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Sample records for macroporous superabsorbent composite

  1. Superabsorbent hydrogel composite based on copolymer cellulose/poly (vinyl alcohol)/CNT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khoerunnisa, Fitri; Hendrawan,; Sonjaya, Yaya; Putri, Oceu Dwi

    2016-01-01

    Superabsorbent hydrogels are cross-linked hydrophilic polymers that can absorb and retain a large volume of water, saline solution, or physiological fluids. A distinctive superabsorbent hydrogel composite based on cellulose/ poly (vinyl alcohol)/ carbon nanotubes was successfully synthesized via the graft bio-copolymerization in an aqueous medium with glutaraldehide as a crosslinking agent. The effect of carbon nanotubes (CNT) on water absorption capacity and mechanical properties of superabsorbent composite were particularly investigated. The Fourier transform infrared spectra showed the evidence of copolymerization of hydrogel precursors as well as the interaction of CNT filler with the hydrogel matrices, as indicated by the shifting of peak intensity and position of several functional groups (O-H, C-H sp"3, C=O, C-N, C-O). The modification of hydrogel surface morphology and porosity owing to CNT insertion was also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy images. The CNT insertion improved the mechanical strength of superabsorbent hydrogel composites. Moreover, insertion of CNT into hydrogel matrix remarkably increased the swelling capacity of superabsorbent composites up to 840%. This huge water absorption capacity of hydrogel composites offers promising applications in development of superabsorbent polymers.

  2. Superabsorbent hydrogel composite based on copolymer cellulose/poly (vinyl alcohol)/CNT

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khoerunnisa, Fitri, E-mail: fitri.khoerunnisa@gmail.com; Hendrawan,; Sonjaya, Yaya; Putri, Oceu Dwi [Department of Chemistry, Indonesia University of Education, Setiabudi 229 Bandung, West Java, Indonesia 40154 (Indonesia)

    2016-04-19

    Superabsorbent hydrogels are cross-linked hydrophilic polymers that can absorb and retain a large volume of water, saline solution, or physiological fluids. A distinctive superabsorbent hydrogel composite based on cellulose/ poly (vinyl alcohol)/ carbon nanotubes was successfully synthesized via the graft bio-copolymerization in an aqueous medium with glutaraldehide as a crosslinking agent. The effect of carbon nanotubes (CNT) on water absorption capacity and mechanical properties of superabsorbent composite were particularly investigated. The Fourier transform infrared spectra showed the evidence of copolymerization of hydrogel precursors as well as the interaction of CNT filler with the hydrogel matrices, as indicated by the shifting of peak intensity and position of several functional groups (O-H, C-H sp{sup 3}, C=O, C-N, C-O). The modification of hydrogel surface morphology and porosity owing to CNT insertion was also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy images. The CNT insertion improved the mechanical strength of superabsorbent hydrogel composites. Moreover, insertion of CNT into hydrogel matrix remarkably increased the swelling capacity of superabsorbent composites up to 840%. This huge water absorption capacity of hydrogel composites offers promising applications in development of superabsorbent polymers.

  3. Synthesis and urea-loading of an eco-friendly superabsorbent composite based on mulberry branches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiying Liang

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Mulberry branch, consisting of bark and stalk, was used as raw skeleton material without any chemical pre-treatment to synthesize an eco-friendly mulberry branch-g-poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide (PMB/P(AA-co-AM superabsorbent composite. The synthesis conditions and properties of the PMB/P(AA-co-AM superabsorbent composite were investigated. The results showed that under the optimal synthesis conditions, the water absorbency of the prepared PMB/P(AA-co-AM reached 570.5 g/g in deionized water, 288.0 g/g in tap water, and 70.0 g/g in 0.9 wt% aqueous NaCl solution. The PMB/P(AA-co-AM composite also exhibited excellent water retention capacity as well as a rapid water absorbency rate. The urea loading percentage of the PMB/P(AA-co-AM composite was controlled by the concentration of aqueous urea solution. The release of urea from the loaded PMB/P(AA-co-AM composite in deionized water initially exhibited a high rate of release for 60 min, followed by a rapid decline. Meanwhile, the PMB/P(AA-co-AM superabsorbent composite with larger particle size achieved a better sustained release of urea.

  4. Synthesis of a biocopolymer carrageenan-g-poly(AAm-co-IA/ montmorilonite superabsorbent hydrogel composite

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    M. Sadeghi

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available A novel superabsorbent hydrogel composite based on kappa-carrageenan (κC has been prepared via graft copolymerization of acrylamide (AAm and itaconic acid (IA monomers in the presence of montmorolonite clay powder, methylenebisacrylamide (MBA as the crosslinking agent and ammonium persulfate (APS as initiator. Evidence of grafting and montmorolonite interaction was obtained by comparison of FTIR and TGA spectra of the initial substrates and the superabsorbent composite. A new absorption band at 1722 cm-1 in the composite spectrum confirmed montmorolonite-organic polymer linkages. Moreover, the morphology of the samples was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM. The swelling of the superabsorbing hydrogels was also examined in solutions with pH values ranging between 1.0 and 13.0. Finally, the swelling behavior of these composite polymers was investigated in various salt solutions. Results indicated that the swelling capacity decreased with an increase in the ionic strength of the swelling medium. This behavior can be attributed to the charge screening effect of monovalent cations, as well as ionic crosslinking for multivalent cations.

  5. Macroporous silica–alumina composites with mesoporous walls

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Macroporous silica–alumina composites with mesopores have been prepared by employing polymethylmethacrylate beads as templates in the presence of the cationic surfactant, N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium bromide. The Si/Al ratio in the composites has been varied between 4.5 and 48 and the occurrence of ...

  6. Long-Chain Diacrylate Crosslinkers and Use of PEG Crosslinks in Poly(potassium acrylate-acrylic acid/Kaolin Composite Superabsorbents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koroush Kabiri

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Long-chain diacrylate crosslinkers based on linear α,ω-diols were synthesized and characterized using FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The highest reaction yield (99.5% was due to polyethylene glycol diacrylate 1000 (PEGDA-1000. Then, kaolin-containing poly(potassium acrylate-acrylic acid superabsorbent composites and kaolin-free counterparts were synthesized using PEGDA-1000.The effect of the crosslinker concentration on swelling, rheological and thermo-mechanical properties was investigated. Absorption capacity of the composite hydrogels (having ~38% kaolin was unexpectedly higher than that of kaolin-free hydrogels. This was attributed to an interfering effect of kaolin during the polymerization. Glass transition temperature was increased with crosslinker concentration enhancement and addition of kaolin up to about 10oC and 28oC, respectively. Making such K-containing superabsorbents may be taken as an effective action to achieve more durable and cheaper superabsorbents for agricultural uses.

  7. Composite Superabsorbent Hydrogel of Acrylic Copolymer and Eggshell: Effect of Biofiller Addition

    OpenAIRE

    Queirós, Marcos Vinícius A.; Bezerra, Maslândia N.; Feitosa, Judith P. A.

    2017-01-01

    Eggshell (ES) is an abundant waste material which is mainly composed of calcium carbonate. A superabsorbent hydrogel composite based on poly(acrylamide-co-potassium acrylate) as matrix containing 17 wt.% of chicken ES powder as a filler was synthesized and compared with the gel without filler. The characterization was carried out by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffr...

  8. Utilization of Cassava Starch in Copolymerisation of Superabsorbent Polymer Composite (SAPC

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    Akhmad Zainal Abidin

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Cassava starch was used as the main chain in the copolymerization of a superabsorbent polymer composite (SAPC based on acrylic acid and bentonite. The SAPC was synthesized through graft polymerization using nano-sized bentonite as reinforcement. The variables in this experiment were: bentonite concentration, acrylic acid to starch weight ratio, concentration of initiator, and cross linker. The product was characterized using FTIR, SEM and TGA-DSC. The results show that the polymerization reactions involved processes of incorporating starch chains as polymer backbone and grafting acrylic acid monomers onto it. The use of cassava starch in the polymerisation produced a very short reaction time (10-15 minutes, which led to SAPC production with higher efficiency and lower cost. Bentonite interacts with monomers via hydrogen and weak bonding, thus improving the thermal properties of the product. The maximum absorbance capacity obtained was at an acrylic acid to starch weight ratio of 5 and a concentration of initiator, cross linker and bentonite of 0.5, 0.05 and 2 weight percent, respectively. The product is suitable for agricultural and medical applications as well as common superabsorbent polymer applications.

  9. Organic matter composition of soil macropore surfaces under different agricultural management practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glæsner, Nadia; Leue, Marin; Magid, Jacob; Gerke, Horst H.

    2016-04-01

    Understanding the heterogeneous nature of soil, i.e. properties and processes occurring specifically at local scales is essential for best managing our soil resources for agricultural production. Examination of intact soil structures in order to obtain an increased understanding of how soil systems operate from small to large scale represents a large gap within soil science research. Dissolved chemicals, nutrients and particles are transported through the disturbed plow layer of agricultural soil, where after flow through the lower soil layers occur by preferential flow via macropores. Rapid movement of water through macropores limit the contact between the preferentially moving water and the surrounding soil matrix, therefore contact and exchange of solutes in the water is largely restricted to the surface area of the macropores. Organomineral complex coated surfaces control sorption and exchange properties of solutes, as well as availability of essential nutrients to plant roots and to the preferentially flowing water. DRIFT (Diffuse Reflectance infrared Fourier Transform) Mapping has been developed to examine composition of organic matter coated macropores. In this study macropore surfaces structures will be determined for organic matter composition using DRIFT from a long-term field experiment on waste application to agricultural soil (CRUCIAL, close to Copenhagen, Denmark). Parcels with 5 treatments; accelerated household waste, accelerated sewage sludge, accelerated cattle manure, NPK and unfertilized, will be examined in order to study whether agricultural management have an impact on the organic matter composition of intact structures.

  10. Metamaterial Electromagnetic Superabsorber with Arbitrary Geometries

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    Jingjing Yang

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The electromagnetic superabsorber that has larger absorption cross section than its real size may be a novel photothermal device with improved solar energy conversion rates. Based on a transformation optical approach, the material parameters for a two-dimensional (2D metamaterial-assisted electromagnetic superabsorber with arbitrary geometries are derived and validated by numerical simulation. We find that for the given geometry size, the absorption cross section of the superabsorber using nonlinear transformation is larger than that using linear transformation. These transformations can also be specialized to the designing the N-sided regular polygonal superabsorber just by changing the contour equation. All theoretical and numerical results validate the material parameters for the 2D electromagnetic superabsorber we have developed.

  11. Radiation synthesis of superabsorbent polyethylene oxide/tragacanth hydrogel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khoylou, F.; Naimian, F.

    2009-03-01

    A new superabsorbent hydrogel has been prepared from tragacanth and polyethylene oxide (PEO) by gamma radiation at room temperature. Tragacanth solutions with different concentrations (1%, 3% and 5%) have been blended with 5% aqueous solution of PEO at a ratio of 1:1 and irradiated at doses 5-20 kGy. The properties of the prepared composite hydrogels were evaluated in terms of the gel fraction and the swelling behavior. An unexpected growth of the gel fraction was observed in PEO/tragacanth hydrogels irradiated at 5 kGy. Incorporation of 5% tragacanth into the aqueous PEO increased significantly the swelling percent of the hydrogels to more than 14,000% and thus makes it a superabsorbent material.

  12. Radiation synthesis of superabsorbent polyethylene oxide/tragacanth hydrogel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khoylou, F. [Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Radiation Applications Research School, P.O. Box 11365-3486, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)], E-mail: fkhoylou@aeoi.org.ir; Naimian, F. [Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Radiation Applications Research School, P.O. Box 11365-3486, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2009-03-15

    A new superabsorbent hydrogel has been prepared from tragacanth and polyethylene oxide (PEO) by gamma radiation at room temperature. Tragacanth solutions with different concentrations (1%, 3% and 5%) have been blended with 5% aqueous solution of PEO at a ratio of 1:1 and irradiated at doses 5-20 kGy. The properties of the prepared composite hydrogels were evaluated in terms of the gel fraction and the swelling behavior. An unexpected growth of the gel fraction was observed in PEO/tragacanth hydrogels irradiated at 5 kGy. Incorporation of 5% tragacanth into the aqueous PEO increased significantly the swelling percent of the hydrogels to more than 14,000% and thus makes it a superabsorbent material.

  13. Radiation synthesis of superabsorbent polyethylene oxide/tragacanth hydrogel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khoylou, F.; Naimian, F.

    2009-01-01

    A new superabsorbent hydrogel has been prepared from tragacanth and polyethylene oxide (PEO) by gamma radiation at room temperature. Tragacanth solutions with different concentrations (1%, 3% and 5%) have been blended with 5% aqueous solution of PEO at a ratio of 1:1 and irradiated at doses 5-20 kGy. The properties of the prepared composite hydrogels were evaluated in terms of the gel fraction and the swelling behavior. An unexpected growth of the gel fraction was observed in PEO/tragacanth hydrogels irradiated at 5 kGy. Incorporation of 5% tragacanth into the aqueous PEO increased significantly the swelling percent of the hydrogels to more than 14,000% and thus makes it a superabsorbent material

  14. NOVEL SUPERABSORBENT HYDROGEL COMPOSITE BASED ON POLY(ACRYLAMIDE-CO-ACRYLATE/NONTRONITE: CHARACTERIZATION AND SWELLING PERFORMANCE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renan C. F. Leitão

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available A novel superabsorbent hydrogel (SH composite based on a poly(acrylamide-co-acrylate matrix filled with nontronite (NONT, a Fe(III-rich member of the smectite group of clay minerals, is described in this manuscript. A variety of techniques, including FTIR, XRD, TGA, and SEM/EDX, were utilized to characterize this original composite. Experimental data confirmed the SH composite formation and suggested NONT was completely dispersed in the polymeric matrix. Additionally, NONT improved the water uptake capacity of the final material, which exhibited fast absorption, low sensitivity to the presence of salt, high water retention and a pH sensitive properties. These preliminary data showed that the original SH composite prepared here possesses highly attractive properties for applications in areas such as the agriculture field, particularly as a soil conditioner.

  15. Long-Chain Diacrylate Crosslinkers and Use of PEG Crosslinks in Poly(potassium acrylate-acrylic acid)/Kaolin Composite Superabsorbents

    OpenAIRE

    Koroush Kabiri; Siavash Nafisi; Mohammad jalaledin Zohuriaan-Mehr; Ali Akbar Yousefi

    2013-01-01

    Long-chain diacrylate crosslinkers based on linear α,ω-diols were synthesized and characterized using FTIR and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The highest reaction yield (99.5%) was due to polyethylene glycol diacrylate 1000 (PEGDA-1000). Then, kaolin-containing poly(potassium acrylate-acrylic acid) superabsorbent composites and kaolin-free counterparts were synthesized using PEGDA-1000.The effect of the crosslinker concentration on swelling, rheological and thermo-mechanical properties was investigated...

  16. Preparation and Study on Properties of Superabsorbent Hydrogel Composites of Acrylamide-Acrylic Acid and Zeolite in Agricultural Uses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shohreh Vosuoghi

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Water shortage is one of the most important environmental problems in arid and semi-arid areas which cause complications in land vegetations. The use of superabsorbent hydrogel is one of the most vital methods, which helps to optimize agricultural irrigations. The purpose of this research is preparation and study on properties the superabsorbent hydrogels by copolymerization of acrylamide and acrylic acid monomers using zeolite as nanoclay particles (0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15. The optimum amount of nanoparticles in relation to its effect on superabsorbent structure and properties, such as water absorbency, was investigated through designing experiments using FFD software. We used methylene bisacrylamide and ammonium ‌persulfate as crosslinker and initiator, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA, Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and X-ray diffractometry (XRD test results showed that the addition of nanoclay up to 0.1g caused improvement in the physical and chemical properties of superabsorbent such as thermal resistance, porous structure and uniform network structure. The superabsorbent hydrogel could absorb 1100 (g/g distilled water. The water absorption and water retention of superabsorbent were studied by loading it in 5 different soil texture classes which were 0:100, 25:75, 50:50, 75:25 and 100:0 mixture fractions of sand/loam soil. As a result, it was observed that in the first week after irrigation, the best retention of initial moisture belonged to the soil with 50% sand texture, and also the soil with sand texture returned to its initial weight after 53 days (i.e., 30 days later than the control sample.

  17. Radiation synthesis of superabsorbent CMC based hydrogels for agriculture applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raafat, Amany I.; Eid, Mona; El-Arnaouty, Magda B.

    2012-01-01

    A series of superabsorbent hydrogel based on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) crosslinked with gamma irradiation have been proposed for agriculture application. The effect of preparation conditions such as feed solution composition and absorbed irradiation dose on the gelation and swelling degree was evaluated. The structure and the morphology of the superabsorbent CMC/PVP hydrogel were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Effect of ionic strength and cationic and anionic kinds on the swelling behavior of the obtained hydrogel was investigated. Urea as an agrochemical model was loaded onto the obtained hydrogel to provide nitrogen (N) nutrients. The water retention capability and the urea release behavior of the CMC/PVP hydrogels were investigated. It was found that, the obtained CMC/PVP hydrogels have good swelling degree that greatly affected by its composition and absorbed dose. The swelling was also extremely sensitive to the ionic strength and cationic kind. Owing to its considerable slow urea release, good water retention capacity, being economical, and environment-friendly, it might be useful for its application in agriculture field.

  18. Radiation synthesis of superabsorbent CMC based hydrogels for agriculture applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raafat, Amany I.; Eid, Mona; El-Arnaouty, Magda B.

    2012-07-01

    A series of superabsorbent hydrogel based on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) crosslinked with gamma irradiation have been proposed for agriculture application. The effect of preparation conditions such as feed solution composition and absorbed irradiation dose on the gelation and swelling degree was evaluated. The structure and the morphology of the superabsorbent CMC/PVP hydrogel were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Effect of ionic strength and cationic and anionic kinds on the swelling behavior of the obtained hydrogel was investigated. Urea as an agrochemical model was loaded onto the obtained hydrogel to provide nitrogen (N) nutrients. The water retention capability and the urea release behavior of the CMC/PVP hydrogels were investigated. It was found that, the obtained CMC/PVP hydrogels have good swelling degree that greatly affected by its composition and absorbed dose. The swelling was also extremely sensitive to the ionic strength and cationic kind. Owing to its considerable slow urea release, good water retention capacity, being economical, and environment-friendly, it might be useful for its application in agriculture field.

  19. Radiation synthesis of superabsorbent CMC based hydrogels for agriculture applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Raafat, Amany I., E-mail: ismaelraafat_a@hotmail.com [Polymer Chemistry Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, P.O. Box 29, Nasr City, Cairo (Egypt); Eid, Mona; El-Arnaouty, Magda B. [Polymer Chemistry Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, P.O. Box 29, Nasr City, Cairo (Egypt)

    2012-07-15

    A series of superabsorbent hydrogel based on carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) crosslinked with gamma irradiation have been proposed for agriculture application. The effect of preparation conditions such as feed solution composition and absorbed irradiation dose on the gelation and swelling degree was evaluated. The structure and the morphology of the superabsorbent CMC/PVP hydrogel were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Effect of ionic strength and cationic and anionic kinds on the swelling behavior of the obtained hydrogel was investigated. Urea as an agrochemical model was loaded onto the obtained hydrogel to provide nitrogen (N) nutrients. The water retention capability and the urea release behavior of the CMC/PVP hydrogels were investigated. It was found that, the obtained CMC/PVP hydrogels have good swelling degree that greatly affected by its composition and absorbed dose. The swelling was also extremely sensitive to the ionic strength and cationic kind. Owing to its considerable slow urea release, good water retention capacity, being economical, and environment-friendly, it might be useful for its application in agriculture field.

  20. Macropores and macropore transport

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iversen, Bo Vangsø; Lamandé, Mathieu; Torp, Søren Bent

    2012-01-01

    Preferential transport of water through soil macropores is a governing process in the facilitated transport of strongly sorbing compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between macropore density and the hydraulic conductivity of the soil and to test the sampling...

  1. Superabsorbent Prepared by Radiation Induced Graft Copolymerization of Acrylic Acid onto Cassava Starch. Chapter 18

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suwanmala, P.; Tangthong, T.; Hemvichian, K. [Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (Thailand)

    2014-07-15

    Superabsorbent was synthesized by radiation induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid onto cassava starch. Parameters such as the absorbed dose and the amount of monomer were investigated in order to determine the optimum conditions for the grafting polymerization. Water retention, germination percentage, and germination energy were also determined in order to evaluate the possibility of superabsorbent in agricultural applications, especially in arid regions. The graft copolymer was characterized by the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results indicated that the sand mixed with 0.1% wt superabsorbent could absorb more water than the sand without superabsorbent. The germination energy of corn seeds mixed with 0.5% superabsorbent was obviously higher than those without superabsorbent. These experimental results showed that the superabsorbent has considerable effects on seed germination and the growth of young plants. (author)

  2. Absorbency of Superabsorbent Polymers in Cementitious Environments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Esteves, Luis Pedro; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede

    2012-01-01

    Optimal use of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) in cement-based materials relies on knowledge on how SAP absorbency is influenced by different physical and chemical parameters. These parameters include salt concentration in the pore fluid, temperature of the system and SAP particle size. The present...... work shows experimental results on this and presents a new technique to measure the swelling of SAP particles. This new technique is compared with existing techniques that have been recently proposed for the measurement of pore fluid absorption by superabsorbent polymers. It is seen...

  3. Superabsorbent polymer; Kokyushusei porima

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fujita, M. [Sanyo Kasei Kogyo K.K., Tokyo (Japan)

    1996-07-20

    Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) which has the absorbing ability from several hundreds to thousand times of the dead weight possesses many other functions in addition to the absorbing function, and studies on its application to various fields have been carried on very actively. Particularly, about 90% of the demand is for the application to body fluid absorber in the fields of sanitary materials. Basic water absorption mechanism, kinds, production methods, special features and applied cases of superabsorbent polymer are introduced. SAP is structured by loosely bridged water soluble polymer, particularly polymer electrolyte, to provide water unsoluble and water swelling properties. The kinds and production methods of SAP are described. SAP has respiration property in addition to the high water absorbing power and water holding ability. It has carboxyl ions, and has ammonia absorption ability and polyvalent metal ion adsorption ability. Paper diapers, water holding materials for soil, and cold reserving materials are discussed as examples of SAP application. 3 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.

  4. Crack Mitigation in Concrete: Superabsorbent Polymers as Key to Success?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mignon, Arn; Snoeck, Didier; Dubruel, Peter; Van Vlierberghe, Sandra; De Belie, Nele

    2017-02-28

    Cracking is a major concern in building applications. Cracks may arise from shrinkage, freeze/thawing and/or structural stresses, amongst others. Several solutions can be found but superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) seem to be interesting to counteract these problems. At an early age, the absorbed water by the SAPs may be used to mitigate autogenous and plastic shrinkage. The formed macro pores may increase the freeze/thaw resistance. The swelling upon water ingress may seal a crack from intruding fluids and may regain the overall water-tightness. The latter water may promote autogenous healing. The use of superabsorbent polymers is thus very interesting. This review paper summarizes the current research and gives a critical note towards the use of superabsorbent polymers in cementitious materials.

  5. Crack Mitigation in Concrete: Superabsorbent Polymers as Key to Success?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arn Mignon

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Cracking is a major concern in building applications. Cracks may arise from shrinkage, freeze/thawing and/or structural stresses, amongst others. Several solutions can be found but superabsorbent polymers (SAPs seem to be interesting to counteract these problems. At an early age, the absorbed water by the SAPs may be used to mitigate autogenous and plastic shrinkage. The formed macro pores may increase the freeze/thaw resistance. The swelling upon water ingress may seal a crack from intruding fluids and may regain the overall water-tightness. The latter water may promote autogenous healing. The use of superabsorbent polymers is thus very interesting. This review paper summarizes the current research and gives a critical note towards the use of superabsorbent polymers in cementitious materials.

  6. Respiratory health effects and exposure to superabsorbent polymer and paper dust - an epidemiological study

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    Torén Kjell

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The primary aim of the present study was to investigate if exposure to dust from absorbent hygiene products containing superabsorbent polymer is related to symptoms from the airways and from the eyes. The secondary aim was to estimate the current exposure to superabsorbent polymer among production and maintenance workers in a plant producing hygiene products. Methods The cohort comprised 1043 workers of whom 689 were exposed to super absorbent polymer and 804 were exposed to paper dust (overlapping groups. There was 186 workers not exposed to either superabsorbent polymer or to paper dust They were investigated with a comprehensive questionnaire about exposure, asthma, rhinitis and symptoms from eyes and airways. The results were analyzed with logistic regression models adjusting for sex, age, atopy and smoking habits. An aerosol sampler equipped with a polytetrafluoroethylene filter with 1 μm pore size was used for personal samplings in order to measure inhalable dust and superabsorbent polymer. Results The prevalence of nasal crusts (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.01-2.0 and nose-bleeding (OR 1.7, 95% CI 1.2-2.4 was increased among the paper dust exposed workers (adjusted for superabsorbent polymer exposure. There were no significant effects associated with exposure to superabsorbent polymer (adjusted for paper dust exposure. The average exposure to inhalable levels of total dust (paper dust varied between 0.40 and 1.37 mg/m3. For superabsorbent polymer dust the average exposure varied between 0.02 and 0.81 mg/m3. Conclusions In conclusion, our study shows that workers manufacturing diapers in the hygiene industry have an increased prevalence of symptoms from the nose, especially nose-bleeding. There was no relation between exposure to superabsorbent polymer and symptoms from eyes, nose or respiratory tract, but exposure to paper dust was associated with nose-bleeding and nasal crusts. This group of workers had also a considerable

  7. A composite chitosan-gelatin bi-layered, biomimetic macroporous scaffold for blood vessel tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Badhe, Ravindra V; Bijukumar, Divya; Chejara, Dharmesh R; Mabrouk, Mostafa; Choonara, Yahya E; Kumar, Pradeep; du Toit, Lisa C; Kondiah, Pierre P D; Pillay, Viness

    2017-02-10

    A composite chitosan-gelatin macroporous hydrogel-based scaffold with bi-layered tubular architecture was engineered by solvent casting-co-particulate leaching. The scaffold constituted an inner macroporous layer concealed by a non-porous outer layer mimicking the 3D matrix of blood vessels with cellular adhesion and proliferation. The scaffold was evaluated for its morphological, physicochemical, physicomechanical and biodurability properties employing SEM, FTIR, DSC, XRD, porositometry, rheology and texture analysis. The fluid uptake and biodegradation in the presence of lysozymes was also investigated. Cellular attachment and proliferation was analysed using human dermal fibroblasts (HDF-a) seeded onto the scaffold and evaluated by MTT assay, SEM, and confocal microscopy. Results demonstrated that the scaffold had a desirable tensile strength=95.81±11kPa, elongation at break 112.5±13%, porosity 82% and pores between 100 and 230μm, 50% in vitro biodegradation at day 16 and proliferated fibroblasts over 20 days. These results demonstrate that scaffold may be an excellent tubular archetype for blood vessel tissue engineering. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Validation of a new menstrual pictogram (superabsorbent polymer-c version) for use with ultraslim towels that contain superabsorbent polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magnay, Julia L; Nevatte, Tracy M; O'Brien, Shaughn; Gerlinger, Christoph; Seitz, Christian

    2014-02-01

    To validate the menstrual pictogram (superabsorbent polymer-c version) for Always Ultra-slim feminine towels containing superabsorbent polymers. Prospective, multicenter, evaluator-blinded study. Three gynecology research clinics in the United Kingdom. Women with self-perceived light, normal, or heavy menstrual periods who had not previously used a graphical method to assess their menstrual loss. One hundred twenty-two women were asked to complete the menstrual pictogram throughout two menstrual periods and collect their feminine towels for measurements of menstrual blood loss (MBL) by the alkaline hematin method and total menstrual fluid loss (MFL) by fluid weight. Agreement of menstrual pictogram MBL and MFL scores with alkaline hematin and towel weight, respectively. The percentage blood fraction was determined at various volumes of menstrual discharge. Alkaline hematin and fluid weight were highly correlated (r = .97). However, the percentage blood fraction progressively increased with total MFL and MBL score. After correction for this incremental rise in blood fraction, the menstrual pictogram gave a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 92% for a diagnosis of heavy menstrual bleeding. The menstrual pictogram (superabsorbent polymer-c version) provides a simple means of measuring MBL in the clinical setting. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Influence of superabsorbent polymers on the chemical composition of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch. and biological activity in the soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mikiciuk Grzegorz

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available By improving the air and water properties of soils, superabsorbent polymers can affect the increase and improvement of the quality of the yield of berry plants, including strawberries. Their presence in the soil has an influence on its biological activity as related to microorganisms. The aim of the research was to assess the influence of superabsorbent polymers added to the soil on the content of macroelements and sodium in the leaves and fruit of strawberry of the ‘Elsanta’ cultivar and changes in the number of soil bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi. The superabsorbent polymer (AgroHydroGel was used in two doses: 1.8 and 3.6 g dm-3 of soil. The content of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sodium was assessed using the ASA method, while the content of nitrogen and sulphur was assessed by the elemental analysis method (CHNS analyser. The number of microorganisms was assessed with a BacTrac analyser and the coefficient of microorganism development extent (SR was also determined. AgroHydroGel increased the content of nitrogen and potassium in leaves and fruit but did not affect the content of phosphorus, sulphur and sodium. The addition of the superabsorbent at a dose of 3.6 g dm-3 of soil reduced the magnesium content both in the leaves and fruit of the strawberry. AgroHydroGel decreased the content of calcium in the fruit. The use of AgroHydroGel contributed to the expansion of the K ion ratio to other ions, both in the leaves and fruits. We observed a significant increase in the amount of soil bacteria (1.8 g dm-3 dose and no significant influence on actinomycetes and fungi (irrespective of dose used.

  10. Dewatering of Yoghurt Using Permeable Membrane and Acrylic Superabsorbent Hydrogel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Ahmadpour

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available Conventional processes of food dewatering, such as thermal, have undesirable and destruction effects on vitamins, aromatic compounds and pigments. In addition, they are accompanied with some technological complications and energy consumption. Thus, food concentration processes are directed to non-thermal techniques or methods with reduced heat effects. Superabsorbents are highly hydrophilic polymer networks which can absorb water and aqueous solutions some hundred times of their weights and retain them. These materials are subgroups of hydrogel family that are transformed into gels after absorbing water. In the present research, the possibilities of yoghurt dewatering using superabsorbents have been investigated for the first time in Iran and some remarkable results are obtained for this vital product. In the experiments carried out to investigate the effect of these absorbents on normal method of yoghurt concentration (use of permeable membrane, type of bed (wide and vertical and time are also studied. The percentage of total soluble solids and dry solids of dewatered samples were measured in different time intervals up to 180 min. The results showed that superabsorbent on a wide bed would reduce the concentration time to one third. In other words, in a certain time interval, more than 70% increase in yoghurt dry solids was observed compared to normal method. These results show that acrylic superabsorbent hydrogel can be applied as highly hydrophilic material in non-thermal food dewatering methods.

  11. On the Interaction between Superabsorbent Hydrogels and Cementitious Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farzanian, Khashayar

    Autogenous shrinkage induced cracking is a major concern in high performance concretes (HPC), which are produced with low water to cement ratios. Internal curing to maintain high relative humidity in HPC with the use of an internal water reservoir has proven effective in mitigating autogenous shrinkage in HPC. Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) or hydrogels have received increasing attention as an internal curing agent in recent years. A key advantage of SAP is its versatility in size distribution and absorption/desorption characteristics, which allow it to be adapted to specific mix designs. Understanding the behavior of superabsorbent hydrogels in cementitious materials is critical for accurate design of internal curing. The primary goal of this study is to fundamentally understand the interaction between superabsorbent hydrogels and cementitious materials. In the first step, the effect of chemical and mechanical conditions on the absorption of hydrogels is investigated. In the second step, the desorption of hydrogels in contact with porous cementitious materials is examined to aid in understanding the mechanisms of water release from superabsorbent hydrogels (SAP) into cementitious materials. The dependence of hydrogel desorption on the microstructure of cementitious materials and relative humidity is studied. It is shown that the capillary forces developed at the interface between the hydrogel and cementitious materials increased the desorption of the hydrogels. The size of hydrogels is shown to influence desorption, beyond the known size dependence of bulk diffusion, through debonding from the cementitious matrix, thereby decreasing the effect of the Laplace pressure on desorption. In the third step, the desorption of hydrogels synthesized with varied chemical compositions in cementitious materials are investigated. The absorption, chemical structure and mechanical response of hydrogels swollen in a cement mixture are studied. The effect of the capillary forces on

  12. Starch derivative-based superabsorbent with integration of water-retaining and controlled-release fertilizers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Kang; Lin, Zuan-Tao; Zheng, Xi-Liang; Jiang, Gang-Biao; Fang, Yu-Sheng; Mao, Xiao-Yun; Liao, Zong-Wen

    2013-02-15

    Phosphate rock (PHR), a traditional fertilizer, is abundant, but is hard to be utilized by plants. To improve the utilization of PHR, and to integrate water-retaining and controlled-release fertilizers, an agricultural superabsorbent polymer based on sulfonated corn starch/poly (acrylic acid) embedding phosphate rock (SCS/PAA/PHR) was prepared. PHR can be suspended and well-dispersed in SCS/PAA by sulfonated corn starch (SCS). PHR and KOH were mixed in acrylic acid solution to provide phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) nutrients, respectively. Impacts on water absorption capacity of the superabsorbent were investigated. The maximum swelling capacity in distilled water or 0.9 wt.% (weight percent) NaCl solution reached 498 g g(-1) and 65 g g(-1) (water/prepared dry superabsorbent) respectively. Moreover, release behaviours of P and K in SCS/PAA/PHR were also investigated. The results showed that SCS/PAA/PHR possessed excellent sustained-release property of plant nutrient, and the SCS/PAA could improve the P release greatly. Besides, the XPS analysis was employed to study the relationship between PHR and superabsorbent polymer. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Thermal analysis of cement pastes with superabsorbent polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Esteves, Luis Pedro; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede; Lukosiute, Irena

    2013-01-01

    Thermal analysis of cement systems is very helpful in the understanding of many different properties of cementitious compounds, both for the original reacting compounds, and also for the resulting hydration products. Superabsorbent polymers can be added to cement systems with many different reasons......, so it is relevant that fundamental knowledge of this new compound on the development of hydration is well understood [1-3]. This paper reports research on thermal analysis of cement pastes with superabsorbent polymers. We have studied several parameters: the concentration of SAP in the system......, the effect of particle size distribution, and their influence on the hydration process with focus on cement-silica systems. This is done at different thermodynamic conditions, so the energy of activation in the different systems can be accessed. This paper provides information relevant to hydration modelling...

  14. "JCE" Classroom Activity #106. Sequestration of Divalent Metal Ion by Superabsorbent Polymer in Diapers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yueh-Huey; Lin, Jia-Ying; Lin, Li-Pin; Liang, Han; Yaung, Jing-Fun

    2010-01-01

    This activity explores an alternative use of a superabsorbent polymer known as a water absorbing material. A dilute solution of CuCl[subscript 2] is treated with a small piece of unused disposable diaper containing superabsorbent sodium polyacrylates. The polymer is used for the removal of Cu[superscript 2+] ions from the solution. The…

  15. Radiation Synthesis of Superabsorbent Polymers Based on Natural Polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, Murat; Hayrabolulu, Hande

    2010-01-01

    The objectives of proposed research contract were first synthesize superabsorbent polymers based on natural polymers to be used as disposable diapers and soil conditioning materials in agriculture, horticulture and other super adsorbent using industries. We have planned to use the natural polymers; locust beam gum, tara gum, guar gum and sodium alginate on the preparation of natural superabsorbent polymers(SAP). The aqueous solution of natural polymers and their blends with trace amount of monomer and cross-linking agents will be irradiated in paste like conditions by gamma rays for the preparation of cross-linked superabsorbent systems. The water absorption and deswellling capacity of prepared super adsorbents and retention capacity, absorbency under load, suction power, swelling pressure and pet-rewet properties will be determined. Use of these materials instead of synthetic super absorbents will be examined by comparing the performance of finished products. The experimental studies achieved in the second year of project mainly on the effect of radiation on the chemistry of sodium alginate polymers in different irradiation conditions and structure-property relationship particularly with respect to radiation induced changes on the molecular weight of natural polymers and preliminary studies on the synthesis of natural-synthetic hydride super adsorbent polymers were given in details

  16. Can superabsorbent polymers mitigate shrinkage in cementitious materials blended with supplementary cementitious materials?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Snoeck, Didier; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede; De Belie, Nele

    2016-01-01

    A promising way to mitigate autogenous shrinkage in cementitious materials with a low water-to-binder ratio is internal curing by the use of superabsorbent polymers. Superabsorbent polymers are able to absorb multiple times their weight in water and can be applied as an internal water reservoir...... to induce internal curing and mitigation of self-desiccation. Their purposefulness has been demonstrated in Portland cement pastes with and without silica fume. Nowadays, fly ash and blast-furnace slag containing binders are also frequently used in the construction industry. The results on autogenous...... shrinkage in materials blended with fly ash or blast-furnace slag remain scarce, especially after one week of age. This paper focuses on the autogenous shrinkage by performing manual and automated shrinkage measurements up to one month of age. Without superabsorbent polymers, autogenous shrinkage...

  17. Immobilized Candida antarctica lipase B on ZnO nanowires/macroporous silica composites for catalyzing chiral resolution of (R,S)-2-octanol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shang, Chuan-Yang; Li, Wei-Xun; Zhang, Rui-Feng

    2014-01-01

    ZnO nanowires were successfully introduced into a macroporous SiO2 by in situ hydrothermal growth in 3D pores. The obtained composites were characterized by SEM and XRD, and used as supports to immobilize Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) through adsorption. The high specific surface area (233 m(2)/g) and strong electrostatic interaction resulted that the average loading amount of the composite supports (196.8 mg/g) was 3-4 times of that of macroporous SiO2 and approximate to that of a silica-based mesoporous material. Both adsorption capacity and the activity of the CALB immobilized on the composite supports almost kept unchanged as the samples were soaked in buffer solution for 48 h. The chiral resolution of 2-octanol was catalyzed by immobilized CALB. A maximum molar conversion of 49.1% was achieved with 99% enantiomeric excess of (R)-2-octanol acetate under the optimal condition: a reaction using 1.0 mol/L (R,S)-2-octanol, 2.0 mol/L vinyl acetate and 4.0 wt.% water content at 60°C for 8h. After fifteen recycles the immobilized lipase could retain 96.9% of relative activity and 93.8% of relative enantioselectivity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. A new method to produce macroporous Mg-phosphate bone growth substitutes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Babaie, Elham, E-mail: Elham.Babaie@rockets.utoledo.edu [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States); Lin, Boren [Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States); Bhaduri, Sarit B. [Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606 (United States); Department of Surgery (Dentistry), University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43614 (United States)

    2017-06-01

    This paper is a sequel to our previous effort in developing Mg-phosphate orthopedic cements using amorphous Mg-phosphate (AMP) as the precursor. In this paper, we report a new real-time in situ technique to create macroporous bone growth substitute (BGS). The method uses biodegradable Mg-particles as the porogen. As opposed to the conventional wisdom of providing corrosion protection layers to biodegradable Mg-alloys, the present method uses the fast corrosion kinetics of Mg to create macropores in real time during the setting of the cement. An aqueous solution of PVA was used as the setting solution. Using this technique, a macroporous cement containing up to 91% porosity is obtained, as determined by pycnometry. Due to formation of H{sub 2} gas bubbles from corrosion of Mg, the cement becomes macroporous. The pore sizes as big as 760 μm were observed. The results of SBF soaking indicated change in crystallinity as confirmed via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Our in vitro cytocompatibility evaluation also revealed that the macroporous bone growth substitute composed of bobierrite is cytocompatible and can improve gene expression. - Highlights: • We report a new real time, in situ technique to fabricate macroporous bone grafts. • Self-corroding Mg granules act as porogens. • Compositions containing AMP and PVA self-set within a reasonable time. • The final bone graft substitute showed promising biocompatibility. • The results provide important information on the porosity content and bioactivity.

  19. Swelling Behaviour of Superabsorbent Polymers for Soil Amendment under Different Loads

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krzysztof Lejcuś

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available One of the most important among the numerous applications of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs, also known as hydrogels, is soil improvement and supporting plant vegetation in agriculture and environmental engineering. Currently, when water scarcity involves water stress, they are becoming still more commonly used for water retention in soil. As it turns out, one of the major factors influencing the superabsorbent polymers water retention capacity (WRC is the load of soil. The study presents test results of absorbency under load (AUL of SAPs. The object of the analysis was cross-linked copolymer of acrylamide and potassium acrylate, of a granulation of 0.50–3.15 mm. The authors analysed the water absorption capacity of the superabsorbent polymers under loads characteristic for 3 different densities of soil (1.3 g∙cm−3, 0.9 g∙cm−3, 0.5 g∙cm−3 and three different depths of application (10 cm, 20 cm, and 30 cm. Soil load and bulk densities were simulated by using weights. The experiments were conducted with a Mecmesin Multitest 2.5-xt apparatus. The obtained results demonstrate a very significant reduction in water absorption capacity by SAP under load. For a 30 cm deep layer of soil of bulk density of 1.3 g∙cm−3, after 1 h, this value amounted to 5.0 g∙g−1, and for the control sample without load, this value amounted to more than 200 g∙g−1. For the lowest load in the experiment, which was 0.49 kPa (10 cm deep layer of soil of a bulk density of 0.5 g∙cm−3, this value was 33.0 g∙g−1 after 60 min. Loads do not only limit the volume of the swelling superabsorbent polymer but they also prolong the swelling time. The soil load caused a decrease in the absorption capacity from 338.5 g∙g−1 to 19.3 g∙g−1, as well as a prolongation of the swelling time. The rate parameter (time required to reach 63% of maximum absorption capacity increased from 63 min for the control sample to more than 300 min for the largest analysed

  20. A pH-, salt- and solvent-responsive carboxymethylcellulose-g-poly(sodium acrylate/medical stone superabsorbent composite with enhanced swelling and responsive properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Free-radical graft copolymerization among sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC, partially neutralized acrylic acid (NaA, medical stone (MS and crosslinker N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA was performed to prepare new carboxymethylcellulose-g-poly(sodium acrylate/medical stone (CMC-g-PNaA/MS superabsorbent composites. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR spectra, thermogravimetry- differential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC and field emission scanning electromicrsocopic (FESEM analysis confirmed that NaA had been grafted onto CMC backbone and MS participated in polymerization, and the thermal stability and surface morphologies were improved by the addition of MS. Energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS and elemental map (EM analyses revealed the better distribution of MS in the CMC-g-PNaA matrix. The incorporation of 20 wt% MS clearly enhanced the water absorption by 100% (from 317 to 634 g/g. The developed composites showed enhanced swelling rate and On-Off switching swelling characteristics in various pH solutions, saline solutions and hydrophilic organic solvents, which represented interesting and reversible pH-, saline- and hydrophilic organic solvent-responsive characteristics. In addition, the composite exhibited intriguing time-dependent kinetic swelling properties in various heavy metal solutions.

  1. Water absorption of superabsorbent polymers in a cementitious environment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Ole Mejlhede

    2011-01-01

    This paper focuses on the water absorption of superabsorbent polymers in a cementitious environment. The paper discusses different techniques to measure the water absorption capacity, and in particular it describes a technique which enables a simple and quick estimation of the water absorption...... capacity in a cementitious environment. The challenges met in defining the concept of water absorption capacity are treated, and the appropriateness of different types of superabsorbent polymers is also briefly dealt with. The concept “water absorption capacity” and its measurement seem straightforwardly...... simple, but a closer examination of the topic discloses many, significant difficulties. However, given proper cautiousness it is possible both to quickly estimate the water absorption capacity through a simple measurement as well as to examine how it will be influenced by different factors....

  2. Novel macroporous amphoteric gels: Preparation and characterization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Kudaibergenov

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Macroporous amphoteric gels based on allylamine, methacrylic acid and acrylamide crosslinked by N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide were synthesized by radical copolymerization of monomers in cryoconditions. The composition of cryogels was determined by combination of potentiometric and conductimetric titrations. The morphology of cryogels was evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM. Cryogels exhibited sponge-like porous structure with pore size ranging from 50 to 200 μm. The values of the isoelectric points (IEPs determined from the swelling experiments arranged between 3.5 and 4.3. The high adsorption-desorption capacity of amphoteric cryogels with respect to mM and trace concentrations of copper, nickel, and cobalt ions was demonstrated. It was shown that the macroporous amphoteric cryogels are able to adsorb up to 99.9% of copper, nickel, and cobalt ions from 10–3 mol•L–1 aqueous solution.

  3. Porphyrinic metal-organic framework/macroporous carbon composites for electrocatalytic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin, Duanduan; Liu, Jian; Bo, Xiangjie; Li, Mian; Guo, Liping

    2017-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Zr-PorMOF/MPC composites were prepared, which used to detect H 2 O 2 and simultaneously detect UA, XA and HX Display Omitted -- Highlights: •Preparing Zr-PorMOF/MPC composites by a simple one-step solvothermal reaction. •Enhanced electrocatalytic activity at Zr-PorMOF/MPC than Zr-PorMOF and MPC. •A low detection limit, short response time and low applied potential towards H 2 O 2 reduction. •Simultaneous determination of UA, XA and HX. -- Abstract: In this work, a novel porphyrinic metal-organic framework-based composite has been successfully synthesized by a simple one-step solvothermal method through growing Zr-PorMOF on macroporous carbon (MPC). Porphyrin-base MOFs combining the structural adjustable of MOFs and the specific catalytic activity of biomimetic catalysts play an important role in electrocatalysis. A series of characterization show that the roles of MPC as follow: (1) MPC could avoid the agglomeration of Zr-PorMOF particles and increase the specific surface area; (2) MPC could improve the electrochemical stability of Zr-PorMOF particles; (3) MPC could reduce the electron transfer resistance. Therefore, MPC plays the role of the conductive bridges to provide facile charge transport. The obtained Zr-PorMOF/MPC composites exhibit much better electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) than the pristine Zr-PorMOF due to the synergy of Zr-PorMOF and MPC. This enzyme-free H 2 O 2 sensor shows two linear relationships in the ranges 0.5–137 μM (R 2 = 0.991, sensitivity = 66 μA mM −1 ) and 137–3587 μM (R 2 = 0.993, sensitivity = 16 μA mM −1 ), with a low over-potential at −0.2 V, a fast response time within 1 s and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.18 μM. Moreover, Zr-PorMOF/MPC composites were used to simultaneously detect uric acid (UA), xanthine (XA) and hypoxanthine (HX). These three substances are degradation products of purine metabolism. In addition, Zr-PorMOF/MPC composites

  4. Gamma ray induced synthesis of superabsorbent hydrogels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramnani, S.P.; Sabharwal, S.; Rawat, K.P.; Majali, A.B.

    2000-01-01

    The synthesis of superabsorbent gel by grafting of acrylic acid on carboxymethyl cellulose has been carried out using gamma radiation. One gram of this gel absorbs and holds as high as 460 gm of water. The effect of various additives on water absorption characteristics was studied and possible applications of this gel to agriculture are proposed. (author)

  5. Improving the performance of cement-based composites containing superabsorbent polymers by utilization of nano-SiO2 particles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pourjavadi, Ali; Fakoorpoor, Seyed Mahmoud; Khaloo, Alireza; Hosseini, Payam

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Nano-SiO 2 fully compensates compressive but not flexural strength. ► Nano-SiO 2 has the major contribution both to yield stress and viscosity. ► Lower dosages of SAP could reduce viscosity and yield stress of pastes. -- Abstract: The application of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) as an internal curing agent for cement based composites results in benefits such as reduced autogenous shrinkage and cracking. However, a reduction in compressive and flexural strength usually occurs due to the empty voids remained in the matrix after deswelling of SAP particles. Nanoparticles are good candidates for improving the mechanical performance of cementitious materials, due to their multiple mechanisms of action, not the least their high pozzolanic activity. In the present work, the capability of amorphous nano-SiO 2 (NS) as the most widely used nanoparticle in cementitious materials, for retrieving mechanical properties of SAP-containing pastes was evaluated, and its impact on setting time and rheological properties was measured. It was found that small dosages of NS could offset the negative effect of SAP on compressive strength but flexural strength was not fully compensated. Optimization of the dosages of NS and SAP could reduce the negative influences on the yield stress and viscosity whilst improving mechanical performance. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used to monitor the changes in microstructure and composition.

  6. Menstrual blood loss measurement: validation of the alkaline hematin technique for feminine hygiene products containing superabsorbent polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Magnay, Julia L; Nevatte, Tracy M; Dhingra, Vandana; O'Brien, Shaughn

    2010-12-01

    To validate the alkaline hematin technique for measurement of menstrual blood loss using ultra-thin sanitary towels that contain superabsorbent polymer granules as the absorptive agent. Laboratory study using simulated menstrual fluid (SMF) and Always Ultra Normal, Long, and Night "with wings" sanitary towels. Keele Menstrual Disorders Laboratory. None. None. Recovery of blood, linearity, and interassay variation over a range of SMF volumes applied to towels. Because of the variable percentage of blood in menstrual fluid, blood recovery was assessed from SMF constituted as 10%, 25%, 50%, and 100% blood. The lower limit of reliable detection and the effect of storing soiled towels for up to 4 weeks at 15°C-20°C, 4°C, and -20°C before analysis were determined. Ninety percent recovery was reproducibly achieved up to 30 mL applied volume at all tested SMF compositions, except at low volume or high dilution equivalent to sanitary towels that contain superabsorbent polymers. Copyright © 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Synthesis and characterization of agricultural controllable humic acid superabsorbent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Lijuan; Wang, Shiqiang; Zhao, Xuefei

    2013-12-01

    Humic acid superabsorbent polymer (P(AA/AM-HA)) and superabsorbent polymer (P(AA/AM)) were synthesized by aqueous solution polymerization method using acrylic acid (AA), acrylamide (AM) and humic acid (HA) as raw material. The effects of N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) crosslinking agent, potassium peroxydisulfate (KPS) initiator, reaction temperature, HA content, ratio of AA to AM, concentration of monomer and neutralization of AA on water absorption were investigated. Absorption and desorption ratios of nitrogen fertilizer and phosphate fertilizer were also investigated by determination of absorption and desorption ratio of NH4(+), PO4(3-) on P(AA/AM-HA) and P(AA/AM). The P(AA/AM-HA) and P(AA/AM) were characterized by Fourier translation infrared spectroscopy, biological photomicroscope and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The optimal conditions obtained were as follows: the weight ratio of MBA to AA and AM was 0.003; the weight ratio of KPS to AA and AM was 0.008; the weight ratio of HA to AA was 0.1; the mole ratio of AM to AA is 0.1; the mole ratio of NaOH to AA is 0.9; the reaction temperature was 60°C. P(AA/AM-HA) synthesized under optimal conditions, has a good saline tolerance, its water absorbency in distilled water and 0.9 wt.% saline solution is 1180 g/g and 110 g/g, respectively. P(AA/AM-HA) achieves half saturation in 6.5 min. P(AA/AM-HA) is superior to P(AA/AM) on absorption of NH4(+), PO4(3-). The SEM micrograph of P(AA/AM-HA) shows a fine alveolate structure. The biological optical microscope micrograph of P(AA/AM-HA) shows a network structure. Graft polymerization between P(AA/AM) and HA was demonstrated by infrared spectrum. The P(AA/AM-HA) superabsorbent has better absorbing ability of water and fertilizer, electrolytic tolerance and fewer cost than P(AA/AM) superabsorbent. Copyright © 2013 The Research Centre for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Superabsorbent materials from grafting of acrylic acid onto Thai agricultural residues by gamma irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wongsawaeng, Doonyapong; Jumpee, Chayanit

    2016-01-01

    Superabsorbent polymers based on ubiquitous agricultural residues: sugarcane, water hyacinth, rice straw, coconut shell and palm fruit bunch substrates, were successfully synthesized. Gamma radiation from Co-60 was employed to graft acrylic acid (AA) onto the substrates. Rice straw exhibited the highest equilibrium swelling ratio of 78.90 g/g at 6 kGy of absorbed gamma ray dose and 14%v/v AA concentration. The rate of water absorption was rapid at the beginning and became reduced with increasing immersion time. After about 3.5 hours, the absorption reached approximately 90% of the saturation value. Temperature plays a critical role on the rate of water evaporation from the superabsorbent. As for the one experiencing 35degC-40degC temperature, the weight of the saturated superabsorbent reduced to approximately 50% of the original value in 13 hours. However, for the one experiencing room temperature (24.2degC-27.7degC), approximately 58 hours were needed to reduce the weight by half. The superabsorbent polymer was able to absorb about 203% of the polymer's dry weight and did not release urea when eluded by water. Moreover, the polymer was able to hold water very well for at least 3 weeks and did not degrade until at least 6 weeks, ensuring biodegradability. (author)

  9. Recommended method for measurement of absorbency of superabsorbent polymers in cement-based materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Esteves, Luis Pedro

    2015-01-01

    —laser diffraction particle size analysis, and it allows an easy and reliable measurement of the absorbency of superabsorbent polymers. It is shown in detail how both the definition of the exposure liquid and the definition of the system of SAP particles can be selected so that absorbency can be experimentally...... so that the properties of concrete with superabsorbent polymers can be better controlled in practice. In this paper, a technique that can be potentially used as a standard method is developed. The method is based on a measurement technique validated through an international standard procedure...

  10. Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) enhance efficient and eco-friendly ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In arid and semiarid regions of northern China, there is an increasing interest in using reduced rate of chemical fertilizer along with water-saving superabsorbent polymer (SAP) for field crop production. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of different rates of SAP (low, 0.75; medium, 11.3 and high, 15.0 kg ha-1) ...

  11. Application of encapsulated superabsorbent polymers in cementitious materials for stimulated autogenous healing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pelto, Jani; Leivo, Markku; Gruyaert, Elke; Debbaut, Brenda; Snoeck, Didier; De Belie, Nele

    2017-10-01

    Superabsorbent polymers have shown potential for use in mortar and concrete as self-healing agents. The main drawback is, however, that these superabsorbent polymers also absorb mixing water during the preparation and casting of mortar or concrete, leading to a loss in workability. To avoid the absorption of mixing water, superabsorbent polymers were coated using a fluid bed spraying process. The barrier coating consisted of three successive coating layers: polyvinylbutyral as primer/wetting layer, cyclo-olefin copolymer as a barrier layer and a sol-gel derived zirconium-silicon oxide as an adhesion-promoting topcoat layer. The coated SAPs were characterized, and their swelling determined to quantify the delay in uptake of water and Ca(OH)2 solution. The last was considered as the most important, as the SAPs will finally be applied in mortar or concrete having a pore solution with high pH. The results showed that swelling could be delayed to a large extent, but for a short time. Results showed that the self-sealing efficiency of mortars was not affected by coating the SAPs. Moreover, due to the reduced uptake of mixing water, the strength reduction, noticed when uncoated SAPs were added to the mortar, could partly be compensated.

  12. Numerical modelling of porous cement-based materials by superabsorbent polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Viejo, Ismael; Esteves, Luis Pedro; Laspalas, Manuel

    2016-01-01

    The development of new cementitious materials raises new challenges with regard to structural design. One of the potential applications of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) is to deliver well-defined porosity to cement systems. This is particularly interesting for the development of porous cement...

  13. Synthesis of superabsorbent hydrogel by radiation crosslinking of acrylic acid, semi-refined kappa-carrageenan and sugarcane bagasse blend

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jizmundo, Leonie-Lou Dominguez

    2015-04-01

    Superabsorbent hydrogels have three-dimensional networks that enable it to exhibit great water absorption capacity leading to its promising applications. However, existing commercial hydrogels are mainly acrylic acid which causes environmental problems. In this study, the incorporation of agricultural waste as filler and polysaccharide from natural sources as binder for the production of superabsorbent hydrogel was done to reduce the use of acrylic acid as well as its environmental impact while adding value to the incorporated materials. A series of superabsorbent hydrogel with the blend of acrylic acid, semi-refined kappa carrageenan and sugarcane bagasse were synthesized by radiation crosslinking. The gel fraction and swelling capacity of the hydrogels were determined and studied. The characterizations were facilitated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). In the results obtained from analyses, the characteristic peaks of acrylic acid and sugarcane bagasse were observed in the FTIR spectra and the three step peaks if synthesized hydrogel in its TGA implies an improvement in thermal stability of the product. The synthesized superabsorbent hydrogel blends had exhibited comparable gel fraction to that of the polyacrylic acid hydrogel, had great swelling capacity, and achieved equilibrium degree of swelling within 72-96 hours. The optimum synthesized superabsorbent hydrogel is 3% semi-refined kappa-carrageenan, 3% sugarcane bagasse, 15% acrylic acid neutralize up to 50% and irradiated at 15kGy dose which exhibited a swelling of 599.53 and gel fraction of 39.73. (author)

  14. Parallel fabrication of macroporous scaffolds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dobos, Andrew; Grandhi, Taraka Sai Pavan; Godeshala, Sudhakar; Meldrum, Deirdre R; Rege, Kaushal

    2018-07-01

    Scaffolds generated from naturally occurring and synthetic polymers have been investigated in several applications because of their biocompatibility and tunable chemo-mechanical properties. Existing methods for generation of 3D polymeric scaffolds typically cannot be parallelized, suffer from low throughputs, and do not allow for quick and easy removal of the fragile structures that are formed. Current molds used in hydrogel and scaffold fabrication using solvent casting and porogen leaching are often single-use and do not facilitate 3D scaffold formation in parallel. Here, we describe a simple device and related approaches for the parallel fabrication of macroporous scaffolds. This approach was employed for the generation of macroporous and non-macroporous materials in parallel, in higher throughput and allowed for easy retrieval of these 3D scaffolds once formed. In addition, macroporous scaffolds with interconnected as well as non-interconnected pores were generated, and the versatility of this approach was employed for the generation of 3D scaffolds from diverse materials including an aminoglycoside-derived cationic hydrogel ("Amikagel"), poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) or PLGA, and collagen. Macroporous scaffolds generated using the device were investigated for plasmid DNA binding and cell loading, indicating the use of this approach for developing materials for different applications in biotechnology. Our results demonstrate that the device-based approach is a simple technology for generating scaffolds in parallel, which can enhance the toolbox of current fabrication techniques. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Photoconductivity relaxation and electron transport in macroporous silicon structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    L.A. Karachevtseva

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Kinetics and temperature dependence of photoconductivity were measured in macroporous silicon at 80…300 K after light illumination with the wavelength 0.9 μm. The influence of mechanisms of the charge carrier transport through the macropore surface barrier on the kinetics of photoconductivity at various temperatures was investigated. The kinetics of photoconductivity distribution in macroporous silicon and Si substrate has been calculated using the finite-difference time-domain method. The maximum of photoconductivity has been found both in the layer of macroporous silicon and in the monocrystalline substrate. The kinetics of photoconductivity distribution in macroporous silicon showed rapid relaxation of the photoconductivity maximum in the layer of macroporous silicon and slow relaxation of it in the monocrystalline substrate.

  16. A simple method for the production of large volume 3D macroporous hydrogels for advanced biotechnological, medical and environmental applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savina, Irina N.; Ingavle, Ganesh C.; Cundy, Andrew B.; Mikhalovsky, Sergey V.

    2016-02-01

    The development of bulk, three-dimensional (3D), macroporous polymers with high permeability, large surface area and large volume is highly desirable for a range of applications in the biomedical, biotechnological and environmental areas. The experimental techniques currently used are limited to the production of small size and volume cryogel material. In this work we propose a novel, versatile, simple and reproducible method for the synthesis of large volume porous polymer hydrogels by cryogelation. By controlling the freezing process of the reagent/polymer solution, large-scale 3D macroporous gels with wide interconnected pores (up to 200 μm in diameter) and large accessible surface area have been synthesized. For the first time, macroporous gels (of up to 400 ml bulk volume) with controlled porous structure were manufactured, with potential for scale up to much larger gel dimensions. This method can be used for production of novel 3D multi-component macroporous composite materials with a uniform distribution of embedded particles. The proposed method provides better control of freezing conditions and thus overcomes existing drawbacks limiting production of large gel-based devices and matrices. The proposed method could serve as a new design concept for functional 3D macroporous gels and composites preparation for biomedical, biotechnological and environmental applications.

  17. Meta-analysis on Macropore Flow Velocity in Soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, D.; Gao, M.; Li, H. Y.; Chen, X.; Leung, L. R.

    2017-12-01

    Macropore flow is ubiquitous in the soils and an important hydrologic process that is not well explained using traditional hydrologic theories. Macropore Flow Velocity (MFV) is an important parameter used to describe macropore flow and quantify its effects on runoff generation and solute transport. However, the dominant factors controlling MFV are still poorly understood and the typical ranges of MFV measured at the field are not defined clearly. To address these issues, we conducted a meta-analysis based on a database created from 246 experiments on MFV collected from 76 journal articles. For a fair comparison, a conceptually unified definition of MFV is introduced to convert the MFV measured with different approaches and at various scales including soil core, field, trench or hillslope scales. The potential controlling factors of MFV considered include scale, travel distance, hydrologic conditions, site factors, macropore morphologies, soil texture, and land use. The results show that MFV is about 2 3 orders of magnitude larger than the corresponding values of saturated hydraulic conductivity. MFV is much larger at the trench and hillslope scale than at the field profile and soil core scales and shows a significant positive correlation with the travel distance. Generally, higher irrigation intensity tends to trigger faster MFV, especially at field profile scale, where MFV and irrigation intensity have significant positive correlation. At the trench and hillslope scale, the presence of large macropores (diameter>10 mm) is a key factor determining MFV. The geometric mean of MFV for sites with large macropores was found to be about 8 times larger than those without large macropores. For sites with large macropores, MFV increases with the macropore diameter. However, no noticeable difference in MFV has been observed among different soil texture and land use. Comparing the existing equations to describe MFV, the Poiseuille equation significantly overestimated the

  18. Preparation of porous carboxymethyl chitosan grafted poly (acrylic acid) superabsorbent by solvent precipitation and its application as a hemostatic wound dressing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Yu, E-mail: cylsy@163.com [School of Material Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Zhang, Yong [School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Wang, Fengju [School of Material Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Meng, Weiwei; Yang, Xinlin [School of Life Science, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Li, Peng [School of Material Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Jiang, Jianxin [State Key Laboratory of Trauma Burns and Combined Injury, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042 (China); Tan, Huimin [School of Material Science and Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100081 (China); Zheng, Yongfa [Guangdong Fuyang Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Heyuan, Guangdong 517000 (China)

    2016-06-01

    The volume phase transition of a hydrogel initiated by shrinking may result in complex patterns on its surface. Based on this unique property of hydrogel, we have developed a novel solvent precipitation method to prepare a kind of novel superabsorbent polymers with excellent hemostatic properties. A porous carboxymethyl chitosan grafted poly (acrylic acid) (CMCTS-g-PAA) superabsorbent polymer was prepared by precipitating CMCTS-g-PAA hydrogel with ethanol. Its potential application in hemostatic wound dressing was investigated. The results indicate that the modified superabsorbent polymer is non-cytotoxic. It showed a high swelling capacity and better hemostatic performance in the treatments of hemorrhage model of ear artery, arteria cruralis and spleen of the New Zealand white rabbit than the unmodified polymer and other commonly used clinic wound dressings. The hemostatic mechanism of the porous CMCTS-g-PAA polymer was also discussed. - Highlights: • The novel solvent precipitation method was developed to prepare the porous superabsorbent polymer. • The swelling rate was promoted and the harmful residual monomer was leached after modification. • The modified polymer showed good biological safety. • It showed good hemostasis to arterial hemorrhage model of the animal. • The hemostatic mechanism of the modified superabsorbent polymer was discussed.

  19. Fabrication and properties of meso-macroporous electrodes screen-printed from mesoporous titania nanoparticles for dye-sensitized solar cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Liang; Liu Min; Peng Tianyou; Fan Ke; Lu Lanlan; Dai Ke

    2009-01-01

    A meso-macroporous TiO 2 film electrode was fabricated by using mesoporous TiO 2 (m-TiO 2 ) nanoparticles through a screen-printing technique in order to efficiently control the main fabrication step of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The qualities of the screen-printed m-TiO 2 films were characterized by means of spectroscopy, electron microscopy, nitrogen adsorption-desorption and photoelectrochemical measurements. Under the optimal paste composition and printing conditions, the DSSC based on the meso-macroporous m-TiO 2 film electrode exhibits an energy conversion efficiency of 4.14%, which is improved by 1.70% in comparison with DSSC made with commercially available nonporous TiO 2 nanoparticles (P25, Degussa) electrode printed with a similar paste composition. The meso-macroporous structure within the m-TiO 2 film is of great benefit to the dye adsorption, light absorption and the electrolyte transportation, and then to the improvement of the overall energy conversion efficiency of DSSC.

  20. Spatial distribution of heterocyclic organic matter compounds at macropore surfaces in Bt-horizons

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leue, Martin; Eckhardt, Kai-Uwe; Gerke, Horst H.; Ellerbrock, Ruth H.; Leinweber, Peter

    2017-04-01

    The illuvial Bt-horizon of Luvisols is characterized by coatings of clay and organic matter (OM) at the surfaces of cracks, biopores and inter-aggregate spaces. The OM composition of the coatings that originate from preferential transport of suspended matter in macropores determines the physico-chemical properties of the macropore surfaces. The analysis of the spatial distribution of specific OM components such as heterocyclic N-compounds (NCOMP) and benzonitrile and naphthalene (BN+NA) could enlighten the effect of macropore coatings on the transport of colloids and reactive solutes during preferential flow and on OM turnover processes in subsoils. The objective was to characterize the mm-to-cm scale spatial distribution of NCOMP and BN+NA at intact macropore surfaces from the Bt-horizons of two Luvisols developed on loess and glacial till. In material manually separated from macropore surfaces the proportions of NCOMP and BN+NA were determined by pyrolysis-field ionization mass spectrometry (Py-FIMS). These OM compounds, likely originating from combustion residues, were found increased in crack coatings and pinhole fillings but decreased in biopore walls (worm burrows and root channels). The Py-FIMS data were correlated with signals from C=O and C=C groups and with signals from O-H groups of clay minerals as determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy in diffuse reflectance mode (DRIFT). Intensive signals of C15 to C17 alkanes from long-chain alkenes as main components of diesel and diesel exhaust particulates substantiated the assumption that burning residues were prominent in the subsoil OM. The spatial distribution of NCOMP and BN+NA along the macropores was predicted by partial least squares regression (PLSR) using DRIFT mapping spectra from intact surfaces and was found closely related to the distribution of crack coatings and pinholes. The results emphasize the importance of clay coatings in the subsoil to OM sorption and stabilization

  1. Modification of wheat gluten with citric acid to produce superabsorbent materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wheat gluten was reacted with citric acid to produce natural superabsorbent materials able to absorb up to 78 times its weight in water. The properties of the modified gluten samples were characterized using Fourier Transform Infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and water uptak...

  2. Nanocrystals-based Macroporous Materials Synthesized by Freeze-drying Combustion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan, Ruiqiang; Chen, Yu; Lin, Ye; Chen, Fanglin

    2016-01-01

    We present a novel freeze-drying combustion method for synthesis of macroporous powders with nano-network, using Sm 0.2 Ce 0.8 O 1.9 (SDC) as an example. The metal nitrate salt solution mixed with glycine is frozen to form homogeneous nitrate/glycine mixture and then freeze-dried through sublimation of ice crystals. Upon combustion of the freeze-dried mixture, SDC powders with macroporous microstructure consisting of 10–20 nm nanocrystals, high surface area and excellent sinterability are achieved. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) analysis indicates that nanodomains due to aggregation/segregation of dopants in the SDC powders obtained from freeze-drying combustion are much smaller than those in the SDC powders synthesized by the conventional nitrate solution combustion approach, demonstrating better elemental homogeneity and improved conductivity. Using low cost precursors and simple processing conditions, freeze-drying combustion can be a versatile method to synthesize nanocrystalline powders with excellent composition homogeneity for broad applications.

  3. Preparation of thin layer materials with macroporous microstructure for SOFC applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marrero-Lopez, D.; Ruiz-Morales, J.C.; Pena-Martinez, J.; Canales-Vazquez, J.; Nunez, P.

    2008-01-01

    A facile and versatile method using polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microspheres as pore formers has been developed to prepare thin layer oxide materials with controlled macroporous microstructure. Several mixed oxides with fluorite and perovskite-type structures, i.e. doped zirconia, ceria, ferrites, manganites, and NiO-YSZ composites have been prepared and characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nitrogen adsorption and mercury porosimetry. The synthesised materials are nanocrystalline and present a homogeneous pore distribution and relatively high specific surface area, which makes them interesting for SOFC and catalysis applications in the intermediate temperature range. - Graphical abstract: Thin films materials of mixed oxides with potential application in SOFC devices have been prepared with macroporous microstructure using PMMA microspheres as pore formers. Display Omitted

  4. Predicting macropores in space and time by earthworms and abiotic controls

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hohenbrink, Tobias Ludwig; Schneider, Anne-Kathrin; Zangerlé, Anne; Reck, Arne; Schröder, Boris; van Schaik, Loes

    2017-04-01

    Macropore flow increases infiltration and solute leaching. The macropore density and connectivity, and thereby the hydrological effectiveness, vary in space and time due to earthworms' burrowing activity and their ability to refill their burrows in order to survive drought periods. The aim of our study was to predict the spatiotemporal variability of macropore distributions by a set of potentially controlling abiotic variables and abundances of different earthworm species. We measured earthworm abundances and effective macropore distributions using tracer rainfall infiltration experiments in six measurement campaigns during one year at six field sites in Luxembourg. Hydrologically effective macropores were counted in three soil depths (3, 10, 30 cm) and distinguished into three diameter classes (6 mm). Earthworms were sampled and determined to species-level. In a generalized linear modelling framework, we related macropores to potential spatial and temporal controlling factors. Earthworm species such as Lumbricus terrestris and Aporrectodea longa, local abiotic site conditions (land use, TWI, slope), temporally varying weather conditions (temperature, humidity, precipitation) and soil moisture affected the number of effective macropores. Main controlling factors and explanatory power of the models (uncertainty and model performance) varied depending on the depth and diameter class of macropores. We present spatiotemporal predictions of macropore density by daily-resolved, one year time series of macropore numbers and maps of macropore distributions at specific dates in a small-scale catchment with 5 m resolution.

  5. SU-E-T-184: Feasibility of Superabsorbent Polymers as a Buildup Material

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tseng, T; Sheu, R; Lo, Y [Mount Sinai Medical Center, NY, NY (United States)

    2014-06-01

    Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of superabsorbent polymers as a buildup material for radiation therapy Methods: A standard bolus, a layered damp towel, and a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) phantom were created and scanned to compare the Hounsfield units of each buildup material. A single field plan was developed on Eclipse TPS with AAA dose calculation algorithm to examine dose buildup. Relative film dosimetery (EBT3) was performed to evaluate the surface dose with each buildup material. Each buildup material had an approximate thickness of 0.5 cm and 100 monitor units with 6MV were delivered with solid water placed underneath film to simulate backscatter and more realistic surface dose. Results: The average HU units of the bolus, wet towel, and SAP phantom were 75 (SD=3), -378 (SD=113), -198 (SD=45) respectively. AAA dose calculation demonstrated sufficient dose buildup in all three materials. The relative surfaces doses to film were 23.7% without buildup, 87.5% with 0.5 cm bolus, 92.4% for the SAP phantom, and 87.1% for the damp towel. Conclusion: We demonstrate that superabsorbent polymers can provide sufficient dose buildup. Furthermore, due to the form in which SAPs are traditionally manufactured, this material is less expensive conforms more easily to irregular surfaces than standard sheets of bolus. Also, as a substance which is designed to absorb and retain water efficiently, SAPs are much more comfortable and more consistent than damp towels.

  6. SU-E-T-184: Feasibility of Superabsorbent Polymers as a Buildup Material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tseng, T; Sheu, R; Lo, Y

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of superabsorbent polymers as a buildup material for radiation therapy Methods: A standard bolus, a layered damp towel, and a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) phantom were created and scanned to compare the Hounsfield units of each buildup material. A single field plan was developed on Eclipse TPS with AAA dose calculation algorithm to examine dose buildup. Relative film dosimetery (EBT3) was performed to evaluate the surface dose with each buildup material. Each buildup material had an approximate thickness of 0.5 cm and 100 monitor units with 6MV were delivered with solid water placed underneath film to simulate backscatter and more realistic surface dose. Results: The average HU units of the bolus, wet towel, and SAP phantom were 75 (SD=3), -378 (SD=113), -198 (SD=45) respectively. AAA dose calculation demonstrated sufficient dose buildup in all three materials. The relative surfaces doses to film were 23.7% without buildup, 87.5% with 0.5 cm bolus, 92.4% for the SAP phantom, and 87.1% for the damp towel. Conclusion: We demonstrate that superabsorbent polymers can provide sufficient dose buildup. Furthermore, due to the form in which SAPs are traditionally manufactured, this material is less expensive conforms more easily to irregular surfaces than standard sheets of bolus. Also, as a substance which is designed to absorb and retain water efficiently, SAPs are much more comfortable and more consistent than damp towels

  7. Large-scale synthesis of macroporous SnO2 with/without carbon and their application as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Fei; Yao Gang; Xu Minwei; Zhao Mingshu; Sun Zhanbo; Song Xiaoping

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → A new hard template prepared from glucose was used to synthesize macroporous SnO 2 . → SnO 2 and SnO 2 /C were prepared in a simple and large-scale synthetic method. → Combining the nanostructure design and active/inactive nanocomposite concept. → The obtained SnO 2 /C composite exhibited superior cycling performance. - Abstract: The macroporous SnO 2 is prepared using close packed carbonaceous sphere template which synthesized from glucose by hydrothermal method. The structure and morphology of the macroporous SnO 2 are evaluated by XRD and FE-SEM. The average pore size of the macroporous SnO 2 is about 190 nm and its wall thickness is less than 10 nm. When the macroporous SnO 2 filled with carbon is used as an anode material for lithium-ion battery, the capacity is about 380 mAh g -1 after 70 cycles. The improved cyclability is attributed to the carbon matrix which is used as an effective physical buffer to prevent the collapse of the well dispersed macroporous SnO 2 .

  8. A facile and efficient strategy for the fabrication of porous linseed gum/cellulose superabsorbent hydrogels for water conservation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hao; Luan, Qian; Huang, Qingde; Tang, Hu; Huang, Fenghong; Li, Wenlin; Wan, Chuyun; Liu, Changsheng; Xu, Jiqu; Guo, Pingmei; Zhou, Qi

    2017-02-10

    The linseed gum/cellulose composite hydrogels were successfully fabricated by mixing cellulose and linseed gum solutions dissolved in the NaOH/urea aqueous system and cross-linked with epichlorohydrin. The morphology and structure of the composite hydrogels were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The swelling ratio and water retention properties were investigated. The results revealed that linseed gum mainly contributed to water adsorption, whereas the cellulose acted as a backbone to strengthen the porous structure. This work provided a simple way to prepare cellulose-based superabsorbent hydrogels, which could be potentially applied as an effective water conservation material in agriculture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Macropore-mesopore model of water flow through aggregated porous media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fong, L.; Appelbaum, H.R.

    1980-12-01

    A combined, one-dimensional, macropore-mesopore, hydrologic model was developed for simulating water flow through soils for analysis of data related to water and chemical flow in soils. Flows within the macroporous system as well as interactive flows between macroporous and mesoporous systems were modeled. Computer subroutines were written and incorporated into the existing one-dimensional Terrestrial Ecosystem Hydrologic Model (TEHM) developed at ORNL. Simulation showed that macropore flow effects are important during heavy precipitation and are more significant in soils of comparatively low hydraulic conductivity (5 to 10 cm/d). Increased drainage and decreased lateral flow result from the addition of the macropore model. The effect was more pronounced in soils of large macroporosity. Preliminary results indicate that the model is insensitive to geometrical properties of macropores

  10. Controlled release of ibuprofen by meso–macroporous silica

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Santamaría, E., E-mail: esthersantamaria@ub.edu; Maestro, A.; Porras, M.; Gutiérrez, J.M.; González, C.

