Negative thermal expansion in NbF_3 and NbOF_2:A comparative theoretical study

Thermal expansion control is always an obstructive factor and challenging in high precision engineering field. Here,the negative thermal expansion of Nb F_3 and Nb OF_2 was predicted by first-principles calculation with density functional theory and the quasi-harmonic approximation(QHA). We studied the total charge density, thermal vibration, and lattice dynamic to investigate the thermal expansion mechanism. We found that the presence of O induced the relatively strong covalent bond in Nb OF_2, thus weakening the transverse vibration of F and O in Nb OF_2, compared with the case of Nb F_3.In this study, we proposed a way to tailor negative thermal expansion of metal fluorides by introducing the oxygen atoms.The present work not only predicts two NTE compounds, but also provides an insight on thermal expansion control by designing chemical bond type.     

Solution combustion synthesis,energy and environment: Best parameters for better materials

Solution combustion synthesis (SCS) is a worldwide used methodology for the preparation of inorganic ceramic and composite materials with controlled properties for a wide number of applications, from catalysis to photocatalysis and electrocatalysis, from heavy metal removal to sensoristics and electronics. The high versatility and efficiency of this technique have led to the introduction of many variants, which allowed important optimization to the prepared materials. Moreover, its ecofriendly nature encouraged further studies about the use of sustainable precursors for the preparation of nanomaterials for energy and environment, according to the concept of circular economy. On the other hand, the large variety of expressions to define SCS and the often-contradictory definitions of the SCS parameters witnessed a scarce consciousness of the potentiality of this methodology. In this review article, the most important findings about SCS and the selection criteria for its main parameters are critically reviewed, in order to give useful guidelines to those scientists who want to use this methodology for preparing materials with improved or new functional properties. This review aims as well (i) to bring more clarity in the SCS terminology (ii) to increase the awareness of the SCS as a convenient tool for the synthesis of materials and (iii) to propose a new perspective in the SCS, with special attention to the use of ecofriendly procedures. Part of the review is also dedicated to precautions and limitations of this powerful methodology.     

Electronic and ligating properties of carbocyclic carbenes: A theoretical investigation

Carbocyclic carbenes (CCCs) are a class of nucleophilic carbenes which are very similar to N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) in terms of their reactivity, but they do not contain a stabilizing heteroatom in their cyclic ring system. In this study, 17 representative known CCCs and 34 newly designed CCCs are evaluated using quantum chemical methods, and the results are compared in terms of their stability, nucleophilicity, and proton affinity (PA) parameters. The results are divided on the basis of ring size of the known and reported CCCs. The stability, nucleophilicity, PA, complexation energy, and bond strength–related parameters were estimated using M06/6-311++G(d,p) method. The results indicated that the CCCs known in the literature are strong σ-electron donating species and have considerable π-accepting properties. This study led to the design and identification of a few new CCCs with dimethylamine and diaminomethynyl substituents which can be singlet stable and are substantially nucleophilic. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Insight into shear‐induced modification for improving processability of polymers: Effect of shear rate on the evolution of entanglement state

Many experimental results have revealed that the re‐entanglement kinetics of disentangled polymers is much slower than that predicted by tube theory. This retarded recovery of fully entangled state is of practical significance that shear‐induced modification may offer a way to improve processability for a polymer by reducing viscosity. This work tried to figure out the shear‐rate dependence variation of viscosity in the view of evolution of entanglement state through disentanglement and re‐entanglement, aiming to provide fundamental insights into application prospect of shear‐induced modification in preparing “in‐pellet” disentangled polymers prior to final processing. High‐density polyethylene was sheared on a parallel‐plate rotational rheometer with a linearly increased shear rate. Results showed that higher shear rate could induce further disentanglement, resulting in a lower viscosity with a reduction rate up to 93.7%, larger molecular weight between entanglements M_e , and longer re‐entanglement time. Additionally, less entanglement would give a larger lamellar thickness of sheared samples after nonisothermal crystallization. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 598–606     

Enhanced oral bioavailability through nanotechnology in Saudi Arabia: A meta-analysis

Oral administration represents the most suitable mean among different means of administering drugs because it ensures high compliance by patients. Nevertheless, the lacking aqueoussolubility, as well as, inadequate metabolic/enzymatic stability of medicines are leading obstacles to successful drug administration by oral route. Among different systems, drug administration systems based on nanotechnology have the potential to surmount the problems associated with oral drug administration. Drug delivery systems based on nanotechnology offer an alternative to deliver antihypertensive agents with enhanced therapeutic effect and bioavailability. In this study, meta-analysis was utilized in combining data relating to oral bioavailability (area under plasma concentration time curve, AUC) enhancement through nanotechnology from multiple studies. Twenty-one studies of the total 37articles included in this study were from the kingdom of Saudi Arabia and were included in a specific meta-analysis. From the analysis conducted, the overall enhancement power of the nanotechnology based formulations on drug bioavailability was found to be 7.94% (95 %CI [5.809, 10.064]). Haven utilized comprehensive and recent data of the confirmed the enhancement of bioavailability using nanotechnology which for this study was grouped into five: solid lipid nanoparticles; polymer based nanoparticles; SNEEDS/Nanoemulsion; liposomes/proliposomes and; nanostructured lipid carriers. Furthermore, the meta-analysis, provided evidence of insignificant differences between APG Bio-SNEDDS and its free drug suspension (Apeginin, APG), though with relative bioavailabiilty of 1.91. Notwithstanding most of the treatment showed a substantial relative bioavailability.     

