Materials

Research

13 pages, 3007 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hinokitiol-Loaded Mesoporous Calcium Silicate Nanoparticles Induce Apoptotic Cell Death through Regulation of the Function of MDR1 in Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells

by Yu-Fang Shen¹, Chia-Che Ho^1,2,3, Ming-You Shie¹

, Kan Wang^2,3 and Hsin-Yuan Fang^1,4,5,*

¹ 3D Printing Medical Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 40447, Taiwan

² H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA

³ Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA

⁴ Department of Thoracic Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung City 40447, Taiwan

⁵ School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung City 40447, Taiwan

Materials 2016, 9(5), 306; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050306 - 25 Apr 2016

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 5874

Abstract

Hinokitiol is a tropolone-related compound found in heartwood cupressaceous plants. Hinokitiol slows the growth of a variety of cancers through inhibition of cell proliferation. The low water solubility of hinokitiol leads to less bioavailability. This has been highlighted as a major limiting factor. [...] Read more.

Hinokitiol is a tropolone-related compound found in heartwood cupressaceous plants. Hinokitiol slows the growth of a variety of cancers through inhibition of cell proliferation. The low water solubility of hinokitiol leads to less bioavailability. This has been highlighted as a major limiting factor. In this study, mesoporous calcium silicate (MCS) nanoparticles, both pure and hinokitiol-loaded, were synthesized and their effects on A549 cells were analyzed. The results indicate that Hino-MCS nanoparticles induce apoptosis in higher concentration loads (>12.5 μg/mL) for A549 cells. Hino-MCS nanoparticles suppress gene and protein expression levels of multiple drug resistance protein 1 (MDR1). In addition, both the activity and the expression levels of caspase-3/-9 were measured in Hino-MCS nanoparticle-treated A549 cells. The Hino-MCS nanoparticles-triggered apoptosis was blocked by inhibitors of pan-caspase, caspase-3/-9, and antioxidant agents (N-acetylcysteine; NAC). The Hino-MCS nanoparticles enhance reactive oxygen species production and the protein expression levels of caspase-3/-9. Our data suggest that Hino-MCS nanoparticles trigger an intrinsic apoptotic pathway through regulating the function of MDR1 and the production of reactive oxygen species in A549 cells. Therefore, we believe that Hino-MCS nanoparticles may be efficacious in the treatment of drug-resistant human lung cancer in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biomaterials)

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13 pages, 4114 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Bioactive PHA and γ-PGA Oligomers for Potential Applications as a Delivery System

by Iwona Kwiecień¹

, Iza Radecka²

, Michał Kwiecień¹ and Grażyna Adamus^1,*

¹ Centre of Polymer and Carbon Materials, Polish Academy of Sciences, Zabrze 41-819, Poland

² School of Biology, Chemistry and Forensic Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1SB, UK

Materials 2016, 9(5), 307; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050307 - 25 Apr 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6365

Abstract

The (trans)esterification reaction of bacterial biopolymers with a selected bioactive compound with a hydroxyl group was applied as a convenient method for obtaining conjugates of such compound. Tyrosol, a naturally occurring phenolic compound, was selected as a model of a bioactive compound with [...] Read more.

The (trans)esterification reaction of bacterial biopolymers with a selected bioactive compound with a hydroxyl group was applied as a convenient method for obtaining conjugates of such compound. Tyrosol, a naturally occurring phenolic compound, was selected as a model of a bioactive compound with a hydroxyl group. Selected biodegradable polyester and polyamide, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB-co-4HB)) and poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), respectively, were used. The (trans)esterification reactions were carried out in melt mediated by 4-toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate. The structures of (trans)esterification products were established at the molecular level with the aid of ESI-MS² (electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry) and/or ¹H NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) techniques. Performed analyses confirmed that the developed method leads to the formation of conjugates in which bioactive compounds are covalently bonded to biopolymer chains. The amount of covalently bonded bioactive compounds in the resulting conjugates depends on the type of biopolymers applied in synthesis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodegradable and Bio-Based Polymers)

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9 pages, 2824 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An NMR Spectroscopic Investigation of Aluminosilicate Gel in Alkali-Activated Fly Ash in a CO₂-Rich Environment

by Sol-Moi Park¹

, Jeong-Gook Jang¹

, Seen-Ae Chae² and Haeng-Ki Lee^1,*

¹ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea

² Western Seoul Center, Korea Basic Science Institute, University-Industry Cooperation Building, 150 Bugahyeon-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 03759, Korea

Materials 2016, 9(5), 308; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050308 - 26 Apr 2016

Cited by 40 | Viewed by 6525

Abstract

The present study investigated aluminosilicate gel in alkali-activated fly ash exposed to a CO₂-rich environment by means of NMR spectroscopy. The alkali-activated fly ash was exposed to an atmospheric CO₂ concentration of 10% after curing at 80 °C initially for [...] Read more.

The present study investigated aluminosilicate gel in alkali-activated fly ash exposed to a CO₂-rich environment by means of NMR spectroscopy. The alkali-activated fly ash was exposed to an atmospheric CO₂ concentration of 10% after curing at 80 °C initially for 24 h. Under high concentrations of CO₂, highly reactive components Na and Al, which completely reacted within the first few hours, were unaffected by carbonation, while Si, with relatively slower reactivity, behaved differently. Despite a lower degree of the reaction in the carbonated sample, the monomeric silicates rapidly became of higher polymerization, meaning that exposure to high concentrations of CO₂ caused Si to form a binding gel phase. Consequently, the carbonated sample possessed a higher amount of binding gel. The obtained results may be useful to understand the fundamental chemistry and behavior of aluminosilicate gel under high concentrations of CO₂. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Geopolymers and Alkali-Activated Materials)

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12 pages, 6973 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Phase-Shifting Method for Improving the Heating Uniformity of Microwave Processing Materials

by Yinhong Liao¹, Junqing Lan², Chun Zhang¹, Tao Hong¹, Yang Yang¹, Kama Huang¹ and Huacheng Zhu^1,*

¹ College of Electronic and Information Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China

² College of Electronic Engineering, Chengdu University of Information Technology, Chengdu 610065, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 309; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050309 - 25 Apr 2016

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 6602

Abstract

Microwave processing of materials has been found to deliver enormous advantages over conventional processing methods in terms of mechanical and physical properties of the materials. However, the non-uniform temperature distribution is the key problem of microwave processing, which is related to the structure [...] Read more.

Microwave processing of materials has been found to deliver enormous advantages over conventional processing methods in terms of mechanical and physical properties of the materials. However, the non-uniform temperature distribution is the key problem of microwave processing, which is related to the structure of the cavity, and the placement and physical parameters of the material. In this paper, a new microwave cavity structure with a sliding short based on phase-shifting heating is creatively proposed to improve the temperature uniformity. An electronic mathematical model based on the Finite Element Method (FEM) is built to predict the temperature distribution. Meanwhile, a new computational approach based on the theory of transformation optics is first provided to solve the problem of the moving boundary in the model simulation. At first, the experiment is carried out to validate the model, and heating results from the experiment show good agreement with the model’s prediction. Based on the verified model, materials selected among a wide range of dielectric constants are treated by stationary heating and phase-shifting heating. The coefficient of variation (COV) of the temperature and temperature difference has been compared in detail between stationary heating and phase-shifting heating. A significant improvement in heating uniformity can be seen from the temperature distribution for most of the materials. Furthermore, three other materials are also treated at high temperature and the heating uniformity is also improved. Briefly, the strategy of phase-shifting heating plays a significant role in solve the problem of non-uniform heating in microwave-based material processing. A 25%–58% increase in uniformity from adapting the phase-shifting method can be observed for the microwave-processed materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microwave Materials Processing)

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28 pages, 10038 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Neutron Radiography Based Visualization and Profiling of Water Uptake in (Un)cracked and Autonomously Healed Cementitious Materials

by Philip Van den Heede^1,2

, Bjorn Van Belleghem^1,2, Natalia Alderete^1,3, Kim Van Tittelboom¹ and Nele De Belie^1,*

¹ Magnel Laboratory for Concrete Research, Department of Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Ghent University, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde 904, Ghent B-9052, Belgium

² Strategic Initiative Materials (SIM vzw), project ISHECO within the program ‘SHE’, Technologiepark Zwijnaarde 935, Ghent B-9052, Belgium

³ LEMIT, Laboratory for Multidisciplinary Training in Technological Research, 52 entre 121 y 122 s/n, La Plata 1900, Argentina

Materials 2016, 9(5), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050311 - 26 Apr 2016

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 5489

Abstract

Given their low tensile strength, cement-based materials are very susceptible to cracking. These cracks serve as preferential pathways for corrosion inducing substances. For large concrete infrastructure works, currently available time-consuming manual repair techniques are not always an option. Often, one simply cannot reach [...] Read more.

Given their low tensile strength, cement-based materials are very susceptible to cracking. These cracks serve as preferential pathways for corrosion inducing substances. For large concrete infrastructure works, currently available time-consuming manual repair techniques are not always an option. Often, one simply cannot reach the damaged areas and when making those areas accessible anyway (e.g., by redirecting traffic), the economic impacts involved would be enormous. Under those circumstances, it might be useful to have concrete with an embedded autonomous healing mechanism. In this paper, the effectiveness of incorporating encapsulated high and low viscosity polyurethane-based healing agents to ensure (multiple) crack healing has been investigated by means of capillary absorption tests on mortar while monitoring the time-dependent water ingress with neutron radiography. Overall visual interpretation and water front/sample cross-section area ratios as well as water profiles representing the area around the crack and their integrals do not show a preference for the high or low viscosity healing agent. Another observation is that in presence of two cracks, only one is properly healed, especially when using the latter healing agent. Exposure to water immediately after release of the healing agent stimulates the foaming reaction of the polyurethane and ensures a better crack closure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-based Materials)

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12 pages, 5123 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Utilization of Mineral Wools as Alkali-Activated Material Precursor

by Juho Yliniemi^*, Paivo Kinnunen, Pasi Karinkanta and Mirja Illikainen

Fiber and Particle Engineering Research Unit, University of Oulu, Oulu 90014, Finland

Materials 2016, 9(5), 312; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050312 - 26 Apr 2016

Cited by 64 | Viewed by 8080

Abstract

Mineral wools are the most common insulation materials in buildings worldwide. However, mineral wool waste is often considered unrecyclable because of its fibrous nature and low density. In this paper, rock wool (RW) and glass wool (GW) were studied as alkali-activated material precursors [...] Read more.

Mineral wools are the most common insulation materials in buildings worldwide. However, mineral wool waste is often considered unrecyclable because of its fibrous nature and low density. In this paper, rock wool (RW) and glass wool (GW) were studied as alkali-activated material precursors without any additional co-binders. Both mineral wools were pulverized by a vibratory disc mill in order to remove the fibrous nature of the material. The pulverized mineral wools were then alkali-activated with a sodium aluminate solution. Compressive strengths of up to 30.0 MPa and 48.7 MPa were measured for RW and GW, respectively, with high flexural strengths measured for both (20.1 MPa for RW and 13.2 MPa for GW). The resulting alkali-activated matrix was a composite-type in which partly-dissolved fibers were dispersed. In addition to the amorphous material, sodium aluminate silicate hydroxide hydrate and magnesium aluminum hydroxide carbonate phases were identified in the alkali-activated RW samples. The only crystalline phase in the GW samples was sodium aluminum silicate. The results of this study show that mineral wool is a very promising raw material for alkali activation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Geopolymers and Alkali-Activated Materials)

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15 pages, 4231 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Poly(lactide)-g-poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) with High Crystallization Capacity and Migration Resistance

by Xi Yang, Huan Xu, Karin Odelius and Minna Hakkarainen^*

Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden

Materials 2016, 9(5), 313; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050313 - 27 Apr 2016

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 7337

Abstract

Plasticized polylactide (PLA) with increased crystallization ability and prolonged life-span in practical applications due to the minimal plasticizer migration was prepared. Branched plasticized PLA was successfully obtained by coupling poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) to crotonic acid (CA) functionalized PLA. The plasticization behavior of PBSA [...] Read more.

Plasticized polylactide (PLA) with increased crystallization ability and prolonged life-span in practical applications due to the minimal plasticizer migration was prepared. Branched plasticized PLA was successfully obtained by coupling poly(butylene succinate-co-adipate) (PBSA) to crotonic acid (CA) functionalized PLA. The plasticization behavior of PBSA coupled PLA (PLA-CA-PBSA) and its counterpart PBSA blended PLA (PLA/PBSA) were fully elucidated. For both PLA-CA-PBSA and PLA/PBSA, a decrease of T_g to around room temperature and an increase in the elongation at break of PLA from 14% to 165% and 460%, respectively, were determined. The crystallinity was increased from 2.1% to 8.4% for PLA/PBSA and even more, to 10.6%, for PLA-CA-PBSA. Due to the inherent poor miscibility between the PBSA and PLA, phase separation occurred in the blend, while PLA-CA-PBSA showed no phase separation which, together with the higher crystallinity, led to better oxygen barrier properties compared to neat PLA and PLA/PBSA. A higher resistance to migration during hydrolytic degradation for the PLA-CA-PBSA compared to the PLA/PBSA indicated that the plasticization effect of PBSA in the coupled material would be retained for a longer time period. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodegradable and Bio-Based Polymers)

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11 pages, 4438 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Surface Modification on the Mechanical Properties of Flax/β-Polypropylene Composites

by Chang-Mou Wu^1,*

, Wen-You Lai¹ and Chen-Yu Wang²

¹ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei 10607, Taiwan

² Department of Fiber and Composite Materials, Feng-Chia University, Taichung 40724, Taiwan

Materials 2016, 9(5), 314; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050314 - 27 Apr 2016

Cited by 55 | Viewed by 7013

Abstract

The effects of surface treatment of flax fibers featuring vinyltrimethoxy silane (VTMO) and maleic anhydride-polypropylene (MAPP) on the mechanical properties of flax/PP composites were investigated. α-polypropylene (α-PP) and β-polypropylene (β-PP) were used as matrices for measuring the mechanical properties of the flax fiber/polypropylene [...] Read more.

The effects of surface treatment of flax fibers featuring vinyltrimethoxy silane (VTMO) and maleic anhydride-polypropylene (MAPP) on the mechanical properties of flax/PP composites were investigated. α-polypropylene (α-PP) and β-polypropylene (β-PP) were used as matrices for measuring the mechanical properties of the flax fiber/polypropylene (flax/PP) composites. Flax/PP composites composed of double-covered uncommingled yarn (DCUY) were prepared using a film-stacking technique. The influence of surface treatment on the tensile, flexural, impact, and water uptake properties of Flax/PP composites were investigated. MAPP treatment was suitable for flax/PP composites in terms of superior tensile and impact properties. VTMO treatment showed superior flexural properties and less influence on the impact properties after moisture absorption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio- and Natural-Fiber Composites)

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10 pages, 2498 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Schottky Barrier Height Tuning via the Dopant Segregation Technique through Low-Temperature Microwave Annealing

by Chaochao Fu¹, Xiangbiao Zhou¹, Yan Wang¹, Peng Xu¹, Ming Xu¹, Dongping Wu^1,*, Jun Luo²

, Chao Zhao² and Shi-Li Zhang³

¹ State Key Laboratory of ASIC and System, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China

² Key Laboratory of Microelectronic Devices and Integrated Technology, Institute of Microelectronics, Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100029, China

³ Solid-State Electronics, The Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 534, Uppsala 75121, Sweden

Materials 2016, 9(5), 315; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050315 - 27 Apr 2016

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 6819

Abstract

The Schottky junction source/drain structure has great potential to replace the traditional p/n junction source/drain structure of the future ultra-scaled metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), as it can form ultimately shallow junctions. However, the effective Schottky barrier height (SBH) of the Schottky junction [...] Read more.

The Schottky junction source/drain structure has great potential to replace the traditional p/n junction source/drain structure of the future ultra-scaled metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs), as it can form ultimately shallow junctions. However, the effective Schottky barrier height (SBH) of the Schottky junction needs to be tuned to be lower than 100 meV in order to obtain a high driving current. In this paper, microwave annealing is employed to modify the effective SBH of NiSi on Si via boron or arsenic dopant segregation. The barrier height decreased from 0.4–0.7 eV to 0.2–0.1 eV for both conduction polarities by annealing below 400 °C. Compared with the required temperature in traditional rapid thermal annealing, the temperature demanded in microwave annealing is ~60 °C lower, and the mechanisms of this observation are briefly discussed. Microwave annealing is hence of high interest to future semiconductor processing owing to its unique capability of forming the metal/semiconductor contact at a remarkably lower temperature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microwave Materials Processing)

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19 pages, 816 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Winemaking on the Composition of Red Wine as a Source of Polyphenols for Anti-Infective Biomaterials

by Arianna Di Lorenzo¹, Nora Bloise²

, Silvia Meneghini¹, Antoni Sureda³

, Gian Carlo Tenore⁴, Livia Visai^2,5

, Carla Renata Arciola^6,7,*

and Maria Daglia^1,*

¹ Department of Drug Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology Section, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli 12, Pavia 27100, Italy

² Molecular Medicine Department, Center for Health Technologies (CHT), UdR INSTM, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 3/b, Pavia 27100, Italy

³ Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress and CIBEROBN (Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition), University of Balearic Islands, Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands E-07122, Spain

⁴ Department of Pharmaceutical and Toxicology Chemistry, University of Napoli Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, Napoli 80131, Italy

⁵ Department of Occupational Medicine, Toxicology and Environmental Risks, S. Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Via S. Boezio 28, Pavia 27100, Italy

⁶ Research Unit on Implant Infections, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, via di Barbiano 1/10, Bologna 40136, Italy

⁷ Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, via San Giacomo 14, Bologna 40126, Italy

Materials 2016, 9(5), 316; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050316 - 27 Apr 2016

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 9970

Abstract

Biomaterials releasing bactericides have currently become tools for thwarting medical device-associated infections. The ideal anti-infective biomaterial must counteract infection while safeguarding eukaryotic cell integrity. Red wine is a widely consumed beverage to which many biological properties are ascribed, including protective effects against oral [...] Read more.

Biomaterials releasing bactericides have currently become tools for thwarting medical device-associated infections. The ideal anti-infective biomaterial must counteract infection while safeguarding eukaryotic cell integrity. Red wine is a widely consumed beverage to which many biological properties are ascribed, including protective effects against oral infections and related bone (osteoarthritis, osteomyelitis, periprosthetic joint infections) and cardiovascular diseases. In this study, fifteen red wine samples derived from grapes native to the Oltrepò Pavese region (Italy), obtained from the winemaking processes of “Bonarda dell’Oltrepò Pavese” red wine, were analyzed alongside three samples obtained from marc pressing. Total polyphenol and monomeric anthocyanin contents were determined and metabolite profiling was conducted by means of a chromatographic analysis. Antibacterial activity of wine samples was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans, responsible for dental caries, Streptococcus salivarius, and Streptococcus pyogenes, two oral bacterial pathogens. Results highlighted the winemaking stages in which samples exhibit the highest content of polyphenols and the greatest antibacterial activity. Considering the global need for new weapons against bacterial infections and alternatives to conventional antibiotics, as well as the favorable bioactivities of polyphenols, results point to red wine as a source of antibacterial substances for developing new anti-infective biomaterials and coatings for biomedical devices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-Infective Materials in Medicine and Technology)

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18 pages, 15943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical and Physical Properties of Hydrophobized Lightweight Aggregate Concrete with Sewage Sludge

by Zbigniew Suchorab^1,*, Danuta Barnat-Hunek²

, Małgorzata Franus² and Grzegorz Łagód¹

¹ Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Lublin University of Technology, 40B Nadbystrzycka Str., 20-618 Lublin, Poland

² Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Lublin University of Technology, 40 Nadbystrzycka Str., 20-618 Lublin, Poland

Materials 2016, 9(5), 317; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050317 - 27 Apr 2016

Cited by 57 | Viewed by 8740

Abstract

This article is focused on lightweight aggregate-concrete modified by municipal sewage sludge and lightweight aggregate-concrete obtained from light aggregates. The article presents laboratory examinations of material physical parameters. Water absorptivity of the examined material was decreased by the admixture of water emulsion of [...] Read more.

This article is focused on lightweight aggregate-concrete modified by municipal sewage sludge and lightweight aggregate-concrete obtained from light aggregates. The article presents laboratory examinations of material physical parameters. Water absorptivity of the examined material was decreased by the admixture of water emulsion of reactive polysiloxanes. Water transport properties were determined using Time Domain Reflectometry, an indirect technique for moisture detection in porous media. Together with basic physical parameters, the heat conductivity coefficient λ was determined for both types of lightweight aggregate-concrete. Analysis of moisture and heat properties of the examined materials confirmed the usefulness of light aggregates supplemented with sewage sludge for prospective production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Porous Materials)

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12 pages, 2608 KiB

Open AccessArticle

SEM, EDS and XPS Analysis of the Coatings Obtained on Titanium after Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation in Electrolytes Containing Copper Nitrate

by Krzysztof Rokosz¹

, Tadeusz Hryniewicz^1,*, Dalibor Matýsek², Steinar Raaen³, Jan Valíček^4,5,6, Łukasz Dudek¹ and Marta Harničárová⁴

¹ Division of Surface Electrochemistry & Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Koszalin University of Technology, Racławicka 15-17, PL 75-620 Koszalin, Poland

² Institute of Geological Engineering, Faculty of Mining and Geology, ŠB—Technical University of Ostrava, 708 33 Ostrava, Czech Republic

³ Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Realfagbygget E3-124 Høgskoleringen 5, NO 7491 Trondheim, Norway

⁴ Institute of Physics, Faculty of Mining and Geology, VŠB—Technical University of Ostrava, 708 33 Ostrava, Czech Republic

⁵ Institute of Clean Technologies for Mining and Utilization of Raw Materials for Energy Use, Faculty of Mining and Geology, VŠB—Technical University of Ostrava, 708 33 Ostrava, Czech Republic

⁶ Regional Materials Science and Technology Centre, Faculty of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering, VŠB—Technical University of Ostrava, 708 33 Ostrava, Czech Republic

Materials 2016, 9(5), 318; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050318 - 27 Apr 2016

Cited by 67 | Viewed by 21023

Abstract

In the paper, the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) results of the surface layer formed on pure titanium after plasma electrolytic oxidation (micro arc oxidation) at the voltage of 450 V are shown. [...] Read more.

