834 resultados para plastic dilatancy


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The constraint factor, C (given by the hardness-yield strength ratio H/Y in the fully lastic regime of indentation), in metallic glasses, is greater than three, a reflection of the sensitivity of their plastic flow to pressure. Furthermore, C increases with increasing temperature. In this work, we examine if this is true in amorphous polymers as well, through experiments on amorphous poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Uniaxial compression as well as spherical indentation tests were conducted in the 248-348 K range to construct H/Y versus indentation strain plots at each temperature and obtain the C-values. Results show that C increases with temperature in PMMA as well. Good correlation between the loss factors, measured using a dynamic mechanical analyzer, and C, suggest that the enhanced sensitivity to pressure is possibly due to beta-relaxation. We offer possible mechanistic reasons for the observed trends in amorphous materials in terms of relaxation processes.

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Plasticity in amorphous alloys is associated with strain softening, induced by the creation of additional free volume during deformation. In this paper, the role of free volume, which was a priori in the material, on work softening was investigated. For this, an as-cast Zr-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) was systematically annealed below its glass transition temperature, so as to reduce the free volume content. The bonded-interface indentation technique is used to generate extensively deformed and well defined plastic zones. Nanoindentation was utilized to estimate the hardness of the deformed as well as undeformed regions. The results show that the structural relaxation annealing enhances the hardness and that both the subsurface shear band number density and the plastic zone size decrease with annealing time. The serrations in the nanoindentation load-displacement curves become smoother with structural relaxation. Regardless of the annealing condition, the nanohardness of the deformed regions is similar to 12-15% lower, implying that the prior free volume only changes the yield stress (or hardness) but not the relative flow stress (or the extent of strain softening). Statistical distributions of the nanohardness obtained from deformed and undeformed regions have no overlap, suggesting that shear band number density has no influence on the plastic characteristics of the deformed region.

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A new culture method for lesser mealworm, Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer), was developed to provide large numbers of adult lesser mealworms of approximately the same age for insecticide resistance testing. Culturing entailed allowing 100 adults to reproduce for 4 days in a wheat-based culture medium contained inside a plastic culture box, removing the adults from the medium, and then rearing their progeny to adulthood therein, in approximately 56 days at 32 degrees C and 55% RH. During their development, progeny were supplied water via apple slices at 0, 21 and 35 days, and a foam substrate in which to pupate, also at 35 days. During 2004-2005, adult lesser mealworms were collected from six broiler-house populations and then cultured with this method. Each population produced 4500 adults required to complete resistance testing with one insecticide within ten culture boxes, at an average of 798 adults per culture box.

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The Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina initiates more than 85% of fly strikes on sheep in Australia with an estimated average annual cost of A$280 million to the Australian wool industry. LuciTrap® is a commercially available, selective trap for L. cuprina consisting of a plastic bucket with multiple fly entry cones and a synthetic attractant. The impact of LuciTrap on populations of L. cuprina on sheep properties in five Australian states was evaluated by comparing L. cuprina populations on paired properties with and without LuciTraps over seasons when significant fly populations could be expected. Twenty-four comparisons (trials) were conducted over four years. During times of ‘higher fly density’ (when the 48 h geometric mean of trap catches on the control property was greater than five L. cuprina), the overall geometric mean trap catches for control and trapped properties differed significantly (P<0.001) with mean trap catches of 19.4 and 7.74 L. cuprina respectively. The selectivity of the LuciTrap was confirmed with 59% of all trapped flies being L. cuprina. Chrysomya spp. and Calliphora spp. constituted 9.3% and 1.1% of the catches with a variety of other flies (mainly Sarcophagidae and Muscidae) providing the remainder (31%). L. sericata was only trapped in Tasmania and made up 7.7% of the Lucilia spp. catch in this State. Seventy-two percent of the trapped L. cuprina were female. The deployment of LuciTrap on sheep properties at one trap per 100 sheep from the beginning of the anticipated fly season suppressed the populations of L. cuprina by 60% compared to matched control properties. The LuciTrap is a selective and easy to use fly trap and constitutes an effective, non-insecticidal tool for use in integrated management programs for L. cuprina.

