Size exclusion chromatography for semipreparative scale separation of Au38(SR)24 and Au40(SR)24 and larger clusters.

PubMed

Knoppe, Stefan; Boudon, Julien; Dolamic, Igor; Dass, Amala; Bürgi, Thomas

2011-07-01

Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) on a semipreparative scale (10 mg and more) was used to size-select ultrasmall gold nanoclusters (<2 nm) from polydisperse mixtures. In particular, the ubiquitous byproducts of the etching process toward Au(38)(SR)(24) (SR, thiolate) clusters were separated and gained in high monodispersity (based on mass spectrometry). The isolated fractions were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, MALDI mass spectrometry, HPLC, and electron microscopy. Most notably, the separation of Au(38)(SR)(24) and Au(40)(SR)(24) clusters is demonstrated.

Continuously Adjustable, Molecular-Sieving “Gate” on 5A Zeolite for Distinguishing Small Organic Molecules by Size

PubMed Central

Song, Zhuonan; Huang, Yi; Xu, Weiwei L.; Wang, Lei; Bao, Yu; Li, Shiguang; Yu, Miao

2015-01-01

Zeolites/molecular sieves with uniform, molecular-sized pores are important for many adsorption-based separation processes. Pore size gaps, however, exist in the current zeolite family. This leads to a great challenge of separating molecules with size differences at ~0.01 nm level. Here, we report a novel concept, pore misalignment, to form a continuously adjustable, molecular-sieving “gate” at the 5A zeolite pore entrance without sacrificing the internal capacity. Misalignment of the micropores of the alumina coating with the 5A zeolite pores was related with and facilely adjusted by the coating thickness. For the first time, organic molecules with sub-0.01 nm size differences were effectively distinguished via appropriate misalignment. This novel concept may have great potential to fill the pore size gaps of the zeolite family and realize size-selective adsorption separation. PMID:26358480

Continuously adjustable, molecular-sieving “gate” on 5A zeolite for distinguishing small organic molecules by size

DOE PAGES

Song, Zhuonan; Huang, Yi; Xu, Weiwei L.; ...

2015-09-11

Zeolites/molecular sieves with uniform, molecular-sized pores are important for many adsorption-based separation processes. Pore size gaps, however, exist in the current zeolite family. This leads to a great challenge of separating molecules with size differences at ~0.01 nm level. Here, we report a novel concept, pore misalignment, to form a continuously adjustable, molecular-sieving “gate” at the 5A zeolite pore entrance without sacrificing the internal capacity. Misalignment of the micropores of the alumina coating with the 5A zeolite pores was related with and facilely adjusted by the coating thickness. For the first time, organic molecules with sub-0.01 nm size differences weremore » effectively distinguished via appropriate misalignment. Lastly, this novel concept may have great potential to fill the pore size gaps of the zeolite family and realize size-selective adsorption separation.« less

A simplified sheathless cell separation approach using combined gravitational-sedimentation-based prefocusing and dielectrophoretic separation.

PubMed

Luo, Tao; Fan, Lei; Zeng, Yixiao; Liu, Ya; Chen, Shuxun; Tan, Qiulin; Lam, Raymond H W; Sun, Dong

2018-05-04

Prefocusing of the cell mixture is necessary for achieving a high-efficiency and continuous dielectrophoretic (DEP) cell separation. However, prefocusing through sheath flow requires a complex and tedious peripheral system for multi-channel fluid control, hindering the integration of DEP separation systems with other microfluidic functionalities for comprehensive clinical and biological tasks. This paper presented a simplified sheathless cell separation approach that combines gravitational-sedimentation-based sheathless prefocusing and DEP separation methods. Through gravitational sedimentation in a tubing, which was inserted into the inlet of a microfluidic chip with an adjustable steering angle, the cells were focused into a stream at the upstream region of a microchannel prior to separation. Then, a DEP force was applied at the downstream region of the microchannel for the active separation of the cells. Through this combined strategy, the peripheral system for the sheath flow was no longer required, and thus the integration of cell separation system with additional microfluidic functionalities was facilitated. The proposed sheathless scheme focused the mixture of cells with different sizes and dielectric properties into a stream in a wide range of flow rates without changing the design of the microfluidic chip. The DEP method is a label-free approach that can continuously separate cells on the basis of the sizes or dielectric properties of the cells and thus capable of greatly flexible cell separation. The efficiency of the proposed approach was experimentally assessed according to its performance in the separation of human acute monocytic leukemia THP-1 cells from yeast cells with respect to different sizes and THP-1 cells from human acute myelomonocytic leukemia OCI-AML3 cells with respect to different dielectric properties. The experimental results revealed that the separation efficiency of the method can surpass 90% and thus effective in separating cells on the basis of either size or dielectric property.

Method and apparatus for physical separation of different sized nanostructures

DOEpatents

Roberts, Christopher B.; Saunders, Steven R.

2012-07-10

The present application provides apparatuses and methods for the size-selective fractionation of ligand-capped nanoparticles that utilizes the tunable thermophysical properties of gas-expanded liquids. The nanoparticle size separation processes are based on the controlled reduction of the solvent strength of an organic phase nanoparticle dispersion through increases in concentration of the antisolvent gas, such as CO.sub.2, via pressurization. The method of nanomaterial separation contains preparing a vessel having a solvent and dispersed nanoparticles, pressurizing the chamber with a gaseous antisolvent, and causing a first amount of the nanoparticles to precipitate, transporting the solution to a second vessel, pressurizing the second vessel with the gaseous antisolvent and causing further nanoparticles to separate from the solution.

Separating large microscale particles by exploiting charge differences with dielectrophoresis.

PubMed

Polniak, Danielle V; Goodrich, Eric; Hill, Nicole; Lapizco-Encinas, Blanca H

2018-04-13

Dielectrophoresis (DEP), the migration of particles due to polarization effects under the influence of a nonuniform electric field, was employed for characterizing the behavior and achieving the separation of larger (diameter >5 μm) microparticles by exploiting differences in electrical charge. Usually, electrophoresis (EP) is the method of choice for separating particles based on differences in electrical charge; however, larger particles, which have low electrophoretic mobilities, cannot be easily separated with EP-based techniques. This study presents an alternative for the characterization, assessment, and separation of larger microparticles, where charge differences are exploited with DEP instead of EP. Polystyrene microparticles with sizes varying from 5 to 10 μm were characterized employing microdevices for insulator-based dielectrophoresis (iDEP). Particles within an iDEP microchannel were exposed simultaneously to DEP, EP, and electroosmotic (EO) forces. The electrokinetic behavior of four distinct types of microparticles was carefully characterized by means of velocimetry and dielectrophoretic capture assessments. As a final step, a dielectropherogram separation of two distinct types of 10 μm particles was devised by first characterizing the particles and then performing the separation. The two types of 10 μm particles were eluted from the iDEP device as two separate peaks of enriched particles in less than 80 s. It was demonstrated that particles with the same size, shape, surface functionalization, and made from the same bulk material can be separated with iDEP by exploiting slight differences in the magnitude of particle charge. The results from this study open the possibility for iDEP to be used as a technique for the assessment and separation of biological cells that have very similar characteristics (shape, size, similar make-up), but slight variance in surface electrical charge. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mineral Separation in a CELSS by Ion-exchange Chromatography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballou, E. V.; Spitze, L. A.; Wong, F. W.; Wydeven, T.; Johnson, C. C.

1982-01-01

Operational parameters pertinent to ion exchange chromatography separation were identified. The experiments were performed with 9 mm diameter ion exchange columns and conventional column accessories. The cation separation beds were packed with AG 50W-X2 strong acid cation exchange resin in H(+) form and 200-400 dry mesh particle size. The stripper beds used in some experiments were packed with AG 1-XB strong base cation exchange resin in OH(-) form and 200-400 dry mesh particle size.

Design and analysis on sorting blade for automated size-based sorting device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razali, Zol Bahri; Kader, Mohamed Mydin M. Abdul; Samsudin, Yasser Suhaimi; Daud, Mohd Hisam

2017-09-01

Nowadays rubbish separating or recycling is a main problem of nation, where peoples dumped their rubbish into dumpsite without caring the value of the rubbish if it can be recycled and reused. Thus the author proposed an automated segregating device, purposely to teach people to separate their rubbish and value the rubbish that can be reused. The automated size-based mechanical segregating device provides significant improvements in terms of efficiency and consistency in this segregating process. This device is designed to make recycling easier, user friendly, in the hope that more people will take responsibility if it is less of an expense of time and effort. This paper discussed about redesign a blade for the sorting device which is to develop an efficient automated mechanical sorting device for the similar material but in different size. The machine is able to identify the size of waste and it depends to the coil inside the container to separate it out. The detail design and methodology is described in detail in this paper.

An investigation of paper based microfluidic devices for size based separation and extraction applications.

PubMed

Zhong, Z W; Wu, R G; Wang, Z P; Tan, H L

2015-09-01

Conventional microfluidic devices are typically complex and expensive. The devices require the use of pneumatic control systems or highly precise pumps to control the flow in the devices. This work investigates an alternative method using paper based microfluidic devices to replace conventional microfluidic devices. Size based separation and extraction experiments conducted were able to separate free dye from a mixed protein and dye solution. Experimental results showed that pure fluorescein isothiocyanate could be separated from a solution of mixed fluorescein isothiocyanate and fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled bovine serum albumin. The analysis readings obtained from a spectrophotometer clearly show that the extracted tartrazine sample did not contain any amount of Blue-BSA, because its absorbance value was 0.000 measured at a wavelength of 590nm, which correlated to Blue-BSA. These demonstrate that paper based microfluidic devices, which are inexpensive and easy to implement, can potentially replace their conventional counterparts by the use of simple geometry designs and the capillary action. These findings will potentially help in future developments of paper based microfluidic devices. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biased Cyclical Electrical Field-Flow Fractionation for Separation of Submicron Particles

PubMed Central

Ornthai, Mathuros; Siripinyanond, Atitaya; Gale, Bruce K.

2015-01-01

The potential of biased cyclical electrical field flow fractionation (BCyElFFF), which applies the positive cycle voltage longer than the negative cycle voltage, for characterization of submicron particles, was investigated. Parameters affecting separation and retention such as voltage, frequency, and duty cycle were examined. The results suggest that the separation mechanism in BCyElFFF in many cases is more related to the size of particles, as is the case with normal ElFFF, in the studied conditions, than the electrophoretic mobility, which is what the theory predicts for CyElFFF. However, better resolution was obtained when separating using BCyElFFF mode than when using normal CyElFFF. BCyElFFF was able to demonstrate simultaneous baseline separations of a mixture of 0.04, 0.1, and 0.2 μm particles and near separation of 0.5 μm particles. This study has shown the applicability of the BCyElFFF for separation and characterization of submicron particles greater than 0.1 μm in size, which had not been demonstrated previously. The separation and retention results suggest that for particles of this size, retention is based more on particle size than on electrophoretic mobility, which is contrary to existing theory for CyElFFF. PMID:26612733

Biased cyclical electrical field-flow fractionation for separation of submicron particles.

PubMed

Ornthai, Mathuros; Siripinyanond, Atitaya; Gale, Bruce K

2016-01-01

The potential of biased cyclical electrical field-flow fractionation (BCyElFFF), which applies the positive cycle voltage longer than the negative cycle voltage, for characterization of submicron particles, was investigated. Parameters affecting separation and retention such as voltage, frequency, and duty cycle were examined. The results suggest that the separation mechanism in BCyElFFF in many cases is more related to the size of particles, as is the case with normal ElFFF, in the studied conditions, than the electrophoretic mobility, which is what the theory predicts for CyElFFF. However, better resolution was obtained when separating using BCyElFFF mode than when using normal CyElFFF. BCyElFFF was able to demonstrate simultaneous baseline separations of a mixture of 0.04-, 0.1-, and 0.2-μm particles and near separation of 0.5-μm particles. This study has shown the applicability of BCyElFFF for separation and characterization of submicron particles greater than 0.1-μm in size, which had not been demonstrated previously. The separation and retention results suggest that for particles of this size, retention is based more on particle size than on electrophoretic mobility, which is contrary to existing theory for CyElFFF.

Configuration of Air Microfluidic Chip for Separating and Grading Respirable Dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Xiaofeng; Jia, Yiting; Sun, Jianhai; Zhao, Peiyue; Liu, Jinhua; Zhang, Yanni; Ning, Zhanwu

2018-03-01

Particulate matter (PM) is a category of airborne pollutants, and fine particles that have a diameter of 2.5 μm (PM2.5) or smaller are especially damaging to human health because of their ability to penetrate deep into our respiratory system, Therefore, Monitoring of PM is very important. In this work, an air micro- fluidic PM sensor based on MEMS was proposed, and numerical model of the sensor was simulated accurately. The sensor was able to separate particles according to their sizes, and then transports and deposits the selected particles using thermophoretic precipitation onto the surface of a microfabricated mass-sensitive film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR), precisely weighing and providing the concentration of PM. The PM sensor has double stage separation function, and the primary separator can separate the particles with size of less 10 μm from the particles, and the secondary can separate particles with size of less 2.5 μm from the particles.

Deformability and size-based cancer cell separation using an integrated microfluidic device.

PubMed

Pang, Long; Shen, Shaofei; Ma, Chao; Ma, Tongtong; Zhang, Rui; Tian, Chang; Zhao, Lei; Liu, Wenming; Wang, Jinyi

2015-11-07

Cell sorting by filtration techniques offers a label-free approach for cell separation on the basis of size and deformability. However, filtration is always limited by the unpredictable variation of the filter hydrodynamic resistance due to cell accumulation and clogging in the microstructures. In this study, we present a new integrated microfluidic device for cell separation based on the cell size and deformability by combining the microstructure-constricted filtration and pneumatic microvalves. Using this device, the cell populations sorted by the microstructures can be easily released in real time for subsequent analysis. Moreover, the periodical sort and release of cells greatly avoided cell accumulation and clogging and improved the selectivity. Separation of cancer cells (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and MDA231-LM2) with different deformability showed that the mixture of the less flexible cells (MCF-7) and the flexible cells (MDA-MB-231 and MDA231-LM2) can be well separated with more than 75% purity. Moreover, the device can be used to separate cancer cells from the blood samples with more than 90% cell recovery and more than 80% purity. Compared with the current filtration methods, the device provides a new approach for cancer cell separation with high collection recovery and purity, and also, possesses practical potential to be applied as a sample preparation platform for fundamental studies and clinical applications.

A Gravity-Driven Microfluidic Particle Sorting Device with Hydrodynamic Separation Amplification

PubMed Central

Huh, Dongeun; Bahng, Joong Hwan; Ling, Yibo; Wei, Hsien-Hung; Kripfgans, Oliver D.; Fowlkes, J. Brian; Grotberg, James B.; Takayama, Shuichi

2008-01-01

This paper describes a simple microfluidic sorting system that can perform size-profiling and continuous mass-dependent separation of particles through combined use of gravity (1g) and hydrodynamic flows capable of rapidly amplifying sedimentation-based separation between particles. Operation of the device relies on two microfluidic transport processes: i) initial hydrodynamic focusing of particles in a microchannel oriented parallel to gravity, ii) subsequent sample separation where positional difference between particles with different mass generated by sedimentation is further amplified by hydrodynamic flows whose streamlines gradually widen out due to the geometry of a widening microchannel oriented perpendicular to gravity. The microfluidic sorting device was fabricated in poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), and hydrodynamic flows in microchannels were driven by gravity without using external pumps. We conducted theoretical and experimental studies on fluid dynamic characteristics of laminar flows in widening microchannels and hydrodynamic amplification of particle separation. Direct trajectory monitoring, collection, and post-analysis of separated particles were performed using polystyrene microbeads with different sizes to demonstrate rapid (< 1 min) and high-purity (> 99.9 %) separation. Finally, we demonstrated biomedical applications of our system by isolating small-sized (diameter < 6 μm) perfluorocarbon liquid droplets from polydisperse droplet emulsions, which is crucial in preparing contrast agents for safe, reliable ultrasound medical imaging, tracers for magnetic resonance imaging, or transpulmonary droplets used in ultrasound-based occlusion therapy for cancer treatment. Our method enables straightforward, rapid real-time size-monitoring and continuous separation of particles in simple stand-alone microfabricated devices without the need for bulky and complex external power sources. We believe that this system will provide a useful tool o separate colloids and particles for various analytical and preparative applications, and may hold 3 potential for separation of cells or development of diagnostic tools requiring point-of-care sample preparation or testing. PMID:17297936

Elasto-inertial microfluidics for bacteria separation from whole blood for sepsis diagnostics.

PubMed

Faridi, Muhammad Asim; Ramachandraiah, Harisha; Banerjee, Indradumna; Ardabili, Sahar; Zelenin, Sergey; Russom, Aman

2017-01-04

Bloodstream infections (BSI) remain a major challenge with high mortality rate, with an incidence that is increasing worldwide. Early treatment with appropriate therapy can reduce BSI-related morbidity and mortality. However, despite recent progress in molecular based assays, complex sample preparation steps have become critical roadblock for a greater expansion of molecular assays. Here, we report a size based, label-free, bacteria separation from whole blood using elasto-inertial microfluidics. In elasto-inertial microfluidics, the viscoelastic flow enables size based migration of blood cells into a non-Newtonian solution, while smaller bacteria remain in the streamline of the blood sample entrance and can be separated. We first optimized the flow conditions using particles, and show continuous separation of 5 μm particles from 2 μm at a yield of 95% for 5 µm particle and 93% for 2 µm particles at respective outlets. Next, bacteria were continuously separated at an efficiency of 76% from undiluted whole blood sample. We demonstrate separation of bacteria from undiluted while blood using elasto-inertial microfluidics. The label-free, passive bacteria preparation method has a great potential for downstream phenotypic and molecular analysis of bacteria.

Feasibility study for combination of field-flow fractionation (FFF)-based separation of size-coded particle probes with amplified surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) tagging for simultaneous detection of multiple miRNAs.

PubMed

Shin, Kayeong; Choi, Jaeyeong; Kim, Yeoju; Lee, Yoonjeong; Kim, Joohoon; Lee, Seungho; Chung, Hoeil

2018-06-29

We propose a new analytical scheme in which field-flow fractionation (FFF)-based separation of target-specific polystyrene (PS) particle probes of different sizes are incorporated with amplified surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) tagging for the simultaneous and sensitive detection of multiple microRNAs (miRNAs). For multiplexed detection, PS particles of three different diameters (15, 10, 5 μm) were used for the size-coding, and a probe single stranded DNA (ssDNA) complementary to a target miRNA was conjugated on an intended PS particle. After binding of a target miRNA on PS probe, polyadenylation reaction was executed to generate a long tail composed of adenine (A) serving as a binding site to thymine (T) conjugated Au nanoparticles (T-AuNPs) to increase SERS intensity. The three size-coded PS probes bound with T-AuNPs were then separated in a FFF channel. With the observation of extinction-based fractograms, separation of three size-coded PS probes was clearly confirmed, thereby enabling of measuring three miRNAs simultaneously. Raman intensities of FFF fractions collected at the peak maximum of 15, 10 and 5 μm PS probes varied fairy quantitatively with the change of miRNA concentrations, and the reproducibility of measurement was acceptable. The proposed method is potentially useful for simultaneous detection of multiple miRNAs with high sensitivity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanoscale lateral displacement arrays for the separation of exosomes and colloids down to 20 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, Robert; Wunsch, Benjamin; Smith, Joshua; Gifford, Stacey; Wang, Chao; Brink, Markus; Bruce, Robert; Stolovitzky, Gustavo; Astier, Yann

Deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) pillar arrays are an efficient technology to sort, separate and enrich micrometre-scale particles, which include parasites1, bacteria2, blood cells3 and circulating tumour cells in blood4. However, this technology has not been translated to the true nanoscale, where it could function on biocolloids, such as exosomes. Exosomes, a key target of liquid biopsies, are secreted by cells and contain nucleic acid and protein information about their originating tissue5. One challenge in the study of exosome biology is to sort exosomes by size and surface markers6, 7. We use manufacturable silicon processes to produce nanoscale DLD (nano-DLD) arrays of uniform gap sizes ranging from 25 to 235 nm. We show that at low Péclet (Pe) numbers, at which diffusion and deterministic displacement compete, nano-DLD arrays separate particles between 20 to 110 nm based on size with sharp resolution. Further, we demonstrate the size-based displacement of exosomes, and so open up the potential for on-chip sorting and quantification of these important biocolloids.

Nanoscale lateral displacement arrays for the separation of exosomes and colloids down to 20 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wunsch, Benjamin H.; Smith, Joshua T.; Gifford, Stacey M.; Wang, Chao; Brink, Markus; Bruce, Robert L.; Austin, Robert H.; Stolovitzky, Gustavo; Astier, Yann

2016-11-01

Deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) pillar arrays are an efficient technology to sort, separate and enrich micrometre-scale particles, which include parasites, bacteria, blood cells and circulating tumour cells in blood. However, this technology has not been translated to the true nanoscale, where it could function on biocolloids, such as exosomes. Exosomes, a key target of 'liquid biopsies', are secreted by cells and contain nucleic acid and protein information about their originating tissue. One challenge in the study of exosome biology is to sort exosomes by size and surface markers. We use manufacturable silicon processes to produce nanoscale DLD (nano-DLD) arrays of uniform gap sizes ranging from 25 to 235 nm. We show that at low Péclet (Pe) numbers, at which diffusion and deterministic displacement compete, nano-DLD arrays separate particles between 20 to 110 nm based on size with sharp resolution. Further, we demonstrate the size-based displacement of exosomes, and so open up the potential for on-chip sorting and quantification of these important biocolloids.

Cavity-induced microstreaming for simultaneous on-chip pumping and size-based separation of cells and particles.

PubMed

Patel, Maulik V; Nanayakkara, Imaly A; Simon, Melinda G; Lee, Abraham P

2014-10-07

We present a microfluidic platform for simultaneous on-chip pumping and size-based separation of cells and particles without external fluidic control systems required for most existing platforms. The device utilizes an array of acoustically actuated air/liquid interfaces generated using dead-end side channels termed Lateral Cavity Acoustic Transducers (LCATs). The oscillating interfaces generate local streaming flow while the angle of the LCATs relative to the main channel generates a global bulk flow from the inlet to the outlet. The interaction of these two competing velocity fields (i.e. global bulk velocity vs. local streaming velocity) is responsible for the observed separation. It is shown that the separation of 5 μm and 10 μm polystyrene beads is dependent on the ratio of these two competing velocity fields. The experimental and simulation results suggest that particle trajectories based only on Stokes drag force cannot fully explain the separation behavior and that the impact of additional forces due to the oscillating flow field must be considered to determine the trajectory of the beads and ultimately the separation behavior of the device. To demonstrate an application of this separation platform with cellular components, smaller red blood cells (7.5 ± 0.8 μm) are separated from larger K562 cells (16.3 ± 2.0 μm) with viabilities comparable to those of controls based on a trypan blue exclusion assay.

Triton X-114 based cloud point extraction: a thermoreversible approach for separation/concentration and dispersion of nanomaterials in the aqueous phase.

PubMed

Liu, Jing-fu; Liu, Rui; Yin, Yong-guang; Jiang, Gui-bin

2009-03-28

Capable of preserving the sizes and shapes of nanomaterials during the phase transferring, Triton X-114 based cloud point extraction provides a general, simple, and cost-effective route for reversible concentration/separation or dispersion of various nanomaterials in the aqueous phase.

Novel surface modification of polymer-based separation media controlling separation selectivity, retentivity and generation of electroosmotic flow.

PubMed

Hosoya, Ken; Kubo, Takuya; Takahashi, Katsuo; Ikegami, Tohru; Tanaka, Nobuo

2002-12-06

Uniformly sized packing materials based on synthetic polymer particles for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and capillary electrochromatography (CEC) have been prepared from polymerization mixtures containing methacrylic acid (MAA) as a functional monomer and by using a novel surface modification method. This "dispersion method" affords effectively modified separation media. Both the amount of MAA utilized in the preparation and reaction time affect the selectivity of chromatographic separation in both the HPLC and the CEC mode and electroosmotic flow. This detailed study revealed that the dispersion method effectively modified internal surface of macroporous separation media and, based on the amount of MAA introduced, exclusion mechanism for the separation of certain solutes could be observed.

16. DETAIL OF TOOL FOR COMPRESSING SPRING IN FAIRING SEPARATION ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

16. DETAIL OF TOOL FOR COMPRESSING SPRING IN FAIRING SEPARATION ACTUATOR AND PLASTIC-WRAPPED ACTUATOR FOR FAIRING THAT WILL ENCLOSE A DMSP SATELLITE. (FAIRING SEPARATION ACTUATOR COMPRESSES TO ONE-THIRD OF ITS SIZE.) - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Vehicle Support Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Disaggregation and separation dynamics of magnetic particles in a microfluidic flow under an alternating gradient magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Quanliang; Li, Zhenhao; Wang, Zhen; Qi, Fan; Han, Xiaotao

2018-05-01

How to prevent particle aggregation in the magnetic separation process is of great importance for high-purity separation, while it is a challenging issue in practice. In this work, we report a novel method to solve this problem for improving the selectivity of size-based separation by use of a gradient alternating magnetic field. The specially designed magnetic field is capable of dynamically adjusting the magnetic field direction without changing the direction of magnetic gradient force acting on the particles. Using direct numerical simulations, we show that particles within a certain center-to-center distance are inseparable under a gradient static magnetic field since they are easy aggregated and then start moving together. By contrast, it has been demonstrated that alternating repulsive and attractive interaction forces between particles can be generated to avoid the formation of aggregations when the alternating gradient magnetic field with a given alternating frequency is applied, enabling these particles to be continuously separated based on size-dependent properties. The proposed magnetic separation method and simulation results have the significance for fundamental understanding of particle dynamic behavior and improving the separation efficiency.

Acoustic Purification of Extracellular Microvesicles

PubMed Central

Lee, Kyungheon; Shao, Huilin; Weissleder, Ralph; Lee, Hakho

2015-01-01

Microvesicles (MVs) are an increasingly important source for biomarker discovery and clinical diagnostics. The small size of MVs and their presence in complex biological environment, however, pose practical technical challenges, particularly when sample volumes are small. We herein present an acoustic nano-filter system that size-specifically separates MVs in a continuous and contact-free manner. The separation is based on ultrasound standing waves that exert differential acoustic force on MVs according to their size and density. By optimizing the design of the ultrasound transducers and underlying electronics, we were able to achieve a high separation yield and resolution. The “filter size-cutoff” can be controlled electronically in situ and enables versatile MV-size selection. We applied the acoustic nano-filter to isolate nanoscale (<200 nm) vesicles from cell culture media as well as MVs in stored red blood cell products. With the capacity for rapid and contact-free MV isolation, the developed system could become a versatile preparatory tool for MV analyses. PMID:25672598

Thermally assisted acoustofluidic separation of extracellular vesicles from cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirtaheri, Elnaz; Dolatmoradi, Ata; Pimentel, Krystine; Bhansali, Shekhar; El-Zahab, Bilal

2018-02-01

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been gaining increasing attention given their role in communicating information between cells. Composition-based isolation of EVs is particularly of high significance as the proteomic and lipidomic characterization of their cargo could provide valuable clues to the role of EVs in mediating the biology of various conditions. This has, however, proved to be challenging as EVs, despite their abundance, are very small and difficult to be differentiated from the other constituents of host media. In addition, currently available methods like ultracentrifugation and filtration are cumbersome and capable of achieving mostly size-based separations. In this work, we demonstrate the possibility of separating submicron EV-like vesicles from cancer cells using a thermally-assisted acoustophoretic device. In a system composed of MCF-7 breast cancer cells spiked with two different types of same-size vesicles, composition-based isolation of vesicles was shown to be realizable through opposite focusing of the system's components at the node and antinodes of the overlaid ultrasonic standing wave. By proper choice of temperature in the microchannel, we were able to achieve separations with purities exceeding 93%. Furthermore, cells recovered from the channel were shown to be viable after the separation.

Continuous high throughput molecular adhesion based cell sorting using ridged microchannels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasadduq, Bushra; Wang, Gonghao; Alexeev, Alexander; Sarioglu, Ali Fatih; Sulchek, Todd

2016-11-01

Cell molecular interactions govern important physiological processes such as stem cell homing, inflammation and cancer metastasis. But due to a lack of effective separation technologies selective to these interactions it is challenging to specifically sort cells. Other label free separation techniques based on size, stiffness and shape do not provide enough specificity to cell type, and correlation to clinical condition. We propose a novel microfluidic device capable of high throughput molecule dependent separation of cells by flowing them through a microchannel decorated with molecule specific coated ridges. The unique aspect of this sorting design is the use of optimized gap size which is small enough to lightly squeeze the cells while flowing under the ridged part of the channel to increase the surface area for interaction between the ligand on cell surface and coated receptor molecule but large enough so that biomechanical markers, stiffness and viscoelasticity, do not dominate the cell separation mechanism. We are able to separate Jurkat cells based on its expression of PSGL-1ligand using ridged channel coated with P selectin at a flow rate of 0.045ml/min and achieve 2-fold and 5-fold enrichment of PSGL-1 positive and negative Jurkat cells respectively.

Size-separation of silver nanoparticles using sucrose gradient centrifugation

DOE PAGES

Suresh, Anil K.; Pelletier, Dale A.; Moon, Ji Won; ...

2015-08-28

Size and shape distributions of nanoparticles can drastically contribute to the overall properties of nanoparticles, thereby influencing their interaction with different chemotherapeutic molecules, biological organisms and or materials and cell types. Therefore, to exploit the proper use of nanoparticles for various biomedical and biosensor applications, it is important to obtain well-separated monodispersed nanoparticles. However, gaining precise control over the morphological characteristics of nanoparticles during their synthesis is often a challenging task. Consequently, post-synthesis separation of nanoparticles is necessary. In the present study, we demonstrate the successful one-pot post-synthesis separation of anisotropic silver nanoparticles to near modispersities using sucrose density gradientmore » sedimentation. The separation of the nanoparticles was evidenced based on optical confirmation, and spectrophotometric and transmission electron microscopy measurements. Our results clearly demonstrate the facile separation of anisotropic silver nanoparticles using sucrose density gradient sedimentation and can enable the use of nanoparticles for various biomedical applications.« less

Size-separation of silver nanoparticles using sucrose gradient centrifugation

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

Suresh, Anil K.; Pelletier, Dale A.; Moon, Ji Won

Size and shape distributions of nanoparticles can drastically contribute to the overall properties of nanoparticles, thereby influencing their interaction with different chemotherapeutic molecules, biological organisms and or materials and cell types. Therefore, to exploit the proper use of nanoparticles for various biomedical and biosensor applications, it is important to obtain well-separated monodispersed nanoparticles. However, gaining precise control over the morphological characteristics of nanoparticles during their synthesis is often a challenging task. Consequently, post-synthesis separation of nanoparticles is necessary. In the present study, we demonstrate the successful one-pot post-synthesis separation of anisotropic silver nanoparticles to near modispersities using sucrose density gradientmore » sedimentation. The separation of the nanoparticles was evidenced based on optical confirmation, and spectrophotometric and transmission electron microscopy measurements. Our results clearly demonstrate the facile separation of anisotropic silver nanoparticles using sucrose density gradient sedimentation and can enable the use of nanoparticles for various biomedical applications.« less

Multiplexed Affinity-Based Separation of Proteins and Cells Using Inertial Microfluidics.

PubMed

Sarkar, Aniruddh; Hou, Han Wei; Mahan, Alison E; Han, Jongyoon; Alter, Galit

2016-03-30

Isolation of low abundance proteins or rare cells from complex mixtures, such as blood, is required for many diagnostic, therapeutic and research applications. Current affinity-based protein or cell separation methods use binary 'bind-elute' separations and are inefficient when applied to the isolation of multiple low-abundance proteins or cell types. We present a method for rapid and multiplexed, yet inexpensive, affinity-based isolation of both proteins and cells, using a size-coded mixture of multiple affinity-capture microbeads and an inertial microfluidic particle sorter device. In a single binding step, different targets-cells or proteins-bind to beads of different sizes, which are then sorted by flowing them through a spiral microfluidic channel. This technique performs continuous-flow, high throughput affinity-separation of milligram-scale protein samples or millions of cells in minutes after binding. We demonstrate the simultaneous isolation of multiple antibodies from serum and multiple cell types from peripheral blood mononuclear cells or whole blood. We use the technique to isolate low abundance antibodies specific to different HIV antigens and rare HIV-specific cells from blood obtained from HIV+ patients.

Simultaneous separation and purification of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate and caffeine from tea extract by size exclusion effect on modified porous adsorption material.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaofeng; Xu, Yi; Zhang, Qing; Cao, Kun; Mu, Xiuni

2016-09-15

A dual-task method for the simultaneous separation and purification of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and caffeine (CAF) from crude extract of green tea was established by size exclusion effect onto hydroquinone modified porous adsorbents. The results showed that hydroquinone modified porous adsorbents P4 provided the best separation power due to it has more porous structure and phenolic hydroxyl group. The adsorption-desorption behaviors of EGCG and CAF onto P4 adsorbents were investigated. Adsorption kinetics of EGCG and CAF results showed that the adsorption followed the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The results also indicated that the equilibrium adsorption data best fit the Langmuir model. Meanwhile, EGCG and CAF were separated successfully onto P4 adsorbents packed columns in a gradient eluent process, and P4 adsorbents exhibited the size exclusion effect for small molecules CAF. Based on the phenolic hydroxyl group and size exclusion effect of P4 adsorbents, the high purity EGCG and CAF were obtained with 40% (v/v) ethanol eluent successively. The process fulfilled the task of simultaneous separation and purification of EGCG and CAF, and proved to be a promising basis for preparations of difficult to obtain active components that have similar polarity and different sizes of molecules and derived from the same natural products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aerosol feed direct methanol fuel cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kindler, Andrew (Inventor); Narayanan, Sekharipuram R. (Inventor); Valdez, Thomas I. (Inventor)

2002-01-01

Improvements to fuel cells include introduction of the fuel as an aerosol of liquid fuel droplets suspended in a gas. The particle size of the liquid fuel droplets may be controlled for optimal fuel cell performance by selection of different aerosol generators or by separating droplets based upon size using a particle size conditioner.

Deposition of bi-dispersed particles in inkjet-printed evaporating colloidal drops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Ying; Joshi, Abhijit; Chhasatia, Viral

2010-11-01

In this study, the deposition behaviors of inkjet-printed evaporating colloidal drops consisting of bi-dispersed micro and nano-sized particles are investigated by fluorescence microscopy and SEM. The results on hydrophilic glass substrates show that, evaporatively-driven outward flow drives the nanoparticles to deposit close to the pinned contact line while an inner ring deposition is formed by microparticles. This size-induced particle separation is consistent with the existence of a wedge-shaped drop edge near the contact line region of an evaporating drop on a hydrophilic substrate. The replenishing evaporatively-driven flow assembles nanoparticles closer to the pinned contact line forming an outer ring of nanoparticles and this particle jamming further enhances the contact line pinning. Microparticles are observed to form an inner ring inside the nano-sized deposits. This size-induced particle separation presents a new challenge to the uniformity of functional materials in bioprinting applications where nanoparticles and micro-sized cells are mixed together. On the other hand, particle self-assembly based on their sizes provides enables easy and well-controlled pattern formation. The effects of particle size contrast, particle volume fraction, substrate surface energy, and relative humidity of the printing environment on particle separation are examined in detail.

A computational approach to predicting ligand selectivity for the size-based separation of trivalent lanthanides

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

Ivanov, Alexander S.; Bryantsev, Vyacheslav S.

An accurate description of solvation effects for trivalent lanthanide ions is a main stumbling block to the qualitative prediction of selectivity trends along the lanthanide series. In this work, we propose a simple model to describe the differential effect of solvation in the competitive binding of a ligand by lanthanide ions by including weakly co-ordinated counterions in the complexes of more than a +1 charge. The success of the approach to quantitatively reproduce selectivities obtained from aqueous phase complexation studies demonstrates its potential for the design and screening of new ligands for efficient size-based separation.

A computational approach to predicting ligand selectivity for the size-based separation of trivalent lanthanides

DOE PAGES

Ivanov, Alexander S.; Bryantsev, Vyacheslav S.

2016-06-20

An accurate description of solvation effects for trivalent lanthanide ions is a main stumbling block to the qualitative prediction of selectivity trends along the lanthanide series. In this work, we propose a simple model to describe the differential effect of solvation in the competitive binding of a ligand by lanthanide ions by including weakly co-ordinated counterions in the complexes of more than a +1 charge. The success of the approach to quantitatively reproduce selectivities obtained from aqueous phase complexation studies demonstrates its potential for the design and screening of new ligands for efficient size-based separation.

Separation of red blood cells in deep deterministic lateral displacement devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kabacaoglu, Gokberk; Biros, George

2017-11-01

Microfluidic cell separation techniques are of great interest since they help rapid medical diagnoses and tests. Deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) is one of them. A DLD device consists of arrays of pillars. Main flow and alignment of the pillars define two different directions. Size-based separation of rigid spherical particles is possible as they follow one of these directions depending on their sizes. However, the separation of non-spherical deformable particles such as red blood cells (RBCs) is more complicated than that due to their intricate dynamics. We study the separation of RBCs in DLD using an in-house integral equation solver. We systematically investigate the effects of the interior fluid viscosity and the membrane elasticity of an RBC on its behavior. These mechanical properties of a cell determine its deformability, which can be altered by several diseases. We particularly consider deep devices in which an RBC can show rich dynamics such as tank-treading and tumbling. It turns out that strong hydrodynamic lift force moves the tank-treading cells along the pillars and downward force leads the tumbling ones to move with the flow. Thereby, deformability-based separation of RBCs is possible.

Separation of rare oligodendrocyte progenitor cells from brain using a high-throughput multilayer thermoplastic-based microfluidic device.

PubMed

Didar, Tohid Fatanat; Li, Kebin; Veres, Teodor; Tabrizian, Maryam

2013-07-01

Despite the advances made in the field of regenerative medicine, the progress in cutting-edge technologies for separating target therapeutic cells are still at early stage of development. These cells are often rare, such as stem cells or progenitor cells that their overall properties should be maintained during the separation process for their subsequent application in regenerative medicine. This work, presents separation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) from rat brain primary cultures using an integrated thermoplastic elastomeric (TPE)- based multilayer microfluidic device fabricated using hot-embossing technology. OPCs are frequently used in recovery, repair and regeneration of central nervous system after injuries. Indeed, their ability to differentiate in vitro into myelinating oligodendrocytes, are extremely important for myelin repair. OPCs form 5-10% of the glial cells population. The traditional macroscale techniques for OPCs separation require pre-processing of cells and/or multiple time consuming steps with low efficiency leading very often to alteration of their properties. The proposed methodology implies to separate OPCs based on their smaller size compared to other cells from the brain tissue mixture. Using aforementioned microfluidic chip embedded with a 5 μm membrane pore size and micropumping system, a separation efficiency more than 99% was achieved. This microchip was able to operate at flow rates up to 100 μl/min, capable of separating OPCs from a confluent 75 cm(2) cell culture flask in less than 10 min, which provides us with a high-throughput and highly efficient separation expected from any cell sorting techniques. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mixed matrix formulations with MOF molecular sieving for key energy-intensive separations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Gongping; Chernikova, Valeriya; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Kuang; Belmabkhout, Youssef; Shekhah, Osama; Zhang, Chen; Yi, Shouliang; Eddaoudi, Mohamed; Koros, William J.