    2014-02-15

    Structured meso–macroporous silica was successfully synthesized from an O/W emulsion using decane as a dispersed phase. Sodium silicate solution, which acts as a silica source and a poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) (EO{sub 19}PO{sub 39}EO{sub 19}) denoted as P84 was used in order to stabilize the emulsion and as a mesopore template. The materials obtained were characterized through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), small-angle X-ray diffraction scattering (SAXS) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms. Ibuprofen (IBU) was selected as the model drug and loaded into ordered meso–macroporous materials. The effect of the materials’ properties on IBU drug loading and release was studied. The results showed that the loading of IBU increases as the macropore presence in the material is increased. The IBU adsorption process followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. A two-step release process, consisting of an initial fast release and then a slower release was observed. Macropores enhanced the adsorption capacity of the material; this was probably due to the fact that they allowed the drug to access internal pores. When only mesopores were present, ibuprofen was probably adsorbed on the mesopores close to the surface. Moreover, the more macropore present in the material, the slower the release behaviour observed, as the ibuprofen adsorbed in the internal pores had to diffuse along the macropore channels up to the surface of the material. The material obtained from a highly concentrated emulsion was functionalized with amino groups using two methods, the post-grafting mechanism and the co-condensation mechanism. Both routes improve IBU adsorption in the material and show good behaviour as a controlled drug delivery system. - Graphical abstract: Ibuprofen release profiles for the materials obtained from samples P84{sub m}eso (black diamonds), P84{sub 2}0% (white squares), P84{sub 5

  11. Controlled release of ibuprofen by meso–macroporous silica

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santamaría, E.; Maestro, A.; Porras, M.; Gutiérrez, J.M.; González, C.

    2014-01-01

    Structured meso–macroporous silica was successfully synthesized from an O/W emulsion using decane as a dispersed phase. Sodium silicate solution, which acts as a silica source and a poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) (EO 19 PO 39 EO 19 ) denoted as P84 was used in order to stabilize the emulsion and as a mesopore template. The materials obtained were characterized through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), small-angle X-ray diffraction scattering (SAXS) and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms. Ibuprofen (IBU) was selected as the model drug and loaded into ordered meso–macroporous materials. The effect of the materials’ properties on IBU drug loading and release was studied. The results showed that the loading of IBU increases as the macropore presence in the material is increased. The IBU adsorption process followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. A two-step release process, consisting of an initial fast release and then a slower release was observed. Macropores enhanced the adsorption capacity of the material; this was probably due to the fact that they allowed the drug to access internal pores. When only mesopores were present, ibuprofen was probably adsorbed on the mesopores close to the surface. Moreover, the more macropore present in the material, the slower the release behaviour observed, as the ibuprofen adsorbed in the internal pores had to diffuse along the macropore channels up to the surface of the material. The material obtained from a highly concentrated emulsion was functionalized with amino groups using two methods, the post-grafting mechanism and the co-condensation mechanism. Both routes improve IBU adsorption in the material and show good behaviour as a controlled drug delivery system. - Graphical abstract: Ibuprofen release profiles for the materials obtained from samples P84 m eso (black diamonds), P84 2 0% (white squares), P84 5 0% (black triangles), P84 7

  12. Three-Dimensional Macroporous Polypyrrole-Derived Graphene Electrode Prepared by the Hydrogen Bubble Dynamic Template for Supercapacitors and Metal-Free Catalysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xiaoqing; Liu, Anran; Zhao, Yuewu; Lu, Huijia; Zhang, Yuanjian; Wei, Wei; Li, Ying; Liu, Songqin

    2015-10-28

    We report a general method for the fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) macroporous graphene/conducting polymer modified electrode and nitrogen-doped graphene modified electrode. This method involves three consecutive steps. First, the 3D macroporous graphene (3D MG) electrode was fabricated electrochemically by reducing graphene oxide dispersion on different conducting substrates and used hydrogen bubbles as the dynamic template. The morphology and pore size of 3D MG could be governed by the use of surfactants and the dynamics of bubble generation and departure. Second, 3D macroporous graphene/polypyrrole (MGPPy) composites were constructed via directly electropolymerizing pyrrole monomer onto the networks of 3D MG. Due to the benefit of the good conductivity of 3D MG and pseudocapacitance of PPy, the composites manifest outstanding area specific capacitance of 196 mF cm(-2) at a current density of 1 mA cm(-2). The symmetric supercapacitor device assembled by the composite materials had a good capacity property. Finally, the nitrogen-doped MGPPy (N-MGPPy or MGPPy-X) with 3D macroporous nanostructure and well-regulated nitrogen doping was prepared via thermal treatment of the composites. The resultant N-MGPPy electrode was explored as a good electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with the current density value of 5.56 mA cm(-2) (-0.132 V vs Ag/AgCl). Moreover, the fuel tolerance and durability under the electrochemical environment of the N-MGPPy catalyst were found to be superior to the Pt/C catalyst.

  13. Thermochemical stability of Soviet macroporous sulfonated cation-exchangers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rukhlyada, N.N.; Plotnikova, V.P.; Roginskaya, B.S.; Znamenskii, Yu.P.; Zavodovskaya, A.S.; Dobrova, E.I.

    1988-10-20

    The purpose of this work was to study the influence of macroporosity on the thermochemical stability of sulfonated cation-exchangers. The investigations were carried out on commercial macroporous sulfonated cation-exchangers based on styrene-divinylbenzene copolymers. Study of the thermochemical stability of macroporous sulfonated cation-exchangers in dilute hydrogen peroxide solutions showed that the type of macroporosity has virtually no influence on their stability. The determining factor in thermal stability of macroporous cation-exchangers, as of the gel type, is the degree of cross-linking of the polymer matrix. The capacity loss of macroporous cation-exchangers during oxidative thermolysis is caused by destruction of the macromolecular skeleton and elution of fragments of polar chains containing sulfo groups into the solution.

  14. Evaluation of Tomato Yield and Quality under Deficit Irrigation conditions and Simultaneous Application of Superabsorbent Polymer, Shading and Mulches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Bostani

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Drought is one of the most important environmental factors that influences yield and quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Peralta & Spoonerin arid and semi-arid regions. Drought stress causes different physiological effects on plant growth. Vegetable crops are more sensitive to water shortage and any deficit in providing water requirement of plant leads to considerable reduction of yield. For future global food security, water use in agriculture must become sustainable. Agricultural water-use efficiency and water productivity can be improved by many approaches and strategies. Super absorbent polymers (SAP as a soil improvement substance, covering soil by different types of mulches and blocking a part of sun light by shading have been used effectively to increase the water use efficiency sustainability of production in agricultural systems. But, still there is a limited knowledge on interactions of SAPs, plastic mulches and shading under deficit irrigation on yield and quality of tomato. Material and Methods In order to evaluate the effects of SAP, black plastic mulches and decreasing light intensity under deficit irrigation on yield and quality of tomato ‘Early Urbana VF 132- 7171’ fruits, the current research carried out in a field experiment at department of Horticulture, Ilam University during 2014 using a 3 × 8 × 3 split plot assay based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD with two factor. The main factor was including three irrigation intervals (once after 3, 6 or 9 days equivalent to soils field capacity and sub-factor was including eight treatments viz., mulch, superabsorbent, shading, mulch + superabsorbent, mulch + shading, superabsorbent¬ + shading, mulch + shading + superabsorbent and control. Light intensity was measured by a digital exposure meter ‘Mastech MS6610’. Data were subjected to ANOVA using SAS software version 9.3. Verification of significant differences was done using Duncan's Test at 5

  15. Modified APEX model for Simulating Macropore Phosphorus Contributions to Tile Drains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ford, William I; King, Kevin W; Williams, Mark R; Confesor, Remegio B

    2017-11-01

    The contribution of macropore flow to phosphorus (P) loadings in tile-drained agricultural landscapes remains poorly understood at the field scale, despite the recognized deleterious impacts of contaminant transport via macropore pathways. A new subroutine that couples existing matrix-excess and matrix-desiccation macropore flow theory and a modified P routine is implemented in the Agricultural Policy Environmental eXtender (APEX) model. The original and modified formulation were applied and evaluated for a case study in a poorly drained field in Western Ohio with 31 months of surface and subsurface monitoring data. Results highlighted that a macropore subroutine in APEX improved edge-of-field discharge calibration and validation for both tile and total discharge from satisfactory and good, respectively, to very good and improved dissolved reactive P load calibration and validation statistics for tile P loads from unsatisfactory to very good. Output from the calibrated macropore simulations suggested median annual matrix-desiccation macropore flow contributions of 48% and P load contributions of 43%, with the majority of loading occurring in winter and spring. While somewhat counterintuitive, the prominence of matrix-desiccation macropore flow during seasons with less cracking reflects the importance of coupled development of macropore pathways and adequate supply of the macropore flow source. The innovative features of the model allow for assessments of annual macropore P contributions to tile drainage and has the potential to inform P site assessment tools. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

  16. Sugarcane bagasse derivative-based superabsorbent containing phosphate rock with water-fertilizer integration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Kang; Zheng, Xi-Liang; Mao, Xiao-Yun; Lin, Zuan-Tao; Jiang, Gang-Biao

    2012-10-01

    To improve the water-fertilizer utilization ratio and mitigate the environmental contamination, an eco-friendly superabsorbent polymer (SPA), modified sugarcane bagasse/poly (acrylic acid) embedding phosphate rock (MSB/PAA/PHR), was prepared. Ammonia, phosphate rock (PHR) and KOH were admixed in the presence of acrylic acid to provide nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) nutrients, respectively. Impacts on water absorption capacity of the superabsorbent polymer (SAP) were investigated. The maximum swelling capacity in distilled water and 0.9 wt.% (weight percent) NaCl solution reached 414 gg(-1) and 55 gg(-1) (water/prepared SAP), respectively. The available NPK contents of the combination system were 15.13 mgg(-1), 6.93 mgg(-1) and 52.05 mgg(-1), respectively. Moreover, the release behaviors of NPK in the MSB/PAA/PHR were also studied. The results showed that the MSB/PAA/PHR has outstanding sustained-release plant nutrients property. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Performance of super-absorbent polymer as an internal curing agent for self-compacting concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Al-Hubboubi Suhair

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Internal curing agent by using super-absorbent polymer was present in this study, its effect on the properties of self-compacting concrete was evaluated .The SAP content in the concrete mix was 0.5 % by weight of cement. Three procedures for curing were adopted; curing in water, curing in water and air and curing in polyethylene sealed bags. Fresh concrete tests conducted to assess the self-compactability of the produced concrete. Moreover, compressive and splitting strength tests were carried out. The testing program had been extended to the age of 90 days.The use of super-absorbent polymer did not affect the fresh state characteristics of the studied SCC and achieved an increase in both compressive and tensile strengths as compared to the reference concrete mix.

  18. Large-scale synthesis of macroporous SnO{sub 2} with/without carbon and their application as anode materials for lithium-ion batteries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Fei; Yao Gang; Xu Minwei [MOE Key Laboratory for Non-equilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Shaan Xi 710049 (China); Zhao Mingshu, E-mail: zhaomshu@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [MOE Key Laboratory for Non-equilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Shaan Xi 710049 (China); Sun Zhanbo [MOE Key Laboratory for Non-equilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Shaan Xi 710049 (China); Song Xiaoping, E-mail: xpsong@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [MOE Key Laboratory for Non-equilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Science, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Shaan Xi 710049 (China)

    2011-05-19

    Highlights: > A new hard template prepared from glucose was used to synthesize macroporous SnO{sub 2}. > SnO{sub 2} and SnO{sub 2}/C were prepared in a simple and large-scale synthetic method. > Combining the nanostructure design and active/inactive nanocomposite concept. > The obtained SnO{sub 2}/C composite exhibited superior cycling performance. - Abstract: The macroporous SnO{sub 2} is prepared using close packed carbonaceous sphere template which synthesized from glucose by hydrothermal method. The structure and morphology of the macroporous SnO{sub 2} are evaluated by XRD and FE-SEM. The average pore size of the macroporous SnO{sub 2} is about 190 nm and its wall thickness is less than 10 nm. When the macroporous SnO{sub 2} filled with carbon is used as an anode material for lithium-ion battery, the capacity is about 380 mAh g{sup -1} after 70 cycles. The improved cyclability is attributed to the carbon matrix which is used as an effective physical buffer to prevent the collapse of the well dispersed macroporous SnO{sub 2}.

  19. Comparison the Efficiency of Aquasorb and Accepta Superabsorbent Polymers in Improving Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties of Soil and Tomato Turnover under Greenhouse Condition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    mehdi nourzadeh haddad

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Water shortage in arid and semiarid regions is the most serious factor in limiting agricultural activities as it leads to the rapid reduction of yields from both a quantitative and qualitative perspective. Under conditions of water scarcity, leaf temperature rises, which causes plant wilting and premature senescence of leaves and, eventually, severes reduction of dry matter production. Use of high-efficient irrigation practices, improvement of soil's physical properties, and use of soil amendments such as superabsorbent polymers are some ways of compensating for water shortage, especially during the growing season. Some materials such as plant residues, manure, various types of compost, and superabsorbent polymeric hydrogels can store various amounts of water and thus increase water retention and storage capacity of soils. Superabsorbent hydrogels, which are also called superabsorbent polymers (SAPs or hydrophilic polymeric gels, are hydrogels that can absorb substantial quantities of water. Hydrogels are a class of polymeric materials having network structures (with physical or chemical crosslinks that are very capable of swelling and absorbing large amounts of water. These materials are formed from water-solublepolymers by crosslinking them either using radiation or a crosslinker. Superabsorbents are widely used in many products such as disposable diapers, feminine napkins, soils for agricultural and horticultural purposes, gel actuators, water blocking tapes, medicine for the drug delivery systems and absorbent pads where water absorbency or water retention is important. Water is a major constraint for crop growth in arid and semi-arid regions, as the precipitation is low and uncertain in these areas. Efficient utilization of meager soil and water resources necessitates the adaptation of appropriate water management techniques. Suitable soil moisture increases the biological activities as result of physical and chemical

  20. Evaluation of superabsorbent efficiency in response to dehydration frequencies, salinity and temperature and its effect on yield and quality of cotton under deficit irrigation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamid-Reza Fallahi

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Reduced availability of water resources in many arid countries including Iran, particularly in response to the indiscriminate harvesting of water reservoirs and climate change, has created concerns. Therefore, the sustainable use of water resources especially in agriculture is a necessity for these countries. Strategies such as deficit irrigation and superabsorbent application are two important ways for improving water use efficiency in agricultural lands. In deficit irrigation the crop must be irrigated less than its required water. Therefore, some reduction may occur in crop yield, but the savings in water will improve the water use efficiency (Akbari Nodehi, 2011. Superabsorbent polymers also increase the nutrients and water holding capacity of soil for a long time and thereby reduce crop water requirement. However, the effectiveness of these materials could be affected by dehydration frequencies, temperature and irrigation water quality (Karimi et al., 2009. Due to the limitation of water resources in many parts of Iran, the aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of cotton production under deficit irrigation along with application of different rates of superabsorbent. In addition, simulation of superabsorbent efficiency at different levels of salinity, temperature and dehydration frequencies (swelling and de-swelling were the other objectives in this study. Materials and methods 1. Laboratory experiments In these experiments the effects of temperature (4, 10, 20, 30 and 40 °C, salinity (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1% NaCl solutions at two temperatures of 10 and 25°C and frequency of partial dehydration (from 1 to 5 stages watering and 70% dewatering were simulated on water absorption capacity of superabsorbent polymer at laboratory of environmental stresses, Sarayan Faculty of Agriculture, Birjand University. 2- Field experiment This experiment was designed at Research Station of Sarayan Faculty of Agriculture

  1. Functionalization of 2D macroporous silicon under the high-pressure oxidation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karachevtseva, L.; Kartel, M.; Kladko, V.; Gudymenko, O.; Bo, Wang; Bratus, V.; Lytvynenko, O.; Onyshchenko, V.; Stronska, O.

    2018-03-01

    Addition functionalization after high-pressure oxidation of 2D macroporous silicon structures is evaluated. X-ray diffractometry indicates formation of orthorhombic SiO2 phase on macroporous silicon at oxide thickness of 800-1200 nm due to cylindrical symmetry of macropores and high thermal expansion coefficient of SiO2. Pb center concentration grows with the splitting energy of LO- and TO-phonons and SiO2 thickness in oxidized macroporous silicon structures. This increase EPR signal amplitude and GHz radiation absorption and is promising for development of high-frequency devices and electronically controlled elements.

  2. Use of macroporous plastics in extraction chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Braun, T.; Farac, A.B.

    1978-01-01

    Possibilities are analysed which the use of porous plastics (polyvinyl chloride, siloxane rubber, polyurethane, polystyrene and etc.) as carriers presents in extraction chromatography. Short characteristics of chemical and physical properties of macroporous carriers is given. The importance of correct chromatographic column packing is noted to obtain columns with good hydrodynamic characteristics and operational properties. Examples of using columns with macroporous carriers in radiochemistry and inorganic chemistry for element separation are given

  3. Macroporous Hydrogel Scaffolds for Three-Dimensional Cell Culture and Tissue Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Changjiang; Wang, Dong-An

    2017-10-01

    Hydrogels have been promising candidate scaffolds for cell delivery and tissue engineering due to their tissue-like physical properties and capability for homogeneous cell loading. However, the encapsulated cells are generally entrapped and constrained in the submicron- or nanosized gel networks, seriously limiting cell growth and tissue formation. Meanwhile, the spatially confined settlement inhibits attachment and spreading of anchorage-dependent cells, leading to their apoptosis. In recent years, macroporous hydrogels have attracted increasing attention in use as cell delivery vehicles and tissue engineering scaffolds. The introduction of macropores within gel scaffolds not only improves their permeability for better nutrient transport but also creates space/interface for cell adhesion, proliferation, and extracellular matrix deposition. Herein, we will first review the development of macroporous gel scaffolds and outline the impact of macropores on cell behaviors. In the first part, the advantages and challenges of hydrogels as three-dimensional (3D) cell culture scaffolds will be described. In the second part, the fabrication of various macroporous hydrogels will be presented. Third, the enhancement of cell activities within macroporous gel scaffolds will be discussed. Finally, several crucial factors that are envisaged to propel the improvement of macroporous gel scaffolds are proposed for 3D cell culture and tissue engineering.

  4. Controlled release of ibuprofen by meso-macroporous silica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santamaría, E.; Maestro, A.; Porras, M.; Gutiérrez, J. M.; González, C.

    2014-02-01

    Structured meso-macroporous silica was successfully synthesized from an O/W emulsion using decane as a dispersed phase. Sodium silicate solution, which acts as a silica source and a poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (EO19PO39EO19) denoted as P84 was used in order to stabilize the emulsion and as a mesopore template. The materials obtained were characterized through transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), small-angle X-ray diffraction scattering (SAXS) and nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms. Ibuprofen (IBU) was selected as the model drug and loaded into ordered meso-macroporous materials. The effect of the materials’ properties on IBU drug loading and release was studied. The results showed that the loading of IBU increases as the macropore presence in the material is increased. The IBU adsorption process followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. A two-step release process, consisting of an initial fast release and then a slower release was observed. Macropores enhanced the adsorption capacity of the material; this was probably due to the fact that they allowed the drug to access internal pores. When only mesopores were present, ibuprofen was probably adsorbed on the mesopores close to the surface. Moreover, the more macropore present in the material, the slower the release behaviour observed, as the ibuprofen adsorbed in the internal pores had to diffuse along the macropore channels up to the surface of the material. The material obtained from a highly concentrated emulsion was functionalized with amino groups using two methods, the post-grafting mechanism and the co-condensation mechanism. Both routes improve IBU adsorption in the material and show good behaviour as a controlled drug delivery system.

  5. Rainfall Simulator Experiments to Investigate Macropore Impacts on Hillslope Hydrological Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yvonne Smit

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Understanding hillslope runoff response to intense rainfall is an important topic in hydrology, and is key to correct prediction of extreme stream flow, erosion and landslides. Although it is known that preferential flow processes activated by macropores are an important phenomena in understanding runoff processes inside a hillslope, hydrological models have generally not embraced the concept of an extra parameter that represents ‘macropores’ because of the complexity of the phenomenon. Therefore, it is relevant to investigate the influence of macropores on runoff processes in an experimental small artificial hillslope. Here, we report on a controlled experiment where we could isolate the influence of macropores without the need for assumptions regarding their characteristics. Two identical hillslopes were designed, of which one was filled with artificial macropores. Twelve artificial rainfall events were applied to the two hillslopes and results of drainage and soil moisture were investigated. After the experiments, it could be concluded that the influence of macropores on runoff processes was minimal. The S90 sand used for this research caused runoff to respond fast to rainfall, leading to little or no development of saturation near the macropores. In addition, soil moisture data showed a large amount of pendular water in the hillslopes, which implies that the soil has a low air entry value, and, in combination with the lack of vertical flow, could have caused the pressure difference between the matrix and the macropores to vanish sooner and result in equilibrium being reached in a relatively short time. Nevertheless, a better outline is given to determine a correct sand type for these types of experiments and, by using drainage recession analysis to investigate the influences of macropores on runoff, heterogeneity in rainfall intensity can be overcome. This study is a good point of reference to start future experiments from concerning

  6. Measurement of respirable superabsorbent polyacrylate (SAP) dust by ethanol derivatization using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCormack, Paul; Lemmo, John S; Macomber, Margaret; Holcomb, Mark L; Lieckfield, Robert

    2011-04-01

    Superabsorbent polyacrylate (SAP) is an important industrial chemical manufactured primarily as sodium polyacrylate but occasionally as potassium salt. It has many applications owing to its intrinsic physical property of very high water absorption, which can be more than 100 times it own weight. SAP is commonly used in disposable diapers and feminine hygiene products and is known by a number of synonyms-sodium polyacrylate, superabsorbent polyacrylate (SAP), polyacrylate absorbent (PA), and superabsorbent material (SAM). Germany and The Netherlands have adopted a nonbinding scientific guideline value 0.05 mg/m³ (8-hr time-weighted average, TWA) as the maximum allowable workplace concentration for the respirable dust of SAP (acrylate was developed and validated for the analysis of respirable superabsorbent polyacrylate dust collected on filter cassettes in the workplace environment. This method is an alternative to the commonly used sodium-based method, which is limited owing to potential interference by other sources of sodium from the workplace and laboratory environments. The alcohol derivatization method effectively eliminates sodium interference from several classes of sodium compounds, as shown by their purposeful introduction at two and six times the equivalent amount of SAP present in reference samples. The accuracy of the method, as determined by comparison with sodium analysis of known reference samples, was greater than 80% over the study range of 5-50 μg of SAP dust. The lower reporting limit of the method is 3.0 μg of SAP per sample, which is equivalent to 3 (μg/m³) for an 8-hr sampling period at the recommended flow rate of 2.2 L/min.

  7. 3D macroporous graphene frameworks for supercapacitors with high energy and power densities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Bong Gill; Yang, Minho; Hong, Won Hi; Choi, Jang Wook; Huh, Yun Suk

    2012-05-22

    In order to develop energy storage devices with high power and energy densities, electrodes should hold well-defined pathways for efficient ionic and electronic transport. Herein, we demonstrate high-performance supercapacitors by building a three-dimensional (3D) macroporous structure that consists of chemically modified graphene (CMG). These 3D macroporous electrodes, namely, embossed-CMG (e-CMG) films, were fabricated by using polystyrene colloidal particles as a sacrificial template. Furthermore, for further capacitance boost, a thin layer of MnO(2) was additionally deposited onto e-CMG. The porous graphene structure with a large surface area facilitates fast ionic transport within the electrode while preserving decent electronic conductivity and thus endows MnO(2)/e-CMG composite electrodes with excellent electrochemical properties such as a specific capacitance of 389 F/g at 1 A/g and 97.7% capacitance retention upon a current increase to 35 A/g. Moreover, when the MnO(2)/e-CMG composite electrode was asymmetrically assembled with an e-CMG electrode, the assembled full cell shows remarkable cell performance: energy density of 44 Wh/kg, power density of 25 kW/kg, and excellent cycle life.

  8. Multilayer composite material and method for evaporative cooling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buckley, Theresa M. (Inventor)

    2002-01-01

    A multilayer composite material and method for evaporative cooling of a person employs an evaporative cooling liquid that changes phase from a liquid to a gaseous state to absorb thermal energy. The evaporative cooling liquid is absorbed into a superabsorbent material enclosed within the multilayer composite material. The multilayer composite material has a high percentage of the evaporative cooling liquid in the matrix. The cooling effect can be sustained for an extended period of time because of the high percentage of phase change liquid that can be absorbed into the superabsorbent. Such a composite can be used for cooling febrile patients by evaporative cooling as the evaporative cooling liquid in the matrix changes from a liquid to a gaseous state to absorb thermal energy. The composite can be made with a perforated barrier material around the outside to regulate the evaporation rate of the phase change liquid. Alternatively, the composite can be made with an imperveous barrier material or semipermeable membrane on one side to prevent the liquid from contacting the person's skin. The evaporative cooling liquid in the matrix can be recharged by soaking the material in the liquid. The multilayer composite material can be fashioned into blankets, garments and other articles.

  9. Synthesis and characterization of kappaphycus seaweed-poly (acrylic) acid superabsorbent hydrogel for agricultural use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Encinas, Angelica Marie E.

    2015-04-01

    The main objective of this research is to synthesize and characterize kappaphycus seaweed-poly (acrylic) acid superabsorbent hydrogel for agricultural use. The superabsorbent polymers (SAPs), KCSW: PAA hydrogels were synthesized by using gamma radiation technique from Cobalt-60 source at absorbed dose 0f 5, 10 and 15 kGy. The effect of absorbed dose, seaweed concentration, and concentration of acrylic acid on the degree of swelling was studied and optimum swelling conditions were established. Irradiated samples of 3% KCSW, 50% neutralized AAC at an absorbed dose of 10kGy gave the highest degree of swelling and gel fraction and were found to be suitable for application in the agriculture. Samples with different concentrations of acrylic acid were characterized using FTIR and TGA. The water retention experiment in sandy soil showed high water retention capacity of KCSW: PAA hydrogel at a value of 92% for a period of 7 days. Effect of the germination of mung bean showed very promising result of 78% germination.(author)

  10. Controlled release fertilizers using superabsorbent hydrogel prepared by gamma radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elbarbary, Ahmed M.; Ghobashy, Mohamed Mohamady

    2017-01-01

    Superabsorbent hydrogels (PVP/CMC) based on polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/carboxylmethyl cellulose (CMC) of different copolymer compositions were prepared by gamma radiation. Factors affecting the gel content (%) and the swelling ratio (g/g) of hydrogel such as irradiation dose as well as copolymer composition were investigated. With increasing the CMC content in PVP/CMC hydrogels, increases the swelling and improves the water retention capability. The high swelling ratio was observed at copolymer composition of PVP/CMC (60/40). Fast swelling of the hydrogels was obtained after 20 min. The effect of different fertilizers and buffers of different pH's on equilibrium swelling of hydrogels was investigated. Fertilizers such as urea, monopotassium-phosphate (MPK), and nitrogen-phosphate-potassium (NPK) were loaded onto the hydrogel to supply nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous nutrients. PVP/CMC hydrogels retained 28-36% after 72 h and slow retention was noticed up to 9 days. The swelling of hydrogel in fertilizer solutions is lower than that in water. The hydrogels showed adsorption desorption of fertilizers which governs by slow release property. The release rate of urea is much higher 10 times than that of phosphate. After 3 days, urea released 60%, while phosphate released 10-12%. The applicability of PVP/CMC hydrogels in the agricultural fields shows greater growth effect on zea maize plants. The growth of zea maize plant in soil mixed with PVP/CMC hydrogels loaded fertilizers is greater than untreated soil. The slow release fertilize, the high swelling and the slow water retention behaviors of PVP/CMC hydrogels encourage their use as safer release systems for fertilizers and as soil conditioner in agricultural applications.

  11. Controlled release fertilizers using superabsorbent hydrogel prepared by gamma radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Elbarbary, Ahmed M.; Ghobashy, Mohamed Mohamady [Atomic Energy Authority, Nasr City (Egypt). National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRTT)

    2017-07-01

    Superabsorbent hydrogels (PVP/CMC) based on polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)/carboxylmethyl cellulose (CMC) of different copolymer compositions were prepared by gamma radiation. Factors affecting the gel content (%) and the swelling ratio (g/g) of hydrogel such as irradiation dose as well as copolymer composition were investigated. With increasing the CMC content in PVP/CMC hydrogels, increases the swelling and improves the water retention capability. The high swelling ratio was observed at copolymer composition of PVP/CMC (60/40). Fast swelling of the hydrogels was obtained after 20 min. The effect of different fertilizers and buffers of different pH's on equilibrium swelling of hydrogels was investigated. Fertilizers such as urea, monopotassium-phosphate (MPK), and nitrogen-phosphate-potassium (NPK) were loaded onto the hydrogel to supply nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous nutrients. PVP/CMC hydrogels retained 28-36% after 72 h and slow retention was noticed up to 9 days. The swelling of hydrogel in fertilizer solutions is lower than that in water. The hydrogels showed adsorption desorption of fertilizers which governs by slow release property. The release rate of urea is much higher 10 times than that of phosphate. After 3 days, urea released 60%, while phosphate released 10-12%. The applicability of PVP/CMC hydrogels in the agricultural fields shows greater growth effect on zea maize plants. The growth of zea maize plant in soil mixed with PVP/CMC hydrogels loaded fertilizers is greater than untreated soil. The slow release fertilize, the high swelling and the slow water retention behaviors of PVP/CMC hydrogels encourage their use as safer release systems for fertilizers and as soil conditioner in agricultural applications.

  12. Fabrication and Characteristics of Macroporous TiO2 Photocatalyst

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guiyun Yi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Macroporous TiO2 photocatalyst was synthesized by a facile nanocasting method using polystyrene (PS spherical particles as the hard template. The synthesized photocatalyst was characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, thermogravimetry-differential thermogravimetry (TG-DTG, X-ray diffraction (XRD, and N2-sorption. TEM, SEM, and XRD characterizations confirmed that the macroporous TiO2 photocatalyst is composed of anatase phase. The high specific surface area of 87.85 m2/g can be achieved according to the N2-sorption analysis. Rhodamine B (RhB was chosen as probe molecule to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 catalysts. Compared with the TiO2 materials synthesized in the absence of PS spherical template, the macroporous TiO2 photocatalyst sintered at 500°C exhibits much higher activity on the degradation of RhB under the UV irradiation, which can be assigned to the well-structured macroporosity. The macroporous TiO2 material presents great potential in the fields of environmental remediation and energy conversion and storage.

  13. Preparation of macroporous zirconia monoliths from ionic precursors via an epoxide-mediated sol-gel process accompanied by phase separation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Xingzhong; Song, Jie; Lvlin, Yixiu; Yang, Hui; Nakanishi, Kazuki; Kanamori, Kazuyoshi

    2015-01-01

    Monolithic macroporous zirconia (ZrO 2 ) derived from ionic precursors has been successfully fabricated via the epoxide-mediated sol-gel route accompanied by phase separation in the presence of propylene oxide (PO) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). The addition of PO used as an acid scavenger mediates the gelation, whereas PEO enhances the polymerization-induced phase separation. The appropriate choice of the starting compositions allows the production of a macroporous zirconia monolith with a porosity of 52.9% and a Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area of 171.9 m 2 · g −1 . The resultant dried gel is amorphous, whereas tetragonal ZrO 2 and monoclinic ZrO 2 are precipitated at 400 and 600 °C, respectively, without spoiling the macroporous morphology. After solvothermal treatment with an ethanol solution of ammonia, tetragonal ZrO 2 monoliths with smooth skeletons and well-defined mesopores can be obtained, and the BET surface area is enhanced to 583.8 m 2 · g −1 . (paper)

  14. Nonenzymatic free-cholesterol detection via a modified highly sensitive macroporous gold electrode with platinum nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yi-Jae; Park, Jae-Yeong

    2010-12-15

    A sensitive macroporous Au electrode with a highly rough surface obtained through the use of with Pt nanoparticles (macroporous Au-/nPts) is reported. It has been designed for nonenzymatic free-cholesterol biosensor applications. A macroporous Au-/nPts electrode was fabricated by electroplating Pt nanoparticles onto a coral-like shaped macroporous Au electrode structure. The macroporous Au-/nPts electrode was physically characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). It was confirmed that the Pt nanoparticles were well deposited on the surface of the macroporous Au electrode. The porosity and window pore size of the macroporous Au electrode were 50% and 100-300 nm, respectively. The electroplated Pt nanoparticle size was approximately 10-20 nm. Electrochemical experiments showed that the macroporous Au-/nPts exhibited a much larger surface activation area (roughness factor (RF)=2024.7) than the macroporous Au electrode (RF=46.07). The macroporous Au-/nPts also presented a much stronger electrocatalytic activity towards cholesterol oxidation than does the macroporous Au electrode. At 0.2 V, the electrode responded linearly up to a 5 mM cholesterol concentration in a neutral media, with a detection limit of 0.015 mM and detection sensitivity of 226.2 μA mM(-1) cm(-2). Meanwhile, interfering species such as ascorbic acid (AA), acetaminophen (AP), and uric acid (UA), were effectively avoided. This novel nonenzymatic detection electrode has strong applications as an electrochemically based cholesterol biosensor. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. A three-dimensional transient mixed hybrid finite element model for superabsorbent polymers with strain-dependent permeability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yu, Cong; Malakpoor, Kamyar; Huyghe, Jacques M.

    2018-01-01

    A hydrogel is a cross-linked polymer network with water as solvent. Industrially widely used superabsorbent polymers (SAP) are partially neutralized sodium polyacrylate hydrogels. The extremely large degree of swelling is one of the most distinctive characteristics of such hydrogels, as the volume

  16. Chloride migration in concrete with superabsorbent polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasholt, Marianne Tange; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede

    2015-01-01

    Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) can be used as a means for internal curing of concrete. In the present study, the development of transport properties of concrete with SAP is investigated. The chloride migration coefficient according to NT BUILD 492 is used as a measure of this. Twenty concrete...... contribute to increase the degree of hydration. No matter if SAP is added with or without extra water, it appears that the so-called gel space ratio can be used as a key parameter to link age and mixture proportions (water-to-cement ratio and SAP dosage) to the resulting chloride migration coefficient......; the higher the volume of gel solid relative to the space available for it, the lower the chloride migration coefficient, because the pore system becomes more tortuous and the porosity becomes less....

  17. Soft-Template Construction of 3D Macroporous Polypyrrole Scaffolds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shaohua; Wang, Faxing; Dong, Renhao; Zhang, Tao; Zhang, Jian; Zheng, Zhikun; Mai, Yiyong; Feng, Xinliang

    2017-04-01

    A bottom-up approach toward 3D hierarchical macroporous polypyrrole aerogels is demonstrated via soft template-directed synthesis and self-assembly of ultrathin polypyrrole nanosheets in solution, which present interconnected macropores, ultrathin walls, and large specific surface areas, thereby exhibiting a high capacity, satisfactory rate capability, and excellent cycling stability for Na-ion storage. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Flow and transport processes in a macroporous subsurface-drained glacial till soil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villholth, Karen Grothe; Jensen, Karsten Høgh; Fredericia, Johnny

    1998-01-01

    of macropore structure and hydraulic efficiency, using image analysis and tension infiltration, and of soil water content, level of groundwater table, and chloride content of soil water within the soil profile yielded insights into small-scale processes and their associated variability. Macropore how...... into the soil profile. Dye infiltration experiments in the field as well as in the laboratory supported the recognition of the dominant contribution of macropores to the infiltration and transport process. The soil matrix significantly influenced the tracer distribution by acting as a source or sink...... for continuous solute exchange with the macropores. An average field-determined active macroporosity constituted 0.2% of the total porosity, or approximately 10% of the total macroporosity. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved....

  19. Macropores and earthworm species affected by agronomic intensification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Krogh, Paul Henning; Pérès, Guénola

    project EcoFINDERS we investigated the relationsship between earthworm biodiversity, macropores and three agricultural landuse types. A field campaign was conducted in October-November 2011. Earthworm burrow distribution was quantified at 10, 20, 30, 50 and 100 20 cm horizontal layer intervals down...... the soil profile to 1 meter depth and correlated with the earthworm community consisting of 12 species dominated by the endogeics Aporrectodea caliginosa and Aporrectodea chlorotica and the anecics Aporrectodea longa and Lumbricus centralis. Medium-small macropores in the ploughing layer with diameters (Ø...

  20. Site selective generation of sol-gel deposits in layered bimetallic macroporous electrode architectures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lalo, Hélène; Bon-Saint-Côme, Yémima; Plano, Bernard; Etienne, Mathieu; Walcarius, Alain; Kuhn, Alexander

    2012-02-07

    The elaboration of an original composite bimetallic macroporous electrode containing a site-selective sol-gel deposit is reported. Regular colloidal crystals, obtained by a modified Langmuir-Blodgett approach, are used as templates for the electrogeneration of the desired metals in the form of a well-defined layered bimetallic porous electrode. This porous matrix shows a spatially modulated electroactivity which is subsequently used as a strategy for targeted electrogeneration of a sol-gel deposit, exclusively in one predefined part of the porous electrode.

  1. Characteristics of immobilized aminoacylase from Aspergillus oryzae on macroporous copolymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, B L; Jiang, P; Qiu, Y B

    1990-01-01

    Aminoacylase from Aspergillus oryzae was adsorbed on functionallized macroporous copolymers where the enzyme showed excellent catalyzing activity and operation stability. Various factors which effect the activity of the immobilized aminoacylase such as temperature, pH and ionic strength were investigated. The continuous operation of the enzyme immobilized on macroporous copolymers was compared with that of the enzyme immobilized on DEAE-Sephadex.

  2. Effect of Superabsorbent Application under Different Irrigation Regimes on Photosynthetic Pigments in Cuminum cyminum and its Relation with Seed and Essential Oil Yield

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. Pirzad

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Cumin, sometimes spelled cummin (Cuminum cyminum L.; Apiaceae, also known as Zeera is native from the East Mediterranean to India. Its seeds are used in the cuisines of many different cultures, and it is also used as a medicinal plant, serving as a digestant, as well as being used to treat anemia and the common cold. Cumin is a drought tolerant plant, has a short growth season of 100 – 120 days, with optimum growth temperature ranges between 25°C and 30 °C. Drought is one of the most important environmental factors that influences seed yield of crop plants in arid and semi-arid regions,through physiological response of plant. To reduce drought stress damages, some synthetic materials like hydroplus superabsorbent polymers, highly hydrophilic due to low cross-links in their structure, can be used to save soil moisture. Thus, superabsorbent polymer may have great potential in restoration and reclamation of soil and storing water available for plant growth and production. Materials and Methods: To evaluate accumulation of photosynthetic pigments and seed yield of cumin, a factorial experiment was conducted based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications at the Research Farm of Urmia University (latitude 37.53° N, 45.08° E, and 1320 m above sea level.- The soil texture of experimental site was clay loam (28% silt, 32% clay, 40% sand with 22.5% field capacity, 1.54 g/cm3 soil density, and pH 7.6. Treatments were four irrigation regimes (irrigation after 50, 100, 150 and 200 mm of evaporation from class A pan and different amounts of superabsorbent polymer (0, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 kg/ha. To measure the chlorophyll content (Chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll, 0.25 g of grounded leaves were adjusted to 25 ml by distilled water, and 0.5 ml of this solute was mixed with 4.5 ml acetone 80%. The upper zone of centrifuged solution was taken for spectrophotometery at 645nm and 663 nm wavelengths. To measure the

  3. Representing macropore flow at the catchment scale: a comparative modeling study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, D.; Li, H. Y.; Tian, F.; Leung, L. R.

    2017-12-01

    Macropore flow is an important hydrological process that generally enhances the soil infiltration capacity and velocity of subsurface water. Up till now, macropore flow is mostly simulated with high-resolution models. One possible drawback of this modeling approach is the difficulty to effectively represent the overall typology and connectivity of the macropore networks. We hypothesize that modeling macropore flow directly at the catchment scale may be complementary to the existing modeling strategy and offer some new insights. Tsinghua Representative Elementary Watershed model (THREW model) is a semi-distributed hydrology model, where the fundamental building blocks are representative elementary watersheds (REW) linked by the river channel network. In THREW, all the hydrological processes are described with constitutive relationships established directly at the REW level, i.e., catchment scale. In this study, the constitutive relationship of macropore flow drainage is established as part of THREW. The enhanced THREW model is then applied at two catchments with deep soils but distinct climates, the humid Asu catchment in the Amazon River basin, and the arid Wei catchment in the Yellow River basin. The Asu catchment has an area of 12.43km2 with mean annual precipitation of 2442mm. The larger Wei catchment has an area of 24800km2 but with mean annual precipitation of only 512mm. The rainfall-runoff processes are simulated at a hourly time step from 2002 to 2005 in the Asu catchment and from 2001 to 2012 in the Wei catchment. The role of macropore flow on the catchment hydrology will be analyzed comparatively over the Asu and Wei catchments against the observed streamflow, evapotranspiration and other auxiliary data.

  4. Soil Susceptibility to Macropore Flow Across a Desert-Oasis Ecotone of the Hexi Corridor, Northwest China

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yongyong; Zhao, Wenzhi; He, Jianhua; Fu, Li

    2018-02-01

    Macropore flow not only provides a fast pathway for water and solute transport and increases the risks of water and nutrient loss but also enhances soil aeration and groundwater recharge. However, macropore flow characteristics in irrigated oasis soils subject to continuous crop cultivation are poorly understood. This study was to investigate the effect of continuous cultivation on soil properties and macropore flow and to quantify the changes in macropore flow characteristics in an old oasis field (>50 years of cultivation, OOF), young oasis field (20 years, YOF), and adjacent uncultivated sandy area (0 year, USL) in Northwest China. Triplicate soil samples were collected from each site to investigate soil properties. Dye tracer experiments with also three replicates were conducted at each site. The degree of macropore flow (i.e., parameters of macropore flow) was highest at the OOF, intermediate at the YOF, and minimal at the USL. The macropore flow fraction (i.e., fraction of total infiltration flows through macropore flow pathways) at the OOF was 3.4 times greater than at the USL. The heterogeneous infiltration pattern at the OOF was dominated by macropore flow, while funnel flow was predominant at the USL. Long-term irrigation with silt-laden river water has increased silt + clay contents of the oasis soils. Irrigation and high-input crop cultivation also increased organic matter. These changes in soil properties contributed to the interaggregate voids formation. The conversion of native desert soils to irrigated croplands increases the degree of macropore flow, which might enhance groundwater recharge in the desert-oasis ecotone.

  5. Evaluation of Some Agroecological Characteristics of Basil (Ocimum basilicum L. as Affected by Simultaneous Application of Water-Saving Superabsorbent Hydrogel in Soil and Foliar Application of Humic Acid under Different Irrigation Intervals in a Low Inp

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Jahan

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Basil (Ocimum basilicum L. is an annual herbaceous plant that belongs to lamiaceae family. This plant is native of India country and other countries in south of Asia. Nowadays, the use of water superabsorbent polymers is increased in agriculture and their role in reducing the drought stress and increasing the crops production has been demonstrated in many researches. Superabsorbent polymers can absorb lots of water and keep it in their structure and give it to plant under drought stress conditions (9. Humic substances are a group of heterogeneous molecules that are bonded together by weak forces, therefore they have high chemical stability. Humic acid comprise 65 to 80 percent of total soil organic matter (6. According to medicinal importance of Basil and its roles in the food and pharmaceutical industries, beside the limited water resources and need to increase water use efficiency through using ecological inputs, this study designed and conducted aimed to evaluate agroecological characteristics of Basil as affected by application of water-saving superabsorbent and humic acid under irrigation intervals. Materials and Methods: In order to evaluate the effects of different amounts of water-saving superabsorbent and foliar application of humic acid and irrigation intervals on some quantitative characteristics of basil (Ocimum basilicum L., a split strip plot experiment was conducted based on RCBD design with three replications at The Research Farm of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran during growing season of 2012-13. Experimental factors included three levels of water-saving superabsorbent (0, 40 and 80 kg ha-1 as the main plot factor, two levels of humic acid (0 and 3 kg ha-1 as the sub plot factor and two levels of irrigation interval (5 and 10 days as the strip plot factor. Studied traits were seed number and weight per plant, plant height, number of lateral branches per plant, seed yield, biological yield and harvest index

  6. Aqueous cholesteric liquid crystals using uncharged rodlike polypeptides. Polypeptide vesicles by conformation-specific assembly. Ordered chiral macroporous hybrid silica-polypeptide composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellomo, Enrico Giuseppe

    2005-07-01

    chiral macroporous hybrid silica-polypeptide composites. The mineralization of organic templates has been investigated as an effective way to control the size and structure of inorganic frameworks. Hybrid structures incorporating polypeptide with silica have been prepared and characterized using X-ray scattering, TGA, SEM and TEM. The results support the interaction between silica and polymer to form ordered chiral macroporous structures that can be easily controlled by polymer molecular weight and volume fraction.

  7. Links between matrix bulk density, macropore characteristics and hydraulic behavior of soils

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katuwal, Sheela; Møldrup, Per; Lamandé, Mathieu

    2013-01-01

    characteristics on soil hydraulic functions has rarely been studied. With the objective of studying the links between these parameters we quantified macropore characteristics of intact soil columns (19 cm diameter x 20 cm high) from two agricultural field sites (Silstrup and Faardrup) in Denmark using coarse...... resolution X-ray CT and linked them with laboratory measurements of air permeability and leaching experiment. In addition to macropore characteristics, we also quantified the CT-number of the matrix as a measure of the bulk density of the matrix, i.e., excluding macropores in the soil. Soils from the two...

  8. Pesticide transport to tile-drained fields in SWAT model – macropore flow and sediment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lu, Shenglan; Trolle, Dennis; Blicher-Mathiesen, Gitte

    2015-01-01

    Tool (SWAT) to simulate transport of both mobile (e.g. Bentazon) and strongly sorbed (e.g. Diuron) pesticides in tile drains. Macropore flow is initiated when soil water content exceeds a threshold and rainfall intensity exceeds infiltration capacity. The amount of macropore flow is calculated...... to macropore sediment transport. Simulated tile drain discharge, sediment and pesticide loads are calibrated against data from intensively monitored tile-drained fields and streams in Denmark....

  9. [Studies on the process of Herba Clinopodii saponins purified with macroporous adsorption resin].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yi; Yan, Dan; Han, Yumei

    2005-10-01

    To study the technological parameters of the purification process of saponins with macroporous adsorption resin. The adsorptive characteristics and elutive parameters of the process were studied by taking the elutive and purified ratio of saponins as markers. 11.4 ml of the extraction of Herba Clinopodii (crude drugs 0.2 g/ml) was purified with a column of macroporous adsorption resin (phi15 mm x H90 mm, dry weight 2.5 g) and washed with 3BV of distilled water, then eluted with 3BV of 30% ethanol and 3BV of 70% ethanol. Most of saponins were collected in the 70% ethanol. With macroporous adsorption resin adsorbing and purifying,the elutive ratio of saponins is 86.8% and the purity reaches 153.2%. So this process of applying macroporous adsorption resin to adsorb and purify Saponins is feasible.

  10. Deep Ultraviolet Macroporous Silicon Filters, Phase I

    Data.gov (United States)

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This SBIR Phase I proposal describes a novel method to make deep and far UV optical filters from macroporous silicon. This type of filter consists of an array of...

  11. Degradation Behaviour of Gamma Irradiated Poly(Acrylic Acid)-graft-Chitosan Superabsorbent Hydrogel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ria Barleany, Dhena; Ilhami, Alpin; Yusuf Yudanto, Dea; Erizal

    2018-03-01

    A series of superabsorbent hydrogels were prepared from chitosan and partially neutralized acrylic acid at room temperature by gamma irradiation technique. The effect of irradiation and chitosan addition to the degradation behaviour of polymer were investigated. The gel content, swelling capacity, Equillibrium Degree of Swelling (EDS), Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) study were also performed. Natural degradation in soil and thermal degradation by using of TGA analysis were observed. The variation of chitosan compositions were 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 g and the total irradiation doses were 5, 10, 15, and 20 kGy. The highest water capacity of 583.3 g water/g dry hydrogel was resulted from 5 kGy total irradiation dose and 0,5 g addition of chitosan. From the thermal degradation evaluation by using of TGA analysis showed that irradiation dose did not give a significant influence to the degradation rate. The rate of thermal degradation was ranged between 2.42 to 2.55 mg/min. In the natural test of degradation behaviour by using of soil medium, the hydrogel product with chitosan addition was found to have better degradability compared with the poly(acrylic acid) polymer without chitosan.

  12. Effects of macropores on groundwater flow and transport of radionuclides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huff, D.D.; DeAngelis, D.L.; Yeh, G.T.

    1983-01-01

    In humid environments, recent findings have shown that an important component of runoff and associated solute moves rapidly through large continuous voids. Thus, consideration of radionuclide transport in subsurface flow is incomplete without explicit treatment of continuous macropores and interaction between macropore flow and the soil matrix. A computer model, FRACPORT, that simulates the transport of a solute through a fractured porous matrix has been developed. The model employs the Integrated Compartment Method and uses the approach of dividing the porous media into compartments comprising fractures or porous material. The fracture region and a small portion of the porous matrix are simulated using a shorter time step than for the remaining porous matrix. This allows substantial savings in computational time. The model should be useful for analyses of generic problems associated with water and radionuclide transport in macropore systems at shallow-land disposal sites in humid environments. 14 references, 6 figures, 1 table

  13. Three-dimensional macroporous nanoelectronic networks as minimally invasive brain probes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Chong; Liu, Jia; Fu, Tian-Ming; Dai, Xiaochuan; Zhou, Wei; Lieber, Charles M.

    2015-12-01

    Direct electrical recording and stimulation of neural activity using micro-fabricated silicon and metal micro-wire probes have contributed extensively to basic neuroscience and therapeutic applications; however, the dimensional and mechanical mismatch of these probes with the brain tissue limits their stability in chronic implants and decreases the neuron-device contact. Here, we demonstrate the realization of a three-dimensional macroporous nanoelectronic brain probe that combines ultra-flexibility and subcellular feature sizes to overcome these limitations. Built-in strains controlling the local geometry of the macroporous devices are designed to optimize the neuron/probe interface and to promote integration with the brain tissue while introducing minimal mechanical perturbation. The ultra-flexible probes were implanted frozen into rodent brains and used to record multiplexed local field potentials and single-unit action potentials from the somatosensory cortex. Significantly, histology analysis revealed filling-in of neural tissue through the macroporous network and attractive neuron-probe interactions, consistent with long-term biocompatibility of the device.

  14. Preparation and Properties of Polymer/Vermiculite Hybrid Superabsorbent Reinforced by Fiber for Enhanced Oil Recovery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fayang Jin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available A series of polymer/clay hybrid superabsorbent composites (SACFs comprising acrylamide, acrylic acid, sodium 2-acrylamido-tetradecyl sulfonate, fiber, and vermiculite by in situ intercalation and exfoliated method was successfully synthesized. The structure of SACFs was characterized by IR, SXRD, and SEM measurements. Much notable absorbency for SACF-2 was observed compared to that for SACF-1 in the absence of hydrophobic group in the high cationic solution due to the alkyl carbon chain and sulfonic acid group of hydrophobic moistures protecting the cations from attacking the carboxylate groups. What is more, high temperature fiber which acts as bridge connection for the polymeric network structure enhanced both toughness and strength for SACF-4 in the harsh conditions. At the total dissolved substance of 212000 mg/L for Tarim Basin injected water and the temperature of 120°C, desired absorbency as well as water retaining property for SACF-4 was observed during the long period of thermal ageing. Core flooding experiments demonstrated that SACFs could migrate as amoeba in the porous medium and accumulated in the narrow channel to adjust injection profile, promoting the subsequent water diverting into the unswept zones. Finally, characteristic parameters for SACFs calculated from flooding experiment further confirmed these polymer/clay hybrid composites reinforced by fiber would have robust application in the mature oilfield for profile control.

  15. Factorization of Transport Coefficients in Macroporous Media

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shapiro, Alexander; Stenby, Erling Halfdan

    2000-01-01

    We prove the fundamental theorem about factorization of the phenomenological coefficients for transport in macroporous media. By factorization we mean the representation of the transport coefficients as products of geometric parameters of the porous medium and the parameters characteristic...

  16. Spatial structure and scaling of macropores in hydrological process at small catchment scale

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silasari, Rasmiaditya; Broer, Martine; Blöschl, Günter

    2013-04-01

    During rainfall events, the formation of overland flow can occur under the circumstances of saturation excess and/or infiltration excess. These conditions are affected by the soil moisture state which represents the soil water content in micropores and macropores. Macropores act as pathway for the preferential flows and have been widely studied locally. However, very little is known about their spatial structure and conductivity of macropores and other flow characteristic at the catchment scale. This study will analyze these characteristics to better understand its importance in hydrological processes. The research will be conducted in Petzenkirchen Hydrological Open Air Laboratory (HOAL), a 64 ha catchment located 100 km west of Vienna. The land use is divided between arable land (87%), pasture (5%), forest (6%) and paved surfaces (2%). Video cameras will be installed on an agricultural field to monitor the overland flow pattern during rainfall events. A wireless soil moisture network is also installed within the monitored area. These field data will be combined to analyze the soil moisture state and the responding surface runoff occurrence. The variability of the macropores spatial structure of the observed area (field scale) then will be assessed based on the topography and soil data. Soil characteristics will be supported with laboratory experiments on soil matrix flow to obtain proper definitions of the spatial structure of macropores and its variability. A coupled physically based distributed model of surface and subsurface flow will be used to simulate the variability of macropores spatial structure and its effect on the flow behaviour. This model will be validated by simulating the observed rainfall events. Upscaling from field scale to catchment scale will be done to understand the effect of macropores variability on larger scales by applying spatial stochastic methods. The first phase in this study is the installation and monitoring configuration of video

  17. PCLI2/Ca(OH)2 bioactive composite for endodontic treatment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Almeida, Kleberde Arruda; Caniello, Thylander Magno; Alencar de Queiroz, Alvaro Antonio

    2004-01-01

    The use of biodegradable macroporous polymer-ceramic composites in treating bone defects has become widely used in clinical practice. In this work, the synthesis and characterization of the composite poly(ε-caprolactone)-iodine/calcium hydroxide (PCLI 2 /Ca(OH) 2 ), developed for endodontic therapy are presented. The composite was obtained by the ring opening of the ε-caprolactone monomer using iodine (I 2 ) as catalyst. The microstructural analysis by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicates that the composite PCLI 2 /Ca(OH) 2 has a macroporous sponge-like structure. The biodegradable composite showed excellent antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The X-ray radiography of the implanted composite revealed a good adhesion in the root canal and excellent radiopacity

  18. Amperometric carbohydrate antigen 19-9 immunosensor based on three dimensional ordered macroporous magnetic Au film coupling direct electrochemistry of horseradish peroxidase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Qi [College of Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816 (China); Chen, Xiaojun, E-mail: chenxj_njut@126.com [College of Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816 (China); State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009 (China); Tang, Yin [Zhangjiagang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhangjiagang 215600 (China); Ge, Lingna; Guo, Buhua [College of Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816 (China); Yao, Cheng, E-mail: yaochengnjut@163.com [College of Sciences, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 211816 (China)

    2014-03-01

    Highlights: • Three dimensional ordered macroporous magnetic electrode was newly used in electrochemical immunosensor. • The large surface area of macroporous magnetic electrode could improve the immobilized amount of antibody. • Au nanoparticles functionalized SBA-15 was used to immobilize enzyme labeled Ab₂ and enzyme. • Macroporous magnetic electrode and Au nanoparticles composite facilitated the direct electron transfer of enzyme. • The immunoassay avoided adding electron transfer mediator, simplifying the procedure. Abstract: A sandwich-type electrochemical immunosensor for the detection of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) antigen based on the immobilization of primary antibody (Ab₁) on three dimensional ordered macroporous magnetic (3DOMM) electrode, and the direct electrochemistry of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) that was used as both the label of secondary antibody (Ab₂) and the blocking reagent. The 3DOMM electrode was fabricated by introducing core–shell Au–SiO₂@Fe₃O₄ nanospheres onto the surface of three dimensional ordered macroporous (3DOM) Au electrode via the application of an external magnet. Au nanoparticles functionalized SBA-15 (Au@SBA-15) was conjugated to the HRP labeled secondary antibody (HRP-Ab₂) through the Au–SH or Au–NH₃⁺ interaction, and HRP was also used as the block reagent. The formation of antigen–antibody complex made the combination of Au@SBA-15 and 3DOMM exhibit remarkable synergistic effects for accelerating direct electron transfer (DET) between HRP and the electrode. Under the optimal conditions, the DET current signal increased proportionally to CA 19-9 concentration in the range of 0.05 to 15.65 U mL⁻¹ with a detection limit of 0.01 U mL⁻¹. Moreover, the immunosensor showed high selectivity, good stability, satisfactory reproducibility and regeneration. Importantly, the developed method was used to assay clinical serum specimens, achieving a good relation with those obtained from

  19. Coupling of Spinosad Fermentation and Separation Process via Two-Step Macroporous Resin Adsorption Method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Fanglong; Zhang, Chuanbo; Yin, Jing; Shen, Yueqi; Lu, Wenyu

    2015-08-01

    In this paper, a two-step resin adsorption technology was investigated for spinosad production and separation as follows: the first step resin addition into the fermentor at early cultivation period to decrease the timely product concentration in the broth; the second step of resin addition was used after fermentation to adsorb and extract the spinosad. Based on this, a two-step macroporous resin adsorption-membrane separation process for spinosad fermentation, separation, and purification was established. Spinosad concentration in 5-L fermentor increased by 14.45 % after adding 50 g/L macroporous at the beginning of fermentation. The established two-step macroporous resin adsorption-membrane separation process got the 95.43 % purity and 87 % yield for spinosad, which were both higher than that of the conventional crystallization of spinosad from aqueous phase that were 93.23 and 79.15 % separately. The two-step macroporous resin adsorption method has not only carried out the coupling of spinosad fermentation and separation but also increased spinosad productivity. In addition, the two-step macroporous resin adsorption-membrane separation process performs better in spinosad yield and purity.

  20. Deterred drug abuse using superabsorbent polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mastropietro, David J; Muppalaneni, Srinath; Omidian, Hossein

    2016-11-01

    This study aimed to determine whether selected superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) could be used as a suitable alternative to thwart extraction, filtration, and syringeability attempts for abuse. Many abuse-deterrent formulations (ADFs) rely on high molecular weight polymers such as poly(ethylene oxide) to provide crush and extraction resistance. However, these polymers suffer from slow dissolution kinetics, and are susceptible to a variety of abuse conditions. Several commercially available SAPs were evaluated for swelling behavior in extraction solvents, and tableting properties. Post-compaction abuse properties were evaluated by recoverable volume and syringeability after solvent extraction. Drug release and percent drug extraction were conducted using tramadol HCl as a model drug. Certain SAPs had the ability to rapidly imbibe solvent and effectively stop extraction processes in a variety of solvents, including water and water/alcohol mixtures. Tablets containing SAP and drug showed no effect on drug release in vitro. SAPs possess adequate properties for tableting, and maintain their high and fast swelling properties after compaction. The fast and extensive interactions of SAPs with aqueous medium are a major advantage over non-crosslinked high molecular weight viscosifying agents such as poly(ethylene oxide).

  1. Carbon nanotube-coated macroporous sponge for microbial fuel cell electrodes

    KAUST Repository

    Xie, Xing

    2012-01-01

    The materials that are used to make electrodes and their internal structures significantly affect microbial fuel cell (MFC) performance. In this study, we describe a carbon nanotube (CNT)-sponge composite prepared by coating a sponge with CNTs. Compared to the CNT-coated textile electrodes evaluated in prior studies, CNT-sponge electrodes had lower internal resistance, greater stability, more tunable and uniform macroporous structure (pores up to 1 mm in diameter), and improved mechanical properties. The CNT-sponge composite also provided a three-dimensional scaffold that was favorable for microbial colonization and catalytic decoration. Using a batch-fed H-shaped MFC outfitted with CNT-sponge electrodes, an areal power density of 1.24 W m -2 was achieved when treating domestic wastewater. The maximum volumetric power density of a continuously fed plate-shaped MFC was 182 W m -3. To our knowledge, these are the highest values obtained to date for MFCs fed domestic wastewater: 2.5 times the previously reported maximum areal power density and 12 times the previously reported maximum volumetric power density. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  2. Investigating the Effect of Cultivate Lines Direction, Bio-Fertilizer Nitroxin and Superabsorbent Materials on Yield and Yield Components of Broad Leaf Vetch (Vicia narbonensis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E Latifinia

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Introduction The excessive use of fertilizers has caused severe damages to the bio-cycle in the fields and has destroyed the sustainable agricultural machinery. These destructive effects have led to the recommended use of bio-fertilizers. Biodiversity is one of the key sources of supplying nutrients in sustainable agriculture. The use of biological fertilizers in a sustainable agricultural system leads to sustained yield in plant production. Biological fertilizer of nitroxin has increased biological yield and grain yield in fodder corn. Water shortage as a limiting factor has limited vegetation growth and development in these areas. Considering that Iran is a dry country, the use of super adsorbent is one of the ways to reduce water consumption. Investigators in the study of superabsorbent showed that superabsorbent had a significant and positive effect on the yield of forage plants. Crop directions can affect the amount of the product by increasing the leaf area and absorbing light. Proper orientation of crop lines increases the photosynthetic efficiency and increases the yield and yield components of the plant. Research has shown that yields are much higher in plants planted on the north-south lines compared with plants planted on east-west lines. Materials and Methods In order to investigate the effect of nitroxin and superabsorbent fertilizer on yield and yield components of broad leaf vetch in a research field of agricultural faculty, Lorestan University, as a split plot factorial based on a complete block design randomization was performed in three replicates. In this research, for main lines, the main factors were considered in the North-South and East-West directions in the main plots. Sub-factors In this experiment, nitroxin biosynthesis and superabsorbent materials were applied at two levels of consumption and non-consumption in sub plots. Nitroxin fertilizer was used as a seed lot at a rate of 1 liter per hectare and the stockosorb

  3. Swelling properties of cassava starch grafted with poly (potassium acrylate-co-acrylamide) superabsorbent hydrogel prepared by ionizing radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barleany, Dhena Ria; Ulfiyani, Fida; Istiqomah, Shafina; Heriyanto, Heri; Rahmayetty, Erizal

    2015-12-01

    Natural and synthetic hydrophylic polymers can be phisically or chemically cross-linked in order to produce hydrogels. Starch based hydrogels grafted with copolymers from acrylic acid or acrylamide have become very popular for water absorbent application. Superabsorbent hydrogels made from Cassava starch grafted with poly (potassium acrylate-co-acrylamide) were prepared by using of ϒ-irradiation method. Various important parameters such as irradiation doses, monomer to Cassava starch ratio and acrylamide content were investigated. The addition of 7,5 % w w-1 acrylamide into the reaction mixture generated a starch graft copolymer with a water absorption in distilled water as high as 460 g g-1 of its dried weight. The effectivity of hydrogel as superabsorbent for aqueous solutions of NaCl and urea was evaluated. The obtained hydrogel showed the maximum absorptions of 317 g g-1 and 523 g g-1 for NaCl and urea solution, respectively (relative to its own dry weight). The structure of the graft copolymer was analyzed by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).

  4. High energy density supercapacitors using macroporous kitchen sponges

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Wei; Baby, Rakhi Raghavan; Alshareef, Husam N.

    2012-01-01

    Macroporous, low-cost and recyclable kitchen sponges are explored as effective electrode platforms for supercapacitor devices. A simple and scalable process has been developed to fabricate MnO 2-carbon nanotube (CNT)-sponge supercapacitor electrodes

  5. A Macroporous TiO2 Oxygen Sensor Fabricated Using Anodic Aluminium Oxide as an Etching Mask

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheng-Po Wu

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available An innovative fabrication method to produce a macroporous Si surface by employing an anodic aluminium oxide (AAO nanopore array layer as an etching template is presented. Combining AAO with a reactive ion etching (RIE processes, a homogeneous and macroporous silicon surface can be effectively configured by modulating AAO process parameters and alumina film thickness, thus hopefully replacing conventional photolithography and electrochemical etch methods. The hybrid process integration is considered fully CMOS compatible thanks to the low-temperature AAO and CMOS processes. The gas-sensing characteristics of 50 nm TiO2 nanofilms deposited on the macroporous surface are compared with those of conventional plain (or non-porous nanofilms to verify reduced response noise and improved sensitivity as a result of their macroporosity. Our experimental results reveal that macroporous geometry of the TiO2 chemoresistive gas sensor demonstrates 2-fold higher (~33% improved sensitivity than a non-porous sensor at different levels of oxygen exposure. In addition, the macroporous device exhibits excellent discrimination capability and significantly lessened response noise at 500 °C. Experimental results indicate that the hybrid process of such miniature and macroporous devices are compatible as well as applicable to integrated next generation bio-chemical sensors.

  6. Production and in vitro evaluation of macroporous, cell-encapsulating alginate fibres for nerve repair

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Sharon Chien-Yu, E-mail: sharonlin114@gmail.com [The University of Queensland, Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane QLD 4102 (Australia); Wang, Yiwei, E-mail: yiweiwang@anzac.edu.au [The University of Queensland, Pharmacy Australia Centre of Excellence, 20 Cornwall Street, Woolloongabba, Brisbane QLD 4102 (Australia); Wertheim, David F., E-mail: d.wertheim@kingston.ac.uk [Faculty of Science, Engineering and Computing, Kingston University, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT1 2EE (United Kingdom); Coombes, Allan G.A., E-mail: allancoombes@pharmacy.psu.ac.th [Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112 (Thailand)

    2017-04-01

    The prospects for successful peripheral nerve repair using fibre guides are considered to be enhanced by the use of a scaffold material, which promotes attachment and proliferation of glial cells and axonal regeneration. Macroporous alginate fibres were produced by extraction of gelatin particle porogens from wet spun fibres produced using a suspension of gelatin particles in 1.5% w/v alginate solution. Gelatin loading of the starting suspension of 40.0, 57.0, and 62.5% w/w resulted in gelatin loading of the dried alginate fibres of 16, 21, and 24% w/w respectively. Between 45 and 60% of the gelatin content of hydrated fibres was released in 1 h in distilled water at 37 °C, leading to rapid formation of a macroporous structure. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) and image processing provided qualitative and quantitative analysis of mean equivalent macropore diameter (48–69 μm), pore size distribution, estimates of maximum porosity (14.6%) and pore connectivity. CLSM also revealed that gelatin residues lined the macropore cavities and infiltrated into the body of the alginate scaffolds, thus, providing cell adhesion molecules, which are potentially advantageous for promoting growth of glial cells and axonal extension. Macroporous alginate fibres encapsulating nerve cells [primary rat dorsal root ganglia (DRGs)] were produced by wet spinning alginate solution containing dispersed gelatin particles and DRGs. Marked outgrowth was evident over a distance of 150 μm at day 11 in cell culture, indicating that pores and channels created within the alginate hydrogel were providing a favourable environment for neurite development. These findings indicate that macroporous alginate fibres encapsulating nerve cells may provide the basis of a useful strategy for nerve repair. - Highlights: • Nerve cells were encapsulated in macroporous alginate fibres for use in nerve repair. • Fibres were produced from alginate solution containing gelatin porogens and cells.

  7. Synthesis and Characterization of Superabsorbent Sodium Alginate-G-Poly (Potassium Acrylate Hydrogels Prepared By Using Gamma Irradiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erizal Erizal

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this research was to use gamma rays as sources for the preparation of superabsorbent hydrogels through radiation induced copolymerization. A series of superabsorbent hydrogels were prepared from aqueous solution containing partially neutralized acrylic acid (15% with different sodium alginate (NaAlg concentrations (0.5% to 1.5% by ionizing gamma irradiation (10 kGy to 40 kGy at room temperature. The effect of NaAlg concentration and irradiation doses on the water absorption behavior of the obtained hydrogels was investigated. The structural changes of hydrogels were characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR whereas the morphologies of hydrogels were examined using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM. The results showed the swelling of hydrogel in water and NaCl solution increases with increasing NaAlg concentration and decreases with increasing irradiation dose up to 40 kGy. The extend of gel fraction increases as a function of NaAlg concentration. The results of FTIR analysis revealed that acrylic acid and sodium alginate had been successfully grafted, while SEM examination showed that the hydrogels demonstrated large numbers of pores.     

  8. Macroporous synthetic hydroxyapatite bioceramics for bone substitute applications

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Thomas, ME

    1999-08-01

    Full Text Available An improved strategy is described for the manufacture of macroporous hydroxyapatite bioceramics for bone substitute applications. This is based on a modified fugitive phase technique, which allows production of relatively open, high-strength devices...

  9. Polyacrylonitrile-Derived Sponge-Like Micro/Macroporous Carbon for Selective CO2 Separation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Li-Ping; Hu, Qing-Tao; Zhang, Peng; Li, Wen-Cui; Lu, An-Hui

    2018-03-25

    CO 2 capture under a dynamical flow situation requires adsorbents possessing balanced proportion of macropores as diffusion path and micropores as adsorption reservoir. However, the construction of interconnected micro-/macropores structure coupled with abundant nitrogen species into one carbon skeleton remains a challenge. Here, we report a new approach to prepare sponge-like carbon with a well-developed micro-/macroporous structure and enriched nitrogen species through aqueous phase polymerization of acrylonitrile in the presence of graphene oxide. The tension stress caused by the uniform thermal shrinkage of polyacrylonitrile during the pyrolysis together with the favorable flexibility of graphene oxide sheets are responsible for the formation of the sponge-like morphology. The synergistic effect of micro-/macroporous framework and rich CO 2 -philic site enables such carbon to decrease resistance to mass transfer and show high CO 2 dynamic selectivity over N 2 (454) and CH 4 (11), as well as good CO 2 capacity at 298 K under low CO 2 partial pressure (0.17 bar, a typical CO 2 partial pressure in flue gas). The above attributes make this porous carbon a promising candidate for CO 2 capture from flue gas, methane sources and other relevant applications. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. In vitro biological characterization of macroporous 3D Bonelike structures prepared through a 3D machining technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laranjeira, M.S.; Dias, A.G.; Santos, J.D.; Fernandes, M.H.

    2009-01-01

    3D bioactive macroporous structures were prepared using a 3D machining technique. A virtual 3D structure model was created and a computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling device machined Bonelike samples. The resulting structures showed a reproducible macroporosity and interconnective structure. Macropores size after sintering was approximately 2000 μm. In vitro testing using human bone marrow stroma showed that cells were able to adhere and proliferate on 3D structures surface and migrate into all macropore channels. In addition, these cells were able to differentiate, since mineralized globular structures associated with cell layer were identified. Results obtained showed that 3D structures of Bonelike successfully allow cell migration into all macropores, and allow human bone marrow stromal cells to proliferate and differentiate. This innovative technique may be considered as a step-forward preparation for 3D interconnective macroporous structures that allow bone ingrowth while maintaining mechanical integrity.

  11. Silica-supported Macroporous Chitosan Bead for Affinity Purification of Trypsin Inhibitor

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Feng Na XI; Jian Min WU; Ming Ming LUAN

    2005-01-01

    Macroporous cross-linking chitosan layer coated on silica gel (CTS-SiO2) was prepared by phase inversion and polyethylene glycol (PEG) molecular imprinting methods. Formation of macroporous surface was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and BET analysis.The prepared bead was activated by reacting with 1,2-ethylene diglycidyl ether for introducing epoxy groups, and trypsin could be efficiently immobilized on the bead as a biospecific ligand.The bead bearing trypsin was employed to purify trypsin inhibitor (TIs) from egg white as affinity adsorbent.

  12. Swelling of Superabsorbent Poly(Sodium-Acrylate Acrylamide) Hydrogels and Influence of Chemical Structure on Internally Cured Mortar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krafcik, Matthew J.; Erk, Kendra A.

    Superabsorbent hydrogel particles show promise as internal curing agents for high performance concrete (HPC). These gels can absorb and release large volumes of water and offer a solution to the problem of self-dessication in HPC. However, the gels are sensitive to ions naturally present in concrete. This research connects swelling behavior with gel-ion interactions to optimize hydrogel performance for internal curing, reducing the chance of early-age cracking and increasing the durability of HPC. Four different hydrogels of poly(sodium-acrylate acrylamide) are synthesized and characterized with swelling tests in different salt solutions. Depending on solution pH, ionic character, and gel composition, diffrerent swelling behaviors are observed. As weight percent of acrylic acid increases, gels demonstrate higher swelling ratios in reverse osmosis water, but showed substantially decreased swelling when aqueous cations are present. Additionally, in multivalent cation solutions, overshoot peaks are present, whereby the gels have a peak swelling ratio but then deswell. Multivalent cations interact with deprotonated carboxylic acid groups, constricting the gel and expelling water. Mortar containing hydrogels showed reduced autogenous shrinkage and increased relative humidity.

  13. Well-Dispersed Nanoscale Zero-Valent Iron Supported in Macroporous Silica Foams: Synthesis, Characterization, and Performance in Cr(VI Removal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaoxia Zhao

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Well-dispersed nanoscale zero-valent iron (NZVI supported inside the pores of macroporous silica foams (MOSF composites (Mx-NZVI has been prepared as the Cr(VI adsorbent by simply impregnating the MOSF matrix with ferric chloride, followed by the chemical reduction with NaHB4 in aqueous solution at ambient atmosphere. Through the support of MOSF, the reactivity and stability of NZVI are greatly improved. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM results show that NZVI particles are spatially well-dispersed with a typical core-shell structure and supported inside MOSF matrix. The N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms demonstrate that the Mx-NZVI composites can maintain the macroporous structure of MOSF and exhibit a considerable high surface area (503 m2·g−1. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD measurements confirm the core-shell structure of iron nanoparticles composed of a metallic Fe0 core and an Fe(II/Fe(III species shell. Batch experiments reveal that the removal efficiency of Cr(VI can reach 100% when the solution contains 15.0 mg·L−1 of Cr(VI at room temperature. In addition, the solution pH and the composites dosage can affect the removal efficiency of Cr(VI. The Langmuir isotherm is applicable to describe the removal process. The kinetic studies demonstrate that the removal of Cr(VI is consistent with pseudo-second-order kinetic model.

