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Sample records for silicate gel matrix

  1. Core–shell Au/Ag nanoparticles embedded in silicate sol–gel ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    Dedicated to the memory of the late Professor S K Rangarajan. *For correspondence. Core–shell Au/Ag nanoparticles embedded in silicate sol–gel network for sensor .... An immediate colour change was observed for the mixed solution, indicating the dis- persion of metal nanoparticles in the MTMOS sol– gel matrix.

  2. Synthesis and characterization of silica gel from siliceous sands of southern Tunisia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Sdiri

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The present work aimed to achieve valorization of Albian sands for the preparation of sodium silicates that are commonly used as a precursor to prepare silica gel. A siliceous sand sample was mixed with sodium carbonate and heated at a high temperature (1060 °C to prepare sodium silicates. The sodium silicates were dissolved in distilled water to obtain high quality sodium silicate solution. Hydrochloric acid was then slowly added to the hydrated sodium silicates to obtain silica gel. The collected raw siliceous sands, as well as the prepared silica gels, were characterized by different techniques, such as X-ray fluorescence (XRF, X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and thermal analysis (DSC. XRF confirmed that the detrital sand deposits of southern Tunisia contain high amounts of silica, with content ranging from 88.8% to 97.5%. The internal porosity varied between 17% and 22%, and the specific surface area was less than 5 m2/g. After the treatment described above, it was observed that the porosity of the obtained silica gel reached 57% and the specific surface area exceeded 340 m2/g. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms showed that the prepared silica gels are microporous and mesoporous materials with high adsorption capacities. These results suggest that the obtained silica gels are promising materials for numerous environmental applications.

  3. Synthesis of yttrium silicate luminescent materials by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arkhipov, D.V.; Vasina, O.Yu.; Popovich, N.V.; Galaktionov, S.S.; Soshchin, N.P.

    1996-01-01

    Several yttrium-silicate composition with Y 2 O 3 content within 44-56% have been synthesized. it is ascertained that employment of sol-gel technique permits preparation of luminescent materials on yttrium silicate basis, which compare favourably with bath-produced specimens. The influence of phase composition of sol-gel phosphors on basic performance indices: intensity and luminescence spectrum, has been analyzed

  4. Electrical conductivity studies of nanocrystalline lanthanum silicate synthesized by sol-gel route

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nallamuthu, N.; Prakash, I.; Satyanarayana, N.; Venkateswarlu, M.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Nanocrystalline La 10 Si 6 O 27 material was synthesized by sol-gel method. → TG/DTA curves predicted the thermal behavior of the material. → FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of SiO 4 and La-O network in the La 10 Si 6 O 27 . → XRD patterns confirmed the formation of pure crystalline La 10 Si 6 O 27 phase. → The grain interior and the grain boundary conductivities are evaluated. - Abstract: Nanocrystalline apatite type structured lanthanum silicate (La 10 Si 6 O 27 ) sample was synthesized by sol-gel process. Thermal behavior of the dried gel of lanthanum silicate sample was studied using TG/DTA. The structural coordination of the dried gel of lanthanum silicate, calcined at various temperatures, was identified from the observed FTIR spectral results. The observed XRD patterns of the calcined dried gel were compared with the ICDD data and confirmed the formation of crystalline lanthanum silicate phase. The average crystalline size of La 10 Si 6 O 27 was calculated using the Scherrer formula and it is found to be ∼80 nm. The observed SEM images of the lanthanum silicate indicate the formation of the spherical particles and the existence of O, Si and La in the lanthanum silicate are confirmed from the SEM-EDX spectrum. The grain and grain boundary conductivities are evaluated by analyzing the measured impedance data, using winfit software, obtained at different temperatures, of La 10 Si 6 O 27 sample. Also, the observed grain and grain boundary conductivity behaviors of the La 10 Si 6 O 27 sample are analysed using brick layer model. The electrical permittivity and electrical modulus were calculated from the measured impedance data and were analyzed by fitting through the Havriliak and Negami function to describe the dielectric relaxation behavior of the nanocrystalline lanthanum silicate.

  5. Immobilization of Mo(IV) complex in hybrid matrix obtained via sol-gel technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marques, C.; Sousa, A.M.; Freire, C.; Neves, I.C.; Fonseca, A.M.; Silva, C.J.R

    2003-10-06

    A molybdenum(IV) complex, trans-bis-[1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane]-fluoro-(diazopropano) -molybdenum tetraphenylborate, [MoF(DIAZO)(dppe){sub 2}][BPh{sub 4}], was prepared and immobilized in a hybrid matrix synthesized by the sol-gel process. The host matrix, designated as U(500), is an organic-inorganic network material, classed as ureasil, that combines a reticulated siliceous backbone linked by short polyether-based segments. Urea bridges make the link between these two components, and the polymerization of silicate substituted terminal groups generates the inorganic network. The free Mo(IV) complex and all new materials were characterized by spectroscopic techniques (FT-IR and UV-Vis) and thermal analysis (DSC). The ionic conductivity of the resulting material was also studied. The results indicate that immobilized Mo(IV) complex has kept its solid-state structure, although there is evidence of inter-molecular interactions between the Mo(IV) complex and some groups/atoms of the hybrid host matrix.

  6. COMPARISON OF SOL-GEL SILICATE COATINGS ON Ti SUBSTRATE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    DIANA HORKAVCOVÁ

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the submitted work was to prepare and to characterize two types of silicate coatings prepared by the sol-gel method using the dip-coating technique on a titanium substrate. Efforts have been made to use mechanical properties of bio-inert titanium and bioactive properties of a silicate layer enriched with an admixture of compounds identified below. The first group consisted of silicate coatings containing silver, brushite and monetite. The other group of silicate coatings contained calcium nitrate and triethyl phosphate. Mechanically and chemically treated titanium substrates were dipped into sols and dried and fired. Silicate coatings from the first group were also chemically treated in 10 mol.l-1 solution of sodium hydroxide. All coatings were measured to determine their adhesive and bioactive properties and furthermore the antibacterial properties were tested in the case of first group. Surfaces of the coated substrates were investigated after the firing and after the individual tests with optical and electron microscopy and X-ray microdiffraction. A tape test demonstrated excellent adhesive property of all coatings to the substrate, classified with degree 5. A static in vitro test demonstrated bioactivity of nearly all the coatings. The basic silicate coating from the first group and one type of coating from the second group were identified as inert. Antibacterial properties of silicate coatings containing silver showed to be different when tested against Escherichia coli bacteria. A complete inhibition of the growth of bacteria under our experimental conditions was observed for the coating containing silver and monetite and a partial inhibition of the growth of bacteria for coatings containing silver and silver in combination with brushite.

  7. Agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix fabricated by simple thermo-responsive sol-gel transition method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yifeng; Dong, Meng; Guo, Mengmeng; Wang, Xia; Zhou, Jing; Lei, Jian; Guo, Chuanhang; Qin, Chaoran

    2017-08-01

    We present a simple and environmentally-friendly method to generate an agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix for further biomedical applications. In this method, the thermally responsive sol-gel transitions of agar and gelatin combined with the different transition temperatures are exquisitely employed to fabricate the agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix and achieve separate loading for various materials (e.g., drugs, fluorescent materials, and nanoparticles). Importantly, the resulting bilayer gel matrix provides two different biopolymer environments (a polysaccharide environment vs a protein environment) with a well-defined border, which allows the loaded materials in different layers to retain their original properties (e.g., magnetism and fluorescence) and reduce mutual interference. In addition, the loaded materials in the bilayer gel matrix exhibit an interesting release behavior under the control of thermal stimuli. Consequently, the resulting agar/gelatin bilayer gel matrix is a promising candidate for biomedical applications in drug delivery, controlled release, fluorescence labeling, and bio-imaging. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Silica gel matrix immobilized Chlorophyta hydrodictyon africanum ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Aghomotsegin

    2015-08-05

    Aug 5, 2015 ... The algae-silica gel adsorbent was used for batch sorption studies of a cationic dye, ... traditional methods of treating industrial effluent, these ... Author(s) agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative ... sodium silicate solution (v/v) and 25 mL of distilled water. With.

  9. Determination of Thermal Conductivity of Silicate Matrix for Applications in Effective Media Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiala, Lukáš; Jerman, Miloš; Reiterman, Pavel; Černý, Robert

    2018-02-01

    Silicate materials have an irreplaceable role in the construction industry. They are mainly represented by cement-based- or lime-based materials, such as concrete, cement mortar, or lime plaster, and consist of three phases: the solid matrix and air and water present in the pores. Therefore, their effective thermal conductivity depends on thermal conductivities of the involved phases. Due to the time-consuming experimental determination of the effective thermal conductivity, its calculation by means of homogenization techniques presents a reasonable alternative. In the homogenization theory, both volumetric content and particular property of each phase need to be identified. For porous materials the most problematic part is to accurately identify thermal conductivity of the solid matrix. Due to the complex composition of silicate materials, the thermal conductivity of the matrix can be determined only approximately, based on the knowledge of thermal conductivities of its major compounds. In this paper, the thermal conductivity of silicate matrix is determined using the measurement of a sufficiently large set of experimental data. Cement pastes with different open porosities are prepared, dried, and their effective thermal conductivity is determined using a transient heat-pulse method. The thermal conductivity of the matrix is calculated by means of extrapolation of the effective thermal conductivity versus porosity functions to zero porosity. Its practical applicability is demonstrated by calculating the effective thermal conductivity of a three-phase silicate material and comparing it with experimental data.

  10. Polymer gel dosimeter with AQUAJOINT® as hydrogel matrix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maeyama, Takuya; Ishida, Yasuhiro; Kudo, Yoshihiro; Fukasaku, Kazuaki; Ishikawa, Kenichi L.; Fukunishi, Nobuhisa

    2018-05-01

    We report a polymer gel dosimeter based on a new gel matrix (AQUAJOINT®) that is a thermo-irreversible hydrogel formed by mixing two types of water-based liquids at room temperature. Normoxic N-vinylpyrrolidone-based polymer gels were prepared with AQUAJOINT® instead of gelatin. This AQUAJOINT®-based gel dosimeter exhibits a 2.5-fold increase in sensitivity over a gelatin-based gel dosimeter and a linear dose-response in the dose range of 0-8 Gy. This gel has heat resistance in a jar and controlled gel properties such as viscoelastic and mechanical characters, which may be useful for deformable polymer gel dosimetry.

  11. Silica gel matrix immobilized Chlorophyta hydrodictyon africanum ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Chlorophyta hydrodictyon africanum was immobilized on a silica gel matrix to improve its mechanical properties. The algae-silica gel adsorbent was used for batch sorption studies of a cationic dye, methylene blue (MB). Optimum adsorption was obtained with a dosage of 0.8 g bio sorbent. Results from sorption studies ...

  12. Sol-Gel Glasses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, S. P.

    1985-01-01

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

  13. Silver nanoparticles embedded in amine-functionalized silicate sol–gel network assembly for sensing cysteine, adenosine and NADH

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maduraiveeran, Govindhan; Ramaraj, Ramasamy

    2011-01-01

    Silver nanoparticles embedded in amine-functionalized silicate sol–gel network were synthesized and used for sensing biomolecules such as cysteine, adenosine, and β-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH). The sensing of these biomolecules by the assembly of silver nanoparticles was triggered by the optical response of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the silver nanoparticles. The optical sensor exhibited the lowest detection limit (LOD) of 5, 20, and 5 μM for cysteine, adenosine, and NADH, respectively. The sensing of biomolecules in the micromolar range by using the amine-functionalized silicate sol–gel embedded silver nanoparticles was studied in the presence of interference molecules like uridine, glycine, guanine, and guanosine. Thus, the present approach might open up a new avenue for the development of silver nanoparticles-based optical sensor devices for biomolecules.

  14. The structure of alkali silicate gel by total scattering methods

    KAUST Repository

    Benmore, C.J.; Monteiro, Paulo J.M.

    2010-01-01

    The structure of the alkali silicate gel (ASR) collected from the galleries of Furnas Dam in Brazil was determined by a pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of high energy X-ray diffraction data. Since this method is relatively new to concrete structure analysis a detailed introduction on the PDF method is given for glassy SiO2. The bulk amorphous structure of the dam material is confirmed as no Bragg peaks are observed in the scattered intensity. The real space results show that the local structure of the amorphous material is similar to kanemite (KHSi2O5:3H2O) however the long range layer structure of the crystal is broken up in the amorphous state, so that ordering only persists of the length scale of a few polyhedra. The silicate layer structure is a much more disordered than predicted by molecular dynamics models. The X-ray results are consistent with the molecular dynamics model of Kirkpatrick et al. (2005) [1] which predicts that most of the water resides in pores within the amorphous network rather than in layers. The total scattering data provide a rigorous basis against which other models may also be tested. © 2010.

  15. The structure of alkali silicate gel by total scattering methods

    KAUST Repository

    Benmore, C.J.

    2010-06-01

    The structure of the alkali silicate gel (ASR) collected from the galleries of Furnas Dam in Brazil was determined by a pair distribution function (PDF) analysis of high energy X-ray diffraction data. Since this method is relatively new to concrete structure analysis a detailed introduction on the PDF method is given for glassy SiO2. The bulk amorphous structure of the dam material is confirmed as no Bragg peaks are observed in the scattered intensity. The real space results show that the local structure of the amorphous material is similar to kanemite (KHSi2O5:3H2O) however the long range layer structure of the crystal is broken up in the amorphous state, so that ordering only persists of the length scale of a few polyhedra. The silicate layer structure is a much more disordered than predicted by molecular dynamics models. The X-ray results are consistent with the molecular dynamics model of Kirkpatrick et al. (2005) [1] which predicts that most of the water resides in pores within the amorphous network rather than in layers. The total scattering data provide a rigorous basis against which other models may also be tested. © 2010.

  16. Hybrid sol-gel optical materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeigler, John M.

    1992-01-01

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

  17. The preparation of zinc silicate/ZnO particles and their use as an efficient UV absorber

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Podbrscek, Peter [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Drazic, Goran [Department for Nanostructured Materials, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Anzlovar, Alojz [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Center of Excellence for Polymer Materials and Technologies, Tehnoloski Park 24, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Orel, Zorica Crnjak, E-mail: zorica.crnjak.orel@ki.si [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Center of Excellence for Polymer Materials and Technologies, Tehnoloski Park 24, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia)

    2011-11-15

    Highlights: {yields} We used innovative gel-route in order to prepare zinc silicate/ZnO nano-particles. {yields} Continuous reactor was efficient for synthesizing ZnO and zinc silicate/ZnO precursors. {yields} Introduction of Si into reaction mixture influenced on particle size and their photoactivity. {yields} Prepared particles are appropriate for UV absorbers in polymers. -- Abstract: The formation of zinc silicate/ZnO particles synthesized by a two-step method and their incorporation into PMMA is presented. In the first step a segmented-flow tubular reactor was used for the continuous room-temperature preparation of a zinc silicate/Zn(OH){sub 2} gel that was thermally treated after rinsing and drying in the second step. The same preparation procedure was also employed for the synthesis of pure ZnO and pure zinc silicate particles. It was found that the presence of the zinc silicate phase significantly influenced the final particle size, decreased the degree of crystallization and reduced the particles' UV absorption capabilities. The reduced photocatalytic activity of the zinc silicate/ZnO particles indicated that the majority of ZnO crystallites were formed inside the zinc silicate matrix. The nanocomposite prepared from zinc silicate/ZnO particles (0.04 wt.%) and PMMA showed high UV shielding and at the same time sufficient transmittance in the visible-light region.

  18. The preparation of zinc silicate/ZnO particles and their use as an efficient UV absorber

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Podbrscek, Peter; Drazic, Goran; Anzlovar, Alojz; Orel, Zorica Crnjak

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → We used innovative gel-route in order to prepare zinc silicate/ZnO nano-particles. → Continuous reactor was efficient for synthesizing ZnO and zinc silicate/ZnO precursors. → Introduction of Si into reaction mixture influenced on particle size and their photoactivity. → Prepared particles are appropriate for UV absorbers in polymers. -- Abstract: The formation of zinc silicate/ZnO particles synthesized by a two-step method and their incorporation into PMMA is presented. In the first step a segmented-flow tubular reactor was used for the continuous room-temperature preparation of a zinc silicate/Zn(OH) 2 gel that was thermally treated after rinsing and drying in the second step. The same preparation procedure was also employed for the synthesis of pure ZnO and pure zinc silicate particles. It was found that the presence of the zinc silicate phase significantly influenced the final particle size, decreased the degree of crystallization and reduced the particles' UV absorption capabilities. The reduced photocatalytic activity of the zinc silicate/ZnO particles indicated that the majority of ZnO crystallites were formed inside the zinc silicate matrix. The nanocomposite prepared from zinc silicate/ZnO particles (0.04 wt.%) and PMMA showed high UV shielding and at the same time sufficient transmittance in the visible-light region.

  19. Fluorescence yield in rare-earth-doped sol-gel silicate glasses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silversmith, A.J., E-mail: asilvers@hamilton.ed [Physics Department, Hamilton College, 198 College Hill Road, Clinton, NY 13323 (United States); Nguyen, Nguyen T.T.; Campbell, D.L. [Physics Department, Hamilton College, 198 College Hill Road, Clinton, NY 13323 (United States); Boye, D.M.; Ortiz, C.P. [Davidson College, Davidson, NC 28035 (United States); Hoffman, K.R. [Whitman College, Walla Walla, WA 99362 (United States)

    2009-12-15

    We have used trivalent terbium to investigate the mechanism behind fluorescence enhancement by Al{sup 3+} co-doping. Our results indicate that rare-earth (RE) ions cluster together in aluminum-rich regions of the glass, and behave as if they were dispersed uniformly throughout these regions when the ratio of Al to RE is {approx}10 or greater. We also studied the effects of adding chemical drying agents to the precursor solution for the synthesis of sol-gel-derived silicate glasses. Such glasses can be treated at significantly higher annealing temperatures without degradation of optical quality, and have the density of melt glass. Fluorescence yield from doped RE ions improves markedly with the addition of the drying agents, and the denser glasses are not subject to rehydration.

  20. Ternary Phase-Separation Investigation of Sol-Gel Derived Silica from Ethyl Silicate 40

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shengnan; Wang, David K.; Smart, Simon; Diniz da Costa, João C.

    2015-01-01

    A ternary phase-separation investigation of the ethyl silicate 40 (ES40) sol-gel process was conducted using ethanol and water as the solvent and hydrolysing agent, respectively. This oligomeric silica precursor underwent various degrees of phase separation behaviour in solution during the sol-gel reactions as a function of temperature and H2O/Si ratios. The solution composition within the immiscible region of the ES40 phase-separated system shows that the hydrolysis and condensation reactions decreased with decreasing reaction temperature. A mesoporous structure was obtained at low temperature due to weak drying forces from slow solvent evaporation on one hand and formation of unreacted ES40 cages in the other, which reduced network shrinkage and produced larger pores. This was attributed to the concentration of the reactive sites around the phase-separated interface, which enhanced the condensation and crosslinking. Contrary to dense silica structures obtained from sol-gel reactions in the miscible region, higher microporosity was produced via a phase-separated sol-gel system by using high H2O/Si ratios. This tailoring process facilitated further condensation reactions and crosslinking of silica chains, which coupled with stiffening of the network, made it more resistant to compression and densification. PMID:26411484

  1. Luminescent hybrid porphyrinosilica obtained by sol gel chemistry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neri Cláudio Roberto

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available The sol-gel process is a methodology used to obtain organic-inorganic hybrid solids, which open new possibilities in the field of material science. The sol-gel technique offers a low temperature attractive approach for introducing organic molecules into amorphous materials. In order to introduce tetrakis (2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenylporphyrin covalently bounded to a silicate matrix, the inorganic precursor 3-isocyanatopropyltriethoxysilane was added (molar ratio 2:1 to the porphyrin solution in anhydrous dimethylformamide and triethylamine. The isolated porphyrin and the hybrid porphyrinosilica have excitation maximum centred at 400 nm and 424 nm, respectively and the emission spectra for both materials has bands centred at 650 nm and 713 nm. The formation of hybrid matrix was investigated by FTIR.

  2. In vitro degradation and surface bioactivity of iron-matrix composites containing silicate-based bioceramic

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wang, S; Xu, Y; Zhou, J.; Li, H; Chang, Jiang; Huan, Z

    2017-01-01

    Iron-matrix composites with calcium silicate (CS) bioceramic as the reinforcing phase were fabricated through powder metallurgy processes. The microstructures, mechanical properties, apatite deposition and biodegradation behavior of the Fe-CS composites, as well as cell attachment and proliferation

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokarski, Caroline; Fillet, Marianne; Rolando, Christian

    2011-03-01

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

  4. In vitro evaluation of calcium alginate gels as matrix for iontophoresis electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haida, Haruka; Ando, Shizuka; Ogami, Saori; Wakita, Ryo; Kohase, Hikaru; Saito, Norio; Yoshioka, Tomohiko; Ikoma, Toshiyuki; Tanaka, Junzo; Umino, Masahiro; Fukayama, Haruhisa

    2012-03-13

    Calcium alginate gel has some unique properties, such as the capability to keep the drugs, bioadhesiveness, safety, and low cost. The purpose of this study is to determine whether calcium alginate gel can be used as a matrix of electrodes for iontophoresis (IOP). We measured the concentration of lidocaine transported from calcium alginate gels with various concentrations of alginic acid using an in vitro experimental cell with square-wave alternating current (AC) application. Temperature and pH changes were also determined during AC-IOP. The results revealed that lidocaine was released from calcium alginate gels at concentrations nearly 1.71-fold larger at 5 V, 60 min after AC application than in the case of passive diffusion. Lidocaine transport depended on the alginic acid concentration in the gels. Although there were slight increases in temperature and pH, chemical and thermal burns were not severe enough to be a concern. In conclusion, the calcium alginate gel can be used as a possible matrix for IOP electrodes.

  5. X-ray spectra and theoretical elastic properties of crystalline calcium silicate hydrates: comparison with cement hydrated gels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayuela, A.

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available For 22 crystalline Calcium Silicates Hydrates, we have calculated their structure and their elastic properties by atomistic force field methods as well as simulate their Xray diffraction patterns. From the computed Young moduli, it can be suggested that the key parameters to determine the elastic properties of crystalline Calcium Silicate Hydrates are densities and water content. We have compared these trends with those of cementitious C-S-H gel and synthetic C-S-H type I as a function of their C/S ratios and nominal water content. Our comparison show that the experimentally suggested values of density and Young moduli for C-S-H gel lie in the range of the calculated CSH crystals. However, we conclude that a detailed correspondence might require investigating structurally within CSH gels the role of water and especially of Ca and Si sites through their C/S ratio.

    En este trabajo se han calculado para 22 Silicatos Cálcicos Hidratados cristalinos, su estructura y sus propiedades elásticas mediante métodos atomísticos “force field”, así como simulado sus espectros de difracción de rayos X. De los módulos de Young calculados se puede deducir, que los parámetros clave que determinan las propiedades elásticas de los Silicatos Cálcicos Hidratados cristalinos son la densidad y el contenido en agua. Nuestros resultados muestran que los valores experimentales de la densidad y de los módulos de Young para el gel C-S-H están dentro del rango de los cristales de CSH calculados. Sin embargo, podemos concluir que para establecer una correlación más directa sería necesario investigar el papel que juegan el agua y sobre todo el Ca y Si, mediante la relación C/S, en la estructura del gel CSH.

  6. Sodium Silicate Behavior in Porous Media Applied for In-Depth Profile Modifications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hossein A. Akhlaghi Amiri

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper addresses alkaline sodium silicate (Na-silicate behavior in porous media. One of the advantages of the Na-silicate system is its water-like injectivity during the placement stage. Mixing Na-silicate with saline water results in metal silicate precipitation as well as immediate gelation. This work demonstrated that low salinity water (LSW, sea water diluted 25 times could be used as a pre-flush in flooding operations. A water override phenomenon was observed during gel formation which is caused by gravity segregation. Dynamic adsorption tests in the sand-packed tubes showed inconsiderable adsorbed silicon density (about 8.5 × 10−10 kg/cm3 for a solution with 33 mg/L silicon content, which is less than the estimated mono-layer adsorption density of 1.4 × 10−8 kg/cm3. Na-silicate enhanced water sweep efficiency after application in a dual-permeability sand-pack system, without leak off into the oil-bearing low permeability (LP zone. Field-scale numerical sensitivity studies in a layered reservoir demonstrated that higher permeability and viscosity contrasts and lower vertical/horizontal permeability ratio result in lower Na-silicate leakoff into the matrix. The length of the mixing zone between reservoir water and the injected Na-silicate solution, which is formed by low salinity pre-flush, acts as a buffer zone.

  7. Cellular morphology of organic-inorganic hybrid foams based on alkali alumino-silicate matrix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verdolotti, Letizia; Liguori, Barbara; Capasso, Ilaria; Caputo, Domenico; Lavorgna, Marino; Iannace, Salvatore

    2014-05-01

    Organic-inorganic hybrid foams based on an alkali alumino-silicate matrix were prepared by using different foaming methods. Initially, the synthesis of an inorganic matrix by using aluminosilicate particles, activated through a sodium silicate solution, was performed at room temperature. Subsequently the viscous paste was foamed by using three different methods. In the first method, gaseous hydrogen produced by the oxidization of Si powder in an alkaline media, was used as blowing agent to generate gas bubbles in the paste. In the second method, the porous structure was generated by mixing the paste with a "meringue" type of foam previously prepared by whipping, under vigorous stirring, a water solution containing vegetal proteins as surfactants. In the third method, a combination of these two methods was employed. The foamed systems were consolidated for 24 hours at 40°C and then characterized by FTIR, X-Ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and compression tests. Low density foams (˜500 Kg/m3) with good cellular structure and mechanical properties were obtained by combining the "meringue" approach with the use of the chemical blowing agent based on Si.

  8. Electrochemically deposited sol-gel-derived silicate films as a viable alternative in thin-film design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deepa, P N; Kanungo, Mandakini; Claycomb, Greg; Sherwood, Peter M A; Collinson, Maryanne M

    2003-10-15

    Sol-gel-derived silicate films were electrochemically deposited on conducting surfaces from a sol consisting of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS). In this method, a sufficiently negative potential is applied to the electrode surface to reduce oxygen to hydroxyl ions, which serves as the catalyst for the hydrolysis and condensation of TMOS. The electrodeposition process was followed by the electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance and cyclic voltammetry. The electrodeposited films were characterized for their surface morphology, porosity, and film thickness using atomic force microscopy, electrochemical probe techniques, surface area and pore size analysis, and profilometry. The electrodeposited films were found to have a completely different surface structure and to be significantly rougher relative to spin-coated films. This is likely due in part to the separation of the gelation and evaporation stages of film formation. The electrodeposited films were found to be permeable to simple redox molecules, such as ruthenium(III) hexaammine and ferrocene methanol. Film thickness can be easily varied from 15 microm by varying the electrode potential from -600 mV to more than -1000 mV, respectively. The electrodeposition process was further applied for the electroencapsulation of redox molecules and organic dyes within the silicate network. Cyclic voltammograms for the gel-entrapped ferrocene methanol (FcCH2OH) and ruthenium(II) tris(bipyridine) (Ru(bpy)3(2+)) exhibited the characteristic redox behavior of the molecules. The electroencapsulation of organic dyes in their "native" form proved to be more difficult because these species typically contain reducible functionalities that change the structure of the dye.

  9. TiO2 on magnesium silicate monolith: effects of different preparation techniques on the photocatalytic oxidation of chlorinated hydrocarbons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cardona, Ana I.; Candal, Roberto; Sanchez, Benigno; Avila, Pedro; Rebollar, Moises

    2004-01-01

    In this article, the comparative results of the photocatalytic oxidation of trichloroethylene (TCE) alone and a mixture of chlorinated hydrocarbons (trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and chloroform) in gas phase, obtained with three different monolithic catalysts in a flat reactor frontally illuminated with a Xenon lamp are presented. The three catalysts incorporate titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) as active phase on a magnesium silicate support, by means of different procedures: (i) incorporation of commercial TiO 2 powder into the silicate matrix ('massic monolith'); (ii) sol-gel coating of the silicate support; (iii) impregnation with a commercial TiO 2 aqueous suspension of the same silicate support. In the first case, the massic monolith was made from a 50:50 w/w mixture of magnesium silicate and 'Titafrance G5' TiO 2 powder. In the second case, a magnesium silicate monolith was coated with several layers of an aqueous TiO 2 sol prepared from hydrolysis and condensation of titanium tetra-isopropoxide (Ti(OC 3 H 7 ) 4 ) in excess of acidified water (acid catalysis). The third catalyst was prepared by impregnating the same silicate support with several layers of 'Titafrance G5' TiO 2 powder water suspension. All the catalysts were thermal treated under comparable conditions in order to fix the TiO 2 active phase to the silicate support. Although the performance of the massic monolith was better than the sol-gel monolith, the latter is of great interest because this technique allows the chemical composition of the active films to be easily modified

  10. Effect of magnesium aluminum silicate glass on the thermal shock resistance of BN matrix composite ceramics

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cai, Delong; Jia, Dechang; Yang, Zhihua; Zhu, Qishuai; Ocelik, Vaclav; Vainchtein, Ilia D.; De Hosson, Jeff Th M.; Zhou, Yu

    The effects of magnesium aluminum silicate (MAS) glass on the thermal shock resistance and the oxidation behavior of h-BN matrix composites were systematically investigated at temperature differences from 600 degrees C up to 1400 degrees C. The retained strength rate of the composites rose with the

  11. Biological and therapeutic effects of ortho-silicic acid and some ortho-silicic acid-releasing compounds: New perspectives for therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jurkić Lela Munjas

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Silicon (Si is the most abundant element present in the Earth's crust besides oxygen. However, the exact biological roles of silicon remain unknown. Moreover, the ortho-silicic acid (H4SiO4, as a major form of bioavailable silicon for both humans and animals, has not been given adequate attention so far. Silicon has already been associated with bone mineralization, collagen synthesis, skin, hair and nails health atherosclerosis, Alzheimer disease, immune system enhancement, and with some other disorders or pharmacological effects. Beside the ortho-silicic acid and its stabilized formulations such as choline chloride-stabilized ortho-silicic acid and sodium or potassium silicates (e.g. M2SiO3; M= Na,K, the most important sources that release ortho-silicic acid as a bioavailable form of silicon are: colloidal silicic acid (hydrated silica gel, silica gel (amorphous silicon dioxide, and zeolites. Although all these compounds are characterized by substantial water insolubility, they release small, but significant, equilibrium concentration of ortho-silicic acid (H4SiO4 in contact with water and physiological fluids. Even though certain pharmacological effects of these compounds might be attributed to specific structural characteristics that result in profound adsorption and absorption properties, they all exhibit similar pharmacological profiles readily comparable to ortho-silicic acid effects. The most unusual ortho-silicic acid-releasing agents are certain types of zeolites, a class of aluminosilicates with well described ion(cation-exchange properties. Numerous biological activities of some types of zeolites documented so far might probably be attributable to the ortho-silicic acid-releasing property. In this review, we therefore discuss biological and potential therapeutic effects of ortho-silicic acid and ortho-silicic acid -releasing silicon compounds as its major natural sources.

  12. Sodium Silicate Gel Effect on Cemented Tailing Backfill That Contains Lead-Zinc Smelting Slag at Early Ages

    OpenAIRE

    Guo, Lijie; Li, Wenchen; Yang, Xiaocong; Xu, Wenyuan

    2018-01-01

    This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the priming effect of sodium silicate gel (SS) on cemented tailing backfill (CTB) that contains lead-zinc smelting slag. CTB and cemented paste (CP) containing lead-zinc smelting slag samples with SS of 0 and 0.4% of the mass of the slag were prepared and cured at 20°C for 1, 3, 7, and 28 days. Mechanical test and pore structure analyses were performed on the studied CTB samples, microstructural analyses (X-ray diffraction analysis a...

  13. 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

  14. A simple, rapid and eco friendly method for determination of uranium in geological samples of low silicate matrix by ICP-OES

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hanuman, V.V.; Chakrapani, G.; Singh, A.K.

    2013-01-01

    A simple, rapid, cost effective and eco friendly decomposition and dissolution method is developed for the determination of uranium (U 3 O 8 ) by Inductively Coupled Plasma - Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES) in low silicate geological samples. The salts of Sodium di-hydrogen phosphate monohydrate and Sodium pyrophosphate deca hydrate are used in the ratio of 1:1 (phosphate flux) for the decomposition of low silicate matrix geological samples. Samples are decomposed by fusion with the phosphate flux after ignition and the dissolution is carried out using distilled water. If the samples contain >10% silica, they have been treated with little amount of (HF+HNO 3 ) prior to fusion with phosphate flux. These samples, are analysed by ICP-OES directly without any separation from the matrix. The spectral interferences of major matrix elements (Al, Ti, Fe, Mn, etc present in the sample) on uranium are studied and it is observed that their interferences are negligible, as dilution is required to bring uranium concentration into calibration range of instrument. This is the first time, the phosphate flux is used for decomposition of low silicate geological samples for uranium determination by ICP-OES

  15. TiO{sub 2} on magnesium silicate monolith: effects of different preparation techniques on the photocatalytic oxidation of chlorinated hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cardona, Ana I.; Candal, Roberto; Sanchez, Benigno; Avila, Pedro; Rebollar, Moises

    2004-05-01

    In this article, the comparative results of the photocatalytic oxidation of trichloroethylene (TCE) alone and a mixture of chlorinated hydrocarbons (trichloroethylene, perchloroethylene and chloroform) in gas phase, obtained with three different monolithic catalysts in a flat reactor frontally illuminated with a Xenon lamp are presented. The three catalysts incorporate titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) as active phase on a magnesium silicate support, by means of different procedures: (i) incorporation of commercial TiO{sub 2} powder into the silicate matrix ('massic monolith'); (ii) sol-gel coating of the silicate support; (iii) impregnation with a commercial TiO{sub 2} aqueous suspension of the same silicate support. In the first case, the massic monolith was made from a 50:50 w/w mixture of magnesium silicate and 'Titafrance G5' TiO{sub 2} powder. In the second case, a magnesium silicate monolith was coated with several layers of an aqueous TiO{sub 2} sol prepared from hydrolysis and condensation of titanium tetra-isopropoxide (Ti(OC{sub 3}H{sub 7}){sub 4}) in excess of acidified water (acid catalysis). The third catalyst was prepared by impregnating the same silicate support with several layers of 'Titafrance G5' TiO{sub 2} powder water suspension. All the catalysts were thermal treated under comparable conditions in order to fix the TiO{sub 2} active phase to the silicate support. Although the performance of the massic monolith was better than the sol-gel monolith, the latter is of great interest because this technique allows the chemical composition of the active films to be easily modified.

  16. Studies on gelation of sodium silicate hydrosol for immobilization of high level liquid waste (HLLW).

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdel Raouf, M W [Hot Lab. Centre, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt); Sharaf El-deen, A N; El-Dessouky, M M [Military Technical College, Kobry El-Kobbah, Cairo (Egypt)

    1995-10-01

    Immobilization of the simulated high-level liquid waste (HLLW) was performed via the gelation with sodium silicate hydrosol at room temperature. The simulated waste in this study, was represented by the electrolytes of Li, Na, K, Cs, Co and Sr at different concentrations. Specific loading of the liquid waste with 0.6 M Mg (NO{sub 3})2 and tailoring with Al salts were tried during most of the gelation processes. Mineral acid (HCl or {sub 3}) were added during the gelation processes to achieve the gel point, especially when lower concentrations of the simulated waste were used. The obtained hydrogel were dried to obtain the solid gel form. The gelation processes were investigated in terms of the different factors that affected them, namely: temperature, pH, changes in the concentration of the initial hydrosol and the used electrolytes. The efficiency of the gelation processes was investigated from the ratio of the amount of simulated waste reacted (m mole) to the initial silicate used (m mole), i.e. X value. Lower X values were observed when using multi valent cations (higher polarizing power). A special effect of increasing the sorption of metal cations in the silica matrix was observed when Al{sup 3+} replaced Si{sup 4+} in the three-dimensional network structure of the matrix. 3 figs., 7 tabs.

  17. Correlation between the viscoelastic properties of the gel layer of swollen HPMC matrix tablets and their in vitro drug release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamed, Rania; Al Baraghthi, Tamadur; Sunoqrot, Suhair

    2016-11-21

    Drug release from hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) hydrophilic matrix tablets is controlled by drug diffusion through the gel layer of the matrix-forming polymer upon hydration, matrix erosion or combination of diffusion and erosion mechanisms. In this study, the relationship between viscoelastic properties of the gel layer of swollen intact matrix tablets and drug release was investigated. Two sets of quetiapine fumarate (QF) matrix tablets were prepared using the high viscosity grade HPMC K4M at low (70 mg/tablet) and high (170 mg/tablet) polymer concentrations. Viscoelastic studies using a controlled stress rheometer were performed on swollen matrices following hydration in the dissolution medium for predetermined time intervals. The gel layer of swollen tablets exhibited predominantly elastic behavior. Results from the in vitro release study showed that drug release was strongly influenced by the viscoelastic properties of the gel layer of K4M tablets, which was further corroborated by results from water uptake studies conducted on intact tablets. The results provide evidence that the viscoelastic properties of the gel layer can be exploited to guide the selection of an appropriate matrix-forming polymer, to better understand the rate of drug release from matrix tablets in vitro and to develop hydrophilic controlled-release formulations.

  18. Nanostructured silicate polymer concrete

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Figovskiy Oleg L'vovich

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available It has been known that acid-resistant concretes on the liquid glass basis have high porosity (up to 18~20 %, low strength and insufficient water resistance. Significant increasing of silicate matrix strength and density was carried out by incorporation of special liquid organic alkali-soluble silicate additives, which block superficial pores and reduce concrete shrinkage deformation. It was demonstrated that introduction of tetrafurfuryloxisilane additive sharply increases strength, durability and shock resistance of silicate polymer concrete in aggressive media. The experiments showed, that the strength and density of silicate polymer concrete increase in case of decreasing liquid glass content. The authors obtained optimal content of silicate polymer concrete, which possesses increased strength, durability, density and crack-resistance. Diffusive permeability of concrete and its chemical resistance has been investigated in various corroding media.

  19. Characterization of alkali silica reaction gels using Raman spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balachandran, C.; Muñoz, J.F.; Arnold, T.

    2017-01-01

    The ability of Raman spectroscopy to characterize amorphous materials makes this technique ideal to study alkali silica reaction (ASR) gels. The structure of several synthetic ASR gels was thoroughly characterized using Raman Spectroscopy. The results were validated with additional techniques such as Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. The Raman spectra were found to have two broad bands in the 800 to 1200 cm −1 range and the 400 to 700 cm −1 range indicating the amorphous nature of the gel. Important information regarding the silicate polymerization was deduced from both of these spectral regions. An increase in alkali content of the gels caused a depolymerization in the silicate framework which manifested in the Raman spectra as a gradual shift of predominant peaks in both regions. The trends in silicate depolymerization were in agreement with results from a NMR spectroscopy study on similar synthetic ASR gels.

  20. Polymer/Silicate Nanocomposites Developed for Improved Strength and Thermal Stability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Sandi G.

    2003-01-01

    Over the past decade, polymer-silicate nanocomposites have been attracting considerable attention as a method of enhancing polymer properties. The nanometer dimensions of the dispersed silicate reinforcement can greatly improve the mechanical, thermal, and gas barrier properties of a polymer matrix. In a study at the NASA Glenn Research Center, the dispersion of small amounts (less than 5 wt%) of an organically modified layered silicate (OLS) into the polymer matrix of a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite has improved the thermal stability of the composite. The enhanced barrier properties of the polymer-clay hybrid are believed to slow the diffusion of oxygen into the bulk polymer, thereby slowing oxidative degradation of the polymer. Electron-backscattering images show cracking of a nanocomposite matrix composite in comparison to a neat resin matrix composite. The images show that dispersion of an OLS into the matrix resin reduces polymer oxidation during aging and reduces the amount of cracking in the matrix significantly. Improvements in composite flexural strength, flexural modulus, and interlaminar shear strength were also obtained with the addition of OLS. An increase of up to 15 percent in these mechanical properties was observed in composites tested at room temperature and 288 C. The best properties were seen with low silicate levels, 1 to 3 wt%, because of the better dispersion of the silicate in the polymer matrix.

  1. A novel sol-gel-derived calcium silicate cement with short setting time for application in endodontic repair of perforations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Bor-Shiunn; Lin, Hong-Ping; Chan, Jerry Chun-Chung; Wang, Wei-Chuan; Hung, Ping-Hsuan; Tsai, Yu-Hsin; Lee, Yuan-Ling

    2018-01-01

    Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) is the most frequently used repair material in endodontics, but the long setting time and reduced mechanical strength in acidic environments are major shortcomings. In this study, a novel sol-gel-derived calcium silicate cement (sCSC) was developed using an initial Ca/Si molar ratio of 3, with the most effective mixing orders of reactants and optimal HNO 3 catalyst volumes. A Fourier transform infrared spectrometer, scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffractometer were used for material characterization. The setting time, compressive strength, and microhardness of sCSC after hydration in neutral and pH 5 environments were compared with that of MTA. Results showed that sCSC demonstrated porous microstructures with a setting time of ~30 min, and the major components of sCSC were tricalcium silicate, dicalcium silicate, and calcium oxide. The optimal formula of sCSC was sn200, which exhibited significantly higher compressive strength and microhardness than MTA, irrespective of neutral or pH 5 environments. In addition, both sn200 and MTA demonstrated good biocompatibility because cell viability was similar to that of the control. These findings suggest that sn200 merits further clinical study for potential application in endodontic repair of perforations.

  2. Calcium and magnesium silicate hydrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lothenbach, B.; L'Hopital, E.; Nied, D.; Achiedo, G.; Dauzeres, A.

    2015-01-01

    Deep geological disposals are planed to discard long-lived intermediate-level and high-level radioactive wastes. Clay-based geological barriers are expected to limit the ingress of groundwater and to reduce the mobility of radioelements. In the interaction zone between the cement and the clay based material alteration can occur. Magnesium silicate hydrates (M-S-H) have been observed due to the reaction of magnesium sulfate containing groundwater with cements or in the interaction zone between low-pH type cement and clays. M-S-H samples synthesized in the laboratory showed that M-S-H has a variable composition within 0.7 ≤ Mg/Si ≤ 1.5. TEM/EDS analyses show an homogeneous gel with no defined structure. IR and 29 Si NMR data reveal a higher polymerization degree of the silica network in M-S-H compared to calcium silicate hydrates (C-S-H). The presence of mainly Q 3 silicate tetrahedrons in M-S-H indicates a sheet like or a triple-chain silica structure while C-S-H is characterised by single chain-structure. The clear difference in the silica structure and the larger ionic radius of Ca 2+ (1.1 Angstrom) compared to Mg 2+ (0.8 Angstrom) make the formation of an extended solid solution between M-S-H and C-S-H gel improbable. In fact, the analyses of synthetic samples containing both magnesium and calcium in various ratios indicate the formation of separate M-S-H and C-S-H gels with no or very little uptake of magnesium in CS-H or calcium in M-S-H

  3. Reappraisal of quantitative gel zymography for matrix metalloproteinases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prescimone, Tommaso; Tognotti, Danika; Caselli, Chiara; Cabiati, Manuela; D'Amico, Andrea; Del Ry, Silvia; Giannessi, Daniela

    2014-09-01

    The determination of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) is relevant in many pathophysiological conditions, especially if associated with extracellular matrix remodeling; however, the results obtained are closely linked to the method used and are not directly comparable. The aim of this study was to perform a reappraisal of quantitative gel zymography technique for MMPs in human plasma, to use for comparison with commercially available ELISA and in those experimental conditions where the MMP active form needs to be revealed. The critical methodological parameters of zymography were checked and a comparison with a routinely used ELISA was performed. Sensitivity and reproducibility levels of zymography are suitable for detection of MMP-9 in human plasma, providing results closely related to those obtained by ELISA. Analytical parameters of zymography were suitable for detection of MMPs in human plasma. Quantitative zymography for MMPs is an alternative method for comparing the results of ELISA widely employed for MMP determination, thus reducing the discrepancies between laboratories regarding gelatinase assay. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Oxidizing gel formulation for nuclear decontamination: rheological and acidic properties of the organic matrix and its ozonolysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rouy, E.

    2003-10-01

    An acidic and oxidizing gel was formulated with a purely organic matrix, xanthan gum, at low concentrations (1 to 2 wt %). This polymer gel was investigated in various media (aqueous, acidic and ceric) by means of rheology: shear thinning behaviour, thixotropy, yield stress... Evidences of unexpected rheological properties in highly concentrated media show that xanthan is quite convenient for industrial projection of this type of gel on metallic walls in nuclear plants, notwithstanding its time-limited resistance to oxidation (about a few hours). Complexation mechanisms between ceric species and polar sites of the polymer led us to characterise acidic properties of our xanthan sample by potentiometric titration and 1 H NMR techniques. The matrix was finally treated by ozonolysis to suppress organic residues, as required to handle nuclear wastes. In acidic medium, ozonolysis of the gel was achieved successfully while in acidic and ceric medium this process showed limited efficiency, needing further investigation to be clarified. (author)

  5. KINETICS OF A SILICATE COMPOSITION GELATION IN PRESENCE OF REACTION RATE REGULATING COMPOUNDS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga Titova

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The influence of organic and inorganic additions on the formation rate of the silicate gels standard systems – sodium silicate solution in model fresh water was studied. As a result of the experiments were selected optimum concentrations of additives - gelation time regulators

  6. Polymer-Layer Silicate Nanocomposites

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Potarniche, Catalina-Gabriela

    Nowadays, some of the material challenges arise from a performance point of view as well as from recycling and biodegradability. Concerning these aspects, the development of polymer layered silicate nanocomposites can provide possible solutions. This study investigates how to obtain polymer layered...... with a spectacular improvement up to 300 % in impact strength were obtained. In the second part of this study, layered silicate bio-nanomaterials were obtained starting from natural compounds and taking into consideration their biocompatibility properties. These new materials may be used for drug delivery systems...... and as biomaterials due to their high biocompatible properties, and because they have the advantage of being biodegradable. The intercalation process of natural compounds within silicate platelets was investigated. By uniform dispersing of binary nanohybrids in a collagen matrix, nanocomposites with intercalated...

  7. The application of silicon and silicates in dentistry: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lührs, A-K; Geurtsen, Werner

    2009-01-01

    Silicates and silicate-based compounds are frequently used materials in dentistry. One of their major applications is their use as fillers in different dental filling materials such as glass-ionomer cements, compomers, composites, and adhesive systems. In these materials, the fillers react with acids during the setting process or they improve the mechanical properties by increasing physical resistance, thermal expansion coefficient and radiopacity in acrylic filling materials. They also reduce polymerization shrinkage, and increase esthetics as well as handling properties. Furthermore, silicates are used for the tribochemical silication of different surfaces such as ceramics or alloys. The silicate layer formed in this process is the chemical basis for silanes that form a bond between this layer and the organic composite matrix. It also provides a micromechanical bond between the surface of the material and the composite matrix. Silicates are also a component of dental ceramics, which are frequently used in dentistry, for instance for veneers, inlays, and onlays, for denture teeth, and for full-ceramic crowns or as crown veneering materials.

  8. AC electrical breakdown phenomena of epoxy/layered silicate nanocomposite in needle-plate electrodes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jae-Jun; Lee, Jae-Young

    2013-05-01

    Epoxy/layered silicate nanocomposite for the insulation of heavy electric equipments were prepared by dispersing 1 wt% of a layered silicate into an epoxy matrix with a homogenizing mixer and then AC electrical treeing and breakdown tests were carried out. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation showed that nano-sized monolayers were exfoliated from a multilayered silicate in the epoxy matrix. When the nano-sized silicate layers were incorporated into the epoxy matrix, the breakdown rate in needle-plate electrode geometry was 10.6 times lowered than that of the neat epoxy resin under the applied electrical field of 520.9 kV/mm at 30 degrees C, and electrical tree propagated with much more branches in the epoxy/layered silicate nanocomposite. These results showed that well-dispersed nano-sized silicate layers retarded the electrical tree growth rate. The effects of applied voltage and ambient temperature on the tree initiation, growth, and breakdown rate were also studied, and it was found that the breakdown rate was largely increased, as the applied voltage and ambient temperature increased.

  9. Conversion of rice hull ash into soluble sodium silicate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edson Luiz Foletto

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Sodium silicate is used as raw material for several purposes: silica gel production, preparation of catalysts, inks, load for medicines, concrete hardening accelerator, component of detergents and soaps, refractory constituent and deflocculant in clay slurries. In this work sodium silicate was produced by reacting rice hull ash (RHA and aqueous sodium hydroxide, in open and closed reaction systems. The studied process variables were time, temperature of reaction and composition of the reaction mixture (expressed in terms of molar ratios NaOH/SiO2 and H2O/SiO2. About 90% silica conversion contained in the RHA into sodium silicate was achieved in closed system at 200 °C. The results showed that sodium silicate production from RHA can generate aggregate value to this residue.

  10. Structural and optical characterization of nanoparticulate manganese doped zinc silicate phosphors prepared by sol–gel and combustion methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mbule, P.S., E-mail: mbuleps@gmail.com [Department of Physics, CSET, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, 1710 (South Africa); Ntwaeaborwa, O.M. [Department of Physics, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300 (South Africa); Mothudi, B.M.; Dhlamini, M.S. [Department of Physics, CSET, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, 1710 (South Africa)

    2016-11-15

    The present study reports the synthesis, crystallographic structure and optical properties of manganese (Mn{sup 2+}) doped zinc silicate (Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}) nanoparticle phosphors prepared by sol–gel and combustion methods. For samples prepared by sol–gel method, the X-ray diffraction results showed phase transformation from amorphous to α-phase Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} due to annealing temperatures at 600 °C to 1100 °C, whereas for combustion samples an admixture of highly crystalline β-phase and hexagonal wurtzite structure of ZnO was observed at annealing temperature of 600 °C. Photoluminescence spectra with Mn{sup 2+} concentrations ranging from 0.015–0.09 mol% were compared for two methods. Emission band assigned to the {sup 4}T{sub 1}({sup 4}G)→{sup 6}A{sub 1}({sup 6}S) electronic transition of Mn{sup 2+} was observed with maximum intensity at ~573 nm for combustion samples and ~532 nm for sol–gel samples upon UV-excitation by a Xenon lamp. Furthermore, the photoluminescence decay curves of annealed Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}:Mn{sup 2+} samples were observed to be bi-exponential. The fast and slow decay components are due to the pair or cluster formation and isolated ions at higher doping concentration, respectively. - Highlights: • Synthesis, crystallographic and optical properties of Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}:Mn{sup 2+} are presented. • XRD shows amorphous diffraction peak and crystallinity improved by increase of annealing temperature. • Crystallite and particle size from XRD and SAXS techniques, respectively, are compared. • Photoluminescence (PL) spectra are compared for sol-gel and combustion method. • The photoluminescence decay curves of annealed Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}:Mn{sup 2+} samples were observed to be bi-exponential.

  11. Effect of moisture and chitosan layered silicate on morphology and properties of chitosan/layered silicates films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, J.R.M.B. da; Santos, B.F.F. dos; Leite, I.F.

    2014-01-01

    Thin chitosan films have been for some time an object of practical assessments. However, to obtain biopolymers capable of competing with common polymers a significant improvement in their properties is required. Currently, the technology of obtaining polymer/layered silicates nanocomposites has proven to be a good alternative. This work aims to evaluate the effect of chitosan content (CS) and layered silicates (AN) on the morphology and properties of chitosan/ layered silicate films. CS/AN bionanocomposites were prepared by the intercalation by solution in the proportion 1:1 and 5:1. Then were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffraction (XRD) and X-ray thermogravimetry (TG). It is expected from the acquisition of films, based on different levels of chitosan and layered silicates, choose the best composition to serve as a matrix for packaging drugs and thus be used for future research. (author)

  12. Gel structure has an impact on pericellular and extracellular matrix deposition, which subsequently alters metabolic activities in chondrocyte-laden PEG hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicodemus, G D; Skaalure, S C; Bryant, S J

    2011-02-01

    While designing poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels with high moduli suitable for in situ placement is attractive for cartilage regeneration, the impact of a tighter crosslinked structure on the organization and deposition of the matrix is not fully understood. The objectives of this study were to characterize the composition and spatial organization of new matrix as a function of gel crosslinking and study its impact on chondrocytes in terms of anabolic and catabolic gene expression and catabolic activity. Bovine articular chondrocytes were encapsulated in hydrogels with three crosslinking densities (compressive moduli 60, 320 and 590 kPa) and cultured for 25 days. Glycosaminoglycan production increased with culture time and was greatest in the gels with lowest crosslinking. Collagens II and VI, aggrecan, link protein and decorin were localized to pericellular regions in all gels, but their presence decreased with increasing gel crosslinking. Collagen II and aggrecan expression were initially up-regulated in gels with higher crosslinking, but increased similarly up to day 15. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 and MMP-13 expression were elevated (∼25-fold) in gels with higher crosslinking throughout the study, while MMP-3 was unaffected by gel crosslinking. The presence of aggrecan and collagen degradation products confirmed MMP activity. These findings indicate that chondrocytes synthesized the major cartilage components within PEG hydrogels, however, gel structure had a significant impact on the composition and spatial organization of the new tissue and on how chondrocytes responded to their environment, particularly with respect to their catabolic expression. Copyright © 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Sol-gel method for encapsulating molecules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brinker, C. Jeffrey; Ashley, Carol S.; Bhatia, Rimple; Singh, Anup K.

    2002-01-01

    A method for encapsulating organic molecules, and in particular, biomolecules using sol-gel chemistry. A silica sol is prepared from an aqueous alkali metal silicate solution, such as a mixture of silicon dioxide and sodium or potassium oxide in water. The pH is adjusted to a suitably low value to stabilize the sol by minimizing the rate of siloxane condensation, thereby allowing storage stability of the sol prior to gelation. The organic molecules, generally in solution, is then added with the organic molecules being encapsulated in the sol matrix. After aging, either a thin film can be prepared or a gel can be formed with the encapsulated molecules. Depending upon the acid used, pH, and other processing conditions, the gelation time can be from one minute up to several days. In the method of the present invention, no alcohols are generated as by-products during the sol-gel and encapsulation steps. The organic molecules can be added at any desired pH value, where the pH value is generally chosen to achieve the desired reactivity of the organic molecules. The method of the present invention thereby presents a sufficiently mild encapsulation method to retain a significant portion of the activity of the biomolecules, compared with the activity of the biomolecules in free solution.

  14. Sillica Gel-Amine from Geothermal Sludge

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muljani, S.; Pujiastuti, C.; Wicaksono, P.; Lutfianingrum, R.

    2018-01-01

    Silica Gel-Amine (SGA) has been made from geothermal sludge by grafting amine method. Sodium silicate solution is prepared by extracted geothermal sludge powder using sodium hidroxide solution then acidification in the range of pH 5 - 9 by using tartaric acid 1N. The grafting process uses 1 ml of ammonia solution and 10 ml of toluene at a rate of 0.1 ml min-1 accompanied by a reflux process. The amine grafting is done in two methods. The first method is grafting amine in silicate solution and the second method is grafting amine in washed gel. Product SGA was confirmed by FTIR, TGA-DTG and BET characterization. The results show that the pH affects the amount of amine that is grafted onto silica gel. Differences in grafting method affect the size of the pore and surface area. SGA product prepared by grafting washed gel at pH 8 have pore diameter of 12.06 nm, surface area of 173.44 m2g-1, and mass of decomposed amine compound 0.4 mg. In the presence of amine groups on the silica gel surface, these adsorbents may be able to selectively adsorb CO2 gas from natural gas.

  15. Carbonate formation in non-aqueous environments by solid-gas carbonation of silicates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Day, S. J.; Thompson, S. P.; Evans, A.; Parker, J. E.

    2012-02-01

    We have produced synthetic analogues of cosmic silicates using the Sol Gel method, producing amorphous silicates of composition Mg(x)Ca(1-x)SiO3. Using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction on Beamline I11 at the Diamond Light Source, together with a newly-commissioned gas cell, real-time powder diffraction scans have been taken of a range of silicates exposed to CO2 under non-ambient conditions. The SXPD is complemented by other techniques including Raman and Infrared Spectroscopy and SEM imaging.

  16. Characterization of the Rheological and Swelling Properties of Synthetic Alkali Silicate Gels in Order to Predict Their Behavior in ASR Damaged Concrete

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vayghan, Asghar Gholizadeh

    Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is a major concrete durability concern that is responsible for the deterioration of concrete infrastructure in the world. The resultant of the reaction between the cement alkali hydroxides and the metastable silicates in the aggregates is a hygroscopic and expansive alkali-silicate gel (referred to as ASR gel in this document). The swelling behavior of ASR gels determines the extent of damage to concrete structures and, as such, mitigation of ASR relies on understanding these gels and finding ways to prevent them either from formation, or from swelling after formation. This dissertation focuses on the synthesis and characterization of ASR gels with wide ranges of compositions similar to what has been reported for the filed ASR gels in the literature. The experimental work consisted of three phases as follow. Phase I: Investigation of rheology, chemistry and physics of ASR gels produced through sol-method. Inspired from the existing literature, two sol-gel methods have been developed for the synthesis of ASR gels. The rheological (primarily gelation time, yield stress, and equilibrium stress), chemical (pore solution pH, pore solution composition, osmotic pressure, solid phase composition, stoichiometry of gelation reactions) and physical (evaporable water, solid content, etc.) properties of synthetic ASR gels have been extensively investigated in this phase. Ca/Si, Na/Si and K/Si, and water content were considered as the main chemical composition variables. In order to investigate the suppressing effects of lithium on the swelling properties of ASR gels, the gels were added with lithium in a part of the experimental program. The results strongly suggested that Ca/Si has a positive effect on the yield stress of the gels and their rate of gelation. Na/Si was found to have a decreasing effect on the yield stress and gelation rate (especially at low Ca/Si levels). K/Si and Li/Si had second-order (i.e., polynomial) effects on the yield

  17. Synthesis of non-siliceous mesoporous oxides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Dong; Schüth, Ferdi

    2014-01-07

    Mesoporous non-siliceous oxides have attracted great interest due to their unique properties and potential applications. Since the discovery of mesoporous silicates in 1990s, organic-inorganic assembly processes by using surfactants or block copolymers as soft templates have been considered as a feasible path for creating mesopores in metal oxides. However, the harsh sol-gel conditions and low thermal stabilities have limited the expansion of this method to various metal oxide species. Nanocasting, using ordered mesoporous silica or carbon as a hard template, has provided possibilities for preparing novel mesoporous materials with new structures, compositions and high thermal stabilities. This review concerns the synthesis, composition, and parameter control of mesoporous non-siliceous oxides. Four synthesis routes, i.e. soft-templating (surfactants or block copolymers as templates), hard-templating (mesoporous silicas or carbons as sacrificial templates), colloidal crystal templating (3-D ordered colloidal particles as a template), and super lattice routes, are summarized in this review. Mesoporous metal oxides with different compositions have different properties. Non-siliceous mesoporous oxides are comprehensively described, including a discussion of constituting elements, synthesis, and structures. General aspects concerning pore size control, atomic scale crystallinity, and phase control are also reviewed.

  18. Polymer/Silicate Nanocomposites Used to Manufacture Gas Storage Tanks With Reduced Permeability

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Sandi G.; Johnston, Chris

    2004-01-01

    Over the past decade, there has been considerable research in the area of polymer-layered silicate nanocomposites. This research has shown that the dispersion of small amounts of an organically modified layered silicate improves the polymer strength, modulus, thermal stability, and barrier properties. There have been several reports on the dispersion of layered silicates in an epoxy matrix. Potential enhancements to the barrier properties of epoxy/silicate nanocomposites make this material attractive for low permeability tankage. Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) have several advantages for cryogenic storage tanks. They are lightweight, strong, and stiff; therefore, a smaller fraction of a vehicle's potential payload capacity is used for propellant storage. Unfortunately, the resins typically used to make PMC tanks have higher gas permeability than metals. This can lead to hydrogen loss through the body of the tank instead of just at welds and fittings. One approach to eliminate this problem is to build composite tanks with thin metal liners. However, although these tanks provide good permeability performance, they suffer from a substantial mismatch in the coefficient of thermal expansion, which can lead to failure of the bond between the liner and the body of the tank. Both problems could be addressed with polymersilicate nanocomposites, which exhibit reduced hydrogen permeability, making them potential candidates for linerless PMC tanks. Through collaboration with Northrop Grumman and Michigan State University, nanocomposite test tanks were manufactured for the NASA Glenn Research Center, and the helium permeability was measured. An organically modified silicate was prepared at Michigan State University and dispersed in an epoxy matrix (EPON 826/JeffamineD230). The epoxy/silicate nanocomposites contained either 0 or 5 wt% of the organically modified silicate. The tanks were made by filament winding carbon fibers with the nanocomposite resin. Helium permeability

  19. Synthesis of gels with basis of titanium tungstates as matrixes of radioactive generators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Galico C, L.

    2005-01-01

    The heteropolyanions, compounds formed by the union of molybdates or tungstates polyanions with atoms of metals like zirconium, titanium, cerium, thorium, tin, etc., have been used as generator matrixes of 99m Tc or 188 Re. Particularly they have been studied and produced successfully in our laboratory, generators of 99 Mo/ 99 m Tc at basis of gels zirconium molybdates and titanium molybdates. Considering that the molybdenum and tungsten, as well as the technetium and the rhenium, its belong to the same groups of transition metals, it is feasible that gels can be synthesized at basis of titanium tungstates, continuing a methodology similar to that of the gels titanium molybdates or zirconium molybdates, to produce generators 188 W/ 188 Re. The 188 Re possess nuclear characteristics that make it attractive for therapeutic applications, since, it emits β - particles of a great energy (2.12 MeV); joined to the possibility of being able to unite to different ligands (bifunctional agents) and biomolecules (antibodies or fragments of proteins), as it makes the 99m Tc, useful in radioimmunotherapy. Commercially the 188 Re generators use a chromatographic column loaded with alumina where the 188 Re, it is adsorbed and eluted the 188 ReO 4 - by means of a saline solution The alumina adsorbs around 0.2% of the 188 Re, situation that forces to use 188 Re of a high specific activity. The use of the gels technology, allows to work with medium or low specific activities of 188 Re, opening the possibility of their production in countries whose nuclear capacity is medium or low. In particular, the synthesized gels with basis of titanium offer the possibility of being synthesized with non active material, for later on to be irradiated and directly produce the generator, since, the titanium 51 Ti, unique radioisotope produced by the titanium, has a half life of 5.79 min. This synthesis method avoids the manipulation of radioactive material during the synthesis of the gels, process

  20. SOFT X-RAY IRRADIATION OF SILICATES: IMPLICATIONS FOR DUST EVOLUTION IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ciaravella, A.; Cecchi-Pestellini, C.; Jiménez-Escobar, A. [INAF—Osservatorio Astronomico di Palermo, P.za Parlamento 1, I-90134 Palermo (Italy); Chen, Y.-J.; Huang, C.-H. [Department of Physics, National Central University, Jhongli City, Taoyuan County 32054, Taiwan (China); Muñoz Caro, G. M. [Centro de Astrobiología (INTA-CSIC), Carretera de Ajalvir, km 4, Torrejón de Ardoz, E-28850 Madrid (Spain); Venezia, A. M., E-mail: aciaravella@astropa.unipa.it [ISMN—CNR, Via Ugo La Malfa 153, I-90146 Palermo (Italy)

    2016-09-01

    The processing of energetic photons on bare silicate grains was simulated experimentally on silicate films submitted to soft X-rays of energies up to 1.25 keV. The silicate material was prepared by means of a microwave assisted sol–gel technique. Its chemical composition reflects the Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} stoichiometry with residual impurities due to the synthesis method. The experiments were performed using the spherical grating monochromator beamline at the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center in Taiwan. We found that soft X-ray irradiation induces structural changes that can be interpreted as an amorphization of the processed silicate material. The present results may have relevant implications in the evolution of silicate materials in X-ray-irradiated protoplanetary disks.

  1. Spectroscopic and electrochemical characterization of cytochrome c encapsulated in a bio sol-gel matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deriu, Daniela; Pagnotta, Sara Emanuela; Santucci, Roberto; Rosato, Nicola

    2008-08-01

    Sol-gel technique represents a remarkably versatile method for protein encapsulation. To enhance sol-gel biocompatibility, systems envisaging the presence of calcium and phosphates in the sol-gel composition were recently prepared and investigated. Unfortunately, the low pH at which solutions were prepared (pH proteins, because the acidic environment induces protein denaturation. In this paper we apply a new protocol based on the introduction of calcium nitrate to the inorganic phase, with formation of a binary bioactive system. In this case protein encapsulation results versatile and secure, being achieved at a pH close to neutrality (pH 6.0); also, the presence of calcium is expected to enhance system biocompatibility. To determine the properties of the salt-doped sol-gel and the influence exerted on entrapped biosystems, the structural and functional properties of embedded cytochrome c have been investigated. Data obtained indicate that the salt-doped sol-gel induces no significant change in the structure and the redox properties of the embedded protein; also, the matrix increases protein stability. Interestingly, the presence of calcium nitrate appears determinant for refolding of the acid-denatured protein. This is of interest in the perspective of future applications in biosensoristic area.

  2. Immobilization of Zinc Phthalocyanines in Silicate Matrices and Investigation of Their Photobactericidal Effect on E.coli

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Spas Artarsky

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present investigation was to immobilize zinc phthalocyanines in a silicate matrix and to test the photobactericidal properties of the matrices so prepared toward Esherichia coli in model aqueous media. For the purpose, tetra tertiary butyl zinc phthalocyanine (TBZnPc and zinc phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic acid (ZnPcTS were used. The abilities of these two photosensitizers to generate singlet oxygen in solution were compared by following the rate of photobleaching of 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF at 430 nm in dimethylformamide (DMF.The results of this study show clearly that, under the conditions used here, the TBZnPc is the more effective generator of singlet oxygen; with it the DPBF was virtually completely photobleached in 4 min, while with the ZnPcTS under the same conditions, it took 12 min to reach this point. Glass conjugates with the two phthalocyanines were obtained by the sol-gel technique and were characterized by a well-defined color due to the phthalocyanine incorporated in the silicate matrix. Glasses with an intense, but inhomogeneous, green color were obtained when the tetrasulfonic derivative of the zinc phthalocyanine was used, while blue glasses of evenly distributed coloration were formed from the tetra tertiary butyl derivative.The ZnPcTS conjugate demonstrates more effective singlet oxygen evolution than is the case with the TBZnPc conjugate. These results are the opposite of those obtained for the free phthalocyanines in solution. The structural formulae of the compounds show that TBZnPc has a more pronounced hydrophobic character than the sulfonic derivative. In our view, the relative reactivities of the conjugates can be explained by the tetrasulfonic derivative being situated mainly in the surface parts of the glass matrix where the hydrophilic character is prevailing, while the tertiary butyl derivative is mainly present in the internal parts of the matrix as a result of which it is less accessible and

  3. [Autogenous platelet-rich plasma gel with acellular xenogeneic dermal matrix for treatment of deep II degree burns].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Tianzhi; Zhu, Jingmin; Hu, Wenbo; Zhang, Hua; Gao, Zhenhui; Wen, Xuehui; Zhou, Zhi; Lu, Gang; Liu, Jingjie; Li, Wen

    2010-06-01

    To investigate the effectiveness of autogenous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) gel with acellular xenogeneic dermal matrix in the treatment of deep II degree burns. From January 2007 to December 2009, 30 cases of deep II degree burns were treated. There were 19 males and 11 females with an average age of 42.5 years (range, 32-57 years). The burn area was 10% to 48% of total body surface area. The time from burn to hospitalization was 30 minutes to 8 hours. All patients were treated with tangential excision surgery, one side of the wounds were covered with autogenous PRP gel and acellular xenogeneic dermal matrix (PRP group), the other side of the wounds were covered with acellular xenogeneic dermal matrix only (control group). The healing rate, healing time, infection condition, and scar formation were observed. At 7 days after operation, the infection rate in PRP group (6.7%, 2/30) was significantly lower than that in control group (16.7%, 5/30, P deep II degree burns as well as alleviate the scar proliferation.

  4. Characterization and enhanced nonlinear optical limiting response in carbon nanodots dispersed in solid-state hybrid organically modified silica gel glasses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Li; Zheng, Chan; Guo, Qiaohang; Huang, Dongdong; Wu, Xiukai; Chen, Ling

    2018-02-01

    Freely dispersed carbon nanodots (CNDs) were introduced into a 3-glycidoxy-propyltrimethoxysilane modified silicate gel glass (i.e. an organically modified silica or ORMOSIL) by a highly efficient and simple sol-gel process, which could be easily extended to prepare functional molecules/nanoparticles solid state optoelectronic devices. Scanning electron microscope imaging, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, pore structure measurements, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to investigate the surface characteristics, structure, texture, and linear optical properties of the CND/SiO2 ORMOSIL gel glasses. Images and UV/Vis spectra confirmed the successful dispersion of CNDs in the ORMOSIL gel glass. The surface characteristics and pore structure of the host SiO2 matrix were markedly changed through the introduction of the CNDs. The linear optical properties of the guest CNDs were also affected by the sol-gel procedure. The nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of the CNDs were investigated by a nanosecond open-aperture Z-scan technique at 532 nm both in liquid and solid matrices. We found that the NLO response of the CNDs was considerably improved after their incorporation into the ORMOSIL gel glasses. Possible enhancement mechanisms were also explored. The nonlinear extinction coefficient gradually increased while the optical limiting (OL) threshold decreased as the CND doping level was increased. This result suggests that the NLO and OL properties of the composite gel glasses can be optimized by tuning the concentration of CNDs in the gel glass matrix. Our findings show that CND/SiO2 ORMOSIL gel glasses are promising candidates for optical limiters to protect sensitive instruments and human eyes from damage caused by high power lasers.

  5. Hydration characteristics and environmental friendly performance of a cementitious material composed of calcium silicate slag

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Na; Li, Hongxu [School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Beijing Key Laboratory of Rare and Precious Metals Green Recycling and Extraction, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Zhao, Yazhao [School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Liu, Xiaoming, E-mail: liuxm@ustb.edu.cn [School of Metallurgical and Ecological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China); Beijing Key Laboratory of Rare and Precious Metals Green Recycling and Extraction, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083 (China)

    2016-04-05

    Highlights: • Cementitious material was designed according to [SiO{sub 4}] polymerization degree of raw materials. • The cementitious material composed of calcium silicate slag yields excellent physical and mechanical properties. • Amorphous C–A–S–H gel and rod-like ettringite are predominantly responsible for the strength development. • Leaching toxicity and radioactivity tests show the cementitious material is environmentally acceptable. - Abstract: Calcium silicate slag is an alkali leaching waste generated during the process of extracting Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} from high-alumina fly ash. In this research, a cementitious material composed of calcium silicate slag was developed, and its mechanical and physical properties, hydration characteristics and environmental friendly performance were investigated. The results show that an optimal design for the cementitious material composed of calcium silicate slag was determined by the specimen CFSC7 containing 30% calcium silicate slag, 5% high-alumina fly ash, 24% blast furnace slag, 35% clinker and 6% FGD gypsum. This blended system yields excellent physical and mechanical properties, confirming the usefulness of CFSC7. The hydration products of CFSC7 are mostly amorphous C–A–S–H gel, rod-like ettringite and hexagonal-sheet Ca(OH){sub 2} with small amount of zeolite-like minerals such as CaAl{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8}·4H{sub 2}O and Na{sub 2}Al{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 8}·H{sub 2}O. As the predominant hydration products, rod-like ettringite and amorphous C–A–S–H gel play a positive role in promoting densification of the paste structure, resulting in strength development of CFSC7 in the early hydration process. The leaching toxicity and radioactivity tests results indicate that the developed cementitious material composed of calcium silicate slag is environmentally acceptable. This study points out a promising direction for the proper utilization of calcium silicate slag in large quantities.

