On the total vertex irregularity strength of trees

A vertex irregular total k-labelling λ:V(G)∪E(G)?{1,2,…,k} of a graph G is a labelling of vertices and edges of G done in such a way that for any different vertices x and y, their weights wt(x) and wt(y) are distinct. The weight wt(x) of a vertex x is the sum of the label of x and the labels of all edges incident with x. The minimum k for which a graph G has a vertex irregular total k-labelling is called the total vertex irregularity strength of G, denoted by . In this paper, we determine the total vertex irregularity strength of trees.     

Construction and Properties of Adhesive and Weak Adhesive High-Level Replacement Categories

As presented in Ehrig et al. (Fundamentals of Algebraic Graph Transformation, EATCS Monographs, Springer, 2006), adhesive high-level replacement (HLR) categories and systems are an adequate framework for several kinds of transformation systems based on the double pushout approach. Since (weak) adhesive HLR categories are closed under product, slice, coslice, comma and functor category constructions, it is possible to build new (weak) adhesive HLR categories from existing ones. But for the general results of transformation systems, as additional properties initial pushouts, binary coproducts compatible with a special morphism class and a pair factorization are needed to obtain the full theory. In this paper, we analyze under which conditions these additional properties are preserved by the categorical constructions in order to avoid checking these properties explicitly.      

Physico-chemical,thermal, and flexural characterization of Cocos nucifera fibers

Currently there is a growing interest in reinforcing polymers using natural fibers for a wide variety of applications because of their desirable properties such as biodegradability, low density, low cost, and abundant availability. In this study, the raw lignocellulosic fibers of Cocos nucifera palm were extracted, and characterization studies such as Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis were conducted and reported. Composite samples were prepared using polyester resin, and the effect of fiber loading on flexural strength is reported. Surface morphology of the fractured samples was examined using a scanning electron microscope.     

Effect of nano‐modified SiO2/Al2O3 mixed‐matrix micro‐composite fillers on thermal,mechanical, and tribological properties of epoxy polymers

Thermo‐mechanically durable industrial polymer nanocomposites have great demand as structural components. In this work, highly competent filler design is processed via nano‐modified of micronic SiO₂/Al₂O₃ particulate ceramics and studied its influence on the rheology, glass transition temperature, composite microstructure, thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, micro hardness, and tribology properties. Composites were fabricated with different proportions of nano‐modified micro‐composite fillers in epoxy matrix at as much possible filler loadings. Results revealed that nano‐modified SiO₂/Al₂O₃ micro‐composite fillers enhanced inter‐particle network and offer benefits like homogeneous microstructures and increased thermal conductivity. Epoxy composites attained thermal conductivity of 0.8 W/mK at 46% filler loading. Mechanical strength and bulk hardness were reached to higher values on the incorporation of nano‐modified fillers. Tribology study revealed an increased specific wear rate and decreased friction coefficient in such fillers. The study is significant in a way that the design of nano‐modified mixed‐matrix micro‐composite fillers are effective where a high loading is much easier, which is critical for achieving desired thermal and mechanical properties for any engineering applications. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Electroless Copper Plating on Liquid Crystal Polymer Films Using Dimethylamine Borane as Reducing Agent

Dimethylamine borane (DMAB) was used in electroless copper plating on liquid crystal polymer (LCP) films. An orthogonal test was applied to optimize the plating condition. With Cu film resistivity as the evaluation index, the optimum plating condition is: 10 g/L of CuSO₄ ? 5H₂O, 14 g/L of EDTA‐2Na, 6 g/L of DMAB, 9.5 of pH value and 50 °C. As pH value increases, the Cu film resistivity decreases and the depo‐ sition rate increases. As temperature increases, the Cu film resistivity decreases first and then increases with a minimum at 50 °C while the deposition rate increases first and then decreases with a maximum at 50 °C. The decreased Cu film resistivity can be attributed to the occurrence of CuO. The adhesive strength of copper layer to LCP film is constant at pH values lower than 8.5 and decreases slightly with the increase in pH value. As temperature increases, the adhesive strength decreases slightly. The decreased adhesive strength with both pH and temperature may be a result of an increased corrosion attack from the bath to the surface of LCP films. Low Cu film resistivity and high deposition rate as well as high adhesive strength can be obtained using DMAB reducing agent.     

Bi‐directional ACET micropump for on‐chip biological applications

The ability to control and pump high ionic strength fluids inside microchannels forms a major advantage for clinical diagnostics and drug screening processes, where high conductive biological and physiological buffers are used. Despite the known potential of AC electro‐thermal (ACET) effect in different biomedical applications, comparatively little is known about controlling the velocity and direction of fluid inside the chip. Here, we proposed to discretize the conventional electrodes to form various asymmetric electrode structures in order to control the fluid direction by simple switching the appropriate electric potential applied to the discretized electrodes. The ACET pumping effect was numerically studied by solving electrical, thermal and hydrodynamic multi‐physic coupled equations to optimize the geometrical dimensions of the discretized system. PBS solutions with different ionic strength were seeded with 1 μm sized fluorescent particles and electrothermally driven fluid motion was observed inside the channel for different electrode structures. Experimental analyses confirm that the proposed micropump is efficient for a conductivity range between 0.1 and 1 S/m and the efficiency improves by increasing the voltage amplitude. Behavior of the proposed electrode–electrolyte system is discussed by lumped circuit model. Frequency response of system illustrated that the optimal frequency range increases by increasing the conductivity of medium. For 0.18 S/m PBS solution, the constant pumping effect was observed at frequency range between 100 kHz and 1 MHz, while frequency range of 100 kHz to 5 MHZ was observed for 0.42 S/m. The characteristics of experimental results were in good agreement with the theoretical model.     

