Biomechanics of smart wings in a bat robot: morphing wings using SMA actuators

This paper presents the design of a bat-like micro aerial vehicle with actuated morphing wings. NiTi shape memory alloys (SMAs) acting as artificial biceps and triceps muscles are used for mimicking the morphing wing mechanism of the bat flight apparatus. Our objective is twofold. Firstly, we have implemented a control architecture that allows an accurate and fast SMA actuation. This control makes use of the electrical resistance measurements of SMAs to adjust morphing wing motions. Secondly, the feasibility of using SMA actuation technology is evaluated for the application at hand. To this purpose, experiments are conducted to analyze the control performance in terms of nominal and overloaded operation modes of the SMAs. This analysis includes: (i) inertial forces regarding the stretchable wing membrane and aerodynamic loads, and (ii) uncertainties due to impact of airflow conditions over the resistance–motion relationship of SMAs. With the proposed control, morphing actuation speed can be increased up to 2.5 Hz, being sufficient to generate lift forces at a cruising speed of 5ms−1.

Investigation of the absorption pathways of some poorly absorbed drugs using human intestinal (CAC0-2) cell monolayers

Absorption across the gastro-intestinal epithelium is via two pathways; the transcellular and paracellular pathway. Caco-2 cells, when cultured on polycarbonate filters, formed a confluent monolayer with many properties of differentiated intestinal epithelial cells, As a model of human gastro-intestinaJ tract epithelia they were used to elucidate and characterise the transepithelial transport of two protein kinase C inhibitors, N-(3-chlorophenyl)-4-[2-(3-hydroxypropylamino)-4-pyridyl]-2-pyrimidinamin (CHPP) and N-benzoyl-staurosporine (NBS), and the polypeptide, human calcitonin. Lanthanum ions are proposed as a paracellular pathway inhibitor and tested with D-mannitol permeability and transepithelial electrical resistance measurements. The effect La3+ has on the carrier-mediated transport of D-glucose and Sodium taurocholate as well as the vesicularly transcytosed horseradish peroxidase was also investigated. As expected, 2 mM apical La3+ increases transepithelial electrical resistance 1.S-fold and decreases mannitol permeability by 63.0 % ± 1.37 %. This inhibition was not repeated by other cations. Apical 2 mM La3+ was found to decrease carrier-mediated D-glucose and taurocholate permeability by only 8.7 % ± 1.6 %, 26.3 % ± 5.0 %. There was no inhibitory effect on testosterone or PEG 4000 permeability observed with La3+. However, for horseradish peroxidase and human calcitonin permeability was decreased by 98.7 % ± 11.7%, and 96.2 % ± 0.8 % respectively by 2 mM La3+. Indicating that human calcitonin could also be transported by vesicular transcytosis. The addition of 2 mM La3+ to the apical surface of Caco-2 monolayers produces a paracellular pathway inhibition. Therefore, La3+ could be a useful additional tool in delineating the transepithelial pathway of passive drug absorption.

The influence of Arabian Gulf environment on mechanisms of reinforcement corrosion

The reduction in the useful-service life of reinforced concrete construction in the Arabian Gulf is attributed to reinforcement corrosion. While this phenomenon is primarily related to chloride ions, the concomitant pressure of sulfate salts may accelerate the deterioration process. Another factor which might influence reinforcement corrosion is the elevated ambient temperature. While few studies have been conducted to evaluate the individual effect of sulfate contamination and temperature on chloride binding and reinforcement corrosion, the synergistic effect of these factors on concrete durability, viz.-a-viz., reinforcement corrosion, needs to be evaluated. Further, the environmental conditions of the Arabian Gulf are also conducive for accelerated carbonation. However, no data are available on the concomitant effect of chloride-sulfate contamination and elevated temperature on the carbonation behaviour of plain and blended cements.This study was conducted to evaluate the conjoint effect of chloride-sulfate contamination and temperature on the pore solution chemistry and reinforcement corrosion. The effect of chloride-sulfate contamination and elevated temperature on carbonation in plain and blended cements was also investigated. Pore solution extraction and analysis, X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy, DC linear polarization resistance and AC impedance spectroscopy techniques were utilized to study the effect of experimental parameters on chloride binding, reinforcement corrosion and carbonation.The results indicated that the concomitant presence of chloride and sulfate salts and temperature significantly influences the durability performance of concrete by: (i) decreasing the chloride binding, (ii) increasing reinforcement corrosion, and (iii) accelerating the carbonation process. To avoid such deterioration, it is advisable to minimize both chloride and sulfate contamination contributed by the mixture ingredients. Due to the known harmful role of sulfate ions in decreasing the chloride binding and increasing reinforcement corrosion, limits on allowable sulfate contamination in concrete should also be established.

