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Sample records for high performance gel

  1. High transparent shape memory gel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Jin; Arai, Masanori; Kabir, M. H.; Makino, Masato; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

    2014-03-01

    Gels are a new material having three-dimensional network structures of macromolecules. They possess excellent properties as swellability, high permeability and biocompatibility, and have been applied in various fields of daily life, food, medicine, architecture, and chemistry. In this study, we tried to prepare new multi-functional and high-strength gels by using Meso-Decoration (Meso-Deco), one new method of structure design at intermediate mesoscale. High-performance rigid-rod aromatic polymorphic crystals, and the functional groups of thermoreversible Diels-Alder reaction were introduced into soft gels as crosslinkable pendent chains. The functionalization and strengthening of gels can be realized by meso-decorating the gels' structure using high-performance polymorphic crystals and thermoreversible pendent chains. New gels with good mechanical properties, novel optical properties and thermal properties are expected to be developed.

  2. High performance gel imaging with a commercial single lens reflex camera

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slobodan, J.; Corbett, R.; Wye, N.; Schein, J. E.; Marra, M. A.; Coope, R. J. N.

    2011-03-01

    A high performance gel imaging system was constructed using a digital single lens reflex camera with epi-illumination to image 19 × 23 cm agarose gels with up to 10,000 DNA bands each. It was found to give equivalent performance to a laser scanner in this high throughput DNA fingerprinting application using the fluorophore SYBR Green®. The specificity and sensitivity of the imager and scanner were within 1% using the same band identification software. Low and high cost color filters were also compared and it was found that with care, good results could be obtained with inexpensive dyed acrylic filters in combination with more costly dielectric interference filters, but that very poor combinations were also possible. Methods for determining resolution, dynamic range, and optical efficiency for imagers are also proposed to facilitate comparison between systems.

  3. Tantala-based sol-gel coating for capillary microextraction on-line coupled to high-performance liquid chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tran, MinhPhuong; Turner, Erica B; Segro, Scott S; Fang, Li; Seyyal, Emre; Malik, Abdul

    2017-11-03

    A sol-gel organic-inorganic hybrid sorbent, consisting of chemically integrated tantalum (V) ethoxide (TaEO) and polypropylene glycol methacrylate (PPGM), was developed for capillary microextraction (CME). The sol-gel sorbent was synthesized within a fused silica capillary through hydrolytic polycondensation of TaEO and chemical incorporation of PPGM into the evolving sol-gel tantala network. A part of the organic-inorganic hybrid sol-gel network evolving in the vicinity of the capillary walls had favorable conditions to get chemically bonded to the silanol groups on the capillary surface forming a surface-bonded coating. The newly developed sol-gel sorbent was employed to isolate and enrich a variety of analytes from aqueous samples for on-line analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) equipped with a UV detector. CME was performed on aqueous samples containing trace concentrations of analytes representing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, alcohols, amines, nucleosides, and nucleotides. This sol-gel hybrid coating provided efficient extraction with CME-HPLC detection limits ranging from 4.41pM to 28.19 pM. Due to direct chemical bonding between the sol-gel sorbent coating and the fused silica capillary inner surface, this sol-gel sorbent exhibited enhanced solvent stability. The sol-gel tantala-based sorbent also exhibited excellent pH stability over a wide pH range (pH 0-pH 14). Furthermore, it displayed great performance reproducibility in CME-HPLC providing run-to-run HPLC peak area relative standard deviation (RSD) values between 0.23% and 3.83%. The capillary-to-capillary RSD (n=3), characterizing capillary preparation method reproducibility, ranged from 0.24% to 4.11%. The results show great performance consistency and application potential for the sol-gel tantala-PPGM sorbent in various fields including biomedical, pharmaceutical, and environmental areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Development of high-performance ER gel produced by electric-field assisted molding

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kakinuma, Y; Aoyama, T; Anzai, H

    2009-01-01

    Electro-rheological gel (ERG) is a novel functional elastomer whose surface frictional and adhesive property varies according to the intensity of applied electric field. This peculiar phenomenon is named as Electro-adhesive effect. A generated shear stress of ERG under applied electric field is approximately 30∼40 times higher than that of ERF because of high adhesive strength. However, the performances of ERG vary widely due to its surface condition, especially density and distribution of ER particles at the surface. In order to stabilize and improve the performance of ERG, the electric- filed assisted molding process is proposed as the producing method of ERG. In this study, first, the principle of electro-adhesive effect is theoretically investigated. Second, a high-performance ERG produced by the proposed process, in which ER particles are aligned densely at the surface, is developed and its performance is evaluated experimentally. As the experimental result, the high-performance ERG shows twice higher shear stress than the conventional ERG.

  5. Development of high-performance ER gel produced by electric-field assisted molding

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kakinuma, Y; Aoyama, T [Department of System Design Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi Kouhoku-ku Yokohama (Japan); Anzai, H [Fujikura kasei Co., Ltd. 2-6-15 Shibakouen, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Japan)], E-mail: kakinuma@sd.keio.ac.jp

    2009-02-01

    Electro-rheological gel (ERG) is a novel functional elastomer whose surface frictional and adhesive property varies according to the intensity of applied electric field. This peculiar phenomenon is named as Electro-adhesive effect. A generated shear stress of ERG under applied electric field is approximately 30{approx}40 times higher than that of ERF because of high adhesive strength. However, the performances of ERG vary widely due to its surface condition, especially density and distribution of ER particles at the surface. In order to stabilize and improve the performance of ERG, the electric- filed assisted molding process is proposed as the producing method of ERG. In this study, first, the principle of electro-adhesive effect is theoretically investigated. Second, a high-performance ERG produced by the proposed process, in which ER particles are aligned densely at the surface, is developed and its performance is evaluated experimentally. As the experimental result, the high-performance ERG shows twice higher shear stress than the conventional ERG.

  6. Thermostable gel polymer electrolyte based on succinonitrile and ionic liquid for high-performance solid-state supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandey, Gaind P.; Liu, Tao; Hancock, Cody; Li, Yonghui; Sun, Xiuzhi Susan; Li, Jun

    2016-10-01

    A flexible, free-standing, thermostable gel polymer electrolyte based on plastic crystalline succinonitrile (SN) and ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMImBF4) entrapped in copolymer poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) is prepared and optimized for application in solvent-free solid-state supercapacitors. The synthesized gel polymer electrolyte exhibits a high ionic conductivity over a wide temperature range (from ∼5 × 10-4 S cm-1 at -30 °C up to ∼1.5 × 10-2 S cm-1 at 80 °C) with good electrochemical stability window (-2.9 to 2.5 V). Thermal studies confirm that the SN containing gel polymer electrolyte remains stable in the same gel phase over a wide temperature range from -30 to 90 °C. The electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) have been fabricated using activated carbon as active materials and new gel polymer electrolytes. Electrochemical performance of the EDLCs is assessed through cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge cycling and impedance spectroscopy. The EDLC cells with the proper SN-containing gel polymer electrolyte has been found to give high specific capacitance 176 F g-1 at 0.18 A g-1 and 138 F g-1 at 8 A g-1. These solid-state EDLC cells show good cycling stability and the capability to retain ∼80% of the initial capacitance after 10,000 cycles.

  7. High performance CCD camera system for digitalisation of 2D DIGE gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strijkstra, Annemieke; Trautwein, Kathleen; Roesler, Stefan; Feenders, Christoph; Danzer, Daniel; Riemenschneider, Udo; Blasius, Bernd; Rabus, Ralf

    2016-07-01

    An essential step in 2D DIGE-based analysis of differential proteome profiles is the accurate and sensitive digitalisation of 2D DIGE gels. The performance progress of commercially available charge-coupled device (CCD) camera-based systems combined with light emitting diodes (LED) opens up a new possibility for this type of digitalisation. Here, we assessed the performance of a CCD camera system (Intas Advanced 2D Imager) as alternative to a traditionally employed, high-end laser scanner system (Typhoon 9400) for digitalisation of differential protein profiles from three different environmental bacteria. Overall, the performance of the CCD camera system was comparable to the laser scanner, as evident from very similar protein abundance changes (irrespective of spot position and volume), as well as from linear range and limit of detection. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Inulin in Medicinal Plants II : Determination of Inulin in Medicinal Plants by High-Performance Gel Chromatography - Seasonal Variations in Inulin Content

    OpenAIRE

    太田, 長世; 三野, 芳紀; NAGAYO, OTA; YOSHIKI, MINO; 大阪薬科大学; 大阪薬科大学; Osaka College of Pharmacy; Osaka College of Pharmacy

    1980-01-01

    A high-performance gel chromatographic procedure for the analysis of inulin in medicinal plants (0.001% for 1% absorption) was established by combining gel chromatography(TSK-G3000PW with distilled water as a mobile phase) with colorimetry (HCl-resorcin reaction). Quantitative studies on inulin contents in medicinal plants of the Gampanulaceae and Compositae families in various growth stages was performed according to the present method. In general, inulin contents of the underground parts de...

  9. Urea functionalized surface-bonded sol-gel coating for on-line hyphenation of capillary microextraction with high-performance liquid chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jillani, Shehzada Muhammad Sajid; Alhooshani, Khalid

    2018-03-30

    Sol-gel urea functionalized-[bis(hydroxyethyl)amine] terminated polydimethylsiloxane coating was developed for capillary microextraction-high performance liquid chromatographic analysis from aqueous samples. A fused silica capillary is coated from the inside with surface bonded coating material and is created through in-situ sol-gel reaction. The urea-functionalized coating was immobilized to the inner surface of the capillary by the condensation reaction of silanol groups of capillary and sol-solution. The characterization of the coating material was successfully done by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, field emission scanning electron microscope, and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. To make a setup of online capillary microextraction-high performance liquid chromatography, the urea functionalized capillary was installed in the HPLC manual injection port. The analytes of interest were pre-concentrated in the coated sampling loop, desorbed by the mobile phase, chromatographically separated on C-18 column, and analyzed by UV detector. Sol-gel coated capillaries were used for online extraction and high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of phenols, ketones, aldehydes, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. This newly developed coating showed excellent extraction for a variety of analytes ranging from highly polar to non-polar in nature. The analysis using sol-gel coating showed excellent overall sensitivity in terms of lower detection limits (S/N = 3) for the analytes (0.10 ng mL -1 -14.29 ng mL -1 ) with acceptable reproducibility that is less than 12.0%RSD (n = 3). Moreover, the capillary to capillary reproducibility of the analysis was also tested by changing the capillary of the same size. This provided excellent%RSD of less than 10.0% (n = 3). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Analysis of aqueous humour in uveitis by high performance liquid chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Murray, P. I.; Hoekzema, R.; Luyendijk, L.; Kijlstra, A.

    1992-01-01

    Aqueous humour from patients with Fuchs' heterochromic cyclitis (FHC) and other types of uveitis was analysed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Using HPLC, the number of peaks and their respective elution times

  11. Performance of Magnetic Filter for Separation of Magnetic Gel Particles

    OpenAIRE

    栗延, 俊太郎; 尾崎, 博明; 渡辺, 恒雄; クリノブ, シュンタロウ; オザキ, ヒロアキ; ワタナベ, ツネオ; Shuntaro, KURINOBU; Hiroaki, OZAKI; Tuneo, WATANABE

    2003-01-01

    We have developed a new wastewater treatment process using magnetic gel particles containing immobilized microorganisms and magnetic particles. The performance of magnetic gel particles using a magnetic filter is very important to control the process. In this study, the performance of a magnetic filter was studied for magnetic gel, particles. Agar particles containing magnetite particles were used as gel particles. The recovery and the relative retention area of magnetic gel particles on the ...

  12. A novel and high-effective redox-mediated gel polymer electrolyte for supercapacitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Guofu; Feng, Enke; Sun, Kanjun; Peng, Hui; Li, Jiajia; Lei, Ziqiang

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Alkali and P-phenylenediamine doped polyvinyl alcohol gel electrolyte is prepared. • The PVA-KOH-PPD gel electrolyte can also be used as separator. • The introduction of PPD increases the ionic conductivity of electrolyte. • The supercapacitor exhibits flexible and high energy density. - Abstract: A supercapacitor utilize a novel redox-mediated gel polymer (PVA-KOH-PPD) as electrolyte and separator, and activated carbon as electrodes is assembled. The PVA-KOH-PPD gel polymer as potential electrolyte for supercapacitor is investigated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques. It is found that the supercapacitor exhibits high ionic conductivity (25 mS cm −1 ), large electrode specific capacitance (611 F g −1 ) and high energy density (82.56 Wh kg −1 ). The high performance is attributed to the addition of quick redox reactions at the electrolyte|electrode interface as PPD undergoes a two-proton/two-electron reduction and oxidation during cycling. Furthermore, the supercapacitor with PVA-KOH-PPD gel polymer shows excellent charge-discharge stability, after 1000 charge-discharge cycles, the supercapacitor still retains a high electrode specific capacitance of 470 F g −1 . It is believed that the idea using redox mediator has a good prospect for improving the performances of supercapacitors

  13. THE EFFECTS OF A CARBOHYDRATE-PROTEIN GEL SUPPLEMENT ON ALPINE SLALOM SKI PERFORMANCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John G. Seifert

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Alpine slalom ski racing is a high intensity, complex sport in which racers execute turns every second. Acute fatigue can make the difference in not finishing a run (DNF or finishing out of contention. The quantity and quality of training often dictates racing success. It is not known if nutritional supplementation can improve performance in this high intensity, short duration activity. The objective of this study was to determine if ingesting a carbohydrate-protein energy gel (GEL improves finishing success and number of gates completed during 2 hr slalom sessions on two consecutive days of training. Twenty-four racers were matched; one group ingested the GEL, the second group received a liquid placebo (PLA. Total carbohy-drate, protein, and water ingested by the GEL group were 60g, 15g, and 450 mL, while the PLA group ingested 450 mL of PLA. The GEL group had significantly fewer DNF's (7/48 vs. 18/48; p = 0.02 on both days, completed a greater number of training gates on Day 2 (260.3 ± 20.1 vs. 246.3 ± 17.5 gates; p = 0.03, and had a lower RPE (3.9 ± 1.2 vs. 5.3 ± 1.2 on Day 2 (p = 0.004 vs. PLA. The statistical analysis of combined finishing times was not possible due to the high number of DNF's in the PLA group. High intensity slalom performance can be im-proved by the ingestion of an energy gel. The GEL allowed the athletes to improve training quantity and quality and their per-ception of effort was less than skiers who ingested a placebo

  14. High power, gel polymer lithium-ion cells with improved low temperature performance for NASA and DoD applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smart, M. C.; Ratnakumar, B. V.; Whitcanack, L. D.; Chin, K. B.; Surampudi, S.; Narayanan, S. R.; Alamgir, Mohamed; Yu, Ji-Sang; Plichta, Edward P.

    2004-01-01

    Both NASA and the U.S. Army have interest in developing secondary energy storage devices that are capable of meeting the demanding performance requirements of aerospace and man-portable applications. In order to meet these demanding requirements, gel-polymer electrolyte-based lithium-ion cells are being actively considered, due to their promise of providing high specific energy and enhanced safety aspects.

  15. The performance of gel technetium-99m generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Yishu

    2004-01-01

    Technetium-99m, as one of the important radionuclides in nuclear medical science, has been widely used for diseases diagnosis in both developed and developing countries for many years. Technetium-99m can be obtained from both fission-type and gel-type Tc-99m generator. Fission-type generator was prepared by Molybdenum-99 separated from fission products of uranium-235 and gel-type was prepared by irradiating nature MoO 3 in reactor, and a series of chemical and physical processes. This paper briefly describes the manufacturing technical process of gel-type Technetium-99 generator, including the preparation of target containing nature MoO 3 , the target irradiation in reactor, gel preparation, gel filtration and drying, dried gel cracking, generator loading and activity calibration of generator. The performances of gel-type Technetium-99m generator, such as elution efficiency, elution profile, the pH, Mo breakthrough, Zirconium content, radiochemical purity, radionuclidic purity, sterility and pyrogencity of eluate, are also expatiated in detail. Comparing with fission-type Technetium-99m generator, the defects of gel-type Technetium-99m generator are enumerated and their overcoming solutions are recommended in this paper. (author)

  16. Meso-Decorated Switching-Knot Gels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Jin; Sawamura, Kensuke; Makino, Masato; Kabir, M. H.; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

    Gels are a new material having three-dimensional network structures of macromolecules. They possess excellent properties as swellability, high permeability and biocompatibility, and have been applied in various fields of daily life, food, medicine, architecture, and chemistry .In this study, we tried to prepare new multi-functional and high-strength gels by using Meso-Decoration (Meso-Deco), one new method of structure design at intermediate mesoscale. High-performance rigid-rod aromatic polymorphic crystals. The strengthening of gels can be realized by meso-decorating the gels' structure using high-performance polymorphic crystals. New gels with good mechanical properties, novel optical properties and thermal properties are expected to be developed.

  17. Sol-gel-immobilized Tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) electrogenerated chemiluminescence sensor for high-performance liquid chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Han Nim; Cho, Sung-Hee; Park, Yu-Jin; Lee, Dai Woon; Lee, Won-Yong

    2005-01-01

    The sol-gel-immobilized Tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) [Ru(bpy) 3 2+ ] electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) sensor was applied to the reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of phenothiazine derivatives (promazine, chlorpromazine, triflupromazine, thioridazine, and trifluoperazine) and erythromycin in human urine samples. In this method, Ru(bpy) 3 2+ was immobilized in sol-gel-derived titania (TiO 2 )-Nafion nanocomposite films coated on a dual platinum electrode. This method eliminates an extra pump needed for the delivery of Ru(bpy) 3 2+ reagent into a reaction/observation zone in front of photomultiplier tube because the immobilized-Ru(bpy) 3 2+ is recycled on the electrode surface by an applied potential at +1.3 V versus Ag/AgCl (3 M NaCl) reference electrode. The resulting analytical performances such as detection limit, working range, sensitivity, and measurement precision were slightly worse than those obtained with the conventional post-column Ru(bpy) 3 2+ addition approach. The lack of significant interferences and the low detection limits for phenothiazine derivatives and erythromycin indicate that the proposed HPLC-Ru(bpy) 3 2+ ECL detection method is suitable for the determination of those compounds in biological fluids

  18. Boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state electric double layer capacitor with high performance

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Yi-Fu; Wu, Peng-Fei; Zhang, Ming-Qiu; Ruan, Wen-Hong; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

    2014-01-01

    A new family of boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol (GO-B-PVA) nanocomposite gels is prepared by freeze-thaw/boron cross-linking method. Then the gel electrolytes saturated with KOH solution are assembled into electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Structure, thermal and mechanical properties of GO-B-PVA are explored. The electrochemical properties of EDLCs using GO-B-PVA/KOH are investigated, and compared with those using GO-PVA/KOH gel or KOH solution electrolyte. FTIR shows that boron cross-links are introduced into GO-PVA, while the boronic structure inserted into agglomerated GO sheets is demonstrated by DMA analysis. The synergy effect of the GO and the boron crosslinking benefits for ionic conductivity due to unblocking ion channels, and for improvement of thermal stability and mechanical properties of the electrolytes. Higher specific capacitance and better cycle stability of EDLCs are obtained by using the GO-B-PVA/KOH electrolyte, especially the one at higher GO content. The nanocomposite gel electrolytes with excellent electrochemical properties and solid-like character are candidates for the industrial application in high-performance flexible solid-state EDLCs. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

  19. Boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state electric double layer capacitor with high performance

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Yi-Fu

    2014-06-01

    A new family of boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol (GO-B-PVA) nanocomposite gels is prepared by freeze-thaw/boron cross-linking method. Then the gel electrolytes saturated with KOH solution are assembled into electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Structure, thermal and mechanical properties of GO-B-PVA are explored. The electrochemical properties of EDLCs using GO-B-PVA/KOH are investigated, and compared with those using GO-PVA/KOH gel or KOH solution electrolyte. FTIR shows that boron cross-links are introduced into GO-PVA, while the boronic structure inserted into agglomerated GO sheets is demonstrated by DMA analysis. The synergy effect of the GO and the boron crosslinking benefits for ionic conductivity due to unblocking ion channels, and for improvement of thermal stability and mechanical properties of the electrolytes. Higher specific capacitance and better cycle stability of EDLCs are obtained by using the GO-B-PVA/KOH electrolyte, especially the one at higher GO content. The nanocomposite gel electrolytes with excellent electrochemical properties and solid-like character are candidates for the industrial application in high-performance flexible solid-state EDLCs. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

  20. Boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol nanocomposite gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state electric double layer capacitor with high performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Yi-Fu; Wu, Peng-Fei; Zhang, Ming-Qiu; Ruan, Wen-Hong; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Gel electrolyte is prepared and used in electric double layer capacitor. • Insertion of boron crosslinks into GO agglomerates opens channels for ion migration. • Solid supercapacitors show excellent specific capacitance and cycle stability. • Nanocomposite electrolyte shows better thermal stability and mechanical properties. - Abstract: A new family of boron cross-linked graphene oxide/polyvinyl alcohol (GO-B-PVA) nanocomposite gels is prepared by freeze-thaw/boron cross-linking method. Then the gel electrolytes saturated with KOH solution are assembled into electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Structure, thermal and mechanical properties of GO-B-PVA are explored. The electrochemical properties of EDLCs using GO-B-PVA/KOH are investigated, and compared with those using GO-PVA/KOH gel or KOH solution electrolyte. FTIR shows that boron cross-links are introduced into GO-PVA, while the boronic structure inserted into agglomerated GO sheets is demonstrated by DMA analysis. The synergy effect of the GO and the boron crosslinking benefits for ionic conductivity due to unblocking ion channels, and for improvement of thermal stability and mechanical properties of the electrolytes. Higher specific capacitance and better cycle stability of EDLCs are obtained by using the GO-B-PVA/KOH electrolyte, especially the one at higher GO content. The nanocomposite gel electrolytes with excellent electrochemical properties and solid-like character are candidates for the industrial application in high-performance flexible solid-state EDLCs

  1. Directly patternable high refractive index ferroelectric sol–gel resist

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garoli, D., E-mail: denis.garoli@iit.it [Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 16, 16136 Genova (Italy); Della Giustina, G. [Industrial Engineering Department, University of Padova and INSTM, Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova (Italy)

    2015-08-15

    The development of a ferroelectric negative tone sol–gel resist for Ultraviolet (UV) and Electron Beam (EB) lithography is presented. A new system based on Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT, with formula PbZr{sub 0.52}Ti{sub 0.48}O{sub 3}) was synthesized by sol–gel method. The lithographic performances were investigated and several structures spanning from the micron range down to less than 50 nm have been achieved by UV and EB lithography. The system interaction with UV light and Electron beam was thoroughly characterized by FT-IT spectroscopy. The exposed PZT was annealed at high temperatures in order to study the crystalline phase evolution, the optical constants values and stability of patterned structures. After exposure and annealing, the refractive index of the material can vary from 1.68 up to 2.33 (@400 nm), while the ferroelectric behaviour seems to be maintained after high temperature annealing. These results suggest a possible application of PZT resist not only as ferroelectric but also as nanopatternable high refractive index material. Moreover, direct nanopatterning by means of Focused Ion Beam (FIB) lithography was verified and the potentiality for the preparation of high aspect ratio hollow nanostructures will be presented. - Highlights: • A new formula directly patternable PZT high refractive index resist is presented. • The gel is sensitive to both UV and electron beam exposure. • The refractive index can vary from 1.68 up to 2.33 (@400 nm). • Direct nanopatterning by means of Focused Ion Beam (FIB) lithography was verified. • High aspect ratio hollow nanostructures will be presented.

  2. Modeling the Dynamics of Gel Electrophorresis in the High School Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saucedo, Skyler R.

    2013-01-01

    Gel electrophoresis, used by geneticists and forensic experts alike, is an immensely popular technique that utilizes an electric field to separate molecules and proteins by size and charge. At the microscopic level, a dye or complex protein like DNA is passed through agarose, a gelatinous three-dimensional matrix of pores and nano-sized tunnels. When forced through a maze of holes, the molecule unravels, forming a long chain, slithering through the field of pores in a process colloquially coined "reputation." As a result, the smaller molecules travel farther through the gel when compared to molecules of larger molecular weight. This highly effective "molecular sieve" provides consistent data and allows scientists to compare similar sequences of DNA base pairs in a routine fashion.2 When performed at the high school level, gel electrophoresis provides students the opportunity to learn about a contemporary lab technique of great scientific relevance. Doing real science certainly excites students and motivates them to learn more.

  3. A Study of Dip-Coatable, High-Capacitance Ion Gel Dielectrics for 3D EWOD Device Fabrication

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos E. Clement

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We present a dip-coatable, high-capacitance ion gel dielectric for scalable fabrication of three-dimensional (3D electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD devices such as an n × n liquid prism array. Due to the formation of a nanometer-thick electric double layer (EDL capacitor, an ion gel dielectric offers two to three orders higher specific capacitance (c ≈ 10 μF/cm2 than that of conventional dielectrics such as SiO2. However, the previous spin-coating method used for gel layer deposition poses several issues for 3D EWOD device fabrication, particularly when assembling multiple modules. Not only does the spin-coating process require multiple repetitions per module, but the ion gel layer also comes in risks of damage or contamination due to handling errors caused during assembly. In addition, it was observed that the chemical formulation previously used for the spin-coating method causes the surface defects on the dip-coated gel layers and thus leads to poor EWOD performance. In this paper, we alternatively propose a dip-coating method with modified gel solutions to obtain defect-free, functional ion gel layers without the issues arising from the spin-coating method for 3D device fabrication. A dip-coating approach offers a single-step coating solution with the benefits of simplicity, scalability, and high throughput for deposition of high-capacitance gel layers on non-planar EWOD devices. An ion gel solution was prepared by combining the [EMIM][TFSI] ionic liquid and the [P(VDF-HFP] copolymer at various wt % ratios in acetone solvent. Experimental studies were conducted to fully understand the effects of chemical composition ratios in the gel solution and how varying thicknesses of ion gel and Teflon layers affects EWOD performance. The effectiveness and potentiality of dip-coatable gel layers for 3D EWOD devices have been demonstrated through fabricating 5 × 1 arrayed liquid prisms using a single-step dip-coating method. Each prism module has

  4. Gel-sphere-pac fuel for thermal reactors: assessment of fabrication technology and irradiation performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beatty, R.L. Norman, R.E.; Notz, K.J. (comps.)

    1979-11-01

    Recent interest in proliferation-resistant fuel cycles for light-water reactors has focused attention on spiked plutonium and /sup 233/U-Th fuels, requiring remote refabrication. The gel-sphere-pac process for fabricating metal-clad fuel elements has drawn special attention because it involves fewer steps. Gel-sphere-pac fabrication technology involves two major areas: the preparation of fuel spheres of high density and loading these spheres into rods in an efficiently packed geometry. Gel sphere preparation involves three major steps: preparation of a sol or of a special solution (broth), gelation of droplets of sol or broth to give semirigid spheres of controlled size, and drying and sintering these spheres to a high density. Gelation may be accomplished by water extraction (suitable only for sols) or ammonia gelation (suitable for both sols and broths but used almost exclusively with broths). Ammonia gelation can be accomplished either externally, via ammonia gas and ammonium hydroxide, or internally via an added ammonia generator such as hexamethylenetetramine. Sphere-pac fuel rod fabrication involves controlled blending and metering of three sizes of spheres into the rod and packing by low- to medium-energy vibration to achieve about 88% smear density; these sizes have diametral ratios of about 40:10:1 and are blended in size fraction amounts of about 60% coarse, 18% medium, and 22% fine. Irradiation test results indicate that sphere-pac fuel performs at least as well as pellet fuel, and may in fact offer an advantage in significantly reducing mechanical and chemical interaction between the fuel and cladding. The normal feed for gel sphere preparation, heavy metal nitrate solution, is the usual product of fuel reprocessing, so that fabrication of gel spheres performs all the functions performed by both conversion and pellet fabrication in the case of pellet technology.

  5. Gel-sphere-pac fuel for thermal reactors: assessment of fabrication technology and irradiation performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beatty, R.L.; Norman, R.E.; Notz, K.J.

    1979-11-01

    Recent interest in proliferation-resistant fuel cycles for light-water reactors has focused attention on spiked plutonium and 233 U-Th fuels, requiring remote refabrication. The gel-sphere-pac process for fabricating metal-clad fuel elements has drawn special attention because it involves fewer steps. Gel-sphere-pac fabrication technology involves two major areas: the preparation of fuel spheres of high density and loading these spheres into rods in an efficiently packed geometry. Gel sphere preparation involves three major steps: preparation of a sol or of a special solution (broth), gelation of droplets of sol or broth to give semirigid spheres of controlled size, and drying and sintering these spheres to a high density. Gelation may be accomplished by water extraction (suitable only for sols) or ammonia gelation (suitable for both sols and broths but used almost exclusively with broths). Ammonia gelation can be accomplished either externally, via ammonia gas and ammonium hydroxide, or internally via an added ammonia generator such as hexamethylenetetramine. Sphere-pac fuel rod fabrication involves controlled blending and metering of three sizes of spheres into the rod and packing by low- to medium-energy vibration to achieve about 88% smear density; these sizes have diametral ratios of about 40:10:1 and are blended in size fraction amounts of about 60% coarse, 18% medium, and 22% fine. Irradiation test results indicate that sphere-pac fuel performs at least as well as pellet fuel, and may in fact offer an advantage in significantly reducing mechanical and chemical interaction between the fuel and cladding. The normal feed for gel sphere preparation, heavy metal nitrate solution, is the usual product of fuel reprocessing, so that fabrication of gel spheres performs all the functions performed by both conversion and pellet fabrication in the case of pellet technology

  6. Cross-linking of polymer and ionic liquid as high-performance gel electrolyte for flexible solid-state supercapacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong, Xiongwei; Tang, Jun; Cao, Lujie; Kong, Weiguang; Sun, Zheng; Cheng, Hua; Lu, Zhouguang; Pan, Hui; Xu, Baomin

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: •A facile method to prepare gel polymer electrolyte with high conductivity is proposed. •A flexible symmetric capacitor based on the prepared GPE shows ultra-flexibility. •The capacitor with high voltage can power up a 3.0 V LED even bended to a angle of 180°. -- Abstract: It is highly desirable to develop flexible solid-state electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) with non-liquid electrolyte. However, it is still a great challenge to prepare gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) possessing high ionic conductivity and good mechanical property. In this work, a simple and novel method to improve the conductivity and mechanical properties of GPE film for their applications as electrolyte and separator in EDLC is presented. The GPE film is prepared by cross-linking ionic liquid (IL) with poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) and benzophenone (Bp) followed by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Then, a non-woven cellulose separator (FPC) is used to absorb the GPE. By tuning the mass ratio (n) between IL and PEO, the flexible EDLC cooperated with low-cost active carbon and the electrolyte film with n = 10 has a high capacitance of 70.84 F∙g −1 , a wide and stable electrochemical window of 3.5 V, an energy density of 30.13 Wh∙kg −1 and a power density of 874.8 W∙kg −1 at a current density of 1 A∙g −1 , which can drive a 3.0 V light-emitting diode (LED). Importantly, the excellent performance of the flexible and low-cost EDLC can be maintained at a bending angle up to 180°, indicating the ultra-flexibility. It is expected that the IL-PEO-FPC electrolyte film is a promising candidate of GPE for flexible devices and energy storage systems.

  7. How a gel polymer electrolyte affects performance of lithium/sulfur batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Sheng S.; Tran, Dat T.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Conventional separator is coated with a 50PEO-50SiO 2 (wt.%) composite layer. •Composite coating increases tensile strength and electrolyte wettability. •Coated separator offers an alternative approach for making gel polymer Li/S battery. •Li/S battery takes benefits of gel polymer electrolyte at the expense of capacity. -- Abstract: Gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) and composite gel polymer electrolyte (CGPE) have been widely employed to improve the safety and cycling performance of rechargeable lithium and lithium-ion batteries. In order to determine whether this approach is applicable to lithium/sulfur (Li/S) battery, we examine the effect of CGPE on the cycling and storage performances of Li/S cells by comparing a 50PEO-50SiO 2 (wt.%) composite coated separator (C-separator) with a pristine separator (P-separator). Results show that the composite coating significantly enhances the wettability of liquid electrolyte on the separator and that resulting CGPE can tightly glue the separator and electrode together. In comparison with the P-separator, the C-separator offers Li/S cells similar capacity retention and rate capability; however it greatly affects the specific capacity of sulfur. The analysis on the impedance spectrum of a lithium polysulfide (PS) solution reveal that the reduction of sulfur specific capacity is due to the high viscosity of the CGPE and the strong adsorption of SiO 2 filler to the PS species, which trap PS species in the separator and hence reduce the utilization of sulfur active material. Therefore, the benefits of the GPE and CGPE to the Li/S batteries can be taken only at the expense of sulfur specific capacity

  8. Sol-gel process for the manufacture of high power switches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landingham, Richard L.; Satcher, Jr, Joe; Reibold, Robert

    2016-09-27

    According to one embodiment, a photoconductive semiconductor switch includes a structure of nanopowder of a high band gap material, where the nanopowder is optically transparent, and where the nanopowder has a physical characteristic of formation from a sol-gel process. According to another embodiment, a method includes mixing a sol-gel precursor compound, a hydroxy benzene and an aldehyde in a solvent thereby creating a mixture, causing the mixture to gel thereby forming a wet gel, drying the wet gel to form a nanopowder, and applying a thermal treatment to form a SiC nanopowder.

  9. High-performance dye-sensitized solar cells with gel-coated binder-free carbon nanotube films as counter electrode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mei, Xiaoguang; Cho, Swee Jen; Fan, Benhu; Ouyang, Jianyong

    2010-10-01

    High-performance dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) with binder-free films of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), including single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) and multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs), as the counter electrode are reported. The CNT films were fabricated by coating gels, which were prepared by dispersing CNTs in low-molecular-weight poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) through mechanical grinding and subsequent ultrasonication, on fluorine tin oxide (FTO) glass. PEG was removed from the CNT films through heating. These binder-free CNT films were rough and exhibited good adhesion to substrates. They were used as the counter electrode of DSCs. The DSCs with SWCNT or MWCNT counter electrodes exhibited a light-to-electricity conversion efficiency comparable with that with the conventional platinum (Pt) counter electrode, when the devices were tested immediately after device fabrication. The DSCs with an SWCNT counter electrode exhibited good stability in photovoltaic performance. The efficiency did not decrease after four weeks. On the other hand, DSCs with the MWCNT or Pt counter electrode exhibited a remarkable decrease in the photovoltaic efficiency after four weeks. The high photovoltaic performance of these DSCs is related to the excellent electrochemical catalysis of CNTs on the redox of the iodide/triiodide pair, as revealed by the cyclic voltammetry and ac impedance spectroscopy.

  10. High-performance dye-sensitized solar cells with gel-coated binder-free carbon nanotube films as counter electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mei Xiaoguang; Cho, Swee Jen; Fan Benhu; Ouyang Jianyong

    2010-01-01

    High-performance dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) with binder-free films of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), including single-walled CNTs (SWCNTs) and multi-walled CNTs (MWCNTs), as the counter electrode are reported. The CNT films were fabricated by coating gels, which were prepared by dispersing CNTs in low-molecular-weight poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) through mechanical grinding and subsequent ultrasonication, on fluorine tin oxide (FTO) glass. PEG was removed from the CNT films through heating. These binder-free CNT films were rough and exhibited good adhesion to substrates. They were used as the counter electrode of DSCs. The DSCs with SWCNT or MWCNT counter electrodes exhibited a light-to-electricity conversion efficiency comparable with that with the conventional platinum (Pt) counter electrode, when the devices were tested immediately after device fabrication. The DSCs with an SWCNT counter electrode exhibited good stability in photovoltaic performance. The efficiency did not decrease after four weeks. On the other hand, DSCs with the MWCNT or Pt counter electrode exhibited a remarkable decrease in the photovoltaic efficiency after four weeks. The high photovoltaic performance of these DSCs is related to the excellent electrochemical catalysis of CNTs on the redox of the iodide/triiodide pair, as revealed by the cyclic voltammetry and ac impedance spectroscopy.

  11. Evaluation of polyacrylamide gels with accelerator ammonium salts for water shutoff in ultralow temperature reservoirs: Gelation performance and application recommendations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hu Jia

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Water shutoff in ultralow temperature reservoirs has received great attention in recent years. In previous study, we reported a phenol-formaldehyde-based gel formula with ammonium salt which can provide a gelation time between 2 hrs and 2 days at 25 °C. However, systematic evaluation and field recommendations of this gel formula when encountering complex reservoirs environment are not addressed. In this paper, how and why such practical considerations as water composition, temperature, pH, weight ratio of formaldehyde to resorcinol and contaminant Fe3+ to affect the gelation performance are examined. Brookfield DV-III and scanning electron microscopy (SEM are employed respectively for viscosity measurement and microstructure analysis. SEM results further illustrate the mechanism of the effect of salinity on gelation performance. It reveals that crosslinking done by covalent bond has great advantage for gel stability under high salinity environment. The target gel formula can provide desirable gelation time below 60 °C, perfect for 15–45 °C, while it is unfeasible to use high salinity to delay gelation at 60 °C. We summarized the effect of salinity on gelation performance of different gel formulas from the present study and published literature. The summarized data can provide important guideline for gel formula design before conducting any kinds of experiments. The variation of gelation performance at different salinity may be dominated by the interaction between crosslinker-salt-polymer, not only limited to “charge-screening effect” and “ion association” proposed by several authors. We hope the analysis encouraging further investigations. Some recommendations for field application of this gel are given in the end of this paper.

  12. Meso-decorated self-healing gels: network structure and properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Jin; Sawamura, Kensuke; Igarashi, Susumu; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

    2013-04-01

    Gels are a new material having three-dimensional network structures of macromolecules. They possess excellent properties as swellability, high permeability and biocompatibility, and have been applied in various fields of daily life, food, medicine, architecture, and chemistry. In this study, we tried to prepare new multi-functional and high-strength gels by using Meso-Decoration (Meso-Deco), one new method of structure design at intermediate mesoscale. High-performance rigid-rod aromatic polymorphic crystals, and the functional groups of thermoreversible Diels-Alder reaction were introduced into soft gels as crosslinkable pendent chains. The functionalization and strengthening of gels can be realized by meso-decorating the gels' structure using high-performance polymorphic crystals and thermoreversible pendent chains. New gels with good mechanical properties, novel optical properties and thermal properties are expected to be developed.

  13. High Cycling Performance Cathode Material: Interconnected LiFePO4/Carbon Nanoparticles Fabricated by Sol-Gel Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhigao Yang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Interconnected LiFePO4/carbon nanoparticles for Li-ion battery cathode have been fabricated by sol-gel method followed by a carbon coating process involving redox reactions. The carbon layers coated on the LiFePO4 nanoparticles not only served as a protection layer but also supplied fast electrons by building a 3D conductive network. As a cooperation, LiFePO4 nanoparticles encapsulated in interconnected conductive carbon layers provided the electrode reactions with fast lithium ions by offering the lithium ions shortening and unobstructed pathways. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM and X-ray diffraction (XRD tests showed optimized morphology. Electrochemical characterizations including galvanostatic charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry (CV, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS tests, together with impedance parameters calculated, all indicated better electrochemical performance and excellent cycling performance at high rate (with less than 9.5% discharge capacity loss over 2000 cycles, the coulombic efficiency maintained about 100%.

  14. Highly-correlated charges in polyelectrolyte gels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sing, Charles; Zwanikken, Johannes; Olvera de La Cruz, Monica

    2013-03-01

    Polyelectrolyte gels are ubiquitous in polymer physics due to their attractive combination of structural and chemical features that permit the realization of ``environmentally responsive'' systems. The conventional conceptual picture of the volume response of these systems is based on a competition between osmotic and elastic effects. We elaborate on this fundamental understanding by including ion correlations through the use of liquid-state integral equation theory. This allows for a statistical mechanical representation of the state of the system that not only surpasses traditional Poisson-Boltzmann theories but also renders structural features in a highly accurate fashion. In particular, the local ion structure is elucidated, allowing for detailed articulation of charge inversion and condensation effects in the context of gel swelling. The inclusion of correlations has a number of ramifications that become apparent, with enhanced gel collapse and excluded volume competitions that give rise to novel and ion-dependent reentrant swelling effects. We expect this rigorous theory to prove instructive in understanding any number of gelated structures, such as chromosomes or designed synthetic materials for drug delivery.

  15. High-power microcavity lasers based on highly erbium-doped sol-gel aluminosilicate glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le Ngoc Chung; Chu Thi Thu Ha; Nguyen Thu Trang; Pham Thu Nga; Pham Van Hoi; Bui Van Thien

    2006-01-01

    High-power whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) lasing from highly erbium-doped sol-gel aluminosilicate microsphere cavity coupled to a half-tapered optical fiber is presented. The lasing output power as high as 0.45 mW (-3.5 dBm) was obtained from sol-gel glass microsphere cavity with diameters in the range of 40-150 μm. The sol-gel method for making highly concentration Er-doped aluminosilicate glasses with Er-ion concentrations from 0.125 to 0.65 mol% of Er 3+ is described. Controlling collected lasing wavelength at each WGM is possible by adjusting the distance between the half-taper fiber and the microcavity and by diameter of the waist of half-taper fiber. Using the analytic formulas we calculated the TE and TM lasing modes and it is shown that the experimental results are in good agreement with the calculation prediction

  16. Skeletal keratan sulfate chain molecular weight calibration by high-performance gel-permeation chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dickenson, J.M.; Morris, H.G.; Nieduszynski, I.A.; Huckerby, T.N.

    1990-01-01

    A method has been developed for the molecular sizing of skeletal keratan sulfate chains using an HPLC gel-permeation chromatography system. Keratan sulfate chains and keratanase-derived oligosaccharides were prepared from the nucleus pulposus of bovine intervertebral disc (6-year-old animals). A Bio-Gel TSK 30 XL column eluted in 0.2 M NaCl and at 30 degrees C was calibrated with keratan sulfate oligosaccharides of known size as well as 3H-end-labeled keratan sulfate chains to yield the relationship

  17. Inter-crosslinking network gels having both shape memory and high ductility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amano, Yoshitaka; Hidema, Ruri; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

    2012-04-01

    Medical treatment for injuries should be easy and quick in many accidents. Plasters or bandages are frequently used to wrap and fix injured parts. If plasters or bandages have additional smart functions, such as cooling, removability and repeatability, they will be much more useful and effective. Here we propose innovative biocompatible materials, that is, nontoxic high-strength shape-memory gels as novel smart medical materials. These smart gels were prepared from two monomers (DMAAm and SA), a polymer (HPC), and an inter-crosslinking agent (Karenz-MOI). In the synthesis of the gels, 1) a shape-memory copolymer network is made from the DMAAm and the SA, and 2) the copolymer and the HPC are crosslinked by the Karenz-MOI. Thus the crosslinking points are connected only between the different polymers. This is our original technique of developing a new network structure of gels, named Inter-Crosslinking Network (ICN). The ICN gels achieve high ductility, going up to 700% strain in tensile tests, while the ICN gels contain about 44% water. Moreover the SA has temperature dependence due to its crystallization properties; thus the ICN gels obtain shape memory properties and are named ICN-SMG. While the Young's modulus of the ICN-SMG is large below their crystallization temperature and the gels behave like plastic materials, the modulus becomes smaller above the temperature and the gels turn back to their original shape.

  18. Acylhydrazone bond dynamic covalent polymer gel monolithic column online coupling to high-performance liquid chromatography for analysis of sulfonamides and fluorescent whitening agents in food.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chengjiang; Luo, Xialin; Wei, Tianfu; Hu, Yufei; Li, Gongke; Zhang, Zhuomin

    2017-10-13

    A new dynamic covalent polymer (DCP) gel was well designed and constructed based on imine chemistry. Polycondensation of 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxaldehyde and 1,3,5-benzenetricarbohydrazide via Schiff-base reaction resulted in an acylhydrazone bond gel (AB-gel) DCP. AB-gel DCP had three-dimensional network of interconnected nanoparticles with hierarchically porous structure. AB-gel DCP was successfully fabricated as a monolithic column by an in-situ chemical bonding method for online enrichment and separation purpose with excellent permeability. AB-gel DCP based monolithic column showed remarkable adsorption affinity towards target analytes including sulfonamides (SAs) and fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs) due to its strong π-π affinity, hydrophobic effect and hydrogen bonding interaction. Then, AB-gel DCP based monolithic column was applied for online separation and analysis of trace SAs and FWAs in food samples coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sulfathiazole (ST) and sulfadimidine (SM2) in one positive weever sample were actually found and determined with concentrations of 273.8 and 286.3μg/kg, respectively. 2,5-Bis(5-tert-butyl-2-benzoxazolyl) thiophene (FWA184) was actually quantified in one tea infusion sample with the concentration of 268.5ng/L. The spiked experiments suggested the good recoveries in range of 74.5-110% for SAs in weever and shrimp samples with relative standard deviations (RSDs) less than 9.7% and in range of 74.0-113% for FWAs in milk and tea infusion samples with RSDs less than 9.0%. AB-gel DCP monolithic column was proved to be a promising sample preparation medium for online separation and analysis of trace analytes in food samples with complex matrices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. [Separation of purines, pyrimidines, pterins and flavonoids on magnolol-bonded silica gel stationary phase by high performance liquid chromatography].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hong; Li, Laishen; Zhang, Yang; Zhou, Rendan

    2012-10-01

    A new magnolol-bonded silica gel stationary phase (MSP) was used to separate the basic drugs including four purines, eight pyrimidines, four pterins and five flavonoids as polar representative samples by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). To clarify the separation mechanism, a commercial ODS column was also tested under the same chromatographic conditions. The high selectivities and fast baseline separations of the above drugs were achieved by using simple mobile phases on MSP. Although there is no end-caped treatment, the peak shapes of basic drugs containing nitrogen such as purines, pyrimidines and pterins were rather symmetrical on MSP, which indicated the the magnolol as ligand with multi-sites could shield the side effect of residual silanol groups on the surface of silica gel. Although somewhat different in the separation resolution, it was found that the elution orders of some drugs were generally similar on both MSP and ODS. The hydrophobic interaction should play a significant role in the separations of the above basic drugs, which was attributed to their reversed-phase property in the nature. However, MSP could provide the additional sites for many polar solutes, which was a rational explanation for the high selectivity of MSP. For example, in the separation of purines, pyrimidines and pterins on MSP, hydrogen-bonding and dipole-dipole interactions played leading roles besides hydrophobic interaction. Some solute molecules (such as mercaptopurine, vitexicarpin) and MSP can form the strong pi-pi stacking in the separation process. All enhanced the retention and improved the separation selectivity of MSP, which facilitated the separation of the basic drugs.

  20. Influence of Experimental Parameters Using the Dip-Coating Method on the Barrier Performance of Hybrid Sol-Gel Coatings in Strong Alkaline Environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rita B. Figueira

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies have shown that the barrier effect and the performance of organic-inorganic hybrid (OIH sol-gel coatings are highly dependent on the coating deposition method as well as on the processing conditions. However, studies on how the coating deposition method influences the barrier properties in alkaline environments are scarce. The aim of this experimental research was to study the influence of experimental parameters using the dip-coating method on the barrier performance of an OIH sol-gel coating in contact with simulated concrete pore solutions (SCPS. The influence of residence time (Rt, a curing step between each dip step and the number of layers of sol-gel OIH films deposited on hot-dip galvanized steel to prevent corrosion in highly alkaline environments was studied. The barrier performance of these OIH sol-gel coatings, named U(400, was assessed in the first instants of contact with SCPS, using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic methods. The durability and stability of the OIH coatings in SCPS was monitored during eight days by macrocell current density. The morphological characterization of the surface was performed by Scanning Electronic Microscopy before and after exposure to SCPS. Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy was used to investigate the thickness of the U(400 sol-gel coatings as a function of the number of layers deposited with and without Rt in the coatings thickness.

  1. High lane density slab-gel electrophoresis using micromachined instrumentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papautsky, I; Mohanty, S; Weiss, R; Frazier, A B

    2001-10-01

    In this paper, micromachined pipette arrays (MPAs) and microcombs were studied as a means of enabling high lane density gel electrophoresis. The MPA provide a miniaturized format to interface sub-microliter volumes of samples between macroscale sample preparation formats and microscale biochemical analysis systems. The microcombs provide a means of creating sample loading wells in the gel material on the same center-to-center spacing as the MPAs. Together, the two micromachined instruments provide an alternative to current combs and pipetting technologies used for creating sample loading wells and sample delivery in gel electrophoresis systems. Using three designs for the microcomb-MPA pair, center-to-center spacings of 1.0 mm, 500 microm, and 250 microm are studied. The results demonstrate an approximate 10-fold increase in lane density and a 10-fold reduction in sample size from 5 microL to 500 pL. As a result, the number of theoretical plates has increased 2.5-fold, while system resolution has increased 1.5-fold over the conventional agarose gel systems. An examination of changes in resolution across the width of individual separation lanes in both systems revealed dependence in the case of the conventional gels and no dependence for the gels loaded with the micromachined instrumentation.

  2. Modification of gel architecture and TBE/TAE buffer composition to minimize heating during agarose gel electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanderson, Brian A; Araki, Naoko; Lilley, Jennifer L; Guerrero, Gilberto; Lewis, L Kevin

    2014-06-01

    Agarose gel electrophoresis of DNA and RNA is routinely performed using buffers containing either Tris, acetate, and EDTA (TAE) or Tris, borate, and EDTA (TBE). Gels are run at a low, constant voltage (∼10 V/cm) to minimize current and asymmetric heating effects, which can induce band artifacts and poor resolution. In this study, alterations of gel structure and conductive media composition were analyzed to identify factors causing higher electrical currents during horizontal slab gel electrophoresis. Current was reduced when thinner gels and smaller chamber buffer volumes were used, but was not influenced by agarose concentration or the presence of ethidium bromide. Current was strongly dependent on the amount and type of EDTA used and on the concentrations of the major acid-base components of each buffer. Interestingly, resolution and the mobilities of circular versus linear plasmid DNAs were also affected by the chemical form and amount of EDTA. With appropriate modifications to gel structure and buffer constituents, electrophoresis could be performed at high voltages (20-25 V/cm), reducing run times by up to 3-fold. The most striking improvements were observed with small DNAs and RNAs (10-100 bp): high voltages and short run times produced sharper bands and higher resolution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Novel configuration of polyimide matrix-enhanced cross-linked gel separator for high performance lithium ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Hong; Zhang, Yin; Yao, Zhikan; John, Angelin Ebanezar; Li, Yang; Li, Weishan; Zhu, Baoku

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • For the first time, a cross-linked gel polymer electrolyte with additional lithium ions, was introduced into a nonwoven separator. • The PI nonwoven is employed to ensure enhanced thermal stability and mechanical strength of the IACS. • With the introduction of PAMPS(Li"+), the migration and mobility rate of anions could be hindered by the -SO_3"− group, giving rise to a high lithium ion transference number. • This IACS is recommended as a promising candidate for the high-power and high-safety lithium ion batteries. - Abstract: A novel composite nonwoven separator exhibiting high heat resistance, high ionic conductivity and high lithium ion transference number is fabricated by a simple dip-coating and heat treatment method. The thermal stable polyimide (PI) nonwoven matrix is chosen as a mechanical support and contributes to improving the thermal shrinkage of the composite nonwoven separator (abbreviated as IACS). The cross-linked poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) PAMPS(Li"+) gel polymer electrolyte (GPE), lithium ion sources of a single ion conductor, is introduced into the PI nonwoven matrix and acts as a functional filler. This PAMPS (Li"+) GPE is proved to be able to provide internal short circuit protection, to alleviate liquid electrolyte leakage effectively, to supply more lithium ions dissociating from PAMPS (Li"+) by liquid electrolyte solvent, to contribute a more stable interfacial resistance, and thus resulting in an excellent cyclability. More notably, the migration and mobility rate of anions could be hindered by the −SO_3"− group in the PAMPS (Li"+) polymer based on electrostatic interaction, giving rise to a very high lithium ion transference number. These fascinating characteristics endow the IACS a great promise for the application in the high power and high safety lithium ion batteries.

  4. Gelation Behavior Study of a Resorcinol–Hexamethyleneteramine Crosslinked Polymer Gel for Water Shut-Off Treatment in Low Temperature and High Salinity Reservoirs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongpeng Sun

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Mature oilfields usually encounter the problem of high watercut. It is practical to use chemical methods for water-shutoff in production wells, however conventional water-shutoff agents have problems of long gelation time, low gel strength, and poor stability under low temperature and high salinity conditions. In this work a novel polymer gel for low temperature and high salinity reservoirs was developed. This water-shutoff agent had controllable gelation time, adjustable gel strength and good stability performance. The crosslinking process of this polymer gel was studied by rheological experiments. The process could be divided into an induction period, a fast crosslinking period, and a stable period. Its gelation behaviors were investigated in detail. According to the Gel Strength Code (GSC and vacuum breakthrough method, the gel strength was displayed in contour maps. The composition of the polymer gel was optimized to 0.25~0.3% YG100 + 0.6~0.9% resorcinol + 0.2~0.4% hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA + 0.08~0.27% conditioner (oxalic acid. With the concentration increase of the polymer gel and temperature, the decrease of pH, the induction period became shorter and the crosslinking was more efficient, resulting in better stability performance. Various factors of the gelation behavior which have an impact on the crosslinking reaction process were examined. The relationships between each impact factor and the initial crosslinking time were described with mathematical equations.

  5. Development of Smart Optical Gels with Highly Magnetically Responsive Bicelles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isabettini, Stéphane; Stucki, Sandro; Massabni, Sarah; Baumgartner, Mirjam E; Reckey, Pernille Q; Kohlbrecher, Joachim; Ishikawa, Takashi; Windhab, Erich J; Fischer, Peter; Kuster, Simon

    2018-03-14

    Hydrogels delivering on-demand tailorable optical properties are formidable smart materials with promising perspectives in numerous fields, including the development of modern sensors and switches, the essential quality criterion being a defined and readily measured response to environmental changes. Lanthanide ion (Ln 3+ )-chelating bicelles are interesting building blocks for such materials because of their magnetic responsive nature. Imbedding these phospholipid-based nanodiscs in a magnetically aligned state in gelatin permits an orientation-dependent retardation of polarized light. The resulting tailorable anisotropy gives the gel a well-defined optical signature observed as a birefringence signal. These phenomena were only reported for a single bicelle-gelatin pair and required high magnetic field strengths of 8 T. Herein, we demonstrate the versatility and enhance the viability of this technology with a new generation of aminocholesterol (Chol-NH 2 )-doped bicelles imbedded in two different types of gelatin. The highly magnetically responsive nature of the bicelles allowed to gel the anisotropy at commercially viable magnetic field strengths between 1 and 3 T. Thermoreversible gels with a unique optical signature were generated by exposing the system to various temperature conditions and external magnetic field strengths. The resulting optical properties were a signature of the gel's environmental history, effectively acting as a sensor. Solutions containing the bicelles simultaneously aligning parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field directions were obtained by mixing samples chelating Tm 3+ and Dy 3+ . These systems were successfully gelled, providing a material with two distinct temperature-dependent optical characteristics. The high degree of tunability in the magnetic response of the bicelles enables encryption of the gel's optical properties. The proposed gels are viable candidates for temperature tracking of sensitive goods and provide

  6. Silica based gel as a potential waste form for high level waste from fuel reprocessing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ford, C.E.; Dempster, T.J.; Melling, P.J.

    1983-10-01

    To assess the feasibility of safe disposal of high-level radioactive waste as synthetic clay, or material that would react with ground water to form clay, experiments have been carried out to determine the hydrothermal crystallisation and leaching behaviour of silica based gels fired at 900 deg C. Crystallisation rates at a pressure of 500 bars and at temperatures below 400 deg C are negligible and this more or less precludes pre-disposal production of synthetic clay on the scale required. Leaching experiments suggest that the leach rates of Cs from gels by distilled water are higher than those of boro-silicate glasses and SYNROC at the lower temperatures that would be preferred for geological storage. However, amounts of bulk dissolution of gels may be lower than those of boro-silicate glasses. The initial leaching behaviour of gels might be considerably improved by hot compaction at 900 to 1000 deg C. Consideration of likely waste form dissolution behaviour in a repository environment suggests that gels of appropriate composition might perform as well as, or better than, boro-silicate glasses. A novel hypothetical plant is described that could produce the gel waste form on the scale required on a more or less continuous basis. (author)

  7. Highly stretchable carbon nanotube transistors enabled by buckled ion gel gate dielectrics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Meng-Yin; Chang, Tzu-Hsuan; Ma, Zhenqiang; Zhao, Juan; Xu, Feng; Jacobberger, Robert M.; Arnold, Michael S.

    2015-01-01

    Deformable field-effect transistors (FETs) are expected to facilitate new technologies like stretchable displays, conformal devices, and electronic skins. We previously demonstrated stretchable FETs based on buckled thin films of polyfluorene-wrapped semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes as the channel, buckled metal films as electrodes, and unbuckled flexible ion gel films as the dielectric. The FETs were stretchable up to 50% without appreciable degradation in performance before failure of the ion gel film. Here, we show that by buckling the ion gel, the integrity and performance of the nanotube FETs are extended to nearly 90% elongation, limited by the stretchability of the elastomer substrate. The FETs maintain an on/off ratio of >10 4 and a field-effect mobility of 5 cm 2 V −1 s −1 under elongation and demonstrate invariant performance over 1000 stretching cycles

  8. High-performance Li3V2(PO4)3/C cathode materials prepared via a sol–gel route with double carbon sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Lulu; Li Ying; Peng Gang; Wang Zhaohui; Ma Jun; Zhang Wuxing; Hu Xianluo; Huang Yunhui

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Double carbon sources were employed to prepare core–shell Li 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 /C composites, giving rise to uniform carbon coating and high conducting network. The as-obtained composites showed remarkably enhanced capacity and rate capability. Highlights: ► Double carbon sources were used to prepare core–shell Li 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 /C composites. ► An improved oxalic acid-based sol–gel method was developed. ► Uniform carbon coating and high conducting network were attained for Li 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 . ► Remarkably enhanced capacity and rate capability were obtained. - Abstract: Li 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 /C (LVP/C) composites have been successfully synthesized via an oxalic acid-based sol–gel process assisted by glucose, in which oxalic acid and glucose serve as double carbon sources. X-ray diffraction patterns show that all samples are well crystallized. Transmission electron microscopy images reveal that the LVP/C sample prepared with 15 wt% glucose is uniformly coated by carbon layer with an appropriate thickness of 8–10 nm, resulting in a high electrical conductivity and a fast kinetics. The Li + -ion diffusion coefficient in the LVP/C sample prepared with glucose is ∼10 −10 cm 2 s −1 , which is larger than that of the LVP/C sample prepared without glucose. The LVP/C sample prepared with 15 wt% glucose exhibits the best electrochemical performance with discharge capacity as high as 171 mAh g −1 at 0.1 C and 119 mAh g −1 at 10 C. The present work provides a valuable route for preparing lithium metal phosphates with double carbon sources to improve the conductivity and hence the electrochemical performance.

  9. Molecularly imprinted sol-gel nanofibers based solid phase microextraction coupled on-line with high performance liquid chromatography for selective determination of acesulfame.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moein, Mohammad Mahdi; Javanbakht, Mehran; Karimi, Mohammad; Akbari-Adergani, Behrouz

    2015-03-01

    Sol-gel based molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) nanofiber was successfully fabricated by electrospinning technique on the surface of a stainless steel bar. The manufactured tool was applied for on-line selective solid phase microextraction (SPME) and determination of acesulfame (ACF) as an artificial sweetener with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The selective ability of method for the extraction of ACF was investigated in the presence of some selected sweeteners such as saccharine (SCH), aspartame (ASP) and caffeine (CAF). Electrospinning of MIP sol-gel solution on the stainless steel bar provided an unbreakable sorbent with high thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability. Moreover, application of the MIP-SPME tool revealed a unique approach for the selective microextraction of the analyte in beverage samples. In this work, 3-(triethoxysilyl)-propylamine (TMSPA) was chosen as a precursor due to its ability to imprint the analyte by hydrogen bonding, Van der Walls, and dipole-dipole interactions. Nylon 6 was also added as a backbone and support for the precursor in which sol could greatly growth during the sol-gel process and makes the solution electrospinable. Various effective parameters in the extraction efficiency of the MIP-SPME tool such as loading time, flow rate, desorption time, selectivity, and the sample volume were evaluated. The linearity for the ACF in beverage sample was in the range of 0.78-100.5 ng mL(-1). Limit of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.23 and 0.78 ng mL(-1) respectively. The RSD values (n=5) were all below 3.5%at the 20 ng mL(-1) level. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. [Determination of phthalate plasticizers in foods by high performance liquid chromatography with gel permeation chromatographic clean-up].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chunyu; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Xiaohui; Ma, Zhongqiang; Deng, Wanmei; Hu, Ke; Ding, Mingyu

    2011-12-01

    A method of gel permeation chromatography-high performance liquid chromatography (GPC-HPLC) was established for the simultaneous determination of 5 main phthalate plasticizers in foods (edible oil, instant noodles, fried pastries, Saqima, etc.). The samples were extracted with petroleum ether in an ultrasonator, purified by a GPC column, and analyzed by HPLC. The chromatographic separation was achieved on a Labtech-C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) using acetonitrile and water mixture as the mobile phases in a gradient elution mode. The developed method exhibited a linear correlation coefficient of more than 0.997 and the detection limits of 3.25 - 13.4 microg/L. The spike recoveries were between 70.4% and 113.6% with the relative standard deviations (RSDs, n = 3) of 0.3% - 5.8% at the spiked level of 50 mg/L. This method is simple, rapid and practical, and can be used for the simultaneous determination of PAEs in grease food samples.

  11. Highly stretchable carbon nanotube transistors enabled by buckled ion gel gate dielectrics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Meng-Yin; Chang, Tzu-Hsuan; Ma, Zhenqiang [Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Zhao, Juan [School of Optoelectronic Information, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054 (China); Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States); Xu, Feng; Jacobberger, Robert M.; Arnold, Michael S., E-mail: michael.arnold@wisc.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706 (United States)

    2015-08-03

    Deformable field-effect transistors (FETs) are expected to facilitate new technologies like stretchable displays, conformal devices, and electronic skins. We previously demonstrated stretchable FETs based on buckled thin films of polyfluorene-wrapped semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes as the channel, buckled metal films as electrodes, and unbuckled flexible ion gel films as the dielectric. The FETs were stretchable up to 50% without appreciable degradation in performance before failure of the ion gel film. Here, we show that by buckling the ion gel, the integrity and performance of the nanotube FETs are extended to nearly 90% elongation, limited by the stretchability of the elastomer substrate. The FETs maintain an on/off ratio of >10{sup 4} and a field-effect mobility of 5 cm{sup 2} V{sup −1} s{sup −1} under elongation and demonstrate invariant performance over 1000 stretching cycles.

  12. Development of strippable gel for surface decontamination applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banerjee, D.; Sandhya, U.; Khot, S.A.; Srinivas, C.

    2015-07-01

    Strippable gels are an attractive option for decontamination of surfaces particularly when materials are to be reused after decontamination. The process in general results in good decontamination performance with minimal secondary waste generation. This paper reports on development of strippable gel formulation using polyvinyl alcohol as the gel former. Peeling behavior of the gel film improved when glycerol was used as plasticizer. Incorporation of decontaminating agents is essential for the gel to be effective, so a number of decontaminating agents were screened based on their miscibility with the gel, smooth peeling, and good decontamination performance. Based on this study, a strippable gel, ‘INDIGEL’ was formulated as a potential candidate for surface decontamination applications. Extensive trials on evaluation of decontamination performance of Indigel were done on simulated surfaces like stainless steel tray, stainless steel fume hood, PVC floor, granite and ceramic table tops. Results show that Indigel is highly effective for decontamination of surfaces contaminated with all types of radionuclides. Simplicity of its use coupled with good decontamination ability will find application in nuclear and other chemical industries. (author)

  13. Enhancing the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells by incorporating nanosilicate platelets in gel electrolyte

    KAUST Repository

    Lai, Yi-Hsuan; Chiu, Chih-Wei; Chen, Jian-Ging; Wang, Chun-Chieh; Lin, Jiang-Jen; Lin, King-Fu; Ho, Kuo-Chuan

    2009-01-01

    Two kinds of gel-type dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), composed of two types of electrolytes, were constructed and the respective cell performance was evaluated in this study. One electrolyte, TEOS-Triton X-100 gel, was based on a hybrid organic/inorganic gel electrolyte made by the sol-gel method and the other was based on poly(vinyidene fluoride-co-hexafluoro propylene) (PVDF-HFP) copolymer. TEOS-Triton X-100 gel was based on the reticulate structure of silica, formed by hydrolysis, and condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), while its organic subphase was a mixture of surfactant (Triton X-100) and ionic liquid electrolytes. Both DSSC gel-type electrolytes were composed of iodine, 1-propy-3-methyl-imidazolium iodide, and 3-methoxypropionitrile to create the redox couple of I3 -/I-. Based on the results obtained from the I-V characteristics, it was found that the optimal iodine concentrations for the TEOS-Triton X-100 gel electrolyte and PVDF-HFP gel electrolyte are 0.05 M and 0.1 M, respectively. Although the increase in the iodine concentration could enhance the short-circuit current density (JSC), a further increase in the iodine concentration would reduce the JSC due to increased dark current. Therefore, the concentration of I2 is a significant factor in determining the performance of DSSCs. In order to enhance cell performance, the addition of nanosilicate platelets (NSPs) in the above-mentioned gel electrolytes was investigated. By incorporating NSP-Triton X-100 into the electrolytes, the JSC of the cells increased due to the decrease of diffusion resistance, while the open circuit voltage (VOC) remained almost the same. As the loading of the NSP-Triton X-100 in the TEOS-Triton X-100 gel electrolyte increased to 0.5 wt%, the JSC and the conversion efficiency increased from 8.5 to 12 mA/cm2 and from 3.6% to 4.7%, respectively. However, the JSC decreased as the loading of NSP-Triton X-100 exceeded 0.5 wt%. At higher NSP-Triton X-100 loading, NSPs acted as

  14. Enhancing the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells by incorporating nanosilicate platelets in gel electrolyte

    KAUST Repository

    Lai, Yi-Hsuan

    2009-10-01

    Two kinds of gel-type dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), composed of two types of electrolytes, were constructed and the respective cell performance was evaluated in this study. One electrolyte, TEOS-Triton X-100 gel, was based on a hybrid organic/inorganic gel electrolyte made by the sol-gel method and the other was based on poly(vinyidene fluoride-co-hexafluoro propylene) (PVDF-HFP) copolymer. TEOS-Triton X-100 gel was based on the reticulate structure of silica, formed by hydrolysis, and condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), while its organic subphase was a mixture of surfactant (Triton X-100) and ionic liquid electrolytes. Both DSSC gel-type electrolytes were composed of iodine, 1-propy-3-methyl-imidazolium iodide, and 3-methoxypropionitrile to create the redox couple of I3 -/I-. Based on the results obtained from the I-V characteristics, it was found that the optimal iodine concentrations for the TEOS-Triton X-100 gel electrolyte and PVDF-HFP gel electrolyte are 0.05 M and 0.1 M, respectively. Although the increase in the iodine concentration could enhance the short-circuit current density (JSC), a further increase in the iodine concentration would reduce the JSC due to increased dark current. Therefore, the concentration of I2 is a significant factor in determining the performance of DSSCs. In order to enhance cell performance, the addition of nanosilicate platelets (NSPs) in the above-mentioned gel electrolytes was investigated. By incorporating NSP-Triton X-100 into the electrolytes, the JSC of the cells increased due to the decrease of diffusion resistance, while the open circuit voltage (VOC) remained almost the same. As the loading of the NSP-Triton X-100 in the TEOS-Triton X-100 gel electrolyte increased to 0.5 wt%, the JSC and the conversion efficiency increased from 8.5 to 12 mA/cm2 and from 3.6% to 4.7%, respectively. However, the JSC decreased as the loading of NSP-Triton X-100 exceeded 0.5 wt%. At higher NSP-Triton X-100 loading, NSPs acted as

  15. Highly efficient treatment of aerobic vaginitis with simple acidic buffered gels: The importance of pH and buffers on the microenvironment of vaginas.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Xiaodong; Qiu, Haiying; Jin, Yiguang

    2017-06-15

    Aerobic vaginitis (AV) leads to uterus deep infection or preterm birth. Antibacterial agents are not optimal therapeutics of AV. Here, we report a series of temperature-sensitive in situ forming acidic buffered gels for topical treatment of AV, involving lactate, acetate, and citrate gels at pH 3.5, 5.0, and 6.5. AV rat models were prepared following vaginal infection with Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. In vitro/in vivo studies of the buffered gels were performed compared with ofloxacin gels and blank gels. All the buffered gels showed the lower in vitro antibacterial activities than ofloxacin gels but the better in vivo anti-S. aureus effects and similar anti-E. coli effects. The buffered gels improved Lactobacillus growth in the vaginas. Both the healthy rat vaginal pH and the pH of rat vaginas treated with the buffered gels were about 6.5 though the AV rat models or ones treated with ofloxacin gels still remained at the high pH more than 7.0. After treatments with the buffered gels, the vaginal smears changed to a clean state nearly without aerobic bacteria, the vaginal tissues were refreshed, and the immunoreactions were downregulated. The acidic buffered gels bring rapid decrease of local vaginal pH, high antibacterial activities, improvement of probiotics, and alleviation of inflammation. They are simple, highly efficient, and safe anti-AV formulations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Preparation of ZnO/SiO{sub 2} gel composites and their performance of H{sub 2}S removal at room temperature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Guoqiang [Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Huang, Zheng-Hong, E-mail: zhhuang@tsinghua.edu.cn [Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Kang, Feiyu [Laboratory of Advanced Materials, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Institute of Advanced Materials Research, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China)

    2012-05-15

    Graphical abstract: The ZnO/SiO{sub 2} gel composites exhibit mixed type isotherms, in which the initial part is type I, and intermediate and high relative pressures are type IV with a hysteresis loop of type H2. The breakthrough time of ZnO/SiO{sub 2} composites first increased sharply up to 400 Degree-Sign C with the H{sub 2}S breakthrough capacity is up to 96.4 mg/g, and then decrease dramatically with further rising of temperature beyond 500 Degree-Sign C. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High surface area ZnO/SiO{sub 2} gel composites were prepared by co-sol-gel method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The active phase (ZnO) well disperses in the composites. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The highest H{sub 2}S adsorption capacity of the composites reaches up to 96.4 mg/g. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Both physisorption and the active phase reactivation governed the H{sub 2}S removal process. - Abstract: ZnO/SiO{sub 2} gel composites with different active component loading were prepared by sol-gel method combined with ambient drying process, followed by thermal treatment. The gel composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and their performances for H{sub 2}S removal were evaluated by dynamic testing at room temperature. The as prepared materials exhibited high surface area with multimodal pore size distributions in micropore and mesopore region. The porous properties were significantly influenced both by the ZnO loading ratio and the treated temperature. The gel composites showed a high performance for H{sub 2}S removal, with the highest H{sub 2}S adsorption capacity of 96.4 mg/g for the sample treated at 400 Degree-Sign C with 30 wt% ZnO. Both physisorption and the active phase reactivation governed the H{sub 2}S removal process. It needs to optimize the composites' porous structure and active component loading amount.

  17. Further developments and applications of layer gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gambarini, G; Carrara, M; Colli, V; Gay, S; Tomatis, S

    2004-01-01

    The method used to perform dosimetry with Fricke-xylenol orange-infused gels in form of layers remains the most reliable method for in-phantom dose profiling and imaging in high fluxes of thermal and epithermal neutrons. Gel-dosimeters in form of layers really give the possibility not only of obtaining spatial dose distributions but also of achieving measurements of each dose contribution in neutron fields. These advantages arise from the layer-geometry thanks to which neutron transport is not sensibly altered, even if the elemental gel composition is changed adding particular isotopes (for example 10 B), as necessary to perform the separation of dose contributions. The gel matrix composition and the experimental procedures, adopted for both dosimeter preparation and analysis, have been already described in previous works. In the present work, the improvements of the method employed for gel analysis, dose imaging and gel applications are illustrated

  18. Synthesis of all-silica zeolites from highly concentrated gels containing hexamethonium cations

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Xiaolong; Ravon, Ugo; Tuel, Alain

    2012-01-01

    A pure and highly crystalline all-silica EU-1 zeolite has been obtained from the crystallization of gels containing very low water contents in the presence of hexamethonium cations. Decreasing the water content in the gel down to H 2O/Si < 1

  19. Graphene/Pentacene Barristor with Ion-Gel Gate Dielectric: Flexible Ambipolar Transistor with High Mobility and On/Off Ratio.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Gwangtaek; Kim, Jin-Soo; Jeon, Ji Hoon; Won, EunA; Son, Jong Wan; Lee, Duk Hyun; Kim, Cheol Kyeom; Jang, Jingon; Lee, Takhee; Park, Bae Ho

    2015-07-28

    High-quality channel layer is required for next-generation flexible electronic devices. Graphene is a good candidate due to its high carrier mobility and unique ambipolar transport characteristics but typically shows a low on/off ratio caused by gapless band structure. Popularly investigated organic semiconductors, such as pentacene, suffer from poor carrier mobility. Here, we propose a graphene/pentacene channel layer with high-k ion-gel gate dielectric. The graphene/pentacene device shows both high on/off ratio and carrier mobility as well as excellent mechanical flexibility. Most importantly, it reveals ambipolar behaviors and related negative differential resistance, which are controlled by external bias. Therefore, our graphene/pentacene barristor with ion-gel gate dielectric can offer various flexible device applications with high performances.

  20. Novel Stable Gel Polymer Electrolyte: Toward a High Safety and Long Life Li-Air Battery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Jin; Liu, Xizheng; Guo, Shaohua; Zhu, Kai; Xue, Hailong; Zhou, Haoshen

    2015-10-28

    Nonaqueous Li-air battery, as a promising electrochemical energy storage device, has attracted substantial interest, while the safety issues derived from the intrinsic instability of organic liquid electrolytes may become a possible bottleneck for the future application of Li-air battery. Herein, through elaborate design, a novel stable composite gel polymer electrolyte is first proposed and explored for Li-air battery. By use of the composite gel polymer electrolyte, the Li-air polymer batteries composed of a lithium foil anode and Super P cathode are assembled and operated in ambient air and their cycling performance is evaluated. The batteries exhibit enhanced cycling stability and safety, where 100 cycles are achieved in ambient air at room temperature. The feasibility study demonstrates that the gel polymer electrolyte-based polymer Li-air battery is highly advantageous and could be used as a useful alternative strategy for the development of Li-air battery upon further application.

  1. Gel polymer electrolyte lithium-ion cells with improved low temperature performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smart, M.C.; Ratnakumar, B.V.; Behar, A.; Whitcanack, L.D. [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109 (United States); Yu, J.-S. [LG Chem/Research Park, P.O. Box 61Yu Song, Science Town, Daejon (Korea); Alamgir, M. [Compact Power, Inc., 1857 Technology Drive, Troy, MI 48083 (United States)

    2007-03-20

    For a number of NASA's future planetary and terrestrial applications, high energy density rechargeable lithium batteries that can operate at very low temperature are desired. In the pursuit of developing Li-ion batteries with improved low temperature performance, we have also focused on assessing the viability of using gel polymer systems, due to their desirable form factor and enhanced safety characteristics. In the present study we have evaluated three classes of promising liquid low-temperature electrolytes that have been impregnated into gel polymer electrolyte carbon-LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4}-based Li-ion cells (manufactured by LG Chem. Inc.), consisting of: (a) binary EC + EMC mixtures with very low EC-content (10%), (b) quaternary carbonate mixtures with low EC-content (16-20%), and (c) ternary electrolytes with very low EC-content (10%) and high proportions of ester co-solvents (i.e., 80%). These electrolytes have been compared with a baseline formulation (i.e., 1.0 M LiPF{sub 6} in EC + DEC + DMC (1:1:1%, v/v/v), where EC, ethylene carbonate, DEC, diethyl carbonate, and DMC, dimethyl carbonate). We have performed a number of characterization tests on these cells, including: determining the rate capacity as a function of temperature (with preceding charge at room temperature and also at low temperature), the cycle life performance (both 100% DOD and 30% DOD low earth orbit cycling), the pulse capability, and the impedance characteristics at different temperatures. We have obtained excellent performance at low temperatures with ester-based electrolytes, including the demonstration of >80% of the room temperature capacity at -60 C using a C/20 discharge rate with cells containing 1.0 M LiPF{sub 6} in EC + EMC + MB (1:1:8%, v/v/v) (MB, methyl butyrate) and 1.0 M LiPF{sub 6} in EC + EMC + EB (1:1:8%, v/v/v) (EB, ethyl butyrate) electrolytes. In addition, cells containing the ester-based electrolytes were observed to support 5C pulses at -40 C, while still

  2. Sol-gel Technology and Advanced Electrochemical Energy Storage Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chu, Chung-tse; Zheng, Haixing

    1996-01-01

    Advanced materials play an important role in the development of electrochemical energy devices such as batteries, fuel cells, and electrochemical capacitors. The sol-gel process is a versatile solution for use in the fabrication of ceramic materials with tailored stoichiometry, microstructure, and properties. This processing technique is particularly useful in producing porous materials with high surface area and low density, two of the most desirable characteristics for electrode materials. In addition,the porous surface of gels can be modified chemically to create tailored surface properties, and inorganic/organic micro-composites can be prepared for improved material performance device fabrication. Applications of several sol-gel derived electrode materials in different energy storage devices are illustrated in this paper. V2O5 gels are shown to be a promising cathode material for solid state lithium batteries. Carbon aerogels, amorphous RuO2 gels and sol-gel derived hafnium compounds have been studied as electrode materials for high energy density and high power density electrochemical capacitors.

