Internal stresses, dislocation mobility and ductility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saada, G.

1991-06-01

The description of plastic deformation must take into account individual mechanisms and heterogeneity of plastic strain. Influence of dislocation interaction with forest dislocations and of cross slip are connected with the organization of dipole walls. The latter are described and their development is explained as a consequence of edge effects. Applications are discussed. La description de la déformation plastique doit prendre en compte les interactions individuelles des dislocations et l'hétérogénéité à grande échelle de la déformation plastique. Les interactions des dislocations mobiles avec la forêt de dislocations, le glissement dévié, ont pour effet la création de parois dipolaires. Celles-ci sont décrites et leur développement est appliqué à partir des effets de bord.

Lambeaux autofermants pour le traitement des brulures electriques du scalp par haut voltage

PubMed Central

Hafidi, J.; El Mazouz, S.; El Mejatti, H.; Fejjal, N.; Gharib, N.E.; Abbassi, A.; Belmahi, A.M.

2011-01-01

Summary Les brûlures électriques par haut voltage sont responsables de gros dégâts tissulaires en immédiat et dans les jours suivant l’accident du fait de la chaleur importante dégagée par effet joule et de la thrombose microvasculaire évolutive. Les pertes de substances du scalp secondaires à ces brûlures nécessitent une couverture par lambeaux vu la destruction du périoste et du calvarium en regard. De juin 1997 à juin 2008, 15 patients ont été traités pour des pertes de substance du scalp secondaires à des brûlures électriques par haut voltage de diamètre allant de 8 à 11 cm et siégeant dans la région tonsurale. Ces patients ont été opérés dans la première semaine suivant l’accident. Les pertes de substance du scalp de taille moyenne secondaires à ces brûlures peuvent être couvertes per primam de façon fiable par des lambeaux locaux axialisés et multiples. Nous relatons l’expérience du Service de Chirurgie Plastique du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Ibn-Sina, Rabat, Maroc, dans la gestion et la prise en charge de ces brûlures. PMID:22262963

Quantification des besoins en intrants antipaludiques: contribution à l'actualisation des hypothèses pour la quantification des intrants de prise en charge des cas de paludisme grave en République Démocratique du Congo

PubMed Central

Likwela, Joris Losimba; Otokoye, John Otshudiema

2015-01-01

Les formes graves de paludisme à Plasmodium falciparum sont une cause majeure de décès des enfants de moins de 5 ans en Afrique Sub-saharienne. Un traitement rapide dépend de la disponibilité de médicaments appropriés au niveau des points de prestation de service. La fréquence des ruptures de stock des commodités antipaludiques, en particuliers celles utilisées pour le paludisme grave, avait nécessité une mise à jour des hypothèses de quantification. Les données issues de la collecte de routine du PNLP de 2007 à 2012 ont été comparées à celles rapportés par d'autres pays africains et utilisées pour orienter les discussions au cours d'un atelier organisé par le PNLP et ses partenaires techniques et financiers afin de dégager un consensus national. La proportion des cas de paludisme rapportés comme grave en RDC est resté autour d'une médiane de 7% avec un domaine de variation de 6 à 9%. Hormis la proportion rapportée au Kenya (2%), les pays africains ont rapporté une proportion de cas grave variant entre 5 et 7%. Il apparaît que la proportion de 1% précédemment utilisée pour la quantification en RDC a été sous-estimée dans le contexte de la gestion des cas graves sur terrain. Un consensus s'est dégagé autour de la proportion de 5% étant entendu que des efforts de renforcement des capacités seraient déployés afin d'améliorer le diagnostic au niveau des points de prestation des services. PMID:26213595

Etude experimentale des excitations topologiques de l'effet Hall quantique a nu = 1 dans les heterostructures semiconductrices a double puits quantique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charlebois, Serge

De nombreux travaux theoriques et experimentaux ont ete publies sur les excitations topologiques de gaz electroniques bidimensionnels (GE2D), appellees skyrmions, dans le regime de l'effet Hall quantique a remplissage unitaire. On attend des excitations semblables appellees bimerons dans les systemes formes de deux GE2D couples. Contrairement au cas des GE2D simples, aucune experience n'a, a notre connaissance, presente la mesure d'une propriete specifique aux bimerons. Nous presentons dans cette these des travaux experimentaux ayant pour objectif l'etude d'excitations topologiques dans les heterostructures a double puits quantique. Une manifestation attendue (les bimerons est la presence d'une anisotropie dans la conductivite a travers une constriction. Nous avons concu un dispositif original a point de contact a trois grilles non-coplanaires. Ce dispositif a trois grilles a la particularite de permettre la creation d'une constriction etroite dans le double GE2D tout en permettant l'equilibrage de la densite electronique entre les deux puits dans l'etroit canal de conduction. Nous avons fabrique ce dispositif de taille submicronique par electrolithographie sur des heterostructures a double puits. Les dispositifs ainsi fabriques ont ete etudies a basse temperature (0.3K) et ont montre un fonctionnement conforme aux attentes. Les travaux n'ont pas permis de mettre en evidence une anisotropie de transport revelatrice de l'existence de bimerons. Cette these est a notre connaissance la premiere etude experimentale visant la realisation de l'experience d'anisotropie de transport et est ainsi une contribution significative a l'avancement des connaissances dans ce domaine. Les travaux theoriques que nous presentons ont permis de montrer l'effet des excitations topologiques sur la capacite grille-GE2D du systeme. Ces travaux ouvrent la voie de la detection des bimerons par l'intermediaire de la mesure de la capacite grille-GE2D ou encore de la susceptibilite electrique du

Comparaison des effets des irradiations γ, X et UV dans les fibres optiques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girard, S.; Ouerdane, Y.; Baggio, J.; Boukenter, A.; Meunier, J.-P.; Leray, J.-L.

2005-06-01

Les fibres optiques présentent de nombreux avantages incitant à les intégrer dans des applications devant résister aux environnements radiatifs associés aux domaines civil, spatial ou militaire. Cependant, leur exposition à un rayonnement entraîne la création de défauts ponctuels dans la silice amorphe pure ou dopée qui constitue les différentes parties de la fibre optique. Ces défauts causent, en particulier, une augmentation transitoire de l'atténuation linéique des fibres optiques responsable de la dégradation voire de la perte du signal propagé dans celles-ci. Dans cet article, nous comparons les effets de deux types d'irradiation: une impulsion X et une dose γ cumulée. Les effets de ces irradiations sont ensuite comparés avec ceux induits par une insolation ultraviolette (244 nm) sur les propriétés d'absorption des fibres optiques. Nous montrons qu'il existe des similitudes entre ces différentes excitations et qu'il est possible, sous certaines conditions, d'utiliser celles-ci afin d'évaluer la capacité de certaines fibres optiques à fonctionner dans un environnement nucléaire donné.

Évolution de la surface de plasticité sous chargement biaxial dans un acier inoxydable duplex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubin, V.; Quaegebeur, P.; Degallaix, S.

2002-12-01

Nous proposons une méthodologie de mesure automatique de la surface de plasticité pendant des chargements cycliques biaxiaux. La surface de plasticité est mesurée de manière discrète avec un faible offset de déformation plastique (2 10^{-5}) et des paramètres de mesure optimisés. La méthode est appliquée à un acier inoxydable duplex soumis à un trajet de chargement non-proportionnel. Les résultats montrent une distorsion et une translation de la surface de plasticité sans changement de taille. La méthode présentée permet également de vérifier la normalité de la vitesse d'écoulement plastique par rapport à la surface de plasticité.

Trielectrode capacitive pressure transducer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coon, G. W. (Inventor)

1976-01-01

A capacitive transducer and circuit especially suited for making measurements in a high-temperature environment are described. The transducer includes two capacitive electrodes and a shield electrode. As the temperature of the transducer rises, the resistance of the insulation between the capacitive electrode decreases and a resistive current attempts to interfere with the capacitive current between the capacitive electrodes. The shield electrode and the circuit coupled there reduce the resistive current in the transducer. A bridge-type circuit coupled to the transducer ignores the resistive current and measures only the capacitive current flowing between the capacitive electrodes.

L'effet des deformations plastiques severes sur les proprietes d'hydruration du magnesium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, Julien

Le travail de recherche effectue durant mon projet de maitrise en physique a l'Universite du Quebec a Trois-Rivieres dans les laboratoires de l'Institut de Recherche sur l'Hydrogene etait de comparer l'effet du laminage a froid de la poudre de MgH2 avec celui du broyage mecanique. Nous avons etudie cette nouvelle technique en utilisant un laminoir vertical concu specialement pour laminer de la poudre. Nous avons lamine la poudre de MgH2 5, 25, 50 et 100 fois. La comparaison de la morphologie de la poudre de MgH 2 telle que recu du manufacturier et broye mecaniquement pendant 30 minutes avec celle de la poudre laminee ete faite a l'aide d'un microscope electronique a balayage. Nous avons par la suite mesure les proprietes de sorption d'hydrogene grace un appareil PCT de type Sievert. Nous avons aussi determine la structure cristalline par diffraction de rayons X. A partir de ces resultats, nous avons constate que le nombre optimal de laminages est de cinq et a les caracteristiques d'absorption/desorption d'hydrogene similaires a un broyage mecanique de 30 minutes. Nous avons aussi utilise les courbes de cinetiques d'absorption et de desorption d'hydrogene pour calculer l'etape limitative dans les reactions de sorption des echantillons lamines. Comme cinq laminages se font en environ 10 secondes, on voit que le laminage a froid est une technique plus interessante industriellement que le broyage mecanique a cause de l'important gain en temps et en energie.

Developpement des betons semi autoplacants a rheologie adaptee pour des infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sotomayor Cruz, Cristian Daniel

BSAP-I optimisés à travers une caractérisation complète des propriétés mécaniques et de la durabilité a été réalisée. A la suite de cette étude, les résultats obtenus nous permettent de conclure que : (1) L'utilisation d'un BSAP-I avec un gros granulat de 5 - 14 mm, des rapports E/L = 0,37 et S/G = 0,52 et une teneur en air de 6 à 9% a été possible en conférant un équilibre optimal fluidité / stabilité à l'état frais, ainsi qu'un niveau de thixotropie adéquate au chantier permettant d'optimiser la conception du coffrage des piliers de pont et de conférer des qualités de surfaces très acceptables de ces infrastructures. (2) La méthode adaptée pour l'essai L-Box contenant 2 barres et une vibration de 5 secondes a permis de bien caractériser la capacité de remplissage d'un BSAP-I. (3) L'utilisation d'un plan factoriel 23 a permis d'obtenir des modèles statistiques fiables, capables de prédire les propriétés rhéologiques à l'état frais et les résistances en compression des BSAP-I avec des dosages en liant entre 370 et 420 kg/m3, des rapports E/L entre 0,34 et 0,40 et S/G entre 0,47 et 0,53. (4) Des mesures de vitesse d'écoulement T40 d'un BSAP-I sont très semblables à celles d'un BAP. En plus, des valeurs T40 montrent une bonne corrélation linéaire avec celles de T400 mesurés dans la boîte L-Box. (5) À la frontière du BAP et du BCV, une bande rhéologique possédant un τ0 entre 30 et 320 Pa et un η entre 10 et 140 Pa.s a été trouvée pour la conception optimale des BSAP-I. (6) Les BSAP-I optimisés ont également conféré une très bonne performance à l'état frais, en permettant maintenir un bon équilibre entre la rhéologie et la stabilité dans le temps, lorsqu'on utilise une énergie de vibration minimale pour amorcer son écoulement. (7) À l'état durci Les BSAP-I ont conféré une bonne performance présentant des résistances mécaniques élevées et des niveaux négligeables de pénétration aux ions chlores

Capacitance variation measurement method with a continuously variable measuring range for a micro-capacitance sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lü, Xiaozhou; Xie, Kai; Xue, Dongfeng; Zhang, Feng; Qi, Liang; Tao, Yebo; Li, Teng; Bao, Weimin; Wang, Songlin; Li, Xiaoping; Chen, Renjie

2017-10-01

Micro-capacitance sensors are widely applied in industrial applications for the measurement of mechanical variations. The measurement accuracy of micro-capacitance sensors is highly dependent on the capacitance measurement circuit. To overcome the inability of commonly used methods to directly measure capacitance variation and deal with the conflict between the measurement range and accuracy, this paper presents a capacitance variation measurement method which is able to measure the output capacitance variation (relative value) of the micro-capacitance sensor with a continuously variable measuring range. We present the principles and analyze the non-ideal factors affecting this method. To implement the method, we developed a capacitance variation measurement circuit and carried out experiments to test the circuit. The result shows that the circuit is able to measure a capacitance variation range of 0-700 pF linearly with a maximum relative accuracy of 0.05% and a capacitance range of 0-2 nF (with a baseline capacitance of 1 nF) with a constant resolution of 0.03%. The circuit is proposed as a new method to measure capacitance and is expected to have applications in micro-capacitance sensors for measuring capacitance variation with a continuously variable measuring range.

Capacitance measuring device

DOEpatents

Andrews, W.H. Jr.

1984-08-01

A capacitance measuring circuit is provided in which an unknown capacitance is measured by comparing the charge stored in the unknown capacitor with that stored in a known capacitance. Equal and opposite voltages are repetitively simultaneously switched onto the capacitors through an electronic switch driven by a pulse generator to charge the capacitors during the ''on'' portion of the cycle. The stored charge is compared by summing discharge currents flowing through matched resistors at the input of a current sensor during the ''off'' portion of the switching cycle. The net current measured is thus proportional to the difference in value of the two capacitances. The circuit is capable of providing much needed accuracy and stability to a great variety of capacitance-based measurement devices at a relatively low cost.

Le stéréorestituteur Kelsh

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kelsh, H.T.

1949-01-01

Le ste??re??orestituteur Kelsh est un appareil de restitution a?? double projection base?? sur le principe des anaglyphes, comme le Multiplex par exemple, mais il a une plus grande pre??cision que ce dernier, vu que les ne??gatifs sont utilise??s directement pour la restitution, sans que l'on soit oblige?? de les re??duire au pre??alable. Une telle solution devient possible lorsque l'e??chelle de l'image plastique (mode??le) est au moins 7 fois plus grande que celle des cliche??s. L'appareil comprend un support reposant par 4 pieds sur la table a?? dessin. Sa partie supe??rieure porte, par l'interme??diaire de trois vis calantes, un cadre dans lequel les deux chambres de projection sont suspendues. Des leviers de commande, agissant sur les chambres, permettent d'introduire la base, le de??versement et les inclinaisons transversale et longitudinale. Les cliche??s conjugue??s ou des diapositifs sont directement place??s dans les chambres de projection munies d'objectifs. En projetant les deux cliche??s au moyen de couleurs comple??mentaires, l'observateur - muni de lunettes a?? verres colore??s (couleurs comple??mentaires) - observe l'image plastique audessus de la table a?? dessin, l'orientation relative des chambres ayant e??te?? e??tablie au pre??alable. Pour le report des points de l'image plastique sur la minute, l'ope??rateur dispose d'une tablette amovible a?? marque-repe??re lumineuse qu'il de??place a?? la main et dont la hauteur au-dessus de la table a?? dessin peut e??tre commande??e par une molette. Pour e??tablir l'orientation absolue de l'image plastique, il suffit d'incliner convenablement le cadre de suspension a?? l'aide des vis calantes, l'orientation relative n'e??tant pas de??truite par cette ope??ration. Les deux cliche??s sont e??claire??s par des projecteurs munis d'une suspension a?? la cardan et relie??s a?? la tablette de restitution par des tiges te??lescopiques. Moyennant ce dispositif, l'e??clairage est concentre?? sur deux petites re

Les infections à Pseudomonas aeruginosa au service des maladies infectieuses du CHU YO, Burkina Faso: à propos deux cas

PubMed Central

Mamoudou, Savadogo; Lassina, Dao; Fla, Koueta

2015-01-01

Nous rapportons deux cas d'infection à Pseudomonas aeruginosa: un cas de méningite et un cas d'infection urinaire. Les auteurs rappellent qu’à côté des étiologies classiques des méningites et des infections urinaires, des germes résistants comme Pseudomonas aeruginosa peuvent être responsables d'infections à localisation méningées et urinaires et dont il faut connaître pour une bonne prise en charge. Le traitement de ces infections requiert un antibiogramme au regard de la grande capacité de résistance de Pseudomonas aeruginosa en milieu hospitalier. La limitation des gestes invasifs et l'application rigoureuse des mesures de prévention des infections en milieu hospitalier contribueront à lutter efficacement contre ces infections en milieu de soins. PMID:26491521

Capacitance pressure sensor

DOEpatents

Eaton, William P.; Staple, Bevan D.; Smith, James H.

2000-01-01

A microelectromechanical (MEM) capacitance pressure sensor integrated with electronic circuitry on a common substrate and a method for forming such a device are disclosed. The MEM capacitance pressure sensor includes a capacitance pressure sensor formed at least partially in a cavity etched below the surface of a silicon substrate and adjacent circuitry (CMOS, BiCMOS, or bipolar circuitry) formed on the substrate. By forming the capacitance pressure sensor in the cavity, the substrate can be planarized (e.g. by chemical-mechanical polishing) so that a standard set of integrated circuit processing steps can be used to form the electronic circuitry (e.g. using an aluminum or aluminum-alloy interconnect metallization).

An Overview of the Canadian Forces’ Second Generation Capability-Based Planning Analytical Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

gestion et intgration des capacités Feuille de route des capacits stratégiques Produits clès Plan d’investissement Plan de capacités de défense...méthodes de recherche opérationnelle objectives et subjectives permet- tant la mise en œuvre du volet « planification, gestion et intégration des ...pacités, la gestion des capacités et l’intégration des capacités. Le processus comprend des intrants, des méthodes

Capacitive chemical sensor

DOEpatents

Manginell, Ronald P; Moorman, Matthew W; Wheeler, David R

2014-05-27

A microfabricated capacitive chemical sensor can be used as an autonomous chemical sensor or as an analyte-sensitive chemical preconcentrator in a larger microanalytical system. The capacitive chemical sensor detects changes in sensing film dielectric properties, such as the dielectric constant, conductivity, or dimensionality. These changes result from the interaction of a target analyte with the sensing film. This capability provides a low-power, self-heating chemical sensor suitable for remote and unattended sensing applications. The capacitive chemical sensor also enables a smart, analyte-sensitive chemical preconcentrator. After sorption of the sample by the sensing film, the film can be rapidly heated to release the sample for further analysis. Therefore, the capacitive chemical sensor can optimize the sample collection time prior to release to enable the rapid and accurate analysis of analytes by a microanalytical system.

Capacitance Measurement with a Sigma Delta Converter for 3D Electrical Capacitance Tomography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nurge, Mark

2005-01-01

This paper will explore suitability of a newly available capacitance to digital converter for use in a 3D Electrical Capacitance Tomography system. A switch design is presented along with circuitry needed to extend the range of the capacitance to digital converter. Results are then discussed for a 15+ hour drift and noise test.

An approach to evaluate capacitance, capacitive reactance and resistance of pivoted pads of a thrust bearing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prashad, Har

1992-07-01

A theoretical approach is developed for determining the capacitance and active resistance between the interacting surfaces of pivoted pads and thrust collar, under different conditions of operation. It is shown that resistance and capacitive reactance of a thrust bearing decrease with the number of pads times the values of these parameters for an individual pad, and that capacitance increases with the number of pads times the capacitance of an individual pad. The analysis presented has a potential to diagnose the behavior of pivoted pad thrust bearings with the angle of tilt and the ratio of film thickness at the leading to trailing edge, by determining the variation of capacitance, resistance, and capacitive reactance.

Ferroelectric negative capacitance domain dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmann, Michael; Khan, Asif Islam; Serrao, Claudy; Lu, Zhongyuan; Salahuddin, Sayeef; Pešić, Milan; Slesazeck, Stefan; Schroeder, Uwe; Mikolajick, Thomas

2018-05-01

Transient negative capacitance effects in epitaxial ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 capacitors are investigated with a focus on the dynamical switching behavior governed by domain nucleation and growth. Voltage pulses are applied to a series connection of the ferroelectric capacitor and a resistor to directly measure the ferroelectric negative capacitance during switching. A time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau approach is used to investigate the underlying domain dynamics. The transient negative capacitance is shown to originate from reverse domain nucleation and unrestricted domain growth. However, with the onset of domain coalescence, the capacitance becomes positive again. The persistence of the negative capacitance state is therefore limited by the speed of domain wall motion. By changing the applied electric field, capacitor area or external resistance, this domain wall velocity can be varied predictably over several orders of magnitude. Additionally, detailed insights into the intrinsic material properties of the ferroelectric are obtainable through these measurements. A new method for reliable extraction of the average negative capacitance of the ferroelectric is presented. Furthermore, a simple analytical model is developed, which accurately describes the negative capacitance transient time as a function of the material properties and the experimental boundary conditions.

Characterization of Textile-Insulated Capacitive Biosensors

PubMed Central

Ng, Charn Loong; Reaz, Mamun Bin Ibne

2017-01-01

Capacitive biosensors are an emerging technology revolutionizing wearable sensing systems and personal healthcare devices. They are capable of continuously measuring bioelectrical signals from the human body while utilizing textiles as an insulator. Different textile types have their own unique properties that alter skin-electrode capacitance and the performance of capacitive biosensors. This paper aims to identify the best textile insulator to be used with capacitive biosensors by analysing the characteristics of 6 types of common textile materials (cotton, linen, rayon, nylon, polyester, and PVC-textile) while evaluating their impact on the performance of a capacitive biosensor. A textile-insulated capacitive (TEX-C) biosensor was developed and validated on 3 subjects. Experimental results revealed that higher skin-electrode capacitance of a TEX-C biosensor yields a lower noise floor and better signal quality. Natural fabric such as cotton and linen were the two best insulating materials to integrate with a capacitive biosensor. They yielded the lowest noise floor of 2 mV and achieved consistent electromyography (EMG) signals measurements throughout the performance test. PMID:28287493

Aspheric surface measurement using capacitive probes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Xin; Yuan, Daocheng; Li, Shaobo

2017-02-01

With the application of aspheres in optical fields, high precision and high efficiency aspheric surface metrology becomes a hot research topic. We describe a novel method of non-contact measurement of aspheric surface with capacitive probe. Taking an eccentric spherical surface as the object of study, the averaging effect of capacitive probe measurement and the influence of tilting the capacitive probe on the measurement results are investigated. By comparing measurement results from simultaneous measurement of the capacitive probe and contact probe of roundness instrument, this paper indicates the feasibility of using capacitive probes to test aspheric surface and proposes the compensation method of measurement error caused by averaging effect and the tilting of the capacitive probe.

Redox regulation of mammalian sperm capacitation

PubMed Central

O’Flaherty, Cristian

2015-01-01

Capacitation is a series of morphological and metabolic changes necessary for the spermatozoon to achieve fertilizing ability. One of the earlier happenings during mammalian sperm capacitation is the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that will trigger and regulate a series of events including protein phosphorylation, in a time-dependent fashion. The identity of the sperm oxidase responsible for the production of ROS involved in capacitation is still elusive, and several candidates are discussed in this review. Interestingly, ROS-induced ROS formation has been described during human sperm capacitation. Redox signaling during capacitation is associated with changes in thiol groups of proteins located on the plasma membrane and subcellular compartments of the spermatozoon. Both, oxidation of thiols forming disulfide bridges and the increase on thiol content are necessary to regulate different sperm proteins associated with capacitation. Reducing equivalents such as NADH and NADPH are necessary to support capacitation in many species including humans. Lactate dehydrogenase, glucose-6-phospohate dehydrogenase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase are responsible in supplying NAD (P) H for sperm capacitation. Peroxiredoxins (PRDXs) are newly described enzymes with antioxidant properties that can protect mammalian spermatozoa; however, they are also candidates for assuring the regulation of redox signaling required for sperm capacitation. The dysregulation of PRDXs and of enzymes needed for their reactivation such as thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase system and glutathione-S-transferases impairs sperm motility, capacitation, and promotes DNA damage in spermatozoa leading to male infertility. PMID:25926608

Apport de la simulation numérique à la compréhension des mécanismes d'interaction de cavités dans le cadre de la modélisation de l'endommagement ductile sous sollicitation dynamique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, G.; Buy, F.; Llorca, F.

2002-12-01

L'étude présentée s'inscrit dans le cadre d'une démarche menant à la construction d'un modèle analytique ou semi analytique de comportement élasto-visco-plastique endommageable, applicable aux chargements rencontrés en configuration d'impact violent et générant de l'écaillage ductile. La prise en compte des effets de compressibilité et de micro inertie est essentielle pour modéliser la phase de croissance. Des simulations numériques globales de la structure et locales à l'échelle des hétérogénéités permettent d'évaluer les niveaux de sollicitations dans les zones susceptibles de s'endommager, dévaluer des critères analytiques de germination de l'endommagement et de comprendre les mécanismes d'interaction entre les défauts. Les effets micro inertiels et de compressibilité sont ainsi mis en évidence dans les phases de germination et de coalescence des micro défauts. II s'agit ici d'une illustration non exhaustive de travaux engagés au CEA Valduc sur le tantale, dans le cadre d'une thèse [10]. Un programme matériaux en partenariat CEA-CNRS sur la modélisation multi échelles du comportement de structures a également été initié dans ce contexte.

Scientific contributions of U.S. plastic surgeons to the Revue de Chirurgie Plastique and the Revue de Chirurgie Structive, Brussels (1931-1938).

PubMed

Vrebos, J

1999-01-01

The author emphasizes the close cooperation between U.S. plastic surgeons and the first international journal entirely devoted to plastic surgery, the Revue de Chirurgie Plastique (1931-1934) later to become the Revue de Chirurgie Structive (1935-1938) published under the editorship of Maurice Coelst, M.D. from Brussels. By the accurate recording of original articles, book reviews, proceedings of their annual meetings and summaries in three different languages (English, French, German), the author stresses the intense scientific dynamism and the achievements made by the U.S. pioneers of this new speciality, which really started during World War I.

Capacitively-coupled inductive sensor

DOEpatents

Ekdahl, Carl A.

1984-01-01

A capacitively coupled inductive shunt current sensor which utilizes capacitive coupling between flanges having an annular inductive channel formed therein. A voltage dividing capacitor is connected between the coupling capacitor and ground to provide immediate capacitive division of the output signal so as to provide a high frequency response of the current pulse to be detected. The present invention can be used in any desired outer conductor such as the outer conductor of a coaxial transmission line, the outer conductor of an electron beam transmission line, etc.

Etude par émission acoustique de la dynamique des dislocations pendant la déformation cyclique de polycristaux d'aluminium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slimani, A.; Fleischmann, P.; Fougères, R.

1992-06-01

The cyclic plasticity of 5N polycrystalline aluminium have been studied at room temperature by measuring the continuous acoustic emission (A.E.) due to dislocations movements in the metal. In this study, original data have been obtained in the understanding of continuous A.E. sources. In comparison with classical interpretation given in the literature, the fact that dislocations are arranged according to a dislocation cell structure from the first cycle has been included in the analysis of the results. From this, it has been shown that the amplitude of the A.E. signal is not directly connected with the plastic strain rate prescribed to the fatigue sample and that the probability density function of dislocation loops created during the cycling can be determined. La plasticité cyclique de l'AI 5N polycristallin a été étudiée à la température ambiante à partir de mesures d'émission acoustique continue (E.A.). L'application de la technique de l'E.A. nous a permis d'obtenir des données originales quant aux mécanismes sources d'E.A. Par rapport aux interprétations classiques de la littérature, nous avons fait intervenir le fait que, dès les premiers cycles, une structure cellulaire de dislocations est établie. Nous montrons que l'amplitude du signal d'E.A. n'est plus liée directement à la vitesse de déformation plastique macroscopique. A partir de cette donnée, l'analyse des résultats d'E.A. permet d'obtenir des informations sur la fonction distribution des boucles de dislocations créées au cours de la déformation cyclique.

Etude par resistivite electrique du comportement d'un alliage amorphe Fe 40Ni 38Mo 4B 18 deforme par traction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoang, Long Phan; Sacovy, Paulette; Delaplace, Jean

1983-02-01

Des rubans d'alliages amorphes Metglas du type Fe 40Ni 38Mo 4B 18 à l'état brut de trempe ont été déformés par traction à la température ambiante et l'on a suivi les variations de la résistance électrique des échantillons au cours de la déformation. Il ressort de ces essais que la déformation plastique qui est de l'ordre de 0.5% avant rupture ne se produit pas de faĉon homogène dans l'échantillon. Les mesures électriques effectuées au cours de la déformation mettent en évidence dans le domaine élastique un effet d'élastorésistance, relativement important ( K ≠ 1); elles montrent que dans le domaine plastique la déformation permanente des échantillons s'accompagne d'une diminution de la résistivité électrique du matériau. Deux hypothèses sont discutées pour expliquer cet effet inattendu, l'un qui fait appel à l'existence de volumes libres, l'autre qui suppose une cristallisation localisée du matériau sous l'effet de la contrainte.

Capacitive Biosensors and Molecularly Imprinted Electrodes.

PubMed

Ertürk, Gizem; Mattiasson, Bo

2017-02-17

Capacitive biosensors belong to the group of affinity biosensors that operate by registering direct binding between the sensor surface and the target molecule. This type of biosensors measures the changes in dielectric properties and/or thickness of the dielectric layer at the electrolyte/electrode interface. Capacitive biosensors have so far been successfully used for detection of proteins, nucleotides, heavy metals, saccharides, small organic molecules and microbial cells. In recent years, the microcontact imprinting method has been used to create very sensitive and selective biorecognition cavities on surfaces of capacitive electrodes. This chapter summarizes the principle and different applications of capacitive biosensors with an emphasis on microcontact imprinting method with its recent capacitive biosensor applications.

Capacitive Sensing of Glucose in Electrolytes Using Graphene Quantum Capacitance Varactors.

PubMed

Zhang, Yao; Ma, Rui; Zhen, Xue V; Kudva, Yogish C; Bühlmann, Philippe; Koester, Steven J

2017-11-08

A novel graphene-based variable capacitor (varactor) that senses glucose based on the quantum capacitance effect was successfully developed. The sensor utilizes a metal-oxide-graphene varactor device structure that is inherently compatible with passive wireless sensing, a key advantage for in vivo glucose sensing. The graphene varactors were functionalized with pyrene-1-boronic acid (PBA) by self-assembly driven by π-π interactions. Successful surface functionalization was confirmed by both Raman spectroscopy and capacitance-voltage characterization of the devices. Through glucose binding to the PBA, the glucose concentration in the buffer solutions modulates the level of electrostatic doping of the graphene surface to different degrees, which leads to capacitance changes and Dirac voltage shifts. These responses to the glucose concentration were shown to be reproducible and reversible over multiple measurement cycles, suggesting promise for eventual use in wireless glucose monitoring.

Gestion des ressources hydriques adaptee aux changements climatiques pour la production optimale d'hydroelectricite. Etude de cas: Bassin versant de la riviere Manicouagan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haguma, Didier

deversements non productibles dans le climat futur. Des strategies d'adaptation structurale ont ete analysees pour augmenter la capacite de production et la capacite d'ecoulement de certaines centrales hydroelectriques afin d'ameliorer la performance du systeme. Une analyse economique a permis de choisir les meilleures mesures d'adaptation et de determiner le moment opportun pour la mise en oeuvre de ces mesures. Les resultats de la recherche offrent aux gestionnaires des systemes hydriques un outil qui permet de mieux anticiper les consequences des changements climatiques sur la production hydroelectrique, incluant le rendement de centrales, les deversements non productibles et le moment le plus opportun pour inclure des modifications aux systemes hydriques. Mots-cles : systemes hydriques, adaptation aux changements climatiques, riviere Manicouagan

British plastic surgeons who contributed to the Revue de Chirurgie Plastique and the Revue de Chirurgie Structive (1931-1938): "the Big Four" in their Speciality.

PubMed

Rogers, B O

2001-01-01

The Revue de Chirurgie Plastique and the Revue de Chirurgie Structive, Brussels (1931-1938), edited by Maurice Coelst, M.D. from Brussels, were the first, full-fledged medical publications devoted specifically to plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery. Publishing original articles by H.D. Gillies, P.T. Kilner, A.H. McIndoe, and R. Mowlem--the "Big Four" as they were known to both English and American plastic surgeons--the Revues drew attention to these four surgeons who were mainly responsible for developing the prestige of English plastic surgery in the early 1930s.

Etude de l'amelioration de la qualite des anodes par la modification des proprietes du brai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bureau, Julie

'un additif chimique signifie une possible amelioration de l'interaction entre le coke et le brai modifie. Afin de completer l'evaluation des donnees recueillies, les resultats de la FTIR et de la mouillabilite sont analyses par le reseau neuronal artificiel afin de mieux comprendre les mecanismes sous-jacents. A la lumiere des resultats obtenus, les additifs chimiques les plus prometteurs sont selectionnes afin de verifier l'effet de leur utilisation sur la qualite des anodes. Pour ce faire, des anodes de laboratoire sont produites en utilisant des brais non modifies et des brais modifies avec les additifs chimiques selectionnes. Par la suite, les anodes sont carottees afin de les caracteriser en determinant certaines de leurs proprietes physiques et chimiques. Enfin, les resultats des echantillons d'anodes faites d'un meme brai non modifie et modifie sont compares afin d'evaluer l'amelioration de la qualite des anodes. Finalement, un examen de l'impact possible de l'utilisation d'un additif chimique pour modifier le brai sur la consommation energetique et en carbone ainsi que la quantite d'aluminium produit est realise. Afin de modifier le brai, trois differents additifs chimiques sont selectionnes, soit un tensioactif et deux agents de modification de surface. L'analyse FTIR des experimentations menees sur les brais modifies demontre que deux additifs ont modifie la composition chimique des brais experimentes. L'analyse des resultats des tests goutte-sessile laisse supposer qu'un brai modifie par ces deux additifs ameliore possiblement l'interaction avec les cokes employes dans cette etude. L'analyse par reseau neuronal artificiel des donnees recueillies permet de mieux comprendre le lien entre la composition chimique d'un brai et sa capacite de mouillabilite avec un coke. La caracterisation des echantillons d'anodes produites permet d'affirmer que ces deux additifs peuvent ameliorer certaines des proprietes anodiques comparativement aux echantillons standards. L

Active Targets For Capacitive Proximity Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenstrom, Del T.; Mcconnell, Robert L.

1994-01-01

Lightweight, low-power active targets devised for use with improved capacitive proximity sensors described in "Capacitive Proximity Sensor Has Longer Range" (GSC-13377), and "Capacitive Proximity Sensors With Additional Driven Shields" (GSC-13475). Active targets are short-distance electrostatic beacons; they generate known alternating electro-static fields used for alignment and/or to measure distances.

[Thoughts on the Revue de Chirurgie Plastique (1931-34) and the Revue de Chirurgie Structive (1935-38)].

PubMed

Vrebos, J

2007-08-01

The history of modern plastic surgery starts when a young, restless ENT man, Dr M. Coelst, started a training in Plastic Surgery with Sebileau in Paris and Joseph in Berlin. This man of vision and far-sighted imagination realized that the separated efforts and publications of so many pioneers, scaterred all over the world, would be lost if not gathered in a scientific journal only devoted to plastic surgery for the benefit of all. This brought him to the idea of establishing, in 1931, at his own initiative, the first international Journal of Plastic Surgery ever published, the Revue de Chirurgie Plastique, fifteen years before the USA Journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and sixteen years before the British Journal of Plastic Surgery. The name of the journal was changed in 1935 to the Revue de Chirurgie Structive. Coelst' Revue was promptly accepted as the leading Journal of Plastic Surgery and all the internationally known plastic Surgeons contributed to it by scientific papers of great value, even today.

Quantum Effects on the Capacitance of Graphene-Based Electrodes

DOE PAGES

Zhan, Cheng; Neal, Justin; Wu, Jianzhong; ...

2015-09-08

We recently measured quantum capacitance for electric double layers (EDL) at electrolyte/graphene interfaces. However, the importance of quantum capacitance in realistic carbon electrodes is not clear. Toward understanding that from a theoretical perspective, here we studied the quantum capacitance and total capacitance of graphene electrodes as a function of the number of graphene layers. The quantum capacitance was obtained from electronic density functional theory based on fixed band approximation with an implicit solvation model, while the EDL capacitances were from classical density functional theory. We found that quantum capacitance plays a dominant role in total capacitance of the single-layer graphenemore » both in aqueous and ionic-liquid electrolytes but the contribution decreases as the number of graphene layers increases. Moreover, the total integral capacitance roughly levels off and is dominated by the EDL capacitance beyond about four graphene layers. Finally, because many porous carbons have nanopores with stacked graphene layers at the surface, this research provides a good estimate of the effect of quantum capacitance on their electrochemical performance.« less

Electrical capacitance clearanceometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hester, Norbert J. (Inventor); Hornbeck, Charles E. (Inventor); Young, Joseph C. (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A hot gas turbine engine capacitive probe clearanceometer is employed to measure the clearance gap or distance between blade tips on a rotor wheel and its confining casing under operating conditions. A braze sealed tip of the probe carries a capacitor electrode which is electrically connected to an electrical inductor within the probe which is inserted into a turbine casing to position its electrode at the inner surface of the casing. Electrical power is supplied through a voltage controlled variable frequency oscillator having a tuned circuit in which the probe is a component. The oscillator signal is modulated by a change in electrical capacitance between the probe electrode and a passing blade tip surface while an automatic feedback correction circuit corrects oscillator signal drift. A change in distance between a blade tip and the probe electrode is a change in capacitance therebetween which frequency modulates the oscillator signal. The modulated oscillator signal which is then processed through a phase detector and related circuitry to provide an electrical signal is proportional to the clearance gap.

Chloride Is Essential for Capacitation and for the Capacitation-associated Increase in Tyrosine Phosphorylation*

PubMed Central

Wertheimer, Eva V.; Salicioni, Ana M.; Liu, Weimin; Trevino, Claudia L.; Chavez, Julio; Hernández-González, Enrique O.; Darszon, Alberto; Visconti, Pablo E.

2008-01-01

After epididymal maturation, sperm capacitation, which encompasses a complex series of molecular events, endows the sperm with the ability to fertilize an egg. This process can be mimicked in vitro in defined media, the composition of which is based on the electrolyte concentration of the oviductal fluid. It is well established that capacitation requires Na+, \\documentclass[10pt]{article} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{pmc} \\usepackage[Euler]{upgreek} \\pagestyle{empty} \\oddsidemargin -1.0in \\begin{document} \\begin{equation*}{\\mathrm{HCO}}_{3}^{-}\\end{equation*}\\end{document}, Ca2+, and a cholesterol acceptor; however, little is known about the function of Cl– during this important process. To determine whether Cl–, in addition to maintaining osmolarity, actively participates in signaling pathways that regulate capacitation, Cl– was replaced by either methanesulfonate or gluconate two nonpermeable anions. The absence of Cl– did not affect sperm viability, but capacitation-associated processes such as the increase in tyrosine phosphorylation, the increase in cAMP levels, hyperactivation, the zona pellucidae-induced acrosome reaction, and most importantly, fertilization were abolished or significantly reduced. Interestingly, the addition of cyclic AMP agonists to sperm incubated in Cl–-free medium rescued the increase in tyrosine phosphorylation and hyperactivation suggesting that Cl– acts upstream of the cAMP/protein kinase A signaling pathway. To investigate Cl– transport, sperm incubated in complete capacitation medium were exposed to a battery of anion transport inhibitors. Among them, bumetanide and furosemide, two blockers of Na+/K+/Cl– cotransporters (NKCC), inhibited all capacitation-associated events, suggesting that these transporters may mediate Cl– movements in sperm. Consistent with these results, Western blots

Prises de risques chez les jeunes de Bobo Dioulasso: une analyse des facteurs associés à la précocité et au multipartenariat sexuel

PubMed Central

Adohinzin, Clétus Come; Meda, Nicolas; Belem, Adrien Marie Gaston; Ouédraogo, Georges Anicet; Sombie, Issiaka; Berthe, Abdramane; Fond-Harmant, Laurence

2016-01-01

Introduction Malgré les efforts d'éducation à la santé, les jeunes continuent d'adopter des comportements sexuels à risques, susceptibles d'avoir des répercussions importantes sur leur santé. Cette étude visait à analyser les facteurs associés à la précocité sexuelle et au multipartenariat chez les jeunes de 19-24 ans de Bobo-Dioulasso. Méthodes Il s'agit d'une étude quantitative et transversale. Les données d'enquête ont été recueillies en décembre 2014 à Bobo-Dioulasso (Burkina Faso), auprès de 573 jeunes de 15 à 24 ans. Ces enquêtés ont été sélectionnés par un sondage en grappes à deux degrés. Des facteurs à risques relatifs à la précocité sexuelle et au multipartenariat ont été analysés à l'aide du logiciel Stata IC 13. Le seuil de signification de P<0,05 a été utilisée. Résultats Plus de la moitié des enquêtés (54%) étaient sexuellement actifs dont 14% avant l'âge de 16 ans. Le multipartenariat sexuel avait été observé chez 24% des jeunes sexuellement actifs. Parmi les facteurs déterminants de la précocité sexuelle et du multipartenariat figuraient l'âge, le sexe, le niveau d'étude, et la situation économique des parents. Nos données avaient aussi montré que les rapports sexuels trop précoces étaient associés au multipartenariat sexuel (p<0,005). Conclusion Les actions visant à renforcer les capacités des jeunes à retarder les premiers rapports sexuels et à mieux évaluer les risques seront de toute importance. Les capacités des parents, des enseignants et des prestataires devraient être aussi renforcées pour l'amélioration de la qualité des relations entre eux et les jeunes. PMID:28292094

Management of Heat and Cold Stress -- Guidance to NATO Medical Personnel (Gestion des contraintes thermiques (chaleur et froid) Conseils aux personnels medicaux de I’OTAN)

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

de la performance de leurs troupes; b) d’importants écarts scientifiques / de capacités existent en ce qui concerne la susceptibilité, le... La HFM/RTG-187 avait pour but de : a) comparer et évaluer les ressources techniques qui sont actuellement utilisées pour un « système de gestion des ...d’une doctrine et de programmes d’enseignement intégrés pour la gestion des risques thermiques afin de garantir le maintien

Final report of the supplementary comparison EURAMET.EM-S31 comparison of capacitance and capacitance ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schurr, J.; Fletcher, N.; Gournay, P.; Thévenot, O.; Overney, F.; Johnson, L.; Xie, R.; Dierikx, E.

2017-01-01

Within the framework of the supplementary comparison EURAMET.EM-S31, 'Comparison of capacitance and capacitance ratio', five participants (the BIPM, METAS, LNE, PTB, and VSL) inter-compared their capacitance realisations traced to the quantum Hall resistance measured at either ac or dc. The measurands were the capacitance values of three 10 pF standards and one 100 pF standard, and optionally their voltage and frequency dependences. Because the results were not fully satisfying, the circulation was repeated, augmented by a link to the NMIA calculable capacitor. Also two ac-dc resistors were circulated and their frequency dependences were measured in terms of the ac-dc resistance standards involved in the particular capacitance realisations, to allow inter-comparison of these resistance standards. At the end and in any case, a good agreement is achieved within the expanded uncertainties at coverage factor k = 2. Furthermore, the comparison led to new insight regarding the stability and travelling behaviour of the capacitance standards and, by virtue of the link to the NMIA calculable capacitor, to a determination of the von Klitzing constant in agreement with the 2014 CODATA value. Main text To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/. The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCEM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).

Capacitive Deionization of High-Salinity Solutions

DOE PAGES

Sharma, Ketki; Gabitto, Jorge; Mayes, Richard T.; ...

2014-12-22

Desalination of high salinity solutions has been studied using a novel experimental technique and a theoretical model. Neutron imaging has been employed to visualize lithium ions in mesoporous carbon materials, which are used as electrodes in capacitive deionization for water desalination. Experiments were conducted with a flow-through capacitive deionization cell designed for neutron imaging and with lithium chloride ( 6LiCl) as the electrolyte. Sequences of neutron images have been obtained at a relatively high concentration of lithium chloride ( 6LiCl) solution to provide information on the transport of ions within the electrodes. A new model that computes the individual ionicmore » concentration profiles inside mesoporous carbon electrodes has been used to simulate the capacitive deionization process. Modifications have also been introduced into the simulation model to calculate results at high electrolyte concentrations. Experimental data and simulation results provide insight into why capacitive deionization is not effective for desalination of high ionic-strength solutions. The combination of experimental information, obtained through neutron imaging, with the theoretical model will help in the design of capacitive deionization devices, which can improve the process for high ionic-strength solutions.« less

Module Eleven: Capacitance; Basic Electricity and Electronics Individualized Learning System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, DC.

In this module the student will learn about another circuit quantity, capacitance, and discover the effects of this component on circuit current, voltage, and power. The module is divided into seven lessons: the capacitor, theory of capacitance, total capacitance, RC (resistive-capacitive circuit) time constant, capacitive reactance, phase and…

Capacitive Energy Extraction by Few-Layer Graphene Electrodes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lian, Cheng; Zhan, Cheng; Jiang, De-en

Capacitive double-layer expansion is a promising technology to harvest energy arising from the salinity difference between freshwater and seawater. Its optimal performance requires a careful selection of the operation potentials and electrode materials. While carbonaceous materials such as graphene and various forms of activated carbons are routinely used as the electrodes, there is little knowledge on how the quantum capacitance and the electric double-layer (EDL) capacitance, which are on the same order of magnitude, affect the capacitive performance. Toward understanding that from a theoretical perspective, here we study the capacitive energy extraction with graphene electrodes as a function of themore » number of graphene layers. The classical density functional theory is joined with the electronic density functional theory to obtain the EDL and the quantum capacitance, respectively. The theoretical results show that the quantum capacitance contribution plays a dominant role in extracting energy using the single-layer graphene, but its effect diminishes as the number of graphene layers increases. The overall extracted energy is dominated by the EDL contribution beyond about four graphene layers. Electrodes with more graphene layers are able to extract more energy at low charging potential. Here, because many porous carbons have nanopores with stacked graphene layers, our theoretical predictions are useful to identify optimal operation parameters for capacitive energy extraction with porous electrodes of different wall thickness.« less

Capacitive Energy Extraction by Few-Layer Graphene Electrodes

DOE PAGES

Lian, Cheng; Zhan, Cheng; Jiang, De-en; ...

2017-06-09

Capacitive double-layer expansion is a promising technology to harvest energy arising from the salinity difference between freshwater and seawater. Its optimal performance requires a careful selection of the operation potentials and electrode materials. While carbonaceous materials such as graphene and various forms of activated carbons are routinely used as the electrodes, there is little knowledge on how the quantum capacitance and the electric double-layer (EDL) capacitance, which are on the same order of magnitude, affect the capacitive performance. Toward understanding that from a theoretical perspective, here we study the capacitive energy extraction with graphene electrodes as a function of themore » number of graphene layers. The classical density functional theory is joined with the electronic density functional theory to obtain the EDL and the quantum capacitance, respectively. The theoretical results show that the quantum capacitance contribution plays a dominant role in extracting energy using the single-layer graphene, but its effect diminishes as the number of graphene layers increases. The overall extracted energy is dominated by the EDL contribution beyond about four graphene layers. Electrodes with more graphene layers are able to extract more energy at low charging potential. Here, because many porous carbons have nanopores with stacked graphene layers, our theoretical predictions are useful to identify optimal operation parameters for capacitive energy extraction with porous electrodes of different wall thickness.« less

Enhancing Graphene Capacitance by Nitrogen: Effects of Doping Configuration and Concentration

DOE PAGES

Zhan, Cheng; Cummings, Peter; Jiang, De-en

2016-01-08

Recent experiments have shown that nitrogen doping enhances capacitance in carbon electrode supercapacitors. However, a detailed study of the effect of N-doping on capacitance is still lacking. In this paper, we study the doping concentration and the configuration effect on the electric double-layer (EDL) capacitance, quantum capacitance, and total capacitance. It is found that pyridinic and graphitic nitrogens can increase the total capacitance by increasing quantum capacitance, but pyrrolic configuration limits the total capacitance due to its much lower quantum capacitance than the other two configurations. We also find that, unlike the graphitic and pyridinic nitrogens, the pyrrolic configuration's quantummore » capacitance does not depend on the nitrogen concentration, which may explain why some capacitance versus voltage measurements of N-doped graphene exhibit a V-shaped curve similar to that of undoped graphene. Our investigation provides a deeper understanding of the capacitance enhancement of the N-doping effect in carbon electrodes and suggests a potentially effective way to optimize the capacitance by controlling the type of N-doping.« less

Capacitance of carbon-based electrical double-layer capacitors.

PubMed

Ji, Hengxing; Zhao, Xin; Qiao, Zhenhua; Jung, Jeil; Zhu, Yanwu; Lu, Yalin; Zhang, Li Li; MacDonald, Allan H; Ruoff, Rodney S

2014-01-01

Experimental electrical double-layer capacitances of porous carbon electrodes fall below ideal values, thus limiting the practical energy densities of carbon-based electrical double-layer capacitors. Here we investigate the origin of this behaviour by measuring the electrical double-layer capacitance in one to five-layer graphene. We find that the capacitances are suppressed near neutrality, and are anomalously enhanced for thicknesses below a few layers. We attribute the first effect to quantum capacitance effects near the point of zero charge, and the second to correlations between electrons in the graphene sheet and ions in the electrolyte. The large capacitance values imply gravimetric energy storage densities in the single-layer graphene limit that are comparable to those of batteries. We anticipate that these results shed light on developing new theoretical models in understanding the electrical double-layer capacitance of carbon electrodes, and on opening up new strategies for improving the energy density of carbon-based capacitors.

Reciprocal capacitance transients?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gfroerer, Tim; Simov, Peter; Wanlass, Mark

2007-03-01

When the reverse bias across a semiconductor diode is changed, charge carriers move to accommodate the appropriate depletion thickness, producing a simultaneous change in the device capacitance. Transient capacitance measurements can reveal inhibited carrier motion due to trapping, where the depth of the trap can be evaluated using the temperature-dependent escape rate. However, when we employ this technique on a GaAs0.72P0.28 n+/p diode (which is a candidate for incorporation in multi-junction solar cells), we observe a highly non-exponential response under a broad range of experimental conditions. Double exponential functions give good fits, but lead to non-physical results. The deduced rates depend on the observation time window and fast and slow rates, which presumably correspond to deep and shallow levels, have identical activation energies. Meanwhile, we have discovered a universal linear relationship between the inverse of the capacitance and time. An Arrhenius plot of the slope of the reciprocal of the transient yields an activation energy of approximately 0.4 eV, independent of the observation window and other experimental conditions. The reciprocal behavior leads us to hypothesize that hopping, rather than escape into high-mobility bands, may govern the transport of trapped holes in this system.

L’évaluation systématique des instruments pour mesurer la douleur chez les personnes âgées ayant des capacités réduites à communiquer*

PubMed Central

Aubin, Michèle; Giguère, Anik; Hadjistavropoulos, Thomas; Verreault, René

2007-01-01

La douleur chronique est souvent sous-détectée et insuffisamment traitée dans les milieux de soins de longue durée. Les outils d’autorapport (ou autoévaluation) de la douleur, comme l’échelle visuelle analogique, n’ont été validés que partiellement chez les populations âgées, en raison de la prévalence élevée de déficits visuels, auditifs, moteurs et cognitifs que l’on y trouve. Des outils d’observation des patients ont été développés pour pallier ces difficultés d’utilisation des échelles d’autorapport de la douleur. Le présent projet vise l’identification de ces échelles et leur évaluation sur la base de la validité de contenu (12 questions), de la validité de construit (12 questions), de la fiabilité (13 questions) et de l’utilité clinique (10 questions). Parmi les 24 instruments recensés, plusieurs apparaissent prometteurs pour évaluer la douleur chez les personnes âgées atteintes de démence sévère. Des efforts additionnels de validation sont cependant requis avant leur intégration à la pratique régulière en soins de longue durée. PMID:17717611

The scientific contributions of British Plastic Surgeons to the Revue de Chirurgie Plastique and the Revue de Chirurgie Structive, Brussels (1931-1938).

PubMed

Vrebos, J

2001-01-01

In 1931, Maurice Coelst, M.D. from Brussels started the publication of the first international journal of plastic surgery ever published: the Revue de Chirurgie Plastique (1931-1934), which eventually became the Revue de Chirurgie Structive (1935-1938). In 1936, he established the first European Society of Structive Surgery, which held its first congress in Brussels. Further congresses were held in London in 1937 and in Milan in 1938. It is the collaboration and the participation of British plastic surgeons in this Society, this journal, and these meetings that I want to stress, because I am firmly convinced that these documents fill a gap in the history of Plastic Surgery in Great Britain, since--as far as I know--no detailed information concerning this period was ever published in Plastic Surgery literature.

Capacitance-level/density monitor for fluidized-bed combustor

DOEpatents

Fasching, George E.; Utt, Carroll E.

1982-01-01

A multiple segment three-terminal type capacitance probe with segment selection, capacitance detection and compensation circuitry and read-out control for level/density measurements in a fluidized-bed vessel is provided. The probe is driven at a high excitation frequency of up to 50 kHz to sense quadrature (capacitive) current related to probe/vessel capacitance while being relatively insensitive to the resistance current component. Compensation circuitry is provided for generating a negative current of equal magnitude to cancel out only the resistive component current. Clock-operated control circuitry separately selects the probe segments in a predetermined order for detecting and storing this capacitance measurement. The selected segment acts as a guarded electrode and is connected to the read-out circuitry while all unselected segments are connected to the probe body, which together form the probe guard electrode. The selected probe segment capacitance component signal is directed to a corresponding segment channel sample and hold circuit dedicated to that segment to store the signal derived from that segment. This provides parallel outputs for display, computer input, etc., for the detected capacitance values. The rate of segment sampling may be varied to either monitor the dynamic density profile of the bed (high sampling rate) or monitor average bed characteristics (slower sampling rate).

Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography: Design and Applications

PubMed Central

Wang, Fei; Marashdeh, Qussai; Fan, Liang-Shih; Warsito, Warsito

2010-01-01

This article reports recent advances and progress in the field of electrical capacitance volume tomography (ECVT). ECVT, developed from the two-dimensional electrical capacitance tomography (ECT), is a promising non-intrusive imaging technology that can provide real-time three-dimensional images of the sensing domain. Images are reconstructed from capacitance measurements acquired by electrodes placed on the outside boundary of the testing vessel. In this article, a review of progress on capacitance sensor design and applications to multi-phase flows is presented. The sensor shape, electrode configuration, and the number of electrodes that comprise three key elements of three-dimensional capacitance sensors are illustrated. The article also highlights applications of ECVT sensors on vessels of various sizes from 1 to 60 inches with complex geometries. Case studies are used to show the capability and validity of ECVT. The studies provide qualitative and quantitative real-time three-dimensional information of the measuring domain under study. Advantages of ECVT render it a favorable tool to be utilized for industrial applications and fundamental multi-phase flow research. PMID:22294905

Polyimide-Based Capacitive Humidity Sensor

PubMed Central

Steinmaßl, Matthias; Endres, Hanns-Erik; Drost, Andreas; Eisele, Ignaz; Kutter, Christoph; Müller-Buschbaum, Peter

2018-01-01

The development of humidity sensors with simple transduction principles attracts considerable interest by both scientific researchers and industrial companies. Capacitive humidity sensors, based on polyimide sensing material with different thickness and surface morphologies, are prepared. The surface morphology of the sensing layer is varied from flat to rough and then to nanostructure called nanograss by using an oxygen plasma etch process. The relative humidity (RH) sensor selectively responds to the presence of water vapor by a capacitance change. The interaction between polyimide and water molecules is studied by FTIR spectroscopy. The complete characterization of the prepared capacitive humidity sensor performance is realized using a gas mixing setup and an evaluation kit. A linear correlation is found between the measured capacitance and the RH level in the range of 5 to 85%. The morphology of the humidity sensing layer is revealed as an important parameter influencing the sensor performance. It is proved that a nanograss-like structure is the most effective for detecting RH, due to its rapid response and recovery times, which are comparable to or even better than the ones of commercial polymer-based sensors. This work demonstrates the readiness of the developed RH sensor technology for industrialization. PMID:29751632

Development of a programmable standard of ultra-low capacitance values.

PubMed

Khan, M S; Séron, O; Thuillier, G; Thévenot, O; Gournay, P; Piquemal, F

2017-05-01

A set of ultra-low value capacitance standards together with a programmable coaxial multiplexer (mux) have been developed. The mux allows the connection of these capacitances in parallel configuration and they together form the programmable capacitance standard. It is capable of producing decadic standard capacitances from 10 aF to at least 0.1 pF, which are later used to calibrate commercial precision capacitance bridges. This paper describes the realization and the characterization of this standard together with results obtained during the calibration of Andeen-Hagerling AH2700A bridges with a maximum uncertainty of 0.8 aF for all the capacitances generated ranging from 10 aF to 0.1 pF, at 1 kHz. These latter could be then integrated to functionalized AFMs or probe stations for quantitative capacitance measurements. Sources of uncertainties of the programmable capacitance standard, such as parasitic effects due to stray impedances, are evaluated and a method to overcome these hindrances is also discussed.

Distribution of coronary arterial capacitance in a canine model.

PubMed

Lader, A S; Smith, R S; Phillips, G C; McNamee, J E; Abel, F L

1998-03-01

The capacitative properties of the major left coronary arteries, left main (LM), left anterior descending (LAD), and left circumflex (LCX), were studied in 19 open-chest isolated dog hearts. Capacitance was determined by using ramp perfusion and a left ventricular-to-coronary shunt diastolic decay method; both methods gave similar results, indicating a minimal systolic capacitative component. Increased pericardial pressure (PCP), 25 mmHg, was used to experimentally alter transmural wall pressure. The response to increased PCP was different in the LAD vs. LCX; increasing PCP decreased capacitance in the LCX but increased capacitance in the LAD. This may have been due to the different intramural vs. epicardial volume distribution of these vessels and a decrease in intramural tension during increased PCP. Increased PCP decreased LCX capacitance by approximately 13%, but no changes in conductance or zero flow pressure intercept occurred in any of the three vessels, i. e., evidence against the waterfall theory of vascular collapse at these levels of PCP. Coronary arterial capacitance was also linearly related to perfusion pressure.

Measuring, modeling, and minimizing capacitances in heterojunction bipolar transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anholt, R.; Bozada, C.; Dettmer, R.; Via, D.; Jenkins, T.; Barrette, J.; Ebel, J.; Havasy, C.; Sewell, J.; Quach, T.

1996-07-01

We demonstrate methods to separate junction and pad capacitances from on-wafer S-parameter measurements of HBTs with different areas and layouts. The measured junction capacitances are in good agreement with models, indicating that large-area devices are suitable for monitoring vendor epi-wafer doping. Measuring open HBTs does not give the correct pad capacitances. Finally, a capacitance comparison for a variety of layouts shows that bar-devices consistently give smaller base-collector values than multiple dot HBTs.

Electrosorption capacitance of nanostructured carbon-based materials.

PubMed

Hou, Chia-Hung; Liang, Chengdu; Yiacoumi, Sotira; Dai, Sheng; Tsouris, Costas

2006-10-01

The fundamental mechanism of electrosorption of ions developing a double layer inside nanopores was studied via a combination of experimental and theoretical studies. A novel graphitized-carbon monolithic material has proven to be a good electrical double-layer capacitor that can be applied in the separation of ions from aqueous solutions. An extended electrical double-layer model indicated that the pore size distribution plays a key role in determining the double-layer capacitance in an electrosorption process. Because of the occurrence of double-layer overlapping in narrow pores, mesopores and micropores make significantly different contributions to the double-layer capacitance. Mesopores show good electrochemical accessibility. Micropores present a slow mass transfer of ions and a considerable loss of double-layer capacitance, associated with a shallow potential distribution inside pores. The formation of the diffuse layer inside the micropores determines the magnitude of the double-layer capacitance at low electrolyte concentrations and at conditions close to the point of zero charge of the material. The effect of the double-layer overlapping on the electrosorption capacitance can be reduced by increasing the pore size, electrolyte concentration, and applied potential. The results are relevant to water deionization.

