Preparation and properties of multifunctional Fe-C-Y2O3:Eu3+ nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Jingxing; Yang Xuwei; Yang Hua

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Multifunctional Fe/Fe 3 O 4 -Y 2 O 3 : Eu nanocomposites were prepared by a solvothermal method. ► Their structure, magnetic and luminescent properties were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, excitation and emission spectra and vibration sample magnetometry (VSM). ► It is shown that the nanocomposites exhibit high saturation magnetization and strong red emission under UV-light. - Abstract: Multifunctional Fe-C-Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ nanocomposites were prepared by the solvo thermal method, and their structure, magnetic and luminescent properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Results show that the nanocomposites are spherical with a mean diameter of 700 nm and there are high special saturation magnetization (47.4 emu/g) and strong red emission under UV-light. Even dispersed in water solution, the nanocomposites also exhibit a strong red emission under ultraviolet light radiation, and it could be manipulated using an external magnet. Thus it looks promising for application in biomedicine field, especially in drug targeting and fluorescence label. And we also discussed the effect of the electron transfer process between the Fe magnetic core and Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ shell.

A facile fabrication of multifunctional knit polyester fabric based on chitosan and polyaniline polymer nanocomposite

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Xiaoning; Tian, Mingwei; Qu, Lijun; Zhu, Shifeng; Guo, Xiaoqing; Han, Guangting; Sun, Kaikai; Hu, Xili; Wang, Yujiao; Xu, Xiaoqi

2014-10-01

Knit polyester fabric was successively modified and decorated with chitosan layer and polyaniline polymer nanocomposite layer in this paper. The fabric was firstly treated with chitosan to form a stable layer through the pad-dry-cure process, and then the polyaniline polymer nanocomposite layer was established on the outer layer by in situ chemical polymerization method using ammonium persulfate as oxidant and chlorhydric acid as dopant. The surface morphology of coated fabric was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the co-existence of chitosan layer and granular polyaniline polymer nanocomposite was confirmed and well dispersed on the fabric surface. The resultant fabric was endowed with remarkable electrical conductivity properties and efficient water-repellent capability, which also have been found stable after water laundering. In addition, the photocatalytic decomposition activity for reactive red dye was observed when the multifunctional knit polyester fabric was exposed to the illumination of ultraviolet lamp. These results indicated that chitosan and polyaniline polymer nanocomposite could form ideal multifunctional coatings on the surface of knit polyester fabric.

Smart multifunctional drug delivery towards anticancer therapy harmonized in mesoporous nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Baek, Seonmi; Singh, Rajendra K.; Khanal, Dipesh; Patel, Kapil D.; Lee, Eun-Jung; Leong, Kam W.; Chrzanowski, Wojciech; Kim, Hae-Won

2015-08-01

Nanomedicine seeks to apply nanoscale materials for the therapy and diagnosis of diseased and damaged tissues. Recent advances in nanotechnology have made a major contribution to the development of multifunctional nanomaterials, which represents a paradigm shift from single purpose to multipurpose materials. Multifunctional nanomaterials have been proposed to enable simultaneous target imaging and on-demand delivery of therapeutic agents only to the specific site. Most advanced systems are also responsive to internal or external stimuli. This approach is particularly important for highly potent drugs (e.g. chemotherapeutics), which should be delivered in a discreet manner and interact with cells/tissues only locally. Both advances in imaging and precisely controlled and localized delivery are critically important in cancer treatment, and the use of such systems - theranostics - holds great promise to minimise side effects and boost therapeutic effectiveness of the treatment. Among others, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs) are considered one of the most promising nanomaterials for drug delivery. Due to their unique intrinsic features, including tunable porosity and size, large surface area, structural diversity, easily modifiable chemistry and suitability for functionalization, and biocompatibility, MSNPs have been extensively utilized as multifunctional nanocarrier systems. The combination or hybridization with biomolecules, drugs, and other nanoparticles potentiated the ability of MSNPs towards multifunctionality, and even smart actions stimulated by specified signals, including pH, optical signal, redox reaction, electricity and magnetism. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art of multifunctional, smart drug delivery systems centered on advanced MSNPs, with special emphasis on cancer related applications.

Multifunctional polymer nano-composite based superhydrophobic surface

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Maitra, Tanmoy; Asthana, Ashish; Buchel, Robert; Tiwari, Manish K.; Poulikakos, Dimos

2014-11-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces become desirable in plethora of applications in engineering fields, automobile industry, construction industries to name a few. Typical fabrication of superhydrophobic surface consists of two steps: first is to create rough morphology on the substrate of interest, followed by coating of low energy molecules. However, typical exception of the above fabrication technique would be direct coating of functional polymer nanocomposites on substrate where superhydrophobicity is needed. Also in this case, the use of different nanoparticles in the polymer matrix can be exploited to impart multi-functional properties to the superhydrophobic coatings. Herein, different carbon nanoparticles like graphene nanoplatelets (GNP), carbon nanotubes (CNT) and carbon black (CB) are used in fluropolymer matrix to prepare superhydrophobic coatings. The multi-functional properties of coatings are enhanced by combining two different carbon fillers in the matrix. The aforementioned superhydrophobic coatings have shown high electrical conductivity and excellent droplet meniscus impalement resistance. Simultaneous superhydrophobic and oleophillic character of the above coating is used to separate mineral oil and water through filtration of their mixture. Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF) Grant 200021_135479.

Potential Applications of Smart Multifunctional Wearable Materials to Gerontology.

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, David G; Najafi, Bijan; Shahinpoor, Mohsen

2017-01-01

Smart multifunctional materials can play a constructive role in addressing some very important aging-related issues. Aging affects the ability of older adults to continue to live safely and economically in their own residences for as long as possible. Thus, there will be a greater need for preventive, acute, rehabilitative, and long-term health care services for older adults as well as a need for tools to enable them to function independently during daily activities. The objective of this paper is, thus, to present a comprehensive review of some potential smart materials and their areas of applications to gerontology. Thus, brief descriptions of various currently available multifunctional smart materials and their possible applications to aging-related problems are presented. It is concluded that some of the most important applications to geriatrics may be in various sensing scenarios to collect health-related feedback or information and provide personalized care. Further described are the applications of wearable technologies to aging-related needs, including devices for home rehabilitation, remote monitoring, social well-being, frailty monitoring, monitoring of diabetes and wound healing and fall detection or prediction. It is also concluded that wearable technologies, when combined with an appropriate application and with appropriate feedback, may help improve activities and functions of older patients with chronic diseases. Finally, it is noted that methods developed to measure what one collectively manages in this population may provide a foundation to establish new definitions of quality of life. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Hybrid chemical vapour and nanoceramic aerosol assisted deposition for multifunctional nanocomposite thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Warwick, Michael E.A.; Dunnill, Charles W.; Goodall, Josie; Darr, Jawwad A.; Binions, Russell, E-mail: uccarbi@ucl.ac.uk

2011-07-01

Hybrid atmospheric pressure chemical vapour and aerosol assisted deposition via the reaction of vanadium acetylacetonate and a suspension of preformed titanium dioxide or cerium dioxide nanoparticles, led to the production of vanadium dioxide nanocomposite thin films on glass substrates. The preformed nanoparticle oxides used for the aerosol were synthesised using a continuous hydrothermal flow synthesis route involving the rapid reaction of a metal salt solution with a flow of supercritical water in a flow reactor. Multifunctional nanocomposite thin films from the hybrid deposition process were characterised using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The functional properties of the films were evaluated using variable temperature optical measurements to assess thermochromic behaviour and methylene blue photodecolourisation experiments to assess photocatalytic activity. The tests show that the films are multifunctional in that they are thermochromic (having a large change in infra-red reflectivity upon exceeding the thermochromic transition temperature) and have significant photocatalytic activity under irradiation with 254 nm light.

A Multifunctional Smart Coating for Autonomous Corrosion Control

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Calle, Luz Marina; Buhrow, Jerry W.; Jolley, Scott T.

2012-01-01

Corrosion is a destructive process that often causes failure in metallic components and structures. Protective coatings are the most commonly used method of corrosion control. However, progressively stricter environmental regulations have resulted in the ban of many commercially available corrosion protective coatings due to the harmful effects of their solvents or corrosion inhibitors. This work concerns the development of a multifunctional, smart coating for the autonomous control of corrosion. This coating is being developed to have the inherent ability to detect the chemical changes associated with the onset of corrosion and respond autonomously to control it. The multi-functionality of the coating is based on micro-encapsulation technology specifically designed for corrosion control applications. This design has, in addition to all the advantages of other existing microcapsules designs, the corrosion controlled release function that allows the delivery of corrosion indicators and inhibitors on demand only when and where needed. Corrosion indicators as well as corrosion inhibitors have been incorporated into microcapsules, blended into several paint systems, and tested for corrosion detection and protection efficacy. This

Ultralow Friction Self-Lubricating Nanocomposites with Mesoporous Metal-Organic Frameworks as Smart Nanocontainers for Lubricants.

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Zhang, Guoliang; Xie, Guoxin; Si, Lina; Wen, Shizhu; Guo, Dan

2017-11-01

Smart nanocontainers with stimuli-responsive property can be used to fabricate a new kind of self-lubricating nanocomposite, while the practical potential of the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as nanocontainers for lubricants has not been realized. In this work, mesoporous Cu-BTC MOFs storing oleylamine nanocomposites were explored from synthesis and microstructure to self-lubricating characterization. The stress stimuli-responsiveness behavior of the Cu-BTC storing oleylamine (Cu-BTCO) for lubrication has been investigated by subjecting it to macroscopic ball-on-disc friction tests. The steady-state coefficients of friction (COFs) of the Cu-BTC nanocomposites without lubricants were ca. 0.5. In contrast, after oleylamine as the lubricant was incorporated into the Cu-BTC container in the nanocomposite, ultralow friction (COF, ca. 0.03) was achieved. It has been demonstrated that the improved lubricating performance was associated with the lubricating film which was in situ produced by the chemical reaction between the oleylamine released from the nanocontainer and the friction pairs. Therefore, the nanocomposite with smart Cu-BTC container holds the promise of realizing extraordinary self-lubricating properties under stress stimuli.

Multifunctional pH-sensitive superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanocomposites for targeted drug delivery and MR imaging.

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Zhu, Lijuan; Wang, Dali; Wei, Xuan; Zhu, Xinyuan; Li, Jianqi; Tu, Chunlai; Su, Yue; Wu, Jieli; Zhu, Bangshang; Yan, Deyue

2013-08-10

A multifunctional pH-sensitive superparamagnetic iron-oxide (SPIO) nanocomposite system was developed for simultaneous tumor magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and therapy. Small-size SPIO nanoparticles were chemically bonded with antitumor drug doxorubicin (DOX) and biocompatible poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) through pH-sensitive acylhydrazone linkages, resulting in the formation of SPIO nanocomposites with magnetic targeting and pH-sensitive properties. These DOX-conjugated SPIO nanocomposites exhibited not only good stability in aqueous solution but also high saturation magnetizations. Under an acidic environment, the DOX was quickly released from the SPIO nanocomposites due to the cleavage of pH-sensitive acylhydrazone linkages. With the help of magnetic field, the DOX-conjugated SPIO nanocomposites showed high cellular uptake, indicating their magnetic targeting property. Comparing to free DOX, the DOX-conjugated SPIO nanocomposites showed better antitumor effect under magnetic field. At the same time, the relaxivity value of these SPIO nanocomposites was higher than 146s(-1)mM(-1) Fe, leading to ~4 times enhancement compared to that of free SPIO nanoparticles. As a negative contrast agent, these SPIO nanocomposites illustrated high resolution in MRI diagnosis of tumor-bearing mice. All of these results confirm that these pH-sensitive SPIO nanocomposites are promising hybrid materials for synergistic MRI diagnosis and tumor therapy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multifunctional antitumor magnetite/chitosan-l-glutamic acid (core/shell) nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Daniela P.; Ruiz, M. Adolfina; Gallardo, Visitación; Zanoni, Maria Valnice B.; Arias, José L.

2011-01-01

The development of anticancer drug delivery systems based on biodegradable nanoparticles has been intended to maximize the localization of chemotherapy agents within tumor interstitium, along with negligible drug distribution into healthy tissues. Interestingly, passive and active drug targeting strategies to cancer have led to improved nanomedicines with great tumor specificity and efficient chemotherapy effect. One of the most promising areas in the formulation of such nanoplatforms is the engineering of magnetically responsive nanoparticles. In this way, we have followed a chemical modification method for the synthesis of magnetite/chitosan-l-glutamic acid (core/shell) nanostructures. These magnetic nanocomposites (average size ≈340 nm) exhibited multifunctional properties based on its capability to load the antitumor drug doxorubicin (along with an adequate sustained release) and its potential for hyperthermia applications. Compared to drug surface adsorption, doxorubicin entrapment into the nanocomposites matrix yielded a higher drug loading and a slower drug release profile. Heating characteristics of the magnetic nanocomposites were investigated in a high-frequency alternating magnetic gradient: a stable maximum temperature of 46 °C was successfully achieved within 40 min. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such kind of stimuli-sensitive nanoformulation with very important properties (i.e., magnetic targeting capabilities, hyperthermia, high drug loading, and little burst drug release) has been formulated for combined antitumor therapy against cancer.

Multifunctional antitumor magnetite/chitosan- l-glutamic acid (core/shell) nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Daniela P.; Ruiz, M. Adolfina; Gallardo, Visitación; Zanoni, Maria Valnice B.; Arias, José L.

2011-09-01

The development of anticancer drug delivery systems based on biodegradable nanoparticles has been intended to maximize the localization of chemotherapy agents within tumor interstitium, along with negligible drug distribution into healthy tissues. Interestingly, passive and active drug targeting strategies to cancer have led to improved nanomedicines with great tumor specificity and efficient chemotherapy effect. One of the most promising areas in the formulation of such nanoplatforms is the engineering of magnetically responsive nanoparticles. In this way, we have followed a chemical modification method for the synthesis of magnetite/chitosan- l-glutamic acid (core/shell) nanostructures. These magnetic nanocomposites (average size ≈340 nm) exhibited multifunctional properties based on its capability to load the antitumor drug doxorubicin (along with an adequate sustained release) and its potential for hyperthermia applications. Compared to drug surface adsorption, doxorubicin entrapment into the nanocomposites matrix yielded a higher drug loading and a slower drug release profile. Heating characteristics of the magnetic nanocomposites were investigated in a high-frequency alternating magnetic gradient: a stable maximum temperature of 46 °C was successfully achieved within 40 min. To our knowledge, this is the first time that such kind of stimuli-sensitive nanoformulation with very important properties (i.e., magnetic targeting capabilities, hyperthermia, high drug loading, and little burst drug release) has been formulated for combined antitumor therapy against cancer.

Multifunctional Nanocarpets for Cancer Theranostics: Remotely Controlled Graphene Nanoheaters for Thermo-Chemosensitisation and Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Ramachandra Kurup Sasikala, Arathyram; Thomas, Reju George; Unnithan, Afeesh Rajan; Saravanakumar, Balasubramaniam; Jeong, Yong Yeon; Park, Chan Hee; Kim, Cheol Sang

2016-02-01

A new paradigm in cancer theranostics is enabled by safe multifunctional nanoplatform that can be applied for therapeutic functions together with imaging capabilities. Herein, we develop a multifunctional nanocomposite consisting of Graphene Oxide-Iron Oxide -Doxorubicin (GO-IO-DOX) as a theranostic cancer platform. The smart magnetic nanoplatform acts both as a hyperthermic agent that delivers heat when an alternating magnetic field is applied and a chemotherapeutic agent in a cancer environment by providing a pH-dependent drug release to administer a synergistic anticancer treatment with an enhanced T2 contrast for MRI. The novel GO-IO-DOX nanocomposites were tested in vitro and were observed to exhibit an enhanced tumoricidal effect through both hyperthermia and cancer cell-specific DOX release along with an excellent MRI performance, enabling a versatile theranostic platform for cancer. Moreover the localized antitumor effects of GO-IO-DOX increased substantially as a result of the drug sensitization through repeated application of hyperthermia.

Multi-functional smart aggregate-based structural health monitoring of circular reinforced concrete columns subjected to seismic excitations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gu, Haichang; Song, Gangbing; Moslehy, Yashar; Mo, Y L; Sanders, David

2010-01-01

In this paper, a recently developed multi-functional piezoceramic-based device, named the smart aggregate, is used for the health monitoring of concrete columns subjected to shake table excitations. Two circular reinforced concrete columns instrumented with smart aggregates were fabricated and tested with a recorded seismic excitation at the structural laboratory at the University of Nevada—Reno. In the tests, the smart aggregates were used to perform multiple monitoring functions that included dynamic seismic response detection, structural health monitoring and white noise response detection. In the proposed health monitoring approach, a damage index was developed on the basis of the comparison of the transfer function with the baseline function obtained in the healthy state. A sensor-history damage index matrix is developed to monitor the damage evolution process. Experimental results showed that the acceleration level can be evaluated from the amplitude of the dynamic seismic response; the damage statuses at different locations were evaluated using a damage index matrix; the first modal frequency obtained from the white noise response decreased with increase of the damage severity. The proposed multi-functional smart aggregates have great potential for use in the structural health monitoring of large-scale concrete structures

Multifunctional Nanotube Polymer Nanocomposites for Aerospace Applications: Adhesion between SWCNT and Polymer Matrix

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Park, Cheol; Wise, Kristopher E.; Kang, Jin Ho; Kim, Jae-Woo; Sauti, Godfrey; Lowther, Sharon E.; Lillehei, Peter T.; Smith, Michael W.; Siochi, Emilie J.; Harrison, Joycelyn S.;

Controlled fabrication of luminescent and magnetic nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Yingxin; Zhong, Yucheng; Fan, Jing; Huang, Weiren

2018-03-01

Luminescent and magnetic multifunctional nanocomposite is in high demand and widely used in many scales, such as drug delivery, bioseparation, chemical/biosensors, and so on. Although lots of strategies have been successfully developed for the demand of multifunctional nanocomposites, it is not easy to prepare multifunctional nanocomposites by using a simple method, and satisfy all kinds of demands simultaneously. In this work, via a facile and versatile method, luminescent nanocrystals and magnetic nanoparticles were successfully synthesized through self-assembly under vigorous stirring and ultrasonic treatment. These multifunctional nanocomposites are not only water stable but also find wide application such as magnetic separation and concentration with a series of moderate speed, multicolor fluorescence at different emission wavelength, high efficiency of the excitation and emission, and so on. By changing different kinds of luminescent nanocrystals and controlling the amount of luminescent and magnetic nanoparticles, a train of multifunctional nanocomposites was successfully fabricated via a versatile and robust method.

Multifunctional zirconium oxide doped chitosan based hybrid nanocomposites as bone tissue engineering materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhowmick, Arundhati; Jana, Piyali; Pramanik, Nilkamal; Mitra, Tapas; Banerjee, Sovan Lal; Gnanamani, Arumugam; Das, Manas; Kundu, Patit Paban

2016-10-20

This paper reports the development of multifunctional zirconium oxide (ZrO2) doped nancomposites having chitosan (CTS), organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) and nano-hydroxyapatite (HAP). Formation of these nanocomposites was confirmed by various characterization techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed uniform distribution of OMMT and nano-HAP-ZrO2 into CTS matrix. Powder XRD study and TEM study revealed that OMMT has partially exfoliated into the polymer matrix. Enhanced mechanical properties in comparison to the reported literature were obtained after the addition of ZrO2 nanoparticle into the nanocomposites. In rheological measurements, CMZH I-III exhibited greater storage modulus (G') than loss modulus (G″). TGA results showed that these nanocomposites are thermally more stable compare to pure CTS film. Strong antibacterial zone of inhibition and the lowest minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) value of these nanocomposites against bacterial strains proved that these materials have the ability to prevent bacterial infection in orthopedic implants. Compatibility of these nanocomposites with pH and blood of human body was established. It was observed from the swelling study that the swelling percentage was increased with decreasing the hydrophobic OMMT content. Human osteoblastic MG-63 cell proliferations were observed on the nanocomposites and cytocompatibility of these nanocomposites was also established. Moreover, addition of 5wt% OMMT and 5wt% nano-HAP-ZrO2 into 90wt% CTS matrix provides maximum tensile strength, storage modulus, aqueous swelling and cytocompatibility along with strong antibacterial effect, pH and erythrocyte compatibility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multifunctional Polymer Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Galaska, Alexandra Maria; Song, Haixiang; Guo, Zhanhu

With more awareness of energy conversion/storage and saving, different strategies have been developed to utilize the sustainable and renewable energy. Introducing nanoscale fillers can make inert polymer matrix possess unique properties to satisfy certain functions. For example, alumina nanoparticles have strengthened the weak thermosetting polymers. A combined mixture of carbon nanofibers and magnetite nanoparticles have made the inert epoxy sensitive for magnetic field for sensing applications. Introducing silica nanoparticles into conductive polymers such as polyaniline has enhanced the giant magnetoresistance behaviors. The introduced nanoparticles have made the transparent polymer have the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding function while reduce the density significantly. With the desired miniaturization, the materials combining different functionalities have become importantly interesting. In this talk, methodologies to prepare nanocomposites and their effects on the produced nanocomposites will be discussed. A variety of advanced polymer nanocomposites will be introduced. Unique properties including mechanical, electrical, magnetoresistance etc. and the applications for environmental remediation, energy storage/saving, fire retardancy, electromagnetic interference shielding, and electronic devices will be presented.

Multifunctional fluorescent sensing of chemical and physical stimuli using smart riboflavin-5'-phosphate/Eu3+ coordination polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Shi-Fan; Zhang, Jing-Fei; Chen, Zi-Han; Han, Xin-Yue; Zhang, Min; Shi, Guoyue

2018-07-05

A novel type of stimuli-responsive fluorescent polymers has been developed via the self-assembly of riboflavin-5'-phosphate (RiP) as ligand and europium (III) (Eu 3+ ) as central metal ion coordinated with the ligand. The as-prepared RiP/Eu 3+ coordination polymers (RiP/Eu 3+ CPs) are smart and multifunctional for respectively responding to chemical and physical stimuli, in which RiP acts as the stimuli-responsive fluorescent signal indicator. For sensing chemical stimuli, 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (DPA, an anthrax biomarker) having higher bonding force towards Eu 3+ can grab it from smart RiP/Eu 3+ CPs through competition reaction, resulting in the release of RiP for highly sensitive and selective DPA monitoring in a mix-and-read fluorescent enhancement format, and the detection limit is as low as 41.5 nM. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations has been also performed to verify the DPA sensing principle. For sensing physical stimuli, the smart RiP/Eu 3+ CPs can be acting as a novel sensory probe for the determination of temperature from 10 °C to 40 °C based on the thermal-induced disruption of the binding between Eu 3+ and RiP and the disassembly of the smart RiP/Eu 3+ CPs accompanying with the recovery of the fluorescence of RiP. This work establishes an effective platform for multifunctional sensing of chemical and physical stimuli utilizing both smart lanthanide nanoscale coordination polymers (LNCPs) and novel sensing strategies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Highly Conductive Multifunctional Graphene Polycarbonate Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Yoonessi, Mitra; Gaier, James R.

2010-01-01

Graphene nanosheet bisphenol A polycarbonate nanocomposites (0.027 2.2 vol %) prepared by both emulsion mixing and solution blending methods, followed by compression molding at 287 C, exhibited dc electrical percolation threshold of approx.0.14 and approx.0.38 vol %, respectively. The conductivities of 2.2 vol % graphene nanocomposites were 0.512 and 0.226 S/cm for emulsion and solution mixing. The 1.1 and 2.2 vol % graphene nanocomposites exhibited frequency-independent behavior. Inherent conductivity, extremely high aspect ratio, and nanostructure directed assembly of the graphene using PC nanospheres are the main factors for excellent electrical properties of the nanocomposites. Dynamic tensile moduli of nanocomposites increased with increasing graphene in the nanocomposite. The glass transition temperatures were decreased with increasing graphene for the emulsion series. High-resolution electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) showed isolated graphene with no connectivity path for insulating nanocomposites and connected nanoparticles for the conductive nanocomposites. A stacked disk model was used to obtain the average particle radius, average number of graphene layers per stack, and stack spacing by simulation of the experimental SANS data. Morphology studies indicated the presence of well-dispersed graphene and small graphene stacking with infusion of polycarbonate within the stacks.

Special Issue: Adaptive/Smart Structures and Multifunctional Materials with Application to Morphing Aircraft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafic Ajaj

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Recent advances in smart structures and multifunctional materials have facilitated many novel aerospace technologies such as morphing aircraft. A morphing aircraft, bio-inspired by natural fliers, has gained a lot of interest as a potential technology to meet the ambitious goals of the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE Vision 2020 and the FlightPath 2050 documents. A morphing aircraft continuously adjusts its wing geometry to enhance flight performance, control authority, and multi-mission capability.[...

Multifunctional glucose biosensors from Fe3O4 nanoparticles modified chitosan/graphene nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wenjing; Li, Xiaojian; Zou, Ruitao; Wu, Huizi; Shi, Haiyan; Yu, Shanshan; Liu, Yong

2015-01-01

Novel water-dispersible and biocompatible chitosan-functionalized graphene (CG) has been prepared by a one-step ball milling of carboxylic chitosan and graphite. Presence of nitrogen (from chitosan) at the surface of graphene enables the CG to be an outstanding catalyst for the electrochemical biosensors. The resulting CG shows lower ID/IG ratio in the Raman spectrum than other nitrogen-containing graphene prepared using different techniques. Magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (MNP) are further introduced into the as-synthesized CG for multifunctional applications beyond biosensors such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Carboxyl groups from CG is used to directly immobilize glucose oxidase (GOx) via covalent linkage while incorporation of MNP further facilitated enzyme loading and other unique properties. The resulting biosensor exhibits a good glucose detection response with a detection limit of 16 μM, a sensitivity of 5.658 mA/cm2/M, and a linear detection range up to 26 mM glucose. Formation of the multifunctional MNP/CG nanocomposites provides additional advantages for applications in more clinical areas such as in vivo biosensors and MRI agents. PMID:26052919

Smart Materials Meet Multifunctional Biomedical Devices: Current and Prospective Implications for Nanomedicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giada Graziana Genchi

2017-12-01

Full Text Available With the increasing advances in the fabrication and in monitoring approaches of nanotechnology devices, novel materials are being synthesized and tested for the interaction with biological environments. Among them, smart materials in particular provide versatile and dynamically tunable platforms for the investigation and manipulation of several biological activities with very low invasiveness in hardly accessible anatomical districts. In the following, we will briefly recall recent examples of nanotechnology-based materials that can be remotely activated and controlled through different sources of energy, such as electromagnetic fields or ultrasounds, for their relevance to both basic science investigations and translational nanomedicine. Moreover, we will introduce some examples of hybrid materials showing mutually beneficial components for the development of multifunctional devices, able to simultaneously perform duties like imaging, tissue targeting, drug delivery, and redox state control. Finally, we will highlight challenging perspectives for the development of theranostic agents (merging diagnostic and therapeutic functionalities, underlining open questions for these smart nanotechnology-based devices to be made readily available to the patients in need.

Multifunctional smart composites with integrated carbon nanotube yarn and sheet

Science.gov (United States)

Chauhan, Devika; Hou, Guangfeng; Ng, Vianessa; Chaudhary, Sumeet; Paine, Michael; Moinuddin, Khwaja; Rabiee, Massoud; Cahay, Marc; Lalley, Nicholas; Shanov, Vesselin; Mast, David; Liu, Yijun; Yin, Zhangzhang; Song, Yi; Schulz, Mark

2017-04-01

Multifunctional smart composites (MSCs) are materials that combine the good electrical and thermal conductivity, high tensile and shear strength, good impact toughness, and high stiffness properties of metals; the light weight and corrosion resistance properties of composites; and the sensing or actuation properties of smart materials. The basic concept for MSCs was first conceived by Daniel Inman and others about 25 years ago. Current laminated carbon and glass fiber polymeric composite materials have high tensile strength and are light in weight, but they still lack good electrical and thermal conductivity, and they are sensitive to delamination. Carbon nanotube yarn and sheets are lightweight, electrically and thermally conductive materials that can be integrated into laminated composite materials to form MSCs. This paper describes the manufacturing of high quality carbon nanotube yarn and sheet used to form MSCs, and integrating the nanotube yarn and sheet into composites at low volume fractions. Various up and coming technical applications of MSCs are discussed including composite toughening for impact and delamination resistance; structural health monitoring; and structural power conduction. The global carbon nanotube overall market size is estimated to grow from 2 Billion in 2015 to 5 Billion by 2020 at a CAGR of 20%. Nanotube yarn and sheet products are predicted to be used in aircraft, wind machines, automobiles, electric machines, textiles, acoustic attenuators, light absorption, electrical wire, sporting equipment, tires, athletic apparel, thermoelectric devices, biomedical devices, lightweight transformers, and electromagnets. In the future, due to the high maximum current density of nanotube conductors, nanotube electromagnetic devices may also become competitive with traditional smart materials in terms of power density.

Multifunctional nanocomposite based on halloysite nanotubes for efficient luminescent bioimaging and magnetic resonance imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Tao; Jia, Lei; Luo, Yi-Feng; Xu, Jun; Chen, Ru-Hua; Ge, Zhi-Jun; Ma, Tie-Liang; Chen, Hong; Zhu, Tao-Feng

A novel multifunctional halloysite nanotube (HNT)-based Fe 3 O 4 @HNT-polyethyleneimine-Tip-Eu(dibenzoylmethane) 3 nanocomposite (Fe-HNT-Eu NC) with both photoluminescent and magnetic properties was fabricated by a simple one-step hydrothermal process combined with the coupling grafting method, which exhibited high suspension stability and excellent photophysical behavior. The as-prepared multifunctional Fe-HNT-Eu NC was characterized using various techniques. The results of cell viability assay, cell morphological observation, and in vivo toxicity assay indicated that the NC exhibited excellent biocompatibility over the studied concentration range, suggesting that the obtained Fe-HNT-Eu NC was a suitable material for bioimaging and biological applications in human hepatic adenocarcinoma cells. Furthermore, the biocompatible Fe-HNT-Eu NC displayed superparamagnetic behavior with high saturation magnetization and also functioned as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent in vitro and in vivo. The results of the MRI tests indicated that the Fe-HNT-Eu NC can significantly decrease the T 2 signal intensity values of the normal liver tissue and thus make the boundary between the normal liver and transplanted cancer more distinct, thus effectively improving the diagnosis effect of cancers.

Multifunctional Energy Storage and Conversion Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yan; Zhu, Minshen; Huang, Yang; Pei, Zengxia; Li, Hongfei; Wang, Zifeng; Xue, Qi; Zhi, Chunyi

2016-10-01

Multifunctional energy storage and conversion devices that incorporate novel features and functions in intelligent and interactive modes, represent a radical advance in consumer products, such as wearable electronics, healthcare devices, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, smart household, and space satellites, etc. Here, smart energy devices are defined to be energy devices that are responsive to changes in configurational integrity, voltage, mechanical deformation, light, and temperature, called self-healability, electrochromism, shape memory, photodetection, and thermal responsivity. Advisable materials, device designs, and performances are crucial for the development of energy electronics endowed with these smart functions. Integrating these smart functions in energy storage and conversion devices gives rise to great challenges from the viewpoint of both understanding the fundamental mechanisms and practical implementation. Current state-of-art examples of these smart multifunctional energy devices, pertinent to materials, fabrication strategies, and performances, are highlighted. In addition, current challenges and potential solutions from materials synthesis to device performances are discussed. Finally, some important directions in this fast developing field are considered to further expand their application. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Smart multifunctional nanoagents for in situ monitoring of small molecules with a switchable affinity towards biomedical targets

Science.gov (United States)

Shevchenko, Konstantin G.; Cherkasov, Vladimir R.; Nikitina, Irina L.; Babenyshev, Andrey V.; Nikitin, Maxim P.

2018-02-01

The great diversity of nanomaterials provides ample opportunities for constructing effective agents for biomedical applications ranging from biosensing to drug delivery. Multifunctional nanoagents that combine several features in a single particle are of special interest due to capabilities that substantially exceed those of molecular drugs. An ideal theranostic agent should simultaneously be an advanced biosensor to identify a disease and report the diagnosis and a biomedical actuator to treat the disease. While many approaches were developed to load a nanoparticle with various drugs for actuation of the diseased cells (e.g., to kill them), the nanoparticle-based approaches for the localized biosensing with real-time reporting of the marker concentration severely lag behind. Here, we show a smart in situ nanoparticle-based biosensor/actuator system that dynamically and reversibly changes its structural and optical properties in response to a small molecule marker to allow real-time monitoring of the marker concentration and adjustment of the system ability to bind its biomedical target. Using the synergistic combination of signal readout based on the localized surface plasmon resonance and an original method of fabrication of smart ON/OFF-switchable nanoagents, we demonstrate reversible responsiveness of the system to a model small molecule marker (antibiotic chloramphenicol) in a wide concentration range. The proposed approach can be used for the development of advanced multifunctional nanoagents for theranostic applications.

A stimuli-responsive smart lanthanide nanocomposite for multidimensional optical recording and encryption

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Xiang; Xie, Yujie; Zhang, Hao-Li; Chen, Hao; Cai, Huijuan; Liu, Weisheng; Tang, Yu [State Key Lab. of Applied Organic Chemistry, Key Lab. of Nonferrous Metal Chemistry and Resources Utilization of Gansu Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou Univ. (China); Song, Bo [State Key Lab. of Fine Chemicals, School of Chemistry, Dalian Univ. of Technology, Dalian (China)

2017-03-01

A stimuli-responsive lanthanide-based smart nanocomposite has been fabricated by supramolecular assembly and applied as an active material in multidimensional memory materials. Conjugation of the lanthanide complexes with carbon dots provides a stimuli response that is based on the modulation of the energy level of the ligand and affords microsecond-to-nanosecond fluorescence lifetimes, giving rise to intriguing memory performance in the spatial and temporal dimension. The present study points to a new direction for the future development of multidimensional memory materials based on inorganic-organic hybrid nanosystems. (copyright 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Smart Multifunctional Coatings for Corrosion Detection and Control in the Aerospace Industry

Science.gov (United States)

Calle, Luz Marina

2015-01-01

Nearly all metals and their alloys are subject to corrosion that causes them to lose their structural integrity or other critical functionality. It is essential to detect corrosion when it occurs, and preferably at its early stage, so that action can be taken to avoid structural damage or loss of function. Protective coatings are the most commonly used method of corrosion control. However, progressively stricter environmental regulations have resulted in the ban of many commercially available corrosion protective coatings due to the harmful effects of their solvents or corrosion inhibitors. This work concerns the development of a multifunctional, smart coating for the autonomous control of corrosion. This coating is being developed to have the inherent ability to detect the chemical changes associated with the onset of corrosion and respond autonomously to indicate it and control it.

Multifunctional Electroactive Nanocomposites Based on Piezoelectric Boron Nitride Nanotubes

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Jin Ho; Sauti, Godfrey; Park, Cheol; Yamakov, Vesselin I.; Wise, Kristopher E.; Lowther, Sharon E.; Fay, Catharine C.; Thibeault, Sheila A.; Bryant, Robert G.

2015-01-01

Space exploration missions require sensors and devices capable of stable operation in harsh environments such as those that include high thermal fluctuation, atomic oxygen, and high-energy ionizing radiation. However, conventional or state-of-the-art electroactive materials like lead zirconate titanate, poly(vinylidene fluoride), and carbon nanotube (CNT)-doped polyimides have limitations on use in those extreme applications. Theoretical studies have shown that boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) have strength-to-weight ratios comparable to those of CNTs, excellent high-temperature stability (to 800 C in air), large electroactive characteristics, and excellent neutron radiation shielding capability. In this study, we demonstrated the experimental electroactive characteristics of BNNTs in novel multifunctional electroactive nanocomposites. Upon application of an external electric field, the 2 wt % BNNT/polyimide composite was found to exhibit electroactive strain composed of a superposition of linear piezoelectric and nonlinear electrostrictive components. When the BNNTs were aligned by stretching the 2 wt % BNNT/polyimide composite, electroactive characteristics increased by about 460% compared to the nonstretched sample. An all-nanotube actuator consisting of a BNNT buckypaper layer between two single-walled carbon nanotube buck-paper electrode layers was found to have much larger electroactive properties. The additional neutron radiation shielding properties and ultraviolet/visible/near-infrared optical properties of the BNNT composites make them excellent candidates for use in the extreme environments of space missions. utilizing the unique characteristics of BNNTs.

A multifunctional nanocomplex for enhanced cell uptake, endosomal escape and improved cancer therapeutic effect

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Almeida, Patrick V.; Shahbazi, Mohammad-Ali; Correia, Alexandra

2017-01-01

Aim: To evaluate the chemotherapeutic potential of a novel multifunctional nanocomposite encapsulating both porous silicon (PSi) and gold (Au) nanoparticles in a polymeric nanocomplex. Materials & methods: The nanocomposite was physicochemically characterized and evaluated in vitro...

Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites for 3D Printing of Smart Structures and Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Nadgorny, Milena; Ameli, Amir

2018-05-16

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) has attracted a considerable amount of attention during the past years, being globally recognized as one of the most promising and revolutionary manufacturing technologies. Although the field is rapidly evolving with significant technological advancements, materials research remains a spotlight of interest, essential for the future developments of 3DP. Smart polymers and nanocomposites, which respond to external stimuli by changing their properties and structure, represent an important group of materials that hold a great promise for the fabrication of sensors, actuators, robots, electronics, and medical devices. The interest in exploring functional materials and their 3DP is constantly growing in an attempt to meet the ever-increasing manufacturing demand of complex functional platforms in an efficient manner. In this review, we aim to outline the recent advances in the science and engineering of functional polymers and nanocomposites for 3DP technologies. The report covers temperature-responsive polymers, polymers and nanocomposites with electromagnetic, piezoresistive and piezoelectric behaviors, self-healing polymers, light- and pH-responsive materials, and mechanochromic polymers. The main objective is to link the performance and functionalities to the fundamental properties, chemistry, and physics of the materials, and to the process-driven characteristics, in an attempt to provide a multidisciplinary image and a deeper understanding of the topic. The challenges and opportunities for future research are also discussed.

High-stress study of bioinspired multifunctional PEDOT:PSS/nanoclay nanocomposites using AFM, SEM and numerical simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfredo J. Diaz

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Bioinspired design has been central in the development of hierarchical nanocomposites. Particularly, the nacre-mimetic brick-and-mortar structure has shown excellent mechanical properties, as well as gas-barrier properties and optical transparency. Along with these intrinsic properties, the layered structure has also been utilized in sensing devices. Here we extend the multifunctionality of nacre-mimetics by designing an optically transparent and electron conductive coating based on PEDOT:PSS and nanoclays Laponite RD and Cloisite Na+. We carry out extensive characterization of the nanocomposite using transmittance spectra (transparency, conductive atomic force microscopy (conductivity, contact-resonance force microscopy (mechanical properties, and SEM combined with a variety of stress-strain AFM experiments and AFM numerical simulations (internal structure. We further study the nanoclay’s response to the application of pressure with multifrequency AFM and conductive AFM, whereby increases and decreases in conductivity can occur for the Laponite RD composites. We offer a possible mechanism to explain the changes in conductivity by modeling the coating as a 1-dimensional multibarrier potential for electron transport, and show that conductivity can change when the separation between the barriers changes under the application of pressure, and that the direction of the change depends on the energy of the electrons. We did not observe changes in conductivity under the application of pressure with AFM for the Cloisite Na+ nanocomposite, which has a large platelet size compared with the AFM probe diameter. No pressure-induced changes in conductivity were observed in the clay-free polymer either.

Titanium Nanocomposite: Lightweight Multifunction Structural Material

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — We propose to research and develop lightweight metal matrix nanocomposites (MMnC) using a Titanium (Ti) metal matrix. Ti MMnC will crosscut the advancement of both...

Development of multifunctional fluoroelastomers based on nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zen, Heloisa Augusto

2015-01-01

The fluoropolymers are known for their great mechanical properties, high thermal stability and resistance to aggressive chemical environment, and because of those properties they are widely used in industries, such as automobile, petroleum, chemistry, manufacturing, among others. To improve the thermal properties and gases barrier of the polymeric matrix, the incorporation of nanoparticle is used, this process permits the polymer to maintain their own characteristics and acquire new properties of nanoparticle. Because of those properties, the structural and morphological modification of fluoropolymers are very hard to be obtained through traditional techniques, in order to surmount this difficulty, the ionizing radiation is a well-known and effective method to modify fluoropolymers structures. In this thesis a nanocomposite polymeric based on fluoroelastomer (FKM) was developed and incorporated with four different configurations of nanoparticles: clay Cloisite 15A, POSS 1159, POSS 1160 and POSS 1163. After the nanocomposites films were obtained, a radiation induced grafting process was carried out, followed by sulfonation in order to obtain a ionic exchanged membrane. The effect of nanoparticle incorporation and the ionizing radiation onto films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal and mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscopy and swelling; and the membranes were evaluated by degree of grafting, ionic exchange capacity and swelling. After the films were characterized, the crosslinking effect was observed to be predominant for the nanocomposites irradiated before the vulcanization, whereas the degradation was the predominant effect in the nanocomposites irradiated after vulcanization. (author)

Biomimetic magnetic nanocomposite for smart skins

KAUST Repository

Alfadhel, Ahmed; Kosel, Jü rgen

2015-01-01

We report a biomimetic tactile sensor consisting of magnetic nanocomposite artificial cilia and magnetic sensors. The nanocomposite is fashioned from polydimethylsiloxane and iron nanowires and exhibits a permanent magnetic behavior. This enables remote operation without an additional magnetic field to magnetize the nanowires, which simplifies device integration. Moreover, the highly elastic and easy patternable nanocomposite is corrosion resistant and thermally stable. The highly sensitive and power efficient tactile sensors can detect vertical and shear forces from interactions with objects. The sensors can operate in dry and wet environment with the ability to measure different properties such as the texture and the movement or stability of objects, with easily adjustable performance.

Biomimetic magnetic nanocomposite for smart skins

KAUST Repository

Alfadhel, Ahmed

2015-11-01

We report a biomimetic tactile sensor consisting of magnetic nanocomposite artificial cilia and magnetic sensors. The nanocomposite is fashioned from polydimethylsiloxane and iron nanowires and exhibits a permanent magnetic behavior. This enables remote operation without an additional magnetic field to magnetize the nanowires, which simplifies device integration. Moreover, the highly elastic and easy patternable nanocomposite is corrosion resistant and thermally stable. The highly sensitive and power efficient tactile sensors can detect vertical and shear forces from interactions with objects. The sensors can operate in dry and wet environment with the ability to measure different properties such as the texture and the movement or stability of objects, with easily adjustable performance.

Magnetic and luminescent properties of Fe/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang Qin [College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot (China); Yang Xuwei; Yu Lianxiang [College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China); Yang Hua, E-mail: huayang86@sina.com [College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012 (China)

2011-09-15

Highlights: > We synthesize multifunctional Fe/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu nanocomposites. > The luminescent and magnetic properties of the nanocomposites are researched. > The nanocomposites showed both ferrimagnetic behavior and unique europium fluorescence properties with high emission intensity. > The spectra changes induced by the UV light irradiation and the magnetic field have been systematically studied and compared in detail. > And the hysteresis curve changes induced by the UV light irradiation have been discussed. - Abstract: Multifunctional nanocomposites with Fe/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanoparticles as the core and europium-doped yttrium oxide (Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu) as the shell (Fe/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu) have been obtained successfully employing a solvothermal method. The nanocomposites showed both ferrimagnetic behavior and unique europium fluorescence properties with high emission intensity. The spectra changes induced by the UV light irradiation and the magnetic field have been systematically studied and compared in detail. The relationship between fluorescence and magnetic properties of the multifunctional nanocomposites has been investigated in our manuscript. These multifunctional nanocomposites could be used in a number of biomedical applications, such as drug targeting, cell separation and bioimaging.

EGFR-targeted delivery of DOX-loaded Fe3O4@polydopamine multifunctional nanocomposites for MRI and antitumor chemo-photothermal therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mu X

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Xupeng Mu,1 Fuqiang Zhang,1 Chenfei Kong,1 Hongmei Zhang,1 Wenjing Zhang,1 Rui Ge,2 Yi Liu,2 Jinlan Jiang1 1Department of Central Laboratory, China-Japan Union Hospital, 2State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, China Abstract: Multifunctional nanocomposites that have multiple therapeutic functions together with real-time imaging capabilities have attracted intensive concerns in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This study developed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR antibody-directed polydopamine-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@PDA NPs for magnetic resonance imaging and antitumor chemo-photothermal therapy. The synthesized Fe3O4@PDA-PEG-EGFR-DOX NPs revealed high storage capacity for doxorubicin (DOX and high photothermal conversion efficiency. The cell viability assay of Fe3O4@PDA-PEG-EGFR NPs indicated that Fe3O4@PDA-PEG-EGFR NPs had no cell cytotoxicity. However, Fe3O4@PDA-PEG-EGFR-DOX NPs could significantly decrease cell viability (~5% of remaining cell viability because of both photothermal ablation and near-infrared light-triggered DOX release. Meanwhile, the EGFR-targeted Fe3O4@PDA-PEG-EGFR-DOX NPs significantly inhibited the growth of tumors, showing a prominent in vivo synergistic antitumor effect. This study demonstrated the potential of using Fe3O4@PDA NPs for combined cancer chemo-photothermal therapy with increased efficacy. Keywords: Fe3O4 nanoparticles, polydopamine, chemo-photothermal therapy, multifunctional nanocomposites, DOX

Multifunctional Graphene Nanocomposite Foams for Space Applications

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Materials combined with a small amount of nanoparticles offer new possibilities in the synthesizing of multifunctional materials. One novel nanomaterial is graphene...

Smart Book Charts

Science.gov (United States)

Chinnapongse, Ronald L.

2015-01-01

Smart book charts for TPSM: Heatshield for Extreme Entry Environment Technology (HEEET), Conformal Ablative TPS (CA-TPS), 3D Woven Multifunctional Ablative TPS (3D MAT), and Adaptable, Deployable, Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT).

Magnetoelectric Nanocomposites for Flexible Electronics

KAUST Repository

Al-Nassar, Mohammed Y.

2015-09-01

Flexibility, low cost, versatility, miniaturization and multi-functionality are key aspects driving research and innovation in many branches of the electronics industry. With many anticipated emerging applications, like wearable, transparent and biocompatible devices, interest among the research community in pursuit for novel multifunctional miniaturized materials have been amplified. In this context, multiferroic polymer-based nanocomposites, possessing both ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism, are highly appealing. Most importantly, these nanocomposites possess tunable ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties based on the parameters of their constituent materials as well as the magnetoelectric effect, which is the coupling between electric and magnetic properties. This tunability and interaction is a fascinating fundamental research field promising tremendous potential applications in sensors, actuators, data storage and energy harvesting. This dissertation work is devoted to the investigation of a new class of multiferroic polymer-based flexible nanocomposites, which exhibits excellent ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity simultaneously at room temperature, with the goal of understanding and optimizing the origin of their magnetoelectric coupling. The nanocomposites consist of high aspect ratio ferromagnetic nanowires (NWs) embedded inside a ferroelectric co-polymer, poly(vinylindene fluoride-trifluoroethylene), P(VDF-TrFE) matrix. First, electrochemical deposition of ferromagnetic NWs inside anodic aluminum oxide membranes is discussed. Characterization of electrodeposited iron, nickel and highly magnetostrictive iron-gallium alloy NWs was done using XRD, electron and magnetic force microscopy. Second, different nanocomposite films have been fabricated by means of spin coating and drop casting techniques. The effect of incorporation of NWs inside the ferroelectric polymer on its electroactive phase is discussed. The remanent and saturation polarization as well

A Dual-Responsive Nanocomposite toward Climate-Adaptable Solar Modulation for Energy-Saving Smart Windows.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Heng Yeong; Cai, Yufeng; Bi, Shuguang; Liang, Yen Nan; Song, Yujie; Hu, Xiao Matthew

2017-02-22

In this work, a novel fully autonomous photothermotropic material made by hybridization of the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel and antimony-tin oxide (ATO) is presented. In this photothermotropic system, the near-infrared (NIR)-absorbing ATO acts as nanoheater to induce the optical switching of the hydrogel. Such a new passive smart window is characterized by excellent NIR shielding, a photothermally activated switching mechanism, enhanced response speed, and solar modulation ability. Systems with 0, 5, 10, and 15 atom % Sb-doped ATO in PNIPAM were investigated, and it was found that a PNIPAM/ATO nanocomposite is able to be photothermally activated. The 10 atom % Sb-doped PNIPAM/ATO exhibits the best response speed and solar modulation ability. Different film thicknesses and ATO contents will affect the response rate and solar modulation ability. Structural stability tests at 15 cycles under continuous exposure to solar irradiation at 1 sun intensity demonstrated the performance stability of such a photothermotropic system. We conclude that such a novel photothermotropic hybrid can be used as a new generation of autonomous passive smart windows for climate-adaptable solar modulation.

Rational Design of Multifunctional Gold Nanoparticles via Host-Guest Interaction for Cancer-Targeted Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wei-Hai; Lei, Qi; Luo, Guo-Feng; Jia, Hui-Zhen; Hong, Sheng; Liu, Yu-Xin; Cheng, Yin-Jia; Zhang, Xian-Zheng

2015-08-12

A versatile gold nanoparticle-based multifunctional nanocomposite AuNP@CD-AD-DOX/RGD was constructed flexibly via host-guest interaction for targeted cancer chemotherapy. The pH-sensitive anticancer prodrug AD-Hyd-DOX and the cancer-targeted peptide AD-PEG8-GRGDS were modified on the surface of AuNP@CD simultaneously, which endowed the resultant nanocomposite with the capability to selectively eliminate cancer cells. In vitro studies indicated that the AuNP@CD-AD-DOX/RGD nanocomposite was preferentially uptaken by cancer cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Subsequently, anticancer drug DOX was released rapidly upon the intracellular trigger of the acid microenvirenment of endo/lysosomes, inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. As the ideal drug nanocarrier, the multifunctional gold nanoparticles with the active targeting and controllable intracellular release ability hold the great potential in cancer therapy.

Multifunctional nanocomposite based on halloysite nanotubes for efficient luminescent bioimaging and magnetic resonance imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhou T

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Tao Zhou,1 Lei Jia,1 Yi-Feng Luo,2 Jun Xu,1 Ru-Hua Chen,2 Zhi-Jun Ge,2 Tie-Liang Ma,2 Hong Chen,2 Tao-Feng Zhu2 1Department of Physics and Chemistry, Henan Polytechnic University, Jiaozuo, Henan, 2The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China Abstract: A novel multifunctional halloysite nanotube (HNT-based Fe3O4@HNT-polyethyleneimine-Tip-Eu(dibenzoylmethane3 nanocomposite (Fe-HNT-Eu NC with both photoluminescent and magnetic properties was fabricated by a simple one-step hydrothermal process combined with the coupling grafting method, which exhibited high suspension stability and excellent photophysical behavior. The as-prepared multifunctional Fe-HNT-Eu NC was characterized using various techniques. The results of cell viability assay, cell morphological observation, and in vivo toxicity assay indicated that the NC exhibited excellent biocompatibility over the studied concentration range, suggesting that the obtained Fe-HNT-Eu NC was a suitable material for bioimaging and biological applications in human hepatic adenocarcinoma cells. Furthermore, the biocompatible Fe-HNT-Eu NC displayed superparamagnetic behavior with high saturation magnetization and also functioned as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI contrast agent in vitro and in vivo. The results of the MRI tests indicated that the Fe-HNT-Eu NC can significantly decrease the T2 signal intensity values of the normal liver tissue and thus make the boundary between the normal liver and transplanted cancer more distinct, thus effectively improving the diagnosis effect of cancers. Keywords: halloysite nanotube, lanthanide complex, iron oxide, luminescence, contrast agent

Holographic patterning of organic-inorganic photopolymerizable nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Sakhno, Oksana V.; Goldenberg, Leonid M.; Smirnova, Tatiana N.; Stumpe, J.

2009-09-01

We present here novel easily processible organic-inorganic nanocomposites suitable for holographic fabrication of diffraction optical elements (DOE). The nanocomposites are based on photocurable acrylate monomers and inorganic nanoparticles (NP). The compatibility of inorganic NP with monomers was achieved by capping the NP surface with proper organic shells. Surface modification allows to introduce up to 50wt.% of inorganic NP in organic media. Depending on the NP nature (metal oxides, phosphates, semiconductors, noble metals) and their properties, the materials for both efficient DOE and multifunctional elements can be designed. Organic-inorganic composites prepared have been successfully used for the effective inscription of periodic volume refractive index structures using the holographic photopolymerization method. The nanocomposite preparation procedure, their properties and optical performance of holographic gratings are reported. The use of functional NP makes it possible to obtain effective holographic gratings having additional physical properties such as light-emission or NLO. Some examples of such functional polymer-NP structures and their possible application fields are presented. The combination of easy photo-patterning of soft organic compounds with physical properties of inorganic materials in new nanocomposites and the flexibility of the holographic patterning method allow the fabrication of mono- and multifunctional one- and multi-dimensional passive or active optical and photonic elements.

A Multifunctional Public Lighting Infrastructure, Design and Experimental Test

OpenAIRE

Marco Beccali; Valerio Lo Brano; Marina Bonomolo; Paolo Cicero; Giacomo Corvisieri; Marco Caruso; Francesco Gamberale

2017-01-01

Nowadays, the installation of efficient lighting sources and Information and Communications Technologies can provide economic benefits, energy efficiency, and visual comfort requirements. More advantages can be derived if the public lighting infrastructure integrates a smart grid. This study presents an experimental multifunctional infrastructure for public lighting, installed in Palermo. The system is able to provide smart lighting functions (hotspot Wi-Fi, video-surveillances, car and pedes...

Effect of Nanodiamonds on Structure and Durability of Polyethylene Oxide-Based Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rossella Arrigo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Polymer-based nanocomposites containing nanodiamonds (NDs are attractive multifunctional materials with a growing range of applications. In this work, in the frame of developing completely biocompatible systems, nanocomposites based on polyethylene oxide (PEO and different amount of NDs have been formulated through melt mixing and fully characterized. In particular, the reinforcement effect of NDs in PEO has been probed through tensile tests, and the rheological response of PEO-based nanocomposites as a function of the nanoparticles amount has been investigated and discussed. The obtained results show that the presence of well-distributed NDs strengthens the mechanical performance of the nanocomposites and brings about an increase of the PEO crystallinity, suggesting a strong adhesion between NDs and polymer matrix. Furthermore, as a result of NDs adding, alterations of the rheological behaviour of neat PEO can be noticed, as NDs are able to significantly influence the long-range dynamics of PEO chains. Besides, accelerated aging tests demonstrate that NDs show a remarkable protective ability against PEO photodegradation, due to their ability to attenuate efficiently UV radiation. The latter opens up new avenues for the use of NDs as multifunctional nanofillers for polymer-based nanocomposites with enhanced photooxidative resistance.

Development of multi-functional nano-paint for energy harvesting applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bir B. Bohara

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The multi-functionality of lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate/paint (PMN-PT/paint nanocomposite films for energy harvesting via piezoelectric and pyroelectric effects is described. PMN-PT/paint films have been fabricated by a conventional paint-brushing technique to provide a low-cost, low-temperature and low–energy route to create multi-functional films. The properties investigated included dielectric constants, ε' and ε'', as a function of temperature, frequency and composition. From these parameters, it is indicated that the dielectric constants and AC conductivity (σAC increase with an increase of filler content and temperature, implying an improvement of the functionality of the films. The results revealed that σAC obeyed the relation σAC = Aωs, and exponent s, was found to decrease by increasing the temperature. The correlated barrier hopping was the dominant conduction mechanism in the nanocomposite films. The efforts were made to investigate the performance of nanocomposite films to mechanical vibrations and thermal variations. A cantilever system was designed and examined to assess its performance as energy harvesters. The highest output voltage and power for a PMN-PT/paint based harvester with a broad frequency response operating in the -31-piezoelectric mode were 65 mV and 1 nW, respectively. Voltage and power were shown to be enhanced by application of thermal variations. Thus, films could be utilized for combined energy harvesting via piezoelectric and pyroelectric characteristics. Keywords: Dielectric, Pyroelectricity, Piezoelectricity, Nanocomposites, PMN-PT, Energy harvesting

EDITORIAL Smart materials, multifunctional composites, and morphing structures: selected papers from the 20th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies (ICAST 2009) Smart materials, multifunctional composites, and morphing structures: selected papers from the 20th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies (ICAST 2009)

Science.gov (United States)

Liao, Wei-Hsin

2010-12-01

The 20th International Conference on Adaptive Structures and Technologies (ICAST) was held on 20-22 October 2009 in Hong Kong. This special section of Smart Materials and Structures is derived from the research papers presented at the conference. Of the 106 papers presented at the conference, 11 papers were reviewed and accepted for this special section, following the regular review procedures of the journal. This special section is focused on smart materials, multifunctional composites, and applications on morphing structures. Smart materials. Smart materials are the foundation of adaptive structures and intelligent systems. The development of new materials will lead to significant improvement in various applications. Three articles are focused on the fabrication of new materials and investigation of their behaviors: Barium strontium zirconate titanate ((Ba1-xSrx)(ZrxTi1-x)O3; BSZT, x = 0.25 and 0.75) ceramics with a highly crystalline structure were fabricated using the combustion technique. The microstructure of BSZT powders exhibited an almost-spherical morphology and had a porous agglomerated form. Polyaniline (PANI)/clay nanoparticles with unique core-shell structure were synthesized via Pickering emulsion polymerization. By dispersing PANI/clay nanoparticles in silicone oil, the ER fluid was made. Magnetic field effects were investigated on the deposition rate and surface morphology of chromium nitride coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering for superior hardness, excellent wear and oxidation resistance. The surface morphology of chromium nitride films was also examined by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Multifunctional composites. Composites are made from two or more constituent materials so they can combine the best properties of different materials. Five papers deal with fabrication, testing, and modeling of various multifunctional composites: A new active structural fiber (ASF) was fabricated by coating a single carbon fiber with a concentric

BACTERICIDE IMPACT OF POLYMER-STABILIZED MULTI-FUNCTIONAL NANO-COMPOSITES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Graskova I.A.

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Synthesis on the basis of natural matrices in order to acquire products with the desired properties is one of the promising trends of modern science. Using polysaccharides as a matrix allowed to generate derivatives with diverse structures and new properties. Growing interest towards anti-microbe effect of selenium-containing nano-composites is induced by the phenomenon of antibiotic-resistance of contemporary pathogenic microorganisms.Clavibacter genus bacteria are the most significant and widely spread among gram-positive bacteria. Bacteria cells are static pleimorphous rods, normally singular, sometimes coupled or joined in short chains, strict anaerobes in need of certain growth factors, non-sporogenous. Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. sepedonicus cause potato ring rot. At the tuber slice the damage is shaped as a ring; growing bacteria are accumulated in the conducting vessels causing their occlusion and therefore gradual withering of leaves and stem. This disease is distributed at all the continents including Australia. Harvest loss through ring rot damage may reach 10-45%.Our work was aimed at the study of complex interaction between microbe cultivar and selenium-based nanocomposites. Bacterial strain Аs1405 was acquired from the All-Russia collection of microorganisms, IMBP RAS. This genus is not included in the classification of pathogenic microorganisms by pathogenic groups of Sanitary-Epidemiological Rules SP 1.3.2322-08. The present study was focused on characteristics of the acquired strain.Fluorescent and electronic-scanning microscope was used to acquire photographs of bacterial cells. Pathogen was identified by PCR-analysis, which confirmed the presence of DNA of desired size. The extracted DNA was sequenced with the sequenced sequence added to Gen Bank under the number HQ394204. Cellulolytic and phytotoxic activity of this strain was determined.Chemistry Institute named A.E. Favorsky provided water-soluble nano-composites

Smart Nanocomposite Coatings with Chameleon Surface Adaptation in Tribological Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Voevodin, A. A.; Zabinski, J. S.

