Search Results (26)

This study aims to investigate the influencing factors and mechanisms of barium sulfate (BaSO₄) scaling under low-permeability reservoir conditions, providing a scientific basis for water quality selection during water injection. The effects of key scaling ions and flow conditions on scaling behavior were examined through integrated experimental core flooding tests and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Experiments were conducted using synthetic cores simulating the ultra-low permeability Chang-8 Reservoir of the Jiyuan Oilfield, analyzing the impact of ion concentrations (Ba²⁺, SO₄²⁻, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, HCO₃⁻), flow velocity, and injection pressure. MD simulations were performed based on an interfacial SiO₂(010)–BaSO₄ solution model constructed in Materials Studio to elucidate the micro-mechanisms. Results indicate that increasing concentrations of Ba²⁺ and SO₄²⁻ significantly promote scaling. High Ca²⁺ concentration (>8000 mg/L) inhibits BaSO₄ deposition via competitive adsorption. High Na⁺ concentration (>70,000 mg/L) reduces Ba²⁺ activity due to ionic strength effects. When HCO₃⁻ concentration exceeds 600 mg/L, CaCO₃ coprecipitation occurs, reducing effective SO₄²⁻ concentration and thus inhibiting BaSO₄ scaling. Increased flow velocity enhances scaling, whereas elevated injection pressure suppresses deposition. MD simulations reveal that increased ion concentrations decrease the mean square displacement (MSD) of Ba²⁺ and SO₄²⁻, weakening diffusion and enhancing scaling tendency. Elevated temperature promotes ion diffusion and inhibits scaling, while pressure shows negligible effect on ion diffusion at the molecular scale. This study provides theoretical insights for scaling prevention in low-permeability sandstone reservoirs. Full article

Despite advancements in the sensitivity and performance of analytical instruments, sample preparation remains a bottleneck in the analytical process. Currently, solid-phase extraction is more widely used than traditional organic solvent extraction due to its ease of use and lower solvent requirements. Moreover, various microextraction techniques such as micro solid-phase extraction, dispersive micro solid-phase extraction, solid-phase microextraction, stir bar sorptive extraction, liquid-phase microextraction, and magnetic bead extraction have been developed to minimize sample size, reduce solvent usage, and enable automation. Among these, in-tube solid-phase microextraction (IT-SPME) using capillaries as extraction devices has gained attention as an advanced “green extraction technique” that combines miniaturization, on-line automation, and reduced solvent consumption. Capillary tubes in IT-SPME are categorized into configurations: inner-wall-coated, particle-packed, fiber-packed, and rod monolith, operating either in a draw/eject system or a flow-through system. Additionally, the developments of novel adsorbents such as monoliths, ionic liquids, restricted-access materials, molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs), graphene, carbon nanotubes, inorganic nanoparticles, and organometallic frameworks have improved extraction efficiency and selectivity. MIPs, in particular, are stable, custom-made polymers with molecular recognition capabilities formed during synthesis, making them exceptional “smart adsorbents” for selective sample preparation. The MIP fabrication process involves three main stages: pre-arrangement for recognition capability, polymerization, and template removal. After forming the template-monomer complex, polymerization creates a polymer network where the template molecules are anchored, and the final step involves removing the template to produce an MIP with cavities complementary to the template molecules. This review is the first paper to focus on advanced MIP-based IT-SPME, which integrates the selectivity of MIPs into efficient IT-SPME, and summarizes its recent developments and applications. Full article

Metal oxide nanoparticles (MONP/s) induce DNA damage, which is influenced by their physicochemical properties. In this study, the high-throughput CometChip and micronucleus (MicroFlow) assays were used to investigate DNA and chromosomal damage in mouse lung epithelial cells induced by nano and bulk sizes of zinc oxide, copper oxide, manganese oxide, nickel oxide, aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, titanium dioxide, and iron oxide. Ionic forms of MONPs were also included. The study evaluated the impact of solubility, surface coating, and particle size on response. Correlation analysis showed that solubility in the cell culture medium was positively associated with response in both assays, with the nano form showing the same or higher response than larger particles. A subtle reduction in DNA damage response was observed post-exposure to some surface-coated MONPs. The observed difference in genotoxicity highlighted the mechanistic differences in the MONP-induced response, possibly influenced by both particle stability and chemical composition. The results highlight that combinations of properties influence response to MONPs and that solubility alone, while playing an important role, is not enough to explain the observed toxicity. The results have implications on the potential application of read-across strategies in support of human health risk assessment of MONPs. Full article