Scanning Capacitance Microscopy | Materials Science | NREL

Science.gov Websites

obtained using scanning capacitance microscopy. Top Right: Image of p-type and n-type material, obtained 'fingers' of light-colored n-type material on a yellow and blue background representing p-type material ; measurement data were obtained using scanning capacitance microscopy. Bottom Right: Image of p-type and n-type

Commerce de detail de l'essence automobile: Modelisation de l'impact a court terme des facteurs endogenes et exogenes sur les ventes d'essence dans les stations-service a Montreal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguimbus, Raphael

La determination de l'impact des facteurs sous controle et hors controle qui influencent les volumes de vente des magasins de detail qui vendent des produits homogenes et fortement substituables constitue le coeur de cette these. Il s'agit d'estimer un ensemble de coefficients stables et asymtotiquement efficaces non correles avec les effets specifiques aleatoires des sites d'essence dans le marche de Montreal (Quebec, Canada) durant is periode 1993--1997. Le modele econometrique qui est ainsi specifie et teste, isole un ensemble de quatre variables dont le prix de detail affiche dans un site d'essence ordinaire, la capacite de service du site pendant les heures de pointe, les heures de service et le nombre de sites concurrents au voisinage du site dans un rayon de deux kilometres. Ces quatre facteurs influencent les ventes d'essence dans les stations-service. Les donnees en panel avec les methodes d'estimation robustes (estimateur a distance minimale) sont utilisees pour estimer les parametres du modele de vente. Nous partons avec l'hypothese generale selon laquelle il se developpe une force d'attraction qui attire les clients automobilistes dans chaque site, et qui lui permet de realiser les ventes. Cette capacite d'attraction varie d'un site a un autre et cela est du a la combinaison de l'effort marketing et de l'environnement concurrentiel autour du site. Les notions de voisinage et de concurrence spatiale expliquent les comportements des decideurs qui gerent les sites. Le but de cette these est de developper un outil d'aide a la decision (modele analytique) pour permettre aux gestionnaires des chaines de stations-service d'affecter efficacement les ressources commerciales dans ies points de vente.

Silicon Carbide Capacitive High Temperature MEMS Strain Transducer

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

SILICON CARBIDE CAPACITIVE HIGH TEMPURATURE MEMS STRAIN TRANSDUCER THESIS Richard P. Weisenberger, DR01, USAF AFIT/GE/ENG...declared a work of the U.S. Government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States AFIT/GE/ENG/12-43 SILICON CARBIDE CAPACITIVE...STATEMENT A. APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION UNLIMITED AFIT/GE/ENG/12-43 SILICON CARBIDE CAPACITIVE IDGH TEMPURATURE MEMS STRAIN TRANSDUCER

Capacitive transducers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucifredi, A. L.

1970-01-01

The theory, applications, and possible structural designs of capacitive transducers are presented. Emphasis is placed on the circuits used in connection with the sensors, such as AM, FM, resonant circuits, mode circuits, direct current circuits, and special circuits. Some criteria for selection of a design or the purchase of a commercial device are given.

Peroxiredoxins prevent oxidative stress during human sperm capacitation

PubMed Central

Lee, Donghyun; Moawad, Adel R.; Morielli, Tania; Fernandez, Maria C.

2017-01-01

Abstract STUDY QUESTION Do peroxiredoxins (PRDXs) control reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels during human sperm capacitation? SUMMARY ANSWER PRDXs are necessary to control the levels of ROS generated during capacitation allowing spermatozoa to achieve fertilizing ability. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Sperm capacitation is an oxidative event that requires low and controlled amounts of ROS to trigger phosphorylation events. PRDXs are antioxidant enzymes that not only act as scavengers but also control ROS action in somatic cells. Spermatozoa from infertile men have lower levels of PRDXs (particularly of PRDX6), which are thiol-oxidized and therefore inactive. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Semen samples were obtained from a cohort of 20 healthy nonsmoker volunteers aged 22–30 years old over a period of 1 year. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTINGS, METHODS Sperm from healthy donors was capacitated with fetal cord serum ultrafiltrate (FCSu) in the absence or presence of thiostrepton (TSP), inhibitor of 2-Cys PRDXs or 1-Hexadecyl-3-(trifluoroethyl)-sn-glycero-2-phosphomethanol lithium (MJ33), inhibitor of calcium independent-phospholipase A2 (Ca2+-iPLA2) activity of PRDX6, added at different times of incubation. Capacitation was also induced by the dibutyryl cAMP+3-isobuty1-1-methylxanthine system. Sperm viability and motility were determined by the hypo-osmotic swelling test and computer-assisted semen analysis system, respectively. Capacitation was determined by the ability of spermatozoa to undergo the acrosome reaction triggered by lysophosphatidylcholine. Percentages of acrosome reaction were obtained using the FITC-conjugated Pisum sativum agglutinin assay. Phosphorylation of tyrosine residues and of protein kinase A (PKA) substrates were determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis immunoblotting with specific antibodies. Actin polymerization was determined by phalloidin labeling. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE TSP and MJ33 prevented sperm

Interdigitated electrodes as impedance and capacitance biosensors: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazlan, N. S.; Ramli, M. M.; Abdullah, M. M. A. B.; Halin, D. S. C.; Isa, S. S. M.; Talip, L. F. A.; Danial, N. S.; Murad, S. A. Z.

2017-09-01

Interdigitated electrodes (IDEs) are made of two individually addressable interdigitated comb-like electrode structures. IDEs are one of the most favored transducers, widely utilized in technological applications especially in the field of biological and chemical sensors due to their inexpensive, ease of fabrication process and high sensitivity. In order to detect and analyze a biochemical molecule or analyte, the impedance and capacitance signal need to be obtained. This paper investigates the working principle and influencer of the impedance and capacitance biosensors. The impedance biosensor depends on the resistance and capacitance while the capacitance biosensor influenced by the dielectric permittivity. However, the geometry and structures of the interdigitated electrodes affect both impedance and capacitance biosensor. The details have been discussed in this paper.

Bioenergetics of Mammalian Sperm Capacitation

PubMed Central

Ferramosca, Alessandra; Zara, Vincenzo

2014-01-01

After ejaculation, the mammalian male gamete must undergo the capacitation process, which is a prerequisite for egg fertilization. The bioenergetics of sperm capacitation is poorly understood despite its fundamental role in sustaining the biochemical and molecular events occurring during gamete activation. Glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are the two major metabolic pathways producing ATP which is the primary source of energy for spermatozoa. Since recent data suggest that spermatozoa have the ability to use different metabolic substrates, the main aim of this work is to present a broad overview of the current knowledge on the energy-producing metabolic pathways operating inside sperm mitochondria during capacitation in different mammalian species. Metabolism of glucose and of other energetic substrates, such as pyruvate, lactate, and citrate, is critically analyzed. Such knowledge, besides its obvious importance for basic science, could eventually translate into the development of novel strategies for treatment of male infertility, artificial reproduction, and sperm selection methods. PMID:24791005

Bioenergetics of mammalian sperm capacitation.

PubMed

Ferramosca, Alessandra; Zara, Vincenzo

2014-01-01

After ejaculation, the mammalian male gamete must undergo the capacitation process, which is a prerequisite for egg fertilization. The bioenergetics of sperm capacitation is poorly understood despite its fundamental role in sustaining the biochemical and molecular events occurring during gamete activation. Glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are the two major metabolic pathways producing ATP which is the primary source of energy for spermatozoa. Since recent data suggest that spermatozoa have the ability to use different metabolic substrates, the main aim of this work is to present a broad overview of the current knowledge on the energy-producing metabolic pathways operating inside sperm mitochondria during capacitation in different mammalian species. Metabolism of glucose and of other energetic substrates, such as pyruvate, lactate, and citrate, is critically analyzed. Such knowledge, besides its obvious importance for basic science, could eventually translate into the development of novel strategies for treatment of male infertility, artificial reproduction, and sperm selection methods.

Multi-Channel Capacitive Sensor Arrays

PubMed Central

Wang, Bingnan; Long, Jiang; Teo, Koon Hoo

2016-01-01

In this paper, multi-channel capacitive sensor arrays based on microstrip band-stop filters are studied. The sensor arrays can be used to detect the proximity of objects at different positions and directions. Each capacitive sensing structure in the array is connected to an inductive element to form resonance at different frequencies. The resonances are designed to be isolated in the frequency spectrum, such that the change in one channel does not affect resonances at other channels. The inductive element associated with each capacitive sensor can be surface-mounted inductors, integrated microstrip inductors or metamaterial-inspired structures. We show that by using metamaterial split-ring structures coupled to a microstrip line, the quality factor of each resonance can be greatly improved compared to conventional surface-mounted or microstrip meander inductors. With such a microstrip-coupled split-ring design, more sensing elements can be integrated in the same frequency spectrum, and the sensitivity can be greatly improved. PMID:26821023

Application des codes de Monte Carlo à la radiothérapie par rayonnement à faible TEL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marcié, S.

1998-04-01

In radiation therapy, there is low LET rays: photons of 60Co, photons and electrons to 4 at 25 MV created in a linac, photons 137Cs, of 192Ir and of 125I. To know the most exactly possible the dose to the tissu by this rays, software and measurements are used. With the development of the power and the capacity of computers, the application of Monte Carlo codes expand to the radiation therapy which have permitted to better determine effects of rays and spectra, to explicit parameters used in dosimetric calculation, to verify algorithms , to study measuremtents systems and phantoms, to calculate the dose in inaccessible points and to consider the utilization of new radionuclides. En Radiothérapie, il existe une variété, de rayonnements ? faible TLE : photons du cobalt 60, photons et ,électron de 4 à? 25 MV générés dans des accélérateurs linéaires, photons du césium 137, de l'iridium 192 et de l'iode 125. Pour connatre le plus exactement possible la dose délivrée aux tissus par ces rayonnements, des logiciels sont utilisés ainsi que des instruments de mesures. Avec le développement de la puissance et de la capacité, des calculateurs, l'application des codes de Monte Carlo s'est ,étendue ? la Radiothérapie ce qui a permis de mieux cerner les effets des rayonnements, déterminer les spectres, préciser les valeurs des paramètres utilisés dans les calculs dosimétriques, vérifier les algorithmes, ,étudier les systèmes de mesures et les fantomes utilisés, calculer la dose en des points inaccessibles ?à la mesure et envisager l'utilisation de nouveaux radio,éléments.

Computational insight into the capacitive performance of graphene edge planes

DOE PAGES

Zhan, Cheng; Zhang, Yu; Cummings, Peter T.; ...

2017-02-01

Recent experiments have shown that electric double-layer capacitors utilizing electrodes consisting of graphene edge plane exhibit higher capacitance than graphene basal plane. However, theoretical understanding of this capacitance enhancement is still limited. Here we applied a self-consistent joint density functional theory calculation on the electrode/electrolyte interface and found that the capacitance of graphene edge plane depends on the edge type: zigzag edge has higher capacitance than armchair edge due to the difference in their electronic structures. We further examined the quantum, dielectric, and electric double-layer (EDL) contributions to the total capacitance of the edge-plane electrodes. Classical molecular dynamics simulation foundmore » that the edge planes have higher EDL capacitance than the basal plane due to better adsorption of counter-ions and higher solvent accessible surface area. Finally, our work therefore has elucidated the capacitive energy storage in graphene edge planes that take into account both the electrode's electronic structure and the EDL structure.« less

Negative capacitance in a ferroelectric capacitor.

PubMed

Khan, Asif Islam; Chatterjee, Korok; Wang, Brian; Drapcho, Steven; You, Long; Serrao, Claudy; Bakaul, Saidur Rahman; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy; Salahuddin, Sayeef

2015-02-01

The Boltzmann distribution of electrons poses a fundamental barrier to lowering energy dissipation in conventional electronics, often termed as Boltzmann Tyranny. Negative capacitance in ferroelectric materials, which stems from the stored energy of a phase transition, could provide a solution, but a direct measurement of negative capacitance has so far been elusive. Here, we report the observation of negative capacitance in a thin, epitaxial ferroelectric film. When a voltage pulse is applied, the voltage across the ferroelectric capacitor is found to be decreasing with time--in exactly the opposite direction to which voltage for a regular capacitor should change. Analysis of this 'inductance'-like behaviour from a capacitor presents an unprecedented insight into the intrinsic energy profile of the ferroelectric material and could pave the way for completely new applications.

Study on effective MOSFET channel length extracted from gate capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuji, Katsuhiro; Terada, Kazuo; Fujisaka, Hisato

2018-01-01

The effective channel length (L GCM) of metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) is extracted from the gate capacitances of actual-size MOSFETs, which are measured by charge-injection-induced-error-free charge-based capacitance measurement (CIEF CBCM). To accurately evaluate the capacitances between the gate and the channel of test MOSFETs, the parasitic capacitances are removed by using test MOSFETs having various channel sizes and a source/drain reference device. A strong linear relationship between the gate-channel capacitance and the design channel length is obtained, from which L GCM is extracted. It is found that L GCM is slightly less than the effective channel length (L CRM) extracted from the measured MOSFET drain current. The reason for this is discussed, and it is found that the capacitance between the gate electrode and the source and drain regions affects this extraction.

Capacitive Sensors for Measuring Masses of Cryogenic Fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nurge, Mark; Youngquist, Robert

2003-01-01

An effort is under way to develop capacitive sensors for measuring the masses of cryogenic fluids in tanks. These sensors are intended to function in both microgravitational and normal gravitational settings, and should not be confused with level sensors, including capacitive ones. A sensor of this type is conceptually simple in the sense that (1) it includes only one capacitor and (2) if properly designed, its single capacitance reading should be readily convertible to a close approximation of the mass of the cryogenic fluid in the tank. Consider a pair of electrically insulated electrodes used as a simple capacitive sensor. In general, the capacitance is proportional to the permittivity of the dielectric medium (in this case, a cryogenic fluid) between the electrodes. The success of design and operation of a sensor of the present type depends on the accuracy of the assumption that to a close approximation, the permittivity of the cryogenic fluid varies linearly with the density of the fluid. Data on liquid nitrogen, liquid oxygen, and liquid hydrogen, reported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, indicate that the permittivities and densities of these fluids are, indeed, linearly related to within a few tenths of a percent over the pressure and temperature regions of interest. Hence, ignoring geometric effects for the moment, the capacitance between two electrodes immersed in the fluid should vary linearly with the density, and, hence, with the mass of the fluid. Of course, it is necessary to take account of the tank geometry. Because most cryogenic tanks do not have uniform cross sections, the readings of level sensors, including capacitive ones, are not linearly correlated with the masses of fluids in the tanks. In a sensor of the present type, the capacitor electrodes are shaped so that at a given height, the capacitance per unit height is approximately proportional to the cross-sectional area of the tank in the horizontal plane at that

Percoll gradient-centrifuged capacitated mouse sperm have increased fertilizing ability and higher contents of sulfogalactosylglycerolipid and docosahexaenoic acid-containing phosphatidylcholine compared to washed capacitated mouse sperm.

PubMed

Furimsky, Anna; Vuong, Ngoc; Xu, Hongbin; Kumarathasan, Premkumari; Xu, Min; Weerachatyanukul, Wattana; Bou Khalil, Maroun; Kates, Morris; Tanphaichitr, Nongnuj

2005-03-01

Although Percoll gradient centrifugation has been used routinely to prepare motile human sperm, its use in preparing motile mouse sperm has been limited. Here, we showed that Percoll gradient-centrifuged (PGC) capacitated mouse sperm had markedly higher fertilizing ability (sperm-zona pellucida [ZP] binding and in vitro fertilization) than washed capacitated mouse sperm. We also showed that the lipid profiles of PGC capacitated sperm and washed capacitated sperm differed significantly. The PGC sperm had much lower contents of cholesterol and phospholipids. This resulted in relative enrichment of male germ cell-specific sulfogalactosylglycerolipid (SGG), a ZP-binding ligand, in PGC capacitated sperm, and this would explain, in part, their increased ZP-binding ability compared with that of washed capacitated sperm. Analyses of phospholipid fatty acyl chains revealed that PGC capacitated sperm were enriched in phosphatidylcholine (PC) molecular species containing highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs), with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22: 6n-3) being the predominant HUFA (42% of total hydrocarbon chains of PC). In contrast, the level of PC-HUFAs comprising arachidonic acid (20:4n-6), docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5n-6), and DHA in washed capacitated sperm was only 27%. Having the highest unsaturation degree among all HUFAs in PC, DHA would enhance membrane fluidity to the uppermost. Therefore, membranes of PGC capacitated sperm would undergo fertilization-related fusion events at higher rates than washed capacitated sperm. These results suggested that PGC mouse sperm should be used in fertilization experiments and that SGG and DHA should be considered to be important biomarkers for sperm fertilizing ability.

Déprescription des agonistes des récepteurs des benzodiazépines

PubMed Central

Pottie, Kevin; Thompson, Wade; Davies, Simon; Grenier, Jean; Sadowski, Cheryl A.; Welch, Vivian; Holbrook, Anne; Boyd, Cynthia; Swenson, Robert; Ma, Andy; Farrell, Barbara

2018-01-01

Résumé Objectif Formuler des lignes directrices fondées sur les données probantes visant à aider les cliniciens à décider du moment et de la façon sécuritaire de réduire la dose des agonistes des récepteurs des benzodiazépines (BZRA) pour mettre fin au traitement; se concentrer sur le niveau le plus élevé des données disponibles et obtenir les commentaires des professionnels de première ligne durant le processus de rédaction, de révision et d’adoption des lignes directrices. Méthodes L’équipe comptait 8 cliniciens (1 médecin de famille, 2 psychiatres, 1 psychologue clinique, 1 pharmacologue clinique, 2 pharmaciennes cliniques et 1 gériatre) et une spécialiste de la méthodologie; les membres ont divulgué tout conflit d’intérêts. Nous avons eu recours à un processus systématique, y compris l’approche GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) pour formuler les lignes directrices. Les données ont été générées par une revue systématique d’études portant sur la déprescription des BZRA contre l’insomnie, de même que par une revue des revues sur les torts liés à la poursuite du traitement par BZRA et des synthèses narratives sur les préférences des patients et les répercussions sur les ressources. Ces données et le score GRADE de qualité des données ont servi à formuler les recommandations. L’équipe a peaufiné le texte sur le contenu et les recommandations des lignes directrices par consensus et a synthétisé les considérations cliniques afin de répondre aux questions des cliniciens de première ligne. Une version préliminaire des lignes directrices a été révisée par les cliniciens et les intervenants. Recommandations Nous recommandons d’offrir la déprescription (réduction lente de la dose) des BZRA à tous les patients âgés (≥ 65 ans) sous un BZRA, sans égard à la durée de l’usage, et suggérons d’offrir la déprescription (réduction lente de la dose) �

Improved circuit for measuring capacitive and inductive reactances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalins, I.; Mc Carty, V.

1967-01-01

Amplifier circuit measures very small changes of capacitive or inductive reactance, such as produced by a variable capacitance or a variable inductance displacement transducer. The circuit employs reactance-sensing oscillators in which field effect transistors serve as the active elements.

Capacitive behavior of highly-oxidized graphite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciszewski, Mateusz; Mianowski, Andrzej

2014-09-01

Capacitive behavior of a highly-oxidized graphite is presented in this paper. The graphite oxide was synthesized using an oxidizing mixture of potassium chlorate and concentrated fuming nitric acid. As-oxidized graphite was quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed with respect to the oxygen content and the species of oxygen-containing groups. Electrochemical measurements were performed in a two-electrode symmetric cell using KOH electrolyte. It was shown that prolonged oxidation causes an increase in the oxygen content while the interlayer distance remains constant. Specific capacitance increased with oxygen content in the electrode as a result of pseudo-capacitive effects, from 0.47 to 0.54 F/g for a scan rate of 20 mV/s and 0.67 to 1.15 F/g for a scan rate of 5 mV/s. Better cyclability was observed for the electrode with a higher oxygen amount.

Membrane hyperpolarization during human sperm capacitation

PubMed Central

López-González, I.; Torres-Rodríguez, P.; Sánchez-Carranza, O.; Solís-López, A.; Santi, C.M.; Darszon, A.; Treviño, C.L.

2014-01-01

Sperm capacitation is a complex and indispensable physiological process that spermatozoa must undergo in order to acquire fertilization capability. Spermatozoa from several mammalian species, including mice, exhibit a capacitation-associated plasma membrane hyperpolarization, which is necessary for the acrosome reaction to occur. Despite its importance, this hyperpolarization event has not been adequately examined in human sperm. In this report we used flow cytometry to show that a subpopulation of human sperm indeed undergo a plasma membrane hyperpolarization upon in vitro capacitation. This hyperpolarization correlated with two other well-characterized capacitation parameters, namely an increase in intracellular pH and Ca2+ concentration, measured also by flow cytometry. We found that sperm membrane hyperpolarization was completely abolished in the presence of a high external K+ concentration (60 mM), indicating the participation of K+ channels. In order to identify, which of the potential K+ channels were involved in this hyperpolarization, we used different K+ channel inhibitors including charybdotoxin, slotoxin and iberiotoxin (which target Slo1) and clofilium (a more specific blocker for Slo3). All these K+ channel antagonists inhibited membrane hyperpolarization to a similar extent, suggesting that both members of the Slo family may potentially participate. Two very recent papers recorded K+ currents in human sperm electrophysiologically, with some contradictory results. In the present work, we show through immunoblotting that Slo3 channels are present in the human sperm membrane. In addition, we found that human Slo3 channels expressed in CHO cells were sensitive to clofilium (50 μM). Considered altogether, our data indicate that Slo1 and Slo3 could share the preponderant role in the capacitation-associated hyperpolarization of human sperm in contrast to what has been previously reported for mouse sperm, where Slo3 channels are the main contributors to the

Capacitive pressure-sensitive composites using nickel-silicone rubber: experiments and modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Yuqin; Liao, Changrong; Liao, Ganliang; Tan, Renbing; Xie, Lei

2017-07-01

Capacitive pressure (i.e., piezo-capacitive) sensors have manifested their superiority as a potential electronic skin. The mechanism of the traditional piezo-capacitive sensors is mainly to change the relative permittivity of the flexible composites by compressing the specially fabricated microstructures in the polymer matrix under pressure. Instead, we study the piezo-capacitive effect for a newly reported isotropic flexible composite consisting of silicone rubber (SR) and uniformly dispersed micron-sized conductive nickel particles experimentally and theoretically. The Young’s modulus of the nickel-SR composites (NSRCs) is designed to meet that of human skin. Experimental results show that the NSRCs exhibit remarkable particle concentration dependent capacitance response under uniaxial pressure, and the NSRCs present a good repeatability. We propose a mathematical model at particle level to provide deep insights into the piezo-capacitive mechanism, by considering the adjacent particles in the axial direction as micro capacitors connected in series and in parallel on the horizontal plane. The piezo-capacitive effect is determined by the relative permittivity induced by the particles rearrangement, longitudinal interparticle gap, and deflection angle of micro particle capacitors under pressure. Specifically, the relative capacitance of NSRC capacitor is deduced to be product of two factors: the degree of particle rearrangement, and the relative capacitance of a micro capacitor with the average longitudinal gap. The proposed model well matches and interprets the experimental results.

Efficiency of thermoelectric conversion in ferroelectric film capacitive structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volpyas, V. A.; Kozyrev, A. B.; Soldatenkov, O. I.; Tepina, E. R.

2012-06-01

Thermal heating/cooling conditions for metal-insulator-metal structures based on barium strontium titanate ferroelectric films are studied by numerical methods with the aim of their application in capacitive thermoelectric converters. A correlation between the thermal and capacitive properties of thin-film ferroelectric capacitors is considered. The time of the temperature response and the rate of variation of the capacitive properties of the metal-insulator-metal structures are determined by analyzing the dynamics of thermal processes. Thermophysical calculations are carried out that take into consideration the real electrical properties of barium strontium titanate ferroelectric films and allow estimation of thermal modulation parameters and the efficiency of capacitive thermoelectric converters on their basis.

Traitement des séquelles de brûlures de la main dans les pays à ressources limitées ; notre expérience en république démocratique du Congo

PubMed Central

Kibadi, K.; Moutet, F.

2015-01-01

Summary Les séquelles de brûlures de la main sont encore fréquentes dans les pays à ressources limitées. Trente-deux patients, représentant 38 mains, ont été admis et traités, entre le 1er décembre 2010 et le 1er mai 2014 aux Cliniques Universitaires de Kinshasa en République Démocratique du Congo (RDC). nous avons observé 22 patients (69 %) dans le groupe de jeunes (patients âgés de moins de 18 ans), et 10 patients (31 %) chez les adultes (18 à 59 ans). Aucun patient dans le groupe de seniors (60 ans et plus) n’a été observé. Dans le groupe de jeunes, la tranche d’âge de 1 à 5 ans a été la plus atteinte avec 13 malades (40 %). l’accident à la maison était le plus fréquent (72 %). le mécanisme de la brûlure était le plus souvent thermique par flammes (51 %) ou par liquide chaud (34 %). les rétractions et brides sont les lésions le plus observées (84 %). la rétraction dorsale globale « main en griffe» est observée chez 40 % de patients traités, associée à des cicatrices hypertrophiques et chéloïdiennes dans 84 % de cas. Chez les 32 mains traitées chirurgicalement, des excision-greffes ont été réalisées dans 43,7 %, des lambeaux locaux dans 43,7 % et des lambeaux à distance dans 12,5 % de cas. A la sortie de l’hôpital, 84 % de « bons » résultats ont été observés. le suivi a été de 18 mois. le traitement des séquelles de brûlures de la main est possible dans ces pays, exemple de la rDC. Mais les défis à surmonter dans ces pays sont nombreux : la faible accessibilité aux techniques actuelles de la chirurgie plastique, la prise en charge initiale inadéquate des brûlures, la pauvreté. PMID:26668560

Current concepts of molecular events during bovine and porcine spermatozoa capacitation.

PubMed

Vadnais, Melissa L; Galantino-Homer, Hannah L; Althouse, Gary C

2007-01-01

Spermatozoa are required to undergo the processes of capacitation before they obtain fertilizing ability. The molecular changes of capacitation are still not fully understood. However, it is accepted that capacitation is a sequential process involving numerous physiological changes including destabilization of the plasma membrane, alterations of intracellular ion concentrations and membrane potential, and protein phosphorylation. There are no known morphological changes that occur to the spermatozoon during capacitation. The purpose of this review is to summarize current evidence on the molecular aspects of capacitation both in vivo and in vitro in bovine and porcine spermatozoa. For the purpose of this review, the process of sperm capacitation will encompass maturational events that occur following ejaculation up to binding to the zona pellucida, that triggers acrosomal exocytosis and initiates fertilization.

Programmable differential capacitance-to-voltage converter for MEMS accelerometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Royo, G.; Sánchez-Azqueta, C.; Gimeno, C.; Aldea, C.; Celma, S.

2017-05-01

Capacitive MEMS sensors exhibit an excellent noise performance, high sensitivity and low power consumption. They offer a huge range of applications, being the accelerometer one of its main uses. In this work, we present the design of a capacitance-to-voltage converter in CMOS technology to measure the acceleration from the capacitance variations. It is based on a low-power, fully-differential transimpedance amplifier with low input impedance and a very low input noise.

Matériaux diélectriques à base de K_2Sr4Nb{10}O_{30} présentant des courbes \\varepsilon'_r = f (T) plates avec de hautes constantes diélectriques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tribotté, B.; Desgardin, G.

1997-06-01

Type II ferroelectric ceramics are used in multilayers capacitors with high volume capacitance. Among different specifications concerning the variation of the dielectric constant versus temperature, one of the most restrictive class, the X7R one, allows only a variation of ±15 percent of the 25 ^{circ}C value of the permittivity in the wide range, -55 ^{circ}C to +125 ^{circ}C. Previous investigations have proved the interest to mix the niobate K2Sr4Nb{10}O{30}, with a Tetragonal Tungsten Bronze (TTB) structure, with perovskites as minor agents like Pb(Mg{1/3}Nb{2/3})O3, to obtain flat curves \\varepsilon'_r = f (T) with dielectric constant above 6000. To point out the mechanism leading to such curves, the influence of the introduction of different cations like Mg^{2+} or Pb^{2+} in the TTB structure has been studied. In the present work, we show that K2Sr{4}Nb{10}O{30}-based materials, without the presence of perovskite phase from XRD, can also exhibit \\varepsilon'_r= f (T) curves with a flat profile. Les céramiques ferroélectriques de type II sont couramment utilisées dans les condensateurs multicouches à forte capacité volumique. Parmi différentes classes concernant la variation de la constante diélectrique en fonction de la température, une des plus sévères, la X7R, autorise seulement une variation de ±15% de la capacité par rapport à celle à 25 ^{circ}C dans un large domaine de température, de -55 ^{circ}C à +125 ^{circ}C. Des études récentes ont prouvé l'intérêt de mélanger le niobate K2Sr4Nb{10}O{30}, de structure de type Bronze Quadratique de Tungstène (BQT), avec des pérovskites en faible proportion comme Pb(Mg{1/3}Nb{2/3})O3, pour obtenir des courbes plates \\varepsilon'_r = f (T), correspondant à des constantes moyennes superieures à 6000. Pour mettre en évidence le mécanisme conduisant à de telles courbes, nous avons étudié l'influence de l'introduction de différents cations comme Mg^{2+} ou Pb^{2+} dans la structure

Trapping of edge dislocations by a moving smectic-A smectic-B interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oswald, P.; Lejcek, L.

1991-09-01

We analyze how the motion of the edge dislocations of the smectic-A liquid crystal allows the system to relax plastically the stresses that are generated during the growth of the smectic-B plastic crystal. These stresses are both due, to the density difference between the two phases, and to the layer thickness variation at the phase transition. In particular, we calculate under which conditions a dislocation can be trapped by the smectic-B phase. Finally, we suggest that this dynamical trapping is responsible for the very large amount of stacking faults observed by X-ray diffraction. Nous analysons comment le mouvement des dislocations coin du cristal liquide smectique A permet de relaxer plastiquement les contraintes induites par la croissance du cristal plastique smectique B. Ces contraintes sont engendrées à la fois par la différence de densité qui existe entre les deux phases et par la variation d'épaisseur des couches à la transition. Nous calculons en particulier dans quelles conditions une dislocation coin peut être piégée par le smectique B. Enfin, nous suggérons que ce piégeage dynamique est à l'origine de la très forte densité de fautes d'empilement qui est couramment observée aux rayons X dans la phase B.

Online capacitive densitometer

DOEpatents

Porges, Karl G.

1990-01-01

This invention is an apparatus for measuring fluid density of mixed phase fluid flow. The apparatus employs capacitive sensing of the mixed phased flow combined with means for uniformizing the electric field between the capacitor plates to account for flow line geometry. From measurement of fluid density, the solids feedrate can be ascertained.

Flexible Framework for Capacitive Sensing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodard, Stanley E. (Inventor); Taylor, Bryant D. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

A flexible framework supports electrically-conductive elements in a capacitive sensing arrangement. Identical frames are arranged end-to-end with adjacent frames being capable of rotational movement there between. Each frame has first and second passages extending therethrough and parallel to one another. Each of the first and second passages is adapted to receive an electrically-conductive element therethrough. Each frame further has a hollowed-out portion for the passage of a fluent material therethrough. The hollowed-out portion is sized and shaped to provide for capacitive sensing along a defined region between the electrically-conductive element in the first passage and the electrically-conductive element in the second passage.

Diffusion and plasticity at high temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Philibert, J.

1991-06-01

High temperature plastic deformation requires atomic migration whatever the mechanism of deformation. The constitutive equations contain a diffusion coefficient and the deformation rate follows an Arrhenius law. This paper will only discuss the case of viscous creep in order to elucidate the nature of the diffusion processes and the expression of the diffusion coefficient involved in alloys or compounds. La déformation plastique à haute température met en jeu des migrations atomiques, quel que soit le mécanisme de déformation. Les lois de comportement contiennent donc un coefficient de diffusion et la vitesse de déformation obéit à une loi d'Arrhenius. Dans cet article, qui ne conceme qu'un seul type de déformation, lefluage visqueux, on s'efforce de préciser la nature des processus de diffusion et du coefficient de diffusion mis en jeu dans le cas des alliages et des composés.

Resonant capacitive MEMS acoustic emission transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozevin, D.; Greve, D. W.; Oppenheim, I. J.; Pessiki, S. P.

2006-12-01

We describe resonant capacitive MEMS transducers developed for use as acoustic emission (AE) detectors, fabricated in the commercial three-layer polysilicon surface micromachining process (MUMPs). The 1 cm square device contains six independent transducers in the frequency range between 100 and 500 kHz, and a seventh transducer at 1 MHz. Each transducer is a parallel plate capacitor with one plate free to vibrate, thereby causing a capacitance change which creates an output signal in the form of a current under a dc bias voltage. With the geometric proportions we employed, each transducer responds with two distinct resonant frequencies. In our design the etch hole spacing was chosen to limit squeeze film damping and thereby produce an underdamped vibration when operated at atmospheric pressure. Characterization experiments obtained by capacitance and admittance measurements are presented, and transducer responses to physically simulated AE source are discussed. Finally, we report our use of the device to detect acoustic emissions associated with crack initiation and growth in weld metal.

Low-Temperature Scanning Capacitance Probe for Imaging Electron Motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhandari, S.; Westervelt, R. M.

2014-12-01

Novel techniques to probe electronic properties at the nanoscale can shed light on the physics of nanoscale devices. In particular, studying the scattering of electrons from edges and apertures at the nanoscale and imaging the electron profile in a quantum dot, have been of interest [1]. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a cooled scanning capacitance probe that operates at liquid He temperatures to image electron waves in nanodevices. The conducting tip of a scanned probe microscope is held above the nanoscale structure, and an applied sample-to-tip voltage creates an image charge that is measured by a cooled charge amplifier [2] adjacent to the tip. The circuit is based on a low-capacitance, high- electron-mobility transistor (Fujitsu FHX35X). The input is a capacitance bridge formed by a low capacitance pinched-off HEMT transistor and tip-sample capacitance. We have achieved low noise level (0.13 e/VHz) and high spatial resolution (100 nm) for this technique, which promises to be a useful tool to study electronic behavior in nanoscale devices.

Capacitance-Based Frequency Adjustment of Micro Piezoelectric Vibration Generator

PubMed Central

Mao, Xinhua; He, Qing; Li, Hong; Chu, Dongliang

2014-01-01

Micro piezoelectric vibration generator has a wide application in the field of microelectronics. Its natural frequency is unchanged after being manufactured. However, resonance cannot occur when the natural frequencies of a piezoelectric generator and the source of vibration frequency are not consistent. Output voltage of the piezoelectric generator will sharply decline. It cannot normally supply power for electronic devices. In order to make the natural frequency of the generator approach the frequency of vibration source, the capacitance FM technology is adopted in this paper. Different capacitance FM schemes are designed by different locations of the adjustment layer. The corresponding capacitance FM models have been established. Characteristic and effect of the capacitance FM have been simulated by the FM model. Experimental results show that the natural frequency of the generator could vary from 46.5 Hz to 42.4 Hz when the bypass capacitance value increases from 0 nF to 30 nF. The natural frequency of a piezoelectric vibration generator could be continuously adjusted by this method. PMID:25133237

High resolution CMOS capacitance-frequency converter for biosensor applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghoor, I. S.; Land, K.; Joubert, T.-H.

2016-02-01

This paper presents the design of a low-complexity, linear and sub-pF CMOS capacitance-frequency converter for reading out a capacitive bacterial bio/sensors with the endeavour of creating a universal bio/sensor readout module. Therefore the priority design objectives are a high resolution as well as an extensive dynamic range. The circuit is based on a method which outputs a digital frequency signal directly from a differential capacitance by the accumulation of charges produced by repetitive charge integration and charge preservation1. A prototype has been designed for manufacture in the 0.35 μm, 3.3V ams CMOS technology. At a 1MHz clock speed, the most pertinent results obtained for the designed converter are: (i) power consumption of 1.37mW; (ii) a resolution of at least 5 fF for sensitive capacitive transduction; and (iii) an input dynamic range of at least 43.5 dB from a measurable capacitance value range of 5 - 750 fF (iv) and a Pearson's coefficient of linearity of 0.99.

Online capacitive densitometer

DOEpatents

Porges, K.G.

1988-01-21

This invention is an apparatus for measuring fluid density of mixed phase fluid flow. The apparatus employs capacitive sensing of the mixed phased flow combined with means for uniformizing the electric field between the capacitor plates to account for flow line geometry. From measurement of fluid density, the solids feedrate can be ascertained. 7 figs.

Preamplifiers for non-contact capacitive biopotential measurements.

PubMed

Peng, GuoChen; Ignjatovic, Zeljko; Bocko, Mark F

2013-01-01

Non-contact biopotential sensing is an attractive measurement strategy for a number of health monitoring applications, primarily the ECG and the EEG. In all such applications a key technical challenge is the design of a low-noise trans-impedance preamplifier for the typically low-capacitance, high source impedance sensing electrodes. In this paper, we compare voltage and charge amplifier designs in terms of their common mode rejection ratio, noise performance, and frequency response. Both amplifier types employ the same operational-transconductance amplifier (OTA), which was fabricated in a 0.35 um CMOS process. The results show that a charge amplifier configuration has advantages for small electrode-to-subject coupling capacitance values (less than 10 pF--typical of noncontact electrodes) and that the voltage amplifier configuration has advantages for electrode capacitances above 10 pF.

Negative capacitance in multidomain ferroelectric superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zubko, Pavlo; Wojdeł, Jacek C.; Hadjimichael, Marios; Fernandez-Pena, Stéphanie; Sené, Anaïs; Luk'Yanchuk, Igor; Triscone, Jean-Marc; Íñiguez, Jorge

2016-06-01

The stability of spontaneous electrical polarization in ferroelectrics is fundamental to many of their current applications, which range from the simple electric cigarette lighter to non-volatile random access memories. Research on nanoscale ferroelectrics reveals that their behaviour is profoundly different from that in bulk ferroelectrics, which could lead to new phenomena with potential for future devices. As ferroelectrics become thinner, maintaining a stable polarization becomes increasingly challenging. On the other hand, intentionally destabilizing this polarization can cause the effective electric permittivity of a ferroelectric to become negative, enabling it to behave as a negative capacitance when integrated in a heterostructure. Negative capacitance has been proposed as a way of overcoming fundamental limitations on the power consumption of field-effect transistors. However, experimental demonstrations of this phenomenon remain contentious. The prevalent interpretations based on homogeneous polarization models are difficult to reconcile with the expected strong tendency for domain formation, but the effect of domains on negative capacitance has received little attention. Here we report negative capacitance in a model system of multidomain ferroelectric-dielectric superlattices across a wide range of temperatures, in both the ferroelectric and paraelectric phases. Using a phenomenological model, we show that domain-wall motion not only gives rise to negative permittivity, but can also enhance, rather than limit, its temperature range. Our first-principles-based atomistic simulations provide detailed microscopic insight into the origin of this phenomenon, identifying the dominant contribution of near-interface layers and paving the way for its future exploitation.

Electrostatic capacitance and Faraday cage behavior of carbon nanotube forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ya'akobovitz, A.; Bedewy, M.; Hart, A. J.

2015-02-01

Understanding of the electrostatic properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) forests is essential to enable their integration in microelectronic and micromechanical devices. In this study, we sought to understand how the hierarchical geometry and morphology of CNT forests determines their capacitance. First, we find that at small gaps, solid micropillars have greater capacitance, yet at larger gaps the capacitance of the CNT forests is greater. The surface area of the CNT forest accessible to the electrostatic field was extracted by analysis of the measured capacitance, and, by relating the capacitance to the average density of CNTs in the forest, we find that the penetration depth of the electrostatic field is on the order of several microns. Therefore, CNT forests can behave as a miniature Faraday cage. The unique electrostatic properties of CNT forests could therefore enable their use as long-range proximity sensors and as shielding elements for miniature electronic devices.

Preamplifiers for non-contact capacitive biopotential measurements*

PubMed Central

Peng, GuoChen; Ignjatovic, Zeljko; Bocko, Mark F.

2014-01-01

Non-contact biopotential sensing is an attractive measurement strategy for a number of health monitoring applications, primarily the ECG and the EEG. In all such applications a key technical challenge is the design of a low-noise trans-impedance preamplifier for the typically low-capacitance, high source impedance sensing electrodes. In this paper, we compare voltage and charge amplifier designs in terms of their common mode rejection ratio, noise performance, and frequency response. Both amplifier types employ the same operational-transconductance amplifier (OTA), which was fabricated in a 0.35um CMOS process. The results show that a charge amplifier configuration has advantages for small electrode-to-subject coupling capacitance values (less than 10 pF - typical of noncontact electrodes) and that the voltage amplifier configuration has advantages for electrode capacitances above 10 pF. PMID:24109979

Capacitance probe for detection of anomalies in non-metallic plastic pipe

DOEpatents

Mathur, Mahendra P.; Spenik, James L.; Condon, Christopher M.; Anderson, Rodney; Driscoll, Daniel J.; Fincham, Jr., William L.; Monazam, Esmail R.

2010-11-23

The disclosure relates to analysis of materials using a capacitive sensor to detect anomalies through comparison of measured capacitances. The capacitive sensor is used in conjunction with a capacitance measurement device, a location device, and a processor in order to generate a capacitance versus location output which may be inspected for the detection and localization of anomalies within the material under test. The components may be carried as payload on an inspection vehicle which may traverse through a pipe interior, allowing evaluation of nonmetallic or plastic pipes when the piping exterior is not accessible. In an embodiment, supporting components are solid-state devices powered by a low voltage on-board power supply, providing for use in environments where voltage levels may be restricted.

Electrostatic capacitance and Faraday cage behavior of carbon nanotube forests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ya'akobovitz, A.; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva; Bedewy, M.

2015-02-02

Understanding of the electrostatic properties of carbon nanotube (CNT) forests is essential to enable their integration in microelectronic and micromechanical devices. In this study, we sought to understand how the hierarchical geometry and morphology of CNT forests determines their capacitance. First, we find that at small gaps, solid micropillars have greater capacitance, yet at larger gaps the capacitance of the CNT forests is greater. The surface area of the CNT forest accessible to the electrostatic field was extracted by analysis of the measured capacitance, and, by relating the capacitance to the average density of CNTs in the forest, we findmore » that the penetration depth of the electrostatic field is on the order of several microns. Therefore, CNT forests can behave as a miniature Faraday cage. The unique electrostatic properties of CNT forests could therefore enable their use as long-range proximity sensors and as shielding elements for miniature electronic devices.« less

Factors and pathways involved in capacitation: how are they regulated?

PubMed Central

Jin, Shi-Kai; Yang, Wan-Xi

2017-01-01

In mammals, fertilization occurs via a comprehensive progression of events. Freshly ejaculated sperm have yet to acquire progressive motility or fertilization ability. They must first undergo a series of biochemical and physiological changes, collectively known as capacitation. Capacitation is a significant prerequisite to fertilization. During the process of capacitation, changes in membrane properties, intracellular ion concentration and the activities of enzymes, together with other protein modifications, induce multiple signaling events and pathways in defined media in vitro or in the female reproductive tract in vivo. These, in turn, stimulate the acrosome reaction and prepare spermatozoa for penetration of the egg zona pellucida prior to fertilization. In the present review, we conclude all mainstream factors and pathways regulate capacitation and highlight their crosstalk. We also summarize the relationship between capacitation and assisted reproductive technology or human disease. In the end, we sum up the open questions and future avenues in this field. PMID:27690295

Design of capacitive sensor for water level measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qurthobi, A.; Iskandar, R. F.; Krisnatal, A.; Weldzikarvina

2016-11-01

Capacitive sensor for water level detection has been fabricated. It has, typically, high-impedance sensor, particularly at low frequencies, as clear from the impedance (reactance) expression for a capacitor. Also, capacitive sensor is a noncontacting device in the common usage. In this research, water level sensor based on capacitive principal created using two copper plates with height (h), width (b), and distance (l) between two plates, respectively, 0.040 m, 0.015 m, and 0.010 m. 5 V pp 3 kHz AC signal is used as input signal for the system. Dielectric constant between two plates is proportional to water level. Hence, it can be used to determine water level from electrical characteristic as it inversely proportional to sensor impedance. Linearization, inverting amplifier, and rectifier circuits are used as signal conditioning for the system. Based on conducted experiment, the relationship between water level (x), capacitance (C), and output voltage (Vdc ) can be expressed as C(x) = 2.756x + 0.333 nF and Vdc (x) = 15.755 + 0.316 V.

Vecteurs Singuliers des Theories des Champs Conformes Minimales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benoit, Louis

En 1984 Belavin, Polyakov et Zamolodchikov revolutionnent la theorie des champs en explicitant une nouvelle gamme de theories, les theories quantiques des champs bidimensionnelles invariantes sous les transformations conformes. L'algebre des transformations conformes de l'espace-temps presente une caracteristique remarquable: en deux dimensions elle possede un nombre infini de generateurs. Cette propriete impose de telles conditions aux fonctions de correlations qu'il est possible de les evaluer sans aucune approximation. Les champs des theories conformes appartiennent a des representations de plus haut poids de l'algebre de Virasoro, une extension centrale de l'algebre conforme du plan. Ces representations sont etiquetees par h, le poids conforme de leur vecteur de plus haut poids, et par la charge centrale c, le facteur de l'extension centrale, commune a toutes les representations d'une meme theorie. Les theories conformes minimales sont constituees d'un nombre fini de representations. Parmi celles-ci se trouvent des theories unitaires dont les representation forment la serie discrete de l'algebre de Virasoro; leur poids h a la forme h_{p,q}(m)=[ (p(m+1) -qm)^2-1] (4m(m+1)), ou p,q et m sont des entiers positifs et p+q<= m+1. L'entier m parametrise la charge centrale: c(m)=1 -{6over m(m+1)} avec n>= 2. Ces representations possedent un sous-espace invariant engendre par deux sous-representations avec h_1=h_{p,q} + pq et h_2=h_{p,q} + (m-p)(m+1-q) dont chacun des vecteurs de plus haut poids portent le nom de vecteur singulier et sont notes respectivement |Psi _{p,q}> et |Psi_{m-p,m+1-q}>. . Les theories super-conformes sont une version super-symetrique des theories conformes. Leurs champs appartiennent a des representation de plus haut poids de l'algebre de Neveu-Schwarz, une des deux extensions super -symetriques de l'algebre de Virasoro. Les theories super -conformes minimales possedent la meme structure que les theories conformes minimales. Les representations

Complexation des acides aminés basiques arginine, histidine et lysine avec l'ADN plasmidique en solution aqueuse : participation à la capture de radicaux sous irradiation X à 1,5 keV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tariq Khalil, Talat; Taillefumier, Baptiste; Boulanouar, Omar; Mavon, Christophe; Fromm, Michel

2016-09-01

L'environnement chimique de l'ADN en situation biologique est complexe notam-ment en raison de la présence d'histones, protéines nucléaires, associées en quantité approximativement égales à l'ADN pour former la chromatine. Les histones possèdent de nombreux radicaux basiques arginine et lysine chargés positivement et dont la majorité se trouve sur les chaînes émergentes, l'ADN présente quant à lui des charges négatives sur ses groupements phosphates localisés tout au long de la double hélice. Dans cette étude, la complexité de la structure de la chromatine nucléaire est dans un premier temps mimée en solution aqueuse par la formation de complexes entre un ADN plasmidique sonde et les trois acides aminés basiques, Arg, His, Lys, qui, mis à part His, sont protonés au pH physiologique. Ces acides aminés libres en solution sont réputés être des capteurs efficaces de radicaux libres, notamment pour le radical hydroxyle, conférant ainsi un pouvoir protecteur vis-à-vis des effets indirects sur l'ADN en situation d'exposition aux rayonnements ionisants. A concentration fixée, les capacités de capture des acides aminés libres, σ, pour le radical hydroxyle sont typiquement les suivantes σHis ≈σArg > σLys (σLys ≈ 0,1 × σArg). Nous avons mesuré les taux de cassures simple brin par plasmide et par Gray (χ) lors d'expositions de solutions aqueuses de complexes [acide aminé - ADN plasmidique] aux rayons X ultra-mous (1,5 keV). A concentrations égales, les trois acides aminés complexés et présents en large excès ne manifestent pas une capacité de protection de l'ADN proportionnelle à leur capacité de capture libre et en solution ; on trouve en effet des taux de cassures dans l'ordre suivant χHis > χArg > χLys (χLys ≈ 0,01 χArg). Après avoir détaillé le mode opératoire de ces mesures, nous analyserons sur des bases bibliographiques, les modes spécifiques d'interaction des acides aminés basiques avec l'ADN. La sp

Predicting ion specific capacitances of supercapacitors due to quantum ionic interactions.

PubMed

Parsons, Drew F

2014-08-01

A new theoretical framework is now available to help explain ion specific (Hofmeister) effects. All measurements in physical chemistry show ion specificity, inexplicable by classical electrostatic theories. These ignore ionic dispersion forces that change ionic adsorption. We explored ion specificity in supercapacitors using a modified Poisson-Boltzmann approach that includes ionic dispersion energies. We have applied ab initio quantum chemical methods to determine required ion sizes and ion polarisabilities. Our model represents graphite electrodes through their optical dielectric spectra. The electrolyte was 1.2 M Li salt in propylene carbonate, using the common battery anions, PF6(-), BF4(-) and ClO4(-). We also investigated the perhalate series with BrO4(-) and IO4(-). The capacitance C=dσ/dψ was calculated from the predicted electrode surface charge σ of each electrode with potential ψ between electrodes. Compared to the purely electrostatic calculation, the capacitance of a positively charged graphite electrode was enhanced by more than 15%, with PF6(-) showing >50% increase in capacitance. IO4(-) provided minimal enhancement. The enhancement is due to adsorption of both anions and cations, driven by ionic dispersion forces. The Hofmeister series in the single-electrode capacitance was PF6(-)>BF4(-)>ClO4(-)>BrO4(-)>IO4(-) . When the graphite electrode was negatively charged, the perhalates provided almost no enhancement of capacitance, while PF6(-) and BF4(-) decreased capacitance by about 15%. Due to the asymmetric impact of nonelectrostatic ion interactions, the capacitances of positive and negative electrodes are not equal. The capacitance of a supercapacitor should therefore be reported as two values rather than one, similar to the matrix of mutual capacitances used in multielectrode devices. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Separation of neural stem cells by whole cell membrane capacitance using dielectrophoresis.

PubMed

Adams, Tayloria N G; Jiang, Alan Y L; Vyas, Prema D; Flanagan, Lisa A

2018-01-15

Whole cell membrane capacitance is an electrophysiological property of the plasma membrane that serves as a biomarker for stem cell fate potential. Neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) that differ in ability to form neurons or astrocytes are distinguished by membrane capacitance measured by dielectrophoresis (DEP). Differences in membrane capacitance are sufficient to enable the enrichment of neuron- or astrocyte-forming cells by DEP, showing the separation of stem cells on the basis of fate potential by membrane capacitance. NSPCs sorted by DEP need not be labeled and do not experience toxic effects from the sorting procedure. Other stem cell populations also display shifts in membrane capacitance as cells differentiate to a particular fate, clarifying the value of sorting a variety of stem cell types by capacitance. Here, we describe methods developed by our lab for separating NSPCs on the basis of capacitance using several types of DEP microfluidic devices, providing basic information on the sorting procedure as well as specific advantages and disadvantages of each device. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measurement of Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flow in Micro-Pipes by a Capacitance Sensor

PubMed Central

Ji, Haifeng; Li, Huajun; Huang, Zhiyao; Wang, Baoliang; Li, Haiqing

2014-01-01

A capacitance measurement system is developed for the measurement of gas-liquid two-phase flow in glass micro-pipes with inner diameters of 3.96, 2.65 and 1.56 mm, respectively. As a typical flow regime in a micro-pipe two-phase flow system, slug flow is chosen for this investigation. A capacitance sensor is designed and a high-resolution and high-speed capacitance measurement circuit is used to measure the small capacitance signals based on the differential sampling method. The performance and feasibility of the capacitance method are investigated and discussed. The capacitance signal is analyzed, which can reflect the voidage variation of two-phase flow. The gas slug velocity is determined through a cross-correlation technique using two identical capacitance sensors. The simulation and experimental results show that the presented capacitance measurement system is successful. Research work also verifies that the capacitance sensor is an effective method for the measurement of gas liquid two-phase flow parameters in micro-pipes. PMID:25587879

Measurement of gas-liquid two-phase flow in micro-pipes by a capacitance sensor.

PubMed

Ji, Haifeng; Li, Huajun; Huang, Zhiyao; Wang, Baoliang; Li, Haiqing

2014-11-26

A capacitance measurement system is developed for the measurement of gas-liquid two-phase flow in glass micro-pipes with inner diameters of 3.96, 2.65 and 1.56 mm, respectively. As a typical flow regime in a micro-pipe two-phase flow system, slug flow is chosen for this investigation. A capacitance sensor is designed and a high-resolution and high-speed capacitance measurement circuit is used to measure the small capacitance signals based on the differential sampling method. The performance and feasibility of the capacitance method are investigated and discussed. The capacitance signal is analyzed, which can reflect the voidage variation of two-phase flow. The gas slug velocity is determined through a cross-correlation technique using two identical capacitance sensors. The simulation and experimental results show that the presented capacitance measurement system is successful. Research work also verifies that the capacitance sensor is an effective method for the measurement of gas liquid two-phase flow parameters in micro-pipes.

Programmable electronic synthesized capacitance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kleinberg, Leonard L. (Inventor)

1987-01-01

A predetermined and variable synthesized capacitance which may be incorporated into the resonant portion of an electronic oscillator for the purpose of tuning the oscillator comprises a programmable operational amplifier circuit. The operational amplifier circuit has its output connected to its inverting input, in a follower configuration, by a network which is low impedance at the operational frequency of the circuit. The output of the operational amplifier is also connected to the noninverting input by a capacitor. The noninverting input appears as a synthesized capacitance which may be varied with a variation in gain-bandwidth product of the operational amplifier circuit. The gain-bandwidth product may, in turn, be varied with a variation in input set current with a digital to analog converter whose output is varied with a command word. The output impedance of the circuit may also be varied by the output set current. This circuit may provide very small ranges in oscillator frequency with relatively large control voltages unaffected by noise.

Effect of ion concentration, solution and membrane permittivity on electric energy storage and capacitance.

PubMed

Tajparast, Mohammad; Glavinović, Mladen I

2018-06-06

Bio-membranes as capacitors store electric energy, but their permittivity is low whereas the permittivity of surrounding solution is high. To evaluate the effective capacitance of the membrane/solution system and determine the electric energy stored within the membrane and in the solution, we estimated their electric variables using Poisson-Nernst-Planck simulations. We calculated membrane and solution capacitances from stored electric energy. The effective capacitance was calculated by fitting a six-capacitance model to charges (fixed and ion) and associated potentials, because it cannot be considered as a result of membrane and solution capacitance in series. The electric energy stored within the membrane (typically much smaller than that in the solution), depends on the membrane permittivity, but also on the external electric field, surface charge density, water permittivity and ion concentration. The effect on capacitances is more specific. Solution capacitance rises with greater solution permittivity or ion concentration, but the membrane capacitance (much smaller than solution capacitance) is only influenced by its permittivity. Interestingly, the effective capacitance is independent of membrane or solution permittivity, but rises as the ion concentration increases and surface charge becomes positive. Experimental estimates of membrane capacitance are thus not necessarily a reliable index of its surface area. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

THE MEMBRANE CAPACITANCE OF THE SEA URCHIN EGG

PubMed Central

Rothschild, Lord

1957-01-01

1. The surface of the unfertilized sea urchin egg is folded and the folds are reversibly eliminated by exposing the egg to hypotonic sea water. If the plasma membrane is outside the layer of cortical granules, unfolding may explain why the membrane capacitance per unit area decreases (and does not increase) when a sea urchin egg is put into hypotonic sea water. 2. The degree of surface folding markedly increases after fertilization, which provides an explanation for the increase in membrane capacitance per unit area observed after fertilization. 3. The percentage reduction in membrane folding in fertilized eggs after immersion in hypotonic sea water is probably sufficient to explain the decrease in membrane capacitance per unit area observed in these conditions. PMID:13416315

Method and apparatus for measuring low currents in capacitance devices

DOEpatents

Kopp, M.K.; Manning, F.W.; Guerrant, G.C.

1986-06-04

A method and apparatus for measuring subnanoampere currents in capacitance devices is reported. The method is based on a comparison of the voltages developed across the capacitance device with that of a reference capacitor in which the current is adjusted by means of a variable current source to produce a stable voltage difference. The current varying means of the variable current source is calibrated to provide a read out of the measured current. Current gain may be provided by using a reference capacitor which is larger than the device capacitance with a corresponding increase in current supplied through the reference capacitor. The gain is then the ratio of the reference capacitance to the device capacitance. In one illustrated embodiment, the invention makes possible a new type of ionizing radiation dose-rate monitor where dose-rate is measured by discharging a reference capacitor with a variable current source at the same rate that radiation is discharging an ionization chamber. The invention eliminates high-megohm resistors and low current ammeters used in low-current measuring instruments.

Transparent Flexible Active Faraday Cage Enables In Vivo Capacitance Measurement in Assembled Microsensor.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Mahdi; Rajamani, Rajesh; Sezen, Serdar

2017-10-01

Capacitive micro-sensors such as accelerometers, gyroscopes and pressure sensors are increasingly used in the modern electronic world. However, the in vivo use of capacitive sensing for measurement of pressure or other variables inside a human body suffers from significant errors due to stray capacitance. This paper proposes a solution consisting of a transparent thin flexible Faraday cage that surrounds the sensor. By supplying the active sensing voltage simultaneously to the deformable electrode of the capacitive sensor and to the Faraday cage, the stray capacitance during in vivo measurements can be largely eliminated. Due to the transparency of the Faraday cage, the top and bottom portions of a capacitive sensor can be accurately aligned and assembled together. Experimental results presented in the paper show that stray capacitance is reduced by a factor of 10 by the Faraday cage, when the sensor is subjected to a full immersion in water.

Concentration Fluctuations and Capacitive Response in Dense Ionic Solutions.

PubMed

Uralcan, Betul; Aksay, Ilhan A; Debenedetti, Pablo G; Limmer, David T

2016-07-07

We use molecular dynamics simulations in a constant potential ensemble to study the effects of solution composition on the electrochemical response of a double layer capacitor. We find that the capacitance first increases with ion concentration following its expected ideal solution behavior but decreases upon approaching a pure ionic liquid in agreement with recent experimental observations. The nonmonotonic behavior of the capacitance as a function of ion concentration results from the competition between the independent motion of solvated ions in the dilute regime and solvation fluctuations in the concentrated regime. Mirroring the capacitance, we find that the characteristic decay length of charge density correlations away from the electrode is also nonmonotonic. The correlation length first decreases with ion concentration as a result of better electrostatic screening but increases with ion concentration as a result of enhanced steric interactions. When charge fluctuations induced by correlated ion-solvent fluctuations are large relative to those induced by the pure ionic liquid, such capacitive behavior is expected to be generic.

A Self-Adaptive Capacitive Compensation Technique for Body Channel Communication.

PubMed

Mao, Jingna; Yang, Huazhong; Lian, Yong; Zhao, Bo

2017-10-01

In wireless body area network, capacitive-coupling body channel communication (CC-BCC) has the potential to attain better energy efficiency over conventional wireless communication schemes. The CC-BCC scheme utilizes the human body as the forward signal transmission medium, reducing the path loss in wireless body-centric communications. However, the backward path is formed by the coupling capacitance between the ground electrodes (GEs) of transmitter (Tx) and receiver (Rx), which increases the path loss and results in a body posture dependent backward impedance. Conventional methods use a fixed inductor to resonate with the backward capacitor to compensate the path loss, while it's not effective in compensating the variable backward impedance induced by the body movements. In this paper, we propose a self-adaptive capacitive compensation (SACC) technique to address such a problem. A backward distance detector is introduced to estimate the distance between two GEs of Tx and Rx, and a backward capacitance model is built to calculate the backward capacitance. The calculated backward capacitance at varying body posture is compensated by a digitally controlled tunable inductor (DCTI). The proposed SACC technique is validated by a prototype CC-BCC system, and measurements are taken on human subjects. The measurement results show that 9dB-16 dB channel enhancement can be achieved at a backward path distance of 1 cm-10 cm.

Réalisation d'un appareillage a lame vibrante pour l'étude des lignes de flux dans les supraconducteurs à haute température critique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woirgard, J.; Salmon, E.; Gaboriaud, R. J.; Rabier, J.

1994-03-01

éalisés sur une couche mince épitaxiée de 1000 Å d'épaisseur d'YBaCuO ont permis de mettre en évidence un pic d'amortissement, de grande amplitude, qui pourrait être dû à la fusion du réseau de vortex. Prochainement, cet appareillage sera employé pour l'étude de l'ancrage des lignes de flux sur les défauts du réseau cristallin, défauts naturels ou artificiels créés par implantation ionique dans les films minces ou par déformation plastique dans les échantillons massifs.

Improving accuracy of electrochemical capacitance and solvation energetics in first-principles calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sundararaman, Ravishankar; Letchworth-Weaver, Kendra; Schwarz, Kathleen A.

2018-04-01

Reliable first-principles calculations of electrochemical processes require accurate prediction of the interfacial capacitance, a challenge for current computationally efficient continuum solvation methodologies. We develop a model for the double layer of a metallic electrode that reproduces the features of the experimental capacitance of Ag(100) in a non-adsorbing, aqueous electrolyte, including a broad hump in the capacitance near the potential of zero charge and a dip in the capacitance under conditions of low ionic strength. Using this model, we identify the necessary characteristics of a solvation model suitable for first-principles electrochemistry of metal surfaces in non-adsorbing, aqueous electrolytes: dielectric and ionic nonlinearity, and a dielectric-only region at the interface. The dielectric nonlinearity, caused by the saturation of dipole rotational response in water, creates the capacitance hump, while ionic nonlinearity, caused by the compactness of the diffuse layer, generates the capacitance dip seen at low ionic strength. We show that none of the previously developed solvation models simultaneously meet all these criteria. We design the nonlinear electrochemical soft-sphere solvation model which both captures the capacitance features observed experimentally and serves as a general-purpose continuum solvation model.