  14. A practical technique for the fabrication of highly ordered macroporous structures of inorganic oxides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang Fengqiu; Uchikoshi, Tetsuo; Sakka, Yoshio

    2006-01-01

    Well-defined macroporous ceramics consisting of SiO 2 , TiO 2 and ZrO 2 have been fabricated via a template-assisted colloidal processing technique. Close-packed polymer spheres were first prepared as a template using centrifugation or gravitational sedimentation, followed by infiltration with alkoxide precursors. The centrifugation should be preferred because it is a less time-consuming process and the materials are better ordered. The removal of the template beads was achieved by calcination of the organic-inorganic hybrids at appropriate temperatures, yielding well-ordered macroporous ceramics. The arrangement of the porous structures could be changing the preparation of the packed polymer templates. Some novel arrangements of macropores were obtained in these macroporous ceramics: a simple square-packed arrangement for SiO 2 , the coexistence of hexagonal close-packed and simple close-packed arrangements for TiO 2 , and face-centered cubic packed arrangement for ZrO 2 . The resulting highly structured ceramics could have applications in areas ranging from quantum electronics to photocatalysis and battery materials

  15. Swelling properties of cassava starch grafted with poly (potassium acrylate-co-acrylamide) superabsorbent hydrogel prepared by ionizing radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Barleany, Dhena Ria, E-mail: dbarleany@yahoo.com; Ulfiyani, Fida; Istiqomah, Shafina; Rahmayetty [Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa, Cilegon, Banten (Indonesia); Heriyanto, Heri; Erizal [Centre for Application of Isotopes and Radiation, Jakarta (Indonesia)

    2015-12-29

    Natural and synthetic hydrophylic polymers can be phisically or chemically cross-linked in order to produce hydrogels. Starch based hydrogels grafted with copolymers from acrylic acid or acrylamide have become very popular for water absorbent application. Superabsorbent hydrogels made from Cassava starch grafted with poly (potassium acrylate-co-acrylamide) were prepared by using of ϒ-irradiation method. Various important parameters such as irradiation doses, monomer to Cassava starch ratio and acrylamide content were investigated. The addition of 7,5 % w w{sup −1} acrylamide into the reaction mixture generated a starch graft copolymer with a water absorption in distilled water as high as 460 g g{sup −1} of its dried weight. The effectivity of hydrogel as superabsorbent for aqueous solutions of NaCl and urea was evaluated. The obtained hydrogel showed the maximum absorptions of 317 g g{sup −1} and 523 g g{sup −1} for NaCl and urea solution, respectively (relative to its own dry weight). The structure of the graft copolymer was analyzed by using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

  16. Direct Writing of Three-Dimensional Macroporous Photonic Crystals on Pressure-Responsive Shape Memory Polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Yin; Ni, Yongliang; Leo, Sin-Yen; Wang, Bingchen; Basile, Vito; Taylor, Curtis; Jiang, Peng

    2015-10-28

    Here we report a single-step direct writing technology for making three-dimensional (3D) macroporous photonic crystal patterns on a new type of pressure-responsive shape memory polymer (SMP). This approach integrates two disparate fields that do not typically intersect: the well-established templating nanofabrication and shape memory materials. Periodic arrays of polymer macropores templated from self-assembled colloidal crystals are squeezed into disordered arrays in an unusual shape memory "cold" programming process. The recovery of the original macroporous photonic crystal lattices can be triggered by direct writing at ambient conditions using both macroscopic and nanoscopic tools, like a pencil or a nanoindenter. Interestingly, this shape memory disorder-order transition is reversible and the photonic crystal patterns can be erased and regenerated hundreds of times, promising the making of reconfigurable/rewritable nanooptical devices. Quantitative insights into the shape memory recovery of collapsed macropores induced by the lateral shear stresses in direct writing are gained through fundamental investigations on important process parameters, including the tip material, the critical pressure and writing speed for triggering the recovery of the deformed macropores, and the minimal feature size that can be directly written on the SMP membranes. Besides straightforward applications in photonic crystal devices, these smart mechanochromic SMPs that are sensitive to various mechanical stresses could render important technological applications ranging from chromogenic stress and impact sensors to rewritable high-density optical data storage media.

  17. Highly ordered three-dimensional macroporous carbon spheres for determination of heavy metal ions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yuxiao; Zhang, Jianming; Liu, Yang; Huang, Hui; Kang, Zhenhui

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres (MPCSs) were prepared. ► MPCS was covalently modified by cysteine (MPCS–CO–Cys). ► MPCS–CO–Cys was first time used in electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions. ► Heavy metal ions such as Pb 2+ and Cd 2+ can be simultaneously determined. -- Abstract: An effective voltammetric method for detection of trace heavy metal ions using chemically modified highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres electrode surfaces is described. The highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres were prepared by carbonization of glucose in silica crystal bead template, followed by removal of the template. The highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres were covalently modified by cysteine, an amino acid with high affinities towards some heavy metals. The materials were characterized by physical adsorption of nitrogen, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. While the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to characterize the functional groups on the surface of carbon spheres. High sensitivity was exhibited when this material was used in electrochemical detection (square wave anodic stripping voltammetry) of heavy metal ions due to the porous structure. And the potential application for simultaneous detection of heavy metal ions was also investigated.

  18. Cholesterol-imprinted macroporous monoliths: Preparation and characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stepanova, Mariia А; Kinziabulatova, Lilia R; Nikitina, Anna A; Korzhikova-Vlakh, Evgenia G; Tennikova, Tatiana B

    2017-11-01

    The development of sorbents for selective binding of cholesterol, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, has a great importance for analytical science and medicine. In this work, two series of macroporous cholesterol-imprinted monolithic sorbents differing in the composition of functional monomers (methacrylic acid, butyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and ethylene dimethacrylate), amount of a template (4, 6 and 8 mol%) used for molecular imprinting, as well as mean pore size were synthesized by in situ free-radical process in stainless steel housing of 50 mm × 4.6 mm i.d. All prepared materials were characterized regarding to their hydrodynamic permeability and porous properties, as well as examined by BET and SEM methods. Imprinting factors, apparent dynamic dissociation constants, the maximum binding capacity, the number of theoretical plates and the height equivalent to a theoretical palate of MIP monoliths at different mobile phase flow rates were determined. The separation of a mixture of structural analogues, namely, cholesterol and prednisolone, was demonstrated. Additionally, the possibility of using the developed monoliths for cholesterol solid-phase extraction from simulated biological solution was shown. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  19. Influences of neutralization of superabsorbent hydrogel from hydroxyethyl cellulose on water swelling capacities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adair, Ajaman; Klinpituksa, Pairote; Kaesaman, Azizon

    2017-08-01

    In this research, superabsorbent hydrogels were synthesized by graft copolymerization of hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) and polyacrylamide (PAM) under the initiation of potassium persulfate (KPS). The polymer networks were constructed using N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), and the reaction was performed in an aqueous solution. The extent of grafting products was evaluated form grafting efficiency (%GE) and percentage of add-ons at HEC/AM ratios of 1: 10. The water swelling capacities, in terms of swelling capacity and weight loss, of resultant superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) after solvent extraction were determined for swelling behaviors. The result showed that the SAP had poor water absorption of approximately up to 23 g/g. To enhance swelling capacity of SAPs, an alkaline hydrolysis was done by using two types of alkaline bases, i.e., 2 M NaOH and 2 M KOH solution. The obtained treatment SAPs were neutralized by washing with distilled water and 0.5 M HCl until the liquors pH was nearly 7. They were found that the treatment SAPs showed the highest water absorption up to 317 g/g. Influences of various fluids pH values ranging between 4 and 10, on water swelling capacities of SAPs were also investigated. Under optimal pH value, the highest water absorptions of SAP was 382 g/g. To confirm the grafting reaction of PAM onto HEC backbone, FT-IR analysis was used. The results revealed absorption bands of the HEC backbone and new absorption bands from the grafted copolymer. Furthermore, the FT-IR spectrum was proved that washing with distilled water can alter the chemical functional group of SAPs.

  20. Occurrence of the macropore nucleation centers in silicon as result of ion implantation

    CERN Document Server

    Astrova, E V

    2002-01-01

    Instead of commonly used V-shaped pits the possibility of application of ion implantation for formation of the regular pattern of macropore nucleation centers has been studied. It is shown that selective radiative damage or local conductivity type conversion are sufficient for generation of macropore nucleation in certain regions and passivation in other ones. Results obtained can be of interest both for practical application and for explanation of pore origin in silicon

  1. A Hierarchically Micro-Meso-Macroporous Zeolite CaA for Methanol Conversion to Dimethyl Ether

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Wang

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available A hierarchical zeolite CaA with microporous, mesoporous and macroporous structure was hydrothermally synthesized by a ”Bond-Blocking” method using organo-functionalized mesoporous silica (MS as a silica source. The characterization by XRD, SEM/TEM and N2 adsorption/desorption techniques showed that the prepared material had well-crystalline zeolite Linde Type A (LTA topological structure, microspherical particle morphologies, and hierarchically intracrystalline micro-meso-macropores structure. With the Bond-Blocking principle, the external surface area and macro-mesoporosity of the hierarchical zeolite CaA can be adjusted by varying the organo-functionalized degree of the mesoporous silica surface. Similarly, the distribution of the micro-meso-macroporous structure in the zeolite CaA can be controlled purposely. Compared with the conventional microporous zeolite CaA, the hierarchical zeolite CaA as a catalyst in the conversion of methanol to dimethyl ether (DME, exhibited complete DME selectivity and stable catalytic activity with high methanol conversion. The catalytic performances of the hierarchical zeolite CaA results clearly from the micro-meso-macroporous structure, improving diffusion properties, favoring the access to the active surface and avoiding secondary reactions (no hydrocarbon products were detected after 3 h of reaction.

  2. Poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate)/clay composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marinovic, S.; Vukovic, Z.; Nastasovic, A.; Milutinovic-Nikolic, A.; Jovanovic, D.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → We synthesized macroporous composites of poly(GMA-co-EGDMA) and either raw or acid modified clay. → Morphological, textural and thermal properties of the composite with acid modified clay were significantly changed with retained macroporosity. → Composite with raw clay has enhanced thermal stability. - Abstract: In this study, macroporous composites of poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) i.e. poly(GMA-co-EGDMA) and clay were prepared by radical suspension copolymerization. The composites with either raw (S 0 ) or acid-modified clay (S A ) were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric (TG) and textural analysis. The morphological, textural and thermal properties of the composite with raw clay (CP-S 0 ) differed slightly from those of the copolymer (CP), with exception of the thermal stability expressed in the shifting of the initial degradation temperature from 125 deg. C for CP to 210 deg. C for CP-S 0 . On the other hand, composite with modified clay (CP-S A ) was a material with significantly changed morphology, porous structure parameters and a qualitatively different thermal behavior in comparison to CP and CP-S 0 . CP-S A had mass residue, after heating at 600 deg. C, three times higher than the amount of S A introduced into the reaction system. This indicates a different manner of incorporation of S A , compared to S 0 , into the composite. Both the obtained composites retained their macroporosity and might be used in all applications that involve macroporous copolymers and, due to the altered thermal properties, their application may be extended.

  3. Highly ordered three-dimensional macroporous carbon spheres for determination of heavy metal ions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Yuxiao; Zhang, Jianming [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Liu, Yang, E-mail: yangl@suda.edu.cn [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Huang, Hui [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China); Kang, Zhenhui, E-mail: zhkang@suda.edu.cn [Institute of Functional Nano and Soft Materials (FUNSOM) and Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Carbon-Based Functional Materials and Devices, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123 (China)

    2012-04-15

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres (MPCSs) were prepared. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MPCS was covalently modified by cysteine (MPCS-CO-Cys). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer MPCS-CO-Cys was first time used in electrochemical detection of heavy metal ions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Heavy metal ions such as Pb{sup 2+} and Cd{sup 2+} can be simultaneously determined. -- Abstract: An effective voltammetric method for detection of trace heavy metal ions using chemically modified highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres electrode surfaces is described. The highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres were prepared by carbonization of glucose in silica crystal bead template, followed by removal of the template. The highly ordered three dimensional macroporous carbon spheres were covalently modified by cysteine, an amino acid with high affinities towards some heavy metals. The materials were characterized by physical adsorption of nitrogen, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. While the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy was used to characterize the functional groups on the surface of carbon spheres. High sensitivity was exhibited when this material was used in electrochemical detection (square wave anodic stripping voltammetry) of heavy metal ions due to the porous structure. And the potential application for simultaneous detection of heavy metal ions was also investigated.

  4. Structure, MC3T3-E1 cell response, and osseointegration of macroporous titanium implants covered by a bioactive microarc oxidation coating with microporous structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Rui; Wei, Daqing; Cheng, Su; Feng, Wei; Du, Qing; Yang, Haoyue; Li, Baoqiang; Wang, Yaming; Jia, Dechang; Zhou, Yu

    2014-04-09

    Macroporous Ti with macropores of 50-400 μm size is prepared by sintering Ti microbeads with different diameters of 100, 200, 400, and 600 μm. Bioactive microarc oxidation (MAO) coatings with micropores of 2-5 μm size are prepared on the macroporous Ti. The MAO coatings are composed of a few TiO2 nanocrystals and lots of amorphous phases with Si, Ca, Ti, Na, and O elements. Compared to compact Ti, the MC3T3-E1 cell attachment is prolonged on macroporous Ti without and with MAO coatings; however, the cell proliferation number increases. These results are contributed to the effects of the space structure of macroporous Ti and the surface chemical feature and element dissolution of the MAO coatings during the cell culture. Macroporous Ti both without and with MAO coatings does not cause any adverse effects in vivo. The new bone grows well into the macropores and micropores of macroporous Ti with MAO coatings, showing good mechanical properties in vivo compared to Ti, MAO-treated Ti, and macroporous Ti because of its excellent osseointegration. Moreover, the MAO coatings not only show a high interface bonding strength with new bones but also connect well with macroporous Ti. Furthermore, the pushing out force for macroporous Ti with MAO coatings increases significantly with increasing microbead diameter.

  5. Fast plasma sintering delivers functional graded materials components with macroporous structures and osseointegration properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godoy, R F; Coathup, M J; Blunn, G W; Alves, A L; Robotti, P; Goodship, A E

    2016-04-13

    We explored the osseointegration potential of two macroporous titanium surfaces obtained using fast plasma sintering (FPS): Ti macroporous structures with 400-600 µmØ pores (TiMac400) and 850-1000 µmØ pores (TiMac850). They were compared against two surfaces currently in clinical use: Ti-Growth® and air plasma spray (Ti-Y367). Each surface was tested, once placed over a Ti-alloy and once onto a CoCr bulk substrate. Implants were placed in medial femoral condyles in 24 sheep. Samples were explanted at four and eight weeks after surgery. Push-out loads were measured using a material-testing system. Bone contact and ingrowth were assessed by histomorphometry and SEM and EDX analyses. Histology showed early osseointegration for all the surfaces tested. At 8 weeks, TiMac400, TiMac850 and Ti-Growth® showed deep bone ingrowth and extended colonisation with newly formed bone. The mechanical push-out force was equal in all tested surfaces. Plasma spray surfaces showed greater bone-implant contact and higher level of pores colonisation with new bone than FPS produced surfaces. However, the void pore area in FPS specimens was significantly higher, yet the FPS porous surfaces allowed a deeper osseointegration of bone to implant. FPS manufactured specimens showed similar osseointegration potential to the plasma spray surfaces for orthopaedic implants. FPS is a useful technology for manufacturing macroporous titanium surfaces. Furthermore, its capability to combine two implantable materials, using bulk CoCr with macroporous titanium surfaces, could be of interest as it enables designers to conceive and manufacture innovative components. FPS delivers functional graded materials components with macroporous structures optimised for osseointegration.

  6. Biomimetically-mineralized composite coatings on titanium functionalized with gelatin methacrylate hydrogels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tan, Guoxin, E-mail: tanguoxin@126.com [School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006 (China); Zhou, Lei [School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006 (China); Ning, Chengyun, E-mail: imcyning@scut.edu.cn [College of Materials Science and Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641 (China); Tan, Ying [School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006 (China); Ni, Guoxin [Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515 (China); Liao, Jingwen; Yu, Peng; Chen, Xiaofeng [College of Materials Science and Technology, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641 (China)

    2013-08-15

    Immobilizing organic–inorganic hybrid composites onto the implant surface is a promising strategy to improve host acceptance of the implant. The objective of this present study was to obtain a unique macroporous titanium-surface with the organic–mineral composite coatings consisting of gelatin methacrylate hydrogel (GelMA) and hydroxyapatite (HA). A 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (TMSPMA) layer was first coated onto the titanium surface, and surface was then covalently functionalized with GelMA using a photochemical method. Mineralization of the GelMA coating on the titanium surface was subsequently carried out by a biomimetic method. After 3-day mineralization, a large number of mineral phases comprising spherical amorphous nanoparticles were found randomly deposited inside GelMA matrix. The resulting mineralized hydrogel composites exhibited a unique rough surface of macroporous structure. The structure of the prepared GelMA/HA composite coating was studied by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectra (EDS), attenuated total refraction Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Water contact angle measurement revealed the hydrophilicity properties of composite coatings. GelMA/HA on titanium after the TMSPMA treatment is very stable when tested in vitro with a PBS solution at 37 °C, due to the role of TMSPMA as a molecular bridge. It was expected that the macroporous GelMA/HA composite coatings might potentially promote and accelerate titanium (Ti)-based implants osseointegration for bone repair and regeneration.

  7. Effects of the hydraulic conductivity of the matrix/macropore interface on cumulative infiltrations into dual-permeability media

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lassabatere, L.; Peyrard, X.; Angulo-Jaramillo, R.; Simunek, J.

    2009-12-01

    Modeling of water infiltration into the vadose zone is important for better understanding of movement of water-transported contaminants. There is a great need to take into account the soil heterogeneity and, in particular, the presence of macropores or cracks that could generate preferential flow. Several mathematical models have been proposed to describe unsaturated flow through heterogeneous soils. The dual-permeability model (referred to as the 2K model) assumes that flow is governed by Richards equation in both porous regions (matrix and macropores). Water can be exchanged between the two regions following a first-order rate law. Although several studies have dealt with such modeling, no study has evaluated the influence of the hydraulic conductivity of the matrix/macropore interface on water cumulative infiltration. And this is the focus of this study. An analytical scaling method reveals the role of the following main parameters for given boundary and initial conditions: the saturated hydraulic conductivity ratio (R_Ks), the water pressure scale parameter ratio (R_hg), the saturated volumetric water content ratio (R_θs), and the shape parameters of the water retention and hydraulic conductivity functions. The last essential parameter is related to the interfacial hydraulic conductivity (Ka) between the macropore and matrix regions. The scaled 2K flow equations were solved using HYDRUS-1D 4.09 for the specific case of water infiltrating into an initially uniform soil profile and a zero pressure head at the soil surface. A sensitivity of water infiltration was studied for different sets of scale parameters (R_Ks, R_hg, R_θs, and shape parameters) and the scaled interfacial conductivity (Ka). Numerical results illustrate two extreme behaviors. When the interfacial conductivity is zero (i.e., no water exchange), water infiltrates separately into matrix and macropore regions, producing a much deeper moisture front in the macropore domain. In the opposite case

  8. Monodispersed macroporous architecture of nickel-oxide film as an anode material for thin-film lithium-ion batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, Mao-Sung; Lin, Ya-Ping

    2011-01-01

    A nickel-oxide film with monodispersed open macropores was prepared on a stainless-steel substrate by electrophoretic deposition of a polystyrene-sphere monolayer followed by anodic electrodeposition of nickel oxy-hydroxide. The deposited films convert to cubic nickel oxide after annealing at 400 o C for 1 h. Galvanostatic charge and discharge results indicate that the nickel-oxide film with monodispersed open macropores is capable of delivering a higher capacity than the bare nickel-oxide film, especially in high-rate charge and discharge processes. The lithiation capacity of macroporous nickel oxide reaches 1620 mA h g -1 at 1 C current discharge and decreases to 990 mA h g -1 at 15 C current discharge. The presence of monodispersed open macropores in the nickel-oxide film might facilitate the electrolyte penetration, diffusion, and migration. Electrochemical reactions between nickel oxide and lithium ions are therefore markedly improved by this tailored film architecture.

  9. Concrete with superabsorbent polymers (SAP) - experience from the Fehmarn field exposure station in Rødbyhavn

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasholt, Marianne Tange; Pade, Claus

    2011-01-01

    A field exposure station has been established in Rødbyhavn Habour. One of the concrete types tested is with superabsorbent polymer (SAP) - a new type of additive, which can be used to mitigate self-desiccation and to control air void structure. This paper presents results from the extensive...... laboratory test program, which was conducted before test panels were placed in Rødbyhavn Habour. Results show that when using SAP, it is possible to produce concrete with a pre-defined air void structure. Strength and transport properties are comparable to the properties of a reference concrete, but results...

  10. TRANSPLANTATION OF CRYOPRESERVED FETAL LIVER CELLS SEEDED INTO MACROPOROUS ALGINATE-GELATIN SCAFFOLDS IN RATS WITH LIVER FAILURE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. V. Grizay

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To study the therapeutic potential of cryopreserved fetal liver cells seeded into macroporous alginategelatin scaffolds after implantation to omentum of rats with hepatic failure.Materials and methods.Hepatic failure was simulated by administration of 2-acetyl aminofl uorene followed partial hepatectomy. Macroporous alginate-gelatin scaffolds, seeded with allogenic cryopreserved fetal liver cells (FLCs were implanted into rat omentum. To prevent from colonization of host cells scaffolds were coated with alginate gel shell. Serum transaminase activity, levels of albumin and bilirubin as markers of hepatic function were determined during 4 weeks after failure model formation and scaffold implantation. Morphology of liver and scaffolds after implantation were examined histologically. Results. Macroporous alginate-gelatin scaffolds after implantation to healthy rats were colonized by host cells. Additional formation of alginate gel shell around scaffolds prevented the colonization. Implantation of macroporous scaffolds seeded with cryopreserved rat FLCs and additionally coated with alginate gel shell into omentum of rats with hepatic failure resulted in signifi cant improvement of hepatospecifi c parameters of the blood serum and positive changes of liver morphology. The presence of cells with their extracellular matrix within the scaffolds was confi rmed after 4 weeks post implantation.Conclusion. The data above indicate that macroporous alginate-gelatin scaffolds coated with alginate gel shell are promising cell carriers for the development of bioengineered liver equivalents.

  11. Immobilization of horseradish peroxidase on ZnO nanowires/macroporous SiO2 composites for the complete decolorization of anthraquinone dyes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Huaiyan; Jin, Xinyu; Jiang, Feng; Zhang, Ruifeng

    2018-03-01

    A zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires/macroporous silicon dioxide composite was used as support to immobilize horseradish peroxidase (HRP) simply by in situ cross-linking method. As cross-linker was adsorbed on the surface of ZnO nanowires, the cross-linked HRP was quite different from the traditional cross-linking enzyme aggregates on both structure and catalytic performance. Among three epoxy compounds, diethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (DDE) was the best cross-linker, with which the loading amount of HRP with pI of 5.3 reached as high as 118.1 mg/g and specific activity was up to 14.9 U/mg-support. The mass loss of HRP cross-linked with DDE was negligible during 50-H leaching at 4 °C, and the thermal stability of the immobilized HRP was also quite good. The catalytic performance of immobilized HRP to decolorize anthraquinone dye was explored by using Reactive Blue 19 (RB 19) and Acid Violet 109 (AV 109) as model substrates. The results indicated that the immobilized HRP exhibited high decolorization efficiency and good reusability. The decolorization efficiency reached 94.3% and 95.9% for AV 109 and RB 19 within the first 30 Min, respectively. A complete decolorization of these two dyes has been realized within 2-3 H by using this new biocatalysis system. © 2017 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  12. Dynamics of water absorption through superabsorbent polymer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Sooyoung; Kim, Wonjung

    2017-11-01

    Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) consist of hydrophilic cross-linked polymer networks that can absorb and retain a great amount of water relative to their own mass, so that they are widely used for disposable diapers and holding soil moisture in agriculture. SAPs are typically available in the form of submillimeter-sized particles, and the water absorption is driven by capillary flows between particles as well as diffusion that entail swelling. Although the control of water absorption of SAPs is important in engineering applications, but the dynamics of water absorption in SAP particles has not been fully understood. We examine the dynamics of the water absorption of sodium polyacrylate, one of the most common SAP. We experimentally measured the water absorption of sodium polyacrylate particles in one-dimensional confined channel. The water flows through the particles were analyzed by capillarity dominant at the early stage and by diffusion involving volume expansion critical at a later stage. The results provide a quantitative basis of the hydrodynamic analysis of the water flow through SAP particles from a macroscopic point of view, facilitating the prediction of water uptake of SAPs in hygienic and agricultural applications. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) (No.2015R1A2A2A04006181).

  13. Amphiphilic polymer promoted assembly of macroporous graphene/SnO2 frameworks with tunable porosity for high-performance lithium storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Yanshan; Wu, Dongqing; Wang, Jinzuan; Han, Sheng; Lv, Lu; Zhang, Fan; Feng, Xinliang

    2014-06-12

    3D macroporous graphene/SnO2 frameworks (MGTFs) are fabricated by amphiphilic polymer-promoted assembly method, which exhibit controllable macroporous structure and outstanding lithium storage performance. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  14. [Investigation on the process of sapindus saponin purified with macroporous adsorption resin and screening of its bacteriostasis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Yong; Lei, Peng; Han, Yu-mei; Yan, Dan

    2010-02-01

    To study the technological parameters of the purification process of saponins with macroporous adsorption resin. The adsorptive characteristics and elutive parameters of the process were studied by taking the elutive and purified ratio of saponins as markers. Bacteriostasis activity of each parts eluted was evaluated by the mean of cup-plate method. 13.6 mL of the extraction of sapindus saponin (crude drugs 0.01 g/mL) was purified with a column of macroporous adsorption resin (phi15 mm x H90 mm, dry weight 2.5 g) and washed with 3BV of distilled water, then eluted with 3BV of 30% ethanol and 3BV of 70% ethanol, most of saponins were collected in the 70% ethanol. With macroporous adsorption resin adsorbing and purifying, the elutive ratio of saponins was 93.8% and the purity reached 250.1%. So this process of applying macroporous adsorption resin to adsorb and purify saponins is feasible, and supplies reference to the purification of other types of saponin.

  15. The influence of superabsorbent polymers on the autogenous shrinkage properties of cement pastes with supplementary cementitious materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Snoeck, D.; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede; De Belie, N.

    2015-01-01

    Fly ash and blast-furnace slag containing binders are frequently used in the construction industry and it is important to know the extent of autogenous shrinkage and its (ideal) mitigation by superabsorbent polymers in these systems as a function of their age. In this paper, the autogenous...... shrinkage was determined by manual and automated shrinkage measurements. Autogenous shrinkage was reduced in cement pastes with the supplementary cementitious materials versus Portland cement pastes. At later ages, the rate of autogenous shrinkage is higher due to the pozzolanic activity. Internal curing...

  16. Thermal-Conductivity Studies of Macro-porous Polymer-Derived SiOC Ceramics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, L.; Li, Y. M.; Zheng, X. H.; Zhu, J.; Tang, D. W.; Wu, J. Q.; Xu, C. H.

    2014-01-01

    A three-dimensional reticular macro-porous SiOC ceramics structure, made of spherical agglomerates, has been thermally characterized using a freestanding sensor-based method. The effective thermal conductivity of the macro-porous SiOC ceramics, including the effects of voids, is found to be to at room temperature, comparable with that of alumina aerogel or carbon aerogel. These results suggest that SiOC ceramics hold great promise as a thermal insulation material for use at high temperatures. The measured results further reveal that the effective thermal conductivity is limited by the low solid-phase volume fraction for the SiOC series processed at the same conditions. For SiOC ceramics processed under different pyrolysis temperatures, the contact condition between neighboring particles in the SiOC networks is another key factor influencing the effective thermal conductivity.

  17. A volatile tracer-assisted headspace analytical technique for determining the swelling capacity of superabsorbent polymers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shu-Xin; Jiang, Ran; Chai, Xin-Sheng

    2017-09-01

    This paper reports on a new method for the determination of swelling capacity of superabsorbent polymers by a volatile tracer-assisted headspace gas chromatography (HS-GC). Toluene was used as a tracer and added to the solution for polymers swelling test. Based on the differences of the tracer partitioned between the vapor and hydrogel phase before and after the polymer's swelling capacity, a transition point (corresponding to the material swelling capacity) can be observed when plotting the GC signal of toluene vs. the ratio of solution added to polymers. The present method has good precision (RSDpolymers at the elevated temperatures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Covalently coating dextran on macroporous polyglycidyl methacrylate microsphere enabled rapid protein chromatographic separation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Rongyue; Li, Qiang; Li, Juan; Zhou, Weiqing; Ye, Peili; Gao, Yang; Ma, Guanghui; Su, Zhiguo

    2012-01-01

    Protein denaturation and nonspecific adsorption on polymer media as a chromatographic support have been a problem which needs to be overcome. Macroporous poly(glycidyl methacrylate–divinylbezene) (PGMA–DVB) microspheres prepared in this study were firstly covalently coated with dextran through a three-step method. The dextran was firstly adsorbed onto the microspheres and then covalently bound to the PGMA–DVB microsphere through ether bonds which were formed by hydroxyl group reacting with epoxy group at the presence of 4-(Dimethylamino) pyridine. Finally, the coating dextran layer was crosslinked by ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether to form the continuous network coating. The coated microspheres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra, scanning electron microscope, mercury porosimetry measurements, laser scanning confocal microscope, and protein adsorption experiments. Results showed that PGMA–DVB microspheres coated with dextran successfully maintained the macroporous structure and high permeability. The backpressure was only 1.69 MPa at a high flow rate of 2891 cm/h. Consequently, the hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of modified microspheres were greatly improved, and the contact angle decreased from 184° to 13°, and nonspecific adsorption of proteins was decreased to little or none. The clad dextran coating with large amounts of hydroxyl group was easily derived to be various functional groups. The derived media have great potential applications in rapid protein chromatography. - Highlights: ► Macroporous PGMA–DVB microspheres were covalently coated with dextran. ► The hydrophilicity of the coated microspheres was significantly improved. ► The irreversible adsorption of proteins was reduced to zero. ► The coated microspheres can maintain the macropore structure. ► The coated microspheres were applied to rapid protein separation.

  19. Study of the synthesis of TiO2 layers on macroporous ceramic supports in supercritical (SC) CO2 for processing radioactive aqueous effluents in dynamic mode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duchateau, Maxime

    2014-01-01

    Public and military nuclear industry generates a significant amount of radioactive liquid waste which must be treated before being released into the environment. Decontamination methods alternative to the industrial techniques (evaporation, chemical treatment) are being developed, such as column treatments or coupled filtration/sorption processes. Current researches mainly focus on the development and shaping of specific sorbents. In this context, the objectives of this thesis were first to study the synthesis of TiO 2 layers on macroporous ceramic supports in supercritical (SC) CO 2 and then to evaluate their potential for radionuclide extraction in these alternative processes. A robust synthesis method has been developed, based on the thermal decomposition of titanium isopropoxide in SC CO 2 in the temperature range between 150 C and 350 C. Nano-structured TiO 2 films were formed on the macroporous supports (ceramic foams, tubular α-alumina supports) with good adhesion, already at 150 C. The effect of the synthesis temperature on sorbents physico-chemical characteristics and sorption properties has been studied with TiO 2 powders prepared under the same conditions as the supported films. The best sorption performance were observed for the powder prepared at 150 C, owing to its higher density of surface sites in comparison with powders prepared at either 250 C or 350 C. Consequently, this synthesis temperature (150 C) was selected for a detailed study of the composite sorbents (TiO 2 /support), in order to assess their sorption performance in continuous treatment processes. The sorption experiments have shown that a column of alumina macroporous foam (Φpore = 400μm) coated with TiO 2 was suitable for processing effluents in dynamic mode with high throughputs. Both macro-pore sizes and column height were revealed as important parameters to be controlled. For the coupled filtration/sorption treatment, TiO 2 membranes exhibit good mechanical strength and are able

  20. Wannier–Stark electro-optical effect, quasi-guided and photonic modes in 2D macroporous silicon structures with SiO_2 coatings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karachevtseva, L.; Goltviansky, Yu.; Sapelnikova, O.; Lytvynenko, O.; Stronska, O.; Bo, Wang; Kartel, M.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • The IR absorption spectra of oxidized macroporous silicon were studied. • The Wannier–Stark electro-optical effect on Si-SiO_2 boundary was confirmed. • An additional electric field of quasi-guided optical modes was evaluated. • The photonic modes and band gaps were measured as peculiarities in absorption spectra. - Abstract: Opportunities to enhance the properties of structured surfaces were demonstrated on 2D macroporous silicon structures with SiO_2 coatings. We investigated the IR light absorption oscillations in macroporous silicon structures with SiO2 coatings 0–800 nm thick. The Wannier–Stark electro-optical effect due to strong electric field on Si-SiO_2boundary and an additional electric field of quasi-guided optical modes were taken into account. The photonic modes and band gaps were also considered as peculiarities in absorbance spectra of macroporous silicon structures with a thick SiO_2 coating. The photonic modes do not coincide with the quasi-guided modes in the silicon matrix and do not appear in absorption spectra of 2D macroporous silicon structures with surface nanocrystals.

  1. Understanding the peculiarities of the piezoelectric effect in macro-porous BaTiO3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roscow, James I; Topolov, Vitaly Yu; Bowen, Christopher R; Taylor, John; Panich, Anatoly E

    2016-01-01

    This work demonstrates the potential of porous BaTiO 3 for piezoelectric sensor and energy-harvesting applications by manufacture of materials, detailed characterisation and application of new models. Ferroelectric macro-porous BaTiO 3 ceramics for piezoelectric applications are manufactured for a range of relative densities, α  = 0.30-0.95, using the burned out polymer spheres method. The piezoelectric activity and relevant parameters for specific applications are interpreted by developing two models: a model of a 3-0 composite and a 'composite in composite' model. The appropriate ranges of relative density for the application of these models to accurately predict piezoelectric properties are examined. The two models are extended to take into account the effect of 90° domain-wall mobility within ceramic grains on the piezoelectric coefficients [Formula: see text]. It is shown that porous ferroelectrics provide a novel route to form materials with large piezoelectric anisotropy [Formula: see text] at 0.20 ≤ α ≤ 0.45 and achieve a high squared figure of merit [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text]. The modelling approach allows a detailed analysis of the relationships between the properties of the monolithic and porous materials for the design of porous structures with optimum properties.

  2. Covalently coating dextran on macroporous polyglycidyl methacrylate microsphere enabled rapid protein chromatographic separation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Rongyue; Li, Qiang; Li, Juan; Zhou, Weiqing; Ye, Peili; Gao, Yang; Ma, Guanghui, E-mail: ghma@home.ipe.ac.cn; Su, Zhiguo

    2012-12-01

    Protein denaturation and nonspecific adsorption on polymer media as a chromatographic support have been a problem which needs to be overcome. Macroporous poly(glycidyl methacrylate-divinylbezene) (PGMA-DVB) microspheres prepared in this study were firstly covalently coated with dextran through a three-step method. The dextran was firstly adsorbed onto the microspheres and then covalently bound to the PGMA-DVB microsphere through ether bonds which were formed by hydroxyl group reacting with epoxy group at the presence of 4-(Dimethylamino) pyridine. Finally, the coating dextran layer was crosslinked by ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether to form the continuous network coating. The coated microspheres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra, scanning electron microscope, mercury porosimetry measurements, laser scanning confocal microscope, and protein adsorption experiments. Results showed that PGMA-DVB microspheres coated with dextran successfully maintained the macroporous structure and high permeability. The backpressure was only 1.69 MPa at a high flow rate of 2891 cm/h. Consequently, the hydrophilicity and biocompatibility of modified microspheres were greatly improved, and the contact angle decreased from 184 Degree-Sign to 13 Degree-Sign , and nonspecific adsorption of proteins was decreased to little or none. The clad dextran coating with large amounts of hydroxyl group was easily derived to be various functional groups. The derived media have great potential applications in rapid protein chromatography. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Macroporous PGMA-DVB microspheres were covalently coated with dextran. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The hydrophilicity of the coated microspheres was significantly improved. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The irreversible adsorption of proteins was reduced to zero. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The coated microspheres can maintain the macropore structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The coated microspheres

  3. Rainfall Simulator Experiments to Investigate Macropore Impacts on Hillslope Hydrological Response

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smit, Y.; Teuling, Adriaan J.; van der Ploeg, Martine J.

    2016-01-01

    Understanding hillslope runoff response to intense rainfall is an important topic in hydrology, and is key to correct prediction of extreme stream flow, erosion and landslides. Although it is known that preferential flow processes activated by macropores are an important phenomena in understanding

  4. Linking air and water transport in intact soils to macropore characteristics inferred from X-ray computed tomography

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katuwal, S.; Nørgaard, Trine; Møldrup, Per

    2015-01-01

    Soil macropores often control fluid flow and solute transport, and quantification of macropore characteristics including their variability in space and time are essential to predict soil hydraulic and hydrogeochemical functions. In this study, measurements of air and solute transport properties...... and direct macropore visualization by X-ray CT scanning were carried out on 17 large (19-cm diam.; 20-cm length) undisturbed soil columns sampled across a field site (Silstrup, Denmark) with natural gradients in texture and density. Air permeability (ka) at in-situ water content and -20 hPa of matric......-porosity, suggesting that density is the main control of functional soil structure and gas and solute transport at the Silstrup site. Linking gas transport and chemical tracer experiments with X-ray CT based visualization and quantification of macro-porosity was found to be a powerful method to understand field scale...

  5. Effect of hierarchical meso–macroporous alumina-supported copper catalyst for methanol synthesis from CO2 hydrogenation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Witoon, Thongthai; Bumrungsalee, Sittisut; Chareonpanich, Metta; Limtrakul, Jumras

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • CO 2 hydrogenation over Cu-loaded unimodal and hierarchical alumina catalysts. • Cu-loaded hierarchical catalyst exhibited higher methanol selectivity and stability. • The presence of macropores reduced the probability of side reaction. - Abstract: Effects of pore structures of alumina on the catalytic performance of copper catalysts for CO 2 hydrogenation were investigated. Copper-loaded hierarchical meso–macroporous alumina (Cu/HAl) catalyst exhibited no significant difference in terms of CO 2 conversion with copper-loaded unimodal mesoporous alumina (Cu/UAl) catalyst. However, the selectivity to methanol and dimethyl ether of the Cu/HAl catalyst was much higher than that of the Cu/UAl catalyst. This was attributed to the presence of macropores which diminished the occurrence of side reaction by the shortening the mesopores diffusion path length. The Cu/HAl catalyst also exhibited much higher stability than the Cu/UAl catalyst due to the fast diffusion of water out from the catalyst pellets, alleviating the oxidation of metallic copper to CuO

  6. A simple method for preparation of macroporous polydimethylsiloxane membrane for microfluidic chip-based isoelectric focusing applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ou Junjie [Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1 (Canada); Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1 (Canada); Ren, Carolyn L., E-mail: c3ren@mecheng1.uwaterloo.ca [Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1 (Canada); Pawliszyn, Janusz [Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave West, Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1 (Canada)

    2010-03-10

    A new, simple method was reported to prepare PDMS membranes with micrometer size pores for microfluidic chip applications. The pores were formed by adding polystyrene and toluene into PDMS prepolymer solution prior to spin-coating and curing. The resulting PDMS membrane has a thickness of around 10 {mu}m and macropores with a diameter ranging from 1 to 2 {mu}m measured using scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging. This PDMS membrane was validated by integrating it with PDMS microfluidic chips for protein separation using isoelectric focusing mechanism coupled with whole channel imaging detection (IEF-WCID). It has been shown that five standard pI markers and a mixture of two proteins, myoglobin and {beta}-lactoglobulin, can be separated using these chips. The results indicated that this macroporous PDMS membrane can replace the dialysis membrane in PDMS chips for the IEF-WCID technique. The preparation method of macroporous PDMS membrane may be potentially applied in other fields of microfluidic chips.

  7. Application of polymeric macroporous supports for temperature-responsive chromatography of pharmaceuticals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamprou, Alexandros; Gavriilidou, Agni-Faviola-Mika; Storti, Giuseppe; Soos, Miroslav; Morbidelli, Massimo

    2015-08-14

    A macroporous particulate support prepared previously by reactive gelation under shear and functionalized with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), PNIPAM, brushes of variable length is applied for temperature-responsive chromatography, whereby temperature modulates hydrophobic interactions. Several different analytes, including small pharmaceuticals, peptides, proteins and monoclonal antibodies are employed. Contrary to the most commonly observed behavior in conventional chromatography, increasing retention is observed at elevated temperatures. Peak broadening is quantified using the peak standard deviation, which depends on both the polymer chain conformation and analyte adsorptivity. The favorable effect of grafted polymer thickness on retention becomes progressively less pronounced for thicker grafted PNIPAM layers. The effect of eluent composition on solute-sorbent interactions was investigated by introducing NaCl, methanol, dioxane and by varying the pH. Salt or organic solvent addition affects apart from the analytes solution properties, the hydrophobicity of the stationary phase itself. Frontal analyses performed at different temperatures to determine dynamic binding capacities, indicate small mass transfer resistances imposed by this novel packing material. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Effect of Sol-Gel Ageing Time on Three Dimensionally Ordered Macroporous Structure of 80SiO2-15CaO-5P2O5 Bioactive Glasses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thanida CHAROENSUK

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Three dimensionally ordered macroporous bioactive glasses (3DOM-BGs, namely 80SiO2-15CaO-5P2O5, were synthesized by sol-gel method. PMMA colloidal crystals and non-ionic block copolymers P123 were used as cotemplates. The amorphous 3DOM-BGs had skeletal walls enclosing macropores. Such structure resulted from octahedral and tetrahedral holes of the face-centered cubic (fcc closest packed PMMA templates and windows interconnecting through macropores network. The thicknesses of the walls were around 50 nm – 80 nm and the windows were 90 nm – 110 nm in diameter. These wall thickness is increased by with an increase in ageing time up to 24 h and  then gradually reduced with further increase in aging time. Vibration bands of Si–O–Si and P–O were evident in infrared spectra which are in agreement with EDS spectra indicating Si, P and Ca compositions. After in vitro bioactivity testing by soaking 3DOM-BGs in simulated body fluid at 37 °C, the crystallization of amorphous calcium phosphate layers compatible to the bone component of hydroxyl carbonate apatite were rapidly formed within 3 h. These results indicated that these 3DOM-BGs resembled ideal bone implant materials.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.20.1.4755

  9. Flow and transport processes in a macroporous subsurface-drained glacial till soil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villholth, Karen G.; Jensen, Karsten Høgh

    1998-01-01

    disturbance and compaction of the soil surface. Hypothetically introducing fully surface-connected macropores into the calibrated model resulted in a 22% increase in the loss of solute to the drain, indicating the significance of the hydraulic conditions at the soil surface and the model specification thereof......The experimental results from a field-scale tracer experiment in a subsurface-drained glacial till soil were analyzed by the application of a single/dual porosity model (MACRO), optionally accounting for concurrent and interacting flow and transport in the bulk soil porosity as well...... concentration. The exchange was overpredicted and too rapid when the soil aggregate size (distance between macropores) obtained from an image analysis of soil cores was used in the model. On this basis, the model assumption of instant equilibration of the solute across the matrix porosity, disregarding small...

  10. Nitrogen Doped Macroporous Carbon as Electrode Materials for High Capacity of Supercapacitor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yudong Li

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Nitrogen doped carbon materials as electrodes of supercapacitors have attracted abundant attention. Herein, we demonstrated a method to synthesize N-doped macroporous carbon materials (NMC with continuous channels and large size pores carbonized from polyaniline using multiporous silica beads as sacrificial templates to act as electrode materials in supercapacitors. By the nice carbonized process, i.e., pre-carbonization at 400 °C and then pyrolysis at 700/800/900/1000 °C, NMC replicas with high BET specific surface areas exhibit excellent stability and recyclability as well as superb capacitance behavior (~413 F ⋅ g−1 in alkaline electrolyte. This research may provide a method to synthesize macroporous materials with continuous channels and hierarchical pores to enhance the infiltration and mass transfer not only used as electrode, but also as catalyst somewhere micro- or mesopores do not work well.

  11. Water Sorption and Hindered Diffusion with Different Chain Stiffness of Superabsorbent Polymer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chun, Myung-Suk; Lee, Dae-Young [Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-01-15

    Water sorption and diffusion are essential physicochemical properties of a high-performance superabsorbent polymer (SAP). We combine the Park model with the obstruction-scaling model and the water clustering in confined spaces of the polymer hydrogel. Special attention is focused on elucidating the effect of chain stiffness by considering the conformation of the polymer chain. Theoretical model parameters are determined from the best fits by simultaneous nonlinear regressions for both sorption and corrected diffusion data based on previous experiments with poly(acrylamide-co-sodium acrylate) hydrogel. Predictions show that the hindered water diffusivity leads to a sigmoid curve with relative humidity a{sub w}, where it increases monotonically up to aw{sub ≅} 0.6 due to the swelling but decreases at higher a{sub w} caused by water clustering. Water diffusion decreases with increasing chain stiffness, and the larger persistence length provides a smaller opening radius in void spaces regarding the weak elastic deformation of hydrogel under the applied stress.

  12. Three-dimensional ordered macroporous MnO2/carbon nanocomposites as high-performance electrodes for asymmetric supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chunzhen; Zhou, Ming; Xu, Qian

    2013-12-07

    MnO2/carbon composites with ultrathin MnO2 nanofibers (diameter of 5-10 nm) uniformly deposited on three dimensional ordered macroporous (3DOM) carbon frameworks were fabricated via a self-limiting redox process. The MnO2 nanofibers provide a large surface area for charge storage, whereas the 3DOM carbon serves as a desirable supporting material providing rapid ion and electron transport through the composite electrodes. Cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to characterize the capacitive performance of these composites. Optimization of the composition results in a composite with 57 wt% MnO2 content, which gives both a high specific capacitance (234 F g(-1) at a discharge current of 0.1 A g(-1)) and good rate capability (52% retention of the capacitance at 5 A g(-1)). An asymmetric supercapacitor was fabricated by assembling the optimized MnO2/carbon composite as the positive electrode and 3DOM carbon as the negative electrode. The asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits superior electrochemical performances, which can be reversibly charged and discharged at a maximum cell voltage of 2.0 V in 1.0 M Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte, delivering both high energy density (30.2 W h kg(-1)) and power density (14.5 kW kg(-1)). Additionally, the asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits an excellent cycle life, with 95% capacitance retained after 1000 cycles.

  13. Towards more sustainable construction–application of superabsorbent polymers in cementitious matrices with reduced carbon footprint

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Klemm Agnieszka J.

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Construction industry is constantly searching for sustainable innovations to mitigate negative environmental impacts. Ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS is a well-known supplementary cementitious material which contributes to reduction of energy and CO2 emissions from cement industry. However, its use in cementitious systems leads to materials with high cracking susceptibility due to their greater autogenous shrinkage triggered by self-desiccation processes. This problem is even more pronounced when concrete is exposed to severe dry-hot weather conditions, such as in North Africa. In order to mitigate this negative effect of cracking, internal curing agents in the form of Superabsorbent polymers (SAP can be successfully used. This approach leads to more durable cement based materials and in turn more sustainable constructions.

  14. Superabsorbent hydrogels via graft polymerization of acrylic acid from chitosan-cellulose hybrid and their potential in controlled release of soil nutrients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Essawy, Hisham A; Ghazy, Mohamed B M; El-Hai, Farag Abd; Mohamed, Magdy F

    2016-08-01

    Superabsorbent polymers fabricated via grafting polymerization of acrylic acid from chitosan (CTS) yields materials that suffer from poor mechanical strength. Hybridization of chitosan with cellulose (Cell) via chemical bonding using thiourea formaldehyde resin increases the flexibility of the produced hybrid (CTS/Cell). The hybridization process and post graft polymerization of acrylic acid was followed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR). Also, the obtained structures were homogeneous and exhibited uniform surface as could be shown from imaging with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thus, the polymers derived from the grafting of polyacrylic acid from (CTS/Cell) gave rise to much more mechanically robust structures ((CTS/Cell)-g-PAA) that bear wide range of pH response due to presence of chitosan and polyacrylic acid in one homogeneous entity. Additionally, the obtained structures possessed greater water absorbency 390, 39.5g/g in distilled water and saline (0.9wt.% NaCl solution), respectively, and enhanced retention potential even at elevated temperatures as revealed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). This could be explained by the high grafting efficiency (GE%), 86.4%, and grafting yield (GY%), 750%. The new superabsorbent polymers proved to be very efficient devices for controlled release of fertilizers into the soil which expands their use in agriculture and horticultural applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Evaluation of new macroporous resins for the removal of uranium and plutonium from waste streams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koenst, J.W.; Herald, W.R.

    1976-01-01

    Organic ion exchange resins were evaluated for 238 Pu(IV), 238 Pu(VI), and 233 U(VI) removal from water. The capacity of the resins and equilibrium coefficients (Kd) were compared with each other and to bone char--an inorganic adsorbent consisting of hydroxyapatite (HAP) for which data is available. Bone char gave the best results for the removal of 238 Pu(IV), Amberlite XE279 (one of the new macroporous resins) gave the best results for 238 Pu(VI), and another macroporous resin, Dowex-MSA-1, gave good results for 233 U(VI). Kd values were shown to be a function of pH

  16. Honeycomb-like graphitic ordered macroporous carbon prepared by pyrolysis of ammonium bicarbonate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Liancheng [Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100 (China); Zhang, Junhao, E-mail: jhzhang6@mail.ustc.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100 (China); School of Biology and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212003 (China); Xu, Liqiang; Qian, Yitai [Key Laboratory of Colloid and Interface Chemistry, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250100 (China)

    2011-10-15

    Graphical abstract: Honeycomb-like graphitic macroporous carbon (HGMC) with big pores centered at 1-3 {mu}m, has been prepared by controlling the reaction temperature and amount of NH{sub 4}HCO{sub 3} at 550 {sup o}C in a sealed reaction system. Possible formation processes of HGMC are discussed on the experimental results. It is believed that the in situ formed MgO microparticles play a template role during the preparation of HGMC. Highlights: {yields} Honeycomb-like graphitic carbon was synthesized at 550 {sup o}C. {yields} The honeycomb-like graphitic carbon is macroposous structures. {yields} The formed MgO microparticles play a template role during the HGMC formation. {yields} The method can be expended to synthesize other porous or hollow carbon material. -- Abstract: Honeycomb-like graphitic macroporous carbon (HGMC) was synthesized by means of pyrolysis of NH{sub 4}HCO{sub 3} using Mg powder as reductant in an autoclave at 550 {sup o}C. The characterization of structure and morphology was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrum, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and (High-resolution) transmission electron microscope [(HR)TEM]. The results of nitrogen adsorption-desorption indicate that the products are macropore materials with the pore size of 1-3 {mu}m, and the Brunauer-Emett-Teller (BET) surface area was 14 m{sup 2}/g. As a typical morphology, the possible growth process of HGMC was also investigated and discussed. The experimental results show that the in situ formed MgO microparticles play a template role during the HGMC formation.

  17. Honeycomb-like graphitic ordered macroporous carbon prepared by pyrolysis of ammonium bicarbonate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Liancheng; Zhang, Junhao; Xu, Liqiang; Qian, Yitai

    2011-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Honeycomb-like graphitic macroporous carbon (HGMC) with big pores centered at 1-3 μm, has been prepared by controlling the reaction temperature and amount of NH 4 HCO 3 at 550 o C in a sealed reaction system. Possible formation processes of HGMC are discussed on the experimental results. It is believed that the in situ formed MgO microparticles play a template role during the preparation of HGMC. Highlights: → Honeycomb-like graphitic carbon was synthesized at 550 o C. → The honeycomb-like graphitic carbon is macroposous structures. → The formed MgO microparticles play a template role during the HGMC formation. → The method can be expended to synthesize other porous or hollow carbon material. -- Abstract: Honeycomb-like graphitic macroporous carbon (HGMC) was synthesized by means of pyrolysis of NH 4 HCO 3 using Mg powder as reductant in an autoclave at 550 o C. The characterization of structure and morphology was carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectrum, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and (High-resolution) transmission electron microscope [(HR)TEM]. The results of nitrogen adsorption-desorption indicate that the products are macropore materials with the pore size of 1-3 μm, and the Brunauer-Emett-Teller (BET) surface area was 14 m 2 /g. As a typical morphology, the possible growth process of HGMC was also investigated and discussed. The experimental results show that the in situ formed MgO microparticles play a template role during the HGMC formation.

  18. Macroporous 'bubble' graphene film via template-directed ordered-assembly for high rate supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Cheng-Meng; Zhang, Qiang; Huang, Chun-Hsien; Zhao, Xiao-Chen; Zhang, Bing-Sen; Kong, Qing-Qiang; Wang, Mao-Zhang; Yang, Yong-Gang; Cai, Rong; Sheng Su, Dang

    2012-07-21

    A three-dimensional bubble graphene film, with controllable and uniform macropores and tailorable microstructure, was fabricated by a facile hard templating strategy and exhibit extraordinary electrochemical capacitance with high rate capability (1.0 V s(-1)).

  19. Hollow hemisphere-shaped macroporous graphene/tungsten carbide/platinum nanocomposite as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Zesheng; Liu, Zhisen; Li, Bolin; Liu, Zhenghui; Li, Dehao; Wang, Hongqiang; Li, Qingyu

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Newfashioned hollow hemisphere-shaped macroporous graphene/tungsten carbide/platinum (HMG/WC/Pt) nanocomposite with interesting three-dimensional architecture bas been successfully fabricated as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction. - Highlights: • Hollow hemisphere-shaped macroporous graphene is proposed as ORR catalyst support. • Honeycomb-like macroporous graphene/WC/Pt electrocatalyst is firsy prepared for ORR. • The present electrocatalyst exhibited greatly enhanced ORR catalytic activity and stability. - Abstract: Hollow hemisphere-shaped macroporous graphene/tungsten carbide/platinum (HMG/WC/Pt) nanocomposite has been synthesized as an efficient electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The HMG/WC/Pt sample has been systematically characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The analysis results indicate that the sample has an interesting three-dimensional hollow hemisphere-shaped macroporous architecture. The results also demonstrate the successful integration of WC and Pt nanoparticles on the HMG, in which the WC nanoparticles are in size of about 10 nm and the Pt nanoparticles are in size of about 3 nm. The as-prepared HMG/WC/Pt electrode displays excellent electrocatalytic performances for the ORR in 0.1 mol L −1 HClO 4 electrolyte. The mass activity (i m at 0.9 V) of HMG/WC/Pt is 206 mA mg −1 Pt, which is about 85% higher than that of Pt/C (112 mA mg −1 Pt). It also displayed a very high activity retention of 84.5% after 2000 cyclic voltammetry cycles for the HMG/WC/Pt, while that of the Pt/C is only 70.5%. The HMG/WC/Pt nanocomposite would be a promising electrocatalytic material for the ORR in Fuel cell applications.

  20. Development of macroporous calcium phosphate scaffold processed via microwave rapid drying

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jamuna-Thevi, K., E-mail: jamuna@sirim.my [Advanced Materials Research Centre (AMREC), SIRIM Berhad, Lot 34, Jalan Hi-Tech 2/3, Kulim Hi-Tech Park, 09000 Kulim, Kedah (Malaysia); Zakaria, F.A. [Advanced Materials Research Centre (AMREC), SIRIM Berhad, Lot 34, Jalan Hi-Tech 2/3, Kulim Hi-Tech Park, 09000 Kulim, Kedah (Malaysia); Othman, R. [Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Seri Ampangan, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang (Malaysia); Muhamad, S. [Bioassay Unit, Herbal Medicine Research Centre (HMRC), Institute for Medical Research (IMR), Jalan Pahang, 50588 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2009-06-01

    Porous hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffold has great potential in bone tissue engineering applications. A new method to fabricate macroporous calcium phosphate (CP) scaffold via microwave irradiation, followed by conventional sintering to form HA scaffold was developed. Incorporation of trisodium citrate dihydrate and citric acid in the CP mixture gave macroporous scaffolds upon microwave rapid drying. In this work, a mixture of {beta}-tricalcium phosphate ({beta}-TCP), calcium carbonate (CaCO{sub 3}), trisodium citrate dihydrate, citric acid and double distilled de-ionised water (DDI) was exposed to microwave radiation to form a macroporous structure. Based on gross eye examinations, addition of trisodium citrate at 30 and 40 wt.% in the CP mixture ({beta}-TCP and CaCO{sub 3}) without citric acid indicates increasing order of pore volume where the highest porosity yield was observed at 40 wt.% of trisodium citrate addition and the pore size was detected at several millimeters. Therefore, optimization of pore size was performed by adding 3-7 wt.% of citric acid in the CP mixture which was separately mixed with 30 and 40 wt.% of trisodium citrate for comparison purposes. Fabricated scaffolds were calcined at 600 deg. C and washed with DDI water to remove the sodium hydroxycarbonate and sintered at 1250 deg. C to form HA phase as confirmed in the X-ray diffraction (XRD) results. Based on Archimedes method, HA scaffolds prepared from 40 wt.% of trisodium citrate with 3-7 wt.% of citric acid added CP mixture have an open and interconnected porous structure ranging from 51 to 53 vol.% and observation using Scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed the pore size distribution between 100 and 500 {mu}m. The cytotoxicity tests revealed that the porous HA scaffolds have no cytotoxic potential on MG63 osteoblast-like cells which might allow for their use as biomaterials.

  1. Investigation the effect of porosity on corrosion of macroporous silicon in 1.0 M sodium hydroxide solution using weight loss measurements, electrochemical methods and scanning electron microscope

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lai, Chuan; Xiang, Zhen

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The dissolution of silicon wafers conforms Faraday’s laws of electrolysis. • The porosity effect on macroporous silicon corrosion was investigated. • The corrosion rate increase linearly with porosity increasing. • The porosity effect on activation parameters was obtained. - Abstract: In this study, the macroporous silicon has been fabricated by electrochemical anodization. The dissolution of n-type silicon wafers in etching solution conforms Faraday’s laws of electrolysis. The fabricated macroporous silicon with different porosity corrosion in 1.0 M NaOH was systemically investigated by weight loss measurements, electrochemical methods and scanning electron microscope. Results show that with the porosity increasing, the corrosion rate of macroporous silicon in 1.0 M NaOH increases linearly. In addition, the increase of corrosion rate of macroporous silicon with relative higher porosity was determined by the pre-exponential factor.

  2. Non-lithographic method of forming ordered arrays of silicon pillars and macropores

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mills, David; Kolasinski, Kurt W

    2005-01-01

    Micrometre-scale Si pillars are formed by chemically enhanced laser ablation using nanosecond excimer laser irradiation of a Si single crystal in the presence of SF 6 . We demonstrate the importance of precursor holes in determining the positioning of the pillars and show that we can control the initiation of precursor holes by ruling a grating into the Si substrate prior to irradiation. A rule defines an edge from which the laser light diffracts. Near-field amplification of the laser intensity enhances the formation of the precursor holes and aligns them parallel to the rule. The pillars can be thinned and eventually removed by wet chemical etching in aqueous KOH, resulting first in ordered arrays of extremely high aspect ratio pillars (e.g. tens of micrometres in length, with ∼ 10 nm tips) and then macropores. The shape of the macropore is determined by crystallography and the anisotropy of the wet etchant

  3. Effect of Superabsorbent Polymer on the Properties of Concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juntao Dang

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Incorporating superabsorbent polymer (SAP, which has the abilities of absorption and desorption in concrete can achieve the effect of internal curing. The influences of the volume, particle size and ways of entrained water of SAP on the workability, compressive strength, shrinkage, carbonation resistance and chloride penetration resistance of concrete were analyzed through the macroscopic and microscopic test. The results show that pre-absorbed SAP can increase the slump of the mixture, but SAP without water absorption and pre-absorbed SAP with the deduction of internal curing water from mixing water can reduce the slump. The improvement effects of SAP on compressive strength of concrete increase gradually with the increase of age. Especially from 28 days, the compressive strength of concrete increases obviously. At later age, the compressive strengths of SAP concrete under natural curing environment exceed the strength of reference concrete under natural curing environment and nearly reach the strengths of reference concrete under standard curing environment. SAP effectively reduces the shrinkage of concrete, improves the concrete’s abilities of carbonation resistance and chloride penetration resistance. The microscopic test results show that SAP can effectively improve the micro structure and make the pore structure refined. When SAP is added into concrete, the gel pores and small capillary pores are increased, the size of big capillary pores and air pores are reduced.

  4. Ordered nanoporous silica as carriers for improved delivery of water insoluble drugs: a comparative study between three dimensional and two dimensional macroporous silica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wang Y

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Ying Wang, Qinfu Zhao, Yanchen Hu, Lizhang Sun, Ling Bai, Tongying Jiang, Siling WangDepartment of Pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Liaoning Province, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: The goal of the present study was to compare the drug release properties and stability of the nanoporous silica with different pore architectures as a matrix for improved delivery of poorly soluble drugs. For this purpose, three dimensional ordered macroporous (3DOM silica with 3D continuous and interconnected macropores of different sizes (200 nm and 500 nm and classic mesoporous silica (ie, Mobil Composition of Matter [MCM]-41 and Santa Barbara Amorphous [SBA]-15 with well-ordered two dimensional (2D cylindrical mesopores were successfully fabricated and then loaded with the model drug indomethacin (IMC via the solvent deposition method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM, N2 adsorption, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, and X-ray diffraction (XRD were applied to systematically characterize all IMC-loaded nanoporous silica formulations, evidencing the successful inclusion of IMC into nanopores, the reduced crystallinity, and finally accelerated dissolution of IMC. It was worth mentioning that, in comparison to 2D mesoporous silica, 3DOM silica displayed a more rapid release profile, which may be ascribed to the 3D interconnected pore networks and the highly accessible surface areas. The results obtained from the stability test indicated that the amorphous state of IMC entrapped in the 2D mesoporous silica (SBA-15 and MCM-41 has a better physical stability than in that of 3DOM silica. Moreover, the dissolution rate and stability of IMC loaded in 3DOM silica was closely related to the pore size of macroporous silica. The colorimetric 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT and Cell Counting Kit (CCK-8 assays in combination with direct morphology observations demonstrated the good biocompatibility of nanoporous

  5. Preparation of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous perovskite-type lanthanum-iron-oxide LaFeO3 with tunable pore diameters: High porosity and photonic property

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sadakane, Masahiro; Horiuchi, Toshitaka; Kato, Nobuyasu; Sasaki, Keisuke; Ueda, Wataru

    2010-01-01

    Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) lanthanum-iron-oxide (LaFeO 3 ) with different pore diameters was prepared using a colloidal crystal of polymer spheres with different diameters as templates. Ethylene glycol-methanol mixed solution of metal nitrates was infiltrated into the void of the colloidal crystal template of a monodispersed poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) sphere. Heating of this PMMA-metal salt-ethylene glycol composite produced the desired well-ordered 3DOM LaFeO 3 with a high pore fraction, which was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), mercury (Hg) porosimetry, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) diffuse reflectance spectra. 3DOM LaFeO 3 with pore diameters of 281 and 321 nm shows opalescent colors because of photonic stop band properties. Catalytic activity of the 3DOM LaFeO 3 for combustion of carbon particles was enhanced by a potassium cation, which was involved from K 2 S 2 O 8 used as a polymerization initiator. - Graphical abstract: Well-ordered three-dimensionally ordered macroporous LaFeO 3 materials with pore sizes ranging from 127 to 321 nm were obtained in a high pore fraction.

  6. Study of the processes of degradation of the optical properties of mesoporous and macroporous silicon upon exposure to simulated solar radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Levitskii, V. S., E-mail: lev-vladimir@yandex.ru [St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University “LETI” (Russian Federation); Lenshin, A. S., E-mail: lenshinas@phys.vsu.ru; Seredin, P. V. [Voronezh State University (Russian Federation); Terukov, E. I. [St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University “LETI” (Russian Federation)

    2015-11-15

    The effect of solar radiation on the surface composition of mesoporous and macroporous silicon is studied by infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence measurements in order to analyze the possibility of using these materials as a material for solar-power engineering. The studies are conducted in the laboratory environment, with the use of a solar-radiation simulator operating under conditions close to the working conditions of standard silicon solar cells. The studies show that, in general, the materials meet the requirements of solar-power engineering, if it is possible to preclude harmful effects associated with the presence of heat-sensitive and photosensitive bonds at the nanomaterial surface by standard processing methods.

  7. Preparation and in vitro evaluation of xanthan gum facilitated superabsorbent polymeric microspheres.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhattacharya, Shiv Sankar; Mazahir, Farhan; Banerjee, Subham; Verma, Anurag; Ghosh, Amitava

    2013-10-15

    Interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel microspheres of xanthan gum (XG) based superabsorbent polymer (SAP) and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared by water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion crosslinking method for sustained release of ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (CIPRO). The microspheres were prepared with various ratios of hydrolyzed SAP to PVA and extent of crosslinking density. The prepared microspheres with loose and rigid surfaces were evidenced by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the IPN formation. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study was performed to understand the dispersion nature of drug after encapsulation. The in vitro drug release study was extensively evaluated depending on the process variables in both acidic and alkaline media. All the formulations exhibited satisfactory physicochemical and in vitro release characteristics. Release data indicated a non-Fickian trend of drug release from the formulations. Based on the results, this study suggest that CIPRO loaded IPN microspheres were suitable for sustained release application. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Sol–gel hybrid membranes loaded with meso/macroporous SiO2, TiO2–P2O5 and SiO2–TiO2–P2O5 materials with high proton conductivity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castro, Yolanda; Mosa, Jadra; Aparicio, Mario; Pérez-Carrillo, Lourdes A.; Vílchez, Susana; Esquena, Jordi; Durán, Alicia

    2015-01-01

    In this work, highly conductive hybrid organic–inorganic membranes loaded with SiO 2 , TiO 2 –P 2 O 5 and SiO 2 –TiO 2 –P 2 O 5 meso/macroporous particles were prepared via a sol–gel process. Meso/macroporous particles were incorporated to hybrid membranes, for improving water retention and enhancing electrochemical performance. These particles with a polymodal pore size distribution were prepared by templating in highly concentrated emulsions, the particles showed a specific surface area between 50 m 2 /g (TiO 2 –P 2 O 5 ) and 300 m 2 /g (SiO 2 –TiO 2 –P 2 O 5 ). The particles were dispersed in a hybrid silica sol and further sprayed onto glass paper. The films were polymerized and sintered; those loaded with meso/macroporous particles had a homogenous distribution. High temperature proton conductivity measurements confirmed a high water retention. Conductivity of these materials is higher than that of Nafion ® at higher temperatures (120 °C) (2·10 −2  S/cm). This study provides processing guideline to achieve hybrid electrolytes for efficient conduction of protons due to their high surface area and porous structure. - Highlights: • Hybrid electrolyte with meso/macroporous particles were synthesized by sol–gel. • Depositions of hybrid solutions by spraying onto glass substrates were performed. • Proton conductivity was evaluated as a function of composition and porous structure

  9. Potential of Cellulose-Based Superabsorbent Hydrogels as Water Reservoir in Agriculture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Demitri

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The present work deals with the development of a biodegradable superabsorbent hydrogel, based on cellulose derivatives, for the optimization of water resources in agriculture, horticulture and, more in general, for instilling a wiser and savvier approach to water consumption. The sorption capability of the proposed hydrogel was firstly assessed, with specific regard to two variables that might play a key role in the soil environment, that is, ionic strength and pH. Moreover, a preliminary evaluation of the hydrogel potential as water reservoir in agriculture was performed by using the hydrogel in experimental greenhouses, for the cultivation of tomatoes. The soil-water retention curve, in the presence of different hydrogel amounts, was also analysed. The preliminary results showed that the material allowed an efficient storage and sustained release of water to the soil and the plant roots. Although further investigations should be performed to completely characterize the interaction between the hydrogel and the soil, such findings suggest that the envisaged use of the hydrogel on a large scale might have a revolutionary impact on the optimization of water resources management in agriculture.

  10. Structure-Property Relationships in Tough, Superabsorbent Thermoplastic Elastomers for Hemorrhage Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beyer, Frederick; Bain, Erich; Long, Tyler; Mrozek, Randy; Savage, Alice; Martin, Halie; Dadmun, Mark; Lenhart, Joseph

    Between 2001 and 2009, uncontrolled hemorrhaging from major trauma accounted for the deaths of roughly 80% of wounded soldiers with potentially survivable injuries. Modern hemostatic materials are limited in their ability to deliver therapeutic agents, causing tissue damage themselves, or being difficult to remove intact. The goal of this study is to create a mechanically robust polymer that takes up as much as 1000 wt% water in seconds while maintaining sufficient toughness to be removed intact from the wound intact. A thermoplastic elastomer scaffold in which physical crosslinks provide mechanical toughness might provide an appropriate combination of fast swelling and excellent toughness if the matrix material can be engineered to be strongly hydrophilic and swell rapidly. In this work, a commercial SBS triblock copolymer has been modified with poly(acrylic acid) side chains, resulting in materials that are superabsorbent but retain good mechanical properties when saturated. Although SAXS experiments failed to show any significant changes in morphology, even with 800 wt% water uptake, preliminary SANS experiments using selectively deuterated materials and swelling with D2O show significant changes in morphology. Our most recent findings will be presented.

  11. Preparation of zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites and their bioactivities and antimicrobial activities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Liang; Gong, Jie; Zeng, Changfeng; Zhang, Lixiong

    2013-01-01

    Zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites with zeolite contents of 20–55 wt.% were prepared by in situ transformation of silica/chitosan mixtures in a sodium aluminate alkaline solution through impregnation–gelation–hydrothermal synthesis. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and mercury penetration porosimetry. Their in vitro bioactivities were examined using as-synthesized and Ca 2+ -exchanged hybrid composites in simulated body fluid (SBF) for hydroxyapatite (HAP) growth. Their antimicrobial activities for Escherichia coli (E. coli) in trypticase soy broth (TSB) were evaluated using Ag + -exchanged hybrid composites. The zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites could be prepared as various shapes, including cylinders, plates and thin films. They possessed macropores with pore sizes ranging from 100 to 300 μm and showed compressive mechanical strength as high as 3.2 MPa when the zeolite content was 35 wt.%. Fast growth on the Ca 2+ -exchanged hybrid composites was observed with the highest weight gain of 51.4% in 30 days. The 35 wt.% Ag + -exchanged hybrid composite showed the highest antimicrobial activity, which could reduce the 9 × 10 6 CFU mL −1 E. coli concentration to zero within 4 h of incubation time with the Ag + -exchanged hybrid composite amount of 0.4 g L −1 . The bioactivity and antimicrobial activity could be combined by ion-exchanging the composites first with Ca 2+ and then with Ag + . These zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites have potential applications on tissue engineering and antimicrobial food packaging. - Graphical abstract: Zeolite A/chitosan hybrid composites were prepared by in situ transformation of precursors in the chitosan matrix, which possess macroporous structures and exhibit superior bioactivity and antimicrobial activity and potential biomedical application. Highlights: • Zeolite A

  12. Preparation of zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites and their bioactivities and antimicrobial activities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Liang; Gong, Jie [State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing 210009 (China); Zeng, Changfeng [College of Mechanic and Power Engineering, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing 210009 (China); Zhang, Lixiong, E-mail: lixiongzhang@yahoo.com [State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University of Technology, Nanjing 210009 (China)

    2013-10-15

    Zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites with zeolite contents of 20–55 wt.% were prepared by in situ transformation of silica/chitosan mixtures in a sodium aluminate alkaline solution through impregnation–gelation–hydrothermal synthesis. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and mercury penetration porosimetry. Their in vitro bioactivities were examined using as-synthesized and Ca{sup 2+}-exchanged hybrid composites in simulated body fluid (SBF) for hydroxyapatite (HAP) growth. Their antimicrobial activities for Escherichia coli (E. coli) in trypticase soy broth (TSB) were evaluated using Ag{sup +}-exchanged hybrid composites. The zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites could be prepared as various shapes, including cylinders, plates and thin films. They possessed macropores with pore sizes ranging from 100 to 300 μm and showed compressive mechanical strength as high as 3.2 MPa when the zeolite content was 35 wt.%. Fast growth on the Ca{sup 2+}-exchanged hybrid composites was observed with the highest weight gain of 51.4% in 30 days. The 35 wt.% Ag{sup +}-exchanged hybrid composite showed the highest antimicrobial activity, which could reduce the 9 × 10{sup 6} CFU mL{sup −1}E. coli concentration to zero within 4 h of incubation time with the Ag{sup +}-exchanged hybrid composite amount of 0.4 g L{sup −1}. The bioactivity and antimicrobial activity could be combined by ion-exchanging the composites first with Ca{sup 2+} and then with Ag{sup +}. These zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites have potential applications on tissue engineering and antimicrobial food packaging. - Graphical abstract: Zeolite A/chitosan hybrid composites were prepared by in situ transformation of precursors in the chitosan matrix, which possess macroporous structures and exhibit superior bioactivity and antimicrobial activity and potential biomedical

  13. Clinical outcomes after parastomal hernia repair with a polyester monofilament composite mesh

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Oma, E; Pilsgaard, B; Jorgensen, L N

    2018-01-01

    with intraperitoneal placement of a polyester monofilament macroporous composite mesh. METHODS: Data on all patients undergoing parastomal hernia repair with Parietex™ Composite Parastomal Mesh at our institution during a 4-year period were examined. Patients with urostomy were excluded. A team of three experienced...... chronic pain. CONCLUSION: In this study, we found low rates of recurrence and chronic pain following parastomal hernia repair using intraperitoneal reinforcement with a polyester monofilament composite mesh....

  14. Improvement in the water retention characteristics of sandy loam soil using a newly synthesized poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/AlZnFe2O4 superabsorbent hydrogel nanocomposite material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahid, Shaukat Ali; Qidwai, Ansar Ahmad; Anwar, Farooq; Ullah, Inam; Rashid, Umer

    2012-08-03

    The use of some novel and efficient crop nutrient-based superabsorbent hydrogel nanocomposites (SHNCs), is currently becoming increasingly important to improve the crop yield and productivity, due to their water retention properties. In the present study a poly(Acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/AlZnFe2O4 superabsorbent hydrogel nanocomposite was synthesized and its physical properties characterized using Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), FE-SEM and FTIR spectroscopic techniques. The effects of different levels of SHNC were studied to evaluate the moisture retention properties of sandy loam soil (sand 59%, silt 21%, clay 19%, pH 7.4, EC 1.92 dS/m). The soil amendment with 0.1, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 w/w% of SHNC enhanced the moisture retention significantly at field capacity compared to the untreated soil. Besides, in a separate experiment, seed germination and seedling growth of wheat was found to be notably improved with the application of SHNC. A delay in wilting of seedlings by 5-8 days was observed for SHNC-amended soil, thereby improving wheat plant growth and establishment.

  15. Visualization of water penetration in cementitious materials with superabsorbent polymers by means of neutron radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Snoeck, D.; Steuperaert, S.; Van Tittelboom, K.; Dubruel, P.; De Belie, N.

    2012-01-01

    Concrete cracks due to its low tensile strength. As both harmful gases and fluids may enter the concrete by migrating into cracks, the durability is endangered. The service life decreases, repair costs rise and buildings could structurally decline. In the current research, crack sealing is enhanced by the use of superabsorbent polymers (SAP). When cracking occurs, SAP particles are exposed to the humid environment and swell, sealing the crack. By means of neutron radiography, the moisture distribution is studied during capillary absorption and water permeability tests. Capillary absorption in a crack and water permeability through a crack are reduced in specimens containing SAP particles. SAP particles are able to seal the crack, thus allowing a recovery of the water-tightness of the structure. The total uptake of potentially harmful substances hereby lowers, leading to an enhanced long-term durability and lower maintenance costs.

  16. Facile synthesis of radial-like macroporous superparamagnetic chitosan spheres with in-situ co-precipitation and gelation of ferro-gels.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Hui Yang

    Full Text Available Macroporous chitosan spheres encapsulating superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by a facile and effective one-step fabrication process. Ferro-gels containing ferrous cations, ferric cations and chitosan were dropped into a sodium hydroxide solution through a syringe pump. In addition, a sodium hydroxide solution was employed for both gelation (chitosan and co-precipitation (ferrous cations and ferric cations of the ferro-gels. The results showed that the in-situ co-precipitation of ferro-ions gave rise to a radial morphology with non-spheroid macro pores (large cavities inside the chitosan spheres. The particle size of iron oxide can be adjusted from 2.5 nm to 5.4 nm by tuning the concentration of the sodium hydroxide solution. Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction spectra, the synthesized nanoparticles were illustrated as Fe(3O(4 nanoparticles. In addition, the prepared macroporous chitosan spheres presented a super-paramagnetic behaviour at room temperature with a saturation magnetization value as high as ca. 18 emu/g. The cytotoxicity was estimated using cell viability by incubating doses (0∼1000 µg/mL of the macroporous chitosan spheres. The result showed good viability (above 80% with alginate chitosan particles below 1000 µg/mL, indicating that macroporous chitosan spheres were potentially useful for biomedical applications in the future.

