Measurement and modeling on hydrodynamic forces and deformation of an air bubble approaching a solid sphere in liquids

The interaction between bubbles and solid surfaces is central to a broad range of industrial and biological processes. Various experimental techniques have been developed to measure the interactions of bubbles approaching solids in a liquid. A main challenge is to accurately and reliably control the relative motion over a wide range of hydrodynamic conditions and at the same time to determine the interaction forces, bubble–solid separation and bubble deformation. Existing experimental methods are able to focus only on one of the aspects of this problem, mostly for bubbles and particles with characteristic dimensions either below 100 μm or above 1 cm. As a result, either the interfacial deformations are measured directly with the forces being inferred from a model, or the forces are measured directly with the deformations to be deduced from the theory. The recently developed integrated thin film drainage apparatus (ITFDA) filled the gap of intermediate bubble/particle size ranges that are commonly encountered in mineral and oil recovery applications. Equipped with side-view digital cameras along with a bimorph cantilever as force sensor and speaker diaphragm as the driver for bubble to approach a solid sphere, the ITFDA has the capacity to measure simultaneously and independently the forces and interfacial deformations as a bubble approaches a solid sphere in a liquid. Coupled with the thin liquid film drainage modeling, the ITFDA measurement allows the critical role of surface tension, fluid viscosity and bubble approach speed in determining bubble deformation (profile) and hydrodynamic forces to be elucidated. Here we compare the available methods of studying bubble–solid interactions and demonstrate unique features and advantages of the ITFDA for measuring both forces and bubble deformations in systems of Reynolds numbers as high as 10. The consistency and accuracy of such measurement are tested against the well established Stokes–Reynolds–Young–Laplace model. The potential to use the design principles of the ITFDA for fundamental and developmental research is demonstrated.     

Spatiotemporally-regulated multienzymatic polymerization endows hydrogel continuous gradient and spontaneous actuation

There are several natural materials which have evolved functional gradients,ingeniously attaining maximal efficacy from limited components.Herein,we utilized the spatiotemporal distribution of initiator acetylacetone to regulate the multienzyme polymerization and fabricate a chitosan-polymer hydrogel.The temporal priority order of acetylacetone was higher than phenolmodified chitosan by density functional theory calculation.The acetylacetone within the gelatin could gradually diffuse spatially into the chitosan hydrogel to fabricate the composite hydrogel with gradient network structure.The gradient hydrogel possessed a transferring topography from the two-dimensional pattern.A continuously decreased modulus along with acetylacetone diffusion was confirmed by atomic force microscope-based force mapping experiment.The water-retaining ability of various regions was confirmed by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)and thermogravimetric analysis(TG)analysis,which led to the spontaneous actuation of gradient hydrogel with maximum 1821°/h curling speed and 227°curling angle.Consequently,the promising gradient hydrogels could be applied as intelligent actuators and flexible robots.     

Suppression of charge imbalance via Li+-Mn4+ co-incorporated Sr2YSbO6 red phosphors for warm w-LEDs

Mn⁴⁺-activated double perovskite phosphors with composition diversity have presented excellent luminescent performances. However, the charge imbalance between Mn⁴⁺ and matrix cations would increase non-radiative recombination and reduce the structural stability. Here, novel high-efficiency stable Li⁺/Mn⁴⁺ co-incorporated Sr₂YSbO₆ red phosphors are successfully synthesized via a solid-state reaction method for warm w-LEDs, where the Li⁺ ions have the effect of charge balance for Sr₂YSbO₆:Mn⁴⁺ and reduce the non-radiative energy transfer among Mn⁴⁺ ions. It is demonstrated that the substitution of Li⁺–Mn⁴⁺ pairs for Sb⁵⁺ can enhance the bonding with low-shifted diffraction peaks and high emission intensity, and prolong the decay lifetime, compared with those of Mn⁴⁺ single-doped ones. Impressively, the thermal stability is enhanced to 89.72% from 84.61% at the original value of 303 K. Finally, a w-LED device based on the optimal phosphor Sr₂YSbO₆:0.01Mn⁴⁺/0.01Li⁺ red component exhibits a correlated color temperature of 4487 K and color rendering index of 80.2. Therefore, the incorporated Li⁺ ions serve as both charge compensator and co-activator in Mn⁴⁺-activated double perovskite phosphors with the aim of high luminescent performance and thermal stability.     

A cosolvent pretreatment: effect of solvent–water on enzymatic hydrolysis of glucan,lignin structure,and dynamics

Cellulose - In this study, a biomass pretreatment strategy with a recyclable cosolvent (toluene sulfonic acid/ethanol) was developed. The low boiling point solvent (78.15 °C),...     

Size-controlled flow synthesis of metal-organic frameworks crystals monitored by in-situ ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy

Size-controlled flow synthesis of nanoporous particles are of considerable interest for future industrial applications,however,is facing challenges due to lack of in-situ method for size-characterization in fluidic environment.We present that ultraviolet-visible(UV-vis) absorption spectroscopy can be integrated into a flow-synthesis system which was produced by femtosecond laser micro machining.The shift of the absorption peak position of the ex-situ and in-situ UV-vis spectra correlates to variation of size of porous metal-organic frameworks crystals.ZIF-67 crystals with a size in the range from 200 nm to1025 nm are fabricated with the assistance of tri-ethylamine under monitoring of in-situ UV-vis spectra.The ZIF-67 crystals are converted into nanoporous carbons particles with controlled sizes.These materials show size-dependent performance in Na-ion battery and size-independent performance in metal/H_2 O seawater battery.     