  6. Contribution to the study of the structure and properties of silica gel (1962); Contribution a l'etude de la structure et des proprietes des gels de silice (1962)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fraissard, J [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

    1961-04-15

    The study of the texture of two types of silica gels, xerogels and aerogels, shows that the latter evolve differently on heating. By I.R. spectrography it has been possible to establish that this is due to the existence, in these solids, of a microstructure undetectable by X-rays and which depends on the preparation conditions initially. By using both chemical (thermogravimetry, hydrolysis of diborane) and physical (I.R. spectrography and wide-band N.M.R.) methods we have been able to determine the state of the water of constitution of these gels (water molecules and hydroxyls) and to show that the density, the distribution and the mobility of the protons of this water are very different. For example, the relaxation time T{sub 1} of the protons of a xerogel is about 1 second whilst that of the protons in an aerogel is of the order of a microsecond. Finally, it has been possible by using high resolution N.M.R. to propose a mechanism for the adsorption of formic acid on two types of gel thereby explaining, with the help of previous results, the differences in specificity of these two solids in the decomposition reaction of this acid. (author) [French] L'etude de la texture de deux types de gels de silice, les xerogels et les aerogels, montre que ceux-ci evoluent differemment en fonction de la temperature. La spectrographie I.R a permis de preciser que ceci est du a l'existence, dans ces solides, d'une microstructure indecelable aux rayons X, et fonction des conditions initiales de preparation. Par des methodes chimiques (thermogravimetrie, hydrolyse du diborane) et physiques (spectrographie I.R et R.M.N. large bande), nous avons pu determiner l'etat de l'eau de constitution de ces gels (molecules d'eau et hydroxyles) et montrer que la densite, la repartition et la mobilite des protons de cette eau sont tres differentes. Ainsi le temps de relaxation T{sub 1} des protons d'un xerogel est de l'ordre de la seconde, celui des protons d'un aerogel de l'ordre de la

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    1983-10-01

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

  8. One-pot synthesis of hybrid gel by use of tributylstannyl ester of polymeric silicic acid, chlorosilane and organic monomer; Keisan no toribuchiru sutanniru esuteru kobuntai, kuroroshiran oyobi yuki monoma wo mochiita haiburiddo geru no ichidankai gosei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moriya, O. [National Defense Academy, Kanagawa (Japan). Dept. of Chemistry; Sugisaki, T. [Lintec Co. Ltd., Saitama (Japan); Tomono, M.; Oikawa, M.; Kageyama, T. [Kanto-Gakuin Univ., Kanagawa (Japan)

    1999-12-10

    Organic-inorganic hybrid gels were obtained efficiently by one-pot procedure from tributylstannyl ester of polymeric silicic acid (PTBS), chloro (3-methacryloyloxypropyl) dimethylsilane (1a), and common monomers such as styrene, acrylonitrile, and methyl methacrylate. In the reaction system, substitution of tributylstannyl groups of PTBS by silyl groups of 1a and copolymerization of methacryloyloxy group of 1a with a monomer proceeded simultaneously under UV irradiation at room temperature. The resulting gel should be consisted of covalently bonded three components an regarded as a nanocomposite material The use of another chlorosilane 1b, which had cyanopropyl group, with 1a led to formation of a multifunctional hybrid gel. (author)

  9. Natural gels: crystal-chemistry of short range ordered components in Al, Fe, and Si systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ildefonse, Ph.; Calas, G.

    1997-01-01

    In this review, the most important inorganic natural gels are presented: opal, aluminosilicate (allophanes) and hydrous iron oxides and silicates. It is demonstrated that natural gels are ordered at the atomic scale. In allophanes, Al is distributed between octahedral and tetrahedral sites. The amount of Al increases as Al/Si ratio decreases. Si-rich allophane have a local structure around Al and Si very different of that is known in kaolinite or halloysite. Transformation of Si-rich allophanes to crystallized minerals implies dissolution-recrystallization processes. On the contrary, in iron silicate with Fe/Si = 0.72, Si and Fe environments are close to those found in nontronite. The gel transformation to Fe-smectite may occur by long range ordering during ageing. In ferric silicate gels, the similarity of local structure around Fe in poorly ordered precursors and what is known in crystallized minerals suggests a solid transformation during ageing. This difference between iron and aluminium is mainly due to the ability of Al to enter both tetrahedral and octahedral sites, while the affinity of iron for octahedral sites is higher at low temperature

  10. Highly sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric determination of metoclopramide hydrochloride in pharmaceutical tablets and serum samples using Eu3+ ion doped in sol-gel matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Attia, M S; Aboaly, M M

    2010-06-30

    A simple, sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of Metoclopramide hydrochloride (MCP) is developed. The MCP can remarkably enhances the luminescence intensity of the Eu(3+) ion doped in sol-gel matrix at lambda(ex)=380 nm in DMSO at pH 8.7. The intensity of the emission band of Eu(3+) ion doped in sol-gel matrix increases due to energy transfer from MCP to Eu(3+) in the excited state. The enhancement of the emission band of Eu(3+) ion doped in sol-gel matrix at 617 nm was found to be directly proportional to the concentration of MCP with a dynamic range of 5 x 10(-9) - 1.0 x 10(-6) mol L(-1) and detection limit of 2.2 x10(-11) mol L(-1). Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Nanostructure of Calcium Silicate Hydrates in Cements

    KAUST Repository

    Skinner, L. B.; Chae, S. R.; Benmore, C. J.; Wenk, H. R.; Monteiro, P. J. M.

    2010-01-01

    Calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) is the major volume phase in the matrix of Portland cement concrete. Total x-ray scattering measurements with synchrotron x rays on synthetic CSH(I) shows nanocrystalline ordering with a particle diameter of 3.5(5) nm, similar to a size-broadened 1.1 nm tobermorite crystal structure. The CSH component in hydrated tricalcium silicate is found to be similar to CSH(I). Only a slight bend and additional disorder within the CaO sheets is required to explain its nanocrystalline structure. © 2010 The American Physical Society.

  12. Nanostructure of Calcium Silicate Hydrates in Cements

    KAUST Repository

    Skinner, L. B.

    2010-05-11

    Calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) is the major volume phase in the matrix of Portland cement concrete. Total x-ray scattering measurements with synchrotron x rays on synthetic CSH(I) shows nanocrystalline ordering with a particle diameter of 3.5(5) nm, similar to a size-broadened 1.1 nm tobermorite crystal structure. The CSH component in hydrated tricalcium silicate is found to be similar to CSH(I). Only a slight bend and additional disorder within the CaO sheets is required to explain its nanocrystalline structure. © 2010 The American Physical Society.

  13. Sodium Silicate Gel Effect on Cemented Tailing Backfill That Contains Lead-Zinc Smelting Slag at Early Ages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lijie Guo

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the priming effect of sodium silicate gel (SS on cemented tailing backfill (CTB that contains lead-zinc smelting slag. CTB and cemented paste (CP containing lead-zinc smelting slag samples with SS of 0 and 0.4% of the mass of the slag were prepared and cured at 20°C for 1, 3, 7, and 28 days. Mechanical test and pore structure analyses were performed on the studied CTB samples, microstructural analyses (X-ray diffraction analysis and thermal gravity analysis were performed on the studied CP samples, whereas the electrical conductivity of CTB was monitored. The results reveal that SS has a significant positive effect on cementitious activity of binder mixed by cement and lead-zinc smelting slag. This activation leads to the acceleration of binder hydration process, the formation of more cement hydration products in the CTBs, and the refinement of their pore structure, which is favorable for the strength development of CTB.

  14. Fluorescence metrology of silica sol–gels – The effect of D2O and ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Administrator

    industrial quality control and helping fundamental research. ... Of all the possible syntheses, sodium silicate (i.e. water glass) production of silica gel, ... fine silica gel powders used in many applications (e.g. chromatography, toothpaste etc).

  15. Analysis of coupled mass transfer and sol-gel reaction in a two-phase system

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Castelijns, H.J.; Huinink, H.P.; Pel, L.; Zitha, P.L.J.

    2006-01-01

    The coupled mass transfer and chemical reactions of a gel-forming compound in a two-phase system were studied in detail. Tetra-methyl-ortho-silicate (TMOS) is often used as a precursor in sol-gel chemistry to produce silica gels in aqueous systems. TMOS can also be mixed with many hydrocarbons

  16. Presolar silicates in the matrix and fine-grained rims around chondrules in primitive CO3.0 chondrites: Evidence for pre-accretionary aqueous alteration of the rims in the solar nebula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haenecour, Pierre; Floss, Christine; Zega, Thomas J.; Croat, Thomas K.; Wang, Alian; Jolliff, Bradley L.; Carpenter, Paul

    2018-01-01

    To investigate the origin of fine-grained rims around chondrules (FGRs), we compared presolar grain abundances, elemental compositions and mineralogies in fine-grained interstitial matrix material and individual FGRs in the primitive CO3.0 chondrites Allan Hills A77307, LaPaz Icefield 031117 and Dominion Range 08006. The observation of similar overall O-anomalous (∼155 ppm) and C-anomalous grain abundances (∼40 ppm) in all three CO3.0 chondrites suggests that they all accreted from a nebular reservoir with similar presolar grain abundances. The presence of presolar silicate grains in FGRs combined with the observation of similar estimated porosity between interstitial matrix regions and FGRs in LAP 031117 and ALHA77307, as well as the identification of a composite FGR (a small rimmed chondrule within a larger chondrule rim) in ALHA77307, all provide evidence for a formation of FGRs by accretion of dust grains onto freely-floating chondrules in the solar nebula before their aggregation into their parent body asteroids. Our study also shows systematically lower abundances of presolar silicate grains in the FGRs than in the matrix regions of CO3 chondrites, while the abundances of SiC grains are the same in all areas, within errors. This trend differs from CR2 chondrites in which the presolar silicate abundances are higher in the FGRs than in the matrix, but similar to each other within 2σ errors. This observation combined with the identification of localized (micrometer-scaled) aqueous alteration in a FGR of LAP 031117 suggests that the lower abundance of presolar silicates in FGRs reflects pre-accretionary aqueous alteration of the fine-grained material in the FGRs. This pre-accretionary alteration could be due to either hydration and heating of freely floating rimmed chondrules in icy regions of the solar nebula or melted water ice associated with 26Al-related heating inside precursor planetesimals, followed by aggregation of FGRs into the CO chondrite parent-body.

  17. Calcium-Magnesium-Alumino-Silicates (CMAS) Reaction Mechanisms and Resistance of Advanced Turbine Environmental Barrier Coatings for SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Dongming; Costa, Gustavo; Harder, Bryan J.; Wiesner, Valerie L.; Hurst, Janet B.; Puleo, Bernadette J.

    2017-01-01

    Environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) and SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) systems will play a crucial role in future turbine engines for hot-section component applications because of their ability to significantly increase engine operating temperatures, reduce engine weight and cooling requirements. The development of prime-reliant environmental barrier coatings is an essential requirement to enable the applications of the 2700-3000 F EBC - CMC systems. This presentation primarily focuses on the reaction mechanisms of advanced NASA environmental barrier coating systems, when in contact with Calcium-Magnesium Alumino-Silicates (CMAS) at high temperatures. Advanced oxide-silicate defect cluster environmental barrier coatings are being designed for ultimate balanced controls of the EBC temperature capability and CMAS reactivity, thus improving the CMAS resistance. Further CMAS mitigation strategies are also discussed.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stellwagen, Nancy C.

    2009-01-01

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

  19. Swelling behavior of ion exchange resins incorporated in tri-calcium silicate cement matrix: I. Chemical analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neji, M.; Bary, B.; Le Bescop, P.; Burlion, N.

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the first part of a theoretical and experimental work aiming at modeling the chemo-mechanical behavior of composites made up of ion exchange resins (IER) solidified in a tri-calcium silicate cement paste (C_3S). Because of ion exchange processes, the volume change of the IER may cause internal pressures leading to the degradation of the material. In this study, a predictive modeling is developed for describing the chemical behavior of such material. It is based on thermodynamic equilibria to determine the evolution of the ion exchange processes, and the potential precipitation of portlandite in the composite. In parallel, a phenomenological study has been set up to understand chemical phenomena related to the swelling mechanisms. The model created has been finally implemented in a finite elements software; the simulation of a laboratory test has been performed and the results compared to experimental data. - Highlights: • Ion exchange theory to model the swelling behavior of Ion exchange resin. • Experimental phenomenon analysis about Chemo-mechanical interaction between IER and cement paste matrix. • Chemo-Transport modeling on a composite material made with IER embedded into cement paste matrix.

  20. ZnO-SiO{sub 2} based nanocomposites prepared by a modified sol-gel method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grigorie, Alexandra Carmen [Politehnica University Timisoara, Faculty of Industrial Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, 6 V. Parvan Blv., RO-300223, Timisoara (Romania); Muntean, Cornelia, E-mail: cornelia.muntean@upt.ro [Politehnica University Timisoara, Faculty of Industrial Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, 6 V. Parvan Blv., RO-300223, Timisoara (Romania); Politehnica University Timisoara, Research Institute for Renewable Energy, 2 Piata Victoriei, RO-300006, Timisoara (Romania); Vlase, Titus [West University of Timisoara, 4 V. Parvan Blv., RO-300223, Timisoara (Romania); Locovei, Cosmin [Politehnica University Timisoara, Research Institute for Renewable Energy, 2 Piata Victoriei, RO-300006, Timisoara (Romania); Politehnica University Timisoara, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, 1 Mihai Viteazul Blv., RO-300222, Timisoara (Romania); Stefanescu, Mircea [Politehnica University Timisoara, Faculty of Industrial Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, 6 V. Parvan Blv., RO-300223, Timisoara (Romania)

    2017-01-15

    This paper presents a study on nanocomposites formation in ZnO-SiO{sub 2} systems with different ZnO:SiO{sub 2} molar ratios (1:4, 1:1, and 4:1), prepared employing a sol-gel method modified by an original procedure. The evolution of ZnO-SiO{sub 2} systems depending on the composition and temperature was studied by thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry and transmission electron microscopy. Zn(II) carboxylate was synthesized in situ in hybrid silica gels by redox reaction between zinc nitrate and 1,3-propanediol. Its thermal decomposition at low temperatures led to ZnO dispersed in the pores of silica matrix. Only for the 4:1 system, at 400 and 600 °C, ZnO nanocrystallites (average size ∼9 nm) embedded in the amorphous silica matrix were obtained, the other systems being amorphous. Whatever the mixture composition is, above 600 °C, ZnO reacts with SiO{sub 2} to form zinc silicate. At 800 °C, for both 1:4 and 1:1 systems, poor crystallized β-Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} and α-Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} phases embedded in silica matrix were formed. Increasing the temperature, at 1000 °C, only for 1:1 system, β-Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} phase turned into single phase α-Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} (average crystallites size 28.3 nm). For 4:1 composition, at 800 and 1000 °C, systems consisting of ZnO and α-Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} nanocrystallites dispersed in silica were obtained. - Highlights: • By modified sol-gel method, ZnO/SiO{sub 2} and Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}/SiO{sub 2} nanocomposites were obtained. • ZnO dispersed in silica matrix results from zinc carboxylate thermal decomposition. • Zinc carboxylate was synthesized in situ in hybrid silica gels via redox reaction. • Evolution of ZnO in SiO{sub 2} matrix depends on temperature and system composition.

  1. X-ray emission spectroscopy study of iron silicate catalyst FeZSM-5

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Csencsits, R.; Lyman, C.E.; Gronsky, R.

    1988-03-01

    Iron silicate analogs of the zeolite ZMS-5 may be directly synthesized from iron silicate gels in a manner which differs slightly from the alumino-silicate ZSM-5. The resultant white, crystalline iron silicate is referred to as FeZSM-5 in the as-synthesized form. Thermal treatment removes the organic crystal-directing agent and moves some of the framework iron into non-framework sites producing the calcined form of the molecular sieve FeZSM-5. Homogeneity in the distribution of catalytic iron throughout the particles is desired in an optimal catalyst. Distribution of the iron throughout the framework in the as-synthesized forms would affect the final distribution of catalytic iron in the calcined and steamed forms; thus, the iron distribution throughout the as-synthesized and calcined forms of FeZSM-5 were studied using the high spatial resolution on the analytical electron microscope. 7 refs., 3 figs

  2. Development of an in situ evaluation system for neural cells using extracellular matrix-modeled gel culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagai, Takayuki; Ikegami, Yasuhiro; Mizumachi, Hideyuki; Shirakigawa, Nana; Ijima, Hiroyuki

    2017-10-01

    Two-dimensional monolayer culture is the most popular cell culture method. However, the cells may not respond as they do in vivo because the culture conditions are different from in vivo conditions. However, hydrogel-embedding culture, which cultures cells in a biocompatible culture substrate, can produce in vivo-like cell responses, but in situ evaluation of cells in a gel is difficult. In this study, we realized an in vivo-like environment in vitro to produce cell responses similar to those in vivo and established an in situ evaluation system for hydrogel-embedded cell responses. The extracellular matrix (ECM)-modeled gel consisted of collagen and heparin (Hep-col) to mimic an in vivo-like environment. The Hep-col gel could immobilize growth factors, which is important for ECM functions. Neural stem/progenitor cells cultured in the Hep-col gel grew and differentiated more actively than in collagen, indicating an in vivo-like environment in the Hep-col gel. Second, a thin-layered gel culture system was developed to realize in situ evaluation of the gel-embedded cells. Cells in a 200-μm-thick gel could be evaluated clearly by a phase-contrast microscope and immunofluorescence staining through reduced optical and diffusional effects. Finally, we found that the neural cells cultured in this system had synaptic connections and neuronal action potentials by immunofluorescence staining and Ca 2+ imaging. In conclusion, this culture method may be a valuable evaluation system for neurotoxicity testing. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Modifying Silicates for Better Dispersion in Nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campbell, Sandi

    2005-01-01

    An improved chemical modification has been developed to enhance the dispersion of layered silicate particles in the formulation of a polymer/silicate nanocomposite material. The modification involves, among other things, the co-exchange of an alkyl ammonium ion and a monoprotonated diamine with interlayer cations of the silicate. The net overall effects of the improved chemical modification are to improve processability of the nanocomposite and maximize the benefits of dispersing the silicate particles into the polymer. Some background discussion is necessary to give meaning to a description of this development. Polymer/silicate nanocomposites are also denoted polymer/clay composites because the silicate particles in them are typically derived from clay particles. Particles of clay comprise layers of silicate platelets separated by gaps called "galleries." The platelet thickness is 1 nm. The length varies from 30 nm to 1 m, depending on the silicate. In order to fully realize the benefits of polymer/silicate nanocomposites, it is necessary to ensure that the platelets become dispersed in the polymer matrices. Proper dispersion can impart physical and chemical properties that make nanocomposites attractive for a variety of applications. In order to achieve nanometer-level dispersion of a layered silicate into a polymer matrix, it is typically necessary to modify the interlayer silicate surfaces by attaching organic functional groups. This modification can be achieved easily by ion exchange between the interlayer metal cations found naturally in the silicate and protonated organic cations - typically protonated amines. Long-chain alkyl ammonium ions are commonly chosen as the ion-exchange materials because they effectively lower the surface energies of the silicates and ease the incorporation of organic monomers or polymers into the silicate galleries. This completes the background discussion. In the present improved modification of the interlayer silicate surfaces

  4. Adipose Extracellular Matrix/Stromal Vascular Fraction Gel Secretes Angiogenic Factors and Enhances Skin Wound Healing in a Murine Model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mingliang Sun

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Mesenchymal stem cells are an attractive cell type for cytotherapy in wound healing. The authors recently developed a novel, adipose-tissue-derived, injectable extracellular matrix/stromal vascular fraction gel (ECM/SVF-gel for stem cell therapy. This study was designed to assess the therapeutic effects of ECM/SVF-gel on wound healing and potential mechanisms. ECM/SVF-gel was prepared for use in nude mouse excisional wound healing model. An SVF cell suspension and phosphate-buffered saline injection served as the control. The expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1 in ECM/SVF-gel were analyzed at different time points. Angiogenesis (tube formation assays of ECM/SVF-gel extracts were evaluated, and vessels density in skin was determined. The ECM/SVF-gel extract promoted tube formation in vitro and increased the expression of the angiogenic factors VEGF and bFGF compared with those in the control. The expression of the inflammatory chemoattractant MCP-1 was high in ECM/SVF-gel at the early stage and decreased sharply during the late stage of wound healing. The potent angiogenic effects exerted by ECM/SVF-gel may contribute to the improvement of wound healing, and these effects could be related to the enhanced inflammatory response in ECM/SVF-gel during the early stage of wound healing.

  5. Controlled structure and properties of silicate nanoparticle networks for incorporation of biosystem components

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakai-Kato, Kumiko; Kawanishi, Toru; Hasegawa, Toshiaki; Takaoka, Akio; Kato, Masaru; Toyo'oka, Toshimasa; Utsunomiya-Tate, Naoko

    2011-01-01

    Inorganic nanoparticles are of technological interest in many fields. We created silicate nanoparticle hydrogels that effectively incorporated biomolecules that are unstable and involved in complicated reactions. The size of the silicate nanoparticles strongly affected both the physical characteristics of the resulting hydrogel and the activity of biomolecules incorporated within the hydrogel. We used high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to analyze in detail the hydrogel network patterns formed by the silicate nanoparticles. We obtained clear nanostructured images of biomolecule-nanoparticle composite hydrogels. The TEM images also showed that larger silicate nanoparticles (22 nm) formed more loosely associated silicate networks than did smaller silicate nanoparticles (7 nm). The loosely associated networks formed from larger silicate nanoparticles might facilitate substrate diffusion through the network, thus promoting the observed increased activity of the entrapped biomolecules. This doubled the activity of the incorporated biosystems compared with that of biosystems prepared by our own previously reported method. We propose a reaction scheme to explain the formation of the silicate nanoparticle networks. The successful incorporation of biomolecules into the nanoparticle hydrogels, along with the high level of activity exhibited by the biomolecules required for complicated reaction within the gels, demonstrates the nanocomposites' potential for use in medical applications.

  6. Effect of antioxidants and silicates on peroxides in povidone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narang, Ajit S; Rao, Venkatramana M; Desai, Divyakant S

    2012-01-01

    Reactive peroxides in povidone often lead to degradation of oxidation-labile drugs. To reduce peroxide concentration in povidone, the roles of storage conditions, antioxidants, and silicates were investigated. Povidone alone and its physical mixtures with ascorbic acid, propyl gallate, sodium sulfite, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), or butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) were stored at 25 °C and 40 °C, at 11%, 32%, and 50% relative humidity. In addition, povidone solution in methanol was equilibrated with silicates (silica gel and molecular sieves), followed by solvent evaporation to recover povidone powder. Peroxide concentrations in povidone were measured. The concentration of peroxides in povidone increased under very-low-humidity storage conditions. Among the antioxidants, ascorbic acid, propyl gallate, and sodium sulfite reduced the peroxide concentration in povidone, whereas BHA and BHT did not. Water solubility appeared to determine the effectiveness of antioxidants. Also, some silicates significantly reduced peroxide concentration in povidone without affecting its functionality as a tablet binder. Porosity of silicates was critical to their ability to reduce the peroxide concentration in povidone. A combination of these approaches can reduce the initial peroxide concentration in povidone and minimize peroxide growth under routine storage conditions. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  7. Room temperature synthesis of Si-MCM-41 using polymeric version of ethyl silicate as a source of silica

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gaydhankar, T.R.; Samuel, V.; Jha, R.K.; Kumar, R.; Joshi, P.N.

    2007-01-01

    Synthesis of mesoporous MCM-41 materials at room temperature using less expensive polymeric version of ethyl silicate (40 wt% SiO 2 ) as a source of silica was established. The influence of crucial synthesis parameters such as molar ratios of H 2 O/NH 4 OH, NH 4 OH/SiO 2 and CTMABr/SiO 2 in gel on the quality of the phase formed was investigated. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and low temperature N 2 adsorption-desorption isotherms have been employed to characterize the products. The magnitude of orderness, textural properties and thermal stability of the Si-MCM-41 samples prepared under identical judiciously pre-controlled synthesis conditions using ethyl silicate and conventional tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) were assessed. Even though, ethyl silicate has proved to be suitable source for the preparation of MCM-41 at room temperature, there exists an optimum value of H 2 O/NH 4 OH for different NH 4 OH/SiO 2 molar ratios in the gel. Changes in the morphology were observed when NH 4 OH/SiO 2 , H 2 O/NH 4 OH molar ratios in the gels were changed

  8. Photo-induced changes of silicate glasses optical parameters at multi-photon laser radiation absorption

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Efimov, O.M.; Glebov, L.B.; Mekryukov, A.M.

    1995-01-01

    In this paper the results of investigations of the mechanisms of photo-induced changes of alkali-silicate (crown) and lead-silicate (flint) glasses optical parameters upon the exposure to the intense laser radiation, and the basic regularities of these processes are reported. These investigations were performed in Research Center open-quotes S. I. Vavilov State Optical Instituteclose quotes during last 15 years. The kinetics of stable and unstable CC formation and decay, the effect of widely spread impurity ions on these processes, the characteristics of fundamental and impure luminescence, the kinetics of refractive index change under conditions of multi-photon glass matrix excitation, and other properties are considered. On the basis of analysis of received regularities it was shown that the nonlinear coloration of alkali-silicate glasses (the fundamental absorption edge is nearly 6 eV) takes place only as a result of two-photon absorption. Important efforts were aimed at the detection of three- or more photon matrix ionization of these glasses, but they were failed. However it was established that in the lead silicate glasses the long-wave carriers mobility boundary (> 5.6 eV) is placed considerably higher the fundamental absorption edge (∼ 3.5 eV) of material matrix. This results in that the linear color centers formation in the lead silicate glasses is not observed. The coloration of these glasses arises only from the two- or three-photon matrix ionization, and the excitation occurs through virtual states that are placed in the fundamental absorption region. In the report the available mechanisms of photo-induced changes of glasses optical parameters, and some applied aspects of this problem are discussed

  9. Matrix molecularly imprinted mesoporous sol-gel sorbent for efficient solid-phase extraction of chloramphenicol from milk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samanidou, Victoria; Kehagia, Maria; Kabir, Abuzar; Furton, Kenneth G

    2016-03-31

    Highly selective and efficient chloramphenicol imprinted sol-gel silica based inorganic polymeric sorbent (sol-gel MIP) was synthesized via matrix imprinting approach for the extraction of chloramphenicol in milk. Chloramphenicol was used as the template molecule, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APTES) and triethoxyphenylsilane (TEPS) as the functional precursors, tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) as the cross-linker, isopropanol as the solvent/porogen, and HCl as the sol-gel catalyst. Non-imprinted sol-gel polymer (sol-gel NIP) was synthesized under identical conditions in absence of template molecules for comparison purpose. Both synthesized materials were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, which unambiguously confirmed their significant structural and morphological differences. The synthesized MIP and NIP materials were evaluated as sorbents for molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) of chloramphenicol in milk. The effect of critical extraction parameters (flow rate, elution solvent, sample and eluent volume, selectivity coefficient, retention capacity) was studied in terms of retention and desorption of chloramphenicol. Competition and cross reactivity tests have proved that sol-gel MIP sorbent possesses significantly higher specific retention and enrichment capacity for chloramphenicol compared to its non-imprinted analogue. The maximum imprinting factor (IF) was found as 9.7, whereas the highest adsorption capacity of chloramphenicol by sol-gel MIP was 23 mg/g. The sol-gel MIP was found to be adequately selective towards chloramphenicol to provide the necessary minimum required performance limit (MRPL) of 0.3 μg/kg set forth by European Commission after analysis by LC-MS even without requiring time consuming solvent evaporation and sample reconstitution step, often considered as an integral part in solid phase extraction work-flow. Intra and

  10. Calcium alginate gels as stem cell matrix-making paracrine stem cell activity available for enhanced healing after surgery.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Schmitt

    Full Text Available Regeneration after surgery can be improved by the administration of anabolic growth factors. However, to locally maintain these factors at the site of regeneration is problematic. The aim of this study was to develop a matrix system containing human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs which can be applied to the surgical site and allows the secretion of endogenous healing factors from the cells. Calcium alginate gels were prepared by a combination of internal and external gelation. The gelling behaviour, mechanical stability, surface adhesive properties and injectability of the gels were investigated. The permeability of the gels for growth factors was analysed using bovine serum albumin and lysozyme as model proteins. Human MSCs were isolated, cultivated and seeded into the alginate gels. Cell viability was determined by AlamarBlue assay and fluorescence microscopy. The release of human VEGF and bFGF from the cells was determined using an enzyme-linked immunoassay. Gels with sufficient mechanical properties were prepared which remained injectable through a syringe and solidified in a sufficient time frame after application. Surface adhesion was improved by the addition of polyethylene glycol 300,000 and hyaluronic acid. Humans MSCs remained viable for the duration of 6 weeks within the gels. Human VEGF and bFGF was found in quantifiable concentrations in cell culture supernatants of gels loaded with MSCs and incubated for a period of 6 weeks. This work shows that calcium alginate gels can function as immobilization matrices for human MSCs.

  11. Identification of an Extremely 180-Rich Presolar Silicate Grain in Acfer 094

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, A. N.; Messenger, S.

    2009-01-01

    Presolar silicate grains have been abundantly identified since their first discovery less than a decade ago [1,2,3]. The O isotopic compositions of both silicate and oxide stardust indicate the vast majority (>90%) condensed around Orich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars. Though both presolar phases have average sizes of 300 nm, grains larger than 1 m are extremely uncommon for presolar silicates. Thus, while numerous isotopic systems have been measured in presolar oxide grains [4], very few isotopic analyses for presolar silicates exist outside of O and Si [2,5]. And still, these measurements suffer from isotopic dilution with surrounding matrix material [6]. We conduct a search for presolar silicates in the primitive carbonaceous chondrite Acfer 094 and in some cases obtain high spatial resolution, high precision isotopic ratios.

  12. Reduction-induced inward diffusion and crystal growth on the surfaces of iron-bearing silicate glasses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liu, S.J.; Tao, H.Z.; Zhang, Y.F.

    2015-01-01

    We investigate the sodium inward diffusion (i.e., sodium diffusion from surface toward interior) in iron containing alkaline earth silicate glasses under reducing conditions around Tg and the induced surface crystallization. The surface crystallization is caused by formation of a silicate-gel lay......+ ions have stronger bonds to oxygen and lower coordination number (4~5) than Ca2+, Sr2+ and Ba2+ ions. In contrast, a cristobalite layer forms in Ca-, Sr- and Ba-containing glasses....

  13. Permanganate gel (PG) for groundwater remediation: compatibility, gelation, and release characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Eung Seok; Olson, Pamela R; Gupta, Neha; Solpuker, Utku; Schwartz, Franklin W; Kim, Yongje

    2014-02-01

    Permanganate (MnO4(-)) is a strong oxidant that is widely used for treating chlorinated ethylenes in groundwater. This study aims to develop hyper-saline MnO4(-) solution (MnO4(-) gel; PG) that can be injected into aquifers via wells, slowly gelates over time, and slowly release MnO4(-) to flowing water. In this study, compatibility and miscibility of gels, such as chitosan, aluminosilicate, silicate, and colloidal silica gels, with MnO4(-) were tested. Of these gels, chitosan was reactive with MnO4(-). Aluminosilicates were compatible but not readily miscible with MnO4(-). Silicates and colloidal silica were both compatible and miscible with MnO4(-), and gelated with addition of KMnO4 granules. Colloidal silica has low initial viscosity (<15cP), exhibited delayed gelation characteristics with the lag times ranging from 0 to 200min. Release of MnO4(-) from the colloidal silica-based PG gel occurred in a delayed fashion, with maximum duration of 24h. These results suggested that colloidal silica can be used to create PG or delayed-gelling forms containing other oxidants which can be used for groundwater remediation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Determination of several trace elements in silicate rocks by an XRF method with background and matrix corrections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pascual, J.

    1987-01-01

    An X-ray fluorescence method for determining trace elements in silicate rock samples was studied. The procedure focused on the application of the pertinent matrix corrections. Either the Compton peak or the reciprocal of the mass absorption coefficient of the sample was used as internal standard for this purpose. X-ray tubes with W or Cr anodes were employed, and the W Lβ and Cr Kα Compton intensities scattered by the sample were measured. The mass absorption coefficients at both sides of the absorption edge for Fe (1.658 and 1.936 A) were calculated. The elements Zr, Y, Rb, Zn, Ni, Cr and V were determined in 15 international reference rocks covering wide ranges of concentration. Relative mean errors were in many cases less than 10%. (author)

  15. Visible-light-induced hydrogen production over Pt-Eosin Y catalysts with high surface area silica gel as matrix

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Xiaojie [State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Graduate University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Jin, Zhiliang; Li, Shuben; Lu, Gongxuan [State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000 (China); Li, Yuexiang [Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, Nanjing Road 245, Nanchang, 330047 (China)

    2007-03-30

    A new system for the production of hydrogen, constructed using silica gel as a matrix, Eosin Y as a photosensitizer, and Pt as a cocatalyst, has been reported. It was found that the rate of photosensitized hydrogen evolution in the presence of silica gel is enhanced about 10-fold relative to the homogeneous phase, i.e. in the absence of silica gel. The pH value of the solution and the concentration of Eosin Y have remarkable effects on the rate of hydrogen evolution. The optimal pH and concentration of Eosin Y are 7 and 3.60 x 10{sup -4} mol dm{sup -3} (E/S = 1/3) to 7.24 x 10{sup -4} mol dm{sup -3} (E/S = 1/1), respectively. Triethanolamine (TEOA) as an electron donor, the rate of hydrogen evolution and the apparent quantum efficiency in the silica gel system under visible-light irradiation ({lambda} {>=} 420 nm) can reach about 43 {mu}mol h{sup -1} and 10.4%, respectively. In addition, the roles of silica gel, Pt and TEOA, respectively; and the probable mechanism of photosensitized hydrogen evolution have been discussed. (author)

  16. Visible-light-induced hydrogen production over Pt-Eosin Y catalysts with high surface area silica gel as matrix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaojie; Jin, Zhiliang; Li, Yuexiang; Li, Shuben; Lu, Gongxuan

    A new system for the production of hydrogen, constructed using silica gel as a matrix, Eosin Y as a photosensitizer, and Pt as a cocatalyst, has been reported. It was found that the rate of photosensitized hydrogen evolution in the presence of silica gel is enhanced about 10-fold relative to the homogeneous phase, i.e. in the absence of silica gel. The pH value of the solution and the concentration of Eosin Y have remarkable effects on the rate of hydrogen evolution. The optimal pH and concentration of Eosin Y are 7 and 3.60 × 10 -4 mol dm -3 (E/S = 1/3) to 7.24 × 10 -4 mol dm -3 (E/S = 1/1), respectively. Triethanolamine (TEOA) as an electron donor, the rate of hydrogen evolution and the apparent quantum efficiency in the silica gel system under visible-light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm) can reach about 43 μmol h -1 and 10.4%, respectively. In addition, the roles of silica gel, Pt and TEOA, respectively; and the probable mechanism of photosensitized hydrogen evolution have been discussed.

  17. Review of Fricke gel dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schreiner, L J

    2004-01-01

    The innovation of adding a gel matrix to the traditional Fricke dosimeter to stabilize geometric information established the field of gel dosimetry for radiation therapy. A discussion of Fricke gels provides an overview of the issues that determine the dose response of all gel dosimeters in general. In this paper we review some of the features of Fricke systems to illustrate these issues and, in addition, to motivate renewed clinical interest in Fricke gels

  18. Tetragonal zirconia quantum dots in silica matrix prepared by a modified sol-gel protocol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Surbhi; Rani, Saruchi; Kumar, Sushil

    2018-05-01

    Tetragonal zirconia quantum dots (t-ZrO2 QDs) in silica matrix with different compositions ( x)ZrO2-(100 - x)SiO2 were fabricated by a modified sol-gel protocol. Acetylacetone was added as a chelating agent to zirconium propoxide to avoid precipitation. The powders as well as thin films were given thermal treatment at 650, 875 and 1100 °C for 4 h. The silica matrix remained amorphous after thermal treatment and acted as an inert support for zirconia quantum dots. The tetragonal zirconia embedded in silica matrix transformed into monoclinic form due to thermal treatment ≥ 1100 °C. The stability of tetragonal phase of zirconia is found to enhance with increase in silica content. A homogenous dispersion of t-ZrO2 QDs in silica matrix was indicated by the mapping of Zr, Si and O elements obtained from scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray analyser. The transmission electron images confirmed the formation of tetragonal zirconia quantum dots embedded in silica. The optical band gap of zirconia QDs (3.65-5.58 eV) was found to increase with increase in zirconia content in silica. The red shift of PL emission has been exhibited with increase in zirconia content in silica.

  19. Oxidizing gel formulation for nuclear decontamination: rheological and acidic properties of the organic matrix and its ozonolysis; Formulation d'un gel oxydant a matrice organique applicable a la decontamination nucleaire: proprietes rheologiques, acido-basiques et ozonolyse de la matrice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rouy, E

    2003-10-15

    An acidic and oxidizing gel was formulated with a purely organic matrix, xanthan gum, at low concentrations (1 to 2 wt %). This polymer gel was investigated in various media (aqueous, acidic and ceric) by means of rheology: shear thinning behaviour, thixotropy, yield stress... Evidences of unexpected rheological properties in highly concentrated media show that xanthan is quite convenient for industrial projection of this type of gel on metallic walls in nuclear plants, notwithstanding its time-limited resistance to oxidation (about a few hours). Complexation mechanisms between ceric species and polar sites of the polymer led us to characterise acidic properties of our xanthan sample by potentiometric titration and {sup 1}H NMR techniques. The matrix was finally treated by ozonolysis to suppress organic residues, as required to handle nuclear wastes. In acidic medium, ozonolysis of the gel was achieved successfully while in acidic and ceric medium this process showed limited efficiency, needing further investigation to be clarified. (author)

  20. Fabrication and properties of aluminum silicate fibrous materials with in situ synthesized K2Ti6O13 whiskers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hao; Wei, Nan; Wang, Zhou-fu; Wang, Xi-tang; Ma, Yan

    2017-11-01

    To improve their mechanical and thermal insulation properties, aluminum silicate fibrous materials with in situ synthesized K2Ti6O13 whiskers were prepared by firing a mixture of short aluminum silicate fibers and gel powders obtained from a sol-gel process. During the preparation process, the fiber surface was coated with K2Ti6O13 whiskers after the fibers were subjected to a heat treatment carried out at various temperatures. The effects of process parameters on the microstructure, compressive strength, and thermal conductivity were analyzed systematically. The results show that higher treatment temperatures and longer treatment durations promoted the development of K2Ti6O13 whiskers on the surface of aluminum silicate fibers; in addition, the intersection structure between whiskers modulated the morphology and volume of the multi-aperture structure among fibers, substantially increasing the fibers' compressive strength and reducing their heat conduction and convective heat transfer at high temperatures.

  1. Structure and dynamics of spin-labeled insulin entrapped in a silica matrix by the sol-gel method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanea, E; Gruian, C; Rickert, C; Steinhoff, H-J; Simon, V

    2013-08-12

    The structure and conformational dynamics of insulin entrapped into a silica matrix was monitored during the sol to maturated-gel transition by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Insulin was successfully spin-labeled with iodoacetamide and the bifunctional nitroxide reagent HO-1944. Room temperature continuous wave (cw) EPR spectra of insulin were recorded to assess the mobility of the attached spin labels. Insulin conformation and its distribution within the silica matrix were studied using double electron-electron resonance (DEER) and low-temperature cw-EPR. A porous oxide matrix seems to form around insulin molecules with pore diameters in the order of a few nanometers. Secondary structure of the encapsulated insulin investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy proved a high structural integrity of insulin even in the dried silica matrix. The results show that silica encapsulation can be used as a powerful tool to effectively isolate and functionally preserve biomolecules during preparation, storage, and release.

  2. Preparation of zirconium molybdate gel for 99mTc gel generator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aliludin, Z.; Ohkubo, Masatake; Kushita, Kouhei

    1988-09-01

    Zirconium molybdate gel has excellent characteristics for use as column matrix material of 99m Tc generators. In this work, zirconium molybdate gels were prepared under different conditions; pH's of molybdate solutions from 2.5 to 7.0, Mo:Zr molar ratios from 0.7:1.0 to 1.3:1.0, drying temperatures from an ambient temperature to 200 deg C, and drying times from 1 h to 25 h. Contents of water, nitrate, molybdenum and zirconium were measured to examine the fundamental conditions in gel preparation. The Mo:Zr molar ratio was 1.0:1.0 for the most of gels obtained. A 99m Tc generator was prepared with an amorphous zirconium molybdate containing a tracer level of 99 Mo as column matrix material. Elution of 99m Tc was rapid and the average elution efficiency was 90 % for 6 ml elutions. Contents of radionuclidic impurities, Zr and Mo in the eluates, were low enough to meet the pharmacopoeia requirements for human use. (author)

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Maofu; Shen, Qi; Chen, Jinjin

    2011-01-01

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

  4. Oxidizing gel formulation for nuclear decontamination: rheological and acidic properties of the organic matrix and its ozonolysis; Formulation d'un gel oxydant a matrice organique applicable a la decontamination nucleaire: proprietes rheologiques, acido-basiques et ozonolyse de la matrice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rouy, E

    2003-10-15

    An acidic and oxidizing gel was formulated with a purely organic matrix, xanthan gum, at low concentrations (1 to 2 wt %). This polymer gel was investigated in various media (aqueous, acidic and ceric) by means of rheology: shear thinning behaviour, thixotropy, yield stress... Evidences of unexpected rheological properties in highly concentrated media show that xanthan is quite convenient for industrial projection of this type of gel on metallic walls in nuclear plants, notwithstanding its time-limited resistance to oxidation (about a few hours). Complexation mechanisms between ceric species and polar sites of the polymer led us to characterise acidic properties of our xanthan sample by potentiometric titration and {sup 1}H NMR techniques. The matrix was finally treated by ozonolysis to suppress organic residues, as required to handle nuclear wastes. In acidic medium, ozonolysis of the gel was achieved successfully while in acidic and ceric medium this process showed limited efficiency, needing further investigation to be clarified. (author)

  5. Nanocrystal/sol-gel nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petruska, Melissa A [Los Alamos, NM; Klimov, Victor L [Los Alamos, NM

    2007-06-05

    The present invention is directed to solid composites including colloidal nanocrystals within a sol-gel host or matrix and to processes of forming such solid composites. The present invention is further directed to alcohol soluble colloidal nanocrystals useful in formation of sol-gel based solid composites.

  6. A spot-matching method using cumulative frequency matrix in 2D gel images

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Chan-Myeong; Park, Joon-Ho; Chang, Chu-Seok; Ryoo, Myung-Chun

    2014-01-01

    A new method for spot matching in two-dimensional gel electrophoresis images using a cumulative frequency matrix is proposed. The method improves on the weak points of the previous method called ‘spot matching by topological patterns of neighbour spots’. It accumulates the frequencies of neighbour spot pairs produced through the entire matching process and determines spot pairs one by one in order of higher frequency. Spot matching by frequencies of neighbour spot pairs shows a fairly better performance. However, it can give researchers a hint for whether the matching results can be trustworthy or not, which can save researchers a lot of effort for verification of the results. PMID:26019609

  7. Development of Biomedical Polymer-Silicate Nanocomposites: A Materials Science Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia-Jung Wu

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Biomedical polymer-silicate nanocomposites have potential to become critically important to the development of biomedical applications, ranging from diagnostic and therapeutic devices, tissue regeneration and drug delivery matrixes to various bio-technologies that are inspired by biology but have only indirect biomedical relation. The fundamental understanding of polymer-nanoparticle interactions is absolutely necessary to control structure-property relationships of materials that need to work within the chemical, physical and biological constraints required by an application. This review summarizes the most recent published strategies to design and develop polymer-silicate nanocomposites (including clay based silicate nanoparticles and bioactive glass nanoparticles for a variety of biomedical applications. Emerging trends in bio-technological and biomedical nanocomposites are highlighted and potential new fields of applications are examined.

  8. Bioactive nanocrystalline wollastonite synthesized by sol–gel ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The sol–gel combustion method was employed to synthesize the nanocrystalline wollastonite by taking the raw eggshell powder as a calcium source and TEOS as a source of silicate. Glycine was used as a reductant or fuel and nitrate ions present in metal nitrate acts as an oxidizer. The phase purity of the wollastonite was ...

  9. Matrix molecularly imprinted mesoporous sol–gel sorbent for efficient solid-phase extraction of chloramphenicol from milk

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samanidou, Victoria; Kehagia, Maria; Kabir, Abuzar; Furton, Kenneth G.

    2016-01-01

    Highly selective and efficient chloramphenicol imprinted sol–gel silica based inorganic polymeric sorbent (sol–gel MIP) was synthesized via matrix imprinting approach for the extraction of chloramphenicol in milk. Chloramphenicol was used as the template molecule, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APTES) and triethoxyphenylsilane (TEPS) as the functional precursors, tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) as the cross-linker, isopropanol as the solvent/porogen, and HCl as the sol–gel catalyst. Non-imprinted sol–gel polymer (sol–gel NIP) was synthesized under identical conditions in absence of template molecules for comparison purpose. Both synthesized materials were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, which unambiguously confirmed their significant structural and morphological differences. The synthesized MIP and NIP materials were evaluated as sorbents for molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) of chloramphenicol in milk. The effect of critical extraction parameters (flow rate, elution solvent, sample and eluent volume, selectivity coefficient, retention capacity) was studied in terms of retention and desorption of chloramphenicol. Competition and cross reactivity tests have proved that sol–gel MIP sorbent possesses significantly higher specific retention and enrichment capacity for chloramphenicol compared to its non-imprinted analogue. The maximum imprinting factor (IF) was found as 9.7, whereas the highest adsorption capacity of chloramphenicol by sol–gel MIP was 23 mg/g. The sol–gel MIP was found to be adequately selective towards chloramphenicol to provide the necessary minimum required performance limit (MRPL) of 0.3 μg/kg set forth by European Commission after analysis by LC-MS even without requiring time consuming solvent evaporation and sample reconstitution step, often considered as an integral part in solid phase extraction work

  10. Matrix molecularly imprinted mesoporous sol–gel sorbent for efficient solid-phase extraction of chloramphenicol from milk

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Samanidou, Victoria, E-mail: samanidu@chem.auth.gr [Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece); Kehagia, Maria [Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Greece); Kabir, Abuzar, E-mail: akabir@fiu.edu [International Forensic Research Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL (United States); Furton, Kenneth G. [International Forensic Research Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL (United States)

    2016-03-31

    Highly selective and efficient chloramphenicol imprinted sol–gel silica based inorganic polymeric sorbent (sol–gel MIP) was synthesized via matrix imprinting approach for the extraction of chloramphenicol in milk. Chloramphenicol was used as the template molecule, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APTES) and triethoxyphenylsilane (TEPS) as the functional precursors, tetramethyl orthosilicate (TMOS) as the cross-linker, isopropanol as the solvent/porogen, and HCl as the sol–gel catalyst. Non-imprinted sol–gel polymer (sol–gel NIP) was synthesized under identical conditions in absence of template molecules for comparison purpose. Both synthesized materials were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, which unambiguously confirmed their significant structural and morphological differences. The synthesized MIP and NIP materials were evaluated as sorbents for molecularly imprinted solid phase extraction (MISPE) of chloramphenicol in milk. The effect of critical extraction parameters (flow rate, elution solvent, sample and eluent volume, selectivity coefficient, retention capacity) was studied in terms of retention and desorption of chloramphenicol. Competition and cross reactivity tests have proved that sol–gel MIP sorbent possesses significantly higher specific retention and enrichment capacity for chloramphenicol compared to its non-imprinted analogue. The maximum imprinting factor (IF) was found as 9.7, whereas the highest adsorption capacity of chloramphenicol by sol–gel MIP was 23 mg/g. The sol–gel MIP was found to be adequately selective towards chloramphenicol to provide the necessary minimum required performance limit (MRPL) of 0.3 μg/kg set forth by European Commission after analysis by LC-MS even without requiring time consuming solvent evaporation and sample reconstitution step, often considered as an integral part in solid phase extraction work

  11. Processing of radioactive ruthenium with aluminosilicate gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kanno, Takuji; Ichinose, Yasuhiro; Ito, Katsuo

    1979-01-01

    Coprecipitation of radioactive Ru with hydroxides has been studied for the purpose of the management of the high level waste from the nuclear fuel reprocessing. Aluminosilicate gel used as coprecipitant was prepared by addition of aqueous sodium hydroxide to sodium aluminate-sodium silicate solution containing ruthenium nitrate. Ruthenium quantitatively precipitates under the conditions, aluminate > 4 x 10 -2 M, Al/Si 0 C. However, volatilization rate of Ru is suppressed by coating with mullite phase into which aluminosilicate gel transformes above 900 0 C. The amount of Ru volatilized in Ar-flow was reduced to about 10% of that in air-flow. (author)

  12. Rubber curing chemistry governing the orientation of layered silicate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available The effect of curing systems on the orientation and the dispersion of the layered silicates in acrylonitrile butadiene rubber nanocomposite is reported. Significant differences in X-ray diffraction pattern between peroxide curing and sulfur curing was observed. Intense X-ray scattering values in the XRD experiments from peroxide cured vulcanizates indicate an orientation of the layers in a preferred direction as evinced by transmission electron micrographs. However, sulfur cured vulcanizates show no preferential orientation of the silicate particles. Nevertheless, a closer inspection of transmission electron microscopy (TEM images of peroxide and sulfur cured samples shows exfoliated silicate layers in the acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBR matrix. It was revealed in the prevailing study that the use of an excess amount of stearic acid in the formulation of the sulfur curing package leads to almost exfoliated type X-ray scattering pattern.

  13. Bioactive nanocrystalline wollastonite synthesized by sol–gel ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The sol–gel combustion method was employed to synthesize the nanocrystalline wollastonite by taking the raw eggshell powder as a calcium source and TEOS as a source of silicate. Glycine was .... 94·37% CaCO3, hence in order to prepare 1 M Ca2+ ion solu- ... requires an acid or base catalyst hence the pH of the solu-.

  14. Plasmonic resonance of colloidal silver in nanoporous matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andreeva, O V; Saitov, S V; Andreeva, N V; Sidorov, A I

    2014-01-01

    The object of the study in this paper – silver nanoporous silicate matrix with pore size less than 20 nm. Colloidal silver particles with volume concentration about 10 −4 are formed within free volume of pores of silicate matrix by chemical method. Changes in the attenuation spectra of the investigated object during changing of the refractive index of free volume of pores from 1.0 to 1.5 are reviewed. Comparison of the obtained experimental data with the results of calculations was carried out

  15. A combined approach of enamel matrix derivative gel and autogenous bone grafts in treatment of intrabony periodontal defects. A case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leung, George; Jin, Lijian

    2003-04-01

    Enamel matrix derivative (EMD) has recently been introduced as a new modality in regenerative periodontal therapy. This case report demonstrates a combined approach in topical application of EMD gel (Emdogain) and autogenous bone grafts for treatment of intrabony defects and furcation involvement defects in a patient with chronic periodontitis. The seven-month post-surgery clinical and radiographic results were presented. The combined application of EMD gel with autogenous bone grafts in intrabony osseous defects resulted in clinically significant gain of attachment on diseased root surfaces and bone fill on radiographs. Further controlled clinical studies are required to confirm the long-term effectiveness of the combination of EMD gel and autogenous bone grafts in treatment of various osseous defects in subjects with chronic periodontitis.

  16. Rapid screening of nuclear grade zirconium silicate without separation of hafnium from the bulk matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venkatesh, Manisha; Sharma, P.K.; Avhad, D.K.; Basu, H.; Singhal, R.K.; Reddy, A.V.R.

    2014-01-01

    Zirconium silicate, also zirconium orthosilicate, (ZrSiO 4 ) is a chemical compound, and occurs in nature as zircon, a silicate mineral. The concentration of Hafnium in nuclear grade Zirconium must be less than 0.2% w/w of Zr. In view of this it must be accurately chemically characterized before issuing a certification for export under non nuclear category. As the chemistry of Zr and Hf is similar, it is difficult to separate Hf by direct wet chemical method. During this work, concentration of Hf in zirconium silicate was measured by Field Portable X-ray Fluorescence (FPXRF) and results obtained were validated by using detailed chemical method. FPXRF spectrometry has become a common analytical technique for on-site screening and fast turnaround analysis of contaminant elements in environmental samples

  17. Bioactivity and mineralization of hydroxyapatite with bioglass as sintering aid and bioceramics with Na3Ca6(PO4)5 and Ca5(PO4)2SiO4 in a silicate matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demirkiran, Hande; Mohandas, Arunesh; Dohi, Motokazi; Fuentes, Alonso; Nguyen, Kytai; Aswath, Pranesh

    2010-01-01

    Hydroxyapatite and Bioglass-45S5 were sintered together creating new ceramic compositions that yielded increased apatite deposition and osteoblast differentiation and proliferation in vitro compared to hydroxyapatite. The sintered products characterized by X-ray diffraction, revealed hydroxyapatite as the main phase when small quantities (1, 2.5 and 5 wt.%) of bioglass was added. Bioglass behaved as a sintering aid with β-TCP (Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 ) being the minor phase. The amount of β-TCP increased with the amount of bioglass added. In compositions with larger additions of bioglass (10 and 25 wt.%), new phases with compositions of calcium phosphate silicate (Ca 5 (PO 4 ) 2 SiO 4 ) and sodium calcium phosphate (Na 3 Ca 6 (PO 4 ) 5 ) were formed respectively within amorphous silicate matrices. In vitro cell culture studies of the ceramic compositions were examined using bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC). Cell proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells into osteoblasts were determined by Pico Green DNA assays and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, respectively. All hydroxyapatite-bioglass co-sintered ceramics exhibited larger cell proliferation compared to pure hydroxyapatite samples. After 6 days in cell culture, the ceramic with Ca 5 (PO 4 ) 3 SiO 4 in a silicate matrix formed by reacting hydroxyapatite with 10 wt.% bioglass exhibited the maximum proliferation of the BMSC's. The ALP activity was found to be largest in the ceramic with Na 3 Ca 6 (PO 4 ) 5 embedded in a silicate matrix synthesized by reacting hydroxyapatite with 25 wt.% bioglass.

  18. Surface charges and Np(V) sorption on amorphous Al- and Fe- silicates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Del Nero, M.; Assada, A.; Barillon, R.; Duplatre, G.; Made, B.

    2005-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: Sorption onto Si-rich alteration layers of crystalline minerals and nuclear glasses, and onto amorphous secondary silicates of rocks and soils, are expected to retard the migration of actinides in the near- and far-field of HLW repositories. We present experimental and modeling studies on the effects of silicate structure and bulk chemistry, and of solution chemistry, on charges and adsorption of neptunyl ions at surfaces of synthetic, amorphous or poorly ordered silica, Al-silicates and Fe-silicates. The Al-silicates display similar pH-dependent surface charges characterized by predominant Si-O - Si sites, and similar surface affinities for neptunyl ions, irrespective to their Si/Al molar ratio (varying from 10 to 4.3). Such experimental features are explained by incorporation of Al atoms in tetrahedral position in the silicate lattice, leading to only trace amounts of high-affinity Al-OH surface groups due to octahedral Al. By contrast, the structure of the Fe-silicates ensures the occurrence of high-affinity Fe-OH surface groups, whose concentration is shown by proton adsorption measurements to increase with decreasing of the silicate Si/Fe molar ratio (from 10 to 2.3). Nevertheless, experimental data of the adsorption of neptunyl and electrolyte ions show unexpectedly weak effect of the Si/Fe ratio, and suggest predominant Si-OH surface groups. A possible explanation is that aqueous silicate anions, released by dissolution, adsorb at OH Fe - surface groups and / or precipitate as silica gel coatings, because experimental solutions were found at near-equilibrium with respect to amorphous silica. Therefore, the environmental sorption of Np(V) onto Si-rich, amorphous or poorly ordered Al-silicates may primarily depend on pH and silicate specific surface areas, given the low overall chemical affinity of such phases for dissolved metals. By contrast, the sorption of Np(V) on natural, amorphous or poorly ordered Fe-silicates may be a

  19. In vitro bioactivity of a tricalcium silicate cement

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morejon-Alonso, L.; Bareiro, O.; Santos, L.A. dos, E-mail: loreley.morejon@ufrgs.b [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRG), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil). Escola de Engenharia. Dep. de Materiais; Carrodeguas R, Garcia [Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Madrid (Spain). Inst. de Ceramica y Vidrio. Dept. de Ceramica

    2009-07-01

    Tricalcium silicate is the major constituent of Portland cement and the responsible for their mechanical strength at early stages. In order to be used as and additive of conventional calcium phosphate cement (CPC), in vitro bioactivity of a calcium silicate cement (CSC) after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 14 days was study. The cement was obtained by mixing Ca{sub 3}SiO{sub 5}, obtained by sol-gel process, and a Na{sub 2}HPO{sub 4} solution. The morphological and structural changes of the material before and after soaking were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed the formation of a layer of a Hydroxyapatite (HA) onto the CSC cement after soaking for 1h in SBF that became denser with the increase of soaking time. The study suggests that Ca{sub 3}SiO{sub 5} would be an effective additive to improve the bioactivity and long term strength of conventional CPC. (author)

  20. Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembling Gold Nanorods and Glucose Oxidase onto Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized Sol-Gel Matrix for an Amperometric Glucose Biosensor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baoyan Wu

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available A novel amperometric glucose biosensor was fabricated by layer-by-layer self-assembly of gold nanorods (AuNRs and glucose oxidase (GOD onto single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs-functionalized three-dimensional sol-gel matrix. A thiolated aqueous silica sol containing SWCNTs was first assembled on the surface of a cleaned Au electrode, and then the alternate self-assembly of AuNRs and GOD were repeated to assemble multilayer films of AuNRs-GOD onto SWCNTs-functionalized silica gel for optimizing the biosensor. Among the resulting glucose biosensors, the four layers of AuNRs-GOD-modified electrode showed the best performance. The sol-SWCNTs-(AuNRs- GOD4/Au biosensor exhibited a good linear range of 0.01–8 mM glucose, high sensitivity of 1.08 μA/mM, and fast amperometric response within 4 s. The good performance of the proposed glucose biosensor could be mainly attributed to the advantages of the three-dimensional sol-gel matrix and stereo self-assembly films, and the natural features of one-dimensional nanostructure SWCNTs and AuNRs. This study may provide a new facile way to fabricate the enzyme-based biosensor with high performance.

  1. Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembling Gold Nanorods and Glucose Oxidase onto Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized Sol-Gel Matrix for an Amperometric Glucose Biosensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Baoyan; Hou, Shihua; Miao, Zhiying; Zhang, Cong; Ji, Yanhong

    2015-09-18

    A novel amperometric glucose biosensor was fabricated by layer-by-layer self-assembly of gold nanorods (AuNRs) and glucose oxidase (GOD) onto single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)-functionalized three-dimensional sol-gel matrix. A thiolated aqueous silica sol containing SWCNTs was first assembled on the surface of a cleaned Au electrode, and then the alternate self-assembly of AuNRs and GOD were repeated to assemble multilayer films of AuNRs-GOD onto SWCNTs-functionalized silica gel for optimizing the biosensor. Among the resulting glucose biosensors, the four layers of AuNRs-GOD-modified electrode showed the best performance. The sol-SWCNTs-(AuNRs- GOD)₄/Au biosensor exhibited a good linear range of 0.01-8 mM glucose, high sensitivity of 1.08 μA/mM, and fast amperometric response within 4 s. The good performance of the proposed glucose biosensor could be mainly attributed to the advantages of the three-dimensional sol-gel matrix and stereo self-assembly films, and the natural features of one-dimensional nanostructure SWCNTs and AuNRs. This study may provide a new facile way to fabricate the enzyme-based biosensor with high performance.

  2. Structural Evolution and Stability of Sol-Gel Biocatalysts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodgers, L.E.; Foster, L.J.R.; Holden, P.J.; Knott, R.B.; Bartlett, J.B.

    2005-01-01

    Full text: Immobilisation strategies for catalytic enzymes are important as they allow reuse of the biocatalysts. Sol-gel materials have been used to immobilise Candida antarctica lipase B (CALB), a commonly used industrial enzyme with a known crystal structure. The sol-gel bioencapsulate is produced through the condensation of suitable metal alkoxides in the presence of CALB, yielding materials with controlled pore sizes, volume and surface chemistry. Sol-gel matrices have been shown to prolong the catalytic life and enhance the activity of CALB, although the molecular basis for this effect has yet to be elucidated due to the limitations of analysis techniques applied to date. Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) allows such multicomponent systems to be characterised through contrast matching. In the sol-gel bioencapsulate system, at the contrast match point for silica, residual scattering intensity is due to the CALB and density fluctuations in the matrix. A SANS contrast variation series found the match point for the silica matrix, both with and without enzyme present, to be around 35 percent. The model presented here proposes a mechanism for the interaction between CALB and the surrounding sol-gel matrix, and the observed improvement in enzyme activity and matrix strength. The SANS protocol developed here may be applied more generally to bioencapsulates. (authors)

  3. Titanium dioxide–gold nanocomposite materials embedded in silicate sol–gel film catalyst for simultaneous photodegradation of hexavalent chromium and methylene blue

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pandikumar, Alagarsamy; Ramaraj, Ramasamy

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Aminosilicate sol–gel supported TiO 2 –Au nanocomposite material photocatalyst was prepared by deposition–precipitation method and used for the simultaneous oxidation and reduction of methyelene blue dye and Cr(VI) ions. Highlights: ► The EDAS/(TiO 2 –Au) nps is used to design the solid-phase thin film photocatalyst. ► Au promotes the interfacial electron transfer from TiO 2 to Cr(VI) to form Cr(III). ► The holes produced at the TiO 2 oxidize the MB dye. ► The EDAS/(TiO 2 –Au) nps film was used for the simultaneous oxidation and reduction of toxic molecules. ► The photoinduced simultaneous redox process provides dual benefit for the environment remediation. - Abstract: Aminosilicate sol–gel supported titanium dioxide–gold (EDAS/(TiO 2 –Au) nps ) nanocomposite materials were synthesized by simple deposition–precipitation method and characterized. The photocatalytic oxidation and reduction activity of the EDAS/(TiO 2 –Au) nps film was evaluated using hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and methylene blue (MB) dye under irradiation. The photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) was studied in the presence of hole scavengers such as oxalic acid (OA) and methylene blue (MB). The photocatalytic degradation of MB was investigated in the presence and absence of Cr(VI). Presence of Au nps on the (TiO 2 ) nps surface and its dispersion in the silicate sol-gel film (EDAS/(TiO 2 –Au) nps ) improved the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) and oxidation of MB due to the effective interfacial electron transfer from the conduction band of the TiO 2 to Au nps by minimizing the charge recombination process when compared to the TiO 2 and (TiO 2 –Au) nps in the absence of EDAS. The EDAS/(TiO 2 –Au) nps nanocomposite materials provided beneficial role in the environmental remediation and purification process through synergistic photocatalytic activity by an advanced oxidation–reduction processes.

  4. The endogenous fluorescence of fibroblast in collagen gels as indicator of stiffness of the extracellular matrix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padilla-Martinez, J. P.; Ortega-Martinez, A.; Franco, W.

    2016-03-01

    The stiffness or rigidity of the extracellular matrix (ECM) regulates cell response. Established mechanical tests to measure stiffness, such as indentation and tensile tests, are invasive and destructive to the sample. Endogenous or native molecules to cells and ECM components, like tryptophan and cross-links of collagen, display fluorescence upon irradiation with ultraviolet light. Most likely, the concentration of these endogenous fluorophores changes as the stiffness of the ECM changes. In this work we investigate the endogenous fluorescence of collagen gels containing fibroblasts as a non-invasive non-destructive method to measure stiffness of the ECM. Human fibroblast cells were cultured in three-dimensional gels of type I collagen (50,000 cells/ml). This construct is a simple model of tissue contraction. During contraction, changes in the excitation-emission matrix (a fluorescence map in the 240-520/290-530 nm range) of constructs were measured with a spectrofluoremeter, and changes in stiffness were measured with a standard indentation test over 16 days. Results show that a progressive increase in fluorescence of the 290/340 nm excitation-emission pair correlates with a progressive increase in stiffness (r=0.9, α=0.5). The fluorescence of this excitation-emission pair is ascribed to tryptophan and variations in the fluorescence of this pair correlate with cellular proliferation. In this tissue model, the endogenous functional fluorescence of proliferating fibroblast cells is a biomechanical marker of stiffness of the ECM.

  5. Fractionation and solubility of cadmium in paddy soils amended with porous hydrated calcium silicate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xiu-Lan; Masaihiko, Saigusa

    2007-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that porous hydrated calcium silicate (PS) is very effective in decreasing cadmium (Cd) content in brown rice. However, it is unclear whether the PS influences cadmium transformation in soil. The present study examined the effect of PS on pH, cadmium transformation and cadmium solubility in Andosol and Alluvial soil, and also compared its effects with CaCO3, acidic porous hydrated calcium silicate (APS) and silica gel. Soil cadmium was operationally fractionationed into exchangeable (Exch), bound to carbonates (Carb), bound to iron and manganese oxides (FeMnO(x)), bound to organic matters (OM) and residual (Res) fraction. Application of PS and CaCO3 at hig rates enhanced soil pH, while APS and silica gel did not obviously change soil pH. PS and CaCO3 also increased the FeMnO(x)-Cd in Andosol and Carb-Cd in Alluvial soil, thus reducing the Exch-Cd in the tested soils. However, PS was less effective than CaCO3 at the same application rate. Cadmium fractions in the two soils were not changed by the treatments of APS and silica gel. There were no obvious differences in the solubility of cadmium in soils treated with PS, APS, silica gel and CaCO3 except Andosol treated 2.0% CaCO3 at the same pH of soil-CaCl2 suspensions. These findings suggested that the decrease of cadmium availability in soil was mainly attributed to the increase of soil pH caused by PS.

  6. Creep Behavior of Hafnia and Ytterbium Silicate Environmental Barrier Coating Systems on SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Dongming; Fox, Dennis S.; Ghosn, Louis J.; Harder, Bryan

    2011-01-01

    Environmental barrier coatings will play a crucial role in future advanced gas turbine engines because of their ability to significantly extend the temperature capability and stability of SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) engine components, thus improving the engine performance. In order to develop high performance, robust coating systems for engine components, appropriate test approaches simulating operating temperature gradient and stress environments for evaluating the critical coating properties must be established. In this paper, thermal gradient mechanical testing approaches for evaluating creep and fatigue behavior of environmental barrier coated SiC/SiC CMC systems will be described. The creep and fatigue behavior of Hafnia and ytterbium silicate environmental barrier coatings on SiC/SiC CMC systems will be reported in simulated environmental exposure conditions. The coating failure mechanisms will also be discussed under the heat flux and stress conditions.

  7. Relationship between sol-gel conditions and enzyme stability: a case study with β-galactosidase/silica biocatalyst for whey hydrolysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Escobar, Sindy; Bernal, Claudia; Mesa, Monica

    2015-01-01

    The sol-gel process has been very useful for preparing active and stable biocatalysts, with the possibility of being reused. Especially those based on silica are well known. However, the study of the enzyme behavior during this process is not well understood until now and more, if the surfactant is involved in the synthesis mixture. This work is devoted to the encapsulation of β-galactosidase from Bacillus circulans in silica by sol-gel process, assisted by non-ionic Triton X-100 surfactant. The correlation between enzyme activity results for the β-galactosidase in three different environments (soluble in buffered aqueous reference solution, in the silica sol, and entrapment on the silica matrix) explains the enzyme behavior under stress conditions offered by the silica sol composition and gelation conditions. A stable β-galactosidase/silica biocatalyst is obtained using sodium silicate, which is a cheap source of silica, in the presence of non-ionic Triton X-100, which avoids the enzyme deactivation, even at 40 °C. The obtained biocatalyst is used in the whey hydrolysis for obtaining high value products from this waste. The preservation of the enzyme stability, which is one of the most important challenges on the enzyme immobilization through the silica sol-gel, is achieved in this study.

  8. Development and dosimetric evaluation of radiochromic PCDA vesicle gel dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, P.; Fu, Y.C.; Hu, J.; Hao, N.; Huang, W.; Jiang, B.

    2016-01-01

    The gel dosimeter has the unique capacity in recording radiation dose distribution in three dimensions (3D), which has the specific advantages in dosimetry measurements where steep dose gradients exist, such as in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), brachytherapy and so on. Some 3D dosimeters, such as Fricke gel dosimeters, polymer gel dosimeters, the PRESAGE plastic dosimeters and micelle gel dosimeters have appeared recently. However, there are several disadvantages of these 3D dosimeters limit their application in radiotherapy dose verification. In this study, a novel radiochromic gel dosimeter for 3D dose verification of radiotherapy was developed by dispersing nanovesicles self-assembled by 10,12-pentacosadiynoic acid (PCDA) into the tissue equivalence gel matrix. The characteristics of radiochromic PCDA vesicle gel dosimeters were evaluated. The results indicate that these radiochromic gel dosimeters have good linear dose response to X-ray irradiation in the dose range of 2–100 Gy. In addition, the radiochromic gel dosimeters breakthrough the limitations of the existing gel dosimeters such as diffusion effect, post-radiation effect, and poor forming ability. The response of the gel dosimeter does not show any dose rate dependence, energy dependence and temperature effect, and there was no obvious difference in the gel response between single and cumulative dose of fractional irradiation. Hence, the radiochromic PCDA vesicle gel dosimeters developed in this study could be generally applied to 3D dose verification in radiotherapy. - Highlights: • A novel radiochromic gel dosimeter was developed by dispersing PCDA nanovesicles into the tissue equivalence gel matrix. • This nanovesicle overcomes the dose image blurring caused by the diffusion of monomer molecules. • This nanovesicle limits the polymer chain growth, so as to reduce the post-radiation effect. • The gel matrixes possess excellent tissue equivalence and elastic strength, which

  9. Sol-gel synthesis and in vitro bioactivity of copper and zinc-doped silicate bioactive glasses and glass-ceramics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bejarano, Julian; Caviedes, Pablo; Palza, Humberto

    2015-03-11

    Metal doping of bioactive glasses based on ternary 60SiO2-36CaO-4P2O5 (58S) and quaternary 60SiO2-25CaO-11Na2O-4P2O5 (NaBG) mol% compositions synthesized using a sol-gel process was analyzed. In particular, the effect of incorporating 1, 5 and 10 mol% of CuO and ZnO (replacing equivalent quantities of CaO) on the texture, in vitro bioactivity, and cytocompatibility of these materials was evaluated. Our results showed that the addition of metal ions can modulate the textural property of the matrix and its crystal structure. Regarding the bioactivity, after soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF) undoped 58S and NaBG glasses developed an apatite surface layer that was reduced in the doped glasses depending on the type of metal and its concentration with Zn displaying the largest inhibitions. Both the ion release from samples and the ion adsorption from the medium depended on the type of matrix with 58S glasses showing the highest values. Pure NaBG glass was more cytocompatible to osteoblast-like cells (SaOS-2) than pure 58S glass as tested by 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The incorporation of metal ions decreased the cytocompatibility of the glasses depending on their concentration and on the glass matrix doped. Our results show that by changing the glass composition and by adding Cu or Zn, bioactive materials with different textures, bioactivity and cytocompatibility can be synthesized.

