evaluation was carried out in RAW macrophage like cell line media for an incubation period of 72 h. The cell attachment studies on HAp compacts show an excellent affinity between cells and compact surface. These results proved high biocompatibility of HAp powders obtained from different biosources for tissue engineering applications.     

Adjustable Mechanism for Walking Robots with Minimum Number of Actuators

Recent literature on walking robots deals predominantly with multi-degrees-of-freedom leg mechanisms and machines capable of adopting several gaits.This paper explores the other end of the spectrum suggesting mechanisms derived from a four bar coupler curve for a one degree of freedom walking robot.Simulation of the walk indicates that body of the robot is able to move with low variation in velocity.The best strategy for changing the gait to enable the robot to walk over obstacles and the effect of change i...     

Subsolidus Equilibria in the System BaOCeO2-TiO2

Subsolidus phase relations in the system BaO-CeO₂-TiO₂ were investigated using X-ray powder diffraction. The existence of the binary compound CeTi₂O₅ was confirmed, and its limited stability was studied before the ternary system was investigated. Six compatibility triangles were established in the ternary system at 1200°C. No ternary compound was detected. Extensive mutual solid solubility was observed between BaTiO₃ and BaCeO₃, whereas little or no solid solubility occurred between the other compounds in the system. The effects of small additions of CeO₂ on the tetragonal→Cubic and cubic→hexagonal transition temperatures of BaTiO₃ were investigated.     

EXTRUSION COOKING OF RICE: EFFECT OF AMYLOSE CONTENT AND BARREL TEMPERATURE ON PRODUCT PROFILE

The effect of amylose content (5.0–28.6%) of rice and barrel temperature (80–120C) on extrusion system parameters torque and net specific mechanical energy and extrudate characteristics extrudate bulk density (ED), water solubility index, expansion ratio (ER) and Warner–Bratzler shear stress were studied using a twin‐screw extruder. The feed rate (15 kgh^?1), moisture content (20.0% ± 0.2) of feed and the screw speed (400 rpm) were kept constant. ED and ER of the product suggested that a barrel temperature of 120C was desirable to generate an expanded extrudate rice product from low‐amylose rice cultivar. Experimental data on system parameters and extrudate characteristics fit to second‐degree polynomial regression equations (r ≥ 0.904, P ≤ 0.01) with the amylose content of rice and barrel temperature of the extruder.     

Subsolidus Equilibria in the System BaO-TiO2-GeO2

Subsolidus phase relations in the system Ba0-Ti02-Ge02 were investigated using conventional solid-state reaction techniques and X-ray powder diffraction. The existence of 2 ternary compounds, BaTiGe309 and BazTiGeZ08, was confirmed and their X-ray crystallographic data are presented. The compound BaTiGe₃0₉ has a lower limit of stability at 1135°C and melts incongruently at 1232°C; Ba₂TiGe₂O₂ melts congruently at 1228°C. Subsolidus compatibility relations in the ternary system were established and tie lines between the various phases which constitute a total of 12 compatibility triangles at 1000°C are shown in a subsolidus phase diagram.     

Thermal cycling behavior of alumina-graphite brazed joints in electron tube applications

Alumina was joined with graphite by active metal brazing technique at 895, 900, 905, and 910 °C for 10 min in vacuum of 0.67 mPa using Ti-Cu-Ag (68.8Ag-26.7Cu-4.5Ti; mass fraction, %) as filler material. The brazed samples were thermal cycled between 30 and 600 °C and characterized. X-ray diffraction results show strong reaction between titanium and carbon as well as titanium and alumina. Scanning electron microscopy and helium leak tests show that the initial and thermal cycled brazed samples are devoid of cracks or any other defects and hermeticity in nature. Brazing strength of the joints is found to be satisfactory.     

Quantitative analysis of surface micro-roughness alterations in human spermatozoa using atomic force microscopy

A new male contraceptive given the name RISUG^® (an acronym for Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance) has been developed by our research group. RISUG^® is a bioactive polymer and is injected into the lumen of the vas deferens using a no-scalpel approach. The polyelectrolytic nature of this contraceptive induces a surface charge imbalance on sperm membrane system leading to its destabilization. Complete disintegration of the plasma membrane with subsequent rupture and dispersion of the acrosomal contents is observed on RISUG^® treatment. In the present study, micro-structural properties of human spermatozoa exposed to RISUG^® in vitro have been quantitatively analysed using atomic force microscopy. The parameters used to quantify these morphological changes include amplitude (peak–valley height difference, arithmetic roughness, root mean square roughness) and spatial roughness. Factor loadings (Varimax rotation) have been used to determine the parameters displaying maximum variation. Further, sperm cells have been classified in various principal-component planes using principal-component analysis. The periodic structural features of the atomic force microscopy images have also been obtained using power spectral analysis.