  17. Synthesis of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous manganese dioxide-carbon nanocomposites for supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhi; Tan, Xiuli; Gao, Xin; Song, Lihong

    2014-12-01

    In this article, we report a composite of MnO2 nanoparticles supported by three-dimensionally ordered macroporous carbon (MnO2/3DOM carbon nanocomposites) fabricated by means of a simple multi-component infiltration of three-dimensional templates. MnO2 nanoparticles of 2 nm-6 nm are observed to be highly dispersed on the 3DOM carbon scaffolds. Cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques are employed to assess the properties of these nanocomposites for use in supercapacitors. The results demonstrate that MnO2 can be effectively utilized with assistance of the 3DOM carbon in the electrode. The specific capacitance of the nanocomposite electrode can reach as high as 347 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1. Moreover, the electrode exhibit excellent charge/discharge rate and good cycling stability, retaining over 92% of its initial charge after 5500 cycles at a current density of 2.5 A g-1. Such MnO2/3DOM carbon nanocomposite represents a promising exploring direction for enhancing the device performance of metal oxide-based electrochemical supercapacitors.

  18. Electrochemical study of nitrobenzene reduction using novel Pt nanoparticles/macroporous carbon hybrid nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Yufan; Zeng Lijun; Bo Xiangjie; Wang Huan; Guo Liping

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: A one-step microwave-assisted route for rapidly synthesizing Pt nanoparticles ensemble on macroporous carbon hybrid nanocomposites (PNMPC) has been reported. As a novel electrode material, the excellent electrochemical behavior of nitrobenzene was investigated thoroughly at the PNMPC modified glassy carbon electrode. And moreover, the modified electrode was successfully applied to the determination of nitrobenzene in real samples. Highlights: ► One-step microwave-assisted heating synthesis Pt nanoparticles/macroporous carbon hybrid nanocomposites (PNMPC). ► Catalytic rate constant being 3.14 × 10 4 M −1 s −1 for NB in pH 7.0. ► Sensitive electrochemical detection of NB at the PNMPC/Nafion/GC electrode. ► The electrode showing excellent anti-interference ability and good stability for NB. - Abstract: Novel Pt nanoparticles (PN) ensemble on macroporous carbon (MPC) hybrid nanocomposites (PNMPC) were prepared through a rapidly and simple one-step microwave-assisted heating procedure. The obtained PNMPC was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and electrochemical methods. The electrochemical reduction of nitrobenzene (NB) was thoroughly investigated at the PNMPC modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode, and the catalytic rate constant was calculated to be 3.14 × 10 4 M −1 s −1 for NB. A sensitive NB sensor was developed based on the PNMPC/GC electrode, which showed a wide linear range (1–200 μM), low detection limit (50 nM), high sensitivity (6.93 μA μM −1 ), excellent anti-interference ability and good stability. And moreover, the electrode was successfully applied to the determination of NB in real samples.

  19. Synthesis and Textural Characterization of Mesoporous and Meso-/Macroporous Silica Monoliths Obtained by Spinodal Decomposition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anne Galarneau

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Silica monoliths featuring either mesopores or flow-through macropores and mesopores in their skeleton are prepared by combining spinodal phase separation and sol-gel condensation. The macroporous network is first generated by phase separation in acidic medium in the presence of polyethyleneoxides while mesoporosity is engineered in a second step in alkaline medium, possibly in the presence of alkylammonium cations as surfactants. The mesoporous monoliths, also referred as aerogels, are obtained in the presence of alkylpolyethylene oxides in acidic medium without the use of supercritical drying. The impact of the experimental conditions on pore architecture of the monoliths regarding the shape, the ordering, the size and the connectivity of the mesopores is comprehensively discussed based on a critical appraisal of the different models used for textural analysis.

  20. Preparation and characterization of poly(vinylidene fluoride) based composite electrolytes for electrochemical devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karabelli, D.; Leprêtre, J.-C.; Cointeaux, L.; Sanchez, J.-Y.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Macroporous PVdF based membranes for electrochemical applications were prepared with support materials. • Woven PET and PA fabrics and non-woven cellulose paper are used as support materials. • Porous structure of PVdF was obtained on the support material. • Interaction between the electrolyte solvent and the composite material played an important role on the mechanical properties. • Compared to the pure PVdF separators, enhanced mechanical strength was obtained for composite separators, without decreasing the ionic conductivity. -- Abstract: PVdF-based separators are very promising materials in electrochemical energy storage systems but they suffer from fairly poor mechanical properties. To overcome this drawback, composite PVdF separators were fabricated and characterized in electrolytes of Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors. Macroporous PVdF composite separators were prepared by phase inversion method using PA and PET, and non-woven cellulose as support layers. Ionic conductivity and thermomechanical analyses were performed using electrolytes of Li-ion batteries and supercapacitors. The composite approach allowed a tremendous increase of the mechanical performances of the separator (between 340 and 750 MPa) compared to the unreinforced PVdF separator (56 MPa), without compromising the ionic conductivities (up to 15.6 mS cm −1 )

  1. Adsorption of Cr (III from aqueous solution by two forms of a superabsorbant polymer : parametric study and effect of activation mode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ouass A.

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The adsorption of chromium ions Cr3+ using two forms of a superabsorbant polymer PANa from aqueous solution was investigated. On one hand the equilibrium pH with the distilled water and the pH of point of zero charge have been studied in order to characterize the acid-base behavior of both of PANa forms. On the other hand, the effect of contact time between PANa and the metallic solution and stirring speed of aqueous solution on the adsorption rate were established to highlight the importance of PANa as an efficient adsorbent of chromium ions Cr3+.

  2. Synthesis and characterization of high performance superabsorbent hydrogels using bis[2-(methacryloyloxyethyl] phosphate as crosslinker

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. A. L. Goncalves

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Various superabsorbent polymers (SAPs were synthesized by free radical copolymerization at 70°C using acrylic acid (AA, potassium acrylate (KA, N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM and sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium salt (SPM as monomers, bis[2-(methacryloyloxyethyl] phosphate (BMEP as crosslinker and potassium persulfate (KPS as initiator. The optimization of the synthesis led to the preparation of a SAP with very high water absorption ability, with a maximum swelling of 2618 g water/g dry hydrogel. The most promising SAP was fully characterized and the absorption capacities were studied at different pH and ionic strengths. When this SAP was mixed with soil, the mixture was able to lose water more slowly. Also, this material revealed high loading capacity and showed good releasing profiles using urea as model fertilizer. Due to these advantageous properties, the synthesized SAP can be used in agricultural applications.

  3. Polymer/reduced graphene oxide functionalized sponges as superabsorbents for oil removal and recovery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Periasamy, Arun Prakash; Wu, Wen-Ping; Ravindranath, Rini; Roy, Prathik; Lin, Guan-Lin; Chang, Huan-Tsung

    2017-01-30

    Polyurethane dish-washing (PU-DW) sponges are functionalized sequentially with polyethylenimine (PEI) and graphene oxide (GO) to form PEI/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) PU-DW sponges. The PEI/RGO PU-DW sponge consists of PEI/RGO sheets having numerous pores, with diameters ranging from 236 to 254nm. To further enhance hydrophobicity and absorption capacity of oil, PEI/RGO PU-DW sponge is further coated with 20% phenyltrimethoxysilane (PTMOS). The PTMOS/PEI/RGO PU-DW sponge absorbs various oils within 20s, with maximum absorption capacity values of 880% and 840% for bicycle chain oil and motorcycle engine oil, respectively. The absorbed oils were released completely by squeezing or immersed in hexane. The PTMOS/PEI/RGO PU-DW sponge efficiently separates oil/water mixtures through a flowing system. Having the advantages of faster absorption rate, reusability, and low cost, the PTMOS/PEI/RGO PU-DW sponge holds great potential as a superabsorbent for efficient removal and recovery of oil spills as well as for the separation of oil/water mixtures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Fate and transport of selected estrogen compounds in Hawaii soils: Effect of soil type and macropores

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Alessio, Matteo; Vasudevan, Dharni; Lichwa, Joseph; Mohanty, Sanjay K.; Ray, Chittaranjan

    2014-10-01

    The fate and transport of estrogen compounds in the environment is of increasing concern due to their potential impact on freshwater organisms, ecosystems and human health. The behavior of these compounds in batch experiments suggests low mobility, while field studies indicate the persistence of estrogen compounds in the soil with the possibility of migration to surface water as well as groundwater. To better understand the movement of these chemicals through soils, we examined their transport in three different Hawaiian soils and two aqueous matrices. The three different soils used were an Oxisol, a Mollisol and a cinder, characterized by different mineralogical properties and collected at depths of 60-90 cm and 210-240 cm. Two liquid matrices were used; deionized (DI) water containing calcium chloride (CaCl2), and recycled water collected from a wastewater treatment facility. The experiments were conducted in packed and structured columns. Non-equilibrium conditions were observed during the study, especially in the structured soil. This is believed to be primarily related to the presence of macropores in the soil. The presence of macropores resulted in reduced contact time between soil and estrogens, which facilitated their transport. We found that the organic carbon content and mineralogical composition of the soils had a profound effect on the transport of the estrogens. The mobility of estrone (E1) and 17β-estradiol (E2) was greater in cinder than in the other soils. In column experiments with recycled water, earlier breakthrough peaks and longer tails of estrogens were produced compared to those observed using DI water. The use of recycled water for agricultural purposes and the siting of septic tanks and cesspools should be critically reviewed in light of these findings, especially in areas where groundwater is the primary source of potable water, such as Hawaii.

  5. Fate and transport of selected estrogen compounds in Hawaii soils: effect of soil type and macropores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Alessio, Matteo; Vasudevan, Dharni; Lichwa, Joseph; Mohanty, Sanjay K; Ray, Chittaranjan

    2014-10-01

    The fate and transport of estrogen compounds in the environment is of increasing concern due to their potential impact on freshwater organisms, ecosystems and human health. The behavior of these compounds in batch experiments suggests low mobility, while field studies indicate the persistence of estrogen compounds in the soil with the possibility of migration to surface water as well as groundwater. To better understand the movement of these chemicals through soils, we examined their transport in three different Hawaiian soils and two aqueous matrices. The three different soils used were an Oxisol, a Mollisol and a cinder, characterized by different mineralogical properties and collected at depths of 60-90 cm and 210-240 cm. Two liquid matrices were used; deionized (DI) water containing calcium chloride (CaCl2), and recycled water collected from a wastewater treatment facility. The experiments were conducted in packed and structured columns. Non-equilibrium conditions were observed during the study, especially in the structured soil. This is believed to be primarily related to the presence of macropores in the soil. The presence of macropores resulted in reduced contact time between soil and estrogens, which facilitated their transport. We found that the organic carbon content and mineralogical composition of the soils had a profound effect on the transport of the estrogens. The mobility of estrone (E1) and 17β-estradiol (E2) was greater in cinder than in the other soils. In column experiments with recycled water, earlier breakthrough peaks and longer tails of estrogens were produced compared to those observed using DI water. The use of recycled water for agricultural purposes and the siting of septic tanks and cesspools should be critically reviewed in light of these findings, especially in areas where groundwater is the primary source of potable water, such as Hawaii. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Tracking Single DNA Nanodevices in Hierarchically Meso-Macroporous Antimony-Doped Tin Oxide Demonstrates Finite Confinement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mieritz, Daniel; Li, Xiang; Volosin, Alex; Liu, Minghui; Yan, Hao; Walter, Nils G; Seo, Dong-Kyun

    2017-06-27

    Housing bio-nano guest devices based on DNA nanostructures within porous, conducting, inorganic host materials promise valuable applications in solar energy conversion, chemical catalysis, and analyte sensing. Herein, we report a single-template synthetic development of hierarchically porous, transparent conductive metal oxide coatings whose pores are freely accessible by large biomacromolecules. Their hierarchal pore structure is bimodal with a larger number of closely packed open macropores (∼200 nm) at the higher rank and with the remaining space being filled with a gel network of antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanoparticles that is highly porous with a broad size range of textual pores mainly from 20-100 nm at the lower rank. The employed carbon black template not only creates the large open macropores but also retains the highly structured gel network as holey pore walls. Single molecule fluorescence microscopic studies with fluorophore-labeled DNA nanotweezers reveal a detailed view of multimodal diffusion dynamics of the biomacromolecules inside the hierarchically porous structure. Two diffusion constants were parsed from trajectory analyses that were attributed to free diffusion (diffusion constant D = 2.2 μm 2 /s) and to diffusion within an average confinement length of 210 nm (D = 0.12 μm 2 /s), consistent with the average macropore size of the coating. Despite its holey nature, the ATO gel network acts as an efficient barrier to the diffusion of the DNA nanostructures, which is strongly indicative of physical interactions between the molecules and the pore nanostructure.

  7. 3D structure of macropore networks within natural and de-embarked estuary saltmarsh sediments: towards an improved understanding of network structural control over hydrologic function

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carr, Simon; Spencer, Kate; James, Tempest; Lucy, Diggens

    2015-04-01

    Saltmarshes are globally important environments which, though occupying biodiversity e.g. the EU Habitats Directive and Birds Directive. However, there is growing evidence that restored saltmarshes, recreated through the return to tidal inundation of previously drained and defended low-lying coastal land, do not have the same species composition even after 100 years and while environmental enhancement has been achieved, there may be consequences for ecosystem functioning This study presents the findings of a comparative analysis of detailed sediment structure and hydrological functioning of equivalent natural and de-embanked saltmarsh sediments at Orplands Farm, Essex, UK. 3D x-ray CT scanning of triplicate undisturbed sediment cores recovered in 2013 have been used to derive detailed volumetric reconstructions of macropore structure and networks, and to infer differences in bulk microporosity between natural and de-embanked saltmarshes. These volumes have been further visualised for qualitative analysis of the main sediment components, and extraction of key macropore space parameters for quantified analysis including total porosity and connectivity, as well as structure, organisation and efficiency (tortuosity) of macropore networks. Although total porosity was significantly greater within the de-embanked saltmarsh sediments, pore networks in these samples were less organised and more tortuous, and were also inferred to have significantly lower micro-porosity than those of the natural saltmarsh. These datasets are applied to explain significant differences in the hydraulic behaviour and functioning observed between natural and de-embarked saltmarsh at Orplands. Piezometer wells and pressure transducers recorded fluctuations in water level at 15 minute intervals over a 4.5 month period (winter 2011-2012). Basic patterns for water level fluctuations in both the natural and de-embanked saltmarsh are similar and reflect tidal flooding. However, in the de

  8. Macroporous Inverse Opal-like MoxC with Incorporated Mo Vacancies for Significantly Enhanced Hydrogen Evolution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Feng; Zhao, Xianglong; Mahmood, Javeed; Okyay, Mahmut Sait; Jung, Sun-Min; Ahmad, Ishfaq; Kim, Seok-Jin; Han, Gao-Feng; Park, Noejung; Baek, Jong-Beom

    2017-07-25

    The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is one of the most important pathways for producing pure and clean hydrogen. Although platinum (Pt) is the most efficient HER electrocatalyst, its practical application is significantly hindered by high-cost and scarcity. In this work, an Mo x C with incorporated Mo vacancies and macroporous inverse opal-like (IOL) structure (Mo x C-IOL) was synthesized and studied as a low-cost efficient HER electrocatalyst. The macroporous IOL structure was controllably fabricated using a facile-hard template strategy. As a result of the combined benefits of the Mo vacancies and structural advantages, including appropriate hydrogen binding energy, large exposed surface, robust IOL structure and fast mass/charge transport, the synthesized Mo x C-IOL exhibited significantly enhanced HER electrocatalytic performance with good stability, with performance comparable or superior to Pt wire in both acidic and alkaline solutions.

  9. Study on the use of macroporous cation exchange resins for the separation and purification of uranium from thorium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rastogi, R.K.; Mahajan, M.A.; Chaudhuri, N.K.

    1992-01-01

    The possibility of using macroporous cation exchange resins for the purification of uranium from thorium relevant to the final purification of uranium after reprocessing thorium breeder fuel was explored. Two macroporous cation exchange resins were studied and compared with a commonly used gel type resin. Batch experiments and column experiments were performed to generate equilibrium data and to optimise the procedure for the separation of U from Th under process condition. Under the same condition Tulsion T-42 gave product U containing 0.1% of Th, while Amberlyst-15 gave the product U containing 1% of Th. Loading and washing rates were much higher (120 ml/hr) than those used for gel type resins (40 ml/hr). Though the volume of wash required for >90% recovery of U is more than that required with the gel type resin the disadvantage due to that is more than compensated by the use of high flow rate of loading and washing to give higher throughput. Thus there is a definite advantage of U purification with macroporous resins as compared to usual gel type resins. (author). 23 refs., 3 figs., 10 tabs

  10. Synthesis of hierarchically meso-macroporous TiO2/CdS heterojunction photocatalysts with excellent visible-light photocatalytic activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Haixin; Cui, Shu; Yang, Lan; Li, Guodong; Li, Nan; Li, Xiaotian

    2018-02-15

    Photocatalysts with a hierarchically porous structure have attracted considerable attention owing to their wide pore size distribution and high surface area, which enhance the efficiency of transporting species to active sites. In this study, hierarchically meso-macroporous TiO 2 photocatalysts decorated with highly dispersed CdS nanoparticles were synthesized via hydrolysis, followed by a hydrothermal treatment. The textural mesopores and interconnected pore framework provided more accessible active sites and efficient mass transport for the photocatalytic process. The light collection efficiency was enhanced because of multiple scattering of incident light in the macropores. Moreover, the formation of a heterojunction between the CdS and TiO 2 nanoparticles extended the photoresponse of TiO 2 to the visible-light range and enhanced the charge separation efficiency. Therefore, the hierarchically meso-macroporous TiO 2 /CdS photocatalysts exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodaming B under visible-light irradiation. Trapping experiments demonstrated that superoxide radicals (O 2 - ) and hydroxyl radicals (OH) were the main active species in photocatalysis. A reasonable photocatalytic mechanism of TiO 2 /CdS heterojunction photocatalysts was also presented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Macroporous resin purification of peptides with umami taste from soy sauce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuang, Mingzhu; Zhao, Mouming; Lin, Lianzhu; Dong, Yi; Chen, Huiping; Feng, Mengying; Sun-Waterhouse, Dongxiao; Su, Guowan

    2016-01-01

    In this study, the performance and separation characteristics of four macroporous resins for purifying umami peptides from soy sauce were examined. Results showed that the resins could separate the peptides of soy sauce, and the particle diffusion kinetics model was suitable for describing the whole exothermic (ΔH sauce, and indicated that peptide may be the contributor to the umami taste in Chinese soy sauce. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Highly ordered macroporous woody biochar with ultra-high carbon content as supercapacitor electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jiang, Junhua; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Xinying; Holm, Nancy; Rajagopalan, Kishore; Chen, Fanglin; Ma, Shuguo

    2013-01-01

    Woody biochar monolith with ultra-high carbon content and highly ordered macropores has been prepared via one-pot pyrolysis and carbonization of red cedar wood at 750 °C without the need of post-treatment. Energy-dispersive spectroscope (EDX) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) studies show that the original biochar has a carbon content of 98 wt% with oxygen as the only detectable impurity and highly ordered macroporous texture characterized by alternating regular macroporous regions and narrow porous regions. Moreover, the hierarchically porous biochar monolith has a high BET specific surface area of approximately 400 m 2 g −1 . We have studied the monolith material as supercapacitor electrodes under acidic environment using electrochemical and surface characterization techniques. Electrochemical measurements show that the original biochar electrodes have a potential window of about 1.3 V and exhibit typical rectangular-shape voltammetric responses and fast charging–discharging behavior with a gravimetric capacitance of about 14 F g −1 . Simple activation of biochar in diluted nitric acid at room temperature leads to 7 times increase in the capacitance (115 F g −1 ). Because the HNO 3 -activation slightly decreases rather than increases the BET surface area of the biochar, an increase in the coverage of surface oxygen groups is the most likely origin of the substantial capacitance improvement. This is supported by EDX, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and Raman measurements. Preliminary life-time studies show that biochar supercapacitors using the original and HNO 3 -activated electrodes are stable over 5000 cycles without performance decays. These facts indicate that the use of woody biochar is promising for its low cost and it can be a good performance electrode with low environmental impacts for supercapacitor applications

  13. Bias-assisted KOH etching of macroporous silicon membranes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mathwig, K; Geilhufe, M; Müller, F; Gösele, U

    2011-01-01

    This paper presents an improved technique to fabricate porous membranes from macroporous silicon as a starting material. A crucial step in the fabrication process is the dissolution of silicon from the backside of the porous wafer by aqueous potassium hydroxide to open up the pores. We improved this step by biasing the silicon wafer electrically against the KOH. By monitoring the current–time characteristics a good control of the process is achieved and the yield is improved. Also, the etching can be stopped instantaneously and automatically by short-circuiting Si and KOH. Moreover, the bias-assisted etching allows for the controlled fabrication of silicon dioxide tube arrays when the silicon pore walls are oxidized and inverted pores are released.

  14. Superabsorbent nanocomposite synthesis of cellulose from rice husk grafted poly(acrylate acid-co-acrylamide)/bentonite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helmiyati; Abbas, G. H.; Kurniawan, S.

    2017-04-01

    Superabsorbent nanocomposite synthesis of cellulose rice husk as the backbone with free radical polymerization method in copolymerization grafted with acrylic acid and acrylamide monomer. The cellulose was isolated from rice husk with mixture of toluene and ethanol and then hemicellulose and lignin were removed by using potassium hydroxide 4% and hydrogen peroxide 2%. The obtained cellulose rendement was 37.85%. The functional group of lignin analyzed by FTIR spectra was disappeared at wavenumber 1724 cm-1. Crystal size of the obtained isolated cellulose analyzed by XRD diffraction pattern was 34.6 nm, indicated the nanocrystal structure. Copolymerization was performed at temperature of 70°C with flow nitrogen gas. Initiator and crosslinking agent used were potassium persulfate and N‧N-methylene-bis-acrylamide. The swelling capacity of water and urea showed the results was quite satisfactory, the maximum swelling capacity in urea and water were 611.700 g/g and 451.303 g/g, respectively, and can be applied in agriculture to absorb water and urea fertilizer.

  15. Study of Ni Metallization in Macroporous Si Using Wet Chemistry for Radio Frequency Cross-Talk Isolation in Mixed Signal Integrated Circuits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xi; Xu, Chengkun; Chong, Kyuchul; Tu, King-Ning; Xie, Ya-Hong

    2011-05-25

    A highly conductive moat or Faraday cage of through-the-wafer thickness in Si substrate was proposed to be effective in shielding electromagnetic interference thereby reducing radio frequency (RF) cross-talk in high performance mixed signal integrated circuits. Such a structure was realized by metallization of selected ultra-high-aspect-ratio macroporous regions that were electrochemically etched in p - Si substrates. The metallization process was conducted by means of wet chemistry in an alkaline aqueous solution containing Ni 2+ without reducing agent. It is found that at elevated temperature during immersion, Ni 2+ was rapidly reduced and deposited into macroporous Si and a conformal metallization of the macropore sidewalls was obtained in a way that the entire porous Si framework was converted to Ni. A conductive moat was as a result incorporated into p - Si substrate. The experimentally measured reduction of crosstalk in this structure is 5~18 dB at frequencies up to 35 GHz.

  16. Study of Ni Metallization in Macroporous Si Using Wet Chemistry for Radio Frequency Cross-Talk Isolation in Mixed Signal Integrated Circuits

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    King-Ning Tu

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available A highly conductive moat or Faraday cage of through-the-wafer thickness in Si substrate was proposed to be effective in shielding electromagnetic interference thereby reducing radio frequency (RF cross-talk in high performance mixed signal integrated circuits. Such a structure was realized by metallization of selected ultra-high-aspect-ratio macroporous regions that were electrochemically etched in p− Si substrates. The metallization process was conducted by means of wet chemistry in an alkaline aqueous solution containing Ni2+ without reducing agent. It is found that at elevated temperature during immersion, Ni2+ was rapidly reduced and deposited into macroporous Si and a conformal metallization of the macropore sidewalls was obtained in a way that the entire porous Si framework was converted to Ni. A conductive moat was as a result incorporated into p− Si substrate. The experimentally measured reduction of crosstalk in this structure is 5~18 dB at frequencies up to 35 GHz.

  17. Study of Ni Metallization in Macroporous Si Using Wet Chemistry for Radio Frequency Cross-Talk Isolation in Mixed Signal Integrated Circuits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xi; Xu, Chengkun; Chong, Kyuchul; Tu, King-Ning; Xie, Ya-Hong

    2011-01-01

    A highly conductive moat or Faraday cage of through-the-wafer thickness in Si substrate was proposed to be effective in shielding electromagnetic interference thereby reducing radio frequency (RF) cross-talk in high performance mixed signal integrated circuits. Such a structure was realized by metallization of selected ultra-high-aspect-ratio macroporous regions that were electrochemically etched in p− Si substrates. The metallization process was conducted by means of wet chemistry in an alkaline aqueous solution containing Ni2+ without reducing agent. It is found that at elevated temperature during immersion, Ni2+ was rapidly reduced and deposited into macroporous Si and a conformal metallization of the macropore sidewalls was obtained in a way that the entire porous Si framework was converted to Ni. A conductive moat was as a result incorporated into p− Si substrate. The experimentally measured reduction of crosstalk in this structure is 5~18 dB at frequencies up to 35 GHz. PMID:28879960

  18. Ordered macroporous platinum electrode and enhanced mass transfer in fuel cells using inverse opal structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Ok-Hee; Cho, Yong-Hun; Kang, Soon Hyung; Park, Hee-Young; Kim, Minhyoung; Lim, Ju Wan; Chung, Dong Young; Lee, Myeong Jae; Choe, Heeman; Sung, Yung-Eun

    2013-01-01

    Three-dimensional, ordered macroporous materials such as inverse opal structures are attractive materials for various applications in electrochemical devices because of the benefits derived from their periodic structures: relatively large surface areas, large voidage, low tortuosity and interconnected macropores. However, a direct application of an inverse opal structure in membrane electrode assemblies has been considered impractical because of the limitations in fabrication routes including an unsuitable substrate. Here we report the demonstration of a single cell that maintains an inverse opal structure entirely within a membrane electrode assembly. Compared with the conventional catalyst slurry, an ink-based assembly, this modified assembly has a robust and integrated configuration of catalyst layers; therefore, the loss of catalyst particles can be minimized. Furthermore, the inverse-opal-structure electrode maintains an effective porosity, an enhanced performance, as well as an improved mass transfer and more effective water management, owing to its morphological advantages.

  19. Prediction of biopore- and matrix-dominated flow from X-ray CT-derived macropore network characteristics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Naveed, Muhammad; Møldrup, Per; Schaap, Marcel G

    2016-01-01

    was to investigate the predictive performance of previously developed empirical models for both water and air flow and to explore the potential applicability of X-ray computed tomography (CT)-derived macropore network characteristics. For this purpose, 65 cylindrical soil columns (6 cm diameter and 3.5 cm height......Prediction and modeling of localized flow processes in macropores is of crucial importance for sustaining both soil and water quality. However, currently there are no reliable means to predict preferential flow due to its inherently large spatial variability. The aim of this study......) were extracted from the topsoil (5 cm to 8.5 cm depth) in a 15m15m grid from an agricultural field located in Silstrup, Denmark. All soil columns were scanned with an industrial X-ray CT scanner (129 μm resolution) and later employed for measurement of saturated hydraulic conductivity, air permeability...

  20. Preparation and properties of a coated slow-release and water-retention biuret phosphoramide fertilizer with superabsorbent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Shuping; Yue, Guoren; Feng, Lei; Han, Yuqi; Yu, Xinghai; Zhang, Zenghu

    2011-01-12

    In this investigation, a novel water-insoluble slow-release fertilizer, biuret polyphosphoramide (BPAM), was formulated and synthesized from urea, phosphoric acid (H(3)PO(4)), and ferric oxide (Fe(2)O(3)). The structure of BPAM was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Subsequently, a coated slow-release BPAM fertilizer with superabsorbent was prepared by ionic cross-linked carboxymethylchitosan (the core), acrylic acid, acrylamide, and active carbon (the coating). The variable influences on the water absorbency were investigated and optimized. Component analysis results showed that the coated slow-release BPAM contained 5.66% nitrogen and 11.7% phosphorus. The property of water retention, the behavior of slow release of phosphorus, and the capacity of adsorption of cations were evaluated, and the results revealed that the product not only had good slow-release property and excellent water retention capacity but also higher adsorption capacities of cations in saline soil.

  1. Synthesis of wheat straw cellulose-g-poly (potassium acrylate)/PVA semi-IPNs superabsorbent resin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jia; Li, Qian; Su, Yuan; Yue, Qinyan; Gao, Baoyu; Wang, Rui

    2013-04-15

    To better use wheat straw and minimize its negative impact on environment, a novel semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) superabsorbent resin (SAR) composed of wheat straw cellulose-g-poly (potassium acrylate) (WSC-g-PKA) network and linear polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was prepared by polymerization in the presence of a redox initiating system. The structure and morphology of semi-IPNs SAR were characterized by means of FTIR, SEM and TGA, which confirmed that WSC and PVA participated in the graft polymerization reaction with acrylic acid (AA). The factors that can influence the water absorption of the semi-IPNs SAR were investigated and optimized, including the weight ratios of AA to WSC and PVA to WSC, the content of initiator and crosslinker, neutralization degree (ND) of AA, reaction temperature and time. The semi-IPNs SAR prepared under optimized synthesis condition gave the best water absorption of 266.82 g/g in distilled water and 34.32 g/g in 0.9 wt% NaCl solution. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. A simple and effective approach to prepare injectable macroporous calcium phosphate cement for bone repair: Syringe-foaming using a viscous hydrophilic polymeric solution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jingtao; Liu, Weizhen; Gauthier, Olivier; Sourice, Sophie; Pilet, Paul; Rethore, Gildas; Khairoun, Khalid; Bouler, Jean-Michel; Tancret, Franck; Weiss, Pierre

    2016-02-01

    In this study, we propose a simple and effective strategy to prepare injectable macroporous calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) by syringe-foaming via hydrophilic viscous polymeric solution, such as using silanized-hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (Si-HPMC) as a foaming agent. The Si-HPMC foamed CPCs demonstrate excellent handling properties such as injectability and cohesion. After hardening the foamed CPCs possess hierarchical macropores and their mechanical properties (Young's modulus and compressive strength) are comparable to those of cancellous bone. Moreover, a preliminary in vivo study in the distal femoral sites of rabbits was conducted to evaluate the biofunctionality of this injectable macroporous CPC. The evidence of newly formed bone in the central zone of implantation site indicates the feasibility and effectiveness of this foaming strategy that will have to be optimized by further extensive animal experiments. A major challenge in the design of biomaterial-based injectable bone substitutes is the development of cohesive, macroporous and self-setting calcium phosphate cement (CPC) that enables rapid cell invasion with adequate initial mechanical properties without the use of complex processing and additives. Thus, we propose a simple and effective strategy to prepare injectable macroporous CPCs through syringe-foaming using a hydrophilic viscous polymeric solution (silanized-hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, Si-HPMC) as a foaming agent, that simultaneously meets all the aforementioned aims. Evidence from our in vivo studies shows the existence of newly formed bone within the implantation site, indicating the feasibility and effectiveness of this foaming strategy, which could be used in various CPC systems using other hydrophilic viscous polymeric solutions. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Ice as a Green-Structure-Directing Agent in the Synthesis of Macroporous MWCNTs and Chondroitin Sulphate Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nardecchia, Stefania; Serrano, María Concepción; García-Argüelles, Sara; Maia Da Costa, Marcelo E. H.; Ferrer, María Luisa; Gutiérrez, María C.

    2017-01-01

    The incorporation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into chondroitin sulphate-based scaffolds and the effect on the structural, mechanical, conductive, and thermal properties of the resulting scaffolds is investigated. Three-dimensional hierarchical materials are prepared upon the application of the ice segregation-induced self-assembly (ISISA) process. The use of ice as structure-directing agents avoids chemicals typically used for this purpose (e.g., surfactants, block copolymers, etc.), hence, emphasising the green features of this soft-templating approach. We determine the critical parameters that control the morphology of the scaffolds formed upon ice-templating (i.e., MWCNTs type, freezing conditions, polymer and MWCNT concentration). MWCNTs are surface functionalized by acidic treatment. MWCNT functionalization is characterized by Raman, Fourier transfer infrared (FTIR) and X-ray Photoelectron (XPS) spectroscopies. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis and porosity studies reveal that MWCNT content modifies the morphology of the macroporous structure, which decreases by increasing MWCNT concentration. Differences in scaffold morphology should be translated into their conductivity and mechanical properties. As a general trend, the Young’s modulus and the electrical conductivity of the scaffolds increase with the MWCNT content. Preliminary biocompatibility tests with human osteoblast-like cells also reveal the capability of these structures to support cell growth. PMID:28772715

  4. Human embryonic stem cell-encapsulation in alginate microbeads in macroporous calcium phosphate cement for bone tissue engineering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Minghui; Chen, Wenchuan; Weir, Michael D.; Thein-Han, Wahwah; Xu, Hockin H. K.

    2012-01-01

    Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are exciting for regenerative medicine applications because of their strong proliferative ability and multilineage differentiation capability. To date there has been no report on hESC seeding with calcium phosphate cement (CPC). The objective of this study was to investigate hESC-derived mesenchymal stem cell (hESCd-MSC) encapsulation in hydrogel microbeads in macroporous CPC for bone tissue engineering. hESCs were cultured to form embryoid bodies (EBs), and the MSCs were then migrated out of the EBs. hESCd-MSCs had surface markers characteristic of MSCs, with positive alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining when cultured in osteogenic medium. hESCd-MSCs were encapsulated in alginate at a density of 1 million cells/mL, with an average microbead size of 207 µm. CPC contained mannitol porogen to create a porosity of 64% and macropores with size of 218 µm, with 20% absorbable fibers for additional porosity when the fibers degrade. hESCd-MSCs encapsulated in microbeads in CPC had good viability from 1 to 21 d. ALP gene expression at 21 d was 25-fold that at 1 d. Osteocalcin (OC) at 21 d was two orders of magnitude of that at 1 d. ALP activity in colorimetric p-nitrophenyl phosphate assay at 21 d was 5-fold that at 1 d. Mineral synthesis by the encapsulated hESCd-MSCs at 21 d was 7-fold that at 1 d. Potential benefits of the CPC-stem cell paste include injectability, intimate adaptation to complex-shaped bone defects, ease in contouring to achieve esthetics in maxillofacial repairs, and in situ setting ability. In conclusion, hESCd-MSCs were encapsulated in alginate microbeads in macroporous CPC showing good cell viability, osteogenic differentiation and mineral synthesis for the first time. The hESCd-MSC-encapsulating macroporous CPC construct is promising for bone regeneration in a wide range of orthopedic and maxillofacial applications. PMID:22633970

  5. Separation of scutellarin from crude extracts of Erigeron breviscapus (vant.) Hand. Mazz. by macroporous resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Min; Huang, Wei; Liu, Chun-Zhao

    2007-10-15

    Scutellarin, a flavone glycoside, popularly used in the treatment of heart disease, has been efficiently separated using macroporous resins from crude extracts of Chinese medicinal plant Erigeron breviscapus (vant.) Hand. Mazz. HPD-800 resin offered the best adsorption and desorption capacity for scutellarin among the eight macroporous resins tested, and its adsorption data at 25 degrees C fit best to the Langmuir isotherm. The dynamic adsorption and desorption experiments have been carried out on a HPD-800 resin packed column to optimize the separation process of scutellarin from the crude extracts of E. breviscapus. After one run treatment with HPD-800 resin, the scutellarin content in the product was increased 15.69-fold from 2.61% to 40.96% with a recovery yield of 95.01%. The preparative separation process via adsorption-desorption method developed in this study provides a new approach for scale-up separation and purification of scutellarin for its wide pharmaceutical use.

  6. Industrial-scale preparation of akebia saponin D by a two-step macroporous resin column separation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yue; Ji, De; Liu, Yunfei; Zhang, Chunfeng; Yang, Zhonglin

    2012-06-26

    A simple and efficient procedure for the industrial preparation of akebia saponin D, one of the bioactive compounds commonly found in the well-known Chinese Medicinal herb Dipsaci Radix, was developed. First, HPD-722 was selected from among 10 kinds of macroporous absorption resins. Following this step, the purity of akebia saponin D was increased about 10 times from 6.27% to 59.41%. In order to achieve a higher purity, ADS-7 was chosen from among five kinds of macroporous absorption resins, and the purity of akebia saponin D was increased from 59.41% to 95.05%. The result indicated HPD-722 and ADS-7 were the most suitable resins to purify akebia saponin D from Dipsaci Radix. Under these conditions, large-scale preparation of akebia saponin D was carried out successfully. The preparation method is simple, efficient, and has been demonstrated to be effective for large scale preparations of akebia saponin D from Dipsaci Radix.

  7. Process-based modelling of a headwater catchment in semi-arid conditions: the influence of macropore flow

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schaik, N.L.M.B.; Bronstert, A.; Jong, S.M.; Jetten, V.G.; Dam, van J.C.; Ritsema, C.J.; Schnabel, S.

    2014-01-01

    Subsurface stormflow is thought to occur mainly in humid environments with steep terrains. However, in semi-arid areas, preferential flow through macropores can also result in a significant contribution of subsurface stormflow to catchment runoff for varying catchment conditions. Most hydrological

  8. In vitro and in vivo study to the biocompatibility and biodegradation of hydroxyapatite/poly(vinyl alcohol)/gelatin composite.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wang, M.; Li, Y.; Wu, J.; Xu, F.; Zuo, Y.; Jansen, J.A.

    2008-01-01

    A novel porous composite material composed of hydroxyapatite, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and gelatin (Gel) was fabricated by emulsification. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the material had a well-interconnected porous structure including many macropores (100-500 microm) and micropores

  9. Tension free monofilament macropore polypropylene mesh (Gynemesh PS in female genital prolapse repair

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vicente Sola

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: To review intraoperative and postoperative complications associated to the correction of cystocele and rectocele with polypropylene mesh macropore monofilament (Gynemesh PS using transvaginal free tension technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective study of patients that have been submitted to correction of cystocele and/or rectocele between November 2004 and August 2005 in the Urogynecology and Vaginal Surgery Unit of Gynecology and Obstetrics Department, Las Condes Clinic. Mesh was used in 31 patients: 9 for cystocele, 11 for rectocele, and 11 for concomitant meshes. Total mesh used 42. Media age 55 years old, weight 64 kilograms. In 7 patients we used a third mesh for correction of urinary incontinence by TVT-O technique. RESULTS: They did not present intraoperative complications, neither in immediate or delayed postoperative time. We did not observe hematoma, infection, erosion or exposition mesh. Healing of cystocele and rectocele was obtained in 100% of patients, with a pursuit between 1 and 8 months. DISCUSSION: The use of prosthetic polypropylene monofilament macropore mesh in the correction of cystocele and/or rectocele, by transvaginal route with tension free technique seems to be a safe and effective surgery procedure.

  10. Effects of eco-friendly carbohydrate-based superabsorbent polymers on seed germination and seedling growth of maize

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tao, Jinghe; Zhang, Wenxu; Liang, Li; Lei, Ziqiang

    2018-02-01

    Desertification is the degradation of land in arid and semi-arid areas. Nowadays, lack of water and desertification are extreme problems for plant survival and growth in the arid and semi-arid areas of the world. It becomes increasingly important as to how to let the plant absorb moisture more effectively for keeping growth strong. We synthesized superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) with carbohydrate and characterized them by Fourier transform infrared spectra analyses, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyses. Then, a completely randomized experiment was conducted to assess the effect of carbohydrate-based SAPs on seed germination and seedling growth of maize in an artificial climate chest. The results showed that adding an appropriate amount of SAPs could improve root length, shoot length, total biomass, germination potential and germination rate. It indicates that this SAP is not toxic to plants and can promote seed germination, and at the same time provides a possibility of replacing other substrates.

  11. Effects of eco-friendly carbohydrate-based superabsorbent polymers on seed germination and seedling growth of maize

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tao, Jinghe; Liang, Li; Lei, Ziqiang

    2018-01-01

    Desertification is the degradation of land in arid and semi-arid areas. Nowadays, lack of water and desertification are extreme problems for plant survival and growth in the arid and semi-arid areas of the world. It becomes increasingly important as to how to let the plant absorb moisture more effectively for keeping growth strong. We synthesized superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) with carbohydrate and characterized them by Fourier transform infrared spectra analyses, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric/differential thermal analyses. Then, a completely randomized experiment was conducted to assess the effect of carbohydrate-based SAPs on seed germination and seedling growth of maize in an artificial climate chest. The results showed that adding an appropriate amount of SAPs could improve root length, shoot length, total biomass, germination potential and germination rate. It indicates that this SAP is not toxic to plants and can promote seed germination, and at the same time provides a possibility of replacing other substrates. PMID:29515838

  12. Homogenization-assisted cavitation hybrid rotation extraction and macroporous resin enrichment of dihydroquercetin from Larix gmelinii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Yu; Wang, Yinhang; Li, Wei; Ma, Chunhui; Liu, Shouxin

    2017-12-01

    Cavitation hybrid rotation, which was and is still looked upon as an unavoidable nuisance in the flow systems, for extraction processing intensification of active chemical compounds from natural products. In this study, a homogenization-assisted cavitation hybrid rotation extraction method was applied to extract dihydroquercetin (DHQ) from larch (Larix gmelinii) wood root. The extraction parameters were optimized in single factor experiments with the DHQ extraction yields as the response values. The optimum conditions were as follows: number of extractions, three; ethanol volume fraction for the extraction, 60%; liquid-solid ratio for homogenization, 10mL/g; homogenization time, 8min; liquid-solid ratio for cavitation extraction, 9mL/g, and cavitation extraction time, 35min. Under these conditions, the DHQ content in extract was 4.50±0.02mg/g, and the extraction efficiency was higher than those of traditional techniques. Cavitation can be effectively used to improve the extraction rate by increasing the mass transfer rates and possible rupture of cell wall due to formation of microcavities leading to higher product yields with reduced processing time and solvent consumption. After the extraction process, macroporous resin column chromatography was used to concentrate and purify the DHQ. Three resins were selected from fifteen macroporous resins for further investigation of their performance. Among these resins, AB-8 resin exhibited relatively better adsorption capacities and desorption ratios for DHQ. The ethanol volume fraction of the solutions for sample loading and desorption, and flow rates for loading and desorption were optimized for the macroporous resin column chromatography. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Preparation of three-dimensional macroporous chitosan-gelatin B microspheres and HepG2-cell culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Fang; Cui, Long; Peng, Cheng-Hong; Wu, Xu-Bo; Han, Bao-San; Dong, Ya-Dong

    2016-12-01

    Chitosan-gelatin B microspheres with an open, interconnected, highly macroporous (100-200 µm) structure were prepared via a three-step protocol combining freeze-drying with an electrostatic and ionic cross-linking method. Saturated tripolyphosphate ethanol solution (85% ethanol) was chosen as the crosslinking agent to prevent destruction of the porous structure and to improve the biostability of the chitosan-gelatin B microspheres, with N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethyl-carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide as a second crosslinking agent to react with gelatin A and fixed chitosan-gelatin B microspheres to attain improved biocompatibility. Water absorption of the three-dimensional macroporous chitosan-gelatin B microspheres (3D-P-CGMs) was 12.84, with a porosity of 85.45%. In vitro lysozyme degradation after 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21 days showed improved biodegradation in the 3D-P-CGMs. The morphology of human hepatoma cell lines (HepG2 cells) cultured on the 3D-P-CGMs was spherical, unlike that of cells cultured under traditional two-dimensional conditions. Scanning electron microscopy and paraffin sections were used to confirm the porous structure of the 3D-P-CGMs. HepG2 cells were able to migrate inside through the pore. Cell proliferation and levels of albumin and lactate dehydrogenase suggested that the 3D-P-CGMs could provide a larger specific surface area and an appropriate microenvironment for cell growth and survival. Hence, the 3D-P-CGMs are eminently suitable as macroporous scaffolds for cell cultures in tissue engineering and cell carrier studies. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Cm-scale Heterogeneity in Degradation - Potential Impact on Leaching of MCPA through a Variably-Saturated Macroporous Clayey Till

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rosenbom, Annette Elisabeth; Johnsen, Anders R.; Aamand, Jens

    with no biodegradation of the MCPA at all nodes; 2) preferential flow (including a wormhole) of water with no biodegradation of the MCPA at all nodes; 3) simple matrix flow of water with average biodegradation of the MCPA at all nodes, which corresponds to results derived from a conventional homogenized soil sample; 4...... both flow and degradation are associated with macropores/wormholes. Results show that cm-scale heterogeneity in degradation potential with simple matrix flow has a negligible effect on MCPA leaching at one meter below soil surface. By introducing a wormhole in the low-permeable 3D-soil modeling domain......, however, the risk of MCPA-leaching below one meter depth increase drastically with low degradation potential along the wall of macropores/wormholes....

  15. Umbilical cord stem cells released from alginate-fibrin microbeads inside macroporous and biofunctionalized calcium phosphate cement for bone regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wenchuan; Zhou, Hongzhi; Weir, Michael D.; Bao, Chongyun; Xu, Hockin H.K.

    2012-01-01

    The need for bone repair has increased as the population ages. The objectives of this study were to (1) develop a novel biofunctionalized and macroporous calcium phosphate cement (CPC) containing alginate-fibrin microbeads encapsulating human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs); and (2) investigate hUCMSC proliferation and osteogenic differentiation inside CPC for the first time. Macroporous CPC was developed using calcium phosphate powders, chitosan, and gas-foaming porogen. Five types of CPCs were fabricated: CPC control, CPC + 0.05% fibronectin (Fn), CPC + 0.1% Fn, CPC + 0.1% Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD), and CPC + 0.1% Fn + 0.1% RGD. Alginate-fibrin microbeads containing 106 hUCMSCs/mL were encapsulated in the CPC paste. After CPC had set, the degradable microbeads released hUCMSCs inside CPC. hUCMScs proliferated inside CPC, with cell density at 21 d being 4-fold that at 1 d. CPC + 0.1% RGD had the highest cell density, which was 4-fold that of CPC control. The released cells differentiated into the osteogenic lineage and synthesized bone minerals. hUCMSCs inside the CPC + 0.1% RGD construct had gene expressions of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OC) and collagen I, which were twice those of CPC control. Mineral synthesis by hUCMSCs inside the CPC + 0.1% RGD construct was 2-fold that in CPC control. RGD and Fn incorporation in CPC did not compromise the strength of CPC, which matched the reported strength of cancellous bone. In conclusion, degradable microbeads released the hUCMSCs which proliferated, differentiated and synthesized minerals inside the macroporous CPC for the first time. CPC with RGD greatly enhanced cell functions. The novel biofunctionalized and macroporous CPC-microbead-hUCMSC construct is promising for bone tissue engineering applications. PMID:22391411

  16. Ceramic Identity Contributes to Mechanical Properties and Osteoblast Behavior on Macroporous Composite Scaffolds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Kent Leach

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Implants formed of metals, bioceramics, or polymers may provide an alternative to autografts for treating large bone defects. However, limitations to each material motivate the examination of composites to capitalize on the beneficial aspects of individual components and to address the need for conferring bioactive behavior to the polymer matrix. We hypothesized that the inclusion of different bioceramics in a ceramic-polymer composite would alter the physical properties of the implant and the cellular osteogenic response. To test this, composite scaffolds formed from poly(lactide-co-glycolide (PLG and either hydroxyapatite (HA, β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP, or bioactive glass (Bioglass 45S®, BG were fabricated, and the physical properties of each scaffold were examined. We quantified cell proliferation by DNA content, osteogenic response of human osteoblasts (NHOsts to composite scaffolds by alkaline phosphatase (ALP activity, and changes in gene expression by qPCR. Compared to BG-PLG scaffolds, HA-PLG and TCP-PLG composite scaffolds possessed greater compressive moduli. NHOsts on BG-PLG substrates exhibited higher ALP activity than those on control, HA-, or TCP-PLG scaffolds after 21 days, and cells on composites exhibited a 3-fold increase in ALP activity between 7 and 21 days versus a minimal increase on control scaffolds. Compared to cells on PLG controls, RUNX2 expression in NHOsts on composite scaffolds was lower at both 7 and 21 days, while expression of genes encoding for bone matrix proteins (COL1A1 and SPARC was higher on BG-PLG scaffolds at both time points. These data demonstrate the importance of selecting a ceramic when fabricating composites applied for bone healing.

  17. Activity and Spatial Distribution of Candida antarctica Lipase B Immobilized on Macroporous Organic Polymeric Adsorbents

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Anne Veller Friis; Andric, Pavle; Munk Nielsen, Per

    2014-01-01

    A systematic study of the influence of carrier particle size (500 − 850 μ m) and enzyme load (26 200 − 66 100 lipase activity units (LU)/g dry carrier) on the content and activity of Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB) immobilized by adsorption onto macroporous poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMM...

  18. Design of pore size of macroporous ceramic substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szewald, O.; Kotsis, I.

    2000-01-01

    A method has been developed for the design of macro-porous ceramic substrates. Based on geometrical and regression models detailed technology was worked out for producing these 100% open porous filters, which were made using quasi homo-disperse fractions of corundum of diameters of several tens and hundreds microns and glassy binding material. Axial pressing was used as a forming process. Pore networks with size distribution that can be defined by a curve having one maximum were provided applying the above technology. Based on geometrical considerations and measurements it was proved that these maximums are at characteristic pore sizes that depend only on characteristic size of the original grain fractions and on the extent of the axial forming pressure. Copyright (2000) AD-TECH - International Foundation for the Advancement of Technology Ltd

  19. The influence of alkalinity of portland cement on the absorption characteristics of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) for use in internally cured concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabares Tamayo, Juan D.

    The concrete industry increasingly emphasizes advances in novel materials that promote construction of more resilient infrastructure. Due to its potential to improve concrete durability, internal curing (IC) of concrete by means of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) has been identified as one of the most promising technologies of the 21st century. The addition of superabsorbent polymers into a cementitious system promotes further hydration of cement by providing internal moisture during the hardening and strength development periods, and thus limits self-desiccation, shrinkage, and cracking. This thesis presents the work performed on the series of cement pastes with varying alkalinity of their pore solutions to provide a better understanding of: (1) the influence of the chemistry of the pore solution (i.e. its level of alkalinity and the type of ionic species present) on the absorption capacity of SAP, and (2) the effectiveness of SAP with different absorption capacities as an internal curing agent. This research work was divided into three stages: (a) materials characterization, (b) measurement of absorption capacity of SAP in synthetic pore solutions, and (c) evaluation of the internal curing effectiveness of SAP. During the first stage (Materials Characterization), pore solutions were extracted from the fresh (5 minutes old) cement pastes prepared using cements with three different levels of alkalinity. The pH values of the extracted solutions were determined (using the pH meter) and their chemical analysis was performed by means of titration (concentration of hydroxyl), ion chromatography (sulfates and chlorides), atomic absorption (AA) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP) (sodium, potassium and calcium). The commercial SAP adopted for this study was used with "as-supplied" gradation and with the finer gradation obtained by grinding the original polymer in the 6850 Cryomilling Freezer/Mill. The physical properties of these SAP's, such

  20. Sol–gel hybrid membranes loaded with meso/macroporous SiO{sub 2}, TiO{sub 2}–P{sub 2}O{sub 5} and SiO{sub 2}–TiO{sub 2}–P{sub 2}O{sub 5} materials with high proton conductivity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Castro, Yolanda, E-mail: castro@icv.csic.es [Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICV-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Mosa, Jadra, E-mail: jmosa@icv.csic.es [Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICV-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Aparicio, Mario [Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICV-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Pérez-Carrillo, Lourdes A.; Vílchez, Susana; Esquena, Jordi [Instituto de Química Avanzada de Cataluña, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IQAC-CSIC), CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); Durán, Alicia [Instituto de Cerámica y Vidrio, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (ICV-CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid (Spain)

    2015-01-15

    In this work, highly conductive hybrid organic–inorganic membranes loaded with SiO{sub 2}, TiO{sub 2}–P{sub 2}O{sub 5} and SiO{sub 2}–TiO{sub 2}–P{sub 2}O{sub 5} meso/macroporous particles were prepared via a sol–gel process. Meso/macroporous particles were incorporated to hybrid membranes, for improving water retention and enhancing electrochemical performance. These particles with a polymodal pore size distribution were prepared by templating in highly concentrated emulsions, the particles showed a specific surface area between 50 m{sup 2}/g (TiO{sub 2}–P{sub 2}O{sub 5}) and 300 m{sup 2}/g (SiO{sub 2}–TiO{sub 2}–P{sub 2}O{sub 5}). The particles were dispersed in a hybrid silica sol and further sprayed onto glass paper. The films were polymerized and sintered; those loaded with meso/macroporous particles had a homogenous distribution. High temperature proton conductivity measurements confirmed a high water retention. Conductivity of these materials is higher than that of Nafion{sup ®} at higher temperatures (120 °C) (2·10{sup −2} S/cm). This study provides processing guideline to achieve hybrid electrolytes for efficient conduction of protons due to their high surface area and porous structure. - Highlights: • Hybrid electrolyte with meso/macroporous particles were synthesized by sol–gel. • Depositions of hybrid solutions by spraying onto glass substrates were performed. • Proton conductivity was evaluated as a function of composition and porous structure.

  1. Pore design of pelletised VOX/ZrO2-SO4/Sepiolite composite catalysts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Søren Birk; Due-Hansen, Johannes; Yates, M.

    2010-01-01

    The NH3-SCR activities of a series of extruded and calcined VOX/ZrO2-SO4 - sepiolite catalysts were determined. The pore structures were heavily influenced by the clay content with macropore sizes ranging from 50 to >1000 nm. Mechanical strength and SCR activity measurements suggested that 25% w/....../w sepiolite is the optimal catalyst composition....

  2. Modification of macroporous membranes by graft co-polymerization induced by pre-irradiation with an electron accelerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grasselli, M.; Yoshii, Fumio

    1999-01-01

    Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) have been co-grafted on hollow fiber membranes of macroporous polyethylene. Grafted copolymers have been obtained with different ratios of the monomers (molar ratio between 0 and 2 DMAA/GMA). The properties of the modified membranes are studied

  3. Bland Embolization of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Superabsorbent Polymer Microspheres

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Osuga, Keigo; Hori, Shinichi; Hiraishi, Kumiko; Sugiura, Takashi; Hata, Yasuhiro; Higashihara, Hiroki; Maeda, Noboru; Tomoda, Kaname; Nakamura, Hironobu

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical outcomes of bland embolization using superabsorbent polymer microspheres (SAP-TAE) as an initial therapeutic option for previously untreated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ineligible for resection or ablation. Fifty-nine patients with previously untreated HCC unamenable to surgery or ablation underwent bland embolization using 100- to 200-μm reconstituted SAP particles (SAP-TAE) as the initial treatment. SAP-TAE was repeated as needed based on tumor response but was switched to chemoembolization when necessary to control residual or progressive tumor. Early tumor response was assessed by contrast-enhanced CT according to RECIST and EASL criteria 1 month after the initial SAP-TAE. The overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The overall mean follow-up period was 30.6 months (range, 7-59 months). A total of 121 sessions of SAP-TAE were performed, with 1-5 sessions per patient (mean, 2.1 sessions). The mean period of repeated SAP-TAE was 15.6 months (range, 1-51 months), and it exceeded 1 and 2 years in 32 (54%) and 15 (25%) patients, respectively. Thirteen (22%) patients underwent repeated SAP-TAE alone, and the remaining 46 (78%) patients underwent subsequent chemoembolization. No major complication was observed and postembolization syndrome was minimal after SAP-TAE in all patients. Response rate was 14% and 66% by RECIST and EASL criteria, respectively. Overall survival rates were 100% and 83% at 1 and 2 years, respectively, and median survival time was 30 months. In conclusion, SAP-TAE was a safe and repeatable option as the induction therapy for HCC unamenable to surgery or ablation, despite the high incidence of converting to TACE during the total course.

  4. Negative plate macropore surfaces in lead-acid batteries: Porosity, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller area, and capacity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    D' Alkaine, C.V.; de O. Brito, G.A. [Group of Electrochemistry and Polymers, DQ-UFSCar, Rodovia Washington Luis, Km 235, CP 676, 13565-905 Sao Carlos (SP) (Brazil)

    2009-06-01

    We propose an explanation for the production of an electrochemically active area during the electrochemical formation of lead-acid battery negative plates based on solid-state reactions. Our proposal is supported by experimental data. This study includes a critical review of the literature on charge/discharge mechanisms, porosity, and BET area. The critical review, through the latter two parameters, indicates the existence of both macro and micropores in positive plates, but only macropores in negative plates, with characteristic surface roughness. In the present paper the surface sulfation of the precursor is controlled using various acidic, neutral and alkaline solutions during an electrochemical formation process that does not include soaking. Our results confirm that variable roughness can be produced at the negative plate macropore surfaces. The morphological changes produced by different formation conditions are assessed by measuring the macroporosity, BET area, and capacity of single negative plates. Based on these concepts, a method was developed and applied to measure independently the contributions of geometrical surface macroporosity and roughness to the negative plate capacity. (author)

  5. Transport of radionuclides by concentrated brine in a porous medium with micropore-macropore structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hassanizadeh, S.M.

    1987-01-01

    This work concerns itself with the study of effects of soil aggregation and high salt concentrations on the transport of radionuclides by concentrated brine flowing through an aggregated porous medium. The medium is considered to be composed of porous rock aggregates separated by macropores through which the brine flows and transport of salt and radionuclides takes place. The aggregates contain dead-end pores, cracks, and stationary pockets collectively called micropores. The micropore space does not contribute to the flow, but it serves as a storage for salt and radionuclides. Adsorption of radionuclides takes place at internal surfaces of aggregates where they assume that a linear equilibrium isotherm describes the process. A one-dimensional numerical model is developed which is based on two sets of equations: one set for the flow and transport of salt and another set for transport of radionuclides. Results of numerical experiments clearly indicate that the existence of high salt concentrations markedly reduces the peak of nuclides concentration and slows down their movement. Also, it is found that diffusive mass exchange between macropores and aggregates results in a pronounced lowering of the radionuclides concentration peaks. 9 references, 7 figures

  6. Preparative Separation and Purification of the Total Flavonoids in Scorzonera austriaca with Macroporous Resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Yang; Guo, Qiu-Shi; Wang, Guang-Shu

    2016-06-13

    The use of macroporous resins for the separation and purification of total flavonoids to obtain high-purity total flavonoids from Scorzonera austriaca was studied. The optimal conditions for separation and purification of total flavonoids in S. austriaca with macroporous resins were as follows: D4020 resin columns were loaded with crude flavonoid extract solution, and after reaching adsorptive saturation, the columns were eluted successively with 5 bed volumes (BV) of water, 5 BV of 5% (v/v) aqueous ethanol and 5 BV of 30% (v/v) aqueous ethanol at an elute flow rate of 2 BV·h(-1). Total flavonoids were obtained from the 30% aqueous ethanol eluate by vacuum distillation recovery. The content of flavonoid compounds in the total flavonoids was 93.5%, which represents an improvement by about 150%. In addition, five flavonoid compounds in the product were identified as 2″-O-β-d-xylopyranosyl isoorientin, 6-C-α-l-arabipyranosyl orientin, orientin, isoorientin and vitexin by LC-ESI-MS analysis and internal standard methods. The results in this study could represent a method for the large-scale production of total flavonoids from S. austriaca.

  7. The Influence of Syndepositional Macropores on the Hydraulic Integrity of Thick Alluvial Clay Aquitards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timms, Wendy A.; Acworth, R. Ian; Crane, Richard A.; Arns, Christoph H.; Arns, Ji-Youn; McGeeney, Dayna E.; Rau, Gabriel C.; Cuthbert, Mark O.

    2018-04-01

    Clay-rich deposits are commonly assumed to be aquitards which act as natural hydraulic barriers due to their low hydraulic connectivity. Postdepositional weathering processes are known to increase the permeability of aquitards in the near surface but not impact on deeper parts of relatively thick formations. However, syndepositional processes affecting the hydraulic properties of aquitards have previously received little attention in the literature. Here, we analyze a 31 m deep sediment core recovered from an inland clay-rich sedimentary sequence using a combination of techniques including particle size distribution and microscopy, centrifuge dye tracer testing and micro X-ray CT imaging. Subaerial deposition of soils within these fine grained alluvial deposits has led to the preservation of considerable macropores (root channels or animal burrows). Connected pores and macropores thus account for vertical hydraulic conductivity (K) of 4.2×10-9 m/s (geometric mean of 13 samples) throughout the thick aquitard, compared to a matrix K that is likely sediment was deposited must be considered when aquitards are investigated as potential natural hydraulic barriers and illustrate the value of combining multiple investigation techniques for characterizing clay-rich deposits.

  8. Methods for making anodes for lithium ion batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Wu; Canfield, Nathan L.; Zhang, Ji-Guang; Liu, Wei; Xiao, Jie; Wang, Deyu; Yang, Z. Gary

    2015-05-26

    Methods for making composite anodes, such as macroporous composite anodes, are disclosed. Embodiments of the methods may include forming a tape from a slurry including a substrate metal precursor, an anode active material, a pore-forming agent, a binder, and a solvent. A laminated structure may be prepared from the tape and sintered to produce a porous structure, such as a macroporous structure. The macroporous structure may be heated to reduce a substrate metal precursor and/or anode active material. Macroporous composite anodes formed by some embodiments of the disclosed methods comprise a porous metal and an anode active material, wherein the anode active material is both externally and internally incorporated throughout and on the surface of the macroporous structure.

  9. Enhanced Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with Mesoporous-Macroporous TiO2 Photoanode Obtained Using ZnO Template

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pham, Trang T. T.; Mathews, Nripan; Lam, Yeng-Ming; Mhaisalkar, Subodh

    2017-06-01

    Improved light harvesting efficiency can be achieved by enhancing the optical properties of the titanium dioxide (TiO2) photoanode in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), leading to higher power conversion efficiency. By incorporating submicrometer cavities in TiO2 mesoporous film, using zinc oxide (ZnO) particles as a template, a bimodal pore size structure has been created, called a mesoporous-macroporous nanostructure. This photoanode structure consists of 20-nm TiO2 nanoparticles with two kinds of pores with size of 20 nm (mesopores) and 500 nm (macropores). Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction studies showed no trace of ZnO in the TiO2 after removal by TiCl4 treatment. Higher diffuse transmittance of this film compared with the standard transparent photoanode provides evidence of improved light scattering. When employed in a device, the incident-photon-to-current efficiency of ZnO-assisted devices showed enhancement at longer wavelengths, corresponding to the Mie light scattering effect with the macropores as scattering centers. This resulted in overall higher power conversion efficiency of the DSSC. In this work, a nonvolatile gel ionic liquid was used as the electrolyte to also demonstrate the benefit of this structure in combination with a viscous electrolyte and its promising application to prolong the stability of DSSCs.

  10. Delta-sleep inducing peptide entrapment in the charged macroporous matrices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sukhanova, Tatiana V.; Artyukhov, Alexander A.; Gurevich, Yakov M.; Semenikhina, Marina A.; Prudchenko, Igor A.; Shtilman, Mikhail I.; Markvicheva, Elena A.

    2014-01-01

    Various biomolecules, for example proteins, peptides etc., entrapped in polymer matrices, impact interactions between matrix and cells, including stimulation of cell adhesion and proliferation. Delta-sleep inducing peptide (DSIP) possesses numerous beneficial properties, including its abilities in burn treatment and neuronal protection. DSIP entrapment in two macroporous polymer matrices based on copolymer of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and methylen-bis-acrylamide (Co-DMAEMA-MBAA) and copolymer of acrylic acid and methylen-bis-acrylamide (Co-AA-MBAA) has been studied. Quite 100% of DSIP has been entrapped into positively charged Co-DMAEMA-MBAA matrix, while the quantity of DSIP adsorbed on negatively charged Co-AA-MBAA was only 2–6%. DSIP release from Co-DMAEMA-MBAA was observed in saline solutions (0.9% NaCl and PBS) while there was no DSIP release in water or 25% ethanol, thus ionic strength was a reason of this process. - Graphical abstract: Delta-sleep inducing peptide possessing neuroprotective and wound healing properties was adsorbed on positively charged polymer matrix Co-DMAEMA-MBAA for tissue engineering. The peptide released from Co-DMAEMA-MBAA matrix in function of ionic strength of solution, pH decreasing stimulated peptide release from Co-DMAEMA-MBAA matrix for 3 h. This construction could be a base of new bioactive implants. - Highlights: • Macroporous positively charged Co-DMAEMA-MBAA matrix pore size was 20–35 μm. • DSIP was adsorbed on Co-DMAEMA-MBAA totally in 16 h. • Its release depends on ionic strength of solution (no release in 25% ethanol or water). • Co-DMAEMA-MBAA matrix swelling depends on pH and ionic strength of solution. • DSIP is destroyed in PBS and 0.9% NaCl in 5 days, but in water it was more stable

  11. Delta-sleep inducing peptide entrapment in the charged macroporous matrices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sukhanova, Tatiana V., E-mail: sukhanovat@mail.ru [Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Laboratory of Cell Interactions, Miklukho-Maklaya st., 16/10 Moscow (Russian Federation); Artyukhov, Alexander A.; Gurevich, Yakov M.; Semenikhina, Marina A. [Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, Research and Teaching Center “Biomaterials”, Miusskaya sq., 9 Moscow (Russian Federation); Prudchenko, Igor A. [Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Laboratory of Peptide Chemistry, Miklukho-Maklaya st., 16/10 Moscow (Russian Federation); Shtilman, Mikhail I. [Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, Research and Teaching Center “Biomaterials”, Miusskaya sq., 9 Moscow (Russian Federation); Markvicheva, Elena A. [Shemyakin and Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Laboratory Polymers for Biology, Miklukho-Maklaya st., 16/10 Moscow (Russian Federation)

    2014-09-01

    Various biomolecules, for example proteins, peptides etc., entrapped in polymer matrices, impact interactions between matrix and cells, including stimulation of cell adhesion and proliferation. Delta-sleep inducing peptide (DSIP) possesses numerous beneficial properties, including its abilities in burn treatment and neuronal protection. DSIP entrapment in two macroporous polymer matrices based on copolymer of dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate and methylen-bis-acrylamide (Co-DMAEMA-MBAA) and copolymer of acrylic acid and methylen-bis-acrylamide (Co-AA-MBAA) has been studied. Quite 100% of DSIP has been entrapped into positively charged Co-DMAEMA-MBAA matrix, while the quantity of DSIP adsorbed on negatively charged Co-AA-MBAA was only 2–6%. DSIP release from Co-DMAEMA-MBAA was observed in saline solutions (0.9% NaCl and PBS) while there was no DSIP release in water or 25% ethanol, thus ionic strength was a reason of this process. - Graphical abstract: Delta-sleep inducing peptide possessing neuroprotective and wound healing properties was adsorbed on positively charged polymer matrix Co-DMAEMA-MBAA for tissue engineering. The peptide released from Co-DMAEMA-MBAA matrix in function of ionic strength of solution, pH decreasing stimulated peptide release from Co-DMAEMA-MBAA matrix for 3 h. This construction could be a base of new bioactive implants. - Highlights: • Macroporous positively charged Co-DMAEMA-MBAA matrix pore size was 20–35 μm. • DSIP was adsorbed on Co-DMAEMA-MBAA totally in 16 h. • Its release depends on ionic strength of solution (no release in 25% ethanol or water). • Co-DMAEMA-MBAA matrix swelling depends on pH and ionic strength of solution. • DSIP is destroyed in PBS and 0.9% NaCl in 5 days, but in water it was more stable.

  12. Drug delivery properties of macroporous polystyrene solid foams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canal, Cristina; Aparicio, Rosa Maria; Vilchez, Alejandro; Esquena, Jordi; García-Celma, Maria José

    2012-01-01

    Polymeric porous foams have been evaluated as possible new pharmaceutical dosage forms. These materials were obtained by polymerization in the continuous phase of highly concentrated emulsions prepared by the phase inversion temperature method. Their porosity, specific surface and surface topography were characterized, and the incorporation and release of active principles was studied using ketoprofen as model lipophilic molecule. Solid foams with very high pore volume, mainly inside macropores, were obtained by this method. The pore morphology of the materials was characterized, and very rough topography was observed, which contributed to their nearly superhydrophobic properties. These solid foams could be used as delivery systems for active principles with pharmaceutical interest, and in the present work ketoprofen was used as a model lipophilic molecule. Drug incorporation and release was studied from solid foam disks, using different concentrations of the loading solutions, achieving a delayed release with short lag-time.

  13. Risk predicting of macropore flow using pedotransfer functions, textural maps and modeling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Iversen, Bo Vangsø; Børgesen, Christen Duus; Lægdsmand, Mette

    2011-01-01

    of this study were first to develop pedotransfer functions (PTFs) predicting near-saturated [k(−1)] and saturated (Ks) hydraulic conductivity using simple soil parameters as predictors and second to use this information and a newly developed rasterbased soil property map of Denmark to identify risk areas...... modeling were used to construct a new map dividing Denmark into risk categories for macropore flow. This map can be combined with other tools to identify areas where there is a high risk of contaminants leaching out of the root zone....

  14. Quantification and Purification of Mulberry Anthocyanins with Macroporous Resins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xueming Liu

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Total anthocyanins in different cultivars of mulberry were measured and a process for the industrial preparation of mulberry anthocyanins as a natural food colorant was studied. In 31 cultivars of mulberry, the total anthocyanins, calculated as cyanidin 3-glucoside, ranged from 147.68 to 2725.46 mg/L juice. Extracting and purifying with macroporous resins was found to be an efficient potential method for the industrial production of mulberry anthocyanins as a food colorant. Of six resins tested, X-5 demonstrated the best adsorbent capability for mulberry anthocyanins (91 mg/mL resin. The adsorption capacity of resins increased with the surface area and the pore radius. Residual mulberry fruit juice after extraction of pigment retained most of its nutrients, except for anthocyanins, and may provide a substrate for further processing.

  15. Acetylene Black Induced Heterogeneous Growth of Macroporous CoV2O6 Nanosheet for High-Rate Pseudocapacitive Lithium-Ion Battery Anode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lei; Zhao, Kangning; Luo, Yanzhu; Dong, Yifan; Xu, Wangwang; Yan, Mengyu; Ren, Wenhao; Zhou, Liang; Qu, Longbing; Mai, Liqiang

    2016-03-23

    Metal vanadates suffer from fast capacity fading in lithium-ion batteries especially at a high rate. Pseudocapacitance, which is associated with surface or near-surface redox reactions, can provide fast charge/discharge capacity free from diffusion-controlled intercalation processes and is able to address the above issue. In this work, we report the synthesis of macroporous CoV2O6 nanosheets through a facile one-pot method via acetylene black induced heterogeneous growth. When applied as lithium-ion battery anode, the macroporous CoV2O6 nanosheets show typical features of pseudocapacitive behavior: (1) currents that are mostly linearly dependent on sweep rate and (2) redox peaks whose potentials do not shift significantly with sweep rate. The macroporous CoV2O6 nanosheets display a high reversible capacity of 702 mAh g(-1) at 200 mA g(-1), excellent cyclability with a capacity retention of 89% (against the second cycle) after 500 cycles at 500 mA g(-1), and high rate capability of 453 mAh g(-1) at 5000 mA g(-1). We believe that the introduction of pseudocapacitive properties in lithium battery is a promising direction for developing electrode materials with high-rate capability.

  16. The growth of high density network of MOF nano-crystals across macroporous metal substrates - Solvothermal synthesis versus rapid thermal deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maina, James W.; Gonzalo, Cristina Pozo; Merenda, Andrea; Kong, Lingxue; Schütz, Jürg A.; Dumée, Ludovic F.

    2018-01-01

    Fabrication of metal organic framework (MOF) films and membranes across macro-porous metal substrates is extremely challenging, due to the large pore sizes across the substrates, poor wettability, and the lack of sufficient reactive functional groups on the surface, which prevent high density nucleation of MOF crystals. Herein, macroporous stainless steel substrates (pore size 44 × 40 μm) are functionalized with amine functional groups, and the growth of ZIF-8 crystals investigated through both solvothermal synthesis and rapid thermal deposition (RTD), to assess the role of synthesis routes in the resultant membranes microstructure, and subsequently their performance. Although a high density of well interconnected MOF crystals was observed across the modified substrates following both techniques, RTD was found to be a much more efficient route, yielding high quality membranes under 1 h, as opposed to the 24 h required for solvothermal synthesis. The RTD membranes also exhibited high gas permeance, with He permeance of up to 2.954 ± 0.119 × 10-6 mol m-2 s-1 Pa-1, and Knudsen selectivities for He/N2, Ar/N2 and CO2/N2, suggesting the membranes were almost defect free. This work opens up route for efficient fabrication of MOF films and membranes across macro-porous metal supports, with potential application in electrically mediated separation applications.

  17. Nickel oxide film with open macropores fabricated by surfactant-assisted anodic deposition for high capacitance supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Mao-Sung; Wang, Min-Jyle

    2010-10-07

    Nickel oxide film with open macropores prepared by anodic deposition in the presence of surfactant shows a very high capacitance of 1110 F g(-1) at a scan rate of 10 mV s(-1), and the capacitance value reduces to 950 F g(-1) at a high scan rate of 200 mV s(-1).

  18. “Nanofiltration” Enabled by Super-Absorbent Polymer Beads for Concentrating Microorganisms in Water Samples

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Xing; Bahnemann, Janina; Wang, Siwen; Yang, Yang; Hoffmann, Michael R.

    2016-01-01

    Detection and quantification of pathogens in water is critical for the protection of human health and for drinking water safety and security. When the pathogen concentrations are low, large sample volumes (several liters) are needed to achieve reliable quantitative results. However, most microbial identification methods utilize relatively small sample volumes. As a consequence, a concentration step is often required to detect pathogens in natural waters. Herein, we introduce a novel water sample concentration method based on superabsorbent polymer (SAP) beads. When SAP beads swell with water, small molecules can be sorbed within the beads, but larger particles are excluded and, thus, concentrated in the residual non-sorbed water. To illustrate this approach, millimeter-sized poly(acrylamide-co-itaconic acid) (P(AM-co-IA)) beads are synthesized and successfully applied to concentrate water samples containing two model microorganisms: Escherichia coli and bacteriophage MS2. Experimental results indicate that the size of the water channel within water swollen P(AM-co-IA) hydrogel beads is on the order of several nanometers. The millimeter size coupled with a negative surface charge of the beads are shown to be critical in order to achieve high levels of concentration. This new concentration procedure is very fast, effective, scalable, and low-cost with no need for complex instrumentation. PMID:26876979

  19. An Efficient Protocol for Preparation of Gallic Acid from Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb by Combination of Macroporous Resin and Preparative High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Denglang; Chen, Tao; Chen, Chen; Li, Hongmei; Liu, Yongling; Li, Yulin

    2016-08-01

    In this article, macroporous resin column chromatography and preparative high-performance liquid chromatography were applied for preparation of gallic acid from Terminalia bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. In the first step, six kinds of resins were investigated by adsorption and desorption tests and AB-8 macroporous resin was selected for the enrichment of gallic acid. As a result, 20 g of gallic acid at a purity of 71% could be separated from 100 g of crude extract in which the content of gallic acid was 16.7% and the recovery of gallic acid reached 85.0%. In the second step, preparative high-performance liquid chromatography was selected to purify gallic acid. As a result, 640 mg of gallic acid at a purity of 99.1% was obtained from 1 g of sample in 35 min. The results demonstrated that macroporous resin coupled with preparative high-performance liquid chromatography was suitable for preparation of gallic acid from T. bellirica (Gaertn.) Roxb. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  20. Preparation and properties of a double-coated slow-release NPK compound fertilizer with superabsorbent and water-retention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Lan; Liu, Mingzhu; Rui Liang

    2008-02-01

    A double-coated slow-release NPK compound fertilizer with superabsorbent and water-retention was prepared by crosslinked poly(acrylic acid)/diatomite - containing urea (the outer coating), chitosan (the inner coating), and water-soluble granular fertilizer NPK (the core). The effects of the amount of crosslinker, initiator, degree of neutralization of acrylic acid, initial monomer and diatomite concentration on water absorbency were investigated and optimized. The water absorbency of the product was 75 times its own weight if it was allowed to swell in tap water at room temperature for 2 h. Atomic absorption spectrophotometer and element analysis results showed that the product contained 8.47% potassium (shown by K(2)O), 8.51% phosphorus (shown by P(2)O(5)), and 15.77% nitrogen. We also investigated the water-retention property of the product and the slow release behavior of N, P and K in the product. This product with excellent slow release and water-retention capacity, being nontoxic in soil and environment-friendly, could be especially useful in agricultural and horticultural applications.