Development of a multicellular co-culture model of normal and cystic fibrosis human airways in vitro

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal inherited disease among Caucasians and arises due to mutations in a chloride channel, called cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. A hallmark of this disease is the chronic bacterial infection of the airways, which is usually, associated with pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, S. aureus and recently becoming more prominent, B. cepacia. The excessive inflammatory response, which leads to irreversible lung damage, will in the long term lead to mortality of the patient at around the age of 40 years. Understanding the pathogenesis of CF currently relies on animal models, such as those employing genetically-modified mice, and on single cell culture models, which are grown either as polarised or non-polarised epithelium in vitro. Whilst these approaches partially enable the study of disease progression in CF, both types of models have inherent limitations. The overall aim of this thesis was to establish a multicellular co-culture model of normal and CF human airways in vitro, which helps to partially overcome these limitations and permits analysis of cell-to-cell communication in the airways. These models could then be used to examine the co-ordinated response of the airways to infection with relevant pathogens in order to validate this approach over animals/single cell models. Therefore epithelial cell lines of non-CF and CF background were employed in a co-culture model together with human pulmonary fibroblasts. Co-cultures were grown on collagen-coated permeable supports at air-liquid interface to promote epithelial cell differentiation. The models were characterised and essential features for investigating CF infections and inflammatory responses were investigated and analysed. A pseudostratified like epithelial cell layer was established at air liquid interface (ALI) of mono-and co-cultures and cell layer integrity was verified by tight junction (TJ) staining and transepithelial resistance measurements (TER). Mono- and co-cultures were also found to secrete the airway mucin MUC5AC. Influence of bacterial infections was found to be most challenging when intact S. aureus, B. cepacia and P. aeruginosa were used. CF mono- and co-cultures were found to mimic the hyperinflammatory state found in CF, which was confirmed by analysing IL-8 secretions of these models. These co-culture models will help to elucidate the role fibroblasts play in the inflammatory response to bacteria and will provide a useful testing platform to further investigate the dysregulated airway responses seen in CF.

Proton Form Factor Puzzle and the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) two-photon exchange experiment

The electromagnetic form factors are the most fundamental observables that encode information about the internal structure of the nucleon. The electric (GE) and the magnetic ( GM) form factors contain information about the spatial distribution of the charge and magnetization inside the nucleon. A significant discrepancy exists between the Rosenbluth and the polarization transfer measurements of the electromagnetic form factors of the proton. One possible explanation for the discrepancy is the contributions of two-photon exchange (TPE) effects. Theoretical calculations estimating the magnitude of the TPE effect are highly model dependent, and limited experimental evidence for such effects exists. Experimentally, the TPE effect can be measured by comparing the ratio of positron-proton elastic scattering cross section to that of the electron-proton [R = σ(e +p)/σ(e+p)]. The ratio R was measured over a wide range of kinematics, utilizing a 5.6 GeV primary electron beam produced by the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at Jefferson Lab. This dissertation explored dependence of R on kinematic variables such as squared four-momentum transfer (Q2) and the virtual photon polarization parameter (&epsis;). A mixed electron-positron beam was produced from the primary electron beam in experimental Hall B. The mixed beam was scattered from a liquid hydrogen (LH2) target. Both the scattered lepton and the recoil proton were detected by the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS). The elastic events were then identified by using elastic scattering kinematics. This work extracted the Q2 dependence of R at high &epsis;(&epsis; > 0.8) and the $&epsis; dependence of R at ⟨Q 2⟩ approx 0.85 GeV2. In these kinematics, our data confirm the validity of the hadronic calculations of the TPE effect by Blunden, Melnitchouk, and Tjon. This hadronic TPE effect, with additional corrections contributed by higher excitations of the intermediate state nucleon, largely reconciles the Rosenbluth and the polarization transfer measurements of the electromagnetic form factors.