2018-03-01

Membrane-based separations can improve energy efficiency and reduce the environmental impacts associated with traditional approaches. Nevertheless, many challenges must be overcome to design membranes that can replace conventional gas separation processes. Here, we report on the incorporation of engineered submicrometre-sized metal-organic framework (MOF) crystals into polymers to form hybrid materials that successfully translate the excellent molecular sieving properties of face-centred cubic (fcu)-MOFs into the resultant membranes. We demonstrate, simultaneously, exceptionally enhanced separation performance in hybrid membranes for two challenging and economically important applications: the removal of CO2 and H2S from natural gas and the separation of butane isomers. Notably, the membrane molecular sieving properties demonstrate that the deliberately regulated and contracted MOF pore-aperture size can discriminate between molecular pairs. The improved performance results from precise control of the linkers delimiting the triangular window, which is the sole entrance to the fcu-MOF pore. This rational-design hybrid approach provides a general toolbox for enhancing the transport properties of advanced membranes bearing molecular sieve fillers with sub-nanometre-sized pore-apertures.

Numerical simulation of the deterministic vector separation of particles flowing over slanted open cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaqfeh, Eric S. G.; Bernate, Jorge A.; Yang, Mengfei

2016-12-01

Within the past decade, the separation of particles via continuous flow through microfluidic devices has been developed largely through an Edisonian approach whereby devices have been developed based on observation and intuition. This is particularly true in the development of vector chromatography at vanishingly small Reynolds number for non-Brownian particles. Note that this latter phenomenon has its origins in the irreversible forces that are at work in the device, since Stokes flow reversibility typically prohibits their function otherwise. We present a numerical simulation of the vector separation of non-Brownian particles of different sizes and deformabilities in the Stokes flow through channels whose lower surface is composed of slanted cavities. The simulations are designed to understand the physical principles behind the separation as well as to provide design criteria for devices for separating particles in a given size and flexibility range. The numerical simulations are Stokes flow boundary element simulations using techniques defined elsewhere in the literature, but including a close-range repulsive force between the particles and the slanted cavities. We demonstrate that over a range of repulsive force that is comparable to the roughness in the experimental devices, the separation data (particularly in particle size) are predicted quantitatively and are a very weak function of the range of the force. We then vary the geometric parameters of the simulated devices to demonstrate the sensitivity of the separation efficiency to these parameters, thus making design predictions as to which devices are appropriate for separating particles in different size, shape, and deformability ranges.

Separation of plastics by froth flotation. The role of size, shape and density of the particles.

PubMed

Pita, Fernando; Castilho, Ana

2017-02-01

Over the last few years, new methods for plastic separation in mining have been developed. Froth flotation is one of these techniques, which is based on hydrophobicity differences between particles. Unlike minerals, most of the plastics are naturally hydrophobic, thus requiring the addition of chemicals that promote the selective wettability of one of its components, for a flotation separation. The floatability of six granulated post-consumer plastic - Polystyrene (PS), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET-S, PET-D) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC-M, PVC-D) - in the presence of tannic acid (wetting agent), and the performance of the flotation separation of five bi-component plastic mixtures - PS/PMMA, PS/PET-S, PS/PET-D, PS/PVC-M and PS/PVC-D - were evaluated. Moreover, the effect of the contact angle, density, size and shape of the particles was also analysed. Results showed that all plastics were naturally hydrophobic, with PS exhibiting the highest floatability. The contact angle and the flotation recovery of six plastics decreased with increasing tannic acid concentration, occurring depression of plastics at very low concentrations. Floatability differed also with the size and shape of plastic particles. For regular-shaped plastics (PS, PMMA and PVC-D) floatability decreased with the increase of particle size, while for lamellar-shaped particles (PET-D) floatability was slightly greater for coarser particles. Thus, plastic particles with small size, lamellar shape and low density present a greater floatability. The quality of separation varied with the mixture type, depending not only on the plastics hydrophobicity, but also on the size, density and shape of the particles, i.e. the particle weight. Flotation separation of plastics can be enhanced by differences in hydrophobicity. In addition, flotation separation improves if the most hydrophobic plastic, that floats, has a lamellar shape and lower density and if the most hydrophilic plastic, that sinks, has a regular shape and higher density. The results obtained show that froth flotation is a potential method for plastics separation, in particular for plastics with particle size greater than 2.0mm. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrodynamic chromatography of macromolecules using polymer monolithic columns.

PubMed

Edam, Rob; Eeltink, Sebastiaan; Vanhoutte, Dominique J D; Kok, Wim Th; Schoenmakers, Peter J

2011-12-02

The selectivity window of size-based separations of macromolecules was tailored by tuning the macropore size of polymer monolithic columns. Monolithic materials with pore sizes ranging between 75 nm and 1.2 μm were prepared in situ in large I.D. columns. The dominant separation mechanism was hydrodynamic chromatography in the flow-through pores. The calibration curves for synthetic polymers matched with the elution behavior by HDC separations in packed columns with 'analyte-to-pore' aspect ratios (λ) up to 0.2. For large-macropore monoliths, a deviation in retention behavior was observed for small polystyrene polymers (M(r)<20 kDa), which may be explained by a combined HDC-SEC mechanism for λ<0.02. The availability of monoliths with very narrow pore sizes allowed investigation of separations at high λ values. For high-molecular weight polymers (M(r)>300,000 Da) confined in narrow channels, the separation strongly depended on flow rate. Flow-rate dependent elution behavior was evaluated by calculation of Deborah numbers and confirmed to be outside the scope of classic shear deformation or slalom chromatography. Shear-induced forces acting on the periphery of coiled polymers in solution may be responsible for flow-rate dependent elution. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hanbury–Brown–Twiss measurements at large rapidity separations, or can we measure the proton radius in p-A collisions?

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

Altinoluk, Tolga; Armesto, Néstor; Beuf, Guillaume

2015-11-14

We point out that current calculations of inclusive two-particle correlations in p-A collisions based on the Color Glass Condensate approach exhibit a contribution from Hanbury–Brown–Twiss correlations. These HBT correlations are quite distinct from the standard ones, in that they are apparent for particles widely separated in rapidity. The transverse size of the emitter which is reflected in these correlations is the gluonic size of the proton. Furthermore, this raises an interesting possibility of measuring the proton size directly by the HBT effect of particle pairs produced in p-A collisions.

Separation and characterization of gold nanoparticle mixtures by flow-field-flow fractionation.

PubMed

Calzolai, Luigi; Gilliland, Douglas; Garcìa, César Pascual; Rossi, François

2011-07-08

We show that using asymmetric flow-field-flow fractionation and UV-vis detector it is possible to separate, characterize, and quantify the correct number size distribution of gold nanoparticle (AuNP) mixtures of various sizes in the 5-60 nm range for which simple dynamic light scattering measurements give misleading information. The size of the collected nanoparticles fractions can be determined both in solution and in the solid state, and their surface chemistry characterized by NMR. This method will find widespread applications both in the process of "size purification" after the synthesis of AuNP and in the identification and characterization of gold-based nanomaterials in consumer products. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An optimized nanoparticle separator enabled by electron beam induced deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fowlkes, J. D.; Doktycz, M. J.; Rack, P. D.

2010-04-01

Size-based separations technologies will inevitably benefit from advances in nanotechnology. Direct-write nanofabrication provides a useful mechanism for depositing/etching nanoscale elements in environments otherwise inaccessible to conventional nanofabrication techniques. Here, electron beam induced deposition was used to deposit an array of nanoscale features in a 3D environment with minimal material proximity effects outside the beam-interaction region. Specifically, the membrane component of a nanoparticle separator was fabricated by depositing a linear array of sharply tipped nanopillars, with a singular pitch, designed for sub-50 nm nanoparticle permeability. The nanopillar membrane was used in a dual capacity to control the flow of nanoparticles in the transaxial direction of the array while facilitating the sealing of the cellular-sized compartment in the paraxial direction. An optimized growth recipe resulted which (1) maximized the growth efficiency of the membrane (which minimizes proximity effects) and (2) preserved the fidelity of the spacing between nanopillars (which maximizes the size-based gating quality of the membrane) while (3) maintaining sharp nanopillar apexes for impaling an optically transparent polymeric lid critical for device sealing.

Cascading and Parallelising Curvilinear Inertial Focusing Systems for High Volume, Wide Size Distribution, Separation and Concentration of Particles

PubMed Central

Miller, B.; Jimenez, M.; Bridle, H.

2016-01-01

Inertial focusing is a microfluidic based separation and concentration technology that has expanded rapidly in the last few years. Throughput is high compared to other microfluidic approaches although sample volumes have typically remained in the millilitre range. Here we present a strategy for achieving rapid high volume processing with stacked and cascaded inertial focusing systems, allowing for separation and concentration of particles with a large size range, demonstrated here from 30 μm–300 μm. The system is based on curved channels, in a novel toroidal configuration and a stack of 20 devices has been shown to operate at 1 L/min. Recirculation allows for efficient removal of large particles whereas a cascading strategy enables sequential removal of particles down to a final stage where the target particle size can be concentrated. The demonstration of curved stacked channels operating in a cascaded manner allows for high throughput applications, potentially replacing filtration in applications such as environmental monitoring, industrial cleaning processes, biomedical and bioprocessing and many more. PMID:27808244

Acoustophoretic separation of airborne millimeter-size particles by a Fresnel lens.

PubMed

Cicek, Ahmet; Korozlu, Nurettin; Adem Kaya, Olgun; Ulug, Bulent

2017-03-02

We numerically demonstrate acoustophoretic separation of spherical solid particles in air by means of an acoustic Fresnel lens. Beside gravitational and drag forces, freely-falling millimeter-size particles experience large acoustic radiation forces around the focus of the lens, where interplay of forces lead to differentiation of particle trajectories with respect to either size or material properties. Due to the strong acoustic field at the focus, radiation force can divert particles with source intensities significantly smaller than those required for acoustic levitation in a standing field. When the lens is designed to have a focal length of 100 mm at 25 kHz, finite-element method simulations reveal a sharp focus with a full-width at half-maximum of 0.5 wavelenghts and a field enhancement of 18 dB. Through numerical calculation of forces and simulation of particle trajectories, we demonstrate size-based separation of acrylic particles at a source sound pressure level of 153 dB such that particles with diameters larger than 0.5 mm are admitted into the central hole, whereas smaller particles are rejected. Besides, efficient separation of particles with similar acoustic properties such as polyethylene, polystyrene and acrylic particles of the same size is also demonstrated.

Acoustophoretic separation of airborne millimeter-size particles by a Fresnel lens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cicek, Ahmet; Korozlu, Nurettin; Adem Kaya, Olgun; Ulug, Bulent

2017-03-01

We numerically demonstrate acoustophoretic separation of spherical solid particles in air by means of an acoustic Fresnel lens. Beside gravitational and drag forces, freely-falling millimeter-size particles experience large acoustic radiation forces around the focus of the lens, where interplay of forces lead to differentiation of particle trajectories with respect to either size or material properties. Due to the strong acoustic field at the focus, radiation force can divert particles with source intensities significantly smaller than those required for acoustic levitation in a standing field. When the lens is designed to have a focal length of 100 mm at 25 kHz, finite-element method simulations reveal a sharp focus with a full-width at half-maximum of 0.5 wavelenghts and a field enhancement of 18 dB. Through numerical calculation of forces and simulation of particle trajectories, we demonstrate size-based separation of acrylic particles at a source sound pressure level of 153 dB such that particles with diameters larger than 0.5 mm are admitted into the central hole, whereas smaller particles are rejected. Besides, efficient separation of particles with similar acoustic properties such as polyethylene, polystyrene and acrylic particles of the same size is also demonstrated.

Acoustophoretic separation of airborne millimeter-size particles by a Fresnel lens

PubMed Central

Cicek, Ahmet; Korozlu, Nurettin; Adem Kaya, Olgun; Ulug, Bulent

2017-01-01

We numerically demonstrate acoustophoretic separation of spherical solid particles in air by means of an acoustic Fresnel lens. Beside gravitational and drag forces, freely-falling millimeter-size particles experience large acoustic radiation forces around the focus of the lens, where interplay of forces lead to differentiation of particle trajectories with respect to either size or material properties. Due to the strong acoustic field at the focus, radiation force can divert particles with source intensities significantly smaller than those required for acoustic levitation in a standing field. When the lens is designed to have a focal length of 100 mm at 25 kHz, finite-element method simulations reveal a sharp focus with a full-width at half-maximum of 0.5 wavelenghts and a field enhancement of 18 dB. Through numerical calculation of forces and simulation of particle trajectories, we demonstrate size-based separation of acrylic particles at a source sound pressure level of 153 dB such that particles with diameters larger than 0.5 mm are admitted into the central hole, whereas smaller particles are rejected. Besides, efficient separation of particles with similar acoustic properties such as polyethylene, polystyrene and acrylic particles of the same size is also demonstrated. PMID:28252033

Novel strategy for diameter-selective separation and functionalization of single-wall carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Tromp, R M; Afzali, A; Freitag, M; Mitzi, D B; Chen, Zh

2008-02-01

The problem of separating single-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by diameter and/or chirality is one of the greatest impediments toward the widespread application of these promising materials in nanoelectronics. In this paper, we describe a novel physical-chemical method for diameter-selective CNT separation that is both simple and effective and that allows up-scaling to large volumes at modest cost. Separation is based on size-selective noncovalent matching of an appropriate anchor molecule to the wall of the CNT, enabling suspension of the CNTs in solvents in which they would otherwise not be soluble. We demonstrate size-selective separation in the 1-2 nm diameter range using easily synthesized oligo-acene adducts as a diameter-selective molecular anchor. CNT field effect transistors fabricated from diameter-selected CNTs show markedly improved electrical properties as compared to nonselected CNTs.

Numerical analysis of a dielectrophoresis field-flow fractionation device for the separation of multiple cell types.

PubMed

Shamloo, Amir; Kamali, Ali

2017-10-01

In this study, a dielectrophoresis field-flow fractionation device was analyzed using a numerical simulation method and the behaviors of a set of different cells were investigated. By reducing the alternating current frequency of the electrodes from the value used in the original setup configuration and increasing the number of exit channels, total discrimination in cell trajectories and subsequent separation of four cell types were achieved. Cells were differentiated based on their size and dielectric response that are represented in their real part of Clausius-Mossotti factor at different frequencies. A number of novel designs were also proposed based on the original setup configuration. It was seen that by reducing the length of the main channel and the number of electrodes at low frequencies and not changing the inlet flow velocities, cell separation was still achieved successfully, although with a slightly larger electrode voltage. The shorter main channel decreased the residence time for the cells on the chip and also reduced the overall size of the device-these were improvements over the original design. The obtained results can be used to analyze other cell types by knowing their size and dielectric properties to design geometries that can ensure separation. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultrasonically enhanced fractionation of milk fat in a litre-scale prototype vessel.

PubMed

Leong, Thomas; Johansson, Linda; Mawson, Raymond; McArthur, Sally L; Manasseh, Richard; Juliano, Pablo

2016-01-01

The ultrasonic fractionation of milk fat in whole milk to fractions with distinct particle size distributions was demonstrated using a stage-based ultrasound-enhanced gravity separation protocol. Firstly, a single stage ultrasound gravity separation was characterised after various sonication durations (5-20 min) with a mass balance, where defined volume partitions were removed across the height of the separation vessel to determine the fat content and size distribution of fat droplets. Subsequent trials using ultrasound-enhanced gravity separation were carried out in three consecutive stages. Each stage consisted of 5 min sonication, with single and dual transducer configurations at 1 MHz and 2 MHz, followed by aliquot collection for particle size characterisation of the formed layers located at the bottom and top of the vessel. After each sonication stage, gentle removal of the separated fat layer located at the top was performed. Results indicated that ultrasound promoted the formation of a gradient of vertically increasing fat concentration and particle size across the height of the separation vessel, which became more pronounced with extended sonication time. Ultrasound-enhanced fractionation provided fat enriched fractions located at the top of the vessel of up to 13 ± 1% (w/v) with larger globules present in the particle size distributions. In contrast, semi-skim milk fractions located at the bottom of the vessel as low as 1.2 ± 0.01% (w/v) could be produced, containing proportionally smaller sized fat globules. Particle size differentiation was enhanced at higher ultrasound energy input (up to 347 W/L). In particular, dual transducer after three-stage operation at maximum energy input provided highest mean particle size differentiation with up to 0.9 μm reduction in the semi-skim fractions. Higher frequency ultrasound at 2 MHz was more effective in manipulating smaller sized fat globules retained in the later stages of skimming than 1 MHz. While 2 MHz ultrasound removed 59 ± 2% of the fat contained in the initial sample, only 47 ± 2% was removed with 1 MHz after 3 ultrasound-assisted fractionation stages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization and mechanical separation of metals from computer Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) based on mineral processing methods.

PubMed

Sarvar, Mojtaba; Salarirad, Mohammad Mehdi; Shabani, Mohammad Amin

2015-11-01

In this paper, a novel mechanical process is proposed for enriching metal content of computer Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs). The PCBs are crushed and divided into three different size fractions namely: -0.59, +0.59 to 1.68 and +1.68 mm. Wet jigging and froth flotation methods are selected for metal enrichment. The coarse size fraction (+1.68 mm) is processed by jigging. The plastic free product is grinded and screened. The oversized product is separated as the first concentrate. It was rich of metal because the grinding process was selective. The undersized product is processed by froth flotation. Based on the obtained results, the middle size fraction (+0.59 to 1.68 mm) and the small size fraction (-0.59 mm) are processed by wet jigging and froth flotation respectively. The wet jigging process is optimized by investigating the effect of pulsation frequency and water flow rate. The results of examining the effect of particle size, solid to liquid ratio, conditioning time and using apolar collector showed that collectorless flotation is a promising method for separating nonmetals of PCBs. 95.6%, 97.5% and 85% of metal content of coarse size, middle size and small size fraction are recovered. The grades of obtained concentrates were 63.3%, 92.5% and 75% respectively. The total recovery is calculated as 95.64% and the grade of the final concentrate was 71.26%. Determining the grade of copper and gold in the final product reveals that 4.95% of copper and 24.46% of gold are lost during the concentration. The major part of the lost gold is accumulated in froth flotation tail. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quality testing of an innovative cascade separation system for multiple cell separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierzchalski, Arkadiusz; Moszczynska, Aleksandra; Albrecht, Bernd; Heinrich, Jan-Michael; Tarnok, Attila

2012-03-01

Isolation of different cell types from mixed samples in one separation step by FACS is feasible but expensive and slow. It is cheaper and faster but still challenging by magnetic separation. An innovative bead-based cascade-system (pluriSelect GmbH, Leipzig, Germany) relies on simultaneous physical separation of different cell types. It is based on antibody-mediated binding of cells to beads of different size and isolation with sieves of different mesh-size. We validated pluriSelect system for single parameter (CD3) and simultaneous separation of CD3 and CD15 cells from EDTA blood-samples. Results were compared with those obtained by MACS (Miltenyi-Biotech) magnetic separation (CD3 separation). pluriSelect separation was done in whole blood, MACS on Ficoll gradient isolated leukocytes, according to the manufacturer's protocols. Isolated and residual cells were immunophenotyped (7-color 8-antibody panel (CD3; CD16/56; CD4; CD8; CD14; CD19; CD45; HLADR) on a CyFlowML flow cytometer (Partec GmbH). Cell count (Coulter), purity, yield and viability (7-AAD exclusion) were determined. There were no significant differences between both systems regarding purity (92-98%), yield (50-60%) and viability (92-98%) of isolated cells. PluriSelect separation was slightly faster than MACS (1.15 h versus 1.5h). Moreover, no preenrichment steps were necessary. In conclusion, pluriSelect is a fast, simple and gentle system for efficient simultaneous separation of two cell subpopulation directly from whole blood and can provide a simple alternative to FACS. The isolated cells can be used for further research applications.

Tapered Microfluidic for Continuous Micro-Object Separation Based on Hydrodynamic Principle.

PubMed

Ahmad, Ida Laila; Ahmad, Mohd Ridzuan; Takeuchi, Masaru; Nakajima, Masahiro; Hasegawa, Yasuhisa

2017-12-01

Recent advances in microfluidic technologies have created a demand for a simple and efficient separation intended for various applications such as food industries, biological preparation, and medical diagnostic. In this paper, we report a tapered microfluidic device for passive continuous separation of microparticles by using hydrodynamic separation. By exploiting the hydrodynamic properties of the fluid flow and physical characteristics of micro particles, effective size based separation is demonstrated. The tapered microfluidic device has widening geometries with respect to specific taper angle which amplify the sedimentation effect experienced by particles of different sizes. A mixture of 3-μm and 10-μm polystyrene microbeads are successfully separated using 20° and 25° taper angles. The results obtained are in agreement with three-dimensional finite element simulation conducted using Abaqus 6.12. Moreover, the feasibility of this mechanism for biological separation is demonstrated by using polydisperse samples consists of 3-μm polystyrene microbeads and human epithelial cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells. 98% of samples purity is recovered at outlet 1 and outlet 3 with flow rate of 0.5-3.0 μl/min. Our device is interesting despite adopting passive separation approach. This method enables straightforward, label-free, and continuous separation of multiparticles in a stand-alone device without the need for bulky apparatus. Therefore, this device may become an enabling technology for point of care diagnosis tools and may hold potential for micrototal analysis system applications.

Algorithm based on regional separation for automatic grain boundary extraction using improved mean shift method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhenying, Xu; Jiandong, Zhu; Qi, Zhang; Yamba, Philip

2018-06-01

Metallographic microscopy shows that the vast majority of metal materials are composed of many small grains; the grain size of a metal is important for determining the tensile strength, toughness, plasticity, and other mechanical properties. In order to quantitatively evaluate grain size in metals, grain boundaries must be identified in metallographic images. Based on the phenomenon of grain boundary blurring or disconnection in metallographic images, this study develops an algorithm based on regional separation for automatically extracting grain boundaries by an improved mean shift method. Experimental observation shows that the grain boundaries obtained by the proposed algorithm are highly complete and accurate. This research has practical value because the proposed algorithm is suitable for grain boundary extraction from most metallographic images.

Magnetofluidic concentration and separation of non-magnetic particles using two magnet arrays

PubMed Central

Hejazian, Majid

2016-01-01

The present paper reports the use of diluted ferrofluid and two arrays of permanent magnets for the size-selective concentration of non-magnetic particles. The micro magnetofluidic device consists of a straight channels sandwiched between two arrays of permanent magnets. The permanent magnets create multiple capture zones with minimum magnetic field strength along the channel. The complex interaction between magnetic forces and hydrodynamic force allows the device to operate in different regimes suitable for concentration of non-magnetic particles with small difference in size. Our experimental results show that non-magnetic particles with diameters of 3.1 μm and 4.8 μm can be discriminated and separated with this method. The results from this study could be used as a guide for the design of size-sensitive separation devices for particle and cell based on negative magnetophoresis. PMID:27478527

A review of exosome separation techniques and characterization of B16-F10 mouse melanoma exosomes with AF4-UV-MALS-DLS-TEM.

PubMed

Petersen, Kevin E; Manangon, Eliana; Hood, Joshua L; Wickline, Samuel A; Fernandez, Diego P; Johnson, William P; Gale, Bruce K

2014-12-01

Exosomes participate in cancer metastasis, but studying them presents unique challenges as a result of their small size and purification difficulties. Asymmetrical field flow fractionation with in-line ultraviolet absorbance, dynamic light scattering, and multi-angle light scattering was applied to the size separation and characterization of non-labeled B16-F10 exosomes from an aggressive mouse melanoma cell culture line. Fractions were collected and further analyzed using batch mode dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and compared with known size standards. Fractogram peak positions and computed radii show good agreement between samples and across fractions. Ultraviolet absorbance fractograms in combination with transmission electron micrographs were able to resolve subtle heterogeneity of vesicle retention times between separate batches of B16-F10 exosomes collected several weeks apart. Further, asymmetrical field flow fractionation also effectively separated B16-F10 exosomes into vesicle subpopulations by size. Overall, the flow field flow fractionation instrument combined with multiple detectors was able to rapidly characterize and separate exosomes to a degree not previously demonstrated. These approaches have the potential to facilitate a greater understanding of exosome function by subtype, as well as ultimately allow for "label-free" isolation of large scale clinical exosomes for the purpose of developing future exosome-based diagnostics and therapeutics.

A review of exosome separation techniques and characterization of B16-F10 mouse melanoma exosomes with AF4-UV-MALS-DLS-TEM

PubMed Central

Manangon, Eliana; Hood, Joshua L.; Wickline, Samuel A.; Fernandez, Diego P.; Johnson, William P.; Gale, Bruce K.

2015-01-01

Exosomes participate in cancer metastasis, but studying them presents unique challenges as a result of their small size and purification difficulties. Asymmetrical field flow fractionation with in-line ultraviolet absorbance, dynamic light scattering, and multi-angle light scattering was applied to the size separation and characterization of non-labeled B16-F10 exosomes from an aggressive mouse melanoma cell culture line. Fractions were collected and further analyzed using batch mode dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and compared with known size standards. Fractogram peak positions and computed radii show good agreement between samples and across fractions. Ultraviolet absorbance fractograms in combination with transmission electron micrographs were able to resolve subtle heterogeneity of vesicle retention times between separate batches of B16-F10 exosomes collected several weeks apart. Further, asymmetrical field flow fractionation also effectively separated B16-F10 exosomes into vesicle subpopulations by size. Overall, the flow field flow fractionation instrument combined with multiple detectors was able to rapidly characterize and separate exosomes to a degree not previously demonstrated. These approaches have the potential to facilitate a greater understanding of exosome function by subtype, as well as ultimately allow for “label-free” isolation of large scale clinical exosomes for the purpose of developing future exosome-based diagnostics and therapeutics. PMID:25084738

Drop Size Distribution - Based Separation of Stratiform and Convective Rain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thurai, Merhala; Gatlin, Patrick; Williams, Christopher

2014-01-01

For applications in hydrology and meteorology, it is often desirable to separate regions of stratiform and convective rain from meteorological radar observations, both from ground-based polarimetric radars and from space-based dual frequency radars. In a previous study by Bringi et al. (2009), dual frequency profiler and dual polarization radar (C-POL) observations in Darwin, Australia, had shown that stratiform and convective rain could be separated in the log10(Nw) versus Do domain, where Do is the mean volume diameter and Nw is the scaling parameter which is proportional to the ratio of water content to the mass weighted mean diameter. Note, Nw and Do are two of the main drop size distribution (DSD) parameters. In a later study, Thurai et al (2010) confirmed that both the dual-frequency profiler based stratiform-convective rain separation and the C-POL radar based separation were consistent with each other. In this paper, we test this separation method using DSD measurements from a ground based 2D video disdrometer (2DVD), along with simultaneous observations from a collocated, vertically-pointing, X-band profiling radar (XPR). The measurements were made in Huntsville, Alabama. One-minute DSDs from 2DVD are used as input to an appropriate gamma fitting procedure to determine Nw and Do. The fitted parameters - after averaging over 3-minutes - are plotted against each other and compared with a predefined separation line. An index is used to determine how far the points lie from the separation line (as described in Thurai et al. 2010). Negative index values indicate stratiform rain and positive index indicate convective rain, and, moreover, points which lie somewhat close to the separation line are considered 'mixed' or 'transition' type precipitation. The XPR observations are used to evaluate/test the 2DVD data-based classification. A 'bright-band' detection algorithm was used to classify each vertical reflectivity profile as either stratiform or convective, depending on whether or not a clearly-defined melting layer is present at an expected height, and if present, maximum reflectivity within the melting layer as well as the corresponding height are determined. We will present results of quantitative comparisons between the XPR observations-based classifications and the simultaneous 2DVD data-based classifications. Time series comparisons will be presented for thirteen events in Huntsville.

Nano-fabricated size exclusion chromatograph

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Svehla, D.; Feldman, S.; Feldman, J.; Grunthaner, F.; Shakkottai, P.; Castillo, L. del; White, V.

2002-01-01

This paper describes the development of a nano-fabricated size exclusion chromatograph (nSEC) based on the principle that molecules traveling through amicrocolumn containing nano-fabricated features will have characteristic elution times that directly correlate to molecular weight. Compared to conventional size exclusion chromatography, the nSEC offers greater control over the size exclusion process; mass fabrication; integration of the separation column with associated valves, pumps, and detectors; and dramatic reductions in instrument mass and power requirements.

Achieving high permeability and enhanced selectivity for Angstrom-scale separations using artificial water channel membranes.

PubMed

Shen, Yue-Xiao; Song, Woochul C; Barden, D Ryan; Ren, Tingwei; Lang, Chao; Feroz, Hasin; Henderson, Codey B; Saboe, Patrick O; Tsai, Daniel; Yan, Hengjing; Butler, Peter J; Bazan, Guillermo C; Phillip, William A; Hickey, Robert J; Cremer, Paul S; Vashisth, Harish; Kumar, Manish

2018-06-12

Synthetic polymer membranes, critical to diverse energy-efficient separations, are subject to permeability-selectivity trade-offs that decrease their overall efficacy. These trade-offs are due to structural variations (e.g., broad pore size distributions) in both nonporous membranes used for Angstrom-scale separations and porous membranes used for nano to micron-scale separations. Biological membranes utilize well-defined Angstrom-scale pores to provide exceptional transport properties and can be used as inspiration to overcome this trade-off. Here, we present a comprehensive demonstration of such a bioinspired approach based on pillar[5]arene artificial water channels, resulting in artificial water channel-based block copolymer membranes. These membranes have a sharp selectivity profile with a molecular weight cutoff of ~ 500 Da, a size range challenging to achieve with current membranes, while achieving a large improvement in permeability (~65 L m -2  h -1  bar -1  compared with 4-7 L m -2  h -1  bar -1 ) over similarly rated commercial membranes.

Meeting in Florida: Using Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) to Determine C60 Colloidal Size Distributions

EPA Science Inventory

The study of nanomaterials in environmental systems requires robust and specific analytical methods. Analytical methods which discriminate based on particle size and molecular composition are not widely available. Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) is a separation...

Fractionation of Exosomes and DNA using Size-Based Separation at the Nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wunsch, Benjamin; Smith, Joshua; Wang, Chao; Gifford, Stacey; Brink, Markus; Bruce, Robert; Solovitzky, Gustavo; Austin, Robert; Astier, Yann

Exosomes, a key target of ``liquid biopsies'', are nano-vesicles found in nearly all biological fluids. Exosomes are secreted by eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells alike, and contain information about their originating cells, including surface proteins, cytoplasmic proteins, and nucleic acids. One challenge in studying exosome morphology is the difficulty of sorting exosomes by size and surface markers. Common separation techniques for exosomes include ultracentrifugation and ultrafiltration, for preparation of large volume samples, but these techniques often show contamination and significant heterogeneity between preparations. To date, deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) pillar arrays in silicon have proven an efficient technology to sort, separate, and enrich micron-scale particles including human parasites, eukaryotic cells, blood cells, and circulating tumor cells in blood; however, the DLD technology has never been translated to the true nanoscale, where it could function on bio-colloids such as exosomes. We have fabricated nanoscale DLD (nanoDLD) arrays capable of rapidly sorting colloids down to 20 nm in continuous flow, and demonstrated size sorting of individual exosome vesicles and dsDNA polymers, opening the potential for on-chip biomolecule separation and diagnosti

Size-Based Separation of Particles and Cells Utilizing Viscoelastic Effects in Straight Microchannels.

PubMed

Liu, Chao; Xue, Chundong; Chen, Xiaodong; Shan, Lei; Tian, Yu; Hu, Guoqing

2015-06-16

Viscoelasticity-induced particle migration has recently received increasing attention due to its ability to obtain high-quality focusing over a wide range of flow rates. However, its application is limited to low throughput regime since the particles can defocus as flow rate increases. Using an engineered carrier medium with constant and low viscosity and strong elasticity, the sample flow rates are improved to be 1 order of magnitude higher than those in existing studies. Utilizing differential focusing of particles of different sizes, here, we present sheathless particle/cell separation in simple straight microchannels that possess excellent parallelizability for further throughput enhancement. The present method can be implemented over a wide range of particle/cell sizes and flow rates. We successfully separate small particles from larger particles, MCF-7 cells from red blood cells (RBCs), and Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria from RBCs in different straight microchannels. The proposed method could broaden the applications of viscoelastic microfluidic devices to particle/cell separation due to the enhanced sample throughput and simple channel design.

Size-selective separation of submicron particles in suspensions with ultrasonic atomization.

PubMed

Nii, Susumu; Oka, Naoyoshi

2014-11-01

Aqueous suspensions containing silica or polystyrene latex were ultrasonically atomized for separating particles of a specific size. With the help of a fog involving fine liquid droplets with a narrow size distribution, submicron particles in a limited size-range were successfully separated from suspensions. Performance of the separation was characterized by analyzing the size and the concentration of collected particles with a high resolution method. Irradiation of 2.4MHz ultrasound to sample suspensions allowed the separation of particles of specific size from 90 to 320nm without regarding the type of material. Addition of a small amount of nonionic surfactant, PONPE20 to SiO2 suspensions enhanced the collection of finer particles, and achieved a remarkable increase in the number of collected particles. Degassing of the sample suspension resulted in eliminating the separation performance. Dissolved air in suspensions plays an important role in this separation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Size exclusion chromatography with superficially porous particles.

PubMed

Schure, Mark R; Moran, Robert E

2017-01-13

A comparison is made using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) of synthetic polymers between fully porous particles (FPPs) and superficially porous particles (SPPs) with similar particle diameters, pore sizes and equal flow rates. Polystyrene molecular weight standards with a mobile phase of tetrahydrofuran are utilized for all measurements conducted with standard HPLC equipment. Although it is traditionally thought that larger pore volume is thermodynamically advantageous in SEC for better separations, SPPs have kinetic advantages and these will be shown to compensate for the loss in pore volume compared to FPPs. The comparison metrics include the elution range (smaller with SPPs), the plate count (larger for SPPs), the rate production of theoretical plates (larger for SPPs) and the specific resolution (larger with FPPs). Advantages to using SPPs for SEC are discussed such that similar separations can be conducted faster using SPPs. SEC using SPPs offers similar peak capacities to that using FPPs but with faster operation. This also suggests that SEC conducted in the second dimension of a two-dimensional liquid chromatograph may benefit with reduced run time and with equivalently reduced peak width making SPPs advantageous for sampling the first dimension by the second dimension separator. Additional advantages are discussed for biomolecules along with a discussion of optimization criteria for size-based separations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Droplet activation, separation, and compositional analysis: laboratory studies and atmospheric measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiranuma, N.; Kohn, M.; Pekour, M. S.; Nelson, D. A.; Shilling, J. E.; Cziczo, D. J.

2011-10-01

Droplets produced in a cloud condensation nuclei chamber (CCNC) as a function of supersaturation have been separated from unactivated aerosol particles using counterflow virtual impaction. Residual material after droplets were evaporated was chemically analyzed with an Aerodyne Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (AMS) and the Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) instrument. Experiments were initially conducted to verify activation conditions for monodisperse ammonium sulfate particles and to determine the resulting droplet size distribution as a function of supersaturation. Based on the observed droplet size, the counterflow virtual impactor cut-size was set to differentiate droplets from unactivated interstitial particles. Validation experiments were then performed to verify that only droplets with sufficient size passed through the counterflow virtual impactor for subsequent analysis. A two-component external mixture of monodisperse particles was also exposed to a supersaturation which would activate one of the types (hygroscopic salts) but not the other (polystyrene latex spheres or adipic acid). The mass spectrum observed after separation indicated only the former, validating separation of droplets from unactivated particles. Results from ambient measurements using this technique and AMS analysis were inconclusive, showing little chemical differentiation between ambient aerosol and activated droplet residuals, largely due to low signal levels. When employing as single particle mass spectrometer for compositional analysis, however, we observed enhancement of sulfate in droplet residuals.

Separation and Concentration without Clogging Using a High-Throughput Tunable Filter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mossige, E. J.; Jensen, A.; Mielnik, M. M.

2018-05-01

We present a detailed experimental study of a hydrodynamic filtration microchip and show how chip performance can be tuned and clogging avoided by adjusting the flow rates. We demonstrate concentration and separation of microspheres at throughputs as high as 29 ml /min and with 96% pureness. Results of streakline visualizations show that the thickness of a tunable filtration layer dictates the cutoff size and that two different concentration mechanisms exist. Particles larger than pores are concentrated by low-velocity rolling over the filtration pillars, while particles smaller than pores are concentrated by lateral drift across the filtration layer. Results of microscopic particle image velocimetry and particle-tracking velocimetry show that the degree of lateral migration can be quantified by the slip velocity between the particle and the surrounding fluid. Finally, by utilizing differences in inertia and separation mode, we demonstrate size-based separation of particles in a mixture.

An Alternative Theory of the Universe Based Upon a Balanced Particulate-Ethereal, Tri-Based, Ten-Dimensional, Self-Propagating Matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cogley, Thomas

2010-02-01

A model of the Universe of man designated ``MU'' is proposed. Based upon 10 working and 1 generating dimension or firmament the makeup of MU will be described. The balance of the Universe and the position form of time space and gravity will be described. The particulate physical and ethereal nature is one that departs from previous theories but is of the utmost importance in balancing the Universe and accounting for the shortfalls of the proposed theories of the day. The ten-dimensional +1 matrix will be described along with its sub-parts each distinct and closely bound to a separate dimensional level. The connections or doors between the firmaments and the methods by which they stay open close and remain separated from each other is described. Of great importance is the propagation of a firmament within the Matrix. Each firmament is itself independent and distinctly wrapped by a unique layer of the matrix. Yet each firmament is itself a separate image or part of the next larger firmament as can be thought of a subunit of that firmament. Thus each is separate yet still a part of the greater sized firmament that follows. The sizes of the dimensions are in a repeatable and constant multiple of the previous dimension. Sizes of the dimensions will be discussed. The function, form, and structural layout of the universe will be shown to have a fractal relationship to natural systems on earth and even to the image of man. )

Separation of nuclear isomers for cancer therapeutic radionuclides based on nuclear decay after-effects.

PubMed

Bhardwaj, R; van der Meer, A; Das, S K; de Bruin, M; Gascon, J; Wolterbeek, H T; Denkova, A G; Serra-Crespo, P

2017-03-13

177 Lu has sprung as a promising radionuclide for targeted therapy. The low soft tissue penetration of its β - emission results in very efficient energy deposition in small-size tumours. Because of this, 177 Lu is used in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumours and is also clinically approved for prostate cancer therapy. In this work, we report a separation method that achieves the challenging separation of the physically and chemically identical nuclear isomers, 177m Lu and 177 Lu. The separation method combines the nuclear after-effects of the nuclear decay, the use of a very stable chemical complex and a chromatographic separation. Based on this separation concept, a new type of radionuclide generator has been devised, in which the parent and the daughter radionuclides are the same elements. The 177m Lu/ 177 Lu radionuclide generator provides a new production route for the therapeutic radionuclide 177 Lu and can bring significant growth in the research and development of 177 Lu based pharmaceuticals.

