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Sample records for hollow co9s8 microspheres

  1. Efficient solar light harvesting CdS/Co{sub 9}S{sub 8} hollow cubes for Z-scheme photocatalytic water splitting

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Qiu, Bocheng; Zhu, Qiaohong; Du, Mengmeng; Fan, Linggang; Xing, Mingyang; Zhang, Jinlong [Key Lab. for Advanced Materials and Inst. of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Univ. of Science and Technology, Shanghai (China)

    2017-03-01

    Hollow structures with an efficient light harvesting and tunable interior component offer great advantages for constructing a Z-scheme system. Controlled design of hollow cobalt sulfide (Co{sub 9}S{sub 8}) cubes embedded with cadmium sulfide quantum dots (QDs) is described, using hollow Co(OH){sub 2} as the template and a one-pot hydrothermal strategy. The hollow CdS/Co{sub 9}S{sub 8} cubes utilize multiple reflections of light in the cubic structure to achieve enhanced photocatalytic activity. Importantly, the photoexcited charge carriers can be effectively separated by the construction of a redox-mediator-free Z-scheme system. The hydrogen evolution rate over hollow CdS/Co{sub 9}S{sub 8} is 134 and 9.1 times higher than that of pure hollow Co{sub 9}S{sub 8} and CdS QDs under simulated solar light irradiation, respectively. Moreover, this is the first report describing construction of a hollow Co{sub 9}S{sub 8} based Z-scheme system for photocatalytic water splitting, which gives full play to the advantages of light-harvesting and charges separation. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  2. Hollow TiO2@Co9S8 Core-Branch Arrays as Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Efficient Oxygen/Hydrogen Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Shengjue; Zhong, Yu; Zeng, Yinxiang; Wang, Yadong; Wang, Xiuli; Lu, Xihong; Xia, Xinhui; Tu, Jiangping

    2018-03-01

    Designing ever more efficient and cost-effective bifunctional electrocatalysts for oxygen/hydrogen evolution reactions (OER/HER) is greatly vital and challenging. Here, a new type of binder-free hollow TiO 2 @Co 9 S 8 core-branch arrays is developed as highly active OER and HER electrocatalysts for stable overall water splitting. Hollow core-branch arrays of TiO 2 @Co 9 S 8 are readily realized by the rational combination of crosslinked Co 9 S 8 nanoflakes on TiO 2 core via a facile and powerful sulfurization strategy. Arising from larger active surface area, richer/shorter transfer channels for ions/electrons, and reinforced structural stability, the as-obtained TiO 2 @Co 9 S 8 core-branch arrays show noticeable exceptional electrocatalytic performance, with low overpotentials of 240 and 139 mV at 10 mA cm -2 as well as low Tafel slopes of 55 and 65 mV Dec -1 for OER and HER in alkaline medium, respectively. Impressively, the electrolysis cell based on the TiO 2 @Co 9 S 8 arrays as both cathode and anode exhibits a remarkably low water splitting voltage of 1.56 V at 10 mA cm -2 and long-term durability with no decay after 10 d. The versatile fabrication protocol and smart branch-core design provide a new way to construct other advanced metal sulfides for energy conversion and storage.

  3. Facile synthesis of nickel-doped Co9S8 hollow nanoparticles with large surface-controlled pseudocapacitive and fast sodium storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Hepeng; Cao, Yijun; Ma, Zilong; Li, Shulei

    2018-05-01

    Transition metal sulfides are considered to be promising candidates as anodes for sodium ion batteries (SIBs). However, their further applications are limited by poor electrical conductivity and sluggish electrochemical kinetics. We report, for the first time, nickel-doped Co9S8 hollow nanoparticles as SIB anodes with enhanced electrical conductivity and a large pseudocapacitive effect, leading to fast kinetics. This compound exhibits excellent sodium storage performance, including a high capacity of 556.7 mA h g-1, a high rate capability of 2000 mA g-1 and an excellent stability up to 200 cycles. The results demonstrate that nickel-doped Co9S8 hollow nanoparticles are a promising anode material for SIBs.

  4. Facile synthesis of nanorod-assembled multi-shelled Co3O4 hollow microspheres for high-performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yaping; Pan, Anqiang; Zhu, Qinyu; Nie, Zhiwei; Zhang, Yifang; Tang, Yan; Liang, Shuquan; Cao, Guozhong

    2014-12-01

    In this work, we report a novel strategy for the controlled synthesis of nanorod assembled multi-shelled cobalt oxide (Co3O4) hollow microspheres (HSs). The Co2CO3(OH)2 NRs are first vertically grown on the carbon microspheres (CS) to form the core-shelled composites by a low-temperature solution route. The multi-shelled hollow interiors within the Co3O4 microspheres are unconventionally obtained by annealing the as-prepared core-shell structured CS@Co2CO3(OH)2 composite in air. When evaluated for supercapacitive performance, the multi-shelled Co3O4 hollow microspheres exhibit high capacitance of 394.4 and 360 F g-1 at the current densities of 2 A g-1 and 10 A g-1, respectively. The superior electrochemical performance can be attributed to the multi-shelled hollow structures, which facilitate the electrolyte penetration and provide more active sites for the electrochemical reactions.

  5. Synthesis of Hollow CdS-TiO2 Microspheres with Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuning Huo

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available CdS-TiO2 composite photocatalyst in the shape of hollow microsphere was successfully synthesized via the hard-template preparation with polystyrene microspheres followed by ion-exchange approach. The hollow CdS-TiO2 microspheres significantly extended the light adsorption into visible light region, comparing to TiO2 microspheres. It led to much higher photocatalytic activities of hollow CdS-TiO2 microspheres than that of TiO2 during the photodegradation of rhodamine B under visible light irradiations. Furthermore, the well-remained hollow structure could achieve light multireflection within the interior cavities and the separation of photo-induced electrons and holes is efficient in CdS-TiO2, which were facilitated to improving the photoactivity.

  6. Rambutan-like FeCO3 hollow microspheres: facile preparation and superior lithium storage performances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Yiren; Su, Liwei; Yang, Mei; Wei, Jinping; Zhou, Zhen

    2013-11-13

    Rambutan-like FeCO3 hollow microspheres were prepared via a facile and economic one-step hydrothermal method. The structure and morphology evolution mechanism was disclosed through time-dependent experiments. After undergoing the symmetric inside-out Ostwald ripening, the resultants formed microporous/nanoporous constructions composed of numerous one-dimensional (1D) nanofiber building blocks. Tested as anode materials of Li-ion batteries, FeCO3 hollow microspheres presented attractive electrochemical performances. The capacities were over 1000 mAh g(-1) for initial charge, ~880 mAh g(-1) after 100 cycles at 50 mA g(-1), and ~710 mAh g(-1) after 200 cycles at 200 mA g(-1). The 1D nanofiber assembly and hollow interior endow this material efficient contact with electrolyte, short Li(+) diffusion paths, and sufficient void spaces to accommodate large volume variation. The cost-efficient FeCO3 with rationally designed nanostructures is a promising anode candidate for Li-ion batteries.

  7. Simple Synthesis of Molybdenum Disulfide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Hollow Microspheres as Supercapacitor Electrode Material

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Xiao

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available MoS2/RGO composite hollow microspheres were hydrothermally synthesized by using SiO2/GO microspheres as a template, which were obtained via the sonication-assisted interfacial self-assembly of tiny GO sheets on positively charged SiO2 microspheres. The structure, morphology, phase, and chemical composition of MoS2/RGO hollow microspheres were systematically investigated by a series of techniques such as FE-SEM, TEM, XRD, TGA, BET, and Raman characterizations, meanwhile, their electrochemical properties were carefully evaluated by CV, GCD, and EIS measurements. It was found that MoS2/RGO hollow microspheres possessed unique porous hollow architecture with high-level hierarchy and large specific surface area up to 63.7 m2·g−1. When used as supercapacitor electrode material, MoS2/RGO hollow microspheres delivered a maximum specific capacitance of 218.1 F·g−1 at the current density of 1 A·g−1, which was much higher than that of contrastive bare MoS2 microspheres developed in the present work and most of other reported MoS2-based materials. The enhancement of supercapacitive behaviors of MoS2/RGO hollow microspheres was likely due to the improved conductivity together with their distinct structure and morphology, which not only promoted the charge transport but also facilitated the electrolyte diffusion. Moreover, MoS2/RGO hollow microsphere electrode displayed satisfactory long-term stability with 91.8% retention of the initial capacitance after 1000 charge/discharge cycles at the current density of 3 A·g−1, showing excellent application potential.

  8. Innovative hydrogen storage in hollow glass-microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Keding, M.; Schmid, G.; Tajmar, M. [Austrian Research Centers, Vienna (Austria)

    2009-07-01

    Hydrogen storage technologies are becoming increasingly important for a number of future applications. The Austrian Research Centers (ARC) are developing a unique hydrogen storage system that combines the advantages of both hollow glass microsphere and chemical compound hydrogen storage, but eliminates their respective drawbacks. Water is utilized as a functional liquid to carry the hollow glass microspheres that are loaded with up to 700 bar of hydrogen gas. Sodium borohydride (NaBH{sub 4}) is then injected together with the glass microspheres into a reaction chamber where the water reacts catalytically with the NaBH{sub 4} producing hydrogen and heat. The heat is then utilized to release the hydrogen from the hollow glass microspheres providing a double hydrogen generation process without any external energy or heat during storage or gas release. The paper described this hydrogen storage system with particular reference to microspheres, the coating process, the experimental facility and NaBH{sub 4} test results. It was concluded that hydrogen storage and production on demand is possible with microspheres and sodium borohydride solution. 9 refs., 16 figs.

  9. Preparation and Application of Hollow Silica/magnetic Nanocomposite Particle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Cheng-Chien; Lin, Jing-Mo; Lin, Chun-Rong; Wang, Sheng-Chang

    The hollow silica/cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) magnetic microsphere with amino-groups were successfully prepared via several steps, including preparing the chelating copolymer microparticles as template by soap-free emulsion polymerization, manufacturing the hollow cobalt ferrite magnetic microsphere by in-situ chemical co-precipitation following calcinations, and surface modifying of the hollow magnetic microsphere by 3-aminopropyltrime- thoxysilane via the sol-gel method. The average diameter of polymer microspheres was ca. 200 nm from transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurement. The structure of the hollow magnetic microsphere was characterized by using TEM and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The spinel-type lattice of CoFe2O4 shell layer was identified by using XRD measurement. The diameter of CoFe2O4 crystalline grains ranged from 54.1 nm to 8.5 nm which was estimated by Scherrer's equation. Additionally, the hollow silica/cobalt ferrite microsphere possesses superparamagnetic property after VSM measurement. The result of BET measurement reveals the hollow magnetic microsphere which has large surface areas (123.4m2/g). After glutaraldehyde modified, the maximum value of BSA immobilization capacity of the hollow magnetic microsphere was 33.8 mg/g at pH 5.0 buffer solution. For microwave absorption, when the hollow magnetic microsphere was compounded within epoxy resin, the maximum reflection loss of epoxy resins could reach -35dB at 5.4 GHz with 1.9 mm thickness.

  10. Li and Na storage behavior of bowl-like hollow Co3O4 microspheres as an anode material for lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wen, Jian-Wu; Zhang, Da-Wei; Zang, Yong; Sun, Xin; Cheng, Bin; Ding, Chu-Xiong; Yu, Yan; Chen, Chun-Hua

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • A unique bowl-like hollow spherical Co 3 O 4 structure is prepared through a simple, low-cost and mass-yield method. • Such a bowl-like hollow Co 3 O 4 microsphere demonstrates extraordinary rate and cycling performance for Li-storage. • The sodium-storage behavior of Co 3 O 4 is investigated for the first time. - Abstract: Bowl-like hollow Co 3 O 4 microspheres are prepared via a simple and low-cost route by thermally treating Co-containing resorcinol-formaldehyde composites gel in air. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscope and N 2 adsorption-desorption measurements demonstrate that these bowl-like hollow Co 3 O 4 microspheres are composed of hollow inner cavities and outer shell walls (70 nm thickness), on which a considerable amount of mesopores centered around 5-17 nm size are distributed. When employed as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries, these bowl-like hollow Co 3 O 4 microspheres exhibit extraordinary cycling performance (111% retention after 50 cycles owing to capacity rise), fairly high rate capacity (650 mAh g −1 at 5 C) and enhanced lithium storage capacity. Meanwhile, the Na-storage behavior of Co 3 O 4 as an anode material of Na-ion batteries is initially investigated based on such a hollow structure and it exhibits similar feature of discharge/charge profiles and a high initial discharge capacity but relatively moderate capacity retention compared with the Li-storage performance

  11. Sustained release of simvastatin from hollow carbonated hydroxyapatite microspheres prepared by aspartic acid and sodium dodecyl sulfate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Ke; Wang, Yinjing; Zhao, Xu; Li, Yi; Yang, Tao; Zhang, Xue; Wu, Xiaoguang

    2017-06-01

    Hollow carbonated hydroxyapatite (HCHAp) microspheres as simvastatin (SV) sustained-release vehicles were fabricated through a novel and simple one-step biomimetic strategy. Firstly, hollow CaCO 3 microspheres were precipitated through the reaction of CaCl 2 with Na 2 CO 3 in the presence of aspartic acid and sodium dodecyl sulfate. Then, the as-prepared hollow CaCO 3 microspheres were transformed into HCHAp microspheres with a controlled anion-exchange method. The HCHAp microspheres were 3-5μm with a shell thickness of 0.5-1μm and were constructed of short needle nanoparticles. The HCHAp microspheres were then loaded with SV, exhibiting excellent drug-loading capacity and sustained release properties. These results present a new material synthesis strategy for HCHAp microspheres and suggest that the as-prepared HCHAp microspheres are promising for applications in drug delivery. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Electrodepositing of Au on hollow PS micro-spheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Jingyuan; Zhang Yunwang; Du Kai; Wan Xiaobo; Xiao Jiang; Zhang Wei; Zhang Lin; Chen Jing

    2010-01-01

    Using the self-regulating new micro-sphere electrodepositing device, the techniques of electrodepositing gold on hollow PS micro-spheres were established. The experiment was carried out under the following conditions: voltage was about 0.7 ∼ 0.8 V, current density was 2.0 mA · cm -2 , the temperature was 45 degree C, cathode rotating rate was 250 r · min -1 , flow rate of the solution was 7 mL · min -1 · cm -2 . Hollow gold-plated micro-spheres were prepared with well spherical symmetry, uniform thickness and surface smoothness under 500 nm. The speed of the gold depositing was 6 μm · h -1 . (authors)

  13. Hollow porous-wall glass microspheres for hydrogen storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heung, Leung K.; Schumacher, Ray F.; Wicks, George G.

    2010-02-23

    A porous wall hollow glass microsphere is provided having a diameter range of between 1 to 200 microns, a density of between 1.0 to 2.0 gm/cc, a porous-wall structure having wall openings defining an average pore size of between 10 to 1000 angstroms, and which contains therein a hydrogen storage material. The porous-wall structure facilitates the introduction of a hydrogen storage material into the interior of the porous wall hollow glass microsphere. In this manner, the resulting hollow glass microsphere can provide a membrane for the selective transport of hydrogen through the porous walls of the microsphere, the small pore size preventing gaseous or liquid contaminants from entering the interior of the hollow glass microsphere.

  14. Polymer blends used to develop felodipine-loaded hollow microspheres for improved oral bioavailability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pi, Chao; Feng, Ting; Liang, Jing; Liu, Hao; Huang, Dongmei; Zhan, Chenglin; Yuan, Jiyuan; Lee, Robert J; Zhao, Ling; Wei, Yumeng

    2018-06-01

    Felodipine (FD) has been widely used in anti-hypertensive treatment. However, it has extremely low aqueous solubility and poor bioavailability. To address these problems, FD hollow microspheres as multiple-unit dosage forms were synthesized by a solvent diffusion evaporation method. Particle size of the hollow microspheres, types of ethylcellulose (EC), amounts of EC, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and FD were investigated based on an orthogonal experiment of three factors and three levels. In addition, the release kinetics in vitro and pharmacokinetics in beagle dogs of the optimized FD hollow microspheres was investigated and compared with Plendil (commercial FD sustained-release tablets) as a single-unit dosage form. Results showed that the optimal formulation was composed of EC 10 cp :PVP:FD (0.9:0.16:0.36, w/w). The FD hollow microspheres were globular with a hollow structure and have high drug loading (17.69±0.44%) and floating rate (93.82±4.05%) in simulated human gastric fluid after 24h. Pharmacokinetic data showed that FD hollow microspheres exhibited sustained-release behavior and significantly improved relative bioavailability of FD compared with the control. Pharmacodynamic study showed that the FD hollow microspheres could effectively lower blood pressure. Therefore, these findings demonstrated that the hollow microspheres were an effective sustained-release delivery system for FD. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Method for sizing hollow microspheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farnum, E.H.; Fries, R.J.

    1975-10-29

    Hollow Microspheres may be effectively sized by placing them beneath a screen stack completely immersed in an ultrasonic bath containing a liquid having a density at which the microspheres float and ultrasonically agitating the bath.

  16. Preparation of hollow microspheres of Ce{sup 3+} doped NiCo ferrite with high microwave absorbing performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Duan, Hong-zhen, E-mail: duanhz2000@163.com; Zhou, Fang-ling; Cheng, Xia; Chen, Guo-hong; Li, Qiao-ling

    2017-02-15

    Hollow microspheres of Ce{sup 3+} doped NiCo-ferrites were synthesized by template-based-deposition and surface reaction method with carbon sphere as the template. The phase structure, morphology, magnetic properties and wave absorbing properties of the sample were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction(XRD), Scanning electronic microscopy(SEM), Vibration sample magnetometer (VSM) and a network vector analyzer (NVA), respectively. The results indicated that the particle size of the carbon sphere sample prepared by hydrothermal method was about 0.5 µm and the particle size of the Ni{sub 0.5}Co{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} sample prepared by template-based method was about 300 nm. The influence of the amount of rare earth element on the magnetic and absorbing properties of sample was studied. The saturation magnetization and coercivity decreased gradually with the increase of the content of Ce. When the content of Ce was 0.02, the maximal saturation magnetization value and coercivity was 75.72 emu• g{sup −1} and 789.88 Oe, respectively. The associated ferrite hollow spheres have good absorbing performance, and the return loss value was −18.8 dB at 5500 MHz. - Highlights: • Hollow microspheres of Ce{sup 3+} doped NiCo-ferrites were synthesized by template-based-deposition and surface reaction method. • The influence of rare earth Ce{sup 3+} on the magnetic and absorbing properties of sample was studied. • When the content of Ce was 0.02, the maximal saturation magnetization value and coercivity was 75.72 emu• g{sup −1} and 789.88 Oe, respectively.

  17. Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of self-assembled Eu-doped ZnO hollow microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Jin [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Siming South Road 422, 361005 Xiamen (China); Key Laboratory for Fire Retardant Materials of Fujian Province, Xiamen University, Siming South Road 422, 361005 Xiamen (China); Wang, Nating; Wang, Weiqiang [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Materials, Xiamen University, Siming South Road 422, 361005 Xiamen (China)

    2011-12-15

    ZnO hollow microspheres with a shell wall consisting of crystalline ZnO nanosheets were synthesized by using Zn{sub 5}(CO{sub 3}){sub 2}(OH){sub 6} microspheres as spherical templates. Zn{sub 5}(CO{sub 3}){sub 2}(OH){sub 6} microspheres were first fabricated by a solvothermal procedure in an ethylene glycol (EG)-water solution. ZnO microspheres with a hexagonal structure were identified by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected-area electron diffraction (SAED). On the basis of the results, a possible self-assembly growth mechanism was proposed. It reveals that the EG played an important role in determining the hollow morphologies of Zn{sub 5}(CO{sub 3}){sub 2}(OH){sub 6} structures. In addition, photoluminescence (PL) investigation of ZnO:Eu{sup 3+} suggested that a direct energy transfer occurred, which was ascribed to the energy transfer from ZnO host to Eu{sup 3+} ions. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  18. Template-directed synthesis of MS (M=Cd, Zn) hollow microsphere via hydrothermal method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shi-Ming; Wang, Qiong-Sheng; Wan, Qing-Li

    2008-05-01

    CdS, ZnS hollow microspheres were prepared with chitosan as the synthesis template at 140 and 150 °C, respectively, by hydrothermal method. The resultant products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements in order to determine the crystalline phase of the products. The structural and morphological features of the nanoparticles were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS). The experimental results indicated that all the nanoparticles aggregated into hollow microspheres and chitosan as a template played an important role in the formation of hollow microspheres. In addition, an intermediate complex structure-controlling possible reaction mechanism was proposed in this paper.

  19. Simple Synthesis of Molybdenum Disulfide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Hollow Microspheres as Supercapacitor Electrode Material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Wei; Zhou, Wenjie; Feng, Tong; Zhang, Yanhua; Liu, Hongdong; Tian, Liangliang

    2016-09-20

    MoS₂/RGO composite hollow microspheres were hydrothermally synthesized by using SiO₂/GO microspheres as a template, which were obtained via the sonication-assisted interfacial self-assembly of tiny GO sheets on positively charged SiO₂ microspheres. The structure, morphology, phase, and chemical composition of MoS₂/RGO hollow microspheres were systematically investigated by a series of techniques such as FE-SEM, TEM, XRD, TGA, BET, and Raman characterizations, meanwhile, their electrochemical properties were carefully evaluated by CV, GCD, and EIS measurements. It was found that MoS₂/RGO hollow microspheres possessed unique porous hollow architecture with high-level hierarchy and large specific surface area up to 63.7 m²·g -1 . When used as supercapacitor electrode material, MoS₂/RGO hollow microspheres delivered a maximum specific capacitance of 218.1 F·g -1 at the current density of 1 A·g -1 , which was much higher than that of contrastive bare MoS₂ microspheres developed in the present work and most of other reported MoS₂-based materials. The enhancement of supercapacitive behaviors of MoS₂/RGO hollow microspheres was likely due to the improved conductivity together with their distinct structure and morphology, which not only promoted the charge transport but also facilitated the electrolyte diffusion. Moreover, MoS₂/RGO hollow microsphere electrode displayed satisfactory long-term stability with 91.8% retention of the initial capacitance after 1000 charge/discharge cycles at the current density of 3 A·g -1 , showing excellent application potential.

  20. Biotemplate synthesis of monodispersed iron phosphate hollow microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao Feng; Li Dongxu

    2010-01-01

    Monodispersed iron phosphate hollow microspheres with a high degree of crystallization were prepared through a facile in situ deposition method using rape pollen grains as a biotemplate. The functional group on the surface of the pollen grains could adsorb Fe 3+ , which provided the nucleation sites for growth of iron phosphate nanoparticles. After being sintered at 600 deg. C for 10 h, the pollen grains were removed and iron phosphate hollow microspheres were obtained. A scanning electron microscope and x-ray diffraction were applied to characterize the morphology and crystalline structure of the pollen grains, iron phosphate-coated pollen grains and iron phosphate hollow microspheres. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravity analyses were performed to investigate the thermal behavior of the iron phosphate-coated pollen grains during the calcinations. Energy dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were utilized to investigate the interaction between the pollen grains and iron phosphate. The effect of the pollen wall on the surface morphology of these iron phosphate hollow microspheres was also proven in this work.

  1. Biotemplate synthesis of monodispersed iron phosphate hollow microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cao Feng; Li Dongxu, E-mail: dongxuli@njut.edu.c [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Technology, Jiangsu Nanjing 210009 (China)

    2010-03-15

    Monodispersed iron phosphate hollow microspheres with a high degree of crystallization were prepared through a facile in situ deposition method using rape pollen grains as a biotemplate. The functional group on the surface of the pollen grains could adsorb Fe{sup 3+}, which provided the nucleation sites for growth of iron phosphate nanoparticles. After being sintered at 600 deg. C for 10 h, the pollen grains were removed and iron phosphate hollow microspheres were obtained. A scanning electron microscope and x-ray diffraction were applied to characterize the morphology and crystalline structure of the pollen grains, iron phosphate-coated pollen grains and iron phosphate hollow microspheres. Differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravity analyses were performed to investigate the thermal behavior of the iron phosphate-coated pollen grains during the calcinations. Energy dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were utilized to investigate the interaction between the pollen grains and iron phosphate. The effect of the pollen wall on the surface morphology of these iron phosphate hollow microspheres was also proven in this work.

  2. Method for selecting hollow microspheres for use in laser fusion targets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farnum, Eugene H.; Fries, R. Jay; Havenhill, Jerry W.; Smith, Maurice Lee; Stoltz, Daniel L.

    1976-01-01

    Hollow microspheres having thin and very uniform wall thickness are useful as containers for the deuterium and tritium gas mixture used as a fuel in laser fusion targets. Hollow microspheres are commercially available; however, in commercial lots only a very small number meet the rigid requirements for use in laser fusion targets. Those meeting these requirements may be separated from the unsuitable ones by subjecting the commercial lot to size and density separations and then by subjecting those hollow microspheres thus separated to an external pressurization at which those which are aspherical or which have nonuniform walls are broken and separating the sound hollow microspheres from the broken ones.

  3. Hollow reduced graphene oxide microspheres as a high-performance anode material for Li-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mei, Riguo; Song, Xiaorui; Hu, Yan; Yang, Yanfeng; Zhang, Jingjie

    2015-01-01

    Hollow reduced graphene oxide (RGO) microspheres are successfully synthesized in large quantities through spray-drying suspension of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and subsequent carbothermal reduction. With this new procedure, blighted-microspherical GO precursor is synthesized through the process of spray drying, afterwards the GO precursor is subsequently calcined at 800 °C for 5 h to obtain hollow RGO microspheres. A series of analyses, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) are performed to characterize the structure and morphology of intermediates and as-obtained product. The as-obtained hollow RGO microspheres provide a high specific surface area (175.5 m 2 g −1 ) and excellent electronic conductivity (6.3 S cm −1 ), and facilitated high electrochemical performance as anode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Compared with the RGO nanosheets, the as-obtained hollow RGO microspheres exhibit superior specific capacity and outstanding cyclability. In addition, this spray drying and carbothermal reduction (SDCTR) method provided a facile route to prepare hollow RGO microspheres in large quantities

  4. Porous-wall hollow glass microspheres as carriers for biomolecules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shuyi; Dynan, William S; Wicks, George; Serkiz, Steven

    2013-09-17

    The present invention includes compositions of porous-wall hollow glass microspheres and one or more biomolecules, wherein the one or more biomolecules are positioned within a void location within the hollow glass microsphere, and the use of such compositions for the diagnostic and/or therapeutic delivery of biomolecules.

  5. PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF POROUS WALLED HOLLOW GLASS MICROSPHERES

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Raszewski, F; Erich Hansen, E; Ray Schumacher, R; David Peeler, D

    2008-04-21

    Porous-walled hollow glass microspheres (PWHGMs) of a modified alkali borosilicate composition have been successfully fabricated by combining the technology of producing hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) with the knowledge associated with porous glasses. HGMs are first formed by a powder glass--flame process, which are then transformed to PWHGMs by heat treatment and subsequent treatment in acid. Pore diameter and pore volume are most influenced by heat treatment temperature. Pore diameter is increased by a factor of 10 when samples are heat treated prior to acid leaching; 100 {angstrom} in non-heat treated samples to 1000 {angstrom} in samples heat treated at 600 C for 8 hours. As heat treatment time is increased from 8 hours to 24 hours there is a slight shift increase in pore diameter and little or no change in pore volume.

  6. Potential of Hollow Glass Microsphere as Cement Replacement for Lightweight Foam Concrete on Thermal Insulation Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shahidan Shahiron

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Global warming can be defined as a gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere. A lot of research work has been carried out to reduce that heat inside the residence such as the used of low density products which can reduce the self-weight, foundation size and construction costs. Foamed concrete it possesses high flow ability, low self-weight, minimal consumption of aggregate, controlled low strength and excellent thermal insulation properties. This study investigate the characteristics of lightweight foamed concrete where Portland cement (OPC was replaced by hollow glass microsphere (HGMs at 0%, 3%, 6%, 9% by weight. The density of wet concrete is 1000 kg/m3 were tested with a ratio of 0.55 for all water binder mixture. Lightweight foamed concrete hollow glass microsphere (HGMs produced were cured by air curing and water curing in tank for 7, 14 and 28 days. A total of 52 concrete cubes of size 100mm × 100mm × 100mm and 215mm × 102.5mm × 65mm were produced. Furthermore, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM and X-ray fluorescence (XRF were carried out to study the chemical composition and physical properties of crystalline materials in hollow glass microspheres. The experiments involved in this study are compression strength, water absorption test, density and thermal insulation test. The results show that the compressive strength of foamed concrete has reached the highest in 3% of hollow glass microsphere with less water absorption and less of thermal insulation. As a conclusion, the quantity of hollow glass microsphere plays an important role in determining the strength and water absorption and also thermal insulation in foamed concrete and 3% hollow glass microspheres as a replacement for Portland cement (OPC showed an optimum value in this study as it presents a significant effect than other percentage.

  7. Synthesis of Co9S8 and CoS nanocrystallites using Co(II ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Synthesis of Co9S8 and CoS nanocrystallites using Co(II) ... hydrothermal processing,24,25 etc. However, the ..... Cobalt sulphide nanoparticles were prepared by refluxing .... CdS nanostructures in ethylenediamine.28,29 Figure 2a shows.

  8. A template-free method for stable CuO hollow microspheres fabricated from a metal organic framework (HKUST-1).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Suoying; Liu, Hong; Liu, Pengfei; Yang, Zhuhong; Feng, Xin; Huo, Fengwei; Lu, Xiaohua

    2015-06-07

    Uniform CuO hollow microspheres were successfully achieved from a non-uniform metal organic framework by using a template-free method. The process mechanism has been revealed to be spherical aggregation and Ostwald ripening. When tested in CO oxidation and heat treatment, these assembled microspheres exhibited an excellent catalytic performance and show a much better stability than the inherited hollow structure from MOFs.

  9. Preparation and photocatalytic activity of hollow ZnSe microspheres via Ostwald ripening

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Lihui; Yang Heqing; Xie Xiaoli; Zhang Fenghua; Li Li

    2009-01-01

    Hollow ZnSe microspheres were prepared via a facile hydrothermal reaction of Zn(AC) 2 .2H 2 O with Na 2 SeO 3 and ethylene glycol in NaOH solution at 180 deg. C for 12 h. The products were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectrum. The hollow microspheres with the diameters of about 2 μm are constructed from ZnSe nanoparticles with the cubic zinc blende structure, the size of hollow interiors and constituent ZnSe nanodots can be tuned by changing the reaction time. The hollow microspheres are formed via an Ostwald ripening process. Photoluminescence and photocatalytic activity of the hollow ZnSe microspheres were studied at room temperature. The results indicate that the hollow microspheres constructed from ZnSe nanoparticles display a strong near-band edge emission at 479 nm and a very weak deep defect (DD) related emission at 556 nm and a high photocatalytic activity in the photodegradation of methyl orange. The photodegradation of methyl orange catalyzed by the ZnSe microspheres is a pseudo first-order reaction

  10. Hierarchical CuO hollow microspheres: Controlled synthesis for enhanced lithium storage performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guan Xiangfeng; Li Liping; Li Guangshe; Fu Zhengwei; Zheng Jing; Yan Tingjiang

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Hierarchical CuO microspheres with hollow interiors were formed through self-wrapping of a single layer of radically oriented CuO nanorods, and these microspheres showed excellent cycle performance and enhanced lithium storage capacity. Display Omitted Research highlights: → Hierarchical CuO hollow microspheres were prepared by a hydrothermal method. → The CuO hollow microspheres were assembled from radically oriented nanorods. → The growth mechanism was proposed to proceed via self-assembly and Ostwald's ripening. → The microspheres showed good cycle performance and enhanced lithium storage capacity. → Hierarchical microstructures with hollow interiors promote electrochemical property. - Abstract: In this work, hierarchical CuO hollow microspheres were hydrothermally prepared without use of any surfactants or templates. By controlling the formation reaction conditions and monitoring the relevant reaction processes using time-dependent experiments, it is demonstrated that hierarchical CuO microspheres with hollow interiors were formed through self-wrapping of a single layer of radically oriented CuO nanorods, and that hierarchical spheres could be tuned to show different morphologies and microstructures. As a consequence, the formation mechanism was proposed to proceed via a combined process of self-assembly and Ostwald's ripening. Further, these hollow microspheres were initiated as the anode material in lithium ion batteries, which showed excellent cycle performance and enhanced lithium storage capacity, most likely because of the synergetic effect of small diffusion lengths in building blocks of nanorods and proper void space that buffers the volume expansion. The strategy reported in this work is reproducible, which may help to significantly improve the electrochemical performance of transition metal oxide-based anode materials via designing the hollow structures necessary for developing lithium ion batteries and the relevant

  11. Construct 3D porous hollow Co3O4 micro-sphere: A potential oxidizer of nano-energetic materials with superior reactivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jun; Zheng, Bo; Qiao, Zhiqiang; Chen, Jin; Zhang, Liyuan; Zhang, Long; Li, Zhaoqian; Zhang, Xingquan; Yang, Guangcheng

    2018-06-01

    High energy density and rapid reactivity are the future trend for nano-energetic materials. Energetic performance of nano-energetic materials depends on the interfacial diffusion and mass transfer during the reacted process. However, the development of desired structure to significantly enhance reactivity still remains challenging. Here we focused on the design and preparation of 3D porous hollow Co3O4 micro-spheres, in which gas-blowing agents (air) and maximize interfacial interactions were introduced to enhance mass transport and reduce the diffusion distance between the oxidizer and fuel (Aluminum). The 3D hierarchical Co3O4/Al based nano-energetic materials show a low-onset decomposition temperature (423 °C), and high heat output (3118 J g-1) resulting from porous and hollow nano-structure of Co3O4 micro-spheres. Furthermore, 3D hierarchical Co3O4/Al arrays were directly fabricated on the silicon substrate, which was fully compatible with silicon-based microelectromechanical systems to achieve functional nanoenergetics-on-a-chip. This approach provides a simple and efficient way to fabricate 3D ordered nano-energetic arrays with superior reactivity and the potential on the application in micro-energetic devices.

  12. Three-dimensional assembly structure of anatase TiO2 hollow microspheres with enhanced photocatalytic performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Yihao; Zhan, Shuai; Wang, Li; Zhang, Bin; Ding, Minghui

    The pure anatase TiO2 hollow microspheres are synthesized by a one-step template-free hydrothermal route. By defining temperature and time limits, we produce TiO2 hollow microspheres with a fluoride-mediated self-transformation. The surface morphology of TiO2 hollow microspheres was studied by SEM. The hollow microspheres have diameters of about 800 nm and are remarkably uniform. The UV-light photocatalytic activity and the stability/multifunction of TiO2 hollow microspheres structure were evaluated by photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The excellent photocatalytic activity is attributed to large specific surface area, more active sites, unique hollow structures, and improved light scattering.

  13. Recent progress on the fabrication of hollow microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Aijuan; Lu Yupeng; Sun Ruixue

    2007-01-01

    Hollow microspheres represent a special class of materials, on which intense interest has been paid in the fields of material science, medicine, chemistry and chromatography. Several methods, including templating method, emulsion processing, high temperature smelting and layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, have been used to produce this kind of materials. However, most of the current needs for hollow microspheres are limited because of the disadvantages of these fabricating methods, such as time-consuming and relatively complex fabricating process. Spray drying method, as a simple and feasible technology, has also been used to fabricate this kind of materials. This method can improve the efficiency and save the time to some extent, and thus gains more and more interest recently. The factors of influencing the product morphology, including inlet air temperature, atomized pressure, feed rate, initial slurry concentration, primary powders size and additives, are reviewed in this paper. In addition, several kinds of typical hollow microspheres fabricated by this method are also listed particularly

  14. Facile Synthesis of Magnetic Mesoporous Hollow Carbon Microspheres for Rapid Capture of Low-Concentration Peptides

    OpenAIRE

    Cheng, Gong; Zhou, Ming-Da; Zheng, Si-Yang

    2014-01-01

    Mesoporous and hollow carbon microspheres embedded with magnetic nanoparticles (denoted as MHM) were prepared via a facile self-sacrificial method for rapid capture of low-abundant peptides from complex biological samples. The morphology, structure, surface property, and magnetism were well-characterized. The hollow magnetic carbon microspheres have a saturation magnetization value of 130.2 emu g?1 at room temperature and a Brunauer?Emmett?Teller specific surface area of 48.8 m2 g?1 with an a...

  15. Template-Free Synthesis of Sb2S3 Hollow Microspheres as Anode Materials for Lithium-Ion and Sodium-Ion Batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Jianjun; Liu, Li; Xia, Jing; Zhang, Yue; Li, Min; Ouyang, Yan; Nie, Su; Wang, Xianyou

    2018-03-01

    Hierarchical Sb2S3 hollow microspheres assembled by nanowires have been successfully synthesized by a simple and practical hydrothermal reaction. The possible formation process of this architecture was investigated by X-ray diffraction, focused-ion beam-scanning electron microscopy dual-beam system, and transmission electron microscopy. When used as the anode material for lithium-ion batteries, Sb2S3 hollow microspheres manifest excellent rate property and enhanced lithium-storage capability and can deliver a discharge capacity of 674 mAh g-1 at a current density of 200 mA g-1 after 50 cycles. Even at a high current density of 5000 mA g-1, a discharge capacity of 541 mAh g-1 is achieved. Sb2S3 hollow microspheres also display a prominent sodium-storage capacity and maintain a reversible discharge capacity of 384 mAh g-1 at a current density of 200 mA g-1 after 50 cycles. The remarkable lithium/sodium-storage property may be attributed to the synergetic effect of its nanometer size and three-dimensional hierarchical architecture, and the outstanding stability property is attributed to the sufficient interior void space, which can buffer the volume expansion. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  16. Facile synthesis of hollow Co3O4 microspheres and its use as a rapid responsive CL sensor of combustible gases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teng, Fei; Yao, Wenqing; Zheng, Youfei; Ma, Yutao; Xu, Tongguang; Gao, Guizhi; Liang, Shuhui; Teng, Yang; Zhu, Yongfa

    2008-09-15

    The hollow Co(3)O(4) microspheres (HCMs) were prepared by the carbonaceous templates, which did not need the surface pretreatment. The chemiluminescence (CL) and catalytic properties for CO oxidation over these hollow samples were evaluated. The samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy disperse spectra (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (ED), X-ray diffraction (XRD), temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) and N(2) adsorption. The influences of filter' band length, flow rate of gas, test temperature, and particle structure on CL intensities were mainly investigated. It was found that compared with the solid Co(3)O(4) particles (SCPs), HCMs had a stronger CL intensity, which was ascribed to its hollow structure; and that CL properties of the catalysts were well correlated with their reaction activities. Moreover, HCMs were used to fabricate a highly sensitive gas detector, which is a rapid and effective method for the selection of catalysts or the detection of environmental deleterious gases.

  17. Synthesis of Y2O2S:Eu3+, Mg2+, Ti4+ hollow microspheres via homogeneous precipitation route

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng-Fei Ai, Ying-Liang Liu, Li-Yuan Xiao, Hou-Jin Wang and Jian-Xin Meng

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available A phosphorescent material in the form of Y2O2S:Eu3+, Mg2+, Ti4+ hollow microspheres was prepared by homogeneous precipitation using monodispersed carbon spheres as hard templates. Y2O3:Eu3+ hollow microspheres were first synthesized to serve as the precursor. Y2O2S:Eu3+, Mg2+, Ti4+ powders were obtained by calcinating the precursor in a CS2 atmosphere. The crystal structure, morphology and optical properties of the composites were characterized. X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed the purity of the Y2O2S phase. Electron microscopy observations revealed that the Y2O2S:Eu3+, Mg2+, Ti4+ particles inherited the hollow spherical shape from the precursor after being calcined in a CS2 atmosphere and that they had a diameter of 350–450 nm and a wall thickness of about 50–80 nm. After ultraviolet radiation at 265 or 325 nm for 5 min, the particles emitted strong red long-lifetime phosphorescence originating from Eu3+ ions. This phosphorescence is associated with the trapping of charge carriers by Ti4+ and Mg2+ ions.

  18. Hydroxyapatite hierarchically nanostructured porous hollow microspheres: rapid, sustainable microwave-hydrothermal synthesis by using creatine phosphate as an organic phosphorus source and application in drug delivery and protein adsorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Chao; Zhu, Ying-Jie; Lu, Bing-Qiang; Zhao, Xin-Yu; Zhao, Jing; Chen, Feng; Wu, Jin

    2013-04-22

    Hierarchically nanostructured porous hollow microspheres of hydroxyapatite (HAP) are a promising biomaterial, owing to their excellent biocompatibility and porous hollow structure. Traditionally, synthetic hydroxyapatite is prepared by using an inorganic phosphorus source. Herein, we report a new strategy for the rapid, sustainable synthesis of HAP hierarchically nanostructured porous hollow microspheres by using creatine phosphate disodium salt as an organic phosphorus source in aqueous solution through a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method. The as-obtained products are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform IR (FTIR) spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) nitrogen sorptometry, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM and TEM micrographs show that HAP hierarchically nanostructured porous hollow microspheres consist of HAP nanosheets or nanorods as the building blocks and DLS measurements show that the diameters of HAP hollow microspheres are within the range 0.8-1.5 μm. The specific surface area and average pore size of the HAP porous hollow microspheres are 87.3 m(2) g(-1) and 20.6 nm, respectively. The important role of creatine phosphate disodium salt and the influence of the experimental conditions on the products were systematically investigated. This method is facile, rapid, surfactant-free and environmentally friendly. The as-prepared HAP porous hollow microspheres show a relatively high drug-loading capacity and protein-adsorption ability, as well as sustained drug and protein release, by using ibuprofen as a model drug and hemoglobin (Hb) as a model protein, respectively. These experiments indicate that the as-prepared HAP porous hollow microspheres are promising for applications in biomedical fields, such as drug delivery and protein adsorption. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Hollow mesoporous CuCo2O4 microspheres derived from metal organic framework: A novel functional materials for simultaneous H2O2 biosensing and glucose biofuel cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Shiqiang; Gu, Shuqing; Ding, Yaping; Zhang, Jiangjiang; Zhang, Zhen; Hu, Zongqian

    2018-02-01

    Hollow mesoporous CuCo 2 O 4 (meso-CuCo 2 O 4 ) microspheres were successfully synthesized by decomposing metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as the template. The as-prepared CuCo 2 O 4 microspheres were first simultaneously used for H 2 O 2 biosensing and glucose biofuel cell (GFC) as the enzyme mimic. The resulting of meso-CuCo 2 O 4 displayed not only excellent catalytic performances to H 2 O 2 including a super-fast response time (within 2s), a super-high sensitivity (654.23 μA mM -1 cm -2 ) and a super-low detection limit (3nM at S/N = 3) on the sensor, but also great values in GFC as anode material with an open circuit voltage of 0.85V, a maximum power density of 0.33 mWcm -2 and a limiting current density of 1.27 mAcm -2 , respectively. The preeminent catalytic abilities to H 2 O 2 and glucose may be attributed to the surpassing intrinsic catalytic activity of CuCo 2 O 4 and large specific area of mesoporous structure. These significant findings deriving from this work not only provided a novel exploration for the fabrication of hollow spherical mesoporous bimetallic oxides, but also promoted the development of the supersensitive detection of H 2 O 2 and non-enzymatic biofuel cell. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. Biocompatible magnetic and molecular dual-targeting polyelectrolyte hybrid hollow microspheres for controlled drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Pengcheng; Zeng, Jin; Mu, Bin; Liu, Peng

    2013-05-06

    Well-defined biocompatible magnetic and molecular dual-targeting polyelectrolyte hybrid hollow microspheres have been accomplished via the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly technique. The hybrid shell was fabricated by the electrostatic interaction between the polyelectrolyte cation, chitosan (CS), and the hybrid anion, citrate modified ferroferric oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4-CA), onto the uniform polystyrene sulfonate microsphere templates. Then the magnetic hybrid core/shell composite particles were modified with a linear, functional poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) monoterminated with a biotargeting molecule (folic acid (FA)). Afterward the dual targeting hybrid hollow microspheres were obtained after etching the templates by dialysis. The dual targeting hybrid hollow microspheres exhibit exciting pH response and stability in high salt-concentration media. Their pH-dependent controlled release of the drug molecule (anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX)) was also investigated in different human body fluids. As expected, the cell viability of the HepG2 cells which decreased more rapidly was treated by the FA modified hybrid hollow microspheres rather than the unmodified one in the in vitro study. The dual-targeting hybrid hollow microspheres demonstrate selective killing of the tumor cells. The precise magnetic and molecular targeting properties and pH-dependent controlled release offers promise for cancer treatment.

  1. Facile synthesis of aluminum-doped LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} hollow microspheres and their electrochemical performance for high-voltage Li-ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Xiaolin, E-mail: liu_x_l@sina.cn [College of Material Science and Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi (China); Li, Dan; Mo, Qiaoling; Guo, Xiaoyu; Yang, Xiaoxiao [College of Material Science and Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi (China); Chen, Guoxin, E-mail: gxchen@nimte.ac.cn [Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, Zhejiang (China); Zhong, Shengwen [College of Material Science and Engineering, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi (China)

    2014-10-01

    Graphical abstract: LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} and Al doped LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} hollow microspheres as 5 V cathodes are prepared by templated transformation method using monodisperse MnCO{sub 3} microspheres as precursor. As a cathodic material for high voltage lithium ion batteries, the as-synthesized LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} and Al doped LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} hollow microspheres are investigated by galvanostatic cycling (GC) approach to evaluate their electrochemical properties in the range of 2.7–4.8 V vs. Li/Li{sup +} at the current rate 1 C. - Highlights: • LNMO and LANMO hollow microspheres are synthesized by template method. • The as-synthesized hollow microspheres have particle-size of 2 μm. • The hollow structure is responsible for improved electrochemical performance. - Abstract: This paper presents the preparation of LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} and aluminum (Al) doped LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} hollow microspheres as 5 V cathodes using monodisperse MnCO{sub 3} microspheres as precursor and template, which were synthesized using MnSO{sub 4}·H{sub 2}O, NaHCO{sub 3} and ethanol in water at room temperature. XRD and morphology characterization results indicated that the as-prepared LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} and Al doped LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} were both spinel structure, and have particle sizes of 2–3 μm. The cathode electrochemical properties of LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} and Al doped LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} hollow microspheres (as 5 V cathodes) were evaluated and compared by galvanostatic cycling (GC) vs. Li/Li{sup +} at the current rate 1 C in 2.7–4.8 V. The specific initial capacities of all samples were in the range of 70–120 mA h g{sup −1}. Compared to undoped LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4}, Al doped LiNi{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} hollow structures can effectively improve discharge capacity (up to 140 (±5) mA h g{sup −1}) and cycling stability (70

  2. Preparation of hollow hydroxyapatite microspheres by the conversion of borate glass at near room temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao, Aihua; Ai, Fanrong; Liu, Xin; Wang, Deping; Huang, Wenhai; Xu, Wei

    2010-01-01

    Hollow hydroxyapatite microspheres, consisting of a hollow core and a porous shell, were prepared by converting Li 2 O-CaO-B 2 O 3 glass microspheres in dilute phosphate solution at 37 o C. The results confirmed that Li 2 O-CaO-B 2 O 3 glass was transformed to hydroxyapatite without changing the external shape and dimension of the original glass object. Scanning electron microscopy images showed the shell wall of the microsphere was built from hydroxyapatite particles, and these particles spontaneously align with one another to form a porous sphere with an interior cavity. Increase in phosphate concentration resulted in an increase in the reaction rate, which in turn had an effect on shell wall structure of the hollow hydroxyapatite microsphere. For the Li 2 O-CaO-B 2 O 3 glass microspheres reacted in low-concentration K 2 HPO 4 solution, lower reaction rate and a multilayered microstructure were observed. On the other hand, the glass microspheres reacted in higher phosphate solution converted more rapidly and produced a single hydroxyapatite layer. Furthermore, the mechanism of forming hydroxyapatite hollow microsphere was described.

  3. Hollow TiO2 modified reduced graphene oxide microspheres encapsulating hemoglobin for a mediator-free biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hui; Guo, Kai; Duan, Congyue; Dong, Xiaonan; Gao, Jiaojiao

    2017-01-15

    Hollow TiO 2 modified reduced graphene oxide microspheres (hollow TiO 2 -rGO microspheres or H-TiO 2 -rGO MS) have been synthesized and then be used to immobilize hemoglobin (Hb) to fabricate a mediator-free biosensor. The morphology and structure of hollow TiO 2 -rGO microspheres were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electronic microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Results of spectroscopy and electrochemistry tests revealed that hollow TiO 2 -rGO microsphere is an excellent immobilization matrix with biocompatibility for redox protein, affording good protein bioactivity and stability. The hollow TiO 2 -rGO microspheres with special structure and component enhance the immobilization efficiency of proteins and facilitate the direct electron transfer, which result in the better H 2 O 2 detection performance-the wide linear range of 0.1-360μM for H 2 O 2 (sensitivity of 417.6 μA mM -1 cm -2 ) and the extremely low detection limit of 10nM for H 2 O 2 . Moreover, the hollow microsphere can provide a protective microenvironment for Hb to make the as-prepared biosensor improve long-term stability. The as-prepared biosensor retains 95.4% of the initial response to H 2 O 2 after 60-d storage. Hence, this work suggests that if can be fabricated a mediator-free biosensor, hollow TiO 2 -rGO microspheres will find wide potential applications in environmental analysis and biomedical detection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Improvements in processing characteristics and engineering properties of wood flour-filled high density polyethylene composite sheeting in the presence of hollow glass microspheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baris Yalcin; Steve E Amos; Andrew S D Souza; Craig M Clemons; I Sedat Gunes; Troy K Ista

    2012-01-01

    Hollow glass microspheres were introduced into wood flour/high density polyethylene composites by melt compounding in a twin-screw extruder. The prepared composites were subsequently converted to extruded profiles in order to obtain composite sheeting. The presence of hollow glass microspheres highly reduced the density of the extruded sheets down to 0.9 g/cc, while...

  5. Synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic properties of Ni12P5 hollow microspheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shuling; Han, Xiaoli; Zhang, Hongzhe; Liu, Hui

    2017-05-01

    Ni12P5 hollow microspheres were prepared by a simple mixed cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide/sodium dodecyl sulfate surfactant-assisted hydrothermal route. The as-prepared Ni12P5 microstructures were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was interesting to find that cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide/sodium dodecyl sulfate could form a micro-reactor by the mixed micelles in the aqueous solution, which served as a soft template for Ni12P5 hollow microspheres with a diameter of 2 6 μm. Moreover, the as-prepared Ni12P5 hollow microspheres exhibited a good photocatalytic degradation activity for some organic dyes (such as Rhodamine B, Methylene Blue, Pyronine B, and Safranine T), and the degradation ratio could achieve more than 80%.

  6. One-pot template-free synthesis of monodisperse hollow hydrogel microspheres and their resulting properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Hyung-Seok; Kwon, Eunji; Lee, Moonjoo; Moo Lee, Young; Suh, Kyung-Do

    2013-08-01

    Monodisperse poly(methacrylic acid/ethyleneglycoldimethacrylate) (MAA/EGDMA) hollow microcapsules, which exhibit pH-responsive behavior, are prepared by diffusion of cationic surfactants and hydrophobic interaction. During the association of the negatively charged hydrogel microspheres and an oppositely charged surfactant (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, CTA(+)B), the hydrophobic polymer-surfactant complexes that form are separated from the internal water; consequently, a hollow structure can be formed. Confocal laser scanning microscopy, UV spectro-scopy and zeta potential are employed to study the formation of the hollow structure during the diffusion of the cationic surfactant. The controlled release behavior of methylene blue as a model drug from the as-prepared poly(MAA/EGDMA) microcapsules with a hollow structure is investigated under different pH conditions. The hollow structure can be retained, even during repetitive pH changes. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Investigation of concrete mixtures incorporating hollow plastic microspheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-01-01

    This study investigated the potential of hollow plastic microspheres, HPM, for providing non-air-entrained portland cement concrete resistance to damage from cycles of freezing and thawing. In the study, a mixture with an air-entraining agent (vinsol...

  8. Self-templated Synthesis of Nickel Silicate Hydroxide/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composite Hollow Microspheres as Highly Stable Supercapacitor Electrode Material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yanhua; Zhou, Wenjie; Yu, Hong; Feng, Tong; Pu, Yong; Liu, Hongdong; Xiao, Wei; Tian, Liangliang

    2017-12-01

    Nickel silicate hydroxide/reduced graphene oxide (Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 /RGO) composite hollow microspheres were one-pot hydrothermally synthesized by employing graphene oxide (GO)-wrapped SiO 2 microspheres as the template and silicon source, which were prepared through sonication-assisted interfacial self-assembly of tiny GO sheets on positively charged SiO 2 substrate microspheres. The composition, morphology, structure, and phase of Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 /RGO microspheres as well as their electrochemical properties were carefully studied. It was found that Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 /RGO microspheres featured distinct hierarchical porous morphology with hollow architecture and a large specific surface area as high as 67.6 m 2  g -1 . When utilized as a supercapacitor electrode material, Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 /RGO hollow microspheres released a maximum specific capacitance of 178.9 F g -1 at the current density of 1 A g -1 , which was much higher than that of the contrastive bare Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 hollow microspheres and bare RGO material developed in this work, displaying enhanced supercapacitive behavior. Impressively, the Ni 3 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 /RGO microsphere electrode exhibited outstanding rate capability and long-term cycling stability and durability with 97.6% retention of the initial capacitance after continuous charging/discharging for up to 5000 cycles at the current density of 6 A g -1 , which is superior or comparable to that of most of other reported nickel-based electrode materials, hence showing promising application potential in the energy storage area.

  9. Enhanced microwave absorption properties of MnO{sub 2} hollow microspheres consisted of MnO{sub 2} nanoribbons synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Yan; Han, Bingqian; Chen, Nan; Deng, Dongyang; Guan, Hongtao [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming (China); Wang, Yude, E-mail: ydwang@ynu.edu.cn [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming (China); Yunnan Province Key Lab of Micro-Nano Materials and Technology, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming (China)

    2016-08-15

    MnO{sub 2} hollow microspheres consisted of nanoribbons were successfully fabricated via a facile hydrothermal method with SiO{sub 2} sphere templates. The crystal structure, morphology and microwave absorption properties in X and Ku band of the as-synthesized samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a vector network analyzer. The results show that the three-dimensional (3D) hollow microspheres are assembled by ultra thin and narrow one-dimensional (1D) nanoribbons. A rational process for the formation of hollow microspheres is proposed. The 3D MnO{sub 2} hollow microspheres possess improved dielectric and magnetic properties than the 1D nanoribbons prepared by the same procedures with the absence of SiO{sub 2} hard templates, which are closely related to their special nanostructures. The MnO{sub 2} microspheres also show much better microwave absorption properties in X (8–12 GHz) and Ku (12–18 GHz) microwave band compared with 1D MnO{sub 2} nanoribbons. The minimum reflection loss of −40 dB for hollow microsphere can be observed at 14.2 GHz and reflection loss below −10 dB is 3.5 GHz with a thickness of only 4 mm. The possible mechanism for the enhanced microwave absorption properties is also discussed. - Graphical abstract: MnO{sub 2} hollow microspheres composed of nanoribbons show the excellent microwave absorption properties in X and Ku band. - Highlights: • MnO{sub 2} hollow microspheres consisted of MnO{sub 2} nanoribbons were successfully prepared. • MnO{sub 2} hollow microspheres possess good microwave absorption performances. • The excellent microwave absorption properties are in X and Ku microwave band. • Electromagnetic impedance matching is great contribution to absorption properties.

  10. Hierarchical NiO-SiO2 composite hollow microspheres with enhanced adsorption affinity towards Congo red in water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Chunsheng; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Zhu, Bicheng; Yu, Jiaguo; Ho, Wingkei

    2016-03-15

    Hollow microspheres and hierarchical porous nanostructured materials with desired morphologies have gained remarkable attention for their potential applications in environmental technology. In this study, NiO-SiO2 hollow microspheres were prepared by co-precipitation with SiO2 and nickel salt as precursors, followed by dipping in alkaline solution and calcination. The samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The synthesized hollow spheres were composed of a SiO2 shell and hierarchical porous NiO nanosheets on the surface. Adsorption experiments suggested that NiO-SiO2 composite particles were powerful adsorbents for removal of Congo red from water, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 204.1 mg/g. The high specific surface areas, hollow structures, and hierarchical porous surfaces of the hollow composite particles are suitable for various applications, including adsorption of pollutants, chemical separation, and water purification. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Strain-tuned optoelectronic properties of hollow gallium sulphide microspheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yin; Chen, Chen; Liang, C. Y.; Liu, Z. W.; Li, Y. S.; Che, Renchao

    2015-10-01

    Sulfide semiconductors have attracted considerable attention. The main challenge is to prepare materials with a designable morphology, a controllable band structure and optoelectronic properties. Herein, we report a facile chemical transportation reaction for the synthesis of Ga2S3 microspheres with novel hollow morphologies and partially filled volumes. Even without any extrinsic dopant, photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength could be facilely tuned from 635 to 665 nm, depending on its intrinsic inhomogeneous strain distribution. Geometric phase analysis (GPA) based on high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) imaging reveals that the strain distribution and the associated PL properties can be accurately controlled by changing the growth temperature gradient, which depends on the distance between the boats used for raw material evaporation and microsphere deposition. The stacking-fault density, lattice distortion degree and strain distribution at the shell interfacial region of the Ga2S3 microspheres could be readily adjusted. Ab initio first-principles calculations confirm that the lowest conductive band (LCB) is dominated by S-3s and Ga-4p states, which shift to the low-energy band as a result of the introduction of tensile strain, well in accordance with the observed PL evolution. Therefore, based on our strain driving strategy, novel guidelines toward the reasonable design of sulfide semiconductors with tunable photoluminescence properties are proposed.Sulfide semiconductors have attracted considerable attention. The main challenge is to prepare materials with a designable morphology, a controllable band structure and optoelectronic properties. Herein, we report a facile chemical transportation reaction for the synthesis of Ga2S3 microspheres with novel hollow morphologies and partially filled volumes. Even without any extrinsic dopant, photoluminescence (PL) emission wavelength could be facilely tuned from 635 to 665 nm, depending on its

  12. Morphology-controlled synthesis of SiO2 hollow microspheres using pollen grain as a biotemplate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao Feng; Li Dongxu

    2009-01-01

    Hollow surface-structured silica microspheres, a potential candidate for drug delivery systems, were synthesized using the rape pollen grain as a biotemplate via a facile sol-gel coating followed by a calcination process. Different surface morphologies relating to the controllable release property were also achieved on the as-prepared silica hollow microspheres by changing the ratio of the tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and water in sols. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravity (TG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were utilized to characterize the original pollen grain, the silica sols-coated pollen grain and the as-prepared hollow silica microspheres, respectively. Results indicated that the pollen grain would be removed at around 500 deg. C, and the sol coating was kept to form hollow microspheres. Physical adsorption was proved to be the main effect in the sol coating. A speculation on the formation mechanism of different morphologies is also given.

  13. BMP2-loaded hollow hydroxyapatite microspheres exhibit enhanced osteoinduction and osteogenicity in large bone defects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Long; Zeng, Jianhua; Yao, Aihua; Tu, Qiquan; Li, Jingtang; Yan, Liang; Tang, Zhiming

    2015-01-01

    The regeneration of large bone defects is an osteoinductive, osteoconductive, and osteogenic process that often requires a bone graft for support. Limitations associated with naturally autogenic or allogenic bone grafts have demonstrated the need for synthetic substitutes. The present study investigates the feasibility of using novel hollow hydroxyapatite microspheres as an osteoconductive matrix and a carrier for controlled local delivery of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), a potent osteogenic inducer of bone regeneration. Hollow hydroxyapatite microspheres (100±25 μm) with a core (60±18 μm) and a mesoporous shell (180±42 m(2)/g surface area) were prepared by a glass conversion technique and loaded with recombinant human BMP2 (1 μg/mg). There was a gentle burst release of BMP2 from microspheres into the surrounding phosphate-buffered saline in vitro within the initial 48 hours, and continued at a low rate for over 40 days. In comparison with hollow hydroxyapatite microspheres without BMP2 or soluble BMP2 without a carrier, BMP2-loaded hollow hydroxyapatite microspheres had a significantly enhanced capacity to reconstitute radial bone defects in rabbit, as shown by increased serum alkaline phosphatase; quick and complete new bone formation within 12 weeks; and great biomechanical flexural strength. These results indicate that BMP2-loaded hollow hydroxyapatite microspheres could be a potential new option for bone graft substitutes in bone regeneration.

  14. Hollow magnetic nano-CO3O4/polystyrene microspheres synthesized through radiation induced interfacial polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Wei; Wang Mozhen; Wang Shufeng; Zhang Zhicheng

    2010-01-01

    Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles (around 8 nm) were synthesized hydrothermally by dissolving Co 2+ in the mixture of ethanol and water, and then decorated with oleic acid to endow them with hydrophobic surface nature. After that, nano-particles were added into emulsion which consisted by sodium dodecyl sulfate, water, styrene and cetyl alcohol. Hollow magnetic composite spheres were prepared by irradiated the emulsion with γ-rays. The final products are thoroughly characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques, which showed the formation of hollow magnetic composite spheres. The influence of addition dosage of nano-particles, sodium dodecyl sulfate and the types of nano-particles on the average size and shape of hollow composites were studied. The effects of nano-particles to the polymerization of styrene were studied by kinetics. Nano-particles are capsulated by polystyrene to form hollow composites, which confirmed by XPS results. Finally, magnetic property of hollow composites is compared with pure nano-Co 3 O 4 . (authors)

  15. Folic acid-functionalized magnetic ZnFe2O4 hollow microsphere core/mesoporous silica shell composite particles: synthesis and application in drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Dandan; Wei, Kaiwei; Liu, Qi; Yang, Yong; Guo, Xue; Rong, Hongren; Cheng, Mei-Ling; Wang, Guoxiu

    2013-07-01

    A drug delivery system was designed by deliberately combining the useful functions into one entity, which was composed of magnetic ZnFe2O4 hollow microsphere as the core, and mesoporous silica with folic acid molecules as the outer shell. Amine groups coated magnetic ZnFe2O4 hollow microsphere core/mesoporous silica shell (MZHM-MSS-NH2) composite particles were first synthesized by a one-pot direct co-condensation method. Subsequently a novel kind of folic acid-functionalized magnetic ZnFe2O4 hollow microsphere core/mesoporous silica shell (MZHM-MSS-NHFA) composite particles were synthesized by conjugating folic acid as targeted molecule to MZHM-MSS-NH2. Ibuprofen, a well-known antiphlogistic drug, was used as a model drug to assess the loading and releasing behavior of the composite microspheres. The results show that the MZHM-MSS-NHFA system has the higher capacity of drug storage and good sustained drug-release property. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Preparation and crystallization of hollow α-Fe2O3 microspheres following the gas-bubble template method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valladares, L. de los Santos; León Félix, L.; Espinoza Suarez, S.M.; Bustamante Dominguez, A.G.; Mitrelias, T.; Holmes, S.; Moreno, N.O.; Albino Aguiar, J.; Barnes, C.H.W.

    2016-01-01

    In this work we report the formation of hollow α-Fe 2 O 3 (hematite) microspheres by the gas-bubble template method. This technique is simple and it does not require hard templates, surfactants, special conditions of atmosphere or complex steps. After reacting Fe(NO 3 ) 3 .9H 2 O and citric acid in water by sol–gel, the precursor was annealed in air at different temperatures between 180 and 600 °C. Annealing at 550 and 600 °C generates bubbles on the melt which crystallize and oxidizes to form hematite hollow spheres after quenching. The morphology and crystal evolution are studied by means of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. We found that after annealing at 250–400 °C, the sample consist of a mixture of magnetite, maghemite and hematite. Single hematite phase in the form of hollow microspheres is obtained after annealing at 550 and 600 °C. The crystallization and crystal size of the hematite shells increase with annealing temperature. A possible mechanism for hollow sphere formation is presented. - Highlights: • Formation of hollow hematite microspheres by the gas-bubble template method. • This technique does not require hard templates or special conditions of atmosphere. • Annealing promotes the transition magnetite to maghemite to hematite. • Crystallization of the hematite shells increase with annealing temperature.

  17. A facile route to synthesize multiporous MnCo2O4 and CoMn2O4 spinel quasi-hollow spheres with improved lithium storage properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jingfa; Xiong, Shenglin; Li, Xiaowei; Qian, Yitai

    2013-02-01

    A facile and general way for the synthesis of porous and hollow complex oxides is highly desirable owing to their significant applications for energy storage and other fields. In this contribution, uniform Mn0.33Co0.67CO3 and Co0.33Mn0.67CO3 microspheres are firstly fabricated solvothermally just by tuning the molar ratio of Mn and Co. Subsequently, the growth of multiporous MnCo2O4 and CoMn2O4 quasi-hollow microspheres by topotactic chemical transformation from the corresponding precursors are realized through a non-equilibrium heat treatment process. Topotactic conversion further demonstrated that the much larger CoMn2O4 pores than those of MnCo2O4 are possibly due to the longer transfer distance of ions. When evaluated as anode materials for LIBs (lithium ion batteries), after 25 cycles at a current density of 200 mA g-1, the resultant MnCo2O4 and CoMn2O4 quasi-hollow microspheres possessed reversible capacities of 755 and 706 mA h g-1, respectively. In particular, the MnCo2O4 samples could deliver a reversible capacity as high as 610 mA h g-1 even at a higher current density of 400 mA g-1 with excellent electrochemical stability after 100 cycles of testing, indicating its potential application in LIBs. We believe that such good performance results from the appropriate pore size and quasi-hollow nature of MnCo2O4 microspheres, which can effectively buffer the large volume variation of anodes based on the conversion reaction during Li+ insertion/extraction. The present strategy is simple but very effective, and due to its versatility, it can be extended to other binary, even ternary complex metal oxides with high-performance in LIBs.A facile and general way for the synthesis of porous and hollow complex oxides is highly desirable owing to their significant applications for energy storage and other fields. In this contribution, uniform Mn0.33Co0.67CO3 and Co0.33Mn0.67CO3 microspheres are firstly fabricated solvothermally just by tuning the molar ratio of Mn and Co

  18. Multishelled NiO Hollow Microspheres for High-performance Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Energy Density and Robust Cycle Life

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Xinhong; Zheng, Wenji; Li, Xiangcun; He, Gaohong

    2016-09-01

    Multishelled NiO hollow microspheres for high-performance supercapacitors have been prepared and the formation mechanism has been investigated. By using resin microspheres to absorb Ni2+ and subsequent proper calcinations, the shell numbers, shell spacing and exterior shell structure were facilely controlled via varying synthetic parameters. Particularly, the exterior shell structure that accurately associated with the ion transfer is finely controlled by forming a single shell or closed exterior double-shells. Among multishelled NiO hollow microspheres, the triple-shelled NiO with an outer single-shelled microspheres show a remarkable capacity of 1280 F g-1 at 1 A g-1, and still keep a high value of 704 F g-1 even at 20 A g-1. The outstanding performances are attributed to its fast ion/electron transfer, high specific surface area and large shell space. The specific capacitance gradually increases to 108% of its initial value after 2500 cycles, demonstrating its high stability. Importantly, the 3S-NiO-HMS//RGO@Fe3O4 asymmetric supercapacitor shows an ultrahigh energy density of 51.0 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 800 W kg-1, and 78.8% capacitance retention after 10,000 cycles. Furthermore, multishelled NiO can be transferred into multishelled Ni microspheres with high-efficient H2 generation rate of 598.5 mL H2 min-1 g-1Ni for catalytic hydrolysis of NH3BH3 (AB).

  19. [Synthesis of hollow titania microspheres by using microfluidic droplet-template].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Jingyun; Jiang, Lei; Qin, Jianhu

    2011-09-01

    Droplet-based microfluidics is of great interest due to its particular characteristics compared with the conventional methods, such as reduced reagent consumption, rapid mixing, high-throughput, shape controlled, etc. A novel method using microfluidic droplet as soft template for the synthesis of hollow titania microspheres was developed. A typical polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic device containing "flow-focusing" geometry was used to generate water/oil (W/O) droplet. The mechanism for the hollow structure formation was based on the interfacial hydrolysis reaction between the continuous phase containing titanium butoxide precursor and the dispersed containing water. The continuous phase mixed with butanol was added in the downstream of the channel after the hydrolysis reaction. This step was used for drawing the water out of the microgels for further hydrolysis. The microgels obtained through a glass pipe integrated were washed, dried under vacuum and calcined after aging for a certain time. The fluorescence and scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of the microspheres indicated the hollow structure and the thickness of the shell. In addition, these microspheres with thin shell (about 2 microm) were apt to rupture and collapse. Droplet-based microfluidic offered a gentle and size-controllable manner to moderate this problem. Moreover, it has potential applications in photocatalysis combined with some modification realized on the chip simultaneously.

  20. Morphology-controlled synthesis of SiO{sub 2} hollow microspheres using pollen grain as a biotemplate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cao Feng; Li Dongxu, E-mail: caofeng.cn@gmail.co, E-mail: dongxuli@njut.edu.c [College of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Technology, Jiangsu Nanjing 210009 (China)

    2009-04-15

    Hollow surface-structured silica microspheres, a potential candidate for drug delivery systems, were synthesized using the rape pollen grain as a biotemplate via a facile sol-gel coating followed by a calcination process. Different surface morphologies relating to the controllable release property were also achieved on the as-prepared silica hollow microspheres by changing the ratio of the tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) and water in sols. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravity (TG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), as well as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were utilized to characterize the original pollen grain, the silica sols-coated pollen grain and the as-prepared hollow silica microspheres, respectively. Results indicated that the pollen grain would be removed at around 500 deg. C, and the sol coating was kept to form hollow microspheres. Physical adsorption was proved to be the main effect in the sol coating. A speculation on the formation mechanism of different morphologies is also given.

  1. Rose-like monodisperse bismuth subcarbonate hierarchical hollow microspheres: One-pot template-free fabrication and excellent visible light photocatalytic activity and photochemical stability for NO removal in indoor air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, Fan; Lee, S.C.; Wu, Zhongbiao; Huang, Yu; Fu, Min; Ho, Wing-Kei; Zou, Shichun; Wang, Bo

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Rose-like monodisperse hierarchical nitrogen doped (BiO) 2 CO 3 hollow microspheres fabricated by a one-pot template-free method exhibit excellent visible light photocatalytic activity and photochemical stability in the removal of NO in indoor air. The special hierarchical microstructure, the high charge separation efficiency and two-band-gap structure in all contribute to the outstanding photocatalytic performance. Highlights: → Rose-like monodisperse hierarchical (BiO) 2 CO 3 hollow microspheres are fabricated. → The (BiO) 2 CO 3 microspheres are self-assembled of single-crystalline nanosheets. → Nitrogen is in situ doped into the lattice of hierarchical (BiO) 2 CO 3 microspheres. → The (BiO) 2 CO 3 microspheres exhibit outstanding visible light activity for NO removal. → The (BiO) 2 CO 3 microspheres also exhibit high photochemical stability. - Abstract: Rose-like monodisperse hierarchical (BiO) 2 CO 3 hollow microspheres are fabricated by a one-pot template-free method for the first time based on hydrothermal treatment of ammonia bismuth citrate and urea in water. The microstructure and band structure of the as-prepared (BiO) 2 CO 3 superstructure are characterized in detail by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The monodisperse hierarchical (BiO) 2 CO 3 microspheres are constructed by the self-assembly of single-crystalline nanosheets. The aggregation of nanosheets result in the formation of three dimensional hierarchical framework containing mesopores and macropores, which is favorable for efficient transport of reaction molecules and harvesting of photo-energy. The result reveals the existence of special two-band-gap structure (3.25 and 2.0 eV) for (BiO) 2 CO 3 . The band gap of 3.25 eV is intrinsic and the

  2. General Approach to Prepare 0.33Li₂MnO₃ · 0.67LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O₂ Hollow Microspheres for High Performance Lithium Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jingfa; Xu, Wenjin; Zhang, Lei; Li, Min

    2018-06-01

    Li-excess manganese-based oxide layered structures, have drawn increasing interests as the promising cathodes to succeed the conventional LiCoO2 in lithium ion batteries (LIBs). It could deliver a higher energy density and output potential, as well as the nature of environment benign and low cost. Pristine Li-excess manganese-based oxides however suffer from poor rate capacity and voltage fading after cycling, and their inherent capacity limits of bulk size in performance. Micro-/Nanostructured electrode materials are considered to hold the key to overcome these thresholds. This paper reports a general approach to prepare 0.33Li2MnO3 · 0.67LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 microspheres with pores and void space, which benefits improving both the capacity and cyclability. The electrode made of hollow 0.33Li2MnO3 · 0.67LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 microspheres exhibits a 224 mAh g-1 discharge capacity over 200 cycles at 0.25 C rate, and 195 mAh g-1 at 5.0 C rate. These results indicated good perspective of hollow microspheres for practical battery applications.

  3. Catalyst-free combined synthesis of Zn/ZnO core/shell hollow microspheres and metallic Zn microparticles by thermal evaporation and condensation route

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khan, Waheed S. [Research Centre of Materials Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Cao Chuanbao, E-mail: cbcao@bit.edu.c [Research Centre of Materials Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Nabi, Ghulam; Yao Ruimin; Bhatti, Sajjad H. [Research Centre of Materials Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China)

    2010-09-17

    Research highlights: {yields} Catalyst-free combined synthesis of metal/semiconductor Zn/ZnO core/shell microspheres with hollow interiors on Si substrate and metallic Zn polygonal microparticles on glass substrate in a single experiment via thermal evaporation and condensation technique was reported. The Zn/ZnO hollow microspheres were observed to have dimensions in the range of 70-80 {mu}m whereas metallic Zn microparticles with polygonal cross section and oblate spherical shape were found to be of 8-10 {mu}m. Some of the Zn/ZnO core/shell hollow spheres were also observed to have single crystalline ZnO pointed rods in extremely low density grown on the outer shell. A vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process based growth mechanism was proposed for the formation of Zn/ZnO core/shell microspheres with hollow interior. The optical properties of Zn/ZnO core/shell microspheres were investigated by measuring the photoluminescence (PL) spectra at room temperature (RT). Two very strong emission bands were observed at 373 and 469 nm in the ultraviolet and visible regions respectively under excitation wavelength of 325 nm. Also the effect of the various excitation wavelengths on the PL behaviour was studied at room temperature. PL studies of Zn/ZnO core/shell microspheres show the promise of the material for applications in UV and blue light optical devices. - Abstract: Here we report catalyst-free combined synthesis of metal/semiconductor Zn/ZnO core/shell microspheres with hollow interiors on Si substrate and metallic Zn polygonal microparticles on glass substrate in a single experiment via thermal evaporation and condensation technique using nitrogen (N{sub 2}) as carrier agent at 800 {sup o}C for 120 min. The Zn/ZnO hollow microspheres were observed to have dimensions in the range of 70-80 {mu}m whereas metallic Zn microparticles with polygonal cross section and oblate spherical shape were found to be of 8-10 {mu}m. Some of the Zn/ZnO core/shell hollow spheres were also

  4. Symmetrical synergy of hybrid Co9S8-MoSx electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction

    KAUST Repository

    Zhou, Xiaofeng

    2017-01-07

    There exists a strong demand to replace expensive noble metal catalysts with efficient and earth-abundant catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Recently the Co- and Mo-based sulfides such as CoS2, Co9S8, and MoSx have been considered as several promising HER candidates. Here, a highly active and stable hybrid electrocatalyst 3D flower-like hierarchical Co9S8 nanosheets incorporated with MoSx has been developed via a one-step sulfurization method. Since the amounts of Co9S8 and MoSx are easily adjustable, we verify that small amounts of MoSx promotes the HER activity of Co9S8, and vise versa. In other words, we validate that symmetric synergy for HER in the Co- and Mo-based sulfide hybrid catalysts, a long-standing question requiring clear experimental proofs. Meanwhile, the best electrocatalyst Co9S8-30@MoSx/CC in this study exhibits excellent HER performance with an overpotential of −98 mV at −10 mA/cm2, a small Tafel slope of 64.8 mV/dec, and prominent electrochemical stability.

  5. Effect of Synthesis Time on Morphology of Hollow Porous Silica Microspheres

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qian CHEN

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available Hollow porous silica microspheres may be applicable as containers for the controlled release in drug delivery systems (DDS, foods, cosmetics, agrochemical, textile industry, and in other technological encapsulation use. In order to control the surface morphological properties of the silica microspheres, the effect of synthesis time on their formation was studied by a method of water-in-oil (W/O emulsion mediated sol-gel techniques. An aqueous phase of water, ammonium hydroxide and a surfactant Tween 20 was emulsified in an oil phase of 1-octanol with a stabilizer, hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC, and a surfactant, sorbitan monooleate (Span 80 with low hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB value. Tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS as a silica precursor was added to the emulsion. The resulting silica particles at different synthesis time 24, 48, and 72 hours were air-dried at room temperature and calcinated at 773 K for 3 hours. The morphology of the particles was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and the particle size distribution was measured by laser diffraction. The specific surface areas were studied by 1-point BET method, and pore sizes were measured by Image Tool Software. Both dense and porous silica microspheres were observed after all three syntheses. Hollow porous silica microspheres were formed at 24 and 48 hours synthesis time. Under base catalyzed sol-gel solution, the size of silica particles was in the range of 5.4 μm to 8.2 μm, and the particles had surface area of 111 m2/g – 380 m2/g. The longer synthesis time produced denser silica spheres with decreased pore sizes.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.18.1.1344

  6. Hollow mesoporous titania microspheres: New technology and enhanced photocatalytic activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feng, Zhenliang; Wei, Wenrui; Wang, Litong [School of Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108 (China); Hong, Ruoyu, E-mail: rhong@suda.edu.cn [School of Chemical Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108 (China); College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science & Key Laboratory of Organic Synthesis of Jiangsu Province, Soochow University, SIP, Suzhou 215123 (China)

    2015-12-01

    Graphical abstract: Schematic of the formation process of HTS. - Highlights: • Amino modified porous PS-DVB microspheres were used as templates to coat TiO{sub 2.} • The coating of TiO{sub 2} was conducted under regular changing atmospheric pressure. • The PS-DVB@TiO{sub 2} was calcinated first under nitrogen and then under air to get HTS. • The resultant products were provided with high surface area and excellent photocatalytic activity under UV irradiation. - Abstract: Hollow titania microspheres (HTS) were fabricated via a sol–gel process by coating the hydrolysis product of titanium tetrabutoxide (TBOT) onto the amino (–NH{sub 2}) modified porous polystyrene cross-linked divinyl benzene (PS-DVB) microspheres under changing atmospheric pressure, followed by calcination in nitrogen and air atmosphere. Particularly, the atmospheric pressure was continuously and regularly changed during the formation process of PS-DVB@TiO{sub 2} microspheres. Then the TiO{sub 2} particles were absorbed into the pores and onto the surface of PS-DVB as well. The resultant HTS (around 2 μm in diameter) featured a high specific surface area (84.37 m{sup 2}/g), anatase crystal and stable hollow microsphere structure, which led to high photocatalysis activity. The photocatalytic degradation of malachite green (MG) organic dye solution was conducted under ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation, which showed a high photocatalytic ability (81% of MG was degraded after UV irradiation for 88 min). Therefore, it could be potentially applied for the treatment of wastewater contaminated by organic pollutants.

