石墨烯在自供能传感系统中的应用

随着现代社会智能化的加速发展,传感系统中传感器的数量、密度和分布范围不断增加,传统的供能方式难以满足如此复杂多变的传感器供能需求,从周围环境中收集能量并转化为电能的自供能传感器件是解决这一难题的有效途径。石墨烯不仅具有优异的传感性能,而且在各种能源器件中有广泛的应用,这为基于石墨烯的自供能传感器件设计提供了便利。近年来,人们已经研究和发展了多种多样的石墨烯自供能传感器件。本文基于自供能器件的基本能量供给原理,包括电化学供能、光伏供能、摩擦电供能、水伏供能以及热电、压电、热释电等其它供能,分别介绍了石墨烯在自供能传感器件中的应用,并展望了基于石墨烯的自供能传感器件的未来发展、挑战和前景。     

Wearable self-powered biosensors

Wearable self-powered biosensors are devices that operate without an external electronic power source or onboard battery and that use a biorecognition detection element to relay sensing information. Such devices are becoming more widespread following the larger trend of more ubiquitous wearable devices in general. Self-powering can be a particularly important characteristic in situations where replacing/recharging a battery is either impossible or impractical. Most wearable self-powered biosensors rely primarily on enzymatic reactions to supply the energy required for operation, but there are also other innovative approaches that combine multiple signal transduction techniques to simultaneously provide power and produce a detection signal. Areas of needed research include developing higher power energy harvesting techniques and more wearable self-powered biosensor devices that have integrated low-power wireless electronics.     

在移动终端上远程实时监控实验室和操作仪器

提出了在手机或平板电脑上使用免费软件远程监控实验室和操作仪器的方法。使用萤石云视频软件实时观察室内及仪器周边情况,为远程操作仪器提供实时现场信息,也可用该软件与现场人员语音实时交流;使用Teamviewer软件随时了解测试情况,对仪器进行远程操作,如开始测试、终止测试或修改测试参数设定等;使用远程智能开关对室内电源和照明进行远程控制,方便夜间观察和关闭不需要的用电负荷,为减轻实验室人员工作量,提高工作效率,随时了解实验室情况及仪器测试进程、及时调整测试参数、减少能耗等提供了方便。还介绍了Teamviewer软件在数据处理上的应用。     

Flexible Metal Oxide Semiconductor Devices Made by Solution Methods

For the fabrication of next-generation flexible metal oxide devices, solution-based methods are considered as a promising approach because of their potential advantages, such as high-throughput, large-area scalability, low-cost processing, and easy control over the chemical composition. However, to obtain certain levels of electrical performance, a high process temperature is essential, which can significantly limit its application in flexible electronics. Therefore, this article discusses recent research conducted on developing low-temperature, solution-processed, flexible, metal oxide semiconductor devices, from a single thin-film transistor device to fully integrated circuits and systems. The main challenges of solution-processed metal oxide semiconductors are introduced. Recent advances in materials, processes, and semiconductor structures are then presented, followed by recent advances in electronic circuits and systems based on these semiconductors, including emerging flexible energy-harvesting devices for self-powered systems that integrate displays, sensors, data-storage units, and information processing functions.     

Stretchable conductive-ink-based wrinkled triboelectric nanogenerators for mechanical energy harvesting and self-powered signal sensing

The rapid development of flexible electronics and the corresponding fabrication technologies have increased the use of portable and wearable self-powered devices. In this work, a shape-adaptive flexible triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on a conductive ink material is demonstrated. The conductive ink-based bottom electrode with wrinkled structure ensures that the TENG exhibits outstanding stretchability and output performance such that it can adapt to complex and varying environmental factors. An output voltage of 128 V and power density of 0.286 mW/cm² were generated under contact mode with applied vertical compressive stress of 20 N. Furthermore, because of the intrinsic mechanical ductility of the wrinkled structure, the proposed TENG can maintain excellent output performance when deformed under a certain range of strains, and active motion monitoring and energy harvesting functions can also be stably achieved on the irregular surface. The device was combined with a wireless transmission system to form a wearable mechanical signal detection patch for real-time monitoring of human joint activity, which provides a new treatment option in the field of sports rehabilitation. These advantages demonstrate that the proposed cost-effective and portable TENG is a promising candidate for the development of a self-powered strain sensing device in future practical applications.     