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Self-contained Non-Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics (NEMD) simulations using Lennard-Jones potentials were performed to identify the origin and mechanisms of atomic scale interfacial behavior between sliding metals. The mixing sequence and velocity profiles were compared via MD simulations for three cases, viz.: sell-mated, similar and hard-softvcrystal pairs. The results showed shear instability, atomic scale mixing, and generation of eddies at the sliding interface. Vorticity at the interface suggests that atomic flow during sliding is similar to fluid flow under Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and this is supported by velocity profiles from the simulations. The initial step-function velocity profile spreads during sliding. However the velocity profile does not change much at later stages of the simulation and it eventually stops spreading. The steady state friction coefficient during simulation was monitored as a function of sliding velocity. Frictional behavior can be explained on the basis of plastic deformation and adiabatic effects. The mixing layer growth kinetics was also investigated.

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Experimental evidence suggests that high strain rates, stresses, strains and temperatures are experienced near sliding interfaces. The associated microstructural changes are due to several dynamic an interacting phenomena. 3D non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of sliding were conducted with the aim of understanding the dynamic processes taking place in crystalline tribopairs, with a focus on plastic deformation and microstructural evolution. Embedded atom potentials were employed for simulating sliding of an Fe-Cu tribopair. Sliding velocity, crystal orientation and presence of lattice defects were some of the variables in these simulations. Extensive plastic deformation involving dislocation and twin activity, dynamic recrystallization, amorphization and/or nanocrystallization, mechanical mixing and material transfer were observed. Mechanical mixing in the vicinity of the sliding interface was observed even in the Fe-Cu system, which would cluster under equilibrium conditions, hinting at the ballistic nature of the process. Flow localization was observed at high velocities implying the possible role of adiabatic heating. The presence of preexisting defects (such as dislocations and interfaces) played a pivotal role in determining friction and microstructural evolution. The study also shed light on the relationship between adhesion and plastic deformation, and friction. Comparisons with experiments suggest that such simulations can indeed provide valuable insights that are difficult to obtain from experiments.

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The low cycle fatigue behaviour of precipitation strengthened nickel-base superalloy 720Li containing a low concentration of interstitial carbon and boron was studied at 25, 400 and 650 degrees C. Cyclic stress response at all temperatures was stable under fully reversed constant total strain amplitude (Delta epsilon/2) when Delta epsilon/2 <= 0.6%. At Delta epsilon/2 > 0.6%, cyclic hardening was followed by softening, until fracture at 25 and 650 degrees C. At 400 degrees C, however, cyclic stress plateaued after initial hardening. Dislocation-dislocation interactions and precipitate shearing were the micromechanisms responsible for the cyclic hardening and softening, respectively. The number of reversals to failure vs. plastic strain amplitude plot exhibits a bilinear Coffin-Manson relation. Transmission electron microscopy substructures revealed that planar slip was the major deformation mode under the conditions examined. However, differences in its distribution were observed to be the cause for the bilinearity in fatigue lives. The presence of fine deformation twins at low Delta epsilon/2 at 650 degrees C suggests the role of twinning in homogenization of cyclic deformation.

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Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt), is the most serious pest of the native tephritid species in Australia and a significant market access impediment for fruit commodities from any area where this species is endemic. An area-wide management (AWM) program was implemented in the Central Burnett district of Queensland with the aim of improving fruit fly control and enhancing market access opportunities for citrus and other fruits produced in the district. The primary control measures adopted in the AWM system included bait spraying of commercial and non-commercial hosts and the year-round installation of male annihilation technology (MAT) carriers in both orchards and town areas. The MAT carrier used consisted of a dental wick impregnated with 1 ml cue-lure [4-(4-acetoxyphenol)-2-butanone] and 1 ml Malathion 500 EC in a plastic cup. The application of these control measures from 2003 to 2007 resulted in overall suppression of fruit fly populations across the entire district. Male trap catches at the peak activity time were reduced by 95% and overall fruit fly infestation in untreated backyard fruit of town areas reduced from 60.8% to 21.8%. Our results demonstrate remarkable improvement in fruit fly control and economic benefit to the Central Burnett horticulture. Therefore, commercial growers are continuing the AWM program as a long-term, industry funded activity, to provide an additional layer of phytosanitary security for market access of fruit commodities from this district.