Etching-dependent fluorescence quenching of Ag-dielectric-Au three-layered nanoshells: The effect of inner Ag nanosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jian; Xu, Zai-jie; Weng, Guo-jun; Zhao, Jing; Li, Jian-jun; Zhao, Jun-wu

2018-07-01

In this report, Ag-dielectric-Au three-layered nanoshells with controlled inner core size were synthesized. The fluorescence emission of the rhodamine 6G (R6G) could be quenched by the three-layered nanoshells distinctly. What's more, the fluorescence quenching efficiency could be further improved by tuning the etching of inner Ag nanosphere. The maximum fluorescence quenching efficiency is obtained when the separate layer just appears between the inner Ag core and the outer Au shell. Whereas the fluorescence quenching efficiency is weakened when no gaps take place around the inner Ag core or the separate layer is too thick and greater than 13 nm. The fluorescence quenching properties of the Ag-dielectric-Au three-layered nanoshells with different initial sizes of the Ag nanoparticles are also studied. The maximum fluorescence quenching efficiency is obtained when the three-layered nanoshells are synthesized based on the Ag nanoparticles with 60 nm, which is better than others two sizes (42 and 79 nm). Thus we believe that the size of initial Ag nanospheres also greatly affects the optimized fluorescence quenching efficiency. These results about fluorescence quenching properties of Ag-dielectric-Au three-layered nanoshells present a potential for design and fabrication of fluorescence nanosensors based on tuning the geometry of the inner core and the separate layer.

Polyvinyl alcohol battery separator containing inert filler. [alkaline batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheibley, D. W.; Hsu, L. C.; Manzo, M. A. (Inventor)

1981-01-01

A cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol battery separator is disclosed. A particulate filler, inert to alkaline electrolyte of an alkaline battery, is incorporated in the separator in an amount of 1-20% by weight, based on the weight of the polyvinyl alcohol, and is dispersed throughout the product. Incorporation of the filler enhances performance and increases cycle life of alkaline batteries when compared with batteries containing a similar separator not containing filler. Suitable fillers include titanates, silicates, zirconates, aluminates, wood floor, lignin, and titania. Particle size is not greater than about 50 microns.

Simplified thermodynamic functions for vapor-liquid phase separation and fountain effect pumps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yuan, S. W. K.; Hepler, W. A.; Frederking, T. H. K.

1984-01-01

He-4 fluid handling devices near 2 K require novel components for non-Newtonian fluid transport in He II. Related sizing of devices has to be based on appropriate thermophysical property functions. The present paper presents simplified equilibrium state functions for porous media components which serve as vapor-liquid phase separators and fountain effect pumps.

An anionic Na(i)-organic framework platform: separation of organic dyes and post-modification for highly sensitive detection of picric acid.

PubMed

Chen, Di-Ming; Tian, Jia-Yue; Wang, Zhuo-Wei; Liu, Chun-Sen; Chen, Min; Du, Miao

2017-09-26

A cage-based anionic Na(i)-organic framework with a unique Na 9 cluster-based secondary building unit and a cage-in-cage structure was constructed. The selective separation of dyes with different charges and sizes was investigated. Furthermore, the Rh6G@MOF composite could be applied as a recyclable fluorescent sensor for detecting picric acid (PA) with high sensitivity and selectivity.

High Speed Size Sorting of Subcellular Organelles by Flow Field-Flow Fractionation.

PubMed

Yang, Joon Seon; Lee, Ju Yong; Moon, Myeong Hee

2015-06-16

Separation/isolation of subcellular species, such as mitochondria, lysosomes, peroxisomes, Golgi apparatus, and others, from cells is important for gaining an understanding of the cellular functions performed by specific organelles. This study introduces a high speed, semipreparative scale, biocompatible size sorting method for the isolation of subcellular organelle species from homogenate mixtures of HEK 293T cells using flow field-flow fractionation (FlFFF). Separation of organelles was achieved using asymmetrical FlFFF (AF4) channel system at the steric/hyperlayer mode in which nuclei, lysosomes, mitochondria, and peroxisomes were separated in a decreasing order of hydrodynamic diameter without complicated preprocessing steps. Fractions in which organelles were not clearly separated were reinjected to AF4 for a finer separation using the normal mode, in which smaller sized species can be well fractionated by an increasing order of diameter. The subcellular species contained in collected AF4 fractions were examined with scanning electron microscopy to evaluate their size and morphology, Western blot analysis using organelle specific markers was used for organelle confirmation, and proteomic analysis was performed with nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-ESI-MS/MS). Since FlFFF operates with biocompatible buffer solutions, it offers great flexibility in handling subcellular components without relying on a high concentration sucrose solution for centrifugation or affinity- or fluorescence tag-based sorting methods. Consequently, the current study provides an alternative, competitive method for the isolation/purification of subcellular organelle species in their intact states.

Nanoporous thermosetting polymers.

PubMed

Raman, Vijay I; Palmese, Giuseppe R

2005-02-15

Potential applications of nanoporous thermosetting polymers include polyelectrolytes in fuel cells, separation membranes, adsorption media, and sensors. Design of nanoporous polymers for such applications entails controlling permeability by tailoring pore size, structure, and interface chemistry. Nanoporous thermosetting polymers are often synthesized via free radical mechanisms using solvents that phase separate during polymerization. In this work, a novel technique for the synthesis of nanoporous thermosets is presented that is based on the reactive encapsulation of an inert solvent using step-growth cross-linking polymerization without micro/macroscopic phase separation. The criteria for selecting such a monomer-polymer-solvent system are discussed based on FTIR analysis, observed micro/macroscopic phase separation, and thermodynamics of swelling. Investigation of resulting network pore structures by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and small-angle X-ray scattering following extraction and supercritical drying using carbon dioxide showed that nanoporous polymeric materials with pore sizes ranging from 1 to 50 nm can be synthesized by varying the solvent content. The differences in the porous morphology of these materials compared to more common free radically polymerized analogues that exhibit phase separation were evident from SEM imaging. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the chemical activity of the nanoporous materials obtained by our method could be tailored by grafting appropriate functional groups at the pore interface.

Characterization of free thiol variants of an IgG1 by reversed phase ultra high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Liu, Hongbin; Jeong, Justin; Kao, Yung-Hsiang; Zhang, Yonghua Taylor

2015-05-10

RP-HPLC has been demonstrated as a powerful tool to study antibody free thiol and disulfide variants. Recently, the introduction of UHPLC columns with wide pore size (300Å) and small particle size (1.7μm) offered the opportunity to further improve the separation of such variants. This paper describes a systematic evaluation of stationary phases, operating parameters, and mobile phases for a UHPLC based method to separate free thiol variants of a recombinant monoclonal antibody (referred as mAb A), targeting high resolution, high throughput and improved recovery. Among the four different stationary phases evaluated, UHPLC diphenyl columns were found to provide the best separation. Using an optimized UHPLC method, free thiol variants of mAb A were separated in 5min. Importantly, the UHPLC method revealed minor variants that had coeluted in an HPLC based method, and the UHPLC method is also applicable as a platform method for characterization of other mAbs as well. Furthermore, an on-line UHPLC-MS method was developed to characterize the separated variants, and this method can streamline the characterization of fully assembled monoclonal and bispecific therapeutic antibodies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sequencing of real-world samples using a microfabricated hybrid device having unconstrained straight separation channels.

PubMed

Liu, Shaorong; Elkin, Christopher; Kapur, Hitesh

2003-11-01

We describe a microfabricated hybrid device that consists of a microfabricated chip containing multiple twin-T injectors attached to an array of capillaries that serve as the separation channels. A new fabrication process was employed to create two differently sized round channels in a chip. Twin-T injectors were formed by the smaller round channels that match the bore of the separation capillaries and separation capillaries were incorporated to the injectors through the larger round channels that match the outer diameter of the capillaries. This allows for a minimum dead volume and provides a robust chip/capillary interface. This hybrid design takes full advantage, such as sample stacking and purification and uniform signal intensity profile, of the unique chip injection scheme for DNA sequencing while employing long straight capillaries for the separations. In essence, the separation channel length is optimized for both speed and resolution since it is unconstrained by chip size. To demonstrate the reliability and practicality of this hybrid device, we sequenced over 1000 real-world samples from Human Chromosome 5 and Ciona intestinalis, prepared at Joint Genome Institute. We achieved average Phred20 read of 675 bases in about 70 min with a success rate of 91%. For the similar type of samples on MegaBACE 1000, the average Phred20 read is about 550-600 bases in 120 min separation time with a success rate of about 80-90%.

Hydrodynamic size-based separation and characterization of protein aggregates from total cell lysates

PubMed Central

Tanase, Maya; Zolla, Valerio; Clement, Cristina C; Borghi, Francesco; Urbanska, Aleksandra M; Rodriguez-Navarro, Jose Antonio; Roda, Barbara; Zattoni, Andrea; Reschiglian, Pierluigi; Cuervo, Ana Maria; Santambrogio, Laura

2016-01-01

Herein we describe a protocol that uses hollow-fiber flow field-flow fractionation (FFF) coupled with multiangle light scattering (MALS) for hydrodynamic size-based separation and characterization of complex protein aggregates. The fractionation method, which requires 1.5 h to run, was successfully modified from the analysis of protein aggregates, as found in simple protein mixtures, to complex aggregates, as found in total cell lysates. In contrast to other related methods (filter assay, analytical ultracentrifugation, gel electrophoresis and size-exclusion chromatography), hollow-fiber flow FFF coupled with MALS allows a flow-based fractionation of highly purified protein aggregates and simultaneous measurement of their molecular weight, r.m.s. radius and molecular conformation (e.g., round, rod-shaped, compact or relaxed). The polyethersulfone hollow fibers used, which have a 0.8-mm inner diameter, allow separation of as little as 20 μg of total cell lysates. In addition, the ability to run the samples in different denaturing and nondenaturing buffer allows defining true aggregates from artifacts, which can form during sample preparation. The protocol was set up using Paraquat-induced carbonylation, a model that induces protein aggregation in cultured cells. This technique will advance the biochemical, proteomic and biophysical characterization of molecular-weight aggregates associated with protein mutations, as found in many CNS degenerative diseases, or chronic oxidative stress, as found in aging, and chronic metabolic and inflammatory conditions. PMID:25521790

Analysis of reduced monoclonal antibodies using size exclusion chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hongcheng; Gaza-Bulseco, Georgeen; Chumsae, Chris

2009-12-01

Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) has been widely used to detect antibody aggregates, monomer, and fragments. SEC coupled to mass spectrometry has been reported to measure the molecular weights of antibody; antibody conjugates, and antibody light chain and heavy chain. In this study, separation of antibody light chain and heavy chain by SEC and direct coupling to a mass spectrometer was further studied. It was determined that employing mobile phases containing acetonitrile, trifluoroacetic acid, and formic acid allowed the separation of antibody light chain and heavy chain after reduction by SEC. In addition, this mobile phase allowed the coupling of SEC to a mass spectrometer to obtain a direct molecular weight measurement. The application of the SEC-MS method was demonstrated by the separation of the light chain and the heavy chain of multiple recombinant monoclonal antibodies. In addition, separation of a thioether linked light chain and heavy chain from the free light chain and the free heavy chain of a recombinant monoclonal antibody after reduction was also achieved. This optimized method provided a separation of antibody light chain and heavy chain based on size and allowed a direct measurement of molecular weights by mass spectrometry. In addition, this method may help to identify peaks eluting from SEC column directly.

Exosome separation using microfluidic systems: size-based, immunoaffinity-based and dynamic methodologies.

PubMed

Yang, Fang; Liao, Xiangzhi; Tian, Yuan; Li, Guiying

2017-04-01

Exosomes, nanovesicles secreted by most types of cells, exist in virtually all bodily fluids. Their rich nucleic acid and protein content make them potentially valuable biomarkers for noninvasive molecular diagnostics. They also show promise, after further development, to serve as a drug delivery system. Unfortunately, existing exosome separation technologies, such as ultracentrifugation and methods incorporating magnetic beads, are time-consuming, laborious and separate only exosomes of low purity. Thus, a more effective separation method is highly desirable. Microfluidic platforms are ideal tools for exosome separation, since they enable fast, cost-efficient, portable and precise processing of nanoparticles and small volumes of liquid samples. Recently, several microfluidic-based exosome separation technologies have been studied. In this article, the advantages of the most recent technologies, as well as their limitations, challenges and potential uses in novel microfluidic exosome separation and collection applications is reviewed. This review outlines the uses of new powerful microfluidic exosome detection tools for biologists and clinicians, as well as exosome separation tools for microfluidic engineers. Current challenges of exosome separation methodologies are also described, in order to highlight areas for future research and development. Copyright © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Computational Screening of MOFs for Acetylene Separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemati Vesali Azar, Ayda; Keskin, Seda

2018-02-01

Efficient separation of acetylene (C2H2) from CO2 and CH4 is important to meet the requirement of high-purity acetylene in various industrial applications. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are great candidates for adsorption-based C2H2/CO2 and C2H2/CH4 separations due to their unique properties such as wide range of pore sizes and tunable chemistries. Experimental studies on the limited number of MOFs revealed that MOFs offer remarkable C2H2/CO2 and C2H2/CH4 selectivities based on single-component adsorption data. We performed the first large-scale molecular simulation study to investigate separation performances of 174 different MOF structures for C2H2/CO2 and C2H2/CH4 mixtures. Using the results of molecular simulations, several adsorbent performance evaluation metrics, such as selectivity, working capacity, adsorbent performance score, sorbent selection parameter and regenerability were computed for each MOF. Based on these metrics, the best adsorbent candidates were identified for both separations. Results showed that the top three most promising MOF adsorbents exhibit C2H2/CO2 selectivities of 49, 47, 24 and C2H2/CH4 selectivities of 824, 684, 638 at 1 bar, 298 K and these are the highest C2H2 selectivities reported to date in the literature. Structure-performance analysis revealed that the best MOF adsorbents have pore sizes between 4-11 Å, surface areas in the range of 600-1,200 m2/g and porosities between 0.4-0.6 for selective separation of C2H2 from CO2 and CH4. These results will guide the future studies for the design of new MOFs with high C2H2 separation potentials.

Proteomic analysis of exosomes from human neural stem cells by flow field-flow fractionation and nanoflow liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Kang, Dukjin; Oh, Sunok; Ahn, Sung-Min; Lee, Bong-Hee; Moon, Myeong Hee

2008-08-01

Exosomes, small membrane vesicles secreted by a multitude of cell types, are involved in a wide range of physiological roles such as intercellular communication, membrane exchange between cells, and degradation as an alternative to lysosomes. Because of the small size of exosomes (30-100 nm) and the limitations of common separation procedures including ultracentrifugation and flow cytometry, size-based fractionation of exosomes has been challenging. In this study, we used flow field-flow fractionation (FlFFF) to fractionate exosomes according to differences in hydrodynamic diameter. The exosome fractions collected from FlFFF runs were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to morphologically confirm their identification as exosomes. Exosomal lysates of each fraction were digested and analyzed using nanoflow LC-ESI-MS-MS for protein identification. FIFFF, coupled with mass spectrometry, allows nanoscale size-based fractionation of exosomes and is more applicable to primary cells and stem cells since it requires much less starting material than conventional gel-based separation, in-gel digestion and the MS-MS method.

Microfluidic size separation of cells and particles using a swinging bucket centrifuge.

PubMed

Yeo, Joo Chuan; Wang, Zhiping; Lim, Chwee Teck

2015-09-01

Biomolecular separation is crucial for downstream analysis. Separation technique mainly relies on centrifugal sedimentation. However, minuscule sample volume separation and extraction is difficult with conventional centrifuge. Furthermore, conventional centrifuge requires density gradient centrifugation which is laborious and time-consuming. To overcome this challenge, we present a novel size-selective bioparticles separation microfluidic chip on a swinging bucket minifuge. Size separation is achieved using passive pressure driven centrifugal fluid flows coupled with centrifugal force acting on the particles within the microfluidic chip. By adopting centrifugal microfluidics on a swinging bucket rotor, we achieved over 95% efficiency in separating mixed 20 μm and 2 μm colloidal dispersions from its liquid medium. Furthermore, by manipulating the hydrodynamic resistance, we performed size separation of mixed microbeads, achieving size efficiency of up to 90%. To further validate our device utility, we loaded spiked whole blood with MCF-7 cells into our microfluidic device and subjected it to centrifugal force for a mere duration of 10 s, thereby achieving a separation efficiency of over 75%. Overall, our centrifugal microfluidic device enables extremely rapid and label-free enrichment of different sized cells and particles with high efficiency.

Microfluidic size separation of cells and particles using a swinging bucket centrifuge

PubMed Central

Yeo, Joo Chuan; Wang, Zhiping; Lim, Chwee Teck

2015-01-01

Biomolecular separation is crucial for downstream analysis. Separation technique mainly relies on centrifugal sedimentation. However, minuscule sample volume separation and extraction is difficult with conventional centrifuge. Furthermore, conventional centrifuge requires density gradient centrifugation which is laborious and time-consuming. To overcome this challenge, we present a novel size-selective bioparticles separation microfluidic chip on a swinging bucket minifuge. Size separation is achieved using passive pressure driven centrifugal fluid flows coupled with centrifugal force acting on the particles within the microfluidic chip. By adopting centrifugal microfluidics on a swinging bucket rotor, we achieved over 95% efficiency in separating mixed 20 μm and 2 μm colloidal dispersions from its liquid medium. Furthermore, by manipulating the hydrodynamic resistance, we performed size separation of mixed microbeads, achieving size efficiency of up to 90%. To further validate our device utility, we loaded spiked whole blood with MCF-7 cells into our microfluidic device and subjected it to centrifugal force for a mere duration of 10 s, thereby achieving a separation efficiency of over 75%. Overall, our centrifugal microfluidic device enables extremely rapid and label-free enrichment of different sized cells and particles with high efficiency. PMID:26487900

Optimization and evaluation of asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation of silver nanoparticles.

PubMed

Loeschner, Katrin; Navratilova, Jana; Legros, Samuel; Wagner, Stephan; Grombe, Ringo; Snell, James; von der Kammer, Frank; Larsen, Erik H

2013-01-11

Asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF(4)) in combination with on-line optical detection and mass spectrometry is one of the most promising methods for separation and quantification of nanoparticles (NPs) in complex matrices including food. However, to obtain meaningful results regarding especially the NP size distribution a number of parameters influencing the separation need to be optimized. This paper describes the development of a separation method for polyvinylpyrrolidone-stabilized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in aqueous suspension. Carrier liquid composition, membrane material, cross flow rate and spacer height were shown to have a significant influence on the recoveries and retention times of the nanoparticles. Focus time and focus flow rate were optimized with regard to minimum elution of AgNPs in the void volume. The developed method was successfully tested for injected masses of AgNPs from 0.2 to 5.0 μg. The on-line combination of AF(4) with detection methods including ICP-MS, light absorbance and light scattering was helpful because each detector provided different types of information about the eluting NP fraction. Differences in the time-resolved appearance of the signals obtained by the three detection methods were explained based on the physical origin of the signal. Two different approaches for conversion of retention times of AgNPs to their corresponding sizes and size distributions were tested and compared, namely size calibration with polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNPs) and calculations of size based on AF(4) theory. Fraction collection followed by transmission electron microscopy was performed to confirm the obtained size distributions and to obtain further information regarding the AgNP shape. Characteristics of the absorbance spectra were used to confirm the presence of non-spherical AgNP. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Accomplishing simple, solubility-based separations of rare earth elements with complexes bearing size-sensitive molecular apertures

PubMed Central

Bogart, Justin A.; Cole, Bren E.; Boreen, Michael A.; Lippincott, Connor A.; Manor, Brian C.; Carroll, Patrick J.; Schelter, Eric J.

2016-01-01

Rare earth (RE) metals are critical components of electronic materials and permanent magnets. Recycling of consumer materials is a promising new source of rare REs. To incentivize recycling, there is a clear need for the development of simple methods for targeted separations of mixtures of RE metal salts. Metal complexes of a tripodal hydroxylaminato ligand, TriNOx3–, featured a size-sensitive aperture formed of its three η2-(N,O) ligand arms. Exposure of cations in the aperture induced a self-associative equilibrium comprising RE(TriNOx)THF and [RE(TriNOx)]2 species. Differences in the equilibrium constants Kdimer for early and late metals enabled simple separations through leaching. Separations were performed on RE1/RE2 mixtures, where RE1 = La–Sm and RE2 = Gd–Lu, with emphasis on Eu/Y separations for potential applications in the recycling of phosphor waste from compact fluorescent light bulbs. Using the leaching method, separations factors approaching 2,000 were obtained for early–late RE combinations. Following solvent optimization, >95% pure samples of Eu were obtained with a 67% recovery for the technologically relevant Eu/Y separation. PMID:27956636

Accomplishing simple, solubility-based separations of rare earth elements with complexes bearing size-sensitive molecular apertures.

PubMed

Bogart, Justin A; Cole, Bren E; Boreen, Michael A; Lippincott, Connor A; Manor, Brian C; Carroll, Patrick J; Schelter, Eric J

2016-12-27

Rare earth (RE) metals are critical components of electronic materials and permanent magnets. Recycling of consumer materials is a promising new source of rare REs. To incentivize recycling, there is a clear need for the development of simple methods for targeted separations of mixtures of RE metal salts. Metal complexes of a tripodal hydroxylaminato ligand, TriNOx 3- , featured a size-sensitive aperture formed of its three η 2 -(N,O) ligand arms. Exposure of cations in the aperture induced a self-associative equilibrium comprising RE(TriNOx)THF and [RE(TriNOx)] 2 species. Differences in the equilibrium constants K dimer for early and late metals enabled simple separations through leaching. Separations were performed on RE1/RE2 mixtures, where RE1 = La-Sm and RE2 = Gd-Lu, with emphasis on Eu/Y separations for potential applications in the recycling of phosphor waste from compact fluorescent light bulbs. Using the leaching method, separations factors approaching 2,000 were obtained for early-late RE combinations. Following solvent optimization, >95% pure samples of Eu were obtained with a 67% recovery for the technologically relevant Eu/Y separation.

Separation of mixed waste plastics via magnetic levitation.

PubMed

Zhao, Peng; Xie, Jun; Gu, Fu; Sharmin, Nusrat; Hall, Philip; Fu, Jianzhong

2018-06-01

Separation becomes a bottleneck of dealing with the enormous stream of waste plastics, as most of the extant methods can only handle binary mixtures. In this paper, a novel method that based on magnetic levitation was proposed for separating multiple mixed plastics. Six types of plastics, i.e., polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polyamide 6 (PA6), polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), were used to simulate the mixed waste plastics. The samples were mixed and immersed into paramagnetic medium that placed into a magnetic levitation configuration with two identical NdFeB magnets with like-poles facing each other, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was employed to verify the separation outputs. Unlike any conventional separation methods such as froth flotation and hydrocyclone, this method is not limited by particle sizes, as mixtures of different size fractions reached their respective equilibrium positions in the initial tests. The two-stage separation tests demonstrated that the plastics can be completely separated with purities reached 100%. The method has the potential to be industrialised into an economically-viable and environmentally-friendly mass production procedure, since quantitative correlations are determined, and the paramagnetic medium can be reused indefinitely. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A computational analysis of lower bounds for the economic lot sizing problem in remanufacturing with separate setups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aishah Syed Ali, Sharifah

2017-09-01

This paper considers economic lot sizing problem in remanufacturing with separate setup (ELSRs), where remanufactured and new products are produced on dedicated production lines. Since this problem is NP-hard in general, which leads to computationally inefficient and low-quality of solutions, we present (a) a multicommodity formulation and (b) a strengthened formulation based on a priori addition of valid inequalities in the space of original variables, which are then compared with the Wagner-Whitin based formulation available in the literature. Computational experiments on a large number of test data sets are performed to evaluate the different approaches. The numerical results show that our strengthened formulation outperforms all the other tested approaches in terms of linear relaxation bounds. Finally, we conclude with future research directions.

Chromatographic resolution of a salt into its parent acid and base constituents.

PubMed

Davankov, Vadim; Tsyurupa, Maria

2006-12-08

Based on the results of the earlier proposed process of separation of mixtures of mineral electrolytes by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), it has been suggested that a mineral salt must spontaneously resolve, at least partially, into its parent acid and base constituents, provided that the separating media discriminates the anion and cation of the salt according to their size. Indeed, migration of a zone of an aqueous salt solution through a bed of neutral nanoporous hypercrosslinked polystyrene-type packing was shown to result in the generation of acidic and alkaline effluent fractions. The principle of spontaneous salt resolution has been extended to other types of discriminating interactions between the stationary phase and the two ions of the salt. The idea was exemplified by the resolution of ammonium acetate, due to hydrophobic retention of the acetate, into fractions enriched in ammoniac and then acetic acid.

Effect of freezing temperature in thermally induced phase separation method in hydroxyapatite/chitosan-based bone scaffold biomaterial

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albab, Muh Fadhil; Yuwono, Akhmad Herman; Sofyan, Nofrijon; Ramahdita, Ghiska

2017-02-01

In the current study, hydroxyapatite (HA)/chitosan-based bone scaffold has been fabricated using Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS) method under freezing temperature variation of -20, -30, -40 and -80 °C. The samples with weight percent ratio of 70% HA and 30% chitosan were homogeneously mixed and subsequently dissolved in 2% acetic acid. The synthesized samples were further characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), compressive test and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The investigation results showed that low freezing temperature reduced the pore size and increased the compressive strength of the scaffold. In the freezing temperature of -20 °C, the pore size was 133.93 µm with the compressive strength of 5.9 KPa, while for -80 °C, the pore size declined to 60.55 µm with the compressive strength 29.8 KPa. Considering the obtained characteristics, HA/chitosan obtained in this work has potential to be applied as a bone scaffold.

Morphospaces of functionally analogous traits show ecological separation between birds and pterosaurs.

PubMed

Chan, Nicholas R

2017-10-25

Birds originated and radiated in the presence of another group of flying vertebrates, the pterosaurs. Opinion is divided as to whether birds competitively displaced pterosaurs from small-body size niches or whether the two groups coexisted with little competition. Previous studies of Mesozoic birds and pterosaurs compared measurements of homologous limb bones to test these hypotheses. However, these characters probably reflect differing ancestries rather than ecologies. Here, competition and ecological separation were tested for using multivariate analyses of functionally equivalent morphological characters. As well as using characters from the fore- and hindlimbs, these analyses also included measurements of the lower jaw. The results of this study indicate that pterosaurs had relatively longer jaws, shorter metatarsals and shorter brachial regions compared with birds of similar size. Contrary to the results of previous studies, the distal wing was not important for separating the two clades in morphospace owing to the inclusion of the primary feathers in this unit. The differences found here indicate ecological separation based on differences in size, locomotory features and feeding adaptations. Thus, instead of one group displacing the other, birds and pterosaurs appear to have adopted distinctive ecological strategies throughout their period of coexistence. © 2017 The Author(s).

Aliasing Signal Separation of Superimposed Abrasive Debris Based on Degenerate Unmixing Estimation Technique.

PubMed

Li, Tongyang; Wang, Shaoping; Zio, Enrico; Shi, Jian; Hong, Wei

2018-03-15

Leakage is the most important failure mode in aircraft hydraulic systems caused by wear and tear between friction pairs of components. The accurate detection of abrasive debris can reveal the wear condition and predict a system's lifespan. The radial magnetic field (RMF)-based debris detection method provides an online solution for monitoring the wear condition intuitively, which potentially enables a more accurate diagnosis and prognosis on the aviation hydraulic system's ongoing failures. To address the serious mixing of pipe abrasive debris, this paper focuses on the superimposed abrasive debris separation of an RMF abrasive sensor based on the degenerate unmixing estimation technique. Through accurately separating and calculating the morphology and amount of the abrasive debris, the RMF-based abrasive sensor can provide the system with wear trend and sizes estimation of the wear particles. A well-designed experiment was conducted and the result shows that the proposed method can effectively separate the mixed debris and give an accurate count of the debris based on RMF abrasive sensor detection.

Liberation characteristic and physical separation of printed circuit board (PCB).

PubMed

Guo, Chao; Wang, Hui; Liang, Wei; Fu, Jiangang; Yi, Xin

2011-01-01

Recycling of printed circuit board (PCB) is an important subject and to which increasing attention is paid, both in treatment of waste as well as recovery of valuable material terms. Precede physical and mechanical method, a good liberation is the premise to further separation. In this study, two-step crushing process is employed, and standard sieve is applied to screen crushed material to different size fractions, moreover, the liberation situation and particles shape in different size are observed. Then metal of the PCB is separated by physical methods, including pneumatic separation, electrostatic separation and magnetic separation, and major metal contents are characterized by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Results show that the metal and nonmetal particles of PCB are dissociated completely under the crush size 0.6mm; metal is mainly enriched in the four size fractions between 0.15 and 1.25 mm; relatively, pneumatic separation is suitable for 0.6-0.9 mm size fraction, while the electrostatic separation is suitable for three size fractions that are 0.15-0.3mm, 0.3-0.6mm and 0.9-1.25 mm. The whole process that involves crushing, electrostatic and magnetic separation has formed a closed cycle that can return material and provide salable product. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Materials separation by dielectrophoresis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sagar, A. D.; Rose, R. M.

1988-01-01

The feasibility of vacuum dielectrophoresis as a method for particulate materials separation in a microgravity environment was investigated. Particle separations were performed in a specially constructed miniature drop-tower with a residence time of about 0.3 sec. Particle motion in such a system is independent of size and based only on density and dielectric constant, for a given electric field. The observed separations and deflections exceeded the theoretical predictions, probably due to multiparticle effects. In any case, this approach should work well in microgravity for many classes of materials, with relatively simple apparatus and low weight and power requirements.

Characterization of minerals in natural and manufactured sand in Cauvery River belt, Tamilnadu, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnanasaravanan, S.; Rajkumar, P.

2013-05-01

The present study investigates the characterization of minerals in the River Sand (R - Sand) and the Manufactured sand (M-Sand) through FTIR spectroscopic studies. The R - Sand is collected from seven different locations in Cauvery River and M - Sand is collected from eight different manufactures around the Cauvery River belt in Salem, Erode, Tirupur and Namakkal districts of Tamilnadu, India. To extend the effectiveness of the analysis, the samples were subjected to grain size separation to classify the bulk samples into different grain sizes. All the samples were analyzed using FTIR spectrometer. The number of minerals identified with the help of FTIR spectra in overall (bulk) samples of R - Sand is 14 and of M - Sand is 13. The number has been increased while going for grain size separation, i.e., from 14 to 31 for R - Sand and from 13 to 20 for M - Sand. Among all minerals, quartz plays a major role. The relative distribution and the crystallinity nature of quartz have been discussed based on the extinction co-efficient and the crystallinity index values computed. There is no major variation found in M - Sand while going for grain size separation.

Application of a water cooling treatment and its effect on coal-based reduction of high-chromium vanadium and titanium iron ore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Song-tao; Zhou, Mi; Jiang, Tao; Guan, Shan-fei; Zhang, Wei-jun; Xue, Xiang-xin

2016-12-01

A water cooling treatment was applied in the coal-based reduction of high-chromium vanadium and titanium (V-Ti-Cr) iron ore from the Hongge region of Panzhihua, China. Its effects on the metallization ratio ( η), S removal ratio ( R S), and P removal ratio ( R P) were studied and analyzed on the basis of chemical composition determined via inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The metallic iron particle size and the element distribution of Fe, V, Cr, and Ti in a reduced briquette after water cooling treatment at 1350°C were determined and observed via scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the water cooling treatment improved the η, R S, and R P in the coal-based reduction of V-Ti-Cr iron ore compared to those obtained with a furnace cooling treatment. Meanwhile, the particle size of metallic iron obtained via the water cooling treatment was smaller than that of metallic iron obtained via the furnace cooling treatment; however, the particle size reached 70 μm at 1350°C, which is substantially larger than the minimum particle size required (20 μm) for magnetic separation. Therefore, the water cooling treatment described in this work is a good method for improving the quality of metallic iron in coal-based reduction and it could be applied in the coal-based reduction of V-Ti-Cr iron ore followed by magnetic separation.

Hemicellulose block copolymers made from woods for wide-range directed self-assembly lithography enabling wider range of applicable patterning size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morita, Kazuyo; Yamamoto, Kimiko

2017-03-01

Xylan, one of hemicellulose family, block copolymer was newly developed for wide-range directed self-assembly lithography (DSA). Xylan is higher hydrophilic material because of having many hydroxy groups in one molecule. It means that xylan block copolymer has a possibility of high-chi block copolymer. Generally, DSA is focused on microphase separation for smaller size with high-chi block copolymer and not well known for larger size. In this study, xylan block copolymer was confirmed enabling wider range of patterning size, from smaller size to larger size. The key of xylan block copolymer is a new molecular structure of block copolymer and sugar chain control technology. Sugar content is the important parameter for not only micro-phase separation property but also line edge roughness (LER) and defects. Based on the sugar control technology, wide-range (hp 8.3nm to 26nm L/S and CD 10nm to 51nm hole) DSA patterning was demonstrated. Additionally it was confirmed that xylan block copolymer is suitable for sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) process.

The grain size(s) of Black Hills Quartzite deformed in the dislocation creep regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heilbronner, Renée; Kilian, Rüdiger

2017-10-01

General shear experiments on Black Hills Quartzite (BHQ) deformed in the dislocation creep regimes 1 to 3 have been previously analyzed using the CIP method (Heilbronner and Tullis, 2002, 2006). They are reexamined using the higher spatial and orientational resolution of EBSD. Criteria for coherent segmentations based on c-axis orientation and on full crystallographic orientations are determined. Texture domains of preferred c-axis orientation (Y and B domains) are extracted and analyzed separately. Subdomains are recognized, and their shape and size are related to the kinematic framework and the original grains in the BHQ. Grain size analysis is carried out for all samples, high- and low-strain samples, and separately for a number of texture domains. When comparing the results to the recrystallized quartz piezometer of Stipp and Tullis (2003), it is found that grain sizes are consistently larger for a given flow stress. It is therefore suggested that the recrystallized grain size also depends on texture, grain-scale deformation intensity, and the kinematic framework (of axial vs. general shear experiments).

Micropreparative capillary gel electrophoresis of DNA: rapid expressed sequence tag library construction.

PubMed

Shi, Liang; Khandurina, Julia; Ronai, Zsolt; Li, Bi-Yu; Kwan, Wai King; Wang, Xun; Guttman, András

2003-01-01

A capillary gel electrophoresis based automated DNA fraction collection technique was developed to support a novel DNA fragment-pooling strategy for expressed sequence tag (EST) library construction. The cDNA population is first cleaved by BsaJ I and EcoR I restriction enzymes, and then subpooled by selective ligation with specific adapters followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and labeling. Combination of this cDNA fingerprinting method with high-resolution capillary gel electrophoresis separation and precise fractionation of individual cDNA transcript representatives avoids redundant fragment selection and concomitant repetitive sequencing of abundant transcripts. Using a computer-controlled capillary electrophoresis device the transcript representatives were separated by their size and fractions were automatically collected in every 30 s into 96-well plates. The high resolving power of the sieving matrix ensured sequencing grade separation of the DNA fragments (i.e., single-base resolution) and successful fraction collection. Performance and precision of the fraction collection procedure was validated by PCR amplification of the collected DNA fragments followed by capillary electrophoresis analysis for size and purity verification. The collected and PCR-amplified transcript representatives, ranging up to several hundred base pairs, were then sequenced to create an EST library.

Reactor vessels: weld cladding - base metal interaction

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

Mager, T.R.; Landerman, E.; Kubit, C.J.

1971-07-01

An underclad anomaly first observed during magnetic particle inspection of a European steam generator and subsequently discovered during inspection of certain reactor vessels manufactured in both the United States and in Europe is shown to be inconsequential for the intended application because of its small size and insignificant expected growth. Metallurgical investigation identifies the anomaly as grain boundary separations in the base metal, restricted in extent to the grain coarsened part of the weld heat-affected zone beneath the weld bead overlap. In all cases the depth of the separations was less than the maximum depth (0.125 inches) of the grainmore » coarsened area. The occurrence of the anomaly depends on the specific weld overlay process. It has been found generally after post-weld stress relief in forging and plate material (SA508 Class 2 composition). Fracture mechanics evaluation of the affected materials shows that the expected growth of the grain boundary separations during the lifetime of the plant is insignificant, being only 0.004 inches maximum as calculated based on conservative assumptions verified by the metallurgical investigation. Since the original size of the grain boundary separations is negligible and its growth is insignificant during the 40-year plant life, the structural integrity of the vessels has not been compromised and the affected vessels are suitable for the use intended.« less

Quantitative characterization of gold nanoparticles by size-exclusion and hydrodynamic chromatography, coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and quasi-elastic light scattering.

PubMed

Pitkänen, Leena; Montoro Bustos, Antonio R; Murphy, Karen E; Winchester, Michael R; Striegel, André M

2017-08-18

The physicochemical characterization of nanoparticles (NPs) is of paramount importance for tailoring and optimizing the properties of these materials as well as for evaluating the environmental fate and impact of the NPs. Characterizing the size and chemical identity of disperse NP sample populations can be accomplished by coupling size-based separation methods to physical and chemical detection methods. Informed decisions regarding the NPs can only be made, however, if the separations themselves are quantitative, i.e., if all or most of the analyte elutes from the column within the course of the experiment. We undertake here the size-exclusion chromatographic characterization of Au NPs spanning a six-fold range in mean size. The main problem which has plagued the size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) analysis of Au NPs, namely lack of quantitation accountability due to generally poor NP recovery from the columns, is overcome by carefully matching eluent formulation with the appropriate stationary phase chemistry, and by the use of on-line inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate the quantitative analysis of Au NPs by SEC/ICP-MS, including the analysis of a ternary NP blend. The SEC separations are contrasted to HDC/ICP-MS (HDC: hydrodynamic chromatography) separations employing the same stationary phase chemistry. Additionally, analysis of Au NPs by HDC with on-line quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) allowed for continuous determination of NP size across the chromatographic profiles, circumventing issues related to the shedding of fines from the SEC columns. The use of chemically homogeneous reference materials with well-defined size range allowed for better assessment of the accuracy and precision of the analyses, and for a more direct interpretation of results, than would be possible employing less rigorously characterized analytes. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evolution of brain region volumes during artificial selection for relative brain size.

PubMed

Kotrschal, Alexander; Zeng, Hong-Li; van der Bijl, Wouter; Öhman-Mägi, Caroline; Kotrschal, Kurt; Pelckmans, Kristiaan; Kolm, Niclas

2017-12-01

The vertebrate brain shows an extremely conserved layout across taxa. Still, the relative sizes of separate brain regions vary markedly between species. One interesting pattern is that larger brains seem associated with increased relative sizes only of certain brain regions, for instance telencephalon and cerebellum. Till now, the evolutionary association between separate brain regions and overall brain size is based on comparative evidence and remains experimentally untested. Here, we test the evolutionary response of brain regions to directional selection on brain size in guppies (Poecilia reticulata) selected for large and small relative brain size. In these animals, artificial selection led to a fast response in relative brain size, while body size remained unchanged. We use microcomputer tomography to investigate how the volumes of 11 main brain regions respond to selection for larger versus smaller brains. We found no differences in relative brain region volumes between large- and small-brained animals and only minor sex-specific variation. Also, selection did not change allometric scaling between brain and brain region sizes. Our results suggest that brain regions respond similarly to strong directional selection on relative brain size, which indicates that brain anatomy variation in contemporary species most likely stem from direct selection on key regions. © 2017 The Author(s). Evolution © 2017 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Polydimethylsiloxane-based Self healing Composite and Coating Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

TGA thermogravimetric analysis TDCB tapered double cantilever beam RH relative humidity DMDN-Sn dimethyldineodacanoate tin DBBE-Sn di-n-butyl bis(2...properties of micro-capsules by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). As shown in figure 2.17, no weight change occurred up to the boiling point of...Elemental analysis of separated prepolymer phase and control samples. ..............24 Table 2.4: The size values of phase separated PDMS droplets

Miniaturized protein separation using a liquid chromatography column on a flexible substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yongmo; Chae, Junseok

2008-12-01

We report a prototype protein separator that successfully miniaturizes existing technology for potential use in biocompatible health monitoring implants. The prototype is a liquid chromatography (LC) column (LC mini-column) fabricated on an inexpensive, flexible, biocompatible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) enclosure. The LC mini-column separates a mixture of proteins using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with polydivinylbenzene beads (5-20 µm in diameter with 10 nm pore size). The LC mini-column is smaller than any commercially available LC column by a factor of ~11 000 and successfully separates denatured and native protein mixtures at ~71 psi of the applied fluidic pressure. Separated proteins are analyzed using NuPAGE-gel electrophoresis, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and an automated electrophoresis system. Quantitative HPLC results demonstrate successful separation based on intensity change: within 12 min, the intensity between large and small protein peaks changed by a factor of ~20. In further evaluation using the automated electrophoresis system, the plate height of the LC mini-column is between 36 µm and 100 µm. The prototype LC mini-column shows the potential for real-time health monitoring in applications that require inexpensive, flexible implant technology that can function effectively under non-laboratory conditions.