  1. Thickness-Dependent Bioelectrochemical and Energy Applications of Thickness-Controlled Meso-Macroporous Antimony-Doped Tin Oxide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Mieritz

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Coatings of hierarchically meso-macroporous antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO enable interfacing adsorbed species, such as biomacromolecules, with an electronic circuit. The coating thickness is a limiting factor for the surface coverage of adsorbates, that are electrochemically addressable. To overcome this challenge, a carbon black-based templating method was developed by studying the composition of the template system, and finding the right conditions for self-standing templates, preventing the reaction mixture from flowing out of the mask. The thicknesses of as-fabricated coatings were measured using stylus profilometry to establish a relationship between the mask thickness and the coating thickness. Cyclic voltammetry was performed on coatings with adsorbed cytochrome c to check whether the entire coating thickness was electrochemically addressable. Further, bacterial photosynthetic reaction centers were incorporated into the coatings, and photocurrent with respect to coating thickness was studied. The template mixture required enough of both carbon black and polymer, roughly 7% carbon black and 6% poly(ethylene glycol. Coatings were fabricated with thicknesses approaching 30 µm, and thickness was shown to be controllable up to at least 15 µm. Under the experimental conditions, photocurrent was found to increase linearly with the coating thickness, up to around 12 µm, above which were diminished gains.

  2. Rational construction of a 3D hierarchical NiCo2O4/PANI/MF composite foam as a high-performance electrode for asymmetric supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cui, Fen; Huang, Yunpeng; Xu, Le; Zhao, Yan; Lian, Jiabiao; Bao, Jian; Li, Huaming

    2018-04-19

    A 3D hierarchical NiCo2O4/PANI/MF composite foam with a macroporous 3D skeleton, a conductive PANI coating and highly electrochemically active NiCo2O4 nanosheets is synthesized as a lightweight and low-cost electrode material. Due to the collaborative contribution of all the components, the prepared composite foam exhibits excellent capacitive performances when incorporated into an asymmetric supercapacitor.

  3. SOLVENT EFFECTS IN THE LIQUID-PHASE HYDRATION OF CYCLOHEXENE CATALYZED BY A MACROPOROUS STRONG ACID ION-EXCHANGE RESIN

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    PANNEMAN, HJ; BEENACKERS, AACM

    1992-01-01

    The liquid-phase hydration of cyclohexene, a pseudo first order reversible reaction catalyzed by a strong acid ion exchange resin, macroporous Amberlite XE 307, was investigated in solvent mixtures of water and sulfolane. A decrease by a factor of 3 and 6 is observed in the experimentally measured

  4. Optimization of doxorubicin loading for superabsorbent polymer microspheres: in vitro analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, David M; Kos, Sebastian; Buczkowski, Andrzej; Kee, Stephen; Munk, Peter L; Klass, Darren; Wasan, Ellen

    2012-04-01

    This study was designed to establish the ability of super-absorbent polymer microspheres (SAP) to actively uptake doxorubicin and to establish the proof of principle of SAP's ability to phase transfer doxorubicin onto the polymer matrix and to elute into buffer with a loading method that optimizes physical handling and elution characteristics. Phase I: 50-100 μm SAP subject to various prehydration methods (normal saline 10 cc, hypertonic saline 4 cc, iodinated contrast 10 cc) or left in their dry state, and combined with 50 mg of clinical grade lyophilized doxorubicin reconstituted with various methods (normal saline 10 cc and 25 cc, sterile water 4 cc, iodinated contrast 5 cc) were placed in buffer and assessed based on loading, handling, and elution utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phase II: top two performing methods were subject to loading of doxorubicin (50, 75, 100 mg) in a single bolus (group A) or as a serial loading method (group B) followed by measurement of loading vs. time and elution vs. time. Phase I revealed the most effective loading mechanisms and easiest handling to be dry (group A) vs. normal saline prehydrated (group B) SAP with normal saline reconstituted doxorubicin (10 mg/mL) with loading efficiencies of 83.1% and 88.4%. Phase II results revealed unstable behavior of SAP with 100 mg of doxorubicin and similar loading/elution profiles of dry and prehydrated SAP, with superior handling characteristics of group B SAP at 50 and 75 mg. SAP demonstrates the ability to load and bulk phase transfer doxorubicin at 50 and 75 mg with ease of handling and optimal efficiency through dry loading of SAP.

  5. Separation and purification of both tea seed polysaccharide and saponin from camellia cake extract using macroporous resin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Pengjie; Zhou, Mingda; Zhou, Chengyun; Wang, Qian; Zhang, Fangfang; Chen, Jian

    2015-02-01

    A novel method to separate and purify tea seed polysaccharide and tea seed saponin from camellia cake extract by macroporous resin was developed. Among four kinds of resins (AB-8, NKA-9, XDA-6, and D4020) tested, AB-8 macroporous resin possessed optimal separating capacity for the two substances and thus was selected for the separation, in which deionized water was used to elute tea seed polysaccharide, 0.25% NaOH solution to remove the undesired pigments, and 90% ethanol to elute tea seed saponin. Further dynamic adsorption/desorption experiments on AB-8 resin-based column chromatography were conducted to obtain the optimal parameters. Under optimal dynamic adsorption and desorption conditions, 18.7 and 11.8% yield of tea seed polysaccharide and tea seed saponin were obtained with purities of 89.2 and 96.0%, respectively. The developed method provides a potential approach for the large-scale production of tea seed polysaccharide and tea seed saponin from camellia cake. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  6. Synthesis and application of nano-, meso- and macroporous sorbents based on lignin for detoxication of biological fluids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chopabayeva, Nazira N.; Mukanov, Kanatbek N.; Tasmagambet, Amandyk T.

    2014-05-01

    Novel nano-, meso- and macroporous sorbents based on hydrolysis lignin have been synthesized by catalytic o-alkylation of biolpolymer with epoxy resin ED-20 and subsequent amination of formed α-oxyde derivative. Composition, structure, morphology and physical, chemical properties of ion-exchangers were investigated by FTIR, SEM, TEM, porosimetry and potentiometric titration method. It has been established that alkaline activated lignin shows an increase of SBET to 20.9 m2/g while modification leads to decrease of SBET more than double (from 9.2 to 5.2 m2/g) that of an untreared sample (14.5 m2/g). Synthesized sorbents are characterized by approximately identical mesoporous structure and mainly contained a pore size of 10-14 nm. The results clearly demonstrate the efficiency of lignin based sorbents for the removal of water and lipid soluble toxic metabolites from blood serum of diabetic retinopathy patients. Samples reduced the high level of total cholesterol, including its most atherogenic fractions (LDL-C, VLDL-C), triglyceride to the level of optimum compensated diabetes without significant removal of HDL-C. Concentration of glucose was decreased to physiological norms.

  7. Novel method of separating macroporous arrays from p-type silicon substrate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peng Bobo; Wang Fei; Liu Tao; Yang Zhenya; Wang Lianwei; Fu, Ricky K. Y.; Chu, Paul K.

    2012-01-01

    This paper presents a novel method to fabricate separated macroporous silicon using a single step of photo-assisted electrochemical etching. The method is applied to fabricate silicon microchannel plates in 100 mm p-type silicon wafers, which can be used as electron multipliers and three-dimensional Li-ion microbatteries. Increasing the backside illumination intensity and decreasing the bias simultaneously can generate additional holes during the electrochemical etching which will create lateral etching at the pore tips. In this way the silicon microchannel can be separated from the substrate when the desired depth is reached, then it can be cut into the desired shape by using a laser cutting machine. Also, the mechanism of lateral etching is proposed. (semiconductor materials)

  8. Effects of superabsorbent polymers on the fate of fungicidal carbendazim in soils

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Yatian; Wang, Haiyan; Huang, Lei; Zhang, Sufen; He, Yupeng; Gao, Qi; Ye, Qingfu

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • SAPs affected the transformation of MBC in oxic soils. • MBC mineralization was obviously inhibited in loamy and saline soils with SAPs. • SAPs enhanced the dissipation of MBC in acidic clayey soil. • SAPs increased the bound residue of MBC in soils. • Soil microbial state was changed after treated with MBC and SAPs during incubation. - Abstract: Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) have been extensively used as soil amendments to retain water, and they often coexist with pesticides in agricultural fields. However, effects of SAPs on the fate of pesticides in soil remain poorly understood. In this study, a laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of SAPs on the transformation of "1"4C-carbendazim in soils. The results showed that compared to the SAPs-free control, 11.4% relative reduction of "1"4C-carbendazim extractable residue was observed in red clayey soil with SAPs amendment after 100 days of incubation (p 0.05). SAPs changed the profiles of major metabolites (2-aminobenzimidazole and 2-hydroxybenzimidazole) to some extent. After 100 days of SAPs treatment, the mineralization of "1"4C-carbendazim was significantly reduced by 37.6% and 41.2% in loamy soil and saline soil, respectively, relative to the SAPs-free treatment (p < 0.05). SAPs increased the bound residue of carbendazim by 11.1–19.1% in comparison with SAPs-free controls. These findings suggest SAPs amendments significantly affected the fate of carbendazim and attention should be given to the assessment of environmental and ecological safety of pesticides in SAPs-amended soils.

  9. Enrichment and Purification of Syringin, Eleutheroside E and Isofraxidin from Acanthopanax senticosus by Macroporous Resin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuangang Zu

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available In order to screen a suitable resin for the preparative simultaneous separation and purification of syringin, eleutheroside E and isofraxidin from Acanthopanax senticosus, the adsorption and desorption properties of 17 widely used commercial macroporous resins were evaluated. According to our results, HPD100C, which adsorbs by the molecular tiers model, was the best macroporous resin, offering higher adsorption and desorption capacities and higher adsorption speed for syringin, eleutheroside E and isofraxidin than other resins. Dynamic adsorption and desorption tests were carried out to optimize the process parameters. The optimal conditions were as follows: for adsorption, processing volume: 24 BV, flow rate: 2 BV/h; for desorption, ethanol–water solution: 60:40 (v/v, eluent volume: 4 BV, flow rate: 3 BV/h. Under the above conditions, the contents of syringin, eleutheroside E and isofraxidin increased 174-fold, 20-fold and 5-fold and their recoveries were 80.93%, 93.97% and 93.79%, respectively.

  10. Quantitative Fractal Evaluation of Herbicide Effects on the Water-Absorbing Capacity of Superabsorbent Polymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renkuan Liao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The water absorption capacity of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs is important for agricultural drought resistance. However, herbicides may leach into the soil and affect water absorption by damaging the SAP three-dimensional membrane structures. We used 100-mesh sieves, electron microscopy, and fractal theory to study swelling and water absorption in SAPs in the presence of three common herbicides (atrazine, alachlor, and tribenuron-methyl at concentrations of 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 mg/L. In the sieve experiments it was found that 2.0 mg/L atrazine reduces the capacity by 9.64–23.3% at different swelling points; no significant diminution was observed for the other herbicides or for lower atrazine concentrations. We found that the hydrogel membrane pore distributions have fractal characteristics in both deionized water and atrazine solution. The 2.0 mg/L atrazine destroyed the water-retaining polymer membrane pores and reduced the water-absorbing mass by modifying its three-dimensional membrane structure. A linear correlation was observed between the fractal analysis and the water-absorbing mass. Multifractal analysis characterized the membrane pore distribution by using the range of singularity indexes Δα (relative distinguishing range of 16.54–23.44%, which is superior to single-fractal analysis that uses the fractal dimension D (relative distinguishing range of 2.5–4.0%.

  11. Label-free electrochemical immunoassay for neuron specific enolase based on 3D macroporous reduced graphene oxide/polyaniline film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qi; Li, Xiaoyan; Qian, Chunhua; Dou, Li; Cui, Feng; Chen, Xiaojun

    2018-01-01

    The content of neuron specific enolase (NSE) in serum is considered to be an essential indicator of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Here, a novel label-free electrochemical immunoassay for the detection of NSE based on the three dimensionally macroporous reduced graphene oxide/polyaniline (3DM rGO/PANI) film has been proposed. The 3DM rGO/PANI film was constructed by electrochemical co-deposition of GO and aniline into the interspaces of a sacrificial silica opal template modified Au slice. During the co-deposition, GO was successfully reduced by aniline and PANI could be deposited on the surfaces of rGO sheets. The ratio of rGO and PANI in the composite was also optimized to achieve the maximum electrochemical performance. The 3DM rGO/PANI composite provided larger specific surface area for the antibody immobilization, exhibited enhanced conductivity for electron transfer, and more important was that PANI acted as the electroactive probe for indicating the NSE concentration. Under the optimal conditions, a linear current response of PANI to NSE concentration was obtained over 0.5 pg mL -1 -10.0 ng mL -1 with a detection limit of 0.1 pg mL -1 . Moreover, the immunosensor showed excellent selectivity, good stability, satisfactory reproducibility and regeneration, and was employed to detect NSE in clinical serum specimens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Laboratory tests on the impact of superabsorbent polymers on transformation and sorption of xenobiotics in soil taking 14C-imazalil as an example

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Achtenhagen, J.; Kreuzig, R.

    2011-01-01

    Due to water scarcity, the agricultural production in arid areas is dependent on a sustainable irrigation management. In order to optimize irrigation systems, the application of superabsorbent polymers (SAP) as soil amendments, frequently studied within the last years, may be an appropriate measure to enhance the water holding capacity and the plant-available water in poor arable soils. These persistent polymers are also able to reduce heavy metal and salt stress to crops by accumulating those inorganic compounds. However, the impact of SAP on fate and behavior of organic xenobiotics in soil is unknown. Therefore, transformation and sorption of the model substance 14 C-imazalil were monitored without and with SAP amendment in silty sand and sand soil under laboratory conditions. Within the 100-d incubation period, the transformation of 14 C-imazalil was not substantially affected by the SAP amendment even though the microbial activity increased considerably. In the silty sand soil, extractable residues dropped from 90% to 45% without and from 96% to 46% with SAP amendment. Non-extractable residues continuously increased up to 49% and 35% while mineralization reached 6% and 5%, respectively. In the sand soil, characterized by its lower microbial activity and lower organic carbon content, extractable residues merely dropped from 99% to 81% and from 100% to 85% while non-extractable residues increased from 2% to 14% and 1% to 10%, respectively. Mineralization was lower than 2%. The increased microbial activity, usually promoting transformation processes of xenobiotics, was compensated by the enhanced sorption in the amended soils revealed by the increase of soil/water distribution coefficients (K d ) of 26 to 42 L kg -1 for the silty sand and 6 to 25 L kg -1 for the sand, respectively. - Highlights: → Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) are applied as soil amendments to support irrigation measures. → The SAP effects on the fate of imazalil in soil were monitored under

  13. Two-dimensional Si(x)Ge(1-x) films with variable composition made via multilayer colloidal template-guided ionic liquid electrodeposition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xin, Wuhong; Zhao, Jiupeng; Ge, Dengteng; Ding, Yanbo; Li, Yao; Endres, Frank

    2013-02-21

    The binary alloy system Si(x)Ge(1-x) provides a continuous series of materials with gradually varying properties. In this paper, we report on a fundamental basis a method to make large-area macroporous Si(x)Ge(1-x) films with variable Ge content by electrodeposition in an ionic liquid, with SiCl(4) and GeCl(4) as precursors. The chemical composition of the products can be modified by changing the molar ratio of the precursors. Periodical macroporous Si(x)Ge(1-x) was made by a multilayer polystyrene (PS) template assembled as face-centered cubic lattice. Two-dimensional (2-D) Si(x)Ge(1-x) bowl-like and fishing-net structures can be obtained by applying different deposition temperatures. The results highlight the potential applications, including photonic bandgap and battery materials, as well as ultra-thin gratings, due to the effect of modification of light and improved tunability of composition, although Si(x)Ge(1-x) made by our method is sensitive to oxidation by air.

  14. High energy density supercapacitors using macroporous kitchen sponges

    KAUST Repository

    Chen, Wei

    2012-01-01

    Macroporous, low-cost and recyclable kitchen sponges are explored as effective electrode platforms for supercapacitor devices. A simple and scalable process has been developed to fabricate MnO 2-carbon nanotube (CNT)-sponge supercapacitor electrodes using ordinary kitchen sponges. Two organic electrolytes (1 M of tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (Et 4NBF 4) in propylene carbonate (PC), 1 M of LiClO 4 in PC) are utilized with the sponge-based electrodes to improve the energy density of the symmetrical supercapacitors. Compared to aqueous electrolyte (1 M of Na 2SO 4 in H 2O), the energy density of supercapacitors tripled in Et 4NBF 4 electrolyte, and further increased by six times in LiClO 4 electrolyte. The long-term cycling performance in different electrolytes was examined and the morphology changes of the electrode materials were also studied. The good electrochemical performance in both aqueous and organic electrolytes indicates that the MnO 2-CNT-sponge is a promising low-cost electrode for energy storage systems. © 2012 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  15. Facile preparation of hierarchically porous diatomite/MFI-type zeolite composites and their performance of benzene adsorption: the effects of NaOH etching pretreatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Wenbin; Yuan, Peng; Liu, Dong; Deng, Liangliang; Yuan, Weiwei; Tao, Bo; Cheng, Hefa; Chen, Fanrong

    2015-03-21

    Hierarchically porous diatomite/MFI-type zeolite (Dt/Z) composites with excellent benzene adsorption performance were prepared. The hierarchical porosity was generated from the microporous zeolite coated at the surface of diatom frustules and from the macroporous diatomite support. A facile NaOH etching method was employed for the first time to treat the frustule support, followed by hydrothermal growth of MFI-type zeolite at the surface of frustules previously seeded with nanocrystalline silicalite-1 (Sil-1). NaOH etching enlarged the pores on diatom frustules and further increased the coated zeolite contents (W(z)). The central macropore size of the diatom frustules increased from approximately 200-500 nm to 400-1000 nm after NaOH etching. The W(z) could reach 61.2%, while the macroporosity of the composites was largely preserved due to more voids for zeolite coating being formed by NaOH etching. The Dt/Z composites exhibited higher benzene adsorption capacity per unit mass of zeolite and less mass transfer resistance than Sil-1, evaluated via a method of breakthrough curves. These results demonstrate that etching of a diatomite support is a facile but crucial process for the preparation of Dt/Z composites, enabling the resulting composites to become promising candidates for uses in volatile organic compounds emission control. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Optimization of Doxorubicin Loading for Superabsorbent Polymer Microspheres: in vitro Analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, David M.; Kos, Sebastian; Buczkowski, Andrzej; Kee, Stephen; Munk, Peter L.; Klass, Darren; Wasan, Ellen

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: This study was designed to establish the ability of super-absorbent polymer microspheres (SAP) to actively uptake doxorubicin and to establish the proof of principle of SAP’s ability to phase transfer doxorubicin onto the polymer matrix and to elute into buffer with a loading method that optimizes physical handling and elution characteristics. Methods: Phase I: 50–100 μm SAP subject to various prehydration methods (normal saline 10 cc, hypertonic saline 4 cc, iodinated contrast 10 cc) or left in their dry state, and combined with 50 mg of clinical grade lyophilized doxorubicin reconstituted with various methods (normal saline 10 cc and 25 cc, sterile water 4 cc, iodinated contrast 5 cc) were placed in buffer and assessed based on loading, handling, and elution utilizing high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Phase II: top two performing methods were subject to loading of doxorubicin (50, 75, 100 mg) in a single bolus (group A) or as a serial loading method (group B) followed by measurement of loading vs. time and elution vs. time. Results: Phase I revealed the most effective loading mechanisms and easiest handling to be dry (group A) vs. normal saline prehydrated (group B) SAP with normal saline reconstituted doxorubicin (10 mg/mL) with loading efficiencies of 83.1% and 88.4%. Phase II results revealed unstable behavior of SAP with 100 mg of doxorubicin and similar loading/elution profiles of dry and prehydrated SAP, with superior handling characteristics of group B SAP at 50 and 75 mg. Conclusions: SAP demonstrates the ability to load and bulk phase transfer doxorubicin at 50 and 75 mg with ease of handling and optimal efficiency through dry loading of SAP.

  17. Synthesis and characterization of superabsorbent polymer prepared by radiation-induced graft copolymerization of acrylamide onto carboxymethyl cellulose for controlled release of agrochemicals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hemvichian, Kasinee; Chanthawong, Auraruk; Suwanmala, Phiriyatorn

    2014-10-01

    Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) was synthesized by radiation-induced grafting of acrylamide (AM) onto carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) in the presence of a crosslinking agent, N,N‧-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA). The effects of various parameters, such as dose, the amount of CMC, AM, MBA and ionic strength on the swelling ratio were investigated. In order to evaluate its controlled release potential, SAP was loaded with potassium nitrate (KNO3) as an agrochemical model and its potential for controlled release of KNO3 was studied. The amount of released KNO3 was analyzed by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results from controlled release experiment agreed very well with the results from swelling experiment. The synthesized SAP was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The obtained SAP exhibited a swelling ratio of 190 g/g of dry gel.

  18. Novel Fabrication of Biodegradable Superabsorbent Microspheres with Diffusion Barrier through Thermo-Chemical Modification and Their Potential Agriculture Applications for Water Holding and Sustained Release of Fertilizer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feng, Diejing; Bai, Bo; Wang, Honglun; Suo, Yourui

    2017-07-26

    Synergistic utilization of water and fertilizer has vital contribution to the modern production of agriculture. This work reports on a simple and facile strategy to prepare biodegradable yeast/sodium alginate/poly(vinyl alcohol) superabsorbent microspheres with a diffusion barrier merit by thermo-chemical modification route. The integrated performances, including water absorbency, water retention, water evaporation ratio, leaching loss control, sustained-release behaviors, and degradation in soil, were systematically investigated. The results revealed that the modified microspheres were a triumphant water and fertilizer manager to effectively hold water and control the unexpected leakage of fertilizer for sustained release. Therefore, this work provides a promising approach to ameliorate the utilization efficiency of water and fertilizer in potential agriculture applications.

  19. Studies on the absorption of uranium and plutonium on macroporous anion-exchange resins from mixed solvent media

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chetty, K.V.; Mapara, P.M.; Godbole, A.G.; Swarup, Rajendra

    1995-01-01

    The ion-exchange studies on uranium and plutonium using macroporous anion-exchange resins from an aqueous-organic solvent mixed media were carried out to develop a method for their separation. Out of the several water miscible organic solvents tried, methanol and acetone were found to be best suited. Distribution data for U(VI) and Pu(IV) for three macroporous resins Tulsion A-27(MP) (strong base), Amberlyst A-26(MP) (strong base) and Amberlite XE-270(MP) (weak base) as a function of (i) nitric acid concentration (ii) organic solvent concentration were obtained. Based on the data separation factors for Pu/U were calculated. Column experiments using Tulsion A-27(MP) from a synthetic feed (HNO 3 - methanol and HNO 3 - acetone) containing Pu and U in different ratios were carried out. Plutonium was recovered from the bulk of the actual solution generated during the dissolution of plutonium bearing fuels. The method has the advantage of loading plutonium from as low as 1M nitric acid in presence of methanol or acetone and could be used satisfactorily for its recovery from solutions containing plutonium and uranium. (author). 11 refs., 4 figs., 16 tabs

  20. Preparation of wheat straw based superabsorbent resins and their applications as adsorbents for ammonium and phosphate removal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Jia; Su, Yuan; Li, Qian; Yue, Qinyan; Gao, Baoyu

    2013-09-01

    A novel wheat straw cellulose-g-poly (potassium acrylate)/polyvinyl alcohol (WSC-g-PKA/PVA) semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) superabsorbent resin (SAR) was prepared by graft copolymerization. The structure and performance of the WSC-g-PKA/PVA semi-IPNs SAR was studied and compared with those of wheat straw cellulose-g-poly (potassium acrylate) (WSC-g-PKA) SAR. The effects of various experimental parameters such as solution pH, concentration, contact time and ion strength on NH4(+) and PO4(3-) removal from solutions were investigated. Equilibrium isotherm data of adsorption of both NH4(+) and PO4(3-) were well fitted to the Freundlich model. Kinetic analysis showed that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model was more suitable for describing the whole adsorption process of NH4(+) and PO4(3-) on SARs. Overall, WSC-g-PKA/PVA semi-IPNs SAR showed better properties in comparison with WSC-g-PKA SAR and it could be considered as one efficient material for the removal and recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus with the agronomic reuse as a fertilizer. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Insight into the cryopolymerization to form a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)/clay macroporous gel: structure and phase evolution

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Strachota, Beata; Matějka, Libor; Sikora, Antonín; Spěváček, Jiří; Konefal, Rafal; Zhigunov, Alexander; Šlouf, Miroslav

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 13, č. 6 (2017), s. 1244-1256 ISSN 1744-683X R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA13-23392S; GA MŠk(CZ) LD14010 Grant - others:European Commission(XE) COST Action MP1202 HINT Institutional support: RVO:61389013 Keywords : macroporous gels * nanocomposite cryogels * polymer-clay hydrogel Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry OBOR OECD: Polymer science Impact factor: 3.889, year: 2016

  2. Meso-Molding Three-Dimensional Macroporous Perovskites: A New Approach to Generate High-Performance Nanohybrid Catalysts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Arandiyan, Hamidreza; Scott, Jason; Wang, Yuan

    2016-01-01

    Newly designed 3D highly ordered macro/mesoporous multifunctional La1-xCexCoO3 nanohybrid frameworks with a 2D hexagonal mesostructure were fabricated via facile meso-molding in a three-dimensionally macroporous perovskite (MTMP) route. The nanohybrid framework exhibited excellent catalytic...... activity for methane combustion, which derived from the MTMP providing a larger surface area and pore volume, uniform pore sizes, higher accessible surface oxygen concentration, better low-temperature reducibility, and a unique nanovoid 3D structure....

  3. Purification of bioactive phenolics from Phanerochaete chysosporium biomass extract on selected macroporous resins

    Science.gov (United States)

    Idris, Z. M.; Dzahir, M. I. H. M.; Jamal, P.; Barkat, A. A.; Xian, R. L. W.

    2017-06-01

    In this study, two different types of macroporous resins known as XAD-7HP and HP-20 were evaluated for the adsorption and desorption properties against bioactive phenolics extracted from Phanerochaete chrysosporium. From the previous static sorption studies, it was found that the adsorption capacity for both resins had has no significant difference. Then, the kinetic adsorption data were analyzed with both pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equations and the later performed better. The adsorption isotherm data were fitted well by both Langmuir and Freundlich models. Meanwhile in desorption study, HP-20 and XAD-7HP gave 90.52% and 88.28% recoveries, respectively. Considering the desorption results of the macroporous resins, HP-20 and XAD-7HP were packed in chromatography column to further purify the phenolics. For dynamic adsorption, breakthrough capacity of HP-20 (0.522) was found to be higher than XAD-7HP (0.131). Different ethanol concentrations (30% to 50% (v/v)) were investigated at fixed flowrate (1 ml/min) on phenolics recovery from both types of resins. The highest recovery of bioactive phenolics was 94.3% using XAD-7HP resins at 50% (v/v) of ethanol. Only 77.1% of bioactive phenolics were recovered using HP-20 resin at the same experimental conditions. The purified extract subsequently was analyzed using HPLC. The results showed that three phenolics (gallic acid 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid) were identified with higher concentrations as compared to non-purified extract. Finally, the purified extract was tested for scavenging activity against DPPH, and it showed that the activity increased significantly to 90.80% from 59.94% in non-purified extract.

  4. Exchange of Th, U and Pu on macroporous ion exchange resins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nadkarni, M.N.; Mayankutty, P.C.; Pillai, N.S.; Shinde, S.S.

    1977-01-01

    Absorption of Th, U and Pu on macroporous ion exchangers, Amberlyst 15 (cationic) and Amberlyst A-26 (anionic) were studied in nitric acid solutions and the results were found comparable with those on their microreticular counter parts, Dowex 50x8 and Dowex IX4. With a view to evalute the efficiency of Amberlyst A-26 for the final purification of plutonium from the purex process stream, detailed studies conducted to determine the breakthrough capacity of Pu(IV) from 7.2 M nitric acid, elution by 0.5 M nitric acid and the decontamination factors for uranium and zirconium-95. Because of its faster kinetics, Amberlyst A-26 exhibited a much more efficient elution of Pu(IV) by 0.5 M nitric acid than Dowex IX4. (author)

  5. Experimental Assessment of the Use of a Novel Superabsorbent polymer (SAP for the Optimization ofWater Consumption in Agricultural Irrigation Process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giuseppe Cannazza

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available In this work, an innovative cellulose-based superabsorbent polymer (SAP was experimentally assessed as an environmentally friendly alternative to acrylate-based SAPs, for the optimization of water consumption in agriculture. The cellulose-based SAP was synthesized and tested for its swelling capability in different aqueous media. The effectiveness of the SAP in agricultural applications was then evaluated by analyzing its performance after several absorption/desorption cycles, over a period of approximately 80 days, upon addition to different types of soil, i.e., white and red soil, for the cultivation of two varieties of plants typical of the Mediterranean area (tomatoes and chicory. The results confirmed that SAP-amended soil can store a considerable amount of water and can release it gradually to the plant roots when needed. The adoption of the proposed SAP in cultivations could thus represent a promising solution for the rationalization of water resources, especially in desert areas.

  6. Current state and future prospect on polyacrylic scid based superabsorbent polymer. Polyacrylic sankei kokyusuisei polymer no genjo to kongo no tenkai

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shimomura, T.; Kobayashi, H. (Nippon Shokubai Kagaku Kogyo Co. Ltd., Osaka (Japan))

    1991-10-01

    A polymer that absorbs water vigorously and swells is called a superabsorbent polymer (SAP). This peculiar character has developed diverse applications including paper diapers, and its production showed a rapid growth to more than 200,000 tons (worldwide) in the past decade. This paper introduces the development and applications for polyacrylic acid-based SAP, a representative SAP. The research began in the U.S.A. in about the year 1976. For its characteristics suitable for paper diapers and cost advantages, the acrylate-based SAP has become accounting for the most at the present. The polymer is manufactured by polymerzation crosslinking of acrylic acid or sodium acrylate to produce polyacrylate crosslinked bodies. The polymer swells to 100 to 1000 times in deionized water, and turns into a hydrogel. Unlike a sponge, the swelled gel will not ooze out water even if pressed. However, its absorption performance decreases extremely in electrolytic aqueous solution, which is a problem for the future development. 17 refs., 5 figs., 7 tabs.

  7. The influence of plutonium concentration and solution flow rate on the effective capacity of macroporous anion exchange resin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marsh, S.F.; Gallegos, T.D.

    1987-07-01

    The principal aqueous process used to recover and purify plutonium at the Los Alamos Plutonium Facility is anion exchange in nitric acid. Previous studies with gel-type anion exchange resin have shown an inverse relationship between plutonium concentration in the feed solution and the optimum flow rate for this process. Because gel-type resin has been replaced with macroporous resin at Los Alamos, the relationship between plutonium concentration and solution flow rate was reexamined with the selected Lewatit MP-500-FK resin using solutions of plutonium in nitric acid and in nitric acid with high levels of added nitrate salts. Our results with this resin differ significantly from previous data obtained with gel-type resin. Flow-rate variation from 10 to 80 liters per hour had essentially no effect on the measured quantities of plutonium sorbed by the macroporous resin. However, the effect of plutonium concentration in the feed solutions was pronounced, as feed solutions that contained the highest concentrations of plutonium also produced the highest resin loadings. The most notable effect of high concentrations of dissolved nitrate salts in these solutions was an increased resin capacity for plutonium at low flow rates. 16 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs

  8. Synthesis and application of a macroporous silica-based polymeric octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphoshine oxide composite for the chromatographic separation of high level liquid waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, A.

    2006-01-01

    The Minor Actinides Recovery from HLW by Extraction Chromatography (MAREC) process was used mainly for the separation of minor actinides (MAs) and some specific fission products (FPs) from highly active liquid waste (HLW) by the composite CMPO/SiO 2 -P of the macroporous silica based polymeric octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphoshine oxide (CMPO) and others. In this study a cascade of chromatographic separation was performed on a 3.0M HNO 3 solution containing 5.0 x 10 -3 M of 13 elements, at 323 K. The cascade consisted of three columns the first and second ones were packed with CMPO/SiO 2 -P and the third with SiO 2 -P particles. The first column was employed to prepare various eluents containing saturated CMPO. The second column was used for separation into groups. The CMPO of CMPO/SiO2-P was recovered from the effluent by the third column and a CMPO-free effluent containing minor actinides was obtained. The elements contained in the simulated HLW of 3.0M HNO 3 were separated into (1) a non-adsorption group (Sr, Cs, and Ru etc.), (2) a MA-hRE (heavy rare earth)-Mo-Zr group, and (3) a lRE (light rare earth) group by eluting with 3.0M HNO 3 , 0.05M DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) (pH 2.0) and HNO 3 (pH 3.5), respectively. The resultant MA-hRE-Mo-Zr mixture containing minor actinides was then separated into the groups (1) Pd-Ru, (2) MA-hRE, and (3) Mo-Zr by utilizing 3.0M HNO 3 , distilled water, and 0.05M DTPA (pH 2.0) as eluents. More than 92% of CMPO in the MA-hRE containing effluent was adsorbed by SiO 2 -P particles. The effectivity and technical feasibility of MAREC process were demonstrated. (author)

  9. Low-cost removal of organic pollutants with nickel nanoparticle loaded ordered macroporous hydrogel as high performance catalyst

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tang, Mingyi, E-mail: tmyi@tjcu.edu.cn [Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin 300134 (China); Huang, Guanbo, E-mail: gbhuang2007@hotmail.com [Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Zhang, Sai [Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin 300134 (China); Liu, Yue [Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Li, Xianxian [Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin 300134 (China); Wang, Xingrui [Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China); Pang, Xiaobo [Department of Applied Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University of Commerce, Tianjin 300134 (China); Qiu, Haixia, E-mail: qhx@tju.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry, School of Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072 (China)

    2014-06-01

    A facile route for the in situ preparation of catalytically active Ni nanoparticles (NPs) in ordered macroporous hydrogel (OMH) has been developed. The hydrogel was fabricated based on polystyrene colloid template. The electronegativity of amide and carboxyl groups on the poly(acrylamide-co-acryl acid) chains of the hydrogel caused strong binding of Ni{sup 2+} ions which made them distribute uniformly inside the hydrogel. When immersed in NaBH{sub 4} aqueous solution, the Ni{sup 2+} ions on the hydrogel were reduced to Ni NPs. The resultant Ni NPs loaded OMH showed good catalytic activity for the reduction of a common organic pollutant, 4-nitrophenol, with NaBH{sub 4}. A kinetic study of the catalytic reaction was carried out. The rate constant per unit weight could reach 0.53 s{sup −1} g{sup −1}, which is much better than many common hydrogel loaded nickel catalysts. Moreover, the current catalyst can be easily separated and recovered with stable catalytic activity. - Highlights: • A new poly(acrylamide-co-acryl acid) hydrogel with ordered macropores. • A simple in situ fabrication of nickel nanoparticles under mild conditions. • High-performance heterogeneous catalyst for removal of nitrophenol from water. • Good recyclability of catalyst without any complicated regeneration process.

  10. Low-cost removal of organic pollutants with nickel nanoparticle loaded ordered macroporous hydrogel as high performance catalyst

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Mingyi; Huang, Guanbo; Zhang, Sai; Liu, Yue; Li, Xianxian; Wang, Xingrui; Pang, Xiaobo; Qiu, Haixia

    2014-01-01

    A facile route for the in situ preparation of catalytically active Ni nanoparticles (NPs) in ordered macroporous hydrogel (OMH) has been developed. The hydrogel was fabricated based on polystyrene colloid template. The electronegativity of amide and carboxyl groups on the poly(acrylamide-co-acryl acid) chains of the hydrogel caused strong binding of Ni 2+ ions which made them distribute uniformly inside the hydrogel. When immersed in NaBH 4 aqueous solution, the Ni 2+ ions on the hydrogel were reduced to Ni NPs. The resultant Ni NPs loaded OMH showed good catalytic activity for the reduction of a common organic pollutant, 4-nitrophenol, with NaBH 4 . A kinetic study of the catalytic reaction was carried out. The rate constant per unit weight could reach 0.53 s −1  g −1 , which is much better than many common hydrogel loaded nickel catalysts. Moreover, the current catalyst can be easily separated and recovered with stable catalytic activity. - Highlights: • A new poly(acrylamide-co-acryl acid) hydrogel with ordered macropores. • A simple in situ fabrication of nickel nanoparticles under mild conditions. • High-performance heterogeneous catalyst for removal of nitrophenol from water. • Good recyclability of catalyst without any complicated regeneration process

  11. Behaviour of a new composite mesh for the repair of full-thickness abdominal wall defects in a rabbit model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gemma Pascual

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Composite biomaterials designed for the repair of abdominal wall defects are composed of a mesh component and a laminar barrier in contact with the visceral peritoneum. This study assesses the behaviour of a new composite mesh by comparing it with two latest-generation composites currently used in clinical practice. METHODS: Defects (7x5cm created in the anterior abdominal wall of New Zealand White rabbits were repaired using a polypropylene mesh and the composites: Physiomesh(TM; Ventralight(TM and a new composite mesh with a three-dimensional macroporous polyester structure and an oxidized collagen/chitosan barrier. Animals were sacrificed on days 14 and 90 postimplant. Specimens were processed to determine host tissue incorporation, gene/protein expression of neo-collagens (RT-PCR/immunofluorescence, macrophage response (RAM-11-immunolabelling and biomechanical resistance. On postoperative days 7/14, each animal was examined laparoscopically to quantify adhesions between the visceral peritoneum and implant. RESULTS: The new composite mesh showed the lowest incidence of seroma in the short term. At each time point, the mesh surface covered with adhesions was greater in controls than composites. By day 14, the implants were fully infiltrated by a loose connective tissue that became denser over time. At 90 days, the peritoneal mesh surface was lined with a stable mesothelium. The new composite mesh induced more rapid tissue maturation than Physiomesh(TM, giving rise to a neoformed tissue containing more type I collagen. In Ventralight(TM the macrophage reaction was intense and significantly greater than the other composites at both follow-up times. Tensile strengths were similar for each biomaterial. CONCLUSIONS: All composites showed optimal peritoneal behaviour, inducing good peritoneal regeneration and scarce postoperative adhesion formation. A greater foreign body reaction was observed for Ventralight(TM. All composites induced

  12. Surface plasmon resonance sensor for femtomolar detection of testosterone with water-compatible macroporous molecularly imprinted film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qingwen; Jing, Lijing; Zhang, Jinling; Ren, Yamin; Wang, Yang; Wang, Yi; Wei, Tianxin; Liedberg, Bo

    2014-10-15

    A novel water-compatible macroporous molecularly imprinted film (MIF) has been developed for rapid, sensitive, and label-free detection of small molecule testosterone in urine. The MIF was synthesized by photo copolymerization of monomers (methacrylic acid [MAA] and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate [HEMA]), cross-linker (ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, EGDMA), and polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) in combination with template testosterone molecules. The PS NPs and template molecules were subsequently removed to form an MIF with macroporous structures and the specific recognition sites of testosterone. Incubation of artificial urine and human urine on the MIF and the non-imprinted film (NIF), respectively, indicated undetectable nonspecific adsorption. Accordingly, the MIF was applied on a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensor for the detection of testosterone in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and artificial urine with a limit of detection (LOD) down to 10(-15)g/ml. To the best of our knowledge, the LOD is considered as one of the lowest among the SPR sensors for the detection of small molecules. The control experiments performed with analogue molecules such as progesterone and estradiol demonstrated the good selectivity of this MIF for sensing testosterone. Furthermore, this MIF-based SPR sensor shows high stability and reproducibility over 8months of storage at room temperature, which is more robust than protein-based biosensors. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Evaluation of Some Morphological Characteristics, Water Use Efficiency and Essential Oil of Basil (Ocimum basilicum var. keshkeni luvelou under Application of Malva Leaves and Superabsorbent Polymer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Beigi

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Medicinal plants are rich in active substances and primarily have been used in the manufacture of many drugs. Basil (Ocimum basilicum L. is one of the important medicinal plants whichbelongs to the Lamiaceae family. Basil essential oil content (between 0.5 to 1.5 percent varies according to climatic conditions of habitat location. Basilneeds a lot of water during growth period and it is very sensitive to water stress and shows wilting symptoms very soon after water shortage. Iran is located in an arid and semi-arid region which has little precipitation that is not enough for crop water requirements. Nowadays, the use of superabsorbent polymers is one of the ways to create sustainable agriculture and increase irrigation efficiency. They can store high water or aqueous solutions in root zone of plants and to reduce negative effects of drought stress. So, improvement of plant growth, increasing of irrigation intervals, reducing water loss and costs of irrigation is due to the application of superabsorbent polymers. Mucilages are also the herbal polysaccharides, soluble in water, and commonly include carbohydrates and can be used as hydrophilic polymers. The aims of this investigation were to study the effects of hydrophilic polymers on water use efficiency, morphological characteristics (dry matter, leaf area, and leaf number, essential oil quantity and yield of basil to harden plant to drought stress and to evaluate its potential to cultivate in arid regions. In addition, taking steps forward towards sustainable agriculture, by reducing the cost of agricultural production, helps protecting the environment. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted as a pot experiment at the department of Horticultural Science‚ college of Agricultural‚ Ferdowsi University of Mashhad‚ Iran, during 2012-2013.The research was set out in a factorial experiment on the basis of completely randomized block design with three replications

  14. Formation mechanism of 3D macroporous graphene aerogel in alcohol-water media under gamma-ray radiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Weikang; Wu, Yihu; Jiang, Zhiwen; Wang, Mozhen; Wu, Qichao; Zhou, Xiao; Ge, Xuewu

    2018-01-01

    The subtle control on the self-assembly behavior of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets is one of effective ways for the preparation of high-performance macroscopic graphene-based materials. In this work, detailed characterizations and discussion on the morphological and compositional changes on the solid products in various alcohol-water dispersions of GO under γ-ray radiation were carried out, proving the concurrent hydroxyalkylation and reduction processes of GO nanosheets in the system, which triggered the spontaneous self-assembly of the hydroxyalkylated and reduced GO nanosheets (HA-rGO). The pH and the volume ratio of alcohol to water (ϕa/w) are the key factors to control the self-assembly of the HA-rGO sheets. A free-standing graphene hydrogel (GH) only forms in the strong acid alcohol-water media with an appropriate ϕa/w. After the freeze-drying of the GH, a macroporous graphene aerogel (GA) was obtained, which exhibited a high absorption performance for not only nonpolar molecules (cyclohexane and kerosene), but also most polar molecules (toluene, chloroform, glycol, etc). This work demonstrates a comprehensive self-assembly mechanism of GO nanosheets in an aqueous media under γ-ray radiation and reveals that GA produced from the reduction of GO can be used as potential super-adsorbents for not only waste oil, but also the polar alcohols.

  15. Effects of superabsorbent polymers on the fate of fungicidal carbendazim in soils

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Yatian; Wang, Haiyan, E-mail: wanghaiyan@zju.edu.cn; Huang, Lei; Zhang, Sufen; He, Yupeng; Gao, Qi; Ye, Qingfu, E-mail: qfye@zju.edu.cn

    2017-04-15

    Highlights: • SAPs affected the transformation of MBC in oxic soils. • MBC mineralization was obviously inhibited in loamy and saline soils with SAPs. • SAPs enhanced the dissipation of MBC in acidic clayey soil. • SAPs increased the bound residue of MBC in soils. • Soil microbial state was changed after treated with MBC and SAPs during incubation. - Abstract: Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) have been extensively used as soil amendments to retain water, and they often coexist with pesticides in agricultural fields. However, effects of SAPs on the fate of pesticides in soil remain poorly understood. In this study, a laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of SAPs on the transformation of {sup 14}C-carbendazim in soils. The results showed that compared to the SAPs-free control, 11.4% relative reduction of {sup 14}C-carbendazim extractable residue was observed in red clayey soil with SAPs amendment after 100 days of incubation (p < 0.05). Carbendazim dissipation was enhanced by 34.7%, while no obvious difference was found in loamy soil and saline soil (p > 0.05). SAPs changed the profiles of major metabolites (2-aminobenzimidazole and 2-hydroxybenzimidazole) to some extent. After 100 days of SAPs treatment, the mineralization of {sup 14}C-carbendazim was significantly reduced by 37.6% and 41.2% in loamy soil and saline soil, respectively, relative to the SAPs-free treatment (p < 0.05). SAPs increased the bound residue of carbendazim by 11.1–19.1% in comparison with SAPs-free controls. These findings suggest SAPs amendments significantly affected the fate of carbendazim and attention should be given to the assessment of environmental and ecological safety of pesticides in SAPs-amended soils.

  16. The evaluation/application of Hydrus-2D model for simulating macro-pores flow in loess soil

    OpenAIRE

    Xuexuan Xu; Shahmir Ali Kalhoro; Wen yuan Chen; Sajjad Raza

    2017-01-01

    Soil hydraulic properties were mainly governed by soil structures especially when the structures is full of the connected soil macro-pores. Therefore, the good hydrological models need to be well documented for revealing the process of soil water movement affected by soil medium. The Hydrus-2D model with double domain was recommended in simulating water movement in a heterogeneous medium of soil. To evaluate the performance of the double domain Hydrus-2D model in loess soil, the dynamic of so...

  17. Extraction of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater with macroporous resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaoxi; Hansen, Conly; Allen, Karin

    2014-02-01

    This study investigated purification of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater by column chromatography with 5 types of macroporous resins (Diaion Hp20, Sepabeads Sp70, Sepabeads Sp207, Sepabeads Sp700, and Sepabeads Sp710). By-product of canned black beans was partially purified by filtration, in anticipation of higher performance during column chromatography. Equilibrium adsorption isotherms were measured and analyzed using Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Both Langmuir (all R² ≥ 0.98) and Freundlich (all R² ≥ 0.97) models can describe the adsorption process of anthocyanins from black bean canning wastewater using the tested resins. The adsorption and desorption behaviors of anthocyanins were studied using a dynamic method on the 5 types of resins, and Sp700 presented the highest adsorption capacity (39 ± 4 mg/g; P canning wastewater. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

  18. Effects of superabsorbent polymers on the abundances of antibiotic resistance genes, mobile genetic elements, and the bacterial community during swine manure composting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Aiyun; Gu, Jie; Wang, Xiaojuan; Zhang, Ranran; Yin, Yanan; Sun, Wei; Tuo, Xiaxia; Zhang, Li

    2017-11-01

    Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are considered suitable amendments for reducing the selection pressure due to heavy metals and the abundances of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during composting. In this study, three SAP (sodium polyacrylate) levels (0, 5, and 15mgkg -1 of compost) were applied and their effects on the abundances of ARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and the bacterial community were investigated. After composting, the abundances of ARGs and MGEs decreased to different extent, where the removal efficiencies for tetW, dfrA7, ermX, aac(6')-ib-cr and MGEs exceeded 90%. The high SAP concentration significantly reduced the abundances of ARGs and MGEs, and changed the microbial community. Redundancy analysis indicated that the moisture content mainly explained the changes in ARGs and MGEs. Network analysis determined the potential hosts of ARGs and MGEs, and their co-occurrence. The results suggested that applying 15mgkg -1 SAP is appropriate for reducing ARGs in compost. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  19. Degradation and biocompatibility of porous nano-hydroxyapatite/polyurethane composite scaffold for bone tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dong Zhihong [Research Center for Nano-Biomaterials, Analytical and Testing Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China); Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1295 Dingxi Road, Shanghai 200050 (China); Li Yubao, E-mail: nic7504@scu.edu.cn [Research Center for Nano-Biomaterials, Analytical and Testing Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China); Zou Qin [Research Center for Nano-Biomaterials, Analytical and Testing Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064 (China)

    2009-04-01

    Porous scaffold containing 30 wt% nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) and 70 wt% polyurethane (PU) from castor oil was prepared by a foaming method and investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared absorption (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The results show that n-HA particles disperse homogeneously in the PU matrix. The porous scaffold has not only macropores of 100-800 {mu}m in size but also a lot of micropores on the walls of macropores. The porosity and compressive strength of scaffold are 80% and 271 kPa, respectively. After soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF), hydrolysis and deposition partly occur on the scaffold. The biological evaluation in vitro and in vivo shows that the n-HA/PU scaffold is non-cytotoxic and degradable. The porous structure provides a good microenvironment for cell adherence, growth and proliferation. The n-HA/PU composite scaffold can be satisfied with the basic requirement for tissue engineering, and has the potential to be applied in repair and substitute of human menisci of the knee-joint and articular cartilage.

  20. Radiation synthesis and characterization of network structure of natural/synthetic double-network superabsorbent polymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, M.; Hayrabolulu, H.

    2011-01-01

    Complete text of publication follows. Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are moderately cross linked, 3-D, hydrophilic network polymers that can absorb and conserve considerable amounts of aqueous fluids even under certain heat or pressure. Because of the unique properties superior to conventional absorbents, SAPs have found potential application in many fields such as hygienic products, disposable diapers, horticulture, gel actuators, drug-delivery systems, as well as water-blocking tapes coal dewatering, water managing materials for the renewal of arid and desert environment, etc. In recent years, naturally available resources, such as polysaccharides have drawn considerable attention for the preparation of SAPs. Since the mechanical properties of polysaccharide based natural polymers are low, researchers have mostly focused on natural/synthetic polymer/monomer mixtures to obtain novel SAPs. The aim of this study is to synthesize and characterization of network structure of novel double-network (DN) hydrogels as a SAP. Hydrogels with high mechanical strength have been prepared by radiation induced polymerization and crosslink of acrylic acid sodium salt in the presence of natural polymer locust bean gum. Liquid retention capacities and absorbency under load (AUL) analysis of synthesized SAPs was performed at different temperatures in water and synthetic urine solution, in order to determine their SAP character. For the characterization of network structure of the semi-IPN hydrogels, the average molecular weight between cross links (M c ) were evaluated by using uniaxial compression and oscillatory dynamical mechanical analyses and the advantage and disadvantage of these two technique for the characterization of network structures were compared.

  1. Adsorption and desorption properties of macroporous resins for anthocyanins from the calyx extract of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Xiu-Lian; Wang, Dong; Chen, Bi-Yun; Feng, Yong-Mei; Wen, Shao-Hong; Zhan, Peng-Yuan

    2012-03-07

    Adsorption of roselle anthocynins, a natural pigment, onto various macroporous resins was optimized to develop a simple and efficient process for industrial separation and purification of roselle anthocyanins. Nine different macroporous resins (AB-8, X-5, HPD-100, SP-207, XAD-4, LS-305A, DM-21, LS-610B, and LS-305) were evaluated for the adsorption properties of the anthocyanins extracted from the calyx extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. The influences of phase contact time, solution pH, initial anthocyanin concentration, and ethanol concentration with different citric acid amounts were studied by the static adsorption/desorption method. The adsorption isotherm data were fitted well to the Langmuir isotherm, and according to this model, LS-610B and LS-305 exhibited the highest monolayer sorption capacities of 31.95 and 38.16 mg/g, respectively. The kinetic data were modeled using pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and intraparticle diffusion equations. The experimental data were well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Continuous column adsorption-regeneration cycles indicated negligible capacity loss of LS-305 during operation. The overall yield of pigment product was 49.6 mg/g dried calyces. The content of roselle anthocynins in the pigment product was 4.85%.

  2. Molecularly imprinted macroporous monoliths for solid-phase extraction: Effect of pore size and column length on recognition properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vlakh, E G; Stepanova, M A; Korneeva, Yu M; Tennikova, T B

    2016-09-01

    The series of macroporous monolithic molecularly imprinted monoliths differed by pore size, column length (volume) and amount of template used for imprinting was synthesized using methacrylic acid and glycerol dimethacrylate as co-monomers and antibiotic ciprofloxacin as a template. The prepared monoliths were characterized regarding to their permeability, pore size, porosity, and resistance to the flow of a mobile phase. The surface morphology was also analyzed. The slight dependence of imprinting factor on flow rate, as well as its independence on pore size of macroporous molecularly imprinted monolithic media was observed. The column obtained at different conditions exhibited different affinity of ciprofloxacin to the imprinted sites that was characterized with Kdiss values in the range of 10(-5)-10(-4)M. The solid-phase extraction of ciprofloxacin from such biological liquids as human blood serum, human urine and cow milk serum was performed using the developed monolithic columns. In all cases, the extraction was found to be 95.0-98.6%. Additionally, the comparison of extraction of three fluoroqinolone analogues, e.g. ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin, from human blood plasma was carried out. Contrary to ciprofloxacin extracted with more than 95%, this parameter did not exceed 40% for its analogues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Soil macropores: Control on infiltration, hillslope and surface hydrology on a reclaimed surface-mined watershed

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guebert, M.D.; Gardner, T.W.

    1992-01-01

    The hydrologic response of a surface-mined watershed in central Pennsylvania is controlled by rapid macropore flow within the unsaturated man-made topsoil. Newly reclaimed surface-mined watersheds in central Pennsylvania exhibit low steady-state infiltration rates (1--2 cm/hr) and produce runoff dominated by infiltration-excess overland flow. However, within four years after reclamation, infiltration rates on some mine surfaces approach premined rates (8 cm/hr). As infiltration rate increases, the volume of infiltrated water increases, but the total porosity of minesoil matrix remains constant. There is little change in the surface discharge volume, indicating that infiltrated water continues to contribute to the basin surface discharge by the processes of throughflow and return flow. Throughflow in the topsoil horizon occurs in rapid response to rainfall input, producing large volumes of water with throughflow rates closely related to rainfall rates and with throughflow peaks following rainfall peaks by only minutes. Increased return flow alters the shape of the surface runoff hydrograph by slightly lagging behind infiltration excess overland flow. These changes in the shape of the surface runoff hydrograph reduce the potential for severe gully erosion on the reclaimed site. In addition, throughflow water remains predominantly in the topsoil horizon, and therefore has limited contact with potentially acid-producing backfill. Better understanding of macropore flow processes in reclaimed minesoils will help investigators evaluate past strategies and develop new reclamation techniques that will minimize the short-term surface erosional effects of mining and reclamation, while optimizing the long-term effluent and groundwater quality

  4. Qualitative Analysis of Polyphenols in Macroporous Resin Pretreated Pomegranate Husk Extract by HPLC-QTOF-MS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdulla, Rahima; Mansur, Sanawar; Lai, Haizhong; Ubul, Ablikim; Sun, Guangying; Huang, Guozheng; Aisa, Haji Akber

    2017-09-01

    Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) husk is a traditional herbal medicine abundant in phenolic compounds and plays some roles in the treatment of oxidative stress, bacterial and viral infection, diabetes mellitus, and acute and chronic inflammation. Identification and determination of polyphenols in macroporous resin pretreated pomegranate husk extract by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS). The total polyphenols of pomegranate husk were prepared by ethanol extraction followed by pretreatment with HPD-300 macroporous resin. The polyphenolic compounds were qualitatively analysed by HPLC-QTOF-MS in negative electrospray ionisation (ESI) mode at different collision energy (CE) values. A total of 50 polyphenols were detected in the extract of pomegranate husk, including 35 hydrolysable tannins and 15 flavonoids with distinct retention time, fragmentation behaviours and characteristics, and the accurate mass-to-charge ratios at low, moderate and high CE values. Of these, we identified nine compounds for the first time in the pomegranate husk, including hexahydroxydiphenoyl-valoneoyl-glucoside (HHDP-valoneyl-glucoside), galloyl-O-punicalin, rutin, hyperoside, quercimeritrin, kaempferol-7-O-rhahmano-glucoside, luteolin-3'-O-arabinoside, luteolin-3'-O-glucoside, and luteolin-4'-O-glucoside. To validate the specificity and accuracy of mass spectrometry in the detection of polyphenols, as compared to the fragmentation pathways of granatin B in detail, including the HHDP-valoneyl- glucoside was first identified from pomegranate husk. The study provides evidence for the quality control and development of novel drugs based on polyphenols from the pomegranate husk. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. Self-floating carbon nanotube membrane on macroporous silica substrate for highly efficient solar-driven interfacial water evaporation

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Yuchao

    2016-01-22

    Given the emerging energy and water challenges facing the mankind, solar-driven water evaporation has been gaining renewed research attention from both academia and industry as an energy efficient means of wastewater treatment and clean water production. In this project, a bi-layered material, consisting of a top self-floating hydrophobic CNT membrane and a bottom hydrophilic macroporous silica substrate, was rationally designed and fabricated for highly energy-efficient solar driven water evaporation based on the concept of interfacial heating. The top thin CNT membrane with excellent light adsorption capability, acted as photothermal component, which harvested and converted almost the entire incident light to heat for exclusively heating of interfacial water. On the other hand, the macroporous silica substrate provided multi-functions toward further improvement of operation stability and water evaporation performance of the material, including water pumping, mechanical support and heat barriers. The silica substrate was conducive in forming the rough surface structures of the CNT top layers during vacuum filtration and thus indirectly contributed to high light adsorption by the top CNT layers. With optimized thicknesses of the CNT top layer and silica substrate, a solar thermal conversion efficiency of 82 % was achieved in this study. The bi-layered material also showed great performance toward water evaporation from seawater and contaminated water, realizing the separation of water from pollutants, and indicating its application versatility.

  6. Self-floating carbon nanotube membrane on macroporous silica substrate for highly efficient solar-driven interfacial water evaporation

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Yuchao; Zhang, Lianbin; Wang, Peng

    2016-01-01

    Given the emerging energy and water challenges facing the mankind, solar-driven water evaporation has been gaining renewed research attention from both academia and industry as an energy efficient means of wastewater treatment and clean water production. In this project, a bi-layered material, consisting of a top self-floating hydrophobic CNT membrane and a bottom hydrophilic macroporous silica substrate, was rationally designed and fabricated for highly energy-efficient solar driven water evaporation based on the concept of interfacial heating. The top thin CNT membrane with excellent light adsorption capability, acted as photothermal component, which harvested and converted almost the entire incident light to heat for exclusively heating of interfacial water. On the other hand, the macroporous silica substrate provided multi-functions toward further improvement of operation stability and water evaporation performance of the material, including water pumping, mechanical support and heat barriers. The silica substrate was conducive in forming the rough surface structures of the CNT top layers during vacuum filtration and thus indirectly contributed to high light adsorption by the top CNT layers. With optimized thicknesses of the CNT top layer and silica substrate, a solar thermal conversion efficiency of 82 % was achieved in this study. The bi-layered material also showed great performance toward water evaporation from seawater and contaminated water, realizing the separation of water from pollutants, and indicating its application versatility.

  7. Preparation of Macroporous Poly (vinyl alcohol-co-triallyl isocyanurate) Beads Bearing Aminocarboxylic Acid as Functional Groups by Suspension Polymerization

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    2003-01-01

    Macroporous poly (vinyl acetate-co-triallyl isocyanurate) beads were prepared with suspension polymerization method. The copolymer beads were then transformed into poly (vinyl alcohol-co-triallyl isocyanurate) by ester exchange reaction. Aminocarboxylic acids were immobilized on the copolymer beads by the esterification of hydroxyl groups with diethyl-lenetriaminepentaacetic bisanhydride. The weak acid exchange capacities, specific surface areas and mean pore diameters of the resultant resin beads were measured.

  8. Hierarchically Macroporous Graphitic Nanowebs Exhibiting Ultra-fast and Stable Charge Storage Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Young Soo

    2018-02-01

    The macro/microstructures of carbon-based electrode materials for supercapacitor applications play a key role in their electrochemical performance. In this study, hierarchically macroporous graphitic nanowebs (HM-GNWs) were prepared from bacterial cellulose by high-temperature heating at 2400 °C. The HM-GNWs were composed of well-developed graphitic nanobuilding blocks with a high aspect ratio, which was entangled as a nanoweb structure. The morphological and microstructural characteristics of the HM-GNWs resulted in remarkable charge storage performance. In particular, the HM-GNWs exhibited very fast charge storage behaviors at scan rates ranging from 5 to 100 V s-1, in which area capacitances ranging from 8.9 to 3.8 mF cm-2 were achieved. In addition, 97% capacitance retention was observed after long-term cycling for more than 1,000,000 cycles.

  9. Dual-Function Electrocatalytic and Macroporous Hollow-Fiber Cathode for Converting Waste Streams to Valuable Resources Using Microbial Electrochemical Systems

    KAUST Repository

    Katuri, Krishna; Kalathil, Shafeer; Ragab, Ala'a; Bian, Bin; AlQahtani, Manal Faisal; Pant, Deepak; Saikaly, Pascal

    2018-01-01

    Dual-function electrocatalytic and macroporous hollow-fiber cathodes are recently proposed as promising advanced material for maximizing the conversion of waste streams such as wastewater and waste CO2 to valuable resources (e.g., clean freshwater, energy, value-added chemicals) in microbial electrochemical systems. The first part of this progress report reviews recent developments in this type of cathode architecture for the simultaneous recovery of clean freshwater and energy from wastewater. Critical insights are provided on suitable materials for fabricating these cathodes, as well as addressing some challenges in the fabrication process with proposed strategies to overcome them. The second and complementary part of the progress report highlights how the unique features of this cathode architecture can solve one of the intrinsic bottlenecks (gas-liquid mass transfer limitation) in the application of microbial electrochemical systems for CO2 reduction to value-added products. Strategies to further improve the availability of CO2 to microbial catalysts on the cathode are proposed. The importance of understanding microbe-cathode interactions, as well as electron transfer mechanisms at the cathode-cell and cell-cell interface to better design dual-function macroporous hollow-fiber cathodes, is critically discussed with insights on how the choice of material is important in facilitating direct electron transfer versus mediated electron transfer.

  10. Mechanosensation across borders: fibroblasts inside a macroporous scaffold sense and respond to the mechanical environment beyond the scaffold walls.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Könnig, D; Herrera, A; Duda, G N; Petersen, A

    2018-01-01

    In tissue defects, cells face distinct mechanical boundary conditions, but how this influences early stages of tissue regeneration remains largely unknown. Biomaterials are used to fill defects but also to provide specific mechanical or geometrical signals. However, they might at the same time shield mechanical information from surrounding tissues that is relevant for tissue functionalisation. This study investigated how fibroblasts in a soft macroporous biomaterial scaffold respond to distinct mechanical environments while they form microtissues. Different boundary stiffnesses counteracting scaffold contraction were provided via a newly developed in vitro setup. Online monitoring over 14 days revealed 3.0 times lower microtissue contraction but 1.6 times higher contraction force for high vs. low stiffness. This difference was significant already after 48 h, a very early stage of microtissue growth. The microtissue's mechanical and geometrical adaptation indicated a collective cellular behaviour and mechanical communication across scaffold pore walls. Surprisingly, the stiffness of the environment influenced cell behaviour even inside macroporous scaffolds where direct cell-cell contacts are hindered. Mechanical communication between cells via traction forces is essential for tissue adaptation to the environment and should not be blocked by rigid biomaterials. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  11. Dual-Function Electrocatalytic and Macroporous Hollow-Fiber Cathode for Converting Waste Streams to Valuable Resources Using Microbial Electrochemical Systems

    KAUST Repository

    Katuri, Krishna

    2018-04-30

    Dual-function electrocatalytic and macroporous hollow-fiber cathodes are recently proposed as promising advanced material for maximizing the conversion of waste streams such as wastewater and waste CO2 to valuable resources (e.g., clean freshwater, energy, value-added chemicals) in microbial electrochemical systems. The first part of this progress report reviews recent developments in this type of cathode architecture for the simultaneous recovery of clean freshwater and energy from wastewater. Critical insights are provided on suitable materials for fabricating these cathodes, as well as addressing some challenges in the fabrication process with proposed strategies to overcome them. The second and complementary part of the progress report highlights how the unique features of this cathode architecture can solve one of the intrinsic bottlenecks (gas-liquid mass transfer limitation) in the application of microbial electrochemical systems for CO2 reduction to value-added products. Strategies to further improve the availability of CO2 to microbial catalysts on the cathode are proposed. The importance of understanding microbe-cathode interactions, as well as electron transfer mechanisms at the cathode-cell and cell-cell interface to better design dual-function macroporous hollow-fiber cathodes, is critically discussed with insights on how the choice of material is important in facilitating direct electron transfer versus mediated electron transfer.

  12. Ultrasonic-assisted synthesis of superabsorbent hydrogels based on sodium lignosulfonate and their adsorption properties for Ni2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaohong; Wang, Yingying; He, Shufu; Hou, Haiqian; Hao, Chen

    2018-01-01

    Nowadays, the attention of both academic and industrial research is paid to the novel materials based on renewable organic resources. Sodium lignosulphonate (SLS) is selected in this study to synthesize novel superabsorbent hydrogels by ultrasonic polymerization. The structure, morphology and stability of SLS-based hydrogel were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Under the optimal condition, SLS-based hydrogel possesses the water absorbency of 1328g·g -1 in distilled water and 110g·g -1 in 0.9wt% NaCl solution. In addition, the prepared SLS-hydrogel as an adsorbent was applied to remove Ni 2+ from an aqueous solution in virtue of its low cost and favorable adsorption capacity. The various experimental conditions that influence the adsorption capacity were investigated such as temperature (20-60°C), pH (2.0-7.0), contact time (0-360min) and initial concentration of the Ni 2+ solution (100-600mg·L -1 ). Then the adsorption capability could reach 293mg·g -1 under optimal conditions. The results revealed that the adsorption behavior is spontaneous and endothermic. Furthermore, it was observed that the adsorption mechanism and adsorption equilibrium data obeyed pseudo-second-order kinetic and Freundlich models. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Rhombohedral iron trifluoride with a hierarchized macroporous/mesoporous texture from gaseous fluorination of iron disilicide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guérin, Katia, E-mail: katia.araujo_da_silva@univ-bpclermont.fr [Université Clermont Auvergne, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut de Chimie de Clermont-Ferrand, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand (France); CNRS, UMR 6296, ICCF, F-63171 Aubière (France); Delbègue, Diane; Louvain, Nicolas; Doubtsof, Léa; Hamwi, André [Université Clermont Auvergne, Université Blaise Pascal, Institut de Chimie de Clermont-Ferrand, BP 10448, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand (France); CNRS, UMR 6296, ICCF, F-63171 Aubière (France); Laik, Barbara; Pereira-Ramos, Jean-Pierre [Université Paris Est Créteil, Institut de Chimie et des Matériaux Paris-Est, UMR CNRS 7182, Thiais (France); Tahar-sougrati, Moulay; Jumas, Jean-Claude [Université Montpellier II, Institut Charles Gerhardt de Montpellier, UMR CNRS 5253, Montpellier (France); Willmann, Patrick; Cénac-Morthe, Céline [Centre National d' Etudes Spatiales, Toulouse (France)

    2016-04-15

    Stable low temperature rhombohedral iron trifluoride has been obtained by the fluorination under the pure fluorine gas of iron disilicide. The combination of both unusual fluorination process and precursor avoids to get unhydrated crystalline FeF{sub 3} particles and allows the formation of hierarchized channels of mesoporous/macroporous texture favorable for lithium diffusion. The fluorination mechanism proceeds by temperature steps from the formation, for a fluorination temperature below 200 °C, of an amorphous phase and an intermediate iron difluoride identified mainly by {sup 57}Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy before getting, as soon as a fluorination temperature of 260 °C is reached, the rhombohedral FeF{sub 3}. Both amorphous and crystallized samples display good ability for electrochemical process when used as cathode in lithium-ion battery. The low diameter of rhombohedral structure channels is balanced by an appropriate mesoporous texture and a capacity of 225 mAh.g{sup −1} after 5 cycles for a discharge cut-off of 2.5 V vs. Li{sup +}/Li at a current density of C/20 has been obtained and stabilized at 95 mAh.g{sup −1} after 116 cycles. - Highlights: • We investigated the synthesis of rhombohedral FeF{sub 3} by solid–gas reaction from iron disilicide. • We demonstrated that depending on the fluorination temperature various phases are stabilized. • We got a hierarchized macroporous/mesoporous texture. • We studied the electrochemical performances of amorphous and crystallized FeF{sub 3}. • Crystallized FeF{sub 3} presents a high faradic yield at first cycle focusing on insertion process.

  14. Novel three-dimensionally ordered macroporous Fe{sup 3+}-doped TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts for H{sub 2} production and degradation applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yan, Xiaoqing; Xue, Chao; Yang, Bolun; Yang, Guidong, E-mail: guidongyang@xjtu.edu.cn

    2017-02-01

    Highlights: • 3DOM Fe{sup 3+}-doped TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst was prepared. • 3DOM structure showed high activity for decomposition of the RhB and the generation of H{sub 2}. • 3DOM structure provided interfacial reaction sites and optical absorption active sites. • The energy level from Fe{sup 3+} centers were existed in the band gap of TiO{sub 2}. • 3DOM structure promoted the separation of charge carriers. - Abstract: Novel three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) Fe{sup 3+}-doped TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts were prepared using a colloidal crystal template method with low-cost raw material including ferric trichloride, isopropanol, tetrabutyl titanate and polymethyl methacrylate. The as-prepared 3DOM Fe{sup 3+}-doped TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts were characterized by various analytical techniques. TEM and SEM results showed that the obtained photocatalysts possess well-ordered macroporous structure in three dimensional orientations. As proved by XPS and EDX analysis that Fe{sup 3+} ions have been introduced TiO{sub 2} lattice and the doped Fe{sup 3+} ions can act as the electron acceptor/donor centers to significantly enhance the electron transfer from the bulk to surface of TiO{sub 2}, resulting in more electrons could take part in the oxygen reduction process thereby decreasing the recombination rate of photogenerated charges. Meanwhile, the 3DOM architecture with the feature of interfacial chemical reaction active sites and optical absorption active sites is remarkably favorable for the reactant transfer and light trapping in the photoreaction process. As a result, the 3DOM Fe{sup 3+}-doped TiO{sub 2} photocatalysts show the considerably higher photocatalytic activity for decomposition of the Rhodamine B (RhB) and the generation of hydrogen under visible light irradiation due to the synergistic effects of open, interconnected macroporous network and metal ion doping.

  15. Optimization of cement composites with the use of fillers from the Chechen Republic fields

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balatkhanova Elita Mahmudovna

    Full Text Available The fillers together with binders take part in microstructure formation of matrix basis and contact zones of a composite. The advantage of cement matrix structure with a filler is that inner defects are localized in it - microcracks, macropores and capillary pores, as well as that their quantity, their sizes and stress concentration decrease. Structure formation of filled cement composites is based on the processes taking place in the contact of liquid and stiff phases, which means, it depends on the quantitative relation of the cement, fillers and water, and also dispersivity and physical and chemical activity of the fillers. In the article the authors offer research results of the processes of hydration and physical-mechanical properties of cement composites with fillers from the fields of the Chechen Republic. Research results of heat cement systems are presented, modified by fine fillers. Optimal composition of cement composites filled with powders of quartz, sandstone, river and a mountain limestone of different particle size composition, characterized by a high strength, are obtained.

  16. Effects of CT Number-Derived Matrix Density on Preferential Flow 1 and Transport in a Macroporous Agricultural Soil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Katuwal, Sheela; Moldrup, Per; Lamandé, Mathieu

    2015-01-01

    risks to public health. This study was focused on establishing links between the structural pore space and preferential transport using a combination of standard physical measurement methods for air and water permeabilities, breakthrough experiments, and X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) on large soil...... columns. Substantial structural heterogeneity that resulted in significant variations of flow and tracer transport was observed, despite the textural similarity of investigated samples. Quantification of macropore characteristics with X-ray CT was useful but not sufficient to explain the variability...

  17. Adsorption kinetics, isotherm, and thermodynamics studies of acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acids (AKBA) from Boswellia serrata extract using macroporous resin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niphadkar, Sonali S; Rathod, Virendra K

    2017-09-14

    An acetyl-11-keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA) is potent anti-inflammatory agent found in Boswellia serrata oleogum resin. Adsorption characteristics of AKBA from B. serrata were studied using macroporous adsorbent resin to understand separation and adsorption mechanism of targeted molecules. Different macroporous resins were screened for adsorption and desorption of AKBA and Indion 830 was screened as it showed higher adsorption capacity. The kinetic equations were studied and results showed that the adsorption of AKBA on Indion 830 was well fitted to the pseudo first-order kinetic model. The influence of two parameters such as temperature (298, 303, and 308 K) and pH (5-8) on the adsorption process was also studied. The experimental data was further investigated using Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin isotherm models. It was observed that Langmuir isotherm model was found to be the best fit for AKBA adsorption by Indion 830 and highest adsorption capacity (50.34 mg/g) was obtained at temperature of 303 K. The values of thermodynamic parameters such as the change of Gibbs free energy (ΔG*), entropy (ΔS*), and enthalpy (ΔH*), indicated that the process of adsorption was spontaneous, favourable, and exothermic.

  18. A multi-scaled hybrid orthopedic implant: bone ECM-shaped Sr-HA nanofibers on the microporous walls of a macroporous titanium scaffold.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Yong; Zhou, Jianhong; Zhang, Lan; Xu, Kewei

    2011-07-08

    We report here, for the first time, a novel multi-scaled hybrid orthopedic implant material consisting of a macroporous Ti scaffold, whose macropores' walls have a microporous titania layer which is fully covered with nanofibers of Sr-doped hydroxyapatite (Sr-HA). The microporous titania layer is formed on and within the Ti scaffold by micro-arc oxidation, which firmly binds to the Ti substrate and contains Ca2+, Sr2+ and PO4(3-) ions. It is then hydrothermally treated to form Sr-HA nanofibers. During the hydrothermal treatment, Sr-HA nanoprisms nucleate from Ca0.5Sr0.5TiO3 pre-formed on the TiO2 and grow in length to nanofibers at the expense of Ca2+, Sr2+ and PO4(3-) ions that migrate from the TiO2. These Sr-HA nanofibers construct a network structure similar to the hierarchical organization of bone extracellular matrix (ECM), and the resulting nanofibrous surface displays a firm adhesion to substrate, superhydrophilicity and apatite-inducing ability. The induced apatite prefers to nucleate on the basal-faceted surfaces of Sr-HA nanofibers. The nanofiber-walled scaffold has a great potential for load-bearing orthotopic use.

  19. Nitrogen-doped 3D reduced graphene oxide/polyaniline composite as active material for supercapacitor electrodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhisen; Li, Dehao; Li, Zesheng; Liu, Zhenghui; Zhang, Zhiyuan

    2017-11-01

    A facile strategy for the fabrication of a nitrogen-doped 3D reduced graphene oxide (N-3D-rGO) macroporous structure is proposed in this paper. The proposed strategy used polystyrene microspheres as the templates and melamine as the nitrogen source. Using β-MnO2 as the oxidant, the as-prepared N-3D-rGO was then composited with polyaniline (PANI) nanowires (denoted as N-3D-rGO/PANI-B). The structure, morphology, and electrochemical properties of the composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, charge-discharge test, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Results revealed that the N-3D-rGO/PANI-B composite has a better specific capacity than the composites prepared with 3D-rGO as the support material and peroxydisulfate as the oxidant. These results suggested that N-3D-rGO/PANI-B has potential applications in supercapacitors.