Smart nanocomposite tribological coatings were designed to respond to changing environmental conditions by self-adjustment of their surface properties to maintain good tribological performance in any environment. These coatings have been dubbed "chameleon" because of their ability to change their surface chemistry and structure to avoid wear. The first "chameleon" coatings were made of WC, WS2, and DLC; these coatings provided superior mechanical toughness and performance in dry/humid environmental cycling. In order to address temperature variation, the second generation of "chameleon" coatings were made of yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) in a gold matrix with encapsulated nano-sized reservoirs of MoS2 and DLC. High temperature lubrication with low melting point glassy ceramic phases was also explored. All coatings were produced using a combination of laser ablation and magnetron sputtering. They were thoroughly characterized by various analytical, mechanical, and tribological methods. Coating toughness was remarkably enhanced by activation of a grain boundary sliding mechanism. Friction and wear endurance measurements were performed in controlled humidity air, dry nitrogen, and vacuum environments, as well as at 500-600 °C in air. Unique friction and wear performance in environmental cycling was demonstrated.

A Multifunctional Coating for Autonomous Corrosion Control

Science.gov (United States)

Calle, Luz M.; Li, Wenyan; Buhrow, Jerry W.; Jolley, Scott t.

2011-01-01

Nearly all metals and their alloys are subject to corrosion that causes them to lose their structural integrity or other critical functionality. Protective coatings are the most commonly used method of corrosion control. However, progressively stricter environmental regulations have resulted in the ban of many commercially available corrosion protective coatings due to the harmful effects of their solvents or corrosion inhibitors. This work concerns the development of a multifunctional smart coating for the autonomous control of corrosion. This coating is being developed to have the inherent ability to detect the chemical changes associated with the onset of corrosion and respond autonomously to indicate it and control it. The multi-functionality of the coating is based on microencapsulation technology specifically designed for corrosion control applications. This design has, in addition to all the advantages of existing microcapsulation designs, the corrosion controlled release function that triggers the delivery of corrosion indicators and inhibitors on demand, only when and where needed. Microencapsulation of self-healing agents for autonomous repair of mechanical damage to the coating is also being pursued. Corrosion indicators, corrosion inhibitors, as well as self-healing agents, have been encapsulated and dispersed into several paint systems to test the corrosion detection, inhibition, and self-healing properties of the coating. Key words: Corrosion, coating, autonomous corrosion control, corrosion indication, corrosion inhibition, self-healing coating, smart coating, multifunctional coating, microencapsulation.

Structure–property relationships in hybrid dental nanocomposite resins containing monofunctional and multifunctional polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang WG

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Weiguo Wang,1,* Xiang Sun,1,* Li Huang,2,* Yu Gao,1 Jinghao Ban,1 Lijuan Shen,1 Jihua Chen1 1Department of Prosthodontics, 2Department of General Dentistry and Emergency, School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Organic-inorganic hybrid materials, such as polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS, have the potential to improve the mechanical properties of the methacrylate-based composites and resins used in dentistry. In this article, nanocomposites of methacryl isobutyl POSS (MI-POSS [bears only one methacrylate functional group] and methacryl POSS (MA-POSS [bears eight methacrylate functional groups] were investigated to determine the effect of structures on the properties of dental resin. The structures of the POSS-containing networks were determined by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Monofunctional POSS showed a strong tendency toward aggregation and crystallization, while multifunctional POSS showed higher miscibility with the dimethacrylate monomer. The mechanical properties and wear resistance decreased with increasing amounts of MI-POSS, indicating that the MI-POSS agglomerates act as the mechanical weak point in the dental resins. The addition of small amounts of MA-POSS improved the mechanical and shrinkage properties. However, samples with a higher MA-POSS concentration showed lower flexural strength and flexural modulus, indicating that there is a limited range in which the reinforcement properties of MA-POSS can operate. This concentration dependence is attributed to phase separation at higher concentrations of POSS, which affects the structural integrity, and thus, the mechanical and shrinkage properties of the dental resin. Our results show that resin with 3% MA-POSS is a potential candidate for resin-based dental materials

Polymer and ceramic nanocomposites for aerospace applications

Science.gov (United States)

Rathod, Vivek T.; Kumar, Jayanth S.; Jain, Anjana

2017-11-01

This paper reviews the potential of polymer and ceramic matrix composites for aerospace/space vehicle applications. Special, unique and multifunctional properties arising due to the dispersion of nanoparticles in ceramic and metal matrix are briefly discussed followed by a classification of resulting aerospace applications. The paper presents polymer matrix composites comprising majority of aerospace applications in structures, coating, tribology, structural health monitoring, electromagnetic shielding and shape memory applications. The capabilities of the ceramic matrix nanocomposites to providing the electromagnetic shielding for aircrafts and better tribological properties to suit space environments are discussed. Structural health monitoring capability of ceramic matrix nanocomposite is also discussed. The properties of resulting nanocomposite material with its disadvantages like cost and processing difficulties are discussed. The paper concludes after the discussion of the possible future perspectives and challenges in implementation and further development of polymer and ceramic nanocomposite materials.

Magnetic Nanocomposite Cilia Tactile Sensor

KAUST Repository

Alfadhel, Ahmed; Kosel, Jü rgen

2015-01-01

A multifunctional biomimetic nanocomposite tactile sensor is developed that can detect shear and vertical forces, feel texture, and measure flow with extremely low power consumption. The sensor's high performance is maintained within a wide operating range that can be easily adjusted. The concept works on rigid and flexible substrates and the sensors can be used in air or water without any modifications.

Magnetic Nanocomposite Cilia Tactile Sensor

KAUST Repository

Alfadhel, Ahmed

2015-10-21

A multifunctional biomimetic nanocomposite tactile sensor is developed that can detect shear and vertical forces, feel texture, and measure flow with extremely low power consumption. The sensor\\'s high performance is maintained within a wide operating range that can be easily adjusted. The concept works on rigid and flexible substrates and the sensors can be used in air or water without any modifications.

Biomimetic elastomeric, conductive and biodegradable polycitrate-based nanocomposites for guiding myogenic differentiation and skeletal muscle regeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

Du, Yuzhang; Ge, Juan; Li, Yannan; Ma, Peter X; Lei, Bo

2018-03-01

Artificial muscle-like biomaterials have gained tremendous interests owing to their broad applications in regenerative medicine, wearable devices, bioelectronics and artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, key challenges are still existed for current materials, including biomimetic viscoelasticity, biocompatibility and biodegradation, multifunctionality. Herein, for the first time, we develop highly elastomeric, conductive and biodegradable poly (citric acid-octanediol-polyethylene glycol)(PCE)-graphene (PCEG) nanocomposites, and demonstrate their applications in myogenic differentiation and guiding skeletal muscle tissue regeneration. In PCEG nanocomposites, PCE provides the biomimetic elastomeric behavior, and the addition of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) endows the enhanced mechanical strength and conductivity. The highly elastomeric behavior, significantly enhanced modulus (400%-800%), strength (200%-300%) of PCEG nanocomposites with controlled biodegradability and electrochemical conductivity were achieved. The myoblasts proliferation and myogenic differentiation were significantly improved by PCEG nanocomposite. Significantly high in vivo biocompatibility of PCEG nanocomposites was observed when implanted in the subcutaneous tissue for 4 weeks in rats. PCEG nanocomposites could significantly enhance the muscle fibers and blood vessels formation in vivo in a skeletal muscle lesion model of rat. This study may provide a novel strategy to develop multifunctional elastomeric nanocomposites with high biocompatibility for potential soft tissue regeneration and stretchable bioelectronic devices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relationship Between Filler-Matrix Interface and Macroscopical Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites

KAUST Repository

Ventura, Isaac Aguilar

2017-01-01

The macroscopic properties of Multiwall Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT) polymer nano-composites and multiscale composites have been studied from a multifunctional standpoint. The objective is to understand and correlate the mechanisms in which the addition

Next-Generation Multifunctional Electrochromic Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Cai, Guofa; Wang, Jiangxin; Lee, Pooi See

2016-08-16

The rational design and exploration of electrochromic devices will find a wide range of applications in smart windows for energy-efficient buildings, low-power displays, self-dimming rear mirrors for automobiles, electrochromic e-skins, and so on. Electrochromic devices generally consist of multilayer structures with transparent conductors, electrochromic films, ion conductors, and ion storage films. Synthetic strategies and new materials for electrochromic films and transparent conductors, comprehensive electrochemical kinetic analysis, and novel device design are areas of active study worldwide. These are believed to be the key factors that will help to significantly improve the electrochromic performance and extend their application areas. In this Account, we present our strategies to design and fabricate electrochromic devices with high performance and multifunctionality. We first describe the synthetic strategies, in which a porous tungsten oxide (WO3) film with nearly ideal optical modulation and fast switching was prepared by a pulsed electrochemical deposition method. Multiple strategies, such as sol-gel/inkjet printing methods, hydrothermal/inkjet printing methods, and a novel hybrid transparent conductor/electrochromic layer have been developed to prepare high-performance electrochromic films. We then summarize the recent advances in transparent conductors and ion conductor layers, which play critial roles in electrochromic devices. Benefiting from the developments of soft transparent conductive substrates, highly deformable electrochromic devices that are flexible, foldable, stretchable, and wearable have been achieved. These emerging devices have great potential in applications such as soft displays, electrochromic e-skins, deformable electrochromic films, and so on. We finally present a concept of multifunctional smart glass, which can change its color to dynamically adjust the daylight and solar heat input of the building or protect the users' privacy

Multifunctional Graphene-Silicone Elastomer Nanocomposite, Method of Making the Same, and Uses Thereof

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Shuyang (Inventor); Aksay, Ilhan A. (Inventor); Prud'Homme, Robert K. (Inventor)

2018-01-01

A nanocomposite composition having a silicone elastomer matrix having therein a filler loading of greater than 0.05 wt %, based on total nanocomposite weight, wherein the filler is functional graphene sheets (FGS) having a surface area of from 300 sq m/g to 2630 sq m2/g; and a method for producing the nanocomposite and uses thereof.

Size-dependent cytotoxicity and inflammatory responses of PEGylated silica-iron oxide nanocomposite size series

Science.gov (United States)

Injumpa, Wishulada; Ritprajak, Patcharee; Insin, Numpon

2017-04-01

Iron oxides nanoparticles have been utilized in biological systems and biomedical applications for many years because they are relatively safe and stable comparing to other magnetic nanomaterials. In some applications, iron oxide nanoparticles were modified with silica in order to be more stable in biological systems and able to be functionalized with various functional groups. Moreover, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was one on the most used polymer to graft onto the nanoparticles in order to increase their biocompatibility, dispersibility and stability in aqueous solutions. Therefore, the nanocomposites comprising iron oxide nanoparticles, silica, and PEG could become multifunctional carriers combining superparamagnetic character, multi-functionality and high stability in biological environments. Herein, we reported the preparation of the nanocomposites and effects of their sizes on cytotoxicity and inflammatory responses. The PEGylated silica-iron oxide nanocomposites were prepared by coating of poly(poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacrylate) (PPEGMA) on magnetic nanoparticle-silica nanocomposites via Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP). The iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using a thermal decomposition method. The silica shells were then coated on iron oxides nanoparticles using reverse microemulsion and sol-gel methods. The size series of the nanocomposites with the diameter of 24.86±4.38, 45.24±5.00, 98.10±8.88 and 202.22±6.70 nm as measured using TEM were obtained. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used for the determination of % weight of PPEGMA on the nanocomposites showing the weight loss of ranging from 65% for smallest particles to 30% for largest particles. The various sizes (20, 40, 100, 200 nm) and concentrations (10, 100, 1000 μg/mL) of the nanocomposites were tested for their cytotoxicity in fibroblast and macrophage cell lines using MTT assay. The different sizes did not affect cell viability of fibroblast, albeit

Implementing polytope projects for smart systems

CERN Document Server

Iordache, Octavian

2017-01-01

This book presents a domain of extreme industrial and scientific interest: the study of smart systems and structures. It presents polytope projects as comprehensive physical and cognitive architectures that support the investigation, fabrication and implementation of smart systems and structures. These systems feature multifunctional components that can perform sensing, control, and actuation. In light of the fact that devices, tools, methodologies and organizations based on electronics and information technology for automation, specific to the third industrial revolution, are increasingly reaching their limits, it is essential that smart systems be implemented in industry. Polytope projects facilitate the utilization of smart systems and structures as key elements of the fourth industrial revolution. The book begins by presenting polytope projects as a reference architecture for cyber-physical systems and smart systems, before addressing industrial process synthesis in Chapter 2. Flow-sheet trees, cyclic sep...

Smart built-in test for nuclear thermal propulsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lombrozo, P.C.

1992-03-01

Smart built-in test (BIT) technologies are envisioned for nuclear thermal propulsion spacecraft components which undergo constant irradiation and are therefore unsafe for manual testing. Smart BIT systems of automated/remote type allow component and system tests to be conducted; failure detections are directly followed by reconfiguration of the components affected. The 'smartness' of the BIT system in question involves the reduction of sensor counts via the use of multifunction sensors, the use of components as integral sensors, and the use of system design techniques which allow the verification of system function beyond component connectivity

Microencapsulation Technology for Corrosion Mitigation by Smart Coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Buhrow, Jerry; Li, Wenyan; Jolley, Scott; Calle, Luz M.

2011-01-01

A multifunctional, smart coating for the autonomous control of corrosion is being developed based on micro-encapsulation technology. Corrosion indicators as well as corrosion inhibitors have been incorporated into microcapsules, blended into several paint systems, and tested for corrosion detection and protection effectiveness. This paper summarizes the development, optimization, and testing of microcapsules specifically designed to be incorporated into a smart coating that will deliver corrosion inhibitors to mitigate corrosion autonomously. Key words: smart coating, corrosion inhibition, microencapsulation, microcapsule, pH sensitive microcapsule, corrosion inhibitor, corrosion protection pain

Photocatalysis and Bandgap Engineering Using ZnO Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Ali Johar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Nanocomposites have a great potential to work as efficient, multifunctional materials for energy conversion and photoelectrochemical reactions. Nanocomposites may reveal more improved photocatalysis by implying the improvements of their electronic and structural properties than pure photocatalyst. This paper presents the recent work carried out on photoelectrochemical reactions using the composite materials of ZnO with CdS, ZnO with SnO2, ZnO with TiO2, ZnO with Ag2S, and ZnO with graphene and graphene oxide. The photocatalytic efficiency mainly depends upon the light harvesting span of a material, lifetime of photogenerated electron-hole pair, and reactive sites available in the photocatalyst. We reviewed the UV-Vis absorption spectrum of nanocomposite and photodegradation reported by the same material and how photodegradation depends upon the factors described above. Finally the improvement in the absorption band edge of nanocomposite material is discussed.

Enhanced dispersion of carbon nanotubes in hyperbranched polyurethane and properties of nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rana, Sravendra; Karak, Niranjan; Cho, Jae Whan; Kim, Young Ho

2008-01-01

Hyperbranched polyurethane (HBPU) nanocomposites with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were prepared by in situ polymerization on the basis of poly(ε-caprolactone)diol as the soft segment, 4,4'-methylene bis(phenylisocyanate) as the hard segment, and castor oil as the multifunctional group for the hyperbranched structure. A dominant improvement in the dispersion of MWNTs in the HBPU matrix was found, and good solubility of HBPU-MWNT nanocomposites in organic solvents was shown. Due to the well-dispersed MWNTs, the nanocomposites resulted in achieving excellent shape memory properties as well as enhanced mechanical properties compared to pure HBPU.

Multifunctional nanocomposite hollow fiber membranes by solvent transfer induced phase separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Haase, Martin F; Jeon, Harim; Hough, Noah; Kim, Jong Hak; Stebe, Kathleen J; Lee, Daeyeon

2017-11-01

The decoration of porous membranes with a dense layer of nanoparticles imparts useful functionality and can enhance membrane separation and anti-fouling properties. However, manufacturing of nanoparticle-coated membranes requires multiple steps and tedious processing. Here, we introduce a facile single-step method in which bicontinuous interfacially jammed emulsions are used to form nanoparticle-functionalized hollow fiber membranes. The resulting nanocomposite membranes prepared via solvent transfer-induced phase separation and photopolymerization have exceptionally high nanoparticle loadings (up to 50 wt% silica nanoparticles) and feature densely packed nanoparticles uniformly distributed over the entire membrane surfaces. These structurally well-defined, asymmetric membranes facilitate control over membrane flux and selectivity, enable the formation of stimuli responsive hydrogel nanocomposite membranes, and can be easily modified to introduce antifouling features. This approach forms a foundation for the formation of advanced nanocomposite membranes comprising diverse building blocks with potential applications in water treatment, industrial separations and as catalytic membrane reactors.

Bio-inspired method to obtain multifunctional dynamic nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Kushner, Aaron M.; Guan, Zhibin; Williams, Gregory; Chen, Yulin

2018-04-10

A method for a polymeric or nanocomposite material. The method includes assembling a multiphase hard-soft structure, where the structure includes a hard micro- or nano-phase, and a soft micro- or nano-phase that includes a polymeric scaffold. In the method, the polymeric scaffold includes dynamically interacting motifs and has a glass transition temperature (T.sub.g) lower than the intended operating temperature of the material.

Multifunctional nanocomposites of carbon nanotubes and nanoparticles formed via vacuum filtration

Science.gov (United States)

Hersam, Mark C; Ostojic, Gordana; Liang, Yu Teng

2013-10-22

In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of forming a film of nanocomposites of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and platinum (Pt) nanoparticles. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of (a) providing a first solution that contains a plurality of CNTs, (b) providing a second solution that contains a plurality of Pt nanoparticles, (c) combining the first solution and the second solution to form a third solution, and (d) filtering the third solution through a nanoporous membrane using vacuum filtration to obtain a film of nanocomposites of CNTs and Pt nanoparticles.

Editorial Emerging Multifunctional Nano structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fan, H.; Lu, Y.; Ramanath, G.; Pomposo, J.A.

2009-01-01

The interest in emerging nano structures is growing exponentially since they are promising building blocks for advanced multifunctional nano composites. In recent years, an evolution from the controlled synthesis of individual monodisperse nanoparticles to the tailored preparation of hybrid spherical and also unsymmetrical multiparticle nano structures is clearly observed. As a matter of fact, the field of nano structures built around a nano species such as inside, outside, and next to a nanoparticle is becoming a new evolving area of research and development with potential applications in improved drug delivery systems, innovative magnetic devices, biosensors, and highly efficient catalysts, among several others Emerging nano structures with improved magnetic, conducting and smart characteristics are currently based on the design, synthesis, characterization and modeling of multifunctional nano object-based materials. In fact, core-shell nanoparticles and other related complex nano architectures covering a broad spectrum of materials (from metal and metal oxide to fused carbon, synthetic polymer, and bio polymer structures) to nano structure morphologies (spherical, cylindrical, star-like, etc.) are becoming the main building blocks for next generation of drug delivery systems, advanced sensors and biosensors, or improved nano composites. The five papers presented in this special issue examine the preparation and characterization of emerging multifunctional materials, covering from hybrid asymmetric structures to engineering nano composites.

Smart Homes for Older People: Positive Aging in a Digital World

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tony Barnett

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Smart homes are homes with technologically advanced systems to enable domestic task automation, easier communication, and higher security. As an enabler of health and well-being enhancement, smart homes have been geared to accommodate people with special needs, especially older people. This paper examines the concept of “smart home” in a technologically driven society and its multi-functional contribution to the enhancement of older people’s lives. Discussion then focuses on the challenges in the use of smart homes among older people such as accessibility and ethical issues. Finally, some implications and recommendations are provided.

Size-dependent cytotoxicity and inflammatory responses of PEGylated silica-iron oxide nanocomposite size series

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Injumpa, Wishulada [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Ritprajak, Patcharee [Department of Microbiology, and RU in Oral Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Insin, Numpon, E-mail: Numpon.I@chula.ac.th [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

2017-04-01

Iron oxides nanoparticles have been utilized in biological systems and biomedical applications for many years because they are relatively safe and stable comparing to other magnetic nanomaterials. In some applications, iron oxide nanoparticles were modified with silica in order to be more stable in biological systems and able to be functionalized with various functional groups. Moreover, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was one on the most used polymer to graft onto the nanoparticles in order to increase their biocompatibility, dispersibility and stability in aqueous solutions. Therefore, the nanocomposites comprising iron oxide nanoparticles, silica, and PEG could become multifunctional carriers combining superparamagnetic character, multi-functionality and high stability in biological environments. Herein, we reported the preparation of the nanocomposites and effects of their sizes on cytotoxicity and inflammatory responses. The PEGylated silica-iron oxide nanocomposites were prepared by coating of poly(poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether methacrylate) (PPEGMA) on magnetic nanoparticle-silica nanocomposites via Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP). The iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using a thermal decomposition method. The silica shells were then coated on iron oxides nanoparticles using reverse microemulsion and sol-gel methods. The size series of the nanocomposites with the diameter of 24.86±4.38, 45.24±5.00, 98.10±8.88 and 202.22±6.70 nm as measured using TEM were obtained. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) was used for the determination of % weight of PPEGMA on the nanocomposites showing the weight loss of ranging from 65% for smallest particles to 30% for largest particles. The various sizes (20, 40, 100, 200 nm) and concentrations (10, 100, 1000 μg/mL) of the nanocomposites were tested for their cytotoxicity in fibroblast and macrophage cell lines using MTT assay. The different sizes did not affect cell viability of fibroblast, albeit

Polymer-Silica Nanocomposites: A Versatile Platform for Multifunctional Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Chi-Kai

Solution sol-gel synthesis is a versatile approach to create polymer-silica nanocomposite materials. The solution-to-solid transformation results in a solid consisting of interconnected nanoporous structure in 3D space, making it the ideal material for filtration, encapsulation, optics, electronics, drug release, and biomaterials, etc. Although the pore between nano and meso size may be tunable using different reaction conditions, the intrinsic properties such as limited diffusion within pore structure, complicated interfacial interactions at the pore surfaces, shrinkage and stress-induced cracking and brittleness have limited the applications of this material. To overcome these problems, diffusion, pore size, shrinkage and stress-induced defects need further investigation. Thus, the presented thesis will address these important questions such as whether these limitations can be utilized as the novel method to create new materials and lead to new applications. First, the behaviors of polymers such as poly(ethylene glycol) inside the silica pores are examined by studying the nucleation and growth of AgCl at the surface of the porous matrix. The pore structure and the pressure induced by the shrinkage affect have been found to induce the growth of AgCl nanocrystals. When the same process is carried out at 160 °C, silver metallization is possible. Due to the shrinkage-induced stresses, the polymer tends to move into open crack spaces and exterior surfaces, forming interconnected silver structure. This interconnected silver structure is very unique because its density is not related to the size scale of nanopore structures. These findings suggest that it is possible to utilize defect surface of silica material as the template to create interconnected silver structure. When the scale is small, polymer may no longer be needed if the diffusion length of Ag is more than the size of silica particles. To validate our assumption, monoliths of sol-gel sample containing AgNO3

Relationship Between Filler-Matrix Interface and Macroscopical Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites

KAUST Repository

Aguilar Ventura, Isaac Enrique

2017-11-01

The macroscopic properties of Multiwall Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT) polymer nano-composites and multiscale composites have been studied from a multifunctional standpoint. The objective is to understand and correlate the mechanisms in which the addition of a small content of MWCNTs can affect the mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of thermoplastic and thermoset polymer nanocomposites. While CNTs are well-known to possess extraordinary properties in the nanoscale, it has been shown that, the CNT/polymer matrix and CNT/CNT interactions are mainly responsible for the modification of properties in the nanocomposites. Observation of the mechanical properties revealed that the addition of CNTs can increase the stiffness of the material, but the increment of interfacial regions can accelerate the damage process under cyclic loading conditions. Additionally, CNTs can interact with polymer chains in the matrix affecting thermomechanical properties such as the glass transition temperature and the storage modulus. A low content of well-dispersed CNTs can form percolated networks within the matrix, which, due to the nature of the electrical conduction mechanism, have demonstrated potential in increasing the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposites. In contrast, high phonon scattering at the interconnections along the CNT network are responsible for marginal increases in thermal conductivity. In this study, a special focus was placed in modifying the CNT interconnections with a conductive polymer "bridge" to increase the efficiency of the electrical carrier transport. Additional experimental observations such as piezoresistivity and electrical conductivity/temperature dependency, demonstrated the major role of the interfacial regions with respect to the observed material properties in the macroscale. Controlling the interactions that occur in these regions is key to achieve tailorable, multifunctional nanocomposites.

Polymer-noble metal nanocomposites: Review

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Folarin, OM

2011-09-01

Full Text Available because of their multi-functionality, ease of process-ability, potential for large-scale manufacturing, significantly lighter than metals, ease of synthesis when compared to the oxide/noble metal multi-layers (Gass et al., 2006; Lee et al., 2003.... their easy aggregation arising from their high surface free energy (Lee et al., 2006). In the design of nanocomposites, one must consider the properties of the polymer matrix as well as the stability of the nanoparticles and more importantly...

Microencapsulation of Corrosion Indicators for Smart Coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wenyan; Buhrow, Jerry W.; Jolley, Scott T.; Calle, Luz M.; Hanna,Joshua S.; Rawlins, James W.

2011-01-01

A multifunctional smart coating for the autonomous detection, indication, and control of corrosion is been developed based on microencapsulation technology. This paper summarizes the development, optimization, and testing of microcapsules specifically designed for early detection and indication of corrosion when incorporated into a smart coating. Results from experiments designed to test the ability of the microcapsules to detect and indicate corrosion, when blended into several paint systems, show that these experimental coatings generate a color change, indicative of spot specific corrosion events, that can be observed with the naked eye within hours rather than the hundreds of hours or months typical of the standard accelerated corrosion test protocols.. Key words: smart coating, corrosion detection, microencapsulation, microcapsule, pH-sensitive microcapsule, corrosion indicator, corrosion sensing paint

Exploiting multi-function Metal-Organic Framework nanocomposite Ag@Zn-TSA as highly efficient immobilization matrixes for sensitive electrochemical biosensing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Sheying; Zhang, Dandan; Suo, Gaochao; Wei, Wenbo; Huang, Tinglin

2016-01-01

A novel multi-function Metal-Organic Framework composite Ag@Zn-TSA (zinc thiosalicylate, Zn(C_7H_4O_2S), Zn-TSA) was synthesized as highly efficient immobilization matrixes of myoglobin (Mb)/glucose oxidase (GOx) for electrochemical biosensing. The electrochemical biosensors based on Ag@Zn-TSA composite and ionic liquid (IL) modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) were fabricated successfully. Furthermore, the properties of the sensors were discussed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and amperometric current-time curve, respectively. The results showed the proposed biosensors had wide linear response to hydrogen peroxide (H_2O_2) in the range of 0.3–20,000 μM, to nitrite (NO_2"−) for 1.3 μM–1660 μM and 2262 μM–1,33,000 μM, to glucose for 2.0–1022 μM, with a low detection limit of 0.08 μM for H_2O_2, 0.5 μM for NO_2"−, 0.8 μM for glucose. The values of the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k_s) for Mb and GOx were estimated as 2.05 s"−"1 and 2.45 s"−"1, respectively. Thus, Ag@Zn-TSA was a kind of ideal material as highly efficient immobilization matrixes for sensitive electrochemical biosensing. In addition, this work indicated that MOF nanocomposite had a great potential for constructing wide range of sensing interface. - Highlights: • Novel Ag@Zn-TSA was used as highly efficient immobilization matrixes of Mb/glucose. • We exploited multi-function MOFs for a wide range of electrocatalytic sensing interface. • The proposed biosensors had an excellent catalytic effect on the small molecule (NO_2"−, H_2O_2, glucose).

Miscibility–dispersion, interfacial strength and nanoclay mobility relationships in polymer nanocomposites

KAUST Repository

Carretero-Gonzá lez, Javier; Retsos, Haris; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.; Ezquerra, Tiberio A.; Herná ndez, Marianella; Ló pez-Manchado, Miguel A.

2009-01-01

Fully dispersed layered silicate nanoparticles (nanoclay) in a polymer matrix have provided a new class of multi-functional materials exhibiting several performance improvements over conventional composites. Yet the challenges of miscibility and interfacial strength might prevent nanocomposites from realizing their full potential. In this paper we demonstrate the effect of the chemical characteristics of the nanoclay on the miscibility and dispersion in the polymer matrix as well as on the interfacial strength of the bound polymer and the nanoclay mobility, all of which determine the macroscopic properties of the nanocomposite. © 2009 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Three-Dimensional Graphene Foam Induces Multifunctionality in Epoxy Nanocomposites by Simultaneous Improvement in Mechanical, Thermal, and Electrical Properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Embrey, Leslie; Nautiyal, Pranjal; Loganathan, Archana; Idowu, Adeyinka; Boesl, Benjamin; Agarwal, Arvind

2017-11-15

Three-dimensional (3D) macroporous graphene foam based multifunctional epoxy composites are developed in this study. Facile dip-coating and mold-casting techniques are employed to engineer microstructures with tailorable thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties. These processing techniques allow capillarity-induced equilibrium filling of graphene foam branches, creating epoxy/graphene interfaces with minimal separation. Addition of 2 wt % graphene foam enhances the glass transition temperature of epoxy from 106 to 162 °C, improving the thermal stability of the polymer composite. Graphene foam aids in load-bearing, increasing the ultimate tensile strength by 12% by merely 0.13 wt % graphene foam in an epoxy matrix. Digital image correlation (DIC) analysis revealed that the graphene foam cells restrict and confine the deformation of the polymer matrix, thereby enhancing the load-bearing capability of the composite. Addition of 0.6 wt % graphene foam also enhances the flexural strength of the pure epoxy by 10%. A 3D network of graphene branches is found to suppress and deflect the cracks, arresting mechanical failure. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of the composites demonstrated their vibration damping capability, as the loss tangent (tan δ) jumps from 0.1 for the pure epoxy to 0.24 for ∼2 wt % graphene foam-epoxy composite. Graphene foam branches also provide seamless pathways for electron transfer, which induces electrical conductivity exceeding 450 S/m in an otherwise insulator epoxy matrix. The epoxy-graphene foam composite exhibits a gauge factor as high as 4.1, which is twice the typical gauge factor for the most common metals. Simultaneous improvement in thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties of epoxy due to 3D graphene foam makes epoxy-graphene foam composite a promising lightweight and multifunctional material for aiding load-bearing, electrical transport, and motion sensing in aerospace, automotive, robotics, and smart device structures.

Carbon nanoparticle doped micro-patternable nano-composites for wearable sensing applications (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Khosla, Ajit

2017-04-01

scale micropatterning of multi-walled carbon nanotube/polydimethylsiloxane nanocomposite polymer on highly flexible 12×24 inch substrates. Proc. SPIE 7926, Micromachining and Microfabrication Process Technology XVI, 79260L (February 15, 2011); doi:10.1117/12.876738. 6. A. Khosla, and Bonnie L. Gray. "(Invited) Micropatternable Multifunctional Nanocomposite Polymers for Flexible Soft NEMS and MEMS Applications." ECS Transactions 45.3 (2012): 477-494. doi: 10.1149/1.3700913 7. Khosla, Ajit. "Nanoparticle-doped electrically-conducting polymers for flexible nano-micro Systems." Electrochemical Society Interface 21.3-4 (2012): 67-70. 8. Ajit Khosla; Smart garments in chronic disease management: progress and challenges. Proc. SPIE 8548, Nanosystems in Engineering and Medicine, 85482O (October 24, 2012); doi:10.1117/12.979667. 9. D. Chung ; A. Khosla ; B. L. Gray; Screen printable flexible conductive nanocomposite polymer with applications to wearable sensors. Proc. SPIE 9060, Nanosensors, Biosensors, and Info-Tech Sensors and Systems 2014, 90600U (April 16, 2014); doi:10.1117/12.2046548. 10. Daehan Chung ; Sam Seyfollahi ; Ajit Khosla ; Bonnie Gray ; Ash Parameswaran ; Ramani Ramaseshan ; Kirpal Kohli; Initial experiments with flexible conductive electrodes for potential applications in cancer tissue screening. Proc. SPIE 7929, Microfluidics, BioMEMS, and Medical Microsystems IX, 79290Z (February 14, 2011); doi:10.1117/12.875563. 11. A. Khosla ; B. L. Gray; New technologies for large-scale micropatterning of functional nanocomposite polymers. Proc. SPIE 8344, Nanosensors, Biosensors, and Info-Tech Sensors and Systems 2012, 83440W (April 26, 2012); doi:10.1117/12.915178. 12. A. Khosla, B.L. Gray, Preparation, characterization and micromolding of multi-walled carbon nanotube polydimethylsiloxane conducting nanocomposite polymer, Materials Letters, Volume 63, Issues 13-14, 31 May 2009, Pages 1203-1206, ISSN 0167-577X, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2009.02.043. 13. Giassa

Semiconductor-to-metallic flipping in a ZnFe2O4–graphene based smart nano-system: Temperature/microwave magneto-dielectric spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ameer, Shahid; Gul, Iftikhar Hussain; Mahmood, Nasir; Mujahid, Muhammad

2015-01-01

Zn-(FeO 2 ) 2 –graphene smart nano-composites were synthesized using a novel modified solvothermal synthesis with different percentages of graphene. The structure of the nanocomposite was confirmed through X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman scattering spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–Visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The structural growth and morphological aspects were analyzed using scanning/transmission electron microscopy, revealing marvelous micro-structural features of the assembled nano-system resembling a maple leaf. To determine the composition, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used. Microwave magneto-dielectric spectroscopy revealed the improved dielectric properties of the nano-composite compared to those of the parent functional nanocrystals. Temperature gradient dielectric spectroscopy was used over the spectral range from 100 Hz to 5 MHz to reveal the phenomenological effect that the nanosystem flips from its usual semiconductor nature to a metallic nature with sensing temperature. Electrical conductivity and dielectric analysis indicated that the dielectric loss and the dielectric permittivity increased at room temperature. This extraordinary switching capability of the functionalized graphene nanosystem opens up a new dimension for engineering advanced and efficient smart composite materials. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Zn-(FeO 2 ) 2 –graphene smart nano-composites were synthesized using a novel modified solvothermal synthesis. • The synthesized nano-system exhibits marvelous leaf like microstructure. • These nano-composites show improved magneto dielectric response. • This engineered smart nano-system shows phenomenological flipping from semiconductor like nature to metallic behavior

BACTERICIDE IMPACT OF POLYMER-STABILIZED MULTI-FUNCTIONAL NANO-COMPOSITES

OpenAIRE

Graskova I.A.; М.А. Zhivet’yev; G.B. Borovskii; B.G. Sukhov

2012-01-01

Synthesis on the basis of natural matrices in order to acquire products with the desired properties is one of the promising trends of modern science. Using polysaccharides as a matrix allowed to generate derivatives with diverse structures and new properties. Growing interest towards anti-microbe effect of selenium-containing nano-composites is induced by the phenomenon of antibiotic-resistance of contemporary pathogenic microorganisms.Clavibacter genus bacteria are the most significant and w...

Priming the Abscopal Effect Using Multifunctional Smart Radiotherapy Biomaterials Loaded with Immunoadjuvants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michele Moreau

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, we investigate the use of multifunctional smart radiotherapy biomaterials (SRBs loaded with immunoadjuvants for boosting the abscopal effect of local radiotherapy (RT. SRBs were designed similar to currently used inert RT biomaterials, incorporating a biodegradable polymer with reservoir for loading payloads of the immunoadjuvant anti-CD40 monoclonal antibody. Lung (LLC1 tumors were generated both on the right and left flank of each mouse, with the left tumor representing metastasis. The mice were randomized and divided into eight cohorts with four cohorts receiving image-guided RT (IGRT at 5 Gy and another similar four cohorts at 0 Gy. IGRT and Computed Tomography (CT imaging were performed using a small animal radiation research platform (SARRP. Tumor volume measurements for both flank tumors and animal survival was assessed over 25 weeks. Tumor volume measurements showed significantly enhanced inhibition in growth for the right flank tumors of mice in the cohort treated with SRBs loaded with CD40 mAbs and IGRT. Results also suggest that the use of polymeric SRBs with CD40 mAbs without RT could generate an immune response, consistent with previous studies showing such response when using anti-CD40. Overall, 60% of mice treated with SRBs showed complete tumor regression during the observation period, compared to 10% for cohorts administered with anti-CD40 mAbs, but no SRB. Complete tumor regression was not observed in any other cohorts. The findings justify more studies varying RT doses and quantifying the immune-cell populations involved when using SRBs. Such SRBs could be developed to replace currently used RT biomaterials, allowing not only for geometric accuracy during RT, but also for extending RT to the treatment of metastatic lesions.

Development of photopolymerizable clay nanocomposites utilizing reactive dispersants

Science.gov (United States)

Owusu-Adom, Kwame

Nanocomposites hold tremendous promise for expanding the utility of polymeric materials. However, accessing particulate sizes in the nanoscale domain continues to be a scientific challenge, especially in highly cross-linked photopolymerizable systems. In this study, photopolymerizable nanocomposites utilizing clay nanoparticles and reactive dispersants have been developed. The influence of particle size, dispersant-clay interactions, and surfactant concentration on photopolymerization behavior and nanoparticle dispersion has been elucidated. Clay particles serve as templates upon which surfactants aggregate during photopolymerization. This results in higher photopolymerization rates with addition of increasing concentrations of polymerizable surfactants. Furthermore, polymerizable surfactants induce faster photopolymerization rates compared to non-polymerizable analogues in systems that have ionically-bound dispersants on the particle surface. Utilizing reactive organoclays induces significant changes to the photopolymerization behavior depending on the choice of reactive functionality employed. Faster acrylate photopolymerization rates occur in photopolymer systems containing thiol-modified clays, while much slower rates occur for nonpolymerizable organoclay systems. In addition, chemical compatibility between monomer and clay dispersant (based on chemical similarity or polarity) allows enhancement of exfoliation in photopolymerizable formulations. With polymerizable dispersants, exfoliation is readily achieved in various multifunctional acrylate systems. The degree of exfoliation depends on the position of the reactive group relative to the surfactant's cationic site and the type of functionality. Thiolated organoclays exfoliate during polymerization, while methacrylated clays show substantially less dependence on polymerization behavior. Interestingly, changes in the physical properties of the resulting nanocomposite are independent of the degree of exfoliation

Graphene Oxide-Based Nanocomposites Decorated with Silver Nanoparticles as an Antibacterial Agent

Science.gov (United States)

Jaworski, Sławomir; Wierzbicki, Mateusz; Sawosz, Ewa; Jung, Anna; Gielerak, Grzegorz; Biernat, Joanna; Jaremek, Henryk; Łojkowski, Witold; Woźniak, Bartosz; Wojnarowicz, Jacek; Stobiński, Leszek; Małolepszy, Artur; Mazurkiewicz-Pawlicka, Marta; Łojkowski, Maciej; Kurantowicz, Natalia; Chwalibog, André

2018-04-01

One of the most promising methods against drug-resistant bacteria can be surface-modified materials with biocidal nanoparticles and nanocomposites. Herein, we present a nanocomposite with silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on the surface of graphene oxide (GO) as a novel multifunctional antibacterial and antifungal material. Ultrasonic technologies have been used as an effective method of coating polyurethane foils. Toxicity on gram-negative bacteria ( Escherichia coli), gram-positive bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis), and pathogenic yeast ( Candida albicans) was evaluated by analysis of cell morphology, assessment of cell viability using the PrestoBlue assay, analysis of cell membrane integrity using the lactate dehydrogenase assay, and reactive oxygen species production. Compared to Ag-NPs and GO, which have been widely used as antibacterial agents, our nanocomposite shows much higher antimicrobial efficiency toward bacteria and yeast cells.

Multifunctional Nanocomposites for Improved Sustainability and Protection of Facilities

Science.gov (United States)

2015-05-01

ballistic-resistant panels. Equipment needed for cur- ing the epoxy is more expensive, and the viscosity of the epoxy material is too high for use in common...fracture. It was concluded that the lower V50 of the clay -modified Nylon 6 nanocomposite was brittle and had lower toughness than that of the neat...levels (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 wt%) in the polyester matrix. Higher load- ing of the CNTs was attempted but was constrained by the viscosity increase of

Multilayer graphene rubber nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Schartel, Bernhard; Frasca, Daniele; Schulze, Dietmar; Wachtendorf, Volker; Krafft, Bernd; Morys, Michael; Böhning, Martin; Rybak, Thomas

2016-05-01

Multilayer Graphene (MLG), a nanoparticle with a specific surface of BET = 250 m2/g and thus made of only approximately 10 graphene sheets, is proposed as a nanofiller for rubbers. When homogenously dispersed, it works at low loadings enabling the replacement of carbon black (CB), increase in efficiency, or reduction in filler concentration. Actually the appropriate preparation yielded nanocomposites in which just 3 phr are sufficient to significantly improve the rheological, curing and mechanical properties of different rubbers, as shown for Chlorine-Isobutylene-Isoprene Rubber (CIIR), Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber (NBR), Natural Rubber (NR), and Styrene-Butadiene Rubber (SBR). A mere 3 phr of MLG tripled the Young's modulus of CIIR, an effect equivalent to 20 phr of carbon black. Similar equivalents are observed for MLG/CB mixtures. MLG reduces gas permeability, increases thermal and electrical conductivities, and retards fire behavior. The later shown by the reduction in heat release rate in the cone calorimeter. The higher the nanofiller concentration is (3 phr, 5 phr, and 10 phr was investigated), the greater the improvement in the properties of the nanocomposites. Moreover, the MLG nanocomposites improve stability of mechanical properties against weathering. An increase in UV-absorption as well as a pronounced radical scavenging are proposed and were proved experimentally. To sum up, MLG is interesting as a multifunctional nanofiller and seems to be quite ready for rubber development.

Exploiting multi-function Metal-Organic Framework nanocomposite Ag@Zn-TSA as highly efficient immobilization matrixes for sensitive electrochemical biosensing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Sheying, E-mail: dongsyy@126.com [College of Sciences, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi' an, 710055 (China); Zhang, Dandan; Suo, Gaochao; Wei, Wenbo [College of Sciences, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi' an, 710055 (China); Huang, Tinglin [School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Xi' an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi' an, 710055 (China)

2016-08-31

A novel multi-function Metal-Organic Framework composite Ag@Zn-TSA (zinc thiosalicylate, Zn(C{sub 7}H{sub 4}O{sub 2}S), Zn-TSA) was synthesized as highly efficient immobilization matrixes of myoglobin (Mb)/glucose oxidase (GOx) for electrochemical biosensing. The electrochemical biosensors based on Ag@Zn-TSA composite and ionic liquid (IL) modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) were fabricated successfully. Furthermore, the properties of the sensors were discussed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and amperometric current-time curve, respectively. The results showed the proposed biosensors had wide linear response to hydrogen peroxide (H{sub 2}O{sub 2}) in the range of 0.3–20,000 μM, to nitrite (NO{sub 2}{sup −}) for 1.3 μM–1660 μM and 2262 μM–1,33,000 μM, to glucose for 2.0–1022 μM, with a low detection limit of 0.08 μM for H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, 0.5 μM for NO{sub 2}{sup −}, 0.8 μM for glucose. The values of the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k{sub s}) for Mb and GOx were estimated as 2.05 s{sup −1} and 2.45 s{sup −1}, respectively. Thus, Ag@Zn-TSA was a kind of ideal material as highly efficient immobilization matrixes for sensitive electrochemical biosensing. In addition, this work indicated that MOF nanocomposite had a great potential for constructing wide range of sensing interface. - Highlights: • Novel Ag@Zn-TSA was used as highly efficient immobilization matrixes of Mb/glucose. • We exploited multi-function MOFs for a wide range of electrocatalytic sensing interface. • The proposed biosensors had an excellent catalytic effect on the small molecule (NO{sub 2}{sup −}, H{sub 2}O{sub 2}, glucose).

Multi-stimulus-responsive shape-memory polymer nanocomposite network cross-linked by cellulose nanocrystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ye; Li, Ying; Yang, Guang; Zheng, Xiaotong; Zhou, Shaobing

2015-02-25

In this study, we developed a thermoresponsive and water-responsive shape-memory polymer nanocomposite network by chemically cross-linking cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with polycaprolactone (PCL) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). The nanocomposite network was fully characterized, including the microstructure, cross-link density, water contact angle, water uptake, crystallinity, thermal properties, and static and dynamic mechanical properties. We found that the PEG[60]-PCL[40]-CNC[10] nanocomposite exhibited excellent thermo-induced and water-induced shape-memory effects in water at 37 °C (close to body temperature), and the introduction of CNC clearly improved the mechanical properties of the mixture of both PEG and PCL polymers with low molecular weights. In addition, Alamar blue assays based on osteoblasts indicated that the nanocomposites possessed good cytocompatibility. Therefore, this thermoresponsive and water-responsive shape-memory nanocomposite could be potentially developed into a new smart biomaterial.

The effect of different surfactants/plastisizers on the electrical behavior of CNT nano-modified cement mortars

Science.gov (United States)

Dalla, P. T.; Alafogianni, P.; Tragazikis, I. K.; Exarchos, D. A.; Dassios, K.; Barkoula, N.-M.; Matikas, T. E.

2015-03-01

Cement-based materials have in general low electrical conductivity. Electrical conductivity is the measure of the ability of the material to resist the passage of electrical current. The addition of a conductive admixture such as Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) in a cement-based material increases the conductivity of the structure. This research aims to characterize nano-modified cement mortars with MWCNT reinforcements. Such nano-composites would possess smartness and multi-functionality. Multifunctional properties include electrical, thermal and piezo-electric characteristics. One of these properties, the electrical conductivity, was measured using a custom made apparatus that allows application of known D.C. voltage on the nano-composite. In this study, the influence of different surfactants/plasticizers on CNT nano-modified cement mortar specimens with various concentrations of CNTs (0.2% wt. cement CNTs - 0.8% wt. cement CNTs) on the electrical conductivity is assessed.

Multifunctional Shielding and Self-Healing HybridSil Smart Composites for Space, Phase II

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — NanoSonic has developed revolutionary multifunctional, super lightweight, self-healing and radiation shielding carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites as a...

Semiconductor-to-metallic flipping in a ZnFe{sub 2}O{sub 4}–graphene based smart nano-system: Temperature/microwave magneto-dielectric spectroscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ameer, Shahid, E-mail: shahidameer@scme.nust.edu.pk [School of Chemical and Materials Engineering (SCME), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12, Islamabad (Pakistan); Gul, Iftikhar Hussain [School of Chemical and Materials Engineering (SCME), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12, Islamabad (Pakistan); Mahmood, Nasir [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871 (China); Mujahid, Muhammad [School of Chemical and Materials Engineering (SCME), National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), H-12, Islamabad (Pakistan)

2015-01-15

Zn-(FeO{sub 2}){sub 2}–graphene smart nano-composites were synthesized using a novel modified solvothermal synthesis with different percentages of graphene. The structure of the nanocomposite was confirmed through X-ray diffraction, micro-Raman scattering spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–Visible spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The structural growth and morphological aspects were analyzed using scanning/transmission electron microscopy, revealing marvelous micro-structural features of the assembled nano-system resembling a maple leaf. To determine the composition, energy dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used. Microwave magneto-dielectric spectroscopy revealed the improved dielectric properties of the nano-composite compared to those of the parent functional nanocrystals. Temperature gradient dielectric spectroscopy was used over the spectral range from 100 Hz to 5 MHz to reveal the phenomenological effect that the nanosystem flips from its usual semiconductor nature to a metallic nature with sensing temperature. Electrical conductivity and dielectric analysis indicated that the dielectric loss and the dielectric permittivity increased at room temperature. This extraordinary switching capability of the functionalized graphene nanosystem opens up a new dimension for engineering advanced and efficient smart composite materials. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Zn-(FeO{sub 2}){sub 2}–graphene smart nano-composites were synthesized using a novel modified solvothermal synthesis. • The synthesized nano-system exhibits marvelous leaf like microstructure. • These nano-composites show improved magneto dielectric response. • This engineered smart nano-system shows phenomenological flipping from semiconductor like nature to metallic behavior.

Transition metal carbide nanocomposite and amorphous thin films

OpenAIRE

Tengstrand, Olof

2014-01-01

This thesis explores thin films of binary and ternary transition metal carbides, in the Nb-C, Ti-Si-C, Nb-Si-C, Zr-Si-C, and Nb-Ge-C systems. The electrical and mechanical properties of these systems are affected by their structure and here both nanocomposite and amorphous thin films are thus investigated. By appropriate choice of transition metal and composition the films can be designed to be multifunctional with a combination of properties, such as low electric resistivity, low contact res...

Tamper indicating and sensing optical-based smart structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sliva, P.; Anheier, N.C.; Gordon, N.R.; Simmons, K.L.; Stahl, K.A.; Undem, H.A.

1995-05-01

This paper has presented an overview of the type of optical-based structures that can be designed and constructed. These smart structures are capable of responding to their environment. The examples given represent a modest sampling of the complexity that can be achieved in both design and practice. Tamper-indicating containers and smart, sensing windows demonstrate just a few of the applications. We have shown that optical-based smart structures can be made multifunctional with the sensing built in. The next generation smart structure will combine the sensing functionality of these optical-based smart structures with other sensors such as piezoelectrics and electro-rheological fluids to not only be able to respond to the environment, but to adapt to it as well. An example of functionality in this regime would be a piezosensor that senses pressure changes (e.g., shock waves), which then causes an electro-rheological fluid to change viscosity. A fiber sensor located in or near the electro-rheological fluid senses the stiffness change and sends a signal through a feedback loop back to the piezosensor for additional adjustments to the electro-rheological fluid

Multi-functional surfaces with controllable wettability and water adhesion

Science.gov (United States)

Anastasiadis, Spiros H.; Frysali, Melani A.; Kenanakis, George; Kaklamani, Georgia; Papoutsakis, Lampros

The design of multifunctional surfaces based on biomimetic structures has gained the interest of the scientific community. Novel multifunctional surfaces have been developed, able to alter their wetting properties in response to temperature and pH as well as light illumination, by combining proper chemistry and surface micro/nano-structuring using ultrafast (femtosecond) laser irradiation. The combination of the hierarchical surface with a ZnO and/or a responsive polymer coating results in efficient photo-active properties as well as reversible superhydrophobic / superhydrophilic surfaces in response to external stimuli. These surfaces can be optimized to exhibit high or zero water adhesion and/or controllable directionality as well. Moreover, they can be seeded with human fibroblasts to examine the cellular response on both surface roughness and surface chemistry. Acknowledgements: This research has been co-financed by the General Secretariat for Research and Technology (''ARISTEIA II'' Action, SMART-SURF) and the European Union (NFFA Europe -Grant agreement No. 654360).

Multifunctional devices based on SnO2@rGO-coated fibers for human motion monitoring, ethanol detection, and photo response

Science.gov (United States)

Mi, Qing; Wang, Qi; Zang, Siyao; Chai, Zhaoer; Zhang, Jinnan; Ren, Xiaomin

2018-05-01

In this study, we developed a multifunctional device based on SnO2@rGO-coated fibers utilizing plasma treatment, dip coating, and microwave irradiation in sequence, and finally realized highly sensitive human motion monitoring, relatively good ethanol detection, and an obvious photo response. Moreover, the high level of comfort and compactness derived from highly elastic and comfortable fabrics contributes to the long-term availability and test accuracy. As an attempt at multifunctional integration of smart clothing, this work provides an attractive and relatively practical research direction.

A Multifunctional Public Lighting Infrastructure, Design and Experimental Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Beccali

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, the installation of efficient lighting sources and Information and Communications Technologies can provide economic benefits, energy efficiency, and visual comfort requirements. More advantages can be derived if the public lighting infrastructure integrates a smart grid. This study presents an experimental multifunctional infrastructure for public lighting, installed in Palermo. The system is able to provide smart lighting functions (hotspot Wi-Fi, video-surveillances, car and pedestrian access control, car parking monitoring and support for environmental monitoring. A remote control and monitoring platform called “Centro Servizi” processes the information coming from different installations as well as their status in real time, and sends commands to the devices (e.g. to control the luminous flux, each one provided with a machine to machine interface. Data can be reported either on the web or on a customised app. The study has shown the efficient operation of such new infrastructure and its capability to provide new functions and benefits to citizens, tourists, and public administration. Thus, this system represents a starting point for the implementation of many other lighting infrastructure features typical of a “smart city.”

Multifunctional PLA-PHB/cellulose nanocrystal films: processing, structural and thermal properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Arrieta, M P; Fortunati, E; Dominici, F; Rayón, E; López, J; Kenny, J M

2014-07-17

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) synthesized from microcrystalline cellulose by acid hydrolysis were added into poly(lactic acid)-poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PLA-PHB) blends to improve the final properties of the multifunctional systems. CNC were also modified with a surfactant (CNCs) to increase the interfacial adhesion in the systems maintaining the thermal stability. Firstly, masterbatch pellets were obtained for each formulation to improve the dispersion of the cellulose structures in the PLA-PHB and then nanocomposite films were processed. The thermal stability as well as the morphological and structural properties of nanocomposites was investigated. While PHB increased the PLA crystallinity due to its nucleation effect, well dispersed CNC and CNCs not only increased the crystallinity but also improved the processability, the thermal stability and the interaction between both polymers especially in the case of the modified CNCs based PLA-PHB formulation. Likewise, CNCs were better dispersed in PLA-CNCs and PLA-PHB-CNCs, than CNC. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-04-01

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

Yolk–shell Fe3O4@SiO2@PMO: amphiphilic magnetic nanocomposites as an adsorbent and a catalyst with high efficiency and recyclability

KAUST Repository

Dai, Jinyu; Zou, Houbing; Wang, Runwei; Wang, Yu; Shi, Zhiqiang; Qiu, Shilun

2017-01-01

This study describes the preparation of a multifunctional adsorptive catalyst by the incorporation of ligand groups within the channels of magnetic amphiphilic nanocomposites and attached with Pd nanoparticles. It was clearly demonstrated that Pd2

Simple synthesis of graphene nanocomposites MgO-rGO and Fe2O3-rGO for multifunctional applications

Science.gov (United States)

Abdel-Aal, Seham K.; Ionov, Andrey; Mozhchil, R. N.; Naqvi, Alim H.

2018-05-01

Hummer's method was used to prepare graphene oxide (GO) by chemical exfoliation of graphite. Simple precipitation method was used for the preparation of hybrid nanocomposites MgO-rGO and Fe2O3-rGO. A 0.3 Molar of corresponding metal nitrate solution and GO solution are used for the preparation process. XRD, FT-IR, and XPS were used to characterize the prepared nanocomposites. The reduction of GO into reduced rGO in the formed nanocomposites was confirmed. Morphological characterization showed the formation of needle-shaped nanocrystals of MgO successfully grown on graphene nanosheet with average crystallite size 8.4 nm. Hematite nanocomposite Fe2O3-rGO forms rod-shaped crystals with average crystallite size 27.5 nm. The saturation magnetization observed for Fe2O3-rGO is less than reported value for the pure Fe2O3 nanoparticles. Thermal properties of as-prepared hybrid nanocomposites MgO-rGO and Fe2O3-rGO showed thermal stability of the prepared nanocomposite over long range of temperature.

Multifunctional pH sensitive 3D scaffolds for treatment and prevention of bone infection.

Science.gov (United States)

Cicuéndez, Mónica; Doadrio, Juan C; Hernández, Ana; Portolés, M Teresa; Izquierdo-Barba, Isabel; Vallet-Regí, María

2018-01-01

Multifunctional-therapeutic three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds have been prepared. These biomaterials are able to destroy the S. aureus bacterial biofilm and to allow bone regeneration at the same time. The present study is focused on the design of pH sensitive 3D hierarchical meso-macroporous 3D scaffolds based on MGHA nanocomposite formed by a mesostructured glassy network with embedded hydroxyapatite nanoparticles, whose mesopores have been loaded with levofloxacin (Levo) as antibacterial agent. These 3D platforms exhibit controlled and pH-dependent Levo release, sustained over time at physiological pH (7.4) and notably increased at infection pH (6.7 and 5.5), which is due to the different interaction rate between diverse Levo species and the silica matrix. These 3D systems are able to inhibit the S. aureus growth and to destroy the bacterial biofilm without cytotoxic effects on human osteoblasts and allowing an adequate colonization and differentiation of preosteoblastic cells on their surface. These findings suggest promising applications of these hierarchical MGHA nanocomposite 3D scaffolds for the treatment and prevention of bone infection. Multifunctional 3D nanocomposite scaffolds with the ability for loading and sustained delivery of an antimicrobial agent, to eliminate and prevent bone infection and at the same time to contribute to bone regeneration process without cytotoxic effects on the surrounding tissue has been proposed. These 3D scaffolds exhibit a sustained levofloxacin delivery at physiological pH (pH 7.4), which increasing notably when pH decreases to characteristic values of bone infection process (pH 6.7 and pH 5.5). In vitro competitive assays between preosteoblastic and bacteria onto the 3D scaffold surface demonstrated an adequate osteoblast colonization in entire scaffold surface together with the ability to eliminate bacteria contamination. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Graphene-polyethylenedioxythiophene conducting polymer nanocomposite based supercapacitor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alvi, Farah; Ram, Manoj K.; Basnayaka, Punya A.; Stefanakos, Elias; Goswami, Yogi; Kumar, Ashok

2011-01-01

Graphical abstract: Schematic diagrams of an electrochemical double layer type capacitor showing the charged (left) and discharged (right) states. Highlights: → The Graphene-PEDOT nanocomposite based smart coating has shown the excellent redox properties in acidic, organic electrolytes, which is promising for suprecapcitor application. → The electrochemical impedance studies have also been estimated which clearly indicates the high conductivity and less charge transfer resistance in the synthesized material. → The specific capacitance of 380F/g have been calculated for G-Pedot material, also it shows the columbic efficiency of 95% for 800 cycles, which tells the remarkable stability of synthesized material. - Abstract: We present here the synthesis, characterization and application of graphene (G)-polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) nanocomposites as electrode material for supercapacitor applications. The G-PEDOT nanocomposite was synthesized using a chemical oxidative polymerization technique, and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray-diffraction, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques. The electrochemical charge/discharge characteristics of G-PEDOT nanocomposites were investigated in different electrolytic media, and the specific discharge capacitance was estimated to be 374 Farad/gram (F/gm). This manuscript presents the capacitance studies on supercapacitor G-PEDOT electrode with respect to stability of material, specific capacitance, electrical conductivity and specific charge/discharge properties of the supercapacitor electrodes. Our study has revealed that the G-PEDOT nanocomposite could be a transformable and viable electrode material for supercapacitor applications.

Sustainable design and manufacturing of multifunctional polymer nanocomposite coatings: A multiscale systems approach

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Jie

Polymer nanocomposites have a great potential to be a dominant coating material in a wide range of applications in the automotive, aerospace, ship-making, construction, and pharmaceutical industries. However, how to realize design sustainability of this type of nanostructured materials and how to ensure the true optimality of the product quality and process performance in coating manufacturing remain as a mountaintop area. The major challenges arise from the intrinsic multiscale nature of the material-process-product system and the need to manipulate the high levels of complexity and uncertainty in design and manufacturing processes. This research centers on the development of a comprehensive multiscale computational methodology and a computer-aided tool set that can facilitate multifunctional nanocoating design and application from novel function envisioning and idea refinement, to knowledge discovery and design solution derivation, and further to performance testing in industrial applications and life cycle analysis. The principal idea is to achieve exceptional system performance through concurrent characterization and optimization of materials, product and associated manufacturing processes covering a wide range of length and time scales. Multiscale modeling and simulation techniques ranging from microscopic molecular modeling to classical continuum modeling are seamlessly coupled. The tight integration of different methods and theories at individual scales allows the prediction of macroscopic coating performance from the fundamental molecular behavior. Goal-oriented design is also pursued by integrating additional methods for bio-inspired dynamic optimization and computational task management that can be implemented in a hierarchical computing architecture. Furthermore, multiscale systems methodologies are developed to achieve the best possible material application towards sustainable manufacturing. Automotive coating manufacturing, that involves paint spay and

Development of multifunctional fluoroelastomers based on nanocomposites; Desenvolvimento de elastomeros fluorados multifuncionais baseados em nanocompositos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zen, Heloisa Augusto

2015-07-01

The fluoropolymers are known for their great mechanical properties, high thermal stability and resistance to aggressive chemical environment, and because of those properties they are widely used in industries, such as automobile, petroleum, chemistry, manufacturing, among others. To improve the thermal properties and gases barrier of the polymeric matrix, the incorporation of nanoparticle is used, this process permits the polymer to maintain their own characteristics and acquire new properties of nanoparticle. Because of those properties, the structural and morphological modification of fluoropolymers are very hard to be obtained through traditional techniques, in order to surmount this difficulty, the ionizing radiation is a well-known and effective method to modify fluoropolymers structures. In this thesis a nanocomposite polymeric based on fluoroelastomer (FKM) was developed and incorporated with four different configurations of nanoparticles: clay Cloisite 15A, POSS 1159, POSS 1160 and POSS 1163. After the nanocomposites films were obtained, a radiation induced grafting process was carried out, followed by sulfonation in order to obtain a ionic exchanged membrane. The effect of nanoparticle incorporation and the ionizing radiation onto films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermal and mechanical analysis, scanning electron microscopy and swelling; and the membranes were evaluated by degree of grafting, ionic exchange capacity and swelling. After the films were characterized, the crosslinking effect was observed to be predominant for the nanocomposites irradiated before the vulcanization, whereas the degradation was the predominant effect in the nanocomposites irradiated after vulcanization. (author)

A twice-as-smart synthetic G-quartet: PyroTASQ is both a smart quadruplex ligand and a smart fluorescent probe.