  3. Sol-gel optical coatings for lasers: Part 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Floch, H.G.; Belleville, P.F.; Priotton, J.J.

    1995-01-01

    Many manufacturers and users claim that optical coatings are best prepared by physical vapor deposition technology. Others believe that sol-gel technology is an effective and competitive alternative. This article, the first of three, emphasizes sol-gel thin-film history and relates it to high-power laser technology, chemistry of the sol-gel process, production of optical coatings and deposition techniques. The second and third articles describe the preparation and performance of antireflective and highly reflective sol-gel optical coatings, respectively, that have been developed for the 1.8-MJ/500-TW (351-nm) pulsed neodymium-glass laser. This powerful laser is to be used in France's Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program. It will demonstrate, at the laboratory scale, ignition of deuterium-tritium fusion fuel

  4. Stretchable carbon nanotube/ion-gel supercapacitors with high durability realized through interfacial microroughness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jiho; Kim, Wonbin; Kim, Woong

    2014-08-27

    A critical problem with stretchable supercapacitors developed to date has been evaporation of a volatile component of their electrolyte, causing failure. In this work, we demonstrated successful use of an ionic-liquid-based nonvolatile gel (ion-gel) electrolyte in carbon nanotube (CNT)-based stretchable supercapacitors. The CNT/ion-gel supercapacitors showed high capacitance retention (96.6%) over 3000 stretch cycles at 20% strain. The high durability against stretch cycles was achieved by introducing microroughness at the interfaces between different materials. The microroughness was produced by the simple process of imprinting the surface microstructure of office paper onto a poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate; the surface texture is reproduced in successive current collector and CNT layers. Adhesion between the different layers was strengthened by this roughness and prevented delamination over repeated stretch cycles. The addition of a CNT layer decreased the sensitivity of electrical characteristics to stretching. Moreover, the ion-gel increases the operating voltage window (3 V) and hence the energy density. We believe our demonstration will greatly contribute to the development of flexible and/or stretchable energy-storage devices with high durability.

  5. Sol-gel-processed yttrium-doped NiO as hole transport layer in inverted perovskite solar cells for enhanced performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Zijun; Chen, Da; Yang, Pan; Yang, Lijun; Qin, Laishun; Huang, Yuexiang; Zhao, Xiaochong

    2018-05-01

    In this work, high-performance inverted planar perovskite solar cells (PSCs) using sol-gel processed Y-doped NiO thin films as hole transport layer (HTL) were demonstrated. Y-doped NiO thin films containing different Y doping concentrations were successfully prepared through a simple sol-gel process. The Y doping could significantly improve the electrical conductivity of NiO thin film, and the photovoltaic performance of Y-doped NiO HTL-based PSC devices outperformed that of the pristine NiO HTL-based device. Notably, the PSC using a 5%Y-NiO HTL exhibited the champion performance with an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.00 V, a short circuit current density (Jsc) of 23.82 mA cm-2, a fill factor (FF) of 68% and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.31%, resulting in a 27.62% enhancement in PCE in comparison with the NiO device. The enhanced performance of the Y-doped NiO device could be attributed to the improved hole mobility, the high quality compact active layer morphology, the more efficient charge extraction from perovskite absorber as well as the lower recombination probability of charge carriers. Thus, this work provides a simple and effective approach to improve the electrical conductivity of p-type NiO thin films for use as a promising HTL in high performance PSCs.

  6. High-rate supercapacitive performance of GO/r-GO electrodes interfaced with plastic-crystal-based flexible gel polymer electrolyte

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suleman, Mohd; Kumar, Yogesh; Hashmi, S.A.

    2015-01-01

    We report the performance of symmetrical electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs) fabricated with graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) electrodes, and plastic crystal based flexible gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) film. The GPE, comprising the solution of lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (LiTFSI) in a plastic crystal succinonitrile (SN) entrapped in poly (vinylidinefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP), shows suitability as separator/electrolyte in EDLCs due to its excellent electrochemical properties including high ionic conductivity (∼1.97 × 10 −3 S cm −1 a 20 °C). The GO and r-GO electrodes exhibit supercapacitive properties with the SN-based GPE as evidenced from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge analyses. The residual oxygen functionalities associated with GO-electrodes provide additional pseudo-capacitance resulting in higher specific capacitance and specific energy (∼66 F g −1 and 18 Wh kg −1 , respectively) as compared to r-GO electrodes (specific capacitance ∼60 F g −1 and specific energy ∼15.6 Wh kg −1 ). High knee frequency f k (∼38 Hz), low response time ∼τ 0 (∼166.5 ms) and high pulse power P 0 (∼32.9 kW kg −1 ), observed from EIS studies, indicate the high rate capability of GO-electrodes-based EDLCs. About three fold increase in f k and three times decrease in τ 0 indicates a substantially higher rate performance of r-GO-based EDLCs with respect to GO-based cell. The high rate capability of GO/r-GO electrodes in combination with SN-based GPEs is further confirmed from the rectangular CV shapes up to scan rates of 5 V s −1 for GO and 10 V s −1 for r-GO electrodes. The r-GO based EDLC offers higher specific power (∼54.9 kW kg −1 ) as compared to that of GO-based EDLC (∼33.3 kW kg −1 ), as observed from charge-discaharge studies. Both EDLCs show stable capacitive performance up to ∼11000-13500 charge

  7. Improvement of ionic conductivity and performance of quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell using PEO/PMMA gel electrolyte

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aram, E.; Ehsani, M.; Khonakdar, H.A.

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Reduced interfacial resistance of a quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell with PEO/PMMA blend gel electrolytes. - Highlights: • A new polymer gel electrolyte containing PEO/PMMA was developed for DSSCs. • Optimization of polymer gel electrolyte was done for dye sensitized solar cell. • The best ionic conductivity was found in PEO/PMMA blend with 10/90 w/w composition. • The DSSC with the PEO/PMMA based electrolyte showed good photovoltaic performance. • Significant stability improvement for quasi-solid state DSSC was obtained. - Abstract: Polymer blend gel electrolytes based on polyethylene oxide (PEO) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as host polymers with various weight ratios, LiI/I 2 as redox couple in electrolyte and 4-tert-butyl pyridine as additive were prepared by solution method. The introduction of PMMA in the PEO gel electrolyte reduced the degree of crystallinity of PEO, which was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Complexation and ionic conductivity as a function of temperature were investigated with Fourier transform infrared and ionic conductometry, respectively. A good correlation was found between the degree of crystallinity and ionic conductivity. The reduction in crystallinity, governed by blending ratio, led to improvement of ionic conductivity. The best ionic conductivity was attained in PEO/PMMA blend with 10/90 w/w composition. The performance of a quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell using the optimized polymer gel electrolyte was investigated. The optimized system of high ionic conductivity of 7 mS cm −1 , with fill factor of 0.59, short-circuit density of 11.11 mA cm −2 , open-circuit voltage of 0.75 V and the conversion efficiency of 4.9% under air mass 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm −2 ) was obtained. The long-term stability of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) during 600 h was improved by using PEO/PMMA gel electrolyte relative to a liquid type electrolyte

  8. Improvement of ionic conductivity and performance of quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell using PEO/PMMA gel electrolyte

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aram, E. [Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, 14965/115 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ehsani, M., E-mail: m.ehsani@ippi.ac.ir [Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, 14965/115 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Khonakdar, H.A. [Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, 14965/115 Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research, D-01067 Dresden (Germany)

    2015-09-10

    Graphical abstract: Reduced interfacial resistance of a quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell with PEO/PMMA blend gel electrolytes. - Highlights: • A new polymer gel electrolyte containing PEO/PMMA was developed for DSSCs. • Optimization of polymer gel electrolyte was done for dye sensitized solar cell. • The best ionic conductivity was found in PEO/PMMA blend with 10/90 w/w composition. • The DSSC with the PEO/PMMA based electrolyte showed good photovoltaic performance. • Significant stability improvement for quasi-solid state DSSC was obtained. - Abstract: Polymer blend gel electrolytes based on polyethylene oxide (PEO) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as host polymers with various weight ratios, LiI/I{sub 2} as redox couple in electrolyte and 4-tert-butyl pyridine as additive were prepared by solution method. The introduction of PMMA in the PEO gel electrolyte reduced the degree of crystallinity of PEO, which was confirmed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Complexation and ionic conductivity as a function of temperature were investigated with Fourier transform infrared and ionic conductometry, respectively. A good correlation was found between the degree of crystallinity and ionic conductivity. The reduction in crystallinity, governed by blending ratio, led to improvement of ionic conductivity. The best ionic conductivity was attained in PEO/PMMA blend with 10/90 w/w composition. The performance of a quasi-solid-state dye sensitized solar cell using the optimized polymer gel electrolyte was investigated. The optimized system of high ionic conductivity of 7 mS cm{sup −1}, with fill factor of 0.59, short-circuit density of 11.11 mA cm{sup −2}, open-circuit voltage of 0.75 V and the conversion efficiency of 4.9% under air mass 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm{sup −2}) was obtained. The long-term stability of the dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) during 600 h was improved by using PEO/PMMA gel electrolyte relative to a liquid type

  9. The gel electrophoresis markup language (GelML) from the Proteomics Standards Initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, Frank; Hoogland, Christine; Martinez-Bartolomé, Salvador; Medina-Aunon, J Alberto; Albar, Juan Pablo; Babnigg, Gyorgy; Wipat, Anil; Hermjakob, Henning; Almeida, Jonas S; Stanislaus, Romesh; Paton, Norman W; Jones, Andrew R

    2010-09-01

    The Human Proteome Organisation's Proteomics Standards Initiative has developed the GelML (gel electrophoresis markup language) data exchange format for representing gel electrophoresis experiments performed in proteomics investigations. The format closely follows the reporting guidelines for gel electrophoresis, which are part of the Minimum Information About a Proteomics Experiment (MIAPE) set of modules. GelML supports the capture of metadata (such as experimental protocols) and data (such as gel images) resulting from gel electrophoresis so that laboratories can be compliant with the MIAPE Gel Electrophoresis guidelines, while allowing such data sets to be exchanged or downloaded from public repositories. The format is sufficiently flexible to capture data from a broad range of experimental processes, and complements other PSI formats for MS data and the results of protein and peptide identifications to capture entire gel-based proteome workflows. GelML has resulted from the open standardisation process of PSI consisting of both public consultation and anonymous review of the specifications.

  10. A novel tantalum-based sol-gel packed microextraction syringe for highly specific enrichment of phosphopeptides in MALDI-MS applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Çelikbıçak, Ömür; Atakay, Mehmet; Güler, Ülkü; Salih, Bekir

    2013-08-07

    A new tantalum-based sol-gel material was synthesized using a unique sol-gel synthesis pathway by PEG incorporation into the sol-gel structure without performing a calcination step. This improved its chemical and physical properties for the high capacity and selective enrichment of phosphopeptides from protein digests in complex biological media. The specificity of the tantalum-based sol-gel material for phosphopeptides was evaluated and compared with tantalum(V) oxide (Ta2O5) in different phosphopeptide enrichment applications. The tantalum-based sol-gel and tantalum(V) oxide were characterized in detail using FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and also using a surface area and pore size analyzer. In the characterization studies, the surface morphology, pore volume, crystallinity of the materials and PEG incorporation into the sol-gel structure to produce a more hydrophilic material were successfully demonstrated. The X-ray diffractograms of the two different materials were compared and it was noted that the broad signals of the tantalum-based sol-gel clearly represented the amorphous structure of the sol-gel material, which was more likely to create enough surface area and to provide more accessible tantalum atoms for phosphopeptides to be easily adsorbed when compared with the neat and more crystalline structure of Ta2O5. Therefore, the phosphopeptide enrichment performance of the tantalum-based sol-gels was found to be remarkably higher than the more crystalline Ta2O5 in our studies. Phosphopeptides at femtomole levels could be selectively enriched using the tantalum-based sol-gel and detected with a higher signal-to-noise ratio by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometer (MALDI-MS). Moreover, phosphopeptides in a tryptic digest of non-fat bovine milk as a complex real-world biological sample were retained with higher yield using a tantalum-based sol-gel. Additionally, the sol-gel material

  11. An evaluation of the dosimetric performance characteristics of N-vinylpyrrolidone-based polymer gels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Papadakis, A E [Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Iraklion 71003, Crete (Greece); Maris, T G [Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Iraklion 71003, Crete (Greece); Zacharopoulou, F [Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Iraklion 71003, Crete (Greece); Pappas, E [Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Iraklion 71003, Crete (Greece); Zacharakis, G [Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser (IESL), Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), PO Box 1527, Iraklion, Crete (Greece); Damilakis, J [Department of Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, PO Box 2208, Iraklion 71003, Crete (Greece)

    2007-08-21

    The aim of this work was to investigate the dosimetric performance properties of the N-vinylpyrrolidone argon (VIPAR) based polymer gel as a dosimetric tool in clinical radiotherapy. VIPAR gels with a larger concentration of gelatin than the standard recipe were manufactured and irradiated up to 68 Gy using a 6 and 18 MV linear accelerator. Using MRI, the R2-dose response was recorded at different imaging sessions within a 34 day time period post-irradiation. The R2-dose response was found to be linear between 5 and 68 Gy. Although dose sensitivity did not show significant variation with time, the measured R2-dose values showed an increasing trend, which was less evident beyond 17 days. At one day post-irradiation, calculated dose standard uncertainties at 20 Gy and 56 Gy were 2.2% and 1.7%, providing a dose resolution of 0.45 Gy and 0.97 Gy, respectively. Although these values fulfilled the 2% limit of ICRU, when gels were imaged at one day post-irradiation, it was shown that the temporal evolution of the R2 values deteriorated the per cent standard uncertainty and the dose resolution by {approx}57%, when imaged 17 days post-irradiation. Variation in the coagulation temperature of the gels did not impact the R2-dose sensitivity. This study has shown that the VIPAR gel has the properties of a dosimetric tool required in clinical radiotherapy, especially in applications where a wide dose dynamic range is employed. For results with the lowest per cent uncertainty and the optimum dose resolution, the dosimetry gels used in this work should be MR scanned at one day post-irradiation. Furthermore, a preliminary study on the R2-dose response of a new normoxic N-vinylpyrrolidone-based polymer gel showed that it could potentially replace the traditional VIPAR gel formulation, while preserving the wide dynamic dose response inherent to that monomer.

  12. Preparation and characterization of iron(III) 99Mo-molybdate(VI) gels for the assessment of 99mTc elution performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amin, Mahmoud; Fasih, Tharwat W.; El-Absy, Mohamed A.

    2018-01-01

    New iron(III) 99 Mo-molybdate(VI) gels (Fe 99 Mo) of high Mo content were prepared by the precipitation/filtration method. 99 Mo-MoO 3 dissolved in NaOH was added to aqueous solutions of Fe(NO 3 ) 3 at Mo/Fe mole fractions ∝2.21 and 1.99 with continuous stirring at ambient room temperature. Two different Fe 99 Mo were precipitated from the mixed solutions adjusted at pH 2 and 4.7. The amount of water of hydration increased with the increasing the gel settling time and pH of the mixed solution. The matrices were characterized by radiometric, XRD, SEM, XRF, FT-IR, TGA, and DTA measurements. Small chromatographic columns of 2.0 g Fe 99 Mo containing ≥800 mg Mo tagged with 740 MBq 99 Mo were eluted with 5 mL saline solution. Highly reproducible 99m Tc elution indices suitable for preparation of 99 Mo/ 99m Tc generators were achieved from generator supported with 0.5 g Al 2 O 3 filter. Elution performance of 99m Tc radionuclide was highly dependent on the gel structural properties.

  13. Effects of gel composition on the radiation induced density change in PAG polymer gel dosimeters: a model and experimental investigations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hilts, M; Jirasek, A; Duzenli, C

    2004-01-01

    Due to a density change that occurs in irradiated polyacrylamide gel (PAG), x-ray computed tomography (CT) has emerged as a feasible method of performing polymer gel dosimetry. However, applicability of the technique is currently limited by low sensitivity of the density change to dose. This work investigates the effect of PAG composition on the radiation induced density change and provides direction for future work in improving the sensitivity of CT polymer gel dosimetry. A model is developed that describes the PAG density change (Δρ gel ) as a function of both polymer yield (%P) and an intrinsic density change, per unit polymer yield, that occurs on conversion of monomer to polymer (Δρ polymer ). %P is a function of the fraction of monomer consumed and the weight fraction of monomer in the unirradiated gel (%T). Applying the model to experimental CT and Raman spectroscopic data, two important fundamental properties of the response of PAG density to dose (Δρ gel dose response) are discovered. The first property is that Δρ polymer depends on PAG %C (cross-linking fraction of total monomer) such that low and high %C PAGs exhibit a higher Δρ polymer than do more intermediate %C PAGs. This relationship is opposite to the relationship of polymer yield to %C and is explained by the effect of %C on the type of polymer formed. The second property is that the Δρ gel dose response is linearly dependent on %T. From the model, the inference is that, at least for %T≤12%, monomer consumption and Δρ polymer depend solely on %C. In terms of optimizing CT polymer gel dosimetry for high sensitivity, these results indicate that Δρ polymer can be expected to vary with each polymer gel system and thus should be considered when choosing a polymer gel for CT gel dosimetry. However, Δρ polymer and %P cannot be maximized simultaneously and maximizing %P, by choosing gels with intermediate %C and high %T, is found to have the greatest impact on increasing the

  14. Recovery of high purity proteins from polyacrylamide gels using ultraviolet scanning densitometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bartolini, P.; Arkaten, R.; Ribela, M.T.C.P.

    1988-07-01

    We present here a technique for the purification of proteins carried out by a quantitative analytical method used in conjunction with a preparative gel electrophoresis. Both methods employ densitometric ultraviolet scanning of unstained protein bands, a procedure wich is particulary suitable for the purification and recovery of biologically active polypeptides. In short, the purified extracted protein, isolated in a segment cut out from a preparative gel, is recovered by a second (reversed) electrophoresis. We performed the extractions and recoveries of different amounts of two standard proteins (BSA and STI) and a polypeptide hormone (hGH). Our main interest, especially for the hormone is the complete protein recovery with retention of bio and immunoactivity and high purity. For the proteins tested, the mean recovery was of 93 + - 5% obtaining a mean purity of 95 + - 7%. We conclude that the proposed method should have interesting applications, particularly in the obtention of very pure hormones, as are needed for radioligand assays, for radiolabelling and specific antibody raising. We emphasize the simplicity and rapidity of the method (the entire preparative process: first electrophoresis, UV scanning and reversed electrophoresis can be performed in approximately six hours) and its efficiency in recovering pure proteins even on a milligram scale. We thank the support from the IAEA (4299/RB) and FINEP (43.86.0351.00) and CENE (Brazil). (author) [pt

  15. Graphene oxide-enhanced sol-gel transition sensitivity and drug release performance of an amphiphilic copolymer-based nanocomposite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Huawen; Wang, Xiaowen; Lee, Ka I; Ma, Kaikai; Hu, Hong; Xin, John H.

    2016-01-01

    We report the fabrication of a highly sensitive amphiphilic copolymer-based nanocomposite incorporating with graphene oxide (GO), which exhibited a low-intensity UV light-triggered sol-gel transition. Non-cytotoxicity was observed for the composite gels after the GO incorporation. Of particular interest were the microchannels that were formed spontaneously within the GO-incorporated UV-gel, which expedited sustained drug release. Therefore, the present highly UV-sensitive, non-cytotoxic amphiphilic copolymer-based composites is expected to provide enhanced photothermal therapy and chemotherapy by means of GO’s unique photothermal properties, as well as through efficient passive targeting resulting from the sol-gel transition characteristic of the copolymer-based system with improved sensitivity, which thus promises the enhanced treatment of patients with cancer and other diseases. PMID:27539298

  16. Sol-Gel Glasses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, S. P.

    1985-01-01

    Multicomponent homogeneous, ultrapure noncrystalline gels/gel derived glasses are promising batch materials for the containerless glass melting experiments in microgravity. Hence, ultrapure, homogeneous gel precursors could be used to: (1) investigate the effect of the container induced nucleation on the glass forming ability of marginally glass forming compositions; and (2) investigate the influence of gravity on the phase separation and coarsening behavior of gel derived glasses in the liquid-liquid immiscibility zone of the nonsilicate systems having a high density phase. The structure and crystallization behavior of gels in the SiO2-GeO2 as a function of gel chemistry and thermal treatment were investigated. As are the chemical principles involved in the distribution of a second network former in silica gel matrix being investigated. The procedures for synthesizing noncrystalline gels/gel-monoliths in the SiO2-GeO2, GeO2-PbO systems were developed. Preliminary investigations on the levitation and thermal treatment of germania silicate gel-monoliths in the Pressure Facility Acoustic Levitator were done.

  17. High dose thermoluminescence dosimetry performance of Sol-gel synthesized TiO{sub 2} phosphors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Salas J, Ch. J.; Cruz V, C. [Universidad de Sonora, Departamento de Investigacion en Polimeros y Materiales, Apdo. Postal 130, 83000 Hermosillo, Sonora (Mexico); Castillo U, D. M.; Flores M, K. [Universidad de Sonora, Departamento de Ciencias Quimico Biologicas, Apdo. Postal 130, 83000 Hermosillo, Sonora (Mexico); Bernal, R. [Universidad de Sonora, Departamento de Investigacion en Fisica, Apdo. Postal 5-088, 83190 Hermosillo, Sonora (Mexico); Castano, V. M., E-mail: castillouzeta@gmail.com [UNAM, Instituto de Fisica, Centro de Fisica Aplicada y Tecnologia Avanzada, Apdo. Postal 1-1010, Queretaro, Qro. (Mexico)

    2015-10-15

    Full text: TiO{sub 2} is a ceramic material with many applications due to their different crystalline phases (rutile, anatase and brookite). It has attracted attention in several fields because their high mechanical strength, chemical stability and ion-conducting properties. Moreover, in recent years, some research groups gained interest in the thermoluminescence features of TiO{sub 2} concerning their potential use as thermoluminescence dosimeter. In this work, we present experimental results obtained in the first stage of a long-term research project focused in the synthesis of TiO{sub 2} phosphors for dosimetric applications. The thermoluminescent characterization of samples was carried out after being exposed to beta particle irradiation. TiO{sub 2} was prepared by alkoxide sol-gel route using titanium tetrabutoxide as precursor, ethanol, water and ammonia as catalyst. Pellet-shaped samples were annealed at 700 degrees C for 6 h in air atmosphere followed by slow cooling, and then were exposed to radiation doses from 25 to 400 Gy. The glow curves display maxima located at 103 and 238 degrees C when a 5 C/s heating rate is used. From the experimental results here presented, we conclude that TiO{sub 2} is a promising material to develop high dose Tl dosimeters. (Author)

  18. Highly stable and imperceptible electronics utilizing photoactivated heterogeneous sol-gel metal-oxide dielectrics and semiconductors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jo, Jeong-Wan; Kim, Jaekyun; Kim, Kyung-Tae; Kang, Jin-Gu; Kim, Myung-Gil; Kim, Kwang-Ho; Ko, Hyungduk; Kim, Jiwan; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Park, Sung Kyu

    2015-02-18

    Incorporation of Zr into an AlOx matrix generates an intrinsically activated ZAO surface enabling the formation of a stable semiconducting IGZO film and good interfacial properties. Photochemically annealed metal-oxide devices and circuits with the optimized sol-gel ZAO dielectric and IGZO semiconductor layers demonstrate the high performance and electrically/mechanically stable operation of flexible electronics fabricated via a low-temperature solution process. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. High nitrogen-containing cotton derived 3D porous carbon frameworks for high-performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Li-Zhen; Chen, Tian-Tian; Song, Wei-Li; Li, Xiaogang; Zhang, Shichao

    2015-01-01

    Supercapacitors fabricated by 3D porous carbon frameworks, such as graphene- and carbon nanotube (CNT)-based aerogels, have been highly attractive due to their various advantages. However, their high cost along with insufficient yield has inhibited their large-scale applications. Here we have demonstrated a facile and easily scalable approach for large-scale preparing novel 3D nitrogen-containing porous carbon frameworks using ultralow-cost commercial cotton. Electrochemical performance suggests that the optimal nitrogen-containing cotton-derived carbon frameworks with a high nitrogen content (12.1 mol%) along with low surface area 285 m2 g−1 present high specific capacities of the 308 and 200 F g−1 in KOH electrolyte at current densities of 0.1 and 10 A g−1, respectively, with very limited capacitance loss upon 10,000 cycles in both aqueous and gel electrolytes. Moreover, the electrode exhibits the highest capacitance up to 220 F g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and excellent flexibility (with negligible capacitance loss under different bending angles) in the polyvinyl alcohol/KOH gel electrolyte. The observed excellent performance competes well with that found in the electrodes of similar 3D frameworks formed by graphene or CNTs. Therefore, the ultralow-cost and simply strategy here demonstrates great potential for scalable producing high-performance carbon-based supercapacitors in the industry. PMID:26472144

  20. High nitrogen-containing cotton derived 3D porous carbon frameworks for high-performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Li-Zhen; Chen, Tian-Tian; Song, Wei-Li; Li, Xiaogang; Zhang, Shichao

    2015-10-01

    Supercapacitors fabricated by 3D porous carbon frameworks, such as graphene- and carbon nanotube (CNT)-based aerogels, have been highly attractive due to their various advantages. However, their high cost along with insufficient yield has inhibited their large-scale applications. Here we have demonstrated a facile and easily scalable approach for large-scale preparing novel 3D nitrogen-containing porous carbon frameworks using ultralow-cost commercial cotton. Electrochemical performance suggests that the optimal nitrogen-containing cotton-derived carbon frameworks with a high nitrogen content (12.1 mol%) along with low surface area 285 m2 g-1 present high specific capacities of the 308 and 200 F g-1 in KOH electrolyte at current densities of 0.1 and 10 A g-1, respectively, with very limited capacitance loss upon 10,000 cycles in both aqueous and gel electrolytes. Moreover, the electrode exhibits the highest capacitance up to 220 F g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 and excellent flexibility (with negligible capacitance loss under different bending angles) in the polyvinyl alcohol/KOH gel electrolyte. The observed excellent performance competes well with that found in the electrodes of similar 3D frameworks formed by graphene or CNTs. Therefore, the ultralow-cost and simply strategy here demonstrates great potential for scalable producing high-performance carbon-based supercapacitors in the industry.

  1. 99mTc gel generators based on zirconium molybdate-99Mo: III: Influence of preparatory conditions of zirconium molybdate-99Mo gel on generator performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saraswathy, P.; Sarkar, S.K.; Arjun, G.; Ramamoorthy, N.; Nandy, S.K.

    2004-01-01

    The effect of subtle variations on zirconium molybdate- 99 Mo gel preparatory conditions, such as stoichiometry of reactants, pH of gel formation, conditioning of gel granules etc., prior to elution were investigated primarily to arrive at the conditions resulting in high 99m Tc release and minimal 99 Mo breakthrough upon elution with normal saline. Zirconium molybdate- 99 Mo gels were prepared by reacting solutions of Zr and Mo in mole ratios of 0.75-1.5. Both water and normal saline were used for gel disintegration, and the release of 99m Tc and 99 Mo from gel columns into eluates was compared. Sharper elution profile of 99m Tc, but with significantly higher 99 Mo breakthrough (5-8 times), was obtained when water alone was used for disintegration and elution, in comparison to when saline was used. Gels exhibiting optimum characteristics were found to be formed at a pH of 4-5 by reacting [Zr]: [Mo] in the mole ratio of 1.25: 1 and after drying, the product was dispersed into granules by disintegration with normal saline. 99m Tc elution efficiency was found to be ∝ 75% and 99 Mo breakthrough ∝ 0.05%. The elution profile was sharp when a 6 g gel column coupled to a 2 g acidic alumina column (to trap 99 Mo) was eluted with 6-9 ml normal saline. Generators containing upto 23 GBq 99 Mo were prepared, eluted extensively without changing the alumina column and found to provide pertechnetate of good quality, commensurate with hospital radiopharmacy requirements. (orig.)

  2. Sol-Gel Manufactured Energetic Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simpson, Randall L.; Lee, Ronald S.; Tillotson, Thomas M.; Hrubesh, Lawrence W.; Swansiger, Rosalind W.; Fox, Glenn A.

    2005-05-17

    Sol-gel chemistry is used for the preparation of energetic materials (explosives, propellants and pyrotechnics) with improved homogeneity, and/or which can be cast to near-net shape, and/or made into precision molding powders. The sol-gel method is a synthetic chemical process where reactive monomers are mixed into a solution, polymerization occurs leading to a highly cross-linked three dimensional solid network resulting in a gel. The energetic materials can be incorporated during the formation of the solution or during the gel stage of the process. The composition, pore, and primary particle sizes, gel time, surface areas, and density may be tailored and controlled by the solution chemistry. The gel is then dried using supercritical extraction to produce a highly porous low density aerogel or by controlled slow evaporation to produce a xerogel. Applying stress during the extraction phase can result in high density materials. Thus, the sol-gel method can be used for precision detonator explosive manufacturing as well as producing precision explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics, along with high power composite energetic materials.

  3. A Single Dose of Beetroot Gel Rich in Nitrate Does Not Improve Performance but Lowers Blood Glucose in Physically Active Individuals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia Vasconcellos

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Beetroot consumption has been proposed to improve exercise performance, since the nitrate content of this food is able to stimulate the synthesis of nitric oxide. Objective. The acute effect of 100 g of a beetroot gel containing ~10 mmol of nitrate was tested on the nitric oxide synthesis, on metabolic and biochemical parameters, and on performance in physically active individuals. Methods. Through a double blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study, 25 healthy runners ingested a single dose of beetroot and placebo gels. Participants performed an aerobic exercise protocol on a treadmill (3 min warm-up of 40% peak oxygen consumption, 4 min at 90% of gas exchange threshold I and 70% (Δ maximal end speed until volitional fatigue. Results. Urinary levels of nitrite and nitrate increased after 90 min of beetroot gel ingestion. Plasma glucose concentrations lowered after the exercise and the decrease was maintained for 20 min. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures, serum cortisol, and blood lactate were not altered after the beetroot gel ingestion compared to a placebo gel. Conclusion. The single dose of beetroot gel provoked an increase of nitric oxide synthesis although no improvement on the physical performance of athletes during aerobic submaximal exercise was observed.

  4. Development of gel-filter method for high enrichment of low-molecular weight proteins from serum.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lingsheng Chen

    Full Text Available The human serum proteome has been extensively screened for biomarkers. However, the large dynamic range of protein concentrations in serum and the presence of highly abundant and large molecular weight proteins, make identification and detection changes in the amount of low-molecular weight proteins (LMW, molecular weight ≤ 30kDa difficult. Here, we developed a gel-filter method including four layers of different concentration of tricine SDS-PAGE-based gels to block high-molecular weight proteins and enrich LMW proteins. By utilizing this method, we identified 1,576 proteins (n = 2 from 10 μL serum. Among them, 559 (n = 2 proteins belonged to LMW proteins. Furthermore, this gel-filter method could identify 67.4% and 39.8% more LMW proteins than that in representative methods of glycine SDS-PAGE and optimized-DS, respectively. By utilizing SILAC-AQUA approach with labeled recombinant protein as internal standard, the recovery rate for GST spiked in serum during the treatment of gel-filter, optimized-DS, and ProteoMiner was 33.1 ± 0.01%, 18.7 ± 0.01% and 9.6 ± 0.03%, respectively. These results demonstrate that the gel-filter method offers a rapid, highly reproducible and efficient approach for screening biomarkers from serum through proteomic analyses.

  5. A Highly Flexible Supercapacitor Based on MnO2/RGO Nanosheets and Bacterial Cellulose-Filled Gel Electrolyte

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Haojie Fei

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The flexible supercapacitors (SCs of the conventional sandwich-type structure have poor flexibility due to the large thickness of the final entire device. Herein, we have fabricated a highly flexible asymmetric SC using manganese dioxide (MnO2 and reduced graphene oxide (RGO nanosheet-piled hydrogel films and a novel bacterial cellulose (BC-filled polyacrylic acid sodium salt-Na2SO4 (BC/PAAS-Na2SO4 neutral gel electrolyte. Apart from being environmentally friendly, this BC/PAAS-Na2SO4 gel electrolyte has high viscosity and a sticky property, which enables it to combine two electrodes together. Meanwhile, the intertangling of the filled BC in the gel electrolyte hinders the decrease of the viscosity with temperature, and forms a separator to prevent the two electrodes from short-circuiting. Using these materials, the total thickness of the fabricated device does not exceed 120 μm. This SC device demonstrates high flexibility, where bending and even rolling have no obvious effect on the electrochemical performance. In addition, owing to the asymmetric configuration, the cell voltage of this flexible SC has been extended to 1.8 V, and the energy density can reach up to 11.7 Wh kg−1 at the power density of 441 W kg−1. This SC also exhibits a good cycling stability, with a capacitance retention of 85.5% over 5000 cycles.

  6. Surfactant-assisted sol gel preparation of high-surface area mesoporous TiO2 nanocrystalline Li-ion battery anodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Casino, S.; Di Lupo, F.; Francia, C.; Tuel, A.; Bodoardo, S.; Gerbaldi, C.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Mesoporous TiO 2 nanocrystalline lithium battery anodes with tunable morphology. • Simple sol–gel technique using different cationic surfactants is adopted. • Textural/morphological characteristics define the electrochemical behaviour. • TiO 2 anatase using C16TAB exhibits stable performance after 200 cycles. • It shows promising prospects as high-voltage safe Li-ion battery anode. - Abstract: We here investigate the physico-chemical/morphological characteristics and cycling behaviour of several kinds of nanocrystalline TiO 2 Li-ion battery anodes selectively prepared through a simple sol–gel strategy based on a low-cost titanium oxysulfate precursor, by mediation of different cationic surfactants having different features (e.g., chain lengths, counter ion, etc.): i.e., cetyl-trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), cetyl-trimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), benzalkonium chloride (BC) or octadecyl-trimethyl ammonium bromide (C 18 TAB). X-ray diffraction profiles reveal single phase anatase having good correspondence with the reference pattern when using short chain CTAB, while in the other cases the presence of chloride and/or an increased chain length affect the purity of the samples. FESEM analysis reveal nanosized particles forming cauliflower-like aggregates. TiO 2 materials demonstrate mesoporous characteristics and large specific surface area ranging from 250 to 30 m 2 g −1 . Remarkably stable electrode performance are achieved by appropriately selecting the cationic surfactant and the surfactant/precursor ratio. Detailed analysis is provided on the effect of the reaction conditions upon the formation of mesoporous crystalline titania enlightening new directions for the development of high performing lithium storage electrodes by a simple and low cost sol–gel strategy

  7. Capillary gel electrophoresis for rapid, high resolution DNA sequencing.

    OpenAIRE

    Swerdlow, H; Gesteland, R

    1990-01-01

    Capillary gel electrophoresis has been demonstrated for the separation and detection of DNA sequencing samples. Enzymatic dideoxy nucleotide chain termination was employed, using fluorescently tagged oligonucleotide primers and laser based on-column detection (limit of detection is 6,000 molecules per peak). Capillary gel separations were shown to be three times faster, with better resolution (2.4 x), and higher separation efficiency (5.4 x) than a conventional automated slab gel DNA sequenci...

  8. Carbon Redox-Polymer-Gel Hybrid Supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlad, A.; Singh, N.; Melinte, S.; Gohy, J.-F.; Ajayan, P.M.

    2016-01-01

    Energy storage devices that provide high specific power without compromising on specific energy are highly desirable for many electric-powered applications. Here, we demonstrate that polymer organic radical gel materials support fast bulk-redox charge storage, commensurate to surface double layer ion exchange at carbon electrodes. When integrated with a carbon-based electrical double layer capacitor, nearly ideal electrode properties such as high electrical and ionic conductivity, fast bulk redox and surface charge storage as well as excellent cycling stability are attained. Such hybrid carbon redox-polymer-gel electrodes support unprecedented discharge rate of 1,000C with 50% of the nominal capacity delivered in less than 2 seconds. Devices made with such electrodes hold the potential for battery-scale energy storage while attaining supercapacitor-like power performances. PMID:26917470

  9. Photopatterned free-standing polyacrylamide gels for microfluidic protein electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duncombe, Todd A; Herr, Amy E

    2013-06-07

    Designed for compatibility with slab-gel polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) reagents and instruments, we detail development of free-standing polyacrylamide gel (fsPAG) microstructures supporting electrophoretic performance rivalling that of microfluidic platforms. For the protein electrophoresis study described here, fsPAGE lanes are comprised of a sample reservoir and contiguous separation gel. No enclosed microfluidic channels are employed. The fsPAG devices (120 μm tall) are directly photopatterned atop of and covalently attached to planar polymer or glass surfaces. Leveraging the fast prototype-test cycle - significantly faster than mold based fabrication techniques - we optimize the fsPAG architecture to minimize injection dispersion for rapid (prototyping of the fsPAGE provides researchers a powerful tool for developing custom analytical assays. We highlight the utility of assay customization by fabricating a polyacrylamide gel with a spatial pore-size distribution and demonstrate the resulting enhancement in separation performance over a uniform gel. Further, we up-scale from a unit separation to an array of 96 concurrent fsPAGE assays in 10 min run time driven by one electrode pair. The fsPAG array layout matches that of a 96-well plate to facilitate integration of the planar free standing gel array with multi-channel pipettes while remaining compatible with conventional slab-gel PAGE reagents, such as staining for label-free protein detection. Notably, the entire fsPAGE workflow from fabrication, to operation, and readout uses readily available materials and instruments - making this technique highly accessible.

  10. Effect of Solvent-Assisted Nanoscaled Organo-Gels on Morphology and Performance of Organic Solar Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zuo, Li-Jian; Hu, Xiao-Lian; Ye, Tao

    2012-01-01

    with that of the organo-gels in solution. Through this knowledge, we eventually achieve controlled morphology and optimized organic solar cells (OSCs) performance. Our results present a significant step forward for understanding the self-assembly behavior of conjugated polymers, control of their morphology...... and optimization of OSC performance....

  11. A charge transfer complex nematic liquid crystalline gel with high electrical conductivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhargavi, R.; Nair, Geetha G.; Krishna Prasad, S.; Majumdar, R.; Bag, Braja G.

    2014-01-01

    We describe the rheological, dielectric and elastic properties of a nematic liquid crystal gel created using an anthrylidene derivative of arjunolic acid, a chiral triterpenoid, obtained from the extracts of the wood of Terminalia arjuna. In this novel gel, having the electron-donor and acceptor components as minority constituents, the gelation and strengthening of charge-transfer complex (CTC) formation are seen to be occurring concomitantly. In addition to being mechanically strong with a large storage modulus, the gel with the maximized CTC exhibits Frank bend elastic constant values that approach nanonewton levels. The highlight of the study is the observation of 4–5 orders of magnitude increase in electrical conductivity for this gel, a value that is higher than even in the CT complexes of 2-d ordered columnar structures. A further important advantage of the present system over the columnar complex is that the high conductivity is seen for ac probing also, and owing to the nematic nature can be switched between its anisotropic limits. Some of these features are ascribed to a specific molecular packing architecture, which reduces the trapping of the charge carriers.

  12. A charge transfer complex nematic liquid crystalline gel with high electrical conductivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhargavi, R.; Nair, Geetha G.; Krishna Prasad, S.; Majumdar, R.; Bag, Braja G.

    2014-10-01

    We describe the rheological, dielectric and elastic properties of a nematic liquid crystal gel created using an anthrylidene derivative of arjunolic acid, a chiral triterpenoid, obtained from the extracts of the wood of Terminalia arjuna. In this novel gel, having the electron-donor and acceptor components as minority constituents, the gelation and strengthening of charge-transfer complex (CTC) formation are seen to be occurring concomitantly. In addition to being mechanically strong with a large storage modulus, the gel with the maximized CTC exhibits Frank bend elastic constant values that approach nanonewton levels. The highlight of the study is the observation of 4-5 orders of magnitude increase in electrical conductivity for this gel, a value that is higher than even in the CT complexes of 2-d ordered columnar structures. A further important advantage of the present system over the columnar complex is that the high conductivity is seen for ac probing also, and owing to the nematic nature can be switched between its anisotropic limits. Some of these features are ascribed to a specific molecular packing architecture, which reduces the trapping of the charge carriers.

  13. A comparative in vitro study of the digestibility of heat- and high pressure-induced gels prepared from industrial milk whey proteins

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Jin-Song; Mu, Tai-Hua; Wang, Juan

    2013-06-01

    We undertook this study to compare the digestibility of heat- and high pressure-induced gels produced from whey protein isolate (WPI). To simulate in vivo gastrointestinal digestion of WPI gels, a pepsin-trypsin digestion system was used. The in vitro protein digestibility of WPI gels induced by high pressure (400 MPa and 30 min; P-gel) and those induced by heat (80°C and 30 min; H-gel) was compared using a protein concentration of 0.14 g mL-1. The in vitro protein digestibility of P-gels was significantly greater than that of H-gels (p<0.05). The size-exclusion chromatography profiles of the hydrolysates showed that the P-gel generated more and smaller peptides than natural WPI and H-gels. Furthermore, Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis showed some soluble disulfide-mediated aggregation in the P-gel, while there was more insoluble aggregation in the H-gel than the P-gel. The P-gel was more sensitive to proteinase than the H-gel, which was related to the content of S-S bonds, and this in turn could be attributed to the differences in the gelation mechanism between the H-gel and P-gel.

  14. Sol-gel preparation of Ag-silica nanocomposite with high electrical conductivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Zhijun; Jiang, Yuwei; Xiao, Huisi; Jiang, Bofan; Zhang, Hao; Peng, Mingying; Dong, Guoping; Yu, Xiang; Yang, Jian

    2018-04-01

    Sol-gel derived noble-metal-silica nanocomposites are very useful in many applications. Due to relatively low price, higher conductivity, and higher chemical stability of silver (Ag) compared with copper (Cu), Ag-silica has gained much more research interest. However, it remains a significant challenge to realize high loading of Ag content in sol-gel Ag-silica composite with high structural controllability and nanoparticles' dispersity. Different from previous works by using multifunctional silicon alkoxide to anchor metal ions, here we report the synthesis of Ag-silica nanocomposite with high loading of Ag nanoparticles by employing acetonitrile bi-functionally as solvent and metal ions stabilizer. The electrical conductivity of the Ag-silica nanocomposite reached higher than 6800 S/cm. In addition, the Ag-silica nanocomposite could simultaneously possess high electrical conductivity and positive conductivity-temperature coefficient by properly controlling the loading content of Ag. Such behavior is potentially advantageous for high-temperature devices (like phosphoric acid fuel cells) and inhibiting the thermal-induced increase of devices' internal resistance. The strategy proposed here is also compatible with block-copolymer directed self-assembly of mesoporous material, spin-coating of film and electrospinning of nanofiber, making it more charming in various practical applications.

  15. A zwitterionic gel electrolyte for efficient solid-state supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Xu; Liu, Huili; Yin, Qin; Wu, Junchi; Chen, Pengzuo; Zhang, Guangzhao; Liu, Guangming; Wu, Changzheng; Xie, Yi

    2016-01-01

    Gel electrolytes have attracted increasing attention for solid-state supercapacitors. An ideal gel electrolyte usually requires a combination of advantages of high ion migration rate, reasonable mechanical strength and robust water retention ability at the solid state for ensuring excellent work durability. Here we report a zwitterionic gel electrolyte that successfully brings the synergic advantages of robust water retention ability and ion migration channels, manifesting in superior electrochemical performance. When applying the zwitterionic gel electrolyte, our graphene-based solid-state supercapacitor reaches a volume capacitance of 300.8 F cm−3 at 0.8 A cm−3 with a rate capacity of only 14.9% capacitance loss as the current density increases from 0.8 to 20 A cm−3, representing the best value among the previously reported graphene-based solid-state supercapacitors, to the best of our knowledge. We anticipate that zwitterionic gel electrolyte may be developed as a gel electrolyte in solid-state supercapacitors. PMID:27225484

  16. Performance study of molybdenum gels with titanium for preparation of 99Mo-99mTc generators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moraes, Vanessa; Osso Junior, Joao Alberto

    2005-01-01

    99m Tc is the most used radioisotope in Nuclear Medicine, due to nuclear characteristics. It is obtained by the radioactive decay of 99 Mo, generator of radioisotope system. When 99 Mo is produced by the activation in reactor, the most used technique for the preparation of the generators is the gel type generator, which incorporates 99 Mo to the gel that is insoluble, chemically inert to the solutions and with properties of ion exchange. Several countries had already studied this methodology, as is the case of Vietnam, India, China, Australian. This work has the objective of studying the performance and characterization of molybdenum gels with titanium. Four variables in the preparation of the gel were studied: mass ratio between Mo and Ti (1.80 and 2.25), concentration of NaOH (2 and 4 mol/L), final temperature (25 and 50 deg C) and pH (3.5 and 4.5). The prepared gels were analyzed with relation to the size of its particles, identification of its structure, amount of molybdenum, amount of titanium, profile of elution, pH of the elution, determination of the radioisotopes in the eluate and final radiochemical purity. The final result is a formularization of the gel with the best characteristics for posterior preparation of the generator of 99m Tc- 99 Mo. (author)

  17. Highly efficient solid-state neutron scintillators based on hybrid sol-gel nanocomposite materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kesanli, Banu; Hong, Kunlun; Meyer, Kent; Im, Hee-Jung; Dai, Sheng

    2006-01-01

    This research highlights opportunities in the formulation of neutron scintillators that not only have high scintillation efficiencies but also can be readily cast into two-dimensional detectors. Series of transparent, crack-free monoliths were prepared from hybrid polystyrene-silica nanocomposites in the presence of arene-containing alkoxide precursor through room temperature sol-gel processing. The monoliths also contain lithium-6 salicylate as a target material for neutron-capture reactions and amphiphilic scintillator solution as a fluorescent sensitizer. Polystyrene was functionalized by trimethoxysilyl group in order to enable the covalent incorporation of aromatic functional groups into the inorganic sol-gel matrices for minimizing macroscopic phase segregation and facilitating lithium-6 doping in the sol-gel samples. Neutron and alpha responses of these hybrid polystyrene-silica monoliths were explored

  18. Basic investigations on the performance of a normoxic polymer gel with tetrakis-hydroxy-methyl-phosphonium chloride as an oxygen scavenger: Reproducibility, accuracy, stability, and dose rate dependence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bayreder, Christian; Georg, Dietmar; Moser, Ewald; Berg, Andreas

    2006-01-01

    Magnetic resonance (MR)-based polymer gel dosimetry using normoxic polymer gels, represents a new dosimetric method specially suited for high-resolution three-dimensional dosimetric problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the dose response with regard to stability, accuracy, reproducibility, and the dose rate dependence. Tetrakis-hydroxy-methyl-phosphonium chloride (THPC) is used as an oxygen scavenger, and methacrylic acid as a monomer. Accuracy, reproducibility, and dose resolution were determined for MR protocols at low spatial resolution (typical for clinical scanners), medium, and microimaging-resolution protocols at three different dose levels. The dose-response stability and preirradiation-induced variations in R2, related to the time interval between preparation and irradiation of the polymer gel, were investigated. Also postirradiation stability of the polymer gel was considered. These experiments were performed using a 60 Co beam (E=1.2 MV) in a water phantom. Moreover, we investigated the dose rate dependence in the low, medium, and saturation dose region of the normoxic polymer gel using a linear accelerator at photon energy of 25 MV. MR scanning was performed on a 3 T whole body scanner (MEDSPEC 30/80, BRUKER BIOSPIN, Ettlingen, Germany) using several coils and different gradient systems adapted to the acquired spatial resolution investigated. For T2-parameter selective imaging and determination of the relaxation rate R2=1/T2, a multiple spin echo sequence with 20 equidistant echoes was used. With regard to preirradiation induced variations R2 increases significantly with the increasing time interval between the polymer gel preparation and irradiation. Only a slight increase in R2 can be observed for varying the postirradiation-time solely. The dose reproducibility at voxel volumes of about 1.4x1.4x2 mm 3 is better than 2%. The accuracy strongly depends on the calibration curve. THPC represents a very effective oxygen scavenger in

  19. A COMPARISON OF CLINICAL PERFORMANCE OF I-GEL WITH PROSEAL LMA IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING MASTECTOMY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Basheer Padinhare Madathil

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available AIM To assess the ease of insertion of I-gel and ProSeal LMA and incidence of post op complications. Study design-A prospective randomised controlled trial comparing the clinical performance of I-gel and ProSeal LMA. METHODS After induction and good muscle relaxation LMA/I-gel was introduced as per randomised computer allocation. After insertion, nasogastric tube was inserted through the gastric channel. Parameters monitored were heart rate, nubp, SpO2, ETCO2 at 1, 5 minutes after insertion of the device and thereafter every 5 minutes till the end of surgery. In case of failure, airway was secured with an endotracheal tube. Ease of gastric tube insertion was noted at the end of surgery; postop complications were noted. Blood staining of the device, injury to the lips, teeth, and tongue were noted. Incidence of sore throat 24 hrs. after surgery was also noted. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS software. RESULTS Age, height, weight and BMI were comparable in both groups. The airway characteristics was also comparable in both the groups. Ease of introduction was also the same for both the groups, but the time taken was much lesser for I-gel group. The ease of insertion of gastric tube was much easier for the I-gel group. Blood staining of the device was more with the ProSeal LMA group. There was no injury to any of the structures mentioned above. Postop sore throat was more in the ProSeal LMA group. CONCLUSION From our study, we conclude that the airway can be secured much faster with I-gel than ProSeal LMA. Postop sore throat was much less for I-gel than ProSeal LMA. Both were comparable in number of attempts of insertion, gastric tube introduction. Trauma to the airway structures was also minimum with both I-gel and ProSeal LMA.

  20. Fluorescent silica hybrid materials containing benzimidazole dyes obtained by sol-gel method and high pressure processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoffmann, Helena Sofia; Stefani, Valter; Benvenutti, Edilson Valmir; Costa, Tania Maria Haas; Gallas, Marcia Russman

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Sol-gel technique was used to obtain silica based hybrid materials containing benzimidazole dyes. → The sol-gel catalysts, HF and NaF, produce xerogels with different optical and textural characteristics. → High pressure technique (6.0 GPa) was used to produce fluorescent and transparent silica compacts with the dyes entrapped in closed pores, maintaining their optical properties. → The excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) mechanism of benzimidazole dyes was studied by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy for the monoliths, powders, and compacts. - Abstract: New silica hybrid materials were obtained by incorporation of two benzimidazole dyes in the silica network by sol-gel technique, using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as inorganic precursor. Several syntheses were performed with two catalysts (HF and NaF) producing powders and monoliths with different characteristics. The dye 2-(2'-hydroxy-5'-aminophenyl)benzimidazole was dispersed and physically adsorbed in the matrix, and the dye 2'(5'-N-(3-triethoxysilyl)propylurea-2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzimidazole was silylated, becoming chemically bonded to the silica network. High pressure technique was used to produce fluorescent and transparent silica compacts with the silylated and incorporated dye, at 6.0 GPa and room temperature. The excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) mechanism of benzimidazole dyes was studied by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy for the monoliths, powders, and compacts. The influence of the syntheses conditions was investigated by textural analysis using nitrogen adsorption isotherms.

  1. Neutron detector based on lithiated sol-gel glass

    CERN Document Server

    Wallace, S; Miller, L F; Dai, S

    2002-01-01

    A neutron detector technology is demonstrated based on sup 6 Li/ sup 1 sup 0 B doped sol-gel glass. The detector is a sol-gel glass film coated silicon surface barrier detector (SBD). The ionized charged particles from (n, alpha) reactions in the sol-gel film enter the SBD and are counted. Data showing that gamma-ray pulse amplitudes interfere with identifying charged particles that exit the film layer with energies below the gamma-ray energy is presented. Experiments were performed showing the effect of sup 1 sup 3 sup 7 Cs and sup 6 sup 0 Co gamma rays on the SBD detector. The reaction product energies of the triton and alpha particles from sup 6 Li are significantly greater than the energies of the Compton electrons from high-energy gamma rays, allowing the measurement of neutrons in a high gamma background. The sol-gel radiation detection technology may be applicable to the characterization of transuranic waste, spent nuclear fuel and to the monitoring of stored plutonium.

  2. Low-Temperature Sol-Gel Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Anatase/Brookite Biphasic Nanoparticles with High Surface Area and Visible-Light Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liang Jiang

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen doping in combination with the brookite phase or a mixture of TiO2 polymorphs nanomaterials can enhance photocatalytic activity under visible light. Generally, nitrogen-dopedanatase/brookite mixed phases TiO2 nanoparticles obtained by hydrothermal or solvothermal method need to be at high temperature and with long time heating treatment. Furthermore, the surface areas of them are low (<125 m2/g. There is hardly a report on the simple and direct preparation of N-doped anatase/brookite mixed phase TiO2 nanostructures using sol-gel method at low heating temperature. In this paper, the nitrogen-doped anatase/brookite biphasic nanoparticles with large surface area (240 m2/g were successfully prepared using sol-gel method at low temperature (165 °C, and with short heating time (4 h under autogenous pressure. The obtained sample without subsequent annealing at elevated temperatures showed enhanced photocatalytic efficiency for the degradation of methyl orange (MO with 4.2-, 9.6-, and 7.5-fold visible light activities compared to P25 and the amorphous samples heated in muffle furnace with air or in tube furnace with a flow of nitrogen at 165 °C, respectively. This result was attributed to the synergistic effects of nitrogen doping, mixed crystalline phases, and high surface area.

  3. Laser Direct Writing Process for Making Electrodes and High-k Sol-Gel ZrO2 for Boosting Performances of MoS2 Transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwon, Hyuk-Jun; Jang, Jaewon; Grigoropoulos, Costas P

    2016-04-13

    A series of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), including molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), can be attractive materials for photonic and electronic applications due to their exceptional properties. Among these unique properties, high mobility of 2D TMDCs enables realization of high-performance nanoelectronics based on a thin film transistor (TFT) platform. In this contribution, we report highly enhanced field effect mobility (μ(eff) = 50.1 cm(2)/(V s), ∼2.5 times) of MoS2 TFTs through the sol-gel processed high-k ZrO2 (∼22.0) insulator, compared to those of typical MoS2/SiO2/Si structures (μ(eff) = 19.4 cm(2)/(V s)) because a high-k dielectric layer can suppress Coulomb electron scattering and reduce interface trap concentration. Additionally, in order to avoid costly conventional mask based photolithography and define the patterns, we employ a simple laser direct writing (LDW) process. This process allows precise and flexible control with reasonable resolution (up to ∼10 nm), depending on the system, and enables fabrication of arbitrarily patterned devices. Taking advantage of continuing developments in laser technology offers a substantial cost decrease, and LDW may emerge as a promising technology.

  4. Surfactant-assisted sol gel preparation of high-surface area mesoporous TiO{sub 2} nanocrystalline Li-ion battery anodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Casino, S. [GAME Lab, Department of Applied Science and Technology – DISAT, Institute of Chemistry, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy); Di Lupo, F., E-mail: francesca.dilupo@polito.it [GAME Lab, Department of Applied Science and Technology – DISAT, Institute of Chemistry, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy); Francia, C. [GAME Lab, Department of Applied Science and Technology – DISAT, Institute of Chemistry, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy); Tuel, A. [IRCELYON, Institut de Recherches sur la Catalyse et l’environnement de Lyon, UMR 5256, CNRS-Université de Lyon 1, 2 Avenue Albert Einstein, 69626 Villeurbanne Cedex (France); Bodoardo, S. [GAME Lab, Department of Applied Science and Technology – DISAT, Institute of Chemistry, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy); Gerbaldi, C., E-mail: claudio.gerbaldi@polito.it [GAME Lab, Department of Applied Science and Technology – DISAT, Institute of Chemistry, Politecnico di Torino, C.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (Italy)

    2014-05-01

    Highlights: • Mesoporous TiO{sub 2} nanocrystalline lithium battery anodes with tunable morphology. • Simple sol–gel technique using different cationic surfactants is adopted. • Textural/morphological characteristics define the electrochemical behaviour. • TiO{sub 2} anatase using C16TAB exhibits stable performance after 200 cycles. • It shows promising prospects as high-voltage safe Li-ion battery anode. - Abstract: We here investigate the physico-chemical/morphological characteristics and cycling behaviour of several kinds of nanocrystalline TiO{sub 2} Li-ion battery anodes selectively prepared through a simple sol–gel strategy based on a low-cost titanium oxysulfate precursor, by mediation of different cationic surfactants having different features (e.g., chain lengths, counter ion, etc.): i.e., cetyl-trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), cetyl-trimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), benzalkonium chloride (BC) or octadecyl-trimethyl ammonium bromide (C{sub 18}TAB). X-ray diffraction profiles reveal single phase anatase having good correspondence with the reference pattern when using short chain CTAB, while in the other cases the presence of chloride and/or an increased chain length affect the purity of the samples. FESEM analysis reveal nanosized particles forming cauliflower-like aggregates. TiO{sub 2} materials demonstrate mesoporous characteristics and large specific surface area ranging from 250 to 30 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}. Remarkably stable electrode performance are achieved by appropriately selecting the cationic surfactant and the surfactant/precursor ratio. Detailed analysis is provided on the effect of the reaction conditions upon the formation of mesoporous crystalline titania enlightening new directions for the development of high performing lithium storage electrodes by a simple and low cost sol–gel strategy.

  5. Study of nuclear glasses alteration gel and synthesis of some model gels; Etude du gel d`alteration des verres nucleaires et synthese de gels modeles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ricol, S

    1995-10-05

    This work deals with the general problem of alteration of the reference nuclear glass R7T7. Attention is paid particularly to the altered layer formed at the glass surface during alteration process. In opposition to previous works, related essentially to glass dissolution kinetics based on chemical analyses of lixiviated elements, this thesis deals with alteration problems through structural studies of the reference glass and derived gel. This approach allows the determination of mechanisms for the gel formation and a better understanding of the behaviour of glasses towards lixiviation. Both approaches appeared complementary. Based on several spectroscopic techniques, this work showed the particular role of cations such as calcium, zirconium and iron. Studies of silica-based synthetic gels showed the synergic effect of formers cation and of one highly coordinated cation. The variation of the wavenumber related to Si-O-Si asymmetric stretching vibration can be correlated to O/Si ratio for ternary systems Si/Na/Zr. On the contrary, the Si losses of the materials depend on the number of non-bridging oxygen atoms. In the perspective of long-term behaviour, the alteration gel presents better characteristics than initial glass. It is therefore a highly stable material in static conditions. In the same way, synthetic gels are materials with very low solubilities (much lower than the alteration gel) and could be used as confining matrices. (authors). refs., 71 figs., 37 tabs.

  6. Performing Isoelectric Focusing and Simultaneous Fractionation of Proteins on A Rotary Valve Followed by Sodium Dodecyl – Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei; Lu, Joann J.; Gu, Congying; Zhou, Lei; Liu, Shaorong

    2013-01-01

    In this technical note, we design and fabricate a novel rotary valve and demonstrate its feasibility for performing isoelectric focusing and simultaneous fractionation of proteins, followed by sodium dodecyl – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The valve has two positions. In one position, the valve routes a series of capillary loops together into a single capillary tube where capillary isoelectric focusing (CIEF) is performed. By switching the valve to another position, the CIEF-resolved proteins in all capillary loops are isolated simultaneously, and samples in the loops are removed and collected in vials. After the collected samples are briefly processed, they are separated via sodium dodecyl – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE, the 2nd-D separation) on either a capillary gel electrophoresis instrument or a slab-gel system. The detailed valve configuration is illustrated, and the experimental conditions and operation protocols are discussed. PMID:23819755

  7. Improving the temperature performance of low-density ceramic heatshields through sol-gel processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bull, Jeffrey; Leiser, Daniel; Sommers, Jeneen; Esfahani, Lili

    1991-01-01

    The performance of rigid insulations for use as thermal protection materials on reentry vehicles can be characterized by their resistance to dimensional and morphological change when exposed to an isothermal environment equivalent to that generated in entry. Improvements in these material characteristics for alumina-enhanced thermal barrier insulation by compositional modification through sol-gel processing are reported.

  8. Geometry dependent performance of bucky gel actuators: Increasing operating frequency by miniaturization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biso, Maurizio; Ansaldo, Alberto; Ricci, Davide

    2012-01-01

    Bucky gel actuators are one of the most promising type of electrochemical actuators based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs). They are lightweight, they are able to work in air without any liquid electrolyte and require just few volts to operate. In order to find real world applications where bucky gel actuators can outperform conventional motors, there are still some issues to be addressed. One key aspect in CNT-based electrochemical actuators is that their actuation speed is limited by the ability of charging and discharging the device without exceeding the electrochemical stability window of the electrolyte. This speed is macroscopically related with the product of the resistance and the capacitance of the equivalent circuit (circuit time constant), and with the ion diffusion speed inside the active electrodes. To enhance the actuator performance it is necessary to increase the ion drift current in the electrolyte avoiding to significantly raise the voltage at the electrodes and shorten the ion path necessary to charge the bucky gel electrodes. By proper material processing, we have successfully addressed this issue. A reduced thickness of the actuators to one third of the original size results in a one order of magnitude increase both of the strain at higher frequencies and of the maximum operating frequency. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  9. Geometry dependent performance of bucky gel actuators: Increasing operating frequency by miniaturization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Biso, Maurizio; Ansaldo, Alberto; Ricci, Davide [Robotics, Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genoa (Italy)

    2012-12-15

    Bucky gel actuators are one of the most promising type of electrochemical actuators based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs). They are lightweight, they are able to work in air without any liquid electrolyte and require just few volts to operate. In order to find real world applications where bucky gel actuators can outperform conventional motors, there are still some issues to be addressed. One key aspect in CNT-based electrochemical actuators is that their actuation speed is limited by the ability of charging and discharging the device without exceeding the electrochemical stability window of the electrolyte. This speed is macroscopically related with the product of the resistance and the capacitance of the equivalent circuit (circuit time constant), and with the ion diffusion speed inside the active electrodes. To enhance the actuator performance it is necessary to increase the ion drift current in the electrolyte avoiding to significantly raise the voltage at the electrodes and shorten the ion path necessary to charge the bucky gel electrodes. By proper material processing, we have successfully addressed this issue. A reduced thickness of the actuators to one third of the original size results in a one order of magnitude increase both of the strain at higher frequencies and of the maximum operating frequency. (Copyright copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  10. Preparation and characterization of iron(III) {sup 99}Mo-molybdate(VI) gels for the assessment of {sup 99m}Tc elution performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Amin, Mahmoud; Fasih, Tharwat W.; El-Absy, Mohamed A. [Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

    2018-04-01

    New iron(III) {sup 99}Mo-molybdate(VI) gels (Fe{sup 99}Mo) of high Mo content were prepared by the precipitation/filtration method. {sup 99}Mo-MoO{sub 3} dissolved in NaOH was added to aqueous solutions of Fe(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} at Mo/Fe mole fractions ∝2.21 and 1.99 with continuous stirring at ambient room temperature. Two different Fe{sup 99}Mo were precipitated from the mixed solutions adjusted at pH 2 and 4.7. The amount of water of hydration increased with the increasing the gel settling time and pH of the mixed solution. The matrices were characterized by radiometric, XRD, SEM, XRF, FT-IR, TGA, and DTA measurements. Small chromatographic columns of 2.0 g Fe{sup 99}Mo containing ≥800 mg Mo tagged with 740 MBq {sup 99}Mo were eluted with 5 mL saline solution. Highly reproducible {sup 99m}Tc elution indices suitable for preparation of {sup 99}Mo/{sup 99m}Tc generators were achieved from generator supported with 0.5 g Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} filter. Elution performance of {sup 99m}Tc radionuclide was highly dependent on the gel structural properties.

  11. Low Concentration Fe-Doped Alumina Catalysts Using Sol-Gel and Impregnation Methods: The Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Performance during the Combustion of Trichloroethylene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina Solis Maldonado

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The role of iron in two modes of integration into alumina catalysts was studied at 0.39 wt% Fe and tested in trichloroethylene combustion. One modified alumina was synthesized using the sol-gel method with Fe added in situ during hydrolysis; another modification was performed using calcined alumina, prepared using the sol-gel method and impregnated with Fe. Several characterization techniques were used to study the level of Fe modification in the γ-Al2O3 phase formed and to correlate the catalytic properties during trichloroethylene (TCE combustion. The introduction of Fe in situ during the sol-gel process influenced the crystallite size, and three iron species were generated, namely, magnetite, maghemite and hematite. The impregnated Fe-alumina formed hematite and maghemite, which were highly dispersed on the γ-Al2O3 surface. The X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS, FT-IR and Mössbauer spectroscopy analyses revealed how Fe interacted with the γ-Al2O3 lattice in both catalysts. The impregnated Fe-catalyst showed the best catalytic performance compared to the catalyst that was Fe-doped in situ by the sol-gel method; both had better catalytic activity than pure alumina. This difference in activity was correlated with the accessibility of the reactants to the hematite iron species on the surface. The chlorine poisoning for all three catalysts was less than 1.8%.

  12. Low Concentration Fe-Doped Alumina Catalysts Using Sol-Gel and Impregnation Methods: The Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Performance during the Combustion of Trichloroethylene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maldonado, Carolina Solis; De la Rosa, Javier Rivera; Lucio-Ortiz, Carlos J; Hernández-Ramírez, Aracely; Barraza, Felipe F Castillón; Valente, Jaime S

    2014-03-12

    The role of iron in two modes of integration into alumina catalysts was studied at 0.39 wt% Fe and tested in trichloroethylene combustion. One modified alumina was synthesized using the sol-gel method with Fe added in situ during hydrolysis; another modification was performed using calcined alumina, prepared using the sol-gel method and impregnated with Fe. Several characterization techniques were used to study the level of Fe modification in the γ-Al₂O₃ phase formed and to correlate the catalytic properties during trichloroethylene (TCE) combustion. The introduction of Fe in situ during the sol-gel process influenced the crystallite size, and three iron species were generated, namely, magnetite, maghemite and hematite. The impregnated Fe-alumina formed hematite and maghemite, which were highly dispersed on the γ-Al₂O 3 surface. The X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), FT-IR and Mössbauer spectroscopy analyses revealed how Fe interacted with the γ-Al₂O₃ lattice in both catalysts. The impregnated Fe-catalyst showed the best catalytic performance compared to the catalyst that was Fe-doped in situ by the sol-gel method; both had better catalytic activity than pure alumina. This difference in activity was correlated with the accessibility of the reactants to the hematite iron species on the surface. The chlorine poisoning for all three catalysts was less than 1.8%.

  13. Synthesis of polymer gel electrolyte with high molecular weight poly(methyl methacrylate)-clay nanocomposite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meneghetti, Paulo; Qutubuddin, Syed; Webber, Andrew

    2004-01-01

    Polymer nanocomposite gel electrolytes consisting of high molecular weight poly(methyl methacrylate) PMMA-clay nanocomposite, ethylene carbonate (EC)/propylene carbonate (PC) as plasticizer, and LiClO 4 electrolyte are reported. Montmorillonite clay was ion exchanged with a zwitterionic surfactant (octadecyl dimethyl betaine) and dispersed in methyl methacrylate, which was then polymerized to synthesize PMMA-clay nanocomposites. The nanocomposite was dissolved in a mixture of EC/PC with LiClO 4 , heated and pressed to obtain polymer gel electrolyte. X-ray diffraction (XRD) of the gels indicated intercalated clay structure with d-spacings of 2.85 and 1.40 nm. In the gel containing plasticizer, the clay galleries shrink suggesting intercalation rather than partial exfoliation observed in the PMMA-clay nanocomposite. Ionic conductivity varied slightly and exhibited a maximum value of 8 x 10 -4 S/cm at clay content of 1.5 wt.%. The activation energy was determined by modeling the conductivity with a Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher expression. The clay layers are primarily trapped inside the polymer matrix. Consequently, the polymer does not interact significantly with LiClO 4 electrolyte as shown by FTIR. The presence of the clay increased the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the gel as determined by differential scanning calorimetry. The PMMA nanocomposite gel electrolyte shows a stable lithium interfacial resistance over time, which is a key factor for use in electrochemical applications

  14. Gel polymer electrolytes for batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Balsara, Nitash Pervez; Eitouni, Hany Basam; Gur, Ilan; Singh, Mohit; Hudson, William

    2014-11-18

    Nanostructured gel polymer electrolytes that have both high ionic conductivity and high mechanical strength are disclosed. The electrolytes have at least two domains--one domain contains an ionically-conductive gel polymer and the other domain contains a rigid polymer that provides structure for the electrolyte. The domains are formed by block copolymers. The first block provides a polymer matrix that may or may not be conductive on by itself, but that can soak up a liquid electrolyte, thereby making a gel. An exemplary nanostructured gel polymer electrolyte has an ionic conductivity of at least 1.times.10.sup.-4 S cm.sup.-1 at 25.degree. C.

  15. Screen-printable sol-gel enzyme-containing carbon inks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, J; Pamidi, P V; Park, D S

    1996-08-01

    Enzymes usually cannot withstand the high-temperature curing associated with the thick-film fabrication process and require a separate immobilization step in connection with the production of single-use biosensors. We report on the development of sol-gel-derived enzyme-containing carbon inks that display compatibility with the screen-printing process. Such coupling of sol-gel and thick-film technologies offers a one-step fabrication of disposable enzyme electrodes, as it obviates the need for thermal curing. The enzyme-containing sol-gel carbon ink, prepared by dispersing the biocatalyst, along with the graphite powder and a binder, within the sol-gel precursors, is cured very rapidly (10 min) at low temperature (4 °C). The influence of the ink preparation conditions is explored, and the sensor performance is evaluated in connection with the incorporation of glucose oxidase or horseradish peroxidase. The resulting strips are stable for at least 3 months. Such sol-gel-derived carbon inks should serve as hosts for other heat-sensitive biomaterials in connection with the microfabrication of various thick-film biosensors.

  16. Preparation of silica by sol-gel method using formamide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R.F.S. Lenza

    2001-07-01

    Full Text Available In this work we obtained microporous and mesoporous silica gels by sol-gel processing. Tetraethylortosilicate (TEOS was used as precursor. Nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid were used as catalysts. In order to study the affect of formamide as drying additive, we used a molar ratio alkoxide/formamide of 1/1. The performance of formamide in obtaining crack-free gels was evaluated through monolithicity measurements. The structural evolution occurring in the interconnected network of the gels during thermal treatment was monitored by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR, shrinkage and density measurements and nitrogen gas sorption. We noted that in the presence of formamide, the Si-O-Si bonds are stronger and belong to a more cross-linked structure. The samples obtained in the presence of formamide have larger pore volume and its pore structure is in the range of mesoporosity. The samples obtained without additive are microporous. Formamide allowed the preparation of crack-free silica gels stabilized at high temperatures.

  17. Process for preparing polyolefin gel articles as well as for preparing herefrom articles having a high tensile strength and modulus

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    1990-01-01

    A process is described for the preparation of highly stretchable high-molecular weight polyolefin gel articles and polyolefin gel articles prepared therefrom having combined high tensile strength and high modulus, wherein an initial shaped article of the polyolefin is exposed to or contacted with a

  18. Solid-state supercapacitors with ionic liquid based gel polymer electrolyte: Effect of lithium salt addition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandey, G. P.; Hashmi, S. A.

    2013-12-01

    Performance characteristics of the solid-state supercapacitors fabricated with ionic liquid (IL) incorporated gel polymer electrolyte and acid treated multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) electrodes have been studied. The effect of Li-salt (LiPF6) addition in the IL (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl) trifluorophosphate, EMImFAP) based gel electrolyte on the performance of supercapacitors has been specifically investigated. The LiPF6/IL/poly(vinylidine fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) gel electrolyte film possesses excellent electrochemical window of 4 V (from -2.0 to 2.0 V), high ionic conductivity ∼2.6 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 20 °C and high enough thermal stability. The comparative performance of supercapacitors employing electrolytes with and without lithium salt has been evaluated by impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetric studies. The acid-treated MWCNT electrodes show specific capacitance of ∼127 F g-1 with IL/LiPF6 containing gel polymer electrolyte as compared to that with the gel polymer electrolyte without Li-salt, showing the value of ∼76 F g-1. The long cycling stability of the solid state supercapacitor based on the Li-salt containing gel polymer electrolyte confirms the electrochemical stability of the electrolyte.

  19. Preparation and characterization of conductive and transparent ruthenium dioxide sol-gel films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allhusen, John S; Conboy, John C

    2013-11-27

    RuO2 conductive thin films were synthesized using the sol-gel method and deposited onto transparent insulating substrates. The optical transmission, film thickness, surface morphology and composition, resistivity, and spectroelectrochemical performance have been characterized. The optical transmission values of these films ranged from 70 to 89% in the visible region and from 56 to 88% in the infrared region. Resistivity values of the RuO2 sol-gel films varied from 1.02 × 10(-3) to 1.13 Ω cm and are highly dependent on the initial solution concentration of RuO2 in the sol-gel. The RuO2 sol-gel films were used as electrodes for the electrochemical oxidation and reduction of ferrocenemethanol. The electrochemical behavior of our novel RuO2 sol-gel films was compared to that of a standard platinum disk electrode and showed no appreciable differences in the half-wave potential (E1/2). The mechanical and chemical stability of the coatings was tested by physical abrasion and exposure to highly acidic, oxidizing Piranha solution. Repeated exposure to these extreme conditions did not result in any appreciable decline in electrochemical performance. Finally, the use of the novel RuO2 sol-gel conductive and transparent films was demonstrated in a spectroelectrochemistry experiment in which the oxidation and reduction of ferrocenemethanol was monitored via UV-vis spectroscopy as the applied potential was cycled.

  20. Fabrication of highly conductive graphene/ITO transparent bi-film through CVD and organic additives-free sol-gel techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemasiri, Bastian Waduge Naveen Harindu; Kim, Jae-Kwan; Lee, Ji-Myon

    2017-12-19

    Indium tin oxide (ITO) still remains as the main candidate for high-performance optoelectronic devices, but there is a vital requirement in the development of sol-gel based synthesizing techniques with regards to green environment and higher conductivity. Graphene/ITO transparent bi-film was synthesized by a two-step process: 10 wt. % tin-doped ITO thin films were produced by an environmentally friendly aqueous sol-gel spin coating technique with economical salts of In(NO 3 ) 3 .H 2 O and SnCl 4 , without using organic additives, on surface free energy enhanced (from 53.826 to 97.698 mJm -2 ) glass substrate by oxygen plasma treatment, which facilitated void-free continuous ITO film due to high surface wetting. The chemical vapor deposited monolayer graphene was transferred onto the synthesized ITO to enhance its electrical properties and it was capable of reducing sheet resistance over 12% while preserving the bi-film surface smoother. The ITO films contain the In 2 O 3 phase only and exhibit the polycrystalline nature of cubic structure with 14.35 ± 0.5 nm crystallite size. The graphene/ITO bi-film exhibits reproducible optical transparency with 88.66% transmittance at 550 nm wavelength, and electrical conductivity with sheet resistance of 117 Ω/sq which is much lower than that of individual sol-gel derived ITO film.

  1. Metal-silica sol-gel materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stiegman, Albert E. (Inventor)

    2002-01-01

    The present invention relates to a single phase metal-silica sol-gel glass formed by the co-condensation of a transition metal with silicon atoms where the metal atoms are uniformly distributed within the sol-gel glass as individual metal centers. Any transition metal may be used in the sol-gel glasses. The present invention also relates to sensor materials where the sensor material is formed using the single phase metal-silica sol-gel glasses. The sensor materials may be in the form of a thin film or may be attached to an optical fiber. The present invention also relates to a method of sensing chemicals using the chemical sensors by monitoring the chromatic change of the metal-silica sol-gel glass when the chemical binds to the sensor. The present invention also relates to oxidation catalysts where a metal-silica sol-gel glass catalyzes the reaction. The present invention also relates to a method of performing oxidation reactions using the metal-silica sol-gel glasses. The present invention also relates to organopolymer metal-silica sol-gel composites where the pores of the metal-silica sol-gel glasses are filled with an organic polymer polymerized by the sol-gel glass.