  20. Porous silicon-cyclodextrin based polymer composites for drug delivery applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hernandez-Montelongo, J; Naveas, N; Degoutin, S; Tabary, N; Chai, F; Spampinato, V; Ceccone, G; Rossi, F; Torres-Costa, V; Manso-Silvan, M; Martel, B

    2014-09-22

    One of the main applications of porous silicon (PSi) in biomedicine is drug release, either as a single material or as a part of a composite. PSi composites are attractive candidates for drug delivery systems because they can display new chemical and physical characteristics, which are not exhibited by the individual constituents alone. Since cyclodextrin-based polymers have been proven efficient materials for drug delivery, in this work β-cyclodextrin-citric acid in-situ polymerization was used to functionalize two kinds of PSi (nanoporous and macroporous). The synthesized composites were characterized by microscopy techniques (SEM and AFM), physicochemical methods (ATR-FTIR, XPS, water contact angle, TGA and TBO titration) and a preliminary biological assay was performed. Both systems were tested as drug delivery platforms with two different model drugs, namely, ciprofloxacin (an antibiotic) and prednisolone (an anti-inflammatory), in two different media: pure water and PBS solution. Results show that both kinds of PSi/β-cyclodextrin-citric acid polymer composites, nano- and macro-, provide enhanced release control for drug delivery applications than non-functionalized PSi samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Formation of photoluminescent n-type macroporous silicon: Effect of magnetic field and lateral electric potential

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Antunez, E.E. [Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, UAEM, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210 (Mexico); Estevez, J.O. [Instituto de Física, B. Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, A.P. J-48, Puebla 72570 (Mexico); Campos, J. [Instituto de Energías Renovables, UNAM, Priv. Xochicalco S/N, Temixco, Morelos, CP 62580 (Mexico); Basurto-Pensado, M.A. [Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, UAEM, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210 (Mexico); Agarwal, V., E-mail: vagarwal@uaem.mx [Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, UAEM, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, CP 62210 (Mexico)

    2014-11-15

    Metal electrode-free electrochemical etching of low doped n-type silicon substrates, under the combined effect of magnetic and lateral electric field, is used to fabricate photoluminescent n-type porous silicon structures in dark conditions. A lateral gradient in terms of structural characteristics (i.e. thickness and pore dimensions) along the electric field direction is formed. Enhancement of electric and magnetic field resulted in the increase of pore density and a change in the shape of the macropore structure, from circular to square morphology. Broad photoluminescence (PL) emission from 500 to 800 nm, with a PL peak wavelength ranging from 571 to 642 nm, is attributed to the wide range of microporous features present on the porous silicon layer.

  2. Analysis of Flavonoids in Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Leaves and Their Antioxidant Activity Using Macroporous Resin Chromatography Coupled with LC-MS/MS and Antioxidant Biochemical Assays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming-Zhi Zhu

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera leaves, a traditional Chinese medicinal herb, are rich in flavonoids. In an effort to thoroughly analyze their flavonoid components, macroporous resin chromatography coupled with HPLC-MS/MS was employed to simultaneously enrich and identify flavonoids from lotus leaves. Flavonoids extracted from lotus leaves were selectively enriched in the macroporous resin column, eluted subsequently as fraction II, and successively subjected to analysis with the HPLC-MS/MS and bioactivity assays. Altogether, fourteen flavonoids were identified, four of which were identified from lotus leaves for the first time, including quercetin 3-O-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2-glucopyranoside, quercetin 3-O-arabinoside, diosmetin 7-O-hexose, and isorhamnetin 3-O-arabino- pyranosyl-(1→2-glucopyranoside. Further bioactivity assays revealed that these flavonoids from lotus leaves possess strong antioxidant activity, and demonstrate very good potential to be explored as food supplements or even pharmaceutical products to improve human health.

  3. 3D-macroporous chitosan-based scaffolds with in situ formed Pd and Pt nanoparticles for nitrophenol reduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berillo, Dmitriy; Cundy, Andrew

    2018-07-15

    3D-macroporous chitosan-based scaffolds (cryogels) were produced via growth of metal-polymer coordinated complexes and electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged groups of chitosan and metal ions under subzero temperatures. A mechanism of reduction of noble metal complexes inside the cryogel walls by glutaraldehyde is proposed, which produces discrete and dispersed noble metal nanoparticles. 3D-macroporous scaffolds prepared under different conditions were characterised using TGA, FTIR, nitrogen adsorption, SEM, EDX and TEM, and the distribution of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) and palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) in the material assessed. The catalytic activity of the in situ synthesised PdNPs, at 2.6, 12.5 and 21.0 μg total mass, respectively, was studied utilising a model system of 4-nitrophenol reduction. The kinetics of the reaction under different conditions (temperature, concentration of catalyst) were examined, and a decrease of catalytic activity was not observed over 17 treatment cycles. Increasing the temperature of the catalytic reaction from 10 to 22 and 35 °C by PdNPs supported within the cryogel increased the kinetic rate by 44 and 126%, respectively. Turnover number and turnover frequency of the PdNPs catalysts at room temperature were in the range 0.20-0.53 h -1 . The conversion degree of 4-nitrophenol at room temperature reached 98.9% (21.0 μg PdNPs). Significantly less mass of palladium nanoparticles (by 30-40 times) was needed compared to published data to obtain comparable rates of reduction of 4-nitrophenol. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Study of the structure of 3D-ordered macroporous GaN-ZnS:Mn nanocomposite films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kurdyukov, D. A., E-mail: kurd@gvg.ioffe.ru; Shishkin, I. I.; Grudinkin, S. A.; Sitnikova, A. A.; Zamoryanskaya, M. V.; Golubev, V. G. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Ioffe Physical-Technical Institute (Russian Federation)

    2015-05-15

    A film-type 3D-ordered macroporous GaN-ZnS:Mn nanocomposite with the structure of an inverted opal is fabricated. Structural studies of the nanocomposite are performed, and it is shown that GaN and ZnS:Mn introduced into the pores of the silica opal are nanocrystallites misoriented with respect to each other. It is shown that the nanocomposite is a structurally perfect 3D photonic crystal. The efficiency of using a buffer of GaN crystallites to preclude interaction between the surface of the spherical a-SiO{sub 2} particles forming the opal matrix and chemically active substances introduced into the pores is demonstrated.

  5. A Novel FCC Catalyst Based on a Porous Composite Material Synthesized via an In Situ Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shu-Qin Zheng

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available To overcome diffusion limitations and improve transport in microporous zeolite, the materials with a wide-pore structure have been developed. In this paper, composite microspheres with hierarchical porous structure were synthesized by an in situ technique using sepiolite, kaolin and pseudoboehmite as raw material. A novel fluid catalytic cracking (FCC catalyst for maximizing light oil yield was prepared based on the composite materials. The catalyst was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, nitrogen adsorption-desorption techniques and tested in a bench FCC unit. The results indicated that the catalyst had more meso- and macropores and more acid sites than the reference catalyst, and thus can increase light oil yield by 1.31 %, while exhibiting better gasoline and coke selectivity.

  6. Removal of 2,4-dichlorophenol using cyclodextrin-ionic liquid polymer as a macroporous material: Characterization, adsorption isotherm, kinetic study, thermodynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Raoov, Muggundha [University of Malaya Centre for Ionic Liquids, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Advanced Medical and Dental Institute, University of Science Malaysia, No. 1–8 (Lot 8), Persiaran Seksyen 4/1, Bandar Putra Bertam, Kepala Batas, Pulau Pinang 13200 (Malaysia); Mohamad, Sharifah, E-mail: sharifahm@um.edu.my [University of Malaya Centre for Ionic Liquids, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia); Abas, Mohd Radzi [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603 (Malaysia)

    2013-12-15

    Highlights: • βCD-BIMOTs-TDI exhibits macropore size (77.66 nm) with 1.254 m{sup 2} g{sup −1} surface area. • Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetics fit well the adsorption process. • Removal was optimum at pH 6 with 83% and reached equilibrium at 80 mg L{sup −1}. • Entropy (ΔS°) and heat of adsorption (ΔH°) estimated as −55.99 J/K mol and −18.10 J/mol. • Inclusion complex and π–π interaction were found to be dominant at pH 6. -- Abstract: Cyclodextrin-ionic liquid polymer (βCD-BIMOTs-TDI) was firstly synthesized using functionalized β-Cyclodextrin (CD) with 1-benzylimidazole (BIM) to form monofunctionalized CD (βCD-BIMOTs) and was further polymerized using toluene diisocyanate (TDI) linker to form insoluble βCD-BIMOTs-TDI. SEM characterization result shows that βCD-BIMOTs-TDI exhibits macropore size while the BET result shows low surface area (1.254 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}). The unique properties of the ILs allow us to produce materials with different morphologies. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) onto βCD-BIMOTs-TDI is studied. Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second order kinetics are found to be the best to represent the data for 2,4-DCP adsorption on the βCD-BIMOTs-TDI. The presence of macropores decreases the mass transfer resistance and increases the adsorption process by reducing the diffusion distance. The change in entropy (ΔS°) and heat of adsorption (ΔH°) for 2,4-DCP on βCD-BIMOTs-TDI were estimated as −55.99 J/Kmol and −18.10 J/mol, respectively. The negative value of Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) indicates that the adsorption process is thermodynamically feasible, spontaneous and chemically controlled. Finally, the interactions between the cavity of βCD-BIMOTs and 2,4-DCP are investigated and the results shows that the inclusion of the complex formation and π–π interaction are the main processes involved in the adsorption process.

  7. High-capacity composite adsorbents for nucleic acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tiainen, Peter; Rokebul Anower, M; Larsson, Per-Olof

    2011-08-05

    Cytopore™ is a bead-shaped, macroporous and easily compressible cellulose-based anion-exchange material intended for cultivation of anchor-dependent animal cells. Reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) is a strong, non-compressible, high voidage (97%) matrix material that can be cut to desired geometrical shapes. Cytopore and RVC were combined to cylindrical composites (25 mm × 10 mm) fitted inside chromatography columns. The composite combined the advantageous properties of both its constituents, making it suitable for column chromatography. The composite could withstand very high flow rates without compaction of the bed (>25 column volumes/min; 4000 cm h(-1)). Chromatography runs with tracers showed a low HETP value (0.3mm), suggesting that pore flow was in operation. The dynamic binding capacities (10% breakthrough) per gram of dry weight Cytopore were determined for several compounds including DNA and RNA and were found to be 240-370 mg/g. The composite was used to isolate pUC 18-type plasmids from a cleared alkaline lysate in a good yield. Confocal microscopy studies showed that plasmids were bound not only to the surface of the Cytopore material but also within the matrix walls, thus offering an explanation to the very high binding capacities observed. The concept of using a composite prepared from a mechanically weak, high-binding material and a strong scaffold material may be applied to other systems as well. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Fabrication and biocompatibility of poly(L-lactic acid) and chitosan composite scaffolds with hierarchical microstructures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lou, Tao, E-mail: taolou72@aliyun.com [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Wang, Xuejun [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Yan, Xu [College of Physics & Collaborative Innovation Center for Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials and Optoelectronic Devices, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Miao, Yu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 (United States); Long, Yun-Ze, E-mail: yunzelong@163.com [College of Physics & Collaborative Innovation Center for Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials and Optoelectronic Devices, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Yin, Hai-Lei [Department of Osteology, No. 401 Hospital of P. L. A., Qingdao 266071 (China); Sun, Bin [College of Physics & Collaborative Innovation Center for Low-Dimensional Nanomaterials and Optoelectronic Devices, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China); Song, Guojun [College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071 (China)

    2016-07-01

    The scaffold microstructure is crucial to reconstruct tissue normal functions. In this article, poly(L-lactic acid) and chitosan fiber (PLLA/CTSF) composite scaffolds with hierarchical microstructures both in fiber and pore sizes were successfully fabricated by combining thermal induced phase separation and salt leaching techniques. The composite scaffolds consisted of a nanofibrous PLLA matrix with diameter of 50–500 nm, and chitosan fibers with diameter of about 20 μm were homogenously distributed in the PLLA matrix as a microsized reinforcer. The composite scaffolds also had high porosity (> 94%) and hierarchical pore size, which were consisted of both micropores (50 nm–10 μm) and macropores (50–300 μm). By tailoring the microstructure and chemical composition, the mechanical property, pH buffer and protein adsorption capacity of the composite scaffold were improved significantly compared with those of PLLA scaffold. Cell culture results also revealed that the PLLA/CTSF composite scaffolds supported MG-63 osteoblast proliferation and penetration. - Highlights: • Composite scaffolds fabricated by combining thermal induced phase separation and salt leaching techniques • Hierarchical microstructure both in fiber and pore sizes • The scaffold microenvironment facilitates the protein adsorption, cell proliferation and penetration.

  9. A multi-scaled hybrid orthopedic implant: bone ECM-shaped Sr-HA nanofibers on the microporous walls of a macroporous titanium scaffold

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han Yong; Zhou Jianhong; Zhang Lan; Xu Kewei, E-mail: yonghan@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China)

    2011-07-08

    We report here, for the first time, a novel multi-scaled hybrid orthopedic implant material consisting of a macroporous Ti scaffold, whose macropores' walls have a microporous titania layer which is fully covered with nanofibers of Sr-doped hydroxyapatite (Sr-HA). The microporous titania layer is formed on and within the Ti scaffold by micro-arc oxidation, which firmly binds to the Ti substrate and contains Ca{sup 2+}, Sr{sup 2+} and PO{sub 4}{sup 3-} ions. It is then hydrothermally treated to form Sr-HA nanofibers. During the hydrothermal treatment, Sr-HA nanoprisms nucleate from Ca{sub 0.5}Sr{sub 0.5}TiO{sub 3} pre-formed on the TiO{sub 2} and grow in length to nanofibers at the expense of Ca{sup 2+}, Sr{sup 2+} and PO{sub 4}{sup 3-} ions that migrate from the TiO{sub 2}. These Sr-HA nanofibers construct a network structure similar to the hierarchical organization of bone extracellular matrix (ECM), and the resulting nanofibrous surface displays a firm adhesion to substrate, superhydrophilicity and apatite-inducing ability. The induced apatite prefers to nucleate on the basal-faceted surfaces of Sr-HA nanofibers. The nanofiber-walled scaffold has a great potential for load-bearing orthotopic use.

  10. Sorption kinetics of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) in fresh Portland cement-based pastes visualized and quantified by neutron radiography and correlated to the progress of cement hydration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schroefl, Christof, E-mail: christof.schroefl@tu-dresden.de [Technische Universität Dresden, Fakultät Bauingenieurwesen, Institut für Baustoffe, DE-01062 Dresden (Germany); Mechtcherine, Viktor [Technische Universität Dresden, Fakultät Bauingenieurwesen, Institut für Baustoffe, DE-01062 Dresden (Germany); Vontobel, Peter; Hovind, Jan; Lehmann, Eberhard [Paul Scherrer Institut, Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, CH-5232 Villigen/AG (Switzerland)

    2015-09-15

    Water sorption of two superabsorbent polymers in cement-based pastes has been characterized by neutron radiography. Cement pastes with W/C of 0.25 and 0.50 and one additionally containing silica fume (W/C = 0.42) were investigated. The SAPs differed in their inherent sorption kinetics in extracted cement pore solution (SAP 1: self-releasing; SAP 2: retentive). Desorption from SAP 1 started very early after paste preparation. Hence, its individual non-retentiveness governs its behavior only. SAP 2 released water into all matrices, but its kinetics were different. In the paste with the highest W/C, some moderate water release was recorded from the beginning. In the other two pastes, SAP 2 retained its stored liquid during the dormant period, i.e., up to the percolation threshold. Intense desorption then set in and continued throughout the acceleration period. These findings explain the pronouncedly higher efficiency of SAP 2 as internal curing admixture as compared to SAP 1.

  11. Sorption kinetics of superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) in fresh Portland cement-based pastes visualized and quantified by neutron radiography and correlated to the progress of cement hydration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schroefl, Christof; Mechtcherine, Viktor; Vontobel, Peter; Hovind, Jan; Lehmann, Eberhard

    2015-01-01

    Water sorption of two superabsorbent polymers in cement-based pastes has been characterized by neutron radiography. Cement pastes with W/C of 0.25 and 0.50 and one additionally containing silica fume (W/C = 0.42) were investigated. The SAPs differed in their inherent sorption kinetics in extracted cement pore solution (SAP 1: self-releasing; SAP 2: retentive). Desorption from SAP 1 started very early after paste preparation. Hence, its individual non-retentiveness governs its behavior only. SAP 2 released water into all matrices, but its kinetics were different. In the paste with the highest W/C, some moderate water release was recorded from the beginning. In the other two pastes, SAP 2 retained its stored liquid during the dormant period, i.e., up to the percolation threshold. Intense desorption then set in and continued throughout the acceleration period. These findings explain the pronouncedly higher efficiency of SAP 2 as internal curing admixture as compared to SAP 1

  12. Macroporous modified poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogels with charged groups for tissue engineering: Preparation and in vitro evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Drozdova, Maria G., E-mail: drozdovamg@gmail.com [Polymers for Biology Laboratory, Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 16/10, Moscow 117997 (Russian Federation); Zaytseva-Zotova, Daria S. [Polymers for Biology Laboratory, Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 16/10, Moscow 117997 (Russian Federation); Akasov, Roman A. [Polymers for Biology Laboratory, Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 16/10, Moscow 117997 (Russian Federation); Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Trubetskaya str., 8/2, Moscow 119048 (Russian Federation); Golunova, Anna S.; Artyukhov, Alexander A. [D. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, Miusskaya Square 9, Moscow 125047 (Russian Federation); Udartseva, Olga O.; Andreeva, Elena R. [Institute of Biomedical Problems of Russian Academy of Sciences, Khoroshevskoe Shosse 76a, Moscow 123007 (Russian Federation); Lisovyy, Denis E.; Shtilman, Michael I. [D. Mendeleyev University of Chemical Technology of Russia, Miusskaya Square 9, Moscow 125047 (Russian Federation); Markvicheva, Elena A. [Polymers for Biology Laboratory, Shemyakin & Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry of Russian Academy of Sciences, Miklukho-Maklaya str., 16/10, Moscow 117997 (Russian Federation)

    2017-06-01

    Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels are widely employed for various biomedical applications, including tissue engineering, due to their biocompatibility, high water solubility, low protein adsorption, and chemical stability. However, non-charged surface of PVA-based hydrogels is not optimal for cell adhesion and spreading. Here, cross-linked macroporous hydrogels based on low molecular weight acrylated PVA (Acr-PVA) was synthesized by modification of the pendant alcohol groups on the PVA with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). To enhance cell affinity, charged groups were introduced to the hydrogel composition. For this purpose, Acr-PVA was copolymerized with either negatively charged acrylic acid (AA) or positively charged 2-(diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) monomers. A surface charge of the obtained hydrogels was found to be in function of the co-monomer type and content. Confocal microscopy observations confirmed that adhesion and spreading of both mouse fibroblasts (L929) and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) on the modified Acr-PVA-AA and Acr-PVA-DEAEMA hydrogels were better than those on the non-modified Acr-PVA hydrogel. The increase of DEAEMA monomer content from 5 to 15 mol% resulted in the enhancement of cell viability which was 1.5-fold higher for Acr-PVA-DEAEMA-15 hydrogel than that of the non-modified Acr-PVA hydrogel sample. - Highlights: • To enhance cell affinity, acrylated PVA hydrogel was modified with AA or DEAEMA monomers. • Cell adhesion and spreading were found to depend on the co-monomer type and content. • Proliferation of L929 fibroblasts and stem cells increased on the modified hydrogels.

  13. Macroporous modified poly (vinyl alcohol) hydrogels with charged groups for tissue engineering: Preparation and in vitro evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drozdova, Maria G.; Zaytseva-Zotova, Daria S.; Akasov, Roman A.; Golunova, Anna S.; Artyukhov, Alexander A.; Udartseva, Olga O.; Andreeva, Elena R.; Lisovyy, Denis E.; Shtilman, Michael I.; Markvicheva, Elena A.

    2017-01-01

    Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels are widely employed for various biomedical applications, including tissue engineering, due to their biocompatibility, high water solubility, low protein adsorption, and chemical stability. However, non-charged surface of PVA-based hydrogels is not optimal for cell adhesion and spreading. Here, cross-linked macroporous hydrogels based on low molecular weight acrylated PVA (Acr-PVA) was synthesized by modification of the pendant alcohol groups on the PVA with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). To enhance cell affinity, charged groups were introduced to the hydrogel composition. For this purpose, Acr-PVA was copolymerized with either negatively charged acrylic acid (AA) or positively charged 2-(diethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) monomers. A surface charge of the obtained hydrogels was found to be in function of the co-monomer type and content. Confocal microscopy observations confirmed that adhesion and spreading of both mouse fibroblasts (L929) and human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) on the modified Acr-PVA-AA and Acr-PVA-DEAEMA hydrogels were better than those on the non-modified Acr-PVA hydrogel. The increase of DEAEMA monomer content from 5 to 15 mol% resulted in the enhancement of cell viability which was 1.5-fold higher for Acr-PVA-DEAEMA-15 hydrogel than that of the non-modified Acr-PVA hydrogel sample. - Highlights: • To enhance cell affinity, acrylated PVA hydrogel was modified with AA or DEAEMA monomers. • Cell adhesion and spreading were found to depend on the co-monomer type and content. • Proliferation of L929 fibroblasts and stem cells increased on the modified hydrogels.

  14. Effects of a novel poly (AA-co-AAm)/AlZnFe₂O₄/potassium humate superabsorbent hydrogel nanocomposite on water retention of sandy loam soil and wheat seedling growth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahid, Shaukat Ali; Qidwai, Ansar Ahmad; Anwar, Farooq; Ullah, Inam; Rashid, Umer

    2012-10-25

    A novel poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)AlZnFe₂O₄/potassium humate( )superabsorbent hydrogel nanocomposite (PHNC) was synthesized and its physical properties characterized using SEM, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and FTIR spectroscopic techniques. Air dried sandy loam soil was amended with 0.1 to 0.4 w/w% of PHNC to evaluate its soil moisture retention attributes. Effect of PHNC amendment on pH, electrical conductivity (EC), porosity, bulk density and hydraulic conductivity of sandy loam soil was also studied. The soil amendment with 0.1 to 0.4 w/w% of PHNC remarkably enhanced the moisture retention at field capacity as compared to the un-amended soils. Seed germination and seedling growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was considerably increased and a delay by 6-9 days in wilting of seedlings was observed in the soil amended with PHNC, resulting in improved wheat plant establishment and growth.

  15. Observation of Intravascular Changes of Superabsorbent Polymer Microsphere (SAP-MS) with Monochromatic X-Ray Imaging

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanimoto, Daigo; Ito, Katsuyoshi; Yamamoto, Akira; Sone, Teruki; Kobatake, Makito; Tamada, Tsutomu; Umetani, Keiji

    2010-01-01

    This study was designed to evaluate the intravascular transformation behavior of superabsorbent polymer microsphere (SAP-MS) in vivo macroscopically by using monochromatic X-ray imaging and to quantitatively compare the expansion rate of SAP-MS among different kinds of mixtures. Fifteen rabbits were used for our study and transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) was performed for their auricular arteries using monochromatic X-ray imaging. We used three kinds of SAP-MS (particle diameter 100-150 μm) mixture as embolic spherical particles: SAP-MS(H) absorbed with sodium meglumine ioxaglate (Hexabrix 320), SAP-MS(V) absorbed with isosmolar contrast medium (Visipaque 270), and SAP-MS(S) absorbed with 0.9% sodium saline. The initial volume of SAP-MS particles just after TAE and its final volume 10 minutes after TAE in the vessel were measured to calculate the expansion rate (ER) (n = 30). Intravascular behavior of SAP-MS particles was clearly observed in real time at monochromatic X-ray imaging. Averaged initial volumes of SAP-MS (H) (1.24 x 10 7 μm 3 ) were significantly smaller (p 7 μm 3 ) and SAP-MS (S) (5.85 x 10 7 μm 3 ). Averaged final volumes of SAP-MS (H) were significantly larger than averaged initial volumes (4.41 x 10 7 μm 3 vs. 1.24 x 10 7 μm 3 ; p < 0.0001, ER = 3.55). There were no significant difference between averaged final volumes and averaged initial volumes of SAP-MS (V) and SAP-MS (S). SAP-MS (H), which first travels distally, reaches to small arteries, and then expands to adapt to the vessel lumen, is an effective particle as an embolic agent, causing effective embolization.

  16. Proof of concept of an epitaxy-free layer-transfer process for silicon solar cells based on the reorganisation of macropores upon annealing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Depauw, V.; Gordon, I.; Beaucarne, G.; Poortmans, J.; Mertens, R.; Celis, J.-P.

    2009-01-01

    To answer the challenge of less expensive renewable electricity, the photovoltaics community is focusing on producing thinner silicon solar cells. A few years ago, in the field of silicon-on-nothing structures, micron-thick monocrystalline layers suspended over their parent wafer were produced by high-temperature annealing of specific arrays of macropores. Those macropores reorganise into one single void and leave a thin overlayer on top. Since this method may be an inexpensive way of fabricating high-quality silicon films, this paper investigates its potential for photovoltaic applications. In particular, we investigated if large surfaces can be produced and transferred to foreign substrates with this method. We fabricated basic solar cells, without rear-surface passivation, on 5 cm x 5 cm-large and 1-μm-thick films transferred to glass, that showed energy-conversion efficiencies up to 2.6%. These cells demonstrate the feasibility of the presented concept as a layer-transfer process for solar-cell application. After formation by annealing, the film is only barely attached to its parent wafer, but can still safely be handled provided that any abrupt gas flow or pumping to vacuum is avoided. After transfer and permanent bonding, the sample can be handled as any bulk wafer.

  17. Adsorption of Monobutyl Phthalate from Aqueous Phase onto Two Macroporous Anion-Exchange Resins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhengwen Xu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available As new emerging pollutants, phthalic acid monoesters (PAMs pose potential ecological and human health risks. In the present study, adsorption performance of monobutyl phthalate (MBP onto two macroporous base anion-exchange resins (D-201 and D-301 was discussed. It was found that the adsorption isotherms were best fitted by the Langmuir equation while the adsorption kinetics were well described by pseudo-first-order model. Analyses of sorption isotherms and thermodynamics proved that the adsorption mechanisms for DBP onto D-201 were ion exchange. However, the obtained enthalpy values indicate that the sorption process of MBP onto D-301 is physical adsorption. The equilibrium adsorption capacities and adsorption rates of DBP on two different resins increased with the increasing temperature of the solution. D-301 exhibited a higher adsorption capacity of MBP than D-201. These results proved that D-301, as an effective sorbent, can be used to remove phthalic acid monoesters from aqueous solution.

  18. Preparation of composite hydroxybutyl chitosan sponge and its role in promoting wound healing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Shihao; Bi, Shichao; Yan, Dong; Zhou, Zhongzheng; Sun, Guohui; Cheng, Xiaojie; Chen, Xiguang

    2018-03-15

    In this work, a composite sponge was produced by physically mixing hydroxybutyl chitosan with chitosan to form a porous spongy material through vacuum freeze-drying. Hydrophilic and macroporous composite hydroxybutyl chitosan sponge was developed via the incorporation of chitosan into hydroxybutyl chitosan. The composite sponge showed higher porosity (about 85%), greater water absorption (about 25 times), better softness and lower blood-clotting index (BCI) than those of chitosan sponge and hydroxybutyl chitosan sponge. The composite sponge with good hydrophilic could absorb the moisture in the blood to increase blood concentration and viscosity, and become a semi-swelling viscous colloid to clog the capillaries. Cytocompatibility tests with L929 cells and HUVEC cells demonstrated that composite sponge were no cytotoxicity, and could promote the growth of fibroblasts. It made up for the shortcomings of hydroxybutyl chitosan with unfavorable antibacterial effect to achieve a higher level of antibacterial (>99.99% reduction). Eventually, the vivo evaluations in Sprague-Dawley rats revealed that epithelial cells attached to the composite sponge and penetrated into the interior, in addition to this, it was also proved that the composite sponge (HC-1) had a better ability to promote wound healing and helped for faster formation of skin glands and re-epithelialization. The obtained data encourage the use of this composite sponge for wound dressings. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  19. A novel electrochemical sensor based on zirconia/ordered macroporous polyaniline for ultrasensitive detection of pesticides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yonglan; Jin, Jun; Yuan, Caixia; Zhang, Fan; Ma, Linlin; Qin, Dongdong; Shan, Duoliang; Lu, Xiaoquan

    2015-01-21

    A simple and mild strategy was proposed to develop a novel electrochemical sensor based on zirconia/ordered macroporous polyaniline (ZrO2/OMP) and further used for the detection of methyl parathion (MP), one of the organophosphate pesticides (OPPs). Due to the strong affinity of phosphate groups with ZrO2 and the advantages of OMP such as high catalytic activity and good conductivity, the developed sensor showed a limit of detection as low as 2.28 × 10(-10) mol L(-1) (S/N = 3) by square-wave voltammograms, and good selectivity, acceptable reproducibility and stability. Most importantly, this novel sensor was successfully applied to detect MP in real samples of apple and cabbage. It is expected that this method has potential applications in electrochemical sensing platforms with simple, sensitive, selective and fast analysis.

  20. Modification of macroporous membranes by graft co-polymerization induced by pre-irradiation with an electron accelerator; Modificacion de membranas macroporosas para la recuperacion de protemas por intercambio ionico

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grasselli, M [Buenos Aires Univ. (Argentina). Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquimica; Yoshii, Fumio [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Takasaki, Gunma (Japan). Takasaki Radiation Chemistry Research Establishment

    1999-07-01

    Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and N,N-dimethylacrylamide (DMAA) have been co-grafted on hollow fiber membranes of macroporous polyethylene. Grafted copolymers have been obtained with different ratios of the monomers (molar ratio between 0 and 2 DMAA/GMA). The properties of the modified membranes are studied.

  1. Bioactive glass-poly (ε-caprolactone) composite scaffolds with 3 dimensionally hierarchical pore networks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yun, Hui-suk; Kim, Seung-eon; Park, Eui Kyun

    2011-01-01

    Hierarchically mesoporous-macroporous-giant-porous bioactive glass/poly ε-caprolactone (PCL) composite scaffolds were prepared using a combination of the sol-gel method, evaporation-induced self-assembly process in the presence of nonionic triblock copolymer, EO 100 PO 65 EO 100 (F127), as template, salt leaching method, and rapid prototyping techniques. F127 acts as a template, inducing the formation of mesopores, NaCl with sizes between 25 and 33 μm provides macro-pores after leaching, and rapid prototyping produces giant-pores. The structure and morphology of the scaffolds were characterized by the field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Hg porosimetry. The mechanical properties of the scaffolds were examined by the dynamic mechanical analysis. Their in vitro bioactivities were confirmed by immersing the scaffolds in simulated body fluid. Their biocompatibilities were also evaluated by culturing human bone marrow stromal cells on the scaffolds. The scaffolds show good molding capabilities, mechanical properties, 3 dimensionally well-interconnected pore structures, bioactivities, and biocompatibilities in vitro. Depending on the amount of NaCl, the scaffolds also show unique sponge-like properties, but still retain better mechanical properties than general salt leaching derived PCL scaffolds. All of the data provide good evidence that the obtained scaffolds possess excellent potential for applications in the fields of tissue engineering and drug storage.

  2. Mesopore- and Macropore-Dominant Nitrogen-Doped Hierarchically Porous Carbons for High-Energy and Ultrafast Supercapacitors in Non-Aqueous Electrolytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shao, Rong; Niu, Jin; Liang, Jingjing; Liu, Mengyue; Zhang, Zhengping; Dou, Meiling; Huang, Yaqin; Wang, Feng

    2017-12-13

    Non-aqueous electrolytes (e.g., organic and ionic liquid electrolytes) can undergo high working voltage to improve the energy densities of supercapacitors. However, the large ion sizes, high viscosities, and low ionic conductivities of organic and ionic liquid electrolytes tend to cause the low specific capacitances, poor rate, and cycling performance of supercapacitors based on conventional micropore-dominant activated carbon electrodes, limiting their practical applications. Herein, we propose an effective strategy to simultaneously obtain high power and energy densities in non-aqueous electrolytes via using a cattle bone-derived porous carbon as an electrode material. Because of the unique co-activation of KOH and hydroxyapatite (HA) within the cattle bone, nitrogen-doped hierarchically porous carbon (referred to as NHPC-HA/KOH) is obtained and possesses a mesopore- and macropore-dominant porosity with an ultrahigh specific surface area (2203 m 2 g -1 ) of meso- and macropores. The NHPC-HA/KOH electrodes exhibit superior performance with specific capacitances of 224 and 240 F g -1 at 5 A g -1 in 1.0 M TEABF 4 /AN and neat EMIMBF 4 electrolyte, respectively. The symmetric supercapacitor using NHPC-HA/KOH electrodes can deliver integrated high energy and power properties (48.6 W h kg -1 at 3.13 kW kg -1 in 1.0 M TEABF 4 /AN and 75 W h kg -1 at 3.75 kW kg -1 in neat EMIMBF 4 ), as well as superior cycling performance (over 89% of the initial capacitance after 10 000 cycles at 10 A g -1 ).

  3. Synthesis and characterization of superabsorbent polymer prepared by radiation-induced graft copolymerization of acrylamide onto carboxymethyl cellulose for controlled release of agrochemicals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hemvichian, Kasinee; Chanthawong, Auraruk; Suwanmala, Phiriyatorn

    2014-01-01

    Superabsorbent polymer (SAP) was synthesized by radiation-induced grafting of acrylamide (AM) onto carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) in the presence of a crosslinking agent, N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA). The effects of various parameters, such as dose, the amount of CMC, AM, MBA and ionic strength on the swelling ratio were investigated. In order to evaluate its controlled release potential, SAP was loaded with potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ) as an agrochemical model and its potential for controlled release of KNO 3 was studied. The amount of released KNO 3 was analyzed by an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). The results from controlled release experiment agreed very well with the results from swelling experiment. The synthesized SAP was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The obtained SAP exhibited a swelling ratio of 190 g/g of dry gel. - Highlights: • SAP was synthesized by radiation-induced grafting of AM onto CMC. • The synthesized SAP exhibited a maximum swelling ratio of 190 g/g. • The potential of SAP for controlled release of KNO 3 was studied. • The amount of KNO 3 released increased with increasing loading percentage of SAP. • SAP's swelling ratio decreased as the ionic strength of the medium increased

  4. Sucrose-assisted synthesis of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous CeO{sub 2} and its use as a support for promotional catalytic performance of CO oxidation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Zhi, E-mail: zhiliu@lnnu.edu.cn; Tan, Xiuli; Lv, Cong

    2013-10-15

    In this work, several three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) CeO{sub 2} having hierarchical pore structure were successfully prepared via a dual ‘hard-soft’ templating strategy using Ce(NO{sub 3}){sub 3}·6H{sub 2}O containing sucrose as the ceria precursor. The resulting CeO{sub 2} samples were characterized by N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, which showed that the hierarchical 3DOM CeO{sub 2} possessed interconnected networks of the ordered macropore structures with large mesopores, and both the BET surface area and pore volume increased significantly compared with the conventional 3DOM CeO{sub 2}. The content of sucrose had a great effect on the textural parameters of the 3DOM CeO{sub 2}. The improved textural parameters should be attributed to the emergence of mesopores in the interconnected three-dimensional skeleton, which were formed by oxidative removal of carbon produced from carbonization of sucrose. The hierarchical 3DOM CeO{sub 2} exhibited a superior performance to the conventional 3DOM or bulk CeO{sub 2} when used as supports for Ir catalysts in CO oxidation.

  5. Visual and reversible carbon dioxide sensing enabled by doctor blade coated macroporous photonic crystals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yi-Han; Suen, Shing-Yi; Yang, Hongta

    2017-11-15

    With significant impacts of carbon dioxide on global climate change, carbon dioxide sensing is of great importance. However, most of the existing sensing technologies are prone to interferences from carbon monoxide, or suffer from the use of sophisticated instruments. This research reports the development of reproducible carbon dioxide sensor using roll-to-roll compatible doctor blade coated three-dimensional macroporous photonic crystals. The pores are functionalized with amine groups to allow the reaction with carbon dioxide in the presence of humidity. The adsorption of carbon dioxide leads to red-shift and amplitude reduction of the optical stop bands, resulting in carbon dioxide detection with visible readout. The dependences of the diffraction wavelength on carbon dioxide partial pressure for various amine-functionalized photonic crystals and different humidities in the environment are systematically investigated. In addition, the reproducibility of carbon dioxide sensing has also been demonstrated in this research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Large-scale assembly of colloidal particles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Hongta

    This study reports a simple, roll-to-roll compatible coating technology for producing three-dimensional highly ordered colloidal crystal-polymer composites, colloidal crystals, and macroporous polymer membranes. A vertically beveled doctor blade is utilized to shear align silica microsphere-monomer suspensions to form large-area composites in a single step. The polymer matrix and the silica microspheres can be selectively removed to create colloidal crystals and self-standing macroporous polymer membranes. The thickness of the shear-aligned crystal is correlated with the viscosity of the colloidal suspension and the coating speed, and the correlations can be qualitatively explained by adapting the mechanisms developed for conventional doctor blade coating. Five important research topics related to the application of large-scale three-dimensional highly ordered macroporous films by doctor blade coating are covered in this study. The first topic describes the invention in large area and low cost color reflective displays. This invention is inspired by the heat pipe technology. The self-standing macroporous polymer films exhibit brilliant colors which originate from the Bragg diffractive of visible light form the three-dimensional highly ordered air cavities. The colors can be easily changed by tuning the size of the air cavities to cover the whole visible spectrum. When the air cavities are filled with a solvent which has the same refractive index as that of the polymer, the macroporous polymer films become completely transparent due to the index matching. When the solvent trapped in the cavities is evaporated by in-situ heating, the sample color changes back to brilliant color. This process is highly reversible and reproducible for thousands of cycles. The second topic reports the achievement of rapid and reversible vapor detection by using 3-D macroporous photonic crystals. Capillary condensation of a condensable vapor in the interconnected macropores leads to the

  7. Síntese e caracterização de hidrogéis compósitos a partir de copolímeros acrilamida-acrilato e caulim: efeito da constituição de diferentes caulins do nordeste brasileiro Synthesis and characterization of poly (acrylamide-co-acrylate and kaolin hydrogel composites: effect of the constitution of different kaolins from northeastern Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos W. de Q. Brito

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Superabsorbent hydrogels based on poly (acrylamide-co-acrylate and different kaolins, were prepared by free-radical aqueous copolymerization. FTIR and WAXS techniques were employed for characterization of a series of hydrogels, obtained by varying the percentage of clay, crosslinking and constitution of kaolin. The water absorbency at equilibrium (Weq decreased with increasing clay content and the amount of crosslinking agent. Superabsorbent hydrogel (Weq > 1084 g H2O/g gel was obtained as 10 wt% of white kaolin and 0.05 mol% of crosslinking agent were used. The hydrogel proved sensitive to pH variation and the presence of salts.

  8. Morphological and magnetic properties of sol-gel synthetized meso and macroporous spheres of barium hexaferrite (BaFe12O19)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Torres-Cadenas, S.; Reyes-Gasga, José; Bravo-Patiño, A.; Betancourt, I.; Contreras-García, M.E.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • 1.5 µm porous spheres of BaFe 12 O 19 were synthetized by the sol-gel method. • Surfactant Tween20 (C 58 H 114 O 26 ) enabled the creation of the mesoporous structure. • Polystyrene spheres (PS) were used as the template for the formation of macropores. • Spheres resembled a nest or ball-of-yarn type of elongated BaFe 12 O 19 crystals. • Magnetic properties are evaluated as function of the calcination temperature. - Abstract: Porous spherical aggregates of barium hexaferrite (BaFe 12 O 19 ) with 1.5 µm in diameter were synthetized by the surfactant-assisted sol-gel method. The surfactant Tween20 (C 58 H 114 O 26 ), which enables mesoporous structures, as well as polystyrene spheres (PS), as the template agent for the formation of macropores, were used. Two synthetic routes (hereafter named A and B), whose difference was the absence or presence of PS, were followed for synthesis. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in high resolution mode (HRTEM) were used for characterization. Size and morphology of the spheres were similar in both cases and they resemble a nest or ball-of-yarn type structure. Pore size and BaFe 12 O 19 crystal size produced by the two routes are different. The magnetic properties of the spheres were evaluated using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) as function of the calcination temperature. The spheres present ferromagnetic behavior in both routes.

  9. Foliar antitranspirant and soil superabsorbent hydrogel affects photosynthetic gas exchange and water use efficiency of maize grown under low rainfall conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Wei; Guo, Shi-Wen; Li, Pin-Fang; Song, Ri-Quan; Yu, Jian

    2018-06-08

    Two lysimeter experiments with maize plants were conducted to inquiry the effect of combined superabsorbent polymer (SAP) and fulvic acid (FA) application on photosynthetic gas exchange and water use efficiency (WUE) under deficit irrigation conditions. Soil SAP (45 kg ha -1 ) was applied while sowing, and FA solution (2 g L -1 ) was sprayed onto crop canopy three times at later plant growth periods. Combining SAP and FA application significantly improved plant photosynthesis, chlorophyll contents, and instantaneous WUE, while maintaining the optimal leaf stomatal transpiration. The effect of combined two chemicals use on photosynthesis and leaf instantaneous WUE was superior compared with the effects of their individual applications. As compared with plots not treated with chemicals, soil SAP significantly improved the yield by 12% and grain WUE by 10% when averaged across the two experiments, whereas foliar FA application did not affect yield and grain WUE. In contrast, the combined use of two chemicals significantly increased the yield by 20% and grain WUE by 26%, largely attributed to the increase in grain number. Soil SAP and foliar FA use, under low rainfall conditions, had little influence on crop water consumption but improved plant WUE by enhancing photosynthesis and increasing kernel number. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  10. Determination of hydrogen peroxide using a Prussian Blue modified macroporous gold electrode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Jiao; Lin, Meng; Cho, MiSuk; Lee, Youngkwan

    2015-01-01

    We describe an electrochemical sensor for hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) that is making use of Prussian Blue (PB) electrodeposited on a macroporous (mp) gold skeleton electrode. An mp-Cu film was first prepared as a template and the converted into an mp-Au film through a replacement reaction without destructing the structure. Next, a layer of PB was electrochemically deposited on the surface of the mp-Au film. The surface morphology of the electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were applied to confirm the structural features. The mp-PB/Au film electrode displays high electro-catalytic activity for the reduction of H 2 O 2 at a working potential of −50 mV (vs. Ag/AgCl) and is very stable. It has a linear response to H 2 O 2 in the 50 μM to 11.3 mM concentration range and a sensitivity of 767 μA∙mM −1 cm −2 . The electrode also revealed good selectivity in the presence of electro-active species such as ascorbic acid and uric acid. (author)

  11. Development of a novel starch with a three-dimensional ordered macroporous structure for improving the dissolution rate of felodipine

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hao, Yanna; Wu, Chao, E-mail: wuchao27@126.com; Zhao, Zongzhe; Zhao, Ying; Xu, Jie; Qiu, Yang; Jiang, Jie; Yu, Tong; Ma, Chunyu; Zhou, Buyun

    2016-01-01

    In this study, silica nanospheres with different particle sizes were used as hard template for synthesis of a starch with a novel three-dimensional ordered macroporous structure (3DOMTS). As a pharmaceutical adjuvant, 3DOMTS was used to improve the dissolution rate and oral relative bioavailability of water-insoluble drugs. Felodipine (FDP) was chosen as a model drug and was loaded into the 3DOMTS by solvent evaporation. FDP loading into 3DOMTS with different pore sizes was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), powder X-ray diffractometer (PXRD) and Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR). The results obtained showed that FDP was present in the pores in an amorphic or microcrystalline state. The in vitro dissolution results showed that 3DOMTS could effectively improve the dissolution rate of FDP in comparison with commercial common tablets. Pharmacokinetic results indicated that the oral relative bioavailability of self-made FDP–3DOMTS tablets were 184%, showing that 3DOMTS produced a significantly increased oral absorption of FDP. In conclusion, 3DOMTS exhibits the dual potential of improving the dissolution rate of poorly water soluble drugs and the novel filler produced by direct compression technology confirming that 3DOMTS will be useful for many applications in the field of pharmaceutics. - Highlights: • We successfully prepared a starch with a novel three-dimensional ordered macroporous structure (3DOMTS). • 3DOMTS can suppress the crystallinity of the drug to maintain it at amorphous state. • In vivo and in vitro experiments proved that 3DOMTS can improve the solubility and bioavailability of felodipine.

  12. Template-assisted electrostatic spray deposition as a new route to mesoporous, macroporous, and hierarchically porous oxide films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sokolov, S; Paul, B; Ortel, E; Fischer, A; Kraehnert, R

    2011-03-01

    A novel film coating technique, template-assisted electrostatic spray deposition (TAESD), was developed for the synthesis of porous metal oxide films and tested on TiO(2). Organic templates are codeposited with the titania precursor by electrostatic spray deposition and then removed during calcination. Resultant films are highly porous with pores casted by uniformly sized templates, which introduced a new level of control over the pore morphology for the ESD method. Employing the amphiphilic block copolymer Pluronic P123, PMMA latex spheres, or a combination of the two, mesoporous, macroporous, and hierarchically porous TiO(2) films are obtained. Decoupled from other coating parameters, film thickness can be controlled by deposition time or depositing multiple layers while maintaining the coating's structure and integrity.

  13. Colloidal processing and CO_2-capture performance Al_2O_3-zeolite 13X composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andersson, L.; Akhtar, F.; Ojuva, A.; Bergstroem, L.

    2012-01-01

    Hierarchically porous composites for CO_2-capture have been produced by coating the inner walls of foam-like macroporous alumina monoliths, produced by templated synthesis, with microporous zeolite 13X particles. Homogeneous and dense coatings of the particulate adsorbent were obtained when the impregnation process was performed at a pH above 9. At this pH-level the colloidally stable suspensions of the negatively charged zeolite 13X particles could fill all the voids of the highly connected pore space of the alumina supports and attach to the monolith walls, which had been pre-coated with poly(ethylene imine). A CO_2-uptake as high as 5 mmol CO_2/g zeolite 13X was achieved for alumina-zeolite 13X composites through minimisation of the added inorganic binder, kaolin, to only 3.0 wt% with respect to zeolite content, and through optimisation of the thermal treatment.

  14. Sonochemical synthesis and photocatalytic activity of meso- and macro-porous TiO2 for oxidation of toluene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Liu; Yan Li; Wang Yuntao; Xie Lei; Zheng Jie; Li Xingguo

    2008-01-01

    Meso-and macro-porous TiO 2 were synthesized by ultrasonic induced solvothermal method. Octadecylamine as a soft template was used to direct the formation of porous structure. The as-prepared porous TiO 2 was characterized by low angle and wide angle X-ray diffraction, N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and BET surface area. The energy influence of ultrasound and heat and concentration of nitric acid for post extraction on formation of porous structure were investigated. The photocatalytic activities of TiO 2 were investigated by degrading toluene gas under UV light. The results revealed that proper energy facilitates the formation of porous structure and too low concentration of nitric acid cannot extract template from pores. The photocatalytic activities of TiO 2 with porous structure are higher than those of nonporous ones

  15. Development of a Process for Separation of Mogroside V from Siraitia grosvenorii by Macroporous Resins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ping Hu

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available A separation method was developed for the preparative separation and enrichment of the non-caloric sweetener mogroside V from Siraitia grosvenorii. The adsorption properties of six macroporous resins were evaluated. Results showed that HZ 806 resin offered the best adsorption and desorption capacities. Based on the adsorption experiments on HZ 806, the adsorption data were found to fit the Freundlich model well. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model showed the highest correlation with the experimental results. Separation was performed with deionized water and 40% aqueous ethanol solution as mobile phases. In a typical run, 100 g of herb was processed and 3.38 g of mogroside V with a purity of 10.7% was harvested. This separation method provided a 15.1-fold increase in the purification factor from 0.5% to 10.7%. The present study showed that HZ 806 resins were effective for the separation and enrichment of mogroside V from S. grosvenorii.

  16. Adsorbability Enhancement of Macroporous Resin by Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Treatment to Phenol in Water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shoufeng Tang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available In order to enhance the adsorption efficiency and economize the use of macroporous resin, we have treated it with the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD plasma to improve its adsorbing capacity for phenol. The effects of operation conditions, for instance, applied voltage, treated time, and air flow rate on resin, were investigated by adsorption kinetics and isotherms. Results showed that the adsorption data were in good agreement with the pseudo-second-order and Freundlich equation. Experimental results showed that the modified resin was 156.5 mg/g and 39.2% higher than the untreated sample, when the modified conditions were conducted for discharge voltage 20 kV, treatment time 45 min, and air flow rate 1.2 L/min. The resin was characterized by FTIR and nitrogen adsorption isotherms before and after the DBD processes. It was found that the reason for the enhancement of resin adsorbability was attributed to the DBD plasma changing the surface physical and chemical structure.

  17. In Situ Gold Nanoparticle Gradient Formation in a 3D Meso- and Macroporous Polymer Matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penders, Jelle; Rajasekharan, Anand K; Hulander, Mats; Andersson, Martin

    2017-08-01

    Herein, the development and characterization of a 3D gradient structure of gold nanoparticles is described. The gradient of gold nanoparticles is made in situ in a macroporous nonionic block copolymer hydrogel matrix, through gold ion diffusion control. The polymer provides a matrix for diffusion of gold ions, acts as a template for controlling nanoparticle growth, and facilitates the in situ reduction of gold ions to gold nanoparticles. A clear gradient in gold nanoparticles is observed across the 3D space of the polymer matrix using scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The particle gradient is further functionalized with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic groups via thiol-gold linkage to demonstrate the ability to form gradients with different chemical functionalities. Using additive manufacturing, the polymer can also be printed as a porous network with possible applications for 3D cell culturing in, e.g., biomaterials research. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  18. Fabrication of steel matrix composites locally reinforced with different ratios of TiC/TiB2 particulates using SHS reactions of Ni-Ti-B4C and Ni-Ti-B4C-C systems during casting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Yafeng; Wang Huiyuan; Liang Yunhong; Zhao Ruyi; Jiang Qichuan

    2007-01-01

    Steel matrix composites locally reinforced with different molar ratios of in situ TiC/TiB 2 particulates (2:1, 1:1 and 1:2, respectively) have been fabricated successfully utilizing the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) reactions of Ni-Ti-B 4 C and Ni-Ti-B 4 C-C systems during casting. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results reveal that the exothermic reactions of the Ni-Ti-B 4 C and Ni-Ti-B 4 C-C systems proceed in such a way that Ni initially reacts with B 4 C and Ti to form Ni 2 B and Ti 2 Ni compounds, respectively, with heat evolution at 1037 deg. C; Subsequently, the external heat and the evolved heat from these exothermic reactions promote the reactions forming TiC and TiB 2 at 1133 deg. C. In the composites reinforced with 1:2 molar ratio of TiC/TiB 2 , almost all TiB 2 grains have clubbed structures, while TiC grains exhibit near-spherical morphologies. Furthermore, TiB 2 grain sizes decrease, with the increase of TiC content. In particular, in the composites reinforced with 2:1 molar ratio of TiC/TiB 2 , it is difficult to find the clubbed TiB 2 grains. Macro-pores and blowholes are absent in the local reinforcing region of the composites reinforced with 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratios of TiC/TiB 2 , while a few macro-pores can be observed in the composite reinforced with 2:1 molar ratio of TiC/TiB 2 . Moreover, the densities of the composites reinforced with 1:1 and 1:2 molar ratios of TiC/TiB 2 are higher than that of the composite reinforced with 2:1 molar ratio of TiC/TiB 2 . The composite reinforced with 1:2 molar ratio of TiC/TiB 2 has the highest hardness and the best wear resistance

  19. A Universal Strategy To Prepare Sulfur-Containing Polymer Composites with Desired Morphologies for Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Shao-Zhong; Zeng, Xierong; Tu, Wenxuan; Huang, Haitao; Yu, Liang; Yao, Yuechao; Jin, Nengzhi; Zhang, Qi; Zou, Jizhao

    2018-06-19

    Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are probably the most promising candidates for the next-generation batteries owing to their high energy density. However, Li-S batteries face severe technical problems where the dissolution of intermediate polysulfides is the biggest problem because it leads to the degradation of the cathode and the lithium anode, and finally the fast capacity decay. Compared with the composites of elemental sulfur and other matrices, sulfur-containing polymers (SCPs) have strong chemical bonds to sulfur and therefore show low dissolution of polysulfides. Unfortunately, most SCPs have very low electron conductivity and their morphologies can hardly be controlled, which undoubtedly depress the battery performances of SCPs. To overcome these two weaknesses of SCPs, a new strategy was developed for preparing SCP composites with enhanced conductivity and desired morphologies. With this strategy, macroporous SCP composites were successfully prepared from hierarchical porous carbon. The composites displayed discharge/charge capacities up to 1218/1139, 949/922, and 796/785 mA h g -1 at the current rates of 5, 10, and 15 C, respectively. Considering the universality of this strategy and the numerous morphologies of carbon materials, this strategy opens many opportunities for making carbon/SCP composites with novel morphologies.

  20. SYNTHESIS AND IN VITRO CHARACTERIZATION OF HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE-GRAFT-POLY (ACRYLIC ACID/2-ACRYLAMIDO-2-METHYL-1-PROPANESULFONIC ACID) POLYMERIC NETWORK FOR CONTROLLED RELEASE OF CAPTOPRIL.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furqan Muhammad, Iqbal; Mahmood, Ahmad; Aysha, Rashid

    2016-01-01

    A super-absorbent hydrogel was developed by crosslinking of 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS) and acrylic acid with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) for controlled release drug delivery of captopril, a well known antihypertensive drug. Acrylic acid and AMPS were polymerized and crosslinked with HPMC by free radical polymerization, a widely used chemical crosslinking method. N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) and potassium persulfate (KPS) were added as cross-linker and initiator, respectively. The hydrogel formulation was loaded with captopril (as model drug). The concentration of captopril was monitored at 205 nm using UV spectrophotometer. Equilibrium swelling ratio was determined at pH 2, 4.5 and 7.4 to evaluate the pH responsiveness of the formed hydrogel. The super-absorbent hydrogels were evaluated by FTIR, SEM, XRD, and thermal analysis (DSC and TGA). The formation of new copolymeric network was determined by FTIR, XRD, TGA and DSC analysis. The hydrogel formulations with acrylic acid and AMPS ratio of 4: 1 and lower amounts of crosslinker had shown maximum swelling. Moreover, higher release rate of captopril was observed at pH 7.4 than at pH 2, because of more swelling capacity of copolymer with increasing pH of the aqueous medium. The present research work confirms the development of a stable hydrogel comprising of HPMC with acrylic acid and AMPS. The prepared hydrogels exhibited pH sensitive behav-ior. This superabsorbent composite prepared could be a successful drug carrier for treating hypertension.

  1. Synthesis of selenium/EDTA-derived porous carbon composite as a Li–Se battery cathode

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Chenhao, E-mail: zhaochenhao123456@163.com; Fang, Shuzhen; Hu, Zhibiao, E-mail: zhibiaohu@163.com; Qiu, Sheng’en; Liu, Kaiyu [LongYan University, College of Chemistry & Materials Science (China)

    2016-07-15

    The carbon substrate with unique 3D macroporous structure has been prepared through the immediate carbonization of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and KOH mixture. The porous carbon composed of micro- and small mesoporous (2–5 nm) structure has a BET specific surface area of 1824.8 m{sup 2} g{sup −1}. The amorphous and nanosized Se is uniformly encapsulated into the porous structure of porous carbon using melting diffusion route, and the weight content of Se in target Se/C composite can be as high as ~50 %. As an Li–Se battery cathode, the Se/C composite delivers a reversible (2nd) discharge capacity of 597.4 mAh g{sup −1} at 0.24C and retains a discharge capacity of 538.4 mAh g{sup −1} at 0.24C after 100 cycles. Furthermore, the composite also has a stable capacity of 291.0 mAh g{sup −1} at a high current of 4.8C. The high specific area and good porous size of EDTA-derived carbon substrate may a be responsibility for the excellent electrochemical performances of Se/C composite.

  2. Assembly of Functional Porous Solids in Complex Hybrid Composites

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Stein, Andreas

    2004-01-01

    Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) materials with periodic arrays of solid walls possess interesting optical, photonic and reactive properties of interest for camouflage, sensing, sorption, and controlled release...

  3. Morphological and magnetic properties of sol-gel synthetized meso and macroporous spheres of barium hexaferrite (BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19})

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Torres-Cadenas, S., E-mail: storres_c@hotmail.com [Instituto de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas y Materiales, UMSNH, Edificio U, Ciudad Universitaria, Santiago Tapia 403, Colonia Centro, 58030 Morelia (Mexico); Reyes-Gasga, José, E-mail: jreyes@fisica.unam.mx [Instituto de Física, UNAM, Circuito de la Investigación s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Coyoacán, México, D.F. (Mexico); Bravo-Patiño, A., E-mail: brapal@hotmail.com [Centro Multidisciplinario de Estudios en Biotecnología (CMEB) de la FMVZ, UMSNH, Posta Zootécnica, km. 8.5 carretera Morelia-Zinapecuaro, C.P. 58890 col. La Palma, Tarimbaro, Michoacán (Mexico); Betancourt, I., E-mail: israelb@iim.unam.mx [Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, UNAM, Ciudad de México C.P. 04510 (Mexico); Contreras-García, M.E., E-mail: eucontre@gmail.com [Instituto de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas y Materiales, UMSNH, Edificio U, Ciudad Universitaria, Santiago Tapia 403, Colonia Centro, 58030 Morelia (Mexico)

    2017-06-15

    Highlights: • 1.5 µm porous spheres of BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} were synthetized by the sol-gel method. • Surfactant Tween20 (C{sub 58}H{sub 114}O{sub 26}) enabled the creation of the mesoporous structure. • Polystyrene spheres (PS) were used as the template for the formation of macropores. • Spheres resembled a nest or ball-of-yarn type of elongated BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} crystals. • Magnetic properties are evaluated as function of the calcination temperature. - Abstract: Porous spherical aggregates of barium hexaferrite (BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19}) with 1.5 µm in diameter were synthetized by the surfactant-assisted sol-gel method. The surfactant Tween20 (C{sub 58}H{sub 114}O{sub 26}), which enables mesoporous structures, as well as polystyrene spheres (PS), as the template agent for the formation of macropores, were used. Two synthetic routes (hereafter named A and B), whose difference was the absence or presence of PS, were followed for synthesis. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in high resolution mode (HRTEM) were used for characterization. Size and morphology of the spheres were similar in both cases and they resemble a nest or ball-of-yarn type structure. Pore size and BaFe{sub 12}O{sub 19} crystal size produced by the two routes are different. The magnetic properties of the spheres were evaluated using a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) as function of the calcination temperature. The spheres present ferromagnetic behavior in both routes.

  4. Preparation of zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites and their bioactivities and antimicrobial activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Liang; Gong, Jie; Zeng, Changfeng; Zhang, Lixiong

    2013-10-01

    Zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites with zeolite contents of 20-55 wt.% were prepared by in situ transformation of silica/chitosan mixtures in a sodium aluminate alkaline solution through impregnation-gelation-hydrothermal synthesis. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and mercury penetration porosimetry. Their in vitro bioactivities were examined using as-synthesized and Ca(2+)-exchanged hybrid composites in simulated body fluid (SBF) for hydroxyapatite (HAP) growth. Their antimicrobial activities for Escherichia coli (E. coli) in trypticase soy broth (TSB) were evaluated using Ag(+)-exchanged hybrid composites. The zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites could be prepared as various shapes, including cylinders, plates and thin films. They possessed macropores with pore sizes ranging from 100 to 300 μm and showed compressive mechanical strength as high as 3.2 MPa when the zeolite content was 35 wt.%. Fast growth on the Ca(2+)-exchanged hybrid composites was observed with the highest weight gain of 51.4% in 30 days. The 35 wt.% Ag(+)-exchanged hybrid composite showed the highest antimicrobial activity, which could reduce the 9×10(6) CFU mL(-1)E. coli concentration to zero within 4h of incubation time with the Ag(+)-exchanged hybrid composite amount of 0.4 g L(-1). The bioactivity and antimicrobial activity could be combined by ion-exchanging the composites first with Ca(2+) and then with Ag(+). These zeolite-A/chitosan hybrid composites have potential applications on tissue engineering and antimicrobial food packaging. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Recovery of plutonium from nitric acid containing oxalate and fluoride by a macroporous bifunctional phosphinic acid resin (MPBPA)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venugopal Chetty, K.; Godbole, A.G.; Swarup, R.; Vaidya, V.N.; Venugopal, V.; Vasudeva Rao, P.R.

    2006-01-01

    The sorption of Pu from nitric acid solutions containing oxalate/fluoride was studied using an indigenously available macroporous bifunctional phosphinic acid (MPBPA) resin. Batch experiments were carried out to obtain the distribution data of Pu(IV) with a view to optimize conditions for its recovery from nitric acid waste solutions containing oxalate or fluoride ions. The measurements showed high distribution ratio (D) values even in the presence of strong complexing ions, like oxalate and fluoride, indicating the possibility of recovery of Pu from these types of waste solution. Column studies were carried out using this resin to recover Pu from the oxalate supernatant waste solution, which showed that up to 99% of Pu could be adsorbed on the resin. Elution of Pu loaded on the resin was studied using different eluting agents. (author)

  6. Macroporous hydrogels based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. Part 6: 3D hydrogels with positive and negative surface charges and polyelectrolyte complexes in spinal cord injury repair

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Hejčl, Aleš; Lesný, Petr; Přádný, Martin; Šedý, Jiří; Zámečník, J.; Jendelová, Pavla; Michálek, Jiří; Syková, Eva

    2009-01-01

    Roč. 20, č. 7 (2009), s. 1571-1577 ISSN 0957-4530 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA500390902 Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) 1M0538; GA MZd(CZ) 1A8697; EC FP6 project RESCUE(XE) LSHB-CT-2005-518233 Program:1M Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50390703; CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : transplantation * biomaterials * macroporous hydrogels Subject RIV: FH - Neurology Impact factor: 1.955, year: 2009

  7. Separation and purification of rebaudioside A from extract of Stevia Rebaudiana leaves by macroporous adsorption resins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anvari Masoumeh

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The separation and purification of rebaudioside A from Stevia rebaudiana crude extracts (Steviosides by macroporous resin were optimized by Taguchi orthogonal array (OA experimental design methodology. This approach was applied to evaluate the influence of five factors (adsorption temperature, desorption time, elution solution ratio, adsorption volume and type of resin on the rebaudioside A yield. The percentage contribution of each factor was also determined. The results showed that elution solution ratio and adsorption volume made the greatest (59.6% and the lowest (1.3% contribution, respectively. The results showed that the Taguchi method is able to model the purification of rebaudioside A process well (R2 > 0.998 and can therefore be applied in future studies conducted in various fields. Adsorption temperature 35°C, desorption time 60min, elution solution ratio 3, adsorption volume 200ml and HPD-400 as resin were the best conditions determined by the Taguchi method.

  8. Photonic molecules for improving the optical response of macroporous silicon photonic crystals for gas sensing purposes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cardador, D; Segura, D; Rodríguez, A

    2018-02-19

    In this paper, we report the benefits of working with photonic molecules in macroporous silicon photonic crystals. In particular, we theoretically and experimentally demonstrate that the optical properties of a resonant peak produced by a single photonic atom of 2.6 µm wide can be sequentially improved if a second and a third cavity of the same length are introduced in the structure. As a consequence of that, the base of the peak is reduced from 500 nm to 100 nm, while its amplitude remains constant, increasing its Q-factor from its initial value of 25 up to 175. In addition, the bandgap is enlarged almost twice and the noise within it is mostly eliminated. In this study we also provide a way of reducing the amplitude of one or two peaks, depending whether we are in the two- or three-cavity case, by modifying the length of the involved photonic molecules so that the remainder can be used to measure gas by spectroscopic methods.

  9. Nanoporous Calcium Silicate and PLGA Bio composite for Bone Repair

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Su, J.; Wang, Z.; Wu, Y.; Cao, L.; Ma, Y.; Yu, B.; Li, M.; Yan, Y.

    2010-01-01

    Nanoporous calcium silicate (n-CS) with high surface area was synthesized using the mixed surfactants of EO20PO70EO20 (polyethylene oxide)20(polypropylene oxide)70(polyethylene oxide)20, P123) and hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) as templates, and its composite with poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) were fabricated. The results showed that the n-CS/PLGA composite (n-CPC) with 20 wt% n-CS could induce a dense and continuous layer of apatite on its surface after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 1 week, suggesting the excellent in vitro bioactivity. The n-CPC could promote cell attachment on its surfaces. In addition, the proliferation ratio of MG63 cells on n-CPC was significantly higher than PLGA; the results demonstrated that n-CPC had excellent cytocompatibility. We prepared n-CPC scaffolds that contained open and interconnected macroporous ranging in size from 200 to 500 μ m. The n-CPC scaffolds were implanted in femur bone defect of rabbits, and the in vivo biocompatibility and osteogenicity of the scaffolds were investigated. The results indicated that n-CPC scaffolds exhibited good biocompatibility, degradability, and osteogenesis in vivo. Collectively, these results suggested that the incorporation of n-CS in PLGA produced biocomposites with improved bioactivity and biocompatibility.

  10. An internal magnetic field strategy to reuse pulverized active materials for high performance: a magnetic three-dimensional ordered macroporous TiO2/CoPt/α-Fe2O3 nanocomposite anode.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Yiping; Hong, Liang; Li, Jiquan; Hou, Guangya; Cao, Huazhen; Wu, Liankui; Zheng, Guoqu; Wu, Qingliu

    2017-05-09

    A ferromagnetic three-dimensional ordered macroporous TiO 2 /CoPt/α-Fe 2 O 3 (3DOMTCF) nanocomposite was synthesized via a sol-gel approach templated by poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) microspheres. After magnetization, it exhibited an extremely high reversible capacity and a long cycle life, which were ascribed to the internal magnetic field for reusing pulverized active materials and its unique structure.

  11. Excellent capacitive performance of a three-dimensional hierarchical porous graphene/carbon composite with a superhigh surface area.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xue Jin; Xing, Wei; Zhou, Jin; Wang, Gui Qiang; Zhuo, Shu Ping; Yan, Zi Feng; Xue, Qing Zhong; Qiao, Shi Zhang

    2014-10-06

    Three-dimensional hierarchical porous graphene/carbon composite was successfully synthesized from a solution of graphene oxide and a phenolic resin by using a facile and efficient method. The morphology, structure, and surface property of the composite were investigated intensively by a variety of means such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), N2 adsorption, Raman spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It is found that graphene serves as a scaffold to form a hierarchical pore texture in the composite, resulting in its superhigh surface area of 2034 m(2) g(-1), thin macropore wall, and high conductivity (152 S m(-1)). As evidenced by electrochemical measurements in both EMImBF4 ionic liquid and KOH electrolyte, the composite exhibits ideal capacitive behavior, high capacitance, and excellent rate performance due to its unique structure. In EMImBF4 , the composite has a high energy density of up to 50.1 Wh kg(-1) and also possesses quite stable cycling stability at 100 °C, suggesting its promising application in high-temperature supercapacitors. In KOH electrolyte, the specific capacitance of this composite can reach up to an unprecedented value of 186.5 F g(-1), even at a very high current density of 50 A g(-1), suggesting its prosperous application in high-power applications. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  12. Hydrothermal synthesis of layer-controlled MoS_2/graphene composite aerogels for lithium-ion battery anode materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Bing; Wang, Zhixuan; Gao, Yang; Chen, Lu; Lu, Mengna; Jiao, Zheng; Jiang, Yong; Ding, Yuanzhang; Cheng, Lingli

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Layer-controlled MoS_2/GA composites are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route. • Few-layer (5–15 layers) MoS_2 nanosheets are decorated on the surface of GNS homogeneously and tightly. • The growth mechanism of the lay-controlled MoS_2/GA composites is proposed. • The composite delivers high specific capacity of 1085.0 mAh g"−"1 at 0.1 A g"−"1. - Abstract: Layer-controlled MoS_2/graphene aerogels (MoS_2/GA) composites are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route, in which few-layer (5–15 layers) MoS_2 nanosheets with high crystalline are decorated on the surface of graphene nanosheets homogeneously and tightly. The number of the MoS_2 layers can be easily controlled through adjusting the amount of molybdenum source in the reaction system. Moreover, the growth mechanism of the lay-controlled MoS_2/GA composites is proposed. The three-dimensional MoS_2/GA with macroporous micro-structure not only shortens the transportation length of electrons and ions, but also restrains the re-stacking of MoS_2 effectively, stabilizing the electrode structure during repeated charging/discharging processes. Electrochemical tests demonstrate that this few-layer MoS_2/GA composite exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1085.0 mAh g"−"1 at current density of 100 mA g"−"1, as well as extraordinarily high cycling stability and rate capability.

  13. Bleeding evaluation of the stationary phase from a few novel macroporous silica-substrate polymeric materials used for radionuclide partitioning from HLLW in MAREC process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, A.; Wei, Y.; Kumagai, M.

    2005-01-01

    To separate minor actinides from HLLW by extraction chromatography, a few novel silica-based di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid (HDEHP), 4,4',(5')-di(tert-butylcyclohexano)-18-crown-6 (DtBuCH18C6), octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (CMPO), and N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyl-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamide (TODGA) polymeric adsorption materials (HDEHP/SiO 2 -P, DtBuCH18C6/SiO 2 -P, CMPO/SiO 2 -P, and TODGA/SiO 2 -P) were synthesized by impregnating HDEHP, DtBuCH18C6, CMPO, and TODGA into the pores of porous SiO 2 -P particles, which were the new kind of inorganic/organic composites consisted of macroporous SiO 2 and copolymer. The bleeding behavior of these composites was investigated by examining the effect of contact time and HNO 3 concentration. It was found that in the tested HNO 3 concentration range, a noticeable quantity of DtBuCH18C6, at least 600 ppm, leaked out from DtBuCH18C6/SiO 2 -P because of the protonation of DtBuCH18C6 with hydrogen ion, while the others were lower and basically equivalent to the solubility of HDEHP, CMPO, or TODGA in corresponding acidities solutions. Based on the batch experiment, the bleeding of CMPO/SiO 2 -P and TODGA/SiO 2 -P, the main adsorbents used in MAREC process for HLLW partitioning, was evaluated by column operation in 0.01M HNO 3 and 3M HNO 3 . The quantity of CMPO leaked was ∼48 ppm in 0.01M HNO 3 and ∼37 ppm in 3.0M HNO 3 . The bleeding of TODGA decreased from 23.2 ppm to 7.27 ppm at the initial stage and then basically kept constant. An actual bleeding of TODGA was evaluated by the separation of Sr(II) from a 2.0M HNO 3 solution containing 5.0 x 10 -3 M of 6 typically simulated elements. (author)

  14. Template-free synthesis of renewable macroporous carbon via yeast cells for high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Hongmei; He, Wenhui; Zong, Chenghua; Lu, Lehui

    2013-03-01

    The urgent need for sustainable development has forced material scientists to explore novel materials for next-generation energy storage devices through a green and facile strategy. In this context, yeast, which is a large group of single cell fungi widely distributed in nature environments, will be an ideal candidate for developing effective electrode materials with fascinating structures for high-performance supercapacitors. With this in mind, herein, we present the first example of creating three-dimensional (3D) interpenetrating macroporous carbon materials via a template-free method, using the green, renewable, and widespread yeast cells as the precursors. Remarkably, when the as-prepared materials are used as the electrode materials for supercapacitors, they exhibit outstanding performance with high specific capacitance of 330 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1), and good stability, even after 1000 charge/discharge cycles. The approach developed in this work provides a new view of making full use of sustainable resources endowed by nature, opening the avenue to designing and producing robust materials with great promising applications in high-performance energy-storage devices.

  15. Macroporous graphitic carbon foam decorated with polydopamine as a high-performance anode for microbial fuel cell

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Hongmei; Yang, Lu; Deng, Wenfang; Tan, Yueming; Xie, Qingji

    2017-09-01

    Herein, a macroporous graphitic carbon foam (MGCF) electrode decorated with polydopamine (PDA) is used as a high-performance anode for microbial fuel cell (MFC) applications. The MGCF is facilely prepared by pyrolysis of a powder mixture comprising maltose, nickel nitrate, and ammonia chloride, without using solid porous template. The MGCF is coated with PDA by self-polymerization of dopamine in a basic solution. The MGCF can provide a large surface area for bacterial attachment, and PDA coated on the MGCF electrode can further promote bacterial adhesion resulting from the improved hydrophility, so the MGCF-PDA electrode as an anode in a MFC can show ultrahigh bacterial loading capacity. Moreover, the electrochemical oxidation of flavins at the MGCF-PDA electrode is greatly accelerated, so the extracellular electron transfer mediated by flavins is improved. As a result, the MFC equipped with a MGCF-PDA anode can show a maximum power density of 1735 mW cm-2, which is 6.7 times that of a MFC equipped with a commercial carbon felt anode, indicating a promising anode for MFC applications.

  16. Scalable synthesis of interconnected porous silicon/carbon composites by the Rochow reaction as high-performance anodes of lithium ion batteries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Zailei; Wang, Yanhong; Ren, Wenfeng; Tan, Qiangqiang; Chen, Yunfa; Li, Hong; Zhong, Ziyi; Su, Fabing

    2014-05-12

    Despite the promising application of porous Si-based anodes in future Li ion batteries, the large-scale synthesis of these materials is still a great challenge. A scalable synthesis of porous Si materials is presented by the Rochow reaction, which is commonly used to produce organosilane monomers for synthesizing organosilane products in chemical industry. Commercial Si microparticles reacted with gas CH3 Cl over various Cu-based catalyst particles to substantially create macropores within the unreacted Si accompanying with carbon deposition to generate porous Si/C composites. Taking advantage of the interconnected porous structure and conductive carbon-coated layer after simple post treatment, these composites as anodes exhibit high reversible capacity and long cycle life. It is expected that by integrating the organosilane synthesis process and controlling reaction conditions, the manufacture of porous Si-based anodes on an industrial scale is highly possible. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Textural and electronic characteristics of mechanochemically activated composites with nanosilica and activated carbon

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gun’ko, V.M.; Zaulychnyy, Ya.V.; Ilkiv, B.I.; Zarko, V.I.; Nychiporuk, Yu.M.; Pakhlov, E.M.; Ptushinskii, Yu.G.; Leboda, R.; Skubiszewska-Zięba, J.

    2011-01-01

    Nanosilicas (A-50, A-300, A-500)/activated carbon (AC, S BET = 1520 m 2 /g) composites were prepared using short-term (5 min) mechanochemical activation (MCA) of powder mixtures in a microbreaker. Smaller silica nanoparticles of A-500 (average diameter d av = 5.5 nm) can more easily penetrate into broad mesopores and macropores of AC microparticles than larger nanoparticles of A-50 (d av = 52.4 nm) or A-300 (d av = 8.1 nm). After MCA of silica/AC, nanopores of non-broken AC nanoparticles remained accessible for adsorbed N 2 molecules. According to ultra-soft X-ray emission spectra (USXES), MCA of silica/AC caused formation of chemical bonds Si-O-C; however, Si-C and Si-Si bonds were practically not formed. A decrease in intensity of OK α band in respect to CK α band of silica/AC composites with diminishing sizes of silica nanoparticles is due to both changes in the surface structure of particles and penetration of a greater number of silica nanoparticles into broad pores of AC microparticles and restriction of penetration depth of exciting electron beam into the AC particles.

  18. Composite Biomaterials Based on Sol-Gel Mesoporous Silicate Glasses: A Review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baino, Francesco; Fiorilli, Sonia; Vitale-Brovarone, Chiara

    2017-01-01

    Bioactive glasses are able to bond to bone and stimulate the growth of new tissue while dissolving over time, which makes them ideal materials for regenerative medicine. The advent of mesoporous glasses, which are typically synthesized via sol-gel routes, allowed researchers to develop a broad and versatile class of novel biomaterials that combine superior bone regenerative potential (compared to traditional melt-derived glasses) with the ability of incorporating drugs and various biomolecules for targeted therapy in situ. Mesoporous glass particles can be directly embedded as a bioactive phase within a non-porous (e.g., microspheres), porous (3D scaffolds) or injectable matrix, or be processed to manufacture a surface coating on inorganic or organic (macro)porous substrates, thereby obtaining hierarchical structures with multiscale porosity. This review provides a picture of composite systems and coatings based on mesoporous glasses and highlights the challenges for the future, including the great potential of inorganic–organic hybrid sol-gel biomaterials. PMID:28952496

  19. Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Effect of zirconia addition on the fatigue behaviour of fine grained alumina .... These samples with a wide variation of density and hence, of open pore volume percentage, were characterized in ... Effect of alkali treated jute fibres on composite properties ..... Macroporous silica–alumina composites with mesoporous walls.