Environmental Research for Art Conservation and Assessment of Indoor Conditions Surrounding Cultural Objects

This paper describes the results and conclusions of research directed towards the development and evaluation of a chemical sensor which would provide information on the quality of indoor environments surrounding cultural objects. In our case these objects were paintings housed in major European galleries and the main objective is their preservation through an improved understanding of their microenvironment. The concept was to prepare and expose test tempera paintings which would behave as dosimeters and integrate the environmental response at these locations. Artificial ageing of similar samples was performed to provide a means of calibrating the test paintings. Samples from the test paintings were compared with artificially aged samples and this enabled the sites to be ranked in terms of their suitability for exposure of cultural objects. Additionally, novel methodology involving piezoelectric sensors was designed for monitoring the relative humidity and temperature of the microenvironment of paintings. Dielectric techniques were also used for measuring the effect of relative humidity fluctuations on artists' materials and novel non-invasive dielectric techniques in the microwave region were used for the determination of their moisture content. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

How gamma radiation processing systems are benefiting from the latest advances in information technology

This paper discusses how gamma irradiation plants are putting the latest advances in computer and information technology to use for better process control, cost savings, and strategic advantages.

Some irradiator operations are gaining significant benefits by integrating computer technology and robotics with real-time information processing, multi-user databases, and communication networks. The paper reports on several irradiation facilities that are making good use of client/server LANs, user-friendly graphics interfaces, supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, distributed I/O with real-time sensor devices, trending analysis, real-time product tracking, dynamic product scheduling, and automated dosimetry reading. These plants are lowering costs by fast and reliable reconciliation of dosimetry data, easier validation to GMP requirements, optimizing production flow, and faster release of sterilized products to market.

There is a trend in the manufacturing sector towards total automation using “predictive process control”. Real-time verification of process parameters “on-the-run” allows control parameters to be adjusted appropriately, before the process strays out of limits. Applying this technology to the gamma radiation process, control will be based on monitoring the key parameters such as time, and making adjustments during the process to optimize quality and throughput. Dosimetry results will be used as a quality control measurement rather than as a final monitor for the release of the product. Results are correlated with the irradiation process data to quickly and confidently reconcile variations. Ultimately, a parametric process control system utilizing responsive control, feedback and verification will not only increase productivity and process efficiency, but can also result in operating within tighter dose control set points.     

便携式气相色谱仪共用开发平台中多功能一体化控制器模块的研制

基于整体便携式气相色谱仪共用开发平台的设计理念,研制出了多功能一体化控制器模块.模块包括控制器、功率驱动组件和信号采集组件,直接嵌入到便携式气相色谱仪中.经试验考核,色谱柱温度波动不高于±0.1℃,60℃/min速率升温波动的RSD低于0.15%,进样口和检测器温度波动不高于±0.1℃,柱压不高于±0.16 KPa.以浓度为1 mg/m3的苯标准样品连续6次自动抽取1 m L样品进样分析,定性和定量重复性偏差RSD分别为0.1%和4.6%(峰高),温湿度试验为0~40℃和95%,振动试验(无运输包装)位移为25.4 mm、加速度为1.5 g,以频率5~200~5 Hz正弦波振动与XYZ轴向振动,试验结果正常.模块应用到3种新型仪器中效果理想,满足现场及野外应用要求,具有通用、坚固、体积小和功耗低等特点.     

A novel apparatus combining polymer extrusion processing and x-ray scattering

A novel apparatus was designed and constructed combining polymer extrusion processing and x-ray scattering. It allows direct, real time monitoring of structure and temperature development in polymer material during extrusion. The apparatus involves a vertical industrial extruder equipped with a four-roll stretching device to mimic the processing environments of uni-axially oriented films or sheets, a simultaneous small and wide angle x-ray scattering system and an infrared thermometer as detection unit. The charging barrel of the extruder and the stretching device can be moved upward and downward precisely. By moving the sample along the center line, structure and temperature development as a function of position can be obtained. The performance of the apparatus was verified by a test experiment, which allows us to establish the relationship between processing parameters and evolution of structure with different length scales, and may lead to a better understanding of the physics in polymer processing.     

Milestones in electron crystallography

Electron crystallography determines the structure of membrane embedded proteins in the two-dimensionally crystallized state by cryo-transmission electron microscopy imaging and computer structure reconstruction. Milestones on the path to the structure are high-level expression, purification of functional protein, reconstitution into two-dimensional lipid membrane crystals, high-resolution imaging, and structure determination by computer image processing. Here we review the current state of these methods. We also created an Internet information exchange platform for electron crystallography, where guidelines for imaging and data processing method are maintained. The server (http://2dx.org) provides the electron crystallography community with a central information exchange platform, which is structured in blog and Wiki form, allowing visitors to add comments or discussions. It currently offers a detailed step-by-step introduction to image processing with the MRC software program. The server is also a repository for the 2dx software package, a user-friendly image processing system for 2D membrane protein crystals.     