Contribution of Dielectric Screening to the Total Capacitance of Few-Layer Graphene Electrodes.

PubMed

Zhan, Cheng; Jiang, De-en

2016-03-03

We apply joint density functional theory (JDFT), which treats the electrode/electrolyte interface self-consistently, to an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) based on few-layer graphene electrodes. The JDFT approach allows us to quantify a third contribution to the total capacitance beyond quantum capacitance (CQ) and EDL capacitance (CEDL). This contribution arises from the dielectric screening of the electric field by the surface of the few-layer graphene electrode, and we therefore term it the dielectric capacitance (CDielec). We find that CDielec becomes significant in affecting the total capacitance when the number of graphene layers in the electrode is more than three. Our investigation sheds new light on the significance of the electrode dielectric screening on the capacitance of few-layer graphene electrodes.

Preparation and electrochemical capacitance performances of super-hydrophilic conducting polyaniline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xingwei; Li, Xiaohan; Dai, Na; Wang, Gengchao; Wang, Zhun

Super-hydrophilic conducting polyaniline was prepared by surface modification of polyaniline using tetraethyl orthosilicate in water/ethanol solution, whereas its conductivity was 4.16 S cm -1 at 25 °C. And its electrochemical capacitance performances as an electrode material were evaluated by the cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge/discharge test in 0.1 M H 2SO 4 aqueous solution. Its initial specific capacitance was 500 F g -1 at a constant current density of 1.5 A g -1, and the capacitance still reached about 400 F g -1 after 5000 consecutive cycles. Moreover, its capacitance retention ratio was circa 70% with the growth of current densities from 1.5 to 20 A g -1, indicating excellent rate capability. It would be a promising electrode material for aqueous redox supercapacitors.

Electrochemical and Capacitive Properties of Carbon Dots/Reduced Graphene Oxide Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Dang, Yong-Qiang; Ren, Shao-Zhao; Liu, Guoyang; Cai, Jiangtao; Zhang, Yating; Qiu, Jieshan

2016-11-14

There is much recent interest in graphene-based composite electrode materials because of their excellent mechanical strengths, high electron mobilities, and large specific surface areas. These materials are good candidates for applications in supercapacitors. In this work, a new graphene-based electrode material for supercapacitors was fabricated by anchoring carbon dots (CDs) on reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The capacitive properties of electrodes in aqueous electrolytes were systematically studied by galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The capacitance of rGO was improved when an appropriate amount of CDs were added to the material. The CD/rGO electrode exhibited a good reversibility, excellent rate capability, fast charge transfer, and high specific capacitance in 1 M H₂SO₄. Its capacitance was as high as 211.9 F/g at a current density of 0.5 A/g. This capacitance was 74.3% higher than that of a pristine rGO electrode (121.6 F/g), and the capacitance of the CD/rGO electrode retained 92.8% of its original value after 1000 cycles at a CDs-to-rGO ratio of 5:1.

Capacitive sensing of droplets for microfluidic devices based on thermocapillary actuation.

PubMed

Chen, Jian Z; Darhuber, Anton A; Troian, Sandra M; Wagner, Sigurd

2004-10-01

The design and performance of a miniaturized coplanar capacitive sensor is presented whose electrode arrays can also function as resistive microheaters for thermocapillary actuation of liquid films and droplets. Optimal compromise between large capacitive signal and high spatial resolution is obtained for electrode widths comparable to the liquid film thickness measured, in agreement with supporting numerical simulations which include mutual capacitance effects. An interdigitated, variable width design, allowing for wider central electrodes, increases the capacitive signal for liquid structures with non-uniform height profiles. The capacitive resolution and time response of the current design is approximately 0.03 pF and 10 ms, respectively, which makes possible a number of sensing functions for nanoliter droplets. These include detection of droplet position, size, composition or percentage water uptake for hygroscopic liquids. Its rapid response time allows measurements of the rate of mass loss in evaporating droplets.

3D capacitive tactile sensor using DRIE micromachining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuang, Chiehtang; Chen, Rongshun

2005-07-01

This paper presents a three dimensional micro capacitive tactile sensor that can detect normal and shear forces which is fabricated using deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) bulk silicon micromachining. The tactile sensor consists of a force transmission plate, a symmetric suspension system, and comb electrodes. The sensing character is based on the changes of capacitance between coplanar sense electrodes. High sensitivity is achieved by using the high aspect ratio interdigital electrodes with narrow comb gaps and large overlap areas. The symmetric suspension mechanism of this sensor can easily solve the coupling problem of measurement and increase the stability of the structure. In this paper, the sensor structure is designed, the capacitance variation of the proposed device is theoretically analyzed, and the finite element analysis of mechanical behavior of the structures is performed.

Strategies for dynamic soft-landing in capacitive microelectromechanical switches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Ankit; Nair, Pradeep R.; Alam, Muhammad A.

2011-06-01

Electromechanical dielectric degradation associated with the hard landing of movable electrode is a technology-inhibiting reliability concern for capacitive RF-MEMS switches. In this letter, we propose two schemes for dynamic soft-landing that obviate the need for external feedback circuitry. Instead, the proposed resistive and capacitive braking schemes can reduce impact velocity significantly without compromising other performance characteristics like pull-in voltage and pull-in time. Resistive braking is achieved by inserting a resistance in series with the voltage source whereas capacitive braking requires patterning of the electrode or the dielectric. Our results have important implications to the design and optimization of reliability aware electrostatically actuated MEMS switches.

Biological capacitance studies of anodes in microbial fuel cells using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Lu, Zhihao; Girguis, Peter; Liang, Peng; Shi, Haifeng; Huang, Guangtuan; Cai, Lankun; Zhang, Lehua

2015-07-01

It is known that cell potential increases while anode resistance decreases during the start-up of microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Biological capacitance, defined as the apparent capacitance attributed to biological activity including biofilm production, plays a role in this phenomenon. In this research, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was employed to study anode capacitance and resistance during the start-up period of MFCs so that the role of biological capacitance was revealed in electricity generation by MFCs. It was observed that the anode capacitance ranged from 3.29 to 120 mF which increased by 16.8% to 18-20 times over 10-12 days. Notably, lowering the temperature and arresting biological activity via fixation by 4% para formaldehyde resulted in the decrease of biological capacitance by 16.9 and 62.6%, indicating a negative correlation between anode capacitance and anode resistance of MFCs. Thus, biological capacitance of anode should play an important role in power generation by MFCs. We suggest that MFCs are not only biological reactors and/or electrochemical cells, but also biological capacitors, extending the vision on mechanism exploration of electron transfer, reactor structure design and electrode materials development of MFCs.

Contribution of dielectric screening to the total capacitance of few-layer graphene electrodes

DOE PAGES

Zhan, Cheng; Jiang, De-en

2016-02-17

We apply joint density functional theory (JDFT), which treats the electrode/electrolyte interface self-consistently, to an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) based on few-layer graphene electrodes. The JDFT approach allows us to quantify a third contribution to the total capacitance beyond quantum capacitance (C Q) and EDL capacitance (C EDL). This contribution arises from the dielectric screening of the electric field by the surface of the few-layer graphene electrode, and we therefore term it the dielectric capacitance (C Dielec). We find that C Dielec becomes significant in affecting the total capacitance when the number of graphene layers in the electrode is moremore » than three. In conclusion, our investigation sheds new light on the significance of the electrode dielectric screening on the capacitance of few-layer graphene electrodes.« less

Calibration of micro-capacitance measurement system for thermal barrier coating testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Yuan; Chen, Dixiang; Wan, Chengbiao; Tian, Wugang; Pan, Mengchun

2018-06-01

In order to comprehensively evaluate the thermal barrier coating system of an engine blade, an integrated planar sensor combining electromagnetic coils with planar capacitors is designed, in which the capacitance measurement accuracy of the planar capacitor is a key factor. The micro-capacitance measurement system is built based on an impedance analyzer. Because of the influence of non-ideal factors on the measuring system, there is an obvious difference between the measured value and the actual value. It is necessary to calibrate the measured results and eliminate the difference. In this paper, the measurement model of a planar capacitive sensor is established, and the relationship between the measured value and the actual value of capacitance is deduced. The model parameters are estimated with the least square method, and the calibration accuracy is evaluated with experiments under different dielectric conditions. The capacitance measurement error is reduced from 29% ˜ 46.5% to around 1% after calibration, which verifies the feasibility of the calibration method.

Micromachined low frequency rocking accelerometer with capacitive pickoff

DOEpatents

Lee, Abraham P.; Simon, Jonathon N.; McConaghy, Charles F.

2001-01-01

A micro electro mechanical sensor that uses capacitive readout electronics. The sensor involves a micromachined low frequency rocking accelerometer with capacitive pickoff fabricated by deep reactive ion etching. The accelerometer includes a central silicon proof mass, is suspended by a thin polysilicon tether, and has a moving electrode (capacitor plate or interdigitated fingers) located at each end the proof mass. During movement (acceleration), the tethered mass moves relative to the surrounding packaging, for example, and this defection is measured capacitively by a plate capacitor or interdigitated finger capacitor, having the cooperating fixed electrode (capacitor plate or interdigitated fingers) positioned on the packaging, for example. The micromachined rocking accelerometer has a low frequency (<500 Hz), high sensitivity (.mu.G), with minimal power usage. The capacitors are connected to a power supply (battery) and to sensor interface electronics, which may include an analog to digital (A/D) converter, logic, RF communication link, antenna, etc. The sensor (accelerometer) may be, for example, packaged along with the interface electronics and a communication system in a 2".times.2".times.2" cube. The proof mass may be asymmetric or symmetric. Additional actuating capacitive plates may be used for feedback control which gives a greater dynamic range.

Distributed Capacitive Sensor for Sample Mass Measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toda, Risaku; McKinney, Colin; Jackson, Shannon P.; Mojarradi, Mohammad; Manohara, Harish; Trebi-Ollennu, Ashitey

2011-01-01

Previous robotic sample return missions lacked in situ sample verification/ quantity measurement instruments. Therefore, the outcome of the mission remained unclear until spacecraft return. In situ sample verification systems such as this Distributed Capacitive (DisC) sensor would enable an unmanned spacecraft system to re-attempt the sample acquisition procedures until the capture of desired sample quantity is positively confirmed, thereby maximizing the prospect for scientific reward. The DisC device contains a 10-cm-diameter pressure-sensitive elastic membrane placed at the bottom of a sample canister. The membrane deforms under the weight of accumulating planetary sample. The membrane is positioned in close proximity to an opposing rigid substrate with a narrow gap. The deformation of the membrane makes the gap narrower, resulting in increased capacitance between the two parallel plates (elastic membrane and rigid substrate). C-V conversion circuits on a nearby PCB (printed circuit board) provide capacitance readout via LVDS (low-voltage differential signaling) interface. The capacitance method was chosen over other potential approaches such as the piezoelectric method because of its inherent temperature stability advantage. A reference capacitor and temperature sensor are embedded in the system to compensate for temperature effects. The pressure-sensitive membranes are aluminum 6061, stainless steel (SUS) 403, and metal-coated polyimide plates. The thicknesses of these membranes range from 250 to 500 m. The rigid substrate is made with a 1- to 2-mm-thick wafer of one of the following materials depending on the application requirements glass, silicon, polyimide, PCB substrate. The glass substrate is fabricated by a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication approach. Several concentric electrode patterns are printed on the substrate. The initial gap between the two plates, 100 m, is defined by a silicon spacer ring that is anodically bonded to the glass

Effect of Plasma Membrane Semipermeability in Making the Membrane Electric Double Layer Capacitances Significant.

PubMed

Sinha, Shayandev; Sachar, Harnoor Singh; Das, Siddhartha

2018-01-30

Electric double layers (or EDLs) formed at the membrane-electrolyte interface (MEI) and membrane-cytosol interface (MCI) of a charged lipid bilayer plasma membrane develop finitely large capacitances. However, these EDL capacitances are often much larger than the intrinsic capacitance of the membrane, and all of these capacitances are in series. Consequently, the effect of these EDL capacitances in dictating the overall membrane-EDL effective capacitance C eff becomes negligible. In this paper, we challenge this conventional notion pertaining to the membrane-EDL capacitances. We demonstrate that, on the basis of the system parameters, the EDL capacitance for both the permeable and semipermeable membranes can be small enough to influence C eff . For the semipermeable membranes, however, this lowering of the EDL capacitance can be much larger, ensuring a reduction of C eff by more than 20-25%. Furthermore, for the semipermeable membranes, the reduction in C eff is witnessed over a much larger range of system parameters. We attribute such an occurrence to the highly nonintuitive electrostatic potential distribution associated with the recently discovered phenomena of charge-inversion-like electrostatics and the attainment of a positive zeta potential at the MCI for charged semipermeable membranes. We anticipate that our findings will impact the quantification and the identification of a large number of biophysical phenomena that are probed by measuring the plasma membrane capacitance.

Density Functional Theory Calculations of the Quantum Capacitance of Graphene Oxide as a Supercapacitor Electrode.

PubMed

Song, Ce; Wang, Jinyan; Meng, Zhaoliang; Hu, Fangyuan; Jian, Xigao

2018-03-31

Graphene oxide has become an attractive electrode-material candidate for supercapacitors thanks to its higher specific capacitance compared to graphene. The quantum capacitance makes relative contributions to the specific capacitance, which is considered as the major limitation of graphene electrodes, while the quantum capacitance of graphene oxide is rarely concerned. This study explores the quantum capacitance of graphene oxide, which bears epoxy and hydroxyl groups on its basal plane, by employing density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The results demonstrate that the total density of states near the Fermi level is significantly enhanced by introducing oxygen-containing groups, which is beneficial for the improvement of the quantum capacitance. Moreover, the quantum capacitances of the graphene oxide with different concentrations of these two oxygen-containing groups are compared, revealing that more epoxy and hydroxyl groups result in a higher quantum capacitance. Notably, the hydroxyl concentration has a considerable effect on the capacitive behavior. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Energy relaxation mechanisms in capacitively shunted flux qubits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corcoles, Antonio; Rozen, Jim; Rothwell, Mary Beth; Keefe, George; di Vincenzo, David; Ketchen, Mark; Chow, Jerry; Rigetti, Chad; Rohrs, Jack; Borstelmann, Mark; Steffen, Matthias; IBM Quantum Computing Group Team

2011-03-01

Energy losses in superconducting qubits remain a major object of study in the road towards scalable, highly coherent qubit devices. The current understanding of the loss mechanisms in these devices is far from being complete and it is sometimes difficult to experimentally separate the different contributions to decoherence. Here we compare a traditional three Josephson-junction flux qubit to the recently implemented capacitively shunted flux qubit, whose energy decay is thought to be limited by dielectric losses arising from native oxides in the shunting capacitor. Keeping all parameters identical except for the shunting capacitance, we obtain energy relaxation times that are comparable for both types of qubit. This suggests that the energy relaxation time is not limited by junction losses in capacitively shunted flux qubits. We discuss some other possible loss mechanisms present in these devices.

Anomalous high capacitance in a coaxial single nanowire capacitor.

PubMed

Liu, Zheng; Zhan, Yongjie; Shi, Gang; Moldovan, Simona; Gharbi, Mohamed; Song, Li; Ma, Lulu; Gao, Wei; Huang, Jiaqi; Vajtai, Robert; Banhart, Florian; Sharma, Pradeep; Lou, Jun; Ajayan, Pulickel M

2012-06-06

Building entire multiple-component devices on single nanowires is a promising strategy for miniaturizing electronic applications. Here we demonstrate a single nanowire capacitor with a coaxial asymmetric Cu-Cu(2)O-C structure, fabricated using a two-step chemical reaction and vapour deposition method. The capacitance measured from a single nanowire device corresponds to ~140 μF cm(-2), exceeding previous reported values for metal-insulator-metal micro-capacitors and is more than one order of magnitude higher than what is predicted by classical electrostatics. Quantum mechanical calculations indicate that this unusually high capacitance may be attributed to a negative quantum capacitance of the dielectric-metal interface, enhanced significantly at the nanoscale.

Capacitance-digital and impedance converter as electrical tomography measurement system for biological tissue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikhsanti, Mila Izzatul; Bouzida, Rana; Wijaya, Sastra Kusuma; Rohmadi, Muttakin, Imamul; Taruno, Warsito P.

2017-02-01

This research aims to explore the feasibility of capacitance-digital converter and impedance converter for measurement module in electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) system. ECT sensor used was a cylindrical sensor having 8 electrodes. Absolute capacitance measurement system based on Sigma Delta Capacitance-to-Digital-Converter AD7746 has been shown to produce measurement with high resolution. Whereas, capacitance measurement with wide range of frequency is possible using Impedance Converter AD5933. Comparison of measurement accuracy by both AD7746 and AD5933 with reference of LCR meter was evaluated. Biological matters represented in water and oil were treated as object reconstructed into image using linear back projection (LBP) algorithm.

Ramp-integration technique for capacitance-type blade-tip clearance measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarma, Garimella R.; Barranger, John P.

The analysis of a proposed new technique for capacitance type blade tip clearance measurement is presented. The capacitance between the blade tip and a mounted capacitance electrode within a guard ring forms one of the feedback elements of a high speed operational amplifier. The differential equation governing the operational amplifier circuit is formulated and solved for two types of inputs to the amplifier - a constant voltage and a ramp. The resultant solution shows an output that contains a term that is proportional to the derivative of the product of the input voltage and the time constant of the feedback network. The blade tip clearance capacitance is obtained by subtracting the output of a balancing reference channel followed by integration. The proposed sampled data algorithm corrects for environmental effects and varying rotor speeds on-line, making the system suitable for turbine instrumentation. System requirements, block diagrams, and a typical application are included.

Ramp-integration technique for capacitance-type blade-tip clearance measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarma, G. R.; Barranger, J. P.

1986-05-01

The analysis of a proposed new technique for capacitance type blade tip clearance measurement is presented. The capacitance between the blade tip and a mounted capacitance electrode within a guard ring forms one of the feedback elements of a high speed operational amplifier. The differential equation governing the operational amplifier circuit is formulated and solved for two types of inputs to the amplifier - a constant voltage and a ramp. The resultant solutions shows an output that contains a term that is proportional to the derivative of the product of the input voltage and the time constant of the feedback network. The blade tip clearance capacitance is obtained by subtracting the output of a balancing reference channel followed by integration. The proposed sampled data algorithm corrects the environmental effects and varying rotor speeds on-line, making the system suitable for turbine instrumentation. System requirements, block diagrams, and typical application are included.

Quantum decrease of capacitance in a nanometer-sized tunnel junction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Untiedt, C.; Saenz, G.; Olivera, B.; Corso, M.; Sabater, C.; Pascual, J. I.

2013-03-01

We have studied the capacitance of the tunnel junction defined by the tip and sample of a Scanning Tunnelling Microscope through the measurement of the electrostatic forces and impedance of the junction. A decrease of the capacitance when a tunnel current is present has shown to be a more general phenomenon as previously reported in other systems. On another hand, an unexpected reduction of the capacitance is also observed when increasing the applied voltage above the work function energy of the electrodes to the Field Emission (FE) regime, and the decrease of capacitance due to a single FE-Resonance has been characterized. All these effects should be considered when doing measurements of the electronic characteristics of nanometer-sized electronic devices and have been neglected up to date. Spanish government (FIS2010-21883-C02-01, CONSOLIDER CSD2007-0010), Comunidad Valenciana (ACOMP/2012/127 and PROMETEO/2012/011)

Ramp-integration technique for capacitance-type blade-tip clearance measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarma, Garimella R.; Barranger, John P.

1986-01-01

The analysis of a proposed new technique for capacitance type blade tip clearance measurement is presented. The capacitance between the blade tip and a mounted capacitance electrode within a guard ring forms one of the feedback elements of a high speed operational amplifier. The differential equation governing the operational amplifier circuit is formulated and solved for two types of inputs to the amplifier - a constant voltage and a ramp. The resultant solution shows an output that contains a term that is proportional to the derivative of the product of the input voltage and the time constant of the feedback network. The blade tip clearance capacitance is obtained by subtracting the output of a balancing reference channel followed by integration. The proposed sampled data algorithm corrects for environmental effects and varying rotor speeds on-line, making the system suitable for turbine instrumentation. System requirements, block diagrams, and a typical application are included.

Ramp-integration technique for capacitance-type blade-tip clearance measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarma, G. R.; Barranger, J. P.

1986-01-01

The analysis of a proposed new technique for capacitance type blade tip clearance measurement is presented. The capacitance between the blade tip and a mounted capacitance electrode within a guard ring forms one of the feedback elements of a high speed operational amplifier. The differential equation governing the operational amplifier circuit is formulated and solved for two types of inputs to the amplifier - a constant voltage and a ramp. The resultant solutions shows an output that contains a term that is proportional to the derivative of the product of the input voltage and the time constant of the feedback network. The blade tip clearance capacitance is obtained by subtracting the output of a balancing reference channel followed by integration. The proposed sampled data algorithm corrects the environmental effects and varying rotor speeds on-line, making the system suitable for turbine instrumentation. System requirements, block diagrams, and typical application are included.

Frequency-Dependent Capacitance of Hydrophobic Membranes Containing Fixed Negative Charges

PubMed Central

Ilani, Asher

1968-01-01

Filters containing fixed negative charges were saturated with hydrophobic solvent and interposed between aqueous solutions. The capacitance of such membranes was measured in the frequency range of 0.05-30 kc. The capacitance increased with decrease in frequency. The frequency dependence of the capacitance was sensitive to nature of the cation present and to salt concentration in the aqueous solution. It is suggested that variation of membrane resistivity in the space charge region of the membrane is responsible for this phenomenon. Possible effects of the potential and counterion concentration profiles at the membrane-water interface are discussed. PMID:5699796

Enhanced Capacitance of Hybrid Layered Graphene/Nickel Nanocomposite for Supercapacitors

PubMed Central

Mohd Zaid, Norsaadatul Akmal; Idris, Nurul Hayati

2016-01-01

In this work, Ni nanoparticles were directly decorated on graphene (G) nanosheets via mechanical ball milling. Based on transmission electron microscopy observations, the Ni nanoparticles were well dispersed and attached to the G nanosheet without any agglomerations. Electrochemical results showed that the capacitance of a G/Ni nanocomposite was 275 F g−1 at a current density of 2 A g−1, which is higher than the capacitance of bare G (145 F g−1) and bare Ni (3 F g−1). The G/Ni electrode also showed superior performance at a high current density, exhibiting a capacitance of 190 F g−1 at a current density of 5 A g−1 and a capacitance of 144 F g−1 at a current density of 10 A g−1. The equivalent series resistance for G/Ni nanocomposites also decreased. The enhanced performance of this hybrid supercapacitor is best described by the synergistic effect, i.e. dual charge-storage mechanism, which is demonstrated by electrical double layer and pseudocapacitance materials. Moreover, a high specific surface area and electrical conductivity of the materials enhanced the capacitance. These results indicate that the G/Ni nanocomposite is a potential supercapacitor. PMID:27553290

Enhanced Capacitance of Hybrid Layered Graphene/Nickel Nanocomposite for Supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohd Zaid, Norsaadatul Akmal; Idris, Nurul Hayati

2016-08-01

In this work, Ni nanoparticles were directly decorated on graphene (G) nanosheets via mechanical ball milling. Based on transmission electron microscopy observations, the Ni nanoparticles were well dispersed and attached to the G nanosheet without any agglomerations. Electrochemical results showed that the capacitance of a G/Ni nanocomposite was 275 F g-1 at a current density of 2 A g-1, which is higher than the capacitance of bare G (145 F g-1) and bare Ni (3 F g-1). The G/Ni electrode also showed superior performance at a high current density, exhibiting a capacitance of 190 F g-1 at a current density of 5 A g-1 and a capacitance of 144 F g-1 at a current density of 10 A g-1. The equivalent series resistance for G/Ni nanocomposites also decreased. The enhanced performance of this hybrid supercapacitor is best described by the synergistic effect, i.e. dual charge-storage mechanism, which is demonstrated by electrical double layer and pseudocapacitance materials. Moreover, a high specific surface area and electrical conductivity of the materials enhanced the capacitance. These results indicate that the G/Ni nanocomposite is a potential supercapacitor.

Enhanced Capacitance of Hybrid Layered Graphene/Nickel Nanocomposite for Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Mohd Zaid, Norsaadatul Akmal; Idris, Nurul Hayati

2016-08-24

In this work, Ni nanoparticles were directly decorated on graphene (G) nanosheets via mechanical ball milling. Based on transmission electron microscopy observations, the Ni nanoparticles were well dispersed and attached to the G nanosheet without any agglomerations. Electrochemical results showed that the capacitance of a G/Ni nanocomposite was 275 F g(-1) at a current density of 2 A g(-1), which is higher than the capacitance of bare G (145 F g(-1)) and bare Ni (3 F g(-1)). The G/Ni electrode also showed superior performance at a high current density, exhibiting a capacitance of 190 F g(-1) at a current density of 5 A g(-1) and a capacitance of 144 F g(-1) at a current density of 10 A g(-1). The equivalent series resistance for G/Ni nanocomposites also decreased. The enhanced performance of this hybrid supercapacitor is best described by the synergistic effect, i.e. dual charge-storage mechanism, which is demonstrated by electrical double layer and pseudocapacitance materials. Moreover, a high specific surface area and electrical conductivity of the materials enhanced the capacitance. These results indicate that the G/Ni nanocomposite is a potential supercapacitor.

A numerical method for measuring capacitive soft sensors through one channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tairych, Andreas; Anderson, Iain A.

2018-03-01

Soft capacitive stretch sensors are well suited for unobtrusive wearable body motion capture. Conventional sensing methods measure sensor capacitances through separate channels. In sensing garments with many sensors, this results in high wiring complexity, and a large footprint of rigid sensing circuit boards. We have developed a more efficient sensing method that detects multiple sensors through only one channel, and one set of wires. It is based on a R-C transmission line assembled from capacitive conductive fabric stretch sensors, and external resistors. The unknown capacitances are identified by solving a system of nonlinear equations. These equations are established by modelling and continuously measuring transmission line reactances at different frequencies. Solving these equations numerically with a Newton-Raphson solver for the unknown capacitances enables real time reading of all sensors. The method was verified with a prototype comprising three sensors that is capable of detecting both individually and simultaneously stretched sensors. Instead of using three channels and six wires to detect the sensors, the task was achieved with only one channel and two wires.

Capacitive Behavior of Single Gallium Oxide Nanobelt

PubMed Central

Cai, Haitao; Liu, Hang; Zhu, Huichao; Shao, Pai; Hou, Changmin

2015-01-01

In this research, monocrystalline gallium oxide (Ga2O3) nanobelts were synthesized through oxidation of metal gallium at high temperature. An electronic device, based on an individual Ga2O3 nanobelt on Pt interdigital electrodes (IDEs), was fabricated to investigate the electrical characteristics of the Ga2O3 nanobelt in a dry atmosphere at room temperature. The current-voltage (I-V) and I/V-t characteristics show the capacitive behavior of the Ga2O3 nanobelt, indicating the existence of capacitive elements in the Pt/Ga2O3/Pt structure. PMID:28793506

A system for measuring thermal activation energy levels in silicon by thermally stimulated capacitance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cockrum, R. H.

1982-01-01

One method being used to determine energy level(s) and electrical activity of impurities in silicon is described. The method is called capacitance transient spectroscopy (CTS). It can be classified into three basic categories: the thermally stimulated capacitance method, the voltage-stimulated capacitance method, and the light-stimulated capacitance method; the first two categories are discussed. From the total change in capacitance and the time constant of the capacitance response, emission rates, energy levels, and trap concentrations can be determined. A major advantage of using CTS is its ability to detect the presence of electrically active impurities that are invisible to other techniques, such as Zeeman effect atomic absorption, and the ability to detect more than one electrically active impurity in a sample. Examples of detection of majority and minority carrier traps from gold donor and acceptor centers in silicon using the capacitance transient spectrometer are given to illustrate the method and its sensitivity.

Contamination of current-clamp measurement of neuron capacitance by voltage-dependent phenomena

PubMed Central

White, William E.

2013-01-01

Measuring neuron capacitance is important for morphological description, conductance characterization, and neuron modeling. One method to estimate capacitance is to inject current pulses into a neuron and fit the resulting changes in membrane potential with multiple exponentials; if the neuron is purely passive, the amplitude and time constant of the slowest exponential give neuron capacitance (Major G, Evans JD, Jack JJ. Biophys J 65: 423–449, 1993). Golowasch et al. (Golowasch J, Thomas G, Taylor AL, Patel A, Pineda A, Khalil C, Nadim F. J Neurophysiol 102: 2161–2175, 2009) have shown that this is the best method for measuring the capacitance of nonisopotential (i.e., most) neurons. However, prior work has not tested for, or examined how much error would be introduced by, slow voltage-dependent phenomena possibly present at the membrane potentials typically used in such work. We investigated this issue in lobster (Panulirus interruptus) stomatogastric neurons by performing current clamp-based capacitance measurements at multiple membrane potentials. A slow, voltage-dependent phenomenon consistent with residual voltage-dependent conductances was present at all tested membrane potentials (−95 to −35 mV). This phenomenon was the slowest component of the neuron's voltage response, and failure to recognize and exclude it would lead to capacitance overestimates of several hundredfold. Most methods of estimating capacitance depend on the absence of voltage-dependent phenomena. Our demonstration that such phenomena make nonnegligible contributions to neuron responses even at well-hyperpolarized membrane potentials highlights the critical importance of checking for such phenomena in all work measuring neuron capacitance. We show here how to identify such phenomena and minimize their contaminating influence. PMID:23576698

Lightweight linear alternators with and without capacitive tuning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niedra, Janis M.

1993-06-01

Permanent magnet excited linear alternators rated tens of kW and coupled to free-piston Stirling engines are presently viewed as promising candidates for long term generation of electric power in both space and terrestrial applications. Series capacitive cancellation of the internal inductive reactance of such alternators was considered a viable way to both increase power extraction and to suppress unstable modes of the thermodynamic oscillation. Idealized toroidal and cylindrical alternator geometries are used for a comparative study of the issues of specific mass and capacitive tuning, subject to stability criteria. The analysis shows that the stator mass of an alternator designed to be capacitively tuned is always greater than the minimum achievable stator mass of an alternator designed with no capacitors, assuming equal utilization of materials ratings and the same frequency and power to a resistive load. This conclusion is not substantially altered when the usually lesser masses of the magnets and of any capacitors are added. Within the reported stability requirements and under circumstances of normal materials ratings, this study finds no clear advantage to capacitive tuning. Comparative plots of the various constituent masses are presented versus the internal power factor taken as a design degree of freedom. The explicit formulas developed for stator core, coil, capacitor, and magnet masses and for the degree of magnet utilization provide useful estimates of scaling effects.

Lightweight linear alternators with and without capacitive tuning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Niedra, Janis M.

1993-01-01

Permanent magnet excited linear alternators rated tens of kW and coupled to free-piston Stirling engines are presently viewed as promising candidates for long term generation of electric power in both space and terrestrial applications. Series capacitive cancellation of the internal inductive reactance of such alternators was considered a viable way to both increase power extraction and to suppress unstable modes of the thermodynamic oscillation. Idealized toroidal and cylindrical alternator geometries are used for a comparative study of the issues of specific mass and capacitive tuning, subject to stability criteria. The analysis shows that the stator mass of an alternator designed to be capacitively tuned is always greater than the minimum achievable stator mass of an alternator designed with no capacitors, assuming equal utilization of materials ratings and the same frequency and power to a resistive load. This conclusion is not substantially altered when the usually lesser masses of the magnets and of any capacitors are added. Within the reported stability requirements and under circumstances of normal materials ratings, this study finds no clear advantage to capacitive tuning. Comparative plots of the various constituent masses are presented versus the internal power factor taken as a design degree of freedom. The explicit formulas developed for stator core, coil, capacitor, and magnet masses and for the degree of magnet utilization provide useful estimates of scaling effects.

Negative Capacitance in BaTiO3/BiFeO3 Bilayer Capacitors.

PubMed

Hou, Ya-Fei; Li, Wei-Li; Zhang, Tian-Dong; Yu, Yang; Han, Ren-Lu; Fei, Wei-Dong

2016-08-31

Negative capacitances provide an approach to reduce heat generations in field-effect transistors during the switch processes, which contributes to further miniaturization of the conventional integrated circuits. Although there are many studies about negative capacitances using ferroelectric materials, the direct observation of stable ferroelectric negative capacitances has rarely been reported. Here, we put forward a dc bias assistant model in bilayer capacitors, where one ferroelectric layer with large dielectric constant and the other ferroelectric layer with small dielectric constant are needed. Negative capacitances can be obtained when external dc bias electric fields are larger than a critical value. Based on the model, BaTiO3/BiFeO3 bilayer capacitors are chosen as study objects, and negative capacitances are observed directly. Additionally, the upward self-polarization effect in the ferroelectric layer reduces the critical electric field, which may provide a method for realizing zero and/or small dc bias assistant negative capacitances.

Flexible capacitive behavior of hybrid carbon materials prepared from graphene sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Y.-H.; Xie, W.; Zhang, P.; Jiang, Y.

2016-06-01

High frequency ultrasonication was employed to reduce the aggregation of graphene by constructing hybrid carbon materials (HCMs), which are endowed with a large electrochemical reaction area and high energy density. HCMs exhibited a specific capacitance of 168.5 F · g-1 with ˜100% capacitance retention over 500 cycles. Flexible supercapacitors fabricated from HCMs also showed an excellent capacitive behavior even under tough conditions. These outstanding electrochemical properties were ascribed to the increased specific surface area and open structure of HCMs.

ANSYS simulation of the capacitance coupling of quartz tuning fork gyroscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qing; Feng, Lihui; Zhao, Ke; Cui, Fang; Sun, Yu-nan

2013-12-01

Coupling error is one of the main error sources of the quartz tuning fork gyroscope. The mechanism of capacitance coupling error is analyzed in this article. Finite Element Method (FEM) is used to simulate the structure of the quartz tuning fork by ANSYS software. The voltage output induced by the capacitance coupling is simulated with the harmonic analysis and characteristics of electrical and mechanical parameters influenced by the capacitance coupling between drive electrodes and sense electrodes are discussed with the transient analysis.

Negative quantum capacitance induced by midgap states in single-layer graphene.

PubMed

Wang, Lin; Wang, Yang; Chen, Xiaolong; Zhu, Wei; Zhu, Chao; Wu, Zefei; Han, Yu; Zhang, Mingwei; Li, Wei; He, Yuheng; Xiong, Wei; Law, Kam Tuen; Su, Dangsheng; Wang, Ning

2013-01-01

We demonstrate that single-layer graphene (SLG) decorated with a high density of Ag adatoms displays the unconventional phenomenon of negative quantum capacitance. The Ag adatoms act as resonant impurities and form nearly dispersionless resonant impurity bands near the charge neutrality point (CNP). Resonant impurities quench the kinetic energy and drive the electrons to the Coulomb energy dominated regime with negative compressibility. In the absence of a magnetic field, negative quantum capacitance is observed near the CNP. In the quantum Hall regime, negative quantum capacitance behavior at several Landau level positions is displayed, which is associated with the quenching of kinetic energy by the formation of Landau levels. The negative quantum capacitance effect near the CNP is further enhanced in the presence of Landau levels due to the magnetic-field-enhanced Coulomb interactions.

Negative Quantum Capacitance Induced by Midgap States in Single-layer Graphene

PubMed Central

Wang, Lin; Wang, Yang; Chen, Xiaolong; Zhu, Wei; Zhu, Chao; Wu, Zefei; Han, Yu; Zhang, Mingwei; Li, Wei; He, Yuheng; Xiong, Wei; Law, Kam Tuen; Su, Dangsheng; Wang, Ning

2013-01-01

We demonstrate that single-layer graphene (SLG) decorated with a high density of Ag adatoms displays the unconventional phenomenon of negative quantum capacitance. The Ag adatoms act as resonant impurities and form nearly dispersionless resonant impurity bands near the charge neutrality point (CNP). Resonant impurities quench the kinetic energy and drive the electrons to the Coulomb energy dominated regime with negative compressibility. In the absence of a magnetic field, negative quantum capacitance is observed near the CNP. In the quantum Hall regime, negative quantum capacitance behavior at several Landau level positions is displayed, which is associated with the quenching of kinetic energy by the formation of Landau levels. The negative quantum capacitance effect near the CNP is further enhanced in the presence of Landau levels due to the magnetic-field-enhanced Coulomb interactions. PMID:23784258

Development of a Capacitive Ice Sensor to Measure Ice Growth in Real Time

PubMed Central

Zhi, Xiang; Cho, Hyo Chang; Wang, Bo; Ahn, Cheol Hee; Moon, Hyeong Soon; Go, Jeung Sang

2015-01-01

This paper presents the development of the capacitive sensor to measure the growth of ice on a fuel pipe surface in real time. The ice sensor consists of pairs of electrodes to detect the change in capacitance and a thermocouple temperature sensor to examine the ice formation situation. In addition, an environmental chamber was specially designed to control the humidity and temperature to simulate the ice formation conditions. From the humidity, a water film is formed on the ice sensor, which results in an increase in capacitance. Ice nucleation occurs, followed by the rapid formation of frost ice that decreases the capacitance suddenly. The capacitance is saturated. The developed ice sensor explains the ice growth providing information about the icing temperature in real time. PMID:25808770

Development of a capacitive ice sensor to measure ice growth in real time.

PubMed

Zhi, Xiang; Cho, Hyo Chang; Wang, Bo; Ahn, Cheol Hee; Moon, Hyeong Soon; Go, Jeung Sang

2015-03-19

This paper presents the development of the capacitive sensor to measure the growth of ice on a fuel pipe surface in real time. The ice sensor consists of pairs of electrodes to detect the change in capacitance and a thermocouple temperature sensor to examine the ice formation situation. In addition, an environmental chamber was specially designed to control the humidity and temperature to simulate the ice formation conditions. From the humidity, a water film is formed on the ice sensor, which results in an increase in capacitance. Ice nucleation occurs, followed by the rapid formation of frost ice that decreases the capacitance suddenly. The capacitance is saturated. The developed ice sensor explains the ice growth providing information about the icing temperature in real time.

Inhibition of capacitation-associated tyrosine phosphorylation signaling in rat sperm by epididymal protein Crisp-1.

PubMed

Roberts, Kenneth P; Wamstad, Joseph A; Ensrud, Kathy M; Hamilton, David W

2003-08-01

Ejaculated sperm are unable to fertilize an egg until they undergo capacitation. Capacitation results in the acquisition of hyperactivated motility, changes in the properties of the plasma membrane, including changes in proteins and glycoproteins, and acquisition of the ability to undergo the acrosome reaction. In all mammalian species examined, capacitation requires removal of cholesterol from the plasma membrane and the presence of extracellular Ca2+ and HCO3-. We designed experiments to elucidate the conditions required for in vitro capacitation of rat spermatozoa and the effects of Crisp-1, an epididymal secretory protein, on capacitation. Protein tyrosine phosphorylation, a hallmark of capacitation in sperm of other species, occurs during 5 h of in vitro incubation, and this phosphorylation is dependent upon HCO3-, Ca2+, and the removal of cholesterol from the membrane. Crisp-1, which is added to the sperm surface in the epididymis in vivo, is lost during capacitation, and addition of exogenous Crisp-1 to the incubation medium inhibits tyrosine phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner, thus inhibiting capacitation and ultimately the acrosome reaction. Inhibition of capacitation by Crisp-1 occurs upstream of the production of cAMP by the sperm.

Capacitive touch sensing : signal and image processing algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baharav, Zachi; Kakarala, Ramakrishna

2011-03-01

Capacitive touch sensors have been in use for many years, and recently gained center stage with the ubiquitous use in smart-phones. In this work we will analyze the most common method of projected capacitive sensing, that of absolute capacitive sensing, together with the most common sensing pattern, that of diamond-shaped sensors. After a brief introduction to the problem, and the reasons behind its popularity, we will formulate the problem as a reconstruction from projections. We derive analytic solutions for two simple cases: circular finger on a wire grid, and square finger on a square grid. The solutions give insight into the ambiguities of finding finger location from sensor readings. The main contribution of our paper is the discussion of interpolation algorithms including simple linear interpolation , curve fitting (parabolic and Gaussian), filtering, general look-up-table, and combinations thereof. We conclude with observations on the limits of the present algorithmic methods, and point to possible future research.

CMOS capacitive biosensors for highly sensitive biosensing applications.

PubMed

Chang, An-Yu; Lu, Michael S-C

2013-01-01

Magnetic microbeads are widely used in biotechnology and biomedical research for manipulation and detection of cells and biomolecules. Most lab-on-chip systems capable of performing manipulation and detection require external instruments to perform one of the functions, leading to increased size and cost. This work aims at developing an integrated platform to perform these two functions by implementing electromagnetic microcoils and capacitive biosensors on a CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) chip. Compared to most magnetic-type sensors, our detection method requires no externally applied magnetic fields and the associated fabrication is less complicated. In our experiment, microbeads coated with streptavidin were driven to the sensors located in the center of microcoils with functionalized anti-streptavidin antibody. Detection of a single microbead was successfully demonstrated using a capacitance-to-frequency readout. The average capacitance changes for the experimental and control groups were -5.3 fF and -0.2 fF, respectively.

Micromachined capacitive ultrasonic immersion transducer array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Xuecheng

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (cMUTs) have emerged as an attractive alternative to conventional piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers. They offer performance advantages of wide bandwidth and sensitivity that have heretofore been attainable. In addition, micromachining technology, which has benefited from the fast-growing microelectronics industry, enables cMUT array fabrication and electronics integration. This thesis describes the design and fabrication of micromachined capacitive ultrasonic immersion transducer arrays. The basic transducer electrical equivalent circuit is derived from Mason's theory. The effects of Lamb waves and Stoneley waves on cross coupling and acoustic losses are discussed. Electrical parasitics such as series resistance and shunt capacitance are also included in the model of the transducer. Transducer fabrication technology is systematically studied. Device dimension control in both vertical and horizontal directions, process alternatives and variations in membrane formation, via etch and cavity sealing, and metalization as well as their impact on transducer performance are summarized. Both 64 and 128 element 1-D array transducers are fabricated. Transducers are characterized in terms of electrical input impedance, bandwidth, sensitivity, dynamic range, impulse response and angular response, and their performance is compared with theoretical simulation. Various schemes for cross coupling reduction is analyzed, implemented, and verified with both experiments and theory. Preliminary results of immersion imaging are presented using 64 elements 1-D array transducers for active source imaging.

Electrical capacitance volume tomography of high contrast dielectrics using a cuboid geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurge, Mark A.

An Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography system has been created for use with a new image reconstruction algorithm capable of imaging high contrast dielectric distributions. The electrode geometry consists of two 4 x 4 parallel planes of copper conductors connected through custom built switch electronics to a commercially available capacitance to digital converter. Typical electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) systems rely solely on mutual capacitance readings to reconstruct images of dielectric distributions. This dissertation presents a method of reconstructing images of high contrast dielectric materials using only the self capacitance measurements. By constraining the unknown dielectric material to one of two values, the inverse problem is no longer ill-determined. Resolution becomes limited only by the accuracy and resolution of the measurement circuitry. Images were reconstructed using this method with both synthetic and real data acquired using an aluminum structure inserted at different positions within the sensing region. Comparisons with standard two dimensional ECT systems highlight the capabilities and limitations of the electronics and reconstruction algorithm.

Nonlinear dynamics of capacitive charging and desalination by porous electrodes.

PubMed

Biesheuvel, P M; Bazant, M Z

2010-03-01

The rapid and efficient exchange of ions between porous electrodes and aqueous solutions is important in many applications, such as electrical energy storage by supercapacitors, water desalination and purification by capacitive deionization, and capacitive extraction of renewable energy from a salinity difference. Here, we present a unified mean-field theory for capacitive charging and desalination by ideally polarizable porous electrodes (without Faradaic reactions or specific adsorption of ions) valid in the limit of thin double layers (compared to typical pore dimensions). We illustrate the theory for the case of a dilute, symmetric, binary electrolyte using the Gouy-Chapman-Stern (GCS) model of the double layer, for which simple formulae are available for salt adsorption and capacitive charging of the diffuse part of the double layer. We solve the full GCS mean-field theory numerically for realistic parameters in capacitive deionization, and we derive reduced models for two limiting regimes with different time scales: (i) in the "supercapacitor regime" of small voltages and/or early times, the porous electrode acts like a transmission line, governed by a linear diffusion equation for the electrostatic potential, scaled to the RC time of a single pore, and (ii) in the "desalination regime" of large voltages and long times, the porous electrode slowly absorbs counterions, governed by coupled, nonlinear diffusion equations for the pore-averaged potential and salt concentration.

Nonlinear dynamics of capacitive charging and desalination by porous electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biesheuvel, P. M.; Bazant, M. Z.

2010-03-01

The rapid and efficient exchange of ions between porous electrodes and aqueous solutions is important in many applications, such as electrical energy storage by supercapacitors, water desalination and purification by capacitive deionization, and capacitive extraction of renewable energy from a salinity difference. Here, we present a unified mean-field theory for capacitive charging and desalination by ideally polarizable porous electrodes (without Faradaic reactions or specific adsorption of ions) valid in the limit of thin double layers (compared to typical pore dimensions). We illustrate the theory for the case of a dilute, symmetric, binary electrolyte using the Gouy-Chapman-Stern (GCS) model of the double layer, for which simple formulae are available for salt adsorption and capacitive charging of the diffuse part of the double layer. We solve the full GCS mean-field theory numerically for realistic parameters in capacitive deionization, and we derive reduced models for two limiting regimes with different time scales: (i) in the “supercapacitor regime” of small voltages and/or early times, the porous electrode acts like a transmission line, governed by a linear diffusion equation for the electrostatic potential, scaled to the RC time of a single pore, and (ii) in the “desalination regime” of large voltages and long times, the porous electrode slowly absorbs counterions, governed by coupled, nonlinear diffusion equations for the pore-averaged potential and salt concentration.

Impact de la preparation des anodes crues et des conditions de cuisson sur la fissuration dans des anodes denses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amrani, Salah

La fabrication de l'aluminium est realisee dans une cellule d'electrolyse, et cette operation utilise des anodes en carbone. L'evaluation de la qualite de ces anodes reste indispensable avant leur utilisation. La presence des fissures dans les anodes provoque une perturbation du procede l'electrolyse et une diminution de sa performance. Ce projet a ete entrepris pour determiner l'impact des differents parametres de procedes de fabrication des anodes sur la fissuration des anodes denses. Ces parametres incluent ceux de la fabrication des anodes crues, des proprietes des matieres premieres et de la cuisson. Une recherche bibliographique a ete effectuee sur tous les aspects de la fissuration des anodes en carbone pour compiler les travaux anterieurs. Une methodologie detaillee a ete mise au point pour faciliter le deroulement des travaux et atteindre les objectifs vises. La majorite de ce document est reservee pour la discussion des resultats obtenus au laboratoire de l'UQAC et au niveau industriel. Concernant les etudes realisees a l'UQAC, une partie des travaux experimentaux est reservee a la recherche des differents mecanismes de fissuration dans les anodes denses utilisees dans l'industrie d'aluminium. L'approche etait d'abord basee sur la caracterisation qualitative du mecanisme de la fissuration en surface et en profondeur. Puis, une caracterisation quantitative a ete realisee pour la determination de la distribution de la largeur de la fissure sur toute sa longueur, ainsi que le pourcentage de sa surface par rapport a la surface totale de l'echantillon. Cette etude a ete realisee par le biais de la technique d'analyse d'image utilisee pour caracteriser la fissuration d'un echantillon d'anode cuite. L'analyse surfacique et en profondeur de cet echantillon a permis de voir clairement la formation des fissures sur une grande partie de la surface analysee. L'autre partie des travaux est basee sur la caracterisation des defauts dans des echantillons d'anodes crues

Fully integrated low-noise readout circuit with automatic offset cancellation loop for capacitive microsensors.

PubMed

Song, Haryong; Park, Yunjong; Kim, Hyungseup; Cho, Dong-Il Dan; Ko, Hyoungho

2015-10-14

Capacitive sensing schemes are widely used for various microsensors; however, such microsensors suffer from severe parasitic capacitance problems. This paper presents a fully integrated low-noise readout circuit with automatic offset cancellation loop (AOCL) for capacitive microsensors. The output offsets of the capacitive sensing chain due to the parasitic capacitances and process variations are automatically removed using AOCL. The AOCL generates electrically equivalent offset capacitance and enables charge-domain fine calibration using a 10-bit R-2R digital-to-analog converter, charge-transfer switches, and a charge-storing capacitor. The AOCL cancels the unwanted offset by binary-search algorithm based on 10-bit successive approximation register (SAR) logic. The chip is implemented using 0.18 μm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process with an active area of 1.76 mm². The power consumption is 220 μW with 3.3 V supply. The input parasitic capacitances within the range of -250 fF to 250 fF can be cancelled out automatically, and the required calibration time is lower than 10 ms.

Fully Integrated Low-Noise Readout Circuit with Automatic Offset Cancellation Loop for Capacitive Microsensors

PubMed Central

Song, Haryong; Park, Yunjong; Kim, Hyungseup; Cho, Dong-il Dan; Ko, Hyoungho

2015-01-01

Capacitive sensing schemes are widely used for various microsensors; however, such microsensors suffer from severe parasitic capacitance problems. This paper presents a fully integrated low-noise readout circuit with automatic offset cancellation loop (AOCL) for capacitive microsensors. The output offsets of the capacitive sensing chain due to the parasitic capacitances and process variations are automatically removed using AOCL. The AOCL generates electrically equivalent offset capacitance and enables charge-domain fine calibration using a 10-bit R-2R digital-to-analog converter, charge-transfer switches, and a charge-storing capacitor. The AOCL cancels the unwanted offset by binary-search algorithm based on 10-bit successive approximation register (SAR) logic. The chip is implemented using 0.18 μm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process with an active area of 1.76 mm2. The power consumption is 220 μW with 3.3 V supply. The input parasitic capacitances within the range of −250 fF to 250 fF can be cancelled out automatically, and the required calibration time is lower than 10 ms. PMID:26473877

Large Capacitance Measurement by Multiple Uses of MBL Charge Sensor

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jung Sook; Chae, Min; Kim, Jung Bog

2010-01-01

A recent article by Morse described interesting electrostatics experiments using an MBL charge sensor. In this application, the charge sensor has a large capacitance compared to the charged test object, so nearly all charges can be transferred to the sensor capacitor from the capacitor to be measured. However, the typical capacitance of commercial…

Biochemical capacitance of Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms.

PubMed

Bueno, Paulo R; Schrott, Germán D; Bonanni, Pablo S; Simison, Silvia N; Busalmen, Juan P

2015-08-10

An electrical model able to decouple the electron pathway from microbial cell machinery impedance terms is introduced. In this context, capacitance characteristics of the biofilm are clearly resolved. In other words, the model allows separating, according to the advantage of frequency and spectroscopic response approach, the different terms controlling the performance of the microbial biofilm respiratory process and thus the directly related electricity production process. The model can be accurately fitted to voltammetry measurements obtained under steady-state conditions and also to biofilm discharge amperometric measurements. The implications of biological aspects of the electrochemical or redox capacitance are discussed theoretically in the context of current knowledge with regard to structure and physiological activity of microbial Geobacter biofilms. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Capacitors and Resistance-Capacitance Networks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balabanian, Norman; Root, Augustin A.

This programed textbook was developed under a contract with the United States Office of Education as Number 5 in a series of materials for use in an electrical engineering sequence. It is divided into three parts--(1) capacitors, (2) voltage-current relationships, and (3) simple resistance-capacitance networks. (DH)

Capacitive label reader

DOEpatents

Arlowe, H. Duane

1985-01-01

A capacitive label reader includes an outer ring transmitting portion, an inner ring transmitting portion, and a plurality of insulated receiving portions. A label is the mirror-image of the reader except that identifying portions corresponding to the receiving portions are insulated from only one of two coupling elements. Positive and negative pulses applied, respectively, to the two transmitting rings biased a CMOS shift register positively to either a 1 or 0 condition. The output of the CMOS may be read as an indication of the label.

Capacitive label reader

DOEpatents

Arlowe, H.D.

1983-07-15

A capacitive label reader includes an outer ring transmitting portion, an inner ring transmitting portion, and a plurality of insulated receiving portions. A label is the mirror-image of the reader except that identifying portions corresponding to the receiving portions are insulated from only one of two coupling elements. Positive and negative pulses applied, respectively, to the two transmitting rings biased a CMOS shift register positively to either a 1 or 0 condition. The output of the CMOS may be read as an indication of the label.

Conductive polymer foam surface improves the performance of a capacitive EEG electrode.

PubMed

Baek, Hyun Jae; Lee, Hong Ji; Lim, Yong Gyu; Park, Kwang Suk

2012-12-01

In this paper, a new conductive polymer foam-surfaced electrode was proposed for use as a capacitive EEG electrode for nonintrusive EEG measurements in out-of-hospital environments. The current capacitive electrode has a rigid surface that produces an undefined contact area due to its stiffness, which renders it unable to conform to head curvature and locally isolates hairs between the electrode surface and scalp skin, making EEG measurement through hair difficult. In order to overcome this issue, a conductive polymer foam was applied to the capacitive electrode surface to provide a cushioning effect. This enabled EEG measurement through hair without any conductive contact with bare scalp skin. Experimental results showed that the new electrode provided lower electrode-skin impedance and higher voltage gains, signal-to-noise ratios, signal-to-error ratios, and correlation coefficients between EEGs measured by capacitive and conventional resistive methods compared to a conventional capacitive electrode. In addition, the new electrode could measure EEG signals, while the conventional capacitive electrode could not. We expect that the new electrode presented here can be easily installed in a hat or helmet to create a nonintrusive wearable EEG apparatus that does not make users look strange for real-world EEG applications.

Effect of hysteretic and non-hysteretic negative capacitance on tunnel FETs DC performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saeidi, Ali; Jazaeri, Farzan; Stolichnov, Igor; Luong, Gia V.; Zhao, Qing-Tai; Mantl, Siegfried; Ionescu, Adrian M.

2018-03-01

This work experimentally demonstrates that the negative capacitance effect can be used to significantly improve the key figures of merit of tunnel field effect transistor (FET) switches. In the proposed approach, a matching condition is fulfilled between a trained-polycrystalline PZT capacitor and the tunnel FET (TFET) gate capacitance fabricated on a strained silicon-nanowire technology. We report a non-hysteretic switch configuration by combining a homojunction TFET and a negative capacitance effect booster, suitable for logic applications, for which the on-current is increased by a factor of 100, the transconductance by 2 orders of magnitude, and the low swing region is extended. The operation of a hysteretic negative capacitance TFET, when the matching condition for the negative capacitance is fulfilled only in a limited region of operation, is also reported and discussed. In this late case, a limited improvement in the device performance is observed. Overall, the paper demonstrates the main beneficial effects of negative capacitance on TFETs are the overdrive and transconductance amplification, which exactly address the most limiting performances of current TFETs.

Capacitive Cells for Dielectric Constant Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguilar, Horacio Munguía; Maldonado, Rigoberto Franco

2015-01-01

A simple capacitive cell for dielectric constant measurement in liquids is presented. As an illustrative application, the cell is used for measuring the degradation of overheated edible oil through the evaluation of their dielectric constant.

Fiabilité des structures mécaniques adaptatives: effet de la panne des actionneurs ou des capteurs sur la stabilité

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fall, H.; Charon, W.; Kouta, R.

2002-12-01

Ces dernières décennies, des activités significatives dans le monde étaient dirigées autour du contrôle actif. Le but de ces recherches était essentiellement d'améliorer les performances, la fiabilité et la sécurité des systèmes. Notamment dans le cas des structures soumises à des vibrations aléatoires. D'importants travaux ont été consacré à l'utilisation des “matériaux intelligents” comme capteurs et actionneurs. Cette article propose l'analyse de la fiabilité des systèmes mécaniques en étudiant les pannes des actionneurs ou des capteurs. L'effet de ces pannes sur la stabilité et la performance du système y est démontré. Les méthodologies de conception y sont rappelées. Des exemples numériques sont fournis à travers le contrôle d'un panneau sous chargement dynamique pour illustrer la méthode proposée.

Fabrication of a printed capacitive air-gap touch sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sang Hoon; Seo, Hwiwon; Lee, Sangyoon

2018-05-01

Unlike lithography-based processes, printed electronics does not require etching, which makes it difficult to fabricate electronic devices with an air gap. In this study, we propose a method to fabricate capacitive air-gap touch sensors via printing and coating. First, the bottom electrode was fabricated on a flexible poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) substrate using roll-to-roll gravure printing with silver ink. Then poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was spin coated to form a sacrificial layer. The top electrode was fabricated on the sacrificial layer by spin coating with a stretchable silver ink. The sensor samples were then put in a tetrabutylammonium (TBAF) bath to generate the air gap by removing the sacrificial layer. The capacitance of the samples was measured for verification, and the results show that the capacitance increases in proportion to the applied force from 0 to 2.5 N.

On Machine Capacitance Dimensional and Surface Profile Measurement System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Resnick, Ralph

1993-01-01

A program was awarded under the Air Force Machine Tool Sensor Improvements Program Research and Development Announcement to develop and demonstrate the use of a Capacitance Sensor System including Capacitive Non-Contact Analog Probe and a Capacitive Array Dimensional Measurement System to check the dimensions of complex shapes and contours on a machine tool or in an automated inspection cell. The manufacturing of complex shapes and contours and the subsequent verification of those manufactured shapes is fundamental and widespread throughout industry. The critical profile of a gear tooth; the overall shape of a graphite EDM electrode; the contour of a turbine blade in a jet engine; and countless other components in varied applications possess complex shapes that require detailed and complex inspection procedures. Current inspection methods for complex shapes and contours are expensive, time-consuming, and labor intensive.

Effectiveness, active energy produced by molecular motors, and nonlinear capacitance of the cochlear outer hair cell.

PubMed

Spector, Alexander A

2005-06-01

Cochlear outer hair cells are crucial for active hearing. These cells have a unique form of motility, named electromotility, whose main features are the cell's length changes, active force production, and nonlinear capacitance. The molecular motor, prestin, that drives outer hair cell electromotility has recently been identified. We reveal relationships between the active energy produced by the outer hair cell molecular motors, motor effectiveness, and the capacitive properties of the cell membrane. We quantitatively characterize these relationships by introducing three characteristics: effective capacitance, zero-strain capacitance, and zero-resultant capacitance. We show that zero-strain capacitance is smaller than zero-resultant capacitance, and that the effective capacitance is between the two. It was also found that the differences between the introduced capacitive characteristics can be expressed in terms of the active energy produced by the cell's molecular motors. The effectiveness of the cell and its molecular motors is introduced as the ratio of the motors'active energy to the energy of the externally applied electric field. It is shown that the effectiveness is proportional to the difference between zero-strain and zero-resultant capacitance. We analyze the cell and motor's effectiveness within a broad range of cellular parameters and estimate it to be within a range of 12%-30%.

Involvement of a Na+/HCO-3 cotransporter in mouse sperm capacitation.

PubMed

Demarco, Ignacio A; Espinosa, Felipe; Edwards, Jennifer; Sosnik, Julian; De La Vega-Beltran, Jose Luis; Hockensmith, Joel W; Kopf, Gregory S; Darszon, Alberto; Visconti, Pablo E

2003-02-28

Mammalian sperm are incapable of fertilizing eggs immediately after ejaculation; they acquire fertilization capacity after residing in the female tract for a finite period of time. The physiological changes sperm undergo in the female reproductive tract that render sperm able to fertilize constitute the phenomenon of "sperm capacitation." We have demonstrated that capacitation is associated with an increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a subset of proteins and that these events are regulated by an HCO(3)(-)/cAMP-dependent pathway involving protein kinase A. Capacitation is also accompanied by hyperpolarization of the sperm plasma membrane. Here we present evidence that, in addition to its role in the regulation of adenylyl cyclase, HCO(3)(-) has a role in the regulation of plasma membrane potential in mouse sperm. Addition of HCO(3)(-) but not Cl(-) induces a hyperpolarizing current in mouse sperm plasma membranes. This HCO(3)(-)-dependent hyperpolarization was not observed when Na(+) was replaced by the non-permeant cation choline(+). Replacement of Na(+) by choline(+) also inhibited the capacitation-associated increase in protein tyrosine phosphorylation as well as the zona pellucida-induced acrosome reaction. The lack of an increase in protein tyrosine phosphorylation was overcome by the presence of cAMP agonists in the incubation medium. The lack of a hyperpolarizing HCO(3)(-) current and the inhibition of the capacitation-dependent increase in protein tyrosine phosphorylation in the absence of Na(+) suggest that a Na(+)/HCO(3)(-) cotransporter is present in mouse sperm and is coupled to events regulating capacitation.

Capacitive label reader

DOEpatents

Arlowe, H.D.