Science.gov (United States)

Laguerre, Aurélien; Stefan, Loic; Larrouy, Manuel; Genest, David; Novotna, Jana; Pirrotta, Marc; Monchaud, David

2014-09-03

Recent and unambiguous evidences of the formation of DNA and RNA G-quadruplexes in cells has provided solid support for these structures to be considered as valuable targets in oncology. Beyond this, they have lent further credence to the anticancer strategies relying on small molecules that selectively target these higher-order DNA/RNA architectures, referred to as G-quadruplex ligands. They have also shed bright light on the necessity of designing multitasking ligands, displaying not only enticing quadruplex interacting properties (affinity, structural selectivity) but also additional features that make them usable for detecting quadruplexes in living cells, notably for determining whether, when, and where these structures fold and unfold during the cell cycle and also for better assessing the consequences of their stabilization by external agents. Herein, we report a brand new design of such multitasking ligands, whose structure experiences a quadruplex-promoted conformational switch that triggers not only its quadruplex affinity (i.e., smart ligands, which display high affinity and selectivity for DNA/RNA quadruplexes) but also its fluorescence (i.e., smart probes, which behave as selective light-up fluorescent reporters on the basis of a fluorogenic electron redistribution). The first prototype of such multifunctional ligands, termed PyroTASQ, represents a brand new generation of quadruplex ligands that can be referred to as "twice-as-smart" quadruplex ligands.

Polymer encapsulated upconversion nanoparticle/iron oxide nanocomposites for multimodal imaging and magnetic targeted drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Huan; Cheng, Liang; Wang, Chao; Ma, Xinxing; Li, Yonggang; Liu, Zhuang

2011-12-01

Multimodal imaging and imaging-guided therapies have become a new trend in the current development of cancer theranostics. In this work, we encapsulate hydrophobic upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) together with iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) by using an amphiphilic block copolymer, poly (styrene-block-allyl alcohol) (PS(16)-b-PAA(10)), via a microemulsion method, obtaining an UC-IO@Polymer multi-functional nanocomposite system. Fluorescent dye and anti-cancer drug molecules can be further loaded inside the UC-IO@Polymer nanocomposite for additional functionalities. Utilizing the Squaraine (SQ) dye loaded nanocomposite (UC-IO@Polymer-SQ), triple-modal upconversion luminescence (UCL)/down-conversion fluorescence (FL)/magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is demonstrated in vitro and in vivo, and also applied for in vivo cancer cell tracking in mice. On the other hand, a chemotherapy drug, doxorubicin, is also loaded into the nanocomposite, forming an UC-IO@Polymer-DOX complex, which enables novel imaging-guided and magnetic targeted drug delivery. Our work provides a method to fabricate a nanocomposite system with highly integrated functionalities for multimodal biomedical imaging and cancer therapy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving Multi-Functional Properties in Polymer Based Nano Composites by Interfacial

Science.gov (United States)

Tajaddod, Navid

Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) have become an area of increasing interest for study in the field of polymer science and technology since the rise of nanotechnology research. Despite the significant amount of progress being made towards producing high quality PNC materials, improvement in the mechanical, electrical, thermal and other functional properties still remain a challenge. To date, these properties are only a fraction of the expected theoretical values predicted for these materials. Development of interfacial regions between the filler and matrix within the composite has been found to be an important focus in terms of processing. Proper interfacial control and development may ensure excellent interaction and property transfer between the filler and polymer matrix in addition to improvement of multi-functional properties of PNCs. The property-structure importance for the existence of the interfacial and interphase region within PNCs is discussed in this thesis work. Two specific PNC systems are selected for study as part of this dissertation in order to understand the effect of interfacial region development on influencing multi-functional property trends. Polyethylene (PE)/boron nitride (BN) and polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/carbon nanotube (CNT) composites were selected to investigate their mechanical performance and thermal and electrical conductivity properties, respectively. For these systems it was found that the interfacial region structure is directly related to the enhancement of the subsequent multi-functional properties.

Colloidal titania-silica-iron oxide nanocomposites and the effect from silica thickness on the photocatalytic and bactericidal activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chanhom, Padtaraporn [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Charoenlap, Nisanart [Laboratory of Biotechnology, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok 10210 (Thailand); Tomapatanaget, Boosayarat [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand); Insin, Numpon, E-mail: Numpon.I@chula.ac.th [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 (Thailand)

2017-04-01

New types of colloidal multifunctional nanocomposites that combine superparamagnetic character and high photocatalytic activity were synthesized and investigated. The superparamagnetic nanocomposites composed of anatase titania, silica, and iron oxide nanoparticles (TSI) were synthesized using thermal decomposition method followed by microemulsion method, without calcination at high temperature. Different techniques including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to characterize and confirm the structure of the nanocomposites. These nanocomposites showed high photocatalytic activity when used in the photodegradation of methylene blue under irradiation with a black light lamp. Moreover, the nanocomposites exhibited high antibacterial properties. From our study, the nanocomposites can be useful in various applications such as removal of pollutants with readily separation from the environment using an external magnetic field. These composites could effectively photo-degrade the dye at least three cycles without regeneration. The effects of silica shell thickness on the photocatalytic activity was investigated, and the thickness of 6 nm of the silica interlayer is enough for the inhibition of electron translocation between titania and iron oxide nanoparticles and maintaining the efficiency of photocatalytic activity of titania nanoparticles. - Highlights: • New colloidal nanocomposites of iron oxide-silica-titania were prepared. • The nanocomposites exhibited high photocatalytic activity with magnetic response. • The effects of silica thickness on photocatalytic activity were investigated. • Bactericidal activity of the nanocomposites was demonstrated.

Designing and simulation smart multifunctional continuous logic device as a basic cell of advanced high-performance sensor systems with MIMO-structure

Science.gov (United States)

Krasilenko, Vladimir G.; Nikolskyy, Aleksandr I.; Lazarev, Alexander A.

2015-01-01

We have proposed a design and simulation of hardware realizations of smart multifunctional continuous logic devices (SMCLD) as advanced basic cells of the sensor systems with MIMO- structure for images processing and interconnection. The SMCLD realize function of two-valued, multi-valued and continuous logics with current inputs and current outputs. Such advanced basic cells realize function nonlinear time-pulse transformation, analog-to-digital converters and neural logic. We showed advantages of such elements. It's have a number of advantages: high speed and reliability, simplicity, small power consumption, high integration level. The conception of construction of SMCLD consists in the use of a current mirrors realized on 1.5μm technology CMOS transistors. Presence of 50÷70 transistors, 1 PD and 1 LED makes the offered circuits quite compact. The simulation results of NOT, MIN, MAX, equivalence (EQ), normalize summation, averaging and other functions, that implemented SMCLD, showed that the level of logical variables can change from 0.1μA to 10μA for low-power consumption variants. The SMCLD have low power consumption <1mW and processing time about 1÷11μS at supply voltage 2.4÷3.3V.

Multifunctional Nano-engineered Polymer Surfaces with Enhanced Mechanical Resistance and Superhydrophobicity

Science.gov (United States)

Hernández, Jaime J.; Monclús, Miguel A.; Navarro-Baena, Iván; Viela, Felipe; Molina-Aldareguia, Jon M.; Rodríguez, Isabel

2017-03-01

This paper presents a multifunctional polymer surface that provides superhydrophobicity and self-cleaning functions together with an enhancement in mechanical and electrical performance. These functionalities are produced by nanoimprinting high aspect ratio pillar arrays on polymeric matrix incorporating functional reinforcing elements. Two distinct matrix-filler systems are investigated specifically, Carbon Nanotube reinforced Polystyrene (CNT-PS) and Reduced Graphene Oxide reinforced Polyvinylidene Difluoride (RGO-PVDF). Mechanical characterization of the topographies by quantitative nanoindentation and nanoscratch tests are performed to evidence a considerable increase in stiffness, Young’s modulus and critical failure load with respect to the pristine polymers. The improvement on the mechanical properties is rationalized in terms of effective dispersion and penetration of the fillers into the imprinted structures as determined by confocal Raman and SEM studies. In addition, an increase in the degree of crystallization for the PVDF-RGO imprinted nanocomposite possibly accounts for the larger enhancement observed. Improvement of the mechanical ruggedness of functional textured surfaces with appropriate fillers will enable the implementation of multifunctional nanotextured materials in real applications.

Superhydrophobic TiO2-polymer nanocomposite surface with UV-induced reversible wettability and self-cleaning properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Qian Feng; Liu, Yang; Lin, Fang-Ju; Mondal, Bikash; Lyons, Alan M

2013-09-25

Multifunctional superhydrophobic nanocomposite surfaces based on photocatalytic materials, such as fluorosilane modified TiO2, have generated significant research interest. However, there are two challenges to forming such multifunctional surfaces with stable superhydrophobic properties: the photocatalytic oxidation of the hydrophobic functional groups, which leads to the permanent loss of superhydrophobicity, as well as the photoinduced reversible hydrolysis of the catalytic particle surface. Herein, we report a simple and inexpensive template lamination method to fabricate multifunctional TiO2-high-density polyethylene (HDPE) nanocomposite surfaces exhibiting superhydrophobicity, UV-induced reversible wettability, and self-cleaning properties. The laminated surface possesses a hierarchical roughness spanning the micro- to nanoscale range. This was achieved by using a wire mesh template to emboss the HDPE surface creating an array of polymeric posts while partially embedding untreated TiO2 nanoparticles selectively into the top surface of these features. The surface exhibits excellent superhydrophobic properties immediately after lamination without any chemical surface modification to the TiO2 nanoparticles. Exposure to UV light causes the surface to become hydrophilic. This change in wettability can be reversed by heating the surface to restore superhydrophobicity. The effect of TiO2 nanoparticle surface coverage and chemical composition on the mechanism and magnitude of wettability changes was studied by EDX and XPS. In addition, the ability of the surface to shed impacting water droplets as well as the ability of such droplets to clean away particulate contaminants was demonstrated.

The Interaction Model in iLearning Environments and its Use in the Smart Lab Concept

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuliya Lyalina

2011-11-01

Full Text Available This paper identifies and discusses current trends and challenges, offers an overview of state-of-the-art technologies in the development of remote and smart laboratories, and introduces the iLearning interaction model. The use of the model allows reconstructing already- existing iLearning environments. The smart lab model is described for face-to-face, Mobile and Blended Learning. As a result, this allows offering new information technology that organizes the educational process according to learning type (face-to-face, hands-on learning, Life Long Learning, E-Learning, M-Learning, Blended learning, Game-based learning, etc.. The remote access Architecture and Interface for the multifunctional Smart Lab will be developed.

The multifunctional role of ionic liquids in the formation of epoxy-silica nanocomposites

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Donato, Ricardo Keitel; Matějka, Libor; Schrekker, H. S.; Pleštil, Josef; Jigounov, Alexander; Brus, Jiří; Šlouf, Miroslav

2011-01-01

Roč. 21, č. 36 (2011), s. 13801-13810 ISSN 0959-9428 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA400500701 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z40500505 Keywords : epoxy -silica nanocomposite * ionic liquids * sol–gel process Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 5.968, year: 2011

Preparation of Organic-Inorganic Multifunctional Nanocomposite Coating via Sol-Gel Routes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Haoying; Chen Yunfa; Ruan Chengxiang; Gao Weimin; Xie Yusheng

2001-01-01

The inorganic-organic nanocomposite coatings are prepared on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) substrate by the spinning technique which involves incorporating homogeneously nanosized ZnO particle into the molecular inorganic-organic hybrid matrices. The hybrid matrices are derived from tetraethoxyasilane (TEOS) and 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxyailane (GLYMO). To avoid the destruction of the polymer structure caused by ZnO and modify the interface between nanoparticles and organic groups, ZnO was first surface-coated with SiO 2 from hydrolyzed TEOS using ammonia water as catalyst. The coatings thus obtained are dense, flexible, abrasion resistant and UV absorbent

Smart Optoelectronic Sensors and Intelligent Sensor Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey Y. YURISH

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Light-to-frequency converters are widely used in various optoelectronic sensor systems. However, a further frequency-to-digital conversion is a bottleneck in such systems due to a broad frequency range of light-to-frequency converters’ outputs. This paper describes an effective OEM design approach, which can be used for smart and intelligent sensor systems design. The design is based on novel, multifunctional integrated circuit of Universal Sensors & Transducers Interface especially designed for such sensor applications. Experimental results have confirmed an efficiency of this approach and high metrological performances.

Bio-based hyperbranched polyurethane/Fe3O4 nanocomposites: smart antibacterial biomaterials for biomedical devices and implants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, Beauty; Karak, Niranjan; Mandal, Manabendra; Upadhyay, Aadesh; Chattopadhyay, Pronobesh

2013-01-01

The fabrication of a smart magnetically controllable bio-based polymeric nanocomposite (NC) has immense potential in the biomedical domain. In this context, magneto-thermoresponsive sunflower oil modified hyperbranched polyurethane (HBPU)/Fe 3 O 4 NCs with different wt.% of magnetic nanoparticles (Fe 3 O 4 ) were prepared by an in situ polymerization technique. Fourier-transform infrared, x-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometer, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetric were used to analyze various physico-chemical structural attributes of the prepared NC. The results showed good interfacial interactions between HBPU and well-dispersed superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 , with an average diameter of 7.65 nm. The incorporation of Fe 3 O 4 in HBPU significantly improved the thermo-mechanical properties along with the shape-memory behavior, antibacterial activity, biocompatibility as well as biodegradability in comparison to the pristine system. The cytocompatibility of the degraded products of the NC was also verified by in vitro hemolytic activity and MTT assay. In addition, the in vivo biocompatibility and non-immunological behavior, as tested in Wistar rats after subcutaneous implantation, show promising signs for the NC to be used as antibacterial biomaterial for biomedical device and implant applications. (paper)

Exploiting multi-function Metal-Organic Framework nanocomposite Ag@Zn-TSA as highly efficient immobilization matrixes for sensitive electrochemical biosensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Sheying; Zhang, Dandan; Suo, Gaochao; Wei, Wenbo; Huang, Tinglin

2016-08-31

A novel multi-function Metal-Organic Framework composite Ag@Zn-TSA (zinc thiosalicylate, Zn(C7H4O2S), Zn-TSA) was synthesized as highly efficient immobilization matrixes of myoglobin (Mb)/glucose oxidase (GOx) for electrochemical biosensing. The electrochemical biosensors based on Ag@Zn-TSA composite and ionic liquid (IL) modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) were fabricated successfully. Furthermore, the properties of the sensors were discussed by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and amperometric current-time curve, respectively. The results showed the proposed biosensors had wide linear response to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in the range of 0.3-20,000 μM, to nitrite (NO2(-)) for 1.3 μM-1660 μM and 2262 μM-1,33,000 μM, to glucose for 2.0-1022 μM, with a low detection limit of 0.08 μM for H2O2, 0.5 μM for NO2(-), 0.8 μM for glucose. The values of the apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (ks) for Mb and GOx were estimated as 2.05 s(-1) and 2.45 s(-1), respectively. Thus, Ag@Zn-TSA was a kind of ideal material as highly efficient immobilization matrixes for sensitive electrochemical biosensing. In addition, this work indicated that MOF nanocomposite had a great potential for constructing wide range of sensing interface. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, fabrication and characterization of magnetic and dielectric nanoparticles and nanocomposite films

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaohua

Materials science is an interdisciplinary field investigating the structure-property relationship in solid-state materials scientifically and technologically. Nanoscience is concerned with the distinctive properties that matter exhibits when confined to physical dimensions on the order of 10-9 meters. At these length scales, behaviors of particles or elaborate structures are often governed by the rules of quantum mechanics in addition to the physical properties associated with the bulk material. The work reported here seeks to employ nanocystals, binary nanocomposites and thin films of materials, to build versatile, functional systems and devices. With a focus on dielectric, ferroelectric, and magnetoelectric performance, a series of materials has been synthesized and different types of nanocomposites have been built. Barium strontium titannate particles at various sizes was developed, aiming at high dielectric constant and low loss at high frequency range. Cobalt ferrite-polymer nanocomposite was fabricated with potential magnetoelectric coupling. Along with synthesis, advanced electron microscopies (TEM, SEM, STEM, EELS) at atomic resolution were employed to thoroughly investigate the crystallinity, morphology and composition. By means of spin-coating and printing techniques, single and multiple layered capacitors featuring improved dielectric performance (high k, low loss, high breakdown voltage, etc.) were developed through a) electrode deposition, b) dielectric layer deposition, and c) parylene evaporation. Such capacitors are further incorporated into electric power converters for LED lighting. Hopefully in the future we can make electronic devices more efficient, sustainable, smaller and cheaper. By advancing our knowledge of nanomaterials, especially those with potential of multifunction, energy efficiency and sustainability, we have strived to push the limits of synthesis, characterization, fabrication and property analysis of nanostructures towards new

Flexible Transparent Supercapacitors Based on Hierarchical Nanocomposite Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Fanhong; Wan, Pengbo; Xu, Haijun; Sun, Xiaoming

2017-05-31

Flexible transparent electronic devices have recently gained immense popularity in smart wearable electronics and touch screen devices, which accelerates the development of the portable power sources with reliable flexibility, robust transparency and integration to couple these electronic devices. For potentially coupled as energy storage modules in various flexible, transparent and portable electronics, the flexible transparent supercapacitors are developed and assembled from hierarchical nanocomposite films of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and aligned polyaniline (PANI) nanoarrays upon their synergistic advantages. The nanocomposite films are fabricated from in situ PANI nanoarrays preparation in a blended solution of aniline monomers and rGO onto the flexible, transparent, and stably conducting film (FTCF) substrate, which is obtained by coating silver nanowires (Ag NWs) layer with Meyer rod and then coating of rGO layer on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. Optimization of the transparency, the specific capacitance, and the flexibility resulted in the obtained all-solid state nanocomposite supercapacitors exhibiting enhanced capacitance performance, good cycling stability, excellent flexibility, and superior transparency. It provides promising application prospects for exploiting flexible, low-cost, transparent, and high-performance energy storage devices to be coupled into various flexible, transparent, and wearable electronic devices.

Antimicrobial Properties and Cytocompatibility of PLGA/Ag Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariangela Scavone

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial properties of multifunctional nanocomposites based on poly(dl-Lactide-co-Glycolide (PLGA and increasing concentration of silver (Ag nanoparticles and their effects on cell viability for biomedical applications. PLGA nanocomposite films, produced by solvent casting with 1 wt%, 3 wt% and 7 wt% of Ag nanoparticles were investigated and surface properties were characterized by atomic force microscopy and contact angle measurements. Antibacterial tests were performed using an Escherichia coli RB and Staphylococcus aureus 8325-4 strains. The cell viability and morphology were performed with a murine fibroblast cell line (L929 and a human osteosarcoma cell line (SAOS-2 by cell viability assay and electron microscopy observations. Matrix protein secretion and deposition were also quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA. The results suggest that the PLGA film morphology can be modified introducing a small percentage of silver nanoparticles, which induce the onset of porous round-like microstructures and also affect the wettability. The PLGA/Ag films having silver nanoparticles of more than 3 wt% showed antibacterial effects against E. coli and S. aureus. Furthermore, silver-containing PLGA films displayed also a good cytocompatibility when assayed with L929 and SAOS-2 cells; indicating the PLGA/3Ag nanocomposite film as a promising candidate for tissue engineering applications.

Synergistic effect of cellulose nanocrystals/graphene oxide nanosheets as functional hybrid nanofiller for enhancing properties of PVA nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

El Miri, Nassima; El Achaby, Mounir; Fihri, Aziz; Larzek, Mohamed; Zahouily, Mohamed; Abdelouahdi, Karima; Barakat, Abdellatif; Solhy, Abderrahim

2016-02-10

Novel functional hybrid nanofillers composed of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and graphene oxide nanosheets (GON), at different weight ratios (2:1, 1:1 and 1:2), were successfully prepared and characterized, and their synergistic effect in enhancing the properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanocomposites was investigated. Due to the synergistic reinforcement, it was found that the Young's modulus, tensile strength and toughness of the PVA nanocomposite containing 5 wt% hybrid nanofiller (1:2) were significantly improved by 320%, 124% and 159%, respectively; and the elongation at break basically remained compared to the neat PVA matrix. In addition, the glass and melting temperatures as well as the moisture sorption of nanocomposites were also enhanced. This synergistic effect improved the dispersion homogeneity by avoiding the agglomeration phenomenon of nanofillers within the polymer matrix, resulting in nanocomposites with largely enhanced properties compared to those prepared from single nanofiller (CNC or GON). The preparation of these hybrid nanofillers and their incorporation into a polymer provided a novel method for the development of novel multifunctional nanocomposites based on the combination of existing nanomaterials. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Smart nanomaterials for biomedics.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Soonmo; Tripathi, Anuj; Singh, Deepti

2014-10-01

Nanotechnology has become important in various disciplines of technology and science. It has proven to be a potential candidate for various applications ranging from biosensors to the delivery of genes and therapeutic agents to tissue engineering. Scaffolds for every application can be tailor made to have the appropriate physicochemical properties that will influence the in vivo system in the desired way. For highly sensitive and precise detection of specific signals or pathogenic markers, or for sensing the levels of particular analytes, fabricating target-specific nanomaterials can be very useful. Multi-functional nano-devices can be fabricated using different approaches to achieve multi-directional patterning in a scaffold with the ability to alter topographical cues at scale of less than or equal to 100 nm. Smart nanomaterials are made to understand the surrounding environment and act accordingly by either protecting the drug in hostile conditions or releasing the "payload" at the intended intracellular target site. All of this is achieved by exploiting polymers for their functional groups or incorporating conducting materials into a natural biopolymer to obtain a "smart material" that can be used for detection of circulating tumor cells, detection of differences in the body analytes, or repair of damaged tissue by acting as a cell culture scaffold. Nanotechnology has changed the nature of diagnosis and treatment in the biomedical field, and this review aims to bring together the most recent advances in smart nanomaterials.

P(3HB) based magnetic nanocomposites: smart materials for bone tissue engineering

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Akaraonye, E.; Filip, J.; Šafaříková, Miroslava; Salih, V.; Keshavarz, T.; Knowles, J.C.; Roy, I.

-, č. 2016 (2016), č. článku 3897592. ISSN 1687-4110 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : composite films * dispersions * elastic moduli * intelligent materials * nanocomposites Subject RIV: CD - Macromolecular Chemistry Impact factor: 1.871, year: 2016

Multifunctional polymeric nanoconstructs for biomedical applications (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Decuzzi, Paolo

2016-09-01

Multifunctional nanoconstructs are particle-based nano-scale systems designed for the `smart' delivery of therapeutic and imaging agents. The Laboratory of Nanotechnology for Precision Medicine at the Italian Institute of Technology synthesizes polymeric nanoconstructs with different sizes, ranging from a few tens of nanometers to a few microns; shapes, including spherical, cubical and discoidal; surface properties, with positive, negative, neutral coatings; and mechanical stiffness, varying from that of cells to rigid, inorganic materials, such as iron oxide. These are the 4S parameters - size, shape, surface, stiffness - which can be precisely tuned in the synthesis process enabling disease- and patient-specific designs of multifunctional nanoconstructs. In this lecture, the application of these nanoconstructs to the detection and treatment of cancer lesions and cardiovascular diseases, such as thrombosis and atherosclerosis, is discussed. The contribution of the 4S parameters in modulating nanoconstruct sequestration by the mononuclear phagocyte system, organ specific accumulation, and blood longevity is also critically presented. These polymeric nanoconstructs can be loaded with a variety of therapeutic payloads - anti-cancer molecules (docetaxel, paclitaxel, doxorubicin), anti-inflammatory molecules (curcumin, diclofenac, celecoxib) and small biologicals (peptides, siRNAs, miRNAs); and imaging agents - optical probes; Gd and iron oxide nanoparticles for MR imaging; and radio-isotopes for Nuclear Imaging.

Graphitic carbon nitride based nanocomposites: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Zaiwang; Sun, Yanjuan; Dong, Fan

2014-11-01

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4), as an intriguing earth-abundant visible light photocatalyst, possesses a unique two-dimensional structure, excellent chemical stability and tunable electronic structure. Pure g-C3N4 suffers from rapid recombination of photo-generated electron-hole pairs resulting in low photocatalytic activity. Because of the unique electronic structure, the g-C3N4 could act as an eminent candidate for coupling with various functional materials to enhance the performance. According to the discrepancies in the photocatalytic mechanism and process, six primary systems of g-C3N4-based nanocomposites can be classified and summarized: namely, the g-C3N4 based metal-free heterojunction, the g-C3N4/single metal oxide (metal sulfide) heterojunction, g-C3N4/composite oxide, the g-C3N4/halide heterojunction, g-C3N4/noble metal heterostructures, and the g-C3N4 based complex system. Apart from the depiction of the fabrication methods, heterojunction structure and multifunctional application of the g-C3N4-based nanocomposites, we emphasize and elaborate on the underlying mechanisms in the photocatalytic activity enhancement of g-C3N4-based nanocomposites. The unique functions of the p-n junction (semiconductor/semiconductor heterostructures), the Schottky junction (metal/semiconductor heterostructures), the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect, photosensitization, superconductivity, etc. are utilized in the photocatalytic processes. Furthermore, the enhanced performance of g-C3N4-based nanocomposites has been widely employed in environmental and energetic applications such as photocatalytic degradation of pollutants, photocatalytic hydrogen generation, carbon dioxide reduction, disinfection, and supercapacitors. This critical review ends with a summary and some perspectives on the challenges and new directions in exploring g-C3N4-based advanced nanomaterials.

Smart materials for energy storage in Li-ion batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashraf E Abdel-Ghany

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Advanced lithium-ion batteries contain smart materials having the function of insertion electrodes in the form of powders with specific and optimized electrochemical properties. Different classes can be considered: the surface modified active particles at either positive or negative electrodes, the nano-composite electrodes and the blended materials. In this paper, various systems are described, which illustrate the improvement of lithium-ion batteries in term of specific energy and power, thermal stability and life cycling.

Hybrid materials science: a promised land for the integrative design of multifunctional materials

Science.gov (United States)

Nicole, Lionel; Laberty-Robert, Christel; Rozes, Laurence; Sanchez, Clément

2014-05-01

For more than 5000 years, organic-inorganic composite materials created by men via skill and serendipity have been part of human culture and customs. The concept of ``hybrid organic-inorganic'' nanocomposites exploded in the second half of the 20th century with the expansion of the so-called ``chimie douce'' which led to many collaborations between a large set of chemists, physicists and biologists. Consequently, the scientific melting pot of these very different scientific communities created a new pluridisciplinary school of thought. Today, the tremendous effort of basic research performed in the last twenty years allows tailor-made multifunctional hybrid materials with perfect control over composition, structure and shape. Some of these hybrid materials have already entered the industrial market. Many tailor-made multiscale hybrids are increasingly impacting numerous fields of applications: optics, catalysis, energy, environment, nanomedicine, etc. In the present feature article, we emphasize several fundamental and applied aspects of the hybrid materials field: bioreplication, mesostructured thin films, Lego-like chemistry designed hybrid nanocomposites, and advanced hybrid materials for energy. Finally, a few commercial applications of hybrid materials will be presented.

Hybrid materials science: a promised land for the integrative design of multifunctional materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Nicole, Lionel; Laberty-Robert, Christel; Rozes, Laurence; Sanchez, Clément

2014-06-21

For more than 5000 years, organic-inorganic composite materials created by men via skill and serendipity have been part of human culture and customs. The concept of "hybrid organic-inorganic" nanocomposites exploded in the second half of the 20th century with the expansion of the so-called "chimie douce" which led to many collaborations between a large set of chemists, physicists and biologists. Consequently, the scientific melting pot of these very different scientific communities created a new pluridisciplinary school of thought. Today, the tremendous effort of basic research performed in the last twenty years allows tailor-made multifunctional hybrid materials with perfect control over composition, structure and shape. Some of these hybrid materials have already entered the industrial market. Many tailor-made multiscale hybrids are increasingly impacting numerous fields of applications: optics, catalysis, energy, environment, nanomedicine, etc. In the present feature article, we emphasize several fundamental and applied aspects of the hybrid materials field: bioreplication, mesostructured thin films, Lego-like chemistry designed hybrid nanocomposites, and advanced hybrid materials for energy. Finally, a few commercial applications of hybrid materials will be presented.

Enhancing cisplatin delivery to hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells using dual sensitive smart nanocomposite.

Science.gov (United States)

Salimi, Farzaneh; Dilmaghani, Karim Akbari; Alizadeh, Effat; Akbarzadeh, Abolfazl; Davaran, Soodabeh

2017-07-07

Targeted entrance and accumulation of higher doses of drugs into malignant cells could help in intensification of tumor specific cytotoxicity. A dual-responsive nanogel, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-poly(N,N-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) [P(NIPAM-co-DMA)] containing N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) as thermoresponsive monomer and N,N-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMA) as pH-responsive monomer and methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) as cross-linking agent, was synthesized by free radical emulsion polymerization. Cisplatin along with magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles (MNPs) was loaded into the nanogel by physically embedding the magnetic nanoparticles into hydrogel matrix after gelation to obtain drug-loaded magnetic nanocomposite [P(NIPAM-co-DMA)/Fe 3 O 4 ]. Drug loading efficiencies and drug release profiles of cisplatin-loaded P(NIPAM-co-DMA) nanogel and P(NIPAM-co-DMA)/Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposite were evaluated in vitro for controlled drug delivery in different temperature and pH conditions. Finally, the anticancer activity of P(NIPAM-co-DMA)/Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposite on human liver HepG2 cells was evaluated. Nanogel and nanocomposite showed significantly higher (p < .05) cisplatin release at 40 °C compared to 37 °C and at pH 5.7 compared to pH 7.4, demonstrating their temperature and pH sensitivity, respectively. The cytotoxicity assay of drug free nanogel on HepG2 cell line indicated that the nanogel is biocompatible and suitable as drug carrier. Moreover, MTT assay revealed that the cisplatin-loaded nanocomposite represented significant superior cytotoxicity (p < .05) to HepG2 cells as compared with free cisplatin.

Smart Inverter Control and Operation for Distributed Energy Resources

Science.gov (United States)

Tazay, Ahmad F.

The motivation of this research is to carry out the control and operation of smart inverters and voltage source converters (VSC) for distributed energy resources (DERs) such as photovoltaic (PV), battery, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV). The main contribution of the research includes solving a couple of issues for smart grids by controlling and implementing multifunctions of VSC and smart inverter as well as improving the operational scheme of the microgrid. The work is mainly focused on controlling and operating of smart inverter since it promises a new technology for the future microgrid. Two major applications of the smart inverter will be investigated in this work based on the connection modes: microgrid at grid-tied mode and autonomous mode. In grid-tied connection, the smart inverter and VSC are used to integrate DER such as Photovoltaic (PV) and battery to provide suitable power to the system by controlling the supplied real and reactive power. The role of a smart inverter at autonomous mode includes supplying a sufficient voltage and frequency, mitigate abnormal condition of the load as well as equally sharing the total load's power. However, the operational control of the microgrid still has a major issue on the operation of the microgrid. The dissertation is divided into two main sections which are: 1. Low-level control of a single smart Inverter. 2. High-level control of the microgrid. The first part investigates a comprehensive research for a smart inverter and VSC technology at the two major connections of the microgrid. This involves controlling and modeling single smart inverter and VSC to solve specific issues of microgrid as well as improve the operation of the system. The research provides developed features for smart inverter comparing with a conventional voltage sourced converter (VSC). The two main connections for a microgrid have been deeply investigated to analyze a better way to develop and improve the operational procedure of

Natural material-decorated mesoporous silica nanoparticle container for multifunctional membrane-controlled targeted drug delivery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hu Y

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Yan Hu,1 Lei Ke,2 Hao Chen,1 Ma Zhuo,1 Xinzhou Yang,1 Dan Zhao,1 Suying Zeng,1 Xincai Xiao1 1Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Science, South-Central University for Nationalities, 2Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China Abstract: To avoid the side effects caused by nonspecific targeting, premature release, weak selectivity, and poor therapeutic efficacy of current nanoparticle-based systems used for drug delivery, we fabricated natural material-decorated nanoparticles as a multifunctional, membrane-controlled targeted drug delivery system. The nanocomposite material coated with a membrane was biocompatible and integrated both specific tumor targeting and responsiveness to stimulation, which improved transmission efficacy and controlled drug release. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs, which are known for their biocompatibility and high drug-loading capacity, were selected as a model drug container and carrier. The membrane was established by the polyelectrolyte composite method from chitosan (CS which was sensitive to the acidic tumor microenvironment, folic acid-modified CS which recognizes the folate receptor expressed on the tumor cell surface, and a CD44 receptor-targeted polysaccharide hyaluronic acid. We characterized the structure of the nanocomposite as well as the drug release behavior under the control of the pH-sensitive membrane switch and evaluated the antitumor efficacy of the system in vitro. Our results provide a basis for the design and fabrication of novel membrane-controlled nanoparticles with improved tumor-targeting therapy. Keywords: multifunctional, membrane-controlled, natural materials, mesoporous silica nanoparticles, targeted drug delivery

Electronic and Magnetic Properties of Transition-Metal Oxide Nanocomposites: A Tight-Binding Modeling at Mesoscale

Science.gov (United States)

Tai, Yuan-Yen; Zhu, Jian-Xin

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) exhibit many emergent phenomena ranging from high-temperature superconductivity and giant magnetoresistance to magnetism and ferroelectricity. In addition, when TMOs are interfaced with each other, new functionalities can arise, which are absent in individual components. In this talk, I will present an overview on our recent efforts in theoretical understanding of the electronic and magnetic properties TMO nanocomposites. In particular, I will introduce our recently developed tight-binding modeling of these properties arising from the interplay of competing interactions at the interfaces of planar and pillar nanocomposites. Our theoretical tool package will provide a unique capability to address the emergent phenomena in TMO nanocomposites and their mesoscale response to such effects like strain and microstructures at the interfaces, and ultimately help establish design principles of new multifunctionality with TMOs. This work was carried out under the auspices of the National Nuclear Security Administration of the U.S. Department of Energy at LANL under Contract No. DE-AC52-06NA25396, and was supported by the LANL LDRD Program.

Ag−TiO_2 nanocomposite for environmental and sensing applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hussain, Muhammad; Tariq, Saima; Ahmad, Mashkoor; Sun, Hongyu; Maaz, Khan; Ali, Ghafar; Hussain, Syed Zahid; Iqbal, Munawar; Karim, Shafqat; Nisar, Amjad

2016-01-01

Anatase Ag−TiO_2 nanostructures are synthesized by combining facile hydrothermal and co-precipitation methods. The photocatalytic and electrochemical activities of the product have been investigated. X-ray diffraction and microscopic results demonstrate that Ag nanoparticles of 15–20 nm size are well dispersed on the TiO_2 surface and confirm the formation of Ag−TiO_2 nanocomposite. The photocatalytic properties of the composite are evaluated in term of its capability to degrade both model organic dyes, such as rhodamine B, methylene blue and methyl orange, and dyes collected from textile industry under UV irradiation. The results indicate that the Ag−TiO_2 nanocomposite exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity as compared to pure anatase TiO_2. Moreover, the Ag−TiO_2 nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode demonstrates the abilities to electrocatalyze the hydrogen peroxide and substantially raise the response current. The modified electrode exhibits a reproducible sensitivity of 73.35 μA mM"−"1 cm"−"2 to H_2O_2 with a response time less than 3 s. The electrode also shows a linear range from 2 to 30 mM with a low limit of detection of 0.5 mM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, it has been revealed that the electrode exhibits a favorable stability over relatively long-term storage (more than 75 days). All these results illustrate that Ag−TiO_2 nanocomposite exhibits a great prospect for the development of efficient environmental remediator and non-enzymetic biosensor. - Highlights: • Multifunctional Ag−TiO_2 nanocomposite is synthesized by a facile method. • The composite exhibits enhanced photocatalytic and sensing properties. • Ag−TiO_2 enhanced properties are due to synergistic behavior of the composites.

Synthesis of Polyimides in Molecular-Scale Confinement for Low-Density Hybrid Nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Isaacson, Scott G; Fostvedt, Jade I; Koerner, Hilmar; Baur, Jeffery W; Lionti, Krystelle; Volksen, Willi; Dubois, Geraud; Dauskardt, Reinhold H

2017-11-08

In this work, we exploit a confinement-induced molecular synthesis and a resulting bridging mechanism to create confined polyimide thermoset nanocomposites that couple molecular confinement-enhanced toughening with an unprecedented combination of high-temperature properties at low density. We describe a synthesis strategy that involves the infiltration of individual polymer chains through a nanoscale porous network while simultaneous imidization reactions increase the molecular backbone stiffness. In the extreme limit where the confinement length scale is much smaller than the polymer's molecular size, confinement-induced molecular mechanisms give rise to exceptional mechanical properties. We find that polyimide oligomers can undergo cross-linking reactions even in such molecular-scale confinement, increasing the molecular weight of the organic phase and toughening the nanocomposite through a confinement-induced energy dissipation mechanism. This work demonstrates that the confinement-induced molecular bridging mechanism can be extended to thermoset polymers with multifunctional properties, such as excellent thermo-oxidative stability and high service temperatures (>350 °C).

3D TiO2 submicrostructures decorated by silver nanoparticles as SERS substrate for organic pollutants detection and degradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Jianjun; Su, Huilan; You, Xueling; Gao, Jing; Lau, Woon Ming; Zhang, Di

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Contrive a multifunctional SERS substrate with 3D sub-micrometer structure and multicomponent. • The blue wing of butterfly (Euploea mulciber) is used as template for Ag/TiO 2 nanocomposites. • The 3D submicrostructures Ag/TiO 2 presents superior SERS effect and photocatalytic activity. • Pave a facile route to prepare multifunctional material by utilizing smart structural designs in nature. - Abstract: The blue wing of butterfly Euploea mulciber is used as a template to generate Ag/TiO 2 nanocomposites. Thereinto, Ag nanoparticles are deposited uniformly onto TiO 2 substrate with three dimensional (3D) submicrometer structures. This unique 3D sub-micrometer structures featured with ridges, ribs and struts can provide a large number of active “hot spots” for enhanced Raman signal. Meanwhile, depositing Ag onto the TiO 2 surface can greatly boost its SERS effect and photocatalytic activity by bringing additional electrons into the molecules and inhibiting electrons–holes recombination. Thus, the as-prepared 3D Ag/TiO 2 submicrostructures can not only offer sensitive and reproducible SERS signals, but also present superior photocatalytic activity, which can be utilized to detect and eliminate organic pollutants

Yolk–shell Fe3O4@SiO2@PMO: amphiphilic magnetic nanocomposites as an adsorbent and a catalyst with high efficiency and recyclability

KAUST Repository

Dai, Jinyu

2017-01-20

This study describes the preparation of a multifunctional adsorptive catalyst by the incorporation of ligand groups within the channels of magnetic amphiphilic nanocomposites and attached with Pd nanoparticles. It was clearly demonstrated that Pd2+ was adsorbed by ligand-functionalized materials in water, and then Pd2+ was coordinated with ligand groups. Finally, the Pd nanoparticles were produced via an in situ reduction of Pd2+ by ligand groups through a simple hydrothermal process. Moreover, amphiphilic nanomaterials are viewed as excellent collectors of hydrophobic contaminants in water. The immobilized catalytic active sites with ligand-functionalized nanocomposites were allowed for maximal exposure to the reactants with minimal leaching of the Pd nanoparticles. The unique amphiphilic nanocomposites enabled selective oxidation of alcohols to proceed efficiently in water under aerobic conditions. Moreover, this nanocomposite catalyst could be completely recovered using an external magnet due to the superparamagnetic behavior of Fe3O4 and can be recycled with sustained selectivity and activity.

Carbon Nanofibers-Poly-3-hydroxyalkanoates Nanocomposite: Ultrasound-Assisted Dispersion and Thermostructural Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. M. Gumel

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The conductivity and high surface-to-volume ratio of carbon nanofibers (CNFs composited with the medium-chain-length poly-3-hydroxyalkanoate (mcl-PHA have attracted much attention as smart biomaterial. However, poor CNF dispersion leads to tactoid agglomerated composite with poor crystallite morphology resulting in inferior thermomechanical properties. We employed acoustic sonication to enhance the construction of exfoliated PHA/CNFs nanocomposites. The effects of CNF loading and the insonation variables (power intensity, frequency, and time on the stability and microscopic morphology of the nanocomposites were studied. Sonication improved the dispersion of CNFs into the polymer matrix, thereby improving the physical morphology, crystallinity, and thermomechanical properties of the nanocomposites. For example, compositing the polymer with 10% w/w CNF resulted in 66% increase in crystallite size, 46% increase in micromolecular elastic strain, and 17% increase in lattice strain. Nevertheless, polymer degradation was observed following the ultrasound exposure. The constructed bionanocomposite could potentially be applied for organic electroconductive materials, biosensors and stimuli-responsive drug delivery devices.

Mechanical and Thermal Characterization of Silica Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Cunningham, Anthony Lamar

Polymer nanocomposites are a class of materials containing nanoparticles with a large interfacial surface area. Only a small quantity of nanoparticles are needed to provide superior multifunctional properties; such as mechanical, thermal, electrical, and moisture absorption properties in polymers. Nanoparticles tend to agglomerate, so special techniques are required for homogeneous distribution. Nanosilica is now readily available as colloidal sols, for example; Nanopox RTM F400 (supplied by Evonik Nanoresins AG, Germany). The nanoparticles are first synthesized from aqueous sodium silicate solution, and then undergo a surface modification process with organosilane and matrix exchange. F400 contains 40%wt silica nanoparticles colloidally dispersed in a DGEBA epoxy resin. The mean particle diameter is about 20 nm with a narrow distribution range of about 5 to 35 nm. The objectives of this study are to develop a reproducible processing method for nanosilica enhanced resin systems used in the manufacturing of fiber reinforced composites that will be characterized for mechanical and thermal properties. Research has concluded that shows improvements in the properties of the matrix material when processed in loading variations of 0 to 25%wt silica nanoparticles. The loadings were also used to manufacture fiberglass reinforced nanocomposite laminates and also tested for mechanical and thermal properties.

Ag−TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite for environmental and sensing applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hussain, Muhammad [Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division, PINSTECH, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Centre for High Energy Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore (Pakistan); Tariq, Saima [Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division, PINSTECH, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Ahmad, Mashkoor [Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division, PINSTECH, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Sun, Hongyu [Beijing National Center for Electron Microscopy, Laboratory of Advanced Materials and The State Key Laboratory of New Ceramics and Fine Processing, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China); Maaz, Khan; Ali, Ghafar [Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division, PINSTECH, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Hussain, Syed Zahid [Materials Division, PINSTECH, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Iqbal, Munawar [Centre for High Energy Physics, University of the Punjab, Lahore (Pakistan); Karim, Shafqat [Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division, PINSTECH, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan); Nisar, Amjad, E-mail: chempk@hotmail.com [Nanomaterials Research Group, Physics Division, PINSTECH, Islamabad 44000 (Pakistan)

2016-09-15

Anatase Ag−TiO{sub 2} nanostructures are synthesized by combining facile hydrothermal and co-precipitation methods. The photocatalytic and electrochemical activities of the product have been investigated. X-ray diffraction and microscopic results demonstrate that Ag nanoparticles of 15–20 nm size are well dispersed on the TiO{sub 2} surface and confirm the formation of Ag−TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite. The photocatalytic properties of the composite are evaluated in term of its capability to degrade both model organic dyes, such as rhodamine B, methylene blue and methyl orange, and dyes collected from textile industry under UV irradiation. The results indicate that the Ag−TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity as compared to pure anatase TiO{sub 2}. Moreover, the Ag−TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite modified glassy carbon electrode demonstrates the abilities to electrocatalyze the hydrogen peroxide and substantially raise the response current. The modified electrode exhibits a reproducible sensitivity of 73.35 μA mM{sup −1} cm{sup −2} to H{sub 2}O{sub 2} with a response time less than 3 s. The electrode also shows a linear range from 2 to 30 mM with a low limit of detection of 0.5 mM (S/N = 3). Furthermore, it has been revealed that the electrode exhibits a favorable stability over relatively long-term storage (more than 75 days). All these results illustrate that Ag−TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite exhibits a great prospect for the development of efficient environmental remediator and non-enzymetic biosensor. - Highlights: • Multifunctional Ag−TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite is synthesized by a facile method. • The composite exhibits enhanced photocatalytic and sensing properties. • Ag−TiO{sub 2} enhanced properties are due to synergistic behavior of the composites.

Hybrid MoS2/h-BN Nanofillers As Synergic Heat Dissipation and Reinforcement Additives in Epoxy Nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Ribeiro, Hélio; Trigueiro, João Paulo C; Silva, Wellington M; Woellner, Cristiano F; Owuor, Peter S; Cristian Chipara, Alin; Lopes, Magnovaldo C; Tiwary, Chandra S; Pedrotti, Jairo J; Villegas Salvatierra, Rodrigo; Tour, James M; Chopra, Nitin; Odeh, Ihab N; Silva, Glaura G; Ajayan, Pulickel M

2017-09-26

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials as molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ), hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), and their hybrid (MoS 2 /h-BN) were employed as fillers to improve the physical properties of epoxy composites. Nanocomposites were produced in different concentrations and studied in their microstructure, mechanical and thermal properties. The hybrid 2D mixture imparted efficient reinforcement to the epoxy leading to increases of up to 95% in tensile strength, 60% in ultimate strain, and 58% in Young's modulus. Moreover, an enhancement of 203% in thermal conductivity was achieved for the hybrid composite as compared to the pure polymer. The incorporation of MoS 2 /h-BN mixture nanofillers in epoxy resulted in nanocomposites with multifunctional characteristics for applications that require high mechanical and thermal performance.

Synthesis and characterization of PTP/[Fe(CN)_3(dien)]·H_2O nanocomposite; study of electrical, thermal and photocatalytic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moosvi, Syed Kazim; Majid, Kowsar; Ara, Tabassum

2016-01-01

synthesised nanocomposite can be used as a multifunctional material for different nanoelectronic devices.

Smart Biointerface with Photoswitched Functions between Bactericidal Activity and Bacteria-Releasing Ability.

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Ting; Zhan, Wenjun; Yu, Qian; Chen, Hong

2017-08-09

Smart biointerfaces with capability to regulate cell-surface interactions in response to external stimuli are of great interest for both fundamental research and practical applications. Smart surfaces with "ON/OFF" switchability for a single function such as cell attachment/detachment are well-known and useful, but the ability to switch between two different functions may be seen as the next level of "smart". In this work reported, a smart supramolecular surface capable of switching functions reversibly between bactericidal activity and bacteria-releasing ability in response to UV-visible light is developed. This platform is composed of surface-containing azobenzene (Azo) groups and a biocidal β-cyclodextrin derivative conjugated with seven quaternary ammonium salt groups (CD-QAS). The surface-immobilized Azo groups in trans form can specially incorporate CD-QAS to achieve a strongly bactericidal surface that kill more than 90% attached bacteria. On irradiation with UV light, the Azo groups switch to cis form, resulting in the dissociation of the Azo/CD-QAS inclusion complex and release of dead bacteria from the surface. After the kill-and-release cycle, the surface can be easily regenerated for reuse by irradiation with visible light and reincorporation of fresh CD-QAS. The use of supramolecular chemistry represents a promising approach to the realization of smart, multifunctional surfaces, and has the potential to be applied to diverse materials and devices in the biomedical field.

Multifunctional epitaxial systems on silicon substrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singamaneni, Srinivasa Rao, E-mail: ssingam@ncsu.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States); Materials Science Division, Army Research Office, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 (United States); Department of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968 (United States); Prater, John Thomas [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States); Materials Science Division, Army Research Office, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709 (United States); Narayan, Jagdish [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States)

2016-09-15

-film heterostructure systems that span a variety of ferroelectric, multiferroic, magnetic, photocatalytic, and smart materials. Their properties have been extensively investigated and their functionality found to be comparable to films grown on single-crystal oxide substrates previously reported by researchers in this field. In addition, this review explores the utility of using laser processing to introduce stable defects in a controlled way and induce magnetism and engineer the optical and electrical properties of nonmagnetic oxides such as BaTiO{sub 3}, VO{sub 2}, NiO, and TiO{sub 2} as an alternative for incorporating additional magnetic and conducting layers into the structure. These significant materials advancements herald a flurry of exciting new advances in CMOS-compatible multifunctional devices.

Does Environmental Sustainability Play a Role in the Adoption of Smart Card Technology at Universities in Taiwan: An Integration of TAM and TRA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ching-Wei Ho

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Smart cards are able to store and protect relatively large amounts of data. When applied in universities, they can act as multi-purpose, multi-function and smart ID cards. This would avoid the waste of resources and maintain environmental sustainability. This study proposes a model that integrates Technology Acceptance Model and Theory of Reasoned Action into a framework incorporating the notion of environmental concern in order to explore the factors that affect students’ behavioral intention to use University Smart Cards. This study employs a quantitative method for primary data collection via a structured questionnaire for university students. The findings indicated that the perceived usefulness and subjective norm of university smart card systems have the most significant predictive power on potential users’ attitudes and intentions of adopting the card.

Multifunctional gold coated rare-earth hydroxide fluoride nanotubes for simultaneous wastewater purification and quantitative pollutant determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Da-Quan; Sun, Tian-Ying; Yu, Xue-Feng; Jia, Yue; Chen, Ming; Wang, Jia-Hong; Huang, Hao; Chu, Paul K.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The morphology and properties of Ce-doped yttrium hydroxide fluoride nanotubes (YHF:Ce NTs) were investigated. • YHF:Ce NTs were conjugated with Au nanoparticles to produce Au-YHF:Ce nanocomposites. • Au-YHF:Ce NTs showed excellent capability and efficiency in removing Congo red from solutions. • Au-YHF:Ce NTs were utilized to determine the concentration of Congo red based on SERS. - Abstract: Ce-doped yttrium hydroxide fluoride nanotubes (YHF:Ce NTs) with large surface area are synthesized and conjugated with Au nanoparticles (NPs) to produce Au-YHF:Ce nanocomposites. The Au-YHF:Ce NTs have a hollow structure, rough surface, polymer coating, and good surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) properties. They are applied to wastewater treatment to remove Congo red as a typical pollutant. The materials not only remove pollutants rapidly from the wastewater, but also detect trace amounts of the pollutants quantitatively. The multifunctional Au-YHF:Ce NTs have commercial potential as nano-absorbents and nano-detectors in water treatment and environmental monitoring

Multifunctional gold coated rare-earth hydroxide fluoride nanotubes for simultaneous wastewater purification and quantitative pollutant determination

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Da-Quan; Sun, Tian-Ying [Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Yu, Xue-Feng, E-mail: yxf@whu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Jia, Yue; Chen, Ming; Wang, Jia-Hong [Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Huang, Hao [Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072 (China); Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China); Chu, Paul K., E-mail: paul.chu@cityu.edu.hk [Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

2014-04-01

Highlights: • The morphology and properties of Ce-doped yttrium hydroxide fluoride nanotubes (YHF:Ce NTs) were investigated. • YHF:Ce NTs were conjugated with Au nanoparticles to produce Au-YHF:Ce nanocomposites. • Au-YHF:Ce NTs showed excellent capability and efficiency in removing Congo red from solutions. • Au-YHF:Ce NTs were utilized to determine the concentration of Congo red based on SERS. - Abstract: Ce-doped yttrium hydroxide fluoride nanotubes (YHF:Ce NTs) with large surface area are synthesized and conjugated with Au nanoparticles (NPs) to produce Au-YHF:Ce nanocomposites. The Au-YHF:Ce NTs have a hollow structure, rough surface, polymer coating, and good surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) properties. They are applied to wastewater treatment to remove Congo red as a typical pollutant. The materials not only remove pollutants rapidly from the wastewater, but also detect trace amounts of the pollutants quantitatively. The multifunctional Au-YHF:Ce NTs have commercial potential as nano-absorbents and nano-detectors in water treatment and environmental monitoring.

Mussel-inspired immobilization of BN nanosheets onto poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) fibers: Multifunctional interface for photothermal self-healing

Science.gov (United States)

Shao, Qing; Hu, Zhen; Xu, Xirong; Yu, Long; Zhang, Dayu; Huang, Yudong

2018-05-01

The composites with interfacial self-healing ability are smart and promising materials in the future. Although some approaches have been used to heal the micro-cracks in composite materials, it is still a great challenge to develop a versatile strategy to fabricate multifunctional interface for self-healing. Here, boron nitride nanosheets (BN) are immobilized onto PBO fibers by facile polydopamine (PDA) chemistry. Benefiting from the photothermal effect of BN-PDA, the obtained surface layer displays interfacial self-healing properties under Xenon light irradiation.

Study of glass-nanocomposite and glass-ceramic containing ferroelectric phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdel-Khalek, E.K., E-mail: Eid_khalaf0@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University, Nasr City 11884, Cairo (Egypt); Mohamed, E.A. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science (Girl' s Branch), Al Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo (Egypt); Salem, Shaaban M.; Ebrahim, F.M.; Kashif, I. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Al Azhar University, Nasr City 11884, Cairo (Egypt)

2012-03-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Glass nanocomposites was synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Glass nanocomposites exhibit both optical transmission bands at 598 and 660 nm and broad dielectric anomalies. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The ferroelectricity in pure single-phase oxide glass has not yet been discovered. - Abstract: Transparent glass nanocomposite in the pseudo binary system (100 - x) Li{sub 2}B{sub 4}O{sub 7}-xBaTiO{sub 3} with x = 0 and 60 (in mol%) were prepared. Amorphous and glassy characteristics of the as-prepared samples were established via X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) respectively. The precipitated BaTiO{sub 3} nanocrystal phase embedded in the glass sample at x = 60 mol% was identified by transmission electron microscopic (TEM). The optical transmission bands at 598 and 660 nm were assigned to Ti{sup 3+} ions in tetragonal distorted octahedral sites. The precipitated Li{sub 2}B{sub 4}O{sub 7}, BaTi(BO{sub 3}){sub 2} and BaTiO{sub 3} nanocrystallites phases with heat-treatment at 923 K for 6 h (HT923) in glass-ceramic were identified by XRD, TEM and infrared absorption spectroscopy. The as-prepared at x = 60 mol% and the HT923 samples exhibit broad dielectric anomalies in the vicinity of the ferroelectric-to-paraelectric transition temperature. The results demonstrate that the method presented may be an effective way to fabricate ferroelectric host and development of multifunctional ferroelectrics.

Synthesis of multifunctional clustered nano-Fe3O4 chitosan nanocomposite for biomedical applications

Science.gov (United States)

Villamin, Maria Emma; Kitamoto, Yoshitaka

2018-01-01

Clustered iron oxide nanoparticles covered with chitosan hydrogel (FeOx/Ch NC) have multiple potential functionalities in biomedical applications such as pH-controlled drug release, magnetic hyperthermia, and magnetic non-contact pH sensing. In the present study, the synthesis and characterization of FeOx/Ch NC are demonstrated. Moreover, the heating capability of the nanocomposites is also explored for the potential magnetic hyperthermia application by measuring the temperature curves under different AC frequencies (900 kHz to 2500 kHz). Monodispersed FeOx NPs are first synthesized via thermal decomposition. Then, dried FeOx NPs are combined with chitosan using a homogenizer to form the clustered composites. Synthesized composites are then characterized using XRD, TEM, and FTIR. Temperature curves are measured via a custom-built hyperthermia setup. Results show successful synthesis of clustered Fe3O4-chitosan nanocomposite with XRD peaks corresponding to magnetite (Fe3O4) structure. FTIR results show the presence of functional groups of chitosan (N-H, C-O) and FeOx NPs (Fe-O). These confirms the successful fabrication of FeOx/Ch NC. The temperature curves show maximum temperature changes of about 2°C to 22°C depending on the AC frequency. The heating rate is found to increase with the frequency, which suggests that the resonance frequency is higher than 2500 kHz.

Synthesis and characterization of PTP/[Fe(CN){sub 3}(dien)]·H{sub 2}O nanocomposite; study of electrical, thermal and photocatalytic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moosvi, Syed Kazim; Majid, Kowsar, E-mail: kowsarmajid@rediffmail.com; Ara, Tabassum

2016-10-20

obtained indicate the synthesised nanocomposite can be used as a multifunctional material for different nanoelectronic devices.

One-step fabrication of multifunctional composite polyurethane spider-web-like nanofibrous membrane for water purification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pant, Hem Raj; Kim, Han Joo; Joshi, Mahesh Kumar; Pant, Bishweshwar; Park, Chan Hee; Kim, Jeong In; Hui, K.S.; Kim, Cheol Sang

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A single mat having varieties of performance for water treatment is simply introduced. • Cost effective Ag-doped fly ash/PU nanofibers are fabricated in one-step. • Solvent reduction of AgNO 3 could produce Ag-loaded spider-web nets. • Size of Ag NPs on fiber surface can be controlled by controlling stirring time. • Fabrication of nanocomposite using pollutant material to control other pollutents. -- Abstract: A stable silver-doped fly ash/polyurathene (Ag-FA/PU) nanocomposite multifunctional membrane is prepared by a facile one-step electrospinning process using fly ash particles (FAPs). Colloidal solution of PU with FAPs and Ag metal precursor was subjected to fabricate nanocomposite spider-web-like membrane using electrospinning process. Presence of N,N-dimethylformamide (solvent of PU) led to reduce silver nitrate into Ag NPs. Incorporation of Ag NPs and FAPs through electrospun PU fibers is proven through electron microscopy and spectroscopic techniques. Presence of these NPs on PU nanofibers introduces several potential physicochemical properties such as spider-web-like nano-neeting for NPs separation, enhanced absorption capacity to remove carcinogenic arsenic (As) and toxic organic dyes, and antibacterial properties with reduce bio-fouling for membrane filter application. Preliminary observations used for above-mentioned applications for water treatment showed that it will be an economically and environmentally friendly nonwoven matrix for water purification. This simple approach highlights new avenues about the utilization of one pollutant material to control other pollutants in scalable and inexpensive ways

One-step fabrication of multifunctional composite polyurethane spider-web-like nanofibrous membrane for water purification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pant, Hem Raj, E-mail: hempant@jbnu.ac.kr [Department of Bio-nano System Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Engineering Science and Humanities, Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu (Nepal); Kim, Han Joo [Division of Mechanical Design Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Joshi, Mahesh Kumar; Pant, Bishweshwar; Park, Chan Hee; Kim, Jeong In [Department of Bio-nano System Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Hui, K.S., E-mail: kshui@hanyang.ac.kr [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Cheol Sang, E-mail: chskim@jbnu.ac.kr [Department of Bio-nano System Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of); Division of Mechanical Design Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561-756 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-01-15

Highlights: • A single mat having varieties of performance for water treatment is simply introduced. • Cost effective Ag-doped fly ash/PU nanofibers are fabricated in one-step. • Solvent reduction of AgNO{sub 3} could produce Ag-loaded spider-web nets. • Size of Ag NPs on fiber surface can be controlled by controlling stirring time. • Fabrication of nanocomposite using pollutant material to control other pollutents. -- Abstract: A stable silver-doped fly ash/polyurathene (Ag-FA/PU) nanocomposite multifunctional membrane is prepared by a facile one-step electrospinning process using fly ash particles (FAPs). Colloidal solution of PU with FAPs and Ag metal precursor was subjected to fabricate nanocomposite spider-web-like membrane using electrospinning process. Presence of N,N-dimethylformamide (solvent of PU) led to reduce silver nitrate into Ag NPs. Incorporation of Ag NPs and FAPs through electrospun PU fibers is proven through electron microscopy and spectroscopic techniques. Presence of these NPs on PU nanofibers introduces several potential physicochemical properties such as spider-web-like nano-neeting for NPs separation, enhanced absorption capacity to remove carcinogenic arsenic (As) and toxic organic dyes, and antibacterial properties with reduce bio-fouling for membrane filter application. Preliminary observations used for above-mentioned applications for water treatment showed that it will be an economically and environmentally friendly nonwoven matrix for water purification. This simple approach highlights new avenues about the utilization of one pollutant material to control other pollutants in scalable and inexpensive ways.