Thin films of solid-state lithium-ion electrolytes show promise for use in small-sized autonomous power sources for micro- and nanoelectronic elements. The high rate of vacuum-plasma synthesis (~0.5 μm/h) of lithium phosphor-oxynitride (LiPON) films with an ionic conductivity of ~2·10⁻⁶ S/cm is achieved through anodic evaporation of Li₃PO₄ in a low-pressure arc. The microstructure and ionic conductivity of LiPON films are influenced by the proportion of free lithium in the vapor flow. This paper presents the results of a study on the plasma composition during anodic evaporation of Li₃PO₄ in a discharge with a self-heating hollow cathode and a crucible anode. A method is proposed for adjusting the free lithium concentration in the gas-vapor (Li₃PO₄ + N₂/Ar) discharge plasma based on changing the frequency of collisions of electrons with Li₃PO₄ vapor in the anodic region of the discharge. It is demonstrated that an increase in the proportion of free lithium in the flow of deposited particles leads to an enhancement in the concentration and mobility of lithium ions in the deposited films and, subsequently, an improvement in the ionic conductivity of LiPON films. Full article

A novel electrophoretic separation technique is presented, where continuous electrophoretic separation is demonstrated using free flowing liquid foams. Continuous foam electrophoresis combines the principle of capillary electrophoresis and interactions between analytes and the electrical double layer, with the ability of Free Flow Electrophoresis to continuously separate and recover analytes automatically. A liquid foam is used to provide a network of deformable micro and nano channels with a high surface area, presenting a novel platform for electrophoresis, where interfacial phenomena could be exploited to modify analyte migration. The main purpose of this paper is to present a proof-of-concept study and provide fundamental understanding of a complex foam system in continuous separation mode, i.e., flowing liquid foam under an external electric field with electrophoresis and chemical reactions at the electrodes continuously changing the system. Liquid foam is generated using a mixture of anionic and non-ionic surfactants and pumped through a microfluidic separation chamber between two electrodes. The effectiveness of the device is demonstrated using a dye mixture containing a neutral dye and an anionic dye. At the outlet, the foam is separated and collected into five fractions which are individually probed for the concentration of the two dyes used. The anionic dye was concentrated up to 1.75 (±0.05) times the initial concentration in a select outlet, while the neutral dye concentration remained unchanged in all outlets, demonstrating the potential for electrophoretic foam separations. Full article

The wetting behavior of ionic liquids (ILs) on the mesoscopic scale considerably impacts a wide range of scientific fields and technologies. Particularly under vacuum conditions, these materials exhibit unique characteristics. This work explores the effect of the deposition rate and substrate temperature on the nucleation, droplet formation, and droplet spreading of ILs films obtained by thermal evaporation. Four ILs were studied, encompassing an alkylimidazolium cation (C_nC₁im) and either bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (NTf₂) or the triflate (OTf) as the anion. Each IL sample was simultaneously deposited on surfaces of indium tin oxide (ITO) and silver (Ag). The mass flow rate was reproducibly controlled using a Knudsen cell as an evaporation source, and the film morphology (micro- and nanodroplets) was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The wettability of the substrates by the ILs was notably affected by changes in mass flow rate and substrate temperature. Specifically, the results indicated that an increase in the deposition rate and/or substrate temperature intensified the droplet coalescence of [C₂C₁im][NTf₂] and [C₂C₁im][OTf] on ITO surfaces. Conversely, a smaller impact was observed on the Ag surface due to the strong adhesion between the ILs and the metallic film. Furthermore, modifying the deposition parameters resulted in a noticeable differentiation in the droplet morphology obtained for [C₈C₁im][NTf₂] and [C₈C₁im][OTf]. Nevertheless, droplets from long-chain ILs deposited on ITO surfaces showed intensified coalescence, regardless of the deposition rate or substrate temperature. Full article

The swelling capacity of novel hydrophilic gaskets used in geomembrane cutoff walls and infrastructures is critical for decreasing the flow rates of contaminated groundwater. This study investigated the swelling behavior, relaxation characteristics, flow rates, and micro-morphology of a hydrophilic gasket with different testing liquids. The radial swelling tests were performed using a device modified from single-lever consolidation instrument. A flow rates model apparatus was manufactured and employed to measure the flow rates of the poor-sealing hydrophilic gasket. According to the test results, the swelling ratio of the hydrophilic gaskets soaked in the DIW were the highest, followed by the NaCl solution, the MSW landfill leachate, and the CaCl₂ solution. Relaxation phenomena appeared in all the specimens regardless of the testing liquids. The flow rates of the specimens penetrated with DIW, NaCl, and CaCl₂ decreased to a stable state, and then increased extremely slowly to stable values. Moreover, self-healing of the hydrophilic gasket was observed. The micro-morphology indicated that sodium polyacrylate (PAAS) with insufficient expansion could separate from the matrix under high multivalent ionic strength or loading pressure conditions. Therefore, it is critical to develop the modified hydrophilic gasket with resistance to contaminated groundwater for a better barrier performance for use in contaminated sites and infrastructures. Full article