1985-11-12

A capacitive label reader includes an outer ring transmitting portion, an inner ring transmitting portion, and a plurality of insulated receiving portions. A label is the mirror-image of the reader except that identifying portions corresponding to the receiving portions are insulated from only one of two coupling elements. Positive and negative pulses applied, respectively, to the two transmitting rings biased a CMOS shift register positively to either a 1 or 0 condition. The output of the CMOS may be read as an indication of the label. 5 figs.

Cell-based capacitance sensor for analysis of EGFR expression on cell membrane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Dong-Myeong; Shin, Yong-Cheol; Ha, Ji Hye; Lee, Jong-Ho; Han, Dong-Wook; Kim, Jong-Man; Kim, Hyung Kook; Hwang, Yoon-Hwae

2013-02-01

Cancer cells have many kinds of cancer biomarkers. Among them, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors can show a possibility for a cancer marker because the over-expression of EGF receptor is related with fibrous, colorectal, cervical and gastric tumorigenesis. We fabricated the capacitance sensor with a gap area of 50 μm × 200 μm by using photolithography and lift-off method. Using the capacitance sensor, we investigated the time dependent capacitance changes of different kinds of fibrous cells, such as HT1080 fibrosarcoma, L-929 fibroblast cell line and nHDF dermal fibroblast primary cell. We found that when we put the EGF, the capacitance decreased due to the immobilization of EGF to EGF receptor on the cell membrane. The quantitative determination of EGF receptor level for various fibrous cells was carried out and the results showed good correlation with conventional method. Based on our results, we suggest that the capacitance sensor can measure the expression level of the EGF receptor on cell membrane and be a good candidate as a cancer diagnosis.

Paternité des articles et intérêts concurrents : une analyse des recommandations aux auteurs des journaux traitant de pratique pharmaceutique

PubMed Central

Courbon, Ève; Tanguay, Cynthia; Lebel, Denis; Bussières, Jean-François

2014-01-01

RÉSUMÉ Contexte : La présence d’auteurs honorifiques et fantômes ainsi que les intérêts concurrents représentent des difficultés bien documentées, liées à la publication d’articles scientifiques. Il existe des lignes directrices encadrant la rédaction et la publication de manuscrits scientifiques, notamment celles de l’International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Objectifs : L’objectif principal de cette étude descriptive et transversale visait à recenser les instructions portant sur la paternité des articles et les intérêts concurrents provenant des recommandations aux auteurs des journaux traitant de pratique pharmaceutique. L’objectif secondaire visait à déterminer des mesures correctrices pour une paternité des articles plus transparente. Méthode : La recherche a débuté par l’identification des journaux traitant de pratique pharmaceutique. La consultation des instructions aux auteurs des journaux a permis ensuite de recenser les recommandations destinées à éviter les problèmes de paternité des articles et d’intérêts concurrents. Finalement, les membres de l’équipe de recherche se sont consultés afin de définir des mesures correctrices possibles à l’intention des chercheurs. Résultats : Des 232 journaux traitant de pharmacie, 33 ont été définis comme traitant de pratique pharmaceutique. Un total de 24 (73 %) journaux mentionnaient suivre la politique de l’ICMJE, 14 (42 %) demandaient aux auteurs de remplir un formulaire de déclaration d’intérêts concurrents au moment de la soumission de l’article, 17 (52 %) présentaient une définition de la qualité d’auteur et 5 (15 %) demandaient de détailler les contributions de chaque auteur. Une grille de 40 critères a été élaborée pour définir l’attribution du statut d’auteur. Conclusion : Moins de la moitié des journaux demandait aux auteurs de transmettre un formulaire de déclaration des intérêts concurrents au moment de la

Double-driven shield capacitive type proximity sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vranish, John M. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A capacity type proximity sensor comprised of a capacitance type sensor, a capacitance type reference, and two independent and mutually opposing driven shields respectively adjacent to the sensor and reference and which are coupled in an electrical bridge circuit configuration and driven by a single frequency crystal controlled oscillator is presented. The bridge circuit additionally includes a pair of fixed electrical impedance elements which form adjacent arms of the bridge and which comprise either a pair of precision resistances or capacitors. Detection of bridge unbalance provides an indication of the mutual proximity between an object and the sensor. Drift compensation is also utilized to improve performance and thus increase sensor range and sensitivity.

Actin Polymerization: An Event Regulated by Tyrosine Phosphorylation During Buffalo Sperm Capacitation.

PubMed

Naresh, S; Atreja, S K

2015-12-01

In the female reproductive tract, the spermatozoa undergo a series of physiological and biochemical changes, prior to gaining the ability to fertilize, that result to capacitation. However, the actin polymerization and protein tyrosine phosphorylation are the two necessary steps for capacitation. In this study, we have demonstrated the actin polymerization and established the correlation between protein tyrosine phosphorylation and actin reorganization during in vitro capacitation in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) spermatozoa. Indirect immunofluorescence and Western blot techniques were used to detect actin polymerization and tyrosine phosphorylation. The time-dependent fluorimetric studies revealed that the actin polymerization starts from the tail region and progressed towards the head region of spermatozoa during capacitation. The lysophosphatidyl choline (LPC)-induced acrosome reaction (AR) stimulated quick actin depolymerization. The inhibitor cytochalasin D (CD) blocked the in vitro capacitation by inhibiting the actin polymerization. In addition, we also performed different inhibitor (Genistein, H-89, PD9809 and GF-109) and enhancer (dbcAMP, H(2)O(2) and vanadate) studies on actin tyrosine phosphorylation and actin polymerization. The inhibitors of tyrosine phosphorylation inhibit actin tyrosine phosphorylation and polymerization, whereas enhancers of tyrosine phosphorylation stimulate F-actin formation and tyrosine phosphorylation. These observations suggest that the tyrosine phosphorylation regulates the actin polymerization, and both are coupled processes during capacitation of buffalo spermatozoa. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Capacitive Sensors for Feedback Control of Microfluidic Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, J. Z.; Darhuber, A. A.; Troian, S. M.; Wagner, S.

2003-11-01

Automation of microfluidic devices based on thermocapillary flow [1] requires feedback control and detection techniques for monitoring the location, and ideally also composition and volume of liquid droplets. For this purpose we have developed a co-planar capacitance technique with a sensitivity of 0.07 pF at a frequency of 370 kHz. The variation in capacitance due to the presence of a droplet is monitored by the output frequency of an RC relaxation oscillator consisting of two inverters, one resistor and one capacitor. We discuss the performance of this coplanar sensor as a function of the electrode dimensions and geometry. These geometric variables determine the electric field penetration depth within the liquid, which in our studies ranged from 30 to 450 microns. Numerical solutions for the capacitance corresponding to the exact fabricated geometry agree very well with experimental data. An approximate analytic solution, which ignores fringe field effects, provides a simple but excellent guide for design development. [1] A. A. Darhuber et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 657 (2003).

Scanning capacitance microscopy of ErAs nanoparticles embedded in GaAs pn junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, K. W.; Nair, H. P.; Crook, A. M.; Bank, S. R.; Yu, E. T.

2011-09-01

Scanning capacitance microscopy is used to characterize the electronic properties of ErAs nanoparticles embedded in GaAs pn junctions grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Voltage-dependent capacitance images reveal localized variations in subsurface electronic structure near buried ErAs nanoparticles at lateral length scales of 20-30 nm. Numerical modeling indicates that these variations arise from inhomogeneities in charge modulation due to Fermi level pinning behavior associated with the embedded ErAs nanoparticles. Statistical analysis of image data yields an average particle radius of 6-8 nm—well below the direct resolution limit in scanning capacitance microscopy but discernible via analysis of patterns in nanoscale capacitance images.

Capacitance changes in frog skin caused by theophylline and antidiuretic hormone.

PubMed

Cuthbert, A W; Painter, E

1969-09-01

1. Impedance loci for frog skins have been calculated by computer analysis from voltage transients developed across the tissues.2. Attention has been paid to simultaneous changes in conductance and capacitance of skins treated either with antidiuretic hormone (ADH) or with theophylline. These drugs always caused an increase in conductance and usually the skin capacitance also increased. However, changes in conductance were not correlated with capacitance changes.3. Changes in capacitance caused by the drugs may represent pore formation in the barrier to water flow, since both drugs increase hydro-osmotic flow in epithelia. If this interpretation is correct, then 0.14% of the membrane area forms water-permeable pores in response to a maximal dose of ADH. This value is somewhat less than the value obtained previously (0.3%) by graphical analysis.4. A theoretical account is given of the relative accuracy of the computer method and the graphical method for voltage transient analysis.

Optimisation des trajectoires verticales par la methode de la recherche de l'harmonie =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruby, Margaux

Face au rechauffement climatique, les besoins de trouver des solutions pour reduire les emissions de CO2 sont urgentes. L'optimisation des trajectoires est un des moyens pour reduire la consommation de carburant lors d'un vol. Afin de determiner la trajectoire optimale de l'avion, differents algorithmes ont ete developpes. Le but de ces algorithmes est de reduire au maximum le cout total d'un vol d'un avion qui est directement lie a la consommation de carburant et au temps de vol. Un autre parametre, nomme l'indice de cout est considere dans la definition du cout de vol. La consommation de carburant est fournie via des donnees de performances pour chaque phase de vol. Dans le cas de ce memoire, les phases d'un vol complet, soit, une phase de montee, une phase de croisiere et une phase de descente, sont etudies. Des " marches de montee " etaient definies comme des montees de 2 000ft lors de la phase de croisiere sont egalement etudiees. L'algorithme developpe lors de ce memoire est un metaheuristique, nomme la recherche de l'harmonie, qui, concilie deux types de recherches : la recherche locale et la recherche basee sur une population. Cet algorithme se base sur l'observation des musiciens lors d'un concert, ou plus exactement sur la capacite de la musique a trouver sa meilleure harmonie, soit, en termes d'optimisation, le plus bas cout. Differentes donnees d'entrees comme le poids de l'avion, la destination, la vitesse de l'avion initiale et le nombre d'iterations doivent etre, entre autre, fournies a l'algorithme pour qu'il soit capable de determiner la solution optimale qui est definie comme : [Vitesse de montee, Altitude, Vitesse de croisiere, Vitesse de descente]. L'algorithme a ete developpe a l'aide du logiciel MATLAB et teste pour plusieurs destinations et plusieurs poids pour un seul type d'avion. Pour la validation, les resultats obtenus par cet algorithme ont ete compares dans un premier temps aux resultats obtenus suite a une recherche exhaustive qui a

A Wearable Capacitive Sensor for Monitoring Human Respiratory Rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kundu, Subrata Kumar; Kumagai, Shinya; Sasaki, Minoru

2013-04-01

Realizing an untethered, low-cost, and comfortably wearable respiratory rate sensor for long-term breathing monitoring application still remains a challenge. In this paper, a conductive-textile-based wearable respiratory rate sensing technique based on the capacitive sensing approach is proposed. The sensing unit consists of two conductive textile electrodes that can be easily fabricated, laminated, and integrated in garments. Respiration cycle is detected by measuring the capacitance of two electrodes placed on the inner anterior and posterior sides of a T-shirt at either the abdomen or chest position. A convenient wearable respiratory sensor setup with a capacitance-to-voltage converter has been devised. Respiratory rate as well as breathing mode can be accurately identified using the designed sensor. The sensor output provides significant information on respiratory flow. The effectiveness of the proposed system for different breathing patterns has been evaluated by experiments.

Phase-Discriminating Capacitive Sensor System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vranish, John M.; Rahim, Wadi

1993-01-01

Crosstalk eliminated by maintaining voltages on all electrodes at same amplitude, phase, and frequency. Each output feedback-derived control voltage, change of which indicates proximity-induced change in capacitance of associated sensing electrode. Sensors placed close together, enabling imaging of sort. Images and/or output voltages used to guide robots in proximity to various objects.

Caracterisation des melanges developpes pour le moulage basse pression des poudres metalliques (LPIM) =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fareh, Fouad

Le moulage par injection basse pression des poudres metalliques est une technique de fabrication qui permet de fabriquer des pieces possedant la complexite des pieces coulees mais avec les proprietes mecaniques des pieces corroyees. Cependant, l'optimisation des etapes de deliantage et de frittage a ete jusqu'a maintenant effectuee a l'aide de melange pour lesquels la moulabilite optimale n'a pas encore ete demontree. Ainsi, la comprehension des proprietes rheologiques et de la segregation des melanges est tres limitee et cela presente le point faible du processus de LPIM. L'objectif de ce projet de recherche etait de caracteriser l'influence des liants sur le comportement rheologique des melanges en mesurant la viscosite et la segregation des melanges faible viscosite utilises dans le procede LPIM. Afin d'atteindre cet objectif, des essais rheologiques et thermogravimetriques ont ete conduits sur 12 melanges. Ces melanges ont ete prepares a base de poudre d'Inconel 718 de forme spherique (chargement solide constant a 60%) et de cires, d'agents surfactants ou epaississants. Les essais rheologiques ont ete utilises entre autre pour calculer l'indice d'injectabilite ?STV des melanges, tandis que les essais thermogravimetriques ont permis d'evaluer precisement la segregation des poudres dans les melanges. Il a ete demontre que les trois (3) melanges contenant de la cire de paraffine et de l'acide stearique presentent des indices alpha STV plus eleves qui sont avantageux pour le moulage par injection des poudres metalliques (MIM), mais segregent beaucoup trop pour que la piece fabriquee produise de bonnes caracteristiques mecaniques. A l'oppose, le melange contenant de la cire de paraffine et de l'ethylene-vinyle acetate ainsi que le melange contenant seulement de la cire de carnauba segregent peu voire pas du tout, mais possedent de tres faibles indices alphaSTV : ils sont donc difficilement injectables. Le meilleur compromis semble donc etre les melanges contenant de

Ultrahigh Temperature Capacitive Pressure Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harsh, Kevin

2014-01-01

Robust, miniaturized sensing systems are needed to improve performance, increase efficiency, and track system health status and failure modes of advanced propulsion systems. Because microsensors must operate in extremely harsh environments, there are many technical challenges involved in developing reliable systems. In addition to high temperatures and pressures, sensing systems are exposed to oxidation, corrosion, thermal shock, fatigue, fouling, and abrasive wear. In these harsh conditions, sensors must be able to withstand high flow rates, vibration, jet fuel, and exhaust. In order for existing and future aeropropulsion turbine engines to improve safety and reduce cost and emissions while controlling engine instabilities, more accurate and complete sensor information is necessary. High-temperature (300 to 1,350 C) capacitive pressure sensors are of particular interest due to their high measurement bandwidth and inherent suitability for wireless readout schemes. The objective of this project is to develop a capacitive pressure sensor based on silicon carbon nitride (SiCN), a new class of high-temperature ceramic materials, which possesses excellent mechanical and electric properties at temperatures up to 1,600 C.

Capacitive Feedthroughs for Medical Implants

PubMed Central

Grob, Sven; Tass, Peter A.; Hauptmann, Christian

2016-01-01

Important technological advances in the last decades paved the road to a great success story for electrically stimulating medical implants, including cochlear implants or implants for deep brain stimulation. However, there are still many challenges in reducing side effects and improving functionality and comfort for the patient. Two of the main challenges are the wish for smaller implants on one hand, and the demand for more stimulation channels on the other hand. But these two aims lead to a conflict of interests. This paper presents a novel design for an electrical feedthrough, the so called capacitive feedthrough, which allows both reducing the size, and increasing the number of included channels. Capacitive feedthroughs combine the functionality of a coupling capacitor and an electrical feedthrough within one and the same structure. The paper also discusses the progress and the challenges of the first produced demonstrators. The concept bears a high potential in improving current feedthrough technology, and could be applied on all kinds of electrical medical implants, even if its implementation might be challenging. PMID:27660602

Capacitive Feedthroughs for Medical Implants.

PubMed

Grob, Sven; Tass, Peter A; Hauptmann, Christian

2016-01-01

Important technological advances in the last decades paved the road to a great success story for electrically stimulating medical implants, including cochlear implants or implants for deep brain stimulation. However, there are still many challenges in reducing side effects and improving functionality and comfort for the patient. Two of the main challenges are the wish for smaller implants on one hand, and the demand for more stimulation channels on the other hand. But these two aims lead to a conflict of interests. This paper presents a novel design for an electrical feedthrough, the so called capacitive feedthrough, which allows both reducing the size, and increasing the number of included channels. Capacitive feedthroughs combine the functionality of a coupling capacitor and an electrical feedthrough within one and the same structure. The paper also discusses the progress and the challenges of the first produced demonstrators. The concept bears a high potential in improving current feedthrough technology, and could be applied on all kinds of electrical medical implants, even if its implementation might be challenging.

La participation des enfants et des adolescents à la boxe

PubMed Central

Purcell, Laura K; LeBlanc, Claire MA

2012-01-01

RÉSUMÉ Des milliers de garçons et de filles de moins de 19 ans font de la boxe en Amérique du Nord. Même si la boxe comporte des avantages pour ceux qui y participent, y compris l’exercice, l’autodiscipline et la confiance en soi, le sport lui-même favorise et récompense des coups délibérés à la tête et au visage. Les personnes qui font de la boxe risquent de subir des blessures à la tête, au visage et au cou, y compris des traumatismes neurologiques chroniques et même fatals. Les commotions cérébrales sont l’une des principales blessures causées par la boxe. En raison du risque de blessures crâniennes et faciales, la Société canadienne de pédiatrie et l’American Academy of Pediatrics s’opposent vigoureusement à la boxe comme activité sportive pour les enfants et les adolescents. Ces organismes recommandent que les médecins s’élèvent contre la boxe auprès des jeunes et les encouragent à participer à d’autres activités dans lesquelles les coups intentionnels à la tête ne constituent pas un élément essentiel du sport.

Development of a NURBS-Based Computational Method for the VAST Finite Element Program: Phase 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

de conception assistée par ordinateur (CAO). Cette méthode présente aussi l’avantage de préserver la géométrie exacte des structures analysées et...propres et non linéaires portant sur les réactions plastiques après effondrement de structures à enveloppe mince. Au cours de ces travaux, une vérification...aux structures, a été développée récemment en s’inspirant de la conception assistée par ordinateur (CAO). Bien que cette méthode partage plusieurs

Capacitively readout multi-element sensor array with common-mode cancellation

DOEpatents

Britton, Jr., Charles L.; Warmack, Robert J.; Bryan, William L.; Jones, Robert L.; Oden, Patrick Ian; Thundat, Thomas

2001-01-01

An improved multi-element apparatus for detecting the presence of at least one chemical, biological or physical component in a monitored area comprising an array or single set of the following elements: a capacitive transducer having at least one cantilever spring element secured thereto, the cantilever element having an area thereof coated with a chemical having an affinity for the component to be detected; a pick-up plate positioned adjacent to the cantilever element at a distance such that a capacitance between the cantilever element and the pick-up plate changes as the distance between the cantilever element and the pick-up plate varies, the change in capacitance being a measurable variation; a detection means for measuring the measurable variation in the capacitance between the cantilever element and the pick-up plate that forms a measurement channel signal; and at least one feedback cantilever spring element positioned apart from the coated cantilever element, the cantilever element substantially unaffected by the component being monitored and providing a reference channel signal to the detection means that achieves a common mode cancellation between the measurement channel signal and reference channel signal.

Electrical capacitance volume tomography with high contrast dielectrics using a cuboid sensor geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurge, Mark A.

2007-05-01

An electrical capacitance volume tomography system has been created for use with a new image reconstruction algorithm capable of imaging high contrast dielectric distributions. The electrode geometry consists of two 4 × 4 parallel planes of copper conductors connected through custom built switch electronics to a commercially available capacitance to digital converter. Typical electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) systems rely solely on mutual capacitance readings to reconstruct images of dielectric distributions. This paper presents a method of reconstructing images of high contrast dielectric materials using only the self-capacitance measurements. By constraining the unknown dielectric material to one of two values, the inverse problem is no longer ill-determined. Resolution becomes limited only by the accuracy and resolution of the measurement circuitry. Images were reconstructed using this method with both synthetic and real data acquired using an aluminium structure inserted at different positions within the sensing region. Comparisons with standard two-dimensional ECT systems highlight the capabilities and limitations of the electronics and reconstruction algorithm.

Non-mean-field theory of anomalously large double layer capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loth, M. S.; Skinner, Brian; Shklovskii, B. I.

2010-07-01

Mean-field theories claim that the capacitance of the double layer formed at a metal/ionic conductor interface cannot be larger than that of the Helmholtz capacitor, whose width is equal to the radius of an ion. However, in some experiments the apparent width of the double layer capacitor is substantially smaller. We propose an alternate non-mean-field theory of the ionic double layer to explain such large capacitance values. Our theory allows for the binding of discrete ions to their image charges in the metal, which results in the formation of interface dipoles. We focus primarily on the case where only small cations are mobile and other ions form an oppositely charged background. In this case, at small temperature and zero applied voltage dipoles form a correlated liquid on both contacts. We show that at small voltages the capacitance of the double layer is determined by the transfer of dipoles from one electrode to the other and is therefore limited only by the weak dipole-dipole repulsion between bound ions so that the capacitance is very large. At large voltages the depletion of bound ions from one of the capacitor electrodes triggers a collapse of the capacitance to the much smaller mean-field value, as seen in experimental data. We test our analytical predictions with a Monte Carlo simulation and find good agreement. We further argue that our “one-component plasma” model should work well for strongly asymmetric ion liquids. We believe that this work also suggests an improved theory of pseudocapacitance.

Current Progress of Capacitive Deionization for Removal of Pollutant Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaikwad, Mahendra S.; Balomajumder, Chandrajit

2016-08-01

A mini review of a recently developing water purification technology capacitive deionization (CDI) applied for removal of pollutant ions is provided. The current progress of CDI for removal of different pollutant ions such as arsenic, fluoride, boron, phosphate, lithium, copper, cadmium, ferric, and nitrate ions is presented. This paper aims at motivating new research opportunities in capacitive deionization technology for removal of pollutant ions from polluted water.

Membrane fluidization by alcohols inhibits DesK-DesR signalling in Bacillus subtilis.

PubMed

Vaňousová, Kateřina; Beranová, Jana; Fišer, Radovan; Jemioła-Rzemińska, Malgorzata; Matyska Lišková, Petra; Cybulski, Larisa; Strzałka, Kazimierz; Konopásek, Ivo

2018-03-01

After cold shock, the Bacillus subtilis desaturase Des introduces double bonds into the fatty acids of existing membrane phospholipids. The synthesis of Des is regulated exclusively by the two-component system DesK/DesR; DesK serves as a sensor of the state of the membrane and triggers Des synthesis after a decrease in membrane fluidity. The aim of our work is to investigate the biophysical changes in the membrane that are able to affect the DesK signalling state. Using linear alcohols (ethanol, propanol, butanol, hexanol, octanol) and benzyl alcohol, we were able to suppress Des synthesis after a temperature downshift. The changes in the biophysical properties of the membrane caused by alcohol addition were followed using membrane fluorescent probes and differential scanning calorimetry. We found that the membrane fluidization induced by alcohols was reflected in an increased hydration at the lipid-water interface. This is associated with a decrease in DesK activity. The addition of alcohol mimics a temperature increase, which can be measured isothermically by fluorescence anisotropy. The effect of alcohols on the membrane periphery is in line with the concept of the mechanism by which two hydrophilic motifs located at opposite ends of the transmembrane region of DesK, which work as a molecular caliper, sense temperature-dependent variations in membrane properties. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of noncovalent basal plane functionalization on the quantum capacitance in graphene.

PubMed

Ebrish, Mona A; Olson, Eric J; Koester, Steven J

2014-07-09

The concentration-dependent density of states in graphene allows the capacitance in metal-oxide-graphene structures to be tunable with the carrier concentration. This feature allows graphene to act as a variable capacitor (varactor) that can be utilized for wireless sensing applications. Surface functionalization can be used to make graphene sensitive to a particular species. In this manuscript, the effect on the quantum capacitance of noncovalent basal plane functionalization using 1-pyrenebutanoic acid succimidyl ester and glucose oxidase is reported. It is found that functionalized samples tested in air have (1) a Dirac point similar to vacuum conditions, (2) increased maximum capacitance compared to vacuum but similar to air, (3) and quantum capacitance "tuning" that is greater than that in vacuum and ambient atmosphere. These trends are attributed to reduced surface doping and random potential fluctuations as a result of the surface functionalization due to the displacement of H2O on the graphene surface and intercalation of a stable H2O layer beneath graphene that increases the overall device capacitance. The results are important for future application of graphene as a platform for wireless chemical and biological sensors.

Microbial fuel cell as a biocapacitor by using pseudo-capacitive anode materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Zhisheng; Xie, Daohai; Li, Fusheng; Hu, Yun; Wei, Chaohai; Feng, Chunhua

2014-01-01

Here, we report that the microbial fuel cell (MFC) containing pseudo-capacitive anode materials such as polypyrrole (PPy)/9,10-anthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid sodium salt (AQS) composite films and RuO2 nanoparticles can function as a biocapacitor, able to store bioelectrons generated from microbial oxidation of substrate and release the accumulated charge upon requirement. Influences of the specific capacitance of the PPy/AQS- and RuO2-modified carbon felt anodes on the extent of accumulated charge are examined. Results show that increasing anode capacitance is responsible for the increases in the amount of electrons stored and released, and thereby leading to more energy stored and average power dissipated. The long-term charging-discharging tests indicate that the RuO2-modified biocapacitor with a specific capacitance of 3.74 F cm-2 exhibits 6% loss in the amount of released charge over 10 cycles for one-month operation, and 40% loss over 60 cycles for six-month operation. Our findings suggest that the MFC anode incorporating pseudo-capacitive materials shows potential for storing energy from waste organic matter and releasing in a short time of high power to the electronic device.

Gait Phase Estimation Based on Noncontact Capacitive Sensing and Adaptive Oscillators.

PubMed

Zheng, Enhao; Manca, Silvia; Yan, Tingfang; Parri, Andrea; Vitiello, Nicola; Wang, Qining

2017-10-01

This paper presents a novel strategy aiming to acquire an accurate and walking-speed-adaptive estimation of the gait phase through noncontact capacitive sensing and adaptive oscillators (AOs). The capacitive sensing system is designed with two sensing cuffs that can measure the leg muscle shape changes during walking. The system can be dressed above the clothes and free human skin from contacting to electrodes. In order to track the capacitance signals, the gait phase estimator is designed based on the AO dynamic system due to its ability of synchronizing with quasi-periodic signals. After the implementation of the whole system, we first evaluated the offline estimation performance by experiments with 12 healthy subjects walking on a treadmill with changing speeds. The strategy achieved an accurate and consistent gait phase estimation with only one channel of capacitance signal. The average root-mean-square errors in one stride were 0.19 rad (3.0% of one gait cycle) for constant walking speeds and 0.31 rad (4.9% of one gait cycle) for speed transitions even after the subjects rewore the sensing cuffs. We then validated our strategy in a real-time gait phase estimation task with three subjects walking with changing speeds. Our study indicates that the strategy based on capacitive sensing and AOs is a promising alternative for the control of exoskeleton/orthosis.

cGMP and cyclic nucleotide-gated channels participate in mouse sperm capacitation.

PubMed

Cisneros-Mejorado, Abraham; Sánchez Herrera, Daniel P

2012-01-20

During capacitation of mammalian sperm intracellular [Ca(2+)] and cyclic nucleotides increase, suggesting that CNG channels play a role in the physiology of sperm. Here we study the effect of capacitation, 8Br-cAMP (8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate) and 8Br-cGMP (8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate) on the macroscopic ionic currents of mouse sperm, finding the existence of different populations of sperm, in terms of the recorded current and its response to cyclic nucleotides. Our results show that capacitation and cyclic nucleotides increase the ionic current, having a differential sensitivity to cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate) and cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate). Using a specific inhibitor we determine the contribution of CNG channels to macroscopic current and capacitation. Copyright © 2011 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Etude du processus de changement vecu par des familles ayant decide d'adopter volontairement des comportements d'attenuation des changements climatiques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leger, Michel T.

Les activites humaines energivores telles l'utilisation intensive de l'automobile, la surconsommation de biens et l'usage excessif d'electricite contribuent aux changements climatiques et autres problemes environnementaux. Bien que plusieurs recherches rapportent que l'etre humain est de plus en plus conscient de ses impacts sur le climat de la planete, ces memes recherches indiquent qu'en general, les gens continuent a se comporter de facon non ecologique. Que ce soit a l'ecole ou dans la communaute, plusieurs chercheurs en education relative a l'environnement estiment qu'une personne bien intentionnee est capable d'adopter des comportements plus respectueux de l'environnement. Le but de cette these etait de comprendre le processus d'integration de comportements d'attenuation des changements climatiques dans des familles. A cette fin, nous nous sommes fixe deux objectifs : 1) decrire les competences et les procedes qui favorisent l'adoption de comportements d'attenuation des changements climatiques dans des familles et 2) decrire les facteurs et les dynamiques familiales qui facilitent et limitent l'adoption de comportements d'attenuation des changements climatiques dans des familles. Des familles ont ete invitees a essayer des comportements personnels et collectifs d'attenuation des changements climatiques de sorte a integrer des modes de vie plus ecologiques. Sur une periode de huit mois, nous avons suivi leur experience de changement afin de mieux comprendre comment se produit le processus de changement dans des familles qui decident volontairement d'adopter des comportements d'attenuation des changements climatiques. Apres leur avoir fourni quelques connaissances de base sur les changements climatiques, nous avons observe le vecu de changement des familles durant huit mois d'essais a l'aide de journaux reflexifs, d'entretiens d'explicitation et du journal du chercheur. La these comporte trois articles scientifiques. Dans le premier article, nous presentons une

Manganese oxide micro-supercapacitors with ultra-high areal capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xu; Myers, Benjamin D.; Yan, Jian; Shekhawat, Gajendra; Dravid, Vinayak; Lee, Pooi See

2013-05-01

A symmetric micro-supercapacitor is constructed by electrochemically depositing manganese oxide onto micro-patterned current collectors. High surface-to-volume ratio of manganese oxide and short diffusion distance between electrodes give an ultra-high areal capacitance of 56.3 mF cm-2 at a current density of 27.2 μA cm-2.A symmetric micro-supercapacitor is constructed by electrochemically depositing manganese oxide onto micro-patterned current collectors. High surface-to-volume ratio of manganese oxide and short diffusion distance between electrodes give an ultra-high areal capacitance of 56.3 mF cm-2 at a current density of 27.2 μA cm-2. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental procedures; optical images of micro-supercapacitors; areal capacitances of samples M-0.3C, M-0.6C and M-0.9C; illustration of interdigital finger electrodes; Nyquist plot of Co(OH)2 deposited on micro-electrodes. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00210a

Hyper-activated motility in sperm capacitation is mediated by phospholipase D-dependent actin polymerization.

PubMed

Itach, Sarit Bar-Sheshet; Finklestein, Maya; Etkovitz, Nir; Breitbart, Haim

2012-02-15

In order to fertilize the oocyte, sperm must undergo a series of biochemical changes in the female reproductive tract, known as capacitation. Once capacitated, spermatozoon can bind to the zona pellucida of the egg and undergo the acrosome reaction (AR), a process that enables its penetration and fertilization of the oocyte. Important processes that characterize sperm capacitation are actin polymerization and the development of hyper-activated motility (HAM). Previously, we showed that Phospholipase D (PLD)-dependent actin polymerization occurs during sperm capacitation, however the role of this process in sperm capacitation is not yet known. In the present study, we showed for the first time the involvement of PLD-dependent actin polymerization in sperm motility during mouse and human capacitation. Sperm incubated under capacitation conditions revealed a time dependent increase in actin polymerization and HAM. Inhibition of Phosphatidic Acid (PA) formation by PLD using butan-1-ol, inhibited actin polymerization and motility, as well as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the ability of the sperm to undergo the AR. The inhibition of sperm HAM by low concentration of butan-1-ol is completely restored by adding PA, further indicating the involvement of PLD in these processes. Furthermore, exogenous PA enhanced rapid actin polymerization that was followed by a rise in the HAM, as well as an increased in IVF rate. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that PLD-dependent actin polymerization is a critical step needed for the development of HAM during mouse and human sperm capacitation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Absolute Position Sensing Based on a Robust Differential Capacitive Sensor with a Grounded Shield Window

PubMed Central

Bai, Yang; Lu, Yunfeng; Hu, Pengcheng; Wang, Gang; Xu, Jinxin; Zeng, Tao; Li, Zhengkun; Zhang, Zhonghua; Tan, Jiubin

2016-01-01

A simple differential capacitive sensor is provided in this paper to measure the absolute positions of length measuring systems. By utilizing a shield window inside the differential capacitor, the measurement range and linearity range of the sensor can reach several millimeters. What is more interesting is that this differential capacitive sensor is only sensitive to one translational degree of freedom (DOF) movement, and immune to the vibration along the other two translational DOFs. In the experiment, we used a novel circuit based on an AC capacitance bridge to directly measure the differential capacitance value. The experimental result shows that this differential capacitive sensor has a sensitivity of 2 × 10−4 pF/μm with 0.08 μm resolution. The measurement range of this differential capacitive sensor is 6 mm, and the linearity error are less than 0.01% over the whole absolute position measurement range. PMID:27187393

Profiling of barrier capacitance and spreading resistance using a transient linearly increasing voltage technique.

PubMed

Gaubas, E; Ceponis, T; Kusakovskij, J

2011-08-01

A technique for the combined measurement of barrier capacitance and spreading resistance profiles using a linearly increasing voltage pulse is presented. The technique is based on the measurement and analysis of current transients, due to the barrier and diffusion capacitance, and the spreading resistance, between a needle probe and sample. To control the impact of deep traps in the barrier capacitance, a steady state bias illumination with infrared light was employed. Measurements of the spreading resistance and barrier capacitance profiles using a stepwise positioned probe on cross sectioned silicon pin diodes and pnp structures are presented.

Estimation of stream depletion using values of capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldenkov, Mikhail; Filimonova, Elena

2014-05-01

Compensation pumping is used to alleviate deficiencies in streamflow discharge during dry seasons. Short-term groundwater pumping can use aquifer storage instead of catchment-zone water until the drawdown reaches the edge of the stream. Stream-aquifer interactions are the key component of the hydrologic budgets and estimation of stream depletion has top-priority when evaluating the effectiveness of application of seasonal compensation pumping. Numerous analytical equations have been developed to assess the influence of groundwater pumping on nearby streams (C.V. Theis, R.E. Glover, C.G. Balmer, M.S. Hantush, C.T. Jenkins, B. Hunt, J. Bredehoeft, V.A. Zlotnik, E.L. Minkin, N.N. Lapshin, F.M. Bochever and other researchers). R.B. Wallace and Y. Darama obtained solution for cyclic conditions groundwater pumping. Numerical model approaches used in difficult hydrogeological conditions. It is offered to estimate stream depletion by seasonal pumping using values of capacitance (complex, dimensionless parameter of an aquifer system that defines the delayed effect on steamflow when there is groundwater pumping). Capacitance (C) is determined by the following equation: ( ) L* C = f( °---) , TS-Δt where S and T are the aquifer specific yield (or storage coefficient for a confined aquifer) and transmissivity, respectively; Δt is the pumping time inside one cycle, L* is the summarizing distance between the compensation well and stream edge; in some cases it can involve a function of the stream leakance and vertical leakance of the impermeable layer. Three typical hydraulic cases of compensation pumping were classified depending on their capacitance structure (i.e. the relationship between surface water and groundwater): (a) perfect hydraulic connection between the stream and aquifer; (b) imperfect hydraulic connection between the stream and aquifer; and (c) essentially imperfect hydraulic connection between the stream and the underlying confined aquifer. The form of

A Power-Efficient Capacitive Read-Out Circuit With Parasitic-Cancellation for MEMS Cochlea Sensors.

PubMed

Wang, Shiwei; Koickal, Thomas Jacob; Hamilton, Alister; Mastropaolo, Enrico; Cheung, Rebecca; Abel, Andrew; Smith, Leslie S; Wang, Lei

2016-02-01

This paper proposes a solution for signal read-out in the MEMS cochlea sensors that have very small sensing capacitance and do not have differential sensing structures. The key challenge in such sensors is the significant signal degradation caused by the parasitic capacitance at the MEMS-CMOS interface. Therefore, a novel capacitive read-out circuit with parasitic-cancellation mechanism is developed; the equivalent input capacitance of the circuit is negative and can be adjusted to cancel the parasitic capacitance. Chip results prove that the use of parasitic-cancellation is able to increase the sensor sensitivity by 35 dB without consuming any extra power. In general, the circuit follows a low-degradation low-amplification approach which is more power-efficient than the traditional high-degradation high-amplification approach; it employs parasitic-cancellation to reduce the signal degradation and therefore a lower gain is required in the amplification stage. Besides, the chopper-stabilization technique is employed to effectively reduce the low-frequency circuit noise and DC offsets. As a result of these design considerations, the prototype chip demonstrates the capability of converting a 7.5 fF capacitance change of a 1-Volt-biased 0.5 pF capacitive sensor pair into a 0.745 V signal-conditioned output at the cost of only 165.2 μW power consumption.

DNA Nucleotides Detection via capacitance properties of Graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khadempar, Nahid; Berahman, Masoud; Yazdanpanah, Arash

2016-05-01

In the present paper a new method is suggested to detect the DNA nucleotides on a first-principles calculation of the electronic features of DNA bases which chemisorbed to a graphene sheet placed between two gold electrodes in a contact-channel-contact system. The capacitance properties of graphene in the channel are surveyed using non-equilibrium Green's function coupled with the Density Functional Theory. Thus, the capacitance properties of graphene are theoretically investigated in a biological environment, and, using a novel method, the effect of the chemisorbed DNA nucleotides on electrical charges on the surface of graphene is deciphered. Several parameters in this method are also extracted including Electrostatic energy, Induced density, induced electrostatic potential, Electron difference potential and Electron difference density. The qualitative and quantitative differences among these parameters can be used to identify DNA nucleotides. Some of the advantages of this approach include its ease and high accuracy. What distinguishes the current research is that it is the first experiment to investigate the capacitance properties of gaphene changes in the biological environment and the effect of chemisorbed DNA nucleotides on the surface of graphene on the charge.

Lack of anodic capacitance causes power overshoot in microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Peng, Xinhong; Yu, Han; Yu, Hongbing; Wang, Xin

2013-06-01

Power overshoot commonly makes the performance evaluation of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) inaccurate. Here, three types of carbon with different capacitance (ultracapacitor activated carbon (UAC), plain activated carbon (PAC) and carbon black (CB)) rolled on stainless steel mesh (SSM) as anodes to investigate the relationship between overshoot and anodic capacitance. It was not observed in all cycles of UAC-MFCs (from Cycle 2 to 4) due to the largest abiotic capacitance (Cm(abiotic)) of 2.1F/cm(2), while this phenomenon was eliminated in PAC-MFCs (Cm(abiotic)=1.6 F/cm(2)) from Cycle 3 and in CB-MFCs (Cm(abiotic)=0.5F/cm(2)) from Cycle 4, indicated that the Cm(abiotic) of the anode stored charges and functioned as electron shuttle to overcome the power overshoot. With bacterial colonization, the transient charge storage in biofilm resulted in a 0.1-0.4F/cm(2) increase in total capacitance for anodes, which was the possible reason for the elimination of power overshoot in PAC/CB-MFCs after multi cycle acclimation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Actuatable capacitive transducer for quantitative nanoindentation combined with transmission electron microscopy

DOEpatents

Warren, Oden L.; Asif, S. A. Syed; Cyrankowski, Edward; Kounev, Kalin

2010-09-21

An actuatable capacitive transducer including a transducer body, a first capacitor including a displaceable electrode and electrically configured as an electrostatic actuator, and a second capacitor including a displaceable electrode and electrically configured as a capacitive displacement sensor, wherein the second capacitor comprises a multi-plate capacitor. The actuatable capacitive transducer further includes a coupling shaft configured to mechanically couple the displaceable electrode of the first capacitor to the displaceable electrode of the second capacitor to form a displaceable electrode unit which is displaceable relative to the transducer body, and an electrically-conductive indenter mechanically coupled to the coupling shaft so as to be displaceable in unison with the displaceable electrode unit.-

Actuatable capacitive transducer for quantitative nanoindentation combined with transmission electron microscopy

DOEpatents

Warren, Oden L; Asif, Syed Amanula Syed; Cyrankowski, Edward; Kounev, Kalin

2013-06-04

An actuatable capacitive transducer including a transducer body, a first capacitor including a displaceable electrode and electrically configured as an electrostatic actuator, and a second capacitor including a displaceable electrode and electrically configured as a capacitive displacement sensor, wherein the second capacitor comprises a multi-plate capacitor. The actuatable capacitive transducer further includes a coupling shaft configured to mechanically couple the displaceable electrode of the first capacitor to the displaceable electrode of the second capacitor to form a displaceable electrode unit which is displaceable relative to the transducer body, and an electrically-conductive indenter mechanically coupled to the coupling shaft so as to be displaceable in unison with the displaceable electrode unit.

Electric double-layer capacitance between an ionic liquid and few-layer graphene.

PubMed

Uesugi, Eri; Goto, Hidenori; Eguchi, Ritsuko; Fujiwara, Akihiko; Kubozono, Yoshihiro

2013-01-01

Ionic-liquid gates have a high carrier density due to their atomically thin electric double layer (EDL) and extremely large geometrical capacitance Cg. However, a high carrier density in graphene has not been achieved even with ionic-liquid gates because the EDL capacitance CEDL between the ionic liquid and graphene involves the series connection of Cg and the quantum capacitance Cq, which is proportional to the density of states. We investigated the variables that determine CEDL at the molecular level by varying the number of graphene layers n and thereby optimising Cq. The CEDL value is governed by Cq at n < 4, and by Cg at n > 4. This transition with n indicates a composite nature for CEDL. Our finding clarifies a universal principle that determines capacitance on a microscopic scale, and provides nanotechnological perspectives on charge accumulation and energy storage using an ultimately thin capacitor.

Electric double-layer capacitance between an ionic liquid and few-layer graphene

PubMed Central

Uesugi, Eri; Goto, Hidenori; Eguchi, Ritsuko; Fujiwara, Akihiko; Kubozono, Yoshihiro

2013-01-01

Ionic-liquid gates have a high carrier density due to their atomically thin electric double layer (EDL) and extremely large geometrical capacitance Cg. However, a high carrier density in graphene has not been achieved even with ionic-liquid gates because the EDL capacitance CEDL between the ionic liquid and graphene involves the series connection of Cg and the quantum capacitance Cq, which is proportional to the density of states. We investigated the variables that determine CEDL at the molecular level by varying the number of graphene layers n and thereby optimising Cq. The CEDL value is governed by Cq at n < 4, and by Cg at n > 4. This transition with n indicates a composite nature for CEDL. Our finding clarifies a universal principle that determines capacitance on a microscopic scale, and provides nanotechnological perspectives on charge accumulation and energy storage using an ultimately thin capacitor. PMID:23549208

Abnormal hump in capacitance-voltage measurements induced by ultraviolet light in a-IGZO thin-film transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsao, Yu-Ching; Chang, Ting-Chang; Chen, Hua-Mao; Chen, Bo-Wei; Chiang, Hsiao-Cheng; Chen, Guan-Fu; Chien, Yu-Chieh; Tai, Ya-Hsiang; Hung, Yu-Ju; Huang, Shin-Ping; Yang, Chung-Yi; Chou, Wu-Ching

2017-01-01

This work demonstrates the generation of abnormal capacitance for amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-InGaZnO4) thin-film transistors after being subjected to negative bias stress under ultraviolet light illumination stress (NBIS). At various operation frequencies, there are two-step tendencies in their capacitance-voltage curves. When gate bias is smaller than threshold voltage, the measured capacitance is dominated by interface defects. Conversely, the measured capacitance is dominated by oxygen vacancies when gate bias is larger than threshold voltage. The impact of these interface defects and oxygen vacancies on capacitance-voltage curves is verified by TCAD simulation software.

Des ballons pour demain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Régipa, R.

A partir d'une théorie sur la détermination des formes et des contraintes globales d'un ballon de révolution, ou s'en rapprochant, une nouvelle famille de ballons a été définie. Les ballons actuels, dits de ``forme naturelle'', sont calculés en général pour une tension circonférencielle nulle. Ainsi, pour une mission donnée, la tension longitudinale et la forme de l'enveloppe sont strictement imposées. Les ballons de la nouvelle génération sont globalement cylindriques et leurs pôles sont réunis par un câble axial, chargé de transmettre une partie des efforts depuis le crochet (pôle inférieur), directement au pôle supérieur. De plus, la zone latérale cylindrique est soumise à un faible champ de tensions circonférencielles. Ainsi, deux paramètres permettent de faire évoluer la distribution des tensions et la forme de l'enveloppe: - la tension du câble de liaison entre pôles (ou la longueur de ce câble) - la tension circonférencielle moyenne désirée (ou le rayon du ballon). On peut donc calculer et réaliser: - soit des ballons de forme adaptée, comme les ballons à fond plat pour le bon fonctionnement des montgolfières infrarouge (projet MIR); - soit des ballons optimisés pour une bonne répartition des contraintes et une meilleure utilisation des matériaux d'enveloppe, pour l'ensemble des programmes stratosphériques. Il s'ensuit une économie sensible des coûts de fabrication, une fiabilité accrue du fonctionnement de ces ballons et une rendement opérationnel bien supérieur, permettant entre autres, d'envisager des vols à très haute altitude en matériaux très légers.

Teaching of Inductive and Capacitive Reactance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacInnes, I.; Jeffrey, W. S.

1983-01-01

Discusses how understanding mechanical systems and their graphic representation can be of value when teaching inductive and capacitive reactance, in particular, the response of inductors and capacitors to an alternating potential difference. Suggests that mechanical systems be taught, not just before introducing reactance but earlier in the…

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and Cancer

MedlinePlus

... Genetics Services Directory Cancer Prevention Overview Research Diethylstilbestrol (DES) and Cancer On This Page What is DES? ... outlined in the table below. Fertility Problems in DES Daughters ( 7 ) Fertility Complication Hazard Ratio Percent Cumulative ...

Simulation and optimization of a dc SQUID with finite capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Waal, V. J.; Schrijner, P.; Llurba, R.

1984-02-01

This paper deals with the calculations of the noise and the optimization of the energy resolution of a dc SQUID with finite junction capacitance. Up to now noise calculations of dc SQUIDs were performed using a model without parasitic capacitances across the Josephson junctions. As the capacitances limit the performance of the SQUID, for a good optimization one must take them into account. The model consists of two coupled nonlinear second-order differential equations. The equations are very suitable for simulation with an analog circuit. We implemented the model on a hybrid computer. The noise spectrum from the model is calculated with a fast Fourier transform. A calculation of the energy resolution for one set of parameters takes about 6 min of computer time. Detailed results of the optimization are given for products of inductance and temperature of LT=1.2 and 5 nH K. Within a range of β and β c between 1 and 2, which is optimum, the energy resolution is nearly independent of these variables. In this region the energy resolution is near the value calculated without parasitic capacitances. Results of the optimized energy resolution are given as a function of LT between 1.2 and 10 mH K.

In-Line Capacitance Sensor for Real-Time Water Absorption Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nurge, Mark A.; Perusich, Stephen A.

2010-01-01

A capacitance/dielectric sensor was designed, constructed, and used to measure in real time the in-situ water concentration in a desiccant water bed. Measurements were carried out with two experimental setups: (1) passing nitrogen through a humidity generator and allowing the gas stream to become saturated at a measured temperature and pressure, and (2) injecting water via a syringe pump into a nitrogen stream. Both water vapor generating devices were attached to a downstream vertically-mounted water capture bed filled with 19.5 g of Moisture Gone desiccant. The sensor consisted of two electrodes: (1) a 1/8" dia stainless steel rod placed in the middle of the bed and (2) the outer shell of the stainless steel bed concentric with the rod. All phases of the water capture process (background, heating, absorption, desorption, and cooling) were monitored with capacitance. The measured capacitance was found to vary linearly with the water content in the bed at frequencies above 100 kHz indicating dipolar motion dominated the signal; below this frequency, ionic motion caused nonlinearities in the water concentration/capacitance relationship. The desiccant exhibited a dielectric relaxation whose activation energy was lowered upon addition of water indicating either a less hindered rotational motion or crystal reorientation.

Recent advances in capacitance type of blade tip clearance measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barranger, John P.

1988-01-01

Two recent electronic advances at NASA-Lewis that meet the blade tip clearance needs of a wide class of fans, compressors, and turbines are described. The first is a frequency modulated (FM) oscillator that requires only a single low cost ultrahigh frequency operational amplifier. Its carrier frequency is 42.8 MHz when used with a 61 cm long hermetically sealed coaxial cable. The oscillator can be calibrated in the static mode and has a negative peak frequency deviation of 400 kHz for a typical rotor blade. High temperature performance tests of the probe and 13 cm of the adjacent cable show good accuracy up to 600 C, the maximum which produces a clearance error of + or - 10 microns at a clearance of 500 microns. In the second advance, a guarded probe configuration allows a longer cable capacitance. The capacitance of the probe is part of a small time constant feedback in a high speed operational amplifier. The solution of the governing differential equation is applied to a ramp type of input. The results show an amplifier output that contains a term which is proportional to the derivative of the feedback capacitance. The capacitance is obtained by subtracting a balancing reference channel followed by an integration stage.

Les brulures electriques chez les voleurs de cuivre

PubMed Central

Belmir, R.; Fejjal, N.; Achbouk, H.; El Mazouz, S.; Gharib, N.; Abassi, A.; Belmahi, A.

2011-01-01

Summary Les vols de biens fabriqués avec le cuivre semblent en hausse depuis un certain temps du fait de son prix élevé de revente, ce qui est à l’origine d’une augmentation du nombre d’accidents électriques par haut voltage (AEHV) qui sont graves du fait des brûlures profondes qu’elles provoquent le long des axes vasculo-nerveux. Les Auteurs rapportent une série de neuf cas d’AEHV traités au service de chirurgie plastique et de brûlés de l’Hôpital Ibn Sina de Rabat, Maroc, à travers laquelle ils étudient les caractéristiques épidémiologiques, cliniques et thérapeutiques. La population intéressée était jeune et active. Les brûlures étaient secondaires à un contact avec des câbles à haute tension lors de tentatives de vol par arrachement de conducteurs en cuivre dans les transformateurs dans 67% des cas, et lors de tentatives de coupure de caténaires alimentant les trains électriques sur le réseau ferroviaire dans 33% des cas. Le traitement des lésions électrothermiques a nécessité des interventions itératives avec amputation et désarticulation des segments de membres nécrosés dans 66% des cas, dont les suites étaient marquées par des séquelles fonctionnelles invalidantes. La prévention de ce type d’AEHV reste fondamentale. PMID:22262961

Novel High Temperature Capacitive Pressure Sensor Utilizing SiC Integrated Circuit Twin Ring Oscillators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scardelletti, M.; Neudeck, P.; Spry, D.; Meredith, R.; Jordan, J.; Prokop, N.; Krasowski, M.; Beheim, G.; Hunter, G.

2017-01-01

This paper describes initial development and testing of a novel high temperature capacitive pressure sensor system. The pressure sensor system consists of two 4H-SiC 11-stage ring oscillators and a SiCN capacitive pressure sensor. One oscillator has the capacitive pressure sensor fixed at one node in its feedback loop and varies as a function of pressure and temperature while the other provides a pressure-independent reference frequency which can be used to temperature compensate the output of the first oscillator. A two-day repeatability test was performed up to 500C on the oscillators and the oscillator fundamental frequency changed by only 1. The SiCN capacitive pressure sensor was characterized at room temperature from 0 to 300 psi. The sensor had an initial capacitance of 3.76 pF at 0 psi and 1.75 pF at 300 psi corresponding to a 54 change in capacitance. The integrated pressure sensor system was characterized from 0 to 300 psi in steps of 50 psi over a temperature range of 25 to 500C. The pressure sensor system sensitivity was 0.113 kHzpsi at 25C and 0.026 kHzpsi at 500C.

CMOS micromachined capacitive cantilevers for mass sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ying-Chung; Ho, Meng-Han; Hung, Shi-Jie; Chen, Meng-Huei; S-C Lu, Michael

2006-12-01

In this paper, we present the design, fabrication and characterization of the CMOS micromachined cantilevers for mass sensing in the femtogram range. The cantilevers consisting of multiple metal and dielectric layers are fabricated after completion of a conventional CMOS process by dry etching steps. The cantilevers are electrostatically actuated to resonance by in-plane electrodes. The mechanical resonant frequency is detected capacitively with on-chip circuitry, where the modulation technique is applied to eliminate capacitive feedthrough from the driving port and to lessen the effect of flicker noise. The highest resonant frequency of the cantilevers is measured at 396.46 kHz with a quality factor of 2600 at 10 mTorr. The resonant frequency shift after deposition of a 0.1 µm SiO2 layer is 140 Hz, averaging 353 fg Hz-1.

Maladie des vibrations

PubMed Central

Shen, Shixin (Cindy); House, Ronald A.

2017-01-01

Résumé Objectif Permettre aux médecins de famille de comprendre l’épidémiologie, la pathogenèse, les symptômes, le diagnostic et la prise en charge de la maladie des vibrations, une maladie professionnelle importante et courante au Canada. Sources d’information Une recherche a été effectuée sur MEDLINE afin de relever les recherches et comptes rendus portant sur la maladie des vibrations. Une recherche a été effectuée sur Google dans le but d’obtenir la littérature grise qui convient au contexte canadien. D’autres références ont été tirées des articles relevés. Message principal La maladie des vibrations est une maladie professionnelle répandue touchant les travailleurs de diverses industries qui utilisent des outils vibrants. La maladie est cependant sous-diagnostiquée au Canada. Elle compte 3 éléments : vasculaire, sous la forme d’un phénomène de Raynaud secondaire; neurosensoriel; et musculosquelettique. Aux stades les plus avancés, la maladie des vibrations entraîne une invalidité importante et une piètre qualité de vie. Son diagnostic exige une anamnèse minutieuse, en particulier des antécédents professionnels, un examen physique, des analyses de laboratoire afin d’éliminer les autres diagnostics, et la recommandation en médecine du travail aux fins d’investigations plus poussées. La prise en charge consiste à réduire l’exposition aux vibrations, éviter les températures froides, abandonner le tabac et administrer des médicaments. Conclusion Pour assurer un diagnostic rapide de la maladie des vibrations et améliorer le pronostic et la qualité de vie, les médecins de famille devraient connaître cette maladie professionnelle courante, et pouvoir obtenir les détails pertinents durant l’anamnèse, recommander les patients aux cliniques de médecine du travail et débuter les demandes d’indemnisation de manière appropriée. PMID:28292812

Progress in performance enhancement methods for capacitive silicon resonators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Toan, Nguyen; Ono, Takahito

2017-11-01

In this paper, we review the progress in recent studies on the performance enhancement methods for capacitive silicon resonators. We provide information on various fabrication technologies and design considerations that can be employed to improve the performance of capacitive silicon resonators, including low motional resistance, small insertion loss, and high quality factor (Q). This paper contains an overview of device structures and working principles, fabrication technologies consisting of hermetic packaging, deep reactive-ion etching and neutral beam etching, and design considerations including mechanically coupled, movable electrode structures and piezoresistive heat engines.

Characteristics Study of In-Situ Capacitive Sensor for Monitoring Lubrication Oil Debris

PubMed Central

Han, Zhibin; Wang, Yishou; Qing, Xinlin

2017-01-01

As an essential part of engine health monitoring (EHM), online lubrication oil debris monitoring has recently received great attention for the assessment of rotating and reciprocating parts in aero-engines, due to its high integration, low cost and safe characteristics. However, it is be a challenge to find a suitable sensor operating in such a complex environment. We present an unconventional novel approach, in which a cylinder capacitive sensor is designed and integrated with the pipeline of an engine lubrication system, so that the capacitive sensor can effectively detect changes in the lubrication oil condition. In this paper, an attempt to illustrate the performance characteristics of the developed cylinder capacitive sensor is made, through an experiment system that simulates a real scenario of a lubrication oil system. The main aim of the research was to qualitatively describe the relationship between the sensor parameter and the lubrication oil debris. In addition, the effect of the temperature and flow rate of the lubrication oil on capacitance change was performed by several experiments and we figured out a compensation method. The experimental results demonstrated that the cylinder capacitive sensor can potentially be used for lubrication oil debris monitoring of the health condition of an aero-engine. PMID:29292748

Characteristics Study of In-Situ Capacitive Sensor for Monitoring Lubrication Oil Debris.

PubMed

Han, Zhibin; Wang, Yishou; Qing, Xinlin

2017-12-08

As an essential part of engine health monitoring (EHM), online lubrication oil debris monitoring has recently received great attention for the assessment of rotating and reciprocating parts in aero-engines, due to its high integration, low cost and safe characteristics. However, it is be a challenge to find a suitable sensor operating in such a complex environment. We present an unconventional novel approach, in which a cylinder capacitive sensor is designed and integrated with the pipeline of an engine lubrication system, so that the capacitive sensor can effectively detect changes in the lubrication oil condition. In this paper, an attempt to illustrate the performance characteristics of the developed cylinder capacitive sensor is made, through an experiment system that simulates a real scenario of a lubrication oil system. The main aim of the research was to qualitatively describe the relationship between the sensor parameter and the lubrication oil debris. In addition, the effect of the temperature and flow rate of the lubrication oil on capacitance change was performed by several experiments and we figured out a compensation method. The experimental results demonstrated that the cylinder capacitive sensor can potentially be used for lubrication oil debris monitoring of the health condition of an aero-engine.

High Temperature Capacitive Strain Gage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wnuk, Stephen P., Jr.; Wnuk, Stephen P., III; Wnuk, V. P.

1990-01-01

Capacitive strain gages designed for measurements in wind tunnels to 2000 F were built and evaluated. Two design approaches were followed. One approach was based on fixed capacitor plates with a movable ground plane inserted between the plates to effect differential capacitive output with strain. The second approach was based on movable capacitor plates suspended between sapphire bearings, housed in a rugged body, and arranged to operate as a differential capacitor. A sapphire bearing gage (1/4 in. diameter x 1 in. in size) was built with a range of 50,000 and a resolution of 200 microstrain. Apparent strain on Rene' 41 was less than + or - 1000 microstrain from room temperature to 2000 F. Three gage models were built from the Ground Plane Differential concept. The first was 1/4 in. square by 1/32 in. high and useable to 700 F. The second was 1/2 in. square by 1/16 in. high and useable to 1440 F. The third, also 1/2 in. square by 1/16 in. high was expected to operate in the 1600 to 2000 F range, but was not tested because time and funding ended.

High temperature capacitive strain gage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wnuk, Stephen P., Jr.; Wnuk, Stephen P., III; Wnuk, V. P.

1990-01-01

Capacitive strain gages designed for measurements in wind tunnels to 2000 F were built and evaluated. Two design approaches were followed. One approach was based on fixed capacitor plates with a movable ground plane inserted between the plates to effect differential capacitive output with strain. The second approach was based on movable capacitor plates suspended between sapphire bearings, housed in a rugged body, and arranged to operate as a differential capacitor. A sapphire bearing gage (1/4 in. diameter x 1 in. in size) was built with a range of 50,000 and a resolution of 200 microstrain. Apparent strain on Rene' 41 was less than + or - 1000 microstrain from room temperature to 2000 F. Three gage models were built from the Ground Plane Differential concept. The first was 1/4 in. square by 1/32 in. high and useable to 700 F. The second was 1/2 in. square by 1/16 in. high and useable to 1440 F. The third, also 1/2 in. square by 1/16 in. high was expected to operate in the 1600 to 2000 F range, but was not tested because time and funding ended.

Fringe Capacitance of a Parallel-Plate Capacitor.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hale, D. P.

1978-01-01

Describes an experiment designed to measure the forces between charged parallel plates, and determines the relationship among the effective electrode area, the measured capacitance values, and the electrode spacing of a parallel plate capacitor. (GA)

Etat des lieux des soins de premier recours des malades mentaux à Antananarivo : étude rétrospective

PubMed Central

Bakohariliva, Hasina Andrianarivony; Rafehivola, Imisanavalona Hanitrinihaja; Raobelle, Evah Norotiana; Raharivelo, Adeline; Rajaonarison, Bertille Hortense

2018-01-01

Résumé Religion et guérisseurs traditionnels occupent encore une place prépondérante dans la prise en charge des maladies mentales à Madagascar. Ainsi, nous nous sommes fixés comme objectif d'établir un état des lieux sur les soins de premier recours des malades mentaux. Nous avons mené une étude rétrospective descriptive s'étalant sur une période de 16 mois allant de janvier 2014 en avril 2015 au sein du service de psychiatrie du CHU de Befelatanana à Antananarivo. La prévalence des psychoses était de 25%. Le genre féminin (53%), l'ethnie merina (77%), les étudiants (45%), le niveau d'étude secondaire (40%), les célibataires (72%), la religion protestante (45%), ainsi que le niveau socio-économique moyen (57,5%) étaient prédominants. Dans les paramètres cliniques, le mode de début brutal (52%), le premier recours à la religion (40%), la présence d'antécédents des cas similaire (90%), étaient majoritaires. La schizophrénie était la pathologie la plus rencontrée dans la moitié des cas. Le délai d'amélioration en cas de traitement religieux et traditionnels était dans la moitié des cas de plus de 10 jours d'hospitalisation. Les patients ayant reçu une prise en charge psychiatrique en premier recours, étaient améliorés dans 75 % cas en moins de 10jours. Le retard du recours aux soins psychiatriques est une réalité à Madagascar qui aggrave le pronostic des psychoses. PMID:29632623

Epithelioma Spinocellulaire sur Cicatrice de Brulure (a Propos de Cinq Cas)

PubMed Central

Tourabi, K.; Mejjati, H.; Ribqg, Y.; Achbouk, A.; Arrob, A.; Moussaoui, A.; Ihrai, H.