Removal of batteries from solid waste using trommel separation.

PubMed

Lau, S T; Cheung, W H; Kwong, C K; Wan, C P; Choy, K K H; Leung, C C; Porter, J F; Hui, C W; Mc Kay, G

2005-01-01

This paper describes the design and testing of a trommel for separation of batteries from solid waste. A trommel is a cylindrical separation device that rotates and performs size separation. It has also been used in areas such as municipal solid waste (MSW) processing, classifying construction and demolition debris, screening mass-burn incinerator ash and compost processing. A trommel has been designed based on size separation to separate household batteries from solid waste, which can then be used as feedstock for alternative applications of solid waste combustion, particularly where the metal content of the product is also a critical parameter, such as the Co-Co process for integrated cement and power production. This trommel has been tested with batches of university office and restaurant wastes against various factors. The recovery efficiency of batteries increases with decreasing inclination angle of the trommel and decreasing rotational speed. A physical characterization of the university solid waste has been performed with a 20-kg sample of the tested waste. It was found that there is a trend of decreasing recovery of batteries with increasing paper composition, and a trend of increasing recovery of batteries with increasing organic materials composition.

Ammonia modification for flotation separation of polycarbonate and polystyrene waste plastics.

PubMed

Wang, Chong-Qing; Wang, Hui; Gu, Guo-Hua; Lin, Qing-Quan; Zhang, Ling-Ling; Huang, Luo-Luo; Zhao, Jun-Yao

2016-05-01

A promising method, ammonia modification, was developed for flotation separation of polycarbonate (PC) and polystyrene (PS) waste plastics. Ammonia modification has little effect on flotation behavior of PS, while it changes significantly that of PC. The PC recovery in the floated product drops from 100% to 3.17% when modification time is 13min and then rises to 100% after longer modification. The mechanism of ammonia modification was studied by contact angle, and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. Contact angle of PC indicates the decline of PC recovery in the floated product is ascribed to an increase in surface wettability. FT-IR and XPS spectra suggest that ammonia modification causes chemical reactions occurred on PC surface. Flotation behavior of ammonia-modified PC and PS was investigated with respect to flotation time, frother concentration and particle sizes. Flotation separation of PC and PS waste plastics was conducted based on the flotation behavior of single plastic. PC and PS mixtures with different particle sizes are separated efficiently, implying that the technology possesses superior applicability to particle sizes of plastics. The purity of PS and PC is up to 99.53% and 98.21%, respectively, and the recovery of PS and PC is larger than 92.06%. A reliable, cheap and effective process is proposed for separation of PC and PS waste plastics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effective ligand functionalization of zirconium-based metal-organic frameworks for the adsorption and separation of benzene and toluene: a multiscale computational study.

PubMed

Wu, Ying; Chen, Huiyong; Liu, Defei; Xiao, Jing; Qian, Yu; Xi, Hongxia

2015-03-18

The adsorption and separation properties of benzene and toluene on the zirconium-based frameworks UiO-66, -67, -68, and their functional analogues UiO-Phe and UiO-Me2 were studied using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations, density functional theory, and ideal adsorbed solution theory. Remarkable higher adsorption uptakes of benzene and toluene at low pressures on UiO-Phe and -Me2 were found compared to their parent framework UiO-67. It can be ascribed to the presence of functional groups (aromatic rings and methyl groups) that significantly intensified the adsorption, majorly by reducing the effective pore size and increasing the interaction strength with the adsorbates. At high pressures, the pore volumes and accessible surfaces of the frameworks turned out to be the dominant factors governing the adsorption. In the case of toluene/benzene separation, toluene selectivities of UiOs showed a two-stage separation behavior at the measured pressure range, resulting from the greater interaction affinities of toluene at low pressures and steric hindrance effects at high pressures. Additionally, the counterbalancing factors of enhanced π delocalization and suitable pore size of UiO-Phe gave rise to the highest toluene selectivity, suggesting the ligand functionalization strategy could reach both high adsorption capacity and separation selectivity from aromatic mixtures at low concentrations.

Micromagnet arrays for on-chip focusing, switching, and separation of superparamagnetic beads and single cells.

PubMed

Rampini, S; Kilinc, D; Li, P; Monteil, C; Gandhi, D; Lee, G U

2015-08-21

Nonlinear magnetophoresis (NLM) is a novel approach for on-chip transport and separation of superparamagnetic (SPM) beads, based on a travelling magnetic field wave generated by the combination of a micromagnet array (MMA) and an applied rotating magnetic field. Here, we present two novel MMA designs that allow SPM beads to be focused, sorted, and separated on-chip. Converging MMAs were used to rapidly collect the SPM beads from a large region of the chip and focus them into synchronised lines. We characterise the collection efficiency of the devices and demonstrate that they can facilitate on-chip analysis of populations of SPM beads using a single-point optical detector. The diverging MMAs were used to control the transport of the beads and to separate them based on their size. The separation efficiency of these devices was determined by the orientation of the magnetisation of the micromagnets relative to the external magnetic field and the size of the beads and relative to that of micromagnets. By controlling these parameters and the rotation of the external magnetic field we demonstrated the controlled transport of SPM bead-labelled single MDA-MB-231 cells. The use of these novel MMAs promises to allow magnetically-labelled cells to be efficiently isolated and then manipulated on-chip for analysis with high-resolution chemical and physical techniques.

Size-based sorting of micro-particles using microbubble streaming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Cheng; Jalikop, Shreyas; Hilgenfeldt, Sascha

2009-11-01

Oscillating microbubbles driven by ultrasound have shown great potential in microfluidic applications, such as transporting particles and promoting mixing [1-3]. The oscillations generate secondary steady streaming that can also trap particles. We use the streaming to develop a method of sorting particles of different sizes in an initially well-mixed solution. The solution is fed into a channel consisting of bubbles placed periodically along a side wall. When the bubbles are excited by an ultrasound piezo-electric transducer to produce steady streaming, the flow field is altered by the presence of the particles. This effect is dependent on particle size and results in size-based sorting of the particles. The effectiveness of the separation depends on the dimensions of the bubbles and particles as well as on the ultrasound frequency. Our experimental studies are aimed at a better understanding of the design and control of effective microfluidic separating devices. Ref: [1] P. Marmottant and S. Hilgenfeldt, Nature 423, 153 (2003). [2] P. Marmottant and S. Hilgenfeldt, Proc. Natl. Acad. Science USA, 101, 9523 (2004). [3] P. Marmottant, J.-P. Raven, H. Gardeniers, J. G. Bomer, and S. Hilgenfeldt, J. Fluid Mech., vol.568, 109 (2006).

Thermally assisted acoustophoresis as a new stiffness-based separation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolatmoradi, Ata; El-Zahab, Bilal

2017-02-01

The use of acoustophoretic separation devices provides a feasible means in biomedical diagnostics for label-free separation of diseased cells. Separation via acoustophoresis, however, has been restricted mainly to size contrast. Thermally-assisted acoustophoresis, as a newly-developed approach, integrates acoustic and thermal actuators on the same platform, enabling a stiffness-based separation when adjusted properly. Using this method, we have demonstrated the possibility of separating cell-mimicking liposomes based on their membrane stiffness. In a temperature-tuned microchannel with an overlaid ultrasonic standing wave, the acoustic contrast factor of a liposome is mainly determined according to its compressibility compared to that of medium. The sign of this factor was observed to flip to a negative value at a specific temperature, unique to the composition of the liposome. This sign switch was hypothesized to be due to the thermotropic phase transitions in the liposome's membrane upon which an apparent effect on the compressibility is experienced by the liposome. By choosing the midpoint of the existing temperature window for two different compositions, within which liposomes were mechanically distinct enough to become differentiable in the acoustic radiation field, we examined the separation efficiency under different flow rate conditions.

Low-coherence terahertz tomography based on spatially separated counterpropagating beams with allowance for probe radiation absorption in the medium

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

Mandrosov, V I

2015-10-31

This paper analyses low-coherence tomography of absorbing media with the use of spatially separated counterpropagating object and reference beams. A probe radiation source based on a broadband terahertz (THz) generator that emits sufficiently intense THz waves in the spectral range 90 – 350 μm and a prism spectroscope that separates out eight narrow intervals from this range are proposed for implementing this method. This allows media of interest to be examined by low-coherence tomography with counterpropagating beams in each interval. It is shown that, according to the Rayleigh criterion, the method is capable of resolving inhomogeneities with a size nearmore » one quarter of the coherence length of the probe radiation. In addition, the proposed tomograph configuration allows one to determine the average surface asperity slope and the refractive index and absorption coefficient of inhomogeneities 180 to 700 mm in size, and obtain spectra of such inhomogeneities in order to determine their chemical composition. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)« less

Chemical aspects of agglutinate formation - Relationships between agglutinate composition and the composition of the bulk soil. [lunar surface composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Via, W. N.; Taylor, L. A.

1976-01-01

Attention is centered on the nature and intensity of geochemical fractionation accompanying agglutination of several size fractions of the immature Apollo-16 soil sample 67460, from North Ray Crater. The soil features coarse mean grain size about 150 microns, low (20 wt.%) magnetic agglutinate content, and a bimodal grain size distribution. The magnetic fraction included both agglutinates and magnetic non-agglutinates (glass-free microbreccias with 30-60 micron native FeNi grains hosted in a matrix of pyroxene, ilmenite, and olivine). The separation process residue contained nonmagnetic agglutinates with compositions near pure plagioclase. The magnetic agglutinate fraction appears selectively enriched in ferromagnesian elements to the partial exclusion of plagioclase elements. Agglutinate glass chemistry based solely on magnetic separation is deprecated on the basis of the results.

Single cell Enrichment with High Throughput Microfluidic Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pakjesm Pourfard, Pedram

Microfluidics is a rapidly growing field of biomedical engineering with numerous applications such as diagnostic testing, therapeutics, and research preparation. Cell enrichment for automated diagnostic is often assayed through measurement of biochemical and biophysical markers. Although biochemical markers have been widely used, intrinsic biophysical markers, such as, Shear migration, Lift force, Dean force, and many other label-free techniques, are advantageous since they don't require costly labeling or sample preparation. However, current passive techniques for enrichment had limited adoption in clinical and cell biology research applications. They generally require low flow rate and low cell volume fraction for high efficiency. The Control increment filtration, T-shaped microfluidic device, and spiral-shaped microfluidic devices will be studied for single-cell separation from aggregates. Control increment filtration works like the tangential filter; however, cells are separated based off of same amount of flow rate passing through large space gaps. Main microchannel of T-Shaped is connected to two perpendicular side channels. Based off Shear-modulated inertial migration, this device will enable selective enrichment of cells. The spiral shaped microfluidic device depends on different Dean and lift forces acting on cells to separate them based off different sizes. The spiral geometry of the microchannel will enable dominant inertial forces and the Dean Rotation force to cause larger cells to migrate to the inner side of the microchannel. Because manipulation of microchannel dimensions correlates to the degree of cell separation, versatility in design exists. Cell mixture samples will contain cells of different sizes and therefore design strategies could be utilized to maximize the effectiveness of single-cell separation.

Synthesis of zirconia monoliths for chromatographic separations.

PubMed

Randon, Jérôme; Huguet, Samuel; Piram, Anne; Puy, Guillaume; Demesmay, Claire; Rocca, Jean-Louis

2006-03-17

The aim of this work is to join the advantages of two different kinds of stationary phases: monolithic columns and zirconia-based supports. On the one hand, silica monolithic columns allow a higher efficiency with a lower back-pressure than traditional packed columns. On the other hand, chromatographic stationary phases based on zirconia have a higher thermal and chemical stability and specific surface properties. Combining these advantages, a zirconia monolith with a macroporous framework could be a real improvement in separation sciences. Two main strategies can be used in order to obtain a zirconia surface on a monolithic skeleton: coating or direct synthesis. The coverage by a zirconia layer of the surface of a silica-based monolith can be performed using the chemical properties of the silanol surface groups. We realized this coverage using zirconium alkoxide and we further grafted n-dodecyl groups using phosphate derivatives. Any loss of efficiency was observed and fast separations have been achieved. The main advance reported in this paper is related to the preparation of zirconia monoliths by a sol-gel process starting from zirconium alkoxide. The synthesis parameters (hydrolysis ratio, porogen type, precursor concentration, drying step, etc.) were defined in order to produce a macroporous zirconia monoliths usable in separation techniques. We produced various homogeneous structures: zirconia rod 2 cm long with a diameter of 2.3 mm, and zirconia monolith inside fused silica capillaries with a 75 microm I.D. These monoliths have a skeleton size of 2 microm and have an average through pore size of 6 microm. Several separations have been reported.

Separation of cancer cells from white blood cells by pinched flow fractionation.

PubMed

Pødenphant, Marie; Ashley, Neil; Koprowska, Kamila; Mir, Kalim U; Zalkovskij, Maksim; Bilenberg, Brian; Bodmer, Walter; Kristensen, Anders; Marie, Rodolphe

2015-12-21

In this paper, the microfluidic size-separation technique pinched flow fractionation (PFF) is used to separate cancer cells from white blood cells (WBCs). The cells are separated at efficiencies above 90% for both cell types. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are found in the blood of cancer patients and can form new tumors. CTCs are rare cells in blood, but they are important for the understanding of metastasis. There is therefore a high interest in developing a method for the enrichment of CTCs from blood samples, which also enables further analysis of the separated cells. The separation is challenged by the size overlap between cancer cells and the 10(6) times more abundant WBCs. The size overlap prevents high efficiency separation, however we demonstrate that cell deformability can be exploited in PFF devices to gain higher efficiencies than expected from the size distribution of the cells.

Size-based separation methods of circulating tumor cells.

PubMed

Hao, Si-Jie; Wan, Yuan; Xia, Yi-Qiu; Zou, Xin; Zheng, Si-Yang

2018-02-01

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) originate from the primary tumor mass and enter into the peripheral bloodstream. Compared to other "liquid biopsy" portfolios such as exosome, circulating tumor DNA/RNA (ctDNA/RNA), CTCs have incomparable advantages in analyses of transcriptomics, proteomics, and signal colocalization. Hence, CTCs hold the key to understanding the biology of metastasis and play a vital role in cancer diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and prognosis. Size-based enrichment features are prominent in CTC isolation. It is a label-free, simple and fast method. Enriched CTCs remain unmodified and viable for a wide range of subsequent analyses. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the differences of size and deformability between CTCs and blood cells, which would facilitate the development of technologies of size-based CTC isolation. Then we review representative size-/deformability-based technologies available for CTC isolation and highlight the recent achievements in molecular analysis of isolated CTCs. To wrap up, we discuss the substantial challenges facing the field, and elaborate on prospects. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cell separation using tilted-angle standing surface acoustic waves

PubMed Central

Ding, Xiaoyun; Peng, Zhangli; Lin, Sz-Chin Steven; Geri, Michela; Li, Sixing; Li, Peng; Chen, Yuchao; Dao, Ming; Suresh, Subra; Huang, Tony Jun

2014-01-01

Separation of cells is a critical process for studying cell properties, disease diagnostics, and therapeutics. Cell sorting by acoustic waves offers a means to separate cells on the basis of their size and physical properties in a label-free, contactless, and biocompatible manner. The separation sensitivity and efficiency of currently available acoustic-based approaches, however, are limited, thereby restricting their widespread application in research and health diagnostics. In this work, we introduce a unique configuration of tilted-angle standing surface acoustic waves (taSSAW), which are oriented at an optimally designed inclination to the flow direction in the microfluidic channel. We demonstrate that this design significantly improves the efficiency and sensitivity of acoustic separation techniques. To optimize our device design, we carried out systematic simulations of cell trajectories, matching closely with experimental results. Using numerically optimized design of taSSAW, we successfully separated 2- and 10-µm-diameter polystyrene beads with a separation efficiency of ∼99%, and separated 7.3- and 9.9-µm-polystyrene beads with an efficiency of ∼97%. We illustrate that taSSAW is capable of effectively separating particles–cells of approximately the same size and density but different compressibility. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the present technique for biological–biomedical applications by sorting MCF-7 human breast cancer cells from nonmalignant leukocytes, while preserving the integrity of the separated cells. The method introduced here thus offers a unique route for separating circulating tumor cells, and for label-free cell separation with potential applications in biological research, disease diagnostics, and clinical practice. PMID:25157150

Cell separation using tilted-angle standing surface acoustic waves.

PubMed

Ding, Xiaoyun; Peng, Zhangli; Lin, Sz-Chin Steven; Geri, Michela; Li, Sixing; Li, Peng; Chen, Yuchao; Dao, Ming; Suresh, Subra; Huang, Tony Jun

2014-09-09

Separation of cells is a critical process for studying cell properties, disease diagnostics, and therapeutics. Cell sorting by acoustic waves offers a means to separate cells on the basis of their size and physical properties in a label-free, contactless, and biocompatible manner. The separation sensitivity and efficiency of currently available acoustic-based approaches, however, are limited, thereby restricting their widespread application in research and health diagnostics. In this work, we introduce a unique configuration of tilted-angle standing surface acoustic waves (taSSAW), which are oriented at an optimally designed inclination to the flow direction in the microfluidic channel. We demonstrate that this design significantly improves the efficiency and sensitivity of acoustic separation techniques. To optimize our device design, we carried out systematic simulations of cell trajectories, matching closely with experimental results. Using numerically optimized design of taSSAW, we successfully separated 2- and 10-µm-diameter polystyrene beads with a separation efficiency of ∼ 99%, and separated 7.3- and 9.9-µm-polystyrene beads with an efficiency of ∼ 97%. We illustrate that taSSAW is capable of effectively separating particles-cells of approximately the same size and density but different compressibility. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the present technique for biological-biomedical applications by sorting MCF-7 human breast cancer cells from nonmalignant leukocytes, while preserving the integrity of the separated cells. The method introduced here thus offers a unique route for separating circulating tumor cells, and for label-free cell separation with potential applications in biological research, disease diagnostics, and clinical practice.

Recent Advances in the Separation of Rare Earth Elements Using Mesoporous Hybrid Materials.

PubMed

Hu, Yimu; Florek, Justyna; Larivière, Dominic; Fontaine, Frédéric-Georges; Kleitz, Freddy

2018-05-27

Over the past decades, the need for rare earth elements (REEs) has increased substantially, mostly because these elements are used as valuable additives in advanced technologies. However, the difference in ionic radius between neighboring REEs is small, which renders an efficient sized-based separation extremely challenging. Among different types of extraction methods, solid-phase extraction (SPE) is a promising candidate, featuring high enrichment factor, rapid adsorption kinetics, reduced solvent consumption and minimized waste generation. The great challenge remains yet to develop highly efficient and selective adsorbents for this process. In this regard, ordered mesoporous materials (OMMs) possess high specific surface area, tunable pore size, large pore volume, as well as stable and interconnected frameworks with active pore surfaces for functionalization. Such features meet the requirements for enhanced adsorbents, not only providing huge reactional interface and large surface capable of accommodating guest species, but also enabling the possibility of ion-specific binding for enrichment and separation purposes. This short personal account summarizes some of the recent advances in the use of porous hybrid materials as selective sorbents for REE separation and purification, with particular attention devoted to ordered mesoporous silica and carbon-based sorbents. © 2018 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Ion mass separation modeling inside a plasma separator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrikov, A. V.; Sidorov, V. S.; Smirnov, V. P.; Tarakanov, V. P.

2018-01-01

The results have been obtained in a continuation of the work for ion trajectories calculation in crossed electric and magnetic fields and also in a close alignment with the plasma separation study development. The main task was to calculate trajectories of ions of the substance imitating spent nuclear fuel in order to find a feasible plasma separator configuration. The three-dimensional modeling has been made with KARAT code in a single-particle approximation. The calculations have been performed under the following conditions. Magnetic field is produced by 2 coils of wire, the characteristic field strength in a uniform area is 1.4 kG. Electric field is produced by several electrodes (axial ones, anode shell and capacitor sheets) with electric potential up to 500 V. The characteristic linear size of the cylindrical separator area is ∼ 100 cm. The characteristic size of injection region is ∼ 1 cm. Spatial position of the injection region is inside the separator. The injection direction is along magnetic lines. Injected particles are single-charged ions with energies from 0 to 20 eV with atomic masses A = 150 and 240. Wide spreading angle range was investigated. As a result of simulation a feasible separator configuration was found. This configuration allows to achieve more than 10 cm spatial division distance for the separated ions and is fully compliant with and supplementary to the vacuum arc-based ion source research.

Synthesis, fractionation, and thin film processing of nanoparticles using the tunable solvent properties of carbon dioxide gas expanded liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anand, Madhu

Nanoparticles have received significant attention because of their unusual characteristics including high surface area to volume ratios. Materials built from nanoparticles possess unique chemical, physical, mechanical and optical properties. Due to these properties, they hold potential in application areas such as catalysts, sensors, semiconductors and optics. At the same time, CO 2 in the form of supercritical fluid or CO2 gas-expanded liquid mixtures has gained significant attention in the area of processing nanostructures. This dissertation focuses on the synthesis and processing of nanoparticles using CO2 tunable solvent systems. Nanoparticle properties depend heavily on their size and, as such, the ability to finely control the size and uniformity of nanoparticles is of utmost importance. Solution based nanoparticle formation techniques are attractive due to their simplicity, but they often result in the synthesis of particles with a wide size range. To address this limitation, a post-synthesis technique has been developed in this dissertation to fractionate polydisperse nanoparticles ( s . = 30%) into monodisperse fractions ( s . = 8%) using tunable physicochemical properties of CO 2 expanded liquids, where CO2 is employed as an antisolvent. This work demonstrates that by controlling the addition of CO2 (pressurization) to an organic dispersion of nanoparticles, the ligand stabilized nanoparticles can be size selectively precipitated within a novel high pressure apparatus that confines the particle precipitation to a specified location on a surface. Unlike current techniques, this CO2 expanded liquid approach provides faster and more efficient particle size separation, reduction in organic solvent usage, and pressure tunable size selection in a single process. To improve our fundamental understanding and to further refine the size separation process, a detailed study has been performed to identify the key parameters enabling size separation of various nanoparticle populations. This study details the influence of various factors on the size separation process, such as the types of nanoparticles, ligand type and solvent type as well as the use of recursive fractionation and the time allowed for settling during each fractionation step. This size selective precipitation technique was also applied to fractionate and separate polydisperse dispersions of CdSe/ZnS semiconductor nanocrystals into very distinct size and color fractions based solely on the pressure tunable solvent properties of CO2 expanded liquids. This size selective precipitation of nanoparticles is achieved by finely tuning the solvent strength of the CO2/organic solvent medium by simply adjusting the applied CO2 pressure. These subtle changes affect the balance between osmotic repulsive and van der Waals attractive forces thereby allowing fractionation of the nanocrystals into multiple narrow size populations. Thermodynamic analysis of nanoparticle size selective fractionation was performed to develop a theoretical model based on the thermodynamic properties of gas expanded liquids. We have used the general phenomenon of nanoparticle precipitation with CO2 expanded liquids to create dodecanethiol stabilized gold nanoparticle thin films. This method utilizes CO2 as an anti-solvent for low defect, wide area gold nanoparticle film formation employing monodisperse gold nanoparticles. Dodecanethiol stabilized gold particles are precipitated from hexane by controllably expanding the solution with carbon dioxide. Subsequent addition of carbon dioxide as a dense supercritical fluid then provides for removal of the organic solvent while avoiding the dewetting effects common to evaporating solvents. Unfortunately, the use of carbon dioxide as a neat solvent in nanoparticles synthesis and processing is limited by the very poor solvent strength of dense phase CO2. As a result, most current techniques employed to synthesize and disperse nanoparticles in neat carbon dioxide require the use of environmentally persistent fluorinated compounds as metal precursors and/or stabilizing ligands. This dissertation presents the first report of the simultaneous synthesis and stabilization of metallic nanoparticles in carbon dioxide solvent without the use of any fluorinated compounds thereby further enabling the use of CO 2 as a green solvent medium in nanomaterials synthesis and processing.

Integrated protein analysis platform based on column switch recycling size exclusion chromatography, microenzymatic reactor and microRPLC-ESI-MS/MS.

PubMed

Yuan, Huiming; Zhou, Yuan; Zhang, Lihua; Liang, Zhen; Zhang, Yukui

2009-10-30

An integrated platform with the combination of proteins and peptides separation was established via the unit of on-line proteins digestion, by which proteins were in sequence separated by column switch recycling size exclusion chromatography (csrSEC), on-line digested by an immobilized trypsin microreactor, trapped and desalted by two parallel C8 precolumns, separated by microRPLC with the linear gradient of organic modifier concentration, and identified by ESI-MS/MS. A 6-protein mixture, with Mr ranging from 10 kDa to 80 kDa, was used to evaluate the performance of the integrated platform, and all proteins were identified with sequence coverage over 5.67%. Our experimental results demonstrate that such an integrated platform is of advantages such as good time compatibility, high peak capacity, and facile automation, which might be a promising approach for proteome study.

Aliasing Signal Separation of Superimposed Abrasive Debris Based on Degenerate Unmixing Estimation Technique

PubMed Central

Li, Tongyang; Wang, Shaoping; Zio, Enrico; Shi, Jian; Hong, Wei

2018-01-01

Leakage is the most important failure mode in aircraft hydraulic systems caused by wear and tear between friction pairs of components. The accurate detection of abrasive debris can reveal the wear condition and predict a system’s lifespan. The radial magnetic field (RMF)-based debris detection method provides an online solution for monitoring the wear condition intuitively, which potentially enables a more accurate diagnosis and prognosis on the aviation hydraulic system’s ongoing failures. To address the serious mixing of pipe abrasive debris, this paper focuses on the superimposed abrasive debris separation of an RMF abrasive sensor based on the degenerate unmixing estimation technique. Through accurately separating and calculating the morphology and amount of the abrasive debris, the RMF-based abrasive sensor can provide the system with wear trend and sizes estimation of the wear particles. A well-designed experiment was conducted and the result shows that the proposed method can effectively separate the mixed debris and give an accurate count of the debris based on RMF abrasive sensor detection. PMID:29543733

Computational Screening of MOFs for Acetylene Separation

PubMed Central

Nemati Vesali Azar, Ayda; Keskin, Seda

2018-01-01

Efficient separation of acetylene (C2H2) from CO2 and CH4 is important to meet the requirement of high-purity acetylene in various industrial applications. Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are great candidates for adsorption-based C2H2/CO2 and C2H2/CH4 separations due to their unique properties such as wide range of pore sizes and tunable chemistries. Experimental studies on the limited number of MOFs revealed that MOFs offer remarkable C2H2/CO2 and C2H2/CH4 selectivities based on single-component adsorption data. We performed the first large-scale molecular simulation study to investigate separation performances of 174 different MOF structures for C2H2/CO2 and C2H2/CH4 mixtures. Using the results of molecular simulations, several adsorbent performance evaluation metrics, such as selectivity, working capacity, adsorbent performance score, sorbent selection parameter, and regenerability were computed for each MOF. Based on these metrics, the best adsorbent candidates were identified for both separations. Results showed that the top three most promising MOF adsorbents exhibit C2H2/CO2 selectivities of 49, 47, 24 and C2H2/CH4 selectivities of 824, 684, 638 at 1 bar, 298 K and these are the highest C2H2 selectivities reported to date in the literature. Structure-performance analysis revealed that the best MOF adsorbents have pore sizes between 4 and 11 Å, surface areas in the range of 600–1,200 m2/g and porosities between 0.4 and 0.6 for selective separation of C2H2 from CO2 and CH4. These results will guide the future studies for the design of new MOFs with high C2H2 separation potentials. PMID:29536004

Wide-pore silica-based ether-bonded phases for separation of proteins by high-performance hydrophobic-interaction and size-exclusion chromatography.

PubMed

Miller, N T; Feibush, B; Karger, B L

1984-12-21

This paper examines the use of wide-pore silica-based hydrophilic ether-bonded phases for the chromatographic separation of proteins under mild elution conditions. In particular, ether phases of the following structure identical to Si-(CH2)3-O-(CH2-CH2-O)n-R, where n = 1, 2, 3 and R = methyl, ethyl or n-butyl, have been prepared. These phases can be employed either in high-performance hydrophobic-interaction or size-exclusion chromatography, depending on mobile phase conditions. In the hydrophobic-interaction mode, a gradient of decreasing salt concentration, e.g., from 3 M ammonium sulfate (pH 6.0, 25 degrees C), yields sharp peaks with high mass recovery of active proteins. In this mode, retention can be controlled by salt type and concentration, as well as by column temperature. In the size-exclusion mode, use of medium ionic strength, e.g., 0.5 M ammonium acetate (pH 6.0) yields linear calibration of log (MW[eta]) vs. retention volume. Even at 0.05 M salt concentration, no stationary phase charge effects on protein elution are observed. These bonded-phase columns exhibit good column-to-column reproducibility and constant retention for at least five months of continual use. Examples of the high-performance separation of proteins in both modes are illustrated.

Acoustofluidic bacteria separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Sixing; Ma, Fen; Bachman, Hunter; Cameron, Craig E.; Zeng, Xiangqun; Huang, Tony Jun

2017-01-01

Bacterial separation from human blood samples can help with the identification of pathogenic bacteria for sepsis diagnosis. In this work, we report an acoustofluidic device for label-free bacterial separation from human blood samples. In particular, we exploit the acoustic radiation force generated from a tilted-angle standing surface acoustic wave (taSSAW) field to separate Escherichia coli from human blood cells based on their size difference. Flow cytometry analysis of the E. coli separated from red blood cells shows a purity of more than 96%. Moreover, the label-free electrochemical detection of the separated E. coli displays reduced non-specific signals due to the removal of blood cells. Our acoustofluidic bacterial separation platform has advantages such as label-free separation, high biocompatibility, flexibility, low cost, miniaturization, automation, and ease of in-line integration. The platform can be incorporated with an on-chip sensor to realize a point-of-care sepsis diagnostic device.

Continuous particle separation using pressure-driven flow-induced miniaturizing free-flow electrophoresis (PDF-induced μ-FFE).

PubMed

Jeon, Hyungkook; Kim, Youngkyu; Lim, Geunbae

2016-01-28

In this paper, we introduce pressure-driven flow-induced miniaturizing free-flow electrophoresis (PDF-induced μ-FFE), a novel continuous separation method. In our separation system, the external flow and electric field are applied to particles, such that particle movement is affected by pressure-driven flow, electroosmosis, and electrophoresis. We then analyzed the hydrodynamic drag force and electrophoretic force applied to the particles in opposite directions. Based on this analysis, micro- and nano-sized particles were separated according to their electrophoretic mobilities with high separation efficiency. Because the separation can be achieved in a simple T-shaped microchannel, without the use of internal electrodes, it offers the advantages of low-cost, simple device fabrication and bubble-free operation, compared with conventional μ-FFE methods. Therefore, we expect the proposed separation method to have a wide range of filtering/separation applications in biochemical analysis.

Continuous particle separation using pressure-driven flow-induced miniaturizing free-flow electrophoresis (PDF-induced μ-FFE)

PubMed Central

Jeon, Hyungkook; Kim, Youngkyu; Lim, Geunbae

2016-01-01

In this paper, we introduce pressure-driven flow-induced miniaturizing free-flow electrophoresis (PDF-induced μ-FFE), a novel continuous separation method. In our separation system, the external flow and electric field are applied to particles, such that particle movement is affected by pressure-driven flow, electroosmosis, and electrophoresis. We then analyzed the hydrodynamic drag force and electrophoretic force applied to the particles in opposite directions. Based on this analysis, micro- and nano-sized particles were separated according to their electrophoretic mobilities with high separation efficiency. Because the separation can be achieved in a simple T-shaped microchannel, without the use of internal electrodes, it offers the advantages of low-cost, simple device fabrication and bubble-free operation, compared with conventional μ-FFE methods. Therefore, we expect the proposed separation method to have a wide range of filtering/separation applications in biochemical analysis. PMID:26819221

Blending protein separation and peptide analysis through real-time proteolytic digestion.

PubMed

Slysz, Gordon W; Schriemer, David C

2005-03-15

Typical liquid- or gel-based protein separations require enzymatic digestion as an important first step in generating protein identifications. Traditional protocols involve long-term proteolytic digestion of the separated protein, often leading to sample loss and reduced sensitivity. Previously, we presented a rapid method of proteolytic digestion that showed excellent digestion of resistant and low concentrations of protein without requiring reduction and alkylation. Here, we demonstrate on-line, real-time tryptic digestion in conjunction with reversed-phase protein separation. The studies were aimed at optimizing pH and ionic strength and the size of the digestion element, to produce maximal protein digestion with minimal effects on chromatographic integrity. Upon establishing optimal conditions, the digestion element was attached downstream from a capillary C4 reversed-phase column. A four-protein mixture was processed through the combined system, and the resulting peptides were analyzed on-line by electrospray mass spectrometry. Extracted ion chromatograms for protein chromatography based on peptide elution were generated. These were shown to emulate ion chromatograms produced in a subsequent run without the digestion element, based on protein elution. The methodology will enable rapid and sensitive analysis of liquid-based protein separations using the power of bottom-up proteomics methodologies.

Influence of the weighing bar size to determine optimal time of biodiesel-glycerol separation by using the buoyancy weighing-bar method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tambun, R.; Sibagariang, Y.; Manurung, J.

2018-02-01

The buoyancy weighing-bar method is a novel method in the particle size distribution measurement. This method can measure particle size distributions of the settling particles and floating particles. In this study, the buoyancy weighing-bar method is applied to determine optimal time of biodiesel-glycerol separation. The buoyancy weighing-bar method can be applied to determine the separation time because biodiesel and glycerol have the different densities. The influences of diameter of weighing-bar by using the buoyancy weighing-bar method would be experimentally investigated. The diameters of weighing-bar in this experiment are 8 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm and 20 mm, while the graduated cylinder (diameter : 65 mm) is used as vessel. The samples used in this experiment are the mixture of 95 % of biodiesel and 5 % of glycerol. The data obtained by the buoyancy weighing-bar method are analized by using the gas chromatography to determine the purity of biodiesel. Based on the data obtained, the buoyancy weighing-bar method can be used to detect the separation time of biodiesel-glycerol by using the weighing-bar diameter of 8 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm and 20 mm, but the most accuracy in determination the biodiesel-glycerol separation time is obtained by using the weighing-bar diameter of 20 mm. The biodiesel purity of 97.97 % could be detected at 64 minutes by using the buoyancy weighing-bar method when the weighing-bar diameter of 20 mm is used.

Separation efficiency of free-solution conjugated electrophoresis with drag-tags incorporating a synthetic amino acid.

PubMed

Seo, Kyung-Ho; Chu, Hun-Su; Yoo, Tae Hyeon; Lee, Sun-Gu; Won, Jong-In

2016-03-01

DNA sequencing or separation by conventional capillary electrophoresis with a polymer matrix has some inherent drawbacks, such as the expense of polymer matrix and limitations in sequencing read length. As DNA fragments have a linear charge-to-friction ratio in free solution, DNA fragments cannot be separated by size. However, size-based separation of DNA is possible in free-solution conjugate electrophoresis (FSCE) if a "drag-tag" is attached to DNA fragments because the tag breaks the linear charge-to-friction scaling. Although several previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of DNA separation by free-solution conjugated electrophoresis, generation of a monodisperse drag-tag and identification of a strong, site-specific conjugation method between a DNA fragment and a drag-tag are challenges that still remain. In this study, we demonstrate an efficient FSCE method by conjugating a biologically synthesized elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) and green fluorescent protein (GFP) to DNA fragments. In addition, to produce strong and site-specific conjugation, a methionine residue in drag-tags is replaced with homopropargylglycine (Hpg), which can be conjugated specifically to a DNA fragment with an azide site. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Separation of the light and heavy mass groups of 1016 - 1018 eV cosmic rays by studying the ratio muon size to shower size of KASCADE-Grande data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apel, W. D.; Arteaga-Velazquez, J. C.; Bekk, K.; Bertaina, M.; Blümer, J.; Bozdog, H.; Brancus, I. M.; Cantoni, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Cossavella, F.; Daumiller, K.; de Souza, V.; Di Pierro, F.; Doll, P.; Engel, R.; Engler, J.; Finger, M.; Fuchs, B.; Fuhrmann, D.; Garino, F.; Gils, H. J.; Glasstetter, R.; Grupen, C.; Haungs, A.; Heck, D.; Hörandel, J. R.; Huber, D.; Huege, T.; Kampert, K.-H.; Kang, D.; Klages, H. O.; Link, K.; Łuczak, P.; Ludwig, M.; Mathes, H. J.; Mayer, H. J.; Melissas, M.; Milke, J.; Mitrica, B.; Morello, C.; Oehlschläger, J.; Ostapchenko, S.; Palmieri, N.; Petcu, M.; Pierog, T.; Rebel, H.; Roth, M.; Schieler, H.; Schoo, S.; Schroder, F. G.; Sima, O.; Toma, G.; Trinchero, G. C.; Ulrich, H.; Weindl, A.; Wochele, J.; Wommer, M.; Zabierowski, J.

2013-02-01

KASCADE-Grande is an air-shower observatory devoted to the study of cosmic rays with energies in the range 1016 - 1018 eV. In KASCADE-Grande, different detector systems allow independent measurements of the number of muons (Nμ) and charged particles (Nch) of air showers, which are the basis for several energy and composition studies of cosmic rays. In this contribution, a composition analysis using the shower size ratio lgNμ/lgNch, corrected for attenuation in the atmosphere, is described. Using QGSJET II-based simulations of different primaries, it is shown that an energy independent cut on the shower ratio can be chosen in order to separate the cosmic ray events into light and heavy mass groups. The analysis is applied to the KASCADE-Grande data. The energy spectra derived from the analysis are presented.

Control of flow separation in a turbulent boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Minjeong; Choi, Sangho; Choi, Haecheon

2015-11-01

Towards the development of successful control methods for separation delay in a turbulent boundary layer, we adopt a model flow field, in which a turbulent separation occurs above a flat plate (Na and Moin 1998 JFM), and apply controls to this flow for reducing the size of the separation bubble and investigating the interaction between the forcing and flow near the separation bubble. We provide a single-frequency forcing with zero net mass flow rate at the upstream of the separation bubble. At low forcing frequencies, spanwise vortices are generated and travel downstream, bringing high momentum toward the wall and reducing the size of the separation bubble. Also, these vortices cause the separation and reattachment points to travel downstream. On the other hand, at high forcing frequencies, the size of the separation bubble becomes smaller and larger in time, respectively, due to the pressure gradient alternating favorably and adversely in time. Supported by NRF-2011-0028032 and 2014048162.

