A novel facile synthesis and characterization of molybdenum nanowires

We describe a straightforward technique to synthesize pure Mo nanowires (NWs) from Mo₆S_yI_z (8,2 <y + z ≤ 10) NWs as precursor templates. The structural transformations occur when Mo₆S_yI_z NWs are annealed in Ar/H₂ mixture leading to the formation of pure Mo NWs with similar structures as initial morphologies. Detailed microscopic characterizations show that large diameters (>15 nm) Mo NWs are highly porous, while small diameters (<7 nm) are made of solid nanocrystalline grains. We find NW of diameter 4 nm can carry up to 30 μA current without suffering structural degradation. Moreover, NWs can be elastically deformed over several cycles without signs of plastic deformation.     

Magnetically Controllable Silver Nanocomposite with Multifunctional Phosphotriazine Matrix and High Antimicrobial Activity

A recently developed multi‐functional phosphotriazine‐based polymer is used as a matrix for embedding γ‐Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles as well as a suitable chemical template for surface modification with silver nanoparticles. For the primary magnetic modification, maghemite nanoparticles are surface modified with oleic acid in order to render them organophilic and to prevent the aggregation of the nanoparticles. This aggregation could occur as the polymer synthesis, based on reaction of phosphonitrilic chlorine and 1,4‐phenylenediamine, takes place in toluene. The surface active amine units of the polymer structure enable the reduction of silver cations to silver nanoparticles, which are well attached and finely dispersed on its surface. The developed nanocomposite represents one of the few magnetically controllable antibacterial agents based on silver nanoparticles. Magnetic measurements reveal the completely suppressed interactions among maghemite nanoparticles because of their perfect surface coating with an organic surfactant and fine dispersion inside the polymer matrix. This magnetic nanocomposite exhibits a high antibacterial and antifungal activity as proven by tests with nine bacterial strains and four candida (yeast genus) species. For the majority of the tested species, the minimum‐inhibition concentrations are below 100 mg L^?1, which is comparable to their equivalent minimum‐inhibition concentrations in colloidal silver systems.     

Cornet‐Like Phosphotriazine/Diamine Polymers as Reductant and Matrix for the Synthesis of Silver Nanocomposites with Antimicrobial Activity

The synthesis of silver nanoparticles attached on the surface of a hollow cornet‐like polymer matrix which served as a reductant and host matrix is described. This hybrid organic/inorganic macromolecular matrix is exhibiting anion‐exchange properties, porous structure and hollow morphologies, and absorptions in the visible light region. Due to the anion‐exchange property and the 3D orientation of the macromolecular chains the material is defining a new functional organic/inorganic hybrid. For the synthesis of nanoparticles, no other reducing agents were used and silver nanoparticles with a mean diameter of less than 20 nm were attached on the surface of the polymer, thus inheriting the composite with high antibacterial activity tested in bacterial strains and yeasts.

     

The densification and strength of porous Y-TZP materials with a bimodal particle size distribution for dental applications

In this study the densification behavior of bimodal Y-TZP powder compacts consisting of nano/sub-micron-sized particles was studied and an explanation for their improved flexural strength while biscuit-sintered is provided. An in situ-heating TEM analysis revealed that up to 800 °C only the nanoparticles sinter in a bimodal mixture without any densification. By increasing the temperature to 900 °C the densification of the nanoparticles begins and partially densified nanoparticle clusters migrate into the contact area between the core particles. Consequently, the driving force for the sintering of the powder-blend compacts is reduced and this is reflected in a slower densification compared to that of the core material. At 1000 °C the sintered nanoparticle clusters begin to incorporate into the core material, resulting in a sharp increase in the strength due to the increased neck area. Biscuit-sintered powder-blend compacts reached a plateau of strength at 670 MPa, which was reached at a relative density of 70%.     

