A computational simulation study on the acoustic pressure generated by a dental endosonic file: Effects of intensity,file shape and volume

One of the uses of ultrasound in dentistry is in the field of endodontics (i.e. root canal treatment) in order to enhance cleaning efficiency during the treatment. The acoustic pressures generated by the oscillation of files in narrow channels has been calculated using the COMSOL simulation package. Acoustic pressures in excess of the cavitation threshold can be generated and higher values were found in narrower channels. This parallels experimental observations of sonochemiluminescence. The effect of varying the channel width and length and the dimensions and shape of the file are reported. As well as explaining experimental observations, the work provides a basis for the further development and optimisation of the design of endosonic files.     

Industrial Applications of Dimeric Surfactants: A Review

Dimeric surfactants also known as gemini surfactants have received lots of attention for high performance formulations in the various scientific and commercial products. Due to the greater amount of hydrocarbon per molecule, the critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of dimeric are typically one order of magnitude lower than the corresponding monomeric surfactant. They are ten to hundred times more efficient at reducing the surface tension of water and the interfacial tension of the oil-water interface than conventional surfactants. Besides, the Krafft temperatures of gemini surfactants with hydrophilic spacers are generally very low giving these surfactants the capacity to be used in cold water. These surfactants display a range of interesting properties, including elevated surface activity, extremely low CMC and extraordinary rheology and self-assimilation aspect. As a consequence of these properties, they have many potential applications include detergents and cleaning agents, cosmetics, textile, and dyeing, dispersion stabilization and emulsion polymerization, genetics science, pharmaceutical, and biological applications.      

An activated fluid stream – New techniques for cold water cleaning

Electrochemical, acoustic and imaging techniques are used to characterise surface cleaning with particular emphasis on the understanding of the key phenomena relevant to surface cleaning. A range of novel techniques designed to enhance and monitor the effective cleaning of a solid/liquid interface is presented. Among the techniques presented, mass transfer of material to a sensor embedded in a surface is demonstrated to be useful in the further exploration of ultrasonic cleaning of high aspect ratio micropores. In addition the effect of micropore size on the cleaning efficacy is demonstrated. The design and performance of a new cleaning system reliant on the activation of bubbles within a free flowing stream is presented. This device utilised acoustic activation of bubbles within the stream and at a variety of substrates. Finally, a controlled bubble swarm is generated in the stream using electrolysis, and its effect on both acoustic output and cleaning performance are compared to the case when no bubbles are added. This will demonstrate the active role that the electrochemically generated bubble swarm can have in extending the spatial zone over which cleaning is achieved.     

Ultraviolet laser removal of small metallic particles from silicon wafers

Laser removal of small 1 μm sized copper, gold and tungsten particles from silicon wafer surfaces was carried out using ultraviolet radiation at 266 nm generated by Nd:YAG harmonic generation. Successful removal of both copper and gold particles from the surface was achieved whereas tungsten particles proved to be difficult to remove. The cleaning efficiency was increased with an increase of laser fluence. The optimum processing window for safe cleaning of the surface without any substrate damage was determined by measuring the damage threshold laser fluence on the silicon substrate and the required fluence for complete removal of the particles. The different cleaning efficiencies with particle type are discussed by considering the adhesion force of the particle on the surface and the laser-induced cleaning force for the three different particles.     

浅谈印制电路板的一种清洗工艺

焊接是电子设备的生产中的重要步骤,焊接后必须进行清洗才能保证电子设备的可靠性、电气指标和工作寿命。鉴于军工产品必须要清洗,所以清洗工艺对于军工产品尤为重要。文中介绍了清洗的重要性,讨论了印制电路板污染物的种类和来源分析,提出了一种可靠的清洗工艺——溶剂气相清洗。气相清洗通常被认为是去除零件上有机污垢的一种最有效的清洁方法,这种方法甚至能去除工业中遇到的最为顽固的污垢。在溶剂蒸气清洗机中清洁后的零件从机器中出来时是干燥的,而且表面无任何残留物。     

An evaluation of the use of capillary electrophoresis to monitor trace drug residues following the manufacture of pharmaceuticals

Summary The novel use of capillary electrophoresis to the important and developing area of monitoring possible drug residues on pharmaceutical manufacturing equipment is reported. The CE method is applicable to a wide range of basic drugs with sensitivity as low as 25ng/ml (equivalent to 8×10^–8 M). This sensitivity is equivalent to that obtainable for HPLC for the drugs tested and is obtained by employing a combination of a wider bore capillary with low wavelength UV detection. Preliminary evaluation of the method performance shows acceptable precision, linearity, sensitivity and accuracy. Features of the method compared to HPLC include simplicity, ease of method transfer, reductions in analysis set-up time, and reduced costs of solvents and columns.     

Electron beam induced decomposition of chlorinated aromatic compounds in waste incinerator offgas

Gaseous emissions of polychlorinated dibenzo-dioxins and -furanes (PCDD/F) in incinerator flue gas are decomposed to below 0,1 ng m_N⁻³ by the irradiation with accelerated electrons. A mobile off gas cleaning plant (AGATE-M), equipped with a 200 keV electron accelerator (EB), was used to treat a flow of 1000 m_N³ h⁻¹ of flue gas from a waste incinerator. Very high decomposition efficiencies were obtained at a dose of 5 – 10 kGy. A computer model (AGATE-code) was developed to analyze the gas phase chemistry of the process. The experimental and the theoretical results are reported and compared.     

Isobaric vapor–liquid equilibria for water + propylene glycol monomethyl ether (PGME), water + propyleneglycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA), and PGME + PGMEA at reduced pressures

Isobaric vapor–liquid equilibria were measured for three binary systems of water + propyleneglycol monomethyl ether (PGME), water + propyleneglycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA), and PGME + PGMEA at 93.3, 53.3, 26.7 kPa. The equipment used was a modified Rogalski-Malanoski equilibrium still and an ebulliometer. The NRTL equation correlated the experimental binary data with good accuracy.     

Ultrasonic cleaning: An historical perspective

The development of ultrasonic cleaning dates from the middle of the 20th century and has become a method of choice for a range of surface cleaning operations. The reasons why this has happened and the methods of assessing the efficiency of ultrasonic cleaning baths are reviewed.