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Sorghum ergot produces dihydroergosine (DHES) and related alkaloids, which cause hyperthermia in cattle. Proportions of infected panicles (grain heads), leaves and stems were determined in two forage sorghum crops extensively infected 2 to 4 weeks prior to sampling and the panicles were assayed for DHES. Composite samples from each crop, plus a third grain variety crop, were coarsely chopped and half of each sealed in plastic buckets for 6 weeks to simulate ensilation. The worst-infected panicles contained up to 55 mg DHES/kg, but dilution reduced average concentrations of DHES in crops to approximately 1 mg/kg, a relatively safe level for cattle. Ensilation significantly (P = 0.043) reduced mean DHES concentrations from 0.85 to 0.46 mg/kg.

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Much work has been done on obtaining empirical stress-velocity relations and evaluating the temperature dependence and activation energy of plastic deformation /1, 2/. Another prevalent concept is that of the drag coefficient and its variation with degree of crystal imperfection /3/. Significant differences and discrepancies exist in the reported values /2, 4/. Although it is recognised that the yield point is caused by point interstitials and aggregates, little has been done on the evaluation of specific crystal-solute combinations and interaction parameters. Some of the first efforts, in this direction were performed by Wain and Cottrell /5/.

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A pin-on-disc test configuration has been used to examine the formation of the strain-hardened projection, or wear lips, especially at the trailing edge of the pin during dry sliding of aluminium alloys against steel discs. The mechanism of formation of such wear lips is studied with the aid of optical and electron microscopes. The plastic deformation of the pin, growth and eventual removal of the wear lip as wear debris are elucidated. The size and shape of the wear lips in pins of different shapes, i.e. square, rectangular, triangular and circular cross-sections, are described.

