Hydrophobicity Enhances the Formation of Protein-Stabilized Foams

Screening proteins for their potential use in foam applications is very laborious and time consuming. It would be beneficial if the foam properties could be predicted based on their molecular properties, but this is currently not possible. For protein-stabilized emulsions, a model was recently introduced to predict the emulsion properties from the protein molecular properties. Since the fundamental mechanisms for foam and emulsion formation are very similar, it is of interest to determine whether the link to molecular properties defined in that model is also applicable to foams. This study aims to link the exposed hydrophobicity with the foam ability and foam stability, using lysozyme variants with altered hydrophobicity, obtained from controlled heat treatment (77 °C for 0–120 min). To establish this link, the molecular characteristics, interfacial properties, and foam ability and stability (at different concentrations) were analysed. The increasing hydrophobicity resulted in an increased adsorption rate constant, and for concentrations in the protein-poor regime, the increasing hydrophobicity enhanced foam ability (i.e., interfacial area created). At higher relative exposed hydrophobicity (i.e., ~2–5 times higher than native lysozyme), the adsorption rate constant and foam ability became independent of hydrophobicity. The foam stability (i.e., foam collapse) was affected by the initial foam structure. In the protein-rich regime—with nearly identical foam structure—the hydrophobicity did not affect the foam stability. The link between exposed hydrophobicity and foam ability confirms the similarity between protein-stabilized foams and emulsions, and thereby indicates that the model proposed for emulsions can be used to predict foam properties in the future.     

Urea hard segment morphology in flexible polyurethane foam

A series of flexible polyurethane slabstock foam samples were prepared with varying water content and studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), video-enhanced optical microscopy (VEM), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). A new TEM sample preparation technique was developed in which the foam is impregnated with water, frozen, and microtomed, and the polyether soft segment is selectively degraded in the electron beam. Structures of two size scales were detected. A texture with grains (“urea aggregates”) 50–200 nm in size was imaged using both VEM and low-magnification TEM for foams with formulations containing more than 2 pphp water. For the first time, images of urea hard segment microdomains in polyurethane foam (approximately 5 nm in size) were obtained using high-magnification TEM. A microdomain spacing of approximately 6–8 nm was estimated from the SAXS scattering profiles. Glycerol was added to one of the formulations in order to modify the urea microphase separation and to give insight into morphology development in molded polyurethane foam systems. No structure was observed in low-magnification TEM images of the glycerol-modified foam, although smaller structures (hard segments) were detected at high magnification and by SAXS. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 573–581, 1998     

全固态碟片激光器的多孔泡沫热沉传热特性研究

高功率全固态碟片激光器在运行中产生的热透镜效应会引起激光器输出功率降低、光束质量退变,针对该问题本文将多孔碳化硅泡沫和毫米通道引入到全固态碟片激光器的换热热沉中,并将其应用于多冲程泵浦的全固态碟片激光器.利用有限元分析软件对其结构模型参数进行了优化,当碳化硅厚度为2 mm,孔隙率为40%,入水口压力为4 kg(0.4 MPa)时,系统理论换热系数为1.51×10^5 W/m^2·K,实验测量结果为1.45×10^5 W/m^2·K,理论和实验结果较为接近,验证了理论模型的正确性.最后利用该新型热沉搭建了基于Yb∶YAG的24冲程全固态碟片激光器实验装置,获得输出功率为393 W,波长为1030 nm的连续激光输出,光-光转换效率达到52%,光束参数乘积为5.918 mm·mrad.     

麻风树种子中毒蛋白的提取分离

研究了从麻风树种子中提取毒蛋白的过程。在冰水浴中用缓冲溶液在不同的pH值范围内对麻风树种子毒蛋白进行粗提,得到最高的提取率为98．2％。以改性聚丙烯酰胺与甲苯二异氰酸酯等进行混合发泡合成功能泡沫塑料。然后用合成的功能泡塑作为填料,用柱层析法对蛋白质进行分离,具有较好的分离效果。对分离得到的麻风树毒蛋白毒性进行检测,实验证明其有良好的杀虫杀菌效果。     

Determination of aromatic amines in aqueous extracts of polyurethane foam using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry

