Characterization of acoustic signals produced by ultraviolet laser ablation inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

A simple device was designed to measure the acoustic signal accompanying laser ablation. The potential use of this signal for laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma atomic emission was examined. A frequency quadrupled pulsed Nd:YAG laser radiation was used for the ablation of glass, steel and ceramic samples. The relation between the acoustic signal, the laser energy, the analyte signal and the amount of ablated material was studied and evidence of the use of the acoustic signal for the exact focusing of the laser beam onto the sample surface was given. A more intense acoustic signal was observed for the exact focusing with a formation of larger ablation craters in glass and ceramics. Received: 25 June 1998 / Revised: 25 September 1998 / Accepted: 30 September 1998     

Probing mechanical properties of liposomes using acoustic sensors

Acoustic devices were employed to characterize variations in the mechanical properties (density and viscoelasticity) of liposomes composed of 1-oleoyl-2-palmitoyl- sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and cholesterol. Liposome properties were modified in three ways. In some experiments, the POPC/cholesterol ratio was varied prior to deposition on the device surface. Alternatively, the ratio was changed in situ via either insertion of cholesterol or removal of cholesterol with beta-cyclodextrin. This was done for liposomes adsorbed directly on the device surface and for liposomes attached via a biotin-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) linker. The acoustic measurements make use of two simultaneous time-resolved signals: one signal is related to the velocity of the acoustic wave, while the second is related to dissipation of acoustic energy. Together, they provide information not only about the mass (or density) of the probed medium but also about its viscoelastic properties. The cholesterol-induced increase in the surface density of the lipid bilayer was indeed observed in the acoustic data, but the resulting change in signal was larger than expected from the change in surface density. In addition, increasing the bilayer resistance to stretching was found to lead to a greater dissipation of the acoustic energy. The acoustic response is assessed in terms of the possible distortions of the liposomes and the known effects of cholesterol on the mechanical properties of the lipid bilayer that encloses the aqueous core of the liposome. To aid the interpretation of the acoustic response, it is discussed how the above changes in the lipid bilayer will affect the effective viscoelastic properties of the entire liposome/solvent film on the scale of the acoustic wavelength. It was found that the acoustic device is very sensitive to the mechanical properties of lipid vesicles; the response of the acoustic device is explained, and the basic underlying mechanisms of interaction are identified.     

Acoustofluidics 8: applications of acoustophoresis in continuous flow microsystems

This acoustofluidics tutorial focuses on continuous flow-based half wavelength resonator systems operated in the transversal mode, where the direction of the primary acoustic force acts in plane with the microchip. The transversal actuation mode facilitates integration with up- and downstream microchannel networks as well as visual control of the acoustic focusing experiment. Applications of particle enrichment in an acoustic half wavelength resonator are discussed as well as clarification of the carrier fluid from undesired particles. Binary separation of particle/vesicle/cell mixtures into two subpopulations is outlined based on the different polarities of the acoustic contrast factor. Furthermore, continuous flow separation of different particle/cell types is described where both Free Flow Acoustophoresis (FFA) and binary acoustophoresis are utilized. By capitalizing on the laminar flow regime, acoustophoresis has proven especially successful in performing bead/cell translations between different buffer systems. Likewise, the ability to controllably translate particulate matter across streamlines has opened a route to valving of cells/particles without any moving parts, where event triggered cell sorting is becoming an increasing area of activity. Recent developments now also enable measurements of fundamental cell properties such as density and compressibility by means of acoustophoresis. General aspects on working with live cells in acoustophoresis systems are discussed as well as available means to quantify the outcome of cell and particle separation experiments performed by acoustophoresis.     

Chemical analysis of acoustically levitated drops by Raman spectroscopy

An experimental apparatus combining Raman spectroscopy with acoustic levitation, Raman acoustic levitation spectroscopy (RALS), is investigated in the field of physical and chemical analytics. Whereas acoustic levitation enables the contactless handling of microsized samples, Raman spectroscopy offers the advantage of a noninvasive method without complex sample preparation. After carrying out some systematic tests to probe the sensitivity of the technique to drop size, shape, and position, RALS has been successfully applied in monitoring sample dilution and preconcentration, evaporation, crystallization, an acid–base reaction, and analytes in a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy colloidal suspension. Figure We have systematically investigated the analytical potential of Raman spectroscopy of samples in acoustically levitated drops.     

