An investigation of the morphological, electrical and optoelectronic properties of short chain Di-ureasils doped with Er3+ ions

Hybrid organic/inorganic xerogels containing Er³⁺ ions have been prepared by the solgel process. The hybrid framework of these compounds, designated as di-ureasils and represented by U(600), is composed of a siliceous backbone to which polyether chains containing 8.5 oxyethylene repeat units are linked through urea (-NHC(=O)NH-) bridges. The trivalent cations have been incorporated in the matrix as erbium triflate, Er(CF₃SO₃)₃. Compositions with n (where n is the molar ratio of (OCH₂CH₂) repeat units per Er⁺ ion) between ∞ and 3 have been studied. The morphology of the materials was characterized by means of X-ray Diffraction and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Complex Impedance spectroscopy was used to evaluate the levels of conductivity exhibited by the xerogels as a function of temperature. The results obtained clearly demonstrate the amorphous character of the samples analysed. At about 100 °C the most conducting sample is U(600)₅Er(CF₃SO₃)₃ (approximately 2×10⁻⁵ Scm⁻¹), whereas the U(600)₆₀Er(CF₃SO₃)₃ compound displays the highest conductivity at room temperature (1×10⁻⁷ Scm⁻¹). We have shown that concentration effects on the quenching of the 1.53 μm emission intensity (excited at 488 nm) are negligible. We have also shown that the Er³⁺ ions are active at room temperature. Paper presented at the 8th EuroConference on Ionics, Carvoeiro, Algarve, Portugal, Sept. 16–22, 2001.     

热化学气相沉积法制备定向碳纳米管薄膜

采用热化学气相沉积法(CVD)，以乙炔为碳源，在单晶硅上制备了定向碳纳米管薄膜。通过扫描电子显微镜(SEM)观察了碳管薄膜及衬底表面形貌。结果表明，以多孔硅为衬底生长的碳纳米管管径均匀且离散分布，定向性良好。生长前氨对催化剂膜的预处理具有刻蚀作用，可显著提高碳管的生长密度，从而获得碳纳米管阵列膜。     

在线净化液相色谱-高分辨质谱法快速筛查果蔬中212种农药残留

基于在线净化液相色谱-四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱技术建立了快速筛查果蔬中212种农药残留的方法和数据库。样品经0.1%乙酸乙腈提取,提取液经在线净化柱(Cyclone-P)净化、富集后,以乙腈-0.5 mmol/L乙酸铵(含0.1%乙酸)为流动相梯度洗脱,待测物经C_(18)分析柱色谱分离后,采用四极杆/静电场轨道阱高分辨质谱以正负同时扫描的Full Scan/dd MS2模式进行检测。结果表明,212种农药在0.5~50μg/L范围内呈良好线性,相关系数均大于0.998。方法的定量下限(LOQ)均可达到5μg/kg。通过实际样品的加标回收试验,212种农药在10μg/kg的加标回收率为58.3%~129.4%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为2.8%~16.0%。该方法利用精确质量数、保留时间、同位素峰比、二级碎片等多个定性信息可在无标准物质的情况下实现对果蔬中212种化合物的快速筛查与确证。     

负载型氨基酸离子液体的制备及其对二氧化碳的吸附性能

采用浸渍蒸发法将四甲基铵甘氨酸([N1111][Gly])和四甲基铵赖氨酸([N1111][Lys])两种离子液体分别负载到硅胶(SG)表面,利用EA、TGA、BET和FT-IR等技术对所得到的吸附剂进行表征,考察了离子液体种类、离子液体负载量和温度等条件对其CO_2吸附性能的影响。结果表明,离子液体成功负载到硅胶表面,所制得的负载型氨基酸离子液体对二氧化碳具有良好的吸附性能。在所考察的温度范围(303.15-323.15 K)内,温度越高,平衡吸附量越小;在负载量为10%-60%,随着负载量的增加,平衡吸附量先增加后减小。对于[N1111][Gly]/SG,当负载量为22.4%(质量分数)、吸附温度为30℃、压力为0.1 M Pa时,二氧化碳的平衡吸附量可达到41 mg/g(相对于1 mol AAILs吸附0.62 mol CO_2),而且,吸附20 min即可达到平衡吸附量的90%。吸附剂在循环使用六次之后,其结构与性能均保持良好。     