Asymmetrical Deterministic Lateral Displacement Gaps for Dual Functions of Enhanced Separation and Throughput of Red Blood Cells

PubMed Central

Zeming, Kerwin Kwek; Salafi, Thoriq; Chen, Chia-Hung; Zhang, Yong

2016-01-01

Deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) method for particle separation in microfluidic devices has been extensively used for particle separation in recent years due to its high resolution and robust separation. DLD has shown versatility for a wide spectrum of applications for sorting of micro particles such as parasites, blood cells to bacteria and DNA. DLD model is designed for spherical particles and efficient separation of blood cells is challenging due to non-uniform shape and size. Moreover, separation in sub-micron regime requires the gap size of DLD systems to be reduced which exponentially increases the device resistance, resulting in greatly reduced throughput. This paper shows how simple application of asymmetrical DLD gap-size by changing the ratio of lateral-gap (GL) to downstream-gap (GD) enables efficient separation of RBCs without greatly restricting throughput. This method reduces the need for challenging fabrication of DLD pillars and provides new insight to the current DLD model. The separation shows an increase in DLD critical diameter resolution (separate smaller particles) and increase selectivity for non-spherical RBCs. The RBCs separate better as compared to standard DLD model with symmetrical gap sizes. This method can be applied to separate non-spherical bacteria or sub-micron particles to enhance throughput and DLD resolution. PMID:26961061

Asymmetrical Deterministic Lateral Displacement Gaps for Dual Functions of Enhanced Separation and Throughput of Red Blood Cells.

PubMed

Zeming, Kerwin Kwek; Salafi, Thoriq; Chen, Chia-Hung; Zhang, Yong

2016-03-10

Deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) method for particle separation in microfluidic devices has been extensively used for particle separation in recent years due to its high resolution and robust separation. DLD has shown versatility for a wide spectrum of applications for sorting of micro particles such as parasites, blood cells to bacteria and DNA. DLD model is designed for spherical particles and efficient separation of blood cells is challenging due to non-uniform shape and size. Moreover, separation in sub-micron regime requires the gap size of DLD systems to be reduced which exponentially increases the device resistance, resulting in greatly reduced throughput. This paper shows how simple application of asymmetrical DLD gap-size by changing the ratio of lateral-gap (GL) to downstream-gap (GD) enables efficient separation of RBCs without greatly restricting throughput. This method reduces the need for challenging fabrication of DLD pillars and provides new insight to the current DLD model. The separation shows an increase in DLD critical diameter resolution (separate smaller particles) and increase selectivity for non-spherical RBCs. The RBCs separate better as compared to standard DLD model with symmetrical gap sizes. This method can be applied to separate non-spherical bacteria or sub-micron particles to enhance throughput and DLD resolution.

Three-dimensional ordered titanium dioxide-zirconium dioxide film-based microfluidic device for efficient on-chip phosphopeptide enrichment.

PubMed

Zhao, De; He, Zhongyuan; Wang, Gang; Wang, Hongzhi; Zhang, Qinghong; Li, Yaogang

2016-09-15

Microfluidic technology plays a significant role in separating biomolecules, because of its miniaturization, integration, and automation. Introducing micro/nanostructured functional materials can improve the properties of microfluidic devices, and extend their application. Inverse opal has a three-dimensional ordered net-like structure. It possesses a large surface area and exhibits good mass transport, making it a good candidate for bio-separation. This study exploits inverse opal titanium dioxide-zirconium dioxide films for on-chip phosphopeptide enrichment. Titanium dioxide-zirconium dioxide inverse opal film-based microfluidic devices were constructed from templates of 270-, 340-, and 370-nm-diameter poly(methylmethacrylate) spheres. The phosphopeptide enrichments of these devices were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. The device constructed from the 270-nm-diameter sphere template exhibited good comprehensive phosphopeptide enrichment, and was the best among these three devices. Because the size of opal template used in construction was the smallest, the inverse opal film therefore had the smallest pore sizes and the largest surface area. Enrichment by this device was also better than those of similar devices based on nanoparticle films and single component films. The titanium dioxide-zirconium dioxide inverse opal film-based device provides a promising approach for the efficient separation of various biomolecules. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhancement of the recycling of waste Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries by mechanical treatment.

PubMed

Huang, Kui; Li, Jia; Xu, Zhenming

2011-06-01

A serious environmental problem was presented by waste batteries resulting from lack of relevant regulations and effective recycling technologies in China. The present work considered the enhancement of waste Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries recycling by mechanical treatment. In the process of characterization, two types of waste batteries (Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries) were selected and their components were characterized in relation to their elemental chemical compositions. In the process of mechanical separation and recycling, waste Ni-Cd and Ni-MH batteries were processed by a recycling technology without a negative impact on the environment. The technology contained mechanical crushing, size classification, gravity separation, and magnetic separation. The results obtained demonstrated that: (1) Mechanical crushing was an effective process to strip the metallic parts from separators and pastes. High liberation efficiency of the metallic parts from separators and pastes was attained in the crushing process until the fractions reached particle sizes smaller than 2mm. (2) The classified materials mainly consisted of the fractions with the size of particles between 0.5 and 2mm after size classification. (3) The metallic concentrates of the samples were improved from around 75% to 90% by gravity separation. More than 90% of the metallic materials were separated into heavy fractions when the particle sizes were larger than 0.5mm. (4) The size of particles between 0.5 and 2mm and the rotational speed of the separator between 30 and 60 rpm were suitable for magnetic separation during industrial application, with the recycling efficiency exceeding 95%. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of radionuclide distribution in soil particles in different landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shkinev, V. M.; Korobova, E. M.; Linnik, V. G.

2012-04-01

Russian and foreign publications have been analyzed for understanding the role of micro- and nano- particles in distribution and migration of technogenic elements in soils in different landscape conditions. A technique for application of various fractionation methods to separate and study -particles of different size down to micro- and nano-level has been developed. The dry sit method on the first stage of particle separation is recommend to be followed by the membrane filtration method. For obtaining more comprehensive information, combinations of fractionation technique should be chosen taking into account that (1) the efficiency of particles' separation using subsequent technique would be higher than using the preceding one; (2) separation methods should preferably be based on different principles (separation according size, density, charge etc.); (3) initial fractionation should separate particles according to their size, that makes possible to create an even scale for various samples. A study of distribution and balance of technogenic radionuclides' in soil particles of the size intervals 1.0—0.25, 0.25-0.1, 0.1-0.05, 0.05-0.01, 0.01-0.005, 0.005-0.001 and <0.001 mm in the Yenisey flood plain landscapes proved a significant role of both the particle size and the portion of contaminated fraction in contribution to the total radionuclide inventory in the soil layers. Contribution of the silt particles (0,05-0,01 mm) to Cs-137 contamination ranged from 26 to 33,8%, 45% maximum due to "optimal" combination of both factors. Clay fraction was responsible for approximately 30% of Cs-137 contained in soil horizons due to higher sorption capacity. Relatively high correlation between the activity of 152,154Eu and 60 and the content of silt and clay allowed suggesting their incorporation mainly in clay fraction. Selected experimental plots near the Kola NPP (northern taiga) were used to compare soil particles (fractions 140-71; 71-40 and < 40 µm) in their ability to concentrate technogenic radionuclides and heavy metals. Maximum radioactivity found in soil litter appeared to be related to the Chernobyl contamination. Concentration of s-137 was higher in small size fractions. Obtained results were considered to be useful for understanding of radionuclide migration in the environment and decision making on radioecological monitoring, rehabilitation and landuse in the contaminated areas.

Low speed streak formation in a separating turbulent boundary layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, Leonardo; Lang, Amy; Wahidi, Redha; Bonacci, Andrew

2017-11-01

Separation control mechanisms present on the skin of the shortfin mako shark may permit higher swimming speeds. The morphology of the scales varies over the entire body, with maximum scale flexibility found on the flank region with an adverse pressure gradient(APG). It is hypothesized that reversing flow close the skin bristles the scales inhibiting further flow reversal and controlling flow separation. Experiments are conducted in water tunnel facility and the flow field of a separating turbulent boundary layer(TBL) is measured using DPIV and Insight V3V. Flow separation is induced by a rotating cylinder which generates a controlled APG over a flat plate (Re = 510000 and 620000). Specifically, the low speed streak(LSS) formation is documented and matches predicted sizing based on viscous length scale calculations. It is surmised that shark scale width corresponds to this LSS sizing for real swimming TBL conditions. However, flow separation control has been demonstrated over real skin specimens under much lower speed conditions which indicates the mechanism is fairly Re independent if multiple scales are bristled as the width of the LSS increases. The formation of reversing flow within the streaks is studied specifically to better understand the process by which this flow initiates scale bristling on shortfin mako skin as a passive, flow actuated separation control mechanism. The authors would like to greatefully acknowledge the Army Research Office for funding this project.

Size, weight and position: ion mobility spectrometry and imaging MS combined.

PubMed

Kiss, András; Heeren, Ron M A

2011-03-01

Size, weight and position are three of the most important parameters that describe a molecule in a biological system. Ion mobility spectrometry is capable of separating molecules on the basis of their size or shape, whereas imaging mass spectrometry is an effective tool to measure the molecular weight and spatial distribution of molecules. Recent developments in both fields enabled the combination of the two technologies. As a result, ion-mobility-based imaging mass spectrometry is gaining more and more popularity as a (bio-)analytical tool enabling the determination of the size, weight and position of several molecules simultaneously on biological surfaces. This paper reviews the evolution of ion-mobility-based imaging mass spectrometry and provides examples of its application in analytical studies of biological surfaces.

Size separation of analytes using monomeric surfactants

DOEpatents

Yeung, Edward S.; Wei, Wei

2005-04-12

A sieving medium for use in the separation of analytes in a sample containing at least one such analyte comprises a monomeric non-ionic surfactant of the of the general formula, B-A, wherein A is a hydrophilic moiety and B is a hydrophobic moiety, present in a solvent at a concentration forming a self-assembled micelle configuration under selected conditions and having an aggregation number providing an equivalent weight capable of effecting the size separation of the sample solution so as to resolve a target analyte(s) in a solution containing the same, the size separation taking place in a chromatography or electrophoresis separation system.

Synthesis and crystalline properties of CdS incorporated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) composite film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Arunendra Kumar; Sunder, Aishwarya; Mishra, Shweta; Bajpai, Rakesh

2018-05-01

This paper gives an insight on the synthesis and crystalline properties of Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) (host matrix) composites impregnated with Cadmium Sulphide (CdS) using Dimethyl formamide (DMF) as the base, prepared by the well known solvent casting technique. The effect of doping concentration of CdS in to the PVDF matrix was studied using X-ray diffraction technique. The structural properties like crystallinity Cr, interplanar distance d, average size of the crystalline region (D), and average inter crystalline separation (R) have been estimated for the developed composite. The crystallinity index, crystallite size and inter crystalline separation is increasing with increase in the concentration of CdS in to the PVDF matrix while the interplanar distance d is decreasing.

DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: SOIL/SEDIMENT WASHING SYSTEM BERGMANN USA

EPA Science Inventory

The Bergmann USA Soil/Sediment Washing System is a waste minimization technique designed to separate or "partition" soils and sediments by grain size and density. In this water-based volume reduction process, hazardous contaminants are concentrated into a small residual portion...

Development of Multiscale Materials in Microfluidic Devices: Case Study for Viral Separation from Whole Blood

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surawathanawises, Krissada

Separation and concentration of nanoscale species play an important role in various fields such as biotechnology, nanotechnology and environmental science. Inevitably, the separation efficiency strongly affects the quality of downstream detections or productions. Innovations in materials science that can separate bionanoparticles efficiently and do not require complex setups, reagents or external fields are highly demanded. This work focuses on developing new materials for the affinity separation of bio-nanoparticles such as viruses or macromolecules from a complex mixture, such as whole blood. To enhance the interaction between target nanoparticles and the capture bed, methods to produce porous matrices with a uniform pore size matching the dimension of targets are studied. Furthermore, regarding viral separation from whole blood, macroporous materials are further patterned into microarrays to allow multiscale separation. Considering the needs in resource-limited settings, these materials are integrated with microfluidic technologies to reduce the volume of samples and reagents, simplify operating processes, and enable the use of inexpensive and portable components. Beyond the application of viral separation as demonstrated in the work, the fundamental study of macroporous material formation and transport in these materials also shed light to the separation of many other nanospecies in multiscale materials. Specifically, two macroporous materials, based on template synthesis, are created in this work. The first type employs porous anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) films as the template to create hexagonal arrays of nanoposts. However, pore sizes and interpore distances (cell size) of ordered porous AAO films are limited by the conventional fabrication process. Moreover, the process usually yields defective pore morphologies and large pore and cell size distributions. To overcome these limitations, a patterning method using nanobead indentation on aluminum substrate prior to anodization is evaluated to control the growth of AAO. Together with controlled anodizing voltages and electrolytic concentrations, AAO pore and cell sizes are shown to be tunable and controllable with narrow size distributions within submicron range. A high degree of order of AAO pore arrangement is also demonstrated. In addition, overall anodization becomes more time-efficient and stable at high anodizing voltages. Secondly, a three-dimensional (3D) assembly of microbeads is used as a template to fabricate a spherical pore network with small interconnected openings. After depositing and drying a suspension containing both micro- and nanobeads, the microbeads assemble into a 3D close-packed structure while the nanobeads fill the interstitial space. When the nanobeads are melted and microbeads are removed, a spherical pore matrix then form with small interconnected openings. Such the opening size is in submicron range can be adjusted depending on the size of microbead. The advantages of the two macroporous materials are not only controllable and tunable pore size, but also high surface-to-volume ratio due to the nanoscale features. With a ratio on the order of ~1 microm-1, the porous materials provide a significantly large binding surface. Computational and experimental results reveal that porous materials with a pore size matching the nanoparticle size are suitable for their capture. Separation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is used as a model and capture yields of ~99 % and ~80 % are achieved in the nanopost structure and spherical pore network, respectively, after treated with a functional chemistry. Hence, the properties of these two macroporous materials are suitable as a size-exclusion and affinity separation for viral particles. To further explore multiscale separation, i.e. capturing viruses from whole blood, micropatterned arrays of macroporous materials have been designed. In this design, a microscale gap allows the passage of microparticles such as blood cells, and the nanoscale pores promote permeation for affinity capture of bionanoparticles. Consequently, particles with a size difference of 3--4 orders of magnitude can be separated in a simple flow-through process. Computational analyses are employed to study the effect of micropattern shape and layout. A half-ring pattern is shown to reduce flow resistance and promote fluid permeation compared to a circular pattern. In the experiment, the micropatterned porous arrays yield around 4 times higher viral capture from whole blood compared with a micropatterned solid array. The micropatterned porous devices are capable of handling a large volume of fluid sample without clogging by cells. Therefore they can be used for nanoparticle concentration. Our study also indicates that the layout of micropatterns can be adjusted to improve the capture yield. For example, an increase in pattern radius, or a decrease in gap distance between each post and in width of half ring will enhance fluid permeation in the porous structure. When combined with downstream detection, these materials integrated into microfluidic platforms can be created as point-of-care diagnostics, as well as other applications for particle separation and analysis. (Abstract shortened by UMI.).

METHODOLOGY FOR MEASURING PM 2.5 SEPARATOR CHARACTERISTICS USING AN AEROSIZER

EPA Science Inventory

A method is presented that enables the measurement of the particle size separation characteristics of an inertial separator in a rapid fashion. Overall penetration is determined for discrete particle sizes using an Aerosizer (Model LD, TSI, Incorporated, Particle Instruments/Am...

Automatic vision-based grain optimization and analysis of multi-crystalline solar wafers using hierarchical region growing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Shu-Kai S.; Tsai, Du-Ming; Chuang, Wei-Che

2017-04-01

Solar power has become an attractive alternative source of energy. The multi-crystalline solar cell has been widely accepted in the market because it has a relatively low manufacturing cost. Multi-crystalline solar wafers with larger grain sizes and fewer grain boundaries are higher quality and convert energy more efficiently than mono-crystalline solar cells. In this article, a new image processing method is proposed for assessing the wafer quality. An adaptive segmentation algorithm based on region growing is developed to separate the closed regions of individual grains. Using the proposed method, the shape and size of each grain in the wafer image can be precisely evaluated. Two measures of average grain size are taken from the literature and modified to estimate the average grain size. The resulting average grain size estimate dictates the quality of the crystalline solar wafers and can be considered a viable quantitative indicator of conversion efficiency.

Size exclusion chromatography-gradients, an alternative approach to polymer gradient chromatography: 2. Separation of poly(meth)acrylates using a size exclusion chromatography-solvent/non-solvent gradient.

PubMed

Schollenberger, Martin; Radke, Wolfgang

2011-10-28

A gradient ranging from methanol to tetrahydrofuran (THF) was applied to a series of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) standards, using the recently developed concept of SEC-gradients. Contrasting to conventional gradients the samples eluted before the solvent, i.e. within the elution range typical for separations by SEC, however, the high molar mass PMMAs were retarded as compared to experiments on the same column using pure THF as the eluent. The molar mass dependence on retention volume showed a complex behaviour with a nearly molar mass independent elution for high molar masses. This molar mass dependence was explained in terms of solubility and size exclusion effects. The solubility based SEC-gradient was proven to be useful to separate PMMA and poly(n-butyl crylate) (PnBuA) from a poly(t-butyl crylate) (PtBuA) sample. These samples could be separated neither by SEC in THF, due to their very similar hydrodynamic volumes, nor by an SEC-gradient at adsorbing conditions, due to a too low selectivity. The example shows that SEC-gradients can be applied not only in adsorption/desorption mode, but also in precipitation/dissolution mode without risking blocking capillaries or breakthrough peaks. Thus, the new approach is a valuable alternative to conventional gradient chromatography. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Combined effect of cortical cytoskeleton and transmembrane proteins on domain formation in biomembranes

PubMed Central

Sikder, Md. Kabir Uddin; Stone, Kyle A.; Kumar, P. B. Sunil; Laradji, Mohamed

2014-01-01

We investigate the combined effects of transmembrane proteins and the subjacent cytoskeleton on the dynamics of phase separation in multicomponent lipid bilayers using computer simulations of a particle-based implicit solvent model for lipid membranes with soft-core interactions. We find that microphase separation can be achieved by the protein confinement by the cytoskeleton. Our results have relevance to the finite size of lipid rafts in the plasma membrane of mammalian cells. PMID:25106608

Separable Bilayer Microfiltration Device for Label-Free Enrichment of Viable Circulating Tumor Cells.

PubMed

Hao, Sijie; Nisic, Merisa; He, Hongzhang; Tai, Yu-Chong; Zheng, Si-Yang

2017-01-01

Analysis of rare circulating tumor cells enriched from metastatic cancer patients yields critical information on disease progression, therapy response, and the mechanism of cancer metastasis. Here we describe in detail a label-free enrichment process of circulating tumor cells based on its unique physical properties (size and deformability). Viable circulating tumor cells can be successfully enriched and analyzed, or easily released for further characterization due to the novel separable two-layer design.

Phase segregation due to simultaneous migration and coalescence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Robert H.; Wang, Hua; Hawker, Debra

1994-01-01

Ground-based modeling and experiments have been performed on the interaction and coalescence of drops leading to macroscopic phase separation. The focus has been on gravity-induced motion, with research also initiated on thermocapillary motion of drops. The drop size distribution initially shifts toward larger drops with time due to coalescence, and then a back towards smaller drops due to the larger preferentially settling out. As a consequence, the phase separation rate initially increases with time and then decreases.

Performance and separation occurrence of binary probit regression estimator using maximum likelihood method and Firths approach under different sample size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lusiana, Evellin Dewi

2017-12-01

The parameters of binary probit regression model are commonly estimated by using Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE) method. However, MLE method has limitation if the binary data contains separation. Separation is the condition where there are one or several independent variables that exactly grouped the categories in binary response. It will result the estimators of MLE method become non-convergent, so that they cannot be used in modeling. One of the effort to resolve the separation is using Firths approach instead. This research has two aims. First, to identify the chance of separation occurrence in binary probit regression model between MLE method and Firths approach. Second, to compare the performance of binary probit regression model estimator that obtained by MLE method and Firths approach using RMSE criteria. Those are performed using simulation method and under different sample size. The results showed that the chance of separation occurrence in MLE method for small sample size is higher than Firths approach. On the other hand, for larger sample size, the probability decreased and relatively identic between MLE method and Firths approach. Meanwhile, Firths estimators have smaller RMSE than MLEs especially for smaller sample sizes. But for larger sample sizes, the RMSEs are not much different. It means that Firths estimators outperformed MLE estimator.

Lo/Ld phase coexistence modulation induced by GM1.

PubMed

Puff, Nicolas; Watanabe, Chiho; Seigneuret, Michel; Angelova, Miglena I; Staneva, Galya

2014-08-01

Lipid rafts are assumed to undergo biologically important size-modulations from nanorafts to microrafts. Due to the complexity of cellular membranes, model systems become important tools, especially for the investigation of the factors affecting "raft-like" Lo domain size and the search for Lo nanodomains as precursors in Lo microdomain formation. Because lipid compositional change is the primary mechanism by which a cell can alter membrane phase behavior, we studied the effect of the ganglioside GM1 concentration on the Lo/Ld lateral phase separation in PC/SM/Chol/GM1 bilayers. GM1 above 1mol % abolishes the formation of the micrometer-scale Lo domains observed in GUVs. However, the apparently homogeneous phase observed in optical microscopy corresponds in fact, within a certain temperature range, to a Lo/Ld lateral phase separation taking place below the optical resolution. This nanoscale phase separation is revealed by fluorescence spectroscopy, including C12NBD-PC self-quenching and Laurdan GP measurements, and is supported by Gaussian spectral decomposition analysis. The temperature of formation of nanoscale Lo phase domains over an Ld phase is determined, and is shifted to higher values when the GM1 content increases. A "morphological" phase diagram could be made, and it displays three regions corresponding respectively to Lo/Ld micrometric phase separation, Lo/Ld nanometric phase separation, and a homogeneous Ld phase. We therefore show that a lipid only-based mechanism is able to control the existence and the sizes of phase-separated membrane domains. GM1 could act on the line tension, "arresting" domain growth and thereby stabilizing Lo nanodomains. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Size-regulated group separation of CoFe2O4 nanoparticles using centrifuge and their magnetic resonance contrast properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Jongeun; Lee, Hyunseung; Kim, Young-Nam; Yeom, Areum; Jeong, Heejeong; Lim, Yong Taik; Hong, Kwan Soo

2013-09-01

Magnetic nanoparticle (MNP)-based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents (CAs) have been the subject of extensive research over recent decades. The particle size of MNPs varies widely and is known to influence their physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties. There are two commonly used methods for synthesizing MNPs, organometallic and aqueous solution coprecipitation. The former has the advantage of being able to control the particle size more effectively; however, the resulting particles require a hydrophilic coating in order to be rendered water soluble. The MNPs produced using the latter method are intrinsically water soluble, but they have a relatively wide particle size distribution. Size-controlled water-soluble MNPs have great potential as MRI CAs and in cell sorting and labeling applications. In the present study, we synthesized CoFe2O4 MNPs using an aqueous solution coprecipitation method. The MNPs were subsequently separated into four groups depending on size, by the use of centrifugation at different speeds. The crystal shapes and size distributions of the particles in the four groups were measured and confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Using X-ray diffraction analysis, the MNPs were found to have an inverse spinel structure. Four MNP groups with well-selected semi-Gaussian-like diameter distributions were obtained, with measured T2 relaxivities ( r 2) at 4.7 T and room temperature in the range of 60 to 300 mM-1s-1, depending on the particle size. This size regulation method has great promise for applications that require homogeneous-sized MNPs made by an aqueous solution coprecipitation method. Any group of the CoFe2O4 MNPs could be used as initial base cores of MRI T2 CAs, with almost unique T2 relaxivity owing to size regulation. The methodology reported here opens up many possibilities for biosensing applications and disease diagnosis.

39 CFR 3010.11 - Limit on size of rate increases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... in any 12-month period are limited. (b) Rates of general applicability are subject to an inflation-based limitation computed using CPI-U values as detailed in § 3010.12. (c) An exception to the inflation... authority is measured separately for each class of mail. (d) In any 12-month period the inflation-based...

The Effects of School-Based Interventions for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Meta-Analysis 1996-2010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuPaul, George J.; Eckert, Tanya L.; Vilardo, Brigid

2012-01-01

A meta-analysis evaluating the effects of school-based interventions for students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder was conducted by examining 60 outcome studies between 1996 and 2010 that yielded 85 effect sizes. Separate analyses were performed for studies employing between-subjects, within- subjects, and single-subject experimental…

Standing wave design and optimization of a simulated moving bed chromatography for separation of xylobiose and xylose under the constraints on product concentration and pressure drop.

PubMed

Lee, Chung-Gi; Choi, Jae-Hwan; Park, Chanhun; Wang, Nien-Hwa Linda; Mun, Sungyong

2017-12-08

The feasibility of a simulated moving bed (SMB) technology for the continuous separation of high-purity xylobiose (X2) from the output of a β-xylosidase X1→X2 reaction has recently been confirmed. To ensure high economical efficiency of the X2 production method based on the use of xylose (X1) as a starting material, it is essential to accomplish the comprehensive optimization of the X2-separation SMB process in such a way that its X2 productivity can be maximized while maintaining the X2 product concentration from the SMB as high as possible in consideration of a subsequent lyophilization step. To address this issue, a suitable SMB optimization tool for the aforementioned task was prepared based on standing wave design theory. The prepared tool was then used to optimize the SMB operation parameters, column configuration, total column number, adsorbent particle size, and X2 yield while meeting the constraints on X2 purity, X2 product concentration, and pressure drop. The results showed that the use of a larger particle size caused the productivity to be limited by the constraint on X2 product concentration, and a maximum productivity was attained by choosing the particle size such that the effect of the X2-concentration limiting factor could be balanced with that of pressure-drop limiting factor. If the target level of X2 product concentration was elevated, higher productivity could be achieved by decreasing particle size, raising the level of X2 yield, and increasing the column number in the zones containing the front and rear of X2 solute band. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of an enhanced gravity-based fine-coal circuit for high-sulfur coal

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

Mohanty, M.K.; Samal, A.R.; Palit, A.

One of the main objectives of this study was to evaluate a fine-coal cleaning circuit using an enhanced gravity separator specifically for a high sulfur coal application. The evaluation not only included testing of individual unit operations used for fine-coal classification, cleaning and dewatering, but also included testing of the complete circuit simultaneously. At a scale of nearly 2 t/h, two alternative circuits were evaluated to clean a minus 0.6-mm coal stream utilizing a 150-mm-diameter classifying cyclone, a linear screen having a projected surface area of 0.5 m{sup 2}, an enhanced gravity separator having a bowl diameter of 250 mmmore » and a screen-bowl centrifuge having a bowl diameter of 500 mm. The cleaning and dewatering components of both circuits were the same; however, one circuit used a classifying cyclone whereas the other used a linear screen as the classification device. An industrial size coal spiral was used to clean the 2- x 0.6-mm coal size fraction for each circuit to estimate the performance of a complete fine-coal circuit cleaning a minus 2-mm particle size coal stream. The 'linear screen + enhanced gravity separator + screen-bowl circuit' provided superior sulfur and ash-cleaning performance to the alternative circuit that used a classifying cyclone in place of the linear screen. Based on these test data, it was estimated that the use of the recommended circuit to treat 50 t/h of minus 2-mm size coal having feed ash and sulfur contents of 33.9% and 3.28%, respectively, may produce nearly 28.3 t/h of clean coal with product ash and sulfur contents of 9.15% and 1.61 %, respectively.« less

Modeling of ion transport through a porous separator in vanadium redox flow batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, X. L.; Zhao, T. S.; An, L.; Zeng, Y. K.; Wei, L.

2016-09-01

In this work, we develop a two-dimensional, transient model to investigate the mechanisms of ion-transport through a porous separator in VRFBs and their effects on battery performance. Commercial-available separators with pore sizes of around 45 nm are particularly investigated and effects of key separator design parameters and operation modes are explored. We reveal that: i) the transport mechanism of vanadium-ion crossover through available separators is predominated by convection; ii) reducing the pore size below 15 nm effectively minimizes the convection-driven vanadium-ion crossover, while further reduction in migration- and diffusion-driven vanadium-ion crossover can be achieved only when the pore size is reduced to the level close to the sizes of vanadium ions; and iii) operation modes that can affect the pressure at the separator/electrode interface, such as the electrolyte flow rate, exert a significant influence on the vanadium-ion crossover rate through the available separators, indicating that it is critically important to equalize the pressure on each half-cell of a power pack in practical applications.

Highly efficient and ultra-small volume separation by pressure-driven liquid chromatography in extended nanochannels.

PubMed

Ishibashi, Ryo; Mawatari, Kazuma; Kitamori, Takehiko

2012-04-23

The rapidly developing interest in nanofluidic analysis, which is used to examine liquids ranging in amounts from the attoliter to the femtoliter scale, correlates with the recent interest in decreased sample amounts, such as in the field of single-cell analysis. For general nanofluidic analysis, the fact that a pressure-driven flow does not limit the choice of solvents (aqueous or organic) is important. This study shows the first pressure-driven liquid chromatography technique that enables separation of atto- to femtoliter sample volumes, with a high separation efficiency within a few seconds. The apparent diffusion coefficient measurement of the unretentive sample suggests that there is no increase in the viscosity of toluene in the extended nanospace, unlike in aqueous solvents. Evaluation of the normal phase separation, therefore, should involve only the examination of the effect of the small size of the extended nanospace. Compared to a conventionally packed high-performance liquid chromatography column, the separation here results in a faster separation (4 s) by 2 orders of magnitude, a smaller injection volume (10(0) fL) by 9 orders, and a higher separation efficiency (440,000 plates/m) by 1 order. Moreover, the separation behavior agrees with the theory showing that this high efficiency was due to the small and controlled size of the separation channel, where the diffusion through the channel depth direction is fast enough to be neglected. Our chip-based platform should allow direct and real-time analysis or screening of ultralow volume of sample. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Device and method for separating minerals, carbon and cement additives from fly ash

DOEpatents

Link, Thomas A.; Schoffstall, Micael R.; Soong, Yee

2004-01-27

A process for separating organic and inorganic particles from a dry mixture by sizing the particles into isolated fractions, contacting the sized particles to a charged substrate and subjecting the charged particles to an electric field to separate the particles.

Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation for human serum albumin based nanoparticle characterisation and a deeper insight into particle formation processes.

PubMed

John, C; Langer, K

2014-06-13

Nanoparticles used as drug delivery systems are of growing interest in the pharmaceutical field. Understanding the behaviour and effects of nanosystems in the human body is dependent on comprehensive characterisation of the systems especially with regard to size and size distribution. Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) is a promising method for this challenge as this technique enables chromatographic separation of particles and solute molecules according to their respective size. Within this study AF4 was used for the characterisation of human serum albumin (HSA) based nanoparticles. In a first part, the most important aspects of method development like the choice of cross flow rate, focusing and the increase of sample concentration via outlet stream splitting on the sample separation were evaluated. Sample fractionation was controlled by inline-coupling of a dynamic light scattering detector (DLS, Zetasizer) and was confirmed by DLS batch mode measurements. In a second part the applicability of field-flow fractionation for characterisation of the HSA particle formation process by a desolvation method was evaluated. A time dependent particle formation was observed which was controlled by the amount of desolvating agent. Furthermore, field-flow fractionation in combination with in-line dynamic light scattering was used to monitor the increase of particle diameter during PEGylation of the resulting HSA nanoparticles. The separation of nanoparticles from dissolved polyethylene glycol (PEG) could successfully be used for determination of the particles' PEGylation degree. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Two takes on the ecosystem impacts of climate change and fishing: Comparing a size-based and a species-based ecosystem model in the central North Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woodworth-Jefcoats, Phoebe A.; Polovina, Jeffrey J.; Howell, Evan A.; Blanchard, Julia L.

2015-11-01

We compare two ecosystem model projections of 21st century climate change and fishing impacts in the central North Pacific. Both a species-based and a size-based ecosystem modeling approach are examined. While both models project a decline in biomass across all sizes in response to climate change and a decline in large fish biomass in response to increased fishing mortality, the models vary significantly in their handling of climate and fishing scenarios. For example, based on the same climate forcing the species-based model projects a 15% decline in catch by the end of the century while the size-based model projects a 30% decline. Disparities in the models' output highlight the limitations of each approach by showing the influence model structure can have on model output. The aspects of bottom-up change to which each model is most sensitive appear linked to model structure, as does the propagation of interannual variability through the food web and the relative impact of combined top-down and bottom-up change. Incorporating integrated size- and species-based ecosystem modeling approaches into future ensemble studies may help separate the influence of model structure from robust projections of ecosystem change.

Dynamics of hydrophobic organic contaminants in the Baltic proper pelagial

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

Axelman, J.; Broman, D.; Naef, C.

Hydrophobic organic contaminants occur in different forms in natural water. Apart from being truly dissolved in water they partition into dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and particles of different sizes including pelagic bacteria, phytoplankton and zooplankton. The distribution between the different forms is dependent on carbon turnover rates in and transport between the different compartments and on the physical and chemical properties of the compound in focus. The water phase, the DOC-phase and two particle size fractions, 0.2--2pm and 2--20 pm representing the base of the pelagic food web, were analyzed for their content of PCBs and PAHs during summer andmore » winter conditions in the open sea in the Baltic proper. New methods for separating truly dissolved from DOC-bound compounds have been developed using a high capacity perfusion adsorbent and large scale gas sparging. The small particle size fraction was sampled using high volume tangential flow filtration. The possibility to separate between these four different compartments has given a more detailed picture of the short term dynamics of hydrophobic organic compounds in the important base of the pelagial food web.« less

Chemical vapor deposition on chabazite (CHA) zeolite membranes for effective post-combustion CO2 capture.

PubMed

Kim, Eunjoo; Lee, Taehee; Kim, Hyungmin; Jung, Won-Jin; Han, Doug-Young; Baik, Hionsuck; Choi, Nakwon; Choi, Jungkyu

2014-12-16

Chabazite (CHA) zeolites with a pore size of 0.37 × 0.42 nm(2) are expected to separate CO2 (0.33 nm) from larger N2 (0.364 nm) in postcombustion flue gases by recognizing their minute size differences. Furthermore, the hydrophobic siliceous constituent in CHA membranes can allow for maintaining the CO2/N2 separation performance in the presence of H2O in contrast with the CO2 affinity-based membranes. In an attempt to increase the molecular sieving ability, the pore mouth size of all silica CHA (Si-CHA) particles was reduced via the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of a silica precursor (tetraethyl orthosilicate). Accordingly, an increase of the CVD treatment duration decreased the penetration rate of CO2 into the CVD-treated Si-CHA particles. Furthermore, the CVD process was applied to siliceous CHA membranes in order to improve their CO2/N2 separation performance. Compared to the intact CHA membranes, the CO2/N2 maximum separation factor (max SF) for CVD-treated CHA membranes was increased by ∼ 2 fold under dry conditions. More desirably, the CO2/N2 max SF was increased by ∼ 3 fold under wet conditions at ∼ 50 °C, a representative temperature of the flue gas stream. In fact, the presence of H2O in the feed disfavored the permeation of N2 more than that of CO2 through CVD-modified CHA membranes and thus, contributed to the increased CO2/N2 separation factor.

Filler particle size and composite resin classification systems.

PubMed

Lang, B R; Jaarda, M; Wang, R F

1992-11-01

The currently used composite resin classification systems need review if they are to continue to serve as descriptives and quantitative parameters denoting the filler particle content of these materials. Examination of the particles in 12 composite resins using a technique of washing the filler particles from the matrix of the composite resin was presented as yet another method of grouping composites according to filler particle content. Light microscopic examination of the filler particles that remained provided a separation of the 12 materials into four easily distinguished groups based on filler particle sizes. The wear of the 12 composite resins determined in a previous study was examined in relation to the classification of the materials by the currently available systems. The wear values were also examined using the groupings of the materials according to their filler particle sizes as determined by separating the particles from the matrix by the washing technique. Grouping composites on the basis of the filler particle sizes found after washing was easily correlated with wear and supported the suggestion that composites with smaller filler particles wear less.

Label-free density difference amplification-based cell sorting.

PubMed

Song, Jihwan; Song, Minsun; Kang, Taewook; Kim, Dongchoul; Lee, Luke P

2014-11-01

The selective cell separation is a critical step in fundamental life sciences, translational medicine, biotechnology, and energy harvesting. Conventional cell separation methods are fluorescent activated cell sorting and magnetic-activated cell sorting based on fluorescent probes and magnetic particles on cell surfaces. Label-free cell separation methods such as Raman-activated cell sorting, electro-physiologically activated cell sorting, dielectric-activated cell sorting, or inertial microfluidic cell sorting are, however, limited when separating cells of the same kind or cells with similar sizes and dielectric properties, as well as similar electrophysiological phenotypes. Here we report a label-free density difference amplification-based cell sorting (dDACS) without using any external optical, magnetic, electrical forces, or fluidic activations. The conceptual microfluidic design consists of an inlet, hydraulic jump cavity, and multiple outlets. Incoming particles experience gravity, buoyancy, and drag forces in the separation chamber. The height and distance that each particle can reach in the chamber are different and depend on its density, thus allowing for the separation of particles into multiple outlets. The separation behavior of the particles, based on the ratio of the channel heights of the inlet and chamber and Reynolds number has been systematically studied. Numerical simulation reveals that the difference between the heights of only lighter particles with densities close to that of water increases with increasing the ratio of the channel heights, while decreasing Reynolds number can amplify the difference in the heights between the particles considered irrespective of their densities.

Individual and species-specific traits explain niche size and functional role in spiders as generalist predators.

PubMed

Sanders, Dirk; Vogel, Esther; Knop, Eva

2015-01-01

The function of a predator within a community is greatly based on its trophic niche, that is the number and the strength of feeding links. In generalist predators, which feed on a wide range of prey, the size and position of the trophic niche is likely determined by traits such as hunting mode, the stratum they occur in, their body size and age. We used stable isotope analyses ((13)C and (15)N) to measure the trophic niche size of nine spider species within a forest hedge community and tested for species traits and individual traits that influence stable isotope enrichment, niche size and resource use. The spiders Enoplognatha, Philodromus, Floronia, and Heliophanus had large isotopic niches, which correspond to a more generalistic feeding behaviour. In contrast, Araneus, Metellina and Agelena, as top predators in the system, had rather narrow niches. We found a negative correlation between trophic position and niche size. Differences in trophic position in spiders were explained by body size, hunting modes and stratum, while niche size was influenced by hunting mode. In Philodromus, the size of the trophic niche increased significantly with age. Fitting spiders to functional groups according to their mean body size, hunting mode and their habitat domain resulted in largely separated niches, which indicates that these traits are meaningful for separating functional entities in spiders. Functional groups based on habitat domain (stratum) caught the essential functional differences between the species with species higher up in the vegetation feeding on flying insects and herb and ground species also preying on forest floor decomposers. Interestingly, we found a gradient from large species using a higher habitat domain and having a smaller niche to smaller species foraging closer to the ground and having a larger niche. This shows that even within generalist predators, such as spiders, there is a gradient of specialism that can be predicted by functional traits. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2014 British Ecological Society.

Plasmonic characterization of photo-induced silver nanoparticles extracted from silver halide based TEM film

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

Sudheer,, E-mail: sudheer@rrcat.gov.in; Tiwari, P.; Rai, V. N.