  10. Activation of Ca(OH){sub 2} using different siliceous materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karatepe, N.; Ersoy-Mericboyu, A.; Kucukbayrak, S. [Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul (Turkey)

    1999-04-01

    Siliceous materials such as silica fume, bentonite and diatomite were mixed with Ca(OH){sub 2} and hydrated at different conditions to produce reactive SO{sub 2} sorbents. Two different hydration methods were used, namely atmospheric and pressure hydration. The effects of the hydration temperature, time and siliceous material/Ca(OH){sub 2} weight ratio on the physical properties of the activated sorbents wereinvestigated. A statistical design technique was applied by use of a two-level factorial design matrix to interpret experimental results. In atmospheric hydration, it was found that increasing the temperature and hydration time caused an increase in the total surface area of the sorbents. But, increasing the siliceous material/Ca(OH){sub 2} weight ratio caused a decrease in the total surface area of the sorbents. In pressure hydration, mathematical analysis showed that the surface area of the activated sorbents was positively affected by the hydration variables. Thermogravimetric measurements showed that increasing the amount of reacted Ca(OH){sub 2} during hydration caused an increase in the surface area of the sorbent. X-ray diffraction studies also indicated that calcium silicate hydrates were the principal Ca-containing species formed during hydration.

  11. Extracellular matrix organization modulates fibroblast growth and growth factor responsiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakagawa, S; Pawelek, P; Grinnell, F

    1989-06-01

    To learn more about the relationship between extracellular matrix organization, cell shape, and cell growth control, we studied DNA synthesis by fibroblasts in collagen gels that were either attached to culture dishes or floating in culture medium during gel contraction. After 4 days of contraction, the collagen density (initially 1.5 mg/ml) reached 22 mg/ml in attached gels and 55 mg/ml in floating gels. After contraction, attached collagen gels were well organized; collagen fibrils were aligned in the plane of cell spreading; and fibroblasts had an elongated, bipolar morphology. Floating collagen gels, however, were unorganized; collagen fibrils were arranged randomly; and fibroblasts had a stellate morphology. DNA synthesis by fibroblasts in contracted collagen gels was suppressed if the gels were floating in medium but not if the gels were attached, and inhibition was independent of the extent of gel contraction. Therefore, growth of fibroblasts in contracted collagen gels could be regulated by differences in extracellular matrix organization and cell shape independently of extracellular matrix density. We also compared the responses of fibroblasts in contracted collagen gels and monolayer culture to peptide growth factors including fibroblast growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor-beta, and interleukin 1. Cells in floating collagen gels were generally unresponsive to any of the growth factors. Cells in attached collagen gels and monolayer culture were affected similarly by fibroblast growth factor but not by the others. Our results indicate that extracellular matrix organization influenced not only cell growth, but also fibroblast responsiveness to peptide growth factors.

  12. Characterization of silica particles prepared via urease-catalyzed urea hydrolysis and activity of urease in sol–gel silica matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Katsuya; Nishida, Masakazu; Ito, Kimiyasu; Tomita, Masahiro

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Silica precipitation occurred via urease-catalytic reactions. ► Higher urease activity for silica synthesis enables mesostructure of silica–urease composites. ► Urease encapsulating in silica matrix retained high activity. - Abstract: Urease templated precipitation of silica synthesized by sol–gel chemistry produces a composite material allowing high urease activity. This study investigates the structural properties of the composite material that allow for the retention of the urease hydrolysis activity. Scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy reveal that the composite has a mesoporous structure composed of closely packed spherical structures ∼20–50 nm in diameter. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis revealed that the surface area and pore volume of the composite prepared under the conditions of 50 mM urea and 25 °C is relatively high (324 m 2 /g and 1.0 cm 3 /g). These values are equivalent to those of usual mesoporous silica materials synthesized from the self-assembly of triblock copolymers as organic templates. In addition, after encapsulating in a sol–gel silica matrix, urease retained high activity (∼90% of the activity compared with native urease). Our results suggest a new method for synthesizing mesoporous silica materials with highly tunable pore sizes and shapes under mild conditions.

  13. Swelling behavior of ion exchange resins incorporated in tri-calcium silicate cement matrix: II. Mechanical analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neji, M.; Bary, B.; Le Bescop, P.; Burlion, N.

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the second part of a study aiming at modelling the mechanical behavior of composites made up of ion exchange resins (IER) solidified in a tri-calcium silicate cement paste (C_3S). Such composites may be subjected to internal pressures due to ion exchange processes between ionic species which are in IER and interstitial solution of the cement paste. The reactive transport model developed in the companion paper is coupled in this study to a multi-scale approach describing the mechanical behavior of the material. It is based on an analogy with thermomechanics for taking in account the IER internal pressures, and on Eshelby-based homogenization techniques to estimate both mechanical and coupling parameters. A laboratory test has been set up to measure the macroscopic strain caused by the swelling phenomenon. The model has been finally implemented in a finite elements software. The simulation of the laboratory tests has been performed and the results have been analyzed and compared to experimental data. - Highlights: • Experimental analysis about mechanical behavior of a composite material. • Chemo-Mechanical-Transport modeling on a composite material made up with IER embedded into cement paste matrix. • Multi-scale modeling.

  14. Gel polymer electrolytes for batteries

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2014-11-18

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

  15. Chemical bonding and structural ordering of cations in silicate glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calas, G.; Cormier, L.; Galoisy, L.; Ramos, A.; Rossano, St.

    1997-01-01

    The specific surrounding of cations in multicomponent silicate glasses is briefly presented. Information about interatomic distances and site geometry may be gained by using spectroscopic methods among which x-ray absorption spectroscopy may be used for the largest number of glass components. Scattering of x-rays and neutrons may also be used to determine the importance of medium range order around specific cations. All the existing data show that cations occur in sites with a well-defined geometry, which are in most cases connected to the silicate polymeric network. Medium range order has been detected around cations such as Ti, Ca and Ni, indicating that these elements have an heterogeneous distribution within the glassy matrix. (authors)

  16. Wear and chemistry of zirconium-silicate, aluminium-silicate and zirconium-aluminium-silicate glasses in alkaline medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rouse, C.G.; Lemos Guenaga, C.M. de

    1984-01-01

    A study of the chemical durability, in alkaline solutions, of zirconium silicate, aluminium silicate, zirconium/aluminium silicate glasses as a function of glass composition is carried out. The glasses were tested using standard DIN-52322 method, where the glass samples are prepared in small polished pieces and attacked for 3 hours in a 800 ml solution of 1N (NaOH + NA 2 CO 3 ) at 97 0 C. The results show that the presence of ZrO 2 in the glass composition increases its chemical durability to alkaline attack. Glasses of the aluminium/zirconium silicate series were melted with and without TiO 2 . It was shown experimentally that for this series of glasses, the presence of both TiO 2 and ZrO 2 gave better chemical durability results. However, the best overall results were obtained from the simpler zirconium silicate glasses, where it was possible to make glasses with higher values of ZrO 2 . (Author) [pt

  17. Matrix properties affect the sensory perception of emulsion-filled gels

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sala, G.; Wijk, de R.A.; Velde, van de F.; Aken, van G.A.

    2008-01-01

    The breakdown properties and sensory perception of emulsion-filled gels with different matrices were studied at varying emulsion concentrations. The gel matrices used were cold-set whey protein isolate (WPI), gelatin, ¿-carrageenan and a mixture of ¿-carrageenan and ¿-carrageenan. The oil-in-water

  18. Sol-gel processing of bioactive glass nanoparticles: A review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Kai; Boccaccini, Aldo R

    2017-11-01

    Silicate-based bioactive glass nanoparticles (BGN) are gaining increasing attention in various biomedical applications due to their unique properties. Controlled synthesis of BGN is critical to their effective use in biomedical applications since BGN characteristics, such as morphology and composition, determining the properties of BGN, are highly related to the synthesis process. In the last decade, numerous investigations focusing on BGN synthesis have been reported. BGN can mainly be produced through the conventional melt-quench approach or by sol-gel methods. The latter approaches are drawing widespread attention, considering the convenience and versatility they offer to tune the properties of BGN. In this paper, we review the strategies of sol-gel processing of BGN, including those adopting different catalysts for initiating the hydrolysis and condensation of silicate precursors as well as those combining sol-gel chemistry with other techniques. The processes and mechanism of different synthesis approaches are introduced and discussed in detail. Considering the importance of the BGN morphology and composition to their biomedical applications, strategies put forward to control the size, shape, pore structure and composition of BGN are discussed. BGN are particularly interesting biomaterials for bone-related applications, however, they also have potential for other biomedical applications, e.g. in soft tissue regeneration/repair. Therefore, in the last part of this review, recently reported applications of BGN in soft tissue repair and wound healing are presented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Wastewater reuse in liquid sodium silicate manufacturing in alexandria, egypt.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail, Gaber A; Abd El-Salam, Magda M; Arafa, Anwar K

    2009-01-01

    Soluble sodium silicates (waterglass) are liquids containing dissolved glass which have some water like properties. They are widely used in industry as sealants, binders, deflocculants, emulsifiers and buffers. Their most common applications in Egypt are in the pulp and paper industry (where they improve the brightness and efficiency of peroxide bleaching) and the detergent industry, in which they improve the action of the detergent and lower the viscosity of liquid soaps. The survey results showed that the production was carried out batch-wise, in an autoclave (dissolver). Sodium silicate in the state of crushed glass was charged in an autoclave (dissolver) with sodium hydroxide and water. The product is filtered through a press. The left over sludge (mud and silicates impurities) is emptied into the local sewer system. Also, sludge (silica gel) was discharged from the neutralization process of the generated alkaline wastewater and consequently clogging the sewerage system. So this study was carried out to modify the current wastewater management system which eliminates sludge formation, the discharge of higher pH wastewater to the sewer system, and to assess its environmental and economic benefits. To assess the characteristics of wastewater to be reused, physico-chemical parameters of 12 samples were tested using standard methods. The survey results showed that a total capacity of the selected enterprise was 540 tons of liquid sodium silicates monthly. The total amount of wastewater being discharged was 335 m3/month. Reusing of wastewater as feed autoclave water reduced water consumption of 32.1% and reduced wastewater discharge/month that constitutes 89.6% as well as saving in final product of 6 ton/month. It was concluded that reusing of wastewater generated from liquid sodium silicate manufacturing process resulted in cheaper and environmental-friendly product.

  20. High-performance polymer/layered silicate nanocomposites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heidecker, Matthew J.

    High-performance layered-silicate nanocomposites of Polycarbonate (PC), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and their blends were produced via conventional melt-blending techniques. The focus of this thesis was on the fundamentals of dispersion, control of thermal stability, maintenance of melt-blending processing conditions, and on optimization of the composites' mechanical properties via the design of controlled and thermodynamically favorable nano-filler dispersions within the polymer matrices. PET and PC require high temperatures for melt-processing, rendering impractical the use of conventional/commercial organically-modified layered-silicates, since the thermal degradation temperatures of their ammonium surfactants lies below the typical processing temperatures. Thus, different surfactant chemistries must be employed in order to develop melt-processable nanocomposites, also accounting for polymer matrix degradation due to water (PET) or amine compounds (PC). Novel high thermal-stability surfactants were developed and employed in montmorillonite nanocomposites of PET, PC, and PC/PET blends, and were compared to the respective nanocomposites based on conventional quaternary-ammonium modified montmorillonites. Favorable dispersion was achieved in all cases, however, the overall material behavior -- i.e., the combination of crystallization, mechanical properties, and thermal degradation -- was better for the nanocomposites based on the thermally-stable surfactant fillers. Studies were also done to trace, and ultimately limit, the matrix degradation of Polycarbonate/montmorillonite nanocomposites, through varying the montmorillonite surfactant chemistry, processing conditions, and processing additives. Molecular weight degradation was, maybe surprisingly, better controlled in the conventional quaternary ammonium based nanocomposites -- even though the thermal stability of the organically modified montmorillonites was in most cases the lowest. Dependence of the

  1. New Silica Magnetite Sorbent: The Influence of Variations of Sodium Silicate Concentrations on Silica Magnetite Character

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azmiyawati, C.; Pratiwi, P. I.; Darmawan, A.

    2018-04-01

    The adsorption capacity of an adsorbent is determined by the adsorbent and the adsorbate properties. The character of the adsorbent will play a major role in its ability to adsorb the corresponding adsorbate. Therefore, in this study we looked at the effects of variations of sodium silicate concentrations on the resulting magnetite silica adsorbent properties. The application of silica coating on the magnetite was carried out through a sol-gel process with sodium silicate and HCl precursors. Based on the characterization data obtained, it was found that the silica coating on magnetite can increase the resistance to acid leaching, increase the particle size, but decrease the magnetic properties of the magnetite. Based on Gas Sorption Analyzer (GSA) and X-ray Difraction (XRD) data it can successively be determined that increase in concentration of sodium silicate will increase the surface area and amorphous structure of the Silica Magnetie.

  2. Melting Behavior of Organic Nanocrystals Grown in Sol-gel Matrices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sanz, N.; Boudet, A.; Ibanez, A.

    2002-01-01

    We have characterized the thermal stability of organic nanocrystals grown in the pores of sol-gel matrices. The structure has been measured with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. Depending on the nature of organic molecules and sol-gel matrices, we have modified the dye-matrix interactions and the interfacial structure between nanocrystals and gel-glasses. When the dye-matrix interactions are weak (Van der Waals' bonds), the corresponding interfacial structure observed by TEM is sharp and the nanocrystals melt below the bulk melting point. On the other hand, when the dye-matrix interactions are strong (hydrogen bonds), the interfacial structure is fuzzy and a great superheating of organic nanocrystals is observed in comparison to the bulk melting point of the dye

  3. Laser ablation of silicate glasses doped with transuranic actinides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gibson, J.K.; Haire, R.G.

    1998-01-01

    Direct sampling laser ablation plasma mass spectrometry (DS-LAMS) was applied to silica glasses doped with 237 Np, 242 Pu or 241 Am using a unique instrument recently installed into a transuranic glovebox. The primary goal was to assess the utility of mass spectrometry of directly ablated ions for facile evaluation of actinide (An) constituents of silicate glass immobilization matrices used for encapsulation of radionuclides. The instrument and general procedures have been described elsewhere. Three high-purity silicate glasses prepared by a sol-gel process (SG) and one conventional high-temperature (HT; melting point ∼ 1,450 C) borosilicate glass were studied. These glasses comprised the following constituents, with compositions expressed in mass percentages: Np-HT ∼ 30% SiO 2 + 6% B 2 O 3 + 3% BaO + 13% Al 2 O 3 + 10% PbO + 30% La 2 O 3 + 8% 237 NpO 2 ; Np-SG ∼ 70% SiO 2 + 30% 237 NpO 2 ; Pu-SG ∼ 70% SiO 2 + 30% 242 PuO 2 ; Am-SG ∼ 85% SiO 2 + 15% 241 AmO 2

  4. I-Xe dating of silicate and troilite from IAB iron meteorites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niemeyer, S.

    1978-01-01

    The IAB iron meteorites may be related to the chondrites; siderophile elements in the metal matrix have chondritic abundances, and the abundant silicate inclusions are chondritic both in mineralogy and in chemical composition. Silicate and troilite (FeS) and IAB irons were analyzed by the I-Xe technique. Four IAB silicate samples gave well-defined I-Xe ages [in millions of years relative to Bjurboele; the monitor error (+-2.5 m.y.) is not included]: -3.7 +- 0.3 for Woodbine, -0.7 +- 0.6 for Mundrabilla, +1.4 +- 0.7 for Copiapo, and +2.6 +- 0.6 for Landes. The ( 129 Xe/ 132 Xe)/sub trapped/ ratios are consistent with previous values for chondrites, with the exception of Landes which has an extraordinary trapped ratio of 3.5 +- 0.2. Both analyses of silicate from Pitts gave anomalous I-Xe patterns: intermediate-temperature points defined good correlations but higher-temperature (greater than or equal to 1400 0 C) points lay above (extra 129 Xe) these lines. The two correlations have different slopes, so it cannot be assigned a definite I-Xe age to Pitts silicate. Troilite samples from Mundrabilla and Pitts were also analyzed: Pitts troilite gave a complex I-Xe pattern, which suggests an age of +17 m.y.; Mundrabilla troilite defined a good I-Xe correlation, which after correction for neutron capture on 128 Te an age of -10.8 +- 0.7 m.y. Thus, surprisingly, low-melting troilite substantially predates high-melting silicate in Mundrabilla. Abundances of Ga, Ge, and Ni in metal from these meteorites are correlated with I-Xe ages of the silicate (referred to henceforth as the metal-silicate correlation). After exploring possible relationships between the I-Xe ages and other properties of the IAB group, it was concluded that the metal-silicate correlation, the old Mundrabilla troilite, and other results favor a nebular formation model (e.g. Wasson, 1970a)

  5. Single-ion conducting polymer-silicate nanocomposite electrolytes for lithium battery applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurian, Mary; Galvin, Mary E.; Trapa, Patrick E.; Sadoway, Donald R.; Mayes, Anne M.

    2005-01-01

    Solid-state polymer-silicate nanocomposite electrolytes based on an amorphous polymer poly[(oxyethylene) 8 methacrylate], POEM, and lithium montmorillonite clay were fabricated and characterized to investigate the feasibility of their use as 'salt-free' electrolytes in lithium polymer batteries. X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy studies indicate the formation of an intercalated morphology in the nanocomposites due to favorable interactions between the polymer matrix and the clay. The morphology of the nanocomposite is intricately linked to the amount of silicate in the system. At low clay contents, dynamic rheological testing verifies that silicate incorporation enhances the mechanical properties of POEM, while impedance spectroscopy shows an improvement in electrical properties. With clay content ≥15 wt.%, mechanical properties are further improved but the formation of an apparent superlattice structure correlates with a loss in the electrical properties of the nanocomposite. The use of suitably modified clays in nanocomposites with high clay contents eliminates this superstructure formation, yielding materials with enhanced performance

  6. Drug Release Profile from Calcium-Induced Alginate-Phosphate Composite Gel Beads

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshifumi Murata

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Calcium-induced alginate-phosphate composite gel beads were prepared, and model drug release profiles were investigated in vitro. The formation of calcium phosphate in the alginate gel matrix was observed and did not affect the rheological properties of the hydrogel beads. X-ray diffraction patterns showed that the calcium phosphate does not exist in crystalline form in the matrix. The initial release amount and release rate of a water-soluble drug, diclofenac, from the alginate gel beads could be controlled by modifying the composition of the matrix with calcium phosphate. In contrast, the release profile was not affected by the modification for hydrocortisone, a drug only slightly soluble in water.

  7. Effect of moisture and chitosan layered silicate on morphology and properties of chitosan/layered silicates films; Efeito do teor de quitosana e do silicato em camadas na morfologia e propriedades dos filmes quitosana/silicatos em camadas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, J.R.M.B. da; Santos, B.F.F. dos; Leite, I.F., E-mail: itamaraf@gmail.com [Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPB), PB (Brazil). Centro de Tecnologia. Departamento de Engenharia de Materiais

    2014-07-01

    Thin chitosan films have been for some time an object of practical assessments. However, to obtain biopolymers capable of competing with common polymers a significant improvement in their properties is required. Currently, the technology of obtaining polymer/layered silicates nanocomposites has proven to be a good alternative. This work aims to evaluate the effect of chitosan content (CS) and layered silicates (AN) on the morphology and properties of chitosan/ layered silicate films. CS/AN bionanocomposites were prepared by the intercalation by solution in the proportion 1:1 and 5:1. Then were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), diffraction (XRD) and X-ray thermogravimetry (TG). It is expected from the acquisition of films, based on different levels of chitosan and layered silicates, choose the best composition to serve as a matrix for packaging drugs and thus be used for future research. (author)

  8. The effect of sodium chloride on the dissolution of calcium silicate hydrate gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hill, J.; Harris, A.W.; Manning, M.; Chambers, A.; Swanton, S.W.

    2006-01-01

    The use of cement based materials will be widespread in the long-term management of radioactive materials in the United Kingdom. One of the applications could be the Nirex reference vault backfill (NRVB) as an engineered barrier within a deep geological repository. NRVB confers alkaline conditions, which would provide a robust chemical barrier through the control of the solubility of some key radionuclides, enhanced sorption and minimised corrosion of steel containers. An understanding of the dissolution of C-S-H gels in cement under the appropriate conditions (e.g., saline groundwaters) is necessary to demonstrate the expected evolution of the chemistry over time and to provide sufficient cement to buffer the porewater conditions for the required time. A programme of experimental work has been undertaken to investigate C-S-H gel dissolution behaviour in sodium chloride solutions and the effect of calcium/silicon ratio (C/S), temperature and cation type on this behaviour. Reductions in calcium concentration and pH values were observed with samples equilibrated at 45 deg. C compared to those prepared at 25 deg. C. The effect of salt cation type on salt-concentration dependence of the dissolution of C-S-H gels was investigated by the addition of lithium or potassium chloride in place of sodium chloride for gels with a C/S of 1.0 and 1.8. With a C/S of 1.0, similar increases in dissolved calcium concentration with increasing ionic strength were recorded for the different salts. However, at a C/S of 1.8, anomalously high calcium concentrations were observed in the presence of lithium

  9. A comparative study of strontium and titanium doped mullite in PVDF matrix and their phase behavior, microstructure and electrical properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paul, Biplab Kumar; Roy, Debasis; Batabyal, Sreejita [Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Bhattacharya, Alakananda [West Bengal State University, Kolkata (India); Nandy, Papiya [Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Das, Sukhen, E-mail: sdasphysics@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700 032 (India); Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur (India)

    2017-02-01

    We have discussed the dielectric behavior, phase behavior, microstructure and electrical properties of strontium and titanium induced aluminno-silicate ceramic composite system doped in PVDF (Polyvinyliden fluoride) matrix, with different molar concentration of titanium and strontium salts prepared via sol-gel route. The frequency dispersions of permittivity, conductivity and dissipation factor were investigated in detail. This paper demonstrates that the loading of a conductive component into a highly insulating matrix is an effective way to fabricate composites with simultaneously high permittivity. The incorporation of these metal doped mullite composites on PVDF can be used as dielectric material for the fabrication of high charge storing multilayer capacitors and also a promising candidate for electronic industries. - Highlights: • We have synthesized mullite composites with high dielectric constants. • High charge storing multilayer capacitors require a material with high dielectric constant. • The material developed will be perfect for the applications of embedded capacitors. • The material we have synthesized is a promising candidate for electronic industries.

  10. Formation of magnesium silicate hydrate (M-S-H) cement pastes using sodium hexametaphosphate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Tingting [Faculty of Infrastructure Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China); Department of Materials, Centre for Advanced Structural Ceramics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Vandeperre, Luc J. [Department of Materials, Centre for Advanced Structural Ceramics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Cheeseman, Christopher R., E-mail: c.cheeseman@imperial.ac.uk [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

    2014-11-15

    Magnesium silicate hydrate (M-S-H) gel is formed by the reaction of brucite with amorphous silica during sulphate attack in concrete and M-S-H is therefore regarded as having limited cementing properties. The aim of this work was to form M-S-H pastes, characterise the hydration reactions and assess the resulting properties. It is shown that M-S-H pastes can be prepared by reacting magnesium oxide (MgO) and silica fume (SF) at low water to solid ratio using sodium hexametaphosphate (NaHMP) as a dispersant. Characterisation of the hydration reactions by x-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis shows that brucite and M-S-H gel are formed and that for samples containing 60 wt.% SF and 40 wt.% MgO all of the brucites react with SF to form M-S-H gel. These M-S-H cement pastes were found to have compressive strengths in excess of 70 MPa.

  11. Biological Assessment of a Calcium Silicate Incorporated Hydroxyapatite-Gelatin Nanocomposite: A Comparison to Decellularized Bone Matrix

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong Joon Lee

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Our laboratory utilized biomimicry to develop a synthetic bone scaffold based on hydroxyapatite-gelatin-calcium silicate (HGCS. Here, we evaluated the potential of HGCS scaffold in bone formation in vivo using the rat calvarial critical-sized defect (CSD. Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to four groups: control (defect only, decellularized bone matrix (DECBM, and HGCS with and without multipotent adult progenitor cells (MAPCs. DECBM was prepared by removing all the cells using SDS and NH4OH. After 12 weeks, the CSD specimens were harvested to evaluate radiographical, histological, and histomorphometrical outcomes. The in vitro osteogenic effects of the materials were studied by focal adhesion, MTS, and alizarin red. Micro-CT analysis indicated that the DECBM and the HGCS scaffold groups developed greater radiopaque areas than the other groups. Bone regeneration, assessed using histological analysis and fluorochrome labeling, was the highest in the HGCS scaffold seeded with MAPCs. The DECBM group showed limited osteoinductivity, causing a gap between the implant and host tissue. The group grafted with HGCS+MAPCs resulting in twice as much new bone formation seems to indicate a role for effective bone regeneration. In conclusion, the novel HGCS scaffold could improve bone regeneration and is a promising carrier for stem cell-mediated bone regeneration.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    1988-01-01

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

  13. Silica scintillating materials prepared by sol-gel methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Werst, D.W.; Sauer, M.C. Jr.; Cromack, K.R.; Lin, Y.; Tartakovsky, E.A.; Trifunac, A.D.

    1993-01-01

    Silica was investigated as a rad-hard alternative to organic polymer hosts for organic scintillators. Silica sol-gels were prepared by hydrolysis of tetramethoxysilane in alcohol solutions. organic dyes were incorporated into the gels by dissolving in methanol at the sol stage of gel formation. The silica sol-gel matrix is very rad-hard. The radiation stability of silica scintillators prepared by this method is dye-limited. Transient radioluminescence was measured following excitation with 30 ps pulses of 20 MeV electrons

  14. Biocatalysis with Sol-Gel Encapsulated Acid Phosphatase

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2010-01-01

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

  15. Sol-gel approach to the novel organic-inorganic hybrid composite films with ternary europium complex covalently bonded with silica matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong Dewen; Yang Yongsheng; Jiang Bingzheng

    2006-01-01

    Novel organic-inorganic hybrid composite films with ternary lanthanide complex covalently bonded with silica matrix were prepared in situ via co-ordination of N-(3-propyltriethoxysilane)-4-carboxyphthalimide (TAT) and 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen) with europium ion (Eu 3+ ) during a sol-gel approach and characterized by the means of spectrofluorimeter, phosphorimeter and infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). The resulting transparent films showed improved photophysical properties, i.e. increased luminescence intensity and longer luminescence lifetime, compared with the corresponding binary composite films without Phen. All the results revealed that the intense luminescence of the composite film was attributed to the efficient energy transfer from ligands, especially Phen, to chelated Eu 3+ and the reduced non-radiation through the rigid silica matrix and 'site isolation'

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2016-01-01

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

  17. An intelligent biopolymer gel with pendant L-proline methyl ester

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, Masaru; Safranj, A.; Omichi, Hideki; Katakai, Ryoichi.

    1995-01-01

    Linear poly(acryloyl-L-proline methyl ester, A-ProOMe), obtained by radiation-induced polymerization of its monomer in ethanol, exhibits a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at 14degC. A-ProOMe was copolymerized with a minor amount of 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate (HPMA) or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), to obtain intelligent biopolymer gels for application in drug delivery systems. The poly(A-ProOMe/HPMA) gel was characterized by an initial rapid shrinkage at the surface in the swollen state, as resulting in formation of a rigid membrane barrier devoid of micropores. This gel is called a surface regulated matrix. In the case of poly(A-ProOMe/HEMA), no such a barrier formed, instead, the whole matrix shrunk without the disappearance of micropores. This gel is called a matrix pumping gel. Testosterone (T) was incorporated into the poly(A-ProOMe/HPMA) gel, and it was found that the daily dose of T released in vivo from this formulation remained constant at approximately 30 μg/day throughout an experimental period of 54 weeks. On the other hand, 9-β-D-arabinofuranosyladenine (Ara-A) was incorporated into the poly(A-ProOMe/HEMA) gel to evaluate the pulsatile drug release when cycled at 10 and 37degC. The in vitro release rate of Ara-A was found to be 11 ng/h at 10degC and 33 ng/h at 37degC. (author)

  18. Study of absorption, emission and EDS properties of Pr3+ incorporated in a SiO2 matrix by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gómez-Miranda, M; Fonseca, R Sosa; Ordoñez, C Velásquez

    2015-01-01

    The optical response of the Pr 3+ ions doped monolith of SiO 2 prepared by sol-gel method was investigated by absorption and emission spectra. The absorption spectrum shows some typical lines of Pr 3+ , with these data was made the diagram levels corresponding to SiO 2 : Pr 3+ . The emission spectra were taken at 225 nm and 240 nm of wavelength of excitation was measured. In that there are reabsorption line at 423 of the Pr 3+ ions in the emission host, that means that some kind of host-ion interactions exist. Red and NIR emission at 612 nm, 652 nm, 711 and 728 nm, respectively, from Pr 3+ ions in SiO 2 was observed. The transition 1 S 0 → 3 P 2 at 425 nm is observed because an effective radiative transfer between the silicate glasses host and the praseodymium ions is observed and discussed

  19. Lettuce production in greenhouse under fertirrgation with nitrogen and potassium silicate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renan Soares de Souza

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and potassium silicate on the productive and commercial aspects of curly lettuce, Vera cultivar. The experimental design was completely randomized (CRD, with ten treatments and three replications. The treatments, arranged in a factorial design according to the Plan Puebla III matrix (Turrent & Laird, 1975, consisted of the combination of five doses of nitrogen (9; 54; 90; 126 and 171 kg ha-1 and five doses of potassium silicate (1.15; 6.90; 11.50; 16.10 and 21.85 kg ha-1. A control treatment without application of nitrogen and potassium silicate was also inserted. The crop was grown in a greenhouse and the doses were applied as sidedressing using drip micro-irrigation system. Total fresh matter, commercial fresh matter, non-commercial fresh matter, number of leaves and commercial trade index were evaluated. The commercial fresh matter and the number of commercial leaves per plant were affected only by nitrogen fertigation and increased linearly with the increase in the nitrogen dose of N, with the best responses observed at the highest dose of this element (171 kg ha-1. Potassium silicate had effect only in non-commercial fresh matter, not influencing the other characteristics.

  20. Preparasi Katalis Cu/Silika Gel dari Kristobalit Alam Sabang serta Uji Aktivitasnya pada Reaksi Dehidrogenasi Etanol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Surya Lubis

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Cu/Silica gel catalyst preparation by using silica content which is obtained from Sabang natural crystobalit has been done. Isolated silica from crystobalit is reacted with natrium hidroxide to produce silicate natrium that reacted further with sulphate acid to produce silica gel. Silica gel is characterized by infra red spektroscopy dan BET test. BET test result showed that silica gel obtained has specific surface area 260,04 m2/gram and ion Cu  impregnation into silica gel pores produce Cu/silica gel catalyst with spesific surace area 158,53 m/gram ith Cu2+ metal content = 193 ppm. Catalyst activation test Cu/silica gel at dehidrogenation reaction of etanol to produce asetaldehide was done at temperature 100oC – 300oC. Reseach showed that the highest asetaldehide consentration (20,24% is obtained at temperature 300oC.   Keywords: asetaldehide, crystobalit, Cu/silica gel, dehidrogenation, ethanol

  1. Waveguide fabrication in UV-photocurable sol-gel materials: Influence of the photoinitiating system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Versace, D.L.; Oubaha, M.; Copperwhite, R.; Croutxe-Barghorn, C.; MacCraith, B.D.

    2008-01-01

    In this paper we identify and explain the different chemical interactions involved between a sol-gel matrix and photoinitiators used in the fabrication of optical waveguides. A well-established sol-gel matrix composed of 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, zirconium n-propoxide and methacrylic acid was developed, and two different photoinitiators (Irgacure (registered) 819 and 1800) were added to the host matrix. Optical microscopy was used to characterise the structure of the waveguides as a function of the photoinitiator nature and concentration, and aging of the hybrid sol-gel material. It is clearly demonstrated that the width of the waveguides is strongly influenced by the sol aging. Furthermore, it is shown that degradation of photoinitiators occurs during the sol-gel process. Oxidation of the phosphonyl groups by the zirconium complex accounts for this results

  2. Sol-gel technology for biomedical engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Podbielska, H.; Ulatowska-Jarza, A.

    2005-01-01

    Sol-gel derived silica possess many promising features, including low-temperature preparation procedure, porosity, chemical and physical stability. Applications exploiting porous materials to encapsulate sensor molecules, enzymes and many other compounds, are developing rapidly. In this paper some potential applications, with emphasis on biomedical and environmental ones, are reviewed. The material preparation procedure is described and practical remarks on silica-based sol-gels are included. It is reported that sol-gels with entrapped various molecules may be used in construction of implants and coatings with bioactive properties. It is shown how to exploit the sol-gel production route for construction of sol-gel coated fiberoptic applicators for laser therapy. The applications of bioactive materials are discussed, as well. It is demonstrated that it is possible to immobilize photosensitive compounds in sol-gel matrix without loosing their photoactivity. Some examples of sol-gel based biosensors are demonstrated, as well, showing their potential for detecting various gases, toxic substances, acidity, humidity, enzymes and biologically active agents. (authors)

  3. Discrete element modeling of calcium-silicate-hydrate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chandler, Mei Qiang; Peters, John F; Pelessone, Daniele

    2013-01-01

    The discrete element method (DEM) was used to model calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) at the nanoscale. The C-S-H nanoparticles were modeled as spherical particles with diameters of approximately 5 nm. Interparticle forces included traditional mechanical contact forces, van der Waals forces and ionic correlation forces due to negatively charged C-S-H nanoparticles and ion species in the nanopores. Previous work by the authors demonstrated the DEM method was feasible in studying the properties of the C-S-H nanostructures. In this work, the simulations were performed to look into the effects of nanoparticle packing, nanoparticle morphology, interparticle forces and nanoparticle properties on the deformation mechanisms and mechanical properties of the C-S-H matrix. This work will provide insights into possible ways to improve the properties of the C-S-H matrix. (paper)

  4. Spectroscopic studies of Cu ions in sol–gel derived silica matrix

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Unknown

    Abstract. The Cu2+ ion doped silica gel matrices in monolithic shape were prepared by hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). The absorption, transmittance and fluorescence spectra of the gel matrices heat treated at different temperatures were monitored. The loss of water and hydroxyl group from.

  5. Mechanical Properties and Durability of Advanced Environmental Barrier Coatings in Calcium-Magnesium-Alumino-Silicate Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miladinovich, Daniel S.; Zhu, Dongming

    2011-01-01

    Environmental barrier coatings are being developed and tested for use with SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC) gas turbine engine components. Several oxide and silicate based compositons are being studied for use as top-coat and intermediate layers in a three or more layer environmental barrier coating system. Specifically, the room temperature Vickers-indentation-fracture-toughness testing and high-temperature stability reaction studies with Calcium Magnesium Alumino-Silicate (CMAS or "sand") are being conducted using advanced testing techniques such as high pressure burner rig tests as well as high heat flux laser tests.

  6. Hard X-ray irradiation of cosmic silicate analogs: structural evolution and astrophysical implications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavilan, L.; Jäger, C.; Simionovici, A.; Lemaire, J. L.; Sabri, T.; Foy, E.; Yagoubi, S.; Henning, T.; Salomon, D.; Martinez-Criado, G.

    2016-03-01

    Context. Protoplanetary disks, interstellar clouds, and active galactic nuclei contain X-ray-dominated regions. X-rays interact with the dust and gas present in such environments. While a few laboratory X-ray irradiation experiments have been performed on ices, X-ray irradiation experiments on bare cosmic dust analogs have been scarce up to now. Aims: Our goal is to study the effects of hard X-rays on cosmic dust analogs via in situ X-ray diffraction. By using a hard X-ray synchrotron nanobeam, we seek to simulate cumulative X-ray exposure on dust grains during their lifetime in these astrophysical environments and provide an upper limit on the effect of hard X-rays on dust grain structure. Methods: We prepared enstatite (MgSiO3) nanograins, which are analogs to cosmic silicates, via the melting-quenching technique. These amorphous grains were then annealed to obtain polycrystalline grains. These were characterized via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) before irradiation. Powder samples were prepared in X-ray transparent substrates and were irradiated with hard X-rays nanobeams (29.4 keV) provided by beamline ID16B of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (Grenoble). X-ray diffraction images were recorded in transmission mode, and the ensuing diffractograms were analyzed as a function of the total X-ray exposure time. Results: We detected the amorphization of polycrystalline silicates embedded in an organic matrix after an accumulated X-ray exposure of 6.4 × 1027 eV cm-2. Pure crystalline silicate grains (without resin) do not exhibit amorphization. None of the amorphous silicate samples (pure and embedded in resin) underwent crystallization. We analyze the evolution of the polycrystalline sample embedded in an organic matrix as a function of X-ray exposure. Conclusions: Loss of diffraction peak intensity, peak broadening, and the disappearance of discrete spots and arcs reveal the amorphization

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

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

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

  8. Bioactive Glass-Ceramic Scaffolds from Novel ‘Inorganic Gel Casting’ and Sinter-Crystallization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elsayed, Hamada; Rincón Romero, Acacio; Ferroni, Letizia; Gardin, Chiara; Zavan, Barbara; Bernardo, Enrico

    2017-01-01

    Highly porous wollastonite-diopside glass-ceramics have been successfully obtained by a new gel-casting technique. The gelation of an aqueous slurry of glass powders was not achieved according to the polymerization of an organic monomer, but as the result of alkali activation. The alkali activation of a Ca-Mg silicate glass (with a composition close to 50 mol % wollastonite—50 mol % diopside, with minor amounts of Na2O and P2O5) allowed for the obtainment of well-dispersed concentrated suspensions, undergoing progressive hardening by curing at low temperature (40 °C), owing to the formation of a C–S–H (calcium silicate hydrate) gel. An extensive direct foaming was achieved by vigorous mechanical stirring of partially gelified suspensions, comprising also a surfactant. The open-celled structure resulting from mechanical foaming could be ‘frozen’ by the subsequent sintering treatment, at 900–1000 °C, causing substantial crystallization. A total porosity exceeding 80%, comprising both well-interconnected macro-pores and micro-pores on cell walls, was accompanied by an excellent compressive strength, even above 5 MPa. PMID:28772531

  9. Inelastic behaviour of collagen networks in cell–matrix interactions and mechanosensation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohammadi, Hamid; Arora, Pamma D.; Simmons, Craig A.; Janmey, Paul A.; McCulloch, Christopher A.

    2015-01-01

    The mechanical properties of extracellular matrix proteins strongly influence cell-induced tension in the matrix, which in turn influences cell function. Despite progress on the impact of elastic behaviour of matrix proteins on cell–matrix interactions, little is known about the influence of inelastic behaviour, especially at the large and slow deformations that characterize cell-induced matrix remodelling. We found that collagen matrices exhibit deformation rate-dependent behaviour, which leads to a transition from pronounced elastic behaviour at fast deformations to substantially inelastic behaviour at slow deformations (1 μm min−1, similar to cell-mediated deformation). With slow deformations, the inelastic behaviour of floating gels was sensitive to collagen concentration, whereas attached gels exhibited similar inelastic behaviour independent of collagen concentration. The presence of an underlying rigid support had a similar effect on cell–matrix interactions: cell-induced deformation and remodelling were similar on 1 or 3 mg ml−1 attached collagen gels while deformations were two- to fourfold smaller in floating gels of high compared with low collagen concentration. In cross-linked collagen matrices, which did not exhibit inelastic behaviour, cells did not respond to the presence of the underlying rigid foundation. These data indicate that at the slow rates of collagen compaction generated by fibroblasts, the inelastic responses of collagen gels, which are influenced by collagen concentration and the presence of an underlying rigid foundation, are important determinants of cell–matrix interactions and mechanosensation. PMID:25392399

  10. Characterization and Biocompatibility of Chitosan Gels with Silver and Gold Nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Sámano-Valencia

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The presence of bacterial resistance to antibiotics is a very important issue and the search of new alternatives is necessary. In this work, a combination of chitosan gel with silver or gold nanoparticles was prepared and characterized using thermal, rheology, bactericide, and biocompatibility analyses. ESEM images were also taken to visualize the incorporation of the nanoparticles into the gel matrix. Thermal analysis showed a better thermal stability in the chitosan-gold nanoparticles gels compared to the chitosan-silver nanoparticles gels. Rheology analyses showed that the viscosity of the gels decreased when velocity increased and there were differences in viscosity when silver and gold nanoparticles concentrations change. ESEM images showed the presence of agglomerates of silver and gold nanoparticles into the gel matrix with a good distribution; in some cases the formation of microstructures was found. Bactericide results show that these materials present an antibacterial activity against S. aureus, S. mutans, and E. coli. The biocompatibility test showed neither negative reaction nor wound healing delay after the application of the gels in an in vivo test. The gels with silver and gold nanoparticles could be used to treat wound infections in oral or skin applications.

  11. Final report on the safety assessment of potassium silicate, sodium metasilicate, and sodium silicate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elmore, Amy R

    2005-01-01

    Potassium Silicate, Sodium Metasilicate, and Sodium Silicate combine metal cations with silica to form inorganic salts used as corrosion inhibitors in cosmetics. Sodium Metasilicate also functions as a chelating agent and Sodium Silicate as a buffering and pH adjuster. Sodium Metasilicate is currently used in 168 formulations at concentrations ranging from 13% to 18%. Sodium Silicate is currently used in 24 formulations at concentrations ranging from 0.3% to 55%. Potassium Silicate and Sodium Silicate have been reported as being used in industrial cleaners and detergents. Sodium Metasilicate is a GRAS (generally regarded as safe) food ingredient. Aqueous solutions of Sodium Silicate species are a part of a chemical continuum of silicates based on an equilibrium of alkali, water, and silica. pH determines the solubility of silica and, together with concentration, determines the degree of polymerization. Sodium Silicate administered orally is readily absorbed from the alimentary canal and excreted in the urine. The toxicity of these silicates has been related to the molar ratio of SiO2/Na2O and the concentration being used. The Sodium Metasilicate acute oral LD50 ranged from 847 mg/kg in male rats to 1349.3 mg/kg in female rats and from 770 mg/kg in female mice to 820 mg/kg in male mice. Gross lesions of variable severity were found in the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, larynx, lungs, and kidneys of dogs receiving 0.25 g/kg or more of a commercial detergent containing Sodium Metasilicate; similar lesions were also seen in pigs administered the same detergent and dose. Male rats orally administered 464 mg/kg of a 20% solution containing either 2.0 or 2.4 to 1.0 ratio of sodium oxide showed no signs of toxicity, whereas doses of 1000 and 2150 mg/kg produced gasping, dypsnea, and acute depression. Dogs fed 2.4 g/kg/day of Sodium Silicate for 4 weeks had gross renal lesions but no impairment of renal function. Dermal irritation of Potassium Silicate, Sodium

  12. Sol-gel synthesis and characterization of single-phase Ni ferrite nanoparticles dispersed in SiO2 matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nadeem, K.; Traussnig, T.; Letofsky-Papst, I.; Krenn, H.; Brossmann, U.; Wuerschum, R.

    2010-01-01

    Nanoparticles of NiFe 2 O 4 dispersed in SiO 2 (25 wt%) matrix were synthesized by sol-gel method using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), as a precursor for SiO 2 . The sol-gel method for nanocomposites normally provides multi-phase nanoparticles. We investigated by a synopsis of different analysis methods, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and SQUID-magnetometry, how the various chemical phases are transformed to a single-phase spinel structure during the various stages of annealing from 300 to 900 o C. We have developed a full phase diagram of chemical phases as a function of annealing temperature. The average particle size lies in the range 16-27 nm. The chemical phases formed below 900 o C are NiFe, NiO, γ-Fe 2 O 3 , α-Fe 2 O 3 , and NiFe 2 O 4 , respectively. The role of the TEOS prepared SiO 2 matrix is to restrict the particle size in a small range in order to rule out particle size effects. In the mid-infrared, a shift of the vibrational Fe-O bond is observed from 568 to 586 cm -1 for annealing between 500 and 700 o C which indicates an increasing NiFe 2 O 4 phase formation. A systematic study of coercivity field (ranging from 32 to 200 Oe) and saturation magnetic moment (ranging from 12.2 to 32.1 emu/g) for differently annealed samples supports our findings about the evolution of single-phase NiFe 2 O 4 at 900 o C. The opposite trend of saturation magnetic moment and coercivity with respect to annealing temperature clearly separates the different phases of metallic, antiferromagnetic, and finally single-phase spinel NiFe 2 O 4 .

  13. XANES analysis of calcium and sodium phosphates and silicates and hydroxyapatite-Bioglass (registered) 45S5 co-sintered bioceramics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Demirkiran, Hande; Hu Yongfeng; Zuin, Lucia; Appathurai, Narayana; Aswath, Pranesh B.

    2011-01-01

    Bioglass (registered) 45S5 was co-sintered with hydroxyapatite at 1200 deg. C. When small amounts ( 5 (PO 4 ) 2 SiO 4 and Na 3 Ca 6 (PO 4 ) 5 in an amorphous silicate matrix respectively. These chemistries show improved bioactivity compared to hydroxyapatite and are the subject of this study. The structure of several crystalline calcium and sodium phosphates and silicates as well as the co-sintered hydroxyapatite-Bioglass (registered) 45S5 bioceramics were examined using XANES spectroscopy. The nature of the crystalline and amorphous phases were studied using silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P) K- and L 2,3 -edge and calcium (Ca) K-edge XANES. Si L 2,3 -edge spectra of sintered bioceramic compositions indicates that the primary silicates present in these compositions are sodium silicates in the amorphous state. From Si K-edge spectra, it is shown that the silicates are in a similar structural environment in all the sintered bioceramic compositions with 4-fold coordination. Using P L 2,3 -edge it is clearly shown that there is no evidence of sodium phosphate present in the sintered bioceramic compositions. In the P K-edge spectra, the post-edge shoulder peak at around 2155 eV indicates that this shoulder to be more defined for calcium phosphate compounds with decreasing solubility and increasing thermodynamic stability. This shoulder peak is more noticeable in hydroxyapatite and β-TCP indicating greater stability of the phosphate phase. The only spectra that does not show a noticeable peak is the composition with Na 3 Ca 6 (PO 4 ) 5 in a silicate matrix indicating that it is more soluble compared to the other compositions.

  14. Bioactivity and mineralization of hydroxyapatite with bioglass as sintering aid and bioceramics with Na{sub 3}Ca{sub 6}(PO{sub 4}){sub 5} and Ca{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}SiO{sub 4} in a silicate matrix

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Demirkiran, Hande [Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019 (United States); Mohandas, Arunesh; Dohi, Motokazi; Fuentes, Alonso; Nguyen, Kytai [Bioengineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019 (United States); Aswath, Pranesh, E-mail: aswath@uta.edu [Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019 (United States)

    2010-01-30

    Hydroxyapatite and Bioglass-45S5 were sintered together creating new ceramic compositions that yielded increased apatite deposition and osteoblast differentiation and proliferation in vitro compared to hydroxyapatite. The sintered products characterized by X-ray diffraction, revealed hydroxyapatite as the main phase when small quantities (1, 2.5 and 5 wt.%) of bioglass was added. Bioglass behaved as a sintering aid with {beta}-TCP (Ca{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}) being the minor phase. The amount of {beta}-TCP increased with the amount of bioglass added. In compositions with larger additions of bioglass (10 and 25 wt.%), new phases with compositions of calcium phosphate silicate (Ca{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}SiO{sub 4}) and sodium calcium phosphate (Na{sub 3}Ca{sub 6}(PO{sub 4}){sub 5}) were formed respectively within amorphous silicate matrices. In vitro cell culture studies of the ceramic compositions were examined using bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC). Cell proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells into osteoblasts were determined by Pico Green DNA assays and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, respectively. All hydroxyapatite-bioglass co-sintered ceramics exhibited larger cell proliferation compared to pure hydroxyapatite samples. After 6 days in cell culture, the ceramic with Ca{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}SiO{sub 4} in a silicate matrix formed by reacting hydroxyapatite with 10 wt.% bioglass exhibited the maximum proliferation of the BMSC's. The ALP activity was found to be largest in the ceramic with Na{sub 3}Ca{sub 6}(PO{sub 4}){sub 5} embedded in a silicate matrix synthesized by reacting hydroxyapatite with 25 wt.% bioglass.

  15. 21 CFR 573.260 - Calcium silicate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Calcium silicate. 573.260 Section 573.260 Food and... Listing § 573.260 Calcium silicate. Calcium silicate, including synthetic calcium silicate, may be safely used as an anticaking agent in animal feed, provided that the amount of calcium silicate does not...

  16. The influence of p H and UV visible absorption on hydrolysis stage and gel behavior of glasses synthesized by sol-gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khosravi Saghezchi, M.; Sarpoolaky, H.; Heshmatpour, F.

    2008-01-01

    Lead-containing glass borosilicate was synthesized by Sol-gel technique using metal alkoxide such as tetra ethyleorthosilicate, Al-sec-butoxide and trimethyl borate. The sol containing tetra ethyle ortho silicate converts to gel during drop wise addition of Al-alkoxide while inorganic lead salt was added in the last stage of gelation to prepare the alcogels. The specimens were dried at room temperature to set then heated at 600 d eg C quickly to avoid crystallization preparing a glass containing 63 weight percent lead oxide. The influence of p H on absorption behavior of the sols studied by UV visible technique so the characteristic of the gel, alcogel and xerogel were studied in the different acidic concentrations. The UV spectrums show that the higher the acidity of the hydrolysis stages, the higher the absorbance. The results showed the sample with 63 weight percent lead was found fully amorphous. Microstructure and phase analysis of the glass powders were investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis

  17. Sol-Gel Precursors for Ceramics from Minerals Simulating Soils from the Moon and Mars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sibille, Laurent; Gavira-Gallardo, Jose-Antonio; Hourlier-Bahloul, Djamila

    2003-01-01

    Recent NASA mission plans for the human exploration of our Solar System has set new priorities for research and development of technologies necessary to enable a long-term human presence on the Moon and Mars. The recovery and processing of metals and oxides from mineral sources on other planets is under study to enable use of ceramics, glasses and metals by explorer outposts. We report some preliminary results on the production of sol-gel precursors for ceramic products using mineral resources available in Martian or Lunar soil. The presence of SiO2, TiO2, and A12O3 in both Martian (44 wt.% SiO2, 1 wt.% TiO2, 7 wt.% Al2O3) and Lunar (48 wt.% SiO2, 1.5 wt.% TiO2, 16 wt.% Al2O3) soils and the recent developments in chemical processes to solubilize silicates using organic reagents and relatively little energy indicate that such an endeavor is possible. In order to eliminate the risks involved in the use of hydrofluoric acid to dissolve silicates, two distinct chemical routes are investigated to obtain soluble silicon oxide precursors from Lunar and Martian simulant soils. Clear sol-gel precursors have been obtained by dissolution of silica from Lunar simulant soil in basic ethylene glycol (C2H4(OH)2) solutions to form silicon glycolates. Thermogravimetric Analysis and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy were used to characterize the elemental composition and structure of the precursor molecules. Further concentration and hydrolysis of the products was performed to obtain gel materials for evaluation as ceramic precursors. In the second set of experiments, we used the same starting materials to synthesize silicate esters in acidified alcohol mixtures. Preliminary results indicate the presence of silicon alkoxides in the product of distillation.

  18. Ceramic fiber-reinforced monoclinic celsian phase glass-ceramic matrix composite material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bansal, Narottam P. (Inventor); Dicarlo, James A. (Inventor)

    1994-01-01

    A hyridopolysilazane-derived ceramic fiber reinforced monoclinic celsian phase barium aluminum silicate glass-ceramic matrix composite material is prepared by ball-milling an aqueous slurry of BAS glass powder and fine monoclinic celsian seeds. The fibers improve the mechanical strength and fracture toughness and with the matrix provide superior dielectric properties.

  19. Effects of transforming growth factor-beta1 on cell motility, collagen gel contraction, myofibroblastic differentiation, and extracellular matrix expression of human adipose-derived stem cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakudo, Natsuko; Kushida, Satoshi; Suzuki, Kenji; Ogura, Tsunetaka; Notodihardjo, Priscilla Valentin; Hara, Tomoya; Kusumoto, Kenji

    2012-12-01

    Human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are adult pluripotent stem cells, and their usefulness in plastic surgery has garnered attention in recent years. Although, there have been expectations that ASCs might function in wound repair and regeneration, no studies to date have examined the role of ASCs in the mechanism that promotes wound-healing. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) is a strong candidate cytokine for the triggering of mesenchymal stem cell migration, construction of extracellular matrices, and differentiation of ASCs into myofibroblasts. Cell proliferation, motility, and differentiation, as well as extracellular matrix production, play an important role in wound-healing. We have evaluated the capacity of ASCs to proliferate and their potential to differentiate into phenotypic myofibroblasts, as well as their cell motility and collagen gel contraction ability, when cultured with TGF-β1. Cell motility was analyzed using a wound-healing assay. ASCs that differentiated into myofibroblasts expressed the gene for alpha-smooth muscle actin, and its protein expression was detected immunohistochemically. The extracellular matrix expression in ASCs was evaluated using real-time RT-PCR. Based on the results, we conclude that human ASCs have the potential for cell motility, extracellular matrix gene expression, gel contraction, and differentiation into myofibroblasts and, therefore, may play an important role in the wound-healing process.

  20. Synthesis of Sol-Gel Precursors for Ceramics from Lunar and Martian Soil Simulars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sibille, L.; Gavira-Gallardo, J. A.; Hourlier-Bahloul, D.

    2004-01-01

    Recent NASA mission plans for the human exploration of our Solar System has set new priorities for research and development of technologies necessary to enable a long-term human presence on the Moon and Mars. The recovery and processing of metals and oxides from mineral sources on other planets is under study to enable use of ceramics, glasses and metals by explorer outposts. We report initial results on the production of sol-gel precursors for ceramic products using mineral resources available in martian or lunar soil. The presence of SO2, TiO2, and Al2O3 in both martian (44 wt.% SiO2, 1 wt.% TiO2, 7 wt.% Al2O3) and lunar (48 wt.% SiO2, 1.5 wt.% TiO2, 16 wt.% Al2O3) soils and the recent developments in chemical processes to solubilize silicates using organic reagents and relatively little energy indicate that such an endeavor is possible. In order to eliminate the risks involved in the use of hydrofluoric acid to dissolve silicates, two distinct chemical routes are investigated to obtain soluble silicon oxide precursors from lunar and martian soil simulars. Clear solutions of sol-gel precursors have been obtained by dissolution of silica from lunar soil similar JSC-1 in basic ethylene glycol (C2H4(OH)2) solutions to form silicon glycolates. Similarly, sol-gel solutions produced from martian soil simulars reveal higher contents of iron oxides. Characterization of the precursor molecules and efforts to further concentrate and hydrolyze the products to obtain gel materials will be presented for evaluation as ceramic precursors.

  1. Synthesis of Sol-Gel Precursors for Ceramics from Lunar and Martian Soil Simulars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sibille, L.; Gavira-Gallardo, J. A.; Hourlier-Bahloul, D.

    2003-01-01

    Recent NASA mission plans for the human exploration of our Solar System has set new priorities for research and development of technologies necessary to enable a long-term human presence on the Moon and Mars. The recovery and processing of metals and oxides from mineral sources on other planets is under study to enable use of ceramics, glasses and metals by explorer outposts. We report initial results on the production of sol-gel precursors for ceramic products using mineral resources available in martian or lunar soil. The presence of SiO2, TiO2, and Al2O3 in both martian (44 wt.% SiO2, 1 wt.% TiO2,7 wt.% Al2O3) and lunar (48 wt.% SiO2, 1.5 wt.% TiO2, 16 wt.% Al2O3) soils and the recent developments in chemical processes to solubilize silicates using organic reagents and relatively little energy indicate that such an endeavor is possible. In order to eliminate the risks involved in the use of hydrofluoric acid to dissolve silicates, two distinct chemical routes are investigated to obtain soluble silicon oxide precursors from lunar and martian soil simulars. Clear solutions of sol-gel precursors have been obtained by dissolution of silica from lunar soil simular in basic ethylene glycol (C2H4(OH)2) solutions to form silicon glycolates. Similarly, sol-gel solutions produced from martian soil simulars reveal higher contents of iron oxides. The elemental composition and structure of the precursor molecules were characterized. Further concentration and hydrolysis of the products was performed to obtain gel materials for evaluation as ceramic precursors.

  2. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF IRRADIATION-DRIVEN HYDROGEN ISOTOPE FRACTIONATION IN ANALOGS OF PROTOPLANETARY HYDROUS SILICATE DUST

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Roskosz, Mathieu; Remusat, Laurent [IMPMC, CNRS UMR 7590, Sorbonne Universités, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, IRD, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, CP 52, 57 rue Cuvier, Paris F-75231 (France); Laurent, Boris; Leroux, Hugues, E-mail: mathieu.roskosz@mnhn.fr [Unité Matériaux et Transformations, Université Lille 1, CNRS UMR 8207, Bâtiment C6, F-59655 Villeneuve d’Ascq (France)

    2016-11-20

    The origin of hydrogen in chondritic components is poorly understood. Their isotopic composition is heavier than the solar nebula gas. In addition, in most meteorites, hydrous silicates are found to be lighter than the coexisting organic matter. Ionizing irradiation recently emerged as an efficient hydrogen fractionating process in organics, but its effect on H-bearing silicates remains essentially unknown. We report the evolution of the D/H of hydrous silicates experimentally irradiated by electrons. Thin films of amorphous silica, amorphous “serpentine,” and pellets of crystalline muscovite were irradiated at 4 and 30 keV. For all samples, irradiation leads to a large hydrogen loss correlated with a moderate deuterium enrichment of the solid residue. The entire data set can be described by a Rayleigh distillation. The calculated fractionation factor is consistent with a kinetically controlled fractionation during the loss of hydrogen. Furthermore, for a given ionizing condition, the deuteration of the silicate residues is much lower than the deuteration measured on irradiated organic macromolecules. These results provide firm evidence of the limitations of ionizing irradiation as a driving mechanism for D-enrichment of silicate materials. The isotopic composition of the silicate dust cannot rise from a protosolar to a chondritic signature during solar irradiations. More importantly, these results imply that irradiation of the disk naturally induces a strong decoupling of the isotopic signatures of coexisting organics and silicates. This decoupling is consistent with the systematic difference observed between the heavy organic matter and the lighter water typically associated with minerals in the matrix of most carbonaceous chondrites.

  3. SOL-Gel microspheres and nanospheres for controlled release applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barbe, C.; Beyer, R.; Kong, L.; Blackford, M.; Trautman, R.; Bartlett, J.

    2002-01-01

    one hour. The particles thus produced were washed with cyclohexane and carefully dried. Release Kinetics. The release of the encapsulated species from the particles was monitored by placing a fixed quantity of the sample in water or physiological saline, and monitoring the concentration of the released species using UV/Vis spectroscopy. The fraction released was normalised to the total mass initially encapsulated. The influence of the emulsion chemistry on the size of the microspheres obtained at pH 2 is illustrated in Figure 1 for microspheres containing encapsulated Orange II Using essentially identical sol-gel chemistries, particles with dimensions ranging from 50 nm to 50 μm can be readily obtained. The size of the particles is controlled by the size of the emulsion droplets, which act as micro-reactors for the sol-gel reactions. In turn, the size of the droplets is determined predominantly by the hydrophile/lipophile balance of the surfactant/ solvent couple and by processing parameters such as the water to surfactant ratio and the concentration of surfactant. The effect of sol-gel processing parameters on the morphology and associated release kinetics is illustrated in Figure 2. Although both samples have essentially identical particle sizes (not shown), their morphologies are significantly different. Processing under acidic conditions leads to the formation of nanosized linear silicate 'building block' which are woven tightly together in the final gel matrix, to produce a microporous material (pore diameters 2 nm). The different morphologies are clearly reflected in the release rate of the encapsulated species from the respective matrices; rapid release kinetics are evident for the mesoporous material (high pH), while significantly slower release rates are obtained for the microporous material (low pH). A combined sol-gel/emulsion processing method has been developed to produce inorganic matrices with tailored nanostructures containing encapsulated organic and

  4. Sol-Gel Entrapped Levonorgestrel Antibodies: Activity and Structural Changes as a Function of Different Polymer Formats

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shalev, Moran; Miriam, Altstein

    2011-01-01

    The paper describes development of a sol-gel based immunoaffinity method for the steroid hormone levonorgestrel (LNG) and the effects of changes in the sol-gel matrix format on the activity of the entrapped antibodies (Abs) and on matrix structure. The best sol-gel format for Ab entrapment was found to be a tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) based matrix at a TMOS:water ratio of 1:8, containing 10% polyethylene glycol (PEG) of MW 0.4 kDa. Addition of higher percentages of PEG or a higher MW PEG did not improve activity. No activity was obtained with a TMOS:water ratio of 1:12, most likely because of the very dense polymer that resulted from these polymerization conditions. Only minor differences in the non-specific binding were obtained with the various formats. TMOS was found to be more effective than tetrakis (2-hydroxyethyl)orthosilicate (THEOS) for entrapment of anti-levonorgestrel (LNG) Abs. However, aging the THEOS-based sol-gel for a few weeks at 4 °C stabilized the entrapped Abs and increased its binding capacity. Confocal fluorescent microscopy with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeled immunoglobulines (IgGs) entrapped in the sol-gel matrix showed that the entrapped Abs were distributed homogenously within the gel. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images have shown the diverse structures of the various sol-gel formats and precursors. PMID:28880001

  5. Some rheological properties of sodium caseinate-starch gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertolini, Andrea C; Creamer, Lawrence K; Eppink, Mieke; Boland, Mike

    2005-03-23

    The influence of sodium caseinate on the thermal and rheological properties of starch gels at different concentrations and from different botanical sources was evaluated. In sodium caseinate-starch gels, for all starches with the exception of potato starch, the sodium caseinate promoted an increase in the storage modulus and in the viscosity of the composite gel when compared with starch gels. The addition of sodium caseinate resulted in an increase in the onset temperature, the gelatinization temperature, and the end temperature, and there was a significant interaction between starch and sodium caseinate for the onset temperature, the peak temperature, and the end temperature. Microscopy results suggested that sodium caseinate promoted an increase in the homogeneity in the matrix of cereal starch gels.

  6. Basic investigations on LCV micelle gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ebenezer, S B; Rafic, M K; Ravindran, P B

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using Leuco Crystal Violet (LCV) based micelle gel dosimeter as a quality assurance tool in radiotherapy applications. Basic properties such as absorption coefficient and diffusion of LCV gel phantom over time were evaluated. The gel formulation consisted of 25 mM Trichloroacetic acid, 1mM LCV, 4 mM Triton X-100, 4% gelatin by mass and distilled water. The advantages of using this gel are its tissue equivalence, easy and less preparation time, lower diffusion rate and it can be read with an optical scanner. We were able to reproduce some of the results of Babic et al. The peak absorption was found to be at 600 nm and hence a matrix of yellow LEDs was used as light source. The profiles obtained from projection images confirmed the diffusion of LCV gel after 6 hours of irradiation. Hence the LCV gel phantom should be read before 6 hours post irradiation to get accurate dose information as suggested previously.

  7. Effect of calcium source on structure and properties of sol-gel derived bioactive glasses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Bobo; Turdean-Ionescu, Claudia A; Martin, Richard A; Newport, Robert J; Hanna, John V; Smith, Mark E; Jones, Julian R

    2012-12-18

    The aim was to determine the most effective calcium precursor for synthesis of sol-gel hybrids and for improving homogeneity of sol-gel bioactive glasses. Sol-gel derived bioactive calcium silicate glasses are one of the most promising materials for bone regeneration. Inorganic/organic hybrid materials, which are synthesized by incorporating a polymer into the sol-gel process, have also recently been produced to improve toughness. Calcium nitrate is conventionally used as the calcium source, but it has several disadvantages. Calcium nitrate causes inhomogeneity by forming calcium-rich regions, and it requires high temperature treatment (>400 °C) for calcium to be incorporated into the silicate network. Nitrates are also toxic and need to be burnt off. Calcium nitrate therefore cannot be used in the synthesis of hybrids as the highest temperature used in the process is typically 40-60 °C. Therefore, a different precursor is needed that can incorporate calcium into the silica network and enhance the homogeneity of the glasses at low (room) temperature. In this work, calcium methoxyethoxide (CME) was used to synthesize sol-gel bioactive glasses with a range of final processing temperatures from 60 to 800 °C. Comparison is made between the use of CME and calcium chloride and calcium nitrate. Using advanced probe techniques, the temperature at which Ca is incorporated into the network was identified for 70S30C (70 mol % SiO(2), 30 mol % CaO) for each of the calcium precursors. When CaCl(2) was used, the Ca did not seem to enter the network at any of the temperatures used. In contrast, Ca from CME entered the silica network at room temperature, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction, (29)Si magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and dissolution studies. CME should be used in preference to calcium salts for hybrid synthesis and may improve homogeneity of sol-gel glasses.

  8. 21 CFR 172.410 - Calcium silicate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Calcium silicate. 172.410 Section 172.410 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR HUMAN... Agents § 172.410 Calcium silicate. Calcium silicate, including synthetic calcium silicate, may be safely...

  9. Effect of gel texture and sucrose spatial distribution on sweetness perception

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mosca, A.C.; Velde, van de F.; Bult, J.H.F.; Boekel, van M.A.J.S.; Stieger, M.A.

    2012-01-01

    Layered gels differing in mechanical and breakdown properties (soft, medium and hard gels) and in the distribution of sucrose in the matrix (homogeneous and inhomogeneous distributions) were used to investigate the effects of texture and spatial distribution of sucrose on sweetness perception.

  10. Retention of actinides and rare earth in the alteration gels of R7T7 nuclear glass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Advocat, Th.; Menard, O.; Chouchan, J.L.; Jollivet, P.

    1997-01-01

    Under oxic conditions, over 98.5% of the lanthanides and thorium released from the glass were retained in the alteration products on the glass surface, probably by coprecipitation with a siliceous gel. Uranium and Neptunium retention varied from 40% in carbonated medium to more than 95% in phosphate medium. With carbonate ions, Np and U formed stable complexes, which tend to limit actinide incorporation in the gel layer. Plutonium retention is larger than 90%. This element exhibited atypical behaviour to the extend that it was strongly bonded to colloidal particles in solution. (authors)

  11. Environmental silicate nano-biocomposites

    CERN Document Server

    Pollet, Eric

    2012-01-01

    Environmental Silicate Nano-Biocomposites focuses on nano-biocomposites, which are obtained by the association of silicates such as bioclays with biopolymers. By highlighting recent developments and findings, green and biodegradable nano-composites from both renewable and biodegradable polymers are explored. This includes coverage of potential markets such as packaging, agricultures, leisure and the fast food industry. The knowledge and experience of more than twenty international experts in diverse fields, from chemical and biochemical engineering to applications, is brought together in four different sections covering: Biodegradable polymers and Silicates, Clay/Polyesters Nano-biocomposites, Clay/Agropolymers Nano-biocomposites, and Applications and biodegradation of Nano-biocomposites. By exploring the relationships between the biopolymer structures, the processes, and the final properties Environmental Silicate Nano-Biocomposites explains how to design nano-materials to develop new, valuable, environmenta...

  12. Radwaste disposal by incorporation in matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Curtiss, D.H.; Heacock, H.W.

    1976-01-01

    A process of safe disposal, handling, or storae of radwaste associated with nuclear power productin is described. A feature of the invention is to incorporate the radwaste in a hardenable, matrix-forming mass employing a cement-type binding agent to which alkali or alkaline-earth silicate is added, among other things, to increase liquid absorption. 9 claims

  13. SPI Conformance Gel Applications in Geothermal Zonal Isolation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2017-08-08

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

  14. Further developments and applications of layer gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    2004-01-01

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

  15. Encapsulation of biological species in sol-gel matrices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Finnie, K.S.; Bartlett, J.R.; Woolfrey, J.L.

    2000-01-01

    Two examples are given of the gelation of silica sols containing bio catalysts, resulting in their encapsulation in porous matrices. Urease was encapsulated in gels made from a mixture of TMOS and alkyltrimethoxysilane. Enzyme activities, monitored by measuring the rate of production of ammoniacal nitrogen as urea was decomposed, ranged up to 60% of that of the unencapsulated species. Anaerobic sulphate-reducing bacteria were encapsulated in a gel produced from colloidal silica, thus avoiding contact with alcohol. The detection of H 2 S produced in the doped gel indicated that the bacteria were able to continue normal metabolic function within the gel matrix. A gel initially doped with ∼ 5 x 10 5 cells cm -3 , exhibited an optimum sulphate reduction rate of 11 ug h -1 cm -3 ; this reduction rate was quickly re-established after storage of the gel for 14 weeks. Copyright (2000) The Australian Ceramic Society

  16. Matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry peptide mass fingerprinting for proteome analysis: identification efficiency after on-blot or in-gel digestion with and without desalting procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamer, S; Jungblut, P R

    2001-03-10

    In theory, peptide mass fingerprinting by matrix assisted laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) has the potential to identify all of the proteins detected by silver staining on gels. In practice, if the genome of the organism investigated is completely sequenced, using current techniques, all proteins stained by Coomassie Brilliant Blue can be identified. This loss of identification sensitivity of ten to hundred-fold is caused by loss of peptides by surface contacts. Therefore, we performed digestion and transfer of peptides in the lower microl range and reduced the number of steps. The peptide mix obtained from in-gel or on-blot digestion was analyzed directly after digestion or after concentration on POROS R2 beads. Eight protein spots of a 2-DE gel from Mycobacterium bovis BCG were identified using these four preparation procedures for MALDI-MS. Overall, on-blot digestion was as effective as in-gel digestion. Whereas higher signal intensities resulted after concentration, hydrophilic peptides are better detected by direct measurement of the peptide mix without POROS R2 concentration.