  7. Hierarchical assembly of urchin-like alpha-iron oxide hollow microspheres and molybdenum disulphide nanosheets for ethanol gas sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Dongzhi; Fan, Xin; Yang, Aijun; Zong, Xiaoqi

    2018-08-01

    In this paper, we fabricated a high-performance ethanol sensor using layer-by-layer self-assembled urchin-like alpha-iron oxide (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) hollow microspheres/molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ) nanosheets heterostructure as sensitive materials. The nanostructural, morphological, and compositional properties of the as-prepared α-Fe 2 O 3 /MoS 2 heterostructure were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which confirmed its successful preparation and rationality. The α-Fe 2 O 3 /MoS 2 nanocomposite sensor shows good selectivity, excellent reproducibility, fast response/recovery time and low detection limit towards ethanol gas at room temperature, which is superior to the single component of α-Fe 2 O 3 hollow microspheres and MoS 2 nanosheets. Furthermore, the response of the α-Fe 2 O 3 /MoS 2 nanocomposite sensor as a function of ethanol gas concentration was also demonstrated. The enhanced ethanol sensing properties of the α-Fe 2 O 3 /MoS 2 nanocomposite sensor were ascribed to the synergistic effect and heterojunction between the urchin-Like α-Fe 2 O 3 hollow microspheres and MoS 2 nanosheets. This work verifies that the hierarchical α-Fe 2 O 3 /MoS 2 nanoheterostructure is a potential candidate for fabricating room-temperature ethanol gas sensor. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Nanomechanics of biocompatible hollow thin-shell polymer microspheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glynos, Emmanouil; Koutsos, Vasileios; McDicken, W Norman; Moran, Carmel M; Pye, Stephen D; Ross, James A; Sboros, Vassilis

    2009-07-07

    The nanomechanical properties of biocompatible thin-shell hollow polymer microspheres with approximately constant ratio of shell thickness to microsphere diameter were measured by nanocompression tests in aqueous conditions. These microspheres encapsulate an inert gas and are used as ultrasound contrast agents by releasing free microbubbles in the presence of an ultrasound field as a result of free gas leakage from the shell. The tests were performed using an atomic force microscope (AFM) employing the force-distance curve technique. An optical microscope, on which the AFM was mounted, was used to guide the positioning of tipless cantilevers on top of individual microspheres. We performed a systematic study using several cantilevers with spring constants varying from 0.08 to 2.3 N/m on a population of microspheres with diameters from about 2 to 6 microm. The use of several cantilevers with various spring constants allowed a systematic study of the mechanical properties of the microsphere thin shell at different regimes of force and deformation. Using thin-shell mechanics theory for small deformations, the Young's modulus of the thin wall material was estimated and was shown to exhibit a strong size effect: it increased as the shell became thinner. The Young's modulus of thicker microsphere shells converged to the expected value for the macroscopic bulk material. For high applied forces, the force-deformation profiles showed a reversible and/or irreversible nonlinear behavior including "steps" and "jumps" which were attributed to mechanical instabilities such as buckling events.

  9. Phase transformation, morphology evolution and luminescence property variation in Y2O3: Eu hollow microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Qin; Guo, Jing; Jia, Wenjing; Liu, Baocang; Zhang, Jun

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We report a general and facile method for the synthesis of Y 2 O 3 : Eu hollow microspheres. ► This method may be of great significance in the synthesis of many other hollow spherical materials. ► Phase, morphology and luminescence property were found to be strongly dependent on temperature and pH. ► The evolution process under various temperatures and pH values were discussed. ► The sample shows a strong red emission under short UV irradiation, and the lifetime is determined to be 7.0 ms. - Abstract: Y 2 O 3 : Eu hollow microspheres with average size of 500–600 nm have been successfully synthesized via a solvothermal method in the presence of sodium citrate as surfactant followed by a subsequent heat treatment process. High polymer F127(EO 106 PO 70 EO 106 ) served as a soft template in the formation of as prepared hollow microspheres. It is found that the pH values and the reaction temperature are two crucial factors in determining the phase, morphology and luminescence properties of the Y 2 O 3 : Eu hollow microspheres. Morphology evolution can be achieved by changing the pH and the reaction temperature. The properties of the Eu 3+ -doped Y 2 O 3 : Eu nanocrystals were characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, HR-TEM and UV–vis spectroscopy.

  10. Preparation and crystallization of hollow α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} microspheres following the gas-bubble template method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Valladares, L. de los Santos, E-mail: ld301@cam.ac.uk [Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, J.J Thomson Av., Cambridge, CB3 0HE (United Kingdom); León Félix, L. [Laboratorio de Cerámicos y Nanomateriales, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Ap. Postal 14-0149, Lima (Peru); Laboratory of Magnetic Characterization, Instituto de Física, Universidade de Brasília, DF 70910-900, Brasilia (Brazil); Espinoza Suarez, S.M.; Bustamante Dominguez, A.G. [Laboratorio de Cerámicos y Nanomateriales, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Ap. Postal 14-0149, Lima (Peru); Mitrelias, T.; Holmes, S. [Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, J.J Thomson Av., Cambridge, CB3 0HE (United Kingdom); Moreno, N.O. [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Sergipe, 49100-000, Sao Cristóvao, Sergipe (Brazil); Albino Aguiar, J. [Laboratório de Supercondutividade e Materiais Avançados, Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50670-901, Recife (Brazil); Barnes, C.H.W. [Cavendish Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Cambridge, J.J Thomson Av., Cambridge, CB3 0HE (United Kingdom)

    2016-02-01

    In this work we report the formation of hollow α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} (hematite) microspheres by the gas-bubble template method. This technique is simple and it does not require hard templates, surfactants, special conditions of atmosphere or complex steps. After reacting Fe(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}.9H{sub 2}O and citric acid in water by sol–gel, the precursor was annealed in air at different temperatures between 180 and 600 °C. Annealing at 550 and 600 °C generates bubbles on the melt which crystallize and oxidizes to form hematite hollow spheres after quenching. The morphology and crystal evolution are studied by means of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. We found that after annealing at 250–400 °C, the sample consist of a mixture of magnetite, maghemite and hematite. Single hematite phase in the form of hollow microspheres is obtained after annealing at 550 and 600 °C. The crystallization and crystal size of the hematite shells increase with annealing temperature. A possible mechanism for hollow sphere formation is presented. - Highlights: • Formation of hollow hematite microspheres by the gas-bubble template method. • This technique does not require hard templates or special conditions of atmosphere. • Annealing promotes the transition magnetite to maghemite to hematite. • Crystallization of the hematite shells increase with annealing temperature.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xueliang Jiang

    2016-04-01

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

  12. Facile synthesis of CoNi2S4/Co9S8 composites as advanced electrode materials for supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Fenglin; Huang, Wanxia; Zhang, Hongtao; Zhou, Dengmei

    2017-12-01

    In this paper, a facile chemical bath deposition method was utilized to synthesize three-dimensional nanostructured CoNi2S4/Co9S8 (CNSCS) composites as advanced electrode materials for high performance supercapacitors. CNSCS composites showed remarkable electrochemical performance owing to the high porosity, appropriate pore size distribution, novel architecture and synergistic effect of Ni/Co ions. The electrochemical tests revealed that CNSCS composites exhibited high specific capacitance (1183.3 Fg-1 at the current density of 2 Ag-1), excellent rate performance (74.9% retention with tenfold current density increase) and outstanding cycle life stability. Moreover, the effect of temperature on electrochemical performance of CNSCS composites was investigated and the results indicated the specific capacitance of CoNi2S4/Co9S8 can keep relatively stable in a wide temperature from 0 °C to 50 °C. These results indicated that the synthesized CNSCS composites can be a promising electrode materials candidate for supercapacitors and chemical bath deposition is a promising processing route for CNSCS composites production.

  13. Two-step hydrothermal synthesis of NiCo2S4/Co9S8 nanorods on nickel foam for high energy density asymmetric supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Rui; Lin, Jianming; Wu, Jihuai; Huang, Miaoliang; Fan, Leqing; Chen, Hongwei; He, Xin; Wang, Yiting; Xu, Zedong

    2018-03-01

    It is still a huge challenge to obtain a high-energy-density asymmetric supercapacitors and develop an active electrode material with excellent electrochemical characteristics. Although NiCo2S4 has been considered as one of the promising positive electrode materials for asymmetric supercapacitors, the electrochemical performance of the NiCo2S4-based positive electrodes is still relatively low and cannot meet the demand in the devices. Herein, NiCo2S4/Co9S8 nanorods with a large capacitance are synthesized via a simple two-step hydrothermal treatment. A high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor operating at 1.6 V is successfully assembled using the NiCo2S4/Co9S8 nanorods as positive electrode and activated carbon as negative electrode in 3 M KOH aqueous electrolyte, which demonstrates a fairly high energy density of 49.6 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 123 W kg-1, an excellent capacitance of 0.91 F cm-2 (139.42 F g-1) at current density of 1 mA cm-2 as well as a remarkable cycling stability due to the high physical strength, the large specific surface area, and the good conductivity for NiCo2S4/Co9S8 nanorods and the brilliant synergistic effect for NiCo2S4 and Co9S8 electrode materials. The as-prepared NiCo2S4/Co9S8 nanorods open up a new platform as positive electrode material for high-energy-density asymmetric supercapacitors in energy-storage.

  14. Preparation of polystyrene microsphere with emulsion microencapsulation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Bo Zhang Lin; Zhang Zhganwen; You Dan; Wei Yun; Wang Chaoyang; Lin Bo; Shi Tao; Chu Qiaomei

    2003-01-01

    The preparation of hollow polystyrene microspheres that are used as inner shell of multi-shell plastic microspheres in the ICF experiments is focused on. The effects of surfactants, water-soluble polymer and electrolyte on the properties of resultant microspheres are studied. Based on these experiments, a fabricating procedure was established with which hollow microspheres were prepared with diameter about 150-3000 μm, wall thickness 0.8-15 μm and toughness Ra less than 4 nm. (authors)

  15. In Situ Synthesis of MnS Hollow Microspheres on Reduced Graphene Oxide Sheets as High-Capacity and Long-Life Anodes for Li- and Na-Ion Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xijun; Ji, Shaomin; Gu, Mingzhe; Liu, Jun

    2015-09-23

    Uniform MnS hollow microspheres in situ crystallized on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets via a facile hydrothermal method. The MnS/RGO composite material was used as the anode for Na-ion batteries for the first time and exhibited excellent cycling performance, superior specific capacity, and great cycle stability and rate capability for both Li- and Na-ion batteries. Compared with nonencapsulated pure MnS hollow microspheres, these MnS/RGO nanocomposites demonstrated excellent charge-discharge stability and long cycle life. Li-ion storage testing revealed that these MnS/RGO nanocomposites deliver high discharge-charge capacities of 640 mAh g(-1) at 1.0 A g(-1) after 400 cycles and 830 mAh g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1) after 100 cycles. The MnS/RGO nanocomposites even retained a specific capacity of 308 mAh g(-1) at a current density of 0.1 A g(-1) after 125 cycles as the anode for Na-ion batteries. The outstanding electrochemical performance of the MnS/RGO composite attributed to the RGO nanosheets greatly improved the electronic conductivity and efficiently mitigated the stupendous volume expansion during the progress of charge and discharge.

  16. Controlled synthesis of ZnO hollow microspheres via precursor-template method and its gas sensing property

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tian, Yu; Li, Jinchai; Xiong, Hui; Dai, Jiangnan

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Zn powder as precursor template for synthesis ZnO hollow spheres. ► Different precursor templates result in different ZnO nanostructures. ► Different experimental conditions enable growth of different surface morphologies of ZnO sphere. ► ZnO hollow sphere materials have good gas sensing performance for detecting ethanol gas. - Abstract: Using Zn powder as precursor templates, ZnO hollow microspheres were successfully prepared by thermal evaporation method and characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. It was found that different size and shape of precursor resulted in different ZnO nanostructures. When varying experimental conditions, such as air flow rate and working pressure, ZnO hollow spheres with different surface morphologies could be obtained. The advantages of the present synthetic technology are simple, relatively low cost, and high reproducibility. A gas sensor was fabricated from the as-prepared ZnO hollow microspheres and tested to the ethanol gas at different operating temperatures.

  17. Core-shell composite of hierarchical MoS2 nanosheets supported on graphitized hollow carbon microspheres for high performance lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xia, Yuan; Wang, Beibei; Zhao, Xiaojun; Wang, Gang; Wang, Hui

    2016-01-01

    In this work, a core-shell composite composed of MoS 2 nanosheets grown on hollow carbon microspheres is synthesized by a hydrothermal and a subsequent annealing route. The result shows that well-graphitized hollow-carbon@highlycrystallineMoS 2 (HC@MoS 2 ) was obtained after the four-step reaction. And it is found that the synthesized MoS 2 is consist of 2H and 1T phases. The lithium storage property of the composite is investigated as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Benefited from the special morphology and structure, a stable capacity of 970 mAh g −1 for over 100 cycles at a current density of 0.25 A g −1 is realized on the material. Even at a high current density of 4 A g −1 , a reversible capacity as high as 560 mAh g −1 is delivered. Moreover, the reasons for the excellent electrochemical performance of the material are explored and discussed in detail.

  18. Co9 S8 /Co as a High-Performance Anode for Sodium-Ion Batteries with an Ether-Based Electrolyte.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yingying; Pang, Qiang; Wei, Yingjin; Wei, Luyao; Ju, Yanming; Zou, Bo; Gao, Yu; Chen, Gang

    2017-12-08

    Co 9 S 8 has been regarded as a desirable anode material for sodium-ion batteries because of its high theoretical capacity. In this study, a Co 9 S 8 anode material containing 5.5 wt % Co (Co 9 S 8 /Co) was prepared by a solid-state reaction. The electrochemical properties of the material were studied in carbonate and ether-based electrolytes (EBE). The results showed that the material had a longer cycle life and better rate capability in EBE. This excellent electrochemical performance was attributed to a low apparent activation energy and a low overpotential for Na deposition in EBE, which improved the electrode kinetic properties. Furthermore, EBE suppressed side reactions of the electrode and electrolyte, which avoided the formation of a solid electrolyte interphase film. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Ag-doped TiO2 hollow microspheres with visible light response by template-free route for removal of tetracycline hydrochloride from aqueous solution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jian; Li, Xuanhua; Peng, Meiling; Tang, Yuanyuan; Ke, Anqi; Gan, Wei; Fu, Xucheng; Hao, Hequn

    2018-06-01

    In this study, Ag-doped TiO2 hollow microspheres were synthesized by a template-free route, and their photocatalytic performance and catalytic mechanism were investigated. The hollow microspheres were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV–vis spectroscopy. Ag-doped hollow TiO2 microspheres exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance for tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) in water. TC degradation follows pseudo first-order kinetics, and hydroxyl radical (OH·) and holes (h+) were active substances in the photocatalytic reaction.

  20. Preparation and characterization of Co9S8 nanocrystalline and ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Wintec

    vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and laser Raman spectrometer. The results show that the as-prepared. Co9S8 nanocrystal with a size of 6 nm take on weak paramagnetism at room temperature. The lengths and dia- meters of the nanorods were about 4 μm and 200 nm, respectively. The reason for the relative lower ...

  1. Preparation and properties of hollow glass microspheres for use in laser fusion experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campbell, J.H.; Grens, J.Z.; Poco, J.F.

    1983-01-01

    We review the preparation of high quality, hollow-glass microspheres for use in laser driven fusion experiments at LLNL. The primary focus of this paper is on the liquid-droplet method for making glass spheres, which has been in use at LLNL for over six years. We have combined the results from previous studies with our current results to present a detailed description of the preparation and the composition and physical properties of the glass microspheres. We also present a mathematical model that simulates the microsphere formation process. Examples are given of the application of the model to study the effects of various process parameters

  2. Preparation and properties of hollow glass microspheres for use in laser fusion experiments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Campbell, J.H.; Grens, J.Z.; Poco, J.F.

    1983-11-01

    We review the preparation of high quality, hollow-glass microspheres for use in laser driven fusion experiments at LLNL. The primary focus of this paper is on the liquid-droplet method for making glass spheres, which has been in use at LLNL for over six years. We have combined the results from previous studies with our current results to present a detailed description of the preparation and the composition and physical properties of the glass microspheres. We also present a mathematical model that simulates the microsphere formation process. Examples are given of the application of the model to study the effects of various process parameters.

  3. Phase transformation, morphology evolution and luminescence property variation in Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Eu hollow microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Qin; Guo, Jing; Jia, Wenjing; Liu, Baocang [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot (China); Zhang, Jun, E-mail: cejzhang@sina.com [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot (China)

    2012-11-25

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We report a general and facile method for the synthesis of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Eu hollow microspheres. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This method may be of great significance in the synthesis of many other hollow spherical materials. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Phase, morphology and luminescence property were found to be strongly dependent on temperature and pH. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The evolution process under various temperatures and pH values were discussed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The sample shows a strong red emission under short UV irradiation, and the lifetime is determined to be 7.0 ms. - Abstract: Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Eu hollow microspheres with average size of 500-600 nm have been successfully synthesized via a solvothermal method in the presence of sodium citrate as surfactant followed by a subsequent heat treatment process. High polymer F127(EO{sub 106}PO{sub 70}EO{sub 106}) served as a soft template in the formation of as prepared hollow microspheres. It is found that the pH values and the reaction temperature are two crucial factors in determining the phase, morphology and luminescence properties of the Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Eu hollow microspheres. Morphology evolution can be achieved by changing the pH and the reaction temperature. The properties of the Eu{sup 3+}-doped Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Eu nanocrystals were characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, HR-TEM and UV-vis spectroscopy.

  4. Properties and shaping of lightweight ceramics based on phosphate-bonded hollow silica microspheres

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    With, de G.; Verweij, H.

    1986-01-01

    The values for the Young's modulus, strength, fracture toughness and thermal conductivity of lightweight ceramics based on phosphate-bonded hollow silica microspheres are reported as a function of the processing conditions. They are compared with the relevant data for other lightweight ceramic

  5. Mechanical Alloying Synthesis of Co9S8 Particles as Materials for Supercapacitors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Li

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Cobalt sulfide (Co9S8 particles are compounded as the electrode materials of supercapacitors by a mechanical alloying method. They show excellent properties including good cycling stability and high specific capacitance. A supercapacitor is assembled using Co9S8 as the anode and activated carbon (AC as the cathode. It gains a maximum specific capacitance of 55 F·g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A·g−1, and also an energy density of 15 Wh·kg−1. Those results show that the novel and facile synthetic route may be able to offer a new way to synthesize alloy compounds with excellent supercapacitive properties.

  6. Properties of dry masonry mixtures based on hollow aluminosilicate microspheres

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Semenov Vyacheslav

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available At present, there is a steady increase in the volume of housing construction in the Russian Federation. The modern trends in the field of energy and resource saving determine the need of the use of efficient building materials that ensure the safety, comfort and minimum cost of housing construction. Among the materials, often used for erecting of fencing structures, it is possible to note effective small-piece elements (ceramic and light-weight concrete units, etc.. To ensure the solidity of such structures, it is necessary to use the masonry mortars whose properties correspond to those of the main wall material. The existing dry mixes for obtaining of such mortars are expensive and often do not meet the minimum physical-and-mechanical and exploitation requirements. The solution of this problem is the usage of the hollow ceramics (aluminosilicate microspheres as a filler for such mixes. The article presents the results of studies of the main physical-and-mechanical and exploitation characteristics of dry masonry mixes with hollow ceramics microspheres modified with various chemical additives. The effect of the compounding factors on the average density and strength of dry masonry mixes was studied. The compositions have been optimized by the methods of mathematical planning.

  7. Symmetrical synergy of hybrid Co9S8-MoSx electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction

    KAUST Repository

    Zhou, Xiaofeng; Yang, Xiulin; Hedhili, Mohamed N.; Li, Henan; Min, Shixiong; Ming, Jun; Huang, Kuo-Wei; Zhang, Wenjing; Li, Lain-Jong

    2017-01-01

    There exists a strong demand to replace expensive noble metal catalysts with efficient and earth-abundant catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Recently the Co- and Mo-based sulfides such as CoS2, Co9S8, and MoSx have been considered

  8. Nickel/cobalt layered double hydroxide hollow microspheres with hydrangea-like morphology for high-performance supercapacitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tao, Yan; Ruiyi, Li; Tingting, Yang; Zaijun, Li

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: We report a new template synthesis of nickel/cobalt layered double hydroxides (Ni/Co-LDH) without any adscititious alkali source, oxidant and step for removal of the template. The perfect match between generation rate of Ni/Co-LDH nanoflakes and removal rate of template creates elaborate three-dimensional architecture with well-defined hollow interior and hydrangea-like exterior. The unique structure improves faradaic redox reaction and mass transfer during the redox process, thus the Ni/Co-LDH electrode provides excellent electrochemical performance for supercapacitors. - Highlights: • The study demonstrated a new strategy for template synthesis of Ni/Co-LDH without any adscititious alkali source, oxidant and step for removal of the template. • The perfect match between generation rate of Ni/Co-LDH nanoflakes and removal rate of SiO 2 template create hollow microspheres with hydrangea-like morphology. • The unique structure of Ni/Co-LDH will greatly improve faradaic redox reaction and mass transfer during the redox process. • The Ni/Co-LDH electrode displays high specific capacitance, good charge/discharge capability, large energy density and superior cycle stability. • The study provides a prominent approach to fabricate various hollow nanomaterials for supercapacitors, Li-ion batteries, catalyst and sensors. - Abstract: Electroactive materials with hollow nanostructures received great attractiveness due to large surface area, low density and superior structure permeablity. The paper reported a new template synthesis of nickel/cobalt layered double hydroxides (Ni/Co-LDH) without any adscititious alkali source, oxidant and step for removal of the template. Nickel nitrate, cobalt nitrate and SiO 2 nanosphere were dispersed in an ethanol solution. Then, the mixed soution was heated at 160 °C for 6 h to obtain Ni/Co-LDH product. During the process, ethanol and nitrate underwent a redox reaction releasing hydroxide ions, which will react

  9. Tollen’s reagent assisted synthesis of hollow polyaniline microsphere/Ag nanocomposite and its applications in sugar sensing and electromagnetic shielding

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Panigrahi, R.; Srivastava, S.K., E-mail: sunit@chem.iitkgp.ernet.in

    2015-04-15

    Graphical abstract: Probable scheme to demonstrate the mechanism of PnHMAg showing enhanced EMI shielding compared to PnHM. - Highlights: • Hollow polyaniline microsphere (PnHM) exhibits superior properties due to its enhanced surface to volume ratio. • PnHMAg has been used in developing efficient sensor for the detection of sugar. • Presence of Ag nanoparticles enhances the electrical conductivity of PnHMAg resulting in the improvement of electromagnetic interference shielding in both X- and S-band regions. • Such properties could be harnessed effectively for development of devices for commercial as well as national purposes. - Abstract: The present study is focused on synthesis of polyaniline hollow microspheres (PnHM) nanocomposites of silver (Ag) i.e., PnHMAg by emulsion polymerization of aniline and Tollen’s reagent as a source for Ag nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis of PnHMAg indicated presence of silver nanoparticles dispersed on polyaniline surface. The electrical conductivity of PnHMAg is increased by ∼6 times compared to PnHM. Cyclic voltammogram of PnHM in sugar sensing exhibits characteristics redox peaks at ∼0.09 (sugar) and ∼0.53 V (polyaniline). Interestingly, PnHMAg showed a single peak at ∼−0.18 V with increased intensity (∼5 times) indicating its high sugar sensing ability. PnHMAg also exhibits high shielding efficiency of 19.5 dB (11.2 GHz) due to the presence of highly conducting Ag nanoparticles. TEM studies confirmed that Ag nanoparticles are well distributed on PnHM. As a result, a continuous electronic path is developed due to enhanced interconnectivity of PnHM.

  10. Highly uniform Co_9S_8 nanoparticles grown on graphene nanosheets as advanced anode materials for improved Li-storage performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Shumin; Wang, Jinxian; Wang, Jianwei; Zhang, Feifei; Wang, Limin

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Co_9S_8/graphene nanocomposites were synthesized via a facile solvothermal method followed by thermal treatment in N_2 at 500 °C. • Highly uniform Co_9S_8 nanoparticles with a size of about 80–90 nm are evenly grafted on the surface of GNS. • Such unique Co_9S_8/GNS structure exhibits great electrochemical property, showing great potential as anode materials for LIB. - Abstract: A Co_9S_8/GNS (graphene nanosheets) nanocomposites has been synthesized via a facile solvothermal approach followed by thermal treatment in nitrogen at 500 °C using graphite oxide sheets, CoCl_2·6H_2O and thiourea as the starting materials. Highly uniform Co_9S_8 nanoparticles with a size of about 80–90 nm are evenly grafted on the surface of GNS, forming a unique Co_9S_8/GNS hybrid nanostructure. When evaluated as anode materials for lithium ion batteries, impressive electrochemical performances of the as-prepared nanocomposites are achieved compared to that of pure bulk Co_9S_8, with an high reversible capacity of 1480 mAh g"−"1. Moreover, the as-synthesized nanocomposites present excellent cycling durability and high-rate capability. The improvement in the electrochemical properties could be attributed to the well-designed structure of the Co_9S_8/GNS nanocomposite which possesses large number of accessible active sites for lithium-ion insertion, fast ion diffusion rate and good electronic conductivity.

  11. Novel hollow microspheres of hierarchical zinc-aluminum layered double hydroxides and their enhanced adsorption capacity for phosphate in water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Jiabin; Yang, Siliang; Yu, Jiaguo; Shu, Zhan

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Hierarchical Zn-Al LDHs hollow microspheres were first synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method using urea as precipitating agent. → The morphology of Zn-Al LDHs can be tailored from irregular platelet to hollow microspheres by simply varying concentrations of urea. → The as-prepared samples exhibit high adsorption capacity (54.1-232 mg/g) for phosphate from aqueous solution. - Abstract: Hollow microspheres of hierarchical Zn-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) were synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method using urea as precipitating agent. The morphology and microstructure of the as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. It was found that the morphology of hierarchical Zn-Al LDHs can be tuned from irregular platelets to hollow microspheres by simply varying concentrations of urea. The effects of initial phosphate concentration and contact time on phosphate adsorption using various Zn-Al LDHs and their calcined products (LDOs) were investigated from batch tests. Our results indicate that the equilibrium adsorption data were best fitted by Langmuir isothermal model, with the maximum adsorption capacity of 54.1-232 mg/g; adsorption kinetics follows the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation and intra-particle diffusion model. In addition, Zn-Al LDOs are shown to be effective adsorbents for removing phosphate from aqueous solutions due to their hierarchical porous structures and high specific surface areas.

  12. Method for the production of fabricated hollow microspheroids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wickramanayake, Shan; Luebke, David R.

    2015-06-09

    The method relates to the fabrication of a polymer microspheres comprised of an asymmetric layer surrounding a hollow interior. The fabricated hollow microsphere is generated from a nascent hollow microsphere comprised of an inner core of core fluid surrounded by a dope layer of polymer dope, where the thickness of the dope layer is at least 10% and less than 50% of the diameter of the inner core. The nascent hollow microsphere is exposed to a gaseous environment, generating a vitrified hollow microsphere, which is subsequently immersed in a coagulation bath. Solvent exchange produces a fabricated hollow microsphere comprised of a densified outer skin surrounding a macroporous inner layer, which surrounds a hollow interior. In an embodiment, the polymer is a polyimide or a polyamide-imide, and the non-solvent in the core fluid and the coagulation bath is water. The fabricated hollow microspheres are particularly suited as solvent supports for gas separation processes.

  13. A Quasi-Solid-State Li-Ion Capacitor Based on Porous TiO2 Hollow Microspheres Wrapped with Graphene Nanosheets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Faxing; Wang, Chun; Zhao, Yujuan; Liu, Zaichun; Chang, Zheng; Fu, Lijun; Zhu, Yusong; Wu, Yuping; Zhao, Dongyuan

    2016-12-01

    The quasi-solid-state Li-ion capacitor is demonstrated with graphene nanosheets prepared by an electrochemical exfoliation as the positive electrode and the porous TiO 2 hollow microspheres wrapped with the same graphene nanosheets as the negative electrode, using a Li-ion conducting gel polymer electrolyte. This device may be the key to bridging the gap between conventional lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, meanwhile meeting the safety demands of electronic devices. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Two-Dimensional N,S-Codoped Carbon/Co 9 S 8 Catalysts Derived from Co(OH) 2 Nanosheets for Oxygen Reduction Reaction

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fu, Shaofang [School of Mechanical; Zhu, Chengzhou [School of Mechanical; Song, Junhua [School of Mechanical; Feng, Shuo [School of Mechanical; Du, Dan [School of Mechanical; Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical; Engelhard, Mark H. [Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Xiao, Dongdong [Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Li, Dongsheng [Environmental Molecular Science Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States; Lin, Yuehe [School of Mechanical

    2017-10-12

    Investigation of highly active and cost-efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction is of great importance in a wide range of clean energy devices, including fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Herein, the simultaneous formation of Co9S8 and N,S-codoped carbon was achieved in a dual templates system. First, Co(OH)2 nanosheets and tetraethyl orthosilicate were utilized to direct the formation of two-dimensional carbon precursors, which were then dispersed into thiourea solution. After subsequent pyrolysis and templates removal, N/S-codoped porous carbon sheets confined Co9S8 catalysts (Co9S8/NSC) were obtained. Owing to the morphological and compositional advantages as well as the synergistic effects, the resultant Co9S8/NSC catalysts with modified doping level and pyrolysis degree exhibit superior ORR catalytic activity and long-term stability compared with the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst in alkaline media. Remarkably, the as-prepared carbon composites also reveal exceptional tolerance of methanol, indicating their potential applications in fuel cells.

  15. Statistical analysis on hollow and core-shell structured vanadium oxide microspheres as cathode materials for Lithium ion batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xing Liang

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available In this data, the statistical analyses of vanadium oxide microspheres cathode materials are presented for the research article entitled “Statistical analyses on hollow and core-shell structured vanadium oxides microspheres as cathode materials for Lithium ion batteries” (Liang et al., 2017 [1]. This article shows the statistical analyses on N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm and morphology vanadium oxide microspheres as cathode materials for LIBs. Keywords: Adsorption-desorption isotherm, Pore size distribution, SEM images, TEM images

  16. Co9S8 nanoparticles encapsulated in nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon networks with improved lithium storage properties

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mujtaba, Jawayria; Sun, Hongyu; Huang, Guoyong

    2016-01-01

    We report the designed synthesis of unique Co9S8 nanoparticles encapsulated in nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon networks (Co9S8@NMCN nanocomposites). Uniform zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 was first synthesized and then transformed into Co9S8@NMCN nanocomposites by thermal annealing with sulfu...

  17. Factors influencing the deposition of hydroxyapatite coating onto hollow glass microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiao, Yan; Xiao, Gui-Yong; Xu, Wen-Hua; Zhu, Rui-Fu; Lu, Yu-Peng

    2013-01-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HA) and HA coated microcarriers for cell culture and delivery have attracted more attention recently, owing to the rapid progress in the field of tissue engineering. In this research, a dense and uniform HA coating with the thickness of about 2 μm was successfully deposited on hollow glass microspheres (HGM) by biomimetic process. The influences of SBF concentration, immersion time, solid/liquid ratio and activation of HGM on the deposition rate and coating characteristics were discussed. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR) analyses revealed that the deposited HA is poorly crystalline. The thickness of HA coating showed almost no increase after immersion in 1.5SBF for more than 15 days with the solid/liquid ratio of 1:150. At the same time, SBF concentration, solid/liquid ratio and activation treatment played vital roles in the formation of HA coating on HGM. This poorly crystallized HA coated HGM could have potential use as microcarrier for cell culture. Highlights: • HA coatings were deposited on hollow glass microspheres by biomimetic process. • The obtained HA coating was poorly crystalline and carbonated. • The influencing factors of deposition rate and coating characteristics were studied. • The thickness of HA coating showed almost no increase after immersion for 15 days

  18. Ultem®/ZIF-8 mixed matrix hollow fiber membranes for CO2/N2 separations

    KAUST Repository

    Dai, Ying

    2012-05-01

    Organic-inorganic hybrid (mixed matrix) membranes can potentially extend the separation performance of traditional polymeric materials while maintaining processing convenience. Although many dense films studies have been reported, there have been few reported cases of these materials being successfully extended to asymmetric hollow fibers. In this work we report the first successful production of mixed matrix asymmetric hollow fiber membranes containing metal-organic-framework (MOF) ZIF-8 fillers. Specifically, we have incorporated ZIF-8 into a polyetherimide (Ultem ® 1000) matrix and produced dual-layer asymmetric hollow fiber membranes via the dry jet-wet quench method. The outer separating layer of these composite fibers contains 13wt% (17vol%) of ZIF-8 filler. These membranes have been tested over a range of temperatures and pressures for a variety of gas pairs. An increase in separation performance for the CO 2/N 2 gas pairs was observed for both pure gas and mixed gas feeds. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

  19. Ultem®/ZIF-8 mixed matrix hollow fiber membranes for CO2/N2 separations

    KAUST Repository

    Dai, Ying; Johnson, J.R.; Karvan, Oğuz; Sholl, David S.; Koros, W.J.

    2012-01-01

    Organic-inorganic hybrid (mixed matrix) membranes can potentially extend the separation performance of traditional polymeric materials while maintaining processing convenience. Although many dense films studies have been reported, there have been few reported cases of these materials being successfully extended to asymmetric hollow fibers. In this work we report the first successful production of mixed matrix asymmetric hollow fiber membranes containing metal-organic-framework (MOF) ZIF-8 fillers. Specifically, we have incorporated ZIF-8 into a polyetherimide (Ultem ® 1000) matrix and produced dual-layer asymmetric hollow fiber membranes via the dry jet-wet quench method. The outer separating layer of these composite fibers contains 13wt% (17vol%) of ZIF-8 filler. These membranes have been tested over a range of temperatures and pressures for a variety of gas pairs. An increase in separation performance for the CO 2/N 2 gas pairs was observed for both pure gas and mixed gas feeds. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

  20. Three-dimensional MnO{sub 2} porous hollow microspheres for enhanced activity as ozonation catalysts in degradation of bisphenol A

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tan, Xiuqin; Wan, Yifeng; Huang, Yajing [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); He, Chun, E-mail: hechun@mail.sysu.edu.cn [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution Control and Remediation Technology, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Zhang, Zaili; He, Zhuoyan; Hu, Lingling; Zeng, Jiawei [School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275 (China); Shu, Dong, E-mail: dshu@scnu.edu.cn [Key Lab of Technology on Electrochemical Energy Storage and Power Generation in Guangdong Universities, School of Chemistry and Environment, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510006 (China)

    2017-01-05

    Highlights: • 3D MnO{sub 2} porous hollow microspheres (PHMSs) are prepared by a self-template process. • MnO{sub 2} PHMSs with excellent adsorption and catalytic ozonation performance for BPA. • MnO{sub 2} PHMSs show enhanced activity due to hollow-mesoporous shell spherical structure. • O{sub 2}{sup −} and ·OH are reactive species to induce effective catalytic ozonation of BPA. - Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) MnO{sub 2} porous hollow microspheres (δ- and α- MnO{sub 2} PHMSs), with high adsorption and catalytic ozonation performance, were synthesized by a self-template (MnCO{sub 3} microspheres) process at room temperature. The synthesized MnO{sub 2} PHMSs were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area. The results showed that PHMSs exhibit the excellent adsorption ability and catalytic activity owning to their hollow spherical structure, mesoporous shell and well-defined interior voids, leading to the strong adsorption for bisphenol A (BPA) and the retention of O{sub 3} molecules on catalyst. Moreover, the catalytic performance of α-MnO{sub 2} PHMSs was better than that of δ-MnO{sub 2} PHMSs which was attributed to the richer lattice oxygen of α-MnO{sub 2} PHMSs to accelerate O{sub 3} decomposition by producing more reactive oxidative species. The degradation efficiency of BPA using 3D α-MnO{sub 2} PHMSs was more than 90% in the presence of ozone within 30 min reaction time. The probe tests for reactive oxidative species (ROSs) displayed that BPA degradation by catalytic ozonation is dominated by ·O{sub 2}{sup −} and ·OH in our present study. Furthermore, the organic compounds as intermediates of the degradation process were identified by LC/MS.

  1. Vertically Aligned Co9 S8 Nanotube Arrays onto Graphene Papers as High-Performance Flexible Electrodes for Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Dongbin; Li, Xifei; Bai, Zhimin; Li, Jianwei; Han, Yan; Li, Dejun

    2018-02-16

    Paper-like electrodes are emerging as a new category of advanced electrodes for flexible supercapacitors (SCs). Graphene, a promising two-dimensional material with high conductivity, can be easily processed into papers. Here, we report a rational design of flexible architecture with Co 9 S 8 nanotube arrays (NAs) grown onto graphene paper (GP) via a facile two-step hydrothermal method. When employed as flexible free-standing electrode for SCs, the proposed architectured Co 9 S 8 /GPs exhibits superior electrochemical performance with ultrahigh capacitance and outstanding rate capability (469 F g -1 at 10 A g -1 ). These results demonstrate that the new nanostructured Co 9 S 8 /GPs can be potentially applied in high performance flexible supercapacitors. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  2. Facile Synthesis of Flowerlike LiFe5O8 Microspheres for Electrochemical Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Ying; Dong, Jingjing; Dai, Jingjing; Wang, Jingping; Yang, Haibo; Zong, Hanwen

    2017-12-18

    Facile synthesis of porous and hollow spinel materials is very urgent due to their extensive applications in the field of energy storage. In present work, flowerlike porous LiFe 5 O 8 microspheres etched for 15, 30, and 45 min (named as p-LFO-15, p-LFO-30, and p-LFO-45, respectively) are successfully synthesized through a facile chemical etching method based on bulk LiFe 5 O 8 (LFO) particles as precursors, and they are applied as electrode materials for high-performance electrochemical capacitors. In particular, the specific surface area of p-LFO-45 reaches 46.13 m 2 g -1 , which is 112 times greater than that of the unetched counterpart. Therefore, the p-LFO-45 electrode can achieve a higher capacitance of 278 F g -1 at a scan rate of 5 mV s -1 than the unetched counterpart. Furthermore, the p-LFO-45 electrode presents a good cycling stability with 78.3% of capacitive retention after 2000 cycles, which is much higher than that of the unetched LFO particles (66%). Therefore, the flowerlike porous LFO microspheres are very promising candidate materials for supercapacitor applications.

  3. TiO_2 hierarchical hollow microspheres with different size for application as anodes in high-performance lithium storage

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Xiaobing; Meng, Qiuxia; Wang, Yuanyuan; Liang, Huijun; Bai, Zhengyu; Wang, Kui; Lou, Xiangdong; Cai, Bibo; Yang, Lin

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: In the application of lithium-ion batteries, the influences of microsphere sizes are more significant than the secondary nanoparticles size and crystallinity of TiO_2-HSs for their transfer resistance and cycling performance, so that the bigger sizes of TiO_2-HSs can retain high reversible capacities after 30 recycles. - Highlights: • Hierarchical hollow microspheres have size-effect in the application of lithium ion battery. • The microsphere sizes can significantly affect the cycling capacities of TiO_2. • The nanoparticles size affect the initial discharge capacity and lithium ion diffusion. • Controlled microsphere size is more significant for improving TiO_2 cycling capacities. - Abstract: Nowadays, the safety issue has greatly hindered the development of large capacity lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), especially in electric vehicles applications. TiO_2 is a kind of potential anode candidate for improving the safety of LIBs. However, it still needs to understand how to improve the performance of TiO_2 anode in the practical applications. Herein, we design a contrast experiment by using three sizes of TiO_2 hierarchical hollow microspheres (TiO_2-HSs). The research results indicated that the cycling performance of TiO_2-HSs anode can be affected by the size of microspheres, and the nanoparticles size of microspheres and crystallinity of TiO_2 can affect their initial discharge capacity and lithium ion diffusion. And, the influence of microspheres size is more significant. This may provide a new strategy for improving the lithium-ion storage property of TiO_2 anode material in the practical applications.

  4. A self-template and self-activation co-coupling green strategy to synthesize high surface area ternary-doped hollow carbon microspheres for high performance supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Meng; Fu, Jianwei; Wang, Minghuan; Wang, Kai; Wang, Shaomin; Wang, Zhiwei; Chen, Zhimin; Xu, Qun

    2018-04-06

    Development of facile and cost-effective routes to achieve hierarchical porous and heteroatoms-doped carbon architectures is urgently needed for high-performance supercapacitor application. In our study, ternary-doped (nitrogen, phosphorus and oxygen) hollow carbon microspheres (NPO-HCSs) are fabricated by one-step pyrolysis of single poly(cyclotriphosphazene-co-phloroglucinol) (PCPP) microsphere, which is generated through a facile polymerization between hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene and phloroglucinol at mild conditions. The whole preparation process is not used any additional template or activating agent. The obtained NPO-HCS-950 with average diameter of 580 nm and shell thickness of about 80 nm have a high specific surface area (2390 m 2  g -1 ), a large pore volume (1.35 cm 3  g -1 ), hierarchically interconnected pore texture, and uniform ternary heteroatom doping (O: 3.04 at%; N: 1.33 at% and P: 0.67 at%). As an electrode material for supercapacitors, the specific capacitance of the NPO-HCS-950 reaches 253 F g -1 of 1 A g - 1 and 176 F g -1 at 20 A g -1 , revealing superior rate performance. The capacity retention after 10,000 consecutive charge-discharge cycles at 20 A g -1 is up to 98.9%, demonstrating excellent cycling stability. Moreover, the assembled symmetric supercapacitor using NPO-HCS-950 exhibits a relatively high energy density of 17.6 W h kg -1 at a power density of 800 W kg -1 . Thus, a promising electrode material for high-performance supercapacitors is obtained through a facile, green and scalable synthesis route. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Self-sacrifice Template Formation of Hollow Hetero-Ni7S6/Co3S4 Nanoboxes with Intriguing Pseudo-capacitance for High-performance Electrochemical Capacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hua, Hui; Liu, Sijia; Chen, Zhiyi; Bao, Ruiqi; Shi, Yaoyao; Hou, Linrui; Pang, Gang; Hui, Kwun Nam; Zhang, Xiaogang; Yuan, Changzhou

    2016-02-01

    Herein, we report a simple yet efficient self-sacrifice template protocol to smartly fabricate hollow hetero-Ni7S6/Co3S4 nanoboxes (Ni-Co-S NBs). Uniform nickel cobalt carbonate nanocubes are first synthesized as the precursor via solvothermal strategy, and subsequently chemically sulfidized into hollow heter-Ni-Co-S NBs through anion-exchange process. When evaluated as electrode for electrochemical capacitors (ECs), the resultant hetero-Ni-Co-S NBs visually exhibit attractive pesudo-capacitance in KOH just after continuously cyclic voltammetry (CV) scanning for 100 cycles. New insights into the underlying energy-storage mechanism of the hollow hetero-Ni-Co-S electrode, based on physicochemical characterizations and electrochemical evaluation, are first put forward that the electrochemically induced phase transformation gradually occurrs during CV sweep from the hetero-Ni-Co-S to bi-component-active NiOOH and CoOOH, which are the intrinsic charge-storage phases for the appealing Faradaic capacitance (~677 F g-1 at 4 A g-1) of hollow Ni-Co-S NBs at high rates after cycling. When further coupled with negative activated carbon (AC), the AC//hetero-Ni-Co-S asymmetric device with extended electrochemical window of 1.5 V demonstrates high specific energy density of ~31 Wh kg-1. Of significance, we strongly envision that hollow design concept and new findings here hold great promise for enriching synthetic methodologies, and electrochemistry of complex metal sulfides for next-generation ECs.

  6. Multiwalled carbon nanotube@a-C@Co9S8 nanocomposites: a high-capacity and long-life anode material for advanced lithium ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Yanli; Yan, Dong; Xu, Huayun; Liu, Shuo; Yang, Jian; Qian, Yitai

    2015-02-01

    A one-dimensional MWCNT@a-C@Co9S8 nanocomposite has been prepared via a facile solvothermal reaction followed by a calcination process. The amorphous carbon layer between Co9S8 and MWCNT acts as a linker to increase the loading of sulfides on MWCNT. When evaluated as anode materials for lithium ion batteries, the MWCNT@a-C@Co9S8 nanocomposite shows the advantages of high capacity and long life, superior to Co9S8 nanoparticles and MWCNT@Co9S8 nanocomposites. The reversible capacity could be retained at 662 mA h g-1 after 120 cycles at 1 A g-1. The efficient synthesis and excellent performances of this nanocomposite offer numerous opportunities for other sulfides as a new anode for lithium ion batteries.A one-dimensional MWCNT@a-C@Co9S8 nanocomposite has been prepared via a facile solvothermal reaction followed by a calcination process. The amorphous carbon layer between Co9S8 and MWCNT acts as a linker to increase the loading of sulfides on MWCNT. When evaluated as anode materials for lithium ion batteries, the MWCNT@a-C@Co9S8 nanocomposite shows the advantages of high capacity and long life, superior to Co9S8 nanoparticles and MWCNT@Co9S8 nanocomposites. The reversible capacity could be retained at 662 mA h g-1 after 120 cycles at 1 A g-1. The efficient synthesis and excellent performances of this nanocomposite offer numerous opportunities for other sulfides as a new anode for lithium ion batteries. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Infrared spectrogram (IR) of glucose treated MWCNT; TEM images of MWCNT@a-C treated by different concentrations of glucose; SEM and TEM images of the intermediate product obtained from the solvothermal reaction between thiourea and Co(Ac)2; EDS spectrum of MWCNT@a-C@Co9S8 composites; SEM and TEM images of MWCNT@Co9S8 nanocomposites obtained without the hydrothermal treatment by glucose; SEM and TEM images of Co9S8 nanoparticles; Galvanostatic discharge-charge profiles and cycling performance of MWCNT@a-C; TEM images

  7. Building Honeycomb-Like Hollow Microsphere Architecture in a Bubble Template Reaction for High-Performance Lithium-Rich Layered Oxide Cathode Materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhaoyong; Yan, Xiaoyan; Xu, Ming; Cao, Kaifeng; Zhu, Huali; Li, Lingjun; Duan, Junfei

    2017-09-13

    In the family of high-performance cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries, lithium-rich layered oxides come out in front because of a high reversible capacity exceeding 250 mAh g -1 . However, the long-term energy retention and high energy densities for lithium-rich layered oxide cathode materials require a stable structure with large surface areas. Here we propose a "bubble template" reaction to build "honeycomb-like" hollow microsphere architecture for a Li 1.2 Mn 0.52 Ni 0.2 Co 0.08 O 2 cathode material. Our material is designed with ca. 8-μm-sized secondary particles with hollow and highly exposed porous structures that promise a large flexible volume to achieve superior structure stability and high rate capability. Our preliminary electrochemical experiments show a high capacity of 287 mAh g -1 at 0.1 C and a capacity retention of 96% after 100 cycles at 1.0 C. Furthermore, the rate capability is superior without any other modifications, reaching 197 mAh g -1 at 3.0 C with a capacity retention of 94% after 100 cycles. This approach may shed light on a new material engineering for high-performance cathode materials.

  8. Hierarchical Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 hollow spherical as cathode material for Li-ion battery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yu; Zhu, Tianjiao; Lin, Liu; Yuan, Mengwei; Li, Huifeng; Sun, Genban; Ma, Shulan

    2017-11-01

    Lithium-rich manganese-based layered materials have been considered as the most promising cathode materials for future high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries. However, a great loss of irreversible capacity at the initial cycle, poor cycle stability, and rate performance severely restrict its application. Herein, we develop a new strategy to synthesize hierarchical hollow Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 microspheres using sucrose and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide as a soft template combined with hydrothermal assisted homogeneous precipitation method. The hollow microspheres are assembled by the primary particles with the size of 50 nm. As a result, the as-prepared material exhibits high reversible capacity, good cycling stability, and excellent rate property. It delivers a high initial discharge capacity of 305.9 mAh g-1 at 28 mA g-1 with coulombic efficiency of 80%. Even at high current density of 560 mA g-1, the sample also shows a stable discharge capacity of 215 mAh g-1. The enhanced electrochemical properties are attributed to the stable hierarchical hollow sphere structure and the appropriate contact area between electrode and electrolyte, thus effectively improve the lithium-ion intercalation and deintercalation kinetics. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  9. Facile synthesis of Co3O4 nanowires grown on hollow NiO microspheres with superior electrochemical performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan, Meiqing; Ren, Bo; Yu, Lei; Song, Dalei; Liu, Qi; Liu, Jingyuan; Wang, Jun; Jing, Xiaoyan; Liu, Lianhe

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • The NiO hollow spheres were decorated by Co 3 O 4 nanowires. • The NiO hollow spheres were comprised of many NiO particles. • The Co 3 O 4 nanowires were composed of nanoparticles. • The NiO/Co 3 O 4 core/shell nanocomposites have good electrochemical properties. - Abstract: The NiO/Co 3 O 4 core/shell composites as a promising supercapacitor material have been fabricated by facile hydrothermal process. The structure and morphology of the NiO/Co 3 O 4 core/shell composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results indicated that the NiO hollow spheres were decorated by Co 3 O 4 nanowires, and the nanowires were composed of nanoparticles. Electrochemical properties were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results suggested that the NiO/Co 3 O 4 core/shell composites had good electrochemical reversibility and displayed superior capacitive performance with large capacitance (510 F g −1 ). Moreover, NiO/Co 3 O 4 core/shell composites showed excellent cyclic performanceafter 1000 cycles

  10. Rational Construction of Uniform CoNi-Based Core-Shell Microspheres with Tunable Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Na; Jiang, Jian-Tang; Xu, Cheng-Yan; Yan, Shao-Jiu; Zhen, Liang

    2018-02-16

    Core-shell particles with integration of ferromagnetic core and dielectric shell are attracting extensive attention for promising microwave absorption applications. In this work, CoNi microspheres with conical bulges were synthesized by a simple and scalable liquid-phase reduction method. Subsequent coating of dielectric materials was conducted to acquire core-shell structured CoNi@TiO 2 composite particles, in which the thickness of TiO 2 is about 40 nm. The coating of TiO 2 enables the absorption band of CoNi to effectively shift from K u to S band, and endows CoNi@TiO 2 microspheres with outstanding electromagnetic wave absorption performance along with a maximum reflection loss of 76.6 dB at 3.3 GHz, much better than that of bare CoNi microspheres (54.4 dB at 17.8 GHz). The enhanced EMA performance is attributed to the unique core-shell structures, which can induce dipole polarization and interfacial polarization, and tune the dielectric properties to achieve good impedance matching. Impressively, TiO 2 coating endows the composites with better microwave absorption capability than CoNi@SiO 2 microspheres. Compared with SiO 2 , TiO 2 dielectric shells could protect CoNi microspheres from merger and agglomeration during annealed. These results indicate that CoNi@TiO 2 core-shell microspheres can serve as high-performance absorbers for electromagnetic wave absorbing application.

  11. Chemical grafting of Co9S8 onto C60 for hydrogen spillover and storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Lu; Qin, Wei; Zhou, Jia; Jian, Jiahuang; Lu, Songtao; Wu, Xiaohong; Fan, Guohua; Gao, Peng; Liu, Boyu

    2017-04-20

    Metal modified C 60 is considered to be a potential hydrogen storage medium due to its high theoretical capacity. Research interest is growing in various hybrid inorganic compounds-C 60 . While the design and synthesis of a novel hybrid inorganic compound-C 60 is difficult to attain, it has been theorized that the atomic hydrogen could transfer from the inorganic compound to the adjacent C 60 surfaces via spillover and surface diffusion. Here, as a proof of concept experiment, we graft Co 9 S 8 onto C 60 via a facile high energy ball milling process. The Raman, XPS, XRD, TEM, HTEM and EELS measurements have been conducted to evaluate the composition and structure of the pizza-like hybrid material. In addition, the electrochemical measurements and calculated results demonstrate that the chemical "bridges" (C-S bonds) between these two materials enhance the binding strength and, hence, facilitate the hydriding reaction of C 60 during the hydrogen storage process. As a result, an increased hydrogen storage capacity of 4.03 wt% is achieved, along with a favorable cycling stability of ∼80% after 50 cycles. Excluding the direct hydrogen storage contribution from Co 9 S 8 in the hybrid paper, the hydrogen storage ability of C 60 was enhanced by 5.9× through the hydriding reaction caused by the Co 9 S 8 modifier. Based on these experimental measurements and theoretical calculations, the unique chemical structure reported here could potentially inspire other C 60 -based advanced hybrids.

  12. Highly uniform Co{sub 9}S{sub 8} nanoparticles grown on graphene nanosheets as advanced anode materials for improved Li-storage performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Shumin [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, CAS, Changchun 130022 (China); School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022 (China); Wang, Jinxian, E-mail: wjx87@sina.com [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, CAS, Changchun 130022 (China); School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Changchun 130022 (China); Wang, Jianwei; Zhang, Feifei [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, CAS, Changchun 130022 (China); University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wang, Limin, E-mail: lmwang@ciac.ac.cn [State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, CAS, Changchun 130022 (China)

    2016-12-30

    Highlights: • Co{sub 9}S{sub 8}/graphene nanocomposites were synthesized via a facile solvothermal method followed by thermal treatment in N{sub 2} at 500 °C. • Highly uniform Co{sub 9}S{sub 8} nanoparticles with a size of about 80–90 nm are evenly grafted on the surface of GNS. • Such unique Co{sub 9}S{sub 8}/GNS structure exhibits great electrochemical property, showing great potential as anode materials for LIB. - Abstract: A Co{sub 9}S{sub 8}/GNS (graphene nanosheets) nanocomposites has been synthesized via a facile solvothermal approach followed by thermal treatment in nitrogen at 500 °C using graphite oxide sheets, CoCl{sub 2}·6H{sub 2}O and thiourea as the starting materials. Highly uniform Co{sub 9}S{sub 8} nanoparticles with a size of about 80–90 nm are evenly grafted on the surface of GNS, forming a unique Co{sub 9}S{sub 8}/GNS hybrid nanostructure. When evaluated as anode materials for lithium ion batteries, impressive electrochemical performances of the as-prepared nanocomposites are achieved compared to that of pure bulk Co{sub 9}S{sub 8}, with an high reversible capacity of 1480 mAh g{sup −1}. Moreover, the as-synthesized nanocomposites present excellent cycling durability and high-rate capability. The improvement in the electrochemical properties could be attributed to the well-designed structure of the Co{sub 9}S{sub 8}/GNS nanocomposite which possesses large number of accessible active sites for lithium-ion insertion, fast ion diffusion rate and good electronic conductivity.

  13. Controlled Synthesis of Heterostructured SnO2-CuO Composite Hollow Microspheres as Efficient Cu-Based Catalysts for the Rochow Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hezhi Liu

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available In this work, we report the design and synthesis of a series of heterostructured SnO2-CuO hollow microspherical catalysts (H-SnO2(x-CuO, x is the weight ratio of Sn/Cu for the Rochow reaction. The microspherical catalysts with nanosheets and nanoparticles as building blocks were prepared by a facile one-pot hydrothermal method coupled with calcination. When tested for the Rochow reaction, the prepared H-SnO2(0.2-CuO composite exhibited higher dimethyldichlorosilane selectivity (88.2% and Si conversion (36.7% than the solid CuO, hollow CuO and other H-SnO2(x-CuO microspherical samples, because in the former there is a stronger synergistic interaction between CuO and SnO2.

  14. Chemical Modifications of Hollow Silica Microspheres for the Removal of Organic Pollutants in Simulated Wastewater

    KAUST Repository

    Torano, Aniela Zarzar

    2017-05-01

    Aqueous industrial effluents containing organic pollutants, such as textile dyes and crude oil, represent environmental and human health concerns due to their toxicity and possible carcinogenic effects. Adsorption is the most promising wastewater treatment method due to its efficiency, ease of operation, and low cost. However, currently used adsorbents have either high regeneration costs or low adsorption capacities. In this work, new organic/inorganic hybrids based on hollow silica microspheres were successfully synthesized, and their ability to remove Methylene Blue from wastewater and crude oil from simulated produced water was evaluated. By employing four different silanes, namely triethoxy (octyl) silane, triethoxy (dodecyl) silane, trichloro (octadecyl) silane, and triethoxy (pentafluorophenyl) silane, hydro and fluorocarbons were grafted onto the surface of commercially available silica microspheres. These silica derivatives were tested as adsorbents by exposing them to Methylene Blue aqueous solutions and synthetic produced water. Absorbance and oil concentration were measured via a UV/Vis Spectrophotometer and an HD-1000 Oil-in-Water Analyzer respectively. Methylene Blue uptake experiments showed that increasing the adsorbent dosage and decreasing initial dye concentration might increase adsorption percentage. On the other hand, adsorption capacities were improved with lower adsorbent dosages and higher initial dye concentrations. Varying the initial solution pH, from pH 5 to pH 9, and increasing ionic strength did not seem to have a significant impact on the extent of adsorption of Methylene Blue. Overall, the silica derivative containing aromatic functional groups, Caro, was proven to be the most effective adsorbent due to the presence of π-π and cation-π interactions in addition to the van der Waals and hydrophobic interactions occurring with all four adsorbents. Although the Langmuir Model did not accurately represent the equilibrium data, it

  15. Synthesis and electrochemical properties of porous double-shelled Mn2O3 hollow microspheres as a superior anode material for lithium ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qiao, Yu; Yu, Yan; Jin, Yi; Guan, Yi-Biao; Chen, Chun-Hua

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Double-shelled Mn 2 O 3 hollow microspheres are prepared by a multi-step. • synthesis procedure. • Solid, hollow and yolk-structured Mn 2 O 3 spheres are prepared for comparison. • The double-shelled hollow Mn 2 O 3 is superior in electrochemical properties. - Abstract: By means of a specially designed multi-step synthesis procedure involving steps of precipitation, controlled oxidation, selective etching and calcination, porous double-shelled Mn 2 O 3 hollow microspheres are synthesized. Solid, hollow and yolk-structured Mn 2 O 3 are also similarly synthesized for comparison. X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller measurements are employed to investigate their structures and compositions. Galvanostatic cell cycling and impedance spectroscopy are used to characterize the electrochemical properties of Mn 2 O 3 /Li cells. The results show that the hierarchical hollow structured (double-shelled, hollow and yolk-structured) Mn 2 O 3 anode materials deliver higher reversible capacities and excellent cycling stabilities than the solid Mn 2 O 3 . Moreover, among the three hierarchical hollow structured samples, the double shelled sample possesses the best cycling performance, especially at a high current density

  16. TEOA-mediated formation of hollow core-shell structured CoNi2S4 nanospheres as a high-performance electrode material for supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Jun; Li, Meng; Chai, Yao; Luo, Min; Li, Li

    2017-09-01

    In this study, we report for the first time a cost-effective and general approach for the high-yield synthesis of a hierarchical core-shell and hollow structure of ternary CoNi2S4 in a triethanolamine (TEOA)-assisted hydrothermal system. It is found that a continuous increase in TEOA usages facilitates the formation and transformation of hierarchical CoNi2S4 hollow nanospheres, and the formation mechanism of the unique structure is revealed to be assembly-then-inside-out evacuation and Ostwald ripening mechanism during the sulfidation process. More importantly, when used as faradaic electrode for supercapacitors, the hierarchical hollow CoNi2S4 nanospheres display not only exceptional pseudocapacitve performance with high specific capacitance (2035 Fg-1 at 1 Ag-1) and excellent rate capability (1215 Fg-1 at 20 Ag-1), but also superior cycling stability, with only about 8.7% loss over 3000 cycles at 10 Ag-1. This work can provide some guidance for us in the structural and compositional tuning of mixed binary-metal sulfides toward many desired applications.

  17. A hierarchically assembled mesoporous ZnO hemisphere array and hollow microspheres for photocatalytic membrane water filtration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Jia Hong; Zhang, Xiwang; Du, Alan J; Bai, Hongwei; Ng, Jiawei; Sun, Darren

    2012-05-28

    A mesoporous ZnO hemisphere array has been prepared via a topotactic transition of Zn(4)(OH)(6)CO(3)·H(2)O (ZCHH) by chemical bath deposition. Each hemisphere is comprised of a radially oriented nanoflake shell grown on the hemispherical interior. Reaction time-dependent SEM analysis shows that the morphological formation of ZCHH involves a deposition-growth-secondary growth-redeposition procedure. Upon calcination, ZCHH readily decomposes to nanocrystalline wurtzite-phase ZnO without significant change in morphology, and the release of CO(2) and H(2)O from ZCHH creates an additional mesoporous structure in both hemispherical interior and nanoflake shell. A similar process but without using a substrate has been developed for synthesis of mesoporous ZnO hollow microspheres in powder form. Both the elaborated superstructured photocatalysts consisting of mesoporous nanoflakes have been demonstrated to exhibit excellent performances in the photocatalytic membrane filtration.

  18. The high surface energy of NiO {110} facets incorporated into TiO{sub 2} hollow microspheres by etching Ti plate for enhanced photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Jian; Cui, Hongzhi, E-mail: cuihongzhi1965@163.com; Song, Xiaojie; Wei, Na; Tian, Jian, E-mail: jiantian@sdust.edu.cn

    2017-02-28

    Highlights: • NiO/TiO{sub 2} hollow microspheres were fabricated by etching Ti plate. • The incorporated NiO nanoparticles exposed high surface energy {110} facets. • The p–n junction catalysts improved photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic activity. • Using this synthesis strategy, other mixed semiconducting metal oxide microspheres. - Abstract: We present a rational design for the controllable synthesis of NiO/TiO{sub 2} hollow microspheres (NTHMs) with Ti plate via a one-pot template-free synthesis strategy. Specifically, to enhance the formation of hollow microspheres, part of the titanium source is provided by the Ti plate. The hollow spherical NiO/TiO{sub 2} particles possess unique microstructural characteristics, namely, a higher specific surface area (∼65.82 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}), a larger mesoporous structure (∼7.79 nm), and hierarchical nanoarchitectures connected with mesopores within the shell (monodispersed size of ∼1 μm and shell thickness of ∼80 nm). In addition, as a cocatalyst for improved catalytic activity, the incorporated NiO nanoparticles with exposed high surface energy {110} facets displayed an outstanding performance. It has been proven that this facile nanostructure possesses remarkably high photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic activities. The main mechanism for enhancement of photocatalytic activity is attributed to the construction of p-n junctions with an inner electric field between TiO{sub 2} and NiO, which can dramatically enhance the separation efficiency of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs. This strategy could be applied to fabricate mixed metal oxide hollow microspheres toward the photoelectrochemical catalysis.

  19. Facile dicyandiamide-mediated fabrication of well-defined CuO hollow microspheres and their catalytic application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Shengyang; Wang Caifeng; Chen Li; Chen Su

    2010-01-01

    Nearly monodisperse CuO hollow microspheres were successfully synthesized by a straightforward one-pot hydrothermal approach using dicyandiamide (DDA) as structure-guiding agent. The composition, structure and morphology of the products were investigated in detail, via a set of characterizations including X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The results demonstrated that different copper sources and experimental procedures would significantly affect the shape or size of CuO products. A possible formation mechanism of CuO microspheres in this process was thoroughly discussed. Also, some other novel CuO microstructures were fabricated based on DDA-mediated synthetic route. DSC/TGA analysis revealed that as-prepared CuO microspheres can be explored as a promising additive to accelerate the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate, a key oxidizer in composite solid propellants.

  20. Microradiographic microsphere manipulator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singleton, R.M.

    1980-01-01

    A method and apparatus are provided for radiographic characterization of small hollow spherical members (microspheres), constructed of either optically transparent or opaque materials. The apparatus involves a microsphere manipulator which holds a batch of microspheres between two parallel thin plastic films for contact microradiographic characterization or projection microradiography thereof. One plastic film is translated to relative to and parallel to the other to roll the microspheres through any desired angle to allow different views of the microspheres

  1. Facile synthesis of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}@ porous hollow yeast-based carbonaceous microspheres for fluorescent whitening agent-VBL wastewater treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zheng, Pei; Tong, Zhiqing [College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Chang' an University, Xi' an 710054 (China); Bai, Bo, E-mail: baibochina@163.com [Key Laboratory of Tibetan Medicine Research, Northwest Plateau Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810001 (China)

    2016-03-15

    Porous hollow carbonaceous microspheres (PHCMs) fabricated from yeast cells by hydrothermal treatment have stimulated interest because of their outstanding chemical and physical properties. Herein, the functionalizations of PHCMs by further coating of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles onto the surface were carried out. The structure of resulted α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}@PHCMs products were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and BET specific surface area measurements (BET), respectively. Its promising application was evaluated by the Fenton-like degradation of fluorescent whitening agent-VBL from aqueous solutions. - Graphical abstract: In this work, novel α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}@porous hollow carbonaceous microspheres (α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}@PHCMs) were synthesized through a combination of hydrothermal method and calcinations route and achieved excellent removal efficiency for fluorescent whitening Agent-VBL. - Highlights: • The hybrid α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}@ porous hollow microspheres (PHCMs) were firstly fabricated. • The formation mechanism of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}@PHCMs microspheres was proposed and verified. • Dithizone played a key role in the synthesis of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}@PHCMs composites. • A favorable removal for the fluorescent whitening agent-VBL were achieved.

  2. Embedding of Hollow Polymer Microspheres with Hydrophilic Shell in Nafion Matrix as Proton and Water Micro-Reservoir

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhaolin Liu

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Assimilating hydrophilic hollow polymer spheres (HPS into Nafion matrix by a loading of 0.5 wt % led to a restructured hydrophilic channel, composed of the pendant sulfonic acid groups (–SO3H and the imbedded hydrophilic hollow spheres. The tiny hydrophilic hollow chamber was critical to retaining moisture and facilitating proton transfer in the composite membranes. To obtain such a tiny cavity structure, the synthesis included selective generation of a hydrophilic polymer shell on silica microsphere template and the subsequent removal of the template by etching. The hydrophilic HPS (100–200 nm possessed two different spherical shells, the styrenic network with pendant sulfonic acid groups and with methacrylic acid groups, respectively. By behaving as microreservoirs of water, the hydrophilic HPS promoted the Grotthus mechanism and, hence, enhanced proton transport efficiency through the inter-sphere path. In addition, the HPS with the –SO3H borne shell played a more effective role than those with the –CO2H borne shell in augmenting proton transport, in particular under low humidity or at medium temperatures. Single H2-PEMFC test at 70 °C using dry H2/O2 further verified the impactful role of hydrophilic HPS in sustaining higher proton flux as compared to pristine Nafion membrane.

  3. U3O8 microspheres sintering kinetics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Godoy, A.L.E.

    1986-01-01

    U 3 O 8 microspheres sintering kinetics was determined using a hot-stage optical microscopy apparatus, able to reach temperature up to 1350 0 C in controlled atmospheres. The sintered material had its microstructure analysed by optical and electron microscopy. The microspheres were characterized initialy utilizing X-ray diffractometry and thermogravimetry. The equation which describes the microspheres shrinkage in function of the time was obtained using finite difference analysis X-ray diffractometry indicated hexagonal structure for the microspheres main starting material, ammonium diuranate thermogravimetric analysis showed reduction of this material to U 3 O 8 at 600 0 C. Ceramography results showed 5 hours sintered microspheres grain sizes G vary with the temperature. Sintered U 3 O 8 micrographs compared with published results for UO 2 , indicate similar homogeneity microstructural characteristics and suggest the processed micorspheres to be potentially useful as nuclear fuels. (Author) [pt

  4. Cauliflower-like SnO2 hollow microspheres as anode and carbon fiber as cathode for high performance quantum dot and dye-sensitized solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganapathy, Veerappan; Kong, Eui-Hyun; Park, Yoon-Cheol; Jang, Hyun Myung; Rhee, Shi-Woo

    2014-02-01

    Cauliflower-like tin oxide (SnO2) hollow microspheres (HMS) sensitized with multilayer quantum dots (QDs) as photoanode and alternative stable, low-cost counter electrode are employed for the first time in QD-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). Cauliflower-like SnO2 hollow spheres mainly consist of 50 nm-sized agglomerated nanoparticles; they possess a high internal surface area and light scattering in between the microspheres and shell layers. This makes them promising photoanode material for both QDSCs and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method and chemical bath deposition (CBD) are used for QD-sensitizing the SnO2 microspheres. Additionally, carbon-nanofiber (CNF) with a unique structure is used as an alternative counter electrode (CE) and compared with the standard platinum (Pt) CE. Their electrocatalytic properties are measured using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and Tafel-polarization. Under 1 sun illumination, solar cells made with hollow SnO2 photoanode sandwiched with the stable CNF CE showed a power conversion efficiency of 2.5% in QDSCs and 3.0% for DSCs, which is quite promising with the standard Pt CE (QDSCs: 2.1%, and DSCs: 3.6%).Cauliflower-like tin oxide (SnO2) hollow microspheres (HMS) sensitized with multilayer quantum dots (QDs) as photoanode and alternative stable, low-cost counter electrode are employed for the first time in QD-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs). Cauliflower-like SnO2 hollow spheres mainly consist of 50 nm-sized agglomerated nanoparticles; they possess a high internal surface area and light scattering in between the microspheres and shell layers. This makes them promising photoanode material for both QDSCs and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) method and chemical bath deposition (CBD) are used for QD-sensitizing the SnO2 microspheres. Additionally, carbon-nanofiber (CNF) with a

  5. One-pot hydrothermal synthesis of hollow Fe3O4 microspheres assembled with nanoparticles for lithium-ion battery anodes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, Yanguo; Wang, Xiaoliang; Ma, Wuming

    2016-01-01

    Hollow Fe3O4 microspheres assembled with nanoparticles were successfully synthesized without the addition of any templates or subsequent treatments. When used as the anode materials for lithium-ion battery (LIB), the products showed good lithium storage properties, demonstrating their promising...

  6. Gram-scale synthesis of catalytic Co9S8 nanocrystal ink as a cathode material for spray-deposited, large-area dye-sensitized solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Shu-Hao; Lu, Ming-De; Tung, Yung-Liang; Tuan, Hsing-Yu

    2013-10-22

    We report the development of Co9S8 nanocrystals as a cost-effective cathode material that can be readily combined with spraying techniques to fabricate large-area dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) devices and can be further connected with series or parallel cell architectures to obtain a relatively high output voltage or current. A gram-scale synthesis of Co9S8 nanocrystal is carried out via a noninjection reaction by mixing anhydrous CoCl2 with trioctylphosphine (TOP), dodecanethiol and oleylamine (OLA) at 250 °C. The Co9S8 nanocrystals possess excellent catalytic ability with respect to I(-)/I3(-) redox reactions. The Co9S8 nanocrystals are prepared as nanoinks to fabricate uniform, crack-free Co9S8 thin films on different substrates by using a spray deposition technique. These Co9S8 films are used as counter electrodes assembled with dye-adsorbed TiO2 photoanodes to fabricate DSSC devices having a working area of 2 cm(2) and an average power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.02 ± 0.18% under AM 1.5 solar illumination, which is comparable with the PCE of 7.2 ± 0.12% obtained using a Pt cathode. Furthermore, six 2 cm(2)-sized DSSC devices connected in series output an open-circuit voltage of 4.2 V that can power a wide range of electronic devices such as LED arrays and can charge commercial lithium ion batteries.

  7. Facile Synthesis of Rambutan-Like ZnO Hierarchical Hollow Microspheres with Highly Photocatalytic Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ke-Jian Ju

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Rambutan-like ZnO hierarchical hollow microspheres (ZnO HHMs were constructed under hydrothermal conditions, using carboxyl methyl starch (CMS as a soft template. The resulting products were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM. The experimental parameters and growth mechanism of rambutan-like ZnO HHMs were discussed in some detail. The as-prepared samples displayed improved photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B under ultraviolet (UV irradiation.

  8. Novel syntactic foams made of ceramic hollow micro-spheres and starch: theory, structure and properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Islam, M.M.; Kim, H.S. [University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW (Australia). Faculty of Engineering & Built Environments

    2007-08-15

    Novel syntactic foams for potential building material applications were developed using starch as binder and ceramic hollow micro-spheres available as waste from coal-fired power stations. Foams of four different micro-sphere size groups were manufactured with either pre- or post-mould gelatinization process. They were of ternary system including voids with a foam density range of approximately 0.33-0.44 g/cc. Compressive failure behaviour and mechanical properties of the manufactured foams were evaluated. Not much difference in failure behaviour or in mechanical properties between the two different processes (pre- and post-mould gels) was found for a given binder content. Compressive failure of all syntactic foams was of shear on plane inclined 45 degrees to compressive loading direction. Failure surfaces of most syntactic foams were characterized by debonded micro-spheres. Compressive strength and modulus of syntactic foams were found to be dependant mainly on binder content but mostly independent of micro-sphere size. Some conditions of relativity arising from properties of constituents leading to the rule of mixtures relationships for compressive strength and to understanding of compressive/transitional failure behaviour were developed. The developed relationships based on the rule of mixtures were partially verified. Some formation of starch webs on failure surfaces was discussed.

  9. Trapping of microwave radiation in hollow polypyrrole microsphere through enhanced internal reflection: A novel approach

    OpenAIRE

    Ritwik Panigrahi; Suneel K. Srivastava

    2015-01-01

    In present work, spherical core (polystyrene, PS)/shell (polypyrrole, PPy) has been synthesized via in situ chemical oxidative copolymerization of pyrrole (Py) on the surface of sulfonated PS microsphere followed by the formation of hollow polypyrrole (HPPy) shell by dissolving PS inner core in THF. Thereafter, we first time established that such fabricated novel art of morphology acts as a conducting trap in absorbing electromagnetic (EM) wave by internal reflection. Further studies have bee...

  10. Production and cross-sectional characterization of aligned co-electrospun hollow microfibrous bulk assemblies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Feng-Lei [Centre for Imaging Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT (United Kingdom); The School of Materials, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL (United Kingdom); CRUK-EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre in Cambridge and Manchester (United Kingdom); Parker, Geoff J.M., E-mail: geoff.parker@manchester.ac.uk [Centre for Imaging Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT (United Kingdom); CRUK-EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre in Cambridge and Manchester (United Kingdom); Eichhorn, Stephen J. [College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QF (United Kingdom); Hubbard Cristinacce, Penny L. [Centre for Imaging Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT (United Kingdom); School of Psychological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT (United Kingdom)

    2015-11-15

    The development of co-electrospun (co-ES) hollow microfibrous assemblies of an appreciable thickness is critical for many practical applications, including filtration membranes and tissue-mimicking scaffolds. In this study, thick uniaxially aligned hollow microfibrous assemblies forming fiber bundles and strips were prepared by co-ES of polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyethylene oxide (PEO) as shell and core materials, respectively. Hollow microfiber bundles were deposited on a fixed rotating disc, which resulted in non-controllable cross-sectional shapes on a macroscopic scale. In comparison, fiber strips were produced with tuneable thickness and width by additionally employing an x–y translation stage in co-ES. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of cross-sections of fiber assemblies were analyzed to investigate the effects of production time (from 0.5 h to 12 h), core flow rate (from 0.8 mL/h to 2.0 mL/h) and/or translation speed (from 0.2 mm/s to 5 mm/s) on the pores and porosity. We observed significant changes in pore size and shape with core flow rate but the influence of production time varied; five strips produced under the same conditions had reasonably good size and porosity reproducibility; pore sizes didn't vary significantly from strip bottom to surface, although the porosity gradually decreased and then returned to the initial level. - Highlights: • Hollow microfibrous assemblies based on co-electrospinning are demonstrated. • The thickness and width of co-electrospun strips were controllable. • Cross-sections of fibres had non-normally distributed pore sizes and shapes. • Cross-sections were significantly influenced by production time and flow rate. • Co-electrospun strips had reasonably good reproducible cross-sections.

  11. Hierarchical Mn2O3 Microspheres In-Situ Coated with Carbon for Supercapacitors with Highly Enhanced Performances

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Feilong; Lu, Shuang; Peng, Lifang; Zhou, Jing; Kong, Jinming; Jia, Dianzeng; Li, Feng

    2017-01-01

    Porous Mn2O3 microspheres have been synthesized and in-situ coated with amorphous carbon to form hierarchical C@Mn2O3 microspheres by first producing MnCO3 microspheres in solvothermal reactions, and then annealing at 500 °C. The self-assembly growth of MnCO3 microspheres can generate hollow structures inside each of the particles, which can act as micro-reservoirs to store biomass-glycerol for generating amorphous carbon onto the surfaces of Mn2O3 nanorods consisting of microspheres. The C@Mn2O3 microspheres, prepared at 500 °C, exhibit highly enhanced pseudocapacitive performances when compared to the particles after annealed at 400 °C and 600 °C. Specifically, the C@Mn2O3 microspheres prepared at 500 °C show high specific capacitances of 383.87 F g−1 at current density of 0.5 A g−1, and excellent cycling stability of 90.47% of its initial value after cycling for 5000 times. The asymmetric supercapacitors assembled with C@Mn2O3 microspheres after annealed at 500 °C and activated carbon (AC) show an energy density of up to 77.8 Wh kg−1 at power density of 500.00 W kg−1, and a maximum power density of 20.14 kW kg−1 at energy density of 46.8 Wh kg−1. We can attribute the enhanced electrochemical performances of the materials to their three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical structure in-situ coated with carbon. PMID:29168756

  12. Hierarchical Mn2O3 Microspheres In-Situ Coated with Carbon for Supercapacitors with Highly Enhanced Performances

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feilong Gong

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Porous Mn2O3 microspheres have been synthesized and in-situ coated with amorphous carbon to form hierarchical C@Mn2O3 microspheres by first producing MnCO3 microspheres in solvothermal reactions, and then annealing at 500 °C. The self-assembly growth of MnCO3 microspheres can generate hollow structures inside each of the particles, which can act as micro-reservoirs to store biomass-glycerol for generating amorphous carbon onto the surfaces of Mn2O3 nanorods consisting of microspheres. The C@Mn2O3 microspheres, prepared at 500 °C, exhibit highly enhanced pseudocapacitive performances when compared to the particles after annealed at 400 °C and 600 °C. Specifically, the C@Mn2O3 microspheres prepared at 500 °C show high specific capacitances of 383.87 F g−1 at current density of 0.5 A g−1, and excellent cycling stability of 90.47% of its initial value after cycling for 5000 times. The asymmetric supercapacitors assembled with C@Mn2O3 microspheres after annealed at 500 °C and activated carbon (AC show an energy density of up to 77.8 Wh kg−1 at power density of 500.00 W kg−1, and a maximum power density of 20.14 kW kg−1 at energy density of 46.8 Wh kg−1. We can attribute the enhanced electrochemical performances of the materials to their three-dimensional (3D hierarchical structure in-situ coated with carbon.

  13. Sonochemically assisted hollow/solid BaTiO3:Dy3+ microspheres and their applications in effective detection of latent fingerprints and lip prints

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Dhanalakshmi

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Nanostructured materials find potential benefits for surface-based science such as latent fingerprints (LFPs and lip print detection on porous and non-porous surfaces. To encounter the drawbacks viz. low sensitivity, high background hindrance, complicated procedure and high toxicity associated with traditional fluorescent powders were resolved by using hollow/solid BaTiO3:Dy3+ (1–5 mol % microspheres. The visualization of LFPs stained by the optimized BaTiO3:Dy3+ (2 mol % hollow/solid microspheres exhibits well-defined ridge patterns with high sensitivity, low background hindrance, high efficiency and low toxicity on various surfaces. The powder X-ray diffraction results revealed the body centered cubic phase of the prepared samples. The emission spectra exhibit intensive peaks at ∼480, 575, and 637 nm, which were attributed to transitions 4F9/2→6HJ (J = 15/2, 13/2, 11/2 of Dy3+ ions, respectively. Surface morphologies were extensively studied with different sonication times and concentrations of the used barbituric acid. The Commission International De I-Eclairage (CIE and Correlated Color Temperature (CCT analyses revealed that the present phosphor is highly useful for the fabrication of white light emitting diodes.

  14. Preparation and microwave absorbing property of Ni–Zn ferrite-coated hollow glass microspheres with polythiophene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Lindong; Chen, Xingliang; Qi, Shuhua, E-mail: qishuhuanwpu@163.com

    2016-11-01

    The composite of hollow glass microspheres (HMG) coated by Ni{sub 0.7}Zn{sub 0.3}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} particles was fabricated via sol–gel method, and then the ternary composite (HMG/Ni{sub 0.7}Zn{sub 0.3}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PT) was synthesized by in situ polymerization. The electrical property, magnetic performance and reflection loss of the composites were measured, and the results suggest that the conductivity and the saturation magnetization (Ms) of HMG/Ni{sub 0.7}Zn{sub 0.3}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PT reach 6.87×10{sup −5} S/cm and 11.627 emu/g, respectively. The ternary composite has good microwave absorbing properties (R{sub min}=−13.79 dB at 10.51 GHz) and the bandwidth less than −10 dB can reach 2.6 GHz (from 9.4 to 12.0 GHz) in X band (8.2–12.4 GHz). The morphology and chemical structure of the samples were measured through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). This paper also analyzes the relationship between the reflection loss of the absorber and its thickness. - Highlights: • This manuscript synthesized HMG/Ni{sub 0.7}Zn{sub 0.3}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4}/PT composites. • The surface morphology, electrical property, magnetic performance and reflection loss of the composites were measured. • This paper also analyzed the relationship between the reflection loss of the absorber and its thickness.