2009-01-01

Summary Pour étudier l'ulcère de Marjolin, tous les dossiers des patients qui se sont présentés pendant une période quinquennale à un Service de Chirurgie Plastique et des Brûlés au Maroc ayant un cancer sur cicatrice de brûlure, objectivé par un examen histopathologique, ont été inclus dans une fiche de recueil de données comprenant des paramètres liés à l'identité du malade, à l'inventaire préthérapeutique, au traitement et à l'évolution du cas. Les Auteurs, après avoir présenté les données des cinq patients inclus dans l'étude, considèrent les problèmes posés par les épithéliomas spinocellulaires sur cicatrice de brûlure, qui sont des affections graves et rares. La dégénérescence des cicatrices de brûlures est une évolution dramatique, causée par la négligence. Le traitement préventif par exérèse systématique de toute lésion suspecte doit être fortement souligné puisqu'il garantit la guérison quasi certaine. PMID:21991185

[Skin grafting in the treatment of hand burns sequelae in relation to 152 cases. Report from Department of Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Ibn Sina].

PubMed

El Mazouz, S; Fejjal, N; Hafidi, J; Cherkab, L; Mejjati, H; Belfqih, R; Gharib, N; Abbassi, A

2010-03-31

La main est fréquemment exposée aux brûlures, entraînant des séquelles esthétiques et fonctionnelles. Le traitement de ces séquelles est surtout chirurgical et consiste en la greffe de peau, dont le type dépend de la localisation de la brûlure et du type des séquelles. Dans ce travail rétrospectif, nous rapportons une série de 152 cas de brûlures des mains colligés au service de chirurgie plastique du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Ibn-Sina de Rabat sur une période de dix ans, allant de 1998 à 2007. Les indications thérapeutiques dépendent du type de séquelles et de la localisation de la brûlure. En tout, 97 patients ont bénéficié d'une greffe cutanée, dont 76% par greffe de peau totale, 21% par greffe de peau demi-épaisse et 3% par peau fine. Les séquelles des brûlures des mains posent un problème thérapeutique majeur, malgré la diversité des procédés chirurgicaux, d'où l'intérêt de la prévention.

The effects of dielectric decrement and finite ion size on differential capacitance of electrolytically gated graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daniels, Lindsey; Scott, Matthew; Mišković, Z. L.

2018-06-01

We analyze the effects of dielectric decrement and finite ion size in an aqueous electrolyte on the capacitance of a graphene electrode, and make comparisons with the effects of dielectric saturation combined with finite ion size. We first derive conditions for the cross-over from a camel-shaped to a bell-shaped capacitance of the diffuse layer. We show next that the total capacitance is dominated by a V-shaped quantum capacitance of graphene at low potentials. A broad peak develops in the total capacitance at high potentials, which is sensitive to the ion size with dielectric saturation, but is stable with dielectric decrement.

Molecular Insights into Carbon Nanotube Supercapacitors: Capacitance Independent of Voltage and Temperature

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Guang; Li, Song; Atchison, Jennifer S.

2013-04-12

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of supercapacitors with single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) electrodes in room-temperature ionic liquids were performed to investigate the influences of the applied electrical potential, the radius/curvature of SWCNTs, and temperature on their capacitive behavior. It is found that (1) SWCNTs-based supercapacitors exhibit a near-flat capacitance–potential curve, (2) the capacitance increases as the tube radius decreases, and (3) the capacitance depends little on the temperature. We report the first MD study showing the influence of the electrode curvature on the capacitance–potential curve and negligible dependence of temperature on capacitance of tubular electrode. The latter is in good agreementmore » with recent experimental findings and is attributed to the similarity of the electrical double layer (EDL) microstructure with temperature varying from 260 to 400 K. The electrode curvature effect is explained by the dominance of charge overscreening and increased ion density per unit area of electrode surface.« less

A dielectric model of self-assembled monolayer interfaces by capacitive spectroscopy.

PubMed

Góes, Márcio S; Rahman, Habibur; Ryall, Joshua; Davis, Jason J; Bueno, Paulo R

2012-06-26

The presence of self-assembled monolayers at an electrode introduces capacitance and resistance contributions that can profoundly affect subsequently observed electronic characteristics. Despite the impact of this on any voltammetry, these contributions are not directly resolvable with any clarity by standard electrochemical means. A capacitive analysis of such interfaces (by capacitance spectroscopy), introduced here, enables a clean mapping of these features and additionally presents a means of studying layer polarizability and Cole-Cole relaxation effects. The resolved resistive term contributes directly to an intrinsic monolayer uncompensated resistance that has a linear dependence on the layer thickness. The dielectric model proposed is fully aligned with the classic Helmholtz plate capacitor model and additionally explains the inherently associated resistive features of molecular films.

Na/K-ATPase regulates bovine sperm capacitation through raft- and non-raft-mediated signaling mechanisms.

PubMed

Rajamanickam, Gayathri D; Kastelic, John P; Thundathil, Jacob C

2017-11-01

Highly dynamic lipid microdomains (rafts) in the sperm plasma membrane contain several signaling proteins that regulate sperm capacitation. Na/K-ATPase isoforms (testis-specific isoform ATP1A4 and ubiquitous isoform ATP1A1) are abundant in bovine sperm plasma membrane. We previously reported that incubation of bovine sperm with ouabain, a specific Na/K-ATPase ligand, induced tyrosine phosphorylation of several sperm proteins during capacitation. The objective of this study was to investigate the roles of lipid rafts and non-rafts in Na/K-ATPase enzyme activity and signaling during bovine sperm capacitation. Content of ATP1A4 and, to a lesser extent, ATP1A1 was increased in raft and non-raft fractions of capacitated sperm, although non-raft enzyme activities of both isoforms were higher than the corresponding activities in rafts from capacitated sperm. Yet, ATP1A4 was the predominant isoform responsible for total Na/K-ATPase activity in both rafts and non-rafts. A comparative increase in phosphorylation of signaling molecules was observed in both raft (CAV1) and non-raft (EGFR and ERK1/2) membrane fractions during capacitation. Although SRC was phosphorylated in both membrane fractions, the non-raft fraction possessed more of this activated form. We also inferred, by immunoprecipitation, that ATP1A4 interacted with CAV1 and EGFR in the raft fraction, whereas interactions of ATP1A4 with SRC, EGFR, and ERK1/2 occurred in the non-raft fraction of ouabain-capacitated sperm; conversely, ATP1A1 interacted only with CAV1 in both fractions of uncapacitated and capacitated sperm. In conclusion, both raft and non-raft cohorts of Na/K-ATPase isoforms contributed to phosphorylation of signaling molecules during bovine sperm capacitation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Litigation involving DES.

PubMed

Rheingold, P D

1976-01-01

Focus is on the diethylstilbestrol (DES) litigation which has resulted from the 1971 discovery that this synthetic estrogen can cause cancer in the daughters of women who used the drug during pregnancy in an effort to prevent threatened abortion. Possibly 100 suits are pending at this time in which DES daughters claim injuries. In most of these vaginal or cervical cancer has appeared -- with or without a hysterectomy having been performed. Several women died from cancer. The fact that the use of DES occurred many years ago is the legal hurdle most troublesome to lawyers. The average women coming to a lawyer's office today has a mother who used some form of DES, perhaps in 1955. Few drugstores have records today of the prescriptions which they filled 20 years ago. It has been estimated that over the 1950-1970 period more than 200 different companies manufactured or "tabletized" under their own name DES plus a variety of similar synthetic estrogens promoted for the prevention of threatened abortion. A further hurdle caused by the passage of time is that even the records of the physicians are frequently lost. A final problem created by the age of the cases is statute of limitations. If the actual manufacturer of the DES cannot be identified, this is generally the end of the lawyer's interest in the case. The chance of the plaintiff winning may be increased if the action against all the manufacturers is a class action. Most of the pending DES suits are against the manufacturer and not against the doctor. Thus far no DES case has been tried to completion. Several have been settled by the manufacturers on the eve of the trial, generally for less than the full sum that a cancer victim would expect to receive.

Médecine des voyages

PubMed Central

Aw, Brian; Boraston, Suni; Botten, David; Cherniwchan, Darin; Fazal, Hyder; Kelton, Timothy; Libman, Michael; Saldanha, Colin; Scappatura, Philip; Stowe, Brian

2014-01-01

Résumé Objectif Définir la pratique de la médecine des voyages, présenter les éléments fondamentaux d’une consultation complète préalable aux voyages à des voyageurs internationaux et aider à identifier les patients qu’il vaudrait mieux envoyer en consultation auprès de professionnels de la médecine des voyages. Sources des données Les lignes directrices et les recommandations sur la médecine des voyages et les maladies liées aux voyages publiées par les autorités sanitaires nationales et internationales ont fait l’objet d’un examen. Une recension des ouvrages connexes dans MEDLINE et EMBASE a aussi été effectuée. Message principal La médecine des voyages est une spécialité très dynamique qui se concentre sur les soins préventifs avant un voyage. Une évaluation exhaustive du risque pour chaque voyageur est essentielle pour mesurer avec exactitude les risques particuliers au voyageur, à son itinéraire et à sa destination et pour offrir des conseils sur les interventions les plus appropriées en gestion du risque afin de promouvoir la santé et prévenir les problèmes médicaux indésirables durant le voyage. Des vaccins peuvent aussi être nécessaires et doivent être personnalisés en fonction des antécédents d’immunisation du voyageur, de son itinéraire et du temps qu’il reste avant son départ. Conclusion La santé et la sécurité d’un voyageur dépendent du degré d’expertise du médecin qui offre le counseling préalable à son voyage et les vaccins, au besoin. On recommande à ceux qui donnent des conseils aux voyageurs d’être conscients de l’ampleur de cette responsabilité et de demander si possible une consultation auprès de professionnels de la médecine des voyages pour tous les voyageurs à risque élevé.

Robust and conductive two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks with exceptionally high volumetric and areal capacitance

DOE PAGES

Feng, Dawei; Lei, Ting; Lukatskaya, Maria R.; ...

2018-01-01

For miniaturized capacitive energy storage, volumetric and areal capacitances are more important metrics than gravimetric ones because of the constraints imposed by device volume and chip area. Typically used in commercial supercapacitors, porous carbons, although they provide a stable and reliable performance, lack volumetric performance because of their inherently low density and moderate capacitances. In this paper, we report a high-performing electrode based on conductive hexaaminobenzene (HAB)-derived two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). In addition to possessing a high packing density and hierarchical porous structure, these MOFs also exhibit excellent chemical stability in both acidic and basic aqueous solutions, which is inmore » sharp contrast to conventional MOFs. Submillimetre-thick pellets of HAB MOFs showed high volumetric capacitances up to 760 F cm -3 and high areal capacitances over 20 F cm -2. Furthermore, the HAB MOF electrodes exhibited highly reversible redox behaviours and good cycling stability with a capacitance retention of 90% after 12,000 cycles. In conclusion, these promising results demonstrate the potential of using redox-active conductive MOFs in energy-storage applications.« less

Robust and conductive two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks with exceptionally high volumetric and areal capacitance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Feng, Dawei; Lei, Ting; Lukatskaya, Maria R.

For miniaturized capacitive energy storage, volumetric and areal capacitances are more important metrics than gravimetric ones because of the constraints imposed by device volume and chip area. Typically used in commercial supercapacitors, porous carbons, although they provide a stable and reliable performance, lack volumetric performance because of their inherently low density and moderate capacitances. In this paper, we report a high-performing electrode based on conductive hexaaminobenzene (HAB)-derived two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). In addition to possessing a high packing density and hierarchical porous structure, these MOFs also exhibit excellent chemical stability in both acidic and basic aqueous solutions, which is inmore » sharp contrast to conventional MOFs. Submillimetre-thick pellets of HAB MOFs showed high volumetric capacitances up to 760 F cm -3 and high areal capacitances over 20 F cm -2. Furthermore, the HAB MOF electrodes exhibited highly reversible redox behaviours and good cycling stability with a capacitance retention of 90% after 12,000 cycles. In conclusion, these promising results demonstrate the potential of using redox-active conductive MOFs in energy-storage applications.« less

Robust and conductive two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks with exceptionally high volumetric and areal capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Dawei; Lei, Ting; Lukatskaya, Maria R.; Park, Jihye; Huang, Zhehao; Lee, Minah; Shaw, Leo; Chen, Shucheng; Yakovenko, Andrey A.; Kulkarni, Ambarish; Xiao, Jianping; Fredrickson, Kurt; Tok, Jeffrey B.; Zou, Xiaodong; Cui, Yi; Bao, Zhenan

2018-01-01

For miniaturized capacitive energy storage, volumetric and areal capacitances are more important metrics than gravimetric ones because of the constraints imposed by device volume and chip area. Typically used in commercial supercapacitors, porous carbons, although they provide a stable and reliable performance, lack volumetric performance because of their inherently low density and moderate capacitances. Here we report a high-performing electrode based on conductive hexaaminobenzene (HAB)-derived two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). In addition to possessing a high packing density and hierarchical porous structure, these MOFs also exhibit excellent chemical stability in both acidic and basic aqueous solutions, which is in sharp contrast to conventional MOFs. Submillimetre-thick pellets of HAB MOFs showed high volumetric capacitances up to 760 F cm-3 and high areal capacitances over 20 F cm-2. Furthermore, the HAB MOF electrodes exhibited highly reversible redox behaviours and good cycling stability with a capacitance retention of 90% after 12,000 cycles. These promising results demonstrate the potential of using redox-active conductive MOFs in energy-storage applications.

Wavelet approach to artifact noise removal from Capacitive coupled Electrocardiograph.

PubMed

Lee, Seung Min; Kim, Ko Keun; Park, Kwang Suk

2008-01-01

Capacitive coupled Electrocardiography (ECG) is introduced as non-invasive measurement technology for ubiquitous health care and appliance are spread out widely. Although it has many merits, however, capacitive coupled ECG is very weak for motion artifacts for its non-skin-contact property. There are many studies for artifact problems which treats all artifact signals below 0.8Hz. In our capacitive coupled ECG measurement system, artifacts exist not only below 0.8Hz but also over than 10Hz. Therefore, artifact noise removal algorithm using wavelet method is tested to reject artifact-wandered signal from measured signals. It is observed that using power calculation each decimation step, artifact-wandered signal is removed as low frequency artifacts as high frequency artifacts. Although some original ECG signal is removed with artifact signal, we could level the signal quality for long term measure which shows the best quality ECG signals as we can get.

Nanocomposite of polyaniline nanorods grown on graphene nanoribbons for highly capacitive pseudocapacitors.

PubMed

Li, Lei; Raji, Abdul-Rahman O; Fei, Huilong; Yang, Yang; Samuel, Errol L G; Tour, James M

2013-07-24

A facile and cost-effective approach to the fabrication of a nanocomposite material of polyaniline (PANI) and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) has been developed. The morphology of the composite was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The resulting composite has a high specific capacitance of 340 F/g and stable cycling performance with 90% capacitance retention over 4200 cycles. The high performance of the composite results from the synergistic combination of electrically conductive GNRs and highly capacitive PANI. The method developed here is practical for large-scale development of pseudocapacitor electrodes for energy storage.

Real-time estimation of paracellular permeability of cerebral endothelial cells by capacitance sensor array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyun Jo, Dong; Lee, Rimi; Hyoung Kim, Jin; Oh Jun, Hyoung; Geol Lee, Tae; Hun Kim, Jeong

2015-06-01

Vascular integrity is important in maintaining homeostasis of brain microenvironments. In various brain diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, and multiple sclerosis, increased paracellular permeability due to breakdown of blood-brain barrier is linked with initiation and progression of pathological conditions. We developed a capacitance sensor array to monitor dielectric responses of cerebral endothelial cell monolayer, which could be utilized to evaluate the integrity of brain microvasculature. Our system measured real-time capacitance values which demonstrated frequency- and time-dependent variations. With the measurement of capacitance at the frequency of 100 Hz, we could differentiate the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a representative permeability-inducing factor, on endothelial cells and quantitatively analyse the normalized values. Interestingly, we showed differential capacitance values according to the status of endothelial cell monolayer, confluent or sparse, evidencing that the integrity of monolayer was associated with capacitance values. Another notable feature was that we could evaluate the expression of molecules in samples in our system with the reference of real-time capacitance values. We suggest that this dielectric spectroscopy system could be successfully implanted as a novel in vitro assay in the investigation of the roles of paracellular permeability in various brain diseases.

Capacitive energy storage and recovery for synchrotron magnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koseki, K.

2014-06-01

Feasibility studies on capacitive energy storage and recovery in the main-ring synchrotron of the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex were conducted by circuit simulation. The estimated load fluctuation was 96 MVA in total for dipole magnets, which is likely to induce a serious disturbance in the main grid. It was found that the energy stored in the magnets after the excitation period can be recovered to the storage capacitor by controlling the voltage across the energy-storage capacitor using a pulse-width-modulation converter and reused in the next operational cycle. It was also found that the power fluctuation in the main grid can be reduced to 12 MVA. An experimental evaluation of an aluminum metalized film capacitor revealed that capacitance loss was induced by a fluctuating voltage applied to the storage capacitor when applying the proposed method. The capacitance loss was induced by corona discharge around the edges of segmented electrodes of a self-healing capacitor. The use of aluminum-zinc alloy was evaluated as a countermeasure to mitigate the effect induced by the corona discharge. For a zinc content of 8%, which was optimized experimentally, a capacitor with a sufficient life time expectancy of 20 years and a working potential gradient of 250 V/μm was developed.

Observation of non-linear biomass-capacitance correlations: reasons and implications for bioprocess control.

PubMed

Maskow, Thomas; Röllich, Anita; Fetzer, Ingo; Yao, Jun; Harms, Hauke

2008-09-15

Electrical capacitance has been discussed as a real time measure for living biomass concentration in technical bioreactors such as brewery (fermentation) tanks. Commonly, a linear correlation between biomass concentration and capacitance is assumed. While following the growth and subsequent lipid formation of the yeast Arxula adeninivorans we observed non-linearity between biomass concentration and capacitance. Capacitance deviation from linearity coincided with incipient lipid formation and depended on the intracellular lipid content. As the extent of deviation between capacitance and biomass concentration was proportional to the lipid concentration, it was considered as a quantitative measure of intracellular product formation. The correlation between shifts in dielectric relaxation (summarized as characteristic frequency of the Cole-Cole equation) and lipid content could not be explained by interfacial polarization on the lipid droplets alone. However, the parameters of the Cole-Cole equation were found to be a clear indicator for different phases of growth and lipid production. Integrating all results in a redundancy analysis (RDA), we were able to accurately describe the formation of cellular lipid inclusions. Our measurements are thus potentially valuable as components of future bioprocess control strategies targeting intracellular products such as proteins or biopolyesters.

The Chemical Capacitance as a Fingerprint of Defect Chemistry in Mixed Conducting Oxides.

PubMed

Fleig, Juergen; Schmid, Alexander; Rupp, Ghislain M; Slouka, Christoph; Navickas, Edvinas; Andrejs, Lukas; Hutter, Herbert; Volgger, Lukas; Nenning, Andreas

2016-01-01

The oxygen stoichiometry of mixed conducting oxides depends on the oxygen chemical potential and thus on the oxygen partial pressure in the gas phase. Also voltages may change the local oxygen stoichiometry and the amount to which such changes take place is quantified by the chemical capacitance of the sample. Impedance spectroscopy can be used to probe this chemical capacitance. Impedance measurements on different oxides ((La,Sr)FeO3-δ = LSF, Sr(Ti,Fe)O3-δ = STF, and Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 = PZT) are presented, and demonstrate how the chemical capacitance may affect impedance spectra in different types of electrochemical cells. A quantitative analysis of the spectra is based on generalized equivalent circuits developed for mixed conducting oxides by J. Jamnik and J. Maier. It is discussed how defect chemical information can be deduced from the chemical capacitance.

The capacitive proximity sensor based on transients in RC-circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakunin, A. G.

2018-05-01

The principle of operation of the capacitive proximity sensor is described. It can be used in various robotic complexes, automation systems and alarm devices to inform the control device of the approach to the sensor sensitive surface of an object. At the heart of the device is the measurement of the change in the current of the transient accompanying the charge of the reference capacitor because of the parallel connection to it the capacitance formed by the sensitive sensor surface and the external object. At the heart of the device is the measurement of the change in the current of the transient accompanying the charge of the reference capacitor caused by the parallel connection to it the capacitance formed by the sensitive sensor surface and the external object. As shown by theoretical and experimental studies, the value of this capacity, depending on the purpose of the device, can vary within very wide limits. In this case, the sensitive surface can be both a piece of ordinary wire several centimeters long, and a metall plate or grid, the area of which can reach units and even tens of square meters. The main advantage of the proposed solution is a significant reduction in the effect of spurious leakage currents arising at the capacitance of the measuring electrode under the influence of pollution and humidity of the environment.

Determination des Parametres Atmospheriques des Etoiles Naines Blanches de Type DB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beauchamp, Alain

1995-01-01

Les etoiles naines blanches dont les spectres visibles sont domines par des raies fortes d'helium neutre sont subdivisees en trois classes, DB (raies d'helium neutre seulement), DBA (raies d'helium neutre et d'hydrogene) et DBZ (raies d'helium neutre et d'elements lourds). Nous analysons trois echantillons de spectres observes de ces types de naines blanches. Les echantillons consistent, respectivement, de 48 spectres dans le domaine du visible (3700-5100 A). 24 dans l'ultraviolet (1200-3100 A) et quatre dans la partie rouge du visible (5100-6900) A). Parmi les objets de l'echantillon visible, nous identifions quatre nouvelles DBA, ainsi que deux nouvelles DBZ, auparavant classees DB. L'analyse nous permet de determiner spectroscopiquement les parametres atmospheriques, soit la temperature effective, la gravite de surface, ainsi que l'abondance relative de l'hydrogene, N(H)/N(He), dans le cas des DBA. Pour les objets plus chauds que ~15,000 K, la gravite de surface determinee est fiable, et nous obtenons les masses stellaires avec une relation masse -rayon theorique. Les exigences propres a l'analyse de ces objets ont requis d'importantes ameliorations dans la modelisation de leurs atmospheres et distributions de flux de radiation emis par ces derniers. Nous avons inclus dans les modeles d'atmospheres, pour la premiere fois a notre connaissance, les effets dus a la molecule He_sp{2 }{+}, ainsi que l'equation d'etat de Hummer et Mihalas (1988), qui tient compte des perturbations entre particules dans le calcul des populations des differents niveaux atomiques. Nous traitons la convection dans le cadre de la theorie de la longueur de melange. Trois grilles de modeles d'atmospheres a l'ETL (equilibre thermodynamique local) ont ete produites, pour un ensemble de temperatures effectives, gravites de surface et abondances d'hydrogene couvrant les proprietes des etoiles de nos echantillons; elles sont caracterisees par differentes parametrisations appelees, respectivement

Application du concept de maillon faible à un critère d'endurance multiaxial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flacelière, L.; Morel, F.; Palin-Luc, T.

2002-12-01

En fatigue à grand nombre de cycle, il est aujourd'hui admis que la distribution des contraintes, ainsi que la taille des composants, sont responsables de variations de la limite de fatigue. Sous chargement uniaxial ou multiaxial, on peut montrer qu'une approche statistique dite du maillon le plus faible, combiné à un critère multiaxial d'endurance basé sur une analyse micro plastique, permet de prédire la limite de fatigue de plusieurs matériaux métalliques. Quatre types de chargement sont analysés (traction-compression, torsion, flexion rotative et flexion plane), puis comparées aux résultats expérimentaux, pour une fonte et deux aciers haute résistance. L'approche statistique proposée permet d'intégrer un certain nombre d'aspects: la dispersion des données pour tous types de chargement, l'effet de gradient et l'influence de la présence de défauts matériaux. Enfin, ce modèle rend également compte de la diminution de la limite de fatigue avec l'augmentation du volume contraint. Les prédictions des probabilités de rupture sont raisonnables bien que seules des limites de fatigue relatives à des probabilités de rupture de 50% soient utilisées pour l'identification des paramètres du modèle.

Biomedical applications of a commercial capacitance transducer.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1968-03-01

A capacitive displacement transducer with a linear response and constant sensitivity for a frequency range of 0-1,000 Hz is described. Its application to measurement of chest wall motions was verified using static displacements from flat and curved s...

Large capacitance enhancement induced by metal-doping in graphene-based supercapacitors: a first-principles-based assessment.

PubMed

Paek, Eunsu; Pak, Alexander J; Hwang, Gyeong S

2014-08-13

Chemically doped graphene-based materials have recently been explored as a means to improve the performance of supercapacitors. In this work, we investigate the effects of 3d transition metals bound to vacancy sites in graphene with [BMIM][PF6] ionic liquid on the interfacial capacitance; these results are compared to the pristine graphene case with particular attention to the relative contributions of the quantum and electric double layer capacitances. Our study highlights that the presence of metal-vacancy complexes significantly increases the availability of electronic states near the charge neutrality point, thereby enhancing the quantum capacitance drastically. In addition, the use of metal-doped graphene electrodes is found to only marginally influence the microstructure and capacitance of the electric double layer. Our findings indicate that metal-doping of graphene-like electrodes can be a promising route toward increasing the interfacial capacitance of electrochemical double layer capacitors, primarily by enhancing the quantum capacitance.

Caracterisation pratique des systemes quantiques et memoires quantiques auto-correctrices 2D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landon-Cardinal, Olivier

Cette these s'attaque a deux problemes majeurs de l'information quantique: - Comment caracteriser efficacement un systeme quantique? - Comment stocker de l'information quantique? Elle se divise done en deux parties distinctes reliees par des elements techniques communs. Chacune est toutefois d'un interet propre et se suffit a elle-meme. Caracterisation pratique des systemes quantiques. Le calcul quantique exige un tres grand controle des systemes quantiques composes de plusieurs particules, par exemple des atomes confines dans un piege electromagnetique ou des electrons dans un dispositif semi-conducteur. Caracteriser un tel systeme quantique consiste a obtenir de l'information sur l'etat grace a des mesures experimentales. Or, chaque mesure sur le systeme quantique le perturbe et doit done etre effectuee apres avoir reprepare le systeme de facon identique. L'information recherchee est ensuite reconstruite numeriquement a partir de l'ensemble des donnees experimentales. Les experiences effectuees jusqu'a present visaient a reconstruire l'etat quantique complet du systeme, en particulier pour demontrer la capacite de preparer des etats intriques, dans lesquels les particules presentent des correlations non-locales. Or, la procedure de tomographie utilisee actuellement n'est envisageable que pour des systemes composes d'un petit nombre de particules. Il est donc urgent de trouver des methodes de caracterisation pour les systemes de grande taille. Dans cette these, nous proposons deux approches theoriques plus ciblees afin de caracteriser un systeme quantique en n'utilisant qu'un effort experimental et numerique raisonnable. - La premiere consiste a estimer la distance entre l'etat realise en laboratoire et l'etat cible que l'experimentateur voulait preparer. Nous presentons un protocole, dit de certification, demandant moins de ressources que la tomographie et tres efficace pour plusieurs classes d'etats importantes pour l'informatique quantique. - La seconde

An Annular Mechanical Temperature Compensation Structure for Gas-Sealed Capacitive Pressure Sensor

PubMed Central

Hao, Xiuchun; Jiang, Yonggang; Takao, Hidekuni; Maenaka, Kazusuke; Higuchi, Kohei

2012-01-01

A novel gas-sealed capacitive pressure sensor with a temperature compensation structure is reported. The pressure sensor is sealed by Au-Au diffusion bonding under a nitrogen ambient with a pressure of 100 kPa and integrated with a platinum resistor-based temperature sensor for human activity monitoring applications. The capacitance-pressure and capacitance-temperature characteristics of the gas-sealed capacitive pressure sensor without temperature compensation structure are calculated. It is found by simulation that a ring-shaped structure on the diaphragm of the pressure sensor can mechanically suppress the thermal expansion effect of the sealed gas in the cavity. Pressure sensors without/with temperature compensation structures are fabricated and measured. Through measured results, it is verified that the calculation model is accurate. Using the compensation structures with a 900 μm inner radius, the measured temperature coefficient is much reduced as compared to that of the pressure sensor without compensation. The sensitivities of the pressure sensor before and after compensation are almost the same in the pressure range from 80 kPa to 100 kPa. PMID:22969385

Developpement D'un Modele Climatique Regional: Fizr Simulation des Conditions de Janvier de la Cote Ouest Nord Americaine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goyette, Stephane

1995-11-01

Le sujet de cette these concerne la modelisation numerique du climat regional. L'objectif principal de l'exercice est de developper un modele climatique regional ayant les capacites de simuler des phenomenes de meso-echelle spatiale. Notre domaine d'etude se situe sur la Cote Ouest nord americaine. Ce dernier a retenu notre attention a cause de la complexite du relief et de son controle sur le climat. Les raisons qui motivent cette etude sont multiples: d'une part, nous ne pouvons pas augmenter, en pratique, la faible resolution spatiale des modeles de la circulation generale de l'atmosphere (MCG) sans augmenter a outrance les couts d'integration et, d'autre part, la gestion de l'environnement exige de plus en plus de donnees climatiques regionales determinees avec une meilleure resolution spatiale. Jusqu'alors, les MCG constituaient les modeles les plus estimes pour leurs aptitudes a simuler le climat ainsi que les changements climatiques mondiaux. Toutefois, les phenomenes climatiques de fine echelle echappent encore aux MCG a cause de leur faible resolution spatiale. De plus, les repercussions socio-economiques des modifications possibles des climats sont etroitement liees a des phenomenes imperceptibles par les MCG actuels. Afin de circonvenir certains problemes inherents a la resolution, une approche pratique vise a prendre un domaine spatial limite d'un MCG et a y imbriquer un autre modele numerique possedant, lui, un maillage de haute resolution spatiale. Ce processus d'imbrication implique alors une nouvelle simulation numerique. Cette "retro-simulation" est guidee dans le domaine restreint a partir de pieces d'informations fournies par le MCG et forcee par des mecanismes pris en charge uniquement par le modele imbrique. Ainsi, afin de raffiner la precision spatiale des previsions climatiques de grande echelle, nous developpons ici un modele numerique appele FIZR, permettant d'obtenir de l'information climatique regionale valide a la fine echelle spatiale

Effect of reducing system on capacitive behavior of reduced graphene oxide film: Application for supercapacitor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Akbi, Hamdane; Yu, Lei; Wang, Bin

2015-01-15

To determine the best chemical reduction of graphene oxide film with hydriodic acid that gives maximum energy and power density, we studied the effect of two reducing systems, hydriodic acid/water and hydriodic acid/acetic acid, on the morphology and electrochemical features of reduced graphene oxide film. Using acetic acid as solvent results in high electrical conductivity (5195 S m{sup −1}), excellent specific capacitance (384 F g{sup −1}) and good cyclic stability (about 98% of its initial response after 4000 cycles). Using water as a solvent, results in an ideal capacitive behavior and excellent cyclic stability (about 6% increase of its initialmore » response after 2100 cycles). - Graphical abstract: The choice of reducing system determines the morphology and structure of the chemically reduced graphene film and, as a result, affects largely the capacitive behavior. - Highlights: • The structure of the graphene film has a pronounced effect on capacitive behavior. • The use of water/HI as reducing system results in an ideal capacitive behavior. • The use of acetic acid/HI as reducing system results in a high specific capacitance.« less

Aptamer-functionalized capacitance sensors for real-time monitoring of bacterial growth and antibiotic susceptibility.

PubMed

Jo, Namgyeong; Kim, Bongjun; Lee, Sun-Mi; Oh, Jeseung; Park, In Ho; Jin Lim, Kook; Shin, Jeon-Soo; Yoo, Kyung-Hwa

2018-04-15

To prevent spread of infection and antibiotic resistance, fast and accurate diagnosis of bacterial infection and subsequent administration of antimicrobial agents are important. However, conventional methods for bacterial detection and antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) require more than two days, leading to delays that have contributed to an increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Here, we report an aptamer-functionalized capacitance sensor array that can monitor bacterial growth and antibiotic susceptibility in real-time. While E. coli and S. aureus were cultured, the capacitance increased over time, and apparent bacterial growth curves were observed even when 10 CFU/mL bacteria was inoculated. Furthermore, because of the selectivity of aptamers, bacteria could be identified within 1h using the capacitance sensor array functionalized with aptamers. In addition to bacterial growth, antibiotic susceptibility could be monitored in real-time. When bacteria were treated with antibiotics above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the capacitance decreased because the bacterial growth was inhibited. These results demonstrate that the aptamer-functionalized capacitance sensor array might be applied for rapid ASTs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Graphene/Polyaniline Aerogel with Superelasticity and High Capacitance as Highly Compression-Tolerant Supercapacitor Electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Peng; Tang, Xun; Zheng, Ruilin; Ma, Xiaobo; Yu, Kehan; Wei, Wei

2017-12-01

Superelastic graphene aerogel with ultra-high compressibility shows promising potential for compression-tolerant supercapacitor electrode. However, its specific capacitance is too low to meet the practical application. Herein, we deposited polyaniline (PANI) into the superelastic graphene aerogel to improve the capacitance while maintaining the superelasticity. Graphene/PANI aerogel with optimized PANI mass content of 63 wt% shows the improved specific capacitance of 713 F g-1 in the three-electrode system. And the graphene/PANI aerogel presents a high recoverable compressive strain of 90% due to the strong interaction between PANI and graphene. The all-solid-state supercapacitors were assembled to demonstrate the compression-tolerant ability of graphene/PANI electrodes. The gravimetric capacitance of graphene/PANI electrodes reaches 424 F g-1 and retains 96% even at 90% compressive strain. And a volumetric capacitance of 65.5 F cm-3 is achieved, which is much higher than that of other compressible composite electrodes. Furthermore, several compressible supercapacitors can be integrated and connected in series to enhance the overall output voltage, suggesting the potential to meet the practical application.

Graphene/Polyaniline Aerogel with Superelasticity and High Capacitance as Highly Compression-Tolerant Supercapacitor Electrode.

PubMed

Lv, Peng; Tang, Xun; Zheng, Ruilin; Ma, Xiaobo; Yu, Kehan; Wei, Wei

2017-12-19

Superelastic graphene aerogel with ultra-high compressibility shows promising potential for compression-tolerant supercapacitor electrode. However, its specific capacitance is too low to meet the practical application. Herein, we deposited polyaniline (PANI) into the superelastic graphene aerogel to improve the capacitance while maintaining the superelasticity. Graphene/PANI aerogel with optimized PANI mass content of 63 wt% shows the improved specific capacitance of 713 F g -1 in the three-electrode system. And the graphene/PANI aerogel presents a high recoverable compressive strain of 90% due to the strong interaction between PANI and graphene. The all-solid-state supercapacitors were assembled to demonstrate the compression-tolerant ability of graphene/PANI electrodes. The gravimetric capacitance of graphene/PANI electrodes reaches 424 F g -1 and retains 96% even at 90% compressive strain. And a volumetric capacitance of 65.5 F cm -3 is achieved, which is much higher than that of other compressible composite electrodes. Furthermore, several compressible supercapacitors can be integrated and connected in series to enhance the overall output voltage, suggesting the potential to meet the practical application.

Programmable Low-Power Low-Noise Capacitance to Voltage Converter for MEMS Accelerometers

PubMed Central

Royo, Guillermo; Sánchez-Azqueta, Carlos; Gimeno, Cecilia; Aldea, Concepción; Celma, Santiago

2016-01-01

In this work, we present a capacitance-to-voltage converter (CVC) for capacitive accelerometers based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Based on a fully-differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA), it features a 34-dB transimpedance gain control and over one decade programmable bandwidth, from 75 kHz to 1.2 MHz. The TIA is aimed for low-cost low-power capacitive sensor applications. It has been designed in a standard 0.18-μm CMOS technology and its power consumption is only 54 μW. At the maximum transimpedance configuration, the TIA shows an equivalent input noise of 42 fA/Hz at 50 kHz, which corresponds to 100 μg/Hz. PMID:28042830

Programmable Low-Power Low-Noise Capacitance to Voltage Converter for MEMS Accelerometers.

PubMed

Royo, Guillermo; Sánchez-Azqueta, Carlos; Gimeno, Cecilia; Aldea, Concepción; Celma, Santiago

2016-12-30

In this work, we present a capacitance-to-voltage converter (CVC) for capacitive accelerometers based on microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Based on a fully-differential transimpedance amplifier (TIA), it features a 34-dB transimpedance gain control and over one decade programmable bandwidth, from 75 kHz to 1.2 MHz. The TIA is aimed for low-cost low-power capacitive sensor applications. It has been designed in a standard 0.18-μm CMOS technology and its power consumption is only 54 μW. At the maximum transimpedance configuration, the TIA shows an equivalent input noise of 42 fA/ Hz at 50 kHz, which corresponds to 100 μg/ Hz .

Capacitance Based Moisture Sensing for Microgravity Plant Modules: Sensor Design and Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaber, Chad L.; Nurge, Mark; Monje, Oscar

2011-01-01

Life support systems for growing plants in microgravity should strive for providing optimal growing conditions and increased automation. Accurately tracking soil moisture content can forward both of these aims, so an attempt was made to instrument a microgravity growth module currently in development, the VEGGIE rooting pillow, in order to monitor moisture levels. Two electrode systems for a capacitance-based moisture sensor were tested. Trials with both types of electrodes showed a linear correlation between observed capacitance and water content over certain ranges of moisture within the pillows. Overall, both types of the electrodes and the capacitance-based moisture sensor are promising candidates for tracking water levels for microgravity plant growth systems.

Capacitive system detects and locates fluid leaks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1966-01-01

Electronic monitoring system automatically detects and locates minute leaks in seams of large fluid storage tanks and pipelines covered with thermal insulation. The system uses a capacitive tape-sensing element that is adhesively bonded over seams where fluid leaks are likely to occur.

Maximizing the value of gate capacitance in field-effect devices using an organic interface layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwok, H. L.

2015-12-01

Past research has confirmed the existence of negative capacitance in organics such as tris (8-Hydroxyquinoline) Aluminum (Alq3). This work explored using such an organic interface layer to enhance the channel voltage in the field-effect transistor (FET) thereby lowering the sub-threshold swing. In particular, if the values of the positive and negative gate capacitances are approximately equal, the composite negative capacitance will increase by orders of magnitude. One concern is the upper frequency limit (∼100 Hz) over which negative capacitance has been observed. Nonetheless, this frequency limit can be raised to kHz when the organic layer is subjected to a DC bias.

Conductive two-dimensional titanium carbide ‘clay’ with high volumetric capacitance

DOE PAGES

Ghidiu, Michael; Lukatskaya, Maria R.; Zhao, Meng-Qiang; ...

2014-11-26

Safe and powerful energy storage devices are becoming increasingly important. Charging times of seconds to minutes, with power densities exceeding those of batteries, can in principle be provided by electrochemical capacitors—in particular, pseudocapacitors. Recent research has focused mainly on improving the gravimetric performance of the electrodes of such systems, but for portable electronics and vehicles volume is at a premium. The best volumetric capacitances of carbon-based electrodes are around 300 farads per cubic centimetre; hydrated ruthenium oxide can reach capacitances of 1,000 to 1,500 farads per cubic centimetre with great cyclability, but only in thin films. Recently, electrodes made ofmore » two-dimensional titanium carbide (Ti 3C 2, a member of the ‘MXene’ family), produced by etching aluminium from titanium aluminium carbide (Ti 3AlC 2, a ‘MAX’ phase) in concentrated hydrofluoric acid, have been shown to have volumetric capacitances of over 300 farads per cubic centimetre. In this paper, we report a method of producing this material using a solution of lithium fluoride and hydrochloric acid. The resulting hydrophilic material swells in volume when hydrated, and can be shaped like clay and dried into a highly conductive solid or rolled into films tens of micrometres thick. Additive-free films of this titanium carbide ‘clay’ have volumetric capacitances of up to 900 farads per cubic centimetre, with excellent cyclability and rate performances. In addition, this capacitance is almost twice that of our previous report, and our synthetic method also offers a much faster route to film production as well as the avoidance of handling hazardous concentrated hydrofluoric acid.« less

Material characteristics and equivalent circuit models of stacked graphene oxide for capacitive humidity sensors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Han, Kook In; Lee, In Gyu; Hwang, Wan Sik, E-mail: mhshin@kau.ac.kr, E-mail: whwang@kau.ac.kr

The oxidation properties of graphene oxide (GO) are systematically correlated with their chemical sensing properties. Based on an impedance analysis, the equivalent circuit models of the capacitive sensors are established, and it is demonstrated that capacitive operations are related to the degree of oxidation. This is also confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Raman analysis. Finally, highly sensitive stacked GO sensors are shown to detect humidity in capacitive mode, which can be useful in various applications requiring low power consumption.

Redundancy Analysis of Capacitance Data of a Coplanar Electrode Array for Fast and Stable Imaging Processing

PubMed Central

Wen, Yintang; Zhang, Zhenda; Zhang, Yuyan; Sun, Dongtao

2017-01-01

A coplanar electrode array sensor is established for the imaging of composite-material adhesive-layer defect detection. The sensor is based on the capacitive edge effect, which leads to capacitance data being considerably weak and susceptible to environmental noise. The inverse problem of coplanar array electrical capacitance tomography (C-ECT) is ill-conditioning, in which a small error of capacitance data can seriously affect the quality of reconstructed images. In order to achieve a stable image reconstruction process, a redundancy analysis method for capacitance data is proposed. The proposed method is based on contribution rate and anti-interference capability. According to the redundancy analysis, the capacitance data are divided into valid and invalid data. When the image is reconstructed by valid data, the sensitivity matrix needs to be changed accordingly. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the sensitivity map, singular value decomposition (SVD) is used. Finally, the two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) images are reconstructed by the Tikhonov regularization method. Through comparison of the reconstructed images of raw capacitance data, the stability of the image reconstruction process can be improved, and the quality of reconstructed images is not degraded. As a result, much invalid data are not collected, and the data acquisition time can also be reduced. PMID:29295537

Hysteresis free negative total gate capacitance in junctionless transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Manish; Kranti, Abhinav

2017-09-01

In this work, we report on the hysteresis free impact ionization induced off-to-on transition while preserving sub-60 mV/decade Subthreshold swing (S-swing) using asymmetric mode operation in double gate silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge) junctionless (JL) transistor. It is shown that sub-60 mV/decade steep switching due to impact ionization implies a negative value of the total gate capacitance. The performance of asymmetric gate JL transistor is compared with symmetric gate operation of JL device, and the condition for hysteresis free current transition with a sub-60 mV/decade switching is analyzed through the product of current density (J) and electric field (E). It is shown that asymmetric gate operation limits the degree of impact ionization inherent in the semiconductor film to levels sufficient for negative total gate capacitance but lower than that required for the occurrence of hysteresis. The work highlights new viewpoints related to the suppression of hysteresis associated with steep switching JL transistors while maintaining S-swing within the range 6-15 mV/decade leading to the negative value of total gate capacitance.

Etude numerique et experimentale de la reponse vibro-acoustique des structures raidies a des excitations aeriennes et solidiennes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mejdi, Abderrazak

Les fuselages des avions sont generalement en aluminium ou en composite renforces par des raidisseurs longitudinaux (lisses) et transversaux (cadres). Les raidisseurs peuvent etre metalliques ou en composite. Durant leurs differentes phases de vol, les structures d'avions sont soumises a des excitations aeriennes (couche limite turbulente : TBL, champs diffus : DAF) sur la peau exterieure dont l'energie acoustique produite se transmet a l'interieur de la cabine. Les moteurs, montes sur la structure, produisent une excitation solidienne significative. Ce projet a pour objectifs de developper et de mettre en place des strategies de modelisations des fuselages d'avions soumises a des excitations aeriennes et solidiennes. Tous d'abord, une mise a jour des modeles existants de la TBL apparait dans le deuxieme chapitre afin de mieux les classer. Les proprietes de la reponse vibro-acoustique des structures planes finies et infinies sont analysees. Dans le troisieme chapitre, les hypotheses sur lesquelles sont bases les modeles existants concernant les structures metalliques orthogonalement raidies soumises a des excitations mecaniques, DAF et TBL sont reexamines en premier lieu. Ensuite, une modelisation fine et fiable de ces structures est developpee. Le modele est valide numeriquement a l'aide des methodes des elements finis (FEM) et de frontiere (BEM). Des tests de validations experimentales sont realises sur des panneaux d'avions fournis par des societes aeronautiques. Au quatrieme chapitre, une extension vers les structures composites renforcees par des raidisseurs aussi en composites et de formes complexes est etablie. Un modele analytique simple est egalement implemente et valide numeriquement. Au cinquieme chapitre, la modelisation des structures raidies periodiques en composites est beaucoup plus raffinee par la prise en compte des effets de couplage des deplacements planes et transversaux. L'effet de taille des structures finies periodiques est egalement pris en

A Capacitance-To-Digital Converter for MEMS Sensors for Smart Applications.

PubMed

Pérez Sanjurjo, Javier; Prefasi, Enrique; Buffa, Cesare; Gaggl, Richard

2017-06-07

The use of MEMS sensors has been increasing in recent years. To cover all the applications, many different readout circuits are needed. To reduce the cost and time to market, a generic capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) seems to be the logical next step. This work presents a configurable CDC designed for capacitive MEMS sensors. The sensor is built with a bridge of MEMS, where some of them function with pressure. Then, the capacitive to digital conversion is realized using two steps. First, a switched-capacitor (SC) preamplifier is used to make the capacitive to voltage (C-V) conversion. Second, a self-oscillated noise-shaping integrating dual-slope (DS) converter is used to digitize this magnitude. The proposed converter uses time instead of amplitude resolution to generate a multibit digital output stream. In addition it performs noise shaping of the quantization error to reduce measurement time. This article shows the effectiveness of this method by measurements performed on a prototype, designed and fabricated using standard 0.13 µm CMOS technology. Experimental measurements show that the CDC achieves a resolution of 17 bits, with an effective area of 0.317 mm², which means a pressure resolution of 1 Pa, while consuming 146 µA from a 1.5 V power supply.

A Capacitance-To-Digital Converter for MEMS Sensors for Smart Applications

PubMed Central

Pérez Sanjurjo, Javier; Prefasi, Enrique; Buffa, Cesare; Gaggl, Richard

2017-01-01

The use of MEMS sensors has been increasing in recent years. To cover all the applications, many different readout circuits are needed. To reduce the cost and time to market, a generic capacitance-to-digital converter (CDC) seems to be the logical next step. This work presents a configurable CDC designed for capacitive MEMS sensors. The sensor is built with a bridge of MEMS, where some of them function with pressure. Then, the capacitive to digital conversion is realized using two steps. First, a switched-capacitor (SC) preamplifier is used to make the capacitive to voltage (C-V) conversion. Second, a self-oscillated noise-shaping integrating dual-slope (DS) converter is used to digitize this magnitude. The proposed converter uses time instead of amplitude resolution to generate a multibit digital output stream. In addition it performs noise shaping of the quantization error to reduce measurement time. This article shows the effectiveness of this method by measurements performed on a prototype, designed and fabricated using standard 0.13 µm CMOS technology. Experimental measurements show that the CDC achieves a resolution of 17 bits, with an effective area of 0.317 mm2, which means a pressure resolution of 1 Pa, while consuming 146 µA from a 1.5 V power supply. PMID:28590425

Chloride and salicylate influence prestin-dependent specific membrane capacitance: support for the area motor model.

PubMed

Santos-Sacchi, Joseph; Song, Lei

2014-04-11

The outer hair cell is electromotile, its membrane motor identified as the protein SLC26a5 (prestin). An area motor model, based on two-state Boltzmann statistics, was developed about two decades ago and derives from the observation that outer hair cell surface area is voltage-dependent. Indeed, aside from the nonlinear capacitance imparted by the voltage sensor charge movement of prestin, linear capacitance (Clin) also displays voltage dependence as motors move between expanded and compact states. Naturally, motor surface area changes alter membrane capacitance. Unit linear motor capacitance fluctuation (δCsa) is on the order of 140 zeptofarads. A recent three-state model of prestin provides an alternative view, suggesting that voltage-dependent linear capacitance changes are not real but only apparent because the two component Boltzmann functions shift their midpoint voltages (Vh) in opposite directions during treatment with salicylate, a known competitor of required chloride binding. We show here using manipulations of nonlinear capacitance with both salicylate and chloride that an enhanced area motor model, including augmented δCsa by salicylate, can accurately account for our novel findings. We also show that although the three-state model implicitly avoids measuring voltage-dependent motor capacitance, it registers δCsa effects as a byproduct of its assessment of Clin, which increases during salicylate treatment as motors are locked in the expanded state. The area motor model, in contrast, captures the characteristics of the voltage dependence of δCsa, leading to a better understanding of prestin.

Freestanding polyaniline nanorods grown on graphene for highly capacitive energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zijiong; Qin, Zhen; Yang, Baocheng; Guo, Jian; Wang, Haiyan; Zhang, Weiyang; Lv, Xiaowei; Stack, Alison

2015-02-01

Freestanding polyaniline (PANI) nanorods grown in situ on microwave-expanded graphene oxide (MEGO) sheets were prepared through a facile solution method. The morphological characterization indicates that large quantity of free-standing PANI nanorods with average diameter of 50 nm were uniformly deposited onto the double sides of the MEGO nanosheets to form a sandwich structure. The hybrid of PANI/MEGO (GPANI) exhibit high specific surface area and high electrical conductivity, compared with pristine PANI nanorods. When evaluated as electrodes for supercapacitors, the GPANI demonstrate high specific capacitance of 628 F g-1 at a current density of 1.1 A g-1, high-rate performance, and excellent cycle stability compared to individual component. Such excellent electrochemical performance should be attributed to the combined double-layer capacitance and pseudo -capacitance mechanisms from the MEGO sheets and PANI nanorods.

Capacitively coupled RF voltage probe having optimized flux linkage

DOEpatents

Moore, James A.; Sparks, Dennis O.

1999-02-02

An RF sensor having a novel current sensing probe and a voltage sensing probe to measure voltage and current. The current sensor is disposed in a transmission line to link all of the flux generated by the flowing current in order to obtain an accurate measurement. The voltage sensor is a flat plate which operates as a capacitive plate to sense voltage on a center conductor of the transmission line, in which the measured voltage is obtained across a resistance leg of a R-C differentiator circuit formed by the characteristic impedance of a connecting transmission line and a capacitance of the plate, which is positioned proximal to the center conductor.

A capacitive CMOS-MEMS sensor designed by multi-physics simulation for integrated CMOS-MEMS technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konishi, Toshifumi; Yamane, Daisuke; Matsushima, Takaaki; Masu, Kazuya; Machida, Katsuyuki; Toshiyoshi, Hiroshi

2014-01-01

This paper reports the design and evaluation results of a capacitive CMOS-MEMS sensor that consists of the proposed sensor circuit and a capacitive MEMS device implemented on the circuit. To design a capacitive CMOS-MEMS sensor, a multi-physics simulation of the electromechanical behavior of both the MEMS structure and the sensing LSI was carried out simultaneously. In order to verify the validity of the design, we applied the capacitive CMOS-MEMS sensor to a MEMS accelerometer implemented by the post-CMOS process onto a 0.35-µm CMOS circuit. The experimental results of the CMOS-MEMS accelerometer exhibited good agreement with the simulation results within the input acceleration range between 0.5 and 6 G (1 G = 9.8 m/s2), corresponding to the output voltages between 908.6 and 915.4 mV, respectively. Therefore, we have confirmed that our capacitive CMOS-MEMS sensor and the multi-physics simulation will be beneficial method to realize integrated CMOS-MEMS technology.

Anomalous effects on radiation detectors and capacitance measurements inside a modified Faraday cage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milián-Sánchez, V.; Mocholí-Salcedo, A.; Milián, C.; Kolombet, V. A.; Verdú, G.

2016-08-01

We present experimental results showing certain anomalies in the measurements performed inside a modified Faraday cage of decay rates of Ra-226, Tl-204 and Sr-90/I-90, of the gamma spectrum of a Cs-137 preparation, and of the capacitance of both a class-I multilayer ceramic capacitor and of the interconnection cable between the radiation detector and the scaler. Decay rates fluctuate significantly up to 5% around the initial value and differently depending on the type of nuclide, and the spectrum photopeak increases in 4.4%. In the case of the capacitor, direct capacitance measurements at 100 Hz, 10 kHz and 100 kHz show variations up to 0.7%, the most significant taking place at 100 Hz. In the case of the interconnection cable, the capacitance varies up to 1%. Dispersion also tends to increase inside the enclosure. However, the measured capacitance variations do not explain the variations observed in decay rates.

Whole-tree water transport scales with sapwood capacitance in tropical forest canopy trees.

Treesearch

F.C. Meinzer; S.A. James; G. Goldstein; D. Woodruff

2003-01-01

The present study examines the manner in which several whole-tree water transport properties scale with species specific variation in sapwood water storage capacity. The hypothesis that constraints on relationships between sapwood capacitance and other water relations characteristics lead to predictable scaling relationships between intrinsic capacitance and whole-tree...

High-Sensitivity Encoder-Like Micro Area-Changed Capacitive Transducer for a Nano-g Micro Accelerometer

PubMed Central

Zheng, Panpan; Liu, Jinquan; Li, Zhu; Liu, Huafeng

2017-01-01

Encoder-like micro area-changed capacitive transducers are advantageous in terms of their better linearity and larger dynamic range compared to gap-changed capacitive transducers. Such transducers have been widely applied in rectilinear and rotational position sensors, lab-on-a-chip applications and bio-sensors. However, a complete model accounting for both the parasitic capacitance and fringe effect in area-changed capacitive transducers has not yet been developed. This paper presents a complete model for this type of transducer applied to a high-resolution micro accelerometer that was verified by both simulations and experiments. A novel optimization method involving the insertion of photosensitive polyimide was used to reduce the parasitic capacitance, and the capacitor spacing was decreased to overcome the fringe effect. The sensitivity of the optimized transducer was approximately 46 pF/mm, which was nearly 40 times higher than that of our previous transducer. The displacement detection resolution was measured as 50 pm/√Hz at 0.1 Hz using a precise capacitance detection circuit. Then, the transducer was applied to a sandwich in-plane micro accelerometer, and the measured level of the accelerometer was approximately 30 ng/√Hz at 1Hz. The earthquake that occurred in Taiwan was also detected during a continuous gravity measurement. PMID:28930176

Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) with isolation posts.

PubMed

Huang, Yongli; Zhuang, Xuefeng; Haeggstrom, Edward O; Ergun, A Sanli; Cheng, Ching-Hsiang; Khuri-Yakub, Butrus T

2008-03-01

In this paper, an improved design of a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) is presented. The design improvement aims to address the reliability issues of a CMUT and to extend the device operation beyond the contact (collapse) voltage. The major design novelty is the isolation posts in the vacuum cavities of the CMUT cells instead of full-coverage insulation layers in conventional CMUTs. This eliminates the contact voltage drifting due to charging caused by the insulation layer, and enables repeatable CMUT operation in the post-contact regime. Ultrasonic tests of the CMUTs with isolation posts (PostCMUTs) in air (electrical input impedance and capacitance vs. bias voltage) and immersion (transmission and reception) indicate acoustic performance similar to that obtained from conventional CMUTs while no undesired side effects of this new design is observed.

Capacitance probe for fluid flow and volume measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arndt, G. Dickey (Inventor); Nguyen, Thanh X. (Inventor); Carl, James R. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

Method and apparatus for making measurements on fluids are disclosed, including the use of a capacitive probe for measuring the flow volume of a material within a flow stream. The capacitance probe has at least two elongate electrodes and, in a specific embodiment of the invention, has three parallel elongate electrodes with the center electrode being an extension of the center conductor of a co-axial cable. A conductance probe is also provided to provide more accurate flow volume data in response to conductivity of the material within the flow stream. A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides for a gas flow stream through a microgravity environment that allows for monitoring a flow volume of a fluid sample, such as a urine sample, that is entrained within the gas flow stream.

Origin of Negative Capacitance in Bipolar Organic Diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Quan; Crǎciun, N. Irina; Wetzelaer, Gert-Jan A. H.; Blom, Paul W. M.

2018-03-01

Negative differential capacitance (NC) occurring at low frequencies in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) is a poorly understood phenomenon. We study the origin of the NC effect by systematically varying the number of electron traps in OLEDs based on the polymeric semiconductor poly(p -phenylene vinylene). Increasing the electron trap density enhances the NC effect. The magnitude and observed decrease of the relaxation time is consistent with the (inverse) rate of trap-assisted recombination. The absence of NC in a nearly trap-free light-emitting diode unambiguously shows that trap-assisted recombination is the responsible mechanism for the negative contribution to the capacitance in bipolar organic diodes. Our results reveal that the NC effect can be exploited to quantitatively determine the number of traps in organic semiconductors in a nondestructive fashion.

Capacitance Probe for Fluid Flow and Volume Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arndt, G. Dickey (Inventor); Nguyen, Thanh X. (Inventor); Carl, James R. (Inventor)

1997-01-01

Method and apparatus for making measurements on fluids are disclosed, including the use of a capacitive probe for measuring the flow volume of a material within a flow stream. The capacitance probe has at least two elongate electrodes and, in a specific embodiment of the invention, has three parallel elongate electrodes with the center electrode being an extension of the center conductor of a co-axial cable. A conductance probe is also provided to provide more accurate flow volume data in response to conductivity of the material within the flow stream. A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides for a gas flow stream through a micro-gravity environment that allows for monitoring a flow volume of a fluid sample, such as a urine sample, that is entrained within the gas flow stream.

Fast capacitive probe for electromagnetic pulse diagnostic.

PubMed

Lorusso, A; Nassisi, V; Siciliano, M V

2008-06-01

In this work, we report the study and the development of a capacitive probe which is suitable for getting fast and high voltage/current measurements. Due to the fact that fast pulses propagate generally in coaxial structures, the probe realized in this work was a capacitive divider with the divider electrode properly designed to assure the same characteristic impedance of the coaxial structure and the recombination time of the split signals during the propagation. It was a folded cylindrical ring of 1.4 cm long and 0.8 cm thick, which introduce a theoretical delay time of about 100 ps. Analyzing the behavior of the probe closed on 520 Omega, the voltage amplification resulted to be of (3.6+/-0.1) x 10(-4) and, as a consequence, the current attenuation factor of 56+/-1 AV. The response rise time was less than 320 ps, which was limited by oscilloscope bandwave. The capacitor probe can operate voltage measurements of the order of 100 kV.

Improved Capacitive Liquid Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waldman, Francis A.

1992-01-01

Improved capacitive sensor used to detect presence and/or measure thickness of layer of liquid. Electrical impedance or admittance of sensor measured at prescribed frequency, and thickness of liquid inferred from predetermined theoretical or experimental relationship between impedance and thickness. Sensor is basically a three-terminal device. Features interdigitated driving and sensing electrodes and peripheral coplanar ground electrode that reduces parasitic effects. Patent-pending because first to utilize ground plane as "shunting" electrode. System less expensive than infrared, microwave, or refractive-index systems. Sensor successfully evaluated in commercial production plants to characterize emulsions, slurries, and solutions.

[Roles of sialic acids in sperm maturation and capacitation and sperm-egg recognition].

PubMed

Feng, Ying; Wang, Lin; Wu, Yi-Lun; Liu, Hong-Hua; Ma, Fang

2016-10-01

Sialic acids are a subset of nine-carbon alpha-keto aldonic acids involved in various biological functions. Sialic acid on the sperm surface is closely related to sperm maturation and capacitation and sperm-egg recognition, which makes sperm negatively charged to avoid accumulation and covers some antigenic determinants there to increase the survival rate of sperm in the female reproductive tract. The loss of sialic acids is an important factor mediating sperm capacitation. Moreover, the sialic acid at the extremity of the protein polymer is involved in signal identification in sperm-egg recognition. Here, we review the current understanding of sialic acids in sperm maturation and capacitation and sperm-egg recognition.

