Laser-induced cavitation based micropump

Lab-on-a-chip devices are in strong demand as versatile and robust pumping techniques. Here, we present a cavitation based technique, which is able to pump a volume of 4000 microm3 within 75 micros against an estimated pressure head of 3 bar. The single cavitation event is created by focusing a laser pulse in a conventional PDMS microfluidic chip close to the channel opening. High-speed photography at 1 million frames s(-1) resolves the flow in the supply channel, pump channel, and close to the cavity. The elasticity of the material affects the overall fluid flow. Continuous pumping at repetition rates of up to 5 Hz through 6 mm long square channels of 20 microm width is shown. A parameter study reveals the key-parameters for operation: the distance between the laser focus and the channel, the maximum bubble size, and the chamber geometry.     

Evidence for Carbene Intermediates in Isocyanide Homologation by Aluminium(I)

The C−C bond formation between C1 molecules plays an important role in chemistry as manifested by the Fischer–Tropsch (FT) process. Serving as models for the FT process, we report here the reactions between a neutral Al^I complex (^MeNacNac)Al ( 1 , ^MeNacNac=HC[(CMe)(NDipp)]₂, Dipp=2,6-diisopropylphenyl) and various isocyanides. The step-by-step coupling mechanism was studied in detail by low-temperature NMR monitoring, isotopic labeling, as well as quantum chemical calculations. Three different products were isolated in reaction of 1 with the sterically encumbered 2,6-bis(benzhydryl)-4-Me-phenyl isocyanide (BhpNC). These products substantiate carbene intermediates. The reaction between 1 and adamantyl isocyanide (AdNC) generated a trimerization product, and a corresponding carbene intermediate could be trapped in the form of a molybdenum(0) complex. Tri-, tetra-, and even pentamerization products were isolated with the sterically less congested phenyl and p-methoxyphenyl isocyanides (PhNC and PMPNC) with concurrent construction of quinoline or indole heterocycles. Overall, this study provides evidence for carbene intermediates in FT-type chemistry of aluminium(I) and isocyanides.     

Modeling the rubbing contact in honeycomb seals

Metallic honeycomb labyrinth seals are commonly used as sealing systems in gas turbine engines. Because of their capability to withstand high thermo-mechanical loads and oxidation, polycrystalline nickel-based superalloys, such as Hastelloy X and Haynes 214, are used as sealing material. In addition, these materials must exhibit a tolerance against rubbing between the rotating part and the stationary seal component. The tolerance of the sealing material against rubbing preserves the integrity of the rotating part. In this article, the rubbing behavior at the rotor–stator interface is considered numerically. A simulation model is incorporated into the commercial finite element code ABAQUS/explicit and is utilized to simulate a simplified rubbing process. A user-defined interaction routine between the contact surfaces accounts for the thermal and mechanical interfacial behavior. Furthermore, an elasto-plastic constitutive material law captures the extreme temperature conditions and the damage behavior of the alloys. To validate the model, representative quantities of the rubbing process are determined and compared with experimental data from the literature. The simulation results correctly reproduce the observations made on a test rig with a reference stainless steel material (AISI 304). A parametric study using the nickel-based superalloys reveals a clear dependency of the rubbing behavior on the sliding and incursion velocity. Compared to each other, the two superalloys studied exhibit a different rubbing behavior.     

Scanning force microscopy experiments probing micromechanical properties on polymer surfaces using harmonically modulated friction techniques II. Investigations of heterogeneous systems

Applying a high-frequency lateral vibration between tip and sample in a scanning force microscope (SFM), a harmonically modulated lateral (friction) force image can be obtained using lock-in techniques. Harmonically modulated lateral force microscopy (HM-LFM) offers several advantages compared with standard lateral force microscopy (LFM). After a brief investigation of the scan velocity dependence of LFM and HM-LFM, two samples were investigated. First, the surface of a poly(acrylonitrile-co-styrene)/polybutadiene blend (ABS) was used to demonstrate the ability of the new technique to decrease the stick effects of the SFM tip. Second, an interface between two chemically very similar polymers was prepared by melting polypropylene (PP) and poly(propene-block-ethene) (PP-block-PE) films on each other. After cutting, the surface roughness of this sample was very high. It is shown that only HM-LFM clearly resolves the local micromechanical properties without artefacts.     