In the paper, the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) results of the surface layer formed on pure titanium after plasma electrolytic oxidation (micro arc oxidation) at the voltage of 450 V are shown. As an electrolyte, the mixture of copper nitrate Cu(NO₃)₂ (10–600 g/L) in concentrated phosphoric acid H₃PO₄ (98 g/mol) was used. The thickness of the obtained porous surface layer equals about 10 μm, and it consists mainly of titanium phosphates and oxygen with embedded copper ions as a bactericidal agent. The maximum percent of copper in the PEO surface layer was equal to 12.2 ± 0.7 wt % (7.6 ± 0.5 at %), which is the best result that the authors obtained. The top surface layer of all obtained plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings consisted most likely mainly of Ti₃(PO₄)₄∙nH₃PO₄ and Cu₃(PO₄)₂∙nH₃PO₄ with a small addition of CuP₂, CuO and Cu₂O. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biomaterials)

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14 pages, 5427 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Structural Interpretation of the Large Slowdown of Water Dynamics at Stacked Phospholipid Membranes for Decreasing Hydration Level: All-Atom Molecular Dynamics

by Carles Calero^1,2,3,*, H. Eugene Stanley³ and Giancarlo Franzese^1,2,*

¹ Secció de Física Estadística i Interdisciplinària—Departament de Física de la Matèria Condensada, Facultat de Física, Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, Barcelona 08028, Spain

² Institut de Nanociència i Nanotecnologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII S/N, Barcelona 08028, Spain

³ Center for Polymer Studies and Department of Physics, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA

Materials 2016, 9(5), 319; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050319 - 27 Apr 2016

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 6585

Abstract

Hydration water determines the stability and function of phospholipid membranes as well as the interaction of membranes with other molecules. Experiments and simulations have shown that water dynamics slows down dramatically as the hydration decreases, suggesting that the interfacial water that dominates the [...] Read more.

Hydration water determines the stability and function of phospholipid membranes as well as the interaction of membranes with other molecules. Experiments and simulations have shown that water dynamics slows down dramatically as the hydration decreases, suggesting that the interfacial water that dominates the average dynamics at low hydration is slower than water away from the membrane. Here, based on all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we provide an interpretation of the slowdown of interfacial water in terms of the structure and dynamics of water–water and water–lipid hydrogen bonds (HBs). We calculate the rotational and translational slowdown of the dynamics of water confined in stacked phospholipid membranes at different levels of hydration, from completely hydrated to poorly hydrated membranes. For all hydrations, we analyze the distribution of HBs and find that water–lipids HBs last longer than water–water HBs and that at low hydration most of the water is in the interior of the membrane. We also show that water–water HBs become more persistent as the hydration is lowered. We attribute this effect (i) to HBs between water molecules that form, in turn, persistent HBs with lipids; (ii) to the hindering of the H-bonding switching between water molecules due to the lower water density at the interface; and (iii) to the higher probability of water–lipid HBs as the hydration decreases. Our interpretation of the large dynamic slowdown in water under dehydration is potentially relevant in understanding membrane biophysics at different hydration levels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Forces and Thin Liquid Films)

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9 pages, 3007 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Spark-Plasma Sintering (SPS) on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of BaTiO₃/3Y-TZP Composites

by Jing Li¹, Bencang Cui¹, Huining Wang², Yuanhua Lin^1,*, Xuliang Deng³, Ming Li¹ and Cewen Nan¹

¹ State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

² Department of Periodontics, Hospital of Stomatology Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325027, China

³ Department of Geriatric Dentistry, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Peking University, Beijing 100081, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 320; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050320 - 28 Apr 2016

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6402

Abstract

Composite ceramics BaTiO₃/3Y-TZP containing 0 mol %, 3 mol %, 5 mol %, 7 mol %, and 10 mol % BaTiO₃ have been prepared by conventional sintering and spark-plasma sintering (SPS), respectively. Analysis of the XRD patterns and Raman spectra [...] Read more.

Composite ceramics BaTiO₃/3Y-TZP containing 0 mol %, 3 mol %, 5 mol %, 7 mol %, and 10 mol % BaTiO₃ have been prepared by conventional sintering and spark-plasma sintering (SPS), respectively. Analysis of the XRD patterns and Raman spectra reveal that the phase composition of t-ZrO₂, m-ZrO₂, and BaTiO₃ has been obtained. Our results indicate that SPS can be effective for the decrease in grain size and porosity compared with conventional sintering, which results in a lower concentration of m-ZrO₂ and residual stress. Therefore, the fracture toughness is enhanced by the BaTiO₃ phase through the SPS technique, while the behavior was impaired by the piezoelectric second phase through conventional sintering. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Spark-Plasma Sintering and Related Field-Assisted Powder Consolidation Technologies)

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13 pages, 1671 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transient Biocompatible Polymeric Platforms for Long-Term Controlled Release of Therapeutic Proteins and Vaccines

by Handan Acar^1,†, Saikat Banerjee^2,3,†, Heliang Shi^2,3, Reihaneh Jamshidi^1,3, Nastaran Hashemi^1,3,4

, Michael W. Cho^2,3 and Reza Montazami^1,3,4,*

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

² Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

³ Center of Advanced Host Defenses Immunobiotics and Translational Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA

⁴ Ames Laboratory, Department of Energy, Ames, IA 50011, USA

^† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Materials 2016, 9(5), 321; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050321 - 28 Apr 2016

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6195

Abstract

Polymer-based interpenetrating networks (IPNs) with controllable and programmable degradation and release kinetics enable unique opportunities for physisorption and controlled release of therapeutic proteins or vaccines while their chemical and structural integrities are conserved. This paper presents materials, a simple preparation method, and release [...] Read more.

Polymer-based interpenetrating networks (IPNs) with controllable and programmable degradation and release kinetics enable unique opportunities for physisorption and controlled release of therapeutic proteins or vaccines while their chemical and structural integrities are conserved. This paper presents materials, a simple preparation method, and release kinetics of a series of long-term programmable, biocompatible, and biodegradable polymer-based IPN controlled release platforms. Release kinetics of the gp41 protein was controlled over a 30-day period via tuning and altering the chemical structure of the IPN platforms. Post-release analysis confirmed structural conservation of the gp41 protein throughout the process. Cell viability assay confirmed biocompatibility and non-cytotoxicity of the IPNs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biomaterials)

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12 pages, 2220 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Revising the Subsystem Nurse’s A-Phase-Silicocarnotite within the System Ca₃(PO₄)₂–Ca₂SiO₄

by Patricia Ros-Tárraga¹, Patricia Mazón²

, Luis Meseguer-Olmo³

and Piedad N. De Aza^1,*

¹ Instituto de Bioingenieria, Universidad Miguel Hernandez, Avda. Ferrocarril s/n. Elche, Alicante 03202, Spain

² Departamento de Materiales, Óptica y Tecnologia Electrónica, Universidad Miguel Hernández, Avda. Universidad s/n, Elche (Alicante) 03202, Spain

³ Service of Orthopaedic at Arrixaca University Hospital, UCAM-Catholic University of Murcia, Murcia 30120, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 322; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050322 - 28 Apr 2016

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5259

Abstract

The subsystem Nurse’s A-phase-silicocarnotite within the system Ca₃(PO₄)₂–Ca₂SiO₄ was conducted as a preliminary step toward obtaining new biomaterials with controlled microstructures. Phase composition of the resulting ceramics was studied by X-ray diffraction, differential thermal [...] Read more.

The subsystem Nurse’s A-phase-silicocarnotite within the system Ca₃(PO₄)₂–Ca₂SiO₄ was conducted as a preliminary step toward obtaining new biomaterials with controlled microstructures. Phase composition of the resulting ceramics was studied by X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, and scanning electron microscopy with attached wavelength dispersive spectroscopy. The results showed that the sub-system presents an invariant eutectoid point at 1366 ± 4 °C with a composition of 59.5 wt % Ca₃(PO₄)₂ and 40.5 wt % Ca₂SiO₄, and typical eutectoid microstructure of lamellae morphology. These results are in disagreement with the previous reported data, which locate the invariant eutectoid point at 1250 ± 20 °C with a composition of 55 wt % Ca₃(PO₄)₂ and 45 wt % Ca₂SiO₄. In addition, cell attachment testing showed that the new eutectoid material supported the mesenchymal stem cell adhesion and spreading, and the cells established close contact with the ceramic after 28 days of culture. These findings indicate that the new ceramic material with eutectoid microstructure of lamellae morphology possesses good bioactivity and biocompatibility and might be a promising bone implant material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biomaterials)

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15 pages, 7740 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Testing Silica Fume-Based Concrete Composites under Chemical and Microbiological Sulfate Attacks

by Adriana Estokova^1,*

, Martina Kovalcikova¹, Alena Luptakova² and Maria Prascakova²

¹ Institute of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Technical University of Kosice, Kosice 04200, Slovak Republic

² Institute of Geotechnics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Kosice 04001, Slovak Republic

Materials 2016, 9(5), 324; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050324 - 29 Apr 2016

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5649

Abstract

Current design practices based on descriptive approaches to concrete specification may not be appropriate for the management of aggressive environments. In this study, the durability of cement-based materials with and without the addition of silica fume, subjected to conditions that leach calcium and [...] Read more.

Current design practices based on descriptive approaches to concrete specification may not be appropriate for the management of aggressive environments. In this study, the durability of cement-based materials with and without the addition of silica fume, subjected to conditions that leach calcium and silicon, were investigated. Chemical corrosion was simulated by employing various H₂SO₄ and MgSO₄ solutions, and biological corrosion was simulated using Acidithiobacillus sp. bacterial inoculation, leading to disrupted and damaged surfaces; the samples’ mass changes were studied following both chemical and biological attacks. Different leaching trends were observed via X-ray fluorescence when comparing chemical with biological leaching. Lower leaching rates were found for concrete samples fortified with silica fume than those without silica fume. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy confirmed a massive sulfate precipitate formation on the concrete surface due to bacterial exposure. Full article

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15 pages, 2757 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Rapid Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Pepino (Solanum muricatum) Leaf Extract and Their Cytotoxicity on HeLa Cells

by Mónica Gorbe^1,2,†, Ravishankar Bhat^3,4,†

, Elena Aznar^1,2, Félix Sancenón^1,2,5, M. Dolores Marcos^1,2,5, F. Javier Herraiz⁶, Jaime Prohens⁶

, Abbaraju Venkataraman³

and Ramón Martínez-Máñez^1,2,5,*

¹ Instituto Interuniversitario de Investigación de Reconocimiento Molecular y Desarrollo Tecnológico (IDM), Unidad Mixta Universitat Politècnica de València-Universitat de València, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain

² CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Valencia 46022, Spain

³ Materials Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Gulbarga University, Gulbarga, Karnataka 585106, India

⁴ Biological Research Innovation Centre and Solutions LLP, Bengaluru, Karnataka 56004, India

⁵ Departamento de Química, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain

⁶ Instituto de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera 14, Valencia 46022, Spain

^† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Materials 2016, 9(5), 325; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050325 - 28 Apr 2016

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6826

Abstract

Within nanotechnology, gold and silver nanostructures have unique physical, chemical, and electronic properties [1,2], which make them suitable for a number of applications. Moreover, biosynthetic methods are considered to be a safer alternative to conventional physicochemical procedures for both [...] Read more.

Within nanotechnology, gold and silver nanostructures have unique physical, chemical, and electronic properties [1,2], which make them suitable for a number of applications. Moreover, biosynthetic methods are considered to be a safer alternative to conventional physicochemical procedures for both the environmental and biomedical applications, due to their eco-friendly nature and the avoidance of toxic chemicals in the synthesis. For this reason, employing bio routes in the synthesis of functionalized silver nanoparticles (FAgNP) have gained importance recently in this field. In the present study, we report the rapid synthesis of FAgNP through the extract of pepino (Solanum muricatum) leaves and employing microwave oven irradiation. The core-shell globular morphology and characterization of the different shaped and sized FAgNP, with a core of 20–50 nm of diameter is established using the UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Zeta potential and dynamic light scanning (DLS) studies. Moreover, cytotoxic studies employing HeLa (human cervix carcinoma) cells were undertaken to understand FAgNP interactions with cells. HeLa cells showed significant dose dependent antiproliferative activity in the presence of FAgNP at relatively low concentrations. The calculated IC₅₀ value was 37.5 µg/mL, similar to others obtained for FAgNPs against HeLa cells. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Materials and Nanomaterials for Environmental and Bio-Medical Applications)

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12 pages, 7048 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Facile Synthesis of CeO₂-LaFeO₃ Perovskite Composite and Its Application for 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-Pyridyl)-1-Butanone (NNK) Degradation

by Kaixuan Wang¹, Helin Niu^1,*, Jingshuai Chen¹, Jiming Song¹, Changjie Mao¹, Shengyi Zhang¹, Saijing Zheng², Baizhan Liu² and Changle Chen^3,*

¹ Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environment-Friendly Polymer Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601, China

² Key Laboratory of Cigarette Smoke Research of China National Tobacco Corporation, Shanghai 200082, China

³ CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050326 - 29 Apr 2016

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 6893

Abstract

A facile and environmentally friendly surface-ion adsorption method using CeCO₃OH@C as template was demonstrated to synthesize CeO₂-LaFeO₃ perovskite composite material. The obtained composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy [...] Read more.

A facile and environmentally friendly surface-ion adsorption method using CeCO₃OH@C as template was demonstrated to synthesize CeO₂-LaFeO₃ perovskite composite material. The obtained composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermo-gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), N₂ adsorption/desorption isotherms and X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) measurements. The catalytic degradation of nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) was tested to evaluate catalytic activity of the CeO₂-LaFeO₃ composite. Much better activity was observed for the CeO₂-LaFeO₃ composite comparing with CeO₂ and LaFeO₃. These results suggested that perovskite composite materials are a promising candidate for the degradation of tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs). Full article

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6 pages, 1595 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stability and Hydrocarbon/Fluorocarbon Sorption of a Metal-Organic Framework with Fluorinated Channels

by Jijiang Xie^1,2, Fuxing Sun^1,3,*, Chunrui Wang^1,2 and Qikun Pan^1,2

¹ State Key Laboratory of Laser Interaction with Matter, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Changchun 130033, China

² Innovation Laboratory of Electro-Optical Countermeasures Technology, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Changchun 130033, China

³ State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050327 - 29 Apr 2016

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5601

Abstract

The stabilities and hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon sorption properties of a zeolite-like metal-organic framework (MOF) Zn(hfipbb) with fluorinated channels has been studied. By the combination of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) measurements, we confirm that Zn(hfipbb) has exceptionally high hydrothermal and thermal stabilities. [...] Read more.

The stabilities and hydrocarbon/fluorocarbon sorption properties of a zeolite-like metal-organic framework (MOF) Zn(hfipbb) with fluorinated channels has been studied. By the combination of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) measurements, we confirm that Zn(hfipbb) has exceptionally high hydrothermal and thermal stabilities. The adsorption behaviors of water and methanol by Zn(hfipbb) indicate that it is highly hydrophobic but with high adsorption of alcohols. Hexane and perfluorohexane adsorption measurements show that the fluorinated channels in Zn(hfipbb) have high affinity with hydrocarbon and fluorocarbon. The high fluorophilic nature of the channels and the high stability of the compound suggest its potential utility in practical separation applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Synthetic Organic–Inorganic Composite Materials)

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17 pages, 14722 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Storage in Distilled Water for Three Months on the Antimicrobial Properties of Poly(methyl methacrylate) Denture Base Material Doped with Inorganic Filler

by Grzegorz Chladek^1,*

, Katarzyna Basa¹, Anna Mertas²

, Wojciech Pakieła¹, Jarosław Żmudzki¹, Elżbieta Bobela² and Wojciech Król²

¹ Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Engineering Materials and Biomaterials, Silesian University of Technology, ul. Konarskiego 18a, Gliwice 44-100, Poland

² Chair and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine with the Division of Dentistry in Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Jordana 19, Zabrze 41-808, Poland

Materials 2016, 9(5), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050328 - 29 Apr 2016

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 6714

Abstract

The colonization of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) denture base materials by pathogenic microorganisms is a major problem associated with the use of prostheses, and the incorporation of antimicrobial fillers is a method of improving the antimicrobial properties of these materials. Numerous studies have demonstrated [...] Read more.

The colonization of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) denture base materials by pathogenic microorganisms is a major problem associated with the use of prostheses, and the incorporation of antimicrobial fillers is a method of improving the antimicrobial properties of these materials. Numerous studies have demonstrated the initial in vitro antimicrobial effectiveness of this type of material; however, reports demonstrating the stability of these fillers over longer periods are not available. In this study, silver sodium hydrogen zirconium phosphate was introduced into the powder component of a PMMA denture base material at concentrations of 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 4%, and 8% (w/w). The survival rates of the gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and yeast-type fungus Candida albicans were established after fungal or bacterial suspensions were incubated with samples that had been previously stored in distilled water. Storage over a three-month period led to the progressive reduction of the initial antimicrobial properties. The results of this study suggest that additional microbiological tests should be conducted for materials that are treated with antimicrobial fillers and intended for long-term use. Future long-term studies of the migration of silver ions from the polymer matrix and the influence of different media on this ion emission are required. Full article

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11 pages, 2518 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Synthesis of AgInS₂-xAg₂S-yZnS-zIn₆S₇ (x, y, z = 0, or 1) Nanocomposites with Composition-Dependent Activity towards Solar Hydrogen Evolution

by Zhaojie Wang¹, Shutao Wang¹, Junxue Liu¹, Wen Jiang², Yan Zhou¹, Changhua An^1,2,* and Jun Zhang^2,*

¹ College of Science, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China

² State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 329; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050329 - 29 Apr 2016

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5235

Abstract

Metal sulfides-based nanomaterials have been used as a class of efficient solar driven photocatalysts. However, the H₂-production rate observed over these photocatalysts remains problematic. Here, the AgInS₂-xAg₂S-yZnS-zIn₆S₇ ( [...] Read more.

Metal sulfides-based nanomaterials have been used as a class of efficient solar driven photocatalysts. However, the H₂-production rate observed over these photocatalysts remains problematic. Here, the AgInS₂-xAg₂S-yZnS-zIn₆S₇ (x, y, z = 0 or 1) nanocomposites with controlled compositions have been successfully prepared by a simple hydrothermal method with AgI polyhedrons as silver source. The obtained AgInS₂-xAg₂S-yZnS-zIn₆S₇ nanocomposites showed a composition-dependent activity for H₂ evolution from aqueous solution under simulated sun-light irradiation. The results showed that the optimized product of AgInS₂-Ag₂S-ZnS nanoparticles synthesized with the precursor ratio of Ag:Zn = 1:1 exhibited the highest H₂ evolution rate of 5.4 mmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹. Furthermore, the catalyst can be used for 20 h without loss of activity, showing its high stability. It opens a new path to achieve highly efficient solar photocatalyst for H₂ evolution from water splitting. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Composites)

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16 pages, 2793 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lime as an Anti-Plasticizer for Self-Compacting Clay Concrete

by Gnanli Landrou¹, Coralie Brumaud^1,*, Frank Winnefeld², Robert J. Flatt³

and Guillaume Habert¹

¹ Institute of Construction and Infrastructure Management, Chair of Sustainable Construction, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Stefano-Franscini-Platz 5, Zürich 8093, Switzerland

² Laboratory for Concrete/Construction Chemistry, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, Dübendorf 8600, Switzerland

³ Institute for Building Materials, Physical Chemistry of Building Materials, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), Stefano-Franscini-Platz 3, Zürich 8093, Switzerland

Materials 2016, 9(5), 330; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050330 - 29 Apr 2016

Cited by 58 | Viewed by 9658

Abstract

This paper focuses on the modification of clay properties with inorganic additives to deflocculate and flocculate inorganic soil for the development of a material that would be as easy to use as the current concrete products, but with a much lower environmental impact. [...] Read more.

This paper focuses on the modification of clay properties with inorganic additives to deflocculate and flocculate inorganic soil for the development of a material that would be as easy to use as the current concrete products, but with a much lower environmental impact. Considering that the rheological behaviour of clays is controlled by their surface charge, we first introduce potential determining ions to deflocculate the clay particles and to reduce the yield stress of the earth material. Their efficiency is characterized using zeta potential measurements and rheological tests. We then achieve the flocculation of clay particles by using natural minerals that slowly dissolve in the interstitial liquid and ultimately precipitate calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H). The precipitation products are identified by X-ray diffraction and the consequences of this delayed precipitation are followed by oscillatory rheometric measurements. Finally, it is suggested that in this process, C–S–H precipitation is not used as a binding vector but as an anti-plasticizer that removes the inorganic dispersant additives. Full article

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14 pages, 3182 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Cu-Free Ti-Based Composites with Residual Amorphous Matrix

by Mircea Nicoara¹, Cosmin Locovei¹, Viorel Aurel Șerban¹, R. Parthiban², Mariana Calin² and Mihai Stoica^1,2,*

¹ Materials and Manufacturing Engineering Department, Politehnica University Timisoara, P-ta Victoriei 2, Timisoara RO-300006, Romania

² Institute for Complex Materials, IFW Dresden, Helmholtzstr. 20, Dresden D-01069, Germany

Materials 2016, 9(5), 331; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050331 - 30 Apr 2016

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5103

Abstract

Titanium-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are considered to have potential for biomedical applications because they combine favorable mechanical properties and good biocompatibility. Copper represents the most common alloying element, which provides high amorphization capacity, but reports emphasizing cytotoxic effects of this element have [...] Read more.

Titanium-based bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) are considered to have potential for biomedical applications because they combine favorable mechanical properties and good biocompatibility. Copper represents the most common alloying element, which provides high amorphization capacity, but reports emphasizing cytotoxic effects of this element have risen concerns about possible effects on human health. A new copper-free alloy with atomic composition Ti₄₂Zr₁₀Pd₁₄Ag₂₆Sn₈, in which Cu is completely replaced by Ag, was formulated based on Morinaga’s d-electron alloy design theory. Following this theory, the actual amount of alloying elements, which defines the values of covalent bond strength Bo and d-orbital energy Md, situates the newly designed alloy inside the BMG domain. By mean of centrifugal casting, cylindrical rods with diameters between 2 and 5 mm were fabricated from this new alloy. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-rays diffraction (XRD), as well as microstructural analyses using optical and scanning electron microscopy (OM/SEM) revealed an interesting structure characterized by liquid phase-separated formation of crystalline Ag, as well as metastable intermetallic phases embedded in residual amorphous phases. Full article

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10 pages, 2438 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Mechanical and Electronic Properties of Carbon-Rich Silicon Carbide

by Qingyang Fan^1,*, Changchun Chai¹, Qun Wei²

and Yintang Yang¹

¹ Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Wide Band-Gap Semiconductor Materials and Devices, School of Microelectronics, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China

² School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Xidian University, Xi’an 710071, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050333 - 30 Apr 2016

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 7217

Abstract

A systematic investigation of structural, mechanical, anisotropic, and electronic properties of SiC₂ and SiC₄ at ambient pressure using the density functional theory with generalized gradient approximation is reported in this work. Mechanical properties, i.e., the elastic constants and elastic modulus, [...] Read more.