A method is presented for the determination of aromatic amines in aqueous extracts of polyurethane (PUR) foam. The method is based on the extraction of PUR foam using aqueous acetic acid (0.1%, w/v) followed by determination of extracted aromatic amines using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) with positive electrospray ionisation. The injections of volumes up to 5 μL of aqueous solutions were made possible by on-column focusing with partially filled loop injections. The fragmentation patterns for 2,4- and 2,6-toluene diamine (TDA) and 4,4′-methylene dianiline (MDA) were clarified by performing a hydrogen-deuterium exchange study.TDA and MDA were determined using trideuterated 2,4- and 2,6-TDA and dideuterated 4,4′-MDA as internal standards. Linear calibration graphs were obtained over the range 0.025-0.5 μg mL⁻¹ with correlation coefficients >0.996 and the instrumental detection limit for each compound was <50 fmol. The stability of the amines was influenced by the matrix, so their concentrations decreased over time.Agreement was observed between the results of analyses of PUR foam extracts by HILIC-MS/MS and results obtained by ethyl chloroformate derivatisation and reversed phase (RP) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).TDA was observed to be unstable in extracts of foam but not in pure solutions.     

SiO2/炭泡沫和SiC/炭泡沫复合材料的制备及表征

对炭泡沫为支撑骨架的氧化硅气凝胶(SiO₂/炭泡沫)和碳化硅(SiC/炭泡沫)复合材料分别采用XRD、SEM、激光导热仪、万能力学试验机进行物相、微观结构、热学及力学性能方面的表征。结果表明:所制备的SiO₂/炭泡沫与原炭泡沫相比,具备更高的抗压强度(14.95MPa)和更低的室温热导率(0.44W·m^-1·K^-1)。SiC/炭泡沫材料则保持了较高的抗压强度值(14.66MPa),其在1200℃下具备极低的高温热导率(2.18W·m^-1·K^-1)。热重分析表明,SiC/炭泡沫在氧化氛围中到610℃才发生质量的损失,而内部炭发生完全烧蚀的温度高达844℃,这表明该材料的抗氧化性能远好于纯的炭泡沫材料。     

硬质聚氨酯泡沫塑料本构关系的研究

介绍用大尺寸分离式Ｈｏｐｋｉｎｓｏｎ压杆对四种密度的硬质聚氨酯泡沫塑料进行高应变率实验，完整地给出了这种材料在１０３／ｓ高应变率下的包括弹性区、屈服区和致密区变形全过程的动态应力应变曲线，并提出了包括应力、应变、应变率和密度等参量的本构关系．     

不同冲击速度下泡沫铝变形和应力的不均匀性

利用常规Hopkinson杆实验装置和改进的Hopkinson杆实验装置对泡沫铝试件进行冲击压缩实验,同时用高速摄影装置对实验过程进行全程跟踪拍摄。通过改变冲击速度,观测到了3种不同的变形模式。将得到的高速摄影图像用数字图像相关方法进行分析,讨论了3种模式下全场应变不同的发展过程,并依此讨论应力的不均匀性,为研究不同冲击速度下变形不均匀对泡沫铝动态力学行为的影响提供了新的方法。     

泡沫铝夹芯梁四点弯曲性能试验研究

通过准静态四点弯曲试验对泡沫铝夹芯梁的弯曲力学性能进行了测试,研究了它的破坏过程、破坏形态和典型荷载-位移曲线,分析了芯层厚度和面层厚度等参数对其弯曲力学性能的影响。结果表明,泡沫铝夹芯梁四点弯曲破坏过程历经三个阶段,呈现三种失效模式:整体弯曲破坏、局部屈曲破坏以及整体屈曲破坏;芯层厚度和面层厚度对夹芯梁的弯曲承载力和吸能效果有明显影响;在本试验参数范围内,芯层厚度为25mm,面层厚度为0.4mm时,夹芯梁具有最优弯曲力学性能。     

Cobalt Oxide Arrays Anchored to Copper Foam as Efficient Binder-free Anode for Lithium Ion Batteries

The development of lithium-ion batteries with simplified assembling steps and fast charge capability is crucial for current battery applications. In this study, we propose a simple in-situ strategy for the construction of high-dispersive cobalt oxide (CoO) nanoneedle arrays, which grow vertically on a copper foam substrate. It is demonstrated that this nanoneedle CoO electrodes provide abundant electrochemical surface area. The resulting CoO arrays directly act as binder-free anodes in lithium-ion batteries with the copper foam functioning as the current collector. The highly-dispersed feature of the nanoneedle arrays enhances the effectiveness of active materials, leading to outstanding rate capability and superior long-term cycling stability. These impressive electrochemical properties are attributed to the highly-dispersed self-standing nanoarrays, the advantages of binder-free constituent, and the high exposed surface area of the copper foam substrate compared to copper foil, which enrich active surface area and facilitate charge transfer. The proposed approach to prepare binder-free lithium-ion battery anodes streamlines the electrode fabrication steps and holds significant promise for the future development of the battery industry.