  15. One-pot fabrication of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres via hydrothermal method at low temperature for high capacity supercapacitor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feng, Chao; Zhang, Jinfeng [State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Deng, Yida, E-mail: yida.deng@tju.edu.cn [School of Material Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Zhong, Cheng [School of Material Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Liu, Lei [State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Hu, Wenbin [State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); School of Material Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2015-09-15

    Highlights: • Take full advantage of the easily oxidized feature of cobalt (II) complexes ammonia. • Low temperature method was applied with absence of subsequent calcination process. • The Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres possess extraordinary electrochemical properties. - Abstract: Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres were successfully produced with one-step low temperature hydrothermal method and their electrochemical properties have been investigated. By means of utilizing easily oxidized characteristic of cobalt complexes ammonia, the Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres were synthesized for the first time with an extremely low hydrothermal temperature (100 °C). In the absent case of surfactant, these Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres with a diameter of ca. 500 nm and smooth surface were prepared with the assistance of nitrate. Influences concerning about temperature and concentration of nitrate on morphology and size distribution were thoroughly discussed. Electrochemical characterization indicated that the Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres exhibited high specific capacitance of 850, 780, 700, 630 F/g at current densities of 1, 2, 4, 8 A/g, respectively. And after 1000 cycles, the devices with Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres showed high charge/discharge reversibility with an efficiency of 90.8% at a current density of 2 A/g.

  16. Green and facile fabrication of hollow porous MnO/C microspheres from microalgaes for lithium-ion batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Yang; Xiao, Zhen; Dou, Xiao; Huang, Hui; Lu, Xianghong; Yan, Rongjun; Gan, Yongping; Zhu, Wenjun; Tu, Jiangping; Zhang, Wenkui; Tao, Xinyong

    2013-08-27

    Hollow porous micro/nanostructures with high surface area and shell permeability have attracted tremendous attention. Particularly, the synthesis and structural tailoring of diverse hollow porous materials is regarded as a crucial step toward the realization of high-performance electrode materials, which has several advantages including a large contact area with electrolyte, a superior structural stability, and a short transport path for Li(+) ions. Meanwhile, owing to the inexpensive, abundant, environmentally benign, and renewable biological resources provided by nature, great efforts have been devoted to understand and practice the biotemplating technology, which has been considered as an effective strategy to achieve morphology-controllable materials with structural specialty, complexity, and related unique properties. Herein, we are inspired by the natural microalgae with its special features (easy availability, biological activity, and carbon sources) to develop a green and facile biotemplating method to fabricate monodisperse MnO/C microspheres for lithium-ion batteries. Due to the unique hollow porous structure in which MnO nanoparticles were tightly embedded into a porous carbon matrix and form a penetrative shell, MnO/C microspheres exhibited high reversible specific capacity of 700 mAh g(-1) at 0.1 A g(-1), excellent cycling stability with 94% capacity retention, and enhanced rate performance of 230 mAh g(-1) at 3 A g(-1). This green, sustainable, and economical strategy will extend the scope of biotemplating synthesis for exploring other functional materials in various structure-dependent applications such as catalysis, gas sensing, and energy storage.

  17. Synthesis of new dithiacobaltaborane clusters derived from arachno-6,8-S2B7H9

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, S.O.; Sneddon, L.G.

    1988-01-01

    A series of air-stable dithiacobaltaborane clusters has been isolated from either the reaction of the arachno-S 2 B 7 H 8 - anion with cobalt chloride and pentamethylcyclopentadienide or the reaction of neutral arachno-6,8-S 2 B 7 H 9 with cobalt atoms and pentamethylcyclopentadiene. Thus, the reaction of arachno-S 2 B 7 H 8 - with CoCl 2 and C 5 (CH 3 ) 5 - in THF gave, as the major products, the triple-decker compound nido-4,6-η-C 5 (CH 3 ) 52 Co 2 -3,5-S 2 B 2 H 2 (I) and the 11-vertex cluster nido-8,10(η-C 5 (CH 3 ) 5 ) 2 Co 2 -7,9-S 2 B 7 H 7 (III). Also isolated in smaller amounts were a chloride derivative of I, nido-1-Cl-4,6-(η-C 5 (CH 3 ) 5 ) 2 Co 2 -3,5-S 2 B 2 H (II), two isomers of III, nido-3,10-(η-C 5 (CH 3 ) 5 ) 2 Co 2 -7,9-S 2 B 7 H 7 (IV) and nido-3,5-(η-C 5 (CH 3 ) 5 ) 2 Co 2 -7,9-S 2 B 7 H 7 (V), and the eight-boron cluster nido-8-(η-C 5 (CH 3 ) 5 )Co-7,9-S 2 B 8 H 8 (VI). Other trace products of the reaction included the six-boron clusters nido-5,8-(η-C 5 (CH 3 ) 5 ) 2 Co 2 -6,9-S 2 B 6 H 6 (VII) and arachno-7-(η-C 5 (CH 3 ) 5 )Co-6,8-S 2 B 6 H 8 (VIII). Compound III was found to isomerize at 250 degree C to IV, which could then be converted to V at 300 degree C. The reaction of cobalt atoms with arachno-6,8-S 2 B 7 H 9 in the presence of pentamethylcyclopentadiene gave VIII as the major product; however, a number of other clusters including I, V, VI, and [(η-C 5 (CH 3 ) 5 ) 2 Co] + [(SB 10 H 10 ) 2 Co] - were isolated in trace amounts. 16 references, 6 figures, 3 tables

  18. Flexible asymmetric supercapacitors based upon Co9S8 nanorod//Co3O4@RuO2 nanosheet arrays on carbon cloth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jing; Wang, Qiufan; Wang, Xiaowei; Xiang, Qingyi; Liang, Bo; Chen, Di; Shen, Guozhen

    2013-06-25

    We have successfully fabricated flexible asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs) based on acicular Co9S8 nanorod arrays as positive materials and Co3O4@RuO2 nanosheet arrays as negative materials on woven carbon fabrics. Co9S8 nanorod arrays were synthesized by a hydrothermal sulfuration treatment of acicular Co3O4 nanorod arrays, while the RuO2 was directly deposited on the Co3O4 nanorod arrays. Carbon cloth was selected as both the substrate and the current collector for its good conductivity, high flexibility, good physical strength, and lightweight architecture. Both aqueous KOH solutions and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/KOH were employed as electrolyte for electrochemical measurements. The as-fabricated ASCs can be cycled reversibly in the range of 0-1.6 V and exhibit superior electrochemical performance with an energy density of 1.21 mWh/cm(3) at a power density of 13.29 W/cm(3) in aqueous electrolyte and an energy density of 1.44 mWh/cm(3) at the power density of 0.89 W/cm(3) in solid-state electrolyte, which are almost 10-fold higher than those reported in early ASC work. Moreover, they present excellent cycling performance at multirate currents and large currents after thousands of cycles. The high-performance nanostructured ASCs have significant potential applications in portable electronics and electrical vehicles.

  19. Emulsion-phase synthesis of honeycomb-like Mg{sub 5}(OH){sub 2}(CO{sub 3}){sub 4}.4H{sub 2}O micro-spheres and subsequent decomposition to MgO

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gao Guo, E-mail: gaogaoguoguo@yahoo.com.c [Department of Bio-Nano-Science and Engineering, National Key Laboratory of Nano/Micro Fabrication Technology, Key Laboratory for Thin Film and Microfabrication of Ministry of Education, Institute of Micro-Nano Science and Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Xiang Lan, E-mail: xianglan@mail.tsinghua.edu.c [Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

    2010-04-09

    Herein we report a simple emulsion-phase route for the synthesis of honeycomb-like basic magnesium carbonate (BMC, Mg{sub 5}(OH){sub 2}(CO{sub 3}){sub 4}.4H{sub 2}O) micro-spheres at 80 {sup o}C. Magnesium(II) salts in water are precipitated by sodium carbonate in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Scanning electron microscopy shows the obtained BMC samples are composed of a lot of micro-spheres (diameter ranging from 8 to 10 {mu}m) which are interweaved by a lot of nano-sized thin sheets (thickness of 20-30 nm and length >1 {mu}m). The BMC micro-spheres prepared by this approach are porous and appear to be hollow structures. The size and shape of BMC are related to the CTAB concentration and temperature. The lower concentration of CTAB resulted in the decrease of the micro-spheres sizes. When the temperature was elevated to 110 {sup o}C, hexagonal tablets (thickness of 20 nm, length of each side varies from 400 to 600 nm) can be prepared. After the calcinations for BMC at 600 {sup o}C for 2 h, BMC are almost completely converted to MgO. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that the obtained MgO samples have a poly-crystalline feature. The possible formation mechanism of BMC micro-spheres has been discussed.

  20. Fabrication of a 3D Hierarchical Sandwich Co9 S8 /α-MnS@N-C@MoS2 Nanowire Architectures as Advanced Electrode Material for High Performance Hybrid Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandula, Syam; Shrestha, Khem Raj; Kim, Nam Hoon; Lee, Joong Hee

    2018-05-10

    Supercapacitors suffer from lack of energy density and impulse the energy density limit, so a new class of hybrid electrode materials with promising architectures is strongly desirable. Here, the rational design of a 3D hierarchical sandwich Co 9 S 8 /α-MnS@N-C@MoS 2 nanowire architecture is achieved during the hydrothermal sulphurization reaction by the conversion of binary mesoporous metal oxide core to corresponding individual metal sulphides core along with the formation of outer metal sulphide shell at the same time. Benefiting from the 3D hierarchical sandwich architecture, Co 9 S 8 /α-MnS@N-C@MoS 2 electrode exhibits enhanced electrochemical performance with high specific capacity/capacitance of 306 mA h g -1 /1938 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 , and excellent cycling stability with a specific capacity retention of 86.9% after 10 000 cycles at 10 A g -1 . Moreover, the fabricated asymmetric supercapacitor device using Co 9 S 8 /α-MnS@N-C@MoS 2 as the positive electrode and nitrogen doped graphene as the negative electrode demonstrates high energy density of 64.2 Wh kg -1 at 729.2 W kg -1 , and a promising energy density of 23.5 Wh kg -1 is still attained at a high power density of 11 300 W kg -1 . The hybrid electrode with 3D hierarchical sandwich architecture promotes enhanced energy density with excellent cyclic stability for energy storage. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  1. 氧化亚铜空心球制备及其在海洋污损材料中的应用%Synthesis of Cu2O Hollow Microspheres and Its Application in Antifouling Materials

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    熊杨凯; 汪国庆; 谢卓琳; 李玉; 王爱明; 姜宏

    2017-01-01

    采用软模板法和自模板法分别制备了Cu2O空心球,探索了不同制备方法下反应条件对Cu2O空心球形貌及性能的影响,研究了以其作为防污剂制备的涂层防海洋污损生物的防污性能.通过X射线衍射(XRD)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)和抑菌测试等手段表征和探讨了Cu2O空心球的抑菌性能.结果表明:用软模板法得到表面光滑、结晶度高的Cu2O空心球;用自模板法制备得到由纳米粒子组成的开口空心微球.在抑菌试验中,2种空心球浊液浓度为50 μg/mL时,抑菌作用均可以达到95%以上,抑菌效果好.将2种Cu2O空心球作为防污剂与含氟嵌段共聚树脂SBF改性树脂混合,得到2种杂化防污涂层.通过SEM进行表征,在抗藻类附着试验中,表面基本没有藻类附着,具有良好的防污性能.在浸泡过程中,2种杂化涂层的表面形成了不同的特殊纳米结构表面形貌,这应是少量Cu2O空心球即可使杂化涂层具有好的防污效果的原因.%Two kinds of Cu2O hollow microspheres were prepared by soft-templating method and self-templating method.The effects of different reaction conditions on the morphology and performance of Cu2O hollow spheres were studied.XRD,SEM and TEM were utilized to characterize the antibacterial property of Cu2O hollow spheres.The results showed that the hollow microsphere with perfect ball-shape could be successfully prepared by soft-templating method,at mean time,the hollow Cu2O microsphere with open-mouth was prepared through self-templating method.The antibacterial experiment results showed when the turbid liquid concentration of two hollow microspheres reached 50 μg/mL,the antibacterial effect could reach more than 95%,indicating that the two hollow microspheres had good antibacterial properties.Using SBF as the film-forming agent,two kinds of synthesized Cu2O hollow microspheres as anti-fouling agent respectively,two kinds of hybrid coatings were

  2. Facile fabrication of Fe_3O_4 and Co_3O_4 microspheres and their influence on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yifu; Meng, Changgong

    2016-01-01

    Fe_3O_4 and Co_3O_4 microspheres were successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal decomposition of iron oxalate and cobalt oxalate solution. The composition and morphology of synthesized powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The catalytic properties of the as-obtained Fe_3O_4 and Co_3O_4 microspheres on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) were evaluated by thermo-gravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA) methods. The thermal decomposition temperatures of AP in the presence of 1, 2, 4 and 8 wt% of Fe_3O_4 microspheres were respectively decreased by 58, 80, 102 and 129 °C (lowered to 398, 376, 354 and 327 °C). And the thermal decomposition temperatures of AP in the presence of 1, 2, 4 and 8 wt% of Co_3O_4 microspheres were respectively decreased by 55, 74, 112 and 131 °C (lowered to 401, 382, 344 and 325 °C). The analysis of the thermal gravimetric analyzer couplet with infrared spectroscopy (TG-IR) test reveal that the additives can accelerate the thermal decomposition of AP via the high-temperature decomposition. All the results suggest the as-prepared Fe_3O_4 and Co_3O_4 microspheres have highly catalytic properties on the thermal decomposition of AP, which can be used as the promising additives in the future. - Graphical abstract: Real-time FTIR spectra to reveal the thermal decomposition process of AP. - Highlights: • Highly uniform Fe_3O_4 and Co_3O_4 microspheres were successfully synthesized. • The T_c of AP with 1, 2, 4 and 8 wt% of Fe_3O_4 microspheres was decreased by 58, 80, 102 and 129 °C. • The T_c of AP with 1, 2, 4 and 8 wt% of Co_3O_4 microspheres was decreased by 55, 74, 112 and 131 °C. • The thermal decomposition process of AP was detected by TG-IR.

  3. Magnetic Ganoderma lucidum spore microspheres: A novel material to immobilize CotA multicopper oxidase for dye decolorization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fan, Lili; Wang, Yan; Zhao, Min; Song, Jinzhu; Wang, Jueyu; Jin, Zijing

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Hollow microspheres were obtained from Ganoderma lucidum spores. • Novel magnetic microspheres were prepared by load hollow spore microspheres with Fe_3O_4 nanoparticles. • CotA multicopper oxidase was immobilized on the magnetic spore microspheres for indigo carmine decolorization. • The immobilized CotA displayed higher decolorization capability and reusability. - Abstract: In this study, hollow microspheres were obtained from Ganoderma lucidum spores. Then the hollow microspheres were loaded with Fe_3O_4 nanoparticles to prepare novel magnetic spore microspheres. TEM images and X-ray diffractometry demonstrated that the Fe_3O_4 nanoparticles were incorporated throughout the spore microsphere. CotA multicopper oxidase was chosen as biomacromolecule to study the loading ability of the magnetic spore microspheres. The combination of the CotA enzyme with the microsphere was observed by laser scanning confocal microscope. The loaded amount of CotA on the microspheres was 75 mg/g when the CotA concentration was 1.2 mg/mL and the activity recovery of the immobilized CotA was 81%. The magnetic microspheres loaded with CotA, which can be easily and quickly recovered by an external magnetic field, were used for dye decolorization. After 1 h decolorization, 99% of the indigo carmine has been removed by 10 mg microspheres. In addition, the immobilized CotA retained 75% of activity after 10 consecutive cycles, which indicated that the magnetic spore microspheres are good support material for immobilization of the enzyme.

  4. Magnetic Ganoderma lucidum spore microspheres: A novel material to immobilize CotA multicopper oxidase for dye decolorization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fan, Lili [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Wang, Yan, E-mail: wangy_msn@hit.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Zhao, Min [College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040 (China); Song, Jinzhu [School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001 (China); Wang, Jueyu; Jin, Zijing [College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040 (China)

    2016-08-05

    Highlights: • Hollow microspheres were obtained from Ganoderma lucidum spores. • Novel magnetic microspheres were prepared by load hollow spore microspheres with Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles. • CotA multicopper oxidase was immobilized on the magnetic spore microspheres for indigo carmine decolorization. • The immobilized CotA displayed higher decolorization capability and reusability. - Abstract: In this study, hollow microspheres were obtained from Ganoderma lucidum spores. Then the hollow microspheres were loaded with Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles to prepare novel magnetic spore microspheres. TEM images and X-ray diffractometry demonstrated that the Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles were incorporated throughout the spore microsphere. CotA multicopper oxidase was chosen as biomacromolecule to study the loading ability of the magnetic spore microspheres. The combination of the CotA enzyme with the microsphere was observed by laser scanning confocal microscope. The loaded amount of CotA on the microspheres was 75 mg/g when the CotA concentration was 1.2 mg/mL and the activity recovery of the immobilized CotA was 81%. The magnetic microspheres loaded with CotA, which can be easily and quickly recovered by an external magnetic field, were used for dye decolorization. After 1 h decolorization, 99% of the indigo carmine has been removed by 10 mg microspheres. In addition, the immobilized CotA retained 75% of activity after 10 consecutive cycles, which indicated that the magnetic spore microspheres are good support material for immobilization of the enzyme.

  5. Hierarchical Co3O4/PANI hollow nanocages: Synthesis and application for electrode materials of supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ren, Xiaohu; Fan, Huiqing; Ma, Jiangwei; Wang, Chao; Zhang, Mingchang; Zhao, Nan

    2018-05-01

    Hierarchically hollow Co3O4/polyaniline nanocages (Co3O4/PANI NCs) with enhanced specific capacitance and cycle performance for electrode material of supercapacitors are fabricated by combining self-sacrificing template and in situ polymerization route. Benefiting from the good conductivity of PANI improving an electron transport rate as well as high specific surface area from such a hollow structure, the electrode made of Co3O4/PANI NCs exhibits a large specific capacitance of 1301 F/g at the current density of 1 A/g, a much enhancement is obtained as compared with the pristine Co3O4 NCs electrode. The contact resistance (Re), charge-transfer (Rct) and Warburg resistance of Co3O4/PANI NCs electrode is significantly lower than that of the pristine Co3O4 NCs electrode, indicating the enhanced electrical conductivity. In addition, the Co3O4/PANI NCs electrode also displays superior cycling stability with 90 % capacitance retention after 2000 cycles. Moreover, an aqueous asymmetric supercapacitor was successfully assembled using Co3O4/PANI NCs as the positive electrode and activated carbon (AC) as the negative electrode, the assembled device exhibits a superior energy density of 41.5 Wh/kg at 0.8 kW/kg, outstanding power density of 15.9 kW/kg at 18.4 Wh/kg, which significantly transcending those of most previously reported. These results demonstrate that the hierarchically hollow Co3O4/PANI NCs composites have a potential for fabricating electrode of supercapacitors.

  6. Preparation of porous hollow silica spheres via a layer-by-layer process and the chromatographic performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Xiaobing; Gong, Cairong; Chen, Xujuan; Fan, Guoliang; Xu, Xinhua

    2017-03-01

    Hollow silica spheres possessing excellent mechanical properties were successfully prepared through a layer-by-layer process using uniform polystyrene (PS) latex fabricated by dispersion polymerization as template. The formation of hollow SiO2 micro-spheres, structures and properties were observed in detail by zeta potential, SEM, TEM, FTIR, TGA and nitrogen sorption porosimetry. The results indicated that the hollow spheres were uniform with particle diameter of 1.6 μm and shell thickness of 150 nm. The surface area was 511 m2/g and the pore diameter was 8.36 nm. A new stationary phase for HPLC was obtained by using C18-derivatized hollow SiO2 micro-spheres as packing materials and the chromatographic properties were evaluated for the separation of some regular small molecules. The packed column showed low column pressure, high values of efficiency (up to about 43 000 plates/m) and appropriate asymmetry factors.

  7. Electro-magnetic properties of composites with aligned Fe-Co hollow fibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seungchan Cho

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available A novel Fe-Co binary hollow fiber was synthesized by electroless plating using hydrolyzed polyester fiber and its anisotropy characteristic was investigated for electromagnetic wave absorbing materials. The hollow fibers in parallel with magnetic field show higher saturated magnetization of 202 emu/g at the applied magnetic field of 10 kOe and lower coercivity (27.658 Oe, compared with the random and vertical oriented hollow fibers. From complex permittivity measurement, the Fe-Co hollow fiber composites clearly display a single dielectric resonance, located at ∼14 GHz. The Fe-Co hollow fibers not only provide excellent EM properties in GHz frequency ranges, resulting mainly from the strong resonance, but also adjust the soft magnetic properties through fiber alignments. The cavitary structure of the Fe-Co hollow fibers, not only giving rise to a dielectric loss resonance and also adjusting its peak frequency, may be a pathway to useful EM wave absorptive devices in GHz frequency ranges.

  8. Modified composite microspheres of hydroxyapatite and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) as an injectable scaffold

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hu, Xixue [BNLMS, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190 (China); Shen, Hong, E-mail: shenhong516@iccas.ac.cn [BNLMS, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Yang, Fei [BNLMS, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Liang, Xinjie [CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing 100190 (China); Wang, Shenguo, E-mail: wangsg@iccas.ac.cn [BNLMS, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China); Wu, Decheng, E-mail: dcwu@iccas.ac.cn [BNLMS, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190 (China)

    2014-02-15

    The compound of hydroxyapatite-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (HA-PLGA) was prepared by ionic bond between HA and PLGA. HA-PLGA was more stable than the simple physical blend of hydroxyapatite and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (HA/PLGA). The surface of HA-PLGA microsphere fabricated by an emulsion–solvent evaporation method was rougher than that of HA/PLGA microspheres. Moreover, surface HA content of HA-PLGA microspheres was more than that of HA/PLGA microspheres. In vitro mouse OCT-1 osteoblast-like cell culture results showed that the HA-PLGA microspheres clearly promoted osteoblast attachment, proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity. It was considered that surface rich HA component and rough surface of HA-PLGA microsphere enhanced cell growth and differentiation. The good cell affinity of the HA-PLGA microspheres indicated that they could be used as an injectable scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

  9. Modified composite microspheres of hydroxyapatite and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) as an injectable scaffold

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu, Xixue; Shen, Hong; Yang, Fei; Liang, Xinjie; Wang, Shenguo; Wu, Decheng

    2014-01-01

    The compound of hydroxyapatite-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (HA-PLGA) was prepared by ionic bond between HA and PLGA. HA-PLGA was more stable than the simple physical blend of hydroxyapatite and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (HA/PLGA). The surface of HA-PLGA microsphere fabricated by an emulsion–solvent evaporation method was rougher than that of HA/PLGA microspheres. Moreover, surface HA content of HA-PLGA microspheres was more than that of HA/PLGA microspheres. In vitro mouse OCT-1 osteoblast-like cell culture results showed that the HA-PLGA microspheres clearly promoted osteoblast attachment, proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity. It was considered that surface rich HA component and rough surface of HA-PLGA microsphere enhanced cell growth and differentiation. The good cell affinity of the HA-PLGA microspheres indicated that they could be used as an injectable scaffold for bone tissue engineering.

  10. Ultrathin 1T-phase MoS2 nanosheets decorated hollow carbon microspheres as highly efficient catalysts for solar energy harvesting and storage

    KAUST Repository

    Hsiao, Min-Chien

    2017-02-08

    The composite of MoS2 and hollow carbon sphere (MoS2@HCS) is prepared via a glucose-assisted one pot synthesis. The composite consists of hierarchical spheres with a diameter of 0.5–4 μm and these hollow spheres are decorated with a number of curled and interlaced MoS2 nanosheets. After the composite is subject to the lithium intercalation, the MoS2 is converted from 2H to 1T phase. In this current work, the activities of 1T-MoS2@HCS toward photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and the reduction of I3− in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are systemically investigated. When evaluated as the photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution, the amount of evolved hydrogen over 1T-MoS2@HCS can reach 143 μmol in 2 h, being 3.6 times higher than as-synthesized 2H-MoS2@HCS. Additionally, the 1T-MoS2@HCS can be employed as the counter electrode (CE) material in DSCs. The DSCs based on 1T-MoS2@HCS CE possesses the power conversion efficiency of 8.94%, being higher than that with 2H-MoS2@HCS CE (8.16%) and comparable to that with Pt CE (8.87%). Our study demonstrates that 1T-MoS2@HCS has a great potential as an inexpensive alternative to Pt catalysts.

  11. Ultrathin 1T-phase MoS2 nanosheets decorated hollow carbon microspheres as highly efficient catalysts for solar energy harvesting and storage

    KAUST Repository

    Hsiao, Min-Chien; Chang, Chin-Yu; Niu, Li-Juan; Bai, Feng; Li, Lain-Jong; Shen, Hsin-Hui; Lin, Jeng-Yu; Lin, Tsung-Wu

    2017-01-01

    The composite of MoS2 and hollow carbon sphere (MoS2@HCS) is prepared via a glucose-assisted one pot synthesis. The composite consists of hierarchical spheres with a diameter of 0.5–4 μm and these hollow spheres are decorated with a number of curled and interlaced MoS2 nanosheets. After the composite is subject to the lithium intercalation, the MoS2 is converted from 2H to 1T phase. In this current work, the activities of 1T-MoS2@HCS toward photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and the reduction of I3− in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) are systemically investigated. When evaluated as the photocatalyst for hydrogen evolution, the amount of evolved hydrogen over 1T-MoS2@HCS can reach 143 μmol in 2 h, being 3.6 times higher than as-synthesized 2H-MoS2@HCS. Additionally, the 1T-MoS2@HCS can be employed as the counter electrode (CE) material in DSCs. The DSCs based on 1T-MoS2@HCS CE possesses the power conversion efficiency of 8.94%, being higher than that with 2H-MoS2@HCS CE (8.16%) and comparable to that with Pt CE (8.87%). Our study demonstrates that 1T-MoS2@HCS has a great potential as an inexpensive alternative to Pt catalysts.

  12. Synthesis and characterization hollow spherical La0.7Sr0.2Ca0.1Co0.9Fe0.1O3–δ (LSCCT for cathode of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. H. Yu

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Hollow spheres structures of La0.7Sr0.2Ca0.1Co0.9Fe0.1O3–δ (LSCCT have been synthesized via hydrothermal method using carbon spheres as template. The structure and electrical conductivity of obtained samples are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscope (SEM, transmission electron microscope (TEM and direct current (DC four-probe method respectively. The results show that hollow spheres structures of LSCCT with the mean particle size of 0,9 - 1,2 μm is single perovskite. The electrical conductivity of the samples is higher than 100 S/cm from 600 to 800 ℃ and can meet the demand of the electrical properties for the cathode materials.

  13. Multifunctional hollow superhydrophobic SiO2 microspheres with robust and self-cleaning and separation of oil/water emulsions properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Fei; Wen, Qiuying; Peng, Yubing; Guo, Zhiguang

    2017-05-15

    Superhydrophobic materials have drawn great attention due to its' remarkable non-wetting properties and applications in many fields. In this paper, we synthesize a hollow superhydrophobic SiO 2 powder by typical template method and self-assembly functionalization. Robustness of many superhydrophobic surfaces has become the development bottleneck for industrial applications. Aiming at this problem, the adhesive epoxy resin is specially taken to use as the binding layer between superhydrophobic SiO 2 powder and substrates to create robust superhydrophobic coating. The mechanical durability of the obtained superhydrophobic coating is evaluated by a cyclic sandpaper abrasion. Also, the chemical stability of this superhydrophobic coating is assessed by exposuring it to different pH conditions and UV irradiation, respectively. Significantly, because of the special structure and superhydrophobicity/superoleophilicity of the hollow microspheres, these hollow superhydrophobic SiO 2 powders manifest great oil-adsorbing capacity, which thus can be used to separate oil/water mixtures and remove oil from oil-in-water emulsions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Intestinal absorption of PLAGA microspheres in the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Damgé, C; Aprahamian, M; Marchais, H; Benoit, J P; Pinget, M

    1996-12-01

    Rhodamine B-labelled poly (DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLAGA) microspheres of 2 different sizes, 1-5 microns and 5-10 microns, were administered as a single dose (1.44 x 10(9) and 1.83 x 10(8) particles, respectively) into the ileal lumen of adult rats. The content of rhodamine in the mesenteric vein and ileal lumen was analysed periodically from 10 min to 48 h as well as the distribution of microspheres in the intestinal mucosa and various other tissues. The concentration of rhodamine decreased progressively in the intestinal lumen and was negligible after 24 h. The number of microspheres in the mesenteric vein increased rapidly and reached a maximum after 4 h whatever the size of the particles. It then decreased progressively, but more rapidly with microspheres > 5 microns than with microspheres PLAGA microspheres mainly crossed the intestinal mucosa at the site of Peyer's patches where microspheres of 5 microns were retained in the ileal lumen. A few small microspheres were occasionally observed in the epithelial cells. Only the smallest particles were recovered in the liver, lymph nodes and spleen while basement membranes were always labelled. It is concluded that PLAGA microspheres could be useful for the oral delivery of antigens if their size is between 1 and 5 microns.

  15. Long-term conversion of 45S5 bioactive glass-ceramic microspheres in aqueous phosphate solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Hailuo; Rahaman, Mohamed N; Day, Delbert E; Huang, Wenhai

    2012-05-01

    The conversion of 45S5 glass and glass-ceramics to a hydroxyapatite (HA)-like material in vitro has been studied extensively, but only for short reaction times (typically glass-ceramic microspheres (designated 45S5c) in an aqueous phosphate solution. Microspheres of 45S5c (75-150 μm) were immersed for 10 years at room temperature (~25 °C) in K(2)HPO(4) solution with a concentration of 0.01 M or 1.0 M, and with a starting pH of 7.0 or 9.5. The reacted 45S5c microspheres and solutions were analyzed using structural and analytical techniques. Only 25-45 vol% of the 45S5c microspheres were converted to an HA-like material after the 10 year reaction. In solutions with a starting pH of 9.5, an increase in the K(2)HPO(4) concentration from 0.01 to 1.0 M resulted in a doubling of the volume of the microspheres converted to an HA-like material but had little effect on the composition of the HA-like product. In comparison, reaction of the 45S5c microspheres in the solution with a starting pH of 7.0 resulted in an HA-like product in the 0.01 M K(2)HPO(4) solution but a calcium pyrophosphate product, Ca(10)K(4)(P(2)O(7))(6).9H(2)O, in the 1.0 M solution. The consequences of these results for the long-term use of 45S5 glass-ceramics in biomedical applications are discussed.

  16. Homogeneously Dispersed Co9S8 Anchored on Nitrogen and Sulfur Co-Doped Carbon Derived from Soybean as Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysts and Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Zhen; Xiao, Guozheng; Shi, Minhao; Zhu, Ying

    2018-05-16

    Developing low-cost and highly active multifunctional electrocatalysts to replace noble metal catalysts is crucial for the commercialization of future clean energy technology. Herein, homogeneous Co 9 S 8 nanoparticles anchored on nitrogen and sulfur co-doped porous carbon nanomaterials (CoS@NSCs) are fabricated by pyrolysis of natural soybean treated with cobalt nitrate. The unique porous structures of the soybean are utilized to provide space for the oxidation and complexation reactions for cobalt compounds, thus leading to in situ generation of homogenously dispersed cobalt sulfide nanoparticles that anchored on the N,S co-doped carbon framework. Because of the coupling effect of cobalt sulfide and doping heteroatoms, CoS@NSC-800 not only displays excellent electrocatalytic performances with low overpotential and high current density toward both oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction comparable to the commercial Pt/C catalyst and IrO 2 catalyst, but also might be a promising candidate for high-performance supercapacitors. The method for the preparation of the multifunctional hybrids is simple but effective for the formation of uniformly distributed metal sulfide nanoparticles anchored on carbon materials, therefore providing a new perspective for the design and synthesis of multifunctional electrocatalysts for electrochemical energy conversion and storage at a large scale.

  17. Biomimetic mineralization of calcium carbonate/carboxymethylcellulose microspheres for lysozyme immobilization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Zheng; Zhang Juan; Ma Yunzi; Song Siyue; Gu Wei

    2012-01-01

    Porous calcium carbonate/carboxymethylcellulose (CaCO 3 /CMC) microspheres were prepared by the biomimetic mineralization method for lysozyme immobilization via adsorption. The size and morphology of CaCO 3 /CMC microspheres were characterized by transmitted electron microscopy (TEM) and zeta potential measurement. The lysozyme immobilization was verified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The effects of pHs and temperatures on lysozyme adsorption were investigated as well. It was revealed that CaCO 3 /CMC microspheres could immobilize lysozyme efficiently via electrostatic interactions and a maximum adsorption capacity of 450 mg/g was achieved at pH 9.2 and 25 °C. Moreover, it was found that the adsorption process fitted well with the Langmuir isothermal model. In addition, UV, fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic studies showed that lysozyme maintained its original secondary structure during the adsorption/desorption process. Our study therefore demonstrated that CaCO 3 /CMC microsphere can be used as a cost-effective and efficient support for lysozyme immobilization. - Graphical abstract: CaCO 3 /CMC microsphere was prepared by a facile biomimetic mineralization method and can be used as an efficient and cost-effective support for lysozyme immobilization. Highlights: ► CaCO 3 /CMC microspheres were prepared by the biomimetic mineralization method. ► Lysozyme was efficiently immobilized to CaCO 3 /CMC microspheres via adsorption. ► A maximum adsorption capacity of 450 mg/g was obtained at pH 9.2 and 25 °C. ► The original secondary structure of lysozyme was maintained upon immobilization.

  18. Trapping of microwave radiation in hollow polypyrrole microsphere through enhanced internal reflection: A novel approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panigrahi, Ritwik; Srivastava, Suneel K.

    2015-01-01

    In present work, spherical core (polystyrene, PS)/shell (polypyrrole, PPy) has been synthesized via in situ chemical oxidative copolymerization of pyrrole (Py) on the surface of sulfonated PS microsphere followed by the formation of hollow polypyrrole (HPPy) shell by dissolving PS inner core in THF. Thereafter, we first time established that such fabricated novel art of morphology acts as a conducting trap in absorbing electromagnetic (EM) wave by internal reflection. Further studies have been extended on the formation of its silver nanocomposites HPPy/Ag to strengthen our contention on this novel approach. Our investigations showed that electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding efficiency (SE) of HPPy (34.5-6 dB) is significantly higher compared to PPy (20-5 dB) in the frequency range of 0.5-8 GHz due to the trapping of EM wave by internal reflection. We also observed that EMI shielding is further enhanced to 59-23 in 10 wt% Ag loaded HPPy/Ag-10. This is attributed to the simultaneous contribution of internal reflection as well as reflection from outer surface. Such high EMI shielding capacity using conducting polymers are rarely reported.

  19. Synthesis and characterization of hollow V2O5 microspheres for supercapacitor electrode with pseudocapacitance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Yifu

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Hollow V2O5 microspheres (HVOM were fabricated using NH4VO3, ethylene glycol and carbon spheres as the starting materials by a template solvothermal approach and subsequent calcination. The morphology and composition were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET. The results showed that the obtained HVOM were constructed from nanoparticles with rough surface. The electrochemical properties of HVOM as a supercapacitor electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD. HVOM displayed excellent pseudocapacitance property and their specific capacitances were 488 F·g–1, 455 F·g–1, 434 F·g–1 and 396 F·g–1 at the current density of 0.5 A·g–1, 1 A·g–1, 2 A·g–1 and 5 A·g–1, respectively. They also exhibited an excellent energy density of 8.784 × 105 J·kg–1 at a power density of 900 W·kg–1 . The good electrochemical properties of the as-synthesized HVOM make them a promising candidate as a cathode material for supercapacitors.

  20. Effects of microstructure and filling ratio on electromagnetic properties of Co microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, N.; Jiang, J.T.; Yuan, Y.; Liu, C.; Xu, C.Y.; Zhen, L.

    2017-01-01

    Cobalt microspheres with diameters of 1.5–3.5 µm were synthesized by a liquid phase reduction method. The effects of hydrogen annealing on microstructure evolution and electromagnetic properties of Co microspheres were investigated. The influence of filling ratio on the electromagnetic properties of specimens containing Co microspheres as fillers was also examined. The results indicated that the annealing leads to increase in Co microspheres' permittivity as the improved conductivity that developed during annealing contributes to enhanced dielectric relaxation. High filling ratio is found to be favorable for achieving high electromagnetic properties and thus higher electromagnetic absorbing performances, which is of technical significant for application in low frequency band. Coatings containing 30, 45 and 50 vol% Co particles as fillers present excellent EMA performance, even very thin thickness is applied. High electromagnetic wave absorbing efficiency of −10 dB was observed at thickness of 1.5 mm in C band and the electromagnetic wave absorption bandwidth reaches up to 6.3 GHz (6.7–13 GHz) when the filling volume is 45 vol%. - Highlights: • An EABW up to 6.1 GHz was obtained in a thin coating using Co particle as fillers. • The electromagnetic properties can be tailored via annealing and filling ratio. • High filling ratio is favorable to excellent EMA performance.

  1. CO2-assisted high pressure homogenization: a solvent-free process for polymeric microspheres and drug-polymer composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kluge, Johannes; Mazzotti, Marco

    2012-10-15

    The study explores the enabling role of near-critical CO(2) as a reversible plasticizer in the high pressure homogenization of polymer particles, aiming at their comminution as well as at the formation of drug-polymer composites. First, the effect of near-critical CO(2) on the homogenization of aqueous suspensions of poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) was investigated. Applying a pressure drop of 900 bar and up to 150 passes across the homogenizer, it was found that particles processed in the presence of CO(2) were generally of microspherical morphology and at all times significantly smaller than those obtained in the absence of a plasticizer. The smallest particles, exhibiting a median x(50) of 1.3 μm, were obtained by adding a small quantity of ethyl acetate, which exerts on PLGA an additional plasticizing effect during the homogenization step. Further, the study concerns the possibility of forming drug-polymer composites through simultaneous high pressure homogenization of the two relevant solids, and particularly the effect of near-critical CO(2) on this process. Therefore, PLGA was homogenized together with crystalline S-ketoprofen (S-KET), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, at a drug to polymer ratio of 1:10, a pressure drop of 900 bar and up to 150 passes across the homogenizer. When the process was carried out in the presence of CO(2), an impregnation efficiency of 91% has been reached, corresponding to 8.3 wt.% of S-KET in PLGA; moreover, composite particles were of microspherical morphology and significantly smaller than those obtained in the absence of CO(2). The formation of drug-polymer composites through simultaneous homogenization of the two materials is thus greatly enhanced by the presence of CO(2), which increases the efficiency for both homogenization and impregnation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. Histological Comparison of Kidney Tissue Following Radioembolization with Yttrium-90 Resin Microspheres and Embolization with Bland Microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Suresh de; Mackie, Simon; Aslan, Peter; Cade, David; Delprado, Warick

    2016-01-01

    BackgroundIntra-arterial brachytherapy with yttrium-90 ("9"0Y) resin microspheres (radioembolization) is a procedure to selectively deliver high-dose radiation to tumors. The purpose of this research was to compare the radioembolic effect of "9"0Y-radioembolization versus the embolic effect of bland microspheres in the porcine kidney model.MethodsIn each of six pigs, ~25–33 % of the kidney volume was embolized with "9"0Y resin microspheres and an equivalent number of bland microspheres in the contralateral kidney. Kidney volume was estimated visually from contrast-enhanced fluoroscopy imaging. Morphologic and histologic analysis was performed 89 weeks after the procedure to assess the locations of the microspheres and extent of tissue necrosis from "9"0Y-radioembolization and bland embolization. A semi-quantified evaluation of the non-acute peri-particle and perivascular tissue reaction was conducted. All guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.ResultsKidneys embolized with "9"0Y-radioembolization decreased in mass by 30–70 % versus the contralateral kidney embolized with bland microspheres. These kidneys showed significant necrosis/fibrosis, avascularization, and glomerular atrophy in the immediate vicinity of the "9"0Y resin microspheres. By contrast, glomerular changes were not observed, even with clusters of bland microspheres in afferent arterioles. Evidence of a foreign body reaction was recorded in some kidneys with bland microspheres, and subcapsular scarring/infarction only with the highest load (4.96 × 10"6) of bland microspheres.ConclusionThis study showed that radioembolization with "9"0Y resin microspheres produces localized necrosis/fibrosis and loss of kidney mass in a porcine kidney model. This result supports the study of "9"0Y resin microspheres for the localized treatment of kidney tumors.

  3. Synthesis of porous poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) microspheres through one-step soap-free emulsion polymerization: whys and wherefores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Rui; Zhang, Yaoyao; Wang, Xiaohui; Xu, Jianxiong; Wang, Da; Zhang, Wangqing

    2012-02-15

    Synthesis of porous poly(styrene-co-acrylic acid) (PS-co-PAA) microspheres through one-step soap-free emulsion polymerization is reported. Various porous PS-co-PAA microspheres with the particle size ranging from 150 to 240 nm and with the pore size ranging from 4 to 25 nm are fabricated. The porous structure of the microspheres is confirmed by the transmission electron microscopy measurement and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis. The reason for synthesis of the porous PS-co-PAA microspheres is discussed, and the phase separation between the encapsulated hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) segment and the hydrophobic polystyrene domain within the PS-co-PAA microspheres is ascribed to the pore formation. The present synthesis of the porous PS-co-PAA microspheres is anticipated to be a new and convenient way to fabricate porous polymeric particles. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Hollow Fluffy Co3O4 Cages as Efficient Electroactive Materials for Supercapacitors and Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xuemei; Shen, Xuetao; Xia, Zhaoming; Zhang, Zhiyun; Li, Jing; Ma, Yuanyuan; Qu, Yongquan

    2015-09-16

    Nano-/micrometer multiscale hierarchical structures not only provide large surface areas for surface redox reactions but also ensure efficient charge conductivity, which is of benefit for utilization in areas of electrochemical energy conversion and storage. Herein, hollow fluffy cages (HFC) of Co3O4, constructed of ultrathin nanosheets, were synthesized by the formation of Co(OH)2 hollow cages and subsequent calcination at 250 °C. The large surface area (245.5 m2 g(-1)) of HFC Co3O4 annealed at 250 °C ensures the efficient interaction between electrolytes and electroactive components and provides more active sites for the surface redox reactions. The hierarchical structures minimize amount of the grain boundaries and facilitate the charge transfer process. Thin thickness of nanosheets (2-3 nm) ensures the highly active sites for the surface redox reactions. As a consequence, HFC Co3O4 as the supercapacitor electrode exhibits a superior rate capability, shows an excellent cycliability of 10,000 cycles at 10 A g(-1), and delivers large specific capacitances of 948.9 and 536.8 F g(-1) at 1 and 40 A g(-1), respectively. Catalytic studies of HFC Co3O4 for oxygen evolution reaction display a much higher turnover frequency of 1.67×10(-2) s(-1) in pH 14.0 KOH electrolyte at 400 mV overpotential and a lower Tafel slope of 70 mV dec(-1). HFC Co3O4 with the efficient electrochemical activity and good stability can remain a promising candidate for the electrochemical energy conversion and storage.

  5. Comparison of NiS2 and α-NiS hollow spheres for supercapacitors, non-enzymatic glucose sensors and water treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chengzhen; Cheng, Cheng; Cheng, Yanyan; Wang, Yan; Xu, Yazhou; Du, Weimin; Pang, Huan

    2015-10-21

    NiS2 hollow spheres are successfully prepared by a one-step template free method. Meanwhile, α-NiS hollow spheres can also be synthesized via the calcination of the pre-obtained NiS2 hollow spheres at 400 °C for 1 h in air. The electrochemical performances of the as-prepared NiS2 and α-NiS hollow sphere products are evaluated. When used for supercapacitors, compared with NiS2 hollow spheres, the α-NiS hollow sphere electrode shows a large specific capacitance of 717.3 F g(-1) at 0.6 A g(-1) and a good cycle life. Furthermore, NiS2 and α-NiS hollow spheres are successfully applied to fabricate non-enzymatic glucose sensors. In particular, the α-NiS hollow spheres exhibit good catalytic activity for the oxidation of glucose, a fast amperometric response time of less than 5 s, and the detection limit is estimated to be 0.08 μM. More importantly, compared with other normally co-existing interfering species, such as ascorbic acid, uric acid and dopamine, the electrode modified with α-NiS hollow spheres shows good selectivity. Moreover, the α-NiS hollow spheres also present good capacity to remove Congo red organic pollutants from wastewater by their surface adsorption ability.

  6. Hierarchical nanosheet-based Ni3S2 microspheres grown on Ni foam for high-performance all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Gaofeng; Cong, Yuan; Zhang, Chuanxiang; Tao, Haijun; Sun, Yueming; Wang, Yuqiao

    2017-10-01

    The hierarchical nanosheet-based Ni3S2 microspheres directly grew on Ni foam using a two-step hydrothermal method. The microsphere with a diameter of ˜1 microns and a rough surface was well connected to each other without any binders to provide a larger specific surface area, shorter ion/electron diffusion paths, richer electroactive sites as a supercapacitor electrode. As a three-electrode supercapacitor, it delivers a high specific capacity of 981.8 F g-1 at 2 A g-1, an excellent rate capability of 436.4 F g-1 at 12 A g-1, and a good cycling stability of 950.9 F g-1 with 96.9% retention after 1000 cycles at 2 A g-1. Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor based on Ni3S2-microsphere as a positive electrode and active carbon as a negative electrode shows a high energy density of 29.4 Wh kg-1 at 324.5 W kg-1 and a high power density of 3197.6 W kg-1 at 15.1 Wh kg-1. This work demonstrates that nanosheet-based Ni3S2 microspheres coated Ni foam can be an effective electrode for a real supercapacitor.

  7. Facile fabrication of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres and their influence on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Yifu, E-mail: yfzhang@dlut.edu.cn; Meng, Changgong

    2016-07-25

    Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres were successfully synthesized by the hydrothermal decomposition of iron oxalate and cobalt oxalate solution. The composition and morphology of synthesized powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The catalytic properties of the as-obtained Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres on the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP) were evaluated by thermo-gravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA) methods. The thermal decomposition temperatures of AP in the presence of 1, 2, 4 and 8 wt% of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres were respectively decreased by 58, 80, 102 and 129 °C (lowered to 398, 376, 354 and 327 °C). And the thermal decomposition temperatures of AP in the presence of 1, 2, 4 and 8 wt% of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres were respectively decreased by 55, 74, 112 and 131 °C (lowered to 401, 382, 344 and 325 °C). The analysis of the thermal gravimetric analyzer couplet with infrared spectroscopy (TG-IR) test reveal that the additives can accelerate the thermal decomposition of AP via the high-temperature decomposition. All the results suggest the as-prepared Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres have highly catalytic properties on the thermal decomposition of AP, which can be used as the promising additives in the future. - Graphical abstract: Real-time FTIR spectra to reveal the thermal decomposition process of AP. - Highlights: • Highly uniform Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres were successfully synthesized. • The T{sub c} of AP with 1, 2, 4 and 8 wt% of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres was decreased by 58, 80, 102 and 129 °C. • The T{sub c} of AP with 1, 2, 4 and 8 wt% of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres was decreased by 55, 74, 112 and 131 °C. • The thermal decomposition process of AP was detected by TG-IR.

  8. Synthesis and luminescence of CePO4 and CePO4:Tb hollow and core-shell microspheres composed of single-crystal nanorods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guan Mingyun; Sun Jianhua; Han Min; Xu Zheng; Tao Feifei; Yin Gui; Wei Xianwen; Zhu Jianmin; Jiang Xiqun

    2007-01-01

    Lanthanide phosphate microspheres composed of single-crystal CePO 4 and CePO 4 :Tb nanorods were successfully synthesized, respectively, using the functionalized composite aggregate as a template, which is composed of P123, H 6 P 4 O 13 and Ce 3+ , and also as a resource of reaction species with high chemical potential. The shape and the phase structure of the CePO 4 nanocrystal can be easily controlled via adjusting reaction temperature, monomer concentration and annealing temperature. SEM images show the spherical superstructure composed of nanorods. HRTEM and SAED images reveal the single-crystalline nature of nanorod and TEM images show the hollow interiors of the superstructure. XRD patterns indicate that the crystal structure of the nanorods is hexagonal before and monoclinic after annealing. The formation mechanism was proposed. Strong UV and green luminescence were observed for the CePO 4 and CePO 4 :Tb microspheres, respectively. The synthesis method can be extended to the fabrication of NRHS and core-shell microspheres of other rare-earth or doped LnPO 4 materials for wide applications

  9. Synthesis of morphology-controlled carbon hollow particles by carbonization of resorcinol-formaldehyde precursor microspheres and applications in lithium-ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang Haijiao, E-mail: seaboyfang@163.com [Modern Manufacture Engineering Center, Heilongjiang Institute of Science and Technology, 150027 (China); Xu Huifang, E-mail: xuhf@hit.edu.cn [School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, 150001 (China); Zhao Can [Modern Manufacture Engineering Center, Heilongjiang Institute of Science and Technology, 150027 (China)

    2012-03-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Resorcinol-formaldehyde hollow particles could be obtained by inverse suspension method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The morphologies of RF carbon precursor particles could be controlled by adjusting the pH values of the RF precursor. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The prepared carbon hollow particles, which derived from resorcinol-formaldehyde, exhibited microporous properties. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The RF carbon microcapsules displayed excellent power property and cycle durability. - Abstract: The morphology-controlled carbon hollow particles, derived from resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF) particles, were prepared by using an (oil phase) O/(water phase) W/(oil phase) O inverse-emulsion system which was formed by adding RF precursor (water phase) to n-hexane (oil phase) with Span-80 as surfactant and the following carbonization. This simple method led to the formation of various morphologies of RF carbon precursor particles such as hollow spheres, bowl-like hollow structures, microcapsules, or solid microspheres by adjusting the pH values of the RF precursor. The synthesized carbon particles exhibited porous characters with the surface area of 659 m{sup 2} g{sup -1} and the total pore volume of 0.44 cm{sup 3} g{sup -1}. Additionally, the electrochemical behavior of the typical RF carbon particles in lithium-ion batteries revealed that the RF carbon microcapsules displayed a high initial discharge capacity of 1059 mAh g{sup -1} and stabilized at about 330 mAh g{sup -1}, indicating its excellent power property and cycle durability.

  10. General Formation of M(x)Co(3-x)S4 (M=Ni, Mn, Zn) Hollow Tubular Structures for Hybrid Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yu Ming; Li, Zhen; Lou, Xiong Wen David

    2015-09-01

    A simple and versatile method for general synthesis of uniform one-dimensional (1D) M(x)Co(3-x)S4 (M=Ni, Mn, Zn) hollow tubular structures (HTSs), using soft polymeric nanofibers as a template, is described. Fibrous core-shell polymer@M-Co acetate hydroxide precursors with a controllable molar ratio of M/Co are first prepared, followed by a sulfidation process to obtain core-shell polymer@M(x)Co(3-x)S4 composite nanofibers. The as-made M(x)Co(3-x)S4 HTSs have a high surface area and exhibit exceptional electrochemical performance as electrode materials for hybrid supercapacitors. For example, the MnCo2S4 HTS electrode can deliver specific capacitance of 1094 F g(-1) at 10 A g(-1), and the cycling stability is remarkable, with only about 6% loss over 20,000 cycles. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. A Comparative Study of Production of Glass Microspheres by using Thermal Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, May Yan; Tan, Jully; Heng, Jerry YY; Cheeseman, Christopher

    2017-06-01

    Microspheres are spherical particles that can be distinguished into two categories; solid or hollow. Microspheres typical ranges from 1 to 200 μm in diameter. Microsphere are made from glass, ceramic, carbon or plastic depending on applications. Solid glass microsphere is manufactured by direct burning of glass powders while hollow glass microspheres is produced by adding blowing agent to glass powder. This paper presented the production of glass microspheres by using the vertical thermal flame (VTF) process. Pre-treated soda lime glass powder with particle sized range from 90 to 125μm was used in this work. The results showed that glass microspheres produced by two passes through the flame have a more spherical shape as compared with the single pass. Under the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), it is observed that there is a morphology changed from uneven surface of glass powders to smooth spherical surface particles. Qualitative analysis for density of the pre-burned and burned particles was performed. Burned particles floats in water while pre-burned particles sank indicated the change of density of the particles. Further improvements of the VTF process in terms of the VTF set-up are required to increase the transformation of glass powders to glass microspheres.

  12. A two-step hydrothermal synthesis approach to synthesize NiCo2S4/NiS hollow nanospheres for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Rui; Lin, Jianming; Wu, Jihuai; Huang, Miaoliang; Fan, Leqing; He, Xin; Wang, Yiting; Xu, Zedong

    2017-11-01

    In this work, a high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor device based on NiCo2S4/NiS hollow nanospheres as the positive electrode and the porous activated carbon as the negative electrode was successfully fabricated via a facile two-step hydrothermal synthesis approach. This NiCo2S4/NiS//activated carbon asymmetric supercapacitor achieved a high energy density of 43.7 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 160 W kg-1, an encouraging specific capacitance of 123 F g-1 at a current density of 1 mA cm-2, as well as a long-term performance with capacitance degradation of 5.2% after 3000 consecutive cycles at 1 mA cm-2. Moreover, the NiCo2S4/NiS electrode also demonstrated an excellent specific capacitance (1947.5 F g-1 at 3 mA cm-2) and an outstanding cycling stability (retaining 90.3% after 1000 cycles). The remarkable electrochemical performances may be attributed to the effect of NiS doping on NiCo2S4 which could enlarge the surface area and increase the surface roughness.

  13. Controlled Release of Lysozyme from Double-Walled Poly(Lactide-Co-Glycolide (PLGA Microspheres

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rezaul H. Ansary

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Double-walled microspheres based on poly(lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA are potential delivery systems for reducing a very high initial burst release of encapsulated protein and peptide drugs. In this study, double-walled microspheres made of glucose core, hydroxyl-terminated poly(lactide-co-glycolide (Glu-PLGA, and carboxyl-terminated PLGA were fabricated using a modified water-in-oil-in-oil-in-water (w1/o/o/w2 emulsion solvent evaporation technique for the controlled release of a model protein, lysozyme. Microspheres size, morphology, encapsulation efficiency, lysozyme in vitro release profiles, bioactivity, and structural integrity, were evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM images revealed that double-walled microspheres comprising of Glu-PLGA and PLGA with a mass ratio of 1:1 have a spherical shape and smooth surfaces. A statistically significant increase in the encapsulation efficiency (82.52% ± 3.28% was achieved when 1% (w/v polyvinyl alcohol (PVA and 2.5% (w/v trehalose were incorporated in the internal and external aqueous phase, respectively, during emulsification. Double-walled microspheres prepared together with excipients (PVA and trehalose showed a better control release of lysozyme. The released lysozyme was fully bioactive, and its structural integrity was slightly affected during microspheres fabrication and in vitro release studies. Therefore, double-walled microspheres made of Glu-PLGA and PLGA together with excipients (PVA and trehalose provide a controlled and sustained release for lysozyme.

  14. Investigation of H2S and CO2 Removal from Gas Streams Using Hollow Fiber Membrane Gas–liquid Contactors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. M. Mirfendereski

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Chemical absorption of H2S and CO2 from CH4 was carried out in a polypropylene porous asymmetric hollow fiber membrane contactor (HFMC. A 0.5 mol L–1 aqueous solution of methyldiethanolamine (MDEA was used as chemical absorbent solution. Effects of gas flow rate, liquid flow rate, H2S concentration and CO2 concentration on the H2S outlet concentrations and CO2 removal percentage were investigated. The results showed that the removal of H2S with aqueous solution of MDEA was very high and indicated almost total removal of H2S. Experimental results also indicated that the membrane contactor was very efficient in the removal of trace H2S at high gas/ liquid flow ratio. The removal of H2S was almost complete with a recovery of more than 96 %. Using feed gas mixtures containing 5000 ppm H2S with CO2 concentrations in the range of 4–12 vol.%, the outlet H2S concentration of less than 1.0 ppm was attained with less than 4.0 vol.% of CO2 permeated and absorbed.

  15. Formation and characterization of magnetic barium ferrite hollow fibers with low coercivity via co-electrospun

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Gui-fang, E-mail: guifang777@163.com; Zhang, Zi-dong, E-mail: 1986zzd@163.com; Dang, Feng, E-mail: dangfeng@sdu.edu.cn; Cheng, Chuan-bing, E-mail: 807033063@qq.com; Hou, Chuan-xin, E-mail: 710313782@qq.com; Liu, Si-da, E-mail: superliustar@hotmail.com

    2016-08-15

    BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} fibers and hollow fibers were successfully prepared by electrospun and co-electrospun. A very interesting result appeared in this study that hollow fibers made by co-electrospun showed low coercivity values of a few hundred oersteds, compared with the coercivity values of more than thousand oersteds for the fibers made by electrospun. So the hollow fibers with high saturation magnetization (M{sub s}) and while comparatively low coercivity (H{sub c}) exhibited strong magnetism and basically showed soft character. And this character for hollow fibers will lead to increase of the permeability for the samples which is favorable for impedance matching in microwave absorption. So these hollow fibers are promised to have use in a number of applications, such as switching and sensing applications, electromagnetic materials, microwave absorber. - Highlights: • BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} fibers were prepared via electrospinning successfully. • The coercivity has a value of a few hundred oersteds for the hollow fibers made by coaxial electrospun. • BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} with high saturation magnetization and low coercivity shows great potential in microwave absorbing application.

  16. In situ grown hierarchical 50%BiOCl/BiOI hollow flowerlike microspheres on reduced graphene oxide nanosheets for enhanced visible-light photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, Xiangde; Yang, Jinjin; Yu, Xiang; Zhu, Yi; Zhang, Yuanming

    2018-03-01

    50%BiOCl/BiOI/reduced graphene oxide (50%BiOCl/BiOI/rGO) composite photocatalyst was synthesized successfully by a facile one-step solvothermal route in this work. Reduction of graphene oxide (GO) took place in the process of solvothermal reaction and a new Bi-C bond between rGO and 50%BiOCl/BiOI was formed. The introduction of rGO affected the morphology of 50%BiOCl/BiOI, resulting in the transformation of 50%BiOCl/BiOI from solid microspheres to hollow microspheres. Both the introduction of rGO and formation of 50%BiOCl/BiOI hollow microspheres can facilitate the light absorption. The strong interaction between 50%BiOCl/BiOI and rGO and the electrical conductivity of rGO greatly improved the effective separation of photogenerated carriers. Hence, GOB-5 demonstrated the highest photocatalytic activity which was over twice of the pristine 50%BiOCl/BiOI in the presence of visible light. Mechanism study revealed that 50%BiOCl/BiOI generated electrons and holes in the presence of visible light, and holes together with rad O2- generated from reduction of O2 by electrons degraded the pollutant directly. Overall, this work provides an excellent reference to the synthesis of chemically bonded BiOX/BiOY (X, Y = Cl, Br, I)/rGO nanocomposite and helps to promote their applications in environmental protection and photoelectric conversion.

  17. Inflammation and pancreatic cancer: molecular and functional interactions between S100A8, S100A9, NT-S100A8 and TGFβ1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basso, Daniela; Bozzato, Dania; Padoan, Andrea; Moz, Stefania; Zambon, Carlo-Federico; Fogar, Paola; Greco, Eliana; Scorzeto, Michele; Simonato, Francesca; Navaglia, Filippo; Fassan, Matteo; Pelloso, Michela; Dupont, Sirio; Pedrazzoli, Sergio; Fassina, Ambrogio; Plebani, Mario

    2014-03-26

    In order to gain further insight on the crosstalk between pancreatic cancer (PDAC) and stromal cells, we investigated interactions occurring between TGFβ1 and the inflammatory proteins S100A8, S100A9 and NT-S100A8, a PDAC-associated S100A8 derived peptide, in cell signaling, intracellular calcium (Cai2+) and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). NF-κB, Akt and mTOR pathways, Cai2+ and EMT were studied in well (Capan1 and BxPC3) and poorly differentiated (Panc1 and MiaPaCa2) cell lines. NT-S100A8, one of the low molecular weight N-terminal peptides from S100A8 to be released by PDAC-derived proteases, shared many effects on NF-κB, Akt and mTOR signaling with S100A8, but mainly with TGFβ1. The chief effects of S100A8, S100A9 and NT-S100A8 were to inhibit NF-κB and stimulate mTOR; the molecules inhibited Akt in Smad4-expressing, while stimulated Akt in Smad4 negative cells. By restoring Smad4 expression in BxPC3 and silencing it in MiaPaCa2, S100A8 and NT-S100A8 were shown to inhibit NF-κB and Akt in the presence of an intact TGFβ1 canonical signaling pathway. TGFβ1 counteracted S100A8, S100A9 and NT-S100A8 effects in Smad4 expressing, not in Smad4 negative cells, while it synergized with NT-S100A8 in altering Cai2+ and stimulating PDAC cell growth. The effects of TGFβ1 on both EMT (increased Twist and decreased N-Cadherin expression) and Cai2+ were antagonized by S100A9, which formed heterodimers with TGFβ1 (MALDI-TOF/MS and co-immuno-precipitation). The effects of S100A8 and S100A9 on PDAC cell signaling appear to be cell-type and context dependent. NT-S100A8 mimics the effects of TGFβ1 on cell signaling, and the formation of complexes between TGFβ1 with S100A9 appears to be the molecular mechanism underlying the reciprocal antagonism of these molecules on cell signaling, Cai2+ and EMT.

  18. One-pot synthesis of hollow NiSe-CoSe nanoparticles with improved performance for hybrid supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Haichao; Fan, Meiqiang; Li, Chao; Tian, Guanglei; Lv, Chunju; Chen, Da; Shu, Kangying; Jiang, Jianjun

    2016-10-01

    Hollow NiSe-CoSe samples have been synthesized for the first time via a one-pot solvothermal approach. The strategy is robust enough to synthesize NiSe-CoSe nanoparticles with different NiSe to CoSe ratios but with a similar hollow structure. Co ions in the NiSe-CoSe nanoparticles play decisive role for formation of the hollow structure; otherwise, the nanoparticles become solid for the NiSe sample. When used as the positive electroactive materials for energy storage, the NiSe-CoSe samples show excellent electrochemical activity in alkaline electrolyte. Using the synergistic effect between NiSe and CoSe, the electrochemical performance of NiSe-CoSe can be tuned by varying the NiSe to CoSe ratios. The NiSe-CoSe sample with a NiSe to CoSe ratio of 4:2 shows the best electrochemical performance in terms of superior specific capacity, improved rate capability and excellent cycling stability. In addition, the electrochemical performance of NiSe-CoSe sample with a NiSe to CoSe ratio of 4:2 is also evaluated via assembling hybrid supercapacitors with RGO, and the hybrid supercapacitor delivers both high power and energy densities (41.8 Wh kg-1 at 750 W kg-1 and 20.3 Wh kg-1 at 30 kW kg-1).

  19. Solvothermal coating LiNi_0_._8Co_0_._1_5Al_0_._0_5O_2 microspheres with nanoscale Li_2TiO_3 shell for long lifespan Li-ion battery cathode materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Naiteng; Wu, Hao; Liu, Heng; Zhang, Yun

    2016-01-01

    LiNi_0_._8Co_0_._1_5Al_0_._0_5O_2 (NCA) microspheres covered by a nanoscale Li_2TiO_3-based shell were synthesized by a facile strategy based on a solvothermal pre-coating treatment combined with a post-sintering lithiation process. The morphology, structure and composition of the Li_2TiO_3-coated NCA samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Owing to the complete, uniform and nanoscale Li_2TiO_3 coating shell, the resultant surface-modified NCA microspheres used as Li-ion battery cathode materials manifest remarkably enhanced cycling performances, attaining 94% and 84% capacity retention after 200 and 400 cycles at 0.5 C, respectively, which is much better than the pristine NCA counterpart (60% retention, 200 cycles). More impressively, the surface-modified NCA also shows an intriguing storage stability. After being stored at 30 °C for 50 days, the coated NCA-based cells are subjected to be cycled both at room and elevated temperatures, in which the aged cells can still remain 84% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 25 °C and 77% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 55 °C, respectively. All these results demonstrate that the Li_2TiO_3-coated LiNi_0_._8Co_0_._1_5Al_0_._0_5O_2 microsphere is a promising cathode material for Li-ion batteries with long lifespan. - Graphical abstract: Nanoscale Li_2TiO_3-based shell encapsulated LiNi_0_._8Co_0_._1_5Al_0_._0_5O_2 (NCA) microspheres are fabricated through a solvothermal pre-coating treatment combined with post-lithiation process. The surface-coated NCA as cathode materials shows a remarkably enhanced cycling performance and storage stability for long lifespan Li-ion batteries. - Highlights: • Li_2TiO_3 is used as coating materials for layer structured LiNi_0_._8Co_0_._1_5Al_0_._0_5O_2 cathode. • Solvothermal coating

  20. Synergistic effects of hollow structure and surface fluorination on the photocatalytic activity of titania

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lv Kangle; Yu Jiaguo; Deng Kejian; Sun Jie; Zhao Yanxi; Du Dongyun; Li Mei

    2010-01-01

    To study the synergistic effects of hollow structure and surface fluorination on the photoactivity of TiO 2 , TiO 2 hollow microspheres were synthesized by a hydrolysis-precipitate method using sulfonated polystyrene (PS) as templates and tetrabutylorthotitanate (TBOT) as precursor, and then calcined at 500 o C for 2 h. The calcined samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and N 2 sorption. Photocatalytic activity was evaluated using reactive brilliant red X3B, an anionic organic dye, as a model pollutant in water. The results show that the photocatalytic activity of TiO 2 hollow microspheres is significantly higher than that of TiO 2 nanoparticles prepared in the same experimental conditions. At pH 7 and 3, the apparent rate constants of the former exceed that of the latter by a factor of 3.38 and 3.15, respectively. After surface fluorination at pH 3, the photoactivity of hollow microspheres and nanoparticles further increases for another 1.61 and 2.19 times, respectively. The synergistic effect of surface fluorination and hollow structure can also be used to prepare other highly efficient photocatalyst.

  1. Porous hollow Co3O4 with rhombic dodecahedral structures for high-performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yi-Zhou; Wang, Yang; Xie, Ye-Lei; Cheng, Tao; Lai, Wen-Yong; Pang, Huan; Huang, Wei

    2014-11-01

    Porous hollow Co3O4 with rhombic dodecahedral structures were prepared by the calcination of ZIF-67 ([Co(mim)2; mim = 2-methylimidazolate]) rhombic dodecahedral microcrystals. A supercapacitor was successfully constructed by adopting the resulting porous hollow Co3O4 rhombic dodecahedral structure as the electrode material, which showed a large specific capacitance of 1100 F g-1 and retained more than 95.1% of the specific capacitance after 6000 continuous charge-discharge cycles. The excellent capacitive properties and stability mark the porous hollow Co3O4 with the rhombic dodecahedral structure as one of the most promising electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors.Porous hollow Co3O4 with rhombic dodecahedral structures were prepared by the calcination of ZIF-67 ([Co(mim)2; mim = 2-methylimidazolate]) rhombic dodecahedral microcrystals. A supercapacitor was successfully constructed by adopting the resulting porous hollow Co3O4 rhombic dodecahedral structure as the electrode material, which showed a large specific capacitance of 1100 F g-1 and retained more than 95.1% of the specific capacitance after 6000 continuous charge-discharge cycles. The excellent capacitive properties and stability mark the porous hollow Co3O4 with the rhombic dodecahedral structure as one of the most promising electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr04782f

  2. Modelling and Characterization of Effective Thermal Conductivity of Single Hollow Glass Microsphere and Its Powder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bing; Wang, Hui; Qin, Qing-Hua

    2018-01-14

    Tiny hollow glass microsphere (HGM) can be applied for designing new light-weighted and thermal-insulated composites as high strength core, owing to its hollow structure. However, little work has been found for studying its own overall thermal conductivity independent of any matrix, which generally cannot be measured or evaluated directly. In this study, the overall thermal conductivity of HGM is investigated experimentally and numerically. The experimental investigation of thermal conductivity of HGM powder is performed by the transient plane source (TPS) technique to provide a reference to numerical results, which are obtained by a developed three-dimensional two-step hierarchical computational method. In the present method, three heterogeneous HGM stacking elements representing different distributions of HGMs in the powder are assumed. Each stacking element and its equivalent homogeneous solid counterpart are, respectively, embedded into a fictitious matrix material as fillers to form two equivalent composite systems at different levels, and then the overall thermal conductivity of each stacking element can be numerically determined through the equivalence of the two systems. The comparison of experimental and computational results indicates the present computational modeling can be used for effectively predicting the overall thermal conductivity of single HGM and its powder in a flexible way. Besides, it is necessary to note that the influence of thermal interfacial resistance cannot be removed from the experimental results in the TPS measurement.

  3. One-pot fabrication of graphene sheets decorated Co2P-Co hollow nanospheres for advanced lithium ion battery anodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xie, Qingshui; Zeng, Deqian; Gong, Pingyun; Huang, Jian; Ma, Yating; Wang, Laisen; Peng, Dong-Liang

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Co 2 P-Co hollow nanospheres with graphene sheets decoration are prepared through one-pot solution approach. • Co 2 P-Co/graphene nanocomposites reveal greatly enhanced lithium storage performances than Co 2 P-Co counterparts. • The superb electrochemical performances derive from dual modification of graphene sheets and metal Co as well as their hollow configuration. - Abstract: The fabrication of Co 2 P-Co (Co-P composites) hollow nanospheres with graphene sheets decoration through one-pot solution approach is demonstrated and their potential as the anode materials for lithium ion batteries is assessed. A large specific capacity of 929 mA h g −1 can be retained for Co-P/graphene nanocomposites at 100 mA g −1 after 200 cycles. When cycled at a large current density of 2.0C, the Co-P/graphene nanocomposites deliver a decent reversible capacity of 567 mA h g −1 , which is much higher than the theoretical capacity of traditional graphite anode (372 mA h g −1 ). The obviously enhanced lithium storage properties of Co-P/graphene nanocomposites are put down to the dual modification of graphene sheets and metal Co as well as their hollow structures.

  4. Subcritical CO{sub 2} sintering of microspheres of different polymeric materials to fabricate scaffolds for tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhamidipati, Manjari; Sridharan, BanuPriya [Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States); Scurto, Aaron M. [Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States); Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States); Detamore, Michael S., E-mail: detamore@ku.edu [Bioengineering Graduate Program, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States); Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS (United States)

    2013-12-01

    The aim of this study was to use CO{sub 2} at sub-critical pressures as a tool to sinter 3D, macroporous, microsphere-based scaffolds for bone and cartilage tissue engineering. Porous scaffolds composed of ∼ 200 μm microspheres of either poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) or polycaprolactone (PCL) were prepared using dense phase CO{sub 2} sintering, which were seeded with rat bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (rBMSCs), and exposed to either osteogenic (PLGA, PCL) or chondrogenic (PLGA) conditions for 6 weeks. Under osteogenic conditions, the PLGA constructs produced over an order of magnitude more calcium than the PCL constructs, whereas the PCL constructs had far superior mechanical and structural integrity (125 times stiffer than PLGA constructs) at week 6, along with twice the cell content of the PLGA constructs. Chondrogenic cell performance was limited in PLGA constructs, perhaps as a result of the polymer degradation rate being too high. The current study represents the first long-term culture of CO{sub 2}-sintered microsphere-based scaffolds, and has established important thermodynamic differences in sintering between the selected formulations of PLGA and PCL, with the former requiring adjustment of pressure only, and the latter requiring the adjustment of both pressure and temperature. Based on more straightforward sintering conditions and more favorable cell performance, PLGA may be the material of choice for microspheres in a CO{sub 2} sintering application, although a different PLGA formulation with the encapsulation of growth factors, extracellular matrix-derived nanoparticles, and/or buffers in the microspheres may be advantageous for achieving a more superior cell performance than observed here. - Highlights: • The first long-term culture of CO{sub 2}-sintered microsphere-based scaffolds. • Established important thermodynamic differences between sintering PLGA and PCL. • PCL sintering with CO{sub 2} required manipulation of both

  5. Solvothermal Synthesis of a Hollow Micro-Sphere LiFePO4/C Composite with a Porous Interior Structure as a Cathode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yang; Zhang, Jieyu; Li, Ying; Hu, Yemin; Li, Wenxian; Zhu, Mingyuan; Hu, Pengfei; Chou, Shulei; Wang, Guoxiu

    2017-01-01

    To overcome the low lithium ion diffusion and slow electron transfer, a hollow micro sphere LiFePO4/C cathode material with a porous interior structure was synthesized via a solvothermal method by using ethylene glycol (EG) as the solvent medium and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the surfactant. In this strategy, the EG solvent inhibits the growth of the crystals and the CTAB surfactant boots the self-assembly of the primary nanoparticles to form hollow spheres. The resultant carbon-coat LiFePO4/C hollow micro-spheres have a ~300 nm thick shell/wall consisting of aggregated nanoparticles and a porous interior. When used as materials for lithium-ion batteries, the hollow micro spherical LiFePO4/C composite exhibits superior discharge capacity (163 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C), good high-rate discharge capacity (118 mAh g−1 at 10 C), and fine cycling stability (99.2% after 200 cycles at 0.1 C). The good electrochemical performances are attributed to a high rate of ionic/electronic conduction and the high structural stability arising from the nanosized primary particles and the micro-sized hollow spherical structure. PMID:29099814

  6. Solvothermal Synthesis of a Hollow Micro-Sphere LiFePO4/C Composite with a Porous Interior Structure as a Cathode Material for Lithium Ion Batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Liu

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available To overcome the low lithium ion diffusion and slow electron transfer, a hollow micro sphere LiFePO4/C cathode material with a porous interior structure was synthesized via a solvothermal method by using ethylene glycol (EG as the solvent medium and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB as the surfactant. In this strategy, the EG solvent inhibits the growth of the crystals and the CTAB surfactant boots the self-assembly of the primary nanoparticles to form hollow spheres. The resultant carbon-coat LiFePO4/C hollow micro-spheres have a ~300 nm thick shell/wall consisting of aggregated nanoparticles and a porous interior. When used as materials for lithium-ion batteries, the hollow micro spherical LiFePO4/C composite exhibits superior discharge capacity (163 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C, good high-rate discharge capacity (118 mAh g−1 at 10 C, and fine cycling stability (99.2% after 200 cycles at 0.1 C. The good electrochemical performances are attributed to a high rate of ionic/electronic conduction and the high structural stability arising from the nanosized primary particles and the micro-sized hollow spherical structure.

  7. Making of U3O8 Microsphere as a Preliminary Material for Manufacturing UO2 Kernel of HTR

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hidayati; Triyono; Endang Nawangsih

    2007-01-01

    The making of U 3 O 8 microsphere as a preliminary material for manufacturing UO 2 kernel of HTR on various feed solution with internal gelation method use of paraffin gelation medium has been done. The aim of this research is to make U 3 O 8 microsphere as preliminary material for making UO 2 kernel which has good characteristic and for knowing to some extent the feed solution influence on U 3 O 8 microsphere. Uranyl nitrate solution was used as a feed solution with acidity 1 M and some various of ADUN solution. ADUN solution was made by adding various of ammonia solution on the solution of uranyl nitrate. Each of the feed solution was added urea + HMTA solution and then it was dropped to a column containing hot paraffin solution at the temperature 95°Celsius in order to get UO 3 gel. UO 3 gel was dipped and washed with NH 4 OH, dried and calcined at the temperature of 800°Celsius . The obtained product was analyzed its surface area, radius of pore, total volume of pore and distribution of pore size of Surface Area Analyzer NOVA-1000. The density was analyzed with pycnometer and the form of microsphere was analyzed with SEM. The obtained product shows that U 3 O 8 microsphere with less ammonium nitrate gave U 3 O 8 much better and vice versa. The best U 3 O 8 obtained from the with ratio mole nitrate/uranium = 1.9, namely uranyl nitrate solution with the feed acidity of 1 N which was added by the lest amount of NH 4 OH. U 3 O 8 microsphere has density 7.06 g/cc (85.62% theoretical density), specific surface area = 6.77 m 2 /g, mean pore radius 20.52 Å, and also total pore volume 6.91x10 -3 cc/g. (author)

  8. Polyethyleneimine-Functionalized Polyamide Imide (Torlon) Hollow-Fiber Sorbents for Post-Combustion CO 2 Capture

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Fuyue Stephanie

    2013-05-24

    Carbon dioxide emitted from existing coal-fired power plants is a major environmental concern due to possible links to global climate change. In this study, we expand upon previous work focused on aminosilane-functionalized polymeric hollow-fiber sorbents by introducing a new class of polyethyleneimine (PEI)-functionalized polymeric hollow-fiber sorbents for post-combustion carbon dioxide capture. Different molecular weight PEIs (Mn≈600, 1800, 10 000, and 60 000) were studied as functional groups on polyamide imide (PAI, Torlon) hollow fibers. This imide ring-opening modification introduces two amide functional groups and was confirmed by FTIR attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy. The carbon dioxide equilibrium sorption capacities of PEI-functionalized Torlon materials were characterized by using both pressure decay and gravimetric sorption methods. For equivalent PEI concentrations, PAI functionalized with lower molecular weight PEI exhibited higher carbon dioxide capacities. The effect of water in the ring-opening reaction was also studied. Up to a critical value, water in the reaction mixture enhanced the degree of functionalization of PEI to Torlon and resulted in higher carbon dioxide uptake within the functionalized material. Above the critical value, roughly 15 % w/w water, the fiber morphology was lost and the fiber was soluble in the solvent. PEI-functionalized (Mn≈600) PAI under optimal reaction conditions was observed to have the highest CO2 uptake: 4.9 g CO2 per 100 g of polymer (1.1 mmol g-1) at 0.1 bar and 35°C with dry 10 % CO2/90 % N2 feed for thermogravimetric analysis. By using water-saturated feeds (10 % CO2/90 % N2 dry basis), CO2 sorption was observed to increase to 6.0 g CO2 per 100 g of sorbent (1.4 mmol g-1). This material also demonstrated stability in cyclic adsorption-desorption operations, even under wet conditions at which some highly effective sorbents tend to lose performance. Thus, PEI-functionalized PAI fibers can be

  9. Rational Construction of Hollow Core-Branch CoSe2 Nanoarrays for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitor and Efficient Oxygen Evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Tian; Li, Songzhan; Wen, Jian; Gui, Pengbin; Guo, Yaxiong; Guan, Cao; Liu, Jinping; Fang, Guojia

    2018-02-01

    Metal selenides have great potential for electrochemical energy storage, but are relatively scarce investigated. Herein, a novel hollow core-branch CoSe 2 nanoarray on carbon cloth is designed by a facile selenization reaction of predesigned CoO nanocones. And the electrochemical reaction mechanism of CoSe 2 in supercapacitor is studied in detail for the first time. Compared with CoO, the hollow core-branch CoSe 2 has both larger specific surface area and higher electrical conductivity. When tested as a supercapacitor positive electrode, the CoSe 2 delivers a high specific capacitance of 759.5 F g -1 at 1 mA cm -2 , which is much larger than that of CoO nanocones (319.5 F g -1 ). In addition, the CoSe 2 electrode exhibits excellent cycling stability in that a capacitance retention of 94.5% can be maintained after 5000 charge-discharge cycles at 5 mA cm -2 . An asymmetric supercapacitor using the CoSe 2 as cathode and an N-doped carbon nanowall as anode is further assembled, which show a high energy density of 32.2 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 1914.7 W kg -1 , and maintains 24.9 Wh kg -1 when power density increased to 7354.8 W kg -1 . Moreover, the CoSe 2 electrode also exhibits better oxygen evolution reaction activity than that of CoO. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. VEGF-incorporated biomimetic poly(lactide-co-glycolide) sintered microsphere scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabbarzadeh, Ehsan; Deng, Meng; Lv, Qing; Jiang, Tao; Khan, Yusuf M; Nair, Lakshmi S; Laurencin, Cato T

    2012-11-01

    Regenerative engineering approaches utilizing biomimetic synthetic scaffolds provide alternative strategies to repair and restore damaged bone. The efficacy of the scaffolds for functional bone regeneration critically depends on their ability to induce and support vascular infiltration. In the present study, three-dimensional (3D) biomimetic poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLAGA) sintered microsphere scaffolds were developed by sintering together PLAGA microspheres followed by nucleation of minerals in a simulated body fluid. Further, the angiogenic potential of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-incorporated mineralized PLAGA scaffolds were examined by monitoring the growth and phenotypic expression of endothelial cells on scaffolds. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs confirmed the growth of bone-like mineral layers on the surface of microspheres. The mineralized PLAGA scaffolds possessed interconnectivity and a compressive modulus of 402 ± 61 MPa and compressive strength of 14.6 ± 2.9 MPa. Mineralized scaffolds supported the attachment and growth and normal phenotypic expression of endothelial cells. Further, precipitation of apatite layer on PLAGA scaffolds resulted in an enhanced VEGF adsorption and prolonged release compared to nonmineralized PLAGA and, thus, a significant increase in endothelial cell proliferation. Together, these results demonstrated the potential of VEGF-incorporated biomimetic PLAGA sintered microsphere scaffolds for bone tissue engineering as they possess the combined effects of osteointegrativity and angiogenesis. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  11. [Age-related changes Kernogan`s index of venous vessels hollow and parenchymatous organs at stages of a postnatal ontogenesis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nickel', V V; Efremova, V P

    2016-01-01

    Kernogan`s index determination of hollow and parenchymatous organs' venous vessels was conducted on 80 men corpses of the three age groups. Average age of the investigated men corpses of the mature period is 27,8±4,2 years, elderly - 67,8±3,7 years, senile - 81,9±4,5 years. The age variability transformation of venous vessels bandwidth of lungs, kidneys, heart, stomach and ileum were obligate. It was revealed that the Kernogan`s index of venous vessels changes can be equally detected at different age periods. While, with the obsolence, there is a gradual indicator's decline, which is mostly discerned in parenchymatous organs, while for the hollow organs transformations are less essentic.