A systematic investigation of structural, mechanical, anisotropic, and electronic properties of SiC₂ and SiC₄ at ambient pressure using the density functional theory with generalized gradient approximation is reported in this work. Mechanical properties, i.e., the elastic constants and elastic modulus, have been successfully obtained. The anisotropy calculations show that SiC₂ and SiC₄ are both anisotropic materials. The features in the electronic band structures of SiC₂ and SiC₄ are analyzed in detail. The biggest difference between SiC₂ and SiC₄ lies in the universal elastic anisotropy index and band gap. SiC₂ has a small universal elastic anisotropy index value of 0.07, while SiC₂ has a much larger universal elastic anisotropy index value of 0.21, indicating its considerable anisotropy compared with SiC₂. Electronic structures of SiC₂ and SiC₄ are calculated by using hybrid functional HSE06. The calculated results show that SiC₂ is an indirect band gap semiconductor, while SiC₄ is a quasi-direct band gap semiconductor. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Multiscale Modeling and Simulation in Materials Science)

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13 pages, 4468 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Discrete Element Method Modeling of the Rheological Properties of Coke/Pitch Mixtures

by Behzad Majidi^1,2, Seyed Mohammad Taghavi², Mario Fafard², Donald P. Ziegler³ and Houshang Alamdari^1,2,*

¹ Department of Mining, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Laval University, Quebec, QC G1V0A6, Canada

² NSERC/Alcoa Industrial Research Chair MACE and Aluminum Research Center, Laval University, Quebec, QC G1V0A6, Canada

³ Alcoa Primary Metals, Alcoa Technical Center, 100 Technical Drive, Alcoa Center, New Kensington, PA 15069-0001, USA

Materials 2016, 9(5), 334; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050334 - 4 May 2016

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 7049

Abstract

Rheological properties of pitch and pitch/coke mixtures at temperatures around 150 °C are of great interest for the carbon anode manufacturing process in the aluminum industry. In the present work, a cohesive viscoelastic contact model based on Burger’s model is developed using the [...] Read more.

Rheological properties of pitch and pitch/coke mixtures at temperatures around 150 °C are of great interest for the carbon anode manufacturing process in the aluminum industry. In the present work, a cohesive viscoelastic contact model based on Burger’s model is developed using the discrete element method (DEM) on the YADE, the open-source DEM software. A dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) is used to measure the viscoelastic properties of pitch at 150 °C. The experimental data obtained is then used to estimate the Burger’s model parameters and calibrate the DEM model. The DSR tests were then simulated by a three-dimensional model. Very good agreement was observed between the experimental data and simulation results. Coke aggregates were modeled by overlapping spheres in the DEM model. Coke/pitch mixtures were numerically created by adding 5, 10, 20, and 30 percent of coke aggregates of the size range of 0.297–0.595 mm (−30 + 50 mesh) to pitch. Adding up to 30% of coke aggregates to pitch can increase its complex shear modulus at 60 Hz from 273 Pa to 1557 Pa. Results also showed that adding coke particles increases both storage and loss moduli, while it does not have a meaningful effect on the phase angle of pitch. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Multiscale Modeling and Simulation in Materials Science)

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21 pages, 5701 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

A Multiscale Computational Model Combining a Single Crystal Plasticity Constitutive Model with the Generalized Method of Cells (GMC) for Metallic Polycrystals

by Masoud Ghorbani Moghaddam¹, Ajit Achuthan^1,*, Brett A. Bednarcyk², Steven M. Arnold² and Evan J. Pineda²

¹ Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY 13699, USA

² NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH 44135, USA

Materials 2016, 9(5), 335; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050335 - 4 May 2016

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 6208

Abstract

A multiscale computational model is developed for determining the elasto-plastic behavior of polycrystal metals by employing a single crystal plasticity constitutive model that can capture the microstructural scale stress field on a finite element analysis (FEA) framework. The generalized method of cells (GMC) [...] Read more.

A multiscale computational model is developed for determining the elasto-plastic behavior of polycrystal metals by employing a single crystal plasticity constitutive model that can capture the microstructural scale stress field on a finite element analysis (FEA) framework. The generalized method of cells (GMC) micromechanics model is used for homogenizing the local field quantities. At first, the stand-alone GMC is applied for studying simple material microstructures such as a repeating unit cell (RUC) containing single grain or two grains under uniaxial loading conditions. For verification, the results obtained by the stand-alone GMC are compared to those from an analogous FEA model incorporating the same single crystal plasticity constitutive model. This verification is then extended to samples containing tens to hundreds of grains. The results demonstrate that the GMC homogenization combined with the crystal plasticity constitutive framework is a promising approach for failure analysis of structures as it allows for properly predicting the von Mises stress in the entire RUC, in an average sense, as well as in the local microstructural level, i.e., each individual grain. Two–three orders of saving in computational cost, at the expense of some accuracy in prediction, especially in the prediction of the components of local tensor field quantities and the quantities near the grain boundaries, was obtained with GMC. Finally, the capability of the developed multiscale model linking FEA and GMC to solve real-life-sized structures is demonstrated by successfully analyzing an engine disc component and determining the microstructural scale details of the field quantities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multiscale Methods and Application to Computational Materials Design)

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19 pages, 2166 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Parametric Analysis to Study the Influence of Aerogel-Based Renders’ Components on Thermal and Mechanical Performance

by Sofia Ximenes

, Ana Silva

, António Soares, Inês Flores-Colen^*

and Jorge De Brito

Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Lisbon 1049-001, Portugal

Materials 2016, 9(5), 336; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050336 - 4 May 2016

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4653

Abstract

Statistical models using multiple linear regression are some of the most widely used methods to study the influence of independent variables in a given phenomenon. This study’s objective is to understand the influence of the various components of aerogel-based renders on their thermal [...] Read more.

Statistical models using multiple linear regression are some of the most widely used methods to study the influence of independent variables in a given phenomenon. This study’s objective is to understand the influence of the various components of aerogel-based renders on their thermal and mechanical performance, namely cement (three types), fly ash, aerial lime, silica sand, expanded clay, type of aerogel, expanded cork granules, expanded perlite, air entrainers, resins (two types), and rheological agent. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences), based on 85 mortar mixes produced in the laboratory and on their values of thermal conductivity and compressive strength obtained using tests in small-scale samples. The results showed that aerial lime assumes the main role in improving the thermal conductivity of the mortars. Aerogel type, fly ash, expanded perlite and air entrainers are also relevant components for a good thermal conductivity. Expanded clay can improve the mechanical behavior and aerogel has the opposite effect. Full article

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11 pages, 10391 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biopolymer Green Lubricant for Sustainable Manufacturing

by Shih-Chen Shi^1,*

and Fu-I Lu^2,3

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University (NCKU), No. 1 University Road, Tainan 70101, Taiwan

² Institute of Biotechnology, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan

³ Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan

Materials 2016, 9(5), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050338 - 5 May 2016

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5841

Abstract

We report on the preparation of a biopolymer thin film by hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), which can be used as a dry green lubricant in sustainable manufacturing. The thin films were characterized through scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy; the films showed [...] Read more.

We report on the preparation of a biopolymer thin film by hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), which can be used as a dry green lubricant in sustainable manufacturing. The thin films were characterized through scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy; the films showed desirable levels of thickness, controllability, and uniformity. Tribology tests also showed desirable tribological and antiwear behaviors, caused by the formation of transfer layers. Zebrafish embryo toxicity studies showed that HPMC has excellent solubility and biocompatibility, which may show outstanding potential for applications as a green lubricant. The results of the present study show that these techniques for biopolymer HPMC provide an ecologically responsible and convenient method for preparing functional thin films, which is particularly applicable to sustainable manufacturing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodegradable and Bio-Based Polymers)

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14 pages, 7976 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Different Framework Designs on the Fracture Properties of Ceria-Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconia/Alumina-Based All-Ceramic Crowns

by Tomofumi Sawada^*

, Sebastian Spintzyk

, Christine Schille, Ernst Schweizer, Lutz Scheideler and Jürgen Geis-Gerstorfer

Section Medical Materials Science & Technology, University Hospital Tübingen, Osianderstrasse 2-8, Tübingen 72076, Germany

Materials 2016, 9(5), 339; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050339 - 5 May 2016

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6036

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fracture load and failure mode of all-ceramic crowns with different ceria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia/alumina nanocomposite (Ce-TZP/A) framework designs. Four frameworks (anatomical shape: AS, with a buccal or lingual supporting structure: BS and LS, or buccal [...] Read more.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fracture load and failure mode of all-ceramic crowns with different ceria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia/alumina nanocomposite (Ce-TZP/A) framework designs. Four frameworks (anatomical shape: AS, with a buccal or lingual supporting structure: BS and LS, or buccal and lingual supporting structures: BLS) were fabricated. All frameworks were veneered with porcelain to fabricate all-ceramic crowns followed by cementation to tooth analogs. The fracture load of each crown either without or with pre-loading (1.2 million cycles, 49 N) was measured. The failure mode was classified into partial or complete fracture. Differences were tested for significance (p < 0.05) by a two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), followed by Tukey’s test and by Fisher’s exact test, respectively. Without pre-loading, supporting structures did not influence the fracture load or failure mode. Partial fractures were the most common failure mode. Pre-loading promoted the severity of the failure mode, although the fracture load among the framework designs was not influenced. In the AS group, prefailures were observed during pre-loading, and complete fractures were significantly increased after pre-loading. In contrast, the failure mode of the BLS group remained unchanged, showing only partial fracture even after pre-loading. This Ce-TZP/A framework design, comprised of an anatomical shape with additional buccal and lingual structures, has the potential to reduce the chipping of the veneering porcelain. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biomaterials)

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15 pages, 4205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Specific Ion Effects in Cholesterol Monolayers

by Teresa Del Castillo-Santaella¹

, Julia Maldonado-Valderrama¹, Jordi Faraudo^2,*

and Alberto Martín-Molina^1,*

¹ Departamento de Física Aplicada, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva sn, Granada 18071, Spain

² Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona (ICMAB-CSIC), Campus de la UAB, Bellaterra 08193, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 340; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050340 - 5 May 2016

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4970

Abstract

The interaction of ions with interfaces and, in particular, the high specificity of these interactions to the particular ions considered, are central questions in the field of surface forces. Here we study the effect of different salts (NaI, NaCl, CaCl₂ and MgCl [...] Read more.

The interaction of ions with interfaces and, in particular, the high specificity of these interactions to the particular ions considered, are central questions in the field of surface forces. Here we study the effect of different salts (NaI, NaCl, CaCl₂ and MgCl₂) on monolayers made of cholesterol molecules, both experimentally (surface area vs. lateral pressure isotherms measured by a Langmuir Film Balance) and theoretically (molecular dynamics (MD) all-atomic simulations). We found that surface isotherms depend, both quantitatively and qualitatively, on the nature of the ions by altering the shape and features of the isotherm. In line with the experiments, MD simulations show clear evidences of specific ionic effects and also provide molecular level details on ion specific interactions with cholesterol. More importantly, MD simulations show that the interaction of a particular ion with the surface depends strongly on its counterion, a feature ignored so far in most theories of specific ionic effects in surface forces. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Forces and Thin Liquid Films)

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28 pages, 3777 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainability, Eco-Point and Engineering Performance of Different Workability OPC Fly-Ash Mortar Mixes

by Putri Zulaiha Razi¹, Hashim Abdul Razak^1,*

and Nur Hafizah A. Khalid^2,3

¹ StrucHMRS Group, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

² UTM Construction Research Centre (UTM CRC), Institute for Smart Infrastructure and Innovative Construction (ISIIC), Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor Bahru, Malaysia

³ Faculty of Civil and Environment Engineering, University of Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, 86400 Batu Pahat, Malaysia

Materials 2016, 9(5), 341; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050341 - 6 May 2016

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6181

Abstract

This study investigates the engineering performance and CO₂ footprint of mortar mixers by replacing Portland cement with 10%, 20%, 40% and 60% fly ash, a common industrial waste material. Samples of self-compacting mortar (SCM) were prepared with four different water/binder ratios and [...] Read more.

This study investigates the engineering performance and CO₂ footprint of mortar mixers by replacing Portland cement with 10%, 20%, 40% and 60% fly ash, a common industrial waste material. Samples of self-compacting mortar (SCM) were prepared with four different water/binder ratios and varying dosages of superplasticizer to give three ranges of workability, i.e., normal, high and self-compacting mortar mix. The engineering performance was assessed in term of compressive strength after designated curing periods for all mixes. CO₂ footprint was the environmental impact indicator of each production stage. The optimum mix obtained was at 10% replacement rate for all mixes. Total production emission reduced by 56% when the fly ash replacement rate increased from 0% to 60% (maximum). This is translated to a reduction of 80% in eco-points (assuming that the energy consumption rate of production with 0% fly ash is at 100%). Such re-utilization is encouraged since it is able to reduce possible soil toxicity due to sulfur leaching by 5% to 27% and landfill area by 15% to 91% on average. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Utilisation of By-Product Materials in Concrete)

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12 pages, 4623 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Morphological, Rheological, and Mechanical Properties of Polyamide 6/Polypropylene Blends Compatibilized by Electron-Beam Irradiation in the Presence of a Reactive Agent

by Boo Young Shin^1,*

, Man Ho Ha² and Do Hung Han¹

¹ School of Chemical Engineering, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Korea

² R & D Center, Korea Petrochemical Limited, Ulsan 44785, Korea

Materials 2016, 9(5), 342; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050342 - 6 May 2016

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6503

Abstract

An immiscible polyamide 6 (PA6)/polypropylene (PP) blend was compatibilized by electron-beam irradiation in the presence of reactive agent. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was chosen as a reactive agent for interfacial cross-copolymerization between dispersed PP and continuous PA6 phases initiated by electron-beam irradiation. The PA6/PP [...] Read more.

An immiscible polyamide 6 (PA6)/polypropylene (PP) blend was compatibilized by electron-beam irradiation in the presence of reactive agent. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) was chosen as a reactive agent for interfacial cross-copolymerization between dispersed PP and continuous PA6 phases initiated by electron-beam irradiation. The PA6/PP (80/20) mixture containing GMA was prepared using a twin-screw extruder, and then exposed to an electron-beam at various doses at room temperature to produce compatibilized PA6/PP blends. The morphological, rheological, and mechanical properties of blends produced were investigated. Morphology analysis revealed that the diameter of PP particles dispersed in PA6 matrix was decreased with increased irradiation dose and interfacial adhesion increased due to high surface area of treated PP particles. Complex viscosities (η*) and storage moduli (G’) of blends increased with increasing irradiation dose and were higher than those of PA6 and PP. The complex viscosity of the blend irradiated at 200 kGy was 64 and 8 times higher than PA6 and PP, respectively. The elongation at break of blend irradiated less than 100 kGy was about twice that of PA6. Electron beam treatment improved the compatibility at the interface between PA6 and PP matrix in the presence of GMA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Blends and Compatibilization)

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8 pages, 3406 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of ZrO₂ Nanoparticles on the Microstructure and Properties of Sintered WC–Bronze-Based Diamond Composites

by Youhong Sun^1,2,3, Haidong Wu^1,3

, Meng Li^1,3, Qingnan Meng^1,3, Ke Gao^1,3, Xiaoshu Lü^1,4 and Baochang Liu^1,2,3,*

¹ College of Construction Engineering, Jilin University, Changchun 130000, China

² State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials, Changchun 130000, China

³ Key Laboratory of Drilling and Exploitation Technology in Complex Conditions of Minsitry of Land and Resources, Changchun 130000, China

⁴ Department of Civil Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 12100, Espoo FIN-02015, Finland

Materials 2016, 9(5), 343; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050343 - 6 May 2016

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 5771

Abstract

Metal matrix-impregnated diamond composites are widely used in diamond tool manufacturing. In order to satisfy the increasing engineering requirements, researchers have paid more and more attention to enhancing conventional metal matrices by applying novel methods. In this work, ZrO₂ nanoparticles were introduced [...] Read more.

Metal matrix-impregnated diamond composites are widely used in diamond tool manufacturing. In order to satisfy the increasing engineering requirements, researchers have paid more and more attention to enhancing conventional metal matrices by applying novel methods. In this work, ZrO₂ nanoparticles were introduced into the WC–bronze matrix with and without diamond grits via hot pressing to improve the performance of conventional diamond composites. The effects of ZrO₂ nanoparticles on the microstructure, density, hardness, bending strength, and wear resistance of diamond composites were investigated. The results indicated that the hardness and relative density increased, while the bending strength decreased when the content of ZrO₂ nanoparticles increased. The grinding ratio of diamond composites increased significantly by 60% as a result of nano-ZrO₂ addition. The enhancement mechanism was discussed. Diamond composites showed the best overall properties with the addition of 1 wt % ZrO₂ nanoparticles, thus paving the way for further applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Composites)

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12 pages, 7171 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Interleaved Films on the Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Fabric/Polypropylene Thermoplastic Composites

by Jong Won Kim¹ and Joon Seok Lee^2,*

¹ Regional Research Institute for Fiber & Fashion Materials, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Korea

² Department of Textile Engineering and Technology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 712-749, Korea

Materials 2016, 9(5), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050344 - 6 May 2016

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 10185

Abstract

A laminated composite was produced using a thermoplastic prepreg by inserting an interleaved film with the same type of matrix as the prepreg during the lay-up process to improve the low interlaminar properties, which is a known weakness of laminated composites. Carbon fiber [...] Read more.

A laminated composite was produced using a thermoplastic prepreg by inserting an interleaved film with the same type of matrix as the prepreg during the lay-up process to improve the low interlaminar properties, which is a known weakness of laminated composites. Carbon fiber fabric (CFF) and polypropylene (PP) were used to manufacture the thermoplastic prepregs. Eight prepregs were used to produce the laminated composites. Interleaved films with different thicknesses were inserted into each prepreg. The physical properties of the composite, such as thickness, density, fiber volume fraction (V_f), and void content (V_c), were examined. The tensile strength, flexural strength, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), impact property, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the mechanical properties. Compared to the composite without any inserted interleaved film, as the thickness of the inserted interleaved resin film was increased, V_c decreased by 51.45%. At the same time, however, the tensile strength decreased by 8.75%. Flexural strength increased by 3.79% and flexural modulus decreased by 15.02%. Interlaminar shear strength increased by 11.05% and impact strength increased by 15.38%. Fracture toughness of the laminated composite was improved due to insertion of interleaved film. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Manufacturing Processes and Systems)

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15 pages, 6165 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Silver Nanocoatings for Reducing the Exogenous Microbial Colonization of Wound Dressings

by Marius Radulescu¹

, Ecaterina Andronescu², Georgiana Dolete²

, Roxana Cristina Popescu^2,3, Oana Fufă^2,4, Mariana Carmen Chifiriuc⁵

, Laurenţiu Mogoantă⁶, Tudor-Adrian Bălşeanu⁷, George Dan Mogoşanu⁸

, Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu^2,*

and Alina Maria Holban^2,5

¹ Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1–7 Polizu Street, Bucharest 011061, Romania

² Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 1–7 Polizu Street, Bucharest 011061, Romania

³ Department of Life and Environmental Physics, “Horia Hulubei” National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Magurele 077125, Romania

⁴ Lasers Department, National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics, Magurele 077125, Romania

⁵ Microbiology Immunology Department, Faculty of Biology, Research Institute of the University of Bucharest (ICUB), University of Bucharest, 1–3 Portocalelor Lane, Sector 5, Bucharest 77206, Romania

⁶ Research Center for Microscopic Morphology and Immunology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova 2 Petru Rareş Street, Craiova 200349, Romania

⁷ Research Center for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova 2 Petru Rareş Street, Craiova 200349, Romania

⁸ Department of Pharmacognosy & Phytotherapy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova 2 Petru Rareş Street, Craiova 200349, Romania

Materials 2016, 9(5), 345; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050345 - 6 May 2016

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 6400

Abstract

The aim of this work was to obtain an antimicrobial coating (NanoAg) for polyester-nylon wound dressings (WDs) for reducing the risk of exogenous wound related infections. The as-prepared NanoAg-WDs were characterized by XRD (X-ray Diffraction), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), [...] Read more.

The aim of this work was to obtain an antimicrobial coating (NanoAg) for polyester-nylon wound dressings (WDs) for reducing the risk of exogenous wound related infections. The as-prepared NanoAg-WDs were characterized by XRD (X-ray Diffraction), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), SAED (Selected Area Electron Diffraction) and IRM (InfraRed Microscopy). Biological characterization consisted of in vitro evaluation of the interaction with fibroblast cell cultures and in vivo biodistribution studies of AgNPs on mice models. Then, specimens of commercial WDs were immersed in a glucose and NaOH solution of silver nanoparticles, followed by the subsequent dropwise addition of AgNO₃ solution. The antimicrobial efficiency of the NanoAg-WDs was assessed by in vitro qualitative and quantitative analyses on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. The in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that the tested nanoparticles utilized to coat WDs have a good biocompatibility, allowing the normal development of cultured human cells and revealing a normal biodistribution within a mouse model, without toxic effects. The modified and viable cells count analyses proved that the modified WDs exhibit an improved inhibitory activity of microbial colonization, attachment and biofilm growth. The reported data recommend this type of coatings to obtain modified WDs with antibacterial properties, able to prevent the exogenous microbial contamination of the wound tissue, colonization and further biofilm development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Materials for Hard and Soft Tissue Engineering: Novel Approaches)

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20 pages, 10073 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Structural Solutions for Low-Cost Bamboo Frames: Experimental Tests and Constructive Assessments

by Mauro Sassu^*

, Anna De Falco

, Linda Giresini

and Mario Lucio Puppio

Department of Energy, Systems, Territory and Constructions Engineering, University of Pisa, Largo Lazzarino 1, Pisa 56122, Italy

Materials 2016, 9(5), 346; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050346 - 7 May 2016

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 9178

Abstract

Experimental tests and constructive assessments are presented for a simple bamboo framed structure with innovative low-cost and low technology joints, specifically conceived for small buildings in developing countries. Two full scale one-storey bamboo frames have been designed by using the simplest joints solution [...] Read more.