Facile Adjusting for Cells of Lightweight Isocyanate-based Polyimide Foam and Operable Combination between Different Distinctive Acoustic Foams for Higher Performance

New ambient sound absorption material, lightweight isocyanate-based polyimide foam(IBPIF), was fabricated by operable combination between different distinctive acoustic IBPIF. Cellular structure of IBPIF was facilely and obviously adjusted by increased slurry temperature corresponding to change in distinctive acoustic properties. Moreover, density of all IBPIF kept at only 12-17 kg/m~3. With increasing slurry temperature from 0 ℃ to 40 ℃, cell size and window opening rate gradually increased from 553 μm to 791 μm and from 6.85% to 58.46%,respectively. In this study, IBPIF generated by slurries at 0 ℃(marked as PIF-2) and 40 ℃(marked as PIF-6) showed best and distinctive acoustic behavior in 315-800 Hz and 800-6300 Hz regions, respectively. After acoustic behavior study of combined IBPIF prepared by stitching combination between two distinctive acoustic IBPIFs, results showed that only when PIF-6 sheet used as sound receiving surface even though with thickness of only 10 mm could the combined IBPIF possess the best acoustic level in 800-6300 Hz region as PIF-6. Furtherly, acoustic behavior in 315-800 Hz region could be significantly enhanced by increasing thickness of PIF-2 and could reach or close to the best acoustic level.     

Ultrasonic characterization of proteins and blood cells

Ultrasound changes its intensity and speed when propagating through a liquid or a suspension containing particles. In addition it generates a weak electric signal by altering the motion of ions and charged particles. Hence acoustic and electroacoustic measurements provide information about the properties of suspended particles and molecules. Here we present both acoustic and electroacoustic results on blood suspensions and protein solutions, relevant to life sciences. For blood cells a strong increase in acoustic attenuation with volume fraction is found, from which the speed of sound in an erythrocyte is found to be about 1900 m/s, assuming the attenuation is due to scattering only. A similar value of 1700 m/s is found from the increase in sound speed of the dispersion with concentration. Electroacoustic measurements on bovine serum albumin (BSA) yield a charge of about seven elementary charges per BSA molecule. These results show the power and usefulness of acoustic and electroacoustic measurement techniques for biological systems.     

Cellulose nanofibres by sonocatalysed-TEMPO-oxidation

The purpose of this work was to study the influence of acoustic cavitation on the oxidation of a mill bleached machine dried hardwood Kraft pulp. The oxidation of the pulp was carried out using 4-acetamido-TEMPO coupled with NaOCl/NaBr as co-oxidizer. The carboxylate content was increased by about 30% without any adverse impact on the degree of polymerization in the case of oxidations under acoustic cavitation compared to the reference without acoustic cavitation. A close correlation between the yield of nanocellulose and the carboxylate content of the oxidized pulps was observed. The individualized cellulose nanofibres were 3–4 nm in width and a few microns in length.     

Ultrasonic characterization of proteins and blood cells

Ultrasound changes its intensity and speed when propagating through a liquid or a suspension containing particles. In addition it generates a weak electric signal by altering the motion of ions and charged particles. Hence acoustic and electroacoustic measurements provide information about the properties of suspended particles and molecules. Here we present both acoustic and electroacoustic results on blood suspensions and protein solutions, relevant to life sciences. For blood cells a strong increase in acoustic attenuation with volume fraction is found, from which the speed of sound in an erythrocyte is found to be about 1900 m/s, assuming the attenuation is due to scattering only. A similar value of 1700 m/s is found from the increase in sound speed of the dispersion with concentration. Electroacoustic measurements on bovine serum albumin (BSA) yield a charge of about seven elementary charges per BSA molecule. These results show the power and usefulness of acoustic and electroacoustic measurement techniques for biological systems.     