The plasmonic responses of silver nanoparticles extracted from silver halide based electron microscope film are investigated. Photo-reduction process is carried out to convert the silver halide grains into the metallic silver. The centrifuge technique is used for separating the silver nanoparticles from the residual solution. Morphological study performed by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) shows that all the nanoparticles have an average diameter of ~120 nm with a high degree of mono dispersion in size. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) absorption peak at ~537 nm confirms the presence of large size silver nanoparticles.

Size distribution of magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles using Warren-Averbach XRD analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahadevan, S.; Behera, S. P.; Gnanaprakash, G.; Jayakumar, T.; Philip, J.; Rao, B. P. C.

2012-07-01

We use the Fourier transform based Warren-Averbach (WA) analysis to separate the contributions of X-ray diffraction (XRD) profile broadening due to crystallite size and microstrain for magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The profile shape of the column length distribution, obtained from WA analysis, is used to analyze the shape of the magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. From the column length distribution, the crystallite size and its distribution are estimated for these nanoparticles which are compared with size distribution obtained from dynamic light scattering measurements. The crystallite size and size distribution of crystallites obtained from WA analysis are explained based on the experimental parameters employed in preparation of these magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The variation of volume weighted diameter (Dv, from WA analysis) with saturation magnetization (Ms) fits well to a core shell model wherein it is known that Ms=Mbulk(1-6g/Dv) with Mbulk as bulk magnetization of iron oxide and g as magnetic shell disorder thickness.

Semi-preparative asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation: A closer look at channel dimensions and separation performance.

PubMed

Bria, Carmen R M; Skelly, Patrick W; Morse, James R; Schaak, Raymond E; Williams, S Kim Ratanathanawongs

2017-05-26

The design and performance of a semi-preparative asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (SP-AF4) channel are investigated with the objective of better understanding and exploiting the relationship between channel dimensions, sample loading, and resolution. Most size-based separations of nanometer and submicrometer particles are currently limited to analytical scale quantities (<100μg). However, there is a strong need to fractionate and collect larger quantities so that fundamental properties of the more narrowly dispersed fractions can be studied using additional characterization methods and for subsequent applications. In this work, dimensions of the spacer that defines the form of SP-AF4 channels are varied and their performances are assessed with respect to sample focusing position and loading. Separations are performed in aqueous and organic carrier fluids. A critical evaluation of channel dimensions showed that increasing the channel breadth is a practical and effective route to maintaining separation resolution while increasing sample loads to milligram quantities. Good size resolution (∼1.0) is achieved for separations of 10mg of 50 and 100nm silica nanoparticles suspended in water and up to 0.6mg of ∼10 to 35nm inorganic hybrid nanoparticles suspended in tetrahydrofuran. This work represents important advances in the understanding of SP-AF4 separations and extends sample loading capacities in both aqueous and organic solvents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparing kinetic curves in liquid chromatography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurganov, A. A.; Kanat'eva, A. Yu.; Yakubenko, E. E.; Popova, T. P.; Shiryaeva, V. E.

2017-01-01

Five equations for kinetic curves which connect the number of theoretical plates N and time of analysis t 0 for five different versions of optimization, depending on the parameters being varied (e.g., mobile phase flow rate, pressure drop, sorbent grain size), are obtained by means of mathematical modeling. It is found that a method based on the optimization of a sorbent grain size at fixed pressure is most suitable for the optimization of rapid separations. It is noted that the advantages of the method are limited by an area of relatively low efficiency, and the advantage of optimization is transferred to a method based on the optimization of both the sorbent grain size and the drop in pressure across a column in the area of high efficiency.

Concentration and separation of biological organisms by ultrafiltration and dielectrophoresis

DOEpatents

Simmons, Blake A.; Hill, Vincent R.; Fintschenko, Yolanda; Cummings, Eric B.

2010-10-12

Disclosed is a method for monitoring sources of public water supply for a variety of pathogens by using a combination of ultrafiltration techniques together dielectrophoretic separation techniques. Because water-borne pathogens, whether present due to "natural" contamination or intentional introduction, would likely be present in drinking water at low concentrations when samples are collected for monitoring or outbreak investigations, an approach is needed to quickly and efficiently concentrate and separate particles such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites in large volumes of water (e.g., 100 L or more) while simultaneously reducing the sample volume to levels sufficient for detecting low concentrations of microbes (e.g., <10 mL). The technique is also designed to screen the separated microbes based on specific conductivity and size.

Lateral separation of colloids or cells by dielectrophoresis augmented by AC electroosmosis.

PubMed

Zhou, Hao; White, Lee R; Tilton, Robert D

2005-05-01

Colloidal particles and biological cells are patterned and separated laterally adjacent to a micropatterned electrode array by applying AC electric fields that are principally oriented normally to the electrode array. This is demonstrated for yeast cells, red blood cells, and colloidal polystyrene particles of different sizes and zeta-potentials. The separation mechanism is observed experimentally to depend on the applied field frequency and voltage. At high frequencies, particles position themselves in a manner that is consistent with dielectrophoresis, while at low frequencies, the positioning is explained in terms of a strong coupling between gravity, the vertical component of the dielectrophoretic force, and the Stokes drag on particles induced by AC electroosmotic flow. Compared to high frequency dielectrophoretic separations, the low frequency separations are faster and require lower applied voltages. Furthermore, the AC electroosmosis coupling with dielectrophoresis may enable cell separations that are not feasible based on dielectrophoresis alone.

Nonlinear multi-photon laser wave-mixing optical detection in microarrays and microchips for ultrasensitive detection and separation of biomarkers for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwabuchi, Manna; Hetu, Marcel; Maxwell, Eric; Pradel, Jean S.; Ramos, Sashary; Tong, William G.

2015-09-01

Multi-photon degenerate four-wave mixing is demonstrated as an ultrasensitive absorption-based optical method for detection, separation and identification of biomarker proteins in the development of early diagnostic methods for HIV- 1, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases using compact, portable microarrays and capillary- or microchip-based chemical separation systems that offer high chemical specificity levels. The wave-mixing signal has a quadratic dependence on concentration, and hence, it allows more reliable monitoring of smaller changes in analyte properties. Our wave-mixing detection sensitivity is comparable or better than those of current methods including enzyme-linked immunoassay for clinical diagnostic and screening. Detection sensitivity is excellent since the wave-mixing signal is a coherent laser-like beam that can be collected with virtually 100% collection efficiency with high S/N. Our analysis time is short (1-15 minutes) for molecular weight-based protein separation as compared to that of a conventional separation technique, e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When ultrasensitive wavemixing detection is paired with high-resolution capillary- or microchip-based separation systems, biomarkers can be separated and identified at the zepto- and yocto-mole levels for a wide range of analytes. Specific analytes can be captured in a microchannel through the use of antibody-antigen interactions that provide better chemical specificity as compared to size-based separation alone. The technique can also be combined with immune-precipitation and a multichannel capillary array for high-throughput analysis of more complex protein samples. Wave mixing allows the use of chromophores and absorption-modifying tags, in addition to conventional fluorophores, for online detection of immunecomplexes related to cancer.

Method and apparatus for sizing and separating warp yarns using acoustical energy

DOEpatents

Sheen, Shuh-Haw; Chien, Hual-Te; Raptis, Apostolos C.; Kupperman, David S.

1998-01-01

A slashing process for preparing warp yarns for weaving operations including the steps of sizing and/or desizing the yarns in an acoustic resonance box and separating the yarns with a leasing apparatus comprised of a set of acoustically agitated lease rods. The sizing step includes immersing the yarns in a size solution contained in an acoustic resonance box. Acoustic transducers are positioned against the exterior of the box for generating an acoustic pressure field within the size solution. Ultrasonic waves that result from the acoustic pressure field continuously agitate the size solution to effect greater mixing and more uniform application and penetration of the size onto the yarns. The sized yarns are then separated by passing the warp yarns over and under lease rods. Electroacoustic transducers generate acoustic waves along the longitudinal axis of the lease rods, creating a shearing motion on the surface of the rods for splitting the yarns.

Polymer separations by liquid interaction chromatography: principles - prospects - limitations.

PubMed

Radke, Wolfgang

2014-03-28

Most heterogeneities of polymers with respect to different structural features cannot be resolved by only size exclusion chromatography (SEC), the most frequently applied mode of polymer chromatography. Instead, methods of interaction chromatography became increasingly important. However, despite the increasing applications the principles and potential of polymer interaction chromatography are still often unknown to a large number of polymer scientists. The present review will explain the principles of the different modes of polymer chromatography. Based on selected examples it will be shown which separation techniques can be successfully applied for separations with respect to the different structural features of polymers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Size and DNA distributions of electrophoretically separated cultured human kidney cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kunze, M. E.; Plank, L. D.; Todd, P. W.

1985-01-01

Electrophoretic purification of purifying cultured cells according to function presumes that the size of cycle phase of a cell is not an overriding determinant of its electrophoretic velocity in an electrophoretic separator. The size distributions and DNA distributions of fractions of cells purified by density gradient electrophoresis were determined. No systematic dependence of electrophoretic migration upward in a density gradient column upon either size or DNA content were found. It was found that human leukemia cell populations, which are more uniform function and found in all phases of the cell cycle during exponential growth, separated on a vertical sensity gradient electrophoresis column according to their size, which is shown to be strictly cell cycle dependent.

An improved linear ion trap physics package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prestage, J. D.

1993-01-01

This article describes an improvement in the architecture of the physics package used in the Linear Ion Trap (LIT)-based frequency standard recently developed at JPL. This new design is based on the observation that ions can be moved along the axis of an LIT by applied dc voltages. The state selection and interrogation region can be separated from the more critical microwave resonance region where the multiplied local oscillator signal is compared with the stable atomic transition. This separation relaxes many of the design constraints of the present units. Improvements include increased frequency stability and a substantial reduction in size, mass, and cost of the final frequency standard.

Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting of Live Versus Dead Bacterial Cells and Spores

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bernardini, James N.; LaDuc, Myron T.; Diamond, Rochelle; Verceles, Josh

2012-01-01

This innovation is a coupled fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and fluorescent staining technology for purifying (removing cells from sampling matrices), separating (based on size, density, morphology, and live versus dead), and concentrating cells (spores, prokaryotic, eukaryotic) from an environmental sample.

Pore size engineering applied to the design of separators for nickel-hydrogen cells and batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbey, K. M.; Britton, D. L.

1983-01-01

Pore size engineering in starved alkaline multiplate cells involves adopting techniques to widen the volume tolerance of individual cells. Separators with appropriate pore size distributions and wettability characteristics (capillary pressure considerations) to have wider volume tolerances and an ability to resist dimensional changes in the electrodes were designed. The separators studied for potential use in nickel-hydrogen cells consist of polymeric membranes as well as inorganic microporous mats. In addition to standard measurements, the resistance and distribution of electrolyte as a function of total cell electrolyte content were determined. New composite separators consisting of fibers, particles and/or binders deposited on Zircar cloth were developed in order to engineer the proper capillary pressure characteristics in the separator. These asymmetric separators were prepared from a variety of fibers, particles and binders.

Sheathless interface to match flow rate of capillary electrophoresis with electrospray mass spectrometry using regular-sized capillary.

PubMed

Yin, Yue; Li, Gongyu; Guan, Yafeng; Huang, Guangming

2016-08-01

The flow rate match has been a great challenge when coupling capillary electrophoresis (CE) with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Conventional CE-ESI-MS interfaces used liquid sheath flow, narrowed capillary or additional pressure to meet this requirement; sacrifice of either capillary inner diameter (i.d.) or separation efficiency is often inevitable. Thus, a regular-sized capillary-based sheathless interface would be attractive for flow rate match in CE-MS. The regular-sized capillary-based CE-MS interface was achieved by coupling CE with induced electrospray ionization (iESI) which was stimulated by the fact that the iESI could both achieve flow rate down to 0.2 μL/min and retain ionization efficiency. The CE-iESI-MS interface was completed with an intact separation capillary, outside the outlet end of which a metal electrode was attached for the application of alternating current (ac) high voltage (HV). The feasibility of this CE-iESI-MS interface was demonstrated through the stable total ion chromatograms obtained by continuous CE infusion of tripropylamine with regular-sized capillaries. Tripropylamine and atenolol were separated and detected successfully in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) by CE-iESI-MS using a 50 or 75 μm i.d. capillary. Furthermore, this new interface showed a better signal-to-noise (S/N) of 3 to 7 times enhancement compared with another sheathless CE-ESI-MS interface that using one high voltage for both separation and electrospray when analyzing the mixture of tripropylamine and proline in NH4 OAc buffer. In addition, the reproducibility of this interface gave satisfactory results with relative standard deviation (RSD) in retention time in the range between 1% and 3%. The novel sheathless CE-MS interface introduced here could match conventional electroosmotic flow (EOF) with electrospray which could also preserve the separation efficiency and sensitivity of CE-MS. This newly developed CE-iESI-MS interface was also demonstrated to be effective for different buffers, PBS and NH4 OAc, without any additives such as methanol and acetic acid. Hence, we believe that this sheathless CE-MS interface could be operated with other nonvolatile and volatile buffers. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Optimization of gold ore Sumbawa separation using gravity method: Shaking table

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferdana, Achmad Dhaefi; Petrus, Himawan Tri Bayu Murti; Bendiyasa, I. Made; Prijambada, Irfan Dwidya; Hamada, Fumio; Sachiko, Takahi

2018-04-01

Most of artisanal small gold mining in Indonesia has been using amalgamation method, which caused negative impact to the environment around ore processing area due to the usage of mercury. One of the more environmental-friendly method for gold processing is gravity method. Shaking table is one of separation equipment of gravity method used to increase concentrate based on difference of specific gravity. The optimum concentration result is influenced by several variables, such as rotational speed shaking, particle size and deck slope. In this research, the range of rotational speed shaking was between 100 rpm and 200 rpm, the particle size was between -100 + 200 mesh and -200 + 300 mesh and deck slope was between 3° and 7°. Gold concentration in concentrate was measured by EDX. The result shows that the optimum condition is obtained at a shaking speed of 200 rpm, with a slope of 7° and particle size of -100 + 200 mesh.

A new non-degradative method to purify glycogen.

PubMed

Tan, Xinle; Sullivan, Mitchell A; Gao, Fei; Li, Shihan; Schulz, Benjamin L; Gilbert, Robert G

2016-08-20

Liver glycogen, a complex branched glucose polymer containing a small amount of protein, is important for maintaining glucose homeostasis (blood-sugar control) in humans. It has recently been found that glycogen molecular structure is impaired in diabetes. Isolating the carbohydrate polymer and any intrinsically-attached protein(s) is an essential prerequisite for studying this structural impairment. This requires an effective, non-degradative and efficient purification method to exclude the many other proteins present in liver. Proteins and glycogen have different ranges of molecular sizes. Despite the plethora of proteins that might still be present in significant abundance after other isolation techniques, SEC (size exclusion chromatography, also known as GPC), which separates by molecular size, should separate those extraneous to glycogen from glycogen with any intrinsically associated protein(s). A novel purification method is developed for this, based on preparative SEC following sucrose gradient centrifugation. Proteomics is used to show that the new method compares favourably with current methods in the literature. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determination of hydrogen abundance in selected lunar soils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bustin, Roberta

1987-01-01

Hydrogen was implanted in lunar soil through solar wind activity. In order to determine the feasibility of utilizing this solar wind hydrogen, it is necessary to know not only hydrogen abundances in bulk soils from a variety of locations but also the distribution of hydrogen within a given soil. Hydrogen distribution in bulk soils, grain size separates, mineral types, and core samples was investigated. Hydrogen was found in all samples studied. The amount varied considerably, depending on soil maturity, mineral types present, grain size distribution, and depth. Hydrogen implantation is definitely a surface phenomenon. However, as constructional particles are formed, previously exposed surfaces become embedded within particles, causing an enrichment of hydrogen in these species. In view of possibly extracting the hydrogen for use on the lunar surface, it is encouraging to know that hydrogen is present to a considerable depth and not only in the upper few millimeters. Based on these preliminary studies, extraction of solar wind hydrogen from lunar soil appears feasible, particulary if some kind of grain size separation is possible.

Processing and size range separation of pristine and magnetic poly(l-lactic acid) based microspheres for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Correia, D M; Sencadas, V; Ribeiro, C; Martins, P M; Martins, P; Gama, F M; Botelho, G; Lanceros-Méndez, S

2016-08-15

Biodegradable poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) and PLLA/CoFe2O4 magnetic microspheres with average sizes ranging between 0.16-3.9μm and 0.8-2.2μm, respectively, were obtained by an oil-in-water emulsion method using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) solution as the emulsifier agent. The separation of the microspheres in different size ranges was then performed by centrifugation and the colloidal stability assessed at different pH values. Neat PLLA spheres are more stable in alkaline environments when compared to magnetic microspheres, both types being stable for pHs higher than 4, resulting in a colloidal suspension. On the other hand, in acidic environments the microspheres tend to form aggregates. The neat PLLA microspheres show a degree of crystallinity of 40% whereas the composite ones are nearly amorphous (17%). Finally, the biocompatibility was assessed by cell viability studies with MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Preliminary investigation of a water-based method for fast integrating mobility spectrometry

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

Spielman, Steven R.; Hering, Susanne V.; Kuang, Chongai

A water-based condensational growth channel was developed for imaging mobility-separated particles within a parallel plate separation channel of the Fast Integrated Mobility Spectrometer (FIMS). Reported are initial tests of that system, in which the alcohol condenser of the FIMS was replaced by a water-based condensational growth channel. Tests with monodispersed sodium chloride aerosol verify that the water-condensational growth maintained the laminar flow, while providing sufficient growth for particle imaging. Particle positions mapped onto particle mobility, in accordance with theoretical expectations. Particles ranging in size from 12 nm to 100 nm were counted with the same efficiency as with a butanol-based ultrafine particlemore » counter, once inlet and line losses were taken into account.« less

Preliminary investigation of a water-based method for fast integrating mobility spectrometry

DOE PAGES

Spielman, Steven R.; Hering, Susanne V.; Kuang, Chongai; ...

2017-06-06

A water-based condensational growth channel was developed for imaging mobility-separated particles within a parallel plate separation channel of the Fast Integrated Mobility Spectrometer (FIMS). Reported are initial tests of that system, in which the alcohol condenser of the FIMS was replaced by a water-based condensational growth channel. Tests with monodispersed sodium chloride aerosol verify that the water-condensational growth maintained the laminar flow, while providing sufficient growth for particle imaging. Particle positions mapped onto particle mobility, in accordance with theoretical expectations. Particles ranging in size from 12 nm to 100 nm were counted with the same efficiency as with a butanol-based ultrafine particlemore » counter, once inlet and line losses were taken into account.« less

On-line coupling of size exclusion chromatography with mixed-mode liquid chromatography for comprehensive profiling of biopharmaceutical drug product.

PubMed

He, Yan; Friese, Olga V; Schlittler, Michele R; Wang, Qian; Yang, Xun; Bass, Laura A; Jones, Michael T

2012-11-02

A methodology based on on-line coupling of size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with mixed-mode liquid chromatography (LC) has been developed. The method allows for simultaneous measurement of a wide range of components in biopharmaceutical drug products. These components include the active pharmaceutical ingredient (protein) and various kinds of excipients such as cations, anions, nonionic hydrophobic surfactant and hydrophilic sugars. Dual short SEC columns are used to separate small molecule excipients from large protein molecules. The separated protein is quantified using a UV detector at 280 nm. The isolated excipients are switched, online, to the Trinity P1 mixed-mode column for separation, and detected by an evaporative light scattering detector (ELSD). Using a stationary phase with 1.7 μm particles in SEC allows for the use of volatile buffers for both SEC and mix-mode separation. This facilitates the detection of different excipients by ELSD and provides potential for online characterization of the protein with mass spectrometry (MS). The method has been applied to quantitate protein and excipients in different biopharmaceutical drug products including monoclonal antibodies (mAb), antibody drug conjugates (ADC) and vaccines. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A simple method for the analysis of particle sizes of forage and total mixed rations.

PubMed

Lammers, B P; Buckmaster, D R; Heinrichs, A J

1996-05-01

A simple separator was developed to determine the particle sizes of forage and TMR that allows for easy separation of wet forage into three fractions and also allows plotting of the particle size distribution. The device was designed to mimic the laboratory-scale separator for forage particle sizes that was specified by Standard S424 of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. A comparison of results using the standard device and the newly developed separator indicated no difference in ability to predict fractions of particles with maximum length of less than 8 and 19 mm. The separator requires a small quantity of sample (1.4 L) and is manually operated. The materials on the screens and bottom pan were weighed to obtain the cumulative percentage of sample that was undersize for the two fractions. The results were then plotted using the Weibull distribution, which proved to be the best fit for the data. Convenience samples of haycrop silage, corn silage, and TMR from farms in the northeastern US were analyzed using the forage and TMR separator, and the range of observed values are given.

Dielectrophoretic manipulation and separation of microparticles using microarray dot electrodes.

PubMed

Yafouz, Bashar; Kadri, Nahrizul Adib; Ibrahim, Fatimah

2014-04-03

This paper introduces a dielectrophoretic system for the manipulation and separation of microparticles. The system is composed of five layers and utilizes microarray dot electrodes. We validated our system by conducting size-dependent manipulation and separation experiments on 1, 5 and 15 μm polystyrene particles. Our findings confirm the capability of the proposed device to rapidly and efficiently manipulate and separate microparticles of various dimensions, utilizing positive and negative dielectrophoresis (DEP) effects. Larger size particles were repelled and concentrated in the center of the dot by negative DEP, while the smaller sizes were attracted and collected by the edge of the dot by positive DEP.

Centrifugal Size-Separation Sieve for Granular Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walton, Otis (Inventor); Dreyer, Christopher (Inventor); Riedel, Edward (Inventor)

2015-01-01

A centrifugal sieve and method utilizes centrifugal force in rapidly-rotated cylindrical or conical screens as the primary body force contributing to size segregation. Within the centrifugal acceleration field, vibration and/or shearing flows are induced to facilitate size segregation and eventual separation of the fines from the coarse material. Inside a rotating cylindrical or conical screen, a separately-rotated screw auger blade can be used to transport material along the rotating cylinder or conical wall and to induce shearing in the material.

Additive-free size-controlled synthesis of gold square nanoplates using photochemical reaction in dynamic phase-separating media.

PubMed

Kajimoto, Shinji; Shirasawa, Daisuke; Horimoto, Noriko Nishizawa; Fukumura, Hiroshi

2013-05-14

Ultrafast phase separation of water and 2-butoxyethanol mixture was induced by nanosecond IR laser pulse irradiation. After a certain delay time, a UV laser pulse was introduced to induce photoreduction of aurate ions, which led to the formation of gold nanoparticles in dynamic phase-separating media. The structure and size of the nanoparticles varied depending on the delay time between the IR and UV pulses. For a delay time of 5 and 6 μs, gold square plates having edge lengths of 150 and 100 nm were selectively obtained, respectively. With a delay time of 3 μs, on the other hand, the size of the square plates varied widely from 100 nm to a few micrometers. The size of the gold square plates was also varied by varying the total irradiation time of the IR and UV pulses. The size distribution of the square plates obtained under different conditions suggests that the growth process of the square plates was affected by the size of the nanophases during phase separation. Electron diffraction patterns of the synthesized square plates showed that the square plates were highly crystalline with a Au(100) surface. These results showed that the nanophases formed during laser-induced phase separation can provide detergent-free reaction fields for size-controlled nanomaterial synthesis.

Continuous inertial microparticle and blood cell separation in straight channels with local microstructures.

PubMed

Wu, Zhenlong; Chen, Yu; Wang, Moran; Chung, Aram J

2016-02-07

Fluid inertia which has conventionally been neglected in microfluidics has been gaining much attention for particle and cell manipulation because inertia-based methods inherently provide simple, passive, precise and high-throughput characteristics. Particularly, the inertial approach has been applied to blood separation for various biomedical research studies mainly using spiral microchannels. For higher throughput, parallelization is essential; however, it is difficult to realize using spiral channels because of their large two dimensional layouts. In this work, we present a novel inertial platform for continuous sheathless particle and blood cell separation in straight microchannels containing microstructures. Microstructures within straight channels exert secondary flows to manipulate particle positions similar to Dean flow in curved channels but with higher controllability. Through a balance between inertial lift force and microstructure-induced secondary flow, we deterministically position microspheres and cells based on their sizes to be separated downstream. Using our inertial platform, we successfully sorted microparticles and fractionized blood cells with high separation efficiencies, high purities and high throughputs. The inertial separation platform developed here can be operated to process diluted blood with a throughput of 10.8 mL min(-1)via radially arrayed single channels with one inlet and two rings of outlets.

Enhancement of students’ creative thinking skills on mixture separation topic using project based student worksheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nurisalfah, R.; Fadiawati, N.; Jalmo, T.

2018-05-01

The aim of this study is to describe the effectiveness of project based student worksheet in improving students' creative thinking skills. The research method is using quasi experiment with the matching only pre-test post-test control group design. The population in this research is all students of class VII SMP N 2 Belitang Madang Raya with class VII1 as control class and class VII4 as experiment class. The sample of this research is obtaining by purposive sampling technique. The effectiveness of project based student worksheet is based on significant post-test differences between the control class and the experiment class as well as the effect size. The results show that the using of project based student worksheet is effective in improving students' creative thinking skills on mixture separation topic.

An investigation of the usability of sound recognition for source separation of packaging wastes in reverse vending machines.

PubMed

Korucu, M Kemal; Kaplan, Özgür; Büyük, Osman; Güllü, M Kemal

2016-10-01

In this study, we investigate the usability of sound recognition for source separation of packaging wastes in reverse vending machines (RVMs). For this purpose, an experimental setup equipped with a sound recording mechanism was prepared. Packaging waste sounds generated by three physical impacts such as free falling, pneumatic hitting and hydraulic crushing were separately recorded using two different microphones. To classify the waste types and sizes based on sound features of the wastes, a support vector machine (SVM) and a hidden Markov model (HMM) based sound classification systems were developed. In the basic experimental setup in which only free falling impact type was considered, SVM and HMM systems provided 100% classification accuracy for both microphones. In the expanded experimental setup which includes all three impact types, material type classification accuracies were 96.5% for dynamic microphone and 97.7% for condenser microphone. When both the material type and the size of the wastes were classified, the accuracy was 88.6% for the microphones. The modeling studies indicated that hydraulic crushing impact type recordings were very noisy for an effective sound recognition application. In the detailed analysis of the recognition errors, it was observed that most of the errors occurred in the hitting impact type. According to the experimental results, it can be said that the proposed novel approach for the separation of packaging wastes could provide a high classification performance for RVMs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Purification of microalgae from bacterial contamination using a disposable inertia-based microfluidic device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godino, Neus; Jorde, Felix; Lawlor, Daryl; Jaeger, Magnus; Duschl, Claus

2015-08-01

Microalgae are a promising source of bioactive ingredients for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Every microalgae research group or production facility is facing one major problem regarding the potential contamination of the algal cell with bacteria. Prior to the storage of the microalgae in strain collections or to cultivation in bioreactors, it is necessary to carry out laborious purification procedures to separate the microalgae from the undesired bacterial cells. In this work, we present a disposable microfluidic cartridge for the high-throughput purification of microalgae samples based on inertial microfluidics. Some of the most relevant microalgae strains have a larger size than the relatively small, few micron bacterial cells, so making them distinguishable by size. The inertial microfluidic cartridge was fabricated with inexpensive materials, like pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) and thin plastic layers, which were patterned using a simple cutting plotter. In spite of fabrication restrictions and the intrinsic difficulties of biological samples, the separation of microalgae from bacteria reached values in excess of 99%, previously only achieved using conventional high-end and high cost lithography methods. Moreover, due to the simple and high-throughput characteristic of the separation, it is possible to concatenate serial purification to exponentially decrease the absolute amount of bacteria in the final purified sample.

Pore size engineering applied to the design of separators for nickel-hydrogen cells and batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbey, K. M.; Britton, D. L.

1983-01-01

Pore size engineering in starved alkaline multiplate cells involves adopting techniques to widen the volume tolerance of individual cells. Separators with appropriate pore size distributions and wettability characteristics (capillary pressure considerations) to have wider volume tolerances and an ability to resist dimensional changes in the electrodes were designed. The separators studied for potential use in nickel-hydrogen cells consist of polymeric membranes as well as inorganic microporous mats. In addition to standard measurements, the resistance and distribution of electrolyte as a function of total cell electrolyte content were determined. New composite separators consisting of fibers, particles and/or binders deposited on Zircar cloth were developed in order to engineer the proper capillary pressure characteristics in the separator. These asymmetric separators were prepared from a variety of fibers, particles and binders. Previously announced in STAR as N83-24571

Mobility of long-chain DNA in two-dimensional artificial gels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Stephen W. P.; Han, Jongyoon; Craighead, Harold G.

2000-03-01

In this study, a two-dimensional array of nanofabricated obstacles is used as an artificial gel to study the electrophoretic mobility dependence of DNA as a function of pore size, molecule length and electric field. Limitations in feature size have prevented previous studies from testing the crossover from the separating to the non-separating regime predicted by the biased reptation model of Lumpkin, Dejardin and Zimm[1] and the modified model of Duke, Semenov and Viovy.[2] That limitation is overcome in this work with the use of electron beam lithography to define features as small as 30 nm. Attainment of these feature sizes was made possible by the use of a sacrificial-layer-based technique for fluidics fabrication.[3] A novel band-launching strategy is used to provide band separation data for the first time in this system. Molecule lengths between 5 and 150 kilobases are studied for electric field strengths from 0.1 to 20 Volts per meter. [1] O. Lumpkin, P. Dejardin and B. Zimm, Biopolymers, Vol. 24, 1573-1593 (1985) [2] T. Duke, A. Semenov and J. Viovy, Phys. Rev. Lett. Vol. 69, No. 22, 3260-3263 (1992) [3] S. Turner, A. Perez, A. Lopez, and H. Craighead, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 16(6) 3835-3840 (1998)

Determining Aqueous Fullerene Particle Size Distributions by Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) without Surfactants

EPA Science Inventory

To determine the behavior of nanoparticles in environmental systems, methods must be developed to measure nanoparticle size. Asymmetric Flow Field Flow Fractionation (AF4) is an aqueous compatible size separation technique which is able to separate particles from 1 nm to 10 µm in...

Size-amplified acoustofluidic separation of circulating tumor cells with removable microbeads

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Huiqin; Ao, Zheng; Cai, Bo; Shu, Xi; Chen, Keke; Rao, Lang; Luo, Changliang; Wang, Fu-Bin; Liu, Wei; Bondesson, Maria; Guo, Shishang; Guo, Feng

2018-06-01

Isolation and analysis of rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is of great interest in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment efficacy evaluation. Acoustofluidic cell separation becomes an attractive method due to its contactless, noninvasive, simple, and versatile features. However, the indistinctive physical difference between CTCs and normal blood cells limits the purity of CTCs using current acoustic methods. Herein, we demonstrate a size-amplified acoustic separation and release of CTCs with removable microbeads. CTCs selectively bound to size-amplifiers (40 μm-diameter anti-EpCAM/gelatin-coated SiO2 microbeads) have significant physical differences (size and mechanics) compared to normal blood cells, resulting in an amplification of acoustic radiation force approximately a hundredfold over that of bare CTCs or normal blood cells. Therefore, CTCs can be efficiently sorted out with size-amplifiers in a traveling surface acoustic wave microfluidic device and released from size-amplifiers by enzymatic degradation for further purification or downstream analysis. We demonstrate a cell separation from blood samples with a total efficiency (E total) of ∼ 77%, purity (P) of ∼ 96%, and viability (V) of ∼83% after releasing cells from size-amplifiers. Our method substantially improves the emerging application of rare cell purification for translational medicine.

Separation of superparamagnetic particles through ratcheted Brownian motion and periodically switching magnetic fields.

PubMed

Liu, Fan; Jiang, Li; Tan, Huei Ming; Yadav, Ashutosh; Biswas, Preetika; van der Maarel, Johan R C; Nijhuis, Christian A; van Kan, Jeroen A

2016-11-01

Brownian ratchet based particle separation systems for application in lab on chip devices have drawn interest and are subject to ongoing theoretical and experimental investigations. We demonstrate a compact microfluidic particle separation chip, which implements an extended on-off Brownian ratchet scheme that actively separates and sorts particles using periodically switching magnetic fields, asymmetric sawtooth channel sidewalls, and Brownian motion. The microfluidic chip was made with Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) soft lithography of SU-8 molds, which in turn was fabricated using Proton Beam Writing. After bonding of the PDMS chip to a glass substrate through surface activation by oxygen plasma treatment, embedded electromagnets were cofabricated by the injection of InSn metal into electrode channels. This fabrication process enables rapid production of high resolution and high aspect ratio features, which results in parallel electrodes accurately aligned with respect to the separation channel. The PDMS devices were tested with mixtures of 1.51  μ m, 2.47  μ m, and 2.60  μ m superparamagnetic particles suspended in water. Experimental results show that the current device design has potential for separating particles with a size difference around 130 nm. Based on the promising results, we will be working towards extending this design for the separation of cells or biomolecules.

Separation of superparamagnetic particles through ratcheted Brownian motion and periodically switching magnetic fields

PubMed Central

Liu, Fan; Jiang, Li; Tan, Huei Ming; Yadav, Ashutosh; Biswas, Preetika; van der Maarel, Johan R. C.; Nijhuis, Christian A.; van Kan, Jeroen A.

2016-01-01

Brownian ratchet based particle separation systems for application in lab on chip devices have drawn interest and are subject to ongoing theoretical and experimental investigations. We demonstrate a compact microfluidic particle separation chip, which implements an extended on-off Brownian ratchet scheme that actively separates and sorts particles using periodically switching magnetic fields, asymmetric sawtooth channel sidewalls, and Brownian motion. The microfluidic chip was made with Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) soft lithography of SU-8 molds, which in turn was fabricated using Proton Beam Writing. After bonding of the PDMS chip to a glass substrate through surface activation by oxygen plasma treatment, embedded electromagnets were cofabricated by the injection of InSn metal into electrode channels. This fabrication process enables rapid production of high resolution and high aspect ratio features, which results in parallel electrodes accurately aligned with respect to the separation channel. The PDMS devices were tested with mixtures of 1.51 μm, 2.47 μm, and 2.60 μm superparamagnetic particles suspended in water. Experimental results show that the current device design has potential for separating particles with a size difference around 130 nm. Based on the promising results, we will be working towards extending this design for the separation of cells or biomolecules. PMID:27917252

Method for concentration and separation of biological organisms by ultrafiltration and dielectrophoresis

DOEpatents

Simmons, Blake A.; Hill, Vincent R.; Fintschenko, Yolanda; Cummings, Eric B.

2012-09-04

Disclosed is a method for monitoring sources of public water supply for a variety of pathogens by using a combination of ultrafiltration techniques together dielectrophoretic separation techniques. Because water-borne pathogens, whether present due to "natural" contamination or intentional introduction, would likely be present in drinking water at low concentrations when samples are collected for monitoring or outbreak investigations, an approach is needed to quickly and efficiently concentrate and separate particles such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites in large volumes of water (e.g., 100 L or more) while simultaneously reducing the sample volume to levels sufficient for detecting low concentrations of microbes (e.g., <10 mL). The technique is also designed to screen the separated microbes based on specific conductivity and size.

Municipal waste processing apparatus

DOEpatents

Mayberry, John L.

1989-01-01

Municipal waste materials are processed by crushing the materials so that pieces of noncombustible material are smaller than a selected size and pieces of combustible material are larger than the selected size. The crushed materials are placed on a vibrating mesh screen conveyor belt having openings which pass the smaller, noncombustible pieces of material, but do not pass the larger, combustible pieces of material. Consecutive conveyors may be connected by an intermediate vibratory plate. An air knife can be used to further separate materials based on weight.

Characterization of hydrotreated Mayan and Wilmington vacuum tower bottoms

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

Pearson, C.D.; Green, J.B.; Bhan, O.K.

1989-04-01

Mayan and Wilmington vacuum tower bottoms were hydrotreated at various severity levels in a batch autoclave with and without catalyst. Each of the feeds and the hydrotreated products was separated into acid-base (ABN) fraction using a unique non-aqueous ion exchange technique. The feeds, hydrotreated whole products, and the ABN fractions were characterized by determining their elemental and metal content. Selected samples were analyzed by size exclusion chromatography/inductively coupled plasma technique to determine molecular size distribution of various species.

Mechanistic insights into porous graphene membranes for helium separation and hydrogen purification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Shuxian; Zhou, Sainan; Wu, Zhonghua; Wang, Maohuai; Wang, Zhaojie; Guo, Wenyue; Lu, Xiaoqing

2018-05-01

Porous graphene (PG) and nitrogen-substituted PG monolayers of 3N-PG and 6N-PG were designed as effective membranes for the separation of He and H2 over Ne, Ar, N2, CO, and CH4 by using density functional theory. Results showed that PG and 3N-PG exhibited suitable pore sizes and relatively high stabilities for He and H2 separation. PG and 3N-PG membranes also presented excellent He and H2 selectivities over Ne, Ar, N2, CO and CH4 at a wide temperature range. 6N-PG membrane exerted unexceptionable permeances of the studied gases, especially He and H2, which could remarkably improve the separation efficiency of He and H2. Analyses on the most stable adsorption configurations and maximum adsorption energies indicated weak Van der Waals interactions between the gases and the three PG-based membranes. Microscopic permeation process analyses based on the minimum energy pathway, energy profiles, and electron density isosurfaces elucidated the remarkable selectivities of He over Ne/CO/N2/Ar/CH4 and H2 over CO/N2/CH4 and the high permeances of He and H2 passing through the three PG-based membranes. This work not only highlighted the potential use of the three PG-based membranes for He separation and H2 purification but also provided a superior alternative strategy to design and screen membrane materials for gas separation.

Computational Visual Stress Level Analysis of Calcareous Algae Exposed to Sedimentation

PubMed Central

Nilssen, Ingunn; Eide, Ingvar; de Oliveira Figueiredo, Marcia Abreu; de Souza Tâmega, Frederico Tapajós; Nattkemper, Tim W.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a machine learning based approach for analyses of photos collected from laboratory experiments conducted to assess the potential impact of water-based drill cuttings on deep-water rhodolith-forming calcareous algae. This pilot study uses imaging technology to quantify and monitor the stress levels of the calcareous algae Mesophyllum engelhartii (Foslie) Adey caused by various degrees of light exposure, flow intensity and amount of sediment. A machine learning based algorithm was applied to assess the temporal variation of the calcareous algae size (∼ mass) and color automatically. Measured size and color were correlated to the photosynthetic efficiency (maximum quantum yield of charge separation in photosystem II, ΦPSIImax) and degree of sediment coverage using multivariate regression. The multivariate regression showed correlations between time and calcareous algae sizes, as well as correlations between fluorescence and calcareous algae colors. PMID:27285611

[Effects of carrier liquid and flow rate on the separation in gravitational field-flow fractionation].