Experimental tests and constructive assessments are presented for a simple bamboo framed structure with innovative low-cost and low technology joints, specifically conceived for small buildings in developing countries. Two full scale one-storey bamboo frames have been designed by using the simplest joints solution among three different tested typologies. The entire building process is based on low-technology and natural materials: bamboo canes, wooden cylinders, plywood plates and canapé rods. The first full scale specimen (Unit A) is a one-storey single deck truss structure subjected to monotonic collapse test; the second full scale specimen (Unit B) is a one-storey double deck truss structure used to evaluate the construction time throughout assembling tests. The first full scale specimen showed ductility in collapse and ease in strengthening; the second one showed remarkable ease and speed in assembling structural elements. Finally several constructive solutions are suggested for the design of simple one-storey buildings; they are addressed to four purposes (housing, school, chapel, health center) by the composition of the proposed full scale bamboo frames. Ease of use and maintenance with a low level of technology contribute to application in developing countries although not exclusively. Full article

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18 pages, 4240 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characteristics of an Extrusion Panel Made by Applying a Modified Curing Method

by Haseog Kim, Sangki Park^*

and Seahyun Lee

Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, 283, Goyang-daero, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonngi-do 10223, Korea

Materials 2016, 9(5), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050347 - 7 May 2016

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3843

Abstract

CO₂ emitted from building materials and the construction materials industry has reached about 67 million tons. Controls on the use of consumed fossil fuels and the reduction of emission gases are essential for the reduction of CO₂ in the construction area [...] Read more.

CO₂ emitted from building materials and the construction materials industry has reached about 67 million tons. Controls on the use of consumed fossil fuels and the reduction of emission gases are essential for the reduction of CO₂ in the construction area as one reduces the second and third curing to emit CO₂ in the construction materials industry. In this study, a new curing method was addressed by using a low energy curing admixture (LA) in order to exclude autoclave curing. The new curing method was applied to make panels. Then, its physical properties, depending on the mixed amount of fiber, type of fiber and mixed ratio of fiber, were observed. The type of fiber did not appear to be a main factor that affected strength, while the LA mixing ratio and mixing amount of fiber appeared to be major factors affecting the strength. Applying the proposed new curing method can reduce carbon and restrain the use of fossil fuels through a reduction of the second and third curing processes, which emit CO₂ in the construction materials industry. Therefore, it will be helpful to reduce global warming. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Composites)

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13 pages, 2480 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improved Charge Separation in WO₃/CuWO₄ Composite Photoanodes for Photoelectrochemical Water Oxidation

by Danping Wang^1,2, Prince Saurabh Bassi², Huan Qi², Xin Zhao², Gurudayal², Lydia Helena Wong^1,2,*, Rong Xu^1,3, Thirumany Sritharan^1,2 and Zhong Chen^1,2,*

¹ Singapore-Berkeley Research Initiative for Sustainable Energy (SinBeRISE), CREATE Tower, 1 Create Way, #11-00, 138602 Singapore

² School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 Singapore

³ School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 62 Nanyang Drive, 637459 Singapore

Materials 2016, 9(5), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050348 - 7 May 2016

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 9341

Abstract

Porous tungsten oxide/copper tungstate (WO₃/CuWO₄) composite thin films were fabricated via a facile in situ conversion method, with a polymer templating strategy. Copper nitrate (Cu(NO₃)₂) solution with the copolymer surfactant Pluronic^®F-127 (Sigma-Aldrich, St. [...] Read more.

Porous tungsten oxide/copper tungstate (WO₃/CuWO₄) composite thin films were fabricated via a facile in situ conversion method, with a polymer templating strategy. Copper nitrate (Cu(NO₃)₂) solution with the copolymer surfactant Pluronic^®F-127 (Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA, generic name, poloxamer 407) was loaded onto WO₃ substrates by programmed dip coating, followed by heat treatment in air at 550 °C. The Cu²⁺ reacted with the WO₃ substrate to form the CuWO₄ compound. The composite WO₃/CuWO₄ thin films demonstrated improved photoelectrochemical (PEC) performance over WO₃ and CuWO₄ single phase photoanodes. The factors of light absorption and charge separation efficiency of the composite and two single phase films were investigated to understand the reasons for the PEC enhancement of WO₃/CuWO₄ composite thin films. The photocurrent was generated from water splitting as confirmed by hydrogen and oxygen gas evolution, and Faradic efficiency was calculated based on the amount of H₂ produced. This work provides a low-cost and controllable method to prepare WO₃-metal tungstate composite thin films, and also helps to deepen the understanding of charge transfer in WO₃/CuWO₄ heterojunction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Renewable Energy Conversion Materials)

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10 pages, 1169 KiB

Open AccessArticle

In Situ Monitoring of Microwave Processing of Materials at High Temperatures through Dielectric Properties Measurement

by Beatriz Garcia-Baños^*

, Jose M. Catalá-Civera, Felipe L. Peñaranda-Foix, Pedro Plaza-González

and Gabriel Llorens-Vallés

ITACA Institute, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, Valencia 46022, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 349; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050349 - 7 May 2016

Cited by 38 | Viewed by 6902

Abstract

Microwave-assisted processes have recognized advantages over more conventional heating techniques. However, the effects on the materials’ microstructure are still a matter of study, due to the complexity of the interaction between microwaves and matter, especially at high temperatures. Recently developed advanced microwave instrumentation [...] Read more.

Microwave-assisted processes have recognized advantages over more conventional heating techniques. However, the effects on the materials’ microstructure are still a matter of study, due to the complexity of the interaction between microwaves and matter, especially at high temperatures. Recently developed advanced microwave instrumentation allows the study of high temperature microwave heating processes in a way that was not possible before. In this paper, different materials and thermal processes induced by microwaves have been studied through the in situ characterization of their dielectric properties with temperature. This knowledge is crucial in several aspects: to analyze the effects of the microwave field on the reaction pathways; to design and optimize microwave-assisted processes, and to predict the behavior of materials leading to repeatable and reliable heating processes, etc. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microwave Materials Processing)

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21 pages, 4747 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characteristics of Carbon Material Formation on SBA-15 and Ni-SBA-15 Templates by Acetylene Decomposition and Their Bioactivity Effects

by Hsiu-Mei Chiang¹

, Kuan-Yu Cho², Li-Xuan Zeng² and Hung-Lung Chiang^2,*

¹ Department of Cosmeceutics, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan

² Department of Health Risk Management, China Medical University, Taichung 40402, Taiwan

Materials 2016, 9(5), 350; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050350 - 9 May 2016

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5424

Abstract

Carbon spheres and tubes were formed from acetylene decomposition on SBA-15 and Ni-SBA-15 at 650–850 °C. At 650 °C, the decomposed carbons covered the surface of the support, and no carbon spheres and filament materials were formed. Carbon sphere formation occurred at 750 [...] Read more.

Carbon spheres and tubes were formed from acetylene decomposition on SBA-15 and Ni-SBA-15 at 650–850 °C. At 650 °C, the decomposed carbons covered the surface of the support, and no carbon spheres and filament materials were formed. Carbon sphere formation occurred at 750 °C–850 °C; with diameters ranging from 0.8 μm–1.1 μm. For Ni-SBA-15, the diameters of the spheres and filaments were 0.8 μm and 62 nm, respectively, at 650 °C. At 750 °C, the diameter of the ball carbon materials ranged from 0.7 μm–0.8 μm, the diameter of the carbon tubes formed was 120–130 nm, and their pore diameter was 8.0 nm–11 nm. At 850 °C, the diameters of ball carbon materials and carbon tubes were similar to those of the materials at the formation temperature, 750 °C. Si, O and C were the main constituents of SBA-15; Ni-SBA-15 and carbon material formation supports. High-ring PAHs (such as BaP (five rings); IND (six rings); DBA (five rings) and B[ghi]P (six rings)) exist in carbon materials. SBA-15 revealed insignificant cytotoxicity, but Ni-SBA-15 inhibited the proliferation of human lung cancer cells (A549). Less inhibition on cell viability and reactive oxidative species (ROS) generation on A549 were determined for carbon material formation on the Ni-SBA-15 compared to the Ni-SBA-15. Full article

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10 pages, 4664 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Graphene Nanoplatelets on the Physical and Antimicrobial Properties of Biopolymer-Based Nanocomposites

by Roberto Scaffaro^*

, Luigi Botta

, Andrea Maio

, Maria Chiara Mistretta and Francesco Paolo La Mantia

Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Ambientale, Aerospaziale, dei Materiali, Università di Palermo, UdR INSTM di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Palermo 90128, Italy

Materials 2016, 9(5), 351; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050351 - 9 May 2016

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 6522

Abstract

In this work, biopolymer-based nanocomposites with antimicrobial properties were prepared via melt-compounding. In particular, graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) as fillers and an antibiotic, i.e., ciprofloxacin (CFX), as biocide were incorporated in a commercial biodegradable polymer blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and a copolyester [...] Read more.

In this work, biopolymer-based nanocomposites with antimicrobial properties were prepared via melt-compounding. In particular, graphene nanoplatelets (GnPs) as fillers and an antibiotic, i.e., ciprofloxacin (CFX), as biocide were incorporated in a commercial biodegradable polymer blend of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and a copolyester (BioFlex^®). The prepared materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and rheological and mechanical measurements. Moreover, the effect of GnPs on the antimicrobial properties and release kinetics of CFX was evaluated. The results indicated that the incorporation of GnPs increased the stiffness of the biopolymeric matrix and allowed for the tuning of the release of CFX without hindering the antimicrobial activity of the obtained materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Applications of Nano-antimicrobial Treatments)

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13 pages, 2798 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Upconversion Processes in the Optically-Induced Inhomogeneous Thermal Behavior of Erbium-Doped Lanthanum Oxysulfide Powders

by Rolindes Balda^1,2,*, Noha Hakmeh³, Macarena Barredo-Zuriarrain¹, Odile Merdrignac-Conanec³, Sara García-Revilla¹, M. Angeles Arriandiaga⁴ and Joaquín Fernández^1,2

¹ Departamento de Física Aplicada I, Escuela Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad del País Vasco UPV-EHU, Alda. Urquijo s/n, 48013 Bilbao, Spain

² Materials Physics Center CSIC-UPV/EHU and Donostia International Physics Center, 20080 San Sebastián, Spain

³ Laboratoire des Verres et Cerámiques, UMR-CNRS 6226, Université de Rennes, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes Cedex, France

⁴ Departamento de Física Aplicada II, Facultad de Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Apartado 644 Bilbao, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050353 - 11 May 2016

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5373

Abstract

The efficient infrared-to-visible upconversion emission present in Er-doped lanthanum oxysulfide crystal powders is used as a fine thermal sensor to determine the influence of upconversion processes on the laser-induced thermal load produced by the pump laser and to assess the potentialities of this [...] Read more.

The efficient infrared-to-visible upconversion emission present in Er-doped lanthanum oxysulfide crystal powders is used as a fine thermal sensor to determine the influence of upconversion processes on the laser-induced thermal load produced by the pump laser and to assess the potentialities of this material in order to obtain anti-Stokes laser-induced cooling. The analysis of the upconversion emission and excitation spectra as well as the decay curves indicates that energy transfer upconversion is the main mechanism responsible for the green (⁴S_3/2) and red (⁴F_9/2) upconversion luminescence. The dependence on temperature of the intensity ratio of upconversion emission from thermally-coupled ²H_11/2 and ⁴S_3/2 levels of Er³⁺ in the 240–300 K temperature range has been used to estimate a relative sensitivity of 1.09 × 10⁻² K⁻¹. Thermal measurements performed on the powder samples by using a thermal infrared camera exhibit a very inhomogeneous heat distribution at the sample surface due to the random distribution of the pumping energy inside the sample as well as to the random properties of the thermal field. The analysis of both spectroscopic and thermal measurements show that after a transient heating induced by the background absorption, cooling of discrete regions by means of anti-Stokes processes can be observed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solid-State Laser Materials)

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9 pages, 1306 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Retention Load Values of Telescopic Crowns Made of Y-TZP and CoCr with Y-TZP Secondary Crowns: Impact of Different Taper Angles

by Susanne Merk¹, Christina Wagner¹, Veronika Stock¹, Patrick R. Schmidlin²

, Malgorzata Roos³, Marlis Eichberger¹ and Bogna Stawarczyk^1,*

¹ Department of Prosthodontics, Dental School, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Goethestrasse 70, Munich 80336, Germany

² Clinic of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, Plattenstrasse 11, Zurich 8032, Switzerland

³ Division of Biostatistics, Epidemiology Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Hirschengraben 84, Zurich 8001, Switzerland

Materials 2016, 9(5), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050354 - 11 May 2016

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4884

Abstract

This study aimed to examine and compare the retention load values (RL) of different telescopic crown assemblies (Y-TZP and CoCr primary crowns with electroformed and Y-TZP secondary crowns each) with three different taper angles (0°, 1° and 2°). Thirty Y-TZP primary crowns with [...] Read more.

This study aimed to examine and compare the retention load values (RL) of different telescopic crown assemblies (Y-TZP and CoCr primary crowns with electroformed and Y-TZP secondary crowns each) with three different taper angles (0°, 1° and 2°). Thirty Y-TZP primary crowns with electroformed gold copings (Z/G group) and Y-TZP secondary crowns (Z/Z group) and 30 CoCr primary crowns with electroformed gold copings (C/G group) and Y-TZP secondary crowns (C/Z group), each with taper angles of 0°, 1° and 2°, were fabricated, respectively. With the exception of the electroformed gold copings, all specimens were Computer-Aided-Design/Computer-Aided-Manufacturing (CAD/CAM)-milled, then sintered and afterwards manually adapted. In order to stabilize the gold copings, they were fixed in a tertiary structure. The secondary crowns were constructed with a hook, which ensured self-alignment with an upper chain. Afterwards, 20 pull-off test cycles were performed in a universal testing machine under artificial saliva and after weighing the secondary crowns with a 5 kg object for 20 s. Data were analyzed by one-way and two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). C/Z with 1° showed higher (p = 0.009) RL than 0° and 2° tapers. C/G at 1° also showed higher (p = 0.001) RL than at tapers of 0° and 2°. Z/G and C/G at 0° showed lower RL than Z/Z and C/Z (p < 0.001). Primary crowns had no impact on the 0° group. Z/G showed lower RL as compared to C/Z within the 1° group (p = 0.007) and Z/Z in the 2° group (p = 0.006). The primary crown material had no influence on RL. Electroformed copings showed lower RL. Further investigations for 1° as well as for the long-term performance after thermomechanical aging are necessary. Full article

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8 pages, 2744 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Influence of Pore Size on the Indentation Behavior of Metallic Nanoporous Materials: A Molecular Dynamics Study

by Daniel Esqué-de los Ojos^1,2, Eva Pellicer¹

and Jordi Sort^1,3,*

¹ Departament de Física, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra E-08193, Spain

² Manchester Materials Science Centre, The University of Manchester, Grosvenor Street, Manchester M1 7HS, UK

³ Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avancats (ICREA), Barcelona E-08010, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 355; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050355 - 11 May 2016

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5783

Abstract

In general, the influence of pore size is not considered when determining the Young’s modulus of nanoporous materials. Here, we demonstrate that the pore size needs to be taken into account to properly assess the mechanical properties of these materials. Molecular dynamics simulations [...] Read more.

In general, the influence of pore size is not considered when determining the Young’s modulus of nanoporous materials. Here, we demonstrate that the pore size needs to be taken into account to properly assess the mechanical properties of these materials. Molecular dynamics simulations of spherical indentation experiments on single crystalline nanoporous Cu have been undertaken in systems with: (i) a constant degree of porosity and variable pore diameter; and (ii) a constant pore diameter and variable porosity degree. The classical Gibson and Ashby expression relating Young’s modulus with the relative density of the nanoporous metal is modified to include the influence of the pore size. The simulations reveal that, for a fixed porosity degree, the mechanical behavior of materials with smaller pores differs more significantly from the behavior of the bulk, fully dense counterpart. This effect is ascribed to the increase of the overall surface area as the pore size is reduced, together with the reduced coordination number of the atoms located at the pores edges. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Porous Materials)

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7 pages, 3084 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Photoluminescent Properties and Crystalline Morphology of LiBaPO₄:Tm³⁺ Phosphor through Microwave Sintering Method

by Hsuan-Lin Lai¹, Min-Hang Weng², Ru-Yuan Yang^3,*

and Shoou-Jinn Chang¹

¹ Institute of Microelectronics, Department of Electrical Engineering, Advanced Optoelectronic Technology Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan

² Medical Devices and Opto-Electronics Equipment Department, Metal Industries Research and Development Center, Kaohsiung County 811, Taiwan

³ Graduate Institute of Materials Engineering, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung County 912, Taiwan

Materials 2016, 9(5), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050356 - 12 May 2016

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4400

Abstract

An investigation of the photoluminescent properties and crystalline morphology of blue emitting LiBa_1−xPO4:xTm³⁺ phosphors with various concentrations (x = 0.005–0.030) of Tm³⁺ ions were synthesized by microwave sintering. For comparison, the LiBa_1−xPO4: [...] Read more.

An investigation of the photoluminescent properties and crystalline morphology of blue emitting LiBa_1−xPO4:xTm³⁺ phosphors with various concentrations (x = 0.005–0.030) of Tm³⁺ ions were synthesized by microwave sintering. For comparison, the LiBa_1−xPO4:xTm³⁺ powders sintered at the same sintering condition but in a conventional furnace were also investigated. LiBaPO₄ without second phase was formed no matter which furnace was used. More uniform grain size distributions are obtained by microwave sintering. When the concentration of Tm³⁺ ion was x = 0.015, the luminescence intensity reached a maximum value, and then decreased with the increases of the Tm³⁺ concentration due to concentration quenching effect. The microwave sintering significantly enhanced the emission intensity of LiBa_1−xPO4:xTm³⁺ phosphors. Additionally, the d-d interaction is the key mechanism of concentration quenching for LiBaPO₄:Tm³⁺. The chromaticity (x, y) for all LiBa_1−xPO₄:xTm³⁺ phosphors are located at (0.16, 0.05), which will be classified as a blue region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microwave Materials Processing)

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20 pages, 6830 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Immobilization of Trypsin in Lignocellulosic Waste Material to Produce Peptides with Bioactive Potential from Whey Protein

by Juliana Cristina Bassan¹, Thaís Milena De Souza Bezerra²

, Guilherme Peixoto^3,*

, Clariana Zanutto Paulino Da Cruz², Julián Paul Martínez Galán¹, Aline Buda dos Santos Vaz², Saulo Santesso Garrido²

, Marco Filice⁴

and Rubens Monti^1,*

¹ Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, UNESP—Univ. Estadual Paulista, 14800-903, Departamento de Alimentos e Nutrição, Araraquara-SP, Brazil

² Instituto de Química, UNESP—Univ. Estadual Paulista, 14800-060, Departamento de Bioquímica e Tecnologia Química, Araraquara-SP, Brazil

³ Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, UNESP—Univ. Estadual Paulista, 14800-903, Departamento de Bioprocessos e Biotecnologia, Araraquara-SP, Brazil

⁴ Fundación Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III, Melchor Fernández Almagro, Madrid 28029, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050357 - 12 May 2016

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 7161

Abstract

In this study, trypsin (Enzyme Comission 3.4.21.4) was immobilized in a low cost, lignocellulosic support (corn cob powder—CCP) with the goal of obtaining peptides with bioactive potential from cheese whey. The pretreated support was activated with glyoxyl groups, glutaraldehyde and IDA-glyoxyl. The immobilization [...] Read more.

In this study, trypsin (Enzyme Comission 3.4.21.4) was immobilized in a low cost, lignocellulosic support (corn cob powder—CCP) with the goal of obtaining peptides with bioactive potential from cheese whey. The pretreated support was activated with glyoxyl groups, glutaraldehyde and IDA-glyoxyl. The immobilization yields of the derivatives were higher than 83%, and the retention of catalytic activity was higher than 74%. The trypsin-glyoxyl-CCP derivative was thermally stable at 65 °C, a value that was 1090-fold higher than that obtained with the free enzyme. The trypsin-IDA-glyoxyl-CCP and trypsin-glutaraldehyde-CCP derivatives had thermal stabilities that were 883- and five-fold higher, respectively, then those obtained with the free enzyme. In the batch experiments, trypsin-IDA-glyoxyl-CCP retained 91% of its activity and had a degree of hydrolysis of 12.49%, while the values for trypsin-glyoxyl-CCP were 87% and 15.46%, respectively. The stabilized derivative trypsin-glyoxyl-CCP was also tested in an upflow packed-bed reactor. The hydrodynamic characterization of this reactor was a plug flow pattern, and the kinetics of this system provided a relative activity of 3.04 ± 0.01 U·g⁻¹ and an average degree of hydrolysis of 23%, which were suitable for the production of potentially bioactive peptides. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functionalization of Lignocellulosic Materials)

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12 pages, 4307 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Preparation and Characterization of Flexible Substrate Material from Phenyl-Thiophene-2-Carbaldehyde Compound

by Ashiqur Rahman¹, Mohammad Tariqul Islam^2,*

, Md Samsuzzaman³, Mandeep Jit Singh¹ and Md. Akhtaruzzaman^4,*

¹ Department of Electrical, Electronic and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia

² Space Science Centre (ANGKASA), University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia

³ Department of Computer and Communication Engineering, Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, Patuakhali Science and Technology University, Patuakhali 8602, Bangladesh

⁴ Solar Energy Research Institute, University Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia

Materials 2016, 9(5), 358; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050358 - 11 May 2016

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4976

Abstract

In this paper, a novel phenyl-thiophene-2-carbaldehyde compound-based flexible substrate material has been presented. Optical and microwave characterization of the proposed material are done to confirm the applicability of the proposed material as a substrate. The results obtained in this work show that the [...] Read more.