Smart Coatings for Corrosion Protection

Science.gov (United States)

Calle, Luz Marina; Li, Wendy; Buhrow, Jerry W.; Johnsey, Marissa N.

2016-01-01

Nearly all metals and their alloys are subject to corrosion that causes them to lose their structural integrity or other critical functionality. It is essential to detect corrosion when it occurs, and preferably at its early stage, so that action can be taken to avoid structural damage or loss of function. Protective coatings are the most commonly used method of corrosion control. However, progressively stricter environmental regulations have resulted in the ban of many commercially available corrosion protective coatings due to the harmful effects of their solvents or corrosion inhibitors. This work concerns the development of a multifunctional, smart coating for the autonomous control of corrosion. This coating is being developed to have the inherent ability to detect the chemical changes associated with the onset of corrosion and respond autonomously to indicate it and control it.

Integrative solutions for intelligent energy management. Smart metering, smart home, smart grid; Integrative Loesungsansaetze fuer ein intelligentes Energiemanagement. Smart Metering, Smart Home and Smart Grid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jungfleisch, Achim [Hager Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH und Co. KG, Blieskastel (Germany). Marketing

2011-07-01

Smart Metering, Smart Home, Smart Grid - these key words significantly determine the current debate about intelligent energy management, or new energy concepts. The author of the contribution under consideration describes the interactions between Smart Metering, Smart Home and Smart Grids and the technical connection of these interactions. Thus, the compact tebis KNX demovea server connects Windows computer and the Internet with the building automation based on KNX. The technically simple combination of smart metering and smart home via Hager radio tower of the building automation provides an access to key energy data for an intelligent load management.

3D TiO{sub 2} submicrostructures decorated by silver nanoparticles as SERS substrate for organic pollutants detection and degradation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Jianjun [State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Su, Huilan, E-mail: hlsu@sjtu.edu.cn [State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); You, Xueling; Gao, Jing [State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China); Lau, Woon Ming [Chengdu Green Energy and Green Manufacturing Technology R and D Center, Sichuan 610207 (China); Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Beijing 100084 (China); Zhang, Di, E-mail: zhangdi@sjtu.edu.cn [State Key Lab of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240 (China)

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Contrive a multifunctional SERS substrate with 3D sub-micrometer structure and multicomponent. • The blue wing of butterfly (Euploea mulciber) is used as template for Ag/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites. • The 3D submicrostructures Ag/TiO{sub 2} presents superior SERS effect and photocatalytic activity. • Pave a facile route to prepare multifunctional material by utilizing smart structural designs in nature. - Abstract: The blue wing of butterfly Euploea mulciber is used as a template to generate Ag/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites. Thereinto, Ag nanoparticles are deposited uniformly onto TiO{sub 2} substrate with three dimensional (3D) submicrometer structures. This unique 3D sub-micrometer structures featured with ridges, ribs and struts can provide a large number of active “hot spots” for enhanced Raman signal. Meanwhile, depositing Ag onto the TiO{sub 2} surface can greatly boost its SERS effect and photocatalytic activity by bringing additional electrons into the molecules and inhibiting electrons–holes recombination. Thus, the as-prepared 3D Ag/TiO{sub 2} submicrostructures can not only offer sensitive and reproducible SERS signals, but also present superior photocatalytic activity, which can be utilized to detect and eliminate organic pollutants.

Perspective and potential of smart optical materials

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sang H.; Duzik, Adam J.; Kim, Hyun-Jung; Park, Yeonjoon; Kim, Jaehwan; Ko, Hyun-U.; Kim, Hyun-Chan; Yun, Sungryul; Kyung, Ki-Uk

2017-09-01

The increasing requirements of hyperspectral imaging optics, electro/photo-chromic materials, negative refractive index metamaterial optics, and miniaturized optical components from micro-scale to quantum-scale optics have all contributed to new features and advancements in optics technology. Development of multifunctional capable optics has pushed the boundaries of optics into new fields that require new disciplines and materials to maximize the potential benefits. The purpose of this study is to understand and show the fundamental materials and fabrication technology for field-controlled spectrally active optics (referred to as smart optics) that are essential for future industrial, scientific, military, and space applications, such as membrane optics, filters, windows for sensors and probes, telescopes, spectroscopes, cameras, light valves, light switches, and flat-panel displays. The proposed smart optics are based on the Stark and Zeeman effects in materials tailored with quantum dot arrays and thin films made from readily polarizable materials via ferroelectricity or ferromagnetism. Bound excitonic states of organic crystals are also capable of optical adaptability, tunability, and reconfigurability. To show the benefits of smart optics, this paper reviews spectral characteristics of smart optical materials and device technology. Experiments testing the quantum-confined Stark effect, arising from rare earth element doping effects in semiconductors, and applied electric field effects on spectral and refractive index are discussed. Other bulk and dopant materials were also discovered to have the same aspect of shifts in spectrum and refractive index. Other efforts focus on materials for creating field-controlled spectrally smart active optics on a selected spectral range. Surface plasmon polariton transmission of light through apertures is also discussed, along with potential applications. New breakthroughs in micro scale multiple zone plate optics as a micro

Effect of adsorbed/intercalated anionic dyes into the mechanical properties of PVA: layered zinc hydroxide nitrate nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Marangoni, Rafael; Mikowski, Alexandre; Wypych, Fernando

2010-11-15

Zinc hydroxide nitrate (ZHN) was adsorbed with anions of blue dyes (Chicago sky blue, CSB; Evans blue, EB; and Niagara blue, NB) and intercalated with anions of orange dyes (Orange G, OG; Orange II, OII; methyl orange, MO). Transparent, homogeneous and colored nanocomposite films were obtained by casting after dispersing the pigments (dye-intercalated/adsorbed into LHSs) into commercial poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA). The films were characterized by XRD, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and mechanical testing. The mechanical properties of the PVA compounded with the dye-intercalated/adsorbed ZHN were evaluated, and reasonable increases in Young's modulus and ultimate tensile strength were observed, depending on the amount and choice of layered filler. These results demonstrate the possibility of using a new class of layered hydroxide salts intercalated and adsorbed with anionic dyes to prepare multifunctional polymer nanocomposite materials. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thermal Degradation of Nanocomposited PMMA/TiO2 Nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hafizah, Nik Noor; Mamat, Mohamad Hafiz; Rusop, Mohamad; Said, Che Mohamad Som; Abidin, Mohd Hanafiah

2013-01-01

The polymer nanocomposite is a new choice to conventionally filled polymers. The lack of proper binding between the filler and the polymer can lead the decrease of the thermal and other properties of the nanocomposites. In this study, the nanocomposited PMMA/TiO 2 nanocomposites were prepared using sonication and solution casting method at different weight percent TiO 2 . The aims of adding TiO 2 in the PMMA is to study the effects of TiO 2 nanofiller on the thermal properties nanocomposites. FESEM results show the higher amounts of TiO 2 in PMMA increase the rough surface morphology of the samples. Further, the Raman results reveal that the TiO 2 nanofiller were successfully intercalated into the PMMA matrix. In addition, the thermal properties of nanocomposited PMMA/TiO 2 nanocomposites were increased with the addition of TiO 2 in the PMMA.

Physical, mechanical and neutron shielding properties of h-BN/Gd2O3/HDPE ternary nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

İrim, Ş. Gözde; Wis, Abdulmounem Alchekh; Keskin, M. Aker; Baykara, Oktay; Ozkoc, Guralp; Avcı, Ahmet; Doğru, Mahmut; Karakoç, Mesut

2018-03-01

In order to prepare an effective neutron shielding material, not only neutron but also gamma absorption must be taken into account. In this research, a polymer nanocomposite based novel type of multifunctional neutron shielding material is designed and fabricated. For this purpose, high density polyethylene (HDPE) was compounded with different amounts of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and Gd2O3 nanoparticles having average particle size of 100 nm using melt-compounding technique. The mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of nanocomposites were investigated. As filler content increased, the absorption of both neutron and gamma fluxes increased despite fluctuating neutron absorption curves. Adding h-BN and Gd2O3 nano particles had a significant influence on both neutron and gamma attenuation properties (Σ, cm-1 and μ/ρ, cm-2/g) of ternary shields and they show an enhancement of 200-280%, 14-52% for neutron and gamma radiations, respectively, in shielding performance.

Smart Porous Silicon Nanoparticles with Polymeric Coatings for Sequential Combination Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Wujun; Thapa, Rinez; Liu, Dongfei; Nissinen, Tuomo; Granroth, Sari; Närvänen, Ale; Suvanto, Mika; Santos, Hélder A; Lehto, Vesa-Pekka

2015-11-02

In spite of the advances in drug delivery, the preparation of smart nanocomposites capable of precisely controlled release of multiple drugs for sequential combination therapy is still challenging. Here, a novel drug delivery nanocomposite was prepared by coating porous silicon (PSi) nanoparticles with poly(beta-amino ester) (PAE) and Pluronic F-127, respectively. Two anticancer drugs, doxorubicin (DOX) and paclitaxel (PTX), were separately loaded into the core of PSi and the shell of F127. The nanocomposite displayed enhanced colloidal stability and good cytocompatibility. Moreover, a spatiotemporal drug release was achieved for sequential combination therapy by precisely controlling the release kinetics of the two tested drugs. The release of PTX and DOX occurred in a time-staggered manner; PTX was released much faster and earlier than DOX at pH 7.0. The grafted PAE on the external surface of PSi acted as a pH-responsive nanovalve for the site-specific release of DOX. In vitro cytotoxicity tests demonstrated that the DOX and PTX coloaded nanoparticles exhibited a better synergistic effect than the free drugs in inducing cellular apoptosis. Therefore, the present study demonstrates a promising strategy to enhance the efficiency of combination cancer therapies by precisely controlling the release kinetics of different drugs.

Multifunctional Nanotechnology Research

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

MULTIFUNCTIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH MARCH 2016 INTERIM TECHNICAL REPORT APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED STINFO COPY AIR...REPORT 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) JAN 2015 – JAN 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE MULTIFUNCTIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER IN-HOUSE...H. Yoon, and C. S. Hwang, “Electrically configurable electroforming and bipolar resistive switching in Pt/TiO2/Pt structures.,” Nanotechnology , vol

Multifunction system service students and staff of higher education institutions by the example of ENGECON based on solutions IT -Card

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kulakova Ekaterina Yurevna

2011-03-01

Full Text Available This work is devoted to the creation of multifunctional system service students and staff of universities based on smart card using the concept of electronic "purse." Experience of other countries with a similar solution shows that the system allows the university to significantly reduce maintenance costs of its activities and at the same time improve the quality of services provided. Also in this paper present my vision of the problem and its solution in our university - ENGECON.

Generic Automated Multi-function Finger Design

Science.gov (United States)

Honarpardaz, M.; Tarkian, M.; Sirkett, D.; Ölvander, J.; Feng, X.; Elf, J.; Sjögren, R.

2016-11-01

Multi-function fingers that are able to handle multiple workpieces are crucial in improvement of a robot workcell. Design automation of multi-function fingers is highly demanded by robot industries to overcome the current iterative, time consuming and complex manual design process. However, the existing approaches for the multi-function finger design automation are unable to entirely meet the robot industries’ need. This paper proposes a generic approach for design automation of multi-function fingers. The proposed approach completely automates the design process and requires no expert skill. In addition, this approach executes the design process much faster than the current manual process. To validate the approach, multi-function fingers are successfully designed for two case studies. Further, the results are discussed and benchmarked with existing approaches.

Smart Grid: Smart Customer Policy Needs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2011-07-01

In September 2010, the International Energy Agency (IEA) held a workshop on the regulatory, market and consumer policies necessary to ensure that smart grids are deployed with adequate consideration of their risks and benefits to all stakeholders. This was one of several workshops that brought together energy providers, network operators, technology developers, regulators, customers and government policy makers to discuss smart grid technology and policy. The Smart Grid - Smart Customer Policies workshop allowed stakeholders to: gain a perspective on key issues and barriers facing early deployment of smart grids; hear expert opinion on regulatory, consumer and market challenges to smart grids; discuss smart grid-smart customer policy priorities; and build consensus on the technology and policy ingredients needed for customer-friendly smart grid deployments. Drawing on workshop discussions, the following paper lays out a logical framework to maximise the benefits and minimise the risks that smart grids pose for customers. The paper also describes key policy research questions that will guide future IEA research on this topic.

Multifunction system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wauthier, J.; Fiori, R.

1990-01-01

The development, the characteristics and the applications of a multifunction system are presented. The system is used on the RBES laboratory pipes, at Marcoule. The system was developed in order to allow, without time loss, the modification of the circuit function by replacing only one component. The following elements form the multifunction system: a fixed base, which is part of the tube, a removable piece, which is inserted into the base, a cover plate and its locking system. The material, chosen among commercial trade marks, required small modifications in order to be used in the circuit [fr

Stretchable Triboelectric-Photonic Smart Skin for Tactile and Gesture Sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Bu, Tianzhao; Xiao, Tianxiao; Yang, Zhiwei; Liu, Guoxu; Fu, Xianpeng; Nie, Jinhui; Guo, Tong; Pang, Yaokun; Zhao, Junqing; Xi, Fengben; Zhang, Chi; Wang, Zhong Lin

2018-04-01

Smart skin is expected to be stretchable and tactile for bionic robots as the medium with the ambient environment. Here, a stretchable triboelectric-photonic smart skin (STPS) is reported that enables multidimensional tactile and gesture sensing for a robotic hand. With a grating-structured metal film as the bioinspired skin stripe, the STPS exhibits a tunable aggregation-induced emission in a lateral tensile range of 0-160%. Moreover, the STPS can be used as a triboelectric nanogenerator for vertical pressure sensing with a maximum sensitivity of 34 mV Pa -1 . The pressure sensing characteristics can remain stable in different stretching conditions, which demonstrates a synchronous and independent sensing property for external stimuli with great durability. By integrating on a robotic hand as a conformal covering, the STPS shows multidimensional mechanical sensing abilities for external touch and different gestures with joints bending. This work has first demonstrated a triboelectric-photonic coupled multifunctional sensing terminal, which may have great applications in human-machine interaction, soft robots, and artificial intelligence. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Biodegradable "Smart" Polyphosphazenes with Intrinsic Multifunctionality as Intracellular Protein Delivery Vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, Andre P; Qamar, Bareera; Fuerst, Thomas R; Muro, Silvia; Andrianov, Alexander K

2017-06-12

A series of biodegradable drug delivery polymers with intrinsic multifunctionality have been designed and synthesized utilizing a polyphosphazene macromolecular engineering approach. Novel water-soluble polymers, which contain carboxylic acid and pyrrolidone moieties attached to an inorganic phosphorus-nitrogen backbone, were characterized by a suite of physicochemical methods to confirm their structure, composition, and molecular sizes. All synthesized polyphosphazenes displayed composition-dependent hydrolytic degradability in aqueous solutions at neutral pH. Their formulations were stable at lower temperatures, potentially indicating adequate shelf life, but were characterized by accelerated degradation kinetics at elevated temperatures, including 37 °C. It was found that synthesized polyphosphazenes are capable of environmentally triggered self-assembly to produce nanoparticles with narrow polydispersity in the size range of 150-700 nm. Protein loading capacity of copolymers has been validated via their ability to noncovalently bind avidin without altering biological functionality. Acid-induced membrane-disruptive activity of polyphosphazenes has been established with an onset corresponding to the endosomal pH range and being dependent on polymer composition. The synthesized polyphosphazenes facilitated cell-surface interactions followed by time-dependent, vesicular-mediated, and saturable internalization of a model protein cargo into cancer cells, demonstrating the potential for intracellular delivery.

Sustainable nanocomposites toward electrochemical energy storage and environmental remediation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jiahua

Energy shortage and environmental pollution are the two most concerns right now for the long term sustainable development of human society. New technology developments are the key solutions to these challenges, which strongly rely on the continuous upgrading of advanced material performance. In this dissertation, sustainable nanocomposites with multifunctionalities are designed and fabricated targeting to the applications in high energy/power density capacitor electrodes and efficient heavy metal adsorbent for polluted water purification. Contrary to the helical carbon structure from pure cotton fabrics under microwave heating and radical oxidized ignition of nanoparticles from conventional heating, magnetic carbon tubular nanocomposite fabrics decorated with unifromally dispersed Co-Co3O4 nanoparticles were successfully synthesized via a microwave heating process using cotton fabric and inorganic salt as precursors, which have shown better anti-corrosive performance and demonstrated great potential as novel electrochemical pseudocapacitor electrode. Polyaniline nanofibers (PANI-NFs)/graphite oxide (GO) nanocomposites with excellent interfacial interaction and elongated fiber structure were synthesized via a facile interfacial polymerization method. The PANI-NFs/GO hybrid materials showed orders of magnitude enhancement in capacitance and energy density than that of individual GO and PANI-NF components. At the same weight loading of PANI in the composites, fibrous PANI demonstrated higher energy density and long term stability than that of particle-shaped PANI at higher power density. Besides the efforts focusing on the inside of the capacitor including new electrodes, electrolyte materials, and capacitor configuration designs. A significant small external magnetic field (720 Gauss) induced capacitance enhancement is reported for graphene and graphene nanocomposite electrodes. The capacitance of Fe2O3/graphene nanocomposites increases by 154.6% after appling

Nanocomposite scaffolds with tunable mechanical and degradation capabilities: co-delivery of bioactive agents for bone tissue engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Cattalini, Juan P; Roether, Judith; Hoppe, Alexander; Pishbin, Fatemeh; Haro Durand, Luis; Gorustovich, Alejandro; Boccaccini, Aldo R; Lucangioli, Silvia; Mouriño, Viviana

2016-10-21

Novel multifunctional nanocomposite scaffolds made of nanobioactive glass and alginate crosslinked with therapeutic ions such as calcium and copper were developed for delivering therapeutic agents, in a highly controlled and sustainable manner, for bone tissue engineering. Alendronate, a well-known antiresorptive agent, was formulated into microspheres under optimized conditions and effectively loaded within the novel multifunctional scaffolds with a high encapsulation percentage. The size of the cation used for the alginate crosslinking impacted directly on porosity and viscoelastic properties, and thus, on the degradation rate and the release profile of copper, calcium and alendronate. According to this, even though highly porous structures were created with suitable pore sizes for cell ingrowth and vascularization in both cases, copper-crosslinked scaffolds showed higher values of porosity, elastic modulus, degradation rate and the amount of copper and alendronate released, when compared with calcium-crosslinked scaffolds. In addition, in all cases, the scaffolds showed bioactivity and mechanical properties close to the endogenous trabecular bone tissue in terms of viscoelasticity. Furthermore, the scaffolds showed osteogenic and angiogenic properties on bone and endothelial cells, respectively, and the extracts of the biomaterials used promoted the formation of blood vessels in an ex vivo model. These new bioactive nanocomposite scaffolds represent an exciting new class of therapeutic cell delivery carrier with tunable mechanical and degradation properties; potentially useful in the controlled and sustainable delivery of therapeutic agents with active roles in bone formation and angiogenesis, as well as in the support of cell proliferation and osteogenesis for bone tissue engineering.

Fabrication, characterization and in-vitro cytotoxicity of magnetic nanocomposite polymeric film for multi-functional medical application

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Lingyun; Xu, Xiaoyu; Wang, Xiaowen; Zhang, Xiaodong; Gao, Fuping; Tang, Jintian

2009-07-01

Cancer comprehensive treatment has been fully acknowledged as it can provide an effective multimodality approach for fighting cancers. In this study, various innovative technologies for cancer treatment including cancer nanotechnology, chemotherapy by sustainable release, as well as magnetic induction hyperthermia (MIH) have been integrated for the purpose of cancer comprehensive treatment. Briefly, such kind of treatment can be realized by applying of the tailored magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) composite polymeric film. Fe3O4 MNPs acting as the agent for MIH, and anti-cancer drug docetaxel as chemotherapeutic agent were incorporated within the biodegradable polymeric film. Physiochemical characterizations on MNPs and the film have been systematically carried out by various instrumental analyses. Our results demonstrated that the film has been successfully fabricated by the solvent cast method. Hyperthermia could be induced by stimulating the nanocomposite film under an alternative magnetic field (AMF). The incorporation of MNPs, as well as hyperthermia would facilitate the drug release from the polymeric film. The in-vitro cytotoxicity results indicated the bi-modal cancer treatment approach for combined MIH and chemotherapy is more effective than the mono-modal treatment by docetaxel treatment. The magnetic nanocomposite film can realize cancer comprehensive treatment thus has great potential in clinical application.

Hydrophilic MoSe2 Nanosheets as Effective Photothermal Therapy Agents and Their Application in Smart Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Zhouyue; Zhu, Wencheng; Xu, Shengjie; Ding, Jian; Wan, Jiaxun; Wu, Peiyi

2016-08-17

A facile poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP)-assisted exfoliation method is utilized to simultaneously exfoliate and noncovalently modify MoSe2 nanosheets. The resultant hydrophilic nanosheets are shown to be promising candidates for biocompatible photothermal therapy (PTT) agents, and they could also be encapsulated into a hydrogel matrix for some intelligent devices. This work not only provides novel insights into exfoliation and modification of transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) nanosheets but also might spark more research into engineering multifunctional TMD-related nanocomposites, which is in favor of further exploiting the attractive properties of these emerging layered two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials.

Dynamic Self-Assembly of Gold/Polymer Nanocomposites: pH-Encoded Switching between 1D Nanowires and 3D Nanosponges.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Qi; Xu, Tian-Yi; Zhao, Cai-Xin; Jin, Wei-Hang; Wang, Qian; Qu, Da-Hui

2017-10-05

The design of tunable dynamic self-assembly of nanoparticles with switchable assembled dimensions and morphologies is a challenging goal whose realization is vital for the evolution of smart nanomaterials. Herein, we report on chitosan polymer as an effective supramolecular "glue" for aldehyde-modified Au nanoparticles to reversibly modulate the states of self-assembled nanocomposites. By simultaneous integration of dynamic covalent Schiff base interactions and noncovalent hydrogen bonds, the chitosan/Au nanocomposites could reversibly transform their assembled morphologies from one-dimensional nanowires to three-dimensional nanosponges in response to the variation of pH value. Moreover, the obtained nanosponges could be used as an efficient pH-controlled cargo release system. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Admixtures in Cement-Matrix Composites for Mechanical Reinforcement, Sustainability, and Smart Features

Science.gov (United States)

Bastos, Guillermo; Patiño-Barbeito, Faustino; Patiño-Cambeiro, Faustino; Armesto, Julia

2016-01-01

For more than a century, several inclusions have been mixed with Portland cement—nowadays the most-consumed construction material worldwide—to improve both the strength and durability required for construction. The present paper describes the different families of inclusions that can be combined with cement matrix and reviews the achievements reported to date regarding mechanical performance, as well as two other innovative functionalities of growing importance: reducing the high carbon footprint of Portland cement, and obtaining new smart features. Nanomaterials stand out in the production of such advanced features, allowing the construction of smart or multi-functional structures by means of thermal- and strain-sensing, and photocatalytic properties. The first self-cleaning concretes (photocatalytic) have reached the markets. In this sense, it is expected that smart concretes will be commercialized to address specialized needs in construction and architecture. Conversely, other inclusions that enhance strength or reduce the environmental impact remain in the research stage, in spite of the promising results reported in these issues. Despite the fact that such functionalities are especially profitable in the case of massive cement consumption, the shift from the deeply established Portland cement to green cements still has to overcome economic, institutional, and technical barriers. PMID:28774091

Smart grid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Dong Bae

2001-11-01

This book describes press smart grid from basics to recent trend. It is divided into ten chapters, which deals with smart grid as green revolution in energy with introduction, history, the fields, application and needed technique for smart grid, Trend of smart grid in foreign such as a model business of smart grid in foreign, policy for smart grid in U.S.A, Trend of smart grid in domestic with international standard of smart grid and strategy and rood map, smart power grid as infrastructure of smart business with EMS development, SAS, SCADA, DAS and PQMS, smart grid for smart consumer, smart renewable like Desertec project, convergence IT with network and PLC, application of an electric car, smart electro service for realtime of electrical pricing system, arrangement of smart grid.

Design of smart functional apparel products for moxa moxibustion

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Li; Au, Wai-man; Ding, Feng; Wong, Kwok-shing

2013-08-01

Moxa Moxibustion is a common traditional Chinese therapy in which burning Moxa is applied to affected body areas. This method has been employed for thousands of years to achieve certain medical objectives, such as pain relief or antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Its therapeutic effectiveness has been demonstrated successfully both in research and clinical studies. However, this traditional approach may cause undesirable side effects, for example: 1) burning of Moxa produces by-products such as smoke and ash; 2) patients are at risk of being burnt; 3) the active ingredients of the Moxa leaf oil are volatile, odorous, unstable in air and easy to dissipate, and difficult to store and transport; 4) it is inconvenient to operate. These side effects limit its further high-potential and high-value applications. This study is aimed at developing a multi-functional smart textile system that will adopt smart fabrics containing encapsulated Moxa oil integrated with thermally conductive materials to replace the conventional Moxa products. This will efficiently deliver the active ingredients of Moxa to a human body at optimum conditions, i.e., in a precise and controllable way, with maximum convenience and a high level of comfort. Doing so would solve the existing problems mentioned above. Both garment design skill and textile technology will be applied to Moxa Moxibustion textile to enhance the aesthetics and functionality. The smart garment performance will be assessed subjectively in a clinical trial and objectively by a number of instrumental methods.

Nonlinear analysis of piezoelectric nanocomposite energy harvesting plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rafiee, M; He, X Q; Liew, K M

2014-01-01

This paper investigates the nonlinear analysis of energy harvesting from piezoelectric functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite plates under combined thermal and mechanical loadings. The excitation, which derives from harmonically varying mechanical in-plane loading, results in parametric excitation. The governing equations of the piezoelectric functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite plates are derived based on classical plate theory and von Kármán geometric nonlinearity. The material properties of the nanocomposite plate are assumed to be graded in the thickness direction. The single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are assumed to be aligned, straight and have a uniform layout. The linear buckling and vibration behavior of the nanocomposite plates is obtained in the first step. Then, Galerkin’s method is employed to derive the nonlinear governing equations of the problem with cubic nonlinearities associated with mid-plane stretching. Periodic solutions are determined by using the Poincaré–Lindstedt perturbation scheme with movable simply supported boundary conditions. The effects of temperature change, the volume fraction and the distribution pattern of the SWCNTs on the parametric resonance, in particular the amplitude of vibration and the average harvested power of the smart functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite plates, are investigated through a detailed parametric study. (paper)

Smart mobility in smart cities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baucells, Aleta N.

2016-07-01

Cities are currently undergoing a transformation into the Smart concept, like Smartphones or SmartTV. Many initiatives are being developed in the framework of the Smart Cities projects, however, there is a lack of consistent indicators and methodologies to assess, finance, prioritize and implement this kind of projects. Smart Cities projects are classified according to six axes: Government, Mobility, Environment, Economy, People and Living. (Giffinger, 2007). The main objective of this research is to develop an evaluation model in relation to the mobility concept as one of the six axes of the Smart City classification and apply it to the Spanish cities. The evaluation was carried out in the 62 cities that made up in September 2015 the Spanish Network of Smart Cities (RECI- Red Española de Ciudades Inteligentes). This research is part of a larger project about Smart Cities’ evaluation (+CITIES), the project evaluates RECI’s cities in all the axes. The analysis was carried out taking into account sociodemographic indicators such as the size of the city or the municipal budget per inhabitant. The mobility’s evaluation in those cities has been focused in: sustainability mobility urban plans and measures to reduce the number of vehicles. The 62 cities from the RECI have been evaluated according to their degree of progress in several Smart Cities’ initiatives related to smart mobility. The applied methodology has been specifically made for this project. The grading scale has different ranks depending on the deployment level of smart cities’ initiatives. (Author)

Nanocomposite electrodes for smartphone enabled healthcare garments: e-bra and smart vest

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Prashanth S.; Rai, Pratyush; Oh, Sechang; Kwon, Hyeokjun; Varadan, Vijay K.

2012-10-01

The financial burden of hospital readmissions and treatment of chronic cardiac diseases are global concerns. Point of Care (POC) has been presented as an elegant solution for healthcare cost reduction. However, large scale adoption of POC systems requires an intuitive, unobtrusive and easy to use health monitoring system from patient's perspective. Healthcare textiles are sensor systems mounted on textile platform that function as wearable unobtrusive health monitoring systems. Although much work has been done in the development and demonstration of textile mounted monitoring systems, material and production costs are still high. Nanomaterials based devices and technology can be employed in these healthcare textiles for improved electrical characteristics of the sensors, lowered cost due to less material consumption and compatibility to varied manufacturing techniques. Carbon nanotube composite ink based printable conductive electrodes is such a textile adaptable nanomaterial technology. Screen printed Nanocomposite electrodes made of carbon nanotubes and an acrylic polymer can be used in undergarments like vests and brassieres, for cardiac biopotential (Electrocardiography, ECG) sensing. A Bluetooth module and a smartphone can then be used to provide cyber-infrastructure connectivity for the healthcare data from these healthcare garments. They can be used to monitor young or elderly recuperating /convalescent patients either in hospital or at home, or they can be used by young athletes to monitor important physiological parameters to better design their training or fitness program. In this study, we evaluate screen printed CNT-acrylic Nanocomposite electrodes for ECG signal quality and any CNT leaching hazard that might lead to skin toxicity.

Multi-functional dielectric elastomer artificial muscles for soft and smart machines

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Iain A.; Gisby, Todd A.; McKay, Thomas G.; O'Brien, Benjamin M.; Calius, Emilio P.

2012-08-01

and sensors. With the DE switch, we can produce logic gates, oscillators, and a memory element, the building blocks for a soft computer, thus bringing us closer to emulating smart living structures like the octopus arm. The goal of future research is to develop fully soft machines that exploit smart actuation networks to gain capabilities formerly reserved to nature, and open new vistas in mechanical engineering.

The effect of varying the capping agent of magnetic/luminescent Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}–InP/ZnSe core–shell nanocomposite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paulsen, Zuraan [Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville (South Africa); Onani, Martin O., E-mail: monani@uwc.ac.za [Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville (South Africa); Allard, Garvin R.J.; Kiplagat, Ayabei [Department of Chemistry, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville (South Africa); Okil, Joseph O. [532 Winchester Avenue, Union, NJ 07083 (United States); Dejene, Francis B. [Department of Physics, University of the Free State, QwaQwa Campus, Private bag X13, Phuthaditjhaba 9866 (South Africa); Mahanga, Geoffrey M. [Department of Physical Sciences, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 210, 40601 Bondo (Kenya)

2016-01-01

Magnetic–luminescent nanoparticles have shown great promise in various biomedical applications namely: contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging, multifunctional drug carrier system, magnetic separation of cells, cell tracking, immunoassay, and magnetic bioseparation. This experiment describes the synthesis of a nanocomposite material, which is composed of an iron oxide (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}) superparamagnetic core and an indium phosphide/zinc selenide (InP/ZnSe) quantum dot shell. The magnetic nanoparticles (MNP’s) and quantum dots (QD’s) were synthesized separately before allowing them to conjugate. The MNP’s were functionalized with a thiol-group allowing the QD shell to bind to the surface of the MNP by the formation of a thiol–metal bond. The nanocomposite was capped with 3-mercaptopropionic acid, oleylamine, β-cyclodextrin and their influence on the photoluminescence investigated. The synthesized nanocomposite was characterized with high- resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), selective electron area diffraction (SAED), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), and photoluminescence. These techniques yielded particle size, morphology, dispersion, and chemical composition including luminescence and florescence.

Nanocomposite Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes for Environmental Remediation.

Science.gov (United States)

Homaeigohar, Shahin; Elbahri, Mady

2014-02-10

Rapid worldwide industrialization and population growth is going to lead to an extensive environmental pollution. Therefore, so many people are currently suffering from the water shortage induced by the respective pollution, as well as poor air quality and a huge fund is wasted in the world each year due to the relevant problems. Environmental remediation necessitates implementation of novel materials and technologies, which are cost and energy efficient. Nanomaterials, with their unique chemical and physical properties, are an optimum solution. Accordingly, there is a strong motivation in seeking nano-based approaches for alleviation of environmental problems in an energy efficient, thereby, inexpensive manner. Thanks to a high porosity and surface area presenting an extraordinary permeability (thereby an energy efficiency) and selectivity, respectively, nanofibrous membranes are a desirable candidate. Their functionality and applicability is even promoted when adopting a nanocomposite strategy. In this case, specific nanofillers, such as metal oxides, carbon nanotubes, precious metals, and smart biological agents, are incorporated either during electrospinning or in the post-processing. Moreover, to meet operational requirements, e.g., to enhance mechanical stability, decrease of pressure drop, etc. , nanofibrous membranes are backed by a microfibrous non-woven forming a hybrid membrane. The novel generation of nanocomposite/hybrid nanofibrous membranes can perform extraordinarily well in environmental remediation and control. This reality justifies authoring of this review paper.

Nanocomposite Electrospun Nanofiber Membranes for Environmental Remediation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shahin Homaeigohar

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Rapid worldwide industrialization and population growth is going to lead to an extensive environmental pollution. Therefore, so many people are currently suffering from the water shortage induced by the respective pollution, as well as poor air quality and a huge fund is wasted in the world each year due to the relevant problems. Environmental remediation necessitates implementation of novel materials and technologies, which are cost and energy efficient. Nanomaterials, with their unique chemical and physical properties, are an optimum solution. Accordingly, there is a strong motivation in seeking nano-based approaches for alleviation of environmental problems in an energy efficient, thereby, inexpensive manner. Thanks to a high porosity and surface area presenting an extraordinary permeability (thereby an energy efficiency and selectivity, respectively, nanofibrous membranes are a desirable candidate. Their functionality and applicability is even promoted when adopting a nanocomposite strategy. In this case, specific nanofillers, such as metal oxides, carbon nanotubes, precious metals, and smart biological agents, are incorporated either during electrospinning or in the post-processing. Moreover, to meet operational requirements, e.g., to enhance mechanical stability, decrease of pressure drop, etc., nanofibrous membranes are backed by a microfibrous non-woven forming a hybrid membrane. The novel generation of nanocomposite/hybrid nanofibrous membranes can perform extraordinarily well in environmental remediation and control. This reality justifies authoring of this review paper.

A single magnetic nanocomposite cilia force sensor

KAUST Repository

Alfadhel, Ahmed; Khan, Mohammed Asadullah; Cardoso, Susana; Kosel, Jü rgen

2016-01-01

The advancements in fields like robotics and medicine continuously require improvements of sensor devices and more engagement of cooperative sensing technologies. For example, instruments such as tweezers with sensitive force sensory heads could provide the ability to sense a variety of physical quantities in real time, such as the amount and direction of the force applied or the texture of the gripped object. Force sensors with such abilities could be great solutions toward the development of smart surgical tools. In this work, a unique force sensor that can be integrated at the tips of robotic arms or surgical tools is reported. The force sensor consists of a single bioinspired, permanent magnetic and highly elastic nanocomposite cilia integrated on a magnetic field sensing element. The nanocomposite is prepared from permanent magnetic nanowires incorporated into the highly elastic polydimethylsiloxane. We demonstrate the potential of this concept by performing several experiments to show the performance of the force sensor. The developed sensor element has a 200 μm in diameter single cilium with 1:5 aspect ratio and shows a detection range up to 1 mN with a sensitivity of 1.6 Ω/mN and a resolution of 31 μN. The simple fabrication process of the sensor allows easy optimization of the sensor performance to meet the needs of different applications.

A single magnetic nanocomposite cilia force sensor

KAUST Repository

Alfadhel, Ahmed

2016-04-20

The advancements in fields like robotics and medicine continuously require improvements of sensor devices and more engagement of cooperative sensing technologies. For example, instruments such as tweezers with sensitive force sensory heads could provide the ability to sense a variety of physical quantities in real time, such as the amount and direction of the force applied or the texture of the gripped object. Force sensors with such abilities could be great solutions toward the development of smart surgical tools. In this work, a unique force sensor that can be integrated at the tips of robotic arms or surgical tools is reported. The force sensor consists of a single bioinspired, permanent magnetic and highly elastic nanocomposite cilia integrated on a magnetic field sensing element. The nanocomposite is prepared from permanent magnetic nanowires incorporated into the highly elastic polydimethylsiloxane. We demonstrate the potential of this concept by performing several experiments to show the performance of the force sensor. The developed sensor element has a 200 μm in diameter single cilium with 1:5 aspect ratio and shows a detection range up to 1 mN with a sensitivity of 1.6 Ω/mN and a resolution of 31 μN. The simple fabrication process of the sensor allows easy optimization of the sensor performance to meet the needs of different applications.

Electrochromic nanocomposite films

Science.gov (United States)

Milliron, Delia; Llordes, Anna; Buonsanti, Raffaella; Garcia, Guillermo

2018-04-10

The present invention provides an electrochromic nanocomposite film. In an exemplary embodiment, the electrochromic nanocomposite film, includes (1) a solid matrix of oxide based material and (2) transparent conducting oxide (TCO) nanostructures embedded in the matrix. In a further embodiment, the electrochromic nanocomposite film farther includes a substrate upon which the matrix is deposited. The present invention also provides a method of preparing an electrochromic nanocomposite film.

Smart assistants for smart homes

OpenAIRE

Rasch, Katharina

2013-01-01

The smarter homes of tomorrow promise to increase comfort, aid elderly and disabled people, and help inhabitants save energy. Unfortunately, smart homes today are far from this vision – people who already live in such a home struggle with complicated user interfaces, inflexible home configurations, and difficult installation procedures. Under these circumstances, smart homes are not ready for mass adoption. This dissertation addresses these issues by proposing two smart assistants for smart h...

Testing the stability of magnetic iron oxides/kaolinite nanocomposite under various pH conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Tokarčíková, Michaela; Tokarský, Jonáš; Kutláková, Kateřina Mamulová; Seidlerová, Jana

2017-09-01

Magnetically modified clays containing iron oxides nanoparticles (FexOy NPs) are low-cost and environmentally harmless materials suitable for sorption of pollutants from wastewaters. Stability of this smart material was evaluated both experimentally and theoretically using molecular modelling. Original kaolinite and prepared FexOy/kaolinite nanocomposite were characterized using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, and the stability was studied using leaching tests performed according to the European technical standard EN 12457-2 in deionized water and extraction agents with varying pH (2, 4, 9, and 11). The influence of pH on amount of FexOy NPs released from the composite and amount of the basic elements released from the kaolinite structure was studied using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. All experiments proved that the magnetic properties of the nanocomposite will not change even after leaching in extraction agents with various pH.

A context management system for a cost-efficient smart home platform

Science.gov (United States)

Schneider, J.; Klein, A.; Mannweiler, C.; Schotten, H. D.

2012-09-01

This paper presents an overview of state-of-the-art architectures for integrating wireless sensor and actuators networks into the Future Internet. Furthermore, we will address advantages and disadvantages of the different architectures. With respect to these criteria, we develop a new architecture overcoming these weaknesses. Our system, called Smart Home Context Management System, will be used for intelligent home utilities, appliances, and electronics and includes physical, logical as well as network context sources within one concept. It considers important aspects and requirements of modern context management systems for smart X applications: plug and play as well as plug and trust capabilities, scalability, extensibility, security, and adaptability. As such, it is able to control roller blinds, heating systems as well as learn, for example, the user's taste w.r.t. to home entertainment (music, videos, etc.). Moreover, Smart Grid applications and Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) functions are applicable. With respect to AAL, we included an Emergency Handling function. It assures that emergency calls (police, ambulance or fire department) are processed appropriately. Our concept is based on a centralized Context Broker architecture, enhanced by a distributed Context Broker system. The goal of this concept is to develop a simple, low-priced, multi-functional, and save architecture affordable for everybody. Individual components of the architecture are well tested. Implementation and testing of the architecture as a whole is in progress.

Smart energy and smart energy systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Henrik; Østergaard, Poul Alberg; Connolly, David

2017-01-01

In recent years, the terms “Smart Energy” and “Smart Energy Systems” have been used to express an approach that reaches broader than the term “Smart grid”. Where Smart Grids focus primarily on the electricity sector, Smart Energy Systems take an integrated holistic focus on the inclusion of more...... sectors (electricity, heating, cooling, industry, buildings and transportation) and allows for the identification of more achievable and affordable solutions to the transformation into future renewable and sustainable energy solutions. This paper first makes a review of the scientific literature within...... the field. Thereafter it discusses the term Smart Energy Systems with regard to the issues of definition, identification of solu- tions, modelling, and integration of storage. The conclusion is that the Smart Energy System concept represents a scientific shift in paradigms away from single-sector thinking...

Synergisms between smart metering and smart grid; Synergien zwischen Smart Metering und Smart Grid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maas, Peter [IDS GmbH, Ettlingen (Germany)

2010-04-15

With the implementation of a smart metering solution, it is not only possible to acquire consumption data for billing but also to acquire relevant data of the distribution grid for grid operation. There is still a wide gap between the actual condition and the target condition. Synergies result from the use of a common infrastructure which takes account both of the requirements of smart metering and of grid operation. An open architecture also enables the future integration of further applications of the fields of smart grid and smart home. (orig.)

Smart Cities for Smart Children

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rehm, Matthias; Jensen, Martin Lynge; Wøldike, Niels Peter

This position paper presents the concept of smart cities for smart children before highlighting three concrete projects we are currently running in order to investigate different aspects of the underlying concept like social-relational interaction and situated and experiential learning.......This position paper presents the concept of smart cities for smart children before highlighting three concrete projects we are currently running in order to investigate different aspects of the underlying concept like social-relational interaction and situated and experiential learning....

High-performance multi-functional reverse osmosis membranes obtained by carbon nanotube·polyamide nanocomposite

Science.gov (United States)

Inukai, Shigeki; Cruz-Silva, Rodolfo; Ortiz-Medina, Josue; Morelos-Gomez, Aaron; Takeuchi, Kenji; Hayashi, Takuya; Tanioka, Akihiko; Araki, Takumi; Tejima, Syogo; Noguchi, Toru; Terrones, Mauricio; Endo, Morinobu

2015-01-01

Clean water obtained by desalinating sea water or by purifying wastewater, constitutes a major technological objective in the so-called water century. In this work, a high-performance reverse osmosis (RO) composite thin membrane using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and aromatic polyamide (PA), was successfully prepared by interfacial polymerization. The effect of MWCNT on the chlorine resistance, antifouling and desalination performances of the nanocomposite membranes were studied. We found that a suitable amount of MWCNT in PA, 15.5 wt.%, not only improves the membrane performance in terms of flow and antifouling, but also inhibits the chlorine degradation on these membranes. Therefore, the present results clearly establish a solid foundation towards more efficient large-scale water desalination and other water treatment processes. PMID:26333385

Smart bricks for strain sensing and crack detection in masonry structures

Science.gov (United States)

Downey, Austin; D'Alessandro, Antonella; Laflamme, Simon; Ubertini, Filippo

2018-01-01

The paper proposes the novel concept of smart bricks as a durable sensing solution for structural health monitoring of masonry structures. The term smart bricks denotes piezoresistive clay bricks with suitable electronics capable of outputting measurable changes in their electrical properties under changes in their state of strain. This feature can be exploited to evaluate stress at critical locations inside a masonry wall and to detect changes in loading paths associated with structural damage, for instance following an earthquake. Results from an experimental campaign show that normal clay bricks, fabricated in the laboratory with embedded electrodes made of a special steel for resisting the high baking temperature, exhibit a quite linear and repeatable piezoresistive behavior. That is a change in electrical resistance proportional to a change in axial strain. In order to be able to exploit this feature for strain sensing, high-resolution electronics are used with a biphasic DC measurement approach to eliminate any resistance drift due to material polarization. Then, an enhanced nanocomposite smart brick is proposed, where titania is mixed with clay before baking, in order to enhance the brick’s mechanical properties, improve its noise rejection, and increase its electrical conductivity. Titania was selected among other possible conductive nanofillers due to its resistance to high temperatures and its ability to improve the durability of construction materials while maintaining the aesthetic appearance of clay bricks. An application of smart bricks for crack detection in masonry walls is demonstrated by laboratory testing of a small-scale wall specimen under different loading conditions and controlled damage. Overall, it is demonstrated that a few strategically placed smart bricks enable monitoring of the state of strain within the wall and provide information that is capable of crack detection.

Graphene/Epoxy Coating as Multifunctional Material for Aircraft Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tullio Monetta

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Recently, the use of graphene as a conductive nanofiller in the preparation of inorganic/polymer nanocomposites has attracted increasing interest in the aerospace field. The reason for this is the possibility of overcoming problems strictly connected to the aircraft structures, such as electrical conductivity and thus lightning strike protection. In addition, graphene is an ideal candidate to enhance the anti-corrosion properties of the resin, since it absorbs most of the light and provides hydrophobicity for repelling water. An important aspect of these multifunctional materials is that all these improvements can be realized even at very low filler loadings in the polymer matrix. In this work, graphene nanoflakes were incorporated into a water-based epoxy resin, and then the hybrid coating was applied to Al 2024-T3 samples. The addition of graphene considerably improved some physical properties of the hybrid coating as demonstrated by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS analysis, ameliorating anti-corrosion performances of raw material. DSC measurements and Cross-cut Test showed that graphene did not affect the curing process or the adhesion properties. Moreover, an increment of water contact angle was displayed.

Multifunctional cellulase and hemicellulase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fox, Brian G.; Takasuka, Taichi; Bianchetti, Christopher M.

2015-09-29

A multifunctional polypeptide capable of hydrolyzing cellulosic materials, xylan, and mannan is disclosed. The polypeptide includes the catalytic core (cc) of Clostridium thermocellum Cthe_0797 (CelE), the cellulose-specific carbohydrate-binding module CBM3 of the cellulosome anchoring protein cohesion region (CipA) of Clostridium thermocellum (CBM3a), and a linker region interposed between the catalytic core and the cellulose-specific carbohydrate binding module. Methods of using the multifunctional polypeptide are also disclosed.

The design of novel visible light driven Ag/CdO as smart nanocomposite for photodegradation of different dye contaminants

Science.gov (United States)

Saravanakumar, K.; Muthuraj, V.; Jeyaraj, M.

2018-01-01

In this paper, we report a novel visible light driven Ag/CdO photocatalyst, fabricated for the first time via one pot hydrothermal method and further applied for the photodegradation of two important exemplar water contaminants, Malachite green and Acid Orange 7. The microstructure, composition and optical properties of Ag/CdO nanocomposites were thoroughly investigated by various techniques. Scanning electron microscopy clearly shows that Ag NPs were strongly embedded between the CdO nanoparticles. Among the series of synthesized Ag/CdO nanocomposites, (5%) Ag/CdO nanocomposite possesses enhanced photocatalytic activity. This result was attributed to the synergistic effect between Ag and CdO, and mainly Ag NPs can act as an electron trap site, which could reduce the recombination of the electron-hole and induce the visible light absorption. The active species trapping experiments implicate radOH and O2rad - radicals as the respective primary and secondary reactive species responsible for oxidative photodegradation of organic pollutants. On the basis of the results, a possible photocatalytic mechanism has also been proposed.

A Sustainable Nanocomposite Au(Salen)@CC for Catalytic Degradation of Eosin Y and Chromotrope 2R Dyes.

Science.gov (United States)

Mayani, Vishal J; Mayani, Suranjana V; Kim, Sang Wook

2017-08-03

Up to now, a very few catalysts have been developed approaching the heterogeneous catalytic degradation of Eosin Y and Chromotrope 2R dyes (Acid Red 29). The present study provides a complete perspective of recyclable nanocomposite Au(Salen)@CC for catalytic degradation of hazardous water pollutant dyes viz., Eosin Y & Chromotrope 2R using mild reaction conditions. New gold Salen complex doped carbon nanocomposite Au(Salen)@CC was developed by easy methodology using nano carbon cage (CC) prepared from low-priced Pyrolysis fuel oil (PFO) residue based Pitch. The UV-Vis adsorption spectroscopy results of Eosin Y and Chromotrope 2R dyes indicated complete degradation into acidic compounds which can be further mineralized to CO 2 and H 2 O under mild reaction conditions. The heterogeneous catalyst recycled and reused successfully for four repeated experiments without loss in its adequate performance. This new sustainable and eco-friendly catalyst delivered significant degradation activity compared to existing reports and it can be further utilized for new multifunctional applications such as, radiopharmaceutical activities, heterogeneous catalysis and chiral resolution.

Distributed Smart Device for Monitoring, Control and Management of Electric Loads in Domotic Environments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Perez-Vidal

2012-04-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a microdevice for monitoring, control and management of electric loads at home. The key idea is to compact the electronic design as much as possible in order to install it inside a Schuko socket. Moreover, the electronic Schuko socket (electronic microdevice + Schuko socket has the feature of communicating with a central unit and with other microdevices over the existing powerlines. Using the existing power lines, the proposed device can be installed in new buildings or in old ones. The main use of this device is to monitor, control and manage electric loads to save energy and prevent accidents produced by different kind of devices (e.g., iron used in domestic tasks. The developed smart device is based on a single phase multifunction energy meter manufactured by Analog Devices (ADE7753 to measure the consumption of electrical energy and thento transmit it using a serial interface. To provide current measurement information to the ADE7753, an ultra flat SMD open loop integrated circuit current transducer based on the Hall effect principle manufactured by Lem (FHS-40P/SP600 has been used. Moreover, each smart device has a PL-3120 smart transceiver manufactured by LonWorks to execute the user’s program, to communicate with the ADE7753 via serial interface and to transmit information to the central unit via powerline communication. Experimental results show the exactitude of the measurements made using the developed smart device.

Distributed smart device for monitoring, control and management of electric loads in domotic environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Morales, Ricardo; Badesa, Francisco J; García-Aracil, Nicolas; Perez-Vidal, Carlos; Sabater, Jose María

2012-01-01

This paper presents a microdevice for monitoring, control and management of electric loads at home. The key idea is to compact the electronic design as much as possible in order to install it inside a Schuko socket. Moreover, the electronic Schuko socket (electronic microdevice + Schuko socket) has the feature of communicating with a central unit and with other microdevices over the existing powerlines. Using the existing power lines, the proposed device can be installed in new buildings or in old ones. The main use of this device is to monitor, control and manage electric loads to save energy and prevent accidents produced by different kind of devices (e.g., iron) used in domestic tasks. The developed smart device is based on a single phase multifunction energy meter manufactured by Analog Devices (ADE7753) to measure the consumption of electrical energy and then to transmit it using a serial interface. To provide current measurement information to the ADE7753, an ultra flat SMD open loop integrated circuit current transducer based on the Hall effect principle manufactured by Lem (FHS-40P/SP600) has been used. Moreover, each smart device has a PL-3120 smart transceiver manufactured by LonWorks to execute the user's program, to communicate with the ADE7753 via serial interface and to transmit information to the central unit via powerline communication. Experimental results show the exactitude of the measurements made using the developed smart device.

Mechanical characterization of bucky gel morphing nanocomposite for actuating/sensing applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghamsari, Ali Kadkhoda; Woldesenbet, Eyassu; Jin, Yoonyoung

2012-01-01

Since the demonstration of the bucky gel actuator (BGA) in 2005, a great deal of effort has been exerted to develop novel applications for this electro-active morphing nanocomposite. This three-layered bimorph nanocomposite can be easily fabricated, operated in air and driven with a few volts. The BGA with improved mechanical strength is an excellent candidate for application in macro- to micro-scale smart structures with actuating and sensing capabilities. However, developing new applications requires identifying and understanding the effective design parameters and mechanical properties, respectively. There has been limited published studies on the mechanical properties of BGA. In this study, the effect of three parameters—layer thickness, carbon nanotube type and weight fraction of components—on the mechanical properties was investigated. Samples were characterized via nano-indentation and DMA. The BGA composed of 22 wt% single-walled carbon nanotubes and 45 wt% ionic liquid exhibited the highest hardness, adhesion, viscosity, and elastic and storage moduli. This study revealed the important role of the carbon nanotube type on BGA adhesion. Samples made with multi-walled carbon nanotubes had the lowest adhesion, which is a required factor in applications such as microfluidics. (paper)

Interactive smart battery storage for a PV and wind hybrid energy management control based on conservative power theory

Science.gov (United States)

Godoy Simões, Marcelo; Davi Curi Busarello, Tiago; Saad Bubshait, Abdullah; Harirchi, Farnaz; Antenor Pomilio, José; Blaabjerg, Frede

2016-04-01

This paper presents interactive smart battery-based storage (BBS) for wind generator (WG) and photovoltaic (PV) systems. The BBS is composed of an asymmetric cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter (ACMI) with staircase modulation. The structure is parallel to the WG and PV systems, allowing the ACMI to have a reduction in power losses compared to the usual solution for storage connected at the DC-link of the converter for WG or PV systems. Moreover, the BBS is embedded with a decision algorithm running real-time energy costs, plus a battery state-of-charge manager and power quality capabilities, making the described system in this paper very interactive, smart and multifunctional. The paper describes how BBS interacts with the WG and PV and how its performance is improved. Experimental results are presented showing the efficacy of this BBS for renewable energy applications.

Facile synthesis of multifunctional attapulgite/Fe3O4/polyaniline nanocomposites for magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction of benzoylurea insecticides in environmental water samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Xiaoling; Qiao, Kexin; Ye, Yiren; Yang, Miyi; Li, Jing; Gao, Haixiang; Zhang, Sanbing; Zhou, Wenfeng; Lu, Runhua

2016-01-01

In this study, the superparamagnetic attapulgite/Fe 3 O 4 /polyaniline (ATP/Fe 3 O 4 /PANI) nanocomposites were successfully synthesized by a one-pot method. Fe (III) was applied as both the oxidant for the oxidative polymerization of aniline and the single iron source of Fe 3 O 4 formed by the redox reaction between aniline and Fe (III). The ATP/Fe 3 O 4 /PANI was used as sorbent for magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction (MDSPE) of benzoylurea insecticides (BUs) in environmental water samples. The as-prepared nanocomposite sorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), X Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and vibrating sample magnetometry. Various experimental parameters affecting the ATP/Fe 3 O 4 /PANI-based MDSPE procedure, including the composition of the nanocomposite sorbents, amount of ATP/Fe 3 O 4 /PANI nanocomposites, vortex time, pH, and desorption conditions were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, a good linearity was observed for all target analytes, with correlation coefficients (r 2 ) ranging from 0.9985 to 0.9997; the limits of detection (LOD) were in the range of 0.02–0.43 μg L −1 , and the recoveries of analytes using the proposed method ranged between 77.37% and 103.69%. The sorbents exhibited an excellent reproducibility in the range of 1.52–5.27% in extracting the five target analytes. In addition, the intra-day and inter-day precision values were found to be in the range of 0.78–6.86% and 1.66–8.41%, respectively. Finally, the proposed ATP/Fe 3 O 4 /PANI-based MDSPE method was successfully applied to analyze river water samples by rapid preconcentration of BUs. - Highlights: • A novel superparamagnetic ATP/Fe 3 O 4 /PANI nanocomposite was first introduced in MDSPE. • ATP/Fe 3 O 4 /PANI nanocomposites exhibited fast adsorption and desorption kinetics. • An excellent sorbent-to-sorbent reproducibility was demonstrated in the

Preparation and characterization of an iron oxide-hydroxyapatite nanocomposite for potential bone cancer therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Sneha, Murugesan; Sundaram, Nachiappan Meenakshi

2015-01-01

Recently, multifunctional magnetic nanostructures have been found to have potential applications in biomedical and tissue engineering. Iron oxide nanoparticles are biocompatible and have distinctive magnetic properties that allow their use in vivo for drug delivery and hyperthermia, and as T2 contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging. Hydroxyapatite is used frequently due to its well-known biocompatibility, bioactivity, and lack of toxicity, so a combination of iron oxide and hydroxyapatite materials could be useful because hydroxyapatite has better bone-bonding ability. In this study, we prepared nanocomposites of iron oxide and hydroxyapatite and analyzed their physicochemical properties. The results suggest that these composites have superparamagnetic as well as biocompatible properties. This type of material architecture would be well suited for bone cancer therapy and other biomedical applications.

Novel patternable and conducting metal-polymer nanocomposites: a step towards advanced mutlifunctional materials

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Cantó, Pedro J.; Martínez-Marco, Mariluz; Abargues, Rafael; Latorre-Garrido, Victor; Martínez-Pastor, Juan P.

2013-03-01

In this work, we present a novel patternable conducting nanocomposite containing gold nanoparticles. Here, the in-situ polymerization of 3T is carried out using HAuCl4 as oxidizing agent inside PMMA as host matrix. During the bake step, the gold salt is also reduced from Au(III) to Au(0) generating Au nanoparticles in the interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) system. We found that this novel multifunctional resist shows electrical conductivity and plasmonic properties as well as potential patterning capability provided by the host matrix. The resulting nanocomposite has been investigated by TEM and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Electrical characterization was also conducted for different concentration of 3T and Au(III) following a characteristic percolation behaviour. Conductivities values from 10-5 to 10 S/cm were successfully obtained depending on the IPN formulation. Moreover, The Au nanoparticles generated exhibited a localized surface plasmon resonance at around 520 nm. This synthetic approach is of potential application to modify the conductivity of numerous insulating polymers and synthesize Au nanoparticles preserving to some extent their physical and chemical properties. In addition, combination of optical properties (Plasmonics), electrical, and lithographic capability in the same material allows for the design of materials with novel functionalities and provides the basis for next generation devices.

Nanocomposite catalyst with palladium nanoparticles encapsulated in a polymeric acid: A model for tandem environmental catalysis

KAUST Repository

Isimjan, Tayirjan T.

2013-04-01

The synthesis and characterization of a novel hybrid nanocomposite catalyst comprised of palladium nanoparticles embedded in polystyrene sulfonic acid (PSSH) and supported on metal oxides is reported. The catalysts are intended for application in green catalysis, and they are shown to be effective in the hydrolysisreduction sequence of tandem catalytic reactions required for conversion of 2-phenyl-1,3-dioxolane to toluene or of phenol to cyclohexane. The two distinct components in the catalyst, Pd nanoparticles and acidic PSSH, are capable of catalyzing sequential reactions in one pot under mild conditions. This work has demonstrated a powerful approach toward designing highperformance, multifunctional, scalable, and environmentally friendly nanostructured tandem catalysts. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

One-step fabrication of multifunctional micromotors

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Wenlong; Liu, Mei; Liu, Limei; Zhang, Hui; Dong, Bin; Li, Christopher Y.