  12. Synthesis of ceramic hollow fiber supported zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) membranes with high hydrogen permeability

    KAUST Repository

    Pan, Yichang; Wang, Bo; Lai, Zhiping

    2012-01-01

    Purification and recovery of hydrogen from hydrocarbons in refinery streams in the petrochemical industry is an emerging research field in the study of membrane gas separation. Hollow fiber membrane modules can be easily implemented into separation processes at the industrial scale. In this report, hollow yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) fiber-supported zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) membranes were successfully prepared using a mild and environmentally friendly seeded growth method. Our single-component permeation studies demonstrated that the membrane had a very high hydrogen permeance (~15×10 -7mol/m 2sPa) and an ideal selectivity of H 2/C 3H 8 of more than 1000 at room temperature. This high membrane permeability and selectivity caused serious concentration polarization in the separation of H 2/C 3H 8 mixtures, which led to almost 50% drop in both the H 2 permeance and the separation factor. Enhanced mixing on the feed side could reduce the effect of the concentration polarization. Our experimental data also indicated that the membranes had excellent reproducibility and long-term stability, indicating that the hollow fiber-supported ZIF-8 membranes developed in this study have great potential in industry-scale separation of hydrogen. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

  13. Synthesis of ceramic hollow fiber supported zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) membranes with high hydrogen permeability

    KAUST Repository

    Pan, Yichang

    2012-12-01

    Purification and recovery of hydrogen from hydrocarbons in refinery streams in the petrochemical industry is an emerging research field in the study of membrane gas separation. Hollow fiber membrane modules can be easily implemented into separation processes at the industrial scale. In this report, hollow yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) fiber-supported zeolitic imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) membranes were successfully prepared using a mild and environmentally friendly seeded growth method. Our single-component permeation studies demonstrated that the membrane had a very high hydrogen permeance (~15×10 -7mol/m 2sPa) and an ideal selectivity of H 2/C 3H 8 of more than 1000 at room temperature. This high membrane permeability and selectivity caused serious concentration polarization in the separation of H 2/C 3H 8 mixtures, which led to almost 50% drop in both the H 2 permeance and the separation factor. Enhanced mixing on the feed side could reduce the effect of the concentration polarization. Our experimental data also indicated that the membranes had excellent reproducibility and long-term stability, indicating that the hollow fiber-supported ZIF-8 membranes developed in this study have great potential in industry-scale separation of hydrogen. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

  14. Li3V2(PO4)3/LiFePO4 composite hollow microspheres for wide voltage lithium ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Wen; Wei, Chuanliang; Zhang, Xudong; Wang, Yaoyao; Liu, Qinze; Shen, Jianxing; Wang, Lianzhou; Yue, Yuanzheng

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Using yeast cells to control the in-situ growth of crystal particle. • Heterogeneous isomorphism nanocomposite hollow microspheres are synthesized. • The cathode exhibits a higher discharge capacity and energy density. - Abstract: Li 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 (LVP)/LiFePO 4 (LVP) composite hollow microspheres (LVP/LFP-CHMs) for lithium-ion batteries have been synthesized by a combination method, using yeast cells as both structure templates and biocarbon source. The stable heterogeneous isomorphism solid solution with superlattice structure is formed in the joint of LVP and LFP particles. A detailed analysis of the formation mechanism of solid solution with superlattice structure and the influences of different Fe:V mole ratios on the structure and electrochemical properties of composites are presented. When the LVP/LFP-CHMs with a Fe:V mole ratio of 1:3 were used as cathode material in coin cells with metallic Li as anode, the cell exhibits a discharge capacity of 221.5 mAh g −1 for 5 cycles and discharge specific energy of 682 Wh kg −1 at 0.1C in a wide voltage range (1.5–4.3 V). Its capacity is far higher than the capacity of unsubstituted LFP and LVP in the same wide voltage range. The energy density of this cell is about 4 times higher than that of modern commercial lithium-ion batteries (157 Wh kg −1 ). The wide voltage range not only increases the discharge capacity and energy density of cathode materials, but also could expand the range of its applications in electronic equipment.

  15. Hierarchical Mn₂O₃ Microspheres In-Situ Coated with Carbon for Supercapacitors with Highly Enhanced Performances.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Feilong; Lu, Shuang; Peng, Lifang; Zhou, Jing; Kong, Jinming; Jia, Dianzeng; Li, Feng

    2017-11-23

    Porous Mn₂O₃ microspheres have been synthesized and in-situ coated with amorphous carbon to form hierarchical C@Mn₂O₃ microspheres by first producing MnCO₃ microspheres in solvothermal reactions, and then annealing at 500 °C. The self-assembly growth of MnCO₃ microspheres can generate hollow structures inside each of the particles, which can act as micro-reservoirs to store biomass-glycerol for generating amorphous carbon onto the surfaces of Mn₂O₃ nanorods consisting of microspheres. The C@Mn₂O₃ microspheres, prepared at 500 °C, exhibit highly enhanced pseudocapacitive performances when compared to the particles after annealed at 400 °C and 600 °C. Specifically, the C@Mn₂O₃ microspheres prepared at 500 °C show high specific capacitances of 383.87 F g -1 at current density of 0.5 A g -1 , and excellent cycling stability of 90.47% of its initial value after cycling for 5000 times. The asymmetric supercapacitors assembled with C@Mn₂O₃ microspheres after annealed at 500 °C and activated carbon (AC) show an energy density of up to 77.8 Wh kg -1 at power density of 500.00 W kg -1 , and a maximum power density of 20.14 kW kg -1 at energy density of 46.8 Wh kg -1 . We can attribute the enhanced electrochemical performances of the materials to their three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical structure in-situ coated with carbon.

  16. PEBAX®/PAN Hollow Fiber Membranes for CO2/CH4 Separation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Esposito, E.; Clarizia, G.; Bernardo, P.; Jansen, J. C.; Sedláková, Zuzana; Izák, Pavel; Curcio, S.; de Cindio, B.; Tasselli, F.

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 94, SI (2015), s. 53-61 ISSN 0255-2701. [International Congress of Chemical and Process Engineering CHISA 2014 /21./ and Conference PRES 2014 /17./. Prague, 23.08.2014-27.08.2014] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA14-12695S Grant - others:INRP(IT) MicroPERLA:PON01_01840 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 Keywords : composite membrane * hollow fibers * CO2/CH4 separation Subject RIV: CF - Physical ; Theoretical Chemistry Impact factor: 2.154, year: 2015

  17. Facile synthesis of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} hierarchical microspheres with improved lithium storage performances

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hou, Xiaojuan, E-mail: houxiaojuan@nuc.edu.cn; He, Jian; An, Kun; Mu, Jiliang; Chou, Xiujian; Xue, Chenyang

    2016-10-15

    Highlights: • The Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres were first fabricated without any surfactant. • The Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres present excellent electrochemical performances. • The excellent performances result from porous nanosheets assembled architectures. • The microspheres exhibit a high specific capacity of 1000 mA h g at 100 mA g. - Abstract: Porous nanosheets-assembled Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres have been first successfully fabricated by a facile solvothermal method without any surfactant followed by a relatively low annealing temperature (400 °C) with a higher specific surface area compared to the annealing temperature of 600 °C. The nanosheets-assembled microspheres exhibit a high discharge capacity of 1000 mA h g{sup −1} at a current density of 100 mA g{sup −1} after 50 cycles and 850 mA h g{sup −1} at a current density of 500 mA g{sup −1} after 80 cycles, even at a high current density of 1.6 A g{sup −1} the cycling reversible capacity can still keep 750 mA h g{sup −1}, the representative capacities are relatively higher than most of reports about pure Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}. We attribute the excellent electrochemical performances to the porous nanosheets structure and architectures, which can provide more effective electrode/electrolyte contact area and direct ion transmission path, then lead to faster lithium-ion diffusion, confirmed by EIS measurements. The high specific capacity, excellent cycling and rate performances demonstrate that the porous nanosheets assembled microspheres present promising application in lithium storage.

  18. High-performance free-standing capacitor electrodes of multilayered Co9S8 plates wrapped by carbonized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)/reduced graphene oxide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Tinghui; Li, Yali; Liu, Dequan; Gu, Yipeng; Qin, Shengchun; Guo, Xin; Guo, Hui; Ding, Yongqiang; Liu, Qiming; Chen, Qiang; Li, Junshuai; He, Deyan

    2018-03-01

    In this paper, a free-standing electrode structure composed of multilayered Co9S8 plates wrapped by carbonized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)/reduced graphene oxide (PEDOT:PSS/rGO) layers is introduced. Excellent supercapacitive behaviors, especially long cycling stability at high current densities are delivered owing to the synergetic effects of stable electrical contact between the active material and carbonized PEDOT:PSS/rGO due to the wrapped configuration, efficient charge exchange between the multilayered Co9S8 plates and electrolyte, improved electrical conductance by rGO, and plenty of voids for accommodating volume changes. For the optimized electrode (starting materials: 0.5 mL PEDOT:PSS, 1.0 mL GO (6.0 mg mL-1) and 10.0 mg Co(OH)2), a specific capacitance of about 788.9 F g-1 at 1.0 A g-1 and good cycling stability of over 100% of the initial capacitance (∼488.6 F g-1) after 10000 cycles at a current density of 15.0 A g-1 can be achieved. The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor based on the optimized electrode//active carbon exhibits an energy density of ∼19.6 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 400.9 W kg-1.

  19. Synthesis and characterization of magnesium gluconate contained poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/chitosan microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rahman, Shekh M. [Department of Chemical, Biological and Bioengineering, North Carolina A& T State University, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411 (United States); NSF Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials, North Carolina A& T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411 (United States); Mahoney, Christopher [Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15250 (United States); Sankar, Jagannathan [NSF Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials, North Carolina A& T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411 (United States); Department of Mechanical Engineering, North Carolina A& T State University, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411 (United States); Marra, Kacey G. [NSF Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials, North Carolina A& T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411 (United States); Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, 4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15250 (United States); Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15250 (United States); McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 450 Technology Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15250 (United States); Bhattarai, Narayan, E-mail: nbhattar@ncat.edu [Department of Chemical, Biological and Bioengineering, North Carolina A& T State University, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27411 (United States); NSF Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials, North Carolina A& T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411 (United States)

    2016-01-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Magnesium gluconate contained PLGA/chitosan microspheres were fabricated. • In vitro release of magnesium ions was performed using Xylidyl Blue assay. • Chitosan coated PLGA can significantly control the release of magnesium ions. • Cellular compatibility was tested using adipose-derived stem cells and PC12 cells. • The cells encounter acceptably low levels of damage in contact with microspheres. - Abstract: The goal of this study was to fabricate and investigate the chitosan coated poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres for the development of controlled release magnesium delivery system. PLGA based microspheres are ideal vehicles for many controlled release drug delivery applications. Chitosan is a naturally occurring biodegradable and biocompatible polysaccharide, which can coat the surface of PLGA to alter the release of drugs. Magnesium gluconate (MgG) was encapsulated in the PLGA and PLGA/chitosan microspheres by utilizing the double emulsion solvent evaporation technique for controlled release study. The microspheres were tested with respect to several physicochemical and biological properties, including morphology, chemical structure, chitosan adsorption efficiency, magnesium encapsulation efficiency, in vitro release of magnesium ions, and cellular compatibility using both human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) and PC12 cells. Chitosan coated PLGA microspheres can significantly control the release of magnesium ions compared to uncoated PLGA microspheres. Both coated and uncoated microspheres showed good cellular compatibility.

  20. ZIF-67-derived hollow nanocages with layered double oxides shell as high-Efficiency catalysts for CO oxidation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kong, Wenpeng; Li, Jing; Chen, Yao; Ren, Yuqing; Guo, Yonghua; Niu, Shengli; Yang, Yanzhao

    2018-04-01

    Constructing non-precious hybrid metal oxides with specific morphology as cost-effective and highly efficient catalysts is a promising way for the automotive exhaust purification. In this work, we report a facile strategy for the fabrication of a unique hollow Co-Ni layered double oxides (HLDO) nanocages by using zeolitic imidazole frameworks (ZIFs) as template. The synthesis of intermediate core-shell and hollow Co-Ni layered double hydroxides (HLDH) nanoflakes as well as the corresponding Co-Ni oxides products were successfully controlled, and the formation process was also explained. Among ZIF-67-derived oxides, HLDO exhibits excellent catalytic activities (complete conversion of CO into CO2 at 118 °C) and long-term stability for CO oxidation. The remarkable catalytic activities of HLDO can be attributed to high surface area (258 m2 g-1) inherited from the HLDH, which could provide more active sites for CO oxidation. In addition, active oxygen species indicated by the O 1 s XPS spectrum and improved synergistic effect between NiO and Co3O4 reflected by H2-TPR, further explain the enhanced performance of the HLDO catalysts. The presented strategy for controlled design and synthesis of hollow multicomponent metal oxides will provide prospects in developing highly effective catalysts.

  1. Controllable growth of MoS{sub 2}/C flower-like microspheres with enhanced electrochemical performance for lithium ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiong, Q.Q., E-mail: zjxqq@hdu.edu.cn; Ji, Z.G.

    2016-07-15

    Tailored design/fabrication of hierarchical porous advanced electrodes is of great importance for developing high-performance power sources. Herein, we report a facile solvothermal method for fabrication of hierarchical porous MoS{sub 2}/C flower-like microspheres. Interestingly, the obtained MoS{sub 2}/C microspheres are composed of interconnected secondary thin nanoflakes and an amorphous carbon layer. As an anode material for lithium ion batteries, the resultant MoS{sub 2}/C flower-like microspheres electrode delivers a high specific capacity of 1125.9 mAh g{sup −1} and good cycle capability (916.6 mAh g{sup −1} at 200 mA g{sup −1} up to 400 cycles), as well as enhanced rate performance. The excellent electrochemical performance is attributed to the unique porous composite architecture with fast transportation of ion/electron and good strain accommodation during the lithiation/delithiation reaction. Our research may pave the way for construction of other high-performance metal sulfides electrodes for electrochemical energy storage. - Graphical abstract: We report a facile solvothermal method for fabrication of hierarchical porous MoS{sub 2}/C flower-like microspheres composed of interconnected thin nanoflakes and an amorphous carbon layer. As an anode material for LIBs, MoS{sub 2}/C flower-like microspheres electrode delivers enhanced electrochemical performance. - Highlights: • We prepared MoS{sub 2}/C flower-like microspheres via a facile solvothermal method. • The microsphere consists of interconnected nanoflake and an amorphous carbon layer. • The MoS{sub 2}/C microspheres show high capacity and good rate performance.

  2. Ultrasonic/surfactant assisted of CdS nano hollow sphere synthesis and characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rafati, Amir Abbas; Borujeni, Ahmad Reza Afraz; Najafi, Mojgan; Bagheri, Ahmad

    2011-01-01

    CdS hollow nanospheres with diameters ranging from 40 to 150 nm have been synthesized by a surfactant-assisted sonochemical route. The successful vesicle templating indicates that the outer leaflet of the bilayer is the receptive surface in the controlled growth of CdS nanoparticles which provide the unique reactor for the nucleation and mineralization growth of CdS nanoparticles. The CdS nanostructures obtained were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Structural characterization of hollow CdS nanospheres indicates that these products packed with square subunits having sizes between 5 and 7 nm in diameter. The formation of the hollow nanostructure was explained by a vesicle template mechanism, in which sonication and surfactant play important roles. The band-edge emission and surface luminescence of the CdS nanoparticles were observed. -Research Highlights: → CdS hollow nanospheres with diameters of 40-150 nm were synthesized. → Nanoparticles were characterized by UV/Vis and photoluminescence. → Nanospheres are composed of smaller nanocrystals with the average size of 6.8 nm. → The band gap energy of the CdS nanoparticles is higher than its bulk value.

  3. Hydrogen transport and storage in engineered glass microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rambach, G.D.

    1994-04-20

    New, high-strength, hollow, glass microspheres filled with pressurized hydrogen exhibit storage densities which make them attractive for bulk hydrogen storage and transport. The hoop stress at failure of our engineered glass microspheres is about 150,000 psi, permitting a three-fold increase in pressure limit and storage capacity above commercial microspheres, which fail at wall stresses of 50,000 psi. For this project, microsphere material and structure will be optimized for storage capacity and charge/discharge kinetics to improve their commercial practicality. Microsphere production scale up will be performed, directed towards large-scale commercial use. Our analysis relating glass microspheres for hydrogen transport with infrastructure and economics` indicate that pressurized microspheres can be economically competitive with other forms of bulk rail and truck transport such as hydride beds, cryocarbons and pressurized tube transports. For microspheres made from advanced materials and processes, analysis will also be performed to identify the appropriate applications of the microspheres considering property variables, and different hydrogen infrastructure, end use, production and market scenarios. This report presents some of the recent modelling results for large beds of glass microspheres in hydrogen storage applications. It includes plans for experiments to identify the properties relevant to large-bed hydrogen transport and storage applications, of the best, currently producible, glass microspheres. This work began in March, 1994. Project successes will be manifest in the matching of cur-rent glass microspheres with a useful application in hydrogen bulk transport and storage, and in developing microsphere materials and processes that increase the storage density and reduce the storage energy requirement.

  4. Deposition and retention patterns for 3-, 9-, and 15-micron latex microspheres inhaled by rats and guinea pigs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Snipes, M.B.; Olson, T.R.; Yeh, H.C.

    1988-01-01

    This study was designed to determine the deposition patterns and fate of large particles inhaled by two species of small laboratory animals during nose breathing. Rats and guinea pigs inhaled 3-, 9-, or 15 micron polystyrene latex microspheres labeled with 46 Sc. Approximately 1.4% and 0.55% of the initial internally deposited body burden of 3-micron microspheres was in the alveolar region of the respiratory tract of rats and guinea pigs, respectively. None of the 9- or 15-micron microspheres were detected in the alveolar regions of the rats or guinea pigs. Ninety-five to 99% of the deposited microspheres cleared from these animals with biological half-times of 0.5-1.0 day. Most of the cleared radioactivity was in the feces. Approximations for long-term biological half-times for alveolar retention of the 3-micron microspheres were 63 days for rats and 83 days for guinea pigs. About 1% of the initial lung burden of 3-micron microspheres was translocated from lung to lung-associated lymph nodes in both species; none of the 9- or 15-micron microspheres were detected in those lymph nodes. Small fractions of the microspheres initially deposited in the airways of the head were retained with biological clearance half-times ranging from 9 to 350 days. Results from this study do not allow projections for deposition and retention patterns for similar particles inhaled by humans. Such projections must come from studies with humans, or from studies with animal species having deposition patterns for inhaled materials more comparable to those of humans

  5. Self-Template Synthesis of Hybrid Porous Co3 O4 -CeO2 Hollow Polyhedrons for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chengzhen; Liu, Kangfei; Tao, Jing; Kang, Xiaoting; Hou, Haiyan; Cheng, Cheng; Zhang, Daojun

    2018-01-04

    In this work, hybrid porous Co 3 O 4 -CeO 2 hollow polyhedrons have been successfully obtained via a simple cation-exchange route followed by heat treatment. In the synthesis process, ZIF-67 polyhedron frameworks are firstly prepared, which not only serve as a host for the exchanged Ce3 + ions but also act as the template for the synthesis of hybrid porous Co 3 O 4 -CeO 2 hollow polyhedrons. When utilized as electrode materials for supercapacitors, the hybrid porous Co 3 O 4 -CeO 2 hollow polyhedrons delivered a large specific capacitance of 1288.3 F g -1 at 2.5 A g -1 and a remarkable long lifespan cycling stability (<3.3 % loss after 6000 cycles). Furthermore, an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) device based on hybrid porous Co 3 O 4 -CeO 2 hollow polyhedrons was assembled. The ASC device possesses an energy density of 54.9 W h kg -1 , which can be retained to 44.2 W h kg -1 even at a power density of 5100 W kg -1 , indicating its promising application in electrochemical energy storage. More importantly, we believe that the present route is a simple and versatile strategy for the preparation of other hybrid metal oxides with desired structures, chemical compositions and applications. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Realizing A Mid-Infrared Optically Pumped Molecular Gas Laser Inside Hollow-Core Photonic Crystal Fiber

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    structure resembling a star- of- David pattern can clearly be seen surrounding the hollow core region. The fiber’s hollow core is created by leaving out...O.R. Wood, An optically pumped CO2 laser. IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics, 1972. 8(6): p. 598. 19. Schlossberg, H.R. and H.R. Fetterman

  7. Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) encapsulated hydroxyapatite microspheres for sustained release of doxycycline

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Xiaoyun; Xu Hui; Zhao Yanqiu; Wang Shaoning; Abe, Hiroya; Naito, Makio; Liu Yanli; Wang Guoqing

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► PLGA encapsulated HAP-MSs were used for the sustained delivery of Doxycycline (Doxy, a broad spectrum tetracycline antibiotic). ► Sustained Doxy release without obvious burst was observed. ► Mechanism of the sustained Doxy release was illustrated. ► Sustained Doxy release character in vivo was also obtained, the plasma Doxy levels were relatively lower and steady compared to that of the un-encapsulated HAP-MSs. - Abstract: The purpose of this study was to prepare a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) encapsulated hydroxyapatite microspheres (HAP-MSs) as injectable depot for sustained delivery of Doxycycline (Doxy). Doxy loaded HAP-MSs (Doxy-HAP-MSs) were encapsulated with PLGA by solid-in-oil-in-water (S/O/W) emulsion-solvent evaporation technique, the effects of the PLGA used (various intrinsic viscosity and LA/GA ratio) and ratio of PLGA/HAP-MSs on the formation of Doxy-HAP-MSs and in vitro release of Doxy were studied. The results showed that sustained drug release without obvious burst was obtained by using PLGA encapsulated HAP-MSs as the carrier, also the drug release rate could be tailored by changing the ratio of PLGA/HAP-MSs, or PLGA of various intrinsic viscosities or LA/GA ratio. Lower ratio of PLGA/HAP-MSs corresponded faster Doxy release, e.g. for the microspheres of PLGA/HAP-MSs ratio of 8 and 0.25, the in vitro Doxy release percents at the end of 7days were about 23% and 76%, respectively. Higher hydrophilicity (higher ratio of GA to LA) and lower molecular weight of PLGA corresponded to higher Doxy release rates. For in vivo release study, PLGA encapsulated HAP-MSs were subcutaneously injected to the back of mice, and the results showed good correlation between the in vivo and in vitro drug release. Meanwhile, the plasma Doxy levels after subcutaneous administration of PLGA encapsulated Doxy-HAP-MSs were relatively lower and steady compared to that of the un-encapsulated microspheres. In conclusion, PLGA encapsulated HAP-MSs may

  8. Ibuprofen-loaded microspheres based on a co-polymer of Eudragit ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The objective of this study was to encapsulate ibuprofen in microspheres based on a co-polymer of Eudragit® RS100 and RL100 with a view to achieving a controlled release of the incorporated drug. The microparticles were prepared by an o/o emulsion-solvent evaporation method using varying polymer ratios and ...

  9. Self-template synthesis of double shelled ZnS-NiS1.97 hollow spheres for electrochemical energy storage

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chengzhen; Ru, Qinglong; Kang, Xiaoting; Hou, Haiyan; Cheng, Cheng; Zhang, Daojun

    2018-03-01

    In this work, double shelled ZnS-NiS1.97 hollow spheres have been achieved via a simple self-template route, which involves the synthesis of Zn-Ni solid spheres precursors as the self-template and then transformation into double shelled ZnS-NiS1.97 hollow spheres by sulfidation treatment. The as-prepared double shelled ZnS-NiS1.97 hollow spheres possess a high surface area (105.26 m2 g-1) and porous structures. Benefiting from the combined characteristics of novel structures, multi-component, high surface area and porous. When applied as electrode materials for supercapacitors, the double shelled ZnS-NiS1.97hollow spheres deliver a large specific capacitance of 696.8C g-1 at 5.0 A g-1 and a remarkable long lifespan cycling stability (less 5.5% loss after 6000 cycles). Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was assembled by utilizing ZnS-NiS1.97 (positive electrode) and activated carbon (negative electrode) as electrode materials. The as-assembled device possesses an energy density of 36 W h kg-1, which can be yet retained 25.6 W h kg-1 even at a power density of 2173.8 W Kg-1, indicating its promising applications in electrochemical energy storage. More importantly, the self-template route is a simple and versatile strategy for the preparation of metal sulfides electrode materials with desired structures, chemical compositions and electrochemical performances.

  10. Optimization of the contents of hollow glass microsphere and sodium hexametaphosphate for glass fiber vacuum insulation panel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, C. D.; Chen, Z. F.; Zhou, J. M.

    2016-07-01

    In this paper, various additive amounts of hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) powders were blended with flame attenuated glass wool (FAGW) to form hybrid core materials (HCMs) through the wet method. Among them, the SHMP was dissolved in the glass fiber suspension and coated on the surface of glass fibers while the HGMs were insoluble in the glass fiber suspension and filled in the fiber-fiber pores. The average pore diameter of the FAGW/HGM HCMs was 8-11 μm which was near the same as that of flame attenuated glass fiber mats (FAGMs, i.e., 10.5 µm). The tensile strength of the SHMP coated FAGMs was enhanced from 160 N/m to 370 N/m when SHMP content increased from 0 wt.% to 0.2 wt.%. By contrast, the tensile strength of the FAGW/HGM HCMs decreased from 160 N/m to 40 N/m when HGM content increased from 0 wt.% to 50 wt.%. Both the FAGW/HGM HCMs and SHMP coated FAGMs were vacuumed completely to form vacuum insulation panels (VIPs). The results showed that both the addition of SHMP and HGM led a slight increase in the thermal conductivity of the corresponding VIPs. To obtain a high-quality VIP, the optimal SHMP content and HGM content in glass fiber suspension was 0.12-0.2 wt.% and 0 wt.%.

  11. Fabrication of polystyrene hollow microspheres as laser fusion ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    free from preheating problems and have emerged as good alternative to .... carry a system over the energy barrier comes from the Brownian motion of the ... This increase implies an increase in the electrical contribution to the free energy of the .... microsphere is mainly determined by rotational speed of the magnetic stirrer.

  12. Facile Synthesis of V2O5 Hollow Spheres as Advanced Cathodes for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xingyuan Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Three-dimensional V2O5 hollow structures have been prepared through a simple synthesis strategy combining solvothermal treatment and a subsequent thermal annealing. The V2O5 materials are composed of microspheres 2–3 μm in diameter and with a distinct hollow interior. The as-synthesized V2O5 hollow microspheres, when evaluated as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, can deliver a specific capacity as high as 273 mAh·g−1 at 0.2 C. Benefiting from the hollow structures that afford fast electrolyte transport and volume accommodation, the V2O5 cathode also exhibits a superior rate capability and excellent cycling stability. The good Li-ion storage performance demonstrates the great potential of this unique V2O5 hollow material as a high-performance cathode for lithium-ion batteries.

  13. One-pot solvothermal route to self-assembly of cauliflower-shaped CdS microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ge Ming [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Cui Yao [Institute of New Energy Material Chemistry, and Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Liu Lu, E-mail: liul@nankai.edu.cn [Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Zhou Zhen, E-mail: zhouzhen@nankai.edu.cn [Institute of New Energy Material Chemistry, and Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China)

    2011-05-15

    Nearly monodispersed cauliflower-shaped CdS microspheres were prepared through a simple one-step solvothermal route on a large scale by employing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as the surfactant. Images by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) indicate that cauliflower-shaped CdS microspheres with diameters in the range from 1.3 to 4.5 {mu}m are assembled by nanoparticles with an average diameter of approximately 30 nm. The possible formation mechanism of the cauliflower-shaped CdS microspheres was also proposed. The photovoltaic activity of cauliflower-shaped CdS architectures has been investigated, indicating that the as-obtained CdS microspheres exhibited higher photovoltaic performance in comparison with CdS nanoparticles.

  14. A novel route for synthesis and growth formation of metal oxides microspheres: Insights from V_2O_3 microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yifu; Huang, Chi; Meng, Changgong; Hu, Tao

    2016-01-01

    Highly polydisperse V_2O_3 solid microspheres with large specific surface area were successfully synthesized via a facile hydrothermal decomposition of VOC_2O_4 solution. The morphology and composition were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). V_2O_3 microspheres display an obvious Mott phase transition at −128.5 °C (cooling curve) and −114.5 °C (heating curve). Some parameters including the reaction temperature, concentration of VOC_2O_4, reaction time, surfactant, H_2C_2O_4 and precursor were briefly discussed to reveal the formation of V_2O_3 microspheres. It was found that the precursor is crucial for the fabrication of microsphere. A self-assembly growth mechanism was suggested to explain the growth process of microspheres and the autogenic CO and CO_2 gas served as the soft templates. Furthermore, this route was developed to synthesize different metal oxides microspheres, and it was found that AlO(OH), Fe_3O_4, Fe_2O_3, Co_3O_4, Cr_2O_3, MoO_2 and WO_3 microspheres were obtained. All the results showed this process was successfully explored as a methodology to synthesize different metal oxides microspheres using the gas as the templates by this facile hydrothermal route. - Highlights: • Highly uniform V_2O_3 solid microspheres were synthesized. • V_2O_3 microspheres display an obvious Mott phase transition. • The autogenic CO and CO_2 gas served as the soft templates for designed synthesis. • AlO(OH), Fe_3O_4, Fe_2O_3, Co_3O_4, Cr_2O_3, MoO_2 and WO_3 microspheres were obtained. • A methodology to synthesize different metal oxides microspheres was developed.

  15. Hydrothermal Synthesized of CoMoO4 Microspheres as Excellent Electrode Material for Supercapacitor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Weixia; Wang, Xianwei; Hu, Yanchun; Sun, Lingyun; Gao, Chang; Zhang, Cuicui; Liu, Han; Duan, Meng

    2018-04-01

    The single-phase CoMoO4 was prepared via a facile hydrothermal method coupled with calcination treatment at 400 °C. The structures, morphologies, and electrochemical properties of samples with different hydrothermal reaction times were investigated. The microsphere structure, which consisted of nanoflakes, was observed in samples. The specific capacitances at 1 A g-1 are 151, 182, 243, 384, and 186 F g-1 for samples with the hydrothermal times of 1, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h, respectively. In addition, the sample with the hydrothermal time of 12 h shows a good rate capability, and there is 45% retention of initial capacitance when the current density increases from 1 to 8 A g-1. The high retain capacitances of samples show the fine long-cycle stability after 1000 charge-discharge cycles at current density of 8 A g-1. The results indicate that CoMoO4 samples could be a choice of excellent electrode materials for supercapacitor.

  16. Solvothermal coating LiNi{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.15}Al{sub 0.05}O{sub 2} microspheres with nanoscale Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} shell for long lifespan Li-ion battery cathode materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Naiteng; Wu, Hao; Liu, Heng; Zhang, Yun, E-mail: y_zhang@scu.edu.cn

    2016-04-25

    LiNi{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.15}Al{sub 0.05}O{sub 2} (NCA) microspheres covered by a nanoscale Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}-based shell were synthesized by a facile strategy based on a solvothermal pre-coating treatment combined with a post-sintering lithiation process. The morphology, structure and composition of the Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}-coated NCA samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning scanning electron microscope (SEM) with an energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Owing to the complete, uniform and nanoscale Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} coating shell, the resultant surface-modified NCA microspheres used as Li-ion battery cathode materials manifest remarkably enhanced cycling performances, attaining 94% and 84% capacity retention after 200 and 400 cycles at 0.5 C, respectively, which is much better than the pristine NCA counterpart (60% retention, 200 cycles). More impressively, the surface-modified NCA also shows an intriguing storage stability. After being stored at 30 °C for 50 days, the coated NCA-based cells are subjected to be cycled both at room and elevated temperatures, in which the aged cells can still remain 84% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 25 °C and 77% capacity retention after 200 cycles at 55 °C, respectively. All these results demonstrate that the Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}-coated LiNi{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.15}Al{sub 0.05}O{sub 2} microsphere is a promising cathode material for Li-ion batteries with long lifespan. - Graphical abstract: Nanoscale Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3}-based shell encapsulated LiNi{sub 0.8}Co{sub 0.15}Al{sub 0.05}O{sub 2} (NCA) microspheres are fabricated through a solvothermal pre-coating treatment combined with post-lithiation process. The surface-coated NCA as cathode materials shows a remarkably enhanced cycling performance and storage stability for long lifespan Li-ion batteries. - Highlights: • Li{sub 2}TiO{sub 3} is used as coating

  17. Zinc oxide hollow micro spheres and nano rods: Synthesis and applications in gas sensor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jamil, Saba; Janjua, Muhammad Ramzan Saeed Ashraf; Ahmad, Tauqeer; Mehmood, Tahir; Li, Songnan; Jing, Xiaoyan

    2014-01-01

    Zinc oxide nano rods and micro hollow spheres are successfully fabricated by adopting a simple solvo-thermal approach without employing any surfactant/template by keeping heating time as variable. The prepared products are characterized by using different instruments such as X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). In order to investigate the morphological dependence on the reaction time, analogous experiments with various reaction times are carried out. Depending upon heating time, different morphological forms have been identified such as hollow microsphere (4 μm to 5 μm) and nano rods with an average diameter of approximately 100 nm. The fabricated materials are also tested for ethanol gas sensor applications and zinc oxide hollow microsphere proven to be an efficient gas sensing materials. Nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurement was performed to understand better performance of zinc oxide micro hollow spheres as effective ethanol gas sensing material. - Graphical abstract: Graphical abstract is represented by zinc oxide sphere (prepared by simple solvothermal approach), its XRD pattern(characterization) and finally its application in gas sensing. - Highlights: • Zinc oxide spheres were prepared by using solvothermal method. • Detailed description of the morphology of microspheres assembled by nano rods. • Formation mechanism of zinc oxide spheres assembled by nano rods. • Zinc oxide spheres and nano rods displayed very good gas sensing ability

  18. Commissioning of the first U.S. hollow fiber condensate filtration system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, John A.; Mura, Michelle; Garcia, Susan E.; Giannelli, Joseph F.

    2008-01-01

    Exelon Corporation's Oyster Creek Generating Station, a boiling water reactor (BWR), is the first nuclear plant in the U.S. to install and operate a condensate filtration system using HFF (hollow fiber filter) technology developed in Japan. Oyster Creek is a 640 MW (electric)/1 930 MW (thermal) General Electric BWR-2 (non-jet pump plant) with cascaded heater drains. The plant began commercial operation in 1969, and is one of the two oldest operating commercial BWRs in the U.S. Both noble metal chemical addition (NMCA) and hydrogen injection are used for intergranular stress corrosion cracking (IGSCC) mitigation, and depleted zinc oxide (DZO) is injected for drywell radiation field control. The HFF filters, which were installed in preparation for the operating license renewal, were commissioned in November 2007 and are designed to treat 3 639 m 3 . h -1 (16 020 gallons per minute) using a total filtration surface area of 9 457 m 2 (101 796 ft 2 ). The particle retention rating of the hollow fibers is 0.14 μm, which is considerably smaller than the rating of 1-4 μm for filters commonly used in U.S. condensate filtration applications. System performance and monitoring results during the initial year of operation are reported, including the use of a special hollow fiber health monitoring sampling system. Feedwater and reactor water chemistry control and monitoring strategies and results are discussed, including the effects of the transition from the highest feedwater iron to among the lowest in the U.S. BWR fleet. The projected annual average feedwater iron concentration is -1 . Data on the impact of low iron operation on reactor coolant activated corrosion products and the ratio of 60 Co(soluble)/Zn(soluble), the key parameter used to suppress drywell radiation dose rates, are presented. The zinc control strategy and results are presented, including the effect of low feedwater iron on the reactor water to feedwater zinc concentration factor. The potential need and

  19. Low content Ag-coated poly(acrylonitrile) microspheres and graphene for enhanced microwave absorption performance epoxy composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Bin; Wang, Jun; Chen, Xiaocheng; Su, Xiaogang; Zou, Yi; Huo, Siqi; Chen, Wei; Wang, Junpeng

    2018-04-01

    Silver nanoparticles was uniformly anchored on the surface of hollow poly(acrylonitrile) microspheres with a facile chemical method using hydrazine hydrate as reductant. Integrating these conducting hollow spheres (PANS@Ag) with chemical reduced graphene oxide (RGO) dispersed in epoxy resin, a lightweight microwave absorber was successfully prepared with enhanced microwave absorption performance. The chemical constitution and surface morphology of as-synthesized RGO and PANS@Ag powders were characterized by XRD, XPS, FE-SEM and SAED, while the electromagnetic properties of these different proportion PANS@Ag-RGO/EP samples were analyzed through vector network analyzer (VNA). The minimum reflection loss (RL) could reach up to ‑28.1 dB at 8.8 GHz with a layer thickness of 2 mm, and the corresponding effective absorption bandwidth (RL values less than ‑10 dB) was from 7.9 GHz to 9.8 GHz. However, the dosage of PANS@Ag and RGO was merely 3 wt% and 1 wt%, respectively. As the content of PANS@Ag powders decreased to 1 wt%, the PANS@Ag-RGO/EP samples still retained effective microwave absorption performance and the optimal RL was ‑14.7 dB. The density of as-prepared absorbers was in the range of 0.49 ∼ 0.87 g cm‑3. The low content, low density and enhanced microwave absorption performance endow the hybrid composites with competitive application prospect in stealth technology field.

  20. A high-flux polyimide hollow fiber membrane to minimize footprint and energy penalty for CO2 recovery from flue gas

    KAUST Repository

    Lively, Ryan P.

    2012-12-01

    Using a process-guided approach, a new 6FDA-based polyimide - 6FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1) - has been developed in the form of hollow fiber membranes for CO 2 recovery from post-combustion flue gas streams. Dense film studies on this polymer reveal a CO 2 permeability of 224 Barrers at 40°C at a CO 2 feed pressure of 10psia. The dense films exhibit an ideal CO 2/N 2 permselectivity of 20 at 40°C, which permits their use in a two-step counter-flow/sweep membrane process. Dry-jet, wet-quench, non-solvent-induced phase inversion spinning was used to create defect-free hollow fibers from 6FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1). Membranes with defect-free skin layers, approximately 415nm thick, were obtained with a pure CO 2 permeance of 520GPU at 30°C and an ideal CO 2/N 2 permselectivity of 24. Mixed gas permeation and wet gas permeation are presented for the fibers. The CO 2 permeance in the fibers was reduced by approximately a factor of 2 in feeds with 80% humidity. As a proof-of-concept path forward to increase CO 2 flux, we incorporated microporous ZIF-8 fillers into 6FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1) dense films. Our 6FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1)/ZIF-8 dense film composites (20wt% ZIF-8) had a CO 2 permeability of 550 Barrers and a CO 2/N 2 selectivity of 19 at 35°C. Good adhesion between the ZIF and the 6FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1) matrix was observed. CO 2 capture costs of $27/ton of CO 2 using the current, "non-optimized" membrane are estimated using a custom counterflow membrane model. Hollow fiber membrane modules were estimated to have order-of-magnitude reductions in system footprint relative to spiral-wound modules, thereby making them attractive in current space-constrained coal-fired power stations. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

  1. Polymer-coated albumin microspheres as carriers for intravascular tumour targeting of cisplatin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verrijk, R; Smolders, I J; McVie, J G; Begg, A C

    1991-01-01

    We used a poly-lactide-co-glycolide polymer (PLAGA 50:50) to formulate cisplatin (cDDP) into microspheres designed for intravascular administration. Two systems were developed. PLAGA-coated albumin microspheres and microspheres consisting of PLAGA only. PLAGA-coated microspheres displayed a mean diameter of 31.8 +/- 0.9 microns and a payload of 7.5% cDDP (w/w). Solid PLAGA microspheres exhibited a mean diameter of 19.4 +/- 0.6 microns and a payload of 20% cDDP. Release characteristics and in vitro effects on L1210 leukemia and B16 melanoma cell lines were investigated. Both types of microsphere overcame the initial rapid release of cDDP (burst effect), and PLAGA-coated albumin microspheres also showed a lag phase of approximately 30 min before cDDP release began. PLAGA-coated albumin microspheres released most of their payload through diffusion, and the coating eventually cracked after 7 days' incubation in saline supplemented with 0.1% Tween at 37 degrees C, enabling the release of any cDDP remaining. Effects of platinum, pre-released from PLAGA-coated albumin microspheres on the in vitro growth of L1210 cells were comparable with those of standard formulations (dissolved) of cDDP. Material released from non-drug-loaded PLAGA microspheres had no effect on L1210 cell growth, suggesting the absence of cytotoxic compounds in the matrix. The colony-forming ability of B16 cells was also equally inhibited by standard cDDP and pre-released drug. These studies show that formulation of cDDP in PLAGA-based microspheres prevents the rapid burst effect of cDDP seen in previous preparations and offers an improved system of administration for hepatic artery infusion or adjuvant therapy, enabling better clinical handling and the promise of a higher ratio of tumour tissue to normal tissue.

  2. Synthesis of ZnCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres with Zn{sub 0.33}Co{sub 0.67}CO{sub 3} precursor and their electrochemical performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lu, Lin; Xu, Shan; Luo, Zhaohui; Wang, Shiquan, E-mail: wsqhao@126.com; Li, Guohua; Feng, Chuanqi [Hubei University, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Advanced Organic Chemical Materials, Ministry-of-Education Key Laboratory for Synthesis and Applications of Organic Functional Molecules (China)

    2016-07-15

    Zn{sub 0.33}Co{sub 0.67}CO{sub 3} (ZCCO) microspheres are fabricated by a facile solvothermal method at different temperatures, and ZnCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} (ZCO) microspheres were further obtained by pyrolysis of the relative ZCCO precursors at 450 °C. All samples were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, Fourier transform infrared spectra, thermogravimetric, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). Their electrochemical properties were investigated as the anode materials for the lithium-ion battery applications. The results showed that both the ZCCO and ZCO electrodes possess high specific capacities, and the synthesis temperature greatly influenced their performances. Compared with the synthesized of 180 °C, the synthesized of 200 °C (ZCCO-200) exhibited higher discharge capacity (1530 mAh g{sup −1}) and better rate performance with the reversible capacity of 876 mAh g{sup −1} after 70 cycles under the voltage range of 0.01–3.0 V at the current density of 100 mA g{sup −1}. The as-obtained ZCO microspheres from the pyrolysis of ZCCO-200 also exhibited higher discharge capacity of 1416 mAh g{sup −1} and better cycling stability (741 mAh g{sup −1} after 70 cycles) than that for the microspheres from the pyrolysis of ZCO-180, indicating that the electrochemical properties of ZCO may be related to the electrochemical performance of ZCCO. Our present work suggested that both the ZCCO and ZCO microspheres can be promising candidates as novel anode materials for lithium-ion battery applications.

  3. Biomineralized multifunctional magnetite/carbon microspheres for applications in Li-ion batteries and water treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shim, Hyun-Woo; Park, Sangbaek; Song, Hee Jo; Kim, Jae-Chan; Jang, Eunjin; Hong, Kug Sun; Kim, T Doohun; Kim, Dong-Wan

    2015-03-16

    Advanced functional materials incorporating well-defined multiscale architectures are a key focus for multiple nanotechnological applications. However, strategies for developing such materials, including nanostructuring, nano-/microcombination, hybridization, and so on, are still being developed. Here, we report a facile, scalable biomineralization process in which Micrococcus lylae bacteria are used as soft templates to synthesize 3D hierarchically structured magnetite (Fe3O4) microspheres for use as Li-ion battery anode materials and in water treatment applications. Self-assembled Fe3O4 microspheres with flower-like morphologies are systematically fabricated from biomineralized 2D FeO(OH) nanoflakes at room temperature and are subsequently subjected to post-annealing at 400 °C. In particular, because of their mesoporous properties with a hollow interior and the improved electrical conductivity resulting from the carbonized bacterial templates, the Fe3 O4 microspheres obtained by calcining the FeO(OH) in Ar exhibit enhanced cycle stability and rate capability as Li-ion battery anodes, as well as superior adsorption of organic pollutants and toxic heavy metals. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Fast synthesis of porous NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} hollow nanospheres for a high-sensitivity non-enzymatic glucose sensor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Wei; Cao, Yang; Chen, Yong [State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228 (China); Peng, Juan; Lai, Xiaoyong [Laboratory Cultivation Base of Natural Gas Conversion, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021 (China); Tu, Jinchun, E-mail: tujinchun@hainu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, College of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou 570228 (China)

    2017-02-28

    Highlights: • Porous NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} hollow nanospheres were synthesized via a facile “CEP” approach and the synthesis mechanism was discussed. • The NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} hollow nanospheres possess superior electron-transfer capability and electrocatalytic activity. • The sensitivity is as high as 1917 μA·mM{sup −1}·cm{sup −2} and the detection limit is as low as 0.6 μM (S/N = 3). - Abstract: In this paper, we report the fast synthesis of porous NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} hollow nanospheres via a polycrystalline Cu{sub 2}O-templated route based on the elaborately designed “coordinating etching and precipitating” process. The composition and morphology of the porous NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} hollow nanospheres were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electron-transfer capability and electrocatalytic activity of the materials were investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. NiCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} was endowed with superior electron-transfer capability, large surface area, and abundant intrinsic redox couples of Ni{sup 2+}/Ni{sup 3+} and Co{sup 2+}/Co{sup 3+} ions; thus, the modified electrode exhibited excellent glucose-sensing properties, with a high sensitivity of 1917 μA·mM{sup −1}·cm{sup −2} at a low concentration, a good linear range from 0.01 mM to 0.30 mM and from 0.30 mM to 2.24 mM, and a low detection limit of 0.6 μM (S/N = 3).

  5. Comparison of gas clearance and radioactive microspheres for pancreatic blood flow measurement

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeMar, A.R.; Graham, L.S.; Lake, R.; Fink, A.S.

    1989-01-01

    Measurement of pancreatic blood flow (PBF) is technically demanding. Although radiolabeled microspheres are considered the gold standard for PBF assessment, they have practical limitations. In the current study, H 2 and xenon-133 gas clearance techniques were adapted to PBF measurement and compared to radiolabeled microsphere techniques. Simultaneous measurements of PBF were made using either hydrogen or xenon gas washout and radiolabeled microspheres. Measurements were made under basal, vasoconstricted (vasopressin 2U i.v. or nicotine 4 micrograms/kg/h) and stimulated (secretin 125 ng/kg/h or 2 U/kg i.v.) conditions (random order). Mean PBF was 26.9 +/- 5.3, 50.5 +/- 2.3 and 27.6 +/- 5.2 ml/min/100 g basally, 36.9 +/- 8.0, 90.1 +/- 18.9, and 81.7 +/- 14.5 ml/min/100 g in the stimulated state, and 24.2 +/- 7.8, 25.0 +/- 3.5, and 14.9 +/- 7.5 ml/min/100 g in the vasoconstricted state for hydrogen gas clearance, xenon gas clearance, and radiolabeled microspheres, respectively. The H 2 clearance technique resulted in tissue trauma, was complicated by frequent electrode displacement, and correlated poorly (r2 = 0.36, p greater than 0.05) with microsphere values. In contrast, xenon clearance measurement had no apparent effect on the pancreas and correlated well (r2 = 0.83, p less than 0.01) with microsphere data. We conclude that xenon clearance offers an attractive, validated alternative to radiolabeled microspheres for measuring pancreatic blood flow

  6. Low temperature synthesis and photocatalytic property of perovskite-type LaCoO3 hollow spheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fu, Shasha; Niu, Helin; Tao, Zhiyin; Song, Jiming; Mao, Changjie; Zhang, Shengyi; Chen, Changle; Wang, Dong

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •Hollow perovskite-type LaCoO 3 is fabricated by green colloidal template method. •Carbonaceous colloids acted as templates and offered internal heat source. •The calcination temperature to form perovskite-type LaCoO 3 was dropped to 550 °C. •The photocatalytic properties were studied upon UV irradiation. •Hollow perovskite-type LaCoO 3 shows excellent photocatalytic activity on dyes. -- Abstract: Hollow perovskite-type LaCoO 3 was successfully fabricated by surface-ion adsorption method utilizing the carbonaceous colloids as template under relatively low calcination temperature. Carbonaceous colloids not only acted as templates but also offered internal heat source during calcination process. The impact of calcined temperature and time on the structure and morphology of the product were studied and the possible formation process of perovskite-type LaCoO 3 hollow spheres was illustrated. The obtained product was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, TG-DSC, ICP-OES, BET and UV–visible absorption spectra. The photocatalytic activities for degradation of methylene blue, methyl orange and neutral red were tested. The good photocatalytic degradation activity of the three different dyes and the band gap of 2.07 eV make it a promising candidate material for photocatalytic applications

  7. Hollow fiber adsorbents for CO2 capture: Kinetic sorption performance

    KAUST Repository

    Lively, Ryan P.

    2011-07-01

    We describe a CO 2 capture platform based on hollow polymeric fibers with sorbent particles embedded in the porous fiber wall for post-combustion CO 2 capture. These fibers are intended for use in a rapid temperature swing adsorption (RTSA) process. The RTSA system utilizes the hollow fiber morphology by flowing cooling water on the bore-side of the fibers during sorption to prevent temperature rise associated with the sorption enthalpy. Steam or hot water is flowed through the bores during desorption to desorb CO 2 rapidly. To minimize material transfer between the bore and the fiber wall, a dense Neoprene ® lumen layer is cast on the bore-side of the fiber wall. In this paper, the key sorption step and associated kinetic resistances for the uncooled fibers are examined and evaluated for this portion of the RTSA process. Chopped fibers in a packed bed, as well as fibers assembled into a parallel flow module, have been tested in a simulated flue gas stream. Kinetic limitations in the hollow fiber modules are largely overcome by increasing the superficial gas velocity and the fiber packing in the module-indicating that film diffusion is the controlling mass transfer limitation in the fiber system. The un-cooled fiber modules lose apparent capacity as superficial velocities are increased, likely indicating non-isothermal operation, whereas the actively-cooled fibers in the packed bed maintain apparent capacity at all flowrates studied. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

  8. Hollow Co2P nanoflowers organized by nanorods for ultralong cycle-life supercapacitors

    KAUST Repository

    Cheng, Ming; Fan, Hongsheng; Xu, Yingying; Wang, Rongming; Zhang, Xixiang

    2017-01-01

    Hollow Co2P nanoflowers (Co2P HNF) are successfully prepared via a one-step, template-free method. Microstructure analysis reveals that Co2P HNF is assembled by nanorods, possesses abundant mesopores and a amorphous carbon shell. Density functional

  9. Jingle-bell-shaped ferrite hollow sphere with a noble metal core: Simple synthesis and their magnetic and antibacterial properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Siheng; Wang Enbo; Tian Chungui; Mao Baodong; Kang Zhenhui; Li Qiuyu; Sun Guoying

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, a simple strategy is developed for rational fabrication of a class of jingle-bell-shaped hollow structured nanomaterials marked as Ag(MFe 2 O 4 ) (M=Ni, Co, Mg, Zn), consisting of ferrite hollow shells and metal nanoparticle cores, using highly uniform colloidal Ag(C) microspheres as template. The final composites were obtained by direct adsorption of metal cations Fe 3+ and M 2+ on the surface of the Ag(C) spheres followed by calcination process to remove the middle carbon shell and transform the metal ions into pure phase ferrites. The as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometer. The results showed that the composites possess the magnetic property of the ferrite shell and the optical together with antibacterial property of the Ag core. - Graphical abstract: MFe 2 O 4 (M=Ni, Co, Mg, Zn) hollow spheres with a noble metal nanoparticle core were successfully prepared by using colloidal metal(C) core-shell spheres as templates with no need of surface modification. The shell thickness and magnetic properties of the ferrite hollow spheres could be controlled by varying the synthetic parameters

  10. Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) encapsulated hydroxyapatite microspheres for sustained release of doxycycline

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Xiaoyun [School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Department of Pharmacy, Shandong Drug and Food Vocational College, Science and Technology Town, Hightech Industrial Development Zone, Weihai 264210 (China); Xu Hui; Zhao Yanqiu [School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Wang Shaoning, E-mail: wsn-xh@126.com [School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Abe, Hiroya; Naito, Makio [Joining and Welding Research Institute, Osaka University, 11-1, Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan); Liu Yanli [School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China); Wang Guoqing [School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103, Wenhua Road, Shenyang 110016 (China)

    2012-03-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PLGA encapsulated HAP-MSs were used for the sustained delivery of Doxycycline (Doxy, a broad spectrum tetracycline antibiotic). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sustained Doxy release without obvious burst was observed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mechanism of the sustained Doxy release was illustrated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sustained Doxy release character in vivo was also obtained, the plasma Doxy levels were relatively lower and steady compared to that of the un-encapsulated HAP-MSs. - Abstract: The purpose of this study was to prepare a poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) encapsulated hydroxyapatite microspheres (HAP-MSs) as injectable depot for sustained delivery of Doxycycline (Doxy). Doxy loaded HAP-MSs (Doxy-HAP-MSs) were encapsulated with PLGA by solid-in-oil-in-water (S/O/W) emulsion-solvent evaporation technique, the effects of the PLGA used (various intrinsic viscosity and LA/GA ratio) and ratio of PLGA/HAP-MSs on the formation of Doxy-HAP-MSs and in vitro release of Doxy were studied. The results showed that sustained drug release without obvious burst was obtained by using PLGA encapsulated HAP-MSs as the carrier, also the drug release rate could be tailored by changing the ratio of PLGA/HAP-MSs, or PLGA of various intrinsic viscosities or LA/GA ratio. Lower ratio of PLGA/HAP-MSs corresponded faster Doxy release, e.g. for the microspheres of PLGA/HAP-MSs ratio of 8 and 0.25, the in vitro Doxy release percents at the end of 7days were about 23% and 76%, respectively. Higher hydrophilicity (higher ratio of GA to LA) and lower molecular weight of PLGA corresponded to higher Doxy release rates. For in vivo release study, PLGA encapsulated HAP-MSs were subcutaneously injected to the back of mice, and the results showed good correlation between the in vivo and in vitro drug release. Meanwhile, the plasma Doxy levels after subcutaneous administration of PLGA encapsulated Doxy-HAP-MSs were relatively lower and steady

  11. SU-8 hollow cantilevers for AFM cell adhesion studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez, Vincent; Behr, Pascal; Drechsler, Ute; Polesel-Maris, Jérôme; Potthoff, Eva; Vörös, Janos; Zambelli, Tomaso

    2016-05-01

    A novel fabrication method was established to produce flexible, transparent, and robust tipless hollow atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers made entirely from SU-8. Channels of 3 μm thickness and several millimeters length were integrated into 12 μm thick and 40 μm wide cantilevers. Connected to a pressure controller, the devices showed high sealing performance with no leakage up to 6 bars. Changing the cantilever lengths from 100 μm to 500 μm among the same wafer allowed the targeting of various spring constants ranging from 0.5 to 80 N m-1 within a single fabrication run. These hollow polymeric AFM cantilevers were operated in the optical beam deflection configuration. To demonstrate the performance of the device, single-cell force spectroscopy experiments were performed with a single probe detaching in a serial protocol more than 100 Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells from plain glass and glass coated with polydopamine while measuring adhesion forces in the sub-nanoNewton range. SU-8 now offers a new alternative to conventional silicon-based hollow cantilevers with more flexibility in terms of complex geometric design and surface chemistry modification.

  12. SU-8 hollow cantilevers for AFM cell adhesion studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinez, Vincent; Behr, Pascal; Vörös, Janos; Zambelli, Tomaso; Drechsler, Ute; Polesel-Maris, Jérôme; Potthoff, Eva

    2016-01-01

    A novel fabrication method was established to produce flexible, transparent, and robust tipless hollow atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers made entirely from SU-8. Channels of 3 μm thickness and several millimeters length were integrated into 12 μm thick and 40 μm wide cantilevers. Connected to a pressure controller, the devices showed high sealing performance with no leakage up to 6 bars. Changing the cantilever lengths from 100 μm to 500 μm among the same wafer allowed the targeting of various spring constants ranging from 0.5 to 80 N m −1 within a single fabrication run. These hollow polymeric AFM cantilevers were operated in the optical beam deflection configuration. To demonstrate the performance of the device, single-cell force spectroscopy experiments were performed with a single probe detaching in a serial protocol more than 100 Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast cells from plain glass and glass coated with polydopamine while measuring adhesion forces in the sub-nanoNewton range. SU-8 now offers a new alternative to conventional silicon-based hollow cantilevers with more flexibility in terms of complex geometric design and surface chemistry modification. (paper)

  13. Solvent/non-solvent sintering: a novel route to create porous microsphere scaffolds for tissue regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brown, Justin L; Nair, Lakshmi S; Laurencin, Cato T

    2008-08-01

    Solvent/non-solvent sintering creates porous polymeric microsphere scaffolds suitable for tissue engineering purposes with control over the resulting porosity, average pore diameter, and mechanical properties. Five different biodegradable biocompatible polyphosphazenes exhibiting glass transition temperatures from -8 to 41 degrees C and poly (lactide-co-glycolide), (PLAGA) a degradable polymer used in a number of biomedical settings, were examined to study the versatility of the process and benchmark the process to heat sintering. Parameters such as: solvent/non-solvent sintering solution composition and submersion time effect the sintering process. PLAGA microsphere scaffolds fabricated with solvent/non-solvent sintering exhibited an interconnected porosity and pore size of 31.9% and 179.1 mum, respectively which was analogous to that of conventional heat sintered PLAGA microsphere scaffolds. Biodegradable polyphosphazene microsphere scaffolds exhibited a maximum interconnected porosity of 37.6% and a maximum compressive modulus of 94.3 MPa. Solvent/non-solvent sintering is an effective strategy for sintering polymeric microspheres, with a broad spectrum of glass transition temperatures, under ambient conditions making it an excellent fabrication route for developing tissue engineering scaffolds and drug delivery vehicles. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Degradation pattern of porous CaCO3 and hydroxyapatite microspheres in vitro and in vivo for potential application in bone tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Qiwei; Li, Wenhua; Su, Xiuping; Li, Geng; Zhou, Ying; Kundu, Subhas C; Yao, Juming; Cai, Yurong

    2016-07-01

    Despite superior clinical handling, excellent biocompatibility, biodegradation property of calcium phosphate needs to be improved to coincide with the rate of new bone formation. In this study, spherical CaCO3 are fabricated in the presence of the silk sericin and then transformed into porous hydroxyapatite (HAP) microspheres via hydrothermal method. The degradation behavior of obtained CaCO3, HAP and their mixture is first investigated in vitro. The result demonstrates that the weight loss of HAP microspheres are almost 24.3% after immersing in pH 7.40 Tris-HCl buffer solution for 12 weeks, which is far slower than that of spherical CaCO3 (97.5%). The degradation speed of the mixtures depends on the proportion of CaCO3 and HAP. The mixture with higher content of CaCO3 possesses a quicker degradation speed. The obtained CaCO3 and HAP microspheres are injected into subcutaneous tissue of ICR mice with the assistance of sodium alginate. The result in vivo also shows an obvious difference of degradation speed between the obtained CaCO3 and HAP microspheres, implying it is feasible to modulate the degradation property of the mixture through changing the proportion of CaCO3 and HAP The good cytocompatibility of the two kinds of microspheres is proved and a mild inflammation response is observed only at early stage of implantation. The job offers a simple method to modify the degradation properties of biomaterial for potential use in bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Compaction of Ceramic Microspheres, Spherical Molybdenum Powder and Other Materials to 3 GPa

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Carlson, S R; Bonner, B P; Ryerson, F J; Hart, M M

    2006-01-01

    Pressure-volume relationships were measured at room temperature for eight granular materials and one specimen of epoxy foam. The granular materials included hollow ceramic microspheres, spherical molybdenum powder, Ottawa sand, aluminum, copper, titanium and silicon carbide powders and glassy carbon spheres. Measurements were made to 0.9 GPa in a liquid medium press for all of the granular materials and to 3 GPa in a solid medium press for the ceramic microspheres and molybdenum powder. A single specimen of epoxy foam was compressed to 30 MPa in the liquid medium press. Bulk moduli were calculated as a function of pressure for the ceramic microspheres, the molybdenum powder and three other granular materials. The energy expended in compacting the granular materials was determined by numerically integrating pressure-volume curves. More energy was expended per unit volume in compacting the molybdenum powder to 1 GPa than for the other materials, but compaction of the ceramic microspheres required more energy per gram due to their very low initial density. The merge pressure, the pressure at which all porosity is removed, was estimated for each material by plotting porosity against pressure on a semi-log plot. The pressure-volume curves were then extrapolated to the predicted merge pressures and numerically integrated to estimate the energy required to reach full density for each material. The results suggest that the glassy carbon spheres and the ceramic microspheres would require more energy than the other materials to attain full density

  16. Biomolecule-assisted synthesis of defect-mediated Cd1-xZnxS/MoS2/graphene hollow spheres for highly efficient hydrogen evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Ruifeng; Zhang, Yihe; Li, Baoying; Yu, Xuelian; Liu, Huijuan; An, Xiaoqiang; Qu, Jiuhui

    2016-06-28

    Moderate efficiency and the utilization of noble metal cocatalysts are the key factors that restrict the large-scale application of photocatalytic hydrogen production. To develop more efficient photocatalysts based on earth abundant elements, either a new material strategy or a fundamental understanding of the semiconductor/cocatalyst interfaces is highly desirable. In this paper, we studied the feasibility of in situ formation of defect-rich cocatalysts on graphene-based photocatalysts. A facile biomolecule-assisted strategy was used to self-assmble Cd1-xZnxS/MoS2/graphene hollow spheres. The defect-mediated cocatalyst and synergetic charge transfer around heterostructured interfaces exhibit a significant impact on the visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of multicomponent solid solutions. With engineered interfacial defects, Cd0.8Zn0.2S/MoS2/graphene hollow spheres exhibited a 63-fold improved H2 production rate, which was even 2 and 3.8 times higher than those of CdS/MoS2/graphene hollow spheres and Cd0.8Zn0.2S/Pt. Therefore, our research provides a promising approach for the rational design of high-efficiency and low-cost photocatalysts for solar fuel production.

  17. Controlled drug release from a novel injectable biodegradable microsphere/scaffold composite based on poly(propylene fumarate).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kempen, Diederik H R; Lu, Lichun; Kim, Choll; Zhu, Xun; Dhert, Wouter J A; Currier, Bradford L; Yaszemski, Michael J

    2006-04-01

    The ideal biomaterial for the repair of bone defects is expected to have good mechanical properties, be fabricated easily into a desired shape, support cell attachment, allow controlled release of bioactive factors to induce bone formation, and biodegrade into nontoxic products to permit natural bone formation and remodeling. The synthetic polymer poly(propylene fumarate) (PPF) holds great promise as such a biomaterial. In previous work we developed poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and PPF microspheres for the controlled delivery of bioactive molecules. This study presents an approach to incorporate these microspheres into an injectable, porous PPF scaffold. Model drug Texas red dextran (TRD) was encapsulated into biodegradable PLGA and PPF microspheres at 2 microg/mg microsphere. Five porous composite formulations were fabricated via a gas foaming technique by combining the injectable PPF paste with the PLGA or PPF microspheres at 100 or 250 mg microsphere per composite formulation, or a control aqueous TRD solution (200 microg per composite). All scaffolds had an interconnected pore network with an average porosity of 64.8 +/- 3.6%. The presence of microspheres in the composite scaffolds was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy. The composite scaffolds exhibited a sustained release of the model drug for at least 28 days and had minimal burst release during the initial phase of release, as compared to drug release from microspheres alone. The compressive moduli of the scaffolds were between 2.4 and 26.2 MPa after fabrication, and between 14.9 and 62.8 MPa after 28 days in PBS. The scaffolds containing PPF microspheres exhibited a significantly higher initial compressive modulus than those containing PLGA microspheres. Increasing the amount of microspheres in the composites was found to significantly decrease the initial compressive modulus. The novel injectable PPF-based microsphere/scaffold composites developed in this study

  18. Nitrogen-Doped Hollow Carbon Spheres with Embedded Co Nanoparticles as Active Non-Noble-Metal Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruohao Xing

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Transition metal (Fe, Co, Ni complexes on carbon nanomaterials are promising candidates as electrocatalysts towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR. In this paper, nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres with embedded Co nanoparticles were successfully prepared via a controllable synthesis strategy. The morphology characterization shows that the hollow carbon spheres possess an average diameter of ~150 nm with a narrow size distribution and a shell thickness of ~14.5 nm. The content of N doping ranges from 2.1 to 6.6 at.% depending on the calcination temperature from 900 to 1050 °C. Compared with commercial Pt/C, the Co-containing nitrogen-doped hollow carbon spheres prepared at 900 °C (CoNHCS-900 as an ORR electrocatalyst shows a half-wave potential shift of only ∆E1/2 = 55 mV, but a superior stability of about 90.2% maintenance after 20,000 s in the O2-saturated 0.1 M KOH at a rotating speed of 1600 rpm. This could be ascribed to the synergistic effects of N-containing moieties, Co-Nx species, and Co nanoparticles, which significantly increase the density of active sites and promote the charge transfer during the ORR process.

  19. Neutron transmission measurements on hydrogen filled microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dyrnjaja, Eva; Hummel, Stefan; Keding, Marcus; Smolle, Marie-Theres; Gerger, Joachim; Zawisky, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Hollow microspheres are promising candidates for future hydrogen storage technologies. Although the physical process for hydrogen diffusion through glass is well understood, measurements of static quantities (e.q. hydrogen pressure inside the spheres) as well as dynamic properties (e.g. diffusion rate of hydrogen through glass) are still difficult to handle due to the small size of the spheres (d≈15μm). For diffusion rate measurements, the long-term stability of the experiment is also mandatory due to the relatively slow diffusion rate. In this work, we present an accurate and long-term stable measurement technique for static and dynamic properties, using neutron radiography. Furthermore, possible applications for hydrogen filled microspheres within the scope of radiation issues are discussed

  20. Highly porous ZnS microspheres for superior photoactivity after Au and Pt deposition and thermal treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singla, Shilpa; Pal, Bonamali, E-mail: bpal@thapar.edu

    2013-11-15

    Graphical abstract: Highly porous ZnS microsphere of size 2–5 μm having large surface area ca. 173.14 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} exhibits superior photocatalytic activity for the oxidation of 4-nitrophenol under UV light irradiation. The rate of photooxidation has been significantly improved by Au and Pt deposition and after sintering, respectively, due to rapid electron acceptance by metal from photoexcited ZnS and growth of crystalline ZnS phase. - Highlights: • Photoactive ZnS microsphere of size 2–5 μm was prepared by hydrothermal route. • Highly porous cubic spherical ZnS crystals possess a large surface area, 173 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}. • 1 wt% Au and Pt photodeposition highly quenched the photoluminescence at 437 nm. • Sintering and metal loading notably improve the photooxidation rate of 4-nitrophenol. • Pt co-catalyst always exhibits superior photoactivity of ZnS microsphere than Au. - Abstract: This work highlights the enhanced photocatalytic activity of porous ZnS microspheres after Au and Pt deposition and heat treatment at 500 °C for 2 h. Microporous ZnS particles of size 2–5 μm with large surface area 173.14 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} and pore volume 0.0212 cm{sup 3} g{sup −1} were prepared by refluxing under an alkaline medium. Photoluminescence of ZnS at 437 nm attributed to sulfur or zinc vacancies were quenched to 30% and 49%, respectively, after 1 wt% Au and Pt loading. SEM images revealed that each ZnS microparticle consist of several smaller ZnS spheres of size 2.13 nm as calculated by Scherrer's equation. The rate of photooxidation of 4-nitrophenol (10 μM) under UV (125 W Hg arc–10.4 mW/cm{sup 2}) irradiation has been significantly improved by Au and Pt deposition followed by sintering due to better electron capturing capacity of deposited metals and growth of crystalline ZnS phase with less surface defects.

  1. Low temperature synthesis and photocatalytic property of perovskite-type LaCoO{sub 3} hollow spheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fu, Shasha [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230039 (China); Niu, Helin, E-mail: niuhelin@ahu.edu.cn [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230039 (China); Tao, Zhiyin; Song, Jiming; Mao, Changjie; Zhang, Shengyi [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230039 (China); Chen, Changle, E-mail: changle@ustc.edu.cn [CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry and Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China); Wang, Dong [Department of Bio-Health Technology, College of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon, Gangwon-Do 200-701 (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-11-05

    Highlights: •Hollow perovskite-type LaCoO{sub 3} is fabricated by green colloidal template method. •Carbonaceous colloids acted as templates and offered internal heat source. •The calcination temperature to form perovskite-type LaCoO{sub 3} was dropped to 550 °C. •The photocatalytic properties were studied upon UV irradiation. •Hollow perovskite-type LaCoO{sub 3} shows excellent photocatalytic activity on dyes. -- Abstract: Hollow perovskite-type LaCoO{sub 3} was successfully fabricated by surface-ion adsorption method utilizing the carbonaceous colloids as template under relatively low calcination temperature. Carbonaceous colloids not only acted as templates but also offered internal heat source during calcination process. The impact of calcined temperature and time on the structure and morphology of the product were studied and the possible formation process of perovskite-type LaCoO{sub 3} hollow spheres was illustrated. The obtained product was characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, TG-DSC, ICP-OES, BET and UV–visible absorption spectra. The photocatalytic activities for degradation of methylene blue, methyl orange and neutral red were tested. The good photocatalytic degradation activity of the three different dyes and the band gap of 2.07 eV make it a promising candidate material for photocatalytic applications.

  2. Porous poly (lactic-co-glycolide) microsphere sintered scaffolds for tissue repair applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Yingjun; Shi Xuetao; Ren Li; Wang Chunming; Wang Dongan

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, a new route to preparing porous poly (lactic-co-glycolide) (PLGA) scaffolds for bone tissue repair applications was developed. Novel porous PLGA scaffolds were fabricated via microsphere sintered technique and gas forming technique. Ammonium bicarbonate was used to regulate porosity of these porous scaffolds. Porosity of the scaffolds, and cell attachment, viability and proliferation on the scaffolds were evaluated. The results indicated that PLGA porous scaffolds were with the porosity from around 30% to 95% by regulating ammonium bicarbonate content from 0 to 10%. We also found that PLGA porous microsphere scaffolds benefited cell attachment and viability. Taken together, the achieved porous scaffolds have controlled porosity and also support mesenchymal stem cell proliferation, which could serve as potential scaffolds for bone repair applications.

  3. Hollow ZIF-8 Nanoworms from Block Copolymer Templates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Haizhou; Qiu, Xiaoyan; Neelakanda, Pradeep; Deng, Lin; Khashab, Niveen M.; Nunes, Suzana P.; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

    2015-10-01

    Recently two quite different types of “nano-containers” have been recognized as attractive potential drug carriers; these are wormlike filamenteous micelles (“filomicelles”) on the one hand and metal organic frameworks on the other hand. In this work we combine these two concepts. We report for the first time the manufacturing of metal organic framework nanotubes with a hollow core. These worm-like tubes are about 200 nm thick and several μm long. The preparation is simple: we first produce long and flexible filament-shaped micelles by block copolymer self-assembly. These filomicelles serve as templates to grow a very thin layer of interconnected ZIF-8 crystals on their surface. Finally the block copolymer is removed by solvent extraction and the hollow ZIF-8 nanotubes remain. These ZIF-NTs are surprisingly stable and withstand purification by centrifugation. The synthesis method is straightforward and can easily be applied for other metal organic framework materials. The ZIF-8 NTs exhibit high loading capacity for the model anti cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) with a pH-triggered release. Hence, a prolonged circulation in the blood stream and a targeted drug release behavior can be expected.

  4. Hollow ZIF-8 Nanoworms from Block Copolymer Templates

    KAUST Repository

    Yu, Haizhou; Qiu, Xiaoyan; Neelakanda, Pradeep; Deng, Lin; Khashab, Niveen M.; Nunes, Suzana Pereira; Peinemann, Klaus-Viktor

    2015-01-01

    Recently two quite different types of “nano-containers” have been recognized as attractive potential drug carriers; these are wormlike filamenteous micelles (“filomicelles”) on the one hand and metal organic frameworks on the other hand. In this work we combine these two concepts. We report for the first time the manufacturing of metal organic framework nanotubes with a hollow core. These worm-like tubes are about 200 nm thick and several μm long. The preparation is simple: we first produce long and flexible filament-shaped micelles by block copolymer self-assembly. These filomicelles serve as templates to grow a very thin layer of interconnected ZIF-8 crystals on their surface. Finally the block copolymer is removed by solvent extraction and the hollow ZIF-8 nanotubes remain. These ZIF-NTs are surprisingly stable and withstand purification by centrifugation. The synthesis method is straightforward and can easily be applied for other metal organic framework materials. The ZIF-8 NTs exhibit high loading capacity for the model anti cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) with a pH-triggered release. Hence, a prolonged circulation in the blood stream and a targeted drug release behavior can be expected.

  5. Hollow ZIF-8 Nanoworms from Block Copolymer Templates

    KAUST Repository

    Yu, Haizhou

    2015-10-16

    Recently two quite different types of “nano-containers” have been recognized as attractive potential drug carriers; these are wormlike filamenteous micelles (“filomicelles”) on the one hand and metal organic frameworks on the other hand. In this work we combine these two concepts. We report for the first time the manufacturing of metal organic framework nanotubes with a hollow core. These worm-like tubes are about 200 nm thick and several μm long. The preparation is simple: we first produce long and flexible filament-shaped micelles by block copolymer self-assembly. These filomicelles serve as templates to grow a very thin layer of interconnected ZIF-8 crystals on their surface. Finally the block copolymer is removed by solvent extraction and the hollow ZIF-8 nanotubes remain. These ZIF-NTs are surprisingly stable and withstand purification by centrifugation. The synthesis method is straightforward and can easily be applied for other metal organic framework materials. The ZIF-8 NTs exhibit high loading capacity for the model anti cancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) with a pH-triggered release. Hence, a prolonged circulation in the blood stream and a targeted drug release behavior can be expected.

  6. Hollow spheres: crucial building blocks for novel nanostructures and nanophotonics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhong Kuo

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In this review, we summarize the latest developments in research specifically derived from the unique properties of hollow microspheres, in particular, hollow silica spheres with uniform shells. We focus on applications in nanosphere (colloidal lithography and nanophotonics. The lithography from a layer of hollow spheres can result in nanorings, from a multilayer in unique nano-architecture. In nanophotonics, disordered hollow spheres can result in antireflection coatings, while ordered colloidal crystals (CCs of hollow spheres exhibit unique refractive index enhancement upon infiltration, ideal for optical sensing. Furthermore, whispering gallery mode (WGM inside the shell of hollow spheres has also been demonstrated to enhance light absorption to improve the performance of solar cells. These applications differ from the classical applications of hollow spheres, based only on their low density and large surface area, such as catalysis and chemical sensing. We provide a brief overview of the synthesis and self-assembly approaches of the hollow spheres. We elaborate on their unique optical features leading to defect mode lasing, optomicrofluidics, and the existence of WGMs inside shell for light management. Finally, we provide a perspective on the direction towards which future research relevant to hollow spheres might be directed.

  7. Hollow spheres: crucial building blocks for novel nanostructures and nanophotonics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Kuo; Song, Kai; Clays, Koen

    2018-03-01

    In this review, we summarize the latest developments in research specifically derived from the unique properties of hollow microspheres, in particular, hollow silica spheres with uniform shells. We focus on applications in nanosphere (colloidal) lithography and nanophotonics. The lithography from a layer of hollow spheres can result in nanorings, from a multilayer in unique nano-architecture. In nanophotonics, disordered hollow spheres can result in antireflection coatings, while ordered colloidal crystals (CCs) of hollow spheres exhibit unique refractive index enhancement upon infiltration, ideal for optical sensing. Furthermore, whispering gallery mode (WGM) inside the shell of hollow spheres has also been demonstrated to enhance light absorption to improve the performance of solar cells. These applications differ from the classical applications of hollow spheres, based only on their low density and large surface area, such as catalysis and chemical sensing. We provide a brief overview of the synthesis and self-assembly approaches of the hollow spheres. We elaborate on their unique optical features leading to defect mode lasing, optomicrofluidics, and the existence of WGMs inside shell for light management. Finally, we provide a perspective on the direction towards which future research relevant to hollow spheres might be directed.

  8. Hierarchical porous microspheres of the Co3O4@graphene with enhanced electrocatalytic performance for electrochemical biosensors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, MinHo; Jeong, Jae-Min; Lee, Kyoung G; Kim, Do Hyun; Lee, Seok Jae; Choi, Bong Gill

    2017-03-15

    The integration of organic and inorganic building blocks into hierarchical porous architectures makes potentially desirable electrocatalytic materials in many electrochemical applications due to their combination of attractive qualities of dissimilar components and well-constructed charge transfer pathways. Herein, we demonstrate the preparation of the hierarchical porous Co 3 O 4 @graphene (Co 3 O 4 @G) microspheres by one-step hydrothermal method to achieve high electrocatalytic performance for enzyme-free biosensor applications. The obtained Co 3 O 4 @G microspheres are consisted of the interconnected networks of Co 3 O 4 and graphene sheets, and thus provide large accessible active sites through porous structure, while graphene sheets offer continuous electron pathways for efficient electrocatalytic reaction of Co 3 O 4 . These structural merits with synergy effect of Co 3 O 4 and graphene lead to a high performance of enzyme-free detection for glucose: high sensitivity, good selectivity, and remarkable stability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Histological Comparison of Kidney Tissue Following Radioembolization with Yttrium-90 Resin Microspheres and Embolization with Bland Microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, Suresh de, E-mail: suresh.desilva@unsw.edu.au [Southern Radiology Group, Radiology Department Sutherland Hospital (Australia); Mackie, Simon [Western General Hospital, Department of Urology (United Kingdom); Aslan, Peter [St George Hospital, Department of Urology (Australia); Cade, David [Sirtex Technology Pty Ltd (Australia); Delprado, Warick [Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology (Australia)

    2016-12-15

    BackgroundIntra-arterial brachytherapy with yttrium-90 ({sup 90}Y) resin microspheres (radioembolization) is a procedure to selectively deliver high-dose radiation to tumors. The purpose of this research was to compare the radioembolic effect of {sup 90}Y-radioembolization versus the embolic effect of bland microspheres in the porcine kidney model.MethodsIn each of six pigs, ~25–33 % of the kidney volume was embolized with {sup 90}Y resin microspheres and an equivalent number of bland microspheres in the contralateral kidney. Kidney volume was estimated visually from contrast-enhanced fluoroscopy imaging. Morphologic and histologic analysis was performed 89 weeks after the procedure to assess the locations of the microspheres and extent of tissue necrosis from {sup 90}Y-radioembolization and bland embolization. A semi-quantified evaluation of the non-acute peri-particle and perivascular tissue reaction was conducted. All guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed.ResultsKidneys embolized with {sup 90}Y-radioembolization decreased in mass by 30–70 % versus the contralateral kidney embolized with bland microspheres. These kidneys showed significant necrosis/fibrosis, avascularization, and glomerular atrophy in the immediate vicinity of the {sup 90}Y resin microspheres. By contrast, glomerular changes were not observed, even with clusters of bland microspheres in afferent arterioles. Evidence of a foreign body reaction was recorded in some kidneys with bland microspheres, and subcapsular scarring/infarction only with the highest load (4.96 × 10{sup 6}) of bland microspheres.ConclusionThis study showed that radioembolization with {sup 90}Y resin microspheres produces localized necrosis/fibrosis and loss of kidney mass in a porcine kidney model. This result supports the study of {sup 90}Y resin microspheres for the localized treatment of kidney tumors.