In this paper, a novel phenyl-thiophene-2-carbaldehyde compound-based flexible substrate material has been presented. Optical and microwave characterization of the proposed material are done to confirm the applicability of the proposed material as a substrate. The results obtained in this work show that the phenyl-thiophene-2-carbaldehyde consists of a dielectric constant of 3.03, loss tangent of 0.003, and an optical bandgap of 3.24 eV. The proposed material is analyzed using commercially available EM simulation software and validated by the experimental analysis of the flexible substrate. The fabricated substrate also shows significant mechanical flexibility and light weight. The radiating copper patch deposited on the proposed material substrate incorporated with partial ground plane and microstrip feeding technique shows an effective impedance bandwidth of 3.8 GHz. It also confirms an averaged radiation efficiency of 81% throughout the frequency band of 5.4–9.2 GHz. Full article

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19 pages, 1023 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water Vapor Adsorption on Biomass Based Carbons under Post-Combustion CO₂ Capture Conditions: Effect of Post-Treatment

by Nausika Querejeta, Marta G. Plaza

, Fernando Rubiera

and Covadonga Pevida^*

Instituto Nacional del Carbón, Instituto Nacional del Carbón-CSIC, Apartado 73, Oviedo 33080, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 359; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050359 - 12 May 2016

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 6686

Abstract

The effect of post-treatment upon the H₂O adsorption performance of biomass-based carbons was studied under post-combustion CO₂ capture conditions. Oxygen surface functionalities were partially replaced through heat treatment, acid washing, and wet impregnation with amines. The surface chemistry of the [...] Read more.

The effect of post-treatment upon the H₂O adsorption performance of biomass-based carbons was studied under post-combustion CO₂ capture conditions. Oxygen surface functionalities were partially replaced through heat treatment, acid washing, and wet impregnation with amines. The surface chemistry of the final carbon is strongly affected by the type of post-treatment: acid treatment introduces a greater amount of oxygen whereas it is substantially reduced after thermal treatment. The porous texture of the carbons is also influenced by post-treatment: the wider pore volume is somewhat reduced, while narrow microporosity remains unaltered only after acid treatment. Despite heat treatment leading to a reduction in the number of oxygen surface groups, water vapor adsorption was enhanced in the higher pressure range. On the other hand acid treatment and wet impregnation with amines reduce the total water vapor uptake thus being more suitable for post-combustion CO₂ capture applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Porous Materials)

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18 pages, 4532 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Diketonylpyridinium Cations as a Support of New Ionic Liquid Crystals and Ion-Conductive Materials: Analysis of Counter-Ion Effects

by María Jesús Pastor¹, Cristián Cuerva¹, José A. Campo¹

, Rainer Schmidt²

, María Rosario Torres³ and Mercedes Cano^1,*

¹ Departamento Química Inorgánica I, Facultad CC. Químicas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid E-28040, Spain

² Departamento Física Aplicada III, Facultad CC. Físicas, GFMC, Universidad Complutense, Madrid E-28040, Spain

³ Laboratorio de Difracción de Rayos-X, Facultad CC. Químicas, Universidad Complutense, Madrid E-28040, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050360 - 12 May 2016

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5891

Abstract

Ionic liquid crystals (ILCs) allow the combination of the high ionic conductivity of ionic liquids (ILs) with the supramolecular organization of liquid crystals (LCs). ILCs salts were obtained by the assembly of long-chained diketonylpyridinium cations of the type [HOO^R(n)pyH]⁺ and [...] Read more.

Ionic liquid crystals (ILCs) allow the combination of the high ionic conductivity of ionic liquids (ILs) with the supramolecular organization of liquid crystals (LCs). ILCs salts were obtained by the assembly of long-chained diketonylpyridinium cations of the type [HOO^R(n)pyH]⁺ and BF₄⁻, ReO₄⁻, NO₃⁻, CF₃SO₃⁻, CuCl₄²⁻ counter-ions. We have studied the thermal behavior of five series of compounds by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and hot stage polarized light optical microscopy (POM). All materials show thermotropic mesomorphism as well as crystalline polymorphism. X-ray diffraction of the [HOO^R(12)pyH][ReO₄] crystal reveals a layered structure with alternating polar and apolar sublayers. The mesophases also exhibit a lamellar arrangement detected by variable temperature powder X-ray diffraction. The CuCl₄²⁻ salts exhibit the best LC properties followed by the ReO₄⁻ ones due to low melting temperature and wide range of existence. The conductivity was probed for the mesophases in one species each from the ReO₄⁻, and CuCl₄²⁻ families, and for the solid phase in one of the non-mesomorphic Cl⁻ salts. The highest ionic conductivity was found for the smectic mesophase of the ReO₄⁻ containing salt, whereas the solid phases of all salts were dominated by electronic contributions. The ionic conductivity may be favored by the mesophase lamellar structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected papers from ISN2A2016)

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12 pages, 4909 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Macro-Encapsulated PCM Cylinder Module Based on Paraffin and Float Stones

by Kailiang Huang, Dong Liang, Guohui Feng^*, Mingzhi Jiang, Yuhua Zhu, Xin Liu and Bian Jiang

School of Municipal and Environmental Engineering, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Shenyang 110168, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 361; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050361 - 12 May 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6148

Abstract

Organic phase change material (PCM) with macro-encapsulation is attractive in energy storage applications as it has relatively low cost. This study focuses on using PET plastic pipes to encapsulate paraffin and using low-cost float stones to increase the thermal conductivity of PCM modules [...] Read more.

Organic phase change material (PCM) with macro-encapsulation is attractive in energy storage applications as it has relatively low cost. This study focuses on using PET plastic pipes to encapsulate paraffin and using low-cost float stones to increase the thermal conductivity of PCM modules as they have a special structure of high porosity. Float stones were immersed in the liquid PCM and an ultrasonic welding method used to prevent leakage of the PET plastic pipes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to discover the appearance of the composite PCM. The thermal performance of the PCM cylinder module was analyzed through experimental tests of a constant-temperature water bath and numerical simulations. The result indicates that this PCM Ccylinder module is superior in thermal energy storage compared with the reference module even though fewer PCM was contained and the latent heat loss is considerable. The pipe diameter is an important parameter when using this kind of PCM cylinder module in water tanks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterisation of Encapsulated PCM: Nano-, Micro-, and Macro-Encapsulation)

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15 pages, 5925 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Bonding Shear Performance of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete with Increase in Delay in Formation of Cold Joints

by Han-Seung Lee¹, Hyun-O Jang^1,* and Keun-Hee Cho²

¹ Department of Architecture Engineering, Hanyang University, 55, Hanyangdaehak-ro, Sangrok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 15588, Korea

² Structural Engineering Research Institute, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, 283, Goyangdae-ro, Ilsanseo-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10223, Korea

Materials 2016, 9(5), 362; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050362 - 12 May 2016

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 7568

Abstract

This study set out to derive the optimal conditions for ensuring the monolithicity of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). Direct shear tests were performed to examine the influence on the bonding shear performance. The experimental variables included tamping and delay, which were set to 0, [...] Read more.

This study set out to derive the optimal conditions for ensuring the monolithicity of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). Direct shear tests were performed to examine the influence on the bonding shear performance. The experimental variables included tamping and delay, which were set to 0, 15, 30, and 60 min. SEM and XRD analyses of the microstructure and composition were performed. The direct shear tests showed that the bonding shear strength was enhanced by the addition of tamping. For the normal-strength concrete (NSC), it is thought that a monolithicity of around 95% can be attained with a cold joint formation delay up to 60 min. In contrast, while the normalized bonding shear strength reduction of UHPC with a delay of 15 min was the lowest at around 8%, a dramatic degradation in the bonding shear performance was observed after 15 min. XRD analyses of the middle and surface sections revealed the composition of the thin film formed at the surface of the UHPC and, as a result, the main component appeared to be SiO₂, which is believed to be a result of the rising of the SiO₂-based filler, used as an admixture in this study, towards the surface, due to its low specific gravity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Materials Characterization)

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11 pages, 1675 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microwave-Assisted Drying for the Conservation of Honeybee Pollen

by Angelo Canale^1,2, Giovanni Benelli¹, Antonella Castagna¹

, Cristina Sgherri¹

, Piera Poli¹, Andrea Serra^1,2

, Marcello Mele^1,2, Annamaria Ranieri^1,2, Francesca Signorini³, Matteo Bientinesi^3,* and Cristiano Nicolella⁴

¹ Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Università di Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, Pisa 56124, Italy

² Interdepartmental Research Center “Nutraceuticals and Food for Health”, Università di Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, Pisa 56124, Italy

³ Consorzio Polo Tecnologico Magona, via Magona snc, Cecina (LI) 57023, Italy

⁴ Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile e Industriale, Università di Pisa, Largo Lucio Lazzarino 2, Pisa 56122, Italy

Materials 2016, 9(5), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050363 - 12 May 2016

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 7709

Abstract

Bee pollen is becoming an important product thanks to its nutritional properties, including a high content of bioactive compounds such as essential amino acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. Fresh bee pollen has a high water content (15%–30% wt %), thus it is a good [...] Read more.

Bee pollen is becoming an important product thanks to its nutritional properties, including a high content of bioactive compounds such as essential amino acids, antioxidants, and vitamins. Fresh bee pollen has a high water content (15%–30% wt %), thus it is a good substrate for microorganisms. Traditional conservation methods include drying in a hot air chamber and/or freezing. These techniques may significantly affect the pollen organoleptic properties and its content of bioactive compounds. Here, a new conservation method, microwave drying, is introduced and investigated. The method implies irradiating the fresh pollen with microwaves under vacuum, in order to reduce the water content without reaching temperatures capable of thermally deteriorating important bioactive compounds. The method was evaluated by taking into account the nutritional properties after the treatment. The analyzed parameters were phenols, flavonoids, with special reference to rutin content, and amino acids. Results showed that microwave drying offers important advantages for the conservation of bee pollen. Irrespective of microwave power and treatment time, phenol and flavonoid content did not vary over untreated fresh pollen. Similarly, rutin content was unaffected by the microwave drying, suggesting that the microwave-assisted drying could be a powerful technology to preserve bioprotective compounds in fresh pollen. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microwave Materials Processing)

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14 pages, 3536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effective Degradation of Aqueous Tetracycline Using a Nano-TiO₂/Carbon Electrocatalytic Membrane

by Zhimeng Liu¹, Mengfu Zhu^1,*, Zheng Wang¹, Hong Wang², Cheng Deng^1,*

and Kui Li¹

¹ Institute of Medical Equipment, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Tianjin 300161, China

² State Key Laboratory of Hollow Fiber Membrane Materials and Processes, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin Polytechnic University, Tianjin 300387, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050364 - 12 May 2016

Cited by 61 | Viewed by 7272

Abstract

In this work, an electrocatalytic membrane was prepared to degrade aqueous tetracycline (TC) using a carbon membrane coated with nano-TiO₂ via a sol-gel process. SEM, XRD, EDS, and XPS were used to characterize the composition and structure of the electrocatalytic membrane. The [...] Read more.

In this work, an electrocatalytic membrane was prepared to degrade aqueous tetracycline (TC) using a carbon membrane coated with nano-TiO₂ via a sol-gel process. SEM, XRD, EDS, and XPS were used to characterize the composition and structure of the electrocatalytic membrane. The effect of operating conditions on the removal rate of tetracycline was investigated systematically. The results show that the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal rate increased with increasing residence time while it decreased with increasing the initial concentration of tetracycline. Moreover, pH had little effect on the removal of tetracycline, and the electrocatalytic membrane could effectively remove tetracycline with initial concentration of 50 mg·L⁻¹ (pH, 3.8–9.6). The 100% tetracycline and 87.8% COD removal rate could be achieved under the following operating conditions: tetracycline concentration of 50 mg·L⁻¹, current density of 1 mA·cm⁻², temperature of 25 °C, and residence time of 4.4 min. This study provides a new and feasible method for removing antibiotics in water with the synergistic effect of electrocatalytic oxidation and membrane separation. It is evident that there will be a broad market for the application of electrocatalytic membrane in the field of antibiotic wastewater treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Porous Materials for Water Technology)

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14 pages, 2986 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design of Anion Exchange Membranes and Electrodialysis Studies for Water Desalination

by Muhammad Imran Khan^1,5

, Rafael Luque²

, Shahbaz Akhtar¹, Aqeela Shaheen¹, Ashfaq Mehmood³, Sidra Idress¹, Saeed Ahmad Buzdar⁴ and Aziz Ur Rehman^1,*

¹ Department of Chemistry, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan

² Departamento de Universidad de Córdoba, Edificio Marie Curie, Ctra Nnal IV-A, Km396, Córdoba E14014, Spain

³ Department of Chemistry, Bahaudin Zakariya University Multan, Multan 60800, Pakistan

⁴ Department of Physics, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan

⁵ School of Chemistry and Material Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050365 - 12 May 2016

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 12921

Abstract

Anion exchange membranes are highly versatile and nowadays have many applications, ranging from water treatment to sensing materials. The preparation of anion exchange membranes (AEMs) from brominated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,6-phenylene oxide) (BPPO) and methyl(diphenyl)phosphine (MDPP) for electrodialysis was performed. The physiochemical properties and electrochemical performance [...] Read more.

Anion exchange membranes are highly versatile and nowadays have many applications, ranging from water treatment to sensing materials. The preparation of anion exchange membranes (AEMs) from brominated poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,6-phenylene oxide) (BPPO) and methyl(diphenyl)phosphine (MDPP) for electrodialysis was performed. The physiochemical properties and electrochemical performance of fabricated membranes can be measured by changing MDPP contents in the membrane matrix. The influence of a quaternary phosphonium group associated with the removal of NaCl from water is discussed. The prepared membranes have ion exchange capacities (IEC) 1.09–1.52 mmol/g, water uptake (W_R) 17.14%–21.77%, linear expansion ratio (LER) 7.96%–11.86%, tensile strength (TS) 16.66–23.97 MPa and elongation at break (E_b) 485.57%–647.98%. The prepared anion exchange membranes were employed for the electrodialytic removal of 0.1 M NaCl aqueous solution at a constant applied voltage. It is found that the reported membranes could be the promising candidate for NaCl removal via electrodialysis. Full article

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13 pages, 3844 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancement of Electrochemical Performance of LiMn₂O₄ Spinel Cathode Material by Synergetic Substitution with Ni and S

by Monika Bakierska¹, Michał Świętosławski¹, Marta Gajewska², Andrzej Kowalczyk¹, Zofia Piwowarska¹, Lucjan Chmielarz¹, Roman Dziembaj¹ and Marcin Molenda^1,*

¹ Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 3, Krakow 30-060, Poland

² Academic Centre for Materials and Nanotechnology, AGH University of Science and Technology, Mickiewicza 30, Krakow 30-059, Poland

Materials 2016, 9(5), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050366 - 13 May 2016

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 8505

Abstract

Nickel and sulfur doped lithium manganese spinels with a nominal composition of LiMn_2−xNi_xO_4–yS_y (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.5 and y = 0.01) were synthesized by a xerogel-type sol-gel method followed by subsequent calcinations at [...] Read more.

Nickel and sulfur doped lithium manganese spinels with a nominal composition of LiMn_2−xNi_xO_4–yS_y (0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.5 and y = 0.01) were synthesized by a xerogel-type sol-gel method followed by subsequent calcinations at 300 and 650 °C in air. The samples were investigated in terms of physicochemical properties using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (EDS-TEM), N₂ adsorption-desorption measurements (N₂-BET), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and electrical conductivity studies (EC). Electrochemical characteristics of Li/Li⁺/LiMn_2−xNi_xO_4–yS_y cells were examined by galvanostatic charge/discharge tests (CELL TEST), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The XRD showed that for samples calcined at 650 °C containing 0.1 and 0.2 mole of Ni single phase materials of Fd-3m group symmetry and nanoparticles size of around 50 nm were obtained. The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) mapping confirmed homogenous distribution of nickel and sulfur in the obtained spinel materials. Moreover, it was revealed that the adverse phase transition at around room temperature typical for the stoichiometric spinel was successfully suppressed by Ni and S substitution. Electrochemical results indicated that slight substitution of nickel (x = 0.1) and sulfur (y = 0.01) in the LiMn₂O₄ enhances the electrochemical performance along with the rate capability and capacity retention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Renewable Energy Conversion Materials)

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16 pages, 1777 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Oxidized Polyethylene Wax as a Potential Carbon Source for PHA Production

by Iza Radecka¹

, Victor Irorere¹, Guozhan Jiang¹, David Hill¹, Craig Williams¹

, Grazyna Adamus²

, Michal Kwiecień², Adam A. Marek³, Jan Zawadiak³, Brian Johnston¹ and Marek Kowalczuk^1,2,*

¹ School of Biology, Chemistry and Forensic Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1LY, UK

² Centre of Polymer Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Zabrze 41-800, Poland

³ Department of Chemical Organic Technology and Petrochemistry, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice 44-100, Poland

Materials 2016, 9(5), 367; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050367 - 13 May 2016

Cited by 58 | Viewed by 12123

Abstract

We report on the ability of bacteria to produce biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) using oxidized polyethylene wax (O-PEW) as a novel carbon source. The O-PEW was obtained in a process that used air or oxygen as an oxidizing agent. R. eutropha H16 was grown [...] Read more.

We report on the ability of bacteria to produce biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) using oxidized polyethylene wax (O-PEW) as a novel carbon source. The O-PEW was obtained in a process that used air or oxygen as an oxidizing agent. R. eutropha H16 was grown for 48 h in either tryptone soya broth (TSB) or basal salts medium (BSM) supplemented with O-PEW and monitored by viable counting. Study revealed that biomass and PHA production was higher in TSB supplemented with O-PEW compared with TSB only. The biopolymers obtained were preliminary characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The detailed structural evaluation at the molecular level was performed by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). The study revealed that, when TSB was supplemented with O-PEW, bacteria produced PHA which contained 3-hydroxybutyrate and up to 3 mol % of 3-hydroxyvalerate and 3-hydroxyhexanoate co-monomeric units. The ESI-MS/MS enabled the PHA characterization when the content of 3-hydroxybutyrate was high and the appearance of other PHA repeating units was very low. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodegradable and Bio-Based Polymers)

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14 pages, 7267 KiB

Open AccessArticle

One-Step Method to Prepare PLLA Porous Microspheres in a High-Voltage Electrostatic Anti-Solvent Process

by Ying Wang¹, Li-Hui Zhu¹, Ai-Zheng Chen^1,2,3,*, Qiao Xu¹, Yu-Juan Hong¹ and Shi-Bin Wang^1,2,3,*

¹ College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China

² Institute of Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China

³ Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Biochemical Technology, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050368 - 13 May 2016

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5625

Abstract

A one-step method using a high-voltage electrostatic anti-solvent process was employed to fabricate poly-l-lactide (PLLA) porous microspheres (PMs). To address the simplification and control of the preparation process, a 2⁴ full factorial experiment was performed to optimize the operating process [...] Read more.

A one-step method using a high-voltage electrostatic anti-solvent process was employed to fabricate poly-l-lactide (PLLA) porous microspheres (PMs). To address the simplification and control of the preparation process, a 2⁴ full factorial experiment was performed to optimize the operating process and analyze the effect of the factors on the morphology and aerodynamic properties of the PLLA PMs, and various characterization tests were also performed. The resulting PLLA PMs exhibited an even and porous morphology with a density less than 0.4 g/cm³, a geometric mean diameter (Dg) of 10–30 μm, an aerodynamic diameter (Da) of 1–5 μm, a fine particle fraction (FPF) of 56.3%, and a porosity of 76.2%, meeting the requirements for pulmonary drug delivery. The physicochemical characterizations reveal that no significant chemical change occurred in the PLLA during the process. An investigation of its in vitro cytotoxicity and pulmonary toxicity shows no obvious toxic response, indicating good biosafety. This study indicates that the one-step method using a high-voltage electrostatic anti-solvent process has great potential in developing an inhalable drug carrier for pulmonary drug delivery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biomaterials)

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8 pages, 1536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Random Laser Action in Nd:YAG Crystal Powder

by Jon Azkargorta^1,*, Iñaki Iparraguirre¹, Macarena Barredo-Zuriarrain¹, Sara García-Revilla¹, Rolindes Balda^1,2 and Joaquín Fernández^1,2

¹ Departamento de Física Aplicada I, Escuela Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU, Alameda Urquijo s/n, Bilbao 48013, Spain

² Materials Physics Center, CSIC-UPV/EHU, San Sebastián 20018, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 369; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050369 - 13 May 2016

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 6612

Abstract

This work explores the room temperature random stimulated emission at 1.064 μm of a Nd:YAG crystal powder (Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet) in a very simple pump configuration with no assistance from an internal mirror. The laser threshold energy as a function of pump [...] Read more.

This work explores the room temperature random stimulated emission at 1.064 μm of a Nd:YAG crystal powder (Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet) in a very simple pump configuration with no assistance from an internal mirror. The laser threshold energy as a function of pump beam area and pump wavelength has been measured, as well as the temporal dynamics of emission pulses. The absolute energy of stimulated emission and the absolute laser slope efficiency have been measured by using a method proposed by the authors. The results show a surprising high efficiency that takes the low Nd³⁺ ion concentration of the crystal powder into account. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solid-State Laser Materials)

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16 pages, 3109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Production of Banana Fiber Yarns for Technical Textile Reinforced Composites

by Zaida Ortega^1,*

, Moisés Morón²

, Mario D. Monzón³, Pere Badalló²

and Rubén Paz³

¹ Departamento de Ingeniería de Procesos, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 35017, Spain

² Acondicionamiento Tarrasense Asociación—LEITAT, Terrassa 08225, Spain

³ Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 35017, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050370 - 13 May 2016

Cited by 68 | Viewed by 23476

Abstract

Natural fibers have been used as an alternative to synthetic ones for their greener character; banana fibers have the advantage of coming from an agricultural residue. Fibers have been extracted by mechanical means from banana tree pseudostems, as a strategy to valorize banana [...] Read more.