High‐order discontinuous Galerkin spectral element methods for transitional and turbulent flow simulations

In this paper, we investigate the accuracy and efficiency of discontinuous Galerkin spectral method simulations of under‐resolved transitional and turbulent flows at moderate Reynolds numbers, where the accurate prediction of closely coupled laminar regions, transition and developed turbulence presents a great challenge to large eddy simulation modelling. We take full advantage of the low numerical errors and associated superior scale resolving capabilities of high‐order spectral methods by using high‐order ansatz functions up to 12th order. We employ polynomial de‐aliasing techniques to prevent instabilities arising from inexact quadrature of nonlinearities. Without the need for any additional filtering, explicit or implicit modelling, or artificial dissipation, our high‐order schemes capture the turbulent flow at the considered Reynolds number range very well. Three classical large eddy simulation benchmark problems are considered: a circular cylinder flow at Re_D=3900, a confined periodic hill flow at Re_h=2800 and the transitional flow over a SD7003 airfoil at Re_c=60,000. For all computations, the total number of degrees of freedom used for the discontinuous Galerkin spectral method simulations is chosen to be equal or considerably less than the reported data in literature. In all three cases, we achieve an equal or better match to direct numerical simulation results, compared with other schemes of lower order with explicitly or implicitly added subgrid scale models. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

On the Mechanism of the Palladium Bis(NHC) Complex Catalyzed CH Functionalization of Propane: Experiment and DFT Calculations

We report a detailed mechanistic study on the CH functionalization of alkanes by palladium complexes with chelating bis(N‐heterocyclic carbene) (NHC) complexes. The experimental results are complemented by detailed DFT calculations, which allow us to rationalize the regioselectivity and the catalytic activity. The study includes a library of catalysts with different electronic and steric properties, kinetic data, and isotope effects. The combined experimental and computational results favor a mechanism involving organometallic palladium(IV) intermediates. Furthermore, it is shown that at high halide loadings a different mechanism is operative.     

Nanometer-resolved collective micromeniscus oscillations through optical diffraction

We study the dynamics of periodic arrays of micrometer-sized liquid-gas menisci formed at superhydrophobic surfaces immersed into water. By measuring the intensity of optical diffraction peaks in real time, we are able to resolve nanometer-scale oscillations of the menisci with submicrosecond time resolution. Upon driving the system with an ultrasound field at variable frequency, we observe a pronounced resonance at a few hundred kilohertz, depending on the exact geometry. By modeling the system using the unsteady Stokes equation, we find that this low resonance frequency is caused by a collective mode of the acoustically coupled oscillating menisci.     

Reproducible cavitation activity in water-particle suspensions

The study of cavitation inception in liquids rarely yields reproducible data, unless special control is taken on the cleanliness of the experimental environment. In this paper, an experimental technique is demonstrated which allows repeatable measurements of cavitation activity in liquid-particle suspensions. In addition, the method is noninvasive: cavitation bubbles are generated using a shock-wave generator, and they are photographed using a digital camera. The cavitation activity is obtained after suitable image processing steps. From these measurements, the importance of the particle's surface structure and its chemical composition is revealed, with polystyrene and polyamide particles generating the highest yields. Further findings are that cavitation nuclei become depleted with an increasing number of experiments, and the existence of nuclei with varying negative pressure thresholds. Finally, a decrease of the cavitation yield is achieved by prepressurization of the suspension-indicating that the cavitation nuclei are gaseous.     

Sonolysis of Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris in microfluidics

We report on an efficient ultrasound based technique for lysing Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris with oscillating cavitation bubbles in an integrated microfluidic system. The system consists of a meandering microfluidic channel and four piezoelectric transducers mounted on a glass substrate, with the ultrasound exposure and gas pressure regulated by an automatic control system. Controlled lysis of bacterial and yeast cells expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP) is studied with high-speed photography and fluorescence microscopy, and quantified with real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and fluorescence intensity. The effectiveness of cell lysis correlates with the duration of ultrasound exposure. Complete lysis can be achieved within one second of ultrasound exposure with a temperature increase of less than 3.3 °C. The rod-shaped E. coli bacteria are disrupted into small fragments in less than 0.4 seconds, while the more robust elliptical P. pastoris yeast cells require around 1.0 second for complete lysis. Fluorescence intensity measurements and qRT-PCR analysis show that functionality of GFP and genomic DNA for downstream analytical assays is maintained.