An automated vane shear test tool for environmental monitoring with unmanned ground vehicles

The present work describes the development of a novel robotic vane shear test tool for characterization of soil parameters with high precision and accuracy. The tool automates industrial standards for testing procedures. The proposed system is capable of performing high resolution torque measurements, which are then used to estimate the shear strength of the soil. The design of the instrument and its advantages over traditional manual instruments are discussed, after which error sources, calibration, and test procedures are described. The developed tool was successfully validated against high-end commercial equipment. The built unit was employed for characterizing mine waste in a laboratory setting and also deployed in the field on board an Unmanned Ground Vehicle for remote soil characterization.     

风力机叶片气动噪声的影响参数*

随着风力机的大型化，风电机组对环境的影响不容忽视，必须对风力机气动噪声进行预测和控制。选取基于NACA、DU翼型的某风力机叶片作为研究基准，采用修正BPM半经验模型计算叶片的气动噪声特性，通过改变翼型族、弦长、机组运行状态、风切变指数、来流风向参数，研究叶片外形几何参数、机组运行工况对叶片气动噪声源的影响。计算结果从多个角度总结出水平轴风力机叶片气动噪声的变化规律，为开发高效低噪风电叶片提供参考。     

水硬性石灰合成及拉破坏特性试验研究

水硬性石灰在欧洲石质文物修复和加固中获得了很大成功。我国的石质文物主要是砂岩,水硬性石灰的修复效果不好。为满足我国石质文物修复和加固的需求,本文以石灰石和黏土为原料,在950℃煅烧不同时间,制备出水硬性石,对试样的成分、微观形貌、收缩率、抗拉强度和拉破坏过程等进行了研究。结果表明:(1)试样中含有水硬性成分2CaO·SiO2(C2S);煅烧8h时,成分与欧洲水硬性石灰NHL5接近;1.5CaO·SiO2·xH2O(C-S-H)和CaCO3的含量随龄期的增加逐渐增加。(2)龄期1~3d,收缩率较小;龄期4~6d,收缩率以线性规律增加;7d以后,收缩率趋于稳定。(3)局部变形区随拉应力的增加而变大,邻近局部变形区逐渐合并,形成面积更大的应变局部化带;载荷超过峰值后,产生微裂隙;随载荷进一步增加,微裂隙扩展,贯穿整个试件,发展成宏观裂隙,使试件破坏。(4)抗拉强度随龄期的增加而增加,水硬性石灰中C-S-H、CaCO3等相互交织,构成空间致密体,使试件力学强度提高。合成的水硬性石灰物理力学性能与欧洲水硬性石灰NHL5相近,并且成分均匀、可控,在石质文物修复和加固工程中具有良好应用前景。     

Wall shear stress modified by bubbles in a horizontal channel flow of silicone oil in the transition region

We performed laboratory experiments on bubbly channel flows using silicone oil, which has a low surface tension and clean interface to bubbles, as a test fluid to evaluate the wall shear stress modification for different regimes of bubble migration status. The channel Reynolds numbers of the flow ranged from 1000 to 5000, covering laminar, transition and turbulent flow regimes. The bubble deformation and swarms were classified as packing, film, foam, dispersed, and stretched states based on visualization of bubbles as a bulk void fraction changed. In the dispersed and film states, the wall shear stress reduced by 9% from that in the single-phase condition; by contrast, the wall shear stress increased in the stretched, packing, and foam states. We carried out statistical analysis of the time-series of the wall shear stress in the transition and turbulent-flow regimes. Variations of the PDF of the shear stress and the higher order moments in the statistic indicated that the injection of bubbles generated pseudo-turbulence in the transition regime and suppressed drag-inducing events in the turbulent regime. Bubble images and measurements of shear stress revealed a correlated wave with a time lag, for which we discuss associated to the bubble dynamics and effective viscosity of the bubble mixture in wall proximity.     

纳米银改性树脂基托机械性能的初步研究

采用磁控溅射技术在聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯(PMMA)树脂基托表面沉积一层纳米银(Ag NPs)涂层.研究了纳米银改性PMMA树脂基托的机械性能,为改性材料的临床应用提供理论基础.根据国际标准ISO2409:2007描述的划格法对涂层与基底的附着力强度进行测试,各组试件的接触角采用静态液滴法测量,三点弯曲法检测试件的弯曲强度.结果显示,各组涂层与PMMA基底材料结合良好,各组试件的表面润湿性变化不大,其中PMMA-Ag NPs80s组疏水性略有提高,各组试件的弯曲强度均符合国家标准.