The Structure of Glasses

A melt can readily solidify to a glass with a three-dimensional or two-dimensional network, or a chain structure, provided that an irregular bonding system can be formed by virtue of free rotation about the bonds between a central atom and the ligands which function as bridging atoms. Such an irregular structure can arise when the system contains a sufficient amount of bridging atoms such as O, F, and S, or bridging groups such as CH₂, with bond angles less than 180°. When the network is formed predominantly by trivalent and tetravalent elements, such as As and Ge, the glasses – though they cannot be prepared by cooling of melts – can be obtained by other processes, e.g. by condensing the vaporized substances onto a surface (glasses in the wider sense of the word). As a result of extensive network formation, the bonding systems and, therefore, the short-range order of the atomic arrangement in the melt differ from those in the glass or the crystal. A liquid mixture of substances having unlike molecular size and shape also can form a glass on solidification. Moreover, glasses can be formed even when the systems contains only one component opposing regular packing into a crystal lattice.     

A Graphene Fibriform Responsor for Sensing Heat,Humidity, and Mechanical Changes

Controllable and sensitive perception of environmental changes is essential for the development of smart material and device systems. Herein, a multi‐stimuli sensitive responsor has been fabricated on the base of the established double‐helix core‐sheath graphene‐based microfibers (GFs). By combining the tunable conductivity and mechanical robustness of GF coated with graphitic carbon nitride (GF@GCN), a fibriform smart environmental responsor (SER) is prepared by water‐assisted GFs‐twisting strategy, which can accordingly present conductive state‐dependent current responses upon exposure to a variety of stimuli. More importantly, this SER exhibits high current response to small perturbations induced by temperature variations, mechanical interactions, and relative humidity changes, thereby achieving an environmental perceptibility. Based on this finding, a multi‐functional respiratory monitor has been built under the stimuli of the human breath.     

Paper‐Based Electrical Respiration Sensor

Current methods of monitoring breathing require cumbersome, inconvenient, and often expensive devices; this requirement sets practical limitations on the frequency and duration of measurements. This article describes a paper‐based moisture sensor that uses the hygroscopic character of paper (i.e. the ability of paper to adsorb water reversibly from the surrounding environment) to measure patterns and rate of respiration by converting the changes in humidity caused by cycles of inhalation and exhalation to electrical signals. The changing level of humidity that occurs in a cycle causes a corresponding change in the ionic conductivity of the sensor, which can be measured electrically. By combining the paper sensor with conventional electronics, data concerning respiration can be transmitted to a nearby smartphone or tablet computer for post‐processing, and subsequently to a cloud server. This means of sensing provides a new, practical method of recording and analyzing patterns of breathing.     

NorTRACK product tracking system—development and implementation

This paper presents the experience gained by developers and users with implementation and operation of NorTRACK^TM, a real-time computerized product tracking system. A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) collects and transfers data in real time to NorTRACK’s Oracle^TM database on a Windows NT^TM server network. After extensive development and Beta testing at MDS Nordion’s Canadian Irradiation Centre in Montreal, Canada, NorTRACK was installed in January 1997 with a new irradiation facility in Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc.’s Albuquerque plant in the United States. NorTRACK communicates with the irradiator control and safety system, the plant's central manufacturing database, an innovative pallet staging and tote loading robot, and an automated dosimetry reading system. This integrated system allows the sterilization facility to monitor the irradiator operation and the flow of many products, through varied processing modes, continuously and reliably. As a result of operating with NorTRACK, both MDS Nordion’s CIC facility and the Endo-Surgery manufacturing site, are beginning to realize unique benefits in their respective operations. MDS Nordion is also initiating several future product enhancements and additional productivity modules. This paper describes the NorTRACK system, the various stages of the development project and Beta tests, and the experience of the users to date in their operations.     