Focal adhesion kinase is required for actin polymerization and remodeling of the cytoskeleton during sperm capacitation

PubMed Central

Roa-Espitia, Ana L.; Hernández-Rendón, Eva R.; Baltiérrez-Hoyos, Rafael; Muñoz-Gotera, Rafaela J.; Cote-Vélez, Antonieta; Jiménez, Irma; González-Márquez, Humberto

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Several focal adhesion proteins are known to cooperate with integrins to link the extracellular matrix to the actin cytoskeleton; as a result, many intracellular signaling pathways are activated and several focal adhesion complexes are formed. However, how these proteins function in mammalian spermatozoa remains unknown. We confirm the presence of focal adhesion proteins in guinea pig spermatozoa, and we explore their role during capacitation and the acrosome reaction, and their relationship with the actin cytoskeleton. Our results suggest the presence of a focal adhesion complex formed by β1-integrin, focal adhesion kinase (FAK), paxillin, vinculin, talin, and α-actinin in the acrosomal region. Inhibition of FAK during capacitation affected the protein tyrosine phosphorylation associated with capacitation that occurs within the first few minutes of capacitation, which caused the acrosome reaction to become increasingly Ca2+ dependent and inhibited the polymerization of actin. The integration of vinculin and talin into the complex, and the activation of FAK and paxillin during capacitation, suggests that the complex assembles at this time. We identify that vinculin and α-actinin increase their interaction with F-actin while it remodels during capacitation, and that during capacitation focal adhesion complexes are structured. FAK contributes to acrosome integrity, likely by regulating the polymerization and the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton. PMID:27402964

CMOS based capacitance to digital converter circuit for MEMS sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotake, D. R.; Darji, A. D.

2018-02-01

Most of the MEMS cantilever based system required costly instruments for characterization, processing and also has large experimental setups which led to non-portable device. So there is a need of low cost, highly sensitive, high speed and portable digital system. The proposed Capacitance to Digital Converter (CDC) interfacing circuit converts capacitance to digital domain which can be easily processed. Recent demand microcantilever deflection is part per trillion ranges which change the capacitance in 1-10 femto farad (fF) range. The entire CDC circuit is designed using CMOS 250nm technology. Design of CDC circuit consists of a D-latch and two oscillators, namely Sensor controlled oscillator (SCO) and digitally controlled oscillator (DCO). The D-latch is designed using transmission gate based MUX for power optimization. A CDC design of 7-stage, 9-stage and 11-stage tested for 1-18 fF and simulated using mentor graphics Eldo tool with parasitic. Since the proposed design does not use resistance component, the total power dissipation is reduced to 2.3621 mW for CDC designed using 9-stage SCO and DCO.

Plasma Treated Active Carbon for Capacitive Deionization of Saline Water

DOE PAGES

Zeng, Aiping; Shrestha, Maheshwar; Wang, Keliang; ...

2017-01-01

The plasma treatment on commercial active carbon (AC) was carried out in a capacitively coupled plasma system using Ar + 10% O 2at pressure of 4.0 Torr. The RF plasma power ranged from 50 W to 100 W and the processing time was 10 min. The carbon film electrode was fabricated by electrophoretic deposition. Micro-Raman spectroscopy revealed the highly increased disorder of sp 2C lattice for the AC treated at 75 W. An electrosorption capacity of 6.15 mg/g was recorded for the carbon treated at 75 W in a 0.1 mM NaCl solution when 1.5 V was applied for 5more » hours, while the capacity of the untreated AC was 1.0 mg/g. The plasma treatment led to 5.09 times increase in the absorption capacity. The jump of electrosorption capacity by plasma treatment was consistent with the Raman spectra and electrochemical double layer capacitance. This work demonstrated that plasma treatment was a potentially efficient approach to activating biochar to serve as electrode material for capacitive deionization (CDI).« less

Capacitance-based damage detection sensing for aerospace structural composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahrami, P.; Yamamoto, N.; Chen, Y.; Manohara, H.

2014-04-01

Damage detection technology needs improvement for aerospace engineering application because detection within complex composite structures is difficult yet critical to avoid catastrophic failure. Damage detection is challenging in aerospace structures because not all the damage detection technology can cover the various defect types (delamination, fiber fracture, matrix crack etc.), or conditions (visibility, crack length size, etc.). These defect states are expected to become even more complex with future introduction of novel composites including nano-/microparticle reinforcement. Currently, non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods with X-ray, ultrasound, or eddy current have good resolutions (< 0.1 mm), but their detection capabilities is limited by defect locations and orientations and require massive inspection devices. System health monitoring (SHM) methods are often paired with NDE technologies to signal out sensed damage, but their data collection and analysis currently requires excessive wiring and complex signal analysis. Here, we present a capacitance sensor-based, structural defect detection technology with improved sensing capability. Thin dielectric polymer layer is integrated as part of the structure; the defect in the structure directly alters the sensing layer's capacitance, allowing full-coverage sensing capability independent of defect size, orientation or location. In this work, capacitance-based sensing capability was experimentally demonstrated with a 2D sensing layer consisting of a dielectric layer sandwiched by electrodes. These sensing layers were applied on substrate surfaces. Surface indentation damage (~1mm diameter) and its location were detected through measured capacitance changes: 1 to 250 % depending on the substrates. The damage detection sensors are light weight, and they can be conformably coated and can be part of the composite structure. Therefore it is suitable for aerospace structures such as cryogenic tanks and rocket

Electrochemical double layers at the interface between glassy electrolytes and platinum: Differentiating between the anode and the cathode capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruempelmann, J.; Mariappan, C. R.; Schober, C.; Roling, B.

2010-12-01

We have measured potential-dependent interfacial capacitances of two Na-Ca-phosphosilicate glasses and of an AgI-doped silver borate glass between ion-blocking Pt electrodes. An asymmetric electrode configuration with highly dissimilar electrode areas on both faces of the glass samples allowed us to determine the capacitance at the small-area electrode. Using equivalent circuit fitting we extract potential-dependent double-layer capacitances. The potential-dependent anodic capacitance exhibits a weak maximum and drops strongly at higher potentials. The cathodic capacitance exhibits a more pronounced maximum, this maximum being responsible for the maximum in the total capacitance observed in measurements in a symmetrical electrode configuration. The capacitance maxima of the Na-Ca phosphosilicate glasses show up at higher electrode potentials than the maxima of the AgI-doped silver borate glass. Remarkably, for both types of glasses, the potential of the cathodic capacitance maximum is closely related to the activation energy of the bulk ion transport. We compare our results to recent theoretical predictions by Shklovskii and co-workers.

Method of recording bioelectrical signals using a capacitive coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, V. A.; Gerasimov, V. A.; Kostrin, D. K.; Selivanov, L. M.; Uhov, A. A.

2017-11-01

In this article a technique for the bioelectrical signals acquisition by means of the capacitive sensors is described. A feedback loop for the ultra-high impedance biasing of the input instrumentation amplifier, which provides receiving of the electrical cardiac signal (ECS) through a capacitive coupling, is proposed. The mains 50/60 Hz noise is suppressed by a narrow-band stop filter with an independent notch frequency and quality factor tuning. Filter output is attached to a ΣΔ analog-to-digital converter (ADC), which acquires the filtered signal with a 24-bit resolution. Signal processing board is connected through universal serial bus interface to a personal computer, where ECS in a digital form is recorded and processed.

Response to capacitating stimuli indicates extender-related differences in boar sperm function.

PubMed

Schmid, S; Henning, H; Petrunkina, A M; Weitze, K F; Waberski, D

2013-10-01

Spermatozoa, especially those of the porcine species, are highly susceptible to in vitro chilling and ageing. Extenders are continuously developed to protect boar spermatozoa from chilling injury. New semen extenders and other modified preservation strategies require sensitive testing for essential sperm functions. The key process on the pathway of fertilization is capacitation. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the specific response to capacitating stimuli is sensitive enough to indicate different preservation capacities of extenders during hypothermic storage of boar spermatozoa. Semen was diluted in Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) and Androstar Plus and kept for 3 h at 22°C or stored at 17°C, 10°C, and 5°C. Semen was analyzed at 24 and 96 h of storage. Motility and membrane integrity remained at high levels, except for lower values when stored in BTS at 5°C. Washed subsamples were incubated in capacitating medium (Tyrode) and control medium and were assessed for intracellular calcium concentration and integrity of plasma membranes using a flow cytometer. On the basis of the loss of low-calcium live cells in a kinetic approach, the specific response to capacitation stimuli was determined. There was a higher loss of response in semen stored hypothermically in the standard extender BTS compared to Androstar Plus. Assessment of the extent of phospholipid disorder under capacitating and control conditions by use of merocyanine staining did not reveal any significant extender-related differences. A field insemination trial with 778 sows was performed to relate in vitro results to fertility. Fertility parameters did not differ in semen stored up to 48 h at 10°C in Androstar Plus compared to controls stored at 17°C in BTS. In conclusion, assessment of specific reactivity to capacitating stimuli appears to be a sensitive tool for detection of extender-dependent alterations in functionality of chilled boar spermatozoa.

Active shunt capacitance cancelling oscillator circuit

DOEpatents

Wessendorf, Kurt O.

2003-09-23

An oscillator circuit is disclosed which can be used to produce oscillation using a piezoelectric crystal, with a frequency of oscillation being largely independent of any shunt capacitance associated with the crystal (i.e. due to electrodes on the surfaces of the crystal and due to packaging and wiring for the crystal). The oscillator circuit is based on a tuned gain stage which operates the crystal at a frequency, f, near a series resonance frequency, f.sub.S. The oscillator circuit further includes a compensation circuit that supplies all the ac current flow through the shunt resistance associated with the crystal so that this ac current need not be supplied by the tuned gain stage. The compensation circuit uses a current mirror to provide the ac current flow based on the current flow through a reference capacitor that is equivalent to the shunt capacitance associated with the crystal. The oscillator circuit has applications for driving piezoelectric crystals for sensing of viscous, fluid or solid media by detecting a change in the frequency of oscillation of the crystal and a resonator loss which occur from contact of an exposed surface of the crystal by the viscous, fluid or solid media.

Temporal differentiation of pH-dependent capacitive current from dopamine.

PubMed

Yoshimi, Kenji; Weitemier, Adam

2014-09-02

Voltammetric recording of dopamine (DA) with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) on carbon fiber microelectrodes have been widely used, because of its high sensitivity to dopamine. However, since an electric double layer on a carbon fiber surface in a physiological ionic solution behaves as a capacitor, fast voltage manipulation in FSCV induces large capacitive current. The faradic current from oxidation/reduction of target chemicals must be extracted from this large background current. It is known that ionic shifts, including H(+), influence this capacitance, and pH shift can cause confounding influences on the FSCV recordings within a wide range of voltage. Besides FSCV with a triangular waveform, we have been using rectangular pulse voltammetry (RPV) for dopamine detection in the brain. In this method, the onset of a single pulse causes a large capacitive current, but unlike FSCV, the capacitive current is restricted to a narrow temporal window of just after pulse onset (<5 ms). In contrast, the peak of faradic current from dopamine oxidation occurs after a delay of more than a few milliseconds. Taking advantage of the temporal difference, we show that RPV could distinguish dopamine from pH shifts clearly and easily. In addition, the early onset current was useful to evaluate pH shifts. The narrow voltage window of our RPV pulse allowed a clear differentiation of dopamine and serotonin (5-HT), as we have shown previously. Additional recording with RPV, alongside FSCV, would improve identification of chemicals such as dopamine, pH, and 5-HT.

Les effets des interfaces sur les proprietes magnetiques et de transport des multicouches nickel/iron et cobalt/silver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veres, Teodor

Cette these est consacree a l'etude de l'evolution structurale des proprietes magnetiques et de transport des multicouches Ni/Fe et nanostructures a base de Co et de l'Ag. Dans une premiere partie, essentiellement bibliographique, nous introduisons quelques concepts de base relies aux proprietes magnetiques et de transport des multicouches metalliques. Ensuite, nous presentons une breve description des methodes d'analyse des resultats. La deuxieme partie est consacree a l'etude des proprietes magnetiques et de transport des multicouches ferromagnetiques/ferromagnetiques Ni/Fe. Nous montrerons qu'une interpretation coherente de ces proprietes necessite la prise en consideration des effets des interfaces. Nous nous attacherons a mettre en evidence, a evaluer et a etudier les effets de ces interfaces ainsi que leur evolution, et ce, suite a des traitements thermiques tel que le depot a temperature elevee et l'irradiation ionique. Les analyses correlees de la structure et de la magnetoresistance nous permettront d'emettre des conclusions sur l'influence des couches tampons entre l'interface et le substrat ainsi qu'entre les couches elles-memes sur le comportement magnetique des couches F/F. La troisieme partie est consacree aux systemes a Magneto-Resistance Geante (MRG) a base de Co et Ag. Nous allons etudier l'evolution de la microstructure suite a l'irradiation avec des ions Si+ ayant une energie de 1 MeV, ainsi que les effets de ces changements sur le comportement magnetique. Cette partie debutera par l'analyse des proprietes d'une multicouche hybride, intermediaire entre les multicouches et les materiaux granulaires. Nous analyserons a l'aide des mesures de diffraction, de relaxation superparamagnetique et de magnetoresistance, les evolutions structurales produites par l'irradiation ionique. Nous etablirons des modeles qui nous aideront a interpreter les resultats pour une serie des multicouches qui couvrent un large eventail de differents comportements magnetiques

Vascular capacitance and cardiac output in pacing-induced canine models of acute and chronic heart failure.

PubMed

Ogilvie, R I; Zborowska-Sluis, D

1995-11-01

The relationship between stressed and total blood volume, total vascular capacitance, central blood volume, cardiac output (CO), and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (Ppcw) was investigated in pacing-induced acute and chronic heart failure. Acute heart failure was induced in anesthetized splenectomized dogs by a volume load (20 mL/kg over 10 min) during rapid right ventricular pacing at 250 beats/min (RRVP) for 60 min. Chronic heart failure was induced by continuous RRVP for 2-6 weeks (average 24 +/- 2 days). Total vascular compliance and capacitance were calculated from the mean circulatory filling pressure (Pmcf) during transient circulatory arrest after acetylcholine at three different circulating volumes. Stressed blood volume was calculated as a product of compliance and Pmcf, with the total blood volume measured by a dye dilution. Central blood volume (CBV) and CO were measured by thermodilution. Central (heart and lung) vascular capacitance was estimated from the plot of Ppcw against CBV. Acute volume loading without RRVP increased capacitance and CO, whereas after volume loading with RRVP, capacitance and CO were unaltered from baseline. Chronic RRVP reduced capacitance and CO. All interventions, volume +/- RRVP or chronic RRVP, increased stressed and central blood volumes and Ppcw. Acute or chronic RRVP reduced central vascular capacitance. Cardiac output was increased when stressed and unstressed blood volumes increased proportionately as during volume loading alone. When CO was reduced and Ppcw increased, as during chronic RRVP or acute RRVP plus a volume load, stressed blood volume was increased and unstressed blood volume was decreased. Thus, interventions that reduced CO and increased Ppcw also increased stressed and reduced unstressed blood volume and total vascular capacitance.

Caracterisation des proprietes acoustiques des materiaux poreux a cellules ouvertes et a matrice rigide ou souple

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salissou, Yacoubou

L'objectif global vise par les travaux de cette these est d'ameliorer la caracterisation des proprietes macroscopiques des materiaux poreux a structure rigide ou souple par des approches inverses et indirectes basees sur des mesures acoustiques faites en tube d'impedance. La precision des approches inverses et indirectes utilisees aujourd'hui est principalement limitee par la qualite des mesures acoustiques obtenues en tube d'impedance. En consequence, cette these se penche sur quatre problemes qui aideront a l'atteinte de l'objectif global precite. Le premier probleme porte sur une caracterisation precise de la porosite ouverte des materiaux poreux. Cette propriete en est une de passage permettant de lier la mesure des proprietes dynamiques acoustiques d'un materiau poreux aux proprietes effectives de sa phase fluide decrite par les modeles semi-phenomenologiques. Le deuxieme probleme traite de l'hypothese de symetrie des materiaux poreux selon leur epaisseur ou un index et un critere sont proposes pour quantifier l'asymetrie d'un materiau. Cette hypothese est souvent source d'imprecision des methodes de caracterisation inverses et indirectes en tube d'impedance. Le critere d'asymetrie propose permet ainsi de s'assurer de l'applicabilite et de la precision de ces methodes pour un materiau donne. Le troisieme probleme vise a mieux comprendre le probleme de transmission sonore en tube d'impedance en presentant pour la premiere fois un developpement exact du probleme par decomposition d'ondes. Ce developpement permet d'etablir clairement les limites des nombreuses methodes existantes basees sur des tubes de transmission a 2, 3 ou 4 microphones. La meilleure comprehension de ce probleme de transmission est importante puisque c'est par ce type de mesures que des methodes permettent d'extraire successivement la matrice de transfert d'un materiau poreux et ses proprietes dynamiques intrinseques comme son impedance caracteristique et son nombre d'onde complexe. Enfin, le

Studies on the Evaluation Methods for the Food Quality with a Non-contact type Capacitance Sensor.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narumiya, Tadaoki; Hagura, Yoshio

Changes of capacitance and temperature of ethyl alcohol, hamburger and dough with cheese filling were measured with specially-made measuring devices during the freezing and thawing. The results of measurement of capacitance and temperature suggest a linear correlation for ethyl alcohol as a single constituent substance. The adequate correlation is too estimated from the results of food samples, though the capacitance of food sample varies greatly at the start and end of freezing and thawing process. It has been demonstrated that the quality or physical condition of food sample can be determined easily by the measurement of capacitance using the specially-made devices. Also the quality or physical condition of food can be determined easily by the non-contact and non-destructive measurements of capacitance. A variety application of the present technique is conceivable for the process control of the freezing and thawing foods.

A method for computing ion energy distributions for multifrequency capacitive discharges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Alan C. F.; Lieberman, M. A.; Verboncoeur, J. P.

2007-03-01

The ion energy distribution (IED) at a surface is an important parameter for processing in multiple radio frequency driven capacitive discharges. An analytical model is developed for the IED in a low pressure discharge based on a linear transfer function that relates the time-varying sheath voltage to the time-varying ion energy response at the surface. This model is in good agreement with particle-in-cell simulations over a wide range of single, dual, and triple frequency driven capacitive discharge excitations.

Non- contacting capacitive diagnostic device

DOEpatents

Ellison, Timothy

2005-07-12

A non-contacting capacitive diagnostic device includes a pulsed light source for producing an electric field in a semiconductor or photovoltaic device or material to be evaluated and a circuit responsive to the electric field. The circuit is not in physical contact with the device or material being evaluated and produces an electrical signal characteristic of the electric field produced in the device or material. The diagnostic device permits quality control and evaluation of semiconductor or photovoltaic device properties in continuous manufacturing processes.

Differential capacitance probe for process control involving aqueous dielectric fluids

DOEpatents

Svoboda, John M.; Morrison, John L.

2002-10-08

A differential capacitance probe device for process control involving aqueous dielectric fluids is disclosed. The device contains a pair of matched capacitor probes configured in parallel, one immersed in a sealed container of reference fluid, and the other immersed in the process fluid. The sealed container holding the reference fluid is also immersed in the process fluid, hence both probes are operated at the same temperature. Signal conditioning measures the difference in capacitance between the reference probe and the process probe. The resulting signal is a control error signal that can be used to control the process.

[Impact of sperm capacitation on various populations of human spermatozoa].

PubMed

Villanueva Díaz, C; Suárez Juárez, M; Díaz, M A; Ayala Ruiz, A

1989-02-01

With the purpose of evaluating the impact of spermatic capacitation on different spermatozooa populations, 49 samples of semen, before and after in vitro spermatic capacitation with Ham F-10 medium, were studied; motility of cells was evaluated according to WHO criteria. There was diminution of percentage of immobile cells, 27.8 to 20.0, as well as increase in population of cells with more mobility, 28.6% to 39.1%. Both difference were statistically significant (p = less than 0.05 and p = less than 0.005, respectively). These data suggest that spermatic capacitacion activates "in cascade" all groups of gametes.

Le role du phytoplancton de petite taille (<20 mum) dans les variations des proprietes optiques des eaux du Saint-Laurent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mas, Sebastien

Les mesures satellitaires de couleur des oceans sont largement determinees par les proprietes optiques inherentes (IOPs) des eaux de surface. D'autre part, le phytoplancton de petite taille (<20 mum) est le plus souvent dominant dans les oceans, et peut donc etre une source importante de variation des IOPs dans les oceans. Dans ce contexte, le but principal de ce doctorat etait de definir l'impact du phytoplancton (<20 mum) sur les variations des proprietes optiques de l'Estuaire et du Golfe du Saint-Laurent (Canada). Afin d'atteindre cet objectif, il etait necessaire de determiner en milieu controle les facteurs de variabilite des proprietes optiques cellulaires et des IOPs du phytoplancton (<20 mum) des eaux du Saint-Laurent, et d'evaluer la contribution du phytoplancton (<20 mum) aux proprietes optiques totales des eaux du Saint-Laurent. Des experiences en laboratoire ont montre que les variations des proprietes optiques des cellules phytoplanctoniques soumises a un cycle jour-nuit, ainsi qu'a des changements concomitants d'intensite lumineuse, peuvent contribuer significativement a la variabilite des proprietes optiques observee en milieu naturel. D'autres experiences ont, quant a elles, mis en evidence que les variations des proprietes optiques des cellules phytoplanctoniques dues aux phases de croissance peuvent alterer les IOPs des oceans, particulierement pendant les periodes de floraison. De plus, la presence de bacteries et de particules detritiques peut egalement affecter la variabilite des IOPs totales, notamment la diffusion. Au printemps, dans l'Estuaire et le Golfe du Saint-Laurent, la contribution du phytoplancton <20 mum aux IOPs presentait des differences regionales evidentes pour les proprietes d'absorption et de diffusion. En plus de la variabilite spatiale, les proprietes optiques cellulaires presentaient des variations journalieres, et ce particulierement pour le picophytoplancton. Enfin, la plupart des differences observees dans les

Ultrahigh volumetric capacitance and cyclic stability of fluorine and nitrogen co-doped carbon microspheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Junshuang; Lian, Jie; Hou, Li; Zhang, Junchuan; Gou, Huiyang; Xia, Meirong; Zhao, Yufeng; Strobel, Timothy A.; Tao, Lu; Gao, Faming

2015-09-01

Highly porous nanostructures with large surface areas are typically employed for electrical double-layer capacitors to improve gravimetric energy storage capacity; however, high surface area carbon-based electrodes result in poor volumetric capacitance because of the low packing density of porous materials. Here, we demonstrate ultrahigh volumetric capacitance of 521 F cm-3 in aqueous electrolytes for non-porous carbon microsphere electrodes co-doped with fluorine and nitrogen synthesized by low-temperature solvothermal route, rivaling expensive RuO2 or MnO2 pseudo-capacitors. The new electrodes also exhibit excellent cyclic stability without capacitance loss after 10,000 cycles in both acidic and basic electrolytes at a high charge current of 5 A g-1. This work provides a new approach for designing high-performance electrodes with exceptional volumetric capacitance with high mass loadings and charge rates for long-lived electrochemical energy storage systems.

Development of capacitive sensor for automatically measuring tumbler water level with FEA simulation.

PubMed

Wei, Qun; Kim, Mi-Jung; Lee, Jong-Ha

2018-01-01

Drinking water has several advantages that have already been established, such as improving blood circulation, reducing acid in the stomach, etc. However, due to people not noticing the amount of water they consume every time they drink, most people drink less water than the recommended daily allowance. In this paper, a capacitive sensor for developing an automatic tumbler to measure water level is proposed. Different than in previous studies, the proposed capacitive sensor was separated into two sets: the main sensor for measuring the water level in the tumbler, and the reference sensor for measuring the incremental level unit. In order to confirm the feasibility of the proposed idea, and to optimize the shape of the sensor, a 3D model of the capacitive sensor with the tumbler was designed and subjected to Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulation. According to the simulation results, the electrodes were made of copper and assembled in a tumbler manufactured by a 3D printer. The tumbler was filled with water and was subjected to experiments in order to assess the sensor's performance. The comparison of experimental results to the simulation results shows that the measured capacitance value of the capacitive sensor changed linearly as the water level varied. This proves that the proposed sensor can accurately measure the water level in the tumbler. Additionally, by use of the curve fitting method, a compensation algorithm was found to match the actual level with the measured level. The experimental results proved that the proposed capacitive sensor is able to measure the actual water level in the tumbler accurately. A digital control part with micro-processor will be designed and fixed on the bottom of the tumbler for developing a smart tumbler.

RF-MEMS capacitive switches with high reliability

DOEpatents

Goldsmith, Charles L.; Auciello, Orlando H.; Carlisle, John A.; Sampath, Suresh; Sumant, Anirudha V.; Carpick, Robert W.; Hwang, James; Mancini, Derrick C.; Gudeman, Chris

2013-09-03

A reliable long life RF-MEMS capacitive switch is provided with a dielectric layer comprising a "fast discharge diamond dielectric layer" and enabling rapid switch recovery, dielectric layer charging and discharging that is efficient and effective to enable RF-MEMS switch operation to greater than or equal to 100 billion cycles.

Bivariate quadratic method in quantifying the differential capacitance and energy capacity of supercapacitors under high current operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goh, Chin-Teng; Cruden, Andrew

2014-11-01

Capacitance and resistance are the fundamental electrical parameters used to evaluate the electrical characteristics of a supercapacitor, namely the dynamic voltage response, energy capacity, state of charge and health condition. In the British Standards EN62391 and EN62576, the constant capacitance method can be further improved with a differential capacitance that more accurately describes the dynamic voltage response of supercapacitors. This paper presents a novel bivariate quadratic based method to model the dynamic voltage response of supercapacitors under high current charge-discharge cycling, and to enable the derivation of the differential capacitance and energy capacity directly from terminal measurements, i.e. voltage and current, rather than from multiple pulsed-current or excitation signal tests across different bias levels. The estimation results the author achieves are in close agreement with experimental measurements, within a relative error of 0.2%, at various high current levels (25-200 A), more accurate than the constant capacitance method (4-7%). The archival value of this paper is the introduction of an improved quantification method for the electrical characteristics of supercapacitors, and the disclosure of the distinct properties of supercapacitors: the nonlinear capacitance-voltage characteristic, capacitance variation between charging and discharging, and distribution of energy capacity across the operating voltage window.

Modeling and Characterization of Capacitive Elements With Tissue as Dielectric Material for Wireless Powering of Neural Implants.

PubMed

Erfani, Reza; Marefat, Fatemeh; Sodagar, Amir M; Mohseni, Pedram

2018-05-01

This paper reports on the modeling and characterization of capacitive elements with tissue as the dielectric material, representing the core building block of a capacitive link for wireless power transfer to neural implants. Each capacitive element consists of two parallel plates that are aligned around the tissue layer and incorporate a grounded, guarded, capacitive pad to mitigate the adverse effect of stray capacitances and shield the plates from external interfering electric fields. The plates are also coated with a biocompatible, insulating, coating layer on the inner side of each plate in contact with the tissue. A comprehensive circuit model is presented that accounts for the effect of the coating layers and is validated by measurements of the equivalent capacitance as well as impedance magnitude/phase of the parallel plates over a wide frequency range of 1 kHz-10 MHz. Using insulating coating layers of Parylene-C at a thickness of and Parylene-N at a thickness of deposited on two sets of parallel plates with different sizes and shapes of the guarded pad, our modeling and characterization results accurately capture the effect of the thickness and electrical properties of the coating layers on the behavior of the capacitive elements over frequency and with different tissues.

Enhancing the Capacitive Performance of Electric Double-Layer Capacitors with Ionic Liquid Mixtures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lian, C.; Liu, K.; Van Aken, Katherine L.

Formulating room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) mixed electrolytes was recently proposed as an effective and convenient strategy to increase the capacitive performance of electrochemical capacitors. In this paper, we investigate the electrical double-layer (EDL) structure and the capacitance of two RTILs, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMI-TFSI) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMI-BF 4), and their mixtures with onion-like carbon electrodes using experiment and classical density functional theory. The principal difference between these ionic liquids is the smaller diameter of the BF 4 – anion relative to the TFSI – anion and the EMI + cation. A volcano-shaped trend is identified for the capacitance versus themore » composition of the RTIL mixture. The mixture effect, which makes more counterions pack on and more co-ions leave from the electrode surface, leads to an increase of the counterion density within the EDL and thus a larger capacitance. Finally, these theoretical predictions are in good agreement with our experimental observations and offer guidance for designing RTIL mixtures for EDL supercapacitors.« less

Design and test of a capacitance detection circuit based on a transimpedance amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linfeng, Mu; Wendong, Zhang; Changde, He; Rui, Zhang; Jinlong, Song; Chenyang, Xue

2015-07-01

This paper presents a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) capacitance detection circuit aimed at detecting micro-capacitance, which is caused by ultrasonic stimulation applied to the capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT). In the capacitance interface, a TIA is adopted to amplify the received signal with a center frequency of 400 kHz, and finally detect ultrasound pressure. The circuit has a strong anti-stray property and this paper also studies the calculation of compensation capacity in detail. To ensure high resolution, noise analysis is conducted. After optimization, the detected minimum ultrasound pressure is 2.1 Pa, which is two orders of magnitude higher than the former. The test results showed that the circuit was sensitive to changes in ultrasound pressure and the distance between the CMUT and stumbling block, which also successfully demonstrates the functionality of the developed TIA of the analog-front-end receiver. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61127008) and the Subsidized Program of the National High Technology Research and Development Program of China (No. 2011AA040404).

Enhancing the Capacitive Performance of Electric Double-Layer Capacitors with Ionic Liquid Mixtures

DOE PAGES

Lian, C.; Liu, K.; Van Aken, Katherine L.; ...

2016-04-18

Formulating room-temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) mixed electrolytes was recently proposed as an effective and convenient strategy to increase the capacitive performance of electrochemical capacitors. In this paper, we investigate the electrical double-layer (EDL) structure and the capacitance of two RTILs, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMI-TFSI) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMI-BF 4), and their mixtures with onion-like carbon electrodes using experiment and classical density functional theory. The principal difference between these ionic liquids is the smaller diameter of the BF 4 – anion relative to the TFSI – anion and the EMI + cation. A volcano-shaped trend is identified for the capacitance versus themore » composition of the RTIL mixture. The mixture effect, which makes more counterions pack on and more co-ions leave from the electrode surface, leads to an increase of the counterion density within the EDL and thus a larger capacitance. Finally, these theoretical predictions are in good agreement with our experimental observations and offer guidance for designing RTIL mixtures for EDL supercapacitors.« less

Mesoporous nanocrystalline film architecture for capacitive storage devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dunn, Bruce S.; Tolbert, Sarah H.; Wang, John

A mesoporous, nanocrystalline, metal oxide construct particularly suited for capacitive energy storage that has an architecture with short diffusion path lengths and large surface areas and a method for production are provided. Energy density is substantially increased without compromising the capacitive charge storage kinetics and electrode demonstrates long term cycling stability. Charge storage devices with electrodes using the construct can use three different charge storage mechanisms immersed in an electrolyte: (1) cations can be stored in a thin double layer at the electrode/electrolyte interface (non-faradaic mechanism); (2) cations can interact with the bulk of an electroactive material which then undergoesmore » a redox reaction or phase change, as in conventional batteries (faradaic mechanism); or (3) cations can electrochemically adsorb onto the surface of a material through charge transfer processes (faradaic mechanism).« less

Investigation and Modeling of Capacitive Human Body Communication.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiao-Qi; Guo, Yong-Xin; Wu, Wen

2017-04-01

This paper presents a systematic investigation of the capacitive human body communication (HBC). The measurement of HBC channels is performed using a novel battery-powered system to eliminate the effects of baluns, cables and instruments. To verify the measured results, a numerical model incorporating the entire HBC system is established. Besides, it is demonstrated that both the impedance and path gain bandwidths of HBC channels is affected by the electrode configuration. Based on the analysis of the simulated electric field distribution, an equivalent circuit model is proposed and the circuit parameters are extracted using the finite element method. The transmission capability along the human body is also studied. The simulated results using the numerical and circuit models coincide very well with the measurement, which demonstrates that the proposed circuit model can effectively interpret the operation mechanism of the capacitive HBC.

Evaluation of excitation strategy with multi-plane electrical capacitance tomography sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Mingxu; Ye, Jiamin; Wang, Haigang; Zhang, Jiaolong; Yang, Wuqiang

2016-11-01

Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) is an imaging technique for measuring the permittivity change of materials. Using a multi-plane ECT sensor, three-dimensional (3D) distribution of permittivity may be represented. In this paper, three excitation strategies, including single-electrode excitation, dual-electrode excitation in the same plane, and dual-electrode excitation in different planes are investigated by numerical simulation and experiment for two three-plane ECT sensors with 12 electrodes in total. In one sensor, the electrodes on the middle plane are in line with the others. In the other sensor, they are rotated 45° with reference to the other two planes. A linear back projection algorithm is used to reconstruct the images and a correlation coefficient is used to evaluate the image quality. The capacitance data and sensitivity distribution with each measurement strategy and sensor model are analyzed. Based on simulation and experimental results using noise-free and noisy capacitance data, the performance of the three strategies is evaluated.

A Charge-Based Low-Power High-SNR Capacitive Sensing Interface Circuit

PubMed Central

Peng, Sheng-Yu; Qureshi, Muhammad S.; Hasler, Paul E.; Basu, Arindam; Degertekin, F. L.

2008-01-01

This paper describes a low-power approach to capacitive sensing that achieves a high signal-to-noise ratio. The circuit is composed of a capacitive feedback charge amplifier and a charge adaptation circuit. Without the adaptation circuit, the charge amplifier only consumes 1 μW to achieve the audio band SNR of 69.34dB. An adaptation scheme using Fowler-Nordheim tunneling and channel hot electron injection mechanisms to stabilize the DC output voltage is demonstrated. This scheme provides a very low frequency pole at 0.2Hz. The measured noise spectrums show that this slow-time scale adaptation does not degrade the circuit performance. The DC path can also be provided by a large feedback resistance without causing extra power consumption. A charge amplifier with a MOS-bipolar pseudo-resistor feedback scheme is interfaced with a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach for ultrasound applications. PMID:18787650

Measurement of n-type Dry Thermally Oxidized 6H-SiC Metal-oxide Semiconductor Diodes by Quasistatic and High-Frequency Capacitance Versus Voltage and Capacitance Transient Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, P.; Kang, S.; Petit, J.; Tabib-Azar, M.

1994-01-01

Dry-oxidized n-type 6H-SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors are investigated using quasistatic capacitance versus voltage (C-V), high-frequency C-V, and pulsed high-frequency capacitance transient (C-t) analysis over the temperature range from 297 to 573 K. The quasistatic C - V characteristics presented are the first reported for 6H-SiC MOS capacitors, and exhibit startling nonidealities due to nonequilibrium conditions that arise from the fact that the recombination/generation process in 6H-SiC is extraordinarily slow even at the highest measurement temperature employed. The high-frequency dark C-V characteristics all showed deep depletion with no observable hysteresis. The recovery of the high-frequency capacitance from deep depletion to inversion was used to characterize the minority-carrier generation process as a function of temperature. Zerbst analysis conducted on the resulting C-t transients, which were longer than 1000 s at 573 K, showed a generation lifetime thermal activation energy of 0.49 eV.

Holey nickel-cobalt layered double hydroxide thin sheets with ultrahigh areal capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhi, Lei; Zhang, Wenliang; Dang, Liqin; Sun, Jie; Shi, Feng; Xu, Hua; Liu, Zonghuai; Lei, Zhibin

2018-05-01

Strong coupling of electroactive components on conductive carbonaceous matrix to fabricate flexible hybrid electrodes represents a promising approach towards high performance supercapacitors. This work reports the fabrication of holey nickel cobalt layered double hydroxide (NiCo-LDH) nanosheets that are vertically grown on the cotton cloth-derived activated textile carbon (aTC). The abundant nanoholes on the thin-sheet NiCo-LDH not only enhance the electrode efficiency for efficient Faradaic redox reactions but also facilitate access of electrolyte to the electrode surface, thus giving rise to 70% capacitance arising from their outer surface. As a result, the aTC-NiCo hybrid electrode is capable of simultaneously achieving extremely high areal capacitance (6.37 F cm-2), mass capacitance (525 F g-1) and volumetric capacitance (249 F cm-3) at a practical level of mass loading (6.72 mg cm-2). Moreover, a solid-state asymmetric capacitor built with aTC-NiCo as positive electrode and active carbon-coated on aTC as negative electrode can deliver a volumetric energy density of 7.4 mWh cm-3 at a power density of 103 mW cm-3, while preserving a superior power performance, satisfying cycling stability and good mechanical flexibility.

PSPICE Hybrid Modeling and Simulation of Capacitive Micro-Gyroscopes

PubMed Central

Su, Yan; Tong, Xin; Liu, Nan; Han, Guowei; Si, Chaowei; Ning, Jin; Li, Zhaofeng; Yang, Fuhua

2018-01-01

With an aim to reduce the cost of prototype development, this paper establishes a PSPICE hybrid model for the simulation of capacitive microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) gyroscopes. This is achieved by modeling gyroscopes in different modules, then connecting them in accordance with the corresponding principle diagram. Systematic simulations of this model are implemented along with a consideration of details of MEMS gyroscopes, including a capacitance model without approximation, mechanical thermal noise, and the effect of ambient temperature. The temperature compensation scheme and optimization of interface circuits are achieved based on the hybrid closed-loop simulation of MEMS gyroscopes. The simulation results show that the final output voltage is proportional to the angular rate input, which verifies the validity of this model. PMID:29597284

Facile preparation of polypyrrole/graphene oxide nanocomposites with large areal capacitance using electrochemical codeposition for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Haihan; Han, Gaoyi; Xiao, Yaoming; Chang, Yunzhen; Zhai, Hua-Jin

2014-10-01

A simple and low-cost electrochemical codeposition method has been introduced to fabricate polypyrrole/graphene oxide (PPy/GO) nanocomposites and the areal capacitance of conducting polymer/GO composites is reported for the first time. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are implemented to determine the PPy/GO nanocomposites are successfully prepared and the interaction between PPy and GO. The as-prepared PPy/GO nanocomposites show the curly sheet-like morphology, superior capacitive behaviors and cyclic stability. Furthermore, the varying deposition time is implemented to investigate the impact of the loading amount on electrochemical behavior of the composites, and a high areal capacitance of 152 mF cm-2 is achieved at 10 mV s-1 CV scan. However, the thicker films caused by the long deposition time would result in larger diffusion resistance of electrolyte ions, consequently exhibit the relatively lower capacitance value at the high current density. The GCD tests indicate moderate deposition time is more suitable for the fast charge/discharge. Considering the very simple and effective synthetic process, the PPy/GO nanocomposites with relatively high areal capacitance are competitive candidate for supercapacitor application, and its capacitive performances can be easily tuned by varying the deposition time.

Levels of semenogelin in human spermatozoa decrease during capacitation: involvement of reactive oxygen species and zinc.

PubMed

de Lamirande, E; Lamothe, G

2010-07-01

Semenogelin (Sg), the main protein of human semen coagulum, prevents sperm capacitation. The objective of this study was to examine the role of Sg and its mechanism of action. Sg blocked sperm capacitation triggered by various stimuli, via inhibition of superoxide anion (O(2)*-; luminescence assay) and nitric oxide (NO*; tested using diaminofluorescein) generation. Triton-soluble and -insoluble sperm fractions contained Sg and Sg peptides (immunoblotting), the level of which decreased with initiation of capacitation. This drop was prevented by superoxide dismutase and NO* synthase inhibitor and was reproduced by addition of O(2)*- and NO*. Zinc (Zn(2+)) blocked and a zinc chelator (TPEN) promoted the decline in Sg levels. There was a decreased labelling of Sg on the head in capacitating spermatozoa with the two fixation techniques tested (immunocytochemistry). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) (O(2)*- and NO*) caused, these changes, and zinc prevented them. Spermatozoa quickly internalized Sg upon incubation and Sg was then rapidly degraded in a zinc-inhibitable manner. Sg blocked capacitation mainly via inhibition of ROS generation. Spermatozoa appeared permeable to Sg and processed Sg in a zinc-inhibitable fashion. ROS themselves could promote sperm disposal of Sg which maybe one of the mechanisms that allows initiation of capacitation.

Isolating the effect of pore size distribution on electrochemical double-layer capacitance using activated fluid coke

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuliani, Jocelyn E.; Tong, Shitang; Kirk, Donald W.; Jia, Charles Q.

2015-12-01

Electrochemical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) use physical ion adsorption in the capacitive electrical double layer of high specific surface area (SSA) materials to store electrical energy. Previous work shows that the SSA-normalized capacitance increases when pore diameters are less than 1 nm. However, there still remains uncertainty about the charge storage mechanism since the enhanced SSA-normalized capacitance is not observed in all microporous materials. In previous studies, the total specific surface area and the chemical composition of the electrode materials were not controlled. The current work is the first reported study that systematically compares the performance of activated carbon prepared from the same raw material, with similar chemical composition and specific surface area, but different pore size distributions. Preparing samples with similar SSAs, but different pores sizes is not straightforward since increasing pore diameters results in decreasing the SSA. This study observes that the microporous activated carbon has a higher SSA-normalized capacitance, 14.1 μF cm-2, compared to the mesoporous material, 12.4 μF cm-2. However, this enhanced SSA-normalized capacitance is only observed above a threshold operating voltage. Therefore, it can be concluded that a minimum applied voltage is required to induce ion adsorption in these sub-nanometer micropores, which increases the capacitance.

Differential Depletion Capacitance Approximation Analysis Under DC Voltage for Air-Exposed Cu/n-Si Schottky Diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korkut, A.

It is well known that the semiconductor surface is easily oxidized by air-media in time. This work studieds the characterization of Schottky diodes and changes in depletion capacitance, which is caused by air exposure of a group of Cu/n-Si/Al Schottky diodes. First, data for current-voltage and capacitance-voltage were a Ren, and then ideality factor, barrier height, built-in potential (Vbi), donor concentration and Fermi level, interfacial oxide thickness, interface state density were calculated. It is seen that depletion capacitance was calculate; whereafter built-in potential played an important role in Schottky diodes characteristic. Built-in potential directly affects the characteristic of Schottky diodes and a turning point occurs. In case of forward and reverse bias, depletion capacitance versus voltage graphics are matched, but in an opposite direction. In case of forward bias, differential depletion capacitance begins from minus values, it is raised to first Vbi, then reduced to second Vbi under the minus condition. And it sharply gones up to positive apex, then sharply falls down to near zero, but it takes positive values depending on DC voltage. In case of reverse bias, differential depletion capacitance takes to small positive values. In other respects, we see that depletion characteristics change considerably under DC voltage.

Channel Modeling of Miniaturized Battery-Powered Capacitive Human Body Communication Systems.

PubMed

Park, Jiwoong; Garudadri, Harinath; Mercier, Patrick P

2017-02-01

The purpose of this contribution is to estimate the path loss of capacitive human body communication (HBC) systems under practical conditions. Most prior work utilizes large grounded instruments to perform path loss measurements, resulting in overly optimistic path loss estimates for wearable HBC devices. In this paper, small battery-powered transmitter and receiver devices are implemented to measure path loss under realistic assumptions. A hybrid electrostatic finite element method simulation model is presented that validates measurements and enables rapid and accurate characterization of future capacitive HBC systems. Measurements from form-factor-accurate prototypes reveal path loss results between 31.7 and 42.2 dB from 20 to 150 MHz. Simulation results matched measurements within 2.5 dB. Comeasurements using large grounded benchtop vector network analyzer (VNA) and large battery-powered spectrum analyzer (SA) underestimate path loss by up to 33.6 and 8.2 dB, respectively. Measurements utilizing a VNA with baluns, or large battery-powered SAs with baluns still underestimate path loss by up to 24.3 and 6.7 dB, respectively. Measurements of path loss in capacitive HBC systems strongly depend on instrumentation configurations. It is thus imperative to simulate or measure path loss in capacitive HBC systems utilizing realistic geometries and grounding configurations. HBC has a great potential for many emerging wearable devices and applications; accurate path loss estimation will improve system-level design leading to viable products.

Experimental study of a variable-capacitance micromotor with electrostatic suspension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, F. T.; Wu, Q. P.; Wang, L.

2010-11-01

A variable-capacitance micromotor where the rotor is supported electrostatically in five degrees of freedom was designed, fabricated and tested in order to study the behavior of this electrostatic motor. The micromachined device is based on a glass/silicon/glass stack bonding structure, fabricated by bulk micromachining and initially operated in atmospheric environment. The analytical torque model is obtained by calculating the capacitances between different stator electrodes and the rotor. Capacitance values in the order of 10-13 pF and torque values in the order of 10-10 N m have been calculated from the motor geometry and attainable drive voltage. A dynamic model of the motor is proposed by further estimating the air-film damping effect in an effort to explain the experimental rotation measurements. Experimental results of starting voltage, continuous operation, switching response and electric bearing of the micromotor are presented and discussed. Preliminary measurements indicate that a rotor rotating speed of 73.3 r min-1 can be achieved at a drive voltage of 28.3 V, equivalent to a theoretical motive torque of 517 pN m. Starting voltage results obtained from experimental measurement are in agreement with the developed dynamic model.

Optimization of the coplanar interdigital capacitive sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yunzhi; Zhan, Zheng; Bowler, Nicola

2017-02-01

Interdigital capacitive sensors are applied in nondestructive testing and material property characterization of low-conductivity materials. The sensor performance is typically described based on the penetration depth of the electric field into the sample material, the sensor signal strength and its sensitivity. These factors all depend on the geometry and material properties of the sensor and sample. In this paper, a detailed analysis is provided, through finite element simulations, of the ways in which the sensor's geometrical parameters affect its performance. The geometrical parameters include the number of digits forming the interdigital electrodes and the ratio of digit width to their separation. In addition, the influence of the presence or absence of a metal backplane on the sample is analyzed. Further, the effects of sensor substrate thickness and material on signal strength are studied. The results of the analysis show that it is necessary to take into account a trade-off between the desired sensitivity and penetration depth when designing the sensor. Parametric equations are presented to assist the sensor designer or nondestructive evaluation specialist in optimizing the design of a capacitive sensor.

In vitro capacitation and acrosome reaction in sperm of the phyllostomid bat Artibeus jamaicensis.

PubMed

Álvarez-Guerrero, Alma; González-Díaz, Francisco; Medrano, Alfredo; Moreno-Mendoza, Norma

2016-04-01

Sperm capacitation occurs during the passage of sperm through the female reproductive tract. Once the sperm binds to the pellucid zone, the acrosome reaction to enable penetration of the oocyte is completed. In this study, sperm of Artibeus jamaicensis bat was used to evaluate both capacitation status and the acrosome reaction under in vitro conditions, incubating sperm at 32 and 37°C with and without progesterone. Sperm was incubated at different times to assess sperm cells' functionality in terms of capacitation and acrosome reaction, using the chlortetracycline staining, lectin fluoresceinisocyanate conjugate-Pisum sativum agglutinin (FITC-PSA), and transmission electron microscopy. Sperm cells that presented uniform fluorescence throughout the head and mid-piece were classified as non-capacitated. Subsequently, sperm cells, which were observed with fluorescence only in the anterior portion of the head and mid-piece, were classified as capacitated. Sperm cells with no fluorescence in the head, but fluorescence in the mid-piece, were categorized as sperm cells that have carried out the acrosome reaction. During the acrosome reaction, sperm cells showed changes in their morphology, so it was not possible to distinguish the plasma and acrosomal membranes. Around the entire head, it was not possible to distinguish the fusion points between these membranes that made it possible for the acrosomal reaction to take place and thus to release the enzymes necessary to penetrate the pellucid zone. In conclusion, under appropriate in vitro conditions and by supplementing the culture medium with progesterone, A. jamaicensis bat sperm cells are able to be capacitated in a period from 6 to 8 h and to carry out the acrosome reaction.

DBD tranformerless power supplies: impact of the parasitic capacitances on the power transfer.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diop, M. A.; Belinger, A.; Piquet, H.

2017-04-01

A new transformerless power supply for DBD application is presented here. The power supply is built with 10kV SiC MOSFET. This high voltage switches allow holding the high voltage required by the DBD. An analytical study of the converter’s operation is presented to deduce the power transmitted to the DBD. A comparison between the experimental and theoretical electrical waveforms is shown. The experimental waveforms are particularly affected by all the parasitic capacitances. When all the switches are in OFF state, oscillations cause over-voltages across the switches. An analysis of the effect of each capacitance is presented and demonstrates that the parasitic capacitances of the switches and of the inductance play a key role in the actual power transfer.

Perspectives on MEMS in bioengineering: a novel capacitive position microsensor.

PubMed

Pedrocchi, A; Hoen, S; Ferrigno, G; Pedotti, A

2000-01-01

We describe a novel capacitive position sensor using micromachining to achieve high sensitivity and large range of motion. These sensors require a new theoretical framework to describe and optimize their performance. Employing a complete description of the electrical fields, the sensor should deviate from the standard geometries used for capacitive sensors. By this optimization, the sensor gains a twofold increase in sensitivity. Results on a PC board 10x model imply that the micromachined sensor should achieve a sensitivity of less than 10 nm over 500-micron range of travel. Some bioengineering applications are addressed, including positioning of micromirrors for laser surgery and dose control for implantable drug delivery systems.

Anomalous Capacitance Maximum of the Glassy Carbon-Ionic Liquid Interface through Dilution with Organic Solvents.

PubMed

Bozym, David J; Uralcan, Betül; Limmer, David T; Pope, Michael A; Szamreta, Nicholas J; Debenedetti, Pablo G; Aksay, Ilhan A

2015-07-02

We use electrochemical impedance spectroscopy to measure the effect of diluting a hydrophobic room temperature ionic liquid with miscible organic solvents on the differential capacitance of the glassy carbon-electrolyte interface. We show that the minimum differential capacitance increases with dilution and reaches a maximum value at ionic liquid contents near 5-10 mol% (i.e., ∼1 M). We provide evidence that mixtures with 1,2-dichloroethane, a low-dielectric constant solvent, yield the largest gains in capacitance near the open circuit potential when compared against two traditional solvents, acetonitrile and propylene carbonate. To provide a fundamental basis for these observations, we use a coarse-grained model to relate structural variations at the double layer to the occurrence of the maximum. Our results reveal the potential for the enhancement of double-layer capacitance through dilution.

Facile fabrication of cobalt oxalate nanostructures with superior specific capacitance and super-long cycling stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Guanhua; Si, Conghui; Zhang, Jie; Wang, Ying; Yang, Wanfeng; Dong, Chaoqun; Zhang, Zhonghua

2016-04-01

Transition metal oxalate materials have shown huge competitive advantages for applications in supercapacitors. Herein, nanostructured cobalt oxalate supported on cobalt foils has been facilely fabricated by anodization, and could directly serve as additive/binder-free electrodes for supercapacitors. The as-prepared cobalt oxalate electrodes present superior specific capacitance of 1269 F g-1 at the current density of 6 A g-1 in the galvanostatic charge/discharge test. Moreover, the retained capacitance is as high as 87.2% as the current density increases from 6 A g-1 to 30 A g-1. More importantly, the specific capacitance of cobalt oxalate retains 91.9% even after super-long cycling of 100,000 cycles. In addition, an asymmetric supercapacitor assembled with cobalt oxalate (positive electrode) and activated carbon (negative electrode) demonstrates excellent capacitive performance with high energy density and power density.

The desA and desB genes from Clostridium scindens ATCC 35704 encode steroid-17,20-desmolase.

PubMed

Devendran, Saravanan; Mythen, Sean M; Ridlon, Jason M

2018-06-01

Clostridium scindens is a gut microbe capable of removing the side-chain of cortisol, forming 11β-hydro-xyandrostenedione. A cortisol-inducible operon ( desABCD ) was previously identified in C. scindens ATCC 35704 by RNA-Seq. The desC gene was shown to encode a cortisol 20α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (20α-HSDH). The desD encodes a protein annotated as a member of the major facilitator family, predicted to function as a cortisol transporter. The desA and desB genes are annotated as N-terminal and C-terminal transketolases, respectively. We hypothesized that the DesAB forms a complex and has steroid-17,20-desmolase activity. We cloned the desA and desB genes from C. scindens ATCC 35704 in pETDuet for overexpression in Escherichia coli The purified recombinant DesAB was determined to be a 142 ± 5.4 kDa heterotetramer. We developed an enzyme-linked continuous spectrophotometric assay to quantify steroid-17,20-desmolase. This was achieved by coupling DesAB-dependent formation of 11β-hydroxyandrostenedione with the NADPH-dependent reduction of the steroid 17-keto group by a recombinant 17β-HSDH from the filamentous fungus, Cochliobolus lunatus The pH optimum for the coupled assay was 7.0 and kinetic constants using cortisol as substrate were K m of 4.96 ± 0.57 µM and k cat of 0.87 ± 0.076 min -1 Substrate-specificity studies revealed that rDesAB recognized substrates regardless of 11β-hydroxylation, but had an absolute requirement for 17,21-dihydroxy 20-ketosteroids. Copyright © 2018 Devendran et al.

Dual Segment Glocal Model Based Capacitive Level Sensor (CLS) for Adhesive Material and Level Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, F. A.; Yousaf, A.; Reindl, L. M.

2018-04-01

This paper presents a multi segment capacitive level monitoring sensor based on distributed E-fields approach Glocal. This approach has an advantage to analyze build-up problem by the local E-fields as well the fluid level monitoring by the global E-fields. The multi segment capacitive approach presented within this work addresses the main problem of unwanted parasitic capacitance generated from Copper (Cu) strips by applying active shielding concept. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is used for isolation and parafilm is used for creating artificial build-up on a CLS.

Capacitance-Based Dosimetry of Co-60 Radiation using Fully-Depleted Silicon-on-Insulator Devices

PubMed Central

Li, Yulong; Porter, Warren M.; Ma, Rui; Reynolds, Margaret A.; Gerbi, Bruce J.; Koester, Steven J.

2015-01-01

The capacitance based sensing of fully-depleted silicon-on-insulator (FDSOI) variable capacitors for Co-60 gamma radiation is investigated. Linear response of the capacitance is observed for radiation dose up to 64 Gy, while the percent capacitance change per unit dose is as high as 0.24 %/Gy. An analytical model is developed to study the operational principles of the varactors and the maximum sensitivity as a function of frequency is determined. The results show that FDSOI varactor dosimeters have potential for extremely-high sensitivity as well as the potential for high frequency operation in applications such as wireless radiation sensing. PMID:27840451

The Origin of Improved Electrical Double-Layer Capacitance by Inclusion of Topological Defects and Dopants in Graphene for Supercapacitors.

PubMed

Chen, Jiafeng; Han, Yulei; Kong, Xianghua; Deng, Xinzhou; Park, Hyo Ju; Guo, Yali; Jin, Song; Qi, Zhikai; Lee, Zonghoon; Qiao, Zhenhua; Ruoff, Rodney S; Ji, Hengxing

2016-10-24

Low-energy density has long been the major limitation to the application of supercapacitors. Introducing topological defects and dopants in carbon-based electrodes in a supercapacitor improves the performance by maximizing the gravimetric capacitance per mass of the electrode. However, the main mechanisms governing this capacitance improvement are still unclear. We fabricated planar electrodes from CVD-derived single-layer graphene with deliberately introduced topological defects and nitrogen dopants in controlled concentrations and of known configurations, to estimate the influence of these defects on the electrical double-layer (EDL) capacitance. Our experimental study and theoretical calculations show that the increase in EDL capacitance due to either the topological defects or the nitrogen dopants has the same origin, yet these two factors improve the EDL capacitance in different ways. Our work provides a better understanding of the correlation between the atomic-scale structure and the EDL capacitance and presents a new strategy for the development of experimental and theoretical models for understanding the EDL capacitance of carbon electrodes. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Rough Electrode Creates Excess Capacitance in Thin-Film Capacitors

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The parallel-plate capacitor equation is widely used in contemporary material research for nanoscale applications and nanoelectronics. To apply this equation, flat and smooth electrodes are assumed for a capacitor. This essential assumption is often violated for thin-film capacitors because the formation of nanoscale roughness at the electrode interface is very probable for thin films grown via common deposition methods. In this work, we experimentally and theoretically show that the electrical capacitance of thin-film capacitors with realistic interface roughness is significantly larger than the value predicted by the parallel-plate capacitor equation. The degree of the deviation depends on the strength of the roughness, which is described by three roughness parameters for a self-affine fractal surface. By applying an extended parallel-plate capacitor equation that includes the roughness parameters of the electrode, we are able to calculate the excess capacitance of the electrode with weak roughness. Moreover, we introduce the roughness parameter limits for which the simple parallel-plate capacitor equation is sufficiently accurate for capacitors with one rough electrode. Our results imply that the interface roughness beyond the proposed limits cannot be dismissed unless the independence of the capacitance from the interface roughness is experimentally demonstrated. The practical protocols suggested in our work for the reliable use of the parallel-plate capacitor equation can be applied as general guidelines in various fields of interest. PMID:28745040

Rough Electrode Creates Excess Capacitance in Thin-Film Capacitors.

PubMed

Torabi, Solmaz; Cherry, Megan; Duijnstee, Elisabeth A; Le Corre, Vincent M; Qiu, Li; Hummelen, Jan C; Palasantzas, George; Koster, L Jan Anton

2017-08-16

The parallel-plate capacitor equation is widely used in contemporary material research for nanoscale applications and nanoelectronics. To apply this equation, flat and smooth electrodes are assumed for a capacitor. This essential assumption is often violated for thin-film capacitors because the formation of nanoscale roughness at the electrode interface is very probable for thin films grown via common deposition methods. In this work, we experimentally and theoretically show that the electrical capacitance of thin-film capacitors with realistic interface roughness is significantly larger than the value predicted by the parallel-plate capacitor equation. The degree of the deviation depends on the strength of the roughness, which is described by three roughness parameters for a self-affine fractal surface. By applying an extended parallel-plate capacitor equation that includes the roughness parameters of the electrode, we are able to calculate the excess capacitance of the electrode with weak roughness. Moreover, we introduce the roughness parameter limits for which the simple parallel-plate capacitor equation is sufficiently accurate for capacitors with one rough electrode. Our results imply that the interface roughness beyond the proposed limits cannot be dismissed unless the independence of the capacitance from the interface roughness is experimentally demonstrated. The practical protocols suggested in our work for the reliable use of the parallel-plate capacitor equation can be applied as general guidelines in various fields of interest.

Design of pressure-sensing diaphragm for MEMS capacitance diaphragm gauge considering size effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gang; Li, Detian; Cheng, Yongjun; Sun, Wenjun; Han, Xiaodong; Wang, Chengxiang

2018-03-01

MEMS capacitance diaphragm gauge with a full range of (1˜1000) Pa is considered for its wide application prospect. The design of pressure-sensing diaphragm is the key to achieve balanced performance for this kind of gauges. The optimization process of the pressure-sensing diaphragm with island design of a capacitance diaphragm gauge based on MEMS technique has been reported in this work. For micro-components in micro scale range, mechanical properties are very different from that in the macro scale range, so the size effect should not be ignored. The modified strain gradient elasticity theory considering size effect has been applied to determine the bending rigidity of the pressure-sensing diaphragm, which is then used in the numerical model to calculate the deflection-pressure relation of the diaphragm. According to the deflection curves, capacitance variation can be determined by integrating over the radius of the diaphragm. At last, the design of the diaphragm has been optimized based on three parameters: sensitivity, linearity and ground capacitance. With this design, a full range of (1˜1000) Pa can be achieved, meanwhile, balanced sensitivity, resolution and linearity can be kept.

Facile coating of manganese oxide on tin oxide nanowires with high-performance capacitive behavior.

PubMed

Yan, Jian; Khoo, Eugene; Sumboja, Afriyanti; Lee, Pooi See

2010-07-27

In this paper, a very simple solution-based method is employed to coat amorphous MnO2 onto crystalline SnO2 nanowires grown on stainless steel substrate, which utilizes the better electronic conductivity of SnO2 nanowires as the supporting backbone to deposit MnO2 for supercapacitor electrodes. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge/discharge methods have been carried out to study the capacitive properties of the SnO2/MnO2 composites. A specific capacitance (based on MnO2) as high as 637 F g(-1) is obtained at a scan rate of 2 mV s(-1) (800 F g(-1) at a current density of 1 A g(-1)) in 1 M Na2SO4 aqueous solution. The energy density and power density measured at 50 A g(-1) are 35.4 W h kg(-1) and 25 kW kg(-1), respectively, demonstrating the good rate capability. In addition, the SnO2/MnO2 composite electrode shows excellent long-term cyclic stability (less than 1.2% decrease of the specific capacitance is observed after 2000 CV cycles). The temperature-dependent capacitive behavior is also discussed. Such high-performance capacitive behavior indicates that the SnO2/MnO2 composite is a very promising electrode material for fabricating supercapacitors.