Electroactive polymer (EAP) is a polymer that reacts to electrical stimuli, such as voltage, and can be divided into electronic and ionic EAP by an electrical energy transfer mechanism within the polymer. The mechanism of ionic EAP is the movement of the positive ions inducing voltage change in the polymer membrane. Among the ionic EAPs, an ionic polymer–metal composite (IPMC) is composed of a metal electrode on the surface of the polymer membrane. A common material for the polymer membrane of IPMC is Nafion containing hydrogen ions, and platinum, gold, and silver are commonly used for the electrode. As a result, IPMC has advantages, such as low voltage requirements, large bending displacement, and bidirectional actuation. Manufacturing of IPMC is composed of preparing the polymer membrane and plating electrode. Preparation methods for the membrane include solution casting, hot pressing, and 3D printing. Meanwhile, electrode formation methods include electroless plating, electroplating, direct assembly process, and sputtering deposition. The manufactured IPMC is widely demonstrated in applications such as grippers, micro-pumps, biomedical, biomimetics, bending sensors, flow sensors, energy harvesters, biosensors, and humidity sensors. This paper will review the overall field of IPMC by demonstrating the categorization, principle, materials, and manufacturing method of IPMC and its applications. Full article

Diffusioosmosis concerns ionic flow driven by a concentration difference in a charged nano-confinement and has significant applications in micro/nano-fluidics because of its nonlinear current-voltage response, thereby acting as an active electric gating. We carry out a comprehensive computation fluid dynamics simulation to investigate diffusioosmotic flow in a charged nanochannel of linearly varying height under an electrolyte concentration gradient. We analyze the effects of cone angle ($\alpha$), nanochannel length (l) and tip diameter ($d_t$), concentration difference ($\mathsf{\Delta }c$ = 0–1 mM), and external flow on the diffusioosmotic velocity in a tapered nanochannel with a constant surface charge density ($\sigma$). External flow velocity (varied over five orders of magnitude) shows a negligible influence on the diffusioosmotic flow inside the tapered nanochannel. We observed that a cone angle causes diffusioosmotic flow to move towards the direction of increasing gap thickness because of stronger local electric field caused by the overlapping of electric double layers near the smaller orifice. Moreover, the magnitude of average nanoflow velocity increases with increasing $\left|\alpha \right|$. Flow velocity at the nanochannel tip increases when $d_t$ is smaller or when l is greater. In addition, the magnitude of diffusioosmotic velocity increases with increasing $\mathsf{\Delta }c$. Our numerical results demonstrate the nonlinear dependence of tapered, diffusioosmotic flow on various crucial control parameters, e.g., concentration difference, cone angle, tip diameter, and nanochannel length, whereas an insignificant relationship on flow rate in the low Peclet number regime is observed. Full article

Agarose microfabrication technology is one of the micropatterning techniques of cells having advantages of simple and flexible real-time fabrication of three-dimensional confinement microstructures even during cell cultivation. However, the conventional photothermal etching procedure of focused infrared laser on thin agarose layer has several limitations, such as the undesired sudden change of etched width caused by the local change of absorbance of the bottom surface of cultivation plate, especially on the indium-tin-oxide (ITO) wiring on the multi-electrode array (MEA) cultivation chip. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a new agarose etching method exploiting the Joule heating of focused micro ionic current at the tip of the micrometer-sized capillary tube. When 75 V, 1 kHz AC voltage was applied to the tapered microcapillary tube, in which 1 M sodium ion buffer was filled, the formed micro ionic current at the open end of the microcapillary tube melted the thin agarose layer and formed stable 5 μm width microstructures regardless the ITO wiring, and the width was controlled by the change of applied voltage squared. We also found the importance of the higher frequency of applied AC voltage to form the stable microstructures and also minimize the fluctuation of melted width. The results indicate that the focused micro ionic current can create stable local spot heating in the medium buffer as the Joule heating of local ionic current and can perform the same quality of microfabrication as the focused infrared laser absorption procedure with a simple set-up of the system and several advantages. Full article