  17. SILICATE COMPOSITION OF THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fogerty, S.; Forrest, W.; Watson, D. M.; Koch, I.; Sargent, B. A.

    2016-01-01

    The composition of silicate dust in the diffuse interstellar medium and in protoplanetary disks around young stars informs our understanding of the processing and evolution of the dust grains leading up to planet formation. An analysis of the well-known 9.7 μ m feature indicates that small amorphous silicate grains represent a significant fraction of interstellar dust and are also major components of protoplanetary disks. However, this feature is typically modeled assuming amorphous silicate dust of olivine and pyroxene stoichiometries. Here, we analyze interstellar dust with models of silicate dust that include non-stoichiometric amorphous silicate grains. Modeling the optical depth along lines of sight toward the extinguished objects Cyg OB2 No. 12 and ζ Ophiuchi, we find evidence for interstellar amorphous silicate dust with stoichiometry intermediate between olivine and pyroxene, which we simply refer to as “polivene.” Finally, we compare these results to models of silicate emission from the Trapezium and protoplanetary disks in Taurus.

  18. SILICATE COMPOSITION OF THE INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fogerty, S.; Forrest, W.; Watson, D. M.; Koch, I. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627 (United States); Sargent, B. A., E-mail: sfogerty@pas.rochester.edu [Center for Imaging Science and Laboratory for Multiwavelength Astrophysics, Rochester Institute of Technology, 54 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623 (United States)

    2016-10-20

    The composition of silicate dust in the diffuse interstellar medium and in protoplanetary disks around young stars informs our understanding of the processing and evolution of the dust grains leading up to planet formation. An analysis of the well-known 9.7 μ m feature indicates that small amorphous silicate grains represent a significant fraction of interstellar dust and are also major components of protoplanetary disks. However, this feature is typically modeled assuming amorphous silicate dust of olivine and pyroxene stoichiometries. Here, we analyze interstellar dust with models of silicate dust that include non-stoichiometric amorphous silicate grains. Modeling the optical depth along lines of sight toward the extinguished objects Cyg OB2 No. 12 and ζ Ophiuchi, we find evidence for interstellar amorphous silicate dust with stoichiometry intermediate between olivine and pyroxene, which we simply refer to as “polivene.” Finally, we compare these results to models of silicate emission from the Trapezium and protoplanetary disks in Taurus.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voss, Bret Alan McGinness

    2011-12-01

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

  20. The development and characterization of sol-gel substrates for chemical and optical applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powers, Kevin William

    1998-12-01

    The sol gel process can be used to make monolithic porous glass for various scientific and engineering uses. The porosity of the material imparts a large surface area which is advantageous in applications such as catalyst supports or in the study of surface mediated chemical reactions. The chemical stability and transparency of the porous glass also make it suitable for use in the emerging field of optical sensors. In this study fluoride catalysis is used to produce sol gel monoliths with pore radii of up to 400 Angstroms, four times larger than any previously reported using conventional drying techniques. Gel monoliths with pore radii of 200 Angstroms were found to have the best combination of surface area, pore volume and optical transparency. Typical monoliths have surface areas of 150 m2/g and pore volumes of 1.60 cm3/g with good transparency. The monoliths are chemically stable, have good mechanical strength and can be easily rehydrated without cracking. The substrates are also suitable for sintering into dense high purity silica glass with little tendency towards foaming. An in-depth study of the catalytic effect of fluoride on the sol gel process is also included. It has been theorized that fluoride serves to expand the coordination sphere of the silicon center making it more subject to nucleophilic attack. In this work an ion-specific fluoride electrode is used to monitor free fluoride concentrations in HF catalyzed sols while silicic acid is added in the form of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS). It is found that fluoride is rapidly bound by the silicic acid in a ratio of four to one, indicating the formation of silicon tetrafluoride. A concurrent decrease in pH suggests that a pentacoordinate species is formed that is more stable than previously thought. A polymerization mechanism is proposed that explains the hydrophobicity of fluoride catalyzed gels and the difficulty in retaining structural fluoride in fluoride catalyzed sol gel glasses. Finally, several

  1. Mass transport of heavy metal ions and radon in gels used as sealing agents in containment technologies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lakatos, I.; Bauer, K.; Lakatos-Szabo, J.; Kretzschmar, H.J.

    1997-01-01

    The diffusion and hydrodynamic mass transport of multivalent cations, mostly Cr(III) and Cr(VI) ions and radon in polymer/silicate gels and Montanwax emulsions were studied. It was concluded that the self-conforming gels may decrease the hydrodynamic mass transport in porous and fractured media by 4-6 orders of magnitude. In water saturated systems, however, the diffusion transport can be restricted by hydrogels only to a moderate extent. On the other hand, the high and selective retention capacity of gels towards different diffusing species may open new vistas in the sealing technologies. Similar results were obtained for transport phenomena of radon. The almost perfect quenching process of radon and its nuclides in gels and emulsions further enhances the positive effects of the encapsulation methods. The laboratory experiments provided valuable new information to design the different containment technologies

  2. Mass transport of heavy metal ions and radon in gels used as sealing agents in containment technologies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lakatos, I.; Bauer, K.; Lakatos-Szabo, J. [Research Lab. for Mining Chemistry, Miskolc-Egyetemvaros (Hungary); Kretzschmar, H.J. [DBI Gas- und Umwelttechnik GmbH, Feiberg (Germany)

    1997-12-31

    The diffusion and hydrodynamic mass transport of multivalent cations, mostly Cr(III) and Cr(VI) ions and radon in polymer/silicate gels and Montanwax emulsions were studied. It was concluded that the self-conforming gels may decrease the hydrodynamic mass transport in porous and fractured media by 4-6 orders of magnitude. In water saturated systems, however, the diffusion transport can be restricted by hydrogels only to a moderate extent. On the other hand, the high and selective retention capacity of gels towards different diffusing species may open new vistas in the sealing technologies. Similar results were obtained for transport phenomena of radon. The almost perfect quenching process of radon and its nuclides in gels and emulsions further enhances the positive effects of the encapsulation methods. The laboratory experiments provided valuable new information to design the different containment technologies.

  3. Effect of gamma radiation on silica gel, (3)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogura, Hajime; Nakazato, Chiyoko; Kondo, Masaharu; Sawai, Teruko; Sawai, Takeshi.

    1979-01-01

    The γ-irradiation of silica gel degassed for 24 h above 400 0 C produces visible color center (lambda sub(max) = 530 nm). The color center instantly disappears on exposure to H 2 at room temperature and irreversible adsorption of H 2 is concurrently observed. On the basis that color center is attributed to the positive hole due to substitutional impurity of Al in silica matrix, the yield of color center and H 2 adsorption have been investigated as a function of Al content in silica gel deliberatly prepared by us from silicon tetrachloride to contain Al in the range of 10 -3 -- 5w/0. Absorbance at 530 nm, A 530 , due to color center as well as the amount of H 2 adsorbed, (H 2 )sub(ads), increase with the Al content in the matrix. A 530 /(H 2 )sub(ads) is 1.0 x 10 6 (O.D. unit g/mol) in these gels. This ratio is seen almost same with two samples of gel commercially available. By assuming that 1 mol of H 2 reacts with 2 mol of positive hole, the extinction coefficient of color center at 530 nm is evaluated as 1.0 x 10 6 (g/mol.cm). (author)

  4. The Effect of Various Acids to the Gelation Process to the Silica Gel Characteristic Using Organic Silica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, NA; Widiyastuti, W.; Sigit, D.; Ajiza, M.; Sujana, W.

    2018-01-01

    Bagasse ash is solid waste of cane sugar industry which contain of silica more than 51%. Some previous study of silica gel from bagasse ash have been conducted often and been applied. This study concerns about the effect of various acid used in the process of gelation to the characteristic of silica gel produced. Then, this silica gel will be used as adsorbent. As that, the silica gel must fulfill the requirements of adsorbent, as have good pores characteristics, fit in mesoporous size so that adsorbent diffusion process is not disturbed. A fitted pores size of silica gel can be prepared by managing acid concentration used. The effect of acid, organic acid (tartaric acid) and inorganic acid (hydrochloric acid), is investigated in detail. The acid is added into sodium silicate solution in that the gel is formed, the pores structures can be investigated with BET, the crystal form is analyzed with XRD and the pore structure is analyzed visually with SEM. By managing the acid concentration added, it gets the effect of acid to the pore structure of silica gel. The bigger concentration is, the bigger the pore’s size of silica gel produced.

  5. Porphyrinosilica and metalloporphyrinosilica: hybrid organic-inorganic materials prepared by sol-gel processing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    YASSUKO IAMAMOTO

    2000-03-01

    Full Text Available New materials porphyrinosilica and metalloporphyrinosilica template have been obtained by a sol-gel processing where functionalyzed porphyrins and metalloporphyrins "building blocks" were assembled into a three-dimensional silicate network. The optimized conditions for preparation of these materials are revised. The monomer precursors porphyrinopropylsilyl and metalloporphyrinopropylsilyl preparation reactions and subsequent one pot sol-gel processing with tetraethoxysilane are discussed. In the case of metalloporphyrins the nitrogen base coordinates to the central metal and acts as a template in the molecular imprinting technique. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, electron paramagnetic resonance, nuclear magnetic spectra, infrared spectra, luminescence spectra, surface area and electron spectroscopy imaging of the materials are used to characterize the prepared materials. The catalytic activities of these metalloporphyrinosilica- template are compared.

  6. Porphyrinosilica and metalloporphyrinosilica: hybrid organic-inorganic materials prepared by sol-gel processing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iamamoto; Sacco; Biazzotto; Ciuffi; Serra

    2000-01-01

    New materials porphyrinosilica and metalloporphyrinosilica template have been obtained by a sol-gel processing where functionalyzed porphyrins and metalloporphyrins "building blocks" were assembled into a three-dimensional silicate network. The optimized conditions for preparation of these materials are revised. The monomer precursors porphyrinopropylsilyl and metalloporphyrinopropylsilyl preparation reactions and subsequent one pot sol-gel processing with tetraethoxysilane are discussed. In the case of metalloporphyrins the nitrogen base coordinates to the central metal and acts as a template in the molecular imprinting technique. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, electron paramagnetic resonance, nuclear magnetic spectra, infrared spectra, luminescence spectra, surface area and electron spectroscopy imaging of the materials are used to characterize the prepared materials. The catalytic activities of these metalloporphyrinosilica-template are compared.

  7. Matrix elasticity regulates the optimal cardiac myocyte shape for contractility

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCain, Megan L.; Yuan, Hongyan; Pasqualini, Francesco S.; Campbell, Patrick H.

    2014-01-01

    Concentric hypertrophy is characterized by ventricular wall thickening, fibrosis, and decreased myocyte length-to-width aspect ratio. Ventricular thickening is considered compensatory because it reduces wall stress, but the functional consequences of cell shape remodeling in this pathological setting are unknown. We hypothesized that decreases in myocyte aspect ratio allow myocytes to maximize contractility when the extracellular matrix becomes stiffer due to conditions such as fibrosis. To test this, we engineered neonatal rat ventricular myocytes into rectangles mimicking the 2-D profiles of healthy and hypertrophied myocytes on hydrogels with moderate (13 kPa) and high (90 kPa) elastic moduli. Actin alignment was unaffected by matrix elasticity, but sarcomere content was typically higher on stiff gels. Microtubule polymerization was higher on stiff gels, implying increased intracellular elastic modulus. On moderate gels, myocytes with moderate aspect ratios (∼7:1) generated the most peak systolic work compared with other cell shapes. However, on stiffer gels, low aspect ratios (∼2:1) generated the most peak systolic work. To compare the relative contributions of intracellular vs. extracellular elasticity to contractility, we developed an analytical model and used our experimental data to fit unknown parameters. Our model predicted that matrix elasticity dominates over intracellular elasticity, suggesting that the extracellular matrix may potentially be a more effective therapeutic target than microtubules. Our data and model suggest that myocytes with lower aspect ratios have a functional advantage when the elasticity of the extracellular matrix decreases due to conditions such as fibrosis, highlighting the role of the extracellular matrix in cardiac disease. PMID:24682394

  8. Agarose gel electrophoresis for the separation of DNA fragments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Pei Yun; Costumbrado, John; Hsu, Chih-Yuan; Kim, Yong Hoon

    2012-04-20

    Agarose gel electrophoresis is the most effective way of separating DNA fragments of varying sizes ranging from 100 bp to 25 kb(1). Agarose is isolated from the seaweed genera Gelidium and Gracilaria, and consists of repeated agarobiose (L- and D-galactose) subunits(2). During gelation, agarose polymers associate non-covalently and form a network of bundles whose pore sizes determine a gel's molecular sieving properties. The use of agarose gel electrophoresis revolutionized the separation of DNA. Prior to the adoption of agarose gels, DNA was primarily separated using sucrose density gradient centrifugation, which only provided an approximation of size. To separate DNA using agarose gel electrophoresis, the DNA is loaded into pre-cast wells in the gel and a current applied. The phosphate backbone of the DNA (and RNA) molecule is negatively charged, therefore when placed in an electric field, DNA fragments will migrate to the positively charged anode. Because DNA has a uniform mass/charge ratio, DNA molecules are separated by size within an agarose gel in a pattern such that the distance traveled is inversely proportional to the log of its molecular weight(3). The leading model for DNA movement through an agarose gel is "biased reptation", whereby the leading edge moves forward and pulls the rest of the molecule along(4). The rate of migration of a DNA molecule through a gel is determined by the following: 1) size of DNA molecule; 2) agarose concentration; 3) DNA conformation(5); 4) voltage applied, 5) presence of ethidium bromide, 6) type of agarose and 7) electrophoresis buffer. After separation, the DNA molecules can be visualized under uv light after staining with an appropriate dye. By following this protocol, students should be able to: Understand the mechanism by which DNA fragments are separated within a gel matrix Understand how conformation of the DNA molecule will determine its mobility through a gel matrix Identify an agarose solution of appropriate

  9. Fixation by ion exchange of toxic materials in a glass matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Litovitz, T.A.; Simmons, C.J.; Simmons, J.H.; Macedo, P.B.

    1981-01-01

    A process for disposing of toxic materials such as radioactive waste comprises reacting a porous silicate glass or silica gel, having interconnected pores and alkali metal cations. Group 1b metal cations and/or ammonium cation bonded to silicon through divalent oxygen linkages on the internal surfaces of said pores, with a toxic material containing toxic cations as well as non-cationic portions. The toxic cations are capable of displacing the alkali metal cations, Group 1b metal cations and/or ammonium cations to provide a distribution of internal silicon-bonded toxic cation oxide groups within the pores of the glass or silica gel. (author)

  10. NASA's Advanced Environmental Barrier Coatings Development for SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites: Understanding Calcium Magnesium Alumino-Silicate (CMAS) Degradations and Resistance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Dongming

    2014-01-01

    Environmental barrier coatings (EBCs) and SiCSiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) systems will play a crucial role in next generation turbine engines for hot-section component applications because of their ability to significantly increase engine operating temperatures with improved efficiency, reduce engine weight and cooling requirements. The development of prime-reliant environmental barrier coatings is essential to the viability and reliability of the envisioned CMC engine component applications, ensuring integrated EBC-CMC system durability and designs are achievable for successful applications of the game-changing component technologies and lifing methodologies.This paper will emphasize recent NASA environmental barrier coating developments for SiCSiC turbine airfoil components, utilizing advanced coating compositions, state-of-the-art processing methods, and combined mechanical and environment testing and durability evaluations. The coating-CMC degradations in the engine fatigue-creep and operating environments are particularly complex; one of the important coating development aspects is to better understand engine environmental interactions and coating life debits, and we have particularly addressed the effect of Calcium-Magnesium-Alumino-Silicate (CMAS) from road sand or volcano-ash deposits on the durability of the environmental barrier coating systems, and how the temperature capability, stability and cyclic life of the candidate rare earth oxide and silicate coating systems will be impacted in the presence of the CMAS at high temperatures and under simulated heat flux conditions. Advanced environmental barrier coating systems, including HfO2-Si with rare earth dopant based bond coat systems, will be discussed for the performance improvements to achieve better temperature capability and CMAS resistance for future engine operating conditions.

  11. XANES analysis of calcium and sodium phosphates and silicates and hydroxyapatite-Bioglass (registered) 45S5 co-sintered bioceramics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Demirkiran, Hande [Graduate Student, Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX (United States); Hu Yongfeng; Zuin, Lucia [Beamline Scientist, Canadian Light Source, Saskatoon, SK (Canada); Appathurai, Narayana [Beamline Scientist, Synchrotron Radiation Center, Madison, WI (United States); Aswath, Pranesh B., E-mail: aswath@uta.edu [Materials Science and Engineering Department, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX (United States)

    2011-03-12

    Bioglass (registered) 45S5 was co-sintered with hydroxyapatite at 1200 deg. C. When small amounts (< 5 wt.%) of Bioglass (registered) 45S5 was added it behaved as a sintering aid and also enhanced the decomposition of hydroxyapatite to {beta}-tricalcium phosphate. However when 10 wt.% and 25 wt.% Bioglass (registered) 45S5 was used it resulted in the formation of Ca{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}SiO{sub 4} and Na{sub 3}Ca{sub 6}(PO{sub 4}){sub 5} in an amorphous silicate matrix respectively. These chemistries show improved bioactivity compared to hydroxyapatite and are the subject of this study. The structure of several crystalline calcium and sodium phosphates and silicates as well as the co-sintered hydroxyapatite-Bioglass (registered) 45S5 bioceramics were examined using XANES spectroscopy. The nature of the crystalline and amorphous phases were studied using silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P) K- and L{sub 2,3}-edge and calcium (Ca) K-edge XANES. Si L{sub 2,3}-edge spectra of sintered bioceramic compositions indicates that the primary silicates present in these compositions are sodium silicates in the amorphous state. From Si K-edge spectra, it is shown that the silicates are in a similar structural environment in all the sintered bioceramic compositions with 4-fold coordination. Using P L{sub 2,3}-edge it is clearly shown that there is no evidence of sodium phosphate present in the sintered bioceramic compositions. In the P K-edge spectra, the post-edge shoulder peak at around 2155 eV indicates that this shoulder to be more defined for calcium phosphate compounds with decreasing solubility and increasing thermodynamic stability. This shoulder peak is more noticeable in hydroxyapatite and {beta}-TCP indicating greater stability of the phosphate phase. The only spectra that does not show a noticeable peak is the composition with Na{sub 3}Ca{sub 6}(PO{sub 4}){sub 5} in a silicate matrix indicating that it is more soluble compared to the other compositions.

  12. Magneto-dependent stress relaxation of magnetorheological gels

    KAUST Repository

    Xu, Yangguang; Liu, Taixiang; Liao, G J; Lubineau, Gilles

    2017-01-01

    The stress relaxation behaviors of magnetorheological (MR) gels under stepwise shear loading are systematically investigated. The particle-enhanced effect, the magneto-induced effect, and the temperature-enhanced effect on the stress relaxation of MR gels are discussed. For further analysis of the magneto-induced stress relaxation mechanism in MR gels, a phenomenological model is established to describe the stress relaxation behavior of the matrix and the magnetic particle chains. All characteristic parameters introduced in the model, i.e. relaxation time, instantaneous modulus, and stable modulus, have well-defined physical meanings and are fitted based on the experimental results. The influence of each parameter on the macroscopic response is discussed and it is found that the relaxation stress induced by the magneto-mechanical coupling effect plays an important role in the stress relaxation process of MR gels.

  13. Magneto-dependent stress relaxation of magnetorheological gels

    KAUST Repository

    Xu, Yangguang

    2017-09-01

    The stress relaxation behaviors of magnetorheological (MR) gels under stepwise shear loading are systematically investigated. The particle-enhanced effect, the magneto-induced effect, and the temperature-enhanced effect on the stress relaxation of MR gels are discussed. For further analysis of the magneto-induced stress relaxation mechanism in MR gels, a phenomenological model is established to describe the stress relaxation behavior of the matrix and the magnetic particle chains. All characteristic parameters introduced in the model, i.e. relaxation time, instantaneous modulus, and stable modulus, have well-defined physical meanings and are fitted based on the experimental results. The influence of each parameter on the macroscopic response is discussed and it is found that the relaxation stress induced by the magneto-mechanical coupling effect plays an important role in the stress relaxation process of MR gels.

  14. Hydrophilic polyurethane matrix promotes chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells☆

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nalluri, Sandeep M.; Krishnan, G. Rajesh; Cheah, Calvin; Arzumand, Ayesha; Yuan, Yuan; Richardson, Caley A.; Yang, Shuying; Sarkar, Debanjan

    2016-01-01

    Segmental polyurethanes exhibit biphasic morphology and can control cell fate by providing distinct matrix guided signals to increase the chondrogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Polyethylene glycol (PEG) based hydrophilic polyurethanes can deliver differential signals to MSCs through their matrix phases where hard segments are cell-interactive domains and PEG based soft segments are minimally interactive with cells. These coordinated communications can modulate cell–matrix interactions to control cell shape and size for chondrogenesis. Biphasic character and hydrophilicity of polyurethanes with gel like architecture provide a synthetic matrix conducive for chondrogenesis of MSCs, as evidenced by deposition of cartilage-associated extracellular matrix. Compared to monophasic hydrogels, presence of cell interactive domains in hydrophilic polyurethanes gels can balance cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions. These results demonstrate the correlation between lineage commitment and the changes in cell shape, cell–matrix interaction, and cell–cell adhesion during chondrogenic differentiation which is regulated by polyurethane phase morphology, and thus, represent hydrophilic polyurethanes as promising synthetic matrices for cartilage regeneration. PMID:26046282

  15. Hydrophilic polyurethane matrix promotes chondrogenesis of mesenchymal stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nalluri, Sandeep M; Krishnan, G Rajesh; Cheah, Calvin; Arzumand, Ayesha; Yuan, Yuan; Richardson, Caley A; Yang, Shuying; Sarkar, Debanjan

    2015-09-01

    Segmental polyurethanes exhibit biphasic morphology and can control cell fate by providing distinct matrix guided signals to increase the chondrogenic potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Polyethylene glycol (PEG) based hydrophilic polyurethanes can deliver differential signals to MSCs through their matrix phases where hard segments are cell-interactive domains and PEG based soft segments are minimally interactive with cells. These coordinated communications can modulate cell-matrix interactions to control cell shape and size for chondrogenesis. Biphasic character and hydrophilicity of polyurethanes with gel like architecture provide a synthetic matrix conducive for chondrogenesis of MSCs, as evidenced by deposition of cartilage-associated extracellular matrix. Compared to monophasic hydrogels, presence of cell interactive domains in hydrophilic polyurethanes gels can balance cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. These results demonstrate the correlation between lineage commitment and the changes in cell shape, cell-matrix interaction, and cell-cell adhesion during chondrogenic differentiation which is regulated by polyurethane phase morphology, and thus, represent hydrophilic polyurethanes as promising synthetic matrices for cartilage regeneration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Hyaline Articular Matrix Formed by Dynamic Self-Regenerating Cartilage and Hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meppelink, Amanda M; Zhao, Xing; Griffin, Darvin J; Erali, Richard; Gill, Thomas J; Bonassar, Lawrence J; Redmond, Robert W; Randolph, Mark A

    2016-07-01

    Injuries to the articular cartilage surface are challenging to repair because cartilage possesses a limited capacity for self-repair. The outcomes of current clinical procedures aimed to address these injuries are inconsistent and unsatisfactory. We have developed a novel method for generating hyaline articular cartilage to improve the outcome of joint surface repair. A suspension of 10(7) swine chondrocytes was cultured under reciprocating motion for 14 days. The resulting dynamic self-regenerating cartilage (dSRC) was placed in a cartilage ring and capped with fibrin and collagen gel. A control group consisted of chondrocytes encapsulated in fibrin gel. Constructs were implanted subcutaneously in nude mice and harvested after 6 weeks. Gross, histological, immunohistochemical, biochemical, and biomechanical analyses were performed. In swine patellar groove, dSRC was implanted into osteochondral defects capped with collagen gel and compared to defects filled with osteochondral plugs, collagen gel, or left empty after 6 weeks. In mice, the fibrin- and collagen-capped dSRC constructs showed enhanced contiguous cartilage matrix formation over the control of cells encapsulated in fibrin gel. Biochemically, the fibrin and collagen gel dSRC groups were statistically improved in glycosaminoglycan and hydroxyproline content compared to the control. There was no statistical difference in the biomechanical data between the dSRC groups and the control. The swine model also showed contiguous cartilage matrix in the dSRC group but not in the collagen gel and empty defects. These data demonstrate the survivability and successful matrix formation of dSRC under the mechanical forces experienced by normal hyaline cartilage in the knee joint. The results from this study demonstrate that dSRC capped with hydrogels successfully engineers contiguous articular cartilage matrix in both nonload-bearing and load-bearing environments.

  17. 21 CFR 582.2227 - Calcium silicate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Calcium silicate. 582.2227 Section 582.2227 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) ANIMAL... Calcium silicate. (a) Product. Calcium silicate. (b) Tolerance. 2 percent and 5 percent. (c) Limitations...

  18. Use of collagen gel as an alternative extracellular matrix for the in vitro and in vivo growth of murine small intestinal epithelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabaji, Ziyad; Sears, Connie M; Brinkley, Garrett J; Lei, Nan Ye; Joshi, Vaidehi S; Wang, Jiafang; Lewis, Michael; Stelzner, Matthias; Martín, Martín G; Dunn, James C Y

    2013-12-01

    Methods for the in vitro culture of primary small intestinal epithelium have improved greatly in recent years. A critical barrier for the translation of this methodology to the patient's bedside is the ability to grow intestinal stem cells using a well-defined extracellular matrix. Current methods rely on the use of Matrigel(™), a proprietary basement membrane-enriched extracellular matrix gel produced in mice that is not approved for clinical use. We demonstrate for the first time the capacity to support the long-term in vitro growth of murine intestinal epithelium in monoculture, using type I collagen. We further demonstrate successful in vivo engraftment of enteroids co-cultured with intestinal subepithelial myofibroblasts in collagen gel. Small intestinal crypts were isolated from 6 to 10 week old transgenic enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP+) mice and suspended within either Matrigel or collagen gel; cultures were supported using previously reported media and growth factors. After 1 week, cultures were either lysed for DNA or RNA extraction or were implanted subcutaneously in syngeneic host mice. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was performed to determine expansion of the transgenic eGFP-DNA and to determine the mRNA gene expression profile. Immunohistochemistry was performed on in vitro cultures and recovered in vivo explants. Small intestinal crypts reliably expanded to form enteroids in either Matrigel or collagen in both mono- and co-cultures as confirmed by microscopy and eGFP-DNA qPCR quantification. Collagen-based cultures yielded a distinct morphology with smooth enteroids and epithelial monolayer growth at the gel surface; both enteroid and monolayer cells demonstrated reactivity to Cdx2, E-cadherin, CD10, Periodic Acid-Schiff, and lysozyme. Collagen-based enteroids were successfully subcultured in vitro, whereas pure monolayer epithelial sheets did not survive passaging. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction

  19. Spectrophotometric determination of silicon in silumin matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samanta, Papu; Pandey, K.L.; Kumar, Pradeep; Bagchi, A.C.; Abdulla, K.K.

    2015-01-01

    In dispersion fuel, fissile material is dispersed in inert matrix. Aluminum-silicon-nickel (silumin) alloy is employed as inert matrix owing to its high thermal conductivity, high castability, high corrosion resistance. All these properties depend on the chemical composition and the structure of silumin. Silicon is stringent specification in silumin. A spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of silicon content in silumin matrix. Silumin matrix was fused with LiOH and subsequent dissolution in water along with few drops of conc. sulphuric acid. The molybodo-silicic formed by the addition of ammonium molybdate is reduced to molybdenum blue by ascorbic acid in the presence of antimony. The absorbance was measured at 810 nm. Aluminum and nickel were found to be non-interfering with the silicon determination. (author)

  20. Low temperature synthesis of CaO-SiO2 glasses having stable liquid-liquid immiscibility by sol-gel process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bansal, Narottam P.

    1990-01-01

    Calcium silicate glass compositions lying within the liquid-liquid immiscibility dome of the phase diagram, which could not have been prepared by the conventional melting method, were synthesized by the sol-gel process. Hydrolysis and polycondensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) solutions containing up to 20 mol percent calcium nitrate resulted in the formation of clear and transparent gels. The gel formation time decreased with increase in water:TEOS mole ratio, calcium content, and the reaction temperature. Smaller values of gel times in the presence of calcium nitrate are probably caused by lowering of the ionic charge on the sol particles by the salt present. The gelation activation energy, E(sub gel), was evaluated from temperature dependence of the gel time. Presence of Ca(2+) ions or the water:TEOS mole ratio did not have an appreciable effect on the value of E(sub gel). Presence of glycerol in the solution helped in the formation of crack-free monolithic gel specimens. Chemical and structural changes occurring in the gels, as a function of the heat treatments, have been monitored using DTA, TGA, IR-spectroscopy, x ray diffraction, surface area and pore size distribution measurements.

  1. Optical Sensors for Biomolecules Using Nanoporous Sol-Gel Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Jonathan; Zhou, Jing C.; Lan, Esther H.; Dunn, Bruce; Gillman, Patricia L.; Smith, Scott M.

    2004-01-01

    An important consideration for space missions to Mars is the ability to detect biosignatures. Solid-state sensing elements for optical detection of biological entities are possible using sol-gel based biologically active materials. We have used these materials as optical sensing elements in a variety of bioassays, including immunoassays and enzyme assays. By immobilizing an appropriate biomolecule in the sol-gel sensing element, we have successfully detected analytes such as amino acids and hormones. In the case of the amino acid glutamate, the enzyme glutamate dehydrogenase was the immobilized molecule, whereas in the case of the hormone cortisol, an anti-cortisol antibody was immobilized in the sensing element. In this previous work with immobilized enzymes and antibodies, excellent sensitivity and specificity were demonstrated in a variety of formats including bulk materials, thin films and fibers. We believe that the sol-gel approach is an attractive platform for bioastronautics sensing applications because of the ability to detect a wide range of entities such as amino acids, fatty acids, hopanes, porphyrins, etc. The sol-gel approach produces an optically transparent 3D silica matrix that forms around the biomolecule of interest, thus stabilizing its structure and functionality while allowing for optical detection. This encapsulation process protects the biomolecule and leads to a more "rugged" sensor. The nanoporous structure of the sol-gel matrix allows diffusion of small target molecules but keeps larger, biomolecules immobilized in the pores. We are currently developing these biologically active sol-gel materials into small portable devices for on-orbit cortisol detection

  2. 21 CFR 182.2227 - Calcium silicate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Calcium silicate. 182.2227 Section 182.2227 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) FOOD FOR... Calcium silicate. (a) Product. Calcium silicate. (b) Tolerance. 2 percent and 5 percent. (c) Limitations...

  3. Use of gel zymography to examine matrix metalloproteinase (gelatinase) expression in brain tissue or in primary glial cultures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frankowski, Harald; Gu, Yu-Huan; Heo, Ji Hoe; Milner, Richard; Del Zoppo, Gregory J

    2012-01-01

    Glia synthesize, package, and secrete several species of matrix proteases, including the gelatinases (pro-)MMP-2 and (pro-)MMP-9. In appropriate settings (e.g., experimental ischemia), these MMPs can be assayed from cerebral tissues or from astrocytes and microglia in culture by enzymatic substrate-dependent assays and by gelatin-based zymography. We describe the methodologies for the sensitive quantitative development of the inactive and active forms of both MMP-2 and MMP-9 from tissues and cells, by means of lysis of the collagen substrate in collagen-impregnated gel electropheresis by the zymogen and active gelatinases. These methodologies are a refinement of those used commonly, with instructions to increase sensitivity. Serious and often overlooked issues regarding sources of sample contamination and elements confounding the MMP band development and their interpretation are discussed.

  4. Improved recovery of DNA from polyacrylamide gels after in situ DNA footprinting

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Keulen, G; Meijer, WG

    Methods used to date for the isolation of DNA from polyacrylamide gels are elution based, time-consuming and with low yield in DNA. This paper describes an improved system employing polyacrylamide gels made of a meltable matrix. The new system was successfully applied to in situ DNA footprinting

  5. Buckling of paramagnetic chains in soft gels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Shilin; Pessot, Giorgio; Cremer, Peet; Weeber, Rudolf; Holm, Christian; Nowak, Johannes; Odenbach, Stefan; Menzel, Andreas M.; Auernhammer, Günter K.

    We study the magneto-elastic coupling behavior of paramagnetic chains in soft polymer gels exposed to external magnetic fields. To this end, a laser scanning confocal microscope is used to observe the morphology of the paramagnetic chains together with the deformation field of the surrounding gel network. The paramagnetic chains in soft polymer gels show rich morphological shape changes under oblique magnetic fields, in particular a pronounced buckling deformation. The details of the resulting morphological shapes depend on the length of the chain, the strength of the external magnetic field, and the modulus of the gel. Based on the observation that the magnetic chains are strongly coupled to the surrounding polymer network, a simplified model is developed to describe their buckling behavior. A coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation model featuring an increased matrix stiffness on the surfaces of the particles leads to morphologies in agreement with the experimentally observed buckling effects.

  6. Dye incorporation in polyphosphate gels: synthesis and theoretical calculations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jordan Del Nero

    2003-06-01

    Full Text Available In this work we described theoretical calculations on the electronic structure and optical properties of the dyes crystal violet and malachite green based in semiempirical methods (Parametric Method 3 and Intermediate Neglect of Differential Overlap / Spectroscopic - Configuration Interaction and the synthesis of a new hybrid material based upon the incorporation of these dyes in an aluminum polyphosphate gel network. The samples are nearly transparent, free-standing thick films. The optical properties of the entrapped dyes are sensitive to chemical changes within the matrix caused either by gel aging or external stimulli such as exposition to acidic and basic vapors that can percolate within the matrix. Our theoretical modeling is in good agreement with the experimental results for the dyes.

  7. Energy-Efficient Bioalcohol Recovery by Gel Stripping

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godbole, Rutvik; Ma, Lan; Hedden, Ronald

    2014-03-01

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

  8. Supramolecular gel electrophoresis of large DNA fragments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tazawa, Shohei; Kobayashi, Kazuhiro; Oyoshi, Takanori; Yamanaka, Masamichi

    2017-10-01

    Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis is a frequent technique used to separate exceptionally large DNA fragments. In a typical continuous field electrophoresis, it is challenging to separate DNA fragments larger than 20 kbp because they migrate at a comparable rate. To overcome this challenge, it is necessary to develop a novel matrix for the electrophoresis. Here, we describe the electrophoresis of large DNA fragments up to 166 kbp using a supramolecular gel matrix and a typical continuous field electrophoresis system. C 3 -symmetric tris-urea self-assembled into a supramolecular hydrogel in tris-boric acid-EDTA buffer, a typical buffer for DNA electrophoresis, and the supramolecular hydrogel was used as a matrix for electrophoresis to separate large DNA fragments. Three types of DNA marker, the λ-Hind III digest (2 to 23 kbp), Lambda DNA-Mono Cut Mix (10 to 49 kbp), and Marker 7 GT (10 to 165 kbp), were analyzed in this study. Large DNA fragments of greater than 100 kbp showed distinct mobility using a typical continuous field electrophoresis system. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Radiotherapy gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baldock, C.

    2002-01-01

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

  10. A simple gel electrophoresis method for separating polyhedral gold nanoparticles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Suhee; Lee, Hye Jin

    2015-07-01

    In this paper, a simple approach to separate differently shaped and sized polyhedral gold nanoparticles (NPs) within colloidal solutions via gel electrophoresis is described. Gel running parameters for separating efficiently gold NPs including gel composition, added surfactant types and applied voltage were investigated. The plasmonic properties and physical structure of the separated NPs extracted from the gel matrix were then investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-vis spectrophotometry respectively. Data analysis revealed that gel electrophoresis conditions of a 1.5 % agarose gel with 0.1 % sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant under an applied voltage of 100 V resulted in the selective isolation of ~ 50 nm polyhedral shaped gold nanoparticles. Further efforts are underway to apply the method to purify biomolecule-conjugated polyhedral Au NPs that can be readily used for NP-enhanced biosensing platforms.

  11. Platelets stimulate fibroblast-mediated contraction of collagen gels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lundahl Joachim

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Platelets are thought to play a role in a variety of inflammatory conditions in the lung, some of which may lead to fibrosis. In the current study we tested the hypothesis that whole platelets and platelet lysate can mediate remodelling of extracellular matrix in vitro by affecting fibroblast-mediated contraction of a collagen gel. We also sought to determine to what extent platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β contribute to this effect. Methods Washed platelets, isolated from healthy blood donors, and platelet lysate (freezing and thawing, were cast together with human lung fibroblasts in three-dimensional collagen gels. The gels were then released and cultured for four days. PDGF and TGF-β1 concentrations were measured in culture supernatants by ELISA. Results Both platelets and platelet lysate augmented fibroblast-mediated gel contraction in a time and concentration dependent manner (19.9% ± 0.1 (mean ± SEM of initial area vs. 48.0% ± 0.4 at 48 hours; P 1 and PDGF-AA/AB were released in co-culture. PDGF-AA/AB had a maximum release at 24 hours whereas TGF-β1 release increased with longer culture periods. Neutralising antibodies to these mediators partially inhibited platelet-induced gel contraction. Conclusion We conclude that platelets may promote remodelling of extracellular matrix in vitro and that PDGF and TGF-β partially mediate this effect, also indicating a role for other mediators. The findings may be an important mechanism in regulating repair processes after injury.

  12. NON-AUTOCLAVE SILICATE BRICK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. N. Yaglov

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper proposes a technology for obtaining bricks on the basis of lime-silica mixtures where chemical interactions are practically completely realized in dispersive state at the stage of preparation of binding contact maturing and raw mixture as a whole. The role of forming operation (moulding is changed in principle because in this case conversion of dispersive system into a rock-like solid occurs and due to this the solid obtains complete water-resistance in contact with water immediately after forming operation. Theoretical basis for the developed technology is capability of silicate dispersive substances (hydrated calcium silicate to transit in non-stable state, to form a rock-like water-resistant solid in the moment of mechanical load application during forming process. Specific feature of the proposed method is an exclusion of additional operations for autoclaving of products from the process of obtaining a silicate brick.Synthetic hydrated calcium silicate in contrast to natural ones are more uniform in composition and structure, they contain less impurities and they are characterized by dispersive composition and due to the mentioned advantages they find wider practical application. Contact-condensation binders permit to manipulate product properties on their basis and ensure maximum correspondence to the requirements of the concrete application. Raw material sources for obtaining synthetic hydrated calcium silicates are practically un-limited because calcium-silicon containing substances are found as in various technogenic wastes so in natural compounds as well. So the problem for obtaining hydrated calcium silicates having contact-condensation ability for structure formation becomes more and more actual one. This transition is considered as dependent principally on arrangement rate of substance particles which determined the level of its instability.

  13. Novel decellularized liver matrix-alginate hybrid gel beads for the 3D culture of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Dongsheng; Liu, Yang; Wang, Huihui; Deng, Fei; Zhang, Ying; Zhao, Shan; Ma, Xiaojun; Wu, Huijian; Sun, Guangwei

    2018-04-01

    Developing reliable three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems that can mimic native tumor microenvironments is necessary for investigating the mechanism of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis and screen therapeutic drugs. In the present study, we developed decellularized liver matrix-alginate (DLM-ALG) hybrid gel beads. DLM powder was prepared by optimized decellularization methods and liquid nitrogen grinding. DLM-ALG beads were generated by dropping alginate solution containing DLM powder into a gelling bath. DLM powder concentration in alginate solution was ≤1% (w/v) and had no effect on the sphericity and mechanical stability of the beads. In addition, HCCLM3 cells cultured in 1% (w/v) DLM-ALG beads presented gradually enhanced viability during in vitro culture. The protein expression of urokinase plasminogen activator system and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) of HCCLM3 cells, including MMP2 and MMP9, were more significantly promoted in DLM-ALG beads compared with that in conventional ALG beads without DLM powder. Moreover, the dose-dependent increase in HCCLM3 cell MMP activities was observed along with the DLM powder concentration in 0.5% and 1% DLM-ALG groups. Therefore, DLM-ALG beads might serve as a novel 3D culture system for exploring the mechanisms of HCC metastasis and screening therapeutic drugs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Regularities in Low-Temperature Phosphatization of Silicates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savenko, A. V.

    2018-01-01

    The regularities in low-temperature phosphatization of silicates are defined from long-term experiments on the interaction between different silicate minerals and phosphate-bearing solutions in a wide range of medium acidity. It is shown that the parameters of the reaction of phosphatization of hornblende, orthoclase, and labradorite have the same values as for clayey minerals (kaolinite and montmorillonite). This effect may appear, if phosphotization proceeds, not after silicate minerals with a different structure and composition, but after a secondary silicate phase formed upon interaction between silicates and water and stable in a certain pH range. Variation in the parameters of the reaction of phosphatization at pH ≈ 1.8 is due to the stability of the silicate phase different from that at higher pH values.

  15. Fixation by ion exchange of toxic materials in a glass matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simmons, C.J.; Simmons, J.H.; Macedo, P.B.; Litovitz, T.A.

    1982-01-01

    A process is reported for reacting a porous silicate or borosilicate glass or silica gel with alkali metal cations, Group lb cations and/or ammonium cations bonded to the silicon through divalent oxygen linkages on the internal surfaces of the pores. Ion exchange of the cations with toxic or radioactive cations was possible resulting in a distribution of internal silicon-bonded toxic cation oxide groups within the pores of the glass or silica gel. The ion exchange reaction may be done successfully with acidic, neutral or alkaline pH solutions. The aim of the immobilization is for permanent storage of hazardous materials such as Hg 2+ , Hg + , Cd 2+ , Tl + , Pb 2+ and radioactive cations

  16. Low temperature synthesis of CaO-SiO2 glasses having stable liquid-liquid immiscibility by the sol-gel process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bansal, N. P.

    1992-01-01

    Calcium silicate glass compositions lying within the liquid-liquid immiscibility dome of the phase diagram, which could not have been prepared by the conventional melting method, were synthesized by the sol-gel process. Hydrolysis and polycondensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) solutions containing up to 20 mol percent calcium nitrate resulted in the formation of clear and transparent gels. The gel formation time decreased with increase in water: TEOS mole ratio, calcium content, and the reaction temperature. Smaller values of gel times in the presence of calcium nitrate are probably caused by lowering of the ionic charge on the sol particles by the salt present. The gelation activation energy, E(sub gel), was evaluated from temperature dependence of the gel time. Presence of Ca(2+) ions or the water:TEOS mole ratio did not have an appreciable effect on the value of E(sub gel). Presence of glycerol in the solution helped in the formation of crack-free monolithic gel specimens. Chemical and structural changes occurring in the gels, as a function of the heat treatments, have been monitored using DTA, TGA, IR-spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, surface area and pore size distribution measurements.

  17. Synthesis of gels with basis of titanium tungstates as matrixes of radioactive generators; Sintesis de geles a base de titanio tungstenatos como matrices de generadores radiactivos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Galico C, L

    2005-07-01

    The heteropolyanions, compounds formed by the union of molybdates or tungstates polyanions with atoms of metals like zirconium, titanium, cerium, thorium, tin, etc., have been used as generator matrixes of {sup 99m} Tc or {sup 188} Re. Particularly they have been studied and produced successfully in our laboratory, generators of {sup 99} Mo/ {sup 99}m Tc at basis of gels zirconium molybdates and titanium molybdates. Considering that the molybdenum and tungsten, as well as the technetium and the rhenium, its belong to the same groups of transition metals, it is feasible that gels can be synthesized at basis of titanium tungstates, continuing a methodology similar to that of the gels titanium molybdates or zirconium molybdates, to produce generators {sup 188} W/ {sup 188} Re. The {sup 188} Re possess nuclear characteristics that make it attractive for therapeutic applications, since, it emits {beta}{sup -} particles of a great energy (2.12 MeV); joined to the possibility of being able to unite to different ligands (bifunctional agents) and biomolecules (antibodies or fragments of proteins), as it makes the {sup 99m} Tc, useful in radioimmunotherapy. Commercially the {sup 188} Re generators use a chromatographic column loaded with alumina where the {sup 188} Re, it is adsorbed and eluted the {sup 188} ReO{sub 4}{sup -} by means of a saline solution The alumina adsorbs around 0.2% of the {sup 188} Re, situation that forces to use {sup 188} Re of a high specific activity. The use of the gels technology, allows to work with medium or low specific activities of {sup 188} Re, opening the possibility of their production in countries whose nuclear capacity is medium or low. In particular, the synthesized gels with basis of titanium offer the possibility of being synthesized with non active material, for later on to be irradiated and directly produce the generator, since, the titanium {sup 51} Ti, unique radioisotope produced by the titanium, has a half life of 5.79 min. This

  18. A spectrophotometer-based diffusivity assay reveals that diffusion hindrance of small molecules in extracellular matrix gels used in 3D cultures is dominated by viscous effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galgoczy, Roland; Pastor, Isabel; Colom, Adai; Giménez, Alicia; Mas, Francesc; Alcaraz, Jordi

    2014-08-01

    The design of 3D culture studies remains challenging due to the limited understanding of extracellular matrix (ECM)-dependent hindered diffusion and the lack of simple diffusivity assays. To address these limitations, we set up a cost-effective diffusivity assay based on a Transwell plate and the spectrophotometer of a Microplate Reader, which are readily accessible to cell biology groups. The spectrophotometer-based assay was used to assess the apparent diffusivity D of FITC-dextrans with molecular weight (4-70kDa) spanning the physiological range of signaling factors in a panel of acellular ECM gels including Matrigel, fibrin and type I collagen. Despite their technical differences, D data exhibited ∼15% relative difference with respect to FRAP measurements. Our results revealed that diffusion hindrance of small particles is controlled by the enhanced viscosity of the ECM gel in conformance with the Stokes-Einstein equation rather than by geometrical factors. Moreover, we provided a strong rationale that the enhanced ECM viscosity is largely contributed to by unassembled ECM macromolecules. We also reported that gels with the lowest D exhibited diffusion hindrance closest to the large physiologic hindrance of brain tissue, which has a typical pore size much smaller than ECM gels. Conversely, sparse gels (≤1mg/ml), which are extensively used in 3D cultures, failed to reproduce the hindered diffusion of tissues, thereby supporting that dense (but not sparse) ECM gels are suitable tissue surrogates in terms of macromolecular transport. Finally, the consequences of reduced diffusivity in terms of optimizing the design of 3D culture experiments were addressed in detail. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Analysis of siliceous geologic materials by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roca, M.; Bayon, A.

    1987-01-01

    The determination of the elements Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn and Fe in siliceous geologic samples by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence is investigated using the most adequate excitation conditions: direct excitation mode (rhodium anode X-ray tube) for the former two elements, and the secondary targets titanium for K and Ca, and germanium for Ti, Cr, Mn and Fe. For the correction of matrix effects the use of ratio methods has been tested. Procedure files have been defined allowing the automatic simultaneous acquisition and processing of spectra. (author)

  20. Thermogravimetric analysis of phase transitions in cement compositions mixed by sodium silicate solution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fedosov Sergey Viktorovich

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a study of the capability to modify cement by mechanical activation of sodium silicate water solution. Admixtures or blends of binding agents were employed for modifying concrete properties. The liquid glass is applied to protect from chemically or physically unfavorable environmental impacts, such as acidic medium and high temperature. The sodium silicate is a high-capacity setting accelerator. The increasing of the liquid glass proportion in the mix leads to the degradation of the cement paste plasticity and for this reason it is necessary to reduce the amount of liquid glass in the cement paste. The activation of dilute water solution of sodium silicate into rotary pulsating apparatus directly before tempering of the cement paste is an effective way to decrease mass fraction of liquid glass in the cement paste. The results of the combined influence of liquid glass and mechanical activation on physicochemical processes taking place in cement stone are represented in this research. Thermogravimetric analysis was used in order to study cement blends. Thermogravimetric analysis of modified cement stone assays was performed by thermo analyzer SETARAM TGA 92-24. The results of the analysis of phase transition taking place under high-temperature heating of cement stone modified by the mechanical activation of the water solution of the sodium silicate were introduced. Thermograms of cement stone assays were obtained at different hardening age. The comparison of these thermograms allows us to come to a conclusion on the formation and the retention during long time of a more dense structure of the composite matrix mixed by the mechanical activation of sodium silicate water solution. The relation between the concrete composition and its strength properties was stated. Perhaps, the capability of modified concrete to keep calcium ions in sparingly soluble hydrosilicates leads to the increase in its durability and corrosion resistance.

  1. Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Silicate Vaporization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobson, Nathan S.; Costa, Gustavo C. C.

    2015-01-01

    Silicates are a common class of materials that are often exposed to high temperatures. The behavior of these materials needs to be understood for applications as high temperature coatings in material science as well as the constituents of lava for geological considerations. The vaporization behavior of these materials is an important aspect of their high temperature behavior and it also provides fundamental thermodynamic data. The application of Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry (KEMS) to silicates is discussed. There are several special considerations for silicates. The first is selection of an appropriate cell material, which is either nearly inert or has well-understood interactions with the silicate. The second consideration is proper measurement of the low vapor pressures. This can be circumvented by using a reducing agent to boost the vapor pressure without changing the solid composition or by working at very high temperatures. The third consideration deals with kinetic barriers to vaporization. The measurement of these barriers, as encompassed in a vaporization coefficient, is discussed. Current measured data of rare earth silicates for high temperature coating applications are discussed. In addition, data on magnesium-iron-silicates (olivine) are presented and discussed.

  2. Mechanical and chemical properties of polyvinyl alcohol modified cement mortar with silica fume used as matrix including radioactive waste

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dakroury, A. M.

    2007-01-01

    This paper discussed the mechanical and chemical properties of polyvinyl alcohol - modified cement mortar with silica fume to assess the safety for disposal of radioactive waste. The modified cement mortars containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in the presence of 10 % silica fume (SF) .The chemical reaction between polymer and cement - hydrated product were investigated by the Infrared Spectral Technology, Differential Thermal Analysis and X-ray diffraction. The leaching of 137Cs from a waste composite into a surrounding fluid has been studied .The results shown that PVA increases the strength and decreases the porosity. The increase in strength duo to the interaction of PVA with cement , may be forming some new compound that fill the pores or improve the bond between the cement . The pozzolanic reaction of the SF increases the calcium silicate hydrates in the hardening matrix composites. There is distinct change in the refinement of the pore structure in cement composites giving fewer capillary pores and more of the finer gel pores

  3. Gel-like properties of MCM-41 material and its transformation to MCM-50 in a caustic alkaline surround

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saputra, Hens; Othman, Raihan; Sutjipto, A.G.E.; Muhida, R.; Ani, M.H.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► MCM-41 material transforms gradually into MCM-50 lamellar gel upon controlled exposure to 6 M KOH. ► The formation of MCM-50 ordered gel structure occurs at KOH weight content of 40–70 wt. %. ► MCM gel phase shows pseudoplastic behavior and possesses homogeneous matrix texture. -- Abstract: MCM-41 material, prepared by sol–gel method, reveals gel-like properties in a caustic alkaline environment, i.e., 6 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte. The gellation of MCM-41 starts at a KOH weight ratio of 40 wt.%. The structural change of the material is verified with X-Ray diffractograms and supported by observation using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). As the KOH weight ratio increases, the MCM-41 hexagonal arrays structure gradually transforms into MCM-50 lamellar structure before disappearing completely at 80 wt.% KOH. The MCM gel phase is further characterized by rotational viscometry and texture analysis. The gel phase shows shear thinning or pseudoplastic behavior and possesses homogeneous matrix structure.

  4. Gel-aided sample preparation (GASP)--a simplified method for gel-assisted proteomic sample generation from protein extracts and intact cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Roman; Kessler, Benedikt M

    2015-04-01

    We describe a "gel-assisted" proteomic sample preparation method for MS analysis. Solubilized protein extracts or intact cells are copolymerized with acrylamide, facilitating denaturation, reduction, quantitative cysteine alkylation, and matrix formation. Gel-aided sample preparation has been optimized to be highly flexible, scalable, and to allow reproducible sample generation from 50 cells to milligrams of protein extracts. This methodology is fast, sensitive, easy-to-use on a wide range of sample types, and accessible to nonspecialists. © 2014 The Authors. PROTEOMICS published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  5. Stiffness of hyaluronic acid gels containing liver extracellular matrix supports human hepatocyte function and alters cell morphology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deegan, Daniel B; Zimmerman, Cynthia; Skardal, Aleksander; Atala, Anthony; Shupe, Thomas D

    2015-03-01

    Tissue engineering and cell based liver therapies have utilized primary hepatocytes with limited success due to the failure of hepatocytes to maintain their phenotype in vitro. In order to overcome this challenge, hyaluronic acid (HA) cell culture substrates were formulated to closely mimic the composition and stiffness of the normal liver cellular microenvironment. The stiffness of the substrate was modulated by adjusting HA hydrogel crosslinking. Additionally, the repertoire of bioactive molecules within the HA substrate was bolstered by supplementation with normal liver extracellular matrix (ECM). Primary human hepatocyte viability and phenotype were determined over a narrow physiologically relevant range of substrate stiffnesses from 600 to 4600Pa in both the presence and absence of liver ECM. Cell attachment, viability, and organization of the actin cytoskeleton improved with increased stiffness up to 4600Pa. These differences were not evident in earlier time points or substrates containing only HA. However, gene expression for the hepatocyte markers hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) and albumin significantly decreased on the 4600Pa stiffness at day 7 indicating that cells may not have maintained their phenotype long-term at this stiffness. Function, as measured by albumin secretion, varied with both stiffness and time in culture and peaked at day 7 at the 1200Pa stiffness, slightly below the stiffness of normal liver ECM at 3000Pa. Overall, gel stiffness affected primary human hepatocyte cell adhesion, functional marker expression, and morphological characteristics dependent on both the presence of liver ECM in gel substrates and time in culture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Synthesis of ceramic powders of La9,56 (SiO4)6O2,34 and La9,8Si5,7MgO,3O26,4 by modified sol-gel process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lira, Sabrina Lopes; Paiva, Mayara Rafaela Soares; Misso, Agatha Matos; Elias, Daniel Ricco; Yamagata, Chieko

    2012-01-01

    Lanthanum silicate oxyapatite materials are promising for application as electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells because of high ionic conductivity at temperatures between 600 deg C and 800 deg C. In this work, oxyapatites with the composition La 9,56 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2,34 , and La 9,8 Si 5,7 Mg 0,3 O 26,4 were synthesized by using the sol-gel method, followed by precipitation. Initially, the gel of silica was synthesized from sodium silicate solution, by acid catalysis using lanthanum and magnesium chloride solution. Then, the La and Mg hydroxides were precipitated with NaOH in the gel. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and measurements of specific surface area. The crystalline oxyapatite phase of La 9,56 (SiO 4 ) 6 O 2,34 , and was La 9,8 Si 5,7 Mg 0,3 O 26,4 obtained by calcination at 900 deg C for 2 and 1h respectively (author)

  7. LABORATORY INVESTIGATIONS OF SILICATE MUD CONTAMINATION WITH CALCIUM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nediljka Gaurina-Međimurec

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available The silicate-based drilling fluid is a low solids KCl/polymer system with the addition of soluble sodium or potassium silicate to enhance inhibition and wellbore stability. Silicate-based drilling fluids exhibit remarkable shale and chalk stabilizing properties, resulting in gauge hole and the formation of firm cuttings when drilling reactive shales and soft chalks. Silicates protect shales by in-situ gellation when exposed to the neutral pore fluid and precipitation, which occurs on contact with divalent ions present at the surface of the shale. Also, silicates prevent the dispersion and washouts when drilling soft chalk by reacting with the Ca2+ ions present on chalk surfaces of cutting and wellbore to form a protective film. The silicate-based drilling fluid can be used during drilling hole section through shale interbeded anhydrite formations because of its superior shale stabilizing characteristics. However, drilling through the anhydrite can decrease the silicate concentration and change rheological and filtration fluid properties. So, the critical concentration of calcium ions should be investigated by lab tests. This paper details the mechanism of shale inhibition using silicate-based drilling fluid, and presents results of lab tests conducted to ascertain the effect of Ca2+ ions on silicate level in the fluid and the fluid properties.

  8. 21 CFR 582.2122 - Aluminum calcium silicate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Aluminum calcium silicate. 582.2122 Section 582.2122 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED....2122 Aluminum calcium silicate. (a) Product. Aluminum calcium silicate. (b) Tolerance. 2 percent. (c...

  9. 21 CFR 182.2122 - Aluminum calcium silicate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 21 Food and Drugs 3 2010-04-01 2009-04-01 true Aluminum calcium silicate. 182.2122 Section 182.2122 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED....2122 Aluminum calcium silicate. (a) Product. Aluminum calcium silicate. (b) Tolerance. 2 percent. (c...

  10. Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in Apis mellifera Lawang propolis extract gel-treated traumatic ulcers in diabetic rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diah Savitri Ernawati

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Apis mellifera propolis extract gel on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9 expression in the traumatic ulcers of rats afflicted with diabetes mellitus (DM. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 24 male Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus induced with DM by injecting 50 mg/kg of Streptozotocin, intraperitoneally, and a traumatic ulcer on their lower lip mucosa. These were divided into eight groups: Four each for control and treatment groups. Each control and treatment group consisted of three rats. The control groups treated with hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 5% gel and treatment groups were administered with propolis extract gel. The expression of VEGF and MMP-9 was observed on days 3, 5, 7, and 9. Furthermore, mice sacrificed and the lower lip labial mucosa tissue of mice has been taken to make the histopathology anatomy preparation by means of immunohistochemical examination with monoclonal antibodies anti-VEGF and anti-MMP-9. Results: This experiment revealed higher VEGF expression and lower MMP-9 expression in the treatment group as compared to that of the control group. Analysis of Variance showed significant differences (p<0.01 of both VEGF expression and MMP-9 expression between the two groups. A Tukey's analysis did not find strong contrasts in VEGF and MMP-9 expressions between various treatment groups. However, those between treatment and control groups were found to be considerable. Conclusion: Propolis extract gel increased the expression of VEGF and decreased that of MMP-9 during the healing process of traumatic ulcers on the oral mucosa of diabetes afflicted Wistar rats (R. norvegicus.

  11. Antibacterial Activity of Silicate Bioceramics

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    HU Sheng; NING Congqin; ZHOU Yue; CHEN Lei; LIN Kaili; CHANG Jiang

    2011-01-01

    Four kinds of pure silicate ceramic particles, CaSiO3, Ca3SiO5, bredigite and akermanite were prepared and their bactericidal effects were systematically investigated. The phase compositions of these silicate ceramics were characterized by XRD. The ionic concentration meas urement revealed that the Calcium (Ca) ion concentration were relatively higher in Ca3SiO5 and bredigite, and much lower in CaSiO3 and akermanite. Accordingly, the pH values of the four silicate ceramics extracts showed a positive correlation with the particle concentrations. Meanwhile, by decreasing the particle size, higher Ca ion concentrations can be achieved, leading to the increase of aqueous pH value as well. In summary, all of the four silicate ceramics tested in our study showed antibacterial effect in a dose-dependent manner. Generally, the order of their antibacterial activity against E.coli from strong to weak is Ca3SiO5, bredigite, CaSiO3 and akermanite.

  12. Amended Silicated for Mercury Control

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    James Butz; Thomas Broderick; Craig Turchi

    2006-12-31

    Amended Silicates{trademark}, a powdered, noncarbon mercury-control sorbent, was tested at Duke Energy's Miami Fort Station, Unit 6 during the first quarter of 2006. Unit 6 is a 175-MW boiler with a cold-side electrostatic precipitator (ESP). The plant burns run-of-the-river eastern bituminous coal with typical ash contents ranging from 8-15% and sulfur contents from 1.6-2.6% on an as-received basis. The performance of the Amended Silicates sorbent was compared with that for powdered activated carbon (PAC). The trial began with a period of baseline monitoring during which no sorbent was injected. Sampling during this and subsequent periods indicated mercury capture by the native fly ash was less than 10%. After the baseline period, Amended Silicates sorbent was injected at several different ratios, followed by a 30-day trial at a fixed injection ratio of 5-6 lb/MMACF. After this period, PAC was injected to provide a comparison. Approximately 40% mercury control was achieved for both the Amended Silicates sorbent and PAC at injection ratios of 5-6 lbs/MMACF. Higher injection ratios did not achieve significantly increased removal. Similar removal efficiencies have been reported for PAC injection trials at other plants with cold-side ESPs, most notably for plants using medium to high sulfur coal. Sorbent injection did not detrimentally impact plant operations and testing confirmed that the use of Amended Silicates sorbent does not degrade fly ash quality (unlike PAC). The cost for mercury control using either PAC or Amended Silicates sorbent was estimated to be equivalent if fly ash sales are not a consideration. However, if the plant did sell fly ash, the effective cost for mercury control could more than double if those sales were no longer possible, due to lost by-product sales and additional cost for waste disposal. Accordingly, the use of Amended Silicates sorbent could reduce the overall cost of mercury control by 50% or more versus PAC for locations where

  13. Nanostructural Characteristics and Interfacial Properties of Polymer Fibers in Cement Matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shalchy, Faezeh; Rahbar, Nima

    2015-08-12

    Concrete is the most used material in the world. It is also one of the most versatile yet complex materials that humans have used for construction. However, an important weakness of concrete (cement-based composites) is its low tensile properties. Therefore, over the past 30 years many studies were focused on improving its tensile properties using a variety of physical and chemical methods. One of the most successful attempts is to use polymer fibers in the structure of concrete to obtain a composite with high tensile strength and ductility. The advantages of polymer fiber as reinforcing material in concrete, both with regard to reducing environmental pollution and the positive effects on a country's economy, are beyond dispute. However, a thorough understanding of the mechanical behavior of fiber-reinforced concrete requires a knowledge of fiber/matrix interfaces at the nanoscale. In this study, a combination of atomistic simulations and experimental techniques has been used to study the nanostructure of fiber/matrix interfaces. A new model for calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H)/fiber interfaces is also proposed on the basis of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) analyses. Finally, the adhesion energy between the C-S-H gel and three different polymeric fibers (poly(vinyl alcohol), nylon-6, and polypropylene) were numerically studied at the atomistic level because adhesion plays a key role in the design of ductile fiber-reinforced composites. The mechanisms of adhesion as a function of the nanostructure of fiber/matrix interfaces are further studied and discussed. It is observed that the functional group in the structure of polymer macromolecule affects the adhesion energy primarily by changing the C/S ratio of the C-S-H at the interface and by absorbing additional positive ions in the C-S-H structure.

  14. Differential saliva-induced breakdown of starch filled protein gels in relation to sensory perception

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, A.M.; Pijpekamp, A.M. van de; Labiausse, D.

    2009-01-01

    In this study, the differential breakdown of protein gels containing four types of high and low cross-linked starch granules were studied. Susceptibility to saliva-induced breakdown of starch granules and the consequences of these for overall breakdown of the gel matrix were captured using a

  15. Interstellar silicate analogs for grain-surface reaction experiments: Gas-phase condensation and characterization of the silicate dust grains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sabri, T.; Jäger, C. [Laboratory Astrophysics Group of the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena Institute of Solid State Physics, Helmholtzweg 3, D-07743 Jena (Germany); Gavilan, L.; Lemaire, J. L.; Vidali, G. [Observatoire de Paris/Université de Cergy-Pontoise, 5 mail Gay Lussac, F-95000 Cergy-Pontoise (France); Mutschke, H. [Laboratory Astrophysics Group of the Astrophysical Institute and University Observatory, Friedrich Schiller University Jena Schillergässchen 3, D-07743 Jena (Germany); Henning, T., E-mail: tolou.sabri@uni-jena.de [Max Planck Institute for Astronomy Königstuhl 17, D-69117 Heidelberg (Germany)

    2014-01-10

    Amorphous, astrophysically relevant silicates were prepared by laser ablation of siliceous targets and subsequent quenching of the evaporated atoms and clusters in a helium/oxygen gas atmosphere. The described gas-phase condensation method can be used to synthesize homogeneous and astrophysically relevant silicates with different compositions ranging from nonstoichiometric magnesium iron silicates to pyroxene- and olivine-type stoichiometry. Analytical tools have been used to characterize the morphology, composition, and spectral properties of the condensates. The nanometer-sized silicate condensates represent a new family of cosmic dust analogs that can generally be used for laboratory studies of cosmic processes related to condensation, processing, and destruction of cosmic dust in different astrophysical environments. The well-characterized silicates comprising amorphous Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} and Fe{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}, as well as the corresponding crystalline silicates forsterite and fayalite, produced by thermal annealing of the amorphous condensates, have been used as real grain surfaces for H{sub 2} formation experiments. A specifically developed ultra-high vacuum apparatus has been used for the investigation of molecule formation experiments. The results of these molecular formation experiments on differently structured Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} and Fe{sub 2}SiO{sub 4} described in this paper will be the topic of the next paper of this series.

  16. Study of the luminescence of tris(2-thenoyltrifluoroacetonato)lanthanide(III) complexes covalently linked to 1,10-phenanthroline-functionalized hybrid sol-gel glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lenaerts, Philip; Ryckebosch, Eline; Driesen, Kris; Deun, Rik van; Nockemann, Peter; Goerller-Walrand, Christiane; Binnemans, Koen

    2005-01-01

    The solubility and uniform distribution of lanthanide complexes in sol-gel glasses can be improved by covalently linking the complexes to the sol-gel matrix. In this study, several lanthanide β-diketonate complexes (Ln=Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Er, Yb) were immobilized on a 1,10-phenanthroline functionalized sol-gel glass. For the europium(III) complex, a sol-gel material of diethoxydimethylsilane (DEDMS) with polymer-like properties was derived. For the other lanthanide complexes, the sol-gel glass was prepared by using a matrix of tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and DEDMS. Both systems were prepared under neutral reaction conditions. High-resolution emission and excitation spectra were recorded. The luminescence lifetimes were measured

  17. Novel cross-linked alcohol-insoluble solid (CL-AIS) affinity gel from pea pod for pectinesterase purification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Ming-Chang; Lin, Guan-Hui; Wang, Yuh-Tai; Jiang, Chii-Ming; Chang, Hung-Min

    2005-10-05

    Alcohol-insoluble solids (AIS) from pea pod were cross-linked (CL-AIS) and used as an affinity gel matrix to isolate pectin esterases (PEs) from tendril shoots of chayote (TSC) and jelly fig achenes (JFA), and the results were compared with those isolated by ion-exchange chromatography with a commercial resin. CL-AIS gel matrix in a column displayed poor absorption and purification fold of PE; however, highly methoxylated CL-AIS (HM-CL-AIS), by exposing CL-AIS to methanolic sulfuric acid to increase the degree of esterification (DE) to 92%, facilitated the enzyme purification. The purified TSC PE and JFA PE by the HM-CL-AIS column were proofed as a single band on an SDS-PAGE gel, showing that the HM-CL-AIS column was a good matrix for purification of PE, either with alkaline isoelectric point (pI) (TSC PE) or with acidic pI (JFA PE).

  18. Quantitative profiling of O-glycans by electrospray ionization- and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry after in-gel derivatization with isotope-coded 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sić, Siniša; Maier, Norbert M.; Rizzi, Andreas M.

    2016-01-01

    The potential and benefits of isotope-coded labeling in the context of MS-based glycan profiling are evaluated focusing on the analysis of O-glycans. For this purpose, a derivatization strategy using d_0/d_5-1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) is employed, allowing O-glycan release and derivatization to be achieved in one single step. The paper demonstrates that this release and derivatization reaction can be carried out also in-gel with only marginal loss in sensitivity compared to in-solution derivatization. Such an effective in-gel reaction allows one to extend this release/labeling method also to glycoprotein/glycoform samples pre-separated by gel-electrophoresis without the need of extracting the proteins/digested peptides from the gel. With highly O-glycosylated proteins (e.g. mucins) LODs in the range of 0.4 μg glycoprotein (100 fmol) loaded onto the electrophoresis gel can be attained, with minor glycosylated proteins (like IgAs, FVII, FIX) the LODs were in the range of 80–100 μg (250 pmol–1.5 nmol) glycoprotein loaded onto the gel. As second aspect, the potential of isotope coded labeling as internal standardization strategy for the reliable determination of quantitative glycan profiles via MALDI-MS is investigated. Towards this goal, a number of established and emerging MALDI matrices were tested for PMP-glycan quantitation, and their performance is compared with that of ESI-based measurements. The crystalline matrix 2,6-dihydroxyacetophenone (DHAP) and the ionic liquid matrix N,N-diisopropyl-ethyl-ammonium 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone (DIEA-THAP) showed potential for MALDI-based quantitation of PMP-labeled O-glycans. We also provide a comprehensive overview on the performance of MS-based glycan quantitation approaches by comparing sensitivity, LOD, accuracy and repeatability data obtained with RP-HPLC-ESI-MS, stand-alone nano-ESI-MS with a spray-nozzle chip, and MALDI-MS. Finally, the suitability of the isotope-coded PMP labeling strategy for

  19. Quantitative profiling of O-glycans by electrospray ionization- and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry after in-gel derivatization with isotope-coded 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sić, Siniša; Maier, Norbert M.; Rizzi, Andreas M., E-mail: Andreas.Rizzi@univie.ac.at

    2016-09-07

    The potential and benefits of isotope-coded labeling in the context of MS-based glycan profiling are evaluated focusing on the analysis of O-glycans. For this purpose, a derivatization strategy using d{sub 0}/d{sub 5}-1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) is employed, allowing O-glycan release and derivatization to be achieved in one single step. The paper demonstrates that this release and derivatization reaction can be carried out also in-gel with only marginal loss in sensitivity compared to in-solution derivatization. Such an effective in-gel reaction allows one to extend this release/labeling method also to glycoprotein/glycoform samples pre-separated by gel-electrophoresis without the need of extracting the proteins/digested peptides from the gel. With highly O-glycosylated proteins (e.g. mucins) LODs in the range of 0.4 μg glycoprotein (100 fmol) loaded onto the electrophoresis gel can be attained, with minor glycosylated proteins (like IgAs, FVII, FIX) the LODs were in the range of 80–100 μg (250 pmol–1.5 nmol) glycoprotein loaded onto the gel. As second aspect, the potential of isotope coded labeling as internal standardization strategy for the reliable determination of quantitative glycan profiles via MALDI-MS is investigated. Towards this goal, a number of established and emerging MALDI matrices were tested for PMP-glycan quantitation, and their performance is compared with that of ESI-based measurements. The crystalline matrix 2,6-dihydroxyacetophenone (DHAP) and the ionic liquid matrix N,N-diisopropyl-ethyl-ammonium 2,4,6-trihydroxyacetophenone (DIEA-THAP) showed potential for MALDI-based quantitation of PMP-labeled O-glycans. We also provide a comprehensive overview on the performance of MS-based glycan quantitation approaches by comparing sensitivity, LOD, accuracy and repeatability data obtained with RP-HPLC-ESI-MS, stand-alone nano-ESI-MS with a spray-nozzle chip, and MALDI-MS. Finally, the suitability of the isotope-coded PMP labeling

  20. Development of novel Sol-Gel Indicators (SGI's) for in-situ environmental measurements: Part 1, Program and a new pH Sol-Gel Indicator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Livingston, R.R.; Baylor, L.; Wicks, G.G.