  2. Incorporation of high-level nuclear waste in gel spheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Robinson, S.M.; Arnold, W.D.; Bond, W.D.; Angelini, P.; Stinton, D.P.

    1981-01-01

    Waste sludge is incorporated in gel spheres by the method of internal gelation. Gel spheres containing up to 90 wt % waste have been produced from defense and commercial wastes. A generic cesium-bearing waste form has been developed. Pyrolytic carbon and SiC coatings reduce the leachability of all tested articles to the detection limits

  3. Comparative study of nano copper aluminate spinel prepared by sol–gel and modified sol–gel techniques: Structural, electrical, optical and catalytic studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, R. Thinesh; Suresh, P.; Selvam, N. Clament Sagaya; Kennedy, L. John; Vijaya, J. Judith

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► A modified sol–gel method for the preparation of nano CuAl 2 O 4 spinel using ethylenediamine was studied. ► Role of ethylenediamine in enhancing the structural, electrical, optical and catalytic properties of copper aluminate is highlighted. ► Effect of preparation method on the activity and selectivity of the samples on the oxidation of benzyl alcohol by CuAl 2 O 4 is studied. - Abstract: The effect of ethylenediamine addition in the sol–gel method for the preparation of nano CuAl 2 O 4 spinel for the enhancement in their structural, electrical, optical and catalytic properties was investigated. The samples were prepared by two different methods: sol–gel and modified sol–gel technique using ethylenediamine. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution-transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms, temperature dependent conductance measurements, thermoelectric power (TEP) measurements and UV–visible diffuse reflectance (UV–vis-DRS) spectra were used to characterize the samples prepared. CuAl 2 O 4 prepared by modified sol–gel technique was found to possess a higher surface area, lower crystallite size, lower activation energy and high porosity than the one prepared by sol–gel method which in turn lead to the improved performance of it towards the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde. Effect of solvent on the catalytic oxidation of benzyl alcohol by the nano CuAl 2 O 4 prepared by modified sol–gel technique was also investigated.

  4. Photoelastic colloidal gel for a high-sensitivity strain sensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Hui; Chen, Zhixin; Zhu, Shenmin; Jiang, Chun; Zhang, Di

    2018-04-01

    Nanoparticles, having the ability to self-assemble into an ordered structure in their suspensions, analogous to liquid crystals, have attracted extensive attention. Herein, we report a new type of colloidal gel with an ordered crystal structure assembled from 1D and 2D nanoparticles. The material has high elasticity and, more interestingly, it shows significant photoelasticity. Its refractive index can be tuned under external stress and exhibits an ultra-wide dynamic range (Δn) of the order of 10-2. Due to the large Δn, the material shows an extremely high strain sensibility of 720 nm/ɛ, an order of magnitude higher than the reported ones.

  5. Development of Gel Polymer Electrolytes Using Radiation for Lithium Secondary Batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Jung Ki; Lee, Jun Young; Lee, Dong Jin [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2010-05-15

    Recently, demands of high performance lithium battery are increased. Development of battery materials for high power, high capacity, high safety are also needed. This project deals with the new gel polymer electrolyte based on the microporous matrix with specific functions using radiation techniques.

  6. Polymer gel dosimetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baldock, C [Institute of Medical Physics, School of Physics, University of Sydney (Australia); De Deene, Y [Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University Hospital (Belgium); Doran, S [CRUK Clinical Magnetic Resonance Research Group, Institute of Cancer Research, Surrey (United Kingdom); Ibbott, G [Radiation Physics, UT M D Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (United States); Jirasek, A [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC (Canada); Lepage, M [Centre d' imagerie moleculaire de Sherbrooke, Departement de medecine nucleaire et de radiobiologie, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC (Canada); McAuley, K B [Department of Chemical Engineering, Queen' s University, Kingston, ON (Canada); Oldham, M [Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC (United States); Schreiner, L J [Cancer Centre of South Eastern Ontario, Kingston, ON (Canada)], E-mail: c.baldock@physics.usyd.edu.au, E-mail: yves.dedeene@ugent.be

    2010-03-07

    Polymer gel dosimeters are fabricated from radiation sensitive chemicals which, upon irradiation, polymerize as a function of the absorbed radiation dose. These gel dosimeters, with the capacity to uniquely record the radiation dose distribution in three-dimensions (3D), have specific advantages when compared to one-dimensional dosimeters, such as ion chambers, and two-dimensional dosimeters, such as film. These advantages are particularly significant in dosimetry situations where steep dose gradients exist such as in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and stereotactic radiosurgery. Polymer gel dosimeters also have specific advantages for brachytherapy dosimetry. Potential dosimetry applications include those for low-energy x-rays, high-linear energy transfer (LET) and proton therapy, radionuclide and boron capture neutron therapy dosimetries. These 3D dosimeters are radiologically soft-tissue equivalent with properties that may be modified depending on the application. The 3D radiation dose distribution in polymer gel dosimeters may be imaged using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical-computerized tomography (optical-CT), x-ray CT or ultrasound. The fundamental science underpinning polymer gel dosimetry is reviewed along with the various evaluation techniques. Clinical dosimetry applications of polymer gel dosimetry are also presented. (topical review)

  7. Structure of mineral gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miranda Salvado, I.M.; Margaca, F.M.A.; Teixeira, J.

    1999-01-01

    Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) measurements have been performed to investigate the nanoscale structure of materials of the systems xTiO 2 -(1-x)SiO 2 and xZrO 2 -(1-x)SiO 2 with x ≤ 10 mol % at different processing stages. The materials were prepared by sol-gel using the alkoxides method, in strong acidic conditions. Samples were studied as xerogels heat-treated at 120 and 850 deg. C and as wet gels at gel point and after aging. All samples showed identical microstructure at gel point, extended linear chains ∼10 nm long. The aged gel has a mass fractal structure with fractal dimension of 1.7 - 1.9. The 120 deg. C heat-treated xerogels show homogeneous oxide regions with mass fractal structure. For the 850 deg. C heat-treated xerogel the oxide regions average size has reduced and it has densified as compared to 120 deg. C heat-treated sample. (author)

  8. Sol-Gel-Hydrothermal Synthesis of the Heterostructured TiO2/N-Bi2WO6 Composite with High-Visible-Light- and Ultraviolet-Light-Induced Photocatalytic Performances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiang Zhang

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The heterostructured TiO2/N-Bi2WO6 composites were prepared by a facile sol-gel-hydrothermal method. The phase structures, morphologies, and optical properties of the samples were characterized by using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activities for rhodamine B of the as-prepared products were measured under visible and ultraviolet light irradiation at room temperature. The TiO2/N-Bi2WO6 composites exhibited much higher photocatalytic performances than TiO2 as well as Bi2WO6. The enhancement in the visible light photocatalytic performance of the TiO2/N-Bi2WO6 composites could be attributed to the effective electron-hole separations at the interfaces of the two semiconductors, which facilitate the transfer of the photoinduced carriers.

  9. Applications and Properties of Ionic Liquid- Based Gels and Soft Solid Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voss, Bret Alan McGinness

    2011-12-01

    Solid-liquid composites (gels) have a combination of properties that afford new material applications in which high solute diffusion is desirable. These composites have a soft-solid mechanical integrity and will not flow under gravity, but entrain a liquid matrix (i.e. 60-98 mass %) which allows for high diffusion and high reactivity. Room temperature ionic liquid (RTILs) are molten organic salts with a melting point below room temperature and negligible vapor pressure. If the RTILs are used as the liquid component of a gel, then the gel matrix will not evaporate (unlike other organic solvents) and may be used for long term applications. This thesis research applies RTIL gels for two new applications; carbon dioxide/nitrogen separation and chemical warfare agent (CWA) barrier and decontamination. Separating CO2 from the flue gas of coal and gas fired power-plants is an increasingly economically and environmentally important gas separation. In this first study, RTIL gels are cast in a supported membrane and gas permeability and ideal selectivity are measured. The RTIL matrix has an inherent affinity for CO2 and provides a high diffusion, hence high permeability (i.e. 500-700 barrer). The solidifying component is a low molecular-weight organic gelator (LMOG) which through physical bonding interactions (i.e. hydrogen bonding, pi-pi stacking and van der Walls forces) forms an entangled network which provides mechanical stability (i.e. increase trans-membrane pressure required to expel selective material from the support). In these studies two LMOGs and five RTILs are used to make supported gel membranes and determine gas permeability and temperature dependent trends. The second application for RTIL gels is a decontaminating barrier for CWAs and toxic industrial compounds (TICs). In these studies a layer of RTIL gel is applied on top of a substrate contaminated with a CWA simulant (i.e. chloroethylethylsulfide, CEES). The gel performs well as a barrier, preventing CEES

  10. High Refractive Organic–Inorganic Hybrid Films Prepared by Low Water Sol-Gel and UV-Irradiation Processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsiao-Yuan Ma

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Organic-inorganic hybrid sols (Ti–O–Si precursor were first synthesized by the sol-gel method at low addition of water, and were then employed to prepare a highly refractive hybrid optical film. This film was obtained by blending the Ti–O–Si precursor with 2-phenylphenoxyethyl acrylate (OPPEA to perform photo-polymerization by ultraviolet (UV irradiation. Results show that the film transparency of poly(Ti–O–Si precursor-co-OPPEA film is higher than that of a pure poly(Ti–O–Si precursor film, and that this poly(Ti–O–Si precursor-co-OPPEA hybrid film exhibits a high transparency of ~93.7% coupled with a high refractive index (n of 1.83 corresponding to a thickness of 2.59 μm.

  11. Gel versus capillary electrophoresis genotyping for categorizing treatment outcomes in two anti-malarial trials in Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hubbard Alan E

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Molecular genotyping is performed in anti-malarial trials to determine whether recurrent parasitaemia after therapy represents a recrudescence (treatment failure or new infection. The use of capillary instead of agarose gel electrophoresis for genotyping offers technical advantages, but it is unclear whether capillary electrophoresis will result in improved classification of anti-malarial treatment outcomes. Methods Samples were genotyped using both gel and capillary electrophoresis from randomized trials of artemether-lumefantrine (AL vs. dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP performed in two areas of Uganda: Kanungu, where transmission is moderate, and Apac, where transmission is very high. Both gel and capillary methods evaluated polymorphic regions of the merozoite surface protein 1 and 2 and glutamine rich protein genes. Results Capillary electrophoresis detected more alleles and provided higher discriminatory power than agarose gel electrophoresis at both study sites. There was only moderate agreement between classification of outcomes with the two methods in Kanungu (kappa = 0.66 and poor agreement in Apac (kappa = 0.24. Overall efficacy results were similar when using gel vs. capillary methods in Kanungu (42-day risk of treatment failure for AL: 6.9% vs. 5.5%, p = 0.4; DP 2.4% vs. 2.9%, p = 0.5. However, the measured risk of recrudescence was significantly higher when using gel vs. capillary electrophoresis in Apac (risk of treatment failure for AL: 17.0% vs. 10.7%, p = 0.02; DP: 8.5% vs. 3.4%, p = 0.03. Risk differences between AL and DP were not significantly different whether gel or capillary methods were used. Conclusions Genotyping with gel electrophoresis overestimates the risk of recrudescence in anti-malarial trials performed in areas of high transmission intensity. Capillary electrophoresis provides more accurate outcomes for such trials and should be performed when possible. In areas of moderate transmission

  12. Gel versus capillary electrophoresis genotyping for categorizing treatment outcomes in two anti-malarial trials in Uganda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Vinay; Dorsey, Grant; Hubbard, Alan E; Rosenthal, Philip J; Greenhouse, Bryan

    2010-01-15

    Molecular genotyping is performed in anti-malarial trials to determine whether recurrent parasitaemia after therapy represents a recrudescence (treatment failure) or new infection. The use of capillary instead of agarose gel electrophoresis for genotyping offers technical advantages, but it is unclear whether capillary electrophoresis will result in improved classification of anti-malarial treatment outcomes. Samples were genotyped using both gel and capillary electrophoresis from randomized trials of artemether-lumefantrine (AL) vs. dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) performed in two areas of Uganda: Kanungu, where transmission is moderate, and Apac, where transmission is very high. Both gel and capillary methods evaluated polymorphic regions of the merozoite surface protein 1 and 2 and glutamine rich protein genes. Capillary electrophoresis detected more alleles and provided higher discriminatory power than agarose gel electrophoresis at both study sites. There was only moderate agreement between classification of outcomes with the two methods in Kanungu (kappa = 0.66) and poor agreement in Apac (kappa = 0.24). Overall efficacy results were similar when using gel vs. capillary methods in Kanungu (42-day risk of treatment failure for AL: 6.9% vs. 5.5%, p = 0.4; DP 2.4% vs. 2.9%, p = 0.5). However, the measured risk of recrudescence was significantly higher when using gel vs. capillary electrophoresis in Apac (risk of treatment failure for AL: 17.0% vs. 10.7%, p = 0.02; DP: 8.5% vs. 3.4%, p = 0.03). Risk differences between AL and DP were not significantly different whether gel or capillary methods were used. Genotyping with gel electrophoresis overestimates the risk of recrudescence in anti-malarial trials performed in areas of high transmission intensity. Capillary electrophoresis provides more accurate outcomes for such trials and should be performed when possible. In areas of moderate transmission, gel electrophoresis appears adequate to estimate comparative

  13. Ionic liquid based multifunctional double network gel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Kumkum; Higashihara, Tomoya; Arafune, Hiroyuki; Kamijo, Toshio; Morinaga, Takashi; Sato, Takaya; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

    2015-04-01

    Gels are a promising class of soft and wet materials with diverse application in tissue engineering and bio-medical purpose. In order to accelerate the development of gels, it is required to synthesize multi-functional gels of high mechanical strength, ultra low surface friction and suitable elastic modulus with a variety of methods and new materials. Among many types of gel ionic gel made from ionic liquids (ILs) could be used for diverse applications in electrochemical devices and in the field of tribology. IL, a promising materials for lubrication, is a salt with a melting point lower than 100 °C. As a lubricant, ILs are characterized by an extremely low vapor pressure, high thermal stability and high ion conductivity. In this work a novel approach of making double network DN ionic gel using IL has been made utilizing photo polymerization process. A hydrophobic monomer Methyl methacrylate (MMA) has been used as a first network and a hydrophobic IL monomer, N,N-diethyl-N-(2-mthacryloylethyl)-N-methylammonium bistrifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (DEMM-TFSI) has been used as a second network using photo initiator benzophenon and crosslinker triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA). The resulting DN ionic gel shows transparency, flexibility, high thermal stability, good mechanical toughness and low friction coefficient value which can be a potential candidate as a gel slider in different mechanical devices and can open a new area in the field of gel tribology.

  14. Study of nuclear glasses alteration gel and synthesis of some model gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ricol, S.

    1995-01-01

    This work deals with the general problem of alteration of the reference nuclear glass R7T7. Attention is paid particularly to the altered layer formed at the glass surface during alteration process. In opposition to previous works, related essentially to glass dissolution kinetics based on chemical analyses of lixiviated elements, this thesis deals with alteration problems through structural studies of the reference glass and derived gel. This approach allows the determination of mechanisms for the gel formation and a better understanding of the behaviour of glasses towards lixiviation. Both approaches appeared complementary. Based on several spectroscopic techniques, this work showed the particular role of cations such as calcium, zirconium and iron. Studies of silica-based synthetic gels showed the synergic effect of formers cation and of one highly coordinated cation. The variation of the wavenumber related to Si-O-Si asymmetric stretching vibration can be correlated to O/Si ratio for ternary systems Si/Na/Zr. On the contrary, the Si losses of the materials depend on the number of non-bridging oxygen atoms. In the perspective of long-term behaviour, the alteration gel presents better characteristics than initial glass. It is therefore a highly stable material in static conditions. In the same way, synthetic gels are materials with very low solubilities (much lower than the alteration gel) and could be used as confining matrices. (authors). refs., 71 figs., 37 tabs

  15. Internal structure analysis of particle-double network gels used in a gel organ replica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abe, Mei; Arai, Masanori; Saito, Azusa; Sakai, Kazuyuki; Kawakami, Masaru; Furukawa, Hidemitsu

    2016-04-01

    In recent years, the fabrication of patient organ replicas using 3D printers has been attracting a great deal of attention in medical fields. However, the cost of these organ replicas is very high as it is necessary to employ very expensive 3D printers and printing materials. Here we present a new gel organ replica, of human kidney, fabricated with a conventional molding technique, using a particle-double network hydrogel (P-DN gel). The replica is transparent and has the feel of a real kidney. It is expected that gel organ replicas produced this way will be a useful tool for the education of trainee surgeons and clinical ultrasonography technologists. In addition to developing a gel organ replica, the internal structure of the P-DN gel used is also discussed. Because the P-DN gel has a complex structure comprised of two different types of network, it has not been possible to investigate them internally in detail. Gels have an inhomogeneous network structure. If it is able to get a more uniform structure, it is considered that this would lead to higher strength in the gel. In the present study we investigate the structure of P-DN gel, using the gel organ replica. We investigated the internal structure of P-DN gel using Scanning Microscopic Light Scattering (SMILS), a non-contacting and non-destructive.

  16. Study of the performance of gels of molybdenum containing several cations for the preparation of 99Mo and 99mTc

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moraes, Vanessa

    2005-01-01

    99m Tc is the most employed radioisotope in Nuclear Medicine, due to its nuclear characteristics: short half-life (6.04 h); emission of low energy gamma ray (140 keV); no emission of β - ; generated by the radioactive decay of 99 Mo (radioisotope generator system). 99 Mo can be produced in cyclotron or nuclear reactor by the irradiation of 235 U (n, f) 99 Mo or by the 98 Mo (n, γ) 90 Mo reaction. Four different kinds of generators of 99m Tc can be employed, based on the separation techniques: column chromatographic using alumina, with fission 99 Mo; solvent extraction using methylethylketone; sublimation of technetium heptoxide; gel type chromatographic generator, that contains molybdenum. IPEN, aiming the nationalization of the 99m Tc generators production, developed a gel type generator that uses zirconium molybdate. Three types of gels are studied in the work: molybdenum gel with titanium, molybdenum gel with cerium and molybdenum gel with hafnium, that were compared with the molybdenum gel with zirconium. The variables studied in the gel preparation are: mass relation between Mo and the cation, NaOH concentration, temperature and final pH of the product. After the preparation, the gels are analysed in relation to the amount of Mo and the cation, structure and gel particle size. The gel is irradiated and later a generator system is prepared, and the elutions are analysed in order to measure the 99m Tc elution efficiency. The results showed that the molybdenum gel with titanium had the best performance in all analysis. (author)

  17. Improvement of performance of ultra-high performance concrete based composite material added with nano materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pang Jinchang

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC, a kind of composite material characterized by ultra high strength, high toughness and high durability. It has a wide application prospect in engineering practice. But there are some defects in concrete. How to improve strength and toughness of UHPC remains to be the target of researchers. To obtain UHPC with better performance, this study introduced nano-SiO2 and nano-CaCO3 into UHPC. Moreover, hydration heat analysis, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD, mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP and nanoindentation tests were used to explore hydration process and microstructure. Double-doped nanomaterials can further enhance various mechanical performances of materials. Nano-SiO2 can promote early progress of cement hydration due to its high reaction activity and C-S-H gel generates when it reacts with cement hydration product Ca(OH2. Nano-CaCO3 mainly plays the role of crystal nucleus effect and filling effect. Under the combined action of the two, the composite structure is denser, which provides a way to improve the performance of UHPC in practical engineering.

  18. Reducing the cost of semi-automated in-gel tryptic digestion and GeLC sample preparation for high-throughput proteomics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruelcke, Jayde E; Loo, Dorothy; Hill, Michelle M

    2016-10-21

    Peptide generation by trypsin digestion is typically the first step in mass spectrometry-based proteomics experiments, including 'bottom-up' discovery and targeted proteomics using multiple reaction monitoring. Manual tryptic digest and the subsequent clean-up steps can add variability even before the sample reaches the analytical platform. While specialized filter plates and tips have been designed for automated sample processing, the specialty reagents required may not be accessible or feasible due to their high cost. Here, we report a lower-cost semi-automated protocol for in-gel digestion and GeLC using standard 96-well microplates. Further cost savings were realized by re-using reagent tips with optimized sample ordering. To evaluate the methodology, we compared a simple mixture of 7 proteins and a complex cell-lysate sample. The results across three replicates showed that our semi-automated protocol had performance equal to or better than a manual in-gel digestion with respect to replicate variability and level of contamination. In this paper, we also provide the Agilent Bravo method file, which can be adapted to other liquid handlers. The simplicity, reproducibility, and cost-effectiveness of our semi-automated protocol make it ideal for routine in-gel and GeLC sample preparations, as well as high throughput processing of large clinical sample cohorts. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Sealing wells with gel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lopez, E C

    1967-10-01

    A new system is being used in Mexico to temporarily plug producing wells. The temporary seal is a gel with a catalyst. The use of this temporary plug allows gas-lift wells to be taken off production in order to carry out emergency repairs. The gel solidifies by the action of the catalyst to a high temperature (70 - 150/sup 0/C). By locating the bottom of the tubing at the top of the production interval, the gel material will go into the permeable formation, and immediately set. When the gel has solidified, it seals off the horizon that must not be stimulated, and leaves the others exposed to the acid action. When the treatment is finished, the gel, by action of the catalyst, is liquefied and removed from the formation, being produced with the oil.

  20. Screening of mucoadhesive vaginal gel formulations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Ochoa Andrade

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Rational design of vaginal drug delivery formulations requires special attention to vehicle properties that optimize vaginal coating and retention. The aim of the present work was to perform a screening of mucoadhesive vaginal gels formulated with carbomer or carrageenan in binary combination with a second polymer (carbomer, guar or xanthan gum. The gels were characterised using in vitroadhesion, spreadability and leakage potential studies, as well as rheological measurements (stress and frequency sweep tests and the effect of dilution with simulated vaginal fluid (SVF on spreadability. Results were analysed using analysis of variance and multiple factor analysis. The combination of polymers enhanced adhesion of both primary gelling agents, carbomer and carrageenan. From the rheological point of view all formulations presented a similar behaviour, prevalently elastic and characterised by loss tangent values well below 1. No correlation between rheological and adhesion behaviour was found. Carbomer and carrageenan gels containing the highest percentage of xanthan gum displayed good in vitro mucoadhesion and spreadability, minimal leakage potential and high resistance to dilution. The positive results obtained with carrageenan-xanthan gum-based gels can encourage the use of natural biocompatible adjuvants in the composition of vaginal products, a formulation field that is currently under the synthetic domain.

  1. Optical-CT scanning of polymer gels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oldham, M [Radiation Oncology Physics, Duke University Medical Center, Duke University, NC (United States)

    2004-01-01

    The application of optical-CT scanning to achieve accurate high-resolution 3D dosimetry is a subject of current interest. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview of past research and achievements in optical-CT polymer gel dosimetry, and to review current issues and challenges. The origins of optical-CT imaging of light-scattering polymer gels are reviewed. Techniques to characterize and optimize optical-CT performance are presented. Particular attention is given to studies of artifacts in optical-CT imaging, an important area that has not been well studied to date. The technique of optical-CT simulation by Monte-Carlo modeling is introduced as a tool to explore such artifacts. New simulation studies are presented and compared with experimental data.

  2. Optical-CT scanning of polymer gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oldham, M

    2004-01-01

    The application of optical-CT scanning to achieve accurate high-resolution 3D dosimetry is a subject of current interest. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief overview of past research and achievements in optical-CT polymer gel dosimetry, and to review current issues and challenges. The origins of optical-CT imaging of light-scattering polymer gels are reviewed. Techniques to characterize and optimize optical-CT performance are presented. Particular attention is given to studies of artifacts in optical-CT imaging, an important area that has not been well studied to date. The technique of optical-CT simulation by Monte-Carlo modeling is introduced as a tool to explore such artifacts. New simulation studies are presented and compared with experimental data

  3. Nanosized Ni-Mn Oxides Prepared by the Citrate Gel Process and Performances for Electrochemical Capacitors

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Jianxin ZHOU; Xiangqian SHEN; Maoxiang JING

    2006-01-01

    Nanosized Ni-Mn oxide powders have been successfully prepared by thermal decomposition of the Ni-Mn citrate gel precursors. The powder materials derived from calcination of the gel precursors with various molar ratios of nickel and manganese at different temperatures and time were characterized using thermal analysis (TG-DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET).The optimized processing conditions of calcination at 400℃ for 1 h with Ni/Mn molar ratio 6 were proved to produce the nanosized Ni-Mn oxide powders with a high specific surface area of 109.62 m2/g and nanometer particle sizes of 15~30 nm. The capacitance characteristics of the nanosized Ni-Mn oxide electrode in various concentrations of KOH solutions were studied by the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and exhibited both a doublelayer capacitance and a Faradaic capacitance which could be attributed to the electrode consisting of Ni-Mn oxides and residual carbons from the organic gel thermal decomposition. A specific capacitance of 194.8 F/g was obtained for the electrode at the sweep rate of 10 mV/s in 4 mol/L KOH electrolyte and the capacitor showed quite high cyclic stability and is promising for advanced electrochemical capacitors.

  4. Enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of Ti-doped hematite thin films prepared by the sol-gel method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lian Xiaojuan; Yang Xin; Liu Shangjun; Xu Ying; Jiang Chunping; Chen Jinwei [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, No.24 South Section 1, Yihuan Road, Chengdu 610065 (China); Wang Ruilin, E-mail: rlwang26@yahoo.com.cn [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Sichuan University, No.24 South Section 1, Yihuan Road, Chengdu 610065 (China)

    2012-01-15

    Ti-doped {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films were successfully prepared on FTO substrates by the sol-gel route. Hematite film was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The XRD data showed {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} had a preferred (1 1 0) orientation which belonged to the rhombohedral system. Interestingly, the grains turned into worm-like shape after annealed at high temperature. The IPCE could reach 32.6% at 400 nm without any additional potential vs. SCE. Titanium in the lattice can affect the photo electro chemical performance positively by increasing the conductivity of the thin film. So the excited electrons and holes could live longer, rather than recombining with each other rapidly as undoped hematite. And the efficient carrier density on the Ti-doped anode surface was higher than the undoped anode, which contribute to the well PEC performance.

  5. Effects of Shear Fracture on In-depth Profile Modification of Weak Gels

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Li Xianjie; Song Xinwang; Yue Xiang'an; Hou Jirui; Fang Lichun; Zhang Huazhen

    2007-01-01

    Two sand packs were filled with fine glass beads and quartz sand respectively. The characteristics of crosslinked polymer flowing through the sand packs as well as the influence of shear fracture of porous media on the in-depth profile modification of the weak gel generated from the crosslinked polymer were investigated. The results indicated that under the dynamic condition crosslinking reaction happened in both sand packs,and the weak gels in these two cases became small gel particles after water flooding. The differences were:the dynamic gelation time in the quartz sand pack was longer than that in the glass bead pack. Residual resistance factor (FRR) caused by the weak gel in the quartz sand pack was smaller than that in the glass bead pack. The weak gel became gel particles after being scoured by subsequent flood water. A weak gel with uniform apparent viscosity and sealing characteristics was generated in every part of the glass bead pack,which could not only move deeply into the sand pack but also seal the high capacity channels again when it reached the deep part. The weak gel performed in-depth profile modification in the glass bead pack,while in the quartz sand pack,the weak gel was concentrated with 100 cm from the entrance of the sand pack. When propelled by the subsequent flood water,the weak gel could move towards the deep part of the sand pack but then became tiny gel particles and could not effectively seal the high capacity channels there. The in-depth profile modification of the weak gel was very weak in the quartz sand pack. It was the shear fracture of porous media that mainly affected the properties and weakened the in-depth profile modification of the weak gel.

  6. Biocatalysis with Sol-Gel Encapsulated Acid Phosphatase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kulkarni, Suhasini; Tran, Vu; Ho, Maggie K.-M.; Phan, Chieu; Chin, Elizabeth; Wemmer, Zeke; Sommerhalter, Monika

    2010-01-01

    This experiment was performed in an upper-level undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course. Students learned how to immobilize an enzyme in a sol-gel matrix and how to perform and evaluate enzyme-activity measurements. The enzyme acid phosphatase (APase) from wheat germ was encapsulated in sol-gel beads that were prepared from the precursor…

  7. Low cost sol–gel derived SiC–SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite as anti reflection layer for enhanced performance of crystalline silicon solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jannat, Azmira [School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Solar Energy Research Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896 (Korea, Republic of); Solar Energy Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Woojin [School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Solar Energy Research Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896 (Korea, Republic of); Akhtar, M. Shaheer, E-mail: shaheerakhtar@jbnu.ac.kr [School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Solar Energy Research Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896 (Korea, Republic of); New & Renewable Energy Materials Development Center (NewREC), Chonbuk National University, Jeonbuk (Korea, Republic of); Li, Zhen Yu [School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Solar Energy Research Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896 (Korea, Republic of); Yang, O.-Bong, E-mail: obyang@jbnu.ac.kr [School of Semiconductor and Chemical Engineering, Solar Energy Research Center, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 54896 (Korea, Republic of); New & Renewable Energy Materials Development Center (NewREC), Chonbuk National University, Jeonbuk (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-04-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Sol–gel derived SiC–SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite was prepared. • It effectively coated as AR layer on p-type Si-wafer. • SiC–SiO{sub 2} layer on Si solar cells exhibited relatively low reflectance of 7.08%. • Fabricated Si solar cell attained highly comparable performance of 16.99% to commercial device. - Abstract: This paper describes the preparation, characterizations and the antireflection (AR) coating application in crystalline silicon solar cells of sol–gel derived SiC–SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite. The prepared SiC–SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite was effectively applied as AR layer on p-type Si-wafer via two step processes, where the sol–gel of precursor solution was first coated on p-type Si-wafer using spin coating at 2000 rpm and then subjected to annealing at 450 °C for 1 h. The crystalline, and structural observations revealed the existence of SiC and SiO{sub 2} phases, which noticeably confirmed the formation of SiC–SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite. The SiC–SiO{sub 2} layer on Si solar cells was found to be an excellent AR coating, exhibiting the low reflectance of 7.08% at wavelengths ranging from 400 to 1000 nm. The fabricated crystalline Si solar cell with SiC–SiO{sub 2} nanocomposite AR coating showed comparable power conversion efficiency of 16.99% to the conventional Si{sub x}N{sub x} AR coated Si solar cell. New and effective sol–gel derived SiC–SiO{sub 2} AR layer would offer a promising technique to produce high performance Si solar cells with low-cost.

  8. Improved Quantitation of Gluten in Wheat Starch for Celiac Disease Patients by Gel-Permeation High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection (GP-HPLC-FLD).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scherf, Katharina Anne; Wieser, Herbert; Koehler, Peter

    2016-10-12

    Purified wheat starch (WSt) is commonly used in gluten-free products for celiac disease (CD) patients. It is mostly well-tolerated, but doubts about its safety for CD patients persist. One reason may be that most ELISA kits primarily recognize the alcohol-soluble gliadin fraction of gluten, but insufficiently target the alcohol-insoluble glutenin fraction. To address this problem, a new sensitive method based on the sequential extraction of gliadins, glutenins, and gluten from WSt followed by gel-permeation high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (GP-HPLC-FLD) was developed. It revealed that considerable amounts of glutenins were present in most WSt. The gluten contents quantitated by GP-HPLC-FLD as sum of gliadins and glutenins were higher than those by R5 ELISA (gluten as gliadin content multiplied by a factor of 2) in 19 out of 26 WSt. Despite its limited selectivity, GP-HPLC-FLD may be applied as confirmatory method to ELISA to quantitate gluten in WSt.

  9. Indium oxide octahedrons based on sol–gel process enhance room temperature gas sensing performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mu, Xiaohui [Key Laboratory of Chemical Sensing & Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, Shandong (China); Chen, Changlong, E-mail: chem.chencl@hotmail.com [Key Laboratory of Chemical Sensing & Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, Shandong (China); Han, Liuyuan [Key Laboratory of Chemical Sensing & Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, Shandong (China); Shao, Baiqi [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (China); Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wei, Yuling [Instrumental Analysis Center, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan 250353, Shandong (China); Liu, Qinglong; Zhu, Peihua [Key Laboratory of Chemical Sensing & Analysis in Universities of Shandong, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, Shandong (China)

    2015-07-15

    Highlights: • In{sub 2}O{sub 3} octahedron films are prepared based on sol–gel technique for the first time. • The preparation possesses merits of low temperature, catalyst-free and large production. • It was found that the spin-coating process in film fabrication was key to achieve the octahedrons. • The In{sub 2}O{sub 3} octahedrons could significantly enhance room temperature NO{sub 2} gas sensing performance. - Abstract: Indium oxide octahedrons were prepared on glass substrates through a mild route based on sol–gel technique. The preparation possesses characteristics including low temperature, catalyst-free and large production, which is much distinguished from the chemical-vapor-deposition based methods that usually applied to prepare indium oxide octahedrons. Detailed characterization revealed that the indium oxide octahedrons were single crystalline, with {1 1 1} crystal facets exposed. It was found that the spin-coating technique was key for achieving the indium oxide crystals with octahedron morphology. The probable formation mechanism of the indium oxide octahedrons was proposed based on the experiment results. Room temperature NO{sub 2} gas sensing measurements exhibited that the indium oxide octahedrons could significantly enhance the sensing performance in comparison with the plate-like indium oxide particles that prepared from the dip-coated gel films, which was attributed to the abundant sharp edges and tips as well as the special {1 1 1} crystal facets exposed that the former possessed. Such a simple wet-chemical based method to prepare indium oxide octahedrons with large-scale production is promising to provide the advanced materials that can be applied in wide fields like gas sensing, solar energy conversion, field emission, and so on.

  10. Indium oxide octahedrons based on sol–gel process enhance room temperature gas sensing performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mu, Xiaohui; Chen, Changlong; Han, Liuyuan; Shao, Baiqi; Wei, Yuling; Liu, Qinglong; Zhu, Peihua

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • In 2 O 3 octahedron films are prepared based on sol–gel technique for the first time. • The preparation possesses merits of low temperature, catalyst-free and large production. • It was found that the spin-coating process in film fabrication was key to achieve the octahedrons. • The In 2 O 3 octahedrons could significantly enhance room temperature NO 2 gas sensing performance. - Abstract: Indium oxide octahedrons were prepared on glass substrates through a mild route based on sol–gel technique. The preparation possesses characteristics including low temperature, catalyst-free and large production, which is much distinguished from the chemical-vapor-deposition based methods that usually applied to prepare indium oxide octahedrons. Detailed characterization revealed that the indium oxide octahedrons were single crystalline, with {1 1 1} crystal facets exposed. It was found that the spin-coating technique was key for achieving the indium oxide crystals with octahedron morphology. The probable formation mechanism of the indium oxide octahedrons was proposed based on the experiment results. Room temperature NO 2 gas sensing measurements exhibited that the indium oxide octahedrons could significantly enhance the sensing performance in comparison with the plate-like indium oxide particles that prepared from the dip-coated gel films, which was attributed to the abundant sharp edges and tips as well as the special {1 1 1} crystal facets exposed that the former possessed. Such a simple wet-chemical based method to prepare indium oxide octahedrons with large-scale production is promising to provide the advanced materials that can be applied in wide fields like gas sensing, solar energy conversion, field emission, and so on

  11. High rate performance of LiMn2O4 cathodes for lithium ion batteries synthesized by low temperature oxygen plasma assisted sol–gel process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, C.-L.; Chiu, K.-F.; Chen, Y.-R.; Chen, C.C.; Lin, H.C.; Chiang, H.Y.

    2013-01-01

    Nano-crystalline LiMn 2 O 4 thin films have been synthesized by the sol–gel process at low temperature (623 K). The low temperature prepared films are treated by a direct current pulsed oxygen plasma, and tested as cathodes for lithium batteries. The plasma treated films are able to sustain charge–discharge cycles under significant high current density of up to 5.4 A/g corresponding to 45 C for battery operation. The capacity ratio for discharging at 1.2 A/g and 0.024 A/g is over 65%, indicating low internal resistance, which meets the requirement of fast charge and discharge for electric vehicles. The stable high current density performances can be attributed to the formation of a dense surface morphology that is induced by the plasma irradiation. The formation of the surface morphology results in the more uniform current distribution on the film surface, which decreases the interface charge transfer resistances as measured by the electrochemical impedance spectra. - Highlights: • A low temperature process has been used to synthesize LiMn 2 O 4 thin films. • Plasma treatment can reduce the interface charge transfer resistances for LiMn 2 O 4 . • LiMn 2 O 4 cathodes treated by plasma treatment can deliver high rate capability

  12. Gels and gel-derived glasses in the system Na2O-B2O3-SiO2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, S. P.

    1983-01-01

    The containerless melting of high-purity multicomponent homogeneous gels and gel monoliths offers a unique approach to making ultrapure multicomponent optical glasses in the reduced gravity environment of space. Procedures for preparing and characterizing gels and gel-derived glasses in the system Na2O-B2O3-SiO2 are described. Preparation is based on the polymerization reactions of alkoxysilane with trimethyl borate or boric acid and a suitable sodium compound. The chemistry of the gelling process is discussed in terms of process parameters and the gel compositions. The physicochemical nature of gels prepared by three different procedures was found to be significantly different. Infrared absorption spectra indicate finite differences in the molecular structures of the different gels. The melting of the gel powders and the transformation of porous gel monoliths to transparent 'glass' without melting are described.

  13. Environmentally benign sol-gel antifouling and foul-releasing coatings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Detty, Michael R; Ciriminna, Rosaria; Bright, Frank V; Pagliaro, Mario

    2014-02-18

    Biofouling on ships and boats, characterized by aquatic bacteria and small organisms attaching to the hull, is an important global issue, since over 80000 tons of antifouling paint is used annually. This biofilm, which can form in as little as 48 hours depending on water temperature, increases drag on watercraft, which greatly reduces their fuel efficiency. In addition, biofouling can lead to microbially induced corrosion (MIC) due to H2S formed by the bacteria, especially sulfate-reducing bacteria. When the International Maritime Organization (IMO) international convention banned the use of effective but environmentally damaging coatings containing tributyl tin in 2008, the development of clean and effective antifouling systems became more important than ever. New nonbiocidal coatings are now in high demand. Scientists have developed new polymers, materials, and biocides, including new elastomeric coatings that they have obtained by improving the original silicone (polydimethylsiloxane) formulation patented in 1975. However, the high cost of silicones, especially of fluoropolymer-modified silicones, has generally prevented their large-scale diffusion. In 2009, traditional antifouling coatings using cuprous oxide formulated in copolymer paints still represented 95% of the global market volume of anti-fouling paints. The sol-gel nanochemistry approach to functional materials has emerged as an attractive candidate for creating low fouling surfaces due to the unique structure and properties of silica-based coatings and of hybrid inorganic-organic silicas in particular. Sol-gel formulations easily bind to all types of surfaces, such as steel, fiberglass, aluminum, and wood. In addition, they can cure at room temperature and form thin glassy coatings that are markedly different from thick silicone elastomeric foul-releasing coatings. Good to excellent performance against biofouling, low cure temperatures, enhanced and prolonged chemical and physical stability, ease of

  14. Fundamentals of Polymer Gel Dosimeters

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAuley, Kim B.

    2006-12-01

    The recent literature on polymer gel dosimetry contains application papers and basic experimental studies involving polymethacrylic-acid-based and polyacrylamide-based gel dosimeters. The basic studies assess the relative merits of these two most commonly used dosimeters, and explore the effects of tetrakis hydroxymethyl phosphonium chloride (THPC) antioxidant on dosimeter performance. Polymer gel dosimeters that contain THPC or other oxygen scavengers are called normoxic dosimeters, because they can be prepared under normal atmospheric conditions, rather than in a glove box that excludes oxygen. In this review, an effort is made to explain some of the underlying chemical phenomena that affect dosimeter performance using THPC, and that lead to differences in behaviour between dosimeters made using the two types of monomer systems. Progress on the development of new more effective and less toxic dosimeters is also reported.

  15. Surface grafted chitosan gels. Part II. Gel formation and characterization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Chao; Thormann, Esben; Claesson, Per M.

    2014-01-01

    Responsive biomaterial hydrogels attract significant attention due to their biocompatibility and degradability. In order to make chitosan based gels, we first graft one layer of chitosan to silica, and then build a chitosan/poly(acrylic acid) multilayer using the layer-by-layer approach. After...... cross-linking the chitosan present in the polyelectrolyte multilayer, poly(acrylic acid) is partly removed by exposing the multilayer structure to a concentrated carbonate buffer solution at a high pH, leaving a surface-grafted cross-linked gel. Chemical cross-linking enhances the gel stability against...... detachment and decomposition. The chemical reaction between gluteraldehyde, the cross-linking agent, and chitosan was followed in situ using total internal reflection Raman (TIRR) spectroscopy, which provided a molecular insight into the complex reaction mechanism, as well as the means to quantify the cross...

  16. Chemical Gel for Surface Decontamination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Chong Hun; Moon, J. K.; Won, H. J.; Lee, K. W.; Kim, C. K.

    2010-01-01

    Many chemical decontamination processes operate by immersing components in aggressive chemical solutions. In these applications chemical decontamination technique produce large amounts of radioactive liquid waste. Therefore it is necessary to develop processes using chemical gels instead of chemical solutions, to avoid the well-known disadvantages of chemical decontamination techniques while retaining their high efficiency. Chemical gels decontamination process consists of applying the gel by spraying it onto the surface of large area components (floors, walls, etc) to be decontaminated. The gel adheres to any vertical or complex surface due to their thixotropic properties and operates by dissolving the radioactive deposit, along with a thin layer of the gel support, so that the radioactivity trapped at the surface can be removed. Important aspects of the gels are that small quantities can be used and they show thixitropic properties : liquid during spraying, and solid when stationary, allowing for strong adherence to surfaces. This work investigates the decontamination behaviors of organic-based chemical gel for SS 304 metallic surfaces contaminated with radioactive materials

  17. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic preparation of labelled and non-labelled peptides for radioimmunoassay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Besch, W.; Woltanski, K.P.; Keilacker, H.; Kohnert, K.D.

    1986-01-01

    Radioiodinated polypeptide hormones, such as insulin, glucagon, human growth hormone, and human C-peptide are employed for radioimmunoassays for investigation of hormonal alterations in states of disturbed carbohydrate metabolism. Iodination was performed using chloramine T. Iodination products of these polypeptide hormones and, for preparation of standard material, native human C-peptide from cadaver pancreases were fractionated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis at pH 8.9. Disc electrophoresis in 24 cm long gel rods resulted in stable tracers with high specific activity as well as homogeneous standard material being highly suitable for radioimmunoassays. (author)

  18. A copper ion-selective electrode with high selectivity prepared by sol-gel and coated wire techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazloum Ardakani, M; Salavati-Niasari, M; Khayat Kashani, M; Ghoreishi, S M

    2004-03-01

    A sol-gel electrode and a coated wire ion-selective poly(vinyl chloride) membrane, based on thiosemicarbazone as a neutral carrier, were successfully developed for the detection of Cu (II) in aqueous solutions. The sol-gel electrode and coated electrode exhibited linear response with Nernstian slopes of 29.2 and 28.1 mV per decade respectively, within the copper ion concentration ranges 1.0 x 10(-5) - 1.0 x 10(-1) M and 6.0 x 10(-6) - 1.0 x 10(-1) M for coated and sol-gel sensors. The coated and sol-gel electrodes show detection limits of 3.0 x 10(-6) and 6.0 x 10(-6) M respectively. The electrodes exhibited good selectivities for a number of alkali, alkaline earth, transition and heavy metal ions. The proposed electrodes have response times ranging from 10-50 s to achieve a 95% steady potential for Cu2+ concentration. The electrodes are suitable for use in aqueous solutions over a wide pH range (4-7.5). Applications of these electrodes for the determination of copper in real samples, and as an indicator electrode for potentiometric titration of Cu2+ ion using EDTA, are reported. The lifetimes of the electrodes were tested over a period of six months to investigate their stability. No significant change in the performance of the sol-gel electrode was observed over this period, but after two months the coated wire copper-selective electrode exhibited a gradual decrease in the slope. The selectivity of the sol-gel electrode was found to be better than that of the coated wire copper-selective electrode. Based on these results, a novel sol-gel copper-selective electrode is proposed for the determination of copper, and applied to real sample assays.

  19. Highly dispersed spherical Bi3.25La0.75Ti3O12 nanocrystals via topotactic crystallization of aggregation-free gel particles from an effective inverse miniemulsion sol–gel approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Aijun; Zeng, Yanwei; Han, Longxiang; Ding, Chuan; Cao, Liangliang; Li, Rongjie

    2015-01-01

    Aggregation-free spherical lanthanum-doped bismuth titanate (Bi 3.25 La 0.75 Ti 3 O 12 , BLT) gel particles with an average size of about 150 nm were successfully obtained from an inverse miniemulsion sol–gel process, with Span-80 acting as surfactant, n-butanol as co-surfactant, cyclohexane as continuous phase, and submicro-droplets of aqueous solution containing Bi 3+ , La 3+ and Ti 4+ ions as dispersed phase, and then topotactically transformed into highly dispersed spherical BLT nanocrystals after an in situ crystallization at 600 °C for 8 h. It has been found that the BLT gel particles can be obtained via a moderate sol–gel reaction inside the miniemulsion droplets at 65 °C, but their morphology and aggregation degree are strongly affected by the relative amounts of Span-80 and n-butanol. The perfect spherical BLT gel particles with no aggregation can be achieved only under the condition of 3 wt% n-butanol relative to the mass of cyclohexane, with excessive amount of n-butanol leading to the formation of ill-gelled particles with irregular shapes, while insufficient addition of n-butanol resulting in terrible aggregation of gel particles. To understand the formation of aggregation-free spherical BLT gel particles, a tentative mechanism is proposed and discussed, which reveals that a well-coordinated oil–water interfacial film made up of Span-80 and n-butanol molecules and the appropriately enhanced evaporation of water from such interfaces should be responsible for the formation of aggregation-free spherical BLT gel particles. Graphical Abstract: Aggregation-free spherical BLT (Bi 3.25 La 0.75 Ti 3 O 12 ) gel particles can be prepared from an effective inverse miniemulsion sol–gel process, and subsequently topotactically transformed into spherical BLT nanocrystals through an in situ crystallization

  20. Polymer gel dosimeters with enhanced sensitivity for use in x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jirasek, A; Hilts, M; McAuley, K B

    2010-01-01

    A primary limitation of current x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry is the low contrast, and hence poor dose resolution, of dose images produced by the system. The low contrast is largely due to the low-dose sensitivity of current formulations of polymer gel for x-ray CT imaging. This study reports on the investigation of new dosimeter formulations with improved dose sensitivity for x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry. We incorporate an isopropanol co-solvent into an N-isopropylacrylamide-based gel formulation in order to increase the total monomer/crosslinker concentration (%T) within the formulation. It is shown that gels of high %T exhibit enhanced dose sensitivity and dose resolutions over traditional formulations. The gels are shown to be temporally stable and reproducible. A single formulation (16%T) is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry system in measuring known dose distributions. A 1 L gel volume is exposed to three separate irradiations: a single-field percent depth dose, a two-field 'cross' and a three-field 'test case'. The first two irradiations are used to generate a dose calibration curve by which images are calibrated. The calibrated images are compared with treatment planning predictions and it is shown that the x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry system is capable of capturing spatial and dose information accurately. The proposed new gel formulation is shown to be sensitive, stable and to improve the dose resolution over current formulations so as to provide a feasible gel for clinical applications of x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry.

  1. SAXS study of silica sols, gels and glasses obtained by the sol gel process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santos, D.I. dos; Aegerter, M.A.

    1988-01-01

    Systematic SAXS studies have been performed at the LURE Synchrotron, Orsay, using an intense beam of point like cross-section to obtain information about the sol -> humid gel -> dried gel -> silica glass transformation. The intensity curves have been analysed in term of power law in log-log plots, whose exponent is related to mass and surface fractal dimensions of the structure. It was found that almost all phases present fractal structures and for the case of basic gels, is of hierarchical nature. The aerogels are formed by a dense matrix, with a smooth surface and exhibit a very narrow auto-similarity range that gives a mass fractal dimension. (author) [pt

  2. A Theoretical Evaluation of Secondary Atomization Effects on Engine Performance for Aluminum Gel Propellants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mueller, D. C.; Turns, S. R.

    1994-01-01

    A one-dimensional model of a gel-fueled rocket combustion chamber has been developed. This model includes the processes of liquid hydrocarbon burnout, secondary atomization. aluminum ignition, and aluminum combustion. Also included is a model of radiative heat transfer from the solid combustion products to the chamber walls. Calculations indicate that only modest secondary atomization is required to significantly reduce propellant burnout distances, aluminum oxide residual size and radiation heat wall losses. Radiation losses equal to approximately 2-13 percent of the energy released during combustion were estimated. A two-dimensional, two-phase nozzle code was employed to estimate radiation and nozzle two-phase flow effects on overall engine performance. Radiation losses yielded a 1 percent decrease in engine I(sub sp). Results also indicate that secondary atomization may have less effect on two-phase losses than it does on propellant burnout distance and no effect if oxide particle coagulation and shear induced droplet breakup govern oxide particle size. Engine I(sub sp) was found to decrease from 337.4 to 293.7 seconds as gel aluminum mass loading was varied from 0-70 wt percent. Engine I(sub sp) efficiencies, accounting for radiation and two-phase flow effects, on the order of 0.946 were calculated for a 60 wt percent gel, assuming a fragmentation ratio of 5.

  3. 3D MR gel dosimetry with lung equivalent gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scherer, J.; Solleder, M.; Schiessl, I.; Bogner, L.; Herbst, M.

    1998-01-01

    The MR gel dosimetry is used to verify complex 3D treatment plans. Till now this method served only for dose evaluation in homogeneous phantoms. On the way to build a heterogeneous anthropomorphic gel phantom, a lung equivalent gel with the density 0.4 g/cm 3 was developed. First experiments show a 1.55 times higher dose reponse in the low density gel (LD gel). The comparison of a dose distribution in a gel/LD gel/gel slab phantom with Monte Carlo calculations shows good agreement within 5%. More over the accuray of the measuring device magnetic resonance imager was studied in respect to the now exclusive digital image processing with the software MRD (MR dosimetry). Because of the dimensions of the Fricke gel phantom an artefact correction, based on the data from the unirradiated phantom proved to be essential. (orig.) [de

  4. High Impulse Nanoparticulate-Based Gel Propellants, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This proposed Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I addresses the development of advanced gel propellants and determination of their suitability for...

  5. Silica Sol-Gel Entrapment of the Enzyme Chloro peroxidase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Le, T.; Chan, S.; Ebaid, B.; Sommerhalter, M.

    2015-01-01

    The enzyme chloro peroxidase (CPO) was immobilized in silica sol-gel beads prepared from tetramethoxysilane. The average pore diameter of the silica host structure (∼3 nm) was smaller than the globular CPO diameter (∼6 nm) and the enzyme remained entrapped after sol-gel maturation. The catalytic performance of the entrapped enzyme was assessed via the pyrogallol peroxidation reaction. Sol-gel beads loaded with 4 μg CPO per mL sol solution reached 9-12% relative activity compared to free CPO in solution. Enzyme kinetic analysis revealed a decrease in K_cat but no changes in K_M or K_I . Product release or enzyme damage might thus limit catalytic performance. Yet circular dichroism and visible absorption spectra of transparent CPO sol-gel sheets did not indicate enzyme damage. Activity decline due to methanol exposure was shown to be reversible in solution. To improve catalytic performance the sol-gel protocol was modified. The incorporation of 5, 20, or 40% methyltrimethoxysilane resulted in more brittle sol-gel beads but the catalytic performance increased to 14% relative to free CPO in solution. The use of more acidic casting buffers (ph 4.5 or 5.5 instead of 6.5) resulted in a more porous silica host reaching up to 18% relative activity

  6. Highly dispersed spherical Bi3.25La0.75Ti3O12 nanocrystals via topotactic crystallization of aggregation-free gel particles from an effective inverse miniemulsion sol-gel approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Aijun; Zeng, Yanwei; Han, Longxiang; Ding, Chuan; Cao, Liangliang; Li, Rongjie

    2015-09-01

    Aggregation-free spherical lanthanum-doped bismuth titanate (Bi3.25La0.75Ti3O12, BLT) gel particles with an average size of about 150 nm were successfully obtained from an inverse miniemulsion sol-gel process, with Span-80 acting as surfactant, n-butanol as co-surfactant, cyclohexane as continuous phase, and submicro-droplets of aqueous solution containing Bi3+, La3+ and Ti4+ ions as dispersed phase, and then topotactically transformed into highly dispersed spherical BLT nanocrystals after an in situ crystallization at 600 °C for 8 h. It has been found that the BLT gel particles can be obtained via a moderate sol-gel reaction inside the miniemulsion droplets at 65 °C, but their morphology and aggregation degree are strongly affected by the relative amounts of Span-80 and n-butanol. The perfect spherical BLT gel particles with no aggregation can be achieved only under the condition of 3 wt% n-butanol relative to the mass of cyclohexane, with excessive amount of n-butanol leading to the formation of ill-gelled particles with irregular shapes, while insufficient addition of n-butanol resulting in terrible aggregation of gel particles. To understand the formation of aggregation-free spherical BLT gel particles, a tentative mechanism is proposed and discussed, which reveals that a well-coordinated oil-water interfacial film made up of Span-80 and n-butanol molecules and the appropriately enhanced evaporation of water from such interfaces should be responsible for the formation of aggregation-free spherical BLT gel particles.

  7. Polymer gel dosimeters with enhanced sensitivity for use in x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jirasek, A [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria BC V8W 3P6 (Canada); Hilts, M [Medical Physics, BC Cancer Agency-Vancouver Island Centre, Victoria BC V6R 2B6 (Canada); McAuley, K B, E-mail: jirasek@uvic.c [Department of Chemical Engineering, Queens University, Kingston, ON K7 L 3N6 (Canada)

    2010-09-21

    A primary limitation of current x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry is the low contrast, and hence poor dose resolution, of dose images produced by the system. The low contrast is largely due to the low-dose sensitivity of current formulations of polymer gel for x-ray CT imaging. This study reports on the investigation of new dosimeter formulations with improved dose sensitivity for x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry. We incorporate an isopropanol co-solvent into an N-isopropylacrylamide-based gel formulation in order to increase the total monomer/crosslinker concentration (%T) within the formulation. It is shown that gels of high %T exhibit enhanced dose sensitivity and dose resolutions over traditional formulations. The gels are shown to be temporally stable and reproducible. A single formulation (16%T) is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry system in measuring known dose distributions. A 1 L gel volume is exposed to three separate irradiations: a single-field percent depth dose, a two-field 'cross' and a three-field 'test case'. The first two irradiations are used to generate a dose calibration curve by which images are calibrated. The calibrated images are compared with treatment planning predictions and it is shown that the x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry system is capable of capturing spatial and dose information accurately. The proposed new gel formulation is shown to be sensitive, stable and to improve the dose resolution over current formulations so as to provide a feasible gel for clinical applications of x-ray CT polymer gel dosimetry.

  8. Yield stress determination of a physical gel

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hvidt, Søren

    2013-01-01

    Pluronic F127 solutions form gels in water with high elastic moduli. Pluronic gels can, however, only withstand small deformations and stresses. Different steady shear and oscillatory methods traditionally used to determine yield stress values are compared. The results show that the yield stresses...... values of these gels depend on test type and measurement time, and no absolute yield stress value can be determined for these physical gels....

  9. Formulation, functional evaluation and ex vivo performance of thermoresponsive soluble gels - A platform for therapeutic delivery to mucosal sinus tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandey, Preeti; Cabot, Peter J; Wallwork, Benjamin; Panizza, Benedict J; Parekh, Harendra S

    2017-01-01

    Mucoadhesive in situ gelling systems (soluble gels) have received considerable attention recently as effective stimuli-transforming vectors for a range of drug delivery applications. Considering this fact, the present work involves systematic formulation development, optimization, functional evaluation and ex vivo performance of thermosensitive soluble gels containing dexamethasone 21-phosphate disodium salt (DXN) as the model therapeutic. A series of in situ gel-forming systems comprising the thermoreversible polymer poloxamer-407 (P407), along with hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and chitosan were first formulated. The optimized soluble gels were evaluated for their potential to promote greater retention at the mucosal surface, for improved therapeutic efficacy, compared to existing solution/suspension-based steroid formulations used clinically. Optimized soluble gels demonstrated a desirable gelation temperature with Newtonian fluid behaviour observed under storage conditions (4-8°C), and pseudoplastic fluid behaviour recorded at nasal cavity/sinus temperature (≈34°C). The in vitro characterization of formulations including rheological evaluation, textural analysis and mucoadhesion studies of the gel form were investigated. Considerable improvement in mechanical properties and mucoadhesion was observed with incorporation of HPMC and chitosan into the gelling systems. The lead poloxamer-based soluble gels, PGHC4 and PGHC7, which were carried through to ex vivo permeation studies displayed extended drug release profiles in conditions mimicking the human nasal cavity, which indicates their suitability for treating a range of conditions affecting the nasal cavity/sinuses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Fabrication of high strength PVA/SWCNT composite fibers by gel spinning

    OpenAIRE

    Xu, Xuezhu; Uddin, Ahmed Jalal; Aoki, Kenta; Gotoh, Yasuo; Saito, Takeshi; Yumura, Motoo

    2010-01-01

    High-strength composite fibers were prepared from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (Degree of polymerization: 1500) reinforced by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) containing few defects. The SWCNTs were dispersed in a 10 wt.% PVA/dimethylsulfoxide solution using a mechanical homogenizer that reduced the size of SWCNT aggregations to smaller bundles. The macroscopically homogeneous dispersion was extruded into cold methanol to form fibers by gel spinning followed by a hot-drawing. The tensile st...

  11. Gel properties and interactions of Mesona blumes polysaccharide-soy protein isolates mixed gel: The effect of salt addition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wenjie; Shen, Mingyue; Liu, Suchen; Jiang, Lian; Song, Qianqian; Xie, Jianhua

    2018-07-15

    Effect of different salt ions on the gel properties and microstructure of Mesona blumes polysaccharide (MBP)-soy protein isolates (SPI) mixed gels were investigated. Sodium and calcium ions were chosen to explore their effects on the rheological behavior and gel properties of MBP-SPI mixed gels were evaluated by using rheological, X-ray diffraction, protein solubility determination, and microstructure analysis. Results showed that the addition of salt ions change the crystalline state of gels system, the crystal of gel was enhanced at low ion concentrations (0.005-0.01 M). The two peaks of gel characteristic at 8.9° and 19.9° almost disappeared at high salt ions concentrations (0.015-0.02 M), and new crystallization peaks appeared at around 30° and 45°. The elasticity, viscosity, gel strength, water holding capacity, and thermal stability of gel were increased at low ion concentration. Results showed that the main interactions which promoted gel formation and maintain the three-dimensional structure of the gel were electrostatic interactions, hydrophobic interactions, and disulfide interactions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Improved gel electrophoresis matrix for hydrophobic protein separation and identification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokarski, Caroline; Fillet, Marianne; Rolando, Christian

    2011-03-01

    We propose an improved acrylamide gel for the separation of hydrophobic proteins. The separation strategy is based on the incorporation of N-alkylated and N,N'-dialkylated acrylamide monomers in the gel composition in order to increase hydrophobic interactions between the gel matrix and the membrane proteins. Focusing on the most efficient monomer, N,N'-dimethylacrylamide, the potentiality of the new matrix was evaluated on membrane proteins of the human colon HCT-116 cell line. Protein analysis was performed using an adapted analytical strategy based on FT-ICR tandem mass spectrometry. As a result of this comparative study, including advanced reproducibility experiments, more hydrophobic proteins were identified in the new gel (average GRAVY: -0.085) than in the classical gel (average GRAVY: -0.411). Highly hydrophobic peptides were identified reaching a GRAVY value up to 1.450, therefore indicating their probable locations in the membrane. Focusing on predicted transmembrane domains, it can be pointed out that 27 proteins were identified in the hydrophobic gel containing up to 11 transmembrane domains; in the classical gel, only 5 proteins containing 1 transmembrane domain were successfully identified. For example, multiple ionic channels and receptors were characterized in the hydrophobic gel such as the sodium/potassium channel and the glutamate or the transferrin receptors whereas they are traditionally detected using specific enrichment techniques such as immunoprecipitation. In total, membrane proteins identified in the classical gel are well documented in the literature, while most of the membrane proteins only identified on the hydrophobic gel have rarely or never been described using a proteomic-based approach. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. A NOVEL GEL ELECTROLYTE FOR VALVE-REGULATED LEAD ACID BATTERY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Metin GENÇTEN

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available A novel gel electrolyte system used in lead-acid batteries was investigated in this work. The gel systems were prepared by addition different amount of Al2O3, TiO2 and B2O3 into the gelled system consisting of 6 wt% fumed silica and 30 wt% sulfuric acid solution. The anodic peak currents and peak redox capacities of the gel electrolytes were characterized by cyclic voltammetric method. They decreased by the time B2O3 and Al2O3 were used as additives in fumed silica based gel electrolyte system. However, these values increased by the adding 3.0 wt% of TiO2. The solution and charge transfer resistances of the gel electrolytes were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. While the solution resistances were lower in gel systems having different amount additives than pure fumed silica based gel, the charge transfer resistance was the lowest in gel electrolytes consisting fumed silica and fumed silica-TiO2. The battery performances were studied by obtaining discharge curves of prepared gel electrolytes. The performance of gelled systems were higher than that of non-gelled electrolyte at room temperature. The mixture of fumed silica-TiO2 was suggested an alternative gel formulation for gel VRLA batteries.

  14. Role of alkyl alcohol on viscosity of silica-based chemical gels for decontamination of highly radioactive nuclear facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, B. S.; Yoon, S. B.; Jung, C. H.; Lee, K. W.; Moon, J. K.

    2012-01-01

    Silica-based chemical gel for the decontamination of nuclear facilities was prepared by using fumed silica as a viscosifier, a 0.5 M Ce (IV) solution dissolved in concentrated nitric acid as a chemical decontamination agent, and tripropylene glycol butyl ether (TPGBE) as a co-viscosifier. A new effective strategy for the preparation of the chemical gel was investigated by introducing the alkyl alcohols as organic solvents to effectively dissolve the co-viscosifier. The mixture solution of the co-viscosifier and alkyl alcohols was more effective in the control of viscosity than that of the co-viscosifier only in gel. Here, the alkyl alcohols played a key role as an effective dissolution solvent for the co-viscosifier in the preparation of the chemical gel, resulting in a reducing of the amount of the co-viscosifier and gel time compared with that of the chemical gel prepared without the alkyl alcohols. It was considered that the alkyl alcohols contributed to the effective dissolution of the co-viscosifier as well as the homogeneous mixing in the formation of the gel, while the co-viscosifier in an aqueous media of the chemical decontamination agent solution showed a lower solubility. The decontamination efficiency of the chemical gels prepared in this work using a multi-channel analyzer (MCA) showed a high decontamination efficiency of over ca. 94% and ca. 92% for Co-60 and Cs-137 contaminated on surface of the stainless steel 304, respectively. (authors)

  15. Agarose gel electrophoresis and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for visualization of simple sequence repeats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, James; Wright, Drew; Meksem, Khalid

    2013-01-01

    In the modern age of genetic research there is a constant search for ways to improve the efficiency of plant selection. The most recent technology that can result in a highly efficient means of selection and still be done at a low cost is through plant selection directed by simple sequence repeats (SSRs or microsatellites). The molecular markers are used to select for certain desirable plant traits without relying on ambiguous phenotypic data. The best way to detect these is the use of gel electrophoresis. Gel electrophoresis is a common technique in laboratory settings which is used to separate deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA) by size. Loading DNA and RNA onto gels allows for visualization of the size of fragments through the separation of DNA and RNA fragments. This is achieved through the use of the charge in the particles. As the fragments separate, they form into distinct bands at set sizes. We describe the ability to visualize SSRs on slab gels of agarose and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

  16. Transdermal delivery of paeonol using cubic gel and microemulsion gel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Maofu; Shen, Qi; Chen, Jinjin

    2011-01-01

    Background The aim of this study was to develop new systems for transdermal delivery of paeonol, in particular microemulsion gel and cubic gel formulations. Methods Various microemulsion vehicles were prepared using isopropyl myristate as an oil phase, polyoxyethylated castor oil (Cremophor® EL) as a surfactant, and polyethylene glycol 400 as a cosurfactant. In the optimum microemulsion gel formulation, carbomer 940 was selected as the gel matrix, and consisted of 1% paeonol, 4% isopropyl myristate, 28% Cremophor EL/polyethylene glycol 400 (1:1), and 67% water. The cubic gel was prepared containing 3% paeonol, 30% water, and 67% glyceryl monooleate. Results A skin permeability test using excised rat skins indicated that both the cubic gel and microemulsion gel formulations had higher permeability than did the paeonol solution. An in vivo pharmacokinetic study done in rats showed that the relative bioavailability of the cubic gel and microemulsion gel was enhanced by about 1.51-fold and 1.28-fold, respectively, compared with orally administered paeonol suspension. Conclusion Both the cubic gel and microemulsion gel formulations are promising delivery systems to enhance the skin permeability of paeonol, in particular the cubic gel. PMID:21904450

  17. High-performance mesoporous LiFePO₄ from Baker's yeast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xudong; Zhang, Xueguang; He, Wen; Sun, Caiyun; Ma, Jingyun; Yuan, Junling; Du, Xiaoyong

    2013-03-01

    Based on the biomineralization assembly concept, a simple and inexpensive biomimetic sol-gel method is found to synthesize high-performance mesoporous LiFePO(4) (HPM-LFP). The key step of this approach is to apply Baker's yeast cells as both a structural template and a biocarbon source. The formation mechanism of ordered hierarchical mesoporous network structure is revealed by characterizing its morphology and microstructure. The HPM-LFP exhibits outstanding electrochemical performances. The HPM-LFP has a high discharge capacity (about 153 mAh g(-1) at a 0.1 C rate), only 2% capacity loss from the initial value after 100 cycles at a current density of 0.1 C. This simple and potentially universal design strategy is currently being pursued in the synthesis of an ideal cathode-active material for high power applications. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Strippable gel for decontamination of contaminated metallic surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Banerjee, D.; Sandhya, U.; Khot, S.A.; Srinivas, C.; Wattal, P.K.

    2013-01-01

    Periodic decontamination of radioactive laboratories including fume hoods, glove boxes and all surfaces used for handling, processing and transporting radioactive materials is mandatory in all nuclear installations as this reduces spread of contamination and decreases total man rem exposure. Conventionally, chemical decontaminating agents or surfactant solutions are used for this purpose. However, this approach leads to generation of large volume of secondary radioactive waste. The use of strippable gel is an attractive alternative with low secondary waste generation particularly where removal of loose or weakly fixed contamination is necessary and also when the decontaminated material are to be reused, for e.g. decontamination of fume hoods, glove boxes, transport casks, spent fuel storage racks, control rod drive transport containers etc. Literature on gel formulations is scarce and mostly in the patent form. The sustained effort on gel formulation development has resulted in a basic gel formulation. The gel is a highly viscous water-based organic polymer, particularly suitable for application on vertical surfaces including difficult to reach metallic surfaces of complex geometry and not just limited to horizontal surfaces. The gel can be easily applied on contaminated surfaces by brushing or spraying. Curing of the gel is complete within 16-24 hours under ambient conditions and can then be removed by peeling as a dry sheet. While curing, the contaminants are trapped in gel either physically or chemically depending upon the nature of the contaminant. Salient features of cured gel include that it is water soluble and can be disposed off after immobilization in cement. Decontamination performance of the gel was initially evaluated by applying it on SS planchettes contaminated with known amount of radionuclides such as Cs(I), Co(II) and Ce(III). The measured decontamination factor was found to be in the range of 50-500, lowest for Ce(III) and highest for Co

  19. Evaluation of preparation and performance of gel column 99Tcm generators based on zirconium molybdate - 99Mo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saraswathy, P.; Sarkar, S.K.; Patel, R.R.; Arora, S.S.; Arjun, G.; Narasimhan, D.V.S.; Ramamoorthy, N.

    1998-01-01

    In view of the importance and relevance of zirconium molybdate (ZrMo) based gel generators for 99 Tc m , developed first by Australian scientists, particularly for developing nations having production capability for neutron activated 99 Mo, work has been carried out in our centre towards optimisation of the preparatory conditions. Appropriate facilities have been set up for safe, reliable and regular manufacture of such 99 Tc m gel generators on a small scale based on our earlier successful attempts on the approach for process standardisation. The results of our extensive evaluation, including for clinical use, are reported here. Following the regular procedure standardised by us earlier, 9 lots of 99 Mo were converted in ZrMo gel adopting aseptic practices and two different techniques for drying the ZrMo cake - heated air at 60-80 deg. C and microwave drying at 385 watts. The ZrMo granules obtained after further processing were loaded onto generator assemblies. 10 g molybdenum was handled in each batch of gel conversion, while typically 2 g Mo was used per generator column, except in the case of demonstration of higher capacity generators. The generator performance was evaluated systematically over nearly 15 days, in terms of rapidity and smoothness of elution, 99 Tc m elution yield and quality of eluted pertechnetate. The consistent results of over 60% (Max. 90%) yield of 99 Tc m , -3 % 99 Mo breakthrough, >98% radiochemical purity of pertechnetate, 99 Tc m compounds etc. indicated satisfactory quality of pertechnetate, comparable to that obtained by conventional generator systems. 12 such generators, containing up to 18.5 GBq 99 Mo, supplied for clinical use and evaluated at two hospital radiopharmacies showed satisfactory generator performance. The applicability for preparing larger capacity generators for centralised radiopharmacies and feasibility to achieve reduced process time and ease of control by using microwave oven drying have been established. (author)

  20. Mucin Agarose Gel Electrophoresis: Western Blotting for High-molecular-weight Glycoproteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramsey, Kathryn A; Rushton, Zachary L; Ehre, Camille

    2016-06-14

    Mucins, the heavily-glycosylated proteins lining mucosal surfaces, have evolved as a key component of innate defense by protecting the epithelium against invading pathogens. The main role of these macromolecules is to facilitate particle trapping and clearance while promoting lubrication of the mucosa. During protein synthesis, mucins undergo intense O-glycosylation and multimerization, which dramatically increase the mass and size of these molecules. These post-translational modifications are critical for the viscoelastic properties of mucus. As a result of the complex biochemical and biophysical nature of these molecules, working with mucins provides many challenges that cannot be overcome by conventional protein analysis methods. For instance, their high-molecular-weight prevents electrophoretic migration via regular polyacrylamide gels and their sticky nature causes adhesion to experimental tubing. However, investigating the role of mucins in health (e.g., maintaining mucosal integrity) and disease (e.g., hyperconcentration, mucostasis, cancer) has recently gained interest and mucins are being investigated as a therapeutic target. A better understanding of the production and function of mucin macromolecules may lead to novel pharmaceutical approaches, e.g., inhibitors of mucin granule exocytosis and/or mucolytic agents. Therefore, consistent and reliable protocols to investigate mucin biology are critical for scientific advancement. Here, we describe conventional methods to separate mucin macromolecules by electrophoresis using an agarose gel, transfer protein into nitrocellulose membrane, and detect signal with mucin-specific antibodies as well as infrared fluorescent gel reader. These techniques are widely applicable to determine mucin quantitation, multimerization and to test the effects of pharmacological compounds on mucins.

  1. Preparation of zirconium molybdate gel generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Charoen, S.; Aungurarat, G.; Laohawilai, S.; Sukontpradit, W.; Jingjit, S.

    1994-01-01

    A procedure for preparation of 99mTc generator based on conversion to zirconium molybdate gel of 99Mo produced by neutron activation was reported. The gel was prepared from zirconium oxychloride solution pH 1.6, ammonium molybdate solution pH 3-5 and mole ratio of Zr:Mo 1:1 which had water content about 7-8%. Small generators containing 1-1.5 g of gel were eluted with average efficiencies of 77% and the activity peak in the first 3 ml of 10 ml of saline solution. The amount of Mo and Zr in eluates were below the acceptance limit. The gel generators of activity about 100 mCi were prepared and had the good performance in elutability and stability

  2. Pecan drying with silica gel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ghate, S.R.; Chhinnan, M.S.

    1983-07-01

    High moisture in-shell pecans were dried by keeping them in direct and indirect contact with silica gel to investigate their drying characteristics. In-shell pecans were also dried with ambient air from a controlled environment chamber and with air dehumidified by silica gel. Direct contact and dehumidified air drying seemed feasible approaches.

  3. Silica- and germania-based dual-ligand sol-gel organic-inorganic hybrid sorbents combining superhydrophobicity and π-π interaction. The role of inorganic substrate in sol-gel capillary microextraction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seyyal, Emre; Malik, Abdul

    2017-04-29

    Principles of sol-gel chemistry were utilized to create silica- and germania-based dual-ligand surface-bonded sol-gel coatings providing enhanced performance in capillary microextraction (CME) through a combination of ligand superhydrophobicity and π-π interaction. These organic-inorganic hybrid coatings were prepared using sol-gel precursors with bonded perfluorododecyl (PF-C 12 ) and phenethyl (PhE) ligands. Here, the ability of the PF-C 12 ligand to provide enhanced hydrophobic interaction was advantageously combined with π-π interaction capability of the PhE moiety to attain the desired sorbent performance in CME. The effect of the inorganic sorbent component on microextraction performance of was explored by comparing microextraction characteristics of silica- and germania-based sol-gel sorbents. The germania-based dual-ligand sol-gel sorbent demonstrated superior CME performance compared to its silica-based counterpart. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the created silica- and germania-based dual-ligand sol-gel sorbents suggested higher carbon loading on the germania-based sorbent. This might be indicative of more effective condensation of the organic ligand-bearing sol-gel-active chemical species to the germania-based sol-gel network (than to its silica-based counterpart) evolving in the sol solution. The type and concentration of the organic ligands were varied in the sol-gel sorbents to fine-tune extraction selectivity toward different classes of analytes. Specific extraction (SE) values were used for an objective comparison of the prepared sol-gel CME sorbents. The sorbents with higher content of PF-C 12 showed remarkable affinity for aliphatic hydrocarbons. Compared to their single-ligand sol-gel counterparts, the dual-ligand sol-gel coatings demonstrated significantly superior CME performance in the extraction of alkylbenzenes, providing up to ∼65.0% higher SE values. The prepared sol-gel CME coatings provided low ng L -1 limit of detections (LOD

  4. In vitro⿿in vivo performance of bare and drug loaded silica gel synthesized via optimized process parameters

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Suparna; Biswas, Supratim

    2016-01-01

    Silica xerogel as a potential drug carrier system for the in vivo as well as in vitro delivery of andrographolide was tested. The present study aims to optimize the effective experimental parameters; volume of ethanol, volume of water and drying temperature by applying response surface methodology coupled with Box⿿Behnken experimental design. The in vitro drug release in simulated body fluid at 37 οC from the selected formulation was significantly highest (44.83 ± 0.9%) among rest of the formulations. Results indicate that sol⿿gel method is useful for entrapping andrographolide in the silica gel and for releasing the same via diffusion through the porous matrix under the in vitro/in vivo conditions. Silica gel exhibited slow matrix degradation as well as sustained release of andrographolide within the experimental time frame of 168 h. In vivo study was performed with three increasing doses [2 mg (S1), 8 mg (S2), and 16 mg (S3)] of silica. Histological fates of different organs were executed with those doses.