Cloud-Enabled Handheld NIR Spectroscopy: A Transformative Approach for Real-Time Forensic Analysis of Cannabis Specimens

In the past few years, there has been significant interest within the forensic community regarding the deployment of portable solutions that provide real-time results. This article introduces an innovative technology or technology architecture that enables the integration of a handheld device, specifically, Viavi MicroNIR, with a cloud-based system. This cloud system encompasses a server responsible for data processing and a mobile application acting as a user interface. To demonstrate the transformative impact of this technology on field operators, the analysis of cannabis specimens has been utilized. System's capacity to distinguish between CBD-type and THC-type cannabis has been particularly highlighted, along with the remarkable congruence observed between the near-infrared (NIR) spectra and the reference analytical method involving ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) The article will present the advantages of this application primarily focusing on its potential to alleviate the burden on laboratories by expediting routine illicit drug analysis. Viavi MicroNIR technology provides laboratory personnel with additional time to handle more complex cases, thereby enhancing overall efficiency.     

基于化学计量学的通用化学数据采集处理系统

研制开发基于化学计量学的通用化学数据采集处理系统，该系统硬件采集部分，可与模拟信号输出的分析仪器或有RS－232接口的分析仪器联接进行数据采集，软件部分的数据处理基于化学计量学理论知识，相应数据处理方法，可从采集到数据中获取大量的信息。软件部分的信息管理包含了大量实验要素的归整、查询和统计等。     

Self-Powered Sensors: New Opportunities and Challenges from Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials have gained considerable attention over the last decade, finding applications in emerging fields such as wearable sensors, biomedical care, and implantable electronics. However, these applications require miniaturization operating with extremely low power levels to conveniently sense various signals anytime, anywhere, and show the information in various ways. From this perspective, a crucial field is technologies that can harvest energy from the environment as sustainable, self-sufficient, self-powered sensors. Here we revisit recent advances in various self-powered sensors: optical, chemical, biological, medical, and gas. A timely overview is provided of unconventional nanomaterial sensors operated by self-sufficient energy, focusing on the energy source classification and comparisons of studies including self-powered photovoltaic, piezoelectric, triboelectric, and thermoelectric technology. Integration of these self-operating systems and new applications for neuromorphic sensors are also reviewed. Furthermore, this review discusses opportunities and challenges from self-powered nanomaterial sensors with respect to their energy harvesting principles and sensing applications.     

Real-Time Measurement of Thin Film Thickness During Plasma Processing

An in situ single point two-color laser interferometer is used to monitor in real-time the thickness of thin transparent films during processing. The instantaneous change of film thickness is determined by comparing the measured laser reflection interference to that calculated by a model. The etch or deposition rates of the film are determined within 1–2 seconds. The film thickness is also determined in real-time from the phase difference of the reflected laser intensity between the two laser colors. Use of two-color laser interferometry improves the accuracy of the calculated etch or growth rates of the film considerably. Moreover, the two colors provide a clear distinction between film etching and deposition, which may often occur during the same process, and can not be determined by a single color interferometer. The uniformity of the film's etch or deposition rates across the substrate is monitored by an in situ full-wafer image interferometer. The combined use of these two sensors provide instantaneous information of the film thickness, etch or growth rates, as well as time averaged uniformity of the process rates. This diagnostic setup is very useful for process development and monitoring, which is also suitable for manufacturing environment, and can be used for real-time process control.     

基于压电振荡原理的微阵列点样系统的研制

针对基于电磁微阀原理的非接触点样方式存在操作过程复杂、点样量偏大,以及压电喷墨原理的非接触点样方式存在点样针不易清洗、造价昂贵等不足,研制了一种基于压电振荡原理的新型非接触点样装置,实现了微量液体点样.在本装置中,毛细管点样针与压电驱动装置为两个独立单元,可以单独对毛细管点样针进行更换和清洗.采用激光拉制法制备的玻璃毛细管点样针具有内径可调、成本低等优点.此点样方式通过改变压电陶瓷的振幅和频率,可在10Symbolm@@_10～10Symbolm@@_9 L之间调控点样体积.以此为基础,结合三维精密位移控制技术,研制了一种基于压电振荡原理的微阵列生物芯片点样系统.对点样系统的点样体积、点样密度、点样精度等参数进行了测试,结果表明,此点样系统的最小点样体积可达320 pL,点样密度可达4000 点/cm2,并能够实现界面图案化制备.     

Thermal cycling for piezoelectric gas detector systems

The effect of temperature (0–60°C) on the operation of a piezoelectric gas monitor is discussed. The development and application of small solid-state systems incorporating Peltier devices to allow rapid thermal cycling or isothermal operation of these monitors are evaluated. Thermal performance of the Peltier/gas monitor system is discussed, and frequency response profiles for a model analysis gas/crystal coating system (sulphur dioxide/triethanolamine) are reported.