    1992-01-01

    The feasibility of incorporating analytical indicators into a sol-gel glassy matrix and then coating substrates with this composite material has bee demonstrated. Substrates coated include paper, wood, glass, and the lens of an analytical probe. The first SRTC sol-gel indicator, comprising bromophenol blue dispersed in a silica matrix, was fabricated and successfully used to measure solution pH in the range of pH 3.0 to 7.5. material exhibited a quick response time, as measured by color changes both qualitatively and quantitatively, and the measuring device was reversible or reusable. Additional indicators with responses over other ranges as well as indicators sensitive to the presence of elements of interest, are also under development. The new SGI composites possess promising properties and an excellent potential for performing a variety important in-situ environmental measurements and area discussed in this report

  1. Polymer sol-gel composite inverse opal structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaoran; Blanchard, G J

    2015-03-25

    We report on the formation of composite inverse opal structures where the matrix used to form the inverse opal contains both silica, formed using sol-gel chemistry, and poly(ethylene glycol), PEG. We find that the morphology of the inverse opal structure depends on both the amount of PEG incorporated into the matrix and its molecular weight. The extent of organization in the inverse opal structure, which is characterized by scanning electron microscopy and optical reflectance data, is mediated by the chemical bonding interactions between the silica and PEG constituents in the hybrid matrix. Both polymer chain terminus Si-O-C bonding and hydrogen bonding between the polymer backbone oxygens and silanol functionalities can contribute, with the polymer mediating the extent to which Si-O-Si bonds can form within the silica regions of the matrix due to hydrogen-bonding interactions.

  2. Functionalization of luminescent YVO{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} nanoparticles by sol–gel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Miura, Barbara A.; Ferreira, Natália H.; Oliveira, Pollyanna F.; Faria, Emerson H. de; Tavares, Denise C.; Rocha, Lucas A.; Ciuffi, Katia J.; Nassar, Eduardo J., E-mail: eduardo.nassar@unifran.edu.br

    2015-03-15

    Over the last decades, researchers have explored nanotechnological applications in different areas. The non-hydrolytic and hydrolytic sol–gel routes offer the ideal conditions to obtain materials with distinct compositions and multifunctionality, for use in such diverse areas as nanomedicine and technology. In this work, we used the modified hydrolytic sol–gel route to prepare YVO{sub 4} doped with Eu{sup 3+} ion. The YVO{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} nanoparticles were functionalized with 3-chloropropyltriethoxysilane using the hydrolytic sol–gel process; the drug cisplatin was then added to them. The final powder was characterized by thermal analysis, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns of the samples obtained before and after functionalization revealed well defined peaks ascribed to the tetragonal structure of the YVO{sub 4} phase. The thermal analysis curves evidenced mass loss relative to 3-chloropropyltriethoxysilane and cisplatin decomposition. Infrared spectroscopy showed the peaks related to the CH and NH groups vibration modes, confirming YVO{sub 4} functionalization. The excitation and emission spectrum of the Eu{sup 3+} ion did not change upon its doping into the matrix functionalized with 3-chloropropyl and cisplatin. Cytotoxicity tests conducted on normal Chinese hamster (V79 cells) and murine melanoma (B16F10) cells attested that the matrix was not toxic. - Highlights: • Sol–gel methodology was used to obtain luminescent YVO{sub 4}. • Matrix was functionalized by alkoxide. • YVO{sub 4} matrix was not toxic. • YVO{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} nanoparticles existed in the cell cytoplasm and nucleus. • YVO{sub 4}:Eu{sup 3+} can function as a fluorescent label and drug delivery system.

  3. Effect of ultrasound treatment on the morpho-structural and luminescent characteristics of cerium doped yttrium silicate phosphors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Muresan, L.E., E-mail: laura_muresan2003@yahoo.com [“Raluca Ripan” Institute for Research in Chemistry, Babeş Bolyai University, Fântânele 30, 400294 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Cadis, A.I.; Perhaita, I. [“Raluca Ripan” Institute for Research in Chemistry, Babeş Bolyai University, Fântânele 30, 400294 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Silipas, D.T. [National Institute for R& D of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, Donath 67-103, 400293 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Tudoran, L. Barbu [Electronic Microscopy Centre, Babeş Bolyai University, Clinicilor 37, 400006 Cluj-Napoca (Romania)

    2015-08-15

    Highlights: • Y{sub 2}SiO{sub 5}:Ce is prepared by gel combustion in ultrasound conditions (US). • Morpho-structural characteristics are revealed based on FTIR, SEM, XRD, BET. • Incorporation of Ce{sup 3+} in X1/X2 type centers depends on preparative conditions. • US treatment increases the luminescent performances up to 151%. - Abstract: Cerium activated yttrium silicate (Y{sub 2}SiO{sub 5}:Ce) phosphors were prepared by gel-combustion, using yttrium–cerium nitrate as oxidizer, aspartic acid as fuel and TEOS as source of silicon. Two modalities for samples preparation were approached namely: the classical gel-combustion and sonication gel-combustion. The ultrasound treatment during the gelling stage has a positive effect on the structural and luminescent characteristics of the final product. Therefore, a well crystallized single X2–Y{sub 2}SiO{sub 5} phase phosphor was obtained at 1200 °C. Based on FT-IR and XRD investigations, conversion of X1 to X2–Y{sub 2}SiO{sub 5} phases is observed as the firing temperature is varied (1100 °C, 1200 °C, 1300 °C 1400 °C). The ultrasound treatment leads to smaller particle size and enhances the luminescent performances up to 151% in comparison with samples prepared by classical way.

  4. Adsorption of aqueous silicate on hematite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Taylor, P.; Ticknor, K.V.

    1997-08-01

    During radioisotope sorption studies, adsorption of silicate from synthetic groundwaters by synthetic hematite was observed. To further investigate this observation, the adsorption of silicate onto hematite (α-Fe 2 O 3 ) powder from a neutral, aqueous NaC1 solution (0.1 mol/dm 3 ), containing 2.56 x 10 -4 mol/dm 3 of Si added as Na 2 SiO 3 ·9H 2 O, was measured at ∼21 deg C. Equilibrium adsorption of silicate amounted to ∼1.93 μmol/m 2 (one Si(O,OH) 4 moiety per 86 A 2 ). It is important to take this adsorption into account when evaluating the ability of iron oxides to adsorb other species, especially anions, from groundwaters. Silicate adsorption is known to diminish the ability of iron oxides to adsorb other anions. (author)

  5. Engineering a collagen matrix that replicates the biological properties of native extracellular matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nam, Kwangwoo; Sakai, Yuuki; Funamoto, Seiichi; Kimura, Tsuyoshi; Kishida, Akio

    2011-01-01

    In this study, we aimed to replicate the function of native tissues that can be used in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The key to such replication is the preparation of an artificial collagen matrix that possesses a structure resembling that of the extracellular matrix. We, therefore, prepared a collagen matrix by fibrillogenesis in a NaCl/Na(2)HPO(4) aqueous solution using a dialysis cassette and investigated its biological behavior in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro cell adhesion and proliferation did not show any significant differences. The degradation rate in the living body could be controlled according to the preparation condition, where the collagen matrix with high water content (F-collagen matrix, >98%) showed fast degradation and collagen matrix with lower water content (T-collagen matrix, >80%) showed no degradation for 8 weeks. The degradation did not affect the inflammatory response at all and relatively faster wound healing response was observed. Comparing this result with that of collagen gel and decellularized cornea, it can be concluded that the structural factor is very important and no cell abnormal behavior would be observed for quaternary structured collagen matrix.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2018-01-01

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

  7. Transesterification of babassu oil catalyzed by Burkholderia cepacia encapsulated in sol-gel matrix employing protic ionic liquid as an additive

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Vanessa Souza Oliveira

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Enzymatic transesterification from non-edible vegetable oil (babassu oil and ethanol is provided. A set of seven experiments featuring a full 22 factorial design with three central points and different combinations of molar ratio and temperature as independent variables was employed. Transesterification reactions were catalyzed by Burkholderia cepacia lipase encapsulated in a hydrophobic matrix obtained by the sol-gel technique using protic ionic liquid (N-methylmonoethanolamine pentanoate as additive and with conventional heating (40 – 56°C. Ethyl esters highest yield (51.90% was obtained by experimental design with 1:7 molar ratio (oil:alcohol and temperature at 40°C during 48h reaction. The process with a 5-fold increase of enzymatic load provided 98.69% ethyl esters yield with 4.29 mm2 s-1 viscosity

  8. Silicates materials of high vacuum technology

    CERN Document Server

    Espe, Werner

    2013-01-01

    Materials of High Vacuum Technology, Volume 2: Silicates covers silicate insulators of special importance to vacuum technology. The book discusses the manufacture, composition, and physical and chemical properties of technical glasses, quartz glass, quartzware, vycor glass, ceramic materials, mica, and asbestos.

  9. Evidence of organic luminescent centers in sol-gel-synthesized yttrium aluminum borate matrix leading to bright visible emission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Burner, Pauline; Salauen, Mathieu; Ibanez, Alain; Gautier-Luneau, Isabelle [Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Inst NEEL, Grenoble (France); CNRS, Inst NEEL, Grenoble (France); Sontakke, Atul D.; Viana, Bruno [PSL Research University, Chimie ParisTech - CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris (France); Bardet, Michel [Universite Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, INAC, MEM, Grenoble (France); Mouesca, Jean-Marie; Gambarelli, Serge; Maurel, Vincent [Universite Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, INAC, SyMMES, Grenoble (France); Barra, Anne-Laure [Laboratoire National des Champs Magnetiques Intenses, UPR CNRS 3228, Universite Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble (France); Ferrier, Alban [PSL Research University, Chimie ParisTech - CNRS, Institut de Recherche de Chimie Paris (France); Sorbonne Universites UPMC Universites Paris 06, Paris (France)

    2017-11-06

    Yttrium aluminum borate (YAB) powders prepared by sol-gel process have been investigated to understand their photoluminescence (PL) mechanism. The amorphous YAB powders exhibit bright visible PL from blue emission for powders calcined at 450 C to broad white PL for higher calcination temperature. Thanks to {sup 13}C labelling, NMR and EPR studies show that propionic acid initially used to solubilize the yttrium nitrate is decomposed into aromatic molecules confined within the inorganic matrix. DTA-TG-MS analyses show around 2 wt % of carbogenic species. The PL broadening corresponds to the apparition of a new band at 550 nm, associated with the formation of aromatic species. Furthermore, pulsed ENDOR spectroscopy combined with DFT calculations enables us to ascribe EPR spectra to free radicals derived from small (2 to 3 rings) polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). PAH molecules are thus at the origin of the PL as corroborated by slow afterglow decay and thermoluminescence experiments. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  10. Matrix rigidity regulates cancer cell growth and cellular phenotype.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert W Tilghman

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available The mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix have an important role in cell growth and differentiation. However, it is unclear as to what extent cancer cells respond to changes in the mechanical properties (rigidity/stiffness of the microenvironment and how this response varies among cancer cell lines.In this study we used a recently developed 96-well plate system that arrays extracellular matrix-conjugated polyacrylamide gels that increase in stiffness by at least 50-fold across the plate. This plate was used to determine how changes in the rigidity of the extracellular matrix modulate the biological properties of tumor cells. The cell lines tested fall into one of two categories based on their proliferation on substrates of differing stiffness: "rigidity dependent" (those which show an increase in cell growth as extracellular rigidity is increased, and "rigidity independent" (those which grow equally on both soft and stiff substrates. Cells which grew poorly on soft gels also showed decreased spreading and migration under these conditions. More importantly, seeding the cell lines into the lungs of nude mice revealed that the ability of cells to grow on soft gels in vitro correlated with their ability to grow in a soft tissue environment in vivo. The lung carcinoma line A549 responded to culture on soft gels by expressing the differentiated epithelial marker E-cadherin and decreasing the expression of the mesenchymal transcription factor Slug.These observations suggest that the mechanical properties of the matrix environment play a significant role in regulating the proliferation and the morphological properties of cancer cells. Further, the multiwell format of the soft-plate assay is a useful and effective adjunct to established 3-dimensional cell culture models.

  11. Matrix Rigidity Regulates Cancer Cell Growth and Cellular Phenotype

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilghman, Robert W.; Cowan, Catharine R.; Mih, Justin D.; Koryakina, Yulia; Gioeli, Daniel; Slack-Davis, Jill K.; Blackman, Brett R.; Tschumperlin, Daniel J.; Parsons, J. Thomas

    2010-01-01

    Background The mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix have an important role in cell growth and differentiation. However, it is unclear as to what extent cancer cells respond to changes in the mechanical properties (rigidity/stiffness) of the microenvironment and how this response varies among cancer cell lines. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study we used a recently developed 96-well plate system that arrays extracellular matrix-conjugated polyacrylamide gels that increase in stiffness by at least 50-fold across the plate. This plate was used to determine how changes in the rigidity of the extracellular matrix modulate the biological properties of tumor cells. The cell lines tested fall into one of two categories based on their proliferation on substrates of differing stiffness: “rigidity dependent” (those which show an increase in cell growth as extracellular rigidity is increased), and “rigidity independent” (those which grow equally on both soft and stiff substrates). Cells which grew poorly on soft gels also showed decreased spreading and migration under these conditions. More importantly, seeding the cell lines into the lungs of nude mice revealed that the ability of cells to grow on soft gels in vitro correlated with their ability to grow in a soft tissue environment in vivo. The lung carcinoma line A549 responded to culture on soft gels by expressing the differentiated epithelial marker E-cadherin and decreasing the expression of the mesenchymal transcription factor Slug. Conclusions/Significance These observations suggest that the mechanical properties of the matrix environment play a significant role in regulating the proliferation and the morphological properties of cancer cells. Further, the multiwell format of the soft-plate assay is a useful and effective adjunct to established 3-dimensional cell culture models. PMID:20886123

  12. Macrophage involvement affects matrix stiffness-related influences on cell osteogenesis under three-dimensional culture conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Xiao-Tao; Wu, Rui-Xin; Xu, Xin-Yue; Wang, Jia; Yin, Yuan; Chen, Fa-Ming

    2018-04-15

    Accumulating evidence indicates that the physicochemical properties of biomaterials exert profound influences on stem cell fate decisions. However, matrix-based regulation selected through in vitro analyses based on a given cell population do not genuinely reflect the in vivo conditions, in which multiple cell types are involved and interact dynamically. This study constitutes the first investigation of how macrophages (Mφs) in stiffness-tunable transglutaminase cross-linked gelatin (TG-gel) affect the osteogenesis of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs). When a single cell type was cultured, low-stiffness TG-gels promoted BMMSC proliferation, whereas high-stiffness TG-gels supported cell osteogenic differentiation. However, Mφs in high-stiffness TG-gels were more likely to polarize toward the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype. Using either conditioned medium (CM)-based incubation or Transwell-based co-culture, we found that Mφs encapsulated in the low-stiffness matrix exerted a positive effect on the osteogenesis of co-cultured BMMSCs. Conversely, Mφs in high-stiffness TG-gels negatively affected cell osteogenic differentiation. When both cell types were cultured in the same TG-gel type and placed into the Transwell system, the stiffness-related influences of Mφs on BMMSCs were significantly altered; both the low- and high-stiffness matrix induced similar levels of BMMSC osteogenesis. Although the best material parameter for synergistically affecting Mφs and BMMSCs remains unknown, our data suggest that Mφ involvement in the co-culture system alters previously identified material-related influences on BMMSCs, such as matrix stiffness-related effects, which were identified based on a culture system involving a single cell type. Such Mφ-stem cell interactions should be considered when establishing proper matrix parameter-associated cell regulation in the development of biomimetic biomaterials for regenerative applications. The substrate stiffness

  13. Mesoporous Silica Gel-Based Mixed Matrix Membranes for Improving Mass Transfer in Forward Osmosis: Effect of Pore Size of Filler.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jian-Yuan; Wang, Yining; Tang, Chuyang Y; Huo, Fengwei

    2015-11-23

    The efficiency of forward osmosis (FO) process is generally limited by the internal concentration polarization (ICP) of solutes inside its porous substrate. In this study, mesoporous silica gel (SG) with nominal pore size ranging from 4-30 nm was used as fillers to prepare SG-based mixed matrix substrates. The resulting mixed matrix membranes had significantly reduced structural parameter and enhanced membrane water permeability as a result of the improved surface porosity of the substrates. An optimal filler pore size of ~9 nm was observed. This is in direct contrast to the case of thin film nanocomposite membranes, where microporous nanoparticle fillers are loaded to the membrane rejection layer and are designed in such a way that these fillers are able to retain solutes while allowing water to permeate through them. In the current study, the mesoporous fillers are designed as channels to both water and solute molecules. FO performance was enhanced at increasing filler pore size up to 9 nm due to the lower hydraulic resistance of the fillers. Nevertheless, further increasing filler pore size to 30 nm was accompanied with reduced FO efficiency, which can be attributed to the intrusion of polymer dope into the filler pores.

  14. Location of silicic caldera formation in arc settings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hughes, Gwyneth R; Mahood, Gail A [Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, 450 Serra, Mall, Building 320, Stanford, CA 94305-2115 (United States)

    2008-10-01

    Silicic calderas are the surface expressions of silicic magma chambers, and thus their study may yield information about what tectonic and crustal features favor the generation of evolved magma. The goal of this study is to determine whether silicic calderas in arc settings are preferentially located behind the volcanic front. After a global analysis of young, arc-related calderas, we find that silicic calderas at continental margins do form over a wide area behind the front, as compared to other types of arc volcanoes.

  15. A novel fibrin gel derived from hyaluronic acid-grafted fibrinogen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yang, Chiung L; Chen, Hui W; Wang, Tzu C; Wang, Yng J, E-mail: wang@ym.edu.tw [Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang Ming University, No. 155, Sec. 2, Li-Nung St., Shih-Pai, Taipei, Taiwan 112 (China)

    2011-04-15

    Fibrinogen is a major plasma protein that forms a three-dimensional fibrin gel upon being activated by thrombin. In this study, we report the synthesis and potential applications of hybrid molecules composed of fibrinogen coupled to the reducing ends of short-chain hyaluronic acids (sHAs) by reductive amination. The grafting of sHAs to fibrinogen was verified by analyzing particle size, zeta potential and gel-electrophoretic mobility of the hybrid molecules. The sHA-fibrinogen hybrid molecules with graft ratios (sHA/fibrinogen) of up to 6.5 retained the ability to form gels in response to thrombin activation. The sHA-fibrin gels were transparent in appearance and exhibited high water content, which were characteristics distinct from those of gels formed by mixtures of sHAs and fibrinogen. The potential applications of the sHA-fibrin gels were evaluated. The sHA-fibrinogen gel with a graft ratio of 3.6 (S3.6F) was examined for its ability to encapsulate and support the differentiation of ATDC5 chondrocyte-like cells. Compared with the fibrinogen-formed gel, cells cultured in the S3.6F gel exhibited increased lacunae formation; moreover, the abundance of cartilaginous extracellular matrix molecules and the expression of chondrocyte marker genes, such as aggrecan, collagen II and Sox9, were also significantly increased. Our data suggest that the three-dimensional gel formed by the sHA-fibrinogen hybrid is a better support than the fibrin gel for chondrogenesis induction.

  16. A novel fibrin gel derived from hyaluronic acid-grafted fibrinogen

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Chiung L; Chen, Hui W; Wang, Tzu C; Wang, Yng J

    2011-01-01

    Fibrinogen is a major plasma protein that forms a three-dimensional fibrin gel upon being activated by thrombin. In this study, we report the synthesis and potential applications of hybrid molecules composed of fibrinogen coupled to the reducing ends of short-chain hyaluronic acids (sHAs) by reductive amination. The grafting of sHAs to fibrinogen was verified by analyzing particle size, zeta potential and gel-electrophoretic mobility of the hybrid molecules. The sHA-fibrinogen hybrid molecules with graft ratios (sHA/fibrinogen) of up to 6.5 retained the ability to form gels in response to thrombin activation. The sHA-fibrin gels were transparent in appearance and exhibited high water content, which were characteristics distinct from those of gels formed by mixtures of sHAs and fibrinogen. The potential applications of the sHA-fibrin gels were evaluated. The sHA-fibrinogen gel with a graft ratio of 3.6 (S3.6F) was examined for its ability to encapsulate and support the differentiation of ATDC5 chondrocyte-like cells. Compared with the fibrinogen-formed gel, cells cultured in the S3.6F gel exhibited increased lacunae formation; moreover, the abundance of cartilaginous extracellular matrix molecules and the expression of chondrocyte marker genes, such as aggrecan, collagen II and Sox9, were also significantly increased. Our data suggest that the three-dimensional gel formed by the sHA-fibrinogen hybrid is a better support than the fibrin gel for chondrogenesis induction.

  17. Analysis of spatial diffusion of ferric ions in PVA-GTA gel dosimeters through magnetic resonance imaging

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marrale, Maurizio [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Universitá di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 18, 90128 Palermo (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) – Gruppo V Sezione di Catania, Via Santa Sofia, 64, 95123 Catania (Italy); ATeN Center, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 18, 90128 Palermo (Italy); Collura, Giorgio [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Universitá di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 18, 90128 Palermo (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) – Gruppo V Sezione di Catania, Via Santa Sofia, 64, 95123 Catania (Italy); Gallo, Salvatore, E-mail: salvatore.gallo05@unipa.it [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Universitá di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 18, 90128 Palermo (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) – Gruppo V Sezione di Catania, Via Santa Sofia, 64, 95123 Catania (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica, Universitá di Milano, Via Giovanni Celoria 16, 20133 Milano (Italy); Nici, Stefania [Dipartimento di Fisica e Chimica, Universitá di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 18, 90128 Palermo (Italy); Tranchina, Luigi [ATeN Center, Università di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Edificio 18, 90128 Palermo (Italy); Abbate, Boris Federico [U.O.C. Fisica Sanitaria, A.R.N.A.S., Ospedale Civico Palermo, Piazza Nicola Leotta 4, 90127 Palermo (Italy); Marineo, Sandra; Caracappa, Santo [Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia (IZS), Via Gino Marinuzzi, 3, 90129 Palermo (Italy); and others

    2017-04-01

    Highlights: • Analysis of ferric ions diffusion throughout the gel matrix in PVA-GTA samples. • Measurements with preclinical 7T MRI scanner with spatial resolution of 200 μm. • Diffusion process is much slower for PVA-GTA gels than for agarose ones. - Abstract: This work focused on the analysis of the temporal diffusion of ferric ions through PVA-GTA gel dosimeters. PVA-GTA gel samples, partly exposed with 6 MV X-rays in order to create an initial steep gradient, were mapped using magnetic resonance imaging on a 7T MRI scanner for small animals. Multiple images of the gels were acquired over several hours after irradiation and were analyzed to quantitatively extract the signal profile. The spatial resolution achieved is 200 μm and this makes this technique particularly suitable for the analysis of steep gradients of ferric ion concentration. The results obtained with PVA-GTA gels were compared with those achieved with agarose gels, which is a standard dosimetric gel formulation. The analysis showed that the diffusion process is much slower (more than five times) for PVA-GTA gels than for agarose ones. Furthermore, it is noteworthy that the diffusion coefficient value obtained through MRI analysis is significantly consistent with that obtained in separate study Marini et al. (Submitted for publication) using a totally independent method such as spectrophotometry. This is a valuable result highlighting that the good dosimetric features of this gel matrix not only can be reproduced but also can be measured through independent experimental techniques based on different physical principles.

  18. Blue- and red-emitting phosphor nanoparticles embedded in a porous matrix

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Taghavinia, N. [Physics Department, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran P.O. Box 11365-9161, Tehran 14588 (Iran, Islamic Republic of) and Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran 14588 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)]. E-mail: taghavinia@sharif.edu; Lerondel, G. [Laboratoire de Nanotechnologie et d' Instrumentation Optique, Univ. de Technologie de Troyes, 10010 Troyes cedex (France); Makino, H. [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan); Yao, T. [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8577 (Japan)

    2006-05-01

    Eu{sup 3+}- and Ce{sup 3+}-doped yttrium silicate, as well as Eu{sup 2+}-doped zinc silicate nanoparticles, were grown in a porous SiO{sub 2} matrix using an impregnation method. For Y{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7}:Eu{sup 3+}, particles of about 50 nm size were obtained that exhibited several photoluminescence (PL) peaks in red. Different peaks showed slightly different decay times; however, their excitation mechanism was found the same. Increasing the Eu concentration increased the PL intensity while reducing the decay time. Y{sub 2}Si{sub 2}O{sub 7}:Ce{sup 3+} nanoparticles in the porous matrix showed bright blue emission, consisting of two peaks at 358 nm and 378 nm. Re-impregnation process was found effective in changing the relative intensity of the two peaks. Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}:Eu{sup 2+} nanoparticles in porous glass consisted of amorphous particles of about 20 nm size inside the porous matrix. The luminescence was a broad peak centered at 418 nm. These phosphor systems, together with our previously reported Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}:Mn{sup 2+} in porous SiO{sub 2} structure, comprise a red-green-blue system that can be used in display applications.

  19. Radiation effects on lead silicate glass surfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, P.W.; Zhang, L.P.; Borgen, N.; Pannell, K.

    1996-01-01

    Radiation-induced changes in the microstructure of lead silicate glass were investigated in situ under Mg K α irradiation in an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) environment by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Lead-oxygen bond breaking resulting in the formation of pure lead was observed. The segregation, growth kinetics and the structural relaxation of the lead, with corresponding changes in the oxygen and silicon on the glass surfaces were studied by measuring the time-dependent changes in concentration, binding energy shifts, and the full width at half maximum. A bimodal distribution of the oxygen XPS signal, caused by bridging and non-bridging oxygens, was found during the relaxation process. All experimental data indicate a reduction of the oxygen concentration, a phase separation of the lead from the glass matrix, and the metallization of the lead occurred during and after the X-ray irradiation. (author)

  20. Calorimetric signature of structural heterogeneity in a ternary silicate glass

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Yanfei; Yang, G.; Yue, Yuanzheng

    2013-01-01

    We investigate the structural heterogeneity in a silicate glass by hyperquenching–annealing–calorimetry approach. The results show a striking phenomenon: two separated sub-Tg relaxation peaks appear on the calorimetric curve of the hyperquenched CaO–MgO–SiO2 glass, implying the existence of two...... distinct structural domains of higher and lower potential energies, respectively. The higher energy domains in nanoscale are so unstable that they become ordered during hyperquenching. This is verified by the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy image exhibiting nanoordered domains in the glass...... matrix. The higher energy domains relax similar to a strong glass phase, whereas the lower energy domains do similar to a fragile one....

  1. Sol-gel coatings of ceramic fibres for composites with ceramic matrix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maier, B.; Grathwohl, G.; Spallek, M.; Pannhorst, W.

    1992-01-01

    The aim of this work was to show the feasibility in principle of sol-gel coating of ceramic reinforcement components for composites from technical aspects as well. The complexity of the coating task rises with the transition from individual fibres to bundles of fibres of different thickness to weaves, and finally to composites. (orig.) [de

  2. The Power of Non-Hydrolytic Sol-Gel Chemistry: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ales Styskalik

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available This review is devoted to non-hydrolytic sol-gel chemistry. During the last 25 years, non-hydrolytic sol-gel (NHSG techniques were found to be attractive and versatile methods for the preparation of oxide materials. Compared to conventional hydrolytic approaches, the NHSG route allows reaction control at the atomic scale resulting in homogeneous and well defined products. Due to these features and the ability to design specific materials, the products of NHSG reactions have been used in many fields of application. The aim of this review is to present an overview of NHSG research in recent years with an emphasis on the syntheses of mixed oxides, silicates and phosphates. The first part of the review highlights well known condensation reactions with some deeper insights into their mechanism and also presents novel condensation reactions established in NHSG chemistry in recent years. In the second section we discuss porosity control and novel compositions of selected materials. In the last part, the applications of NHSG derived materials as heterogeneous catalysts and supports, luminescent materials and electrode materials in Li-ion batteries are described.

  3. Thermal conductivity of silicic tuffs: predictive formalism and comparison with preliminary experimental results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lappin, A. R.

    1980-07-01

    Performance of both near- and far-field thermomechanical calculations to assess the feasibility of waste disposal in silicic tuffs requires a formalism for predicting thermal conductivity of a broad range of tuffs. This report summarizes the available thermal conductivity data for silicate phases that occur in tuffs and describes several grain-density and conductivity trends which may be expected to result from post-emplacement alteration. A bounding curve is drawn that predicts the minimum theoretical matrix (zero-porosity) conductivity for most tuffs as a function of grain density. Comparison of experimental results with this curve shows that experimental conductivities are consistently lower at any given grain density. Use of the lowered bounding curve and an effective gas conductivity of 0.12 W/m 0 C allows conservative prediction of conductivity for a broad range of tuff types. For the samples measured here, use of the predictive curve allows estimation of conductivity to within 15% or better, with one exception. Application and possible improvement of the formalism are also discussed

  4. Nanostructured sol-gel coatings doped with cerium nitrate as pre-treatments for AA2024-T3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zheludkevich, M.L.; Serra, R.; Montemor, M.F.; Yasakau, K.A.; Salvado, I.M. Miranda; Ferreira, M.G.S.

    2005-01-01

    Nanostructured hybrid sol-gel coatings doped with cerium ions were investigated in the present work as pre-treatments for the AA2024-T3 alloy. The sol-gel films have been synthesized from tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GPTMS) precursors. Additionally the hybrid sol was doped with zirconia nanoparticles prepared from hydrolyzed tetra-n-propoxyzirconium (TPOZ). Cerium nitrate, as corrosion inhibitor, was added into the hybrid matrix or into the oxide nanoparticles. The chemical composition and the structure of the hybrid sol-gel films were studied by XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and AFM (atomic force microscopy), respectively. The evolution of the corrosion protection properties of the sol-gel films was studied by EIS (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy), which can provide quantitative information on the role of the different pre-treatments. Different equivalent circuits, for different stages of the corrosion processes, were used in order to model the coating degradation. The models were supported by SEM (scanning electron microscopy) measurements. The results show that the sol-gel films containing zirconia nanoparticles present improved barrier properties. Doping the hybrid nanostructured sol-gel coatings with cerium nitrate leads to additional improvement of the corrosion protection. The zirconia particles present in the sol-gel matrix seem to act as nanoreservoirs providing a prolonged release of cerium ions. The nanostructured sol-gel films doped with cerium nitrate can be proposed as a potential candidate for substitution of the chromate pre-treatments for AA2024-T3

  5. Process of forming a sol-gel/metal hydride composite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Congdon, James W [Aiken, SC

    2009-03-17

    An external gelation process is described which produces granules of metal hydride particles contained within a sol-gel matrix. The resulting granules are dimensionally stable and are useful for applications such as hydrogen separation and hydrogen purification. An additional coating technique for strengthening the granules is also provided.

  6. On crystallochemistry of uranil silicates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sidorenko, G.A.; Moroz, I.Kh.; Zhil'tsova, I.G.

    1975-01-01

    A crystallochemical analysis has been made of uranil silicates. It is shown that on crystallochemical grounds it is justified to distinguish among them uranophane-kasolite, soddyite and viksite groups differing in the uranil-anion [SiO 4 ] -4 ratio and, as a consequence, in their crystallochemical structures. Widespread silicates of the uranophane-kasolite group is the formation of polytype modifications where, depending on the interlaminar cation, crystalline structures are formed with various packing of single-type uranil-anion layers. It has been shown experimentally that silicates of the uranophanekasolite group contain no oxonium ion in their crystalline structures. Minerals of the viksite group belong to a group of isostructural (homeotypic) laminated formation apt to form phases of different degrees of hydration. Phases with a smaller interlaminar cation form hydrates with a greater number of water molecules in the formulas unit

  7. Spectral evidence for amorphous silicates in least-processed CO meteorites and their parent bodies

    Science.gov (United States)

    McAdam, Margaret M.; Sunshine, Jessica M.; Howard, Kieren T.; Alexander, Conel M.; McCoy, Timothy J.; Bus, Schelte J.

    2018-05-01

    Least-processed carbonaceous chondrites (carbonaceous chondrites that have experienced minimal aqueous alteration and thermal metamorphism) are characterized by their predominately amorphous iron-rich silicate interchondrule matrices and chondrule rims. This material is highly susceptible to destruction by the parent body processes of thermal metamorphism or aqueous alteration. The presence of abundant amorphous material in a meteorite indicates that the parent body, or at least a region of the parent body, experienced minimal processing since the time of accretion. The CO chemical group of carbonaceous chondrites has a significant number of these least-processed samples. We present visible/near-infrared and mid-infrared spectra of eight least-processed CO meteorites (petrologic type 3.0-3.1). In the visible/near-infrared, these COs are characterized by a broad weak feature that was first observed by Cloutis et al. (2012) to be at 1.3-μm and attributed to iron-rich amorphous silicate matrix materials. This feature is observed to be centered at 1.4-μm for terrestrially unweathered, least-processed CO meteorites. At mid-infrared wavelengths, a 21-μm feature, consistent with Si-O vibrations of amorphous materials and glasses, is also present. The spectral features of iron-rich amorphous silicate matrix are absent in both the near- and mid-infrared spectra of higher metamorphic grade COs because this material has recrystallized as crystalline olivine. Furthermore, spectra of least-processed primitive meteorites from other chemical groups (CRs, MET 00426 and QUE 99177, and C2-ungrouped Acfer 094), also exhibit a 21-μm feature. Thus, we conclude that the 1.4- and 21-μm features are characteristic of primitive least-processed meteorites from all chemical groups of carbonaceous chondrites. Finally, we present an IRTF + SPeX observation of asteroid (93) Minerva that has spectral similarities in the visible/near-infrared to the least-processed CO carbonaceous chondrites

  8. Characterization and leach investigations of sodium silicate matrices used for immobilization of radioactive waste

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sharaf El-Deen, A N; El-Dessouky, M M; Helmy, M A [Petroleum Research Institue, Academy of Scientific Research, Nasr City, Cairo (Egypt); Abed Raouf, M W; El-Dessouky, M I [Hot Lab. Centre, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

    1995-10-01

    In this study, simulated liquid waste and radioactive tracers of Cs-137 and Co-60 were used to represent the high-level liquid waste (HLLW). immobilization of the liquid waste was performed by its interaction with commercial sodium silicate hydrosol to the gel point, at room temperature. The candidate waste forms forms were fabricated from the obtained hydrogel through several steps including: drying the hydrogel to a solid gel form, crushing the solid to be in a powder from, pressing the powder to the green disk form using a cold pressing technique and finally the heat treatment of the green disks to the sintered form. Characterization for the obtained waste forms was carried out using: thermal analysis (TGA and DTA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) techniques and porosity investigation. The leach tests for the prepared forms were conducted according to the international atomic energy agency (IAEA) standard test (static and accelerated). The static test was carried out for simulated and radioactive waste in distilled, bidistilled and ground water for 28 days. The accelerated (Soxhlet) test was conducted for simulated waste in deionized water for 72 hours. 4 figs., 7 tabs.

  9. β-Dicalcium silicate-based cement: synthesis, characterization and in vitro bioactivity and biocompatibility studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correa, Daniel; Almirall, Amisel; García-Carrodeguas, Raúl; dos Santos, Luis Alberto; De Aza, Antonio H; Parra, Juan; Delgado, José Ángel

    2014-10-01

    β-dicalcium silicate (β-Ca₂ SiO₄, β-C₂ S) is one of the main constituents in Portland cement clinker and many refractory materials, itself is a hydraulic cement that reacts with water or aqueous solution at room/body temperature to form a hydrated phase (C-S-H), which provides mechanical strength to the end product. In the present investigation, β-C₂ S was synthesized by sol-gel process and it was used as powder to cement preparation, named CSiC. In vitro bioactivity and biocompatibility studies were assessed by soaking the cement samples in simulated body fluid solutions and human osteoblast cell cultures for various time periods, respectively. The results showed that the sol-gel process is an available synthesis method in order to obtain a pure powder of β-C₂ S at relatively low temperatures without chemical stabilizers. A bone-like apatite layer covered the material surface after soaking in SBF and its compressive strength (CSiC cement) was comparable with that of the human trabecular bone. The extracts of this cement were not cytotoxic and the cell growth and relative cell viability were comparable to negative control. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. Ring-Resonator/Sol-Gel Interferometric Immunosensor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bearman, Gregory; Cohen, David

    2007-01-01

    A proposed biosensing system would be based on a combination of (1) a sensing volume containing antibodies immobilized in a sol-gel matrix and (2) an optical interferometer having a ring resonator configuration. The antibodies would be specific to an antigen species that one seeks to detect. In the ring resonator of the proposed system, light would make multiple passes through the sensing volume, affording greater interaction length and, hence, greater antibody- detection sensitivity.

  11. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-capillary gel electrophoresis of polyethylene glycolylated interferon alpha.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Na, Dong H; Park, Eun J; Youn, Yu S; Moon, Byung W; Jo, Yeong W; Lee, Sung H; Kim, Won-Bae; Sohn, Yeowon; Lee, Kang C

    2004-02-01

    Sodium dodecyl sulfate-capillary gel electrophoresis (SDS-CGE) using a hydrophilic replaceable polymer network matrix was applied to characterize the polyethylene glycol(PEG)ylated interferon alpha (PEG-IFN). The SDS-CGE method resulted in a clearer resolution in both the PEG-IFN species and the native IFN species. The distribution profile of PEGylation determined by SDS-CGE was consistent with that obtained by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) with Coomassie blue or barium iodide staining. The result was also compared using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry. SDS-CGE was also useful for monitoring the PEGylation reaction to optimize the reaction conditions, such as reaction molar ratio. This study shows the potential of SDS-CGE as a new method for characterizing the PEGylated proteins with advantages of speed, minimal sample consumption and high resolution.

  12. Effect of silicate module of water glass on rheological parameters of poly(sodium acrylate)/sodium silicate hydrogels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mastalska-Popiawska, J.; Izak, P.

    2017-01-01

    The poly(sodium acrylate)/sodium silicate hydrogels were synthesized in the presence of sodium thiosulphate and potassium persulphate as the redox initiators and N,N’-methylene-bisacrylamide as the cross-linking monomer. 20 wt% aqueous solution of sodium acrylate was polymerized together with water glass with different silicate modules (M) from 1.74 to 2.29, in three mass ratio of the monomer solution to the water glass 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2. Such obtained hybrid composites were rheologically tested using the oscillation method. It allowed to designate the crossover point during polymerization, as well as to define the viscoelastic properties of the casted hydrogel samples one week after the reaction. The obtained results of the oscillation measurements showed that cross-linking reaction proceeds very quickly and the lower the silicate module is, the process starts faster. After the completion of the reaction the silicate-polymer hydrogels are strongly elastic materials and the highest elasticity characterizes systems with the mass ratio 1:2, i.e. with the highest water glass content.

  13. 40 CFR 721.9513 - Modified magnesium silicate polymer (generic).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Modified magnesium silicate polymer... Specific Chemical Substances § 721.9513 Modified magnesium silicate polymer (generic). (a) Chemical... as modified magnesium silicate polymer (PMN P-98-604) is subject to reporting under this section for...

  14. Lattice thermal conductivity of silicate glasses at high pressures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Y. Y.; Hsieh, W. P.

    2016-12-01

    Knowledge of the thermodynamic and transport properties of magma holds the key to understanding the thermal evolution and chemical differentiation of Earth. The discovery of the remnant of a deep magma ocean above the core mantle boundary (CMB) from seismic observations suggest that the CMB heat flux would strongly depend on the thermal conductivity, including lattice (klat) and radiative (krad) components, of dense silicate melts and major constituent minerals around the region. Recent measurements on the krad of dense silicate glasses and lower-mantle minerals show that krad of dense silicate glasses could be significantly smaller than krad of the surrounding solid mantle phases, and therefore the dense silicate melts would act as a thermal insulator in deep lower mantle. This conclusion, however, remains uncertain due to the lack of direct measurements on the lattice thermal conductivity of silicate melts under relevant pressure-temperature conditions. Besides the CMB, magmas exist in different circumstances beneath the surface of the Earth. Chemical compositions of silicate melts vary with geological and geodynamic settings of the melts and have strong influences on their thermal properties. In order to have a better view of heat transport within the Earth, it is important to study compositional and pressure dependences of thermal properties of silicate melts. Here we report experimental results on lattice thermal conductivities of silicate glasses with basaltic and rhyolitic compositions up to Earth's lower mantle pressures using time-domain thermoreflectance coupled with diamond-anvil cell techniques. This study not only provides new data for the thermal conductivity of silicate melts in the Earth's deep interior, but is crucial for further understanding of the evolution of Earth's complex internal structure.

  15. Encapsulation of TRISO particle fuel in durable soda-lime-silicate glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heath, Paul G.; Corkhill, Claire L.; Stennett, Martin C.; Hand, Russell J.; Meyer, Willem C.H.M.; Hyatt, Neil C.

    2013-01-01

    Tri-Structural Isotropic (TRISO) coated particle-fuel is a key component in designs for future high temperature nuclear reactors. This study investigated the suitability of three soda lime silicate glass compositions, for the encapsulation of simulant TRISO particle fuel. A cold press and sinter (CPS) methodology was employed to produce TRISO particle–glass composites. Composites produced were determined to have an aqueous durability, fracture toughness and Vickers’ hardness comparable to glasses currently employed for the disposal of high level nuclear wastes. Sintering at 700 °C for 30 min was found to remove all interconnected porosity from the composite bodies and oxidation of the outer pyrolytic carbon layer during sintering was prevented by processing under a 5% H 2 /N 2 atmosphere. However, the outer pyrolytic carbon layer was not effectively wetted by the encapsulating glass matrix. The aqueous durability of the TRISO particle–glass composites was investigated using PCT and MCC-1 tests combined with geochemical modelling. It was found that durability was dependent on silicate and calcium solution saturation. This study provides significant advancements in the preparation of TRISO particle encapsulant waste forms. The potential for the use of non-borosilicate sintered glass composites for TRISO particle encapsulation has been confirmed, although further refinements are required

  16. Encapsulation of TRISO particle fuel in durable soda-lime-silicate glasses

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Heath, Paul G.; Corkhill, Claire L.; Stennett, Martin C.; Hand, Russell J. [Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Robert Hadfield Building, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD (United Kingdom); Meyer, Willem C.H.M. [Necsa, South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, PO Box 582, Pretoria, Gauteng (South Africa); Hyatt, Neil C., E-mail: n.c.hyatt@sheffield.ac.uk [Immobilisation Science Laboratory, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Robert Hadfield Building, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S1 3JD (United Kingdom)

    2013-05-15

    Tri-Structural Isotropic (TRISO) coated particle-fuel is a key component in designs for future high temperature nuclear reactors. This study investigated the suitability of three soda lime silicate glass compositions, for the encapsulation of simulant TRISO particle fuel. A cold press and sinter (CPS) methodology was employed to produce TRISO particle–glass composites. Composites produced were determined to have an aqueous durability, fracture toughness and Vickers’ hardness comparable to glasses currently employed for the disposal of high level nuclear wastes. Sintering at 700 °C for 30 min was found to remove all interconnected porosity from the composite bodies and oxidation of the outer pyrolytic carbon layer during sintering was prevented by processing under a 5% H{sub 2}/N{sub 2} atmosphere. However, the outer pyrolytic carbon layer was not effectively wetted by the encapsulating glass matrix. The aqueous durability of the TRISO particle–glass composites was investigated using PCT and MCC-1 tests combined with geochemical modelling. It was found that durability was dependent on silicate and calcium solution saturation. This study provides significant advancements in the preparation of TRISO particle encapsulant waste forms. The potential for the use of non-borosilicate sintered glass composites for TRISO particle encapsulation has been confirmed, although further refinements are required.

  17. A relationship between Gel'fand-Levitan and Marchenko kernels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kirst, T.; Von Geramb, H.V.; Amos, K.A.

    1989-01-01

    An integral equation which relates the output kernels of the Gel'fand-Levitan and Marchenko inverse scattering equations is specified. Structural details of this integral equation are studied when the S-matrix is a rational function, and the output kernels are separable in terms of Bessel, Hankel and Jost solutions. 4 refs

  18. High Pressure/Temperature Metal Silicate Partitioning of Tungsten

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shofner, G. A.; Danielson, L.; Righter, K.; Campbell, A. J.

    2010-01-01

    The behavior of chemical elements during metal/silicate segregation and their resulting distribution in Earth's mantle and core provide insight into core formation processes. Experimental determination of partition coefficients allows calculations of element distributions that can be compared to accepted values of element abundances in the silicate (mantle) and metallic (core) portions of the Earth. Tungsten (W) is a moderately siderophile element and thus preferentially partitions into metal versus silicate under many planetary conditions. The partitioning behavior has been shown to vary with temperature, silicate composition, oxygen fugacity, and pressure. Most of the previous work on W partitioning has been conducted at 1-bar conditions or at relatively low pressures, i.e. pressure. Predictions based on extrapolation of existing data and parameterizations suggest an increased pressured dependence on metal/ silicate partitioning of W at higher pressures 5. However, the dependence on pressure is not as well constrained as T, fO2, and silicate composition. This poses a problem because proposed equilibration pressures for core formation range from 27 to 50 GPa, falling well outside the experimental range, therefore requiring exptrapolation of a parametereized model. Higher pressure data are needed to improve our understanding of W partitioning at these more extreme conditions.

  19. Biological conduits combining bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and extracellular matrix to treat long-segment sciatic nerve defects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yang Wang

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The transplantation of polylactic glycolic acid conduits combining bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and extracellular matrix gel for the repair of sciatic nerve injury is effective in some respects, but few data comparing the biomechanical factors related to the sciatic nerve are available. In the present study, rabbit models of 10-mm sciatic nerve defects were prepared. The rabbit models were repaired with autologous nerve, a polylactic glycolic acid conduit + bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, or a polylactic glycolic acid conduit + bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells + extracellular matrix gel. After 24 weeks, mechanical testing was performed to determine the stress relaxation and creep parameters. Following sciatic nerve injury, the magnitudes of the stress decrease and strain increase at 7,200 seconds were largest in the polylactic glycolic acid conduit + bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells + extracellular matrix gel group, followed by the polylactic glycolic acid conduit + bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells group, and then the autologous nerve group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining demonstrated that compared with the polylactic glycolic acid conduit + bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells group and the autologous nerve group, a more complete sciatic nerve regeneration was found, including good myelination, regularly arranged nerve fibers, and a completely degraded and resorbed conduit, in the polylactic glycolic acid conduit + bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells + extracellular matrix gel group. These results indicate that bridging 10-mm sciatic nerve defects with a polylactic glycolic acid conduit + bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells + extracellular matrix gel construct increases the stress relaxation under a constant strain, reducing anastomotic tension. Large elongations under a constant physiological load can limit the anastomotic opening and shift, which is beneficial for the regeneration and functional reconstruction of sciatic nerve. Better

  20. Synthesis of ceramic powders of La{sub 9,56} (SiO{sub 4}){sub 6}O{sub 2,34} and La{sub 9,8}Si{sub 5,7}Mg{sub O,3}O{sub 26,}4 by modified sol-gel process; Sintese de pos ceramicos de La{sub 9,56} (SiO{sub 4}){sub 6}O{sub 2,34} e La{sub 9,8}Si{sub 5,7}Mg{sub O,3}O{sub 26,}4 por processo sol-gel modificado

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lira, Sabrina Lopes; Paiva, Mayara Rafaela Soares; Misso, Agatha Matos; Elias, Daniel Ricco; Yamagata, Chieko, E-mail: yamagata@ipen.br [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (CCTM/IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Centro de Ciencia e Tecnologia de Materiais

    2012-07-01

    Lanthanum silicate oxyapatite materials are promising for application as electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells because of high ionic conductivity at temperatures between 600 deg C and 800 deg C. In this work, oxyapatites with the composition La{sub 9,56}(SiO{sub 4}){sub 6}O{sub 2,34}, and La{sub 9,8}Si{sub 5,7}Mg{sub 0,3}O{sub 26,4} were synthesized by using the sol-gel method, followed by precipitation. Initially, the gel of silica was synthesized from sodium silicate solution, by acid catalysis using lanthanum and magnesium chloride solution. Then, the La and Mg hydroxides were precipitated with NaOH in the gel. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and measurements of specific surface area. The crystalline oxyapatite phase of La{sub 9,56}(SiO{sub 4}){sub 6}O{sub 2,34}, and was La{sub 9,8}Si{sub 5,7}Mg{sub 0,3}O{sub 26,4} obtained by calcination at 900 deg C for 2 and 1h respectively (author)

  1. Suppressive effects of a polymer sodium silicate solution on ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Sodium silicate was dissolved in water in either a monomer form or polymer form; the effects of both forms of sodium silicate aqueous solution on rose powdery mildew and root rot diseases of miniature rose were examined. Both forms of sodium silicate aqueous solution were applied to the roots of the miniature rose.

  2. Spectral properties of porphyrins in the systems with layered silicates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ceklovsky, A.

    2009-03-01

    This work is focused on investigation of hybrid materials based on layered silicates, representing host inorganic component, and porphyrin dyes as organic guest. Aqueous colloidal dispersions, as well as thin solid films of layered silicate/porphyrin systems were studied. Modification of photophysical properties, such as absorption and fluorescence of molecules, adsorbed or incorporated in layered silicate hosts, were studied mainly to spread the knowledge about the environments suitable for incorporating aromatic compounds, providing photoactive properties of potential technological interest. TMPyP cations interact with the surfaces of layered silicates via electrostatic interactions. The extent of dye adsorption on colloidal particles of the silicates is influenced by the CEC values and swelling ability of silicates. Interaction of porphyrins with layered silicate hosts leads to significant changes of dye spectral properties. One of the key parameters that has a crucial impact on this interaction is the layer charge of silicate template. Other factors influence the resulting spectral properties of hybrid systems, such as the method of hybrid material preparation, the material's type (colloid, film), and the modification of the silicate host. Molecular orientation studies using linearly-polarized spectroscopies in VIS and IR regions revealed that TMPyP molecules were oriented in almost parallel fashion with respect to the silicate surface plane. Slightly higher values of the orientation angle of TMPyP transition moment were observed for the TMPyP/FHT system. Thus, flattening of the guest TMPyP molecules is the next important factor (mainly in the systems with lower layer charge), influencing its spectral properties upon the interaction with layered silicates. Fluorescence was effectively quenched in the systems based on solid films prepared from the high concentration of the dye (10-3 mol.dm-3). The quenching is most probably related to the structure of the

  3. The kinetic fragility of natural silicate melts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giordano, Daniele; Dingwell, Donald B

    2003-01-01

    Newtonian viscosities of 19 multicomponent natural and synthetic silicate liquids, with variable contents of SiO 2 (41-79 wt%), Al 2 O 3 (10-19 wt%), TiO 2 (0-3 wt%), FeO tot (0-11 wt%); alkali oxides (5-17 wt%), alkaline-earth oxides (0-35 wt%), and minor oxides, obtained at ambient pressure using the high-temperature concentric cylinder, the low-temperature micropenetration, and the parallel plates techniques, have been analysed. For each silicate liquid, regression of the experimentally determined viscosities using the well known Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann (VFT) equation allowed the viscosity of all these silicates to be accurately described. The results of these fits, which provide the basis for the subsequent analysis here, permit qualitative and quantitative correlations to be made between the VFT adjustable parameters (A VFT , B VFT , and T 0 ). The values of B VFT and T 0 , calibrated via the VFT equation, are highly correlated. Kinetic fragility appears to be correlated with the number of non-bridging oxygens per tetrahedrally coordinated cation (NBO/T). This is taken to infer that melt polymerization controls melt fragility in liquid silicates. Thus NBO/T might form an useful ingredient of a structure-based model of non-Arrhenian viscosity in multicomponent silicate melts

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

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

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

    2010-05-15

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

  5. An estimation of applicable thermodynamic data for C-S-H gel to PHREEQC

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Hiroshige; Honda, Akira

    2004-07-01

    Cementitious materials will be used extensively in the TRU waste repository. The dissolution/precipitation of cementitious materials will affect the chemical condition of pore waster of TRU waste repository. Thus, it is important for estimation of chemical condition of pore water to apply the dissolution/precipitation of cementitious materials appropriately. A C-S-H gel (poorly crystallized calcium silicate hydrate) is a major component in cementitious materials which determined the mechanical characteristics of cementitious materials. The hydraulic condition of cementitious materials is strongly affected by the dissolution/precipitation of C-S-H gel due to the change of porosity accompanied with the dissolution/precipitation processes. Further, the chemical condition of pore water will be dominated by the dissolution/ precipitation of C-S-H gel for a long period. Therefore, an importance of the dissolution/precipitation of C-S-H gel has been recognized internationally, and several dissolution/precipitation models of C-S-H gel have been proposed. The principal scopes of the C-S-H gel models are description of an incongruent dissolution/precipitation behavior of C-S-H gel. On the other hand, PHREEQC is a compute program, which has been used generally for the geochemical calculation. PHREEQC can provide the state of chemical equilibrium of system defined by chemical equations and equilibrium constants (log K). In JNC, reference model groundwater determined by calculation using PHREEQC in HLW study will be also used in TRU waste study. In addition, PHREEQC will be used for calculation of the cement-water reaction. Therefore, applicability of the presented dissolution/precipitation models of C-S-H gel to PHREEQC was estimated. As a result of estimation of the applicability, Atkinson model and Reardon model were selected as suitable models to the PHREEQC. The chemical equations and log K values of C-S-H gel were derived from these models and tested using PHREEQC. The

  6. Spectroscopic characterization of the oxyferrous complex of prostacyclin synthase in solution and in trapped sol–gel matrix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeh, Hui-Chun; Hsu, Pei-Yung; Tsai, Ah-Lim; Wang, Lee-Ho

    2010-01-01

    Prostacyclin synthase (PGIS) is a member of the cytochrome P450 family in which the oxyferrous complexes are generally labile in the absence of substrate. At 4 °C, the on-rate constants and off-rate constants of oxygen binding to PGIS in solution are 5.9 × 105 m−1 ·s−1 and 29 s−1, respectively. The oxyferrous complex decays to a ferric form at a rate of 12 s−1. We report, for the first time, a stable oxyferrous complex of PGIS in a transparent sol–gel monolith. The encapsulated ferric PGIS retained the same spectroscopic features as in solution. The binding capabilities of the encapsulated PGIS were demonstrated by spectral changes upon the addition of O-based, N-based and C-based ligands. The peroxidase activity of PGIS in sol–gel was three orders of magnitude slower than that in solution owing to the restricted diffusion of the substrate in sol–gel. The oxyferrous complex in sol–gel was observable for 24 h at room temperature and displayed a much red-shifted Soret peak. Stabilization of the ferrous–carbon monoxide complex in sol–gel was observed as an enrichment of the 450-nm species over the 420-nm species. This result suggests that the sol–gel method may be applied to other P450s to generate a stable intermediate in the di-oxygen activation. PMID:18397321

  7. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel analysis of Plodia interpunctella granulosis virus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Russell, D.L.; Consigli, R.A.

    1986-01-01

    The structural polypeptides of purified Plodia interpunctella granulosis virus were analyzed by three different two-dimensional gel systems. Isoelectric focusing followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis allowed resolution of 53 acidic polypeptides in the enveloped nucleocapsid of the virus ranging in molecular weight from 97,300 to 8000. Nine of these polypeptides were shown to be glycoproteins by the technique of radiolabeled lectin blotting. Separation of the granulin in this system allowed resolution of five species, all of which have identical tryptic peptide maps. This matrix protein was demonstrated to be a phosphoglycoprotein by radiolabeled lectin blotting and acid phosphatase dephosphorylation. Nonequilibrium pH gel electrophoresis followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis allowed resolution of the major basic protein of the virus, VP12, from a more acidic protein of the same molecular weight. Tryptic peptide analysis demonstrated that these two proteins were indeed different and acid urea gels followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis allowed localization of the acidic protein to the envelope and the basic protein to the nucleocapsid of the virus. Finally, probing of the separated envelope nucleocapsid proteins in both the isoelectric focusing and nonequilibrium pH gel electrophoresis two-dimensional systems after transfer to nitrocellulose with iodinated, purified viral proteins allowed further insight into reactions which may be important in the maintenance of the virion structure

  8. The analysis, by a fusion procedure and X-ray-fluorescence spectrometry, of silicates and slags

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacobs, J.J.; Balaes, A.M.E.

    1980-01-01

    A glass-disc fusion method is described for the analysis, by X-ray-fluorescence spectrometry, of slags and silicate materials. The data are corrected for detector dead time and short-term instrumental drift. Corrections are made for matrix variations by use of the Lachange-Traill mathematical model, and the results are processed on a mini-computer, an iterative procedure being used in the solving of the simultaneous equations. As the alpha-correction coefficients of the Lachange-Traill model are not truly constant, a modified version of the model is proposed [af

  9. Biocompatibility and bioactivity of porous polymer-derived Ca-Mg silicate ceramics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fiocco, L; Li, S; Stevens, M M; Bernardo, E; Jones, J R

    2017-03-01

    Magnesium is a trace element in the human body, known to have important effects on cell differentiation and the mineralisation of calcified tissues. This study aimed to synthesise highly porous Ca-Mg silicate foamed scaffolds from preceramic polymers, with analysis of their biological response. Akermanite (Ak) and wollastonite-diopside (WD) ceramic foams were obtained from the pyrolysis of a liquid silicone mixed with reactive fillers. The porous structure was obtained by controlled water release from selected fillers (magnesium hydroxide and borax) at 350°C. The homogeneous distribution of open pores, with interconnects of modal diameters of 160-180μm was obtained and maintained after firing at 1100°C. Foams, with porosity exceeding 80%, exhibited compressive strength values of 1-2MPa. In vitro studies were conducted by immersion in SBF for 21days, showing suitable dissolution rates, pH and ionic concentrations. Cytotoxicity analysis performed in accordance with ISO10993-5 and ISO10993-12 standards confirmed excellent biocompatibility of both Ak and WD foams. In addition, MC3T3-E1 cells cultured on the Mg-containing scaffolds demonstrated enhanced osteogenic differentiation and the expression of osteogenic markers including Collagen Type I, Osteopontin and Osteocalcin, in comparison to Mg-free counterparts. The results suggest that the addition of magnesium can further enhance the bioactivity and the potential for bone regeneration applications of Ca-silicate materials. Here, we show that the incorporation of Mg in Ca-silicates plays a significant role in the enhancement of the osteogenic differentiation and matrix formation of MC3T3-E1 cells, cultured on polymer-derived highly porous scaffolds. Reduced degradation rates and improved mechanical properties are also observed, compared to Mg-free counterparts, suggesting the great potential of Ca-Mg silicates as bone tissue engineering materials. Excellent biocompatibility of the new materials, in accordance to

  10. Giant siliceous spicules from the deep-sea glass sponge Monorhaphis chuni.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaohong; Schröder, Heinz C; Müller, Werner E G

    2009-01-01

    Only 13 years after realizing, during a repair of a telegraph cable pulled out from the deep sea, that the depth of the ocean is plentifully populated with a highly diverse fauna and flora, the Challenger expedition (1873-1876) treasured up a rich collection of vitreous sponges (Hexactinellida). They had been described by Schulze and represent the phylogenetically oldest class of siliceous sponges (phylum Porifera); they are eye-catching because of their distinct body plan, which relies on a filigree skeleton. It is constructed by an array of morphologically determined elements, the spicules. Soon after, during the German Deep Sea Expedition "Valdivia" (1898-1899), Schulze could describe the largest siliceous hexactinellid sponge on Earth, the up to 3-m high Monorhaphis chuni, which develops the equally largest bio-silica structure, the giant basal spicules (3 mx10 mm). Using these spicules as a model, basic knowledge on the morphology, formation, and development of the skeletal elements could be achieved. They are formed by a proteinaceous scaffold (composed of a 27-kDa protein), which mediates the formation of the siliceous lamellae, into which the proteins are encased. The high number of 800 of 5-10 microm thick lamellae is concentrically arranged around the axial canal. The silica matrix is composed of almost pure silicon oxide, providing it with unusually optophysical properties, which are superior to those of man-made waveguides. Experiments might suggest that the spicules function in vivo as a nonocular photoreception system. In addition, the spicules have exceptional mechanical properties, combining mechanical stability with strength and stiffness. Like demosponges, also the hexactinellids synthesize their silica enzymatically, via the enzyme silicatein (27-kDa protein). It is suggested that these basic insights will surely contribute to a further applied utilization and exploration of silica in bio-material/biomedical science.

  11. Effects of ion irradiation on the mechanical properties of SiNawOxCyHz sol-gel derived thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lucca, D.A.; Qi, Y.; Harriman, T.A.; Prenzel, T.; Wang, Y.Q.; Nastasi, M.; Dong, J.; Mehner, A.

    2010-01-01

    A study of the effects of ion irradiation of hybrid organic/inorganic modified silicate thin films on their mechanical properties is presented. NaOH catalyzed SiNa w O x C y H z thin films were synthesized by sol-gel processing from tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) precursors and spin-coated onto Si substrates. After drying at 300 o C, the films were irradiated with 125 keV H + or 250 keV N 2+ at fluences ranging from 1 x 10 14 to 2.5 x 10 16 ions/cm 2 . Nanoindentation was used to characterize the films. Changes in hardness and reduced elastic modulus were examined as a function of ion fluence and irradiating species. The resulting increases in hardness and reduced elastic modulus are compared to similarly processed acid catalyzed silicate thin films.

  12. User`s guide and documentation manual for ``PC-Gel`` simulator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, Ming-Ming; Gao, Hong W.

    1993-10-01

    PC-GEL is a three-dimensional, three-phase (oil, water, and gas) permeability modification simulator developed by incorporating an in-situ gelation model into a black oil simulator (BOAST) for personal computer application. The features included in the simulator are: transport of each chemical species of the polymer/crosslinker system in porous media, gelation reaction kinetics of the polymer with crosslinking agents, rheology of the polymer and gel, inaccessible pore volume to macromolecules, adsorption of chemical species on rock surfaces, retention of gel on the rock matrix, and permeability reduction caused by the adsorption of polymer and gel. The in-situ gelation model and simulator were validated against data reported in the literature. The simulator PC-GEL is useful for simulating and optimizing any combination of primary production, waterflooding, polymer flooding, and permeability modification treatments. A general background of permeability modification using crosslinked polymer gels is given in Section I and the governing equations, mechanisms, and numerical solutions of PC-GEL are given in Section II. Steps for preparing an input data file with reservoir and gel-chemical transport data, and recurrent data are described in Sections III and IV, respectively. Example data inputs are enclosed after explanations of each input line to help the user prepare data files. Major items of the output files are reviewed in Section V. Finally, three sample problems for running PC-GEL are described in Section VI, and input files and part of the output files of these problems are listed in the appendices. For the user`s reference a copy of the source code of PC-GEL computer program is attached in Appendix A.

  13. Calcium silicate ceramic scaffolds toughened with hydroxyapatite whiskers for bone tissue engineering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng, Pei; Wei, Pingpin; Li, Pengjian; Gao, Chengde; Shuai, Cijun; Peng, Shuping

    2014-01-01

    Calcium silicate possessed excellent biocompatibility, bioactivity and degradability, while the high brittleness limited its application in load-bearing sites. Hydroxyapatite whiskers ranging from 0 to 30 wt.% were incorporated into the calcium silicate matrix to improve the strength and fracture resistance. Porous scaffolds were fabricated by selective laser sintering. The effects of hydroxyapatite whiskers on the mechanical properties and toughening mechanisms were investigated. The results showed that the scaffolds had a uniform and continuous inner network with the pore size ranging between 0.5 mm and 0.8 mm. The mechanical properties were enhanced with increasing hydroxyapatite whiskers, reached a maximum at 20 wt.% (compressive strength: 27.28 MPa, compressive Young's modulus: 156.2 MPa, flexural strength: 15.64 MPa and fracture toughness: 1.43 MPa·m 1/2 ) and then decreased by addition of more hydroxyapatite whiskers. The improvement of mechanical properties was due to whisker pull-out, crack deflection and crack bridging. Moreover, the degradation rate decreased with the increase of hydroxyapatite whisker content. A layer of bone-like apatite was formed on the scaffold surfaces after being soaked in simulated body fluid. Human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells spread well on the scaffolds and proliferated with increasing culture time. These findings suggested that the calcium silicate scaffolds reinforced with hydroxyapatite whiskers showed great potential for bone regeneration and tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • HA whiskers were incorporated into CS to improve the properties. • The scaffolds were successfully fabricated by SLS. • Toughening mechanisms was whisker pull-out, crack deflection and bridging. • The scaffolds showed excellent apatite forming ability

  14. Calcium silicate ceramic scaffolds toughened with hydroxyapatite whiskers for bone tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feng, Pei [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Complex Manufacturing, Central South University, Changsha 410083, PR China, (China); Wei, Pingpin [Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha 410078 (China); Li, Pengjian; Gao, Chengde [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Complex Manufacturing, Central South University, Changsha 410083, PR China, (China); Shuai, Cijun, E-mail: shuai@csu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of High Performance Complex Manufacturing, Central South University, Changsha 410083, PR China, (China); Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425 (United States); Peng, Shuping, E-mail: shuping@csu.edu.cn [Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha 410078 (China)

    2014-11-15

    Calcium silicate possessed excellent biocompatibility, bioactivity and degradability, while the high brittleness limited its application in load-bearing sites. Hydroxyapatite whiskers ranging from 0 to 30 wt.% were incorporated into the calcium silicate matrix to improve the strength and fracture resistance. Porous scaffolds were fabricated by selective laser sintering. The effects of hydroxyapatite whiskers on the mechanical properties and toughening mechanisms were investigated. The results showed that the scaffolds had a uniform and continuous inner network with the pore size ranging between 0.5 mm and 0.8 mm. The mechanical properties were enhanced with increasing hydroxyapatite whiskers, reached a maximum at 20 wt.% (compressive strength: 27.28 MPa, compressive Young's modulus: 156.2 MPa, flexural strength: 15.64 MPa and fracture toughness: 1.43 MPa·m{sup 1/2}) and then decreased by addition of more hydroxyapatite whiskers. The improvement of mechanical properties was due to whisker pull-out, crack deflection and crack bridging. Moreover, the degradation rate decreased with the increase of hydroxyapatite whisker content. A layer of bone-like apatite was formed on the scaffold surfaces after being soaked in simulated body fluid. Human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells spread well on the scaffolds and proliferated with increasing culture time. These findings suggested that the calcium silicate scaffolds reinforced with hydroxyapatite whiskers showed great potential for bone regeneration and tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • HA whiskers were incorporated into CS to improve the properties. • The scaffolds were successfully fabricated by SLS. • Toughening mechanisms was whisker pull-out, crack deflection and bridging. • The scaffolds showed excellent apatite forming ability.

  15. Gel electrolytes based on poly(acrylonitrile)/sulpholane with hybrid TiO2/SiO2 filler for advanced lithium polymer batteries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kurc, Beata

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Paper describes properties of gel electrolyte based on PAN with TMS and TiO 2 -SiO 2 . • The TiO 2 -SiO 2 oxide composite was precipitated in the emulsion system and used as the fillers. • The capacity of the graphite anode depends on the current rate and the amount of TiO 2 -SiO 2 . • For PE3 electrolyte was obtained practical capacity more than 90% of the theoretical capacity. - Abstract: This paper describes the synthesis and properties of a new type of ceramic fillers for composite polymer gel electrolytes. Hybrid TiO 2 -SiO 2 ceramic powders have been obtained by co-precipitation from titanium(IV) sulfate solution using sodium silicate as the precipitating agent. The resulting submicron-size powders have been applied as fillers for composite polymer gel electrolytes for Li-ion batteries based on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membranes. The powders and gel electrolytes have been examined structurally and electrochemically, showing favorable properties in terms of electrolyte uptake and electrochemical characteristics in Li-ion cells

  16. Bibliography on Ceramic Matrix Composites and Reinforcing Whiskers, Platelets, and Fibers, 1970-1990

    Science.gov (United States)

    1993-08-01

    Triphasic Sol-Gel Route 2.2.3.8 Srikanth, V. Ravindranathan, P. Crystallization of Gel-Derived Mullite-Zirconia Rani, L. Roy, R. Composites Metal and...179 9.8.1 ArmorMaterials 9.8.1.5 Ceramic Matrix Composite Reactor /Radiator 9.8.1.1 Armor Structures Development and Current Status of Armor Pacquette, E

  17. Amperometric biosensor for hydrogen peroxide based on hemoglobin entrapped in titania sol-gel film

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Jiuhong; Ju Huangxian

    2003-01-01

    Hemoglobin (Hb) was entrapped in a titania sol-gel matrix and used as a mimetic peroxidase to construct a novel amperometric biosensor for hydrogen peroxide. The Hb entrapped titania sol-gel film was obtained with a vapor deposition method, which simplified the traditional sol-gel process for protein immobilization. The morphologies of both titania sol-gel and the Hb films were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and proved to be chemically clean, porous, homogeneous. This matrix provided a biocompatible microenvironment for retaining the native structure and activity of the entrapped Hb and a very low mass transport barrier to the substrates. H 2 O 2 could be reduced by the catalysis of the entrapped hemoglobin at -300 mV without any mediator. The reagentless H 2 O 2 sensor exhibited a fast response (less than 5 s) and sensitivity as high as 1.29 mA mM -1 cm -2 . The linear range for H 2 O 2 determination was from 5.0x10 -7 to 5.4x10 -5 M with a detection limit of 1.2x10 -7 M. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant of the encapsulated hemoglobin was calculated to be 0.18±0.02 mM. The stability of the biosensor was also evaluated

  18. NMR mechanisms in gel dosimetry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schreiner, L J

    2009-01-01

    Nuclear magnetic resonance was critical to the development of gel dosimetry, as it established the potential for three dimensional dosimetry with chemical dosimeter systems through magnetic resonance imaging [1]. In the last two decades MRI has served as the gold standard for imaging, while NMR relaxometry has played an important role in the development and understanding of the behaviour of new gel dosimetry systems. Therefore, an appreciation of the relaxation mechanisms determining the NMR behaviour of irradiated gel dosimeters is important for a full comprehension of a considerable component of the literature on gel dosimetry. A number of excellent papers have presented this important theory, this brief review will highlight some of the salient points made previously [1-5]. The spin relaxation of gel dosimeters (which determines the dose dependence in most conventional MR imaging) is determined principally by the protons on water molecules in the system. These water protons exist in different environments, or groups (see Figure 1): on bulk water, on water hydrating the chemical species that are being modified under irradiation, and on water hydrating the gel matrix used to spatially stabilize the dosimeter (e.g., gelatin, agarose, etc). The spin relaxation depends on the inherent relaxation rate of each spin group, that is, on the relaxation rate which would be observed for the specific group if it were isolated. Also, the different water environments are not isolated from each other, and the observed relaxation rate also depends on the rate of exchange of magnetization between the groups, and on the fraction of protons in each group. In fact, the water exchanges quickly between the environments, so that relaxation is in what is usually termed the fast exchange regime. In the limit of fast exchange, the relaxation of the water protons is well characterized by a single exponential and hence by a single apparent relaxation rate. In irradiated gel dosimeters this

  19. Comparison of silicon nanoparticles and silicate treatments in fenugreek.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nazaralian, Sanam; Majd, Ahmad; Irian, Saeed; Najafi, Farzaneh; Ghahremaninejad, Farrokh; Landberg, Tommy; Greger, Maria

    2017-06-01

    Silicon (Si) fertilization improves crop cultivation and is commonly added in the form of soluble silicates. However, most natural plant-available Si originates from plant formed amorphous SiO 2 particles, phytoliths, similar to SiO 2 -nanoparticles (SiNP). In this work we, therefore, compared the effect by sodium silicate and that of SiNP on Si accumulation, activity of antioxidative stress enzymes catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, lignification of xylem cell walls and activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) as well as expression of genes for the putative silicon transporter (PST), defensive (Tfgd 1) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and protein in fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) grown in hydroponics. The results showed that Si was taken up from both silicate and SiNP treatments and increasing sodium silicate addition increased the translocation of Si to the shoot, while this was not shown with increasing SiNP addition. The silicon transporter PST was upregulated at a greater level when sodium silicate was added compared with SiNP addition. There were no differences in effects between sodium silicate and SiNP treatments on the other parameters measured. Both treatments increased the uptake and accumulation of Si, xylem cell wall lignification, cell wall thickness, PAL activity and protein concentration in seedlings, while there was no effect on antioxidative enzyme activity. Tfgd 1 expression was strongly downregulated in leaves at Si addition. The similarity in effects by silicate and SiNP would be due to that SiNP releases silicate, which may be taken up, shown by a decrease in SiNP particle size with time in the medium. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  20. Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol Silver Nanoparticles Gel for Wound Dressing Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nguyen Thi Hiep

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to fabricate chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol/Ag nanoparticles (CPA gels with microwave-assistance for skin applications. Microwave irradiation was employed to reduce silver ions to silver nanoparticles and to crosslink chitosan (CS with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA. The presence of silver nanoparticles in CPA gels matrix was examined using UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The interaction of CS and PVA was analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The release of silver ions was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry. The antimicrobial properties of CPA gels against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus were investigated using agar diffusion method. Finally, the biocompatibility and wound-healing ability of the gels were studied using fibroblast cells (in vitro and mice models (in vivo. In conclusion, the results showed that CPA gels were successfully fabricated using microwave irradiation method. These gels can be applied to heal an open wound thanks to their antibacterial activity and biocompatibility.