  20. Effect of Biomass Waste Filler on the Dielectric Properties of Polymer Composites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yew Been Seok

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The effect of biomass waste fillers, namely coconut shell (CS and sugarcane bagasse (SCB on the dielectric properties of polymer composite was investigated. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential of CS and SCB to be used as conductive filler (natural source of carbon in the polymer composite. The purpose of the conductive filler is to increase the dielectric properties of the polymer composite. The carbon composition the CS and SCB was determine through carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur (CHNS elemental analysis whereas the structural morphology of CS and SCB particles was examined by using scanning electron microscope. Room temperature open-ended coaxial line method was used to determine the dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor over broad band frequency range of 200 MHz-20 GHz. Based on this study, the results found that CS and SCB contain 48% and 44% of carbon, which is potentially useful to be used as conductive elements in the polymer composite. From SEM morphology, presence of irregular shape particles (size ≈ 200 μm and macroporous structure (size ≈ 2.5 μm were detected on CS and SCB. For dielectric properties measurement, it was measured that the average dielectric constant (ε' is 3.062 and 3.007 whereas the average dielectric loss factor (ε" is 0.282 and 0.273 respectively for CS/polymer and SCB/polymer composites. The presence of the biomass waste fillers have improved the dielectric properties of the polymer based composite (ε' = 2.920, ε" = 0.231. However, the increased in the dielectric properties is not highly significant, i.e. up to 4.86 % increase in ε' and 20% increase in ε". The biomass waste filler reinforced polymer composites show typical dielectric relaxation characteristic at frequency of 10 GHz - 20 GHz and could be used as conducting polymer composite for suppressing EMI at high frequency range.

  1. Biodiesel production from transesterification of palm oil with methanol over CaO supported on bimodal meso-macroporous silica catalyst.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Witoon, Thongthai; Bumrungsalee, Sittisut; Vathavanichkul, Peerawut; Palitsakun, Supaphorn; Saisriyoot, Maythee; Faungnawakij, Kajornsak

    2014-03-01

    Calcium oxide-loaded porous materials have shown promise as catalysts in transesterification. However, the slow diffusion of bulky triglycerides through the pores limited the activity of calcium oxide (CaO). In this work, bimodal meso-macroporous silica was used as a support to enhance the accessibility of the CaO dispersed inside the pores. Unimodal porous silica having the identical mesopore diameter was employed for the purpose of comparison. Effects of CaO content and catalyst pellet size on the yield of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were investigated. The basic strength was found to increase with increasing the CaO content. The CaO-loaded bimodal porous silica catalyst with the pellet size of 325μm achieved a high %FAME of 94.15 in the first cycle, and retained an excellent %FAME of 88.87 after five consecutive cycles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Multifunctional Environmental Smart Fertilizer Based on l-Aspartic Acid for Sustained Nutrient Release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lü, Shaoyu; Feng, Chen; Gao, Chunmei; Wang, Xinggang; Xu, Xiubin; Bai, Xiao; Gao, Nannan; Liu, Mingzhu

    2016-06-22

    Fertilizer is one of the most important elements of modern agriculture. However, conventional fertilizer, when applied to crops, is vulnerable to losses through volatilization, leaching, nitrification, or other means. Such a loss limits crop yields and pollutes the environment. In an effort to enhance nutrient use efficiency and reduce environmental pollution, an environmental smart fertilizer was reported in the current study. Poly(aspartic acid) and a degradable macro-cross-linker based on l-aspartic acid were synthesized and introduced into the fertilizer as a superabsorbent to improve the fertilizer degradability and soil moisture-retention capacity. Sustained release behavior of the fertilizer was achieved in soil. Cumulative release of nitrogen and phosphorus was 79.8% and 64.4% after 30 days, respectively. The water-holding and water-retention capacities of soil with the superabsorbent are obviously higher than those of the control soil without superabsorbent. For the sample of 200 g of soil with 1.5 g of superabsorbent, the water-holding capacity is 81.8%, and the water-retention capacity remains 22.6% after 23 days. All of the current results in this study indicated that the as-prepared fertilizer has a promising application in sustainable modern agriculture.

  3. Glycidyl methacrylate macroporous copolymer grafted with diethylene triamine as sorbent for Reactive Black 5

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandić Zvjezdana P.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, macroporous glycidyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate copolymer functionalized with diethylene triamine [PGME-deta], was evaluated as Reactive Black 5 (RB5 sorbent. Batch RB5 removal from aqueous solution by PGME-deta was investigated by varying pH, contact time, sorbent dosage, initial dye concentration and temperature. The sorption is pH sensitive having maximum at pH 2 (dye removal of 85%, decreasing with the increase of pH (dye removal of 24% at pH=11 after 60 min. Sorption kinetics was fitted to chemical-reaction and particle-diffusion models (pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, intraparticle diffusion and Mckay models. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model accurately predicted the RB5 amount sorbed under all investigated operating conditions, while the intraparticle diffusion was the dominant rate-limiting mechanism. The diffusion mechanism was more prevalent with the decrease in temperature and the increase in concentration. The isotherm data was best fitted with the Langmuir model, indicating homogeneous distribution of active sites on PGME-deta and monolayer sorption, with the maximum sorption capacity of 353 mg g-1. The calculated sorption rates improved with increasing temperature and an activation energy close to 40 kJ mol-1 was determined, suggesting that chemisorption was also rate-controlling. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 43009, br. TR 37021 i br. III 45001

  4. Organic-inorganic composite materials for high-performance supercapacitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, N.L. [National Taiwan Univ., Taipei, Taiwan (China). Dept. of Chemical Engineering

    2010-07-01

    This study investigated the use of super-absorbent polymers (SAP) to increase the geometric capacitance density (GCD) of supercapacitor metal current collectors. A manganese (MnO{sub 2}) supercapacitor with a polyacrylate (PAA) polymer was characterized in order to demonstrate the SAP's ability to facilitate electrolyte distribution throughout the active layer due to its electrolyte-absorbing and swelling behaviour. The study demonstrated that the capacitance of the MnO{sub 2} remained unchanged over a wide range of heavy-active material loadings and current rates. Placing the PAA throughout the entire active layer magnified interactions between the PAA and MnO{sub 2}, and enhanced the capacitance of individual MnO{sub 2} particles. GCD values were higher than values obtained in the literature. Results suggested that the same method can be used in other SAP supercapacitor systems.

  5. Preparation and characterization of hydroxyapatite/gelatin composite membranes for immunoisolation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Jyh-Ping; Chang, Feng-Nian

    2012-12-01

    Composite membranes are fabricated from hydroxyapatite (HAP) and gelatin for immunoisolation of cells. The films were fabricated by crosslinking 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 20 wt% gelatin with 1 wt% glutaraldehyde (GA) in the presence of HAP. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirms imide bond formation between GA and gelatin, while the crystal structure of HAP powder remains unchanged from X-ray diffraction analysis. The degree of crosslinking depends on crosslinking time and gelatin concentration. For 5% and 10% gelatin, the degree of crosslinking levels off at 90% within 48 h. From scanning electron microscopy micrographs, the microstructure of the composite membrane depends on the amount of gelatin used in the crosslinking reaction. The mechanical strength of the composite membrane could be enhanced by increasing the gelatin concentration. BET analysis indicates that pore size of the micropores on the surface HAP/gelatin agglomerates decreases with increasing gelatin concentration. However, the macropore, through which diffusion of molecules occurs, is larger at higher gelatin concentrations. The permeability coefficients of different molecules through a HAP/gelatin composite membrane increase with increasing gelatin concentration and is inversely correlated with the molecular weight of the molecule. For immunoisolation of cells, the diffusion of large molecules stimulated by the immune system can be rejected by a chamber constructed from the HAP/gelatin membrane. Insulinoma cells were encapsulated in alginate-poly-L-lysine-alginate microcapsules and enclosed in a HAP/gelatin chamber. The chamber did not impair the viability and function of insulinoma cells and cells can secrete insulin in response to glucose concentration change. The chamber is therefore useful for the physiologically controlled secretion of insulin in response to the blood glucose level. Intraperitoneal transplantation of the chamber into streptozotocin-induced diabetic SD rats could

  6. Catalysts macroporosity and their efficiency in sulphur sub-dew point Claus tail gas treating processes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tsybulevski, A.M.; Pearson, M. [Alcoa Industrial Chemicals, 16010 Barker`s Point Lane, Houston, TX (United States); Morgun, L.V.; Filatova, O.E. [All-Russian Research Institute of Natural Gases and Gas Technologies VNIIGAZ, Moscow (Russian Federation); Sharp, M. [Porocel Corporation, Westheimer, Houston, TX (United States)

    1996-10-08

    The efficiency of 4 samples of alumina catalyst has been studied experimentally in the course of the Claus `tail gas` treating processes at the sulphur sub-dew point (TGTP). The samples were characterized by the same chemical and crystallographic composition, the same volume of micropores, the same surface area and the same catalytic activity but differed appreciably in the volume of macropores. An increase in the effective operation time of the catalysts before breakthrough of unrecoverable sulphur containing compounds, with the increasing macropore volume has been established. A theoretical model of the TGTP has been considered and it has been shown that the increase in the sulphur capacity of the catalysts with a larger volume of macropores is due to an increase in the catalysts efficiency factor and a slower decrease in their diffusive permeability during filling of micropores by sulphur

  7. Hydrothermal synthesis of layer-controlled MoS{sub 2}/graphene composite aerogels for lithium-ion battery anode materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhao, Bing; Wang, Zhixuan [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Gao, Yang; Chen, Lu [Shanghai Applied Radiation Institute, Shanghai University, Shanghai 201800 (China); Lu, Mengna [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Jiao, Zheng [Shanghai Applied Radiation Institute, Shanghai University, Shanghai 201800 (China); Jiang, Yong, E-mail: jiangyong@shu.edu.cn [School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444 (China); Ding, Yuanzhang [Jiangsu Aoxin New Energy Automobile Ltd., Jiangsu 224007 (China); Cheng, Lingli, E-mail: chenglingli@shu.edu.cn [Shanghai Applied Radiation Institute, Shanghai University, Shanghai 201800 (China)

    2016-12-30

    Highlights: • Layer-controlled MoS{sub 2}/GA composites are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route. • Few-layer (5–15 layers) MoS{sub 2} nanosheets are decorated on the surface of GNS homogeneously and tightly. • The growth mechanism of the lay-controlled MoS{sub 2}/GA composites is proposed. • The composite delivers high specific capacity of 1085.0 mAh g{sup −1} at 0.1 A g{sup −1}. - Abstract: Layer-controlled MoS{sub 2}/graphene aerogels (MoS{sub 2}/GA) composites are synthesized by a facile hydrothermal route, in which few-layer (5–15 layers) MoS{sub 2} nanosheets with high crystalline are decorated on the surface of graphene nanosheets homogeneously and tightly. The number of the MoS{sub 2} layers can be easily controlled through adjusting the amount of molybdenum source in the reaction system. Moreover, the growth mechanism of the lay-controlled MoS{sub 2}/GA composites is proposed. The three-dimensional MoS{sub 2}/GA with macroporous micro-structure not only shortens the transportation length of electrons and ions, but also restrains the re-stacking of MoS{sub 2} effectively, stabilizing the electrode structure during repeated charging/discharging processes. Electrochemical tests demonstrate that this few-layer MoS{sub 2}/GA composite exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1085.0 mAh g{sup −1} at current density of 100 mA g{sup −1}, as well as extraordinarily high cycling stability and rate capability.

  8. Ag-loaded MgSrFe-layered double hydroxide/chitosan composite scaffold with enhanced osteogenic and antibacterial property for bone engineering tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Dandan; Xu, Zhengliang; Chen, Yixuan; Ke, Qinfei; Zhang, Changqing; Guo, Yaping

    2018-02-01

    Bone tissue engineering scaffolds for the reconstruction of large bone defects should simultaneously promote osteogenic differentiation and avoid postoperative infection. Herein, we develop, for the first time, Ag-loaded MgSrFe-layered double hydroxide/chitosan (Ag-MgSrFe/CS) composite scaffold. This scaffold exhibits three-dimensional interconnected macroporous structure with a pore size of 100-300 μm. The layered double hydroxide nanoplates in the Ag-MgSrFe/CS show lateral sizes of 200-400 nm and thicknesses of ∼50 nm, and the Ag nanoparticles with particle sizes of ∼20 nm are uniformly dispersed on the scaffold surfaces. Human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) present good adhesion, spreading, and proliferation on the Ag-MgSrFe/CS composite scaffold, suggesting that the Ag and Sr elements in the composite scaffold have no toxicity to hBMSCs. When compared with MgFe/CS composite scaffold, the Ag-MgSrFe/CS composite scaffold has better osteogenic property. The released Sr 2+ ions from the composite scaffold enhance the alkaline phosphatase activity of hBMSCs, promote the extracellular matrix mineralization, and increase the expression levels of osteogenic-related RUNX2 and BMP-2. Moreover, the Ag-MgSrFe/CS composite scaffold possesses good antibacterial property because the Ag nanoparticles in the composite scaffold effectively prevent biofilm formation against S. aureus. Hence, the Ag-MgSrFe/CS composite scaffold with excellent osteoinductivity and antibacterial property has a great potential for bone tissue engineering. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 106B: 863-873, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Formation of different micro-morphologies from VO2 and ZnO crystallization using macro-porous silicon substrates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salazar-Kuri, U.; Antúnez, E. E.; Estevez, J. O.; Olive-Méndez, Sion F.; Silva-González, N. R.; Agarwal, V.

    2017-05-01

    Square-shaped macropores produced by electrochemical anodization of n- and p-type Si wafers have been used as centers of nucleation to crystallize VO2 and ZnO. Substrate roughness dependent formation of different morphologies is revealed in the form of squared particles, spheres, bars and ribbons in the case of VO2 and hexagonal piles and spheres in the case of ZnO, have been observed.The presence of nano-/micro-metric crystals was studied through field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping. Crystal structure of metal oxides was confirmed by micro-Raman spectroscopy. The growth of the different morphologies has been explained in terms of the surface free energy of a bare Si/SiO2 substrate and its modification originated from the roughness of the surface and of the walls of the porous substrates. This energy plays a crucial role on the minimization of the required energy to induce heterogeneous nucleation and crystal growth. Present work strengthens and provides an experimental evidence of roughness dependent metal oxide crystal growth with well-defined habits from pore corners and rough sides of the pore walls, similar to already reported protein crystals.

  10. High-rate capability of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous T-Nb2O5 through Li+ intercalation pseudocapacitance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lou, Shuaifeng; Cheng, Xinqun; Wang, Long; Gao, Jinlong; Li, Qin; Ma, Yulin; Gao, Yunzhi; Zuo, Pengjian; Du, Chunyu; Yin, Geping

    2017-09-01

    Orthorhombic Niobium oxide (T-Nb2O5) has been regarded as a promising anode material for high-rate lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to its potential to operate at high rates with improved safety and high theoretical capacity of 200 mA h g-1. Herein, three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) T-Nb2O5, with mesoporous hierarchical structure, was firstly prepared by a simple approach employing self-assembly polystyrene (PS) microspheres as hard templates. The obtained T-Nb2O5 anode material presents obvious and highly-efficiency pseudocapacitive Li+ intercalation behaviour, which plays a dominant role in the kinetics of electrode process. As a result, rapid Li+ intercalation/de-intercalation are achieved, leading to excellent rate capability and long cycle life. The 3DOM T-Nb2O5 shows a remarkable high capacity of 106 and 77 mA h g-1 at the rate of 20C and 50C. The work presented herein holds great promise for future design of material structure, and demonstrates the great potential of T-Nb2O5 as a practical high-rate anode material for LIBs.

  11. Evaluation of Chlorophyll fluorescence and Biochemical traits of lettuce under drought stress and super absorbent or bentonite application

    OpenAIRE

    GHALE BEIG AKRAM VALIZADEH; Neamati, Seyyed; Tehranifar, Ali; Emami, Hojat

    2014-01-01

    The effects of two superabsorbents (natural-bentonite) and (synthetic-A 200) on the chlorophyll fluorescence index, proline accumulation, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity and total carbohydrate in lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) was evaluated. For this purpose, a factorial experiment using completely randomized design with superabsorbents at 3 levels (0, 0.15, 0.30 w/w%), drought stress at 2 levels (60 and 100% of field capacity) and 4 replicates was conducted. Results showed that photos...

  12. Fabrication of SnO2-Reduced Graphite Oxide Monolayer-Ordered Porous Film Gas Sensor with Tunable Sensitivity through Ultra-Violet Light Irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Shipu; Sun, Fengqiang; Yang, Shumin; Pan, Zizhao; Long, Jinfeng; Gu, Fenglong

    2015-01-01

    A new graphene-based composite structure, monolayer-ordered macroporous film composed of a layer of orderly arranged macropores, was reported. As an example, SnO2-reduced graphite oxide monolayer-ordered macroporous film was fabricated on a ceramic tube substrate under the irradiation of ultra-violet light (UV), by taking the latex microsphere two-dimensional colloid crystal as a template. Graphite oxide sheets dispersed in SnSO4 aqueous solution exhibited excellent affinity with template microspheres and were in situ incorporated into the pore walls during UV-induced growth of SnO2. The growing and the as-formed SnO2, just like other photocatalytic semiconductor, could be excited to produce electrons and holes under UV irradiation. Electrons reduced GO and holes adsorbed corresponding negative ions, which changed the properties of the composite film. This film was directly used as gas-sensor and was able to display high sensitivity in detecting ethanol gas. More interestingly, on the basis of SnO2-induced photochemical behaviours, this sensor demonstrated tunable sensitivity when UV irradiation time was controlled during the fabrication process and post in water, respectively. This study provides efficient ways of conducting the in situ fabrication of a semiconductor-reduced graphite oxide film device with uniform surface structure and controllable properties. PMID:25758292

  13. 3D macroporous electrode and high-performance in lithium-ion batteries using SnO2 coated on Cu foam

    Science.gov (United States)

    Um, Ji Hyun; Choi, Myounggeun; Park, Hyeji; Cho, Yong-Hun; Dunand, David C.; Choe, Heeman; Sung, Yung-Eun

    2016-01-01

    A three-dimensional porous architecture makes an attractive electrode structure, as it has an intrinsic structural integrity and an ability to buffer stress in lithium-ion batteries caused by the large volume changes in high-capacity anode materials during cycling. Here we report the first demonstration of a SnO2-coated macroporous Cu foam anode by employing a facile and scalable combination of directional freeze-casting and sol-gel coating processes. The three-dimensional interconnected anode is composed of aligned microscale channels separated by SnO2-coated Cu walls and much finer micrometer pores, adding to surface area and providing space for volume expansion of SnO2 coating layer. With this anode, we achieve a high reversible capacity of 750 mAh g−1 at current rate of 0.5 C after 50 cycles and an excellent rate capability of 590 mAh g−1 at 2 C, which is close to the best performance of Sn-based nanoscale material so far. PMID:26725652

  14. Epicrystal modification of construction composites of different purpose with application of granulated nanostructured aggregate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    STROKOVA Valeria Valerievna

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The paper shows that the volume impregnation of the concrete matrix in case of using granular nanostructured aggregate is an example of several anthropogenic metasomatosis such as phase replacement with the change of the chemical composition, as well as formation of new paragenesises, transformation of characteristics of final material. It is shown the impregnation of concrete with modifying solution results in microstructure impaction and homogenization; grain surface is covered with micro- and nano-sized new formations with different morphology. Considering the relevance of researches related to the development of new lightweight concrete aggregates and modification of traditionally used aggregates application of nanostructured granular aggregate for the implementation epicrystal modification of lightweight concrete based on inorganic binders is proposed. It allows creating composite macroporous structure with joint modification of the matrix on nano- and microlevel. Also, in view of increase in number of researches devoted to alkali-activated silicate and aluminosilicate systems for application as individually and as modifiers for increasing of hydrophobic properties of building materials, the possibility of creating a fine-grained concrete with low water absorption by the introduction of hydrophobic additives into the composition of granular nanostructured aggregate is demonstrated. During the steam treatment the fluids from solutions of sodium polysilicates and hydrophobic additives are form at the core of the granular aggregate with its later migration through the shell of the granules and spreading in the volume of the concrete matrix. Improving of performance characteristics presented construction composites for various purposes is defined by the infiltrational metasomatic transformation of crystalline matrix with the activated functional systems, obtained during the thermal activation of granulated nanostructured aggregate.

  15. Formation of carbon nanosheets via simultaneous activation and catalytic carbonization of macroporous anion-exchange resin for supercapacitors application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peng, Hui; Ma, Guofu; Sun, Kanjun; Mu, Jingjing; Zhang, Zhe; Lei, Ziqiang

    2014-12-10

    Two-dimensional mesoporous carbon nanosheets (CNSs) have been prepared via simultaneous activation and catalytic carbonization route using macroporous anion-exchange resin (AER) as carbon precursor and ZnCl2 and FeCl3 as activating agent and catalyst, respectively. The iron catalyst in the skeleton of the AER may lead to carburization to form a sheetlike structure during the carbonization process. The obtained CNSs have a large number of mesopores, a maximum specific surface area of 1764.9 m(2) g(-1), and large pore volume of 1.38 cm(3) g(-1). As an electrode material for supercapacitors application, the CNSs electrode possesses a large specific capacitance of 283 F g(-1) at 0.5 A g(-1) and excellent rate capability (64% retention ratio even at 50 A g(-1)) in 6 mol L(-1) KOH. Furthermore, CNSs symmetric supercapacitor exhibits specific energies of 17.2 W h kg(-1) at a power density of 224 W kg(-1) operated in the voltage range of 0-1.8 V in 0.5 mol L(-1) Na2SO4 aqueous electrolyte, and outstanding cyclability (retains about 96% initial capacitance after 5000 cycles).

  16. Meso- and macroporous sulfonated starch solid acid catalyst for esterification of palm fatty acid

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ibrahim M. Lokman

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available In the present work, a heterogeneous solid acid catalyst was successfully developed from starch. The catalyst was prepared by a significant two-step process; the initial step was incomplete carbonization of starch (ICS at 400 °C for 12 h and consequently followed by sulfonation process using concentrated H2SO4 to produce sulfonated-incomplete carbonized starch (ICS-SO3H. The characterization of the ICS-SO3H catalyst was done for chemical and physical properties such as X-ray diffraction (XRD, ammonia-temperature programmed desorption (NH3-TPD, surface area analysis, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA, elemental analysis and morphology analysis by scanning electron microscope (SEM. BET results showed the structure of ICS-SO3H consists of meso- and macro-porous properties, which allowed high density of the SO3H group attached on its carbon networks. The catalytic activity of ICS-SO3H catalyst was determined by analyzing the catalyst performance to esterify palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD and sequentially produced methyl ester. The maximum free fatty acid (FFA conversion and FAME yield were as high as 94.6% and 90.4%, respectively, at 75 °C using 10:1 methanol-to-PFAD molar ratio and 2 wt.% of catalyst within 3 h. The catalyst has sufficient potential to recycle up to 6 reactions without reactivation step and any remarkable loss of catalytic activity. It revealed that the heterogeneous ICS-SO3H catalyst exhibits high stability, reusability and catalytic activity.

  17. Cell expansion of human articular chondrocytes on macroporous gelatine scaffolds-impact of microcarrier selection on cell proliferation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pettersson, Sofia; Kratz, Gunnar [Laboratory for Reconstructive Plastic Surgery, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linkoeping University, SE-581 85 Linkoeping (Sweden); Wetteroe, Jonas [Rheumatology/AIR, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linkoeping University, SE-581 85 Linkoeping (Sweden); Tengvall, Pentti, E-mail: sofia.pettersson@liu.se [Institute of Clinical Sciences, Department of Biomaterials, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, SE-405 30 Gothenburg (Sweden)

    2011-12-15

    This study investigates human chondrocyte expansion on four macroporous gelatine microcarriers (CultiSpher) differing with respect to two manufacturing processes-the amount of emulsifier used during initial preparation and the gelatine cross-linking medium. Monolayer-expanded articular chondrocytes from three donors were seeded onto the microcarriers and cultured in spinner flask systems for a total of 15 days. Samples were extracted every other day to monitor cell viability and establish cell counts, which were analysed using analysis of variance and piecewise linear regression. Chondrocyte densities increased according to a linear pattern for all microcarriers, indicating an ongoing, though limited, cell proliferation. A strong chondrocyte donor effect was seen during the initial expansion phase. The final cell yield differed significantly between the microcarriers and our results indicate that manufacturing differences affected chondrocyte densities at this point. Remaining cells stained positive for chondrogenic markers SOX-9 and S-100 but extracellular matrix formation was modest to undetectable. In conclusion, the four gelatine microcarriers supported chondrocyte adhesion and proliferation over a two week period. The best yield was observed for microcarriers produced with low emulsifier content and cross-linked in water and acetone. These results add to the identification of optimal biomaterial parameters for specific cellular processes and populations.

  18. Aligned poly(L-lactic-co-e-caprolactone) electrospun microfibers and knitted structure: a novel composite scaffold for ligament tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaquette, Cédryck; Kahn, Cyril; Frochot, Céline; Nouvel, Cécile; Six, Jean-Luc; De Isla, Natalia; Luo, Li-Hua; Cooper-White, Justin; Rahouadj, Rachid; Wang, Xiong

    2010-09-15

    We developed a novel technique involving knitting and electrospinning to fabricate a composite scaffold for ligament tissue engineering. Knitted structures were coated with poly(L-lactic-co-e-caprolactone) (PLCL) and then placed onto a rotating cylinder and a PLCL solution was electrospun onto the structure. Highly aligned 2-microm-diameter microfibers covered the space between the stitches and adhered to the knitted scaffolds. The stress-strain tensile curves exhibited an initial toe region similar to the tensile behavior of ligaments. Composite scaffolds had an elastic modulus (150 +/- 14 MPa) similar to the modulus of human ligaments. Biological evaluation showed that cells proliferated on the composite scaffolds and they spontaneously orientated along the direction of microfiber alignment. The microfiber architecture also induced a high level of extracellular matrix secretion, which was characterized by immunostaining. We found that cells produced collagen type I and type III, two main components found in ligaments. After 14 days of culture, collagen type III started to form a fibrous network. We fabricated a composite scaffold having the mechanical properties of the knitted structure and the morphological properties of the aligned microfibers. It is difficult to seed a highly macroporous structure with cells, however the technique we developed enabled an easy cell seeding due to presence of the microfiber layer. Therefore, these scaffolds presented attractive properties for a future use in bioreactors for ligament tissue engineering. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Preparation of epoxy-based macroporous monolithic columns for the fast and efficient immunofiltration of Staphylococcus aureus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ott, Sonja; Niessner, Reinhard; Seidel, Michael

    2011-08-01

    Macroporous epoxy-based monolithic columns were used for immunofiltration of bacteria. The prepared monolithic polymer support is hydrophilic and has large pore sizes of 21 μm without mesopores. A surface chemistry usually applied for immobilization of antibodies on glass slides is successfully transferred to monolithic columns. Step-by-step, the surface of the epoxy-based monolith is hydrolyzed, silanized, coated with poly(ethylene glycol diamine) and activated with the homobifunctional crosslinker di(N-succinimidyl)carbonate for immobilization of antibodies on the monolithic columns. The functionalization steps are characterized to ensure the coating of each monolayer. The prepared antibody-immobilized monolithic column is optimized for immunofiltration to enrich Staphylococcus aureus as an important food contaminant. Different kinds of geometries of monolithic columns, flow rates and elution buffers are tested with the goal to get high recoveries in the shortest enrichment time as possible. An effective capture of S. aureus was achieved at a flow rate of 7.0 mL/min with low backpressures of 20.1±5.4 mbar enabling a volumetric enrichment of 1000 within 145 min. The bacteria were quantified by flow cytometry using a double-labeling approach. After immunofiltration the sensitivity was significantly increased and a detection limit of the total system of 42 S. aureus/mL was reached. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. The efficiency of macroporous polystyrene ion-exchange resins in natural organic matter removal from surface water

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Urbanowska Agnieszka

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Natural water sources used for water treatment contains various organic and inorganic compounds. Surface waters are commonly contaminated with natural organic matter (NOM. NOM removal from water is important e.g. due to lowering the risk of disinfection by-product formation during chlorination. Ion exchange with the use of synthetic ion-exchange resins is an alternative process to typical NOM removal approach (e.g. coagulation, adsorption or oxidation as most NOM compounds have anionic character. Moreover, neutral fraction could be removed from water due to its adsorption on resin surface. In this study, applicability of two macroporous, polystyrene ion exchange resins (BD400FD and A100 in NOM removal from water was assessed including comparison of treatment efficiency in various process set-ups and conditions. Moreover, resin regeneration effectivity was determined. Obtained results shown that examined resins could be applied in NOM removal and it should be noticed that column set-up yielded better results (contrary to batch set-up. Among the examined resins A100 one possessed better properties. It was determined that increase of solution pH resulted in a slight decrease in treatment efficiency while higher temperature improved it. It was also observed that regeneration efficiency was comparable in both tested methods but batch set-up required less reagents.

  1. Development of the preparation technology of macroporous sorbent for industrial off-gas treatment including 14C

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Il Hoon; Cho, Young Hyun; Park, Guen Il; Kim, In Tae; Kim, June Hyung; Ahn, Byung Kil

    2001-01-01

    For environmental and health effects due to increasing levels of pollution in the atmosphere, it is necessary to develop environmentally sound technologies for the treatment of greenhouse gases (CO 2 , CH 4 , CFC, etc.) and acid gases (SOx, NOx, etc.). Specifically, advanced technology for CO 2 capturing is currently one of the most important environmental issues in worldwide. 14 CO 2 , specially which has been gradually emerging issue in the nuclear facilities, is generated about 330 ppm from the CANDU (Canadian Deuterium Uranium Reactor) nuclear power plant and the DUPIC (Direct Use of spent PWR fuel in CANDU reactors) process which is the process of spent fuel treatment. For this purpose, it is necessary to develop the most efficient treatment technology of CO 2 capture by various lime materials in semi- or dry process, it should be also considering a removal performance, waste recycling and safety of disposal. In order to develop a highly active slaked lime as a sorbent for CO 2 and high temperature desulfurization, macroporous slaked lime is necessarily prepared by modified swelling process and equipment, which was developed under carrying out this project. And also for the optimal removal process of off-gases the removal performance tests of various sorbents and the effects of relative humidity and bed depth on the removal capacity must be considered

  2. Hierarchical meso/macro-porous carbon fabricated from dual MgO templates for direct electron transfer enzymatic electrodes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Funabashi, Hiroto; Takeuchi, Satoshi; Tsujimura, Seiya

    2017-03-01

    We designed a three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical pore structure to improve the current production efficiency and stability of direct electron transfer-type biocathodes. The 3D hierarchical electrode structure was fabricated using a MgO-templated porous carbon framework produced from two MgO templates with sizes of 40 and 150 nm. The results revealed that the optimal pore composition for a bilirubin oxidase-catalysed oxygen reduction cathode was a mixture of 33% macropores and 67% mesopores (MgOC33). The macropores improve mass transfer inside the carbon material, and the mesopores improve the electron transfer efficiency of the enzyme by surrounding the enzyme with carbon.

  3. [Synthesis and characteristics of porous hydroxyapatite bioceramics].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Niu, Jinlong; Zhang, Zhenxi; Jiang, Dazong

    2002-06-01

    The macroporous structure of human bone allows the ingrowth of the soft tissues and organic cells into the bone matrix, profits the development and metabolism of bone tissue, and adapts the bone to the change of load. There is great requirement for artificial biomimic porous bioactive ceramics with the similar structure of bone tissue that can be used clinically for repairing lost bone. Fine hydroxyapatite (HAp) powder produced by wet chemical reaction was mixed with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), polyvinyl alcohol, methyl cellulose or other pores-making materials to form green cake. After drying at low temperature (below 100 degrees C) and decarbonizing at about 300 degrees C-400 degrees C, the spongy ceramic block was sintered at high temperature, thus, macroporous HAp bioceramic with interconnected pores and reasonable porosity and pore-diameter was manufactured. This kind of porous HAp bioceramics were intrinsically osteoinductive to a certain degree, but its outstanding property was that they can absorb human bone morphogenetic proteins and other bone growth factors to form composites, so that the macroporous HAp bioactive ceramic has appropriate feasibility for clinical application. From the point of biomedical application, the recent developments in synthesis and characteristics investigation of macroporous HAp are reviewed in this paper.

  4. Three dimensional printed macroporous polylactic acid/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for promoting bone formation in a critical-size rat calvarial defect model

    OpenAIRE

    Zhang, Haifeng; Mao, Xiyuan; Du, Zijing; Jiang, Wenbo; Han, Xiuguo; Zhao, Danyang; Han, Dong; Li, Qingfeng

    2016-01-01

    Abstract We have explored the applicability of printed scaffold by comparing osteogenic ability and biodegradation property of three resorbable biomaterials. A polylactic acid/hydroxyapatite (PLA/HA) composite with a pore size of 500??m and 60% porosity was fabricated by three-dimensional printing. Three-dimensional printed PLA/HA, ?-tricalcium phosphate (?-TCP) and partially demineralized bone matrix (DBM) seeded with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were evaluated by cell adhesion, prolife...

  5. Preparation and characterization of hydroxyapatite/gelatin composite membranes for immunoisolation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Jyh-Ping; Chang, Feng-Nian

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Cross-linking gelatin in the presence of hydroxyapatite forms composite membranes. ► The membrane was used for immunoisolation and encapsulation of cells. ► Encapsulated islet cells secrete insulin in response to glucose concentrations. ► The membrane is a good candidate for bioartificial pancreas development. - Abstract: Composite membranes are fabricated from hydroxyapatite (HAP) and gelatin for immunoisolation of cells. The films were fabricated by crosslinking 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 20 wt% gelatin with 1 wt% glutaraldehyde (GA) in the presence of HAP. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirms imide bond formation between GA and gelatin, while the crystal structure of HAP powder remains unchanged from X-ray diffraction analysis. The degree of crosslinking depends on crosslinking time and gelatin concentration. For 5% and 10% gelatin, the degree of crosslinking levels off at 90% within 48 h. From scanning electron microscopy micrographs, the microstructure of the composite membrane depends on the amount of gelatin used in the crosslinking reaction. The mechanical strength of the composite membrane could be enhanced by increasing the gelatin concentration. BET analysis indicates that pore size of the micropores on the surface HAP/gelatin agglomerates decreases with increasing gelatin concentration. However, the macropore, through which diffusion of molecules occurs, is larger at higher gelatin concentrations. The permeability coefficients of different molecules through a HAP/gelatin composite membrane increase with increasing gelatin concentration and is inversely correlated with the molecular weight of the molecule. For immunoisolation of cells, the diffusion of large molecules stimulated by the immune system can be rejected by a chamber constructed from the HAP/gelatin membrane. Insulinoma cells were encapsulated in alginate-poly-L-lysine-alginate microcapsules and enclosed in a HAP/gelatin chamber. The chamber did not impair

  6. Preparation and characterization of hydroxyapatite/gelatin composite membranes for immunoisolation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Jyh-Ping, E-mail: jpchen@mail.cgu.edu.tw [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen Hwa 1st Rd., Kwei-San, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan (China); Chang, Feng-Nian [Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, Chang Gung University, 259 Wen Hwa 1st Rd., Kwei-San, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan (China)

    2012-12-01

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cross-linking gelatin in the presence of hydroxyapatite forms composite membranes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The membrane was used for immunoisolation and encapsulation of cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Encapsulated islet cells secrete insulin in response to glucose concentrations. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The membrane is a good candidate for bioartificial pancreas development. - Abstract: Composite membranes are fabricated from hydroxyapatite (HAP) and gelatin for immunoisolation of cells. The films were fabricated by crosslinking 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 20 wt% gelatin with 1 wt% glutaraldehyde (GA) in the presence of HAP. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis confirms imide bond formation between GA and gelatin, while the crystal structure of HAP powder remains unchanged from X-ray diffraction analysis. The degree of crosslinking depends on crosslinking time and gelatin concentration. For 5% and 10% gelatin, the degree of crosslinking levels off at 90% within 48 h. From scanning electron microscopy micrographs, the microstructure of the composite membrane depends on the amount of gelatin used in the crosslinking reaction. The mechanical strength of the composite membrane could be enhanced by increasing the gelatin concentration. BET analysis indicates that pore size of the micropores on the surface HAP/gelatin agglomerates decreases with increasing gelatin concentration. However, the macropore, through which diffusion of molecules occurs, is larger at higher gelatin concentrations. The permeability coefficients of different molecules through a HAP/gelatin composite membrane increase with increasing gelatin concentration and is inversely correlated with the molecular weight of the molecule. For immunoisolation of cells, the diffusion of large molecules stimulated by the immune system can be rejected by a chamber constructed from the HAP/gelatin membrane. Insulinoma cells were encapsulated in alginate

  7. Enrichment of antioxidants in black garlic juice using macroporous resins and their protective effects on oxidation-damaged human erythrocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Ying; Zhao, Mouming; Yang, Kun; Lin, Lianzhu; Wang, Yong

    2017-08-15

    The black garlic juice is popular for its nutritive value. Enrichment of antioxidants is needed to make black garlic extract an effective functional ingredient. Five macroporous resins were evaluated for their capacity in adsorbing antioxidants in black garlic juice. XAD-16 resin was chosen for further study due to its high adsorption and desorption ratios. Pseudo-second-order kinetics (q e =625μmol Trolox equiv/g dry resin, k 2 =0.0001463) and Freundlich isotherm models (ΔH=-10.1547kJ/mol) were suitable for describing the whole exothermic and physical adsorption processes of the antioxidants from black garlic juice on XAD-16 resin. The antioxidants and phenolics were mostly enriched in 40% ethanol fraction by XAD-16 resin column chromatography. The black garlic extract and its fractions could protect erythrocytes against AAPH-induced hemolysis in dose-dependent manners. The pretreatment of AAPH-damaged erythrocytes with 40% ethanol fractions (2.5mg/mL) significantly decreased the hemolysis ratios from 53.58% to 3.79%. The 40% ethanol fraction possessing strong intracellular antioxidant activity could be used as a functional food ingredient. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Preparation, characterization and catalytic behavior of hierachically porous CuO/α-Fe2O3/SiO2 composite material for CO and o-DCB oxidation

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Xiaodong Ma; Xi Feng; Xuan He; Hongwen Guo; Lu Lü

    2011-01-01

    Hierachically porous (HP) CuO/α-Fe2O3/SiO2 composite material was fabricated by sol-gel method and multi-hydrothermal processes using HP-SiO2 as support.The resulting material was characterized by N2 adsorption-desorption,X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy.The as-prepared CuO/Fe2O3/HP-SiO2 sample,with α-Fe2O3 and CuO nanocrystals,possessed a co-continuous skeleton,through-macroporous and mesoporous structure.Its catalytic behavior for CO and o-DCB oxidation was investigated.The result showed that CuO/Fe2O3/HP-SiO2 catalyst exhibited high catalytic activity for both CO and o-DCB oxidation,indicating its potential application in combined abatement of CO and chlorinated volatile organic compounds.

  9. Preparation of highly stable zeolite-alginate foam composite for strontium(90Sr) removal from seawater and evaluation of Sr adsorption performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Hye-Jin; Kim, Byoung-Gyu; Ryu, Jungho; Park, In-Su; Chung, Kang-Sup; Lee, Sang Moon; Lee, Jin-Bae; Jeong, Hyeon Su; Kim, Hyunchul; Ryu, Taegong

    2018-01-01

    Alginate bead is a promising strontium (Sr) adsorbent in seawater, but highly concentrated Na ions caused over-swelling and damaged the hydrogel bead. To improve the mechanical stability of alginate bead, flexible foam-type zeolite-alginate composite was synthesized and Sr adsorption performance was evaluated in seawater; 1-10% zeolite immobilized alginate foams were prepared by freeze-dry technique. Immobilization of zeolite into alginate foam converted macro-pores to meso-pores which lead to more compact structure. It resulted in less swollen composite in seawater medium and exhibited highly improved mechanical stability compared with alginate bead. Besides, Sr adsorption efficiency and selectivity were enhanced by immobilization of zeolite in alginate foam due to the increase of Sr binding sites (zeolite). In particular, Sr selectivity against Na was highly improved. The 10% zeolite-alginate foam exhibited a higher log K d of 3.3, while the pure alginate foam exhibited 2.7 in the presence of 0.1 M Na. Finally, in the real seawater, the 10% zeolite-alginate foam exhibited 1.5 times higher Sr adsorption efficiency than the pure alginate foam. This result reveals that zeolite-alginate foam composite is appropriate material for Sr removal in seawater due to its swelling resistance as well as improved Sr adsorption performance in complex media. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Improved biodegradation of synthetic azo dye by horseradish peroxidase cross-linked on nano-composite support.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Huaiyan; Jin, Xinyu; Long, Nengbing; Zhang, Ruifeng

    2017-02-01

    A ZnO nanowires/macroporous SiO 2 composite was used as support to immobilize horseradish peroxidase (HRP) by in-situ cross-linking method. Using diethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (DDE) as a long-chained cross-linker, it was adsorbed on the surface of ZnO nanowires before reaction with HRPs, the resulted composite was quite different from the traditional cross-linking enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) on both structure and catalytic performance. The immobilized HRP showed high activity in the decolorization of azo dyes. The effect of various conditions such as the loading amount of HRP, solution pH, temperature, contact time and concentration of dye were optimized on the decolorization. The decolorization percentage of Acid Blue 113 and Acid black 10 BX reached as high as 95.4% and 90.3%, respectively. The immobilized HRP gave the highest decolorization rate under dye concentration as 50mg/L and reaction time of 35min. The immobilized HRP exhibited much better resistance to temperature and pH inactivation than free HRP. The storage stability and reusability were greatly improved through the immobilization, from the decolorization of Acid blue 113 it was found that 80.4% of initial efficiency retained after incubation at 4°C for 60 days, and that 79.4% of decolorization efficiency retained after 12 cycles reuse. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. A non-chemically selective top-down approach towards the preparation of hierarchical TS-1 zeolites with improved oxidative desulfurization catalytic performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Shuting; Chen, Xiaoxin; Sun, Qiming; Wang, Ning; Jia, Mingjun; Valtchev, Valentin; Yu, Jihong

    2016-02-28

    Hierarchical TS-1 zeolites with secondary macropores have been successfully prepared by using two different fluoride-containing chemical etching post-treated routes. Hierarchical TS-1 zeolites exhibited a chemical composition similar to that of the parent material and showed remarkably enhanced catalytic activity in oxidative desulfurization reaction.

  12. Preparation of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous polycysteine film and application in sensitive detection of 4-chlorophenol

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Shenghui; Shi, Zhen; Wang, Jinshou; Cheng, Qin; Wu, Kangbing

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Polycysteine film with three-dimensionally ordered porous structures was prepared. • 3-DOM polycysteine film exhibited large active area and signal enhancement effects. • 3-DOM polycysteine film increased oxidation signal of 4-chlorophenol by 5-fold. - Abstract: Polystyrene microspheres with diameter of 350 nm were prepared, and then used to arrange on the surface of glassy carbon electrode (GCE) as structure-directing template. By successive cyclic sweeps between −1.0 V and 2.0 V in pH 7 phosphate buffer containing 10 mM cysteine, polycysteine film was electrodeposited on polystyrene microspheres-arranged GCE. After removing polystyrene template, a three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3-DOM) polycysteine film was achieved, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy measurements. Electrochemical responses of K 3 [Fe(CN) 6 ] probe indicated that 3-DOM polycysteine film-modified GCE exhibited larger active area, compared with GCE, polycysteine film-modified GCE and electrochemically oxidized GCE. The application of 3-DOM polycysteine film in electrochemical detection of 4-chlorophenol was studied. Due to ordered porous structures, the 3-DOM polycysteine film-modified GCE displayed signal enhancement effects, and enhanced the oxidation peak currents of 4-chlorophenol. As a result, a sensitive electrochemical method was developed for the detection of 4-chlorophenol, and the detection limit was 1.67 × 10 −8 M. This new method was used to detect 4-chlorophenol in water samples, and the value of recovery was over the range from 99.6% to 107%

  13. Development of the preparation technology of macroporous sorbent for industrial off-gas treatment including {sup 14}C

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Il Hoon; Cho, Young Hyun; Park, Guen Il; Kim, In Tae; Kim, June Hyung; Ahn, Byung Kil

    2001-01-01

    For environmental and health effects due to increasing levels of pollution in the atmosphere, it is necessary to develop environmentally sound technologies for the treatment of greenhouse gases (CO{sub 2}, CH{sub 4}, CFC, etc.) and acid gases (SOx, NOx, etc.). Specifically, advanced technology for CO{sub 2} capturing is currently one of the most important environmental issues in worldwide. {sup 14}CO{sub 2}, specially which has been gradually emerging issue in the nuclear facilities, is generated about 330 ppm from the CANDU (Canadian Deuterium Uranium Reactor) nuclear power plant and the DUPIC (Direct Use of spent PWR fuel in CANDU reactors) process which is the process of spent fuel treatment. For this purpose, it is necessary to develop the most efficient treatment technology of CO{sub 2} capture by various lime materials in semi- or dry process, it should be also considering a removal performance, waste recycling and safety of disposal. In order to develop a highly active slaked lime as a sorbent for CO{sub 2} and high temperature desulfurization, macroporous slaked lime is necessarily prepared by modified swelling process and equipment, which was developed under carrying out this project. And also for the optimal removal process of off-gases the removal performance tests of various sorbents and the effects of relative humidity and bed depth on the removal capacity must be considered.

  14. An ongoing investigation on modeling the strength properties of water-entrained cement-based materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Esteves, L.P.

    2012-01-01

    Water-entrained cement based materials by superabsorbent polymers is a concept that was introduced in the research agenda about a decade ago. However, a recent application in the production of high performance concrete revealed potential weaknesses when the proportioning of this intelligent......-based materials. Beyond the discussion of whether or not the introduction of superabsorbent polymers leads to a strength reduction, this paper uses both experimental and theoretical background to separate the effect of SAP in both pore structure and internal relative humidity and the effect from the active...

  15. Development of the chromatographic partitioning of cesium and strontium utilizing two macroporous silica-based calix[4]arene-crown and amide impregnated polymeric composites: PREC partitioning process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Anyun; Kuraoka, Etsushu; Kumagai, Mikio

    2007-07-20

    To partition effectively Cs(I) and Sr(II), two harmful heat emitting nuclides, from a highly active liquid waste by extraction chromatography, two kinds of macroporous silica-based polymeric materials, Calix[4]arene-R14/SiO(2)-P and TODGA/SiO(2)-P, were synthesized. Two chelating agents, 1,3-[(2,4-diethyl-heptylethoxy)oxy]-2,4-crown-6-calix[4]arene (Calix[4]arene-R14), an excellent supramolecular compound having molecular recognition ability for Cs(I), and N,N,N',N'-tetraoctyl-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamide (TODGA) were impregnated and immobilized into the pores of SiO(2)-P particles support by a vacuum sucking technique. The loading and elution of 11 typical simulated fission and non-fission products from 4.0M or 2.0M HNO(3) were performed at 298K. It was found that in the first column packed with the Calix[4]arene-R14/SiO(2)-P, all of the simulated elements were separated effectively into two groups: (1) Na(I), K(I), Sr(II), Fe(III), Ba(II), Ru(III), Pd(II), Zr(IV), and Mo(VI) (noted as Sr-group); (2) Cs(I)-Rb(I) (Cs-group) by eluting with 4.0M HNO(3) and distilled water, respectively. The harmful element Cs(I) flowed into the second group along with Rb(I) because of their close sorption and elution properties towards Calix[4]arene-R14/SiO(2)-P, while Sr(II) showed no sorption and flowed into Sr-containing group. In the second column packed with TODGA/SiO(2)-P, the Sr-group was separated into (1) Ba(II), Ru(III), Na(I), K(I), Fe(III), and Mo(VI) (non-sorption group); (2) Sr(II); (3) Pd(II); and (4) Zr(IV) by eluting with 2.0M HNO(3), 0.01M HNO(3), 0.05M DTPA-pH 2.5, and 0.5M H(2)C(2)O(4), respectively. Sr(II) adsorbed towards TODGA/SiO(2)-P flowed into the second group and showed the excellent separation efficiency from others. Based on the elution behavior of the tested elements, an advanced PREC (Partitioning and Recovery of two heat generators from an acidic HLW (high activity liquid waste) by Extraction Chromatography) process was proposed.

  16. Creating 3D Hierarchical Carbon Architectures with Micro-, Meso-, and Macropores via a Simple Self-Blowing Strategy for a Flow-through Deionization Capacitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Shanshan; Yan, Tingting; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Jianping; Shi, Liyi; Zhang, Dengsong

    2016-07-20

    In this work, 3D hierarchical carbon architectures (3DHCAs) with micro-, meso-, and macropores were prepared via a simple self-blowing strategy as highly efficient electrodes for a flow-through deionization capacitor (FTDC). The obtained 3DHCAs have a hierarchically porous structure, large accessible specific surface area (2061 m(2) g(-1)), and good wettability. The electrochemical tests show that the 3DHCA electrode has a high specific capacitance and good electric conductivity. The deionization experiments demonstrate that the 3DHCA electrodes possess a high deionization capacity of 17.83 mg g(-1) in a 500 mg L(-1) NaCl solution at 1.2 V. Moreover, the 3DHCA electrodes present a fast deionization rate in 100-500 mg L(-1) NaCl solutions at 0.8-1.4 V. The 3DHCA electrodes also present a good regeneration behavior in the reiterative regeneration test. These above factors render the 3DHCAs a promising FTDC electrode material.

  17. Development of Three-Dimensional Multicellular Tissue-Like Constructs for Mutational Analysis Using Macroporous Microcarriers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, Jacqueline A.; Fraga, Denise N.; Gonda, Steve R.

    2002-01-01

    A three-dimensional (3-D), tissue-like model was developed for the genotoxic assessment of space environment. In previous experiments, we found that culturing mammalian cells in a NASA-designed bioreactor, using Cytodex-3 beads as a scaffold, generated 3-D multicellular spheroids. In an effort to generate scaffold-free spheroids, we developed a new 3-D tissue-like model by coculturing fibroblast and epithelial cell in a NASA bioreactor using macroporous Cultispher-S(TradeMark) microcarriers. Big Blue(Registered Trademark) Rat 2(Lambda) fibroblasts, genetically engineered to contain multiple copies (>60 copies/cell) of the Lac I target gene, were cocultured with radio-sensitive human epithelial cells, H184F5. Over an 8-day period, samples were periodically examined by microscopy and histology to confirm cell attachment, growth, and viability. Immunohistochemistry and western analysis were used to evaluate the expression of specific cytoskeletal and adhesion proteins. Key cell culture parameters (glucose, pH, and lactate concentrations) were monitored daily. Controls were two-dimensional mono layers of fibroblast or epithelial cells cultured in T-flasks. Analysis of 3-D spheroids from the bioreactor suggests fibroblast cells attached to and completely covered the bead surface and inner channels by day 3 in the bioreactor. Treatment of the 3-day spheroids with dispase II dissolved the Cultisphers(TradeMark) and produced multicellular, bead-less constructs. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of vi.mentin, cytokeratin and E-cadherin in treated spheroids. Examination of the dispase II treated spheroids with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also showed the presence of desmosomes. These results suggest that the controlled enzymatic degradation of an artificial matrix in the low shear environment of the NASA-designed bioreactor can produce 3-D tissue-like spheroids. 2

  18. Electrochemically assisted deposition of sol-gel bio-composite with co-immobilized dehydrogenase and diaphorase

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Zhijie [LCPME, UMR 7564, CNRS-Nancy University, 405, rue de Vandoeuvre, 54600 Villers-les-Nancy (France); Etienne, Mathieu, E-mail: mathieu.etienne@lcpme.cnrs-nancy.fr [LCPME, UMR 7564, CNRS-Nancy University, 405, rue de Vandoeuvre, 54600 Villers-les-Nancy (France); Kohring, Gert-Wieland [Mikrobiologie, Universitaet des Saarlandes, Campus, Geb. A1.5, D-66123 Saarbruecken (Germany); Bon-Saint-Come, Yemima; Kuhn, Alexander [Universite Bordeaux, ISM, ENSCPB, 16 avenue Pey Berland, 33607 Pessac (France); Walcarius, Alain [LCPME, UMR 7564, CNRS-Nancy University, 405, rue de Vandoeuvre, 54600 Villers-les-Nancy (France)

    2011-10-30

    We report here that the electrochemically assisted deposition (EAD) of silica thin films can be a good strategy to co-encapsulate D-sorbitol dehydrogenase (DSDH) and diaphorase in an active form. This is achieved via the electrolysis of a hydrolyzed sol containing the biomolecules to initiate the poly-condensation of silica precursors upon electrochemically induced pH increase at the electrode/solution interface. DSDH was found to be very sensitive to the silica gel environment and the addition of a positively-charged polyelectrolyte was necessary to ensure effective operational behavior of the biomolecules. The composition of the sol and the conditions for electrolysis have been optimized with respect to the intensity of the electrochemical response to D-sorbitol oxidation. The K{sub m} of DSDH in the electrodeposited film was in the range of 3 mM, slightly better than the value determined biochemically in solution (6.5 mM). The co-immobilization of DSDH and diaphorase in this way led on the one hand to the possible reduction of NAD{sup +} to NADH (simultaneously to D-sorbitol oxidation) and on the other hand to the safe re-oxidation of the co-factor using a mediator (ferrocenedimethanol) as electron relay. The bioelectrocatalytic response looks promising for electro-enzymatic applications. To support this idea, the EAD of sol-gel bio-composite has been extended to macroporous electrodes displaying a much bigger electroactive surface area.

  19. Adsorption of p-Nitrophenol (PNP) on new adsorbents prepared from diatomite and charcoal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamdi, B.; Khelifa, N.; Chernai-Hamdi, S.; Hadjari, H.

    2009-01-01

    Increasing attention has been paid to mesoporous materials with high surface area and narrow pore size distribution because of their diverse applications (e. g., adsorbents, catalysts, and host materials). Inorganic composite materials (ICM) prepared by a mixture of natural diatomite (macroporous materials) and charcoal (microporous material) in particular operative conditions. (Author)

  20. Sadhana | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Home; Journals; Sadhana. L Sujatha. Articles written in Sadhana. Volume 34 Issue 4 August 2009 pp 643-650. Composite Si/PS membrane pressure sensors with micro and macro-porous silicon · L Sujatha Enakshi Bhattacharya · More Details Abstract Fulltext PDF. Porous Silicon (PS) is a versatile material with many ...

  1. Interconnectivity of macroporous molecularly imprinted polymers fabricated by hydroxyapatite-stabilized Pickering high internal phase emulsions-hydrogels for the selective recognition of protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Yanhua; Li, Yuqing; Xu, Jiangfeng; Huang, Ling; Qiu, Tianyun; Zhong, Shian

    2017-07-01

    Hydroxyapatite hybridized molecularly imprinted polydopamine polymers with selective recognition of bovine hemoglobin (BHb) were successfully prepared via Pickering oil-in-water high internal phase emulsions-hydrogels and molecularly imprinting technique. The emulsions were stabilized by hydroxyapatite of which the wettability was modified by 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane. The materials were characterized by SEM, IR and TGA. The results showed that the BHb imprinted polymers based on Pickering hydrogels (Hydro-MIPs) possess macropores ranging from 20μm to 50μm, and their large numbers of amino groups and hydroxyl groups result in a favorable adsorption capacity for BHb. The maximum adsorption capacity of Hydro-MIPs for BHb was 438mg/g, 3.27 times more than that of the non-imprinted polymers (Hydro-NIPs). The results indicated that Hydro-MIPs possessing well-defined hierarchical porous structures exhibited outstanding recognition behavior towards the target protein molecules. This work provided a promising alternative method for the fabrication of polymer materials with tunable and interconnected pores structures for the separation and purification of protein in vitro. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. Synthesis and Characterization of β-Cyclodextrin Functionalized Ionic Liquid Polymer as a Macroporous Material for the Removal of Phenols and As(V

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muggundha Raoov

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available β-Cyclodextrin-ionic liquid polymer (CD-ILP was first synthesized by functionalized β-cyclodextrin (CD with 1-benzylimidazole (BIM to form monofunctionalized CD (βCD-BIMOTs and was further polymerized using a toluene diisocyanate (TDI linker to form insoluble CD-ILP (βCD-BIMOTs-TDI. The βCD-BIMOTs-TDI polymer was characterized using various tools and the results obtained were compared with those derived from the native β-cyclodextrin polymer (βCD-TDI. The SEM result shows that the presence of ionic liquid (IL increases the pore size, while the thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA result shows that the presence of IL increases the stability of the polymer. Meanwhile, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET results show that βCD-BIMOTs-TDI polymer has 1.254 m2/g surface areas and the Barret-Joyner-Halenda (BJH pore size distribution result reveals that the polymer exhibits macropores with a pore size of 77.66 nm. Preliminary sorption experiments were carried out and the βCD-BIMOTs-TDI polymer shows enhanced sorption capacity and high removal towards phenols and As(V.

  3. Fabricating a pearl/PLGA composite scaffold by the low-temperature deposition manufacturing technique for bone tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Mingen; Li Yanlei; Suo Hairui; Wang Qiujun; Ge Yakun; Xu Ying; Yan Yongnian; Liu Li

    2010-01-01

    Here we developed a composite scaffold of pearl/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (pearl/PLGA) utilizing the low-temperature deposition manufacturing (LDM). LDM makes it possible to fabricate scaffolds with designed microstructure and macrostructure, while keeping the bioactivity of biomaterials by working at a low temperature. Process optimization was carried out to fabricate a mixture of pearl powder, PLGA and 1,4-dioxane with the designed hierarchical structures, and freeze-dried at a temperature of -40 deg. C. Scaffolds with square and designated bone shape were fabricated by following the 3D model. Marrow stem cells (MSCs) were seeded on the pearl/PLGA scaffold and then cultured in a rotating cell culture system. The adhesion, proliferation and differentiation of MSCs into osteoblasts were determined using scanning electronic microscopy, WST-1 assay, alkaline phosphatase activity assay, immunofluorescence staining and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that the composite scaffold had high porosity (81.98 ± 3.75%), proper pore size (micropores: <10 μm; macropore: 495 ± 54 μm) and mechanical property (compressive strength: 0.81 ± 0.04 MPa; elastic modulus: 23.14 ± 0.75 MPa). The pearl/PLGA scaffolds exhibited better biocompatibility and osteoconductivity compared with the tricalcium phosphate/PLGA scaffold. All these results indicate that the pearl/PLGA scaffolds fulfill the basic requirements of bone tissue engineering scaffold.

  4. Síntese e caracterização de hidrogéis compósitos a partir de copolímeros acrilamida-acrilato e caulim: efeito da constituição de diferentes caulins do nordeste brasileiro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos W. de Q. Brito

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Superabsorbent hydrogels based on poly (acrylamide-co-acrylate and different kaolins, were prepared by free-radical aqueous copolymerization. FTIR and WAXS techniques were employed for characterization of a series of hydrogels, obtained by varying the percentage of clay, crosslinking and constitution of kaolin. The water absorbency at equilibrium (Weq decreased with increasing clay content and the amount of crosslinking agent. Superabsorbent hydrogel (Weq > 1084 g H2O/g gel was obtained as 10 wt% of white kaolin and 0.05 mol% of crosslinking agent were used. The hydrogel proved sensitive to pH variation and the presence of salts.

  5. Synthesis and capacitance properties of N-doped porous carbon/NiO nanosheet composites using coal-based polyaniline as carbon and nitrogen source

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaoqin; Li, Qiaoqin; Zhang, Yong; Yang, Yufei; Cao, Zhi; Xiong, Shanxin

    2018-06-01

    A novel synthesis approach of N-doped porous carbon (NPC)/NiO composites possessing some honeycomb-shaped nanoporous carbon and plentiful NiO nanosheets is exploited. First NPC/Ni composites are achieved with NPC yield of 52.9% through a catalytic pyrolysis method, using coal-based polyaniline particles prepared by an in-situ polymerization method as a carbon and nitrogen source, and nickel particles as a catalyst, respectively. Next NPC/NiO composites are achieved unexpectedly with plentiful NiO nanosheets and N content of 1.00 wt% after a liquid oxidation process. In NPC/NiO composites, porous carbon mainly presents in the amorphous state, while the incorporated nitrogen mainly presents in the form of pyrrolic N (92.9 at.%) and oxidized N (7.1 at.%). Plentiful NiO nanosheets are embedded in the pores or on the NPC surface. 33.3 at.% Ni2O3 components exist in the surface of NiO nanosheets. NPC/NiO composites possess not only rich micropores, but also significant mesopores and nanoscale macropores. The BET specific surface area, BET average pore width and BJH adsorption average pore diameter are 627.5 m2/g, 2.0 nm and 5.1 nm, respectively. NPC/NiO composites demonstrate a high specific capacitance of 404.1 F/g at 1 A/g, and a good cycling stability maintaining high specific capacitance of 212.4 F/g (84.3% of the initial capacitance) at 5 A/g after 5000 cycles of charge and discharge, attributed to some honeycomb-shaped nanopores of carbon and large specific surface area of NiO nanosheets, and the synergistic effects between electric double-layer capacitance of NPC and pseudocapacitance of NiO. This study may provide a novel approach for the value-added applications of low-rank coal.

  6. Porous substrates filled with nanomaterials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Worsley, Marcus A.; Baumann, Theodore F.; Satcher, Jr., Joe H.; Stadermann, Michael

    2018-04-03

    A composition comprising: at least one porous carbon monolith, such as a carbon aerogel, comprising internal pores, and at least one nanomaterial, such as carbon nanotubes, disposed uniformly throughout the internal pores. The nanomaterial can be disposed in the middle of the monolith. In addition, a method for making a monolithic solid with both high surface area and good bulk electrical conductivity is provided. A porous substrate having a thickness of 100 microns or more and comprising macropores throughout its thickness is prepared. At least one catalyst is deposited inside the porous substrate. Subsequently, chemical vapor deposition is used to uniformly deposit a nanomaterial in the macropores throughout the thickness of the porous substrate. Applications include electrical energy storage, such as batteries and capacitors, and hydrogen storage.

  7. Facile preparation of efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction: One-dimensional meso/macroporous cobalt and nitrogen Co-doped carbon nanofibers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoon, Ki Ro; Choi, Jinho; Cho, Su-Ho; Jung, Ji-Won; Kim, Chanhoon; Cheong, Jun Young; Kim, Il-Doo

    2018-03-01

    Efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is an essential component for stable operation of various sustainable energy conversion and storage systems such as fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Herein, we report a facile preparation of meso/macroporous Co and N co-doped carbon nanofibers (Co-Nx@CNFs) as a high performance and cost-effective electrocatalyst toward ORR. Co-Nx@CNFs are simply obtained from electrospinning of Co precursor and bicomponent polymers (PVP/PAN) followed by temperature controlled carbonization and further activation step. The prepared Co-Nx@CNF catalyst carbonized at 700 °C (Co-Nx@CNF700) shows outstanding ORR performance, i.e., a low onset potential (0.941 V) and half wave potential (0.814 V) with almost four-electron transfer pathways (n= 3.9). In addition, Co-Nx@CNF700 exhibits a superior methanol tolerance and higher stability (>70 h) in Zn-air battery in comparison with Pt/C catalyst (∼30 h). The outstanding performance of Co-Nx@CNF700 catalysts is attributed to i) enlarged surface area with bimodal porosity achieved by leaching of inactive species, ii) increase of exposed ORR active Co-Nx moieties and graphitic edge sites, and iii) enhanced electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance due to the existence of numerous graphitic flakes in carbon matrix.

  8. Hierarchically porous Li3VO4/C nanocomposite as an advanced anode material for high-performance lithium-ion capacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Xuena; Niu, Feier; Zhang, Dapeng; Chu, Chenxiao; Wang, Chunsheng; Yang, Jian; Qian, Yitai

    2018-04-01

    Lithium-ion capacitors, as a hybrid electrochemical energy storage device, realize high specific energy and power density within one device, thus attracting extensive attention. Here, hierarchically porous Li3VO4/C nanocomposite is prepared by a solvo-thermal reaction, followed with a post-annealing process. This composite has macropores at the center and mesopores in the wall, thus effectively promoting electrolyte penetration and structure stability upon cycling simultaneously. Compared to mesoporous Li3VO4, the enhanced rate capability and specific capacity of hierarchically porous Li3VO4/C indicate the synergistic effect of mesopores and macropores. Inspired by these results, this composite is coupled with mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) for lithium-ion capacitors, generating a specific energy density of 105 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 188 W kg-1. Even if the power density increases to 9.3 kW kg-1, the energy density still remains 62 Wh kg-1. All these results demonstrate the promising potential of hierarchically porous Li3VO4 in lithium ion capacitors.

  9. Heat resistance and local structure of FeCl2-absorbed crosslinked poly(γ-glutamic acid)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishida, T.; Kamezawa, H.; Hara, T.; Matsumoto, Y.

    2001-01-01

    Fiber of Japanese food natto (Bacillus subtilis) is known to be superabsorbent poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA). NaCl particles precipitate in FeCl 2 -absorbed crosslinked PGA when heated at crystallization temperature of 320 deg C for 10 to 60 min. After heat treatment the Moessbauer spectrum of FeCl 2 -crosslinked PGA consists of a quadrupole doublet due to FeCl 2 x 2H 2 O. The Moessbauer spectrum of anhydrous FeCl 2 reagent heated under the same condition shows an intense sextet due to α-Fe 2 O 3 . These results prove that the superabsorbent polymer, crosslinked PGA, has higher heat resistance. (author)

  10. Carbon nanotube-coated macroporous sponge for microbial fuel cell electrodes

    KAUST Repository

    Xie, Xing; Ye, Meng; Hu, Liangbing; Liu, Nian; McDonough, James R.; Chen, Wei; Alshareef, Husam N.; Criddle, Craig S.; Cui, Yi

    2012-01-01

    The materials that are used to make electrodes and their internal structures significantly affect microbial fuel cell (MFC) performance. In this study, we describe a carbon nanotube (CNT)-sponge composite prepared by coating a sponge with CNTs

  11. Sorption of different phenol derivatives on functionalized macroporous nanocomposite of poly (glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and acid modified bentonite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marinović Sanja R.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Macroporous nanocomposite of poly (glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and acid modified bentonite was prepared by radical suspension copolymerization. Nanocomposite was functionalized with diethylene triamine (deta, by ring-opening reaction of the pendant epoxy groups. Functionalization was performed in order to enable phenol derivatives sorption. This new, not sufficiently investigated material, with developed porous structure was denoted CP-SA-deta. In this study, the influence of temperature on 4-nitrophenol (4NP sorption on CP-SA-deta was investigated. The chemisorption was estimated as dominant process since activation energy of sorption of 4NP of 54.8 kJ mol-1 was obtained. After determining the optimal sorption conditions for 4NP, the sorption of 2-nitrophenol (2NP and 2-chloro 4-nitrophenol (2Cl4NP on CP-SA-deta was investigated with respect to pH, initial concentration and contact time. The 2NP sorption was seldom tested, while according to our knowledge, the 2Cl4NP sorption was not investigated. The isotherm data were best fitted with Langmuir model, while the sorption dynamics obeyed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model for all derivatives. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 45001 i br. III 43009

  12. Hydrogel Macroporosity and the Prolongation of Transgene Expression and the Enhancement of Angiogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shepard, Jaclyn A.; Virani, Farrukh R.; Goodman, Ashley G.; Gossett, Timothy D.; Shin, Seungjin; Shea, Lonnie D.

    2012-01-01

    The utility of hydrogels for regenerative medicine can be improved through localized gene delivery to enhance their bioactivity. However, current systems typically lead to low-level transgene expression located in host tissue surrounding the implant. Herein, we investigated the inclusion of macropores into hydrogels to facilitate cell ingrowth and enhance gene delivery within the macropores in vivo. Macropores were created within PEG hydrogels by gelation around gelatin microspheres, with gelatin subsequently dissolved by incubation at 37°C. The macropores were interconnected, as evidenced by homogeneous cell seeding in vitro and complete cell infiltration in vivo. Lentivirus loaded within hydrogels following gelation retained its activity relative to the unencapsulated control virus. In vivo, macroporous PEG demonstrated sustained, elevated levels of transgene expression for 6 weeks, while hydrogels without macropores had transient expression. Transduced cells were located throughout the macroporous structure, while non-macroporous PEG hydrogels had transduction only in the adjacent host tissue. Delivery of lentivirus encoding for VEGF increased vascularization relative to the control, with vessels throughout the macropores of the hydrogel. The inclusion of macropores within the hydrogel to enhance cell infiltration enhances transduction and influences tissue development, which has implications for multiple regenerative medicine applications. PMID:22800542

  13. Effective Removal of Congo Red by Triarrhena Biochar Loading with TiO2 Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng Yu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available A composite of pyrolytic Triarrhena biochar loading with TiO2 nanoparticles has been synthesized by the sol-gel method. The composite shows a well-developed hollow mesoporous and macropore structure as characterized by XRD, BET, and SEM. When used as an absorbent to remove Congo red from aqueous solution, it was found that as-prepared composite performed better absorption capacity than single biochar or TiO2. The results suggest that biochar loading with TiO2 could be promisingly implemented as an environmentally friendly and inexpensive adsorbent for Congo red removal from wastewater.

  14. Grain-scale imaging and compositional characterization of cryo-preserved India NGHP 01 gas-hydrate-bearing cores

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stern, Laura A.; Lorenson, T.D.

    2014-01-01

    We report on grain-scale characteristics and gas analyses of gas-hydrate-bearing samples retrieved by NGHP Expedition 01 as part of a large-scale effort to study gas hydrate occurrences off the eastern-Indian Peninsula and along the Andaman convergent margin. Using cryogenic scanning electron microscopy, X-ray spectroscopy, and gas chromatography, we investigated gas hydrate grain morphology and distribution within sediments, gas hydrate composition, and methane isotopic composition of samples from Krishna–Godavari (KG) basin and Andaman back-arc basin borehole sites from depths ranging 26 to 525 mbsf. Gas hydrate in KG-basin samples commonly occurs as nodules or coarse veins with typical hydrate grain size of 30–80 μm, as small pods or thin veins 50 to several hundred microns in width, or disseminated in sediment. Nodules contain abundant and commonly isolated macropores, in some places suggesting the original presence of a free gas phase. Gas hydrate also occurs as faceted crystals lining the interiors of cavities. While these vug-like structures constitute a relatively minor mode of gas hydrate occurrence, they were observed in near-seafloor KG-basin samples as well as in those of deeper origin (>100 mbsf) and may be original formation features. Other samples exhibit gas hydrate grains rimmed by NaCl-bearing material, presumably produced by salt exclusion during original hydrate formation. Well-preserved microfossil and other biogenic detritus are also found within several samples, most abundantly in Andaman core material where gas hydrate fills microfossil crevices. The range of gas hydrate modes of occurrence observed in the full suite of samples suggests a range of formation processes were involved, as influenced by local in situconditions. The hydrate-forming gas is predominantly methane with trace quantities of higher molecular weight hydrocarbons of primarily microbial origin. The composition indicates the gas hydrate is Structure I.

  15. Ectopic osteogenesis and angiogenesis regulated by porous architecture of hydroxyapatite scaffolds with similar interconnecting structure in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jinyu; Zhi, Wei; Xu, Taotao; Shi, Feng; Duan, Ke; Wang, Jianxin; Mu, Yandong; Weng, Jie

    2016-01-01

    The macro-pore sizes of porous scaffold play a key role for regulating ectopic osteogenesis and angiogenesis but many researches ignored the influence of interconnection between macro-pores with different sizes. In order to accurately reveal the relationship between ectopic osteogenesis and macro-pore sizes in dorsal muscle and abdominal cavities of dogs, hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds with three different macro-pore sizes of 500–650, 750–900 and 1100–1250 µm were prepared via sugar spheres-leaching process, which also had similar interconnecting structure determined by keeping the d/s ratio of interconnecting window diameter to macro-pore size constant. The permeability test showed that the seepage flow of fluid through the porous scaffolds increased with the increase of macro-pore sizes. The cell growth in three scaffolds was not affected by the macro-pore sizes. The in vivo ectopic implantation results indicated that the macro-pore sizes of HA scaffolds with the similar interconnecting structure have impact not only the speed of osteogenesis and angiogenesis but also the space distribution of newly formed bone. The scaffold with macro-pore sizes of 750–900 µm exhibited much faster angiogenesis and osteogenesis, and much more uniformly distribution of new bone than those with other macro-pore sizes. This work illustrates the importance of a suitable macro-pore sizes in HA scaffolds with the similar interconnecting structure which provides the environment for ectopic osteogenesis and angiogenesis. PMID:27699059

  16. Degradation behavior and compatibility of micro, nanoHA/chitosan scaffolds with interconnected spherical macropores.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruixin, Li; Cheng, Xu; Yingjie, Liu; Hao, Li; Caihong, Shi; Weihua, Su; Weining, An; Yinghai, Yuan; Xiaoli, Qin; Yunqiang, Xu; Xizheng, Zhang; Hui, Li

    2017-10-01

    Hydroxyapatite/Chitosan (HA/CS) composite have significant application in biomedical especially for bone replacement. Inorganic particle shape and size of composite affect the scaffold mechanical property, biological property, and degradation. The aim of this study was to fabricate HA/CS scaffold with good pore connectivity and analyze their biological, degradation properties. Microhydroxyapatite/chitosan (mHA/CS) and nanohydroxyapatite/chitosan (nHA/CS) composite scaffolds with interconnected spherical pore architectures were fabricated. Composite scaffolds structure parameters were analyzed using micro CT. Cell proliferation and morphology were tested and compared between two scaffolds using mouse osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1. To research the composite degradation in lysozyme PBS solution, degradation rate and reducing sugar content were tested, and scaffolds morphology were observed by SEM. The results showed that microHA and nanoHA were fabricated by being calcined and synthesis methods, and their infrared spectra are very similar. EDAX composition analysis demonstrated that both of microHA and nanoHA were calcium deficiency HA. Micro-CT results demonstrated the scaffolds had interconnected spherical pores, and the structure parameters were similar. Cell viabilities were significant increased with cultured time, but there were no significant difference between microHA/CS and nanoHA/CS scaffolds. Scaffold structure was gradually destroyed and inorganic composition HA particles are more prominent with degradation time. (1) Inorganic particle shape and size of composite affect the scaffold mechanical property, biological property, and degradation. NanoHA/CS and microHA/CS scaffolds with good pore connectivity were fabricated and their biological, degradation properties were studied in this manuscript. (2) The scaffold with interconnected porosity construct provides the necessary support for cells to proliferate and maintain their differentiated function, and

  17. Macroporous poly(vinyl alcohol) microspheres bearing phosphate groups as a new adsorbent for low-density lipoprotein apheresis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang Weichao; Xie Hui; Ou Lailiang; Wang Lianyong; Yu Yaoting; Kong Deling [Key Laboratory of Bioactive Materials, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China); Sun Lisha, E-mail: wly@nankai.edu.c, E-mail: kongdeling@nankai.edu.c [General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052 (China)

    2009-12-15

    A new low-density lipoprotein (LDL) adsorbent with phosphate groups as the ligand was prepared in this study. Macroporous poly(vinyl acetate-co-triallyl isocyanurate) microspheres were prepared using a free-radical suspension polymerization method. A hydrolysis reaction in sodium hydroxide/methanol changed the materials into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) microspheres. Further reaction with phosphorus oxychloride in anhydrous DMF led to the LDL adsorbent PVA-phosphate microspheres. The preparation conditions such as reaction time, temperature and the amount of phosphorus oxychloride were optimized. The adsorption of plasma lipoproteins was examined by in vitro adsorption assays. The influence of adsorption time, plasma volume and ionic strength on the adsorption capacity was investigated. The circulation adsorption showed that the pathogenic lipoproteins in the plasma such as total cholesterol (TC), LDL and triglyceride (TG) could be removed markedly, in which the removal percentages were 42.9%, 45.0% and 44.74%, respectively. However, the reduction of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and other normal plasma components was very slight. For in vivo experiment, rabbits were fed with high-cholesterol food to develop a hyperlipidemia model and treated by extracorporeal blood perfusion using the PVA-phosphate columns. Eight hyperlipidemia rabbits were treated with the PVA-phosphate adsorbent, and the removal of TC, LDL and TG was 45.03 +- 6.64%, 48.97 +- 9.92% and 35.42 +- 14.17%, respectively. The sterilization and storage tests showed that the adsorbent was chemically and functionally stable. It could be easily sterilized by a common method and stored for months without loss of adsorption capacity. Therefore, this new PVA-phosphate-based LDL adsorbent may have potential for application in LDL apheresis.

