Describing Hydrodynamic Particle Removal from Surfaces Using the Particle Reynolds Number

The fundamental processes related to the removal of fine particles from surfaces in a hydrodynamic flow field are not adequately understood. A critical particle Reynolds number approach is proposed to assess these mechanisms for fine particles when surface roughness is small compared to particle diameter. At and above the critical particle Reynolds number, particle removal occurs, while below the critical value, particles remain attached to a surface. The system under consideration consists of glass particles adhering to a glass surface in laminar channel flow. Our results indicate rolling is the removal mechanism, which is in agreement with the literature. Theoretical results of the critical particle Reynolds number model for rolling removal are in general agreement with experimental data when particle size distribution, particle and surface roughness, and system Hamaker constant are taken into account.     

Fabrication of gradient hydrogels using a microfluidics/photopolymerization process

A method of fabricating photo-cross-linked hydrogels with gradients of immobilized molecules and crosslinking densities is introduced. Two macromer/initiator solutions are injected into a unique poly(dimethylsiloxane) channel system that produces a prepolymer gradient that is subsequently polymerized into a water-swollen hydrogel with ultraviolet light exposure. The gradient is controlled by the injection flow rate (optimized to 0.3 microL/min per inlet to produce a linear gradient). The technique is investigated both through fabrication of adhesive ligand gradients that modulate spatial distribution of attached endothelial cells and gradients of cross-linking densities that led to unique hydrogel architectures and spatially dependent swelling.     

Mode interactions of a single field laser

Interactions of single mode, counterpropagating laser fields in a gaseous, high gain, inhomogeneously broadened medium were investigated as a function of frequency. Large deviations (50%) from empty resonator frequencies indicate very strong coupling between the single operating TEM_00q mode and the dispersive medium. Magnitude of the frequency shift was determined with heterodyne detection by comparing the laser field to a reference laser stabilized at the transition line center. Comparison of experimental results and theoretical models provide a set of resonant dispersion parameters which define the medium in the presence of the optical field.     

A quantum mechanical test of diophantine methods

A blend of Haselgrove's method and the biased selection method for evaluating multidimensional integrals was tested. The results were mixed. The error estimate varied from being proportional to 1/N when N was less than ca. 60,000 to being proportional to 1/√N when N was greater than 60,000. Also, for N greater than 60,000, the error estimate was one-half the error estimate given by biased selection alone. These numbers should be compared with the 10,000 points used to find an optimum set of Haselgrove's parameters. It is reasonable to expect that if 100,000 points were used in the optimization of Haselgrove's parameters that the above results would be found with 60,000 replaced by 600,000.     

Synthetic nanomotors in microchannel networks: directional microchip motion and controlled manipulation of cargo

We illustrate the use of catalytic nanowire motors for directional motion and microscale transport of cargo within microfluidic channel networks. The CNT-based synthetic nanomotor can propel a large cargo load at high speeds through predetermined paths and junctions of the microchannel network. The magnetic properties of the nickel-containing nanomotors offer controlled cargo manipulations, including en-route load, drag, and release. Such use of synthetic nanomachines can lead to chemically powered versatile laboratory-on-a-chip devices performing a series of tasks simultaneously or sequentially.     

Synthesis and characterization of tetrafunctional lactic acid oligomers: A potential in situ forming degradable orthopaedic biomaterial

Tetrafunctional lactic acid oligomers with low molecular weight ethylene glycol cores were synthesized and characterized to assess their applicability to orthopaedics. Utilizing a visible light photoinitiating system, these oligomers polymerize within minutes to form highly crosslinked networks and, thus, have potential for in situ formation. Varying the oligomer structure readily alters the physical properties of the resultant polymer networks. For instance, mechanical properties were highly dependent on the number of lactic acid and ethylene glycol units in the oligomer backbone. Additionally, polymer mass loss ranged from ∼30 to 60% within 8 weeks of degradation time depending on the oligomer chemistry. Mechanical properties decreased with degradation of these polymers, indicating a bulk degradation mechanism. Finally, scaffolds with a controlled architecture were fabricated from these oligomers that show potential for tissue‐engineering applications. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 39: 683–692, 2001     

Terminal repeller unconstrained subenergy tunneling (trust) for fast global optimization

A new method for unconstrained global function optimization, acronymedtrust, is introduced. This method formulates optimization as the solution of a deterministic dynamical system incorporating terminal repellers and a novel subenergy tunneling function. Benchmark tests comparing this method to other global optimization procedures are presented, and thetrust algorithm is shown to be substantially faster. Thetrust formulation leads to a simple stopping criterion. In addition, the structure of the equations enables an implementation of the algorithm in analog VLSI hardware, in the vein of artificial neural networks, for further substantial speed enhancement.This work was supported by the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Grant No. DE-A105-89-ER14086.