  1. Phase Stability and Thermal Conductivity of Composite Environmental Barrier Coatings on SiC/SiC Ceramic Matrix Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benkel, Samantha; Zhu, Dongming

    2011-01-01

    Advanced environmental barrier coatings are being developed to protect SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites in harsh combustion environments. The current coating development emphasis has been placed on the significantly improved cyclic durability and combustion environment stability in high-heat-flux and high velocity gas turbine engine environments. Environmental barrier coating systems based on hafnia (HfO2) and ytterbium silicate, HfO2-Si nano-composite bond coat systems have been processed and their stability and thermal conductivity behavior have been evaluated in simulated turbine environments. The incorporation of Silicon Carbide Nanotubes (SiCNT) into high stability (HfO2) and/or HfO2-silicon composite bond coats, along with ZrO2, HfO2 and rare earth silicate composite top coat systems, showed promise as excellent environmental barriers to protect the SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites.

  2. Silicate enamel for alloyed steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ket'ko, K.K.

    1976-01-01

    The use of silicate enamels in the metallurgical industry is discussed. Presented are the composition and the physico-chemical properties of the silicate enamel developed at the factory 'Krasnyj Oktyabr'. This enamel can be used in the working conditions both in the liquid and the solid state. In so doing the enamel is melted at 1250 to 1300 deg C, granulated and then reduced to a fraction of 0.3 to 0.5 mm. The greatest homogeneity is afforded by a granulated enamel. The trials have shown that the conversion of the test ingots melted under a layer of enamel leads to the smaller number of the ingots rejected for surface defect reasons and the lower metal consumption for slab cleaning. The cost of the silicate enamel is somewhat higher than that of synthetic slags but its application to the melting of stainless steels is still economically beneficial and technologically reasonable. Preliminary calculations only for steel EhI4IEh have revealed that the use of this enamel saves annually over 360000 roubles [ru

  3. Apatite formation on bioactive calcium-silicate cements for dentistry affects surface topography and human marrow stromal cells proliferation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gandolfi, Maria Giovanna; Ciapetti, Gabriela; Taddei, Paola; Perut, Francesca; Tinti, Anna; Cardoso, Marcio Vivan; Van Meerbeek, Bart; Prati, Carlo

    2010-10-01

    The effect of ageing in phosphate-containing solution of bioactive calcium-silicate cements on the chemistry, morphology and topography of the surface, as well as on in vitro human marrow stromal cells viability and proliferation was investigated. A calcium-silicate cement (wTC) mainly based on dicalcium-silicate and tricalcium-silicate was prepared. Alpha-TCP was added to wTC to obtain wTC-TCP. Bismuth oxide was inserted in wTC to prepare a radiopaque cement (wTC-Bi). A commercial calcium-silicate cement (ProRoot MTA) was tested as control. Cement disks were aged in DPBS for 5 h ('fresh samples'), 14 and 28 days, and analyzed by ESEM/EDX, SEM/EDX, ATR-FTIR, micro-Raman techniques and scanning white-light interferometry. Proliferation, LDH release, ALP activity and collagen production of human marrow stromal cells (MSC) seeded for 1-28 days on the cements were evaluated. Fresh samples exposed a surface mainly composed of calcium-silicate hydrates CSH (from the hydration of belite and alite), calcium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, and ettringite. Apatite nano-spherulites rapidly precipitated on cement surfaces within 5 h. On wTC-TCP the Ca-P deposits appeared thicker than on the other cements. Aged cements showed an irregular porous calcium-phosphate (Ca-P) coating, formed by aggregated apatite spherulites with interspersed calcite crystals. All the experimental cements exerted no acute toxicity in the cell assay system and allowed cell growth. Using biochemical results, the scores were: fresh cements>aged cements for cell proliferation and ALP activity (except for wTC-Bi), whereas fresh cementsgel and the early formation of apatite nano-spherulites; (2) the alpha-TCP doped cement aged for 28 days displayed the highest bioactivity and cell proliferation; (3) the deleterious effect of bismuth on cell

  4. Diffusive transfer to membranes as an effective interface between gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogorzalek Loo, Rachel R.; Mitchell, Charles; Stevenson, Tracy I.; Loo, Joseph A.; Andrews, Philip C.

    1997-12-01

    Diffusive transfer was examined as a blotting method to transfer proteins from polyacrylamide gels to membranes for ultraviolet matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry. The method is well-suited for transfers from isoelectric focusing (IEF) gels. Spectra have been obtained for 11 pmol of 66 kDa albumin loaded onto an IEF gel and subsequently blotted to polyethylene. Similarly, masses of intact carbonic anhydrase and hemoglobin were obtained from 14 and 20 pmol loadings. This methodology is also compatible with blotting high molecular weight proteins, as seen for 6 pmol of the 150 kDa monoclonal antibody anti-[beta]-galactosidase transferred to Goretex. Polypropylene, Teflon, Nafion and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) also produced good spectra following diffusive transfer. Only analysis from PVDF required that the membrane be kept wet prior to application of matrix. Considerations in mass accuracy for analysis from large-area membranes with continuous extraction and delayed extraction were explored, as were remedies for surface charging. Vapor phase CNBr cleavage was applied to membrane-bound samples for peptide mapping.

  5. Mean deformation metrics for quantifying 3D cell–matrix interactions without requiring information about matrix material properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stout, David A.; Bar-Kochba, Eyal; Estrada, Jonathan B.; Toyjanova, Jennet; Kesari, Haneesh; Reichner, Jonathan S.; Franck, Christian

    2016-01-01

    Mechanobiology relates cellular processes to mechanical signals, such as determining the effect of variations in matrix stiffness with cell tractions. Cell traction recorded via traction force microscopy (TFM) commonly takes place on materials such as polyacrylamide- and polyethylene glycol-based gels. Such experiments remain limited in physiological relevance because cells natively migrate within complex tissue microenvironments that are spatially heterogeneous and hierarchical. Yet, TFM requires determination of the matrix constitutive law (stress–strain relationship), which is not always readily available. In addition, the currently achievable displacement resolution limits the accuracy of TFM for relatively small cells. To overcome these limitations, and increase the physiological relevance of in vitro experimental design, we present a new approach and a set of associated biomechanical signatures that are based purely on measurements of the matrix's displacements without requiring any knowledge of its constitutive laws. We show that our mean deformation metrics (MDM) approach can provide significant biophysical information without the need to explicitly determine cell tractions. In the process of demonstrating the use of our MDM approach, we succeeded in expanding the capability of our displacement measurement technique such that it can now measure the 3D deformations around relatively small cells (∼10 micrometers), such as neutrophils. Furthermore, we also report previously unseen deformation patterns generated by motile neutrophils in 3D collagen gels. PMID:26929377

  6. Production of Ethylene through Ethanol Dehydration on SBA-15 Catalysts Synthesized by Sol-gel and One-step Hydrothermal Methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Autthanit, Chaowat; Jongsomjit, Bunjerd

    2018-02-01

    The present work deals with the catalytic performance of SBA-15 supported catalysts in the gas phase catalytic dehydration of ethanol in the temperature range of 200 to 400°C. The SBA-15 support was incorporated on a zirconium (Zr) and bimetal of zirconium and lanthanum (Zr-La) prepared by sol-gel (SG) and hydrothermal (HT) methods. The catalysts were characterized by means of N 2 physisorption, SEM/EDX, and NH 3 -TPD. The experimental results demonstrated that the Zr-La/SBA-15-HT exhibited the highest catalytic activity. Ethanol conversion and ethylene selectivity were found to increase with increased reaction temperature. The best catalytic results were achieved for Zr-La/SBA-15-HT indicating values of ethanol conversion and ethylene yield of ca. 84% and 80%, respectively at 400°C. The most important parameter influencing their catalytic properties appears to be the interaction between metal and support depending on different methods. The metal dispersion inside the siliceous matrix of SBA-15 has a direct influence on their surface acidity. Meanwhile, the performance of these SBA-15 supported catalysts in ethanol dehydration is also related with the alteration of surface acidity caused by the introduction of Zr and Zr-La.

  7. Heterogeneous nucleation of protein crystals on fluorinated layered silicate.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keita Ino

    Full Text Available Here, we describe an improved system for protein crystallization based on heterogeneous nucleation using fluorinated layered silicate. In addition, we also investigated the mechanism of nucleation on the silicate surface. Crystallization of lysozyme using silicates with different chemical compositions indicated that fluorosilicates promoted nucleation whereas the silicates without fluorine did not. The use of synthesized saponites for lysozyme crystallization confirmed that the substitution of hydroxyl groups contained in the lamellae structure for fluorine atoms is responsible for the nucleation-inducing property of the nucleant. Crystallization of twelve proteins with a wide range of pI values revealed that the nucleation promoting effect of the saponites tended to increase with increased substitution rate. Furthermore, the saponite with the highest fluorine content promoted nucleation in all the test proteins regardless of their overall net charge. Adsorption experiments of proteins on the saponites confirmed that the density of adsorbed molecules increased according to the substitution rate, thereby explaining the heterogeneous nucleation on the silicate surface.

  8. 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.

  9. Use of CdSe/ZnS luminescent quantum dots incorporated within sol-gel matrix for urea detection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Duong, Hong Dinh; Rhee, Jong Il

    2008-01-01

    In this work, urea detection techniques based on the pH sensitivity of CdSe/ZnS QDs were developed using three types of sol-gel membranes: a QD-entrapped membrane, urease-immobilized membrane and double layer consisting of a QD-entrapped membrane and urease-immobilized membrane. The surface morphology of the sol-gel membranes deposited on the wells in a 24-well microtiter plate was investigated. The linear detection range of urea was in the range of 0-10 mM with the three types of sol-gel membranes. The urea detection technique based on the double layer consisting of the QD-entrapped membrane and urease-immobilized membrane resulted in the highest sensitivity to urea due to the Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters. That is, the Michaelis-Menten constant (K m =2.0745 mM) of the free urease in the QD-entrapped membrane was about 4-fold higher than that (K m =0.549 mM) of the immobilized urease in the urease-immobilized membrane and about 12-fold higher than that (K m =0.1698 mM) of the immobilized urease in the double layer. The good stability of the three sol-gel membranes for urea sensing over 2 months showed that the use of sol-gel membranes immobilized with QDs or an enzyme is suitable for biomedical and environmental applications

  10. Use of CdSe/ZnS luminescent quantum dots incorporated within sol-gel matrix for urea detection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duong, Hong Dinh; Rhee, Jong Il

    2008-09-19

    In this work, urea detection techniques based on the pH sensitivity of CdSe/ZnS QDs were developed using three types of sol-gel membranes: a QD-entrapped membrane, urease-immobilized membrane and double layer consisting of a QD-entrapped membrane and urease-immobilized membrane. The surface morphology of the sol-gel membranes deposited on the wells in a 24-well microtiter plate was investigated. The linear detection range of urea was in the range of 0-10mM with the three types of sol-gel membranes. The urea detection technique based on the double layer consisting of the QD-entrapped membrane and urease-immobilized membrane resulted in the highest sensitivity to urea due to the Michaelis-Menten kinetic parameters. That is, the Michaelis-Menten constant (K(m)=2.0745mM) of the free urease in the QD-entrapped membrane was about 4-fold higher than that (K(m)=0.549mM) of the immobilized urease in the urease-immobilized membrane and about 12-fold higher than that (K(m)=0.1698mM) of the immobilized urease in the double layer. The good stability of the three sol-gel membranes for urea sensing over 2 months showed that the use of sol-gel membranes immobilized with QDs or an enzyme is suitable for biomedical and environmental applications.

  11. Sol-gel immobilization of serine proteases for application in organic solvents

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Unen, D.J.; Engbersen, Johannes F.J.; Reinhoudt, David

    2001-01-01

    The serine proteases α-chymotrypsin, trypsin, and subtilisin Carlsberg were immobilized in a sol-gel matrix and the effects on the enzyme activity in organic media are evaluated. The percentage of immobilized enzyme is 90% in the case of α-chymotrypsin and the resulting specific enzyme activity in

  12. Wind-eroded silicate as a source of hydrogen peroxide on Mars

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bak, Ebbe Norskov; Merrison, Jonathan P.; Jensen, Svend Knak

    -sists of silicates [4] that due to wind erosion has a very fine grained texture. Based on the composition of the surface material and investigations showing that crushing of silicates can give rise to reactive oxygen species [5], we hypothesized that wind erosion of silicates can explain the reactivity of Martian...... soil. Wind-erosion of silicate could thus be one of several causes of the soil’s reactivity. As our experiments show, the globally distributed wind eroded silicate dust can lead to the production of hydrogen peroxide which might explain the reactivity of the Martian soil. The reactivity of eroded...

  13. Strength of interactions between immobilized dye molecules and sol-gel matrices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ismail, Fanya; Schoenleber, Monika; Mansour, Rolan; Bastani, Behnam; Fielden, Peter; Goddard, Nicholas J

    2011-02-21

    In this paper we present a new theory to re-examine the immobilization technique of dye doped sol-gel films, define the strength and types of possible bonds between the immobilized molecule and sol-gel glass, and show that the immobilized molecule is not free inside the pores as was previously thought. Immobilizing three different pH sensitive dyes with different size and functional groups inside the same sol-gel films revealed important information about the nature of the interaction between the doped molecule and the sol-gel matrix. The samples were characterized by means of ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (UV-VIS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), mercury porosimetry (MP), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((29)Si NMR) and field-emission environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM-FEG). It was found that the doped molecule itself has a great effect on the strength and types of the bonds. A number of factors were identified, such as number and types of the functional groups, overall charge, size, pK(a) and number of the silanol groups which surround the immobilized molecule. These results were confirmed by the successful immobilization of bromocresol green (BCG) after a completely polymerized sol-gel was made. The sol-gel consisted of 50% tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and 50% methyltriethoxysilane (MTEOS) (w/w). Moreover, the effect of the immobilized molecule on the structure of the sol-gel was studied by means of a leaky waveguide (LW) mode for doped films made before and after polymerization of the sol-gel.

  14. Gel and xerogel of thorium phosphate. I characteristics of evolution during drying

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brandel, V.; Iroulart, G.; Simoni, E.; Genet, M.

    1990-01-01

    In order to obtain a transparent matrix for optical spectroscopy studies of doped ions, chemical conditions to get a gel and a xerogel of thorium phosphate have been investigated. Both are transparent for a long time. Transformation of the gel into xerogel under drying procedure has been followed by DTA, TGA, NMR and studied by a fluorescent probe UO 2 2+ . After thermal treatment of the amorphous xerogel we get the crystallized and opaque thorium orthophosphate. This amorphous → crystal transition was studied by far infrared spectroscopy and X rays [fr

  15. Obtención de Cordierita por Sol-Gel a partir de fuentes nacionales cubanas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pacheco, P.

    2003-10-01

    Full Text Available For cordierite synthesis through the Sol-Gel method, the sodium silicate obtained from the dissolution of a solid residue coming from the aluminum sulfate production based on kaolin, was used. The sources of magnesium and aluminum were obtained using the technologies previously developed by CIPIMM. The elements were mixed in a determined order and quantity to obtain a Gel with cordierite stechiometry. The gel was washed and dried and briquettes were made to treat them at different temperatures, obtaining cordierite in a major phase at 1200ºC. This was checked through the X-Ray diffraction analysis of the products coming from the thermical treatment. The method used when compared to the traditional ones, permitted to reduce crystallization temperature, obtaining more dense products and clean technology.

    Para la síntesis de la Cordierita por el método de Sol-Gel se utilizó, el silicato de sodio, obtenido de la disolución de un residuo sólido proveniente de la producción de sulfato de aluminio a partir de caolín. Los precursores de magnesio y aluminio fueron obtenidos utilizando las tecnologías previamente desarrolladas por el CIPIMM. Los materiales fueron mezclados en un orden y cantidad determinada hasta obtener el Gel con estequiometría de cordierita. El gel fue lavado, secado, briqueteado y tratado térmicamente a diferentes temperaturas, lográndose cordierita en fase mayoritaria a los 1200 ºC, lo cual fue corroborado mediante el análisis por difracción de rayos X de los productos del tratamiento térmico. El método utilizado comparado con los tradicionales permitió reducir la temperatura de cristalización, obtener productos más densificados y tecnología limpia.

  16. Thermal stability of octadecylsilane hybrid silicas prepared by grafting and sol-gel methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brambilla, Rodrigo; Santos, Joao H.Z. dos; Miranda, Marcia S.L.; Frost, Ray L.

    2008-01-01

    Hybrid silicas bearing octadecylsilane groups were prepared by grafting and sol-gel (SG) methods. The effect of the preparative route on the thermal stability was evaluated by means of thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), infrared emission spectroscopy (IRES) and, complementary, by 13 C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance ( 13 C NMR) and matrix assisted laser deionization time of flight mass spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF-MS). Silicas prepared by the grafting route seem to be slightly more stable than those produced by the sol-gel method. This behavior seems to be associated to the preparative route, since grafting affords a liquid-like conformation, while in the case of sol-gel a highly organized crystalline chain conformation was observed

  17. Low-temperature MIR to submillimeter mass absorption coefficient of interstellar dust analogues. II. Mg and Fe-rich amorphous silicates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demyk, K.; Meny, C.; Leroux, H.; Depecker, C.; Brubach, J.-B.; Roy, P.; Nayral, C.; Ojo, W.-S.; Delpech, F.

    2017-10-01

    Context. To model the cold dust emission observed in the diffuse interstellar medium, in dense molecular clouds or in cold clumps that could eventually form new stars, it is mandatory to know the physical and spectroscopic properties of this dust and to understand its emission. Aims: This work is a continuation of previous studies aiming at providing astronomers with spectroscopic data of realistic cosmic dust analogues for the interpretation of observations. The aim of the present work is to extend the range of studied analogues to iron-rich silicate dust analogues. Methods: Ferromagnesium amorphous silicate dust analogues were produced by a sol-gel method with a mean composition close to Mg1-xFexSiO3 with x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4. Part of each sample was annealed at 500 °C for two hours in a reducing atmosphere to modify the oxidation state of iron. We have measured the mass absorption coefficient (MAC) of these eight ferromagnesium amorphous silicate dust analogues in the spectral domain 30-1000 μm for grain temperature in the range 10-300 K and at room temperature in the 5-40 μm range. Results: The MAC of ferromagnesium samples behaves in the same way as the MAC of pure Mg-rich amorphous silicate samples. In the 30-300 K range, the MAC increases with increasing grain temperature whereas in the range 10-30 K, we do not see any change of the MAC. The MAC cannot be described by a single power law in λ- β. The MAC of the samples does not show any clear trend with the iron content. However the annealing process has, on average, an effect on the MAC that we explain by the evolution of the structure of the samples induced by the processing. The MAC of all the samples is much higher than the MAC calculated by dust models. Conclusions: The complex behavior of the MAC of amorphous silicates with wavelength and temperature is observed whatever the exact silicate composition (Mg vs. Fe amount). It is a universal characteristic of amorphous materials, and therefore of

  18. Mechanical analysis of single myocyte contraction in a 3-D elastic matrix.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Shaw

    Full Text Available Cardiac myocytes experience mechanical stress during each heartbeat. Excessive mechanical stresses under pathological conditions cause functional and structural remodeling that lead to heart diseases, yet the precise mechanisms are still incompletely understood. To study the cellular and molecular level mechanotransduction mechanisms, we developed a new 'cell-in-gel' experimental system to exert multiaxial (3-D stresses on a single myocyte during active contraction.Isolated myocytes are embedded in an elastic hydrogel to simulate the mechanical environment in myocardium (afterload. When electrically stimulated, the in-gel myocyte contracts while the matrix resists shortening and broadening of the cell, exerting normal and shear stresses on the cell. Here we provide a mechanical analysis, based on the Eshelby inclusion problem, of the 3-D strain and stress inside and outside the single myocyte during contraction in an elastic matrix.(1 The fractional shortening of the myocyte depends on the cell's geometric dimensions and the relative stiffness of the cell to the gel. A slender or softer cell has less fractional shortening. A myocyte of typical dimensions embedded in a gel of similar elastic stiffness can contract only 20% of its load-free value. (2 The longitudinal stress inside the cell is about 15 times the transverse stress level. (3 The traction on the cell surface is highly non-uniform, with a maximum near its ends, showing 'hot spots' at the location of intercalated disks. (4 The mechanical energy expenditure of the myocyte increases with the matrix stiffness in a monotonic and nonlinear manner.Our mechanical analyses provide analytic solutions that readily lend themselves to parametric studies. The resulting 3-D mapping of the strain and stress states serve to analyze and interpret ongoing cell-in-gel experiments, and the mathematical model provides an essential tool to decipher and quantify mechanotransduction mechanisms in cardiac

  19. Characterisation of products of tricalcium silicate hydration in the presence of heavy metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Q.Y.; Hills, C.D.; Tyrer, M.; Slipper, I.; Shen, H.G.; Brough, A.

    2007-01-01

    The hydration of tricalcium silicate (C 3 S) in the presence of heavy metal is very important to cement-based solidification/stabilisation (s/s) of waste. In this work, tricalcium silicate pastes and aqueous suspensions doped with nitrate salts of Zn 2+ , Pb 2+ , Cu 2+ and Cr 3+ were examined at different ages by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (DTA/TG) and 29 Si solid-state magic angle spinning/nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS/NMR). It was found that heavy metal doping accelerated C 3 S hydration, even though Zn 2+ doping exhibited a severe retardation effect at an early period of time of C 3 S hydration. Heavy metals retarded the precipitation of portlandite due to the reduction of pH resulted from the hydrolysis of heavy metal ions during C 3 S hydration. The contents of portlandite in the control, Cr 3+ -doped, Cu 2+ -doped, Pb 2+ -doped and Zn 2+ -doped C 3 S pastes aged 28 days were 16.7, 5.5, 5.5, 5.5, and 2 Cr(OH) 7 .3H 2 O, Ca 2 (OH) 4 4Cu(OH) 2 .2H 2 O and CaZn 2 (OH) 6 .2H 2 O). These compounds were identified as crystalline phases in heavy metal doping C 3 S suspensions and amorphous phases in heavy metal doping C 3 S pastes. 29 Si NMR data confirmed that heavy metals promoted the polymerisation of C-S-H gel in 1-year-old of C 3 S pastes. The average numbers of Si in C-S-H gel for the Zn 2+ -doped, Cu 2+ -doped, Cr 3+ -doped, control, and Pb 2+ -doped C 3 S pastes were 5.86, 5.11, 3.66, 3.62, and 3.52. And the corresponding Ca/Si ratios were 1.36, 1.41, 1.56, 1.57 and 1.56, respectively. This study also revealed that the presence of heavy metal facilitated the formation of calcium carbonate during C 3 S hydration process in the presence of carbon dioxide

  20. Regulation of the fate of dental-derived mesenchymal stem cells using engineered alginate-GelMA hydrogels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ansari, Sahar; Sarrion, Patricia; Hasani-Sadrabadi, Mohammad Mahdi; Aghaloo, Tara; Wu, Benjamin M; Moshaverinia, Alireza

    2017-11-01

    Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from dental and orofacial tissues provide an alternative therapeutic option for craniofacial bone tissue regeneration. However, there is still a need to improve stem cell delivery vehicles to regulate the fate of the encapsulated MSCs for high quality tissue regeneration. Matrix elasticity plays a vital role in MSC fate determination. Here, we have prepared various hydrogel formulations based on alginate and gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) and have encapsulated gingival mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) and human bone marrow MSCs (hBMMSCs) within these fabricated hydrogels. We demonstrate that addition of the GelMA to alginate hydrogel reduces the elasticity of the hydrogel mixture. While presence of GelMA in an alginate-based scaffold significantly increased the viability of encapsulated MSCs, increasing the concentration of GelMA downregulated the osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated MSCs in vitro due to decrease in the stiffness of the hydrogel matrix. The osteogenic suppression was rescued by addition of a potent osteogenic growth factor such as rh-BMP-2. In contrast, MSCs encapsulated in alginate hydrogel without GelMA were successfully osteo-differentiated without the aid of additional growth factors, as confirmed by expression of osteogenic markers (Runx2 and OCN), as well as positive staining using Xylenol orange. Interestingly, after two weeks of osteo-differentiation, hBMMSCs and GMSCs encapsulated in alginate/GelMA hydrogels still expressed CD146, an MSC surface marker, while MSCs encapsulated in alginate hydrogel failed to express any positive staining. Altogether, our findings suggest that it is possible to control the fate of encapsulated MSCs within hydrogels by tuning the mechanical properties of the matrix. We also reconfirmed the important role of the presence of inductive signals in guiding MSC differentiation. These findings may enable the design of new multifunctional scaffolds for spatial and temporal

  1. PETROLOGY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF CALC-SILICATE SCHISTS ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR OKONKOWO

    2012-02-29

    silicate reaction bands have higher contents of CaO and Sr and lower concentrations of K2O, Rb, Ni, and Ba relative to the calc-silicate schists; and relatively higher SiO2, TiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, MgO, Na2O, K2O and P2O5 and lower ...

  2. Sol-gel derived porous bioactive nanocomposites: Synthesis and in vitro bioactivity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankhwar, Nisha; Kothiyal, G. P.; Srinivasan, A.

    2013-06-01

    Porous bioactive composites consisting of SiO2-CaO-Na2O-P2O5 bioactive glass-ceramic and synthetic water soluble polymer Polyvinylpyrrolidone [PVP (C6H9NO)n, MW˜40000 g/mol] have been synthesized by sol-gel route. As-prepared polymeric composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique. Two major bone mineral phases, viz., hydroxyapatite [Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2] and wollastonite [calcium silicate (CaSiO3)] have been identified in the XRD patterns of the composites. Presence of these bone minerals indicates the bioactive nature of the composites. In vitro bioactivity tests confirm bioactivity in the porous composites. The flexibility offered by these bioactive polymer composites is advantageous for its application as implant material.

  3. Bioactive Glass-Ceramic Foam Scaffolds from ‘Inorganic Gel Casting’ and Sinter-Crystallization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molino, Giulia; Vitale Brovarone, Chiara

    2018-01-01

    Highly porous bioactive glass-ceramic scaffolds were effectively fabricated by an inorganic gel casting technique, based on alkali activation and gelification, followed by viscous flow sintering. Glass powders, already known to yield a bioactive sintered glass-ceramic (CEL2) were dispersed in an alkaline solution, with partial dissolution of glass powders. The obtained glass suspensions underwent progressive hardening, by curing at low temperature (40 °C), owing to the formation of a C–S–H (calcium silicate hydrate) gel. As successful direct foaming was achieved by vigorous mechanical stirring of gelified suspensions, comprising also a surfactant. The developed cellular structures were later heat-treated at 900–1000 °C, to form CEL2 glass-ceramic foams, featuring an abundant total porosity (from 60% to 80%) and well-interconnected macro- and micro-sized cells. The developed foams possessed a compressive strength from 2.5 to 5 MPa, which is in the range of human trabecular bone strength. Therefore, CEL2 glass-ceramics can be proposed for bone substitutions. PMID:29495498

  4. Bioactive Glass-Ceramic Foam Scaffolds from ‘Inorganic Gel Casting’ and Sinter-Crystallization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hamada Elsayed

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Highly porous bioactive glass-ceramic scaffolds were effectively fabricated by an inorganic gel casting technique, based on alkali activation and gelification, followed by viscous flow sintering. Glass powders, already known to yield a bioactive sintered glass-ceramic (CEL2 were dispersed in an alkaline solution, with partial dissolution of glass powders. The obtained glass suspensions underwent progressive hardening, by curing at low temperature (40 °C, owing to the formation of a C–S–H (calcium silicate hydrate gel. As successful direct foaming was achieved by vigorous mechanical stirring of gelified suspensions, comprising also a surfactant. The developed cellular structures were later heat-treated at 900–1000 °C, to form CEL2 glass-ceramic foams, featuring an abundant total porosity (from 60% to 80% and well-interconnected macro- and micro-sized cells. The developed foams possessed a compressive strength from 2.5 to 5 MPa, which is in the range of human trabecular bone strength. Therefore, CEL2 glass-ceramics can be proposed for bone substitutions.

  5. Starch and chitosan oligosaccharides as interpenetrating phases in poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) injectable gels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vieira, Jacquelin N.; Posada, James J. [Chemistry Department, B" 5IDA Research Group, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Rezende, Rodrigo A. [Divisão de Tecnologias Tridimensionais–Centro de Tecnologia da Informação Renato Archer, Campinas, SP (Brazil); Sabino, Marcos A., E-mail: msabino@usb.ve [Chemistry Department, B" 5IDA Research Group, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of); Divisão de Tecnologias Tridimensionais–Centro de Tecnologia da Informação Renato Archer, Campinas, SP (Brazil)

    2014-04-01

    Thermosensitive interpenetrating gels were prepared by physically blending poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) as the matrix and the following polysaccharides as interpenetrating phases: chitosan oligosaccharides (identified as QNAD and QNED) and soluble starch (STARCH). The molecular weight of the dispersed phase, the free water/bound water ratio and the thermosensitivity (transition temperature: LCST) of the gels were determined. It was found that these gels are pseudoplastic and that their viscosity depends on the molecular weight of the dispersed phase. LCST transition occurred around 35–37 °C. The morphology of the porosity of the freeze-dried samples was studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). An in vitro test of cell hemolysis on blood agar showed that these gels are noncytotoxic. According to the results obtained, these interpenetrating gels show characteristics of an injectable material, and have a transition LCST at body temperature, which reinforces their potential to be used in the surgical field and as scaffolds for tissue engineering. - Highlights: • Physical blends were prepared to obtain thermosensitive gels PNIPA/polysaccharides. • Rheological test allowed verifying the injectability of the gels. • Gels showed a LCST ∼ 37 °C, which makes them interesting for biomedical applications. • Porosity is a function of hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity/molecular weight of phases. • The PNIPA/starch gel showed better morphology as scaffold for tissue engineering.

  6. Properties of Tricalcium Silicate Sealers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalil, Issam; Naaman, Alfred; Camilleri, Josette

    2016-10-01

    Sealers based on tricalcium silicate cement aim at an interaction of the sealer with the root canal wall, alkalinity with potential antimicrobial activity, and the ability to set in a wet field. The aim of this study was to characterize and investigate the properties of a new tricalcium silicate-based sealer and verify its compliance to ISO 6876 (2012). A new tricalcium silicate-based sealer (Bio MM; St Joseph University, Beirut, Lebanon), BioRoot RCS (Septodont, St Maure de Fosses, France), and AH Plus (Dentsply, DeTrey, Konstanz, Germany) were investigated. Characterization using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis was performed. Furthermore, sealer setting time, flow, film thickness, and radiopacity were performed following ISO specifications. pH and ion leaching in solution were assessed by pH analysis and inductively coupled plasma. Bio MM and BioRoot RCS were both composed of tricalcium silicate and tantalum oxide in Bio MM and zirconium oxide in BioRoot RCS. In addition, the Bio MM contained calcium carbonate and a phosphate phase. The inorganic components of AH Plus were calcium tungstate and zirconium oxide. AH Plus complied with the ISO norms for both flow and film thickness. BioRoot RCS and Bio MM exhibited a lower flow and a higher film thickness than that specified for sealer cements in ISO 6876. All test sealers exhibited adequate radiopacity. Bio MM interacted with physiologic solution, thus showing potential for bioactivity. Sealer properties were acceptable and comparable with other sealers available clinically. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Synthesis, structural, spectroscopic and thermoanalytical study of sol–gel derived SiO{sub 2}–CaO–P{sub 2}O{sub 5} gel and ceramic materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Catauro, Michelina, E-mail: michelina.catauro@unina2.it [Department of Industrial and Information Engineering, Second University of Naples, via Roma 29, Aversa (CE) (Italy); Dell’Era, Alessandro [Department D.M.E., ‘Guglielmo Marconi’ University, via Plinio 44, Roma (Italy); Vecchio Ciprioti, Stefano, E-mail: stefano.vecchio@uniroma1.it [Department S.B.A.I., Sapienza University of Rome, via del Castro Laurenziano 7, Roma (Italy)

    2016-02-10

    Highlights: • Four different SiO{sub 2}–CaO–P{sub 2}O{sub 5} gel-glasses were synthesized by the sol–gel method. • FTIR, XRD, SEM-EDS and TG/DTA techniques were used to fully characterize the gels. • Integral isoconversional OFW method was used to study dehydration kinetics. • Appropriate temperatures of 600 and 1200 °C were chosen to thermally treat them. • All amorphous gels at 1200 °C crystallize as wollastonite and pseudowollastonite. - Abstract: In the present work bioactive powders of the ternary SiO{sub 2}·CaO·P{sub 2}O{sub 5} systems, which differ in the Ca/P molar ratio, were synthesized by means of a sol–gel route, using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS, Si(OC{sub 2}H{sub 5}){sub 4}), calcium nitrate tetrahydrate (Ca(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}·4H{sub 2}O) and triethyl phosphate (TEP, OP(OC{sub 2}H{sub 5}){sub 3}) as precursors of SiO{sub 2}, CaO and P{sub 2}O{sub 5}, respectively. In order to investigate the influence of the relative amount of each phase (in this study: SiO{sub 2}, CaO and P{sub 2}O{sub 5}) the thermal properties of the synthesized gel-glass materials were studied as a function of the Ca/P molar ratio using thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG/DTA). After dehydration (in a single step), described from a kinetic point of view as a simple water evaporation without rupture of chemical bonds, all gels undergo a complex multi-step decomposition with endo and exothermic effects, followed by crystallization of calcium silicate phases at about 950 °C. Furthermore, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy, coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), allowed us to detect the chemical modifications induced by modifying the Ca/P molar ratio and the sintering. This process is obtained by thermal treatment of the gel-glass precursors after analyzing their thermal behavior in the temperature range 600–1000 °C, with the aim to convert them into

  8. The use of a combination of different MR methods to study swelling of hydrophilic xanthan matrix tablets at different pHs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mikac, U; Sepe, A; Kristl, J; Baumgartner, I

    2012-01-01

    Modified-release matrix tablets have been extensively used by the pharmaceutical industry as one of the most successful oral drug-delivery systems. The key element in drug release from hydrophilic matrix tablets is the gel layer that regulates the penetration of water and controls drug dissolution and diffusion. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful, non-invasive technique that can help improve our understanding of the gel layer formed on swellable, polymer-matrix tablets, as well as the layer's properties and its influence on the drug release. The aim was to investigate the effects of pH and ionic strength on swelling and to study the influence of structural changes in xanthan gel on drug release. For this purpose a combination of different MRI methods for accurate determination of penetration, swelling and erosion fronts was used. The position of the penetration and swelling fronts were the same, independently of the different xanthan gel structures formed under different conditions of pH and ionic strength. The position of the erosion front, on the other hand, is strongly dependent on pH and ionic strength, as reflected in different thicknesses of the gel layers.

  9. Translational and rotational diffusion of flexible PEG and rigid dendrimer probes in sodium caseinate dispersions and acid gels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salami, Souad; Rondeau-Mouro, Corinne; Barhoum, Myriam; van Duynhoven, John; Mariette, François

    2014-09-01

    The dynamics of rigid dendrimer and flexible PEG probes in sodium caseinate dispersions and acid gels, including both translational diffusion and rotational diffusion, were studied by NMR. Above the onset of the close-packing limit (C ∼ 10 g/100 g H2 O), translational diffusion of the probe depended on its flexibility and on the fluctuations of the matrix chains. The PEG probe diffused more rapidly than the spherical dendrimer probe of corresponding hydrodynamic radius. The greater conformational flexibility of PEG facilitated its motion through the crowded casein matrix. Rotational diffusion was, however, substantially less hindered than the translational diffusion and depended on the local protein-probe friction which became high when the casein concentration increased. The coagulation of the matrix led to the formation of large voids, which resulted in an increase in the translational diffusion of the probes, whereas the rotational diffusion of the probes was retarded in the gel, which could be attributed to the immobilized environment surrounding the probe. Quantitative information from PFG-NMR and SEM micrographs have been combined for characterizing microstructural details in SC acid gels. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  10. 3D MR gel dosimetry with lung equivalent gel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

    1998-01-01

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

  11. Immobilization of enzymes on radiation-modified gelatine gel by using a chemical cross-linking agent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bachmann, S.; Gebicka, L.; Galant, S.

    1981-01-01

    Investigations into the effect of ionizing radiation on the gelatine gels have shown that water-insoluble gel can be formed under suitable irradiation conditions. To establish the optimal conditions for the processing of the insoluble gel, the yield of cross-linking has been determined for gelatine solutions and its gels irradiated with various doses in the absence and in the presence of oxygen. Glucose isomerase (GI) was used as a test enzyme for immobilization on the gelatine gel. This enzyme which catalyses the isomerization of glucose to fructose has been used on the commercial-scale production of high fructose syrups. The support matrix chosen for the enzyme immobilization has been obtained by irradiating 4% wt/vol. de-aerated gelatine gel at a dose of 1.5 x 10 4 kGy at 15 0 C. Actinoplanes missouriensis cells containing GI were mixed with gelatine gel particles and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde. It was found that the immobilized GI can be successfully applied in the continuous isomerization of glucose to fructose. (author)

  12. Silicic magma generation at Askja volcano, Iceland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigmarsson, O.

    2009-04-01

    Rate of magma differentiation is an important parameter for hazard assessment at active volcanoes. However, estimates of these rates depend on proper understanding of the underlying magmatic processes and magma generation. Differences in isotope ratios of O, Th and B between silicic and in contemporaneous basaltic magmas have been used to emphasize their origin by partial melting of hydrothermally altered metabasaltic crust in the rift-zones favoured by a strong geothermal gradient. An alternative model for the origin of silicic magmas in the Iceland has been proposed based on U-series results. Young mantle-derived mafic protolith is thought to be metasomatized and partially melted to form the silicic end-member. However, this model underestimates the compositional variations of the hydrothermally-altered basaltic crust. New data on U-Th disequilibria and O-isotopes in basalts and dacites from Askja volcano reveal a strong correlation between (230Th/232Th) and delta 18O. The 1875 AD dacite has the lowest Th- and O isotope ratios (0.94 and -0.24 per mille, respectively) whereas tephra of evolved basaltic composition, erupted 2 months earlier, has significantly higher values (1.03 and 2.8 per mille, respectively). Highest values are observed in the most recent basalts (erupted in 1920 and 1961) inside the Askja caldera complex and out on the associated fissure swarm (Sveinagja basalt). This correlation also holds for older magma such as an early Holocene dacites, which eruption may have been provoked by rapid glacier thinning. Silicic magmas at Askja volcano thus bear geochemical signatures that are best explained by partial melting of extensively hydrothermally altered crust and that the silicic magma source has remained constant during the Holocene at least. Once these silicic magmas are formed they appear to erupt rapidly rather than mixing and mingling with the incoming basalt heat-source that explains lack of icelandites and the bi-modal volcanism at Askja

  13. Deposition of Ibuprofen Crystals on Hydroxypropyl Cellulose/Polyacrylamide Gel: Experimental and Mathematic Modeling Releasing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Alicia Castillo-Miranda

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The crystallization of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug [2-(4-isobutyl-phenyl propionic acid] ibuprofen (IBP on a hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC and polyacrylamide (PAAm gel was studied as well as the release kinetics of the drug. The IBP was crystallized on the gel surface of HPC/PAAm. It had a prismatic shape and the growth was made in an aqueous medium; the crystallinity grade of the gels HPC/PAAm and HPC/PAAm-IBU increased to 68% and to 58%, respectively. The release of IBP is performed by two means: by a non-Fickian diffusion process and by relaxation of the chains of the gel; without regard to temperature and the diffusion media, this correlates with the lower critical solution temperature (LCST of the proposed gel. This polymer matrix provides an option for releasing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in a temperature range of 35–39°C. Korsmeyer and Peppas mathematical model was simulated for data releases, statistically significant at 95% confidence level.

  14. Assessment of Matrix Metalloproteinases by Gelatin Zymography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cathcart, Jillian

    2016-01-01

    Matrix metalloproteinases are endopeptidases responsible for remodeling of the extracellular matrix and have been identified as critical contributors to breast cancer progression. Gelatin zymography is a valuable tool which allows the analysis of MMP expression. In this approach, enzymes are resolved electrophoretically on a sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel copolymerized with the substrate for the MMP of interest. Post electrophoresis, the enzymes are refolded in order for proteolysis of the incorporated substrate to occur. This assay yields valuable information about MMP isoforms or changes in activation and can be used to analyze the role of MMPs in normal versus pathological conditions.

  15. Fabrication of superhydrophobic sol-gel composite films using hydrophobically modified colloidal zinc hydroxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakshmi, R V; Basu, Bharathibai J

    2009-11-15

    A superhydrophobic sol-gel composite film was fabricated by incorporating hydrophobically modified colloidal zinc hydroxide (CZH) in sol-gel matrix. CZH was prepared by controlled precipitation and modified by treatment with stearic acid. The concentration of stearic acid and stirring time were optimized to obtain modified CZH with very high water contact angle (WCA) of 165 degrees and sliding angle (SA)superhydrophobic surfaces. FTIR spectrum also confirmed the presence of zinc stearate in the composite film. The method is simple and cost-effective and does not involve any expensive chemicals or equipments.

  16. Effects of copper ions on the characteristics of egg white gel induced by strong alkali.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shao, Yaoyao; Zhao, Yan; Xu, Mingsheng; Chen, Zhangyi; Wang, Shuzhen; Tu, Yonggang

    2017-09-01

    This study investigated the effects of copper ions on egg white (EW) gel induced by strong alkali. Changes in gel characteristics were examined through texture profile analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and chemical methods. The value of gel strength reached its maximum when 0.1% copper ions was added. However, the lowest cohesiveness values were observed at 0.1%. The springiness of gel without copper ions was significantly greater than the gel with copper ions added. SEM results illustrated that the low concentration of copper ions contributes to a dense and uniform gel network, and an open matrix was formed at 0.4%. The free and total sulphhydryl group content in the egg white protein gel significantly decreased with the increased copper. The increase of copper ions left the contents of ionic and hydrogen bonds basically unchanged, hydrophobic interaction presented an increasing trend, and the disulfide bond exhibited a completely opposite change. The change of surface hydrophobicity proved that the main binding force of copper induced gel was hydrophobic interaction. However, copper ions had no effect on the protein component of the gels. Generally, a low level of copper ions facilitates protein-protein association, which is involved in the characteristics of gels. Instead, high ionic strength had a negative effect on gels induced by strong alkali. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

  17. Tetrapeptide-coumarin conjugate 3D networks based on hydrogen-bonded charge transfer complexes: gel formation and dye release.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Zongxia; Gong, Ruiying; Jiang, Yi; Wan, Xiaobo

    2015-08-14

    Oligopeptide-based derivatives are important synthons for bio-based functional materials. In this article, a Gly-(L-Val)-Gly-(L-Val)-coumarin (GVGV-Cou) conjugate was synthesized, which forms 3D networks in ethanol. The gel nanostructures were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM and TEM. It is suggested that the formation of charge transfer (CT) complexes between the coumarin moieties is the main driving force for the gel formation. The capability of the gel to encapsulate and release dyes was explored. Both Congo Red (CR) and Methylene Blue (MB) can be trapped in the CT gel matrix and released over time. The present gel might be used as a functional soft material for guest encapsulation and release.

  18. Therapeutic potential of gel-based injectables for vocal fold regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bartlett, Rebecca S.; Thibeault, Susan L.; Prestwich, Glenn D.

    2012-01-01

    Vocal folds are anatomically and biomechanically unique, thus complicating the design and implementation of tissue engineering strategies for repair and regeneration. Integration of an enhanced understanding of tissue biomechanics, wound healing dynamics and innovative gel-based therapeutics has generated enthusiasm for the notion that an efficacious treatment for vocal fold scarring could be clinically attainable within several years. Fibroblast phenotype and gene expression are mediated by the three-dimensional mechanical and chemical microenvironment at an injury site. Thus, therapeutic approaches need to coordinate spatial and temporal aspects of the wound healing response in an injured vocal tissue to achieve an optimal clinical outcome. Successful gel-based injectables for vocal fold scarring will require a keen understanding of how the native inflammatory response sets into motion the later extracellular matrix remodeling, which in turn will determine the ultimate biomechanical properties of the tissue. We present an overview of the challenges associated with this translation as well as the proposed gel-based injectable solutions. PMID:22456756

  19. Therapeutic potential of gel-based injectables for vocal fold regeneration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bartlett, Rebecca S; Thibeault, Susan L; Prestwich, Glenn D

    2012-01-01

    Vocal folds are anatomically and biomechanically unique, thus complicating the design and implementation of tissue engineering strategies for repair and regeneration. Integration of an enhanced understanding of tissue biomechanics, wound healing dynamics and innovative gel-based therapeutics has generated enthusiasm for the notion that an efficacious treatment for vocal fold scarring could be clinically attainable within several years. Fibroblast phenotype and gene expression are mediated by the three-dimensional mechanical and chemical microenvironment at an injury site. Thus, therapeutic approaches need to coordinate spatial and temporal aspects of the wound healing response in an injured vocal tissue to achieve an optimal clinical outcome. Successful gel-based injectables for vocal fold scarring will require a keen understanding of how the native inflammatory response sets into motion the later extracellular matrix remodeling, which in turn will determine the ultimate biomechanical properties of the tissue. We present an overview of the challenges associated with this translation as well as the proposed gel-based injectable solutions. (paper)

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saucedo, Skyler R.

    2013-01-01

    Gel electrophoresis, used by geneticists and forensic experts alike, is an immensely popular technique that utilizes an electric field to separate molecules and proteins by size and charge. At the microscopic level, a dye or complex protein like DNA is passed through agarose, a gelatinous three-dimensional matrix of pores and nano-sized tunnels.…

  1. Alginate as immobilization matrix and stabilizing agent in a two-phase liquid system: application in lipase-catalysed reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hertzberg, S; Kvittingen, L; Anthonsen, T; Skjåk-Braek, G

    1992-01-01

    Alginate was evaluated as an immobilization matrix for enzyme-catalyzed reactions in organic solvents. In contrast to most hydrogels, calcium alginate was found to be stable in a range of organic solvents and to retain the enzyme inside the gel matrix. In hydrophobic solvents, the alginate gel (greater than 95% water) thus provided a stable, two-phase liquid system. The lipase from Candida cylindracea, after immobilization in alginate beads, catalysed esterification and transesterification in n-hexane under both batch and continuous-flow conditions. The operational stability of the lipase was markedly enhanced by alginate entrapment. In the esterification of butanoic acid with n-butanol, better results were obtained in the typical hydrophilic calcium alginate beads than in less hydrophilic matrices. The effects of substrate concentration, matrix area, and polarity of the substrate alcohols and of the organic solvent on the esterification activity were examined. The transesterification of octyl 2-bromopropanoate with ethanol was less efficient than that of ethyl 2-bromopropanoate with octanol. By using the hydrophilic alginate gel as an immobilization matrix in combination with a mobile hydrophobic phase, a two-phase liquid system was achieved with definite advantages for a continuous, enzyme-catalysed process.

  2. Structure and properties of polymer-silicate nanocomposites based on polytetrafluoroethylene

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sleptsova, Sardana A.; Okhlopkova, Aitalina A. [North-Eastern Federal University, Yakutsk (Russian Federation)

    2011-07-01

    The results of physicomechanical, tribological , and structural investigation of polytetrafluoroethylene based polymers and natural layered silicates are reported. It is shown that the tribological behaviour of the composites can be significantly improved by introducing a small amount of activated silicates. The results of structural examination of the composite friction surfaces by scanning-probe microscopy and IR spectroscopy are discussed. Key words: polytetrafluoroethylene, layered silicates, wear resistance, friction coefficient, structure, IR-spectrum.

  3. Silicon K-edge XANES spectra of silicate minerals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Dien; Bancroft, G. M.; Fleet, M. E.; Feng, X. H.

    1995-03-01

    Silicon K-edge x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectra of a selection of silicate and aluminosilicate minerals have been measured using synchrotron radiation (SR). The spectra are qualitatively interpreted based on MO calculation of the tetrahedral SiO{4/4-}cluster. The Si K-edge generally shifts to higher energy with increased polymerization of silicates by about 1.3 eV, but with considerable overlap for silicates of different polymerization types. The substitution of Al for Si shifts the Si K-edge to lower energy. The chemical shift of Si K-edge is also sensitive to cations in more distant atom shells; for example, the Si K-edge shifts to lower energy with the substitution of Al for Mg in octahedral sites. The shifts of the Si K-edge show weak correlation with average Si-O bond distance (dSi-O), Si-O bond valence (sSi-O) and distortion of SiO4 tetrahedra, due to the crystal structure complexity of silicate minerals and multiple factors effecting the x-ray absorption processes.

  4. Preparation of β-belite using liquid alkali silicates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koutník, P.

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study is the preparation of β-belite by a solid-state reaction using powdered limestone, amorphous silica and liquid alkali silicates. The raw materials were blended, the mixtures were agglomerated and then burnt. The resulting samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Free lime content in the β-belite samples was also determined. The effects of CaO/SiO2 ratio (1.6–2.1), burning temperature (800–1400 °C), utilization of different raw materials (silica fume, synthetic silica, potassium silicate, sodium silicate, potassium hydroxide) and burning time (0.5–16 h) on free lime content and mineralogical composition were investigated. The purest ?-belite samples were prepared from a mixture of powdered limestone, silica fume and liquid potassium silicate with a ratio CaO/SiO2 = 2 by burning at temperatures between 1100 and 1300 °C for more than 2 h. Decreasing of the CaO/SiO2 ratio led to rankinite formation and lower a burning temperature led to the formation of wollastonite. [es

  5. Modified tricalcium silicate cement formulations with added zirconium oxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xin; Yoshihara, Kumiko; De Munck, Jan; Cokic, Stevan; Pongprueksa, Pong; Putzeys, Eveline; Pedano, Mariano; Chen, Zhi; Van Landuyt, Kirsten; Van Meerbeek, Bart

    2017-04-01

    This study aims to investigate the effect of modifying tricalcium silicate (TCS) cements on three key properties by adding ZrO 2 . TCS powders were prepared by adding ZrO 2 at six different concentrations. The powders were mixed with 1 M CaCl 2 solution at a 3:1 weight ratio. Biodentine (contains 5 wt.% ZrO 2 ) served as control. To evaluate the potential effect on mechanical properties, the mini-fracture toughness (mini-FT) was measured. Regarding bioactivity, Ca release was assessed using ICP-AES. The component distribution within the cement matrix was evaluated by Feg-SEM/EPMA. Cytotoxicity was assessed using an XTT assay. Adding ZrO 2 to TCS did not alter the mini-FT (p = 0.52), which remained in range of that of Biodentine (p = 0.31). Ca release from TSC cements was slightly lower than that from Biodentine at 1 day (p > 0.05). After 1 week, Ca release from TCS 30 and TCS 50 increased to a level that was significantly higher than that from Biodentine (p  0.05). EPMA revealed a more even distribution of ZrO 2 within the TCS cements. Particles with an un-reacted core were surrounded by a hydration zone. The 24-, 48-, and 72-h extracts of TCS 50 were the least cytotoxic. ZrO 2 can be added to TCS without affecting the mini-FT; Ca release was reduced initially, to reach a prolonged release thereafter; adding ZrO 2 made TCS cements more biocompatible. TCS 50 is a promising cement formulation to serve as a biocompatible hydraulic calcium silicate cement.

  6. Evaluation of sol–gel based magnetic 45S5 bioglass and bioglass–ceramics containing iron oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shankhwar, Nisha; Srinivasan, A.

    2016-01-01

    Multicomponent oxide powders with nominal compositions of (45 − x)·SiO_2·24.5CaO·24.5Na_2O·6P_2O_5xFe_2O_3 (in wt.%) were prepared by a modified sol–gel procedure. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and high resolution transmission electron microscope images of the sol–gel products show fully amorphous structure for Fe_2O_3 substitutions up to 2 wt.%. Sol–gel derived 43SiO_2·24.5CaO·24.5Na_2O·6P_2O_5·2Fe_2O_3 glass (or bioglass 45S5 with SiO_2 substituted with 2 wt.% Fe_2O_3), exhibited magnetic behavior with a coercive field of 21 Oe, hysteresis loop area of 33.25 erg/g and saturation magnetization of 0.66 emu/g at an applied field of 15 kOe at room temperature. XRD pattern of this glass annealed at 850 °C for 1 h revealed the formation of a glass–ceramic containing sodium calcium silicate and magnetite phases in nanocrystalline form. Temperature dependent magnetization and room temperature electron spin resonance data have been used to obtain information on the magnetic phase and distribution of iron ions in the sol–gel glass and glass–ceramic samples. Sol–gel derived glass and glass–ceramic exhibit in-vitro bioactivity by forming a hydroxyapatite surface layer under simulated physiological conditions and their bio-response is superior to their melt quenched bulk counterparts. This new form of magnetic bioglass and bioglass ceramics opens up new and more effective biomedical applications. - Highlights: • Bioglass 45S5 containing 2 wt.% Fe_2O_3 is prepared by sol–gel route. • Fully amorphous bioglass exhibits spontaneous magnetization. • Gel powders with more than 2 wt.% Fe_2O_3 formed glass–ceramics. • γ-Fe_2O_3 in bioglass transformed irreversibly to magnetite upon heat treatment. • In vitro bioactivity of sol–gel samples is superior to their bulk counterparts.

  7. The effect of the H2O/TEOS ratio on the structure of gels derived by the acid catalysed hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strawbridge, I.; James, P.F.; Craievich, A.F.

    1985-01-01

    Silica gels were produced by the acid catalysed hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) using H 2 O/TEOS ratios from 2 to 50. After heat treatment the structure of the gels was studied using nitrogen adsorption, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and bulk density measurements. All the gels possessed microporosity in the region of 30 A or less. For H 2 O/TEOS = 25 and 50 the matrix density was found to be uniform, but for gels from solutions with H 2 O/TEOS = 2, 4 and 10, density fluctuations in the matrix were detected from a Porod analysis of the SAXS data. These results indicate that in high water content solutions, rearrangement of the polymeric chains leads to small densified particles, but for lower water content solutions, gelation results from the entanglement of linear chains leaving free volume on a molecular scale between the chains. (Author) [pt

  8. Lead-silicate glass optical microbubble resonator

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Pengfei, E-mail: pengfei.wang@dit.ie [Photonics Research Centre, Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin 8 (Ireland); Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Ward, Jonathan; Yang, Yong; Chormaic, Síle Nic [Light-Matter Interactions Unit, OIST Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Okinawa 904-0495 (Japan); Feng, Xian; Brambilla, Gilberto [Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ (United Kingdom); Farrell, Gerald [Photonics Research Centre, Dublin Institute of Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin 8 (Ireland)

    2015-02-09

    Microbubble whispering gallery resonators have the potential to become key components in a variety of active and passive photonic circuit devices by offering a range of significant functionalities. Here, we report on the fabrication, optical characterization, and theoretical analysis of lead-silicate glass and optical microbubble resonators. Evanescent field coupling to the microbubbles was achieved using a 1 μm diameter, silica microfiber at a wavelength of circa 775 nm. High Q-factor modes were efficiently excited in both single-stem and two-stem, lead-silicate glass, and microbubble resonators, with bubble diameters of 38 μm (single-stem) and 48 μm (two-stem). Whispering gallery mode resonances with Q-factors as high as 2.3 × 10{sup 5} (single-stem) and 7 × 10{sup 6} (two-stem) were observed. By exploiting the high-nonlinearity of the lead-silicate glass, this work will act as a catalyst for studying a range of nonlinear optical effects in microbubbles, such as Raman scattering and four-wave mixing, at low optical powers.

  9. Diamond nanoparticles as a way to improve electron transfer in sol–gel L-lactate biosensing platforms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Briones, M.; Casero, E. [Departamento de Química Analítica y Análisis Instrumental, Facultad de Ciencias, c/Francisco Tomás y Valiente, No7, Campus de Excelencia de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Vázquez, L. [Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Madrid (CSIC), c/Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz No3, Campus de Excelencia de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Pariente, F.; Lorenzo, E. [Departamento de Química Analítica y Análisis Instrumental, Facultad de Ciencias, c/Francisco Tomás y Valiente, No7, Campus de Excelencia de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain); Petit-Domínguez, M.D., E-mail: mdolores.petit@uam.es [Departamento de Química Analítica y Análisis Instrumental, Facultad de Ciencias, c/Francisco Tomás y Valiente, No7, Campus de Excelencia de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid (Spain)

    2016-02-18

    In the present work, we have included for the first time diamond nanoparticles (DNPs) in a sol–gel matrix derived from (3-mercaptopropyl)-trimethoxysilane (MPTS) in order to improve electron transfer in a lactate oxidase (LOx) based electrochemical biosensing platform. Firstly, an exhaustive AFM study, including topographical, surface potential (KFM) and capacitance gradient (CG) measurements, of each step involved in the biosensing platform development was performed. The platform is based on gold electrodes (Au) modified with the sol–gel matrix (Au/MPTS) in which diamond nanoparticles (Au/MPTS/DNPs) and lactate oxidase (Au/MPTS/DNPs/LOx) have been included. For the sake of comparison, we have also characterized a gold electrode directly modified with DNPs (Au/DNPs). Secondly, the electrochemical behavior of a redox mediator (hydroxymethyl-ferrocene, HMF) was evaluated at the platforms mentioned above. The response of Au/MPTS/DNPs/LOx towards lactate was obtained. A linear concentration range from 0.053 mM to 1.6 mM, a sensitivity of 2.6 μA mM{sup −1} and a detection limit of 16 μM were obtained. These analytical properties are comparable to other biosensors, presenting also as advantages that DNPs are inexpensive, environment-friendly and easy-handled nanomaterials. Finally, the developed biosensor was applied for lactate determination in wine samples. - Highlights: • We have included for the first time diamond nanoparticles (DNPs) in a sol–gel matrix for developing lactate biosensors. • DNPs facilitate electron-transfer within the sol–gel network in electrochemical biosensors. • Lactate biosensors show good sensitivity, detection limit, reproducibility and stability.

  10. I-Xe dating of silicate and troilite from IAB iron meteorites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niemeyer, S.

    1979-01-01

    Silicate and troilite (FeS) from IAB irons were analyzed by the I-Xe technique. Four IAB silicate samples gave well-defined I-Xe ages [in millions of years relative to Bjurbole: - 3.7 +- 0.3 for Woodbine, -0.7 +- 0.6 for Mundrabilla, + 1.4 +- 0.7 for Copiapo, and +2.6 +- 0.6 for Landes. The ( 129 Xe/ 132 Xe)sub(trapped) ratios are consistent with previous values for chondrites, with the exception of Landes which has an extraordinary trapped ratio of 3.5 +- 0.2. Both analyses of silicate from Pitts gave anomalous I-Xe patterns. Troilite samples were also analyzed: Pitts troilite gave a complex I-Xe pattern, which suggests an age of +17 Myr; Mundrabilla troilite defined a good I-Xe correlation, which after correction for neutron capture on 128 Te gave an age of -10.8 +- 0.7 Myr. Thus, low-melting troilite predates high-melting silicate in Mundrabilla. Abundances of Ga, Ge, and Ni in metal from these meteorites are correlated with I-Xe ages of the silicate; meteorites with older silicates have greater Ni contents. No model easily accounts for this result as well as other properties of IAB irons; nevertheless, these results, taken at face value, favour a nebular formation model. The great age of troilite from Mundrabilla suggests that this troilite formed in a different nebular region from the silicate and metal, and was later mechanically mixed with these other phases. The correlation between the trace elements in the metal and the I-Xe ages of the silicate provides one of the first known instances in which another well-defined meteoritic property correlates with I-Xe ages. In addition, almost all the 129 Xe in Mundrabilla silicate (etched in acid) was correlated with 128 Xe. These two results further support the validity of the I-Xe dating method. (author)

  11. On the Relation of Silicates and SiO Maser in Evolved Stars

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Jiaming; Jiang, Biwei, E-mail: bjiang@bnu.edu.cn [Department of Astronomy, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China)

    2017-04-01

    The SiO molecule is one of the candidates for the seed of silicate dust in the circumstellar envelope of evolved stars, but this opinion is challenged. In this work we investigate the relation of the SiO maser emission power and the silicate dust emission power. With both our own observation by using the PMO/Delingha 13.7 m telescope and archive data, a sample is assembled of 21 SiO v  = 1, J  = 2 − 1 sources and 28 SiO v  = 1, J  = 1 − 0 sources that exhibit silicate emission features in the ISO /SWS spectrum as well. The analysis of their SiO maser and silicate emission power indicates a clear correlation, which is not against the hypothesis that the SiO molecules are the seed nuclei of silicate dust. On the other hand, no correlation is found between SiO maser and silicate crystallinity, which may imply that silicate crystallinity does not correlate with mass-loss rate.

  12. Effects of ion irradiation on the mechanical properties of SiNa wO xC yH z sol-gel derived thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucca, D. A.; Qi, Y.; Harriman, T. A.; Prenzel, T.; Wang, Y. Q.; Nastasi, M.; Dong, J.; Mehner, A.

    2010-10-01

    A study of the effects of ion irradiation of hybrid organic/inorganic modified silicate thin films on their mechanical properties is presented. NaOH catalyzed SiNa wO xC yH z thin films were synthesized by sol-gel processing from tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) precursors and spin-coated onto Si substrates. After drying at 300 °C, the films were irradiated with 125 keV H + or 250 keV N 2+ at fluences ranging from 1 × 10 14 to 2.5 × 10 16 ions/cm 2. Nanoindentation was used to characterize the films. Changes in hardness and reduced elastic modulus were examined as a function of ion fluence and irradiating species. The resulting increases in hardness and reduced elastic modulus are compared to similarly processed acid catalyzed silicate thin films.

  13. Synthesis of phthalocyanine doped sol-gel materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunn, Bruce

    1993-01-01

    section ratio, 4, however, the tetrasulfonate groups make the dye soluble in water which greatly facilitates its incorporation into the sol-gel matrix. The nonlinear transmission of CuPc4S in a pH 2 buffer solution and in a silica xerogel were compared. It is evident that the CuPc4S preserves its optical limiting behavior in the sol-gel matrix, indicating that the fundamental excited state absorption process is essentially the same for a molecule in solution or in the solid state. Although the spectroscopic details of energy level lifetimes are unknown, the significance is that passive optical limiting has been achieved in the solid state via incorporation of a dye into an inorganic host. The only compromise occurs at the extremely high energy regime where photobleaching is observed. This is a result of the limited mobility of the dye molecules in the solid silica host relative to a liquid host. The effects of photodegradation in the xerogel are additive, whereas the solution provides a supply of fresh molecules that are free to enter the active volume between pulses.

  14. Preparation of the Hexacyanoferrate Ion Exchanger Matrix to Concentrate 137Cs from Sea Water

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Murdahayu Makmur

    2007-01-01

    Preparation of the hexacyanoferrate ion exchanger matrix to concentrate 137 Cs from large volume sea water has been done. The Pre-concentration is needed because 137 Cs concentration in sea water is too low. The hexacyanoferrate ion exchanger matrix can be prepared by performing the reaction of 10 gram silica gel with potassium hexacyanoferrate on concentration variation of 0.0025 M - 0.04 M and copper chloride on concentration variation of 0.005 M - 0.08 M. The volume of each reagent was 25 ml. The performance of the ion exchanger matrix depends on the chemical compositions both of the mixtures, it was expected that no remaining Fe ion and free Cu from the initial reagent. The final effluent will analyzed for Fe and Cu using Atomic Absorption Spectrometer. The optimal molar composition ration for potassium hexacyanoferrate and copper chloride was 0.5 for 10 gram silica gel. (author)

  15. Metabolic regulation of collagen gel contraction by porcine aortic valvular interstitial cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamel, Peter I.; Qu, Xin; Geiszler, Andrew M.; Nagrath, Deepak; Harmancey, Romain; Taegtmeyer, Heinrich; Grande-Allen, K. Jane

    2014-01-01

    Despite a high incidence of calcific aortic valve disease in metabolic syndrome, there is little information about the fundamental metabolism of heart valves. Cell metabolism is a first responder to chemical and mechanical stimuli, but it is unknown how such signals employed in valve tissue engineering impact valvular interstitial cell (VIC) biology and valvular disease pathogenesis. In this study porcine aortic VICs were seeded into three-dimensional collagen gels and analysed for gel contraction, lactate production and glucose consumption in response to manipulation of metabolic substrates, including glucose, galactose, pyruvate and glutamine. Cell viability was also assessed in two-dimensional culture. We found that gel contraction was sensitive to metabolic manipulation, particularly in nutrient-depleted medium. Contraction was optimal at an intermediate glucose concentration (2 g l−1) with less contraction with excess (4.5 g l−1) or reduced glucose (1 g l−1). Substitution with galactose delayed contraction and decreased lactate production. In low sugar concentrations, pyruvate depletion reduced contraction. Glutamine depletion reduced cell metabolism and viability. Our results suggest that nutrient depletion and manipulation of metabolic substrates impacts the viability, metabolism and contractile behaviour of VICs. Particularly, hyperglycaemic conditions can reduce VIC interaction with and remodelling of the extracellular matrix. These results begin to link VIC metabolism and macroscopic behaviour such as cell–matrix interaction. PMID:25320066

  16. Oriented color centres being formed in anisotropic action of optical radiation on sodium-silicate glass

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barinova, N.A.; Glebov, L.B.; Dokuchaev, V.G.; Savel'ev, V.L.

    1992-01-01

    A study was made of anisotropy of absorption of hole colour centres appearing in sodium-silicate glass due to anisotropic action of UV radiation. In case of such action in the field of long-wave edge of their fundamental absorption oriented hole colour centres occurs with maximum of absorption bands to 2.0, 2.8, 4.1 eV. Principal direction of hole colour centres orientation in this case coincides with orientation of ionized glass matrix centres. Orientation of such kind is connected with selective ionization of disorderedly oriented centres forming edge of fundamental absorption. Value of guided dichroism of colour centres absorption is determined by hole migration

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2014-09-23

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

  18. Diffusion measurement in ferrous infused gel dosimeters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zahmatkesh, M. H.; Healy, B. J.

    2003-01-01

    Background: The compositions of Ferrous sulphate, Agarose and Xylenol orange dye and Ferrous sulphate, Gelatin and Xylenol orange dye in solution of distilled water and sulphuric acid are two tissue-equivalent gel dosimeters. Ionizing radiation causes oxidation of Fe 2+ ion to Fe 3+ ions which diffuse through the gel matrix and blur the image of absorbed dose over a period of hours after irradiation. Materials and methods: 25 m M sulphuric acid, 0.4 mm ferrous ammonium sulphate, 0.2 mm xylenol orange dye and 1% by weight agarose in distilled water named Agarose and Xylenol orange dye and 0.1 mm ferrous ammonium sulphate, 0.1 mm xylenol orange dye, 50 mm sulphuric acid and 5% by weight gelatin in distilled water named Gelatin and Xylenol orange dye are used as two gel dosimeters. All chemicals were supplied by Sigma Ald ridge Company, Germany. The gels were poured in Perspex casts and were irradiated to a beam of X ray from linear accelerators or X ray machine. Results: In this study diffusion coefficients of Agarose and Xylenol orange dye and Gelatin and Xylenol orange dye dosimeters have been measured through a computer program for different temperature. The ferric ion diffusion coefficient (D) for the Agarose and Xylenol orange dye and Gelatin and Xylenol orange dye dosimeters were measured as (1.19.±0.03) x 10 -2 cm 2 .hr -1 and (0.83±0.03) x 10 -2 cm 2 .hr -1 respectively at room temperature. Conclusion: For both dosimeters the diffusion coefficients decreased with gel storage temperatures down to 6 d ig C . Gelatin and Xylenol orange dye dosimeters have advantage of lower diffusion coefficient for a specified temperature

  19. EFFECT OF SILICATE ON GRAM STAINING AND VIABILITY OF PNEUMOCOCCI AND OTHER BACTERIA

    Science.gov (United States)

    MacLeod, Colin M.; Roe, Amy S.

