Bio-inspired dual surface modification to improve tribological properties at small-scale

In miniaturized devices like micro/nano-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS), the critical forces, namely adhesion and friction restrict the smooth operation of the elements that are in relative motion. MEMS/NEMS are traditionally made of silicon, whose tribological properties are not good. In this paper, we present an investigation on the approach of dual surface modification of silicon surfaces and their tribological properties at micro-scale. The dual surface modification is a combination of topographical and chemical modifications. As the topographical modification, micro-patterns with varying shapes of pillars and channels were fabricated on Si(1 0 0) wafer surfaces using photolithography method. Chemical modification included the coating of micro-patterns with diamond-like carbon (DLC) and Z-DOL (perfluoropolyether, PFPE) thin films. The surfaces with combined modification were evaluated for their micro-friction behavior in comparison with those of bare Si(1 0 0) flat surfaces and the topographically/chemically modified silicon surfaces. Results showed that the surfaces with dual modification exhibited superior tribological properties. These results indicate that a combination of topographical and chemical modification is very effective in enhancing tribological properties at small-scale. The combined surface treatments such as the ones investigated in the current work could be useful for tribological applications in small-scale devices such as MEMS/NEMS. The motivation for undertaking the dual modification approach comes from an earlier observation made on the significant influence of the surface characteristics of lotus leaf on its micro-friction behavior.     

Investigations of effect of target thickness and detector collimation on 662 keV multiply backscattered gamma photons

The present studies aimed to investigate the effects of detector collimation and target thickness on multiply backscattered gamma photons. The numbers of multiply backscattered events, having energy the same as in singly scattered distribution, are found to be increasing with target thickness, and saturate for a particular thickness known as saturation thickness. The saturation thickness is not altered by the variation in the collimator opening. The number and energy albedos, characterizing the reflection probability of a material, are also evaluated. Monte Carlo calculations support the present experimental work.     

On the Two Species Asymmetric Exclusion Process with Semi-Permeable Boundaries

We investigate the structure of the nonequilibrium stationary state (NESS) of a system of first and second class particles, as well as vacancies (holes), on L sites of a one-dimensional lattice in contact with first class particle reservoirs at the boundary sites; these particles can enter at site 1, when it is vacant, with rate α, and exit from site L with rate β. Second class particles can neither enter nor leave the system, so the boundaries are semi-permeable. The internal dynamics are described by the usual totally asymmetric exclusion process (TASEP) with second class particles. An exact solution of the NESS was found by Arita. Here we describe two consequences of the fact that the flux of second class particles is zero. First, there exist (pinned and unpinned) fat shocks which determine the general structure of the phase diagram and of the local measures; the latter describe the microscopic structure of the system at different macroscopic points (in the limit L→∞) in terms of superpositions of extremal measures of the infinite system. Second, the distribution of second class particles is given by an equilibrium ensemble in fixed volume, or equivalently but more simply by a pressure ensemble, in which the pair potential between neighboring particles grows logarithmically with distance. We also point out an unexpected feature in the microscopic structure of the NESS for finite L: if there are n second class particles in the system then the distribution of first class particles (respectively holes) on the first (respectively last) n sites is exchangeable.     

Hydroxyapatite coating on stainless steel pre-coated with bovine serum albumin at ambient conditions

A biomimetic process for coating of nanosized hydroxyapatite on stainless steel, which capitalises the dual nature of the protein bovine serum albumin in both metal binding and a strong affinity for calcium ions, has been developed. The novelty of the process lies in pre-conditioning the metallic surface using the above protein prior to its mineralization with hydroxyapatite at ambient conditions. The microporous morphology of these coatings may provide favourable solubility and resorbability as desired by many orthopaedic and orthodontic applications.     

Systems analysis of hybrid, multi-scale complex flow simulations using Newton-GMRES

We present a methodology to analyze the stationary states and stability of complex fluid flows by using hybrid, discrete, and/or continuum multi-scale simulations. Building on existing theories, our scheme extracts dynamical and equilibrium characteristics from carefully chosen time integrations of these multi-scale evolution equations. Two canonical problems are presented to demonstrate the ability and accuracy of the formalism. The first is an investigation of flow-induced transitions seen in homogeneous, hard- rod liquid crystal suspensions subjected to a linear shear flow. In the second problem, we study the phenomenon of draw resonance, a dynamical instability in an isothermal fiber-spinning process, by using a multi-scale hybrid simulation that incorporates both stochastic and continuum models.     

η mesons in hot magnetized nuclear matter

\begin{document}$\eta N$\end{document} interactions are investigated in hot magnetized asymmetric nuclear matter using the chiral SU(3) model and chiral perturbation theory (ChPT). In the chiral model, the in-medium properties of η-mesons are calculated using medium modified scalar densities under the influence of an external magnetic field. Further, in a combined chiral model and ChPT approach, off-shell contributions of the \begin{document}$\eta N$\end{document} interactions are evaluated from the ChPT effective \begin{document}$\eta N$\end{document} Lagrangian, and the in-medium effect of scalar densities are incorporated from the chiral SU(3) model. We find that the magnetic field has a significant effect on the in-medium mass and optical potential of η mesons, and we observe a deeper mass-shift in the combined chiral model and ChPT approach than in the solo chiral SU(3) model. In both approaches, no additional mass-shift is observed due to the uncharged nature of η mesons in the presence of a magnetic field.     

A mild, efficient, and selective deprotection of tert-butyldimethylsilyl (TBDMS) ethers using dicationic ionic liquid as a catalyst

Selective deprotection of alkyl TBDMS ether in the presence of phenolic TBDMS ether using dicationic ionic liquid [tetraEG(mim)₂][OMs]₂ as a homogeneous catalyst showed significant catalytic activity in methanol at ambient temperature to produce respective alcohol in excellent yield. The present environmentally benign catalytic system is found to be very convenient, fast, high yielding, and clean method for selective desilylation of alkyl silyl ethers even in the existence of other sensitive organic functional groups such as aldehyde, methoxy, and acetate were also achieved.     

Quantum entanglement and quantum computational algorithms

The existence of entangled quantum states gives extra power to quantum computers over their classical counterparts. Quantum entanglement shows up qualitatively at the level of two qubits. We demonstrate that the one- and the two-bit Deutsch-Jozsa algorithm does not require entanglement and can be mapped onto a classical optical scheme. It is only for three and more input bits that the DJ algorithm requires the implementation of entangling transformations and in these cases it is impossible to implement this algorithm classically.     

Aqueous bile salt accelerated cascade synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles from arylboronic acids

A facile, efficient and mild copper catalyzed strategy for cascade synthesis of various 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles from arylboronic acids, sodium azide and alkynes was developed by using aqueous bile salt NaDC solution as an accelerating medium. Low catalyst loading (only 1?mol% Cu source was sufficient for in situ generation of azide followed by azide–alkyne coupling), green solvent, use of bio-surfactant as additive and short reaction time make this protocol highly accessible and environment friendly.