  5. All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors based on papers coated with carbon nanotubes and ionic-liquid-based gel electrolytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Yu Jin; Kim, Woong; Chung, Haegeun; Han, Chi-Hwan

    2012-01-01

    All-solid-state flexible supercapacitors were fabricated using carbon nanotubes (CNTs), regular office papers, and ionic-liquid-based gel electrolytes. Flexible electrodes were made by coating CNTs on office papers by a drop-dry method. The gel electrolyte was prepared by mixing fumed silica nanopowders with ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([EMIM][NTf 2 ]). This supercapacitor showed high power and energy performance as a solid-state flexible supercapacitor. The specific capacitance of the CNT electrodes was 135 F g −1 at a current density of 2 A g −1 , when considering the mass of active materials only. The maximum power and energy density of the supercapacitors were 164 kW kg −1 and 41 Wh kg −1 , respectively. Interestingly, the solid-state supercapacitor with the gel electrolyte showed comparable performance to the supercapacitors with ionic-liquid electrolyte. Moreover, the supercapacitor showed excellent stability and flexibility. The CNT/paper- and gel-based supercapacitors may hold great potential for low-cost and high-performance flexible energy storage applications. (paper)

  6. Dosimetric evaluation of a novel polymer gel dosimeter for proton therapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zeidan, O. A.; Sriprisan, S. I.; Lopatiuk-Tirpak, O.; Kupelian, P. A.; Meeks, S. L.; Hsi, W. C.; Li, Z.; Palta, J. R.; Maryanski, M. J. [M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando, Orlando, Florida 32806 (United States); University of Florida Proton Therapy Institute, Jacksonville, Florida 32206 (United States); MGS Research, Inc., Madison, Connecticut 06443 (United States)

    2010-05-15

    Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the dosimetric performance of a newly developed proton-sensitive polymer gel formulation for proton therapy dosimetry. Methods: Using passive scattered modulated and nonmodulated proton beams, the dose response of the gel was assessed. A next-generation optical CT scanner is used as the readout mechanism of the radiation-induced absorbance in the gel medium. Comparison of relative dose profiles in the gel to ion chamber profiles in water is performed. A simple and easily reproducible calibration protocol is established for routine gel batch calibrations. Relative stopping power ratio measurement of the gel medium was performed to ensure accurate water-equivalent depth dose scaling. Measured dose distributions in the gel were compared to treatment planning system for benchmark irradiations and quality of agreement is assessed using clinically relevant gamma index criteria. Results: The dosimetric response of the gel was mapped up to 600 cGy using an electron-based calibration technique. Excellent dosimetric agreement is observed between ion chamber data and gel. The most notable result of this work is the fact that this gel has no observed dose quenching in the Bragg peak region. Quantitative dose distribution comparisons to treatment planning system calculations show that most (>97%) of the gel dose maps pass the 3%/3 mm gamma criterion. Conclusions: This study shows that the new proton-sensitive gel dosimeter is capable of reproducing ion chamber dose data for modulated and nonmodulated Bragg peak beams with different clinical beam energies. The findings suggest that the gel dosimeter can be used as QA tool for millimeter range verification of proton beam deliveries in the dosimeter medium.

  7. Dosimetric evaluation of a novel polymer gel dosimeter for proton therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeidan, O. A.; Sriprisan, S. I.; Lopatiuk-Tirpak, O.; Kupelian, P. A.; Meeks, S. L.; Hsi, W. C.; Li, Z.; Palta, J. R.; Maryanski, M. J.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the dosimetric performance of a newly developed proton-sensitive polymer gel formulation for proton therapy dosimetry. Methods: Using passive scattered modulated and nonmodulated proton beams, the dose response of the gel was assessed. A next-generation optical CT scanner is used as the readout mechanism of the radiation-induced absorbance in the gel medium. Comparison of relative dose profiles in the gel to ion chamber profiles in water is performed. A simple and easily reproducible calibration protocol is established for routine gel batch calibrations. Relative stopping power ratio measurement of the gel medium was performed to ensure accurate water-equivalent depth dose scaling. Measured dose distributions in the gel were compared to treatment planning system for benchmark irradiations and quality of agreement is assessed using clinically relevant gamma index criteria. Results: The dosimetric response of the gel was mapped up to 600 cGy using an electron-based calibration technique. Excellent dosimetric agreement is observed between ion chamber data and gel. The most notable result of this work is the fact that this gel has no observed dose quenching in the Bragg peak region. Quantitative dose distribution comparisons to treatment planning system calculations show that most (>97%) of the gel dose maps pass the 3%/3 mm gamma criterion. Conclusions: This study shows that the new proton-sensitive gel dosimeter is capable of reproducing ion chamber dose data for modulated and nonmodulated Bragg peak beams with different clinical beam energies. The findings suggest that the gel dosimeter can be used as QA tool for millimeter range verification of proton beam deliveries in the dosimeter medium.

  8. Fluorographic detection of tritiated glycopeptides and oligosaccharides separated on polyacrylamide gels: analysis of glycans from Dictyostelium discoideum glycoproteins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prem Das, O.; Henderson, E.J.

    1986-01-01

    Previous workers have shown that oligosaccharides and glycopeptides can be separated by electrophoresis in buffers containing borate ions. However, normal fluorography of tritium-labeled structures cannot be performed because the glycans are soluble and can diffuse during equilibration with scintillants. This problem has been circumvented by equilibration of the gel with 2,5-diphenyloxazole (PPO) prior to electrophoresis. The presence of PPO in the gel during electrophoresis does not alter mobility of the glycopeptides and oligosaccharides. After electrophoresis, the gel is simply dried and fluorography performed. This allows sensitive and precise comparisons of labeled samples in parallel lanes of a slab gel and, since mobilities are highly reproducible, between different gels. The procedure is preparative in that after fluorography the gel bands can be quantitatively eluted for further study, without any apparent modification by the procedure. In this report, the procedure is illustrated by fractionation of both neutral and anionic glycopeptides produced by the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum

  9. The role seemingly of amorphous silica gel layers in chiral separations by planar chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sajewicz, M.; Kowalska, T.

    2007-01-01

    In planar chromatography, silica gel appears as the most frequently used adsorbent. Its preference as planar chromatographic stationary phase is due to its high specific surface area (ca. 700 m2 gl) and relatively simple active sites (silanol groups =Si-OH). The high specific surface area of silica gel and a high density of coverage of its surface with the silanol active sites contribute jointly to an excellent separation performance of this adsorbent. In our experiments on chiral separation of the enantiomer pairs by planar chromatography, contradictory behavior of the silica gel layers versus the chiral compounds was observed. The migration tracks of chiral compounds in the ascending planar chromatographic mode were not vertical but bent on either side being a function of analyte chirality. This deviation of the analytes migration track was noticed, when using the densitometric scanner to quantify the respective chromatograms. In order to confirm the hypothesis as to the microcrystalline nature of silica gel used in liquid chromatography, it was further investigated through circular dichroism (CD) and the data thereof confirmed that the chromatographic silica gels are not amorphous but microcrystalline, contributing to the (partial) horizontal enantioseparation of the antimer pairs. This paper summarizes the results of our investigation on the microcrystalline nature of silica gels used in planar chromatography and their impact on enantioseparation of the selected pairs of antimers. (author)

  10. Synthesis of all-silica zeolites from highly concentrated gels containing hexamethonium cations

    KAUST Repository

    Liu, Xiaolong

    2012-07-01

    A pure and highly crystalline all-silica EU-1 zeolite has been obtained from the crystallization of gels containing very low water contents in the presence of hexamethonium cations. Decreasing the water content in the gel down to H 2O/Si < 1 inhibited the formation of ZSM-48, which is usually observed under more diluted standard crystallization conditions. Moreover, addition of NH 4F to the synthesis led to the formation of "half-fluorinated" ITQ-13 in which fluoride anions occupied only the center of D4R cages. In larger cages, the charge of the template was compensated by framework connectivity defects, clearly demonstrating once more the essential role of F - in the formation of D4R units. The formation of such hybrid (F,OH) is particularly interesting from a synthesis point of view, particularly for understanding the respective roles of fluoride and hydroxide anions in the crystallization process. © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. PCR amplification on microarrays of gel immobilized oligonucleotides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strizhkov, Boris; Tillib, Sergei; Mikhailovich, Vladimir; Mirzabekov, Andrei

    2003-11-04

    The invention relates two general methods for performing PCR amplification, combined with the detection and analysis of the PCR products on a microchip. In the first method, the amplification occurs both outside and within a plurality of gel pads on a microchip, with at least one oligonucleotide primer immobilized in a gel pad. In the second method, PCR amplification also takes place within gel pads on a microchip, but the pads are surrounded by a hydrophobic liquid such as that which separates the individual gel pads into environments which resemble micro-miniaturized test tubes.

  12. Sol-gel technology applied to alternative high-level waste forms development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Angelini, P.; Stinton, D.P.; Vavruska, J.S.; Caputo, A.J.; Lackey, W.J.

    1981-01-01

    Sol-gel technology appears applicable to waste solidification. It is attractive for remote operation, and a variety of waste compositions and forms can be produced. Spheres and pellets of gel-derived Synroc waste forms were produced. Spheres of the Synroc-B type were coated with pyrolytic carbon and silicon carbide. Partitioning of actinides in Synroc-B was experimentally determined

  13. High-Performance and Simply-Synthesized Ladder-Like Structured Methacrylate Siloxane Hybrid Material for Flexible Hard Coating

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yun Hyeok Kim

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available A high performance ladder-like structured methacrylate siloxane hybrid material (LMSH was fabricated via simple hydrolytic sol–gel reaction, followed by free-radical polymerization. A structurally ordered siloxane backbone, the ladder-like structure, which is an essential factor for high performance, could be achieved by a short period of sol–gel reaction in only 4 h. This results in superior optical (Transmittance > 90% at 550 nm, thermal (T5 wt % decomposition > 400 ℃ , mechanical properties(elastic recovery = 0.86, hardness = 0.6 GPa compared to the random- and even commercialized cage-structured silsesquioxane, which also has ordered structure. It was investigated that the fabricated ladder-like structured MSH showed the highest overall density of organic/inorganic co-networks that are originated from highly ordered siloxane network, along with high conversion rate of polymerizable methacrylate groups. Our findings suggest a potential of the ladder-like structured MSH as a powerful alternative for the methacrylate polysilsesquioxane, which can be applied to thermally stable and flexible optical coatings, even with an easier and simpler preparation process.

  14. Synthesis and studies of Y-Ba-Cu-O high temperature superconductor prepared by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grigoryan, S.G.; Manukyan, A.L.; Hayrapetyan, A.G.; Arzumanyan, A.M.; Rashidyan, L.H.; Mkrtichyan, N.Y.; Mkrtchyan, A.A.; Kurginyan, K.A.; Trozyan, A.H.; Vardanyan, R.S.

    2004-01-01

    The method of preparation of Y-Ba-Cu-O high temperature superconducting materials by sol-gel processing technique both for powders and thin films are described. All these methods are based on using yttrium alkoxides as precursors, which are not ready available reagents, besides the majority of these methods use copper alkoxides, which show low solubility in organic solvents, moreover they are very sensitive to hydrolysis in air. The new method of preparation of Y-Ba-Cu-O ceramic materials by sol-gel processing technique based on new and convenient precursors stable in air, having high compatibility with each other is offered. Basic scientific and technological issues related to the synthesis of bulk materials, their structure and electrical conductivity are discussed

  15. How does the chemistry of polymer gel dosimeters affect their performance?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jirasek, A; McAuley, K B; Lepage, M

    2009-01-01

    This review article describes the primary chemical processes affecting polymerization in polymer-based radiosensitive gel dosimeters. Furthermore, recently studied environmental factors and gelation processes affecting polymerization and gel dose response are discussed. Finally, the predominant physical factors affecting dose-response sensitivity for each of the three imaging modalities (MRI, Optical CT, x-ray CT) are outlined. Emphasis is concentrated on recent literature in this area, as prior literature was summarized in review articles submitted to DOSGEL 2006 in Sherbrooke (J. Conf. Series, 56, 2006). Discussions from the recent DOSGEL conference (2008) are incorporated into this review.

  16. How does the chemistry of polymer gel dosimeters affect their performance?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jirasek, A [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Victoria, Victoria BC V8W 3P6 (Canada); McAuley, K B [Department of Chemical Engineering, Queen' s University, Kingston ON K7L 3N6 (Canada); Lepage, M [Centre d' imagerie moleculaire de Sherbrooke, Universite de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke QC J1H 5N4 (Canada)], E-mail: jirasek@uvic.ca, E-mail: kim.mcauley@chee.queensu.ca, E-mail: martin.lepage@usherbrooke.ca

    2009-05-01

    This review article describes the primary chemical processes affecting polymerization in polymer-based radiosensitive gel dosimeters. Furthermore, recently studied environmental factors and gelation processes affecting polymerization and gel dose response are discussed. Finally, the predominant physical factors affecting dose-response sensitivity for each of the three imaging modalities (MRI, Optical CT, x-ray CT) are outlined. Emphasis is concentrated on recent literature in this area, as prior literature was summarized in review articles submitted to DOSGEL 2006 in Sherbrooke (J. Conf. Series, 56, 2006). Discussions from the recent DOSGEL conference (2008) are incorporated into this review.

  17. The spatial resolution in dosimetry with normoxic polymer-gels investigated with the dose modulation transfer approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bayreder, Christian; Schoen, Robert; Wieland, M.; Georg, Dietmar; Moser, Ewald; Berg, Andreas

    2008-01-01

    The verification of dose distributions with high dose gradients as appearing in brachytherapy or stereotactic radiotherapy for example, calls for dosimetric methods with sufficiently high spatial resolution. Polymer gels in combination with a MR or optical scanner as a readout device have the potential of performing the verification of a three-dimensional dose distribution within a single measurement. The purpose of this work is to investigate the spatial resolution achievable in MR-based polymer gel dosimetry. The authors show that dosimetry on a very small spatial scale (voxel size: 94x94x1000 μm 3 ) can be performed with normoxic polymer gels using parameter selective T2 imaging. In order to prove the spatial resolution obtained we are relying on the dose-modulation transfer function (DMTF) concept based on very fine dose modulations at half periods of 200 μm. Very fine periodic dose modulations of a 60 Co photon field were achieved by means of an absorption grid made of tungsten-carbide, specifically designed for quality control. The dose modulation in the polymer gel is compared with that of film dosimetry in one plane via the DMTF concept for general access to the spatial resolution of a dose imaging system. Additionally Monte Carlo simulations were performed and used for the calculation of the DMTF of both, the polymer gel and film dosimetry. The results obtained by film dosimetry agree well with those of Monte Carlo simulations, whereas polymer gel dosimetry overestimates the amplitude value of the fine dose modulations. The authors discuss possible reasons. The in-plane resolution achieved in this work competes with the spatial resolution of standard clinical film-scanner systems

  18. Carbohydrate Intake in Form of Gel Is Associated With Increased Gastrointestinal Distress but Not With Performance Differences Compared With Liquid Carbohydrate Ingestion During Simulated Long-Distance Triathlon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sareban, Mahdi; Zügel, David; Koehler, Karsten; Hartveg, Paul; Zügel, Martina; Schumann, Uwe; Steinacker, Jürgen Michael; Treff, Gunnar

    2016-04-01

    The ingestion of exogenous carbohydrates (CHO) during prolonged endurance exercise, such as long-distance triathlon, is considered beneficial with regard to performance. However, little is known about whether this performance benefit differs among different forms of CHO administration. To this end, the purpose of our study was to determine the impact of CHO ingestion from a semisolid source (GEL) on measures of performance and gastrointestinal (GI) comfort compared with CHO ingestion from a liquid source (LIQ). Nine well-trained triathletes participated in this randomized crossover study. Each participant completed a 60-min swim, 180-min bike exercise, and a 60-min all-out run in a laboratory environment under 2 conditions, once while receiving 67.2 ± 7.2 g · h-1 (M ± SD) of CHO from GEL and once while receiving 67.8 ± 4.2 g · h-1 of CHO from LIQ. The amount of fluid provided was matched among conditions. Respiratory exchange ratio (RER), blood glucose, and lactate as well as GI discomfort were assessed at regular intervals during the experiment. The distance covered during the final all-out run was not significantly different among participants ingesting GEL (11.81 ± 1.38 km) and LIQ (11.91 ± 1.53 km; p = .89). RER, blood glucose, and lactate did not differ significantly at any time during the experiment. Seven participants reported GI discomfort with GEL, and no athlete reported GI discomfort with LIQ (p = .016). This study suggests that administration of GEL does not alter long-distance triathlon performance when compared with LIQ, but GEL seems to be associated with reduced GI tolerance. Athletes should consider this a potential disadvantage of GEL administration during long-distance triathlon.

  19. Ionogel Electrolytes through Sol-Gel Processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Horowitz, Ariel I.

    Electrical energy needs have intensified due to the ubiquity of personal electronics, the decarbonization of energy services through electrification, and the use of intermittent renewable energy sources. Despite developments in mechanical and thermal methods, electrochemical technologies are the most convenient and effective means of storing electrical energy. These technologies include both electrochemical cells, commonly called batteries, and electrochemical double-layer capacitors, or "supercapacitors", which store energy electrostatically. Both device types require an ion-conducting electrolyte. Current devices use solutions of complex salts in organic solvents, leading to both toxicity and flammability concerns. These drawbacks can be avoided by replacing conventional electrolytes with room-temperature molten salts, known as ionic liquids (ILs). ILs are non-volatile, non-flammable, and offer high conductivity and good electrochemical stability. Device mass can be reduced by combining ILs with a solid scaffold material to form an "ionogel," further improving performance metrics. In this work, sol-gel chemistry is explored as a means of forming ionogel electrolytes. Sol-gel chemistry is a solution-based, industrially-relevant, well-studied technique by which solids such as silica can be formed in situ. Previous works used a simple acid-catalyzed sol-gel reaction to create brittle, glassy ionogels. Here, both the range of products that can be accomplished through sol-gel processing and the understanding of interactions between ILs and the sol-gel reaction network are greatly expanded. This work introduces novel ionogel materials, including soft and compliant silica-supported ionogels and PDMS-supported ionogels. The impacts of the reactive formulation, IL identity, and casting time are detailed. It is demonstrated that variations in formulation can lead to rapid gelation and open pore structures in the silica scaffold or slow gelation and more dense silica

  20. Structure of gels layers with cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pokusaev, B. G.; Karlov, S. P.; Vyazmin, A. V.; Nekrasov, D. A.; Zakharov, N. S.; Khramtsov, D. P.; Skladnev, D. A.; Tyupa, D. V.

    2017-11-01

    The structure of two-layer agarose gels containing yeast cells is investigated experimentally by spectrometry, to shed a light on the theoretical foundations for the development of bioreactors by the method of 3D bioprinting. Due to division, cells overcome the layer of the dispersion phase separating successively applied layers of the agarose gel. However a gel layer of 100 μm thick with a high concentration of silver nanoparticles completely excludes the infiltration of yeast cells through it. A special sort of agarose is suggested where the concentration of silver nanoparticles formed by cells from salt of silver can serve as an indicator of the state of the yeast cells in the volume of the gel.

  1. A fast dual wavelength laser beam fluid-less optical CT scanner for radiotherapy 3D gel dosimetry II: dosimetric performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramm, Daniel

    2018-02-01

    New clinical radiotherapy dosimetry systems need comprehensive demonstration of measurement quality. Practicality and reliability are other important aspects for clinical dosimeters. In this work the performance of an optical CT scanner for true 3D dosimetry is assessed using a radiochromic gel dosimeter. The fluid-less scanner utilised dual lasers to avoid the necessity for pre-irradiation scans and give greater robustness of image quality, enhancing practicality. Calibration methods using both cuvettes and reconstructed volumes were developed. Dosimetric accuracy was similar for dual and single wavelength measurements, except that cuvette calibration reliability was reduced for dual wavelength without pre-irradiation scanning. Detailed performance parameters were specified for the dosimetry system indicating the suitability for clinical use. The most significant limitations of the system were due to the gel dosimeter rather than the optical CT scanner. Quality assurance guidelines were developed to maintain dosimetry system performance in routine use.

  2. Radiotherapy gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baldock, C.

    2002-01-01

    shapes and sizes while sparing normal tissue. The situation is further complicated if the normal tissues are critical organs or are particularly sensitive to radiation. Radiotherapy techniques employed to obtain a closer conformation of the dose distribution to the tumour volume are referred to as conformal radiotherapy techniques. The clinical implementation of conformal therapy has been delayed by limitations in the verification of conformal dose distributions calculated by treatment planning systems prior to the irradiation of the patient and the verification of complex treatments during its delivery to the patient. There are several aspects of conformal therapy that complicate dose verification. To achieve the dose distributions conforming to complex 3D volumes, high dose gradients arise in the treatment volume. Further, overdose or underdose regions can exist when separate radiation fields are used to deliver additional radiation. These aspects require that practical dose measurement (dosimetry) techniques be able to integrate dose over time and easily measure dose distributions in 3D with high spatial resolution. Traditional dosimeters, such as ion chambers, thermoluminescent dosimeters and radiographic film do not fulfil these requirements. Novel gel dosimetry techniques are being developed in which dose distributions can potentially be determined in vitro in 3D using anthropomorphic phantoms to simulate a clinically irradiated situation. As long ago as the 1950's, radiation-induced colour change in dyes was used to investigate radiation doses in gels. It was subsequently shown that radiation induced changes in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation properties of gels infused with conventional Fricke dosimetry solutions could be measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In Fricke gels, Fe 2+ ions in ferrous sulphate solutions are usually dispersed throughout a gelatin, agarose or PVA matrix. Radiation-induced changes in the dosimeters are considered to

  3. Talcum powder or aqueous gel to aid external cephalic version: a randomised controlled trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background External cephalic version (ECV) is offered to reduce the number of Caesarean delivery indicated by breech presentation which occurs in 3-4% of term pregnancies. ECV is commonly performed aided by the application of aqueous gel or talcum powder to the maternal abdomen. We sought to compare gel with powder during ECV on achieving successful version and increasing tolerability. Method We enrolled 95 women (≥ 36 weeks gestation) on their attendance for planned ECV. All participants received terbutaline tocolysis. Regional anaesthesia was not used. ECV was performed in the standard fashion after the application of the allocated aid. If the first round (maximum of 2 attempts) of ECV failed, crossover to the opposing aid was permitted. Results 48 women were randomised to powder and 47 to gel. Self-reported procedure related median [interquartile range] pain scores (using a 10-point visual numerical rating scale VNRS; low score more pain) were 6 [5-9] vs. 8 [7-9] P = 0.03 in favor of gel. ECV was successful in 21/48 (43.8%) vs. 26/47 (55.3%) RR 0.6 95% CI 0.3-1.4 P = 0.3 for powder and gel arms respectively. Crossover to the opposing aid and a second round of ECV was performed in 13/27 (48.1%) following initial failure with powder and 4/21 (19%) after failure with gel (RR 3.9 95% CI 1.0-15 P = 0.07). ECV success rate was 5/13 (38.5%) vs. 1/4 (25%) P = 0.99 after crossover use of gel or powder respectively. Operators reported higher satisfaction score with the use of gel (high score, greater satisfaction) VNRS scores 6 [4.25-8] vs 8 [7-9] P = 0.01. Conclusion Women find gel use to be associated with less pain. The ECV success rate is not significantly different. Trial registration The trial is registered with ISRCTN (identifier ISRCTN87231556). PMID:24468078

  4. The Role Seemingly of Amorphous Silica Gel Layers in Chiral Separations by Planar Chromatography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teresa Kowalska

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available In planar chromatography, silica gel appears as the most frequently used adsorbent. Its preference as planar chromatographic stationary phase is due to its high specific surface area (ca. 700 m2 g-1 and relatively simple active sites (silanol groups, Si-OH. The high specific surface area of silica gel and a high density of coverage of its surface with the silanol active sites contribute jointly to an excellent separation performance of this adsorbent. In our experiments on chiral separation of the enantiomer pairs by planar chromatography, contradictory behavior of the silica gel layers versus the chiral compounds was observed. The migration tracks of chiral compounds in the ascending planar chromatographic mode were not vertical but bent on either side being a function of analyte chirality. This deviation of the analyte’s migration track was noticed, when using the densitometric scanner to quantify the respective chromatograms. In order to confirm the hypothesis as to the microcrystalline nature of silica gel used in liquid chromatography, it was further investigated through circular dichroism (CD and the data thereof confirmed that the ‘chromatographic’ silica gels are not amorphous but microcrystalline, contributing to the (partial horizontal enantioseparation of the antimer pairs. This paper summarizes the results of our investigation on the microcrystalline nature of silica gels used in planar chromatography and their impact on enantioseparation of the selected pairs of antimers.

  5. Gels and gel-derived glasses in the Na2O-B2O3-SiO2 system. [containerless melting in space

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, S. P.

    1982-01-01

    The containerless melting of high-purity multicomponent homogeneous gels and gel-monoliths offers a unique approach to making ultrapure multicomponent optical glasses in the reduced gravity environment of space. Procedures for preparing and characterizing gels and gel-derived glasses in the Na2O-B2O3-SiO2 system are described. Preparation is based on the polymerization reactions of alkoxysilane with trimethyl borate or boric acid and a suitable sodium compound. The chemistry of the gelling process is discussed in terms of process parameters and the gel compositions. The physicochemical nature of gels prepared by three different procedures were found to be significantly different. IR absorption spectra indicate finite differences in the molecular structures of the different gels. The melting of the gel powders and the transformation of porous gel-monoliths to transparent 'glass' without melting are described.

  6. Performance enhancement of direct ethanol fuel cell using Nafion composites with high volume fraction of titania

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matos, B. R.; Isidoro, R. A.; Santiago, E. I.; Fonseca, F. C.

    2014-12-01

    The present study reports on the performance enhancement of direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) at 130 °C with Nafion-titania composite electrolytes prepared by sol-gel technique and containing high volume fractions of the ceramic phase. It is found that for high volume fractions of titania (>10 vol%) the ethanol uptake of composites is largely reduced while the proton conductivity at high-temperatures is weakly dependent on the titania content. Such tradeoff between alcohol uptake and conductivity resulted in a boost of DEFC performance at high temperatures using Nafion-titania composites with high fraction of the inorganic phase.

  7. Thin film transistor performance of amorphous indium–zinc oxide semiconductor thin film prepared by ultraviolet photoassisted sol–gel processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kodzasa, Takehito; Nobeshima, Taiki; Kuribara, Kazunori; Yoshida, Manabu

    2018-05-01

    We have fabricated an amorphous indium–zinc oxide (IZO, In/Zn = 3/1) semiconductor thin-film transistor (AOS-TFT) by the sol–gel technique using ultraviolet (UV) photoirradiation and post-treatment in high-pressure O2 at 200 °C. The obtained TFT showed a hole carrier mobility of 0.02 cm2 V‑1 s‑1 and an on/off current ratio of 106. UV photoirradiation leads to the decomposition of the organic agents and hydroxide group in the IZO gel film. Furthermore, the post-treatment annealing at a high O2 pressure of more than 0.6 MPa leads to the filling of the oxygen vacancies in a poor metal–oxygen network in the IZO film.

  8. Nine-Year Core Study Data for Sientra's FDA-Approved Round and Shaped Implants with High-Strength Cohesive Silicone Gel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stevens, W Grant; Calobrace, M Bradley; Harrington, Jennifer; Alizadeh, Kaveh; Zeidler, Kamakshi R; d'Incelli, Rosalyn C

    2016-04-01

    Since approval in March 2012, data on Sientra's (Santa Barbara, CA) silicone gel implants have been updated and published regularly to provide immediate visibility to the continued safety and performance of these devices. The 9 year follow-up data support the previously published data confirming the ongoing safety and efficacy of Sientra silicone gel breast implants. The authors provide updated 9 year study data for Sientra's round and shaped silicone gel breast implants. The Core Study is an ongoing 10 year study that enrolled 1788 patients with 3506 Sientra implants across four indications (primary augmentation, revision-augmentation, primary reconstruction, and revision-reconstruction). For the safety analysis, Kaplan-Meier risk rates were calculated to evaluate postoperative complications, including all breast implant-related adverse effects. For the effectiveness analyses, results were presented through 8 years as patient satisfaction scores were assessed at even years. Through 9 years, the overall risk of capsular contracture was 12.6%. Smooth devices (16.6%, 95% CI, 14.2%, 19.5%) had a statistically significantly higher rate of capsular contracture compared to textured devices (8.0%, 95% CI, 6.2%, 10.4%). Out of the 610 reoperations in 477 patients, over half of all reoperations were due to cosmetic reasons (n = 315; 51.6%). Patient satisfaction remains high through 8 years, with 90% of primary augmentation patients indicating their breast implants look natural and feel soft. The 9-year follow-up data from the ongoing Core Study of the Sientra portfolio of HSC and HSC+ silicone gel breast implants reaffirm the very strong safety profile as well as continued patient satisfaction. 2 Therapeutic. © 2016 The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Inc. Reprints and permission: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Sol-gel preparation of high surface area potassium tetratitanate for the immobilization of nuclear waste metal ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, K.T.; Shul, Y.G.; Moon, J.K.; Oh, W.J.

    1997-01-01

    Potassium tetratinates(K 2 Ti 4 O 9 ) were synthesized by using the sol-gel method to produce ion-exchangeable materials with high surface area. The effects of mole ratios of K/Ti and H 2 O/Ti were examined. K 2 Ti 4 O 9 was obtained at 740 deg. C by the sol-gel method, which uses a lower temperature than the melting method. After calcination at 800 deg. C, K 2 Ti 4 O exhibits a needle shape which is quite different from the shape of K 2 Ti 6 O 13 powder. The surface areas of K 2 Ti 4 O 9 was 15 m 2 /g by the sol-gel method after calcining at 800 C. The enhancement of BET area to 25 m 2 /g was obtained after supercritical drying using EtOH as solvent. By using the sodium alginate method, needle type potassium titanate 10μm in length, the longest aspect ratio of 1,3 x 10 3 could be obtained. There are variations in the Sr 2+ ion exchange rate and capacity according to the preparation method. Larger BET surface area provides fast ion exchange and larger capacity for Sr 2+ ion in the order; sol-gel process with supercritical drying > sol-gel process > melting process. (author). 17 refs, 21 figs, 1 tab

  10. Antibacterial Inhibitory Effects of Punica Granatum Gel on Cariogenic Bacteria: An in vitro Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millo, Grazielle; Juntavee, Apa; Ratanathongkam, Ariya; Nualkaew, Natsajee; Peerapattana, Jomjai; Chatchiwiwattana, Supaporn

    2017-01-01

    This study evaluated the in vitro antibacterial effects of the formulated Punica granatum (PG) gel against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Lactobacillus casei. The PG extract was dissolved in water at 500 mg/mL. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for identification and quantification of chemical marker punicalagin. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and time-kill assay (TKA) were investigated. Antibacterial activities of the formulated PG gel, 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) gel and blank gel were tested by measuring the zones of inhibition through agar well diffusion method. The HPLC results showed presence of punicalagin at 2023.58 ± 25.29 pg/mL in the aqueous PG extract and at 0.234% (w/w) in the formulated PG gel. The MBC for S. mutans, S. Sanguinis, and L. casei were 250, 125, and 500 mg/mL respectively. The TKA of 500 mg/mL aqueous PG extract showed total inhibition of S. mutans, S. Sanguinis, and L. casei at 6, 1, and 24 hours contact time respectively. Agar well diffusion revealed that for S. mutans, CHX gel > PG gel > blank gel; for S. sanguinis, CHX gel = PG gel > blank gel; for L. casei, CHX gel > PG gel = blank gel. Comparison of the PG gel potency showed that S. sanguinis = S. mutans > L. casei. The PG gel equivalent to 0.234% punicalagin (w/w) inhibited S. mutans and S. sanguinis but not L. casei within 24 hours incubation period and has the potential to be used for caries prevention. Millo G, Juntavee A, Ratanathongkam A, Nualkaew N, Peerapattana J, Chatchiwiwattana S. Antibacterial Inhibitory Effects of Punica Granatum Gel on Cariogenic Bacteria: An in vitro Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(2):152-157.

  11. The Relation between the Rheological Properties of Gels and the Mechanical Properties of Their Corresponding Aerogels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingze Sun

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available A series of low density, highly porous clay/poly(vinyl alcohol composite aerogels, incorporating ammonium alginate, were fabricated via a convenient and eco-friendly freeze drying method. It is significant to understand rheological properties of precursor gels because they directly affect the form of aerogels and their processing behaviors. The introduction of ammonium alginate impacted the rheological properties of colloidal gels and improved the mechanical performance of the subject aerogels. The specific compositions and processing conditions applied to those colloidal gel systems brought about different aerogel morphologies, which in turn translated into the observed mechanical properties. The bridge between gel rheologies and aerogel structures are established in the present work.

  12. A novel drug delivery gel of terbinafine hydrochloride with high penetration for external use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yan; Ou, Rujing; Guan, Shixia; Ye, Xiaoling; Hu, Bo; Zhang, Yi; Lu, Shufan; Zhou, Yubin; Yuan, Zhongwen; Zhang, Jun; Li, Qing-Guo

    2015-12-01

    Terbinafine hydrochloride is an antifungal drug for onychomycosis. Poor permeability of its external preparation leads to poor curative effect. Transfersomes, also known as flexible liposome, could improve transmission of drug for local external use. Terbinafine hydrochloride-loaded liposome is expected to become a breakthrough on the treatment of onychomycosis. This study is aimed to prepare high skin penetration terbinafine hydrochloride transfersomes with high encapsulation efficiency, appropriate drug loading and good stability. Taking entrapment efficiency as the main indicator, the formulations and the processes of preparation were investigated. Transfersomes with different surfactants were prepared in the optimization processes, and the formulations were optimized through the transdermal test in vitro. As a result, a gel contained transfersomes was obtained with a brief evaluation. Its pharmacokinetic properties of going through the skin were studied by using the micro dialysis technology and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to assay the penetration behavior of terbinafine. Mean particle size of the terbinafine hydrochloride transfersomes was 69.6 ± 1.23 nm, and the entrapment efficiency was 95.4% ± 0.51. The content of the gel was 4.45 ± 0.15 mg/g. The accumulated permeation of the transfersomes gel in 12 h was 88.52 ± 4.06 µg cm -2 and the intracutaneous drug detention was 94.38 ± 5.26 µg cm -2 . The results of pharmacokinetic studies showed the C max and area under the curve (AUC) were apparently higher than the commercial cream. The terbinafine hydrochloride transfersomes was highly absorbed by the skin. The absorption rate was significantly higher than that of the commercial cream either in the transdermal test in vitro or in the pharmacokinetic studies in vivo.

  13. Optical Fiber Chemical Sensor with Sol-Gel Derived Refractive Material as Transducer for High Temperature Gas Sensing in Clean Coal Technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shiquan Tao

    2006-12-31

    The chemistry of sol-gel derived silica and refractive metal oxide has been systematically studied. Sol-gel processes have been developed for preparing porous silica and semiconductor metal oxide materials. Micelle/reversed micelle techniques have been developed for preparing nanometer sized semiconductor metal oxides and noble metal particles. Techniques for doping metal ions, metal oxides and nanosized metal particles into porous sol-gel material have also been developed. Optical properties of sol-gel derived materials in ambient and high temperature gases have been studied by using fiber optic spectroscopic techniques, such as fiber optic ultraviolet/visible absorption spectrometry, fiber optic near infrared absorption spectrometry and fiber optic fluorescence spectrometry. Fiber optic spectrometric techniques have been developed for investigating the optical properties of these sol-gel derived materials prepared as porous optical fibers or as coatings on the surface of silica optical fibers. Optical and electron microscopic techniques have been used to observe the microstructure, such as pore size, pore shape, sensing agent distribution, of sol-gel derived material, as well as the size and morphology of nanometer metal particle doped in sol-gel derived porous silica, the nature of coating of sol-gel derived materials on silica optical fiber surface. In addition, the chemical reactions of metal ion, nanostructured semiconductor metal oxides and nanometer sized metal particles with gas components at room temperature and high temperatures have also been investigated with fiber optic spectrometric methods. Three classes of fiber optic sensors have been developed based on the thorough investigation of sol-gel chemistry and sol-gel derived materials. The first group of fiber optic sensors uses porous silica optical fibers doped with metal ions or metal oxide as transducers for sensing trace NH{sub 3} and H{sub 2}S in high temperature gas samples. The second group of

  14. One-step sol-gel imprint lithography for guided-mode resonance structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yin; Liu, Longju; Johnson, Michael; C Hillier, Andrew; Lu, Meng

    2016-03-04

    Guided-mode resonance (GMR) structures consisting of sub-wavelength periodic gratings are capable of producing narrow-linewidth optical resonances. This paper describes a sol-gel-based imprint lithography method for the fabrication of submicron 1D and 2D GMR structures. This method utilizes a patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold to fabricate the grating coupler and waveguide for a GMR device using a sol-gel thin film in a single step. An organic-inorganic hybrid sol-gel film was selected as the imprint material because of its relatively high refractive index. The optical responses of several sol-gel GMR devices were characterized, and the experimental results were in good agreement with the results of electromagnetic simulations. The influence of processing parameters was investigated in order to determine how finely the spectral response and resonant wavelength of the GMR devices could be tuned. As an example potential application, refractometric sensing experiments were performed using a 1D sol-gel device. The results demonstrated a refractive index sensitivity of 50 nm/refractive index unit. This one-step fabrication process offers a simple, rapid, and low-cost means of fabricating GMR structures. We anticipate that this method can be valuable in the development of various GMR-based devices as it can readily enable the fabrication of complex shapes and allow the doping of optically active materials into sol-gel thin film.

  15. One-step sol–gel imprint lithography for guided-mode resonance structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Yin; Liu, Longju; Lu, Meng; Johnson, Michael; C Hillier, Andrew

    2016-01-01

    Guided-mode resonance (GMR) structures consisting of sub-wavelength periodic gratings are capable of producing narrow-linewidth optical resonances. This paper describes a sol–gel-based imprint lithography method for the fabrication of submicron 1D and 2D GMR structures. This method utilizes a patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) mold to fabricate the grating coupler and waveguide for a GMR device using a sol–gel thin film in a single step. An organic–inorganic hybrid sol–gel film was selected as the imprint material because of its relatively high refractive index. The optical responses of several sol–gel GMR devices were characterized, and the experimental results were in good agreement with the results of electromagnetic simulations. The influence of processing parameters was investigated in order to determine how finely the spectral response and resonant wavelength of the GMR devices could be tuned. As an example potential application, refractometric sensing experiments were performed using a 1D sol–gel device. The results demonstrated a refractive index sensitivity of 50 nm/refractive index unit. This one-step fabrication process offers a simple, rapid, and low-cost means of fabricating GMR structures. We anticipate that this method can be valuable in the development of various GMR-based devices as it can readily enable the fabrication of complex shapes and allow the doping of optically active materials into sol–gel thin film. (paper)

  16. GelTouch

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Miruchna, Viktor; Walter, Robert; Lindlbauer, David

    2015-01-01

    We present GelTouch, a gel-based layer that can selectively transition between soft and stiff to provide tactile multi-touch feedback. It is flexible, transparent when not activated, and contains no mechanical, electromagnetic, or hydraulic components, resulting in a compact form factor (a 2mm thin...... touchscreen layer for our prototype). The activated areas can be morphed freely and continuously, without being limited to fixed, predefined shapes. GelTouch consists of a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gel layer which alters its viscoelasticity when activated by applying heat (>32 C). We present three different...

  17. Fast Processing of Sol-Gel TCO

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Deelen, J. van; Rem, M.; Arfsten, N.; Buskens, P.P.

    2016-01-01

    TCOs are usually deposited using sputtering or chemical vapor deposition, which have a yield of typically 50-75%. The sol gel method does not need low pressure and can be done with a high precursor yield in the range of 90 – 100%. Sol gel enables also the TCO function as a planarization or

  18. Multi-gel casting apparatus for vertical polyacrylamide gels with in-built solution flow system and liquid level detectors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maurye, Praveen; Basu, Arpita; Bandyopadhyay, Tapas Kumar; Biswas, Jayanta Kumar; Mohanty, Bimal Prasana

    2017-08-01

    PAGE is the most widely used technique for the separation and biochemical analysis of biomolecules. The ever growing field of proteomics and genomics necessitates the analysis of many proteins and nucleic acid samples to understand further about the structure and function of cells. Simultaneous analysis of multiple protein samples often requires casting of many PAGE gels. Several variants of multi-gel casting/electrophoresis apparatuses are frequently used in research laboratories. Requirement of supplementary gels to match the growing demand for analyzing additional protein samples sometimes become a cause of concern. Available apparatuses are not amenable to and therefore, not recommended for any modification to accommodate additional gel casting units other than what is prescribed by the manufacturer. A novel apparatus is described here for casting multiple PAGE gels comprising four detachable components that provide enhanced practicability and performance of the apparatus. This newly modified apparatus promises to be a reliable source for making multiple gels in less time without hassle. Synchronized functioning of unique components broaden the possibilities of developing inexpensive, safe, and time-saving multi-gel casting apparatus. This apparatus can be easily fabricated and modified to accommodate desired number of gel casting units. The estimated cost (∼$300) for fabrication of the main apparatus is very competitive and effortless assembly procedure can be completed within ∼30 min. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Regenerated silica gel as stationary phase on vacuum column chromatography to purify temulawak’s extracts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cahyono, Bambang; Maduwu, Ratna Dewi; Widayat,; Suzery, Meiny

    2015-01-01

    Commercial silica gel only used once by many researchers and affected high cost for purification process, also less support the green chemistry program. This research focused in regeneration silica gel that used purification of temulawak’s extracts (Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb) by vacuum column chromatography. Sample extracts (contains 10.1195±0.5971% of curcuminoids) was purified by vacuum column chromatography (pressure: 45 kPa, column: 100mm on length and 16mm on diameter). Ethanol 96% and acetone were compared as eluent. The amount of solvent and yield of curcuminoids used as indicator purification. The silica gel was regenerated with heating in 600°C for 8 hours The silica gels were analyzed by IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, regenerated silica gel was used as the stationary phase in vacuum column chromatography under the same conditions with the previous purification. All the purification experiments were performed in three repetitions. Based on regression equation, y=0.132x+0.0011 (r 2 =0.9997) the yield of curcuminoids on purified products using ethanol as the eluent was improved 4.26% (to 14.3724±0.5749%) and by acetone was improved 3,03% (to 13.1450 ±0.6318%). The IR spectrum of both silica gel showed the same vibration profile and also there were three crystallinity peaks missing on its X-ray diffraction. Regenerated silica gel has the same performance with new silica gel in purification of temulawak’s extract: by ethanol has increased 4.08% (14.1947±0.7415%) and 2.93% (13.0447±0.4822) by acetone. In addition, all purification products showed similar TLC profiles. Purification using regenerated silica gel as the adsorbent on vacuum column chromatography has exactly same potential with the new silica gel

  20. Regenerated silica gel as stationary phase on vacuum column chromatography to purify temulawak’s extracts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cahyono, Bambang; Maduwu, Ratna Dewi; Widayat,; Suzery, Meiny [Organic Chemistry Laboratory, Departement of Chemistry, Diponegoro University Jln Prof. Soedharto SH, Tembalang, Semarang 50275, Indonesia Tel / Fax: (024) 7460058 (Indonesia)

    2015-12-29

    Commercial silica gel only used once by many researchers and affected high cost for purification process, also less support the green chemistry program. This research focused in regeneration silica gel that used purification of temulawak’s extracts (Curcuma xanthorrhiza Roxb) by vacuum column chromatography. Sample extracts (contains 10.1195±0.5971% of curcuminoids) was purified by vacuum column chromatography (pressure: 45 kPa, column: 100mm on length and 16mm on diameter). Ethanol 96% and acetone were compared as eluent. The amount of solvent and yield of curcuminoids used as indicator purification. The silica gel was regenerated with heating in 600°C for 8 hours The silica gels were analyzed by IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, regenerated silica gel was used as the stationary phase in vacuum column chromatography under the same conditions with the previous purification. All the purification experiments were performed in three repetitions. Based on regression equation, y=0.132x+0.0011 (r{sup 2}=0.9997) the yield of curcuminoids on purified products using ethanol as the eluent was improved 4.26% (to 14.3724±0.5749%) and by acetone was improved 3,03% (to 13.1450 ±0.6318%). The IR spectrum of both silica gel showed the same vibration profile and also there were three crystallinity peaks missing on its X-ray diffraction. Regenerated silica gel has the same performance with new silica gel in purification of temulawak’s extract: by ethanol has increased 4.08% (14.1947±0.7415%) and 2.93% (13.0447±0.4822) by acetone. In addition, all purification products showed similar TLC profiles. Purification using regenerated silica gel as the adsorbent on vacuum column chromatography has exactly same potential with the new silica gel.

  1. Stacking gels: A method for maximising output for pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heng See

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE, the gold standard of molecular typing methods, has a major disadvantage of an unusually long electrophoretic time. From the original protocol of 6 days, it was modified to 3 days and subsequently to a single day. We describe the procedure of stacking five to six gels one on top of another in order to increase and maximize the output in a shorter time without compromising the resolution and reproducibility. All the variables that affect pulsed field gels during electrophoresis were taken into consideration. We firstly optimized the parameters to be used and secondly determined whether stacking of five to six gels had any effect on the molecular separation during electrophoresis in comparison with a single gel run. DNA preparation, restriction, electrophoresis, staining and gel documentation was carried out based on previously published methods. Gels were analysed using BioNumerics and dice coefficient and unweighted pair group methods were used to generate dendrograms based on 1.5% tolerance values. Identical band profiles and band resolution-separation were seen in the PFGE patterns with single gel and multiple stacking gels. Cluster analysis further strengthened the fact that results from stacking gels were reproducible and comparable with a single gel run. This method of stacking gels saves time and maximizes the output at the same time. The run time for a single gel was about 28 hours, but with six stacked gels the run time was 54 hours compared with 28 x 6 = 168 hours if they were run separately as single gels thus saving time of 67.86%. Beside the big factor of saving time, stacking gels save resources (electricity, reagents, water, chemicals and working time by increasing the sample throughput in a shorter time without compromising on quality of data. But optimization of working parameters is vital depending on the PFGE system used.

  2. Study and application of weak gel used for an offshore oilfield

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tang, X.; Liu, Y.; Bai, B.; Liu, G.; Jiang, R. [Petro-China Research Inst. of Petroleum Exploration and Development, Beijing (China); Xiang, W. [China Offshore Oil Research Center of China National Offshore Oil Co. (China)

    2005-07-01

    This paper described the profile modification technique which has been used successfully in China's oil fields on land and which has become one of the key techniques to improve the development of mature fields with high heterogeneity and high water cut. One such reservoir is SZ361, an offshore oilfield characterized by thick oil layers, high permeability contrast, high oil viscosity and high water salinity. All injection wells were completed by liner gravel-packing. Water cut of some production wells is above 90 per cent. A large volume of weak gel treatment was proposed to control water conformance. A new weak gel was developed to address the specific features of offshore oil fields, such as small space of platform and high salinity of injection water. The gel properties were presented along with an evaluation of the salinity and temperature on the thermal stability of the gel. The plugging efficiency of the gel was carried out on different permeability cores. Results show that the selected polymer and cross-linkers can be well dispersed and solved within 30 minutes when mixing with sea water or produced water. The gelation time can be controlled by adjusting the gel composition. The novel gel can be applied in the reservoirs with a temperature range of 30-70 degrees C and salinity below 40,000 mg/l. The gel was tested in one injection well and proved to be economically efficient. 7 refs., 3 tabs., 8 figs.

  3. Pouring and running a protein gel by reusing commercial cassettes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hwang, Alexander C; Grey, Paris H; Cuddy, Katrina; Oppenheimer, David G

    2012-02-12

    The evaluation of proteins using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis is a common technique used by biochemistry and molecular biology researchers. For laboratories that perform daily analyses of proteins, the cost of commercially available polyacrylamide gels (~$10/gel) can be considerable over time. To mitigate this cost, some researchers prepare their own polyacrylamide gels. Traditional methods of pouring these gels typically utilize specialized equipment and glass gel plates that can be expensive and preclude pouring many gels and storing them for future use. Furthermore, handling of glass plates during cleaning or gel pouring can result in accidental breakage creating a safety hazard, which may preclude their use in undergraduate laboratory classes. Our protocol demonstrates how to pour multiple protein gels simultaneously by recycling Invitrogen Nupage Novex minigel cassettes, and inexpensive materials purchased at a home improvement store. This economical and streamlined method includes a way to store the gels at 4°C for a few weeks. By re-using the plastic gel cassettes from commercially available gels, labs that run frequent protein gels can save significant costs and help the environment. In addition, plastic gel cassettes are extremely resistant to breakage, which makes them ideal for undergraduate laboratory classrooms.

  4. Gel Dosimetry Analysis of Gold Nanoparticle Application in Kilovoltage Radiation Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marques, T; Schwarcke, M; Garrido, C; Zucolot, V; Baffa, O; Nicolucci, P

    2010-01-01

    In this work gold nanoparticles (AuNP) were embedded in MAGIC-f gel and irradiated in a 250 kV x-ray clinical beam. The signal of non-irradiated gel samples containing AuNPs showed maximum difference of 0.5% related to gel without nanoparticles. Different AuNPs concentrations were studied: 0.10 mM, 0.05 mM and 0.02 mM, presenting dose enhancements of 106%, 90% and 77% respectively. Monte Carlo spectrometry was performed to quantify theoretical changes in photon energy spectrums due to AuNPs presence. Concordance between simulated dose enhancements and gel dosimetry measurements was better than 97% to all concentrations studied. This study evidences that polymer gel dosimetry as a suitable tool to perform dosimetric investigations of nanoparticle applications in Radiation Therapy.

  5. Low-Temperature Solution-Processed Gate Dielectrics for High-Performance Organic Thin Film Transistors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaekyun Kim

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available A low-temperature solution-processed high-k gate dielectric layer for use in a high-performance solution-processed semiconducting polymer organic thin-film transistor (OTFT was demonstrated. Photochemical activation of sol-gel-derived AlOx films under 150 °C permitted the formation of a dense film with low leakage and relatively high dielectric-permittivity characteristics, which are almost comparable to the results yielded by the conventionally used vacuum deposition and high temperature annealing method. Octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA self-assembled monolayer (SAM treatment of the AlOx was employed in order to realize high-performance (>0.4 cm2/Vs saturation mobility and low-operation-voltage (<5 V diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP-based OTFTs on an ultra-thin polyimide film (3-μm thick. Thus, low-temperature photochemically-annealed solution-processed AlOx film with SAM layer is an attractive candidate as a dielectric-layer for use in high-performance organic TFTs operated at low voltages.

  6. Evaluation of wheat by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis | Shuaib ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Electrophorogram for each variety were scored and presence or absence of each band noted and was entered in a binary data matrix. Based on the data of SDS-PAGE gels cluster analysis was performed to check the variations among varieties. The overall result shows ...

  7. Sol-gel open tubular ODS columns with reversed electroosmotic flow for capillary electrochromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayes, J D; Malik, A

    2001-03-01

    Sol-gel chemistry was successfully used for the fabrication of open tubular columns with surface-bonded octadecylsilane (ODS) stationary-phase coating for capillary electrochromatography (OT-CEC). Following column preparations, a series of experiments were performed to investigate the performance of the sol-gel coated ODS columns in OT-CEC. The incorporation of N-octadecyldimethyl[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ammonium chloride as one of the sol-gel precursors played an important role in the electrochromatographic performance of the prepared columns. This chemical reagent possesses a chromatographically favorable, bonded ODS moiety, in conjunction with three methoxy groups allowing for sol-gel reactivity. In addition, a positively charged nitrogen atom is present in the molecular structure of this reagent and provides a positively charged capillary surface responsible for the reversed electroosmotic flow (EOF) in the columns during CEC operation. Comparative studies involving the EOF within such sol-gel ODS coated and uncoated capillaries were performed using acetonitrile and methanol as the organic modifiers in the mobile phase. The use of a deactivating reagent, phenyldimethylsilane, in the sol-gel solution was evaluated. Efficiency values of over 400,000 theoretical plates per meter were achieved in CEC on a 64 cm x 25 microm i.d. sol-gel ODS open tubular column. Test mixtures of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene derivatives, and aromatic aldehydes and ketones were used to evaluate the CEC performances of both nondeactivated and deactivated open tubular sol-gel columns. The effects of mobile-phase organic modifier contents and pH on EOF in such columns were evaluated. The prepared sol-gel ODS columns are characterized by switchable electroosmotic flow. A pH value of approximately 8.5 was found correspond to the isoelectric point for the prepared sol-gel ODS coatings.

  8. How do monomeric components of a polymer gel dosimeter respond to ionising radiation: A steady-state radiolysis towards preparation of a 3D polymer gel dosimeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kozicki, Marek

    2011-01-01

    Ionising radiation-induced reactions of aqueous single monomer solutions and mixtures of poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) and N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (Bis) in a steady-state condition are presented below and above gelation doses in order to highlight reactions in irradiated 3D polymer gel dosimeters, which are assigned for radiotherapy dosimetry. Both monomers are shown to undergo radical polymerisation and cross-linking, which result in the measured increase in molecular weight and radius of gyration of the formed polydisperse polymer coils. The formation of nanogels was also observed for Bis solutions at a low concentration. In the case of PEGDA-Bis mixtures, co-polymerisation is suggested as well. At a sufficiently high radiation dose, the formation of a polymer network was observed for both monomers and their mixture. For this reason a sol-gel analysis for PEGDA and Bis was performed gravimetrically and a proposition of an alternative to this method employing a nuclear magnetic resonance technique is made. The two monomers were used for preparation of 3D polymer gel dosimeters having the acronyms PABIG and PABIG nx . The latter is presented for the first time in this work and is a type of the formerly established PABIG polymer gel dosimeter. The elementary characteristics of the new composition are presented, underlining the ease of its preparation, low dose threshold, and slightly increased sensitivity but lower quasi-linear range of dose response in comparison to PABIG. - Highlights: → Steady-state radiolysis of Bis, PEGDA and Bis-PEGDA is examined. → High Mw products are formed at low absorbed doses. → Formation of Bis nanogels is likely; PEGDA solutions form hydrogels. → NMR technique can be used for sol-gel analysis. → Features of 3D polymer gel dosimeters made from PEGDA and Bis are shown.

  9. Safety and Efficacy of Alginate Adhesion Barrier Gel in Compromised Intestinal Anastomosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaturvedi, Ankit A; Yauw, Simon T K; Lomme, Roger M L M; Hendriks, Thijs; van Goor, Harry

    For any anti-adhesive barrier developed for abdominal surgery, the use under conditions in which anastomotic healing is compromised needs to be investigated. The current study evaluates the effect of a new ultrapure alginate gel on early healing of high-risk anastomoses in the ileum and compares this with the gold standard used in clinical practice. In 75 adult male Wistar rats, a 5 mm ileal segment was resected and continuity was restored by construction of an inverted anastomosis. Rats were divided randomly into a control group and groups receiving either alginate gel or a sodium hyaluronate carboxymethylcellulose (HA/CMC) film around the anastomosis (n = 25 each). Carprofen, given in a daily dose of 1.25 mg/kg, was used to compromise anastomotic healing. At day three, animals were killed and scored for signs of anastomotic leakage and the presence of adhesions. The incidence of adhesion formation was 95% in the HA/CMC film group, which was significantly higher than in the controls (64%, p = 0.010) and the alginate gel group (52%, p = 0.004). The adhesion score was nearly 40% lower in the alginate gel group compared with the HA/CMC film group. The incidence of ileal leakage in the HA/CMC film group (92%) was significantly higher than in the controls (68%, p = 0.016). Leakage rate did not differ between the alginate gel and control groups. There was no significant difference between groups in either incision bursting pressure or incision breaking strength. Ultrapure alginate gel does not interfere with repair of ileal anastomoses constructed under conditions in which chances of anastomotic dehiscence are high. The alginate gel performs better than the HA/CMC film.

  10. Decolourisation of dyes under electro-Fenton process using Fe alginate gel beads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rosales, E.; Iglesias, O.; Pazos, M.; Sanromán, M.A.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Catalytic activity of Fe alginate gel beads for the remediation of wastewater was tested. ► New electro-Fenton process for the remediation of polluted wastewater. ► Continuous dye treatment without operational problem with high removal. - Abstract: This study focuses on the application of electro-Fenton technique by use of catalytic activity of Fe alginate gel beads for the remediation of wastewater contaminated with synthetic dyes. The Fe alginate gel beads were evaluated for decolourisation of two typical dyes, Lissamine Green B and Azure B under electro-Fenton process. After characterization of Fe alginate gel beads, the pH effect on the process with Fe alginate beads and a comparative study of the electro-Fenton process with free Fe and Fe alginate bead was done. The results showed that the use of Fe alginate beads increases the efficiency of the process; moreover the developed particles show a physical integrity in a wide range of pH (2–8). Around 98–100% of dye decolourisation was obtained for both dyes by electro-Fenton process in successive batches. Therefore, the process was performed with Fe alginate beads in a bubble continuous reactor. High color removal (87–98%) was attained for both dyes operating at a residence time of 30 min, without operational problems and maintaining particle shapes throughout the oxidation process. Consequently, the stable performance of Fe alginate beads opens promising perspectives for fast and economical treatment of wastewater polluted by dyes or similar organic contaminants.

  11. Decolourisation of dyes under electro-Fenton process using Fe alginate gel beads

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rosales, E.; Iglesias, O.; Pazos, M. [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Vigo, Isaac Newton Building, Campus As Lagoas, Marcosende 36310, Vigo (Spain); Sanroman, M.A., E-mail: sanroman@uvigo.es [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Vigo, Isaac Newton Building, Campus As Lagoas, Marcosende 36310, Vigo (Spain)

    2012-04-30

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Catalytic activity of Fe alginate gel beads for the remediation of wastewater was tested. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer New electro-Fenton process for the remediation of polluted wastewater. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Continuous dye treatment without operational problem with high removal. - Abstract: This study focuses on the application of electro-Fenton technique by use of catalytic activity of Fe alginate gel beads for the remediation of wastewater contaminated with synthetic dyes. The Fe alginate gel beads were evaluated for decolourisation of two typical dyes, Lissamine Green B and Azure B under electro-Fenton process. After characterization of Fe alginate gel beads, the pH effect on the process with Fe alginate beads and a comparative study of the electro-Fenton process with free Fe and Fe alginate bead was done. The results showed that the use of Fe alginate beads increases the efficiency of the process; moreover the developed particles show a physical integrity in a wide range of pH (2-8). Around 98-100% of dye decolourisation was obtained for both dyes by electro-Fenton process in successive batches. Therefore, the process was performed with Fe alginate beads in a bubble continuous reactor. High color removal (87-98%) was attained for both dyes operating at a residence time of 30 min, without operational problems and maintaining particle shapes throughout the oxidation process. Consequently, the stable performance of Fe alginate beads opens promising perspectives for fast and economical treatment of wastewater polluted by dyes or similar organic contaminants.

  12. Inexpensive sol-gel synthesis of multiwalled carbon nanotube-TiO{sub 2} hybrids for high performance antibacterial materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abbas, Nadir; Shao, Godlisten N. [Department of Fusion Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 1271 Sa 3-dong, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-791 (Korea, Republic of); Haider, M. Salman [Department of Civil and Environmental System Engineering, Hanyang University, 1271 Sa 3-dong, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-791 (Korea, Republic of); Imran, Syed Muhammad; Park, Sung Soo; Jeon, Sun-Jeong [Department of Fusion Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 1271 Sa 3-dong, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hee Taik, E-mail: khtaik@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Fusion Chemical Engineering, Hanyang University, 1271 Sa 3-dong, Sangnok-gu, Ansan-si, Gyeonggi-do 426-791 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-11-01

    This study reports an inexpensive sol-gel method to synthesize TiO{sub 2}-CNT hybrid materials. Synthesized TiO{sub 2}-CNT materials show strong antibacterial activity in the absence of light. Cheap TiO{sub 2} source TiOCl{sub 2} is used during synthesis in the absence of high temperatures, high pressures and organic solvents. TiO{sub 2}-CNT materials with 0, 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt% of CNT were synthesized and compared for antibacterial activity, surface area, porosity, crystalline structure, chemical state, and HaCaT cell proliferation. The antibacterial strength of hybrid materials increased significantly with the increase in CNT loading amount, and the TiO{sub 2}-CNT samples with a CNT loading of 10 wt% or more nearly removed all of the E.coli bacteria. HaCaT cell proliferation studies of synthesized hybrid materials illustrated that prepared TiO{sub 2}-CNT systems exhibit minimum cytotoxicity. The characteristics of prepared materials were analyzed by means of XRD, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, TEM, and nitrogen gas physisorption studies, compared and discussed. - Highlights: • An inexpensive scheme of preparing TiO{sub 2}-CNT hybrids is presented. • Significant increase in the antibacterial properties of TiO{sub 2} in absence of light • Effects of CNT addition on the physicochemical properties of hybrids are studied. • Antibacterial activity increases with increase in CNT content. • Hybrids show no toxicity towards HaCaT skin cell line.

  13. Effects of synthetic parameters on structure and electrochemical performance of spinel lithium manganese oxide by citric acid-assisted sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yi Tingfeng; Dai Changsong; Gao Kun; Hu Xinguo

    2006-01-01

    The spinel lithium manganese oxide cathode materials were prepared by citric acid-assisted sol-gel method at 623-1073 K in air. The effects of pH value, raw material, synthesis temperature and time on structure and electrochemical performance of spinel lithium manganese oxide are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). XRD data results strongly suggest that the synthesis temperature is the dominating factors of the formation of spinel phase, and spinel lithium manganese oxide powder with various crystallites size can be obtained by controlling the sintering time. CV shows that spinel lithium manganese oxide powder formed about 973 K presents the best electrochemical performance with well separated two peaks and the highest peak current. Charge-discharge test indicates that spinel lithium manganese oxide powders calcined at higher temperatures have high discharge capacity and capacity loss, and sintered at lower temperatures has low discharge capacity and high capacity retention

  14. Effects of synthetic parameters on structure and electrochemical performance of spinel lithium manganese oxide by citric acid-assisted sol-gel method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yi Tingfeng [Department of Applied Chemistry, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China)]. E-mail: tfyihit@hit.edu.cn; Dai Changsong [Department of Applied Chemistry, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Gao Kun [Department of Applied Chemistry, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Hu Xinguo [Department of Applied Chemistry, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China)

    2006-11-30

    The spinel lithium manganese oxide cathode materials were prepared by citric acid-assisted sol-gel method at 623-1073 K in air. The effects of pH value, raw material, synthesis temperature and time on structure and electrochemical performance of spinel lithium manganese oxide are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). XRD data results strongly suggest that the synthesis temperature is the dominating factors of the formation of spinel phase, and spinel lithium manganese oxide powder with various crystallites size can be obtained by controlling the sintering time. CV shows that spinel lithium manganese oxide powder formed about 973 K presents the best electrochemical performance with well separated two peaks and the highest peak current. Charge-discharge test indicates that spinel lithium manganese oxide powders calcined at higher temperatures have high discharge capacity and capacity loss, and sintered at lower temperatures has low discharge capacity and high capacity retention.

  15. Low- and high-index sol-gel films for planar and channel-doped waveguides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canva, Michael; Chaput, Frederic; Lahlil, Khalid; Rachet, Vincent; Goudket, Helene; Boilot, Jean-Pierre; Levy, Yves

    2001-11-01

    In view of realizing integrated optic components based on effects such as electro-optic, chi(2):chi(2) cascading, stimulated emission,... one has to first synthesize materials with the proper functionality; this may be achieved by doping solid state matrices by the appropriate organic chromophores. Second, and as important, these materials have to be properly structured into the final optical guiding structures. We shall report on issues related to the realization of chromophore-doped planar waveguides as well as channel waveguides. These structures were realized by either photo-transformation such as photo- chromism and photo-bleaching or reactive ion etching technique, starting with chromophore doped sol-gel materials at high loading contents for which optical index may be controlled via the local dopant concentration. With these materials and techniques, waveguides and components characterized by propagation losses of the order of a cm-1, measured off the edge of the absorption band of the doping species, were fabricated. In order to be also able to study and use waveguide functionalized with low concentration of chromophore species, we developed new sol-gel materials of high optical index, yet low temperature processed. These new films are under study to evaluate their potential as host for organic doped waveguides devices.

  16. A single dose of a MIV-150/Zinc acetate gel provides 24 h of protection against vaginal simian human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase infection, with more limited protection rectally 8-24 h after gel use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenney, Jessica; Singer, Rachel; Derby, Nina; Aravantinou, Meropi; Abraham, Ciby J; Menon, Radhika; Seidor, Samantha; Zhang, Shimin; Gettie, Agegnehu; Blanchard, James; Piatak, Michael; Lifson, Jeffrey D; Fernández-Romero, José A; Zydowsky, Thomas M; Robbiani, Melissa

    2012-11-01

    Previously we showed that repeated vaginal application of a MIV-150/zinc acetate carrageenan (MIV-150/ZA/CG) gel and a zinc acetate carrageenan (ZA/CG) gel significantly protected macaques from vaginal simian human immunodeficiency virus reverse transcriptase (SHIV-RT) infection. Gels were applied either daily for 2 weeks or every other day for 4 weeks, and the animals were challenged 4-24 h later. Herein, we examined the effects of a single vaginal dose administered either before or after virus challenge. Encouraged by the vaginal protection seen with MIV-150/ZA/CG, we also tested it rectally. Vaginal applications of MIV-150/ZA/CG, ZA/CG, and CG gel were performed once 8-24 h before, 1 h after, or 24 h before and 1 h after vaginal challenge. Rectal applications of MIV-150/ZA/CG and CG gel were performed once 8 or 24 h before rectal challenge. While vaginal pre-challenge and pre/post-challenge application of MIV-150/ZA/CG gel offered significant protection (88%, pinfection prechallenge, but not significantly, and the effect was completely lost post-challenge. Rectal application of MIV-150/ZA/CG gel afforded limited protection against rectal challenge when applied 8-24 h before challenge. Thus, MIV-150/ZA/CG gel is a highly effective vaginal microbicide that demonstrates 24 h of protection from vaginal infection and may demonstrate efficacy against rectal infection when given close to the time of HIV exposure.

  17. А new factor effecting gel strength of pectin polysaccharides

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. E. Kholov

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Pectin polysaccharides obtained from various raw materials have a different component composition and form gels with water, sugar and acid or calcium. In this study, an experimental approach the gelation properties of different pectin samples, varied from different sources, using new methods of hydrolysis and purification. Samples were obtained by hydrolysis of accelerated extraction of pectin and purified by diaultrfiltration, have a high gel strength. The highest gel strength have been found in series of high methoxyl (HM- pectin samples of apple, peach, orange and low methoxyl (LM- pectin samples of commercial citrus pectin and apple pectin obtained by new method. It is shown that in addition to the basic parameters (the content of galacturonic acid, degree of esterification, molecular weight and hidrodinamic radius macromolecule to affect gel strength pectins aggregation of macromolecules, which is determined by the z-average molecular weight. There were observed a clear pattern of the influence of the molecular weight on hydrodynamic parameters for both HM- and LM- pectin samples on the gel strength. It were shown that a high values of molecular weight, intrinsic viscosity, and radius of gyration of pectin samples can significantly increase gel strength, while the value of Mz oppositely influenced the gel strength. As a result, a systematic analysis of this parameter and its relationship to the average molecular weight found that indeed the ratio Mz/Mw for pectin’s is an crucial to assess the quality of pectin at the study of gel strength for pectin polysaccharides.

  18. Highly dispersed spherical Bi{sub 3.25}La{sub 0.75}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 12} nanocrystals via topotactic crystallization of aggregation-free gel particles from an effective inverse miniemulsion sol–gel approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Aijun; Zeng, Yanwei, E-mail: zengyw-njut@126.com, E-mail: stephen-zeng@njtech.edu.cn, E-mail: stephen-zeng@163.com; Han, Longxiang; Ding, Chuan; Cao, Liangliang; Li, Rongjie [Nanjing Tech University, State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Materials Science and Engineering (China)

    2015-09-15

    Aggregation-free spherical lanthanum-doped bismuth titanate (Bi{sub 3.25}La{sub 0.75}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 12}, BLT) gel particles with an average size of about 150 nm were successfully obtained from an inverse miniemulsion sol–gel process, with Span-80 acting as surfactant, n-butanol as co-surfactant, cyclohexane as continuous phase, and submicro-droplets of aqueous solution containing Bi{sup 3+}, La{sup 3+} and Ti{sup 4+} ions as dispersed phase, and then topotactically transformed into highly dispersed spherical BLT nanocrystals after an in situ crystallization at 600 °C for 8 h. It has been found that the BLT gel particles can be obtained via a moderate sol–gel reaction inside the miniemulsion droplets at 65 °C, but their morphology and aggregation degree are strongly affected by the relative amounts of Span-80 and n-butanol. The perfect spherical BLT gel particles with no aggregation can be achieved only under the condition of 3 wt% n-butanol relative to the mass of cyclohexane, with excessive amount of n-butanol leading to the formation of ill-gelled particles with irregular shapes, while insufficient addition of n-butanol resulting in terrible aggregation of gel particles. To understand the formation of aggregation-free spherical BLT gel particles, a tentative mechanism is proposed and discussed, which reveals that a well-coordinated oil–water interfacial film made up of Span-80 and n-butanol molecules and the appropriately enhanced evaporation of water from such interfaces should be responsible for the formation of aggregation-free spherical BLT gel particles. Graphical Abstract: Aggregation-free spherical BLT (Bi{sub 3.25}La{sub 0.75}Ti{sub 3}O{sub 12}) gel particles can be prepared from an effective inverse miniemulsion sol–gel process, and subsequently topotactically transformed into spherical BLT nanocrystals through an in situ crystallization.

  19. Antiinflammatory effects of Viola tricolor gel in a model of sunburn in rats and the gel stability study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Piana, Mariana; Silva, Mariane Arnoldi; Trevisan, Gabriela; de Brum, Thiele Faccim; Silva, Cássia Regina; Boligon, Aline Augusti; Oliveira, Sara Marchesan; Zadra, Marina; Hoffmeister, Carin; Rossato, Mateus Fortes; Tonello, Raquel; Laporta, Luciane Varini; de Freitas, Robson Borba; Belke, Bianca Vargas; Jesus, Roberta da Silva; Ferreira, Juliano; Athayde, Margareth Linde

    2013-11-25

    Viola tricolor, popularly known as heartsease has been empirically used in several skin disorders, including burns. The objective of this study was investigate the antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effect of a gel containing extract of Viola tricolor flowers on thermal burn induced by UVB irradiation and to perform gel stability study. The antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effect were evaluated by static and dynamic mechanical allodynia model, paw edema, and neutrophilic cell infiltration. Metabolites compounds were quantified by HPLC. The gel stability study was performed analyzing organoleptical aspects, besides pH, viscosity, and quantification of rutin by HPLC. In the results were evidenced changes in threshold in statical and dynamic mechanical allodynia (I(max)=100 ± 10% and 49 ± 10%, respectively), paw edema (I(max)=61 ± 6%), and myeloperoxidase activity (I(max)=89 ± 5%). Such effects may be attributed, in part, to rutin, salicylic and chlorogenic acids, and others compounds found in this species. No important changes were detected in the stability study, in all aspects analyzed in temperature below 25 °C. These findings suggest that Viola tricolor gel has an antinociceptive and antiinflammatory effect in the ultraviolet-B-induced burn, since maintain the temperature below 25 °C. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Study of the influence of gold particles on the absorbed dose in soft tissue using polymer gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Afonso, Luciana Caminha

    2011-01-01

    The presence of high-Z material adjacent to soft tissue, when submitted to irradiation, enhances locally the absorbed dose in these soft tissues. Such effect occurs due to the outscattering of photoelectrons from the high-Z material. Polymer gel dosimeters have been used to investigate this effect. Analytic calculations to estimate the dose enhancement and Monte Carlo simulations have been performed. Samples containing polymer gel (PG) with 0.005 gAu/gPG and pure polymer gel have been irradiated using an X-rays beam produced by 150 kV, filtered with 4 mm Al and 5 mm Cu, which resulted in an approximately 20% higher absorbed dose in the samples with gold in comparison to those with pure polymer gel. The analytic calculations and the Monte Carlo simulation resulted in a dose enhancement factor of approximately 30%. (author)

  1. Electrophoresis of DNA in agarose gels, polyacrylamide gels and in free solution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stellwagen, Nancy C.

    2009-01-01

    This review describes the electrophoresis of curved and normal DNA molecules in agarose gels, polyacrylamide gels and in free solution. These studies were undertaken to clarify why curved DNA molecules migrate anomalously slowly in polyacrylamide gels but not in agarose gels. Two milestone papers are cited, in which Ferguson plots were used to estimate the effective pore size of agarose and polyacrylamide gels. Subsequent studies on the effect of the electric field on agarose and polyacrylamide gel matrices, DNA interactions with the two gel matrices, and the effect of curvature on the free solution mobility of DNA are also described. The combined results suggest that the anomalously slow mobilities observed for curved DNA molecules in polyacrylamide gels are due primarily to preferential interactions of curved DNAs with the polyacrylamide gel matrix; the restrictive pore size of the matrix is of lesser importance. In free solution, DNA mobilities increase with increasing molecular mass until leveling off at a plateau value of (3.17 ± 0.01) × 10-4 cm2/Vs in 40 mM Tris-acetate-EDTA buffer at 20°C. Curved DNA molecules migrate anomalously slowly in free solution as well as in polyacrylamide gels, explaining why the Ferguson plots of curved and normal DNAs containing the same number of base pairs extrapolate to different mobilities at zero gel concentration. PMID:19517510

  2. Laser CT evaluation on normoxic PAGAT gel dosimeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, D S; Samuel, E J J; Watanabe, Y

    2013-01-01

    Optical computed tomography has been shown to be a potentially useful imaging tool for the radiation therapy physicists. In radiation therapy, researchers have used optical CT for the readout of 3D dosimeters. The purpose of this paper is to describe the initial evaluation of a newly fabricated laser CT scanner for 3D gel dosimetry which works using the first generation principle. A normoxic PAGAT (Polyacrylamide Gelatin and Tetrakis) gel is used as a dosimeter for this analysis. When a laser passes through the gel phantom, absorption and scattering of photon take place. The optical attenuation coefficient of the laser can be obtained by measuring its intensity after passing through the gel by a sensor. The scanner motion is controlled by a computer program written in Microsoft Visual C++. Reconstruction and data analysis on the irradiated gel phantom is performed by suitable algorithm using Matlab software.

  3. Optical CT evaluation on normoxic polymer gel dosimeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samuel, E. James Jebaseelan

    2013-01-01

    Optical computed tomography has been shown to be a potentially useful imaging tool for the radiation therapy physicists. In radiation therapy, researchers have used optical CT for the readout of 3D dosimeters. The purpose of this paper is to explicate the initial evaluation of a newly fabricated laser CT scanner for '3D gel dosimetry' which works in the first generation principle. The normoxic PAGAT (Polyacrylamide Gelatin and Tetrakis) gel is used as a dosimeter for this analysis. When laser passes through this gel phantom, absorption and scattering of photon take place. The optical attenuation coefficient of the laser can be obtained by measuring its intensity after passing through the gel by a sensor.The scanner motion is controlled by the program written in Microsoft Visual C++. Reconstruction and data analysis on the irradiated gel phantom is performed by suitable algorithm using Matlab software. (author)

  4. Radiation hardness of Ce-doped sol-gel silica fibers for high energy physics applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cova, Francesca; Moretti, Federico; Fasoli, Mauro; Chiodini, Norberto; Pauwels, Kristof; Auffray, Etiennette; Lucchini, Marco Toliman; Baccaro, Stefania; Cemmi, Alessia; Bártová, Hana; Vedda, Anna

    2018-02-15

    The results of irradiation tests on Ce-doped sol-gel silica using x- and γ-rays up to 10 kGy are reported in order to investigate the radiation hardness of this material for high-energy physics applications. Sol-gel silica fibers with Ce concentrations of 0.0125 and 0.05 mol. % are characterized by means of optical absorption and attenuation length measurements before and after irradiation. The two different techniques give comparable results, evidencing the formation of a main broad radiation-induced absorption band, peaking at about 2.2 eV, related to radiation-induced color centers. The results are compared with those obtained on bulk silica. This study reveals that an improvement of the radiation hardness of Ce-doped silica fibers can be achieved by reducing Ce content inside the fiber core, paving the way for further material development.

  5. Zirconium molybdate gel as a generator for technetium-99m

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Evans, J.V.; Shying, M.E.

    1984-12-01

    A new sup(99m)Tc generator based on zirconium molybdate gel is described. Essentially the gel is a cation ion exchanger which permits the elution of the pertechnetate ion. The high molybdenum content of this gel, its stability under self-irradiation, and the absence of organic materials during preparation provide a generator concept that eliminates high processing costs, active waste storage costs and stability problems in other types of generator

  6. Non-stationary heat transfer in gels applied to biotehnology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pokusaev Boris

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Unsteady heat transfer in agarose gels of various concentrations was studied in order to make a breakthrough in the technology of 3-D additive bioprinting. Data on the kinetics of the phase transformation was obtained using spectroscopy as a function of temperature during the formation of agarose hydrogel. The dynamics of aging was investigated for gels of different densities. The time dependence of the structural changes was obtained. Particular attention was paid to the changes in the structure of the gel due to the processes of evaporation of the liquid during the gel formation and during long-term storage. Experiments were performed to determine the dynamics of the temperature fields simultaneously with heat flux measurements during the formation of agarose gels from different initial concentrations. A technique based on experimental data for the computations of the thermophysical coefficients of agarose gels was developed.

