Fabrication of crescent-shaped ceramic microparticles based on single emulsion microfluidics

Ceramic microparticles have great potentials in various fields such as materials engineering, biotechnology, microelectromechanical systems, etc. Morphology of the microparticle performs an important role on their application. To date, it remains difficult to find an effective and controllable way for fabricating nonspherical ceramic microparticles with 3D features. This work demonstrates a method that combines UV light lithography and single emulsion opaque-droplet-templated microfluidic molding to prepare the crescent-shaped ceramic microparticles. By tailoring the intensity of UV light and flow rate of fluid, the shapes of microparticles are accordingly tuned. Therefore, varieties of crescent-shaped microparticles and their variations have been fabricated. After sintering, the crescent-shaped alumina ceramic microparticles were obtained. Benefitting from the light absorption and scattering behavior of most ceramic nanoparticles, this system can serve as a general platform to produce crescent-shaped microparticles made from different materials, and hold great potentials for applications in microrobotics, structural materials in MEMS, and biotechnology.     

Effect of PyC interface phase on the cyclic ablation resistance and flexural properties of two-dimensional Cf/HfC composites

Composites based on hafnium carbide and reinforced with continuous naked carbon fiber with and without PyC interface were prepared at low temperature by precursor infiltration and pyrolysis and chemical vapor deposition method. The microstructure, mechanical property, cyclic ablation and fiber bundle push-in tests of the composites were investigated. The results show that after three times ablation cycles, the bending strength of samples without PyC interface decreased by 63.6 %; the bending strength of samples with PyC interface only decreased by 37.8 %. The force displacement curve of the samples with PyC interface presented a well pseudoplastic deformation state. The mechanical behavior difference of two kinds of composites was due to crucial function of PyC interface phase including protection of fiber and weakening of fiber/matrix interface.     

Solution-Synthesized Multifunctional Janus Nanotree Microswimmer

Synthetic active matters are perfect model systems for non-equilibrium thermodynamics and of great potential for novel biomedical and environmental applications. However, most applications are limited by the complicated and low-yield preparation, while a scalable synthesis for highly functional microswimmers is highly desired. In this paper, an all-solution synthesis method is developed where the gold-loaded titania-silica nanotree can be produced as a multi-functional self-propulsion microswimmer. By applying light, heat, and electric field, the Janus nanotree demonstrated multi-mode self-propulsion, including photochemical self-electrophoresis by UV and visible light radiation, thermophoresis by near-infrared light radiation, and induced-charge electrophoresis under AC electric field. Due to the scalable synthesis, the Janus nanotree is further demonstrated as a high-efficiency, low-cost, active adsorbent for water decontamination, where the toxic mercury ions can be reclaimed with enhanced efficiency.     

Recent advances during CH4 dry reforming for syngas production: A mini review

Given the continuing issues of environment and energy, methane dry reforming for syngas production have sparked interest among researchers, but struggled with the process immaturity owing to catalyst deactivation. This review summarizes the recent advances in the development of efficient and stable catalysts with strong resistance to coking and metal sintering, including the application of novel materials, the assessment of advanced characterizations and the compatibility to improved reaction system. One feasible option is the crystalline oxide catalysts (perovskite, pyrochlore, spinel and LDHs), which feature a fine metal dispersion and surface confinement effect via a metal exsolution strategy and exhibit superior reactivity and stability. Some new materials (h-BN, clays and MOFs) also extend the option because of their unique morphology and microstructure. It also is elaborated that progresses were achieved in advanced characterizations application, leading to success in the establishment of reaction mechanisms and attributions to the formed robust catalysts. In addition, the perspective described the upgrade of reaction system to a higher reaction efficiency and milder reaction conditions. The combination of efficient reaction systems and robust catalysts paves a way for a scaling-up application of the process.     

Effects of non-thermal plasma treating wheat kernel on the physicochemical properties of wheat flour and the quality of fresh wet noodles

The effects of non-thermal plasma (NTP) on the physicochemical properties of wheat flour and the quality of fresh wet noodles ( FWN) were investigated. The results showed that NTP effectively decreased the total plate count (TPC), yeast and mould count (YMC) and Bacillus spp. in wheat flour. Wet gluten contents and the stability time reached the maximum when treated for 20 s. The viscosity of starch increased significantly after treatment due to the increased of damaged starch. The contents of secondary structure were altered to some extent, which was because that the ordered network structure of gluten protein broken. Furthermore, compared with the control, texture properties of FWN were enhanced significantly at 20 s, and the darkening rate of FWN was greatly inhibited due to the low polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity. Consequently, the most suitable treatment was 500 W for 20 s, providing a basis for the application of NTP in flour products.     

基于堆叠稀疏去噪自动编码网络与多隐层反向传播神经网络的铣刀磨损预测模型

刀具磨损状态是机械加工过程中需考虑的重要因素之一.针对铣刀磨损的在线预测问题,建立了一种基于深度学习的铣刀磨损预测模型.首先,将采集到的铣刀切削时的振动信号进行小波去噪后,利用快速傅里叶变换和小波包分解等技术提取时域、频域及时频域上的特征参数,并根据相关性分析从中筛选出合格的特征参数合并为特征向量,以此作为堆叠稀疏去噪自动编码网络(SSDAE)的含噪样本.其次,利用特征后处理的方式对已经筛选出的特征参数进行单调不递减及平滑处理,并将其作为SSDAE的无噪样本来训练该网络.然后,将经过SSDAE降维后的特征向量作为多隐层反向传播神经网络(BPNN)的输入,以这些特征对应的实际铣刀的磨损量作为标签对该网络进行拟合训练.最后,对训练好的模型进行实验验证,通过测试数据集和人为加入噪声的测试数据集的对比,结果显示所提模型不仅具有较高的预测精度,还具有较高的鲁棒性.     

Effects of Cu on the corrosion behavior and microstructure of Mg–Zn–Ca bulk metallic glass

For the purpose of developing biodegradable magnesium alloys with suitable properties for biomedical applications, Mg–Zn–Ca–Cu metallic glasses were prepared by copper mold injection methods. In the present work, the effect of Cu doping on mechanical properties, corrosion behavior, and glass-forming ability of Mg₆₆Zn₃₀Ca₄ alloy was studied. The experimental findings demonstrated that the incorporation of Cu decreases the corrosion resistance of alloys, but increases the microhardness and degradation rate slightly. However, the addition of a trace amount of Cu can make the samples have antibacterial properties. Therefore, Mg–Zn–Ca–Cu has great advantages in clinical implantation and is the potential implant material.     

A microfluidic approach for development of hybrid collagen-chitosan extracellular matrix-like membranes for on-chip cell cultures

To advance organ-on-a-chip development and other areas befitting from physiologically-relevant biomembranes,a microfluidic platform is presented for synthesis of biomembranes during gelation and investigation into their role as extracellular matrix supports.In this work,high-throughput studies of collagen,chitosan,and collagen-chitosan hybrid biomembranes were carried out to characterize and compare key properties as a function of the applied hydrodynamic conditions during gelation.Specifically,depending on the biopolymer material used,varying flow conditions during biomembrane gelation caused width,uniformity,and swelling ratio to be differently affected and controllable.Finally,cell viability studies of seeded fibroblasts were conducted,thus showing the potential for biological applications.