Evaluation of strontium-site-deficient Sr2Fe1.4Co0.1Mo0.5O6-δ-based perovskite oxides as intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell cathodes

In this paper strontium-site-deficient Sr₂Fe_1.4Co_0.1Mo_0.5O_6-δ-based perovskite oxides (S_xFCM) were prepared and evaluated as the cathode materials for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). All samples exhibited a cubic phase structure and the lattice shrinked with increasing the Sr-deficiency as shown in XRD patterns. XPS results determined that the transition elements (Co/Fe/Mo) in S_xFCM oxides were in a mixed valence state, demonstrating the small polaron hopping conductivity mechanism existed. Among the samples, S_1.950FCM presented the lowest coefficient of thermal expansion of 15.62 × 10^-6 K^-1, the highest conductivity value of 28 S cm^-1 at 500 °C, and the lowest interfacial polarization resistance of 0.093 Ω cm² at 800 °C, respectively. Furthermore, an anode-supported single cell with a S_1.950FCM cathode was prepared, demonstrating a maximum power density of 1.16 W cm^-2 at 800 °C by using wet H₂ (3% H₂O) as the fuel and ambient air as the oxidant. These results indicate that the introduction of Sr-deficiency can dramatically improve the electrochemical performance of Sr₂Fe_1.4Co_0.1Mo_0.5O_6-δ, showing great promise as a novel cathode candidate material for IT-SOFCs.

Preparation and characterization of Pr0.6Sr0.4FeO3-δ-Ce0.9Pr0.1O2-δ nanofiber structured composite cathode for IT-SOFCs

In this work, Pr_0.6Sr_0.4FeO_3-δ -Ce_0.9Pr_0.1O_2-δ (PSFO-CPO) nanofibers were synthesized by a one-step electrospin technique for use in intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (IT-SOFC) applications. PSFO-CPO nanofibers were produced with a diameter of about 100nm and lengths exceeding tens of microns. The thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) matches with standard GDC electrolytes and the resulting conductivity also satisfies the needs of IT-SOFCs cathodes. EIS analysis of the nanofiber structured electrode gives a polarization resistance of 0.072Ωcm² at 800°C, smaller than that from the powdered cathode with the same composition. The excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to the well-constructed microstructure of the nanofiber structured cathode, which promotes surface oxygen diffusion and charge transfer processes. All the results imply that the one-step electrospin method is a facile and practical way of improving the cathode properties and that PSFO-CPO is a promising cathode material for IT-SOFCs.

Fabrication and characterization of SSZ tape cast electrolyte-supported solid oxide fuel cells

A 10 mol%Sc₂O₃, 1 mol%CeO₂ stabilized-ZrO₂ (SSZ) powder was successfully prepared using the sol-gel method. Subsequent SSZ electrolyte pellets were prepared by tape casting technique and sintered at 1400 °C, 1450 °C, 1500 °C, 1550 °C and 1600 °C. These were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). SSZ showed a pure cubic phase after sintering, the grain size of SSZ increased with the increase of sintering temperature. The SSZ sintered at 1550 °C showed the highest ion conductivity. The maximum power densities of Ni-SSZ/SSZ/La_0.8Sr_0.2MnO_3-δ (LSM)-SSZ single cells sintered at 1550 °C were 0.18, 0.36, 0.51 and 0.72 W cm^-2 at 650, 700, 750 and 800 °C, respectively. The polarization resistance (R_p) of the single cell attained 0.201 Ω cm² at 800 °C.