采用整体最小二乘法的条纹图配准方法

针对共光路菲索型动态干涉仪采集到的4幅条纹图的空间一致性问题,本文提出一种新的条纹图配准思路,将条纹图与图像配准在关联度上人为分开,搭建了专用的图像配准装置,避免将条纹与十字丝标志点混在一幅图像内而影响干涉仪的测量精度。首先通过本文搭建的条纹图配准装置对4台CMOS相机进行物理配准,然后利用整体最小二乘法对采集到的同一十字丝刻划板图像进行十字丝提取、交点计算以及旋转量计算,实现共光路菲索型动态干涉仪条纹图像的点点对应。最后通过试验对比验证,证明了本文算法的配准精度优于模板重心法的配准结果,互相关度达到96%以上。     

Enhanced Maturation of 3D Bioprinted Skeletal Muscle Tissue Constructs Encapsulating Soluble Factor-Releasing Microparticles

Several microfabrication technologies have been used to engineer native-like skeletal muscle tissues. However, the successful development of muscle remains a significant challenge in the tissue engineering field. Muscle tissue engineering aims to combine muscle precursor cells aligned within a highly organized 3D structure and biological factors crucial to support cell differentiation and maturation into functional myotubes and myofibers. In this study, the use of 3D bioprinting is proposed for the fabrication of muscle tissues using gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) incorporating sustained insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-releasing microparticles and myoblast cells. This study hypothesizes that functional and mature myotubes will be obtained more efficiently using a bioink that can release IGF-1 sustainably for in vitro muscle engineering. Synthesized microfluidic-assisted polymeric microparticles demonstrate successful adsorption of IGF-1 and sustained release of IGF-1 at physiological pH for at least 21 days. Incorporating the IGF-1-releasing microparticles in the GelMA bioink assisted in promoting the alignment of myoblasts and differentiation into myotubes. Furthermore, the myotubes show spontaneous contraction in the muscle constructs bioprinted with IGF-1-releasing bioink. The proposed bioprinting strategy aims to improve the development of new therapies applied to the regeneration and maturation of muscle tissues.     

Interactions of L-alanine with alumina as studied by vibrational spectroscopy

The interactions of L-alanine with gamma- and alpha-alumina have been investigated by diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). L-alanine/alumina samples were dried from aqueous suspensions, at 36.5 degrees C, with two amino acid concentrations (0.4 and 0.8 mmol g-1) and at different pH values (1, 6, and 13). The vibrational spectra proved that the nature of L-alanine interactions with both aluminas is the same (hydrogen bonding), although the groups involved depend on the L-alanine form and on alumina surface groups, both controlled by the pH. For samples prepared at pH 1, cationic L-alanine [CH3CH(NH3+)COOH] displaces physisorbed water from alumina, and strong hydrogen bonds are established between the carbonyl groups of alanine, as electron donors, and the surface Al-OH2+ groups of alumina. This occurs at the expense of alanine dimer dissociation and breaking of intramolecular bonds. When samples are prepared at pH 6, the interacting groups are Al-OH2+ and the carboxylate groups of zwitterionic L-alanine [CH3CH(NH3+)COO-]. The affinity of L-alanine toward alumina decreases, as the strong NH3+...-OOC intermolecular hydrogen bonds prevail over the interactions with alumina. Thus, for a load of 0.8 mmol g-1, phase segregation is observed. On alpha-alumina, crystal deposition is even observed for a load of 0.4 mmol g-1. At pH 13, the carboxylate groups of anionic L-alanine [CH3CH(NH2)COO-] are not affected by alumina. Instead, hydrogen bond interactions occur between NH2 and the Al-OH surface groups of the substrate. Complementary N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms showed that adsorption of L-alanine occurs onto the alumina pore network for samples prepared at pH 1 and 13, whereas at pH 6 the amino acid/alumina interactions are not strong enough to promote adsorption. The mesoporous structure and the high specific surface area of gamma-alumina make it a more efficient substrate for adsorption of L-alanine. For each alumina, however, it is the nature of the specific interactions and not the porosity of the substrate that determines the adsorption process.     

Evaluation of sample preparation (grinding and sieving) of bivalves, coffee and cowpea beans for multi-element analysis

Elemental analyses of food samples require several pre-treatment steps that constitute a great potential source of errors. In this study, the influence of cryogenic, ball and knife mill devices and also sieving using different sizes of sieve (100, 300 and 500 μm) was evaluated for samples of bivalves, coffee and cowpea beans. A two-factor ANOVA was performed in each sample to test for differences between macro, micro and trace element concentrations determined by ICP OES. Results showed that the efficiency of the particle size reduction and sample homogeneity depends on the milling device and the nature of samples. Food samples may present segregation after comminution, and sieving might become a necessary step. Nevertheless, the sieve aperture has to be chosen cautiously, once it might influence the final element concentration. Overall, the expected results by employing cryogenic grinding, such as rapid sample homogenization and small particle size generated were also observed for ball mill. Contamination can be a critical issue for some elements and need to be evaluated individually.