  10. Toward Aerogel Electrodes of Superior Rate Performance in Supercapacitors through Engineered Hollow Nanoparticles of NiCo2O4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jianjiang; Chen, Shuai; Zhu, Xiaoyi; She, Xilin; Liu, Tongchao; Zhang, Huawei; Komarneni, Sridhar; Yang, Dongjiang; Yao, Xiangdong

    2017-12-01

    A biomass-templated pathway is developed for scalable synthesis of NiCo 2 O 4 @carbon aerogel electrodes for supercapacitors, where NiCo 2 O 4 hollow nanoparticles with an average outer diameter of 30-40 nm are conjoined by graphitic carbon forming a 3D aerogel structure. This kind of NiCo 2 O 4 aerogel structure shows large specific surface area (167.8 m 2 g -1 ), high specific capacitance (903.2 F g -1 at a current density of 1 A g -1 ), outstanding rate performance (96.2% capacity retention from 1 to 10 A g -1 ), and excellent cycling stability (nearly without capacitance loss after 3000 cycles at 10 A g -1 ). The unique structure of the 3D hollow aerogel synergistically contributes to the high performance. For instance, the 3D interconnected porous structure of the aerogel is beneficial for electrolyte ion diffusion and for shortening the electron transport pathways, and thus can improve the rate performance. The conductive carbon joint greatly enhances the specific capacity, and the hollow structure prohibits the volume changes during the charge-discharge process to significantly improve the cycling stability. This work represents a giant step toward the preparation of high-performance commercial supercapacitors.

  11. Fe-solubility of Ni7S6 and Ni9S8: Thermodynamic analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waldner, P.

    2011-01-01

    Experimental data on phase equilibria have been used for thermodynamic analysis of the iron solubility of the nickel sulfides Ni 7 S 6 and Ni 9 S 8 . For both compounds, a two-sublattice approach within the framework of the compound energy formalism has been applied to perform Gibbs free energy modelling at 0.1 MPa total pressure consistently embedded in recent thermodynamic assessment studies of other iron-nickel-sulfides. The predicted maxima of iron solubility around 3 at% of Ni 7 S 6 and 5.5 at% of Ni 9 S 8 are confirmed by experimental data. The calculations of complex ternary phase relations with Fe-bearing Ni 7 S 6 and Ni 9 S 8 gain further improvement. The first internally consistent description of all thermodynamically stable phases known in the literature for the iron-nickel-sulfur system is completed.

  12. Template-free synthesis and luminescent properties of hollow Ln:YOF (Ln = Eu or Er + Yb) microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Martinez-Castro, E. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla (CSIC-US), Americo Vespucio 49, Isla de La Cartuja, 41092 Sevilla (Spain); García-Sevillano, J.; Cussó, F. [Dpto. Física de Materiales, C-04, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Avda. Francisco Tomás y Valiente, 7, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Ocaña, M., E-mail: mjurado@icmse.csic.es [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Sevilla (CSIC-US), Americo Vespucio 49, Isla de La Cartuja, 41092 Sevilla (Spain)

    2015-01-15

    Highlights: • Hollow lanthanide doped YOF spheres have been synthesised through a template-free procedure. • Strong red emissions are observed for Eu-doped spheres under UV illumination. • Concentration quenching of luminescence takes place in the spheres at very high Eu doping levels. • Bright red emission is observed for Er, Yb codoped spheres, making this matrix advantageous for biomedical imaging. - Abstract: A method for the synthesis of hollow lanthanide doped yttrium oxyfluoride (YOF) spheres in the micrometer size range with cubic structure based on the pyrolysis at 600 °C of liquid aerosols generated from aqueous solutions containing the corresponding rare earth chlorides and trifluoroacetic acid has been developed. This procedure, which has been used for the first time for the synthesis of YFO based materials, is simpler and advantageous when compared with other methods usually employed for the production of hollow spheres since it does not require the use of sacrificial templates. In addition, it is continuous, which is desirable because of practical reasons. The procedure is also suitable for doping the YOF spheres with europium cations resulting in down converting red phosphors when activated with UV light, or for co-doping with both Er{sup 3+} and Yb{sup 3+} giving rise to up-converting phosphors, which emit intense red light under near infrared (NIR) irradiation. Because of their optical properties and hollow architecture, the developed materials may find applications in optoelectronic devices and biotechnology.

  13. Solid Phase Extraction of Trace Al(III), Fe(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) Ions in Beverages on Functionalized Polymer Microspheres Prior to Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometric Determinations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berber, Hale; Alpdogan, Güzin

    2017-01-01

    In this study, poly(glycidyl methacrylate-methyl methacrylate-divinylbenzene) was synthesized in the form of microspheres, and then functionalized by 2-aminobenzothiazole ligand. The sorption properties of these functionalized microspheres were investigated for separation, preconcentration and determination of Al(III), Fe(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions using flame atomic absorption spectrometry. The optimum pH values for quantitative sorption were 2 - 4, 5 - 8, 6 - 8, 4 - 6, 2 - 6 and 2 - 3 for Al(III), Fe(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II), respectively, and also the highest sorption capacity of the functionalized microspheres was found to be for Cu(II) with the value of 1.87 mmol g -1 . The detection limits (3σ; N = 6) obtained for the studied metals in the optimal conditions were observed in the range of 0.26 - 2.20 μg L -1 . The proposed method was successfully applied to different beverage samples for the determination of Al(III), Fe(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Cd(II) and Pb(II) ions, with the relative standard deviation of <3.7%.

  14. Polyimide hollow fiber membranes for CO2 separation from wet gas mixtures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Falbo

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Matrimid®5218 hollow fiber membranes were prepared using the dry-wet spinning process. The transport properties were measured with pure gases (H2, CO2, N2, CH4 and O2 and with a mixture (30% CO2 and 70% N2 in dry and wet conditions at 25 ºC, 50 ºC, 60 ºC and 75 ºC and up to 600 kPa. Interesting values of single gas selectivity up to 60 ºC (between 31 and 28 for CO2/N2 and between 33 and 30 for CO2/CH4 in dry condition were obtained. The separation factor measured for the mixture was 20% lower compared to the single gas selectivity, in the whole temperature range analyzed. In saturation conditions the data showed that water influences the performance of the membranes, inducing a reduction of the permeance of all gases. Moreover, the presence of water caused a decrease of single gas selectivity and separation factor, although not so significant, highlighting the very high water resistance of hollow fiber membrane modules.

  15. A facile approach to fabricate of photothermal functional Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuS microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Baolong; Shan, Yan, E-mail: shanyan@qust.edu.cn; Chen, Kezheng, E-mail: kchen@qust.edu.cn

    2017-06-01

    Photothermal functional Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuS microspheres have been prepared successfully by a simple chemical deposition method. The adsorption of cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB) on the magnetic microspheres plays an important role in forming the structure of the composites. The present materials are characterized with XRD, TEM, SEM, FTIR, and UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer. The results show that Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres are coated by CuS layer with thickness of 10 nm. The saturation magnetization value of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuS core-shell microspheres is 27 emu/g at room temperature and the sample possesses excellent magnetic response in the presence of applied magnetic field. Moreover, these microspheres exhibit good dispersion, suitable size and significant photothermal conversion efficiency up to 20.7% at 808 nm laser irradiation. Fluctuation value of the highest temperature of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuS dispersion over four times LASER ON/OFF indicates that photothermal stability of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuS microspheres is good. - Highlights: • The Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} microspheres have been coated with CuS and the thickness of CuS layer is about 10 nm. • The Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}@CuS microspheres are ferromagnetism, and possess good photothermal conversion efficiency and photostability. • The materials have great potential application for photothermal therapy.

  16. Interaction between dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide-modified PLGA microspheres and hyaluronic acid

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulia, Kamarza; Devi, Krisanti, Elsa

    2017-02-01

    In application of intravitreal injection, an extended drug delivery system is desired so that the frequency of injection to treat diabetic retinopathy may be reduced. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) polymer (PLGA) was used to encapsulate a model drug in the form of microspheres. The zeta potential of dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DDAB)-modified PLGA microspheres in water was proportional to the DDAB concentration used in the preparation step, up to +57.8 mV. The scanning electron microscope pictures and the zeta potential data (SEM) confirmed that the surface of the PLGA has been modified by the cationic surfactant and that electrostatic interaction between the positively charged microspheres and the negatively charged vitreous were present.

  17. Hollow microspheres with a tungsten carbide kernel for PEMFC application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    d'Arbigny, Julien Bernard; Taillades, Gilles; Marrony, Mathieu; Jones, Deborah J; Rozière, Jacques

    2011-07-28

    Tungsten carbide microspheres comprising an outer shell and a compact kernel prepared by a simple hydrothermal method exhibit very high surface area promoting a high dispersion of platinum nanoparticles, and an exceptionally high electrochemically active surface area (EAS) stability compared to the usual Pt/C electrocatalysts used for PEMFC application.

  18. Ammonolysis-induced solvent removal: a facile approach for solidifying emulsion droplets into PLGA microspheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Jayoung; Hong, Dasom; Chung, Younglim; Sah, Hongkee

    2007-12-01

    An ammonolysis-based microencapsulation technique useful for the preparation of biodegradable microspheres was described in this study. A dispersed phase consisting of poly- d, l-lactide- co-glycolide, progesterone, and methyl chloroacetate was emulsified in an aqueous phase. Upon addition of ammonia solution, the emulsion droplets were quickly transformed into poly- d, l-lactide- co-glycolide microspheres laden with progesterone. Rapid solvent removal was accompanied by ammonolysis. The chemical reaction converted water-immiscible methyl chloroacetate to water-miscible chloroacetamide and methanol. Chloroacetamide formation was proved by (1)H NMR and ESI-MS studies. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the microspheres contained only small amounts of residual methyl chloroacetate. Incorporation efficiencies of progesterone ranged from 64.3 +/- 1.1 to 72.8 +/- 0.3%, depending upon microsphere formulations. X-ray powder diffractometry analysis substantiated that no polymorphic transition of progesterone occurred during microencapsulation. To evaluate the feasibility of this new method against the commonly used microencapsulation method, microspheres were also prepared by a typical dichloromethane-based solvent evaporation process. The important attributes of microspheres prepared from both methods were characterized for comparison. The new ammonolysis-based microencapsulation process showed interesting features distinct from those of the solvent evaporation process. The microencapsulation process reported in this study might be applicable in loading pharmaceuticals into various polymeric microspheres.

  19. Temperature influence in crystallinity of polymer microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rezende, Cristiane de P.; Novack, Katia M.

    2011-01-01

    Drug delivery technology is evolving through the creation of new techniques of drug delivery effectively. The new methods used in drugs administration are based in microencapsulation process. Microsphere encapsulation modifies drug delivery bringing benefits and efficiency. In this work has been evaluated the influence of temperature in microspheres preparation. Microspheres were obtained by PMMA-co-PEG (COP) copolymer with indomethacin inserted in polymer matrix. Samples were characterized by SEM, DSC and XRD. SEM micrographs confirmed the formation of different sizes of microspheres and it was verified that higher temperatures make more crystalline microspheres. (author)

  20. Synthesis of V2O5 microspheres by spray pyrolysis as cathode material for supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yin, Zhendong; Xu, Jie; Ge, Yali; Jiang, Qiaoya; Zhang, Yaling; Yang, Yawei; Sun, Yuping; Hou, Siyu; Shang, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yingjiu

    2018-03-01

    Vanadium oxide (V2O5) microspheres have attracted considerable attention in the energy field due to their unique properties such as high stability and electrochemical activity. Here, massive V2O5 microspheres with smooth surface, hollow cavity and uniform particle sizes (0.4–1.5 μm), were synthesized by a facile spray pyrolysis process. Post-treatment at predefined temperatures effectively turned the microsphere shell into stacked nanorods with widths of 100 nm and lengths of 500 nm when processed at 500 °C for 3 h under nitrogen atmosphere, with enhanced crystallinity. When applied as cathode materials for supercapacitors, the post-treated V2O5 microspheres at 500 °C exhibited improved specific capacitance and longer discharge time. This is an effective method to manufacture massive V2O5 microspheres with tailored structure and potential applications in high-performance energy storage materials.

  1. Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of dye under visible light on mesoporous microspheres by defects in manganese- and nitrogen-co-doped TiO{sub 2}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feng, Lu; Jiang, Heng, E-mail: hjiang78@hotmail.com [Liaoning Shihua University, School of Chemistry and Materials Science (China); Zou, Mingming; Xiong, Fengqiang; Ganeshraja, Ayyakannu Sundaram; Pervaiz, Erum [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (China); Liu, Yinan; Zou, Shunying [Dalian Environmental Protection Laboratory (China); Yang, Minghui, E-mail: myang@dicp.ac.cn [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (China)

    2016-09-15

    Manganese- and nitrogen-co-doped mesoporous TiO{sub 2} microsphere photocatalysts are prepared by a simple sol–gel method with controllable sizes in the range of 400–500 nm and high surface area of 112 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}. Manganous acetate is the Mn source, and ammonia gas is the nitrogen source used. The dopants are found to be uniformly distributed in the TiO{sub 2} matrix. Interestingly, in (Mn,N)-co-doped TiO{sub 2}, we observe an effective indirect band gap of ~2.58 eV. (Mn,N)-co-doped mesoporous TiO{sub 2} microspheres show higher photocatalytic activity than Mn–TiO{sub 2} microspheres under visible light irradiation. Among the samples reported in this work, 0.2 at.% Mn doping and 500 °C 2-h nitriding condition give the highest photocatalytic activity. The observed photocatalytic activity in the (Mn,N)-co-doped TiO{sub 2} is attributed to the contribution from improved absorption due to trap levels of Mn, oxygen vacancies and N doping.Graphical AbstractManganese- and nitrogen-co-doped mesoporous TiO{sub 2} microspheres containing substitutional N, interstitial N and O vacancies show high visible light photocatalytic activity.

  2. Fabrication of novel magnetically separable BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres and its application in the efficient removal of dye from aqueous phase by an environment-friendly and economical approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang, R. [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000 (China); Environmental Engineering Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada V2N 4Z9 (Canada); Department of Environmental Engineering, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000 (China); Zhu, H.-Y., E-mail: zhuhuayue@126.com [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000 (China); Environmental Engineering Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada V2N 4Z9 (Canada); Department of Environmental Engineering, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000 (China); Li, J.-B. [Environmental Engineering Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada V2N 4Z9 (Canada); Fu, F.-Q. [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000 (China); Yao, J. [Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000 (China); Department of Environmental Engineering, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000 (China); Jiang, S.-T. [Department of Environmental Engineering, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang 318000 (China); Zeng, G.-M., E-mail: zgming@hnu.cn [Key Laboratory of Environmental Biology and Pollution Control (Hunan University), Ministry of Education, Changsha 410082 (China)

    2016-02-28

    Graphical abstract: Novel magnetically separable BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres were prepared and acted as a high-performance and recyclable material for efficient water purification. - Highlights: • Novel magnetically separable BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres have been fabricated. • BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microsphere exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity. • BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microsphere can be recovered easily from treated solution. - Abstract: Novel magnetically separable BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres assembled from nanoparticles were successfully fabricated by a facile solvothermal method at 160 °C for 12 h. Then, BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres were characterized via XRD, TEM, SEM, EDS and VSM. Congo red (CR) was selected as a pollutant model to evaluate the photocatalytic activities of BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres. The value of coercivity (232 Oe) and the saturation magnetization (33.79 emu g{sup −1}) were obtained, which indicated that BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres can be separated and recovered easily from the treated solution. What is more, by calculation, the initial rate constants of BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres is about 1.45 times higher than that of the pure BiOBr, which resulted from superior adsorption and transfer performance to organic contaminants in aqueous systems. Four consecutive regeneration cycles demonstrated that the BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres had high photostability under simulated solar light irradiation. According to the radical trapping experiments, the h{sup +} radicals and O{sub 2}·{sup −} radicals were the two main active species that drive the photocolorization of CR pollutant by BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres under simulated solar light irradiation. This work suggests that the BiOBr/CoFe{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres may be a promising photocatalyst for photodegrading organic pollutants and environmental remediation.

  3. Rational design of anatase TiO2 architecture with hierarchical nanotubes and hollow microspheres for high-performance dye-sensitized solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Jiuwang; Khan, Javid; Chai, Zhisheng; Yuan, Yufei; Yu, Xiang; Liu, Pengyi; Wu, Mingmei; Mai, Wenjie

    2016-01-01

    Large surface area, sufficient light-harvesting and superior electron transport property are the major factors for an ideal photoanode of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), which requires rational design of the nanoarchitectures and smart integration of state-of-the-art technologies. In this work, a 3D anatase TiO2 architecture consisting of vertically aligned 1D hierarchical TiO2 nanotubes (NTs) with ultra-dense branches (HTNTs, bottom layer) and 0D hollow TiO2 microspheres with rough surface (HTS, top layer) is first successfully constructed on transparent conductive fluorine-doped tin oxide glass through a series of facile processes. When used as photoanodes, the DSSCs achieve a very large short-current density of 19.46 mA cm-2 and a high overall power conversion efficiency of 8.38%. The remarkable photovoltaic performance is predominantly ascribed to the enhanced charge transport capacity of the NTs (function as the electron highway), the large surface area of the branches (act as the electron branch lines), the pronounced light harvesting efficiency of the HTS (serve as the light scattering centers), and the engineered intimate interfaces between all of them (minimize the recombination effect). Our work demonstrates a possibility of fabricating superior photoanodes for high-performance DSSCs by rational design of nanoarchitectures and smart integration of multi-functional components.

  4. Continuous delivery of propranolol from liposomes-in-microspheres significantly inhibits infantile hemangioma growth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guo XN

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Xiaonan Guo,1,* Xiaoshuang Zhu,1,* Dakan Liu,1 Yubin Gong,1 Jing Sun,2 Changxian Dong1 1Department of Hemangioma and Vascular Malformation, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Purpose: To reduce the adverse effects and high frequency of administration of propranolol to treat infantile hemangioma, we first utilized propranolol-loaded liposomes-in-microsphere (PLIM as a novel topical release system to realize sustained release of propranolol.Methods: PLIM was developed from encapsulating propranolol-loaded liposomes (PLs in microspheres made of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid-b-poly(ethylene glycol-b-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid copolymers (PLGA-PEG-PLGA. The release profile of propranolol from PLIM was evaluated, and its biological activity was investigated in vitro using proliferation assays on hemangioma stem cells (HemSCs. Tumor inhibition was studied in nude mice bearing human subcutaneous infantile hemangioma.Results: The microspheres were of desired particle size (~77.8 µm and drug encapsulation efficiency (~23.9% and achieved sustained drug release for 40 days. PLIM exerted efficient inhibition of the proliferation of HemSCs and significantly reduced the expression of two angiogenesis factors (vascular endothelial growth factor-A [VEGF-A] and basic fibroblast growth factor [bFGF] in HemSCs. Notably, the therapeutic effect of PLIM in hemangioma was superior to that of propranolol and PL in vivo, as reflected by significantly reduced hemangioma volume, weight, and microvessel density. The mean hemangioma weight of the PLIM-treated group was significantly lower than that of other groups (saline =0.28 g, propranolol =0.21 g, PL =0.13 g, PLIM =0.03 g; PLIM vs saline: P<0.001, PLIM vs propranolol: P<0.001, PLIM vs PL: P<0.001. The mean microvessel density of

  5. Novel one-step route for synthesizing CdS/polystyrene nanocomposite hollow spheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Dazhen; Ge, Xuewu; Zhang, Zhicheng; Wang, Mozhen; Zhang, Songlin

    2004-06-22

    CdS/polystyrene nanocomposite hollow spheres with diameters between 240 and 500 nm were synthesized under ambient conditions by a novel microemulsion method in which the polymerization of styrene and the formation of CdS nanoparticles were initiated by gamma-irradiation. The product was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), which show the walls of the hollow spheres are porous and composed of polystyrene containing homogeneously dispersed CdS nanoparticles. The quantum-confined effect of the CdS/polystyrene nanocomposite hollow spheres is confirmed by the ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and photoluminescent (PL) spectra. We propose that the walls of these nanocomposite hollow spheres originate from the simultaneous synthesis of polystyrene and CdS nanoparticles at the interface of microemulsion droplets. This novel method is expected to produce various inorganic/polymer nanocomposite hollow spheres with potential applications in the fields of materials science and biotechnology.

  6. Co3O4 based non-enzymatic glucose sensor with high sensitivity and reliable stability derived from hollow hierarchical architecture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Liangliang; He, Gege; Cai, Yanhua; Wu, Shenping; Su, Yongyao; Yan, Hengqing; Yang, Cong; Chen, Yanling; Li, Lu

    2018-02-01

    Inspired by kinetics, the design of hollow hierarchical electrocatalysts through large-scale integration of building blocks is recognized as an effective approach to the achievement of superior electrocatalytic performance. In this work, a hollow, hierarchical Co3O4 architecture (Co3O4 HHA) was constructed using a coordinated etching and precipitation (CEP) method followed by calcination. The resulting Co3O4 HHA electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity in terms of high sensitivity (839.3 μA mM-1 cm-2) and reliable stability in glucose detection. The high sensitivity could be attributed to the large specific surface area (SSA), ample unimpeded penetration diffusion paths and high electron transfer rate originating from the unique two-dimensional (2D) sheet-like character and hollow porous architecture. The hollow hierarchical structure also affords sufficient interspace for accommodation of volume change and structural strain, resulting in enhanced stability. The results indicate that Co3O4 HHA could have potential for application in the design of non-enzymatic glucose sensors, and that the construction of hollow hierarchical architecture provides an efficient way to design highly active, stable electrocatalysts.

  7. Facile synthesis of hollow Sn–Co@PMMA nanospheres as high performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries via galvanic replacement reaction and in situ polymerization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Xiaohui; Jiang, Anni; Yang, Hongyan; Meng, Haowen; Dou, Peng; Ma, Daqian [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Xu, Xinhua, E-mail: xhxutju@gmail.com [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2015-08-30

    Highlights: • Hollow Sn–Co nanospheres were synthesized via a facile galvanic replacement method. • PMMA layers were uniform coated on the surface of Sn–Co composites via in situ emulsion polymerization. • The coating layers are beneficial to suppress the aggregation and stabilize the SEI formation on the surface. • Excellent cycling stability and rate capability were obtained by coating PMMA protective layers on the surface of hollow Sn–Co nanospheres. - Abstract: Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-coated hollow Sn–Co nanospheres (Sn–Co@PMMA) with superior electrochemical performance had been synthesized via a facile galvanic replacement method followed by an in situ emulsion polymerization route. The properties were investigated in detail and results show that the hollow Sn–Co nanospheres were evenly coated with PMMA. Benefiting from the protection of the PMMA layers, the hollow Sn–Co@PMMA nanocomposite is capable of retaining a high capacity of 590 mAh g{sup −1} after 100 cycles with a coulomb efficiency above 98%, revealing better electrochemical properties compared with hollow Sn–Co anodes. The PMMA coating could help accommodate the mechanical strain caused by volume expansion and stabilize the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film formed on the electrode. Such a facile process could be further extended to other anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

  8. Facile synthesis of hollow Sn–Co@PMMA nanospheres as high performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries via galvanic replacement reaction and in situ polymerization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Xiaohui; Jiang, Anni; Yang, Hongyan; Meng, Haowen; Dou, Peng; Ma, Daqian; Xu, Xinhua

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • Hollow Sn–Co nanospheres were synthesized via a facile galvanic replacement method. • PMMA layers were uniform coated on the surface of Sn–Co composites via in situ emulsion polymerization. • The coating layers are beneficial to suppress the aggregation and stabilize the SEI formation on the surface. • Excellent cycling stability and rate capability were obtained by coating PMMA protective layers on the surface of hollow Sn–Co nanospheres. - Abstract: Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-coated hollow Sn–Co nanospheres (Sn–Co@PMMA) with superior electrochemical performance had been synthesized via a facile galvanic replacement method followed by an in situ emulsion polymerization route. The properties were investigated in detail and results show that the hollow Sn–Co nanospheres were evenly coated with PMMA. Benefiting from the protection of the PMMA layers, the hollow Sn–Co@PMMA nanocomposite is capable of retaining a high capacity of 590 mAh g −1 after 100 cycles with a coulomb efficiency above 98%, revealing better electrochemical properties compared with hollow Sn–Co anodes. The PMMA coating could help accommodate the mechanical strain caused by volume expansion and stabilize the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film formed on the electrode. Such a facile process could be further extended to other anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

  9. Correlation of expressions of S100A8 and S100A9 and its ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    (S100A9) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues and their correlation with clinical pathological characteristics and ..... receptor (RAGE), a process which also activates .... S100A8 and S100A9 between Prostate Cancer and. BPH.

  10. Effects of CO 2 on a High Performance Hollow-Fiber Membrane for Natural Gas Purification

    KAUST Repository

    Omole, Imona C.

    2010-05-19

    A 6FDA-based, cross-linkable polyimide was characterized in the form of a defect-free asymmetric hollow-fiber membrane. The novel membrane was cross-linked at various temperatures and tested for natural gas purification in the presence of high CO2 partial pressures. The cross-linked membrane material shows high intrinsic separation performance for CO2 and CH4 (selectivity ∼49, CO2 permeability ∼161 barrer, with a feed at 65 psia, 35 °C, and 10% CO2). Cross-linked asymmetric hollow-fiber membranes made from the material show good resistance to CO2-induced plasticization. Carbon dioxide partial pressures as high as ∼400 psia were employed, and the membrane was shown to be promisingly stable under these aggressive conditions. The performance of the membrane was also analyzed using the dual-mode sorption/transport model. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

  11. Hollow SnO2@Co3O4 core-shell spheres encapsulated in three-dimensional graphene foams for high performance supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Bo; Huang, Sheng-Yun; Wang, Tao; Zhang, Kai; Yuen, Matthew M. F.; Xu, Jian-Bin; Fu, Xian-Zhu; Sun, Rong; Wong, Ching-Ping

    2015-12-01

    Hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres are fabricated using 300 nm spherical SiO2 particles as template. Then three-dimensional graphene foams encapsulated hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres are successfully obtained through self-assembly in hydrothermal process from graphene oxide nanosheets and metal oxide hollow spheres. The three-dimensional graphene foams encapsulated architectures could greatly improve the capacity, cycling stability and rate capability of hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres electrodes due to the highly conductive networks and flexible buffering matrix. The three-dimensional graphene foams encapsulated hollow SnO2@Co3O4 spheres are promising electrode materials for supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries.

  12. Morphogenesis and crystallization of ZnS microspheres by a soft template-assisted hydrothermal route: synthesis, growth mechanism, and oxygen sensitivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Liangbao; Han, Jun; Luo, Tao; Li, Minqiang; Huang, Jiarui; Meng, Fanli; Liu, Jinhuai

    2009-01-05

    Almost monodisperse ZnS microspheres have been synthesized on a large scale by a hydrothermal route, in which tungstosilicate acid (TSA) was used as a soft template. By controlling the reaction conditions, such as reaction temperature, pH value of the solutions, and the reaction medium, almost monodisperse microspheres can be synthesized. The structure of these microspheres is sensitive to the reaction conditions. The growth mechanism of these nearly monodisperse microspheres was examined. Oxygen sensing is realized from ZnS microspheres. The current through the ZnS microspheres under UV illumination increases as the oxygen concentration decreases.

  13. Fabrication of silica hollow particles using yeast cells as a template

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liao, Shenglan; Lin, Liqin; Chen, Xiaofang; Liu, Jingru; Zhang, Biao

    2018-04-01

    Inorganic hollow particles have attracted great interest in recent years. In this study, silica micro spheres were produced. Yeast cells were used as a biological template. The silica shell was synthesized by the hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) in water-alcohol mixtures as solvent using ammonia as a catalyst according to the Stoeber process. Various approaches including X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy were used to characterize the products. The results showed that the thermally treated samples were SiO2 hollow microspheres with a diameter varying between 1-5μm.

  14. Synthesis of hollow titania microspheres by using microfluidic droplet-template%微流控液滴软模板制备二氧化钛中空微球

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    马静云; 姜雷; 秦建华

    2011-01-01

    Droplet-based microfluidics is of great interest due to its particular characteristics compared with the conventional methods, such as reduced reagent consumption, rapid mixing, high-throughput, shape controlled, etc. A novel method using microfluidic droplet as soft template for the synthesis of hollow titania microspheres was developed. A typical polydimethylsi-loxane (PDMS) microfluidic device containing "flow-focusing" geometry was used to generate water/oil (W/O) droplet. The mechanism for the hollow structure formation was based on the interfacial hydrolysis reaction between the continuous phase containing titanium butoxide precursor and the dispersed containing water. The continuous phase mixed with butanol was added in the downstream of the channel after the hydrolysis reaction. This step was used for drawing the water out of the microgels for further hydrolysis. The microgels obtained through a glass pipe integrated were washed, dried under vacuum and calcined after aging for a certain time. The fluorescence and scanning electron microscope ( SEM) image of the microspheres indicated the hollow structure and the thickness of the shell. In addition, these microspheres with thin shell (about 2 u.m) were apt to rupture and collapse. Droplet-based microfluidic offered a gentle and size-controllable manner to moderate this problem. Moreover, it has potential applications in photocatalysis combined with some modification realized on the chip simultaneously.%应用微流控液滴技术合成功能材料已发展成为一个新兴领域.本文以夹流结构微流控芯片产生的微液滴作为软模板,以液滴模板界面处发生的水解反应生成二氧化钛球壳,并经后续脱核处理,制备二氧化钛中空微球.采用激光诱导荧光成像、扫描电镜等手段对微球形貌结构进行了分析表征.结果表明,通过控制微流控芯片液滴合成条件,可以得到壁厚约2

  15. Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of porous WO3/TiO2 hollow microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Liuyang; Si, Zhichun; Weng, Duan; Yao, Youwei

    2014-01-01

    Porous WO 3 /TiO 2 hollow microspheres were prepared by a spray drying method for photodegradation of methylene blue and phenol. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope, N 2 adsorption–desorption measurements, Raman spectrometer, UV–Vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy and Zeta-Meter measurements. The results showed that the tungsten oxides mainly existed in highly dispersed amorphous form on anatase when the loading amount of tungsten oxide was below 3 mol%. The improved photocatalytic activity under UV light irradiation of the WO 3 /TiO 2 catalyst mainly arises from the enhanced charge separation efficiency rather than the improved light absorbance by highly dispersed amorphous tungsten oxides. Highly dispersed amorphous WO x can form a shallowly trapped site due to its similar band structure with TiO 2 . The strongly electron-withdrawing of tungsten oxide in highly dispersed state facilitates the electron transition between titanium and WO x , and consequently improves the charge separation. The enhanced acidity of catalyst by WO x in reactant environment also improved the charge separation efficiency due to the timely transition of holes and electrons accumulated on TiO 2 and WO x , respectively. However, the improved photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation of the WO 3 /TiO 2 catalyst mainly arises from light harvest. TiO 2 containing 3 mol% WO 3 displayed the highest photocatalytic activity under UV light irradiation while that containing 4 mol% WO 3 present highest activity under visible light irradiation

  16. Resonant microsphere gyroscope based on a double Faraday rotator system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Chengfeng; Tang, Jun; Cui, Danfeng; Wu, Dajin; Zhang, Chengfei; Li, Chunming; Zhen, Yongqiu; Xue, Chenyang; Liu, Jun

    2016-10-15

    The resonant microsphere gyroscope is proposed based on a double Faraday rotator system for the resonant microsphere gyroscope (RMSG) that is characterized by low insertion losses and does not destroy the reciprocity of the gyroscope system. Use of the echo suppression structure and the orthogonal polarization method can effectively inhibit both the backscattering noise and the polarization error, and reduce them below the system sensitivity limit. The resonance asymmetry rate dropped from 34.2% to 2.9% after optimization of the backscattering noise and the polarization noise, which greatly improved the bias stability and the scale factor linearity of the proposed system. Additionally, based on the optimum parameters for the double Faraday rotator system, a bias stability of 0.04°/s has been established for an integration time of 10 s in 1000 s in a resonator microsphere gyroscope using a microsphere resonator with a diameter of 1 mm and a Q of 7.2×106.

  17. Rose-like I-doped Bi_2O_2CO_3 microspheres with enhanced visible light response: DFT calculation, synthesis and photocatalytic performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zai, Jiantao; Cao, Fenglei; Liang, Na; Yu, Ke; Tian, Yuan; Sun, Huai; Qian, Xuefeng

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • DFT reveals I"− can partially substitute CO_3"2"−to narrow the bandgap of Bi_2O_2CO_3. • Sodium citrate play a key role on the formation of rose-like I-doped Bi_2O_2CO_3. • Rose-like I-doped Bi_2O_2CO_3 show enhanced visible light response. • The catalyst has enhanced photocatalytic activity to organic and Cr(VI) pollutes. - Abstract: Based on the crystal structure and the DFT calculation of Bi_2O_2CO_3, I"− can partly replace the CO_3"2"−in Bi_2O_2CO_3 to narrow its bandgap and to enhance its visible light absorption. With this in mind, rose-like I-doped Bi_2O_2CO_3 microspheres were prepared via a hydrothermal process. This method can also be extended to synthesize rose-like Cl- or Br-doped Bi_2O_2CO_3 microspheres. Photoelectrochemical test supports the DFT calculation result that I- doping narrows the bandgap of Bi_2O_2CO_3 by forming two intermediate levels in its forbidden band. Further study reveals that I-doped Bi_2O_2CO_3 microspheres with optimized composition exhibit the best photocatalytic activity. Rhodamine B can be completely degraded within 6 min and about 90% of Cr(VI) can be reduced after 25 min under the irradiation of visible light (λ > 400 nm).

  18. Modified microspheres for cleaning liquid wastes from radioactive nuclides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Danilin, Lev; Drozhzhin, Valery

    2007-01-01

    An effective solution of nuclear industry problems related to deactivation of technological and natural waters polluted with toxic and radioactive elements is the development of inorganic sorbents capable of not only withdrawing radioactive nuclides, but also of providing their subsequent conservation under conditions of long-term storage. A successful technical approach to creation of sorbents can be the use of hollow aluminosilicate microspheres. Such microspheres are formed from mineral additives during coal burning in furnaces of boiler units of electric power stations. Despite some reduction in exchange capacity per a mass unit of sorbents the latter have high kinetic characteristics that makes it possible to carry out the sorption process both in static and dynamic modes. Taking into account large industrial resources of microspheres as by-products of electric power stations, a comparative simplicity of the modification process, as well as good kinetic and capacitor characteristics, this class of sorbents can be considered promising enough for solving the problems of cleaning liquid radioactive wastes of various pollution levels. (authors)

  19. Hollow carbon spheres with encapsulation of Co3O4 nanoparticles as anode material for lithium ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhan Liang; Wang Yanli; Qiao Wenming; Ling, Licheng; Yang Shubin

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Hollow carbon spheres with encapsulation of Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles were synthesized. As anode materials for lithium ion battery, the reversible capacity of obtained electrode is as high as 732 mAh g −1 at 74 mA g −1 and 500 mAh g −1 at 744 mA g −1 . - Abstract: Based on the high theoretical capacity of Co 3 O 4 for lithium storage, a noval type of monodisperse hollow carbon spheres with encapsulation of Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles (HCSE-Co 3 O 4 ) were designed and synthesized. The monodisperse hollow carbon spheres not only can provide enough void volume to accommodate the volume change of encapsulated Co 3 O 4 nanoparicles, but also can prevent the formation of solid electrolyte interface (SEI) films on the surface of Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles and following direct contact of Co and SEI films upon lithium extraction. The HCSE-Co 3 O 4 electrode exhibit highly reversible capacity, excellent cycle performance and rate capability attributed to the unique structure. The reversible capacity of HCSE-Co 3 O 4 electrode is as high as 500 mAh g −1 at a current density of 744 mA g −1 , while that of bare Co 3 O 4 electrode is only around 80 mAh g −1 .

  20. Hydroxyapatite-armored poly(ε-caprolactone) microspheres and hydroxyapatite microcapsules fabricated via a Pickering emulsion route.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujii, Syuji; Okada, Masahiro; Nishimura, Taiki; Maeda, Hayata; Sugimoto, Tatsuya; Hamasaki, Hiroyuki; Furuzono, Tsutomu; Nakamura, Yoshinobu

    2012-05-15

    Hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticle-armored poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) microspheres were fabricated via a "Pickering-type" emulsion solvent evaporation method in the absence of any molecular surfactants. It was clarified that the interaction between carbonyl/carboxylic acid groups of PCL and the HAp nanoparticles at an oil-water interface played a crucial role in the preparation of the stable Pickering-type emulsions and the HAp nanoparticle-armored microspheres. The HAp nanoparticle-armored PCL microspheres were characterized in terms of size, size distribution, morphology, and chemical compositions using scanning electron microscopy, laser diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and thermogravimetric analysis. The presence of HAp nanoparticles at the surface of the microspheres was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. Pyrolysis of the PCL cores led to the formation of the corresponding HAp hollow microcapsules. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Poly(ethyleneimine) infused and functionalized Torlon®-silica hollow fiber sorbents for post-combustion CO2 capture

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Fuyue Stephanie

    2014-03-01

    Organic-inorganic hybrid materials functionalized with amine-containing reagents are emerging as an important class of materials for capturing carbon dioxide from flue gas. Polymeric silica hollow fiber sorbents are fabricated through the proven dry-jet/wet-quench spinning process. In our study, a new technique for functionalizing polymeric silica hollow fiber sorbents with poly(ethyleneimine), followed by a post-spinning infusion step was studied. This two step process introduces a sufficient amount of poly(ethyleneimine) to the polymeric silica hybrid material support to improve the CO2 sorption capacity due to the added amine groups. The poly(ethyleneimine) infused and functionalized hollow fiber sorbents are also characterized by a thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA) to assess their CO2 sorption capacities. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Novel synthesis strategy for composite hydrogel of collagen/hydroxyapatite-microsphere originating from conversion of CaCO3 templates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Qingrong; Lu, Jian; Wang, Qiaoying; Fan, Hongsong; Zhang, Xingdong

    2015-03-20

    Inspired by coralline-derived hydroxyapatite, we designed a methodological route to synthesize carbonated-hydroxyapatite microspheres from the conversion of CaCO3 spherulite templates within a collagen matrix under mild conditions and thus constructed the composite hydrogel of collagen/hydroxyapatite-microspheres. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to confirm the successful generation of the carbonated hydroxyapatite phase originating from CaCO3, and the ratios of calcium to phosphate were tracked over time. Variations in the weight portion of the components in the hybrid gels before and after the phase transformation of the CaCO3 templates were identified via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows these composite hydrogels have a unique multiscale microstructure consisting of a collagen nanofibril network and hydroxyapatite microspheres. The relationship between the hydroxyapatite nanocrystals and the collagen fibrils was revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in detail, and the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern further confirmed the results of the XRD analyses which show the typical low crystallinity of the generated hydroxyapatite. This smart synthesis strategy achieved the simultaneous construction of microscale hydroxyapatite particles and collagen fibrillar hydrogel, and appears to provide a novel route to explore an advanced functional hydrogel materials with promising potentials for applications in bone tissue engineering and reconstruction medicine.

  3. Facile preparation of novel dandelion-like Fe-doped NiCo2O4 microspheres@nanomeshes for excellent capacitive property in asymmetric supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Li; Zhang, Huijuan; Fang, Ling; Mu, Yanping; Wang, Yu

    2016-09-01

    In this work, we successfully synthesized the dandelion-like Fe-doped NiCo2O4 microspheres@nanomeshes (Fe-NCO-M@N-1h) using a facile hydrothermal method, followed by calcinations. In the unique structure, numerous nanoneedles radially grow on the surface of microsphere and some porous nanomeshes orderly develop in the inside of microsphere, therefore dandelion-like Fe-NCO-M@N-1h displays large specific surface area (101.15 m2 g-1) and more active sites. Electrochemical properties of the Fe-NCO-M@N-1h have been tested for symmetric supercapacitors (SCs) and asymmetric supercapacitors (ASCs). Benefiting from the structural advantages, Fe-NCO-M@N-1h electrode exhibits outstanding capacitive behaviors, such as the desirable specific capacitance and eminent rate performance (2237 and 1810 F g-1 at the current densities of 1 and 20 A g-1, respectively) and remarkable cycling performance (95.8% retention after 4500 cycles). Besides, a Fe-NCO-M@N-1h//AC-ASCs device has been constructed successfully, presenting the highest energy density of 46.68 Wh kg-1. The results indicate that the Fe-NCO-M@N-1h is a potential material for SCs.

  4. Biomolecule-assisted construction of cadmium sulfide hollow spheres with structure-dependent photocatalytic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chengzhen; Zang, Wenzhe; Yin, Jingzhou; Lu, Qingyi; Chen, Qun; Liu, Rongmei; Gao, Feng

    2013-02-25

    In this study, we report the synthesis of monodispersive solid and hollow CdS spheres with structure-dependent photocatalytic abilities for dye photodegradation. The monodispersive CdS nanospheres were constructed with the assistance of the soulcarboxymthyi chitosan biopolymer under hydrothermal conditions. The solid CdS spheres were corroded by ammonia to form hollow CdS nanospheres through a dissolution-reprecipitation mechanism. Their visible-light photocatalytic activities were investigated, and the results show that both the solid and the hollow CdS spheres have visible-light photocatalytic abilities for the photodegradation of dyes. The photocatalytic properties of the CdS spheres were demonstrated to be structure dependent. Although the nanoparticles comprising the hollow spheres have larger sizes than those comprising the solid spheres, the hollow CdS spheres have better photocatalytic performances than the solid CdS spheres, which can be attributed to the special hollow structure. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. MoS2 coated hollow carbon spheres for anodes of lithium ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yufei; Wang, Ye; Shi, Wenhui; Yang, Huiying; Yang, Jun; Huang, Wei; Dong, Xiaochen

    2016-01-01

    With the assistance of resorcinol–formaldehyde, MoS 2 coated hollow carbon spheres (C@MoS 2 ) were synthesized through a facile hydrothermal route followed by heat and alkali treatments. The measurements indicate that the hollow carbon spheres with an average diameter of 300 nm and shell thickness of 20 nm. And the hollow core are uniformly covered by ultrathin MoS 2 nanosheets with a length increased to 400 nm. The unique hollow structure and the synergistic effect between carbon layer and MoS 2 nanosheets significantly enhance the rate capability and electrochemical stability of C@MoS 2 spheres as anode material of lithium-ion battery. The synthesized C@MoS 2 delivered a capacity of 750 mAh g −1 at a current density of 100 mA g −1 . More importantly, the C@MoS 2 maintained a reversible capacity of 533 mAh g −1 even at a high current density of 1000 mA g −1 . The study indicated that MoS 2 coated hollow carbon spheres can be promising anode material for next generation high-performance lithium-ion batteries. (paper)

  6. High-temperature thermoelectric properties of AgxYyCa2⋅ 8Co4O9 ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    temperature thermoelectric properties of AgYCa2.8Co4O9 + ceramics. Youjin Zheng Hui Zhou Tengzhou Ma Guihong Zuo Hongtao Li Taichao Su Chunlei Wu Hailiang Huang Dan Wang Longcheng Yin. Volume 37 Issue 5 August 2014 pp 963- ...

  7. Facile synthesis of hollow Sn-Co@PMMA nanospheres as high performance anodes for lithium-ion batteries via galvanic replacement reaction and in situ polymerization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Xiaohui; Jiang, Anni; Yang, Hongyan; Meng, Haowen; Dou, Peng; Ma, Daqian; Xu, Xinhua

    2015-08-01

    Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)-coated hollow Sn-Co nanospheres (Sn-Co@PMMA) with superior electrochemical performance had been synthesized via a facile galvanic replacement method followed by an in situ emulsion polymerization route. The properties were investigated in detail and results show that the hollow Sn-Co nanospheres were evenly coated with PMMA. Benefiting from the protection of the PMMA layers, the hollow Sn-Co@PMMA nanocomposite is capable of retaining a high capacity of 590 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles with a coulomb efficiency above 98%, revealing better electrochemical properties compared with hollow Sn-Co anodes. The PMMA coating could help accommodate the mechanical strain caused by volume expansion and stabilize the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film formed on the electrode. Such a facile process could be further extended to other anode materials for lithium-ion batteries.

  8. From harmful Microcystis blooms to multi-functional core-double-shell microsphere bio-hydrochar materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, Lei; Pan, Gang

    2017-11-13

    Harmful algal blooms (HABs) induced by eutrophication is becoming a serious global environmental problem affecting public health and aquatic ecological sustainability. A novel strategy for the utilization of biomass from HABs was developed by converting the algae cells into hollow mesoporous bio-hydrochar microspheres via hydrothermal carbonization method. The hollow microspheres were used as microreactors and carriers for constructing CaO 2 core-mesoporous shell-CaO 2 shell microspheres (OCRMs). The CaO 2 shells could quickly increase dissolved oxygen to extremely anaerobic water in the initial 40 min until the CaO 2 shells were consumed. The mesoporous shells continued to act as regulators restricting the release of oxygen from CaO 2 cores. The oxygen-release time using OCRMs was 7 times longer than when directly using CaO 2 . More interestingly, OCRMs presented a high phosphate removal efficiency (95.6%) and prevented the pH of the solution from rising to high levels in comparison with directly adding CaO 2 due to the OH - controlled-release effect of OCRMs. The distinct core-double-shell micro/nanostructure endowed the OCRMs with triple functions for oxygen controlled-release, phosphorus removal and less impact on water pH. The study is to explore the possibility to prepare smarter bio-hydrochar materials by utilizing algal blooms.

  9. Mucoadhesive microspheres for gastroretentive delivery of acyclovir: in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhaliwal, Sumeet; Jain, Subheet; Singh, Hardevinder P; Tiwary, A K

    2008-06-01

    The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the potential use of mucoadhesive microspheres for gastroretentive delivery of acyclovir. Chitosan, thiolated chitosan, Carbopol 71G and Methocel K15M were used as mucoadhesive polymers. Microsphere formulations were prepared using emulsion-chemical crosslinking technique and evaluated in vitro, ex-vivo and in-vivo. Gelatin capsules containing drug powder showed complete dissolution (90.5 +/- 3.6%) in 1 h. The release of drug was prolonged to 12 h (78.8 +/- 3.9) when incorporated into mucoadhesive microspheres. The poor bioavailability of acyclovir is attributed to short retention of its dosage form at the absorption sites (in upper gastrointestinal tract to duodenum and jejunum). The results of mucoadhesion study showed better retention of thiolated chitosan microspheres (8.0 +/- 0.8 h) in duodenal and jejunum regions of intestine. The results of qualitative and quantitative GI distribution study also showed significant higher retention of mucoadhesive microspheres in upper GI tract. Pharmacokinetic study revealed that administration of mucoadhesive microspheres could maintain measurable plasma concentration of acyclovir through 24 h, as compared to 5 h after its administration in solution form. Thiolated chitosan microsphere showed superiority over the other formulations as observed with nearly 4.0-fold higher AUC(0-24) value (1,090 +/- 51 ng h/ml) in comparison to drug solution (281 +/- 28 ng h/ml). Overall, the result indicated prolonged delivery with significant improvement in oral bioavailability of acyclovir from mucoadhesive microspheres due to enhanced retention in the upper GI tract.

  10. Mathematical Modeling and Numerical Simulation of CO2 Removal by Using Hollow Fiber Membrane Contactors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Mesbah

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract In this study, a mathematical model is proposed for CO2 separation from N2/CO2 mixtureusing a hollow fiber membrane contactor by various absorbents. The contactor assumed as non-wetted membrane; radial and axial diffusions were also considered in the model development. The governing equations of the model are solved via the finite element method (FEM. To ensure the accuracy of the developed model, the simulation results were validated using the reported experimental data for potassium glycinate (PG, monoethanol amine (MEA, and methyldiethanol amine (MDEA. The results of the proposed model indicated that PG absorbent has the highest removal efficiency of CO2, followed by potassium threonate (PT, MEA, amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP, diethanol amine (DEA, and MDEA in sequence. In addition, the results revealed that the CO2 removal efficiency was favored by absorbent flow rate and liquid temperature, while the gas flow rate has a reverse effect. The simulation results proved that the hollow fiber membrane contactors have a good potential in the area of CO2 capture.

  11. PLGA and PHBV Microsphere Formulations and Solid-State Characterization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yang, Chiming; Plackett, David; Needham, David

    2009-01-01

    To develop and characterize the solid-state properties of poly(DL-lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid-co-3-hydroxyvaleric acid) (PHBV) microspheres for the localized and controlled release of fusidic acid (FA). The effects of FA loading and polymer composition on the me...... of a DCM-FA-rich phase in the forming microsphere....

  12. Jingle-bell-shaped ferrite hollow sphere with a noble metal core: Simple synthesis and their magnetic and antibacterial properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Siheng; Wang, Enbo; Tian, Chungui; Mao, Baodong; Kang, Zhenhui; Li, Qiuyu; Sun, Guoying

    2008-07-01

    In this paper, a simple strategy is developed for rational fabrication of a class of jingle-bell-shaped hollow structured nanomaterials marked as Ag@ MFe 2O 4 ( M=Ni, Co, Mg, Zn), consisting of ferrite hollow shells and metal nanoparticle cores, using highly uniform colloidal Ag@C microspheres as template. The final composites were obtained by direct adsorption of metal cations Fe 3+ and M 2+ on the surface of the Ag@C spheres followed by calcination process to remove the middle carbon shell and transform the metal ions into pure phase ferrites. The as-prepared composites were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometer. The results showed that the composites possess the magnetic property of the ferrite shell and the optical together with antibacterial property of the Ag core.

  13. A one-step carbonization route towards nitrogen-doped porous carbon hollow spheres with ultrahigh nitrogen content for CO 2 adsorption

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Yu

    2015-01-01

    © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015. Nitrogen doped porous carbon hollow spheres (N-PCHSs) with an ultrahigh nitrogen content of 15.9 wt% and a high surface area of 775 m2 g-1 were prepared using Melamine-formaldehyde nanospheres as hard templates and nitrogen sources. The N-PCHSs were completely characterized and were found to exhibit considerable CO2 adsorption performance (4.42 mmol g-1).

  14. Enteric-coated epichlorohydrin crosslinked dextran microspheres for site-specific delivery to colon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rai, Gopal; Yadav, Awesh K; Jain, Narendra K; Agrawal, Govind P

    2015-01-01

    Enteric-coated epichlorohydrin crosslinked dextran microspheres containing 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) for colon drug delivery was prepared by emulsification-crosslinking method. The formulation variables studied includes different molecular weights of dextran, volume of crosslinking agent, stirring speed, time and temperature. Dextran microspheres showed mean entrapment efficiencies ranging between 77 and 87% and mean particle size ranging between 10 and 25 µm. About 90% of drug was released from uncoated dextran microspheres within 8 h, suggesting the fast release and indicated the drug loaded in uncoated microspheres, released before they reached colon. Enteric coating (Eudragit-S-100 and Eudragit-L-100) of dextran microspheres was performed by oil-in-oil solvent evaporation method. The release study of 5-FU from coated dextran microspheres was complete retardation in simulated gastric fluid (pH 1.2) and once the coating layer of enteric polymer was dissolved at higher pH (7.4 and 6.8), a controlled release of the drug from the microspheres was observed. Further, the release of drug was found to be higher in the presence of dextranase and rat caecal contents, indicating the susceptibility of dextran microspheres to colonic enzymes. Organ distribution and pharmacokinetic study in albino rats was performed to establish the targeting potential of optimized formulation in the colon.

  15. Active self-healing encapsulation of vaccine antigens in PLGA microspheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Desai, Kashappa-Goud H.; Schwendeman, Steven P.

    2013-01-01

    Herein, we describe the detailed development of a simple and effective method to microencapsulate vaccine antigens in poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) by simple mixing of preformed active self-microencapsulating (SM) PLGA microspheres in a low concentration aqueous antigen solution at modest temperature (10-38 °C). Co-encapsulating protein-sorbing vaccine adjuvants and polymer plasticizers were used to “actively” load the protein in the polymer pores and facilitate polymer self-healing at temperature > hydrated polymer glass transition temperature, respectively. The microsphere formulation parameters and loading conditions to provide optimal active self-healing microencapsulation of vaccine antigen in PLGA was investigated. Active self-healing encapsulation of two vaccine antigens, ovalbumin and tetanus toxoid (TT), in PLGA microspheres was adjusted by preparing blank microspheres containing different vaccine adjuvant (aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) or calcium phosphate). Active loading of vaccine antigen in Al(OH)3-PLGA microspheres was found to: a) increase proportionally with an increasing loading of Al(OH)3 (0.88-3 wt%) and addition of porosigen, b) decrease when the inner Al(OH)3/trehalose phase to 1 mL outer oil phase and size of microspheres was respectively > 0.2 mL and 63 μm, and c) change negligibly by PLGA concentration and initial incubation (loading) temperature. Encapsulation of protein sorbing Al(OH)3 in PLGA microspheres resulted in suppression of self-healing of PLGA pores, which was then overcome by improving polymer chain mobility, which in turn was accomplished by coincorporating hydrophobic plasticizers in PLGA. Active self-healing microencapsulation of manufacturing process-labile TT in PLGA was found to: a) obviate micronization- and organic solvent-induced TT degradation, b) improve antigen loading (1.4-1.8 wt% TT) and encapsulation efficiency (~ 97%), c) provide nearly homogeneous distribution and stabilization of antigen in polymer

  16. In vitro evaluation of biodegradable microspheres with surface-bound ligands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keegan, Mark E; Royce, Sara M; Fahmy, Tarek; Saltzman, W Mark

    2006-02-21

    Protein ligands were conjugated to the surface of biodegradable microspheres. These microsphere-ligand conjugates were then used in two in vitro model systems to evaluate the effect of conjugated ligands on microsphere behavior. Microsphere retention in agarose columns was increased by ligands on the microsphere surface specific for receptors on the agarose matrix. In another experiment, conjugating the lectin Ulex europaeus agglutinin 1 to the microsphere surface increased microsphere adhesion to Caco-2 monolayers compared to control microspheres. This increase in microsphere adhesion was negated by co-administration of l-fucose, indicating that the increase in adhesion is due to specific interaction of the ligand with carbohydrate receptors on the cell surface. These results demonstrate that the ligands conjugated to the microspheres maintain their receptor binding activity and are present on the microsphere surface at a density sufficient to target the microspheres to both monolayers and three-dimensional matrices bearing complementary receptors.

  17. (4bS,8aS-1-Isopropyl-4b,8,8-trimethyl-4b,5,6,7,8,8a,9,10-octahydrophenanthren-2-yl acetate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Radouane Oubabi

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The hemisynthesis of the title compound, C22H32O2, was carried out through direct acetylation reaction of the naturally occurring diterpene totarol [systematic name: (4bS,8aS-4b,8,8-trimethyl-1-propan-2-yl-5,6,7,8a,9,10-hexahydrophenanthren-2-ol]. The molecule is built up from three fused six membered rings, one saturated and two unsaturated. The central unsaturated ring has a half-chair conformation, whereas the other unsaturated ring displays a chair conformation. The absolute configuration is deduced from the chemical pathway. The value of the Hooft parameter [−0.10 (6] allowed this absolute configuration to be confirmed.

  18. Plasticization-resistant hollow fiber membranes for CO2/CH4 separation based on a thermally crosslinkable polyimide

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Chien-Chiang

    2011-10-01

    Decarboxylation-induced thermal crosslinking has been demonstrated to be effective for stabilizing membranes against plasticization in dense films. This study extends this promising crosslinking approach from dense films to industrially relevant asymmetric hollow fiber membranes. Crosslinkable asymmetric hollow fiber membranes were spun from a carboxylic acid containing polyimide, 6FDA-DAM:DABA. Dope and spinning conditions were optimized to obtain fibers with a defect-free selective skin layer. It is found that slightly defective fibers suffered severe selectivity loss after thermal crosslinking, suggesting that defect-free property is essential to the performance of the resulting crosslinked hollow fiber membranes. The crosslinked fibers were tested for CO 2/CH 4 separation. The excellent plasticization resistance under high pressure feeds (with highest CO 2 partial pressure of 400psia) suggests that these robust membranes are promising for aggressive natural gas purification. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

  19. Plasticization-resistant hollow fiber membranes for CO2/CH4 separation based on a thermally crosslinkable polyimide

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Chien-Chiang; Qiu, Wulin; Miller, Stephen J.; Koros, William J.

    2011-01-01

    Decarboxylation-induced thermal crosslinking has been demonstrated to be effective for stabilizing membranes against plasticization in dense films. This study extends this promising crosslinking approach from dense films to industrially relevant asymmetric hollow fiber membranes. Crosslinkable asymmetric hollow fiber membranes were spun from a carboxylic acid containing polyimide, 6FDA-DAM:DABA. Dope and spinning conditions were optimized to obtain fibers with a defect-free selective skin layer. It is found that slightly defective fibers suffered severe selectivity loss after thermal crosslinking, suggesting that defect-free property is essential to the performance of the resulting crosslinked hollow fiber membranes. The crosslinked fibers were tested for CO 2/CH 4 separation. The excellent plasticization resistance under high pressure feeds (with highest CO 2 partial pressure of 400psia) suggests that these robust membranes are promising for aggressive natural gas purification. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

  20. Young’s Modulus of Polycrystalline Titania Microspheres Determined by In Situ Nanoindentation and Finite Element Modeling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peida Hao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In situ nanoindentation was employed to probe the mechanical properties of individual polycrystalline titania (TiO2 microspheres. The force-displacement curves captured by a hybrid scanning electron microscope/scanning probe microscope (SEM/SPM system were analyzed based on Hertz’s theory of contact mechanics. However, the deformation mechanisms of the nano/microspheres in the nanoindentation tests are not very clear. Finite element simulation was employed to investigate the deformation of spheres at the nanoscale under the pressure of an AFM tip. Then a revised method for the calculation of Young’s modulus of the microspheres was presented based on the deformation mechanisms of the spheres and Hertz’s theory. Meanwhile, a new force-displacement curve was reproduced by finite element simulation with the new calculation, and it was compared with the curve obtained by the nanoindentation experiment. The results of the comparison show that utilization of this revised model produces more accurate results. The calculated results showed that Young’s modulus of a polycrystalline TiO2 microsphere was approximately 30% larger than that of the bulk counterpart.

  1. Ag/α-Fe2O3 hollow microspheres: Preparation and application for hydrogen peroxide detection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Xinyuan; Wu, Zhiping; Liao, Fang; Zhang, Tingting; Guo, Tingting

    2015-09-01

    In this paper, we demonstrated a simple approach for preparing α-Fe2O3 hollow spheres by mixing ferric nitrate aqueous and glucose in 180 °C. The glucose was found to act as a soft template in the process of α-Fe2O3 hollow spheres formation. Ag/α-Fe2O3 hollow nanocomposite was obtained under UV irradiation without additional reducing agents or initiators. Synthesized Ag/α-Fe2O3 hollow composites exhibited remarkable catalytic performance toward H2O2 reduction. The electrocatalytic activity mechanism of Ag/α-Fe2O3/GCE were discussed toward the reduction of H2O2 in this paper.

  2. Electromagnetic wave absorption properties of composites with ultrafine hollow magnetic fibers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yi, Jin Woo [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (BK21 Granted Program), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Composites Research Center, Korea Institute of Materials Science, 66 Sang-nam-dong, Changwon, Gyeongnam (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sang Bok; Kim, Jin Bong; Lee, Sang Kwan [Composites Research Center, Korea Institute of Materials Science, 66 Sang-nam-dong, Changwon, Gyeongnam (Korea, Republic of); Park, O Ok, E-mail: oopark@kaist.ac.kr [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (BK21 Granted Program), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Department of Energy Systems Engineering, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), 50-1, Sang-ri, Hyeongpung-myeon, Dalseong-gun, Daegu 711-873 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-06-01

    Ultrafine hollow magnetic fibers were prepared by electroless plating using hydrolyzed polyester fiber as a sacrificial substrate. These hollow fibers can be served for lightweight and efficient electromagnetic (EM) absorbing materials. As observed from SEM and EDS analysis, hollow structures consisting of Ni inner layer and Fe or Fe–Co outer layer were obtained. By introducing Co onto Fe, oxidation of the Fe layer was successfully prevented making it possible to enhance the complex permeability compared to a case in which only Fe was used. Polymeric composites containing the hollow fibers with different weight fractions and fiber lengths were prepared by a simple mixing process. The electromagnetic wave properties of the composites were measured by a vector network analyzer and it was found that the hollow magnetic fibers show a clear resonance peak of the complex permittivity around the X-band range (8–12 GHz) and the resonance frequency strongly depends on the fiber concentration and length. A possible explanation for the unique resonance is that the hollow fibers possess relatively low electrical conductivity and a long mean free path due to their oxidized phase and hollow structure. The calculated EM wave absorption with the measured EM wave properties showed that the composite containing 30 wt% hollow Ni/Fe–Co (7:3) fibers in length of 180 μm exhibited multiple absorbance peaks resulting in a broad absorption bandwidth of 4.2 GHz. It is obvious that this multiple absorbance is attributed to the resonance characteristic of the composite. - Highlights: • The ultrafine hollow fibers consist of inner Ni layer (∼100 nm) and outer Fe or Fe–Co layer (500–700 nm). • Composites with the fibers show a high permittivity as well as permeability at low weight fractions (10–30 wt%). • The composites show a permittivity resonance and the resonance frequency can be controlled by fiber content and length. • The composite absorber exhibits a double

  3. In situ growth of NiCo(2)S(4) nanosheets on graphene for high-performance supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Shengjie; Li, Linlin; Li, Chengchao; Tan, Huiteng; Cai, Ren; Yu, Hong; Mhaisalkar, Subodh; Srinivasan, Madhavi; Ramakrishna, Seeram; Yan, Qingyu

    2013-10-03

    We demonstrate a facile hydrothermal method for growth of ultrathin NiCo2S4 nanosheets on reduced graphene oxide (RGO), which exhibit remarkable electrochemical performance with higher capacitance and longer cycle life than the bare NiCo2S4 hollow spheres (HSs).

  4. Controlled-release and preserved bioactivity of proteins from (self-assembled core-shell double-walled microspheres

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuan W

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Weien Yuan1,2, Zhenguo Liu11Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital, affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 2School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: In order to address preserved protein bioactivities and protein sustained-release problems, a method for preparing double-walled microspheres with a core (protein-loaded nanoparticles with a polymer-suspended granule system-formed core and a second shell (a polymer-formed shell for controlled drug release and preserved protein bioactivities has been developed using (solid-in-oil phase-in-hydrophilic oil-in-water (S/O/Oh/W phases. The method, based on our previous microsphere preparation method (solid-in-oil phase-in-hydrophilic oil-in-water (S/O/Oh/W, employs different concentric poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide, poly(D,L-lactide, and protein-loaded nanoparticles to produce a suspended liquid which then self-assembles to form shell-core microspheres in the hydrophilic oil phase, which are then solidified in the water phase. Variations in the preparation parameters allowed complete encapsulation by the shell phase, including the efficient formation of a poly(D,L-lactide shell encapsulating a protein-loaded nanoparticle-based poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide core. This method produces core-shell double-walled microspheres that show controlled protein release and preserved protein bioactivities for 60 days. Based upon these results, we concluded that the core-shell double-walled microspheres might be applied for tissue engineering and therapy for chronic diseases, etc.Keywords: protein delivery, protein stability, core-shell microspheres, dextran nanoparticles

  5. Rifapentine-linezolid-loaded PLGA microspheres for interventional therapy of cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis: preparation and in vitro characterization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huang J

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Jieyun Huang,1,* Zhi Chen,2,* Ying Li,3 Li Li,2 Guangyu Zhang2 1The Second Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute for Tuberculosis Research, The 309th Hospital of Chinese PLA, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Department of Drug Delivery Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: In this study, we aimed to design controlled-release microspheres for the treatment of cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis (TB for solving the issues of poor drug delivery and short duration maintained at effective drug concentration during bronchoscopic interventional therapy. We fabricated rifapentine-linezolid-loaded poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid microspheres (RLPMs using the oil-in-water emulsion solvent evaporation method and assessed their in vitro release as well as the bronchial mucosal retention characteristics. The microspheres are spherical in shape with a circular concave on the surface. The particle size of RLPMs was 27.38±1.28 µm. The drug loading of rifapentine and linezolid was 18.51±0.26 and 8.42%±0.24%, respectively, while the encapsulation efficiencies were 55.53±0.78 and 16.87%±0.47%, respectively (n=3. During the burst release phase of the in vitro release test, 21.37%±0.68% rifapentine was released in 3 days and 43.56%±2.54% linezolid was released in 1 day. Then, both the drugs entered the sustained release phase. Finally, the cumulative percentage release of rifapentine and linezolid in 14 days was 27.61±1.52 and 51.01%±3.31%, respectively (n=3. Bronchoscopic observation revealed that the controlled-release microspheres could slowly release the drugs and retain them on the surface of bronchial mucosa of canines for 20 days. These results indicated that the fabricated microspheres exhibited

  6. Template-Free Synthesis of Hollow-Structured Co 3 O 4 Nanoparticles as High-Performance Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Deli; Yu, Yingchao; He, Huan; Wang, Jie; Zhou, Weidong; Abruña, Hector D.

    2015-02-24

    We have developed a template-free procedure to synthesize Co3O4 hollow-structured nanoparticles on a Vulcan XC-72 carbon support. The material was synthesized via an impregnation–reduction method followed by air oxidation. In contrast to spherical particles, the hollow-structured Co3O4 nanoparticles exhibited excellent lithium storage capacity, rate capability, and cycling stability when used as the anode material in lithium-ion batteries. Electrochemical testing showed that the hollow-structured Co3O4 particles delivered a stable reversible capacity of about 880 mAh/g (near the theoretical capacity of 890 mAh/g) at a current density of 50 mA/g after 50 cycles. The superior electrochemical performance is attributed to its unique hollow structure, which combines nano- and microscale properties that facilitate electron transfer and enhance structural robustness.

  7. Hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres for symmetrical and asymmetrical supercapacitor devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jing, Xuyang; Wang, Cong; Feng, Wenjing; Xing, Na; Jiang, Hanmei; Lu, Xiangyu; Zhang, Yifu; Meng, Changgong

    2018-01-01

    Hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres with low crystallinity composed of nanoparticles were prepared by a facile and template-free method, which involved a precipitation of precursor microspheres in aqueous solution at room temperature and subsequent hydrothermal reaction. Quasi-solid-state symmetric and asymmetric supercapacitor (SSC and ASC) devices were fabricated using hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres as the electrodes, and the electrochemical properties of the VOOH//VOOH SSC device and the VOOH//AC ASC device were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Results demonstrated that the electrochemical performance of the VOOH//AC ASC device was better than that of the VOOH//VOOH SSC device. After 3000 cycles, the specific capacitance of the VOOH//AC ASC device retains 83% of the initial capacitance, while the VOOH//VOOH SSC device retains only 7.7%. Findings in this work proved that hierarchical VOOH hollow spheres could be a promising candidate as an ideal electrode material for supercapacitor devices.

  8. Facile Synthesis of Magnetic Copolymer Microspheres Based on Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-N-isopropylacrylamide/Fe3O4 by Suspension Photopolymerization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siti Zulaikha Mazlan

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Magnetic copolymer based on poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-N-isopropylacrylamide microspheres was prepared by 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone- (DMPP- photo initiated and poly(vinyl alcohol- (PVA- stabilized single step suspension photopolymerization. The effect of chemical interaction, morphology, and thermal properties by adding 0.1% w/v Fe3O4 in the copolymer was investigated. Infrared analysis (FTIR showed that (C=C band disappeared after copolymerization, indicating that the magnetic copolymer microspheres were successfully synthesized and two important bands at 908 cm−1 and 1550 cm−1 appear. These are associated with the epoxy group stretching of GMA and secondary amide (N–H/C–H deformation vibration of NIPAAm in magnetic microspheres. The X-ray diffraction (XRD result proved the incorporation of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with copolymer microspheres as peak of Fe3O4 was observed. Morphology study revealed that magnetic copolymer exhibited uniform spheres and smoother appearance when entrapped with Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The lowest percentage of Fe3O4 nanoparticles leached from the copolymer microspheres was obtained at pH 7. Finally, thermal property of the copolymer microspheres was improved by adding a small amount of Fe3O4 nanoparticles that has been shown from the thermogram.

  9. Single-layer and double-layer microwave absorbers based on Co{sub 67}Ni{sub 33} microspheres and Ni{sub 0.6}Zn{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanocrystals

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Min [Engineering Technology Research Center of Magnetic Materials of Anhui Province, School of Physics & Materials Science, Anhui University, Hefei 230601 (China); Wang, Zhongzhu, E-mail: wangzz@ahu.edu.cn [Engineering Technology Research Center of Magnetic Materials of Anhui Province, School of Physics & Materials Science, Anhui University, Hefei 230601 (China); Wang, Peihong; Liao, Yanlin [Engineering Technology Research Center of Magnetic Materials of Anhui Province, School of Physics & Materials Science, Anhui University, Hefei 230601 (China); Bi, Hong [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei 230601 (China)

    2017-03-01

    Co{sub 67}Ni{sub 33} microspheres and Ni{sub 0.6}Zn{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanocrystals were synthesized by hydrothermal method. The complex permeability and complex permittivity of the as-prepared powders dispersing in wax (60 wt% powder) were measured using a vector network analyzer in 2–18 GHz frequency range. The calculated microwave absorption of single-layer and double-layer absorbers based on Co{sub 67}Ni{sub 33} microspheres and Ni{sub 0.6}Zn{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} nanocrystals were analyzed in 2–18 GHz frequency range. The results show that the Ni{sub 0.6}Zn{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4}nanocrystals with the relatively low permittivity and Co{sub 67}Ni{sub 33} microspheres with the relatively high dielectric loss and magnetic loss can be used as proper matching layer and excellent absorption layer, respectively. The double-layer absorber with a coating thickness of 2.1 mm exhibits a maximum reflection loss of −43.8 dB as well as a bandwidth (reflection loss less than −10 dB) of 5 GHz. Moreover, their absorption peak and the absorption intensity can be adjusted easily through changing the stacking order and each layer thickness. - Highlights: • Ni-Zn ferrite nanocrystals can use as matching layer in double-layer absorbers. • Co{sub 67}Ni{sub 33} microspheres with high dielectric loss can use as absorption layer. • Double-layer absorbers exhibits an excellent microwave absorption in 2–18 GHz.

  10. Secretion of S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12 by Neutrophils Involves Reactive Oxygen Species and Potassium Efflux

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mélanie R. Tardif

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available S100A8/A9 (calprotectin and S100A12 proinflammatory mediators are found at inflammatory sites and in the serum of patients with inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. These cytoplasmic proteins are secreted by neutrophils at sites of inflammation via alternative secretion pathways of which little is known. This study examined the nature of the stimuli leading to S100A8/A9 and S100A12 secretion as well as the mechanism involved in this alternative secretion pathway. Chemotactic agents, cytokines, and particulate molecules were used to stimulate human neutrophils. MSU crystals, PMA, and H2O2 induced the release of S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12 homodimers, as well as S100A8/A9 heterodimer. High concentrations of S100A8/A9 and S100A12 were secreted in response to nanoparticles like MSU, silica, TiO2, fullerene, and single-wall carbon nanotubes as well as in response to microbe-derived molecules, such as zymosan or HKCA. However, neutrophils exposed to the chemotactic factors fMLP failed to secrete S100A8/A9 or S100A12. Secretion of S100A8/A9 was dependent on the production of reactive oxygen species and required K+ exchanges through the ATP-sensitive K+ channel. Altogether, these findings suggest that S100A12 and S100A8/A9 are secreted independently either via distinct mechanisms of secretion or following the activation of different signal transduction pathways.

  11. Aluminum-Doped SnO2 Hollow Microspheres as Photoanode Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binghua Xu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Al doped SnO2 microspheres were prepared through hydrothermal method. As-prepared SnO2 microspheres were applied as photoanode materials in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs. The properties of the assembled DSCs were significantly improved, especially the open-circuit voltage. The reason for the enhancement was explored through the investigation of dark current curves and electrochemistry impedance spectra. These results showed that the Al doping significantly increased the reaction resistance of recombination reactions and restrained the dark current. The efficient lifetime of photoexcited electrons was also obviously lengthened.

  12. PLGA/alginate composite microspheres for hydrophilic protein delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhai, Peng; Chen, X.B.; Schreyer, David J.

    2015-01-01

    Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres and PLGA/alginate composite microspheres were prepared by a novel double emulsion and solvent evaporation technique and loaded with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or rabbit anti-laminin antibody protein. The addition of alginate and the use of a surfactant during microsphere preparation increased the encapsulation efficiency and reduced the initial burst release of hydrophilic BSA. Confocal laser scanning microcopy (CLSM) of BSA-loaded PLGA/alginate composite microspheres showed that PLGA, alginate, and BSA were distributed throughout the depths of microspheres; no core/shell structure was observed. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that PLGA microspheres erode and degrade more quickly than PLGA/alginate composite microspheres. When loaded with anti-laminin antibody, the function of released antibody was well preserved in both PLGA and PLGA/alginate composite microspheres. The biocompatibility of PLGA and PLGA/alginate microspheres were examined using four types of cultured cell lines, representing different tissue types. Cell survival was variably affected by the inclusion of alginate in composite microspheres, possibly due to the sensitivity of different cell types to excess calcium that may be released from the calcium cross-linked alginate. - Highlights: • A double emulsion technique is used to prepare protein-loaded PLGA or PLGA/alginate microspheres. • PLGA, alginate and protein are distributed evenly within microsphere structure. • Addition of alginate improves loading efficiency and slows degradation and protein release. • PLGA/alginate microspheres have favorable biocompatibility

  13. PLGA/alginate composite microspheres for hydrophilic protein delivery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhai, Peng [Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5E5 (Canada); Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5A9 (Canada); Chen, X.B. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5A9 (Canada); Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5A9 (Canada); Schreyer, David J., E-mail: david.schreyer@usask.ca [Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5E5 (Canada); Division of Biomedical Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, S7N5A9 (Canada)

    2015-11-01

    Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) microspheres and PLGA/alginate composite microspheres were prepared by a novel double emulsion and solvent evaporation technique and loaded with bovine serum albumin (BSA) or rabbit anti-laminin antibody protein. The addition of alginate and the use of a surfactant during microsphere preparation increased the encapsulation efficiency and reduced the initial burst release of hydrophilic BSA. Confocal laser scanning microcopy (CLSM) of BSA-loaded PLGA/alginate composite microspheres showed that PLGA, alginate, and BSA were distributed throughout the depths of microspheres; no core/shell structure was observed. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that PLGA microspheres erode and degrade more quickly than PLGA/alginate composite microspheres. When loaded with anti-laminin antibody, the function of released antibody was well preserved in both PLGA and PLGA/alginate composite microspheres. The biocompatibility of PLGA and PLGA/alginate microspheres were examined using four types of cultured cell lines, representing different tissue types. Cell survival was variably affected by the inclusion of alginate in composite microspheres, possibly due to the sensitivity of different cell types to excess calcium that may be released from the calcium cross-linked alginate. - Highlights: • A double emulsion technique is used to prepare protein-loaded PLGA or PLGA/alginate microspheres. • PLGA, alginate and protein are distributed evenly within microsphere structure. • Addition of alginate improves loading efficiency and slows degradation and protein release. • PLGA/alginate microspheres have favorable biocompatibility.

  14. In-line formation of chemically cross-linked P84® co-polyimide hollow fibre membranes for H2/CO2 separation

    KAUST Repository

    Choi, Seung Hak; Jansen, Johannes C.; Tasselli, Franco; Barbieri, Giuseppe; Drioli, Enrico

    2010-01-01

    In this study, chemically cross-linked asymmetric P84® co-polyimide hollow fibre membranes with enhanced separation performance were fabricated, using a dry-wet spinning process with an innovative in-line cross-linking step. The chemical

  15. Facile preparation of ZIF-8@Pd-CSS sandwich-type microspheres via in situ growth of ZIF-8 shells over Pd-loaded colloidal carbon spheres with aggregation-resistant and leach-proof properties for the Pd nanoparticles

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Tong; Lin, Lu [State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024 (China); Zhang, Xiongfu, E-mail: xfzhang@dlut.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024 (China); Liu, Haiou; Yan, Xinjuan [State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, 116024 (China); Liu, Zhang; Yeung, King Lun [Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR (China)

    2015-10-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Uniform-sized colloidal carbon spheres were synthesized from low-cost glucose. • Pd nanoparticles were loaded onto the carbon spheres via self-reduction method. • A layer of ZIF-8 shell was in situ grown over the Pd-loaded carbon spheres. • The ZIF-8@Pd-CCS showed leach-proof and aggregation-resistant properties of Pd. - Abstract: Aiming to enhance the stability of noble metal nanoparticles that are anchored on the surface of colloidal carbon spheres (CCSs), we designed and prepared a new kind of sandwich-structured ZIF-8@Pd-CCS microsphere. Typically, uniform CCSs were first synthesized by the aromatization and carbonization of glucose under hydrothermal conditions. Subsequently, noble metal nanoparticles, herein Pd nanoparticles, were attached to the surface of CCSs via self-reduction route, followed by in situ assembly of a thin layer of ZIF-8 over the Pd nanoparticles to form the sandwich-type ZIF-8@Pd-CCS microspheres. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra confirmed the presence of crystalline ZIF-8, while TEM analysis revealed that the ZIF-8 shells were closely bound to the Pd-loaded CCSs. The shell thickness could be tuned by varying the ZIF-8 assembly cycles. Further, liquid-phase hydrogenation of 1-hexene as the probe reaction was carried out over the ZIF-8@Pd-CCS microspheres and results showed that the prepared microspheres exhibited excellent agglomeration-resistant and leach-proof properties for the Pd nanoparticles, thus leading to the good reusability of the ZIF-8@Pd-CCS microspheres.

  16. Soft-template-synthesis of hollow CuO/Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} composites for pseudo-capacitive electrode: A synergetic effect on electrochemical performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Kuaibing, E-mail: wangkb@njau.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095 (China); State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry Institute, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Lv, Bo; Wu, Hua; Luo, Xuefei; Xu, Jiangyan [Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095 (China); Geng, Zhirong [State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Coordination Chemistry Institute, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)

    2016-12-15

    Hollow CuO/Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} hybrids, which inherited from its coordination polymer precursor consisting of sheets layer and nanoparticles layer composites, were synthesized and characterized by SEM, EDX, XRD and XPS. To assess its electrochemical capacitive performances, cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charging-discharging measurements and A.C. impedance tests were performed successively. The CuO/Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} hybrids had higher capacitance and lower charge transfer resistance than bare Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanostructures, revealing that it provided a protection layer and produced a synergistic effect due to the existence of CuO layer. The distinct synergistic effect could be further confirmed by endurance cycling tests. The capacitance of the CuO/Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} hybrids was 111% retained after 500 cycles at a charging rate of 1.0 A g{sup −1} and remained an intense growth trend after 2000 cycles at scan rate of 200 mV s{sup −1}. - Graphical abstract: Hollow CuO/Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} hybrids are synthesized and display a peculiar synergetic effect on the resulting performances, which can further be evaluated and confirmed by series of electrochemical measurements. - Highlights: • Hollow CuO/Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} hybrids are synthesized from bimetallic-Schiff base polymer precursors. • The capacitance of the CuO/Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} hybrids keeps a growth tendency after 2000 cycles. • A synergetic effect is found for the hybrids in electrochemical energy storage process.