Effects of ultrasonic agitation on adhesion strength of micro electroforming Ni layer on Cu substrate

Micro electroforming is an important technology, which is widely used for fabricating micro metal devices in MEMS. The micro metal devices have the problem of poor adhesion strength, which has dramatically influenced the dimensional accuracy of the devices and seriously limited the development of the micro electroforming technology. In order to improve the adhesion strength, ultrasonic agitation method is applied during the micro electroforming process in this paper. To explore the effect of the ultrasonic agitation, micro electroforming experiments were carried out under ultrasonic and ultrasonic-free conditions. The effects of the ultrasonic agitation on the micro electroforming process were investigated by polarization and alternating current (a.c.) impedance methods. The real surface area of the electroforming layer was measured by cyclic voltammetry method. The compressive stress and the crystallite size of the electroforming layer were measured by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) method. The adhesion strength of the electroforming layer was measured by scratch test. The experimental results show that the imposition of the ultrasonic agitation decreases the polarization overpotential and increases the charge transfer process at the electrode–electrolyte interface during the electroforming process. The ultrasonic agitation increases the crystallite size and the real surface area, and reduces the compressive stress. Then the adhesion strength is improved about 47% by the ultrasonic agitation in average. In addition, mechanisms of the ultrasonic agitation improving the adhesion strength are originally explored in this paper. The mechanisms are that the ultrasonic agitation increases the crystallite size, which reduces the compressive stress. The lower the compressive stress is, the larger the adhesion strength is. Furthermore, the ultrasonic agitation increases the real surface area, enhances the mechanical interlocking strength and consequently increases the adhesion strength. This work contributes to fabricating the electroforming layer with large adhesion strength.     

Acidity of Several Anilinium Derivatives in Pure Tetrahydrofuran

The acidity constant (pK _a) of eleven substituted anilinium ions and the dissociation constants of their perchlorate salts (pK _salt) were determined in pure tetrahydrofuran by potentiometry and conductometry. The pK _a values of the studied aniliniums extend downward the range of previously determined pK _a values. The resolution of acid strength for cationic acids in tetrahydrofuran was compared with those obtained in other amphiprotic and aprotic solvents. It is shown that the resolution in tetrahydrofuran is higher than the ones in water and methanol, similar to those in acetone, dimethyl sulfoxide and isobutylmethylketone, but lower than those in acetonitrile and nitromethane.     

钙基负载型固体碱催化酯交换反应活性评价

动植物油脂与醇通过酯交换反应制备生物柴油,目前,工业上一般采用NaOH、KOH、NaOCH,等均相催化剂。均相催化剂的缺点是产品后处理复杂,产生大量含碱含油工业废水。而非均相固体碱催化酯交换反应,产品与催化剂分离容易,产品不需要水洗,避免了大量废液的排放。采用非均相固体碱制备生物柴油的文献报道较多,但固体碱的碱中心数、碱中心强度对酯交换反应影响的报道较少。本研究制备了钙基负载型固体碱催化剂,重点研究钙基负载型固体碱的制备工艺条件对碱强度、碱量分布的影响,考察碱强度、碱量分布对催化菜籽油与甲醇的酯交换反应制备生物柴油转化率的影响。     

A Double Network Hydrogel with High Mechanical Strength and Shape Memory Properties

Double network (DN) hydrogels as one kind of tough gels have attracted extensive attention for their potential applications in biomedical and load-bearing fields. Herein, we import more functions like shape memory into the conventional tough DN hydrogel system. We synthesize the PEG-PDAC/P(AAm-co-AAc) DN hydrogels, of which the first network is a well-defined PEG (polyethylene glycol) network loaded with PDAC (poly(acryloyloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride)) strands, while the second network is formed by copolymerizing AAm (acrylamide) with AAc (acrylic acid) and cross-linker MBAA (N, N'-methylenebisacrylamide). The PEG-PDAC/P(AAm-co-AAc) DN gels exhibits high mechanical strength. The fracture stress and toughness of the DN gels reach up to 0.9 MPa and 3.8 MJ/m³, respectively. Compared with the conventional double network hydrogels with neutral polymers as the soft and ductile second network, the PEG-PDAC/P(AAm-coAAc) DN hydrogels use P(AAm-co-AAc), a weak polyelectrolyte, as the second network. The AAc units serve as the coordination points with Fe³⁺ ions and physically crosslink the second network, which realizes the shape memory property activated by the reducing ability of ascorbic acid. Our results indicate that the high mechanical strength and shape memory properties, probably the two most important characters related to the potential application of the hydrogels, can be introduced simultaneously into the DN hydrogels if the functional monomer has been integrated into the network of DN hydrogels smartly.