Investigation of Interfacial Tensions for Carbon Dioxide Aqueous Solutions by Perturbed-Chain Statistical Associating Fluid Theory Combined with Density-Gradient Theory

The perturbed-chain statistical associating fluid theory and density-gradient theory are used to construct an equation of state (EOS) applicable for the phase behaviors of carbon dioxide aqueous solutions. With the molecular parameters and influence parameters respectively regressed from bulk properties and surface tensions of pure fluids as input, both the bulk and interfacial properties of carbon dioxide aqueous solutions are satisfactorily correlated by adjusting the binary interaction parameter (k(ij)). Our results show that the constructed EOS is able to describe the interfacial properties of carbon dioxide aqueous solutions in a wide temperature range, and illustrate the influences of temperature, pressure, and densities in each phase on the interfacial properties.

Continuous-flow polymerase chain reaction microfluidics by using spiral capillary channel embedded on copper

This paper presents a novel method for performing polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification by using spiral channel fabricated on copper where a transparent polytetrafluoroethylene ( PTFE) capillary tube was embedded. The channel with 25 PCR cycles was gradually developed in a spiral manner from inner to outer. The durations of PCR mixture at the denaturation, annealing and extension zones were gradually lengthened at a given flow rate, which may benefit continuous-flow PCR amplification as the synthesis ability of the Taq polymerase enzyme usually weakens with PCR time. Successful continuous-flow amplification of DNA fragments has been demonstrated. The PCR products of 249, 500 and 982 bp fragments could be obviously observed when the flow rates of PCR mixture were 7.5, 7.5 and 3.0 mm s(-1), respectively, and the required amplification times were about 25, 25, and 62 min, respectively. Besides, the successful segmented-flow PCR of three samples ( 249, 500 and 982 bp) has also been reported, which demonstrates the present continuous-flow PCR microfluidics can be developed for high-throughput genetic analysis.

Preparation and optical property of a novel hydrophobic anti-reflection coating for KDP crystal

A novel inorganic-organic hybrid hydrophobic anti-reflection silica film used for laser crystal was obtained by sol-gel process. The film consisted of silica sols mixed with a small amount of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or polystyrene (PS). The optical transparency, hydrophobic property and surface morphology of the film were characterized by UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer; contact angle instrument and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), respectively. The results showed that the anti-reflection coating had good hydrophobility and optical transparency from 400 nm to 1200 nm. The contact angle reached to 130-140 degrees. SEM images indicated the hydrophobic films modified with PMMA or PS had compact structure compared to the pure silica sol film. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.