Natural fibers have been used as an alternative to synthetic ones for their greener character; banana fibers have the advantage of coming from an agricultural residue. Fibers have been extracted by mechanical means from banana tree pseudostems, as a strategy to valorize banana crops residues. To increase the mechanical properties of the composite, technical textiles can be used as reinforcement, instead of short fibers. To do so, fibers must be spun and woven. The aim of this paper is to show the viability of using banana fibers to obtain a yarn suitable to be woven, after an enzymatic treatment, which is more environmentally friendly. Extracted long fibers are cut to 50 mm length and then immersed into an enzymatic bath for their refining. Conditions of enzymatic treatment have been optimized to produce a textile grade of banana fibers, which have then been characterized. The optimum treating conditions were found with the use of Biopectinase K (100% related to fiber weight) at 45 °C, pH 4.5 for 6 h, with bath renewal after three hours. The first spinning trials show that these fibers are suitable to be used for the production of yarns. The next step is the weaving process to obtain a technical fabric for composites production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio- and Natural-Fiber Composites)

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15 pages, 7172 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Antimicrobial Properties of Diamond-Like Carbon/Silver Nanocomposite Thin Films Deposited on Textiles: Towards Smart Bandages

by Tadas Juknius¹, Modestas Ružauskas²

, Tomas Tamulevičius^1,3,*

, Rita Šiugždinienė², Indrė Juknienė², Andrius Vasiliauskas², Aušrinė Jurkevičiūtė¹ and Sigitas Tamulevičius^1,3

¹ Institute of Materials Science, Kaunas University of Technology, K. Baršausko St. 59, 51423 Kaunas, Lithuania

² Veterinary Academy, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Tilžės St. 18, 47181 Kaunas, Lithuania

³ Department of Physics, Kaunas University of Technology, Studentų St. 50, 51368 Kaunas, Lithuania

Materials 2016, 9(5), 371; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050371 - 13 May 2016

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 8861

Abstract

In the current work, a new antibacterial bandage was proposed where diamond-like carbon with silver nanoparticle (DLC:Ag)-coated synthetic silk tissue was used as a building block. The DLC:Ag structure, the dimensions of nanoparticles, the silver concentration and the silver ion release were studied [...] Read more.

In the current work, a new antibacterial bandage was proposed where diamond-like carbon with silver nanoparticle (DLC:Ag)-coated synthetic silk tissue was used as a building block. The DLC:Ag structure, the dimensions of nanoparticles, the silver concentration and the silver ion release were studied systematically employing scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and atomic absorption spectroscopy, respectively. Antimicrobial properties were investigated using microbiological tests (disk diffusion method and spread-plate technique). The DLC:Ag layer was stabilized on the surface of the bandage using a thin layer of medical grade gelatin and cellulose. Four different strains of Staphylococcus aureus extracted from humans’ and animals’ infected wounds were used. It is demonstrated that the efficiency of the Ag⁺ ion release to the aqueous media can be increased by further RF oxygen plasma etching of the nanocomposite. It was obtained that the best antibacterial properties were demonstrated by the plasma-processed DLC:Ag layer having a 3.12 at % Ag surface concentration with the dominating linear dimensions of nanoparticles being 23.7 nm. An extra protective layer made from cellulose and gelatin with agar contributed to the accumulation and efficient release of silver ions to the aqueous media, increasing bandage antimicrobial efficiency up to 50% as compared to the single DLC:Ag layer on textile. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Applications of Nano-antimicrobial Treatments)

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9 pages, 609 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Validity of Randomized Controlled Dental Restorative Trials

by Gerd Göstemeyer, Uwe Blunck, Sebastian Paris and Falk Schwendicke^*

Department of Operative and Preventive Dentistry, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 14197 Berlin, Germany

Materials 2016, 9(5), 372; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050372 - 13 May 2016

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5413

Abstract

Background: The evidence stemming from trials on restorative materials is shaped not only by trial findings, but also trial design and validity. We aimed to evaluate both aspects in randomized controlled dental restorative trials published from 2005–2015. Methods: Using systematic review [...] Read more.

Background: The evidence stemming from trials on restorative materials is shaped not only by trial findings, but also trial design and validity. We aimed to evaluate both aspects in randomized controlled dental restorative trials published from 2005–2015. Methods: Using systematic review methodology, we retrieved trials comparing restorative or adhesive dental materials. Two authors independently assessed design, risk of bias, registration status, and findings of trials. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed. Results: 114 studies on 15,321 restorations placed mainly in permanent teeth of 5232 patients were included. Per trial, the median number of patients was 37 (25th/75th percentiles: 30/51). Follow-up was 24 (20/48) months. Seventeen percent of trials reported on sample size calculations, 2% had been registered. Most trials (90%) used US Public Health Service (USPHS) criteria, and had a high risk of bias. More recent trials were more likely to have been registered, to have reported on sample size calculations, to be of low risk of bias, and to use other than USPHS-criteria. Twenty-three percent of trials yielded significant differences between groups. The likelihood of such differences was significantly increased in older studies, studies with potential reporting bias, published in journals with high impact factor (>2), longer follow-up periods, and not using USPHS-criteria. Conclusions: The majority of dental restorative trials published from 2005–2015 had limited validity. Risk of bias decreased in more recent trials. Future trials should aim for high validity, be registered, and use defined and appropriate sample sizes, follow-up periods, and outcome measures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biomaterials)

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11 pages, 1610 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Nanoporous Monolithic Microsphere Arrays Have Anti-Adhesive Properties Independent of Humidity

by Anna Eichler-Volf¹

, Longjian Xue^2,*, Alexander Kovalev³, Elena V. Gorb³, Stanislav N. Gorb^3,* and Martin Steinhart^1,*

¹ Institut für Chemie neuer Materialien, Universität Osnabrück, Barbarastr. 7, Osnabrück 49069, Germany

² School of Power and Mechanical Engineering, Wuhan University; Donghu South Road 8, Wuhan 430072, China

³ Functional Morphology and Biomechanics, Zoological Institute, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 9, Kiel 24118, Germany

Materials 2016, 9(5), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050373 - 14 May 2016

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 6328

Abstract

Bioinspired artificial surfaces with tailored adhesive properties have attracted significant interest. While fibrillar adhesive pads mimicking gecko feet are optimized for strong reversible adhesion, monolithic microsphere arrays mimicking the slippery zone of the pitchers of carnivorous plants of the genus Nepenthes show anti-adhesive [...] Read more.

Bioinspired artificial surfaces with tailored adhesive properties have attracted significant interest. While fibrillar adhesive pads mimicking gecko feet are optimized for strong reversible adhesion, monolithic microsphere arrays mimicking the slippery zone of the pitchers of carnivorous plants of the genus Nepenthes show anti-adhesive properties even against tacky counterpart surfaces. In contrast to the influence of topography, the influence of relative humidity (RH) on adhesion has been widely neglected. Some previous works deal with the influence of RH on the adhesive performance of fibrillar adhesive pads. Commonly, humidity-induced softening of the fibrils enhances adhesion. However, little is known on the influence of RH on solid anti-adhesive surfaces. We prepared polymeric nanoporous monolithic microsphere arrays (NMMAs) with microsphere diameters of a few 10 µm to test their anti-adhesive properties at RHs of 2% and 90%. Despite the presence of continuous nanopore systems through which the inner nanopore walls were accessible to humid air, the topography-induced anti-adhesive properties of NMMAs on tacky counterpart surfaces were retained even at RH = 90%. This RH-independent robustness of the anti-adhesive properties of NMMAs significantly contrasts the adhesion enhancement by humidity-induced softening on nanoporous fibrillar adhesive pads made of the same material. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinspired and Biomimetic Materials)

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11 pages, 5323 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fatigue Damage Monitoring of a Composite Step Lap Joint Using Distributed Optical Fibre Sensors

by Leslie Wong^1,*

, Nabil Chowdhury¹, John Wang², Wing Kong Chiu¹ and Jayantha Kodikara³

¹ Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia

² Aerospace Division, Defence Science and Technology Group, 506 Lorimer Street, Fishermans Bend, VIC 3207, Australia

³ Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia

Materials 2016, 9(5), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050374 - 14 May 2016

Cited by 34 | Viewed by 7039

Abstract

Over the past few decades, there has been a considerable interest in the use of distributed optical fibre sensors (DOFS) for structural health monitoring of composite structures. In aerospace-related work, health monitoring of the adhesive joints of composites has become more significant, as [...] Read more.

Over the past few decades, there has been a considerable interest in the use of distributed optical fibre sensors (DOFS) for structural health monitoring of composite structures. In aerospace-related work, health monitoring of the adhesive joints of composites has become more significant, as they can suffer from cracking and delamination, which can have a significant impact on the integrity of the joint. In this paper, a swept-wavelength interferometry (SWI) based DOFS technique is used to monitor the fatigue in a flush step lap joint composite structure. The presented results will show the potential application of distributed optical fibre sensor for damage detection, as well as monitoring the fatigue crack growth along the bondline of a step lap joint composite structure. The results confirmed that a distributed optical fibre sensor is able to enhance the detection of localised damage in a structure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Structural Health Monitoring for Aerospace Structures)

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10 pages, 16198 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Formation of Aluminum Particles with Shell Morphology during Pressureless Spark Plasma Sintering of Fe–Al Mixtures: Current-Related or Kirkendall Effect?

by Dina V. Dudina^1,2,3,*

, Boris B. Bokhonov^3,4

and Amiya K. Mukherjee⁵

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering and Technologies, Novosibirsk State Technical University, K. Marx Ave. 20, Novosibirsk 630073, Russia

² Lavrentyev Institute of Hydrodynamics SB RAS, Lavrentyev Ave. 15, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia

³ Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry SB RAS, Kutateladze str. 18, Novosibirsk 630128, Russia

⁴ Department of Natural Sciences, Novosibirsk State University, Pirogova str. 2, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia

⁵ Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA

Materials 2016, 9(5), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050375 - 14 May 2016

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 6526

Abstract

A need to deeper understand the influence of electric current on the structure and properties of metallic materials consolidated by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) stimulates research on inter-particle interactions, bonding and necking processes in low-pressure or pressureless conditions as favoring technique-specific local effects [...] Read more.

A need to deeper understand the influence of electric current on the structure and properties of metallic materials consolidated by Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) stimulates research on inter-particle interactions, bonding and necking processes in low-pressure or pressureless conditions as favoring technique-specific local effects when electric current passes through the underdeveloped inter-particle contacts. Until now, inter-particle interactions during pressureless SPS have been studied mainly for particles of the same material. In this work, we focused on the interactions between particles of dissimilar materials in mixtures of micrometer-sized Fe and Al powders forming porous compacts during pressureless SPS at 500–650 °C. Due to the chemical interaction between Al and Fe, necks of conventional shape did not form between the dissimilar particles. At the early interaction stages, the Al particles acquired shell morphology. It was shown that this morphology change was not related to the influence of electric current but was due to the Kirkendall effect in the Fe–Al system and particle rearrangement in a porous compact. No experimental evidence of melting or melt ejection during pressureless SPS of the Fe–Al mixtures or Fe and Al powders sintered separately was observed. Porous FeAl-based compacts could be obtained from Fe-40at.%Al mixtures by pressureless SPS at 650 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Spark-Plasma Sintering and Related Field-Assisted Powder Consolidation Technologies)

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12 pages, 2675 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Surface Functionalization of Polyethersulfone Membrane with Quaternary Ammonium Salts for Contact-Active Antibacterial and Anti-Biofouling Properties

by Xiao Hu^1,3, Xiaohui Lin², Huabing Zhao³, Zihao Chen¹, Jian Yang¹, Fan Li¹, Changjun Liu¹ and Feng Tian^1,*

¹ The Institute of Medical Equipment, Academy of Military Medical Science, Tianjin 300161, China

² Physics and Chemical Department, Tianjin Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Tianjin 300170, China

³ Tianjin Key Laboratory for Prevention and Control of Occupational and Environmental Hazard, Logistics College of Chinese People’s Armed Police Forces, Tianjin 300162, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050376 - 17 May 2016

Cited by 37 | Viewed by 8177

Abstract

Biofilm is a significant cause for membrane fouling. Antibacterial-coated surfaces can inhibit biofilm formation by killing bacteria. In this study, polyethersulfone (PES) microfiltration membrane was photografted by four antibiotic quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) separately, which were synthesized from dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) by quaternization [...] Read more.

Biofilm is a significant cause for membrane fouling. Antibacterial-coated surfaces can inhibit biofilm formation by killing bacteria. In this study, polyethersulfone (PES) microfiltration membrane was photografted by four antibiotic quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) separately, which were synthesized from dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) by quaternization with butyl bromide (BB), octyl bromide (OB), dodecyl bromide (DB), or hexadecyl bromide (HB). XPS, ATR-FTIR, and SEM were used to confirm the surfaces’ composition and morphology. After modification, the pores on PES-g-DMAEMA-BB and PES-g-DMAEMA-OB were blocked, while PES-g-DMAEMA-DB and PES-g-DMAEMA-HB were retained. We supposed that DMAEMA-BB and DMAEMA-OB aggregated on the membrane surface due to the activities of intermolecular or intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Bacteria testing found the antibacterial activities of the membranes increased with the length of the substituted alkyl chain. Correspondingly, little bacteria were observed on PES-g-DMAEMA-DB and PES-g-DMAEMA-HB by SEM. The antifouling properties were investigated by filtration of a solution of Escherichia coli. Compared with the initial membrane, PES-g-DMAEMA-DB and PES-g-DMAEMA-HB showed excellent anti-biofouling performance with higher relative flux recovery (RFR) of 88.3% and 92.7%, respectively. Thus, surface functionalization of the PES membrane with QACs can prevent bacteria adhesion and improve the anti-biofouling activity by the contact-active antibacterial property. Full article

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13 pages, 2938 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stress Wave Propagation in Viscoelastic-Plastic Rock-Like Materials

by Liu Lang^1,2, KI-IL Song^3,*

, Yue Zhai⁴, Dezheng Lao⁵ and Hang-Lo Lee³

¹ Energy School, Xi’an University of Science and Technology, Xi’an 710054, China

² Key Laboratory of Western Mines and Hazards Prevention, Ministry of Education of China, Xi’an 710054, China

³ Department of Civil Engineering, Inha University, Incheon 402-751, Korea

⁴ School of Geology Engineering and Geomatics, Changan University, Xi’an 710054, China

⁵ School of Civil & Resource Engineering, University of Western Australia, Perth 6009, Australia

Materials 2016, 9(5), 377; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050377 - 17 May 2016

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5752

Abstract

Rock-like materials are composites that can be regarded as a mixture composed of elastic, plastic, and viscous components. They exhibit viscoelastic-plastic behavior under a high-strain-rate loading according to element model theory. This paper presents an analytical solution for stress wave propagation in viscoelastic-plastic [...] Read more.

Rock-like materials are composites that can be regarded as a mixture composed of elastic, plastic, and viscous components. They exhibit viscoelastic-plastic behavior under a high-strain-rate loading according to element model theory. This paper presents an analytical solution for stress wave propagation in viscoelastic-plastic rock-like materials under a high-strain-rate loading and verifies the solution through an experimental test. A constitutive equation of viscoelastic-plastic rock-like materials was first established, and then kinematic and kinetic equations were then solved to derive the analytic solution for stress wave propagation in viscoelastic-plastic rock-like materials. An experimental test using the SHPB (Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar) for a concrete specimen was conducted to obtain a stress-strain curve under a high-strain-rate loading. Inverse analysis based on differential evolution was conducted to estimate undetermined variables for constitutive equations. Finally, the relationship between the attenuation factor and the strain rate in viscoelastic-plastic rock-like materials was investigated. According to the results, the frequency of the stress wave, viscosity coefficient, modulus of elasticity, and density play dominant roles in the attenuation of the stress wave. The attenuation decreases with increasing strain rate, demonstrating strongly strain-dependent attenuation in viscoelastic-plastic rock-like materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Materials Characterization)

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19 pages, 10679 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Contrastive Numerical Investigations on Thermo-Structural Behaviors in Mass Concrete with Various Cements

by Wei Zhou¹, Chuqiao Feng¹, Xinghong Liu^1,*, Shuhua Liu¹, Chao Zhang² and Wei Yuan¹

¹ State Key Laboratory of Water Resources and Hydropower Engineering Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, Hubei, China

² Changjiang Survey Planning Design & Research Company Limited, Wuhan 430010, Hubei, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050378 - 20 May 2016

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5267

Abstract

This work is a contrastive investigation of numerical simulations to improve the comprehension of thermo-structural coupled phenomena of mass concrete structures during construction. The finite element (FE) analysis of thermo-structural behaviors is used to investigate the applicability of supersulfated cement (SSC) in mass [...] Read more.

This work is a contrastive investigation of numerical simulations to improve the comprehension of thermo-structural coupled phenomena of mass concrete structures during construction. The finite element (FE) analysis of thermo-structural behaviors is used to investigate the applicability of supersulfated cement (SSC) in mass concrete structures. A multi-scale framework based on a homogenization scheme is adopted in the parameter studies to describe the nonlinear concrete behaviors. Based on the experimental data of hydration heat evolution rate and quantity of SSC and fly ash Portland cement, the hydration properties of various cements are studied. Simulations are run on a concrete dam section with a conventional method and a chemo-thermo-mechanical coupled method. The results show that SSC is more suitable for mass concrete structures from the standpoint of temperature control and crack prevention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Materials Characterization)

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13 pages, 4152 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Dynamics Study of Self-Assembly of Aqueous Solutions of Poly[9,9-bis(4-Sulfonylbutoxyphenylphenyl) Fluorene-2,7-diyl-2,2’-Bithiophene] (PBS-PF2T) in the Presence of Pentaethylene Glycol Monododecyl Ether (C₁₂E₅)

by Beverly Stewart^*

and Hugh Douglas Burrows

Centro de Química de Coimbra, Chemistry Department, University of Coimbra, Coimbra 3004-535, Portugal

Materials 2016, 9(5), 379; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050379 - 18 May 2016

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4894

Abstract

Results are presented using molecular dynamics (MD) of the self-assembly of the conjugated polyelectrolyte poly[9,9-bis(4-sulfonylbutoxyphenylphenyl) fluorene-2,7-diyl-2,2’-bithiophene] (PBS-PF2T) with 680 mM pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C₁₂E₅) in water. Simulations are used to examine the interaction between PBS-PF2T and C₁₂ [...] Read more.

Results are presented using molecular dynamics (MD) of the self-assembly of the conjugated polyelectrolyte poly[9,9-bis(4-sulfonylbutoxyphenylphenyl) fluorene-2,7-diyl-2,2’-bithiophene] (PBS-PF2T) with 680 mM pentaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C₁₂E₅) in water. Simulations are used to examine the interaction between PBS-PF2T and C₁₂E₅ and suggest a break-up of PBS-PF2T aggregates in solution. These systems are dominated by the formation of cylindrical phases at temperatures between 0 °C and 20 °C and also between 45 °C and 90 °C. More diffuse phases are seen to occur between 20 °C and 45 °C and also above 90 °C. Simulations are related to previous computational and experimental studies on PBS-PF2T aggregation in the presence of tetraethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C₁₂E₄) in bulk and thin films. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Surface Forces and Thin Liquid Films)

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14 pages, 10269 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Laser Power Level on Microstructural Properties and Phase Composition of Laser-Clad Fluorapatite/Zirconia Composite Coatings on Ti6Al4V Substrates

by Chi-Sheng Chien^1,2, Cheng-Wei Liu³ and Tsung-Yuan Kuo^3,*

¹ Department of Orthopaedics, Chimei Foundation Hospital, Tainan 710, Taiwan

² Department of Electrical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan 710, Taiwan

³ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Tainan 710, Taiwan

Materials 2016, 9(5), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050380 - 17 May 2016

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 6319

Abstract

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is one of the most commonly used materials for the coating of bioceramic titanium (Ti) alloys. However, HA has poor mechanical properties and a low bonding strength. Accordingly, the present study replaces HA with a composite coating material consisting of fluorapatite [...] Read more.

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is one of the most commonly used materials for the coating of bioceramic titanium (Ti) alloys. However, HA has poor mechanical properties and a low bonding strength. Accordingly, the present study replaces HA with a composite coating material consisting of fluorapatite (FA) and 20 wt % yttria (3 mol %) stabilized zirconia (ZrO₂, 3Y-TZP). The FA/ZrO₂ coatings are deposited on Ti6Al4V substrates using a Nd:YAG laser cladding system with laser powers and travel speeds of 400 W/200 mm/min, 800 W/400 mm/min, and 1200 W/600 mm/min, respectively. The experimental results show that a significant inter-diffusion of the alloying elements occurs between the coating layer (CL) and the transition layer (TL). Consequently, a strong metallurgical bond is formed between them. During the cladding process, the ZrO₂ is completely decomposed, while the FA is partially decomposed. As a result, the CLs of all the specimens consist mainly of FA, Ca₄(PO₄)₂O (TTCP), CaF₂, CaZrO₃, CaTiO₃ and monoclinic phase ZrO₂ (m-ZrO₂), together with a small amount of θ-Al₂O₃. As the laser power is increased, CaO, CaCO₃ and trace amounts of tetragonal phase ZrO₂ (t-ZrO₂) also appear. As the laser power increases from 400 to 800 W, the CL hardness also increases as a result of microstructural refinement and densification. However, at the highest laser power of 1200 W, the CL hardness reduces significantly due to the formation of large amounts of relatively soft CaO and CaCO₃ phase. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Solid-State Laser Materials)

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15 pages, 17388 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Higher Ratios of Hyaluronic Acid Enhance Chondrogenic Differentiation of Human MSCs in a Hyaluronic Acid–Gelatin Composite Scaffold

by Christian G. Pfeifer^1,*, Arne Berner¹, Matthias Koch¹, Werner Krutsch¹, Richard Kujat¹, Peter Angele^1,2, Michael Nerlich¹ and Johannes Zellner¹

¹ Department of Trauma Surgery, University Medical CentreRegensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, Regensburg 93053, Germany

² Sporthopaedicum, Straubing/Regensburg, Hildegard-von-Bingen-Str. 1, Regensburg 93053, Germany

Materials 2016, 9(5), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050381 - 17 May 2016

Cited by 36 | Viewed by 7488

Abstract

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) seeded on specific carrier materials are a promising source for the repair of traumatic cartilage injuries. The best supportive carrier material has not yet been determined. As natural components of cartilage’s extracellular matrix, hyaluronic acid and collagen are the [...] Read more.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) seeded on specific carrier materials are a promising source for the repair of traumatic cartilage injuries. The best supportive carrier material has not yet been determined. As natural components of cartilage’s extracellular matrix, hyaluronic acid and collagen are the focus of biomaterial research. In order to optimize chondrogenic support, we investigated three different scaffold compositions of a hyaluronic acid (HA)-gelatin based biomaterial. Methods: Human MSCs (hMSCs) were seeded under vacuum on composite scaffolds of three different HA-gelatin ratios and cultured in chondrogenic medium for 21 days. Cell-scaffold constructs were assessed at different time points for cell viability, gene expression patterns, production of cartilage-specific extracellular matrix (ECM) and for (immuno-)histological appearance. The intrinsic transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) uptake of empty scaffolds was evaluated by determination of the TGF-beta concentrations in the medium over time. Results: No significant differences were found for cell seeding densities and cell viability. hMSCs seeded on scaffolds with higher ratios of HA showed better cartilage-like differentiation in all evaluated parameters. TGF-beta uptake did not differ between empty scaffolds. Conclusion: Higher ratios of HA support the chondrogenic differentiation of hMSCs seeded on a HA-gelatin composite scaffold. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regenerative Materials)

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14 pages, 14042 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microstructural Anisotropy of Magnetocaloric Gadolinium Cylinders: Effect on the Mechanical Properties of the Material

by Darja Steiner Petrovič¹, Roman Šturm^2,*, Iztok Naglič³, Boštjan Markoli³ and Tomaž Pepelnjak²

¹ Institute of Metals and Technology, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia

² Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia

³ Faculty of Natural Sciences and Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia

Materials 2016, 9(5), 382; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050382 - 17 May 2016

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 5692

Abstract

The development of advanced materials and technologies based on magnetocaloric Gd and its compounds requires an understanding of the dependency of mechanical properties on their underlying microstructure. Therefore, the aim of the study was to characterize microstructural inhomogeneities in the gadolinium that can [...] Read more.