  18. Macroporous poly(vinyl alcohol) microspheres bearing phosphate groups as a new adsorbent for low-density lipoprotein apheresis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Weichao; Xie Hui; Ou Lailiang; Wang Lianyong; Yu Yaoting; Kong Deling; Sun Lisha

    2009-01-01

    A new low-density lipoprotein (LDL) adsorbent with phosphate groups as the ligand was prepared in this study. Macroporous poly(vinyl acetate-co-triallyl isocyanurate) microspheres were prepared using a free-radical suspension polymerization method. A hydrolysis reaction in sodium hydroxide/methanol changed the materials into poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) microspheres. Further reaction with phosphorus oxychloride in anhydrous DMF led to the LDL adsorbent PVA-phosphate microspheres. The preparation conditions such as reaction time, temperature and the amount of phosphorus oxychloride were optimized. The adsorption of plasma lipoproteins was examined by in vitro adsorption assays. The influence of adsorption time, plasma volume and ionic strength on the adsorption capacity was investigated. The circulation adsorption showed that the pathogenic lipoproteins in the plasma such as total cholesterol (TC), LDL and triglyceride (TG) could be removed markedly, in which the removal percentages were 42.9%, 45.0% and 44.74%, respectively. However, the reduction of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and other normal plasma components was very slight. For in vivo experiment, rabbits were fed with high-cholesterol food to develop a hyperlipidemia model and treated by extracorporeal blood perfusion using the PVA-phosphate columns. Eight hyperlipidemia rabbits were treated with the PVA-phosphate adsorbent, and the removal of TC, LDL and TG was 45.03 ± 6.64%, 48.97 ± 9.92% and 35.42 ± 14.17%, respectively. The sterilization and storage tests showed that the adsorbent was chemically and functionally stable. It could be easily sterilized by a common method and stored for months without loss of adsorption capacity. Therefore, this new PVA-phosphate-based LDL adsorbent may have potential for application in LDL apheresis.

  19. Enrichment of antioxidants from soy sauce using macroporous resin and identification of 4-ethylguaiacol, catechol, daidzein, and 4-ethylphenol as key small molecule antioxidants in soy sauce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Huipin; Lin, Lianzhu; Feng, Yunzi; Zhao, Mouming; Li, Xiuting; Zhu, Qiyuan; Xiao, Zuobing

    2018-02-01

    The adsorption and desorption characteristics of seven macroporous resins on the antioxidants in soy sauce were investigated. SP-207 and SP-825 resins possessing good adsorption and desorption capacities were studied further. The pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models were demonstrated to be appropriate to describe the whole exothermic and physical adsorption processes of antioxidants onto resins. The 60% ethanol eluted fraction from soy sauce purified by SP-825 resin column possessed the strongest antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activities and contents of typical soy isoflavones, furanones, pyranones, and phenolic acids in soy sauce were determined. These compounds contributed to 50.02% of the total antioxidant activity of the SP-60% fraction. The key small molecule antioxidant compounds in soy sauce were identified as 4-ethylguaiacol, catechol, daidzein, and 4-ethylphenol by the antioxidants omission experiments. Additionally, the purified active fraction with high contents of antioxidants from soy sauce could be applied as bioactive ingredient in food industry. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Development of electrospun nanofiber composites for pointof-use water treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peter, Katherine T.

    A range of chemical pollutants now contaminate drinking water sources and present a public health concern, including organic compounds, such as pharmaceuticals and pesticides, and both metalloids and heavy metals, such as arsenic and lead. Metalloids and heavy metals have been detected in private drinking water wells, which do not fall under federal drinking water regulations, as well as in urban tap water, due to the introduction of contamination to the drinking water distribution system. Further, many so-called "emerging organic contaminants," which are present in drinking water sources at detectable levels but have unknown long-term health implications, do not fall under federal drinking water regulations. To protect the health of consumers, drinking water treatment at the point-of-use (POU) (i.e., the tap) is essential. Next-generation POU treatment technologies must require minimal energy inputs, be simple enough to permit broad application among different users, and be easily adaptable for removal of a wide range of pollutants. Nanomaterials, such as carbon nanotubes and iron oxide nanoparticles, are ideal candidates for next-generation drinking water treatment, as they exhibit unique, high reactivity and necessitate small treatment units. However, concerns regarding water pressure requirements and nanomaterial release into the treated supply limit their application in traditional reactor designs. To bridge the gap between potential and practical application of nanomaterials, this study utilizes electrospinning to fabricate composite nanofiber filters that effectively deploy nanomaterials in drinking water treatment. In electrospinning, a high voltage draws a polymer precursor solution (which can contain nanomaterial additives, in the case of nanocomposites) from a needle to deposit a non-woven nanofiber filter on a collector surface. Using electrospinning, we develop an optimized, macroporous carbon nanotube-carbon nanofiber composite that utilizes the

  1. Uncertainty in dual permeability model parameters for structured soils

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arora, B.; Mohanty, B. P.; McGuire, J. T.

    2012-01-01

    Successful application of dual permeability models (DPM) to predict contaminant transport is contingent upon measured or inversely estimated soil hydraulic and solute transport parameters. The difficulty in unique identification of parameters for the additional macropore- and matrix-macropore interface regions, and knowledge about requisite experimental data for DPM has not been resolved to date. Therefore, this study quantifies uncertainty in dual permeability model parameters of experimental soil columns with different macropore distributions (single macropore, and low- and high-density multiple macropores). Uncertainty evaluation is conducted using adaptive Markov chain Monte Carlo (AMCMC) and conventional Metropolis-Hastings (MH) algorithms while assuming 10 out of 17 parameters to be uncertain or random. Results indicate that AMCMC resolves parameter correlations and exhibits fast convergence for all DPM parameters while MH displays large posterior correlations for various parameters. This study demonstrates that the choice of parameter sampling algorithms is paramount in obtaining unique DPM parameters when information on covariance structure is lacking, or else additional information on parameter correlations must be supplied to resolve the problem of equifinality of DPM parameters. This study also highlights the placement and significance of matrix-macropore interface in flow experiments of soil columns with different macropore densities. Histograms for certain soil hydraulic parameters display tri-modal characteristics implying that macropores are drained first followed by the interface region and then by pores of the matrix domain in drainage experiments. Results indicate that hydraulic properties and behavior of the matrix-macropore interface is not only a function of saturated hydraulic conductivity of the macroporematrix interface (Ksa) and macropore tortuosity (lf) but also of other parameters of the matrix and macropore domains.

  2. Additively Manufactured Macroporous Titanium with Silver-Releasing Micro-/Nanoporous Surface for Multipurpose Infection Control and Bone Repair - A Proof of Concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Zhaojun; Xiu, Peng; Xiong, Pan; Zhou, Wenhao; Cheng, Yan; Wei, Shicheng; Zheng, Yufeng; Xi, Tingfei; Cai, Hong; Liu, Zhongjun; Wang, Caimei; Zhang, Weiping; Li, Zhijiang

    2016-10-26

    Restoring large-scale bone defects, where osteogenesis is slow while infections lurk, with biomaterials represents a formidable challenge in orthopedic clinics. Here, we propose a scaffold-based multipurpose anti-infection and bone repairing strategy to meet such restorative needs. To do this, personalized multifunctional titanium meshes were produced through an advanced additive manufacturing process and dual "TiO 2 -poly(dopamine)/Ag (nano)" post modifications, yielding macroporous constructs with micro-/nanoporous walls and nanosilver bullets immobilized/embedded therein. Ultrahigh loading capacity and durable release of Ag + were accomplished. The scaffolds were active against planktonic/adherent bacteria (Gram-negative and positive) for up to 12 weeks. Additionally, they not only defended themselves from biofilm colonization but also helped destroy existing biofilms, especially in combination with antibiotics. Further, the osteoblasts/bacteria coculture study displayed that the engineered surfaces aided MG-63 cells to combat bacterial invasion. Meanwhile, the scaffolds elicited generally acceptable biocompatibility (cell adhesion, proliferation, and viability) and hastened osteoblast differentiation and maturation (alkaline phosphatase production, matrix secretion, and calcification), by synergy of micro-/nanoscale topological cues and bioactive catecholamine chemistry. Although done ex vivo, these studies reveal that our three-in-one strategy (infection prophylaxis, infection fighting, and bone repair) has great potential to simultaneously prevent/combat infections and bridge defected bone. This work provides new thoughts to the use of enabling technologies to design biomaterials that resolve unmet clinical needs.

  3. Polymers and its applications in agriculture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priscila Milani

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Graphical Abstract Abstract Polymers are a class of soft materials with numerous and versatile mechanical and chemical properties that can be tuned specific to their application. Agriculture is an expanding area due to the requirement for indispensable food to meet the demands of a growing global population. Consequently, development of technology to improve the quality of the soil and agriculture manages is still under development. Intelligent agricultural supplies (controlled or slow release agrochemicals and superabsorbents and biosorbents contribute to an expanding niche using technology from polymers. This review elucidates the state-of-the-art and will discuss some important aspects of using polymers in intelligent fertilizers, as well as superabsorbent, biosorbent and biodegradation processes in agriculture that are environmentally, technically, socially, and economically sustainable.

  4. Phenolic Profiling of Duchesnea indica Combining Macroporous Resin Chromatography (MRC with HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and ESI-IT-MS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingzhi Zhu

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Duchesnea indica (D. indica is an important traditional Chinese medicine, and has long been clinically used to treat cancer in Asian countries. It has been described previously as a rich source of phenolic compounds with a broad array of diversified structures, which are the major active ingredients. However, an accurate and complete phenolic profiling has not been determined yet. In the present work, the total phenolic compounds in crude extracts from D. indica were enriched and fractionated over a macroporous resin column, then identified by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS and ESI-IT-MS (ion trap MS. A total of 27 phenolic compounds were identified in D. indica, of which 21 compounds were identified for the first time. These 27 phenolic compounds encompassing four phenolic groups, including ellagitannins, ellagic acid and ellagic acid glycosides, hydroxybenzoic acid and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, and flavonols, were then successfully quantified using peak areas against those of the corresponding standards with good linearity (R2 > 0.998 in the range of the tested concentrations. As a result, the contents of individual phenolic compounds varied from 6.69 mg per 100 g dry weight (DW for ellagic acid to 71.36 mg per 100 g DW for brevifolin carboxylate. Not only did this study provide the first phenolic profiling of D. indica, but both the qualitative identification and the subsequent quantitative analysis of 27 phenolic compounds from D. indica should provide a good basis for future exploration of this valuable medicinal plant.

  5. Toward structured macroporous hydrogel composites: electron beam-initiated polymerization of layered cryogels

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Golunova, Anna; Chvátil, David; Krist, Pavel; Jaroš, J.; Jurtíková, V.; Pospíšil, J.; Kotelnikov, Ilya; Abelová, Lucie; Kotek, Jiří; Sedlačík, Tomáš; Kučka, Jan; Koubková, Jana; Studenovská, Hana; Streit, L.; Hampl, A.; Rypáček, František; Proks, Vladimír

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 16, č. 4 (2015), s. 1146-1156 ISSN 1525-7797 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-14961S; GA ČR(CZ) GAP108/11/1857; GA ČR(CZ) GA13-29009S; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 ; RVO:61389005 Keywords : cryogels * mechanical properties * click chemistry Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry; BG - Nuclear, Atomic and Molecular Physics, Colliders (UJF-V) Impact factor: 5.583, year: 2015

  6. In vitro mechanical fatigue behavior of poly-ɛ-caprolactone macroporous scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering: Influence of pore filling by a poly(vinyl alcohol) gel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panadero, J A; Vikingsson, L; Gomez Ribelles, J L; Lanceros-Mendez, S; Sencadas, V

    2015-07-01

    Polymeric scaffolds used in regenerative therapies are implanted in the damaged tissue and submitted to repeated loading cycles. In the case of articular cartilage engineering, an implanted scaffold is typically subjected to long-term dynamic compression. The evolution of the mechanical properties of the scaffold during bioresorption has been deeply studied in the past, but the possibility of failure due to mechanical fatigue has not been properly addressed. Nevertheless, the macroporous scaffold is susceptible to failure after repeated loading-unloading cycles. In this work fatigue studies of polycaprolactone scaffolds were carried by subjecting the scaffold to repeated compression cycles in conditions simulating the scaffold implanted in the articular cartilage. The behavior of the polycaprolactone sponge with the pores filled with a poly(vinyl alcohol) gel simulating the new formed tissue within the pores was compared with that of the material immersed in water. Results were analyzed with Morrow's criteria for failure and accurate fittings are obtained just up to 200 loading cycles. It is also shown that the presence of poly(vinyl alcohol) increases the elastic modulus of the scaffolds, the effect being more pronounced with increasing the number of freeze/thawing cycles. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Effect of pore size of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous chitosan-silica matrix on solubility, drug release, and oral bioavailability of loaded-nimodipine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yikun; Xie, Yuling; Sun, Hongrui; Zhao, Qinfu; Zheng, Xin; Wang, Siling; Jiang, Tongying

    2016-01-01

    To explore the effect of the pore size of three-dimensionally ordered macroporous chitosan-silica (3D-CS) matrix on the solubility, drug release, and oral bioavailability of the loaded drug. 3D-CS matrices with pore sizes of 180 nm, 470 nm, and 930 nm were prepared. Nimodipine (NMDP) was used as the drug model. The morphology, specific surface area, and chitosan mass ratio of the 3D-CS matrices were characterized before the effect of the pore size on drug crystallinity, solubility, release, and in vivo pharmacokinetics were investigated. With the pore size of 3D-CS matrix decreasing, the drug crystallinity decreased and the aqueous solubility increased. The drug release was synthetically controlled by the pore size and chitosan content of 3D-CS matrix in a pH 6.8 medium, while in a pH 1.2 medium the erosion of the 3D-CS matrix played an important role in the decreased drug release rate. The area under the curve of the drug-loaded 3D-CS matrices with pore sizes of 930 nm, 470 nm, and 180 nm was 7.46-fold, 5.85-fold, and 3.75-fold larger than that of raw NMDP respectively. Our findings suggest that the oral bioavailability decreased with a decrease in the pore size of the matrix.

  8. 7 CFR 319.37-9 - Approved packing material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... material is free from sand, soil, or earth (except for sand designated below); has not been used previously...—wood or cork. Sphagnum moss. Stockosorb superabsorbent polymer Vegetable fiber when free of pulp...

  9. Preliminary extraction of tannins by 1-butyl-3-methylimidazole bromide and its subsequent removal from Galla chinensis extract using macroporous resins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Chunxia; Luo, Xiaoling; Lu, Liliang; Li, Hongmin; Chen, Xia; Ji, Yong

    2013-03-01

    In recent years, ionic liquids have become increasingly attractive as 'green solvents' used in the extraction of bioactive compounds from natural plant. However, the separation of ionic liquid from the target compounds was difficult, due to their low vapour pressure and high stabilities. In our study, ionic liquid-based ultrasonic and microwave-assisted extraction was used to obtain the crude tannins, then the macroporous resin adsorption technology was further employed to purify the tannins and remove the ionic liquid from crude extract. The results showed that XDA-6 had higher separation efficiency than other tested resins, and the equilibrium experimental data were well fitted to Langmuir isotherms. Dynamic adsorption and desorption were performed on XDA-6 packed in glass columns to optimise the separation process. The optimum conditions as follows: the ratio of column height to diameter bed was 1:8, flow rate 1 BV/h (bed volume per hour), 85% ethanol was used as eluant while the elution volume was 2 BV. Under the optimised conditions, the adsorption and desoption rate of tannins in XDA-6 were 94.81 and 91.63%, respectively. The content of tannins was increased from 70.24% in Galla chinensis extract to 85.12% with a recovery of 99.06%. The result of ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC)-MS/MS analysis showed that [bmim]Br could be removed from extract. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  10. Isolation and purification of six iridoid glycosides from gardenia jasminoides fruit by medium-pressure liquid chromatography combined with macroporous resin chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yun; Liu, Hui; Shen, Lifeng; Yao, Lan; Ma, Yinlian; Yu, Dingrong; Chen, Jianhong; Li, Puling; Chen, Ying; Zhang, Cun

    2015-12-01

    Gardeniae fructus is one of the most frequently used herbs in traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, a process for the enrichment of six iridoid glycosides from Gardeniae fructus was developed using medium-pressure liquid chromatography combined with macroporous resin and reversed-phase chromatography. The purities of different fractions from Gardeniae fructus were assessed using quantitative high-performance liquid chromatography. After fractionation using HPD-100 column chromatography, a 30% ethanol fraction was selected based on high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry qualitative analysis to separate and purify. Based on the orientation analysis results, six compounds-deacetyl asperulosidic acid methyl ester, gardenoside, ixoroside, scandoside methyl ester, genipin-1-O-β-d-gentiobioside, and geniposide-were successfully isolated and purified in three to four combined steps from Gardeniae fructus. The purities of these compounds were found by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis to be 97.9, 98.1, 95.5, 96.3, 97.1, and 98.7%, respectively. Moreover, their structures were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The separation process was highly efficient, rapid, and accurate, making it a potential approach for the large-scale production of iridoids in the laboratory and providing several marker compounds for quality control. This procedure may be meaningful for the purification of other natural products used in traditional Chinese medicine. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  11. Effects of irrigation regimes and polymer on dry matter yield and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    mansour

    2013-12-18

    Dec 18, 2013 ... water-saving superabsorbent polymer (SAP) in soil can improve soil physical properties, crop growth and yield and .... was under both genetic and environmental control. Quinby .... Maximum durability (year). 7. Table 3.

  12. Novel resorbable glass-ceramic scaffolds for hard tissue engineering: from the parent phosphate glass to its bone-like macroporous derivatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bretcanu, Oana; Baino, Francesco; Verné, Enrica; Vitale-Brovarone, Chiara

    2014-05-01

    One of the major challenges of hard tissue engineering research focuses on the development of scaffolds that can match the mechanical properties of the host bone and resorb at the same rate as the bone is repaired. The aim of this work was the synthesis and characterization of a resorbable phosphate glass, as well as its application for the fabrication of three dimensional (3-D) scaffolds for bone regeneration. The glass microstructure and behaviour upon heating were analysed by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and hot stage microscopy. The glass solubility was investigated according to relevant ISO standards using distilled water, simulated body fluid (SBF) and Tris-HCl as testing media. The glass underwent progressive dissolution over time in all three media but the formation of a hydroxyapatite-like layer was also observed on the samples soaked in SBF and Tris-HCl, which demonstrated the bioactivity of the material. The glass powder was used to fabricate 3-D macroporous bone-like glass-ceramic scaffolds by adopting polyethylene particles as pore formers: during thermal treatment, the polymer additive was removed and the sintering of glass particles was allowed. The obtained scaffolds exhibited high porosity (87 vol.%) and compressive strength around 1.5 MPa. After soaking for 4 months in SBF, the scaffolds mass loss was 76 wt.% and the pH of the solution did not exceed the 7.55 value, thereby remaining in a physiological range. The produced scaffolds, being resorbable, bioactive, architecturally similar to trabecular bone and exhibiting interesting mechanical properties, can be proposed as promising candidates for bone repair applications.

  13. Solidification of nitrate solutions with alkali-activated slag and slag–metakaolin cements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rakhimova, Nailia R.; Rakhimov, Ravil Z.; Osin, Yury N.; Naumkina, Natalia I.; Gubaidullina, Alfiya M.; Yakovlev, Grigory I.; Shaybadullina, Arina V.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The effectiveness of an AASC matrix for NaNO 3 solution solidification is stated. • XRD, DTA-TG, and X-ray microtomography experiments were performed. • Crystallization of NaNO 3 reduces the shrinkage of hardened AASC-based waste forms. • Metakaolin shortens the setting time and increases the compressive strength of AASC. - Abstract: The solidification of nitrate solutions with alkali-activated slag (AASC) and slag–metakaolin cements (AASMC) and the resulting setting times, compressive strengths, dimensional stability, water resistance, hydration products, microstructures, and macroporous network structures were evaluated. The influences of the alkali activator concentration, mineral composition of metakaolin, ratio of slag to slag + metakaolin, and concentration of NaNO 3 on the cement performance were all evaluated in detail. The compressive strength of cemented nitrate solutions with AASC and AASMC aged for 28 days was from 13.4 to 42 MPa depending on the NaNO 3 concentration. X-ray diffractometer, differential thermal analyzer, and electron microscope analyses suggested that NaNO 3 crystallizes in cementitious matrices without reacting with the hydration products of AASC and AASMC. X-ray microtomography showed that the solidified NaNO 3 solution with a salt concentration of 700 g/l and AASC had a denser microstructure without shrinkage microcracks, a smaller macropore volume, and smaller macropore sizes than hardened AASC-based paste mixed with water

  14. Functional Differentiation of Three Pores for Effective Sulfur Confinement in Li-S Battery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Qian; Yang, Minghui; Wang, Zhen-Bo; Li, Chao; Gu, Da-Ming

    2018-03-01

    Shuttle effect of the dissolved intermediates is regarded as the primary cause that leads to fast capacity degradation of Li-S battery. Herein, a microporous carbon-coated sulfur composite with novel rambutan shape (R-S@MPC) is synthesized from microporous carbon-coated rambutan-like zinc sulfide (R-ZnS@MPC), via an in situ oxidation process. The R-ZnS is employed as both template and sulfur precursor. The carbon frame of R-S@MPC composite possesses three kinds of pores that are distinctly separated from each other in space and are endowed with the exclusive functions. The central macropore serves as buffer pool to accommodate the dissolved lithium polysulfides (LPSs) and volumetric variation during cycling. The marginal straight-through mesoporous, connected with the central macropore, takes the responsibility of sulfur storage. The micropores, evenly distributed in the outer carbon shell of the as-synthesized R-S@MPC, enable the blockage of LPSs. These pores are expected to perform their respective single function, and collaborate synergistically to suppress the sulfur loss. Therefore, it delivers an outstanding cycling stability, decay rate of 0.013% cycle -1 after 500 cycles at 1 C, when the sulfur loading is kept at 4 mg cm -2 . © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Pore Structure and Fluoride Ion Adsorption Characteristics of Zr (IV) Surface-Immobilized Resin Prepared Using Polystyrene as a Porogen

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizuki, Hidenobu; Ito, Yudai; Harada, Hisashi; Uezu, Kazuya

    Zr(IV) surface-immobilized resins for removal of fluoride ion were prepared by surface template polymerization using polystyrene as a porogen. At polymerization, polystyrene was added in order to increase mesopores (2-50 nm) and macropore (>50 nm) with large macropores (around 300 nm) formed with internal aqueous phase of W⁄O emulsion. The pore structure of Zr(IV) surface-immobilized resins was evaluated by measuring specific surface area, pore volume, and pore size distribution with volumetric adsorption measurement instrument and mercury porosimeter. The adsorption isotherms were well fitted by Langmuir equation. The removal of fluoride was also carried out with column method. Zr(IV) surface-immobilized resins, using 10 g⁄L polystyrene in toluene at polymerization, possessed higher volume of not only mesopores and macropores but also large macropores. Furethermore, by adding the polystyrene with smaller molecular size, the pore volume of mesopores, macropores and large macropores was significantly increased, and the fluoride ion adsorption capacity and the column utilization also increased.

  16. Microstructural Evolution during Pressureless Sintering of Blended Elemental Ti-Al-V-Fe Titanium Alloys from Fine Hydrogenated-Dehydrogenated Titanium Powder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Changzhou Yu

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available A comprehensive study was conducted on microstructural evolution of sintered Ti-Al-V-Fe titanium alloys utilizing very fine hydrogenation-dehydrogenation (HDH titanium powder with a median particle size of 8.84 μm. Both micropores (5–15 μm and macropores (50–200 μm were identified in sintered titanium alloys. Spherical micropores were observed in Ti-6Al-4V sintered with fine Ti at the lowest temperature of 1150 °C. The addition of iron can help reduce microporosity and improve microstructural and compositional homogenization. A theoretical calculation of evaporation based on the Miedema model and Langmuir equation indicates that the evaporation of aluminum could be responsible for the formation of the macropores. Although reasonable densification was achieved at low sintering temperatures (93–96% relative density the samples had poor mechanical properties due mainly to the presence of the macroporosity and the high inherent oxygen content in the as-received fine powders.

  17. Three dimensional printed macroporous polylactic acid/hydroxyapatite composite scaffolds for promoting bone formation in a critical-size rat calvarial defect model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Haifeng; Mao, Xiyuan; Du, Zijing; Jiang, Wenbo; Han, Xiuguo; Zhao, Danyang; Han, Dong; Li, Qingfeng

    2016-01-01

    We have explored the applicability of printed scaffold by comparing osteogenic ability and biodegradation property of three resorbable biomaterials. A polylactic acid/hydroxyapatite (PLA/HA) composite with a pore size of 500 μm and 60% porosity was fabricated by three-dimensional printing. Three-dimensional printed PLA/HA, β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and partially demineralized bone matrix (DBM) seeded with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were evaluated by cell adhesion, proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity and osteogenic gene expression of osteopontin (OPN) and collagen type I (COL-1). Moreover, the biocompatibility, bone repairing capacity and degradation in three different bone substitute materials were estimated using a critical-size rat calvarial defect model in vivo. The defects were evaluated by micro-computed tomography and histological analysis at four and eight weeks after surgery, respectively. The results showed that each of the studied scaffolds had its own specific merits and drawbacks. Three-dimensional printed PLA/HA scaffolds possessed good biocompatibility and stimulated BMSC cell proliferation and differentiation to osteogenic cells. The outcomes in vivo revealed that 3D printed PLA/HA scaffolds had good osteogenic capability and biodegradation activity with no difference in inflammation reaction. Therefore, 3D printed PLA/HA scaffolds have potential applications in bone tissue engineering and may be used as graft substitutes in reconstructive surgery.

  18. Characterising and linking X-ray CT derived macroporosity parameters to infiltration in soils with contrasting structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Müller, Karin; Katuwal, Sheela; Young, Iain

    2018-01-01

    with X-ray CT. Kunsat was significantly higher in the Andosol than in the Gleysol at all water potentials, and decreased significantly with depth in both soils. The in situ measurements guided the definition of new macroporosity parameters from the X-ray CT reconstructions. For the Andosol, Kunsat......Soils deliver the regulating ecosystem services of water infiltration and distribution, which can be controlled by macropores. Parameterizing macropore hydraulic properties is challenging due to the lack of direct measurement methods. With tension-disc infiltrometry hydraulic properties near...... saturation can be measured. Differentiating between hydrologically active and non-active pores, at a given water potential, indirectly assesses macropore continuity. Water flow through macropores is controlled by macropore size distribution, tortuosity, and connectivity, which can be directly derived by X...

  19. Fabricación y caracterización de membranas cerámicas tubulares para microfiltración

    OpenAIRE

    Marchese, J.; Almandoz, C.; Amaral, M.; Palacio, L.; Calvo, J. I.; Pradanos, P.; Hernández, A.

    2000-01-01

    A method to prepare and characterize different microfiltration ceramic membranes is described here. The membranes are composite and consist in a macroporous support, giving high mechanical resistance, onto which a thin microporous layer is deposited. This active film determines the retention properties of the membrane. Several versions of these membranes were prepared by controlling: particle size, chemical formulation of the paste and its thermal treatment. Both the support and the active la...

  20. Preparation of Silica Monoliths with Macropores and Mesopores and of High Specific Surface Area with Low Shrinkage using a Template Induced Method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, Jianyu [Shanghai Normal Univ., Shanghai (China); Lu, Yan [Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai (China); Whiting, Roger [AUT Univ., Auckland (New Zealand)

    2013-02-15

    In this study we report a new method for the synthesis of a silica monolithic column bed with bimodal pores (throughpores and mesopores). The template induced synthesis method was used to direct bimodal pores simultaneously instead of the usual post base-treating method. Block polymer Pluronic F127 was chosen as a dual-function template to form hierarchically porous silica monolith with both macropores and mesopores. This is a simplification of the method of monolithic column preparation. Poly(ethylene glycol) was used as a partial substitute for F127 can effectively prevent shrinkage during the monolith aging process without losing much surface area (944 m{sup 2}/g to 807 m{sup 2}/g). More importantly, the resultant material showed a much narrower mesopore size (centered at 6 nm) distribution than that made using only F127 as the template reagent, which helps the mass transfer process. The solvent washing method was used to remove the remaining organic template, and it was proved to be effective enough. The new synthesis method makes the fabrication of the silica monolithic column (especially capillary column) much easier. All the structure parameters indicate that monolith PFA05 prepared by the above method is a good material for separation, with the merits of much higher surface area than usual commercial HPLC silica particles, suitable mesopore volume, narrow mesopore size distribution, low shrinkage and it is easily prepared.

  1. Evaluation of Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Biochemical Traits of Lettuce under Drought Stress and Super Absorbent or Bentonite Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akram Valizadeh Ghale Beig

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The effects of two superabsorbents (natural-bentonite and (synthetic-A 200 on the chlorophyll fluorescence index, proline accumulation, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity and total carbohydrate in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. was evaluated. For this purpose, a factorial experiment using completely randomized design with superabsorbents at 3 levels (0, 0.15, 0.30 w/w%, drought stress at 2 levels (60 and 100% of field capacity and 4 replicates was conducted. Results showed that photosystem photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm II under drought stress (60% FC as well as lower levels of bentonite superabsorbent polymer reduced. The minimum and maximum proline content were obtained in 0.3% bentonite, 100% FC and 0 benetonite, 60% FC, respectively. The lowest and highest phenolic compounds was corresponded to the highest levels in both super absorbents and control respectively, so that the super absorbent and bentonite, reduced phenolic compounds by 62.65 and 66.21% compared to control. 0 and 0.15 wt % bentonite in high drought stress (60% FC showed the highest and 0.3 wt % bentonite and 100% FC attained the lowest level of antioxidant activity. Control bentonite treatment beds at 60% FC and beds containing 0.3 wt. % bentonite in 100% FC, showed the lowest and the highest total carbohydrate content respectively. Results of this study indicate that bentonite can reduce the negative effects of drought stress similar to artificial super absorbent.

  2. Prototyping of radially oriented piezoelectric ceramic-polymer tube composites using fused deposition and lost mold processing techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNulty, Thomas Francis

    Piezoelectric tube composite hydrophones of 3-1, 3-2, and 2-2 connectivity were developed using Fused Deposition (FD) and lost mold processing (LMP). In this work, a new series of thermoplastic binder formulations, named the ECG series, were developed for the FD process. The ECG-9 formulation exhibits mechanical, thermal, and rheological properties suitable for the Fused Deposition of functional lead zirconate titanate ceramic devices. This binder consists of 100 parts (by weight) Vestoplast 408, 20 parts Escorez 2520, 15 parts Vestowax A-227, and 5 parts Indopol H-1500. Oleic acid, oleyl alcohol, stearic acid, and stearyl alcohol (in toluene) were tested for use as a dispersant in the PZT/ECG-9 system. It was found that stearic acid adsorbs the most onto PZT powder, adsorbing 8.1 mg/m2. Using stearic acid, solutions of increasing concentration (5.0--50.0 g/l) were measured for adsorption. It was found that 30.0 g/l is the minimum concentration necessary for optimum surface coverage. The surfactant-coated powder was compounded with ECG-9 binder to create a 54 vol.% mix. The mix was extruded using a single screw extrusion apparatus into continuous lengths (>30 m) of 1.78 mm diameter filament. Fused Deposition was used to create composite designs of 3-1, 3-2, and 2-2 connectivity. After sintering, samples exhibit a sintered density greater than 97%. Sanders Prototyping (SPI) was used to manufacture molds for use with LMP techniques. Molds of 3-1, 3-2, and 2-2 connectivity were developed. The molds were infiltrated with a 55 vol.% aqueous based PZT slurry. The parts were subjected to a binder decomposition cycle, followed by sintering. Resultant samples were highly variable due to random macro-pores present in the samples after sintering. The resultant preforms were embedded in epoxy, and polished to dimensions of 8.0 mm inside diameter (ID), 14.0 mm outside diameter (OD), and 10.0 mm length (l) the OD and l dimensions are accurate to +/--2%, while the ID is accurate

  3. Layer-by-layer assembly of graphene oxide on polypropylene macroporous membranes via click chemistry to improve antibacterial and antifouling performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Zhen-Bei, E-mail: 1021453457@qq.com [The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, Anhui Key Laboratory of Molecular-Based Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, East Beijing Rd. 1, Wuhu, Anhui 241000 (China); Wu, Jing-Jing, E-mail: 957522275@qq.com [The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, Anhui Key Laboratory of Molecular-Based Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, East Beijing Rd. 1, Wuhu, Anhui 241000 (China); Su, Yu, E-mail: 819388710@qq.com [The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, Anhui Key Laboratory of Molecular-Based Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, East Beijing Rd. 1, Wuhu, Anhui 241000 (China); Zhou, Jin, E-mail: zhoujin_ah@163.com [Department of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Chizhou University, Muzhi Rd. 199, Chizhou, Anhui 247000 (China); Gao, Yong, E-mail: 154682180@qq.com [School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou 213001 (China); Yu, Hai-Yin, E-mail: yhy456@mail.ahnu.edu.cn [The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, Anhui Key Laboratory of Molecular-Based Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, East Beijing Rd. 1, Wuhu, Anhui 241000 (China); Gu, Jia-Shan, E-mail: jiashanG@mail.ahnu.edu.cn [The Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Solids, Ministry of Education, Anhui Key Laboratory of Molecular-Based Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Anhui Normal University, East Beijing Rd. 1, Wuhu, Anhui 241000 (China)

    2015-03-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Clickable membrane prepared by photo bromination and S{sub N}2 nucleophilic substitution. • Azide graphene oxide prepared by ring-opening reaction. • Alkyne graphene oxide was prepared via esterification reaction. • Layer-by-layer assembly of graphene oxide on membrane by click chemistry. • Antibacterial and antifouling characteristics were enhanced greatly. - Abstract: Polypropylene is an extensively used membrane material; yet, polypropylene membranes exhibit extremely poor resistance to protein fouling. To ameliorate this issue, graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were used to modify macroporous polypropylene membrane (MPPM) via layer-by-layer assembly technique through click reaction. First, alkyne-terminated GO was prepared through esterification between carboxyl groups in GO and amide groups in propargylamine; azide-terminated GO was synthesized by the ring-opening reaction of epoxy groups in GO with sodium azide. Second, GO was introduced to the membrane by click chemistry. Characterizations of infrared spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the modification. The sharply decreasing of static water contact angle indicated the improvement of the surface hydrophilicity for GO modified membrane. Introducing GO to the membrane results in a dramatic increase of water flux, improvements in the antifouling characteristics and antibacterial property for the membranes. The pure water flux through the 5-layered GO modified membrane is 1.82 times that through the unmodified one. The water flux restores to 43.0% for the unmodified membrane while to 79.8% for the modified membrane. The relative flux reduction decreases by 32.1% due to GO modification. The antibacterial property was also enhanced by two-thirds. These results demonstrate that the antifouling and antibacterial characteristics can be raised by tethering GO to the membrane surface.

  4. Layer-by-layer assembly of graphene oxide on polypropylene macroporous membranes via click chemistry to improve antibacterial and antifouling performance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Zhen-Bei; Wu, Jing-Jing; Su, Yu; Zhou, Jin; Gao, Yong; Yu, Hai-Yin; Gu, Jia-Shan

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Clickable membrane prepared by photo bromination and S N 2 nucleophilic substitution. • Azide graphene oxide prepared by ring-opening reaction. • Alkyne graphene oxide was prepared via esterification reaction. • Layer-by-layer assembly of graphene oxide on membrane by click chemistry. • Antibacterial and antifouling characteristics were enhanced greatly. - Abstract: Polypropylene is an extensively used membrane material; yet, polypropylene membranes exhibit extremely poor resistance to protein fouling. To ameliorate this issue, graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets were used to modify macroporous polypropylene membrane (MPPM) via layer-by-layer assembly technique through click reaction. First, alkyne-terminated GO was prepared through esterification between carboxyl groups in GO and amide groups in propargylamine; azide-terminated GO was synthesized by the ring-opening reaction of epoxy groups in GO with sodium azide. Second, GO was introduced to the membrane by click chemistry. Characterizations of infrared spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the modification. The sharply decreasing of static water contact angle indicated the improvement of the surface hydrophilicity for GO modified membrane. Introducing GO to the membrane results in a dramatic increase of water flux, improvements in the antifouling characteristics and antibacterial property for the membranes. The pure water flux through the 5-layered GO modified membrane is 1.82 times that through the unmodified one. The water flux restores to 43.0% for the unmodified membrane while to 79.8% for the modified membrane. The relative flux reduction decreases by 32.1% due to GO modification. The antibacterial property was also enhanced by two-thirds. These results demonstrate that the antifouling and antibacterial characteristics can be raised by tethering GO to the membrane surface

  5. Nanostructured porous graphene and its composites for energy storage applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos Ferrer, Pablo; Mace, Annsley; Thomas, Samantha N.; Jeon, Ju-Won

    2017-10-01

    Graphene, 2D atomic-layer of sp2 carbon, has attracted a great deal of interest for use in solar cells, LEDs, electronic skin, touchscreens, energy storage devices, and microelectronics. This is due to excellent properties of graphene, such as a high theoretical surface area, electrical conductivity, and mechanical strength. The fundamental structure of graphene is also manipulatable, allowing for the formation of an even more extraordinary material, porous graphene. Porous graphene structures can be categorized as microporous, mesoporous, or macroporous depending on the pore size, all with their own unique advantages. These characteristics of graphene, which are further explained in this paper, may be the key to greatly improving a wide range of applications in energy storage systems.

  6. Evaluation of the Increased Rates of Water Super Absorbent and Humic Acid Application under Deficit Irrigation Condition on Some Agroecological Characteristics of Zea Mays Using Response Surface Methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M Jahan

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction Water super absorbents are water absorbing natural or synthetic polymers (they may contain over 99% water. They have been defined as polymeric materials which exhibit the ability of swelling in water and retaining a significant fraction (> 20% of water within their structure, without dissolving in water content. The applications of hydrogels are grown extensively. These materials do not have any harm to the environment. Development of using super absorbent hydrogels to reduce crises such as soil erosion, frequent droughts or providing food security requires knowledge of their behaviors and performances in the soil. Humic substances are a mixture of different organic compounds that extract from various sources such as soil, humus, peat, oxidized lignite and coal. They are different in molecular size and chemical structure. A little amount of humic acid increase soil fertility by improving the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of soil. Increase in agricultural production and productivity depends, to a large extent, on the availability of water. Hence, the importance of irrigation is however, the availability of irrigation facilities which is highly inadequate in Iran. Determining the optimal amount of irrigation water has always been a main goal of researchers. Among the problems of excessive irrigation can be pointed to leach the nutrients especially nitrogen from the soil, the pollution of groundwater and environment and reduce fertilizer use efficiency, especially water-soluble fertilizers. To determine the optimal irrigation water and fertilizer, the use of mathematical models is inevitable. One of the most common methods used to optimize these factors is the central composite design. A central composite design is an experimental design, useful in response surface methodology, for building a second order (quadratic model for the response variable without needing to use a complete three-level factorial experiment

  7. Water absorption, retention and the swelling characteristics of cassava starch grafted with polyacrylic acid

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Witono, J. R.; Noordergraaf, Inge; Heeres, H. J.; Janssen, L. P. B. M.; Heeres, Hero

    2014-01-01

    An important application of starch grafted with copolymers from unsaturated organic acids is the use as water absorbent. Although much research has been published in recent years, the kinetics of water absorption and the swelling behavior of starch based superabsorbents are relatively unexplored.

  8. A novel physical eco-hydrological model concept for preferential flow based on experimental applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackisch, Conrad; van Schaik, Loes; Graeff, Thomas; Zehe, Erwin

    2014-05-01

    Preferential flow through macropores often determines hydrological characteristics - especially regarding runoff generation and fast transport of solutes. Macropore settings may yet be very different in nature and dynamics, depending on their origin. While biogenic structures follow activity cycles (e.g. earth worms) and population conditions (e.g. roots), pedogenic and geogenic structures may depend on water stress (e.g. cracks) or large events (e.g. flushed voids between skeleton and soil pipes) or simply persist (e.g. bedrock interface). On the one hand, such dynamic site characteristics can be observed in seasonal changes in its reaction to precipitation. On the other hand, sprinkling experiments accompanied by tracers or time-lapse 3D Ground-Penetrating-Radar are suitable tools to determine infiltration patterns and macropore configuration. However, model representation of the macropore-matrix system is still problematic, because models either rely on effective parameters (assuming well-mixed state) or on explicit advection strongly simplifying or neglecting interaction with the diffusive flow domain. Motivated by the dynamic nature of macropores, we present a novel model approach for interacting diffusive and advective water, solutes and energy transport in structured soils. It solely relies on scale- and process-aware observables. A representative set of macropores (data from sprinkling experiments) determines the process model scale through 1D advective domains. These are connected to a 2D matrix domain which is defined by pedo-physical retention properties. Water is represented as particles. Diffusive flow is governed by a 2D random walk of these particles while advection may take place in the macropore domain. Macropore-matrix interaction is computed as dissipation of the advective momentum of a particle by its experienced drag from the matrix domain. Through a representation of matrix and macropores as connected diffusive and advective domains for water

  9. Two solid-phase recycling method for basic ionic liquid [C4mim]Ac by macroporous resin and ion exchange resin from Schisandra chinensis fruits extract.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Chun-hui; Zu, Yuan-gang; Yang, Lei; Li, Jian

    2015-01-22

    In this study, two solid-phase recycling method for basic ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([C4mim]Ac) were studied through a digestion extraction system of extracting biphenyl cyclooctene lignans from Schisandra chinensis. The RP-HPLC detection method for [C4mim]Ac was established in order to investigate the recovery efficiency of IL. The recycling method of [C4mim]Ac is divided into two steps, the first step was the separation of lignans from the IL solution containing HPD 5000 macroporous resin, the recovery efficiency and purity of [C4mim]Ac achieved were 97.8% and 67.7%, respectively. This method cannot only separate the lignans from [C4mim]Ac solution, also improve the purity of lignans, the absorption rate of lignans in [C4mim]Ac solution was found to be higher (69.2%) than that in ethanol solution (57.7%). The second step was the purification of [C4mim]Ac by the SK1B strong acid ion exchange resin, an [C4mim]Ac recovery efficiency of 55.9% and the purity higher than 90% were achieved. Additionally, [C4mim]Ac as solvent extraction of lignans from S. chinensis was optimized, the hydrolysis temperature was 90°C and the hydrolysis time was 2h. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Rapid Prototyping Amphiphilic Polymer/Hydroxyapatite Composite Scaffolds with Hydration-Induced Self-Fixation Behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kutikov, Artem B.; Gurijala, Anvesh

    2015-01-01

    Two major factors hampering the broad use of rapid prototyped biomaterials for tissue engineering applications are the requirement for custom-designed or expensive research-grade three-dimensional (3D) printers and the limited selection of suitable thermoplastic biomaterials exhibiting physical characteristics desired for facile surgical handling and biological properties encouraging tissue integration. Properly designed thermoplastic biodegradable amphiphilic polymers can exhibit hydration-dependent hydrophilicity changes and stiffening behavior, which may be exploited to facilitate the surgical delivery/self-fixation of the scaffold within a physiological tissue environment. Compared to conventional hydrophobic polyesters, they also present significant advantages in blending with hydrophilic osteoconductive minerals with improved interfacial adhesion for bone tissue engineering applications. Here, we demonstrated the excellent blending of biodegradable, amphiphilic poly(D,L-lactic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(D,L-lactic acid) (PLA-PEG-PLA) (PELA) triblock co-polymer with hydroxyapatite (HA) and the fabrication of high-quality rapid prototyped 3D macroporous composite scaffolds using an unmodified consumer-grade 3D printer. The rapid prototyped HA-PELA composite scaffolds and the PELA control (without HA) swelled (66% and 44% volume increases, respectively) and stiffened (1.38-fold and 4-fold increases in compressive modulus, respectively) in water. To test the hypothesis that the hydration-induced physical changes can translate into self-fixation properties of the scaffolds within a confined defect, a straightforward in vitro pull-out test was designed to quantify the peak force required to dislodge these scaffolds from a simulated cylindrical defect at dry versus wet states. Consistent with our hypothesis, the peak fixation force measured for the PELA and HA-PELA scaffolds increased 6-fold and 15-fold upon hydration, respectively. Furthermore, we showed that

  11. Design and Evaluation of a Three Dimensionally Ordered Macroporous Structure within a Highly Patterned Cylindrical Sn-Ni Electrode for Advanced Lithium Ion Batteries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongcheng Jin

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available A 3-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM structure within a highly patterned cylindrical Sn-Ni alloy electrode was tailored by using various monodispersed polystyrene (PS templates via a colloidal crystal templating process coupled with an electroplating process. The pore size and the wall thickness in the “inverse opal” 3DOM structure were increased with increasing the size of the PS template beads used in this study. The electrochemical performance of prepared electrodes was examined in order to reveal the correlation between the rate capability and the 3DOM structure. Except the electrode with 1.2 μm pores, the discharge capacities gradually decreased with increasing the current density, showing a capacity conservation ratio of 87% for the electrode with 0.5 μm pores and that of 84% for the electrode with 3.0 μm pores when the current density increased from 0.05 mA cm−2 to 2.0 mA cm−2. The reason for this difference is attributed to the fact that the wall thickness of less than 0.5 μm in the electrode with 1.2 μm pores has a short Li+ diffusion distance in solid-state walls. In addition, it is expected that high regularity of 3DOM structure plays a great role on rate capability. Consequently, the 3DOM structure prepared from 1.2 μm PS template beads was favorable for improving the rate capability.

  12. Entrapment of dispersed pancreatic islet cells in CultiSpher-S macroporous gelatin microcarriers: Preparation, in vitro characterization, and microencapsulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Guerra, S; Bracci, C; Nilsson, K; Belcourt, A; Kessler, L; Lupi, R; Marselli, L; De Vos, P; Marchetti, P

    2001-12-20

    Immunoprotection of pancreatic islets for successful allo- or xenotransplantation without chronic immunosuppression is an attractive, but still elusive, approach for curing type 1 diabetes. It was recently shown that, even in the absence of fibrotic overgrowth, other factors, mainly insufficient nutrition to the core of the islets, represent a major barrier for long-term survival of intraperitoneal microencapsulated islet grafts. The use of dispersed cells might contribute to solve this problem due to the conceivably easier nutritional support to the cells. In the present study, purified bovine islets, prepared by collagenase digestion and density gradient purification, and dispersed bovine islet cells, obtained by trypsin and DNAsi (viability > 90%), were entrapped into either 2% (w/v) sodium alginate (commonly used for encapsulation purposes) or (dispersed islet cells only) macroporous gelatin microcarriers (CulthiSpher-S, commonly used for the production of biologicals by animal cells). Insulin release studies in response to glucose were performed within 1 week and after 1 month from preparation of the varying systems and showed no capability of dispersed bovine islet cells within sodium alginate microcapsules to sense glucose concentration changes. On the contrary, bovine islet cells entrapped in CulthiSpher-S microcarriers showed maintained capacity of increasing insulin secretion upon enhanced glucose concentration challenge. In this case, insulin release was approximately 60% of that from intact bovine islets within sodium alginate microcapsules. MTT and hematoxylineosin staining of islet cell-containing microcarriers showed the presence of viable and metabolically active cells throughout the study period. This encouraging functional data prompted us to test whether the microcarriers could be immunoisolated for potential use in transplantation. The microcarriers were embedded within 3% sodium alginate, which was then covered with a poly-L-lysine layer and a

  13. Establishing a synthetic pathway for high-level production of 3-hydroxypropionic acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae via β-alanine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borodina, Irina; Kildegaard, Kanchana Rueksomtawin; Jensen, Niels Bjerg

    2015-01-01

    Microbial fermentation of renewable feedstocks into plastic monomers can decrease our fossil dependence and reduce global CO2 emissions. 3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3HP) is a potential chemical building block for sustainable production of superabsorbent polymers and acrylic plastics. With the object......Microbial fermentation of renewable feedstocks into plastic monomers can decrease our fossil dependence and reduce global CO2 emissions. 3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3HP) is a potential chemical building block for sustainable production of superabsorbent polymers and acrylic plastics......-alanine and its subsequent conversion into 3HP using a novel ß-alanine-pyruvate aminotransferase discovered in Bacillus cereus. The final strain produced 3HP at a titer of 13.7±0.3 g・L-1 with a 0.14±0.0 C-mol・C-mol-1 yield on glucose in 80 hours in controlled fed-batch fermentation in mineral medium at pH 5......, and this work therefore lays the basis for developing a process for biological 3HP production....

  14. Three-dimensional activated reduced graphene oxide nanocup/nickel aluminum layered double hydroxides composite with super high electrochemical and capacitance performances

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, Yan; Ruiyi, Li; Zaijun, Li; Junkang, Liu; Yinjun, Fang; Guangli, Wang; Zhiguo, Gu

    2013-01-01

    The paper reported a three-dimensional activated reduced graphene oxide nanocup/nickel aluminum layered double hydroxides composite (3D-ARGON/NiAl-LDH) with super high electrochemical and capacitance performances. Graphene oxide was reduced by hydrazine in ammonia medium to form three-dimensional reduced graphene oxide nanocup using polystyrene colloidal particle as sacrificial template. The nanocup was then activated by the alkali corrosion and thermal annealing. The 3D-ARGON/NiAl-LDH was finally fabricated by the hydrothermal synthesis via in situ growth of ultrathin NiAl-LDH nanoflakes on the 3D-ARGON in an ethanol medium. The study demonstrated that the composite offers special 3D architecture with a macropore on the rim of a cup and large mesoporous structure on the wall of a cup, which will greatly boost the electron transfer and mass transport during the faradaic redox reaction, and displays excellent electrochemical and capactance performances, including high specific capacitance and rate capability, good charge/discharge stability and long-term cycling life. Its maximum specific capacitance was found to be 2712.7 F g −1 at the current density of 1 A g −1 , which is more than 7-fold that of pure NiAl-LDH, 3-fold that of common reduced graphene oxide/NiAl-LDH and 1.8-fold that of two-dimensional activated reduced graphene oxide/NiAl-LDH. The specific capacitance can remain 1174 F g −1 when the current density increases up to 50 A g −1 . After 5000 cycles at the current density of 30 A g −1 , the capacitance can keep at least 98.9%. This study provides a promising approach for the design and synthesis of graphene-based materials with largely enhanced supercapacitor behaviors, which can be potentially applied in energy storage/conversion devices

  15. Fabrication of Sericin/Agrose Gel Loaded Lysozyme and Its Potential in Wound Dressing Application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meirong Yang

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Sericin is a biomaterial resource for its significant biodegradability, biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and reactivity. Designing a material with superabsorbent, antiseptic, and non-cytotoxic wound dressing properties is advantageous to reduce wound infection and promote wound healing. Herein, we propose an environment-friendly strategy to obtain an interpenetrating polymer network gel through blending sericin and agarose and freeze-drying. The physicochemical characterizations of the sericin/agarose gel including morphology, porosity, swelling behavior, crystallinity, secondary structure, and thermal property were well characterized. Subsequently, the lysozyme loaded sericin/agarose composite gel was successfully prepared by the solution impregnation method. To evaluate the potential of the lysozyme loaded sericin/agarose gel in wound dressing application, we analyzed the lysozyme loading and release, antimicrobial activity, and cytocompatibility of the resulting gel. The results showed the lysozyme loaded composite gel had high porosity, excellent water absorption property, and good antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Also, the lysozyme loaded gel showed excellent cytocompatibility on NIH3T3 and HEK293 cells. So, the lysozyme loaded sericin/agarose gel is a potential alternative biomaterial for wound dressing.

  16. Water- and Fertilizer-Integrated Hydrogel Derived from the Polymerization of Acrylic Acid and Urea as a Slow-Release N Fertilizer and Water Retention in Agriculture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Dongdong; Liu, Yan; Yang, Guiting; Zhang, Aiping

    2018-05-31

    To reduce the preparation cost of superabsorbent and improve the N release rate at the same time, a novel low-cost superabsorbent (SA) with the function of N slow release was prepared by chemical synthesis with neutralized acrylic acid (AA), urea, potassium persulfate (KPS), and N, N'-methylenebis(acrylamide) (MBA). The order of influence factors on the water absorbency property was determined by an orthogonal L 18 (3) 7 experiment. On the basis of the optimization results of the orthogonal experiment, the effects of a single factor on the water absorption were investigated, and the highest water absorbency (909 g/g) was achieved for the conditions of 1.0 mol urea/mol AA ratio, 100% of AA neutralized, K + , 1.5% KPS to AA mass fraction, 0.02% MBA to AA mass fraction, 45 °C reaction temperature, and 4.0 h reaction time. The optimal sample was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Swelling behaviors of the superabsorbent were investigated in distilled water and various soil and salt solutions. The water-release kinetics of SA in different negative pressures and soils were systematically investigated. Additionally, the maize seed germination in various types of soil with different amounts of SA was proposed, and the N could release 3.71% after being incubated in distilled water for 40 days. After 192 h, the relative water content of SA-treated sandy loam, loam, and paddy soil were 42, 56, and 45%, respectively. All of the results in this work showed that SA had good water retention and slow N-release properties, which are expected to have potential applications in sustainable modern agriculture.

  17. An Effective Electrodeposition Mode for Porous MnO2/Ni Foam Composite for Asymmetric Supercapacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Yi-Chiun; Yang, Wein-Duo; Lee, Kuan-Ching; Huang, Chao-Ming

    2016-01-01

    Three kinds of MnO2/Ni foam composite electrode with hierarchical meso-macroporous structures were prepared using potentiodynamic (PD), potentiostatic (PS), and a combination of PS and PD(PS + PD) modes of electrodeposition. The electrodeposition mode markedly influenced the surface morphological, textural, and supercapacitive properties of the MnO2/Ni electrodes. The supercapacitive performance of the MnO2/Ni electrode obtained via PS + PD(PS + PD(MnO2/Ni)) was found to be superior to those of MnO2/Ni electrodes obtained via PD and PS, respectively. Moreover, an asymmetric supercapacitor device, activated carbon (AC)/PS + PD(MnO2/Ni), utilizing PS + PD(MnO2/Ni) as a positive electrode and AC as a negative electrode, was fabricated. The device exhibited an energy density of 7.7 Wh·kg−1 at a power density of 600 W·kg−1 and superior cycling stability, retaining 98% of its initial capacity after 10,000 cycles. The good supercapacitive performance and excellent stability of the AC/PS + PD(MnO2/Ni) device can be ascribed to its high surface area, hierarchical structure, and interconnected three-dimensional reticular configuration of the nickel metal support, which facilitates electrolyte ion intercalation and deintercalation at the electrode/electrolyte interface and mitigates volume change during repeated charge/discharge cycling. These results demonstrate the great potential of the combination of PS and PD modes for MnO2 electrodeposition for the development of high-performance electrodes for supercapacitors. PMID:28773371

  18. Antioxidant enzyme activities and lipid peroxidation in corn ( Zea ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In arid and semiarid regions of northern China, there is an increasing interest in using reduced rate of inorganic fertilizer together with water-saving superabsorbent polymer (SAP) for field crop production. Thus, an efficient management of fertilizer and study of metabolic changes in response to SAP application is important ...

  19. Utilization of wheat straw for the preparation of coated controlled-release fertilizer with the function of water retention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Lihua; Liu, Mingzhu; Ni, Boli; Wang, Yanfang

    2012-07-18

    With the aim of improving fertilizer use efficiency and minimizing the negative impact on the environment, a new coated controlled-release fertilizer with the function of water retention was prepared. A novel low water solubility macromolecular fertilizer, poly(dimethylourea phosphate) (PDUP), was "designed" and formulated from N,N'-dimethylolurea (DMU) and potassium dihydrogen phosphate. Simultaneously, an eco-friendly superabsorbent composite based on wheat straw (WS), acrylic acid (AA), 2-acryloylamino-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (AMPS), and N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide (NHMAAm) was synthesized and used as the coating to control the release of nutrient. The nitrogen release profile and water retention capacity of the product were also investigated. The degradation of the coating material in soil solution was studied. Meanwhile, the impact of the content of N-hydroxymethyl acrylamide on the degradation extent was examined. The experimental data showed that the product with good water retention and controlled-release capacities, being economical and eco-friendly, could be promising for applications in agriculture and horticulture.

  20. Mechanical properties of concrete with SAP. Part II: Modulus of elasticity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hasholt, Marianne Tange; Jespersen, Morten H. Seneka; Jensen, Ole Mejlhede

    2010-01-01

    In this study, focus is on the modulus of elasticity for concrete with superabsorbent polymers (SAP). The results show that based on composite theory it is possible to establish a model, which predicts overall concrete elasticity. The model assumes a three phase material of aggregate, cement paste......, and air with volume fractions of the three phases as well as elastic properties of paste and aggregates as input parameters. Addition of SAP changes the E-modulus, because it both has an influence on properties of the cement paste and on the volume of air voids. Here, the E-modulus is an example...... a more or less empirical relation. The results show that when introducing SAP, models of a more empirical nature can be misleading (and e.g. relations stated in codes are often of this empirical nature). The reason is twofold: First, the empirical models often have a general problem with the effect...

  1. Composites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kasen, M.B.

    1983-01-01

    This chapter discusses the roles of composite laminates and aggregates in cryogenic technology. Filamentary-reinforced composites are emphasized because they are the most widely used composite materials. Topics considered include composite systems and terminology, design and fabrication, composite failure, high-pressure reinforced plastic laminates, low-pressure reinforced plastics, reinforced metals, selectively reinforced structures, the effect of cryogenic temperatures, woven-fabric and random-mat composites, uniaxial fiber-reinforced composites, composite joints in cryogenic structures, joining techniques at room temperature, radiation effects, testing laminates at cryogenic temperatures, static and cyclic tensile testing, static and cyclic compression testing, interlaminar shear testing, secondary property tests, and concrete aggregates. It is suggested that cryogenic composite technology would benefit from the development of a fracture mechanics model for predicting the fitness-for-purpose of polymer-matrix composite structures

  2. Reconfigurable Photonic Crystals Enabled by Multistimuli-Responsive Shape Memory Polymers Possessing Room Temperature Shape Processability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Yin; Leo, Sin-Yen; Ni, Yongliang; Wang, Junyu; Wang, Bingchen; Yu, Long; Dong, Zhe; Dai, Yuqiong; Basile, Vito; Taylor, Curtis; Jiang, Peng

    2017-02-15

    Traditional shape memory polymers (SMPs) are mostly thermoresponsive, and their applications in nano-optics are hindered by heat-demanding programming and recovery processes. By integrating a polyurethane-based shape memory copolymer with templating nanofabrication, reconfigurable/rewritable macroporous photonic crystals have been demonstrated. This SMP coupled with the unique macroporous structure enables unusual all-room-temperature shape memory cycles. "Cold" programming involving microscopic order-disorder transitions of the templated macropores is achieved by mechanically deforming the macroporous SMP membranes. The rapid recovery of the permanent, highly ordered photonic crystal structure from the temporary, disordered configuration can be triggered by multiple stimuli including a large variety of vapors and solvents, heat, and microwave radiation. Importantly, the striking chromogenic effects associated with these athermal and thermal processes render a sensitive and noninvasive optical methodology for quantitatively characterizing the intriguing nanoscopic shape memory effects. Some critical parameters/mechanisms that could significantly affect the final performance of SMP-based reconfigurable photonic crystals including strain recovery ratio, dynamics and reversibility of shape recovery, as well as capillary condensation of vapors in macropores, which play a crucial role in vapor-triggered recovery, can be evaluated using this new optical technology.

  3. The nanostructure of microbially-reduced graphene oxide fosters thick and highly-performing electrochemically-active biofilms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Virdis, Bernardino; Dennis, Paul G.

    2017-07-01

    Biofilms of electrochemically-active organisms are used in microbial electrochemical technologies (METs) to catalyze bioreactions otherwise not possible at bare electrodes. At present, however, achievable current outputs are still below levels considered sufficient for economic viability of large-scale METs implementations. Here, we report three-dimensional, self-aggregating biofilm composites comprising of microbial cells embedded with microbially-reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoparticles to form a thick macro-porous network with superior electrochemical properties. In the presence of metabolic substrate, these hybrid biofilms are capable of producing up to five times more catalytic current than the control biofilms. Cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, show that in spite of the increased thickness, the biofilms amended with GO display lower polarization/charge transfer resistance compared to the controls, which we ascribe to the incorporation of rGO into the biofilms, which (1) promotes fast electron transfer, yet conserving a macroporous structure that allows free diffusion of reactants and products, and (2) enhances the interfacial dynamics by allowing a higher load of microbial cells per electrode surface area. These results suggest an easy-to-apply and cost-effective method to produce high-performing electrochemically-active biofilms in situ.

  4. Seed yield and some yield components of sesame as affected by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    In order to study the effect of different irrigation, N and superabsorbent levels on yield and yield components of sesame, a field experiment was conducted in Khosf Region, Birjand, Iran in 2009 as a split-split plot design based on a randomized complete block design. The treatments included irrigation interval at three levels ...

  5. Journal of Science and Technology (Ghana) - Vol 25, No 2 (2005)

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Polymeric superabsorbent can be used in air layering of roses without being degraded · EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT. PKA Dartey, PY Boateng, H Adzraku, L Atuah, I Crentsil, 44-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/just.v25i2.32944 ...

  6. Visual Observation of Dissolution of Copper Ions from a Copper Electrode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ikemoto, Isao; Saitou, Kouichi

    2013-01-01

    During electrolysis, to visually observe the conversion of a metal to its cation, either the cation or its complex ion should have a distinct color while the electrolyte solution must be colorless and transparent. A demonstration is described in which copper is used as the electrodes and sodium polyacrylate (a superabsorbent polymer) solution is…

  7. On-line coupling of counter-current chromatography and macroporous resin chromatography for continuous isolation of arctiin from the fruit of Arctium lappa L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Mengzhe; Liang, Junling; Wu, Shihua

    2010-08-13

    In this work, we have developed a novel hybrid two-dimensional counter-current chromatography and liquid chromatography (2D CCC x LC) system for the continuous purification of arctiin from crude extract of Arctium lappa. The first dimensional CCC column has been designed to fractionalize crude complex extract into pure arctiin effluent using a one-component organic/salt-containing system, and the second dimensional LC column has been packed with macroporous resin for on-line adsorption, desalination and desorption of arctiin which was effluent purified from the first CCC dimension. Thus, the crude arctiin mixture has been purified efficiently and conveniently by on-line CCC x LC in spite of the use of a salt-containing solvent system in CCC separation. As a result, high purity (more than 97%) of arctiin has been isolated by repeated injections both using the ethyl acetate-8% sodium chloride aqueous solution and butanol-1% sodium chloride aqueous solution. By contrast with the traditional CCC processes using multi-component organic/aqueous solvent systems, the present on-line CCC x LC process only used a one-component organic solvent and thus the solvent is easier to recover and regenerate. All of used solvents such as ethyl acetate, n-butanol and NaCl aqueous solution are low toxicity and environment-friendly. Moreover, the lower phase of salt-containing aqueous solution used as mobile phase, only contained minor organic solvent, which will save much organic solvent in continuous separation. In summary, our results indicated that the on-line hybrid 2D CCC x LC system using one-component organic/salt-containing aqueous solution is very promising and powerful tool for high-throughput purification of arctiin from fruits of A. lappa. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Enrichment of total steroidal saponins from the extracts of Trillium tschonoskii Maxim by macroporous resin and the simultaneous determination of eight steroidal saponins in the final product by HPLC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Yulan; Gao, Xin; Fu, Qiang; Guo, Pengqi; Xu, Xinya; Zhang, Ting; Ge, Yanhui; Zhang, Bilin; Wang, Mingchan; Zeng, Aiguo; Luo, Zhimin; Chang, Chun

    2017-03-01

    An effective and simple method was established for the separation and enrichment of steroidal saponins from Trillium tschonoskii Maxim. The adsorption and desorption properties of seven macroporous resins were investigated. Among the tested resins, AB-8 resin showed the best adsorption and desorption capacities. The adsorption of steroidal saponins on AB-8 at 25°C was quite consistent with both the Freundlich isotherm model and the pseudo-second-order kinetics model. By optimizing the dynamic adsorption and desorption parameters, the content of steroidal saponins increased from 5.20% in the crude extracts to 51.93% in the final product, with a recovery yield of 86.67%. Furthermore, by scale-up separation, the concentration and recovery of total steroidal saponins were 43.8 and 85.5%, respectively, which suggested that AB-8 resin had great industrial and pharmaceutical potential because of its high efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In addition, a high-performance liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of eight steroidal saponins was established for the first time, which was employed to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the final product. Based on the methodological validation results, the high-performance liquid chromatography method can be widely applied to the quality control of steroidal saponins from Trillium tschonoskii Maxim due to its excellent accuracy, stability, and repeatability. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. One-Pot Route towards Active TiO2 Doped Hierarchically Porous Cellulose: Highly Efficient Photocatalysts for Methylene Blue Degradation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoxia Sun

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In this study, novel photocatalyst monolith materials were successfully fabricated by a non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS technique. By adding a certain amount of ethyl acetate (as non-solvent into a cellulose/LiCl/N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc solution, and successively adding titanium dioxide (TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs, cellulose/TiO2 composite monoliths with hierarchically porous structures were easily formed. The obtained composite monoliths possessed mesopores, and two kinds of macropores. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR, X-ray Diffraction (XRD, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET, and Ultraviolet-visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis measurements were adopted to characterize the cellulose/TiO2 composite monolith. The cellulose/TiO2 composite monoliths showed high efficiency of photocatalytic activity in the decomposition of methylene blue dye, which was decomposed up to 99% within 60 min under UV light. Moreover, the composite monoliths could retain 90% of the photodegradation efficiency after 10 cycles. The novel NIPS technique has great potential for fabricating recyclable photocatalysts with highly efficiency.

  10. Ammonia-evaporation-induced construction of three-dimensional NiO/g-C3N4 composite with enhanced adsorption and visible light-driven photocatalytic performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tzvetkov, George; Tsvetkov, Martin; Spassov, Tony

    2018-07-01

    Novel visible light-driven heterostructured NiO/g-C3N4 photocatalyst has been designed and successfully prepared via ammonia-evaporation-induced method. The synthetic strategy consists of grafting the surface of g-C3N4 with Ni(NH3)62+ complex followed by its hydrolysis at lower pH to form nano-wrinkled thin film of α-Ni(OH)2. The final NiO/g-C3N4 hybrid was obtained after calcination of the Ni(OH)2/g-C3N4 precursor at 350 °C. Scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, FTIR, N2 adsorption/desorption, UV-vis diffuse reflectance and photoluminescence spectroscopy were used to characterize the resulting material. Our results revealed the formation of meso-/macroporous three-dimensional hierarchical honeycomb-like structure with high BET surface area (141 m2 g-1). The photocatalytic performance of the composite under visible light (λ > 400 nm) irradiation was evaluated through degradation of Malachite Green (MG) from aqueous medium at room temperature (25 °C). For the sake of comparison, the physico-chemical and photocatalytic properties of the pristine g-C3N4 and nanostructured NiO were also examined. Results indicated that NiO/g-C3N4 is much more active than pristine g-C3N4 and NiO in the photodegradation of MG. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of the composite was mainly attributed to the combination of high adsorption capacity which facilitates the direct redox reactions of dye and the efficient inhibition of photo-generated electron-hole pair recombination. Superoxide radicals (•O2-) and photo-generated holes (h+) were found to be the main active species in the process.

  11. Water Pearls Optics Challenges for Everybody

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milner-Bolotin, Marina

    2012-01-01

    Water pearls are superabsorbent polyacrylate beads that can expand about 200 times when submerged in water and are often used for decorative purposes in flower vases. A bag of pearls costs about a dollar. The pearls are very useful for teaching science, especially optics. Since water pearls are mainly made of water, their index of refraction…

  12. Morphometric methods for simulation of water flow

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Booltink, H.W.G.

    1993-01-01

    Water flow in structured soils is strongly governed by the occurence of macropores. In this study emphasis was given to combined research of morphology of water- conducting macropores and soil physical measurements on bypass flow. Main research objectives were to: (i) develop and improve

  13. Emulsion templated scaffolds with tunable mechanical properties for bone tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Owen, Robert; Sherborne, Colin; Paterson, Thomas; Green, Nicola H; Reilly, Gwendolen C; Claeyssens, Frederik

    2016-02-01

    Polymerised High Internal Phase Emulsions (PolyHIPEs) are manufactured via emulsion templating and exhibit a highly interconnected microporosity. These materials are commonly used as thin membranes for 3D cell culture. This study uses emulsion templating in combination with microstereolithography to fabricate PolyHIPE scaffolds with a tightly controlled and reproducible architecture. This combination of methods produces hierarchical structures, where the microstructural properties can be independently controlled from the scaffold macrostructure. PolyHIPEs were fabricated with varying ratios of two acrylate monomers (2-ethylhexyl acrylate (EHA) and isobornyl acrylate (IBOA)) and varying nominal porosity to tune mechanical properties. Young's modulus, ultimate tensile stress (UTS) and elongation at failure were determined for twenty EHA/IBOA compositions. Moduli ranged from 63.01±9.13 to 0.36±0.04MPa, UTS from 2.03±0.33 to 0.11±0.01MPa and failure strain from 21.86±2.87% to 2.60±0.61%. Selected compositions were fabricated into macro-porous woodpile structures, plasma treated with air or acrylic acid and seeded with human embryonic stem-cell derived mesenchymal progenitor cells (hES-MPs). Confocal and two-photon microscopy confirmed cell proliferation and penetration into the micro- and macro-porous architecture. The scaffolds supported osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal cells and interestingly, the stiffest IBOA-based scaffolds that were plasma treated with acrylic acid promoted osteogenesis more strongly than the other scaffolds. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  14. Composite gravity and composite supergravity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lukierski, J.

    1982-09-01

    It is known that the composite YM H-gauge theory can be constructed from σ-fields taking values in a symmetric Riemannian space G/H. We extend such a framework to graded σ-fields taking values in supercosets. We show that from supercoset σ-fields one can construct composite gravity, and from supercoset σ-superfields the composite supergravity models. (author)

  15. Bulletin of Materials Science | Indian Academy of Sciences

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    In the present study starch has been blended with poly(vinyl alcohol) to design macroporous architectures following a repeated freeze-thaw method. These macroporous cryogels were loaded with an antibiotic drug, ciprofloxacin hydrochloride (Cfx), and evaluated for its in vitro delivery in a completely controlled manner ...

  16. Process conditions and volumetric composition in composites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Bo

    2013-01-01

    The obtainable volumetric composition in composites is linked to the gravimetric composition, and it is influenced by the conditions of the manufacturing process. A model for the volumetric composition is presented, where the volume fractions of fibers, matrix and porosity are calculated...... as a function of the fiber weight fraction, and where parameters are included for the composite microstructure, and the fiber assembly compaction behavior. Based on experimental data of composites manufactured with different process conditions, together with model predictions, different types of process related...... effects are analyzed. The applied consolidation pressure is found to have a marked effect on the volumetric composition. A power-law relationship is found to well describe the found relations between the maximum obtainable fiber volume fraction and the consolidation pressure. The degree of fiber...

  17. Characterization of macropore structure of Malan loess in NW China based on 3D pipe models constructed by using computed tomography technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yanrong; He, Shengdi; Deng, Xiaohong; Xu, Yongxin

    2018-04-01

    Malan loess is a grayish yellow or brownish yellow, clastic, highly porous and brittle late Quaternary sediment formed by the accumulation of windblown dust. The present-day pore structure of Malan loess is crucial for understanding the loessification process in history, loess strengths and mechanical behavior. This study employed a modern computed tomography (CT) device to scan Malan loess samples, which were obtained from the east part of the Loess Plateau of China. A sophisticated and efficient workflow for processing the CT images and constructing 3D pore models was established by selecting and programming relevant mathematical algorithms in MATLAB, such as the maximum entropy method, medial axis method, and node recognition algorithm. Individual pipes within the Malan loess were identified and constructed by partitioning and recombining links in the 3D pore model. The macropore structure of Malan loess was then depicted using quantitative parameters. The parameters derived from 2D images of CT scanning included equivalent radius, length and aspect ratio of pores, porosity, and pore distribution entropy, whereas those derived from the constructed 3D structure models included porosity, coordination number, node density, pipe radius, length, length density, dip angle, and dip direction. The analysis of these parameters revealed that Malan loess is a strongly anisotropic geomaterial with a dense and complex network of pores and pipes. The pores discovered on horizontal images, perpendicular to the vertical direction, were round and relatively uniform in shape and size and evenly distributed, whereas the pores discovered on vertical images varied in shape and size and were distributed in clusters. The pores showed good connectivity in vertical direction and formed vertically aligned pipes but displayed weak connectivity in horizontal directions. The pipes in vertical direction were thick, long, and straight compared with those in horizontal directions. These

  18. Influence of geometrical and electrical parameters of masking layers on the electrochemical etching of silicon for single trench formation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gautier, G; Ventura, L; Jerisian, R

    2005-01-01

    Deep single trenches can be produced at the edge of apertures of protective films masking the surface of silicon samples. This macropore formation, from polarized HF based solutions, is electrically activated depending on the mask geometrical and physical parameters whatever the silicon type or the electrolyte composition. The mask thickness increase is known to induce deeper trenches. In this paper, we show that we can predict and localize this phenomenon by simulating two dimensional hole current distributions below the mask. We demonstrate also the influence of the material permittivity on trench depth. These 2D simulation results are correlated with experimental results

  19. Resin catalysts and method of preparation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, L.A. Jr.

    1986-12-16

    Heat stabilized catalyst compositions are prepared from nuclear sulfonic acid, for example, macroporous crosslinked polyvinyl aromatic compounds containing sulfonic acid groups are neutralized with a metal of Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, ions or mixtures and alkali, alkaline earth metals or ammonium ions by contacting the resin containing the sulfonic acid with aqueous solutions of the metals salts and alkali, alkaline earth metal or ammonium salts. The catalysts have at least 50% of the sulfonic acid groups neutralized with metal ions and the balance of the sulfonic acid groups neutralized with alkali, alkaline earth ions or ammonium ions.

  20. Importance of rodents for hydrology: lessons learnt from various field experiments

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Schaik, Loes; Zangerlé, Anne; Schneider, Anne-Kathrin; Schröder, Boris; Eccard, Jana

    2017-04-01

    organisms are known to create soil macropores of different sizes and with varying extent and orientation: most commonly earthworms, rodents, moles and roots. Preferential flow through macropore networks is dynamic and typically occurs when short individual macropores become connected at the hillslope scale as the nodes between the macropores become wet. Large lateral macropores may contribute to rapid subsurface stormflow of water and solutes at hillslope scale and supply a significant part of the catchment scale discharge during high intensity rainfall events even under relatively dry catchment state. Outflow from soil pipes, especially in the valley bottom or along the banking near to streams, is frequently observed, however, it remains a challenge to measure the spatial distribution, extent and connectivity of macropores at hill slope scales. We hypothesize that local information on organism abundances may be used as an indicator for spatial variability in infiltration, water storage and fluxes at the small scale and that knowledge on the landscape scale spatial distribution of organisms can provide information on connectivity of macropores at hillslope scale. Here we summarize the lessons learnt during three years of measurements aimed at determining the influence of rodent burrows on soil hydrology in a meso-scale catchment. Within the Attert Catchment (297 km2) in Luxembourg we performed sprinkling experiments with a brilliant blue tracer on twelve plots, of which six directly above rodent burrow openings and six on a surface without a rodent burrow opening, in order to examine the influence of the burrow openings on the infiltration pattern. Then we tested the extent of flow through mice burrows in different forest types, with varying geology and slope, by supplying 5 Liters of water with brilliant blue tracer directly to 24 burrow openings at soil surface. We excavated the burrows to measure how far the water was transported laterally in the burrow. Though