Stretchable and transparent hydrogels as soft conductors for dielectric elastomer actuators

A soft ionic conductor can serve as an artificial nerve in an artificial muscle. A polyacrylamide hydrogel is synthesized containing a hygroscopic salt, lithium chloride. Two layers of the hydrogel are used as ionic conductors to sandwich a dielectric elastomer and fabricate a highly stretchable and transparent actuator. When the two layers of the hydrogels are subject to a voltage, the actuator reduces its thickness and expands. An areal strain of 134% is demonstrated. The voltage‐strain curves are calculated by using a model that accounts for the elastic constraint of the hydrogel and the inhomogeneous deformation of the actuator. For actuators fabricated with the hydrogel of various thicknesses and with the dielectric elastomer of various prestretches, excellent agreements are found between experimental data and theoretical predictions. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 1055–1060     

复合微球的制备、性能及应用

本文综述了复合微球的制备、性能及其应用，并对其发展趋势作了展望．     

Influence of Gap Spacing between Dielectric Barriers in Atmospheric Pressure Discharges

The breakdown activity in helium atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma is strongly modified by introducing small impurities (nitrogen (N₂) and air in ppm), although its precise implications for the behavior of discharge plasma is not evident under several constraints. In this simulation study, we investigate the influence of gap spacing between the dielectric barriers to explore the dynamic modification in the structure of discharge plasma in distinct phases of the discharge current pulse using a two‐dimensional fluid model in He‐air gas mixture. Specifically, the impact of nitrogen and air impurities is contrasted by exploring the spatial distributions of electrons in the breakdown phase under similar operating conditions. The filamentary mode of DBD plasma in He‐N₂ is transformed into uniform glow discharge in He‐air gas mixture by the dominant effect of Penning ionization. Finally, the outcomes of two‐dimensional fluid model are validated by comparing with three‐dimensional fluid model to provide the reliability of numerical simulations. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Synthesis of Manganese Oxide Microspheres by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis and Their Application as Supercapacitors

Manganese oxide (MnO₂) microspheres are prepared using an ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) process. A mixed solution of potassium permanganate and hydrochloric acid is nebulized into microsized droplets, which are then carried by air flow through a furnace tube. Each microdroplet serves as one microreactor and produces one microsphere. Upon heating, KMnO₄ is decomposed into MnO₂ microspheres; this synthetic process can easily be scaled up. Characterization of the MnO₂ microspheres by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, powder X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectra is described. Different morphologies of MnO₂ microspheres can be controlled by tuning the precursor concentrations (and ratios) and furnace temperatures. Microspheres synthesized at 150 °C give amorphous MnO₂ while synthesis at 500 °C yields crystalline α‐MnO₂. The electrochemical properties investigated by cyclic voltammetry give specific capacitance as high as 320 F g^?1, demonstrating promising properties as supercapacitors. In addition, these microspheres can be directly sprayed on conductive substrates, such as carbon fiber paper, and may have useful applications as a supercapacitor electrode coating. The supercapacitive properties of MnO₂ microspheres at higher charge and discharge rates can be improved by increasing the surface area coverage or coating them with a thin layer of conductive polymer.     

介质表面附近微波大气击穿的理论研究

将麦克斯韦方程组和简化等离子体方程耦合求解, 对介质表面附近大气击穿形成等离子体的过程进行了理论研究. 分别使用一维、二维模型对等离子体的形成过程及等离子体对电磁波的反射、吸收过程进行了模拟研究. 一维计算结果发现在n_e = 0, j = 0两种边界条件下, 虽然形成的等离子体密度分布相差较大, 但二者得到的微波反射、吸收、透射波形彼此相差不大. 初始电子数密度厚度为20 mm的条件下, 得到界面附近的等离子体密度大于5 mm厚度的情况. 二维计算结果发现, 由于TE10模在波导中心位置处的微波电场最强, 电子碰撞电离首先在中心位置处形成等离子体, 当等离子体密度达到一定值(临界密度附近)时, 波导中心介质表面处微波场强减小, 等离子体区域沿着介质表面向两侧移动. TE10模在波导边缘处微波电场强度小于击穿阈值, 因此等离子体区域不可能移动到波导边缘附近.     

Characteristics of the discharge of a charged dielectric in low-pressure air

A charged dielectric generates a series of discharges in the surrounding air when the pressure is steadily reduced from near atmospheric to fractions of a torr. The dielectrics here employed were Mylar and Teflon. With positive polarity different discharge regimes were observed as the pressure varied: spark and long streamers at relatively high pressure; diffuse cloud-like discharges below 266 Pa (2 torr). With negative polarity it is difficult to induce a discharge, due to the absence of an electron-emitting surface. Similarities between our results and some of the features of mesospheric and stratospheric discharges are discussed.     

Mesoporous Hybrid Materials by Simultaneous Pseudomorphic Transformation and Functionalization of Silica Microspheres

Non‐agglomerated amino‐functionalized mesoporous silica microspheres are synthesized by a one‐pot synthesis from a parent silica material. Narrow pore size distributions in the range from 3 to 5 nm are obtained with alkyltrimethylammonium structure‐directing agents (SDAs). By following the pseudomorphic transformation pathway, the particle size distribution and spherical morphology of the parent silica are retained during the synthesis. The products contain accessible and uniformly distributed amino groups. The average pore size and the ratio of small uniform mesopores (<5 nm) to larger mesopores and macropores can be controlled by choosing the appropriate SDA and by adjusting the concentration of the amino‐functionalized alkoxysilane precursor, leading to a variety of meso‐macroporous hybrid materials.