Filamentous Supramolecular Structures

Summary: The formation of four filament forming proteins was studied mainly by light scattering as a function of the scattering angle. Besides the molar mass M_w and the radius of gyration R_g the contour length L, was determined. The corresponding structure parameters are compared with those of the Aβ-amyloid. A minimum cross-sectional diameter of 2 nm appeared to be necessary for filament stabilization. Bundle and network formation are often observed and are tentatively explained by thermodynamic arguments. The local conformation of the unimer proteins in the filaments remained largely unexplored. Only in one example CD and IR spectroscopy was applied. The analysis disclosed a β-sheet/α-helix transition on de-naturation, as was conjectured before as reason for the Aβ-amyloid formation.     

Dynamics and Breakup of Viscoelastic Liquids (A Review)

The phenomena of hydrodynamic breakup of liquid jets, drops, films, bridges, and filaments are reviewed for liquids with viscoelastic properties. The reasons for breakup are capillary instabilities, collisions with rigid obstacles, and other forms of dynamic action. The relationship between the properties of the liquids and the features of the breakup process is discussed.     

Thermal shrinkage stress in high‐speed‐spun,high molecular weight poly(ethylene terephthalate) filaments

High‐speed spinning of poly(ethylene terephthalate) with an intrinsic viscosity of 0.98 dL/g was performed at a take‐up velocity of 2.5–5.5 km/min, and the effects of the fiber structure on the isothermal and nonisothermal shrinkage‐stress evolution in as‐spun filaments were investigated. In isothermal measurements, the peak shrinkage stress was consistent with the degree of amorphous orientation, whereas the so‐called frozen stress relaxation was rather constant with respect to the take‐up velocity. The maximum shrinkage stress in nonisothermal testing was also consistent with an amorphous orientation. A spontaneous elongation phenomenon took place for filaments spun at 2.5 and 3 km/min that resulted in the lowering of shrinkage stresses in both experiments. A simple calculation showed that the inertial force in the spin line was about half of the resultant shrinkage force. Filaments spun at 5.5 km/min had markedly lower shrinkage stresses and shrinkage with respect to the degree of amorphous orientation. This was attributed to the fiber structure, which gave a much lower loss‐tangent maximum for these filaments. In addition, a hypothetical model is proposed suggesting the possibility that filaments spun at 5.5 km/min may have narrow tie‐chain‐length distributions that provide relatively longer shortest tie molecules. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 964–972, 2001     

The comparison study of diagnostics of light filaments in air

Long plasma channels in air induced by femtosecond laser pulses are investigated using three different methods, including the cross-section imaging, resistivity measuring and acoustic diagnostics. These methods are based on different properties of the light filaments. A comparison of the three diagnostics shows that the imaging method is the most precise one in studying the filaments distribution and evolution, that the sonographic method is the most convenient approach to detecting long plasma channels by detecting the acoustic wave generation, and that the resistivity measurement can only be applied for giving a rough estimate. The diagnostics of filaments allow us to choose appropriate detecting methods and provide further insight into the dynamic evolution of the light filaments in air.     

Observation of Filamentary Structures on the Boundary Region of the LHD Stellarator

Large Helical Device (LHD) high β regime discharges are observed with a fast camera, with 〈β 〉 values up to almost 5%. High frequency sequences (20 µs between shots) of the density fluctuations in the edge region are obtained. Macroscopic coherent scructures, in the shape of “comet”‐like filaments can be seen in these sequences, propagating from the external ergodic region to the wall. These structures are analyzed and their radial and parallel transport is discussed. Strong relation between the generation of low frequency particle ejections and m/n= 2/3 edge mode is found. In the strike point region, “reflected” structures are observed as a response to ejected filaments. These are discussed in terms of plasma wall interaction phenomena (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Jumping mode atomic force microscopy obtains reproducible images of Alzheimer paired helical filaments in liquids

Alzheimer paired helical filaments (PHF) have been investigated with atomic force microscopy (AFM) under physiological conditions. Dynamic mode (DM) and jumping mode (JM) AFM have been employed as imaging techniques. Data obtained in solution have been compared to data obtained in ambient air with DM. In liquids, PHF particles show distortion and irreversible damage when imaged with DM. On the contrary, JM images of PHF particles are reproducible and out of apparent damage. Dimensions of the PHF particles measured with JM, are in agreement with previously reported electron microscopy data. We have found that the forces involved in DM imaging are larger than those involved in JM imaging and hence we believe that this is the main reason of the damage caused by the tip when using DM in solution.     

The effect of size on the resistive switching characteristics of NiO nanodots

NiO nanodots were fabricated via a shattering process using an AFM tip, where an NiO nanodot with a diameter of approximately 90 nm was broken into very small pieces. The pieces showed diverse diameters, including three diameters of approximately 10, 20, and 30 nm. The NiO nanodots exhibited unipolar switching characteristics including bistable resistivity during 200 repeated switching cycles. Significantly, the magnitude of the “ON currents” was observed to depend on the formation of conducting filaments in the NiO nanodots. We suggest that the critical diameter of the RRAM NiO nanodots is approximately 30 nm.     

Numerical study of flapping filaments in a uniform fluid flow

The coupled dynamics of multiple flexible filaments (also called monodimensional flags) flapping in a uniform fluid flow is studied numerically for the cases of a side-by-side arrangement, and an in-line configuration. The modal behaviour and hydrodynamical properties of the sets of filaments are studied using a Lattice Boltzmann–Immersed Boundary method. The fluid momentum equations are solved on a Cartesian uniform lattice while the beating filaments are tracked through a series of markers, whose dynamics are functions of the forces exerted by the fluid, the filaments flexural rigidity and the tension. The instantaneous wall conditions on the filaments are imposed via a system of singular body forces, consistently discretised on the lattice of the Boltzmann equation. The results exhibit several flapping modes for two and three filaments placed side-by-side and are compared with experimental and theoretical studies. The hydrodynamical drafting, observed so far only experimentally on configurations of in-line flexible bodies, is also revisited numerically in this work, and the associated physical mechanism is identified. In certain geometrical and structural configuration, it is found that the upstream body experiences a reduced drag compared to the downstream body, which is the contrary of what is encountered on rigid bodies (cars, bicycles).