    1956-01-01

    Application of silicate solutions to living or heat-killed pneumococci and to certain "viridans" streptococci causes their conversion from a Gram-positive to a Gram-negative state. The original staining properties can be restored by suspending the silicate-treated bacteria in alkaline solutions of various salts but not by simple washing in water. Living pneumococci and the strains of streptococci whose staining properties are similarly affected are killed when suspended in silicate solutions. In other Gram-positive species silicate causes conversion to Gram negativity but restoration to positivity occurs upon washing in water. In a third group of Gram-positive organisms silicate has no effect on the Gram reaction. The viability of organisms in these two groups is unaffected by silicate under the conditions employed. No effect on staining or viability of Gram-negative bacteria has been observed. The effects of silicate on staining and viability are inhibited by nutrient broth or whole serum but not by purified serum albumin. Lecithin, choline, and other substituted ammonium compounds also inhibit the effects of silicate on pneumococci. PMID:13306854

  20. Carbonation of metal silicates for long-term CO2 sequestration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blencoe, James G; Palmer, Donald A; Anovitz, Lawrence M; Beard, James S

    2014-03-18

    In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a process of sequestering carbon dioxide. The process comprises the steps of: (a) reacting a metal silicate with a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide to produce a hydroxide of the metal formerly contained in the silicate; (b) reacting carbon dioxide with at least one of a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide and an alkali-metal silicate to produce at least one of an alkali-metal carbonate and an alkali-metal bicarbonate; and (c) reacting the metal hydroxide product of step (a) with at least one of the alkali-metal carbonate and the alkali-metal bicarbonate produced in step (b) to produce a carbonate of the metal formerly contained in the metal silicate of step (a).

  1. Viscosity of Heterogeneous Silicate Melts: A Non-Newtonian Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Zhuangzhuang; Blanpain, Bart; Guo, Muxing

    2017-12-01

    The recently published viscosity data of heterogeneous silicate melts with well-documented structure and experimental conditions are critically re-analyzed and tabulated. By using these data, a non-Newtonian viscosity model incorporating solid fraction, solid shape, and shear rate is proposed on the basis of the power-law equation. This model allows calculating the viscosity of the heterogeneous silicate melts with solid fraction up to 34 vol pct. The error between the calculated and measured data is evaluated to be 32 pct, which is acceptable considering the large error in viscosity measurement of the completely liquid silicate melt.

  2. Decomposition of pre calcined aluminium silicate ores of Afghanistan by hydrochloric acid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khomidi, A.K.; Mamatov, E.D.

    2015-01-01

    Present article is devoted to decomposition of pre calcined aluminium silicate ores of Afghanistan by hydrochloric acid. The physicochemical properties of initial aluminium silicate ores were studied by means of X-ray phase, differential thermal and silicate analysis. The chemical composition of aluminium containing ores was determined. The optimal conditions of interaction of initial and pre calcined siallites with hydrochloric acid were defined. The kinetics of acid decomposition of aluminium silicate ores was studied as well.

  3. Modifications in silver-doped silicate glasses induced by ns laser beams

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cattaruzza, E., E-mail: cattaruz@unive.it [Physical Chemistry Department, Universita Ca Foscari Venezia, via Torino 155/b, I-30172 Venezia-Mestre (Italy); Mardegan, M. [Physical Chemistry Department, Universita Ca Foscari Venezia, via Torino 155/b, I-30172 Venezia-Mestre (Italy); Trave, E. [Physical Chemistry Department, Universita Ca Foscari Venezia, Dorsoduro 2137, I-30123 Venezia (Italy); Battaglin, G. [Physical Chemistry Department, Universita Ca Foscari Venezia, via Torino 155/b, I-30172 Venezia-Mestre (Italy); Calvelli, P. [Physical Chemistry Department, Universita Ca' Foscari Venezia, Dorsoduro 2137, I-30123 Venezia (Italy); Enrichi, F. [Associazione CIVEN and Nanofab S.c.a.r.l., via delle Industrie 5, I-30175 Venezia-Marghera (Italy); Gonella, F. [Physical Chemistry Department, Universita Ca Foscari Venezia, Dorsoduro 2137, I-30123 Venezia (Italy)

    2011-04-01

    Glass layers for planar light waveguides prepared by Ag-Na ion exchange of different silicate glasses in molten salt baths are annealed and/or irradiated with a laser beam in the UV region, with different energy density values and total pulse numbers. The samples are mainly characterized by optical absorption spectroscopy, luminescence spectroscopy, and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, in order to determine the role of irradiation parameters and of the host matrix structure in the aggregation phenomena. Photoluminescence spectroscopy gave information regarding the presence of Ag multimeric aggregates, the primal seeds for the growing (nano)crystals. The appearance of the plasmon resonance band in the optical absorption spectra proved the formation of Ag clusters and allowed the evolution steps of the clusterization process to be followed as a function of the energy deposited during the laser irradiation.

  4. Entrapment of subtilisin in ceramic sol-gel coating for antifouling applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Regina, Viduthalai Rasheedkhan; Søhoel, Helmer; Lokanathan, Arcot Raghupathi; Bischoff, Claus; Kingshott, Peter; Revsbech, Niels Peter; Meyer, Rikke Louise

    2012-11-01

    Enzymes with antifouling properties are of great interest in developing nontoxic antifouling coatings. A bottleneck in developing enzyme-based antifouling coatings is to immobilize the enzyme in a suitable coating matrix without compromising its activity and stability. Entrapment of enzymes in ceramics using the sol-gel method is known to have several advantages over other immobilization methods. The sol-gel method can be used to make robust coatings, and the aim of this study was to explore if sol-gel technology can be used to develop robust coatings harboring active enzymes for antifouling applications. We successfully entrapped a protease, subtilisin (Savinase, Novozymes), in a ceramic coating using a sol-gel method. The sol-gel formulation, when coated on a stainless steel surface, adhered strongly and cured at room temperature in less than 8 h. The resultant coating was smoother and less hydrophobic than stainless steel. Changes in the coating's surface structure, thickness and chemistry indicate that the coating undergoes gradual erosion in aqueous medium, which results in release of subtilisin. Subtilisin activity in the coating increased initially, and then gradually decreased. After 9 months, 13% of the initial enzyme activity remained. Compared to stainless steel, the sol-gel-coated surfaces with active subtilisin were able to reduce bacterial attachment of both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria by 2 orders of magnitude. Together, our results demonstrate that the sol-gel method is a promising coating technology for entrapping active enzymes, presenting an interesting avenue for enzyme-based antifouling solutions.

  5. Synthesis of lithium silicates generators of tritium by a modified method of combustion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cruz G, D.

    2003-01-01

    The ceramics of lithium have been proposed as generating materials of tritium through the following reaction: 6 Li + 1 n → 4 He + 3 H . In previous works carried out by Pfeiffer and collaborators, the lithium silicates generators of tritium were prepared using the following methods: reactions of solid state, precipitation and sol-gel synthesis. Although those methods have advantages, it is required of heating at high temperatures (900 C during four hours) to be able to obtain the crystalline compounds. Those products found in these works were diverse crystallization forms of the lithium silicates and of SiO 2 , such as, Li 2 SiO 3 , Li 2 Si 2 0 5 , Li 4 SiO 4 , and quartz (SiO 2 ). The combustion method uses exothermic reactions to take place ceramic compounds. The precursor solutions are mixtures of the nitrate of metal oxidizer and the fuels (urea, glycine, carbohydrazide). However the reported method in the literature, it is not useful to prepare lithium silicates, for what was modified using non oxidizers compounds. The lithium hydroxide (LiOH) and the silicic acid (H 2 SiO 3 ) they were the compounds non oxidizers used, and the urea (CH 4 N 2 O) it was the one fuel. They were carried out two series of experiments; inside the series 1 of experiments are varied the molar ratio of lithium hydroxide and urea (LiOH : H 2 SiO 3 = 1, 2 and 3, LiOH : CH 4 N 2 O = 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) and the prepared mixtures were taken to one muffle previously preheated to a temperature of 450 C during 5 minutes. In the series 2 of experiments was studied the effect of the temperature and of the washed with distilled water in the prepared samples with the following molar ratios: LiOH : H 2 SiO 3 : CH 4 N 2 O = 1:1:3, 2:1:3, 3:1:3 and 3:1:6, those which were heated to temperatures from 450 C up to 750 C and were washed. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Infrared spectroscopy (I S), semiquantitative elemental analysis (EDS) and Thermal gravimetric

  6. Catalytic activity of acid and base with different concentration on sol-gel kinetics of silica by ultrasonic method.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, R K; Das, M

    2015-09-01

    The effects of both acid (acetic acid) and base (ammonia) catalysts in varying on the sol-gel synthesis of SiO2 nanoparticles using tetra ethyl ortho silicate (TEOS) as a precursor was determined by ultrasonic method. The ultrasonic velocity was received by pulsar receiver. The ultrasonic velocity in the sol and the parameter ΔT (time difference between the original pulse and first back wall echo of the sol) was varied with time of gelation. The graphs of ln[ln1/ΔT] vs ln(t), indicate two region - nonlinear region and a linear region. The time corresponds to the point at which the non-linear region change to linear region is considered as gel time for the respective solutions. Gelation time is found to be dependent on the concentration and types of catalyst and is found from the graphs based on Avrami equation. The rate of condensation is found to be faster for base catalyst. The gelation process was also characterized by viscosity measurement. Normal sol-gel process was also carried out along with the ultrasonic one to compare the effectiveness of ultrasonic. The silica gel was calcined and the powdered sample was characterized with scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectra, X-ray diffractogram, and FTIR spectroscopy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chakraborty, Suparna; Biswas, Supratim

    2016-01-01

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

  8. SILICATE EVOLUTION IN BROWN DWARF DISKS

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Riaz, B.

    2009-01-01

    We present a compositional analysis of the 10 μm silicate spectra for brown dwarf disks in the Taurus and Upper Scorpius (UppSco) star-forming regions, using archival Spitzer/Infrared Spectrograph observations. A variety in the silicate features is observed, ranging from a narrow profile with a peak at 9.8 μm, to nearly flat, low-contrast features. For most objects, we find nearly equal fractions for the large-grain and crystalline mass fractions, indicating both processes to be active in these disks. The median crystalline mass fraction for the Taurus brown dwarfs is found to be 20%, a factor of ∼2 higher than the median reported for the higher mass stars in Taurus. The large-grain mass fractions are found to increase with an increasing strength in the X-ray emission, while the opposite trend is observed for the crystalline mass fractions. A small 5% of the Taurus brown dwarfs are still found to be dominated by pristine interstellar medium-like dust, with an amorphous submicron grain mass fraction of ∼87%. For 15% of the objects, we find a negligible large-grain mass fraction, but a >60% small amorphous silicate fraction. These may be the cases where substantial grain growth and dust sedimentation have occurred in the disks, resulting in a high fraction of amorphous submicron grains in the disk surface. Among the UppSco brown dwarfs, only usd161939 has a signal-to-noise ratio high enough to properly model its silicate spectrum. We find a 74% small amorphous grain and a ∼26% crystalline mass fraction for this object.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saucedo, Skyler R.

    2013-01-01

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

  10. Characterization of organic matrix extracted from fresh water pearls

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Yufei; Gao Yonghua; Feng Qingling

    2011-01-01

    Aragonite pearl and vaterite pearl from cultured Hyriopsis cumingii in Zhuji (Zhejiang province, China) were chosen for the study. The matrix proteins were extracted using water and weak acid, and classified as water soluble matrix (WSM), acid soluble matrix (ASM) and acid insoluble matrix (AIM). The proteins from both pearls were characterized by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transformation infrared spectra (FTIR). The results showed that, AIM of aragonite pearl and vaterite pearl had an ordered structure of α-helix. ASM conformations of these two pearls were different from each other. WSM differed the most between these two pearls. - Research Highlights: → We use a specific method for extracting matrix proteins from aragonite pearl and vaterite pearl respectively. → The matrix proteins are extracted by water and weak acid, and classified as water soluble matrix (WSM), acid soluble matrix (ASM) and acid insoluble matrix (AIM). → AIM of aragonite pearl and vaterite pearl have an ordered structure. ASM conformations of the two pearls are different from each other. WSM differ the most between these two pearls.

  11. Lecithin-based nanostructured gels for skin delivery: an update on state of art and recent applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elnaggar, Yosra S R; El-Refaie, Wessam M; El-Massik, Magda A; Abdallah, Ossama Y

    2014-04-28

    Conventional carriers for skin delivery encounter obstacles of drug leakage, scanty permeation and low entrapment efficiency. Phospholipid nanogels have recently been recognized as prominent delivery systems to circumvent such obstacles and impart easier application. The current review provides an overview on different types of lecithin nanostructured gels, with particular emphasis on liposomal versus microemulsion gelled systems. Liposomal gels investigated encompassed classic liposomal hydrogel, modified liposomal gels (e.g. Transferosomal, Ethosomal, Pro-liposomal and Phytosomal gels), Microgel in liposomes (M-i-L) and Vesicular phospholipid gel (VPG). Microemulsion gelled systems encompassed Lecithin microemulsion-based organogels (LMBGs), Pluronic lecithin organogels (PLOs) and Lecithin-stabilized microemulsion-based hydrogels. All systems were reviewed regarding matrix composition, state of art, characterization and updated applications. Different classes of lecithin nanogels exhibited crucial impact on transdermal delivery regarding drug permeation, drug loading and stability aspects. Future perspectives of this theme issue are discussed based on current laboratory studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Correlation of acidic and basic carrier ampholyte and immobilized pH gradient two-dimensional gel electrophoresis patterns based on mass spectrometric protein identification

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nawrocki, A; Larsen, Martin Røssel; Podtelejnikov, A V

    1998-01-01

    Separation of proteins on either carrier ampholyte-based or immobilized pH gradient-based two-dimensional (2-D) gels gives rise to electrophoretic patterns that are difficult to compare visually. In this paper we have used matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI......-MS) to determine the identities of 335 protein spots in these two 2-D gel systems, including a substantial number of basic proteins which had never been identified before. Proteins that were identified in both gel systems allowed us to cross-reference the gel patterns. Vector analysis of these cross...

  13. Production of a calcium silicate cement material from alginate impression material.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Washizawa, Norimasa; Narusawa, Hideaki; Tamaki, Yukimichi; Miyazaki, Takashi

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to synthesize biomaterials from daily dental waste. Since alginate impression material contains silica and calcium salts, we aimed to synthesize calcium silicate cement from alginate impression material. Gypsum-based investment material was also investigated as control. X-ray diffraction analyses revealed that although firing the set gypsum-based and modified investment materials at 1,200°C produced calcium silicates, firing the set alginate impression material did not. However, we succeeded when firing the set blend of pre-fired set alginate impression material and gypsum at 1,200°C. SEM observations of the powder revealed that the featured porous structures of diatomite as an alginate impression material component appeared useful for synthesizing calcium silicates. Experimentally fabricated calcium silicate powder was successfully mixed with phosphoric acid solution and set by depositing the brushite. Therefore, we conclude that the production of calcium silicate cement material is possible from waste alginate impression material.

  14. Potassium Silicate Foliar Fertilizer Grade from Geothermal Sludge and Pyrophyllite

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muljani Srie

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Potassium silicate fertilizer grade were successfully produced by direct fusion of silica (SiO2 and potasium (KOH and K2CO3 in furnaces at temperatures up to melting point of mixture. The geothermal sludge (98% SiO2 and the pyrophyllite (95% SiO2 were used as silica sources. The purposes of the study was to synthesise potassium silicate fertilizer grade having solids concentrations in the range of 31-37% K2O, and silica in the range of 48-54% SiO2. The weight ratio of silicon dioxide/potasium solid being 1:1 to 5:1. Silica from geothermal sludge is amorphous, whereas pyrophylite is crystalline phase. The results showed that the amount of raw materials needed to get the appropriate molar ratio of potassium silicate fertilizer grade are different, as well as the fusion temperature of the furnace. Potassium silicate prepared from potassium hydroxide and geothermal sludge produced a low molar ratio (2.5: 1 to 3: 1. The potassium required quite small (4:1 in weight ratio, and on a fusion temperature of about 900 °C. Meanwhile, the potassium silicate prepared from pyrophyllite produced a high molar ratio (1.4 - 9.4 and on a fusion temperature of about 1350 °C, so that potassium needed large enough to meet the required molar ratio for the fertilizer grade. The product potassium silicate solid is amorphous with a little trace of crystalline.

  15. Inhibition of vimentin or B1 integrin reverts morphology of prostate tumor cells grown in laminin-rich extracellular matrix gels and reduces tumor growth in vivo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Xueping; Fournier, Marcia V; Ware, Joy L; Bissell, Mina J; Yacoub, Adly; Zehner, Zendra E

    2008-06-12

    Prostate epithelial cells grown embedded in laminin-rich extracellular matrix (lrECM) undergo morphologic changes that closely resemble their architecture in vivo. In this study, growth characteristics of three human prostate epithelial sublines derived from the same cellular lineage, but displaying different tumorigenic and metastatic properties in vivo, were assessed in three-dimensional lrECM gels. M12, a highly tumorigenic and metastatic subline, was derived from the immortalized, prostate epithelial P69 cell line by selection in athymic, nude mice and found to contain a deletion of 19p-q13.1. The stable reintroduction of an intact human chromosome 19 into M12 resulted in a poorly tumorigenic subline, designated F6. When embedded in lrECM gels, the parental, nontumorigenic P69 line produced acini with clearly defined lumena. Immunostaining with antibodies to {beta}-catenin, E-cadherin, or {alpha}6 and {beta}1 integrins showed polarization typical of glandular epithelium. In contrast, the metastatic M12 subline produced highly disorganized cells with no evidence of polarization. The F6 subline reverted to acini-like structures exhibiting basal polarity marked with integrins. Reducing either vimentin levels via small interfering RNA interference or the expression of {alpha}6 and {beta}1 integrins by the addition of blocking antibodies, reorganized the M12 subline into forming polarized acini. The loss of vimentin significantly reduced M12-Vim tumor growth when assessed by s.c. injection in athymic mice. Thus, tumorigenicity in vivo correlated with disorganized growth in three-dimensional lrECM gels. These studies suggest that the levels of vimentin and {beta}1 integrin play a key role in the homeostasis of the normal acinus in prostate and that their dysregulation may lead to tumorigenesis. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(3):499-508].

  16. Surface modification of quartz fibres for dental composites through a sol-gel process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yazi; Wang, Renlin; Habib, Eric; Wang, Ruili; Zhang, Qinghong; Sun, Bin; Zhu, Meifang

    2017-05-01

    In this study, quartz fibres (QFs) surface modification using a sol-gel method was proposed and dental posts reinforced with modified QFs were produced. A silica sol (SS) was prepared using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (γ-MPS) as precursors. The amount of γ-MPS in the sol-gel system was varied from 0 to 24wt.% with a constant molar ratio of TEOS, ethanol, deionized water, and HCl. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and contact angle (CA) measurements were used to characterize the modified QFs, which confirmed that SS had successfully coated the surface of QFs. SEM images showed good interfacial bonding between the modified QFs and the resin matrix. The results of three-point bending tests of the fibre reinforced composite (FRC) posts showed that the QFs modified by SS with 12wt.% γ-MPS presented the best mechanical properties, demonstrating improvements of 108.3% and 89.6% for the flexural strength and flexural modulus, respectively, compared with untreated QFs. Furthermore, the sorption and solubility of the prepared dental posts were also studied by immersing the posts in artificial saliva (AS) for 4weeks, and yielded favourable results. This sol-gel surface modification method promises to resolve interfacial bonding issues of fibres with the resin matrix, and produce FRC posts with excellent properties. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  17. Crystallochemical characteristics of alkali calcium silicates from charoitites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rozhdestvenskaya, I.V.; Nikishova, L.V.

    2002-01-01

    The characteristic features of the crystal structures of alkali calcium silicates from various deposits are considered. The structures of these minerals, which were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods, are described as the combinations of large construction modules, including the alternating layers of alkali cations and tubular silicate radicals (in canasite, frankamenite, miserite, and agrellite) and bent ribbons linked through hydrogen bonds in the layers (in tinaksite and tokkoite). The incorporation of impurities and the different ways of ordering them have different effects on the structures of these minerals and give rise to the formation of superstructures accompanied by a change of the space group (frankamenite-canasite), leading, in turn, to different mutual arrangements of the layers of silicate tubes and the formation of pseudopolytypes (agrellites), structure deformation, and changes in the unit-cell parameters (tinaksite-tokkoite)

  18. Energetic Processing of Interstellar Silicate Grains by Cosmic Rays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bringa, E M; Kucheyev, S O; Loeffler, M J; Baragiola, R A; Tielens, A G Q M; Dai, Z R; Graham, G; Bajt, S; Bradley, J; Dukes, C A; Felter, T E; Torres, D F; van Breugel, W

    2007-03-28

    While a significant fraction of silicate dust in stellar winds has a crystalline structure, in the interstellar medium nearly all of it is amorphous. One possible explanation for this observation is the amorphization of crystalline silicates by relatively 'low' energy, heavy ion cosmic rays. Here we present the results of multiple laboratory experiments showing that single-crystal synthetic forsterite (Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}) amorphizes when irradiated by 10 MeV Xe{sup ++} ions at large enough fluences. Using modeling, we extrapolate these results to show that 0.1-5.0 GeV heavy ion cosmic rays can rapidly ({approx}70 Million yrs) amorphize crystalline silicate grains ejected by stars into the interstellar medium.

  19. Geochemistry and jasper beds from the Ordovician Løkken ophiolite, Norway: origin of proximal and distal siliceous exhalites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grenne, Tor; Slack, John F.

    2005-01-01

    Stratiform beds of jasper (hematitic chert), composed essentially of SiO2 (69-95 wt %) and Fe2O3 (3-25 wt %), can be traced several kilometers along strike in the Ordovician L??kken ophiolite, Norway. These siliceous beds are closely associated with volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits and are interpreted as sea-floor gels that were deposited by fallout from hydrothermal plumes in silica-rich seawater, in which plume-derived Fe oxyhydroxide particles promoted flocculation and rapid settling of large (???200 ??m) colloidal particles of silica-iron oxyhydroxide. Concentrations of chalcophile elements in the jasper beds are at the parts per million level implying that sulfide particle fallout was insignificant and that the Si-Fe gel-forming plumes were mainly derived from intermediate- (100??-250??C) to high-temperature (>250??) white smoker-type vents with high Fe/S ratios. The interpreted setting is similar to that of the Lau basin, where high-temperature (280??-334??C) white smoker venting alternates or overlaps with sulfide mound-forming black smoker venting. Ratios of Al, Sc, Th, Hf, and REE to iron are very low and show that the detrital input was <0.1 percent of the bulk jasper. Most jasper beds are enriched in U, V, P, and Mo relative to the North American Shale Composite, reflecting a predominantly seawater source, whereas REE distribution patterns (positive Eu and negative Ce anomalies) reflect variable mixing of hydrothermal solutions with oxic seawater at dilution ratios of ???102 to 104. Trace element variations in the gel precursor to the jasper are thought to have been controlled by coprecipitation and/or adsorption by Fe oxyhydroxide particles that formed by the oxidation of hydrothermal Fe2+ within the variably seawater-diluted hydrothermal plume(s). Thick jasper layers near the H??ydal VMS orebody show distinct positive As/Fe and Sb/Fe anomalies that are attributed to near-vent rapid settling of Si-Fe particles derived from As- and Sb

  20. The influence of the matrix structure on the oxidation of aniline in a silica sol-gel composite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Widera, J.; Kijak, A.M.; Ca, D.V.; Pacey, G.E.; Taylor, R.T.; Perfect, H.; Cox, J.A.

    2005-01-01

    Mesoporous and microporous silica matrices were formed on indium tin oxide electrodes for liquid-phase voltammetry and as monoliths for solid-state voltammetry of aniline. The pore structure, which was verified by scanning probe microscopy and by surface area measurement, was directed by either control of pH during sol-gel processing or by inclusion of a templating agent. Whether aniline was included as a dopant in the sol-gel or as a component of the contacting liquid, the pore size influenced the coupling of the product of its electrochemical oxidation. With microporous silica, the dominant products were dimers and related short-chain products whereas with mesoporous silica, polymerization was suggested. As a step toward the formation of polyaniline (PANI) that is covalently anchored to the sol-gel, the electrochemistry of aniline was investigated using composites prepared from sols comprising tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS), 3-aminophenyl-[3-triethoxylsilyl)-propyl] urea (ormosil), and aniline in various ratios. Combinatorial chemistry identified that the optimum combination of silica precursors in terms of obtaining PANI was a 1:12 mole ratio of ormosil:TEOS

  1. Deep-Earth Equilibration between Molten Iron and Solid Silicates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brennan, M.; Zurkowski, C. C.; Chidester, B.; Campbell, A.

    2017-12-01

    Elemental partitioning between iron-rich metals and silicate minerals influences the properties of Earth's deep interior, and is ultimately responsible for the nature of the core-mantle boundary. These interactions between molten iron and solid silicates were influential during planetary accretion, and persist today between the mantle and liquid outer core. Here we report the results of diamond anvil cell experiments at lower mantle conditions (40 GPa, >2500 K) aimed at examining systems containing a mixture of metals (iron or Fe-16Si alloy) and silicates (peridotite). The experiments were conducted at pressure-temperature conditions above the metallic liquidus but below the silicate solidus, and the recovered samples were analyzed by FIB/SEM with EDS to record the compositions of the coexisting phases. Each sample formed a three-phase equilibrium between bridgmanite, Fe-rich metallic melt, and an oxide. In one experiment, using pure Fe, the quenched metal contained 6 weight percent O, and the coexisting oxide was ferropericlase. The second experiment, using Fe-Si alloy, was highly reducing; its metal contained 10 wt% Si, and the coexisting mineral was stishovite. The distinct mineralogies of the two experiments derived from their different starting metals. These results imply that metallic composition is an important factor in determining the products of mixed phase iron-silicate reactions. The properties of deep-Earth interfaces such as the core-mantle boundary could be strongly affected by their metallic components.

  2. Carbonation of metal silicates for long-term CO.sub.2 sequestration

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blencoe, James G.; Palmer, Donald A.; Anovitz, Lawrence M.; Beard, James S.

    2017-08-01

    In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a process of sequestering carbon dioxide. The process comprises the steps of: (a) reacting a metal silicate with a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide to produce a hydroxide of the metal formerly contained in the silicate; (b) reacting carbon dioxide with at least one of a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide and an alkali-metal silicate to produce at least one of an alkali-metal carbonate and an alkali-metal bicarbonate; and (c) reacting the metal hydroxide product of step (a) with at least one of the alkali-metal carbonate and the alkali-metal bicarbonate produced in step (b) to produce a carbonate of the metal formerly contained in the metal silicate of step (a).

  3. Carbonation of metal silicates for long-term CO.sub.2 sequestration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blencoe, James G [Harriman, TN; Palmer, Donald A [Oliver Springs, TN; Anovitz, Lawrence M [Knoxville, TN; Beard, James S [Martinsville, VA

    2012-02-14

    In a preferred embodiment, the invention relates to a process of sequestering carbon dioxide. The process comprises the steps of: (a) reacting a metal silicate with a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide to produce a hydroxide of the metal formerly contained in the silicate; (b) reacting carbon dioxide with at least one of a caustic alkali-metal hydroxide and an alkali-metal silicate to produce at least one of an alkali-metal carbonate and an alkali-metal bicarbonate; and (c) reacting the metal hydroxide product of step (a) with at least one of the alkali-metal carbonate and the alkali-metal bicarbonate produced in step (b) to produce a carbonate of the metal formerly contained in the metal silicate of step (a).

  4. Mechanical and microstructure of reinforced hydroxyapatite/calcium silicate nano-composites materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beheri, Hanan H.; Mohamed, Khaled R.; El-Bassyouni, Gehan T.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Nano sized of HA and CS powders were prepared. ► Mechanical of HACS composites enhanced with content of CS. ► The apatite formation onto the composites is proved. -- Abstract: In this study, the nano sized hydroxyapatite (HA) and calcium silicate (CS) powders prepared by both chemical precipitation and sol–gel methods respectively. Biphasic nano-composites materials containing different ratios of HA and CS were fabricated and assessed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transmission infrared reflectance (FT-IR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The effect of variation of ratios between HA and CS on mechanical properties, microstructure and in vitro study was studied. The results proved that the mechanical properties were enhanced with increasing the CS ratio in the composite. In vitro study proved the formation and nucleation of apatite onto composites surfaces which contain low content of CS after one week of immersion. Finally, it is concluded that the HACS composites containing high HA content at the expense of CS content will be promising for bone substitute’s applications, especially in load bearing sites.

  5. Properties of poly(vinyl alcohol)-borax gel doped with neodymium and praseodymium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lawrence, Mathias B.; Desa, J.A.E.; Rai, Renu; Aswal, V.K.

    2014-01-01

    Neodymium and praseodymium ions, singly and in combination, have been doped into a poly(vinyl alcohol)-borax matrix. X-ray diffraction shows structural correlations from 2 to 6 Å and 15 Å, while small angle neutron scattering indicates that the rare-earth ions do not affect the nanoscale structures of the gels. Differential scanning calorimetry shows the glass transition temperature to increase with concentration of Pr in the gel. Excitation in the ultraviolet region leads to luminescent emission in the visible region. Simultaneous absorption in the visible region then leads to luminescent emission in the near infra-red region. The spectral qualities of the emission bands can be varied by choosing appropriate relative ratios of rare-earth species. (author)

  6. Q-Speciation and Network Structure Evolution in Invert Calcium Silicate Glasses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaseman, Derrick C; Retsinas, A; Kalampounias, A G; Papatheodorou, G N; Sen, S

    2015-07-02

    Binary silicate glasses in the system CaO-SiO2 are synthesized over an extended composition range (42 mol % ≤ CaO ≤ 61 mol %), using container-less aerodynamic levitation techniques and CO2-laser heating. The compositional evolution of Q speciation in these glasses is quantified using (29)Si and (17)O magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results indicate progressive depolymerization of the silicate network upon addition of CaO and significant deviation of the Q speciation from the binary model. The equilibrium constants for the various Q species disproportionation reactions for these glasses are found to be similar to (much smaller than) those characteristic of Li (Mg)-silicate glasses, consistent with the corresponding trends in the field strengths of these modifier cations. Increasing CaO concentration results in an increase in the packing density and structural rigidity of these glasses and consequently in their glass transition temperature Tg. This apparent role reversal of conventional network-modifying cations in invert alkaline-earth silicate glasses are compared and contrasted with that in their alkali silicate counterparts.

  7. GelTouch

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Miruchna, Viktor; Walter, Robert; Lindlbauer, David

    2015-01-01

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

  8. Decision peptide-driven: a free software tool for accurate protein quantification using gel electrophoresis and matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Hugo M; Reboiro-Jato, Miguel; Glez-Peña, Daniel; Nunes-Miranda, J D; Fdez-Riverola, Florentino; Carvallo, R; Capelo, J L

    2010-09-15

    The decision peptide-driven tool implements a software application for assisting the user in a protocol for accurate protein quantification based on the following steps: (1) protein separation through gel electrophoresis; (2) in-gel protein digestion; (3) direct and inverse (18)O-labeling and (4) matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry, MALDI analysis. The DPD software compares the MALDI results of the direct and inverse (18)O-labeling experiments and quickly identifies those peptides with paralleled loses in different sets of a typical proteomic workflow. Those peptides are used for subsequent accurate protein quantification. The interpretation of the MALDI data from direct and inverse labeling experiments is time-consuming requiring a significant amount of time to do all comparisons manually. The DPD software shortens and simplifies the searching of the peptides that must be used for quantification from a week to just some minutes. To do so, it takes as input several MALDI spectra and aids the researcher in an automatic mode (i) to compare data from direct and inverse (18)O-labeling experiments, calculating the corresponding ratios to determine those peptides with paralleled losses throughout different sets of experiments; and (ii) allow to use those peptides as internal standards for subsequent accurate protein quantification using (18)O-labeling. In this work the DPD software is presented and explained with the quantification of protein carbonic anhydrase. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Research of ceramic matrix for a safe immobilization of radioactive sludge waste

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dorofeeva, Ludmila; Orekhov, Dmitry

    2018-03-01

    The research and improvement of the existing method for radioactive waste hardening by fixation in a ceramic matrix was carried out. For the samples covered with the sodium silicate and tested after the storage on the air the speed of a radionuclides leaching was determined. The properties of a clay ceramics and the optimum conditions of sintering were defined. The experimental data about the influence of a temperature mode sintering, water quantities, sludge and additives in the samples on their mechanical durability and a water resistance were obtained. The comparative analysis of the conducted research is aimed at improvement of the existing method of the hardening radioactive waste by inclusion in a ceramic matrix and reveals the advantages of the received results over analogs.

  10. Effect of a novel amphipathic ionic liquid on lithium deposition in gel polymer electrolytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Nam-Soon; Koo, Bonjae; Yeon, Jin-Tak; Lee, Kyu Tae; Kim, Dong-Won

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: · Synthesis of a dimeric ionic liquid. · Gel polymer electrolytes providing uniform lithium deposit pathway. · An amphipathic ionic liquid locates at the interface between an electrolyte-rich phase and a polymer matrix in a gel polymer electrolyte. · The presence of PDMITFSI ionic liquid leads to the suppression of dendritic lithium formation on a lithium metal electrode. - Abstract: A novel dimeric ionic liquid based on imidazolium cation and bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) imide (TFSI) anion has been synthesized through a metathesis reaction. Its chemical shift values and thermal properties are identified via 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effect of the synthesized dimeric ionic liquid on the interfacial resistance of gel polymer electrolytes is described. Differences in the SEM images of lithium electrodes after lithium deposition with and without the 1,1'-pentyl-bis(2,3-dimethylimidazolium) bis(trifluoromethane-sulfonyl)imide (PDMITFSI) ionic liquid in gel polymer electrolytes are clearly discernible. This occurs because the PDMITFSI ionic liquid with hydrophobic moieties and polar groups modulates lithium deposit pathways onto the lithium metal anode. Moreover, high anodic stability for a gel polymer electrolyte with the PDMITFSI ionic liquid was clearly observed.

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

    Science.gov (United States)

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

    2010-09-01

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

  12. Impact of matrix stiffness on fibroblast function

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    El-Mohri, Hichem; Wu, Yang; Mohanty, Swetaparna; Ghosh, Gargi, E-mail: gargi@umich.edu

    2017-05-01

    Chronic non-healing wounds, caused by impaired production of growth factors and reduced vascularization, represent a significant burden to patients, health care professionals, and health care system. While several wound dressing biomaterials have been developed, the impact of the mechanical properties of the dressings on the residing cells and consequently on the healing of the wounds is largely overlooked. The primary focus of this study is to explore whether manipulation of the substrate mechanics can regulate the function of fibroblasts, particularly in the context of their angiogenic activity. A photocrosslinkable hydrogel platform with orthogonal control over gel modulus and cell adhesive sites was developed to explore the quantitative relationship between ECM compliance and fibroblast function. Increase in matrix stiffness resulted in enhanced fibroblast proliferation and stress fiber formation. However, the angiogenic activity of fibroblasts was found to be optimum when the cells were seeded on compliant matrices. Thus, the observations suggest that the stiffness of the wound dressing material may play an important role in the progression of wound healing. - Highlights: • Proliferation and stress fiber formation of fibroblasts increase with increasing matrix mechanics. • Cell area correlates with the growth of fibroblasts. • Angiogenic activity of fibroblasts optimum when cells seeded on compliant gels.

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

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heng See

    2009-01-01

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

  14. Effects of matrix elasticity and cell density on human mesenchymal stem cells differentiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xue, Ruyue; Li, Julie Yi-Shuan; Yeh, Yiting; Yang, Li; Chien, Shu

    2013-09-01

    Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) can differentiate into various cell types, including osteogenic and chondrogenic cells. The matrix elasticity and cell seeding density are important factors in hMSCs differentiation. We cultured hMSCs at different seeding densities on polyacrylamide hydrogels with different stiffness corresponding to Young's moduli of 1.6 ± 0.3 and 40 ± 3.6 kPa. The promotion of osteogenic marker expression by hard gel is overridden by a high seeding density. Cell seeding density, however, did not influence the chondrogenic marker expressions induced by soft gel. These findings suggest that interplays between cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions contribute to hMSCs differentiation. The promotion of osteogenic differentiation on hard matrix was shown to be mediated through the Ras pathway. Inhibition of Ras (RasN17) significantly decreased ERK, Smad1/5/8 and AKT activation, and osteogenic markers expression. However, constitutively active Ras (RasV12) had little effect on osteogenic marker expression, suggesting that the Ras pathways are necessary but not sufficient for osteogenesis. Taken together, our results indicate that matrix elasticity and cell density are important microenvironmental cues driving hMSCs proliferation and differentiation. Copyright © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society.

  15. Stability constants for silicate adsorbed to ferrihydrite

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Hans Christian Bruun; Wetche, T.P.; Raulund-Rasmussen, Karsten

    1994-01-01

    Intrinsic surface acidity constants (K(a1)intr, K(a2)intr) and surface complexation constant for adsorption of orthosilicate onto synthetic ferrihydrite (K(Si) for the complex = FeOSi(OH)3) have been determined from acid/base titrations in 0.001-0.1 m NaClO4 electrolytes and silicate adsorption...... experiments in 0.01 m NaNO3 electrolyte (pH 3-6). The surface equilibrium constants were calculated according to the two-layer model by Dzombak & Morel (1990). Near equilibrium between protons/hydroxyls in solution and the ferrihydrite surface was obtained within minutes while equilibration with silicate...

  16. The stable Cr isotopic compositions of chondrites and silicate planetary reservoirs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoenberg, Ronny; Merdian, Alexandra; Holmden, Chris; Kleinhanns, Ilka C.; Haßler, Kathrin; Wille, Martin; Reitter, Elmar

    2016-06-01

    The depletion of chromium in Earth's mantle (∼2700 ppm) in comparison to chondrites (∼4400 ppm) indicates significant incorporation of chromium into the core during our planet's metal-silicate differentiation, assuming that there was no significant escape of the moderately volatile element chromium during the accretionary phase of Earth. Stable Cr isotope compositions - expressed as the ‰-difference in 53Cr/52Cr from the terrestrial reference material SRM979 (δ53/52CrSRM979 values) - of planetary silicate reservoirs might thus yield information about the conditions of planetary metal segregation processes when compared to chondrites. The stable Cr isotopic compositions of 7 carbonaceous chondrites, 11 ordinary chondrites, 5 HED achondrites and 2 martian meteorites determined by a double spike MC-ICP-MS method are within uncertainties indistinguishable from each other and from the previously determined δ53/52CrSRM979 value of -0.124 ± 0.101‰ for the igneous silicate Earth. Extensive quality tests support the accuracy of the stable Cr isotope determinations of various meteorites and terrestrial silicates reported here. The uniformity in stable Cr isotope compositions of samples from planetary silicate mantles and undifferentiated meteorites indicates that metal-silicate differentiation of Earth, Mars and the HED parent body did not cause measurable stable Cr isotope fractionation between these two reservoirs. Our results also imply that the accretionary disc, at least in the inner solar system, was homogeneous in its stable Cr isotopic composition and that potential volatility loss of chromium during accretion of the terrestrial planets was not accompanied by measurable stable isotopic fractionation. Small but reproducible variations in δ53/52CrSRM979 values of terrestrial magmatic rocks point to natural stable Cr isotope variations within Earth's silicate reservoirs. Further and more detailed studies are required to investigate whether silicate

  17. Evaluation of sol-gel based magnetic 45S5 bioglass and bioglass-ceramics containing iron oxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shankhwar, Nisha; Srinivasan, A

    2016-05-01

    Multicomponent oxide powders with nominal compositions of (45-x)·SiO2·24.5CaO·24.5Na2O·6P2O5xFe2O3 (in wt.%) were prepared by a modified sol-gel procedure. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and high resolution transmission electron microscope images of the sol-gel products show fully amorphous structure for Fe2O3 substitutions up to 2 wt.%. Sol-gel derived 43SiO2·24.5CaO·24.5Na2O·6P2O5·2Fe2O3 glass (or bioglass 45S5 with SiO2 substituted with 2 wt.% Fe2O3), exhibited magnetic behavior with a coercive field of 21 Oe, hysteresis loop area of 33.25 erg/g and saturation magnetization of 0.66 emu/g at an applied field of 15 kOe at room temperature. XRD pattern of this glass annealed at 850 °C for 1h revealed the formation of a glass-ceramic containing sodium calcium silicate and magnetite phases in nanocrystalline form. Temperature dependent magnetization and room temperature electron spin resonance data have been used to obtain information on the magnetic phase and distribution of iron ions in the sol-gel glass and glass-ceramic samples. Sol-gel derived glass and glass-ceramic exhibit in-vitro bioactivity by forming a hydroxyapatite surface layer under simulated physiological conditions and their bio-response is superior to their melt quenched bulk counterparts. This new form of magnetic bioglass and bioglass ceramics opens up new and more effective biomedical applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Non-conservative controls on distribution of dissolved silicate in Cochin Backwaters

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Balachandran, K.K.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.; Joseph, T.; Nair, M.

    Cochin backwater system was studied with regard to dissolved silicate (DSi) to understand its seasonal distribution and behaviour during estuarine mixing. Silicate had a linear relationship with salinity during the high river discharge period...

  19. E-Beam-Cured Layered-Silicate and Spherical Silica Epoxy Nanocomposites (Preprint)

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Chen, Chenggang; Anderson, David P

    2007-01-01

    .... The nanofillers can be two dimensional (layered-silicate) and zero dimensional (spherical silica). Both the spherical silica epoxy nanocomposite and the layered-silicate epoxy nanocomposite can be cured to a high degree of curing...

  20. Tough ceramic coatings: Carbon nanotube reinforced silica sol-gel

    Science.gov (United States)

    López, A. J.; Rico, A.; Rodríguez, J.; Rams, J.

    2010-08-01

    Silica coatings reinforced with carbon nanotubes were produced via sol-gel route using two mixing techniques of the sol-gel precursors, mechanical and ultrasonic mixing, and dip-coating as deposition process on magnesium alloy substrates. Effective incorporation and distribution of 0.1 wt.% of carbon nanotubes in the amorphous silica matrix of the coatings were achieved using both techniques. Fabrication procedure determines the morphological aspects of the coating. Only mechanical mixing process produced coatings dense and free of defects. Nanoindentation technique was used to examine the influence of the fabrication process in the mechanical features of the final coatings, i.e. indentation fracture toughness, Young's modulus and hardness. A maximum toughening effect of about 24% was achieved in silica coatings reinforced with carbon nanotubes produced by the mechanical mixing route. Scanning electron microscopy investigation revealed that the toughening of these reinforced coatings was mainly due to bridging effect of the reinforcement.

  1. Tunable Optical Properties of Metal Nanoparticle Sol-Gel Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, David D.; Snow, Lanee A.; Sibille, Laurent; Ignont, Erica

    2001-01-01

    We demonstrate that the linear and non-linear optical properties of sol-gels containing metal nanoparticles are highly tunable with porosity. Moreover, we extend the technique of immersion spectroscopy to inhomogeneous hosts, such as aerogels, and determine rigorous bounds for the average fractional composition of each component, i.e., the porosity of the aerogel, or equivalently, for these materials, the catalytic dispersion. Sol-gels containing noble metal nanoparticles were fabricated and a significant blue-shift in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was observed upon formation of an aerogel, as a result of the decrease in the dielectric constant of the matrix upon supercritical extraction of the solvent. However, as a result of chemical interface damping and aggregation this blue-shift does not strictly obey standard effective medium theories. Mitigation of these complications is achieved by avoiding the use of alcohol and by annealing the samples in a reducing atmosphere.

  2. Sorption of Europium in zirconium silicate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia R, G.

    2004-01-01

    Some minerals have the property of sipping radioactive metals in solution, that it takes advantage to manufacture contention barriers that are placed in the repositories of nuclear wastes. The more recent investigations are focused in the development of new technologies guided to the sorption of alpha emissors on minerals which avoid their dispersion in the environment. In an effort to contribute to the understanding of this type of properties, some studies of sorption of Europium III are presented like homologous of the americium, on the surface of zirconium silicate (ZrSiO 4 ). In this work the results of sorption experiences are presented as well as the interpretation of the phenomena of the formation of species in the surface of the zirconium silicate. (Author)

  3. Effects of ionization on silicate glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Primak, W.

    1982-02-01

    This evaluation of radiation effects in silicate glasses caused by ionization is based on our own investigations, on material collected in our files (reports, articles, and notes), and on a computer literature search through recent issues of Physics Abstracts and Chemical Abstracts (and the apparently pertinent references which appeared). Some of our recent results, available heretofore only in internal correspondence, are presented in some detail. It is concluded that research into the behavior of silicate glasses generally will be required before the specific effects in the radioactive waste storage glasses can be properly understood and evaluated. Two particular neglected areas of investigation are targeted for immediate concern: a kinetic analysis of annealing data and the acquisition of data on effects of irradiation at controlled elevated temperatures

  4. Early matrix change of a nanostructured bone grafting substitute in the rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Weiguo; Holzhüter, Gerd; Sorg, Heiko; Wolter, Daniel; Lenz, Solvig; Gerber, Thomas; Vollmar, Brigitte

    2009-11-01

    A nanocrystalline bone substitute embedded in a highly porous silica gel matrix (NanoBone) has previously been shown to bridge bone defects by an organic matrix. As the initial host response on the bone graft substitute might be a determinant for subsequent bone formation, our present purpose was to characterize the early tissue reaction on this biomaterial. After implantation of 80 mg of NanoBone into the adipose neck tissue of a total of 35 rats, grafts were harvested for subsequent analysis at days 3, 6, 9, 12, and 21. The biomaterial was found encapsulated by granulation tissue which partly penetrated the implant at day 3 and completely pervaded the graft at day 12 on implantation. Histology revealed tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive giant cells covering the biomaterial. ED1 (CD68) immunopositivity of these cells further indicated their osteoclast-like phenotype. Scanning electron microscopy revealed organic tissue components within the periphery of the graft already at day 9, whereas the central hematoma region still presented the silica-surface of the biomaterial. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy further demonstrated that the silica gel was degraded faster in the peripheral granulation tissue than in the central hematoma and was replaced by organic host components by day 12. In conclusion, the silica gel matrix is rapidly replaced by carbohydrate macromolecules. This might represent a key step in the process of graft degradation on its way toward induction of bone formation. The unique composition and structure of this nanoscaled biomaterial seem to support its degradation by host osteoclast-like giant cells.

  5. Detection of Matrix Metalloproteinases by Zymography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tajhya, Rajeev B; Patel, Rutvik S; Beeton, Christine

    2017-01-01

    Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) represent more than 20 zinc-containing endopeptidases that cleave internal peptide bonds, leading to protein degradation. They play a critical role in many physiological cell functions, including tissue remodeling, embryogenesis, and angiogenesis. They are also involved in the pathogenesis of a vast array of diseases, including but not limited to systemic inflammation, various cancers, and cardiovascular, neurological, and autoimmune diseases. Here, we describe gel zymography to detect MMPs in cell and tissue samples and in cell culture supernatants.

  6. Controlled formation of emulsion gels stabilized by salted myofibrillar protein under malondialdehyde (MDA)-induced oxidative stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Feibai; Sun, Weizheng; Zhao, Mouming

    2015-04-15

    This study presented the cold-set gelation of emulsions stabilized by salted myofibrillar protein (MP) under oxidative stress originated from malondialdehyde (MDA). Gel properties were compared over a range of MDA/NaCl concentrations including gel viscoelastic properties, strength, water-holding capacity (WHC), amount of protein entrapped, and microstructure. The oxidative stability of emulsion gels as indicated by lipid hydroperoxide was further determined and compared. Results indicated that emulsion stabilized by MP at swollen state under certain ionic strengths (0.2-0.6 M) was the premise of gel formation under MDA. In the presence of intermediate MDA concentrations (2.5-10 mM), the emulsion gels showed an improved elasticity, strength, WHC, and oxidative stability. This improvement should be mainly attributed to the enhanced protein-protein cross-linkings via MDA, which were homogeneously formed among absorbed and/or unabsorbed proteins, entrapping a greater amount and fractions of protein within network. Therefore, the oil droplets were better adherent to the gel matrix. Nevertheless, addition of high MDA concentrations (25-50 mM) led to the formation of excessive covalent bonds, which might break protein-protein bonds and trigger the desorption of protein from the interface. This ultimately caused "oil leak" phenomena as well as the collapse of gel structure and, thus, overall decreased gel properties and oxidative stability.

  7. Formulation, characterization and clinical evaluation of propranolol hydrochloride gel for transdermal treatment of superficial infantile hemangioma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Wenhu; He, Shiying; Yang, Yijun; Jian, Dan; Chen, Xiang; Ding, Jinsong

    2015-01-01

    The objective of the present study is to formulate and characterize propranolol hydrochloride (PPL · HCl) gel, and to evaluate the efficacy of this formulation in transdermal treatment for superficial infantile hemangioma (IH). The transdermal PPL · HCl gel was prepared by a direct swelling method, which chose hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as the matrix and used terpenes plus alcohols as permeation enhancer. Permeation studies of PPL · HCl were carried out with modified Franz diffusion cells through piglet skin. Our results pointed to that among all studied permeation enhancers, farnesol plus isopropanol was the most effective combination (Q24, 6027.4 ± 563.1 μg/cm(2), ER, 6.8), which was significantly higher than that of control gel (p homemade PPL · HCl oral solution as a control. Clinical studies also confirmed the excellent therapeutic response and few side effects of the PPL · HCl gel. These results suggest that transdermal application of the PPL · HCl gel is an effective and safe formulation in treating superficial IH.

  8. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan from the extracellular matrix of human lung fibroblasts. Isolation, purification, and core protein characterization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Heremans, A.; Cassiman, J.J.; Van den Berghe, H.; David, G.

    1988-01-01

    Confluent cultured human lung fibroblasts were labeled with 35SO4(2-). After 48 h of labeling, the pericellular matrix was prepared by Triton X-100 and deoxycholate extraction of the monolayers. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) accounted for nearly 80% of the total matrix [35S]proteoglycans. After solubilization in 6 M guanidinium HCl and cesium chloride density gradient centrifugation, the majority (78%) of these [35S] HSPG equilibrated at an average buoyant density of 1.35 g/ml. This major HSPG fraction was purified by ion-exchange chromatography on Mono Q and by gel filtration on Sepharose CL-4B, and further characterized by gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting. Intact [35S]HSPG eluted with Kav 0.1 from Sepharose CL-4B, whereas the protein-free [35S]heparan sulfate chains, obtained by alkaline borohydride treatment of the proteoglycan fractions, eluted with Kav 0.45 (Mr approximately 72,000). When analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography, core (protein) preparations, obtained by heparitinase digestion of 125I-labeled HSPG fractions, yielded one major labeled band with apparent molecular mass of approximately 300 kDa. Reduction with beta-mercaptoethanol slightly increased the apparent Mr of the labeled band, suggesting a single polypeptide structure and the presence of intrachain disulfide bonds. Immunoadsorption experiments and immunostaining of electrophoretically separated heparitinase-digested core proteins with monoclonal antibodies raised against matrix and cell surface-associated HSPG suggested that the major matrix-associated HSPG of cultured human lung fibroblasts is distinct from the HSPG that are anchored in the membranes of these cells. Binding studies suggested that this matrix HSPG interacts with several matrix components, both through its glycosaminoglycan chains and through its heparitinase-resistant core. (Abstract Truncated)

  9. Obtainment and characterization of pure and doped gadolinium oxy ortho silicates with terbium III, precursor of luminescent silicates with sulphur

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simoneti, J.A.

    1992-01-01

    Silicate and sulfide lattices are uniquely efficient luminescent materials to excitation by cathodic rays and furthermore the cathodoluminescence study of these compounds have been few investigated. In this work it has been prepared, characterized and investigated some spectroscopic properties of pure and Tb a+ - activated Gd 2 Si O 3 system and it has been tried to substitute oxygen by sulphur in order to obtain this or sulfide-silicate lattices. Products were characterized by vibrational infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction patterns and electronic emission in UV-VIS region. (author)

  10. Determination of total tin in silicate rocks by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elsheimer, H.N.; Fries, T.L.

    1990-01-01

    A method is described for the determination of total tin in silicate rocks utilizing a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer with a stabilized-temperature platform furnace and Zeeman-effect background correction. The sample is decomposed by lithium metaborate fusion (3 + 1) in graphite crucibles with the melt being dissolved in 7.5% hydrochloric acid. Tin extractions (4 + 1 or 8 + 1) are executed on portions of the acid solutions using a 4% solution of tricotylphosphine oxide in methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). Ascorbic acid is added as a reducing agent prior to extraction. A solution of diammonium hydrogenphosphate and magnesium nitrate is used as a matrix modifier in the graphite furnace determination. The limit of detection is > 10 pg, equivalent to > 1 ??g l-1 of tin in the MIBK solution or 0.2-0.3 ??g g-61 in the rock. The concentration range is linear between 2.5 and 500 ??g l-1 tin in solution. The precision, measured as relative standard deviation, is < 20% at the 2.5 ??g l-1 level and < 7% at the 10-30 ??g l-1 level of tin. Excellent agreement with recommended literature values was found when the method was applied to the international silicate rock standards BCR-1, PCC-1, GSP-1, AGV-1, STM-1, JGb-1 and Mica-Fe. Application was made to the determination of tin in geological core samples with total tin concentrations of the order of 1 ??g g-1 or less.

  11. Wind-Eroded Silicate as a Source of Hydrogen Peroxide on Mars

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bak, E. N.; Merrison, J. P.; Jensen, S. K.; Nørnberg, P.; Finster, K.

    2014-07-01

    Laboratory simulations show that wind-eroded silicate can be a source of hydrogen peroxide. The ubiquitous, fine-grained silicate dust might thus explain the oxidizing properties of the martian soil and affect the preservation of organic compounds.

  12. A self-assembling matrix-forming gel can be easily and safely applied to prevent delayed bleeding after endoscopic resections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pioche, Mathieu; Camus, Marine; Rivory, Jérôme; Leblanc, Sarah; Lienhart, Isabelle; Barret, Maximilien; Chaussade, Stanislas; Saurin, Jean-Christophe; Prat, Frederic; Ponchon, Thierry

    2016-01-01

    Background: Endoscopic resections have low morbidity and mortality. Delayed bleeding has been reported in approximately 1 – 15 % of cases, increasing with antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy or portal hypertension. A self-assembling peptide (SAP) forming a gel could protect the mucosal defect during early healing. This retrospective trial aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of SAP in preventing delayed bleeding after endoscopic resections. Methods: Consecutive patients with endoscopic resections were enrolled in two tertiary referral centers. Patients with a high risk of bleeding (antiplatelet agents, anticoagulation drugs with heparin bridge therapy, and cirrhosis with portal hypertension) were also included. The SAP gel was applied immediately after resection to cover the whole ulcer bed. Results: In total, 56 patients were included with 65 lesions (esophagus [n = 8], stomach [n = 22], duodenum [n = 10], ampullary [n = 3], colon [n = 7], and rectum [n = 15]) in two centers. Among those 65 lesions, 29 were resected in high risk situations (9 uninterrupted aspirin therapy, 6 heparin bridge therapies, 5 cirrhosis and portal hypertension, 1 both cirrhosis and heparin bridge, 3 both cirrhosis and uninterrupted aspirin, 3 large duodenal lesions > 2 cm, and 2 early introduction of clopidogrel at day 1). The resection technique was endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in 40 cases, en bloc endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) in 16, piecemeal EMR in 6, and ampullectomy in 3. The mean lesion size was 37.9 mm (SD: 2.2 mm) with a mean area of 6.3 cm2 (SD: 3.5 cm2). No difficulty was noted during application. Four delayed overt bleedings occurred (6.2 %) (3 hematochezia, 1 hematemesis) requiring endoscopic hemostasis. The mean hemoglobin drop off was 0.6 g/dL (– 0.6 to 3.1 g/dL). No adverse events occurred. Conclusion: The use of this novel extracellular matrix scaffold may help to reduce post-endoscopic resection

  13. A self-assembling matrix-forming gel can be easily and safely applied to prevent delayed bleeding after endoscopic resections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pioche, Mathieu; Camus, Marine; Rivory, Jérôme; Leblanc, Sarah; Lienhart, Isabelle; Barret, Maximilien; Chaussade, Stanislas; Saurin, Jean-Christophe; Prat, Frederic; Ponchon, Thierry

    2016-04-01

    Endoscopic resections have low morbidity and mortality. Delayed bleeding has been reported in approximately 1 - 15 % of cases, increasing with antiplatelet/anticoagulant therapy or portal hypertension. A self-assembling peptide (SAP) forming a gel could protect the mucosal defect during early healing. This retrospective trial aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of SAP in preventing delayed bleeding after endoscopic resections. Consecutive patients with endoscopic resections were enrolled in two tertiary referral centers. Patients with a high risk of bleeding (antiplatelet agents, anticoagulation drugs with heparin bridge therapy, and cirrhosis with portal hypertension) were also included. The SAP gel was applied immediately after resection to cover the whole ulcer bed. In total, 56 patients were included with 65 lesions (esophagus [n = 8], stomach [n = 22], duodenum [n = 10], ampullary [n = 3], colon [n = 7], and rectum [n = 15]) in two centers. Among those 65 lesions, 29 were resected in high risk situations (9 uninterrupted aspirin therapy, 6 heparin bridge therapies, 5 cirrhosis and portal hypertension, 1 both cirrhosis and heparin bridge, 3 both cirrhosis and uninterrupted aspirin, 3 large duodenal lesions > 2 cm, and 2 early introduction of clopidogrel at day 1). The resection technique was endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in 40 cases, en bloc endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) in 16, piecemeal EMR in 6, and ampullectomy in 3. The mean lesion size was 37.9 mm (SD: 2.2 mm) with a mean area of 6.3 cm(2) (SD: 3.5 cm(2)). No difficulty was noted during application. Four delayed overt bleedings occurred (6.2 %) (3 hematochezia, 1 hematemesis) requiring endoscopic hemostasis. The mean hemoglobin drop off was 0.6 g/dL (- 0.6 to 3.1 g/dL). No adverse events occurred. The use of this novel extracellular matrix scaffold may help to reduce post-endoscopic resection bleedings including in high risk situations

  14. Effects of cobalt doping on structural, morphological, and optical properties of Zn2SiO4 nanophosphors prepared by sol-gel method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norhafizah Mohd Rasdi

    Full Text Available In this paper, undoped and cobalt (II (3, and 5 mol % doped zinc silicate nanophosphors prepared by a sol-gel method which were heated at 1000 °C were studied in detail. From the XRD result, undoped and Co2+ doped zinc silicate sample yields α- and β-Zn2SiO4. This also shows that α-Zn2SiO4 acts as the primary phase in the crystal structure of the sample. For FESEM, the grain size decreases as the dopant increases where undoped sample indicates average grain size of 181 nm while 3 and 5 mol % exhibits containing ones 136.89 nm and 176.22 nm respectively. With FTIR transmission a major peak at range of 1100 cm−1, 880, 550, and 350 assigning as Si-O-Si asymmetric stretching, SiO4 asymmetric stretching, ZnO4 symmetric stretching, and Si-O asymmetric deformation vibration were observed respectively. The absorption band of doped Zn2SiO4 exhibited a higher absorbance intensity in the UV region compared to undoped Zn2SiO4. Besides, all the samples depict that the sample was having a red shift in which the band shifted to the longer wavelength. The energy band gap value of undoped sample shows 3.07 eV and when Co2+ dopant (3 and 5 mol % was introduced, the energy band gap started to decrease (2.46 and 2.42 eV respectively. PL emission presents two peaks at blue emissions (420 and 480 nm and a green emission (525 nm. The result present that Co2+:Zn2SiO4 is potentially good to use as blue and green phosphors for luminescent optical material. Keywords: Cobalt (II doped zinc silicate, Transition metal, Sol-gel method, Nanophosphors, Photoluminescence

  15. Application of Sodium Silicate Enhances Cucumber Resistance to Fusarium Wilt and Alters Soil Microbial Communities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xingang Zhou

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Exogenous silicates can enhance plant resistance to pathogens and change soil microbial communities. However, the relationship between changes in soil microbial communities and enhanced plant resistance remains unclear. Here, effects of exogenous sodium silicate on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. seedling resistance to Fusarium wilt caused by the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum Owen (FOC were investigated by drenching soil with 2 mM sodium silicate. Soil bacterial and fungal community abundances and compositions were estimated by real-time PCR and high-throughput amplicon sequencing; then, feedback effects of changes in soil biota on cucumber seedling resistance to FOC were assessed. Moreover, effects of sodium silicate on the growth of FOC and Streptomyces DHV3-2, an antagonistic bacterium to FOC, were investigated both in vitro and in the soil environment. Results showed that exogenous sodium silicate enhanced cucumber seedling growth and resistance to FOC. In bare soil, sodium silicate increased bacterial and fungal community abundances and diversities. In cucumber-cultivated soil, sodium silicate increased bacterial community abundances, but decreased fungal community abundances and diversities. Sodium silicate also changed soil bacterial and fungal communality compositions, and especially, decreased the relative abundances of microbial taxa containing plant pathogens but increased these with plant-beneficial potentials. Moreover, sodium silicate increased the abundance of Streptomyces DHV3-2 in soil. Soil biota from cucumber-cultivated soil treated with sodium silicate decreased cucumber seedling Fusarium wilt disease index, and enhanced cucumber seedling growth and defense-related enzyme activities in roots. Sodium silicate at pH 9.85 inhibited FOC abundance in vitro, but did not affect FOC abundance in soil. Overall, our results suggested that, in cucumber-cultivated soil, sodium silicate increased cucumber seedling

  16. Increase in local protein concentration by field-inversion gel electrophoresis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulus Aran

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Proteins that migrate through cross-linked polyacrylamide gels (PAGs under the influence of a constant electric field experience negative factors, such as diffusion and non-specific trapping in the gel matrix. These negative factors reduce protein concentrations within a defined gel volume with increasing migration distance and, therefore, decrease protein separation efficiency. Enhancement of protein separation efficiency was investigated by implementing pulsed field-inversion gel electrophoresis (FIGE. Results Separation of model protein species and large protein complexes was compared between FIGE and constant field electrophoresis (CFE in different percentages of PAGs. Band intensities of proteins in FIGE with appropriate ratios of forward and backward pulse times were superior to CFE despite longer running times. These results revealed an increase in band intensity per defined gel volume. A biphasic protein relative mobility shift was observed in percentages of PAGs up to 14%. However, the effect of FIGE on protein separation was stochastic at higher PAG percentage. Rat liver lysates subjected to FIGE in the second-dimension separation of two-dimensional polyarcylamide gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE showed a 20% increase in the number of discernible spots compared with CFE. Nine common spots from both FIGE and CFE were selected for peptide sequencing by mass spectrometry (MS, which revealed higher final ion scores of all nine protein spots from FIGE. Native protein complexes ranging from 800 kDa to larger than 2000 kDa became apparent using FIGE compared with CFE. Conclusion The present investigation suggests that FIGE under appropriate conditions improves protein separation efficiency during PAGE as a result of increased local protein concentration. FIGE can be implemented with minimal additional instrumentation in any laboratory setting. Despite the tradeoff of longer running times, FIGE can be a powerful protein

  17. Increase in local protein concentration by field-inversion gel electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Henghang; Low, Teck Yew; Freeby, Steve; Paulus, Aran; Ramnarayanan, Kalpana; Cheng, Chung-Pui Paul; Leung, Hon-Chiu Eastwood

    2007-09-26

    Proteins that migrate through cross-linked polyacrylamide gels (PAGs) under the influence of a constant electric field experience negative factors, such as diffusion and non-specific trapping in the gel matrix. These negative factors reduce protein concentrations within a defined gel volume with increasing migration distance and, therefore, decrease protein separation efficiency. Enhancement of protein separation efficiency was investigated by implementing pulsed field-inversion gel electrophoresis (FIGE). Separation of model protein species and large protein complexes was compared between FIGE and constant field electrophoresis (CFE) in different percentages of PAGs. Band intensities of proteins in FIGE with appropriate ratios of forward and backward pulse times were superior to CFE despite longer running times. These results revealed an increase in band intensity per defined gel volume. A biphasic protein relative mobility shift was observed in percentages of PAGs up to 14%. However, the effect of FIGE on protein separation was stochastic at higher PAG percentage. Rat liver lysates subjected to FIGE in the second-dimension separation of two-dimensional polyarcylamide gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE) showed a 20% increase in the number of discernible spots compared with CFE. Nine common spots from both FIGE and CFE were selected for peptide sequencing by mass spectrometry (MS), which revealed higher final ion scores of all nine protein spots from FIGE. Native protein complexes ranging from 800 kDa to larger than 2000 kDa became apparent using FIGE compared with CFE. The present investigation suggests that FIGE under appropriate conditions improves protein separation efficiency during PAGE as a result of increased local protein concentration. FIGE can be implemented with minimal additional instrumentation in any laboratory setting. Despite the tradeoff of longer running times, FIGE can be a powerful protein separation tool.

  18. Experimental evidence for Mo isotope fractionation between metal and silicate liquids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hin, Remco C.; Burkhardt, Christoph; Schmidt, Max W.; Bourdon, Bernard; Kleine, Thorsten

    2013-10-01

    Stable isotope fractionation of siderophile elements may inform on the conditions and chemical consequences of core-mantle differentiation in planetary objects. The extent to which Mo isotopes fractionate during such metal-silicate segregation, however, is so far unexplored. We have therefore investigated equilibrium fractionation of Mo isotopes between liquid metal and liquid silicate to evaluate the potential of Mo isotopes as a new tool to study core formation. We have performed experiments at 1400 and 1600 °C in a centrifuging piston cylinder. Tin was used to lower the melting temperature of the Fe-based metal alloys to double spike technique. In experiments performed at 1400 °C, the 98Mo/95Mo ratio of silicate is 0.19±0.03‰ (95% confidence interval) heavier than that of metal. This fractionation is not significantly affected by the presence or absence of carbon. Molybdenum isotope fractionation is furthermore independent of oxygen fugacity in the range IW -1.79 to IW +0.47, which are plausible values for core formation. Experiments at 1600 °C show that, at equilibrium, the 98Mo/95Mo ratio of silicate is 0.12±0.02‰ heavier than that of metal and that the presence or absence of Sn does not affect this fractionation. Equilibrium Mo isotope fractionation between liquid metal and liquid silicate as a function of temperature can therefore be described as ΔMoMetal-Silicate98/95=-4.70(±0.59)×105/T2. Our experiments show that Mo isotope fractionation may be resolvable up to metal-silicate equilibration temperatures of about 2500 °C, rendering Mo isotopes a novel tool to investigate the conditions of core formation in objects ranging from planetesimals to Earth sized bodies.

  19. Relationships between mineralization and silicic volcanism in the central Andes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Francis, P.W.; Halls, C.; Baker, M.C.W.

    1983-10-01

    Studies of late Tertiary silicic volcanic centers in the Western and Eastern Cordilleras of the Central Andes show that three volcanic environments are appropriate sites for mineralization: (1) ring-fracture extrusions post-dating large calderas; (2) similar extrusions within ignimbrite shields; and (3) isolated, small silicic volcanoes. Subvolcanic tin mineralization in the Eastern Cordillera is located in silicic stocks and associated breccias of Miocene age. The Cerro Rico stock, Potosi, Bolivia, contains tin and silver mineralization and has an intrusion age apparently millions of years younger than that of the associated Kari Kari caldera. Similar age relationships between mineralization and caldera formation have been described from the San Juan province, Colorado. The vein deposits of Chocaya, southern Bolivia, were emplaced in the lower part of an ignimbrite shield, a type of volcanic edifice as yet unrecognized in comparable areas of silicic volcanism. The El Salvador porphyry copper deposit, Chile, is related to silicic stocks which may have been intruded along a caldera ring fracture. Existing models for the genesis of porphyry copper deposits suggest that they formed in granodioritic stocks located in the infrastructure of andesitic stratovolcanoes. The dome of La Soufriere, Guadeloupe is proposed as a modern analog for the surface expression of subvolcanic mineralization processes, the phreatic eruptions there suggesting the formation of hydrothermal breccia bodies in depth.

  20. Some aspects about the Portland cement utilization as a matrix for radioactive waste immobilization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Giraldelli, M.A.

    1990-01-01

    More recently, the environmental policy has concentrated the focus on the study of the waste disposal environmental impact. Since Portland cement is commonly used as a matrix in the low-and intermediate-level radioactive waste immobilization, in the present work, some relationships between the structure and properties of matrix, based on available concrete technology information, has been established by using the multi-level approach analysis. The relationships were developed based on hydrating reactions, the microstructure models, the pore system. It have been verified that: a) CSH gel is responsible for the cementing action and for the strength; b) it seems that the capillary porosity is the strength limiting; c) the permeability, regarded in terms of gel porosity and reduced capillary porosity of the hardened cement paste, may not be a decisive factor for the radionuclide release; d) the shrinkage and the swelling induced cracks can enhance the diffusion mechanism for the cracks increase the exposed surface. The durability of the waste disposal matrix concerning chemical attack in the acidic environment has been considered. (author)

  1. Synthesis, characterization and modelling of zinc and silicate co-substituted hydroxyapatite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friederichs, Robert J; Chappell, Helen F; Shepherd, David V; Best, Serena M

    2015-07-06

    Experimental chemistry and atomic modelling studies were performed here to investigate a novel ionic co-substitution in hydroxyapatite (HA). Zinc, silicate co-substituted HA (ZnSiHA) remained phase pure after heating to 1100 °C with Zn and Si amounts of 0.6 wt% and 1.2 wt%, respectively. Unique lattice expansions in ZnSiHA, silicate Fourier transform infrared peaks and changes to the hydroxyl IR stretching region suggested Zn and silicate co-substitution in ZnSiHA. Zn and silicate insertion into HA was modelled using density functional theory (DFT). Different scenarios were considered where Zn substituted for different calcium sites or at a 2b site along the c-axis, which was suspected in singly substituted ZnHA. The most energetically favourable site in ZnSiHA was Zn positioned at a previously unreported interstitial site just off the c-axis near a silicate tetrahedron sitting on a phosphate site. A combination of experimental chemistry and DFT modelling provided insight into these complex co-substituted calcium phosphates that could find biomedical application as a synthetic bone mineral substitute. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  2. Synthesis, characterization and modelling of zinc and silicate co-substituted hydroxyapatite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Friederichs, Robert J.; Chappell, Helen F.; Shepherd, David V.; Best, Serena M.