PubMed

Guo, Shuang; Zhu, Chenqi; Gao-Yang, Yaya; Qiu, Bailing; Wu, Di; Liang, Qihui; He, Jiayuan; Han, Nanyin

2016-02-01

Gravitational field-flow fractionation is the simplest field-flow fractionation technique in terms of principle and operation. The earth' s gravity is its external field. Different sized particles are injected into a thin channel and carried by carrier fluid. The different velocities of the carrier liquid in different places results in a size-based separation. A gravitational field-flow fractionation (GrFFF) instrument was designed and constructed. Two kinds of polystyrene (PS) particles with different sizes (20 µm and 6 µm) were chosen as model particles. In this work, the separation of the sample was achieved by changing the concentration of NaN3, the percentage of mixed surfactant in the carrier liquid and the flow rate of carrier liquid. Six levels were set for each factor. The effects of these three factors on the retention ratio (R) and plate height (H) of the PS particles were investigated. It was found that R increased and H decreased with increasing particle size. On the other hand, the R and H increased with increasing flow rate. The R and H also increased with increasing NaN3 concentration. The reason was that the electrostatic repulsive force between the particles and the glass channel wall increased. The force allowed the samples approach closer to the channel wall. The results showed that the resolution and retention time can be improved by adjusting the experimental conditions. These results can provide important values to the further applications of GrFFF technique.

Charge-specific size-dependent separation of water-soluble organic molecules by fluorinated nanoporous networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byun, Jeehye; Patel, Hasmukh A.; Thirion, Damien; Yavuz, Cafer T.

2016-11-01

Molecular architecture in nanoscale spaces can lead to selective chemical interactions and separation of species with similar sizes and functionality. Substrate specific sorbent chemistry is well known through highly crystalline ordered structures such as zeolites, metal organic frameworks and widely available nanoporous carbons. Size and charge-dependent separation of aqueous molecular contaminants, on the contrary, have not been adequately developed. Here we report a charge-specific size-dependent separation of water-soluble molecules through an ultra-microporous polymeric network that features fluorines as the predominant surface functional groups. Treatment of similarly sized organic molecules with and without charges shows that fluorine interacts with charges favourably. Control experiments using similarly constructed frameworks with or without fluorines verify the fluorine-cation interactions. Lack of a σ-hole for fluorine atoms is suggested to be responsible for this distinct property, and future applications of this discovery, such as desalination and mixed matrix membranes, may be expected to follow.

Charge-specific size-dependent separation of water-soluble organic molecules by fluorinated nanoporous networks

PubMed Central

Byun, Jeehye; Patel, Hasmukh A.; Thirion, Damien; Yavuz, Cafer T.

2016-01-01

Molecular architecture in nanoscale spaces can lead to selective chemical interactions and separation of species with similar sizes and functionality. Substrate specific sorbent chemistry is well known through highly crystalline ordered structures such as zeolites, metal organic frameworks and widely available nanoporous carbons. Size and charge-dependent separation of aqueous molecular contaminants, on the contrary, have not been adequately developed. Here we report a charge-specific size-dependent separation of water-soluble molecules through an ultra-microporous polymeric network that features fluorines as the predominant surface functional groups. Treatment of similarly sized organic molecules with and without charges shows that fluorine interacts with charges favourably. Control experiments using similarly constructed frameworks with or without fluorines verify the fluorine-cation interactions. Lack of a σ-hole for fluorine atoms is suggested to be responsible for this distinct property, and future applications of this discovery, such as desalination and mixed matrix membranes, may be expected to follow. PMID:27830697

Subnanometer and nanometer catalysts, method for preparing size-selected catalysts

DOEpatents

Vajda, Stefan , Pellin, Michael J.; Elam, Jeffrey W [Elmhurst, IL; Marshall, Christopher L [Naperville, IL; Winans, Randall A [Downers Grove, IL; Meiwes-Broer, Karl-Heinz [Roggentin, GR

2012-04-03

Highly uniform cluster based nanocatalysts supported on technologically relevant supports were synthesized for reactions of top industrial relevance. The Pt-cluster based catalysts outperformed the very best reported ODHP catalyst in both activity (by up to two orders of magnitude higher turn-over frequencies) and in selectivity. The results clearly demonstrate that highly dispersed ultra-small Pt clusters precisely localized on high-surface area supports can lead to affordable new catalysts for highly efficient and economic propene production, including considerably simplified separation of the final product. The combined GISAXS-mass spectrometry provides an excellent tool to monitor the evolution of size and shape of nanocatalyst at action under realistic conditions. Also provided are sub-nanometer gold and sub-nanometer to few nm size-selected silver catalysts which possess size dependent tunable catalytic properties in the epoxidation of alkenes. Invented size-selected cluster deposition provides a unique tool to tune material properties by atom-by-atom fashion, which can be stabilized by protective overcoats.

Subnanometer and nanometer catalysts, method for preparing size-selected catalysts

DOEpatents

Vajda, Stefan [Lisle, IL; Pellin, Michael J [Naperville, IL; Elam, Jeffrey W [Elmhurst, IL; Marshall, Christopher L [Naperville, IL; Winans, Randall A [Downers Grove, IL; Meiwes-Broer, Karl-Heinz [Roggentin, GR

2012-03-27

Highly uniform cluster based nanocatalysts supported on technologically relevant supports were synthesized for reactions of top industrial relevance. The Pt-cluster based catalysts outperformed the very best reported ODHP catalyst in both activity (by up to two orders of magnitude higher turn-over frequencies) and in selectivity. The results clearly demonstrate that highly dispersed ultra-small Pt clusters precisely localized on high-surface area supports can lead to affordable new catalysts for highly efficient and economic propene production, including considerably simplified separation of the final product. The combined GISAXS-mass spectrometry provides an excellent tool to monitor the evolution of size and shape of nanocatalyst at action under realistic conditions. Also provided are sub-nanometer gold and sub-nanometer to few nm size-selected silver catalysts which possess size dependent tunable catalytic properties in the epoxidation of alkenes. Invented size-selected cluster deposition provides a unique tool to tune material properties by atom-by-atom fashion, which can be stabilized by protective overcoats.

Method and apparatus for sizing and separating warp yarns using acoustical energy

DOEpatents

Sheen, S.H.; Chien, H.T.; Raptis, A.C.; Kupperman, D.S.

1998-05-19

A slashing process is disclosed for preparing warp yarns for weaving operations including the steps of sizing and/or desizing the yarns in an acoustic resonance box and separating the yarns with a leasing apparatus comprised of a set of acoustically agitated lease rods. The sizing step includes immersing the yarns in a size solution contained in an acoustic resonance box. Acoustic transducers are positioned against the exterior of the box for generating an acoustic pressure field within the size solution. Ultrasonic waves that result from the acoustic pressure field continuously agitate the size solution to effect greater mixing and more uniform application and penetration of the size onto the yarns. The sized yarns are then separated by passing the warp yarns over and under lease rods. Electroacoustic transducers generate acoustic waves along the longitudinal axis of the lease rods, creating a shearing motion on the surface of the rods for splitting the yarns. 2 figs.

Membrane-based, sedimentation-assisted plasma separator for point-of-care applications.

PubMed

Liu, Changchun; Mauk, Michael; Gross, Robert; Bushman, Frederic D; Edelstein, Paul H; Collman, Ronald G; Bau, Haim H

2013-11-05

Often, high-sensitivity, point-of-care (POC) clinical tests, such as HIV viral load, require large volumes of plasma. Although centrifuges are ubiquitously used in clinical laboratories to separate plasma from whole blood, centrifugation is generally inappropriate for on-site testing. Suitable alternatives are not readily available to separate the relatively large volumes of plasma from milliliters of blood that may be needed to meet stringent limit-of-detection specifications for low-abundance target molecules. We report on a simple-to-use, low-cost, pump-free, membrane-based, sedimentation-assisted plasma separator capable of separating a relatively large volume of plasma from undiluted whole blood within minutes. This plasma separator consists of an asymmetric, porous, polysulfone membrane housed in a disposable chamber. The separation process takes advantage of both gravitational sedimentation of blood cells and size exclusion-based filtration. The plasma separator demonstrated a "blood in-plasma out" capability, consistently extracting 275 ± 33.5 μL of plasma from 1.8 mL of undiluted whole blood within less than 7 min. The device was used to separate plasma laden with HIV viruses from HIV virus-spiked whole blood with recovery efficiencies of 95.5% ± 3.5%, 88.0% ± 9.5%, and 81.5% ± 12.1% for viral loads of 35,000, 3500, and 350 copies/mL, respectively. The separation process is self-terminating to prevent excessive hemolysis. The HIV-laden plasma was then injected into our custom-made microfluidic chip for nucleic acid testing and was successfully subjected to reverse-transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), demonstrating that the plasma is sufficiently pure to support high-efficiency nucleic acid amplification.

Membrane-based, sedimentation-assisted plasma separator for point-of-care applications

PubMed Central

Liu, Changchun; Mauk, Michael; Gross, Robert; Bushman, Frederic D.; Edelstein, Paul H.; Collman, Ronald G.; Bau, Haim H.

2014-01-01

Often, high sensitivity, point of care, clinical tests, such as HIV viral load, require large volumes of plasma. Although centrifuges are ubiquitously used in clinical laboratories to separate plasma from whole blood, centrifugation is generally inappropriate for on-site testing. Suitable alternatives are not readily available to separate the relatively large volumes of plasma from milliliters of blood that may be needed to meet stringent limit-of-detection specifications for low abundance target molecules. We report on a simple to use, low-cost, pump-free, membrane-based, sedimentation-assisted plasma separator capable of separating a relatively large volume of plasma from undiluted whole blood within minutes. This plasma separator consists of an asymmetric, porous, polysulfone membrane housed in a disposable chamber. The separation process takes advantage of both gravitational sedimentation of blood cells and size exclusion-based filtration. The plasma separator demonstrated a “blood in-plasma out” capability, consistently extracting 275 ±33.5 μL of plasma from 1.8 mL of undiluted whole blood in less than 7 min. The device was used to separate plasma laden with HIV viruses from HIV virus-spiked whole blood with recovery efficiencies of 95.5% ± 3.5%, 88.0% ± 9.5%, and 81.5% ± 12.1% for viral loads of 35,000, 3,500 and 350 copies/mL, respectively. The separation process is self-terminating to prevent excessive hemolysis. The HIV-laden plasma was then injected into our custom-made microfluidic chip for nucleic acid Testing And Was Successfully Subjected To Reverse Transcriptase Loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), demonstrating that the plasma is sufficiently pure to support high efficiency nucleic acid amplification. PMID:24099566

Probing the Interplay of Size, Shape, and Solution Environment in Macromolecular Diffusion Using a Simple Refraction Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mankidy, Bijith D.; Coutinho, Cecil A.; Gupta, Vinay K.

2010-01-01

The diffusion coefficient of polymers is a critical parameter in biomedicine, catalysis, chemical separations, nanotechnology, and other industrial applications. Here, measurement of macromolecular diffusion in solutions is described using a visually instructive, undergraduate-level optical refraction experiment based on Weiner's method. To…

Newborns' Discrimination among Mid- and Long-Wavelength Stimuli.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Adams, Russell J.

1989-01-01

Data suggest that human newborns are capable of making a chromatic discrimination within the spectral region above 540 nm (the Rayleigh region), but their ability is limited to chromatic stimuli of very wide spectral separation and of very large size. Possible neurological bases underlying this immaturity are discussed. (RH)

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

Salama, A.; Mikhail, M.

Comprehensive software packages have been developed at the Western Research Centre as tools to help coal preparation engineers analyze, evaluate, and control coal cleaning processes. The COal Preparation Software package (COPS) performs three functions: (1) data handling and manipulation, (2) data analysis, including the generation of washability data, performance evaluation and prediction, density and size modeling, evaluation of density and size partition characteristics and attrition curves, and (3) generation of graphics output. The Separation ChARacteristics Estimation software packages (SCARE) are developed to balance raw density or size separation data. The cases of density and size separation data are considered. Themore » generated balanced data can take the balanced or normalized forms. The scaled form is desirable for direct determination of the partition functions (curves). The raw and generated separation data are displayed in tabular and/or graphical forms. The computer softwares described in this paper are valuable tools for coal preparation plant engineers and operators for evaluating process performance, adjusting plant parameters, and balancing raw density or size separation data. These packages have been applied very successfully in many projects carried out by WRC for the Canadian coal preparation industry. The software packages are designed to run on a personal computer (PC).« less

Two-dimensional materials for novel liquid separation membranes.

PubMed

Ying, Yulong; Yang, Yefeng; Ying, Wen; Peng, Xinsheng

2016-08-19

Demand for a perfect molecular-level separation membrane with ultrafast permeation and a robust mechanical property for any kind of species to be blocked in water purification and desalination is urgent. In recent years, due to their intrinsic characteristics, such as a unique mono-atom thick structure, outstanding mechanical strength and excellent flexibility, as well as facile and large-scale production, graphene and its large family of two-dimensional (2D) materials are regarded as ideal membrane materials for ultrafast molecular separation. A perfect separation membrane should be as thin as possible to maximize its flux, mechanically robust and without failure even if under high loading pressure, and have a narrow nanochannel size distribution to guarantee its selectivity. The latest breakthrough in 2D material-based membranes will be reviewed both in theories and experiments, including their current state-of-the-art fabrication, structure design, simulation and applications. Special attention will be focused on the designs and strategies employed to control microstructures to enhance permeation and selectivity for liquid separation. In addition, critical views on the separation mechanism within two-dimensional material-based membranes will be provided based on a discussion of the effects of intrinsic defects during growth, predefined nanopores and nanochannels during subsequent fabrication processes, the interlayer spacing of stacking 2D material flakes and the surface charge or functional groups. Furthermore, we will summarize the significant progress of these 2D material-based membranes for liquid separation in nanofiltration/ultrafiltration and pervaporation. Lastly, we will recall issues requiring attention, and discuss existing questionable conclusions in some articles and emerging challenges. This review will serve as a valuable platform to provide a compact source of relevant and timely information about the development of 2D material-based membranes as well as fully explain up-to-date mechanisms and models of water transport and molecular separation behavior, which will arouse great interest among researchers entering or already working in the field of 2D material-based membranes.

Two-dimensional materials for novel liquid separation membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ying, Yulong; Yang, Yefeng; Ying, Wen; Peng, Xinsheng

2016-08-01

Demand for a perfect molecular-level separation membrane with ultrafast permeation and a robust mechanical property for any kind of species to be blocked in water purification and desalination is urgent. In recent years, due to their intrinsic characteristics, such as a unique mono-atom thick structure, outstanding mechanical strength and excellent flexibility, as well as facile and large-scale production, graphene and its large family of two-dimensional (2D) materials are regarded as ideal membrane materials for ultrafast molecular separation. A perfect separation membrane should be as thin as possible to maximize its flux, mechanically robust and without failure even if under high loading pressure, and have a narrow nanochannel size distribution to guarantee its selectivity. The latest breakthrough in 2D material-based membranes will be reviewed both in theories and experiments, including their current state-of-the-art fabrication, structure design, simulation and applications. Special attention will be focused on the designs and strategies employed to control microstructures to enhance permeation and selectivity for liquid separation. In addition, critical views on the separation mechanism within two-dimensional material-based membranes will be provided based on a discussion of the effects of intrinsic defects during growth, predefined nanopores and nanochannels during subsequent fabrication processes, the interlayer spacing of stacking 2D material flakes and the surface charge or functional groups. Furthermore, we will summarize the significant progress of these 2D material-based membranes for liquid separation in nanofiltration/ultrafiltration and pervaporation. Lastly, we will recall issues requiring attention, and discuss existing questionable conclusions in some articles and emerging challenges. This review will serve as a valuable platform to provide a compact source of relevant and timely information about the development of 2D material-based membranes as well as fully explain up-to-date mechanisms and models of water transport and molecular separation behavior, which will arouse great interest among researchers entering or already working in the field of 2D material-based membranes.

Structural characteristics of the shock-induced boundary layer separation extended to the leading edge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Y.; Liu, W. D.; Fan, X. Q.; Zhao, Y. L.

2017-07-01

For a better understanding of the local unstart of supersonic/hypersonic inlet, a series of experiments has been conducted to investigate the shock-induced boundary layer separation extended to the leading edge. Using the nanoparticle-based planar laser scattering, we recorded the fine structures of these interactions under different conditions and paid more attention to their structural characteristics. According to their features, these interactions could be divided into four types. Specifically, Type A wave pattern is similar to the classic shock wave/turbulent boundary layer interaction, and Type B wave configuration consists of an overall Mach reflection above the large scale separation bubble. Due to the gradual decrease in the size of the separation bubble, the separation bubble was replaced by several vortices (Type C wave pattern). Besides, for Type D wave configuration which exists in the local unstart inlet, there appears to be some flow spillage around the leading edge.

Separation of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene waste plastics by froth flotation combined with ammonia pretreatment

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

Wang, Chong-qing; Wang, Hui, E-mail: huiwang1968@163.com; Liu, Qun

Highlights: • Ammonia treatment changes selectively floatability of PC. • The effects of ammonia on PC were investigated through contact angle and XPS. • Reactions between ammonia and PC surface make PC more hydrophilic. • PC and ABS mixtures with different particle sizes were separated effectively. - Abstract: The objective of this research is flotation separation of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) waste plastics combined with ammonia pretreatment. The PC and ABS plastics show similar hydrophobicity, and ammonia treatment changes selectively floatability of PC plastic while ABS is insensitive to ammonia treatment. The contact angle measurement indicates the dropping ofmore » flotation recovery of PC is ascribed to a decline of contact angle. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrates reactions occur on PC surface, which makes PC surface more hydrophilic. Separation of PC and ABS waste plastics was conducted based on the flotation behavior of single plastic. At different temperatures, PC and ABS mixtures were separated efficiently through froth flotation with ammonia pretreatment for different time (13 min at 23 °C, 18 min at 18 °C and 30 min at 23 °C). For both PC and ABS, the purity and recovery is more than 95.31% and 95.35%, respectively; the purity of PC and ABS is up to 99.72% and 99.23%, respectively. PC and ABS mixtures with different particle sizes were separated effectively, implying that ammonia treatment possesses superior applicability.« less

Juncture flow improvement for wing/pylon configurations by using CFD methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gea, Lie-Mine; Chyu, Wei J.; Stortz, Michael W.; Chow, Chuen-Yen

1993-01-01

Transonic flow field around a fighter wing/pylon configuration was simulated by using an implicit upwinding Navier-Stokes flow solver (F3D) and overset grid technology (Chimera). Flow separation and local shocks near the wing/pylon junction were observed in flight and predicted by numerical calculations. A new pylon/fairing shape was proposed to improve the flow quality. Based on numerical results, the size of separation area is significantly reduced and the onset of separation is delayed farther downstream. A smoother pressure gradient is also obtained near the junction area. This paper demonstrates that computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology can be used as a practical tool for aircraft design.

In-situ polymerized PLOT columns III: divinylbenzene copolymers and dimethacrylate homopolymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, T. C.; Fong, M. M.

1994-01-01

Studies of divinylbenzene copolymers and dimethacrylate homopolymers indicate that the polymer pore size controls the separation of water and ammonia on porous-layer-open-tubular (PLOT) columns. To a lesser degree, the polarity of the polymers also affects the separation of a water-ammonia gas mixture. Our results demonstrate that the pore size can be regulated by controlling the cross-linking density or the chain length between the cross-linking functional groups. An optimum pore size will provide the best separation of water and ammonia.

A study of the effectiveness and energy efficiency of ultrasonic emulsification.

PubMed

Li, Wu; Leong, Thomas S H; Ashokkumar, Muthupandian; Martin, Gregory J O

2017-12-20

Three essential experimental parameters in the ultrasonic emulsification process, namely sonication time, acoustic amplitude and processing volume, were individually investigated, theoretically and experimentally, and correlated to the emulsion droplet sizes produced. The results showed that with a decrease in droplet size, two kinetic regions can be separately correlated prior to reaching a steady state droplet size: a fast size reduction region and a steady state transition region. In the fast size reduction region, the power input and sonication time could be correlated to the volume-mean diameter by a power-law relationship, with separate power-law indices of -1.4 and -1.1, respectively. A proportional relationship was found between droplet size and processing volume. The effectiveness and energy efficiency of droplet size reduction was compared between ultrasound and high-pressure homogenisation (HPH) based on both the effective power delivered to the emulsion and the total electric power consumed. Sonication could produce emulsions across a broad range of sizes, while high-pressure homogenisation was able to produce emulsions at the smaller end of the range. For ultrasonication, the energy efficiency was higher at increased power inputs due to more effective droplet breakage at high ultrasound intensities. For HPH the consumed energy efficiency was improved by operating at higher pressures for fewer passes. At the laboratory scale, the ultrasound system required less electrical power than HPH to produce an emulsion of comparable droplet size. The energy efficiency of HPH is greatly improved at large scale, which may also be true for larger scale ultrasonic reactors.

Manual centrifuge system: Bearing-based hand spinner made with 3-D printer.

PubMed

Sun-Young Yoo; Seung Jae Lee; Jong-Mo Seo

2017-07-01

Compact disk (CD) Microfluidic platforms are being studied for medical applications such as blood tests. However, its size is bulky and electricity is needed to realize centrifuge force. In this paper, bearing-based hand spinner is designed using three-dimensional printer. This spinner does not need electricity and keeps rotating direction unlike paperfuge while it is spinning. The properties of spinner vary depending on bearing type which is positioned at the center. The type of weighting area also affects change in RPM over time. When a separation experiment is implemented, separating mixture into red ink and oil and whole blood into red blood cell and plasma are achieved properly with ceramic ball bearing.

Precision gap particle separator

DOEpatents

Benett, William J.; Miles, Robin; Jones, II., Leslie M.; Stockton, Cheryl

2004-06-08

A system for separating particles entrained in a fluid includes a base with a first channel and a second channel. A precision gap connects the first channel and the second channel. The precision gap is of a size that allows small particles to pass from the first channel into the second channel and prevents large particles from the first channel into the second channel. A cover is positioned over the base unit, the first channel, the precision gap, and the second channel. An port directs the fluid containing the entrained particles into the first channel. An output port directs the large particles out of the first channel. A port connected to the second channel directs the small particles out of the second channel.

Micropore Geometry Manipulation by Macroscopic Deformation Based on Shape Memory Effect in Porous PLLA Membrane and its Enhanced Separation Performance.

PubMed

Zhao, Jingxin; Yang, Qiucheng; Wang, Tao; Wang, Lian; You, Jichun; Li, Yongjin

2017-12-20

An effective strategy to tailor the microporous structures has been developed based on the shape memory effect in porous poly(l-lactic acid) membranes in which tiny crystals and amorphous matrix play the roles of shape-fixed phase and reversible-phase, respectively. Our results indicate that not only PLLA membranes but micropores exhibit shape memory properties. The proportional deformations on two scales have been achieved by uniaxial or biaxial tension, providing a facile way to manipulate continuously the size and the orientation degree of pores on microscale. The enhanced separation performance has been validated by taking polystyrene colloids with varying diameters as an example.

Separation and identification of the silt-sized heavy-mineral fraction in sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Commeau, Judith A.; Poppe, Lawrence J.; Commeau, R.F.

1992-01-01

The separation of silt-sized minerals by specific gravity is made possible by using a nontoxic, heavy liquid medium of sodium polytungstate and water. Once separated, the silt-sized heavy-mineral fraction is prepared for analysis with a scanning electron microscope equipped with an automatic image analyzer and energy-dispersive spectrometer. Particles within each sample are sized and sorted according to their chemistry, and the data are tabulated in histograms and tables. Where possible, the user can define the chemical categories to simulate distinct mineral groups. Polymorphs and minerals that have overlapping compositions are combined into a group and differentiated by X-ray diffraction. Hundreds of particles can be rapidly sized and classified by chemistry. The technique can be employed on sediments from any environment.

A meta-analysis of active video games on health outcomes among children and adolescents.

PubMed

Gao, Z; Chen, S; Pasco, D; Pope, Z

2015-09-01

This meta-analysis synthesizes current literature concerning the effects of active video games (AVGs) on children/adolescents' health-related outcomes. A total of 512 published studies on AVGs were located, and 35 articles were included based on the following criteria: (i) data-based research articles published in English between 1985 and 2015; (ii) studied some types of AVGs and related outcomes among children/adolescents and (iii) had at least one comparison within each study. Data were extracted to conduct comparisons for outcome measures in three separate categories: AVGs and sedentary behaviours, AVGs and laboratory-based exercise, and AVGs and field-based physical activity. Effect size for each entry was calculated with the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software in 2015. Mean effect size (Hedge's g) and standard deviation were calculated for each comparison. Compared with sedentary behaviours, AVGs had a large effect on health outcomes. The effect sizes for physiological outcomes were marginal when comparing AVGs with laboratory-based exercises. The comparison between AVGs and field-based physical activity had null to moderate effect sizes. AVGs could yield equivalent health benefits to children/adolescents as laboratory-based exercise or field-based physical activity. Therefore, AVGs can be a good alternative for sedentary behaviour and addition to traditional physical activity and sports in children/adolescents. © 2015 World Obesity.

Effect of acorn size on development of northern red oak 1-0 seedlings

Treesearch

Paul P. Kormanik; Shi-Jean S. Sung; T.L. Kormanik; S.E. Schlarbaum; Stanley J. Zarnoch

1998-01-01

The effect of acorn size on seedling development was determined for 20 northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) mother tree selections from the USDA Forest Service's Eastern Tennessee Watauga seed orchard. Acorns from each mother tree were visually separated into three size groups, weighed, and sown separately in forest nurseries located in Georgia,...

Instrument separation analysis of multi-used ProTaper Universal rotary system during root canal therapy.

PubMed

Wu, Jintao; Lei, Gang; Yan, Ming; Yu, Yan; Yu, Jinhua; Zhang, Guangdong

2011-06-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the influential factors responsible for clinical instrument separation of reused ProTaper Universal rotary instruments (Dentsply Maillefer, Ballaigues, Switzerland). Six thousand one hundred fifty-four root canals in 2,654 teeth were prepared using ProTaper Universal files in endodontic clinics. Separation incidence was determined based on the number of treated teeth or canals. Data were collected including the size of fractured instrument, the length and location of a broken segment within the root canal, and the curvature of canal. The chi-square test and independent samples t test were used to determine the statistical significance. The overall instrument separation incidences were 2.6% according to the number of teeth and 1.1% according to the canal number, respectively. Separation incidences according to the number of teeth or canals were significantly higher (P < .05) in molars than those in premolars or anterior teeth. Because of its largest diameter, F3 file presented the highest separation incidence according to the number of teeth (1.0%) or canals (0.4%); 47.5% instrument separation of mandibular molars and 61.5% instrument separation of maxillary molars happened in the mesiobuccal canals. Moreover, 91.4% fragments were located in the apical third of root canals, and 54.2% instrument separation occurred in severely curved canals. There was a significant difference (P < .05) in the mean fracture length between shaping (2.42 ± 0.73 mm) and finishing files (3.32 ± 0.73 mm). Separation incidence according to the canal number is more reliable than that according to the number of teeth because of the variable canal number in different teeth. The tooth type, rotary file size, canal location, and anatomy were correlated with the instrument separation of reused ProTaper Universal files. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Study on Sumbawa gold recovery using centrifuge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferdana, A. D.; Petrus, H. T. B. M.; Bendiyasa, I. M.; Prijambada, I. D.; Hamada, F.; Sachiko, T.

2018-01-01

The Artisanal Small Gold Mining in Sumbawa has been processing gold with mercury (Hg), which poses a serious threat to the mining and global environment. One method of gold processing that does not use mercury is by gravity method. Before processing the ore first performed an analysis of Mineragraphy and analysis of compound with XRD. Mineragraphy results show that gold is associated with chalcopyrite and covelite and is a single particle (native) on size 58.8 μm, 117 μm up to 294 μm. characterization with XRD shows that the Sumbawa Gold Ore is composed of quartz, pyrite, pyroxene, and sericite compounds. Sentrifugation is one of separation equipment of gravity method to increase concentrate based on difference of specific gravity. The optimum concentration result is influenced by several variables, such as water flow rate and particle size. In this present research, the range of flow rate is 5 lpm and 10 lpm, the particle size - 100 + 200 mesh and -200 +300 mesh. Gold concentration in concentrate is measured by EDX. The result shows that the optimum condition is obtained at a separation with flow rate 5 lpm and a particle size of -100 + 200 mesh.

Entropic trapping of macromolecules by mesoscopic periodic voids in a polymer hydrogel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lei; Li, Pusheng; Asher, Sanford A.

1999-01-01

The separation of macromolecules such as polymers and DNA by means of electrophoresis, gel permeation chromatography or filtration exploits size-dependent differences in the time it takes for the molecules to migrate through a random porous network. Transport through the gel matrices, which usually consist of full swollen crosslinked polymers, depends on the relative size of the macromolecule compared with the pore radius. Sufficiently small molecules are thought to adopt an approximately spherical conformation when diffusing through the gel matrix, whereas larger ones are forced to migrate in a snake-like fashion. Molecules of intermediate size, however, can get temporarily trapped in the largest pores of the matrix, where the molecule can extend and thus maximize its conformational entropy. This `entropic trapping' is thought to increase the dependence of diffusion rate on molecular size. Here we report the direct experimental verification of this phenomenon. Bragg diffraction from a hydrogel containing a periodic array of monodisperse water voids confirms that polymers of different weights partition between the hydrogel matrix and the water voids according to the predictions of the entropic trapping theory. Our approach might also lead to the design of improved separation media based on entropic trapping.

High-resolution hydrodynamic chromatographic separation of large DNA using narrow, bare open capillaries: a rapid and economical alternative technology to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis?

PubMed

Liu, Lei; Veerappan, Vijaykumar; Pu, Qiaosheng; Cheng, Chang; Wang, Xiayan; Lu, Liping; Allen, Randy D; Guo, Guangsheng

2014-01-07

A high-resolution, rapid, and economical hydrodynamic chromatographic (HDC) method for large DNA separations in free solution was developed using narrow (5 μm diameter), bare open capillaries. Size-based separation was achieved in a chromatographic format with larger DNA molecules being eluting faster than smaller ones. Lambda DNA Mono Cut Mix was baseline-separated with the percentage resolutions generally less than 9.0% for all DNA fragments (1.5 to 48.5 kbp) tested in this work. High efficiencies were achieved for large DNA from this chromatographic technique, and the number of theoretical plates reached 3.6 × 10(5) plates for the longest (48.5 kbp) and 3.7 × 10(5) plates for the shortest (1.5 kbp) fragments. HDC parameters and performances were also discussed. The method was further applied for fractionating large DNA fragments from real-world samples (SacII digested Arabidopsis plant bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) DNA and PmeI digested Rice BAC DNA) to demonstrate its feasibility for BAC DNA finger printing. Rapid separation of PmeI digested Rice BAC DNA covering from 0.44 to 119.041 kbp was achieved in less than 26 min. All DNA fragments of these samples were baseline separated in narrow bare open capillaries, while the smallest fragment (0.44 kbp) was missing in pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) separation mode. It is demonstrated that narrow bare open capillary chromatography can realize a rapid separation for a wide size range of DNA mixtures that contain both small and large DNA fragments in a single run.

Final Report: Computer Simulation of Osmosis and Reverse Osmosis in Structured Membranes

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

Sohail Murad

2012-01-03

Molecular simulation methods were developed as part of this project to increase our fundamental understanding of membrane based separation systems. Our simulations clarified for example that steric (size) effects had a significant impact on the desalination membranes. Previously it was thought the separation was entirely driven by coulombic force (attractive/repulsive forces at the membrane surfaces). Steric effects played an important role, because salt ions in brackish water are never present alone, but are strongly hydrated which effectively increases their size, and makes it impossible to enter a membrane, while the smaller water molecules can enter more readily. Membrane surface effectsmore » did play a role in increasing the flux of water, but not in the separation itself. In addition we also developed simulation methods to study ion exchange, gas separations, and pervaporation. The methods developed were used to once again increase our fundamental understanding of these separation processes. For example our studies showed that when the separation factor of gases in membranes can be significantly affected by the presence of another gas, it is generally because the separation mechanism has changed. For example in the case of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, in their pure state the separation factor is determined by diffusion, while in mixtures it is influenced more by adsorption in the membrane (zeolite in our case) Finally we developed a new technique using the NMR chemical shift to determine intermolecular interactions for mixtures. For polar-nonpolar systems such as Xe dissolved in water we were able to significantly improve the accuracy of gas solubilities, which are very sensitive to the cross interaction between water and Xe.« less

Microreactor System Design for a NASA In Situ Propellant Production Plant on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

TeGrotenhuis, W. E.; Wegeng, R. S.; Vanderwiel, D. P.; Whyatt, G. A.; Viswanathan, V. V.; Schielke, K. P.; Sanders, G. B.; Peters, T. A.; Nicholson, Leonard S. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The NASA In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) program is planning near-term missions to Mars that will include chemical processes for converting the carbon dioxide (CO2) and possibly water from the Martian environment to propellants, oxygen, and other useful chemicals. The use of indigenous resources reduces the size and weight of the payloads from Earth significantly, representing enormous cost savings that make human exploration of Mars affordable. Extraterrestrial chemical processing plants will need to be compact, lightweight, highly efficient under reduced gravity, and extraordinarily reliable for long periods. Microchemical and thermal systems represent capability for dramatic reduction in size and weight, while offering high reliability through massive parallelization. In situ propellant production (ISPP), one aspect of the ISRU program, involves collecting and pressurizing atmospheric CO2, conversion reactions, chemical separations, heat exchangers, and cryogenic storage. A preliminary system design of an ISPP plant based on microtechnology has demonstrated significant size, weight, and energy efficiency gains over the current NASA baseline. Energy management is a strong driver for Mars-based processes, not only because energy is a scarce resource, but because heat rejection is problematic; the low pressure environment makes convective heat transfer ineffective. Energy efficiency gains are largely achieved in the microchemical plant through extensive heat recuperation and energy cascading, which has a small size and weight penalty because the added micro heat exchangers are small. This leads to additional size and weight gains by reducing the required area of waste heat radiators. The microtechnology-based ISPP plant is described in detail, including aspects of pinch analysis for optimizing the heat exchanger network. Three options for thermochemical compression Of CO2 from the Martian atmosphere, adsorption, absorption, and cryogenic freezing, are presented, as well as three options for water decomposition, low temperature electrolysis, high temperature electrolysis, and thermochemical decomposition. Other elements of the plant include Sabatier and reverse water gas shift reactors, water recovery, chemical separations, and cryogenic storage. Data are presented supporting preliminary sizing of components, and results of the system design are compared to the existing NASA baseline that is based on conventional technologies.

Random breakup of microdroplets for single-cell encapsulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Um, Eujin; Lee, Seung-Goo; Park, Je-Kyun

2010-10-01

Microfluidic droplet-based technology enables encapsulation of cells in the isolated aqueous chambers surrounded by immiscible fluid but single-cell encapsulation efficiency is usually less than 30%. In this letter, we introduce a simple microgroove structure to break droplets into random sizes which further allows collecting of single-cell [Escherichia coli (E. coli)] containing droplets by their size differences. Pinched-flow separation method is integrated to sort out droplets of certain sizes which have high probability of containing one cell. Consequently, we were able to obtain more than 50% of droplets having single E. coli inside, keeping the proportion of multiple-cell containing droplets less than 16%.

Protein Separation by Electrophoretic-Electroosmotic Focusing on Supported Lipid Bilayers

PubMed Central

Liu, Chunming; Monson, Christopher F.; Yang, Tinglu; Pace, Hudson; Cremer, Paul S.

2011-01-01

An electrophoretic-electroosmotic focusing (EEF) method was developed and used to separate membrane-bound proteins and charged lipids based on their charge-to-size ratio from an initially homogeneous mixture. EEF uses opposing electrophoretic and electroosmotic forces to focus and separate proteins and lipids into narrow bands on supported lipid bilayers (SLBs). Membrane-associated species were focused into specific positions within the SLB in a highly repeatable fashion. The steady-state focusing positions of the proteins could be predicted and controlled by tuning experimental conditions, such as buffer pH, ionic strength, electric field and temperature. Careful tuning of the variables should enable one to separate mixtures of membrane proteins with only subtle differences. The EEF technique was found to be an effective way to separate protein mixtures with low initial concentrations, and it overcame diffusive peak broadening to allow four bands to be separated simultaneously within a 380 μm wide isolated supported membrane patch. PMID:21958061

Cellulose acetate-based SiO2/TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films for water-in-oil emulsion separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xue; Ma, Jianjun; Ling, Jing; Li, Na; Wang, Di; Yue, Fan; Xu, Shimei

2018-03-01

The cellulose acetate (CA)/SiO2-TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films were successfully fabricated via water vapor-induced phase inversion of CA solution and simultaneous hydrolysis/condensation of 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) and tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) at room temperature. Micro-nano hierarchical structure was constructed on the surface of the film. The film could separate nano-sized surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions only under gravity. The flux of the film for the emulsion separation was up to 667 L m-2 h-1, while the separation efficiency was up to 99.99 wt%. Meanwhile, the film exhibited excellent stability during multiple cycles. Moreover, the film performed excellent photo-degradation performance under UV light due to the photocatalytic ability of TiO2. Facile preparation, good separation and potential biodegradation maked the CA/SiO2-TiO2 hybrid microsphere composite aerogel films a candidate in oil/water separation application.

Speciation of nanoscale objects by nanoparticle imprinted matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hitrik, Maria; Pisman, Yamit; Wittstock, Gunther; Mandler, Daniel

2016-07-01

The toxicity of nanoparticles is not only a function of the constituting material but depends largely on their size, shape and stabilizing shell. Hence, the speciation of nanoscale objects, namely, their detection and separation based on the different species, similarly to heavy metals, is of outmost importance. Here we demonstrate the speciation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and their electrochemical detection using the concept of ``nanoparticles imprinted matrices'' (NAIM). Negatively charged AuNPs are adsorbed as templates on a conducting surface previously modified with polyethylenimine (PEI). The selective matrix is formed by the adsorption of either oleic acid (OA) or poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) on the non-occupied areas. The AuNPs are removed by electrooxidation to form complementary voids. These voids are able to recognize the AuNPs selectively based on their size. Furthermore, the selectivity could be improved by adsorbing an additional layer of 1-hexadecylamine, which deepened the voids. Interestingly, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were also recognized if their size matched those of the template AuNPs. The steps in assembling the NAIMs and the reuptake of the nanoparticles were characterized carefully. The prospects for the analytical use of NAIMs, which are simple, of small dimension, cost-efficient and portable, are in the sensing and separation of nanoobjects.The toxicity of nanoparticles is not only a function of the constituting material but depends largely on their size, shape and stabilizing shell. Hence, the speciation of nanoscale objects, namely, their detection and separation based on the different species, similarly to heavy metals, is of outmost importance. Here we demonstrate the speciation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and their electrochemical detection using the concept of ``nanoparticles imprinted matrices'' (NAIM). Negatively charged AuNPs are adsorbed as templates on a conducting surface previously modified with polyethylenimine (PEI). The selective matrix is formed by the adsorption of either oleic acid (OA) or poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) on the non-occupied areas. The AuNPs are removed by electrooxidation to form complementary voids. These voids are able to recognize the AuNPs selectively based on their size. Furthermore, the selectivity could be improved by adsorbing an additional layer of 1-hexadecylamine, which deepened the voids. Interestingly, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were also recognized if their size matched those of the template AuNPs. The steps in assembling the NAIMs and the reuptake of the nanoparticles were characterized carefully. The prospects for the analytical use of NAIMs, which are simple, of small dimension, cost-efficient and portable, are in the sensing and separation of nanoobjects. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: S1 - instrumentation, S2 - immobilization of AuNPs, S3 - time dependent immobilization, S4 - CVs at matrix-coated substrates, S5 - CVs at AuNP-loaded matrices, S6 - peak potentials for the oxidation of AuNPs of different sizes, S7 - schematics for the change of conductive area of the matrices, S8 - probe CVs before and after AuNPs oxidation, S9 - calculation of adsorbed and reuptaken AuNPs, S10 - CVs of AuNPs adsorbed on non-imprinted matrices, S11 - SEM images of AuNPs adsorbed on non-imprinted matrices, S12 - SEM images after reuptake of AuNPs, S13 - schematic of the effect of thickening the matrix. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr01106c

Influence of particle size and shell thickness of core-shell packing materials on optimum experimental conditions in preparative chromatography.