Laser-induced acoustic desorption (LIAD) mass spectrometry

Large thermally labile molecules were not amenable to mass spectrometric analysis until the development of atmospheric pressure evaporation/ionization methods, such as electrospray ionization (ESI) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI), since attempts to evaporate these molecules by heating induces degradation of the sample. While ESI and MALDI are relatively soft desorption/ionization techniques, they are both limited to preferential ionization of acidic and basic analytes. This limitation has been the driving force for the development of other soft desorption/ionization techniques. One such method employs laser-induced acoustic desorption (LIAD) to evaporate neutral sample molecules into mass spectrometers. LIAD utilizes acoustic waves generated by a laser pulse in a thin metal foil. The acoustic waves travel through the foil and cause desorption of neutral molecules that have been deposited on the opposite side of the foil. One of the advantages of LIAD is that it desorbs low-energy molecules that can be ionized by a variety of methods, thus allowing the analysis of large molecules that are not amenable to ESI and MALDI. This review covers the generation of acoustic waves in foils via a laser pulse, the parameters affecting the generation of acoustic waves, possible mechanisms for desorption of neutral molecules, as well as the various uses of LIAD by mass spectrometrists. The conditions used to generate acoustic or stress waves in solid materials consist of three regimes: thermal, ablative, and constrained. Each regime is discussed, in addition to the mechanisms that lead to the ablation of the metal from the foil and generation of acoustic waves for two of the regimes. Previously proposed desorption mechanisms for LIAD are presented along with the flaws associated with some of them. Various experimental parameters, such as the exact characteristics of the laser pulse and foil used, are discussed. The internal and kinetic energy of the neutral desorbed molecules are also considered. Our research group has been instrumental in the development and use of LIAD. For example, we have systematically examined the influence of many parameters, such as the type of the foil and its thickness, as well as the analyte layer's thickness, on the efficiency of desorption of neutral molecules. The coupling of LIAD with different instruments and ionization techniques allows for broad use of LIAD in our research laboratories. The most important applications involve analytes that cannot be analyzed by using other mass spectrometric methods, such as large saturated hydrocarbons and heavy hydrocarbon fractions of petroleum. We also use LIAD to characterize lipids, peptides, and oligonucleotides. Fundamental research on the reactions of charged mono-, bi-, and polyradicals with biopolymers, especially oligonucleotides, also requires the use of LIAD, as well as thermochemical measurements for neutral biopolymers. These are but a few of the uses of LIAD in our research group.     

Research Progress and Development Trends of Acoustic Metamaterials

Acoustic metamaterials are materials with artificially designed structures, which have characteristics that surpass the behavior of natural materials, such as negative refraction, anomalous Doppler effect, plane focusing, etc. This article mainly introduces and summarizes the related research progress of acoustic metamaterials in the past two decades, focusing on meta-atomic acoustic metamaterials, metamolecular acoustic metamaterials, meta-atomic clusters and metamolecule cluster acoustic metamaterials. Finally, the research overview and development trend of acoustic metasurfaces are briefly introduced.     

Thermosonimetry of the phase II/III transition of hexachloroethane

A thermosonimetric study has shown that the Phase II/III polymorphic transition of hexachloroethane emits acoustic signals. This solid-solid phase transition is known to occur by a nucleation-growth process during which a nucleus of the new phase, once formed, grows at the expense of the mother phase to form a complete crystal without fracture. Acoustic emissions from a conditioned multi-crystal sample have been used to study the transition. Acoustic activity correlated well with dilatometric measurements. Frequency analysis on waveforms of many hundreds of individual acoustic emissions revealed marked differences between individual signals. Principal-components analysis on 24 signal features revealed a single dispersed cluster with a highly non-uniform distribution of signals. These experiments provided highly reproducible average power spectra. Time-resolved acoustic power spectra were also generated. These additional types of information cannot be obtained by other techniques.     

Ultrasonic measurements and other allied parameters of praseodymium and neodymium palmitates in mixed organic solvents

Ultrasonic measurements on praseodymium and neodymium palmitates were made in a mixture of 60% benzene and 40% dimethyl sulfoxide (V/V), to determine the critical micelle concentration (CMC), soap-solvent interaction, and various acoustic and thermodynamic parameters. The values of the CMC increase with the increase in the size of the cation in the soap molecules. The ultrasonic velocity, specific acoustic impedance, apparent molar compressibility, apparent molar volume and relative association increase while the adiabatic compressibility, intermolecular free length, solvation number, molar sound velocity and available volume decrease with increasing soap concentration.     