  17. Synthesis of ZnS hollow nanoneedles via the nanoscale Kirkendall effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Hongyu; Chen Yan; Wang Xiaoliang; Xie Yanwu; Li Wei; Zhang Xiangyi

    2011-01-01

    The facile synthesis of one-dimensional II–VI semiconductor hollow nanostructures with sharp tips is of particular interest for their applications in novel nanodevices. In this study, by employing ZnO nanoneedles with lower symmetry structures as self-sacrificed templates, ZnS hollow nanoneedles with homogeneous thickness have been synthesized by a low temperature hydrothermal route through in situ chemical conversion manner and the nanoscale Kirkendall effect. The hollow needlelike structures obtained in the present study can be used as starting materials to create fantastic nanoarchitectures and may have important applications in optoelectronic nanodevices.

  18. Photocatalytic reduction of CO{sub 2} into methanol and ethanol over conducting polymers modified Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} microspheres under visible light

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dai, Weili, E-mail: wldai81@126.com; Xu, Hai; Yu, Juanjuan; Hu, Xu; Luo, Xubiao, E-mail: luoxubiao@126.com; Tu, Xinman; Yang, Lixia

    2015-11-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Conducting polymers modified Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} HHMS (CP/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}) was successfully synthesized. • The introduction of CP decreases the recombination of photogenerated e{sup –}–h{sup +} pairs. • The PTh/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} exhibites good stability and recyclability for CO{sub 2} photoreduction. • The possible photocatalytic mechanism was discussed and proposed. - Abstract: Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} hierarchical hollow microspheres (HHMS) modified with different conducting polymers (polyaniline, polypyrrole, and polythiophene) were successfully synthesized by ‘in situ’ deposition oxidative polymerization method, and evaluated as photocatalysts for the photocatalytic reduction of CO{sub 2} with H{sub 2}O to methanol and ethanol. It was found that the introduction of conducting polymers obviously decreased the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, thus promoting the photocatalytic activity of Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}. Among the as-fabricated photocatalysts, polythiophene modified Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} (PTh/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}) exhibited the best photoelectronic and photocatalytic performance, due to the narrow band gap and good charge mobility of polythiophene. The results demonstrate that the methanol and ethanol yield over PTh/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} was 56.5 and 20.5 μmol g{sub cat}{sup −1} in 4 h, respectively. The total yield of hydrocarbons is 2.8 times higher than that over pure Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}. It is noted that the catalyst exhibits good recyclability and stability. After five consecutive runs, the PTh/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} catalyst shows no significant loss of photocatalytic activity. The possible photocatalytic mechanism was proposed which is beneficial for further improving the activity of photocatalysts. The approach described in this study provides a simple and reliable strategy for the rational design of efficient visible light-driven photocatalysts for photoreduction of CO{sub 2} to hydrocarbons.

  19. Effect of gamma-irradiation on biodegradable microspheres loaded with rasagiline mesylate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandez, Marcos; Barcia, Emilia; Negro, Sofia

    2016-01-01

    In the present study, the influence of gamma-irradiation was evaluated on the physicochemical characteristics and in vitro release of rasagiline mesylate (RM), a selective MAO-B inhibitor used in Parkinson's disease, from poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres. Microspheres were prepared using PLGA 50:50 by the solvent evaporation technique (O/W emulsion). Microspheres were sterilized by gamma-irradiation and their influence was assessed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), laser light diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), encapsulation efficiency (EE) and in vitro drug release. Gamma-irradiation of RM-loaded microspheres did not affect EE, DSC and XRD patterns. After gamma-irradiation, changes on the surface were observed by SEM, but no significant difference in mean particle size was observed. GPC measurements showed a decrease in molecular weight of the polymer after five days of in vitro release. The similarity factor value between irradiated and non-irradiates microspheres was <50, indicating the non-similarity of the release profiles. The sterilization technique had an effect on the integrity of polymeric system, significantly affecting in vitro release of RM from PLGA microspheres. Therefore, from our results we conclude that gamma-irradiation is not a suitable sterilization procedure for this formulation

  20. A new approach for crystallization of copper(ii) oxide hollow nanostructures with superior catalytic and magnetic response

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Inderjeet; Landfester, Katharina; Chandra, Amreesh; Muñoz-Espí, Rafael

    2015-11-01

    We report the synthesis of copper(ii) oxide hollow nanostructures at ambient pressure and close to room temperature by applying the soft templating effect provided by the confinement of droplets in miniemulsion systems. Particle growth can be explained by considering a mechanism that involves both diffusion and reaction control. The catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol in aqueous media is used as a model reaction to prove the catalytic activity of the materials: the synthesized hollow structures show nearly 100 times higher rate constants than solid CuO microspheres. The kinetic behavior and the order of the reduction reaction change due to the increase of the surface area of the hollow structures. The synthesis also leads to modification of physical properties such as magnetism.We report the synthesis of copper(ii) oxide hollow nanostructures at ambient pressure and close to room temperature by applying the soft templating effect provided by the confinement of droplets in miniemulsion systems. Particle growth can be explained by considering a mechanism that involves both diffusion and reaction control. The catalytic reduction of p-nitrophenol in aqueous media is used as a model reaction to prove the catalytic activity of the materials: the synthesized hollow structures show nearly 100 times higher rate constants than solid CuO microspheres. The kinetic behavior and the order of the reduction reaction change due to the increase of the surface area of the hollow structures. The synthesis also leads to modification of physical properties such as magnetism. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Associated structural and morphological analysis, XPS characterization, BET surface area, catalytic measurements, recycle tests of the catalyst, and magnetic characterizations. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr05579b

  1. Preparation of UN microspheres by internal gelation process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shirasu, Yoshiro; Yamagishi, Shigeru [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

    1997-07-01

    UN microspheres were prepared from (UO{sub 3}+C) microspheres internally gelled in a hot silicone oil column. The gel microspheres were calcined at 480degC in nitrogen, after washing and drying. The calcined ones were carbothermically nitrided at 1400-1800degC in a nitrogen-based atmosphere in two ways: one in N{sub 2} followed by N{sub 2}-8%H{sub 2}, and the other in N{sub 2}-8%H{sub 2} only. In both cases, highly pure UN microspheres around 500 ppm of both oxygen and carbon impurities were obtained, although their densities were still low. (author)

  2. Polymer based microspheres of aceclofenac as sustained release parenterals for prolonged anti-inflammatory effect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaur, Manpreet; Sharma, Sumit; Sinha, VR, E-mail: sinha_vr@rediffmail.com

    2017-03-01

    Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) (75:25) and polycaprolactone (PCL) microspheres were fabricated for prolonged release of aceclofenac by parenteral administration. Microspheres encapsulating aceclofenac were designed to release the drug at controlled rate for around one month. Biodegradable microspheres were prepared by solvent emulsification evaporation method in different polymer:drug ratios (1:1, 2:1 and 3:1). After drug loading, PLGA and PCL microspheres showed a controlled size distribution with an average size of 11.75 μm and 3.81 μm respectively and entrapment efficiency in the range of 90 ± 0.72% to 91.06 ± 4.01% with PLGA and 83.01 ± 2.13% to 90.4 ± 2.11% with PCL. Scanning electron microscopy has confirmed good spherical structures of microspheres. The percent yield of biodegradable polymeric microspheres ranged between 30.95 ± 10.14% to 92.84 ± 3.15% and 47.33 ± 4.72% to 80 ± 3.60% for PLGA and PCL microspheres respectively. PLGA microspheres followed Higuchi release pattern while Korsmeyer-Peppas explained the release pattern of PCL microspheres. Stability studies of microspheres were also carried out by storing the preparations at 2-8 °C for 30, 60 and 90 days and evaluating them for entrapment efficiency, residual drug content and polymer drug compatability. In-vivo studies showed significant anti-inflammatory activity of microspheres upto 48 hours using the carrageenan induced rat paw oedema model. - Highlights: • PLGA and PCL polymeric microspheres for parenteral prolonged drug delivery system were formulated. • Polymeric microspheres were characterized physically and drug excipient incompatability. • Three months accelerated stability studies were carried for drug loaded polymeric microspheres. • Pharmacodynamic studies prove the rationality of sustained therapeutic effect of designed drug delivery system.

  3. Dual layer hollow fiber sorbents for trace H2S removal from gas streams

    KAUST Repository

    Bhandari, Dhaval A.; Bessho, Naoki; Koros, William J.

    2013-01-01

    Hollow fiber sorbents are pseudo monolithic materials with potential use in various adsorption based applications. Dual layer hollow fiber sorbents have the potential to allow thermal regeneration without direct contact of the regeneration fluid with the sorbent particles. This paper considers the application of dual layer hollow fiber sorbents for a case involving trace amounts of H2S removal from a simulated gas stream and offers a comparison with single layer hollow fiber sorbents. The effect of spin dope composition and core layer zeolite loading on the gas flux, H2S transient sorption capacity and pore structure are also studied. This work can be used as a guide to develop and optimize dual layer hollow fiber sorbent properties beyond the specific example considered here. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

  4. Dual layer hollow fiber sorbents for trace H2S removal from gas streams

    KAUST Repository

    Bhandari, Dhaval A.

    2013-05-01

    Hollow fiber sorbents are pseudo monolithic materials with potential use in various adsorption based applications. Dual layer hollow fiber sorbents have the potential to allow thermal regeneration without direct contact of the regeneration fluid with the sorbent particles. This paper considers the application of dual layer hollow fiber sorbents for a case involving trace amounts of H2S removal from a simulated gas stream and offers a comparison with single layer hollow fiber sorbents. The effect of spin dope composition and core layer zeolite loading on the gas flux, H2S transient sorption capacity and pore structure are also studied. This work can be used as a guide to develop and optimize dual layer hollow fiber sorbent properties beyond the specific example considered here. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

  5. Synthesis of CdS hollow/solid nanospheres and their chain-structures by membrane technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duan Shumin; Wu Qingsheng; Jia Runping; Liu Xinbo

    2008-01-01

    CdS hollow/solid nanospheres and their chain-structures were successfully synthesized through supporting liquid membrane (SLM) system with bio-membrane. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy have been used for the characterization of the products. The average diameters of CdS solid/hollow spheres are about 10, 40 nm, respectively. The wall of the hollow spheres is about 5 nm. CdS products are all cubic face-centered structure with the cell constant a = 5.830 A. We also explore the morphology, structure and possible synthesis mechanism. A possible template mechanism has been proposed for the production of the hollow CdS nanocrystals, that is, CdS nanoparticles grow along the non-soakage interface between CHCl3 and reactant solution. During this process, the organic functional groups were crucial to the control of crystal morphologies

  6. S100A8/A9 is not involved in host defense against murine urinary tract infection.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark C Dessing

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Inflammation is commonly followed by the release of endogenous proteins called danger associated molecular patterns (DAMPs that are able to warn the host for eminent danger. S100A8/A9 subunits are DAMPs that belong to the S100 family of calcium binding proteins. S100A8/A9 complexes induce an inflammatory response and their expression correlates with disease severity in several inflammatory disorders. S100A8/A9 promote endotoxin- and Escherichia (E. coli-induced sepsis showing its contribution in systemic infection. The role of S100A8/A9 during a local infection of the urinary tract system caused by E. coli remains unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We investigated the contribution of S100A8/A9 in acute urinary tract infection (UTI by instilling 2 different doses of uropathogenic E. coli transurethrally in wild type (WT and S100A9 knockout (KO mice. Subsequently, we determined bacterial outgrowth, neutrophilic infiltrate and inflammatory mediators in bladder and kidney 24 and 48 hours later. UTI resulted in a substantial increase of S100A8/A9 protein in bladder and kidney tissue of WT mice. S100A9 KO mice displayed similar bacterial load in bladder or kidney homogenate compared to WT mice using 2 different doses at 2 different time points. S100A9 deficiency had little effect on the inflammatory responses to E. Coli-induced UTI infection, as assessed by myeloperoxidase activity in bladder and kidneys, histopathologic analysis, and renal and bladder cytokine concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: We show that despite high S100A8/A9 expression in bladder and kidney tissue upon UTI, S100A8/A9 does not contribute to an effective host response against E. Coli in the urinary tract system.

  7. Carbidopa/levodopa-loaded biodegradable microspheres: in vivo evaluation on experimental Parkinsonism in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arica, Betül; Kaş, H Süheyla; Moghdam, Amir; Akalan, Nejat; Hincal, A Atilla

    2005-02-16

    The purpose of this study was to prepare and characterize injectable carbidopa (CD)/levodopa (LD)-loaded Poly(L-lactides) (L-PLA), Poly(D,L-lactides) (D,L-PLA) and Poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLAGA) microspheres for the intracerebral treatment of Parkinson's disease. The microspheres were prepared by solvent evaporation method. The polymers' (L-PLA, D,L-PLA and PLAGA) concentrations were 10% (w/w) in the organic phase; the emulsifiers [sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC):sodium oleate (SO) and Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA):SO mixture (4:1 w/v)] concentrations were 0.75% in the aqueous phase. Microspheres were analyzed for morphological characteristics, size distribution, drug loading and in vitro release. The release profile of CD/LD from microspheres was characterized in the range of 12-35% within the first hour of the in vitro release experiment. The efficiency of CD- and LD-encapsulated microspheres to striatal transplantation and the altering of apomorphine-induced rotational behavior in the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) unilaterally lesioned rat model were also tested. 6-OHDA/CD-LD-loaded microsphere groups exhibited lower rotation scores than 6-OHDA/Blank microsphere groups as early as 1 week postlesion. These benefits continued throughout the entire experimental period and they were statistically significant during the 1, 2 and 8 weeks (p<0.05). CD/LD-loaded microspheres were specifically prepared to apply as an injectable dosage forms for brain implantation.

  8. Self-Assembly of pH-Responsive Microspheres for Intestinal Delivery of Diverse Lipophilic Therapeutics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xing; Zhao, Yang; Chen, Siyu; Han, Songling; Xu, Xiaoqiu; Guo, Jiawei; Liu, Mengyu; Che, Ling; Li, Xiaohui; Zhang, Jianxiang

    2016-08-08

    Targeted delivery of therapeutics to the intestine is preferred for the management of many diseases due to its diverse advantages. Currently, there are still challenges in creating cost-effective and translational pH-responsive microspheres for intestinal delivery of various hydrophobic drugs. Herein we report a multiple noncovalent interactions-mediated assembly strategy in which carboxyl-bearing compounds (CBCs) are guest molecules, while poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) serves as a host polymer. Formation of microparticles and therapeutic packaging can be achieved simultaneously by this assembly approach, leading to well-shaped microspheres with extremely higher drug loading capacity as compared to microspheres based on two FDA-approved materials of poly(d,l-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and an enteric coating polymer EudragitS 100 (S100). Also, carboxyl-deficient hydrophobic drugs can be effectively entrapped. These assembled microspheres, with excellent reconstitution capability as well as desirable scalability, could selectively release drug molecules under intestinal conditions. By significantly enhancing drug dissolution/release in the intestine, these pH-responsive assemblies may notably improve the oral bioavailability of loaded therapeutics. Moreover, the assembled microspheres possessed superior therapeutic performance in rodent models of inflammation and tumor over the control microspheres derived from PLGA and S100. Therapy with newly developed microspheres did not cause undesirable side effects. Furthermore, in vivo evaluation in mice revealed the carrier material PNIPAm was safe for oral delivery at doses as high as 10 g/kg. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that this type of pH-responsive microsphere may function as superior and translational intestine-directed delivery systems for a diverse array of therapeutics.

  9. Synthetic Cu 0.507(5)Pb 8.73(9)Sb 8.15(8)I 1.6S 20.0(2) nanowires

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kryukova, Galina N.; Heuer, Matthias; Wagner, Gerald; Doering, Thomas; Bente, Klaus

    2005-01-01

    Nanowires of an iodine containing Pb-Sb-sulfosalt have been synthesized by chemical vapor transport. Their structure was studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The lattice parameters show values equal to a=4.9801(4) nm, b=0.41132(8) nm (with two-fold superstructure), c=2.1989(1) nm and β=99.918(6)°. These parameters and the results of a multislice simulation are in good agreement with the mineral pillaite, Cu 0.10Pb 9.16Sb 9.84S 22.94Cl 1.06O 0.5 (space group C2/m, a=4.949(1) nm, b=0.41259(8) nm, c=2.1828(4) nm, and β=99.62(3)°). Microprobe and EDX analyses yielded a chemical composition of Cu 0.507(5)Pb 8.73(9)Sb 8.15(8)I 1.6S 20.0(2) which is close to natural pillaite but contains no oxygen and iodine instead of chlorine. The structure of the investigated material is based on chains of M-S polyhedra ( M=Pb or Sb) typical for the architecture of sulfosalts implying iodine atoms in trigonal prismatic coordination with Pb atoms from the M-S polyhedra of neighboring chains. The [010] superstructure of the specimen was found to be unstable under electron beam irradiation with a rapid decrease of the b lattice parameter from 0.8 to 0.4 nm within 5 min.

  10. Synthetic Cu0.507(5)Pb8.73(9)Sb8.15(8)I1.6S20.0(2) nanowires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kryukova, Galina N.; Heuer, Matthias; Wagner, Gerald; Doering, Thomas; Bente, Klaus

    2005-01-01

    Nanowires of an iodine containing Pb-Sb-sulfosalt have been synthesized by chemical vapor transport. Their structure was studied using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The lattice parameters show values equal to a=4.9801(4)nm, b=0.41132(8)nm (with two-fold superstructure), c=2.1989(1)nm and β=99.918(6) o . These parameters and the results of a multislice simulation are in good agreement with the mineral pillaite, Cu 0.10 Pb 9.16 Sb 9.84 S 22.94 Cl 1.06 O 0.5 (space group C2/m, a=4.949(1)nm, b=0.41259(8)nm, c=2.1828(4)nm, and β=99.62(3) o ). Microprobe and EDX analyses yielded a chemical composition of Cu 0.507(5) Pb 8.73(9) Sb 8.15(8) I 1.6 S 20.0(2) which is close to natural pillaite but contains no oxygen and iodine instead of chlorine. The structure of the investigated material is based on chains of M-S polyhedra (M=Pb or Sb) typical for the architecture of sulfosalts implying iodine atoms in trigonal prismatic coordination with Pb atoms from the M-S polyhedra of neighboring chains. The [010] superstructure of the specimen was found to be unstable under electron beam irradiation with a rapid decrease of the b lattice parameter from 0.8 to 0.4nm within 5min

  11. Development and evaluation of floating microspheres of verapamil hydrochloride Desenvolvimento e avaliação de microesferas flutuantes de cloridrato de verapamil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuveraj Singh Tanwar

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available The present study involves preparation and evaluation of floating microspheres of verapamil hydrochloride for improving the drug bioavailability by prolongation of gastric residence time. Cellulose acetate, acrycoat S100 and eudragit S100 microspheres loaded with verapamil hydrochloride were prepared by solvent diffusion-evaporation method. The microspheres had smooth surfaces, with free-flowing and good-packing properties. The yield of the microspheres was up to 70.51% and cellulose acetate microspheres entrapped the maximum amount of the drug. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed their hollow structures with sizes in the range 251.80 to 350.75 mm. The prepared microspheres exhibited prolonged drug release and remained buoyant for more than 12 h. Radiographic images of dog stomach revealed that cellulose acetate microspheres loaded with barium sulphate floated on the gastric fluid for about 3.2 h. In vitro release studies demonstrated non-Fickian diffusion of drug from the microspheres.O presente estudo envolve a preparação e a avaliação de microesferas flutuantes de cloridrato de verapamil para o melhoramento da biodisponibilidade do fármaco por meio do prolongamento do tempo de residência gástrica. Prepararam-se, por meio do método de difusão-evaporação de solvente, microesferas de acetato de celulose, acrycoat S100 e eudragit S100 carregadas com cloridrato de verapamil. As microesferas apresentaram superfícies regulares, com propriedades de fluxo livre e de bom empacotamento. O rendimento das microesferas foi superior a 70,51% e as microesferas de acetato de celulose captaram a quantidade máxima do fármaco. Microscopia eletrônica de varredura confirmou as cavidades em suas estruturas, com tamanhos na faixa de 251,80 a 350,75 mm. As microesferas preparadas apresentaram liberação prolongada do fármaco e permaneceram flutuantes por mais que 12 h. Imagens radiográficas do estômago de cão revelaram que as esferas de acetato

  12. Highly sensitive analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in environmental water with porous cellulose/zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 composite microspheres as a novel adsorbent coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liang, Xiaotong; Liu, Shengquan; Zhu, Rong; Xiao, Lixia; Yao, Shouzhuo

    2016-07-01

    In this work, novel cellulose/zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-8 composite microspheres have been successfully fabricated and utilized as sorbent for environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons efficient extraction and sensitive analysis. The composite microspheres were synthesized through the in situ hydrothermal growth of zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-8 on cellulose matrix, and exhibited favorable hierarchical structure with chemical composition as assumed through scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface areas characterization. A robust and highly efficient method was then successfully developed with as-prepared composite microspheres as novel solid-phase extraction sorbent with optimum extraction conditions, such as sorbent amount, sample volume, extraction time, desorption conditions, volume of organic modifier, and ionic strength. The method exhibited high sensitivity with low limit of detection down to 0.1-1.0 ng/L and satisfactory linearity with correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9988 to 0.9999, as well as good recoveries of 66.7-121.2% with relative standard deviations less than 10% for environmental polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons analysis. Thus, our method was convenient and efficient for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons extraction and detection, potential for future environmental water samples analysis. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Facile synthesis of hierarchical CoMn2O4 microspheres with porous and micro-/nanostructural morphology as anode electrodes for lithium-ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yana; Hou, Xianhua; Li, Yajie; Ru, Qiang; Wang, Shaofeng; Hu, Shejun; Lam, Kwok-ho

    2017-09-01

    Hierarchical CoMn2O4 microspheres assembled by nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method and a subsequent annealing treatment. XRD detection indicate the crystal structure. SEM and TEM results reveal the 3-dimensional porous and micro-/nanostructural microsphere assembled by nanoparticles with a size of 20-100 nm. The CoMn2O4 electrode show initial specific discharge capacity of approximately 1546 mAh/g at the current rates 100 mA/g with a coulombic efficiency of 66.7% and remarkable specific capacities (1029-485 mAh/g) at various current rates (100-2800 mA/g). [Figure not available: see fulltext.

  14. Synthesis of Cubic Phase-Co Microspheres by Mechanical Solid-State Reaction-Thermal Decomposition and Research on Its Growth Kinetics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying Deng

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Cubic phase cobalt (Co, which can be used as a key component for composite materials given its excellent ductility and internal structure, is not easy to obtain at room temperature. In this study, oxalic acid and cobalt nitrate are used as raw materials to synthesize the cobalt oxalate precursor, which has a stable structure with a five-membered chelate ring. Cobalt oxalate microspheres, having a high internal energy content, were prepared by using mechanical solid-state reaction in the presence of a surfactant, which can produce spherical micelles. The thermal decomposition of the precursor was carried out by maintaining it in a nitrogen atmosphere at 450°C for 3 h. At the end of the procedure, 100 nm cubic phase-Co microspheres, stable at room temperature, were obtained. Isothermal and nonisothermal kinetic mechanisms of cobalt grain growth were investigated. The cubic-Co grain growth activation energy, Q, was calculated in this study to be 71.47 kJ/mol. The required reaction temperature was low, making the production process simple and suitable for industrial applications.

  15. Production of porous titanate microspheres by spray-drying of sols

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sizgek, E.; Bartlett, J.R.; Woolfrey, J.L.

    1992-01-01

    Porous, multi-component titanate microspheres (20 to 50 μm in diameter) have been produced on a 10 kg scale by spray-drying a precursor sol containing titania, zirconia and alumina, and calcining the resulting powders at 723 K. The mixed TiO 2 /ZrO 2 sols were produced by hydrolysing tetraisopropyltitanate and peptising the hydrolysate slurry with zirconyl nitrate solution. TiO 2 /ZrO 2 sols with oxide concentrations in excess of 900 g dm -3 were produced. These sols were subsequently mixed with dispersible δ-Al 2 O 3 to produce well-dispersed TiO 2 /ZrO 2 /Al 2 O 3 (TZA) sols. The rheology and degree of aggregation of the multi-component sols were controlled by the addition of Al(NO 3 ) 3 solution. At relatively low electrolyte concentrations, the sols exhibited Newtonian behaviour, and the viscosity increased with increasing addition of electrolyte. However, at higher electrolyte concentrations, the colloidal dispersions exhibited shear-thinning behaviour. Hollow spheres were produced by spray-drying well-dispersed sols. In contrast, 'solid' spheres were produced by using dilute Al(NO 3 ) 3 to produce partially-aggregated TZA sols, prior to spray-drying. Calcined microspheres produced from partially-aggregated sols had total porosities of ∼ 50 %, with average pore diameters of ∼ 8 nm. These particles exhibited a high sorption capacity for simulated High Level Nuclear Waste

  16. Synthesis and hydrogen storage of La23Nd7.8Ti1.1Ni33.9Co32.9Al0.65 alloys

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priyanka Meena

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The present work investigates structural and hydrogen storage properties of first time synthesized La23Nd7.8Ti1.1Ni33.9Co32.9Al0.65 alloy by arc melting process and ball milled to get it in nano structure form. XRD analysis of as-prepared alloy showed single phased hexagonal LaNi5-type structure with 52 nm average particle size, which reduces to about 31 nm after hydrogenations. Morphological studies by SEM were undertaken to investigate the effect of hydrogenation of nanostructured alloy. EDX analysis confirmed elemental composition of the as-prepared alloy. Activation energy for hydrogen desorption was studied using TGA analysis and found to be −76.86 kJ/mol. Hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactions and absorption kinetics were measured at temperature 100 °C. The equilibrium plateau pressure was determined to be 2 bar at 100 °C giving hydrogen storage capacity of about 2.1 wt%. Keywords: Hydrogen storage, La23Nd7.8Ti1.1Ni33.9Co32.9Al0.65 alloy, SEM, EDS, TGA, Hydrogenation/dehydrogenation

  17. Effects of CO 2 on a High Performance Hollow-Fiber Membrane for Natural Gas Purification

    KAUST Repository

    Omole, Imona C.; Adams, Ryan T.; Miller, Stephen J.; Koros, William J.

    2010-01-01

    A 6FDA-based, cross-linkable polyimide was characterized in the form of a defect-free asymmetric hollow-fiber membrane. The novel membrane was cross-linked at various temperatures and tested for natural gas purification in the presence of high CO2

  18. Effect of crosslinking agents on chitosan microspheres in controlled release of diclofenac sodium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa L. Gonçalves

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available In this work chitosan microspheres were prepared by the simple coacervation method and crosslinked using epichlorhydrin or glutaraldehyde for the controlled release of diclofenac sodium. The effects of the crosslinking agents on chitosan microspheres over a 12-hour period were assessed with regard to swelling, hydrolysis, porosity, crosslinking, impregnation of diclofenac sodium (DS, and consequently to the release of DS in buffer solutions, simulating the gastrointestinal tract. The degree of swelling varied with the pH for glutaraldehyde chitosan microspheres (GCM and epichlorhydrin chitosan microspheres (ECM. Partial acid and basic hydrolysis affected the swelling behavior of the GCM matrix. Release kinetics of diclofenac sodium from these matrices were investigated at pH 1.2, 6.8 and 9.0, simulating the gastrointestinal tract conditions. The results indicated that the release mechanism deviated slightly from Fickian transport.

  19. Ag/α-Fe2O3 hollow microspheres: Preparation and application for hydrogen peroxide detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Xinyuan; Wu, Zhiping; Liao, Fang; Zhang, Tingting; Guo, Tingting

    2015-01-01

    In this paper, we demonstrated a simple approach for preparing α-Fe 2 O 3 hollow spheres by mixing ferric nitrate aqueous and glucose in 180 °C. The glucose was found to act as a soft template in the process of α-Fe 2 O 3 hollow spheres formation. Ag/α-Fe 2 O 3 hollow nanocomposite was obtained under UV irradiation without additional reducing agents or initiators. Synthesized Ag/α-Fe 2 O 3 hollow composites exhibited remarkable catalytic performance toward H 2 O 2 reduction. The electrocatalytic activity mechanism of Ag/α-Fe 2 O 3 /GCE were discussed toward the reduction of H 2 O 2 in this paper. - Graphical abstract: Glucose is carbonized as carbon balls in the 180 °C hydrothermal carbonization process, which plays a role of a soft template. Carbon spherical shell is rich in many hydroxyls, which have good hydrophilicity and surface reactivity. When Fe(NO 3 ) 3 is added to the aqueous solution of Glucose, the hydrophilic -OH will adsorb Fe 3+ to form coordination compound by coordination bond. α-FeOOH is formed on the surface of carbon balls by hydrothermal reaction. After calcination at 500 °C, carbon spheres react with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, which disappears in the air. Meanwhile α-FeOOH is calcined to form α-Fe 2 O 3 hollow spheres.

  20. La0⋅ 9Sr0⋅ 1Ga0⋅ 8M0⋅ 2O3–δ (M= Mn, Co, Ni, Cu or Zn ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Perovskite oxides of the general formula, La0.9Sr0.1Ga0.8M0.2O3– for M = Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn, have been prepared and investigated. All the oxides exhibit high electrical conductivities ( ∼ 10–2 S/cm at 800°C) comparable to that of the best perovskite oxide ion conductor, La0.9Sr0.1Ga0.8Mg0.2O2.85 (LSGM) ( ...

  1. Hierarchical (Ni,Co)Se 2 /Carbon Hollow Rhombic Dodecahedra Derived from Metal-Organic Frameworks for Efficient Water-Splitting Electrocatalysis

    KAUST Repository

    Ming, Fangwang

    2017-08-12

    In this work, we demonstrate that the electrocatalytic activity of transition metal chalcogenides can be greatly enhanced by simultaneously engineering the active sites, surface area, and conductivity. Using metal-organic frameworks-derived (Ni,Co)Se2/C hollow rhombic dodecahedra (HRD) as a demonstration, we show that the incorporation of Ni into CoSe2 could generates additional active sites, the hierarchical hollow structure promotes the electrolyte diffusion, the in-situ hybridization with C improves the conductivity. As a result, the (Ni,Co)Se2/C HRD exhibit superior performance toward the overall water-splitting electrocatalysis in 1M KOH with a cell voltage as low as 1.58V at the current density of 10mAcm−2, making the (Ni,Co)Se2/C HRD as a promising alternative to noble metal catalysts for water splitting.

  2. Hierarchical (Ni,Co)Se 2 /Carbon Hollow Rhombic Dodecahedra Derived from Metal-Organic Frameworks for Efficient Water-Splitting Electrocatalysis

    KAUST Repository

    Ming, Fangwang; Liang, Hanfeng; Shi, Huanhuan; Mei, Gui; Xu, Xun; Wang, Zhoucheng

    2017-01-01

    In this work, we demonstrate that the electrocatalytic activity of transition metal chalcogenides can be greatly enhanced by simultaneously engineering the active sites, surface area, and conductivity. Using metal-organic frameworks-derived (Ni,Co)Se2/C hollow rhombic dodecahedra (HRD) as a demonstration, we show that the incorporation of Ni into CoSe2 could generates additional active sites, the hierarchical hollow structure promotes the electrolyte diffusion, the in-situ hybridization with C improves the conductivity. As a result, the (Ni,Co)Se2/C HRD exhibit superior performance toward the overall water-splitting electrocatalysis in 1M KOH with a cell voltage as low as 1.58V at the current density of 10mAcm−2, making the (Ni,Co)Se2/C HRD as a promising alternative to noble metal catalysts for water splitting.

  3. Hydrothermal synthesis and electrochemical performance of NiO microspheres with different nanoscale building blocks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Ling; Hao Yanjing; Zhao Yan; Lai Qiongyu; Xu Xiaoyun

    2010-01-01

    NiO microspheres were successfully obtained by calcining the Ni(OH) 2 precursor, which were synthesized via the hydrothermal reaction of nickel chloride, glucose and ammonia. The products were characterized by TGA, XRD and SEM. The influences of glucose and reaction temperature on the morphologies of NiO samples were investigated. Moreover, the possible growth mechanism for the spherical morphology was proposed. The charge/discharge test showed that the as-prepared NiO microspheres composed of nanoparticles can serve as an ideal electrode material for supercapacitor due to the spherical hollow structure. -- Graphical Abstract: Fig. 5 is the SEM image of NiO that was prepared in the different hydrothermal reaction temperatures. It showed that reaction temperature played a crucial role for the morphology of products.

  4. Solvothermal Synthesis of Three-Dimensional Hierarchical CuS Microspheres from a Cu-Based Ionic Liquid Precursor for High-Performance Asymmetric Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jing; Feng, Huijie; Yang, Jiaqin; Qin, Qing; Fan, Hongmin; Wei, Caiying; Zheng, Wenjun

    2015-10-07

    It is meaningful to exploit copper sulfide materials with desired structure as well as potential application due to their cheapness and low toxicity. A low-temperature and facile solvothermal method for preparing three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical covellite (CuS) microspheres from an ionic liquid precursor [Bmim]2Cu2Cl6 (Bmim = 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium) is reported. The formation of CuS nanostructures was achieved by decomposition of intermediate complex Cu(Tu)3Cl (thiourea = Tu), which produced CuS microspheres with diameters of 2.5-4 μm assembled by nanosheets with thicknesses of 10-15 nm. The ionic liquid, as an "all-in-one" medium, played a key role for the fabrication and self-assembly of CuS nanosheets. The alkylimidazolium rings ([Bmim](+)) were found to adsorb onto the (001) facets of CuS crystals, which inhibited the crystal growth along the [001] direction, while the alkyl chain had influence on the assembly of CuS nanosheets. The CuS microspheres showed enhanced electrochemical performance and high stability for the application in supercapacitors due to intriguing structural design and large specific surface area. When this well-defined CuS electrode was assembled into an asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) with an activated carbon (AC) electrode, the CuS//AC-ASC demonstrated good cycle performance (∼88% capacitance after 4000 cycles) and high energy density (15.06 W h kg(-1) at a power density of 392.9 W kg(-1)). This work provides new insights into the use of copper sulfide electrode materials for asymmetric supercapacitors and other electrochemical devices.

  5. Efficient small molecular organic light emitting diode with graphene cathode covered by a Sm layer with nano-hollows and n-doped by Bphen:Cs2CO3 in the hollows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Li; Li, Lei; Qin, Laixiang; Ma, Yaoguang; Wang, Wei; Meng, Hu; Jin, Weifeng; Wang, Yilun; Xu, Wanjin; Ran, Guangzhao; You, Liping; Qin, Guogang

    2017-03-01

    Graphene is a favorable candidate for electrodes of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Graphene has quite a high work function of ˜4.5 eV, and has been extensively studied when used as anodes of OLEDs. In order to use graphene as a cathode, the electron injection barrier between the graphene cathode and the electron transport layer has to be low enough. Using 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Bphen):Cs2CO3 to n-dope graphene is a very good method, but the electron injection barrier between the n-doped graphene and Bphen:Cs2CO3 is still too high to be ˜1.0 eV. In this work, in order to further reduce the electron injection barrier, a novel method is suggested. On the graphene cathode, a Sm layer with a lot of nano-hollows, and subsequently a layer of Bphen:Cs2CO3, are deposited. The Bphen:Cs2CO3 can n-dope graphene in the nano-hollows, and the Fermi level of the graphene rises. The nano Sm layer is very easily oxidized. Oxygen adsorbed on the surface of graphene may react with Sm to form an O--Sm+ dipole layer. On the areas of the Sm oxide dipole layer without nano-hollows, the electron injection barrier can be further lowered by the dipole layer. Electrons tend to mainly inject through the lower electron barrier where the dipole layer exists. Based on this idea, an effective inverted small molecular OLED with the structure of graphene/1 nm Sm layer with a lot of nano-hollows/Bphen:Cs2CO3/Alq3:C545T/NPB/MoO3/Al is presented. The maximum current efficiency and maximum power efficiency of the OLED with a 1 nm Sm layer are about two and three times of those of the reference OLED without any Sm layer, respectively.

  6. Effects of Temperature and pH on Immobilized Laccase Activity in Conjugated Methacrylate-Acrylate Microspheres

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siti Zulaikha Mazlan

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Immobilization of laccase on the functionalized methacrylate-acrylate copolymer microspheres was studied. Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl acrylate microspheres consisting of epoxy groups were synthesized using facile emulsion photocuring technique. The epoxy groups in poly(GMA-co-nBA microspheres were then converted to amino groups. Laccase immobilization is based on covalent binding via amino groups on the enzyme surface and aldehyde group on the microspheres. The FTIR spectra showed peak at 1646 cm−1 assigned to the conformation of the polymerization that referred to GMA and nBA monomers, respectively. After modification of the polymer, intensity of FTIR peaks assigned to the epoxy ring at 844 cm−1 and 904 cm−1 was decreased. The results obtained from FTIR exhibit a good agreement with the epoxy content method. The activity of laccase-immobilized microspheres increased upon increasing the epoxy content. Furthermore, poly(GMA-co-nBA microspheres revealed uniform size below 2 µm that contributes to large surface area of the microspheres to be used as a matrix, thus increasing the enzyme capacity and enzymatic reaction. Immobilized enzyme also shifted to higher pH and temperature compared to free enzyme.

  7. Hollow Co2P nanoflowers organized by nanorods for ultralong cycle-life supercapacitors

    KAUST Repository

    Cheng, Ming

    2017-08-24

    Hollow Co2P nanoflowers (Co2P HNF) are successfully prepared via a one-step, template-free method. Microstructure analysis reveals that Co2P HNF is assembled by nanorods, possesses abundant mesopores and a amorphous carbon shell. Density functional theory calculation and electrochemical measurements demonstrate the high electrical conductivity of Co2P. Benefiting from the unique nanostructures, when employed as electrode material for supercapacitors, Co2P HNF exhibits a high specific capacitance, an outstanding rate capability, and an ultralong cycle stability. Furthermore,. the constructed Co2P HNF//AC ASC yields a high energy density of 30.5 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 850 W kg-1, along with an superior cycling performance (108.0% specific capacitance retained after 10000 cycles at 5 A g-1). These impressive results make Co2P HNF a promising candidate for supercapacitor applications.

  8. Facile synthesis and Li-ion storage properties of porous Mn-based oxides microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hou, Xiaojuan, E-mail: houxiaojuan@nuc.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Instrumentation Science & Dynamic Measurement of Ministry of Education, School of Instrument and Electronics, North University of China, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province 030051 (China); Zhu, Jie [Key Laboratory of Instrumentation Science & Dynamic Measurement of Ministry of Education, School of Instrument and Electronics, North University of China, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province 030051 (China); School of Computer and Remote Sensing Information Technology, North China Institute of Aerospace Engineering, Langfang, Hebei Province 065000 (China); Shi, Shuzheng [School of Mechanical Engineering, Hebei University of Architecture, Zhangjiakou, Hebei Province 075000 (China); He, Jian; Mu, Jiliang; Geng, Wenping; Chou, Xiujian; Xue, Chenyang [Key Laboratory of Instrumentation Science & Dynamic Measurement of Ministry of Education, School of Instrument and Electronics, North University of China, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province 030051 (China)

    2017-05-15

    Highlights: • The Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}, MnCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} and CoMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} microspheres were fabricated with the same method. • Capacities present an increasing trend as with the increasing percentage of Co element. • Plateaus present a lower trend as with the increasing percentage of Mn element. • Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} microspheres present the most excellent cycling stability. - Abstract: Porous nanosheets assembled Mn-based oxides (Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3}, MnCo{sub 2}O{sub 4} and CoMn{sub 2}O{sub 4}) microspheres of diameters about 3–6 μm and pore size distribution mainly around 10 nm have been synthesized by the same facile solvothermal route without any surfactant followed by a calcination process. In virtue of the porous nanosheets constructed microspheres, the Mn-based oxides microspheres Mn{sub 2}O{sub 3} present specific capacities of 650 mAh/g after 100 charge and discharge cycles. Additionally among the three Mn-based oxides the representative specific capacities present an increasing trend as with the increasing percentage of Co element, the plateau of charge and discharge present a lower trend as with the increasing percentage of Mn element which is more suitable as anode materials in high output full batteries. Then the oxides with different components could be applied in different conditions such as the need for high specific capacity or high output lithium-ion batteries. Consequently the easy fabrication of microspheres and excellent electrochemical performances demonstrate Mn-based oxides’ great potential in lithium-ion batteries.

  9. S100A8 and S100A9 are messengers in the crosstalk between epidermis and dermis modulating a psoriatic milieu in human skin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Young; Jang, Sunhyae [Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Min, Jeong-Ki; Lee, Kyungmin [Immunotherapy Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Department of Biomolecular Science, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Sohn, Kyung-Cheol [Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lim, Jong-Soon [College of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Im, Myung; Lee, Hae-Eul; Seo, Young-Joon; Kim, Chang-Deok [Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jeung-Hoon, E-mail: jhoon@cnu.ac.kr [Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Chungnam National University, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-07-13

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Upregulated S100A8 and/or S100A9 in psoriasis epidermis induce cytokine production. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Upregulated S100A8 and/or S100A9 in psoriasis epidermis induce migration of immune cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Upregulated S100A8 and/or S100A9 in psoriasis epidermis induce angiogenesis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer S100A8 and/or S100A9 may play a role in the crosstalk between epidermis and dermis in psoriasis. -- Abstract: S100A8 and S100A9 are members of the S100A8 protein family that exist as homodimers and heterodimers in neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages. Recent studies have shown the pivotal roles of S100A8 and S100A9 in the propagation of inflammation and keratinocyte proliferation in psoriasis. We found significant up-regulation of S100A8 and S100A9 secretion from keratinocytes in psoriatic lesions. To mimic the in vivo secretory conditions of S100A8 and S100A9 from psoriatic epidermal keratinocytes, we used the culture medium (CM) of S100A8 and S100A8/A9 adenovirus-transduced keratinocytes to investigate the functions of S100A8 and S100A9. We detected increased levels of various pro-inflammatory cytokines in the CM, including IL-8 and TNF-{alpha}, which are involved in aggravating psoriatic skin lesions, and IL-6 and members of the CXCL family of pro-angiogenic cytokines. The CM increased immune cell migration and increased angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In conclusion, we found that the upregulated production of S100A8 and S100A9 by psoriatic epidermal keratinocytes activated adjacent keratinocytes to produce several cytokines. Moreover, S100A8 and S100A9 themselves function as pro-angiogenic and chemotactic factors, generating a psoriatic milieu in skin.

  10. S100A8 and S100A9 are messengers in the crosstalk between epidermis and dermis modulating a psoriatic milieu in human skin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Young; Jang, Sunhyae; Min, Jeong-Ki; Lee, Kyungmin; Sohn, Kyung-Cheol; Lim, Jong-Soon; Im, Myung; Lee, Hae-Eul; Seo, Young-Joon; Kim, Chang-Deok; Lee, Jeung-Hoon

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Upregulated S100A8 and/or S100A9 in psoriasis epidermis induce cytokine production. ► Upregulated S100A8 and/or S100A9 in psoriasis epidermis induce migration of immune cells. ► Upregulated S100A8 and/or S100A9 in psoriasis epidermis induce angiogenesis. ► S100A8 and/or S100A9 may play a role in the crosstalk between epidermis and dermis in psoriasis. -- Abstract: S100A8 and S100A9 are members of the S100A8 protein family that exist as homodimers and heterodimers in neutrophils, monocytes, and macrophages. Recent studies have shown the pivotal roles of S100A8 and S100A9 in the propagation of inflammation and keratinocyte proliferation in psoriasis. We found significant up-regulation of S100A8 and S100A9 secretion from keratinocytes in psoriatic lesions. To mimic the in vivo secretory conditions of S100A8 and S100A9 from psoriatic epidermal keratinocytes, we used the culture medium (CM) of S100A8 and S100A8/A9 adenovirus-transduced keratinocytes to investigate the functions of S100A8 and S100A9. We detected increased levels of various pro-inflammatory cytokines in the CM, including IL-8 and TNF-α, which are involved in aggravating psoriatic skin lesions, and IL-6 and members of the CXCL family of pro-angiogenic cytokines. The CM increased immune cell migration and increased angiogenesis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In conclusion, we found that the upregulated production of S100A8 and S100A9 by psoriatic epidermal keratinocytes activated adjacent keratinocytes to produce several cytokines. Moreover, S100A8 and S100A9 themselves function as pro-angiogenic and chemotactic factors, generating a psoriatic milieu in skin.

  11. Rose-like I-doped Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} microspheres with enhanced visible light response: DFT calculation, synthesis and photocatalytic performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zai, Jiantao; Cao, Fenglei; Liang, Na; Yu, Ke; Tian, Yuan; Sun, Huai; Qian, Xuefeng, E-mail: xfqian@sjtu.edu.cn

    2017-01-05

    Highlights: • DFT reveals I{sup −} can partially substitute CO{sub 3}{sup 2−}to narrow the bandgap of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3}. • Sodium citrate play a key role on the formation of rose-like I-doped Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3}. • Rose-like I-doped Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} show enhanced visible light response. • The catalyst has enhanced photocatalytic activity to organic and Cr(VI) pollutes. - Abstract: Based on the crystal structure and the DFT calculation of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, I{sup −} can partly replace the CO{sub 3}{sup 2−}in Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} to narrow its bandgap and to enhance its visible light absorption. With this in mind, rose-like I-doped Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} microspheres were prepared via a hydrothermal process. This method can also be extended to synthesize rose-like Cl- or Br-doped Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} microspheres. Photoelectrochemical test supports the DFT calculation result that I- doping narrows the bandgap of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} by forming two intermediate levels in its forbidden band. Further study reveals that I-doped Bi{sub 2}O{sub 2}CO{sub 3} microspheres with optimized composition exhibit the best photocatalytic activity. Rhodamine B can be completely degraded within 6 min and about 90% of Cr(VI) can be reduced after 25 min under the irradiation of visible light (λ > 400 nm).

  12. Synthesis of sodium caseinate-calcium carbonate microspheres and their mineralization to bone-like apatite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Zhewu; Liang, Guobin; Jin, Lin; Wang, Zhenling; Xing, Chao; Jiange, Qing; Zhang, Zhiguang

    2014-06-01

    Phosphoproteins can induce and stabilize calcium carbonate (CaCO3) vaterite, which has desirable features for high reactivity. The purpose of this study was to synthesize bioactive CaCO3 microspheres for bone regeneration. Sodium caseinate (NaCas)-containing CaCO3 microspheres, with the crystal phase of vaterite, were synthesized by fast precipitation in an aqueous solution of CaCl2, Na2CO3, and 2 mg/mL of NaCas. The uniform microspheres exhibited rougher surfaces and lower negative charges than CaCO3 particles without NaCas addition. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) of the microspheres showed characteristic peaks or bands corresponding to phosphate and hydroxyl groups. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) curves exhibited approximately 5% weight loss below 600 °C due to the decomposition of NaCas. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed lath-like hydroxyapatite (HAp) on the surface after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37 °C for 5 and 10 days. Energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS) revealed that the agglomerates were composed of Ca, C, O, P, Na, and Mg elements, and the Ca/P ratios ranged from 1.53 to 1.56. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns exhibited peaks characteristic of hydroxyapatite. The results of this study demonstrated that the addition of NaCas induced the formation of vaterite microspheres which possesses an enhanced apatite formation after soaking in SBF at 37 °C for 5 and 10 days. These NaCas-CaCO3 microspheres may be a potential biomaterial for bone regeneration.

  13. Synthesis, characterization and photocatalytic activity of porous WO{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} hollow microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Liuyang [Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Si, Zhichun, E-mail: emsztsinghua@126.com [Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); Weng, Duan [Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China); State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Process, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Yao, Youwei [Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen 518055 (China)

    2014-09-15

    Porous WO{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} hollow microspheres were prepared by a spray drying method for photodegradation of methylene blue and phenol. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope, N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption measurements, Raman spectrometer, UV–Vis Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy and Zeta-Meter measurements. The results showed that the tungsten oxides mainly existed in highly dispersed amorphous form on anatase when the loading amount of tungsten oxide was below 3 mol%. The improved photocatalytic activity under UV light irradiation of the WO{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} catalyst mainly arises from the enhanced charge separation efficiency rather than the improved light absorbance by highly dispersed amorphous tungsten oxides. Highly dispersed amorphous WO{sub x} can form a shallowly trapped site due to its similar band structure with TiO{sub 2}. The strongly electron-withdrawing of tungsten oxide in highly dispersed state facilitates the electron transition between titanium and WO{sub x}, and consequently improves the charge separation. The enhanced acidity of catalyst by WO{sub x} in reactant environment also improved the charge separation efficiency due to the timely transition of holes and electrons accumulated on TiO{sub 2} and WO{sub x}, respectively. However, the improved photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation of the WO{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} catalyst mainly arises from light harvest. TiO{sub 2} containing 3 mol% WO{sub 3} displayed the highest photocatalytic activity under UV light irradiation while that containing 4 mol% WO{sub 3} present highest activity under visible light irradiation.

  14. Gastroretentive Floating Microspheres of Silymarin: Preparation and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Methods: Cellulose microspheres – formulated with hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and ethyl cellulose (EC) – and Eudragit microspheres – formulated with Eudragit® S 100 (ES) and Eudragit® RL (ERL) - were prepared by an emulsion-solvent evaporation method. The floating microspheres were evaluated for flow ...

  15. In vitro evaluation and intra-articular administration of biodegradable microspheres containing naproxen sodium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bozdağ, S; Caliş, S; Kaş, H S; Ercan, M T; Peksoy, I; Hincal, A A

    2001-01-01

    The dispersion of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) into biodegradable polymeric matrices have been accepted as a good approach for obtaining a therapeutic effect in a predetermined period of time meanwhile minimizing the side effects of NSAIDs. In the present study, it was aimed to prepare Naproxen Sodium (NS), (a NSAID) loaded microsphere formulation using natural Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and synthetic biodegradable polymers such as poly(lactide-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) (50:50 MW 34,000 and 88,000 Da) for intra-articular administration, and to study the retention of the drug at the site of injection in the knee joint. NS incorporated microspheres were evaluated in vitro for particle size (the mean particle size; for BSA microspheres, 10.0 +/- 0.3 microm, for PLGA microspheres, 9.0 +/- 0.2 and 5.0 +/- 0.1 microm for MW 34,000 and 88,000 Da, respectively), yield value, drug loading, surface morphology and drug release. For in vivo studies, monoarticular arthritis was induced in the left knee joints of rabbits by using ovalbumin and Freund's Complete Adjuvant as antigen and adjuvant. A certain time (4 days) is allowed for the formation of arthritis in the knee joints, then the NS loaded microspheres were injected directly into the articular cavity. At specific time points, gamma scintigrams were obtained to determine the residence time of the microspheres in knee joints, in order to determine the most suitable formulation. This study indicated that PLGA, a synthetic polymer, is more promising than the natural type BSA microspheres for an effective cure of mono-articular arthritis in rabbits.

  16. Hollow nanogold microsphere-signalized lateral flow immuno dipstick for the sensitive determination of the neurotoxin brevetoxin B

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Kangyao; Wu, Jiachang; Li, Yineng; Wu, Yarong; Huang, Tianfu; Tang, Dianping

    2014-01-01

    We report on a new membrane-based lateral-flow assay for the rapid determination of the algal biotoxin brevetoxin B (BrevTox) that can be found in fish. Hollow nanogold microspheres (HGMS) with an average size of 45 nm were synthesized by using the reverse micelle method, followed by functionalization with monoclonal mouse anti-BrevTox antibody (mAb-HGMS). They served as the signalling reagent. Bovine serum albumin-BrevTox conjugate and rabbit anti-mouse IgG antibody were manually spotted on the nitrocellulose membrane and served as reagents for the test line and control line, respectively. Both spherical gold nanoparticle-labeled anti-BrevTox antibody (mAb-AuNP) and mAb-HGMS conjugate were investigated with respect to their suitability as signal-transduction tags, and the latter was found to give improved analytical features. The HGMS-based labeling method was then also studied in terms of performance in the immuno dipstick assay. Under optimal conditions, the visual detection limit (cut-off value) of the mAb-AuNP based assay is 1.5 ng mL −1 , while the sensitivity of the mAb-HGMS based assay is as low as 0.1 ng mL −1 . Yes/no decisions can be made within 10 min without the need for expensive instrumentation. The results for the analysis of target BrevTox in spiked fish samples showed a good correlation with data obtained with the commercial ELISA. Importantly, the assay gave no false negative results. (author)

  17. Eudragit-coated dextran microspheres of 5-fluorouracil for site-specific delivery to colon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rai, Gopal; Yadav, Awesh K; Jain, Narendra K; Agrawal, Govind P

    2016-01-01

    Objective of the present investigation was to prepare and evaluate the potential of enteric coated dextran microspheres for colon targeting of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Dextran microspheres were prepared by emulsification-crosslinking method and the formulation variables studied included different molecular weights of dextran, drug:polymer ratio, volume of crosslinking agent, stirring speed and time. Enteric coating (Eudragit S-100) of dextran microspheres was performed by oil-in-oil solvent evaporation method using different coat:core ratios (4:1 or 8:1). Uncoated and coated dextran microspheres were characterized by particle size, surface morphology, entrapment efficiency, DSC, in vitro drug release in the presence of dextranase and 2% rat cecal contents. The release study of 5-FU from coated dextran microspheres was pH dependent. No release was observed at acidic pH; however, the drug was released quickly where Eudragit starts solublizing there was continuous release of drug from the microspheres. Organ distribution study was suggested that coated dextran microspheres retard the release of drug in gastric and intestinal pH environment and released of drug from microspheres in colon due to the degradation of dextran by colonic enzymes.

  18. Template-free synthesis of hierarchical yolk-shell Co and N codoped porous carbon microspheres with enhanced performance for oxygen reduction reaction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Shujun; Cui, Qian; Wang, Kui; Bai, Zhengyu; Yang, Lin; Qiao, Jinli

    2015-08-01

    The structures and compositions of materials have important influences on their performance. Herein, hierarchically structured yolk-shell Co and N codoped porous carbon microspheres (YS-Co/N-PCMs) have been successfully synthesized by using low-cost melamine, formaldehyde and cobalt acetate as raw materials via a facile template-free hydrothermal method and a subsequent pyrolysis. The formation process of the yolk-shell precursor is systematically investigated, involving a morphological evolution process from solid microspheres, ultrathin and wrinkled shells wrap, to yolk-shell structure formation. More importantly, the unique structure combines the favorable features towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), such as high surface area, sufficient Co-Nx and graphitic N active sites and suitable pore structures. As a result, the YS-Co/N-PCMs catalyst shows high catalytic activity for ORR in alkaline media for fuel cells, which not only outperforms commercial Pt-based catalysts in terms of resistance to methanol crossover and long-time stability, but is also better than many non-precious metal doped carbon-based catalysts reported previously. In addition, the YS-Co/N-PCMs catalyst also has high catalytic activity toward oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Therefore, the YS-Co/N-PCMs catalyst may serve as a promising alternative to Pt/C catalyst for ORR and OER in alkaline media.

  19. Photoelectric properties of ZnO/Ag2S heterostructure and its photoelectric ethanol sensing characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Yu; Liu Bingkun; Wang Dejun; Lin Yanhong; Xie Tengfeng; Zhai Jiali

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► The ZnO/Ag 2 S heterostructure shows good photoelectric properties under visible-light irradiation. ► Transient photovoltage results reveal the separation process of photo-generated charges and give further evidence of interfacial effects. ► Photoelectric ethanol sensing characteristics have been found for the ZnO/Ag 2 S heterostructure at room temperature. - Abstract: The photoelectric properties of ZnO microspheres, ZnO/Ag 2 S heterogeneous microspheres and Ag 2 S hollow microspheres were investigated systematically by surface photovoltage, transient photovoltage and surface photocurrent techniques. The ZnO/Ag 2 S heterostructure shows superior photoelectric properties in visible-light region compared with pure Ag 2 S. Transient photovoltage results reveal the separation processes of photo-generated charge carriers in the samples. The photoelectric ethanol sensing property induced by visible light for the ZnO/Ag 2 S heterostructure has been found, which should be valuable for the practical application of semiconductor gas sensors at room temperature.

  20. Hollow Co2P nanoflowers assembled from nanorods for ultralong cycle-life supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Ming; Fan, Hongsheng; Xu, Yingying; Wang, Rongming; Zhang, Xixiang

    2017-09-28

    Hollow Co 2 P nanoflowers (Co 2 P HNFs) were successfully prepared via a one-step, template-free method. Microstructure analysis reveals that Co 2 P HNFs are assembled from nanorods and possess abundant mesopores and an amorphous carbon shell. Density functional theory calculations and electrochemical measurements demonstrate the high electrical conductivity of Co 2 P. Benefiting from the unique nanostructures, when employed as an electrode material for supercapacitors, Co 2 P HNFs exhibit a high specific capacitance, an outstanding rate capability, and an ultralong cycling stability. Furthermore, the constructed Co 2 P HNF//AC ASC exhibits a high energy density of 30.5 W h kg -1 at a power density of 850 W kg -1 , along with a superior cycling performance (108.0% specific capacitance retained after 10 000 cycles at 5 A g -1 ). These impressive results make Co 2 P HNFs a promising candidate for supercapacitor applications.

  1. QbD-enabled systematic development of gastroretentive multiple-unit microballoons of itopride hydrochloride.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bansal, Sanjay; Beg, Sarwar; Asthana, Abhay; Garg, Babita; Asthana, Gyati Shilakari; Kapil, Rishi; Singh, Bhupinder

    2016-01-01

    The objectives of present studies were to develop the systematically optimized multiple-unit gastroretentive microballoons, i.e. hollow microspheres of itopride hydrochloride (ITH) employing quality by design (QbD)-based approach. Initially, the patient-centric QTPP and CQAs were earmarked, and preliminary studies were conducted to screen the suitable polymer, solvent, solvent ratio, pH and temperature conditions. Microspheres were prepared by non-aqueous solvent evaporation method employing Eudragit S-100. Risk assessment studies carried out by constructing Ishikawa cause-effect fish-bone diagram, and techniques like risk estimation matrix (REM) and failure mode effect analysis (FMEA) facilitated the selection of plausible factors affecting the drug product CQAs, i.e. percent yield, entrapment efficiency (EE) and percent buoyancy. A 3(3) Box-Behnken design (BBD) was employed for optimizing CMAs and CPPs selected during factor screening studies employing Taguchi design, i.e. drug-polymer ratio (X1), stirring temperature (X2) and stirring speed (X3). The hollow microspheres, as per BBD, were evaluated for EE, particle size and drug release characteristics. The optimum formulation was embarked upon using numerical desirability function yielding excellent floatation characteristics along with adequate drug release control. Drug-excipient compatibility studies employing FT-IR, DSC and powder XRD revealed absence of significant interaction among the formulation excipients. The SEM studies on the optimized formulation showed hollow and spherical nature of the prepared microspheres. In vivo X-ray imaging studies in rabbits confirmed the buoyant nature of the hollow microspheres for 8 h in the upper GI tract. In a nutshell, the current investigations report the successful development of gastroretentive floating microspheres for once-a-day administration of ITH.

  2. Aminosilane-Functionalized Hollow Fiber Sorbents for Post-Combustion CO 2 Capture

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Fuyue Stephanie

    2013-07-03

    Increasing carbon dioxide emissions are generally believed to contribute to global warming. Developing new materials for capturing CO2 emitted from coal-fired plants can potentially mitigate the effect of these CO 2 emissions. In this study, we developed and optimized porous hollow fiber sorbents with both improved sorption capacities and rapid sorption kinetics by functionalizing aminosilane (N-(2-aminoethyl)-3- aminoisobutyldimethylmethoxysilane) to cellulose acetate hollow fibers as a "proof of concept". A lumen-side barrier layer was also developed in the aminosilane-functionalized cellulose acetate fiber sorbent to allow for facile heat exchange without significant mass transfer with the bore-side heat transfer fluid. The functionalized cellulose acetate fiber sorbents were characterized by pressure decay sorption measurements, multicomponent column chromatography, FT-IR, elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The carbon dioxide sorption capacity at 1 atm is 0.73 mmol/g by using the pressure decay apparatus. Multicomponent column chromatography measurements showed that aminosilane functionalized cellulose acetate fiber sorbent has a CO2 sorption capacity of 0.23 mmol/g at CO2 partial pressure 0.1 atm and 35 C in simulated flue gas. While this capacity is low, our proof of concept positions the technology to move forward to higher capacity with work that is underway. The presence of silicon and nitrogen elements in the elemental analysis confirmed the success of grafting along with FT-IR spectra which showed the absorbance peak (∼810 cm-1) for Si-C stretching. A cross-linked Neoprene material was used to form the lumen-side barrier layer. Preliminary data showed the required reduction in gas permeance to eliminate mixing between shell side and bore side fluid flows. Specifically the permeance was reduced from 10 000 GPUs for the neat fibers to 6.6 ± 0.1 and 3.3 ± 0.3 GPUs for the coated fibers. The selected lumen layer formation materials

  3. Aminosilane-Functionalized Hollow Fiber Sorbents for Post-Combustion CO 2 Capture

    KAUST Repository

    Li, Fuyue Stephanie; Lively, Ryan P.; Lee, Jong Suk; Koros, William J.

    2013-01-01

    Increasing carbon dioxide emissions are generally believed to contribute to global warming. Developing new materials for capturing CO2 emitted from coal-fired plants can potentially mitigate the effect of these CO 2 emissions. In this study, we developed and optimized porous hollow fiber sorbents with both improved sorption capacities and rapid sorption kinetics by functionalizing aminosilane (N-(2-aminoethyl)-3- aminoisobutyldimethylmethoxysilane) to cellulose acetate hollow fibers as a "proof of concept". A lumen-side barrier layer was also developed in the aminosilane-functionalized cellulose acetate fiber sorbent to allow for facile heat exchange without significant mass transfer with the bore-side heat transfer fluid. The functionalized cellulose acetate fiber sorbents were characterized by pressure decay sorption measurements, multicomponent column chromatography, FT-IR, elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. The carbon dioxide sorption capacity at 1 atm is 0.73 mmol/g by using the pressure decay apparatus. Multicomponent column chromatography measurements showed that aminosilane functionalized cellulose acetate fiber sorbent has a CO2 sorption capacity of 0.23 mmol/g at CO2 partial pressure 0.1 atm and 35 C in simulated flue gas. While this capacity is low, our proof of concept positions the technology to move forward to higher capacity with work that is underway. The presence of silicon and nitrogen elements in the elemental analysis confirmed the success of grafting along with FT-IR spectra which showed the absorbance peak (∼810 cm-1) for Si-C stretching. A cross-linked Neoprene material was used to form the lumen-side barrier layer. Preliminary data showed the required reduction in gas permeance to eliminate mixing between shell side and bore side fluid flows. Specifically the permeance was reduced from 10 000 GPUs for the neat fibers to 6.6 ± 0.1 and 3.3 ± 0.3 GPUs for the coated fibers. The selected lumen layer formation materials

  4. PET/MRI of Hepatic 90Y Microsphere Deposition Determines Individual Tumor Response

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fowler, Kathryn J. [Washington University, Department of Radiology (United States); Maughan, Nichole M. [Washington University, Department of Biomedical Engineering (United States); Laforest, Richard [Washington University, Department of Nuclear Medicine (United States); Saad, Nael E. [Washington University, Department of Radiology (United States); Sharma, Akash [Washington University, Department of Nuclear Medicine (United States); Olsen, Jeffrey; Speirs, Christina K.; Parikh, Parag J., E-mail: parikh@wustl.edu [Washington University, Department of Radiation Oncology (United States)

    2016-06-15

    PurposeThe purpose of our study is to determine if there is a relationship between dose deposition measured by PET/MRI and individual lesion response to yttrium-90 ({sup 90}Y) microsphere radioembolization.Materials and Methods26 patients undergoing lobar treatment with {sup 90}Y microspheres underwent PET/MRI within 66 h of treatment and had follow-up imaging available. Adequate visualization of tumor was available in 24 patients, and contours were drawn on simultaneously acquired PET/MRI data. Dose volume histograms (DVHs) were extracted from dose maps, which were generated using a voxelized dose kernel. Similar contours to capture dimensional and volumetric change of tumors were drawn on follow-up imaging. Response was analyzed using both RECIST and volumetric RECIST (vRECIST) criteria.ResultsA total of 8 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 4 neuroendocrine tumor (NET), 9 colorectal metastases (CRC) patients, and 3 patients with other metastatic disease met inclusion criteria. Average dose was useful in predicting response between responders and non-responders for all lesion types and for CRC lesions alone using both response criteria (p < 0.05). D70 (minimum dose to 70 % of volume) was also useful in predicting response when using vRECIST. No significant trend was seen in the other tumor types. For CRC lesions, an average dose of 29.8 Gy offered 76.9 % sensitivity and 75.9 % specificity for response.ConclusionsPET/MRI of {sup 90}Y microsphere distribution showed significantly higher DVH values for responders than non-responders in patients with CRC. DVH analysis of {sup 90}Y microsphere distribution following treatment may be an important predictor of response and could be used to guide future adaptive therapy trials.

  5. Cobalt selenide hollow nanorods array with exceptionally high electrocatalytic activity for high-efficiency quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Zhitong; Zhang, Meirong; Wang, Min; Feng, Chuanqi; Wang, Zhong-Sheng

    2018-02-01

    In quasi-solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (QSDSSCs), electron transport through a random network of catalyst in the counter electrode (CE) and electrolyte diffusion therein are limited by the grain boundaries of catalyst particles, thus diminishing the electrocatalytic performance of CE and the corresponding photovoltaic performance of QSDSSCs. We demonstrate herein an ordered Co0.85Se hollow nanorods array film as the Pt-free CE of QSDSSCs. The Co0.85Se hollow nanorods array displays excellent electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of I3- in the quasi-solid-state electrolyte with extremely low charge transfer resistance at the CE/electrolyte interface, and the diffusion of redox species within the Co0.85Se hollow nanorods array CE is pretty fast. The QSDSSC device with the Co0.85Se hollow nanorods array CE produces much higher photovoltaic conversion efficiency (8.35%) than that (4.94%) with the Co0.85Se randomly packed nanorods CE, against the control device with the Pt CE (7.75%). Moreover, the QSDSSC device based on the Co0.85Se hollow nanorods array CE presents good long-term stability with only 4% drop of power conversion efficiency after 1086 h one-sun soaking.

  6. Preparation, ferromagnetic and photocatalytic performance of NiO and hollow Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} fibers through centrifugal-spinning technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feng, Cong; Lin, Xuejun; Wang, Xinqiang, E-mail: xqwang@sdu.edu.cn; Liu, Hongjing; Liu, Benxue; Zhu, Luyi; Zhang, Guanghui; Xu, Dong

    2016-02-15

    Highlights: • NiO and hollow Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} fibers with the diameter of about 10 μm were prepared through centrifugal-spinning technique. • The evolution mechanism from precursor to crystalline fibers was explored. • Both NiO and hollow Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} fibers show ferromagnetism. • The NiO fibers exhibit good photocatalytic performance. - Abstract: Both NiO and hollow Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} fibers with the diameter of about 10 μm have been successfully prepared through spinning high viscous sols into precursor fibers and followed calcination process. The evolution process from precursor to crystalline fibers and the microstructures of the obtained fibers were characterized by TG-DSC, FT-IR, XRD, HRTEM, SEM and the like. The method is facile and cost-effective for mass production of fibers and the obtained fibers are pure phase with high crystallinity. Their magnetic properties were investigated, showing that both the fibers are ferromagnetic. Meanwhile, the NiO fibers exhibit good photocatalytic performance for the removal of Congo red from water under UV light irradiation.

  7. A high-flux polyimide hollow fiber membrane to minimize footprint and energy penalty for CO2 recovery from flue gas

    KAUST Repository

    Lively, Ryan P.; Dose, Michelle E.; Xu, Liren; Vaughn, Justin T.; Johnson, J.R.; Thompson, Joshua A.; Zhang, Ke; Lydon, Megan E.; Lee, Jong-Suk; Liu, Lu; Hu, Zushou; Karvan, Oĝuz; Realff, Matthew J.; Koros, William J.

    2012-01-01

    FDA-DAM:DABA(4:1) matrix was observed. CO 2 capture costs of $27/ton of CO 2 using the current, "non-optimized" membrane are estimated using a custom counterflow membrane model. Hollow fiber membrane modules were estimated to have order

  8. Self-assembly of hollow MoS{sub 2} microflakes by one-pot hydrothermal synthesis for efficient electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Aishi; Cui, Renjie; He, Yanna; Wang, Qi [Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023 (China); Zhang, Jian, E-mail: iamjzhang@njupt.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023 (China); Yang, Jianping [School of Science, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (NUPT), Nanjing 210023 (China); Li, Xing’ao, E-mail: lxahbmy@126.com [Key Laboratory for Organic Electronics and Information Displays & Institute of Advanced Materials (IAM), Jiangsu National Synergetic Innovation Center for Advanced Materials (SICAM), Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023 (China); School of Science, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications (NUPT), Nanjing 210023 (China)

    2017-07-31

    Highlights: • A new hollow MoS{sub 2} microflakes are prepared by hydrothermal synthesis firstly. • SEM and TEM study show the structural nature of hollow microflakes in depth. • The unique hollow structures have large surface area owing to the cavity. • The hollow microflakes show better HER performance than their solid counterparts. - Abstract: Molybdenum disulfide (MoS{sub 2}) has emerged as a promising non-precious metal catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in recent years. Some strategies including nanotechnology as well as atom doping have been employed in the preparing of electrocatalysts for high-activity and stability. To the best of our knowledge, hollow MoS{sub 2} microflakes assembled from ultrathin nanosheets have not been prepared previously. In this work, a simple, facile and environmentally friendly hydrothermal synthesis was utilized for the fabrication of hollow MoS{sub 2} microflakes for the first time. The unique hollow structures have fascinating properties, such as the large surface and low density. The morphology and structure of MoS{sub 2} microflakes were confirmed by XRD, SEM, TEM and Raman. The composition of these materials was identified by the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Notably, the as-prepared hollow MoS{sub 2} microflakes showed better electrocatalytic activity than other samples. The hollow flake-like structure can not only increase the active edge sites owing to the large specific surface area, but also enhance the electron transport to improve the electrocatalytic activity. Benefiting from these factors, the hollow MoS{sub 2} microflakes exhibited electrocatalytic activity and excellent stability with a low overpotential about 85 mV and a Tafel slope of 59 mV per decade.

  9. Microwave Assisted Synthesis of Porous NiCo2O4 Microspheres: Application as High Performance Asymmetric and Symmetric Supercapacitors with Large Areal Capacitance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalid, Syed; Cao, Chuanbao; Wang, Lin; Zhu, Youqi

    2016-01-01

    Large areal capacitance is essentially required to integrate the energy storage devices at the microscale electronic appliances. Energy storage devices based on metal oxides are mostly fabricated with low mass loading per unit area which demonstrated low areal capacitance. It is still a challenge to fabricate supercapacitor devices of porous metal oxides with large areal capacitance. Herein we report microwave method followed by a pyrolysis of the as-prepared precursor is used to synthesize porous nickel cobaltite microspheres. Porous NiCo2O4 microspheres are capable to deliver large areal capacitance due to their high specific surface area and small crystallite size. The facile strategy is successfully demonstrated to fabricate aqueous-based asymmetric & symmetric supercapacitor devices of porous NiCo2O4 microspheres with high mass loading of electroactive materials. The asymmetric & symmetric devices exhibit maximum areal capacitance and energy density of 380 mF cm−2 & 19.1 Wh Kg−1 and 194 mF cm−2 & 4.5 Wh Kg−1 (based on total mass loading of 6.25 & 6.0 mg) respectively at current density of 1 mA cm−2. The successful fabrication of symmetric device also indicates that NiCo2O4 can also be used as the negative electrode material for futuristic asymmetric devices. PMID:26936283

  10. Cetylpyridinium chloride functionalized silica-coated magnetite microspheres for the solid-phase extraction and pre-concentration of ochratoxin A from environmental water samples with high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Meihua; Huang, Pengcheng; Suo, Lili; Wu, Fangying

    2017-06-01

    A new method based on cetylpyridinium chloride coated ferroferric oxide/silica magnetic microspheres as an efficient solid-phase adsorbent was developed for the extraction and enrichment of ochratoxin A. The determination of ochratoxin A was obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. In the presence of cetylpyridinium chloride, the adsorption capacity of ferroferric oxide/silica microspheres was 5.95 mg/g for ochratoxin A. The experimental parameters were optimized, including the amounts of ferroferric oxide/silica microspheres (20 mg) and cetylpyridinium chloride (0.18 mL, 0.5 mg/mL), pH value of media (9), ultrasonic time (5 min), elution solvent and volume [2(1 + 1) mL (washed twice, 1 mL each time) 1% acetic acid acetonitrile]. Under optimal experiment conditions, ochratoxin A had good linearity in the range of 2.5-250.0 ng/L in water samples with correlation coefficient of the calibration curve 0.9995. The limit of detection for ochratoxin A was 0.83 ng/L, and the recoveries were 89.8-96.8% with the relative standard deviation of 1.5-3.5% in environmental water samples. Furthermore, ferroferric oxide/silica microspheres show excellent reusability during extraction procedures for no less than six times. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Synthesis and Characterization of Hollow Magnetic Alloy (GdNi2, Co5Gd Nanospheres Coated with Gd2O3

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Li

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Uniform magnetic hollow nanospheres (GdNi2, Co5Gd coated with Gd2O3 have been successfully prepared on a large scale via a urea-based homogeneous precipitation method using silica (SiO2 spheres as sacrificed templates, followed by subsequent heat treatment. Nitrogen sorption measurements and scanning electron microscope reveal that these hollow-structured magnetic nanospheres have the mesoporous shells that are composed of a large amount of uniform nanoparticles. After reduction treatment, these nanoparticles exhibit superparamagnetism that might have potential applications in medicine. Furthermore, the developed synthesis route may provide an important guidance for the preparation of other multifunctional hollow spherical materials.

  12. Human endothelial cell growth and phenotypic expression on three dimensional poly(lactide-co-glycolide) sintered microsphere scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabbarzadeh, Ehsan; Jiang, Tao; Deng, Meng; Nair, Lakshmi S; Khan, Yusuf M; Laurencin, Cato T

    2007-12-01

    Bone tissue engineering offers promising alternatives to repair and restore tissues. Our laboratory has employed poly(lactide-co-glycolide) PLAGA microspheres to develop a three dimensional (3-D) porous bioresorbable scaffold with a biomimetic pore structure. Osseous healing and integration with the surrounding tissue depends in part on new blood vessel formation within the porous structure. Since endothelial cells play a key role in angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing vasculature), the purpose of this study was to better understand human endothelial cell attachment, viability, growth, and phenotypic expression on sintered PLAGA microsphere scaffold. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination showed cells attaching to the surface of microspheres and bridging the pores between the microspheres. Cell proliferation studies indicated that cell number increased during early stages and reached a plateau between days 10 and 14. Immunofluorescent staining for actin showed that cells were proliferating three dimensionally through the scaffolds while staining for PECAM-1 (platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule) displayed typical localization at cell-cell contacts. Gene expression analysis showed that endothelial cells grown on PLAGA scaffolds maintained their normal characteristic phenotype. The cell proliferation and phenotypic expression were independent of scaffold pore architecture. These results demonstrate that PLAGA sintered microsphere scaffolds can support the growth and biological functions of human endothelial cells. The insights from this study should aid future studies aimed at enhancing angiogenesis in three dimensional tissue engineered scaffolds.

  13. Hollow fiber membrane contactors for CO2 capture: modeling and up-scaling to CO2 capture for an 800 MWe coal power station

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kimball, E.; Al-Azki, A.; Gomez, A.; Goetheer, E.L.V.; Booth, N.; Adams, D.; Ferre, D.

    2014-01-01

    A techno-economic analysis was completed to compare the use of Hollow Fiber Membrane Modules (HFMM) with the more conventional structured packing columns as the absorber in amine-based CO2capture systems for power plants. In order to simulate the operation of industrial scale HFMMsystems, a

  14. Expression and function of S100A8/A9 (calprotectin) in human typhoid fever and the murine Salmonella model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Jong, Hanna K; Achouiti, Ahmed; Koh, Gavin C K W; Parry, Christopher M; Baker, Stephen; Faiz, Mohammed Abul; van Dissel, Jaap T; Vollaard, Albert M; van Leeuwen, Ester M M; Roelofs, Joris J T H; de Vos, Alex F; Roth, Johannes; van der Poll, Tom; Vogl, Thomas; Wiersinga, Willem Joost

    2015-04-01

    Typhoid fever, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, is a major cause of community-acquired bacteremia and death worldwide. S100A8 (MRP8) and S100A9 (MRP14) form bioactive antimicrobial heterodimers (calprotectin) that can activate Toll-like receptor 4, promoting lethal, endotoxin-induced shock and multi-organ failure. We aimed to characterize the expression and function of S100A8/A9 in patients with typhoid fever and in a murine invasive Salmonella model. S100A8/A9 protein levels were determined in acute phase plasma or feces from 28 Bangladeshi patients, and convalescent phase plasma from 60 Indonesian patients with blood culture or PCR-confirmed typhoid fever, and compared to 98 healthy control subjects. To functionally characterize the role of S100A8/A9, we challenged wildtype (WT) and S100A9-/- mice with S. Typhimurium and determined bacterial loads and inflammation 2- and 5- days post infection. We further assessed the antimicrobial function of recombinant S100A8/A9 on S. Typhimurium and S. Typhi replication in vitro. Typhoid fever patients demonstrated a marked increase of S100A8/A9 in acute phase plasma and feces and this increases correlated with duration of fever prior to admission. S100A8/A9 directly inhibited the growth of S. Typhimurium and S. Typhi in vitro in a dose and time dependent fashion. WT mice inoculated with S. Typhimurium showed increased levels of S100A8/A9 in both the liver and the systemic compartment but S100A9-/- mice were indistinguishable from WT mice with respect to bacterial growth, survival, and inflammatory responses, as determined by cytokine release, histopathology and organ injury. S100A8/A9 is markedly elevated in human typhoid, correlates with duration of fever prior to admission and directly inhibits the growth of S. Typhimurium and S. Typhi in vitro. Despite elevated levels in the murine invasive Salmonella model, S100A8/A9 does not contribute to an effective host response against S

  15. Expression and function of S100A8/A9 (calprotectin in human typhoid fever and the murine Salmonella model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanna K De Jong

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Typhoid fever, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi, is a major cause of community-acquired bacteremia and death worldwide. S100A8 (MRP8 and S100A9 (MRP14 form bioactive antimicrobial heterodimers (calprotectin that can activate Toll-like receptor 4, promoting lethal, endotoxin-induced shock and multi-organ failure. We aimed to characterize the expression and function of S100A8/A9 in patients with typhoid fever and in a murine invasive Salmonella model.S100A8/A9 protein levels were determined in acute phase plasma or feces from 28 Bangladeshi patients, and convalescent phase plasma from 60 Indonesian patients with blood culture or PCR-confirmed typhoid fever, and compared to 98 healthy control subjects. To functionally characterize the role of S100A8/A9, we challenged wildtype (WT and S100A9-/- mice with S. Typhimurium and determined bacterial loads and inflammation 2- and 5- days post infection. We further assessed the antimicrobial function of recombinant S100A8/A9 on S. Typhimurium and S. Typhi replication in vitro. Typhoid fever patients demonstrated a marked increase of S100A8/A9 in acute phase plasma and feces and this increases correlated with duration of fever prior to admission. S100A8/A9 directly inhibited the growth of S. Typhimurium and S. Typhi in vitro in a dose and time dependent fashion. WT mice inoculated with S. Typhimurium showed increased levels of S100A8/A9 in both the liver and the systemic compartment but S100A9-/- mice were indistinguishable from WT mice with respect to bacterial growth, survival, and inflammatory responses, as determined by cytokine release, histopathology and organ injury.S100A8/A9 is markedly elevated in human typhoid, correlates with duration of fever prior to admission and directly inhibits the growth of S. Typhimurium and S. Typhi in vitro. Despite elevated levels in the murine invasive Salmonella model, S100A8/A9 does not contribute to an effective host response

  16. Evaluation of nonradioactive, colored microspheres for measurement of regional myocardial blood flow in dogs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hale, S.L.; Alker, K.J.; Kloner, R.A.