  7. Finger-Shaped GelForce: Sensor for Measuring Surface Traction Fields for Robotic Hand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, K; Kamiyama, K; Kawakami, N; Tachi, S

    2010-01-01

    It is believed that the use of haptic sensors to measure the magnitude, direction, and distribution of a force will enable a robotic hand to perform dexterous operations. Therefore, we develop a new type of finger-shaped haptic sensor using GelForce technology. GelForce is a vision-based sensor that can be used to measure the distribution of force vectors, or surface traction fields. The simple structure of the GelForce enables us to develop a compact finger-shaped GelForce for the robotic hand. GelForce that is developed on the basis of an elastic theory can be used to calculate surface traction fields using a conversion equation. However, this conversion equation cannot be analytically solved when the elastic body of the sensor has a complicated shape such as the shape of a finger. Therefore, we propose an observational method and construct a prototype of the finger-shaped GelForce. By using this prototype, we evaluate the basic performance of the finger-shaped GelForce. Then, we conduct a field test by performing grasping operations using a robotic hand. The results of this test show that using the observational method, the finger-shaped GelForce can be successfully used in a robotic hand.

  8. [Establishment of two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis using cerebrospinal fluid from neurocysticercosis patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jing-Yi; Tian, Xiao-Jun; Huang, Yong; Yang, Yan-Jun; Ma, Qiao-Rong; Xue, Yan-Ping

    2008-06-30

    To establish the method of two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis and obtain high resolution 2D images from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with neurocysticercosis. CSF samples were collected from four patients diagnosed as neurocysticercosis clinically and by ELISA, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and from four healthy subjects without neurological disorders. The CSF samples were precipitated with cold acetone, then pooled by equal amount as patients and controls. The internal standard comprised equal amounts of proteins extracted from both groups. Internal standard, and proteins from the two groups were labeled prior to electrophoresis with spectrally resolvable fluorescent dyes, cyanein dye2 (Cy2), Cy3 and Cy5. Sodium dodecylsulfonate polyacrylamide gel chromatography (SDS-PAGE) and two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE) of labeled samples were then run. The differential expressed proteins showed in the images of SDS-PAGE and 2-D DIGE gels scanned with 488 nm, 532 nm and 633 nm wavelength laser were analyzed by ImageQuant and DeCyde 5.0 respectively. Spot detection and quantification was performed for the differential in-gel analysis (DIA) module of DeCyder. Biological variation analysis (BVA) module of DeCyder was matched gel 1 and gel 2 images to provide data on differential protein expression levels between the two groups. The ImageQuant result displayed that the CSF protein was compatible with the dye, and the difference of protein amount was revealed by the difference of fluorescence intensity. DIA indicated that there were 896 and 894 protein dots on gel 1 and gel 2 respectively, and 90% of them were matched each other. BVA showed that there were 55 protein spots with different expressional level between neurocysticercosis and control groups. Protein spots with two-fold increase or decrease were 47 and 8 respectively in neurocysticercosis patients compared with healthy controls. The

  9. Influence of ultrasonic frequency on the regeneration of silica gel by applying high-intensity ultrasound

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Weijiang; Yao Ye; Wang Rongshun

    2010-01-01

    Ultrasonic frequency is the key parameter considered in ultrasonic applications. In order to provide a basic knowledge about the influence of ultrasonic frequency on the regeneration of silica gel assisted by power ultrasound, the experiments about silica gel regeneration under the radiation of constant-power (60 W) ultrasound with different frequencies (i.e., 23, 27, and 38 kHz) and that without ultrasound were carried out at different regeneration temperatures (i.e., 35, 45, 55, and 65 deg. C). The experimental results showed that the lower frequency was beneficial for the application of power ultrasound in the regeneration of silica gel. The fact was theoretically explained by the ultrasonic power attenuation model which indicates that the ultrasound of lower frequency will lead to more uniform energy distribution and hence achieve higher efficiency of utilization. Meanwhile, the effect of ultrasonic frequency on silica gel regeneration would be influenced by the regeneration temperature and the moisture ratio in silica gel. As investigated in this study, the effect of ultrasonic frequency on the regeneration would be more significant at the lower regeneration temperature or at the higher moisture ratio in silica gel. In addition, the mean regeneration speed model of silica gel dependent of the regeneration temperature and the ultrasonic frequency was established according to the experimental data.

  10. Applications of sol gel ceramic coatings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barrow, D.

    1996-01-01

    The sol gel method is a chemical technique in which polycrystalline ceramic films are fabricated from a solution of organometallic precursors. The technique is attractive for many industrial applications because it is a simple (films are processed in air), flexible (can be used to coat complex geometries) and cost effective (does not require expensive equipment) process. In addition, dense, high quality coatings can be achieved at much lower temperatures than is generally required for sintering bulk ceramics. In this paper the conventional sol gel method and the new datec process are reviewed and potential applications of sol gel coatings in automotive, aerospace, petrochemical, nuclear and electronic industries are discussed. (orig.)

  11. Decreasing the amount of trypsin in in-gel digestion leads to diminished chemical noise and improved protein identifications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Mo; Liu, Yanhua; Yu, Kaiwen; Liu, Xiaoyun

    2014-09-23

    Pre-fractionation by gel electrophoresis is often combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) for large-scale profiling of complex protein samples. An essential component of this widely applied proteomic platform is in-gel protein digestion. In nearly two decades of practicing this approach, an extremely high level of trypsin has been utilized due to the consideration of slow enzyme diffusion into the gel matrix. Here we report that trypsin autolysis products contribute to the bulk of chemical noise in in-gel digestion and remarkably we found evidence that the amount of trypsin can be slashed by an order of magnitude with comparable digestion performance. By revising perhaps the most critical element of this decade-old digestion protocol, the proteomics community relying on gel separation prior to LC-MS analysis will benefit instantly from much lowered cost due to enzyme expenditure. More importantly, substantially reduced chemical noise (i.e., trypsin self-cleavage products) as a result of less enzyme usage translates into more protein identifications when limited amounts of samples are the interest of interrogation. In-gel digestion is one of the most widely used methods in proteomics. An exceedingly high level of trypsin has been utilized due to the consideration of slow enzyme diffusion into the gel matrix. This requirement has been faithfully kept in nearly two decades of practicing this approach. Here we report that trypsin concentration can be slashed by at least an order of magnitude while still providing comparable digestion performance. Thus the proteomics community relying on gel separation prior to LC-MS analysis will benefit instantly from much lowered enzyme cost. More importantly, substantially reduced chemical noise (i.e., trypsin autolysis products) due to less enzyme usage translates into ~30% more protein identifications when limited amounts of protein samples are analyzed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Modelling the behaviour of the push-pull gel dosimeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bosi, S.G.; Davies, J.B.; Gorjiara, T.; Baldock, C.

    2010-01-01

    Full text: Recent development of a gel dosimeter based on the radiobleaching pigment, genipin, allows development of a new 3D optically scanned gel dosimeter-the p ush-pull g el. This gel would contain two spectrally complementary pigments, one which darkens with dose and another (e.g. genipin) which bleaches. The two pigments deal separately with the high and low dose ends of the dosimeter's dynamic range. The bleaching pigment would be optimised for high sensitivity and the darkening pigment for low. Employing dual pigments, optimised independently, relaxes the need for compromise between sensitivity at low dose and accuracy at high dose. Such a gel, after exposure, would be read using two successive optical CT scans, at two different wavelengths. The reduction in sensitivity of the darkening pigment (allowed by the use of push-pull) would reduce the occurrence of regions of high optical attenuation which can generate optical CT artefacts. Simulated optical CT reconstructions of the optical density map (Fig. La) scanned at the darkening pigment wavelength of a hypothetical push-pull gel, confirms the reduction in susceptibility to artefacts. Fig. I b shows a profile through the map with no stray light added. The centre of the profile in Fig. I d shows a cupping artefact produced by 10 ppm of stray light. The similarity of Fig. Ic and b show that a 30% sensitivity reduction allowed by push-pull, renders the artefact negligible. This paper presents the results of' these simulations of a push-pull gel scanned using optical CT and also some results of experiments with genipin gel. (author)

  13. Transport Phenomena in Gel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masayuki Tokita

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Gel becomes an important class of soft materials since it can be seen in a wide variety of the chemical and the biological systems. The unique properties of gel arise from the structure, namely, the three-dimensional polymer network that is swollen by a huge amount of solvent. Despite the small volume fraction of the polymer network, which is usually only a few percent or less, gel shows the typical properties that belong to solids such as the elasticity. Gel is, therefore, regarded as a dilute solid because its elasticity is much smaller than that of typical solids. Because of the diluted structure, small molecules can pass along the open space of the polymer network. In addition to the viscous resistance of gel fluid, however, the substance experiences resistance due to the polymer network of gel during the transport process. It is, therefore, of importance to study the diffusion of the small molecules in gel as well as the flow of gel fluid itself through the polymer network of gel. It may be natural to assume that the effects of the resistance due to the polymer network of gel depends strongly on the network structure. Therefore, detailed study on the transport processes in and through gel may open a new insight into the relationship between the structure and the transport properties of gel. The two typical transport processes in and through gel, that is, the diffusion of small molecules due to the thermal fluctuations and the flow of gel fluid that is caused by the mechanical pressure gradient will be reviewed.

  14. Characterization of carbohydrates using highly fluorescent 2-aminobenzoic acid tag following gel electrophoresis of glycoproteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anumula, K R; Du, P

    1999-11-15

    Application of the most sensitive fluorescent label 2-aminobenzoic acid (anthranilic acid, AA) for characterization of carbohydrates from the glycoproteins ( approximately 15 pmol) separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is described. AA label is used for the determination of both monosaccharide composition and oligosaccharide map. For the monosaccharide determination, bands containing the glycoprotein of interest are excised from the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane blots, hydrolyzed in 20% trifluoroacetic acid, derivatized, and analyzed by C-18 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. For the oligosaccharide mapping, bands were digested with peptide N-glycosidase F (PNGase F) in order to release the N-linked oligosaccharides, derivatized, and analyzed by normal-phase anion-exchange chromatography. For convenience, the PNGase F digestion was performed in 1:100 diluted ammonium hydroxide overnight. The oligosaccharide yield from ammonium hydroxide-PNGase F digestion was better or equal to all the other reported procedures, and the presumed "oligosaccharide-amine" product formed in the reaction mixture did not interfere with labeling of the oligosaccharides under the conditions used for derivatization. Sequencing of oligosaccharides can be performed using the same mapping method following treatment with an array of glycosidases. In addition, the mapping method is useful for determining the relative and simultaneous distribution of sialic acid and fucose. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  15. Adaptive mean filtering for noise reduction in CT polymer gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hilts, Michelle; Jirasek, Andrew

    2008-01-01

    X-ray computed tomography (CT) as a method of extracting 3D dose information from irradiated polymer gel dosimeters is showing potential as a practical means to implement gel dosimetry in a radiation therapy clinic. However, the response of CT contrast to dose is weak and noise reduction is critical in order to achieve adequate dose resolutions with this method. Phantom design and CT imaging technique have both been shown to decrease image noise. In addition, image postprocessing using noise reduction filtering techniques have been proposed. This work evaluates in detail the use of the adaptive mean filter for reducing noise in CT gel dosimetry. Filter performance is systematically tested using both synthetic patterns mimicking a range of clinical dose distribution features as well as actual clinical dose distributions. Both low and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) situations are examined. For all cases, the effects of filter kernel size and the number of iterations are investigated. Results indicate that adaptive mean filtering is a highly effective tool for noise reduction CT gel dosimetry. The optimum filtering strategy depends on characteristics of the dose distributions and image noise level. For low noise images (SNR ∼20), the filtered results are excellent and use of adaptive mean filtering is recommended as a standard processing tool. For high noise images (SNR ∼5) adaptive mean filtering can also produce excellent results, but filtering must be approached with more caution as spatial and dose distortions of the original dose distribution can occur

  16. A novel highly porous ceramic foam with efficient thermal insulation and high temperature resistance properties fabricated by gel-casting process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Jiahong; Wang, Guixiang; Tang, Di; Qiu, Ya; Sun, Nali; Liu, Wenqiao

    2018-01-01

    The design of super thermal insulation and high-temperature resistant materials for high temperature furnaces is crucial due to the energy crisis and the huge wasting. Although it is told that numerous studies have been reported about various of thermal insulation materials prepared by different methods, the applications of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic foams fabricated through tert-butyl alcohol (TBA)-based gel-casting process in bulk thermal isolators were barely to seen. In this paper, highly porous yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic foams were fabricated by a novel gel-casting method using tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) as solvent and pore-forming agent. Different raw material ratio, sintering temperature and soaking time were all investigated to achieve optimal thermal insulation and mechanical properties. We can conclude that porosity drops gradually while compressive strength increases significantly with the rising temperature from 1000-1500°C. With prolonged soaking time, there is no obvious change in porosity but compressive strength increases gradually. All specimens have uniformly distributed pores with average size of 0.5-2μm and show good structural stability at high temperature. The final obtained ceramic foams displayed an outstanding ultra-low thermal conductivity property with only 200.6 °C in cold surface while the hot side was 1000 °C (hold 60 min to keep thermal balance before testing) at the thickness of 10 mm.

  17. Method of making ionic liquid mediated sol-gel sorbents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malik, Abdul; Shearrow, Anne M.

    2017-01-31

    Ionic liquid (IL)-mediated sol-gel hybrid organic-inorganic materials present enormous potential for effective use in analytical microextraction. One obstacle to materializing this prospect arises from high viscosity of ILs significantly slowing down sol-gel reactions. A method was developed which provides phosphonium-based, pyridinium-based, and imidazolium-based IL-mediated advanced sol-gel organic-inorganic hybrid materials for capillary microextraction. Scanning electron microscopy results demonstrate that ILs can serve as porogenic agents in sol-gel reactions. IL-mediated sol-gel coatings prepared with silanol-terminated polymers provided up to 28 times higher extractions compared to analogous sol-gel coatings prepared without any IL in the sol solution. This study shows that IL-generated porous morphology alone is not enough to provide effective extraction media: careful choice of the organic polymer and the precursor with close sol-gel reactivity must be made to ensure effective chemical bonding of the organic polymer to the created sol-gel material to be able to provide the desired sorbent characteristics.

  18. Foldable and Cytocompatible Sol-gel TiO2 Photonics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lan; Zhang, Ping; Wang, Wei-Ming; Lin, Hongtao; Zerdoum, Aidan B; Geiger, Sarah J; Liu, Yangchen; Xiao, Nicholas; Zou, Yi; Ogbuu, Okechukwu; Du, Qingyang; Jia, Xinqiao; Li, Jingjing; Hu, Juejun

    2015-09-07

    Integrated photonics provides a miniaturized and potentially implantable platform to manipulate and enhance the interactions between light and biological molecules or tissues in in-vitro and in-vivo settings, and is thus being increasingly adopted in a wide cross-section of biomedical applications ranging from disease diagnosis to optogenetic neuromodulation. However, the mechanical rigidity of substrates traditionally used for photonic integration is fundamentally incompatible with soft biological tissues. Cytotoxicity of materials and chemicals used in photonic device processing imposes another constraint towards these biophotonic applications. Here we present thin film TiO2 as a viable material for biocompatible and flexible integrated photonics. Amorphous TiO2 films were deposited using a low temperature (<250 °C) sol-gel process fully compatible with monolithic integration on plastic substrates. High-index-contrast flexible optical waveguides and resonators were fabricated using the sol-gel TiO2 material, and resonator quality factors up to 20,000 were measured. Following a multi-neutral-axis mechanical design, these devices exhibit remarkable mechanical flexibility, and can sustain repeated folding without compromising their optical performance. Finally, we validated the low cytotoxicity of the sol-gel TiO2 devices through in-vitro cell culture tests. These results demonstrate the potential of sol-gel TiO2 as a promising material platform for novel biophotonic devices.

  19. 3D MnO2-graphene composites with large areal capacitance for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhai, Teng; Wang, Fuxin; Yu, Minghao; Xie, Shilei; Liang, Chaolun; Li, Cheng; Xiao, Fangming; Tang, Renheng; Wu, Qixiu; Lu, Xihong; Tong, Yexiang

    2013-07-01

    In this paper, we reported an effective and simple strategy to prepare large areal mass loading of MnO2 on porous graphene gel/Ni foam (denoted as MnO2/G-gel/NF) for supercapacitors (SCs). The MnO2/G-gel/NF (MnO2 mass: 13.6 mg cm-2) delivered a large areal capacitance of 3.18 F cm-2 (234.2 F g-1) and good rate capability. The prominent electrochemical properties of MnO2/G-gel/NF are attributed to the enhanced conductivities and improved accessible area for ions in electrolytes. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) based on MnO2/G-gel/NF (MnO2 mass: 6.1 mg cm-2) as the positive electrode and G-gel/NF as the negative electrode achieved a remarkable energy density of 0.72 mW h cm-3. Additionally, the fabricated ASC device also exhibited excellent cycling stability, with less than 1.5% decay after 10 000 cycles. The ability to effectively develop SC electrodes with high mass loading should open up new opportunities for SCs with high areal capacitance and high energy density.In this paper, we reported an effective and simple strategy to prepare large areal mass loading of MnO2 on porous graphene gel/Ni foam (denoted as MnO2/G-gel/NF) for supercapacitors (SCs). The MnO2/G-gel/NF (MnO2 mass: 13.6 mg cm-2) delivered a large areal capacitance of 3.18 F cm-2 (234.2 F g-1) and good rate capability. The prominent electrochemical properties of MnO2/G-gel/NF are attributed to the enhanced conductivities and improved accessible area for ions in electrolytes. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) based on MnO2/G-gel/NF (MnO2 mass: 6.1 mg cm-2) as the positive electrode and G-gel/NF as the negative electrode achieved a remarkable energy density of 0.72 mW h cm-3. Additionally, the fabricated ASC device also exhibited excellent cycling stability, with less than 1.5% decay after 10 000 cycles. The ability to effectively develop SC electrodes with high mass loading should open up new opportunities for SCs with high areal capacitance and high energy density. Electronic

  20. Cacao pod husks as a source of low-methoxyl, highly acetylated pectins able to gel in acidic media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vriesmann, Lúcia Cristina; de Oliveira Petkowicz, Carmen Lúcia

    2017-08-01

    Cacao pod husks, the main by-product from cocoa production, have been investigated for pectin isolation. In the present study, the rheological properties of two low-methoxyl (LM) pectins isolated from cacao pod husks using different extraction conditions were evaluated. One pectin was obtained from optimized conditions employing aqueous nitric acid as an extractant, and the other one was extracted with boiling water. Pectin gels (0.99% galacturonic acid equivalent, w/w) were prepared at pH 2.5-3.0 in the presence of 60% sucrose (w/w) and subjected to rheological analysis. Dynamic oscillatory experiments at 25°C indicated that better gels were obtained at the lowest pH (2.5). Steady shear measurements revealed a shear-thinning behavior. The apparent viscosities of the samples increased as pH decreased. Gelation with calcium ions was not observed for either of the highly acetylated LM pectins analyzed. The rheological analysis results showed that despite their high acetyl content, LM pectins extracted by different methods from cacao pod husks were able to form gels at low pH under reduced water activity, suggesting a possible application in acidic products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Gellan gum fluid gels for topical administration of diclofenac.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahdi, Mohammed H; Conway, Barbara R; Mills, Thomas; Smith, Alan M

    2016-12-30

    Diclofenac topical formulations are often preferred for drug administration to patients who experience serious GIT problems. Absorption of the drug through the skin, however, can be challenging due to the natural protective feature of the stratum corneum (SC). In this article, fluid gels prepared from gellan gum were explored as a topical drug delivery vehicle. Rheological analysis of the formulations showed that it was possible to produce a topical gel with a viscosity and the mechanical strength similar to that of the commercially available Voltaren ® gel using 1% w/w of a 50:50 low acyl/high acyl (LA/HA) gellan blend. Soft-tribology was used to assess the lubrication properties of gellan fluid gels. The lubrication of the gellan gum fluid gel formulations at high rubbing speeds was similar to the lubrication of the Voltaren ® gel. The use of gellan gum dramatically increased skin permeation of diclofenac when compared with the commercially available formulation and could be controlled by changing the gellan gum concentration and/or sodium ion concentration in the formulation. This study highlights the potential use of fluid gels that can be easily tuned to have physical properties suitable for topical formulations with the added advantage of increasing drug permeation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Chiromagnetic nanoparticles and gels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeom, Jihyeon; Santos, Uallisson S.; Chekini, Mahshid; Cha, Minjeong; de Moura, André F.; Kotov, Nicholas A.

    2018-01-01

    Chiral inorganic nanostructures have high circular dichroism, but real-time control of their optical activity has so far been achieved only by irreversible chemical changes. Field modulation is a far more desirable path to chiroptical devices. We hypothesized that magnetic field modulation can be attained for chiral nanostructures with large contributions of the magnetic transition dipole moments to polarization rotation. We found that dispersions and gels of paramagnetic Co3O4 nanoparticles with chiral distortions of the crystal lattices exhibited chiroptical activity in the visible range that was 10 times as strong as that of nonparamagnetic nanoparticles of comparable size. Transparency of the nanoparticle gels to circularly polarized light beams in the ultraviolet range was reversibly modulated by magnetic fields. These phenomena were also observed for other nanoscale metal oxides with lattice distortions from imprinted amino acids and other chiral ligands. The large family of chiral ceramic nanostructures and gels can be pivotal for new technologies and knowledge at the nexus of chirality and magnetism.

  3. All-solid-state Al-air batteries with polymer alkaline gel electrolyte

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zhao; Zuo, Chuncheng; Liu, Zihui; Yu, Ying; Zuo, Yuxin; Song, Yu

    2014-04-01

    Aluminum-air (Al-air) battery is one of the most promising candidates for next-generation energy storage systems because of its high capacity and energy density, and abundance. The polyacrylic acid (PAA)-based alkaline gel electrolyte is used in all-solid-state Al-air batteries instead of aqueous electrolytes to prevent leakage. The optimal gel electrolyte exhibits an ionic conductivity of 460 mS cm-1, which is close to that of aqueous electrolytes. The Al-air battery peak capacity and energy density considering only Al can reach 1166 mAh g-1-Al and 1230 mWh g-1-Al, respectively, during constant current discharge. The battery prototype also exhibits a high power density of 91.13 mW cm-2. For the battery is a laminated structure, area densities of 29.2 mAh cm-2 and 30.8 mWh cm-2 are presented to appraise the performance of the whole cell. A novel design to inhibit anodic corrosion is proposed by separating the Al anode from the gel electrolyte when not in use, thereby effectively maintaining the available capacity of the battery.

  4. One plunge or two?--hand disinfection with alcohol gel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macdonald, Duncan J M; Mckillop, Elisabeth C A; Trotter, Sylvia; Gray, Alastair J R

    2006-04-01

    To compare health care workers' hand surface coverage using two different volumes of alcohol gel for hand disinfection. and methods. A total of 84 members of staff in our hospital were studied. Subjects were asked to disinfect their hands with alcohol gel containing a clear fluorescent substance. Performance was assessed by using UV light to identify areas which had been missed, and the total surface area missed was calculated. A total of 42 subjects received 3.5 ml of alcohol gel, and 42 age-, sex-, and job-matched subjects received 1.75 ml of alcohol gel. Significantly less area was missed when hand disinfecting with double the volume of alcohol gel; 1.23 versus 6.35% surface area was missed (P disinfection significantly improves the efficiency of coverage of the hands with alcohol gel. This may result in lower bacterial count on the hands and may reduce the spread of nosocomial infections including that of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

  5. Kinetics Study of Gas Pollutant Adsorption and Thermal Desorption on Silica Gel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rong A

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Silica gel is a typical porous desiccant material. Its adsorption performance for gaseous air pollutants was investigated to determine its potential contribution to reducing such pollutants. Three gaseous air pollutants, toluene, carbon dioxide, and methane, were investigated in this paper. A thermogravimetric analyzer was used to obtain the equilibrium adsorption capacity of gases on single silica gel particles. The silica gel adsorption capacity for toluene is much higher than that for carbon dioxide and methane. To understand gas pollutant thermal desorption from silica gel, the thermogravimetric analysis of toluene desorption was conducted with 609 ppm toluene vapor at 313 K, 323 K, and 333 K. The overall regeneration rate of silica gel was strongly dependent on temperature and the enthalpy of desorption. The gas pollutant adsorption performance and thermal desorption on silica gel material may be used to estimate the operating and design parameters for gas pollutant adsorption by desiccant wheels.

  6. Role of gel dosimeters in boron neutron capture therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khajeali, Azim; Farajollahi, Ali Reza; Khodadadi, Roghayeh; Kasesaz, Yaser; Khalili, Assef

    2015-01-01

    Gel dosimeters have acquired a unique status in radiotherapy, especially with the advent of the new techniques in which there is a need for three-dimensional dose measurement with high spatial resolution. One of the techniques in which the use of gel dosimeters has drawn the attention of the researchers is the boron neutron capture therapy. Exploring the history of gel dosimeters, this paper sets out to study their role in the boron neutron capture therapy dosimetric process. - Highlights: • Gel dosimeters have been investigated. • Conventional dosimetric proses of BNCT has been investigated. • Role of gel dosimeters in BNCT has been investigated

  7. MUCOADHESIVE GEL WITH IMMOBILIZED LYSOZYME: PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dekina S. S.

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The study of non-covalent immobilized lysozyme, as well as physico-chemical and biochemical properties of obtained mucoadhesive gel was the aim of the research. Lysozyme activity was determined by bacteriolytic method (Micrococcus lysodeikticus cells acetone powder was a substrate. Lysozyme immobilization was conducted by the method of entrapment in gel. Enzyme carrier interaction was studied by viscometric, spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric methods. Mucoadhesive gel with immobilized lysozyme, possessing antiinflammatory and antimicrobial activities, was prepared. Due to immobilization, protein-polymer complex with the original enzymatic activity was formed. The product is characterized by high mucoadhesive properties, quantitative retaining of protein and bacteriolytic activity, prolonged release of the enzyme, improved biochemical characteristics (extended pH-activity profile, stability in acidic medium and during storage for 2 years, and it is perspective for further studies. The proposed method for lysozyme immobilization in the carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt gel allows to obtain a stable, highly efficient product, with high adhesive properties for attachment to the mucous membranes, that is promising for use in biomedicine.

  8. Rheology of oleo gels based on sorbitan and glyceryl mono stearates and vegetable oils for lubricating applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sanchez, R.; Franco, J. M.; Delgado, M. A.; Valencia, C.; Gallegos, C.

    2011-07-01

    Oleo gels based on sorbitan and glyceryl mono stearates and different types of vegetable oils, potentially applicable as biodegradable alternatives to traditional lubricating greases, have been studied. In particular, the rheological behavior, by means of small-amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) measurements, and some lubrication performance-related properties (mechanical stability and tribological response) have been evaluated in this work. SAOS response and mechanical stability of these oleo gels are significantly influenced by the type and concentration of the organogelator and the vegetable oil used in the formulations. Glyceryl monostearate (GMS) generally produces stronger gels than sorbitan monostearate (SMS). The use of low-viscosity oils, such as rapeseed and soybean oils, yields gels with significantly higher values of the linear viscoelastic functions than oleo gels prepared with high-viscosity oils, i.e. castor oil. The rheological behavior of SMS-based oleo gels also depends on the cooling rate applied during the gelification process. On the other hand, the oleo gels studied present low values of the friction coefficient obtained in a tribological contact, although only some GMS/castor oil-based oleo gels exhibit a suitable mechanical stability. (Author) 28 refs.

  9. Investigation on safety of gel decontamination technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Zhihui; Song Fengli; Wang Yongxian; Zhang Taoge

    2014-01-01

    Gel decontamination technology is an advanced decontamination process of metal contaminated by radionuclide. It has the advantages such as simple operation process, high decontaminating factor, etc. But the disadvantages are that it has high spraying pressure and is strongly corrosive, which has safety risk to the operator and equipment. The effect of such factors as spraying pressure on operators was analyzed based on process feature, and it is proposed that it be worthwhile to make further study on the corrosion of gels to spraying equipment, taking into account corrosion feature of gels to stainless steel. Meanwhile, the safety issue was demonstrated on collecting and handling wastes from gel decontamination process. And then, protective measures, study methods, and solutions are put forward. The results show that protection should be strengthened during spraying to reduce the effect of splashing and fogging on workers; the equipment should be cleaned in time to reduce the effect of corrosion, and reducers should be added into waste liquid to eliminate the effect of residual detergent. (authors)

  10. Improving calibration accuracy in gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oldham, M.; McJury, M.; Webb, S.; Baustert, I.B.; Leach, M.O.

    1998-01-01

    A new method of calibrating gel dosimeters (applicable to both Fricke and polyacrylamide gels) is presented which has intrinsically higher accuracy than current methods, and requires less gel. Two test-tubes of gel (inner diameter 2.5 cm, length 20 cm) are irradiated separately with a 10x10cm 2 field end-on in a water bath, such that the characteristic depth-dose curve is recorded in the gel. The calibration is then determined by fitting the depth-dose measured in water, against the measured change in relaxivity with depth in the gel. Increased accuracy is achieved in this simple depth-dose geometry by averaging the relaxivity at each depth. A large number of calibration data points, each with relatively high accuracy, are obtained. Calibration data over the full range of dose (1.6-10 Gy) is obtained by irradiating one test-tube to 10 Gy at dose maximum (D max ), and the other to 4.5 Gy at D max . The new calibration method is compared with a 'standard method' where five identical test-tubes of gel were irradiated to different known doses between 2 and 10 Gy. The percentage uncertainties in the slope and intercept of the calibration fit are found to be lower with the new method by a factor of about 4 and 10 respectively, when compared with the standard method and with published values. The gel was found to respond linearly within the error bars up to doses of 7 Gy, with a slope of 0.233±0.001 s -1 Gy -1 and an intercept of 1.106±0.005 Gy. For higher doses, nonlinear behaviour was observed. (author)

  11. An Enhanced Soft Vibrotactile Actuator Based on ePVC Gel with Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Won-Hyeong; Shin, Eun-Jae; Yun, Sungryul; Kim, Sang-Youn

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, we propose a soft vibrotactile actuator made by mixing silicon dioxide nanoparticles and plasticized PVC gel. The effect of the silicon dioxide nanoparticles in the plasticized PVC gel for the haptic performance is investigated in terms of electric, dielectric, and mechanical properties. Furthermore, eight soft vibrotactile actuators are prepared as a function of the content. Experiments are conducted to examine the haptic performance of the prepared eight soft vibrotactile actuators and to find the best weight ratio of the plasticized PVC gel to the nanoparticles. The experiments should show that the plasticized PVC gel with silicon dioxide nanoparticles improves the haptic performance of the plasticized PVC gel-based vibrotactile actuator, and the proposed vibrotactile actuator can create a variety of haptic sensations in a wide frequency range.

  12. Sucralfate gel as a radioprotector against radiation induced dermatitis in a hypo-fractionated schedule: a non-randomized study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kouloulias, V; Asimakopoulos, C; Tolia, M; Filippou, G; Platoni, K; Dilvoi, M; Beli, I; Georgakopoulos, J; Patatoukas, G; Kelekis, N

    2013-04-01

    External beam radiotherapy with high doses provokes many acute skin reactions, such as erythema and moist desquamation. Many topical preparations are used in radiation oncology departments in the skin care. Sucralfate humid gel, a colloidal physical form of the anti-ulcer drug sucralfate, promotes epithelial regeneration and activates cell proliferation. Based on this knowledge, we performed a non-randomized clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of topical sucralfate gel in 30 breast cancer patients receiving postoperative accelerated hypofractionated photon beam therapy. The comparison was performed with 30 patients as historical controls. The acute reaction of the skin was significantly lower in the group receiving the sucralfate gel (p<0.05, Mann Whitney test), while 90% of the patients had no evidence of radiation induced skin toxicity. There was no sucralfate gel related toxicity reported by any patient in this study. More patients in a randomized way are needed for more definite results.

  13. Effect of UV-irradiation on sol-gel optical films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Fan; Shen Jun; Zhou Bin; Wu Guangming; Luo Aiyun; Sun Qi

    2005-01-01

    Sol-gel optical films were deposited on K9 glass and silicon wafer substrates by spin-coating method and a high-pressure mercury lamp was used to perform ultraviolet treating to solidify these films and improve their performance. SEM, AFM, IR and ellipsometer were used to characterize the structure and optical properties of the films. Mechanical property of films was measured by pencil hardness-testing device. Laser damage threshold of films was measured by a Q-switched Nd:YAG high power laser with the wave length of 1064 nm and the pulse width of 15 ns. The results show that UV-irradiation can improve the mechanical property and increase the refractive index of the films. Besides, the nodules on the surface of the films can be changed into pits by UV-irradiation process, so the laser damage threshold of sol-gel thin films will be increased. After UV-irradiation the laser damage threshold of single-layer ZrO 2 film reached 50.6 J/cm 2 (1064 nm, 1 ns). It is found that UV-irradiation is an effective method to avoid the infiltrating between the layers, and the degree of homogeneity of the multilayer films can be improved by this way. (authors)

  14. Viscoplastic fracture transition of a biopolymer gel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frieberg, Bradley R; Garatsa, Ray-Shimry; Jones, Ronald L; Bachert, John O; Crawshaw, Benjamin; Liu, X Michael; Chan, Edwin P

    2018-06-13

    Physical gels are swollen polymer networks consisting of transient crosslink junctions associated with hydrogen or ionic bonds. Unlike covalently crosslinked gels, these physical crosslinks are reversible thus enabling these materials to display highly tunable and dynamic mechanical properties. In this work, we study the polymer composition effects on the fracture behavior of a gelatin gel, which is a thermoreversible biopolymer gel consisting of denatured collagen chains bridging physical network junctions formed from triple helices. Below the critical volume fraction for chain entanglement, which we confirm via neutron scattering measurements, we find that the fracture behavior is consistent with a viscoplastic type process characterized by hydrodynamic friction of individual polymer chains through the polymer mesh to show that the enhancement in fracture scales inversely with the squared of the mesh size of the gelatin gel network. Above this critical volume fraction, the fracture process can be described by the Lake-Thomas theory that considers fracture as a chain scission process due to chain entanglements.

  15. Antioxidant effect of green tea on polymer gel dosimeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samuel, E J J; Sathiyaraj, P; Deena, T; Kumar, D S

    2015-01-01

    Extract from Green Tea (GTE) acts as an antioxidant in acrylamide based polymer gel dosimeter. In this work, PAGAT gel was used for investigation of antioxidant effect of GTE.PAGAT was called PAGTEG (Polyacrylamide green tea extract gel dosimeter) after adding GTE. Free radicals in water cause pre polymerization of polymer gel before irradiation. Polyphenols from GTE are highly effective to absorb the free radicals in water. THPC is used as an antioxidant in polymer gel dosimeter but here we were replaced it by GTE and investigated its effect by spectrophotometer. GTE added PAGAT samples response was lower compared to THPC added sample. To increase the sensitivity of the PAGTEG, sugar was added. This study confirmed that THPC was a good antioxidant for polymer gel dosimeter. However, GTE also can be used as an antioxidant in polymer gel if use less quantity (GTE) and add sugar as sensitivity enhancer

  16. Thorium inorganic gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Genet, M.; Brandel, V.

    1988-01-01

    The optimum pH and concentration values of thorium salts and oxoacids or oxoacid salts which lead to transparent and stable inorganic gels have been determined. The isotherm drying process of the gel at 50 0 C leads successively to a partly dehydrated gel, then, to the formation of an unusual liquid phase and, finally to a dry amorphous solid phase which is still transparent. This kind of transparent inorganic gels and amorphous phase can be used as matrices for spectroscopic studies [fr

  17. Investigating potential physicochemical errors in polymer gel dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sedaghat, Mahbod; Lepage, Martin; Bujold, Rachel

    2011-01-01

    Measurement errors in polymer gel dosimetry can originate either during irradiation or scanning. One concern related to the exothermic nature of polymerization reaction was that the heat released in polymer gel dosimeters during irradiation modifies their dose response. In this paper, the effect of heat released from the exothermal polymerization reaction on the dose response of a number of dosimeters was studied. In addition, we investigated whether heat-generated geometric distortion existed in newly proposed gel dosimeters that contain highly thermoresponsive polymers. Our results suggest that despite a significant internal temperature increase in some gel compositions, their dose responses are not affected when oxygen is well expelled mechanically from the gel mixture. We also report on significant pre-irradiation instability in some recently developed polymer gel dosimeters but that geometric distortions were not observed. Data obtained by a set of small calibration vials are compared to those obtained from larger phantoms, and potential physicochemical causes of deviations between them are identified.

  18. Investigating potential physicochemical errors in polymer gel dosimeters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sedaghat, Mahbod; Lepage, Martin [Centre d' imagerie moleculaire de Sherbrooke, Departement de medecine nucleaire et radiobiologie, Universite de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC (Canada); Bujold, Rachel, E-mail: martin.lepage@usherbrooke.ca [Service de radio-oncologie, Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC (Canada)

    2011-09-21

    Measurement errors in polymer gel dosimetry can originate either during irradiation or scanning. One concern related to the exothermic nature of polymerization reaction was that the heat released in polymer gel dosimeters during irradiation modifies their dose response. In this paper, the effect of heat released from the exothermal polymerization reaction on the dose response of a number of dosimeters was studied. In addition, we investigated whether heat-generated geometric distortion existed in newly proposed gel dosimeters that contain highly thermoresponsive polymers. Our results suggest that despite a significant internal temperature increase in some gel compositions, their dose responses are not affected when oxygen is well expelled mechanically from the gel mixture. We also report on significant pre-irradiation instability in some recently developed polymer gel dosimeters but that geometric distortions were not observed. Data obtained by a set of small calibration vials are compared to those obtained from larger phantoms, and potential physicochemical causes of deviations between them are identified.

  19. Fast sol-gel synthesis of LiFePO{sub 4}/C for high power lithium-ion batteries for hybrid electric vehicle application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Beninati, Sabina; Damen, Libero; Mastragostino, Marina [University of Bologna, Department of Metal Science, Electrochemistry and Chemical Techniques, Via San Donato 15, 40127 Bologna (Italy)

    2009-12-01

    LiFePO{sub 4}/C of high purity grade was successfully synthesized by microwave accelerated sol-gel synthesis and showed excellent electrochemical performance in terms of specific capacity and stability. This cathode material was characterized in battery configuration with a graphite counter electrode by USABC-DOE tests for power-assist hybrid electric vehicle. It yielded a non-conventional Ragone plot that represents complexity of battery functioning in power-assist HEV and shows that the pulse power capability and available energy of such a battery surpasses the DOE goal for such an application. (author)

  20. Modelling of the inhomogeneous interior of polymer gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shew, C-Y; Iwaki, Takafumi

    2006-01-01

    A simple model has been investigated to elucidate the mean squared displacement (MSD) of probe molecules in cross-linked polymer gels. In the model, we assume that numerous cavities distribute in the inhomogeneous interior of a gel, and probe molecules are confined within these cavities. The individual probe molecules trapped in a gel are treated as Brownian particles confined to a spherical harmonic potential. The harmonic potential is chosen to model the effective potential experienced by the probe particle in the cavity of a gel. Each field strength is corresponding to the characteristic of one type of effective cavity. Since the statistical distribution of different effective cavity sizes is unknown, several distribution functions are examined. Meanwhile, the calculated averaged MSDs are compared to the experimental data by Nisato et al (2000 Phys. Rev. E 61 2879). We find that the theoretical results of the MSD are sensitive to the shape of the distribution function. For low cross-linked gels, the best fit is obtained when the interior cavities of a gel follow a bimodal distribution. Such a result may be attributed to the presence of at least two distinct classes of cavity in gels. For high cross-linked gels, the cavities in the gel can be depicted by a single-modal uniform distribution function, suggesting that the range of cavity sizes becomes smaller. These results manifest the voids inside a gel, and the shape of distribution functions may provide the insight into the inhomogeneous interior of a gel

  1. The impact of the oxygen scavenger on the dose-rate dependence and dose sensitivity of MAGIC type polymer gels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Muzafar; Heilemann, Gerd; Kuess, Peter; Georg, Dietmar; Berg, Andreas

    2018-03-01

    Recent developments in radiation therapy aimed at more precise dose delivery along with higher dose gradients (dose painting) and more efficient dose delivery with higher dose rates e.g. flattening filter free (FFF) irradiation. Magnetic-resonance-imaging based polymer gel dosimetry offers 3D information for precise dose delivery techniques. Many of the proposed polymer gels have been reported to exhibit a dose response, measured as relaxation rate ΔR2(D), which is dose rate dependent. A lack of or a reduced dose-rate sensitivity is very important for dosimetric accuracy, especially with regard to the increasing clinical use of FFF irradiation protocols with LINACs at high dose rates. Some commonly used polymer gels are based on Methacrylic-Acid-Gel-Initiated-by-Copper (MAGIC). Here, we report on the dose sensitivity (ΔR2/ΔD) of MAGIC-type gels with different oxygen scavenger concentration for their specific dependence on the applied dose rate in order to improve the dosimetric performance, especially for high dose rates. A preclinical x-ray machine (‘Yxlon’, E  =  200 kV) was used for irradiation to cover a range of dose rates from low \\dot{D} min  =  0.6 Gy min-1 to high \\dot{D} max  =  18 Gy min-1. The dose response was evaluated using R2-imaging of the gel on a human high-field (7T) MR-scanner. The results indicate that all of the investigated dose rates had an impact on the dose response in polymer gel dosimeters, being strongest in the high dose region and less effective for low dose levels. The absolute dose rate dependence \\frac{(Δ R2/Δ D)}{Δ \\dot{D}} of the dose response in MAGIC-type gel is significantly reduced using higher concentrations of oxygen scavenger at the expense of reduced dose sensitivity. For quantitative dose evaluations the relative dose rate dependence of a polymer gel, normalized to its sensitivity is important. Based on this normalized sensitivity the dose rate sensitivity was reduced distinctly

  2. Numerical modelling and experimental study of liquid evaporation during gel formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pokusaev, B. G.; Khramtsov, D. P.

    2017-11-01

    Gels are promising materials in biotechnology and medicine as a medium for storing cells for bioprinting applications. Gel is a two-phase system consisting of solid medium and liquid phase. Understanding of a gel structure evolution and gel aging during liquid evaporation is a crucial step in developing new additive bioprinting technologies. A numerical and experimental study of liquid evaporation was performed. In experimental study an evaporation process of an agarose gel layer located on Petri dish was observed and mass difference was detected using electronic scales. Numerical model was based on a smoothed particle hydrodynamics method. Gel in a model was represented as a solid-liquid system and liquid evaporation was modelled due to capillary forces and heat transfer. Comparison of experimental data and numerical results demonstrated that model can adequately represent evaporation process in agarose gel.

  3. Energy-Efficient Bioalcohol Recovery by Gel Stripping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godbole, Rutvik; Ma, Lan; Hedden, Ronald

    2014-03-01

    Design of energy-efficient processes for recovering butanol and ethanol from dilute fermentations is a key challenge facing the biofuels industry due to the high energy consumption of traditional multi-stage distillation processes. Gel stripping is an alternative purification process by which a dilute alcohol is stripped from the fermentation product by passing it through a packed bed containing particles of a selectively absorbent polymeric gel material. The gel must be selective for the alcohol, while swelling to a reasonable degree in dilute alcohol-water mixtures. To accelerate materials optimization, a combinatorial approach is taken to screen a matrix of copolymer gels having orthogonal gradients in crosslinker concentration and hydrophilicity. Using a combination of swelling in pure solvents, the selectivity and distribution coefficients of alcohols in the gels can be predicted based upon multi-component extensions of Flory-Rehner theory. Predictions can be validated by measuring swelling in water/alcohol mixtures and conducting h HPLC analysis of the external liquid. 95% + removal of butanol from dilute aqueous solutions has been demonstrated, and a mathematical model of the unsteady-state gel stripping process has been developed. NSF CMMI Award 1335082.

  4. Radiation reaction of skin treatment with nucliderm-gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pandova, V.; Marinova, Ts.; Stefanova, D.; Pantev, T.; Yankova, S.

    1988-01-01

    The process of epithelization and the anticeptic effect of nucliderm-gel applied locally have been studied in 63 oncological patients subjected to radiotherapy. In all cases under study nucliderm-gel promotes skin epithelization and has a high antiseptic effect as compared with the drugs applied hitherto

  5. Coordination Polymer Gels by Electron Beam

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Ji Ha; Cho, Young Je; Jung, Jong Hwa [Gyeongsang National Univ., Jinju (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-07-01

    Hydrogenation of a pyridine derivative possessing tetrazole moieties as end groups, without long alkyl chain groups, results in the formation of a Mg(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} coordination polymer gel. The polymer exhibits a strong fluorescence enhancement upon gel formation. 1 can also be gloated with a variety of magnesium anions such as SO{sub 4}{sup 2-}, NO{sub 3}{sup -}, Cl{sup -}, Br{sup -} and I{sup -}, indicating that the coordination polymer gel formation of 1 does not strongly depends on anions. The Seam and ABM images of Mg{sup 2+} coordination polymer gel 1 display a flabbier network with several micrometers long, widths in the range 60-70 nm and thicknesses of about 3 nm. In addition, photophysical studies show that the hydrogel exhibits a typical {pi}-{pi} transition and gives rise to high fluorescence behavior. The coordination polymer hydrogel exhibits viscoelastic behavior as evidenced from the rheological studies.

  6. Sources of variability among replicate samples separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bland, Alison M; Janech, Michael G; Almeida, Jonas S; Arthur, John M

    2010-04-01

    Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) offers high-resolution separation for intact proteins. However, variability in the appearance of spots can limit the ability to identify true differences between conditions. Variability can occur at a number of levels. Individual samples can differ because of biological variability. Technical variability can occur during protein extraction, processing, or storage. Another potential source of variability occurs during analysis of the gels and is not a result of any of the causes of variability named above. We performed a study designed to focus only on the variability caused by analysis. We separated three aliquots of rat left ventricle and analyzed differences in protein abundance on the replicate 2D gels. As the samples loaded on each gel were identical, differences in protein abundance are caused by variability in separation or interpretation of the gels. Protein spots were compared across gels by quantile values to determine differences. Fourteen percent of spots had a maximum difference in intensity of 0.4 quantile values or more between replicates. We then looked individually at the spots to determine the cause of differences between the measured intensities. Reasons for differences were: failure to identify a spot (59%), differences in spot boundaries (13%), difference in the peak height (6%), and a combination of these factors (21). This study demonstrates that spot identification and characterization make major contributions to variability seen with 2DE. Methods to highlight why measured protein spot abundance is different could reduce these errors.

  7. Does Prebiopsy, Nonsterile Ultrasonography Gel Affect Biopsy-Site Asepsis?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gurel, Kamil; Karabay, Oguz; Gurel, Safiye; Hildebolt, Charles

    2008-01-01

    Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the use of nonsterile gel, prior to antiseptic procedures in ultrasonography (US)-guided percutaneous biopsies, results in contamination of the biopsy site. Materials and Methods. Patients referred for US-guided percutaneous biopsies were included in this study. Transmission material used for US evaluation before biopsy-site antiseptic procedures were performed was either nonsterile gel or sterile saline. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: nonsterile gel (n = 30) and sterile saline (n = 30). Before the transmission material was used and after antiseptic procedures were performed, microbial swabs of a 10-cm 2 -diameter area were obtained at the biopsy site. Swabs were also obtained from the gel, saline, and povidine-iodine. Inoculated specimen plates were incubated at 37 o C under aerobic conditions, and the numbers of colony-forming units recorded. Nominal logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds of postantisepsis bacterial growth (after antiseptic procedures were performed) based on group, gender, coincidental disease (diabetes, chronic renal failure, and malignancy), biopsy-site location (head and neck or breast and abdomen), and local factors (skin fold, skin tag, and hair). Results. The following odds ratios (adjusted for the other variables) and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated: (1) group (2.9 [0.8-11.1]; p = 0.10); (2) gender (1.2 [0.3-5.2]; p = 0.78); (3) coincidental disease (7.6 [0.9-166.7]; p = 0.09); (4) biopsy site location (6.2 [1.4-31.3]; p = 0.02); and (5) local factors (7.0 [1.6-36.0]; p = 0.01). No bacterial growth occurred with swabs obtained from gel, povidine-iodine, or saline. Conclusion. We conclude that nonsterile gel used prior to percutaneous biopsy does not affect biopsy-site asepsis

  8. Utilizing whey protein isolate and polysaccharide complexes to stabilize aerated dairy gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Chiu, Emily; Vardhanabhuti, Bongkosh

    2017-05-01

    Heated soluble complexes of whey protein isolate (WPI) with polysaccharides may be used to modify the properties of aerated dairy gels, which could be formulated into novel-textured high-protein desserts. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of polysaccharide charge density and concentration within a WPI-polysaccharide complex on the physical properties of aerated gels. Three polysaccharides having different degrees of charge density were chosen: low-methoxyl pectin, high-methoxyl type D pectin, and guar gum. Heated complexes were prepared by heating the mixed dispersions (8% protein, 0 to 1% polysaccharide) at pH 7. To form aerated gels, 2% glucono-δ-lactone was added to the dispersions of skim milk powder and heated complex and foam was generated by whipping with a handheld frother. The foam set into a gel as the glucono-δ-lactone acidified to a final pH of 4.5. The aerated gels were evaluated for overrun, drainage, gel strength, and viscoelastic properties. Without heated complexes, stable aerated gels could not be formed. Overrun of aerated gel decreased (up to 73%) as polysaccharide concentration increased from 0.105 to 0.315% due to increased viscosity, which limited air incorporation. A negative relationship was found between percent drainage and dispersion viscosity. However, plotting of drainage against dispersion viscosity separated by polysaccharide type revealed that drainage decreased most in samples with high-charge-density, low-methoxyl pectin followed by those with low-charge-density, high-methoxyl type D pectin. Aerated gels with guar gum (no charge) did not show improvement to stability. Rheological results showed no significant difference in gelation time among samples; therefore, stronger interactions between WPI and high-charge-density polysaccharide were likely responsible for increased stability. Stable dairy aerated gels can be created from WPI-polysaccharide complexes. High-charge-density polysaccharides, at

  9. Ultrasound-assisted sol-gel synthesis of ZrO2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guel, Marlene Lariza Andrade; Jiménez, Lourdes Díaz; Hernández, Dora Alicia Cortés

    2017-03-01

    Synthesis of tetragonal ZrO 2 by both conventional sol-gel and ultrasound-assisted sol-gel methods and using a non-ionic surfactant Tween-20, was performed. A porous microstructure composed of nanometric particles was observed. Tetragonal ZrO 2 was obtained using a low heat treatment temperature of powders, 500°C by both methods. A higher crystallinity and a shorter reaction time were observed when ultrasound was used in the sol-gel method due to the cavitation phenomenon. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of methadone hydrochloride oral solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beasley, T H; Ziegler, H W

    1977-12-01

    A direct and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for methadone hydrochloride in a flavored oral solution dosage form is described. A syrup sample, one part diluted with three parts of water, is introduced onto a column packed with octadecylsilane bonded on 10 micrometer porous silica gel (reversed phase). A formic acid-ammonium formate-buffered mobile phase is linear programmed with acetonitrile. The absorbance is monitored continuously at 280 or 254 nm, using a flow-through, UV, double-beam photometer. An aqueous methadone hydrochloride solution is used for external standardization. The relative standard deviation was not more than 1.0%. Drug recovery from a syrup base was better than 99.8%.

  11. Colloid molecular weight estimation by gel chromatography/acrylamide gel electrophoresis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liberatore, F.A.; Dearborn, C.; Nigam, S.; Poon, C.; Camin, L.; Liteplo, M.

    1984-01-01

    Size or molecular weight (MW) estimation of radiolabeled collides in aqueous solutions has long been a problem. The authors have prepared several minimicroaggregated albumin colloids (mμAA) by heat denaturation of stannous-containing HSA solutions at pH 7.0, 7.5, and 8.5). The resulting colloids were labeled with Tc-99m and compared with Au-198 colloid and Tc-99m-antimony sulfide colloid (Tc-99m-Sb/sub 2/S3) by gel chromatography and gel electrophoresis. Tc-99mm-mμAA aggregated at pH 7.0 and the Au-198 colloid appeared in the external void volume of a BioRad A5.0 agarose column indicating an apparent MW of > 5 x 10/sup 6/ daltons. The pH7.5 Tc-99m-mμAA, migrated within the filtration range of the column as did a small fraction of Tc-99m-Sb/sub 2/S/sub 3/, suggesting that the MW is between 6 x 10/sup 4/ - 5 x 10/sup 6/ daltons. The Tc-99m-mμAA, aggregated at pH 8.5, had an apparent MW on gel filtration similar to that of untreated albumin, MW 6.6 x 10-/sup 4/ daltons. The mobilities of the colloids, on acrylamide disc gel electrophoresis, were consistent with the results on gel chromatography. The largest colloids, Au-198 colloid and pH 7.0 Tc-99m-mμAA, barely entered the separating gel; intermediate sized colloids, a small fraction of Tc-99m-Sb/sub 2/S/sub 3/ and pH 7.5 Tc-99m-mμAA migrated farther into the separating gel; while pH 8.5 Tc-99m-mμAA had mobility approaching that of untreated albumin. Lymphoscintigraphy studies using these colloids in animals showed the predicted, particle size-related differences in migration and clearance. The authors conclude that gel chromatography and gel electrophoresis are useful methods for estimating the apparent size of the colloidal particles

  12. Self-Supporting Nanodiamond Gels: Elucidating Colloidal Interactions Through Rheology_

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adhikari, Prajesh; Tripathi, Anurodh; Vogel, Nancy A.; Rojas, Orlando J.; Raghavan, Sriunivasa R.; Khan, Saad A.

    This work investigates the colloidal interactions and rheological behavior of nanodiamond (ND) dispersions. While ND represents a promising class of nanofiller due to its high surface area, superior mechanical strength, tailorable surface functionality and biocompatibility, much remains unknown about the behavior of ND dispersions. We hypothesize that controlling interactions in ND dispersions will lead to highly functional systems with tunable modulus and shear response. Steady and dynamic rheology techniques are thus employed to systematically investigate nanodiamonds dispersed in model polar and non-polar media. We find that low concentrations of ND form gels almost instantaneously in a non-polar media. In contrast, ND's in polar media show a time-dependent behavior with the modulus increasing with time. We attribute the difference in behavior to variations in inter-particle interactions as well as the interaction of the ND with the media. Large steady and oscillatory strains are applied to ND colloidal gels to investigate the role of shear in gel microstructure breakdown and recovery. For colloidal gels in non-polar medium, the incomplete recovery of elastic modulus at high strain amplitudes indicates dominance of particle-particle interactions; however, in polar media the complete recovery of elastic modulus even at high strain amplitudes indicates dominance of particle-solvent interactions. These results taken together provide a platform to develop self-supporting gels with tunable properties in terms of ND concentration, and solvent type.

  13. Influence of solvent on the poly (acrylic acid)-oligo-(ethylene glycol) polymer gel electrolyte and the performance of quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Jihuai; Lan, Zhang; Lin, Jianming; Huang, Miaoliang; Hao, Shancun; Fang, Leqing

    2007-01-01

    The influence of solvents on the property of poly (acrylic acid)-oligo-(ethylene glycol) polymer gel electrolyte and photovoltaic performance of quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were investigated. Solvents or mixed solvents with large donor number enhance the liquid electrolyte absorbency, which further influences the ionic conductivity of polymer gel electrolyte. A polymer gel electrolyte with ionic conductivity of 4.45 mS cm -1 was obtained by using poly (acrylic acid)-oligo-(ethylene glycol) as polymer matrix, and absorbing 30 vol.% N-methyl pyrrolidone and 70 vol.% γ-butyrolactone with 0.5 M NaI and 0.05 M I 2 . By using this polymer gel electrolyte coupling with 0.4 M pyridine additive, a quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell with conversion efficiency of 4.74% was obtained under irradiation of 100 mW cm -2 (AM 1.5)

  14. Analysis of the response of PVA-GTA Fricke-gel dosimeters with clinical magnetic resonance imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Collura, Giorgio; Gallo, Salvatore; Tranchina, Luigi; Abbate, Boris Federico; Bartolotta, Antonio; d'Errico, Francesco; Marrale, Maurizio

    2018-01-01

    Fricke gel dosimeters produced with a matrix of Poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA) cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GTA) were analyzed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Previous studies based on spectrophotometry showed valuable dosimetric features of these gels in terms of X-ray sensitivity and diffusion of the ferric ions produced after irradiation. In this study, MRI was performed on the gels at 1.5 T with a clinical scanner in order to optimize the acquisition parameters and obtain high contrast between irradiated and non-irradiated samples. The PVA gels were found to offer good linearity in the range of 0-10 Gy and a stable signal for several hours after irradiation. The sensitivity was about 40% higher compared to gels produced with agarose as gelling agent. The effect of xylenol orange (XO) on the MRI signal was also investigated: gel dosimeters made without XO show higher sensitivity to x-rays than those made with XO. The dosimetric accuracy of the 3D gels was investigated by comparing their MRI response to percentage depth dose and transversal dose profile measurements made with an ionization chamber in a water phantom. The comparison of PVA-GTA gels with and without XO showed that the chelating agent reduces the MRI sensitivity of the gels. Depth-dose and transversal dose profiles acquired by PVA-GTA gels without XO are more accurate and consistent with the ionization chamber data. However, diffusion effects hinder accurate measurements in the steep dose gradient regions and they should be further reduced by modifying the gel matrix and/or by minimizing the delay between irradiation and imaging.

  15. Phytic acid derived bioactive CaO-P2O5-SiO2 gel-glasses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Ailing; Qiu, Dong

    2011-12-01

    The possibility of using phytic acid as a precursor to synthesize CaO-P(2)O(5)-SiO(2) glasses by sol-gel method has been explored and the pseudo ternary phase diagram has been established. It was shown that gel-glasses over a broader range of compositions could be prepared compared to other phosphorus precursors or melt-quenching method. Furthermore, phytic acid was found to assist calcium being incorporated into glass networks. In vitro tests in simulated body fluid (SBF) were performed on the above gel-glasses and it was found that they were bioactive over a much broader compositional range especially at high phosphate content, thus enabling one to design bioactive materials with various degradation rates by adjusting the phosphate content.

  16. Preparation of high density (Th, U)O2 pellets by sol-gel microsphere pelletization and 1300 C air sintering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamagishi, Shigeru; Takahashi, Yoshihisa

    1994-01-01

    The fabrication of high density (Th, U)O 2 pellets by the sol-gel microsphere pelletization (SGMP) process was studied. To prepare source ThO 2 -UO 3 microspheres, isopropyl alcohol was substituted for the water in gel and thereafter removed by evacuating and subsequently by heating at 200 C in air. After humidifying the microspheres up to the moisture content ranging 10-21%, they were compacted into a pellet under 150-500 MPa and sintered in air at 1300 C. Even at the relatively low temperature, the maximum density reached 98% TD or higher for the U/(Th+U) ratios of 5-20 mol%. Such high density products survived as firm pellets with a similarly high density of 99% TD during the reduction into (Th, U)O 2 in Ar-4% H 2 at 1300 C. ((orig.))

  17. Adapting capillary gel electrophoresis as a sensitive, high-throughput method to accelerate characterization of nucleic acid metabolic enzymes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenough, Lucia; Schermerhorn, Kelly M; Mazzola, Laurie; Bybee, Joanna; Rivizzigno, Danielle; Cantin, Elizabeth; Slatko, Barton E; Gardner, Andrew F

    2016-01-29

    Detailed biochemical characterization of nucleic acid enzymes is fundamental to understanding nucleic acid metabolism, genome replication and repair. We report the development of a rapid, high-throughput fluorescence capillary gel electrophoresis method as an alternative to traditional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to characterize nucleic acid metabolic enzymes. The principles of assay design described here can be applied to nearly any enzyme system that acts on a fluorescently labeled oligonucleotide substrate. Herein, we describe several assays using this core capillary gel electrophoresis methodology to accelerate study of nucleic acid enzymes. First, assays were designed to examine DNA polymerase activities including nucleotide incorporation kinetics, strand displacement synthesis and 3'-5' exonuclease activity. Next, DNA repair activities of DNA ligase, flap endonuclease and RNase H2 were monitored. In addition, a multicolor assay that uses four different fluorescently labeled substrates in a single reaction was implemented to characterize GAN nuclease specificity. Finally, a dual-color fluorescence assay to monitor coupled enzyme reactions during Okazaki fragment maturation is described. These assays serve as a template to guide further technical development for enzyme characterization or nucleoside and non-nucleoside inhibitor screening in a high-throughput manner. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

  18. Morphology and properties of silica/novolac hybrid xerogels synthesized using sol–gel polymerization at solvent vapor-saturated atmosphere

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seraji, Mohamad Mehdi; Seifi, Azadeh; Bahramian, Ahmad Reza

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Sol–gel polymerization in vapor of solvent saturated atmosphere is developed. • Highly porous novolac–silica hybrid xerogels are successfully synthesized. • Novolac–silica hybrid gel was dried in ambient condition with low shrinkage. • Required time for preparation of gel reduced from 5 days to about 5 h. • By incorporation of silica into the novolac xerogel structure, the pore size decreases. - Abstract: Highly porous novolac–silica hybrid xerogels were successfully synthesized via the novel method of sol–gel polymerization in solvent vapor-saturated atmosphere. This method removes the need for supercritical drying and yields the hybrid xerogels with reduced shrinkage in comparison with conventional sol–gel process. Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) was used as the precursor of silica-based inorganic phase. The chemical and structural characterization of the prepared hybrid xerogels were performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis, respectively. Thermal and mechanical properties of the hybrid samples were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and compressive strength analysis. The resultant hybrid xerogels show a nanostructured colloidal hybrid network with high porosity (above 80%) and low density (below 0.25 g cm −3 ). Si mapping images shows the good distribution of silica phase throughout the hybrid structure

  19. SPI Conformance Gel Applications in Geothermal Zonal Isolation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burns, Lyle [Clean Tech Innovations, Bartlesville, OK (United States)

    2017-08-08

    Zonal isolation in geothermal injection and producing wells is important while drilling the wells when highly fractured geothermal zones are encountered and there is a need to keep the fluids from interfering with the drilling operation. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) objectives are to advance technologies to make it more cost effective to develop, produce, and monitor geothermal reservoirs and produce geothermal energy. Thus, zonal isolation is critical to well cost, reservoir evaluation and operations. Traditional cementing off of the lost circulation or thief zones during drilling is often done to stem the drilling mud losses. This is an expensive and generally unsuccessful technique losing the potential of the remaining fracture system. Selective placement of strong SPI gels into only the offending fractures can maintain and even improve operational efficiency and resource life. The SPI gel system is a unique silicate based gel system that offers a promising solution to thief zones and conformance problems with water and CO2 floods and potentially geothermal operations. This gel system remains a low viscosity fluid until an initiator (either internal such as an additive or external such as CO2) triggers gelation. This is a clear improvement over current mechanical methods of using packers, plugs, liners and cementing technologies that often severely damage the highly fractured area that is isolated. In the SPI gels, the initiator sets up the fluid into a water-like (not a precipitate) gel and when the isolated zone needs to be reopened, the SPI gel may be removed with an alkaline solution without formation damage occurring. In addition, the SPI gel in commercial quantities is expected to be less expensive than competing mechanical systems and has unique deep placement possibilities. This project seeks to improve upon the SPI gel integrity by modifying the various components to impart temperature stability for use in

  20. High Pressure Homogenization of Porcine Pepsin Protease: Effects on Enzyme Activity, Stability, Milk Coagulation Profile and Gel Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leite Júnior, Bruno Ricardo de Castro; Tribst, Alline Artigiani Lima; Cristianini, Marcelo

    2015-01-01

    This study investigated the effect of high pressure homogenization (HPH) (up to 190 MPa) on porcine pepsin (proteolytic and milk-clotting activities), and the consequences of using the processed enzyme in milk coagulation and gel formation (rheological profile, proteolysis, syneresis, and microstructure). Although the proteolytic activity (PA) was not altered immediately after the HPH process, it reduced during enzyme storage, with a 5% decrease after 60 days of storage for samples obtained with the enzyme processed at 50, 100 and 150 MPa. HPH increased the milk-clotting activity (MCA) of the enzyme processed at 150 MPa, being 15% higher than the MCA of non-processed samples after 60 days of storage. The enzyme processed at 150 MPa produced faster aggregation and a more consistent milk gel (G’ value 92% higher after 90 minutes) when compared with the non-processed enzyme. In addition, the gels produced with the enzyme processed at 150 MPa showed greater syneresis after 40 minutes of coagulation (forming a more compact protein network) and lower porosity (evidenced by confocal microscopy). These effects on the milk gel can be associated with the increment in MCA and reduction in PA caused by the effects of HPH on pepsin during storage. According to the results, HPH stands out as a process capable of changing the proteolytic characteristics of porcine pepsin, with improvements on the milk coagulation step and gel characteristics. Therefore, the porcine pepsin submitted to HPH process can be a suitable alternative for the production of cheese. PMID:25938823

  1. Solid-state electric double layer capacitors fabricated with plastic crystal based flexible gel polymer electrolytes: Effective role of electrolyte anions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suleman, Mohd; Kumar, Yogesh; Hashmi, S.A.

    2015-01-01

    Flexible gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) thick films incorporated with solutions of lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (Li-triflate or LiTf) and lithium bis trifluoromethane-sulfonimide (LiTFSI) in a plastic crystal succinonitrile (SN), entrapped in poly(vinylidine fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) have been prepared and characterized. The films have been used as electrolytes in the electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Coconut-shell derived activated carbon with high specific surface area (∼2100 m 2 g −1 ) and mixed (micro- and meso-) porosity has been used as EDLC electrodes. The structural, thermal, and electrochemical characterization of the GPEs have been performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), impedance measurements and cyclic voltammetry. The high ionic conductivity (∼10 −3 S cm −1 at 25 °C), good electrochemical stability window (>4.0 V) and flexible nature of the free-standing films of GPEs show their competence in the fabrication of EDLCs. The EDLCs have been tested using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and charge–discharge studies. The EDLCs using LiTf based electrolyte have been found to give higher values of specific capacitance, specific energy, power density (240–280 F g −1 , ∼39 Wh kg −1 and ∼19 kW kg −1 , respectively) than the EDLC cell with LiTFSI based gel electrolyte. EDLCs have been found to show stable performance for ∼10 4 charge–discharge cycles. The comparative studies indicate the effective role of electrolyte anions on the capacitive performance of the solid-state EDLCs. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Flexible EDLCs with succinonitrile based gel electrolyte membranes are reported. • Anionic size of salts in gel electrolytes plays important role on capacitive performance. • Li-triflate incorporated gel electrolyte shows better performance over LiTFSI-based gel.

  2. Solid-state electric double layer capacitors fabricated with plastic crystal based flexible gel polymer electrolytes: Effective role of electrolyte anions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suleman, Mohd; Kumar, Yogesh; Hashmi, S.A., E-mail: sahashmi@physics.du.ac.in

    2015-08-01

    Flexible gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) thick films incorporated with solutions of lithium trifluoromethanesulfonate (Li-triflate or LiTf) and lithium bis trifluoromethane-sulfonimide (LiTFSI) in a plastic crystal succinonitrile (SN), entrapped in poly(vinylidine fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVdF-HFP) have been prepared and characterized. The films have been used as electrolytes in the electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs). Coconut-shell derived activated carbon with high specific surface area (∼2100 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}) and mixed (micro- and meso-) porosity has been used as EDLC electrodes. The structural, thermal, and electrochemical characterization of the GPEs have been performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), impedance measurements and cyclic voltammetry. The high ionic conductivity (∼10{sup −3} S cm{sup −1} at 25 °C), good electrochemical stability window (>4.0 V) and flexible nature of the free-standing films of GPEs show their competence in the fabrication of EDLCs. The EDLCs have been tested using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and charge–discharge studies. The EDLCs using LiTf based electrolyte have been found to give higher values of specific capacitance, specific energy, power density (240–280 F g{sup −1}, ∼39 Wh kg{sup −1} and ∼19 kW kg{sup −1}, respectively) than the EDLC cell with LiTFSI based gel electrolyte. EDLCs have been found to show stable performance for ∼10{sup 4} charge–discharge cycles. The comparative studies indicate the effective role of electrolyte anions on the capacitive performance of the solid-state EDLCs. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Flexible EDLCs with succinonitrile based gel electrolyte membranes are reported. • Anionic size of salts in gel electrolytes plays important role on capacitive performance. • Li-triflate incorporated gel electrolyte shows better

  3. Fabrication of highly crystalline oxide thin films on plastics: Sol–gel transfer technique involving high temperature process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiromitsu Kozuka

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Si(100 substrates were coated with a polyimide (PI–polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP mixture film, and an alkoxide-derived TiO2 gel film was deposited on it by spin-coating. The gel films were fired under various conditions with final annealing at 600–1000 °C. The PI–PVP layer was completely decomposed at such high temperatures while the TiO2 films survived on Si(100 substrates without any damages. When the final annealing temperature was raised, the crystalline phase changed from anatase to rutile, and the crystallite size and the refractive index of the films tended to increase. The TiO2 films thus fired on Si(100 substrates were transferred to polycarbonate (PC substrates by melting the surface of the plastic substrate either in a near-infrared image furnace or on a hot plate under a load. Cycles of deposition and firing were found to be effective in achieving successful transfer even for the films finally annealed at 1000 °C. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic analyses on the film/Si(100 interface suggested that the residual carbon or carbides at the interface could be a possible factor, but not a necessary and decisive factor that allows the film transfer.

  4. The role sol-gel process for nuclear fuels - an overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sood, D.D.

    2009-01-01

    The paper reviews the sol-gel methods used for the preparation of fuel materials in the form of microspheres. It also discusses how these microspheres can be fabricated into nuclear fuels for reactors like High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactors and Fast Reactors. Performance of these microsphere based fuels is reviewed. More recent applications, like transmutation of minor actinides, (Np, Am and Cm) and hydrogen production, are also briefly covered. (author)

  5. Elaboration and characterisation of yttrium oxide and hafnium oxide powders by the sol-gel process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hours, T.

    1988-01-01

    The two classical sol-gel processes, colloidal and polymeric are studied for the preparation of yttrium oxide and hafnium oxide high performance powders. In the colloidal process, controlled and reproducible conditions for the preparation of yttrium oxide and hafnium oxide sols from salts or alkoxides are developed and the hydrothermal synthesis monodisperse hafnium oxide colloids is studied. The polymeric process is studied with hafnium ethyl-hexylate, hydrolysis kinetics for controlled preparation of sols and gels is investigated. Each step of preparation is detailed and powders obtained are characterized [fr

  6. Mg doping induced high structural quality of sol–gel ZnO nanocrystals: Application in photocatalysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abed, Chayma; Bouzidi, Chaker [Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia); Elhouichet, Habib, E-mail: Habib.elhouichet@fst.rnu.tn [Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia); Département de Physique, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, Tunis 2092 (Tunisia); Gelloz, Bernard [Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, 2-24-16 Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8603 (Japan); Ferid, Mokhtar [Laboratoire de Physico-chimie des Matériaux Minéraux et leurs Applications, Centre National de Recherches en Sciences des Matériaux, BP 95, Hammam-Lif 2050 (Tunisia)

    2015-09-15

    Highlights: • ZnO nancrystals doped with Mg were prepared from sol–gel method. • Structural and optical properties of ZnO:Mg nanocrystals were investigated. • Good crystalline quality of ZnO nanocrystals was reported after Mg doping. • Good photocatalytic activity of Mg doped ZnO nanocrystals was demonstrated under sun light illumination. - Abstract: Undoped and Mg doped ZnO nanocrystals (NCs) ZnO:x%Mg (x = 1, 2, 3, and 5) were synthesized using sol–gel method. The structural and optical properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectivity, and photoluminescence (PL). XRD analysis demonstrates that all prepared samples present pure hexagonal wurtzite structure without any Mg related phases. The NCs size varies from 26.82 nm to 42.96 nm with Mg concentrations; it presents an optimal value for 2% of Mg. The Raman spectra are dominated by the E{sub 2high} mode. For highly Mg doping (5%), the occurrence of silent B{sub 1(low)} mode suggested that the Mg ions do substitute at Zn sites in the ZnO lattice The band gap energy was estimated from both Tauc and Urbach methods and found to be 3.39 eV for ZnO:2%Mg. The PL spectra exhibit two emission bands in the UV and visible range. Their evolution with Mg doping reveals the reduction of defect density in ZnO at low Mg doping by filling Zn vacancies. In addition, it was found that further Mg doping, above 2%, improves the photocatalytic activity of ZnO NCs for photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) under sunlight irradiation. The efficient electron–hole separation is the main factor responsible for the enhancement of photocatalytic performance of Mg doped ZnO NCs. Through this work, we show that by varying the Mg contents in ZnO, this material can be a potential candidate for both optoelectronic and photocatalytic applications.

  7. Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Optimal Gel Electrolyte Using the Taguchi Design Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jenn-Kai Tsai

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The Taguchi method was adopted to determine the optimal gel electrolyte used in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs. Since electrolyte is a very important factor in fabrication of high performance and long-term stability DSSCs, to find the optimal composition of gel electrolyte is desired. In this paper, the common ingredients used in the liquid electrolyte were chosen. The ingredients then mixed with cheap ionic liquids and poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene (PVDF-HFP were added to form colloidal electrolyte (gel. The optimal composition of each materials in the gel electrolyte determined by Taguchi method consists of 0.03 M I2, 0.15 M KI, 0.6 M LiI, 0.5 M 4-tertbutylpyridine (TBP, and 10% PVDF-HFP dissolved in the acetonitrile and 3-methoxypropionitrile (MPN solution with volume ratio of 2 : 1. The short circuit current density of 14.11 mA/cm2, the conversion efficiency (η of 5.52%, and the lifetime of over 110 days were observed for the dye-sensitized solar cell assembled with optimal gel electrolyte. The lifetime increases 10 times when compared with the conventional dye-sensitized solar cell assembled with liquid electrolyte.

  8. Laser-generated ultrasound for high-precision cutting of tissue-mimicking gels (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Taehwa; Luo, Wei; Li, Qiaochu; Guo, L. Jay

    2017-03-01

    Laser-generated focused ultrasound has shown great promise in precisely treating cells and tissues by producing controlled micro-cavitation within the acoustic focal volume (30 MPa, negative pressure amplitude). By moving cavitation spots along pre-defined paths through a motorized stage, tissue-mimicking gels of different elastic moduli were cut into different shapes (rectangle, triangle, and circle), leaving behind the same shape of holes, whose sizes are less than 1 mm. The cut line width is estimated to be less than 50 um (corresponding to localized cavitation region), allowing for accurate cutting. This novel approach could open new possibility for in-vivo treatment of diseased tissues in a high-precision manner (i.e., high-precision invisible sonic scalpel).

  9. The use of silica gel prepared by sol-gel method and polyurethane foam as microbial carriers in the continuous degradation of phenol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brányik, T; Kuncová, G; Páca, J

    2000-08-01

    A mixed microbial culture was immobilized by entrapment into silica gel (SG) and entrapment/ adsorption on polyurethane foam (PU) and ceramic foam. The phenol degradation performance of the SG biocatalyst was studied in a packed-bed reactor (PBR), packed-bed reactor with ceramic foam (PBRC) and fluidized-bed reactor (FBR). In continuous experiments the maximum degradation rate of phenol (q(s)max) decreased in the order: PBRC (598 mg l(-1) h(-1)) > PBR (PU, 471 mg l(-1)h(-1)) > PBR(SG, 394 mg l(-1) h(-1)) > FBR (PU, 161 mg l(-1) h(-1)) > FBR (SG, 91 mg l(-1) h(-1)). The long-term use of the SG biocatalyst in continuous phenol degradation resulted in the formation of a 100-200 microm thick layer with a high cell density on the surface of the gel particles. The abrasion of the surface layer in the FBR contributed to the poor degradation performance of this reactor configuration. Coating the ceramic foam with a layer of cells immobilized in colloidal SiO2 enhanced the phenol degradation efficiency during the first 3 days of the PBRC operation, in comparison with untreated ceramic packing.

  10. Sol-gel processing with inorganic metal salt precursors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Zhong-Cheng

    2004-10-19

    Methods for sol-gel processing that generally involve mixing together an inorganic metal salt, water, and a water miscible alcohol or other organic solvent, at room temperature with a macromolecular dispersant material, such as hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) added. The resulting homogenous solution is incubated at a desired temperature and time to result in a desired product. The methods enable production of high quality sols and gels at lower temperatures than standard methods. The methods enable production of nanosize sols from inorganic metal salts. The methods offer sol-gel processing from inorganic metal salts.