2015-08-01

Although artificial micromotors have undergone tremendous progress in recent years, their fabrication normally requires complex steps or expensive equipment. In this paper, we report a facile one-step method based on an emulsion solvent evaporation process to fabricate multifunctional micromotors. By simultaneously incorporating various components into an oil-in-water droplet, upon emulsification and solidification, a sphere-shaped, asymmetric, and multifunctional micromotor is formed. Some of the attractive functions of this model micromotor include autonomous movement in high ionic strength solution, remote control, enzymatic disassembly and sustained release. This one-step, versatile fabrication method can be easily scaled up and therefore may have great potential in mass production of multifunctional micromotors for a wide range of practical applications.Although artificial micromotors have undergone tremendous progress in recent years, their fabrication normally requires complex steps or expensive equipment. In this paper, we report a facile one-step method based on an emulsion solvent evaporation process to fabricate multifunctional micromotors. By simultaneously incorporating various components into an oil-in-water droplet, upon emulsification and solidification, a sphere-shaped, asymmetric, and multifunctional micromotor is formed. Some of the attractive functions of this model micromotor include autonomous movement in high ionic strength solution, remote control, enzymatic disassembly and sustained release. This one-step, versatile fabrication method can be easily scaled up and therefore may have great potential in mass production of multifunctional micromotors for a wide range of practical applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Videos S1-S4 and Fig. S1-S3. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr03574k

Hybrid nanocomposites based on electroactive hydrogels and cellulose nanocrystals for high-sensitivity electro-mechanical underwater actuation

Science.gov (United States)

Santaniello, Tommaso; Migliorini, Lorenzo; Locatelli, Erica; Monaco, Ilaria; Yan, Yunsong; Lenardi, Cristina; Comes Franchini, Mauro; Milani, Paolo

2017-08-01

We report the synthesis, fabrication and characterization of a hybrid hydrogel/cellulose nanocomposite, which exhibits high-performance electro-mechanical underwater actuation and high sensitivity in response to electrical stimuli below the standard potential of water electrolysis. The macromolecular structure of the material is constituted by an electroactive hydrogel, obtained through a photo-polymerization reaction with the use of three vinylic co-monomers: Na-4-vinylbenzenesulfonate, 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate, and acrylonitrile. Different amounts (from 0.1% to 1.4% w/w) of biodegradable cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with sulfonate surface groups, obtained through the acidic hydrolysis of sulphite pulp lapsheets, are physically incorporated into the gel matrix during the synthesis step. Freestanding thin films of the nanocomposites are molded, and their swelling, mechanical and responsive properties are fully characterized. We observed that the embedding of the CNCs enhanced both the material Young’s modulus and its sensitivity to the applied electric field in the sub-volt regime (down to 5 mV cm-1). A demonstrator integrating multiple actuators that cooperatively bend together, mimicking the motion of an electro-valve, is also prototyped and tested. The presented nanocomposite is suitable for the development of soft smart components for bio-robotic applications and cells-based and bio-hybrid fluidic devices fabrication.

Smart learning services based on smart cloud computing.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Svetlana; Song, Su-Mi; Yoon, Yong-Ik

2011-01-01

Context-aware technologies can make e-learning services smarter and more efficient since context-aware services are based on the user's behavior. To add those technologies into existing e-learning services, a service architecture model is needed to transform the existing e-learning environment, which is situation-aware, into the environment that understands context as well. The context-awareness in e-learning may include the awareness of user profile and terminal context. In this paper, we propose a new notion of service that provides context-awareness to smart learning content in a cloud computing environment. We suggest the elastic four smarts (E4S)--smart pull, smart prospect, smart content, and smart push--concept to the cloud services so smart learning services are possible. The E4S focuses on meeting the users' needs by collecting and analyzing users' behavior, prospecting future services, building corresponding contents, and delivering the contents through cloud computing environment. Users' behavior can be collected through mobile devices such as smart phones that have built-in sensors. As results, the proposed smart e-learning model in cloud computing environment provides personalized and customized learning services to its users.

Smart Learning Services Based on Smart Cloud Computing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yong-Ik Yoon

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Context-aware technologies can make e-learning services smarter and more efficient since context-aware services are based on the user’s behavior. To add those technologies into existing e-learning services, a service architecture model is needed to transform the existing e-learning environment, which is situation-aware, into the environment that understands context as well. The context-awareness in e-learning may include the awareness of user profile and terminal context. In this paper, we propose a new notion of service that provides context-awareness to smart learning content in a cloud computing environment. We suggest the elastic four smarts (E4S—smart pull, smart prospect, smart content, and smart push—concept to the cloud services so smart learning services are possible. The E4S focuses on meeting the users’ needs by collecting and analyzing users’ behavior, prospecting future services, building corresponding contents, and delivering the contents through cloud computing environment. Users’ behavior can be collected through mobile devices such as smart phones that have built-in sensors. As results, the proposed smart e-learning model in cloud computing environment provides personalized and customized learning services to its users.

Smarter energy from smart metering to the smart grid

CERN Document Server

Sun, Hongjian; Poor, H Vincent; Carpanini, Laurence; Fornié, Miguel Angel Sánchez

2016-01-01

This book presents cutting-edge perspectives and research results in smart energy spanning multiple disciplines across four main topics: smart metering, smart grid modeling, control and optimisation, and smart grid communications and networking.

Microwave-Driven Multifunctional Capability of Membrane Structures

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sang H.; Chu, Sang-Hyong; Song, Kyo D.; King, Glen C.

2002-01-01

A large, ultra lightweight space structure, such as solar sails and Gossamer spacecrafts, requires a distributed power source to alleviate wire networks, unlike the localized on-board power infrastructures typically found in most small spacecrafts. The concept of microwave-driven multifunctional capability for membrane structures is envisioned as the best option to alleviate the complexity associated with hard-wired control circuitry and on-board power infrastructures. A rectenna array based on a patch configuration for high voltage output was developed to drive membrane actuators, sensors, probes, or other devices. Networked patch rectenna array receives and converts microwave power into a DC power for an array of smart actuators. To use microwave power effectively, the concept of a power allocation and distribution (PAD) circuit is adopted for networking a rectenna/actuator patch array. The use of patch rectennas adds a significant amount of rigidity to membrane flexibility and they are relatively heavy. A dipole rectenna array (DRA) appears to be ideal for thin-film membrane structures, since DRA is flexible and light. Preliminary design and fabrication of PAD circuitry that consists of a few nodal elements were made for laboratory testing. The networked actuators were tested to correlate the network coupling effect, power allocation and distribution, and response time.

Magnetic nanocomposite sensor

KAUST Repository

Alfadhel, Ahmed

2016-05-06

A magnetic nanocomposite device is described herein for a wide range of sensing applications. The device utilizes the permanent magnetic behavior of the nanowires to allow operation without the application of an additional magnetic field to magnetize the nanowires, which simplifies miniaturization and integration into microsystems. In5 addition, the nanocomposite benefits from the high elasticity and easy patterning of the polymer-based material, leading to a corrosion-resistant, flexible material that can be used to realize extreme sensitivity. In combination with magnetic sensor elements patterned underneath the nanocomposite, the nanocomposite device realizes highly sensitive and power efficient flexible artificial cilia sensors for flow measurement or tactile sensing.

One pot synthesis of polypyrrole silver nanocomposite on cotton fabrics for multifunctional property.

Science.gov (United States)

Firoz Babu, K; Dhandapani, P; Maruthamuthu, S; Anbu Kulandainathan, M

2012-11-06

Polymer-silver nanocomposites modified cotton fabrics were prepared by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization using pyrrole and silver nitrate. In a redox reaction between pyrrole and silver nitrate, silver ions oxidize the pyrrole monomer and get reduced. This reduced silver as nanoparticles deposited on/into the polypyrrole/cotton matrix layer and the interaction between silver and polypyrrole was by adsorption or electrostatic interaction. The structure and composite formation on cotton fiber was investigated using SEM, FT-IR, XPS and XRD. The results showed that a strong interaction existing between silver nanoparticles with polypyrrole/cotton matrix. FT-IR studies clearly indicated that the interaction between polypyrrole (-N-H) and cellulose (>C-OH) was by hydrogen bonding. It is observed that the conductivity of the composite coated fabrics has been increased by the incorporation of silver nanoparticles. In the synthesized composites, silver content plays an important role in the conductivity and antimicrobial activity rate of the fabrics against gram positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram negative Escherichia coli bacteria. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recoverable Wire-Shaped Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Volumetric Energy Density for Multifunctional Portable and Wearable Electronics.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Minjie; Yang, Cheng; Song, Xuefeng; Liu, Jing; Zhao, Liping; Zhang, Peng; Gao, Lian

2017-05-24

Wire-shaped supercapacitors (SCs) based on shape memory materials are of considerable interest for next-generation portable and wearable electronics. However, the bottleneck in this field is how to develop the devices with excellent electrochemical performance while well-maintaining recoverability and flexibility. Herein, a unique asymmetric electrode concept is put forward to fabricate smart wire-shaped SCs with ultrahigh energy density, which is realized by using porous carbon dodecahedra coated on NiTi alloy wire and flexible graphene fiber as yarn electrodes. Notably, the wire-shaped SCs not only exhibit high flexibility that can be readily woven into real clothing but also represent the available recoverable ability. When irreversible plastic deformations happen, the deformed shape of the devices can automatically resume the initial predesigned shape in a warm environment (about 35 °C). More importantly, the wire-shaped SCs act as efficient energy storage devices, which display high volumetric energy density (8.9 mWh/cm 3 ), volumetric power density (1080 mW/cm 3 ), strong durability in multiple mechanical states, and steady electrochemical behavior after repeated shape recovery processes. Considering their relative facile fabrication technology and excellent electrochemical performance, this asymmetric electrode strategy produced smart wire-shaped supercapacitors desirable for multifunctional portable and wearable electronics.

Challenging 'smart' in smart city strategies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandvik, Kjetil; Knudsen, Jacob

and development. Focusing on processes of citizen participation and co-creation as the main driving force, we introduce a concept of 'smart city at eye level'. The introduction of new media technology and new media uses need to emerge from a profound understanding of the wants, needs and abilities of the citizens......Smart city strategies concern the improvement of economic and political efficiency and the enabling of social, cultural and urban development (Hollands 2008) and covers a variety of fields from improving infrastructures, social and cultural development, resilience strategies (e.g. green energy......), improving schools, social welfare institutions, public and private institutions etc. The 'smart' in smart city strategies implies that these efforts are accomplished by the introduction and embedding of smart media technology into the very fabric of society. This is often done in a top-down and technology...

Robust Control of Wide Bandgap Power Electronics Device Enabled Smart Grid

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Tong

In recent years, wide bandgap (WBG) devices enable power converters with higher power density and higher efficiency. On the other hand, smart grid technologies are getting mature due to new battery technology and computer technology. In the near future, the two technologies will form the next generation of smart grid enabled by WBG devices. This dissertation deals with two applications: silicon carbide (SiC) device used for medium voltage level interface (7.2 kV to 240 V) and gallium nitride (GaN) device used for low voltage level interface (240 V/120 V). A 20 kW solid state transformer (SST) is designed with 6 kHz switching frequency SiC rectifier. Then three robust control design methods are proposed for each of its smart grid operation modes. In grid connected mode, a new LCL filter design method is proposed considering grid voltage THD, grid current THD and current regulation loop robust stability with respect to the grid impedance change. In grid islanded mode, micro synthesis method combined with variable structure control is used to design a robust controller for grid voltage regulation. For grid emergency mode, multivariable controller designed using Hinfinity synthesis method is proposed for accurate power sharing. Controller-hardware-in-the-loop (CHIL) testbed considering 7-SST system is setup with Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS). The real TMS320F28335 DSP and Spartan 6 FPGA control board is used to interface a switching model SST in RTDS. And the proposed control methods are tested. For low voltage level application, a 3.3 kW smart grid hardware is built with 3 GaN inverters. The inverters are designed with the GaN device characterized using the proposed multi-function double pulse tester. The inverter is controlled by onboard TMS320F28379D dual core DSP with 200 kHz sampling frequency. Each inverter is tested to process 2.2 kW power with overall efficiency of 96.5 % at room temperature. The smart grid monitor system and fault interrupt devices (FID

Lactoferrin modified graphene oxide iron oxide nanocomposite for glioma-targeted drug delivery.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Meng-Meng; Xu, Huai-Liang; Liang, Jun-Xing; Xiang, Hui-Hui; Liu, Rui; Shen, Yu-Xian

2017-08-01

Targeting delivery of drugs in a specific manner represents a potential powerful technology in gliomas. Herein, we prepared a multifunctional targeted delivery system based on graphene oxide (GO) that contains a molecular bio-targeting ligand and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on the surface of GO for magnetic targeting. Superparamagnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles was loaded on the surface of GO via chemical precipitation method to form GO@Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposites. Lactoferrin (Lf), an iron-transporting serum glycoprotein that binds to receptors overexpressed at the surface of glioma cells and vascular endothelial cell of the blood brain barrier, was chosen as the targeted ligand to construct the targeted delivery system Lf@GO@Fe 3 O 4 through EDC/NHS chemistry. With the confirmation of TEM, DLS and VSM, the resulting Lf@GO@Fe 3 O 4 had a size distribution of 200-1000nm and exhibited a superparamagnetic behavior. The nano delivery system had a high loading capacity and exhibited a pH-dependent release behavior. Compared with free DOX and DOX@GO@Fe 3 O 4 , Lf@GO@Fe 3 O 4 @DOX displayed greater intracellular delivery efficiency and stronger cytotoxicity against C6 glioma cells. The results demonstrated the potential utility of Lf conjugated GO@Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposites for therapeutic application in the treatment of gliomas. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Integrated nanophotonic hubs based on ZnO-Tb(OH3/SiO2 nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lin Yu

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Optical integration is essential for practical application, but it remains unexplored for nanoscale devices. A newly designed nanocomposite based on ZnO semiconductor nanowires and Tb(OH3/SiO2 core/shell nanospheres has been synthesized and studied. The unique sea urchin-type morphology, bright and sharply visible emission bands of lanthanide, and large aspect ratio of ZnO crystalline nanotips make this novel composite an excellent signal receiver, waveguide, and emitter. The multifunctional composite of ZnO nanotips and Tb(OH3/SiO2 nanoparticles therefore can serve as an integrated nanophotonics hub. Moreover, the composite of ZnO nanotips deposited on a Tb(OH3/SiO2 photonic crystal can act as a directional light fountain, in which the confined radiation from Tb ions inside the photonic crystal can be well guided and escape through the ZnO nanotips. Therefore, the output emission arising from Tb ions is truly directional, and its intensity can be greatly enhanced. With highly enhanced lasing emissions in ZnO-Tb(OH3/SiO2 as well as SnO2-Tb(OH3/SiO2 nanocomposites, we demonstrate that our approach is extremely beneficial for the creation of low threshold and high-power nanolaser.

Shape memory nanocomposite of poly(L-lactic acid/graphene nanoplatelets triggered by infrared light and thermal heating

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Lashgari

2016-04-01

Full Text Available In this study, the effect of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs on the shape memory properties of poly(L-lactic acid (PLLA was studied. In addition to thermal activation, the possibility of infrared actuating of thermo-responsive shape memory PLLA/GNPs nanocomposite was investigated. The incorporated GNPs were expected to absorb infrared wave’s energy and activate shape memory PLLA/GNPs. Different techniques such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD, field emission gun scanning electron microscope (FEG-SEM and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA were used to characterize samples. DSC and WAXD results indicated that GNPs augmented crystallinity due to nucleating effect of graphene particles. GNPs improved both thermal and infrared activating shape memory properties along with faster response. Pure shape memory PLLA was slightly responsive to infrared light and its infrared actuated shape recovery ratio was 86% which increased to more than 95% with loading of GNPs. Drastic improvement in the crystallinity was obtained in nanocomposites with lower GNPs contents (0.5 and 1 wt% due to finer dispersion of graphene which resulted in more prominent mechanical and shape memory properties enhancement. Infrared activated shape memory PLLA/GNPs nanocomposites can be developed for wireless remote shape control of smart medical and bio-systems.

Synthesis of Conductive Polymeric Nanocomposites for Applications in Responsive Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Chavez, Jessica

The development of next generation "smart" textiles has emerged with significant interest due to the immense demand for high-performance wearable technology. The economic market for wearable technologies is predicted to increase significantly in both volume and value. In the next four years, the wearable technology market will be valued at $34 billion. This large demand has opened up a new research area involving smart wearable devices and conductive fabrics. Many research groups have taken various paths to study and ultimately fabricate wearable devices. Due to the limiting capabilities of conventional conductors, researchers have centered their research on the integration of conductive polymers into textile materials for applications involving responsive material. Conducive polymers are very unique organic molecules that have the ability to transfer electrons across their molecular structure due to the excess presence of pi-electrons. Conductive polymers are favored over conventional conductors because they can be easily manipulated and integrated into flexible material. Two very common conductive polymers are polyaniline (PANI) and polypyrrole (PPY) because of their large favorability in literature, high conductance values, and environmental stability. Common commercial fibers were coated via the chemical polymerization of PANI or PPY. A series of reactions were done to study the polymerization process of each polymer. The conductive efficiency of each conducting polymer is highly dependent on the type of reactants used, the acidic nature of the reaction, and the temperature of the reaction. The coated commercial fiber nanocomposites produced higher conductivity values when the polymerization reaction was run using ammonium peroxydisulfate (APS) as the oxidizing agent, run in an acidic environment, and run at very low temperatures. Other factors that improved the overall efficiency of the coated commercial fiber nanocomposites was the increase in polymer

Realisering af Smart City/Smart House i Nordjylland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindgren, Peter; Saghaug, Kristin Margrethe

2008-01-01

beskriver tankerne, visionerne og perspektiverne i forhold til at realisere Smart House-konceptet i Region Nordjylland. Smart House-tankerne er baseret på at bygge smarte huse og smarte byggekomponenter til fremtidens brugere, hvor den nyeste teknologi indenfor byggematerialer kombineres med nye værdier....... Formålet med Smart House Nordjylland er at flytte byggeindustriens og forskernes fokus fra en indbyrdes konkurrence lokalt til et udviklende innovationssamarbejde, som sigter mod det globale marked. På denne måde kan regionen skabe et udstillingsvindue indenfor fremtidens byggeri gennem en interaktion...

Graphene-SnO2 nanocomposites decorated with quantum tunneling junctions: preparation strategies, microstructures and formation mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Qingxiu; Wu, Xianzheng; Wang, Lijun; Chen, Zhiwen; Wang, Shilong

2014-09-28

Tin dioxide (SnO2) and graphene are versatile materials that are vitally important for creating new functional and smart materials. A facile, simple and efficient ultrasonic-assisted hydrothermal synthesis approach has been developed to prepare graphene-SnO2 nanocomposites (GSNCs), including three samples with graphene/Sn weight ratios = 1 : 2 (GSNC-2), 1 : 1 (GSNC-1), and graphene oxide/Sn weight ratio = 1 : 1 (GOSNC-1). Low-magnification electron microscopy analysis indicated that graphene was exfoliated and adorned with SnO2 nanoparticles, which were dispersed uniformly on both the sides of the graphene nanosheets. High-magnification electron microscopy analysis confirmed that the graphene-SnO2 nanocomposites presented network tunneling frameworks, which were decorated with the SnO2 quantum tunneling junctions. The size distribution of SnO2 nanoparticles was estimated to range from 3 to 5.5 nm. Comparing GSNC-2, GSNC-1, and GOSNC-1, GOSNC-1 was found to exhibit a significantly better the homogeneous distribution and a considerably smaller size distribution of SnO2 nanoparticles, which indicated that it was better to use graphene oxide as a supporting material and SnCl4·5H2O as a precursor to synthesize hybrid graphene-SnO2 nanocomposites. Experimental results suggest that the graphene-SnO2 nanocomposites with interesting SnO2 quantum tunneling junctions may be a promising material to facilitate the improvement of the future design of micro/nanodevices.

Construction of iron-polymer-graphene nanocomposites with low nonspecific adsorption and strong quenching ability for competitive immunofluorescent detection of biomarkers in GM crops.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Kaifei; Liu, Anran; Shangguan, Li; Mi, Li; Liu, Xu; Liu, Yuanjian; Zhao, Yuewu; Li, Ying; Wei, Wei; Zhang, Yuanjian; Liu, Songqin

2017-04-15

We developed a new immunofluorescent biosensor by utilizing a novel nanobody (Nb) and iron-polymer-graphene nanocomposites for sensitive detection of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase from Agrobacdterium tumefaciens strain CP4 (CP4-EPSPS), which considered as biomarkers of genetically modified (GM) crops. Specifically, we prepared iron doped polyacrylic hydrazide modified reduced graphene nanocomposites (Fe@RGO/PAH) by in-situ polymerization approach and subsequent a one-pot reaction with hydrazine. The resulting Fe@RGO/PAH nanocomposites displayed low nonspecific adsorption to analytes (11% quenching caused by nonspecific adsorption) due to electrostatic, energetic and steric effect of the nanocomposites. After Nb immobilizing, the as-prepared Fe@RGO/PAH/Nbs showed good selectivity and high quenching ability (92% quenching) in the presence of antigen (Ag) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) modified CdTe QDs (Ag/QDs@PEG), which is a nearly 4 fold than that of the unmodified GO in same condition. The high quenching ability of Fe@RGO/PAH/Nbs can be used for detection of CP4-EPSPS based on competitive immunoassay with a linearly proportional concentration range of 5-100ng/mL and a detection limit of 0.34ng/mL. The good stability, reproducibility and specificity of the resulting immunofluorescent biosensor are demonstrated and might open a new window for investigation of fluorescent sensing with numerous multifunctional graphene based materials. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Embedded System in Smart Inverters for Power Quality and Safety Functionality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Real-Calvo

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The electricity sector is undergoing an evolution that demands the development of a network model with a high level of intelligence, known as a Smart Grid. One of the factors accelerating these changes is the development and implementation of renewable energy. In particular, increased photovoltaic generation can affect the network’s stability. One line of action is to provide inverters with a management capacity that enables them to act upon the grid in order to compensate for these problems. This paper describes the design and development of a prototype embedded system able to integrate with a photovoltaic inverter and provide it with multifunctional ability in order to analyze power quality and operate with protection. The most important subsystems of this prototype are described, indicating their operating fundamentals. This prototype has been tested with class A protocols according to IEC 61000-4-30 and IEC 62586-2. Tests have also been carried out to validate the response time in generating orders and alarm signals for protections. The highlights of these experimental results are discussed. Some descriptive aspects of the integration of the prototype in an experimental smart inverter are also commented upon.

A Smart Home Center Platform Solution Based on Smart Mirror

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deng Xibo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available With the popularization of the concept of smart home, people have raised requirements on the experience of smart living. A smart home platform center solution is put forward in order to solve the intelligent interoperability and information integration of smart home, which enable people to have a more intelligent and convenient life experience. This platform center is achieved through the Smart Mirror. The Smart Mirror refers to a smart furniture, on the basis of the traditional concept of mirror, combining Raspberry Pi, the application of one-way mirror imaging principle, the touch－enabled design, voice and video interaction. Smart Mirror can provide a series of intelligent experience for the residents, such as controlling all the intelligent furniture through Smart Mirror; accessing and displaying the weather, time, news and other life information; monitoring the home environment; remote interconnection operation.

Smart City and Smart Tourism: A Case of Dubai

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Sajid Khan

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Over the past decade, the advent of new technology has brought about the emergence of smart cities aiming to provide their stakeholders with technology-based solutions that are effective and efficient. Insofar as the objective of smart cities is to improve outcomes that are connected to people, systems and processes of businesses, government and other public- and private-sector entities, its main goal is to improve the quality of life of all residents. Accordingly, smart tourism has emerged over the past few years as a subset of the smart city concept, aiming to provide tourists with solutions that address specific travel related needs. Dubai is an emerging tourism destination that has implemented smart city and smart tourism platforms to engage various stakeholders. The objective of this study is to identify best practices related to Dubai’s smart city and smart tourism. In so doing, Dubai’s mission and vision along with key dimensions and pillars are identified in relation to the advancements in the literature while highlighting key resources and challenges. A Smart Tourism Dynamic Responsive System (STDRS framework is proposed while suggesting how Dubai may able to enhance users’ involvement and their overall experience.

One-Step Solvent Evaporation-Assisted 3D Printing of Piezoelectric PVDF Nanocomposite Structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Bodkhe, Sampada; Turcot, Gabrielle; Gosselin, Frederick P; Therriault, Daniel

2017-06-21

Development of a 3D printable material system possessing inherent piezoelectric properties to fabricate integrable sensors in a single-step printing process without poling is of importance to the creation of a wide variety of smart structures. Here, we study the effect of addition of barium titanate nanoparticles in nucleating piezoelectric β-polymorph in 3D printable polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and fabrication of the layer-by-layer and self-supporting piezoelectric structures on a micro- to millimeter scale by solvent evaporation-assisted 3D printing at room temperature. The nanocomposite formulation obtained after a comprehensive investigation of composition and processing techniques possesses a piezoelectric coefficient, d 31 , of 18 pC N -1 , which is comparable to that of typical poled and stretched commercial PVDF film sensors. A 3D contact sensor that generates up to 4 V upon gentle finger taps demonstrates the efficacy of the fabrication technique. Our one-step 3D printing of piezoelectric nanocomposites can form ready-to-use, complex-shaped, flexible, and lightweight piezoelectric devices. When combined with other 3D printable materials, they could serve as stand-alone or embedded sensors in aerospace, biomedicine, and robotic applications.

Smart Sensors Enable Smart Air Conditioning Control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chin-Chi Cheng

2014-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, mobile phones, wearable devices, temperature and human motion detectors are integrated as smart sensors for enabling smart air conditioning control. Smart sensors obtain feedback, especially occupants’ information, from mobile phones and wearable devices placed on human body. The information can be used to adjust air conditioners in advance according to humans’ intentions, in so-called intention causing control. Experimental results show that the indoor temperature can be controlled accurately with errors of less than ±0.1 °C. Rapid cool down can be achieved within 2 min to the optimized indoor capacity after occupants enter a room. It’s also noted that within two-hour operation the total compressor output of the smart air conditioner is 48.4% less than that of the one using On-Off control. The smart air conditioner with wearable devices could detect the human temperature and activity during sleep to determine the sleeping state and adjusting the sleeping function flexibly. The sleeping function optimized by the smart air conditioner with wearable devices could reduce the energy consumption up to 46.9% and keep the human health. The presented smart air conditioner could provide a comfortable environment and achieve the goals of energy conservation and environmental protection.

Volumetric composition of nanocomposites

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Madsen, Bo; Lilholt, Hans; Mannila, Juha

2015-01-01

is presented, using cellulose/epoxy and aluminosilicate/polylactate nanocomposites as case materials. The buoyancy method is used for the accurate measurements of materials density. The accuracy of the method is determined to be high, allowing the measured nanocomposite densities to be reported with 5...... significant figures. The plotting of the measured nanocomposite density as a function of the nanofibre weight content is shown to be a first good approach of assessing the porosity content of the materials. The known gravimetric composition of the nanocomposites is converted into a volumetric composition...

Genome-Wide Detection and Analysis of Multifunctional Genes

Science.gov (United States)

Pritykin, Yuri; Ghersi, Dario; Singh, Mona

2015-01-01

Many genes can play a role in multiple biological processes or molecular functions. Identifying multifunctional genes at the genome-wide level and studying their properties can shed light upon the complexity of molecular events that underpin cellular functioning, thereby leading to a better understanding of the functional landscape of the cell. However, to date, genome-wide analysis of multifunctional genes (and the proteins they encode) has been limited. Here we introduce a computational approach that uses known functional annotations to extract genes playing a role in at least two distinct biological processes. We leverage functional genomics data sets for three organisms—H. sapiens, D. melanogaster, and S. cerevisiae—and show that, as compared to other annotated genes, genes involved in multiple biological processes possess distinct physicochemical properties, are more broadly expressed, tend to be more central in protein interaction networks, tend to be more evolutionarily conserved, and are more likely to be essential. We also find that multifunctional genes are significantly more likely to be involved in human disorders. These same features also hold when multifunctionality is defined with respect to molecular functions instead of biological processes. Our analysis uncovers key features about multifunctional genes, and is a step towards a better genome-wide understanding of gene multifunctionality. PMID:26436655

Smart grid security

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cuellar, Jorge (ed.) [Siemens AG, Muenchen (Germany). Corporate Technology

2013-11-01

The engineering, deployment and security of the future smart grid will be an enormous project requiring the consensus of many stakeholders with different views on the security and privacy requirements, not to mention methods and solutions. The fragmentation of research agendas and proposed approaches or solutions for securing the future smart grid becomes apparent observing the results from different projects, standards, committees, etc, in different countries. The different approaches and views of the papers in this collection also witness this fragmentation. This book contains the following papers: 1. IT Security Architecture Approaches for Smart Metering and Smart Grid. 2. Smart Grid Information Exchange - Securing the Smart Grid from the Ground. 3. A Tool Set for the Evaluation of Security and Reliability in Smart Grids. 4. A Holistic View of Security and Privacy Issues in Smart Grids. 5. Hardware Security for Device Authentication in the Smart Grid. 6. Maintaining Privacy in Data Rich Demand Response Applications. 7. Data Protection in a Cloud-Enabled Smart Grid. 8. Formal Analysis of a Privacy-Preserving Billing Protocol. 9. Privacy in Smart Metering Ecosystems. 10. Energy rate at home Leveraging ZigBee to Enable Smart Grid in Residential Environment.

Smart business for smart users? : A social science agenda for developing smart grids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verbong, G.P.J.; Verkade, N.; Verhees, B.; Huijben, J.C.C.M.; Höffken, J.I.; Beaulieu, A.; de Wilde, J.; Scherpen, J.M.A.

2016-01-01

The promise of smart grids is very attractive. However, it is not yet clear what the future smart grid will look like. Although most researchers acknowledge that users will play a more prominent role in smart grids, there is a lot of uncertainty on this issue. To counter the strong techno-logical

Smart nanocomposite hydrogels based on azo crosslinked graphene oxide for oral colon-specific drug delivery

Science.gov (United States)

Hou, Lin; Shi, Yuyang; Jiang, Guixiang; Liu, Wei; Han, Huili; Feng, Qianhua; Ren, Junxiao; Yuan, Yujie; Wang, Yongchao; Shi, Jinjin; Zhang, Zhenzhong

2016-08-01

A safe and efficient nanocomposite hydrogel for colon cancer drug delivery was synthesized using pH-sensitive and biocompatible graphene oxide (GO) containing azoaromatic crosslinks as well as poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) (GO-N=N-GO/PVA composite hydrogels). Curcumin (CUR), an anti-cancer drug, was encapsulated successfully into the hydrogel through a freezing and thawing process. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy were performed to confirm the formation and morphological properties of the nanocomposite hydrogel. The hydrogels exhibited good swelling properties in a pH-sensitive manner. Drug release studies under conditions mimicking stomach to colon transit have shown that the drug was protected from being released completely into the physiological environment of the stomach and small intestine. In vivo imaging analysis, pharmacokinetics and a distribution of the gastrointestinal tract experiment were systematically studied and evaluated as colon-specific drug delivery systems. All the results demonstrated that GO-N=N-GO/PVA composite hydrogels could protect CUR well while passing through the stomach and small intestine to the proximal colon, and enhance the colon-targeting ability and residence time in the colon site. Therefore, CUR loaded GO-N=N-GO/PVA composite hydrogels might potentially provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of colon cancer with high efficiency and low toxicity.

Plant species richness and ecosystem multifunctionality in global drylands

Science.gov (United States)

Maestre, Fernando T.; Quero, Jose L.; Gotelli, Nicholas J.; Escudero, Adrian; Ochoa, Victoria; Delgado-Baquerizo, Manuel; Garcia-Gomez, Miguel; Bowker, Matthew A.; Soliveres, Santiago; Escolar, Cristina; Garcia-Palacios, Pablo; Berdugo, Miguel; Valencia, Enrique; Gozalo, Beatriz; Gallardo, Antonio; Aguilera, Lorgio; Arredondo, Tulio; Blones, Julio; Boeken, Bertrand; Bran, Donaldo; Conceicao, Abel A.; Cabrera, Omar; Chaieb, Mohamed; Derak, Mchich; Eldridge, David J.; Espinosa, Carlos I.; Florentino, Adriana; Gaitan, Juan; Gatica, M. Gabriel; Ghiloufi, Wahida; Gomez-Gonzalez, Susana; Gutie, Julio R.; Hernandez, Rosa M.; Huang, Xuewen; Huber-Sannwald, Elisabeth; Jankju, Mohammad; Miriti, Maria; Monerris, Jorge; Mau, Rebecca L.; Morici, Ernesto; Naseri, Kamal; Ospina, Abelardo; Polo, Vicente; Prina, Anibal; Pucheta, Eduardo; Ramirez-Collantes, David A.; Romao, Roberto; Tighe, Matthew; Torres-Diaz, Cristian; Val, James; Veiga, Jose P.; Wang, Deli; Zaady, Eli

2012-01-01

Experiments suggest that biodiversity enhances the ability of ecosystems to maintain multiple functions, such as carbon storage, productivity, and the buildup of nutrient pools (multifunctionality). However, the relationship between biodiversity and multifunctionality has never been assessed globally in natural ecosystems. We report here on a global empirical study relating plant species richness and abiotic factors to multifunctionality in drylands, which collectively cover 41% of Earth's land surface and support over 38% of the human population. Multifunctionality was positively and significantly related to species richness. The best-fitting models accounted for over 55% of the variation in multifunctionality and always included species richness as a predictor variable. Our results suggest that the preservation of plant biodiversity is crucial to buffer negative effects of climate change and desertification in drylands.

Regeneration of Bombyx mori silk nanofibers and nanocomposite fibrils by the electrospinning process

Science.gov (United States)

Ayutsede, Jonathan Eyitouyo

In recent years, there has been significant interest in the utilization of natural materials for novel nanoproducts such as tissue engineered scaffolds. Silkworm silk fibers represent one of the strongest natural fibers known. Silkworm silk, a protein-based natural biopolymer, has received renewed interest in recent years due to its unique properties (strength, toughness) and potential applications such as smart textiles, protective clothing and tissue engineering. The traditional 10--20 mum diameter, triangular-shaped Bombyx mori fibers have remained unchanged over the years. However, in our study, we examine the scientific implication and potential applications of reducing the diameter to the nanoscale, changing the triangular shape of the fiber and adding nanofillers in the form of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) by the electrospinning process. The electrospinning process preserves the natural conformation of the silk (random and beta-sheet). The feasibility of changing the properties of the electrospun nanofibers by post processing treatments (annealing and chemical treatment) was investigated. B. mori silk fibroin solution (formic acid) was successfully electrospun to produce uniform nanofibers (as small as 12 nm). Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied for the first time to experimental results of electrospinning, to develop a processing window that can reproduce regenerated silk nanofibers of a predictable size (d silk multifunctional nanocomposite fibers were fabricated for the first time with anticipated properties (mechanical, thermal and electrically conductive) that may have scientific applications (nerve regeneration, stimulation of cell-scaffold interaction). In order to realize these applications, the following areas need to be addressed: a systematic investigation of the dispersion of the nanotubes in the silk matrix, a determination of new methodologies for characterizing the nanofiber properties and establishing the nature of the silk

Nanoparticles dispersion in processing functionalised PP/TiO2 nanocomposites: distribution and properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Dessouky, Hassan M.; Lawrence, Carl A.

2011-01-01

Future innovations in textiles and fibrous materials are likely to demand fibres with enhanced multifunctionality. The fibres can be functionalized by dispersing nanoadditives into the polymer during melt compounding/spinning. TiO 2 nanoparticles have the potential to improve UV resistance, antistatic, as well as impart self-cleaning by photocatalysis and thereby de-odour and antimicrobial effects. In this study, a micro-lab twin-screw extruder was used to produce samples of polypropylene (PP) nanocomposite monofilaments, doped with nano titanium oxide (TiO 2 )/manganese oxide (MnO) compound having size ranging from 60 to 200 nm. As a control sample, PP filaments without additives were also extruded. Three samples were produced containing different concentrations (wt%) of the TiO 2 compound, i.e. 0.95, 1.24 and 1.79%. Nano metal-oxide distribution in the as-spun and drawn nanocomposite filaments was analysed. Although, there are small clusters of the nanoparticles, the characterizing techniques showed good dispersion and distribution of the modified TiO 2 along and across the processed filaments. From UV spectroscopy and TGA, a significant enhancement of polypropylene UV protection and thermal stability were observed: PP with higher percentage of TiO 2 absorbed UV wavelength of 387 nm and thermally decomposed at 320.16 °C accompanied by 95% weight loss.

Smart Meter Rollout: Intelligente Messsysteme als Schnittstelle zum Kunden im Smart Grid und Smart Market

Science.gov (United States)

Vortanz, Karsten; Zayer, Peter

Das Gesetz zur Digitalisierung der Energiewende ist verabschiedet. Ab 2017 sind moderne Messeinrichtungen (mME) und intelligente Messsysteme (iMSys) zu verbauen und zu betreiben. Der "deutsche Weg" für die Einführung von Smart Metern sieht einen stufenweisen Rollout sowie ein Höchstmaß an Informations- und Datensicherheit vor. Dabei spielen iMSys und mME eine wichtige Rolle bei der Neugestaltung der intelligenten Netze (Smart Grids) und des neuen Marktmodells (Smart Market). Dieser Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit den neuen Gesetzen, den Marktrollen und ihren Aufgaben, Datenschutz und Datensicherheit, dem iMSys als sichere Lösung, dem sicheren Betrieb von Smart Meter Gateways, Smart Grid - Smart Market, dem Zusammenspiel zwischen reguliertem Bereich und Markt, den Einsatzbereichen der iMSys sowie den Auswirkungen auf Prozesse und Systeme und gibt Handlungsempfehlungen.

Tribology of Nanocomposites

CERN Document Server

2013-01-01

This book provides recent information on nanocomposites tribology. Chapter 1 provides information on tribology of bulk polymer nanocomposites and nanocomposite coatings. Chapter 2 is dedicated to nano and micro PTFE for surface lubrication of carbon fabric reinforced polyethersulphone composites. Chapter 3 describes Tribology of MoS2 -based nanocomposites. Chapter 4 contains information on friction and wear of Al2O2 -based composites with dispersed and agglomerated nanoparticles. Finally, chapter 5 is dedicated to wear of multi-scale phase reinforced composites. It is a useful reference for academics, materials and physics researchers, materials, mechanical and manufacturing engineers, both as final undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It is a useful reference for academics, materials and physics researchers, materials, mechanical and manufacturing engineers, both as final undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Multifunctional landscape practice and accessibility in manorial landscapes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Jesper; Svenningsen, Stig Roar; Christensen, Andreas Aagaard

. However classical manorial estates seems to represent an opposite trend. Allthough working at the same market conditions as other large specialized holdings developed through the process of structural rationalization, they have often maintained and elaborated a land use strategy based on a multifunctional...... use of the potential ecosystem services present within their domain. The targeted combination of agriculture, forestry, hunting rents, rental housing, and a variety of recreational activities influences makes a certain public accessibility to an integrated part of this strategy, diverging from...... the multifunctional landscape strategy supporting a certain public access. A study of this thesis is presented based on an analysis of multifunctionality, landscape development and accessibility in Danish Manorial landscapes and eventual linkages between their multifunctional landscape strategy, their history...

From Smart Rooms to Smart Hotels

OpenAIRE

Petrevska, Biljana; Cingoski, Vlatko; Gelev, Saso

2016-01-01

This paper gives an overview of a potential path that new hotels have to satisfy to improve their status from a hotel with smart rooms towards a full-scale smart hotel facility. It presents a possible transitional way including innovative applications based on modern information technology for ambient settings in the domain of hotel industry that aims to improve the quality of offered services towards clients, starting from the present level of smart rooms. The main objective i...

From climate-smart agriculture to climate-smart landscapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scherr Sara J

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background For agricultural systems to achieve climate-smart objectives, including improved food security and rural livelihoods as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation, they often need to be take a landscape approach; they must become ‘climate-smart landscapes’. Climate-smart landscapes operate on the principles of integrated landscape management, while explicitly incorporating adaptation and mitigation into their management objectives. Results An assessment of climate change dynamics related to agriculture suggests that three key features characterize a climate-smart landscape: climate-smart practices at the field and farm scale; diversity of land use across the landscape to provide resilience; and management of land use interactions at landscape scale to achieve social, economic and ecological impacts. To implement climate-smart agricultural landscapes with these features (that is, to successfully promote and sustain them over time, in the context of dynamic economic, social, ecological and climate conditions requires several institutional mechanisms: multi-stakeholder planning, supportive landscape governance and resource tenure, spatially-targeted investment in the landscape that supports climate-smart objectives, and tracking change to determine if social and climate goals are being met at different scales. Examples of climate-smart landscape initiatives in Madagascar’s Highlands, the African Sahel and Australian Wet Tropics illustrate the application of these elements in contrasting contexts. Conclusions To achieve climate-smart landscape initiatives widely and at scale will require strengthened technical capacities, institutions and political support for multi-stakeholder planning, governance, spatial targeting of investments and multi-objective impact monitoring.

The smart energy world from a competition point of view. An interaction between smart customers, smart market and smart grids; Die Smarte Energiewelt aus wettbewerblicher Sicht. Ein Zusammenspiel aus Smarten Kunden, Smart Market und Smarten Netzen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wiechmann, Holger [EnBW Vertrieb GmbH, Stuttgart (Germany)

2012-07-01

Everybody is talking about the ''Energiewende, the Smart Energy World and about ''Smart Market / Smart Grids'', but almost no one knows, what it exactly means. But the ''Energiewende'' is already coming. The entire energy sector and particularly the elctricity industry are evolving towards decentralized structures mainly based on renewable energies. Not only the growth in fluctuating power generation from renewable energy sources like wind and photovoltaic but also their consumption on a local basis are calling for new ways of decentralized managing energy and for further developed market rules. The interaction of all stakeholders (customer, market players, grid operators, authorities) in a Smart Market/Smart Grid environment is required to successfully implement an efficient ''Energiewende''. Derived from the different interests of these stakeholders, the paper describes a system and roles within this system. It shows how Smart Market and Smart Grid can interact corresponding to the guidelines of German Regulator recently published. (orig.)

Smart market. From smart grid to the intelligent energy market; Smart Market. Vom Smart Grid zum intelligenten Energiemarkt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aichele, Christian [Hochschule Kaiserslautern, Zweibruecken (Germany). Fachbereich Betriebswirtschaft; Doleski, Oliver D. (ed.)

2014-07-01

Dare more market. - The design of this postulate provides an important contribution to the success of the German energy transition. The Bundesnetzagentur has shown with its highly regarded benchmark paper on smart grids and markets leads the way towards more market in the energy sector. The therein required differentiation in a network and market sphere contributes to greater transparency on the consumer side and enables a gid releaving shift in energy consumption. The book focuses on actors and roles in the modified market circumstances as well as components and products of a future Smart Markets. Finally, to the reader concrete business models are offered. Authors from science and practice give in this book answers on how the interaction of Smart Grid and Smart Market works. [German] Mehr Markt wagen. - Die Ausgestaltung dieses Postulats liefert einen wichtigen Beitrag zum Gelingen der deutschen Energiewende. Die Bundesnetzagentur hat mit ihrem vielbeachteten Eckpunktepapier zu intelligenten Netzen und Maerkten diesen Weg in Richtung mehr Markt in der Energiewirtschaft gewiesen. Die darin geforderte Differenzierung in eine Netz- und Marktsphaere traegt zu mehr Transparenz auf der Verbraucherseite bei und ermoeglicht eine netzentlastende Verlagerung des Energieverbrauchs. Das Buch beleuchtet Akteure und Rollen im geaenderten Marktumfeld ebenso wie Komponenten und Produkte eines zukuenftigen Smart Markets. Schliesslich werden dem Leser konkrete Geschaeftsmodelle angeboten. Autoren aus Wissenschaft und Praxis geben in diesem Buch Antworten darauf, wie das Zusammenspiel von Smart Grid und Smart Market funktioniert.

Self-sensing and thermal energy experimental characterization of multifunctional cement-matrix composites with carbon nano-inclusions

Science.gov (United States)

D'Alessandro, A.; Pisello, A. L.; Sambuco, Sara; Ubertini, F.; Asdrubali, F.; Materazzi, A. L.; Cotana, F.

2016-04-01

The recent progress of Nanotechnology allowed the development of new smart materials in several fields of engineering. In particular, innovative construction materials with multifunctional enhanced properties can be produced. The paper presents an experimental characterization on cement-matrix pastes doped with Carbon Nanotubes, Carbon Nano-fibers, Carbon Black and Graphene Nano-platelets. Both electro-mechanical and thermo-physical investigations have been carried out. The conductive nano-inclusions provide the cementitious matrix with piezo-resistive properties allowing the detection of external strain and stress changes. Thereby, traditional building materials, such as concrete and cementitious materials in general, would be capable of self-monitoring the state of deformation they are subject to, giving rise to diffuse sensing systems of structural integrity. Besides supplying self-sensing abilities, carbon nano-fillers may change mechanical, physical and thermal properties of cementitious composites. The experimental tests of the research have been mainly concentrated on the thermal conductivity and the optical properties of the different nano-modified materials, in order to make a critical comparison between them. The aim of the work is the characterization of an innovative multifunctional composite capable of combining self-monitoring properties with proper mechanical and thermal-energy efficiency characteristics. The potential applications of these nano-modified materials cover a wide range of possibilities, such as structural elements, floors, geothermal piles, radiant systems and more.

Magnetoelectric polymer nanocomposite for flexible electronics

KAUST Repository

Al-Nassar, Mohammed Y.

2015-03-06

This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of a new type of magnetoelectric polymer nanocomposite that exhibits excellent ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity simultaneously at room temperature. The multiferroic nanocomposite consists of high aspect ratio ferromagnetic iron nanowires embedded inside a ferroelectric co-polymer poly(vinylindene fluoride-trifluoroethylene), P(VDF-TrFE). The nanocomposite has been fabricated via a simple low temperature spin coating technique. Structural, ferromagnetic, ferroelectric, and magnetoelectric properties of the developed nanocomposite have been characterized. The nanocomposite films showed isotropic magnetic properties due to the random orientation of the iron nanowires inside the film. In addition, the embedded nanowires did not hinder the ferroelectric phase development of the nanocomposite. The developed nanocomposite showed a high magnetoelectric coupling response of 156 mV/cmOe measured at 3.1 kOe DC bias field. This value is among the highest reported magnetoelectric coupling in two phase particulate polymer nanocomposites.

Magnetoelectric polymer nanocomposite for flexible electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alnassar, M.; Alfadhel, A.; Ivanov, Yu. P.; Kosel, J.

2015-01-01

This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of a new type of magnetoelectric polymer nanocomposite that exhibits excellent ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity simultaneously at room temperature. The multiferroic nanocomposite consists of high aspect ratio ferromagnetic iron nanowires embedded inside a ferroelectric co-polymer poly(vinylindene fluoride-trifluoroethylene), P(VDF-TrFE). The nanocomposite has been fabricated via a simple low temperature spin coating technique. Structural, ferromagnetic, ferroelectric, and magnetoelectric properties of the developed nanocomposite have been characterized. The nanocomposite films showed isotropic magnetic properties due to the random orientation of the iron nanowires inside the film. In addition, the embedded nanowires did not hinder the ferroelectric phase development of the nanocomposite. The developed nanocomposite showed a high magnetoelectric coupling response of 156 mV/cmOe measured at 3.1 kOe DC bias field. This value is among the highest reported magnetoelectric coupling in two phase particulate polymer nanocomposites

Magnetoelectric polymer nanocomposite for flexible electronics

KAUST Repository

Al-Nassar, Mohammed Y.; Alfadhel, Ahmed; Ivanov, Yurii P.; Kosel, Jü rgen

2015-01-01

This paper reports the fabrication and characterization of a new type of magnetoelectric polymer nanocomposite that exhibits excellent ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity simultaneously at room temperature. The multiferroic nanocomposite consists of high aspect ratio ferromagnetic iron nanowires embedded inside a ferroelectric co-polymer poly(vinylindene fluoride-trifluoroethylene), P(VDF-TrFE). The nanocomposite has been fabricated via a simple low temperature spin coating technique. Structural, ferromagnetic, ferroelectric, and magnetoelectric properties of the developed nanocomposite have been characterized. The nanocomposite films showed isotropic magnetic properties due to the random orientation of the iron nanowires inside the film. In addition, the embedded nanowires did not hinder the ferroelectric phase development of the nanocomposite. The developed nanocomposite showed a high magnetoelectric coupling response of 156 mV/cmOe measured at 3.1 kOe DC bias field. This value is among the highest reported magnetoelectric coupling in two phase particulate polymer nanocomposites.

Smart Metering. Technological, economic and legal aspects. 2. ed.; Smart Metering. Technologische, wirtschaftliche und juristische Aspekte des Smart Metering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koehler-Schute, Christiana (ed.)

2010-07-01

Smart metering comprises more than just meter technology, and the use of information and communication technologies is indispensable. Processes, roles and business models must be reconsidered as further challenges arise in the context of smart metering. For one, there is the operator of the metering points. Secondly, there is the end user who is in the role of an active market partner. Further, there is smart metering as a basic technology, e.g. for smart grids and smart homes. In spite of the need for action, many utilities are reluctant to introduce smart metering. Reasons for this are the cost, a lack of defined standards, and an unclear legal situation. On the other hand, smart metering offers potential for grids and distribution that should be made use of. The authors discuss all aspects of the subject. The point out the chances and limitations of smart metering and present their own experience. [German] Smart Metering geht weit ueber die Zaehlertechnologie hinaus und der Einsatz von Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien ist unabdingbar. Damit einhergehend muessen Prozesse, Rollen und auch Geschaeftsmodelle neu durchdacht werden. Denn weitere Herausforderungen stehen im direkten Zusammenhang mit Smart Metering. Das ist zum einen die Rolle des Messstellenbetreibers / Messdienstleisters. Das ist zum anderen der Endnutzer, dem die Rolle des aktiven Marktpartners zugedacht wird. Das ist des Weiteren das Smart Metering als Basistechnologie beispielsweise fuer Smart Grid und Smart Home. Trotz des Handlungsdrucks stehen viele Unternehmen der Energiewirtschaft dem Smart Metering zurueckhaltend gegenueber. Drei gewichtige Gruende werden ins Feld gefuehrt: die Kostenfrage, nicht definierte Standards und die in vielen Bereichen ungeklaerte Gesetzeslage. Demgegenueber bietet das Smart Metering Potenziale fuer Netz und Vertrieb, die es zu nutzen gilt. Die Autoren setzen sich in ihren Beitraegen mit diesen Themen auseinander, zeigen Chancen, aber auch Grenzen des

Privacy-Preserving Smart Metering with Authentication in a Smart Grid

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Beom Hur

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The traditional security objectives of smart grids have been availability, integrity, and confidentiality. However, as the grids incorporate smart metering and load management, user and corporate privacy is increasingly becoming an issue in smart grid networks. Although transmitting current power consumption levels to the supplier or utility from each smart meter at short intervals has an advantage for the electricity supplier’s planning and management purposes, it threatens user privacy by disclosing fine-grained consumption data and usage behavior to utility providers. In this study, we propose a distributed incremental data aggregation scheme where all smart meters on an aggregation path are involved in routing the data from the source meter to the collection unit. User privacy is preserved by symmetric homomorphic encryption, which allows smart meters to participate in the aggregation without seeing any intermediate or final result. Aggregated data is further integrated with an aggregate signature to achieve data integrity and smart meter authentication in such a way that dishonest or fake smart meters cannot falsify data en route. Only the collection unit can obtain the aggregated data and verify its integrity while the individual plain data are not exposed to the collection unit. Therefore, user privacy and security are improved for the smart metering in a smart grid network.

An introduction to polymer nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, Gordon

2015-01-01

This review presents an overview of the formulation, characterization and range of applications for polymer nanocomposites. After explaining how material properties at the nanometre scale can vary compared to those observed at longer length scales, typical methods used to formulate and characterize nanocomposites at laboratory and industrial scale will be described. The range of mechanical, electrical and thermal properties obtainable from nanocomposite materials, with examples of current commercial applications, will be outlined. Formulation and characterization of nanoparticle, nanotube and graphene composites will be discussed by reference to nanoclay-based composites, as the latter are presently of most technological relevance. Three brief case studies are presented to demonstrate how structure/property relationships may be controlled in a variety of polymer nanocomposite systems to achieve required performance in a given application. The review will conclude by discussing potential obstacles to commercial uptake of polymer nanocomposites, such as inconsistent protocols to characterize nanocomposites, cost/performance balances, raw material availability, and emerging legislation, and will conclude by discussing the outlook for future development and commercial uptake of polymer nanocomposites. (review)

Use of ZnO as antireflective, protective, antibacterial, and biocompatible multifunction nanolayer of thermochromic VO2 nanofilm for intelligent windows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou, Huaijuan; Li, Jinhua; Bao, Shanhu; Li, Jian; Liu, Xuanyong; Jin, Ping

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A multifunctional VO 2 /ZnO bilayer film is designed and deposited by magnetron sputtering apparatus. • The ZnO top layer can enhance the antireflective, antioxidative and anti-corrosion functions of the VO 2 film. • The ZnO top layer can endow VO 2 film with excellent antibacterial performance. • The ZnO top layer can attenuate the cytotoxicity of VO 2 thin film. - Abstract: A multifunctional VO 2 /ZnO bilayer film is designed and deposited by magnetron sputtering apparatus. The integration of the antireflective, antioxidative and anti-corrosion functions, and antibacterial performance makes the heterostructure film a promising candidate in the energy-saving smart window. The ZnO thin film as the antireflection layer can markedly boost the solar regulation efficiency (ΔT sol ) from 7.7% to 12.2% and possesses excellent luminous transmittance (T lum-L = 50.3%) in the low-temperature semiconductor phase. The ZnO layer as the protection barrier can not only protect VO 2 thin film from oxidation to much toxic V 2 O 5 , but also decrease the release of V ions. Besides, the synergistic effect of releasing killing by Zn 2+ ions and contact killing by ZnO NPs makes ZnO thin film an outstanding antibacterial coating. In terms of the biological safety, ZnO coating with appropriate film thickness can effectively attenuate the cytotoxicity of VO 2 on human HIBEpiC cells. We hope this work can provide new insights for better designing of novel multifunctional VO 2 -based intelligent energy-saving windows.

Punicalagin Green Functionalized Cu/Cu2O/ZnO/CuO Nanocomposite for Potential Electrochemical Transducer and Catalyst

Science.gov (United States)

Fuku, X.; Kaviyarasu, K.; Matinise, N.; Maaza, M.

2016-09-01

A novel ternary Punica granatum L-Cu/Cu2O/CuO/ZnO nanocomposite was successfully synthesised via green route. In this work, we demonstrate that the green synthesis of metal oxides is more viable and facile compare to other methods, i.e., physical and chemical routes while presenting a potential electrode for energy applications. The prepared nanocomposite was characterised by both microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques revealed different transitional phases with an average nanocrystallite size of 29-20 mm. It was observed that the nanocomposites changed from amorphous-slightly crystalline Cu/Cu2O to polycrystalline Cu/Cu2O/CuO/ZnO at different calcination temperatures (room temperature-RT- 600 °C). The Cu/Cu2O/ZnO/CuO metal oxides proved to be highly crystalline and showed irregularly distributed particles with different sizes. Meanwhile, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed the purity while together with ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy proved the proposed mechanism of the synthesised nanocomposite. UV-Vis showed improved catalytic activity of the prepared metal oxides, evident by narrow band gap energy. The redox and electrochemical properties of the prepared nanocomposite were achieved by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance (EIS) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD). The maximum specific capacitance ( C s) was calculated to be 241 F g-1 at 50 mV s-1 for Cu/Cu2O/CuO/ZnO nanoplatelets structured electrode. Moreover, all the CuO nanostructures reveal better power performance, excellent rate as well as long term cycling stability. Such a study will encourages a new design for a wide spectrum of materials for smart electronic device applications.

Smart metering gateway works as Smart Home Energy Manager; Smart Metering Gateway als Smart Home Energy Manager

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walter, Klaus-Dieter [SSV Software Systems GmbH, Hannover (Germany)

2011-07-01

The installation of smart meters together with real time consumption data visualization doesn't help to save energy CO2 emissions. With regards to refinancing options, the situation in Germany has been quite different since the middle of last year for buildings equipped with a photovoltaic system. If a heat pump system is also present, intelligent energy use in conjunction with smart meters can save considerable amounts of money. A Smart Home Energy Manager (SHEM) automates the energy saving. (orig.)

Bio-inspired nanocomposite assemblies as smart skin components.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montano, Gabriel A.; Xiao, Xiaoyin; Achyuthan, Komandoor E.; Allen, Amy; Brozik, Susan Marie; Edwards, Thayne L.; Frischknecht, Amalie Lucile; Wheeler, David Roger

2011-09-01

There is national interest in the development of sophisticated materials that can automatically detect and respond to chemical and biological threats without the need for human intervention. In living systems, cell membranes perform such functions on a routine basis, detecting threats, communicating with the cell, and triggering automatic responses such as the opening and closing of ion channels. The purpose of this project was to learn how to replicate simple threat detection and response functions within artificial membrane systems. The original goals toward developing 'smart skin' assemblies included: (1) synthesizing functionalized nanoparticles to produce electrochemically responsive systems within a lipid bilayer host matrices, (2) calculating the energetics of nanoparticle-lipid interactions and pore formation, and (3) determining the mechanism of insertion of nanoparticles in lipid bilayers via imaging and electrochemistry. There are a few reports of the use of programmable materials to open and close pores in rigid hosts such as mesoporous materials using either heat or light activation. However, none of these materials can regulate themselves in response to the detection of threats. The strategies we investigated in this project involve learning how to use programmable nanomaterials to automatically eliminate open channels within a lipid bilayer host when 'threats' are detected. We generated and characterized functionalized nanoparticles that can be used to create synthetic pores through the membrane and investigated methods of eliminating the pores either through electrochemistry, change in pH, etc. We also focused on characterizing the behavior of functionalized gold NPs in different lipid membranes and lipid vesicles and coupled these results to modeling efforts designed to gain an understanding of the interaction of nanoparticles within lipid assemblies.

An integral effect test facility of the SMART, SMART ITL

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Hyun Sik; Moon, Sang Ki; Kim, Yeon Sik; Cho, Seok; Choi, Ki Yong; Bae, Hwang; Kim, Dong Eok; Choi, Nam Hyun; Min, Kyoung Ho; Ko, Yung Joo; Shin, Yong Cheol; Park, Rae Joon; Lee, Won Jae; Song, Chul Hwa; Yi, Sung Jae [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-10-15

SMART (System integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) is a 330 MWth integral pressurized water reactor (iPWR) developed by KAERI and had obtained standard design approval (SDA) from Korean regulatory authority on July 2012. In this SMART design main components including a pressurizer, reactor coolant pumps and steam generators are installed in a reactor pressure vessel without any large connecting pipes. As the LBLOCA scenario is inherently excluded, its safety systems could be simplified only to ensure the safety during the SBLOCA scenarios and the other system transients. An integral effect test loop for the SMART (SMART ITL), or called as FESTA, had been designed to simulate the integral thermal hydraulic behavior of the SMART. The objectives of the SMART ITL are to investigate and understand the integral performance of reactor systems and components and the thermal hydraulic phenomena occurred in the system during normal, abnormal and emergency conditions, and to verify the system safety during various design basis events of the SMART. The integral effect test data will also be used to validate the related thermal hydraulic models of the safety analysis code such as TASS/SMR S, which is used for performance and accident analysis of the SMART design. This paper introduces the scaling analysis and scientific design of the integral test facility of the SMART, SMART ITL and its scaling analysis results.

2nd international KES conference on Smart Education and Smart e-Learning

CERN Document Server

Howlett, Robert; Jain, Lakhmi

2015-01-01

This book contains the contributions presented at the 2nd international KES conference on Smart Education and Smart e-Learning, which took place in Sorrento, Italy, June 17-19, 2015. It contains a total of 45 peer-reviewed book chapters that are grouped into several parts: Part 1 - Smart Education, Part 2 – Smart Educational Technology, Part 3 – Smart e-Learning, Part 4 – Smart Professional Training and Teachers’ Education, and Part 5 – Smart Teaching and Training related Topics.  This book can be a useful source of research data and valuable information for faculty, scholars, Ph.D. students, administrators, and practitioners  - those who are interested in innovative areas of smart education and smart e-learning.  .

Smart Energy 2012. How smart is the way towards the turnaround in the energy policy; Smart Energy 2012. Wie smart ist der Weg zur Energiewende?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grossmann, Uwe; Kunold, Ingo (eds.)

2012-07-01

The contribution under consideration contains fifteen contributions of well-known authors from commercial enterprises, public institutions and universities on smart energy: (1) Smart grids, but surely (Claudia Eckert); (2) Requirements concerning the further development of data protection and data security as part of the technological change (Reinhold Harnisch); (3) Standardization in the smart grid (Harald Orlamuender); (4) IEC 61850 - The standard for energy automation (Georg Harnischmacher); (5) Smart City, the intelligent grid in the city (Michael Laskowski); (6) IKT is a basis for a real smart power distribution system (Justus Bross); (7) Power transparency and optimized building optimization by means of a holistic automation concepts (Joerg Wollert); (8) Distributed architecture for a balancing aggregation of consumption and generation of power in private households (Kilian Hemmeboehle); (9) Development of an e-energy market place and first experiences from the field test in the E-DeMa project (Bernd Werner); (10) Smart metering rollout pilot ''30,000er'' (Axel Lauterkorn); (11) Experiences with the connexion and communication to smart meters in the project eTelligence (Guenter Pistoor); (12) Smart Phoenix - Intelligent energy networks in Dortmund (Roland Brueggemann); (13) Smart planning (C. Engels); Intelligent house control by means of smart metering (Sabine Wieland); (14) Dynamic billing of energy and value-added service in the networked home (Frank C. Bormann).

