Effects of accelerated aging on mechanical,thermal and morphological behavior of polyurethane/epoxy/fiberglass composites

Wind blades, an important application of polymeric composite materials, are subject to natural weathering. This study aims to evaluate mechanical, thermal and morphological behavior during accelerated aging in three thicknesses of epoxy and fiberglass polyurethane-coated composite plates used in wind turbines, in addition to testing with two acoustic emission techniques. An accelerated aging chamber simulated natural weathering mechanisms for 45, 90, 135 and 180 days. This degradation primarily reduced the mechanical properties of the thinner composites, with some damaged specimens exhibiting fiber-matrix debonding. Thermal properties deteriorated. There were no morphological changes on the polyurethane–epoxy interface; however, degradation occurred in the fiber-matrix interface on the surface exposed to radiation. The degree of chalking indicated coating deterioration on the external surface of the polyurethane. The acoustic wave propagation speed and attenuation coefficient measured prior to mechanical testing indicated the presence of damage areas.     

Sensitivity improvement of a sandwich-type ELISA immunosensor for the detection of different prostate-specific antigen isoforms in human serum using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and an ordered and hierarchically organized interfacial supramolecular architecture

A gold millielectrode (GME) functionalized with a mixed (16-MHA + EG₃SH) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was used to fabricate an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) immunosensor for the sensitive detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a prostate cancer (PCa) biomarker, in human serum samples. To address and minimize the issue of non-specific protein adsorption, an organic matrix (amine-PEG₃-biotin/avidin) was assembled on the previously functionalized electrode surface to build up an ordered and hierarchically organized interfacial supramolecular architecture: Au/16-MHA/EG₃SH/amine-PEG₃-biotin/avidin. The electrode was then exposed to serum samples at different concentrations of a sandwich-type immunocomplex molecule (^BtnAb-Ag_PSA-^HRPAb), and its interfacial properties were characterized using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Calibration curves for polarization resistance (R_P) and capacitance (1/C) vs. total and free PSA concentrations were obtained and their analytical quality parameters were determined. This approach was compared with results obtained from a commercially available ELISA immunosensor. The results obtained in this work showed that the proposed immunosensor can be successfully applied to analyze serum samples of patients representative of the Mexican population.     

Modeling bubble dynamics and radical kinetics in ultrasound induced microalgal cell disruption

Microalgal cell disruption induced by acoustic cavitation was simulated through solving the bubble dynamics in an acoustical field and their radial kinetics (chemical kinetics of radical species) occurring in the bubble during its oscillation, as well as calculating the bubble wall pressure at the collapse point. Modeling results indicated that increasing ultrasonic intensity led to a substantial increase in the number of bubbles formed during acoustic cavitation, however, the pressure generated when the bubbles collapsed decreased. Therefore, cumulative collapse pressure (CCP) of bubbles was used to quantify acoustic disruption of a freshwater alga, Scenedesmus dimorphus, and a marine alga, Nannochloropsis oculata and compare with experimental results. The strong correlations between CCP and the intracellular lipid fluorescence density, chlorophyll-a fluorescence density, and cell particle/debris concentration were found, which suggests that the developed models could accurately predict acoustic cell disruption, and can be utilized in the scale up and optimization of the process.     

Acoustic properties of aspirin in its various phases and transformation stages studied by Brillouin scattering

The acoustic behaviors of aspirin were studied in its crystal, liquid, glass states as well as transformation stages between them. The Brillouin doublet of the longitudinal acoustic (LA) mode propagating to the [100] direction of aspirin crystals showed a splitting in a temperature range of 393-413 K below the melting temperature, which indicated a softening and distortion of the layered aspirin crystal in its premelting stage. One LA mode was observed in the liquid and glassy phases of aspirin, consistent with Brillouin selection rule for isotropic materials. The acoustic damping in the glassy aspirin was systematically higher than that in the crystal aspirin, which was in contrast to ibuprofen materials. These suggested different activity of remnant local dynamics that could couple to the acoustic waves, persistent in the glassy state of these two representative pharmaceuticals. In the supercooled liquid phase, the Brillouin spectrum displayed a new spectral feature characterized by a high-frequency cutoff and a distributed low-frequency contribution other than the Brillouin peak of the amorphous aspirin. This could be ascribed to the formation of crystalline grains in the glassy matrix due to cold crystallization.     

Insights into the electro-oxidation of hydrazine at single-walled carbon-nanotube-modified edge-plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes electro-decorated with metal and metal oxide films

Electrochemistry of edge-plane pyrolytic graphite electrodes (EPPGEs) modified with Aldrich single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) electro-decorated with metal (Ni, Fe and Co) and their oxides have been studied. The morphology and identity of the metallic dispersions were examined by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. We show that SWCNTs serve as efficient conducting carbon material for electronic communication between metal films and the underlying carbon electrode. By using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques, it is proved that both EPPGE-SWCNT-Ni and EPPGE-SWCNT-Fe exhibit comparable electrochemical response in buffered aqueous solution (pH 7.0) and towards electro-oxidation of hydrazine in Na₂SO₄ solution. The impedance spectra of these SWCNT-metal hybrids were complicated and follow electrical equivalent circuit model typical of adsorption-controlled charge transfer kinetics. Hydrazine impedance spectra exhibited inductive loop, characteristic of Faradaic current being governed by the occupation of an intermediate state. On the other hand, the EIS data obtained in a simple redox probe, [Fe(CN)₆]³⁻/[Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻, showed that EPPGE-SWCNT and EPPGE-SWCNT-Ni followed electrical equivalent circuit models typical of partial charge transfer or adsorption-controlled kinetics with some resemblance to the behaviour of electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor sensors.     