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This joint DPI/Burdekin Shire Council project assessed the efficacy of a pilot-scale biological remediation system to recover Nitrogen (N) and Phosphorous (P) nutrients from secondary treated municipal wastewater at the Ayr Sewage Treatment Plant. Additionally, this study considered potential commercial uses for by-products from the treatment system. Knowledge gained from this study can provide directions for implementing a larger-scale final effluent treatment protocol on site at the Ayr plant. Trials were conducted over 10 months and assessed nutrient removal from duckweed-based treatments and an algae/fish treatment – both as sequential and as stand-alone treatment systems. A 42.3% reduction in Total N was found through the sequential treatment system (duckweed followed by algae/fish treatment) after 6.6 days Effluent Retention Time (E.R.T.). However, duckweed treatment was responsible for the majority of this nutrient recovery (7.8 times more effective than algae/fish treatment). Likewise, Total P reduction (15.75% reduction after 6.6 days E.R.T.) was twice as great in the duckweed treatment. A phytoplankton bloom, which developed in the algae/fish tanks, reduced nutrient recovery in this treatment. A second trial tested whether the addition of fish enhanced duckweed treatment by evaluating systems with and without fish. After four weeks operation, low DO under the duckweed blanket caused fish mortalities. Decomposition of these fish led to an additional organic load and this was reflected in a breakdown of nitrogen species that showed an increase in organic nitrogen. However, the Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN: ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) removal was similar between treatments with and without fish (57% and 59% DIN removal from incoming, respectively). Overall, three effluent residence times were evaluated using duckweed-based treatments; i.e. 3.5 days, 5.5 days and 10.4 days. Total N removal was 37.5%, 55.7% and 70.3%, respectively. The 10.4-day E.R.T. trial, however, was evaluated by sequential nutrient removal through the duckweed-minus-fish treatment followed by the duckweed-plus-fish treatment. Therefore, the 70.3% Total N removal was lower than could have been achieved at this retention time due to the abovementioned fish mortalities. Phosphorous removal from duckweed treatments was greatest after 10.4-days E.R.T. (13.6%). Plant uptake was considered the most important mechanism for this P removal since there was no clay substrate in the plastic tanks that could have contributed to P absorption as part of the natural phosphorous cycle. Duckweed inhibited phytoplankton production (therefore reducing T.S.S) and maintained pH close to neutral. DO beneath the duckweed blanket fell to below 1ppm; however, this did not limit plant production. If fish are to be used as part of the duckweed treatment, air-uplifts can be installed that maintain DO levels without disturbing surface waters. Duckweed grown in the treatments doubled its biomass on average every 5.7 days. On a per-surface area basis, 1.23kg/m2 was harvested weekly. Moisture content of duckweed was 92%, equating to a total dry weight harvest of 0.098kg/m2/week. Nutrient analysis of dried duckweed gave an N content of 6.67% and a P content of 1.27%. According to semi-quantitative analyses, harvested duckweed contained no residual elements from the effluent stream that were greater than ANZECC toxicant guidelines proposed for aquaculture. In addition, jade perch, a local aquaculture species, actively consumed and gained weight on harvested duckweed, suggesting potential for large-scale fish production using by-products from the effluent treatment process. This suggests that a duckweed-based system may be one viable option for tertiary treatment of Ayr municipal wastewater. The tertiary detention lagoon proposed by the Burdekin Shire Council, consisting of six bays approximately 290 x 35 metres (x 1.5 metres deep), would be suitable for duckweed culture with minor modification to facilitate the efficient distribution of duckweed plants across the entire available growing surface (such as floating containment grids). The effluent residence time resulting from this proposed configuration (~30 days) should be adequate to recover most effluent nutrients (certainly N) based on the current trial. Duckweed harvest techniques on this scale, however, need to be further investigated. Based on duckweed production in the current trial (1.23kg/m2/week), a weekly harvest of approximately 75 000kg (wet weight) could be expected from the proposed lagoon configuration under full duckweed production. A benefit of the proposed multi-bay lagoon is that full lagoon production of duckweed may not be needed to restore effluent to a desirable standard under the present nutrient load, and duckweed treatment may be restricted to certain bays. Restored effluent could be released without risk of contaminating the receiving waterway with duckweed by evacuating water through an internal standpipe located mid-way in the water column.

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Combustion is a complex phenomena involving a multiplicity of variables. Some important variables measured in flame tests follow [1]. In order to characterize ignition, such related parameters as ignition time, ease of ignition, flash ignition temperature, and self-ignition temperature are measured. For studying the propagation of the flame, parameters such as distance burned or charred, area of flame spread, time of flame spread, burning rate, charred or melted area, and fire endurance are measured. Smoke characteristics are studied by determining such parameters as specific optical density, maximum specific optical density, time of occurrence of the densities, maximum rate of density increase, visual obscuration time, and smoke obscuration index. In addition to the above variables, there are a number of specific properties of the combustible system which could be measured. These are soot formation, toxicity of combustion gases, heat of combustion, dripping phenomena during the burning of thermoplastics, afterglow, flame intensity, fuel contribution, visual characteristics, limiting oxygen concentration (OI), products of pyrolysis and combustion, and so forth. A multitude of flammability tests measuring one or more of these properties have been developed [2]. Admittedly, no one small scale test is adequate to mimic or assess the performance of a plastic in a real fire situation. The conditions are much too complicated [3, 4]. Some conceptual problems associated with flammability testing of polymers have been reviewed [5, 6].