有序介孔Sn-SBA-15负载铂催化剂上丙烷脱氢性能的提高

丙烷脱氢制丙烯能够将低级烷烃转变成烯烃,是有效扩大丙烯来源的生产工艺.铂锡催化剂用于丙烷催化脱氢的主要缺点是稳定性差、选择性低,通过稳定锡的氧化态可以大大改善催化剂的脱氢性能及稳定性.本文采用一锅水热合成法制备了一系列高比表面积具有高度有序介孔结构的Sn掺杂的Sn-SBA-15材料,并作为载体负载铂催化剂用于丙烷脱氢反应.同时利用传统浸渍法(IM)合成了Sn/SBA-15-IM材料作为对比.结合X射线衍射(XRD)、BET比表面积和孔体积测试、红外光谱(FT-IR)、X射线光电子能谱、H2程序升温脱附(H2-TPD)、热重分析(TGA)、扫描电镜和透射电镜等多种物理化学表征手段研究了Sn-SBA-15材料和催化剂的结构性质及其丙烷脱氢反应性能.XRD和BET比表面积和孔体积测试结果表明,水热合成法原位引入助剂Sn不影响载体SBA-15的有序孔道结构,同时能够保持较大的比表面积.传统浸渍法引入Sn会堵塞载体孔道,载体比表面积及孔道有序度下降.Sn掺杂进入SBA-15骨架能够增强Sn物种与载体的相互作用,有利于Sn物种在反应过程中保持氧化态,提高催化剂丙烷脱氢反应的活性及选择性.当Sn掺杂量增至2.0 wt％时,Pt,Sn组分与载体之间的相互作用减弱,催化剂中Sn0物种所占比例增多,导致催化剂丙烷脱氢性能下降.在丙烷脱氢反应过程中,一锅法引入Sn的催化剂上反应活性和稳定性明显优于浸渍法引入Sn的催化剂.其中,Pt/0.5 Sn-SBA-15催化剂表现出最优的丙烷脱氢性能,丙烷转化率为43.8％,丙烯选择性为98.5％.     

Characterisation and effect of polymer network deformation in reverse-mode polymer-stabilised cholesteric texture

In reverse-mode polymer-stabilised cholesteric texture (PSCT), the dynamic response is derived from local director reorientation governed by dielectric coupling effect/self-assembly and polymer network deformation. A double exponential rise/decay model is proposed to investigate the underlying physical mechanisms. Through simulation of the transient rise and decay processes, the polymer network deformation in PSCT can be quantitatively evaluated. Less deformation and faster restoration speed of the polymer network can suppress hysteresis. These results provide useful guidelines for future PSCT fabrication and performance optimisation.     

Chemiluminescence immunoassay for cardiac troponin T by using silver nanoparticles functionalized with hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme on a glass chip array

The authors describe an array for chemiluminescence (CL) based determination of cardiac troponin T (cTnT), an important cardiovascular disease marker. The tracing tag consists of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) loaded with guanine-rich DNA sequences and detection antibody in a high numerical ratio. The loaded AgNPs were then reacted with hemin to form a hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme. A disposable immunosensor array was fabricated by immobilizing capture antibody on corresponding sensing sites on a glass chip. Once a sandwich immunocomplex is formed on the array, the tracing tag catalyzes the CL reaction of the luminol-p-iodophenol and H₂O₂ system to produce a CL signal, which is collected by a CCD camera. An intuitive CL image is obtained containing all of the spots on the array. Under optimal conditions, the method shows a wide linear range over 4 orders of magnitude (from 0.003 to 270 ng·L^?1), a detection limit down to 84 fg·L^?1, and a throughput as high as 44 tests·h^?1. The results obtained with serum samples are in acceptable agreement with reference values. The AgNP-based tracing tag as well as the immunoassay method shows a promising potential for point-of-care testing for the early clinical diagnosis of cardiovascular disease.

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Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) functionalized with hemin/G-quadruplex DNAzyme for highly sensitive chemiluminescence (CL) immunoassay of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) on a glass chip array.

     

Immobilization of silver nanoparticles into POEGMA polymer brushes as SERS‐active substrates

Surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has attracted a great deal of interest during the past four decades and emerged as an ultrasensitive optical technique for chemical and biomedical analysis. It is widely accepted that the facile fabrication of SERS substrates with high activity and good reproducibility is of crucial importance for their applications. Herein, we report on a fast and robust method for the synthesis and immobilization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) into poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate) (POEGMA) brushes under mild conditions without using any reducing agents. POEGMA brushes of different chain lengths were synthesized directly on silicon wafers by surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization with various reaction time. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscope measurements indicated that the AgNPs were firmly and homogeneously embedded into POEGMA brushes. The resulting POEGMA–AgNP hybrid films were employed as SERS substrates for the detection of 4‐aminothiophenol, giving rise to an enhancement factor of up to 1.9 × 10⁶. The influence of the POEGMA's chain length on SERS performance was also investigated. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Rigidity of complete manifolds with parallel Cotton tensor

The aim of this paper is to show some rigidity results for complete Riemannian manifolds with parallel Cotton tensor. In particular, we prove that any compact manifold of dimension \(n\ge 3\) with parallel Cotton tensor and positive constant scalar curvature is isometric to a finite quotient of \({\mathbb {S}}^n\) under a pointwise or integral pinching condition. Moreover, a rigidity theorem for stochastically complete manifolds with parallel Cotton tensor is also given. The proofs rely mainly on curvature elliptic estimates and the weak maximum principle.