  11. Silica-Based Sol-Gel Coating on Magnesium Alloy with Green Inhibitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinod Upadhyay

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In this work, the performances of several natural organic inhibitors were investigated in a sol-gel system (applied on the magnesium alloy Mg AZ31B substrate. The inhibitors were quinaldic acid (QDA, betaine (BET, dopamine hydrochloride (DOP, and diazolidinyl urea (DZU. Thin, uniform, and defect-free sol-gel coatings were prepared with and without organic inhibitors, and applied on the Mg AZ31B substrate. SEM and EDX were performed to analyze the coating surface properties, the adhesion to the substrate, and the thickness. Electrochemical measurements, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS and anodic potentiodynamic polarization scan (PDS, were performed on the coated samples to characterize the coatings’ protective properties. Also, hydrogen evolution measurement—an easy method to measure magnesium corrosion—was performed in order to characterize the efficiency of coating protection on the magnesium substrate. Moreover, scanning vibrating electrode technique (SVET measurements were performed to examine the efficiency of the coatings loaded with inhibitors in preventing and containing corrosion events in defect areas. From the testing results it was observed that the formulated sol-gel coatings provided a good barrier to the substrate, affording some protection even without the presence of inhibitors. Finally, when the inhibitors’ performances were compared, the QDA-doped sol-gel was able to contain the corrosion event at the defect.

  12. Western Blot of Stained Proteins from Dried Polyacrylamide Gels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gruber, Claudia; Stan-Lotter, Helga

    1996-01-01

    Western blotting of proteins is customarily performed following their separation on polyacrylamide gels, either prior to staining (1) or, as recently reported, following staining (2). We describe here Western blotting with stained gels, which had been dried and some of which had been stored for years. This procedure permits immunological analysis of proteins, to which antisera may have become available only later, or where the application of newly developed sensitive detection methods is desired. Once rehydration of the gels is achieved, proteins can be-transferred to blotting membranes by any appropriate protocol. Proteins stained with Coomassie Blue have to be detected with a non-chromogenic method, such as the film-based enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL)2) procedure (3). Silver stained proteins, which transfer in the colorless form, may be visualized by any detection method, although, because of the usually very low amounts of proteins, detection by ECL is preferable. Blotting of stained proteins from rehydrated gels is as rapid and as quantitative as from freshly prepared gels, in contrast to blotting from wet stained gels, which requires extensive washing and results in low transfer efficiency (2). Together with a photographic record of the gel pattern, unambiguous identification of immunoreactive proteins from complex mixtures is possible. Some further applications of this work are discussed.

  13. Hybrid sol-gel optical materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeigler, John M.

    1992-01-01

    Hybrid sol-gel materials comprise silicate sols cross-linked with linear polysilane, polygermane, or poly(silane-germane). The sol-gel materials are useful as optical identifiers in tagging and verification applications and, in a different aspect, as stable, visible light transparent non-linear optical materials. Methyl or phenyl silicones, polyaryl sulfides, polyaryl ethers, and rubbery polysilanes may be used in addition to the linear polysilane. The linear polymers cross-link with the sol to form a matrix having high optical transparency, resistance to thermooxidative aging, adherence to a variety of substrates, brittleness, and a resistance to cracking during thermal cycling.

  14. The role of quench rate in colloidal gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Royall, C Patrick; Malins, Alex

    2012-01-01

    Interactions between colloidal particles have hitherto usually been fixed by the suspension composition. Recent experimental developments now enable the control of interactions in situ. Here we use Brownian dynamics simulations to investigate the effect of controlling interactions upon gelation, by "quenching" the system from an equilibrium fluid to a gel. We find that, contrary to the normal case of an instantaneous quench, where the local structure of the gel is highly disordered, controlled quenching results in a gel with a much higher degree of local order. Under sufficiently slow quenching, local crystallisation is found, which is strongly enhanced when a monodisperse system is used. The higher the degree of local order, the smaller the mean squared displacement, indicating an enhancement of gel stability.

  15. Applications of gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ibbott, Geoffrey S

    2004-01-01

    Gel dosimetry has been examined as a clinical dosimeter since the 1950s. During the last two decades, however, a rapid increase in the number of investigators has been seen, and the body of knowledge regarding gel dosimetry has expanded considerably. Gel dosimetry is still considered a research project, and the introduction of this tool into clinical use is proceeding slowly. This paper will review the characteristics of gel dosimetry that make it desirable for clinical use, the postulated and demonstrated applications of gel dosimetry, and some complications, set-backs, and failures that have contributed to the slow introduction into routine clinical use

  16. Sol-Gel Chemistry for Carbon Dots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malfatti, Luca; Innocenzi, Plinio

    2018-03-14

    Carbon dots are an emerging class of carbon-based nanostructures produced by low-cost raw materials which exhibit a widely-tunable photoluminescence and a high quantum yield. The potential of these nanomaterials as a substitute of semiconductor quantum dots in optoelectronics and biomedicine is very high, however they need a customized chemistry to be integrated in host-guest systems or functionalized in core-shell structures. This review is focused on recent advances of the sol-gel chemistry applied to the C-dots technology. The surface modification, the fine tailoring of the chemical composition and the embedding into a complex nanostructured material are the main targets of combining sol-gel processing with C-dots chemistry. In addition, the synergistic effect of the sol-gel precursor combined with the C-dots contribute to modify the intrinsic chemo-physical properties of the dots, empowering the emission efficiency or enabling the tuning of the photoluminescence over a wide range of the visible spectrum. © 2018 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Performance comparison of capillary and agarose gel electrophoresis for the identification and characterization of monoclonal immunoglobulins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCudden, Christopher R; Mathews, Stephanie P; Hainsworth, Shirley A; Chapman, John F; Hammett-Stabler, Catherine A; Willis, Monte S; Grenache, David G

    2008-03-01

    The objective of this study was to compare gel- and capillary-based serum protein electrophoresis methods to identify and characterize monoclonal immunoglobulins (M proteins). Five reviewers interpreted 149 consecutively ordered serum specimens following agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE), capillary electrophoresis (CE), immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE), and subtraction immunotyping (IT). As a screening test for detecting M proteins, AGE and CE displayed similar sensitivity (91% and 92%, respectively). CE was less specific (74%) than AGE (81%). An analysis of interinterpreter agreement revealed that interpretations were more consistent using gel-based methods than capillary-based methods, with 80% of the gel interpretations being in complete (5/5) agreement compared with 67% of the capillary interpretations. After implementing the capillary-based methods, the number of tests per reportable result increased (from 1.58 to 1.73). CE is an analytically suitable alternative to AGE, but laboratories implementing it will need to continue IFE testing to characterize all M proteins detected by CE.

  18. High-resolution slab gel isoelectric focusing: methods for quantitative electrophoretic transfer and immunodetection of proteins as applied to the study of the multiple isoelectric forms of ornithine decarboxylase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, S G; Cochran, B J; Worth, L L; Knutson, V P; Haddox, M K

    1994-04-01

    A high-resolution isoelectric focusing vertical slab gel method which can resolve proteins which differ by a single charge was developed and this method was applied to the study of the multiple isoelectric forms of ornithine decarboxylase. Separation of proteins at this high level of resolution was achieved by increasing the ampholyte concentration in the gels to 6%. Various lots of ampholytes, from the same or different commercial sources, differed significantly in their protein binding capacity. Ampholytes bound to proteins interfered both with the electrophoretic transfer of proteins from the gel to immunoblotting membranes and with the ability of antibodies to interact with proteins on the immunoblotting membranes. Increasing the amount of protein loaded into a gel lane also decreased the efficiency of the electrophoretic transfer and immunodetection. To overcome these problems, both gel washing and gel electrophoretic transfer protocols for disrupting the ampholyte-protein binding and enabling a quantitative electrophoretic transfer of proteins were developed. Two gel washing procedures, with either thiocyanate or borate buffers, and a two-step electrophoretic transfer method are described. The choice of which method to use to optimally disrupt the ampholyte-protein binding was found to vary with each lot of ampholytes employed.

  19. Metronidazole-containing gel for the treatment of periodontitis: an in vivo evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Sato

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this investigation was to monitor metronidazole concentrations in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF collected from periodontal pockets of dogs after treatment with an experimental 15% metronidazole gel. Five dogs had periodontitis induced by cotton ligatures placed subgingivally and maintained for a 30-day period. After the induction period, only pockets with 4 mm or deeper received the gel. Each pocket was filled up to the gingival margin by means of a syringe with a blunt-end needle. GCF was collected in paper strips and quantified in an electronic device before and after 15 minutes, 1 h, 6 h, 24 h and 48 h of gel administration. The GCF samples were assayed for metronidazole content by means of a high performance liquid chromatography method. Concentrations of metronidazole in the GCF of the 5 dogs (mean ± SD, in µg/mL were 0 ± 0 before gel application and 47,185.75 ± 24,874.35 after 15 minutes, 26,457.34 ± 25,516.91 after 1 h, 24.18 ± 23.11 after 6 h, 3.78 ± 3.45 after 24 h and 3.34 ± 5.54 after 48 h. A single administration of the 15% metronidazole gel released the drug in the GCF of dogs in levels several-fold higher than the minimum inhibitory concentration for some periodontopathogens grown in subgingival biofilms for up to one hour, but metronidazole could be detected in the GCF at least 48 hours after the gel application.

  20. Oxytetracycline removal from water by novel microbial embedding gel beads

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Nan; Pan, Peng; Zeng, Ming; Wang, Wei; Xu, Chenshan; Zhang, Zongpeng; Liu, Xinyuan; Wang, Yichao

    2018-01-01

    As a common antibiotic in aquatic environment, excessive oxytetracycline (OTC) is urgent to be removed due to its great biological toxicity. Compared with the traditional activated sludge, microbial embedding can enhance the treating efficiency. In this study, novel microbial embedding gel beads were produced with the additional agent of cyclodextrin (CD). Results show that CD could increase the mass transfer of OTC into gel beads, possibly because of its strong affinity for organic matters. In terms of OTC biodegradation, gel beads with CD were comparable to gel beads without CD, while the former’s sucrose removal efficiency was higher than the latter. The biodegradation of OTC only occurred in the presence of sucrose. The respiration test also confirmed these findings. Overall, the produced novel gel beads modified with CD could improve the removal performance of OTC.

  1. Stronger multilayer acrylic dielectric elastomer actuators with silicone gel coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Gih-Keong; La, Thanh-Giang; Sheng-Wei Foong, Ervin; Shrestha, Milan

    2016-12-01

    Multilayer dielectric elastomer actuators (DEA) perform worst off than single-layer DEAs due to higher susceptibility to electro-thermal breakdown. This paper presents a hot-spot model to predict the electro-thermal breakdown field of DEAs and its dependence on thermal insulation. To inhibit the electrothermal breakdown, silicone gel coating was applied as barrier coating to multilayer acrylic DEA. The gel coating helps suppress the electro-thermally induced puncturing of DEA membrane at the hot spot. As a result, the gel-coated DEAs, in either a single layer or a multilayer stack, can produce 30% more isometric stress change as compared to those none-coated. These gel-coated acrylic DEAs show great potential to make stronger artificial muscles.

  2. Removing water from gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lane, E.S.; Winter, J.A.

    1982-01-01

    Water is removed from a gel material by contacting the gel material with an organic liquid and contacting the organic liquid with a gas such that water is taken up by the gas. The invention, in one embodiment, may be used to dry gel materials whilst maintaining an open porous network therein. In one example, the invention is applied to gel precipitated spheres containing uranium and plutonium. (author)

  3. Performance of electrical double layer capacitors fabricated with gel polymer electrolytes containing Li+ and K+-salts: A comparison

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, Manoj K.; Hashmi, S. A.

    2015-01-01

    The comparative performance of the solid-state electrical double layer capacitors (EDLCs) based on the multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) electrodes and poly (vinaylidinefluoride-co-hexafluoropropyline) (PVdF-HFP) based gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) containing potassium and lithium salts have been studied. The room temperature ionic conductivity of the GPEs have been found to be ∼3.8×10 −3 and 5.9×10 −3 S cm −1 for lithium and potassium based systems. The performance of EDLC cells studied by impedance spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and constant current charge-discharge techniques, indicate that the EDLC with potassium salt containing GPE shows excellent performance almost equivalent to the EDLC with Li-salt-based GPE

  4. Injectable biocompatible and biodegradable pH-responsive hollow particle gels containing poly(acrylic acid): the effect of copolymer composition on gel properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Halacheva, Silvia S; Adlam, Daman J; Hendow, Eseelle K; Freemont, Tony J; Hoyland, Judith; Saunders, Brian R

    2014-05-12

    The potential of various pH-responsive alkyl (meth)acrylate ester- and (meth)acrylic acid-based copolymers, including poly(methyl methacrylate-co-acrylic acid) (PMMA-AA) and poly(n-butyl acrylate-co-methacrylic acid) (PBA-MAA), to form pH-sensitive biocompatible and biodegradable hollow particle gel scaffolds for use in non-load-bearing soft tissue regeneration have been explored. The optimal copolymer design criteria for preparation of these materials have been established. Physical gels which are both pH- and redox-sensitive were formed only from PMMA-AA copolymers. MMA is the optimal hydrophobic monomer, whereas the use of various COOH-containing monomers, e.g., MAA and AA, will always induce a pH-triggered physical gelation. The PMMA-AA gels were prepared at physiological pH range from concentrated dispersions of swollen, hollow, polymer-based particles cross-linked with either cystamine (CYS) or 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid dihydrazide (DTP). A linear relationship between particle swelling ratios, gel elasticity, and ductility was observed. The PMMA-AA gels with lower AA contents feature lower swelling ratios, mechanical strengths, and ductilities. Increasing the swelling ratio (e.g., through increasing AA content) decreased the intraparticle elasticity; however, intershell contact and gel elasticity were found to increase. The mechanical properties and performance of the gels were tuneable upon varying the copolymers' compositions and the structure of the cross-linker. Compared to PMMA-AA/CYS, the PMMA-AA/DTP gels were more elastic and ductile. The biodegradability and cytotoxicity of the new hollow particle gels were tested for the first time and related to their composition, mechanical properties, and morphology. The new PMMA-AA/CYS and PMMA-AA/DTP gels have shown good biocompatibility, biodegradability, strength, and interconnected porosity and therefore have good potential as a tissue repair agent.

  5. Investigation of bioactivity, biocompatibility and thermal behavior of sol–gel silica glass containing a high PEG percentage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Catauro, M., E-mail: michelina.catauro@unina2.it [Department of Industrial and Information Engineering, Second University of Naples, Via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa (Italy); Renella, R.A.; Papale, F. [Department of Industrial and Information Engineering, Second University of Naples, Via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa (Italy); Vecchio Ciprioti, S. [Department of Basic and Applied Science for Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Via del Castro Laurenziano 7, Building RM017, I-00161 Rome (Italy)

    2016-04-01

    SiO{sub 2}/PEG organic–inorganic hybrid materials, which contain 60 or 70 weight percentage of PEG, were synthesized by the sol–gel technique. The materials were characterized and subjected to various tests to assess their application in the biomedical field. The evaluation of their morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirms the homogeneity of the samples on the nanometer scale. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) indicated that the two components of the hybrids (SiO{sub 2} and PEG) are linked by hydrogen bonds. This feature makes them class I hybrids. Simultaneous thermogravimetry/differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA) was used to investigate their thermal behavior and to establish the best temperatures for their pre-treatment. The fundamental properties that a material must have to be used in the biomedical field are biocompatibility and bioactivity. The formation of a hydroxyapatite layer was observed on the hybrid surface by SEM/EDX and FTIR after soaking in simulated body fluid. This indicates that the materials are able to bond to bone tissue. Moreover, the biocompatibility of SiO{sub 2}/PEG hybrids was assessed by performing WST-8 cytotoxicity tests on fibroblast cell NIH 3T3 after 24 h of exposure. The cytotoxicity tests highlight that the cell viability is affected by the polymer percentage. The results showed that the synthesized materials were bioactive and biocompatible. Therefore, the results obtained are encouraging for the use of the obtained hybrids in dental or orthopedic applications. - Highlights: • SiO{sub 2}/PEG hybrid biomaterials synthesized by sol–gel method at high PEG percentage • Chemical, thermal and morphological characterization of hybrid materials • Biological characterizations with WST-8 cytotoxicity tests • Bioactivity characterizations of hybrid materials with high PEG percentage.

  6. Categorization of rheological scaling models for particle gels applied to casein gels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mellema, M.; Opheusden, van J.H.J.; Vliet, van T.

    2002-01-01

    Rennet-induced casein gels made from skim milk were studied rheologically. A scaling model or framework for describing the rheological behavior of gels is discussed and used for classification of the structure of casein gels. There are two main parameters in the model that describe the number of

  7. Automated image alignment for 2D gel electrophoresis in a high-throughput proteomics pipeline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dowsey, Andrew W; Dunn, Michael J; Yang, Guang-Zhong

    2008-04-01

    The quest for high-throughput proteomics has revealed a number of challenges in recent years. Whilst substantial improvements in automated protein separation with liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC/MS), aka 'shotgun' proteomics, have been achieved, large-scale open initiatives such as the Human Proteome Organization (HUPO) Brain Proteome Project have shown that maximal proteome coverage is only possible when LC/MS is complemented by 2D gel electrophoresis (2-DE) studies. Moreover, both separation methods require automated alignment and differential analysis to relieve the bioinformatics bottleneck and so make high-throughput protein biomarker discovery a reality. The purpose of this article is to describe a fully automatic image alignment framework for the integration of 2-DE into a high-throughput differential expression proteomics pipeline. The proposed method is based on robust automated image normalization (RAIN) to circumvent the drawbacks of traditional approaches. These use symbolic representation at the very early stages of the analysis, which introduces persistent errors due to inaccuracies in modelling and alignment. In RAIN, a third-order volume-invariant B-spline model is incorporated into a multi-resolution schema to correct for geometric and expression inhomogeneity at multiple scales. The normalized images can then be compared directly in the image domain for quantitative differential analysis. Through evaluation against an existing state-of-the-art method on real and synthetically warped 2D gels, the proposed analysis framework demonstrates substantial improvements in matching accuracy and differential sensitivity. High-throughput analysis is established through an accelerated GPGPU (general purpose computation on graphics cards) implementation. Supplementary material, software and images used in the validation are available at http://www.proteomegrid.org/rain/.

  8. Formulation and evaluation of antimicrobial activity of Morus alba sol-gel against periodontal pathogens

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shilpa Gunjal

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Periodontitis has a multifactorial etiology, with primary etiologic agents being pathogenic bacteria that reside in the subgingival area. Recent advances in the field of alternative medicine introduced various herbal products for the treatment of periodontitis. Aim: To assess and compare the antimicrobial activity of Morus alba sol-gel with chlorhexidine sol-gel against ATCC standard strains of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Tannerella forsythia. Materials and Methods: Crude extract of Morus alba leaves was prepared by Soxhlet method by using ethanol as a solvent. Phytochemical screening of the crude extract of M. alba was performed to check the various chemical constituents. M. alba sol-gel and chlorhexidine sol-gel were formulated using Pluronic f127 and Pluronic f108 and compared for their antimicrobial activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration of both the gels was performed using agar well diffusion technique. Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration of M. alba sol-gel and chlorhexidine sol-gel against A. actinomycetemcomitans is 19 and 17 mm, T. forsythia is 12 and 21 mm, and P. gingivalis is 16 and 18 mm, respectively. Conclusion: Both M. alba and chlorhexidine sol-gel exhibited potent antimicrobial activity against periodontal pathogens.

  9. Automatic DNA Diagnosis for 1D Gel Electrophoresis Images using Bio-image Processing Technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intarapanich, Apichart; Kaewkamnerd, Saowaluck; Shaw, Philip J; Ukosakit, Kittipat; Tragoonrung, Somvong; Tongsima, Sissades

    2015-01-01

    DNA gel electrophoresis is a molecular biology technique for separating different sizes of DNA fragments. Applications of DNA gel electrophoresis include DNA fingerprinting (genetic diagnosis), size estimation of DNA, and DNA separation for Southern blotting. Accurate interpretation of DNA banding patterns from electrophoretic images can be laborious and error prone when a large number of bands are interrogated manually. Although many bio-imaging techniques have been proposed, none of them can fully automate the typing of DNA owing to the complexities of migration patterns typically obtained. We developed an image-processing tool that automatically calls genotypes from DNA gel electrophoresis images. The image processing workflow comprises three main steps: 1) lane segmentation, 2) extraction of DNA bands and 3) band genotyping classification. The tool was originally intended to facilitate large-scale genotyping analysis of sugarcane cultivars. We tested the proposed tool on 10 gel images (433 cultivars) obtained from polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of PCR amplicons for detecting intron length polymorphisms (ILP) on one locus of the sugarcanes. These gel images demonstrated many challenges in automated lane/band segmentation in image processing including lane distortion, band deformity, high degree of noise in the background, and bands that are very close together (doublets). Using the proposed bio-imaging workflow, lanes and DNA bands contained within are properly segmented, even for adjacent bands with aberrant migration that cannot be separated by conventional techniques. The software, called GELect, automatically performs genotype calling on each lane by comparing with an all-banding reference, which was created by clustering the existing bands into the non-redundant set of reference bands. The automated genotype calling results were verified by independent manual typing by molecular biologists. This work presents an automated genotyping tool from DNA

  10. Automatic DNA Diagnosis for 1D Gel Electrophoresis Images using Bio-image Processing Technique

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    Background DNA gel electrophoresis is a molecular biology technique for separating different sizes of DNA fragments. Applications of DNA gel electrophoresis include DNA fingerprinting (genetic diagnosis), size estimation of DNA, and DNA separation for Southern blotting. Accurate interpretation of DNA banding patterns from electrophoretic images can be laborious and error prone when a large number of bands are interrogated manually. Although many bio-imaging techniques have been proposed, none of them can fully automate the typing of DNA owing to the complexities of migration patterns typically obtained. Results We developed an image-processing tool that automatically calls genotypes from DNA gel electrophoresis images. The image processing workflow comprises three main steps: 1) lane segmentation, 2) extraction of DNA bands and 3) band genotyping classification. The tool was originally intended to facilitate large-scale genotyping analysis of sugarcane cultivars. We tested the proposed tool on 10 gel images (433 cultivars) obtained from polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of PCR amplicons for detecting intron length polymorphisms (ILP) on one locus of the sugarcanes. These gel images demonstrated many challenges in automated lane/band segmentation in image processing including lane distortion, band deformity, high degree of noise in the background, and bands that are very close together (doublets). Using the proposed bio-imaging workflow, lanes and DNA bands contained within are properly segmented, even for adjacent bands with aberrant migration that cannot be separated by conventional techniques. The software, called GELect, automatically performs genotype calling on each lane by comparing with an all-banding reference, which was created by clustering the existing bands into the non-redundant set of reference bands. The automated genotype calling results were verified by independent manual typing by molecular biologists. Conclusions This work presents an

  11. Effect of dextran and dextran sulfate on the structural and rheological properties of model acid milk gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pachekrepapol, U; Horne, D S; Lucey, J A

    2015-05-01

    Various types of polysaccharides are widely used in cultured dairy products. However, the interaction mechanisms, between milk proteins and these polysaccharides, are not entirely clear. To explore the interactions between uncharged and charged polysaccharides and the caseins, we used a model acid-milk-gel system, which allowed acidification to occur separately from gelation. The effect of adding uncharged dextran (DX; molecular weight ~2.0×10(6) Da) and negatively charged dextran sulfate (DS; molecular weight ~1.4×10(6) Da) to model acid milk gels was studied. Two concentrations (0.075 and 0.5%, wt/wt) of DX or DS were added to cold milk (~0°C) that had been acidified to pH values 4.4, 4.6, 4.8, or 4.9. Acidified milks containing DX or DS were then quiescently heated at the rate of 0.5°C/min to 30°C, which induced gelation, and gels were then held at 30°C for 17 h to facilitate gel development. Dynamic small-amplitude-oscillation rheology and large-deformation (shear) tests were performed. Microstructure of gels was examined by fluorescence microscopy. Gels made with a high concentration of DX gelled at a lower temperature, but after 17 h at 30°C, these gels exhibited lower storage moduli and lower yield-stress values. At pH 4.8 or 4.9 (pH values greater than the isoelectric point of caseins), addition of 0.5% DS to acidified milk resulted in lower gelation temperature. At pH 4.4 (pH values less than the isoelectric point of caseins), addition of 0.5% DS to acidified milk resulted in gels with very high stiffness values. Gels made at pH 4.8 or 4.9 with both concentrations of DS had much lower stiffness and yield-stress values than control gels. Microstructural analysis indicated that gels made at pH 4.4 with the addition of 0.5% DX exhibited large protein strands and pores, whereas gels made with 0.075% DX or the control gels had a finer protein matrix. At higher pH values (>4.4), gels made with 0.5% DX had a finer structure. At all pH values, gels made

  12. Carbohydrate gel ingestion significantly improves the intermittent endurance capacity, but not sprint performance, of adolescent team games players during a simulated team games protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phillips, Shaun M; Turner, Anthony P; Sanderson, Mark F; Sproule, John

    2012-03-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of ingesting a carbohydrate (CHO) gel on the intermittent endurance capacity and sprint performance of adolescent team games players. Eleven participants [mean age 13.5 ± 0.7 years, height 1.72 ± 0.08 m, body mass (BM) 62.1 ± 9.4 kg] performed two trials separated by 3-7 days. In each trial, they completed four 15 min periods of part A of the Loughborough Intermittent Shuttle Test (LIST), followed by an intermittent run to exhaustion (part B). In the 5 min pre-exercise, participants consumed 0.818 mL kg(-1) BM of a CHO or a non-CHO placebo gel, and a further 0.327 mL kg(-1) BM every 15 min during part A of the LIST (38.0 ± 5.5 g CHO h(-1) in the CHO trial). Intermittent endurance capacity was increased by 21.1% during part B when the CHO gel was ingested (4.6 ± 2.0 vs. 3.8 ± 2.4 min, P games players during a simulated team games protocol.

  13. Enhancing the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells by incorporating nanomica in gel electrolytes☆

    KAUST Repository

    Lai, Yi-Hsuan; Lin, Chia-Yu; Chen, Jian-Ging; Wang, Chun-Chieh; Huang, Kuan-Chieh; Liu, Ken-Yen; Lin, King-Fu; Lin, Jiang-Jen; Ho, Kuo-Chuan

    2010-01-01

    Gel-type dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated with 5.0 wt% polyvinyidene fluoride-co-hexafluoro propylene (PVDF-HFP) in methoxy propionitrile (MPN) as gel polymer electrolyte (GPE), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide (BMII)/iodine (I2) as redox couple, 4-tertiary butyl pyridine (TBP) and guanidine thiocyanate as additives. The incorporation of alkyl-modified nanomica (AMNM) in the PVDF-HFP gel electrolytes caused the reduction of crystallization of PVDF-HFP, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The short-circuit current density (JSC) of the cell increased due to the decrease of diffusion resistance, as judged by the electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) analysis, while the open-circuit voltage (VOC) remained almost the same. As the loading of AMNM in the PVDF-HFP gel electrolyte was increased to 3.0 wt%, the JSC and power conversion efficiency (η) of the cells increased from 8.3 to 13.6 mA/cm2 and 3.5% to 5.7%, respectively. However, the JSC decreased as the loading of AMNM exceeded 3.0 wt%. At higher AMNM loadings, nanomica acted as a barrier interface between the electrolyte and the dye molecules to hinder electron transfer, and thus reducing the cell's photocurrent density. Furthermore, the DSSCs fabricated by dispersing polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microspheres in the TiO2 electrode with the GPE containing 3.0 wt% AMNM improved the η to 6.70%. The TiO2 films would exhibit larger porosity by blending with PMMA, leading the penetration of GPEs into the porous TiO2 easier, thus improving the contact between the dye-adsorbed TiO2 surfaces and the GPEs, as characterized by EIS. Moreover, the η of gel-type DSSCs with a 25 μm thickness of surlyn reached 7.96% as compared with 6.70% for the DSSCs with a 60 μm surlyn. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Enhancing the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells by incorporating nanomica in gel electrolytes☆

    KAUST Repository

    Lai, Yi-Hsuan

    2010-04-01

    Gel-type dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) were fabricated with 5.0 wt% polyvinyidene fluoride-co-hexafluoro propylene (PVDF-HFP) in methoxy propionitrile (MPN) as gel polymer electrolyte (GPE), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide (BMII)/iodine (I2) as redox couple, 4-tertiary butyl pyridine (TBP) and guanidine thiocyanate as additives. The incorporation of alkyl-modified nanomica (AMNM) in the PVDF-HFP gel electrolytes caused the reduction of crystallization of PVDF-HFP, which was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The short-circuit current density (JSC) of the cell increased due to the decrease of diffusion resistance, as judged by the electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) analysis, while the open-circuit voltage (VOC) remained almost the same. As the loading of AMNM in the PVDF-HFP gel electrolyte was increased to 3.0 wt%, the JSC and power conversion efficiency (η) of the cells increased from 8.3 to 13.6 mA/cm2 and 3.5% to 5.7%, respectively. However, the JSC decreased as the loading of AMNM exceeded 3.0 wt%. At higher AMNM loadings, nanomica acted as a barrier interface between the electrolyte and the dye molecules to hinder electron transfer, and thus reducing the cell\\'s photocurrent density. Furthermore, the DSSCs fabricated by dispersing polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microspheres in the TiO2 electrode with the GPE containing 3.0 wt% AMNM improved the η to 6.70%. The TiO2 films would exhibit larger porosity by blending with PMMA, leading the penetration of GPEs into the porous TiO2 easier, thus improving the contact between the dye-adsorbed TiO2 surfaces and the GPEs, as characterized by EIS. Moreover, the η of gel-type DSSCs with a 25 μm thickness of surlyn reached 7.96% as compared with 6.70% for the DSSCs with a 60 μm surlyn. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Development of photonic crystals using sol-gel process for high power laser applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Benoit, Florence

    2015-01-01

    Three-dimensional photonic crystals (PCs) are periodic materials with a modulated refractive index on a length scale close to the light wavelength. This optical property allows the preparation of specific optical components like highly reflective mirrors. Moreover, these structured materials might have a high laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) in the sub-nanosecond range compared to multilayered dielectric mirrors. This property is obtained because only one high LIDT material (silica) is used. In this work, we present the development of 3D PCs with narrow-sized colloidal silica particles, prepared by sol-gel process and deposited with Langmuir-Blodgett technique. Different syntheses routes have been investigated and compared regarding the optical properties of the PCs. A numerical model based on an ideal opal network including defect influence is used to explain these experimental results. (author) [fr

  16. A Sol-gel Integrated Dual-readout Microarray Platform for Quantification and Identification of Prostate-specific Antigen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, SangWook; Lee, Jong Hyun; Kwon, Hyuck Gi; Laurell, Thomas; Jeong, Ok Chan; Kim, Soyoun

    2018-01-01

    Here, we report a sol-gel integrated affinity microarray for on-chip matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) that enables capture and identification of prostate?specific antigen (PSA) in samples. An anti-PSA antibody (H117) was mixed with a sol?gel, and the mixture was spotted onto a porous silicon (pSi) surface without additional surface modifications. The antibody easily penetrates the sol-gel macropore fluidic network structure, making possible high affinities. To assess the capture affinity of the platform, we performed a direct assay using fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled PSA. Pure PSA was subjected to on-chip MALDI-TOF-MS analysis, yielding three clear mass peptide peaks (m/z = 1272, 1407, and 1872). The sol-gel microarray platform enables dual readout of PSA both fluorometric and MALDI-TOF MS analysis in biological samples. Here we report a useful method for a means for discovery of biomarkers in complex body fluids.

  17. A nonadhesive solid-gel electrode for a non-invasive brain–machine interface

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shigeru eToyama

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available A non-invasive brain–machine interface (BMI or brain-computer interface (BCI is a technology for helping individuals with disabilities and utilizes neurophysiological signals from the brain to control external machines or computers without requiring surgery. However, when applying EEG methodology, users must place EEG electrodes on the scalp each time, and the development of easy-to-use electrodes for clinical use is required. In this study, we developed a conductive nonadhesive solid-gel electrode for practical non-invasive BMIs. We performed basic material testing, including examining the volume resistivity, viscoelasticity, and moisture-retention properties of the solid gel. Then, we compared the performance of the solid gel, a conventional paste, and an in-house metal pin-based electrode using impedance measurements and P300-BMI testing. The solid gel was observed to be conductive (volume resistivity 13.2 Ωcm and soft (complex modulus 105.4 kPa, and it remained wet for a prolonged period (>10 hours in a dry environment. Impedance measurements revealed that the impedance of the solid-gel-based and conventional paste-based electrodes was superior to that of the pin-based electrode. The EEG measurement suggested that the signals obtained with the solid-gel electrode were comparable to those with the conventional paste-based electrode. Moreover, the P300-BMI study suggested that systems using the solid-gel or pin-based electrodes were effective. One of the advantages of the solid gel is that it does not require cleaning after use, whereas the conventional paste adheres to the hair, which requires washing. Furthermore, the solid-gel electrode was not painful compared with a metal-pin electrode. Taken together, the results suggest that the solid-gel electrode worked well for practical BMIs and could be useful for bedridden patients such as those with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

  18. High-performance hybrid pervaporation membranes with superior hydrothermal and acid stability

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Castricum, H.L. [Inorganic Materials Science, MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Blank, D.H.A.; Ten Elshof, J.E. [Van ' t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Kreiter, R.; Van Veen, H.M.; Vente, J.F. [ECN Efficiency and Infrastructure, Petten (Netherlands)

    2009-05-15

    A new organic-inorganic hybrid membrane has been prepared with exceptional performance in dewatering applications. The only precursor used in the sol-gel synthesis of the selective layer was organically linked 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTESE). The microporous structure of this layer enables selective molecular sieving of small molecules from larger ones. In the dehydration of n-butanol with 5% of water, the membrane shows a high separation factor of over 4000 and ultra-fast water transport at a rate of more than 20 kg m{sup -2} h{sup -1} at 150C. This can be related to the high adsorption capacity of the material and the sub-micron thickness of the selective layer. The selectivity has now remained constant over almost one and a half years under continuous process testing conditions. Apart from the hydrothermal stability, the membrane exhibits a high tolerance for acid contamination. A slow performance decline in flux and separation factor is only observed at a pH lower than 2. The high stability and effective separation indicate a broad industrial application potential of the hybrid membrane material.

  19. Performance comparison of a silica gel-water and activated carbon-methanol two beds adsorption chillers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Szelągowski Adam

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study is to compare the efficiency of adsorption refrigerating equipment working with different working pairs. Adsorption cooling devices can operate with a relatively low temperature of heat sources while consuming only a small amount of electricity for the operation of auxiliary equipment. Refrigerants used in adsorption devices are substances that do not have a negative impact on the environment. All that makes that adsorption refrigeration seems to be a good solution for utilizing renewable and waste heat sources for cold production. To carry out the experiment the adsorption cooling device has been developed and researched in Institute of Heat Engineering at Warsaw University of Technology. The test bench consisted of two cylindrical adsorbers, condenser, evaporator, oil heater and two oil coolers. In order to perform the correct action it has been developed and implemented special control algorithm device, allowed to keep the temperature in the evaporator at a preset level. The unit tested for two sorption pairs: activated carbon – methanol, and silica gel – water. For activated carbon - methanol working pair it was obtained energy efficiency rating (EER equals to 0.14 and specific cooling power (SPC of 16 W/kg. For silica gel - water EER of refrigeration unit was 0.25 and SPC was equal to 208 W/kg.

  20. Thoria sol-gel processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matthews, R.B.

    1978-10-01

    Alternate fuel fabrication techniques are being developed at WNRE as part of the thorium fuel cycle program. The sol-gel techniques are attractive and this report assembles and summarizes information relating to thoria sol-gel fuels. Some background information on the behaviour and advantages of sol-gel fuel forms is presented, followed by a review of relevant colloid chemistry and an explanation of the fundamental steps of sol-gel processes. Finally, several variants to the basic process are reviewed and evaluated. (author)

  1. New visible and selective DNA staining method in gels with tetrazolium salts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paredes, Aaron J; Naranjo-Palma, Tatiana; Alfaro-Valdés, Hilda M; Barriga, Andrés; Babul, Jorge; Wilson, Christian A M

    2017-01-15

    DNA staining in gels has historically been carried out using silver staining and fluorescent dyes like ethidium bromide and SYBR Green I (SGI). Using fluorescent dyes allows recovery of the analyte, but requires instruments such as a transilluminator or fluorimeter to visualize the DNA. Here we described a new and simple method that allows DNA visualization to the naked eye by generating a colored precipitate. It works by soaking the acrylamide or agarose DNA gel in SGI and nitro blue tetrazolium (NBT) solution that, when exposed to sunlight, produces a purple insoluble formazan precipitate that remains in the gel after exposure to light. A calibration curve made with a DNA standard established a detection limit of approximately 180 pg/band at 500 bp. Selectivity of this assay was determined using different biomolecules, demonstrating a high selectivity for DNA. Integrity and functionality of the DNA recovered from gels was determined by enzymatic cutting with a restriction enzyme and by transforming competent cells after the different staining methods, respectively. Our method showed the best performance among the dyes employed. Based on its specificity, low cost and its adequacy for field work, this new methodology has enormous potential benefits to research and industry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Review of Fricke gel dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schreiner, L J

    2004-01-01

    The innovation of adding a gel matrix to the traditional Fricke dosimeter to stabilize geometric information established the field of gel dosimetry for radiation therapy. A discussion of Fricke gels provides an overview of the issues that determine the dose response of all gel dosimeters in general. In this paper we review some of the features of Fricke systems to illustrate these issues and, in addition, to motivate renewed clinical interest in Fricke gels

  3. Gel nano-particulates against radioactivity; Des nanoparticules en gel contre la radioactivite

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deroin, Ph

    2004-11-01

    The Argonne research center (USA) has developed a 'super-gel' compound, a polymer close to those used in baby's diapers, which can reach a 90% efficiency in the radioactive decontamination of porous materials, like bricks or concrete. The contaminated materials are sprayed with a mixture of polymer gel and wetting agent with nano-particulates in suspension. Under the action of the wetting agent, radioactivity migrates from the pores to the gel and is trapped by the nano-particulates. The drying and recycling of the gel allows to reduce the volume of radioactive wastes. Short paper. (J.S.)

  4. Fast, three-dimensional, MR Imaging for polymer gel dosimetric applications involving high dose and steep dose gradients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sandilos, Panagiotis; Baras, Panagiotis; Georgiou, Evangelos; Dardoufas, Konstantinos; Karaiskos, Pantelis; Papagiannis, Panagiotis; Paschalis, Theodoros; Tatsis, Elias; Torrens, Michael; Vlahos, Lampros

    2006-01-01

    Polymer gels constitute water equivalent integrating detectors, which, combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can provide accurate three dimensional (3D) dose distributions in contemporary radiotherapy applications where the small field dimensions and steep dose gradients induce limitations to conventional dosimeters. One of the main obstacles for adapting the method for routine use in the clinical setting is the cost effectiveness of the MRI readout method. Currently, optimized Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) multiple spin echo imaging pulse sequences are commonly used which however result in long imaging times. This work evaluates the efficiency of 3D, dual-echo, k-space segmented turbo spin echo (TSE) scanning sequences for accurate dosimetry with sub-millimetre spatial resolution in strenuous radiation therapy applications. PABIG polymer gel dosimeters were irradiated with an 192 Ir High Dose Rate brachytherapy source, the 4 mm and 8 mm collimator helmets of a gamma knife unit and a custom made x-knife collimator of 1 cm diameter. Profile and dose distribution measurements using TSE are benchmarked against corresponding findings obtained by the commonly used, but time consuming, CPMG sequence as well as treatment planning calculations, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and film measurements. The implementation of a high Turbo factor was found to provide comparable accuracy, allowing a 64-fold MRI scan acceleration compared to conventional multi-echo sequences. The availability of TSE sequences in typical MRI installations greatly facilitates the introduction of polymer gel dosimetry in the clinical environment as a practicable tool for the determination of full 3D dose distributions in contemporary radiotherapy applications

  5. Fast, three-dimensional, MR Imaging for polymer gel dosimetric applications involving high dose and steep dose gradients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sandilos, Panagiotis [Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Ave., 115 28 Athens (Greece); Baras, Panagiotis [Philips Hellas Medical Systems, 44 Kifissias Ave., Maroussi 151 25, Athens (Greece); Georgiou, Evangelos [Medical Physics Department, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias, 115 27 Athens (Greece); Dardoufas, Konstantinos [Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Ave., 115 28 Athens (Greece): Hygeia Hospital, Kiffisias Avenue and 4 Erythrou Stavrou, Marousi, 151 23 Athens (Greece); Karaiskos, Pantelis [Medical Physics Department, University of Athens, 75 Mikras Asias, 115 27 Athens (Greece): Hygeia Hospital, Kiffisias Avenue and 4 Erythrou Stavrou, Marousi, 151 23 Athens (Greece)]. E-mail: p.karaiskos@hygeia.gr; Papagiannis, Panagiotis [Physics Department, Nuclear and Particle Physics Section, University of Athens, Panepistimioupolis, Ilisia, 157 71 Athens (Greece); Paschalis, Theodoros [Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Ave., 115 28 Athens (Greece); Tatsis, Elias [Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Ave., 115 28 Athens (Greece); Torrens, Michael [Hygeia Hospital, Kiffisias Avenue and 4 Erythrou Stavrou, Marousi, 151 23 Athens (Greece); Vlahos, Lampros [Department of Radiology, Medical School, University of Athens, Areteion Hospital, 76 Vas. Sofias Ave., 115 28 Athens (Greece)

    2006-12-20

    Polymer gels constitute water equivalent integrating detectors, which, combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can provide accurate three dimensional (3D) dose distributions in contemporary radiotherapy applications where the small field dimensions and steep dose gradients induce limitations to conventional dosimeters. One of the main obstacles for adapting the method for routine use in the clinical setting is the cost effectiveness of the MRI readout method. Currently, optimized Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) multiple spin echo imaging pulse sequences are commonly used which however result in long imaging times. This work evaluates the efficiency of 3D, dual-echo, k-space segmented turbo spin echo (TSE) scanning sequences for accurate dosimetry with sub-millimetre spatial resolution in strenuous radiation therapy applications. PABIG polymer gel dosimeters were irradiated with an {sup 192}Ir High Dose Rate brachytherapy source, the 4 mm and 8 mm collimator helmets of a gamma knife unit and a custom made x-knife collimator of 1 cm diameter. Profile and dose distribution measurements using TSE are benchmarked against corresponding findings obtained by the commonly used, but time consuming, CPMG sequence as well as treatment planning calculations, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and film measurements. The implementation of a high Turbo factor was found to provide comparable accuracy, allowing a 64-fold MRI scan acceleration compared to conventional multi-echo sequences. The availability of TSE sequences in typical MRI installations greatly facilitates the introduction of polymer gel dosimetry in the clinical environment as a practicable tool for the determination of full 3D dose distributions in contemporary radiotherapy applications.

  6. Design of Autonomous Gel Actuators

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuji Hashimoto

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, we introduce autonomous gel actuators driven by chemical energy. The polymer gels prepared here have cyclic chemical reaction networks. With a cyclic reaction, the polymer gels generate periodical motion. The periodic motion of the gel is produced by the chemical energy of the oscillatory Belouzov-Zhabotinsky (BZ reaction. We have succeeded in making synthetic polymer gel move autonomously like a living organism. This experimental fact represents the great possibility of the chemical robot.

  7. Optimal processing for gel electrophoresis images: Applying Monte Carlo Tree Search in GelApp.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Phi-Vu; Ghezal, Ali; Hsueh, Ya-Chih; Boudier, Thomas; Gan, Samuel Ken-En; Lee, Hwee Kuan

    2016-08-01

    In biomedical research, gel band size estimation in electrophoresis analysis is a routine process. To facilitate and automate this process, numerous software have been released, notably the GelApp mobile app. However, the band detection accuracy is limited due to a band detection algorithm that cannot adapt to the variations in input images. To address this, we used the Monte Carlo Tree Search with Upper Confidence Bound (MCTS-UCB) method to efficiently search for optimal image processing pipelines for the band detection task, thereby improving the segmentation algorithm. Incorporating this into GelApp, we report a significant enhancement of gel band detection accuracy by 55.9 ± 2.0% for protein polyacrylamide gels, and 35.9 ± 2.5% for DNA SYBR green agarose gels. This implementation is a proof-of-concept in demonstrating MCTS-UCB as a strategy to optimize general image segmentation. The improved version of GelApp-GelApp 2.0-is freely available on both Google Play Store (for Android platform), and Apple App Store (for iOS platform). © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Evolution of heterogeneity accompanying sol-gel transitions in a supramolecular hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsumoto, Yuji; Shundo, Atsuomi; Ohno, Masashi; Tsuruzoe, Nobutomo; Goto, Masahiro; Tanaka, Keiji

    2017-10-18

    When a peptide amphiphile is dispersed in water, it self-assembles into a fibrous network, leading to a supramolecular hydrogel. When the gel is physically disrupted by shaking, it transforms into a sol state. After aging at room temperature for a while, it spontaneously returns to the gel state, called sol-gel transition. However, repeating the sol-gel transition often causes a change in the rheological properties of the gel. To gain a better understanding of the sol-gel transition and its reversibility, we herein examined the thermal motion of probe particles at different locations in a supramolecular hydrogel. The sol obtained by shaking the gel was heterogeneous in terms of the rheological properties and the extent decreased with increasing aging time. This time course of heterogeneity, or homogeneity, which corresponded to the sol-to-gel transition, was observed for the 1st cycle. However, this was not the case for the 2nd and 3rd cycles; the heterogeneity was preserved even after aging. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and atomic force and confocal laser scanning microscopies revealed that, although the molecular aggregation states of amphiphiles both in the gel and sol remained unchanged with the cycles, the fibril density diversified to high and low density regions even after aging. The tracking of particles with different sizes indicated that the partial mesh size in the high density region and the characteristic length scale of the density fluctuation were smaller than 50 nm and 6 μm, respectively.

  9. A novel fibrin gel derived from hyaluronic acid-grafted fibrinogen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Chiung L; Chen, Hui W; Wang, Tzu C; Wang, Yng J, E-mail: wang@ym.edu.tw [Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang Ming University, No. 155, Sec. 2, Li-Nung St., Shih-Pai, Taipei, Taiwan 112 (China)

    2011-04-15

    Fibrinogen is a major plasma protein that forms a three-dimensional fibrin gel upon being activated by thrombin. In this study, we report the synthesis and potential applications of hybrid molecules composed of fibrinogen coupled to the reducing ends of short-chain hyaluronic acids (sHAs) by reductive amination. The grafting of sHAs to fibrinogen was verified by analyzing particle size, zeta potential and gel-electrophoretic mobility of the hybrid molecules. The sHA-fibrinogen hybrid molecules with graft ratios (sHA/fibrinogen) of up to 6.5 retained the ability to form gels in response to thrombin activation. The sHA-fibrin gels were transparent in appearance and exhibited high water content, which were characteristics distinct from those of gels formed by mixtures of sHAs and fibrinogen. The potential applications of the sHA-fibrin gels were evaluated. The sHA-fibrinogen gel with a graft ratio of 3.6 (S3.6F) was examined for its ability to encapsulate and support the differentiation of ATDC5 chondrocyte-like cells. Compared with the fibrinogen-formed gel, cells cultured in the S3.6F gel exhibited increased lacunae formation; moreover, the abundance of cartilaginous extracellular matrix molecules and the expression of chondrocyte marker genes, such as aggrecan, collagen II and Sox9, were also significantly increased. Our data suggest that the three-dimensional gel formed by the sHA-fibrinogen hybrid is a better support than the fibrin gel for chondrogenesis induction.

  10. A novel fibrin gel derived from hyaluronic acid-grafted fibrinogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Chiung L; Chen, Hui W; Wang, Tzu C; Wang, Yng J

    2011-01-01

    Fibrinogen is a major plasma protein that forms a three-dimensional fibrin gel upon being activated by thrombin. In this study, we report the synthesis and potential applications of hybrid molecules composed of fibrinogen coupled to the reducing ends of short-chain hyaluronic acids (sHAs) by reductive amination. The grafting of sHAs to fibrinogen was verified by analyzing particle size, zeta potential and gel-electrophoretic mobility of the hybrid molecules. The sHA-fibrinogen hybrid molecules with graft ratios (sHA/fibrinogen) of up to 6.5 retained the ability to form gels in response to thrombin activation. The sHA-fibrin gels were transparent in appearance and exhibited high water content, which were characteristics distinct from those of gels formed by mixtures of sHAs and fibrinogen. The potential applications of the sHA-fibrin gels were evaluated. The sHA-fibrinogen gel with a graft ratio of 3.6 (S3.6F) was examined for its ability to encapsulate and support the differentiation of ATDC5 chondrocyte-like cells. Compared with the fibrinogen-formed gel, cells cultured in the S3.6F gel exhibited increased lacunae formation; moreover, the abundance of cartilaginous extracellular matrix molecules and the expression of chondrocyte marker genes, such as aggrecan, collagen II and Sox9, were also significantly increased. Our data suggest that the three-dimensional gel formed by the sHA-fibrinogen hybrid is a better support than the fibrin gel for chondrogenesis induction.

  11. Sol-Gel Material-Enabled Electro-Optic Polymer Modulators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Himmelhuber, Roland; Norwood, Robert A.; Enami, Yasufumi; Peyghambarian, Nasser

    2015-01-01

    Sol-gels are an important material class, as they provide easy modification of material properties, good processability and are easy to synthesize. In general, an electro-optic (EO) modulator transforms an electrical signal into an optical signal. The incoming electrical signal is most commonly information encoded in a voltage change. This voltage change is then transformed into either a phase change or an intensity change in the light signal. The less voltage needed to drive the modulator and the lower the optical loss, the higher the link gain and, therefore, the better the performance of the modulator. In this review, we will show how sol-gels can be used to enhance the performance of electro-optic modulators by allowing for designs with low optical loss, increased poling efficiency and manipulation of the electric field used for driving the modulator. The optical loss is influenced by the propagation loss in the device, as well as the losses occurring during fiber coupling in and out of the device. In both cases, the use of sol-gel materials can be beneficial due to the wide range of available refractive indices and low optical attenuation. The influence of material properties and synthesis conditions on the device performance will be discussed. PMID:26225971

  12. Two Players Make a Formidable Combination: In Situ Generated Poly(acrylic anhydride-2-methyl-acrylic acid-2-oxirane-ethyl ester-methyl methacrylate) Cross-Linking Gel Polymer Electrolyte toward 5 V High-Voltage Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Yue; Ma, Jun; Chai, Jingchao; Liu, Zhihong; Ding, Guoliang; Xu, Gaojie; Liu, Haisheng; Chen, Bingbing; Zhou, Xinhong; Cui, Guanglei; Chen, Liquan

    2017-11-29

    Electrochemical performance of high-voltage lithium batteries with high energy density is limited because of the electrolyte instability and the electrode/electrolyte interfacial reactivity. Hence, a cross-linking polymer network of poly(acrylic anhydride-2-methyl-acrylic acid-2-oxirane-ethyl ester-methyl methacrylate) (PAMM)-based electrolyte was introduced via in situ polymerization inspired by "shuangjian hebi", which is a statement in a traditional Chinese Kungfu story similar to the synergetic effect of 1 + 1 > 2. A poly(acrylic anhydride) and poly(methyl methacrylate)-based system is very promising as electrolyte materials for lithium-ion batteries, in which the anhydride and acrylate groups can provide high voltage resistance and fast ionic conductivity, respectively. As a result, the cross-linking PAMM-based electrolyte possesses a significant comprehensive enhancement, including electrochemical stability window exceeding 5 V vs Li + /Li, an ionic conductivity of 6.79 × 10 -4 S cm -1 at room temperature, high mechanical strength (27.5 MPa), good flame resistance, and excellent interface compatibility with Li metal. It is also demonstrated that this gel polymer electrolyte suppresses the negative effect resulting from dissolution of Mn 2+ ions at 25 and 55 °C. Thus, the LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 /Li and LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 /Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 cells using the optimized in situ polymerized cross-linking PAMM-based gel polymer electrolyte deliver stable charging/discharging profiles and excellent rate performance at room temperature and even at 55 °C. These findings suggest that the cross-linking PAMM is an intriguing candidate for 5 V class high-voltage gel polymer electrolyte toward high-energy lithium-on batteries.

  13. Patterning titania with the conventional and modified micromolding in capillaries technique from sol–gel and dispersion solutions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sajid Ullah Khan and Johan E ten Elshof

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We report TiO2 patterns obtained by a soft-lithographic technique called 'micromolding in capillaries' using sol–gel and dispersion solutions. A comparison between patterning with a sol–gel and dispersion solutions has been performed. The patterns obtained from sol–gel solutions showed good adhesion to the substrate and uniform shapes, but large shrinkage, whereas those obtained from dispersion solution had high solid content, but exhibited poor adhesion and non-uniform shapes. A fabrication method of a layer-by-layer structured pattern is also demonstrated. This type of pattern may find application in sensors, waveguides and other photonics elements. The occurrence of an undesirable residue layer, which hinders the fabrication of isolated patterns, is highlighted and a method of prevention is suggested.

  14. Electrochemical impedimetric sensor based on molecularly imprinted polymers/sol-gel chemistry for methidathion organophosphorous insecticide recognition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bakas, Idriss; Hayat, Akhtar; Piletsky, Sergey; Piletska, Elena; Chehimi, Mohamed M; Noguer, Thierry; Rouillon, Régis

    2014-12-01

    We report here a novel method to detect methidathion organophosphorous insecticides. The sensing platform was architected by the combination of molecularly imprinted polymers and sol-gel technique on inexpensive, portable and disposable screen printed carbon electrodes. Electrochemical impedimetric detection technique was employed to perform the label free detection of the target analyte on the designed MIP/sol-gel integrated platform. The selection of the target specific monomer by electrochemical impedimetric methods was consistent with the results obtained by the computational modelling method. The prepared electrochemical MIP/sol-gel based sensor exhibited a high recognition capability toward methidathion, as well as a broad linear range and a low detection limit under the optimized conditions. Satisfactory results were also obtained for the methidathion determination in waste water samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Production of radiopharmaceutical 99mTc using wasteless reactor Zr-Mo gel-technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Savushkin, I.; Gurko, O.; Ravkova, E.

    2002-01-01

    An original methodology and technological process of the wasteless reactor gel-technology of 99m Tc producing on the basis of centralised Zr-Mo gel-generator have been developed by the Institute of Power Engineering Problems, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus in co-operation with the Research Institute of Oncology and Medical Radiology, Ministry of Health of Belarus. This approach allows 99m Tc to be produced on the basis of MoO 3 with an 99 Mo activity of 3-20 Ci. The technological process of 99m Tc sodium pertechnetate production is remotely controlled and automated. Based on clinical tests performed by the Ministry of Health of Belarus, the clinical application of 99m Tc produced by this technology has been approved. The irradiation conditions of the target, consequence of technological process, technological yield of objective product on the example of operation of one generator, reprocessing and rendering of the wastes are analysed and described. The distinctive features of the technology developed are as follows: (a) Use of native molybdenum as the starting target. (b) Absence of deleterious and toxic impurities from the final product (nitrates, organics, etc.). (c) Application of a modified method of 99m Tc extraction from 99 Mo with the help of the Zr-Mo-gel (that is, application of a true gel, not the powder obtained by gel drying), reducing the number of process stages and simplifying the technology. (d) Easy automation and remote control. (e) Simplicity of design and compactness, opening up wide application fields for the unit. It is suggested that clinical centres should be equipped with centralised high-performance 99m Tc generators. Such centres can supply 99m Tc sodium pertechnetate daily to radioisotope laboratories within the radius of 100 km. Technical and economic calculations show that the centralised gel-generators possess industrial, technical and economic parameters making them superior to small/portable generators based on loading with

  16. Development of highly-ordered, ferroelectric inverse opal films using sol gel infiltration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuura, N.; Yang, S.; Sun, P.; Ruda, H. E.

    2005-07-01

    Highly-ordered, ferroelectric, Pb-doped Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3, inverse opal films were fabricated by spin-coating a sol gel precursor into a polystyrene artificial opal template followed by heat treatment. Thin films of the ferroelectric were independently studied and were shown to exhibit good dielectric properties and high refractive indices. The excellent quality of the final inverse opal film using this spin-coating infiltration method was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy images and the good correspondence between optical reflection data and theoretical simulations. Using this method, the structural and material parameters of the final ferroelectric inverse opal film were easily adjusted by template heating and through repeated infiltrations, without changes in the initial template or precursor. Also, crack-free inverse opal thin films were fabricated over areas comparable to that of the initial crack-free polystyrene template (˜100 by 100 μm2).

  17. A Single Dose of Beetroot Gel Rich in Nitrate Does Not Improve Performance but Lowers Blood Glucose in Physically Active Individuals

    OpenAIRE

    Vasconcellos, Julia; Henrique Silvestre, Diego; dos Santos Bai?o, Diego; Werneck-de-Castro, Jo?o Pedro; Silveira Alvares, Thiago; Paschoalin, V?nia M. Flosi

    2017-01-01

    Background. Beetroot consumption has been proposed to improve exercise performance, since the nitrate content of this food is able to stimulate the synthesis of nitric oxide. Objective. The acute effect of 100 g of a beetroot gel containing ~10 mmol of nitrate was tested on the nitric oxide synthesis, on metabolic and biochemical parameters, and on performance in physically active individuals. Methods. Through a double blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study, 25 healthy runners ingested a ...

  18. The influence of white and blue silica gels as adsorbents in adsorptive-distillation of ethanol-water mixture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Megawati, Jannah, Reni Ainun; Rahayuningtiyas, Indi

    2017-01-01

    This research studied the difference of white and blue silica gels when used as an adsorbent for ethanol purification that is processed via Adsorptive-Distillation (AD) at 1 atm pressure. The effect of process duration to purification process is also recorded and studied to evaluate the performance of designed AD equipment. The experiment was conducted using boiling flask covered with a heating mantle and the temperature was maintained at 78°C. The vapour flowed into the adsorbent column and was condensed using water as a cooling medium. The initial ethanol concentration was 90.8% v/v and volume was 300 mL. Experiment shows that designed AD equipment could be used to purify ethanol. The average vapour velocity was about 39.29 and 45.91 m/s for white and blue silica gels, respectively, which is considered very high. Therefore the saturated adsorption could not be obtained. Highest ethanol concentration achieved using white silica gel is about 96.671% v/v after 50 minutes. Thus AD with white silica gel showed good performance and passed azeotropic point. But AD with blue silica gel showed a different result, the adsorption of blue silica gel failed to break the azeotropic point. The outlet average water concentration for white and blue silica gels is 3.54 and 3.42 mole/L. Based on the weight ratio of adsorbed water per adsorbent, at 55th minutes of time; this ratio of blue silica gel is about 0.053 gwater/gads. The time required by the blue silica to achieve 0.5 wwater-adsorbed/wwater-initial is 45 minutes, and the average outlet water concentration is 3.42 mole/L. Meanwhile, the time required by a white silica to complete 0.5 wwater-adsorbed/wwater-initial is 35 minutes, and the average outlet water level is 3.54 mole/L. Based on the results, the blue silica as an adsorbent for AD of ethanol-water mixture is better than white silica gel.

  19. Cross-linked Composite Gel Polymer Electrolyte using Mesoporous Methacrylate-Functionalized SiO2 Nanoparticles for Lithium-Ion Polymer Batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Won-Kyung; Cho, Jinhyun; Kannan, Aravindaraj G.; Lee, Yoon-Sung; Kim, Dong-Won

    2016-01-01

    Liquid electrolytes composed of lithium salt in a mixture of organic solvents have been widely used for lithium-ion batteries. However, the high flammability of the organic solvents can lead to thermal runaway and explosions if the system is accidentally subjected to a short circuit or experiences local overheating. In this work, a cross-linked composite gel polymer electrolyte was prepared and applied to lithium-ion polymer cells as a safer and more reliable electrolyte. Mesoporous SiO2 nanoparticles containing reactive methacrylate groups as cross-linking sites were synthesized and dispersed into the fibrous polyacrylonitrile membrane. They directly reacted with gel electrolyte precursors containing tri(ethylene glycol) diacrylate, resulting in the formation of a cross-linked composite gel polymer electrolyte with high ionic conductivity and favorable interfacial characteristics. The mesoporous SiO2 particles also served as HF scavengers to reduce the HF content in the electrolyte at high temperature. As a result, the cycling performance of the lithium-ion polymer cells with cross-linked composite gel polymer electrolytes employing methacrylate-functionalized mesoporous SiO2 nanoparticles was remarkably improved at elevated temperatures. PMID:27189842

  20. Investigation of the temperature effect on electrochemical behaviors of TiO2 for gel type valve regulated lead-acid batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Metin GENÇTEN

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available In this study, the effect of temperature on the electrochemical behaviors of gel electrolyte systems was investigated for valve regulated lead-acid battery at 0≤ T ≤50 oC. Fumed silica and mixture of fumed silica and TiO2 were used as gel electrolytes. TiO2 has a good combination with fumed silica. They were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and battery tests. The anodic peak currents and redox capacities of the gel electrolytes increased with increasing of temperature. The highest anodic peak current and redox capacity were observed at 30 oC in fumed silica and at 40 oC in fumed silica:TiO2 based gel systems. The solution and charge transfer resistance values decreased in fumed silica:TiO2 gel system by increasing temperature. In battery tests, discharge curves were obtained for each gel system at 0, 25 and 50 oC. The discharge time of mixture gel electrolyte system was higher than that of fumed silica based gel electrolyte at low (0 oC and high (50 oC temperatures. The best performance was obtained in fumed silica based gel electrolyte at 25 oC.

  1. A pneumatic device for rapid loading of DNA sequencing gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panussis, D A; Cook, M W; Rifkin, L L; Snider, J E; Strong, J T; McGrane, R M; Wilson, R K; Mardis, E R

    1998-05-01

    This work describes the design and construction of a device that facilitates the loading of DNA samples onto polyacrylamide gels for detection in the Perkin Elmer/Applied Biosystems (PE/ABI) 373 and 377 DNA sequencing instruments. The device is mounted onto the existing gel cassettes and makes the process of loading high-density gels less cumbersome while the associated time and errors are reduced. The principle of operation includes the simultaneous transfer of the entire batch of samples, in which a spring-loaded air cylinder generates positive pressure and flexible silica capillaries transfer the samples. A retractable capillary array carrier allows the delivery ends of the capillaries to be held up clear of the gel during loader attachment on the gel plates, while enabling their insertion in the gel wells once the device is securely mounted. Gel-loading devices capable of simultaneously transferring 72 samples onto the PE/ABI 373 and 377 are currently being used in our production sequencing groups while a 96-sample transfer prototype undergoes testing.

  2. Synthesis of yttrium silicate luminescent materials by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arkhipov, D.V.; Vasina, O.Yu.; Popovich, N.V.; Galaktionov, S.S.; Soshchin, N.P.

    1996-01-01

    Several yttrium-silicate composition with Y 2 O 3 content within 44-56% have been synthesized. it is ascertained that employment of sol-gel technique permits preparation of luminescent materials on yttrium silicate basis, which compare favourably with bath-produced specimens. The influence of phase composition of sol-gel phosphors on basic performance indices: intensity and luminescence spectrum, has been analyzed

  3. Synthesis and characterization of silica gel from siliceous sands of southern Tunisia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Sdiri

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The present work aimed to achieve valorization of Albian sands for the preparation of sodium silicates that are commonly used as a precursor to prepare silica gel. A siliceous sand sample was mixed with sodium carbonate and heated at a high temperature (1060 °C to prepare sodium silicates. The sodium silicates were dissolved in distilled water to obtain high quality sodium silicate solution. Hydrochloric acid was then slowly added to the hydrated sodium silicates to obtain silica gel. The collected raw siliceous sands, as well as the prepared silica gels, were characterized by different techniques, such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF, X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and thermal analysis (DSC. XRF confirmed that the detrital sand deposits of southern Tunisia contain high amounts of silica, with content ranging from 88.8% to 97.5%. The internal porosity varied between 17% and 22%, and the specific surface area was less than 5 m2/g. After the treatment described above, it was observed that the porosity of the obtained silica gel reached 57% and the specific surface area exceeded 340 m2/g. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms showed that the prepared silica gels are microporous and mesoporous materials with high adsorption capacities. These results suggest that the obtained silica gels are promising materials for numerous environmental applications.

  4. A mucoadhesive in situ gel delivery system for paclitaxel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jauhari, Saurabh; Dash, Alekha K

    2006-06-02

    MUC1 gene encodes a transmembrane mucin glycoprotein that is overexpressed in human breast cancer and colon cancer. The objective of this study was to develop an in situ gel delivery system containing paclitaxel (PTX) and mucoadhesives for sustained and targeted delivery of anticancer drugs. The delivery system consisted of chitosan and glyceryl monooleate (GMO) in 0.33M citric acid containing PTX. The in vitro release of PTX from the gel was performed in presence and absence of Tween 80 at drug loads of 0.18%, 0.30%, and 0.54% (wt/wt), in Sorensen's phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) at 37 degrees C. Different mucin-producing cell lines (Calu-3>Caco-2) were selected for PTX transport studies. Transport of PTX from solution and gel delivery system was performed in side by side diffusion chambers from apical to basal (A-B) and basal to apical (B-A) directions. In vitro release studies revealed that within 4 hours, only 7.61% +/- 0.19%, 12.0% +/- 0.98%, 31.7% +/- 0.40% of PTX were released from 0.18%, 0.30%, and 0.54% drug-loaded gel formulation, respectively, in absence of Tween 80. However, in presence of surfactant (0.05% wt/vol) in the dissolution medium, percentages of PTX released were 28.1% +/- 4.35%, 44.2% +/- 6.35%, and 97.1% +/- 1.22%, respectively. Paclitaxel has shown a polarized transport in all the cell monolayers with B-A transport 2 to 4 times higher than in the A-B direction. The highest mucin-producing cell line (Calu-3) has shown the lowest percentage of PTX transport from gels as compared with Caco-2 cells. Transport of PTX from mucoadhesive gels was shown to be influenced by the mucin-producing capability of cell.

  5. Uncoupling the Impact of Fracture Properties and Composition on Sensory Perception of Emulsion-Filled Gels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Devezeaux de Lavergne, Marine; Strijbosch, V.M.G.; Broek, Van den A.W.M.; Velde, Van de Fred; Stieger, Markus

    2016-01-01

    The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of fracture properties and composition of emulsion-filled gels on dynamic texture perception. Twelve emulsion-filled gels varying in fracture stress (High/Low) and strain (High/Low) were prepared from three binary gel mixtures. Mechanical

  6. Effects of crown ethers in nanocomposite silica-gel electrolytes on the performance of quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, Kuan-Chieh

    2010-04-01

    The effects of crown ethers (CEs) on the performance of quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been investigated. Nanocomposite silica was used to form gel matrices in the electrolytes, which contained lithium iodide (LiI) and iodine (I2) in 3-methoxypropionitrile (MPN) solvent. Three types of CEs, 12-crown-4 (12-C-4), 15-crown-5 (15-C-5), and 18-crown-6 (18-C-6) were used as additives to the gel electrolytes. DSSCs containing CEs showed enhancements in solar-to-electricity conversion efficiencies (η), with reference to the one without them. The crown ether, 15-C-5, with a size of cavity matching with the size of Li+ in the electrolyte rendered for its DSSC the best performance with an η of 3.60%, under 100 mW/cm2 illumination, as compared to 2.44% for the cell without any CE. Enhancements in the photovoltaic parameters of the cells with the CEs were explained based on the binding abilities of the CEs with lithium ions (Li+) in the electrolyte. Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) measurements and electrochemical impedance spectra were used to substantiate the explanations. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Highly concentrated EDTA gel improves cleaning efficiency of root canal preparation in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Putzer, P; Hoy, L; Günay, H

    2008-12-01

    Debris and smear layer, as a product of mechanical root canal instrumentation, reduce the effectiveness of pharmacological substances to prevent post-treatment diseases and impair direct contact of filling materials with a clean dentinal surface. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the presence and localization of debris and smear layer via scanning electron microscope analysis after standardized root canal preparation with different chelating agents. Dentin surfaces received treatment with: (1) 15% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), (2) 18.6% EDTA (3) and 24% EDTA or without any demineralizing chemicals as control. Forty vertically split human premolars were sputtered and divided into coronal, middle, and apical sections, followed by a randomized, blinded score evaluation using five scores. Pairwise comparisons of all treatment groups against a control group have been performed by Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Debris grades showed no significant difference between the three regions of the root canals, except for 18.6% EDTA in the central third. Smear layer and smear plug removal was concentration-dependent. Removal of the smear layer in the three areas showed that there was a statistically significant difference between all parts when using 18.6% and 24% EDTA concentrations compared with the control. The best smear layer removal in the apical region was observed using a 24% EDTA gel as chelating agent and lubricant. The usage of EDTA gel >/=18.6% presented a better cleaning regime when compared to the control group.

  8. Controlling residual dipolar couplings in high-resolution NMR of proteins by strain induced alignment in a gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishii, Yoshitaka; Markus, Michelle A.; Tycko, Robert

    2001-01-01

    Water-soluble biological macromolecules can be weakly aligned by dissolution in a strained, hydrated gel such as cross-linked polyacrylamide, an effect termed 'strain-induced alignment in a gel' (SAG). SAG induces nonzero nuclear magnetic dipole-dipole couplings that can be measured in high-resolution NMR spectra and used as structural constraints. The dependence of experimental 15 N- 1 H dipolar couplings extracted from two-dimensional heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) spectra on several properties of compressed polyacrylamide, including the extent of compression, the polyacrylamide concentration, and the cross-link density, is reported for the B1 immunoglobulin binding domain of streptococcal protein G (protein G/B1, 57 residues). It is shown that the magnitude of macromolecular alignment can be widely varied by adjusting these properties, although the orientation and asymmetry of the alignment tensor are not affected significantly. The dependence of the 15 N relaxation times T 1 and T 2 of protein G/B1 on polyacrylamide concentration are also reported. In addition, the results of 15 N relaxation and HSQC experiments on the RNA binding domain of prokaryotic protein S4 from Bacillus stearothermophilus (S4 Δ41, residues 43-200) in a compressed polyacrylamide gel are presented. These results demonstrate the applicability of SAG to proteins of higher molecular weight and greater complexity. A modified in-phase/anti-phase (IPAP) HSQC technique is described that suppresses natural-abundance 15 N background signals from amide groups in polyacrylamide, resulting in cleaner HSQC spectra in SAG experiments. The mechanism of protein alignment in strained polyacrylamide gels is contrasted with that in liquid crystalline media

  9. Preliminary study of diffusion effects in Fricke gel dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quiroga, A.; Vedelago, J.; Valente, M.

    2014-08-01

    Diffusion of ferric ions in ferrous sulfate (Fricke) gels represents one of the main drawbacks of some radiation detectors, like Fricke gel dosimeters. In practice, this disadvantage can be overcome by prompt dosimeter analysis, constraining strongly the time between irradiation and analysis. Due to required integral accuracy levels, special dedicated protocols are implemented with the aim of minimizing signal blurring due to diffusion effects. This work presents dedicated analytic modelling and numerical calculations of diffusion coefficients in Fricke gel radiation sensitive material. Samples are optically analysed by means of visible light transmission measurements capturing images with a Ccd camera provided with a monochromatic 585 nm filter corresponding to the X O-infused Fricke solution absorbance peak. Dose distributions in Fricke gels are suitably delivered in order to assess specific initial conditions further studied by periodical sample image acquisitions. In a first analytic approach, experimental data are fit with linear models in order to achieve a value for the diffusion coefficient. The second approach to the problem consists on a group of computational algorithms based on inverse problem formulation, along with suitable 2D diffusion model capable of estimating diffusion coefficients by fitting the obtained algorithm numerical solutions with the corresponding experimental data. Comparisons are performed by introducing an appropriate functional in order to analyse both experimental and numerical values. Solutions to second order diffusion equation are calculated in the framework of a dedicated method that incorporates Finite Element Method. Moreover, optimised solutions can be attained by gradient type minimisation algorithms. Knowledge about diffusion coefficient for Fricke gel radiation detector might be helpful in accounting for effects regarding elapsed time between dosimeter irradiation and further analysis. Hence, corrections might be included

  10. A silica sol-gel design strategy for nanostructured metallic materials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Warren, S.C.; Perkins, M.R.; Adams, A.M.; Kamperman, M.M.G.

    2012-01-01

    Batteries, fuel cells and solar cells, among many other high-current-density devices, could benefit from the precise meso- to macroscopic structure control afforded by the silica sol–gel process. The porous materials made by silica sol–gel chemistry are typically insulators, however, which has

  11. Development of poloxamer gel formulations via hot-melt extrusion technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendonsa, Nicole S; Murthy, S Narasimha; Hashemnejad, Seyed Meysam; Kundu, Santanu; Zhang, Feng; Repka, Michael A

    2018-02-15

    Poloxamer gels are conventionally prepared by the "hot" or the "cold" process. But these techniques have some disadvantages such as high energy consumption, requires expensive equipment and often have scale up issues. Therefore, the objective of this work was to develop poloxamer gels by hot-melt extrusion technology. The model drug selected was ketoprofen. The formulations developed were 30% and 40% poloxamer gels. Of these formulations, the 30% poloxamer gels were selected as ideal gels. DSC and XRD studies showed an amorphous nature of the drug after extrusion. It was observed from the permeation studies that with increasing poloxamer concentration, a decrease in drug permeation was obtained. Other studies conducted for the formulations included in-vitro release studies, texture analysis, rheological studies and pH measurements. In conclusion, the hot-melt extrusion technology could be successfully employed to develop poloxamer gels by overcoming the drawbacks associated with the conventional techniques. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Polymer gels and networks

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Osada, Yoshihito; Khokhlov, A. R

    2002-01-01

    ... or magnetic field, etc.). It was realized that not only can polymer gels absorb and hold a considerable volume of liquids, but they can also be forced to expel the absorbed liquid in a controlled manner. Of particular interest are hydrogels, i.e., polymer gels, which swell extensively in water. The most common hydrogels are polyelectrolyte gels: ...

  13. Investigation of the dose rate dependency of the PAGAT gel dosimeter at low dose rates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zehtabian, M.; Faghihi, R.; Zahmatkesh, M.H.; Meigooni, A.S.; Mosleh-Shirazi, M.A.; Mehdizadeh, S.; Sina, S.; Bagheri, S.

    2012-01-01

    Medical physicists need dosimeters such as gel dosimeters capable of determining three-dimensional dose distributions with high spatial resolution. To date, in combination with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), polyacrylamide gel (PAG) polymers are the most promising gel dosimetry systems. The purpose of this work was to investigate the dose rate dependency of the PAGAT gel dosimeter at low dose rates. The gel dosimeter was used for measurement of the dose distribution around a Cs-137 source from a brachytherapy LDR source to have a range of dose rates from 0.97 Gy h −1 to 0.06 Gy h −1 . After irradiation of the PAGAT gel, it was observed that the dose measured by gel dosimetry was almost the same at different distances (different dose rates) from the source, although the points nearer the source had been expected to receive greater doses. Therefore, it was suspected that the PAGAT gel is dose rate dependent at low dose rates. To test this further, three other sets of measurements were performed by placing vials containing gel at different distances from a Cs-137 source. In the first two measurements, several plastic vials were exposed to equal doses at different dose rates. An ionization chamber was used to measure the dose rate at each distance. In addition, three TLD chips were simultaneously irradiated in order to verify the dose to each vial. In the third measurement, to test the oxygen diffusion through plastic vials, the experiment was repeated again using plastic vials in a nitrogen box and glass vials. The study indicates that oxygen diffusion through plastic vials for dose rates lower than 2 Gy h −1 would affect the gel dosimeter response and it is suggested that the plastic vials or (phantoms) in an oxygen free environment or glass vials should be used for the dosimetry of low dose rate sources using PAGAT gel to avoid oxygen diffusion through the vials.

  14. Preparation of continuous alumina gel fibres by aqueous sol–gel ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Abstract. Continuous alumina gel fibres were prepared by sol–gel method. The spinning sol was prepared by mixing aluminum nitrate, lactic acid and polyvinylpyrrolidone with a mass ratio of 10:3:1·5. Thermogravimetry– differential scanning calorimetry (TG–DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, X-ray diffraction ...

  15. Using sol-gel component as additive to foundry coatings to improve casting quality

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nwaogu, Ugochukwu Chibuzoh; Poulsen, T.; Gravesen, B.