Improved electrochemical performance of Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.4Nb0.1O6-δ -Sm0.2Ce0.8O2-δ composite cathodes by a one-pot method for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells

In this paper, Sr₂Fe_1.5Mo_0.4Nb_0.1O_6-δ (SFMNb)-xSm_0.2Ce_0.8O_2-δ (SDC) (x = 0, 20, 30, 40, 50 wt%) composite cathode materials were synthesized by a one-pot combustion method to improve the electrochemical performance of SFMNb cathode for intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). The fabrication of composite cathodes by adding SDC to SFMNb is conducive to providing extended electrochemical reaction zones for oxygen reduction reactions (ORR). X-ray diffraction (XRD) demonstrates that SFMNb is chemically compatible with SDC electrolytes at temperature up to 1100 °C. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) indicates that the SFMNb-SDC composite cathodes have a porous network nanostructure as well as the single phase SFMNb. The conductivity and thermal expansion coefficient of the composite cathodes decrease with the increased content of SDC, while the electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) exhibits that SFMNb-40SDC composite cathode has optimal electrochemical performance with low polarization resistance (R_p) on the La_0.9Sr_0.1Ga_0.8Mg_0.2O₃ electrolyte. The R_p of the SFMNb-40SDC composite cathode is about 0.047 Ω cm² at 800 °C in air. A single cell with SFMNb-40SDC cathode also displays favorable discharge performance, whose maximum power density is 1.22 W cm^-2 at 800 °C. All results indicate that SFMNb-40SDC composite material is a promising cathode candidate for IT-SOFCs.

Synthesis of Pr0.6Sr0.4FeO 3-δ -xCe0.9Pr0.1O 2-δ cobalt-free composite cathodes by a one-pot method for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells

Cobalt-free composite cathodes consisting of Pr_0.6Sr_0.4FeO _3-δ -xCe_0.9Pr_0.1O _2-δ (PSFO-xCPO, x = 0-50 wt%) have been synthesized using a one-pot method. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermal expansion coefficient, conductivity, and polarization resistance (R _P ) have been used to characterize the PSFO-xCPO cathodes. Furthermore the discharge performance of the Ni-SSZ/SSZ/GDC/PSFO-xCPO cells has been measured. The experimental results indicate that the PSFO-xCPO composite materials fully consist of PSFO and CPO phases and posses a porous microstructure. The conductivity of PSFO-xCPO decreases with the increase of CPO content, but R _P of PSFO-40CPO shows the smallest value amongst all the samples. The power density of single cells with a PSFO-40CPO composite cathode is significantly improved compared with that of the PSFO cathode, exhibiting 0.43, 0.75, 1.08 and 1.30 W cm^-2 at 650, 700, 750 and 800 °C, respectively. In addition, single cells with the PSFO-40CPO composite cathode show a stable performance with no obvious degradation over 100 h when operating at 750 °C.

Avaliação de heterociclo do tipo mesoiônico solubilizado em sistema microemulsionado para aplicação em dutos

The efficiency of inhibition to corrosion of steel AISI 1018 of surfactant coconut oil saponified (SCO) and heterocyclic type mesoionics (1,3,4-triazólio-2-tiolato) in systems microemulsionados (SCO-ME and SCO-ME-MI) Of type O/A (rich in water emulsion) region with the work of Winsor IV. The systems microemulsionados (SCO-ME and SCO-ME-MI) were evaluated with a corrosion inhibitor for use in saline 10,000 ppm of chloride enriched with carbon dioxide (CO2). The assessment of corrosion inhibitors were evaluated by the techniques of linear polarization resistance (LPR) and loss of weight (MW) in a cell instrumented given the gravity and electrochemical devices. The systems were shooting speed of less than 60 minutes and efficiency of inhibition [SCO-ME (91.25%) and SCO-ME-MI (98.54%)]

Galvanic corrosion of two non noble dental alloys

Artigo licenciado sob uma Licença Creative Commons: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Estudo de inibidores de corrosão em concreto armado, visando a melhoria na sua durabilidade

This thesis has as objective presents a methodology to evaluate the behavior of the corrosion inhibitors sodium nitrite, sodium dichromate and sodium molybdate, as well as your mixture, the corrosion process for the built-in steel in the reinforced concrete, through different techniques electrochemical, as well as the mechanical properties of that concrete non conventional. The addition of the inhibitors was studied in the concrete in the proportions from 0.5 to 3.5 % regarding the cement mass, isolated or in the mixture, with concrete mixture proportions of 1.0:1.5:2.5 (cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate), superplasticizers 2.0 % and 0.40 water/cement ratio. In the modified concrete resistance rehearsals they were accomplished to the compression, consistence and the absorption of water, while to analyze the built-in steel in the concrete the rehearsals of polarization curves they were made. They were also execute, rehearsals of corrosion potential and polarization resistance with intention of diagnose the beginning of the corrosion of the armors inserted in body-of-proof submitted to an accelerated exhibition in immersion cycle and drying to the air. It was concluded, that among the studied inhibitors sodium nitrite , in the proportion of 2.0 % in relation to the mass of the cement, presented the best capacity of protection of the steel through all the studied techniques and that the methodology and the monitoring techniques used in this work, they were shown appropriate to evaluate the behavior and the efficiency of the inhibitors