Li-Ga液态金属电池界面反应过程的原位检测

采用A型扫描超声脉冲反射技术, 对40 ℃ Li-Ga液态金属电池放电过程进行实时原位检测. 通过辨识正极界面超声信号指纹区, 发现正极界面的回波声压随液态金属电池放电容量的增加而增大, 表明放电产物Li₂Ga₇的声阻抗大于液态金属Ga; 当放电产物Li₂Ga₇完全覆盖正极表面时, 正极界面的回波声压较初始状态增大约45%； 归纳了不同放电阶段超声回波声压随放电容量的变化规律, 提供了判断电池状态的依据. 采用全聚焦相控阵超声三维成像技术, 对放电产物Li₂Ga₇在正极界面的形成过程进行可视化分析, 发现放电产物优先在正极界面中心区形成并聚集, 与放电1.4 mA·h的光学成像结果吻合, 揭示了Li-Ga液态金属电池放电过程中正极界面的传质特性. 总结归纳了超声回波信号与电池放电容量间的耦合关系, 建立了定量分析的工作曲线, 发展了一种液态金属电池正极界面过程原位无损检测的新方法.     

Acoustic methods of detection in gas chromatography

A brief review of the use of acoustic detection methods in GC is presented. While a number of methods (some quite similar) have been developed for use as gas-phase sensors in various applications, this article focuses specifically on those techniques that have been used to detect analytes following their separation by GC. Overall, a number of "active" acoustic methods (which measure analytes through their interaction with a controlled external acoustic wave source) were reportedly used as GC detectors. These include ultrasonic, thickness shear mode, surface acoustic wave (SAW), and flexural plate wave methods. Conversely, "passive" acoustic methods (those that produce an acoustic signal through some chemical reaction with the analyte) have also been used as GC detectors. These include photoacoustic and acoustic flame methods of detection. Of the two major classifications, reports of active methods are far more prevalent. In particular, the usage of SAW techniques with GC is an area of research that has seen accelerated growth in recent years.     

声表面波技术检测糜烂性毒剂芥子气的研究

声表面波技术是这些年来得到迅猛发展的一门前沿学科,是传感器技术中引人注目的新兴分支。由于声表面波化学传感器具有体积小、成本低、灵敏度高、易于集成化、智能化、实现远距离检测等多种优点,因而在军用、民用领域显示了良好的应用前景[1-3]。芥子气是糜烂性化学毒剂中最为     

Monitoring of a heterogeneous reaction by acoustic emission

The feasibility of monitoring the reaction of itaconic acid and 1-butanol by non-invasive acoustic emission measurements has been assessed. A piezoelectric transducer with a resonant mode at 90 kHz was attached to the external wall of a 1 L jacketed glass reactor. Acoustic emission from the oil jacket, stirrer and toluene was insignificant in comparison to that produced by the itaconic acid particles, which was transmitted through the glass walls and heating oil to the transducer. The transducer responded to acoustic emission from itaconic acid up to approximately 300 kHz, with the region around 90 kHz having the highest sensitivity. The effect of particle concentration and size on the acoustic emission generated has also been investigated, with higher concentrations and larger particles giving the greater signals. The detection limit for itaconic acid particles was 14 g dm(-3) of toluene. The effect of 1-butanol concentration and temperature on the progression of reactions was monitored using acoustic emission. It was possible to detect differences in the rate and extent of the reaction under different conditions, and also to identify when a combination of the concentration and/or size of itaconic acid particles had reached a steady state. However, it was not possible to differentiate between changes in particle size and concentration using the resonant transducer.     