Effets des electrons secondaires sur l'ADN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boudaiffa, Badia

Les interactions des electrons de basse energie (EBE) representent un element important en sciences des radiations, particulierement, les sequences se produisant immediatement apres l'interaction de la radiation ionisante avec le milieu biologique. Il est bien connu que lorsque ces radiations deposent leur energie dans la cellule, elles produisent un grand nombre d'electrons secondaires (4 x 104/MeV), qui sont crees le long de la trace avec des energies cinetiques initiales bien inferieures a 20 eV. Cependant, il n'y a jamais eu de mesures directes demontrant l'interaction de ces electrons de tres basse energie avec l'ADN, du principalement aux difficultes experimentales imposees par la complexite du milieu biologique. Dans notre laboratoire, les dernieres annees ont ete consacrees a l'etude des phenomenes fondamentaux induits par impact des EBE sur differentes molecules simples (e.g., N2, CO, O2, H2O, NO, C2H 4, C6H6, C2H12) et quelques molecules complexes dans leur phase solide. D'autres travaux effectues recemment sur des bases de l'ADN et des oligonucleotides ont montre que les EBE produisent des bris moleculaires sur les biomolecules. Ces travaux nous ont permis d'elaborer des techniques pour mettre en evidence et comprendre les interactions fondamentales des EBE avec des molecules d'interet biologique, afin d'atteindre notre objectif majeur d'etudier l'effet direct de ces particules sur la molecule d'ADN. Les techniques de sciences des surfaces developpees et utilisees dans les etudes precitees peuvent etre etendues et combinees avec des methodes classiques de biologie pour etudier les dommages de l'ADN induits par l'impact des EBE. Nos experiences ont montre l'efficacite des electrons de 3--20 eV a induire des coupures simple et double brins dans l'ADN. Pour des energies inferieures a 15 eV, ces coupures sont induites par la localisation temporaire d'un electron sur une unite moleculaire de l'ADN, ce qui engendre la formation d'un ion negatif transitoire

Quels sont les problemes ethiques souleves par l’augmentation des capacites cognitives dans le cadre de la defense : cadre legal francais, position ethique du service de sante des armees francais

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

pourtant été systématisée. L’observation que, même si chaque homme est unique, il n’en partage pas moins un certain nombre de caractéristiques avec ses...occidental du comportement normal d’un homme , c’est-à-dire ce en deçà de quoi il ne peut déroger au risque de sortir du statut d’homme. Ainsi, le... de garantir les conditions de vie harmonieuse dans la société des hommes . Ainsi, l’éthique individuelle du citoyen français se niche dans un ensemble

A High Resolution Capacitive Sensing System for the Measurement of Water Content in Crude Oil

PubMed Central

Aslam, Muhammad Zubair; Tang, Tong Boon

2014-01-01

This paper presents the design of a non-intrusive system to measure ultra-low water content in crude oil. The system is based on a capacitance to phase angle conversion method. Water content is measured with a capacitance sensor comprising two semi-cylindrical electrodes mounted on the outer side of a glass tube. The presence of water induces a capacitance change that in turn converts into a phase angle, with respect to a main oscillator. A differential sensing technique is adopted not only to ensure high immunity against temperature variation and background noise, but also to eliminate phase jitter and amplitude variation of the main oscillator that could destabilize the output. The complete capacitive sensing system was implemented in hardware and experiment results using crude oil samples demonstrated that a resolution of ±50 ppm of water content in crude oil was achieved by the proposed design. PMID:24967606

A high resolution capacitive sensing system for the measurement of water content in crude oil.

PubMed

Zubair, Muhammad; Tang, Tong Boon

2014-06-25

This paper presents the design of a non-intrusive system to measure ultra-low water content in crude oil. The system is based on a capacitance to phase angle conversion method. Water content is measured with a capacitance sensor comprising two semi-cylindrical electrodes mounted on the outer side of a glass tube. The presence of water induces a capacitance change that in turn converts into a phase angle, with respect to a main oscillator. A differential sensing technique is adopted not only to ensure high immunity against temperature variation and background noise, but also to eliminate phase jitter and amplitude variation of the main oscillator that could destabilize the output. The complete capacitive sensing system was implemented in hardware and experiment results using crude oil samples demonstrated that a resolution of ± 50 ppm of water content in crude oil was achieved by the proposed design.

Optimisation des structures métalliques fléchies dans un calcul plastique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geara, F.; Raphael, W.; Kaddah, F.

2005-05-01

The steel structure is a type of construction that is very developed in civil engineering. In the phase of survey and then of execution and installation of a metal work, the phase of conception is often the place of discontinuities that prevents the global optimization of material steel. In our survey, we used the traditional approach of optimization that is essentially based on the minimization of the weight of the structure, while taking advantages of plastic properties of steel in the case of a bending structure. It has been permitted because of to the relation found between the areas of the sections of the steel elements and the plastic moment of these sections. These relations have been drawn for different types of steel. In order to take advantages of the linear programming, a simplification has been introduced in transforming these relation to linear relations, which permits us to use simple methods as the simplex theorem. This procedure proves to be very interesting in the first phases of the survey and give very interesting results.

Zinc oxide nanowire-poly(methyl methacrylate) dielectric layers for polymer capacitive pressure sensors.

PubMed

Chen, Yan-Sheng; Hsieh, Gen-Wen; Chen, Shih-Ping; Tseng, Pin-Yen; Wang, Cheng-Wei

2015-01-14

Polymer capacitive pressure sensors based on a dielectric composite layer of zinc oxide nanowire and poly(methyl methacrylate) show pressure sensitivity in the range of 2.63 × 10(-3) to 9.95 × 10(-3) cm(2) gf(-1). This represents an increase of capacitance change by as much as a factor of 23 over pristine polymer devices. An ultralight load of only 10 mg (corresponding to an applied pressure of ∼0.01 gf cm(-2)) can be clearly recognized, demonstrating remarkable characteristics of these nanowire-polymer capacitive pressure sensors. In addition, optical transmittance of the dielectric composite layer is approximately 90% in the visible wavelength region. Their low processing temperature, transparency, and flexible dielectric film makes them a highly promising means for flexible touching and pressure-sensing applications.

A Probabilistic Mass Estimation Algorithm for a Novel 7- Channel Capacitive Sample Verification Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolf, Michael

2012-01-01

A document describes an algorithm created to estimate the mass placed on a sample verification sensor (SVS) designed for lunar or planetary robotic sample return missions. A novel SVS measures the capacitance between a rigid bottom plate and an elastic top membrane in seven locations. As additional sample material (soil and/or small rocks) is placed on the top membrane, the deformation of the membrane increases the capacitance. The mass estimation algorithm addresses both the calibration of each SVS channel, and also addresses how to combine the capacitances read from each of the seven channels into a single mass estimate. The probabilistic approach combines the channels according to the variance observed during the training phase, and provides not only the mass estimate, but also a value for the certainty of the estimate. SVS capacitance data is collected for known masses under a wide variety of possible loading scenarios, though in all cases, the distribution of sample within the canister is expected to be approximately uniform. A capacitance-vs-mass curve is fitted to this data, and is subsequently used to determine the mass estimate for the single channel s capacitance reading during the measurement phase. This results in seven different mass estimates, one for each SVS channel. Moreover, the variance of the calibration data is used to place a Gaussian probability distribution function (pdf) around this mass estimate. To blend these seven estimates, the seven pdfs are combined into a single Gaussian distribution function, providing the final mean and variance of the estimate. This blending technique essentially takes the final estimate as an average of the estimates of the seven channels, weighted by the inverse of the channel s variance.

Monitoring pasture variability: optical OptRx(®) crop sensor versus Grassmaster II capacitance probe.

PubMed

Serrano, João M; Shahidian, Shakib; Marques da Silva, José Rafael

2016-02-01

Estimation of pasture productivity is an important step for the farmer in terms of planning animal stocking, organizing animal lots, and determining supplementary feeding needs throughout the year. The main objective of this work was to evaluate technologies which have potential for monitoring aspects related to spatial and temporal variability of pasture green and dry matter yield (respectively, GM and DM, in kg/ha) and support to decision making for the farmer. Two types of sensors were evaluated: an active optical sensor ("OptRx(®)," which measures the NDVI, "Normalized Difference Vegetation Index") and a capacitance probe ("GrassMaster II" which estimates plant mass). The results showed the potential of NDVI for monitoring the evolution of spatial and temporal patterns of vegetative growth of biodiverse pasture. Higher NDVI values were registered as pasture approached its greatest vegetative vigor, with a significant fall in the measured NDVI at the end of Spring, when the pasture began to dry due to the combination of higher temperatures and lower soil moisture content. This index was also effective for identifying different plant species (grasses/legumes) and variability in pasture yield. Furthermore, it was possible to develop calibration equations between the capacitance and the NDVI (R(2) = 0.757; p < 0.01), between capacitance and GM (R(2) = 0.799; p < 0.01), between capacitance and DM (R(2) =0.630; p < 0.01), between NDVI and GM (R(2) = 0.745; p < 0.01), and between capacitance and DM (R(2) = 0.524; p < 0.01). Finally, a direct relationship was obtained between NDVI and pasture moisture content (PMC, in %) and between capacitance and PMC (respectively, R(2) = 0.615; p < 0.01 and R(2) = 0.561; p < 0.01) in Alentejo dryland farming systems.

Influence of nonelectrostatic ion-ion interactions on double-layer capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Hui

2012-11-01

Recently a Poisson-Helmholtz-Boltzmann (PHB) model [Bohinc , Phys. Rev. EPLEEE81539-375510.1103/PhysRevE.85.031130 85, 031130 (2012)] was developed by accounting for solvent-mediated nonelectrostatic ion-ion interactions. Nonelectrostatic interactions are described by a Yukawa-like pair potential. In the present work, we modify the PHB model by adding steric effects (finite ion size) into the free energy to derive governing equations. The modified PHB model is capable of capturing both ion specificity and ion crowding. This modified model is then employed to study the capacitance of the double layer. More specifically, we focus on the influence of nonelectrostatic ion-ion interactions on charging a double layer near a flat surface in the presence of steric effects. We numerically compute the differential capacitance as a function of the voltage under various conditions. At small voltages and low salt concentrations (dilute solution), we find out that the predictions from the modified PHB model are the same as those from the classical Poisson-Boltzmann theory, indicating that nonelectrostatic ion-ion interactions and steric effects are negligible. At moderate voltages, nonelectrostatic ion-ion interactions play an important role in determining the differential capacitance. Generally speaking, nonelectrostatic interactions decrease the capacitance because of additional nonelectrostatic repulsion among excess counterions inside the double layer. However, increasing the voltage gradually favors steric effects, which induce a condensed layer with crowding of counterions near the electrode. Accordingly, the predictions from the modified PHB model collapse onto those computed by the modified Poisson-Boltzmann theory considering steric effects alone. Finally, theoretical predictions are compared and favorably agree with experimental data, in particular, in concentrated solutions, leading one to conclude that the modified PHB model adequately predicts the diffuse

Miniature electrometer preamplifier effectively compensates for input capacitance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burrous, C. N.; Deboo, G. J.

1966-01-01

Negative capacitance preamplifier using a dual MOS /Metal Oxide Silicon/ transistor in conjunction with bipolar transistors is used with intracellular microelectrodes in recording bioelectric potentials. Applications would include use as a pickup plate video amplifier in storage tube tests and for pH and ionization chamber measurements.

A monolithic patch-clamping amplifier with capacitive feedback.

PubMed

Prakash, J; Paulos, J J; Jensen, D N

1989-03-01

Patch-clamping is an established method for directly measuring ionic transport through cellular membranes with sufficient resolution to observe open/close transitions of individual channel molecules. This paper describes an alternative technique for patch-clamping which uses a capacitor as the transimpedance element. This approach eliminates bandwidth and saturation limitations experienced with resistive patch-clamping amplifiers. A complete monolithic design featuring an on-chip operational amplifier, a capacitor array with gain-ranging from 30 pF down to 0.03 pF, and reset and gain ranging switches has been fabricated using 5 microns CMOS technology. It is shown that the voltage noise of the CMOS operational amplifier limits the overall noise performance, but that performance competitive with conventional instruments can be achieved over a 10 kHz bandwidth, at least for small input capacitances (less than or equal to 5 pF). Results are presented along with an analysis and comparison of noise performance using both resistive and capacitive elements.

Capacitance-type blade-tip clearance measurement system using a dual amplifier with ramp/dc inputs and integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarma, Garimella R.; Barranger, John P.

1992-01-01

The analysis and prototype results of a dual-amplifier circuit for measuring blade-tip clearance in turbine engines are presented. The capacitance between the blade tip and mounted capacitance electrode within a guard ring of a probe forms one of the feedback elements of an operational amplifier (op amp). The differential equation governing the circuit taking into consideration the nonideal features of the op amp was formulated and solved for two types of inputs (ramp and dc) that are of interest for the application. Under certain time-dependent constraints, it is shown that (1) with a ramp input the circuit has an output voltage proportional to the static tip clearance capacitance, and (2) with a dc input, the output is proportional to the derivative of the clearance capacitance, and subsequent integration recovers the dynamic capacitance. The technique accommodates long cable lengths and environmentally induced changes in cable and probe parameters. System implementation for both static and dynamic measurements having the same high sensitivity is also presented.

Capacitance-type blade-tip clearance measurement system using a dual amplifier with ramp/dc inputs and integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarma, Garimella R.; Barranger, John P.

1992-10-01

The analysis and prototype results of a dual-amplifier circuit for measuring blade-tip clearance in turbine engines are presented. The capacitance between the blade tip and mounted capacitance electrode within a guard ring of a probe forms one of the feedback elements of an operational amplifier (op amp). The differential equation governing the circuit taking into consideration the nonideal features of the op amp was formulated and solved for two types of inputs (ramp and dc) that are of interest for the application. Under certain time-dependent constraints, it is shown that (1) with a ramp input the circuit has an output voltage proportional to the static tip clearance capacitance, and (2) with a dc input, the output is proportional to the derivative of the clearance capacitance, and subsequent integration recovers the dynamic capacitance. The technique accommodates long cable lengths and environmentally induced changes in cable and probe parameters. System implementation for both static and dynamic measurements having the same high sensitivity is also presented.

Aircraft Disinsection: A Guide for Military and Civilian Air Carriers (Desinsectisation des aeronefs: Un guide a l’intention des responsables des transports aeriens civils et militaires)

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-04-01

regulations. - Ceratitis capitata (Mediterranean fruit fly). Quarantine regulations generally reduce - Rhagoletis pomonella (Apple maggot). the chances of a...d’insectes nuisibles dans un pays, en 6vitant des risques pour la sant6 des 6quipages, pour la s~curit6 de 1’a~ronef et pour l’industrie. Ce rapport examine 1...diffrrents officiels responsables de la r~glementation des insectes nuisibles introduits, de l’inscription des pesticides et de leur utilisation en

Pre-selection by double layer density gradient centrifugation improves the fertilising capacity of frozen-thawed, capacitated stallion sperm.

PubMed

Morató, Roser; Soares, Juleide M De Souza; Orero, Guifré; Mogas, Teresa; Miró, Jordi

2013-06-01

The effect of combining double layer density gradient centrifugation (DL-DGC) with different capacitation treatments on the fertilising capacity of frozen-thawed stallion sperm was examined via a heterologous assay involving in vitro-matured, zona pellucida-free bovine oocytes. In a first experiment, aliquots of frozen-thawed stallion sperm were subjected to one of five capacitation treatments without DL-DGC - ionomycin at 1.0μM, 0.1μM, 0.05μM or 0.01μM, or caffeine at 200μg/mL. The fertilising capacity of the semen was then assessed at 18h by staining the above oocytes with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) and examining for sperm penetration, the number of penetrated spermatozoa per oocyte, and male pronucleus formation. In a second experiment, aliquots of frozen-thawed stallion sperm were subjected to DL-DGC selection - or not - and then further subjected to the two best capacitation treatments (0.1μM and 0.05μM ionomycin). The fertilising capacity of the semen was then determined as above. The DL-DGC/capacitated sperm samples showed the highest mean penetration rates: 24.16% following capacitation with 0.1μM ionomycin, and 12.21% following capacitation with 0.05μM ionomycin. The capacitated but non-DL-DGC-selected sperm returned significantly lower values: 6.26% and 7.02% for the same ionomycin treatments respectively. These findings suggest that combining DL-DGC selection with ionomycin capacitation improves the fertilising capacity of frozen-thawed stallion sperm. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Flexible MXene/Carbon Nanotube Composite Paper with High Volumetric Capacitance

DOE PAGES

Zhao, Meng-Qiang; Ren, Chang E.; Ling, Zheng; ...

2014-11-18

Electrochemical capacitors attract attention because of their high power densities and long cycle lives. Moreover, with increasing demand for portable and wearable electronics, recent research has focused primarily on improving the energy density per unit of volume of electrochemical capacitors. But, the volumetric capacitances of carbon-based electrodes is limited at around 60 F cm -3 for commercial devices, and at best in the range of 300 F cm -3 for low-density porous carbons (<0.5–1 g cm -3 ). Although extremely high capacitances of 1000–1500 F cm -3 can be achieved for hydrated ruthenium oxide, RuO 2 , its highmore » cost limits its wide-spread applications.« less

Electrically Small Folded Slot Antenna Utilizing Capacitive Loaded Slot Lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scardelletti, Maximilian C.; Ponchak, George E.; Merritt, Shane; Minor, John S.; Zorman, Christian A.

2007-01-01

This paper presents an electrically small, coplanar waveguide fed, folded slot antenna that uses capacitive loading. Several antennas are fabricated with and without capacitive loading to demonstrate the ability of this design approach to reduce the resonant frequency of the antenna, which is analogous to reducing the antenna size. The antennas are fabricated on Cu-clad Rogers Duriod(TM) 6006 with multilayer chip capacitors to load the antennas. Simulated and measured results show close agreement, thus, validating the approach. The electrically small antennas have a measured return loss greater than 15 dB and a gain of 5.4, 5.6, and 2.7 dBi at 4.3, 3.95, and 3.65 GHz, respectively.

Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography with High-Contrast Dielectrics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nurge, Mark

2010-01-01

The Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT) system has been designed to complement the tools created to sense the presence of water in nonconductive spacecraft materials, by helping to not only find the approximate location of moisture but also its quantity and depth. The ECVT system has been created for use with a new image reconstruction algorithm capable of imaging high-contrast dielectric distributions. Rather than relying solely on mutual capacitance readings as is done in traditional electrical capacitance tomography applications, this method reconstructs high-resolution images using only the self-capacitance measurements. The image reconstruction method assumes that the material under inspection consists of a binary dielectric distribution, with either a high relative dielectric value representing the water or a low dielectric value for the background material. By constraining the unknown dielectric material to one of two values, the inverse math problem that must be solved to generate the image is no longer ill-determined. The image resolution becomes limited only by the accuracy and resolution of the measurement circuitry. Images were reconstructed using this method with both synthetic and real data acquired using an aluminum structure inserted at different positions within the sensing region. The cuboid geometry of the system has two parallel planes of 16 conductors arranged in a 4 4 pattern. The electrode geometry consists of parallel planes of copper conductors, connected through custom-built switch electronics, to a commercially available capacitance to digital converter. The figure shows two 4 4 arrays of electrodes milled from square sections of copper-clad circuit-board material and mounted on two pieces of glass-filled plastic backing, which were cut to approximately square shapes, 10 cm on a side. Each electrode is placed on 2.0-cm centers. The parallel arrays were mounted with the electrode arrays approximately 3 cm apart. The open ends

High frequency measures of OHC nonlinear capacitance (NLC) and their significance: Why measures stray away from predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos-Sacchi, Joseph

2018-05-01

Measures of membrane capacitance (Cm) can be used to assess important characteristics of voltage-dependent membrane proteins (e.g., channels and transporters). In particular, a protein's time-dependent voltage-sensor charge movement is equivalently represented as a frequency-dependent component of Cm, telling much about the kinetics of the protein's conformational behavior. Recently, we have explored the frequency dependence of OHC voltage-dependent capacitance (aka nonlinear capacitance, NLC) to query rates of conformational switching within prestin (SLC26a5), the cell's lateral membrane molecular motor 1. Following removal of confounding stray capacitance effects, high frequency Cm measures using wide-band stimuli accurately reveal unexpected low pass behavior in prestin's molecular motions.

Capacitive Micro Pressure Sensor Integrated with a Ring Oscillator Circuit on Chip

PubMed Central

Dai, Ching-Liang; Lu, Po-Wei; Chang, Chienliu; Liu, Cheng-Yang

2009-01-01

The study investigates a capacitive micro pressure sensor integrated with a ring oscillator circuit on a chip. The integrated capacitive pressure sensor is fabricated using the commercial CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) process and a post-process. The ring oscillator is employed to convert the capacitance of the pressure sensor into the frequency output. The pressure sensor consists of 16 sensing cells in parallel. Each sensing cell contains a top electrode and a lower electrode, and the top electrode is a sandwich membrane. The pressure sensor needs a post-CMOS process to release the membranes after completion of the CMOS process. The post-process uses etchants to etch the sacrificial layers, and to release the membranes. The advantages of the post-process include easy execution and low cost. Experimental results reveal that the pressure sensor has a high sensitivity of 7 Hz/Pa in the pressure range of 0–300 kPa. PMID:22303167

Capacitive micro pressure sensor integrated with a ring oscillator circuit on chip.

PubMed

Dai, Ching-Liang; Lu, Po-Wei; Chang, Chienliu; Liu, Cheng-Yang

2009-01-01

The study investigates a capacitive micro pressure sensor integrated with a ring oscillator circuit on a chip. The integrated capacitive pressure sensor is fabricated using the commercial CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) process and a post-process. The ring oscillator is employed to convert the capacitance of the pressure sensor into the frequency output. The pressure sensor consists of 16 sensing cells in parallel. Each sensing cell contains a top electrode and a lower electrode, and the top electrode is a sandwich membrane. The pressure sensor needs a post-CMOS process to release the membranes after completion of the CMOS process. The post-process uses etchants to etch the sacrificial layers, and to release the membranes. The advantages of the post-process include easy execution and low cost. Experimental results reveal that the pressure sensor has a high sensitivity of 7 Hz/Pa in the pressure range of 0-300 kPa.

A variable capacitance based modeling and power capability predicting method for ultracapacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chang; Wang, Yujie; Chen, Zonghai; Ling, Qiang

2018-01-01

Methods of accurate modeling and power capability predicting for ultracapacitors are of great significance in management and application of lithium-ion battery/ultracapacitor hybrid energy storage system. To overcome the simulation error coming from constant capacitance model, an improved ultracapacitor model based on variable capacitance is proposed, where the main capacitance varies with voltage according to a piecewise linear function. A novel state-of-charge calculation approach is developed accordingly. After that, a multi-constraint power capability prediction is developed for ultracapacitor, in which a Kalman-filter-based state observer is designed for tracking ultracapacitor's real-time behavior. Finally, experimental results verify the proposed methods. The accuracy of the proposed model is verified by terminal voltage simulating results under different temperatures, and the effectiveness of the designed observer is proved by various test conditions. Additionally, the power capability prediction results of different time scales and temperatures are compared, to study their effects on ultracapacitor's power capability.

Analysis of a Segmented Annular Coplanar Capacitive Tilt Sensor with Increased Sensitivity.

PubMed

Guo, Jiahao; Hu, Pengcheng; Tan, Jiubin

2016-01-21

An investigation of a segmented annular coplanar capacitor is presented. We focus on its theoretical model, and a mathematical expression of the capacitance value is derived by solving a Laplace equation with Hankel transform. The finite element method is employed to verify the analytical result. Different control parameters are discussed, and each contribution to the capacitance value of the capacitor is obtained. On this basis, we analyze and optimize the structure parameters of a segmented coplanar capacitive tilt sensor, and three models with different positions of the electrode gap are fabricated and tested. The experimental result shows that the model (whose electrode-gap position is 10 mm from the electrode center) realizes a high sensitivity: 0.129 pF/° with a non-linearity of <0.4% FS (full scale of ± 40°). This finding offers plenty of opportunities for various measurement requirements in addition to achieving an optimized structure in practical design.

Analysis of a Segmented Annular Coplanar Capacitive Tilt Sensor with Increased Sensitivity

PubMed Central

Guo, Jiahao; Hu, Pengcheng; Tan, Jiubin

2016-01-01

An investigation of a segmented annular coplanar capacitor is presented. We focus on its theoretical model, and a mathematical expression of the capacitance value is derived by solving a Laplace equation with Hankel transform. The finite element method is employed to verify the analytical result. Different control parameters are discussed, and each contribution to the capacitance value of the capacitor is obtained. On this basis, we analyze and optimize the structure parameters of a segmented coplanar capacitive tilt sensor, and three models with different positions of the electrode gap are fabricated and tested. The experimental result shows that the model (whose electrode-gap position is 10 mm from the electrode center) realizes a high sensitivity: 0.129 pF/° with a non-linearity of <0.4% FS (full scale of ±40°). This finding offers plenty of opportunities for various measurement requirements in addition to achieving an optimized structure in practical design. PMID:26805844

In situ synthesized heteropoly acid/polyaniline/graphene nanocomposites to simultaneously boost both double layer- and pseudo-capacitance for supercapacitors.

PubMed

Cui, Zhiming; Guo, Chun Xian; Yuan, Weiyong; Li, Chang Ming

2012-10-05

It is challenging to simultaneously increase double layer- and pseudo-capacitance for supercapacitors. Phosphomolybdic acid/polyaniline/graphene nanocomposites (PMo(12)-PANI/GS) were prepared by using PMo(12) as a bifunctional reagent for not only well dispersing graphene for high electrochemical double layer capacitance but also in situ chemically polymerizing aniline for high pseudocapacitance, resulting in a specific capacitance of 587 F g(-1), which is ~1.5 and 6 times higher than that of PANI/GS (392 F g(-1)) and GS (103 F g(-1)), respectively. The nanocomposites also exhibit good reversibility and stability. Other kinds of heteropolyacids such as molybdovanadophosphoric acids (PMo(12-x)V(x), x = 1, 2 and 3) were also used to prepare PMo(12-x)V(x)-PANI/GS nanocomposites, also showing enhanced double layer- and pseudo-capacitance. This further proves the proposed concept to simultaneously boost both double layer- and pseudo-capacitance and demonstrates that it could be a universal approach to significantly improve the capacitance for supercapacitors.

Computational Insights into Materials and Interfaces for Capacitive Energy Storage

DOE PAGES

Zhan, Cheng; Lian, Cheng; Zhang, Yu; ...

2017-04-24

Supercapacitors such as electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) and pseudocapacitors are becoming increasingly important in the field of electrical energy storage. Theoretical study of energy storage in EDLCs focuses on solving for the electric double-layer structure in different electrode geometries and electrolyte components, which can be achieved by molecular simulations such as classical molecular dynamics (MD), classical density functional theory (classical DFT), and Monte-Carlo (MC) methods. In recent years, combining first-principles and classical simulations to investigate the carbon-based EDLCs has shed light on the importance of quantum capacitance in graphene-like 2D systems. More recently, the development of joint density functional theorymore » (JDFT) enables self-consistent electronic-structure calculation for an electrode being solvated by an electrolyte. In contrast with the large amount of theoretical and computational effort on EDLCs, theoretical understanding of pseudocapacitance is very limited. In this review, we first introduce popular modeling methods and then focus on several important aspects of EDLCs including nanoconfinement, quantum capacitance, dielectric screening, and novel 2D electrode design; we also briefly touch upon pseudocapactive mechanism in RuO 2. We summarize and conclude with an outlook for the future of materials simulation and design for capacitive energy storage.« less

Computational Insights into Materials and Interfaces for Capacitive Energy Storage

PubMed Central

Zhan, Cheng; Lian, Cheng; Zhang, Yu; Thompson, Matthew W.; Xie, Yu; Wu, Jianzhong; Kent, Paul R. C.; Cummings, Peter T.; Wesolowski, David J.

2017-01-01

Supercapacitors such as electric double‐layer capacitors (EDLCs) and pseudocapacitors are becoming increasingly important in the field of electrical energy storage. Theoretical study of energy storage in EDLCs focuses on solving for the electric double‐layer structure in different electrode geometries and electrolyte components, which can be achieved by molecular simulations such as classical molecular dynamics (MD), classical density functional theory (classical DFT), and Monte‐Carlo (MC) methods. In recent years, combining first‐principles and classical simulations to investigate the carbon‐based EDLCs has shed light on the importance of quantum capacitance in graphene‐like 2D systems. More recently, the development of joint density functional theory (JDFT) enables self‐consistent electronic‐structure calculation for an electrode being solvated by an electrolyte. In contrast with the large amount of theoretical and computational effort on EDLCs, theoretical understanding of pseudocapacitance is very limited. In this review, we first introduce popular modeling methods and then focus on several important aspects of EDLCs including nanoconfinement, quantum capacitance, dielectric screening, and novel 2D electrode design; we also briefly touch upon pseudocapactive mechanism in RuO2. We summarize and conclude with an outlook for the future of materials simulation and design for capacitive energy storage. PMID:28725531

Etude des phenomenes dynamiques ultrarapides et des caracteristiques impulsionnelles d'emission terahertz du supraconducteur YBCO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savard, Stephane

Les premieres etudes d'antennes a base de supraconducteurs a haute temperature critique emettant une impulsion electromagnetique dont le contenu en frequence se situe dans le domaine terahertz remontent a 1996. Une antenne supraconductrice est formee d'un micro-pont d'une couche mince supraconductrice sur lequel un courant continu est applique. Un faisceau laser dans le visible est focalise sur le micro-pont et place le supraconducteur dans un etat hors-equilibre ou des paires sont brisees. Grace a la relaxation des quasiparticules en surplus et eventuellement de la reformation des paires supraconductrices, nous pouvons etudier la nature de la supraconductivite. L'analyse de la cinetique temporelle du champ electromagnetique emis par une telle antenne terahertz supraconductrice s'est averee utile pour decrire qualitativement les caracteristiques de celle-ci en fonction des parametres d'operation tels que le courant applique, la temperature et la puissance d'excitation. La comprehension de l'etat hors-equilibre est la cle pour comprendre le fonctionnement des antennes terahertz supraconductrices a haute temperature critique. Dans le but de comprendre ultimement cet etat hors-equilibre, nous avions besoin d'une methode et d'un modele pour extraire de facon plus systematique les proprietes intrinseques du materiau qui compose l'antenne terahertz a partir des caracteristiques d'emission de celle-ci. Nous avons developpe une procedure pour calibrer le spectrometre dans le domaine temporel en utilisant des antennes terahertz de GaAs bombarde aux protons H+ comme emetteur et detecteur. Une fois le montage calibre, nous y avons insere une antenne emettrice dipolaire de YBa 2Cu3O7-delta . Un modele avec des fonctions exponentielles de montee et de descente du signal est utilise pour lisser le spectre du champ electromagnetique de l'antenne de YBa 2Cu3O7-delta, ce qui nous permet d'extraire les proprietes intrinseques de ce dernier. Pour confirmer la validite du modele

Developpement d'une methode calorimetrique de mesure des pertes ac pour des rubans supraconducteurs a haute temperature critique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolez, Patricia

Le travail de recherche effectue dans le cadre de ce projet de doctorat a permis la mise au point d'une methode de mesure des pertes ac destinee a l'etude des supraconducteurs a haute temperature critique. Pour le choix des principes de cette methode, nous nous sommes inspires de travaux anterieurs realises sur les supraconducteurs conventionnels, afin de proposer une alternative a la technique electrique, presentant lors du debut de cette these des problemes lies a la variation du resultat des mesures selon la position des contacts de tension sur la surface de l'echantillon, et de pouvoir mesurer les pertes ac dans des conditions simulant la realite des futures applications industrielles des rubans supraconducteurs: en particulier, cette methode utilise la technique calorimetrique, associee a une calibration simultanee et in situ. La validite de la methode a ete verifiee de maniere theorique et experimentale: d'une part, des mesures ont ete realisees sur des echantillons de Bi-2223 recouverts d'argent ou d'alliage d'argent-or et comparees avec les predictions theoriques donnees par Norris, nous indiquant la nature majoritairement hysteretique des pertes ac dans nos echantillons; d'autre part, une mesure electrique a ete realisee in situ dont les resultats correspondent parfaitement a ceux donnes par notre methode calorimetrique. Par ailleurs, nous avons compare la dependance en courant et en frequence des pertes ac d'un echantillon avant et apres qu'il ait ete endommage. Ces mesures semblent indiquer une relation entre la valeur du coefficient de la loi de puissance modelisant la dependance des pertes avec le courant, et les inhomogeneites longitudinales du courant critique induites par l'endommagement. De plus, la variation en frequence montre qu'au niveau des grosses fractures transverses creees par l'endommagement dans le coeur supraconducteur, le courant se partage localement de maniere a peu pres equivalente entre les quelques grains de matiere

Modulating capacitive response of MoS2 flake by controlled nanostructuring through focused laser irradiation.

PubMed

Rani, Renu; Kundu, Anirban; Balal, Mohammad; Sheet, Goutam; Hazra, Kiran Shankar

2018-08-24

Unlike graphene nanostructures, various physical properties of nanostructured MoS 2 have remained unexplored due to the lack of established fabrication routes. Herein, we have reported unique electrostatic properties of MoS 2 nanostructures, fabricated in a controlled manner of different geometries on 2D flake by using focused laser irradiation technique. Electrostatic force microscopy has been carried out on MoS 2 nanostructures by varying tip bias voltage and lift height. The analysis depicts no contrast flip in phase image of the patterned nanostructure due to the absence of free surface charges. However, prominent change in phase shift at the patterned area is observed. Such contrast changes signify the capacitive interaction between tip and nanostructures at varying tip bias voltage and lift height, irrespective of their shape and size. Such unperturbed capacitive behavior of the MoS 2 nanostructures offer modulation of capacitance in periodic array on 2D MoS 2 flake for potential application in capacitive devices.

One-step electroplating porous graphene oxide electrodes of supercapacitors for ultrahigh capacitance and energy density.

PubMed

Wang, Yongjie; Zhu, Jiaqi

2015-02-06

An electroplating method was used for the first time to synthesize 3D porous graphene oxide (PGO) architectures, exhibiting ultrahigh capacitance and energy density as electrodes of supercapacitors. Scanning electron microscopy illustrated the porous structures which promoted the stability and alleviated the stacking of the graphene oxide layers. As investigated in a three-electrode supercapacitor cell, PGO electrodes exhibited the maximum capacitance and energy of 973 F · g(-1) and 98.4 Wh · Kg(-1), which are better than current reports and comparable to batteries. At 4 A · g(-1) for high-power applications, PGO electrodes reached a capacitance, energy, and power density of 493 F · g(-1), 49.9 Wh · Kg(-1), and 1700 W · Kg(-1), and they retained ∼97.83% of capacitance after 10 000 charge/discharge processes. Furthermore, when the PGO was bent exaggeratedly, it still displayed identical properties, which is of important significance for supporting wearable devices.

Electromechanical coupling factor of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caronti, Alessandro; Carotenuto, Riccardo; Pappalardo, Massimo

2003-01-01

Recently, a linear, analytical distributed model for capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) was presented, and an electromechanical equivalent circuit based on the theory reported was used to describe the behavior of the transducer [IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 49, 159-168 (2002)]. The distributed model is applied here to calculate the dynamic coupling factor kw of a lossless CMUT, based on a definition that involves the energies stored in a dynamic vibration cycle, and the results are compared with those obtained with a lumped model. A strong discrepancy is found between the two models as the bias voltage increases. The lumped model predicts an increasing dynamic k factor up to unity, whereas the distributed model predicts a more realistic saturation of this parameter to values substantially lower. It is demonstrated that the maximum value of kw, corresponding to an operating point close to the diaphragm collapse, is 0.4 for a CMUT single cell with a circular membrane diaphragm and no parasitic capacitance (0.36 for a cell with a circular plate diaphragm). This means that the dynamic coupling factor of a CMUT is comparable to that of a piezoceramic plate oscillating in the thickness mode. Parasitic capacitance decreases the value of kw, because it does not contribute to the energy conversion. The effective coupling factor keff is also investigated, showing that this parameter coincides with kw within the lumped model approximation, but a quite different result is obtained if a computation is made with the more accurate distributed model. As a consequence, keff, which can be measured from the transducer electrical impedance, does not give a reliable value of the actual dynamic coupling factor.

Cartographie des disques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hameury, Jean-Marie

2001-01-01

Two techniques are frequently used to produce images of the accretion disc in an eclipsing binary: eclipse mapping and Doppler tomography. From the light curve, one can deduce the radial distribution of the effective temperature, assuming axial symmetry. On the other hand, from the variation of the line profile one can reconstruct an image in the velocity space, which can be converted into a real image if one knows the kinematics of the system. Deux techniques sont couramment utilisées pour obtenir des images des disques dans les systèmes binaires à éclipses. En utilisant la courbe de lumière, on peut remonter à la distribution radiale de la brillance de surface, en supposant que celle-ci a une symètrie axiale. D'autre part, les profils de raies renseignent sur la distribution de vitesse des régions émissives leur variation temporelle permet de réaliser une image dans l'espace des vitesses, que l'on peut ensuite transformer en carte dans l'espace (x,y) si on connaît la cinématique du système.

Improved capacitance characteristics of electrospun ACFs by pore size control and vanadium catalyst.

PubMed

Im, Ji Sun; Woo, Sang-Wook; Jung, Min-Jung; Lee, Young-Seak

2008-11-01

Nano-sized carbon fibers were prepared by using electrospinning, and their electrochemical properties were investigated as a possible electrode material for use as an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC). To improve the electrode capacitance of EDLC, we implemented a three-step optimization. First, metal catalyst was introduced into the carbon fibers due to the excellent conductivity of metal. Vanadium pentoxide was used because it could be converted to vanadium for improved conductivity as the pore structure develops during the carbonization step. Vanadium catalyst was well dispersed in the carbon fibers, improving the capacitance of the electrode. Second, pore-size development was manipulated to obtain small mesopore sizes ranging from 2 to 5 nm. Through chemical activation, carbon fibers with controlled pore sizes were prepared with a high specific surface and pore volume, and their pore structure was investigated by using a BET apparatus. Finally, polyacrylonitrile was used as a carbon precursor to enrich for nitrogen content in the final product because nitrogen is known to improve electrode capacitance. Ultimately, the electrospun activated carbon fibers containing vanadium show improved functionality in charge/discharge, cyclic voltammetry, and specific capacitance compared with other samples because of an optimal combination of vanadium, nitrogen, and fixed pore structures.

Capacitive Detection of Low-Enthalpy, Higher-Order Phase Transitions in Synthetic and Natural Composition Lipid Membranes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, Graham J.; Heberle, Frederick A.; Seinfeld, Jason S.

In-plane lipid organization and phase separation in natural membranes play key roles in regulating many cellular processes. Highly cooperative, first-order phase transitions in model membranes consisting of few lipid components are well understood and readily detectable via calorimetry, densitometry, and fluorescence. However, far less is known about natural membranes containing numerous lipid species and high concentrations of cholesterol, for which thermotropic transitions are undetectable by the above-mentioned techniques. We demonstrate that membrane capacitance is highly sensitive to low-enthalpy thermotropic transitions taking place in complex lipid membranes. Specifically, we measured the electrical capacitance as a function of temperature for droplet interfacemore » bilayer model membranes of increasing compositional complexity, namely, (a) a single lipid species, (b) domain-forming ternary mixtures, and (c) natural brain total lipid extract (bTLE). We observed that, for single-species lipid bilayers and some ternary compositions, capacitance exhibited an abrupt, temperature-dependent change that coincided with the transition detected by other techniques. In addition, capacitance measurements revealed transitions in mixed-lipid membranes that were not detected by the other techniques. Most notably, capacitance measurements of bTLE bilayers indicated a transition at ~38 °C not seen with any other method. Likewise, capacitance measurements detected transitions in some well-studied ternary mixtures that, while known to yield coexisting lipid phases, are not detected with calorimetry or densitometry. These results indicate that capacitance is exquisitely sensitive to low-enthalpy membrane transitions because of its sensitivity to changes in bilayer thickness that occur when lipids and excess solvent undergo subtle rearrangements near a phase transition. Our findings also suggest that heterogeneity confers stability to natural membranes that function near

Capacitive Detection of Low-Enthalpy, Higher-Order Phase Transitions in Synthetic and Natural Composition Lipid Membranes

DOE PAGES

Taylor, Graham J.; Heberle, Frederick A.; Seinfeld, Jason S.; ...

2017-08-15

In-plane lipid organization and phase separation in natural membranes play key roles in regulating many cellular processes. Highly cooperative, first-order phase transitions in model membranes consisting of few lipid components are well understood and readily detectable via calorimetry, densitometry, and fluorescence. However, far less is known about natural membranes containing numerous lipid species and high concentrations of cholesterol, for which thermotropic transitions are undetectable by the above-mentioned techniques. We demonstrate that membrane capacitance is highly sensitive to low-enthalpy thermotropic transitions taking place in complex lipid membranes. Specifically, we measured the electrical capacitance as a function of temperature for droplet interfacemore » bilayer model membranes of increasing compositional complexity, namely, (a) a single lipid species, (b) domain-forming ternary mixtures, and (c) natural brain total lipid extract (bTLE). We observed that, for single-species lipid bilayers and some ternary compositions, capacitance exhibited an abrupt, temperature-dependent change that coincided with the transition detected by other techniques. In addition, capacitance measurements revealed transitions in mixed-lipid membranes that were not detected by the other techniques. Most notably, capacitance measurements of bTLE bilayers indicated a transition at ~38 °C not seen with any other method. Likewise, capacitance measurements detected transitions in some well-studied ternary mixtures that, while known to yield coexisting lipid phases, are not detected with calorimetry or densitometry. These results indicate that capacitance is exquisitely sensitive to low-enthalpy membrane transitions because of its sensitivity to changes in bilayer thickness that occur when lipids and excess solvent undergo subtle rearrangements near a phase transition. Our findings also suggest that heterogeneity confers stability to natural membranes that function near

Unifying Capability Integration Analysis - Initial Insights

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

mesure d’accomplir; Gestion des capacités – la mesure dans laquelle les FC seront en mesure de combler leurs besoins en matière de ...forces (DF) au sein du ministère de la Défense nationale (MDN). Au cours des quatre dernières années, des militaires et des analystes en matière de ...centralisée et descendante de développement des forces (DF) au sein du ministère de la

Why doesn't conventional IVF work in the horse? The equine oviduct as a microenvironment for capacitation/fertilization.

PubMed

Leemans, Bart; Gadella, Bart M; Stout, Tom A E; De Schauwer, Catharina; Nelis, Hilde; Hoogewijs, Maarten; Van Soom, Ann

2016-12-01

In contrast to man and many other mammalian species, conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) with horse gametes is not reliably successful. The apparent inability of stallion spermatozoa to penetrate the zona pellucida in vitro is most likely due to incomplete activation of spermatozoa (capacitation) because of inadequate capacitating or fertilizing media. In vivo, the oviduct and its secretions provide a microenvironment that does reliably support and regulate interaction between the gametes. This review focuses on equine sperm-oviduct interaction. Equine sperm-oviduct binding appears to be more complex than the presumed species-specific calcium-dependent lectin binding phenomenon; unfortunately, the nature of the interaction is not understood. Various capacitation-related events are induced to regulate sperm release from the oviduct epithelium and most data suggest that exposure to oviduct secretions triggers sperm capacitation in vivo However, only limited information is available about equine oviduct secreted factors, and few have been identified. Another aspect of equine oviduct physiology relevant to capacitation is acid-base balance. In vitro, it has been demonstrated that stallion spermatozoa show tail-associated protein tyrosine phosphorylation after binding to oviduct epithelial cells containing alkaline secretory granules. In response to alkaline follicular fluid preparations (pH 7.9), stallion spermatozoa also show tail-associated protein tyrosine phosphorylation, hyperactivated motility and (limited) release from oviduct epithelial binding. However, these 'capacitating conditions' are not able to induce the acrosome reaction and fertilization. In conclusion, developing a defined capacitating medium to support successful equine IVF will depend on identifying as yet uncharacterized capacitation triggers present in the oviduct. © 2016 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Field Evaluation of Polymer Capacitive Humidity Sensors for Bowen Ratio Energy Balance Flux Measurements

PubMed Central

Savage, Michael J.

2010-01-01

The possibility of reliable, reasonably accurate and relatively inexpensive estimates of sensible heat and latent energy fluxes was investigated using a commercial combination thin-film polymer capacitive relative humidity and adjacent temperature sensor instrument. Long-term and unattended water vapour pressure profile difference measurements using low-power combination instruments were compared with those from a cooled dewpoint mirror hygrometer, the latter often used with Bowen ratio energy balance (BREB) systems. An error analysis, based on instrument relative humidity and temperature errors, was applied for various capacitive humidity instrument models. The main disadvantage of a combination capacitive humidity instrument is that two measurements, relative humidity and temperature, are required for estimation of water vapour pressure as opposed to one for a dewpoint hygrometer. In a laboratory experiment using an automated procedure, water vapour pressure differences generated using a reference dewpoint generator were measured using a commercial model (Dew-10) dewpoint hygrometer and a combination capacitive humidity instrument. The laboratory measurement comparisons showed that, potentially, an inexpensive model combination capacitive humidity instrument (CS500 or HMP50), or for improved results a slightly more expensive model (HMP35C or HMP45C), could substitute for the more expensive dewpoint hygrometer. In a field study, in a mesic grassland, the water vapour pressure measurement noise for the combination capacitive humidity instruments was greater than that for the dewpoint hygrometer. The average water vapour pressure profile difference measured using a HMP45C was highly correlated with that from a dewpoint hygrometer with a slope less than unity. Water vapour pressure measurements using the capacitive humidity instruments were not as accurate, compared to those obtained using a dewpoint hygrometer, but the resolution magnitudes for the profile

Transition from capacitive coupling to direct charge transfer in asymmetric terahertz plasmonic assemblies.

PubMed

Ahmadivand, Arash; Sinha, Raju; Gerislioglu, Burak; Karabiyik, Mustafa; Pala, Nezih; Shur, Michael

2016-11-15

We experimentally and numerically analyze the charge transfer THz plasmons using an asymmetric plasmonic assembly of metallic V-shaped blocks. The asymmetric design of the blocks allows for the excitation of classical dipolar and multipolar modes due to the capacitive coupling. Introducing a conductive microdisk between the blocks, we facilitated the excitation of the charge transfer plasmons and studied their characteristics along with the capacitive coupling by varying the size of the disk.

Capacitance-voltage characterization of Al/Al2O3/PVA-PbSe MIS diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gawri, Isha; Sharma, Mamta; Jindal, Silky; Singh, Harpreet; Tripathi, S. K.

2018-05-01

The present paper reports the capacitance-voltage characterization of Al/Al2O3/PVA-PbSe MIS diode using chemical bath deposition method. Here anodic alumina layer prepared using electrolytic deposition method on Al substrate is used as insulating material. Using the capacitance-voltage variation at a fixed frequency, the different parameters such as Depletion layer width, Barrier height, Built-in voltage and Carrier concentration has been calculated at room temperature as well as at temperature range from 123 K to 323 K. With the increase in temperature the barrier height and depletion layer width follow a decreasing trend. Therefore, the capacitance-voltage characterization at different temperatures characterization provides strong evidence that the properties of MIS diode are primarily affected by diode parameters.

Size-dependent capacitance of NiO nanoparticles synthesized with cathodic contact glow discharge electrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allagui, Anis; Alami, Abdul Hai; Baranova, Elena A.; Wüthrich, Rolf

2014-09-01

NiO nanoparticles of 70, 91 and 107 nm average diameter are synthesized by cathodic contact glow discharge electrolysis at 30, 36 and 42 VDC respectively, in 2 M H2SO4 + 0.5 M ethanol + 2.5 mg ml-1 of PVP, and are investigated for electrochemical energy storage. From the cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements in 1 M KOH, it was found that a maximum specific capacitance of 218 F g-1 is achieved with the 70 nm NiO nanoparticles at 2.7 A g-1. Larger nanoparticles of 91 and 107 nm diameter exhibit specific capacitances of 106 and 63 F g-1, respectively, suggesting a size-dependent capacitive performance enhanced with decreasing particles size.

Modeling of frequency-dependent negative differential capacitance in InGaAs/InP photodiode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yidong; Chen, Jun; Xu, Jintong; Li, Xiangyang

2018-03-01

The negative differential capacitance (NDC) of p-i-n InGaAs/InP photodetector has been clearly observed, and the small signal model of frequency-dependent NDC is established, based on the accumulation and emission of electrons at the p-InP/i-InGaAs interface. The NDC phenomenon is contributed by the additional capacitance (CT), which is caused by the charging-discharging process in the p-InP/i-InGaAs interface. It is found that the NDC becomes more obvious with decreasing frequency, which is consistent with the conclusion of the experiment. It is proved that the probability of electron capture/escape in the p-i interface is affected by frequency. Therefore, the smaller frequency applied, the higher additional capacitance is obtained.

Capacitance of the Double Layer Formed at the Metal/Ionic-Conductor Interface: How Large Can It Be?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skinner, Brian; Loth, M. S.; Shklovskii, B. I.

2010-03-01

The capacitance of the double layer formed at a metal/ionic-conductor interface can be remarkably large, so that the apparent width of the double layer is as small as 0.3 Å. Mean-field theories fail to explain such large capacitance. We propose an alternate theory of the ionic double layer which allows for the binding of discrete ions to their image charges in the metal. We show that at small voltages the capacitance of the double layer is limited only by the weak dipole-dipole repulsion between bound ions, and is therefore very large. At large voltages the depletion of bound ions from one of the capacitor electrodes triggers a collapse of the capacitance to the mean-field value.

Effet de la composition des materiaux composites sur la caracterisation et detection par ondes de Lamb

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostiguy, Pierre-Claude

sensibilité a également été explorée afin de développer une méthode embarquée permettant d'évaluer les propriétés mécaniques d'une structure. La troisième partie porte sur une étude plus rigoureuse des performances de la méthode de caractérisation mécanique embarquée. La précision, la répétabilité et la robustesse de la méthode sont validés à l'aide d'un simulateur par FEM. Les propriétés estimées avec l'approche de caractérisation sont à moins de 1% des propriétés utilisées dans le modèle, ce qui rivalise avec l'incertitude des méthodes ASTM. L'analyse expérimentale s'est avérée précise et répétable pour des fréquences sous les 200 kHz, permettant d'estimer les propriétés mécaniques à moins de 1% des propriétés du fournisseur. La quatrième partie a démontrée la capacité de l'approche de caractérisation à identifier les propriétés mécaniques d'une plaques composite orthotrope. Les résultats estimés expérimentalement sont inclus dans les barres d'incertitude des propriétés estimées à l'aide des tests ASTM. Finalement, une simulation FEM a démontré la précision de l'approche avec des propriétés mécaniques à moins de 4 % des propriétés du modèle simulé. Mots-clés : Inspection non destructive, composites, caractérisation mécanique, ultrasons, imagerie, SHM, ondes guidées.

Adding Resistances and Capacitances in Introductory Electricity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efthimiou, C. J.; Llewellyn, R. A.

2005-09-01

All introductory physics textbooks, with or without calculus, cover the addition of both resistances and capacitances in series and in parallel as discrete summations. However, none includes problems that involve continuous versions of resistors in parallel or capacitors in series. This paper introduces a method for solving the continuous problems that is logical, straightforward, and within the mathematical preparation of students at the introductory level.

Novel graphene-like electrodes for capacitive deionization.

PubMed

Li, Haibo; Zou, Linda; Pan, Likun; Sun, Zhuo

2010-11-15

Capacitive deionization (CDI) is a novel technology that has been developed for removal of charged ionic species from salty water, such as salt ions. The basic concept of CDI, as well as electrosorption, is to force charged ions toward oppositely polarized electrodes through imposing a direct electric field to form a strong electrical double layer and hold the ions. Once the electric field disappears, the ions are instantly released back to the bulk solution. CDI is an alternative low-energy consumption desalination technology. Graphene-like nanoflakes (GNFs) with relatively high specific surface area have been prepared and used as electrodes for capacitive deionization. The GNFs were synthesized by a modified Hummers' method using hydrazine for reduction. They were characterized by atomic force microscopy, N2 adsorption at 77 K and electrochemical workstation. It was found that the ratio of nitric acid and sulfuric acid plays a vital role in determining the specific surface area of GNFs. Its electrosorption performance was much better than commercial activated carbon (AC), suggesting a great potential in capacitive deionisation application. Further, the electrosorptive performance of GNFs electrodes with different bias potentials, flow rates and ionic strengths were measured and the electrosorption isotherm and kinetics were investigated. The results showed that GNFs prepared by this process had the specific surface area of 222.01 m²/g. The specific electrosorptive capacity of the GNFs was 23.18 µmol/g for sodium ions (Na+) when the initial concentration was at 25 mg/L, which was higher than that of previously reported data using graphene and AC under the same experimental condition. In addition, the equilibrium electrosorption capacity was determined as 73.47 µmol/g at 2.0 V by fitting data through the Langmuir isotherm, and the rate constant was found to be 1.01 min⁻¹ by fitting data through pseudo first-order adsorption. The results suggested that the

Effets perturbateurs endocriniens des pesticides organochlores.

PubMed

Charlier, C; Plomteux, G

2002-01-01

Xenoestrogens such organochlorine pesticides are known to induce changes in reproductive development, function or behaviour in wildlife. Because these compounds are able to modify the estrogens metabolism, or to compete with estradiol for binding to the estrogen receptor, it may be possible that these products affect the risk of developing impaired fertility, precocious puberty or some kinds of cancer in man. Le plus ancien récit de lutte contre la pollution remonte à une légende indienne racontant que la divinité Sing-bonga était incommodée par les émanations des fours dans lesquels les Asuras fondaient leurs métaux (1). Evidemment depuis, la problématique n-a cessé de s-accroître et la contamination de la Terre par de nombreux polluants est devenue aujourd-hui un problème majeur de notre Société. La protection de notre environnement est une question capitale qui doit être respectée malgré la pression économique actuelle et qui ne cessera de croître au cours des prochaines années même si l-identification objective et indiscutable de ce qui est essentiel - donc devant être prioritairement garanti sur la planète - est difficile à cerner (2). « Un oiseau en mauvais état ne pond pas de bons oeufs » disait un proverbe grec. Mais ce n-est qu-à partir de la seconde moitié du XXème siècle que les toxicologues ont commencé à identifier les effets qu-avaient entraînés à l-échelle mondiale les pollutions émises aux XIXème siècle sur la faune sauvage et sur le cheptel (3). L-histoire contemporaine des pesticides industriels commence vers 1874 (synthèse des organochlorés) et se poursuit tout au long de ces 2 siècles en passant par la synthèse des organophosphorés (1950), des carbamates (1970) et des pyréthroïdes (1975) (4). Le dichlorodiphényltrichloroéthane (DDT) a été synthétisé pour la première fois par un étudiant en cours de préparation de sa thèse de doctorat : Othmer Zeidler. La production, reprise par les

High Capacitive Storage Performance of Sulfur and Nitrogen Codoped Mesoporous Graphene.

PubMed

Ma, Xinlong; Gao, Daowei

2018-03-22

Mesoporous graphene is synthesized based on the chemical vapor deposition methodology by using heavy MgO flakes as substrates in a fluidized-bed reactor. Subsequently, sulfur and nitrogen coincorporation into graphene frameworks is realized by the reaction between carbon atoms and thiourea molecules. The as-obtained sulfur and nitrogen codoped mesoporous graphene (SNMG) exhibits remarkable capacitive energy-storage behavior, as a result of well-developed pore channels, in terms of that in a symmetric supercapacitor and lithium-ion hybrid capacitor (LIHC). The ultrahigh durability of the SNMG/SNMG symmetric supercapacitor is demonstrated by long-term cycling, for which no capacitance decay is found after 20 000 cycles. A LIHC constructed from commercial Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 (LTO) as the anode and SNMG as the cathode is capable of delivering much enhanced lithium-storage ability and better rate capability than that of activated carbon (AC)/LTO LIHC. Moreover, SNMG/LTO LIHC exhibits maximum energy and power densities of 86.2 Wh kg -1 and 7443 W kg -1 and maintains 87 % capacitance retention after 2000 cycles. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Electrodeposition and Capacitive Behavior of Films for Electrodes of Electrochemical Supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, C.; Zhitomirsky, I.

2010-03-01

Polypyrrole films were deposited by anodic electropolymerization on stainless steel substrates from aqueous pyrrole solutions containing sodium salicylate and tiron additives. The deposition yield was studied under galvanostatic conditions. The amount of the deposited material was varied by the variation of deposition time at a constant current density. SEM studies showed the formation of porous films with thicknesses in the range of 0-3 μm. Cyclic voltammetry data for the films tested in 0.5 M Na2SO4 solutions showed capacitive behavior and high specific capacitance (SC) in a voltage window of 0.9 V. The films prepared from pyrrole solutions containing tiron showed better capacitive behavior compared to the films prepared from the solutions containing sodium salicylate. A highest SC of 254 F g-1 was observed for the sample with a specific mass of 89 μg cm-2 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1. The SC decreased with an increasing film thickness and scan rate. The results indicated that the polypyrrole films deposited on the stainless steel substrates by anodic electropolymerization can be used as electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors (ES).

Electrodeposition and capacitive behavior of films for electrodes of electrochemical supercapacitors.

PubMed

Shi, C; Zhitomirsky, I

2010-01-08

Polypyrrole films were deposited by anodic electropolymerization on stainless steel substrates from aqueous pyrrole solutions containing sodium salicylate and tiron additives. The deposition yield was studied under galvanostatic conditions. The amount of the deposited material was varied by the variation of deposition time at a constant current density. SEM studies showed the formation of porous films with thicknesses in the range of 0-3 μm. Cyclic voltammetry data for the films tested in 0.5 M Na2SO4 solutions showed capacitive behavior and high specific capacitance (SC) in a voltage window of 0.9 V. The films prepared from pyrrole solutions containing tiron showed better capacitive behavior compared to the films prepared from the solutions containing sodium salicylate. A highest SC of 254 F g-1 was observed for the sample with a specific mass of 89 μg cm-2 at a scan rate of 2 mV s-1. The SC decreased with an increasing film thickness and scan rate. The results indicated that the polypyrrole films deposited on the stainless steel substrates by anodic electropolymerization can be used as electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors (ES).

Electrodeposition and Capacitive Behavior of Films for Electrodes of Electrochemical Supercapacitors

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Polypyrrole films were deposited by anodic electropolymerization on stainless steel substrates from aqueous pyrrole solutions containing sodium salicylate and tiron additives. The deposition yield was studied under galvanostatic conditions. The amount of the deposited material was varied by the variation of deposition time at a constant current density. SEM studies showed the formation of porous films with thicknesses in the range of 0–3 μm. Cyclic voltammetry data for the films tested in 0.5 M Na2SO4 solutions showed capacitive behavior and high specific capacitance (SC) in a voltage window of 0.9 V. The films prepared from pyrrole solutions containing tiron showed better capacitive behavior compared to the films prepared from the solutions containing sodium salicylate. A highest SC of 254 F g−1 was observed for the sample with a specific mass of 89 μg cm−2 at a scan rate of 2 mV s−1. The SC decreased with an increasing film thickness and scan rate. The results indicated that the polypyrrole films deposited on the stainless steel substrates by anodic electropolymerization can be used as electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors (ES). PMID:20672082

3-Axis Fully-Integrated Capacitive Tactile Sensor with Flip-Bonded CMOS on LTCC Interposer.

PubMed

Asano, Sho; Muroyama, Masanori; Nakayama, Takahiro; Hata, Yoshiyuki; Nonomura, Yutaka; Tanaka, Shuji

2017-10-25

This paper reports a 3-axis fully integrated differential capacitive tactile sensor surface-mountable on a bus line. The sensor integrates a flip-bonded complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) with capacitive sensing circuits on a low temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) interposer with Au through vias by Au-Au thermo-compression bonding. The CMOS circuit and bonding pads on the sensor backside were electrically connected through Au bumps and the LTCC interposer, and the differential capacitive gap was formed by an Au sealing frame. A diaphragm for sensing 3-axis force was formed in the CMOS substrate. The dimensions of the completed sensor are 2.5 mm in width, 2.5 mm in length, and 0.66 mm in thickness. The fabricated sensor output coded 3-axis capacitive sensing data according to applied 3-axis force by three-dimensional (3D)-printed pins. The measured sensitivity was as high as over 34 Count/mN for normal force and 14 to 15 Count/mN for shear force with small noise, which corresponds to less than 1 mN. The hysteresis and the average cross-sensitivity were also found to be less than 2% full scale and 11%, respectively.

Les séquelles de brûlures cervicales: aspects épidémiologique, clinique et thérapeutique au Maroc

PubMed Central

Rafik, Amine; Chabak, Hakim; Diouri, Mounia; Bahechar, Naïma; Chlihi, Abdessamad

2015-01-01

Les séquelles de brûlures cervicales représentent une entité fréquente des séquelles de brûlure, elles affectent la fonction, l'esthétique et l’état psychologique des patients et peuvent être de traitement difficile. Il s'agit d'une étude rétrospective étalée sur 5 ans de Mars 2009 au Octobre2014, réalisée au centre national des brûlés et de chirurgie plastique au CHU Ibn Rochd Casablanca. Nous avons analysé les caractéristiques épidémiologiqueset cliniques ainsi que les indications et les résultats thérapeutiques chez 300 patients présentant des rétractions cervicales post-brûlure, suivis dans notre formation. Les jeunes femmes étaient le plus souvent touchées (56%). la brûlure thermique par flamme de butane dans le cadre d'accident domestique était l’étiologie la plus fréquente (91%).75% des patients ont été pris en charge dans un délai de 18 mois après avoir présenté une incapacité fonctionnelle. Les brides cervicales modérées et sévères sont les plus fréquentes et représentent respectivement 60% et 16% des cas. Le traitement chirurgical a fait appel aux greffes cutanées dans 67%des cas, aux plasties locales dans 24%des cas et aux lambeaux dans 24% des cas, les résultats sont jugés bons dans 75%des cas et moyens dans 18% des cas, tandis que les cas restants (7%) ont nécessité une reprise chirurgicale. Le traitement des brides cervicales doit être associé à un programme de rééducation adapté, afin d'assurer la pérennité des résultats fonctionnels et esthétiques. PMID:26301017

Benchmark dataset for undirected and Mixed Capacitated Arc Routing Problems under Time restrictions with Intermediate Facilities.