    1988-01-01

    Measurement of regional myocardial blood flow (RMBF) is crucial in experimental studies of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion in dogs. The standard measurement technique uses radioactive microspheres; however, not all institutions are able to dispose of radioactive waste and therefore cannot make use of this method. We tested a new, nonradioactive microsphere, labeled with colors instead of nuclides. Simultaneous blood flow measurements with two nuclide-labeled and two colored microspheres were performed after coronary occlusion in dogs. Both techniques show a within-method correlation of r greater than 0.98. Duplicate variability for paired RMBF values in 80 samples was 8.7 +/- 0.1% when computed with radioactive microspheres and 13.2 +/- 1.8% when computed with colored microspheres. There was a good correlation in the measurement of RMBF between the radioactive- and colored-microsphere methods (r = 0.98). The best-fitting linear regression line was expressed by the formula: Colored-microsphere RMBF = 1.11 (radioactive-microsphere RMBF)-0.02. When measured by colored microspheres, RMBF was approximately 8% higher than when computed with radioactive microspheres for blood flow values of 0-2 ml/min/g. When blood flow was increased pharmacologically to levels of 2-7.5 ml/min/g, colored microspheres yielded blood flow values 39% higher than the values computed by radioactive microspheres. We conclude that the nonradioactive, colored-microsphere method correlates with the radioactive technique, but at high flows, it yields values greater than those obtained with radioactive microspheres

  17. Comparison of mRNA, Protein, and Urinary Nucleic Acid Levels of S100A8 and S100A9 between Prostate Cancer and BPH.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Seok Joong; Yan, Chunri; Jeong, Pildu; Kang, Ho Won; Kim, Ye-Hwan; Kim, Eun-Ah; Lee, Ok-Jun; Kim, Won Tae; Moon, Sung-Kwon; Kim, Isaac Yi; Choi, Yung-Hyun; Kim, Wun-Jae

    2015-07-01

    Infections and inflammation in the prostate play a critical role in carcinogenesis, and S100A8 and S100A9 are key mediators in acute and chronic inflammation. Therefore, we investigated the differences of S100A8/A9 expression between prostate cancer (CaP) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissues, and we evaluated the possibilities of urinary nucleic acids of S100A8/A9 as diagnostic and prognostic markers. Tissues from 132 CaP patients who underwent prostatectomy or transurethral resection and 90 BPH patients who underwent transurethral prostatectomy were assessed.sd In addition, S100A8 and S100A9 nucleic acid levels were measured in the urine of 283 CaP patients and 363 BPH controls. S100A8 and S100A9 mRNA levels were lower in CaP than BPH tissues (P BPH tissues stained more strongly for both S100A8 and S100A9 than CaP tissues (P BPH (P = 0.001 and BPH. Both were more highly expressed in patients with aggressive disease and shorter biochemical recurrence-free time. S100A8/A9 urinary cell-free nucleic acid levels correlated positively with expression levels obtained from tissue staining. Therefore, S100A8/A9 measurement in tissues and urine may have diagnostic and prognostic value in CaP.

  18. Preparation of core-shell structured CaCO3 microspheres as rapid and recyclable adsorbent for anionic dyes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Mengen; Chen, Zhenhua; Lv, Xinyan; Zhou, Kang; Zhang, Jie; Tian, Xiaohan; Ren, Xiuli; Mei, Xifan

    2017-09-01

    Core-shell structured CaCO3 microspheres (MSs) were prepared by a facile, one-pot method at room temperature. The adsorbent dosage and adsorption time of the obtained CaCO3 MSs were investigated. The results suggest that these CaCO3 MSs can rapidly and efficiently remove 99-100% of anionic dyes within the first 2 min. The obtained CaCO3 MSs have a high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area (211.77 m2 g-1). In addition, the maximum adsorption capacity of the obtained CaCO3 MSs towards Congo red was 99.6 mg g-1. We also found that the core-shell structured CaCO3 MSs have a high recycling capability for removing dyes from water. Our results demonstrate that the prepared core-shell structured CaCO3 MSs can be used as an ideal, rapid, efficient and recyclable adsorbent to remove dyes from aqueous solution.

  19. Effect of Feed Gas Flow Rate on CO2 Absorption through Super Hydrophobic Hollow Fiber membrane Contactor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kartohardjono, Sutrasno; Alexander, Kevin; Larasati, Annisa; Sihombing, Ivander Christian

    2018-03-01

    Carbon dioxide is pollutant in natural gas that could reduce the heating value of the natural gas and cause problem in transportation due to corrosive to the pipeline. This study aims to evaluate the effects of feed gas flow rate on CO2 absorption through super hydrophobic hollow fiber contactor. Polyethyleneglycol-300 (PEG-300) solution was used as absorbent in this study, whilst the feed gas used in the experiment was a mixture of 30% CO2 and 70% CH4. There are three super hydrophobic hollow fiber contactors sized 6 cm and 25 cm in diameter and length used in this study, which consists of 1000, 3000 and 5000 fibers, respectively. The super hydrophobic fiber membrane used is polypropylene-based with outer and inner diameter of about 525 and 235 μm, respectively. In the experiments, the feed gas was sent through the shell side of the membrane contactor, whilst the absorbent solution was pumped through the lumen fibers. The experimental results showed that the mass transfer coefficient, flux, absorption efficiency for CO2-N2 system and CO2 loading increased with the feed gas flow rate, but the absorption efficiency for CO2-N2 system decreased. The mass transfer coefficient and the flux, at the same feed gas flow rate, decreased with the number of fibers in the membrane contactor, but the CO2 absorption efficiency and the CO2 loading increased.

  20. Synthesis of barium-strontium titanate hollow tubes using Kirkendall effect

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xuncai; Im, SangHyuk; Kim, Jinsoo; Kim, Woo-Sik

    2018-02-01

    (BaSr)TiO3 hexagonal hollow tubes was fabricated by a solid-state interfacial reaction including a Kirkendall diffusion. Using a co-precipitation and sol-gel process, a core@shell structure of (BaSr)CO3@TiO2 rods were prepared, and then converted to (BaSr)TiO3 hollow tubes at 750 °C. This was a first achievement of single-phase crystal hollow tube. Here, the inner diameter and wall thickness of hollow tube were about 700 nm and 130 nm, respectively. The fabrication of (BaSr)TiO3 hollow tubes was monitored with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) to investigate their formation mechanism. The present synthetic approach would provide a new insight into the design and fabrication of hollow architectures of many perovskite oxides.

  1. Quantitative retinal and choroidal blood flow during light, dark adaptation and flicker light stimulation in rats using fluorescent microspheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shih, Yen-Yu I; Wang, Lin; De La Garza, Bryan H; Li, Guang; Cull, Grant; Kiel, Jeffery W; Duong, Timothy Q

    2013-02-01

    The present study aimed to quantify retinal and choroidal blood flow (BF) during light, dark adaptation and flicker light stimulation using the microsphere technique. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized with isoflurane. Eyes were dark (Group I, n = 8), light (Group II, n = 8) adapted or stimulated with 10 Hz flicker light (Group III, n = 10). Retinal and choroidal BF were measured by a previously established method, using a mixture of 8 µm yellow-green and 10 µm red fluorescent microspheres. The microspheres were counted ex vivo in the dissected retina and choroid and in the reference arterial blood under a fluorescent microscope. The choroidal BF was 64.8 ± 29 µl/min (mean ± SD) during dark adaptation, not significantly different from that during light adaptation (66.0 ± 17.8 µl/min). The retinal BF was 13.5 ± 3.2 µl/min during 10 Hz flickering light stimulation, significantly higher than that during dark adaptation in the control fellow eyes (9.9 ± 2.9 µl/min). The choroidal BF values were not statistically different between flicker stimulation and dark adaptation. Retinal BF was 11.6 ± 2.9 µl/min during light adaptation. Dark adaptation did not increase retinal BF (Group I, 8.2 ± 2.4 µl/min; Group II, 9.9 ± 2.9 µl/min). These findings argue against a dark-induced or flicker-induced functional hyperemia in the choroid as a result of the demands of the outer retina. Retinal BF was not higher during dark adaptation. Our data support the conclusion that the inner retina has a higher energy demand in flicker conditions relative to dark.

  2. Thyroid artery embolization with microspheres for hyperthyroidism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du Yahui; Zhong Chenfu; Chen Weijun; Zhang Ying; Luo Jun; Li Xiaoguang; Cao Junjie; Gan Changli; Cao Junjie; Gan Changli

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the method and efficacy of thyroid artery embolization as a new therapy for hyperthyroidism. Methods: Thirteen patients with hyperthyroidism underwent selective thyroid artery embolization. Totally 25 thyroid arteries were embolized with microspheres. The indications for this therapy were as followings: 1) To give hyperthyroid patients having an alternative for surgical and 131 I treatment, and 2) To provide a new method for those clinically being difficult to get control with medicine. Results: Serum level of thyroid hormones dropped significantly[T3 from 2.84-9.0 ng/ml to 0.8-2.2 ng/ml, T4 from 162.9-277.2 ng/ml to 50-126 ng/ml] and symptoms of hyperthyroidism were under control in 12 patients within 1 month after the embolization. One patient remained no change 1 month later and refused to be embolized again. The symptoms of twelve patients were effectively controlled through low dose antithyroid medication for more than 6 months follow up with no serious complications. Conclusion: Thyroid artery embolization with microspheres is an effective alternative for surgical and 131 I treatment of hyperthyroidism. (authors)

  3. S100A8/A9 Is Not Involved in Host Defense against Murine Urinary Tract Infection

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dessing, M.C.; Butter, L.M.; Teske, G.J.; Claessen, N.; van der Loos, C.M.; Vogl, T.; Roth, J.; van der Poll, T.; Florquin, S.; Leemans, J.C.

    2010-01-01

    Background: Inflammation is commonly followed by the release of endogenous proteins called danger associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) that are able to warn the host for eminent danger. S100A8/A9 subunits are DAMPs that belong to the S100 family of calcium binding proteins. S100A8/A9 complexes

  4. Frequency stabilization of a 2.05 μm laser using hollow-core fiber CO2 frequency reference cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meras, Patrick; Poberezhskiy, Ilya Y.; Chang, Daniel H.; Spiers, Gary D.

    2010-04-01

    We have designed and built a hollow-core fiber frequency reference cell, filled it with CO2, and used it to demonstrate frequency stabilization of a 2.05 μm Tm:Ho:YLF laser using frequency modulation (FM) spectroscopy technique. The frequency reference cell is housed in a compact and robust hermetic package that contains a several meter long hollow-core photonic crystal fiber optically coupled to index-guiding fibers with a fusion splice on one end and a mechanical splice on the other end. The package has connectorized fiber pigtails and a valve used to evacuate, refill it, or adjust the gas pressure. We have demonstrated laser frequency standard deviation decreasing from >450MHz (free-running) to laser wavelength is of particular interest for spectroscopic instruments due to the presence of many CO2 and H20 absorption lines in its vicinity. To our knowledge, this is the first reported demonstration of laser frequency stabilization at this wavelength using a hollow-core fiber reference cell. This approach enables all-fiber implementation of the optical portion of laser frequency stabilization system, thus making it dramatically more lightweight, compact, and robust than the traditional free-space version that utilizes glass or metal gas cells. It can also provide much longer interaction length of light with gas and does not require any alignment. The demonstrated frequency reference cell is particularly attractive for use in aircraft and space coherent lidar instruments for measuring atmospheric CO2 profile.

  5. Investigating the effect of silver coating on the solubility, antibacterial properties, and cytocompatibility of glass microspheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haas, L M; Smith, C M; Placek, L M; Hall, M M; Gong, Y; Mellott, N P; Wren, Anthony W

    2015-10-01

    Silver (Ag) coatings have been incorporated into many medical materials due to its ability to eradicate harmful microbes. In this study, glass microspheres (SiO2-Na2O-CaO-Al2O3) were synthesized and employed as substrates to investigate the effect Ag coating has on glass solubility and the subsequent biological effects. Initially, glasses were amorphous with a glass transition point (T(g)) of 605℃ and microspheres were spherical with a mean particle diameter of 120 µm (±27). The Ag coating was determined to be crystalline in nature and its presence was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Ion release determined that Ag-coated (Ag-S) microspheres increased the Na(+) release rate but slightly reduced the Ca(2+) and Si(4+) release compared to an uncoated control (UC-S). Additionally, the Ag-S reduced the pH to just above neutral (7.3-8.5) compared to the UC-S (7.7-9.1). Antibacterial testing determined significant reductions in planktonic Escherichia coli (p = 0.000), Staphylococcus epidermidis (p = 0.000) and Staphylococcus aureus (p = 0.000) growth as a function of the presence of Ag and with respect to maturation (1, 7, and 30 days). Testing for toxicity levels using L929 Fibroblasts determined higher cell viability for the Ag-S at lower concentrations (5 µg/ml); in addition, no significant reduction in cell viability was observed with higher concentrations (15, 30 µg/ml). © The Author(s) 2015.

  6. Transport of strontium and some 1. and 2. group's cations through hollow fiber supported liquid membranes using crowns

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mackova, J.

    1996-01-01

    Models which describe the permeation of strontium cation through liquid membranes are shown in this paper. Partition coefficients have been determined radiometrically, using Sr-85 tracer. The results were treated according to the theory developed by Danesi using simple equation. The permeation of Sr 2+ using 18-crown-6 crown ether (18C6) and picric acid in bulk liquid toluene membrane systems with and without surface/active substances (SPAN 80, ECA 4360) has been studied. The transport of Sr 2+ using 18-C-6 ether as a carrier and picrate as a co-counter ion through hollow fiber supported dichlorobenzene liquid membrane has been studied too. A polypropylene hollow fiber ACCUREL PP type S6/ENKA and a permeation device with a single hollow fiber module with on-line radiometric detection of strontium using Sr-85 tracer, was used. This type of permeation system has shown reproducible results, fast and effective permeation. Results prove the possible mechanism of strontium cation transport though liquid membrane. Another subject of study was the transport of metal ions (Ca 2+ , Sr 2+ , Ba 2+ , Na + , K + , Cs + ) using (18C6) as a carrier and picrate as co/counter ion through hollow fiber supported dichlorobenzene liquid membrane using capillary isotachophoresis (ITP) measurement of the cations concentration. The experimental results obtained using ITP method for Sr 2+ concentration determination are in good agreement with those obtained by on-line radiometric detection using Sr-85 tracer, under the same conditions (feed, membrane, strip, hollow fiber and the same pertraction device). The ITP method could be successfully used for analyses of samples containing a mixture of all separated cations. The results of this study indicate that the polypropylene hollow fiber supported dichlorobenzene membrane is suitable for studied metal cation transport using 18C6 as a carrier and a picrate as co-counter ion. This combination enables fast and effective cation separation. The

  7. Temperature influence in crystallinity of polymer microspheres; Influencia da temperatura na cristalinidade de microesferas polimericas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rezende, Cristiane de P.; Novack, Katia M., E-mail: knovack@iceb.ufop.br [Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto - UFOP, ICEB, DEQUI, Ouro Preto, MG (Brazil)

    2011-07-01

    Drug delivery technology is evolving through the creation of new techniques of drug delivery effectively. The new methods used in drugs administration are based in microencapsulation process. Microsphere encapsulation modifies drug delivery bringing benefits and efficiency. In this work has been evaluated the influence of temperature in microspheres preparation. Microspheres were obtained by PMMA-co-PEG (COP) copolymer with indomethacin inserted in polymer matrix. Samples were characterized by SEM, DSC and XRD. SEM micrographs confirmed the formation of different sizes of microspheres and it was verified that higher temperatures make more crystalline microspheres. (author)

  8. TiO2-coated Hollow Glass Microspheres with Superhydrophobic and High IR-reflective Properties Synthesized by a Soft-chemistry Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Yinting; Zhong, Dan; Song, Aotian; Hu, Yan

    2017-04-26

    This manuscript proposes a soft-chemistry method to develop superhydrophobic and highly IR-reflective hollow glass microspheres (HGM). The anatase TiO2 and a superhydrophobic agent were coated on the HGM surface in one step. TBT and PFOTES were selected as the Ti source and the superhydrophobic agent, respectively. They were both coated on the HGM, and after the hydrothermal process, the TBT turned to anatase TiO2. In this way, a PFOTES/TiO2-coated HGM (MCHGM) was prepared. For comparison, PFOTES single-coated HGM (F-SCHGM) and TiO2 single-coated HGM (Ti-SCHGM) were synthesized as well. The PFOTES and TiO2 coatings on the HGM surface were demonstrated through X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive detector (EDS) characterizations. The MCHGM showed a higher contact angle (153°) but a lower sliding angle (16°) than F-SCHGM, with a contact angle of 141.2° and a sliding angle of 67°. In addition, both Ti-SCHGM and MCHGM displayed similar IR reflectivity values, which were about 5.8% higher than the original HGM and F-SCHGM. Also, the PFOTES coating barely changed the thermal conductivity. Therefore, F-SCHGM, with a thermal conductivity of 0.0479 W/(m·K), was quite like the original HGM, which was 0.0475 W/(m·K). MCHGM and Ti-SCHGM were also similar. Their thermal conductivity values were 0.0543 W/(m·K) and 0.0543 W/(m·K), respectively. The TiO2 coating slightly increased the thermal conductivity, but with the increase in reflectivity, the overall heat-insulation property was enhanced. Finally, since the IR-reflecting property is provided by the HGM coating, if the coating is fouled, the reflectivity decreases. Therefore, with the superhydrophobic coating, the surface is protected from fouling, and its lifetime is also prolonged.

  9. Self-assembled hierarchical direct Z-scheme g-C3N4/ZnO microspheres with enhanced photocatalytic CO2 reduction performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nie, Ning; Zhang, Liuyang; Fu, Junwei; Cheng, Bei; Yu, Jiaguo

    2018-05-01

    Photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into hydrocarbon fuels has been regarded as a promising approach to ease the greenhouse effect and the energy shortage. Herein, an electrostatic self-assembly method was exploited to prepare g-C3N4/ZnO composite microsphere. This method simply utilized the opposite surface charge of each component, achieving a hierarchical structure with intimate contact between them. A much improved photocatalytic CO2 reduction activity was attained. The CH3OH production rate was 1.32 μmol h-1 g-1, which was 2.1 and 4.1 times more than that of the pristine ZnO and g-C3N4, respectively. This facile design bestowed the g-C3N4/ZnO composite an extended light adsorption caused by multi-light scattering effect. It also guaranteed the uniform distribution of g-C3N4 nanosheets on the surface of ZnO microspheres, maximizing their advantage and synergistic effect. Most importantly, the preeminent performance was proposed and validated based on the direct Z-scheme. The recombination rate was considerably suppressed. This work features the meliority of constructing hierarchical direct Z-scheme structures in photocatalytic CO2 reduction reactions.

  10. pH- and temperature-sensitive polymeric microspheres for drug delivery: the dissolution of copolymers modulates drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fundueanu, Gheorghe; Constantin, Marieta; Stanciu, Cristina; Theodoridis, Georgios; Ascenzi, Paolo

    2009-12-01

    Most pH-/temperature-responsive polymers for controlled release of drugs are used as cross-linked hydrogels. However, the solubility properties of the linear polymers below and above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) are not exploited. Here, the preparation and characterization of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-methacrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) (poly (NIPAAm-co-MA-co-MM)) and poly (N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylamide) (poly (NIPAAm-co-AAm)), known as "smart" polymers (SP), is reported. Both poly (NIPAAm-co-MA-co-MM) and poly (NIPAAm-co-AAm) display pH- and temperature-responsive properties. Poly (NIPAAm-co-MA-co-MM) was designed to be insoluble in the gastric fluid (pH = 1.2), but soluble in the intestinal fluid (pH = 6.8 and 7.4), at the body temperature (37 degrees C). Poly (NIPAAm-co-AAm) was designed to have a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) corresponding to 37 degrees C at pH = 7.4, therefore it is not soluble above the LCST. The solubility characteristics of these copolymers were exploited to modulate the rate of release of drugs by changing pH and/or temperature. These copolymers were solubilized with hydrophobic cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) and vitamin B(12) (taken as a water soluble drug model system) in an acetone/methanol mixture and dispersed in mineral oil. By a progressive evaporation of the solvent, the liquid droplets were transformed into loaded CAB/SP microspheres. Differential scanning calorimetric studies and scanning electron microscopy analysis demonstrated that the polymeric components of the microspheres precipitated separately during solvent evaporation forming small microdomains. Moreover, vitamin B(12) was found to be molecularly dispersed in both microdomains with no specific affinity for any polymeric component of microspheres. The release of vitamin B(12) was investigated as a function of temperature, pH, and the CAB/SP ratio.

  11. Encapsulation of azithromycin into polymeric microspheres by reduced pressure-solvent evaporation method

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Li, Xiujuan; Chang, Si; Du, Guangsheng

    2012-01-01

    Azithromycin loaded microspheres with blends of poly-l-lactide and ploy-D,L-lactide-co-glycolide as matrices were prepared by the atmosphere-solvent evaporation (ASE) and reduced pressure-solvent evaporation (RSE) method. Both the X-ray diffraction spectra and DSC thermographs demonstrated...... characteristics and release profiles of microspheres. In conclusion, the overall improvement of microspheres in appearance, encapsulation efficiency and controlled drug release through the RSE method could be easily fulfilled under optimal preparation conditions....

  12. A general approach to mesoporous metal oxide microspheres loaded with noble metal nanoparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Jin, Zhao; Xiao, Manda; Bao, Zhihong; Wang, Peng; Wang, Jianfang

    2012-01-01

    Catalytic microspheres: A general approach is demonstrated for the facile preparation of mesoporous metal oxide microspheres loaded with noble metal nanoparticles (see TEM image in the picture). Among 18 oxide/noble metal catalysts, TiO 2/0.1 mol Pd microspheres showed the highest turnover frequency in NaBH 4 reduction of 4-nitrophenol (see picture). Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. A general approach to mesoporous metal oxide microspheres loaded with noble metal nanoparticles

    KAUST Repository

    Jin, Zhao

    2012-04-26

    Catalytic microspheres: A general approach is demonstrated for the facile preparation of mesoporous metal oxide microspheres loaded with noble metal nanoparticles (see TEM image in the picture). Among 18 oxide/noble metal catalysts, TiO 2/0.1 mol Pd microspheres showed the highest turnover frequency in NaBH 4 reduction of 4-nitrophenol (see picture). Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. Rational design of a tripartite-layered TiO2 photoelectrode: a candidate for enhanced power conversion efficiency in dye sensitized solar cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Javid; Gu, Jiuwang; He, Shiman; Li, Xiaohui; Ahmed, Gulzar; Liu, Zhongwu; Akhtar, Muhammad Nadeem; Mai, Wenjie; Wu, Mingmei

    2017-07-20

    A tri-layered photoelectrode for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is assembled using single crystal hollow TiO 2 nanoparticles (HTNPs), sub-micro hollow TiO 2 mesospheres (SHTMSs) and hierarchical TiO 2 microspheres (HTMSs). The bottom layer composed of single crystal hollow TiO 2 nanoparticles serves to absorb dye molecules, harvest light due to its hollow structure and keep a better mechanical contact with FTO conducting glass; the middle layer consisting of sub-micro hollow mesospheres works as a multifunctional layer due to its high dye adsorption ability, strong light trapping and scattering ability and slow recombination rates; and the top layer consisting of hierarchical microspheres enhances light scattering. The DSSCs made of photoanodes with a tripartite-layer structure (Film 4) show a superior photoconversion efficiency (PCE) of 9.24%, which is 7.4% higher than a single layered photoanode composed of HTNPs (Film 1: 8.90%), 4.6% higher than a double layer-based electrode consisting of HTNPs and SHTMSs (Film 2: 9.03%) and 2.6% higher than a double layer-based electrode made of HTNPs and HTMSs (Film 3: 9.11%). The significant improvements in the PCE for tri-layered TiO 2 photoanodes are mainly because of the combined effects of their higher light scattering ability, long electron lifetime, fast electron transport rate, efficient charge collection and a considerable surface area with high dye-loading capability. This study confirms that the facile tri-layered photoanode is an interesting structure for high-efficiency DSSCs.

  15. Improved performance of CdSe/CdS/PbS co-sensitized solar cell with double-layered TiO2 films as photoanode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaolong; Lin, Yu; Wu, Jihuai; Jing, Jing; Fang, Biaopeng

    2017-07-01

    Improving the photovoltaic performance of CdSe/CdS/PbS co-sensitized double-layered TiO2 solar cells is reported. Double-layered TiO2 films with TiO2 microspheres as the light blocking layers were prepared. PbS, CdS and CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were assembled onto TiO2 photoanodes by simple successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) to fabricate CdSe/CdS/PbS co-sensitized solar cells. An improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.11% was achieved for CdSe/CdS/PbS co-sensitized solar cells at one sun illumination (AM 1.5 G, 100 mW cm-2), which had an improvement of 22.6% over that of the CdSe/CdS co-sensitized solar cells (4.17%). This enhancement is mainly attributed to their better ability of the absorption of solar light with the existence of PbS QDs, the reduction of charge recombination of the excited electron and longer lifetime of electrons, which have been proved with the photovoltaic studies and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

  16. Preparation and CO{sub 2} adsorption properties of aminopropyl-functionalized mesoporous silica microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Araki, S.; Doi, H.; Sano, Y.; Tanaka, S.; Miyake, Y. [Hitachi Zosen Corp., Osaka (Japan). Technical Research Institute

    2009-11-15

    Aminopropyl-functionalized mesoporous silica microspheres (AF-MSM) were synthesized by a simple one-step modified Stober method. Dodecylamine (DDA) was used as the catalyst for the hydrolysis and condensation of the silica source and as the molecular template to prepare the ordered mesopores. The mesoporous silica surfaces were modified to aminopropyl groups by the co-condensation of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES), up to a maximum of 20 mol.% APTES content in the silica source. The particle size, Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) specific surface area, and mesoporous regularity decreased with increasing APTES content. It is believed that this result is caused by a decreasing amount of DDA incorporated into AF-MSM with increasing APTES content. It was also confirmed that the spherical shape and the mesostructure were maintained even if 20 mol.% of APTES was added to the silica source. Moreover, AF-MSM was applied to the CO{sub 2} adsorbent. The breakthrough time of the CO{sub 2} and CO{sub 2} adsorption capacities increased with increasing APTES content. The adsorption capacity of CO{sub 2} for AF-MSM, prepared at 20 mol.% APTES, was 0.54 mmol g{sup -1}. Carbon dioxide adsorbed onto AF-MSM was completely desorbed by heating in a N{sub 2} purge at 423 K for 30 min.

  17. (1S,3S,8R,9S,10R-9,10-Epoxy-3,7,7,10-tetramethyltricyclo[6.4.0.01,3]dodecane

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdoullah Bimoussa

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The title compound, C16H26O, was synthesized by treating (1S,3S,8R-3,7,7,10-tetramethyltricyclo[6.4.0.01,3]dodec-9-ene with metachloroperbenzoic acid. The molecule is built up from two fused six- and seven-membered rings. The six-membered ring has a half-chair conformation, whereas the seven-membered ring displays a boat conformation. In the crystal, there are no significant intermolecular interactions present.

  18. Evolution of nickel sulfide hollow spheres through topotactic transformation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Chengzhen; Lu, Qingyi; Sun, Jing; Gao, Feng

    2013-11-01

    In this study, a topotactic transformation route was proposed to synthesize single-crystalline β-NiS hollow spheres with uniform phase and morphology evolving from polycrystalline α-NiS hollow spheres. Uniform polycrystalline α-NiS hollow spheres were firstly prepared with thiourea and glutathione as sulfur sources under hydrothermal conditions through the Kirkendall effect. By increasing the reaction temperature the polycrystalline α-NiS hollow spheres were transformed to uniform β-NiS hollow spheres. The β-NiS crystals obtained through the topotactic transformation route not only have unchanged morphology of hollow spheres but are also single-crystalline in nature. The as-prepared NiS hollow spheres display a good ability to remove the organic pollutant Congo red from water, which makes them have application potential in water treatment.In this study, a topotactic transformation route was proposed to synthesize single-crystalline β-NiS hollow spheres with uniform phase and morphology evolving from polycrystalline α-NiS hollow spheres. Uniform polycrystalline α-NiS hollow spheres were firstly prepared with thiourea and glutathione as sulfur sources under hydrothermal conditions through the Kirkendall effect. By increasing the reaction temperature the polycrystalline α-NiS hollow spheres were transformed to uniform β-NiS hollow spheres. The β-NiS crystals obtained through the topotactic transformation route not only have unchanged morphology of hollow spheres but are also single-crystalline in nature. The as-prepared NiS hollow spheres display a good ability to remove the organic pollutant Congo red from water, which makes them have application potential in water treatment. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: XRD patterns; SEM images and TEM images. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03371f

  19. Synthesis, morphological control, and antibacterial properties of hollow/solid Ag2S/Ag heterodimers

    KAUST Repository

    Pang, Maolin

    2010-08-11

    Ag2S and Ag are important functional materials that have received considerable research interest in recent years. In this work, we develop a solution-based synthetic method to combine these two materials into hollow/solid Ag2S/Ag heterodimers at room temperature. Starting from monodisperse Cu2O solid spheres, CuS hollow spheres can be converted from Cu2O through a modified Kirkendall process, and the obtained CuS can then be used as a solid precursor for preparation of the Ag2S/Ag heterodimers through ion exchange and photo-assisted reduction. We have found that formation of the Ag2S/Ag heterodimers is instantaneous, and the size of Ag nanocrystals on the hollow spheres of Ag2S can be controlled by changing the concentration and power of reducing agents in the synthesis. The growth of Ag nanoparticles on hollow spheres of Ag2S in the dimers is along the [111] direction of the silver crystal; the light absorption properties have also been investigated. Furthermore, coupling or tripling of Ag2S/Ag heterodimers into dumbbell-like trimers ((Ag 2S)2/Ag, linear) and triangular tetramers ((Ag 2S)3/Ag, coplanar) can also be attained at 60°C by adding the bidentate ligand ethylenediamine as a cross-linking agent. To test the applicability of this highly asymmetric dipolar composite, photocatalytic inactivation of Escherichia coli K-12 in the presence of the as-prepared Ag 2S/Ag heterodimers has been carried out under UV irradiation. The added Ag2S/Ag heterodimers show good chemical stability under prolonged UV irradiation, and no appreciable solid dissolution is found. Possible mechanisms regarding the enhanced antibacterial activity have also been addressed. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

  20. Surface modification of cyclomatrix polyphosphazene microsphere by thiol-ene chemistry and lectin recognition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Chen; Zhu, Xue-yan; Gao, Qiao-ling; Fang, Fei; Huang, Xiao-jun

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: A new synthetic route leading to polyphosphazene cyclomatrix microsphere with various functional groups has achieved via thiol-ene click modification. Herein, hexacholorocyclophosphazene (HCCP) crosslinked with bisphenol-S and 4,4′-diallyl bisphenol-S to generate broadly dispersed microspheres. Thiol-ene modification under UV irradiation not only presented high efficiency and flexibility for post-functionalization, but also imposed no harm on global morphology and crosslinked skeleton of such microspheres. - Highlights: • Functional polyphosphazene microspheres with high chemical flexibility were synthesized by thiol-ene modification. • Polyphosphazene microspheres possessed high thermal stability. • Glycosylated polyphosphazene microspheres showed affinity to lectin Con-A, which inferred potential application in biomedicine. - Abstract: A new synthetic route leading to functional polyphosphazene cyclomatrix microsphere has been developed via thiol-ene click modification. Hexacholorocyclophosphazene (HCCP) was crosslinked with both bisphenol-S and 4,4′-diallyl bisphenol-S to obtain vinyl polyphosphazene microspheres (VPZM) in order to ensure high crosslinking degree and introduce vinyl moieties. Compared to the microspheres obtained by HCCP and bisphenol-S, the size of VPZM was broadly dispersed from 400 nm to 1.40 μm. Thiol-ene click reactions were carried out to attach functional groups, such as glucosyl, carboxyl, ester and dodecyl groups onto polyphosphazene microspheres, which demonstrated no change in morphology and size after modification. Solid state NMR (SSNMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectoscopy (FT-IR) results showed that the vinyl moieties were introduced in the period of crosslinking and functionalization was also successful via click reactions. Moreover, the microspheres presented a little difference in thermal properties after modification. Concanavalin A (Con-A) fluorescent adsorption was also observed for

  1. Surface modification of cyclomatrix polyphosphazene microsphere by thiol-ene chemistry and lectin recognition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Chen; Zhu, Xue-yan; Gao, Qiao-ling; Fang, Fei; Huang, Xiao-jun, E-mail: hxjzxh@zju.edu.cn

    2016-11-30

    Graphical abstract: A new synthetic route leading to polyphosphazene cyclomatrix microsphere with various functional groups has achieved via thiol-ene click modification. Herein, hexacholorocyclophosphazene (HCCP) crosslinked with bisphenol-S and 4,4′-diallyl bisphenol-S to generate broadly dispersed microspheres. Thiol-ene modification under UV irradiation not only presented high efficiency and flexibility for post-functionalization, but also imposed no harm on global morphology and crosslinked skeleton of such microspheres. - Highlights: • Functional polyphosphazene microspheres with high chemical flexibility were synthesized by thiol-ene modification. • Polyphosphazene microspheres possessed high thermal stability. • Glycosylated polyphosphazene microspheres showed affinity to lectin Con-A, which inferred potential application in biomedicine. - Abstract: A new synthetic route leading to functional polyphosphazene cyclomatrix microsphere has been developed via thiol-ene click modification. Hexacholorocyclophosphazene (HCCP) was crosslinked with both bisphenol-S and 4,4′-diallyl bisphenol-S to obtain vinyl polyphosphazene microspheres (VPZM) in order to ensure high crosslinking degree and introduce vinyl moieties. Compared to the microspheres obtained by HCCP and bisphenol-S, the size of VPZM was broadly dispersed from 400 nm to 1.40 μm. Thiol-ene click reactions were carried out to attach functional groups, such as glucosyl, carboxyl, ester and dodecyl groups onto polyphosphazene microspheres, which demonstrated no change in morphology and size after modification. Solid state NMR (SSNMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectoscopy (FT-IR) results showed that the vinyl moieties were introduced in the period of crosslinking and functionalization was also successful via click reactions. Moreover, the microspheres presented a little difference in thermal properties after modification. Concanavalin A (Con-A) fluorescent adsorption was also observed for

  2. Urchin-Like Ni1/3Co2/3(CO3)1/2(OH)·0.11H2O for Ultrahigh-Rate Electrochemical Supercapacitors: Structural Evolution from Solid to Hollow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Wutao; Cui, Shizhong; Ding, Luoyi; Mi, Liwei; Chen, Weihua; Hu, Xianluo

    2017-11-22

    Portable electronics and electric or hybrid electric vehicles are developing in the trend of fast charge and long electric mileage, which ask us to design a novel electrode with sufficient electronic and ionic transport channels at the same time. Herein, we fabricate a uniform hollow-urchin-like Ni 1/3 Co 2/3 (CO 3 ) 1/2 (OH)·0.11H 2 O electrode material through an easy self-generated and resacrificial template method. The one-dimensional chain-like crystal structure unit containing the metallic bonding and the intercalated OH - and H 2 O endow this electrode material with abundant electronic and ionic transport channels. The hollow-urchin-like structure built by nanorods contributes to the large electrode-electrolyte contact area ensuring the supply of ions at high current. CNTs are employed to transport electrons between electrode material and current collector. The as-assembled NC-CNT-2//AC supercapacitor device exhibits a high specific capacitance of 108.3 F g -1 at 20 A g -1 , a capacitance retention ratio of 96.2% from 0.2 to 20 A g -1 , and long cycle life. Comprehensive investigations unambiguously highlight that the unique hollow-urchin-like Ni 1/3 Co 2/3 (CO 3 ) 1/2 (OH)·0.11H 2 O electrode material would be the right candidate for advanced next-generation supercapacitors.

  3. Ag/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} hollow microspheres: Preparation and application for hydrogen peroxide detection

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Xinyuan; Wu, Zhiping; Liao, Fang, E-mail: liaozhang2003@163.com; Zhang, Tingting; Guo, Tingting

    2015-09-15

    In this paper, we demonstrated a simple approach for preparing α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} hollow spheres by mixing ferric nitrate aqueous and glucose in 180 °C. The glucose was found to act as a soft template in the process of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} hollow spheres formation. Ag/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} hollow nanocomposite was obtained under UV irradiation without additional reducing agents or initiators. Synthesized Ag/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} hollow composites exhibited remarkable catalytic performance toward H{sub 2}O{sub 2} reduction. The electrocatalytic activity mechanism of Ag/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/GCE were discussed toward the reduction of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} in this paper. - Graphical abstract: Glucose is carbonized as carbon balls in the 180 °C hydrothermal carbonization process, which plays a role of a soft template. Carbon spherical shell is rich in many hydroxyls, which have good hydrophilicity and surface reactivity. When Fe(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} is added to the aqueous solution of Glucose, the hydrophilic -OH will adsorb Fe{sup 3+} to form coordination compound by coordination bond. α-FeOOH is formed on the surface of carbon balls by hydrothermal reaction. After calcination at 500 °C, carbon spheres react with oxygen to form carbon dioxide, which disappears in the air. Meanwhile α-FeOOH is calcined to form α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} hollow spheres.

  4. Acidic sweep gas with carbonic anhydrase coated hollow fiber membranes synergistically accelerates CO2 removal from blood

    OpenAIRE

    Arazawa, D. T.; Kimmel, J. D.; Finn, M.C.; Federspiel, W. J.

    2015-01-01

    The use of extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2R) is well established as a therapy for patients suffering from acute respiratory failure. Development of next generation low blood flow (< 500 mL/min) ECCO2R devices necessitates more efficient gas exchange devices. Since over 90% of blood CO2 is transported as bicarbonate (HCO3−), we previously reported development of a carbonic anhydrase (CA) immobilized bioactive hollow fiber membrane (HFM) which significantly accelerates CO2 removal ...

  5. Nanoporous CuS nano-hollow spheres as advanced material for high-performance supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heydari, Hamid [Faculty of Sciences, Razi University, Kermanshah (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Moosavifard, Seyyed Ebrahim, E-mail: info_seyyed@yahoo.com [Young Researchers and Elite Club, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Elyasi, Saeed [Department of Chemical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shahraki, Mohammad [Department of Chemistry, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Zahedan (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2017-02-01

    Highlights: • Nanoporous CuS nano-hollow spheres were synthesized by a facile method. • Nano-hollow spheres have a large specific surface area (97 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}) and nanoscale shell thickness (<20 nm). • Such unique structures exhibit excellent electrochemical properties for high-performance SCs. - Abstract: Due to unique advantages, the development of high-performance supercapacitors has stimulated a great deal of scientific research over the past decade. The electrochemical performance of a supercapacitor is strongly affected by the surface and structural properties of its electrode materials. Herein, we report a facile synthesis of high-performance supercapacitor electrode material based on CuS nano-hollow spheres with nanoporous structures, large specific surface area (97 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}) and nanoscale shell thickness (<20 nm). This interesting electrode structure plays a key role in providing more active sites for electrochemical reactions, short ion and electron diffusion pathways and facilitated ion transport. The CuS nano-hollow spheres electrode exhibits excellent electrochemical performance including a maximum specific capacitance of 948 F g{sup −1} at 1 A g{sup −1}, significant rate capability of 46% capacitance retention at a high current density of 50 A g{sup −1}, and outstanding long-term cycling stability at various current densities. This work not only demonstrates the promising potential of the CuS-NHS electrodes for application in high-performance supercapacitors, but also sheds a new light on the metal sulfides design philosophy.

  6. Insightful understanding of the role of clay topology on the stability of biomimetic hybrid chitosan-clay thin films and CO2-dried porous aerogel microspheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frindy, Sana; Primo, Ana; Qaiss, Abou El Kacem; Bouhfid, Rachid; Lahcini, Mohamed; Garcia, Hermenegildo; Bousmina, Mosto; El Kadib, Abdelkrim

    2016-08-01

    Three natural clay-based microstructures, namely layered montmorillonite (MMT), nanotubular halloysite (HNT) and micro-fibrillar sepiolite (SP) were used for the synthesis of hybrid chitosan-clay thin films and porous aerogel microspheres. At a first glance, a decrease in the viscosity of the three gel-forming solutions was noticed as a result of breaking the mutual polymeric chains interaction by the clay microstructure. Upon casting, chitosan-clay films displayed enhanced hydrophilicity in the order CSclay microstructure, an improvement in the mechanical properties of the chitosan-clay films has been substantiated with CS-SP reaching the highest value at 5% clay loading. While clay addition provides a way to resist the shrinkage occurring for native chitosan, the enhanced hydrophilicity associated to the water content affects the efficacy of the CO2 super-critical drying as the most hydrophilic CS-SP microspheres face the highest shrinkage, resulting in a lowest specific surface area compared to CS-HNT and CS-MMT. Chitosan-clay exhibits enhanced thermal properties with the degradation delayed in the order CSclay compared to native chitosan, evidencing the beneficial protective effect of the clay particulates for the biopolymer. However, under hydrothermal treatment, the presence of clay was found to be detrimental to the material stability as a significant shrinkage occurs in hybrid CS-clay microspheres, which is attributed again to their increased hydrophilicity compared to the native polymeric microspheres. In this framework, a peculiar behavior was observed for CS-MMT, with the microspheres standing both against contraction during CO2 gel drying and under hydrothermal conditions. The knowledge gained from this rational design will constitute a guideline toward the preparation of ultra-stable, practically-optimized food-packaging films and commercially scalable porous bio-based adsorbents. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Hollow Cathode Assembly Development for the HERMeS Hall Thruster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarver-Verhey, Timothy R.; Kamhawi, Hani; Goebel, Dan M.; Polk, James E.; Peterson, Peter Y.; Robinson, Dale A.

    2016-01-01

    To support the operation of the HERMeS 12.5 kW Hall Thruster for NASA's Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission, hollow cathodes using emitters based on barium oxide impregnate and lanthanum hexaboride are being evaluated through wear-testing, performance characterization, plasma modeling, and review of integration requirements. This presentation will present the development approach used to assess the cathode emitter options. A 2,000-hour wear-test of development model Barium Oxide (BaO) hollow cathode is being performed as part of the development plan. Specifically this test is to identify potential impacts cathode emitter life during operation in the HERMeS thruster. The cathode was operated with a magnetic field-equipped anode that simulates the HERMeS hall thruster operating environment. Cathode discharge performance has been stable with the device accumulating 743 hours at the time of this report. Observed voltage changes are attributed to keeper surface condition changes during testing. Cathode behavior during characterization sweeps exhibited stable behavior, including cathode temperature. The details of the cathode assembly operation of the wear-test will be presented.

  8. Co-doping induced coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism in Bi{sub 3.9}Co{sub 0.1}O{sub 4}S{sub 3}

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Chuan [Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Feng, Zhenjie, E-mail: fengzhenjie@t.shu.edu.cn [Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of High Temperature Superconductors, Shanghai 200444 (China); Yin, Xunqing; Li, Qing; Kang, Baojuan [Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Lu, Bo [Laboratory for Microstructures, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Jing, Chao; Cao, Shixun [Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Shanghai Key Laboratory of High Temperature Superconductors, Shanghai 200444 (China); Zhang, Jincang [Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Materials Genome Institute, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China)

    2016-09-15

    Highlights: • Bi{sub 4}O{sub 4}S{sub 3} is a new discovered layered superconductor. Some doping effects, such as Ag, Cu, and Pb, are studied, the superconductivity is suppressed in these doping samples. We doped the Ni magnetic ions to the system, it is interesting that the superconductivity is not suppressed in x = 0.1 sample. Meanwhile, the coexistence of the superconductivity and magnetism is observed in the samples from the M-vs. –H loops. - Abstract: The effects of Co doping on the physical properties of the Bi{sub 4}O{sub 4}S{sub 3} system was studied. We discovered that stable Bi{sub 3.9}Co{sub 0.1}O{sub 4}S{sub 3} compound exhibits both long-range ferromagnetism and enhanced superconductivity with thermodynamic evidences for Tc ∼ 5.5 K. We found that there is an anomalous feature which represents superconducting transition in the hysteretic M-vs.-H loops for Bi{sub 3.9}Co{sub 0.1}O{sub 4}S{sub 3} at T = 3 K.

  9. Flexible Microsphere-Embedded Film for Microsphere-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xing, Cheng; Yan, Yinzhou; Feng, Chao; Xu, Jiayu; Dong, Peng; Guan, Wei; Zeng, Yong; Zhao, Yan; Jiang, Yijian

    2017-09-27

    Dielectric microspheres with extraordinary microscale optical properties, such as photonic nanojets, optical whispering-gallery modes (WGMs), and directional antennas, have drawn interest in many research fields. Microsphere-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (MERS) is an alternative approach for enhanced Raman detection by dielectric microstructures. Unfortunately, fabrication of microsphere monolayer arrays is the major challenge of MERS for practical applications on various specimen surfaces. Here we report a microsphere-embedded film (MF) by immersing a highly refractive microsphere monolayer array in the poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) film as a flexible MERS sensing platform for one- to three-dimensional (1D to 3D) specimen surfaces. The directional antennas and wave-guided whispering-gallery modes (WG-WGMs) contribute to the majority of Raman enhancement by the MFs. Moreover, the MF can be coupled with surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to provide an extra >10-fold enhancement. The limit of detection is therefore improved for sensing of crystal violet (CV) and Sudan I molecules in aqueous solutions at concentrations down to 10 -7 M. A hybrid dual-layer microsphere enhancer, constructed by depositing a MF onto a microsphere monolayer array, is also demonstrated, wherein the WG-WGMs become dominant and boost the enhancement ratio >50-fold. The present work opens up new opportunities for design of cost-effective and flexible MERS sensing platforms as individual or associated techniques toward practical applications in ultrasensitive Raman detection.

  10. Hollow Micro-/Nanostructures: Synthesis and Applications

    KAUST Repository

    Lou, Xiong Wen (David)

    2008-11-03

    Hollow micro-nanostructures are of great interest in many current and emerging areas of technology. Perhaps the best-known example of the former is the use of fly-ash hollow particles generated from coal power plants as partial replacement for Portland cement, to produce concrete with enhanced strength and durability. This review is devoted to the progress made in the last decade in synthesis and applications of hollow micro-nanostructures. We present a comprehensive overview of synthetic strategies for hollow structures. These strategies are broadly categorized into four themes, which include well-established approaches, such as conventional hard-templating and soft-templating methods, as well as newly emerging methods based on sacrificial templating and template-free synthesis. Success in each has inspired multiple variations that continue to drive the rapid evolution of the field. The Review therefore focuses on the fundamentals of each process, pointing out advantages and disadvantages where appropriate. Strategies for generating more complex hollow structures, such as rattle-type and nonspherical hollow structures, are also discussed. Applications of hollow structures in lithium batteries, catalysis and sensing, and biomedical applications are reviewed. © 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA,.

  11. Biodegradable microsphere-mediated cell perforation in microfluidic channel using femtosecond laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishii, Atsuhiro; Ariyasu, Kazumasa; Mitsuhashi, Tatsuki; Heinemann, Dag; Heisterkamp, Alexander; Terakawa, Mitsuhiro

    2016-05-01

    The use of small particles has expanded the capability of ultrashort pulsed laser optoinjection technology toward simultaneous treatment of multiple cells. The microfluidic platform is one of the attractive systems that has obtained synergy with laser-based technology for cell manipulation, including optoinjection. We have demonstrated the delivery of molecules into suspended-flowing cells in a microfluidic channel by using biodegradable polymer microspheres and a near-infrared femtosecond laser pulse. The use of polylactic-co-glycolic acid microspheres realized not only a higher optoinjection ratio compared to that with polylactic acid microspheres but also avoids optical damage to the microfluidic chip, which is attributable to its higher optical intensity enhancement at the localized spot under a microsphere. Interestingly, optoinjection ratios to nucleus showed a difference for adhered cells and suspended cells. The use of biodegradable polymer microspheres provides high throughput optoinjection; i.e., multiple cells can be treated in a short time, which is promising for various applications in cell analysis, drug delivery, and ex vivo gene transfection to bone marrow cells and stem cells without concerns about residual microspheres.

  12. Biodegradable polymeric microsphere-based drug delivery for inductive browning of fat

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chunhui eJiang

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Brown and beige adipocytes are potent therapeutic agents to increase energy expenditure and reduce risks of obesity and its affiliated metabolic symptoms. One strategy to increase beige adipocyte content is through inhibition of the evolutionarily conserved Notch signaling pathway. However, systemic delivery of Notch inhibitors is associated with off-target effects and multiple dosages of application further faces technical and translational challenges. Here, we report the development of a biodegradable polymeric microsphere-based drug delivery system for sustained, local release of a Notch inhibitor, DBZ. The microsphere-based delivery system was fabricated and optimized using an emulsion/solvent evaporation technique to encapsulate DBZ into poly(lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA, a commonly used biodegradable polymer for controlled drug release. Release studies revealed the ability of PLGA microspheres to release DBZ in a sustained manner. Co-culture of white adipocytes with and without DBZ-loaded PLGA microspheres demonstrated that the released DBZ retained its bioactivity, and effectively inhibited Notch and promoted browning of white adipocytes. Injection of these DBZ-loaded PLGA microspheres into mouse inguinal white adipose tissue (WAT depots resulted in browning in vivo. Our results provide the encouraging proof-of-principle evidence for the application of biodegradable polymers as a controlled release platform for delivery of browning factors, and pave the way for development of new translational therapeutic strategies for treatment of obesity.

  13. Composite microparticles of halloysite clay nanotubes bound by calcium carbonate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Yi; Yendluri, Raghuvara; Chen, Bin; Wang, Jingbo; Lvov, Yuri

    2016-03-15

    Natural halloysite clay nanotubes with 15 nm inner and 75 nm outer diameters have been used as vehicles for sustained release of drugs in composite hollow microparticles "glued" with CaCO3. We used a layer-by layer assembly accomplished alginate binding with Ca(2+) followed by CO2 bubbling to prepare the composite microspheres of CaCO3 and polyelectrolytes (PE) modified halloysite nanotubes (HNTs-PE2/CaCO3) with the diameter of about 5-10 μm. These microparticles have empty spherical structure and abundant pore distributions with maxima at 2.5, 3.9, 6.0 and 13.3 nm, and higher surface area of 82.3 m(2) g(-1) as characterized by SEM and BET test. We loaded drugs in these micro-nano carriers of tight piles of halloysite nanotube with end clogged with CaCO3. The sustained release of Nifedipine drug from HNTs-PE2/CaCO3 composite microspheres was slower than for pristine halloysite nanotubes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microsphere films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fu Jianxi; Wang Huajie; Zhou Yanqing; Wang Jinye

    2009-01-01

    Our aim was to produce an antibiotic-emitting coating composed of zein microspheres for the prevention of bacterial infection on implanted devices. Ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microspheres were prepared using a phase separation procedure, with particle sizes between 0.5 and 2 μm. Drug encapsulation and drug loading varied with the amount of both zein and ciprofloxacin, and the highest encapsulation efficiency was 8.27% (2 mg/ml ciprofloxacin and 20 mg/ml zein; n = 3). A ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microsphere film (CF-MS film) was generated via solvent evaporation. Continuous drug release from a trypsin-degraded microsphere film was observed for up to 28 days. The liberation of ciprofloxacin from the trypsin-degraded film and the biodegradation of the microsphere film were highly correlated. Proliferation assay of the growth of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by the MTT method showed that the microsphere film had no toxicity when compared with cells grown on Corning culture plates alone and plates with a zein film alone. Quantification of bacteria adhesion showed that adhesion on the microsphere film is significantly suppressed. In addition, according to the results of bacterial growth tests, ciprofloxacin-loaded microsphere films maintained antibacterial activity for more than 6 days. In contrast, a control medium containing a zein film allowed constant bacterial growth. These results indicate that CF-MS films might be useful as antibacterial films on implanted devices.

  15. Antibacterial activity of ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microsphere films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fu Jianxi [Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 354 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032 (China); Henan Normal University, 46 East Construction Road, Xinxiang, Henan 453007 (China); Wang Huajie [College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China); Zhou Yanqing [Henan Normal University, 46 East Construction Road, Xinxiang, Henan 453007 (China); Wang Jinye, E-mail: jywang@mail.sioc.ac.cn [Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 354 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032 (China); College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Huashan Road, Shanghai 200030 (China)

    2009-05-05

    Our aim was to produce an antibiotic-emitting coating composed of zein microspheres for the prevention of bacterial infection on implanted devices. Ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microspheres were prepared using a phase separation procedure, with particle sizes between 0.5 and 2 {mu}m. Drug encapsulation and drug loading varied with the amount of both zein and ciprofloxacin, and the highest encapsulation efficiency was 8.27% (2 mg/ml ciprofloxacin and 20 mg/ml zein; n = 3). A ciprofloxacin-loaded zein microsphere film (CF-MS film) was generated via solvent evaporation. Continuous drug release from a trypsin-degraded microsphere film was observed for up to 28 days. The liberation of ciprofloxacin from the trypsin-degraded film and the biodegradation of the microsphere film were highly correlated. Proliferation assay of the growth of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by the MTT method showed that the microsphere film had no toxicity when compared with cells grown on Corning culture plates alone and plates with a zein film alone. Quantification of bacteria adhesion showed that adhesion on the microsphere film is significantly suppressed. In addition, according to the results of bacterial growth tests, ciprofloxacin-loaded microsphere films maintained antibacterial activity for more than 6 days. In contrast, a control medium containing a zein film allowed constant bacterial growth. These results indicate that CF-MS films might be useful as antibacterial films on implanted devices.

  16. Hierarchical, porous CuS microspheres integrated with carbon nanotubes for high-performance supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Yang; Liu, Xianming; Wang, Weixiao; Cheng, Jinbing; Yan, Hailong; Tang, Chengchun; Kim, Jang-Kyo; Luo, Yongsong

    2015-11-01

    Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) incorporated porous 3-dimensional (3D) CuS microspheres have been successfully synthesized via a simple refluxing method assisted by PVP. The composites are composed of flower-shaped CuS secondary microspheres, which in turn are assembled with primary nanosheets of 15-30 nm in thickness and fully integrated with CNT. The composites possess a large specific surface area of 189.6 m2 g-1 and a high conductivity of 0.471 S cm-1. As electrode materials for supercapacitors, the nanocomposites show excellent cyclability and rate capability and deliver an average reversible capacitance as high as 1960 F g-1 at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 over 10000 cycles. The high electrochemical performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of CNTs and the unique microstructure of CuS. The CNTs serve as not only a conductive agent to accelerate the transfer of electrons in the composites, but also as a buffer matrix to restrain the volume change and stabilize the electrode structure during the charge/discharge process. The porous structure of CuS also helps to stabilize the electrode structure and facilitates the transport for electrons.

  17. Occupational radiation exposure of medical staff performing 90Y-loaded microsphere radioembolization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laffont, Sophie; Ardisson, Valerie; Lenoir, Laurence; Rolland, Yan; Rohou, Tanguy; Edeline, Julien; Pracht, Marc; Sourd, Samuel Le; Lepareur, Nicolas; Garin, Etienne

    2016-01-01

    Radioembolization of liver cancer with 90 Y-loaded microspheres is increasingly used but data regarding hospital staff exposure are scarce. We evaluated the radiation exposure of medical staff while preparing and injecting 90 Y-loaded glass and resin microspheres especially in view of the increasing use of these products. Exposure of the chest and finger of the radiopharmacist, nuclear medicine physician and interventional radiologist during preparation and injection of 78 glass microsphere preparations and 16 resin microsphere preparations was monitored. Electronic dosimeters were used to measure chest exposure and ring dosimeters were used to measure finger exposure. Chest exposure was very low for both products used (<10 μSv from preparation and injection). In our experience, finger exposure was significantly lower than the annual limit of 500 mSv for both products. With glass microspheres, the mean finger exposure was 13.7 ± 5.2 μSv/GBq for the radiopharmacist, and initially 17.9 ± 5.4 μSv/GBq for the nuclear medicine physician reducing to 13.97 ± 7.9 μSv/GBq with increasing experience. With resin microspheres, finger exposure was more significant: mean finger exposure for the radiopharmacist was 295.1 ± 271.9 μSv/GBq but with a reduction with increasing experience to 97.5 ± 35.2 μSv/GBq for the six most recent dose preparations. For administration of resin microspheres, the greatest mean finger exposure for the nuclear medicine physician (the most exposed operator) was 235.5 ± 156 μSv/GBq. Medical staff performing 90 Y-loaded microsphere radioembolization procedures are exposed to safe levels of radiation. Exposure is lower than that from treatments using 131 I-lipiodol. The lowest finger exposure is from glass microspheres. With resin microspheres finger exposure is acceptable but could be optimized in accordance with the ALARA principle, and especially in view of the increasing use of radioembolization. (orig.)

  18. Studies on pulsed optogalvanic effect in Eu/Ne hollow cathode discharge.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saini, V K; Kumar, P; Dixit, S K; Nakhe, S V

    2014-07-01

    The optogalvanic (OG) effect has been observed in a Eu/Ne hollow cathode discharge lamp using pulsed laser irradiation. An OG spectrum is recorded in dye laser wavelength region 574–602 nm using a boxcar-averager. In total 41 atomic lines are observed. Of these, 38 lines are assigned to neon transitions. Two lines observed corresponding to wavelengths 576.519 and 601.815 nm are assigned to europium transitions; (4f 7 6s 2 , S 8 7/2 →4f 7 6s6p , zP 6 7/2 ) and (4f 7 6s 2 , S 8 7/2 →4f 7 6s6p , zP 8 9/2 ), respectively, and the remaining line at 582.475 nm could not be assigned. The effect of the discharge current on europium as well as neon OG signals is also studied. At moderate discharge current values, an extra positive peak is observed in neon OG signal for the transition (1s 5 →2p 2 ) at 588.189 nm, which is explained by Penning-ionization process using the quasi-resonant energy transfer interactions between excited neon and europium atoms lying in 2p 2 and D 10 9/2 states, respectively.

  19. Polymerization of Alkylsilanes on ZIF-8 to Hierarchical Siloxane Microspheres and Microflowers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Yang

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available The use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs in the polymerization field remains comparatively rare up to now, let alone studies on the fabrication of polymer microstructures through a MOFs-catalyzed assembly process. Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8, a well-known MOF for its chemical and thermal stabilities, was used to induce a polymerization reaction of saturated alkylsilanes for the first time. The reaction temperature was found to be critical for morphology control of the polymerized ZIF-siloxane composites. The polymerization of alkylsilanes by ZIF-8 at room temperature resulted in siloxane microspheres while rose petal-like microstructures were obtained at higher temperature. The effects of the reaction time on the structures of the polymerization products were also investigated and the polymerization reaction process was proposed. This work expands the field of MOFs’ applications and develops a reasonable method for the multidimensional assembly of MOFs building blocks into required structures or platforms for designing new kinds of hierarchical morphologies, which to our knowledge has not been previously investigated.

  20. Pressure retarded osmosis dual-layer hollow fiber membranes developed by co-casting method and ammonium persulfate (APS) treatment

    KAUST Repository

    Fu, Fengjiang; Sun, Shipeng; Zhang, Sui; Chung, Neal Tai-Shung

    2014-01-01

    Delamination and low water permeability are two issues limiting the applications of dual-layer hollow fiber membranes in the pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) process. In this work, we first developed a universal co-casting method that is able to co-cast highly viscous dope solutions to form homogeneous dual-layer flat sheet membranes. By employing this method prior to the tedious dual-layer hollow fiber spinning process, both time and material consumptions are significantly saved. The addition of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is found to eliminate delamination at the sacrifice of water flux. A new post-treatment method that involves flowing ammonium persulfate (APS) solution and DI water counter-currently is potentially to remove the PVP molecules entrapped in the substrate while keeps the integrity of the interface. As the APS concentration increases, the water flux in the PRO process is increased while the salt leakage is slightly decreased. With the optimized APS concentration of 5wt%, the post-treated membrane shows a maximum power density of 5.10W/m2 at a hydraulic pressure of 15.0bar when 1M NaCl and 10mM NaCl were used as the draw and feed solutions, respectively. To the extent of our knowledge, this is the best phase inversion dual-layer hollow fiber membrane with an outer selective layer for osmotic power generation. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

  1. Pressure retarded osmosis dual-layer hollow fiber membranes developed by co-casting method and ammonium persulfate (APS) treatment

    KAUST Repository

    Fu, Fengjiang

    2014-11-01

    Delamination and low water permeability are two issues limiting the applications of dual-layer hollow fiber membranes in the pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) process. In this work, we first developed a universal co-casting method that is able to co-cast highly viscous dope solutions to form homogeneous dual-layer flat sheet membranes. By employing this method prior to the tedious dual-layer hollow fiber spinning process, both time and material consumptions are significantly saved. The addition of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is found to eliminate delamination at the sacrifice of water flux. A new post-treatment method that involves flowing ammonium persulfate (APS) solution and DI water counter-currently is potentially to remove the PVP molecules entrapped in the substrate while keeps the integrity of the interface. As the APS concentration increases, the water flux in the PRO process is increased while the salt leakage is slightly decreased. With the optimized APS concentration of 5wt%, the post-treated membrane shows a maximum power density of 5.10W/m2 at a hydraulic pressure of 15.0bar when 1M NaCl and 10mM NaCl were used as the draw and feed solutions, respectively. To the extent of our knowledge, this is the best phase inversion dual-layer hollow fiber membrane with an outer selective layer for osmotic power generation. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.

  2. Chitosan-graphene oxide films and CO2-dried porous aerogel microspheres: Interfacial interplay and stability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frindy, Sana; Primo, Ana; Ennajih, Hamid; El Kacem Qaiss, Abou; Bouhfid, Rachid; Lahcini, Mohamed; Essassi, El Mokhtar; Garcia, Hermenegildo; El Kadib, Abdelkrim

    2017-07-01

    The intimate interplay of chitosan (CS) and graphene oxide (GO) in aqueous acidic solution has been explored to design upon casting, nanostructured "brick-and-mortar" films (CS-GO-f) and by acidic-to-basic pH inversion, porous CO 2 -dried aerogel microspheres (CS-GO-m). Owing to the presence of oxygenated functional groups in GO, good-quality crack-free hybrid films were obtained. Mechanical properties were improved independently of the GO content and it was found that a 20wt% loading affords hybrid film characterized with a Young modulus three times superior to that reached with the same loading of layered clay. The presence of graphene oxide was found to be detrimental for the thermal stability of the polysaccharide at T <350°C, a fact attributed to the well-established decomposition of the oxygenated functional groups of the graphene sheets. Irrespective to the graphene oxide loading, chitosan-graphene oxide mixture preserves the gelation memory of the polysaccharide. Supercritical drying of the resulting soft hydrogels provides macroporous network with surface areas ranging from 226m 2 g -1 to 554m 2 g -1 . XPS and RAMAN analyses evidenced the selective reduction of GO sheets inside of these microspheres, affording the hitherto unknown macroporous chitosan-entangled-reduced graphene oxide (CS-rGO-m) aerogels. Improvement in both hydrothermal stability (under water reflux) and chemical stability (under acidic conditions) have been noticed for chitosan-graphene oxide microspheres with respect to non-modified chitosan and chitosan-clay bio-hybrids, a result rooted in the substantial hydrophobic character imparted by the addition of graphenic material to the polysaccharide skeleton. In essence, this contribution demonstrates that graphene oxide loading do not disturb neither the filmogenicity of chitosan nor its gelation ability and constitutes a promising route for novel chitosan-based functional hybrid materials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  3. Mobilization of microspheres from a fractured soil during intermittent infiltration events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohanty, Sanjay; Bulicek, Mark; Metge, David W.; Harvey, Ronald W.; Ryan, Joseph N.; Boehm, Alexandria B.

    2015-01-01

    Pathogens or biocolloids mobilized in the vadose zone may consequently contaminate groundwater. We found that microspheres were mobilized from a fractured soil during intermittent rainfall and the mobilization was greater when the microsphere size was larger and when the soil had greater water permeability.The vadose zone filters pathogenic microbes from infiltrating water and consequently protects the groundwater from possible contamination. In some cases, however, the deposited microbes may be mobilized during rainfall and migrate into the groundwater. We examined the mobilization of microspheres, surrogates for microbes, in an intact core of a fractured soil by intermittent simulated rainfall. Fluorescent polystyrene microspheres of two sizes (0.5 and 1.8 mm) and Br− were first applied to the core to deposit the microspheres, and then the core was subjected to three intermittent infiltration events to mobilize the deposited microspheres. Collecting effluent samples through a 19-port sampler at the base of the core, we found that water flowed through only five ports, and the flow rates varied among the ports by a factor of 12. These results suggest that flow paths leading to the ports had different permeabilities, partly due to macropores. Although 40 to 69% of injected microspheres were retained in the core during their application, 12 to 30% of the retained microspheres were mobilized during three intermittent infiltration events. The extent of microsphere mobilization was greater in flow paths with greater permeability, which indicates that macropores could enhance colloid mobilization during intermittent infiltration events. In all ports, the 1.8-mm microspheres were mobilized to a greater extent than the 0.5-mm microspheres, suggesting that larger colloids are more likely to mobilize. These results are useful in assessing the potential of pathogen mobilization and colloid-facilitated transport of contaminants in the subsurface under natural infiltration

  4. MICROSPHERE SIZE INFLUENCES THE FOREIGN BODY REACTION

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zandstra, J.; Hiemstra, C.; Petersen, A. H.; Zuidema, J.; van Beuge, M. M.; Rodriguez, S.; Lathuile, A. A. R.; Veldhuis, G. J.; Steendam, R.; Bank, R. A.; Popa, E. R.

    2014-01-01

    Biodegradable poly-(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres (MSP) are attractive candidate vehicles for site-specific or systemic sustained release of therapeutic compounds. This release may be altered by the host's foreign body reaction (FBR), which is dependent on the characteristics of the

  5. Preparation and characterization of SiO2 microspheres doped with CoFe2O4 nanocrystals

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Tyrpekl, V.; Poltierová Vejpravová, J.; Plocek, Jiří; Nižňanský, D.

    2010-01-01

    Roč. 28, č. 1 (2010), s. 129-137 ISSN 0137-1339 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA106/07/0949 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40320502 Keywords : sol-gel * microemulsion * cobalt ferrite * microspheres * nanocomposite Subject RIV: CA - Inorganic Chemistry Impact factor: 0.336, year: 2010

  6. Influence of two different template removal methods on the micromorphology, crystal structure, and photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Han; Jin, Tingting; Zheng, Xing; Jiang, Bo; Zhu, Chaosheng; Yuan, Xiangdong; Zheng, Jingtang; Wu, Mingbo

    2016-11-01

    Hollow cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanospheres of about 260 nm average diameters and about 30 nm shell thickness can be easily synthesized via a sonochemical process, in which polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles were employed as templates. In order to remove the PS templates, both etching and calcination were applied in this paper. The influence of the two different template removal methods on the surface micromorphology, crystal structure, and photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres was carefully performed a comparative study. Results of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, FT-IR, thermogravimetric analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller, diffused reflectance spectra, and decolorization experiments showed that the different template removal methods exhibited a significant influence on the surface micromorphology, crystal structure, and photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres. The CdS hollow nanospheres as-prepared by etching had pure cubic sphalerite structure, higher -OH content, less defects and exhibited good photocatalytic activity for rhodamine-B, Methylene Blue and methyl orange under UV-vis light irradiation. However, CdS hollow nanospheres obtained by calcination with a hexagonal crystal structure, less -OH content, more defects have shown worse photocatalytic activity. This indicated that surface micromorphology and crystalline phase were mainly factors influencing photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres.

  7. Development and Evaluation of Floating Microspheres of Curcumin ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To prepare and evaluate floating microspheres of curcumin for prolonged gastric residence time and increased drug bioavailability. Methods: Floating microsphere were prepared by emulsion solvent diffusion method, using hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), ethyl cellulose (EC), Eudragit S 100 polymer in ...

  8. Synthesis of pillar and microsphere-like magnesium oxide particles and their fluoride adsorption performance in aqueous solutions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Sang Gool; Ha, Jong-Wook; Sohn, Eun-Ho; Park, In Jun; Lee, Soo-Bok [Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-10-15

    We synthesized pillar and microsphere-like MgO particles and their fluoride removal performance. Samples of MgO were synthesized by calcination of precursors derived from MgCO{sub 3}·3H{sub 2}O and characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and N{sub 2} adsorption-desorption isotherms. The fluoride removal performance of the MgO samples was investigated in terms of adsorption kinetics and adsorption equilibrium. The effects of pH and the presence of other anions on the fluoride adsorption were also considered. The adsorption capacities of pillar and microsphere-like MgO particles were 151.51 and 166.66mg/g, respectively. The pH of the aqueous solutions did not significantly affect the fluoride adsorption at pH 9 or lower. Except for phosphate, the effect of co-existing anions on fluoride adsorption was not considerable. Fluoride removal occurred through the substitution of hydroxyl groups on the surface of MgO with fluorides.

  9. Microporous polymeric 3D scaffolds templated by the layer-by-layer self-assembly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paulraj, Thomas; Feoktistova, Natalia; Velk, Natalia; Uhlig, Katja; Duschl, Claus; Volodkin, Dmitry

    2014-08-01

    Polymeric scaffolds serve as valuable supports for biological cells since they offer essential features for guiding cellular organization and tissue development. The main challenges for scaffold fabrication are i) to tune an internal structure and ii) to load bio-molecules such as growth factors and control their local concentration and distribution. Here, a new approach for the design of hollow polymeric scaffolds using porous CaCO3 particles (cores) as templates is presented. The cores packed into a microfluidic channel are coated with polymers employing the layer-by-layer (LbL) technique. Subsequent core elimination at mild conditions results in formation of the scaffold composed of interconnected hollow polymer microspheres. The size of the cores determines the feature dimensions and, as a consequence, governs cellular adhesion: for 3T3 fibroblasts an optimal microsphere size is 12 μm. By making use of the carrier properties of the porous CaCO3 cores, the microspheres are loaded with BSA as a model protein. The scaffolds developed here may also be well suited for the localized release of bio-molecules using external triggers such as IR-light. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Polydimethylsiloxane microspheres with poly(methyl methacrylate) coating: Modelling, preparation, and characterization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ma, Baoguang; Hansen, Jens Henrik; Hvilsted, Søren

    2015-01-01

    functional PDMS microspheres were coated with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) by spin coating with different concentrations of PMMA solutions. The quality of the resulting PMMA shell is investigated using rheological measurements at 50 8C with a timesweep procedure. The results strongly suggest that PMMA-coated...... PDMS microspheres react around 20 times slower than the uncoated ones, and that the PMMA shell significantly hinders the reaction between the PDMS microsphere and cross-linker. Thus the thin PMMA shells are very efficient in protecting the reactive PDMS microspheres, since the PMMA shell forms...

  11. Complex Hollow Nanostructures: Synthesis and Energy-Related Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Le; Hu, Han; Wu, Hao Bin; Lou, Xiong Wen David

    2017-04-01

    Hollow nanostructures offer promising potential for advanced energy storage and conversion applications. In the past decade, considerable research efforts have been devoted to the design and synthesis of hollow nanostructures with high complexity by manipulating their geometric morphology, chemical composition, and building block and interior architecture to boost their electrochemical performance, fulfilling the increasing global demand for renewable and sustainable energy sources. In this Review, we present a comprehensive overview of the synthesis and energy-related applications of complex hollow nanostructures. After a brief classification, the design and synthesis of complex hollow nanostructures are described in detail, which include hierarchical hollow spheres, hierarchical tubular structures, hollow polyhedra, and multi-shelled hollow structures, as well as their hybrids with nanocarbon materials. Thereafter, we discuss their niche applications as electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries and hybrid supercapacitors, sulfur hosts for lithium-sulfur batteries, and electrocatalysts for oxygen- and hydrogen-involving energy conversion reactions. The potential superiorities of complex hollow nanostructures for these applications are particularly highlighted. Finally, we conclude this Review with urgent challenges and further research directions of complex hollow nanostructures for energy-related applications. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Effect of internal pressure and gas/liquid interface area on the CO mass transfer coefficient using hollow fibre membranes as a high mass transfer gas diffusing system for microbial syngas fermentation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yasin, Muhammad; Park, Shinyoung; Jeong, Yeseul; Lee, Eun Yeol; Lee, Jinwon; Chang, In Seop

    2014-10-01

    This study proposed a submerged hollow fibre membrane bioreactor (HFMBR) system capable of achieving high carbon monoxide (CO) mass transfer for applications in microbial synthesis gas conversion systems. Hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane fibres were used to fabricate a membrane module, which was used for pressurising CO in water phase. Pressure through the hollow fibre lumen (P) and membrane surface area per unit working volume of the liquid (A(S)/V(L)) were used as controllable parameters to determine gas-liquid volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k(L)a) values. We found a k(L)a of 135.72 h(-1) when P was 93.76 kPa and AS/VL was fixed at 27.5m(-1). A higher k(L)a of 155.16 h(-1) was achieved by increasing AS/VL to 62.5m(-1) at a lower P of 37.23 kPa. Practicality of HFMBR to support microbial growth and organic product formation was assessed by CO/CO2 fermentation using Eubacterium limosum KIST612. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A hollow-waveguide gas correlation radiometer for ultra-precise column measurements of formaldehyde on Mars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilson, Emily L; Riris, Haris; Heaps, William S; Neveu, Marc; Georgieva, Elena M

    2011-01-01

    We present preliminary results in the development of a miniaturized gas correlation radiometer that implements a hollow-core optical fiber (hollow-waveguide) gas correlation cell. The substantial reduction in mass and volume of the gas correlation cell makes this technology appropriate for an orbital mission—capable of pinpointing sources of trace gases in the Martian atmosphere. Here, we demonstrate a formaldehyde (H 2 CO) sensor and report a detection limit equivalent to ∼30 ppb in the Martian atmosphere. The relative simplicity of the technique allows it to be expanded to measure a range of atmospheric trace gases of interest on Mars such as methane (CH 4 ), water vapor (H 2 O), deuterated water vapor (HDO), and methanol (CH 3 OH). Performance of a formaldehyde instrument in a Mars orbit has been simulated assuming a 3 m long, 1000 µm inner diameter hollow-core fiber gas correlation cell, a 92.8° sun-synchronous orbit from 400 km with a horizontal sampling scale of 10 km × 10 km. Initial results indicate that for 1 s of averaging, a detection limit of 1 ppb is possible

  14. Fe-N co-doped SiO2@TiO2 yolk-shell hollow nanospheres with enhanced visible light photocatalytic degradation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wan, Hengcheng; Yao, Weitang; Zhu, Wenkun; Tang, Yi; Ge, Huilin; Shi, Xiaozhong; Duan, Tao

    2018-06-01

    SiO2@TiO2 yolk@shell hollow nanospheres (STNSs) is considered as an outstanding photocatalyst due to its tunable structure and composition. Based on this point, we present an unprecedentedly excellent photocatalytic property of STNSs toward tannic acid via a Fe-N co-doped strategy. Their morphologies, compositions, structure and properties are characterized. The Fe-N co-doped STNSs formed good hollow yolk@shell structure. The results show that the energy gap of the composites can be downgraded to 2.82 eV (pure TiO2 = 3.2 eV). Photocatalytic degradation of tannic acid (TA, 30 mg L-1) under visible light (380 nm TiO2 nanospheres, non-doped STNSs and N-doped STNSs, the Fe-N co-doped STNSs exhibits the highest activity, which can degrade 99.5% TA into CO2 and H2O in 80 min. The probable degradation mechanism of the composites is simultaneously proposed, the band gap of STNSs becomes narrow by co-doping Fe-N, so that the TiO2 shell can stimulate electrons under visible light exposure, generate the ions of radOH and radO2- with a strong oxidizing property. Therefore this approach works is much desired for radioactive organic wastewater photocatalytic degradation.

  15. Bone morphogenetic protein-2 loaded poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide microspheres enhance osteogenic potential of gelatin/hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate cryogel composite for alveolar ridge augmentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hao-Chieh Chang

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Background/Purpose: Sufficient bony support is essential to ensure the success of dental implant osseointegration. However, the reconstruction of vertical ridge deficiencies is still a major challenge for dental implants. This study introduced a novel treatment strategy by infusing poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA microspheres encapsulating bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2 within a gelatin/hydroxyapatite/β-tricalcium phosphate (gelatin/HA/β-TCP cryogel composite to facilitate supra-alveolar ridge augmentation. Methods: The gelatin scaffold was crosslinked using cryogel technique, and HA/β-TCP particles were mechanically entrapped to form the gelatin/HA/β-TCP composite. Co-axial electrohydrodynamic atomization technology was used to fabricate PLGA microspheres encapsulating BMP-2. The composites of gelatin/HA/β-TCP alone, with infusion of BMP-2 solution (BMPi or microspheres (BMPm, were fixed on rat mandibles using a titanium mini-implant for 4 weeks, and the therapeutic efficiency was evaluated by micro-computed tomography, bone fluorochrome, and histology. Results: The gelatin/HA/β-TCP composite was homogenously porous, and BMP-2 was sustained release from the microspheres without initial burst release. Ridge augmentation was noted in all specimens treated with the gelatin/HA/β-TCP composite, and greater bone deposition ratio were noted in Groups BMPi and BMPm. Compared with Group BMPi, specimens in Group BMPm showed significantly greater early osteogenesis and evident osseointegration in the supra-alveolar level. Conclusion: BMP-2 loaded PLGA microspheres effectively promoted osteogenic potential of the gelatin/HA/β-TCP composite and facilitated supra-alveolar ridge augmentation in vivo. Keywords: bone morphogenetic protein-2, bone regeneration, dental implant, tissue engineering, tissue scaffolds

  16. Effect of poly and mono-unsaturated fatty acids on stability and structure of recombinant S100A8/A9.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asghari, Hamideh; Chegini, Koorosh Goodarzvand; Amini, Abbas; Gheibi, Nematollah

    2016-03-01

    Recombinant pET 15b vectors containing the coding sequences S100A8 and S100A9 are expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and purified using Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The structural changes of S100A8/A9 complex are analyzed upon interaction with poly/mono-unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs). The thermodynamic values, Gibbs free energy and the protein melting point, are obtained through thermal denaturation of protein both with and without UFAs by thermal scanning of protein emission using the fluorescence spectroscopy technique. The far-ultraviolet circular dichroism spectra show that all studied unsaturated fatty acids, including arachidonic, linoleic, alpha-linolenic and oleic acids, induce changes in the secondary structure of S100A8/A9 by reducing the α-helix and β-sheet structures. The tertiary structure of S100A8/A9 has fluctuations in the fluorescence emission spectra after the incubation of protein with UFAs. The blue-shift of emission maximum wavelength and the increase in fluorescence intensity of anilino naphthalene-8-sulfonic acid confirm that the partial unfolding is caused by the conformational changes in the tertiary structure in the presence of UFAs. The structural changes in S100A8/A9 and its lower stability in the presence of UFAs may be necessary for S100A8/A9 to play a biological role in the inflammatory milieu. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Regulation of S100A8/A9 (calprotectin) binding to tumor cells by zinc ion and its implication for apoptosis-inducing activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakatani, Yuichi; Yamazaki, Masatoshi; Chazin, Walter J; Yui, Satoru

    2005-10-24

    S100A8/A9 (calprotectin), which is released by neutrophils under inflammatory conditions, has the capacity to induce apoptosis in various cells. We previously reported that S100A8/A9 induces apoptosis of EL-4 lymphoma cells via the uptake of extracellular zinc in a manner similar to DTPA, a membrane-impermeable zinc chelator. In this study, S100A8/A9-induced apoptosis was examined in several cell lines that are weakly sensitive to DTPA, suggesting S100A8/A9 is directly responsible for apoptosis in these cells. Since zinc inhibits apoptosis of MM46, one of these cells, the regulation by zinc of the capacity of S100A8/A9 to bind MM46 cells was studied. When MM46 cells were incubated with S100A8/A9 in standard or zinc-depleted medium, the amounts of S100A8/A9 bound to cells was markedly lower at 3 h than at 1 h. In contrast, when MM46 cells were incubated with S100A8/A9 in the presence of high levels of zinc, binding to cells was the same at 1 and 3 h. When the cells were permeabilized with saponin prior to analysis, a larger amount of cell-associated S100A8/A9 was detected at 3 h. The amount was further increased in cells treated with chloroquine, suggesting that S100A8/A9 was internalized and degraded in lysosomes. Although it has been reported that S100A8/A9 binds to heparan sulfate on cell membranes, the amount of S100A8/A9 bound to MM46 cells was not reduced by heparinase treatment, but was reduced by trypsin treatment. These results suggest that S100A8/A9 induces apoptosis by direct binding to MM46 cells, and that this activity is regulated by zinc.

