Designing cnc knit for hybrid membrane and bending active structures

Recent advances in computation allow for the integration of design and simulation of highly interrelated systems, such as hybrids of structural membranes and bending active elements. The engaged complexities of forces and logistics can be mediated through the development of materials with project specific properties and detailing. CNC knitting with high tenacity yarn enables this practice and offers an alternative to current woven membranes. The design and fabrication of an 8m high fabric tower through an interdisciplinary team of architects, structural and textile engineers, allowed to investigate means to design, specify, make and test CNC knit as material for hybrid structures in architectural scale. This paper shares the developed process, identifies challenges, potentials and future work.

Peptaibolin analogues by incorporation of α,α-dialkylglycines: synthesis and study of their membrane permeating ability

Analogues of Peptaibolin, a peptaibol with antibiotic activity, incorporating α,α-dialkylglycines (Deg, Dpg, and Ac6c) at selected positions were synthesised by MW-SPPS and fully characterized. A control analogue incorporating L-alanine was also prepared. The native peptide and the analogues were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy for their membrane permeating activity. Small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) of egg phosphatidylcholine/ cholesterol (70:30) containing an encapsulated fluorescence probe (6-carboxyfluorescein) were used as membrane models. The assays of carboxyfluorescein release from SUVs upon peptide addition showed that Peptaibolin-Dpg and Peptaibolin-Ac6c are the most active peptides. These results indicate that the structure of the α,α-dialkylglycines is crucial for the membrane permeating ability of these Peptaibolin analogues.

Desenvolvimento e caracterização de membranas de remoção de compostos de arsénio em água

Dissertação de mestrado em Técnicas de Caracterização e Análise Química

Particle transport in fouling caused by kaolin-water suspensions on copper tubes

Particulate fouling tests were carried out using kaolin-water suspensions flowing through an annular heat exchanger with a copper inner tube. The flow rate was changed from test to test, but the fluid temperature and pH, as well as the particle concentration, were maintained constant. In the lower range of fluid velocities (<0.5 m/s), the deposition process seemed to be controlled by mass transfer. The corresponding experimental transport fluxes were compared to the predictions obtained with several models, showing that diffusion governed particle transport. The absolute values of the mass transfer fluxes and their dependences on the Reynolds number were satisfactorily predicted by some of the models.