PubMed

Willemse, Elias J; Joubert, Johan W

2016-09-01

In this article we present benchmark datasets for the Mixed Capacitated Arc Routing Problem under Time restrictions with Intermediate Facilities (MCARPTIF). The problem is a generalisation of the Capacitated Arc Routing Problem (CARP), and closely represents waste collection routing. Four different test sets are presented, each consisting of multiple instance files, and which can be used to benchmark different solution approaches for the MCARPTIF. An in-depth description of the datasets can be found in "Constructive heuristics for the Mixed Capacity Arc Routing Problem under Time Restrictions with Intermediate Facilities" (Willemseand Joubert, 2016) [2] and "Splitting procedures for the Mixed Capacitated Arc Routing Problem under Time restrictions with Intermediate Facilities" (Willemseand Joubert, in press) [4]. The datasets are publicly available from "Library of benchmark test sets for variants of the Capacitated Arc Routing Problem under Time restrictions with Intermediate Facilities" (Willemse and Joubert, 2016) [3].

Ultrananocrystalline diamond films with optimized dielectric properties for advanced RF MEMS capacitive switches

DOEpatents

Sumant, Anirudha V.; Auciello, Orlando H.; Mancini, Derrick C.

2013-01-15

An efficient deposition process is provided for fabricating reliable RF MEMS capacitive switches with multilayer ultrananocrystalline (UNCD) films for more rapid recovery, charging and discharging that is effective for more than a billion cycles of operation. Significantly, the deposition process is compatible for integration with CMOS electronics and thereby can provide monolithically integrated RF MEMS capacitive switches for use with CMOS electronic devices, such as for insertion into phase array antennas for radars and other RF communication systems.

Single photon detection of 1.5 THz radiation with the quantum capacitance detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echternach, P. M.; Pepper, B. J.; Reck, T.; Bradford, C. M.

2018-01-01

Far-infrared spectroscopy can reveal secrets of galaxy evolution and heavy-element enrichment throughout cosmic time, prompting astronomers worldwide to design cryogenic space telescopes for far-infrared spectroscopy. The most challenging aspect is a far-infrared detector that is both exquisitely sensitive (limited by the zodiacal-light noise in a narrow wavelength band, λ/Δλ 1,000) and array-able to tens of thousands of pixels. We present the quantum capacitance detector, a superconducting device adapted from quantum computing applications in which photon-produced free electrons in a superconductor tunnel into a small capacitive island embedded in a resonant circuit. The quantum capacitance detector has an optically measured noise equivalent power below 10-20 W Hz-1/2 at 1.5 THz, making it the most sensitive far-infrared detector ever demonstrated. We further demonstrate individual far-infrared photon counting, confirming the excellent sensitivity and suitability for cryogenic space astrophysics.

Observation of negative differential capacitance (NDC) in Ti Schottky diodes on SiGe islands

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rangel-Kuoppa, Victor-Tapio; Jantsch, Wolfgang; Tonkikh, Alexander

2013-12-04

The Negative Differential Capacitance (NDC) effect on Ti Schottky diodes formed on n-type Silicon samples with embedded Germanium Quantum Dots (QDs) is observed and reported. The NDC-effect is detected using capacitance-voltage (CV) method at temperatures below 200 K. It is explained by the capture of electrons in Germanium QDs. Our measurements reveal that each Ge QD captures in average eight electrons.

Electrical capacitance volume tomography (ECVT) applied to bubbling fluid beds

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Weber, J., Mei, J.

2012-01-01

These presentation visuals illustrate the apparatus and method for applying Electrical Capacitance Volume Tomography (ECVT) to bubbling fluid beds to their solid fraction and bubble properties. Results are compared to estimated values.

Implications of vegetation hydraulic capacitance as an indicator of water stress and drought recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matheny, A. M.; Bohrer, G.

2017-12-01

Above-ground water storage in vegetation plays an integral role in the avoidance of hydraulic impairment to transpiration. New high temporal resolution measurements of dynamic changes in tree hydraulic capacitance are facilitating insights into vegetation water use strategies. Diurnal withdrawal from water storage in leaves, branches, stems, and roots significantly impacts sap flow, stomatal conductance, and transpiration. The ability to store and use water varies based on soil- and root-water availability, tree size, wood vessel anatomy and density, and stomatal response strategy (i.e. isohydricity). We present results from a three-year long study of stem capacitance dynamics in five species in a mixed deciduous forest in Michigan. The site receives 800mm of rainfall annually, but water potential in the well-drained sandy soil nears the permanent wilting point several times annually. We demonstrate radical differences in stored water use between drought tolerant and intolerant species. Red maple, a drought intolerant, isohydric species, showed a strong dependence on stem capacitance for transpiration during both wet and dry periods. Red oak, a more drought hearty, deep rooted, anisohydric species, was much less reliant on withdrawal from water storage during all conditions. During well-watered conditions, withdrawal from storage by red maple was 10 kg day-1, yet storage withdrawal from similarly sized red oaks was 1 kg day-1. Red oaks only drew strongly upon stored water during the driest extremes. Metrics of hydration status derived from capacitance provide a means to explore drought response and recovery. Declines in consecutive days' maximum capacitance indicate an inability to restore lost water and can be used to mark the onset of water stress. Drought recovery can be quantified as the time required for stem water content to return to pre-drought volumes. Capacitance withdrawal and depletion exhibit a clear threshold response to declining soil water

Identification des parametres du moteur de l'avion Cessna Citation X pour la phase de croisiere a partir des tests en vol et a base des reseaux de neurones =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaag, Mahdi

La disponibilite des modeles precis des avions est parmi les elements cles permettant d'assurer leurs ameliorations. Ces modeles servent a ameliorer les commandes de vol et de concevoir de nouveaux systemes aerodynamiques pour la conception des ailes deformables des avions. Ce projet consiste a concevoir un systeme d'identification de certains parametres du modele du moteur de l'avion d'affaires americain Cessna Citation X pour la phase de croisiere a partir des essais en vol. Ces essais ont ete effectues sur le simulateur de vol concu et fabrique par CAE Inc. qui possede le niveau D de la dynamique de vol. En effet, le niveau D est le plus haut niveau de precision donne par l'autorite federale de reglementation FAA de l'aviation civile aux Etats-Unis. Une methodologie basee sur les reseaux de neurones optimises a l'aide d'un algorithme intitule le "grand deluge etendu" est utilisee dans la conception de ce systeme d'identification. Plusieurs tests de vol pour differentes altitudes et differents nombres de Mach ont ete realises afin de s'en servir comme bases de donnees pour l'apprentissage des reseaux de neurones. La validation de ce modele a ete realisee a l'aide des donnees du simulateur. Malgre la nonlinearite et la complexite du systeme, les parametres du moteur ont ete tres bien predits pour une enveloppe de vol determinee. Ce modele estime pourrait etre utilise pour des analyses de fonctionnement du moteur et pourrait assurer le controle de l'avion pendant cette phase de croisiere. L'identification des parametres du moteur pourrait etre realisee aussi pour les autres phases de montee et de descente afin d'obtenir son modele complet pour toute l'enveloppe du vol de l'avion Cessna Citation X (montee, croisiere, descente). Cette methode employee dans ce travail pourrait aussi etre efficace pour realiser un modele pour l'identification des coefficients aerodynamiques du meme avion a partir toujours des essais en vol. None None None

Smart measurement system for resistive (bridge) or capacitive sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guijie; Meijer, Gerard C. M.

1998-07-01

A low-cost smart measurement system for resistive (bridge) and capacitive sensors is presented and demonstrated. The measurement system consists of three main parts: the sensor element, a universal transducer interface (UTI) and a microcontroller. The UTI is a sensor-signal-to-time converter, based on a period-modulated oscillator, which is equipped with front-ends for many types of resistive (bridge) and capacitive sensors, and which generates a microcontroller-compatible output signal. The microcontroller performs data acquisition of the output signals from the interface UTI, controls the working status of the UTI for a specified application and communicates with a personal computer. Continuous auto-calibration of the offset and the gain of the complete system is applied to eliminate many nonidealities. Experimental results show that the accuracy and resolution are 14 bits and 16 bits, respectively, for a measurement time of about 100 ms.

Surfactant free nickel sulphide nanoparticles for high capacitance supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nandhini, S.; Muralidharan, G.

2018-04-01

The surfactant free nickel sulphide nanoparticles were synthesized via facile hydrothermal method towards supercapacitor applications. The formation of crystalline spherical nanoparticles was confirmed through structural and morphological studies. Electrochemical behaviour of the electrode was analyzed using cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge studies (GCD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The CV studies imply that specific capacitance of the electrode arises from a combination of surface adsorption and Faradic reaction. The NiS electrode delivered a specific capacitance of about 529 F g-1 at a current density of 2 A g-1 (GCD measurements). A profitable charge transfer resistance of 0.5 Ω was obtained from EIS. The 100 % of capacity retention even after 2000 repeated charge-discharge cycles could be observed in 2 M KOH electrolyte at a much larger rate of 30 A g-1. The experimental results suggest that nickel sulphide is a potential candidate for supercapacitor applications.

Electromechanical coupling factor of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers.

PubMed

Caronti, Alessandro; Carotenuto, Riccardo; Pappalardo, Massimo

2003-01-01

Recently, a linear, analytical distributed model for capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) was presented, and an electromechanical equivalent circuit based on the theory reported was used to describe the behavior of the transducer [IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 49, 159-168 (2002)]. The distributed model is applied here to calculate the dynamic coupling factor k(w) of a lossless CMUT, based on a definition that involves the energies stored in a dynamic vibration cycle, and the results are compared with those obtained with a lumped model. A strong discrepancy is found between the two models as the bias voltage increases. The lumped model predicts an increasing dynamic k factor up to unity, whereas the distributed model predicts a more realistic saturation of this parameter to values substantially lower. It is demonstrated that the maximum value of k(w), corresponding to an operating point close to the diaphragm collapse, is 0.4 for a CMUT single cell with a circular membrane diaphragm and no parasitic capacitance (0.36 for a cell with a circular plate diaphragm). This means that the dynamic coupling factor of a CMUT is comparable to that of a piezoceramic plate oscillating in the thickness mode. Parasitic capacitance decreases the value of k(w), because it does not contribute to the energy conversion. The effective coupling factor k(eff) is also investigated, showing that this parameter coincides with k(w) within the lumped model approximation, but a quite different result is obtained if a computation is made with the more accurate distributed model. As a consequence, k(eff), which can be measured from the transducer electrical impedance, does not give a reliable value of the actual dynamic coupling factor.

TMEM16A inhibition impedes capacitation and acquisition of hyperactivated motility in guinea pig sperm.

PubMed

Cordero-Martínez, Joaquín; Reyes-Miguel, Tania; Rodríguez-Páez, Lorena; Garduño-Siciliano, Leticia; Maldonado-García, Deneb; Roa-Espitia, Ana L; Hernández-González, Enrique O

2018-07-01

Ca 2+ -activated Cl - channels (CaCCs) are anionic channels that regulate many important physiological functions associated with chloride and calcium flux in some somatic cells. The molecular identity of CaCCs was revealed to be TMEM16A and TMEM16B (also known as Anoctamin or ANO1 and ANO2, respectively) in all eukaryotes. A recent study suggests the presence of TMEM16A in human sperm and a relationship with the rhZP-induced acrosome reaction. However, to the best of our knowledge, little is known about the role of TMEM16A in other spermatic processes such as capacitation or motility. In this study, we evaluated the effects of two TMEM16A antagonists on capacitation, acrosome reaction, and motility in guinea pig sperm; these antagonists were T16Ainh-A01, belonging to a second generation of potent antagonists of TMEM16A, and niflumic acid (NFA), a well-known antagonist of TMEM16A (CaCCs). First of all, we confirmed that the absence of Cl - in the capacitation medium changes motility parameters, capacitation, and the progesterone-induced acrosome reaction. Using a specific antibody, TMEM16A was found as a protein band of ∼120 kDa, which localization was in the apical crest of the acrosome and the middle piece of the flagellum. Inhibition of TMEM16A by T16Ainh-A01 affected sperm physiology by reducing capacitation, blocking the progesterone-induced acrosome reaction under optimal capacitation conditions, inhibiting progressive motility, and the acquisition of hyperactivated motility, diminishing [Ca 2+ ]i, and increasing [Cl - ]i. These changes in sperm kinematic parameters provide new evidence of the important role played by TMEM16A in the production of sperm capable of fertilizing oocytes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Relation entre les caractéristiques des table-bancs et les mesures anthropométriques des écoliers au Benin

PubMed Central

Falola, Stève Marjelin; Gouthon, Polycarpe; Falola, Jean-Marie; Fiogbe, Michel Armand; Nigan, Issiako Bio

2014-01-01

Introduction Le mobilier scolaire et la posture assise en classe sont souvent impliqués dans l'apparition des douleurs rachidiennes, influant de fait sur la qualité des tâches réalisées par les apprenants. Aucune étude n'a encore vérifié le degré d'adéquation entre les caractéristiques du mobilier et celles des écoliers au Bénin. L'objectif de cette étude transversale est donc de déterminer la relation entre les dimensions des table-bancs utilisées en classe et les mesures anthropométriques des écoliers au Bénin. Methods Elle a été réalisée avec un échantillon probabiliste de 678 écoliers, âgés de 4 à 17 ans. Les mesures anthropométriques des écoliers et les mensurations relatives aux longueurs, largeurs et hauteurs des table-bancs ont été mesurées, puis intégrées aux équations proposées dans la littérature. Les pourcentages des valeurs situées hors des limitesacceptables, dérivées de l'application des équations ont été calculés. Results La largeur et la hauteur des table-bancs utilisées par les écoliers étaient plus élevées (p < 0,05) que les valeurs de référence recommandées par les structures officielles de contrôle et de production des mobiliers scolaires au Bénin. Quel que soit le sexe, il y avait une inadéquation entre la largeur du banc et la longueur fesse-poplité, puis entre la hauteur de la table et la distance coude-bancdes écoliers. Conclusion Les résultats suggèrent de prendre en compte l’évolution des mesures anthropométriques des écoliers dans la confection des table-bancs, afin de promouvoir de bonnes postures assises en classe et de réduire le risque de troubles du rachis. PMID:25317232

Physical Origin of Transient Negative Capacitance in a Ferroelectric Capacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Sou-Chi; Avci, Uygar E.; Nikonov, Dmitri E.; Manipatruni, Sasikanth; Young, Ian A.

2018-01-01

Transient negative differential capacitance, the dynamic reversal of transient capacitance in an electrical circuit, is of highly technological and scientific interest since it probes the foundation of ferroelectricity. We study a resistor-ferroelectric capacitor (R -FEC) network through a series of coupled equations based on Kirchhoff's law, electrostatics, and Landau theory. We show that transient negative capacitance (NC) in a R -FEC circuit originates from the mismatch in switching rate between the free charge on the metal plate and the bound charge in a ferroelectric (FE) capacitor during the polarization switching. This transient free charge-polarization mismatch is driven by the negative curvature of the FE free-energy landscape, and it is also analytically shown that a free-energy profile with a negative curvature is the only physical system that can describe transient NC in a R -FEC circuit. Furthermore, transient NC induced by the free charge-polarization mismatch is justified by its dependence on both external resistance and the intrinsic FE viscosity coefficient. The depolarization effect on FE capacitors emphasizes the importance of negative curvature to transient NC and also implies that transient and steady-state NC cannot be observed in a FE capacitor simultaneously. Finally, using the transient NC measurements, a procedure to experimentally determine the viscosity coefficient is presented to provide more insight into the relation between transient NC and the FE free-energy profile.

Profil épidémiologique des tumeurs malignes primitives des glandes salivaires : à propos de 154 cas

PubMed Central

Setti, Khadija; Mouanis, Mohamed; Moumni, Abdelmounim; Maher, Mostafa; Harmouch, Amal

2014-01-01

Introduction Les tumeurs des glandes salivaires sont des tumeurs rares représentant 3à 5% des tumeurs de la tête et du cou. La classification de l'OMS 2005 distingue les tumeurs épithéliales, les tumeurs mésenchymateuses, les tumeurs hématologiques et les tumeurs secondaires. Méthodes Notre travail consiste en une étude rétrospective réalisée sur une période de 10 ans allant de janvier 2002 à janvier 2012. Les critères d'inclusion étaient: l'âge, le sexe, le siège de la tumeur et le type histologique. Résultats L'incidence annuelle des tumeurs malignes primitives des glandes salivaires dans notre série était de 15 cas par an. Cent cinquante quatre cas de tumeurs malignes primitives des glandes salivaires ont été colligés sans prédominance de sexe (78 femmes (50,6%) et 76 hommes (49,4%)). La moyenne d'âge était de 60 ans avec des extrêmes de 4 et 83 ans et un pic de fréquence entre 51et 70 ans. Deux tiers des cas (65%) avaient une localisation au niveau des glandes principales avec 66 cas au niveau de la parotide (43%) et 34 cas au niveau de la glande sous maxillaire (22%). Cinquante quatre patients avaient une tumeur maligne des glandes salivaires accessoires (35%) dont 61% au niveau du palais. Aucun cas de tumeur maligne de la glande sublinguale n'a été recensé dans notre étude. Le type histologique prédominant dans notre série était le carcinome adénoïde kystique et retrouvé chez 43 patients (27,9%), suivi de l'adénocarcinome sans autre indication chez 37 patients (24%) puis du carcinome mucoépidermoïde chez 16 patients (10,4%) et de l'adénocarcinome polymorphe de bas grade également chez 16 patients (10. 4%). Conclusion Les tumeurs malignes des glandes salivaires représentent un ensemble hétérogène de maladies de caractérisation complexe et de fréquence variable. PMID:25120861

Using XML to encode TMA DES metadata.

PubMed

Lyttleton, Oliver; Wright, Alexander; Treanor, Darren; Lewis, Paul

2011-01-01

The Tissue Microarray Data Exchange Specification (TMA DES) is an XML specification for encoding TMA experiment data. While TMA DES data is encoded in XML, the files that describe its syntax, structure, and semantics are not. The DTD format is used to describe the syntax and structure of TMA DES, and the ISO 11179 format is used to define the semantics of TMA DES. However, XML Schema can be used in place of DTDs, and another XML encoded format, RDF, can be used in place of ISO 11179. Encoding all TMA DES data and metadata in XML would simplify the development and usage of programs which validate and parse TMA DES data. XML Schema has advantages over DTDs such as support for data types, and a more powerful means of specifying constraints on data values. An advantage of RDF encoded in XML over ISO 11179 is that XML defines rules for encoding data, whereas ISO 11179 does not. We created an XML Schema version of the TMA DES DTD. We wrote a program that converted ISO 11179 definitions to RDF encoded in XML, and used it to convert the TMA DES ISO 11179 definitions to RDF. We validated a sample TMA DES XML file that was supplied with the publication that originally specified TMA DES using our XML Schema. We successfully validated the RDF produced by our ISO 11179 converter with the W3C RDF validation service. All TMA DES data could be encoded using XML, which simplifies its processing. XML Schema allows datatypes and valid value ranges to be specified for CDEs, which enables a wider range of error checking to be performed using XML Schemas than could be performed using DTDs.

Using XML to encode TMA DES metadata

PubMed Central

Lyttleton, Oliver; Wright, Alexander; Treanor, Darren; Lewis, Paul

2011-01-01

Background: The Tissue Microarray Data Exchange Specification (TMA DES) is an XML specification for encoding TMA experiment data. While TMA DES data is encoded in XML, the files that describe its syntax, structure, and semantics are not. The DTD format is used to describe the syntax and structure of TMA DES, and the ISO 11179 format is used to define the semantics of TMA DES. However, XML Schema can be used in place of DTDs, and another XML encoded format, RDF, can be used in place of ISO 11179. Encoding all TMA DES data and metadata in XML would simplify the development and usage of programs which validate and parse TMA DES data. XML Schema has advantages over DTDs such as support for data types, and a more powerful means of specifying constraints on data values. An advantage of RDF encoded in XML over ISO 11179 is that XML defines rules for encoding data, whereas ISO 11179 does not. Materials and Methods: We created an XML Schema version of the TMA DES DTD. We wrote a program that converted ISO 11179 definitions to RDF encoded in XML, and used it to convert the TMA DES ISO 11179 definitions to RDF. Results: We validated a sample TMA DES XML file that was supplied with the publication that originally specified TMA DES using our XML Schema. We successfully validated the RDF produced by our ISO 11179 converter with the W3C RDF validation service. Conclusions: All TMA DES data could be encoded using XML, which simplifies its processing. XML Schema allows datatypes and valid value ranges to be specified for CDEs, which enables a wider range of error checking to be performed using XML Schemas than could be performed using DTDs. PMID:21969921

The passive cable properties of hair cell stereocilia and their contribution to somatic capacitance measurements.

PubMed

Breneman, Kathryn D; Highstein, Stephen M; Boyle, Richard D; Rabbitt, Richard D

2009-01-01

Somatic measurements of whole-cell capacitance are routinely used to understand physiologic events occurring in remote portions of cells. These studies often assume the intracellular space is voltage-clamped. We questioned this assumption in auditory and vestibular hair cells with respect to their stereocilia based on earlier studies showing that neurons, with radial dimensions similar to stereocilia, are not always isopotential under voltage-clamp. To explore this, we modeled the stereocilia as passive cables with transduction channels located at their tips. We found that the input capacitance measured at the soma changes when the transduction channels at the tips of the stereocilia are open compared to when the channels are closed. The maximum capacitance is felt with the transducer closed but will decrease as the transducer opens due to a length-dependent voltage drop along the stereocilium length. This potential drop is proportional to the intracellular resistance and stereocilium tip conductance and can produce a maximum capacitance error on the order of fF for single stereocilia and pF for the bundle.

Measurement strategy for rectangular electrical capacitance tomography sensor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ye, Jiamin; Ge, Ruihuan; Qiu, Guizhi

2014-04-11

To investigate the influence of the measurement strategy for the rectangular electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) sensor, a Finite Element Method (FEM) is utilized to create the model for simulation. The simulation was carried out using COMSOL Multiphysics(trade mark, serif) and Matlab(trade mark, serif). The length-width ratio of the rectangular sensing area is 5. Twelve electrodes are evenly arranged surrounding the pipe. The covering ratio of the electrodes is 90%. The capacitances between different electrode pairs are calculated for a bar distribution. The air of the relative permittivity 1.0 and the material of the permittivity 3.0 are used for the calibration.more » The relative permittivity of the second phase is 3.0. The noise free and noise data are used for the image reconstruction using the Linear Back Projection (LBP). The measurement strategies with 1-, 2- and 4- electrode excitation are compared using the correlation coefficient. Preliminary results show that the measurement strategy with 2-electrode excitation outperforms other measurement strategies with 1- or 4-electrode excitation.« less

Electrostatic Self-Assembly of Sandwich-Like CoAl-LDH/Polypyrrole/Graphene Nanocomposites with Enhanced Capacitive Performance.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Du, Dongfeng; Li, Xuejin; Sun, Hongman; Li, Li; Bai, Peng; Xing, Wei; Xue, Qingzhong; Yan, Zifeng

2017-09-20

A novel sandwich-like composite with ultrathin CoAl-layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoplates electrostatically assembled on both sides of two-dimensional polypyrrole/graphene (PG) substrate has been successfully fabricated using facile hydrothermal techniques. The PG not only serves as an excellent conductive and structural scaffold to enhance the transmission of electrons and prevent aggregation of CoAl-LDH nanoplates but also contributes to the enhancement of the specific capacitance. Owing to the homogeneous dispersion of CoAl-LDH nanoplates and its intimate interaction with PG substrate, the resulting CoAl-LDH/PG nanocomposite material exhibits excellent capacitive performance, for example, enhanced gravimetric specific capacitance (864 F g -1 at 1 A g -1 ), high rate performance (75% retention at 20 A g -1 ), and excellent cycle life (almost no degradation in supercapacitor performance after 5000 cycles) in aqueous KOH solution. Furthermore, the assembled asymmetric capacitor is able to deliver a superhigh energy density of 46.8 Wh kg -1 at 1.2 kW kg -1 and maintain 90.1% of its initial capacitance after 10 000 cycles. These results indicate a rational assembly strategy toward a high-performance pseudocapacitive electrode material with excellent rate performance, high specific capacitance, and outstanding cycle stability.

Closed-Loop Control of Humidification for Artifact Reduction in Capacitive ECG Measurements.

PubMed

Leicht, Lennart; Eilebrecht, Benjamin; Weyer, Soren; Leonhardt, Steffen; Teichmann, Daniel

2017-04-01

Recording biosignals without the need for direct skin contact offers new opportunities for ubiquitous health monitoring. Electrodes with capacitive coupling have been shown to be suitable for the monitoring of electrical potentials on the body surface, in particular ECG. However, due to triboelectric charge generation and motion artifacts, signal and thus diagnostic quality is inferior to galvanic coupling. Active closed-loop humidification of capacitive electrodes is proposed in this work as a new concept to improve signal quality. A capacitive ECG recording system integrated into a common car seat is presented. It can regulate the micro climate at the interface of electrode and patient by actively dispensing water vapour and monitoring humidity in a closed-loop approach. As a regenerative water reservoir, silica gel is used. The system was evaluated with respect to subjective and objective ECG signal quality. Active humidification was found to have a significant positive effect in case of previously poor quality. Also, it had no diminishing effect in case of already good signal quality.

Highly conductive porous Na-embedded carbon nanowalls for high-performance capacitive deionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Liang; Hu, Yun Hang

2018-05-01

Highly conductive porous Na-embedded carbon nanowalls (Na@C), which were recently invented, have exhibited excellent performance for dye-sensitized solar cells and electric double-layer capacitors. In this work, Na@C was demonstrated as an excellent electrode material for capacitive deionization (CDI). In a three-electrode configuration system, the specific capacity of the Na@C electrodes can achieve 306.4 F/g at current density of 0.2 A/g in 1 M NaCl, which is higher than that (235.2 F/g) of activated carbon (AC) electrodes. Furthermore, a high electrosorption capacity of 8.75 mg g-1 in 100 mg/L NaCl was obtained with the Na@C electrodes in a batch-mode capacitive deionization cell. It exceeds the electrosorption capacity (4.08 mg g-1) of AC electrodes. The Na@C electrode also showed a promising cycle stability. The excellent performance of Na@C electrode for capacitive deionization (CDI) can be attributed to its high electrical conductivity and large accessible surface area.

A membrane-associated adenylate cyclase modulates lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase activities required for bull sperm capacitation induced by hyaluronic acid.

PubMed

Fernández, Silvina; Córdoba, Mariana

2017-04-01

Hyaluronic acid, as well as heparin, is a glycosaminoglycan present in the female genital tract of cattle. The aim of this study was to evaluate oxidative metabolism and intracellular signals mediated by a membrane-associated adenylate cyclase (mAC), in sperm capacitation with hyaluronic acid and heparin, in cryopreserved bull sperm. The mAC inhibitor, 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine, was used in the present study. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK) activities and lactate concentration were determined spectrophotometrically in the incubation medium. Capacitation and acrosome reaction were evaluated by chlortetracycline technique, while plasma membrane and acrosome integrity were determined by trypan blue stain/differential interference contrast microscopy. Heparin capacitated samples had a significant decrease in LDH and CK activities, while in hyaluronic acid capacitated samples LDH and CK activities both increased compared to control samples, in heparin and hyaluronic acid capacitation conditions, respectively. A significant increase in lactate concentration in the incubation medium occurred in hyaluronic acid-treated sperm samples compared to heparin treatment, indicating this energetic metabolite is produced during capacitation. The LDH and CK enzyme activities and lactate concentrations in the incubation medium were decreased with 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine treatment in hyaluronic acid samples. The mAC inhibitor significantly inhibited heparin-induced capacitation of sperm cells, but did not completely inhibit hyaluronic acid capacitation. Therefore, hyaluronic acid and heparin are physiological glycosaminoglycans capable of inducing in vitro capacitation in cryopreserved bull sperm, stimulating different enzymatic pathways and intracellular signals modulated by a mAC. Hyaluronic acid induces sperm capacitation involving LDH and CK activities, thereby reducing oxidative metabolism, and this process is mediated by mAC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All

Les soins aux enfants et aux adolescents des familles des militaires canadiens : les considérations particulières

PubMed Central

Rowan-Legg, Anne

2017-01-01

Résumé Les familles des militaires font face à de nombreux facteurs de stress, tels que les réinstallations fréquentes, les longues pério des de séparation familiale, l’isolement géographique du réseau de soutien de la famille élargie et le déploiement en zones très dangereuses. Les enfants et les adolescents des familles des militaires vivent les mêmes trajectoires développementales et motivationnelles que leurs homologues civils, mais ils sont également aux prises avec des pressions et des facteurs de stress liés à leur développement qui sont inhabituels et qui leur sont imposés par les exigences de la vie militaire. Les effets de la vie militaire sur les familles et les enfants commencent à être admis et mieux caractérisés. Il est essentiel de comprendre les préoccupations propres aux enfants et aux adolescents des familles des militaires et de mobiliser les ressources nécessaires pour les soutenir afin de répondre à leurs besoins en matière de santé.

Lignes directrices canadiennes sur l’utilisation sécuritaire et efficace des opioïdes pour la douleur chronique non cancéreuse

PubMed Central

Kahan, Meldon; Wilson, Lynn; Mailis-Gagnon, Angela; Srivastava, Anita

2011-01-01

Résumé Objectif Présenter aux médecins de famille un résumé clinique pratique sur la prescription d’opioïdes à des populations particulières en se fondant sur les recommandations faites dans les lignes directrices canadiennes sur l’utilisation sécuritaire et efficace des opioïdes pour la douleur chronique non cancéreuse. Qualité des données Pour produire les lignes directrices, les chercheurs ont effectué une synthèse critique de la littérature médicale en insistant plus précisément sur les études de l’efficacité et de la sécurité des opioïdes dans des populations particulières. Message principal Les médecins de famille peuvent atténuer les risques de surdose, de sédation, d’usage abusif et de dépendance grâce à des stratégies adaptées à l’âge et à l’état de santé des patients. Dans le cas de patients à risque de dépendance, on devrait réserver les opioïdes aux douleurs nociceptives ou neuropathiques bien définies qui n’ont pas répondu aux traitements de première intention. Il faut procéder lentement au titrage des opioïdes, avec des dispensations fréquentes et une étroite surveillance pour dépister tout signe d’usage abusif. Une dépendance aux opioïdes suspectée est prise en charge au moyen d’une thérapie structurée aux opioïdes, d’un traitement à la méthadone ou à la buprénorphine ou encore d’un traitement fondé sur l’abstinence. Les patients souffrant de troubles de l’humeur ou d’anxiété ont tendance à avoir une réponse analgésique atténuée aux opioïdes, sont à risque plus élevé d’usage abusif et prennent souvent des sédatifs qui interagissent défavorablement avec les opioïdes. Il faut prendre des précautions semblables à celles utilisées avec d’autres patients à risque élevé. Il faut faire un sevrage progressif si la douleur du patient demeure sévère même avec un essai adéquat de thérapie aux opioïdes. Chez les personnes âgées, la s

L'astronomie des Anciens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nazé, Yaël

2009-04-01

Quelle que soit la civilisation à laquelle il appartient, l'être humain cherche dans le ciel des réponses aux questions qu'il se pose sur son origine, son avenir et sa finalité. Le premier mérite de ce livre est de nous rappeler que l'astronomie a commencé ainsi à travers les mythes célestes imaginés par les Anciens pour expliquer l'ordre du monde et la place qu'ils y occupaient. Mais les savoirs astronomiques passés étaient loin d'être négligeables et certainement pas limités aux seuls travaux des Grecs : c'est ce que l'auteur montre à travers une passionnante enquête, de Stonehenge à Gizeh en passant par Pékin et Mexico, fondée sur l'étude des monuments anciens et des sources écrites encore accessibles. Les tablettes mésopotamiennes, les annales chinoises, les chroniques médiévales, etc. sont en outre d'une singulière utilité pour les astronomes modernes : comment sinon remonter aux variations de la durée du jour au cours des siècles, ou percer la nature de l'explosion qui a frappé tant d'observateurs en 1054 ? Ce livre offre un voyage magnifiquement illustré à travers les âges, entre astronomie et archéologie.

The compressibility and the capacitance coefficient of helium-oxygen atmospheres.

PubMed

Imbert, G; Dejours, P; Hildwein, G

1982-12-01

The capacitance coefficient beta of an ideal gas mixture depends only on its temperature T, and its value is derived from the ideal gas law (i.e., beta = 1/RT, R being the ideal gas constant). But real gases behave as ideal gases only at low pressures, and this would not be the case in deep diving. High pressures of helium-oxygen are used in human and animal experimental dives (up to 7 or 12 MPa or more, respectively). At such pressures deviations from the ideal gas law cannot be neglected in hyperbaric atmospheres with respect to current accuracy of measuring instruments. As shown both theoretically and experimentally by this study, the non-ideal nature of helium-oxygen has a significant effect on the capacitance coefficient of hyperbaric atmospheres. The theoretical study is based on interaction energy in either homogeneous (He-He and O2-O2) or heterogeneous (He-O2) molecular pairs, and on the virial equation of state for gas mixtures. The experimental study is based on weight determination of samples of known volume of binary helium-oxygen mixtures, which are prepared in well-controlled pressure and temperature conditions. Our experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. 1) The helium compressibility factor ZHe increases linearly with pressure [ZHe = 1 + 0.0045 P (in MPa) at 30 degrees C]; and 2) in same temperature and pressure conditions (T = 303 K and P = 0.1 to 15 MPa), the same value for Z is valid for a helium-oxygen binary mixture and for pure helium. As derived from the equation of state of real gases, the capacitance coefficient is inversely related to Z (beta = 1/ZRT); therefore, for helium-oxygen mixtures, this coefficient would decrease with increasing pressure. A table is given for theoretical values of helium-oxygen capacitance coefficient, at pressures ranging from 0.1 to 15.0 MPa and at temperatures ranging from 25 degrees C to 37 degrees C.

Specific methodology for capacitance imaging by atomic force microscopy: A breakthrough towards an elimination of parasitic effects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Estevez, Ivan; Concept Scientific Instruments, ZA de Courtaboeuf, 2 rue de la Terre de Feu, 91940 Les Ulis; Chrétien, Pascal

2014-02-24

On the basis of a home-made nanoscale impedance measurement device associated with a commercial atomic force microscope, a specific operating process is proposed in order to improve absolute (in sense of “nonrelative”) capacitance imaging by drastically reducing the parasitic effects due to stray capacitance, surface topography, and sample tilt. The method, combining a two-pass image acquisition with the exploitation of approach curves, has been validated on sets of calibration samples consisting in square parallel plate capacitors for which theoretical capacitance values were numerically calculated.

Sensitivity enhancement of capacitive tumor necrosis factor-α detection by deposition of nanoparticles on interdigitated electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yagati, Ajay Kumar; Park, Jinsoo; Kim, Jungsuk; Ju, Heongkyu; Chang, Keun-A.; Cho, Sungbo

2016-06-01

An interdigitated electrodes (IDE) modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) was fabricated to enhance the capacitive detection of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and compared with a bare IDE. A TNF-α immunosensor was developed by covalently conjugating TNF-α antibodies with 3-mercaptopropionic acid by a carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide reaction on the AuNP/IDE. After the application of human serum samples containing various concentrations of TNF-α to the sensing electrode, changes in both the impedance spectrum and the electrode interfacial capacitance were measured. The capacitance changes were dependent on the TNF-α concentration in the range of 1 pg ml-1 to 10 ng ml-1, and the device had the calculated detection limit of 0.83 pg ml-1. The developed AuNP/IDE-based immunosensor was successfully used for the capacitive detection of the binding of TNF-α to its antibody, and was found to be feasible for the analysis of TNF-α in human blood serum.

Modified allocation capacitated planning model in blood supply chain management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansur, A.; Vanany, I.; Arvitrida, N. I.

2018-04-01

Blood supply chain management (BSCM) is a complex process management that involves many cooperating stakeholders. BSCM involves four echelon processes, which are blood collection or procurement, production, inventory, and distribution. This research develops an optimization model of blood distribution planning. The efficiency of decentralization and centralization policies in a blood distribution chain are compared, by optimizing the amount of blood delivered from a blood center to a blood bank. This model is developed based on allocation problem of capacitated planning model. At the first stage, the capacity and the cost of transportation are considered to create an initial capacitated planning model. Then, the inventory holding and shortage costs are added to the model. These additional parameters of inventory costs lead the model to be more realistic and accurate.

Research and development of novel wireless digital capacitive displacement sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Junning; He, Zhangqiang; Sun, Tao; Bian, Xingyuan; Han, Lu

2015-02-01

In order to solve the problem of noncontact, wireless and nonmagnetic displacement sensing with nanometer resolution within critical limited space for ultraprecision displacement monitoring in the Joule balance device, a novel wireless digital capacitive displacement sensor (WDCDS) is proposed. The WDCDS is fabricated with brass and other nonmagnetic material and powered with a small battery inside, a small integrated circuit is assembled inside for converting and processing of capacitive signal, and low power Bluetooth is used for wireless signal transmission and communication. Experimental results show that the WDCDS proposed has a resolution of better than 1nm and a nonlinearity of 0.077%, therefore it is a delicate design for ultraprecision noncontact displacement monitoring in the Joule balance device, meeting the demand for properties of wireless, nonmagnetic and miniaturized size.

Implementation Cryptography Data Encryption Standard (DES) and Triple Data Encryption Standard (3DES) Method in Communication System Based Near Field Communication (NFC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratnadewi; Pramono Adhie, Roy; Hutama, Yonatan; Saleh Ahmar, A.; Setiawan, M. I.

2018-01-01

Cryptography is a method used to create secure communication by manipulating sent messages during the communication occurred so only intended party that can know the content of that messages. Some of the most commonly used cryptography methods to protect sent messages, especially in the form of text, are DES and 3DES cryptography method. This research will explain the DES and 3DES cryptography method and its use for stored data security in smart cards that working in the NFC-based communication system. Several things that will be explained in this research is the ways of working of DES and 3DES cryptography method in doing the protection process of a data and software engineering through the creation of application using C++ programming language to realize and test the performance of DES and 3DES cryptography method in encrypted data writing process to smart cards and decrypted data reading process from smart cards. The execution time of the entering and the reading process data using a smart card DES cryptography method is faster than using 3DES cryptography.

Decrease in the cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase activity through porcine sperm capacitation.

PubMed

Katoh, Yuki; Tamba, Michiko; Matsuda, Manabu; Kikuchi, Kazuhiro; Okamura, Naomichi

2018-02-26

In order to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the sperm capacitation, we have identified the proteins tyrosine-phosphorylated during the capacitation especially in conjunction with the regulation of the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in sperm. In the present study, the effects of the tyrosine phosphorylation of cytosolic NADP + -dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDPc) on its catalytic activity and on the levels of ROS in sperm have been studied. The tyrosine phosphorylated IDPc showed a significantly lowered enzymatic activity. The immunocytochemical analyses using the highly specific antisera against IDPc revealed that IDPc was mainly localized to the principal piece of the porcine sperm flagellum. As IDPc is one of the major NADPH regenerating enzymes in porcine sperm, it is strongly suggested that the decrease in IDPc activity is involved in the increased levels of ROS, which results in the induction of hyperactivated flagellar movement and capacitation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Capacitance enhancement of polyaniline coated curved-graphene supercapacitors in a redox-active electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei; Rakhi, R. B.; Alshareef, H. N.

2013-05-01

We show, for the first time, a redox-active electrolyte in combination with a polyaniline-coated curved graphene active material to achieve significant enhancement in the capacitance (36-92% increase) compared to supercapacitors that lack the redox-active contribution from the electrolyte. The supercapacitors based on the redox-active electrolyte also exhibit excellent rate capability and very long cycling performance (>50 000 cycles).We show, for the first time, a redox-active electrolyte in combination with a polyaniline-coated curved graphene active material to achieve significant enhancement in the capacitance (36-92% increase) compared to supercapacitors that lack the redox-active contribution from the electrolyte. The supercapacitors based on the redox-active electrolyte also exhibit excellent rate capability and very long cycling performance (>50 000 cycles). Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental section, supporting figures including SEM, TEM, XPS, BET, CV and CD curves and a summary table of capacitance. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00773a

On the Relationship Between Schottky Barrier Capacitance and Mixer Performance at Cryogenic Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Romanofsky, Robert R.

1996-01-01

The flat-band voltage is the Schottky junction voltage required to shrink the depletion width to zero. At cryogenic temperatures, mixer diodes are generally biased and/or pumped beyond the flat-band condition to minimize conversion loss and noise figure. This occurs despite the presumed sharp increase in junction capacitance near flat-band, which should instead limit mixer performance. Past moderate forward bias, the diode C-V relationship is difficult to measure. A simple analytic expression for C(V) is usually used to model and predict mixer performance. This letter provides experimental data on C(V) at 77 K based on a microwave measurement and modeling technique. Data is also provided on the conversion loss of a singly balanced mixer optimized for 77 K operation. The connection between junction capacitance, flat-band potential, and conversion loss is examined. It is shown that the analytic expression greatly overestimates the junction capacitance that occurs as flat-band is approached.

Modeling of electrical capacitance tomography with the use of complete electrode model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Weifu

2016-10-01

We introduce the complete electrode model in the modeling of electrical capacitance tomography (ECT), which extends the model with the commonly used model for electrodes. We show that the solution of the complete electrode model approaches the solution of the corresponding common electrode model as the impedance effect on the electrodes vanishes. We also derive the nonlinear relation between capacitance and permitivity and the sensitivity maps with respect to both the permittivity and the impedance constants, and present a finite difference scheme in polar coordinates for the case of circular ECT sensors that retains the continuity of displacement current with piecewise-constant permitivities.

Frequency dispersion of capacitance-voltage characteristics in wide bandgap semiconductor-electrolyte junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frolov, D. S.; Zubkov, V. I.

2016-12-01

The frequency dispersion of capacitance-voltage characteristics and derived charge carrier concentration with application to the junction between an electrolyte and wide band-gap semiconductors are investigated. To expand the measurement frequency range, the precision LCR-meter Agilent E4980A was connected to the electrochemical cell ECVPro Nanometrics via a specially designed switch unit. The influence of series resistance and degree of dopant ionization on the frequency dispersion of CV-measured characteristics are discussed. It was shown that in wide band-gap semiconductors one can get both total and ionized dopant concentration, depending on the test frequency choice for capacitance measurements.

Interfacial Ordering and Accompanying Divergent Capacitance at Ionic Liquid-Metal Interfaces.

PubMed

Limmer, David T

2015-12-18

A theory is constructed for dense ionic solutions near charged planar walls that is valid for strong interionic correlations. This theory predicts a fluctuation-induced, first-order transition and spontaneous charge density ordering at the interface, in the presence of an otherwise disordered bulk solution. The surface ordering is driven by applied voltage and results in an anomalous differential capacitance, in agreement with recent simulation results and consistent with experimental observations of a wide array of systems. Explicit forms for the charge density profile and capacitance are given. The theory is compared with numerical results for the charge frustrated Ising model, which is also found to exhibit a voltage driven first-order transition.

Interfacial Ordering and Accompanying Divergent Capacitance at Ionic Liquid-Metal Interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Limmer, David T.

2015-12-01

A theory is constructed for dense ionic solutions near charged planar walls that is valid for strong interionic correlations. This theory predicts a fluctuation-induced, first-order transition and spontaneous charge density ordering at the interface, in the presence of an otherwise disordered bulk solution. The surface ordering is driven by applied voltage and results in an anomalous differential capacitance, in agreement with recent simulation results and consistent with experimental observations of a wide array of systems. Explicit forms for the charge density profile and capacitance are given. The theory is compared with numerical results for the charge frustrated Ising model, which is also found to exhibit a voltage driven first-order transition.

Traitement de surface par explosif du cuivre polycristallin : caractérisation microstructurale et comportement en fatigue plastique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerland, M.; Dufour, J. P.; Presles, H. N.; Violan, P.; Mendez, J.

1991-10-01

A new surface treatment technique with a primary explosive deposited in thin layer was applied to a polycrystalline pure copper. After treatment, surface roughness remains of high quality especially when compared to shot peened surfaces. The treated zone extends over several hundreds microns in depth and the microhardness profile exhibits a significant increasing of hardness with a maximum reaching 100% at the surface. The transmission electron microscopy shows a microstructure which changes with depth : below the surface, there is a thin recrystallized layer with very small grains followed by a region with numerous mechanical twins the density of which decreases when depth increases. Tested in fatigue with a constant plastic strain amplitude, the treated copper specimens exhibit a strong hardening from the first cycles compared to the untreated specimen ; however this initial hardening erases after 2% of the fatigue life. The fatigue resistance is not modified by the treatment. Une nouvelle technique de traitement de surface à l'aide d'un explosif primaire déposé en couche mince a été utilisée sur du cuivre pur polycristallin. L'état de surface après traitement reste de très bonne qualité, surtout comparé aux surfaces grenaillées. La zone traitée s'étend sur une profondeur de quelques centaines de microns et le profil de microdureté montre une importante augmentation de dureté avec un maximum en surface pouvant atteindre 100%. La micrcrostructure, observée par microscopie électronique en transmission, est caractérisée par une fine recristallisation en surface, puis par un abondant maclage dont la densité décroît lorsque la profondeur augmente. Testé en fatigue à déformation plastique imposée, le cuivre traité présente un fort écrouissage initial dès les premiers cycles, mais qui s'efface progressivement au cours du cyclage après 2% de la durée de vie, cette dernière n'étant pas modifiée par le traitement.

Free-standing graphene films prepared via foam film method for great capacitive flexible supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yucan; Ye, Xingke; Tang, Zhonghua; Wan, Zhongquan; Jia, Chunyang

2017-11-01

Recently, graphene films have always attracted attention due to their excellent characteristics in energy storage. In this work, a novel graphene oxide (GO) film with excellent mechanical properties, whose thickness was regulated simply via changing the concentration of the surfactant, was successfully prepared by foam film method. After chemical reduction, the reduced GO (rGO) films have excellent electrical conductivity of ∼172 S cm-1. Moreover, the supercapacitors based on the rGO films exhibit satisfied capacitive performance of ∼56 mF cm-2 at 0.2 mA cm-2 in 6 M KOH aqueous solution. Meanwhile, the flexible all solid state supercapacitors (FSSCs) based on the rGO films also show great volumetric capacitance of ∼2810 mF cm-3 at 12 mA cm-3 (∼1607 mF cm-3 at 613 mA cm-3) with polyvinyl alcohol-KOH gel electrolyte. Besides, after 10000 cycles and continuously bent to 180° for 300 times, the volumetric capacitance of the FSSC remains at 81.4% and 90.4% of its initial capacitance value, respectively. Therefore, the free-standing rGO films prepared via foam film method could be considered as promising electrode materials for high performance flexible supercapacitors.

Optical control of capacitance in a metal-insulator-semiconductor diode with embedded metal nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhelashvili, V.; Ankonina, G.; Kauffmann, Y.; Atiya, G.; Kaplan, W. D.; Padmanabhan, R.; Eisenstein, G.

2017-06-01

This paper describes a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitor with flat capacitance voltage characteristics and a small quadratic voltage capacitance coefficient. The device characteristics resemble a metal-insulator-metal diode except that here the capacitance depends on illumination and exhibits a strong frequency dispersion. The device incorporates Fe nanoparticles (NPs), mixed with SrF2, which are embedded in an insulator stack of SiO2 and HfO2. Positively charged Fe ions induce dipole type traps with an electronic polarization that is enhanced by photogenerated carriers injected from the substrate and/or by inter nanoparticle exchange of carriers. The obtained characteristics are compared with those of five other MIS structures: two based on Fe NPs, one with and the other without SrF2 sublayers. Additionally, devices contain Co NPs embedded in SrF2 sublayers, and finally, two structures have no NPs, with one based on a stack of SiO2 and HfO2 and the other which also includes SrF2. Only structures containing Fe NPs, which are incorporated into SrF2, yield a voltage independent capacitance, the level of which can be changed by illumination. These properties are essential in radio frequency/analog mixed signal applications.

Studying tantalum-based high-κ dielectrics in terms of capacitance measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stojanovska-Georgievska, L.

2016-08-01

The trend of rapid development of microelectronics towards nano-miniaturization dictates the inevitable introduction of dielectrics with high permittivity (high-κ dielectrics), as alternative material for replacing SiO2. Therefore, studying these materials in terms of their characteristics, especially in terms of reliability, is of great importance for proper design and manufacture of devices. In this paper, alteration of capacitance in different frequency regimes is used, in order to determine the overall behavior of the material. Samples investigated here are MOS structures containing nanoscale tantalum based dielectrics. Layers of pure Ta2O5, but also Hf and Ti doped tantalum pentoxide, i.e. Ta2O5:Hf and Ta2O5:Ti are studied here. All samples are considered as ultrathin oxide layers with thicknesses less than 15 nm, obtained by radio frequent sputtering on p-type silicon substrate. Measuring capacitive characteristics enables determination of several specific parameters of the structures. The obtained results for capacitance in accumulation, the thickness and time evolution of the interfacial SiO2 layer, values of flatband and threshold voltage, density of oxide charges, interfacial and border states, and reliability properties favor the possibilities for more intensive use of studied materials in new nanoelectronic technologies.

A Lorentz force actuated magnetic field sensor with capacitive read-out

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stifter, M.; Steiner, H.; Kainz, A.; Keplinger, F.; Hortschitz, W.; Sauter, T.

2013-05-01

We present a novel design of a resonant magnetic field sensor with capacitive read-out permitting wafer level production. The device consists of a single-crystal silicon cantilever manufactured from the device layer of an SOI wafer. Cantilevers represent a very simple structure with respect to manufacturing and function. On the top of the structure, a gold lead carries AC currents that generate alternating Lorentz forces in an external magnetic field. The free end oscillation of the actuated cantilever depends on the eigenfrequencies of the structure. Particularly, the specific design of a U-shaped structure provides a larger force-to-stiffness-ratio than standard cantilevers. The electrodes for detecting cantilever deflections are separately fabricated on a Pyrex glass-wafer. They form the counterpart to the lead on the freely vibrating planar structure. Both wafers are mounted on top of each other. A custom SU-8 bonding process on wafer level creates a gap which defines the equilibrium distance between sensing electrodes and the vibrating structure. Additionally to the capacitive read-out, the cantilever oscillation was simultaneously measured with laser Doppler vibrometry through proper windows in the SOI handle wafer. Advantages and disadvantages of the asynchronous capacitive measurement configuration are discussed quantitatively and presented by a comprehensive experimental characterization of the device under test.

On the hydrophilicity of electrodes for capacitive energy extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lian, Cheng; Kong, Xian; Liu, Honglai; Wu, Jianzhong

2016-11-01

The so-called Capmix technique for energy extraction is based on the cyclic expansion of electrical double layers to harvest dissipative energy arising from the salinity difference between freshwater and seawater. Its optimal performance requires a careful selection of the electrical potentials for the charging and discharging processes, which must be matched with the pore characteristics of the electrode materials. While a number of recent studies have examined the effects of the electrode pore size and geometry on the capacitive energy extraction processes, there is little knowledge on how the surface properties of the electrodes affect the thermodynamic efficiency. In this work, we investigate the Capmix processes using the classical density functional theory for a realistic model of electrolyte solutions. The theoretical predictions allow us to identify optimal operation parameters for capacitive energy extraction with porous electrodes of different surface hydrophobicity. In agreement with recent experiments, we find that the thermodynamic efficiency can be much improved by using most hydrophilic electrodes.

On the hydrophilicity of electrodes for capacitive energy extraction

DOE PAGES

Lian, Cheng; East China Univ. of Science and Technology, Shanghai; Kong, Xian; ...

2016-09-14

The so-called Capmix technique for energy extraction is based on the cyclic expansion of electrical double layers to harvest dissipative energy arising from the salinity difference between freshwater and seawater. Its optimal performance requires a careful selection of the electrical potentials for the charging and discharging processes, which must be matched with the pore characteristics of the electrode materials. While a number of recent studies have examined the effects of the electrode pore size and geometry on the capacitive energy extraction processes, there is little knowledge on how the surface properties of the electrodes affect the thermodynamic efficiency. In thismore » paper, we investigate the Capmix processes using the classical density functional theory for a realistic model of electrolyte solutions. The theoretical predictions allow us to identify optimal operation parameters for capacitive energy extraction with porous electrodes of different surface hydrophobicity. Finally, in agreement with recent experiments, we find that the thermodynamic efficiency can be much improved by using most hydrophilic electrodes.« less

Two dimensional fluid simulation in capacitively coupled silane discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yuan-Hong; Liu, Xiang-Mei; Wang, Yan; Wang, You-Nian

2011-10-01

A two-dimensional (2D) self-consistent fluid model is developed to describe the formation, subsequent growth, transport and charging mechanisms of nanoparticles in a capacitively coupled silane plasma. In this discharge process, large anions are produced by a series of chemical reactions of anions with silane molecules, while the lower limit of the initial nanoparticles are taken as large anions to directly link the coagulation module with the nucleation module. The influences of source parameters on the electron density, electron temperature, nanoparticle uniformity, and deposition rate, are carefully studied. Moreover, the behavior of silicon plasma mixed with SiH4, N2 and O2 in a pulse modulated capacitively coupled plasma has been also investigated. Results showed a strong dependence of the electron density and electron temperature on the duty cycle and the modulated frequency. Supported by NSFC (No.10775025 and No. 10805008), INSTSP (Grant No: 2011ZX02403-001), and PNCETU (NCET-08-0073).

ac impedance analysis of a Ni-Nb-Zr-H glassy alloy with femtofarad capacitance tunnels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuhara, M.; Seto, M.; Inoue, A.

2010-01-01

A Nyquist diagram of a (Ni0.36Nb0.24Zr0.40)90H10 glassy alloy shows a semitrue circle, indicating that it is a conducting material with a total capacitance of 17.8 μF. The Bode plots showing the dependencies of its real and imaginary impedances, and phase on frequency suggest a simpler equivalent circuit having a resistor in parallel with a capacitor. Dividing the total capacitance (17.8 μF) by the capacitance of a single tunnel (0.9 fF), we deduced that this material has a high number of dielectric tunnels, which can be regarded as regular prisms separated from the electric-conducting distorted icosahedral Zr5Ni5Nb3 clusters by an average of 0.225 nm.

Large enhancement of capacitance driven by electrostatic image forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loth, Matthew Scott

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the role of electrostatic images in determining the capacitance and the structure of the electrostatic double layer (EDL) formed at the interface of a metal electrode and an electrolyte. Current mean field theories, and the majority of simulations, do not account for ions to form image charges in the metal electrodes and claim that the capacitance of the double layer cannot be larger than that of the Helmholtz capacitor, whose width is equal to the radius of an ion. However, in some experiments, and simulations where the images are included, the apparent width of the capacitor is substantially smaller. Monte Carlo simulations are used to examine the interface between a metal electrode and a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) modeled by hard spheres (the "restricted primitive model"). Image charges for each ion are included in the simulated electrode. At moderately low temperatures the capacitance of the metal/RTIL interface is so large that the effective thickness of the electrostatic double-layer is up to 3 times smaller than the ion radius. To interpret these results, an approach is used that is based on the interaction between discrete ions and their image charges, which therefore goes beyond the mean-field approximation. When a voltage is applied across the interface, the strong image attraction causes counterions to condense onto the metal surface to form compact ion-image dipoles. These dipoles repel each other to form a correlated liquid. When the surface density of these dipoles is low, the insertion of an additional dipole does not require much energy. This leads to a large capacitance C that decreases monotonically with voltage V, producing a "bell-shaped" C( V) curve. In the case of a semi-metal electrode, the finite screening radius of the electrode shifts the reflection plane for image charges to the interior of the electrode resulting in a "camel-shaped" C(V) curve, which is parabolic near V = 0, reaches a

DRDC Support to Emergency Management British Columbia’s (EMBC) Hazard Risk Vulnerability Analysis (HRVA) and Critical Infrastructure (CI) Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-01

du C2 de l’OTAN à divers aspects de la planification axée sur les capacités, à l’ingénierie des systèmes et à la gestion des ...renforcement des quatre piliers du cycle de gestion des urgences – c’est-à-dire l’atténuation et la prévention, la préparation, l’intervention et le...démontrer l’utilité de l’analyse et de la recherche opérationnelles lorsqu’il s’agit d’améliorer des

Summary of the Maritime Force Protection Technology Demonstration Project Underwater Threats Component Build 1 Trial

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

TM 2009-070 June 2009 Copy No. _____ Defence Research and Development Canada Recherche et développement pour la défense Canada This page intentionally...protection des forces au moyen d’un examen des besoins, des solutions de pointe et des lacunes en matière de capacités, le tout pendant la conduite d’une...série d’essais et d’évaluations sur l’équipement de développement et l’équipement commercial courant. Le volet des menaces sous- marines porte

A sensitive capacitive immunosensor for direct detection of human heart fatty acid-binding protein (h-FABP).

PubMed

Mihailescu, Carmen-Marinela; Stan, Dana; Iosub, Rodica; Moldovan, Carmen; Savin, Mihaela

2015-01-01

The fabrication of a capacitive interdigitated immunosensor (CID) based on a mixed self-assembled monolayer (mSAM) film for the direct detection of heart fatty-acid binding protein (h-FABP) without any labeling is described. The capacitance changes of mSAMs vs. homogenous ordered self-assembled monolayers (hSAMs) on gold work electrodes/covalently bonded antibodies/buffered medium are utilized for monitoring the specific antibody-antigen interaction. Capacitance measurements in the absence and presence of Faradaic currents were performed. The electrochemical properties of mixed monolayers were compared with those of a pure monolayer of 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (MUA) self-assembled on gold surfaces. Taking into account the stability of the studied monolayers during the electrochemical experiments with the Faradaic process, the best SAM functionalization method was used for developing a sensitive capacitive immunosensor with a non-Faradaic process for direct immune detection of human h-FABP. Under the optimized conditions, the proposed mixed self-assembled monolayer (mSAM1) on gold electrode exhibited good insulating properties such as a capacitive behavior when detecting h-FABP from human serum in the range of 98 pg ml(-1)-100 ng ml(-1), with a detection limit of 0.836 ng ml(-1) comparative with a homogenous self-assembled monolayer (hSAM). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Levitation of water and organic substances in high static magnetic fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaugnon, E.; Tournier, R.

1991-08-01

The levitation of various diamagnetic liquid and solid substances such as water, ethanol, acetone, bismuth, antimony, graphite, wood and plastic has been achieved at room temperature in a strong inhomogeneous static magnetic field. These experiments were performed in the hybrid magnet at the Service National des Champs Intenses (CNRS, Grenoble). These findings show that high field superconducting magnets could be used to provide a contactless, low gravity environment for the elaboration of a wide range of materials. En utilisant les forts champs magnétiques produits par la bobine hybride du Service National des Champs Intenses (CNRS, Grenoble), nous avons obtenu àtempérature ambiante la lévitation de substances diamagnétiques solides ou liquides telles que l'eau, l'alcool, l'acétone, le bismuth, l'antimoine, le graphite, le bois et le plastique. Ces résultats montrent que les bobines supraconductrices peuvent être utilisées pour l'élaboration de nombreux matériaux en gravité réduite, sans contact avec un contenant.

Relations de Dispersion et Diffusion des Glueballs et des Mesons dans la Theorie de Jauge U(1)(2+1) Compacte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Chaara El Mouez

Nous avons etudie les relations de dispersion et la diffusion des glueballs et des mesons dans le modele U(1)_{2+1} compact. Ce modele a ete souvent utilise comme un simple modele de la chromodynamique quantique (QCD), parce qu'il possede le confinement ainsi que les etats de glueballs. Par contre, sa structure mathematique est beaucoup plus simple que la QCD. Notre methode consiste a diagonaliser l'Hamiltonien de ce modele dans une base appropriee de graphes et sur reseau impulsion, afin de generer les relations de dispersion des glueballs et des mesons. Pour la diffusion, nous avons utilise la methode dependante du temps pour calculer la matrice S et la section efficace de diffusion des glueballs et des mesons. Les divers resultats obtenus semblent etre en accord avec les travaux anterieurs de Hakim, Alessandrini et al., Irving et al., qui eux, utilisent plutot la theorie des perturbations en couplage fort, et travaillent sur un reseau espace-temps.