  18. Influence of two different template removal methods on the micromorphology, crystal structure, and photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Han; Jin, Tingting; Zheng, Xing; Jiang, Bo; Zhu, Chaosheng; Yuan, Xiangdong; Zheng, Jingtang; Wu, Mingbo

    2016-01-01

    Hollow cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanospheres of about 260 nm average diameters and about 30 nm shell thickness can be easily synthesized via a sonochemical process, in which polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles were employed as templates. In order to remove the PS templates, both etching and calcination were applied in this paper. The influence of the two different template removal methods on the surface micromorphology, crystal structure, and photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres was carefully performed a comparative study. Results of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, FT-IR, thermogravimetric analysis, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, diffused reflectance spectra, and decolorization experiments showed that the different template removal methods exhibited a significant influence on the surface micromorphology, crystal structure, and photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres. The CdS hollow nanospheres as-prepared by etching had pure cubic sphalerite structure, higher –OH content, less defects and exhibited good photocatalytic activity for rhodamine-B, Methylene Blue and methyl orange under UV–vis light irradiation. However, CdS hollow nanospheres obtained by calcination with a hexagonal crystal structure, less –OH content, more defects have shown worse photocatalytic activity. This indicated that surface micromorphology and crystalline phase were mainly factors influencing photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres.

  19. Influence of two different template removal methods on the micromorphology, crystal structure, and photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Han; Jin, Tingting [China University of Petroleum, State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing (China); Zheng, Xing, E-mail: znhk113@163.com [Beijing ZNHK Science and Technology Development Co., Ltd. (China); Jiang, Bo; Zhu, Chaosheng [China University of Petroleum, State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing (China); Yuan, Xiangdong [Baotou Light Industry and Vocational Technical College (China); Zheng, Jingtang, E-mail: jtzheng03@163.com; Wu, Mingbo [China University of Petroleum, State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing (China)

    2016-11-15

    Hollow cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanospheres of about 260 nm average diameters and about 30 nm shell thickness can be easily synthesized via a sonochemical process, in which polystyrene (PS) nanoparticles were employed as templates. In order to remove the PS templates, both etching and calcination were applied in this paper. The influence of the two different template removal methods on the surface micromorphology, crystal structure, and photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres was carefully performed a comparative study. Results of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray, FT-IR, thermogravimetric analysis, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, diffused reflectance spectra, and decolorization experiments showed that the different template removal methods exhibited a significant influence on the surface micromorphology, crystal structure, and photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres. The CdS hollow nanospheres as-prepared by etching had pure cubic sphalerite structure, higher –OH content, less defects and exhibited good photocatalytic activity for rhodamine-B, Methylene Blue and methyl orange under UV–vis light irradiation. However, CdS hollow nanospheres obtained by calcination with a hexagonal crystal structure, less –OH content, more defects have shown worse photocatalytic activity. This indicated that surface micromorphology and crystalline phase were mainly factors influencing photocatalytic activity of hollow CdS nanospheres.

  20. Hierarchical Graphene-Encapsulated Hollow SnO2@SnS2 Nanostructures with Enhanced Lithium Storage Capability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Wangwang; Xie, Zhiqiang; Cui, Xiaodan; Zhao, Kangning; Zhang, Lei; Dietrich, Grant; Dooley, Kerry M; Wang, Ying

    2015-10-14

    Complex hierarchical structures have received tremendous attention due to their superior properties over their constitute components. In this study, hierarchical graphene-encapsulated hollow SnO2@SnS2 nanostructures are successfully prepared by in situ sulfuration on the backbones of hollow SnO2 spheres via a simple hydrothermal method followed by a solvothermal surface modification. The as-prepared hierarchical SnO2@SnS2@rGO nanocomposite can be used as anode material in lithium ion batteries, exhibiting excellent cyclability with a capacity of 583 mAh/g after 100 electrochemical cycles at a specific current of 200 mA/g. This material shows a very low capacity fading of only 0.273% per cycle from the second to the 100th cycle, lower than the capacity degradation of bare SnO2 hollow spheres (0.830%) and single SnS2 nanosheets (0.393%). Even after being cycled at a range of specific currents varied from 100 mA/g to 2000 mA/g, hierarchical SnO2@SnS2@rGO nanocomposites maintain a reversible capacity of 664 mAh/g, which is much higher than single SnS2 nanosheets (374 mAh/g) and bare SnO2 hollow spheres (177 mAh/g). Such significantly improved electrochemical performance can be attributed to the unique hierarchical hollow structure, which not only effectively alleviates the stress resulting from the lithiation/delithiation process and maintaining structural stability during cycling but also reduces aggregation and facilitates ion transport. This work thus demonstrates the great potential of hierarchical SnO2@SnS2@rGO nanocomposites for applications as a high-performance anode material in next-generation lithium ion battery technology.

  1. Investigation of emulsified, acid and acid-alkali catalyzed mesoporous bioactive glass microspheres for bone regeneration and drug delivery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miao, Guohou [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 China (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 China (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 China (China); Chen, Xiaofeng, E-mail: chenxf@scut.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 China (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 China (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 China (China); Dong, Hua [National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 China (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 China (China); School of Biological Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 (China); Fang, Liming; Mao, Cong; Li, Yuli; Li, Zhengmao; Hu, Qing [School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510641 China (China); National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, Guangzhou 510006 China (China); Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 China (China)

    2013-10-15

    Acid-catalyzed mesoporous bioactive glass microspheres (MBGMs-A) and acid-alkali co-catalyzed mesoporous bioactive glass microspheres (MBGMs-B) were successfully synthesized via combination of sol-gel and water-in-oil (W/O) micro-emulsion methods. The structural, morphological and textural properties of mesoporous bioactive glass microspheres (MBGMs) were characterized by various techniques. Results show that both MBGMs-A and MBGMs-B exhibit regularly spherical shape but with different internal porous structures, i.e., a dense microstructure for MBGMs-A and internally porous structure for MBGMs-B. {sup 29}Si NMR data reveal that MGBMs have low polymerization degree of silica network. The in vitro bioactivity tests indicate that the apatite formation rate of MBGMs-B was faster than that of MBGMs-A after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution. Furthermore, the two kinds of MBGMs have similar storage capacity of alendronate (AL), and the release behaviors of AL could be controlled due to their unique porous structure. In conclusion, the microspheres are shown to be promising candidates as bone-related drug carriers and filling materials of composite scaffold for bone repair. - Graphical abstract: The morphologies and microstructures of acid-catalyzed mesoporous bioactive glass microspheres (MBGMs-A) and acid-alkali co-catalyzed mesoporous bioactive glass microspheres (MBGMs-B) were observed by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope. MBGMs-A exhibits a dense structure and a porous can be observed in MBGMs-B. The microspheres have a quick inducing-apatite formation ability and show a sustained release of alendronate (AL). Highlights: • A rapid method was reported to prepare mesoporous bioactive glass microspheres. • The addition of ammonia significantly shortens the preparation time. • Acid and acid-alkali co-catalyzed microspheres were studied for the first time. • The materials exhibited excellent in vitro bioactivity and

  2. Synthesis and characterization of Supeparamagnetics Microspheres (PMMA via suspension polymerization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Emilio Feuser

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Magnetics nanoparticles (NPMs has found many applications in biomedical and technological areas. The objective of this work is the preparation and characterization of PMMA microspheres containing NPMs coated with oleic acid (NPMs-AO. For the preparation of MNPs-AO was used the coprecipitation method in an aqueous medium. For the preparation of the superparamagnetic microspheres used in suspension polymerization technique. The microspheres showed a size distribution particles of approximately 150um and a spherical morphology. From the analysis of gel permeation chromatography (GPC determined the number average molecular weight (Mw of the magnetics microspheres and there was a variation in the Mw depending on the concentration of MNPs-AO in this reaction. To analyze the magnetic properties used the vibrating sample magnetometer (MAV. The microspheres showed superparamagnetic properties and a value of saturation magnetization (Ms of about 8 emu/g MNPs. Therefore you can conclude that it is possible to obtain superparamagnetics microspheres for a particular application, either, biomedical or technological.

  3. Thulium fiber laser induced vapor bubbles using bare, tapered, ball, hollow steel, and muzzle brake fiber optic tips

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez, David A.; Hardy, Luke A.; Hutchens, Thomas C.; Irby, Pierce B.; Fried, Nathaniel M.

    2018-02-01

    This study characterizes laser-induced vapor bubbles for five distal fiber optic tip configurations, to provide insight into stone retropulsion experienced during laser ablation of kidney stones. A TFL with 1908-nm wavelength delivered 34 mJ energy per pulse at 500-μs pulse duration through five different fibers: 100-μm-core/170-μm-OD bare fiber tip, 150-μm- to 300-μm-core tapered fiber tip, 100-μm-core/300-μm-OD ball tip fiber, 100-μm-core/340- μm-OD hollow steel tip fiber, and 100-μm-core/560-μm-OD muzzle brake fiber tip. A high speed camera with 10- μm spatial and 9.5-μs temporal resolution imaged vapor bubble dynamics. A needle hydrophone measured pressure transients in forward (0°) and side (90°) directions while placed at a 6.8 +/- 0.4 mm distance from fiber tip. Maximum bubble dimensions (width/length) averaged 0.7/1.5, 1.0/1.6, 0.5/1.1, 0.8/1.9, and 0.7/1.5 mm, for bare, tapered, ball, hollow steel, and muzzle tips, respectively (n=5). The hollow steel tip exhibited the most elongated vapor bubble shape, translating into increased forward pressure in this study and consistent with higher stone retropulsion in previous reports. Relative pressures (a.u.) in (forward/side) directions averaged 1.7/1.6, 2.0/2.0, 1.4/1.2, 6.8/1.1, and 0.3/1.2, for each fiber tip (n=5). For hollow steel tip, forward pressure was 4× higher than for bare fiber. For the muzzle brake fiber tip, forward pressure was 5× lower than for bare fiber. Bubble dimensions and pressure measurements demonstrated that the muzzle tip reduced forward pressure by partially venting vapors through side holes, consistent with lower stone retropulsion observed in previous reports.

  4. Investigation of the strontium (Sr(II)) adsorption of an alginate microsphere as a low-cost adsorbent for removal and recovery from seawater.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Hye-Jin; Ryu, Jungho; Park, In-Su; Ryu, Taegong; Chung, Kang-Sup; Kim, Byuong-Gyu

    2016-01-01

    In this paper, we investigated alginate microspheres as a low-cost adsorbent for strontium (Sr(II)) removal and recovery from seawater. Alginate microspheres have demonstrated a superior adsorption capacity for Sr(II) ions (≈110 mg/g). A Freundlich isotherm model fits well with the Sr(II) adsorption of an alginate microsphere. The mechanism of Sr(II) adsorption is inferred as an ion exchange reaction with Ca(II) ions. The effects of the solution pH and co-existing ions in seawater are also investigated. Except for a pH of 1-2, Sr(II) adsorption capacity is not affected by pH. However, increasing the seawater concentration of metal cations seriously decreases Sr(II) uptake. In particular, highly concentrated (15,000 mg/L) Na(I) ions significantly interfere with Sr(II) adsorption. Sr(II) desorption was performed using 0.1 M HCl and CaCl2. Both regenerants show an excellent desorption efficiency, but the FTIR spectrum reveals that the chemical structure of the microsphere is destroyed after repeated use of HCl. Conversely, CaCl2 successfully desorbed Sr(II) without damage, and the Sr(II) adsorption capacity does not decrease after three repeated uses. The alginate microsphere was also applied to the adsorption of Sr(II) in a real seawater medium. Because of inhibition by co-existing ions, the Sr(II) adsorption capacity was decreased and the adsorption rate was retarded compared with D.I. water. Although the Sr(II) adsorption capacity was decreased, the alginate microsphere still exhibited 17.8 mg/g of Sr(II) uptake in the seawater medium. Considering its excellent Sr(II) uptake in seawater and its reusability, an alginate microsphere is an appropriate cost-effective adsorbent for the removal and recovery of Sr(II) from seawater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. A novel approach to preparing magnetic protein microspheres with core-shell structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jiang Wei, E-mail: climentjw@126.co [National Special Superfine Powder Engineering Research Center, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Sun Zhendong; Li Fengsheng [National Special Superfine Powder Engineering Research Center, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Chen Kai; Liu Tianyu; Liu Jialing [Department of Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Zhou Tianle [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China); Guo Rui [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094 (China)

    2011-03-15

    Magnetic protein microspheres with core-shell structure were prepared through a novel approach based on the sonochemical method and the emulsion solvent evaporation method. The microspheres are composed of the oleic acid and undecylenic acid modified Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} cores and coated with globular bovine serum albumin (BSA). Under an optimized condition, up to 57.8 wt% of approximately 10 nm superparamagnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles could be uniformly encapsulated into the BSA microspheres with the diameter of approximately 160 nm and the high saturation magnetization of 38.5 emu/g, besides of the abundant functional groups. The possible formation mechanism of magnetic microspheres was discussed in detail. - Research Highlights: Magnetic protein microspheres with core-shell structure were prepared through a novel approach based on the sonochemical method and the emulsion solvent evaporation method. The microspheres are composed of the oleic acid and undecylenic acid modified Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} cores and coated with globular bovine serum albumin (BSA). 57.8 wt% of approximately 10 nm superparamagnetic Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles could be uniformly encapsulated into the BSA microspheres with the diameter of approximately 160 nm and the high saturation magnetization of 38.5 emu/g, besides the abundant functional groups.

  6. A novel approach to preparing magnetic protein microspheres with core-shell structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang Wei; Sun Zhendong; Li Fengsheng; Chen Kai; Liu Tianyu; Liu Jialing; Zhou Tianle; Guo Rui

    2011-01-01

    Magnetic protein microspheres with core-shell structure were prepared through a novel approach based on the sonochemical method and the emulsion solvent evaporation method. The microspheres are composed of the oleic acid and undecylenic acid modified Fe 3 O 4 cores and coated with globular bovine serum albumin (BSA). Under an optimized condition, up to 57.8 wt% of approximately 10 nm superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles could be uniformly encapsulated into the BSA microspheres with the diameter of approximately 160 nm and the high saturation magnetization of 38.5 emu/g, besides of the abundant functional groups. The possible formation mechanism of magnetic microspheres was discussed in detail. - Research Highlights: → Magnetic protein microspheres with core-shell structure were prepared through a novel approach based on the sonochemical method and the emulsion solvent evaporation method.→ The microspheres are composed of the oleic acid and undecylenic acid modified Fe 3 O 4 cores and coated with globular bovine serum albumin (BSA).→ 57.8 wt% of approximately 10 nm superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles could be uniformly encapsulated into the BSA microspheres with the diameter of approximately 160 nm and the high saturation magnetization of 38.5 emu/g, besides the abundant functional groups.

  7. Fabrication of hollow-sphere films of wurtzite CuInS{sub 2} on copper substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lei, Shuijin, E-mail: shjlei@ncu.edu.cn [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China); Wang, Chunying [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China); Huang, Qiang [School of Electromechanical Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China); Liu, Lei; Ge, Yang; Tang, Qingliu; Cheng, Baochang; Xiao, Yanhe; Zhou, Lang [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330031 (China)

    2013-12-16

    As important semiconductors, I–III–VI{sub 2} compounds have attracted wide attention, among which the wurtzite structured CuInS{sub 2} has been the research focus due to its metastable phase. In this paper, the wurtzite CuInS{sub 2} hollow-sphere films have been successfully prepared on copper substrate in a self-designed solvothermal detached system. The films of Cu(OH){sub 2} one-dimensional nanostructure arrays and thioacetamide were used as the precursors and triethylene glycol was used as the solvent. Experiments showed that the amount of indium trichloride played a determinative role in the final morphology of the products. Meanwhile, the one-dimensional nanostructure arrays and the detached solvothermal system have great influences on the crystal shape as well. Based on the experimental results, a possible formation mechanism for the CuInS{sub 2} hollow spheres was also proposed. The UV–Vis absorption spectrum showed a broad absorption over the entire visible light and extending into the near-infrared region and presented the band gap of 1.53 eV for the as-prepared wurtzite CuInS{sub 2}, which indicates the potential applications in solar cells. - Highlights: • A self-designed detached system along with solvothermal treatment was developed. • Wurtzite CuInS{sub 2} hollow-sphere films were successfully fabricated on Cu substrate. • The detached system and InCl{sub 3} usage were crucial for the hollow spheres. • The broadband absorption and 1.53 eV band-gap indicates its potentials in PV.

  8. Magnetic hydrophilic poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate) microspheres for DNA isolation from faeces

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Trachtová, Š.; Obermajer, T.; Španová, A.; Matijašić, B. B.; Rogelj, I.; Horák, Daniel; Rittich, B.

    2012-01-01

    Roč. 555, č. 1 (2012), s. 263-270 ISSN 1542-1406. [International Conference on Frontiers of Polymers and Advanced Materials /11./. Pretoria, 22.05.2011-27.05.2011] R&D Projects: GA MŠk 2B06053 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : DNA isolation * magnetic microspheres * mouse faeces Subject RIV: EE - Microbiology, Virology Impact factor: 0.530, year: 2012

  9. Fabrication of polymeric hollow nanospheres, hollow nanocubes and hollow plates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Daming; Xia, Haibing; Chan, Hardy Sze On

    2006-03-01

    A facile strategy for fabricating polypyrrole-chitosan (PPy-CS) hollow nanostructures with different shapes (sphere, cube and plate) and a wide range of sizes (from 35 to 600 nm) is described. These hollow structures have been fabricated using silver bromide as a single template material for polymer nucleation and growth. PPy-CS hollow nanostructures are formed by reaction with an etching agent to remove the core. These hollow nanostructures have been extensively characterized using various techniques such as TEM, FT-IR, UV-vis, and XRD.

  10. Poly (pyrrole-co-aniline) hollow nanosphere supported Pd nanoflowers as high-performance catalyst for methanol electrooxidation in alkaline media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fard, Leyla Abolghasemi; Ojani, Reza; Raoof, Jahan Bakhsh; Zare, Ehsan Nazarzadeh; Lakouraj, Moslem Mansour

    2017-01-01

    In this work, first poly (pyrrole-co-aniline) (PPCA) hollow nanosphere (HN) as a catalyst support material is fabricated through in-situ emulsion polymerization. Then we reported a one-step and template-free approach to fabricate Pd NFs on a PPCA HN coated glassy carbon electrode by a facile electrochemical approach. Several techniques such as FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), SEM (scanning electron microscopy) and EDS (energy dispersive spectroscopy) were utilized for the characterization of the synthesized materials. The catalytic performance of Pd NFs/PPCA HN catalyst is evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy toward methanol oxidation as a model reaction in alkaline media. The comparison of specific activities for Pd NFs/PPCA HN (1.79 mA cm"−"2), Pd NFs/PPy (1.28 mA cm"−"2), Pd NFs/PANI (0.93 mA cm"−"2) and Pd NFs (0.78 mA cm"−"2) shows that the PPCA supported Pd NFs with high surface area exhibits the excellent electrocatalytic activity than other electrodes for the electro-oxidation reaction in alkaline media. This might be due to the easier charge transfer at conductive copolymer interfaces, higher electrochemically accessible surface areas and electronic conductivity. This strategy provides a promising platform for direct methanol fuel cells. - Highlights: • Pd nanoflowers supported on poly (pyrrole-co-aniline) hollow nanosphere is prepared by a facile electrochemical approach. • The as-prepared nanocatalyst displays the enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability for methanol oxidation. • The high performance is attributed to facile electron transfer on poly (pyrrole-co-aniline) hollow nanosphere substrate.

  11. Nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon hollow spheres derived from polypyrrole for high-performance supercapacitor electrodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Bingjie; Li, Peipei; Liu, Yan; Lin, Shanshan; Gao, Bifen; Lin, Bizhou

    2018-04-01

    Nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon hollow spheres (NPCHSs) have been prepared by a carbonization and subsequent chemical activation route using dehydrated polypyrrole hollow spheres as the precursor and KOH as the activating agent. NPCHSs are interconnected into a unique 3D porous network, which endows the as-prepared carbon to exhibit a large specific surface area of 1155 m2 g-1 and a high specific capacitance of 232 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1. The as-obtained NPCHSs present a high-level heteroatom doping with N, O and P contents of 11.4, 6.7 and 3.5 wt%, respectively. The capacitance of NPCHSs has been retained at 89.1% after 5000 charge-discharge cycles at a relatively high current density of 5 A g-1. Such excellent performance suggests that NPCHSs are attractive electrode candidates for electrical double layer capacitors.

  12. Characteristics of 1.9-μm laser emission from hydrogen-filled hollow-core fiber by vibrational stimulated Raman scattering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Bo; Chen, Yubin; Wang, Zefeng

    2016-12-01

    We report here the characteristics of 1.9-μm laser emission from a gas-filled hollow-core fiber by stimulated Raman scattering (SRS). A 6.5-m hydrogen-filled ice-cream negative curvature hollow-core fiber is pumped with a high peak-power, narrow linewidth, linearly polarized subnanosecond pulsed 1064-nm microchip laser, generating a pulsed vibrational Stokes wave at 1908.5 nm. The maximum quantum efficiency of about 48% is obtained, which is mainly limited by the mode mismatch between the pump laser beam and the Stokes wave in the hollow-core fiber. The linewidths of the pump laser and the first-order vibrational Stokes wave are measured to be about 1 and 2 GHz, respectively, by a scanning Fabry-Perot interferometer. The pressure selection phenomenon of the vibrational anti-Stokes waves is also investigated. The pulse duration of the vibrational Stokes wave is recorded to be narrower than that of the pump laser. The polarization properties of the hollow-core fiber and the polarization dependence of the vibrational and the rotational SRS are also studied. The beam profile of the vibrational Stokes wave shows good quality.

  13. Soft-template-synthesis of hollow CuO/Co3O4 composites for pseudo-capacitive electrode: A synergetic effect on electrochemical performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kuaibing; Lv, Bo; Wu, Hua; Luo, Xuefei; Xu, Jiangyan; Geng, Zhirong

    2016-12-01

    Hollow CuO/Co3O4 hybrids, which inherited from its coordination polymer precursor consisting of sheets layer and nanoparticles layer composites, were synthesized and characterized by SEM, EDX, XRD and XPS. To assess its electrochemical capacitive performances, cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charging-discharging measurements and A.C. impedance tests were performed successively. The CuO/Co3O4 hybrids had higher capacitance and lower charge transfer resistance than bare Co3O4 nanostructures, revealing that it provided a protection layer and produced a synergistic effect due to the existence of CuO layer. The distinct synergistic effect could be further confirmed by endurance cycling tests. The capacitance of the CuO/Co3O4 hybrids was 111% retained after 500 cycles at a charging rate of 1.0 A g-1 and remained an intense growth trend after 2000 cycles at scan rate of 200 mV s-1.

  14. Porous Hollow Superlattice NiMn2O4/NiCo2O4 Mesocrystals as a Highly Reversible Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lingjun Li

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available As a promising high-capacity anode material for Li-ion batteries, NiMn2O4 always suffers from the poor intrinsic conductivity and the architectural collapse originating from the volume expansion during cycle. Herein, a combined structure and architecture modulation is proposed to tackle concurrently the two handicaps, via a facile and well-controlled solvothermal approach to synthesize NiMn2O4/NiCo2O4 mesocrystals with superlattice structure and hollow multi-porous architecture. It is demonstrated that the obtained NiCo1.5Mn0.5O4 sample is made up of a new mixed-phase NiMn2O4/NiCo2O4 compound system, with a high charge capacity of 532.2 mAh g−1 with 90.4% capacity retention after 100 cycles at a current density of 1 A g−1. The enhanced electrochemical performance can be attributed to the synergistic effects of the superlattice structure and the hollow multi-porous architecture of the NiMn2O4/NiCo2O4 compound. The superlattice structure can improve ionic conductivity to enhance charge transport kinetics of the bulk material, while the hollow multi-porous architecture can provide enough void spaces to alleviate the architectural change during cycling, and shorten the lithium ions diffusion and electron-transportation distances.

  15. Natural Rosin-based Phosphate Diester Surfactant Assisted One-step Synthesis of 3D Flowerlikeβ-Ni(OH)2/γ-Ni(OH)2 Composite Nano-microspheres

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    BoShi Wu; Juan Li; ChunRui Han; Feng Xu

    2018-01-01

    Self-assembled uniform 3Dflowerlikeβ-Ni(OH)2/g-Ni(OH)2composite nano-microspheres with hollow interiors were successfully synthesized via a facile aqueous-ethanol mixed solvothermal method, using nickel sulfate as a precursor, urea as a precipitant, and dehydroabietic based phosphate diester sodium (DDPDS) as a surfactant. The prepared 3D flowerlikeβ-Ni(OH)2/g-Ni(OH)2composite nano-microspheres were tested as supercapacitors in a two-electrode cell with 6 mol/L KOH electrolyte. In addition, the influence of DDPDS concentration on the morphology and size of 3Dflowerlikeβ-Ni(OH)2/g-Ni(OH)2composite nano-microspheres was studied at 180℃. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), BET(Brunauer, Emmett and Teller)techniques, and equity default swap (EDS) were used to characterize the structure, morphology, and size of the as-prepared samples. Moreover, a possible formation mechanism of the 3Dflowerlikeβ-Ni(OH)2/g-Ni(OH)2composite nano-microspheres was proposed based on the effects of DDPDS concentrationand reaction time. The surfactant micelles were used as soft templates to induce the self-assembly of nanosheets. The crystallinity of the 3D flowerlikeβ-Ni(OH)2/g-Ni(OH)2composite nano-microspheres improved with the increase of DDPDS concentration, and the morphology and size of synthetic nano-microspheres could be controlled.

  16. [Optimization of riboflavin sodium phosphate loading to calcium alginate floating microspheres by response surface methodology].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, An-yang; Fan, Tian-yuan

    2009-12-18

    To investigate the preparation, optimization and in vitro properties of riboflavin sodium phosphate floating microspheres. The floating microspheres composed of riboflavin sodium phosphate and calcium alginate were prepared using ion gelatin-oven drying method. The properties of the microspheres were investigated, including the buoyancy, release, appearance and entrapment efficiency. The formulation was optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). The optimized microspheres were round. The entrapment efficiency was 57.49%. All the microspheres could float on the artificial gastric juice over 8 hours. The release of the drug from the microspheres complied with Fick's diffusion.

  17. An ingenious design of lamellar Li1.2Mn0.54Ni0.13Co0.13O2 hollow nanosphere cathode for advanced lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yao; Zhang, Wansen; Shen, Shuiyun; Yan, Xiaohui; Wu, Aiming; Wu, Ruofei; Zhang, Junliang

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: •Lamellar Li 1.2 Mn 0.54 Ni 0.13 Co 0.13 O 2 hollow nanospheres serve as a cathode for LIBs. •Unique lamella and hollow structures benefit the enhanced electrochemical performance. •Lamellar shells can provide a short lithium-ion diffusion pathway. •The sufficient void space can accommodate volumetric expansion and contraction. -- Abstract: Although very appealing in developing hollow structured lithium-rich layered transition-metal oxides as cathodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), a great challenge lies in controlling the growth of transition metal elements with desired molar ratios while maintaining intact hollow structures during synthesis. Herein, we propose a scalable strategy to successfully synthesize novel lamellar Li 1.2 Mn 0.54 Ni 0.13 Co 0.13 O 2 hollow (L-LMOH) nanosphere cathode for advanced lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). It is proved that the employment of sulfonated polystyrene (SPS) gel nanospheres as the template plays a key role in the formation of flower-like SPS@ Ni-Co-Mn-precursor nanospheres with desired molar ratios, and a subsequently delicate control in the heating rate leads to the intact L-LMOH nanospheres. It is demonstrated that the use of L-LMOH nanosphere cathode not only delivers outstanding reversible discharge capacities of 281.7 mAh g −1 at a current density of 20 mA g −1 and 136.6 mAh g −1 at 2000 mA g −1 , but also possess superior cycling stability with a capacity reservation of 80% at 2000 mA g −1 after 200 continuous cycles. It is well analyzed that the ingenious design of both unique lamella and hollow architectures synergistically benefits the significantly enhanced rate capability and cycling stability.

  18. Performance of Hollow Fiber Membrane Gas-Liquid Contactors to Absorb CO2 Using Diethanolamine (Dea as a Solvent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sutrasno Kartohardjono

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available This study uses DEA solution to absorb CO2 from the gas flow through the hollow fiber membrane contactors. This study aims to evaluate the performance of hollow fiber membrane contactors to absorb CO2 gas using DEA solution as solvent through mass transfer and hydrodynamics studies. The use of DEA solution is to reduce the mass transfer resistance in the liquid phase, and on the other side, the large contact area of the membrane surface can cover the disadvantage of membrane contactors; additional mass transfer resistance in the membrane phase. During experiments, CO2 feed flows through the fiber lumens, while the 0.01 M DEA solution flows in the shell side of membrane contactors. Experimental results show that the mass transfer coefficients and fluxes of CO2 increase with an increase in both water and DEA solution flow rates. Increasing the amount of fibers in the contactors will decrease the mass transfer and fluxes at the same DEA solution flow rate. Mass transfer coefficients and CO2 fluxes using DEA solution can achieve 28,000 and 7.6 million times greater than using water as solvent, respectively. Hydrodynamics studies show that the liquid pressure drops in the contactors increase with increasing liquid flow rate and number of fibers in the contactors. The friction between water and the fibers in the contactor was more pronounced at lower velocities, and therefore, the value of the friction factor is also higher at lower velocities.

  19. Thulium fiber laser-induced vapor bubble dynamics using bare, tapered, ball, hollow steel, and muzzle brake fiber optic tips

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez, David A.; Hardy, Luke A.; Hutchens, Thomas C.; Irby, Pierce B.; Fried, Nathaniel M.

    2018-03-01

    This study characterizes laser-induced vapor bubble dynamics for five different distal fiber optic tip configurations, to provide insight into stone retropulsion commonly experienced during laser ablation of kidney stones. A thulium fiber laser with 1908-nm wavelength delivered 34-mJ energy per pulse at 500-μs pulse duration through five different fibers such as 100-μm-core / 170-μm-OD bare fiber tip, 150- to 300-μm-core tapered fiber tip, 100-μm-core / 300-μm-OD ball tip fiber, 100-μm-core / 340-μm-OD hollow steel tip fiber, and 100-μm-core / 560-μm-OD muzzle brake fiber tip. A high-speed camera with 10-μm-spatial and 9.5-μs-temporal resolution was used to image the vapor bubble dynamics. A needle hydrophone measured pressure transients in the forward (0 deg) and side (90 deg) directions while placed at a 6.8 ± 0.4 mm distance from the distal fiber tip. Maximum bubble dimensions (width/length) averaged 0.7/1.5, 1.0/1.6, 0.5/1.1, 0.8/1.9, and 0.7 / 1.5 mm, for bare, tapered, ball, hollow steel, and muzzle brake fiber tips, respectively (n = 5). The hollow steel tip exhibited the most elongated vapor bubble shape, translating into increased forward pressure in this study and consistent with higher stone retropulsion in previous reports. Relative pressures (a.u.) in (forward/side) directions averaged 1.7/1.6, 2.0/2.0, 1.4/1.2, 6.8/1.1, and 0.3/1.2, for each fiber tip (n = 5). For the hollow steel tip, forward pressure was 4 × higher than for the bare fiber. For the muzzle brake fiber tip, forward pressure was 5 × lower than the bare fiber. Bubble dimensions and pressure measurements demonstrated that the muzzle brake fiber tip reduced forward pressure by partially venting vapors through the portholes, which is consistent with the observation of lower stone retropulsion in previous reports.

  20. Brownian dynamics simulations of insulin microspheres formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wei; Chakrabarti, Amit; Gunton, James

    2010-03-01

    Recent experiments have indicated a novel, aqueous process of microsphere insulin fabrication based on controlled phase separation of protein from water-soluble polymers. We investigate the insulin microsphere crystal formation from insulin-PEG-water systems via 3D Brownian Dynamics simulations. We use the two component Asakura-Oosawa model to simulate the kinetics of this colloid polymer mixture. We first perform a deep quench below the liquid-crystal boundary that leads to fractal formation. We next heat the system to obtain a break-up of the fractal clusters and subsequently cool the system to obtain a spherical aggregation of droplets with a relatively narrow size distribution. We analyze the structure factor S(q) to identify the cluster dimension. S(q) crosses over from a power law q dependence of 1.8 (in agreement with DLCA) to 4 as q increases, which shows the evolution from fractal to spherical clusters. By studying the bond-order parameters, we find the phase transition from liquid-like droplets to crystals which exhibit local HCP and FCC order. This work is supported by grants from the NSF and Mathers Foundation.

  1. In-vitro studies of enteric coated diclofenac sodium-carboxymethylcellulose microspheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arica, B; Arica, M Y; Kaş, H S; Hincal, A A; Hasirci, V

    1996-01-01

    MIcrospheres containing diclofenac sodium (DS) were prepared using carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) as the main support material (1.0, 2.0, 3.0% (w/v)) and aluminum chloride as the crosslinker. Drug to polymer ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:4 were used to obtain a range of microspheres. The microspheres were then coated with an enteric coating material, Eudragit S-100, efficiency, % yield value, particle sizes an in-vitro dissolution behaviour were investigated. The surface of the enteric coated microspheres seemed to be all covered with Eudragit S-100 from scanning electron microscopy observation. It was also observed that increasing the CMC concentration led to an increase in the encapsulation efficiency, % yield value and particle size and decreased the release rate. Eudragit S-100 coating did not significantly alter the size but the release rate was significantly lower even when the lower concentration solution was used.

  2. The Weatherization Assistant User's Manual (Version 8.9)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gettings, Michael B. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Malhotra, Mini [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Ternes, Mark P. [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

    2015-01-01

    The Weatherization Assistant is a Windows-based energy audit software tool that was developed by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to help states and their local weatherization agencies implement the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program. The Weatherization Assistant is an umbrella program for two individual energy audits or measure selection programs: the National Energy Audit Tool (NEAT) for site-built single-family homes and the Manufactured Home Energy Audit (MHEA) for mobile homes. The Weatherization Assistant User's Manual documents the operation of the user interface for Version 8.9 of the software. This includes how to install and setup the software, navigate through the program, and initiate an energy audit. All of the user interface forms associated with the software and the data fields on these forms are described in detail. The manual is intended to be a training manual for new users of the Weatherization Assistant and as a reference manual for experienced users.

  3. Magnetic SiO2 gel microspheres for arterial embolization hyperthermia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Zhixia; Kawashita, Masakazu; Araki, Norio; Mitsumori, Michihide; Hiraoka, Masahiro; Doi, Masaaki

    2010-01-01

    We have prepared magnetic SiO 2 microspheres with a diameter of 20-30 μm as thermoseeds for hyperthermia of cancer. These were prepared by directly introducing preformed magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) into microspheres of a SiO 2 gel matrix derived from the hydrolysis of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) in a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion. Dimethylformamide (DMF) was used as a stabilizer, methanol (CH 3 OH) as a dispersant and ammonia (NH 4 OH) as the catalyst for the formation of the spherical particles in the aqueous phase of the W/O emulsion. The magnetic IONPs were synthesized hydrochemically in an aqueous system composed of ferrous chloride, sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide. Mono-dispersed magnetic SiO 2 gel microspheres with a diameter of approximately 20 μm were successfully obtained by adding a determined amount of solution with a molar ratio of TMOS/DMF/CH 3 OH/H 2 O/NH 4 OH = 1:1.4:9:20:0.03 to kerosene with a surfactant (sorbitan monooleate/sorbitan monostearate = 3:1 by weight ratio) that was 30 wt% of the total amount of the oil phase. These were estimated to contain up to 60 wt% of IONPs that consisted mainly of Fe 3 O 4 and showed a higher specific absorption rate (SAR = 27.9-43.8 W g -1 ) than that of the starting IONPs (SAR = 25.3 W g -1 ) under an alternating current magnetic field of 300 Oe and 100 kHz.

  4. ICF target technology at the Russian Federal Nuclear Center

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Veselov, A.V.; Drozhin, V.S.; Druzhinin, A.A.; Izgorodin, V.M.; Iiyushechkin, B.N.; Kirillov, G.A.; Komleva, G.V.; Korochkin, A.M.; Medvedev, E.F.; Nikolaev, G.P.; Pikulin, I.V.; Pinegin, A.V.; Punin, V.T.; Romaev, V.N.; Sumatokhin, V.L.; Tarasova, N.N.; Tachaev, G.V.; Cherkesova, I.N.

    1995-01-01

    The main effort of the ICF target fabrication group is support of the experiments performed on the 'ISKRA-4' and 'ISKRA-5' laser systems. The main types of targets used in these experiments are direct drive, inverted corona, and indirect drive. For production of direct drive targets, manufacturing techniques have been developed for both hollow glass and polystyrene microspheres. Hollow glass microspheres are fabricated by free-fall of liquid glass drops or dry gel in a 4 meter vertical kiln. These methods allow us to manufacture glass microspheres with diameters from 50 μm to 1 mm, wall thicknesses from 0.5 to 10 μm, and aspect ratios (radius/ wall) from 20 to 500. The microspheres have a thickness inhomogeneity less than 5% and non-sphericity less than 1%. Polystyrene microspheres are fabricated from polystyrene particles with a blowing agent in a similar vertical kiln. Polystyrene microspheres are fabricated with diameter up to 800 μm and wall thicknesses from 1 to 10 μm. 15 refs., 8 figs

  5. Preparation of nano-hydroxyapatite/poly(l-lactide) biocomposite microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qiu Xueyu; Han Yadong; Zhuang Xiuli; Chen Xuesi; Li Yuesheng; Jing Xiabin

    2007-01-01

    Nano-hydroxyapatite (HA)/poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) composite microspheres with relatively uniform size distribution were prepared by a solid-in-oil-in-water (s/o/w) emusion solvent evaporation method. The encapsulation of the HA nanopaticles in microshperes was significantly improved by grafting PLLA on the surface of the HA nanoparticles (p-HA) during emulsion process. This procedure gave a possibility to obtain p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with uniform morphology and the encapsulated p-HA nanoparticle loading reached up to 40 wt% (33 wt% of pure HA) in the p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres. The microstructure of composite microspheres from core-shell to single phase changed with the variation of p-HA to PLLA ratios. p-HA/PLLA composite microspheres with the diameter range of 2-3 μm were obtained. The entrapment efficiency of p-HA in microspheres could high up to 90 wt% and that of HA was only 13 wt%. Surface and bulk characterizations of the composite microspheres were performed by measurements such as wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM)

  6. Hydrothermally Synthesized Zinc Sulphide Microspheres for Solar Light-Driven Photocatalytic Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waghadkar, Yogesh; Arbuj, Sudhir; Shinde, Manish; Ballal, Reshma; Rane, Sunit B.; Gosavi, Suresh; Fouad, H.; Chauhan, Ratna

    2018-02-01

    In this work, we reported the synthesis of zinc sulphide microspheres using the hydrothermal method. ZnS microspheres were synthesized using water, zinc acetate, thiourea and ammonia solution at 150°C for 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h. The as-synthesized ZnS powders were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy. XRD indicates the cubic (major phase) as well as hexagonal (minor phase) crystalline phase with enhanced crystallinity increased gradually with more reaction time. UV-Vis spectra show the absorption peaks in the UV-Vis region for all the samples. The Tauc's plot was used to calculate the band gap energy of ZnS samples, which are found to be 3.39 eV, 3.4 eV, and 3.42 eV for the samples synthesized at reaction times of 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h, respectively. FESEM images confirm the formation of microspheres as aggregates of spherical nanoparticles. The as-synthesized ZnS microspheres have been explored for solar light-induced photo-catalytic dye degradation of methylene blue (MB), and the results confirm that such microspheres exhibit effectual photocatalytic properties.

  7. Development and evaluation of floating microspheres of curcumin in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Purpose: To prepare and evaluate floating microspheres of curcumin for prolonged gastric residence and to study their effect on alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Methods: Floating microsphere were prepared by emulsion-solvent diffusion method, using hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose, chitosan and Eudragit S 100 polymer in ...

  8. Synthesis of C-9-14C-1,8-dihydroxy-3-carboxyanthraquinone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    De Witte, P.; Lemli, J.

    1988-01-01

    The synthesis of C-9- 14 C-rhein is reported using 14 CO 2 as a 14 C-source. After preparing 14 C-1, 8-dimethoxy-3-methylanthraquinone by a condensation reaction, the product is demethylated and the 3-methyl group converted to the corresponding 3-carboxy group. The radio-active yield of the total synthesis, starting with 1 Ci 14 CO 2 is 6,9% (6, 9 mCi); 352 mg 14 rhein is produced with a specific activity of 55,7 mCi/mmol. (author)

  9. Alarmins S100A8 and S100A9 elicit a catabolic effect in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes that is dependent on Toll-like receptor 4.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schelbergen, R.F.P.; Blom, A.B.; Bosch, M.H.J. van den; Sloetjes, A.W.; Abdollahi-Roodsaz, S.; Schreurs, B.W.; Mort, J.S.; Vogl, T.; Roth, J.; Berg, W.B. van den; Lent, P.L.E.M. van

    2012-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: S100A8 and S100A9 are two Ca(2+) binding proteins classified as damage-associated molecular patterns or alarmins that are found in high amounts in the synovial fluid of osteoarthritis (OA) patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether S100A8 and/or S100A9 can interact

  10. Pseudo-bi-enzyme glucose sensor: ZnS hollow spheres and glucose oxidase concerted catalysis glucose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shuai, Ying; Liu, Changhua; Wang, Jia; Cui, Xiaoyan; Nie, Ling

    2013-06-07

    This work creatively uses peroxidase-like ZnS hollow spheres (ZnS HSs) to cooperate with glucose oxidase (GOx) for glucose determinations. This approach is that the ZnS HSs electrocatalytically oxidate the enzymatically generated H2O2 to O2, and then the O2 circularly participates in the previous glucose oxidation by glucose oxidase. Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are used as electron transfer and enzyme immobilization matrices, respectively. The biosensor of glucose oxidase-carbon nanotubes-Au nanoparticles-ZnS hollow spheres-gold electrode (GOx-CNT-AuNPs-ZnS HSs-GE) exhibits a rapid response, a low detection limit (10 μM), a wide linear range (20 μM to 7 mM) as well as good anti-interference, long-term longevity and reproducibility.

  11. Efficient 1.9-μm Raman generation in a hydrogen-filled hollow-core fibre

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gladyshev, A V; Kolyadin, A N; Kosolapov, A F; Yatsenko, Yu P; Pryamikov, A D; Biryukov, A S; Bufetov, I A; Dianov, E M [Fiber Optics Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2015-09-30

    Efficient Raman generation in a molecular hydrogenfilled hollow-core fibre having a cladding in the form of a single ring of capillaries has been demonstrated for the first time. The pump source used was a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a pulse duration of 125 ns, and a single-pass (cavity-free) configuration was employed. The maximum average output power at 1.9 μm was 300 mW, and the differential quantum efficiency was 87%, a record level for such experiments. (lasers)

  12. Three-dimensional graphene-polyaniline hybrid hollow spheres by layer-by-layer assembly for application in supercapacitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Luo, Jing; Ma, Qiang; Gu, Huahao; Zheng, Yuan; Liu, Xiaoya

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: •A graphene-polyaniline (GR-PANI) hybrid hollow sphere is fabricated by layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly technique. •The GR-PANI hollow sphere has higher specific capacitance than stacked GR-PANI LBL film. •64% of its initial capacitance is maintained with the current density increased from 0.5 to 20 A g −1 . •A high capacity retention rate of 83% after 1000 cycles can be achieved. -- Abstract: A novel kind of three-dimensional graphene-polyaniline hybrid hollow sphere (RGO-PANI HS) has been prepared via layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of negatively-charged reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and positively charged polyaniline (PANI) on polystyrene (PS) microsphere, followed by the removal of the PS template. The hollow structure of the obtained RGO-PANI HS is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). When used as the electrode materials for supercapacitor, the specific capacitance of the RGO-PANI HS reaches 381 F/g at a current density of 4.0 A/g, which is much higher than 251 F/g of the stacked RGO-PANI LBL film. The higher specific capacitance of RGO-PANI HS should be attributed to its unique hollow structure which provides a larger accessible surface area and facilitate the charge and ion transport. In addition, its specific capacitance can be facilely tailored by changing the assembly cycle number. Furthermore, good cycling stability is also demonstrated with 83% of the original capacitance value maintained after 1000 charging/discharging cycles

  13. Studies in the Use of Magnetic Microspheres for Immunoaffinity Extraction of Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning Toxins from Shellfish

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christopher Elliott

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP is a potentially fatal human health condition caused by the consumption of shellfish containing high levels of PSP toxins. Toxin extraction from shellfish and from algal cultures for use as standards and analysis by alternative analytical monitoring methods to the mouse bioassay is extensive and laborious. This study investigated whether a selected MAb antibody could be coupled to a novel form of magnetic microsphere (hollow glass magnetic microspheres, brand name Ferrospheres-N and whether these coated microspheres could be utilized in the extraction of low concentrations of the PSP toxin, STX, from potential extraction buffers and spiked mussel extracts. The feasibility of utilizing a mass of 25 mg of Ferrospheres-N, as a simple extraction procedure for STX from spiked sodium acetate buffer, spiked PBS buffer and spiked mussel extracts was determined. The effects of a range of toxin concentrations (20–300 ng/mL, incubation times and temperature on the capability of the immuno-capture of the STX from the spiked mussel extracts were investigated. Finally, the coated microspheres were tested to determine their efficiency at extracting PSP toxins from naturally contaminated mussel samples. Toxin recovery after each experiment was determined by HPLC analysis. This study on using a highly novel immunoaffinity based extraction procedure, using STX as a model, has indicated that it could be a convenient alternative to conventional extraction procedures used in toxin purification prior to sample analysis.

  14. Flue gas carbon capture using hollow fiber membrane diffuser-separator

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ariono, D.; Chandranegara, A. S.; Widodo, S.; Khoiruddin; Wenten, I. G.

    2018-01-01

    In this work, CO2 removal from flue gas using membrane diffuser-separator was investigated. Hollow fiber polypropylene membrane was used as the diffuser while pure water was used as the absorbent. Separation performance of the membrane diffuser-separator as a function of CO2 concentration (6-28%-vol.) and flow rate (gas: 0.8-1.55 L.min-1 and liquid: 0.2-0.7 L.min-1) was investigated and optimized. It was found that CO2 removal was significantly affected by CO2 concentration in the feed gas. On the other hand, CO2 flux was more influenced by flow rates of liquid and gas rather than concentration. The optimized CO2 removal (64%) and flux (1 x 10-4 mol.m-2.s-1) were obtained at the highest gas flow rate (1.55 L.min-1), the lowest liquid flow rate (0.2 L.min-1), and 6.2%-vol. of CO2 concentration. Outlet gas of the membrane diffuser system tends to carry some water vapor, which is affected by gas and liquid flow rate. Meanwhile, in the steady-state operation of the separator, the gas bubbles generated by the membrane diffuser take a long time to be completely degassed from the liquid phase, thus a portion of gas stream was exiting separator through liquid outlet.

  15. Enhanced Raman scattering and nonlinear conductivity in Ag-doped hollow ZnO microspheres

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tringe, Joseph W.; Levie, Harold W.; McCall, Scott K.; Teslich, Nick E.; Wall, Mark A.; Orme, Christine A.; Matthews, Manyalibo J. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA (United States)

    2012-10-15

    Hollow spherical ZnO particles doped with Ag were synthesized with a two-step oxidation and sublimation furnace annealing process. Ag nanoparticle precipitates, as observed by transmission electron microscopy, were present in the polycrystalline ZnO matrix at Ag concentrations below 0.02 mol%, significantly below the 0.8 mol% solubility limit for Ag in ZnO. Enhanced Raman scattering of ZnO phonon modes is observed, increasing with Ag nanoparticle concentration. A further enhancement in Raman scattering due to resonance effects was observed for LO phonons excited by 2.33-eV photons as compared with Raman scattering under 1.96-eV excitation. Room-temperature photoluminescence spectra showed both a near-band-edge emission due to free exciton transitions and a mid-gap transition due to the presence of singly ionized oxygen vacancies. ZnO:Ag particles were measured electrically in a packed column and in monolithic form, and in both cases displayed nonlinear current-voltage characteristics similar to those previously observed in sintered ZnO:Ag monoliths where Ag-enhanced disorder at grain boundaries is thought to control current transport. We demonstrate therefore that Ag simultaneously modifies the electrical and optical properties of ZnO particles through the introduction of vacancies and other defects. (orig.)

  16. A new rat model of portal hypertension induced by intraportal injection of microspheres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiang-Nong; Benjamin, IS; Alexander, B

    1998-01-01

    AIM: To produce a new rat model of portal hypertension by intraportal injection of microspheres. METHODS: Measured aliquots of single or different-sized microspheres (15, 40, 80μm) were injected into the portal vein to block intrahepatic portal radicals. The resultant changes in arterial,portal,hepatic venous and splenic pulp pressures were monitored. The liver and lungs were excised for histological examination. RESULTS: Portal venous pressure was elevated from basal value of 0.89-1.02 kPa to a steady-state of 1.98-3.19 kPa following the sequential injections of single- or different-sized microspheres, with a markedly lowered mean arterial pressure. However, a small-dose injection of 80 μm microspheres (1.8 × 105) produced a steady-state portal venous pressure of 2.53 × 0.17 kPa, and all rats showed normal arterial pressures. In addition, numerous microspheres were found in the lungs in all experimental groups. CONCLUSION: Portal hypertension can be reproduced in rats by intraportal injection of microspheres at a small dose of 80 μm (1.8 × 105). Intrahepatic portal-systemic shunts probably exist in the normal rat liver. PMID:11819236

  17. Self-Assembly of TiO2/CdS Mesoporous Microspheres with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity via Hydrothermal Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sujing Yu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Self assembly of TiO2/CdS mesoporous microspheres was synthesized via hydrothermal method. The samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS, transmission electron microscopy (TEM, energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis (EDS, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS, and photoluminescence spectra (PL. The as-synthesized TiO2/CdS mesoporous microspheres showed superior photocatalytic activity for the degradation of RhB under either visible light or simulated sunlight irradiation; the 10 wt% TiO2/CdS sample showed the best performance. Moreover, this catalyst showed improved stability, and the activity did not decrease significantly after four recycles. The heterojunction between TiO2 and CdS may be favorable for the transport of photoinduced electrons from CdS to TiO2. In addition, the mesoporous structure could increase the utilization of light energy and facilitate the diffusion of reactants and products during the photocatalytic reaction.

  18. MoS{sub 2}-coated microspheres of self-sensitized carbon nitride for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation under visible light irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gu, Quan [Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, 710062 (China); School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore); Sun, Huaming; Xie, Zunyuan; Gao, Ziwei [Key Laboratory of Applied Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi’an, 710062 (China); Xue, Can, E-mail: cxue@ntu.edu.sg [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798 (Singapore)

    2017-02-28

    Highlights: • Successful coating of MoS{sub 2} onto self-sensitized carbon nitride microspheres. • The carbon nitride@MoS{sub 2} core-shell structure show enhanced H{sub 2} generation in visible light. • Synergistic effect of surface dyes and MoS{sub 2} coating enhances photocatalytic activities. - Abstract: We have successfully coated the self-sensitized carbon nitride (SSCN) microspheres with a layer of MoS{sub 2} through a facile one-pot hydrothermal method by using (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}MoS{sub 4} as the precursor. The resulted MoS{sub 2}-coated SSCN photocatalyst appears as a core-shell structure and exhibits enhanced visible-light activities for photocatalytic H{sub 2} generation as compared to the un-coated SSCN and the standard g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} reference with MoS{sub 2} coating. The photocatalytic test results suggest that the oligomeric s-triazine dyes on the SSCN surface can provide additional light-harvesting capability and photogenerated charge carriers, and the coated MoS{sub 2} layer can serve as active sites for proton reduction towards H{sub 2} evolution. This synergistic effect of surface triazine dyes and MoS{sub 2} coating greatly promotes the activity of carbon nitride microspheres for vishible-light-driven H{sub 2} generation. This work provides a new way of future development of low-cost noble-metal-free photocatalysts for efficient solar-driven hydrogen production.

  19. Development of implants composed of bioactive materials for bone repair

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Wei

    The purpose of this Ph.D. research was to address the clinical need for synthetic bioactive materials to heal defects in non-loaded and loaded bone. Hollow hydroxyapatite (HA) microspheres created in a previous study were evaluated as a carrier for controlled release of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) in bone regeneration. New bone formation in rat calvarial defects implanted with BMP2-loaded microspheres (43%) was significantly higher than microspheres without BMP2 (17%) at 6 weeks postimplantation. Then hollow HA microspheres with a carbonate-substituted composition were prepared to improve their resorption rate. Hollow HA microspheres with 12 wt. % of carbonate showed significantly higher new bone formation (73 +/- 8%) and lower residual HA (7 +/- 2%) than stoichiometric HA microspheres (59 +/- 2% new bone formation; 21 +/- 3% residual HA). The combination of carbonate-substituted hollow HA microspheres and clinically-safe doses of BMP2 could provide promising implants for healing non-loaded bone defects. Strong porous scaffolds of bioactive silicate (13-93) glass were designed with the aid of finite-element modeling, created by robocasting and evaluated for loaded bone repair. Scaffolds with a porosity gradient to mimic human cortical bone showed a compressive strength of 88 +/- 20 MPa, a flexural strength of 34 +/- 5 MPa and the ability to support bone infiltration in vivo. The addition of a biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) layer to the external surface of these scaffolds increased their load-bearing capacity in four-point bending by 50% and dramatically enhanced their work of fracture, resulting in a "ductile" mechanical response. These bioactive glass-PLA composites, combining bioactivity, high strength, high work of fracture and an internal architecture conducive to bone infiltration, could provide optimal implants for structural bone repair.

  20. UV light-assisted fabrication of Cu{sub 0.91}In{sub 0.09}S microspheres sensitized TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays and their photoelectrochemical properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cui, Xinyu; Gu, Hongmei [School of Public Health, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province (China); Yin, Yuanyuan; Guan, Yue [Hongqi Hospital, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province (China); Rong, Shengzhong; Yin, Yongkui; Chen, Yingying [School of Public Health, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province (China); Wu, Qunhong; Hao, Yanhua [Department of Social Medicine, School of Health Management, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province (China); Li, Miaojing, E-mail: limiaojing@aliyun.com [School of Public Health, Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang Province (China)

    2015-04-15

    Highlights: • Cu{sub 0.91}In{sub 0.09}S microspheres were deposited on TiO{sub 2} NTs by a photodeposition method. • The average diameter of Cu{sub 0.91}In{sub 0.09}S microspheres is 600 nm. • The TiO{sub 2} NTs/CIS shows high photocurrents and visible photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: TiO{sub 2} nanotube arrays sensitized with Cu{sub 0.91}In{sub 0.09}S microspheres (TiO{sub 2} NTs/CIS) were successfully fabricated by a two-step process of anodization and followed by an in situ photodeposition method. The structural investigation by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy indicated that the Cu{sub 0.91}In{sub 0.09}S microspheres with average diameter of 600 nm grew on the surface of the TiO{sub 2} nanotubes. The TiO{sub 2} NTs/CIS exhibited more excellent photoelectrochemical properties and photocatalytic activities than those of TiO{sub 2} NTs under visible light irradiation, and the corresponding electron transformation was proposed in detail.

  1. Apatite nano-crystalline surface modification of poly(lactide-co-glycolide) sintered microsphere scaffolds for bone tissue engineering: implications for protein adsorption.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabbarzadeh, Ehsan; Nair, Lakshmi S; Khan, Yusuf M; Deng, Meng; Laurencin, Cato T

    2007-01-01

    A number of bone tissue engineering approaches are aimed at (i) increasing the osteconductivity and osteoinductivity of matrices, and (ii) incorporating bioactive molecules within the scaffolds. In this study we examined the growth of a nano-crystalline mineral layer on poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLAGA) sintered microsphere scaffolds for tissue engineering. In addition, the influence of the mineral precipitate layer on protein adsorption on the scaffolds was studied. Scaffolds were mineralized by incubation in simulated body fluid (SBF). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that mineralized scaffolds possess a rough surface with a plate-like nanostructure covering the surface of microspheres. The results of protein adsorption and release studies showed that while the protein release pattern was similar for PLAGA and mineralized PLAGA scaffolds, precipitation of the mineral layer on PLAGA led to enhanced protein adsorption and slower protein release. Mineralization of tissue-engineered surfaces provides a method for both imparting bioactivity and controlling levels of protein adsorption and release.

  2. An investigation into the effects of residual water on the glass transition temperature of polylactide microspheres using modulated temperature DSC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Passerini, N; Craig, D Q

    2001-05-18

    The objective of the study was to ascertain residual water levels in polylactide and polylactide-co-glycolide microspheres prepared using the solvent evaporation technique and to investigate the effects of that water on the glass transitional behaviour of the microspheres. Microspheres were prepared from polylactic acid (PLA) and polylactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) 50:50 and 75:25 using a standard solvent evaporation technique. The glass transition was measured as a function of drying conditions using modulated temperature DSC. The microspheres were found to contain very low levels of dichloromethane, while residual water levels of up to circa 3% w/w were noted after freeze or oven drying, these levels being higher for microspheres containing higher glycolic acid levels. The residual water was found to lower the T(g) following the Gordon-Taylor relationship. The data indicate that the microparticles may retain significant water levels following standard preparation and drying protocols and that this drying may markedly lower the T(g) of the spheres.

  3. Surface hydrophobic co-modification of hollow silica nanoparticles toward large-area transparent superhydrophobic coatings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Liangjuan; He, Junhui

    2013-04-15

    The present paper reports a novel, simple, and efficient approach to fabricate transparent superhydrophobic coatings on glass substrates by spray-coating stearic acid (STA) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perflurooctyltriethoxysilane (POTS) co-modified hollow silica nanoparticles (SPHSNs), the surfaces of which were hydrophobic. The surface wettability of coatings was dependent on the conditions of post-treatment: the water contact angle of coating increased and then leveled off with increase in either the drying temperature or the drying time. When the coating was treated at 150°C for 5h, the water contact angle was as high as 160° and the sliding angle was lower than 1°, reaching excellent superhydrophobicity. They remained 159° and ≤1°, respectively, even after 3months storage under indoor conditions (20°C, 20%RH), demonstrating the long time stability of coating superhydrophobicity. The coating was robust both to the impact of water droplets (297 cm/s) and to acidic (pH=1) and basic (pH=14) droplets. It showed good transparency in the visible-near infrared spectral range, and the maximum transmittance reached as high as 89%. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis were used to investigate the interactions among STA, POTS, and hollow silica nanoparticles (HSNs). Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to observe and estimate the morphology and surface roughness of coatings. Optical properties were characterized by a UV-visible-near infrared spectrophotometer. Surface wettability was studied by a contact angle/interface system. The enhancement of hydrophobicity to superhydrophobicity by post-treatment was discussed based on the transition from the Wenzel state to the Cassie state. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Preparation and in vitro/in vivo characterization of curcumin microspheres intended to treat colon cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Madhavi

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The objective of the present investigation was to prepare colon targeted curcumin microspheres using Eudragit S100 and evaluate the same for in vitro/in vivo properties. Materials and Methods: A "O/O solvent evaporation" technique was used in the preparation of microspheres. The influence of various process variables including stirring speed, drug:polymer ratio and percentage of emulsifier on the fabrication were investigated and the formulation was optimized. Prepared microspheres were evaluated for in vitro and in vivo properties. Surface morphology, particle size, percentage drug entrapment, percentage yield, drug polymer interaction, in vitro drug release in simulated gastrointestinal transit conditions and stability were the in vitro parameters investigated. Using an optimized formulation, drug release into the systemic circulation and organ distribution were investigated as in vivo parameters. In vivo parameters were estimated in male albino rats. Results: Curcumin microspheres of Eudragit S100 were successfully prepared using o/o solvent evaporation method. Microspheres prepared using 1:2 drug:polymer ratio, with a stirring speed of 1000 rpm, and using 1.0% w/v concentration of emulsifying agent was selected as an optimized formulation. The release studies with optimized formulation demonstrated that aqueous solubility of curcumin was enhanced by 8 times with the formulation. FTIR studies demonstrated no change in drug characteristics upon microsphere fabrication. The enhancement in solubility is thus due to the increase in the surface area of the drug substance and not due to a change of drug to a different physical state. This was further confirmed by scanning electron microsphere pictures. Drug release followed Korsmeyer and Peppas release model. Accelerated stability studies indicated that the drug is stable in the formulation for a period of atleast 14 weeks at room temperature. In vivo studies demonstrated a sustained

  5. Metallic coating of microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meyer, S.F.

    1980-01-01

    Extremely smooth, uniform metal coatings of micrometer thicknesses on microscopic glass spheres (microspheres) are often needed as targets for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments. The first part of this paper reviews those methods used successfully to provide metal coated microspheres for ICF targets, including magnetron sputtering, electro- and electroless plating, and chemical vapor pyrolysis. The second part of this paper discusses some of the critical aspects of magnetron sputter coating of microspheres, including substrate requirements, the sticking of microspheres during coating (preventing a uniform coating), and the difficulties in growing the desired dense, smooth, uniform microstructure on continuously moving spherical substrates

  6. Preparation of berbamine loaded chitosan-agarose microspheres and in vitro release study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Hu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Berbamine loaded chitosan-agarose microspheres were prepared using a water-in-oil emulsion technique. Optimum preparing parameters were determined by orthogonal experiments as follows: ratio of berbamine to chitosan (w/w is 1:10; percentage of emulsifier (span 80, v/v is 6%; volume of glutaraldehyde is 2 mL; and reaction temperature is 70 ºC. Under these optimal conditions, the encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of microspheres are 84.57% and 8.44%, respectively. The swelling tests showed that the microspheres possessed higher swelling ratio at pH 7.4 than at pH 1.2. FTIR indicated that berbamine had been successfully loaded in the chitosan-agarose microspheres by physical entrapment. In vitro release studies showed that berbamine was released from microspheres in a significantly sustained fashion.

  7. Analogues of amphibian alkaloids: total synthesis of (5R,8S,8aS-(--8-methyl-5-pentyloctahydroindolizine (8-epi-indolizidine 209B and [(1S,4R,9aS-(--4-pentyloctahydro-2H-quinolizin-1-yl]methanol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    de Koning Charles B

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Prior work from these laboratories has centred on the development of enaminones as versatile intermediates for the synthesis of alkaloids and other nitrogen-containing heterocycles. In this paper we describe the enantioselective synthesis of indolizidine and quinolizidine analogues of bicyclic amphibian alkaloids via pyrrolidinylidene- and piperidinylidene-containing enaminones. Results Our previously reported synthesis of racemic 8-epi-indolizidine 209B has been extended to the laevorotatory enantiomer, (--9. Attempts to adapt the synthetic route in order to obtain quinolizidine analogues revealed that a key piperidinylidene-containing enaminone intermediate (+-28 was less tractable than its pyrrolidinylidene counterpart, thereby necessitating modifications that included timing changes and additional protection-deprotection steps. A successful synthesis of [(1S,4R,9aS-4-pentyloctahydro-2H-quinolizin-1-yl]methanol (--41 from the chiral amine tert-butyl (3R-3-{benzyl [(1R-1-phenylethyl]amino}octanoate (+-14 was achieved in 14 steps and an overall yield of 20.4%. Conclusion The methodology reported in this article was successfully applied to the enantioselective synthesis of the title compounds. It paves the way for the total synthesis of a range of cis-5,8-disubstituted indolizidines and cis-1,4-disubstituted quinolizidines, as well as the naturally occurring trans-disubstituted alkaloids.

  8. A piezo-resistive graphene strain sensor with a hollow cylindrical geometry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakamura, Atsushi, E-mail: nakamura.atsushi@ipc.shizuoka.ac.jp [Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 432-8011 (Japan); Faculty of Engineering, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 432-8011 (Japan); Hamanishi, Toshiki [Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 432-8011 (Japan); Kawakami, Shotaro [Faculty of Engineering, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 432-8011 (Japan); Takeda, Masanori [Graduate School of Integrated Science and Technology, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 432-8011 (Japan); Faculty of Engineering, Shizuoka University, 3-5-1 Johoku, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 432-8011 (Japan)

    2017-05-15

    Highlights: • A hollow tubing graphene fiber was synthesized from CVD-grown graphene on Ni wire. • The strain sensor showed the gauge factor 34.3–48.9 at 8% tensile strain. • The TGF sensors performed a writing finger motion assessment. - Abstract: We propose a resistance-type strain sensor consists of hollow tubing graphene fibers (TGFs) with dimethylpolysiloxane (PDMS) coating for millimeters-scale strain/bending detection applications. The TGFs were synthesized via graphene films grown on Ni wire by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The TGFs are fundamentally folded continuous few-layered graphene films without edges maintained cylindrical tube supported by PDMS coating. Sensing properties were studied comparing with a multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/PDMS composites (CNTCs) and the mechanism were discussed. In terms of the gauge factor, the sensor made of TGF is estimated to be in the range of 34.3–48.9 against 8% tensile strain. For a feasibility study, we demonstrate the human finger monitoring by means of bending angle detection on a finger joint.

  9. A novel approach to preparing magnetic protein microspheres with core-shell structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Wei; Sun, Zhendong; Li, Fengsheng; Chen, Kai; Liu, Tianyu; Liu, Jialing; Zhou, Tianle; Guo, Rui

    2011-03-01

    Magnetic protein microspheres with core-shell structure were prepared through a novel approach based on the sonochemical method and the emulsion solvent evaporation method. The microspheres are composed of the oleic acid and undecylenic acid modified Fe 3O 4 cores and coated with globular bovine serum albumin (BSA). Under an optimized condition, up to 57.8 wt% of approximately 10 nm superparamagnetic Fe 3O 4 nanoparticles could be uniformly encapsulated into the BSA microspheres with the diameter of approximately 160 nm and the high saturation magnetization of 38.5 emu/g, besides of the abundant functional groups. The possible formation mechanism of magnetic microspheres was discussed in detail.

  10. Formulation, optimization, and pharmacodynamic evaluation of chitosan/phospholipid/β-cyclodextrin microspheres

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shan L

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Lu Shan,1 En-Xue Tao,2 Qing-Hui Meng,3 Wen-Xia Hou,3 Kang Liu,1 Hong-Cai Shang,4 Jin-Bao Tang,1 Wei-Fen Zhang1,4 1School of Pharmacy, Weifang Medical University, 2The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, 3School of Nursing, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 4Key Laboratory of Chinese Internal Medicine of Ministry of Education and Beijing, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Cholinergic neurotransmission loss is the main cause of cognitive impairment in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Phospholipids (PLs play an essential role in memory and learning abilities. Moreover, PLs act as a source of choline in acetylcholine synthesis. This study aimed to prepare and optimize the formulation of chitosan/phospholipid/β-cyclodextrin (CTS/PL/β-CD microspheres that can improve cognitive impairment. The CTS/PL/β-CD microspheres were prepared by spray drying, and optimized with an orthogonal design. These microspheres were also characterized in terms of morphology, structure, thermostability, drug loading, and encapsulation efficiency. The spatial learning and memory of rats were evaluated using the Morris water maze test, and the neuroprotective effects of the CTS/PL/β-CD microspheres were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Scanning electron microscopic images showed that the CTS/PL/β-CD microspheres were spherical with slightly wrinkled surfaces. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry proved that PLs formed hydrogen bonds with the amide group of CTS and the hydroxyl group of β-CD. The learning and memory abilities of rats in the treated group significantly improved compared with those in the model group. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that treatment with the CTS/PL/β-CD microspheres attenuated the expression of protein kinase C-δ and inhibited the activation of microglias. These results suggest that the

  11. Magnetic SiO{sub 2} gel microspheres for arterial embolization hyperthermia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li Zhixia; Kawashita, Masakazu [Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6-11-1306-1, Aramaki-Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan); Araki, Norio [National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto 612-8555 (Japan); Mitsumori, Michihide; Hiraoka, Masahiro [Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507 (Japan); Doi, Masaaki, E-mail: zhixia@ecei.tohoku.ac.j, E-mail: zhixiali@hotmail.co [Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8579 (Japan)

    2010-12-15

    We have prepared magnetic SiO{sub 2} microspheres with a diameter of 20-30 {mu}m as thermoseeds for hyperthermia of cancer. These were prepared by directly introducing preformed magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) into microspheres of a SiO{sub 2} gel matrix derived from the hydrolysis of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) in a water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion. Dimethylformamide (DMF) was used as a stabilizer, methanol (CH{sub 3}OH) as a dispersant and ammonia (NH{sub 4}OH) as the catalyst for the formation of the spherical particles in the aqueous phase of the W/O emulsion. The magnetic IONPs were synthesized hydrochemically in an aqueous system composed of ferrous chloride, sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide. Mono-dispersed magnetic SiO{sub 2} gel microspheres with a diameter of approximately 20 {mu}m were successfully obtained by adding a determined amount of solution with a molar ratio of TMOS/DMF/CH{sub 3}OH/H{sub 2}O/NH{sub 4}OH = 1:1.4:9:20:0.03 to kerosene with a surfactant (sorbitan monooleate/sorbitan monostearate = 3:1 by weight ratio) that was 30 wt% of the total amount of the oil phase. These were estimated to contain up to 60 wt% of IONPs that consisted mainly of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} and showed a higher specific absorption rate (SAR = 27.9-43.8 W g{sup -1}) than that of the starting IONPs (SAR = 25.3 W g{sup -1}) under an alternating current magnetic field of 300 Oe and 100 kHz.

  12. Hollow core plasma channel generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Quast, Heinrich Martin

    2018-03-01

    The use of a hollow plasma channel in plasma-based acceleration has beneficial properties for the acceleration of electron and positron bunches. In the scope of the FLASHForward facility at DESY, the generation of such a plasma structure is examined. Therefore, the generation of a ring-shaped laser intensity profile with different techniques is analyzed. From the obtained intensity profiles the electron density of a hollow plasma channel is simulated in the focal region. Different parameters are scanned to understand their influence on the electron density distribution - an important parameter being, for example, the radius of the central region of the channel. In addition to the simulations, experiments are presented, during which a laser pulse is transformed into a hollow beam with a spiral phase plate. Subsequently, it forms a plasma during the interaction with hydrogen, where the plasma is imaged with interferometry. For energies above 0.9 mJ a hollow plasma structure can be observed at the location of first plasma formation.

  13. Determination of the S18 astrophysical factor for 8B(p,γ)9C from the breakup of 9C at intermediate energies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trache, L.; Mukhamedzhanov, A.M.; Tribble, R.E.; Carstoiu, F.

    2002-06-01

    We have used existing data on the one-proton-removal cross section of 9 C at 285 MeV/u and Glauber model calculations to extract the asymptotic normalization coefficient for the wave function of the last proton in the ground state of 9 C. The calculations are done first using folded potentials starting from two different effective nucleon-nucleon interactions and second in the optical limit using three nucleon-nucleon interactions, and the results are found to be consistent, with no new parameters adjusted. We find C 2 (p 3/2 ) + C 2 (p 1/2 ) = 1.22±0.13 fm -1 . From this result we obtain the astrophysical factor for the proton radiative capture reaction 8 B(p,γ) 9 C as S 18 (0) = 46 ± 6 eV.b. The calculated energy dependence of the astrophysical S-factor for the energy region E cm = 0 - 0.8 MeV and the reaction rates for T 9 = 0 - 1 are included. (authors)

  14. A high-Q low threshold thulium-doped silica microsphere laser in the 2 μm wavelength region designed for gas sensing applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pal, Atasi; Chen, Shu Ying; Sun, Tong; Grattan, K T V; Sen, Ranjan

    2013-01-01

    A high-Q and low threshold laser resonator, operating in the 2 μm wavelength region, has been demonstrated by coupling a thulium-doped silica microsphere to a tapered fibre. Microspheres with diameters ranging from fifty to a few hundred micrometres were carefully fabricated for this purpose by melting an etched-clad thulium-doped silica fibre tip using a focused beam from a CO 2 laser, while the tapered fibre with waist diameter in the desired range of 2 μm was fabricated by using heating and stretching of standard single-mode telecommunication fibre. The tapered fibre served the dual purpose of transporting pump power into the sphere and allowing the extraction of the resulting laser emission. Under excitation at a wavelength of ∼1.6 μm, lasing occurred at wavelengths over the range from 1.9 to 2.0 μm. Single-mode laser operation was obtained by exciting the fundamental whispering gallery mode resonance of the microsphere, while multi-mode lasing occurred for non-fundamental mode excitation. The threshold power of the laser was measured to be about 50 μW delivered pump power, and a maximum laser power of 0.8 mW at around 1.94 μm was observed for a 6 mW pump power, operating at wavelengths around 1.6 μm. The laser was designed as a low threshold and compact source for miniaturized gas sensing devices operating over this important wavelength region. (letter)

  15. Synthesis and effect of modification on methacylate - acrylate microspheres for Trametes versicolor laccase enzyme immobilization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazlan, Siti Zulaikha; Hanifah, Sharina Abu

    2014-09-01

    Immobilization of laccase on the modified copolymer methacrylate-acrylate microspheres was studied. A poly (glycidyl methacrylate-co-n-butyl acrylate) microsphere consists of epoxy groups were synthesized using suspension photocuring technique. The epoxy group in poly (GMA-nBA) microspheres were converted into amino groups with aldehyde group. Laccase immobilization is based on having the amino groups on the enzyme surface and aldehyde group on the microspheres via covalent binding. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis proved the successful surface modification on microspheres. The FTIR spectrum shows the characteristic peaks at 1646 cm-1 assigned to the conformation of the polymerization that took place between monomer GMA and nBA respectively. In addition, after modification, FTIR peaks that assigned to the epoxy ring (844 cm-1 and 904 cm-1) were decreased. The results obtained from FTIR method signify good agreement with the epoxy content method. Hence, the activity of the laccase-immobilized microspheres increased upon increasing the epoxy content. Furthermore, poly (GMA-nBA) exhibited uniform microspheres with below 2 μm surface. Immobilized enzyme showed a broader pH profile and higher temperature compared native enzyme.

  16. Co9S8 nanotubes: facile synthesis and application in the catalytic ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy. The result displays that the ... research interest due to their potential applications in cata- lysis, optical, electronic ... for catalysts, supercapacitors and Li-ion batteries [5–8]. In recent years, cobalt ...

  17. Hollow fiber membranes and methods for forming same

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhandari, Dhaval Ajit; McCloskey, Patrick Joseph; Howson, Paul Edward; Narang, Kristi Jean; Koros, William

    2016-03-22

    The invention provides improved hollow fiber membranes having at least two layers, and methods for forming the same. The methods include co-extruding a first composition, a second composition, and a third composition to form a dual layer hollow fiber membrane. The first composition includes a glassy polymer; the second composition includes a polysiloxane; and the third composition includes a bore fluid. The dual layer hollow fiber membranes include a first layer and a second layer, the first layer being a porous layer which includes the glassy polymer of the first composition, and the second layer being a polysiloxane layer which includes the polysiloxane of the second composition.

  18. Formulation and characterization of ketoprofen embedded polycaprolactone microspheres using solvent evaporation method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pankaj Wagh

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to prepare polymeric microspheres containing Ketoprofen (KFN by single emulsion [oil-in-water (o/w] solvent evaporation method. Polycaprolactone (PCL, biocompatible polymer, was used for the preparation of sustained released microspheres of KFN. A Plackett–Burman design was employed by using the Design-Expert® software (Version- 9.0.3.1, Stat-Ease Inc., Minneapolis, MN. Eleven factors out of six processing factors were investigated in order to enhance the encapsulation efficiency (EE of the microspheres. The resultant microspheres were characterized for their size, morphology, EE, and drug release. Imaging of particles was performed by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Interaction between the drug and polymers were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC. Graphical and mathematical analyses of the design showed that concentration of factor PCL (B and varying speed (F, revolution per minute, rpm were significant negative effect on the EE and identified as the significant factor determining the EE of the microspheres. The microspheres showed high % EE (31.18 % to 96.81 %. The microspheres were found to be discrete, oval with porous surface. The FTIR analysis confirmed no interaction of KFN with the polymer. The XRPD revealed the dispersion of drug within microspheres formulation. Sustained drug release profile over 12 h was achieved by PCL polymer. In conclusion, polymeric microspheres containing KFN can be successfully prepared using the technique of experimental design, and these results helped in finding the optimum formulation variables for EE of microspheres.

  19. Production of Monodisperse Cerium Oxide Microspheres with Diameters near 100 µm by Internal Gelation Sol-Gel Methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Katalenich, Jeffrey A.; Kitchen, Brian B.; Pierson, Bruce

    2018-05-01

    Internal gelation sol-gel methods have used a variety of sphere forming methods in the past to produce metal oxide microspheres, but typically with poor control over the size uniformity at diameters near 100 µm. This work describes efforts to make and measure internal gelation, sol-gel microspheres with very uniform diameters in the 100 – 200 µm size range using a two-fluid nozzle. A custom apparatus was used to form aqueous droplets of sol-gel feed solutions in silicone oil and heat them to cause gelation of the spheres. Gelled spheres were washed, dried, and sintered prior to mounting on glass slides for optical imaging and analysis. Microsphere diameters and shape factors were determined as a function of silicone oil flow rate in a two-fluid nozzle and the size of a needle dispensing the aqueous sol-gel solution. Nine batches of microspheres were analyzed and had diameters ranging from 65.5 ± 2.4 µm for the smallest needle and fastest silicone oil flow rate to 211 ± 4.7 µm for the largest needle and slowest silicone oil flow rate. Standard deviations for measured diameters were less than 8% for all samples and most were less than 4%. Microspheres had excellent circularity with measured shape factors of 0.9 – 1. However, processing of optical images was complicated by shadow effects in the photoresist layer on glass slides and by overlapping microspheres. Based on calculated flow parameters, microspheres were produced in a simple dripping mode in the two-fluid nozzle. Using flow rates consistent with a simple dripping mode in a two-fluid nozzle configuration allows for very uniform oxide microspheres to be produced using the internal-gelation sol-gel method.

  20. Involvement of Rho kinase in the pathogenesis of acute pulmonary embolism-induced polystyrene microspheres in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toba, M; Nagaoka, T; Morio, Y; Sato, K; Uchida, K; Homma, N; Takahashi, K

    2010-03-01

    Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is a life-threatening disease, and several vasoconstrictors, including endothelin-1 (ET-1), play a key role in vasoconstriction and hypoxemia during the development of PE. Rho kinase is activated by various vasoconstrictors resulting in vascular contraction and remodeling. Recent evidence has revealed an important role of Rho kinase in the pathogenesis of systemic and pulmonary vascular diseases. However, contribution of Rho kinase in PE remains unclear. We thus investigated the role of Rho kinase in the PE rat model induced by intrajugular administration of polystyrene microspheres (mean diameter, 26 microm). At 6 h following the administration of microspheres (1.5 ml/kg), right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was higher in the PE than in the control rats (15.8 +/- 1.6 vs. 32.9 +/- 7.5 mmHg). Arterial oxygen tension was lower (92.3 +/- 12.5 vs. 66.0 +/- 17.7 Torr), and alveolar-arterial difference in oxygen partial pressure was higher (3.9 +/- 3.8 vs. 36.5 +/- 26.9 Torr) in the PE rats. Western blotting analysis revealed upregulation and downregulation in expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase in lungs from the PE rats, respectively, and radioimmunoassay demonstrated an increase in plasma ET-1 levels. Lung Rho kinase alpha expression was greater in the PE rats. At 5 h following administration of microspheres (0.75 ml/kg), intravenous Rho kinase inhibitors HA1077 and Y27632 (3 mg/kg each) attenuated elevation of RVSP (22.0 +/- 3.7, 17.1 +/- 3.2, 14.3 +/- 2.6 mmHg, PE, PE+HA1077, PE+Y27632) and the severity of hypoxemia (66.3 +/- 16.2, 94.9 +/- 23.0, 89.1 +/- 8.5 Torr, PE, PE+HA1077, PE+Y27632) in the PE rats. These results suggest that pulmonary endothelial dysfunction and activation of Rho kinase may contribute to the potentiation of vasoconstriction and hypoxemia in the PE rats.