    2012-01-01

    The improvement of foundry coatings to enhance performance is important. This paper investigates the effect of using sol‐gel component as an additive to foundry coatings applied on chemically bonded sand cores. Three parameters at three levels each were investigated using Taguchi experimental...... was evaluated. The results show that the surface quality of castings obtained by adding the sol‐gel component to the coatings for cold box cores has no significant difference from castings produced with coatings without sol‐gel component. On the other hand, the addition of the sol‐gel component in coatings...

  16. Sol-gel niobia sorbent with a positively charged octadecyl ligand providing enhanced enrichment of nucleotides and organophosphorus pesticides in capillary microextraction for online HPLC analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kesani, Sheshanka; Malik, Abdul

    2018-04-01

    A niobia-based sol-gel organic-inorganic hybrid sorbent carrying a positively charged C 18 ligand (Nb 2 O 5 -C 18 (+ve)) was synthesized to achieve enhanced enrichment capability in capillary microextraction of organophosphorus compounds (which include organophosphorus pesticides and nucleotides) before their online analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography. The sorbent was designed to simultaneously provide three different types of molecular level interactions: electrostatic, Lewis acid-base, and van der Waals interactions. To understand relative contributions of various molecular level analyte-sorbent interactions in the extraction process, two other sol-gel niobia sorbents were also created: (a) a purely inorganic sol-gel niobia sorbent (Nb 2 O 5 ) and (b) an organic-inorganic hybrid sol-gel niobia sorbent carrying an electrically neutral-bonded octadecyl ligand (Nb 2 O 5 -C 18 ). The extraction efficiency of the created sol-gel niobia sorbent (Nb 2 O 5 -C 18 (+ve)) was compared with that of analogously designed and synthesized titania-based sol-gel sorbent (TiO 2 -C 18 (+ve)), taking into consideration that titania-based sorbents present state-of-the-art extraction media for organophosphorus compounds. In capillary microextraction with high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, Nb 2 O 5 -C 18 (+ve) had shown 40-50% higher specific extraction values (a measure of extraction efficiency) over that of TiO 2 -C 18 (+ve). Compared to TiO 2 -C 18 (+ve), Nb 2 O 5 -C 18 (+ve) also provided superior analyte desorption efficiency (96 vs. 90%) during the online release of the extracted organophosphorus pesticides from the sorbent coating in the capillary microextraction capillary to the chromatographic column using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography mobile phase. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Bleaching and enamel surface interactions resulting from the use of highly-concentrated bleaching gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grazioli, Guillermo; Valente, Lisia Lorea; Isolan, Cristina Pereira; Pinheiro, Helena Alves; Duarte, Camila Gonçalves; Münchow, Eliseu Aldrighi

    2018-03-01

    Tooth bleaching is considered a non-invasive treatment, although the use of highly-concentrated products may provoke increased surface roughness and enamel demineralization, as well as postoperative sensitivity. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate whether hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) concentration would affect tooth bleaching effectiveness and the enamel surface properties. Enamel/dentin bovine specimens (6 × 4 mm) were immersed in coffee solution for 7 days and evaluated with a spectrophotometer (Easyshade; baseline), using the CIEL * a * b * color parameters. Hardness was measured using a hardness tester. The specimens were randomly assigned into four groups: one negative control, in which the specimens were not bleached, but they were irradiated with a laser-light source (Whitening Lase II, DMC Equipments); and three groups using distinct H 2 O 2 concentration, namely LP15% (15% Lase Peroxide Lite), LP25% (25% Lase Peroxide Sensy), and LP35% (35% Lase Peroxide Sensy), all products from DMC. The bleached specimens were also irradiated with the laser-light source. After bleaching, all specimens were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). pH kinetics and rate was monitored during bleaching. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey's test (p bleaching gels produced similar color change (p > 0.05). Concerning hardness, only the LP25% and LP35% significantly reduced hardness after bleaching; also, there was a progressive tendency for a greater percentage reduction in hardness with increased H 2 O 2 concentration of the gel (R 2  = 0.9973, p bleaching effectiveness, and may increase the possibility for alteration of enamel hardness, surface morphology, and acidity of the medium. When using H 2 O 2 -based bleaching agents, dental practitioners should choose for less concentrated gels, e.g., around the 15% level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Effect of temperature on the morphology and electro-optical properties of liquid crystal physical gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leaw, W.L.; Mamat, C.R.; Triwahyono, S.; Jalil, A.A.; Bidin, N.

    2016-01-01

    Liquid crystal physical gels were (thermally) prepared with cholesteryl stearate as a gelator in nematic liquid crystal, 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl. The electro-optical performance of liquid crystal physical gels is almost entirely dependent on the gels' inherent morphology. This study involved an empirical investigation of the relationships among all of the gelation temperature, morphology, and electro-optical properties. Besides continuous cooling at room temperature, isothermal cooling was also performed at both 18 and 0 °C, corresponding to near-solid and solid phases of 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl respectively. Nevertheless, the liquid crystal physical gel was also isothermally rapidly cooled using liquid nitrogen. Polarizing optical microscopy showed that the gel structure became thinner when isothermal cooling was carried out. These thinner gel aggregates then interconnected to form larger liquid crystal domains. Moreover, it was also revealed that the gel networks were randomized. Electron spin resonance results showed that the liquid crystal director orientation was severely randomized in the presence of gel networks. Conversely, isothermal cooling using liquid nitrogen generated a higher liquid crystal director orientation order. The 6.0 wt% cholesteryl stearate/4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl physical gel that was isothermally cooled using liquid nitrogen showed the lowest response time in a twisted nematic mode optical cell. - Graphical abstract: Liquid crystal physical gel was prepared using nematic liquid crystal, 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl and cholesteryl stearate as gelator. Isothermal cooling at lower temperature produced thinner gel network and larger liquid crystal domain. - Highlights: • 5CB nematic liquid crystal was successfully gelled by cholesteryl stearate gelator. • The morphology of gel network was controlled by different cooling conditions. • Thinner gel network was formed by the rapid cooling using liquid nitrogen. • Enhanced

  19. Effect of temperature on the morphology and electro-optical properties of liquid crystal physical gel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leaw, W.L. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor (Malaysia); Mamat, C.R., E-mail: che@kimia.fs.utm.my [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor (Malaysia); Triwahyono, S. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor (Malaysia); Jalil, A.A. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor (Malaysia); Centre of Hydrogen Energy, Institute of Future Energy, Univerisiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor (Malaysia); Bidin, N. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310, UTM Johor Bahru, Johor (Malaysia)

    2016-12-01

    Liquid crystal physical gels were (thermally) prepared with cholesteryl stearate as a gelator in nematic liquid crystal, 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl. The electro-optical performance of liquid crystal physical gels is almost entirely dependent on the gels' inherent morphology. This study involved an empirical investigation of the relationships among all of the gelation temperature, morphology, and electro-optical properties. Besides continuous cooling at room temperature, isothermal cooling was also performed at both 18 and 0 °C, corresponding to near-solid and solid phases of 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl respectively. Nevertheless, the liquid crystal physical gel was also isothermally rapidly cooled using liquid nitrogen. Polarizing optical microscopy showed that the gel structure became thinner when isothermal cooling was carried out. These thinner gel aggregates then interconnected to form larger liquid crystal domains. Moreover, it was also revealed that the gel networks were randomized. Electron spin resonance results showed that the liquid crystal director orientation was severely randomized in the presence of gel networks. Conversely, isothermal cooling using liquid nitrogen generated a higher liquid crystal director orientation order. The 6.0 wt% cholesteryl stearate/4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl physical gel that was isothermally cooled using liquid nitrogen showed the lowest response time in a twisted nematic mode optical cell. - Graphical abstract: Liquid crystal physical gel was prepared using nematic liquid crystal, 4-cyano-4′-pentylbiphenyl and cholesteryl stearate as gelator. Isothermal cooling at lower temperature produced thinner gel network and larger liquid crystal domain. - Highlights: • 5CB nematic liquid crystal was successfully gelled by cholesteryl stearate gelator. • The morphology of gel network was controlled by different cooling conditions. • Thinner gel network was formed by the rapid cooling using liquid nitrogen.

  20. Sol-gel optical thin films for an advanced megajoule-class Nd:glass laser ICF-driver

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Floch, H.G.; Belleville, P.F.; Pegon, P.M.; Dijonneau, C.S.; Guerain, J.

    1995-01-01

    It is well established by manufacturers and users that optical coatings are generally prepared by the well known Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) technology. In the authors' opinion sol-gel technology is an effective and competitive alternative. The aim of this paper is to emphasize on the sol-gel thin film work carried out at Centre d'Etudes de Limeil-Valenton (CEL-V) and concerning the technology for high power lasers. The authors will briefly discuss the chemistry of the sol-gel process, the production of optical coatings and the related deposition techniques. Finally, the paper describes the preparation and performance of sol-gel optical coatings they have developed to fulfill the requirements of a future 2 MJ/500 TW (351 nm) pulsed Nd:glass laser so-called LMJ (Laser MegaJoules). This powerful laser is to be used for their national Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program, to demonstrate at the laboratory scale, ignition of deuterium-tritium fusion fuel. Moreover, the aim of this article is, hopefully, to provide a convincing argument that coatings and particularly optical coatings, are some of the useful products available from sol-gel technology, and that exciting developments in other areas are almost certain to emerge within the coming decade

  1. Recent developments in polymer gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    John Schreiner, L.; Olding, Tim; Holmes, Oliver; McAuley, Kim

    2008-01-01

    Modern radiation therapy particularly with intensity modulation techniques (IMRT) offers the potential to improve patient outcomes by better limiting high doses to the tumour alone. In this presentation we report our progress in developing gel dosimetry with new less toxic dosimeters using a fast commercial optical computed tomography (OCT) scanner. We will demonstrate that these adjustments in the approach to gel dosimetry help facilitate its introduction into clinical use. We will review practical advances in system quality assurance and scatter correction to improve optical CT quantification, and show an example of a clinical implementation of an IGRT treatment validation

  2. Gel-eletroforese no diagnóstico da varíola Gel-electrophoresis in the smallpox diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julio A. Mesquita

    1972-01-01

    Full Text Available O emprego de gel-eletroforese no diagnóstico da varíola, demonstrou ser ao menos trinta vezes (30X mais sensível que o teste de agar-gel, nas condições descritas (tabela I. Doze (12 espécimes, cujos testes convencionais de inoculação em ovos embrionados e de agar-gel resultaram positivos, foram testados em suas diluições originais congeladas por mais de um ano, sendo seis deles revelados por gel-eletroforese enquanto nenhum o foi por agar-gel (tabela II. Trinta e três (33 amostras isoladas no laboratório, foram testadas com material colhido de membrana cório-alantóica da primeira inoculação para o diagnóstico, conservado em glicerina 50%, resultando 15 positivas em gel-eletroforese e apenas 3 em agar-gel (tabela II. Os últimos 60 espécimes recebidos para diagnóstico, através a Campanha de Erradicação da Varíola, também resultaram negativos em gel-eletroforese, que não mostrou falsos-positivos nas condições descritas.The test of gel-electrophoresis applied to the pox virus group showed to be at least thirth times (30X more sensitive than agar-gel test on the described conditions (Table I. Twelve specimens, which were positives form Smallpox in the conventional tests of egg inoculation and agar-gel difusion test, have been screened in their original dilutions frozen for more than 1 year and six of them were still detectable by gel-eletrophoresis, while by agar-gel test any of them was positive (Table II. Thirty three Smallpox isolates have been tested with material from first egg inoculation (chorioallantoic membranes which have been stored in glycerin 50%, at - 15ºC. Fifteen of them were still positive by gel-electrophoresis and only 3 by agar-gel (Table II. The last 60 specimens received for diagnosis from Smallpox Erradication Campaign (CEV, were negatives by both tests. The gel-electrophoresis, did not show false-positives on described conditions.

  3. Instrumental texture profile analysis of gelatin gel extracted from grouper skin and commercial (bovine and porcine) gelatin gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Mohammad Shafiur; Al-Mahrouqi, Abdullah Issa

    2009-01-01

    Mechanical compression was used to study the gelling characteristics of gelatin gels. Texture profile analysis (TPA) showed that the hardness of fish and mammalian gelatin increased significantly as the concentrations of gels increased. TPA attributes of 10% fish skin gel showed significant differences from those obtained from 20% and 30% gels. In bovine and porcine cases, such generic trends were not observed. Mechanical characteristics of 10% gels of gelatin from fish skin, determined from one cycle compression, were significantly lower than other sources of gelatin gels, while bovine and porcine gels did not show any significant differences. In the case of TPA, hardness of bovine gelatin gel was highest at 41 N for 10% gel, followed by porcine (30 N) then fish skin (5 N) gelatin gels. The gels prepared from different sources did not show any generic trends when all other mechanical attributes were considered.

  4. Compatibility between weak gel and microorganisms in weak gel-assisted microbial enhanced oil recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Yi-Bin; Zheng, Cheng-Gang; Lv, Cheng-Yuan; Lun, Zeng-Min; Ma, Tao

    2018-03-20

    To investigate weak gel-assisted microbial flooding in Block Wang Long Zhuang in the Jiangsu Oilfield, the compatibility of weak gel and microbe was evaluated using laboratory experiments. Bacillus sp. W5 was isolated from the formation water in Block Wang Long Zhuang. The rate of oil degradation reached 178 mg/day, and the rate of viscosity reduction reached 75.3%. Strain W5 could produce lipopeptide with a yield of 1254 mg/L. Emulsified crude oil was dispersed in the microbial degradation system, and the average diameter of the emulsified oil particles was 18.54 μm. Bacillus sp. W5 did not affect the rheological properties of the weak gel, and the presence of the weak gel did not significantly affect bacterial reproduction (as indicated by an unchanged microbial biomass), emulsification (surface tension is 35.56 mN/m and average oil particles size is 21.38 μm), oil degradation (162 mg/day) and oil viscosity reduction (72.7%). Core-flooding experiments indicated oil recovery of 23.6% when both weak gel and Bacillus sp. W5 were injected into the system, 14.76% when only the weak gel was injected, and 9.78% with strain W5 was injected without the weak gel. The results demonstrate good compatibility between strains W5 and the weak gel and highlight the application potential of weak gel-assisted microbial flooding. Copyright © 2018 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Ion therapy of prostate cancer: daily rectal dose reduction by application of spacer gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rucinski, Antoni; Brons, Stephan; Richter, Daniel; Habl, Gregor; Debus, Jürgen; Bert, Christoph; Haberer, Thomas; Jäkel, Oliver

    2015-01-01

    Ion beam therapy represents a promising approach to treat prostate cancer, mainly due to its high conformity and radiobiological effectiveness. However, the presence of prostate motion, patient positioning and range uncertainties may deteriorate target dose and increase exposure of organs at risk. Spacer gel injected between prostate and rectum may increase the safety of prostate cancer (PC) radiation therapy by separating the rectum from the target dose field. The dosimetric impact of the application of spacer gel for scanned carbon ion therapy of PC has been analyzed at Heidelberg Ion-Beam Therapy Center (HIT). The robustness of ion therapy treatment plans was investigated by comparison of two data sets of patients treated with and without spacer gel. A research treatment planning system for ion therapy was used for treatment plan optimization and calculation of daily dose distributions on 2 to 9 Computed Tomography (CT) studies available for each of the 19 patients. Planning and daily dose distributions were analyzed with respect to target coverage, maximal dose to the rectum (excluding 1 ml of the greatest dose; Dmax-1 ml) and the rectal volume receiving dose greater than 90% of prescribed target dose (V90 Rectum ), respectively. The application of spacer gel did substantially diminish rectum dose. Dmax-1 ml on the treatment planning CT was on average reduced from 100.0 ± 1.0% to 90.2 ± 4.8%, when spacer gel was applied. The robustness analysis performed with daily CT studies demonstrated for all analyzed patient cases that application of spacer gel results in a decrease of the daily V90 Rectum index, which calculated over all patient cases and CT studies was 10.2 ± 10.4 [ml] and 1.1 ± 2.1 [ml] for patients without and with spacer gel, respectively. The dosimetric benefit of increasing the distance between prostate and rectum using spacer gel for PC treatment with carbon ion beams has been quantified. Application of spacer gel substantially reduced rectal

  6. Modelling of erosion of bentonite gel by gel/sol flow

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moreno, Luis; Neretnieks, Ivars; Longcheng Liu (Chemical Engineering and Technology, School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm (Sweden))

    2010-11-15

    order of a metre per year the gel may penetrate several metres into the fracture when steady state is reached. The simulations were made with only sodium as counterion. Most simulations had sodium concentrations below the critical coagulation concentration, CCC. In the compacted bentonite at the fracture mouth it was 10 mM and 0.1 mM in the approaching water. At these concentrations the gel is expansive and can turn into a sol releasing colloidal particles. The low ion concentration has a strong impact on the fluid viscosity, which increases with decreasing ionic strength. At the same time, however the repulsion forces between the smectite particles increase causing a quicker expansion. Simulations with higher sodium concentrations had a marginal influence on the erosion rate. For the highest water flow rates the smectite loss could be up to 0.3 kg per year for one canister. This is more than one order of magnitude larger than what could be reached by smectite particle diffusion alone if fluid flow was neglected. In experiments in downward facing slits (fractures) it has been found that bentonite releases gel agglomerates much faster than expected. These are released and sediment also under conditions where it is expected that the smectite particles should have separated into individual smectite sheets, which would not noticeably be influenced by gravity. The reasons for this behaviour are not understood. In the modelling it is assumed that there are no other larger non-smectite particles that would be left behind to gradually build up a bed of particles that could act as filter, slowing down or even straining further smectite penetration into the fracture. The modelling results could therefore be highly pessimistic because bentonites contain tens of percent of accessory minerals that do not form colloids and the presence of which may cause the expansion to be slowed down by friction against the fracture walls

  7. Modelling of erosion of bentonite gel by gel/sol flow

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moreno, Luis; Neretnieks, Ivars; Longcheng Liu

    2010-11-01

    order of a metre per year the gel may penetrate several metres into the fracture when steady state is reached. The simulations were made with only sodium as counterion. Most simulations had sodium concentrations below the critical coagulation concentration, CCC. In the compacted bentonite at the fracture mouth it was 10 mM and 0.1 mM in the approaching water. At these concentrations the gel is expansive and can turn into a sol releasing colloidal particles. The low ion concentration has a strong impact on the fluid viscosity, which increases with decreasing ionic strength. At the same time, however the repulsion forces between the smectite particles increase causing a quicker expansion. Simulations with higher sodium concentrations had a marginal influence on the erosion rate. For the highest water flow rates the smectite loss could be up to 0.3 kg per year for one canister. This is more than one order of magnitude larger than what could be reached by smectite particle diffusion alone if fluid flow was neglected. In experiments in downward facing slits (fractures) it has been found that bentonite releases gel agglomerates much faster than expected. These are released and sediment also under conditions where it is expected that the smectite particles should have separated into individual smectite sheets, which would not noticeably be influenced by gravity. The reasons for this behaviour are not understood. In the modelling it is assumed that there are no other larger non-smectite particles that would be left behind to gradually build up a bed of particles that could act as filter, slowing down or even straining further smectite penetration into the fracture. The modelling results could therefore be highly pessimistic because bentonites contain tens of percent of accessory minerals that do not form colloids and the presence of which may cause the expansion to be slowed down by friction against the fracture walls

  8. Three dimensional gel dosimetry by use of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    De Deene, Y; De Wagter, C; Van Duyse, B; Achten, E; De Neve, W [Ghent Rijksuniversiteit (Belgium). Kliniek voor Radiotherapie en Kerngeneeskunde; De Poorter, J [Ghent Univ. (Belgium). Dept. of Magnetic Resonance

    1995-12-01

    As co-monomers are found to polymerize by radiation, they are eligible for constructing a three dimensional dosimeter. Another kind of three dimensional dosimeter, based on the radiation sensitivity of the ferrous ions in a Fricke solution, was tested in a previous study. However, a major problem that occurs in this kind of gel dosimeters is the diffusion of the ferric and ferrous ions. The co-monomer gels are more stable. The degree of polymerisation is visualized with a clinical MRI system. Acrylamide and N,N-methylene-bis-acrylamide are dissolved in a gel composed of gelatin and water. By irradiation the co-monomers are polymerized to polyacrylamide. The gel is casted in humanoid forms. As such, a simulation of the irradiation of the patient can be performed. Magnetic resonance relaxivity images of the irradiated gel display the irradiation dose. The images of the gel are fused with the radiological images of the patient. Quantitation of the dose response of the co-monomer gel is obtained through calibration by test tubes.

  9. Three dimensional gel dosimetry by use of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Deene, Y.; De Wagter, C.; Van Duyse, B.; Achten, E.; De Neve, W.; De Poorter, J.

    1995-01-01

    As co-monomers are found to polymerize by radiation, they are eligible for constructing a three dimensional dosimeter. Another kind of three dimensional dosimeter, based on the radiation sensitivity of the ferrous ions in a Fricke solution, was tested in a previous study. However, a major problem that occurs in this kind of gel dosimeters is the diffusion of the ferric and ferrous ions. The co-monomer gels are more stable. The degree of polymerisation is visualized with a clinical MRI system. Acrylamide and N,N-methylene-bis-acrylamide are dissolved in a gel composed of gelatin and water. By irradiation the co-monomers are polymerized to polyacrylamide. The gel is casted in humanoid forms. As such, a simulation of the irradiation of the patient can be performed. Magnetic resonance relaxivity images of the irradiated gel display the irradiation dose. The images of the gel are fused with the radiological images of the patient. Quantitation of the dose response of the co-monomer gel is obtained through calibration by test tubes

  10. Quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells from hydrophobic poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate/glycerin)/polyaniline gel electrolyte

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Qinghua [National Defence Key Discipline Laboratory of Light Alloy Processing Science and Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063 (China); Tang, Qunwei, E-mail: tangqunwei@hotmail.com [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Shandong Province, Qingdao 266100 (China); Chen, Haiyan [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Shandong Province, Qingdao 266100 (China); Xu, Haitao; Qin, Yuancheng [National Defence Key Discipline Laboratory of Light Alloy Processing Science and Technology, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang 330063 (China); He, Benlin, E-mail: blhe@ouc.edu.cn [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Shandong Province, Qingdao 266100 (China); Liu, Zhichao; Jin, Suyue; Chu, Lei [Institute of Materials Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Shandong Province, Qingdao 266100 (China)

    2014-04-01

    Hydrophobic poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate/glycerin) [poly(HEMA/GR)] gel with a three-dimensional (3D) framework was successfully fabricated and employed to integrate with polyaniline (PANi). The resultant poly(HEMA/GR)/PANi gel electrolyte exhibited interconnective porous structure for holding I{sup −}/I{sub 3}{sup −}, giving a similar conduction mechanism and ionic conductivity to that of liquid system but a much enhanced retention of I{sup −}/I{sub 3}{sup −} redox couple. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns, cyclic voltammograms as well as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were employed to evaluate the molecular structure, crystallinity, and the electrochemical behaviors, showing that the combination of PANi with poly(HEMA/GR) caused a lower charge-transfer resistance and higher electrocatalytic activity for the I{sub 3}{sup −}/I{sup −} redox reaction in the gel electrolyte. An efficiency of 6.63% was recorded from the quasi-solid-state DSSC assembled with the poly(HEMA/GR)/PANi gel electrolyte at 100 mW cm{sup −2}. - Graphical abstract: A poly(HEMA/GR)/PANi gel electrolyte is synthesized through in situ polymerization of PANi in 3D framework of poly(HEMA/GR) hydrophobic hydrogel. The recorded ionic conductivity and electrochemical performances are significantly enhanced by integrating with PANi The resultant overall photo-to-electric conversion efficiency is 6.63%. The high ionic conductivity, along with good electrolyte retention ability, reasonable DSSC performance, low cost, simple and scalable synthesis procedure, and competitive cost, promises the electrolyte to find applications in quasi-solid-state DSSCs. - Highlights: • Poly(HEMA/GR) was employed to combine with PANi in the 3D framework. • The conductivity and electrochemical performances were enhanced. • The conversion efficiency of the quasi-solid-state DSSC was 6.63%.

  11. Influence of pre-cooking protein paste gelation conditions and post-cooking gel storage conditions on gel texture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paker, Ilgin; Matak, Kristen E

    2016-01-15

    Gelation conditions affect the setting of myofibrillar fish protein gels. Therefore the impact of widely applied pre-cooking gelation time/temperature strategies and post-cooking period on the texture and color of final protein gels was determined. Four pre-cooking gelation strategies (no setting time, 30 min at 25 °C, 1 h at 40 °C or 24 h at 4 °C) were applied to protein pastes (fish protein concentrate and standard functional additives). After cooking, texture and color were analyzed either directly or after 24 h at 4 °C on gels adjusted to 25 °C. No-set gels were harder, gummier and chewier (P cooking. Gel-setting conditions had a greater (P cooking stored gels in texture and color, depending on the pre-cooking gelation strategy. Pre-cooking gelation conditions will affect final protein gel texture and color, with gel stability benefiting from a gel-setting period. However, post-cooking storage may have a greater impact on final gels, with textural attributes becoming more consistent between all samples. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  12. Formulation of a poly herbal gel for uterus flux

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Rezghi

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Background and objectives: Over the centuries, herbal drugs have been used as major sources of medicine for the prevention and treatment of diseases. In recent years, there has been an exponential growth in the field of herbal medicines and these drugs are gaining popularity both in developing and developed countries because of their natural origin and less side effects. The present research has been undertaken to formulate and evaluate an herbal gel for uterus flux based on Iranian traditional medicine references. Methods: An aqueous extracts of fruit peels of Punica granatum and leaves of Myrtus communis, ethanol extract of oleo gum resins of Boswellia carterii and hydro-alcoholic extract of Carum carvi fruits were obtained. The gel was prepared by using the plants extract, carbopol 940, propylene glycol, tri-ethanolamine and distilled water. Further, the prepared gel was evaluated for physicochemical and microbial characteristics. Moreover, accelerated laboratory stability tests were performed. Results: The results showed good appearance and homogeneity of the gel. It was yellow-brown in color with acceptable physicochemical characteristics. Besides, the gel was stable towards physical changes and successfully passed microbiological tests. Conclusion: The prepared gel contained tannins which are astringent agents; therefore, this product could be an appropriate candidate for disorders like uterus flux with respect to its traditional use.

  13. Performance evaluation of an improved optical computed tomography polymer gel dosimeter system for 3D dose verification of static and dynamic phantom deliveries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lopatiuk-Tirpak, O.; Langen, K. M.; Meeks, S. L.; Kupelian, P. A.; Zeidan, O. A.; Maryanski, M. J.

    2008-01-01

    The performance of a next-generation optical computed tomography scanner (OCTOPUS-5X) is characterized in the context of three-dimensional gel dosimetry. Large-volume (2.2 L), muscle-equivalent, radiation-sensitive polymer gel dosimeters (BANG-3) were used. Improvements in scanner design leading to shorter acquisition times are discussed. The spatial resolution, detectable absorbance range, and reproducibility are assessed. An efficient method for calibrating gel dosimeters using the depth-dose relationship is applied, with photon- and electron-based deliveries yielding equivalent results. A procedure involving a preirradiation scan was used to reduce the edge artifacts in reconstructed images, thereby increasing the useful cross-sectional area of the dosimeter by nearly a factor of 2. Dose distributions derived from optical density measurements using the calibration coefficient show good agreement with the treatment planning system simulations and radiographic film measurements. The feasibility of use for motion (four-dimensional) dosimetry is demonstrated on an example comparing dose distributions from static and dynamic delivery of a single-field photon plan. The capability to visualize three-dimensional dose distributions is also illustrated

  14. Agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix fabricated by simple thermo-responsive sol-gel transition method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yifeng; Dong, Meng; Guo, Mengmeng; Wang, Xia; Zhou, Jing; Lei, Jian; Guo, Chuanhang; Qin, Chaoran

    2017-08-01

    We present a simple and environmentally-friendly method to generate an agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix for further biomedical applications. In this method, the thermally responsive sol-gel transitions of agar and gelatin combined with the different transition temperatures are exquisitely employed to fabricate the agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix and achieve separate loading for various materials (e.g., drugs, fluorescent materials, and nanoparticles). Importantly, the resulting bilayer gel matrix provides two different biopolymer environments (a polysaccharide environment vs a protein environment) with a well-defined border, which allows the loaded materials in different layers to retain their original properties (e.g., magnetism and fluorescence) and reduce mutual interference. In addition, the loaded materials in the bilayer gel matrix exhibit an interesting release behavior under the control of thermal stimuli. Consequently, the resulting agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix is a promising candidate for biomedical applications in drug delivery, controlled release, fluorescence labeling, and bio-imaging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. High performance ceramic carbon electrode-based anodes for use in the Cu-Cl thermochemical cycle for hydrogen production

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ranganathan, Santhanam; Easton, E. Bradley [Faculty of Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7K4 (Canada)

    2010-02-15

    A high performance ceramic carbon electrode (CCE) was fabricated by the sol-gel method to study the CuCl electrolysis in Cu-Cl thermochemical cycle. The electrochemical behavior and stability of the CCE was investigated by polarization experiments at different concentrations of CuCl/HCl system. The CCE displayed excellent anodic performance and vastly outperformed the bare carbon fiber paper (CFP) even at high concentrations of CuCl (0.5 M) and HCl (6 M), which is explained in terms of increased active area and enhanced anion transport properties. Further enhancement of activity was achieved by coating the CCE layer onto both sides of the CFP substrate. (author)

  16. Preparation, characterization and efficacy of lysostaphin-chitosan gel against Staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nithya, Sai; Nimal, T R; Baranwal, Gaurav; Suresh, Maneesha K; C P, Anju; Anil Kumar, V; Gopi Mohan, C; Jayakumar, R; Biswas, Raja

    2018-04-15

    Lysostaphin (LST) is a bacteriocin that cleaves within the pentaglycine cross bridge of Staphylococcus aureus peptidoglycan. Previous studies have reported the high efficiency of LST even against multi drug resistant S. aureus including methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA). In this study, we have developed a new chitosan based hydrogel formulation of LST to exploit its anti-staphylococcal activity. The atomic interactions of LST with chitosan were studied by molecular docking studies. The rheology and the antibacterial properties of the developed LSTC gel were evaluated. The developed LST containing chitosan hydrogel (LSTC gel) was flexible, flows smoothly and remains stable at physiological temperature. The in vitro studies by agar well diffusion and ex vivo studies in porcine skin model exhibited a reduction in S. aureus survival by ∼3 Log 10 CFU/mL in the presence of LSTC gel. The cytocompatibility of the gel was tested in vitro using macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line and in vivo in Drosophila melanogaster. A gradual disruption of S. aureus biofilms with the increase of LST concentrations in the LSTC gel was observed which was confirmed by SEM analysis. We conclude that LSTC gel could be highly effectual and advantageous over antibiotics in treating staphylococcal-topical and biofilm infections. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Optimization and evaluation of thermoresponsive diclofenac sodium ophthalmic in situ gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asasutjarit, Rathapon; Thanasanchokpibull, Suthira; Fuongfuchat, Asira; Veeranondha, Sukitaya

    2011-06-15

    This work was conducted to optimize and evaluate Pluronic F127-based thermoresponsive diclofenac sodium ophthalmic in situ gels (DS in situ gel). They were prepared by cold method and investigated their physicochemical properties i.e., pH, flow ability, sol-gel transition temperature, gelling capacity and rheological properties. An optimized formulation was selected and investigated its physicochemical properties before and after autoclaving, eye irritation potency in SIRC cells and rabbits. In vivo ophthalmic absorption was performed in rabbits. It was found that physicochemical properties of DS in situ gels were affected by formulation compositions. Increment of Pluronic F127 content decreased sol-gel transition temperature of the products while increase in Pluronic F68 concentration tended to increase sol-gel transition temperature. In this study, Carbopol 940 did not affect sol-gel transition temperature but it affected transparency, pH, and gelling capacity of the products. The optimized formulation exhibited sol-gel transition at 32.6 ± 1.1 °C with pseudoplastic flow behavior. It was lost diclofenac sodium content during autoclaving. However, it was accepted as safe for ophthalmic use and could increase diclofenac sodium bioavailability in aqueous humor significantly. In conclusion, the optimized DS in situ gel had potential for using as an alternative to the conventional diclofenac sodium eye drop. However, autoclaving was not a suitable sterilization method for this product. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Thixotropic gel for vadose zone remediation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rhia, Brian D [Augusta, GA

    2011-03-01

    A thixotropic gel suitable for use in subsurface bioremediation is provided along with a process of using the gel. The thixotropic gel provides a non-migrating injectable substrate that can provide below ground barrier properties. In addition, the gel components provide for a favorable environment in which certain contaminants are preferentially sequestered in the gel and subsequently remediated by either indigenous or introduced microorganisms.

  19. Etodolac Containing Topical Niosomal Gel: Formulation Development and Evaluation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gyati Shilakari Asthana

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study aimed to investigate the delivery potential of Etodolac (ETD containing topical niosomal gel. Niosomal formulations were prepared by thin film hydration method at various ratios of cholesterol and Span 60 and were evaluated with respect to particle size, shape, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro characteristics. Dicetyl phosphate (DCP was also added in the niosomal formulation. Mean particle size of niosomal formulation was found to be in the range of 2 μm to 4 μm. Niosomal formulation N2 (1 : 1 ratio of cholesterol and surfactant displayed good entrapment efficiency (96.72%. TEM analyses showed that niosomal formulation was spherical in shape. Niosomal formulation (N2 displayed high percentage of drug release after 24 h (94.91 at (1 : 1 ratio of cholesterol : surfactant. Further selected niosomal formulation was used to formulate topical gel and was characterized with respect to its various parameters such as pH, viscosity, spreadability, ex vivo study, and in vivo potential permeation. Ex vivo study showed that niosomal gel possessed better skin permeation study than the plain topical gel. Further in vivo study revealed good inhibition of inflammation in case of topical niosomal gel than plain gel and niosomal formulation. The present study suggested that topical niosomal gel formulations provide sustained and prolonged delivery of drug.

  20. Spray-combustion synthesis: efficient solution route to high-performance oxide transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xinge; Smith, Jeremy; Zhou, Nanjia; Zeng, Li; Guo, Peijun; Xia, Yu; Alvarez, Ana; Aghion, Stefano; Lin, Hui; Yu, Junsheng; Chang, Robert P H; Bedzyk, Michael J; Ferragut, Rafael; Marks, Tobin J; Facchetti, Antonio

    2015-03-17

    Metal-oxide (MO) semiconductors have emerged as enabling materials for next generation thin-film electronics owing to their high carrier mobilities, even in the amorphous state, large-area uniformity, low cost, and optical transparency, which are applicable to flat-panel displays, flexible circuitry, and photovoltaic cells. Impressive progress in solution-processed MO electronics has been achieved using methodologies such as sol gel, deep-UV irradiation, preformed nanostructures, and combustion synthesis. Nevertheless, because of incomplete lattice condensation and film densification, high-quality solution-processed MO films having technologically relevant thicknesses achievable in a single step have yet to be shown. Here, we report a low-temperature, thickness-controlled coating process to create high-performance, solution-processed MO electronics: spray-combustion synthesis (SCS). We also report for the first time, to our knowledge, indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (IGZO) transistors having densification, nanoporosity, electron mobility, trap densities, bias stability, and film transport approaching those of sputtered films and compatible with conventional fabrication (FAB) operations.

  1. Preparation of highly hydrophobic cotton fabrics by modification with bifunctional silsesquioxanes in the sol-gel process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Przybylak, Marcin, E-mail: marcin.przybylak@ppnt.poznan.pl [Poznań Science and Technology Park, Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation, Rubież 46, 61-612 Poznań (Poland); Maciejewski, Hieronim, E-mail: maciejm@amu.edu.pl [Poznań Science and Technology Park, Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation, Rubież 46, 61-612 Poznań (Poland); Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89b, 61-614 Poznań (Poland); Dutkiewicz, Agnieszka, E-mail: agdut@interia.pl [Poznań Science and Technology Park, Adam Mickiewicz University Foundation, Rubież 46, 61-612 Poznań (Poland)

    2016-11-30

    Highlights: • Fabric hydrophobization process using bifunctional silsesquioxanes was studied. • Superhydrophobic fabric was produced using fluorofunctional silsesquioxanes. • Surface of modified fabrics was analyzed using different techniques. - Abstract: The surface modification of cotton fabrics was carried out using two types of bifunctional fluorinated silsesquioxanes with different ratios of functional groups. The modification was performed either by one- or two-step process. Two methods, the sol-gel and the dip coating method were used in different configurations. The heat treatment and the washing process were applied after modification. The wettability of cotton fabric was evaluated by measuring water contact angles (WCA). Changes in the surface morphology were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, SEM-LFD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Moreover, the modified fabrics were subjected to analysis of elemental composition of the applied coatings using SEM-EDS techniques. Highly hydrophobic textiles were obtained in all cases studied and one of the modifications resulted in imparting superhydrophobic properties. Most of impregnated textiles remained hydrophobic even after multiple washing process which shows that the studied modification is durable.

  2. Sol-Gel Derived Hafnia Coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feldman, Jay D.; Stackpoole, Mairead; Blum, Yigal; Sacks, Michael; Ellerby, Don; Johnson, Sylvia M.; Venkatapathy, Ethiras (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    Sol-gel derived hafnia coatings are being developed to provide an oxidation protection layer on ultra-high temperature ceramics for potential use in turbine engines (ultra-efficient engine technology being developed by NASA). Coatings using hafnia sol hafnia filler particles will be discussed along with sol synthesis and characterization.

  3. A Computing Method to Determine the Performance of an Ionic Liquid Gel Soft Actuator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Bin; Zhang, Chenghong; Zhou, Yanmin; Wang, Zhipeng

    2018-01-01

    A new type of soft actuator material-an ionic liquid gel (ILG) that consists of BMIMBF 4 , HEMA, DEAP, and ZrO 2 -is polymerized into a gel state under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. In this paper, we first propose that the ILG conforms to the assumptions of hyperelastic theory and that the Mooney-Rivlin model can be used to study the properties of the ILG. Under the five-parameter and nine-parameter Mooney-Rivlin models, the formulas for the calculation of the uniaxial tensile stress, plane uniform tensile stress, and 3D directional stress are deduced. The five-parameter and nine-parameter Mooney-Rivlin models of the ILG with a ZrO 2 content of 3 wt% were obtained by uniaxial tensile testing, and the parameters are denoted as c 10 , c 01 , c 20 , c 11 , and c 02 and c 10 , c 01 , c 20 , c 11 , c 02 , c 30 , c 21 , c 12 , and c 03 , respectively. Through the analysis and comparison of the uniaxial tensile stress between the calculated and experimental data, the error between the stress data calculated from the five-parameter Mooney-Rivlin model and the experimental data is less than 0.51%, and the error between the stress data calculated from the nine-parameter Mooney-Rivlin model and the experimental data is no more than 8.87%. Hence, our work presents a feasible and credible formula for the calculation of the stress of the ILG. This work opens a new path to assess the performance of a soft actuator composed of an ILG and will contribute to the optimized design of soft robots.

  4. Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembling Gold Nanorods and Glucose Oxidase onto Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized Sol-Gel Matrix for an Amperometric Glucose Biosensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baoyan Wu

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available A novel amperometric glucose biosensor was fabricated by layer-by-layer self-assembly of gold nanorods (AuNRs and glucose oxidase (GOD onto single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs-functionalized three-dimensional sol-gel matrix. A thiolated aqueous silica sol containing SWCNTs was first assembled on the surface of a cleaned Au electrode, and then the alternate self-assembly of AuNRs and GOD were repeated to assemble multilayer films of AuNRs-GOD onto SWCNTs-functionalized silica gel for optimizing the biosensor. Among the resulting glucose biosensors, the four layers of AuNRs-GOD-modified electrode showed the best performance. The sol-SWCNTs-(AuNRs- GOD4/Au biosensor exhibited a good linear range of 0.01–8 mM glucose, high sensitivity of 1.08 μA/mM, and fast amperometric response within 4 s. The good performance of the proposed glucose biosensor could be mainly attributed to the advantages of the three-dimensional sol-gel matrix and stereo self-assembly films, and the natural features of one-dimensional nanostructure SWCNTs and AuNRs. This study may provide a new facile way to fabricate the enzyme-based biosensor with high performance.

  5. Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembling Gold Nanorods and Glucose Oxidase onto Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized Sol-Gel Matrix for an Amperometric Glucose Biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Baoyan; Hou, Shihua; Miao, Zhiying; Zhang, Cong; Ji, Yanhong

    2015-09-18

    A novel amperometric glucose biosensor was fabricated by layer-by-layer self-assembly of gold nanorods (AuNRs) and glucose oxidase (GOD) onto single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)-functionalized three-dimensional sol-gel matrix. A thiolated aqueous silica sol containing SWCNTs was first assembled on the surface of a cleaned Au electrode, and then the alternate self-assembly of AuNRs and GOD were repeated to assemble multilayer films of AuNRs-GOD onto SWCNTs-functionalized silica gel for optimizing the biosensor. Among the resulting glucose biosensors, the four layers of AuNRs-GOD-modified electrode showed the best performance. The sol-SWCNTs-(AuNRs- GOD)₄/Au biosensor exhibited a good linear range of 0.01-8 mM glucose, high sensitivity of 1.08 μA/mM, and fast amperometric response within 4 s. The good performance of the proposed glucose biosensor could be mainly attributed to the advantages of the three-dimensional sol-gel matrix and stereo self-assembly films, and the natural features of one-dimensional nanostructure SWCNTs and AuNRs. This study may provide a new facile way to fabricate the enzyme-based biosensor with high performance.

  6. Matrix molecularly imprinted mesoporous sol–gel sorbent for efficient solid-phase extraction of chloramphenicol from milk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samanidou, Victoria; Kehagia, Maria; Kabir, Abuzar; Furton, Kenneth G.

    2016-01-01

    Highly selective and efficient chloramphenicol imprinted sol–gel silica based inorganic polymeric sorbent (sol–gel MIP) was synthesized via matrix imprinting approach for the extraction of chloramphenicol in milk. Chloramphenicol was used as the template molecule, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APTES) and triethoxyphenylsilane (TEPS) as the functional precursors, tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) as the cross-linker, isopropanol as the solvent/porogen, and HCl as the sol–gel catalyst. Non-imprinted sol–gel polymer (sol–gel NIP) was synthesized under identical conditions in absence of template molecules for comparison purpose. Both synthesized materials were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, which unambiguously confirmed their significant structural and morphological differences. The synthesized MIP and NIP materials were evaluated as sorbents for molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) of chloramphenicol in milk. The effect of critical extraction parameters (flow rate, elution solvent, sample and eluent volume, selectivity coefficient, retention capacity) was studied in terms of retention and desorption of chloramphenicol. Competition and cross reactivity tests have proved that sol–gel MIP sorbent possesses significantly higher specific retention and enrichment capacity for chloramphenicol compared to its non-imprinted analogue. The maximum imprinting factor (IF) was found as 9.7, whereas the highest adsorption capacity of chloramphenicol by sol–gel MIP was 23 mg/g. The sol–gel MIP was found to be adequately selective towards chloramphenicol to provide the necessary minimum required performance limit (MRPL) of 0.3 μg/kg set forth by European Commission after analysis by LC-MS even without requiring time consuming solvent evaporation and sample reconstitution step, often considered as an integral part in solid phase extraction work

  7. Matrix molecularly imprinted mesoporous sol–gel sorbent for efficient solid-phase extraction of chloramphenicol from milk

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Samanidou, Victoria, E-mail: samanidu@chem.auth.gr [Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece); Kehagia, Maria [Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece); Kabir, Abuzar, E-mail: akabir@fiu.edu [International Forensic Research Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL (United States); Furton, Kenneth G. [International Forensic Research Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL (United States)

    2016-03-31

    Highly selective and efficient chloramphenicol imprinted sol–gel silica based inorganic polymeric sorbent (sol–gel MIP) was synthesized via matrix imprinting approach for the extraction of chloramphenicol in milk. Chloramphenicol was used as the template molecule, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APTES) and triethoxyphenylsilane (TEPS) as the functional precursors, tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) as the cross-linker, isopropanol as the solvent/porogen, and HCl as the sol–gel catalyst. Non-imprinted sol–gel polymer (sol–gel NIP) was synthesized under identical conditions in absence of template molecules for comparison purpose. Both synthesized materials were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, which unambiguously confirmed their significant structural and morphological differences. The synthesized MIP and NIP materials were evaluated as sorbents for molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) of chloramphenicol in milk. The effect of critical extraction parameters (flow rate, elution solvent, sample and eluent volume, selectivity coefficient, retention capacity) was studied in terms of retention and desorption of chloramphenicol. Competition and cross reactivity tests have proved that sol–gel MIP sorbent possesses significantly higher specific retention and enrichment capacity for chloramphenicol compared to its non-imprinted analogue. The maximum imprinting factor (IF) was found as 9.7, whereas the highest adsorption capacity of chloramphenicol by sol–gel MIP was 23 mg/g. The sol–gel MIP was found to be adequately selective towards chloramphenicol to provide the necessary minimum required performance limit (MRPL) of 0.3 μg/kg set forth by European Commission after analysis by LC-MS even without requiring time consuming solvent evaporation and sample reconstitution step, often considered as an integral part in solid phase extraction work

  8. Phase separation in biopolymer gels: a low- to high-solid exploration of structural morphology and functionality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasapis, Stefan

    2008-04-01

    Phase separation in protein and polysaccharide gels remains one of the basic tools of achieving the required structural properties and textural profile in food product formulations. As ever, the industrialist is faced with the challenge of innovation in an increasingly competitive market in terms of ingredient cost, product added-value, and expectations of a healthy life-style to mention but a few. It appears, however, that a gap persists between the fundamental knowledge and a direct application to food related concepts with a growing need for scientific input. Furthermore, within the context of materials science, there is a tendency to examine research findings in either low- or high-solid systems without considering synergistic insights/benefits to contemporary needs, spanning the full range of relevant time-, length-, and concentration scales. This review highlights the latest attempts made to utilize and further develop fundamental protocols from the advanced synthetic polymer research as a source of inspiration for contemporary bio-related applications in low- and intermediate-solid composite gels. Then, it takes advantage of this school of thought to "force a passage" through the phase topology and molecular dynamics of binary biopolymer mixtures at high levels of co-solute. It is hoped that these phenomenological and fundamental tools should be able to bridge the divide in the analysis of the two "types" of composite materials (from low to high solids) thus dealing effectively with the specific and often intricate problems of their science and applications.

  9. A mucoadhesive in situ gel delivery system for paclitaxel

    OpenAIRE

    Jauhari, Saurabh; Dash, Alekha K.

    2006-01-01

    MUC1 gene encodes a transmembrane mucin glycoprotein that is overexpressed in human breast cancer and colon cancer. The objective of this study was to develop an in situ gel delivery system containing paclitaxel (PTX) and mucoadhesives for sustained and targeted delivery of anticancer drugs. The delivery system consisted of chitosan and glyceryl monooleate (GMO) in 0.33M citric acid containing PTX. The in vitro release of PTX from the gel was performed in presence and absence of Tween 80 at d...

  10. A rapid and efficient two-step gel electrophoresis method for the purification of major rye grass pollen allergens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levy, D; Davies, J; O'Hehir, R; Suphioglu, C

    2001-06-01

    Purified proteins are mandatory for molecular, immunological and cellular studies. However, purification of proteins from complex mixtures requires specialised chromatography methods (i.e., gel filtration, ion exchange, etc.) using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) or high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) systems. Such systems are expensive and certain proteins require two or more different steps for sufficient purity and generally result in low recovery. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid, inexpensive and efficient gel-electrophoresis-based protein purification method using basic and readily available laboratory equipment. We have used crude rye grass pollen extract to purify the major allergens Lol p 1 and Lol p 5 as the model protein candidates. Total proteins were resolved on large primary gel and Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB)-stained Lol p 1/5 allergens were excised and purified on a secondary "mini"-gel. Purified proteins were extracted from unstained separating gels and subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblot analyses. Silver-stained SDS-PAGE gels resolved pure proteins (i.e., 875 microg of Lol p 1 recovered from a 8 mg crude starting material) while immunoblot analysis confirmed immunological reactivity of the purified proteins. Such a purification method is rapid, inexpensive, and efficient in generating proteins of sufficient purity for use in monoclonal antibody (mAb) production, protein sequencing and general molecular, immunological, and cellular studies.

  11. Production of continuous mullite fiber via sol-gel processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, Dennis S.; Sparks, J. Scott; Esker, David C.

    1990-01-01

    The development of a continuous ceramic fiber which could be used in rocket engine and rocket boosters applications was investigated at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Methods of ceramic fiber production such as melt spinning, chemical vapor deposition, and precursor polymeric fiber decomposition are discussed and compared with sol-gel processing. The production of ceramics via the sol-gel method consists of two steps, hydrolysis and polycondensation, to form the preceramic, followed by consolidation into the glass or ceramic structure. The advantages of the sol-gel method include better homogeneity and purity, lower preparation temperature, and the ability to form unique compositions. The disadvantages are the high cost of raw materials, large shrinkage during drying and firing which can lead to cracks, and long processing times. Preparation procedures for aluminosilicate sol-gel and for continuous mullite fibers are described.

  12. Junctionless Diode Enabled by Self-Bias Effect of Ion Gel in Single-Layer MoS2 Device.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Muhammad Atif; Rathi, Servin; Park, Jinwoo; Lim, Dongsuk; Lee, Yoontae; Yun, Sun Jin; Youn, Doo-Hyeb; Kim, Gil-Ho

    2017-08-16

    The self-biasing effects of ion gel from source and drain electrodes on electrical characteristics of single layer and few layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) field-effect transistor (FET) have been studied. The self-biasing effect of ion gel is tested for two different configurations, covered and open, where ion gel is in contact with either one or both, source and drain electrodes, respectively. In open configuration, the linear output characteristics of the pristine device becomes nonlinear and on-off ratio drops by 3 orders of magnitude due to the increase in "off" current for both single and few layer MoS 2 FETs. However, the covered configuration results in a highly asymmetric output characteristics with a rectification of around 10 3 and an ideality factor of 1.9. This diode like behavior has been attributed to the reduction of Schottky barrier width by the electric field of self-biased ion gel, which enables an efficient injection of electrons by tunneling at metal-MoS 2 interface. Finally, finite element method based simulations are carried out and the simulated results matches well in principle with the experimental analysis. These self-biased diodes can perform a crucial role in the development of high-frequency optoelectronic and valleytronic devices.

  13. Neutron detector using sol-gel absorber

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hiller, John M.; Wallace, Steven A.; Dai, Sheng

    1999-01-01

    An neutron detector composed of fissionable material having ions of lithium, uranium, thorium, plutonium, or neptunium, contained within a glass film fabricated using a sol-gel method combined with a particle detector is disclosed. When the glass film is bombarded with neutrons, the fissionable material emits fission particles and electrons. Prompt emitting activated elements yielding a high energy electron contained within a sol-gel glass film in combination with a particle detector is also disclosed. The emissions resulting from neutron bombardment can then be detected using standard UV and particle detection methods well known in the art, such as microchannel plates, channeltrons, and silicon avalanche photodiodes.

  14. Background-free, high sensitivity staining of proteins in one- and two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels using a luminescent ruthenium complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berggren, K; Chernokalskaya, E; Steinberg, T H; Kemper, C; Lopez, M F; Diwu, Z; Haugland, R P; Patton, W F

    2000-07-01

    SYPRO Ruby dye is a permanent stain comprised of ruthenium as part of an organic complex that interacts noncovalently with proteins. SYPRO Ruby Protein Gel Stain provides a sensitive, gentle, fluorescence-based method for detecting proteins in one-dimensional and two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. Proteins are fixed, stained from 3h to overnight and then rinsed in deionized water or dilute methanol/acetic acid solution for 30 min. The stain can be visualized using a wide range of excitation sources commonly used in image analysis systems including a 302 nm UV-B transilluminator, 473 nm second harmonic generation (SHG) laser, 488 nm argon-ion laser, 532 nm yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) laser, xenon arc lamp, blue fluorescent light bulb or blue light-emitting diode (LED). The sensitivity of SYPRO Ruby Protein Gel Stain is superior to colloidal Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) stain or monobromobimane labeling and comparable with the highest sensitivity silver or zinc-imidazole staining procedures available. The linear dynamic range of SYPRO Ruby Protein Gel stain extends over three orders of magnitude, which is vastly superior to silver, zinc-imidazole, monobromobimane and CBB stain. The fluorescent stain does not contain superfluous chemicals (formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde, Tween-20) that frequently interfere with peptide identification in mass spectrometry. While peptide mass profiles are severely altered in protein samples prelabeled with monobromobimane, successful identification of proteins by peptide mass profiling using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry was easily performed after protein detection with SYPRO Ruby Protein Gel stain.

  15. Cyanocobalamin Nasal Gel

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... to supply extra vitamin B12 to people who need unusually large amounts of this vitamin because they are pregnant or have certain diseases. ... Cyanocobalamin nasal gel will supply you with enough vitamin B12 only as ... it regularly. You may need to use cyanocobalamin nasal gel every week for ...

  16. Preparation of high-purity ZrSiO4 powder using sol-gel processing and mechanical properties of the sintered body

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mori, T.; Yamamura, H.; Kobayashi, H.; Mitamura, T.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports that effects of the concentration of ZrOCl 2 , calcination temperature, heating rate, and the size of secondary particles after hydrolysis on the preparation of high-purity ZrSiO 4 fine powders from ZrOCl 2 :8H 2 O (0.2M to 1.7M) and equimolar colloidal SiO 2 using Sol--gel processing have been studied. Mechanical properties of the sintered ZrSiO 4 from the high-purity ZrSiO 4 powders have been also investigated. Single-phase ZrSiO 4 fine powders were synthesized at 1300 degrees C by forming ZrSiO 4 precursors having a Zr---O---Si bond, which was found in all the hydrolysis solutions, and by controlling a secondary particle size after hydrolysis. The conversion rate of ZrSiO 4 precursor gels to ZrSiO 4 powders from concentrations other than 0.4M ZrOCl 2 ·8H 2 O increased when the heating rate was high, whereupon the crystallization of unreacted ZrO 2 and SiO 2 was depressed and the propagation and increase of ZrSiO 4 nuclei in the gels were accelerated. The density of the ZrSiO 4 sintered bodies, manufactured by firing the ZrSiO 4 compacts at 1600 degrees to 1700 degrees C, was more than 95% of the theoretical density, and the grain size ranged around 2 to 4 μm. The mechanical strength was 320 MPa (room temperature to 1400 degrees C), and the thermal shock resistance was superior to that of mullite and alumina, with fairly high stability at higher temperatures

  17. Hyper alginate gel microbead formation by molecular diffusion at the hydrogel/droplet interface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirama, Hirotada; Kambe, Taisuke; Aketagawa, Kyouhei; Ota, Taku; Moriguchi, Hiroyuki; Torii, Toru

    2013-01-15

    We report a simple method for forming monodispersed, uniformly shaped gel microbeads with precisely controlled sizes. The basis of our method is the placement of monodispersed sodium alginate droplets, formed by a microfluidic device, on an agarose slab gel containing a high-osmotic-pressure gelation agent (CaCl(2) aq.): (1) the droplets are cross-linked (gelated) due to the diffusion of the gelation agent from the agarose slab gel to the sodium alginate droplets and (2) the droplets simultaneously shrink to a fraction of their original size (slab gel. We verified the mass transfer mechanism between the droplet and the agarose slab gel. This method circumvents the limitations of gel microbead formation, such as the need to prepare microchannels of various sizes, microchannel clogging, and the deformation of the produced gel microbeads.

  18. Correlation between the viscoelastic properties of the gel layer of swollen HPMC matrix tablets and their in vitro drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamed, Rania; Al Baraghthi, Tamadur; Sunoqrot, Suhair

    2016-11-21

    Drug release from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) hydrophilic matrix tablets is controlled by drug diffusion through the gel layer of the matrix-forming polymer upon hydration, matrix erosion or combination of diffusion and erosion mechanisms. In this study, the relationship between viscoelastic properties of the gel layer of swollen intact matrix tablets and drug release was investigated. Two sets of quetiapine fumarate (QF) matrix tablets were prepared using the high viscosity grade HPMC K4M at low (70 mg/tablet) and high (170 mg/tablet) polymer concentrations. Viscoelastic studies using a controlled stress rheometer were performed on swollen matrices following hydration in the dissolution medium for predetermined time intervals. The gel layer of swollen tablets exhibited predominantly elastic behavior. Results from the in vitro release study showed that drug release was strongly influenced by the viscoelastic properties of the gel layer of K4M tablets, which was further corroborated by results from water uptake studies conducted on intact tablets. The results provide evidence that the viscoelastic properties of the gel layer can be exploited to guide the selection of an appropriate matrix-forming polymer, to better understand the rate of drug release from matrix tablets in vitro and to develop hydrophilic controlled-release formulations.

  19. Obtaining of platinum-titanium alloys by sol-gel and their performance for the detachment reactions and oxygen reduction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Regueira R, B. I.

    2011-01-01

    In the present work, platinum-titanium (Pt-Ti) alloys were prepared, characterized and evaluated in acid media as bifunctional electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (Oer) and oxygen reduction reactions (Orr) in acid media. The alloys were synthesized by sol-gel method, heating the gel at temperatures of 400 and 600 C. The alloys characterization was realized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and EDS. Both alloys were formed by agglomerates of nanometer particles. The particle sizes were lower for the alloy obtained at 400 C (120 nm to 257 nm) compared to the alloy prepared at 600 C (555 nm to 833 nm). Cyclic and linear voltammetry techniques were used for the electrochemical evaluation of the alloy obtained at both temperatures for the Oer and Orr, in a 0.5 M sulfuric acid solution. The materials have response for both electrochemical reactions, therefore the best performance was for the Pt-Ti alloy, obtained at 400 C and it was stable for the oxygen evolution reaction. The alloy obtained at 400 C presents satisfactory electrocatalytic characteristics to be used as bifunctional material in a unified regenerative fuel cell. (Author)

  20. A review of hydroxyapatite-based coating techniques: Sol-gel and electrochemical depositions on biocompatible metals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asri, R I M; Harun, W S W; Hassan, M A; Ghani, S A C; Buyong, Z

    2016-04-01

    New promising techniques for depositing biocompatible hydroxyapatite-based coatings on biocompatible metal substrates for biomedical applications have continuously been exploited for more than two decades. Currently, various experimental deposition processes have been employed. In this review, the two most frequently used deposition processes will be discussed: a sol-gel dip coating and an electrochemical deposition. This study deliberates the surface morphologies and chemical composition, mechanical performance and biological responses of sol-gel dip coating as well as the electrochemical deposition for two different sample conditions, with and without coating. The review shows that sol-gel dip coatings and electrochemical deposition were able to obtain the uniform and homogeneous coating thickness and high adherent biocompatible coatings even in complex shapes. It has been accepted that both coating techniques improve bone strength and initial osseointegration rate. The main advantages and limitations of those techniques of hydroxyapatite-based coatings are presented. Furthermore, the most significant challenges and critical issues are also highlighted. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Sol-Gel Synthesis Of Aluminoborosilicate Powders

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bull, Jeffrey; Leiser, Daniel; Selvaduray, Guna

    1992-01-01

    Application of sol-gel process to synthesis of aluminoborosilicate powders shows potential for control of microstructures of materials. Development of materials having enhanced processing characteristics prove advantageous in extending high-temperature endurance of fibrous refractory composite insulation made from ceramic fibers.

  2. Highly sensitive determination of hydroxylamine using fused gold nanoparticles immobilized on sol-gel film modified gold electrode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kannan, P. [Department of Chemistry, Gandhigram Rural University, Gandhigram 624302, Dindigul, Tamilnadu (India); John, S. Abraham, E-mail: abrajohn@yahoo.co.in [Department of Chemistry, Gandhigram Rural University, Gandhigram 624302, Dindigul, Tamilnadu (India)

    2010-03-24

    We are reporting the highly sensitive determination of hydroxylamine (HA) using 2-mercapto-4-methyl-5-thiazoleacetic acid (TAA) capped fused spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) modified Au electrode. The fused TAA-AuNPs were immobilized on (3-mercaptopropyl)-trimethoxysilane (MPTS) sol-gel film, which was pre-assembled on Au electrode. The immobilization of fused TAA-AuNPs on MPTS sol-gel film was confirmed by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The AFM image showed that the AuNPs retained the fused spherical morphology after immobilized on sol-gel film. The fused TAA-AuNPs on MPTS modified Au electrode were used for the determination of HA in phosphate buffer (PB) solution (pH = 7.2). When compared to bare Au electrode, the fused AuNPs modified electrode not only shifted the oxidation potential of HA towards less positive potential but also enhanced its oxidation peak current. Further, the oxidation of HA was highly stable at fused AuNPs modified electrode. Using amperometric method, determination of 17.5 nM HA was achieved for the first time. Further, the current response of HA increases linearly while increasing its concentration from 17.5 nM to 22 mM and a detection limit was found to be 0.39 nM (S/N = 3). The present modified electrode was also successfully used for the determination of 17.5 nM HA in the presence of 200-fold excess of common interferents such as urea, NO{sub 2}{sup -}, NH{sub 4}{sup +}, oxalate, Mn{sup 2+}, Na{sup +}, K{sup +}, Mg{sup 2+}, Ca{sup 2+}, Ba{sup 2+} and Cu{sup 2+}. The practical application of the present modified electrode was demonstrated by measuring the concentration of HA in ground water samples.

  3. Study of the Effect of Sol pH and Nanoclay Incorporation on the Corrosion Protection Performance of a Silane Sol-Gel Coating

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Najmeh Asadi

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This work is aimed to evaluate the role of nanoclay in the protective performance of an eco-friendly silane sol-gel layer applied on mild steel substrate in 0.1M sodium chloride solution. At the first step, the effect of pH of the silane solution, consisting of a mixture of γ-glycidoxypropiltrimethoxysilane and methyltriethoxysilane and tetraethoxysilane, on the coating performance was evaluated through electrochemical noise measurements. The values of characteristic charge as a parameter extracted from shot noise theory revealed that the sol pH determining the rate of hydrolysis can play an important role in the corrosion protection behavior of silane coatings. Then, the influence of clay nanoparticles on the corrosion protective performance of the hybrid silane film was studied through taking advantage of electrochemical techniques, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and polarization curves, as well as surface analysis methods. The obtained electrochemical data including the values of charge transfer resistance, coating resistance, low frequency impedance and corrosion current density showed that the silane sol gel film in the presence of clay nanoparticles can present an improved corrosion protection. The behavior was connected to an enhancement in the coating barrier properties. Moreover, FESEM and water contact angle confirmed the higher reticulation in case of the coating incorporating nanoclay.

  4. Performance Evaluation of a Continuous Operation Adsorption Chiller Powered by Solar Energy Using Silica Gel and Water as the Working Pair

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hassan Zohair Hassan

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available In the present study, dynamic analysis and performance evaluation of a solar-powered continuous operation adsorption chiller are introduced. The adsorption chiller uses silica gel and water as the working pair. The developed mathematical model represents the heat and mass transfer within the reactor coupled with the energy balance of the collector plate and the glass cover. Moreover, a non-equilibrium adsorption kinetic model is taken into account by using the linear driving force equation. The variation of solar radiation, wind speed, and atmospheric temperature along a complete cycle are considered for a more realistic simulation. Based on the case studied  and the baseline parameters, the chiller is found to acquire a coefficient of performance of 0.402. The average thermal efficiency of the solar collector is estimated to be 62.96% and the average total efficiency  approaches a value of 50.91%. Other performance parameters obtained are 363.8 W and 1.82 W/kg for the cooling capacity and the specific cooling power of the chiller, respectively. Furthermore, every 1 kg of silica gel inside the adsorption reactor produces a daily chilled water mass of 3 kg at a temperature of 10 ◦C. In addition, the cooling system harnesses 25.35% of the total available solar radiation and converts it to a cooling effect.

  5. Mitomycin C dissolved in a reversible thermosetting gel: target tissue concentrations in the rabbit eye.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichien, K; Yamamoto, T; Kitazawa, Y; Oguri, A; Ando, H; Kondo, Y

    1997-01-01

    To determine whether a new, reversible thermosetting gel enhances mitomycin C transfer to target ocular tissues in the rabbit eye. A 0.1 ml solution of mitomycin C containing 0.22 microgram, 2.9 micrograms, or 28 micrograms of the agent dissolved in a reversible thermosetting gel consisting of methylcellulose, citric acid, and polyethylene glycol was injected subconjunctivally in 30 New Zealand albino rabbits. Scleral and conjunctival tissues were excised at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, or 24 hours after the injection and mitomycin C concentrations in these tissues were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The concentration over time was approximated to a single exponential curve, and initial mitomycin C concentrations, time constants, and half life values were determined. Finally, the areas under the curves (AUCs) between 0.5 and 24 hours were calculated. The mitomycin C concentrations in the target tissues were dose dependent and decreased rapidly over 24 hours. Both the initial mitomycin C concentrations as well as AUCs in these eyes treated with mitomycin C, dissolved in a reversible thermosetting gel, were higher than those in eyes treated similarly in a previous study in which the gel was not used. Applied subconjunctivally in the rabbit eye, mitomycin C dissolved in the reversible thermosetting gel enhanced transfer of the agent to the sclera and the conjunctiva.

  6. Dapsone gel 5% in combination with adapalene gel 0.1%, benzoyl peroxide gel 4% or moisturizer for the treatment of acne vulgaris: a 12-week, randomized, double-blind study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleischer, Alan B; Shalita, Alan; Eichenfield, Lawrence F; Abramovits, William; Lucky, Anne; Garrett, Steven

    2010-01-01

    To evaluate the safety and efficacy of dapsone gel 5% in the treatment of acne when used in combination with adapalene gel 0.1%, benzoyl peroxide gel 4% or moisturizer. This was a twelve-week, randomized, double-blind study. Patients aged 12 years and older (n=301) applied dapsone gel twice daily and were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to one of three additional treatments, applied once daily. By week 12, dapsone gel combined with any of the three additional treatments reduced the mean number of inflammatory lesions. However, the authors did not detect a significant difference in the reduction of inflammatory lesions when dapsone was used in combination with adapalene gel or with benzoyl peroxide gel compared to the dapsone plus moisturizer combination group (P=0.052 for both versus moisturizer combination). Patients treated with dapsone gel combined with adapalene showed a significantly better response in reduction in non-inflammatory and total acne lesion count than those who received the moisturizer combination. Local adverse reactions in all three treatment groups were minimal and generally mild in severity. Dapsone gel in combination with adapalene gel or benzoyl peroxide gel is safe and well tolerated for the treatment of acne vulgaris.

  7. Influence of drinking water containing Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis Miller) gel on growth performance, intestinal microflora, and humoral immune responses of broilers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shokraneh, Meisam; Ghalamkari, Gholamreza; Toghyani, Majid; Landy, Nasir

    2016-11-01

    The risk of bacteria resistance to specific antibiotics possibly by continuous subtherapeutical administration of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in poultry feed led to a ban on the use of AGP in poultry production. As a result of this ban, alternative substances for poultry growth promotion and disease prevention are being investigated, among which phytogenic and herbal products have received increased attention as natural additives because they have been accepted by consumers as natural additives. The effect of water supplementation of Aloe vera (AV) as an AGP substitute on performance, intestinal microflora, and immune responses of broilers. The five experimental treatments were allocated to four replicates. The following treatments were applied (1) a basal broiler diet (C) and normal drinking water, (2) 0.5% AV gel in drinking water, (3) 0.75% AV gel in drinking water, (4) 1% AV gel in drinking water, and (5) diet C supplemented with flavophospholipol at 4.5 mg/kg and drinking normal water. Vaccines against influenza disease and sheep red blood cell (SRBC) were administrated to immunological stimuli. The populations of Lactobacilli spp. and coliforms were enumerated in ileum. Body weight of broilers supplemented with different levels of AV increased compared with control group (pantibiotic had the best feed-to-gain ratio (F:G) in different periods. Supplementation of 0.5% and 0.75% AV improved F: G entire experimental period compared with control group (pantibiotic (pantibiotic significantly was higher than other groups (pwater with 1% AV gel as an alternative for AGP substitution.

  8. Rationale, design and methods of the ESPRIT study: Energy, Sexual desire and body PropoRtions wIth AndroGel, Testosterone 1% gel therapy, in hypogonadal men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behre, Hermann M; Heinemann, Lothar; Morales, Alvaro; Pexman-Fieth, Claire

    2008-06-01

    Hypogonadism is associated with a range of disease states that have significant effects on morbidity and mortality, and also affect quality of life. The ESPRIT study (Energy, Sexual desire and body PropoRtions wIth AndroGel, Testosterone 1% gel therapy) is a 6-month, multinational, open label, observational study in hypogonadal men being treated with transdermal AndroGel in usual daily clinical practice; 1,700-2,400 patients will be enrolled in Canada, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and the Middle East. The main objective will be to evaluate the effect of AndroGel on symptoms of hypogonadism and quality of life as assessed by the Aging Males' Symptoms scale. Further objectives include evaluating the effect and time to onset of improvement in erectile dysfunction and libido/sexual desire (International Index of Erectile Function), fatigue (Multi-dimensional Fatigue Index) and body composition (waist circumference, body mass index). Subgroup analyses will be performed: or = 50 years; absence versus presence of metabolic syndrome. The safety of AndroGel will also be assessed. The study population will consist of newly diagnosed hypogonadal men (age > or = 18 years), in whom testosterone deficiency has been confirmed by clinical features and biochemical tests according to international guidelines, who are currently being prescribed AndroGel (testosterone 1% gel, starting dose 50 mg testosterone per day).

  9. Strong poly(ethylene oxide) based gel adhesives via oxime cross-linking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Smita; Cabral, Jaydee D; Hanton, Lyall R; Moratti, Stephen C

    2016-01-01

    There is a demand for materials to replace or augment the use of sutures and staples in surgical procedures. Currently available commercial surgical adhesives provide either high bond strength with biological toxicity or polymer and protein-based products that are biologically acceptable (though with potential sensitizing potential) but have much reduced bond strength. It is desirable to provide novel biocompatible and biodegradable surgical adhesives/sealants capable of high strength with minimal immune or inflammatory response. In this work, we report the end group derivatization of 8-arm star PEOs with aldehyde and amine end groups. Gels were prepared employing the Schiff-base chemistry between the aldehydes and the amines. Gel setting times, swelling behavior and rheological characterization were carried out for these gels. The mechanical-viscoelastic properties were found to be directly proportional to the crosslinking density of the gels, the 10K PEO gel was stiffer in comparison to the 20K PEO gel. The adhesive properties of these gels were tested using porcine skin and showed excellent adhesion properties. Cytotoxicity studies were carried out for the individual gel components using two different methods: (a) Crystal Violet Staining assay (CVS assay) and (b) impedance and cell index measurement by the xCELLigence system at concentrations >5%. Gels prepared by mixing 20% w/w solutions were also tested for cytotoxicity. The results revealed that the individual gel components as well as the prepared gels and their leachables were non-cytotoxic at these concentrations. This work presents a new type of glue that is aimed at surgery applications using a water soluble star shaped polymer. It show excellent adhesion to skin and is tough and easy to use. We show that it is very biocompatible based on tests on live human cells, and could therefore in principle be used for internal surgery. Comparison with other reported and commercial glues shows that it is stronger

  10. Preliminary study of diffusion effects in Fricke gel dosimeters

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Quiroga, A. [Centro de Investigacion y Estudios de Matematica de Cordoba, Oficina 318 FaMAF - UNC, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Cordoba (Argentina); Vedelago, J. [Laboratorio de Investigaciones e Instrumentacion en Fisica Aplicada a la Medicina e Imagenes por Rayos X, Laboratorio 448 FaMAF - UNC, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Cordoba (Argentina); Valente, M., E-mail: aiquiroga@famaf.unc.edu [Instituto de Fisica Enrique Gaviola, Oficina 102 FaMAF - UNC, Av. Luis Medina Allende, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Cordoba (Argentina)

    2014-08-15

    Diffusion of ferric ions in ferrous sulfate (Fricke) gels represents one of the main drawbacks of some radiation detectors, like Fricke gel dosimeters. In practice, this disadvantage can be overcome by prompt dosimeter analysis, constraining strongly the time between irradiation and analysis. Due to required integral accuracy levels, special dedicated protocols are implemented with the aim of minimizing signal blurring due to diffusion effects. This work presents dedicated analytic modelling and numerical calculations of diffusion coefficients in Fricke gel radiation sensitive material. Samples are optically analysed by means of visible light transmission measurements capturing images with a Ccd camera provided with a monochromatic 585 nm filter corresponding to the X O-infused Fricke solution absorbance peak. Dose distributions in Fricke gels are suitably delivered in order to assess specific initial conditions further studied by periodical sample image acquisitions. In a first analytic approach, experimental data are fit with linear models in order to achieve a value for the diffusion coefficient. The second approach to the problem consists on a group of computational algorithms based on inverse problem formulation, along with suitable 2D diffusion model capable of estimating diffusion coefficients by fitting the obtained algorithm numerical solutions with the corresponding experimental data. Comparisons are performed by introducing an appropriate functional in order to analyse both experimental and numerical values. Solutions to second order diffusion equation are calculated in the framework of a dedicated method that incorporates Finite Element Method. Moreover, optimised solutions can be attained by gradient type minimisation algorithms. Knowledge about diffusion coefficient for Fricke gel radiation detector might be helpful in accounting for effects regarding elapsed time between dosimeter irradiation and further analysis. Hence, corrections might be included

  11. Athermal silicon optical add-drop multiplexers based on thermo-optic coefficient tuning of sol-gel material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namnabat, Soha; Kim, Kyung-Jo; Jones, Adam; Himmelhuber, Roland; DeRose, Christopher T; Trotter, Douglas C; Starbuck, Andrew L; Pomerene, Andrew; Lentine, Anthony L; Norwood, Robert A

    2017-09-04

    Silicon photonics has gained interest for its potential to provide higher efficiency, bandwidth and reduced power consumption compared to electrical interconnects in datacenters and high performance computing environments. However, it is well known that silicon photonic devices suffer from temperature fluctuations due to silicon's high thermo-optic coefficient and therefore, temperature control in many applications is required. Here we present an athermal optical add-drop multiplexer fabricated from ring resonators. We used a sol-gel inorganic-organic hybrid material as an alternative to previously used materials such as polymers and titanium dioxide. In this work we studied the thermal curing parameters of the sol-gel and their effect on thermal wavelength shift of the rings. With this method, we were able to demonstrate a thermal shift down to -6.8 pm/°C for transverse electric (TE) polarization in ring resonators with waveguide widths of 325 nm when the sol-gel was cured at 130°C for 10.5 hours. We also achieved thermal shifts below 1 pm/°C for transverse magnetic (TM) polarization in the C band under different curing conditions. Curing time compared to curing temperature shows to be the most important factor to control sol-gel's thermo-optic value in order to obtain an athermal device in a wide temperature range.

  12. Silver nitrate based gel dosimeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Titus, D; Samuel, E J J; Srinivasan, K; Roopan, S M; Madhu, C S

    2017-01-01

    A new radiochromic gel dosimeter based on silver nitrate and a normoxic gel dosimeter was investigated using UV-Visible spectrophotometry in the clinical dose range. Gamma radiation induced the synthesis of silver nanoparticles in the gel and is confirmed from the UV-Visible spectrum which shows an absorbance peak at around 450 nm. The dose response function of the dosimeter is found to be linear upto12Gy. In addition, the gel samples were found to be stable which were kept under refrigeration. (paper)

  13. [Semisynthetic cellulose derivatives as the base of hydrophilic gel systems].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bajerová, M; Gajdziok, J; Dvorácková, K; Masteiková, R; Kollár, P

    2008-04-01

    The field of drug technology widely ulilizes gel systems of high-molecular substances, which have a number of advantages, such as low toxicity, availability, unique physical properties, biocompatibility, mucoadhesivity, and others. Gel systems are used in the field of local as well as general therapy, in both shape-specific and shape-non-specific dosage forms, in medicaments of the first, second, and third generations. An important group of gels employed in pharmacy are hydrophilic gels or hydrogels, most frequently composed of hydrophilic polymers of natural, semisynthetic and synthetic origin. Though cellulose derivatives as the representatives of polymers of semisynthetic origin are used in pharmaceutical technology for a long time, their research continues and their other possible uses are being searched for. Their advantages include especially safety, easy availability, and a relatively low price. The review paper describes selected cellulose derivatives, their properties and uses in pharmaceutical technology with regard to their use in the field of production of gel systems.