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This paper examines the idea that plasticity in farm management introduces resilience to change and allows farm businesses to perform when operating in highly variable environments. We also argue for the need to develop and apply more integrative assessments of farm performance that combine the use of modelling tools with deliberative processes involving farmers and researchers in a co-learning process, to more effectively identify and implement more productive and resilient farm businesses. In a plastic farming system, farm management is highly contingent on environmental conditions. In plastic farming systems farm managers constantly vary crops and inputs based on the availability of limited and variable resources (e.g. land, water, finances, labour, machinery, etc.), and signals from its operating environment (e.g. climate, markets), with the objective of maximising a number of, often competing, objectives (e.g. maximise profits, minimise risks, etc.). In contrast in more rigid farming systems farm management is more calendar driven and relatively fixed sequences of crops are regularly followed over time and across the farm. Here we describe the application of a whole farm simulation model to (i) compare, in silico, the sensitivity of two farming systems designs of contrasting levels of plasticity, operating in two contrasting environments, when exposed to a stressor in the form of climate change scenarios;(ii) investigate the presence of interactions and feedbacks at the field and farm levels capable of modifying the intensity and direction of the responses to climate signals; and (iii) discuss the need for the development and application of more integrative assessments in the analysis of impacts and adaptation options to climate change. In both environments, the more plastic farm management strategy had higher median profits and was less risky for the baseline and less intensive climate change scenarios (2030). However, for the more severe climate change scenarios (2070), the benefit of plastic strategies tended to disappear. These results suggest that, to a point, farming systems having higher levels of plasticity would enable farmers to more effectively respond to climate shifts, thus ensuring the economic viability of the farm business. Though, as the intensity of the stress increases (e.g. 2070 climate change scenario) more significant changes in the farming system might be required to adapt. We also found that in the case studies analysed here, most of the impacts from the climate change scenarios on farm profit and economic risk originated from important reductions in cropping intensity and changes in crop mix rather than from changes in the yields of individual crops. Changes in cropping intensity and crop mix were explained by the combination of reductions in the number of sowing opportunities around critical times in the cropping calendar, and to operational constraints at the whole farm level i.e. limited work capacity in an environment having fewer and more concentrated sowing opportunities. This indicates that indirect impacts from shifts in climate on farm operations can be more important than direct impacts from climate on the yield of individual crops. The results suggest that due to the complexity of farm businesses, impact assessments and opportunities for adaptation to climate change might also need to be pursued at higher integration levels than the crop or the field. We conclude that plasticity can be a desirable characteristic in farming systems operating in highly variable environments, and that integrated whole farm systems analyses of impacts and adaptation to climate change are required to identify important interactions between farm management decision rules, availability of resources, and farmer's preference.