The development of advanced materials and technologies based on magnetocaloric Gd and its compounds requires an understanding of the dependency of mechanical properties on their underlying microstructure. Therefore, the aim of the study was to characterize microstructural inhomogeneities in the gadolinium that can be used in magnetocaloric refrigeration systems. Microstructures of magnetocaloric gadolinium cylinders were investigated by light microscopy and FE-SEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy), EDS (Energy-dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy), and BSE (Back-scattered Electrons) in both the extrusion and the extrusion-transversal directions. XRD (X-ray Diffraction) analyses were performed to reveal the presence of calcium- and fluorine-based compounds. Metallographic characterization showed an oxidized and inhomogeneous microstructure of the cross-sections. The edges and the outer parts of the cylinders were oxidized more intensively on the surfaces directly exposed to the processing tools. Moreover, a significant morphological anisotropy of the non-metallic inclusions was observed. CaF inclusions act as active nucleation sites for internal oxidation. The non-metallic, Ca- and F-containing inclusions can be classified as complex calciumoxyfluorides. The solubility of Er and Yb in the CaF was negligible compared to the Gd matrix and/or the oxide phase. Lower mechanical properties of the material are a consequence of the lower structural integrity due to selective oxidation of surfaces and interfaces. Full article

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11 pages, 4133 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fabrication of a Delaying Biodegradable Magnesium Alloy-Based Esophageal Stent via Coating Elastic Polymer

by Tianwen Yuan^1,†, Jia Yu^2,†

, Jun Cao³, Fei Gao⁴, Yueqi Zhu^1,*, Yingsheng Cheng^1,* and Wenguo Cui^2,*

¹ Department of Radiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People’s Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 600 Yi Shan Road, Shanghai 200233, China

² Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Orthopedic Institute, Soochow University, 708 Renmin Road, Suzhou 215006, China

³ Department of Interventional Oncology, Dahua Hospital, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200237, China

⁴ Zhejiang Zylox Medical Device Co., Ltd., No. 1500, Wenyi West Road, Hangzhou 311121, China

^† These authors contribute equally to this work.

Materials 2016, 9(5), 384; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050384 - 17 May 2016

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 7453

Abstract

Esophageal stent implantation can relieve esophageal stenosis and obstructions in benign esophageal strictures, and magnesium alloy stents are a good candidate because of biodegradation and biological safety. However, biodegradable esophageal stents show a poor corrosion resistance and a quick loss of mechanical support [...] Read more.

Esophageal stent implantation can relieve esophageal stenosis and obstructions in benign esophageal strictures, and magnesium alloy stents are a good candidate because of biodegradation and biological safety. However, biodegradable esophageal stents show a poor corrosion resistance and a quick loss of mechanical support in vivo. In this study, we chose the elastic and biodegradable mixed polymer of Poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMC) as the coated membrane on magnesium alloy stents for fabricating a fully biodegradable esophageal stent, which showed an ability to delay the degradation time and maintain mechanical performance in the long term. After 48 repeated compressions, the mechanical testing demonstrated that the PCL-PTMC-coated magnesium stents possess good flexibility and elasticity, and could provide enough support against lesion compression when used in vivo. According to the in vitro degradation evaluation, the PCL-PTMC membrane coated on magnesium was a good material combination for biodegradable stents. During the in vivo evaluation, the proliferation of the smooth muscle cells showed no signs of cell toxicity. Histological examination revealed the inflammation scores at four weeks in the magnesium-(PCL-PTMC) stent group were similar to those in the control group (p > 0.05). The α-smooth muscle actin layer in the media was thinner in the magnesium-(PCL-PTMC) stent group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Both the epithelial and smooth muscle cell layers were significantly thinner in the magnesium-(PCL-PTMC) stent group than in the control group. The stent insertion was feasible and provided reliable support for at least four weeks, without causing severe injury or collagen deposition. Thus, this stent provides a new stent for the treatment of benign esophageal stricture and a novel research path in the development of temporary stents in other cases of benign stricture. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological and Synthetic Organic–Inorganic Composite Materials)

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17 pages, 6981 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Streamlined Membrane Proteome Preparation for Shotgun Proteomics Analysis with Triton X-100 Cloud Point Extraction and Nanodiamond Solid Phase Extraction

by Minh D. Pham^1,2, Ting-Chun Wen¹, Hung-Cheng Li¹, Pei-Hsuan Hsieh³, Yet-Ran Chen³, Huan-Cheng Chang^1,* and Chau-Chung Han^1,*

¹ Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 10617, Taiwan

² Institute of Biotechnology, Vietnam Academy of Science & Technology, Hanoi 10600, Vietnam

³ Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan

Materials 2016, 9(5), 385; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050385 - 18 May 2016

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 8610

Abstract

While mass spectrometry (MS) plays a key role in proteomics research, characterization of membrane proteins (MP) by MS has been a challenging task because of the presence of a host of interfering chemicals in the hydrophobic protein extraction process, and the low protease [...] Read more.

While mass spectrometry (MS) plays a key role in proteomics research, characterization of membrane proteins (MP) by MS has been a challenging task because of the presence of a host of interfering chemicals in the hydrophobic protein extraction process, and the low protease digestion efficiency. We report a sample preparation protocol, two-phase separation with Triton X-100, induced by NaCl, with coomassie blue added for visualizing the detergent-rich phase, which streamlines MP preparation for SDS-PAGE analysis of intact MP and shot-gun proteomic analyses. MP solubilized in the detergent-rich milieu were then sequentially extracted and fractionated by surface-oxidized nanodiamond (ND) at three pHs. The high MP affinity of ND enabled extensive washes for removal of salts, detergents, lipids, and other impurities to ensure uncompromised ensuing purposes, notably enhanced proteolytic digestion and down-stream mass spectrometric (MS) analyses. Starting with a typical membranous cellular lysate fraction harvested with centrifugation/ultracentrifugation, MP purities of 70%, based on number (not weight) of proteins identified by MS, was achieved; the weight-based purity can be expected to be much higher. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Properties and Applications of Nanodiamonds)

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14 pages, 2095 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Arene Ru(II) Complexes Induce Tumor Cell Apoptosis Through Selectively Binding and Stabilizing bcl-2 G-Quadruplex DNA

by Yanhua Chen^1,†, Qiong Wu^1,†, Xicheng Wang², Qiang Xie³, Yunyun Tang², Yutao Lan^4,*, Shuangyan Zhang¹ and Wenjie Mei^1,*

¹ School of Pharmacy, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510006, China

² The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510080, China

³ The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 440100, China

⁴ School of Nursing, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou 510310, China

^† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Materials 2016, 9(5), 386; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050386 - 17 May 2016

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5986

Abstract

A series of arene Ru(II) complexes coordinated with phenanthroimidazole derivatives, [(η⁶-C₆H₆)Ru(l)Cl]Cl(1b L = p-ClPIP = 2-(4-Chlorophenyl)imidazole[4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline; 2b L = m-ClPIP = 2-(3-Chlorophenyl)imidazole[4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline; 3b L = p-NPIP = 2-(4-Nitrophenyl)imidazole[4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline; 4b [...] Read more.

A series of arene Ru(II) complexes coordinated with phenanthroimidazole derivatives, [(η⁶-C₆H₆)Ru(l)Cl]Cl(1b L = p-ClPIP = 2-(4-Chlorophenyl)imidazole[4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline; 2b L = m-ClPIP = 2-(3-Chlorophenyl)imidazole[4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline; 3b L = p-NPIP = 2-(4-Nitrophenyl)imidazole[4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline; 4b L = m-NPIP = 2-(3-Nitrophenyl) imidazole [4,5f] 1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized in yields of 89.9%–92.7% under conditions of microwave irradiation heating for 30 min to liberate four arene Ru(II) complexes (1b, 2b, 3b, 4b). The anti-tumor activity of 1b against various tumor cells was evaluated by MTT assay. The results indicated that this complex blocked the growth of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells with an IC₅₀ of 16.59 μM. Flow cytometric analysis showed that apoptosis of A549 cells was observed following treatment with 1b. Furthermore, the in vitro DNA-binding behaviors that were confirmed by spectroscopy indicated that 1b could selectively bind and stabilize bcl-2 G-quadruplex DNA to induce apoptosis of A549 cells. Therefore, the synthesized 1b has impressive bcl-2 G-quadruplex DNA-binding and stabilizing activities with potential applications in cancer chemotherapy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microwave Materials Processing)

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16 pages, 5197 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Evaluation of Microstructure and Transport Properties of Deteriorated Cementitious Materials from Their X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) Images

by Michael Angelo B. Promentilla^1,*

, Shermaine M. Cortez¹, Regina Anne DC. Papel¹, Bernadette M. Tablada¹ and Takafumi Sugiyama²

¹ Chemical Engineering Department, De La Salle University, Manila 0922, Philippines

² Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0808, Japan

Materials 2016, 9(5), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050388 - 19 May 2016

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 8007

Abstract

Pore structure, tortuosity and permeability are considered key properties of porous materials such as cement pastes to understand their long-term durability performance. Three-dimensional image analysis techniques were used in this study to quantify pore size, effective porosity, tortuosity, and permeability from the X-ray [...] Read more.

Pore structure, tortuosity and permeability are considered key properties of porous materials such as cement pastes to understand their long-term durability performance. Three-dimensional image analysis techniques were used in this study to quantify pore size, effective porosity, tortuosity, and permeability from the X-ray computed tomography (CT) images of deteriorated pastes that were subjected to accelerated leaching test. X-ray microtomography is a noninvasive three-dimensional (3D) imaging technique which has been recently gaining attention for material characterization. Coupled with 3D image analysis, the digitized pore can be extracted and computational simulation can be applied to the pore network to measure relevant microstructure and transport properties. At a spatial resolution of 0.50 μm, the effective porosity (ψ_e) was found to be in the range of 0.04 to 0.33. The characteristic pore size (d) using a local thickness algorithm was found to be in the range of 3 to 7 μm. The geometric tortuosity (τ_g) based on a 3D random walk simulation in the percolating pore space was found to be in the range of 2.00 to 7.45. The water permeability values (K) using US NIST Permeability Stokes Solver range from an order of magnitudes of 10⁻¹⁴ to 10⁻¹⁷ m². Indications suggest that as effective porosity increases, the geometric tortuosity increases and the permeability decreases. Correlation among these microstructure and transport parameters is also presented in this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-based Materials)

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15 pages, 2539 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Determination of Specific Heat Capacity on Composite Shape-Stabilized Phase Change Materials and Asphalt Mixtures by Heat Exchange System

by Biao Ma^1,*, Xue-yan Zhou¹, Jiang Liu², Zhanping You^1,3, Kun Wei¹ and Xiao-feng Huang¹

¹ Key Laboratory for Special Area Highway Engineering of Ministry of Education, Chang’an University, Xi’an 710064, Shaanxi, China

² Architectural Design and Research Institute of Guangdong Province Xi’an Branch, Xi’an 710064, Shaanxi, China

³ Department of Civil and Engineering Environment, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI 49931, USA

Materials 2016, 9(5), 389; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050389 - 19 May 2016

Cited by 59 | Viewed by 10362

Abstract

Previous research has shown that composite shape-stabilized phase change material (CPCM) has a remarkable capacity for thermal storage and stabilization, and it can be directly applied to highway construction without leakage. However, recent studies on temperature changing behaviors of CPCM and asphalt mixture [...] Read more.

Previous research has shown that composite shape-stabilized phase change material (CPCM) has a remarkable capacity for thermal storage and stabilization, and it can be directly applied to highway construction without leakage. However, recent studies on temperature changing behaviors of CPCM and asphalt mixture cannot intuitively reflect the thermoregulation mechanism and efficiency of CPCM on asphalt mixture. The objective of this paper is to determine the specific heat capacity of CPCM and asphalt mixtures mixed with CPCM using the heat exchange system and the data acquisition system. Studies have shown that the temperature-rise curve of 5 °C CPCM has an obvious temperature plateau, while an asphalt mixture mixed with 5 °C CPCM does not; with increasing temperature, the specific heat capacities of both 5 °C CPCM and asphalt mixture first increase and then decrease, while the variation rate of 5 °C CPCM is larger than that of the asphalt mixture, and the maximum specific heat capacity of 5 °C CPCM appears around the initial phase change temperature. It is concluded that the temperature intervals of 5 °C CPCM are −18 °C–7 °C, 7 °C–25 °C and 25 °C–44 °C, respectively, and that of the asphalt mixture are −18 °C~10 °C, −10 °C~5 °C and 5 °C~28 °C. A low dosage of 5 °C CPCM has little influence on the specific heat capacity of asphalt mixture. Finally, the functions of specific heat capacities and temperature for CPCM and asphalt mixture mixed with CPCM were recommended by the sectional regression method. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Characterisation of Encapsulated PCM: Nano-, Micro-, and Macro-Encapsulation)

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15 pages, 8324 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Hybridizing Flax and Hemp-Agave Fibers with Glass Fiber as Reinforcement in a Polyurethane Composite

by Pankaj Pandey¹, Dilpreet Bajwa², Chad Ulven²

and Sreekala Bajwa^1,*

¹ Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA

² Department of Mechanical Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102, USA

Materials 2016, 9(5), 390; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050390 - 19 May 2016

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 8829

Abstract

In this study, six combinations of flax, hemp, and glass fiber were investigated for a hybrid reinforcement system in a polyurethane (PU) composite. The natural fibers were combined with glass fibers in a PU composite in order to achieve a better mechanical reinforcement [...] Read more.

In this study, six combinations of flax, hemp, and glass fiber were investigated for a hybrid reinforcement system in a polyurethane (PU) composite. The natural fibers were combined with glass fibers in a PU composite in order to achieve a better mechanical reinforcement in the composite material. The effect of fiber hybridization in PU composites was evaluated through physical and mechanical properties such as water absorption (WA), specific gravity (SG), coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE), flexural and compression properties, and hardness. The mechanical properties of hybridized samples showed mixed trends compared to the unhybridized samples, but hybridization with glass fiber reduced water absorption by 37% and 43% for flax and hemp-agave PU composites respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio- and Natural-Fiber Composites)

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10 pages, 2874 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Structure and Mechanical Properties of High-Strength Bulk Ultrafine-Grained Cobalt Prepared Using High-Energy Ball Milling in Combination with Spark Plasma Sintering

by Ivo Marek^1,*, Dalibor Vojtěch¹, Alena Michalcová¹

and Tomáš František Kubatík²

¹ Department of Metals and Corrosion Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic

² Institute of Plasma Physics AS CR, v.v.i., Za Slovankou 1782/3, 182 00 Prague 8, Czech Republic

Materials 2016, 9(5), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050391 - 19 May 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5771

Abstract

In this study, bulk ultrafine-grained and micro-crystalline cobalt was prepared using a combination of high-energy ball milling and subsequent spark plasma sintering. The average grain sizes of the ultrafine-grained and micro-crystalline materials were 200 nm and 1 μm, respectively. Mechanical properties such as [...] Read more.

In this study, bulk ultrafine-grained and micro-crystalline cobalt was prepared using a combination of high-energy ball milling and subsequent spark plasma sintering. The average grain sizes of the ultrafine-grained and micro-crystalline materials were 200 nm and 1 μm, respectively. Mechanical properties such as the compressive yield strength, the ultimate compressive strength, the maximum compressive deformation and the Vickers hardness were studied and compared with those of a coarse-grained as-cast cobalt reference sample. The bulk ultrafine-grained sample showed an ultra-high compressive yield strength that was greater than 1 GPa, which is discussed with respect to the preparation technique and a structural investigation. Full article

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11 pages, 2156 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimising Ambient Setting Bayer Derived Fly Ash Geopolymers

by Evan Jamieson^1,2, Catherine S. Kealley³, Arie Van Riessen^3,* and Robert D. Hart³

¹ School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia

² Technology Delivery Group, Alcoa World Alumina, P.O. Box 161, Kwinana, WA 6966, Australia

³ John de Laeter Centre, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia

Materials 2016, 9(5), 392; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050392 - 19 May 2016

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5618

Abstract

The Bayer process utilises high concentrations of caustic and elevated temperature to liberate alumina from bauxite, for the production of aluminium and other chemicals. Within Australia, this process results in 40 million tonnes of mineral residues (Red mud) each year. Over the same [...] Read more.

The Bayer process utilises high concentrations of caustic and elevated temperature to liberate alumina from bauxite, for the production of aluminium and other chemicals. Within Australia, this process results in 40 million tonnes of mineral residues (Red mud) each year. Over the same period, the energy production sector will produce 14 million tonnes of coal combustion products (Fly ash). Both industrial residues require impoundment storage, yet combining some of these components can produce geopolymers, an alternative to cement. Geopolymers derived from Bayer liquor and fly ash have been made successfully with a compressive strength in excess of 40 MPa after oven curing. However, any product from these industries would require large volume applications with robust operational conditions to maximise utilisation. To facilitate potential unconfined large-scale production, Bayer derived fly ash geopolymers have been optimised to achieve ambient curing. Fly ash from two different power stations have been successfully trialled showing the versatility of the Bayer liquor-ash combination for making geopolymers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Geopolymers and Alkali-Activated Materials)

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14 pages, 8316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation on Polylactide (PLA)/Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/Bark Flour of Plane Tree (PF) Eco-Composites

by Qiang Dou^* and Jun Cai

College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050393 - 19 May 2016

Cited by 27 | Viewed by 6872

Abstract

Polylactide (PLA)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/bark flour of plane tree (PF) eco-composites were prepared via melt blending. The morphologies, mechanical properties, crystal structures and melting and crystallization behaviors of the eco-composites were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical tests, polarized light microscopy [...] Read more.

Polylactide (PLA)/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT)/bark flour of plane tree (PF) eco-composites were prepared via melt blending. The morphologies, mechanical properties, crystal structures and melting and crystallization behaviors of the eco-composites were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical tests, polarized light microscopy (PLM), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. It is shown that the interfacial adhesion between PLA matrix and PF is weak and the mechanical properties of PLA/PF eco-composites are poor. The titanate treatment improves the adhesion between the matrix and the filler and enhances the stiffness of the eco-composites. The toughness is improved by PBAT and ductile fractured surfaces can be found. The spherulitic size of PLA is decreased by the addition of PF. The α crystalline form of PLA remains in the composites. Compared with PF, T-PF (PF treated by a titanate coupling agent) and PBAT have negative effects on the crystallization of PLA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polymer Blends and Compatibilization)

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16 pages, 1354 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Insulation Cork Boards—Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of an Organic Construction Material

by José D. Silvestre^1,*

, Nuno Pargana², Jorge De Brito¹

, Manuel D. Pinheiro¹

and Vera Durão¹

¹ CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, Lisboa 1049-001, Portugal

² Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais 1, Lisboa 1049-001, Portugal

Materials 2016, 9(5), 394; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050394 - 20 May 2016

Cited by 65 | Viewed by 13529

Abstract

Envelope insulation is a relevant technical solution to cut energy consumption and reduce environmental impacts in buildings. Insulation Cork Boards (ICB) are a natural thermal insulation material whose production promotes the recycling of agricultural waste. The aim of this paper is to determine [...] Read more.

Envelope insulation is a relevant technical solution to cut energy consumption and reduce environmental impacts in buildings. Insulation Cork Boards (ICB) are a natural thermal insulation material whose production promotes the recycling of agricultural waste. The aim of this paper is to determine and evaluate the environmental impacts of the production, use, and end-of-life processing of ICB. A “cradle-to-cradle” environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was performed according to International LCA standards and the European standards on the environmental evaluation of buildings. These results were based on site-specific data and resulted from a consistent methodology, fully described in the paper for each life cycle stage: Cork oak tree growth, ICB production, and end-of-life processing-modeling of the carbon flows (i.e., uptakes and emissions), including sensitivity analysis of this procedure; at the production stage—the modeling of energy processes and a sensitivity analysis of the allocation procedures; during building operation—the expected service life of ICB; an analysis concerning the need to consider the thermal diffusivity of ICB in the comparison of the performance of insulation materials. This paper presents the up-to-date “cradle-to-cradle” environmental performance of ICB for the environmental categories and life-cycle stages defined in European standards. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biomaterials)

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9 pages, 1852 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Na₃PO₄ on the Hydration Process of Alkali-Activated Blast Furnace Slag

by Lukáš Kalina^*, Vlastimil Bílek

, Radoslav Novotný

, Miroslava Mončeková, Jiří Másilko

and Jan Koplík

Materials Research Centre, Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, Brno 612 00, Czech Republic

Materials 2016, 9(5), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050395 - 20 May 2016

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 6843

Abstract

In recent years, the utilization of different non-traditional cements and composites has been increasing. Alkali-activated cementitious materials, especially those based on the alkali activation of blast furnace slag, have considerable potential for utilization in the building industry. However, alkali-slag cements exhibit very rapid [...] Read more.