  14. Poly(vinylpyridine-co-styrene) based in situ cross-linked gel polymer electrolyte for lithium-ion polymer batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oh, Sijin; Kim, Dong Wook; Lee, Changjin; Lee, Myong-Hoon; Kang, Yongku

    2011-01-01

    A gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) was successfully prepared by means of an in situ cross-linking reaction of poly(2-vinylpyridine-co-styrene) and oligo(ethylene oxide) with epoxide functional groups at 65 °C without using a polymerization initiator. A stable gel polymer electrolyte could be obtained by adding only 1% of a polymer gelator. The ionic conductivity of the GPE containing 99 wt% of liquid electrolyte was measured to be ca. 10 −2 S/cm at the ambient temperature. The ionic conductivity of the resulting GPE was comparable to that of a pure liquid electrolyte. The electrochemical stability window of the prepared gel polymer electrolytes was measured to be 5.2 V. The test cell carried a discharge capacity of 133.2 mAh/g at 0.1 C and showed good cycling performance with negligible capacity fading after the 200th cycle, maintaining 99.5% coulombic efficiency throughout 200 cycles. The resulting gel polymer electrolyte prepared by in situ thermal cross-linking without a polymerization initiator holds promise for application to on the high power lithium-ion polymer batteries.

  15. Electrochemical performance of trimethylolpropane trimethylacrylate-based gel polymer electrolyte prepared by in situ thermal polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Dong; Fan, Li-Zhen; Fan, Huanhuan; Shi, Qiao

    2013-01-01

    Cross-linked trimethylolpropane trimethylacrylate-based gel polymer electrolytes (GPE) were prepared by in situ thermal polymerization. The ionic conductivity of the GPEs are >10 −3 S cm −1 at 25 °C, and continuously increased with the increase of liquid electrolyte content. The GPEs have excellent electrochemical stability up to 5.0 V versus Li/Li + . The LiCoO 2 |TMPTMA-based GPE|graphite cells exhibit an initial discharge capacity of 129 mAh g −1 at the 0.2C, and good cycling stability with around 83% capacity retention after 100 cycles. Both the simple fabricating process of polymer cell and outstanding electrochemical performance of such new GPE make it potentially one of the most promising electrolyte materials for next generation lithium ion batteries

  16. Performance of the sol-gel method for the preparation of optical fibers

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Matějec, Vlastimil; Hayer, Miloš; Mrázek, Jan; Kašík, Ivan; Podrazký, Ondřej; Pospíšilová, Marie

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 52, č. 10 (2007), s. 991-998 ISSN 0035-3930. [Physical Chemistry Conference ROMPHYSCHEM /12./. Bucharest, 06.09.2006-08.09.2006] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA102/05/0956 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20670512 Keywords : sol-gel processing * optical fibres * chemical sensors Subject RIV: JA - Electronics ; Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering Impact factor: 0.262, year: 2007

  17. Aqueous clay suspensions stabilized by alginate fluid gels for coal spontaneous combustion prevention and control.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, Botao; Ma, Dong; Li, Fanglei; Li, Yong

    2017-11-01

    We have developed aqueous clay suspensions stabilized by alginate fluid gels (AFG) for coal spontaneous combustion prevention and control. Specially, this study aimed to characterize the effect of AFG on the microstructure, static and dynamic stability, and coal fire inhibition performances of the prepared AFG-stabilized clay suspensions. Compared with aqueous clay suspensions, the AFG-stabilized clay suspensions manifest high static and dynamic stability, which can be ascribed to the formation of a robust three-dimensional gel network by AFG. The coal acceleration oxidation experimental results show that the prepared AFG-stabilized clay suspensions can improve the coal thermal stability and effectively inhibit the coal spontaneous oxidation process by increasing crossing point temperature (CPT) and reducing CO emission. The prepared low-cost and nontoxic AFG-stabilized clay suspensions, exhibiting excellent coal fire extinguishing performances, indicate great application potentials in coal spontaneous combustion prevention and control.

  18. Gel dosimetry for conformal radiotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gambarini, G [Department of Physics of the University and INFN, Milan (Italy)

    2005-07-01

    With the continuum development of conformal radio therapies, aimed at delivering high dose to tumor tissue and low dose to the healthy tissue around, the necessities has appeared of suitable improvement of dosimetry techniques giving the possibility of obtaining dose images to be compared with diagnostic images. Also if wide software has been developed for calculating dose distributions in the fields of various radiotherapy units, experimental verifications are necessary, in particular in the case of complex geometries in conformal radiotherapy. Gel dosimetry is a promising method for imaging the absorbed dose in tissue-equivalent phantoms, with the possibility of 3D reconstruction of the spatial dose distribution, with milli metric resolution. Optical imaging of gel dosimeters, based on visible light absorbance analysis, has shown to be a reliable technique for achieving dose distributions. (Author)

  19. Development of bufferless gel electrophoresis chip for easy preparation and rapid DNA separation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oleksandrov, Sergiy; Aman, Abdurazak; Lim, Wanyoung; Kim, Younghee; Bae, Nam Ho; Lee, Kyoung G; Lee, Seok Jae; Park, Sungsu

    2018-02-01

    This work presents a handy, fast, and compact bufferless gel electrophoresis chip (BGEC), which consists of precast agarose gel confined in a disposable plastic body with electrodes. It does not require large volumes of buffer to fill reservoirs, or the process of immersing the gel in the buffer. It withstands voltages up to 28.4 V/cm, thereby allowing DNA separation within 10 min with a similar separation capability to the standard gel electrophoresis. The results suggest that our BGEC is highly suitable for in situ gel electrophoresis in forensic, epidemiological settings and crime scenes where standard gel electrophoresis equipment cannot be brought in while quick results are needed. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Rheology and structure of milk protein gels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vliet, van T.; Lakemond, C.M.M.; Visschers, R.W.

    2004-01-01

    Recent studies on gel formation and rheology of milk gels are reviewed. A distinction is made between gels formed by aggregated casein, gels of `pure` whey proteins and gels in which both casein and whey proteins contribute to their properties. For casein' whey protein mixtures, it has been shown

  1. Preparation and evaluation of bioadhesive benzocaine gels for enhanced local anesthetic effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Sang-Chul; Lee, Jin-Woo; Yang, Kyu-Ho; Lee, Chi H

    2003-07-09

    This study was performed to develop new enhanced anesthetic benzocaine gels with a suitable bioadhesive property for local anesthetic effects. As the concentration of benzocaine in the HPMC gels increased up to 15%, the permeation of drug increased, thereafter slightly increased. The activation energy of drug permeation was 11.29 kcal/mol. Bioadhesive forces were also measured. The permeation rate of drug through the skin was studied using various enhancers, such as glycols, non-ionic surfactants or fatty acids. Among the enhancers used, diethylene glycol showed the most enhancing effects. Analgesic activity was examined using a tail-flick analgesimeter. According to the rat tail-flick test, the value of AUEC (0 - 360min) of 15% benzocaine gels containing diethylene glycol was 4662 +/- 200 s min, while that of gels without diethylene glycol was 3353 +/- 132 s min, showing about 1.39-fold increase in analgesic activity. Fifteen percentage of benzocaine gels containing diethylene glycol showed the most enhanced, prolonged analgesic effects, showing the maximum anesthetic effects at 240 min, while the gels without diethylene glycol showed maximum effect at 180 min.

  2. Antimicrobial efficacy of alcohol-based hand gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guilhermetti, M; Marques Wiirzler, L A; Castanheira Facio, B; da Silva Furlan, M; Campo Meschial, W; Bronharo Tognim, M C; Botelho Garcia, L; Luiz Cardoso, C

    2010-03-01

    In recent years, several commercial alcohol-based hand gels have appeared on the market to improve the hand-cleansing compliance of healthcare workers. Although the antimicrobial efficacy of these products has been reported in different countries, few studies have investigated this subject in Brazil. In this study, we assessed the antimicrobial efficacy of 12 alcohol-based hand gels produced in Brazil, containing 70% w/w or v/v ethyl alcohol as the active ingredient, according to the European Standard EN 1500 (EN 1500). The following alcohol gels were tested: Hand Gel, Voga Gel, Solumax Solugel, Doctor Clean, Rio Gel, Clear Gel, Sevengel, Hand CHC, Gel Bac, WBL-50 Gel, Sanigel and Soft Care Gel. In addition, 70% w/w ethyl alcohol and three alcohol-based hand rubs (Sterillium, Sterillium Gel, and Spitaderm), commonly used in Europe and effective according to EN 1500, were also tested. All the products tested, except for two, were approved by the EN 1500 test protocol with a 60s application. The results confirmed the antimicrobial efficacy of the majority of the alcohol gels produced in Brazil for hand hygiene of healthcare workers. Copyright 2009 The Hospital Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. An optimized procedure for preconcentration, determination and on-line recovery of palladium using highly selective diphenyldiketone-monothiosemicarbazone modified silica gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, R.K.; Pandey, Amit; Gulati, Shikha; Adholeya, Alok

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Diphenyldiketone-monothiosemicarbazone modified silica gel. ► Highly selective, efficient and reusable chelating resin. ► Solid phase extraction system for on-line separation and preconcentration of Pd(II) ions. ► Application in catalytic converter and spiked tap water samples for on-line recovery of Pd(II) ions. - Abstract: A novel, highly selective, efficient and reusable chelating resin, diphenyldiketone-monothiosemicarbazone modified silica gel, was prepared and applied for the on-line separation and preconcentration of Pd(II) ions in catalytic converter and spiked tap water samples. Several parameters like effect of pH, sample volume, flow rate, type of eluent, and influence of various ionic interferences, etc. were evaluated for effective adsorption of palladium at trace levels. The resin was found to be highly selective for Pd(II) ions in the pH range 4–5 with a very high sorption capacity of 0.73 mmol/g and preconcentration factor of 335. The present environment friendly procedure has also been applied for large-scale extraction by employing the use of newly designed reactor in which on-line separation and preconcentration of Pd can be carried out easily and efficiently in short duration of time.

  4. Dosimetry for computed tomography using Fricke gel dosimetry and magnetic resonance imaging; Dosimetria em tomografia computadorizada empregando dosimetro Fricke gel e a tecnica de imageamento por ressonancia magnetica

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Capeleti, Felipe Favaro; Campos, Leticia L., E-mail: felipe@gmpbrasil.com.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2014-04-15

    In this work it was determined a new method for the determination of absorbed doses in Computed Tomography (CT) examinations using Fricke gel dosimetry developed at IPEN. Absorbed doses were determined by different methods of analysis, such as optical absorption spectrometry, ionization chambers and magnetic resonance imaging. Lower limit of sensitivity of the Fricke gel solution, the solution repeatability signal Fricke gel and CT equipment, detection sensitivity, among other tests were performed. Different equipment of computed tomography with multiple detectors were used. The Fricke gel solution showed better repeatability than ±5.5% using the technique of optical absorption spectrophotometry and computed tomography equipment showed repeatability better than ±0.2%. The Fricke gel solution features an easy and relatively quick preparation, but it is necessary to be careful not to contaminate and lose the solution. With the results, it was confirmed the application of this type of dosimetry for computed tomography equipment. (author)

  5. [Successful airway management using i-gel in 7 patients undergoing awake craniotomy].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsunami, Katsuaki; Sanuki, Michiyoshi; Yasuuji, Masakazu; Nakanuno, Ryuichi; Kato, Takahiro; Kawamoto, Masashi

    2014-07-01

    In order to secure airway during awake craniotomy, we used i-gel to perform positive-pressure ventilation in 7 patients for their anesthetic management. During removal of a tumor around the motor speech center, anesthetic management including asleep-awake-asleep technique was applied for speech testing. The technique, insertion and re-insertion of i-gel, was needed and it was easy in all the patients. During positive-pressure ventilation, peak pressure, tidal volume both for inspiration and expiration, and endtidal-CO2 were not markedly altered. Leakage around i-gel, and its differences between inspiration and expiration were negligible, while the tidal volume was adequate. We conclude that i-gel is useful for anesthetic management for awake craniotomy procedure for both securing airway and ventilation.

  6. Effects of fibre dimension and charge density on nanocellulose gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mendoza, Llyza; Gunawardhana, Thilina; Batchelor, Warren; Garnier, Gil

    2018-04-18

    Carboxylated cellulose nanofibres can produce gels at low concentrations. The effect of pulp source on the nanocellulose fibre dimension and gel rheology are studied. It is hypothesised that fibre length and surface charge influence aspects of the gel rheological properties. TEMPO (2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl)- mediated oxidised cellulose nanofibres from never-dried hardwood and softwood pulp and containing different charge levels were produced and characterized. Steady-state and dynamic rheological studies were performed to ascertain the effects of pulp type on gel behavior and properties. Nanocellulose fibres extracted from softwood (SW-TOCN) and hardwood (HW-TOCN) pulp exhibit similar widths but different length dimensions as shown via AFM analysis. Rheological measurements show that the dynamic moduli (G' and G'') of nanocellulose gels are independent of pulp source and are mostly influenced by fibre concentration. Differences in the steady-state behavior (i.e. viscosity) at constant surface charge can be attributed to differences in fibre length. Increasing the surface charge density influences the critical strain and the viscosity at the percolation concentration (0.1 wt%) due to higher electrostatic interactions. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Processing and stabilization of Aloe Vera leaf gel by adding chemical and natural preservatives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    N. Nazemi

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Background and objectives: Aloe vera has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years. Aloe vera leaves can be separated into latex and gel which have biological effects. Aloe gel is a potent source of polysaccharides. When the gel is exposed to air, it quickly decomposes and decays and loses most of its biological activity. There are various processing techniques for sterilizing and stabilizing the gel. The aim of this study was to improve stabilization of the gel by adding some chemical and natural preservatives. Methods: The gel was obtained from Aloe vera leaves and after some processing chemical and natural preservatives were added. Chemicals included citric acid, ascorbic acid, vitamin E and potassium sorbate while natural preservatives were two essential oils derived from Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Eugenia caryophyllata. All these operations were performed under sterile conditions and they were evaluated at different temperatures and times. Appearance and taste changes of gel were studied organoleptic. Microbiological tests and some physical assays such as pH, refractometry and viscosity properties as well as determination of total sugars were measured. NMR and FT-IR analyses were performed for determining the quality of samples. Results: After data analyzing, the results showed that the samples formulated with chemical additives together with essential oils were more suitable and stable compared to the control samples after 90 days and the effective ingredient acemannan, remained stable. Conclusion: The stable gel can be considered for therapeutic properties and be used for edible and medicinal purposes.

  8. Preparation of zirconium molybdate gel for 99mTc gel generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aliludin, Z.; Ohkubo, Masatake; Kushita, Kouhei

    1988-09-01

    Zirconium molybdate gel has excellent characteristics for use as column matrix material of 99m Tc generators. In this work, zirconium molybdate gels were prepared under different conditions; pH's of molybdate solutions from 2.5 to 7.0, Mo:Zr molar ratios from 0.7:1.0 to 1.3:1.0, drying temperatures from an ambient temperature to 200 deg C, and drying times from 1 h to 25 h. Contents of water, nitrate, molybdenum and zirconium were measured to examine the fundamental conditions in gel preparation. The Mo:Zr molar ratio was 1.0:1.0 for the most of gels obtained. A 99m Tc generator was prepared with an amorphous zirconium molybdate containing a tracer level of 99 Mo as column matrix material. Elution of 99m Tc was rapid and the average elution efficiency was 90 % for 6 ml elutions. Contents of radionuclidic impurities, Zr and Mo in the eluates, were low enough to meet the pharmacopoeia requirements for human use. (author)

  9. Swimming micro-robot powered by stimuli-sensitive gel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masoud, Hassan; Alexeev, Alexander

    2012-11-01

    Using three-dimensional computer simulations, we design a simple maneuverable micro-swimmer that can self-propel and navigate in highly viscous (low Reynolds-number) environments. Our simple swimmer consists of a cubic gel body which periodically changes volume in response to external stimuli, two rigid rectangular flaps attached to the opposite sides of the gel body, and a flexible steering flap at the front end of the swimmer. The stimuli-sensitive body undergoes periodic expansions (swelling) and contractions (deswelling) leading to a time-irreversible beating motion of the propulsive flaps that propel the micro-swimmer. Thus, the responsive gel body acts as an ``engine'' actuating the motion of the swimmer. We examine how the swimming speed depends on the gel and flap properties. We also probe how the swimmer trajectory can be changed using a responsive steering flap whose curvature is controlled by an external stimulus. We show that the turning occurs due to steering flap bending and periodic beating. Furthermore, our simulations reveal that the turning direction can be regulated by changing the intensity of external stimulus.

  10. Application of Sol-Gel Method as a Protective Layer on a Specular Reflective Surface for Secondary Reflector in a Solar Receiver

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Afrin, Samia; Dagdelen, John; Ma, Zhiwen; Kumar, Vinod

    2017-01-01

    Highly-specular reflective surfaces that can withstand elevated-temperatures are desirable for many applications including reflective heat shielding in solar receivers and secondary reflectors, which can be used between primary concentrators and heat collectors. A high-efficiency, high-temperature solar receiver design based on arrays of cavities needs a highly-specular reflective surface on its front section to help sunlight penetrate into the absorber tubes for effective flux spreading. Since this application is for high-temperature solar receivers, this surface needs to be durable and to maintain its optical properties through the usable life. Degradation mechanisms associated with elevated temperatures and thermal cycling, which include cracking, delamination, corrosion/oxidation, and environmental effects, could cause the optical properties of surfaces to degrade rapidly in these conditions. Protected mirror surfaces for these applications have been tested by depositing a thin layer of SiO2 on top of electrodeposited silver by means of the sol-gel method. To obtain an effective thin film structure, this sol-gel procedure has been investigated extensively by varying process parameters that affect film porosity and thickness. Endurance tests have been performed in a furnace at 150 degrees C for thousands of hours. This paper presents the sol-gel process for intermediate-temperature specular reflective coatings and provides the long-term reliability test results of sol-gel protected silver-coated surfaces.

  11. In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Diclofenac Sodium Gel Prepared ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To develop diclofenac sodium gel using high molecular weight hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and Carbopol 934P for topical and systemic delivery. Methods: Diclofenac sodium gel was prepared with HPMC K100M and Carbopol 934P as gelling agents. The formulations were examined for pH, ...

  12. Ophthalmic gels: Past, present and future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Kinani, Ali A; Zidan, Ghada; Elsaid, Naba; Seyfoddin, Ali; Alani, Adam W G; Alany, Raid G

    2018-02-15

    Aqueous gels formulated using hydrophilic polymers (hydrogels) along with those based on stimuli responsive polymers (in situ gelling or gel forming systems) continue to attract increasing interest for various eye health-related applications. They allow the incorporation of a variety of ophthalmic pharmaceuticals to achieve therapeutic levels of drugs and bioactives at target ocular sites. The integration of sophisticated drug delivery technologies such as nanotechnology-based ones with intelligent and environment responsive systems can extend current treatment duration to provide more clinically relevant time courses (weeks and months instead of hours and days) which will inevitably reduce dose frequency, increase patient compliance and improve clinical outcomes. Novel applications and design of contact lenses and intracanalicular delivery devices along with the move towards integrating gels into various drug delivery devices like intraocular pumps, injections and implants has the potential to reduce comorbidities caused by glaucoma, corneal keratopathy, cataract, diabetic retinopathies and age-related macular degeneration. This review describes ophthalmic gelling systems with emphasis on mechanism of gel formation and application in ophthalmology. It provides a critical appraisal of the techniques and methods used in the characterization of ophthalmic preformed gels and in situ gelling systems along with a thorough insight into the safety and biocompatibility of these systems. Newly developed ophthalmic gels, hydrogels, preformed gels and in situ gelling systems including the latest in the area of stimuli responsive gels, molecularly imprinted gels, nanogels, 3D printed hydrogels; 3D printed devices comprising ophthalmic gels are covered. Finally, new applications of gels in the production of artificial corneas, corneal wound healing and hydrogel contact lenses are described. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Gel electrophoresis of inorganic cations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schoenhofer, F.; Grass, F.

    1978-01-01

    In order to be able to separate the largest possible amounts of substance, polyacryl amide gel (PAA) and silica gel are used as carrier for the electrophoresis. Milligramme quantities can easily be separated on PAA gel plates. Electrophoretic ion focussing considerably improves it. Separations of Sr/Y and lanthanoids were carried out. The behaviour of the readily soluble complexing agent acids on silica gel thin layers was minutely investigated and an interpretation of the focussing effect was derived. The conditions for separating radionuclides were optimized. A further improved separation can be achieved by a time sequence combination of normal electrophoresis and ion focussing. Selective isolation methods are advantageous to determine radionuclide traces in environmental samples. The selective adsorption on preformed deposits was transferred to electrophoresis. After pre-investigations on silica gel layers, strontium and barium could also be retained on PAA gel and radium on strontium sulphate in PAA, whereas the disturbing calcium can easily pass through. Cesium can also be retained by prussian blue in the electrophoresis. (orig.) [de

  14. Enhancement of the electrochemical performance in LiFePO4 cathode materials synthesized by using the sol-gel method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyong-Soo Hong

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available LiFePO4 powders were synthesized by using the sol-gel and the solid-state reaction methods. The chemical states of Fe ions were studied by using XPS, and their electrochemical properties according to the oxidation states of Fe ions were compared. The average oxidation state of Fe ions in LiFePO4 powders synthesized by using the solid-state reaction method was found to be Fe3+, on the other hand, that of Fe ions synthesized by using the sol-gel method was found to be Fe2+. The obtained discharge capacities were 50 mAh/g and 120 mAh/g at a rate 0.1 C in LiFePO4 synthesized by using the solid-state reaction and sol-gel methods, respectively. Relatively a good cycling stability was observed in sol-gel prepared powder.

  15. Sol–gel method to fabricate CaP scaffolds by robocasting for tissue engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Qiang; Saiz, Eduardo; Tomsia, Antoni P.

    2012-01-01

    Highly porous calcium phosphate (CaP) scaffolds for bone-tissue engineering were fabricated by combining a robocasting process with a sol–gel synthesis that mixed Calcium Nitrate Tetrahydrate and Triethyl Phosphite precursors in an aqueous medium. The resulting gels were used to print scaffolds by robocasting without the use of binder to increase the viscosity of the paste. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed that the process yielded hydroxyapatite and β-tricalcium phosphate biphasic composite powders. Thus, the scaffold composition after crystallization of the amorphous structure could be easily modified by varying the initial Ca/P ratio during synthesis. The compressive strengths of the scaffolds are ~6 MPa, which is in the range of human cancellous bone (2–12 MPa). These highly porous scaffolds (~73 vol% porosity) are composed of macro-pores of ~260 μm in size; such porosity is expected to enable bone ingrowth into the scaffold for bone repair applications. The chemistry, porosity, and surface topography of such scaffolds can also be modified by the process parameters to favor bone formation. The studied sol–gel process can be used to coat these scaffolds by dip-coating, which induces a significant enhancement of mechanical properties. This can adjust scaffold properties such as composition and surface morphology, which consequently may improve their performances. PMID:22311079

  16. Durable protection from vaginal simian-human immunodeficiency virus infection in macaques by tenofovir gel and its relationship to drug levels in tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobard, Charles; Sharma, Sunita; Martin, Amy; Pau, Chou-Pong; Holder, Angela; Kuklenyik, Zsuzsanna; Lipscomb, Jonathan; Hanson, Debra L; Smith, James; Novembre, Francis J; García-Lerma, J Gerardo; Heneine, Walid

    2012-01-01

    A vaginal gel containing 1% tenofovir (TFV) was found to be safe and effective in reducing HIV infection in women when used pericoitally. Because of the long intracellular half-life of TFV and high drug exposure in vaginal tissues, we hypothesized that a vaginal gel containing TFV may provide long-lasting protection. Here, we performed delayed-challenge experiments and showed that vaginal 1% TFV gel protected 4/6 macaques against vaginal simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) exposures occurring 3 days after gel application, demonstrating long-lasting protection. Despite continued gel dosing postinfection, neither breakthrough infection had evidence of drug resistance by ultrasensitive testing of SHIV in plasma and vaginal lavage. Analysis of the active intracellular tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) in vaginal lymphocytes collected 4 h to 3 days after gel dosing persistently showed high TFV-DP levels (median, 1,810 fmol/10(6) cells) between 4 and 24 h that exceed the 95% inhibitory concentration (IC(95)), reflecting rapid accumulation and long persistence. In contrast to those in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) following oral dosing, TFV-DP levels in vaginal lymphocytes decreased approximately 7-fold by 3 days, exhibiting a much higher rate of decay. We observed a strong correlation between intracellular TFV-DP in vaginal lymphocytes, in vitro antiviral activity, and in vivo protection, suggesting that TFV-DP above the in vitro IC(95) in vaginal lymphocytes is a good predictor of high efficacy. Data from this model reveal an extended window of protection by TFV gel that supports coitus-independent use. The identification of protective TFV-DP concentrations in vaginal lymphocytes may facilitate the evaluation of improved delivery methods of topical TFV and inform clinical studies.

  17. Processing of radioactive ruthenium with aluminosilicate gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanno, Takuji; Ichinose, Yasuhiro; Ito, Katsuo

    1979-01-01

    Coprecipitation of radioactive Ru with hydroxides has been studied for the purpose of the management of the high level waste from the nuclear fuel reprocessing. Aluminosilicate gel used as coprecipitant was prepared by addition of aqueous sodium hydroxide to sodium aluminate-sodium silicate solution containing ruthenium nitrate. Ruthenium quantitatively precipitates under the conditions, aluminate > 4 x 10 -2 M, Al/Si 0 C. However, volatilization rate of Ru is suppressed by coating with mullite phase into which aluminosilicate gel transformes above 900 0 C. The amount of Ru volatilized in Ar-flow was reduced to about 10% of that in air-flow. (author)

  18. Keep pushing! Limiting interruptions to CPR; bag-valve mask versus i-gel® airway ventilation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Craig Vincent-Lambert

    2016-10-01

    Objectives: This pilot study evaluated how interruptions to chest compressions or hands-off time (HOT are affected by the placement of an i-gel® airway vs. simple BVM ventilation during single rescuer CPR. Method: 16 participants performed two, ten-minute single rescuer CPR simulations, firstly using the BVM and later the i-gel® airway for ventilation. Data pertaining to ventilations and HOT in each scenario was statistically analysed and compared. Results: The i-gel® airway demonstrated a superior ease of ventilation compared to BVM alone and resulted in a reduction of time spent on ventilations overall. The i-gel® however took a mean of 29 s, ± 10 s, to secure which contributes considerably to HOT. Conclusion: The use of the i-gel® airway resulted in a considerable decrease in the amount of time spent on ventilations and in more compressions being performed. The overall reduction in HOT was, however, offset by the time it took to secure the device. Further investigation into the use and securing of the i-gel® airway in single rescuer CPR is recommended.

  19. Modeling the Dynamics of Gel Electrophorresis in the High School Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saucedo, Skyler R.

    2013-01-01

    Gel electrophoresis, used by geneticists and forensic experts alike, is an immensely popular technique that utilizes an electric field to separate molecules and proteins by size and charge. At the microscopic level, a dye or complex protein like DNA is passed through agarose, a gelatinous three-dimensional matrix of pores and nano-sized tunnels.…

  20. Initial investigation of a novel light-scattering gel phantom for evaluation of optical CT scanners for radiotherapy gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bosi, Stephen; Naseri, Pourandokht; Puran, Alicia; Davies, Justin; Baldock, Clive

    2007-01-01

    There is a need for stable gel materials for phantoms used to validate optical computerized tomography (CT) scanners used in conjunction with radiation-induced polymerizing gel dosimeters. Phantoms based on addition of light-absorbing dyes to gelatine to simulate gel dosimeters have been employed. However, to more accurately simulate polymerizing gels one requires phantoms that employ light-scattering colloidal suspensions added to the gel. In this paper, we present the initial results of using an optical CT scanner to evaluate a novel phantom in which radiation-exposed polymer gels are simulated by the addition of colloidal suspensions of varying turbidity. The phantom may be useful as a calibration transfer standard for polymer gel dosimeters. The tests reveal some phenomena peculiar to light-scattering gels that need to be taken into account when calibrating polymer gel dosimeters

  1. Matrix molecularly imprinted mesoporous sol-gel sorbent for efficient solid-phase extraction of chloramphenicol from milk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samanidou, Victoria; Kehagia, Maria; Kabir, Abuzar; Furton, Kenneth G

    2016-03-31

    Highly selective and efficient chloramphenicol imprinted sol-gel silica based inorganic polymeric sorbent (sol-gel MIP) was synthesized via matrix imprinting approach for the extraction of chloramphenicol in milk. Chloramphenicol was used as the template molecule, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APTES) and triethoxyphenylsilane (TEPS) as the functional precursors, tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) as the cross-linker, isopropanol as the solvent/porogen, and HCl as the sol-gel catalyst. Non-imprinted sol-gel polymer (sol-gel NIP) was synthesized under identical conditions in absence of template molecules for comparison purpose. Both synthesized materials were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, which unambiguously confirmed their significant structural and morphological differences. The synthesized MIP and NIP materials were evaluated as sorbents for molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) of chloramphenicol in milk. The effect of critical extraction parameters (flow rate, elution solvent, sample and eluent volume, selectivity coefficient, retention capacity) was studied in terms of retention and desorption of chloramphenicol. Competition and cross reactivity tests have proved that sol-gel MIP sorbent possesses significantly higher specific retention and enrichment capacity for chloramphenicol compared to its non-imprinted analogue. The maximum imprinting factor (IF) was found as 9.7, whereas the highest adsorption capacity of chloramphenicol by sol-gel MIP was 23 mg/g. The sol-gel MIP was found to be adequately selective towards chloramphenicol to provide the necessary minimum required performance limit (MRPL) of 0.3 μg/kg set forth by European Commission after analysis by LC-MS even without requiring time consuming solvent evaporation and sample reconstitution step, often considered as an integral part in solid phase extraction work-flow. Intra and

  2. Rheology of food gels; Gerujo shokuhin no reoroji

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nishinari, K. [Osaka City University, Osaka (Japan)

    1999-12-05

    Among elements constituting the taste of foods, texture plays an important role, and a large number of researches have been conducted. Substances having gel formation performance is very useful in improving the taste of foods. Polysaccharides and proteins with gelation ability are important as a texture modifier adjusting tongue feeling, as a model substance to investigate the texture of other foods more complicate in mechanical properties, and as a material for foods by itself. Among gel foods, is not liken by foreigners. However, when it is changed to shredded konjaku, it can be eaten foreigners. This is an example of taste only changed by the arrangement of food constituent element. This paper describes frequency dependence of elastic modulus, time dependence of elastic modulus, and temperature dependence of elastic modulus. Even though large deformation of food gel and rheology of fracture are very important, there are a few researches on them due to difficulties in theory and experiment. (NEDO)

  3. Protein gels and emulsions from mixtures of Cape hake and pea proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomé, Ana Sofia; Pires, Carla; Batista, Irineu; Sousa, Isabel; Raymundo, Anabela

    2015-01-01

    Portioning of frozen fish generates by-products such as fish 'sawdust' and cut-offs which can be further processed into protein concentrates and isolates. The objective of the present work was to produce gels and emulsions using recovered Cape hake protein powder (HPP). In previous works, the structures of the gels produced by HPP were found to be strong, with a high rubbery character. In this work, the addition of commercial pea proteins (PPC) to HPP gels and emulsions was studied. Physical properties of gels and emulsions prepared with different proportions of mixtures of PPC and HPP were evaluated. In general, gels and emulsions showed high values for whiteness and, as expected, the higher content of HPP in the protein mixtures led to higher firmness values of the gels. The gel network was rapidly formed upon heating due to the fish protein macromolecules and further reinforced by the pea protein macromolecules when cooled to 5 °C. Both visco-elastic parameters, storage and loss moduli, of the produced gels increased with the HPP proportion in the protein mixtures, corresponding to more structured systems. For the emulsions, two different pH environments were studied: 3.8 and 7.0. At neutral pH a synergy was found between the vegetable and fish protein, which is not so strong when pH is lowered to 3.8, near the isoelectric point of pea proteins (pI = 4.5). This evidence was supported by the results from the texture measurements, viscosity and visco-elastic parameters. Gels made from Cape hake proteins showed a softer texture and were less rubbery with the addition of pea proteins. Emulsions stabilised by these mixtures showed slightly different behaviour when produced at pH 7.0 or pH 3.8. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

  4. Sol–gel synthesis of highly TiO2 aerogel photocatalyst via high temperature supercritical drying

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebah Moussaoui

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Nanocrystalline powders of TiO2 xerogel and aerogel were prepared by using acid-modified sol–gel approach. For TiO2 aerogel material (TA, the solvent was high temperature supercritically extracted at 300 °C and 100 bars. However, the TiO2 xerogel material (TX was dried at 200 °C and ambient pressure. The effects of the drying processes on the crystalline structure, phase transformation and grain growth were determined by Raman spectroscopy, SAED and X-ray diffraction (XRD analyses using Rietveld refinement method. The TiO2 aerogel was composed of anatase crystalline structure. The TiO2 xerogel material was composed of anatase, brookite and small amount of amorphous phase with anatase as dominant phase. The TX sample still contains a relatively high concentration of carbon than that of TA, indicating the amorphous character of TiO2 xerogel. These materials were applied as catalyst for the degradation of indigo carmine in aqueous medium. Photo-degradation ability of TA and TX was compared to the TiO2 commercial Degussa P25. The photo-catalytic results showed that the degradation efficiency was in the order TA > P25 > TX. The photo-degradation of indigo carmine followed pseudo first order reaction kinetics.

  5. High-density carrier-accumulated and electrically stable oxide thin-film transistors from ion-gel gate dielectric.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujii, Mami N; Ishikawa, Yasuaki; Miwa, Kazumoto; Okada, Hiromi; Uraoka, Yukiharu; Ono, Shimpei

    2015-12-18

    The use of indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) has paved the way for high-resolution uniform displays or integrated circuits with transparent and flexible devices. However, achieving highly reliable devices that use IGZO for low-temperature processes remains a technological challenge. We propose the use of IGZO thin-film transistors (TFTs) with an ionic-liquid gate dielectric in order to achieve high-density carrier-accumulated IGZO TFTs with high reliability, and we discuss a distinctive mechanism for the degradation of this organic-inorganic hybrid device under long-term electrical stress. Our results demonstrated that an ionic liquid or gel gate dielectric provides highly reliable and low-voltage operation with IGZO TFTs. Furthermore, high-density carrier accumulation helps improve the TFT characteristics and reliability, and it is highly relevant to the electronic phase control of oxide materials and the degradation mechanism for organic-inorganic hybrid devices.

  6. Mechanical compatibility of sol-gel annealing with titanium for orthopaedic prostheses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greer, Andrew I M; Lim, Teoh S; Brydone, Alistair S; Gadegaard, Nikolaj

    2016-01-01

    Sol-gel processing is an attractive method for large-scale surface coating due to its facile and inexpensive preparation, even with the inclusion of precision nanotopographies. These are desirable traits for metal orthopaedic prostheses where ceramic coatings are known to be osteoinductive and the effects may be amplified through nanotexturing. However there are a few concerns associated with the application of sol-gel technology to orthopaedics. Primarily, the annealing stage required to transform the sol-gel into a ceramic may compromise the physical integrity of the underlying metal. Secondly, loose particles on medical implants can be carcinogenic and cause inflammation so the coating needs to be strongly bonded to the implant. These concerns are addressed in this paper. Titanium, the dominant material for orthopaedics at present, is examined before and after sol-gel processing for changes in hardness and flexural modulus. Wear resistance, bending and pull tests are also performed to evaluate the ceramic coating. The findings suggest that sol-gel coatings will be compatible with titanium implants for an optimum temperature of 500 °C.

  7. Gel-aided sample preparation (GASP)--a simplified method for gel-assisted proteomic sample generation from protein extracts and intact cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Roman; Kessler, Benedikt M

    2015-04-01

    We describe a "gel-assisted" proteomic sample preparation method for MS analysis. Solubilized protein extracts or intact cells are copolymerized with acrylamide, facilitating denaturation, reduction, quantitative cysteine alkylation, and matrix formation. Gel-aided sample preparation has been optimized to be highly flexible, scalable, and to allow reproducible sample generation from 50 cells to milligrams of protein extracts. This methodology is fast, sensitive, easy-to-use on a wide range of sample types, and accessible to nonspecialists. © 2014 The Authors. PROTEOMICS published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Sol-gel technology for biomedical engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Podbielska, H.; Ulatowska-Jarza, A.

    2005-01-01

    Sol-gel derived silica possess many promising features, including low-temperature preparation procedure, porosity, chemical and physical stability. Applications exploiting porous materials to encapsulate sensor molecules, enzymes and many other compounds, are developing rapidly. In this paper some potential applications, with emphasis on biomedical and environmental ones, are reviewed. The material preparation procedure is described and practical remarks on silica-based sol-gels are included. It is reported that sol-gels with entrapped various molecules may be used in construction of implants and coatings with bioactive properties. It is shown how to exploit the sol-gel production route for construction of sol-gel coated fiberoptic applicators for laser therapy. The applications of bioactive materials are discussed, as well. It is demonstrated that it is possible to immobilize photosensitive compounds in sol-gel matrix without loosing their photoactivity. Some examples of sol-gel based biosensors are demonstrated, as well, showing their potential for detecting various gases, toxic substances, acidity, humidity, enzymes and biologically active agents. (authors)

  9. Water equivalence of polymer gel dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sellakumar, P.; James Jebaseelan Samuel, E.; Supe, Sanjay S.

    2007-01-01

    To evaluate the water equivalence and radiation transport properties of polymer gel dosimeters over the wide range of photon and electron energies 14 different types of polymer gels were considered. Their water equivalence was evaluated in terms of effective atomic number (Z eff ), electron density (ρ e ), photon mass attenuation coefficient (μ/ρ), photon mass energy absorption coefficient (μ en /ρ) and total stopping power (S/ρ) tot of electrons using the XCOM and the ESTAR database. The study showed that the effective atomic number of polymer gels were very close ( en /ρ for all polymer gels were in close agreement ( tot of electrons in polymer gel dosimeters were within 1% agreement with that of water. From the study we conclude that at lower energy (<80keV) the polymer gel dosimeters cannot be considered water equivalent and study has to be carried out before using the polymer gel for clinical application

  10. Hydrogen Production by Steam Reforming of Ethanol over Nickel Catalysts Supported on Sol Gel Made Alumina: Influence of Calcination Temperature on Supports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yaakob, Zahira; Bshish, Ahmed; Ebshish, Ali; Tasirin, Siti Masrinda; Alhasan, Fatah H

    2013-05-30

    Selecting a proper support in the catalyst system plays an important role in hydrogen production via ethanol steam reforming. In this study, sol gel made alumina supports prepared for nickel (Ni) catalysts were calcined at different temperatures. A series of (Ni/Al S.G. ) catalysts were synthesized by an impregnation procedure. The influence of varying the calcination temperature of the sol gel made supports on catalyst activity was tested in ethanol reforming reaction. The characteristics of the sol gel alumina supports and Ni catalysts were affected by the calcination temperature of the supports. The structure of the sol gel made alumina supports was transformed in the order of γ → (γ + θ) → θ-alumina as the calcination temperature of the supports increased from 600 °C to 1000 °C. Both hydrogen yield and ethanol conversion presented a volcano-shaped behavior with maximum values of 4.3 mol/mol ethanol fed and 99.5%, respectively. The optimum values were exhibited over Ni/Al S.G800 (Ni catalyst supported on sol gel made alumina calcined at 800 °C). The high performance of the Ni/Al S.G800 catalyst may be attributed to the strong interaction of Ni species and sol gel made alumina which lead to high nickel dispersion and small particle size.

  11. XEN Gel Implant: a new surgical approach in glaucoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaudhary, Ankita; Salinas, Lauriane; Guidotti, Jacopo; Mermoud, André; Mansouri, Kaweh

    2018-01-01

    Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering is the only effective treatment strategy. Traditional glaucoma surgeries are generally considered to be unpredictable and associated with a high rate of complications. This has led to the development of a novel XEN Gel Implant, a type of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS), lowering the IOP without extensive surgical dissection. Areas covered: A literature search was undertaken on PubMed using the terms XEN glaucoma, gelatin microstent, and MIGS. All the articles and case reports on XEN Gel Implant and selected articles on MIGS were studied and reviewed. We have discussed the results of most studies on XEN Gel Implant related to its efficacy, safety and success. Expert commentary: The XEN Gel Implant effectively lowers IOP and medication use, with a favorable safety profile. Long-term data on its success and cost-effectiveness are lacking. The studies have shown it to be without any serious adverse events and to have good safety profile encouraging future research on this novel implant. There is a need to correctly identify selection criteria for patients, who would benefit the most from the XEN Gel Implant.

  12. Gel nano-particulates against radioactivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deroin, Ph.

    2004-01-01

    The Argonne research center (USA) has developed a 'super-gel' compound, a polymer close to those used in baby's diapers, which can reach a 90% efficiency in the radioactive decontamination of porous materials, like bricks or concrete. The contaminated materials are sprayed with a mixture of polymer gel and wetting agent with nano-particulates in suspension. Under the action of the wetting agent, radioactivity migrates from the pores to the gel and is trapped by the nano-particulates. The drying and recycling of the gel allows to reduce the volume of radioactive wastes. Short paper. (J.S.)

  13. Antibiotic-containing hyaluronic acid gel as an antibacterial carrier: Usefulness of sponge and film-formed HA gel in deep infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuno, Hiroaki; Yudoh, Kazuo; Hashimoto, Masamichi; Himeda, Yasukazu; Miyoshi, Teruzo; Yoshida, Kaoru; Kano, Syogo

    2006-03-01

    We have developed a novel bioabsorbable antibacterial carrier using hyaluronic acid (HA) gel for prevention and treatment of orthopedic infections. In this study, we investigated the in vivo antibacterial effects of two forms of this new material, an HA gel sponge and an HA gel film. A titanium cylinder was inserted into the intramedullary cavity of each rabbit femur, along with an HA gel sponge or HA gel film containing antibiotics. The HA gel sponge contained gentamycin, vancomycin, tobramycin, or minomycin. The HA gel film contained gentamycin or vancomycin. After 0, 7, and 14 days, the rabbit bone marrow was collected, and the antibacterial activity of the HA gel was determined by agar diffusion test. As a control, we used Septocoll, a commercially available antibacterial carrier. Both the HA gel sponge and HA gel film exhibited antibacterial activity. The present results indicate that HA gel containing antibiotics is a clinically useful bioabsorbable antibacterial carrier. Copyright 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society.

  14. Influence of Whitening Gel Application Protocol on Dental Color Change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taciana Marco Ferraz Caneppele

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. To evaluate the influence of different whitening protocols on the efficacy of 35% hydrogen peroxide (HP tooth whitening and gel pH and concentration. Material and Methods. Eighty-four enamel/dentin discs from bovine incisors were used. The baseline color was measured with a spectrophotometer. Two sessions of in-office whitening with 35% HP were performed under different protocols: G1: 3 applications of HP (10 min each per session; G2: 1 application of 30 min per session; G3: 1 application of 40 min per session, with no gel replenishment within session for groups 2 and 3. HP titration and pH evaluation at baseline, after 10, 30, and 40 min were also performed. The final color was measured 24 h after the 1st and 2nd whitening sessions. Data were submitted to Repeated Measures ANOVA and Tukey’s test. Results. For color evaluation, no differences were observed among groups after two sessions. HP titration showed no drop on concentration after 10, 30, or 40 min. The pH was 5.54 at baseline and 5.41 after 40 min. Conclusion. Replenishment or extended application time of in-office whitening gel does not affect gel pH and concentration, a fact that supports the similar effectiveness of whitening observed among the tested protocols.

  15. Synthesis of phthalocyanine doped sol-gel materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Bruce

    1993-01-01

    The synthesis of sol-gel silica materials doped with three different types of metallophthalocyanines has been studied. Homogeneous materials of good optical quality were prepared and the first optical limiting measurements of dyes in sol-gel hosts were carried out. The properties of these solid state limiters are similar to limiters based on phthalocyanine (Pc) in solution. Sol-gel silica materials containing copper, tin and germanium phthalocyanines were investigated. The initial step in all cases was to prepare silica sols by the sonogel method using tetramethoxy silane (TMOS), HCl and distilled water. Thereafter, the synthesis depended upon the specific Pc and its solubility characteristics. Copper phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid tetra sodium salt (CuPc4S) is soluble in water and various doping levels (1 x 10 (exp -4) M to 1 x 10 (exp -5) M) were added to the sol. The group IV Pc's, SnPc(OSi(n-hexyl)3)2 and GePc(OSi(n-hexyl)3)2, are insoluble in water and the process was changed accordingly. In these cases, the compounds were dissolved in THF and then added to the sol. The Pc concentration in the sol was 2 x 10(exp -5)M. The samples were then aged and dried in the standard method of making xerogel monoliths. Comparative nanosecond optical limiting experiments were performed on silica xerogels that were doped with the different metallophthalocyanines. The ratio of the net excited state absorption cross section (sigma(sub e)) to the ground state cross section (sigma(sub g)) is an important figure of merit that is used to characterize these materials. By this standard the SnPc sample exhibits the best limiting for the Pc doped sol-gel materials. Its cross section ratio of 19 compares favorably with the value of 22 that was measured in toluene. The GePc materials appear to not be as useful as those containing SnPc. The GePc doped solids exhibit a higher onset energy (2.5 mj and lower cross section ratio, 7. The CuPc4S sol-gel material has a still lower cross

  16. Slow Release of Plant Volatiles Using Sol-Gel Dispensers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bian, L; Sun, X L; Cai, X M; Chen, Z M

    2014-12-01

    The black citrus aphid, also known as the tea aphid, (Toxoptera aurantii Boyer) attacks economically important crops, including tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze). In the current study, silica sol-gel formulations were screened to find one that could carry and release C. sinensis plant volatiles to lure black citrus aphids in a greenhouse. The common plant volatile trans-2-hexen-1-al was used as a model molecule to screen for suitable sol-gel formulations. A zNose (Electronic Sensor Technology, Newbury Park, CA) transportable gas chromatograph was used to continuously monitor the volatile emissions. A sol-gel formulation containing tetramethyl orthosilicate and methyltrimethoxysilane in an 8:2 (vol:vol) ratio was selected to develop a slow-release dispenser. The half-life of trans-2-hexen-1-al in the sol-gel dispenser increased slightly with the volume of this compound in the dispenser. Ten different volatiles were tested in the sol-gel dispenser. Alcohols of 6-10 carbons had the longest half-lives (3.01-3.77 d), while esters of 6-12 carbons had the shortest (1.53-2.28 d). Release of these volatiles from the dispensers could not be detected by the zNose after 16 d (cis-3-hexenyl acetate) to 26 d (3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-ol). In greenhouse experiments, trans-2-hexen-1-al and cis-3-hexen-1-ol released from the sol-gel dispensers attracted aphids for ≍17 d, and release of these volatiles could not be detected by the zNose after ≍24 d. The sol-gel dispensers performed adequately for the slow release of plant volatiles to trap aphids in the greenhouse. © 2014 Entomological Society of America.

  17. Sol-gel encapsulation for controlled drug release and biosensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Jonathan

    The main focus of this dissertation is to investigate the use of sol-gel encapsulation of biomolecules for controlled drug release and biosensing. Controlled drug release has advantages over conventional therapies in that it maintains a constant, therapeutic drug level in the body for prolonged periods of time. The anti-hypertensive drug Captopril was encapsulated in sol-gel materials of various forms, such as silica xerogels and nanoparticles. The primary objective was to show that sol-gel silica materials are promising drug carriers for controlled release by releasing Captopril at a release rate that is within a therapeutic range. We were able to demonstrate desired release for over a week from Captopril-doped silica xerogels and overall release from Captopril-doped silica nanoparticles. As an aside, the antibiotic Vancomycin was also encapsulated in these porous silica nanoparticles and desired release was obtained for several days in-vitro. The second part of the dissertation focuses on immobilizing antibodies and proteins in sol-gel to detect various analytes, such as hormones and amino acids. Sol-gel competitive immunoassays on antibody-doped silica xerogels were used for hormone detection. Calibration for insulin and C-peptide in standard solutions was obtained in the nM range. In addition, NASA-Ames is also interested in developing a reagentless biosensor using bacterial periplasmic binding proteins (bPBPs) to detect specific biomarkers, such as amino acids and phosphate. These bPBPs were doubly labeled with two different fluorophores and encapsulated in silica xerogels. Ligand-binding experiments were performed on the bPBPs in solution and in sol-gel. Ligand-binding was monitored by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the two fluorophores on the bPBP. Titration data show that one bPBP has retained its ligand-binding properties in sol-gel.

  18. Small-angle neutron scattering from poly(NIPA-co-AMPS) gels

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Travas-Sejdic, J.; Easteal, A.; Knott, R.

    2000-01-01

    was reversed; that is the lower cross-link density, the higher the scattered intensity. Therefore, the role of cross-links at high temperature was to suppress microphase separation. The fitting of the experimental data with the Rabin and Panyukov theory indicated qualitative agreement.......The microstructure of the poly( N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamido- 2-methyl-1-propane sulphonic acid) gel, poly( NIPA-co-AMPS), was investigated as a function of temperature and cross-link density using the small angle neutron scattering technique. The sample temperature was varied in the range...... 30 to 55C. Two different behaviours of poly( NIPA-co-AMPS) gels were observed. At low temperature (30C), the magnitude of the scattered intensity increased with cross-link density suggesting that additional cross-links introduced more inhomogeneities in the gel network. At high temperatures the trend...

  19. Evaluation of particle release from montmorillonite gel by flowing groundwater based on the DLVO theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurosawa, Susumu; Nagasaki, Shinya; Tanaka, Satoru

    2007-01-01

    Theoretical study has been performed to clarify the ability of colloid release form the montmorillonite gel by the flowing groundwater. Evaluation of montmorillonite colloidal particles release from the bentonite buffer material is important for the performance assessment of radioactive waste disposal because the colloids may influence the radionuclide transport. In this study, the minimum groundwater flow rate required to tear off montmorillonite particles from surface of bentonite buffer was estimated from the shear stress on the gel front, which was calculated by the DLVO theory. The estimated shear force was converted to corresponding groundwater velocity by using Stoke's equation. The results indicated that groundwater velocity in a range of about 10 -5 to 10 -4 m/s would be necessary to release montmorillonite particles. This range is higher than the groundwater flow velocity found generally in deep geological media in Japan. This study suggests that the effect of montmorillonite particles release from the bentonite buffer on radionuclide transport is likely to be negligible in the performance assessment of high-level radioactive waste geological disposal. (author)

  20. Hydrogen permeation through steel coated with erbium oxide by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao Zhenyu; Suzuki, Akihiro; Levchuk, Denis; Chikada, Takumi; Tanaka, Teruya; Muroga, Takeo; Terai, Takayuki

    2009-01-01

    Er 2 O 3 coating is formed on austenitic stainless steel 316ss by sol-gel method. The results showed good crystallization of coating by baking in high purity flowing-argon at 973 K, and indicated that a little oxygen in baking atmosphere is necessary to crystallization of coating. The best baking temperature could be thought as 973 K, to get good crystallization of coating and avoid strong oxidation of steel substrate. The deuterium permeation test was performed for coated and bare 316ss, to evaluate the property of Er 2 O 3 sol-gel coating as a potential tritium permeation barrier. In this study, the deuterium permeability of coated 316ss is about 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than that of bare 316ss, and is about 2-3 orders of magnitude than the referred data of bare Eurofer97 and F82H martensitic steel.

  1. The evaluation of collagen gel with various connection states by using MRI

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kudo, Hiroki; Mukai, Naoki; Gouping, Chen; Numanno, Tomokazu; Honma, Kazuhiro; Tateishi, Tetsuya; Miyanaga, Yutaka; Miyakawa, Syumpei

    2008-01-01

    To noninvasively evaluate the connection states of collagen fiber, a characterizing factor of the physical property, is considered to be helpful in the evaluation of cartilage functions. The purpose of this study was to examine how the connection states of collagen influence the MRI parameters by evaluating the collagen gel with various connection states using MRI. MRI was performed to six type I collagen gel samples with various connection status and a water sample. The evaluation parameters included T1 relaxation time, T2 relaxation time, and diffusion coefficient. With regard to gel samples with cross-links, the T2 relaxation time was shortened in proportion to the dose of glutaraldehyde. It is considered that as the glutaraldehyde concentration increases, the distance between protons in water molecules decreases; this is followed by a stronger bipole-bipole interaction, resulting in a shorter T2 relaxation time. The diffusion coefficient for gel samples with cross-links also decreased with increasing glutaraldehyde concentrations. However, gel samples without glutaraldehyde were almost the same as that of the water. This result suggested that the degree of entrapment of water inside the gel samples without cross-links, even when it converted into gel, was found to be nearly equal to that of the free water

  2. Dietary aloe vera gel powder and extract inhibit azoxymethane- induced colorectal aberrant crypt foci in mice fed a high- fat diet.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chihara, Takeshi; Shimpo, Kan; Kaneko, Takaaki; Beppu, Hidehiko; Higashiguchi, Takashi; Sonoda, Shigeru; Tanaka, Miyuki; Yamada, Muneo; Abe, Fumiaki

    2015-01-01

    Aloe vera gel exhibits protective effects against insulin resistance as well as lipid-lowering and anti-diabetic effects. The anti-diabetic compounds in this gel were identified as Aloe-sterols. Aloe vera gel extract (AVGE) containing Aloe-sterols has recently been produced using a new procedure. We previously reported that AVGE reduced large-sized intestinal polyps in Apc-deficient Min mice fed a high fat diet (HFD), suggesting that Aloe vera gel may protect against colorectal cancer. In the present study, we examined the effects of Aloe vera gel powder (AVGP) and AVGE on azoxymethane-induced colorectal preneoplastic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in mice fed a HFD. Male C57BL/6J mice were given a normal diet (ND), HFD, HFD containing 0.5% carboxymethyl cellulose solution, which was used as a solvent for AVGE (HFDC), HFD containing 3% or 1% AVGP, and HFDC containing 0.0125% (H-) or 0.00375% (L-) AVGE. The number of ACF was significantly lower in mice given 3% AVGP and H-AVGE than in those given HFD or HFDC alone. Moreover, 3% AVGP, H-AVGE and L-AVGE significantly decreased the mean Ki-67 labeling index, assessed as a measure of cell proliferation in the colonic mucosa. In addition, hepatic phase II enzyme glutathione S-transferase mRNA levels were higher in the H-AVGE group than in the HFDC group. These results suggest that both AVGP and AVGE may have chemopreventive effects on colorectal carcinogenesis under the HFD condition. Furthermore, the concentration of Aloe-sterols was similar between 3% AVGP and H-AVGE, suggesting that Aloe-sterols were the main active ingredients in this experiment.

  3. Effectiveness of Gel Repellents on Feral Pigeons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Birte Stock

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Millions of feral pigeons (Columba livia live in close association with the human population in our cities. They pose serious health risks to humans and lead to high economic loss due to damage caused to buildings. Consequently, house owners and city authorities are not willing to allow pigeons on their buildings. While various avian repellents are regularly introduced onto the market, scientific proof of efficacy is lacking. This study aimed at testing the effectiveness of two avian gel repellents and additionally examined their application from animal welfare standpoint. The gels used an alleged tactile or visual aversion of the birds, reinforced by additional sensory cues. We mounted experimental shelves with the installed repellents in a pigeon loft and observed the behavior of free-living feral pigeons towards the systems. Both gels showed a restricted, transient repellent effect, but failed to prove the claimed complete effectiveness. Additionally, the gels’ adhesive effect remains doubtful in view of animal welfare because gluing of plumage presents a risk to feral pigeons and also to other non-target birds. This study infers that both gels lack the promised complete efficacy, conflict with animal welfare concerns and are therefore not suitable for feral pigeon management in urban areas.

  4. A New Combination of Testosterone and Nestorone Transdermal Gels for Male Hormonal Contraception

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ilani, Niloufar; Roth, Mara Y.; Amory, John K.; Swerdloff, Ronald S.; Dart, Clint; Page, Stephanie T.; Bremner, William J.; Sitruk-Ware, Regine; Kumar, Narender; Blithe, Diana L.

    2012-01-01

    Context: Combinations of testosterone (T) and nestorone (NES; a nonandrogenic progestin) transdermal gels may suppress spermatogenesis and prove appealing to men for contraception. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of T gel alone or combined with NES gel in suppressing spermatogenesis. Design and Setting: This was a randomized, double-blind, comparator clinical trial conducted at two academic medical centers. Participants: Ninety-nine healthy male volunteers participated in the study. Interventions: Volunteers were randomized to one of three treatment groups applying daily transdermal gels (group 1: T gel 10 g + NES 0 mg/placebo gel; group 2: T gel 10 g + NES gel 8 mg; group 3: T gel 10 g + NES gel 12 mg). Main Outcome Variable: The main outcome variable of the study was the percentage of men whose sperm concentration was suppressed to 1 million/ml or less by 20–24 wk of treatment. Results: Efficacy data analyses were performed on 56 subjects who adhered to the protocol and completed at least 20 wk of treatment. The percentage of men whose sperm concentration was 1 million/ml or less was significantly higher for T + NES 8 mg (89%, P male range throughout the treatment period. Adverse effects were minimal in all groups. Conclusion: A combination of daily NES + T gels suppressed sperm concentration to 1 million/ml or less in 88.5% of men, with minimal adverse effects, and may be further studied as a male transdermal hormonal contraceptive. PMID:22791756

  5. Exploring encapsulation mechanism of DNA and mononucleotides in sol-gel derived silica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapusuz, Derya; Durucan, Caner

    2017-07-01

    The encapsulation mechanism of DNA in sol-gel derived silica has been explored in order to elucidate the effect of DNA conformation on encapsulation and to identify the nature of chemical/physical interaction of DNA with silica during and after sol-gel transition. In this respect, double stranded DNA and dAMP (2'-deoxyadenosine 5'-monophosphate) were encapsulated in silica using an alkoxide-based sol-gel route. Biomolecule-encapsulating gels have been characterized using UV-Vis, 29 Si NMR, FTIR spectroscopy and gas adsorption (BET) to investigate chemical interactions of biomolecules with the porous silica network and to examine the extent of sol-gel reactions upon encapsulation. Ethidium bromide intercalation and leach out tests showed that helix conformation of DNA was preserved after encapsulation. For both biomolecules, high water-to-alkoxide ratio promoted water-producing condensation and prevented alcoholic denaturation. NMR and FTIR analyses confirmed high hydraulic reactivity (water adsorption) for more silanol groups-containing DNA and dAMP encapsulated gels than plain silica gel. No chemical binding/interaction occurred between biomolecules and silica network. DNA and dAMP encapsulated silica gelled faster than plain silica due to basic nature of DNA or dAMP containing buffer solutions. DNA was not released from silica gels to aqueous environment up to 9 days. The chemical association between DNA/dAMP and silica host was through phosphate groups and molecular water attached to silanols, acting as a barrier around biomolecules. The helix morphology was found not to be essential for such interaction. BET analyses showed that interconnected, inkbottle-shaped mesoporous silica network was condensed around DNA and dAMP molecules.

  6. Sol-Gel Synthesis of Phosphate-Based Glasses for Hydrophilic Enamel Applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Dae-Sung; Ryu, Bong-ki

    2017-01-01

    In this study, quaternary phosphate-based sol-gel derived glasses were synthesized from a P 2 O 5 -CaO-Na 2 O-TiO 2 system with a high TiO 2 content of up to 50 mol%. The sol-gel method was chosen because incorporating a high percentage of titanium into a phosphate network via traditional melt-quench methods is non-trivial. The structure and thermal properties of the obtained stabilized sol-gel glasses were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The XRD results confirmed the amorphous nature of all of the stabilized sol–gel derived glasses. The FTIR results revealed that added TiO 2 enters the network as (TiO 6 ), which likely acts as a modifier oxide. Consequently, the number of terminal oxygen atoms increases, leading to an increase in the number of P-OH bonds. In addition, DSC results confirmed a decrease in glass transition and crystallization temperatures with increasing TiO 2 content. This is the first report of a sol-gel synthesis strategy combined with enameling to prepare glass at low processing temperatures and the first use of such a system for both hydrophilic and chemical resistance purposes.

  7. Sol-Gel Synthesis of Phosphate-Based Glasses for Hydrophilic Enamel Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Dae-Sung; Ryu, Bong-ki [Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-04-15

    In this study, quaternary phosphate-based sol-gel derived glasses were synthesized from a P{sub 2}O{sub 5}-CaO-Na{sub 2}O-TiO{sub 2} system with a high TiO{sub 2} content of up to 50 mol%. The sol-gel method was chosen because incorporating a high percentage of titanium into a phosphate network via traditional melt-quench methods is non-trivial. The structure and thermal properties of the obtained stabilized sol-gel glasses were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The XRD results confirmed the amorphous nature of all of the stabilized sol–gel derived glasses. The FTIR results revealed that added TiO{sub 2} enters the network as (TiO{sub 6}), which likely acts as a modifier oxide. Consequently, the number of terminal oxygen atoms increases, leading to an increase in the number of P-OH bonds. In addition, DSC results confirmed a decrease in glass transition and crystallization temperatures with increasing TiO{sub 2} content. This is the first report of a sol-gel synthesis strategy combined with enameling to prepare glass at low processing temperatures and the first use of such a system for both hydrophilic and chemical resistance purposes.

  8. Physical Properties of Silicone Gel Breast Implants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jewell, Mark L; Bengtson, Bradley P; Smither, Kate; Nuti, Gina; Perry, TracyAnn

    2018-04-28

    Surgical applications using breast implants are individualized operations to fill and shape the breast. Physical properties beyond shape, size, and surface texture are important considerations during implant selection. Compare form stability, gel material properties, and shell thickness of textured shaped, textured round, and smooth round breast implants from 4 manufacturers: Allergan, Mentor, Sientra, and Establishment Labs through bench testing. Using a mandrel height gauge, form stability was measured by retention of dimensions on device movement from a horizontal to vertical supported orientation. Dynamic response of gel material (gel cohesivity, resistance to gel deformation, energy absorption) was measured using a synchronized target laser following application of graded negative pressure. Shell thickness was measured using digital thickness gauge calipers. Form stability, gel material properties, and shell thickness differed across breast implants. Of textured shaped devices, Allergan Natrelle 410 exhibited greater form stability than Mentor MemoryShape and Sientra Shaped implants. Allergan Inspira round implants containing TruForm 3 gel had greater form stability, higher gel cohesivity, greater resistance to gel deformation, and lower energy absorption than those containing TruForm 2 gel and in turn, implants containing TruForm 1 gel. Shell thickness was greater for textured versus smooth devices, and differed across styles. Gel cohesivity, resistance to gel deformation, and energy absorption are directly related to form stability, which in turn determines shape retention. These characteristics provide information to aid surgeons choosing an implant based on surgical application, patient tissue characteristics, and desired outcome.

  9. Preparation and performance of a novel gel polymer electrolyte based on poly(vinylidene fluoride)/graphene separator for lithium ion battery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Jiuqing; Wu, Xiufeng; He, Junying; Li, Jie; Lai, Yanqing

    2017-01-01

    Poly(vinylidenefluoride)/graphene (PVDF/graphene) gel polymer electrolyte is prepared via non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) technique for lithium ion battery application. The effect of graphene on the ion conductivity is investigated by AC impedance measurement. The relationship among the chemical structure, PVDF crystallinity, the graphene on macroporous formation and the ion conductivity are investigated. The results indicate that the graphene disperses homogenously in PVDF, and it also increases the porosity and decreases the crystallinity of the PVDF. At the same time, the unique structure increases the liquid uptake capability of PVDF/graphene polymer electrolyte. The ionic conductivity of the PVDF/graphene polymer electrolyte increases significantly from 1.85 mS cm"−"1 in pristine PVDF to 3.61 mS cm"−"1 with 0.002 wt% graphene. It is found that graphene not only increases the ionic conductivity but also markedly enhances the rate capability and the cycling performances of coin cell. This study shows that PVDF/graphene gel polymer electrolyte is a very promising material for lithium ion batteries.

  10. The Diagon/Gel Implant: A Preliminary Report of 894 Cases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Constantin Stan, MD

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background:. The breast has always been perceived as the emblem of femininity. Desire of having an ideal breast form has been of interest for a long time. Methods:. This preliminary article is a retrospective analysis of 894 cases of breast augmentation with Diagon/Gel breast implants covered with a micropolyurethane foam (Microthane. The surgical technique employed is a modified dual plane, which enables us to use a new anatomical implant to move the glandular parenchyma into a higher position. Results:. The study extended from January 2010 to September 2015, during which no breast implant developed Baker grade III or IV capsular contracture (CC and only a few adverse events occurred. Patients reported to be highly satisfied with the final outcome, which was very natural both in the form and movement. Conclusions:. The new concept of Diagon/Gel represents the next step in the evolutionary progress of breast implants and allows the surgeon to perform not only a breast augmentation but also parenchymal elevation, which otherwise would have required a mastopexy, and we have called it breast enhancement.

  11. The Effect of Gel Microstructure on Simulated Gastric Digestion of Protein Gels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Opazo-Navarrete, Mauricio; Altenburg, Marte D.; Boom, Remko M.; Janssen, Anja E.M.

    2018-01-01

    The objective of this study was to analyse the impact of the gel structure obtained by different heat-induced temperatures on the in vitro gastric digestibility at pH 2. To achieve this, gels were prepared from soy protein, pea protein, albumin from chicken egg white and whey protein isolate at

  12. Comparative study on the effects of negatively-charged biopolymers on chitosan-based gels for the development of instantaneous gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jimeno, Austin Ed B.; Chakraborty, Soma

    2015-01-01

    Polymeric electrolytic complexes are solutions of charged/ionized chains. These solutions of positive and negative charge can be combined to make instantaneous networks bonded by electrostatic interactions, a gel network. These electrostatic interaction allows for easy application in injectable gels as the network can be temporarily distributed with the application of force and reformed on the relief of it. Possible applications for these injectable gels include drug delivery and wound-healing. κ-Carrageenan, dextran sulfate, alginate, and chitosan are polyelectrolytic biocompatible polymers which are widely studied and used for a variety of biomedical applications. Gel networks are made by combining a negatively-charged (κ-Carrageenan, dextran sulfate, or alginate) and positively charged (chitosan) solutions. The strong electrostatic interaction between the opposite charges from the gel network and the inherent biocompatibility of the polymers allow future biomedical applications. Quat 188-modified chitosan has additional sites for electrostatic bonding, can be dissolved in neutral, basic, and acidic pH, and has shown inherent antibacterial activity. The objectives of this study are the following: to formulate chitosan-based gels mixing solutions of chitosan with solutions of either κ-Carrageenan, dextran sulfate, or alginate, study the gelation of the gels as function of time and pH (4, 7, and 9) using UV-Vis, characterize the chitosan-based gels through DSC and DMA, characterize the physiological degradation of the chitosan-based gels, and compare results with those from Quat 188-modified chitosan-based gels. Polyelectrolytic solutions of chitosan and negatively-charged biopolymer of similar viscosities were mixed. It was determined from the UV-Vis spectroscopy of the chitosan-carrageenan gels under pH7 buffer that the increase of concentration by a factor of 5 for 0.006M-0.0095M and 1.25 for 0.0095M-0.0150M Chitosan-Carrageenan gels improved gelation by the

  13. Performance Characterization of a Lithium-ion Gel Polymer Battery Power Supply System for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reid, Concha M.; Manzo, Michelle A.; Logan, Michael J.

    2004-01-01

    Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are currently under development for NASA missions, earth sciences, aeronautics, the military, and commercial applications. The design of an all electric power and propulsion system for small UAVs was the focus of a detailed study. Currently, many of these small vehicles are powered by primary (nonrechargeable) lithium-based batteries. While this type of battery is capable of satisfying some of the mission needs, a secondary (rechargeable) battery power supply system that can provide the same functionality as the current system at the same or lower system mass and volume is desired. A study of commercially available secondary battery cell technologies that could provide the desired performance characteristics was performed. Due to the strict mass limitations and wide operating temperature requirements of small UAVs, the only viable cell chemistries were determined to be lithium-ion liquid electrolyte systems and lithium-ion gel polymer electrolyte systems. Two lithium-ion gel polymer cell designs were selected as candidates and were tested using potential load profiles for UAV applications. Because lithium primary batteries have a higher specific energy and energy density, for the same mass and volume allocation, the secondary batteries resulted in shorter flight times than the primary batteries typically provide. When the batteries were operated at lower ambient temperatures (0 to -20 C), flight times were even further reduced. Despite the reduced flight times demonstrated, for certain UAV applications, the secondary batteries operated within the acceptable range of flight times at room temperature and above. The results of this testing indicate that a secondary battery power supply system can provide some benefits over the primary battery power supply system. A UAV can be operated for hundreds of flights using a secondary battery power supply system that provides the combined benefits of rechargeability and an inherently safer

  14. Research on pre-staining gel electrophoresis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong Ruibo; Liu Yushuang; Zhang Ping; Liu Jingran; Zhao Guofen; Zhang Feng

    2014-01-01

    Background: Gel electrophoresis is a powerful biochemical separation technique. Most biological molecules are completely transparent in the visible region of light, so it is necessary to use staining to show the results after gel electrophoresis, and the general steps of conventional staining methods are time-consuming. Purpose: We try to develop a novel approach to simplify the gel electrophoresis: Pre-Staining Gel Electrophoresis (PSGE), which can make the gel electrophoresis results monitored in real time. Methods: Pre-stain the protein samples with Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) for 30 min before loading the sample into the gel well. Results and Conclusion: PSGE can be successfully used to analyze the binding efficiency of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and amphiphilic polymer via chemical coupling and physical absorption, and the double PSGE also shows a great potential in bio-analytical chemistry. (authors)

  15. Purification of Peptide Components including Melittin from Bee Venom using gel filtration chromatography and propionic acid/urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Young Chon Choi

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Objectives : This study was conducted to carry out Purification of Melittin and other peptide components from Bee Venom using gel filtration chromatography and propionic acid/urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis Methods : Melittin and other peptide components were separated from bee venom by using gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-50 column in 0.05M ammonium acetate buffer. Results : Melittin and other peptide components were separated from bee venom by using gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-50 column in 0.05M ammonium acetate buffer. The fractions obtained from gel filtration chromatography was analyzed by using SDS-PAGE and propionic acid/urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The melittin obtained from the gel filtration contained residual amount of phospholipase A2 and a protein with molecular weight of 6,000. The contaminating proteins were removed by the second gel filtration chromatography. Conclusion : Gel filtration chromatography and propionic acid/urea polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis are useful to separate peptide components including melittin from bee venom.

  16. Encapsulation of nanoclusters in dried gel materials via an inverse micelle/sol gel synthesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martino, Anthony; Yamanaka, Stacey A.; Kawola, Jeffrey S.; Showalter, Steven K.; Loy, Douglas A.

    1998-01-01

    A dried gel material sterically entrapping nanoclusters of a catalytically active material and a process to make the material via an inverse micelle/sol-gel synthesis. A surfactant is mixed with an apolar solvent to form an inverse micelle solution. A salt of a catalytically active material, such as gold chloride, is added along with a silica gel precursor to the solution to form a mixture. To the mixture are then added a reducing agent for the purpose of reducing the gold in the gold chloride to atomic gold to form the nanoclusters and a condensing agent to form the gel which sterically entraps the nanoclusters. The nanoclusters are normally in the average size range of from 5-10 nm in diameter with a monodisperse size distribution.

  17. Neurotrophic effects of perfluorocarbon emulsion gel: a pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isaacs Jonathan

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Positive neurotrophic effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment may be more easily achieved by applying a Perflourocarbon (PFC emulsion gel to the repair site. PFCs are halogen substituted carbon oils with unique oxygen transport potentials that are capable of increasing oxygen availability in local tissues. The purpose of this study was to determine if the application of a PFC emulsion to a repaired nerve would improve recovery. Materials and methods The left tibial nerve of 21 immature female Sprague-Dawley rats was transected, immediately repaired, and then circumferentially coated with PFC gel (Group A, n = 7, PFC-less gel (Group B, n = 7, or nothing (suture only, Group C, n = 7. At eight weeks post surgery, electrophysiological testing and histological and morphological analysis was performed. Results No statistically significant differences between experimental groups were found for muscle size and weight, axon counts, or nerve conduction velocity. Group A had a significantly smaller G-ratio than Groups B and C (p Conclusion Overall results do not indicate a functional benefit associated with application of a PFC emulsion gel to rodent tibial nerve repairs. A positive effect on myelination was seen.

  18. Nonhydrolytic sol-gel approach to facile creation of surface-bonded zirconia organic-inorganic hybrid coatings for sample preparation. Ι. Capillary microextraction of catecholamine neurotransmitters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alhendal, Abdullah; Mengis, Stephanie; Matthews, Jacob; Malik, Abdul

    2016-10-14

    Nonhydrolytic sol-gel (NHSG) route was used for the creation of novel zirconia-polypropylene oxide (ZrO 2 -PPO) sol-gel hybrid sorbents in the form of surface coatings for the extraction and preconcentration of catecholamine neurotransmitters and molecules structurally related to their deaminated metabolites. In comparison to other sorbents made of inorganic transition metal oxides, the presented hybrid organic-inorganic sorbents facilitated reversible sorption properties that allowed for efficient desorption of the extracted analytes by LC-MS compatible mobile phases. The presented sol-gel hybrid sorbents effectively overcame the major drawbacks of traditional silica- or polymer-based sorbents by providing superior pH stability (pH range: 0-14), and a variety of intermolecular interactions. Nonaqueous sol-gel treatment of PPO with ZrCl 4 was employed for the derivatization of the terminal hydroxyl groups on PPO, providing zirconium trichloride-containing end groups characterized by enhanced sol-gel reactivity. NHSG ZrO 2 -PPO sorbent provided excellent microextraction performance for catecholamines, low detection limits (5.6-9.6pM), high run-to-run reproducibility (RSD 0.6-5.1%), high desorption efficiency (95.0-99.5%) and high enrichment factors (∼1480-2650) for dopamine and epinephrine, respectively, extracted from synthetic urine samples. The presented sol-gel sorbents provided effective alternative to conventional extraction media providing unique physicochemical characteristics and excellent extraction capability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Recovery of minor actinides from spent fuel using TPEN-immobilized gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koyama, S.; Suto, M.; Ohbayashi, H.; Oaki, H.; Takeshita, K.

    2013-01-01

    A series of separation experiments was performed in order to study the recovery process for minor actinides (MAs), such as americium (Am) and curium (Cm), from the actual spent fuel by using an extraction chromatographic technique. N,N,N',N'-tetrakis-(4-propenyloxy-2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPPEN) is an N,N,N',N'-tetrakis (2-pyridylmethyl) ethylenediamine (TPEN) analogue consisting of an incorporated pyridine ring that acts as not only a ligand but also as a site for polymerization and crosslinking of the gel. The TPPEN and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPA) were dissolved into dimethylformamide (DMF, Wako Co., Ltd.) and a silica beads polymer, and then TTPEN was immobilized chemically in a polymer gel (so called TPEN-gel). Mixed oxide (MOX) fuel, which was highly irradiated up to 119 GWD/MTM in the experimental fast reactor Joyo, was used as a reference spent fuel. First, uranium (U) and plutonium (Pu) were separated from the irradiated fuel using an ion-exchange method, and then, the platinum group elements were removed by CMPO to leave a mixed solution of MAs and lanthanides. The 3 mol% TPPEN-gel was packed with as an extraction column (CV: 1 ml) and then rinsed by 0.1 M NaNO 3 (pH 4.0) for pH adjustment. After washing the column by 0.01 M NaNO 3 (pH 4.0), Eu was detected and the recovery rate reached 93%. The MAs were then recovered by changing the eluent to 0.01 M NaNO 3 (pH 2.0), and the recovery rate of Am was 48 %. The 10 mol% TPPEN-gel was used to improve adsorption coefficient of Am and a condition of eluent temperature was changed in order to confirm the temperature swing effect on TPEN-gel for MA. More than 90% Eu was detected in the eluent after washing with 0.01 M NaNO 3 (pH 3.5) at 5 Celsius degrees. Americium was backwardly detected and eluted continuously during the same condition. After removal of Eu, the eluent temperature was changed to 32 Celsius degrees, then Am was detected (pH 3.0). Finally remained Am could be stripped from TPPEN-gel by

  20. Thermodynamics of the Sorption of Benzimidazoles on Octadecyl Silica Gel from Water-Methanol Eluents

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shafigulin, R. V.; Bulanova, A. V.

    2018-02-01

    The standard enthalpy and entropy component of transferring benzimidazoles from water-methanol solutions to surfaces of octadecyl silica gel are determined using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP HPLC). The dependences between the enthalpy and polarizability of the molecules of the studied benzimidazoles, the enthalpy and the entropy factor are studied, and the influence of the quantitative composition of the water-methanol solution on the enthalpy are studied.