Proton Form Factor Puzzle and the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer(CLAS) Two-Photon Exchange Experiment

The electromagnetic form factors are the most fundamental observables that encode information about the internal structure of the nucleon. The electric ($G_{E}$) and the magnetic ($G_{M}$) form factors contain information about the spatial distribution of the charge and magnetization inside the nucleon. A significant discrepancy exists between the Rosenbluth and the polarization transfer measurements of the electromagnetic form factors of the proton. One possible explanation for the discrepancy is the contributions of two-photon exchange (TPE) effects. Theoretical calculations estimating the magnitude of the TPE effect are highly model dependent, and limited experimental evidence for such effects exists. Experimentally, the TPE effect can be measured by comparing the ratio of positron-proton elastic scattering cross section to that of the electron-proton $\large(R = \frac{\sigma (e^{+}p)}{\sigma (e^{-}p)}\large)$. The ratio $R$ was measured over a wide range of kinematics, utilizing a 5.6 GeV primary electron beam produced by the Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF) at Jefferson Lab. This dissertation explored dependence of $R$ on kinematic variables such as squared four-momentum transfer ($Q^{2}$) and the virtual photon polarization parameter ($\varepsilon$). A mixed electron-positron beam was produced from the primary electron beam in experimental Hall B. The mixed beam was scattered from a liquid hydrogen (LH$_{2}$) target. Both the scattered lepton and the recoil proton were detected by the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS). The elastic events were then identified by using elastic scattering kinematics. This work extracted the $Q^{2}$ dependence of $R$ at high $\varepsilon$ ($\varepsilon > $ 0.8) and the $\varepsilon$ dependence of $R$ at $\langle Q^{2} \rangle \approx 0.85$ GeV$^{2}$. In these kinematics, our data confirm the validity of the hadronic calculations of the TPE effect by Blunden, Melnitchouk, and Tjon. This hadronic TPE effect, with additional corrections contributed by higher excitations of the intermediate state nucleon, largely reconciles the Rosenbluth and the polarization transfer measurements of the electromagnetic form factors.

Cr3C2-NiCr and WC-Ni thermal spray coatings as alternatives to hard chromium for erosion-corrosion resistance

Cr3C2-NiCr and WC-Ni coatings are widely used for wear applications at high and room temperature, respectively. Due to the high corrosion resistance of NiCr binder, Cr3C2-NiCr coatings are also used in corrosive environments. The application of WC-Ni coatings in corrosive media is 14 not recommended due to the poor corrosion resistance of the (pure Ni) metallic matrix. It is well known that the addition of Cr to the metallic binder improves the corrosion properties. Erosion-corrosion performance of thermal spray coatings is widely influenced by ceramic phase composition, the size of ceramic particles and also the composition of the metallic binder. In the present work, two types of HVOF thermal spray coatings (Cr3C2-NiCr and WC-Ni) obtained with different spray conditions were studied and compared with conventional micro-cracked hard chromium coatings. Both as-sprayed and polished samples were tested under two erosion-corrosion conditions with different erosivity. Tungsten carbide coatings showed better performance under the most erosive condition, while chromium carbide coatings were superior under less erosive conditions. Some of the tungsten carbide coatings and hard chromium showed similar erosion-corrosion behaviour under more and less erosive conditions. The erosion-corrosion and electrochemical results showed that surface polishing improved the erosion-corrosion properties of the thermally sprayed coatings. The corrosion behaviour of the different coatings has been compared using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization curves. Total material loss due to erosion-corrosion was determined by weight loss measurements. An estimation of the corrosion contribution to the total weight loss was also given. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.