Carbon nanotubes: Present and future commercial applications

Worldwide commercial interest in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is reflected in a production capacity that presently exceeds several thousand tons per year. Currently, bulk CNT powders are incorporated in diverse commercial products ranging from rechargeable batteries, automotive parts, and sporting goods to boat hulls and water filters. Advances in CNT synthesis, purification, and chemical modification are enabling integration of CNTs in thin-film electronics and large-area coatings. Although not yet providing compelling mechanical strength or electrical or thermal conductivities for many applications, CNT yarns and sheets already have promising performance for applications including supercapacitors, actuators, and lightweight electromagnetic shields.

Characteristics and applications of InGaN micro-light emitting diodes on Si substrates

InGaN micro-light emitting diodes on Si substrates have been fabricated and characterized. Their abilities for micro-display, high modulation bandwidth of 270 MHz and data transmission rate of up to 400 Mbit/s have been demonstrated. © 2013 IEEE.

Using a semiconductor optical amplifier integrated with a pump laser for mid-span spectral inversion and wavelength conversion

A semiconductor optical amplifier monolithically integrated with a distributed feedback pump laser is used for non-degenerate four wave mixing applications. Experimental results are presented which illustrate the use of this compact device for both wavelength conversion and dispersion compensation applications at high data rates.

Thin film shape memory alloys and microactuators

For Micro-electro-mechanical System (MEMS) applications, TiNi-based thin film Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) possess many desirable properties, such as high power density, large transformation stress and strain upon heating and cooling, superelasticity and biocompatibility. In this paper, recent development in TiNi-based thin film SMA and microactuator applications is discussed. The topics related to film deposition and characterisation is mainly focused on crystal nucleation and growth during annealing, film thickness effect, film texture, stress induced surface relief, wrinkling and trenches as well as Temperature Memory Effect (TME). The microactuator applications are mainly focused on microvalve and microcage for biological applications, micromirror for optical applications and data storage using nanoindentation method. Copyright © 2009, Inderscience Publishers.

Handbook of nanoindentation with biological applications

Nanoindentation is ideal for the characterization of inhomogeneous biological materials. However, the use of nanoindentation techniques in biological systems is associated with some distinctively different techniques and challenges. For example, engineering materials used in the microelectronics industry (e.g. ceramics and metals) for which the technique was developed, are relatively stiff and exhibit time-independent mechanical responses. Biological materials, on the other hand, exhibit time-dependent behavior, and can span a range of stiffness regimes from moduli of Pa to GPa - eight to nine orders of magnitude. As such, there are differences in the selection of instrumentation, tip geometry, and data analysis in comparison with the "black box" nanoindentation techniques as sold by commercial manufacturers. The use of scanning probe equipment (atomic force miscroscopy) is also common for small-scale indentation of soft materials in biology. The book is broadly divided into two parts. The first part presents the "basic science" of nanoindentation including the background of contact mechanics underlying indentation technique, and the instrumentation used to gather mechanical data. Both the mechanics background and the instrumentation overview provide perspectives that are optimized for biological applications, including discussions on hydrated materials and adaptations for low-stiffness materials. The second part of the book covers the applications of nanoindentation technique in biological materials. Included in the coverage are mineralized and nonmineralized tissues, wood and plant tissues, tissue-engineering substitute materials, cells and membranes, and cutting-edge applications at molecular level including the use of functionalized tips to probe specific molecular interactions (e.g. the ligand-receptor binding). The book concludes with a concise summary and an insightful forecast of the future highlighting the current challenges. © 2011 by Pan Stanford Publishing Pte. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Adapting data processing to compare model and experiment accurately: A discrete element model and magnetic resonance measurements of a 3d cylindrical fluidized bed

Discrete element modeling is being used increasingly to simulate flow in fluidized beds. These models require complex measurement techniques to provide validation for the approximations inherent in the model. This paper introduces the idea of modeling the experiment to ensure that the validation is accurate. Specifically, a 3D, cylindrical gas-fluidized bed was simulated using a discrete element model (DEM) for particle motion coupled with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to describe the flow of gas. The results for time-averaged, axial velocity during bubbling fluidization were compared with those from magnetic resonance (MR) experiments made on the bed. The DEM-CFD data were postprocessed with various methods to produce time-averaged velocity maps for comparison with the MR results, including a method which closely matched the pulse sequence and data processing procedure used in the MR experiments. The DEM-CFD results processed with the MR-type time-averaging closely matched experimental MR results, validating the DEM-CFD model. Analysis of different averaging procedures confirmed that MR time-averages of dynamic systems correspond to particle-weighted averaging, rather than frame-weighted averaging, and also demonstrated that the use of Gaussian slices in MR imaging of dynamic systems is valid. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Plenary talk - Applied HTS research and practical applications in Europe

The development of long-length, high current density Bi2Sr 2CaCu2Ox wires and (RE)Ba2Cu 3Oy coated conductors has now advanced such that superconducting magnets for energy applications and high field applications are progressing rapidly. Europe, along with China, Korea the US and Japan is an important player in the development and exploitation of High Temperature Superconductors in practical applications. © 2013 IEEE.

Morphological computation for adaptive behavior and cognition

Traditionally, in robotics, artificial intelligence and neuroscience, there has been a focus on the study of the control or the neural system itself. Recently there has been an increasing interest in the notion of embodiment not only in robotics and artificial intelligence, but also in the neurosciences, psychology and philosophy. In this paper, we introduce the notion of morphological computation, and demonstrate how it can be exploited on the one hand for designing intelligent, adaptive robotic systems, and on the other hand for understanding natural systems. While embodiment has often been used in its trivial meaning, i.e. "intelligence requires a body", the concept has deeper and more important implications, concerned with the relation between physical and information (neural, control) processes. Morphological computation is about connecting body, brain and environment. A number of case studies are presented to illustrate the concept. We conclude with some speculations about potential lessons for neuroscience and robotics. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.