In recent years, the utilization of different non-traditional cements and composites has been increasing. Alkali-activated cementitious materials, especially those based on the alkali activation of blast furnace slag, have considerable potential for utilization in the building industry. However, alkali-slag cements exhibit very rapid setting times, which are too short in some circumstances, and these materials cannot be used for some applications. Therefore, it is necessary to find a suitable retarding admixture. It was shown that the sodium phosphate additive has a strong effect on the heat evolution during alkali activation and effectively retards the hydration reaction of alkali-activated blast furnace slag. The aim of the work is the suggestion of a reaction mechanism of retardation mainly based on Raman and X‑ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Geopolymers and Alkali-Activated Materials)

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13 pages, 704 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling of Compressive Strength for Self-Consolidating High-Strength Concrete Incorporating Palm Oil Fuel Ash

by Md. Safiuddin^1,*, Sudharshan N. Raman^2,*, Md. Abdus Salam³

and Mohd. Zamin Jumaat⁴

¹ Angelo Del Zotto School of Construction Management, George Brown College, 146 Kendal Avenue, Toronto, ON M5T 2T9, Canada

² Department of Architecture, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia

³ Department of Civil Engineering, Dhaka University of Engineering & Technology, Gazipur-1700, Dhaka 1213, Bangladesh

⁴ Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia

Materials 2016, 9(5), 396; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050396 - 20 May 2016

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 6012

Abstract

Modeling is a very useful method for the performance prediction of concrete. Most of the models available in literature are related to the compressive strength because it is a major mechanical property used in concrete design. Many attempts were taken to develop suitable [...] Read more.

Modeling is a very useful method for the performance prediction of concrete. Most of the models available in literature are related to the compressive strength because it is a major mechanical property used in concrete design. Many attempts were taken to develop suitable mathematical models for the prediction of compressive strength of different concretes, but not for self-consolidating high-strength concrete (SCHSC) containing palm oil fuel ash (POFA). The present study has used artificial neural networks (ANN) to predict the compressive strength of SCHSC incorporating POFA. The ANN model has been developed and validated in this research using the mix proportioning and experimental strength data of 20 different SCHSC mixes. Seventy percent (70%) of the data were used to carry out the training of the ANN model. The remaining 30% of the data were used for testing the model. The training of the ANN model was stopped when the root mean square error (RMSE) and the percentage of good patterns was 0.001 and ≈100%, respectively. The predicted compressive strength values obtained from the trained ANN model were much closer to the experimental values of compressive strength. The coefficient of determination (R²) for the relationship between the predicted and experimental compressive strengths was 0.9486, which shows the higher degree of accuracy of the network pattern. Furthermore, the predicted compressive strength was found very close to the experimental compressive strength during the testing process of the ANN model. The absolute and percentage relative errors in the testing process were significantly low with a mean value of 1.74 MPa and 3.13%, respectively, which indicated that the compressive strength of SCHSC including POFA can be efficiently predicted by the ANN. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Composites)

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12 pages, 4769 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gold Nanoparticle-Mediated Delivery of Molecules into Primary Human Gingival Fibroblasts Using ns-Laser Pulses: A Pilot Study

by Judith Krawinkel¹, Maria Leilani Torres-Mapa², Kristian Werelius³, Alexander Heisterkamp², Stefan Rüttermann⁴, Georgios E. Romanos^5,6

and Susanne Gerhardt-Szép^4,*

¹ Institute of Applied Optics, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Fröbelstieg 1, Jena 07743, Germany

² Institute of Quantum Optics, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz University Hannover, Welfengarten 1, Hannover 30167, Germany

³ Department of Postgraduate Education, J.W. Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main 60590, Germany

⁴ Department of Operative Dentistry, Carolinum Dental University-Institute GmbH, J.W. Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main 60590, Germany

⁵ Department of Periodontology, School of Dental Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA

⁶ Department of Oral Surgery and Implant Dentistry, Carolinum Dental University-Institute GmbH, J.W. Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, Frankfurt am Main 60590, Germany

Materials 2016, 9(5), 397; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050397 - 20 May 2016

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5717

Abstract

Interaction of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the vicinity of cells’ membrane with a pulsed laser (λ = 532 nm, τ = 1 ns) leads to perforation of the cell membrane, thereby allowing extracellular molecules to diffuse into the cell. The objective of this [...] Read more.

Interaction of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the vicinity of cells’ membrane with a pulsed laser (λ = 532 nm, τ = 1 ns) leads to perforation of the cell membrane, thereby allowing extracellular molecules to diffuse into the cell. The objective of this study was to develop an experimental setting to deliver molecules into primary human gingival fibroblasts (pHFIB-G) by using ns-laser pulses interacting with AuNPs (study group). To compare the parameters required for manipulation of pHFIB-G with those needed for cell lines, a canine pleomorphic adenoma cell line (ZMTH3) was used (control group). Non-laser-treated cells incubated with AuNPs and the delivery molecules served as negative control. Laser irradiation (up to 35 mJ/cm²) resulted in a significant proportion of manipulated fibroblasts (up to 85%, compared to non-irradiated cells: p < 0.05), while cell viability (97%) was not reduced significantly. pHFIB-G were perforated as efficiently as ZMTH3. No significant decrease of metabolic cell activity was observed up to 72 h after laser treatment. The fibroblasts took up dextrans with molecular weights up to 500 kDa. Interaction of AuNPs and a pulsed laser beam yields a spatially selective technique for manipulation of even primary cells such as pHFIB-G in high throughput. Full article

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20 pages, 23863 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental and Numerical Evaluation of the Mechanical Behavior of Strongly Anisotropic Light-Weight Metallic Fiber Structures under Static and Dynamic Compressive Loading

by Olaf Andersen^1,*,†

, Matej Vesenjak^2,†

, Thomas Fiedler³

, Ulrike Jehring¹ and Lovre Krstulović-Opara⁴

¹ Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials, Branch Lab Dresden, D-01277 Dresden, Germany

² Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maribor, Smetanova 17, SI-2000 Maribor, Slovenia

³ Centre for Mass and Thermal Transport in Engineering Materials, School of Engineering, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia

⁴ Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Split, R. Boškovića 32, HR-2100 Split, Croatia

^† These authors contributed equally to this work.

Materials 2016, 9(5), 398; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050398 - 21 May 2016

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 7531

Abstract

Rigid metallic fiber structures made from a variety of different metals and alloys have been investigated mainly with regard to their functional properties such as heat transfer, pressure drop, or filtration characteristics. With the recent advent of aluminum and magnesium-based fiber structures, the [...] Read more.

Rigid metallic fiber structures made from a variety of different metals and alloys have been investigated mainly with regard to their functional properties such as heat transfer, pressure drop, or filtration characteristics. With the recent advent of aluminum and magnesium-based fiber structures, the application of such structures in light-weight crash absorbers has become conceivable. The present paper therefore elucidates the mechanical behavior of rigid sintered fiber structures under quasi-static and dynamic loading. Special attention is paid to the strongly anisotropic properties observed for different directions of loading in relation to the main fiber orientation. Basically, the structures show an orthotropic behavior; however, a finite thickness of the fiber slabs results in moderate deviations from a purely orthotropic behavior. The morphology of the tested specimens is examined by computed tomography, and experimental results for different directions of loading as well as different relative densities are presented. Numerical calculations were carried out using real structural data derived from the computed tomography data. Depending on the direction of loading, the fiber structures show a distinctively different deformation behavior both experimentally and numerically. Based on these results, the prevalent modes of deformation are discussed and a first comparison with an established polymer foam and an assessment of the applicability of aluminum fiber structures in crash protection devices is attempted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Metal Foams: Synthesis, Characterization and Applications)

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14 pages, 11759 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Titanium Carbide Nanofibers-Reinforced Aluminum Compacts, a New Strategy to Enhance Mechanical Properties

by Khalil Abdelrazek Khalil^1,2,*, El-Sayed M. Sherif^3,4,*

, A. M. Nabawy³, Hany S. Abdo^2,3,5

, Wagih W. Marzouk⁵ and Hamad F. Alharbi¹

¹ Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, King Saud University, Al-Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia

² Mechanical Design and Materials Department, Faculty of Energy Engineering, Aswan University, Aswan 002097, Egypt

³ Center of Excellence for Research in Engineering Materials (CEREM), Advanced Manufacturing Institute, King Saud University, Al-Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia

⁴ Electrochemistry and Corrosion Laboratory, Department of Physical Chemistry, National Research Centre (NRC), Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt

⁵ Production Engineering and Design Department, Faculty of Engineering, Minia Universities, Minia 61111, Egypt

Materials 2016, 9(5), 399; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050399 - 20 May 2016

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 7462

Abstract

TiC nanofibers reinforced Al matrix composites were produced by High Frequency Induction Heat Sintering (HFIHS).The titanium carbide nanofibers with an average diameter of 90 nm are first prepared by electrospinning technique and high temperature calcination process. A composite solution containing polyacrylonitrile and titanium [...] Read more.

TiC nanofibers reinforced Al matrix composites were produced by High Frequency Induction Heat Sintering (HFIHS).The titanium carbide nanofibers with an average diameter of 90 nm are first prepared by electrospinning technique and high temperature calcination process. A composite solution containing polyacrylonitrile and titanium isopropoxide is first electrospun into the nanofibers, which are subsequently stabilized and then calcined to produce the desired TiC nanofibers. The X-ray diffraction pattern and transmission electron microscopy results show that the main phase of the as-synthesized nanofibers is titanium carbide. The TiC nanofibers is then mixed with the aluminum powders and introduced into high frequency induction heat sintering (HFIHS) to produce composites of TiC nanofibers reinforced aluminum matrix. The potential application of the TiC nanofibers reinforced aluminum matrix composites was systematically investigated. 99.5% relative density and around 85 HV (833 MPa) Vickers hardness of the Al reinforced with 5 wt % TiC nanofiber has been obtained. Furthermore, the sample of Al contains 5 wt % TiC, has the highest value of compression and yield strength of about 415 and 350 MPa, respectively. The ductility of the Al/5 wt % TiC showed increasing with increasing the TiC contents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Composites)

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14 pages, 2219 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water Uptake Behavior and Young Modulus Prediction of Composites Based on Treated Sisal Fibers and Poly(Lactic Acid)

by Ander Orue, Arantxa Eceiza

, Cristina Peña-Rodriguez

and Aitor Arbelaiz^*

Materials + Technologies Group, Engineering College of Gipuzkoa, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Donostia-San Sebastian 20018, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 400; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050400 - 21 May 2016

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 6379

Abstract

The main aim of this work was to study the effect of sisal fiber surface treatments on water uptake behavior of composites based on untreated and treated fibers. For this purpose, sisal fibers were treated with different chemical treatments. All surface treatments delayed [...] Read more.

The main aim of this work was to study the effect of sisal fiber surface treatments on water uptake behavior of composites based on untreated and treated fibers. For this purpose, sisal fibers were treated with different chemical treatments. All surface treatments delayed the water absorption of fibers only for a short time of period. No significant differences were observed in water uptake profiles of composites based on fibers with different surface treatments. After water uptake period, tensile strength and Young modulus values of sisal fiber/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites were decreased. On the other hand, composites based on NaOH + silane treated fibers showed the lowest diffusion coefficient values, suggesting that this treatment seemed to be the most effective treatment to reduce water diffusion rate into the composites. Finally, Young modulus values of composites, before water uptake period, were predicted using different micromechanical models and were compared with experimental data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Functionalization of Lignocellulosic Materials)

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11 pages, 2608 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Phase Changes of Monosulfoaluminate in NaCl Aqueous Solution

by Seyoon Yoon^1,2

, Juyoung Ha³, Sejung Rosie Chae⁴, David A. Kilcoyne⁵, Yubin Jun²

, Jae Eun Oh^2,*

and Paulo J.M. Monteiro⁴

¹ Department of Civil Engineering, Kyonggi University, Suwon 16227, Korea

² School of Urban and Environmental Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST-gil, Ulsan 44919, Korea

³ School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Kean University, Union, NJ 07083, USA

⁴ Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA

⁵ Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA

Materials 2016, 9(5), 401; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050401 - 21 May 2016

Cited by 44 | Viewed by 7973

Abstract

Monosulfoaluminate (Ca₄Al₂(SO₄)(OH)₁₂∙6H₂O) plays an important role in anion binding in Portland cement by exchanging its original interlayer ions (SO₄²⁻ and OH⁻) with chloride ions. In this study, scanning transmission [...] Read more.

Monosulfoaluminate (Ca₄Al₂(SO₄)(OH)₁₂∙6H₂O) plays an important role in anion binding in Portland cement by exchanging its original interlayer ions (SO₄²⁻ and OH⁻) with chloride ions. In this study, scanning transmission X-ray microscope (STXM), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the phase change of monosulfoaluminate due to its interaction with chloride ions. Pure monosulfoaluminate was synthesized and its powder samples were suspended in 0, 0.1, 1, 3, and 5 M NaCl solutions for seven days. At low chloride concentrations, a partial dissolution of monosulfoaluminate formed ettringite, while, with increasing chloride content, the dissolution process was suppressed. As the NaCl concentration increased, the dominant mechanism of the phase change became ion exchange, resulting in direct phase transformation from monosulfoaluminate to Kuzel’s salt or Friedel’s salt. The phase assemblages of the NaCl-reacted samples were explored using thermodynamic calculations and least-square linear combination (LC) fitting of measured XANES spectra. A comprehensive description of the phase change and its dominant mechanism are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Composites)

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Review

Jump to: Research, Other

26 pages, 1873 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Dielectric Spectroscopy in Biomaterials: Agrophysics

by Dalia El Khaled^1,2

, Nuria N. Castellano^1,2

, Jose A. Gázquez^1,2

, Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno³

and Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro^1,*

¹ Department Engineering and CIAIMBITAL (Research Center on Mediteranean Intensive Agrosystems and Agrifood Biotechnology), University of Almeria, CEIA3, Almeria 04120, Spain

² Research Group of Electronic Communications and Telemedicine TIC-019, Almeria 04120, Spain

³ Department of Applied Physics, University of Cordoba, CEIA3, Campus de Rabanales, Córdoba 14071, Spain

Materials 2016, 9(5), 310; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050310 - 27 Apr 2016

Cited by 55 | Viewed by 14864

Abstract

Being dependent on temperature and frequency, dielectric properties are related to various types of food. Predicting multiple physical characteristics of agri-food products has been the main objective of non-destructive assessment possibilities executed in many studies on horticultural products and food materials. This review [...] Read more.

Being dependent on temperature and frequency, dielectric properties are related to various types of food. Predicting multiple physical characteristics of agri-food products has been the main objective of non-destructive assessment possibilities executed in many studies on horticultural products and food materials. This review manipulates the basic fundamentals of dielectric properties with their concepts and principles. The different factors affecting the behavior of dielectric properties have been dissected, and applications executed on different products seeking the characterization of a diversity of chemical and physical properties are all pointed out and referenced with their conclusions. Throughout the review, a detailed description of the various adopted measurement techniques and the mostly popular equipment are presented. This compiled review serves in coming out with an updated reference for the dielectric properties of spectroscopy that are applied in the agrophysics field. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Microwave Materials Processing)

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21 pages, 1137 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Heterogeneity of Scaffold Biomaterials in Tissue Engineering

by Lauren Edgar, Kyle McNamara, Theresa Wong, Riccardo Tamburrini, Ravi Katari and Giuseppe Orlando^*

Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd Winston-Salem, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA

Materials 2016, 9(5), 332; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050332 - 3 May 2016

Cited by 77 | Viewed by 9668

Abstract

Tissue engineering (TE) offers a potential solution for the shortage of transplantable organs and the need for novel methods of tissue repair. Methods of TE have advanced significantly in recent years, but there are challenges to using engineered tissues and organs including but [...] Read more.

Tissue engineering (TE) offers a potential solution for the shortage of transplantable organs and the need for novel methods of tissue repair. Methods of TE have advanced significantly in recent years, but there are challenges to using engineered tissues and organs including but not limited to: biocompatibility, immunogenicity, biodegradation, and toxicity. Analysis of biomaterials used as scaffolds may, however, elucidate how TE can be enhanced. Ideally, biomaterials should closely mimic the characteristics of desired organ, their function and their in vivo environments. A review of biomaterials used in TE highlighted natural polymers, synthetic polymers, and decellularized organs as sources of scaffolding. Studies of discarded organs supported that decellularization offers a remedy to reducing waste of donor organs, but does not yet provide an effective solution to organ demand because it has shown varied success in vivo depending on organ complexity and physiological requirements. Review of polymer-based scaffolds revealed that a composite scaffold formed by copolymerization is more effective than single polymer scaffolds because it allows copolymers to offset disadvantages a single polymer may possess. Selection of biomaterials for use in TE is essential for transplant success. There is not, however, a singular biomaterial that is universally optimal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Regenerative Materials)

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30 pages, 2973 KiB

Open AccessReview

Silver Nanocoating Technology in the Prevention of Prosthetic Joint Infection

by Jiri Gallo^1,*

, Ales Panacek², Robert Prucek², Eva Kriegova³, Sarka Hradilova², Martin Hobza¹ and Martin Holinka¹

¹ Department of Orthopaedics, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, I. P. Pavlova 6, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic

² Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, Olomouc 783 71, Czech Republic

³ Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, Hněvotínská 3, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic

Materials 2016, 9(5), 337; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050337 - 5 May 2016

Cited by 51 | Viewed by 10662

Abstract

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a feared complication of total joint arthroplasty associated with increased morbidity and mortality. There is a growing body of evidence that bacterial colonization and biofilm formation are critical pathogenic events in PJI. Thus, the choice of biomaterials for [...] Read more.

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a feared complication of total joint arthroplasty associated with increased morbidity and mortality. There is a growing body of evidence that bacterial colonization and biofilm formation are critical pathogenic events in PJI. Thus, the choice of biomaterials for implanted prostheses and their surface modifications may significantly influence the development of PJI. Currently, silver nanoparticle (AgNP) technology is receiving much interest in the field of orthopaedics for its antimicrobial properties and a strong anti-biofilm potential. The great advantage of AgNP surface modification is a minimal release of active substances into the surrounding tissue and a long period of effectiveness. As a result, a controlled release of AgNPs could ensure antibacterial protection throughout the life of the implant. Moreover, the antibacterial effect of AgNPs may be strengthened in combination with conventional antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents. Here, our main attention is devoted to general guidelines for the design of antibacterial biomaterials protected by AgNPs, its benefits, side effects and future perspectives in PJI prevention. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Self-Cleaning and Antimicrobial Surfaces)

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17 pages, 2658 KiB

Open AccessReview

Nanoparticles for Control of Biofilms of Acinetobacter Species

by Richa Singh¹, Shradhda Nadhe¹, Sweety Wadhwani¹, Utkarsha Shedbalkar² and Balu Ananda Chopade^1,3,*

¹ Department of Microbiology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune 411007, India

² Department of Biochemistry, The Institute of Science, Mumbai 400032, India

³ Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad 431004, India

Materials 2016, 9(5), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050383 - 18 May 2016

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 9385

Abstract

Biofilms are the cause of 80% of microbial infections. Acinetobacter species have emerged as multi- and pan-drug-resistant bacteria and pose a great threat to human health. These act as nosocomial pathogens and form excellent biofilms, both on biotic and abiotic surfaces, leading to [...] Read more.

Biofilms are the cause of 80% of microbial infections. Acinetobacter species have emerged as multi- and pan-drug-resistant bacteria and pose a great threat to human health. These act as nosocomial pathogens and form excellent biofilms, both on biotic and abiotic surfaces, leading to severe infections and diseases. Various methods have been developed for treatment and control of Acinetobacter biofilm including photodynamic therapy, radioimmunotherapy, prophylactic vaccines and antimicrobial peptides. Nanotechnology, in the present scenario, offers a promising alternative. Nanomaterials possess unique properties, and multiple bactericidal mechanisms render them more effective than conventional drugs. This review intends to provide an overview of Acinetobacter biofilm and the significant role of various nanoparticles as anti-biofouling agents, surface-coating materials and drug-delivery vehicles for biofilm control and treatment of Acinetobacter infections. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biofilm and Materials Science)

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10 pages, 1715 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

Innate Immune Response in Implant-Associated Infections: Neutrophils against Biofilms

by Ulrike Dapunt^1,*

, Gertrud Maria Hänsch² and Carla Renata Arciola^3,4

¹ Center for Orthopaedics, Trauma Surgery and Spinal Cord Injury, Heidelberg University Hospital, Schlierbacher Landstrasse 200a, Heidelberg 69118, Germany

² Institute for Immunology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 305, Heidelberg 69120, Germany

³ Research Unit on Implant Infections, Rizzoli Orthopaedic Institute, Bologna 40136, Italy

⁴ Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40126, Italy

Materials 2016, 9(5), 387; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050387 - 18 May 2016

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 6395

Abstract

Biofilm has been recognized as a well-protected form of living for bacteria, contributing to bacterial pathogenicity, particularly for opportunistic species. Biofilm-associated infections are marked by their persistence. Extensive research has been devoted to the formation and composition of biofilms. The immune response against [...] Read more.

Biofilm has been recognized as a well-protected form of living for bacteria, contributing to bacterial pathogenicity, particularly for opportunistic species. Biofilm-associated infections are marked by their persistence. Extensive research has been devoted to the formation and composition of biofilms. The immune response against biofilms remains rather unexplored, but there is the notion that bacteria within a biofilm are protected from host defences. Here we glance at the mechanisms by which neutrophils recognize and face biofilms in implant infections and discuss the implications of this interplay, as well as speculate on its significance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anti-Infective Materials in Medicine and Technology)

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Other

Jump to: Research, Review

11 pages, 6790 KiB

Open AccessLetter

Synthesis and Characterization of Gd₂O₃ Hollow Microspheres Using a Template-Directed Method

by Xueliang Jiang^*, Lu Yu, Chu Yao^*

, Fuqing Zhang, Jiao Zhang and Chenjian Li

College of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430074, Hubei, China

Materials 2016, 9(5), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050323 - 28 Apr 2016

Cited by 58 | Viewed by 7964

Abstract

Uniform rare-earth gadolinium oxide (Gd₂O₃) hollow microspheres, as formed through a urea-assisted homogenous precipitation process using carbon spheres as a template and a subsequent heat treatment, were characterized by using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, X-ray photoelectron [...] Read more.

Uniform rare-earth gadolinium oxide (Gd₂O₃) hollow microspheres, as formed through a urea-assisted homogenous precipitation process using carbon spheres as a template and a subsequent heat treatment, were characterized by using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformed infared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Brunauer-Emmett-Tellet surface area measurement. The results indicate that the final products can be indexed to a cubic Gd₂O₃ phase with high purity and have a uniform morphology at 500 nm in diameter and 20 nm in shell thickness. The as-synthesized Gd₂O₃ hollow microspheres exhibited a superior photooxidation activity to that of Gd₂O₃ powder and an effect similar to P25, significantly broadening the potential of Gd₂O₃ hollow microspheres for many practical applications. Full article

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