Facile synthesis of multifunctional attapulgite/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/polyaniline nanocomposites for magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction of benzoylurea insecticides in environmental water samples

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Xiaoling; Qiao, Kexin; Ye, Yiren; Yang, Miyi; Li, Jing; Gao, Haixiang; Zhang, Sanbing; Zhou, Wenfeng; Lu, Runhua, E-mail: rhlu@cau.edu.cn

2016-08-31

In this study, the superparamagnetic attapulgite/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/polyaniline (ATP/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PANI) nanocomposites were successfully synthesized by a one-pot method. Fe (III) was applied as both the oxidant for the oxidative polymerization of aniline and the single iron source of Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} formed by the redox reaction between aniline and Fe (III). The ATP/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PANI was used as sorbent for magnetic dispersive solid phase extraction (MDSPE) of benzoylurea insecticides (BUs) in environmental water samples. The as-prepared nanocomposite sorbents were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR), X Ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy(SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and vibrating sample magnetometry. Various experimental parameters affecting the ATP/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PANI-based MDSPE procedure, including the composition of the nanocomposite sorbents, amount of ATP/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PANI nanocomposites, vortex time, pH, and desorption conditions were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, a good linearity was observed for all target analytes, with correlation coefficients (r{sup 2}) ranging from 0.9985 to 0.9997; the limits of detection (LOD) were in the range of 0.02–0.43 μg L{sup −1}, and the recoveries of analytes using the proposed method ranged between 77.37% and 103.69%. The sorbents exhibited an excellent reproducibility in the range of 1.52–5.27% in extracting the five target analytes. In addition, the intra-day and inter-day precision values were found to be in the range of 0.78–6.86% and 1.66–8.41%, respectively. Finally, the proposed ATP/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PANI-based MDSPE method was successfully applied to analyze river water samples by rapid preconcentration of BUs. - Highlights: • A novel superparamagnetic ATP/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PANI nanocomposite was first introduced in MDSPE. • ATP/Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}/PANI nanocomposites exhibited fast adsorption and desorption

3rd international KES conference on Smart Education and Smart e-Learning

CERN Document Server

Howlett, Robert; Jain, Lakhmi

2016-01-01

This book contains the contributions presented at the 3rd international KES conference on Smart Education and Smart e-Learning, which took place in Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain, June 15-17, 2016. It contains a total of 56 peer-reviewed book chapters that are grouped into several parts: Part 1 - Smart University: Conceptual Modeling, Part 2 – Smart Education: Research and Case Studies, Part 3 – Smart e-Learning, Part 4 – Smart Education: Software and Hardware Systems, and Part 5 – Smart Technology as a Resource to Improve Education and Professional Training. We believe that the book will serve as a useful source of research data and valuable information for faculty, scholars, Ph.D. students, administrators, and practitioners - those who are interested in innovative areas of smart education and smart e-learning. .

Bio-Inspired Multi-Functional Drug Transport Design Concept and Simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Pidaparti, Ramana M; Cartin, Charles; Su, Guoguang

2017-04-25

In this study, we developed a microdevice concept for drug/fluidic transport taking an inspiration from supramolecular motor found in biological cells. Specifically, idealized multi-functional design geometry (nozzle/diffuser/nozzle) was developed for (i) fluidic/particle transport; (ii) particle separation; and (iii) droplet generation. Several design simulations were conducted to demonstrate the working principles of the multi-functional device. The design simulations illustrate that the proposed design concept is feasible for multi-functionality. However, further experimentation and optimization studies are needed to fully evaluate the multifunctional device concept for multiple applications.

Multifunctional optical sensor

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2010-01-01

The invention relates to a multifunctional optical sensor, having at least 2 areas which independently react to different input parameters, the sensor comprising a substrate and a polymeric layer comprising polymerized liquid crystal monomers having an ordered morphology, wherein the color, the

Smart governance for smart city

Science.gov (United States)

Mutiara, Dewi; Yuniarti, Siti; Pratama, Bambang

2018-03-01

Some of the local government in Indonesia claimed they already created a smart city. Mostly the claim based of IT utilization for their governance. In general, a smart city definition is to describe a developed urban area that creates sustainable economic development and high quality of life by excelling in multiple key; economy, mobility, environment, people, living, and government. For public services, the law guarantees good governance by setting the standard for e-government implicitly including for local government or a city. Based on the arguments, this research tries to test the condition of e-government of the Indonesian city in 34 provinces. The purpose is to map e-government condition by measuring indicators of smart government, which are: transparent governance and open data for the public. This research is departing from public information disclosure law and to correspond with the existence law. By examining government transparency, the output of the research can be used to measure the effectiveness of public information disclosure law and to determine the condition of e-government in local government in which as part of a smart city.

Biotic homogenization can decrease landscape-scale forest multifunctionality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van der Plas, Fons; Manning, Pete; Soliveres, Santiago

2016-01-01

Many experiments have shown that local biodiversity loss impairs the ability of ecosystems to maintain multiple ecosystem functions at high levels (multifunctionality). In contrast, the role of biodiversity in driving ecosystem multifunctionality at landscape scales remains unresolved. We used a ...

Smart grids for smart cities: Smart energy management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kieny, Christophe

2013-01-01

Smart grids are currently a hot topic. Growing numbers of municipalities are experimenting with smart grids as the foundation for tomorrow's smart cities. And yet, end users are struggling to understand the innovative new energy distribution models just over the horizon. Our energy system is at a crossroads. And the coming years will tell us whether smart grids - whether they integrate renewable energy sources or not - will develop as a hybrid industry combining energy and IT or emerge as a full-fledged sector in and of itself. First and foremost, smart grids must be considered from a local, micro-economic standpoint, but one that also takes into account issues and interactions at the regional, national, EU, and global levels. Today, fighting climate change is a major challenge at both the national and global levels. The Kyoto Protocol and the Copenhagen Summit established a framework for crucial initiatives to combat climate change. The EU and France followed suit with their Climate and Energy Package and Grenelle de l'environnement environmental agenda. These policies set forth measures to fight climate change and to adapt to its impacts on people and the economy. France, for instance, set two basic targets to be achieved by 2020: - Make renewable energy a priority by promoting the development of energy from renewable sources to achieve the target of 23% renewables in the final energy mix. - Promote energy savings and increase energy efficiency by 20% and limit global warming to less than 2 deg. C over pre-industrial temperatures in industrialized nations by 2050 (around 1.2 deg. C above current temperatures). Tomorrow's grids will have to be smarter, which means incorporating information and communication technologies to provide the responsiveness and enhanced communication capabilities needed to meet the following challenges: - Integrating electricity from renewable sources; - Controlling demand; - Managing peak consumption; - Promoting widespread adoption of

SmartInspect: Smart Contract Inspection Technical Report

OpenAIRE

Bragagnolo , Santiago; Rocha , Henrique ,; Denker , Marcus; Ducasse , Stéphane

2017-01-01

Smart contracts are embedded procedures stored with the data they act upon. Debugging deployed Smart Contracts is a difficult task since once deployed, the code cannot be reexecuted and inspecting a simple attribute is not easily possible because data is encoded. In this technical report, we present SmartInspect to address the lack of inspectability of a deployed contract. Our solution analyses the contract state by using decompilation techniques and a mirror-based architecture to represent t...

A multi-functional nanoplatform for tumor synergistic phototherapy

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Huijuan; Jiao, Xiaojing; Chen, Qianqian; Ji, Yandan; Zhang, Xiaoge; Zhu, Xing; Zhang, Zhenzhong

2016-02-01

Phototherapy, which mainly includes photothermal treatment (PTT) and photodynamic treatment (PDT), is a photo-initiated, noninvasive and effective approach for cancer treatment. The high accumulation of photosensitizers (PSs) in a targeted tumor is still a major challenge for efficient light conversion, to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and local hyperthermia. In this study, a simple and efficient hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified nanoplatform (HA-TiO2@MWCNTs) with high tumor-targeting ability, excellent phototherapy efficiency, low light-associated side effects and good water solubility was developed. It could be an effective carrier to load hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME), owing to the tubular conjugate structure. Apart from this, the as-prepared TiO2@MWCNTs nanocomposites could also be used as PSs for tumor PTT and PDT. Those results in vitro and in vivo showed that the anti-tumor effect of this system-mediated PTT/PDT were significantly better than those of single treatment manner. In addition, this drug delivery system could realize high ratio of drug loading, sustained drug release, prolonged circulation in vivo and active targeted accumulation in tumor. These results suggest that HA-TiO2@MWCNTs/HMME has high potential for tumor synergistic phototherapy as a smart theranostic nanoplatform.

A multi-functional nanoplatform for tumor synergistic phototherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Huijuan; Jiao, Xiaojing; Chen, Qianqian; Ji, Yandan; Zhang, Xiaoge; Zhu, Xing; Zhang, Zhenzhong

2016-01-01

Phototherapy, which mainly includes photothermal treatment (PTT) and photodynamic treatment (PDT), is a photo-initiated, noninvasive and effective approach for cancer treatment. The high accumulation of photosensitizers (PSs) in a targeted tumor is still a major challenge for efficient light conversion, to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and local hyperthermia. In this study, a simple and efficient hyaluronic acid (HA)-modified nanoplatform (HA-TiO 2 @MWCNTs) with high tumor-targeting ability, excellent phototherapy efficiency, low light-associated side effects and good water solubility was developed. It could be an effective carrier to load hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME), owing to the tubular conjugate structure. Apart from this, the as-prepared TiO 2 @MWCNTs nanocomposites could also be used as PSs for tumor PTT and PDT. Those results in vitro and in vivo showed that the anti-tumor effect of this system-mediated PTT/PDT were significantly better than those of single treatment manner. In addition, this drug delivery system could realize high ratio of drug loading, sustained drug release, prolonged circulation in vivo and active targeted accumulation in tumor. These results suggest that HA-TiO 2 @MWCNTs/HMME has high potential for tumor synergistic phototherapy as a smart theranostic nanoplatform. (paper)

Interfacial Transformation of an Amorphous Carbon Nanofilm upon Fe@Ag@Si Nanoparticle Landing and its Colloidal Nanoscrolls: Enhanced Nanocompositing-Based Performance for Bioapplications.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jeong-Hwan; Benelmekki, Maria

2016-12-07

We report a novel method for generating magneto-plasmonic carbon nanofilms and nanoscrolls using a combination of two gas-phase synthetic techniques. Ternary Fe@Ag@Si "onion-like" nanoparticles (NPs) are produced by a magnetron sputtering inert gas condensation source and are in situ landed onto the surface of carbon nanofilms, which were previously deposited by a DC arc discharge technique. Subsequently, a polyethylenimine-mediated chemical exfoliation process is performed to obtain carbon nanoscrolls (CNS) with embedded NPs (CNS-NPs). Of note, the carbon nanofilms undergo an interfacial transition upon addition of NPs and become rich in the sp 2 phase. This transformation endows and enhances multiple functions, such as thermal conductivity and the plasmonic properties of the nanocomposites. The obtained two-dimentional (2D) nanocomposites not only exhibit a highly efficient surface-enhanced Raman scattering property, allowing sensitive detection of malachite green isothiocyanate (MGIT) and adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) molecules at concentrations as low as 1 × 10 -10 M, but also show enhanced near-infrared-responsive photothermal activity when forming stable colloidal 1D CNS-NPs. In addition, the CNS-NPs present an enhanced single- and two-photon fluorescence in comparison with pristine CNS and NPs. These results make them suitable for the rational fabrication of "all-in-one" multifunctional nanocomposites with tubular structures toward a wide range of biomedical solutions.

Smart grid security

CERN Document Server

Goel, Sanjay; Papakonstantinou, Vagelis; Kloza, Dariusz

2015-01-01

This book on smart grid security is meant for a broad audience from managers to technical experts. It highlights security challenges that are faced in the smart grid as we widely deploy it across the landscape. It starts with a brief overview of the smart grid and then discusses some of the reported attacks on the grid. It covers network threats, cyber physical threats, smart metering threats, as well as privacy issues in the smart grid. Along with the threats the book discusses the means to improve smart grid security and the standards that are emerging in the field. The second part of the b

Atomic Layer Deposited Oxide-Based Nanocomposite Structures with Embedded CoPtx Nanocrystals for Resistive Random Access Memory Applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lai-Guo; Cao, Zheng-Yi; Qian, Xu; Zhu, Lin; Cui, Da-Peng; Li, Ai-Dong; Wu, Di

2017-02-22

Al 2 O 3 - or HfO 2 -based nanocomposite structures with embedded CoPt x nanocrystals (NCs) on TiN-coated Si substrates have been prepared by combination of thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) and plasma-enhanced ALD for resistive random access memory (RRAM) applications. The impact of CoPt x NCs and their average size/density on the resistive switching properties has been explored. Compared to the control sample without CoPt x NCs, ALD-derived Pt/oxide/100 cycle-CoPt x NCs/TiN/SiO 2 /Si exhibits a typical bipolar, reliable, and reproducible resistive switching behavior, such as sharp distribution of RRAM parameters, smaller set/reset voltages, stable resistance ratio (≥10 2 ) of OFF/ON states, better switching endurance up to 10 4 cycles, and longer data retention over 10 5 s. The possible resistive switching mechanism based on nanocomposite structures of oxide/CoPt x NCs has been proposed. The dominant conduction mechanisms in low- and high-resistance states of oxide-based device units with embedded CoPt x NCs are Ohmic behavior and space-charge-limited current, respectively. The insertion of CoPt x NCs can effectively improve the formation of conducting filaments due to the CoPt x NC-enhanced electric field intensity. Besides excellent resistive switching performances, the nanocomposite structures also simultaneously present ferromagnetic property. This work provides a flexible pathway by combining PEALD and TALD compatible with state-of-the-art Si-based technology for multifunctional electronic devices applications containing RRAM.

SmartCampusAAU

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Rene; Thomsen, Bent; Thomsen, Lone Leth

2013-01-01

This paper describes SmartCampusAAU - an open, extendable platform that supports the easy creation of indoor location based systems. SmartCampusAAU offers an app and backend that can be used to enable indoor positioning and navigation in any building. The SmartCampusAAU app is available on all ma...... major mobile platforms (Android, iPhone and Windows Phone) and supports both device- and infrastructure-based positioning. SmartCampusAAU also offers a publicly available OData backend that allows researchers to share radio map and location tracking data.......This paper describes SmartCampusAAU - an open, extendable platform that supports the easy creation of indoor location based systems. SmartCampusAAU offers an app and backend that can be used to enable indoor positioning and navigation in any building. The SmartCampusAAU app is available on all...

Harness: Development of a multifunctional protective ship bulkhead

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wal, R. van der; Meuers, R.J.C.

2016-01-01

HARNESS is a joint project between governments, industry and TNO with the objective to develop a multifunctional protective bulkhead for application on naval vessels. The multifunctional bulkhead aims at increasing the resilience of naval vessels, reduce damage and repair time and provide a safer

Industrial applications of multi-functional, multi-phase reactors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Harmsen, G.J.; Chewter, L.A.

1999-01-01

To reveal trends in the design and operation of multi-functional, multi-phase reactors, this paper describes, in historical sequence, three industrial applications of multi-functional, multi-phase reactors developed and operated by Shell Chemicals during the last five decades. For each case, we

Synthesis and characterization of poly (lactic acid)/chitosan nanocomposites based on renewable resources as biobased-material

Science.gov (United States)

Suryani; Agusnar, H.; Wirjosentono, B.; Rihayat, T.; Salisah, Z.

2018-01-01

Biobased becomes one of the new breakthrough in the smart engineering, especially in biomedical applications, such as tissue engineering that serves as a supporting physical structure to trigger the growth of skin tissue. From various studies which had been done, it was known that the optimal Biobased healed wounds or injuries in a relatively short time. In this study, a Biobased natural polymer based e.g Poly(Lactic Acid) (PLA)/Chitosan Nanocomposites was made. PLA was synthesized from saba banana (Musa acuminata) as raw material using Ring-Opening Polymerization (ROP) method. PLA was mixed with Chitosan with Chitosan concentration variations of 1%, 3%, and 5% to form a nanocomposites. The analysis result showed that Chitosan concentration in PLA/Chitosan Nanocomposites sample affected the value of tensile strength. The highest value of tensile strength was obtained on a sample of 100 ml volume with a concentration of 3%, which was 120.396 MPa. The highest percentage of elongation was obtained in 100 ml volume sample with 5% concentration, which was 26.3686%. In the hydrophilicity test, the highest percentage of water absorption was obtained in a 200 ml volume sample with 5% concentration, which was 44.615%. The addition of Chitosan to the sample affected the functional group bonding, where there was a functional group of NH2 at the wave number of 2923.92 cm-1. The sample characteristics based on water absorption indicated that the sample was potentially to be used as Biobased construction material.

Multifunctional Carbon Nanostructures for Advanced Energy Storage Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yiran Wang

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Carbon nanostructures—including graphene, fullerenes, etc.—have found applications in a number of areas synergistically with a number of other materials. These multifunctional carbon nanostructures have recently attracted tremendous interest for energy storage applications due to their large aspect ratios, specific surface areas, and electrical conductivity. This succinct review aims to report on the recent advances in energy storage applications involving these multifunctional carbon nanostructures. The advanced design and testing of multifunctional carbon nanostructures for energy storage applications—specifically, electrochemical capacitors, lithium ion batteries, and fuel cells—are emphasized with comprehensive examples.

Electricity Markets, Smart Grids and Smart Buildings

Science.gov (United States)

Falcey, Jonathan M.

A smart grid is an electricity network that accommodates two-way power flows, and utilizes two-way communications and increased measurement, in order to provide more information to customers and aid in the development of a more efficient electricity market. The current electrical network is outdated and has many shortcomings relating to power flows, inefficient electricity markets, generation/supply balance, a lack of information for the consumer and insufficient consumer interaction with electricity markets. Many of these challenges can be addressed with a smart grid, but there remain significant barriers to the implementation of a smart grid. This paper proposes a novel method for the development of a smart grid utilizing a bottom up approach (starting with smart buildings/campuses) with the goal of providing the framework and infrastructure necessary for a smart grid instead of the more traditional approach (installing many smart meters and hoping a smart grid emerges). This novel approach involves combining deterministic and statistical methods in order to accurately estimate building electricity use down to the device level. It provides model users with a cheaper alternative to energy audits and extensive sensor networks (the current methods of quantifying electrical use at this level) which increases their ability to modify energy consumption and respond to price signals The results of this method are promising, but they are still preliminary. As a result, there is still room for improvement. On days when there were no missing or inaccurate data, this approach has R2 of about 0.84, sometimes as high as 0.94 when compared to measured results. However, there were many days where missing data brought overall accuracy down significantly. In addition, the development and implementation of the calibration process is still underway and some functional additions must be made in order to maximize accuracy. The calibration process must be completed before a reliable

Simple, heart-smart substitutions

Science.gov (United States)

Coronary artery disease - heart smart substitutions; Atherosclerosis - heart smart substitutions; Cholesterol - heart smart substitutions; Coronary heart disease - heart smart substitutions; Healthy diet - heart ...

Bioinspired Multifunctional Membrane for Aquatic Micropollutants Removal

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cao, Xiaotong; Luo, Jianquan; Woodley, John

2016-01-01

Micropollutants present in water have many detrimental effects on the ecosystem. Membrane technology plays an important role in the removal of micropollutants, but there remain significant challenges such as concentration polarization, membrane fouling, and variable permeate quality. The work...... reported here uses a multifunctional membrane with rejection, adsorption, and catalysis functions to solve these problems. On the basis of mussel-inspired chemistry and biological membrane properties, a multifunctional membrane was prepared by applying "reverse filtration" of a laccase solution...... and subsequent "dopamine coating" on a nanofiltration (NF) membrane support, which was tested on bisphenol A (BPA) removal. Three NF membranes were chosen for the preparation of the multifunctional membranes on the basis of the membrane properties and enzyme immobilization efficiency. Compared with the pristine...

Smart Cities - Smart Homes and Smart Home Technology

OpenAIRE

Faanes, Erlend Kydland

2014-01-01

This master’s thesis consists of two articles where the first article is theoretical and the second is the empirical study. Article I The purpose with this paper is to explore and illuminate how smart home and smart home technology can contribute to enhance health and Quality of Life in elderly citizens and allow them to live longer in their home. The paper provides a brief introduction to health promotion and highlights the thesis theoretical framework and foundation of Aaron Antonov...

pH-Responsive Shape Memory Poly(ethylene glycol)-Poly(ε-caprolactone)-based Polyurethane/Cellulose Nanocrystals Nanocomposite.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ying; Chen, Hongmei; Liu, Dian; Wang, Wenxi; Liu, Ye; Zhou, Shaobing

2015-06-17

In this study, we developed a pH-responsive shape-memory polymer nanocomposite by blending poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone)-based polyurethane (PECU) with functionalized cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs). CNCs were functionalized with pyridine moieties (CNC-C6H4NO2) through hydroxyl substitution of CNCs with pyridine-4-carbonyl chloride and with carboxyl groups (CNC-CO2H) via 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) mediated surface oxidation, respectively. At a high pH value, the CNC-C6H4NO2 had attractive interactions from the hydrogen bonding between pyridine groups and hydroxyl moieties; at a low pH value, the interactions reduced or disappeared due to the protonation of pyridine groups, which are a Lewis base. The CNC-CO2H responded to pH variation in an opposite manner. The hydrogen bonding interactions of both CNC-C6H4NO2 and CNC-CO2H can be readily disassociated by altering pH values, endowing the pH-responsiveness of CNCs. When these functionalized CNCs were added in PECU polymer matrix to form nanocomposite network which was confirmed with rheological measurements, the mechanical properties of PECU were not only obviously improved but also the pH-responsiveness of CNCs could be transferred to the nanocomposite network. The pH-sensitive CNC percolation network in polymer matrix served as the switch units of shape-memory polymers (SMPs). Furthermore, the modified CNC percolation network and polymer molecular chains also had strong hydrogen bonding interactions among hydroxyl, carboxyl, pyridine moieties, and isocyanate groups, which could be formed or destroyed through changing pH value. The shape memory function of the nanocomposite network was only dependent on the pH variation of the environment. Therefore, this pH-responsive shape-memory nancomposite could be potentially developed into a new smart polymer material.

The effect of multi-directional nanocomposite materials on the vibrational response of thick shell panels with finite length and rested on two-parameter elastic foundations

Science.gov (United States)

Tahouneh, Vahid; Naei, Mohammad Hasan

2016-03-01

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of bidirectional continuously graded nanocomposite materials on free vibration of thick shell panels rested on elastic foundations. The elastic foundation is considered as a Pasternak model after adding a shear layer to the Winkler model. The panels reinforced by randomly oriented straight single-walled carbon nanotubes are considered. The volume fractions of SWCNTs are assumed to be graded not only in the radial direction, but also in axial direction of the curved panel. This study presents a 2-D six-parameter power-law distribution for CNTs volume fraction of 2-D continuously graded nanocomposite that gives designers a powerful tool for flexible designing of structures under multi-functional requirements. The benefit of using generalized power-law distribution is to illustrate and present useful results arising from symmetric, asymmetric and classic profiles. The material properties are determined in terms of local volume fractions and material properties by Mori-Tanaka scheme. The 2-D differential quadrature method as an efficient numerical tool is used to discretize governing equations and to implement boundary conditions. The fast rate of convergence of the method is shown and results are compared against existing results in literature. Some new results for natural frequencies of the shell are prepared, which include the effects of elastic coefficients of foundation, boundary conditions, material and geometrical parameters. The interesting results indicate that a graded nanocomposite volume fraction in two directions has a higher capability to reduce the natural frequency than conventional 1-D functionally graded nanocomposite materials.

Electricity usage scheduling in smart building environments using smart devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Eunji; Bahn, Hyokyung

2013-01-01

With the recent advances in smart grid technologies as well as the increasing dissemination of smart meters, the electricity usage of every moment can be detected in modern smart building environments. Thus, the utility company adopts different price of electricity at each time slot considering the peak time. This paper presents a new electricity usage scheduling algorithm for smart buildings that adopts real-time pricing of electricity. The proposed algorithm detects the change of electricity prices by making use of a smart device and changes the power mode of each electric device dynamically. Specifically, we formulate the electricity usage scheduling problem as a real-time task scheduling problem and show that it is a complex search problem that has an exponential time complexity. An efficient heuristic based on genetic algorithms is performed on a smart device to cut down the huge searching space and find a reasonable schedule within a feasible time budget. Experimental results with various building conditions show that the proposed algorithm reduces the electricity charge of a smart building by 25.6% on average and up to 33.4%.

New product development: A batik multifunctional chair

Science.gov (United States)

Indrawati, Sri; Sukmaningsih, Nias

2017-11-01

The biggest challenge facing by Batik industry in ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) era is the greater number of fashion competitors both domestically and internationally. Based on that condition, the development of new product variants by considering product performance and price is needed. This research was conducted to develop batik products with a new target market. Products that being developed is batik multifunctional chair using integrated value engineering and analytic hierarchy process methods. This research has been done in several stages, ie. Information stage, creative stage, value analysis and product prototyping. The results of this research shows that the batik multifunctional chair product criteria are aesthetic (29%), multifunctional (34%) and ergonomic (37%). There are three new product design alternatives that successfully being developed. Based on value analysis, the product design alternatives that have the highest value is alternative design 2, the value is 2,37. The production cost for this design is Rp. 500.000,-. Alternative design 2 specification are using Mahoni wood, Batik parang rusak pattern with natural coloring process, can be used as table and fit with customer's body anthropometry. Then a batik multifunctional chair prototype is developed based on the best alternative design.

Towards smart environments using smart objects.

Science.gov (United States)

Sedlmayr, Martin; Prokosch, Hans-Ulrich; Münch, Ulli

2011-01-01

Barcodes, RFID, WLAN, Bluetooth and many more technologies are used in hospitals. They are the technological bases for different applications such as patient monitoring, asset management and facility management. However, most of these applications exist side by side with hardly any integration and even interoperability is not guaranteed. Introducing the concept of smart objects inspired by the Internet of Things can improve the situation by separating the capabilities and functions of an object from the implementing technology such as RFID or WLAN. By aligning technological and business developments smart objects have the power to transform a hospital from an agglomeration of technologies into a smart environment.

Smart homes with smartphones : Creating a Smart home application for smartphones

OpenAIRE

Lärka, Martin

2015-01-01

The goal of this master thesis was to evaluate the field of Smart home applications run on mobile platforms such as smart phones. This was at the time a relatively new field that has attracted the attention of Smart phone giants like Apple and Google. This raised the question whether or not the users willingness to embrace the technology. To evaluate the field, a literature study was conducted covering the Smart home technology, and Apple’s and Google’s Smart home solutions. The rendered in a...

Effective Optical Properties of Plasmonic Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christoph Etrich

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Plasmonic nanocomposites find many applications, such as nanometric coatings in emerging fields, such as optotronics, photovoltaics or integrated optics. To make use of their ability to affect light propagation in an unprecedented manner, plasmonic nanocomposites should consist of densely packed metallic nanoparticles. This causes a major challenge for their theoretical description, since the reliable assignment of effective optical properties with established effective medium theories is no longer possible. Established theories, e.g., the Maxwell-Garnett formalism, are only applicable for strongly diluted nanocomposites. This effective description, however, is a prerequisite to consider plasmonic nanocomposites in the design of optical devices. Here, we mitigate this problem and use full wave optical simulations to assign effective properties to plasmonic nanocomposites with filling fractions close to the percolation threshold. We show that these effective properties can be used to properly predict the optical action of functional devices that contain nanocomposites in their design. With this contribution we pave the way to consider plasmonic nanocomposites comparably to ordinary materials in the design of optical elements.

Hydro One smart meter/smart grid : realizing the vision

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stevens, R. [Hydro One Networks Inc., Toronto, ON (Canada)

2010-07-01

Ontario's Hydro One Networks has been installing smart meters as part of its smart grid plan since 2007. The smart grid plan forms part of the utility's overall aim to create an energy conservation culture across the province. The utility now has over 1 million installed meters over a 640,000{sup 2} km territory. The smart grid planning team has adopted the use of an upgraded open protocol standards-based communications as part of its 2-way high bandwidth network. The utility is using a 1.8 Ghz worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) spectrum designed specifically for the protection of electric utility infrastructure. The utility is now incorporating proof-of-concept applications including automated reclosers, remote terminal units, demand management devices and mobile technologies for use in its smart grid procedures. Various smart zone business scenarios were also described in this power point presentation, as well as details of Hydro One's integration plans for vendors and other power systems. tabs., figs.

Smart Grid, Smart Europe

OpenAIRE

VITIELLO SILVIA; FULLI Gianluca; MENGOLINI Anna Maria

2013-01-01

Le smart grid, o reti elettriche intelligenti, aprono la strada a nuove applicazioni con conseguenze di vasta portata per l’intero sistema elettrico, tra le quali la principale è la capacità di integrare nella rete esistente più fonti di energia rinnovabili (FER), veicoli elettrici e fonti di generazione distribuita. Le smart grid inoltre garantiscono una più efficiente ed affidabile risposta alla domanda di energia, sia da un punto di vista tecnico, permettendo un monitoraggio e un controll...

Smart Chips for Smart Surroundings -- 4S

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schuler, Eberhard; König, Ralf; Becker, Jürgen; Rauwerda, G.K.; van de Burgwal, M.D.; Smit, Gerardus Johannes Maria; Cardoso, João M.P.; Hübner, Michael

2011-01-01

The overall mission of the 4S project (Smart Chips for Smart Surroundings) was to define and develop efficient flexible, reconfigurable core building blocks, including the supporting tools, for future Ambient System Devices. Reconfigurability offers the needed flexibility and adaptability, it

Planning multifunctional green infrastructure for compact cities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Rieke; Olafsson, Anton Stahl; van der Jagt, Alexander P.N.

2018-01-01

green space functions or the purposive design and management of multifunctional parks. Based on the findings, we arrive at five recommendations for promoting multifunctional urban green infrastructure in densifying urban areas: 1) undertake systematic spatial assessments of all urban green (and blue....... Further, spatial assessment, strategic planning and site design need to 4) consider synergies, trade-offs and the capacity of urban green spaces to provide functions as part of the wider green infrastructure network; and 5) largely benefit from cooperation between different sectors and public departments......Urban green infrastructure planning aims to develop green space networks on limited space in compact cities. Multifunctionality is considered key to achieving this goal as it supports planning practice that considers the ability of green spaces to provide multiple benefits concurrently. However...

Experimental analysis of graphene nanocomposite on Kevlar

Science.gov (United States)

Manigandan, S.; Gunasekar, P.; Nithya, S.; Durga Revanth, G.; Anudeep, A. V. S. C.

2017-08-01

Graphene nanocomposite is a two dimensional structure which has intense role in material science. This paper investigates the topological property of the graphene nanocomposite doped in Kevlar fiber by direct mixing process. The Kevlar fiber by direct mixing process. The Kevlar fiber taken as the specimen which is fabricated by vacuum bag moulding process. Epoxy used as resin and HY951 as hardener. Three different specimens are fabricated based on the percentage of graphene nanocomposite 2%, 5%, 10% and 20% respectively. We witnessed the strength of the Kevlar fiber is increased when it is treated with nanocomposite. The percentage of the nanocomposite increase the strength of the fiber is increased. However as the nanocomposite beyond 5% the strength of fiber is dropped. In addition, we also seen the interfacial property of the fiber is dropped when the nanocomposite is added beyond threshold limit.

A Review of Systems and Technologies for Smart Homes and Smart Grids

OpenAIRE

Lobaccaro, Gabriele; Carlucci, Salvatore; Löfström, Erica

2016-01-01

In the actual era of smart homes and smart grids, advanced technological systems that allow the automation of domestic tasks are developing rapidly. There are numerous technologies and applications that can be installed in smart homes today. They enable communication between home appliances and users, and enhance home appliances’ automation, monitoring and remote control capabilities. This review article, by introducing the concept of the smart home and the advent of the smart grid, investiga...

Ultrahard carbon nanocomposite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

SIEGAL,MICHAEL P.; TALLANT,DAVID R.; PROVENCIO,PAULA P.; OVERMYER,DONALD L.; SIMPSON,REGINA L.; MARTINEZ-MIRANDA,L.J.

2000-01-27

Modest thermal annealing to 600 C of diamondlike amorphous-carbon (a-C) films grown at room temperature results in the formation of carbon nanocomposites with hardness similar to diamond. These nanocomposite films consist of nanometer-sized regions of high density a-C embedded in an a-C matrix with a reduced density of 5--10%. The authors report on the evolution of density and bonding topologies as a function of annealing temperature. Despite a decrease in density, film hardness actually increases {approximately} 15% due to the development of the nanocomposite structure.

LIGNOCELLULOSE NANOCOMPOSITE CONTAINING COPPER SULFIDE

OpenAIRE

Sanchi Nenkova; Peter Velev; Mirela Dragnevska; Diyana Nikolova; Kiril Dimitrov

2011-01-01

Copper sulfide-containing lignocellulose nanocomposites with improved electroconductivity were obtained. Two methods for preparing the copper sulfide lignocellulose nanocomposites were developed. An optimization of the parameters for obtaining of the nanocomposites with respect to obtaining improved electroconductivity, economy, and lower quantities and concentration of copper and sulfur ions in waste waters was conducted. The mechanisms and schemes of delaying and subsequent connection of co...

Ethylene-Octene Copolymers/Organoclay Nanocomposites: Preparation and Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alice Tesarikova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Two ethylene-octene copolymers with 17 and 45 wt.% of octene (EOC-17 and EOC-45 were compared in nanocomposites with Cloisite 93A. EOC-45 nanocomposites have a higher elongation at break. Dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA showed a decrease of tan⁡δ with frequency for EOC-17 nanocomposites, but decrease is followed by an increase for EOC-45 nanocomposites; DMA showed also increased modulus for all nanocomposites compared to pure copolymers over a wide temperature range. Barrier properties were improved about 100% by addition of organoclay; they were better for EOC-17 nanocomposites due to higher crystallinity. X-ray diffraction (XRD together with transmission electron microscopy (TEM showed some intercalation for EOC-17 but much better dispersion for EOC-45 nanocomposites. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC showed increased crystallization temperature Tc for EOC-17 nanocomposite (aggregates acted as nucleation agents but decrease Tc for EOC-45 nanocomposite together with greatly influenced melting peak. Accelerated UV aging showed smaller C=O peak for EOC-45 nanocomposites.

Nanocomposite organomineral hybrid materials. Part 2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

KUDRYAVTSEV Pavel Gennadievich

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The paper addresses the issues of alkoxide method of sol-gel synthesis and non-hydrolytic method of sol-gel synthesis and colloidal method of sol-gel synthesis. The authors also consider an alternative approach based on the use of soluble silicates as precursors in the sol-gel technology, of nanocomposites. It was shown that nanocomposites can be produced through aerogels. The paper also analyzes the mixing technologies of nanocomposites preparation. It has been demonstrated the possibility to change the types of nano-phase which is used for obtaining nanocomposites in different approaches. Various models of packaging spherical, fibrous and layered nanoparticles, introduced into the structure of the nanocomposite, in the preparation thereof were examined.

Nanocomposite organomineral hybrid materials. Part I

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

KUDRYAVTSEV Pavel Gennadievich

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The paper addresses the issues of alkoxide method of sol-gel synthesis and non-hydrolytic method of sol-gel synthesis and colloidal method of sol-gel synthesis. The authors also consider an alternative approach based on the use of soluble silicates as precursors in the sol-gel technology, of nanocomposites. It was shown that nanocomposites can be produced through aerogels. The paper also analyzes the mixing technologies of nanocomposites preparation. It has been demonstrated the possibility to change the types of nano-phase which is used for obtaining nanocomposites in different approaches. Various models of packaging spherical, fibrous and layered nanoparticles, introduced into the structure of the nanocomposite, in the preparation thereof were examined.

Nanocomposite organomineral hybrid materials. Part 3

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

KUDRYAVTSEV Pavel Gennadievich

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The paper addresses the issues of alkoxide method of sol-gel synthesis and non-hydrolytic method of sol-gel synthesis and colloidal method of sol-gel synthesis. The authors also consider an alternative approach based on the use of soluble silicates as precursors in the sol-gel technology, of nanocomposites. It was shown that nanocomposites can be produced through aerogels. The paper also analyzes the mixing technologies of nanocomposites preparation. It has been demonstrated the possibility to change the types of nano-phase which is used for obtaining nanocomposites in different approaches. Various models of packaging spherical, fibrous and layered nanoparticles, introduced into the structure of the nanocomposite, in the preparation thereof were examined.

Fabrication of Au{sub nanoparticle}@mSiO{sub 2}@Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu nanocomposites with enhanced fluorescence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Huiqin [Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Physico-Inorganic Chemistry, College of Chemistry & Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi' an, 710069 (China); College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Baoji University of Arts & Sciences, Baoji, 721013 (China); Kang, Jianmiao [Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Physico-Inorganic Chemistry, College of Chemistry & Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi' an, 710069 (China); Yang, Jianhui, E-mail: jianhui@nwu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Physico-Inorganic Chemistry, College of Chemistry & Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi' an, 710069 (China); Wu, Biao, E-mail: wubiao@nwu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Physico-Inorganic Chemistry, College of Chemistry & Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi' an, 710069 (China)

2016-07-15

Herein, Au{sub nanoparticle}@mSiO{sub 2}@Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu nanocomposites are synthesized through layer-by-layer assembly technology. Au{sub nanoparticle}@mSiO{sub 2} core–shell nanospheres were prepared at first in the presence of CTAB in aqueous solution system by the modified one-pot method. A chemical precipitation method and a succeeding calcination process were adopted to the growth of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu shells on the surfaces of Au{sub nanoparticle}@mSiO{sub 2} core–shell nanospheres. The structure, morphology and composition of the nanocomposites were confirmed by XRD, TEM and UV–vis absorption spectrum. The prepared Au{sub nanoparticle}@mSiO{sub 2}@Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu nanocomposites have showed the emission intensity enhances to 6.23 times at 30 nm thickness of the silica spacer between the core of Au nanoparticle and the shell of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu. According to the observations of fluorescent lifetime and the modeling of local electric field, the metal-enhanced and quenched fluorescence is closely related with the enhancement of excitation and radiative decay rate and the quenching by NRET comes as a result of competition between the distance-dependent mechanisms. This kind of multifunctional inorganic material will be widely used in electronics, biology and medical drug loading, etc. - Highlights: • Fabrication of Au{sub nanoparticle}@mSiO{sub 2}@Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu nanocomposites with core-spacer-shell structure. • The controllable fluorescence is achieved by adjusting the spacer thickness of silica. • The fluorescence enhancement is 6.23-fold at an optimal spacer thickness about 30 nm. • The metal-enhanced fluorescence mechanism is proposed.

Multifunctional AgNPs@Wool: colored, UV-protective and antioxidant functional textiles

Science.gov (United States)

Shabbir, Mohd; Mohammad, Faqeer

2018-02-01

Nanomaterials have great impact on textile industry for multifunctional and smart clothing as per the need of present, and further, green nanotechnology is the current hotspot of research and industrial developments. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are synthesized (in situ) by using natural compounds of plant extracts (naphthoquinones, phenolics/flavonoids, polyphenols) as reducing or stabilizing agents, and simultaneously deposited on wool fabric for coloration, UV protection and antioxidant properties. UV-visible spectroscopy is used to monitor the route of biosynthesis of nanoparticles and transmission electron microscopy for morphological characteristics of synthesized AgNPs. Spherical and almost oval-shaped AgNPs were synthesized by naphthoquinones, polyphenols and flavonoids, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were used for the AgNPs@Wool fabrics characterization. SEM-EDX analysis and XRD patterns confirmed the successful deposition of silver nanoparticles on wool. Coloration characteristics in terms of color strength (K/S) and CIEL*a*b*c*h° values, UV protection abilities in terms of UV transmittance and UV protection factor, and % antioxidant activity of AgNPs@Wool are suggestive of good-to-excellent results.

Hierarchically multifunctional K-OMS-2/TiO2/Fe3O4 heterojunctions for the photocatalytic oxidation of humic acid under solar light irradiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tong; Yan, Xiaoli; Sun, Darren Delai

2012-12-01

A multifunctional heterojunctioned K-OMS-2/TiO(2)/Fe(3)O(4) (KTF) nanocomposite was successfully synthesized using a combination of hydrothermal and co-precipitation techniques. The resultant sample was characterized by XRD, FESEM, TEM, N(2) adsorption, XPS and VSM. Its photocatalytic activity was demonstrated in the photocatalytic degradation of humic acid (HA). Morphology characterization showed the hierarchical structure of the synthesized material, and XRD results revealed that both the rutile and anatase TiO(2) structures are present in the sample. The average pore diameters and BET surface area of the synthesized KTF heterojunctions were 40 nm and 134.42 m(2)/g, respectively. XPS spectra confirmed the presence of Fe(3)O(4) and TiO(2) in the synthesized material, and the valences of Mn were kept at +3 and +4 after the grafting of Fe(3)O(4) and TiO(2). The synthesized material showed good magnetic response and photocatalytic activity under simulated solar light irradiation, and 85.7% of HA was decomposed after 120 min in the presence of KTF nanocomposites. The reusability study suggested that the magnetic recovered material was stable enough for multiple recycling usages, verifying its potential application in water purification. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Smart Energy 2011. Smart Grid or the future of power industry; Smart Energy 2011. Smart Grid oder die Zukunft der Energiewirtschaft

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grossmann, Uwe; Kunold, Ingo (eds.)

2011-07-01

The demand for smart grids, energy information networks, smart metering, new tariffs offering incentives for load shifting to household customers and load reduction options to energy providers are discussed increasingly. The privacy protection of customers being threatened by detailed consumption profiles also needs attention. Practitioners and researches from enterprises and research institutions present results from their field of work in nine papers. This book mainly focusses on three topics: 'Energy 2020', 'Data protection and data security within smart grids' and 'Smart grid and energy information networks'. On the one hand this volume addresses researchers and practitioners from enterprises and research institutions, on the other hand teachers and students dealing with questions concerning the energy market of the future. (orig.)

nanocomposites chitosan /clay for electrochemical sensors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braga, Carla R. Costa; Melo, Frank M. Araujo de; Costa, Gilmara M. Silva; Silva, Suedina M. Lima

2009-01-01

This study was performed to obtain films of nanocomposites chitosan/bentonite and chitosan/montmorillonite intercalation by the technique of solution in the proportions of 5:1 and 10:1. The nanocomposites were characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the nanocomposites Chitosan/montmorillonite also were characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The results indicated that the feasibility of obtaining films of nanocomposites exfoliate. Among the suggested applications for films developed in this study includes them use for electrochemical sensors. (author)

Smart Beta or Smart Alpha

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Winther, Kenneth Lillelund; Steenstrup, Søren Resen

2016-01-01

that smart beta investing probably will do better than passive market capitalization investing over time, we believe many are coming to a conclusion too quickly regarding active managers. Institutional investors are able to guide managers through benchmarks and risk frameworks toward the same well......Smart beta has become the flavor of the decade in the investment world with its low fees, easy access to rewarded risk premiums, and appearance of providing good investment results relative to both traditional passive benchmarks and actively managed funds. Although we consider it well documented......-documented smart beta risk premiums and still motivate active managers to avoid value traps, too highly priced small caps, defensives, etc. By constructing the equity portfolios of active managers that resemble the most widely used risk premiums, we show that the returns and risk-adjusted returns measures...

Effect of Nanocomposite Structures on Fracture Behavior of Epoxy-Clay Nanocomposites Prepared by Different Dispersion Methods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Bashar

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The effects of organic modifier and processing method on morphology and mechanical properties of epoxy-clay nanocomposites were investigated. In this study, the preparation of nanocomposites by exfoliation-adsorption method involved an ultrasonic mixing procedure, and mechanical blending was used for in situ intercalative polymerization. The microstructure study revealed that the organoclay, which was ultrasonically mixed with the epoxy, partially exfoliated and intercalated. In contrast, organoclay remained in phase-separated and flocculated state after the mechanical blending process. Tensile stiffness increased significantly for the nanocomposite prepared by ultrasonic dispersion method through realizing the reinforcing potential of exfoliated silicate layers. Nanocomposites with exfoliated and intercalated nanoclay morphology were ineffective in enhancing the fracture toughness whereas nanocomposites with phase-separated and flocculated morphology have improved crack resistance predominantly by crack deflecting and pinning mechanisms.

Simple multifunction discriminator for multichannel triggers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maier, M.R.

1982-10-01

A simple version of a multifunction timing discriminator using only two integrated circuits is presented. It can be configured as a leading edge, a constant fraction, a zero cross or a dual threshold timing discriminator. Since so few parts are used, it is well suited for building multichannel timing discriminators. Two versions of this circuit are described: a quadruple multifunction discriminator and an octal constant fraction trigger. The different compromises made in these units are discussed. Results for walk and jitter obtained with these are presented and possible improvements are disussed

Advances in Process Intensification through Multifunctional Reactor Engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Hern, Timothy [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Engineering Sciences Center; Evans, Lindsay [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Materials Sciences and Engineering Center; Miller, Jim [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Materials Sciences and Engineering Center; Cooper, Marcia [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Energetic Components Realization Center; Torczynski, John [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Pena, Donovan [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Gill, Walt [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Engineering Sciences Center

2011-02-01

This project was designed to advance the art of process intensification leading to a new generation of multifunctional chemical reactors utilizing pulse flow. Experimental testing was performed in order to fully characterize the hydrodynamic operating regimes associated with pulse flow for implementation in commercial applications. Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) operated a pilot-scale multifunctional reactor experiment for operation with and investigation of pulse flow operation. Validation-quality data sets of the fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, and chemical kinetics were acquired and shared with Chemical Research and Licensing (CR&L). Experiments in a two-phase air-water system examined the effects of bead diameter in the packing, and viscosity. Pressure signals were used to detect pulsing. Three-phase experiments used immiscible organic and aqueous liquids, and air or nitrogen as the gas phase. Hydrodynamic studies of flow regimes and holdup were performed for different types of packing, and mass transfer measurements were performed for a woven packing. These studies substantiated the improvements in mass transfer anticipated for pulse flow in multifunctional reactors for the acid-catalyzed C4 paraffin/olefin alkylation process. CR&L developed packings for this alkylation process, utilizing their alkylation process pilot facilities in Pasadena, TX. These packings were evaluated in the pilot-scale multifunctional reactor experiments established by Sandia to develop a more fundamental understanding of their role in process intensification. Lummus utilized the alkylation technology developed by CR&L to design and optimize the full commercial process utilizing multifunctional reactors containing the packings developed by CR&L and evaluated by Sandia. This hydrodynamic information has been developed for multifunctional chemical reactors utilizing pulse flow, for the acid-catalyzed C4 paraffin/olefin alkylation process, and is now accessible for use in

Smart Grid: Network simulator for smart grid test-bed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lai, L C; Ong, H S; Che, Y X; Do, N Q; Ong, X J

2013-01-01

Smart Grid become more popular, a smaller scale of smart grid test-bed is set up at UNITEN to investigate the performance and to find out future enhancement of smart grid in Malaysia. The fundamental requirement in this project is design a network with low delay, no packet drop and with high data rate. Different type of traffic has its own characteristic and is suitable for different type of network and requirement. However no one understands the natural of traffic in smart grid. This paper presents the comparison between different types of traffic to find out the most suitable traffic for the optimal network performance.

Synthesis and innovation of PLA/clay nanocomposite characterization againts to mechanical and thermal properties

Science.gov (United States)

Salim, S.; Agusnar, H.; Wirjosentono, B.; Tamrin; Marpaung, H.; Rihayat, T.; Nurhanifa; Adriana

2018-03-01

Plastic polymer is one of the most dominant materials of daily human activities because of its multifunctional nature, light and strong and anti-corrosion so it is easy to apply in various equipment. Plastic is generally derived from petroleum material so it is nonbiodegradable. Therefore, this study aims to create a breakthrough of natural and biodegradable biodegradable plastic materials from plant starch (pisok kepok starch) with the help of 3 types of acid (HNO3, HCl and H2SO4) called Poly Lactid Acid (PLA). PLA is enhanced by mixing with a clay material with a variation of 1, 3 and 5% composition to form a PLA / Clay Nanocomposite material which is expected to have superior properties and resemble conventional plastics in general. Several types of characterization were performed to see the quality of the resulting material including tensile strength test with UTM tool, thermal endurance test with TGA tool, morphological structure test using SEM tool and additional test to see filler clay quality through X-RD tool. Based on the characterization of tensile and thermal test, 5B nanocomposite with addition of 5% clay and HCl acid aid showed the best tensile strength of 36 Mpa and the highest stability was 446,63 oC. Based on the results of morphological analysis of the best samples (5B) showed good interface ties. Meanwhile, based on the results of filler analysis, the opening of clay layer d-spacing occurred at 0.355 nm.

Fatigue-free PZT-based nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, H J; Sando, M [Nat. Ind. Res. Inst., Nagoya (Japan); Tajima, K [Synergy Ceramics Lab., Fine Ceramics Research Association, Nagoya (Japan); Niihara, K [ISIR, Osaka Univ., Mihogaoka, Ibaraki (Japan)

1999-03-01

The goal of this study is to fabricate fatigue-free piezoelectrics-based nanocomposites. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) and metallic platinum (Pt) were selected as a matrix and secondary phase dispersoid. Fine Pt particles were homogeneously dispersed in the PZT matrix. Fatigue properties of the unpoled PZT-based nanocomposite under electrical cyclic loading were investigated. The electrical-field-induced crack growth was monitored by an optical microscope, and it depended on the number of cycles the sample was subjected to. Resistance to fatigue was significantly enhanced in the nanocomposite. The excellent fatigue behavior of the PZT/Pt nanocomposites may result from the grain boundary strenghtening due to the interaction between the matrix and Pt particles. (orig.) 8 refs.

Conceptualizing smart service systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beverungen, Daniel; Müller, Oliver; Matzner, Martin

2017-01-01

Recent years have seen the emergence of physical products that are digitally networked with other products and with information systems to enable complex business scenarios in manufacturing, mobility, or healthcare. These “smart products”, which enable the co-creation of “smart service” that is b......Recent years have seen the emergence of physical products that are digitally networked with other products and with information systems to enable complex business scenarios in manufacturing, mobility, or healthcare. These “smart products”, which enable the co-creation of “smart service......” that is based on monitoring, optimization, remote control, and autonomous adaptation of products, profoundly transform service systems into what we call “smart service systems”. In a multi-method study that includes conceptual research and qualitative data from in-depth interviews, we conceptualize “smart...... service” and “smart service systems” based on using smart products as boundary objects that integrate service consumers’ and service providers’ resources and activities. Smart products allow both actors to retrieve and to analyze aggregated field evidence and to adapt service systems based on contextual...

The smart - development and technology; Der smart - Entwicklung und Technik

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goppelt, G.

1999-06-01

The smart is the first representative of a radically new vehicle concept, with minimum space requirements and trend-setting in terms of ecology, safety, and individualism. The new design is not rooted in any tradition. The contribution describes the development process and constructional features of the smart. [Deutsch] Der smart ist der erste Vertreter eines voellig neuen Fahrzeugkonzepts. Bei kleinstem Raumbedarf soll er neue Massstaebe bei Oekologie, Sicherheit und Individualitaet setzen. Entstanden ist eine konsequente Neukonstruktion, die sich von bisherigen Traditionen loest. In diesem Beitrag sind der Entwicklungsprozess sowie die Konstruktionsmerkmale des smart beschrieben. (orig.)

Multifunctional systems in vehicles:a usability evaluation

OpenAIRE

Rydström, Annie; Bengtsson, Peter; Grane, Camilla; Broström, Robert; Agardh, Johannes; Nilsson, Jennie

2005-01-01

Car Human-Machine Interaction (HMI) is becoming increasingly complex as the extension of functionality necessitates new interface concepts. Various multifunctional systems operated by haptic rotary switches, touch screen, and voice control have been developed. A usability study of multifunctional systems available on the market was carried out to evaluate and compare different manual interaction principles. The systems used in the study were the BMW iDrive and the Audi MMI, both operated by a...

Telecommunication Technologies for Smart Grid Projects with Focus on Smart Metering Applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikoleta Andreadou

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This paper provides a study of the smart grid projects realised in Europe and presents their technological solutions with a focus on smart metering Low Voltage (LV applications. Special attention is given to the telecommunications technologies used. For this purpose, we present the telecommunication technologies chosen by several European utilities for the accomplishment of their smart meter national roll-outs. Further on, a study is performed based on the European Smart Grid Projects, highlighting their technological options. The range of the projects analysed covers the ones including smart metering implementation as well as those in which smart metering applications play a significant role in the overall project success. The survey reveals that various topics are directly or indirectly linked to smart metering applications, like smart home/building, energy management, grid monitoring and integration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES. Therefore, the technological options that lie behind such projects are pointed out. For reasons of completeness, we also present the main characteristics of the telecommunication technologies that are found to be used in practice for the LV grid.

Smart meters. Smart metering. A solution module for a future-oriented energy system; Intelligente Zaehler. Smart Metering. Ein Loesungsbaustein fuer ein zukunftsfaehiges Energiesystem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grimm, Nadia; Seidl, Hans [comps.

2011-12-15

The German Energy Agency GmbH (Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany) reports on smart metering as a solution module for a future-oriented energy system by means of the following contributions: (1) Key role for smart meters; (2) What is smart metering? (3) Implementation of smart metering in Europe; (4) The market development to date in Germany; (5) Practical experiences with smart metering in Germany; (6) Frequently asked questions; (7) Smart metering in intelligent networks; (8) Legal framework conditions; (9) Data security and data protection in the utilisation of smart meters; (10) Ongoing information; (11) Efficient energy systems.

Ultrahard carbon nanocomposite films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Siegal, M. P. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1421 (United States); Tallant, D. R. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1421 (United States); Provencio, P. N. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1421 (United States); Overmyer, D. L. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1421 (United States); Simpson, R. L. [Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1421 (United States); Martinez-Miranda, L. J. [Department of Materials and Nuclear Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742 (United States)

2000-05-22

Modest thermal annealing to 600 degree sign C of diamondlike amorphous-carbon (a-C) films grown at room temperature results in the formation of carbon nanocomposites with hardness similar to diamond. These nanocomposite films consist of nanometer-sized regions of high density a-C embedded in an a-C matrix with a reduced density of 5%-10%. We report on the evolution of density and bonding topologies as a function of annealing temperature. Despite a decrease in density, film hardness actually increases {approx}15% due to the development of the nanocomposite structure. (c) 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Smart material screening machines using smart materials and controls

Science.gov (United States)

Allaei, Daryoush; Corradi, Gary; Waigand, Al

2002-07-01

The objective of this product is to address the specific need for improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness in physical separation technologies in the screening areas. Currently, the mining industry uses approximately 33 billion kW-hr per year, costing 1.65 billion dollars at 0.05 cents per kW-hr, of electrical energy for physical separations. Even though screening and size separations are not the single most energy intensive process in the mining industry, they are often the major bottleneck in the whole process. Improvements to this area offer tremendous potential in both energy savings and production improvements. Additionally, the vibrating screens used in the mining processing plants are the most costly areas from maintenance and worker health and safety point of views. The goal of this product is to reduce energy use in the screening and total processing areas. This goal is accomplished by developing an innovative screening machine based on smart materials and smart actuators, namely smart screen that uses advanced sensory system to continuously monitor the screening process and make appropriate adjustments to improve production. The theory behind the development of Smart Screen technology is based on two key technologies, namely smart actuators and smart Energy Flow ControlT (EFCT) strategies, developed initially for military applications. Smart Screen technology controls the flow of vibration energy and confines it to the screen rather than shaking much of the mass that makes up the conventional vibratory screening machine. Consequently, Smart Screens eliminates and downsizes many of the structural components associated with conventional vibratory screening machines. As a result, the surface area of the screen increases for a given envelope. This increase in usable screening surface area extends the life of the screens, reduces required maintenance by reducing the frequency of screen change-outs and improves throughput or productivity.

Polyolefin nanocomposites in situ polymerization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galland, Griselda Barrera; Fim, Fabiana de C.; Milani, Marceo A.; Silva, Silene P. da; Forest, Tadeu; Radaelli, Gislaine, E-mail: griselda.barrera@ufrgs.br [Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Basso, Nara R.S. [Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Quijada, Raul [Universidad de Chile, Santiago (Chile)

2011-07-01

Polyethylene and polypropylene nanocomposites using grapheme nanosheets and treated chrysotile have been synthesized by in situ polymerization using metallocene catalysts. The fillers have been submitted to acid, thermal and/ou ultrasound treatments before to introduce them into the polymerization reactor. A complete characterization of the fillers has been done. The nanocomposites have been characterized by SEM, TEM, DRX and AFM. The thermal, mechanic -dynamic, mechanical and electrical properties of the nanocomposites are discussed. (author)

Polyolefin nanocomposites in situ polymerization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galland, Griselda Barrera; Fim, Fabiana de C.; Milani, Marceo A.; Silva, Silene P. da; Forest, Tadeu; Radaelli, Gislaine; Basso, Nara R.S.; Quijada, Raul

2011-01-01

Polyethylene and polypropylene nanocomposites using grapheme nanosheets and treated chrysotile have been synthesized by in situ polymerization using metallocene catalysts. The fillers have been submitted to acid, thermal and/ou ultrasound treatments before to introduce them into the polymerization reactor. A complete characterization of the fillers has been done. The nanocomposites have been characterized by SEM, TEM, DRX and AFM. The thermal, mechanic -dynamic, mechanical and electrical properties of the nanocomposites are discussed. (author)

Multi-functional composite structures

Science.gov (United States)

Mulligan, Anthony C.; Halloran, John; Popovich, Dragan; Rigali, Mark J.; Sutaria, Manish P.; Vaidyanathan, K. Ranji; Fulcher, Michael L.; Knittel, Kenneth L.

2004-10-19

Fibrous monolith processing techniques to fabricate multifunctional structures capable of performing more than one discrete function such as structures capable of bearing structural loads and mechanical stresses in service and also capable of performing at least one additional non-structural function.

Multifunctional centrifugal grinding unit

Science.gov (United States)

Sevostyanov, V. S.; Uralskij, V. I.; Uralskij, A. V.; Sinitsa, E. V.

2018-03-01

The article presents scientific and engineering developments of multifunctional centrifugal grinding unit in which the selective effect of grinding bodies on the crushing material is realized, depending on its physical and mechanical characteristics and various schemes for organizing the technological process

From smart city to smart destination. The case of three Canadian cities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

François Bédard

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Several cities around the world are self-proclaimed "smart" by integrating, in varying degrees, new technologies in the different spheres of the city. Nevertheless, despite this effervescence around the smart city, the concept requires more conceptualization from the researchers. This is even more important when it comes time to distinguishing between smart city and smart destination. The relationship between these two concepts is blurred and the transition from the smart city to the smart destination is not automatic. This situation is explained by the fact that the intrinsic characteristics of their respective target populations, being the citizens and the tourists, are different. This article compares three Canadian cities in the province of Quebec with the aim of demonstrating that the realization of a smart destination project requires the adaptation of governance structure and the involvement of all the stakeholders and more particularly in tourism.

Survey report on smart-tribo-mechanics; Smart tribo mechanics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

Survey results of smart-tribo-mechanics are described. For the smart-tribo-mechanics differing from the conventional tribology, an intelligent system is constructed by making full use of various science and technology ranging from basic to application, to solve problems. Self-diagnosis and self-remediation, active control, passive control, and smart-biotribo-mechanics are typical methods. Electronics, telecommunication, healthcare, and new biotechnology are new and advanced application areas. In these areas, tribology to control and act to the material surface in the atomic and molecular scale should be the key technology. In addition, the smart-tribo-mechanics is expected to be used for sustaining basic industry, such as material, transportation, and life industries. 101 refs., 67 figs., 14 tabs.

Multifunctional Environmental Smart Fertilizer Based on l-Aspartic Acid for Sustained Nutrient Release.