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After more than twenty years of basic and applied research, the use of nanotechnology in the design and manufacture of nanoscale materials is rapidly increasing, particularly in commercial applications that span from electronics across renewable energy areas, and biomedical devices. Novel polymers are attracting significant attention for they promise to provide a low−cost high−performance alternative to existing materials. Furthermore, these polymers have the potential to overcome limitations imposed by currently available materials thus enabling the development of new technologies and applications that are currently beyond our reach. This work focuses on the development of a range of new low−cost environmentally−friendly polymer materials for applications in areas of organic (flexible) electronics, optics, and biomaterials. The choice of the monomer reflects the environmentally−conscious focus of this project. Terpinen−4−ol is a major constituent of Australian grown Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil, attributed with the oil's antimicrobial and anti−inflammatory properties. Plasma polymerisation was chosen as a deposition technique for it requires minimal use of harmful chemicals and produces no hazardous by−products. Polymer thin films were fabricated under varied process conditions to attain materials with distinct physico−chemical, optoelectrical, biological and degradation characteristics. The resultant materials, named polyterpenol, were extensively characterised using a number of well−accepted and novel techniques, and their fundamental properties were defined. Polyterpenol films were demonstrated to be hydrocarbon rich, with variable content of oxygen moieties, primarily in the form of hydroxyl and carboxyl functionalities. The level of preservation of original monomer functionality was shown to be strongly dependent on the deposition energy, with higher applied power increasing the molecular fragmentation and substrate temperature. Polyterpenol water contact angle contact angle increased from 62.7° for the 10 W samples to 76.3° for the films deposited at 100 W. Polymers were determined to resist solubilisation by water, due to the extensive intermolecular and intramolecular hydrogen bonds present, and other solvents commonly employed in electronics and biomedical processing. Independent of deposition power, the surface topography of the polymers was shown to be smooth (Rq <0.5 nm), uniform and defect free. Hardness of polyterpenol coatings increased from 0.33 GPa for 10 W to 0.51 GPa for 100 W (at 500 μN load). Coatings deposited at higher input RF powers showed less mechanical deformation during nanoscratch testing, with no considerable damage, cracking or delamination observed. Independent of the substrate, the quality of film adhesion improved with RF power, suggesting these coatings are likely to be more stable and less susceptible to wear. Independent of fabrication conditions, polyterpenol thin films were optically transparent, with refractive index approximating that of glass. Refractive index increased slightly with deposition power, from 1.54 (10 W) to 1.56 (100 W) at 500 nm. The optical band gap values declined with increasing power, from 2.95 eV to 2.64 eV, placing the material within the range for semiconductors. Introduction of iodine impurity reduced the band gap of polyterpenol, from 2.8 eV to 1.64 eV, by extending the density of states more into the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Doping decreased the transparency and increased the refractive index from 1.54 to 1.70 (at 500 nm). At optical frequencies, the real part of permittivity (k) was determined to be between 2.34 and 2.65, indicating a potential low-k material. These permittivity values were confirmed at microwave frequencies, where permittivity increased with input RF energy – from 2.32 to 2.53 (at 10 GHz ) and from 2.65 to 2.83 (at 20 GHz). At low frequencies, the dielectric constant was determined from current−voltage characteristics of Al−polyterpenol−Al devices. At frequencies below 100 kHz, the dielectric constant varied with RF power, from 3.86 to 4.42 at 1 kHz. For all samples, the resistivity was in order of 10⁸−10⁹ _m (at 6 V), confirming the insulating nature of polyterpenol material. In situ iodine doping was demonstrated to increase the conductivity of polyterpenol, from 5.05 × 10⁻⁸ S/cm to 1.20 × 10⁻⁶ S/cm (at 20 V). Exposed to ambient conditions over extended period of time, polyterpenol thin films were demonstrated to be optically, physically and chemically stable. The bulk of ageing occurred within first 150 h after deposition and was attributed to oxidation and volumetric relaxation. Thermal ageing studies indicated thermal stability increased for the films manufactured at higher RF powers, with degradation onset temperature associated with weight loss shifting from 150 ºC to 205 ºC for 10 W and 100 W polyterpenol, respectively. Annealing the films to 405 °C resulted in full dissociation of the polymer, with minimal residue. Given the outcomes of the fundamental characterisation, a number of potential applications for polyterpenol have been identified. Flexibility, tunable permittivity and loss tangent properties of polyterpenol suggest the material can be used as an insulating layer in plastic electronics. Implementation of polyterpenol as a surface modification of the gate insulator in pentacene-based Field Effect Transistor resulted in significant improvements, shifting the threshold voltage from + 20 V to –3 V, enhancing the effective mobility from 0.012 to 0.021 cm²/Vs, and improving the switching property of the device from 10⁷ to 10⁴. Polyterpenol was demonstrated to have a hole transport electron blocking property, with potential applications in many organic devices, such as organic light emitting diodes. Encapsulation of biomedical devices is also proposed, given that under favourable conditions, the original chemical and biological functionality of terpinen−4−ol molecule can be preserved. Films deposited at low RF power were shown to successfully prevent adhesion and retention of several important human pathogens, including P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, and S. epidermidis, whereas films deposited at higher RF power promoted bacterial cell adhesion and biofilm formation. Preliminary investigations into in vitro biocompatibility of polyterpenol demonstrated the coating to be non−toxic for several types of eukaryotic cells, including Balb/c mice macrophage and human monocyte type (HTP−1 non-adherent) cells. Applied to magnesium substrates, polyterpenol encapsulating layer significantly slowed down in vitro biodegradation of the metal, thus increasing the viability and growth of HTP−1 cells. Recently, applied to varied nanostructured titanium surfaces, polyterpenol thin films successfully reduced attachment, growth, and viability of P. aeruginosa and S. aureus.