Acoustic method of measuring critical properties of thermally unstable substances

An acoustic method of measuring critical temperatures and pressures of thermally unstable substances is described. In the cell with the liquid under investigation there is a wire probe, 0.02 mm in diameter, which is heated by electric-current pulses with a duration of 0.025 to 0.25 ms. At the moment of liquid boiling-up in the layer that surrounds the probe, one can observe an acoustic wave, which is registered by a ceramic piezoelectric element on a base (PbZrO₃+PbTiO₃). The probe temperature at the moment of boiling-up is determined from its resistance. With an increase of the pressure in the cell with the substance under investigation the amplitude of an acoustic signal decreases. The cessation of boiling-up and disappearance of the acoustic signal show that the critical state is reached. A more precise critical pressure is found by linear extrapolation of the amplitude of the acoustic signal to zero in an amplitude–log (pressure) plot. The paper reports the experimental critical temperatures T_c and the critical pressures p_c of reference substances: n-hexane, n-heptane, n-decane, benzene, and of thermally unstable n-alkanes: docosane and tetracosane, and also the critical curve of the system n-hexadecane–benzene. The critical constants of reference substances were measured by this acoustic method with an error that does not exceed 0.015 T_c and 0.015 p_c.     

Acoustic determination of polymer molecular weights and rotation times

An acoustic waveguide device was shown to be sensitive to the molecular weight of poly(ethylene glycol) in solution over a molecular weight range determined by the operating frequency of the device. The acoustic device used generates a shear wave with displacement in the plane of the device surface and normal to the direction of propagation. Liquid over the device exhibits viscous coupling to the oscillating surface, affecting propagation of the acoustic wave. The propagation loss was shown to be directly proportional to the weight percentage of the solute. For a given weight percent of polymer in solution, the loss increased with increasing molecular weight until a maximum loss value was reached; this may be due to the fact that rotational times for polymer molecules increase with molecular weight until they reach a point at which the rotation is limited by the oscillation time on the device surface. The molecular weight at which the maximum loss value was attained was 10,000 g/mol for a device operating at 104 MHz and 3350 g/mol for a device operating at 331 MHz, implying a rotational time of 1 ns for each 2200 increase in molecular weight. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 1490–1495, 2002     

The influence of acoustic power on multibubble sonoluminescence in aqueous solution containing organic solutes

The effect of varying the applied acoustic power on the extent to which the addition of water-soluble solutes affect the intensity of aqueous multibubble sonoluminescence (MBSL) has been investigated. Under most of the experimental conditions used, the addition of aliphatic alcohols to aqueous solutions was found to suppress the MBSL intensity, although an enhancement of the MBSL intensity was also observed under certain conditions. In contrast, the presence of an anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in aqueous solutions generally enhanced the observed MBSL intensity. For a series of aliphatic alcohols and SDS, a strong dependence of the MBSL intensity on the applied acoustic power (in the range of 0.78-1.61 W/cm(2)) at 358 kHz was observed. The relative SL quenching was significantly higher at higher acoustic powers for the alcohol solutions, whereas the relative SL enhancement was lower at higher acoustic powers in SDS solutions. These observations have been interpreted in terms of a combination of material evaporation into the bubble, rectified diffusion, bubble clustering and bubble-bubble coalescence.     

润湿剂促进燃煤细颗粒声波团聚脱除的实验研究

在声波团聚室中研究了润湿剂液滴与细颗粒碰撞团聚脱除特性,提出了一种利用润湿剂促进细颗粒在声波场中捕集的新方法。结果表明,不同润湿剂溶液对细颗粒在声波场中的团聚脱除效果存在较大差异,采用JFC和FS-310润湿剂溶液时,细颗粒分级脱除效率与采用水时的分级脱除效率相近。而SDS和Silanol w22溶液,则可有效提高细颗粒在各粒径段的分级脱除效率。细颗粒在声波场中的脱除效率与润湿剂润湿性能具有很好的相关性,随润湿剂对细颗粒相对接触角增大而降低,在声压级为150 dB时,相对接触角由83°降低到0°,细颗粒脱除效率提高了18%,在无声场作用下,脱除效率仅提高了5%。细颗粒脱除效率随声压级的增大而提高,在低声压级条件下,添加润湿剂可有效提高细颗粒脱除效率,声压级在130 dB时,添加SDS溶液液滴后细颗粒脱除效率比声场单独作用时的脱除效率提高了25%。表明添加润湿剂可有效提高细颗粒在声波场中的团聚脱除效率,实现在低声压级条件下,获得高的细颗粒脱除效率。