Science.gov (United States)

Lü, Shaoyu; Feng, Chen; Gao, Chunmei; Wang, Xinggang; Xu, Xiubin; Bai, Xiao; Gao, Nannan; Liu, Mingzhu

2016-06-22

Fertilizer is one of the most important elements of modern agriculture. However, conventional fertilizer, when applied to crops, is vulnerable to losses through volatilization, leaching, nitrification, or other means. Such a loss limits crop yields and pollutes the environment. In an effort to enhance nutrient use efficiency and reduce environmental pollution, an environmental smart fertilizer was reported in the current study. Poly(aspartic acid) and a degradable macro-cross-linker based on l-aspartic acid were synthesized and introduced into the fertilizer as a superabsorbent to improve the fertilizer degradability and soil moisture-retention capacity. Sustained release behavior of the fertilizer was achieved in soil. Cumulative release of nitrogen and phosphorus was 79.8% and 64.4% after 30 days, respectively. The water-holding and water-retention capacities of soil with the superabsorbent are obviously higher than those of the control soil without superabsorbent. For the sample of 200 g of soil with 1.5 g of superabsorbent, the water-holding capacity is 81.8%, and the water-retention capacity remains 22.6% after 23 days. All of the current results in this study indicated that the as-prepared fertilizer has a promising application in sustainable modern agriculture.

Multifunctional Hot Structure Heat Shield

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This project is performing preliminary development of a Multifunctional Hot Structure (HOST) heat shield for planetary entry. Results of this development will...

Book-Smart, Not Street-Smart: Blockchain-Based Smart Contracts and The Social Workings of Law

OpenAIRE

Karen E. C. Levy

2017-01-01

This paper critiques blockchain-based “smart contracts,” which aim to automatically and securely execute obligations without reliance on a centralized enforcement authority. Though smart contracts do have some features that might serve the goals of social justice and fairness, I suggest that they are based on a thin conception of what law does, and how it does it. Smart contracts focus on the technical form of contract to the exclusion of the social contexts within which contracts operate, an...

Facile preparation of multifunctional carbon nanotube/magnetite/polyaniline nanocomposite offering a strong option for efficient solid-phase microextraction coupled with GC-MS for the analysis of phenolic compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Tafazoli, Zahra; Azar, Parviz Aberoomand; Tehrani, Mohammad Saber; Husain, Syed Waqif

2018-04-20

The aim of this study the synthesis of a highly efficient organic-inorganic nanocomposite. In this research, the carbon nanotube/magnetite/polyaniline nanocomposite was successfully prepared through a facile route. Monodisperse magnetite nanospheres were prepared through the coprecipitation route, and polyaniline nanolayer as a modified shell with a high surface area was synthesized by an in situ growth route and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The prepared nanocomposite was immobilized on a stainless-steel wire for the fabrication of the solid-phase microextraction fiber. The combination of headspace solid-phase microextraction using carbon nanotube/magnetite/polyaniline nanocomposite fiber with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry can achieve a low limit of detection and can be applied to determine phenolic compounds in water samples. The effects of the extraction and desorption parameters including extraction temperature and time, ionic strength, stirring rate, pH, and desorption temperature and time have been studied. Under the optimum conditions, the dynamic linear range was 0.01-500 ng mL -1 and the limits of detection of phenol, 4-chlorophenol, 2,6-dichlorophenol, and 2,4,6-trichlorophenol were the lowest (0.008 ng mL -1 ) for three times. The coefficient of determination of all calibration curves was more than 0.990. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Parylene nanocomposites using modified magnetic nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, Ignacio; Luzuriaga, A. Ruiz de; Grande, H.; Jeandupeux, L.; Charmet, J.; Laux, E.; Keppner, H.; Mecerreyes, D.; Cabanero, German

2010-01-01

Parylene/Fe 3 O 4 nanocomposites were synthesized and characterized. The nanocomposites were obtained by chemical vapour deposition polymerization of Parylene onto functionalized Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles. For this purpose, allyltrichlorosilane was used to modify the surface of 7 nm size Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles obtained by the coprecipitation method. The magnetic nanoparticles and obtained nanocomposite were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and magnetic measurements (SQUID). The successful incorporation of different amounts of nanoparticles into Parylene was confirmed by FTIR and TGA. Interestingly, increments in saturation magnetization of the nanocomposites were observed ranging from 0 emu/g of neat Parylene to 16.94 emu/g in the case of nanocomposite films that contained 27.5 wt% of nanoparticles.

A Review of Systems and Technologies for Smart Homes and Smart Grids

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriele Lobaccaro

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In the actual era of smart homes and smart grids, advanced technological systems that allow the automation of domestic tasks are developing rapidly. There are numerous technologies and applications that can be installed in smart homes today. They enable communication between home appliances and users, and enhance home appliances’ automation, monitoring and remote control capabilities. This review article, by introducing the concept of the smart home and the advent of the smart grid, investigates technologies for smart homes. The technical descriptions of the systems are presented and point out advantages and disadvantages of each technology and product today available on the market. Barriers, challenges, benefits and future trends regarding the technologies and the role of users have also been discussed.

Towards a smart learning environment for smart city governance

OpenAIRE

Hammad, R.; Ludlow, D.; Computer Science and Creative Technology; Centre for Sustainable Planning

2016-01-01

Educational services provided to various stakeholders need to be actively developed to accommodate the diversity of learning models and to get the advantages of available resources (e.g. data) in smart cities governance. Despite the substantial literature on smart cities, for Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) and its related domains such as learning analytics and big data, little effort has been given to the creation of connectivity to smart cities governance to meet stakeholders’ demands, e...

Applications of nano and smart materials in renewable energy production and storage devices

Science.gov (United States)

Ghasemi-Nejhad, Mehrdad N.

2015-03-01

This paper presents development of renewable energy production and storage devices employing nanomaterials and smart materials. The use of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanosheets (GNS) to improve the performance and durability of wind turbine and wave rotor blades will be explained. While GNS are primary used for the performance enhancement of the resin system called Nanoresin, CNT Nanoforests and Nanofilms are used to improve the performance of fiber systems in high-performance Nanocomposites. In addition, the use of CNTs and piezo-nanofibers will be explained as the health monitoring and smart systems within the composites. A self-healing mechanism will also be explained within the composites using these materials. Next the use of CNTs as gas diffusion layers and CNTs combined with in-situ generated platinum nanoparticles as catalyst layers will be explained to improve the performance, efficiency, and durability of proton exchange membrane fuel cells while reducing their costs, weight, and size. In addition, the use of CNTs and GNSs to improve the efficiency and performance of polymer solar cells will be explained. Finally, the use of CNTs and GNSs to enhance the performance, efficiency, and durability of batteries and supercapacitors while reducing their costs, weight, and size will be discussed.

Determination of morphology and properties of carbon nanofibers and carbon nanofiber polymer nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Lawrence, Joseph G.

Vapor grown carbon nanofibers which resemble carbon nanotubes in structure and properties, have been extensively manufactured and investigated in recent years. Carbon nanofibers have been used for producing multifunctional materials due to their excellent properties and low cost of production. Since, commercially available vapor grown carbon nanofibers are subjected to different processing and post processing conditions, the morphology and properties of these nanofibers are not well-known. In this study, we focus on the characterization of the morphology and properties of these nanofibers and the polymer nanocomposites made using these nanofibers as reinforcements. The morphology of the nanofibers was studied employing high resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) images. The analysis showed that the nanofibers consist primarily of conical nanofibers, but can contain a significant amount of bamboo nanofibers. Most of the conical nanofibers were found to consist of an ordered inner layer and a disordered outer layer, with the cone angle distribution of the inner layers indicating that these cannot have a stacked cone structure but are compatible with a cone-helix structure. Nanofibers that were heat treated to temperatures above 1,500°C undergo a structural transformation with the ordered inner layers changing from a cone-helix structure to a highly ordered multiwall stacked cone structure. Due to the complexity in the structure of these nanofibers, a novel method to study the elastic properties and corresponding morphology of individual nanofibers has been developed combining Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), TEM and Focused Ion Beam (FIB) technology. Employing the developed method, the elastic modulus of individual nanofibers and their corresponding dimensions and morphology were determined. The dependence of elastic properties on the wall thickness and the orientation of graphene sheets in the nanofibers were studied. The elastic modulus of these

Towards the Smart World. Smart Platform: Infrastructure and Analytics

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Velthausz, D

2012-10-01

Full Text Available In this presentation the author outlines the 'smart world' concept and how technology (smart infrastructure, analytics) can foster smarter cities, smarter regions and a smarter world....

Evolved Minimal Frustration in Multifunctional Biomolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Röder, Konstantin; Wales, David J

2018-05-25

Protein folding is often viewed in terms of a funnelled potential or free energy landscape. A variety of experiments now indicate the existence of multifunnel landscapes, associated with multifunctional biomolecules. Here, we present evidence that these systems have evolved to exhibit the minimal number of funnels required to fulfil their cellular functions, suggesting an extension to the principle of minimum frustration. We find that minimal disruptive mutations result in additional funnels, and the associated structural ensembles become more diverse. The same trends are observed in an atomic cluster. These observations suggest guidelines for rational design of engineered multifunctional biomolecules.

Multifunctional nanoparticles: Analytical prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dios, Alejandro Simon de; Diaz-Garcia, Marta Elena

2010-01-01

Multifunctional nanoparticles are among the most exciting nanomaterials with promising applications in analytical chemistry. These applications include (bio)sensing, (bio)assays, catalysis and separations. Although most of these applications are based on the magnetic, optical and electrochemical properties of multifunctional nanoparticles, other aspects such as the synergistic effect of the functional groups and the amplification effect associated with the nanoscale dimension have also been observed. Considering not only the nature of the raw material but also the shape, there is a huge variety of nanoparticles. In this review only magnetic, quantum dots, gold nanoparticles, carbon and inorganic nanotubes as well as silica, titania and gadolinium oxide nanoparticles are addressed. This review presents a narrative summary on the use of multifuncional nanoparticles for analytical applications, along with a discussion on some critical challenges existing in the field and possible solutions that have been or are being developed to overcome these challenges.

Traffic Information Systems for Smart Mobility as part of Smart Cities

OpenAIRE

Suske, David; Touko Tcheumadjeu, Louis Calvin; Sohr, Alexander; Xiaoxu, Bei

2016-01-01

The unlimited and unrestricted mobility of people and goods in urban areas is one of the key factors for economic and social development of the city. Today with the availability of smart technologies and various intelligent transportation and telematics solutions the Smart Mobility as part of a Smart City is possible to maintain the mobility ecosystem in the city. But to make the urban mobility smart by assuring the sustainability, safety, low emission and comfort in urban transport new mobil...

Smart houses for a smart grid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kok, J.K.; Warmer, C.J. [ECN Efficiency and Infrastructure, Petten (Netherlands); Karnouskos, S.; Weidlich, A. [SAP Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, (Germany); Nestle, D.; Strauss, P. [The Institut fuer Solare Energieversorgungstechnik ISET, University of Kassel, Kassel (Germany); Dimeas, A.; Hatziargyriou, N. [Institute Computers Communications Systems ICCS, National Technical University of Athens NTUA, Athens (Greece); Buchholz, B.; Drenkard, S. [MVV Energie, Berlin (Germany); Lioliou, V. [Public Power Corporation PPC, Athens (Greece)

2009-08-15

Innovative technologies and concepts will emerge as we move towards a more dynamic, service-based, market-driven infrastructure, where energy efficiency and savings can be facilitated by interactive distribution networks. A new generation of fully interactive Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) infrastructure has to be developed to support the optimal exploitation of the changing, complex business processes and to enable the efficient functioning of the deregulated energy market for the benefit of citizens and businesses. The architecture of such distributed system landscapes must be designed and validated, standards need to be created and widely supported, and comprehensive, reliable IT applications will need to be implemented. The collaboration between a smart house and a smart grid is a promising approach which, with the help of ICT can fully unleash the capabilities of the smart electricity network.

Nano-composite materials

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Se-Hee; Tracy, C. Edwin; Pitts, J. Roland

2010-05-25

Nano-composite materials are disclosed. An exemplary method of producing a nano-composite material may comprise co-sputtering a transition metal and a refractory metal in a reactive atmosphere. The method may also comprise co-depositing a transition metal and a refractory metal composite structure on a substrate. The method may further comprise thermally annealing the deposited transition metal and refractory metal composite structure in a reactive atmosphere.

Smart Cities and the Idea of Smartness in Urban Development - A Critical Review

Science.gov (United States)

Husár, Milan; Ondrejička, Vladimír; Ceren Varış, Sıla

2017-10-01

The concept of smart cities is becoming another mantra for both developing and developed cities. For instance, Indian government in 2015 announced its objective to build one hundred smart cities all over the country. They clearly stated that they are choosing smart development as the underlying concept for their future growth as a way to foster economic development in smart way to avoid the paths of rapid industrialization and pollution of cities as it took place in Europe and United States. The first of these smart cities, Dholera, is already under construction and it attracts journalists and urban planners from all over the world. The aim of this paper is to critically discuss the theoretical backgrounds and the practices of smart cities and examine the ways the concept is implemented. The paper is based on thorough study of literature and examining the two case studies of Dholera (India) and Songdo (South Korea). Smart city is a contested concept without a unified definition. It stems from the idea of digital and information city promoted using information and communication technologies (ICT) to develop cities. By installation of ICT municipalities obtain large sets of data which are then transformed into effective urban policies. One of the pilot projects of this kind was Rio de Janeiro and building the Center of Operations by IBM Company. City made a great investment into the smart information system before two huge events took place - FIFA World Cup in 2014 and Olympic Games in 2016. The project raised many questions including whether and how it improved the life of its citizens and in what way it made the city smart. The other definition of smart city is the idea of smartness in city development in broader sense. It focuses on smart use of resources, smart and effective management and smart social inclusion. Within this view, the ICTs are one component of the concept, by no means its bread and butter. Technologies can be used in a variety of ways. Problem

Hyper-Production: A New Metric of Multifunctionality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brouder Patrick

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Multifunctionality has emerged as the dominant framework for understanding rural socioeconomic landscapes. The central claim of multifunctionality - that rural regions need to be understood as being made up of more than just traditional uses - has led to the incorporation of new rural activities into regional development plans, e.g., tourism. In some places, such post-productive activity is perceived to be slowly replacing productive uses of the land, e.g., agriculture/forestry. However, there is limited empirical evidence to support such claims. Drawing on previous research and data from the Swedish countryside this paper shows that, even as the number of persons employed within traditional activities decreases, the economic output per areal unit and per labour hour is increasing over time and traditional uses still occupy the majority of rural space. Hyper-production is introduced as a new metric for understanding multifunctional regions going forward. The complementary union of economic mainstays, such as agriculture, and newer activities with more quality-of-life benefits, such as tourism, is highlighted in terms of economic diversification, job creation and local social capital development, while the conflict-prone intersection of these two modes is also acknowledged. Understanding hyper-production as a key metric of multifunctionality is thus argued as integral to planning and developing resilient rural regions now and for the future.

Final report SmartProofS. Results of projects of the SmartProofS program; Eindrapport SmartProofS. Projectresultaten van het SmartProofS programma

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Hoorik, P.; Westerga, R. [Energy Valley, Groningen (Netherlands)

2011-05-15

The SmartProofs program aims to develop tools which must show that the principle of a Smart Power System (SPS) works and how. An SPS can ensure that the supply and demand of electricity in the grid is balanced, even in case more decentralized energy techniques will be put into use. This final report summarizes the main results and conclusions of the SmartProofs program. As part of the SPS program attention is paid to the impacts on the girds, the effects of centralized and decentralized management, disaster resilience, pricing models, potential benefits of control and new business models [Dutch] Het SmartProofs programma heeft tot doel om een concept van een Smart Power System (SPS) te ontwikkelen waarmee kan worden aangetoond dat het principe van een SPS werkt en op welke manier. Een SPS kan zorgen dat het aanbod van elektriciteit op het net op elk moment van de dag overeenkomt met de vraag, ook als er straks veel meer decentrale energietechnieken gebruikt worden waarmee zowel de vraag als het aanbod van elektriciteit onvoorspelbaar wordt. Dit eindrapport geeft een overzicht van de belangrijkste resultaten en conclusies van het SmartProofs programma. Het programma heeft in de werkpakketten deelvraagstukken rondom SmartProofS onderzocht rondom de effecten op onze energienetten, de effecten van zowel centrale- als decentrale aansturing, disaster resilience, prijsmodellen, mogelijke baten van aansturing en nieuwe business modellen.

Complex IoT Systems as Enablers for Smart Homes in a Smart City Vision

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lynggaard, Per; Skouby, Knud Erik

2016-01-01

The world is entering a new era, where Internet-of-Things (IoT), smart homes, and smart cities will play an important role in meeting the so-called big challenges. In the near future, it is foreseen that the majority of the world’s population will live their lives in smart homes and in smart cities...... the “smart” vision. This paper proposes a specific solution in the form of a hierarchical layered ICT based infrastructure that handles ICT issues related to the “big challenges” and seamlessly integrates IoT, smart homes, and smart city structures into one coherent unit. To exemplify benefits......% of the wastewater energy in a smart residential building. By letting the smart city infrastructure coordinate and control the harvest time and duration, it is possible to achieve considerable energy savings in the smart homes, and it is possible to reduce the peak-load for district heating plants....

Smart City and Smart Tourism: A Case of Dubai

OpenAIRE

M. Sajid Khan; Mina Woo; Kichan Nam; Prakash K. Chathoth

2017-01-01

Over the past decade, the advent of new technology has brought about the emergence of smart cities aiming to provide their stakeholders with technology-based solutions that are effective and efficient. Insofar as the objective of smart cities is to improve outcomes that are connected to people, systems and processes of businesses, government and other public- and private-sector entities, its main goal is to improve the quality of life of all residents. Accordingly, smart tourism has emerged o...

Energy conservation through smart homes in a smart city: A lesson for Singapore households

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhati, Abhishek; Hansen, Michael; Chan, Ching Man

2017-01-01

Energy saving is a hot topic due to the proliferation of climate changes and energy challenges globally. However, people's perception about using smart technology for energy saving is still in the concept stage. This means that people talk about environmental awareness readily, yet in reality, they accept to pay the given energy bill. Due to the availability of electricity and its integral role, modulating consumers’ attitudes towards energy savings can be a challenge. Notably, the gap in today's smart technology design in smart homes is the understanding of consumers’ behaviour and the integration of this understanding into the smart technology. As part of the Paris Climate change agreement (2015), it is paramount for Singapore to introduce smart technologies targeted to reduce energy consumption. This paper focused on the perception of Singapore households on smart technology and its usage to save energy. Areas of current research include: (1) energy consumption in Singapore households, (2) public programs and policies in energy savings, (3) use of technology in energy savings, and (4) household perception of energy savings in smart homes. Furthermore, three case studies are reviewed in relation to smart homes and smart technology, while discussing the maturity of existing solutions. - Highlights: • Analyse perception of Singapore households about the usage of smart technology to save energy. • Reviews energy consumption, public policies and household perception of energy savings. • Three case studies were developed and reviewed in relation to smart homes and smart technology. • Analyse research gap of household behaviours and perceptions as smart home design focus.

Advances in rubber/halloysite nanotubes nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Zhixin; Guo, Baochun; Jia, Demin

2014-02-01

The research advances in rubber/halloysite nanotubes (rubber/HNTs) nanocomposites are reviewed. HNTs are environmentally-friendly natural nanomaterials, which could be used to prepare the rubber-based nanocomposites with high performance and low cost. Unmodified HNTs could be adopted to prepare the rubber/HNTs composites with improved mechanical properties, however, the rubber/HNTs nanocomposites with fine morphology and excellent properties were chiefly prepared with various modifiers by in situ mixing method. A series of rubber/HNTs nanocomposites containing several rubbers (SBR, NR, xSBR, NBR, PU) and different modifiers (ENR, RH, Si69, SA, MAA, ILs) have been investigated. The results showed that all the rubber/HNTs nanocomposites achieved strong interfacial interaction via interfacial covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds or multiple interactions, realized significantly improved dispersion of HNTs at nanoscale and exhibited excellent mechanical performances and other properties.

APROS multifunctional simulator applications for VVER-440

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porkholm, K.; Kantee, H.; Tiihonen, O.

2000-01-01

Fortum Engineering Ltd and the Technical Research Centre of Finland have developed APROS simulation software since 1986. APROS is a multifunctional simulator, which is used for process and automation design, safety analysis and training simulator applications. APROS has unique features and models developed especially for VVER-440 reactors. At first the paper gives a short overview of APROS multifunctional simulator. The rest of the paper deals with different kind of applications of APROS in VVER-440 reactors' improvement and operation development. (author)

Multifunctional Structures for High-Energy Lightweight Load-Bearing Storage

Science.gov (United States)

Loyselle, Patricia L.

2018-01-01

This is a pull-up banner of the Multifunctional Structures for High-Energy Lightweight Load-bearing Storage (M-SHELLS) technology that will be on display at the SciTech Conference in January 2018. Efforts in Multifunctional Structures for High Energy Load-Bearing Storage (M-Shells) are pushing the boundaries of development for hybrid electric propulsion for future commercial aeronautical transport. The M-Shells hybrid material would serve as the power/energy storage of the vehicle and provide structural integrity, freeing up usable volume and mass typically occupied by bulky batteries. The ultimate goal is to demonstrate a system-level mass savings with a multifunctional structure with energy storage.

Complex IoT Systems as Enablers for Smart Homes in a Smart City Vision.

Science.gov (United States)

Lynggaard, Per; Skouby, Knud Erik

2016-11-02

The world is entering a new era, where Internet-of-Things (IoT), smart homes, and smart cities will play an important role in meeting the so-called big challenges. In the near future, it is foreseen that the majority of the world's population will live their lives in smart homes and in smart cities. To deal with these challenges, to support a sustainable urban development, and to improve the quality of life for citizens, a multi-disciplinary approach is needed. It seems evident, however, that a new, advanced Information and Communications Technology ICT infrastructure is a key feature to realize the "smart" vision. This paper proposes a specific solution in the form of a hierarchical layered ICT based infrastructure that handles ICT issues related to the "big challenges" and seamlessly integrates IoT, smart homes, and smart city structures into one coherent unit. To exemplify benefits of this infrastructure, a complex IoT system has been deployed, simulated and elaborated. This simulation deals with wastewater energy harvesting from smart buildings located in a smart city context. From the simulations, it has been found that the proposed infrastructure is able to harvest between 50% and 75% of the wastewater energy in a smart residential building. By letting the smart city infrastructure coordinate and control the harvest time and duration, it is possible to achieve considerable energy savings in the smart homes, and it is possible to reduce the peak-load for district heating plants.

Smart City Planning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ekman, Ulrik

2018-01-01

This article reflects on the challenges for urban planning posed by the emergence of smart cities in network societies. In particular, it reflects on reductionist tendencies in existing smart city planning. Here the concern is with the implications of prior reductions of complexity which have been...... undertaken by placing primacy in planning on information technology, economical profit, and top-down political government. Rather than pointing urban planning towards a different ordering of these reductions, this article argues in favor of approaches to smart city planning via complexity theory....... Specifically, this article argues in favor of approaching smart city plans holistically as topologies of organized complexity. Here, smart city planning is seen as a theory and practice engaging with a complex adaptive urban system which continuously operates on its potential. The actualizations in the face...

The legal framework for data privacy and protection in smart metering and smart grids; Der Rechtsrahmen beim Datenschutz fuer Smart Metering und Smart Grids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stamm, Markus [Alcatel-Lucent Deutschland AG, Nuernberg (Germany)

2011-07-01

The legal framework for data privacy and protection in Smart Meter and Smart Grid applications has been substantially changed through modifications of the German law on the supply of electricity and gas (Energiewirtschaftsgesetz - EnWG), especially through its sections 21c et seq. Nonetheless, these modifications have on partially attained the goal of the reform, to create a secure legal framework for the use of Smart Meters and Smart Grids, and some of the newly introduced regulations actually decrease the security of the framework through the use of systematically incorrect terminology. This article gives an overview of the content of the key regulations and the issues to be resolved which result from them. (orig.)

Multifunctional Converter Drive for Automotive Electric Power Steering Systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hackner, T.J.

2013-01-01

In this thesis it is shown that in the case of an automotive electric power steering system, critical pulse power loads can be decoupled from the power net with a storage element and a multifunctional converter. A multifunctional converter system is proposed because it uses the motor drive system as

Development of novel nano-composite membranes as introduction systems for mass spectrometers: Contrasting nano-composite membranes and conventional inlet systems

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Luis Diego

This dissertation presents the development of novel nano-composite membranes as introduction systems for mass spectrometers. These nano-composite membranes incorporate anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes as templates that can be used by themselves or modified by a variety of chemical deposition processes. Two types of nano-composite membranes are presented. The first nano-composite membrane has carbon deposited within the pores of an AAO membrane. The second nano-composite membrane is made by coating an AAO membrane with a thin polymer film. The following chapters describe the transmission properties these nano-composite membranes and compare them to conventional mass spectrometry introduction systems. The nano- composite membranes were finally coupled to the inlet system of an underwater mass spectrometer revealing their utility in field deployments.

Preparation and controlled drug delivery applications of mesoporous silica polymer nanocomposites through the visible light induced surface-initiated ATRP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huang, Long; Liu, Meiying; Mao, Liucheng; Xu, Dazhuang; Wan, Qing; Zeng, Guangjian; Shi, Yingge [Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China); Wen, Yuanqing, E-mail: m18600788382@163.com [Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China); Zhang, Xiaoyong, E-mail: xiaoyongzhang1980@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China); Wei, Yen, E-mail: weiyen@tsinghua.edu.cn [Department of Chemistry and The Tsinghua Center for Frontier Polymer Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China)

2017-08-01

Graphical abstract: A novel strategy for surface PEGylation of mesoporous silica nanoparticles was developed based on the light induced surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. - Highlights: • Surface modification of silica nanoparticles through light induced surface-initiated ATRP. • MSNs-NH{sub 2}-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) nanocomposites show high water dispersity. • MSNs-NH{sub 2}-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) nanocomposites are promising for biomedical applications. • The light induced ATRP possesses many advantages as compared with traditional ATRP. - Abstract: The mesoporous materials with large pore size, high specific surface area and high thermal stability have been widely utilized in a variety of fields ranging from environmental remediation to separation and biomedicine. However, surface modification of these silica nanomaterials is required to endow novel properties and achieve better performance for most of these applications. In this work, a new method has been established for surface modification of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) that relied on the visible light induced atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). In the procedure, the copolymers composited with itaconic acid (IA) and poly(ethylene glycol)methyl acrylate (PEGMA) were grafted from MSNs using IA and PEGMA as the monomers and 10-Phenylphenothiazine(PTH) as the organic catalyst. The successful preparation of final polymer nanocomposites (named as MSNs-NH{sub 2}-poly(IA-co-PEGMA)) were evidenced by a series of characterization techniques. More importantly, the anticancer agent cisplatin can be effectively loaded on MSNs-NH{sub 2}-poly(IA-co-PEGMA) and controlled release it from the drug-loading composites with pH responsive behavior. As compared with conventional ATRP, the light induced surface-initiated ATRP could also be utilized for preparation of various silica polymer nanocomposites under rather benign conditions (e.g. absent of transition metal ions, low polymerization

SMART-NPA evaluation report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Hee Kyung; Lee, G. H.; Yoon, H. Y.; Kim, H. C. [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejeon (Korea)

2002-05-01

SMART(System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor) is a 330 MWt integral reactor which is currently under development at Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute for desalination and electricity generation. SMART-NPA is the second user interface part of TASS/SMR in order to improve GUI(Graphic User Interface). Using SMART-NPA the analyzer not only can see the running status of SMART but make change of major SMART parameters. TASS/SMR, the calculation part, was written in Fortran whereas the first user interface part, called TASSWin, was written in Visual C{sup ++}. For these reason, the ActiveX control was chosen as the solution of SMART-NPA development. The five ActiveX controls were built in Visual Basic. They were Overview, Primary, Secondary, PRHRS and Control Panel ActiveX controls. They were contained in tab control, and can easily selected by user. They could communicate with TASSWin using many interface functions. The graph screens were also developed for the display of major variable's trend. The purpose of this report is the verification of SMART-NPA. The input decks were 100-200-100% power maneuvering operation, Feed Line Break Accident and user's input on Control Panel. The results of SMART-NPA for these cases were compared with the results of TASS/SMR stand alone version. The comparison results were same respectively. And all screens of SMART-NPA reflected the calculated results of TASS/SMR very well. That means SMART-NPA was calculated results of TASS/SMR very well. That means SMART-NPA was verified. 9 refs., 30 figs., 4 tabs. (Author)

Rheological, Colour and Processing Properties of Polypropylene Masterbatches for Nanocomposite Fibre Preparation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Štefan Krivoš

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Asia’s current dominance of the global production of standard types of chemical fibres requires the sophistication of European fibre and textile products. Modifying the mass or surface of materials using nanotechnologies is one of the most promising ways to ensure the special, mono- and multi-functionally modified fibre properties of clothing and technical textiles. The permanent antimicrobial treatment of fibre mass represents one the most desired functional modifi cations of chemical fibres. It involves the use of an antimicrobial additive masterbatch with the appropriate rheological, colour and processing properties required for the preparation of antimicrobial modified fibres. This article presents the results of our study of the effect of two types of nanoadditives (nanosilica and nanocalcium carbonate as potential carriers of an AMB active ingredient, and the effect of stearic acid, polyethylene glycol and propylene oxide as various dispersing systems on the rheological, colour and processing properties of polypropylene nanoadditive masterbatches. The obtained experimental results are evaluated in terms of the suitability of the properties of prepared nanoadditive masterbatches for the preparation of nanocomposite polypropylene fibres.

Formation of Silver and Gold Dendrimer Nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balogh, Lajos; Valluzzi, Regina; Laverdure, Kenneth S.; Gido, Samuel P.; Hagnauer, Gary L.; Tomalia, Donald A.

1999-01-01

Structural types of dendrimer nanocomposites have been studied and the respective formation mechanisms have been described, with illustration of nanocomposites formed from poly(amidoamine) PAMAM dendrimers and zerovalent metals, such as gold and silver. Structure of {(Au(0)) n- PAMAM} and {(Ag(0)) n- PAMAM} gold and silver dendrimer nanocomposites was found to be the function of the dendrimer structure and surface groups as well as the formation mechanism and the chemistry involved. Three different types of single nanocomposite architectures have been identified, such as internal ('I'), external ('E') and mixed ('M') type nanocomposites. Both the organic and inorganic phase could form nanosized pseudo-continuous phases while the other components are dispersed at the molecular or atomic level either in the interior or on the surface of the template/container. Single units of these nanocomposites may be used as building blocks in the synthesis of nanostructured materials

Smart Intelligent Aircraft Structures (SARISTU) : Proceedings of the Final Project Conference

CERN Document Server

Papadopoulos, Michael

2016-01-01

The book includes the research papers presented in the final conference of the EU funded SARISTU (Smart Intelligent Aircraft Structures) project, held at Moscow, Russia between 19-21 of May 2015. The SARISTU project, which was launched in September 2011, developed and tested a variety of individual applications as well as their combinations. With a strong focus on actual physical integration and subsequent material and structural testing, SARISTU has been responsible for important progress on the route to industrialization of structure integrated functionalities such as Conformal Morphing, Structural Health Monitoring and Nanocomposites. The gap- and edge-free deformation of aerodynamic surfaces known as conformal morphing has gained previously unrealized capabilities such as inherent de-icing, erosion protection and lightning strike protection, while at the same time the technological risk has been greatly reduced. Individual structural health monitoring techniques can now be applied at the part-manufacturin...

Smart Mesoporous Nanomaterials for Antitumor Therapy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Martínez-Carmona

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The use of nanomaterials for the treatment of solid tumours is receiving increasing attention by the scientific community. Among them, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs exhibit unique features that make them suitable nanocarriers to host, transport and protect drug molecules until the target is reached. It is possible to incorporate different targeting ligands to the outermost surface of MSNs to selectively drive the drugs to the tumour tissues. To prevent the premature release of the cargo entrapped in the mesopores, it is feasible to cap the pore entrances using stimuli-responsive nanogates. Therefore, upon exposure to internal (pH, enzymes, glutathione, etc. or external (temperature, light, magnetic field, etc. stimuli, the pore opening takes place and the release of the entrapped cargo occurs. These smart MSNs are capable of selectively reaching and accumulating at the target tissue and releasing the entrapped drug in a specific and controlled fashion, constituting a promising alternative to conventional chemotherapy, which is typically associated with undesired side effects. In this review, we overview the recent advances reported by the scientific community in developing MSNs for antitumor therapy. We highlight the possibility to design multifunctional nanosystems using different therapeutic approaches aimed at increasing the efficacy of the antitumor treatment.

Smart City project

KAUST Repository

Al Harbi, Ayman

2018-01-24

A \\'smart city\\' is an urban region that is highly advanced in terms of overall infrastructure, sustainable real estate, communications and market viability. It is a city where information technology is the principal infrastructure and the basis for providing essential services to residents. Yanbu Industrial City- Smart City Project - First large scale smart city in The kingdom.

Novel Nanocomposite Materials for Advanced Li-Ion Rechargeable Batteries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chuan Cai

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Nanostructured materials lie at the heart of fundamental advances in efficient energy storage and/or conversion, in which surface processes and transport kinetics play determining roles. Nanocomposite materials will have a further enhancement in properties compared to their constituent phases. This Review describes some recent developments of nanocomposite materials for high-performance Li-ion rechargeable batteries, including carbon-oxide nanocomposites, polymer-oxide nanocomposites, metal-oxide nanocomposites, and silicon-based nanocomposites, etc. The major goal of this Review is to highlight some new progress in using these nanocomposite materials as electrodes to develop Li-ion rechargeable batteries with high energy density, high rate capability, and excellent cycling stability.

Smart infrastructure design for Smart Cities

OpenAIRE

OTA, Kaoru; KUMRAI, Teerawat; DONG, Mianxiong; KISHIGAMI, Jay (Junichi); GUO, Minyi

2017-01-01

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is one of the keywords to describe smart cities, aiming at efficient public transport, smart parking, enhanced road safety, intelligent traffic management, onvehicle entertainment, and so on. In ITS, Roadside Unit (RSU) deployment should be well-designed due to it serves as a service provider and a gateway to the Internet for vehicular users. In this article, we propose an RSU deployment strategy which maximizes the communication coverage and reduces t...

Mussel inspired preparation of MoS{sub 2} based polymer nanocomposites: The case of polyPEGMA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Guangjian; Liu, Meiying; Liu, Xinhua; Huang, Qiang; Xu, Dazhuang; Mao, Liucheng; Huang, Hongye; Deng, Fengjie [Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China); Zhang, Xiaoyong, E-mail: xiaoyongzhang1980@gmail.com [Department of Chemistry, Nanchang University, 999 Xuefu Avenue, Nanchang 330031 (China); Wei, Yen [Department of Chemistry and the Tsinghua Center for Frontier Polymer Research, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 (China)

2016-11-30

developed a facile and versatile method to fabricate multifunctional MoS{sub 2} based polymer nanocomposites with designable properties and applications via combination of mussel inspired and chain transfer free radical polymerization. The resultant composites are expected to be potentially used for drug delivery and photothermal cancer treatment.

Managing Emergency Situations in the Smart City: The Smart Signal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ángel Asensio

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In a city there are numerous items, many of them unnoticed but essential; this is the case of the signals. Signals are considered objects with reduced technological interest, but in this paper we prove that making them smart and integrating in the IoT (Internet of Things could be a relevant contribution to the Smart City. This paper presents the concept of Smart Signal, as a device conscious of its context, with communication skills, able to offer the best message to the user, and as a ubiquitous element that contributes with information to the city. We present the design considerations and a real implementation and validation of the system in one of the most challenging environments that may exist in a city: a tunnel. The main advantages of the Smart Signal are the improvement of the actual functionality of the signal providing new interaction capabilities with users and a new sensory mechanism of the Smart City.

Managing Emergency Situations in the Smart City: The Smart Signal.

Science.gov (United States)

Asensio, Ángel; Blanco, Teresa; Blasco, Rubén; Marco, Álvaro; Casas, Roberto

2015-06-18

In a city there are numerous items, many of them unnoticed but essential; this is the case of the signals. Signals are considered objects with reduced technological interest, but in this paper we prove that making them smart and integrating in the IoT (Internet of Things) could be a relevant contribution to the Smart City. This paper presents the concept of Smart Signal, as a device conscious of its context, with communication skills, able to offer the best message to the user, and as a ubiquitous element that contributes with information to the city. We present the design considerations and a real implementation and validation of the system in one of the most challenging environments that may exist in a city: a tunnel. The main advantages of the Smart Signal are the improvement of the actual functionality of the signal providing new interaction capabilities with users and a new sensory mechanism of the Smart City.

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

The economic impact of multifunctional agriculture in Dutch regions: An input-output model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heringa, P.W.; Heide, van der C.M.; Heijman, W.J.M.

2013-01-01

Multifunctional agriculture is a broad concept lacking a precise definition. Moreover, little is known about the societal importance of multifunctional agriculture. This paper is an empirical attempt to fill this gap. To this end, an input-output model was constructed for multifunctional agriculture

Biopolymeric nanocomposites with enhanced interphases.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Yi; Hu, Kesong; Grant, Anise M; Zhang, Yuhong; Tsukruk, Vladimir V

2015-10-06

Ultrathin and robust nanocomposite membranes were fabricated by incorporating graphene oxide (GO) sheets into a silk fibroin (SF) matrix by a dynamic spin-assisted layer-by-layer assembly (dSA-LbL). We observed that in contrast to traditional SA-LbL reported earlier fast solution removal during dropping of solution on constantly spinning substrates resulted in largely unfolded biomacromolecules with enhanced surface interactions and suppressed nanofibril formation. The resulting laminated nanocomposites possess outstanding mechanical properties, significantly exceeding those previously reported for conventional LbL films with similar composition. The tensile modulus reached extremely high values of 170 GPa, which have never been reported for graphene oxide-based nanocomposites, the ultimate strength was close to 300 MPa, and the toughness was above 3.4 MJ m(-3). The failure modes observed for these membranes suggested the self-reinforcing mechanism of adjacent graphene oxide sheets with strong 2 nm thick silk interphase composed mostly from individual backbones. This interphase reinforcement leads to the effective load transfer between the graphene oxide components in reinforced laminated nanocomposite materials with excellent mechanical strength that surpasses those known today for conventional flexible laminated carbon nanocomposites from graphene oxide and biopolymer components.

Rational Design of Multifunctional Fe@γ-Fe2 O3 @H-TiO2 Nanocomposites with Enhanced Magnetic and Photoconversion Effects for Wide Applications: From Photocatalysis to Imaging-Guided Photothermal Cancer Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Meifang; Deng, Kerong; Lü, Wei; Deng, Xiaoran; Li, Kai; Shi, Yanshu; Ding, Binbin; Cheng, Ziyong; Xing, Bengang; Han, Gang; Hou, Zhiyao; Lin, Jun

2018-03-01

Titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) has been widely investigated and used in many areas due to its high refractive index and ultraviolet light absorption, but the lack of absorption in the visible-near infrared (Vis-NIR) region limits its application. Herein, multifunctional Fe@γ-Fe 2 O 3 @H-TiO 2 nanocomposites (NCs) with multilayer-structure are synthesized by one-step hydrogen reduction, which show remarkably improved magnetic and photoconversion effects as a promising generalists for photocatalysis, bioimaging, and photothermal therapy (PTT). Hydrogenation is used to turn white TiO 2 in to hydrogenated TiO 2 (H-TiO 2 ), thus improving the absorption in the Vis-NIR region. Based on the excellent solar-driven photocatalytic activities of the H-TiO 2 shell, the Fe@γ-Fe 2 O 3 magnetic core is introduced to make it convenient for separating and recovering the catalytic agents. More importantly, Fe@γ-Fe 2 O 3 @H-TiO 2 NCs show enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency due to more circuit loops for electron transitions between H-TiO 2 and γ-Fe 2 O 3 , and the electronic structures of Fe@γ-Fe 2 O 3 @H-TiO 2 NCs are calculated using the Vienna ab initio simulation package based on the density functional theory to account for the results. The reported core-shell NCs can serve as an NIR-responsive photothermal agent for magnetic-targeted photothermal therapy and as a multimodal imaging probe for cancer including infrared photothermal imaging, magnetic resonance imaging, and photoacoustic imaging. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Smart Home, Smart Grid, Smart Meter - digitale Konzepte und das Recht an Daten

Science.gov (United States)

Spiecker genannt Döhmann, Indra

Modernes Energiemanagement setzt auf ein intelligent gesteuertes Energieinformationsnetz, das Smart Grid. In diesem ist der Smart Meter, die intelligente Messstelle beim Nutzer, ein zentrales Instrument für den wechselseitigen Austausch von Informationen. Allerdings werfen die über diverse Gesetze forcierten Informationsströme erhebliche datenschutzrechtliche Fragen auf. Der Beitrag stellt zentrale datenschutzrechtliche Leitlinien und Probleme vor und behandelt auch offene Fragestellungen.

Educating the smart city: Schooling smart citizens through computational urbanism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ben Williamson

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Coupled with the ‘smart city’, the idea of the ‘smart school’ is emerging in imaginings of the future of education. Various commercial, governmental and civil society organizations now envisage education as a highly coded, software-mediated and data-driven social institution. Such spaces are to be governed through computational processes written in computer code and tracked through big data. In an original analysis of developments from commercial, governmental and civil society sectors, the article examines two interrelated dimensions of an emerging smart schools imaginary: (1 the constant flows of digital data that smart schools depend on and the mobilization of analytics that enable student data to be used to anticipate and shape their behaviours; and (2 the ways that young people are educated to become ‘computational operatives’ who must ‘learn to code’ in order to become ‘smart citizens’ in the governance of the smart city. These developments constitute an emerging educational space fabricated from intersecting standards, technologies, discourses and social actors, all infused with the aspirations of technical experts to govern the city at a distance through both monitoring young people as ‘data objects’ and schooling them as active ‘computational citizens’ with the responsibility to compute the future of the city.

Solvent sensitivity of smart 3D-printed nanocomposite liquid sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Aliheidari, Nahal; Ameli, Amir; Pötschke, Petra

2018-03-01

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the 3D printing methods that has attracted significant attention. In this method, small and complex samples with nearly no limitation in geometry can be fabricated layer by layer to form end-use parts. This work investigates the liquid sensing behavior of FDM printed flexible thermoplastic polyurethane, TPU filled with multiwalled carbon nanotubes, MWCNTs. The sensing capability of printed TPU-MWCNT was studied as a function of MWCNT content and infill density in response to different solvents, i.e., ethanol, acetone and toluene. The solvents were selected based on their widespread use and importance in medical and industrial applications. U-shaped liquid sensors with 2, 3 and 4wt.% MWCNT content were printed at three different infill densities of 50, 75 and 100%. Solvent sensitivity was then characterized by immersing the sensors in the solvents and measuring the resistance evolution over 25s. The results indicated a sensitivity order of acetone > toluene > ethanol, which was in agreement with the predictions of FloryHiggins solubility equation. For all the solvents, the sensitivity was enhanced as the infill density of the printed samples was decreased. This was attributed to the increased surface area to volume ratio and shortened diffusion paths. The MWCNT content was also observed to have a profound effect on the sensitivity; in samples with partial infill, the sensitivity was found to be inversely proportional to the MWCNT content, such that the highest resistance change was obtained for nanocomposites with the lowest MWCNT content of 2wt.%. For instance, a resistance increase of more than 10 times was obtained in 25 s once TPU-2wt.%MWCNT with 50% infill was tested against acetone. The results of this work reveals that highly sensitive liquid sensors can be fabricated with the aid of 3D printing without the need for complex processing methods.

Smart practice: smart card design considerations in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindley, R A; Pacheco, F

1995-01-01

Recent innovations in microelectronics and advances in cryptography are driving the appearance of a new generation of smart cards with wider applications; this has important repercussions for our society in the coming years. Essentially, these breakthroughs include built-in microprocessors capable of generating cryptographic transactions (e.g.,Jelectronic blinded signatures, digital pseudonyms, and digital credentials), developments toward a single electronic card offering multi-access to services such as transport, telecommunications, health, financial, and entertainment (Universal Access Services), and incorporation of personal identification technologies such as voice, eye, or skin pattern recognition. For example, by using electronic representatives or cryptographic blinded signatures, a smart card can be used for multi transactions across different organizations and under different generated pseudonyms. These pseudonyms are capable of recognizing an individual unambiguously, while none of her records can be linked [1]. Moreover, tamper-proof electronic observers would make smart cards a very attractive technology for high-security based applications, such as those in the health care field. New trends in smart card technology offer excellent privacy and confidentiality safeguards. Therefore, smart cards constitute a promising technology for the health sector in Australia and other countries around the world in their pursuit of technology to support the delivery of quality care services. This paper addresses the main issues and the key design criteria which may be of strategic importance to the success of future smart card technology in the health care sector.

EDITORIAL: Adaptive and active materials: Selected papers from the ASME 2010 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems (SMASIS 10) (Philadelphia, PA, USA, 28 September-1 October 2010) Adaptive and active materials: Selected papers from the ASME 2010 Conference on Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems (SMASIS 10) (Philadelphia, PA, USA, 28 September-1 October 2010)

Science.gov (United States)

Brei, Diann

2011-09-01

The third annual meeting of the AMSE/AIAA Smart Materials, Adaptive Structures and Intelligent Systems Conference (SMASIS) took place in the heart of historic Philadelphia's cultural district, and included a pioneer banquet in the National Constitutional Center. The applications emphasis of the 2010 conference was reflected in keynote talks by Dr Alan Taub, vice president of General Motors global research and development, 'Smart materials in the automotive industry'; Dr Charles R Farrar, engineering institute leader at Los Alamos National Laboratory, 'Future directions for structural health monitoring of civil engineering infrastructure'; and Professor Christopher S Lynch of the University of California Los Angeles, 'Ferroelectric materials and their applications'. The SMASIS conference was divided into six technical symposia each of which included basic research, applied technological design and development, and industrial and governmental integrated system and application demonstrations. The six symposia were: SYMP 1 Multifunctional Materials; SYMP 2 Active Materials, Mechanics and Behavior; SYMP 3 Modeling, Simulation and Control; SYMP 4 Enabling Technologies and Integrated System Design; SYMP 5 Structural Health Monitoring/NDE; and SYMP 6 Bio-inspired Smart Materials and Structures. In addition, the conference introduced a new student and young professional development symposium. Authors of papers in the materials areas (symposia 1, 2 and 6) were invited to write a full journal article on their presentation topic for publication in this special issue of Smart Materials and Structures. This set of papers demonstrates the exceptional quality and originality of the conference presentations. We are appreciative of their efforts in producing this collection of highly relevant articles on smart materials.

Conversion of SMART I. Zur Konvertierung von SMART I

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Argyris, J H; Szimmat, J; William, K J [Stuttgart Univ. (TH) (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Statik und Dynamik der Luft- und Raumfahrtkonstruktionen

1977-01-01

The report describes the conversion of the programming system SMART I on CDC, UNIVAC and IBM computers under the BMFT grant RK 21 I/SBB 31. There were four tasks for the development of a machine-independent SMART-version: a) Updating of the CDC source library (ca. 180.000 Fortran statements); b) Conversion into double precision; c) Primary installation on UNIVAC; d) Primary installation on IBM. The conversion of the SMART I program was carried out in cooperation with the consulting firms RIB, Stuttgart, and IKOSS Stuttgart, under the leadership of ISD.

Smart Cutting Tools and Smart Machining: Development Approaches, and Their Implementation and Application Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Kai; Niu, Zhi-Chao; Wang, Robin C.; Rakowski, Richard; Bateman, Richard

2017-09-01

Smart machining has tremendous potential and is becoming one of new generation high value precision manufacturing technologies in line with the advance of Industry 4.0 concepts. This paper presents some innovative design concepts and, in particular, the development of four types of smart cutting tools, including a force-based smart cutting tool, a temperature-based internally-cooled cutting tool, a fast tool servo (FTS) and smart collets for ultraprecision and micro manufacturing purposes. Implementation and application perspectives of these smart cutting tools are explored and discussed particularly for smart machining against a number of industrial application requirements. They are contamination-free machining, machining of tool-wear-prone Si-based infra-red devices and medical applications, high speed micro milling and micro drilling, etc. Furthermore, implementation techniques are presented focusing on: (a) plug-and-produce design principle and the associated smart control algorithms, (b) piezoelectric film and surface acoustic wave transducers to measure cutting forces in process, (c) critical cutting temperature control in real-time machining, (d) in-process calibration through machining trials, (e) FE-based design and analysis of smart cutting tools, and (f) application exemplars on adaptive smart machining.

Preparation and properties of biodegradable starch–clay nanocomposites

KAUST Repository

Chung, Yi-Lin; Ansari, Seema; Estevez, Luis; Hayrapetyan, Suren; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.; Lai, Hsi-Mei

2010-01-01

Well-dispersed starch-clay nanocomposites were prepared by adding a dilute clay dispersion to a solution of starch followed by coprecipitation in ethanol. The clay didn't significantly influence the type of crystalline structure of starch molecules although the amount of crystallinity appears to be somewhat lower in the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites show improved modulus and strength without a decrease in elongation at break. The increase in modulus and strength is 65% and 30%, respectively for the nanocomposite containing 5 wt.% clay compared to the unfilled starch materials. Further increases in clay result in deterioration in properties most likely due to poorer clay dispersion and lower polymer crystallinity. As the amount of water increases, the modulus of both pure starch and starch nanocomposites decreases, although the change is less pronounced in the nanocomposites suggesting that the addition of clay to form nanocomposites can improve the stability of starch-based products during transportation and storage. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation and properties of biodegradable starch–clay nanocomposites

KAUST Repository

Chung, Yi-Lin

2010-01-01

Well-dispersed starch-clay nanocomposites were prepared by adding a dilute clay dispersion to a solution of starch followed by coprecipitation in ethanol. The clay didn\\'t significantly influence the type of crystalline structure of starch molecules although the amount of crystallinity appears to be somewhat lower in the nanocomposites. The nanocomposites show improved modulus and strength without a decrease in elongation at break. The increase in modulus and strength is 65% and 30%, respectively for the nanocomposite containing 5 wt.% clay compared to the unfilled starch materials. Further increases in clay result in deterioration in properties most likely due to poorer clay dispersion and lower polymer crystallinity. As the amount of water increases, the modulus of both pure starch and starch nanocomposites decreases, although the change is less pronounced in the nanocomposites suggesting that the addition of clay to form nanocomposites can improve the stability of starch-based products during transportation and storage. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative review of multifunctionality and ecosystem services in sustainable agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jiao; Tichit, Muriel; Poulot, Monique; Darly, Ségolène; Li, Shuangcheng; Petit, Caroline; Aubry, Christine

2015-02-01

Two scientific communities with broad interest in sustainable agriculture independently focus on multifunctional agriculture or ecosystem services. These communities have limited interaction and exchange, and each group faces research challenges according to independently operating paradigms. This paper presents a comparative review of published research in multifunctional agriculture and ecosystem services. The motivation for this work is to improve communication, integrate experimental approaches, and propose areas of consensus and dialog for the two communities. This extensive analysis of publication trends, ideologies, and approaches enables formulation of four main conclusions. First, the two communities are closely related through their use of the term "function." However, multifunctional agriculture considers functions as agricultural activity outputs and prefers farm-centred approaches, whereas ecosystem services considers ecosystem functions in the provision of services and prefers service-centred approaches. Second, research approaches to common questions in these two communities share some similarities, and there would be great value in integrating these approaches. Third, the two communities have potential for dialog regarding the bundle of ecosystem services and the spectrum of multifunctional agriculture, or regarding land sharing and land sparing. Fourth, we propose an integrated conceptual framework that distinguishes six groups of ecosystem services and disservices in the agricultural landscape, and combines the concepts of multifunctional agriculture and ecosystem services. This integrated framework improves applications of multifunctional agriculture and ecosystem services for operational use. Future research should examine if the framework can be readily adapted for modelling specific problems in agricultural management. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrical conduction of a XLPE nanocomposite

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yong-Jun; Sim, Jae-Yong; Lim, Kee-Joe; Nam, Jin-Ho; Park, Wan-Gi

2014-07-01

The resistivity, breakdown strength, and formation of space charges are very important factors for insulation design of HVDC cable. It is known that a nano-sized metal-oxide inorganic filler reduces the formation of space charges in the polymer nanocomposite. Electrical conduction of cross-linked polyethylene(XLPE) nanocomposite insulating material is investigated in this paper. The conduction currents of two kinds of XLPE nanocomposites and XLPE without nano-filler were measured at temperature of 303 ~ 363 K under the applied electric fields of 10 ~ 50 kV/mm. The current of the nanocomposite specimen is smaller than that of XLPE specimen without nano-filler. The conduction mechanism may be explained in terms of Schottky emission and multi-core model.

Vibration Antiresonance Design for a Spacecraft Multifunctional Structure

OpenAIRE

Li, Dong-Xu; Liu, Wang; Hao, Dong

2017-01-01

Spacecraft must withstand rigorous mechanical environment experiences such as acceleration, noise, vibration, and shock during the process of launching, satellite-vehicle separation, and so on. In this paper, a new spacecraft multifunctional structure concept designed by us is introduced. The multifunctional structure has the functions of not only load bearing, but also vibration reduction, energy source, thermal control, and so on, and we adopt a series of viscoelastic parts as connections b...

Largely enhanced thermal and mechanical properties of polymer nanocomposites via incorporating C60@graphene nanocarbon hybrid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Ping’an; Liu, Lina; Yu, Youming; Huang, Guobo; Guo, Qipeng

2013-01-01

Although considerable progress has been achieved to create advanced polymer nanocomposites using nanocarbons including fullerene (C 60 ) and graphene, it remains a major challenge to effectively disperse them in a polymer matrix and to fully exert their extraordinary properties. Here we report a novel approach to fabricate the C 60 @graphene nanocarbon hybrid (C 60 : ∼47.9 wt%, graphene: ∼35.1%) via three-step reactions. The presence of C 60 on a graphene sheet surface can effectively prevent the aggregation of the latter which in turn helps the dispersion of the former in a polymer matrix during melt-processing. C 60 @graphene is found to be uniformly dispersed in a polypropylene (PP) matrix. Compared with pristine C 60 or graphene, C 60 @graphene further improves the thermal stability and mechanical properties of PP. The incorporation of 2.0 wt% C 60 @graphene (relative to PP) can remarkably increase the initial degradation temperature by around 59 ° C and simultaneously enhance the tensile strength and Young’s modulus by 67% and 76%, respectively, all of which are higher than those of corresponding PP/C 60 (graphene) nanocomposites. These significant performance improvements are mainly due to the free-radical-trapping effect of C 60 , and the thermal barrier and reinforcing effects of graphene nanosheets as well as the effective stress load transfer. This work provides a new methodology to design multifunctional nanohybrids for creating advanced materials. (paper)

Smart market. From smart grid to the intelligent energy market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aichele, Christian; Doleski, Oliver D.

2014-01-01

Dare more market. - The design of this postulate provides an important contribution to the success of the German energy transition. The Bundesnetzagentur has shown with its highly regarded benchmark paper on smart grids and markets leads the way towards more market in the energy sector. The therein required differentiation in a network and market sphere contributes to greater transparency on the consumer side and enables a gid releaving shift in energy consumption. The book focuses on actors and roles in the modified market circumstances as well as components and products of a future Smart Markets. Finally, to the reader concrete business models are offered. Authors from science and practice give in this book answers on how the interaction of Smart Grid and Smart Market works. [de

Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube-titania Nanocomposites ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

NICOLAAS

Physical and chemical characterization of the mesoporous nanocomposites from ... On the other hand, nanocomposites from sol-gel synthetic method had larger surface areas, were more defective ... This highlights the great potential of typical nanomaterials in ... various options available, especially for a developing world.

Smart logistics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Woensel, van T.

2012-01-01

This lecture focuses on Smart Logistics referring to these intelligent managerial decisions related to the design, operations and control of the transportation chain processes in an efficient and cost-effective way. The starting point for Smart Logistics is the key observation that the real-life

Chitosan-based nanocomposites

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Kesavan Pillai, Sreejarani

2012-08-01

Full Text Available , and hygiene devices. They thus represent a strong and emerging answer for improved and eco-friendly materials. This chapter reviews the recent developments in the area of chitosan-based nanocomposites, with a special emphasis on clay-containing nanocomposites...-sized mineral fillers like silica, talc, and clay are added to reduce the cost and improve chitosan’s performance in some way. However, the mechanical properties such as elongation at break and tensile strength of these composites decrease with the incorporation...

Complex IoT Systems as Enablers for Smart Homes in a Smart City Vision

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Per Lynggaard

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The world is entering a new era, where Internet-of-Things (IoT, smart homes, and smart cities will play an important role in meeting the so-called big challenges. In the near future, it is foreseen that the majority of the world’s population will live their lives in smart homes and in smart cities. To deal with these challenges, to support a sustainable urban development, and to improve the quality of life for citizens, a multi-disciplinary approach is needed. It seems evident, however, that a new, advanced Information and Communications Technology ICT infrastructure is a key feature to realize the “smart” vision. This paper proposes a specific solution in the form of a hierarchical layered ICT based infrastructure that handles ICT issues related to the “big challenges” and seamlessly integrates IoT, smart homes, and smart city structures into one coherent unit. To exemplify benefits of this infrastructure, a complex IoT system has been deployed, simulated and elaborated. This simulation deals with wastewater energy harvesting from smart buildings located in a smart city context. From the simulations, it has been found that the proposed infrastructure is able to harvest between 50% and 75% of the wastewater energy in a smart residential building. By letting the smart city infrastructure coordinate and control the harvest time and duration, it is possible to achieve considerable energy savings in the smart homes, and it is possible to reduce the peak-load for district heating plants.

Towards a smart home framework

OpenAIRE

Alam, Muddasser; Alan, Alper; Rogers, Alex; Ramchurn, Sarvapali D.

2013-01-01

We present our Smart Home Framework (SHF) which simplifies the modelling, prototyping and simulation of smart infrastructure (i.e., smart home and smart communities). It provides the buildings blocks (e.g., home appliances) that can be extended and assembled together to build a smart infrastructure model to which appropriate AI techniques can be applied. This approach enables rapid modelling where new research initiatives can build on existing work.

Gerontechnology for demented patients: smart homes for smart aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Frisardi, Vincenza; Imbimbo, Bruno P

2011-01-01

In an aging world, maintaining good health and independence for as long as possible is essential. Instead of hospitalization or institutionalization, the elderly with chronic conditions, especially those with cognitive impairment, can be assisted in their own environment with numerous 'smart' devices that support them in their activity of daily living. A "smart home" is a residence equipped with technology that facilitates monitoring of residents to improve quality of life and promote physical independence, as well as to reduce caregiver burden. Several projects worldwide have been conducted, but some ethical and legal issues are still unresolved and, at present, there is no evidence of the effects of smart homes on health outcomes. Randomized controlled trials are needed to understand the plus and minuses of these projects, but this will only be possible with a widespread proliferation and penetration of smart homes in the social network.

Engineering the unique 2D mat of graphene to achieve graphene-TiO2 nanocomposite for photocatalytic selective transformation: what advantage does graphene have over its forebear carbon nanotube?

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yanhui; Tang, Zi-Rong; Fu, Xianzhi; Xu, Yi-Jun

2011-09-27

Increasing interest has been devoted to synthesizing graphene (GR)-semiconductor nanocomposites as photocatalysts for potential applications, which is very similar to its forebear carbon nanotube (CNT)-semiconductor photocatalysts. Unfortunately, a thoughtful and inevitable comparison between GR- and CNT-semiconductors as photocatalysts is often neglected in literature. This situation may give incomplete or exaggerated information on the contribution role of GR to enhance the semiconductor photocatalytic activity, as compared to CNT. Thus, our knowledge regarding the specific advantage of GR over CNT on how to design more efficient GR-semiconductor nanocomposites and understanding the origin of their enhanced photocatalytic performance is far from satisfactory. By taking the TiO(2) semiconductor as an example, we conceptually demonstrate how to synthesize a more efficient GR-TiO(2) nanocomposite as a visible light photocatalyst toward selective oxidation of alcohols under mild conditions. Comparison between GR-TiO(2) and CNT-TiO(2) discloses the prominent advantage of GR over CNT on both controlling the morphology of GR-TiO(2) nanocomposite and enhancing the photocatalytic activity of TiO(2). This work clearly highlights the importance and necessity for a comparison investigation between GR- and CNT-semiconductors as photocatalysts, which will promote our in-depth fundamental understanding on the analogy and difference between GR and CNT on controlling the morphology of GR (or CNT)-semiconductor nanocomposites and enhancing the photocatalytic performance. Therefore, we appeal the photocatalysis community to pay attention to this respect rather than separately imposing hype on the miracle of GR in much the same way as its carbon forebears, which could significantly advance our rational fabrication of smart GR-semiconductor nanocomposites for artificial photosynthesis. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Eco-friendly polymer nanocomposites processing and properties

CERN Document Server

Thakur, Vijay Kumar

2015-01-01

This book contains precisely referenced chapters, emphasizing environment-friendly polymer nanocomposites with basic fundamentals, practicality and alternatives to traditional nanocomposites through detailed reviews of different environmental friendly materials procured from different resources, their synthesis and applications using alternative green approaches. The book aims at explaining basics of eco-friendly polymer nanocomposites from different natural resources and their chemistry along with practical applications which present a future direction in the biomedical, pharmaceutical and automotive industry. The book attempts to present emerging economic and environmentally friendly polymer nanocomposites that are free from side effects studied in the traditional nanocomposites. This book is the outcome of contributions by many experts in the field from different disciplines, with various backgrounds and expertises. This book will appeal to researchers as well as students from different disciplines. The co...