Determining cracks in gears using adaptive wavelet transform approach

A new family of biorthogonal wavelets used to identify fault in gears is dealt with. The fault detection analyses and methods presented in this paper are based on signals created by a faultless gear and by a gear with a crack in the tooth root, caused through operating conditions. The new wavelets are a generalization of biorthogonal wavelet systems. In the analysis, smoothness is controlled independently and discrete finite variation is used to optimise the synthesis bank. The procedure measure dispenses with a measure of differentiability, requiring a large number of vanishing wavelet moments in favour of a smoothness measure that is based on the fact that, in most practical applications, only a finite depth of the filter bank tree is involved.     

Heparin decreases permeability of pig urinary bladder wall preliminarily enhanced by chitosan

Chitosan significantly increases the permeability of the isolated pig urinary bladder wall by causing urothelial desquamation, the extent of which depends also on the concentration of the polymer. By desquamation permeability barriers of the urothelium are removed. To gain additional insight into the mechanism by which chitosan acts an absorption enhancer into urinary bladder mucosa, we evaluated the influence of a polysaccharide heparin on the permeability of isolated pig urinary bladder wall preliminarily treated with chitosan. Moreover, we aimed to establish whether the effect of heparin depends on its concentration and on the degree of urothelial desquamation caused by chitosan. In the permeability studies performed by the use of diffusion cells, transport of a model drug, pipemidic acid, into the isolated pig urinary bladder wall was determined. Heparin did not have a significant effect on the permeability of the intact urothelium. When applied to the urinary bladder wall, whose permeability was preliminarily enhanced by 0.005% or 0.001% w/v chitosan, heparin decreased the permeation of pipemidic acid into the bladder wall to a level not significantly different from the intact tissue. However, the effect of heparin was not significant at the highest concentration of chitosan tested, where the damage to the urothelium was much more intense compared with that found at lower concentrations of the polymer. The formation of complexes between pipemidic acid and heparin cannot be excluded completely, but it seems that they are not the main reason for the decreased permeation of pipemidic acid in the presence of heparin. By application on the urothelium, damaged by chitosan, heparin is supposed to form a layer on the surface of the urothelium that prevents the transport of the model drug into the bladder wall. In this way heparin probably restores the impermeability properties of the urinary bladder wall to a degree dependent on the urothelial damage.     

A delta9 desaturase from Bombus lucorum males: investigation of the biosynthetic pathway of marking pheromones

The knowledge of the molecular basis of communication in bumblebee communities is limited. None of the enzymes that participate in pheromone production have been characterized. Here, we cloned the gene encoding the Delta(9) desaturase from cDNA prepared from the total RNA of the pheromone gland and fat bodies of Bombus lucorum male. Functional expression of BlucNPVE desaturase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and GC-MS analyses revealed its preference for C(18) saturated fatty acids. This suggests that Delta(9) desaturase is involved in the desaturation of metabolic fatty acids stored in triacylglyceroles (TAGs), because oleic acid is the most abundant fatty acid bound in TAG in B. lucorum and it is present in low concentration in the pheromone blend. The incubation of pheromone precursors with a dissected labial gland as well as direct injection of labelled pheromone substrates into B. lucorum males revealed that esterification of pheromone products occurs in the labial gland. These results support both the biosynthesis of pheromones from common lipids and the de novo synthesis of unsaturated pheromones in the labial gland.     

Identification of complex sound sources produced by gear units

Noise source visualisation represents an important tool for technical acoustics. Many techniques of noise source visualisation have been developed, based on a specific noise source in a specific type of acoustic environment. A new visualisation method of complex noise sources is presented, using an acoustic camera and a new algorithm. Different transient acoustical phenomena can be noted. Additionally, a new family of biorthogonal wavelets is applied to determine fault in gears. The new wavelets are a generalisation of biorthogonal wavelet systems. Smoothness is controlled independently in the analysis. For the optimisation of the synthesis bank, discrete finite variation is used. Differentiability is measured, for which a large number of vanishing wavelet moments is necessary, in favour of a smoothness measure based on the fact that a finite depth of the filter bank tree is in most case related to practical applications.