    2015-01-01

    Experimental chemistry and atomic modelling studies were performed here to investigate a novel ionic co-substitution in hydroxyapatite (HA). Zinc, silicate co-substituted HA (ZnSiHA) remained phase pure after heating to 1100°C with Zn and Si amounts of 0.6 wt% and 1.2 wt%, respectively. Unique lattice expansions in ZnSiHA, silicate Fourier transform infrared peaks and changes to the hydroxyl IR stretching region suggested Zn and silicate co-substitution in ZnSiHA. Zn and silicate insertion into HA was modelled using density functional theory (DFT). Different scenarios were considered where Zn substituted for different calcium sites or at a 2b site along the c-axis, which was suspected in singly substituted ZnHA. The most energetically favourable site in ZnSiHA was Zn positioned at a previously unreported interstitial site just off the c-axis near a silicate tetrahedron sitting on a phosphate site. A combination of experimental chemistry and DFT modelling provided insight into these complex co-substituted calcium phosphates that could find biomedical application as a synthetic bone mineral substitute. PMID:26040597

  3. Neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation in the conductive PEDOT-HA/Cs/Gel scaffold for neural tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shuping; Guan, Shui; Xu, Jianqiang; Li, Wenfang; Ge, Dan; Sun, Changkai; Liu, Tianqing; Ma, Xuehu

    2017-09-26

    Engineering scaffolds with excellent electro-activity is increasingly important in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Herein, conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with hyaluronic acid (PEDOT-HA) nanoparticles were firstly synthesized via chemical oxidant polymerization. A three-dimensional (3D) PEDOT-HA/Cs/Gel scaffold was then developed by introducing PEDOT-HA nanoparticles into a chitosan/gelatin (Cs/Gel) matrix. HA, as a bridge, not only was used as a dopant, but also combined PEDOT into the Cs/Gel via chemical crosslinking. The PEDOT-HA/Cs/Gel scaffold was used as a conductive substrate for neural stem cell (NSC) culture in vitro. The results demonstrated that the PEDOT-HA/Cs/Gel scaffold had excellent biocompatibility for NSC proliferation and differentiation. 3D confocal fluorescence images showed cells attached on the channel surface of Cs/Gel and PEDOT-HA/Cs/Gel scaffolds with a normal neuronal morphology. Compared to the Cs/Gel scaffold, the PEDOT-HA/Cs/Gel scaffold not only promoted NSC proliferation with up-regulated expression of Ki67, but also enhanced NSC differentiation into neurons and astrocytes with up-regulated expression of β tubulin-III and GFAP, respectively. It is expected that this electro-active and bio-active PEDOT-HA/Cs/Gel scaffold will be used as a conductive platform to regulate NSC behavior for neural tissue engineering.

  4. Rheological Enhancement of Pork Myofibrillar Protein-Lipid Emulsion Composite Gels via Glucose Oxidase Oxidation/Transglutaminase Cross-Linking Pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xu; Xiong, Youling L; Sato, Hiroaki

    2017-09-27

    Porcine myofibrillar protein (MP) was modified with glucose oxidase (GluOx)-iron that produces hydroxyl radicals then subjected to microbial transglutaminase (TGase) cross-linking in 0.6 M NaCl at 4 °C. The resulting aggregation and gel formation of MP were examined. The GluOx-mediated oxidation promoted the formation of both soluble and insoluble protein aggregates via disulfide bonds and occlusions of hydrophobic groups. The subsequent TGase treatment converted protein aggregates into highly cross-linked polymers. MP-lipid emulsion composite gels formed with such polymers exhibited markedly enhanced gelling capacity: up to 4.4-fold increases in gel firmness and 3.5-fold increases in gel elasticity over nontreated protein. Microstructural examination showed small oil droplets dispersed in a densely packed gel matrix when MP was oxidatively modified, and the TGase treatment further contributed to such packing. The enzymatic GluOx oxidation/TGase treatment shows promise to improve the textural properties of emulsified meat products.

  5. New Silicate Phosphors for a White LED(Electronic Displays)

    OpenAIRE

    Toda, Kenji; Kawakami, Yoshitaka; Kousaka, Shin-ichiro; Ito, Yutaka; Komeno, Akira; Uematsu, Kazuyoshi; Sato, Mineo

    2006-01-01

    We focus on the development of new silicate phosphors for a white LED. In the europium doped silicate system, four LED phosphor candidates-Li_2SrSiO_4:Eu^, Ba_9Sc_2Si_6O_:Eu^, Ca_3Si_2O_7:Eu^ and Ba_2MgSi_2O_7:Eu^ were found. Luminescent properties under near UV and visible excitation were investigated for the new Eu^ doped LED silicate phosphors. These new phosphors have a relatively strong absorption band in a long wavelength region.

  6. Fabrication of mesoporous silica nanoparticles by sol gel method followed various hydrothermal temperature

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purwaningsih, Hariyati; Pratiwi, Vania Mitha; Purwana, Siti Annisa Bani; Nurdiansyah, Haniffudin; Rahmawati, Yenny; Susanti, Diah

    2018-04-01

    Rice husk is an agricultural waste that is potentially used as natural silica resources. Natural silica claimed to be safe in handling, cheap and can be generate from cheap resource. In this study mesoporous silica was synthesized using sodium silicate extracted from rice husk ash. This research's aim are to study the optimization of silica extraction from rice husk, characterizing mesoporous silica from sol-gel method and surfactant templating from rice husk and the effect of hydrothermal temperature on mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSNp) formation. In this research, rice husk was extracted with sol-gel method and was followed by hydrothermal treatment; several of hydrothermal temperatures were 85°C, 100°C, 115°C, 130°C and 145° for 24 hours. X-ray diffraction analysis was identified of α-SiO2 phase and NaCl compound impurities. Scherer's analysis method for crystallite size have resulted 6.27-40.3 nm. FTIR results of silica from extraction and MSNp indicated Si-O-Si bonds on the sample. SEM result showed the morphology of the sample that has spherical shape and smooth surface. TEM result showed particle size ranged between 69,69-84,42 nm. BET showed that the pore size classified as mesoporous with pore diameter size is 19,29 nm.

  7. Development of Li+ alumino-silicate ion source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roy, P.K.; Seidl, P.A.; Waldron, W.; Greenway, W.; Lidia, S.; Anders, A.; Kwan, J.

    2009-01-01

    To uniformly heat targets to electron-volt temperatures for the study of warm dense matter, one strategy is to deposit most of the ion energy at the peak of energy loss (dE/dx) with a low (E < 5 MeV) kinetic energy beam and a thin target. Lower mass ions have a peak dE/dx at a lower kinetic energy. To this end, a small lithium (Li+) alumino-silicate source has been fabricated, and its emission limit has been measured. These surface ionization sources are heated to 1000-1150 C where they preferentially emit singly ionized alkali ions. Alumino-silicates sources of K+ and Cs+ have been used extensively in beam experiments, but there are additional challenges for the preparation of high-quality Li+ sources: There are tighter tolerances in preparing and sintering the alumino-silicate to the substrate to produce an emitter that gives uniform ion emission, sufficient current density and low beam emittance. We report on recent measurements ofhigh ( up to 35 mA/cm2) current density from a Li+ source. Ion species identification of possible contaminants is being verified with a Wien (E x B) filter, and via time-of-flight.

  8. Characterization of selenium doped silica glasses synthesized by sol-gel method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kobayashi, R.A.; Toffoli, S.M.

    2012-01-01

    Selenium is a rare element in nature. It is used in the food, pharmaceutical, and glass industries. In commercial glasses, selenium is the element responsible for most of the pink or light red color, but its effect is primarily dependent on the oxidation state of the element in the glassy matrix. Besides, selenium is highly volatile, and as high as 80 wt% may be lost in the furnace during the industrial glass elaboration. The sol– gel method yields synthesized materials of high purity and homogeneity, and uses low processing temperatures. Samples of silica glass were obtained by sol-gel method, incorporating precursors of selenium, with the main objective of reducing selenium losses during its heating. The results of optical absorption, XRD and thermal analysis (TGA, DSC) of the glasses are presented and discussed. (author)

  9. Confined Water in Layered Silicates: The Origin of Anomalous Thermal Expansion Behavior in Calcium-Silicate-Hydrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krishnan, N. M. Anoop; Wang, Bu; Falzone, Gabriel; Le Pape, Yann; Neithalath, Narayanan

    2016-01-01

    Water, under conditions of nanoscale confinement, exhibits anomalous dynamics, and enhanced thermal deformations, which may be further enhanced when such water is in contact with hydrophilic surfaces. Such heightened thermal deformations of water could control the volume stability of hydrated materials containing nanoconfined structural water. Understanding and predicting the thermal deformation coefficient (TDC, often referred to as the CTE, coefficient of thermal expansion), which represents volume changes induced in materials under conditions of changing temperature, is of critical importance for hydrated solids including: hydrogels, biological tissues, and calcium silicate hydrates, as changes in their volume can result in stress development, and cracking. By pioneering atomistic simulations, we examine the physical origin of thermal expansion in calcium-silicate-hydrates (C–S–H), the binding agent in concrete that is formed by the reaction of cement with water. We report that the TDC of C–S–H shows a sudden increase when the CaO/SiO_2 (molar ratio; abbreviated as Ca/Si) exceeds 1.5. This anomalous behavior arises from a notable increase in the confinement of water contained in the C–S–H’s nanostructure. We identify that confinement is dictated by the topology of the C–S–H’s atomic network. Altogether, the results suggest that thermal deformations of hydrated silicates can be altered by inducing compositional changes, which in turn alter the atomic topology and the resultant volume stability of the solids.

  10. Confined Water in Layered Silicates: The Origin of Anomalous Thermal Expansion Behavior in Calcium-Silicate-Hydrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krishnan, N M Anoop; Wang, Bu; Falzone, Gabriel; Le Pape, Yann; Neithalath, Narayanan; Pilon, Laurent; Bauchy, Mathieu; Sant, Gaurav

    2016-12-28

    Water, under conditions of nanoscale confinement, exhibits anomalous dynamics, and enhanced thermal deformations, which may be further enhanced when such water is in contact with hydrophilic surfaces. Such heightened thermal deformations of water could control the volume stability of hydrated materials containing nanoconfined structural water. Understanding and predicting the thermal deformation coefficient (TDC, often referred to as the CTE, coefficient of thermal expansion), which represents volume changes induced in materials under conditions of changing temperature, is of critical importance for hydrated solids including: hydrogels, biological tissues, and calcium silicate hydrates, as changes in their volume can result in stress development, and cracking. By pioneering atomistic simulations, we examine the physical origin of thermal expansion in calcium-silicate-hydrates (C-S-H), the binding agent in concrete that is formed by the reaction of cement with water. We report that the TDC of C-S-H shows a sudden increase when the CaO/SiO 2 (molar ratio; abbreviated as Ca/Si) exceeds 1.5. This anomalous behavior arises from a notable increase in the confinement of water contained in the C-S-H's nanostructure. We identify that confinement is dictated by the topology of the C-S-H's atomic network. Taken together, the results suggest that thermal deformations of hydrated silicates can be altered by inducing compositional changes, which in turn alter the atomic topology and the resultant volume stability of the solids.

  11. Tip-induced nanoreactor for silicate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Ming; Ma, Liran; Liang, Yong; Gao, Yuan; Luo, Jianbin

    2015-09-01

    Nanoscale scientific issues have attracted an increasing amount of research interest due to their specific size-effect and novel structure-property. From macro to nano, materials present some unique chemical reactivity that bulk materials do not own. Here we introduce a facile method to generate silicate with nanoscale control based on the establishment of a confined space between a meso/nanoscale tungsten tip and a smooth silica/silicon substrate. During the process, local water-like droplets deposition can be obviously observed in the confinement between the Si/SiO2 surfaces and the KOH-modified tungsten tip. By the combination of in-situ optical microscopy and Raman spectroscopy, we were able to take a deep insight of both the product composition and the underlying mechanism of such phenomena. It was indicated that such nanoreactor for silicate could be quite efficient as a result of the local capillarity and electric field effect, with implications at both nano and meso scales.

  12. Radiation effects in silicate glasses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bibler, N.E.; Howitt, D.G.

    1988-01-01

    The study of radiation effects in complex silicate glasses has received renewed attention because of their use in special applications such as high level nuclear waste immobilization and fiber optics. Radiation changes the properties of these glasses by altering their electronic and atomic configurations. These alterations or defects may cause dilatations or microscopic phase changes along with absorption centers that limit the optical application of the glasses. Atomic displacements induced in the already disordered structure of the glasses may affect their use where heavy irradiating particles such as alpha particles, alpha recoils, fission fragments, or accelerated ions are present. Large changes (up to 1%) in density may result. In some cases the radiation damage may be severe enough to affect the durability of the glass in aqueous solutions. In the paper, the authors review the literature concerning radiation effects on density, durability, stored energy, microstructure and optical properties of silicate glasses. Both simple glasses and complex glasses used for immobilization of nuclear waste are considered

  13. Predictive Mechanical Characterization of Macro-Molecular Material Chemistry Structures of Cement Paste at Nano Scale - Two-phase Macro-Molecular Structures of Calcium Silicate Hydrate, Tri-Calcium Silicate, Di-Calcium Silicate and Calcium Hydroxide

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padilla Espinosa, Ingrid Marcela

    Concrete is a hierarchical composite material with a random structure over a wide range of length scales. At submicron length scale the main component of concrete is cement paste, formed by the reaction of Portland cement clinkers and water. Cement paste acts as a binding matrix for the other components and is responsible for the strength of concrete. Cement paste microstructure contains voids, hydrated and unhydrated cement phases. The main crystalline phases of unhydrated cement are tri-calcium silicate (C3S) and di-calcium silicate (C2S), and of hydrated cement are calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) and calcium hydroxide (CH). Although efforts have been made to comprehend the chemical and physical nature of cement paste, studies at molecular level have primarily been focused on individual components. Present research focuses on the development of a method to model, at molecular level, and analysis of the two-phase combination of hydrated and unhydrated phases of cement paste as macromolecular systems. Computational molecular modeling could help in understanding the influence of the phase interactions on the material properties, and mechanical performance of cement paste. Present work also strives to create a framework for molecular level models suitable for potential better comparisons with low length scale experimental methods, in which the sizes of the samples involve the mixture of different hydrated and unhydrated crystalline phases of cement paste. Two approaches based on two-phase cement paste macromolecular structures, one involving admixed molecular phases, and the second involving cluster of two molecular phases are investigated. The mechanical properties of two-phase macromolecular systems of cement paste consisting of key hydrated phase CSH and unhydrated phases C3S or C2S, as well as CSH with the second hydrated phase CH were calculated. It was found that these cement paste two-phase macromolecular systems predicted an isotropic material behavior. Also

  14. Ionic liquids in a poly ethylene oxide cross-linked gel polymer as an electrolyte for electrical double layer capacitor

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaudoy, V.; Tran Van, F.; Deschamps, M.; Ghamouss, F.

    2017-02-01

    In the present work, we developed a gel polymer electrolyte via the incorporation of a room temperature ionic liquid into a cross-linked polymer matrix. The cross-linked gel electrolyte was prepared using a free radical polymerization of methacrylate and dimethacrylate oligomers dissolved in 1-propyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide. Combining the advantages of the ionic liquids and of conventional polymers, the cross-linked gel polymer electrolyte was used both as a separator and as an electrolyte for a leakage-free and non-flammable EDLC supercapacitor. The quasi-all solid-state supercapacitors showed rather good capacitance, power and energy densities by comparison to a liquid electrolyte-based EDLC.

  15. Regulation of proximal tubular cell differentiation and proliferation in primary culture by matrix stiffness and ECM components.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wan-Chun; Lin, Hsi-Hui; Tang, Ming-Jer

    2014-09-15

    To explore whether matrix stiffness affects cell differentiation, proliferation, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in primary cultures of mouse proximal tubular epithelial cells (mPTECs), we used a soft matrix made from monomeric collagen type I-coated polyacrylamide gel or matrigel (MG). Both kinds of soft matrix benefited primary mPTECs to retain tubular-like morphology with differentiation and growth arrest and to evade TGF-β1-induced EMT. However, the potent effect of MG on mPTEC differentiation was suppressed by glutaraldehyde-induced cross-linking and subsequently stiffening MG or by an increasing ratio of collagen in the soft mixed gel. Culture media supplemented with MG also helped mPTECs to retain tubular-like morphology and a differentiated phenotype on stiff culture dishes as soft MG did. We further found that the protein level and activity of ERK were scaled with the matrix stiffness. U-0126, a MEK inhibitor, abolished the stiff matrix-induced dedifferentiation and proliferation. These data suggest that the ERK signaling pathway plays a vital role in matrix stiffness-regulated cell growth and differentiation. Taken together, both compliant property and specific MG signals from the matrix are required for the regulation of epithelial differentiation and proliferation. This study provides a basic understanding of how physical and chemical cues derived from the extracellular matrix regulate the physiological function of proximal tubules and the pathological development of renal fibrosis. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

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

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meneghetti, Paulo; Qutubuddin, Syed; Webber, Andrew

    2004-01-01

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

  17. Simple and Efficient Synthesis of Iron Oxide-Coated Silica Gel Adsorbents for Arsenic Removal: Adsorption Isotherms and Kinetic Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arifin, Eric; Lee, Jiukyu [Interdisciplinary Program in Nanoscience and Technology, Virginia (United States); Cha, Jinmyung [Seoul National Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2013-08-15

    Iron oxide (ferrihydrite, hematite, and magnetite) coated silica gels were prepared using a low-cost, easily-scalable and straightforward method as the adsorbent material for arsenic removal application. Adsorption of the anionic form of arsenic oxyacids, arsenite (AsO{sup 2-}) and arsenate (AsO{sub 4}{sup -3}), onto hematite coated silica gel was fitted against non-linear 3-parameter-model Sips isotherm and 2-parameter-model Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm. Adsorption kinetics of arsenic could be well described by pseudo-second-order kinetic model and value of adsorption energy derived from non-linear Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm suggests chemical adsorption. Although arsenic adsorption process was not affected by the presence of sulfate, chloride, and nitrate anions, as expected, bicarbonate and silicate gave moderate negative effects while the presence of phosphate anions significantly inhibited adsorption process of both arsenite and arsenate. When the actual efficiency to remove arsenic was tested against 1 L of artificial arsenic-contaminated groundwater (0.6 mg/L) in the presence competing anions, the reasonable amount (20 g) of hematite coated silica gel could reduce arsenic concentration to below the WHO permissible safety limit of drinking water of 10 μg/L without adjusting pH and temperature, which would be highly advantageous for practical field application.

  18. Styrene grafted natural rubber reinforced by in situ silica generated via sol–gel technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sittiphan, Torpong [Program of Petrochemistry and Polymer Sciences, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Prasassarakich, Pattarapan [Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Poompradub, Sirilux, E-mail: sirilux.p@chula.ac.th [Department of Chemical Technology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

    2014-02-15

    Highlights: • Sol–gel reaction by NR latex was the absence of use of organic solvent and base catalyst. • Well dispersed in situ formed silica particles in the rubber matrix were obtained. • In situ silica was better to improve mechanical properties of rubber vulcanizates. -- Abstract: The filling of styrene graft natural rubber (ST-GNR) with in situ formed silica was performed using the sol–gel reaction via the latex solution method. The mechanical properties of ST-GNR/NR vulcanizate were improved when using the in situ formed silica to levels higher than those obtained with the commercial ex situ formed silica filled ST-GNR/NR vulcanizates at a comparable silica content of 12 parts by weight per hundred parts of rubber. Transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that the in situ silica particles were small (∼40 nm diameter) and well dispersed, while the commercial silica particles were larger (∼60 nm diameter) and markedly agglomerated in the rubbery matrix. The mechanical properties of the composites prepared via both the solid rubber and latex solution methods were comparable.

  19. Down- and up-conversion luminescent carbon dot fluid: inkjet printing and gel glass fabrication

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Fu; Xie, Zheng; Zhang, Bing; Liu, Yun; Yang, Wendong; Liu, Chun-Yan

    2014-03-01

    Room temperature liquid-like nanoparticles have emerged as an exciting new research and development area, because their properties could be tailored over a broad range by manipulating geometric and chemical characteristics of the inorganic core and organic canopy. However, related applications are rarely reported due to the multi-step synthesis process and potential toxicity of cadmium based nanomaterials. In this study, we prepared inexpensive and eco-friendly carbon dot fluid by the direct thermal decomposition method. The carbon dot fluid can be excited from UV to near infrared light, and can be prepared as highly concentrated luminescent ink or incorporated into sol-gel derived organically modified silicate glass, suggesting that it has great application potential in the field of printable electronics, solid state lighting and so on.Room temperature liquid-like nanoparticles have emerged as an exciting new research and development area, because their properties could be tailored over a broad range by manipulating geometric and chemical characteristics of the inorganic core and organic canopy. However, related applications are rarely reported due to the multi-step synthesis process and potential toxicity of cadmium based nanomaterials. In this study, we prepared inexpensive and eco-friendly carbon dot fluid by the direct thermal decomposition method. The carbon dot fluid can be excited from UV to near infrared light, and can be prepared as highly concentrated luminescent ink or incorporated into sol-gel derived organically modified silicate glass, suggesting that it has great application potential in the field of printable electronics, solid state lighting and so on. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Details of FTIR, XRD and DLS of CDF, optical properties of CDF, TEM images of other obtained products, luminescent spectra of CDF at different temperatures, and the optical photographs of CDF inks and silica glasses with different concentrations

  20. Quantitative evaluation of polymer concentration profile during swelling of hydrophilic matrix tablets using 1H NMR and MRI methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumgartner, Sasa; Lahajnar, Gojmir; Sepe, Ana; Kristl, Julijana

    2005-02-01

    Many pharmaceutical tablets are based on hydrophilic polymers, which, after exposure to water, form a gel layer around the tablet that limits the dissolution and diffusion of the drug and provides a mechanism for controlled drug release. Our aim was to determine the thickness of the swollen gel layer of matrix tablets and to develop a method for calculating the polymer concentration profile across the gel layer. MR imaging has been used to investigate the in situ swelling behaviour of cellulose ether matrix tablets and NMR spectroscopy experiments were performed on homogeneous hydrogels with known polymer concentration. The MRI results show that the thickest gel layer was observed for hydroxyethylcellulose tablets, followed by definitely thinner but almost equal gel layer for hydroxypropylcellulose and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose of both molecular weights. The water proton NMR relaxation parameters were combined with the MRI data to obtain a quantitative description of the swelling process on the basis of the concentrations and mobilities of water and polymer as functions of time and distance. The different concentration profiles observed after the same swelling time are the consequence of the different polymer characteristics. The procedure developed here could be used as a general method for calculating polymer concentration profiles on other similar polymeric systems.

  1. A Sol-gel Integrated Dual-readout Microarray Platform for Quantification and Identification of Prostate-specific Antigen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, SangWook; Lee, Jong Hyun; Kwon, Hyuck Gi; Laurell, Thomas; Jeong, Ok Chan; Kim, Soyoun

    2018-01-01

    Here, we report a sol-gel integrated affinity microarray for on-chip matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) that enables capture and identification of prostate?specific antigen (PSA) in samples. An anti-PSA antibody (H117) was mixed with a sol?gel, and the mixture was spotted onto a porous silicon (pSi) surface without additional surface modifications. The antibody easily penetrates the sol-gel macropore fluidic network structure, making possible high affinities. To assess the capture affinity of the platform, we performed a direct assay using fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled PSA. Pure PSA was subjected to on-chip MALDI-TOF-MS analysis, yielding three clear mass peptide peaks (m/z = 1272, 1407, and 1872). The sol-gel microarray platform enables dual readout of PSA both fluorometric and MALDI-TOF MS analysis in biological samples. Here we report a useful method for a means for discovery of biomarkers in complex body fluids.

  2. Natural penetrating radiation inside silicate dwellings in Chengdu and recommendation on permissible limits for radioactivity of building material made of silicate cinders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Guangzao

    1984-01-01

    This paper reports the results of external exposure rate of penetrating radiation inside silicate dwellings in Chengdu. The average exposure rate was 24.3+-3.5 R/h. It was evidently higher than of red brick dwellings. The average effective equivalent of the population in silicate dwellings was 123.4+-10.4 mrem/y and the average additional dose was 29.5+-12.5 mrem/y. The permissible limits recommended for silicate building material would be 6 pCi/g, 7 pCi/g and 102 pCi/g for 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K, respectively. The total activity must fulfill the formula of Csub(Ra)/6 + Csub(Th)/7 + Csub(k)/102 1. Under ordinary condition the exposure rate (10+background) R/h of penetrating radiation from the surface of dry building material might be taken as the permissible limit for dwellings and other public buildings

  3. Sorption of caesium and strontium onto calcium silicate hydrate in saline groundwater

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sugiyama, D.; Fujita, T.

    2005-01-01

    Full text of publication follows: In the concept for radioactive waste disposal in Japan, cement is a potential waste packaging and backfilling material and is expected to provide chemical containment. The sorption of radionuclides onto cement materials, which controls the aqueous concentrations of elements in the pore-water, is a very important parameter when considering the release of radionuclides from the near field of a cementitious radioactive waste repository. Many safety assessment calculations currently assume radionuclide retardation as linear sorption equilibrium and describe it with a distribution ratio (R d value). In this study, the sorption mechanism is discussed by measuring the sorption isotherm of caesium, strontium (10 -5 ∼ 10 -2 mol dm -3 ) and sodium (10 -4 ∼ 10 -1 mol dm -3 ) onto Calcium Silicate Hydrate (C-S-H gel, Ca/Si 0.65 ∼ 1.2) at a liquid:solid ratio of 100:1, to support the assumption. In addition, the competitive sorption between caesium or strontium, and sodium is studied by sorption measurements using a range of sodium chloride concentration to simulate different ionic strengths in saline groundwater. The initial and equilibrated aqueous compositions were measured in the sorption experiments and it was found that caesium, strontium and sodium were sorbed by substitution for Ca in C-S-H phases by examining the mass balance. Based on the experimental results, we propose a modelling approach in which the ion-exchange model is employed and the presence of some calcium sites with different ion-exchange log K values in C-S-H is assumed by considering the composition and the structure of C-S-H. The modelling calculation results predict the measured Rd values well and also describe the competition of sorption of caesium or strontium, and sodium in the experiments. The log K values for sorption of each cation element decreased as Ca/Si ratio of C-S-H gel increased. This agrees with the trend that C-S-H gel is negatively charged at low

  4. Sol-gel auto-combustion synthesis of hydroxyapatite nanotubes array in porous alumina template

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan Yuan; Liu Changsheng; Zhang Yuan; Shan Xiaoqian

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, an array of highly ordered hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanotubes was synthesized by sol-gel auto-combustion method with porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template for the first time. Based on thermogravimetry (DTA/TG), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), the dried gel, derived from the sol solution with Ca(NO 3 ) 2 .4H 2 O and PO(CH 3 O) 3 as precursors and ethylene glycol as the polymeric matrix, exhibited a typical self-propagating combustion behavior at low temperature, directly resulting in hexagonal crystalline HAP materials. The resultant HAP arrays fabricated from the above sol-gel in the AAO template were uniformly distributed, highly ordered nanotubes with uniform length and diameter according to the observations of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The electron diffraction (ED), XRD and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) survey proved the formation of HAP phase with polycrystalline structure in the AAO template. Based on these results, a potential mechanism of 'an auto-combustion from dried gel to nanoparticles and a subsequent in situ reaction from nanoparticles to nanotubes' was proposed

  5. Transport Phenomena in Gel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masayuki Tokita

    2016-05-01

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

  6. Phyllosilicates and Amorphous Gel in the Nakhlites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hicks, L. J.; Bridges, J. C.; Gurman, S. J.

    2013-09-01

    Previous studies of the nakhlite martian meteorites have revealed hydrothermal minerals present within the fractures of the olivine minerals and the mesostasis. The olivine fractures of the Lafayette nakhlite reveal variations with initial deposits of siderite on the fracture walls, followed by crystalline phyllosilicates (smectite), and finishing with a rapidly cooled amorphous silicate gel within the central regions of the fractures. The mesostasis fractures of Lafayette also contain a crystalline phyllosilicate (serpentine). The amorphous gel is the most abundant secondary phase within the fractures of the other nakhlites [1, 2]. By studying nine nakhlite samples, including Lafayette, Governador Valadares, Nakhla, Y-000593, Y-000749, Miller-Range 03346, NWA 817, NWA 998, and NWA 5790, our aim is to constrain the identity of the phyllosilicate secondary phase minerals found throughout the nakhlite martian meteorites. This is achieved using methods including Electron Probe Micro-analysis (EPMA); X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (Fe-K XANES) spectroscopy measured using Beamline I-18 at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron; and the use of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) at the University of Leicester for High-Resolution (HR) imaging and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED). BF studying nine nakhlite samples, including Lafayette, Governador Valadares, Nakhla, Y-000593, Y-000749, Miller-Range 03346, NWA 817, NWA 998, and NWA 5790, our aim is to constrain the identity of the phyllosilicate secondary phase minerals found throughout the nakhlite martian meteorites. This is achieved using methods including Electron Probe Micro-analysis (EPMA); X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Structure (Fe-K XANES) spectroscopy measured using Beamline I-18 at the Diamond Light Source synchrotron; and the use of Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) at the University of Leicester for High-Resolution (HR) imaging and Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED).

  7. Silicate Phases on the Surfaces of Trojan Asteroids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Audrey; Emery, Joshua P.; Lindsay, Sean S.

    2017-10-01

    Determining the origin of asteroids provides an effective means of constraining the solar system’s dynamic past. Jupiter Trojan asteroids (hereafter Trojans) may help in determining the amount of radial mixing that occurred during giant planet migration. Previous studies aimed at characterizing surface composition show that Trojans have low albedo surfaces and are spectrally featureless in the near infrared. The thermal infrared (TIR) wavelength range has advantages for detecting silicates on low albedo asteroids such as Trojans. The 10 μm region exhibits strong features due to the Si-O fundamental molecular vibrations. Silicates that formed in the inner solar system likely underwent thermal annealing, and thus are crystalline, whereas silicates that accreted in the outer solar system experienced less thermal processing, and therefore are more likely to have remained in an amorphous phase. We hypothesize that the Trojans formed in the outer solar system (i.e., the Kuiper Belt), and therefore will have a more dominant amorphous spectral silicate component. With TIR spectra from the Spitzer Space Telescope, we identify mineralogical features from the surface of 11 Trojan asteroids. Fine-grain mixtures of crystalline pyroxene and olivine exhibit a 10 μm feature with sharp cutoffs between about 9 μm and 12 μm, which create a broad flat plateau. Amorphous phases, when present, smooth the sharp emission features, resulting in a dome-like shape. Preliminary results indicate that the surfaces of analyzed Trojans contain primarily amorphous silicates. Emissivity spectra of asteroids 1986 WD and 4709 Ennomos include small peaks in the 10 μm region, diagnostic of small amounts of crystalline olivine. One explanation is that Trojans formed in the same region as Kuiper Belt objects, and when giant planet migration ensued, they were swept into Jupiter’s stable Lagrange points where they are found today. As such, it is possible that an ancestral group of Kuiper Belt

  8. Matrix stiffness-modulated proliferation and secretory function of the airway smooth muscle cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shkumatov, Artem; Thompson, Michael; Choi, Kyoung M; Sicard, Delphine; Baek, Kwanghyun; Kim, Dong Hyun; Tschumperlin, Daniel J; Prakash, Y S; Kong, Hyunjoon

    2015-06-01

    Multiple pulmonary conditions are characterized by an abnormal misbalance between various tissue components, for example, an increase in the fibrous connective tissue and loss/increase in extracellular matrix proteins (ECM). Such tissue remodeling may adversely impact physiological function of airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) responsible for contraction of airways and release of a variety of bioactive molecules. However, few efforts have been made to understand the potentially significant impact of tissue remodeling on ASMCs. Therefore, this study reports how ASMCs respond to a change in mechanical stiffness of a matrix, to which ASMCs adhere because mechanical stiffness of the remodeled airways is often different from the physiological stiffness. Accordingly, using atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements, we found that the elastic modulus of the mouse bronchus has an arithmetic mean of 23.1 ± 14 kPa (SD) (median 18.6 kPa). By culturing ASMCs on collagen-conjugated polyacrylamide hydrogels with controlled elastic moduli, we found that gels designed to be softer than average airway tissue significantly increased cellular secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Conversely, gels stiffer than average airways stimulated cell proliferation, while reducing VEGF secretion and agonist-induced calcium responses of ASMCs. These dependencies of cellular activities on elastic modulus of the gel were correlated with changes in the expression of integrin-β1 and integrin-linked kinase (ILK). Overall, the results of this study demonstrate that changes in matrix mechanics alter cell proliferation, calcium signaling, and proangiogenic functions in ASMCs. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

  9. Steam based conversion coating on AA6060 alloy: Effect of sodium silicate chemistry and corrosion performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Din, Rameez Ud; Bordo, Kirill; Tabrizian, Naja; Jellesen, Morten Stendahl; Ambat, Rajan

    2017-11-01

    Surface treatment of aluminium alloy AA6060 using an industrially applicable pilot steam jet system with and without silicate chemistry has been investigated. Treatment using steam alone and steam with silicate, resulted in an oxide layer formation with thickness ∼425 nm and ∼160 nm, respectively. Moreover, the use of sodium silicate resulted in the formation of distinct microstructure and incorporation of silicate into the oxide film. These oxide films reduced the anodic activity 4 times, while the corrosion protection by silicate containing oxide was the function of its concentration. Further, in acid salt spray and filiform corrosion tests, oxide layer containing silicate exhibited two times higher corrosion resistance.

  10. Uranium-thorium silicates, with specific reference to the species in the Witwatersrand reefs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smits, G.

    1987-01-01

    (U,Th)-silicates form two complete series of anhydrous and hydrated species with general formulae (U,Th)SiO 4 and (U,Th)SiO 4 .nH 2 O respectively. The end-members of the anhydrous series are anhydrous coffinite and thorite, and those of the hydrated series, coffinite and thorogummite. Although the silicates are relatively rare in nature, coffinite is a common ore mineral in uranium deposits of the sandstone type. In the Witwatersrand reefs, (U,Th)-silicates are extremely rare in most reefs, except for the Elsburg Reefs on the West Rand Goldfield and the Dominion Reef. In these reefs detrital uraninite has been partly or entirely transformed to (U,Th)-silicates of coffinite composition, but thorite and thorogummite of detrital origin are also found in the Dominion Reef. In leaching tests on polished sections of rock samples containing (U,Th)-silicates, a dilute sulphuric acid solution, to which ferric iron had been added, was used as the lixiviant. It appeared that the dissolution of coffinite is less rapid than that of uraninite and uraniferous leucoxene. However, the reaction of silicates of high thorium content is much slower, and was not completed during the tests

  11. Novel matrix for REEs recovery from waste disposal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hareendran, K.; Singha, Mousumi; Roy, S.B.; Pal, Sangita

    2014-01-01

    Sorption of lanthanides (98%-99%) onto a novel matrix (polyacrylamide-carboxylate hydroxamate-PAMCHO) not only remove REE's before effluent disposal but also reduces the chance of contamination of potable water, nuclear plant generated shut down or gadolinium containing effluent during controlled fission reaction, in pharmaceutical diagnosis (MRI) and many other useful process effluents. By using such sorbent, 88% of the lanthanides can be recovered using HCl solution less than pH 1 from the laden matrix and can be concentrated more than 5 times. However, sorption into the interlayer's and diffusion of the REE's during leaching depends on the cross-linked structure of the gel matrix and tortuous path of the porous micro-channel (using scanning electron microscope-SEM study). The sequestration of matrix with REE's has been well established by using instrument FT-IR and gadolinium (cation-lanthanide) exchange method. To understand interaction of REE with sorbent, matrix have been prepared with cross-linking amount variation, such as 85:15, 90:10, 95:05 and 98:02 (matrix: cross-linker). A detailed sorption study of cross-linked matrix with gadolinium in feed solution (184 ppm), filtrate, leached and laden sorbent establishes mass balance (using ICP-AES for quantitative determination). This optimized sorbent (PAMCHO) indicates recovery of valuable REEs with elution factor of more than 0.9 when HCl solution of pH1.5 was used. (author)

  12. High performance passive matrix electrochromic display

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aliev, A.E.

    2003-01-01

    A matrix addressable electrochromic display (ECD) based on solid polymer electrolyte screen-printed on the surface of nano structured WO 3 +0.1TiO 2 electrodes, in which all pixels were insulted by negative photoresist material has been developed. Five types of nano structured films produced by a sol-gel method were investigated to enhance the electrochemical, optical, and mechanical properties of electrochromic tungsten oxide films. The film based on WO 3-x +0.1TiO 2-y sol-gel solution mixed with 32 mol.% oxalic acid was found to be stable and has excellent characteristics in coloring/bleaching kinetics. The ECD used nano structured electrochromic tungsten trioxide layer protected by SiO 2 -CeO 2 -Li 2 O thin film solid electrolyte, screen-printed solid polymer electrolyte mixed with white TiO 2 pigment (P25), and metallic counter electrode covered with carbon layer, has exhibited fast switching, excellent memory effect and substantially free from image diffusion and cross talk effects. (author)

  13. Frozen Acrylamide Gels as Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Matrices.

    KAUST Repository

    Viger-Gravel, Jasmine; Berruyer, Pierrick; Gajan, David; Basset, Jean-Marie; Lesage, Anne; Tordo, Paul; Ouari, Olivier; Emsley, Lyndon

    2017-01-01

    We show that aqueous acrylamide gels can be used to provide dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR signal enhancements of around 200 at 9.4 T and 100 K. The enhancements are shown to increase with cross linker concentration and low concentrations of the AMUPol biradical. We show that this DNP matrix can be used in situations where conventional incipient wetness methods fail, such as to obtain DNP surface enhanced NMR spectra from inorganic nanoparticles. In particular, we obtain 113Cd spectra from CdTe-COOH NPs in minutes. The spectra clearly indicate a highly-disordered cadmium rich surface.

  14. Frozen Acrylamide Gels as Dynamic Nuclear Polarization Matrices.

    KAUST Repository

    Viger-Gravel, Jasmine

    2017-05-24

    We show that aqueous acrylamide gels can be used to provide dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR signal enhancements of around 200 at 9.4 T and 100 K. The enhancements are shown to increase with cross linker concentration and low concentrations of the AMUPol biradical. We show that this DNP matrix can be used in situations where conventional incipient wetness methods fail, such as to obtain DNP surface enhanced NMR spectra from inorganic nanoparticles. In particular, we obtain 113Cd spectra from CdTe-COOH NPs in minutes. The spectra clearly indicate a highly-disordered cadmium rich surface.

  15. Study of silica sol-gel materials for sensor development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Qiong

    Silica sol-gel is a transparent, highly porous silicon oxide glass made at room temperature by sol-gel process. The name of silica sol-gel comes from the observable physical phase transition from liquid sol to solid gel during its preparation. Silica sol-gel is chemically inert, thermally stable, and photostable, it can be fabricated into different desired shapes during or after gelation, and its porous structure allows encapsulation of guest molecules either before or after gelation while still retaining their functions and sensitivities to surrounding environments. All those distinctive features make silica sol-gel ideal for sensor development. Study of guest-host interactions in silica sol-gel is important for silica-based sensor development, because it helps to tailor local environments inside sol-gel matrix so that higher guest loading, longer shelf-life, higher sensitivity and faster response of silica gel based sensors could be achieved. We focused on pore surface modification of two different types of silica sol-gel by post-grafting method, and construction of stable silica hydrogel-like thin films for sensor development. By monitoring the mobility and photostability of rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecules in silica alcogel thin films through single molecule spectroscopy (SMS), the guest-host interactions altered by post-synthesis grafting were examined. While physical confinement remains the major factor that controls mobility in modified alcogels, both R6G mobility and photostability register discernable changes after surface charges are respectively reversed and neutralized by aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTS) and methyltriethoxysilane (MTES) grafting. The change in R6G photostability was found to be more sensitive to surface grafting than that of mobility. In addition, silica film modification by 0.4% APTS is as efficient as that by pure MTES in lowering R6G photostability, which suggests that surface charge reversal is more effective than charge neutralization

  16. Sol-gel based sensor for selective formaldehyde determination

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bunkoed, Opas [Trace Analysis and Biosensor Research Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112 (Thailand); Department of Chemistry and Center for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112 (Thailand); Davis, Frank [Cranfield Health, Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL (United Kingdom); Kanatharana, Proespichaya, E-mail: proespichaya.K@psu.ac.th [Trace Analysis and Biosensor Research Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112 (Thailand); Department of Chemistry and Center for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112 (Thailand); Thavarungkul, Panote [Trace Analysis and Biosensor Research Center, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112 (Thailand); Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90112 (Thailand); Higson, Seamus P.J., E-mail: s.p.j.higson@cranfield.ac.uk [Cranfield Health, Cranfield University, Bedford MK43 0AL (United Kingdom)

    2010-02-05

    We report the development of transparent sol-gels with entrapped sensitive and selective reagents for the detection of formaldehyde. The sampling method is based on the adsorption of formaldehyde from the air and reaction with {beta}-diketones (for example acetylacetone) in a sol-gel matrix to produce a yellow product, lutidine, which was detected directly. The proposed method does not require preparation of samples prior to analysis and allows both screening by visual detection and quantitative measurement by simple spectrophotometry. The detection limit of 0.03 ppmv formaldehyde is reported which is lower than the maximum exposure concentrations recommended by both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This sampling method was found to give good reproducibility, the relative standard deviation at 0.2 and 1 ppmv being 6.3% and 4.6%, respectively. Other carbonyl compounds i.e. acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, acetone and butanone do not interfere with this analytical approach. Results are provided for the determination of formaldehyde in indoor air.

  17. Sol-gel based sensor for selective formaldehyde determination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bunkoed, Opas; Davis, Frank; Kanatharana, Proespichaya; Thavarungkul, Panote; Higson, Seamus P.J.

    2010-01-01

    We report the development of transparent sol-gels with entrapped sensitive and selective reagents for the detection of formaldehyde. The sampling method is based on the adsorption of formaldehyde from the air and reaction with β-diketones (for example acetylacetone) in a sol-gel matrix to produce a yellow product, lutidine, which was detected directly. The proposed method does not require preparation of samples prior to analysis and allows both screening by visual detection and quantitative measurement by simple spectrophotometry. The detection limit of 0.03 ppmv formaldehyde is reported which is lower than the maximum exposure concentrations recommended by both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This sampling method was found to give good reproducibility, the relative standard deviation at 0.2 and 1 ppmv being 6.3% and 4.6%, respectively. Other carbonyl compounds i.e. acetaldehyde, benzaldehyde, acetone and butanone do not interfere with this analytical approach. Results are provided for the determination of formaldehyde in indoor air.

  18. The central role of vascular extracellular matrix and basement membrane remodeling in metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes: the matrix preloaded

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tyagi Suresh C

    2005-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The vascular endothelial basement membrane and extra cellular matrix is a compilation of different macromolecules organized by physical entanglements, opposing ionic charges, chemical covalent bonding, and cross-linking into a biomechanically active polymer. These matrices provide a gel-like form and scaffolding structure with regional tensile strength provided by collagens, elasticity by elastins, adhesiveness by structural glycoproteins, compressibility by proteoglycans – hyaluronans, and communicability by a family of integrins, which exchanges information between cells and between cells and the extracellular matrix of vascular tissues. Each component of the extracellular matrix and specifically the capillary basement membrane possesses unique structural properties and interactions with one another, which determine the separate and combined roles in the multiple diabetic complications or diabetic opathies. Metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and their parallel companion (atheroscleropathy are associated with multiple metabolic toxicities and chronic injurious stimuli. The adaptable quality of a matrix or form genetically preloaded with the necessary information to communicate and respond to an ever-changing environment, which supports the interstitium, capillary and arterial vessel wall is individually examined.

  19. Mechanistic study and modeling of radionuclides retention by the hydrated calcium silicates (HCS) of cements; Etude mecanistique et modelisation de la retention de radionucleides par les silicates de calcium hydrates (CSH) des ciments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pointeau, I

    2000-09-01

    This work attempts to investigate the modelling of radioisotopes (Cs{sup +}, Pb{sup 2+}, Eu{sup 3+}) immobilization in cement matrix, in the frame of the design of engineered barrier of a deep radwaste repository. The model development concept consists of three major steps: - surface chemistry modelling of the calcium silicate hydrate CSH, used to simulate hydrated cement behaviour; - solid analysis of the batch sorption experiments: identification of the uptake mechanism; - both previous steps are used, with isotherm data, in the modelling of the radioisotopes immobilization in the CSH matrix. Final results: (all modelling are available for all the range of studied Ca/Si ratios and have been validated with predictive calculations). - A thermodynamic modelling of the CSH surface chemistry has been developed. The labile calcium and proton sorption constants on silanol sites (>SiOH) have been extracted. - Cs{sup +} is sorbed on two sites. The silanol site (weak site) has a high site density (10 sites.nm{sup -2}), which accounts for the CSH unsaturation in high [CS{sup +}]. A strong site is also identified. - Pb{sup 2+} immobilization in CSH matrix is modelled with surface equilibria and solubility equilibrium. - Eu{sup 3+} fixation has been investigated with solid analysis: Site-Selective anti Time-Resolved Luminescence Spectroscopy, XPS and SEM-EDS. Eu{sup 3+} thus does not precipitate in CSH water but is sorbed on the CSH surface (high hydroxylated environment). Europium is also (minority site) inserted in the CSH framework. (author)

  20. Collagen gel protects L929 cells from TNFα-induced death by activating NF-κB.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hong-Ju; Li, Meng-Qi; Liu, Wei-Wei; Hayashi, Toshihiko; Fujisaki, Hitomi; Hattori, Shunji; Tashiro, Shin-Ichi; Onodera, Satoshi; Ikejima, Takashi

    2017-09-01

    Type I collagen is one of the most abundant components of extracellular matrix. We previously illustrated that murine fibrosarcoma L929 cells grew well on type I collagen gel and escaped from TNFα-induced cell death. In this study, we investigated the mechanism underlying the protective effect of collagen gel. We used western blot, confocal microscopy, MTT assay and flow cytometry by introducing fluorescence staining to determine the expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), inhibitory ratio and autophagy. L929 cells on collagen gel showed higher expression of NF-κB in the nucleus. Inhibition of NF-κB with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate hydrochloride (PDTC) or knockdown by NF-κB-siRNA canceled the protective effect of collagen gel on L929 cells from TNFα-induced death, suggesting for the role of NF-κB in the protection from cell death. We found a new aspect of the effect of PDTC on L929 cells cultured on collagen gel. PDTC alone without TNFα induced apoptosis in the L929 cells cultured on collagen gel but not the cells on plastic dish. The apoptosis induction of the L929 cells cultured on collagen gel with PDTC was repressed by inhibiting autophagy with chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, suggesting that autophagy contributes to the death induced by the treatment with PDTC. Possible underlying mechanism of this finding is discussed. NF-κB played an important role in protecting the L929 cells cultured on collagen gel from TNFα-induced death.

  1. Electrically tunable coherent optical absorption in graphene with ion gel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thareja, Vrinda; Kang, Ju-Hyung; Yuan, Hongtao; Milaninia, Kaveh M; Hwang, Harold Y; Cui, Yi; Kik, Pieter G; Brongersma, Mark L

    2015-03-11

    We demonstrate electrical control over coherent optical absorption in a graphene-based Salisbury screen consisting of a single layer of graphene placed in close proximity to a gold back reflector. The screen was designed to enhance light absorption at a target wavelength of 3.2 μm by using a 600 nm-thick, nonabsorbing silica spacer layer. An ionic gel layer placed on top of the screen was used to electrically gate the charge density in the graphene layer. Spectroscopic reflectance measurements were performed in situ as a function of gate bias. The changes in the reflectance spectra were analyzed using a Fresnel based transfer matrix model in which graphene was treated as an infinitesimally thin sheet with a conductivity given by the Kubo formula. The analysis reveals that a careful choice of the ionic gel layer thickness can lead to optical absorption enhancements of up to 5.5 times for the Salisbury screen compared to a suspended sheet of graphene. In addition to these absorption enhancements, we demonstrate very large electrically induced changes in the optical absorption of graphene of ∼3.3% per volt, the highest attained so far in a device that features an atomically thick active layer. This is attributable in part to the more effective gating achieved with the ion gel over the conventional dielectric back gates and partially by achieving a desirable coherent absorption effect linked to the presence of the thin ion gel that boosts the absorption by 40%.

  2. Zooming into the Paraná-Etendeka silicic volcanics, southern Brasil: a physical volcanological approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gualda, G. A. R.; Gravley, D. M.; Harmon, L. J.; Tramontano, S.; Luchetti, A. C. F.; Nardy, A.

    2015-12-01

    Paraná-Etendeka volcanism led to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean during the early Cretaceous. Most Paraná research has focused on the regional scale geochemistry and geochronology. Complementarily, we have taken a physical volcanological approach to elucidate the styles and locations of silicic eruptions with a focus on extrusive vs. explosive varieties, and an ultimate goal to characterise the crustal magmatic conditions. Through satellite to microscopic observations we can zoom from volcanic edifice and deposit morphologies, remarkably preserved in the Mesozoic landscape, to primary microscopic textures. Lava domes appear in clusters with high relief and are surrounded by lower flat-topped terraces comprised of multiple tabular-shaped packages with conspicuous horizontal jointing. Joint thickness coincides with layering from mm-scale laminations to larger lens-shaped blobs up to 20 cm thick and more than a metre long. These layered deposits appear to be compressed and/or stretched into the finer laminations and grade up into the fatter lens-shaped blobs. In other regions, extensive plateaus dominate the landscape with flat-lying flow packages continuous over 10's of kilometres and possibly further. Rheomorphism is evident in places with sub-parallel joints that grade up into a zone of deformation where curvilinear to overturned joint patterns reflect lateral forcing in a more ductile flow regime. Microscopically the blobs and surrounding matrix are almost indistinguishable except for subtle differences in spherulite textures, zonal alteration and distribution of crystal sizes. Although our research is relatively nascent, our observations suggest eruptions may have ranged from edifice building effusive ones to more explosive ones, albeit possibly relatively low fire fountains feeding hybridised lava/pyroclastic flows. Some of these flows are extensive, tens to possibly hundreds of kilometres long, consistent with high eruption rates of hot magma. These

  3. Measurement of the efficacy of calcium silicate for the protection and repair of dental enamel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Alexander S; Patel, Anisha N; Al Botros, Rehab; Snowden, Michael E; McKelvey, Kim; Unwin, Patrick R; Ashcroft, Alexander T; Carvell, Mel; Joiner, Andrew; Peruffo, Massimo

    2014-06-01

    To investigate the formation of hydroxyapatite (HAP) from calcium silicate and the deposition of calcium silicate onto sound and acid eroded enamel surfaces in order to investigate its repair and protective properties. Calcium silicate was mixed with phosphate buffer for seven days and the resulting solids analysed for crystalline phases by Raman spectroscopy. Deposition studies were conducted on bovine enamel surfaces. Acid etched regions were produced on the enamel surfaces using scanning electrochemical cell microscopy (SECCM) with acid filled pipettes and varying contact times. Following treatment with calcium silicate, the deposition was visualised with FE-SEM and etch pit volumes were measured by AFM. A second set of bovine enamel specimens were pre-treated with calcium silicate and fluoride, before acid exposure with the SECCM. The volumes of the resultant acid etched pits were measured using AFM and the intrinsic rate constant for calcium loss was calculated. Raman spectroscopy confirmed that HAP was formed from calcium silicate. Deposition studies demonstrated greater delivery of calcium silicate to acid eroded than sound enamel and that the volume of acid etched enamel pits was significantly reduced following one treatment (penamel was 0.092 ± 0.008 cm/s. This was significantly reduced, 0.056 ± 0.005 cm/s, for the calcium silicate treatments (penamel surfaces. Calcium silicate can provide significant protection of sound enamel from acid challenges. Calcium silicate is a material that has potential for a new approach to the repair of demineralised enamel and the protection of enamel from acid attacks, leading to significant dental hard tissue benefits. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. The effect of magnetic nanoparticles on the acoustic properties of tissue-mimicking agar-gel phantoms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Józefczak, A., E-mail: aras@amu.edu.pl [Institute of Acoustics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań (Poland); Kaczmarek, K. [Institute of Acoustics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań (Poland); Kubovčíková, M. [Institute of Experimental Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Košice (Slovakia); Rozynek, Z.; Hornowski, T. [Institute of Acoustics, Faculty of Physics, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań (Poland)

    2017-06-01

    In ultrasonic hyperthermia, ultrasound-induced heating is achieved by the absorption of wave energy and its conversion into heat. The effectiveness of ultrasounds can be improved by using sonosensitisers that greatly attenuate ultrasonic waves and then dissipate the acquired energy in the form of heat. One possible candidate for such a sonosensitiser are superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Here, we used magnetic nanoparticles embedded in a tissue-mimicking agar-gel matrix. Such tissue-mimicking phantoms possess acoustic properties similar to those of real tissues, and are used as a tool for performance testing and optimisation of medical ultrasound systems. In this work, we studied the effect of magnetic nanoparticles on the acoustic properties of agar-gel phantoms, including the attenuation of ultrasonic waves. - Highlights: • Ultrasonic insertion technique is used to study acoustic properties of agar-gel phantoms with and without magnetic particles. • The addition of magnetic nanoparticles improves effectiveness of ultrasound heating in agar phantoms. • Acoustics properties of a pure agar-gel phantom are altered by adding nanoparticles.

  5. Steam based conversion coating on AA6060 alloy: Effect of sodium silicate chemistry and corrosion performance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Din, Rameez Ud; Bordo, Kirill; Tabrizian, Naja

    2017-01-01

    . Moreover, the use of sodium silicate resulted in the formation of distinct microstructure and incorporation of silicate into the oxide film. These oxide films reduced the anodic activity 4 times, while the corrosion protection by silicate containing oxide was the function of its concentration. Further......Surface treatment of aluminium alloy AA6060 using an industrially applicable pilot steam jet system with and without silicate chemistry has been investigated. Treatment using steam alone and steam with silicate, resulted in an oxide layer formation with thickness ∼425 nm and ∼160 nm, respectively......, in acid salt spray and filiform corrosion tests, oxide layer containing silicate exhibited two times higher corrosion resistance....

  6. Graphene-reinforced calcium silicate coatings for load-bearing implants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Youtao; Li, Hongqing; Zhang, Chi; Gu, Xin; Zheng, Xuebin; Huang, Liping

    2014-04-01

    Owing to the superior mechanical properties and low coefficient of thermal expansion, graphene has been widely used in the reinforcement of ceramics. In the present study, various ratios of graphene (0.5 wt%, 1.5 wt% and 4 wt%) were reinforced into calcium silicate (CS) coatings for load-bearing implant surface modification. Surface characteristics of the graphene/calcium silicate (GC) composite coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscopy. Results show that the graphene plates (less than 4 wt% in the coatings) were embedded in the CS matrix homogeneously. The surfaces of the coatings showed a hierarchical hybrid nano-/microstructure, which is believed to be beneficial to the behaviors of the cell and early bone fixation of the implants. Wear resistance measured by a pin-on-disc model exhibited an obvious enhancement with the adoption of graphene plates. The weight losses of the GC coatings decreased with the increase of graphene content. However, too high graphene content (4 wt% or more) made the composite coatings porous and the wear resistance decreased dramatically. The weight loss was only 1.3 ± 0.2 mg for the GC coating containing 1.5 wt% graphene (denoted as GC1.5) with a load of 10 N and sliding distance of 500 m, while that of the pure CS coating reached up to 28.6 ± 0.5 mg. In vitro cytocompatibility of the GC1.5 coating was evaluated using a human marrow stem cell (hMSC) culture system. The proliferation and alkaline phosphatase, osteopontin and osteocalcin (OC) osteogenesis-related gene expression of the cells on the GC1.5 coating did not deteriorate with the adoption of graphene. Conversely, even better adhesion of the hMSCs was observed on the GC1.5 coating than on the pure CS coating. All of the results indicate that the GC1.5 coating is a good candidate for load-bearing implants.

  7. The utilization of waste by-products for removing silicate from mineral processing wastewater via chemical precipitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Jianhua; Sun, Wei; Hu, Yuehua; Gao, Zhiyong; Liu, Runqing; Zhang, Qingpeng; Liu, Hang; Meng, Xiangsong

    2017-11-15

    This study investigates an environmentally friendly technology that utilizes waste by-products (waste acid and waste alkali liquids) to treat mineral processing wastewater. Chemical precipitation is used to remove silicate from scheelite (CaWO 4 ) cleaning flotation wastewater and the waste by-products are used as a substitute for calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ). A series of laboratory experiments is conducted to explain the removal of silicate and the characterization and formation mechanism of calcium silicate. The results show that silicate removal reaches 90% when the Ca:Si molar ratio exceeds 1.0. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results confirm the characterization and formation of calcium silicate. The pH is the key factor for silicate removal, and the formation of polysilicic acid with a reduction of pH can effectively improve the silicate removal and reduce the usage of calcium. The economic analysis shows that the treatment costs with waste acid (0.63 $/m 3 ) and waste alkali (1.54 $/m 3 ) are lower than that of calcium chloride (2.38 $/m 3 ). The efficient removal of silicate is confirmed by industrial testing at a plant. The results show that silicate removal reaches 85% in the recycled water from tailings dam. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Thorium inorganic gels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Genet, M.; Brandel, V.

    1988-01-01

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

  9. Development of Magnesium Silicate Hydrate cement system for nuclear waste encapsulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, T.; Vandeperre, L.J.; Cheeseman, C.R.

    2012-01-01

    A novel low pH cement system for encapsulating nuclear industry wastes containing aluminium has been developed using blends of MgO and silica fume (SF). Identification of the hydrated phases in MgO/silica fume samples showed that brucite formed in early stages of hydration and then reacted with the silica fume to produce a magnesium silicate hydrate (M-S-H) gel phase. When all brucite reacts with silica fume a cement system with an equilibrium pH just below 10 was achieved. Selected mixes have been characterized for hydration reactions, setting time and strength development. Mortar samples with w/s ratios of 0.5 and 50% by weight of sand added achieved compressive strengths in excess of 95 MPa after 28 days. The addition of MgCO 3 buffered the early pH and the addition of fine sand particles eliminated shrinkage cracking. The interaction of the optimised mortar with Al metal has been investigated. Al metal strips were firmly bound into the MgO:SF:sand samples and no H 2 gas detected, and this indicates that the novel systems developed in this work have potential for encapsulating certain types of problematic legacy wastes from the nuclear industry. (authors)

  10. Determination of reactivity rates of silicate particle-size fractions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angélica Cristina Fernandes Deus

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The efficiency of sources used for soil acidity correction depends on reactivity rate (RR and neutralization power (NP, indicated by effective calcium carbonate (ECC. Few studies establish relative efficiency of reactivity (RER for silicate particle-size fractions, therefore, the RER applied for lime are used. This study aimed to evaluate the reactivity of silicate materials affected by particle size throughout incubation periods in comparison to lime, and to calculate the RER for silicate particle-size fractions. Six correction sources were evaluated: three slags from distinct origins, dolomitic and calcitic lime separated into four particle-size fractions (2, 0.84, 0.30 and <0.30-mm sieves, and wollastonite, as an additional treatment. The treatments were applied to three soils with different texture classes. The dose of neutralizing material (calcium and magnesium oxides was applied at equal quantities, and the only variation was the particle-size material. After a 90-day incubation period, the RER was calculated for each particle-size fraction, as well as the RR and ECC of each source. The neutralization of soil acidity of the same particle-size fraction for different sources showed distinct solubility and a distinct reaction between silicates and lime. The RER for slag were higher than the limits established by Brazilian legislation, indicating that the method used for limes should not be used for the slags studied here.

  11. Solid-phase microextraction Ni-Ti fibers coated with functionalised silica particles immobilized in a sol-gel matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azenha, Manuel; Ornelas, Mariana; Fernando Silva, A

    2009-03-20

    One of the possible approaches for the development of novel solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers is the physical deposition of porous materials onto a support using high-temperature epoxy glue. However, a major drawback arises from decomposition of epoxy glue at temperatures below 300 degrees C and instability in some organic solvents. This limitation motivated us to explore the possibility of replacing the epoxy glue with a sol-gel film, thermally more stable and resistant to organic solvents. We found that functionalised silica particles could be successfully attached to a robust Ni-Ti wire by using a UV-curable sol-gel film. The particles were found to be more important than the sol-gel layer during the microextraction process, as shown by competitive extraction trials and by the different extraction profiles observed with differently functionalised particles. If a quality control microscopic-check aiming at the rejection of fibers exhibiting unacceptably low particle load was conducted, acceptable (6-14%) reproducibility of preparation of C(18)-silica fibers was observed, and a strong indication of the durability of the fibers was also obtained. A cyclohexyldiol-silica fiber was used, as a simple example of applicability, for the successful determination of benzaldehyde, acetophenone and dimethylphenol at trace level in spiked tap water. Recoveries: 95-109%; limits of detection: 2-7 microg/L; no competition effects within the studied range (

  12. Submicrometric gratings fabrication from photosensitive organo-silica-hafnia thin films elaborated by sol-gel processing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Franc, Janyce [Universite de Lyon, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France); CNRS, UMR 5516, Laboratoire Hubert Curien, 42023 Saint-Etienne (France); Universite de Saint-Etienne, Jean-Monnet, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France); Barnier, Vincent, E-mail: barnier@emse.fr [Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines, SMS-EMSE, CNRS:UMR 5146, LCG, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France); Vocanson, Francis, E-mail: francis.vocanson@univ-st-etienne.fr [Universite de Lyon, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France); CNRS, UMR 5516, Laboratoire Hubert Curien, 42023 Saint-Etienne (France); Universite de Saint-Etienne, Jean-Monnet, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France); Gamet, Emilie; Lesage, Maryline [Universite de Lyon, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France); CNRS, UMR 5516, Laboratoire Hubert Curien, 42023 Saint-Etienne (France); Universite de Saint-Etienne, Jean-Monnet, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France); Jamon, Damien [Universite de Lyon, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France); Laboratoire Claude Chappe, Telecom Saint-Etienne, 42000 Saint-Etienne Cedex 2 (France); Universite de Saint-Etienne, Jean-Monnet, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France); Jourlin, Yves [Universite de Lyon, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France); CNRS, UMR 5516, Laboratoire Hubert Curien, 42023 Saint-Etienne (France); Universite de Saint-Etienne, Jean-Monnet, F-42023 Saint-Etienne (France)

    2012-07-31

    The aim of this study is the elaboration of a high index sol-gel material in order to prepare submicrometric grating. The gratings were obtained after few seconds of UV exposure in one step using an organically modified silica-hafnia matrix. The chemical composition of thin films after UV and annealing treatments were studied using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy. The study of optical properties revealed that the annealed films are transparent from 200 to 1000 nm and have a refractive index from 1.550 to 1.701 depending on the hafnium concentration. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Silica-hafnia matrix with high refractive index was prepared using sol-gel process. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Organic and inorganic networks formation of thin films was investigated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Optical properties are influenced by annealing treatment and initial hafnium amount. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The use of high Si:Hf molar ratio can lead to a loss transmittance below 300 nm. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Submicrometric grating period can be prepared using a holographic method.

  13. Independent control of matrix adhesiveness and stiffness within a 3D self-assembling peptide hydrogel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hogrebe, Nathaniel J; Reinhardt, James W; Tram, Nguyen K; Debski, Anna C; Agarwal, Gunjan; Reilly, Matthew A; Gooch, Keith J

    2018-04-01

    A cell's insoluble microenvironment has increasingly been shown to exert influence on its function. In particular, matrix stiffness and adhesiveness strongly impact behaviors such as cell spreading and differentiation, but materials that allow for independent control of these parameters within a fibrous, stromal-like microenvironment are very limited. In the current work, we devise a self-assembling peptide (SAP) system that facilitates user-friendly control of matrix stiffness and RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) concentration within a hydrogel possessing a microarchitecture similar to stromal extracellular matrix. In this system, the RGD-modified SAP sequence KFE-RGD and the scrambled sequence KFE-RDG can be directly swapped for one another to change RGD concentration at a given matrix stiffness and total peptide concentration. Stiffness is controlled by altering total peptide concentration, and the unmodified base peptide KFE-8 can be included to further increase this stiffness range due to its higher modulus. With this tunable system, we demonstrate that human mesenchymal stem cell morphology and differentiation are influenced by both gel stiffness and the presence of functional cell binding sites in 3D culture. Specifically, cells 24 hours after encapsulation were only able to spread out in stiffer matrices containing KFE-RGD. Upon addition of soluble adipogenic factors, soft gels facilitated the greatest adipogenesis as determined by the presence of lipid vacuoles and PPARγ-2 expression, while increasing KFE-RGD concentration at a given stiffness had a negative effect on adipogenesis. This three-component hydrogel system thus allows for systematic investigation of matrix stiffness and RGD concentration on cell behavior within a fibrous, three-dimensional matrix. Physical cues from a cell's surrounding environment-such as the density of cell binding sites and the stiffness of the surrounding material-are increasingly being recognized as key regulators of cell function

  14. Methylated silicates may explain the release of chlorinated methane from Martian soil

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bak, Ebbe N.; Jensen, Svend J. Knak; Nørnberg, Per; Finster, Kai

    2016-01-01

    The only organic compounds that have been detected in the Martian soil are simple chlorinated compounds released from heated surface material. However, the sources of the organic carbon are in dispute. Wind abraded silicates, which are widespread on the Martian surface, can sequester atmospheric methane which generates methylated silicates and thus could provide a mechanism for accumulation of reduced carbon in the surface soil. In this study we show that thermal volatilization of methylated silicates in the presence of perchlorate leads to the production of chlorinated methane. Thus, methylated silicates could be a source of the organic carbon released as chlorinated methane upon thermal volatilization of Martian soil samples. Further, our experiments show that the ratio of the different chlorinated compounds produced is dependent on the mass ratio of perchlorate to organic carbon in the soil.

  15. Lipase from Aspergillus niger obtained from mangaba residue fermentation: biochemical characterization of free and immobilized enzymes on a sol-gel matrix

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elis Augusta Leite dos Santos

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available In this study, mangaba residue (seeds was used as a substrate for Aspergillus niger lipase production by solid-state fermentation. The partially purified enzyme was efficiently immobilized in a sol-gel matrix by covalent bonding with an immobilization yield of 91.2%. The immobilized biocatalyst and free lipase had an optimum pH of 2.0 and 5.0, respectively. However, greater stability was obtained at pH 4.0 and 7.0, respectively. The biocatalysts showed stability at the optimum temperature of 55°C, where the residual activity was above 87% after 240 min., of incubation. The lower deactivation constant (kd and higher half-life of the immobilized biocatalyst indicated greater thermal stability than those obtained with the free enzyme. The Michaelis Constant (Km (77 and 115 mM for free and immobilized lipase, respectively and maximum reaction rate (Vmax (1250 and 714 U mg-1 for free and immobilized lipase, respectively indicated that the immobilization process reduced enzyme-substrate affinity. Regarding the operational stability, the biocatalyst showed relative activity above 50% until seven cycles of reuse in olive oil hydrolysis. This novel biocatalyst obtained from a tropical fruit residue showed biochemical characteristics that support its application in future biocatalysis studies.

  16. “Beating speckles” via electrically-induced vibrations of Au nanorods embedded in sol-gel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ritenberg, Margarita; Beilis, Edith; Ilovitsh, Asaf; Barkai, Zehava; Shahmoon, Asaf; Richter, Shachar; Zalevsky, Zeev; Jelinek, Raz

    2014-01-01

    Generation of macroscopic phenomena through manipulating nano-scale properties of materials is among the most fundamental goals of nanotechnology research. We demonstrate cooperative “speckle beats” induced through electric-field modulation of gold (Au) nanorods embedded in a transparent sol-gel host. Specifically, we show that placing the Au nanorod/sol-gel matrix in an alternating current (AC) field gives rise to dramatic modulation of incident light scattered from the material. The speckle light patterns take form of “beats”, for which the amplitude and frequency are directly correlated with the voltage and frequency, respectively, of the applied AC field. The data indicate that the speckle beats arise from localized vibrations of the gel-embedded Au nanorods, induced through the interactions between the AC field and the electrostatically-charged nanorods. This phenomenon opens the way for new means of investigating nanoparticles in constrained environments. Applications in electro-optical devices, such as optical modulators, movable lenses, and others are also envisaged. PMID:24413086

  17. Silicates in Alien Asteroids

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-01-01

    This plot of data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescopes shows that asteroid dust around a dead 'white dwarf' star contains silicates a common mineral on Earth. The data were taken primarily by Spitzer's infrared spectrograph, an instrument that breaks light apart into its basic constituents. The yellow dots show averaged data from the spectrograph, while the orange triangles show older data from Spitzer's infrared array camera. The white dwarf is called GD 40.

  18. Synthesis and luminescence properties of erbium silicate thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miritello, Maria; Lo Savio, Roberto; Iacona, Fabio; Franzo, Giorgia; Bongiorno, Corrado; Priolo, Francesco

    2008-01-01

    We have studied the structure and the room temperature luminescence of erbium silicate thin films deposited by rf magnetron sputtering. Films deposited on silicon oxide layers are characterized by good structural properties and excellent stability. The optical properties of these films are strongly improved by rapid thermal annealing processes performed in the range of temperature 800-1250 deg. C. In fact through the reduction of the defect density of the material, a very efficient room temperature photoluminescence at 1535 nm is obtained. We have also investigated the influence of the annealing ambient, by finding that treatments in O 2 atmosphere are significantly more efficient in improving the optical properties of the material with respect to processes in N 2 . Upconversion effects become effective only when erbium silicate is excited with high pump powers. The evidence that all Er atoms (about 10 22 cm -3 ) in erbium silicate films are optically active suggests interesting perspectives for optoelectronic applications of this material

  19. Calc-silicate mineralization in active geothermal systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bird, D.K.; Schiffman, P.; Elders, W.A.; Williams, A.E.; McDowell, S.D.

    1983-01-01

    The detailed study of calc-silicate mineral zones and coexisting phase relations in the Cerro Prieto geothermal system were used as examples for thermodynamic evaluation of phase relations among minerals of variable composition and to calculate the chemical characteristics of hydrothermal solutions compatible with the observed calc-silicate assemblages. In general there is a close correlation between calculated and observed fluid compositions. Calculated fugacities of O{sub 2} at about 320{degrees}C in the Cerro Prieto geothermal system are about five orders of magnitude less than that at the nearby Salton Sea geothermal system. This observation is consistent with the occurrence of Fe{sup 3+} rich epidotes in the latter system and the presence of prehnite at Cerro Prieto.

  20. Insight into silicate-glass corrosion mechanisms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cailleteau, C; Angeli, F; Gin, S; Jollivet, P [CEA VALRHO, DEN, Lab Etude Comportement Long Terme, F-30207 Bagnols Sur Ceze, (France); Devreux, F [Ecole Polytech, CNRS, Lab Phys Mat Condensee, F-91128 Palaiseau, (France); Jestin, J [CEA, CNRS, Lab Leon Brillouin, F-91191 Gif Sur Yvette, (France); Spalla, O [CEA, DSM, Lab Interdisciplinaire Org Nanometr et Supramol, F-91191 Gif Sur Yvette, (France)

    2008-07-01

    The remarkable chemical durability of silicate glass makes it suitable for a wide range of applications. The slowdown of the aqueous glass corrosion kinetics that is frequently observed at long time is generally attributed to chemical affinity effects (saturation of the solution with respect to silica). Here, we demonstrate a new mechanism and highlight the impact of morphological transformations in the alteration layer on the leaching kinetics. A direct correlation between structure and reactivity is revealed by coupling the results of several structure-sensitive experiments with numerical simulations at mesoscopic scale. The sharp drop in the corrosion rate is shown to arise from densification of the outer layers of the alteration film, leading to pore closure. The presence of insoluble elements in the glass can inhibit the film restructuring responsible for this effect. This mechanism may be more broadly applicable to silicate minerals. (authors)