Smart metering. Conformance tests for electricity meters; Smart Metering. Konformitaetstests an Stromzaehlern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bormann, Matthias; Pongratz, Siegfried [VDE Pruef- und Zertifizierungsinstitut, Offenbach (Germany)

2012-07-01

Introduction of communication technologies into today's energy network enables the interworking between the domains of smart metering, smart grid, smart home and e-mobility as well as the creation and provisioning of new innovative services such as efficient load adjustment. Due to this convergence the new energy networks are becoming increasingly complex. Ensuring the interworking between all network elements (e.g. electricity meters, gateways) in these smart energy networks is of utmost importance. To this end conformance and interoperability tests have to be defined to ensure that services work as expected. (orig.)

A smart magnetic nanoplatform for synergistic anticancer therapy: manoeuvring mussel-inspired functional magnetic nanoparticles for pH responsive anticancer drug delivery and hyperthermia

Science.gov (United States)

Sasikala, Arathyram Ramachandra Kurup; Ghavaminejad, Amin; Unnithan, Afeesh Rajan; Thomas, Reju George; Moon, Myeongju; Jeong, Yong Yeon; Park, Chan Hee; Kim, Cheol Sang

2015-10-01

We report the versatile design of a smart nanoplatform for thermo-chemotherapy treatment of cancer. For the first time in the literature, our design takes advantage of the outstanding properties of mussel-inspired multiple catecholic groups - presenting a unique copolymer poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-dopamine methacrylamide) p(HEMA-co-DMA) to surface functionalize the superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as well as to conjugate borate containing anticancer drug bortezomib (BTZ) in a pH-dependent manner for the synergistic anticancer treatment. The unique multiple anchoring groups can be used to substantially improve the affinity of the ligands to the surfaces of the nanoparticles to form ultrastable iron oxide nanoparticles with control over their hydrodynamic diameter and interfacial chemistry. Thus the BTZ-incorporated-bio-inspired-smart magnetic nanoplatform will act as a hyperthermic agent that delivers heat when an alternating magnetic field is applied while the BTZ-bound catechol moieties act as chemotherapeutic agents in a cancer environment by providing pH-dependent drug release for the synergistic thermo-chemotherapy application. The anticancer efficacy of these bio-inspired multifunctional smart magnetic nanoparticles was tested both in vitro and in vivo and found that these unique magnetic nanoplatforms can be established to endow for the next generation of nanomedicine for efficient and safe cancer therapy.We report the versatile design of a smart nanoplatform for thermo-chemotherapy treatment of cancer. For the first time in the literature, our design takes advantage of the outstanding properties of mussel-inspired multiple catecholic groups - presenting a unique copolymer poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-dopamine methacrylamide) p(HEMA-co-DMA) to surface functionalize the superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as well as to conjugate borate containing anticancer drug bortezomib (BTZ) in a pH-dependent manner for the synergistic

Material selection for Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility tanks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carlos, W.C.

1994-01-01

This report briefly summarizes the history of the materials selection for the US Department of Energy's high-level waste carbon steel storage tanks. It also provide an evaluation of the materials for the construction of new tanks at the Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility. The evaluation included a materials matrix that summarized the critical design, fabrication, construction, and corrosion resistance requirements; assessed each requirement; and cataloged the advantages and disadvantages of each material. This evaluation is based on the mission of the Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility. On the basis of the compositions of the wastes stored in Hanford waste tanks, it is recommended that tanks for the Multi-Function Waste Tank Facility be constructed of normalized ASME SA 516, Grade 70, carbon steel

Novel ultrasound-responsive chitosan/perfluorohexane nanodroplets for image-guided smart delivery of an anticancer agent: Curcumin.

Science.gov (United States)

Baghbani, Fatemeh; Chegeni, Mahdieh; Moztarzadeh, Fathollah; Hadian-Ghazvini, Samaneh; Raz, Majid

2017-05-01

Ultrasound-responsive nanodroplets are a class of new emerging smart drug delivery systems which provide image-guided nano-therapy of various diseases, especially cancers. Here, we developed multifunctional smart curcumin-loaded chitosan/perfluorohexane nanodroplets for contrast-ultrasound imaging and on-demand drug delivery. The nanodroplets were synthesized via nanoemulsion process. The optimal formulation with the size of 101.2nm and 77.8% curcumin entrapment was chosen for release study and cytotoxicity evaluation. Sonication at the frequency of 1MHz, 2W/cm 2 for 4min triggered the release of 63.5% of curcumin from optimal formulation (Cur-NDs-2). Ultrasound aided release study indicated that the concentration of perfluorohexane and the degree of acoustic droplet vaporization play important role in ultrasound-active drug release. B-mode ultrasound imaging confirmed strong ultrasound contrast of chitosan nanodroplets even at low concentrations via droplet to bubble transition. Finally, cytotoxicity of the ultrasound-responsive nanodroplets in the presence of ultrasound was evaluated in-vitro on 4T1 human breast cancer cells. Cell growth inhibitory effects of curcumin-loaded nanodroplets significantly increased by ultrasound exposure. According to the obtained results, these ultrasound responsive curcumin-loaded chitosan/perfluorohexane nanodroplets have a great potential for imaged-guided cancer therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design and Optimisation Problems in Wireless Sensor Networks

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Premkumar Karumbu,1.05 ECE,,+91-9448227167

2010-11-14

Nov 14, 2010 ... Wireless Networks of Multifunction Smart Sensors (WSNs). A smart sensor ... Energy and environment management networks in large buildings. Emerging ISA ... Monitoring mobile patients in hospitals and homes. Locating ...

Book-Smart, Not Street-Smart: Blockchain-Based Smart Contracts and The Social Workings of Law

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen E. C. Levy

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper critiques blockchain-based “smart contracts,” which aim to automatically and securely execute obligations without reliance on a centralized enforcement authority. Though smart contracts do have some features that might serve the goals of social justice and fairness, I suggest that they are based on a thin conception of what law does, and how it does it. Smart contracts focus on the technical form of contract to the exclusion of the social contexts within which contracts operate, and the complex ways in which people use them. In the real world, contractual obligations are enforced through all kinds of social mechanisms other than formal adjudication—and contracts serve many functions that are not explicitly legal in nature, or even designed to be formally enforced. I describe three categories of contracting practices in which people engage (the inclusion of facially unenforceable terms, the inclusion of purposefully underspecified terms, and willful nonenforcement of enforceable terms to illustrate how contracts actually “work.” The technology of smart contracts neglects the fact that people use contracts as social resources to manage their relations. The inflexibility that they introduce, by design, might short-circuit a number of social uses to which law is routinely put. Therefore, I suggest that attention to the social and relational contexts of contracting are essential considerations for the discussion, development, and deployment of smart contracts.

Multi-Functional All BN-BN Composites

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Development of multifunctional Boron Nitride nanotube-Boron Nitride (BN-BN) composites to provide novel energy transducers, thermal conductors, anti-penetrator/wear...

Improving the photocatalytic performance of graphene-TiO2 nanocomposites via a combined strategy of decreasing defects of graphene and increasing interfacial contact.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yanhui; Zhang, Nan; Tang, Zi-Rong; Xu, Yi-Jun

2012-07-07

Incessant interest has been shown in the synthesis of graphene (GR)-semiconductor nanocomposites as photocatalysts aiming to utilize the excellent electron conductivity of GR to lengthen the lifetime of photoexcited charge carriers in the semiconductor and, hence, improve the photoactivity. However, research works focused on investigating how to make sufficient use of the unique electron conductivity of GR to design a more efficient GR-semiconductor photocatalyst have been quite lacking. Here, we show a proof-of-concept study on improving the photocatalytic performance of GR-TiO(2) nanocomposites via a combined strategy of decreasing defects of GR and improving the interfacial contact between GR and the semiconductor TiO(2). The GR-TiO(2) nanocomposite fabricated by this approach is able to make more sufficient use of the electron conductivity of GR, by which the lifetime and transfer of photoexcited charge carriers of GR-TiO(2) upon visible light irradiation will be improved more efficiently. This in turn leads to the enhancement of visible-light-driven photoactivity of GR-TiO(2) toward selective transformation of alcohols to corresponding aldehydes using molecular oxygen as a benign oxidant under ambient conditions. It is anticipated that our current work would inform ongoing efforts to exploit the rational design of smart, more efficient GR-semiconductor photocatalysts for conversion of solar to chemical energy by heterogeneous photocatalysis.

Multifunctional materials for bone cancer treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marques C

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Catarina Marques,1 José MF Ferreira,1 Ecaterina Andronescu,2 Denisa Ficai,2 Maria Sonmez,3 Anton Ficai21Department of Materials and Ceramics Engineering, Centre for Research in Ceramics and Composite Materials, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal; 2Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Material Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; 3National Research and Development Institute for Textiles and Leather, Bucharest, RomaniaAbstract: The purpose of this review is to present the most recent findings in bone tissue engineering. Special attention is given to multifunctional materials based on collagen and collagen–hydroxyapatite composites used for skin and bone cancer treatments. The multifunctionality of these materials was obtained by adding to the base regenerative grafts proper components, such as ferrites (magnetite being the most important representative, cytostatics (cisplatin, carboplatin, vincristine, methotrexate, paclitaxel, doxorubicin, silver nanoparticles, antibiotics (anthracyclines, geldanamycin, and/or analgesics (ibuprofen, fentanyl. The suitability of complex systems for the intended applications was systematically analyzed. The developmental possibilities of multifunctional materials with regenerative and curative roles (antitumoral as well as pain management in the field of skin and bone cancer treatment are discussed. It is worth mentioning that better materials are likely to be developed by combining conventional and unconventional experimental strategies.Keywords: bone graft, cancer, collagen, magnetite, cytostatics, silver

Graphene oxide nanocomposites and their electrorheology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Wen Ling; Liu, Ying Dan; Choi, Hyoung Jin

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • GO-based PANI, NCOPA and PS nanocomposites are prepared. • The nanocomposites are adopted as novel electrorheological (ER) candidates. • Their critical ER characteristics and dielectric performance are analyzed. • Typical ER behavior widens applications of GO-based nanocomposites. - Abstract: Graphene oxide (GO), a novel one-atom carbon system, has become one of the most interesting materials recently due to its unique physical and chemical properties in addition to graphene. This article briefly reviews a recent progress of the fabrication of GO-based polyaniline, ionic N-substituted copolyaniline and polystyrene nanocomposites. The critical electrorheological characteristics such as flow response and yield stress from rheological measurement, relaxation time and achievable polarizability from dielectric analysis are also analyzed

Smart Circuit Breaker Communication Infrastructure

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Octavian Mihai MACHIDON

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The expansion of the Internet of Things has fostered the development of smart technologies in fields such as power transmission and distribution systems (as is the Smart Grid and also in regard to home automation (the Smart Home concept. This paper addresses the network communication infrastructure for a Smart Circuit Breaker system, a novel application at the edge of the two afore-mentioned systems (Smart Grid and Smart Home. Such a communication interface has high requirements from functionality, performance and security point of views, given the large amount of distributed connected elements and the real-time information transmission and system management. The paper describes the design and implementation of the data server, Web interface and the embedded networking capabilities of the smart circuit breakers, underlining the protocols and communication technologies used.

Vegetable Oil-Based Hyperbranched Thermosetting Polyurethane/Clay Nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Deka, Harekrishna; Karak, Niranjan

2009-04-25

The highly branched polyurethanes and vegetable oil-based polymer nanocomposites have been showing fruitful advantages across a spectrum of potential field of applications. Mesua ferrea L. seed oil-based hyperbranched polyurethane (HBPU)/clay nanocomposites were prepared at different dose levels by in situ polymerization technique. The performances of epoxy-cured thermosetting nanocomposites are reported for the first time. The partially exfoliated structure of clay layers was confirmed by XRD and TEM. FTIR spectra indicate the presence of H bonding between nanoclay and the polymer matrix. The present investigation outlines the significant improvement of tensile strength, scratch hardness, thermostability, water vapor permeability, and adhesive strength without much influencing impact resistance, bending, and elongation at break of the nanocomposites compared to pristine HBPU thermoset. An increment of two times the tensile strength, 6 degrees C of melting point, and 111 degrees C of thermo-stability were achieved by the formation of nanocomposites. An excellent shape recovery of about 96-99% was observed for the nanocomposites. Thus, the formation of partially exfoliated clay/vegetable oil-based hyperbranched polyurethane nanocomposites significantly improved the performance.

Load transfer of nanocomposite film on aluminum substrate.

Science.gov (United States)

Her, Shiuh-Chuan; Chien, Pao-Chu

2018-01-01

Nanocomposite films have attracted much attention in recent years. Depending on the composition of the film and fabrication method, a large range of applications has been employed for nanocomposite films. In this study, nanocomposite films reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were deposited on the aluminum substrate through hot press processing. A shear lag model and Euler beam theory were employed to evaluate the stress distribution and load carrying capability of the nanocomposite film subjected to tensile load and bending moment. The influence of MWCNT on the Young's modulus and load carrying capability of the nanocomposite film was investigated through a parametric study. The theoretical predictions were verified by comparison with experimental tests. A close agreement with difference less than 6% was achieved between the theoretical prediction and experimental measurements. The Young's modulus and load transfer of the nanocomposite film reinforced with MWCNTs increases with the increase of the MWCNT loading. Compared to the neat epoxy film, nanocomposite film with 1 wt % of MWCNT exhibits an increase of 20% in both the Young's modulus and load carrying capability.

Epoxy polyurethane nanocomposites filled with fullerite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rozhnova, R.A.; Galatenko, N.A.; Lukashevich, S.A.; Shirokov, O.D.; Levenets', Je.G.

2015-01-01

New nanocomposite materials based on epoxy polyurethane (EPU) containing nanoscale fullerite in its composition are produced. The influence of small impurities of fullerite on physical and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites is established. The effect of a nanofiller and its concentration on the structure and properties of the composite and the ability to biodegradation in vitro is studied. The developed nanocomposites exhibit the biodegradability, and the presence of nanofillers in the EPU facilitates the course of the process

Fracture behavior of polypropylene/clay nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ling; Wang, Ke; Kotaki, Masaya; Hu, Charmaine; He, Chaobin

2006-12-01

Polypropylene (PP)/clay nanocomposites have been prepared via a reactive compounding approach with an epoxy based masterbatch. Compared with PP and common PP/organoclay nanocomposites, the PP/clay nanocomposites based on epoxy/clay masterbatch have higher impact strength. The phenomenon can be attributed to the epoxy phase dispersed uniformly in the PP matrix, which may act as impact energy absorber and helps to form a large damage zone, thus a higher impact strength value is achieved.

Cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) filled boron nitride (BN) nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sulaiman, Hanisah Syed; Hua, Chia Chin; Zakaria, Sarani [School of Applied Physic, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.43600 Bangi, Selangor (Malaysia)

2015-09-25

In this study, nanocomposite using cellulose nanofibrils filled with different percentage of boron nitride (CNF-BN) were prepared. The objective of this research is to study the effect of different percentage of BN to the thermal conductivity of the nanocomposite produced. The CNF-BN nanocomposite were characterization by FT-IR, SEM and thermal conductivity. The FT-IR analysis of the CNF-BN nanocomposite shows all the characteristic peaks of cellulose and BN present in all samples. The dispersion of BN in CNF were seen through SEM analysis. The effect of different loading percentage of BN to the thermal conductivity of the nanocomposite were also investigated.

The role of smart home in smart real estate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Allameh, E.; Heidari Jozam, M.; Vries, de B.; Timmermans, H.J.P.; Beetz, J.; Mozaffar, F.

2012-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review an emerging type of dwelling, indicated as Smart Home, with a focus on future user lifestyles and needs. Trends toward sustainability and technological changes dramatically alter the concepts of Smart Home. Consequently, real estate decisions are

Smart Home Test Bed: Examining How Smart Homes Interact with the Power Grid

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2016-11-01

This fact sheet highlights the Smart Home Test Bed capability at the Energy Systems Integration Facility. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is working on one of the new frontiers of smart home research: finding ways for smart home technologies and systems to enhance grid operations in the presence of distributed, clean energy technologies such as photovoltaics (PV). To help advance this research, NREL has developed a controllable, flexible, and fully integrated Smart Home Test Bed.

Characterization of Encapsulated Corrosion Inhibitors for Environmentally Friendly Smart Coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Pearman, B. P.; Calle, L. M.; Zhang, X.; Li, W.; Buhrow, J. W.; Johnsey, M. N.; Montgomery, E. L.; Fitzpatrick, L.; Surma, J. M.

2015-01-01

The NASA Kennedy Space Center's Corrosion Technology Lab at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, U.S.A. has been developing multifunctional smart coatings based on the microencapsulation of environmentally friendly corrosion indicators, inhibitors and self-healing agents. This allows the incorporation of autonomous corrosion control functionalities, such as corrosion detection and inhibition as well as the self-healing of mechanical damage, into coatings. This paper presents technical details on the characterization of inhibitor-containing particles and their corrosion inhibitive effects using electrochemical and mass loss methods. Three organic environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitors were encapsulated in organic microparticles that are compatible with desired coatings. The release of the inhibitors from the microparticles in basic solution was studied. Fast release, for immediate corrosion protection, as well as long-term release for continued protection, was observed. The inhibition efficacy of the inhibitors, incorporated directly and in microparticles, on carbon steel was evaluated. Polarization curves and mass loss measurements showed that, in the case of 2MBT, its corrosion inhibition effectiveness was greater when it was delivered from microparticles.

SmartPrivacy for the smart grid : embedding privacy into the design of electricity conservation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cavoukian, A. [Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner, Toronto, ON (Canada); Polonetsky, J.; Wolf, C. [Future of Privacy Forum, Washington, DC (United States)

2009-11-15

Modernization efforts are underway to make the current electrical grid smarter. The future of the Smart Grid will be capable of informing consumers of their day-to-day energy use, curbing greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing consumers' energy bills. However, the Smart Grid also brings with it the possibility of collecting detailed information on individual energy consumption use and patterns within peoples' homes. This paper discussed the Smart Grid and its benefits, as well as the questions that should be examined regarding privacy. The paper also outlined the concept of SmartPrivacy and discussed its application to the Smart Grid scenario. Privacy by design foundational principles and Smart Grid components were also presented in an appendix. It was concluded that the information collected on a Smart Grid will form a library of personal information. The mishandling of this information could be extremely invasive of consumer privacy. 46 refs., 1 fig., 2 appendices.

MULTIFUNCTIONAL SOLAR SYSTEMS FOR HEATING AND COOLING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doroshenko A.V.

2010-12-01

Full Text Available The basic circuits of multifunctional solar systems of air drainage, heating (hot water supply and heating, cooling and air conditioning are developed on the basis of open absorption cycle with a direct absorbent regeneration. Basic decisions for new generation of gas-liquid solar collectors are developed. Heat-mass-transfer apparatus included in evaporative cooling system, are based on film interaction of flows of gas and liquid and in them, for the creation of nozzle, multi-channel structures from polymeric materials and porous ceramics are used. Preliminary analysis of multifunctional systems possibilities is implemented.

Smart Money

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Avital, Michel; Hedman, Jonas; Albinsson, Lars

2017-01-01

transaction costs by providing seamless real-time payments. In addition, digital legal tender that is based on blockchain technology can provide a foundation for customizable “smart money” which can be used to manage the appropriation of money and its use. In essence, the smart money is a customizable value...

The Smart Energy System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jurowetzki, Roman; Dyrelund, Anders; Hummelmose, Lars

Copenhagen Cleantech Cluster has launched a new report, which provides an overview of Danish competencies relating to smart energy systems. The report, which is based on a questionnaire answered by almost 200 companies working with smart energy as well as a number of expert interviews, focuses on...... production, large scale solar heat, fuel cells, heat storage, waste incineration, among others, the report draws a picture of Denmark as a research and development hub for smart energy system solutions.......Copenhagen Cleantech Cluster has launched a new report, which provides an overview of Danish competencies relating to smart energy systems. The report, which is based on a questionnaire answered by almost 200 companies working with smart energy as well as a number of expert interviews, focuses...... on the synergies which are obtained through integration of the district heating and district cooling, gas, and electricity grid into a single smart energy system. Besides documenting the technology and innovation strengths that Danish companies possess particularly relating to wind, district heating, CHP...

78 FR 32427 - Notice of Issuance of Final Determination Concerning Multifunctional Digital Imaging Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-30

... multifunctional digital imaging systems for purposes of U.S. Government procurement. DATES: The final... Determination Concerning Multifunctional Digital Imaging Systems AGENCY: U.S. Customs and Border Protection... country of origin of certain multifunctional digital imaging systems. Based upon the facts presented, CBP...

Polypyrrole-silver Nanocomposite: Synthesis and Characterization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. M. Nerkar

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Polypyrrole-Silver (PPy-Ag nanocomposite has been successfully synthesized by the chemical oxidative polymerization of pyrrole with iron (III chloride as an oxidant, in the presence of a colloidal suspension of silver nanoparticles. Turkevich method (Citrate reduction method was used for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs. The silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy which showed an absorption band at 423 nm confirming the formation of nanoparticles. PPy-Ag nanocomposite was characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR and X-ray diffraction (XRD techniques for morphological and structural confirmations. TEM and SEM images revealed that the silver nanoparticles were well dispersed in the PPy matrix. XRD pattern showed that PPy is amorphous but the presence of the peaks at 2q values of 38.24°, 44.57°, 64.51° and 78.45° corresponding to a cubic phase of silver, revealed the incorporation of silver nanoparticles in the PPy matrix. A possible formation mechanism of PPy-Ag nanocomposite was also proposed. The electrical conductivity of PPy-Ag nanocomposite was studied using two probe method. The electrical conductivity of the PPy-Ag nanocomposite prepared was found to be 4.657´10- 2 S/cm, whereas that of pure PPy was found to be 9.85´10-3 S/cm at room temperature (303 K. The value of activation energy (Ea for pure PPy was 0.045 eV while it decreased to 0.034 eV for PPy-Ag nanocomposite. The synthesized nanocomposite powder can be utilized as a potential material for fabrication of gas sensors operating at room temperature.

Smart space technology innovations

CERN Document Server

Chen, Mu-Yen

2013-01-01

Recently, ad hoc and wireless communication technologies have made available the device, service and information rich environment for users. Smart Space and ubiquitous computing extend the ""Living Lab"" vision of everyday objects and provide context-awareness services to users in smart living environments. This ebook investigates smart space technology and its innovations around the Living Labs. The final goal is to build context-awareness smart space and location-based service applications that integrate information from independent systems which autonomously and securely support human activ

The People's Smart Sculpture

OpenAIRE

Koplin, Martin; Nedelkovski, Igor; Salo, Kari

2016-01-01

The People’s Smart Sculpture (PS2) panel discusses future oriented approaches in smart media-art, developed, designed and exploited for artistic and public participation in the change and re-design of our living environment. The actual debate about a smart future is not taking into account any idea of media art as an instrument for to realize the social sculpture, mentioned by Beuys [1] or as social sculpture itself. The People’s Smart Sculpture is the only large scale Creative Europe media-a...

Polyaniline-CuO hybrid nanocomposite with enhanced electrical conductivity

Science.gov (United States)

de Souza, Vânia S.; da Frota, Hidembergue O.; Sanches, Edgar A.

2018-02-01

A hybrid nanocomposite based on a polymer matrix constituted of Polyaniline Emeraldine-salt form (PANI-ES) reinforced by copper oxide II (CuO) particles was obtained by in situ polymerization. Structural, morphological and electrical properties of the pure materials and nanocomposite form were investigated. The presence of CuO particles in the nanocomposite material affected the natural alignment of the polymer chains. XRD technique allowed the visualization of the polymer amorphization in the nanocomposite form, suggesting an interaction between both phases. The FTIR spectra confirmed this molecular interaction due to the blue shift of the characteristic absorption peaks of PANI-ES in the nanocomposite form. SEM images revealed that the polymer nanofiber morphology was no longer observed in the nanocomposite. The CuO spherical particles are randomly dispersed in the polymer matrix. The density functional theory plus the Coulomb interaction method revealed a charge transfer from PANI to CuO slab. Moreover, the density of states (DOS) has revealed that the nanocomposite behaves as a metal. In agreement, the electrical conductivity showed an increase of 60% in the nanocomposite material.

Home, Smart Home

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Ellen Kathrine; Olesen, Gitte Gylling Hammershøj; Mullins, Michael

2013-01-01

The article places focus on how smart technologies integrated in a one family- home and particular the window offer unique challenges and opportunities for designing buildings with the best possible environments for people and nature. Toward an interdisciplinary approach, we address the interaction...... between daylight defined in technical terms and daylight defined in aesthetic, architectural terms. Through field-tests of a Danish carbon-neutral home and an analysis of five key design parameters, we explore the contradictions and potentials in smart buildings, using the smart window as example of how...... to the energy design is central. The study illuminates an approach of the design of smart houses as living organisms by connecting technology with the needs of the occupants with the power and beauty of daylight....

Nanocomposite tribological coatings with "chameleon" surface adaptation

Science.gov (United States)

Voevodin, A. A.; Fitz, T. A.; Hu, J. J.; Zabinski, J. S.

2002-07-01

Nanocomposite tribological coatings were designed to respond to changing environmental conditions by self-adjustment of their surface properties to maintain good tribological performance in any environment. These smart coatings have been dubbed "chameleon" because, analogous to a chameleon changing its skin color to avoid predators, the coating changes its "skin" chemistry and structure to avoid wear. The concept was originally developed using WC, diamondlike carbon, and WS2 material combination for adaptation to a humid/dry environment cycling. In order to address temperature variation, nanocomposite coatings made of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) in a gold matrix were developed with encapsulated nanosized reservoirs of MoS2 and diamondlike carbon (DLC). Coatings were produced using a combination of laser ablation and magnetron sputtering. They were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Results were correlated with mechanical and tribological characterization. Coating hardness was evaluated using nanoindentation, while coating adhesion and toughness were estimated using scratch and Vickers indentation tests. Friction and wear endurance measurements of YSZ/Au/MoS2/DLC coatings against steel and Si3N4 balls were performed at room temperature in controlled humidity air, dry nitrogen, and vacuum environments, as well as at 500 degC in air. Depending on the environment, coating friction surface changed its chemistry and structure between (i) graphitic carbon for sliding in humid air [coating friction coefficients (c.o.f. 0.10-0.15)], (ii) hexagonal MoS2 for sliding in dry N2 and vacuum (c.o.f. 0.02-0.05), and (iii) metallic Au for sliding in air at 500 degC (c.o.f. 0.10-0.20). The unique coating skin adaptation realized with YSZ/Au/MoS2/DLC and WC/DLC/WS composites proves a universal applicability of the chameleon design concept

Nanocomposite tribological coatings with 'chameleon' surface adaptation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voevodin, A.A.; Fitz, T.A.; Hu, J.J.; Zabinski, J.S.

2002-01-01

Nanocomposite tribological coatings were designed to respond to changing environmental conditions by self-adjustment of their surface properties to maintain good tribological performance in any environment. These smart coatings have been dubbed 'chameleon' because, analogous to a chameleon changing its skin color to avoid predators, the coating changes its 'skin' chemistry and structure to avoid wear. The concept was originally developed using WC, diamondlike carbon, and WS 2 material combination for adaptation to a humid/dry environment cycling. In order to address temperature variation, nanocomposite coatings made of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) in a gold matrix were developed with encapsulated nanosized reservoirs of MoS 2 and diamondlike carbon (DLC). Coatings were produced using a combination of laser ablation and magnetron sputtering. They were characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy, and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Results were correlated with mechanical and tribological characterization. Coating hardness was evaluated using nanoindentation, while coating adhesion and toughness were estimated using scratch and Vickers indentation tests. Friction and wear endurance measurements of YSZ/Au/MoS 2 /DLC coatings against steel and Si 3 N 4 balls were performed at room temperature in controlled humidity air, dry nitrogen, and vacuum environments, as well as at 500 deg. C in air. Depending on the environment, coating friction surface changed its chemistry and structure between (i) graphitic carbon for sliding in humid air [coating friction coefficients (c.o.f. 0.10-0.15)], (ii) hexagonal MoS 2 for sliding in dry N 2 and vacuum (c.o.f. 0.02-0.05), and (iii) metallic Au for sliding in air at 500 deg. C (c.o.f. 0.10-0.20). The unique coating skin adaptation realized with YSZ/Au/MoS 2 /DLC and WC/DLC/WS composites proves a universal applicability of the chameleon design

The economic impact of multifunctional agriculture in The Netherlands: A regional input-output model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heringa, P.W.; Heide, van der C.M.; Heijman, W.J.M.

2012-01-01

Multifunctional agriculture is a broad concept lacking a precise and uniform definition. Moreover, little is known about the societal importance of multifunctional agriculture. This paper is an empirical attempt to fill this gap. To this end, an input-output model is constructed for multifunctional

Large-Strain Transparent Magnetoactive Polymer Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Meador, Michael A.

2012-01-01

A document discusses polymer nano - composite superparamagnetic actuators that were prepared by the addition of organically modified superparamagnetic nanoparticles to the polymer matrix. The nanocomposite films exhibited large deformations under a magnetostatic field with a low loading level of 0.1 wt% in a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU) matrix. The maximum actuation deformation of the nanocomposite films increased exponentially with increasing nanoparticle concentration. The cyclic deformation actuation of a high-loading magnetic nanocomposite film was examined in a low magnetic field, and it exhibited excellent reproducibility and controllability. Low-loading TPU nanocomposite films (0.1-2 wt%) were transparent to semitransparent in the visible wavelength range, owing to good dispersion of the magnetic nanoparticles. Magnetoactuation phenomena were also demonstrated in a high-modulus, high-temperature polyimide resin with less mechanical deformation.

Polymer Nanocomposite Membranes for Antifouling Nanofiltration.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamal, Tahseen; Ali, Nauman; Naseem, Abbas A; Khan, Sher B; Asiri, Abdullah M

2016-01-01

Fouling refers to the unwanted and undesirable attachment of biological macromolecules, inorganic, organic matter, and microorganisms on water contact surfaces. Fouling reduces the performance of devices involving these submerged surfaces and is considered the bottle-neck issue for various applications in the biomedical industry, food processing, and water treatment, especially in reverse osmosis (RO) desalination. Investigations have proven that nanocomposite membranes can exhibit enhanced antifouling performances and can be used for longer life times. The nanocomposite means addition of nanomaterials to main matrix at low loadings, exhibiting better properties compared to virgin matrix. In this review, a summarized description about related methods and their mechanisms for the fabrication of nanocomposite membranes with antifouling properties has been documented. Around 87 manuscripts including 10 patents were used to demonstrate the antifouling applications of of various nanocomposite membranes.

Multifunctional centers in rural areas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Gunnar Lind Haase

2009-01-01

abandoned. One outcome has been closings of schools in remote rural areas. This evidently contributes to exacerbate depopulation in these areas. To stop this tendency, we need new models for high-quality, cost effective public services in rural areas as those as we find in Denmark. This chapter introduces...... ideological roots in history pointing at 19th c. national civic movements and an early 20th c. transnational Garden City movement within urban planning as crucial. Drawing on contemporary case studies of multifunctional centers in Holland and Denmark, I then suggest that public and private donors should...... invest in multifunctional centers in which the local public school is the dynamo. This in order to increase local levels of social as well as human capital. Ideally, such centers should contain both public services such as school, library and health care, private enterprises as hairdressers and banks...

Smart Tourism: a practice approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ren, Carina Bregnholm; Petersen, Morten Krogh; Nielsen, Tanja Knoblauch

2018-01-01

by technology and data, but must be understood as a socio-technical and collaborative accomplishment. This entails seeing seemingly mundane issues as central to developing Smart Tourism and to link the development of Smart Tourism to transformations in the practices of everyday organizational life.......In this chapter, we explore how a Smart Destination is imagined and grappled with at an organizational level in its first and tentative stages of development. Drawing on practice theory and research in the North Denmark Region, we show how the idea of Smart Tourism is embraced by almost all...... of the stakeholders in the area, while the full potentials of this new phenomenon are experienced as difficult to realize. Abstaining from seeing Smart Tourism as a unilinear technological or digital evolution, we present four situated configurations of Smart Tourism. We argue that Smart Tourism is not made up solely...

Fabrication and properties of multiferroic nanocomposite films

KAUST Repository

Al-Nassar, Mohammed Y.; Ivanov, Yurii P.; Kosel, Jü rgen

2015-01-01

A new type of multiferroic polymer nanocomposite is presented, which exhibits excellent ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity simultaneously at room temperature. The multiferroic nanocomposite consists of a ferroelectric copolymer poly(vinylindene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDF-TrFE)] and high aspect ratio ferromagnetic nickel (Ni) nanowires (NWs), which were grown inside anodic aluminum oxide membranes. The fabrication of nanocomposite films with Ni NWs embedded in P(VDF-TrFE) has been successfully carried out via a simple low-temperature spin-coating technique. Structural, ferromagnetic, and ferroelectric properties of the developed nanocomposite have been investigated. The remanent and saturation polarization as well as the coercive field of the ferroelectric phase are slightly affected by the incorporation of the NWs as well as the thickness of the films. While the former two decrease, the last increases by adding the NWs or increasing the thickness. The ferromagnetic properties of the nanocomposite films are found to be isotropic.

Synthesis and Characterization of Hydroxyapatite/Fullerenol Nanocomposites.

Science.gov (United States)

Djordjevic, Aleksandar; Ignjatovic, Nenad; Seke, Mariana; Jovic, Danica; Uskokovic, Dragan; Rakocevic, Zlatko

2015-02-01

Fullerenols are polyhydroxylated, water soluble derivatives of fullerene C60, with potential application in medicine as diagnostic agents, antioxidants or nano drug carriers. This paper describes synthesis and physical characterization of a new nanocomposite hydroxyapatite/fullerenol. Surface of the nanocomposite hydroxyapatite/fullerenol is inhomogeneous with the diameter of the particles in the range from 100 nm to 350 nm. The ζ potential of this nanocomposite is ten times lower when compared to hydroxyapatite. Surface phosphate groups of hydroxyapatite are prone to forming hydrogen bonds, when in close contact with hydroxyl groups, which could lead to formation of hydrogen bonds between hydroxyapatite and hydroxyl groups of fullerenol. The surface of hydroxyapatite particles (-2.5 mV) was modified by fullerenol particles, as confirmed by the obtained ζ potential value of the nanocomposite biomaterial hydroxyapatite/fullerenol (-25.0 mV). Keywords: Hydroxyapatite, Fullerenol, Nanocomposite, Surface Analysis.

Synthesis, thermal properties and applications of polymer-clay nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meneghetti, Paulo; Qutubuddin, Syed

2006-01-01

Polymer-clay nanocomposites constitute a new class of materials in which the polymer matrix is reinforced by uniformly dispersed inorganic particles (usually 10 wt.% or less) having at least one dimension in the nanometer scale. Nanocomposites exhibit improved properties when compared to pure polymer or conventional composites, such as enhanced mechanical and thermal properties, reduced gas permeability, and improved chemical stability. In this work, the synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/clay nanocomposites is described via two methods: in situ and emulsion polymerization. The in situ technique follows a two-step process: ion-exchange of the clay to make it hydrophobic, and polymerization after dispersing the functionalized clay in the monomer. The emulsion technique combines the two steps of the in situ method into one by conducting ion-exchange and polymerization in an aqueous medium in the same reactor. The clay (montmorillonite, MMT) is functionalized with a zwitterionic surfactant, octadecyl-dimethyl betaine (C18DMB). Partially exfoliated nanocomposite, observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), was obtained by emulsion polymerization with 10 wt.% clay. Glass transition temperature (T g ) of this nanocomposite was 18 deg. C higher than pure PMMA. With the same clay content, in situ polymerization produced intercalated nanocomposite with T g 10 deg. C lower than the emulsion nanocomposite. The storage modulus of partially exfoliated nanocomposite was superior to the intercalated structure and to the pure polymer. Using nanocomposite technology, novel PMMA nanocomposite gel electrolytes were synthesized exhibiting improved ionic conductivity and stable lithium interfacial resistance. Nanocomposites can also be used for gas storage and packaging applications as demonstrated by high barrier polymer-clay films

Synthesis, thermal properties and applications of polymer-clay nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meneghetti, Paulo [Chemical Engineering Department, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States); Qutubuddin, Syed [Chemical Engineering Department, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44106 (United States)]. E-mail: sxq@case.edu

2006-03-15

Polymer-clay nanocomposites constitute a new class of materials in which the polymer matrix is reinforced by uniformly dispersed inorganic particles (usually 10 wt.% or less) having at least one dimension in the nanometer scale. Nanocomposites exhibit improved properties when compared to pure polymer or conventional composites, such as enhanced mechanical and thermal properties, reduced gas permeability, and improved chemical stability. In this work, the synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/clay nanocomposites is described via two methods: in situ and emulsion polymerization. The in situ technique follows a two-step process: ion-exchange of the clay to make it hydrophobic, and polymerization after dispersing the functionalized clay in the monomer. The emulsion technique combines the two steps of the in situ method into one by conducting ion-exchange and polymerization in an aqueous medium in the same reactor. The clay (montmorillonite, MMT) is functionalized with a zwitterionic surfactant, octadecyl-dimethyl betaine (C18DMB). Partially exfoliated nanocomposite, observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), was obtained by emulsion polymerization with 10 wt.% clay. Glass transition temperature (T {sub g}) of this nanocomposite was 18 deg. C higher than pure PMMA. With the same clay content, in situ polymerization produced intercalated nanocomposite with T {sub g} 10 deg. C lower than the emulsion nanocomposite. The storage modulus of partially exfoliated nanocomposite was superior to the intercalated structure and to the pure polymer. Using nanocomposite technology, novel PMMA nanocomposite gel electrolytes were synthesized exhibiting improved ionic conductivity and stable lithium interfacial resistance. Nanocomposites can also be used for gas storage and packaging applications as demonstrated by high barrier polymer-clay films.

Vegetable Oil-Based Hyperbranched Thermosetting Polyurethane/Clay Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deka Harekrishna

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract The highly branched polyurethanes and vegetable oil-based polymer nanocomposites have been showing fruitful advantages across a spectrum of potential field of applications.Mesua ferreaL. seed oil-based hyperbranched polyurethane (HBPU/clay nanocomposites were prepared at different dose levels by in situ polymerization technique. The performances of epoxy-cured thermosetting nanocomposites are reported for the first time. The partially exfoliated structure of clay layers was confirmed by XRD and TEM. FTIR spectra indicate the presence of H bonding between nanoclay and the polymer matrix. The present investigation outlines the significant improvement of tensile strength, scratch hardness, thermostability, water vapor permeability, and adhesive strength without much influencing impact resistance, bending, and elongation at break of the nanocomposites compared to pristine HBPU thermoset. An increment of two times the tensile strength, 6 °C of melting point, and 111 °C of thermo-stability were achieved by the formation of nanocomposites. An excellent shape recovery of about 96–99% was observed for the nanocomposites. Thus, the formation of partially exfoliated clay/vegetable oil-based hyperbranched polyurethane nanocomposites significantly improved the performance.

Nanocomposites chitosan/montmorillonite for drug delivery system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braga, Carla R. Costa; Barbosa, Rossemberg C.; Lima, Rosemary S. Cunha; Fook, Marcus V. Lia; Silva, Suedina M. Lima

2009-01-01

In drugs delivery system the incorporation of an inorganic nanophase in polymer matrix, i.e. production of an inorganic-organic nanocomposite is an attractive alternative to obtain a constant release rate for a prolonged time. This study was performed to obtain films of nanocomposites Chitosan/montmorillonite intercalation by the technique of solution in the proportions of 1:1, 5:1 and 10:1. The nanocomposites were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. The results indicated that the feasibility of obtaining films of nanocomposites exfoliate. Among the suggested applications for films developed in this study includes them use for drugs delivery system. (author)

Magnetic nanoparticles: A multifunctional vehicle for modern theranostics.

Science.gov (United States)

Angelakeris, M

2017-06-01

Magnetic nanoparticles provide a unique multifunctional vehicle for modern theranostics since they can be remotely and non-invasively employed as imaging probes, carrier vectors and smart actuators. Additionally, special delivery schemes beyond the typical drug delivery such as heat or mechanical stress may be magnetically triggered to promote certain cellular pathways. To start with, we need magnetic nanoparticles with several well-defined and reproducible structural, physical, and chemical features, while bio-magnetic nanoparticle design imposes several additional constraints. Except for the intrinsic requirement for high quality of magnetic properties in order to obtain the maximum efficiency with the minimum dose, the surface manipulation of the nanoparticles is a key aspect not only for transferring them from the growth medium to the biological environment but also to bind functional molecules that will undertake specific targeting, drug delivery, cell-specific monitoring and designated treatment without sparing biocompatibility and sustainability in-vivo. The ability of magnetic nanoparticles to interact with matter at the nanoscale not only provides the possibility to ascertain the molecular constituents of a disease, but also the way in which the totality of a biological function may be affected as well. The capacity to incorporate an array of structural and chemical functionalities onto the same nanoscale architecture also enables more accurate, sensitive and precise screening together with cure of diseases with significant pathological heterogeneity such as cancer. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Recent Advances in Bionanomaterials" Guest Editor: Dr. Marie-Louise Saboungi and Dr. Samuel D. Bader. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Values in the Smart Grid: The co-evolving political economy of smart distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, Stephen; Foxon, Timothy J.

2014-01-01

Investing in smart grid infrastructure is a key enabler for the transition to low carbon energy systems. Recent work has characterised the costs and benefits of individual “smart” investments. The political economy of the UK electricity system, however, has co-evolved such that there is a mismatch between where benefits accrue and where costs are incurred, leading to a problem of value capture and redeployment. Further, some benefits of smart grids are less easy to price directly and can be classified as public goods, such as energy security and decarbonisation. This paper builds on systemic treatments of energy system transitions to characterise the co-evolution of value capture and structural incentives in the electricity distribution system, drawing on semi-structured interviews and focus groups undertaken with smart grid stakeholders in the UK. This leads to an identification of municipal scale values that may be important for business models for the delivery of smart infrastructure. Municipalities may thus pursue specific economic opportunities through smart grid investment. This supports recent practical interest in an expanded role for municipalities as partners and investors in smart grid infrastructures. - Highlights: • Smart grid investments can benefit municipal economic development. • Drawing on urban political economy we describe these values. • New values alter the smart grid investment problem. • New integration of urban policy and DNOs are proposed by this research. • Socio-technical approaches are enhanced by urban political economy and vice versa

Multifunctional superhydrophobic coatings for large area applications

Science.gov (United States)

Megaridis, Constantine; Schutzius, Thomas; Das, Arindam; Tiwari, Manish; Bayer, Ilker

2009-11-01

Formulation of flexible superhydrophobic coatings (water droplet contact angles above 150 deg and roll-off angles below 10 deg) with high durability and electrical conductivity, and their fabrication using scalable techniques is a major challenge. The current work lays their foundation using solution processed polymer nanocomposites. Carefully selected polymer(s) are used to disperse filler particles and the dispersions are applied by spraying process. The filler particle size, surface energy and other functionalities are varied to produce the coatings. Sub-micron poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) particles and carbon black or other nanoparticles are jointly used to obtain hierarchical morphology (micro-to-nanoscale roughness) and superhydrophobicity. As examples, firstly, acrylonitrile-co-butadiene rubber based nanocomposites are shown to maintain superhydrophobicity up to 200% linear and for 100 cycles of reversible 0 to 100% uniaxial stretching. Secondly, poly(vinylidene fluoride) and poly(methyl methacrylate) blend based nanocomposites containing carbon nanofibers are demonstrated as superhydrophobic coatings with electrical conductivity up to 300 S/m.

Deploying 5G-technologies in smart city and smart home wireless sensor networks with interferences

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lynggaard, Per; Skouby, Knud Erik

2015-01-01

communication in an Internet of Things (5G) contexts. In this paper we discuss some of the key challenges that exist in the smart city and smart home networks in the light of possible 5G-solutions. Focus is on deploying cognitive radio technologies (5G) which enables the smart city networks to support......Deploying 5G technologies in a combination of smart homes and smart city opens for a new ecosystem with big potentials. The potentials lie in the creation of an advanced ICT infrastructure with support for connected and entangled services possibilities including technologies for efficient...... interconnected infrastructure elements, to handle big-data from the smart homes, and to be compatible with existing infrastructures. The considered cognitive radio technology is based on pre-coded OFDM which offers the needed flexibility to deal with the key challenges found in the smart home networks. Thus...

Targeting Strategies for Multifunctional Nanoparticles in Cancer Imaging and Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Mi Kyung; Park, Jinho; Jon, Sangyong

2012-01-01

Nanomaterials offer new opportunities for cancer diagnosis and treatment. Multifunctional nanoparticles harboring various functions including targeting, imaging, therapy, and etc have been intensively studied aiming to overcome limitations associated with conventional cancer diagnosis and therapy. Of various nanoparticles, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with superparamagnetic property have shown potential as multifunctional nanoparticles for clinical translation because they have been used asmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI) constrast agents in clinic and their features could be easily tailored by including targeting moieties, fluorescence dyes, or therapeutic agents. This review summarizes targeting strategies for construction of multifunctional nanoparticles including magnetic nanoparticles-based theranostic systems, and the various surface engineering strategies of nanoparticles for in vivo applications. PMID:22272217

Analytical, numerical, and experimental investigations on effective mechanical properties and performances of carbon nanotubes and nanotube based nanocomposites with novel three dimensional nanostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Askari, Davood

dissertation investigates the growth of vertically aligned, long, and high density arrays of CNTs and novel 3-D carbon nanotube nano-forests. A Chemical vapor deposition technique is used to grow radially aligned CNTs on various types of fibrous materials such as silicon carbide, carbon, Kevlar, and glass fibers and clothes that can be used for the fabrication of multifunctional high performing laminated nanocomposite structures. Using the CNTs nano-forest clothes, nanocomposite samples are prepared and tested giving promising results for the improvement of mechanical properties and performance of composites structures.

Modification of PMMA/graphite nanocomposites through ion beam technique

Science.gov (United States)

Singhal, Prachi; Rattan, Sunita; Avasthi, Devesh Kumar; Tripathi, Ambuj

2013-08-01

Swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation is a special technique for inducing physical and chemical modifications in bulk materials. In the present work, the SHI hs been used to prepare nanocomposites with homogeneously dispersed nanoparticles. The nanographite was synthesized from graphite using the intercalation-exfoliation method. PMMA Poly(methyl methacrylate)/graphite nanocomposites have been synthesized by in situ polymerization. The prepared PMMA/graphite nanocomposite films were irradiated with SHI irradiation (Ni ion beam, 80 MeV and C ion beam, 50 MeV) at a fluence of 1×1010 to 3×1012 ions/cm2. The nanocomposite films were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and were evaluated for their electrical and sensor properties. After irradiation, significant changes in surface morphology of nanocomposites were observed as evident from the SEM images, which show the presence of well-distributed nanographite platelets. The irradiated nanocomposites exhibit better electrical and sensor properties for the detection of nitroaromatics with marked improvement in sensitivity as compared with unirradiated nanocomposites.

Tangible nanocomposites with diverse properties for heart valve application

Science.gov (United States)

Vignesh Vellayappan, Muthu; Balaji, Arunpandian; Priyadarshini Subramanian, Aruna; Aruna John, Agnes; Jaganathan, Saravana Kumar; Murugesan, Selvakumar; Mohandas, Hemanth; Supriyanto, Eko; Yusof, Mustafa

2015-06-01

Cardiovascular disease claims millions of lives every year throughout the world. Biomaterials are used widely for the treatment of this fatal disease. With the advent of nanotechnology, the use of nanocomposites has become almost inevitable in the field of biomaterials. The versatile properties of nanocomposites, such as improved durability and biocompatibility, make them an ideal choice for various biomedical applications. Among the various nanocomposites, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-poly(carbonate-urea)urethane, bacterial cellulose with polyvinyl alcohol, carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide and nano-hydroxyapatite nanocomposites have gained popularity as putative choices for biomaterials in cardiovascular applications owing to their superior properties. In this review, various studies performed utilizing these nanocomposites for improving the mechanical strength, anti-calcification potential and hemocompatibility of heart valves are reviewed and summarized. The primary motive of this work is to shed light on the emerging nanocomposites for heart valve applications. Furthermore, we aim to promote the prospects of these nanocomposites in the campaign against cardiovascular diseases.

Tangible nanocomposites with diverse properties for heart valve application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vellayappan, Muthu Vignesh; Balaji, Arunpandian; Subramanian, Aruna Priyadarshini; John, Agnes Aruna; Jaganathan, Saravana Kumar; Supriyanto, Eko; Yusof, Mustafa; Murugesan, Selvakumar; Mohandas, Hemanth

2015-01-01

Cardiovascular disease claims millions of lives every year throughout the world. Biomaterials are used widely for the treatment of this fatal disease. With the advent of nanotechnology, the use of nanocomposites has become almost inevitable in the field of biomaterials. The versatile properties of nanocomposites, such as improved durability and biocompatibility, make them an ideal choice for various biomedical applications. Among the various nanocomposites, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-poly(carbonate-urea)urethane, bacterial cellulose with polyvinyl alcohol, carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide and nano-hydroxyapatite nanocomposites have gained popularity as putative choices for biomaterials in cardiovascular applications owing to their superior properties. In this review, various studies performed utilizing these nanocomposites for improving the mechanical strength, anti-calcification potential and hemocompatibility of heart valves are reviewed and summarized. The primary motive of this work is to shed light on the emerging nanocomposites for heart valve applications. Furthermore, we aim to promote the prospects of these nanocomposites in the campaign against cardiovascular diseases. (review)

Toughening Mechanisms in Silica-Filled Epoxy Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Binay S.

Epoxies are widely used as underfill resins throughout the microelectronics industry to mechanically couple and protect various components of flip-chip assemblies. Generally rigid materials largely surround underfill resins. Improving the mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy resins to better match those of their rigid counterparts can help extend the service lifetime of flip-chip assemblies. Recently, researchers have demonstrated that silica nanoparticles are effective toughening agents for lightly-crosslinked epoxies. Improvements in the fracture toughness of silica-filled epoxy nanocomposites have primarily been attributed to two toughening mechanisms: particle debonding with subsequent void growth and matrix shear banding. Various attempts have been made to model the contribution of these toughening mechanisms to the overall fracture energy observed in silica-filled epoxy nanocomposites. However, disparities still exist between experimental and modeled fracture energy results. In this dissertation, the thermal, rheological and mechanical behavior of eight different types of silica-filled epoxy nanocomposites was investigated. Each nanocomposite consisted of up to 10 vol% of silica nanoparticles with particle sizes ranging from 20 nm to 200 nm, with a variety of surface treatments and particle structures. Fractographical analysis was conducted with new experimental approaches in order to accurately identify morphological evidence for each proposed toughening mechanism. Overall, three major insights into the fracture behavior of real world silica-filled epoxy nanocomposites were established. First, microcracking was observed as an essential toughening mechanism in silica-filled epoxy nanocomposites. Microcracking was observed on the surface and subsurface of fractured samples in each type of silica-filled epoxy nanocomposite. The additional toughening contribution of microcracking to overall fracture energy yielded excellent agreement between experimental

Smart dental practice: capitalising on smart mobile technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Plangger, K; Bredican, J; Mills, A J; Armstrong, J

2015-08-14

To keep pace with consumer adoption of smart mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and the applications ('apps') developed for these devices, dental professionals should consider how this technology could be used to simultaneously improve both patient service experiences and dental practice management. Using U-Commerce as a theoretical lens, this article discusses the potential value of smart mobile technology to the dental practice context, with a particular focus on the unique and customisable capabilities of apps. To take full advantage of this technology, a process is outlined for identifying and designing bespoke dental apps that takes into account the unique advantages of these devices. Dental practices, with increasing financial and competitive pressures, may improve the efficiency and profitability of operations and better manage patients, employees and stakeholders by integrating smart mobile technology.

Methanol sensing characteristics of conducting polypyrrole-silver nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Kabir, L.; Mandal, S. K.

2012-05-01

Methanol sensing characteristics of conducting polypyrrole-silver nanocomposites are reported here. The nanocomposites are synthesized by wet chemical technique with different amount of silver loadings (5-15 mol%). The sensitivity of the nanocomposites upon exposure to gas molecules is critically dependent on the silver loadings and the concentration of the exposed gas. This is possibly instigated by the modified metal-polymer interface and the polar nature of the constituent metal and the exposed gas. Interaction of the alcohol gas with the polypyrrole chains in the presence of silver effectively determines the change in resistance and hence the sensitivity of the nanocomposites upon exposure to methanol. The adsorption of methanol molecules within the nanocomposites and the subsequent chemical reactions are studied by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.

Self-Assembling Multifunctional Peptide Dimers for Gene Delivery Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kitae Ryu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Self-assembling multifunctional peptide was designed for gene delivery systems. The multifunctional peptide (MP consists of cellular penetrating peptide moiety (R8, matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2 specific sequence (GPLGV, pH-responsive moiety (H5, and hydrophobic moiety (palmitic acid (CR8GPLGVH5-Pal. MP was oxidized to form multifunctional peptide dimer (MPD by DMSO oxidation of thiols in terminal cysteine residues. MPD could condense pDNA successfully at a weight ratio of 5. MPD itself could self-assemble into submicron micelle particles via hydrophobic interaction, of which critical micelle concentration is about 0.01 mM. MPD showed concentration-dependent but low cytotoxicity in comparison with PEI25k. MPD polyplexes showed low transfection efficiency in HEK293 cells expressing low level of MMP-2 but high transfection efficiency in A549 and C2C12 cells expressing high level of MMP-2, meaning the enhanced transfection efficiency probably due to MMP-induced structural change of polyplexes. Bafilomycin A1-treated transfection results suggest that the transfection of MPD is mediated via endosomal escape by endosome buffering ability. These results show the potential of MPD for MMP-2 targeted gene delivery systems due to its multifunctionality.

Recreation and Agroforestry: Examining New Dimensions of Multifunctionality in Family Farms

Science.gov (United States)

Barbieri, Carla; Valdivia, Corinne

2010-01-01

Multifunctionality serves as an analytical framework to recognize many services that farms provide to their surrounding communities and society. This study explores an often overlooked dimension of multifunctionality by examining different recreational services provided by landowners in Missouri and analyzing the relationship between recreational…

Corporate Smart Phones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cavazotte, Flávia; Heloisa Lemos, Ana; Villadsen, Kaspar

2014-01-01

This article explores how the adoption of company sponsored smart phones inflicts upon the lives of professionals. Drawing upon qualitative interviews at a law firm in Brazil, the experiences of new smart phone users are reported upon in detail. Increased accessibility, accuracy and speed...... that negatively affected their private spheres, yet many of them paradoxically requested more efficient smart phone connectivity. The article focuses on the justifications, the different narrative strategies, employed by professionals for their conscious engagement in escalating work connectivity. It is suggested...

Nanoscratching of nylon 66-based ternary nanocomposites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dasari, Aravind; Yu Zhongzhen; Mai Yiuwing

2007-01-01

The nanoscratch behavior of nylon 66/SEBS-g-MA/clay ternary nanocomposites produced by different blending protocols with contrasting microstructures is studied by using atomic force and transmission electron microscopy. A standard diamond Berkovich indenter is used for scratching and a low load of 1 mN, along with a low sliding velocity of 1 μm s -1 , are employed for this purpose. It is shown that in order to resist penetration it is more important to have exfoliated clay in the continuous nylon matrix during nanoscratching than to have the clay in the dispersed soft rubber domains. The results obtained also explain the preferred usage of ternary nanocomposites compared to binary nanocomposites, particularly nylon 66/exfoliated clay nanocomposites. This research extends current basic knowledge and provides new insights on the nature of nanoscale processes that occur during nanoscratching of polymer nanocomposites. Critical questions are raised on the relationships between the penetration depth and material deformation and damage left behind the moving indenter

Mini Review of TiO2 -Based Multifunctional Nanocomposites for Near-Infrared Light-Responsive Phototherapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Meifang; Hou, Zhiyao; Al Kheraif, Abdulaziz A; Xing, Bengang; Lin, Jun

2018-06-25

Phototherapy with the properties of specific spatial/temporal selectivity and minimal invasiveness has been acknowledged as one of the most promising cancer therapy types. Among all the photoactive substance for phototherapy, titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanomaterials are paid more and more attention due to their outstanding photocatalytic properties, prominent biocompatibility, and excellent chemical stability. However, the wide bandgap (3.0-3.2 eV) of TiO 2 limits its absorption only to the ultraviolet (UV) light region. For a long time, UV light-stimulated TiO 2 was applied in the phototherapy researches of tumors located in the skin layer, while it is unsatisfactory for most deep-tissue tumors. Due to the maximum penetration into tissue existing in the near-infrared (NIR) region, how to use NIR light to trigger photochemical reaction of TiO 2 remains a big challenge. In this review, two strategies to develop and construct NIR-triggered TiO 2 -based nanocomposites (NCs) for phototherapy are summarized, and the relevant mechanism and background knowledge of TiO 2 -based phototherapy are also given in order to better understand the application value and current situation of TiO 2 in phototherapy. Finally, the challenges and research directions of TiO 2 in the future clinic phototherapy application are also discussed. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhanced protective properties of epoxy/polyaniline-camphorsulfonate nanocomposite coating on an ultrafine-grained metallic surface

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pour-Ali, Sadegh; Kiani-Rashid, Alireza; Babakhani, Abolfazl; Davoodi, Ali

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Preparing mild steel surface with ultrafine grains by wire brushing process. • Performance of a smart coating on micro- and nano-crystalline surfaces. • Corrosion evaluation, surface analysis and ac/dc electrochemical measurements. • Ultrafine surface grains improve protective behavior of epoxy/PANI-CSA coating. - Abstract: An ultrafine-grained surface layer on mild steel substrate with average grain size of 77 nm was produced through wire brushing process. Surface grain size was determined through transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. This substrate was coated with epoxy and an in situ synthesized epoxy/polyaniline-camphorsulfonate (epoxy/PANI-CSA) nanocomposite. The corrosion behavior was studied by open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization and impedance measurements. Results of electrochemical tests evidenced the enhanced protective properties of epoxy/PANI-CSA coating on the substrate with ultrafine-grained surface.

Enhanced protective properties of epoxy/polyaniline-camphorsulfonate nanocomposite coating on an ultrafine-grained metallic surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pour-Ali, Sadegh, E-mail: pourali2020@ut.ac.ir; Kiani-Rashid, Alireza; Babakhani, Abolfazl; Davoodi, Ali

2016-07-15

Highlights: • Preparing mild steel surface with ultrafine grains by wire brushing process. • Performance of a smart coating on micro- and nano-crystalline surfaces. • Corrosion evaluation, surface analysis and ac/dc electrochemical measurements. • Ultrafine surface grains improve protective behavior of epoxy/PANI-CSA coating. - Abstract: An ultrafine-grained surface layer on mild steel substrate with average grain size of 77 nm was produced through wire brushing process. Surface grain size was determined through transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction methods. This substrate was coated with epoxy and an in situ synthesized epoxy/polyaniline-camphorsulfonate (epoxy/PANI-CSA) nanocomposite. The corrosion behavior was studied by open circuit potential, potentiodynamic polarization and impedance measurements. Results of electrochemical tests evidenced the enhanced protective properties of epoxy/PANI-CSA coating on the substrate with ultrafine-grained surface.