Comparative study of optical kinetics in single and dual poly3-methylthiophene-based solid electrochromic devices

An electrochemically deposited poly3-methylthiophene (P3MT) thin film has been used as the primary electrochromic element in a solid two-electrode electrochromic device (ECD) with a viscous polymeric electrolyte (PE) of polymethyl methacrylate and lithium perchlorate co-dissolved in ethylene and propylene carbonates. The counter-electrode of the ECD was a transparent conductive (indium-tin oxide, ITO) glass (single ECD) or a polyaniline (PANI)-coated ITO glass (dual ECD). Dual P3MT-PANI-based ECDs exhibit a lower optical switch potential (less than 0.5 V) and a faster color change speed (around 1 s) compared with the single devices, independent on the lithium salt concentration and the viscosity of the polymeric electrolyte. Electrochemical impedance spectra of both types of ECDs were analyzed at zero bias. It indicates that the use of the secondary electroactive element leads to a lower counter-ion diffusion resistance as well as to a larger counter-ion storage capacity in the electrochromic element/polymeric electrolyte interfaces. Consequently, the oxidation–reduction potential is lower, and the charge transfer process is faster in the dual devices than those in the single ones.     

Synthesis and characterization of submicron size particles of LiMn<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> by microemulsion route

Among the various positive electrode materials investigated for Li-ion batteries, spinel LiMn₂O₄ is one of the most important materials. Small particles of the active materials facilitate high-rate capability due to large surface to mass ratio and small diffusion path length. The present work involves the synthesis of submicron size particles of LiMn₂O₄ in a quaternary microemulsion medium. The precursor obtained from the reaction is heated at different temperatures in the range from 400 to 900 °C. The samples heated at 800 and 900 °C are found to possess pure spinel phase with particle size <200 nm, as evidenced from XRD, SEM, and TEM studies. The electrochemical characterization studies provide discharge capacity values of about 100 mAh g⁻¹ at C/5 rate, and there is a moderate decrease in capacity by increasing the rate of charge–discharge cycling. Studies also include charge–discharge cycling and ac impedance studies in temperature range from −10 to 40 °C. Impedance data are analyzed with the help of an equivalent circuit and a nonlinear least squares fitting program. From temperature dependence of charge-transfer resistance, a value of 0.62 eV is obtained for the activation energy of Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺ redox process, which accompanies the intercalation/deintercalation of the Li⁺ ion in LiMn₂O₄.     

添加剂对染料敏化太阳电池电解质性能的影响

以N-甲基咪唑、苯并咪唑、叔丁基吡啶和离子液体1-甲基-3-乙基咪唑三氟乙酸盐(EMITA)作为染料敏化太阳电池(DSCs)电解质溶液中的添加剂, 使用超微电极通过循环伏安法研究其对液体电解质中I-3和I-氧化还原行为的影响, 通过电化学阻抗谱研究了上述四种添加剂对Pt电极电解质界面的影响. 结果表明, 添加剂EMITA的加入使I-3在电解质中的扩散系数减小, Pt电极电解质界面上的界面传输电阻Rct增大, 电解质的电阻降低; 光伏性能测试表明, EMITA的添加提高了DSCs的开路电压和填充因子, 其DSCs的光电转换效率达到了5.72%.     

同分异构体对苯和丁醇的偶极相互作用的影响

Sound velocity, density, and viscosity values were measured at 303 K in four binary systems of benzene ＋1-, 2-, tert-, or iso-butanol. From these data, acoustical parameters, such as adiabatic compressibility, free length, free volume, and internal pressure were estimated using the standard relations. The results are interpreted in terms of molecular interaction between the components of the mixtures. Observed excess value in all the mixture indicates that the molecular symmetry existing in the system is highly disturbed by the nonpolar benzene molecules. Interaction energy terms of the statistical mixing are also verified for these binary systems and the dipole-dipole interactions are found to be predominantly present and are sharply affected by the isomeric forms of butanol.     

海洋微生物对316不锈钢的电化学腐蚀行为

采用自腐蚀电位、电化学极化曲线、电化学阻抗谱技术研究了316不锈钢在无菌培养基介质和海水微生物接种培养有菌培养基介质中不同周期的腐蚀行为．结果表明,316不锈钢电极在有菌介质中比在无菌介质中的腐蚀电流密度大,腐蚀电位负移,微生物加速了不锈钢的腐蚀速度．随着浸泡时间的增加,有菌介质中的不锈钢电极极化电阻值逐渐减小,表明了海洋微生物的附着和繁殖加速了316不锈钢的腐蚀速率,降低了其在海洋环境中的耐蚀性．