Here, space electroosmotic thrusters in a rigid nanochannel with high wall zeta potentials are investigated numerically, for the first time, considering the effect of finite size of the ionic species. The effect, which is called a steric effect, is often neglected in research about micro/nano thrusters. However, it has vital influences on the electric potential and flow velocity in electric double layers, so that the thruster performances generated by the fluid motion are further affected. These performances, including thrust, specific impulse, thruster efficiency, and the thrust-to-power ratio, are described by using numerical algorithms, after obtaining the electric potential and velocity distributions under high wall zeta potentials ranging from −25.7 mV to −128.5 mV. As expected, the zeta potential can promote the development of thruster performances so as to satisfy the requirement of space missions. Moreover, for real situation with consideration of the steric effect, the thruster thrust and efficiency significantly decrease to 5–30 micro Newtons and 80–90%, respectively, but the thrust-to-power ratio is opposite, and expends a short specific impulse of about 50–110 s. Full article

The surface chirality was investigated in magnetoelectrodeposition (MED) of copper films on micro-disc electrodes with the diameters of 100 and 25 µm. The MED was conducted in the magnetic fields of 1–5 T, which were parallel or antiparallel to the ionic currents. In the case of 100 µm-electrodes, the MED films prepared in 2 and 3 T exhibited odd chirality for the magnetic field polarity, as expected in the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) vortex model. However, the films prepared in the higher fields of 4 and 5 T exhibited breaking of odd chirality. In the case of the 25 µm-electrode, the broken odd chirality was observed in 2 and 3 T. These results indicate that the strong vertical MHD flows induce the breaking of odd chirality. The mapping of chiral symmetry on the axes of the magnetic field and electrode diameter demonstrate that the odd chirality could be easily broken by the fluctuation of micro-MHD vortices. Full article

Electroosmotic flow (EOF) involving displacement of multiple fluids is employed in micro-/nanofluidic applications. There are existing investigations on EOF hysteresis, i.e., flow direction-dependent behavior. However, none so far have studied the solution pair system of dissimilar ionic species with substantial pH difference. They exhibit complicated hysteretic phenomena. In this study, we investigate the EOF of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃, alkaline) and sodium chloride (NaCl, slightly acidic) solution pair via current monitoring technique. A developed slip velocity model with a modified wall condition is implemented with finite element simulations. Quantitative agreements between experimental and simulation results are obtained. Concentration evolutions of NaHCO₃–NaCl follow the dissimilar anion species system. When NaCl displaces NaHCO₃, EOF reduces due to the displacement of NaHCO₃ with high pH (high absolute zeta potential). Consequently, NaCl is not fully displaced into the microchannel. When NaHCO₃ displaces NaCl, NaHCO₃ cannot displace into the microchannel as NaCl with low pH (low absolute zeta potential) produces slow EOF. These behaviors are independent of the applied electric field. However, complete displacement tends to be achieved by lowering the NaCl concentration, i.e., increasing its zeta potential. In contrast, the NaHCO₃ concentration has little impact on the displacement process. These findings enhance the understanding of EOF involving solutions with dissimilar pH and ion species. Full article

Immunostaining has been widely used in cancer prognosis for the quantitative detection of cancer cells present in the bloodstream. However, conventional detection methods based on the target membrane protein expression exhibit the risk of missing cancer cells owing to variable protein expressions. In this study, the resistive pulse method (RPM) was employed to discriminate between cultured cancer cells (NCI-H1650) and T lymphoblastoid leukemia cells (CCRF-CEM) by measuring the ionic current response of cells flowing through a micro-space. The height and shape of a pulse signal were used for the simultaneous measurement of size, deformability, and surface charge of individual cells. An accurate discrimination of cancer cells could not be obtained using 1.0 × phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as an electrolyte solution to compare the size measurements by a microscopic observation. However, an accurate discrimination of cancer cells with a discrimination error rate of 4.5 ± 0.5% was achieved using 0.5 × PBS containing 2.77% glucose as the electrolyte solution. The potential application of RPM for the accurate discrimination of cancer cells from leukocytes was demonstrated through the measurement of the individual cell size, deformability, and surface charge in a solution with a low electrolyte concentration. Full article

In this article, we presented the results of the tests performed on three sets of samples of glass-reinforced epoxy (GRE) core rods used in alternating current (AC) composite insulators with silicone rubber housing. The objective of this examination was to test the aging resistance of the rod material when exposed to direct current (DC) high voltage. We hypothesized that the long-term effects of the electrostatic field on the GRE core rod material would lead to a gradual degradation of its mechanical properties caused by ionic current flow. Further, we hypothesized that reducing the mechanical strength of the GRE core rod would lead to the breakage of the insulator. The first group of samples was used for reference. The samples from the second group were subjected to a temperature of about 50 °C for 6000 h. The third group of samples were aged by temperature and DC high voltage for the same time. The samples were examined using the 3-point bending test, micro-hardness measurement and microscopic analysis. No recordable degradation effects were found. Long-term temperature impact and, above all, the combined action of temperature and DC high voltage did not reduce the mechanical parameters or change the microstructure of the GRE material. Full article