PubMed

Horváth, Krisztián; Felinger, Attila

2015-08-14

The applicability of core-shell phases in preparative separations was studied by a modeling approach. The preparative separations were optimized for two compounds having bi-Langmuir isotherms. The differential mass balance equation of chromatography was solved by the Rouchon algorithm. The results show that as the size of the core increases, larger particles can be used in separations, resulting in higher applicable flow rates, shorter cycle times. Due to the decreasing volume of porous layer, the loadability of the column dropped significantly. As a result, the productivity and economy of the separation decreases. It is shown that if it is possible to optimize the size of stationary phase particles for the given separation task, the use of core-shell phases are not beneficial. The use of core-shell phases proved to be advantageous when the goal is to build preparative column for general purposes (e.g. for purification of different products) in small scale separations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuous Flow Deformability-Based Separation of Circulating Tumor Cells Using Microfluidic Ratchets.

PubMed

Park, Emily S; Jin, Chao; Guo, Quan; Ang, Richard R; Duffy, Simon P; Matthews, Kerryn; Azad, Arun; Abdi, Hamidreza; Todenhöfer, Tilman; Bazov, Jenny; Chi, Kim N; Black, Peter C; Ma, Hongshen

2016-04-13

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) offer tremendous potential for the detection and characterization of cancer. A key challenge for their isolation and subsequent analysis is the extreme rarity of these cells in circulation. Here, a novel label-free method is described to enrich viable CTCs directly from whole blood based on their distinct deformability relative to hematological cells. This mechanism leverages the deformation of single cells through tapered micrometer scale constrictions using oscillatory flow in order to generate a ratcheting effect that produces distinct flow paths for CTCs, leukocytes, and erythrocytes. A label-free separation of circulating tumor cells from whole blood is demonstrated, where target cells can be separated from background cells based on deformability despite their nearly identical size. In doping experiments, this microfluidic device is able to capture >90% of cancer cells from unprocessed whole blood to achieve 10(4) -fold enrichment of target cells relative to leukocytes. In patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, where CTCs are not significantly larger than leukocytes, CTCs can be captured based on deformability at 25× greater yield than with the conventional CellSearch system. Finally, the CTCs separated using this approach are collected in suspension and are available for downstream molecular characterization. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effective size selection of MoS2 nanosheets by a novel liquid cascade centrifugation: Influences of the flakes dimensions on electrochemical and photoelectrochemical applications.

PubMed

Kajbafvala, Marzieh; Farbod, Mansoor

2018-05-14

Although liquid phase exfoliation is a powerful method to produce MoS 2 nanosheets in large scale, but its effectiveness is limited by the diversity of produced nanosheets sizes. Here a novel approach for separation of MoS 2 flakes having various lateral sizes and thicknesses based on the cascaded centrifugation has been introduced. This method involves a pre-separation step which is performed through low-speed centrifugation to avoid the deposition of large area single and few-layers by the heavier particles. The bulk MoS 2 powders were dispersed in an aqueous solution of sodium cholate (SC) and sonicated for 12 h. The main separation step was performed using different speed centrifugation intervals of 10-11, 8-10, 6-8, 4-6, 2-4 and 0.5-2 krpm by which nanosheets containing 2, 4, 7, 8, 14, 18 and 29 layers were obtained respectively. The samples were characterized using XRD, FESEM, AFM, TEM, DLS and also UV-vis, Raman and PL spectroscopy measurements. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements have confirmed the existence of a larger number of single or few-layers MoS 2 nanosheets compared to when the pre-separation step was not used. Finally, Photocurrent and cyclic voltammetry of different samples were measured and found that the flakes with bigger surface area had larger CV loop area. Our results provide a method for the preparation of a MoS 2 monolayer enriched suspension which can be used for different applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-efficiency single cell encapsulation and size selective capture of cells in picoliter droplets based on hydrodynamic micro-vortices.

PubMed

Kamalakshakurup, Gopakumar; Lee, Abraham P

2017-12-05

Single cell analysis has emerged as a paradigm shift in cell biology to understand the heterogeneity of individual cells in a clone for pathological interrogation. Microfluidic droplet technology is a compelling platform to perform single cell analysis by encapsulating single cells inside picoliter-nanoliter (pL-nL) volume droplets. However, one of the primary challenges for droplet based single cell assays is single cell encapsulation in droplets, currently achieved either randomly, dictated by Poisson statistics, or by hydrodynamic techniques. In this paper, we present an interfacial hydrodynamic technique which initially traps the cells in micro-vortices, and later releases them one-to-one into the droplets, controlled by the width of the outer streamline that separates the vortex from the flow through the streaming passage adjacent to the aqueous-oil interface (d gap ). One-to-one encapsulation is achieved at a d gap equal to the radius of the cell, whereas complete trapping of the cells is realized at a d gap smaller than the radius of the cell. The unique feature of this technique is that it can perform 1. high efficiency single cell encapsulations and 2. size-selective capturing of cells, at low cell loading densities. Here we demonstrate these two capabilities with a 50% single cell encapsulation efficiency and size selective separation of platelets, RBCs and WBCs from a 10× diluted blood sample (WBC capture efficiency at 70%). The results suggest a passive, hydrodynamic micro-vortex based technique capable of performing high-efficiency single cell encapsulation for cell based assays.

Exploiting Size-Dependent Drag and Magnetic Forces for Size-Specific Separation of Magnetic Nanoparticles

PubMed Central

Rogers, Hunter B.; Anani, Tareq; Choi, Young Suk; Beyers, Ronald J.; David, Allan E.

2015-01-01

Realizing the full potential of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in nanomedicine requires the optimization of their physical and chemical properties. Elucidation of the effects of these properties on clinical diagnostic or therapeutic properties, however, requires the synthesis or purification of homogenous samples, which has proved to be difficult. While initial simulations indicated that size-selective separation could be achieved by flowing magnetic nanoparticles through a magnetic field, subsequent in vitro experiments were unable to reproduce the predicted results. Magnetic field-flow fractionation, however, was found to be an effective method for the separation of polydisperse suspensions of iron oxide nanoparticles with diameters greater than 20 nm. While similar methods have been used to separate magnetic nanoparticles before, no previous work has been done with magnetic nanoparticles between 20 and 200 nm. Both transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analysis were used to confirm the size of the MNPs. Further development of this work could lead to MNPs with the narrow size distributions necessary for their in vitro and in vivo optimization. PMID:26307980

How much does size really matter? Exploring the limits of graphene as Li ion battery anode material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, H.; Varzi, A.; Pellegrini, V.; Dinh, D. A.; Raccichini, R.; Del Rio-Castillo, A. E.; Prato, M.; Colombo, M.; Cingolani, R.; Scrosati, B.; Passerini, S.; Bonaccorso, F.

2017-02-01

We unravel the role of flake dimensionality on the lithiation/de-lithiation processes and electrochemical performance of anodes based on few-(FLG) and multi-layer graphene (MLG) flakes prepared by liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) of pristine graphite. The flakes are sorted by lateral size (from 380 to 75 nm) and thickness from 20 (MLG) to 2 nm (FLG) exploiting a sedimentation-based separation in centrifugal field and, finally, deposited onto Cu disks for the realization of four binder-free anodes. The electrochemical results show that decreasing lateral size and thickness leads to an increase of the initial specific capacity from ≈590 to ≈1270mAhg-1. However, an increasing irreversible capacity is also associated to the reduction of flakes' size. We find, in addition, that the preferential Li ions storage by adsorption rather than intercalation in small lateral size (<100 nm) FLG flakes has a detrimental effect on the average de-lithiation voltage, resulting on low voltage efficiency of these anodes. We believe that the results reported in this work, provide the guidelines for the practical exploitation of graphene-based electrodes.

Synthesis and characterization of microporous inorganic membranes for propylene/propane separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Xiaoli

Membrane-based gas separation is promising for efficient propylene/propane (C3H6/C3H8) separation with low energy consumption and minimum environment impact. Two microporous inorganic membrane candidates, MFI-type zeolite membrane and carbon molecular sieve membrane (CMS) have demonstrated excellent thermal and chemical stability. Application of these membranes into C3H6/C3H 8 separation has not been well investigated. This dissertation presents fundamental studies on membrane synthesis, characterization and C3H 6/C3H8 separation properties of MFI zeolite membrane and CMS membrane. MFI zeolite membranes were synthesized on α-alumina supports by secondary growth method. Novel positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) techniques were used to non-destructively characterize the pore structure of these membranes. PAS reveals a bimodal pore structure consisting of intracrystalline zeolitic micropores of ~0.6 nm in diameter and irregular intercrystalline micropores of 1.4 to 1.8 nm in size for the membranes. The template-free synthesized membrane exhibited a high permeance but a low selectivity in C3H 6/C3H8 mixture separation. CMS membranes were synthesized by coating/pyrolysis method on mesoporous gamma-alumina support. Such supports allow coating of thin, high-quality polymer films and subsequent CMS membranes with no infiltration into support pores. The CMS membranes show strong molecular sieving effect, offering a high C3H 6/C3H8 mixture selectivity of ~30. Reduction in membrane thickness from 500 nm to 300 nm causes an increase in C3H8 permeance and He/N2 selectivity, but a decrease in the permeance of He, N 2 and C3H6 and C3H6/C 3H8 selectivity. This can be explained by the thickness dependent chain mobility of the polymer film resulting in final carbon membrane of reduced pore size with different effects on transport of gas of different sizes, including possible closure of C3H6-accessible micropores. CMS membranes demonstrate excellent C3H6/C 3H8 separation performance over a wide range of feed pressure, composition and operation temperature. No plasticization was observed at a feed pressure up to 100 psi. The permeation and separation is mainly controlled by diffusion instead of adsorption. CMS membrane experienced a decline in permeance, and an increase in selectivity over time under on-stream C 3H6/C3H8 separation. This aging behavior is due to the reduction in effective pore size and porosity caused by oxygen chemisorption and physical aging of the membrane structure.

Microgravity Passive Phase Separator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paragano, Matthew; Indoe, William; Darmetko, Jeffrey

2012-01-01

A new invention disclosure discusses a structure and process for separating gas from liquids in microgravity. The Microgravity Passive Phase Separator consists of two concentric, pleated, woven stainless- steel screens (25-micrometer nominal pore) with an axial inlet, and an annular outlet between both screens (see figure). Water enters at one end of the center screen at high velocity, eventually passing through the inner screen and out through the annular exit. As gas is introduced into the flow stream, the drag force exerted on the bubble pushes it downstream until flow stagnation or until it reaches an equilibrium point between the surface tension holding bubble to the screen and the drag force. Gas bubbles of a given size will form a front that is moved further down the length of the inner screen with increasing velocity. As more bubbles are added, the front location will remain fixed, but additional bubbles will move to the end of the unit, eventually coming to rest in the large cavity between the unit housing and the outer screen (storage area). Owing to the small size of the pores and the hydrophilic nature of the screen material, gas does not pass through the screen and is retained within the unit for emptying during ground processing. If debris is picked up on the screen, the area closest to the inlet will become clogged, so high-velocity flow will persist farther down the length of the center screen, pushing the bubble front further from the inlet of the inner screen. It is desired to keep the velocity high enough so that, for any bubble size, an area of clean screen exists between the bubbles and the debris. The primary benefits of this innovation are the lack of any need for additional power, strip gas, or location for venting the separated gas. As the unit contains no membrane, the transport fluid will not be lost due to evaporation in the process of gas separation. Separation is performed with relatively low pressure drop based on the large surface area of the separating screen. Additionally, there are no moving parts, and there are no failure modes that involve fluid loss. A patent application has been filed.

Fractionation of surface sediment fines based on a coupled sieve-SPLITT (split flow thin cell) method.

PubMed

Coppola, Laurent; Gustafsson, Orjan; Andersson, Per; Axelsson, Pär

2005-05-01

In traditional sediment grain-size separation using sieve technique, the bulk of the organic matter passes through the smallest mesh size (generally 38 microm) and is not further fractionated. In this study, a common sieve separation has therefore been coupled with an extra high capacity split flow thin cell fractionation (EHC-SPLITT) instrument to separate the bulk surface sediment not only into size-based sieve fractions (> 100, 63-100, 38-63 and < 38 microm) but particularly to further fractionate hydrodynamically the fine fraction (< 38 microm) using the EHC-SPLITT. Compared to the few previous studies using a smaller high capacity (HC) SPLITT cell, the EHC-SPLITT evaluated in detail here has several advantages (e.g., 23 times higher throughput and allowance for large particle diameters). First, the EHC-SPLITT was calibrated with particle standards. Then, its ability to fractionate fine surface sediments hydrodynamically was demonstrated with material from biogeochemically distinct regimes using two cutoff velocities (1 and 6 m d(-1)). The results from particle standards indicated a good agreement between theory and experiment and a satisfactory mass recovery for the sieve-SPLITT method (80-97%) was observed for sediment samples. The mass distributions revealed that particles < 38 microm were predominant (70-90%), indicating the large need for a technique such as the EHC-SPLITT to further fractionate the fine particles. There were clearly different compositions in the EHC-SPLITT-mediated sub-fractions of the sediment fines as indicated by analyses of organic and inorganic parameters (POC, Si, Fe and Al). The EHC-SPLITT technique has the potential to provide information of great utility to studies of benthic boundary layer transport and off-shelf export and how such processes fractionate geochemical signals.

Effect of phase inversion on microporous structure development of Al 2O 3/poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene)-based ceramic composite separators for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Hyun-Seok; Kim, Dong-Won; Jeong, Yeon Uk; Lee, Sang-Young

To improve the thermal shrinkage of the separators that are essential to securing the electrical isolation between electrodes in lithium-ion batteries, we develop a new separator based on a ceramic composite membrane. Introduction of microporous, ceramic coating layers onto both sides of a polyethylene (PE) separator allows such a progress. The ceramic coating layers consist of nano-sized alumina (Al 2O 3) powders and polymeric binders (PVdF-HFP). The microporous structure of the ceramic coating layers is observed to be crucial to governing the thermal shrinkage as well as the ionic transport of the ceramic composite separators. This microporous structure is determined by controlling the phase inversion, more specifically, nonsolvent (water) contents in the coating solutions. To provide a theoretical basis for this approach, a pre-investigation on the phase diagram for a ternary mixture comprising PVdF-HFP, acetone, and water is conducted. On the basis of this observation, the effect of phase inversion on the morphology and air permeability (i.e. Gurley value) of ceramic coating layers is systematically discussed. In addition, to explore the application of ceramic composite separators to lithium-ion batteries, the influence of the structural change in the coating layers on the thermal shrinkage and electrochemical performance of the separators is quantitatively identified.

DIELECTROPHORESIS-BASED MICROFLUIDIC SEPARATION AND DETECTION SYSTEMS

PubMed Central

Yang, Jun; Vykoukal, Jody; Noshari, Jamileh; Becker, Frederick; Gascoyne, Peter; Krulevitch, Peter; Fuller, Chris; Ackler, Harold; Hamilton, Julie; Boser, Bernhard; Eldredge, Adam; Hitchens, Duncan; Andrews, Craig

2009-01-01

Diagnosis and treatment of human diseases frequently requires isolation and detection of certain cell types from a complex mixture. Compared with traditional separation and detection techniques, microfluidic approaches promise to yield easy-to-use diagnostic instruments tolerant of a wide range of operating environments and capable of accomplishing automated analyses. These approaches will enable diagnostic advances to be disseminated from sophisticated clinical laboratories to the point-of-care. Applications will include the separation and differential analysis of blood cell subpopulations for host-based detection of blood cell changes caused by disease, infection, or exposure to toxins, and the separation and analysis of surface-sensitized, custom dielectric beads for chemical, biological, and biomolecular targets. Here we report a new particle separation and analysis microsystem that uses dielectrophoretic field-flow fractionation (DEP-FFF). The system consists of a microfluidic chip with integrated sample injector, a DEP-FFF separator, and an AC impedance sensor. We show the design of a miniaturized impedance sensor integrated circuit (IC) with improved sensitivity, a new packaging approach for micro-flumes that features a slide-together compression package and novel microfluidic interconnects, and the design, control, integration and packaging of a fieldable prototype. Illustrative applications will be shown, including the separation of different sized beads and different cell types, blood cell differential analysis, and impedance sensing results for beads, spores and cells. PMID:22025905

Defeaturing CAD models using a geometry-based size field and facet-based reduction operators.

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

Quadros, William Roshan; Owen, Steven James

2010-04-01

We propose a method to automatically defeature a CAD model by detecting irrelevant features using a geometry-based size field and a method to remove the irrelevant features via facet-based operations on a discrete representation. A discrete B-Rep model is first created by obtaining a faceted representation of the CAD entities. The candidate facet entities are then marked for reduction by using a geometry-based size field. This is accomplished by estimating local mesh sizes based on geometric criteria. If the field value at a facet entity goes below a user specified threshold value then it is identified as an irrelevant featuremore » and is marked for reduction. The reduction of marked facet entities is primarily performed using an edge collapse operator. Care is taken to retain a valid geometry and topology of the discrete model throughout the procedure. The original model is not altered as the defeaturing is performed on a separate discrete model. Associativity between the entities of the discrete model and that of original CAD model is maintained in order to decode the attributes and boundary conditions applied on the original CAD entities onto the mesh via the entities of the discrete model. Example models are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.« less

Room-Temperature Synthesis of Two-Dimensional Metal–Organic Frameworks with Controllable Size and Functionality for Enhanced CO 2 Sorption

DOE PAGES

Zha, Jie; Zhang, Xueyi

2018-04-17

Here, two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a newly emerged member of 2D materials, have gained extensive attention due to their great potential in gas separation, sensing, and catalysis. However, it is still challenging to synthesize 2D MOFs with controllable size and functionalities using direct and scalable approaches at mild conditions (e.g., room temperature). Herein, we demonstrated onestep, room-temperature synthesis of a series of 2D MOFs based on Cu(II) paddle-wheel units, where the intrinsically anisotropic building blocks led to the anisotropic growth of 2D MOF nanoparticles, and the pillared structure led to high surface areas. The size of 2D MOFsmore » can be adjusted by using a DMF/H 2O mixed solvent. The thinnest particles were around 3 nm, and the highest aspect ratio was up to 200. The functionalization of 2D MOFs was also achieved by selecting ligands with desired functional groups. The gas sorption results revealed that amino and nitro-functionalized 2D MOFs showed higher CO 2 sorption selectivity over CH 4 and N 2, suggesting these materials can be further applied in natural gas sweetening (CO 2/CH 4 separation) and carbon capture from flue gas (CO 2/N 2 separation).« less

Room-Temperature Synthesis of Two-Dimensional Metal–Organic Frameworks with Controllable Size and Functionality for Enhanced CO 2 Sorption

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

Zha, Jie; Zhang, Xueyi

Here, two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), as a newly emerged member of 2D materials, have gained extensive attention due to their great potential in gas separation, sensing, and catalysis. However, it is still challenging to synthesize 2D MOFs with controllable size and functionalities using direct and scalable approaches at mild conditions (e.g., room temperature). Herein, we demonstrated onestep, room-temperature synthesis of a series of 2D MOFs based on Cu(II) paddle-wheel units, where the intrinsically anisotropic building blocks led to the anisotropic growth of 2D MOF nanoparticles, and the pillared structure led to high surface areas. The size of 2D MOFsmore » can be adjusted by using a DMF/H 2O mixed solvent. The thinnest particles were around 3 nm, and the highest aspect ratio was up to 200. The functionalization of 2D MOFs was also achieved by selecting ligands with desired functional groups. The gas sorption results revealed that amino and nitro-functionalized 2D MOFs showed higher CO 2 sorption selectivity over CH 4 and N 2, suggesting these materials can be further applied in natural gas sweetening (CO 2/CH 4 separation) and carbon capture from flue gas (CO 2/N 2 separation).« less

Agarose gel electrophoresis for the separation of DNA fragments.

PubMed

Lee, Pei Yun; Costumbrado, John; Hsu, Chih-Yuan; Kim, Yong Hoon

2012-04-20

Agarose gel electrophoresis is the most effective way of separating DNA fragments of varying sizes ranging from 100 bp to 25 kb(1). Agarose is isolated from the seaweed genera Gelidium and Gracilaria, and consists of repeated agarobiose (L- and D-galactose) subunits(2). During gelation, agarose polymers associate non-covalently and form a network of bundles whose pore sizes determine a gel's molecular sieving properties. The use of agarose gel electrophoresis revolutionized the separation of DNA. Prior to the adoption of agarose gels, DNA was primarily separated using sucrose density gradient centrifugation, which only provided an approximation of size. To separate DNA using agarose gel electrophoresis, the DNA is loaded into pre-cast wells in the gel and a current applied. The phosphate backbone of the DNA (and RNA) molecule is negatively charged, therefore when placed in an electric field, DNA fragments will migrate to the positively charged anode. Because DNA has a uniform mass/charge ratio, DNA molecules are separated by size within an agarose gel in a pattern such that the distance traveled is inversely proportional to the log of its molecular weight(3). The leading model for DNA movement through an agarose gel is "biased reptation", whereby the leading edge moves forward and pulls the rest of the molecule along(4). The rate of migration of a DNA molecule through a gel is determined by the following: 1) size of DNA molecule; 2) agarose concentration; 3) DNA conformation(5); 4) voltage applied, 5) presence of ethidium bromide, 6) type of agarose and 7) electrophoresis buffer. After separation, the DNA molecules can be visualized under uv light after staining with an appropriate dye. By following this protocol, students should be able to: Understand the mechanism by which DNA fragments are separated within a gel matrix Understand how conformation of the DNA molecule will determine its mobility through a gel matrix Identify an agarose solution of appropriate concentration for their needs Prepare an agarose gel for electrophoresis of DNA samples Set up the gel electrophoresis apparatus and power supply Select an appropriate voltage for the separation of DNA fragments Understand the mechanism by which ethidium bromide allows for the visualization of DNA bands Determine the sizes of separated DNA fragments.

A Two-Stage Microfluidic Device for the Isolation and Capture of Circulating Tumor Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, Andrew; Belsare, Sayali; Giorgio, Todd; Mu, Richard

2014-11-01

Analysis of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) can be critical for studying how tumors grow and metastasize, in addition to personalizing treatment for cancer patients. CTCs are rare events in blood, making it difficult to remove CTCs from the blood stream. Two microfluidic devices have been developed to separate CTCs from blood. The first is a double spiral device that focuses cells into streams, the positions of which are determined by cell diameter. The second device uses ligand-coated magnetic nanoparticles that selectively attach to CTCs. The nanoparticles then pull CTCs out of solution using a magnetic field. These two devices will be combined into a single 2-stage microfluidic device that will capture CTCs more efficiently than either device on its own. The first stage depletes the number of blood cells in the sample by size-based separation. The second stage will magnetically remove CTCs from solution for study and culturing. Thus far, size-based separation has been achieved. Research will also focus on understanding the equations that govern fluid dynamics and magnetic fields in order to determine how the manipulation of microfluidic parameters, such as dimensions and flow rate, will affect integration and optimization of the 2-stage device. NSF-CREST: Center for Physics and Chemistry of Materials. HRD-0420516; Department of Defense, Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program Award W81XWH-13-1-0397.

Particle size related bacterial recovery in immunomagnetic separation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have demonstrated superior capture efficiencies in small molecule targets during immunomagnetic separation (IMS), but the potentials of MNPs in bacterial isolation have not been verified. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of magnetic particle size o...

Lab-on-chip platform for circulating tumor cells isolation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maurya, D. K.; Fooladvand, M.; Gray, E.; Ziman, M.; Alameh, K.

2015-12-01

We design, develop and demonstrate the principle of a continuous, non-intrusive, low power microfluidics-based lab-ona- chip (LOC) structure for Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) separation. Cell separation is achieved through 80 cascaded contraction and expansion microchannels of widths 60 μm and 300 μm, respectively, and depth 60 μm, which enable momentum-change-induced inertial forces to be exerted on the cells, thus routing them to desired destinations. The total length of the developed LOC is 72 mm. The LOC structure is simulated using the COMSOL multiphysics software, which enables the optimization of the dimensions of the various components of the LOC structure, namely the three inlets, three filters, three contraction and expansion microchannel segments and five outlets. Simulation results show that the LOC can isolate CTCs of sizes ranging from 15 to 30 μm with a recovery rate in excess of 90%. Fluorescent microparticles of two different sizes (5 μm and 15 μm), emulating blood and CTC cells, respectively, are used to demonstrate the principle of the developed LOC. A mixture of these microparticles is injected into the primary LOC inlet via an electronically-controlled syringe pump, and the large-size particles are routed to the primary LOC outlet through the contraction and expansion microchannels. Experimental results demonstrate the ability of the developed LOC to isolate particles by size exclusion with an accuracy of 80%. Ongoing research is focusing on the LOC design improvement for better separation efficiency and testing of biological samples for isolation of CTCs.

Linear Vector Quantisation and Uniform Circular Arrays based decoupled two-dimensional angle of arrival estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ndaw, Joseph D.; Faye, Andre; Maïga, Amadou S.

2017-05-01

Artificial neural networks (ANN)-based models are efficient ways of source localisation. However very large training sets are needed to precisely estimate two-dimensional Direction of arrival (2D-DOA) with ANN models. In this paper we present a fast artificial neural network approach for 2D-DOA estimation with reduced training sets sizes. We exploit the symmetry properties of Uniform Circular Arrays (UCA) to build two different datasets for elevation and azimuth angles. Linear Vector Quantisation (LVQ) neural networks are then sequentially trained on each dataset to separately estimate elevation and azimuth angles. A multilevel training process is applied to further reduce the training sets sizes.

Retention of nucleic acids in ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography depends not only on base composition but also on base sequence.

PubMed

Qiao, Jun-Qin; Liang, Chao; Wei, Lan-Chun; Cao, Zhao-Ming; Lian, Hong-Zhen

2016-12-01

The study on nucleic acid retention in ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography mainly focuses on size-dependence, however, other factors influencing retention behaviors have not been comprehensively clarified up to date. In this present work, the retention behaviors of oligonucleotides and double-stranded DNAs were investigated on silica-based C 18 stationary phase by ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. It is found that the retention of oligonucleotides was influenced by base composition and base sequence as well as size, and oligonucleotides prone to self-dimerization have weaker retention than those not prone to self-dimerization but with the same base composition. However, homo-oligonucleotides are suitable for the size-dependent separation as a special case of oligonucleotides. For double-stranded DNAs, the retention is also influenced by base composition and base sequence, as well as size. This may be attributed to the interaction of exposed bases in major or minor grooves with the hydrophobic alky chains of stationary phase. In addition, no specific influence of guanine and cytosine content was confirmed on retention of double-stranded DNAs. Notably, the space effect resulted from the stereostructure of nucleic acids also influences the retention behavior in ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Anisotropic membranes for gas separation

DOEpatents

Gollan, A.Z.

1987-07-21

A gas separation membrane has a dense separating layer about 10,000 Angstroms or less thick and a porous support layer 10 to 400 microns thick that is an integral unit with gradually and continuously decreasing pore size from the base of the support layer to the surface of the thin separating layer and is made from a casting solution comprising ethyl cellulose and ethyl cellulose-based blends, typically greater than 47.5 ethoxyl content ethyl cellulose blended with compatible second polymers, such as nitrocellulose. The polymer content of the casting solution is from about 10% to about 35% by weight of the total solution with up to about 50% of this polymer weight a compatible second polymer to the ethyl cellulose in a volatile solvent such as isopropanol, methylacetate, methanol, ethanol, and acetone. Typical nonsolvents for the casting solutions include water and formamide. The casting solution is cast in air from about zero to 10 seconds to allow the volatile solvent to evaporate and then quenched in a coagulation bath, typically water, at a temperature of 7--25 C and then air dried at ambient temperature, typically 10--30 C. 2 figs.

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

James K. Neathery; Gary Jacobs; Burtron H. Davis

In this reporting period, a fundamental filtration study was started to investigate the separation of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) liquids from iron-based catalyst particles. Slurry-phase FTS in slurry bubble column reactor systems is the preferred mode of production since the reaction is highly exothermic. Consequently, heavy wax products must be separated from catalyst particles before being removed from the reactor system. Achieving an efficient wax product separation from iron-based catalysts is one of the most challenging technical problems associated with slurry-phase FTS. The separation problem is further compounded by catalyst particle attrition and the formation of ultra-fine iron carbide and/or carbonmore » particles. Existing pilot-scale equipment was modified to include a filtration test apparatus. After undergoing an extensive plant shakedown period, filtration tests with cross-flow filter modules using simulant FTS wax slurry were conducted. The focus of these early tests was to find adequate mixtures of polyethylene wax to simulate FTS wax. Catalyst particle size analysis techniques were also developed. Initial analyses of the slurry and filter permeate particles will be used by the research team to design improved filter media and cleaning strategies.« less

A New Method for Estimating the Effective Population Size from Allele Frequency Changes

PubMed Central

Pollak, Edward

1983-01-01

A new procedure is proposed for estimating the effective population size, given that information is available on changes in frequencies of the alleles at one or more independently segregating loci and the population is observed at two or more separate times. Approximate expressions are obtained for the variances of the new statistic, as well as others, also based on allele frequency changes, that have been discussed in the literature. This analysis indicates that the new statistic will generally have a smaller variance than the others. Estimates of effective population sizes and of the standard errors of the estimates are computed for data on two fly populations that have been discussed in earlier papers. In both cases, there is evidence that the effective population size is very much smaller than the minimum census size of the population. PMID:17246147

Preparation of nearly monodisperse nanoscale inorganic pigments.

PubMed

Wang, Dingsheng; Liang, Xin; Li, Yadong

2006-07-17

Many different important commercial pigments have been synthesized based on the liquid-solid-solution (LSS) phase-transfer and separation process. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement results show that they are very small in size and have a narrow size distribution. Visible absorption spectra were taken to examine the very pure and brilliant colors of the pigments. They can be well-dispersed in cyclohexane and remain non-agglomerated, even over several months. These nearly monodisperse nanoscale inorganic pigments may have wide applications in many important fields and could bring about new developments in the pigment industry.

Impact of vane size and separation on radiometric forces for microactuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gimelshein, Natalia; Gimelshein, Sergey; Ketsdever, Andrew; Selden, Nathaniel

2011-04-01

A kinetic approach is used to study the feasibility of increasing the efficiency of microactuators that use radiometric force through etching holes in a single radiometer vane. It has been shown that a radiometer that consists of small vanes is capable of producing at least an order of magnitude larger force than a single-vane radiometer that takes up the same area. The optimum gap between the vanes is found to be slightly smaller than the vane size, with the optimum Knudsen number of about 0.05 based on the vane height.

Inhalation chamber with size discriminator for liquid aerosols.

PubMed

Tsuda, S; Iwasaki, M; Yoshida, M; Shirasu, Y

1984-06-01

To minimize data variation in inhalation toxicity testing and to evaluate human and animal hazards of inhaled chemicals, a practical inhalation chamber with a size discriminator for mists was developed to provide high concentration liquid aerosols of defined particle sizes. Liquid aerosols generated with an atomizer were separated by an impinging separator which was composed of aerosol jets directed upward against a flat plate. The principle of the separator eliminates particles larger than a calculated cutoff size in micrometer and submicrometer ranges by changing the orifice diameter of the jet nozzle under constant air flow. The mists thus separated are introduced into the space between two concentric cylinders just above the impaction plate. Ten rats can be positioned around the periphery of the chamber wall equidistant from the impaction plate, with their snouts thrust into the inhalation space. Preliminary testing with olive oil and water aerosols using particle cutoff sizes of 1, 3, and 3.3 micron showed that the obtained separation of particles was very clear, although the cutoff point seemed to shift somewhat to smaller values than calculated; the shift was especially evident with water aerosols. The concentrations obtained were more than 1 mg/liter when the cutoff point was selected at 1 micron. The mist at the inhalation space attained a steady concentration and particle size distribution within 2 min of the onset of mist injection, remained over a 4-hr period, and was cleared within 2 min of the cessation of mist generation.

Controlling mixing and segregation in time periodic granular flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Tathagata

Segregation is a major problem for many solids processing industries. Differences in particle size or density can lead to flow-induced segregation. In the present work, we employ the discrete element method (DEM)---one type of particle dynamics (PD) technique---to investigate the mixing and segregation of granular material in some prototypical solid handling devices, such as a rotating drum and chute. In DEM, one calculates the trajectories of individual particles based on Newton's laws of motion by employing suitable contact force models and a collision detection algorithm. Recently, it has been suggested that segregation in particle mixers can be thwarted if the particle flow is inverted at a rate above a critical forcing frequency. Further, it has been hypothesized that, for a rotating drum, the effectiveness of this technique can be linked to the probability distribution of the number of times a particle passes through the flowing layer per rotation of the drum. In the first portion of this work, various configurations of solid mixers are numerically and experimentally studied to investigate the conditions for improved mixing in light of these hypotheses. Besides rotating drums, many studies of granular flow have focused on gravity driven chute flows owing to its practical importance in granular transportation and to the fact that the relative simplicity of this type of flow allows for development and testing of new theories. In this part of the work, we observe the deposition behavior of both mono-sized and polydisperse dry granular materials in an inclined chute flow. The effects of different parameters such as chute angle, particle size, falling height and charge amount on the mass fraction distribution of granular materials after deposition are investigated. The simulation results obtained using DEM are compared with the experimental findings and a high degree of agreement is observed. Tuning of the underlying contact force parameters allows the achievement of realistic results and is used as a means of validating the model against available experimental data. The tuned model is then used to find the critical chute length for segregation based on the hypothesis that segregation can be thwarted if the particle flow is inverted at a rate above a critical forcing frequency. The critical frequency, fcrit, is inversely proportional to the characteristic time of segregation, ts. Mixing is observed instead of segregation when the chute length L < U avgts, where Uavg denotes the average stream-wise flow velocity of the particles. While segregation is often an undesired effect, sometimes separating the components of a particle mixture is the ultimate goal. Rate-based separation processes hold promise as both more environmentally benign as well as less energy intensive when compared to conventional particle separations technologies such as vibrating screens or flotation methods. This approach is based on differences in the kinetic properties of the components of a mixture, such as the velocity of migration or diffusivity. In this portion of the work, two examples of novel rate-based separation devices are demonstrated. The first example involves the study of the dynamics of gravity-driven particles through an array of obstacles. Both discrete element (DEM) simulations and experiments are used to augment the understanding of this device. Dissipative collisions (both between the particles themselves and with the obstacles) give rise to a diffusive motion of particles perpendicular to the flow direction and the differences in diffusion lengths are exploited to separate the particles. The second example employs DEM to analyze a ratchet mechanism where a current of particles can be produced in a direction perpendicular to the energy input. In this setup, a vibrating saw-toothed base is employed to induce different mobility for different types of particles. The effect of operating conditions and design parameters on the separation efficiency are discussed. Keywords: granular flow, particle, mixing, segregation, discrete element method, particle dynamics, tumbler, chute, periodic flow inversion, collisional flow, rate-based separation, ratchet, static separator, dissipative particle dynamics, non-spherical droplet.

New design of a triplexer using ring resonator integrated with directional coupler based on photonic crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Yaw-Dong; Shih, Tien-Tsorng; Lee, Jian-Jang

2009-11-01

In this paper, we proposed the design of directional coupler integrated with ring resonator based on two-dimensional photonic crystals (2D PCs) to develop a triplexer filter. It can be widely used as the fiber access network element for multiplexer-demultiplexer wavelength selective in fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) communication systems. The directional coupler is chosen to separate the wavelengths of 1490nm and 1310nm. The ring resonator separates the wavelength of 1550nm. The transmission efficiency is larger than 90%. Besides, the total size of propose triplexer is only 19μm×12μm. We present simulation results using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method for the proposed structure.

Size-tunable phosphorescence in colloidal metastable gamma-Ga2O3 nanocrystals.

PubMed

Wang, Ting; Farvid, Shokouh S; Abulikemu, Mutalifu; Radovanovic, Pavle V

2010-07-14

We report a colloidal synthesis of gallium oxide (Ga(2)O(3)) nanocrystals having metastable cubic crystal structure (gamma phase) and uniform size distribution. Using the synthesized nanocrystal size series we demonstrate for the first time a size-tunable photoluminescence in Ga(2)O(3) from ultraviolet to blue, with the emission shifting to lower energies with increasing nanocrystal size. The observed photoluminescence is dominated by defect-based donor-acceptor pair recombination and has a lifetime of several milliseconds. Importantly, the decay of this phosphorescence is also size dependent. The phosphorescence energy and the decay rate increase with decreasing nanocrystal size, owing to a reduced donor-acceptor separation. These results allow for a rational and predictable tuning of the optical properties of this technologically important material and demonstrate the possibility of manipulating the localized defect interactions via nanocrystal size. Furthermore, the same defect states, particularly donors, are also implicated in electrical conductivity rendering monodispersed Ga(2)O(3) nanocrystals a promising material for multifunctional optoelectronic structures and devices.

Sedimentation field flow fractionation and optical absorption spectroscopy for a quantitative size characterization of silver nanoparticles.

PubMed

Contado, Catia; Argazzi, Roberto; Amendola, Vincenzo

2016-11-04

Many advanced industrial and biomedical applications that use silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), require that particles are not only nano-sized, but also well dispersed, not aggregated and not agglomerated. This study presents two methods able to give rapidly sizes of monodispersed AgNPs suspensions in the dimensional range of 20-100nm. The first method, based on the application of Mie's theory, determines the particle sizes from the values of the surface plasmon resonance wavelength (SPR MAX ), read from the optical absorption spectra, recorded between 190nm and 800nm. The computed sizes were compared with those determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) and resulted in agreement with the nominal values in a range between 13% (for 20nm NPs) and 1% (for 100nm NPs), The second method is based on the masterly combination of the Sedimentation Field Flow Fractionation (SdFFF - now sold as Centrifugal FFF-CFFF) and the Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (OAS) techniques to accomplish sizes and quantitative particle size distributions for monodispersed, non-aggregated AgNPs suspensions. The SdFFF separation abilities, well exploited to size NPs, greatly benefits from the application of Mie's theory to the UV-vis signal elaboration, producing quantitative mass-based particle size distributions, from which trusted number-sized particle size distributions can be derived. The silver mass distributions were verified and supported by detecting off-line the Ag concentration with the graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GF-AAS). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pore size engineering applied to starved electrochemical cells and batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbey, K. M.; Thaller, L. H.

1982-01-01

To maximize performance in starved, multiplate cells, the cell design should rely on techniques which widen the volume tolerance characteristics. These involve engineering capillary pressure differences between the components of an electrochemical cell and using these forces to promote redistribution of electrolyte to the desired optimum values. This can be implemented in practice by prescribing pore size distributions for porous back-up plates, reservoirs, and electrodes. In addition, electrolyte volume management can be controlled by incorporating different pore size distributions into the separator. In a nickel/hydrogen cell, the separator must contain pores similar in size to the small pores of both the nickel and hydrogen electrodes in order to maintain an optimum conductive path for the electrolyte. The pore size distributions of all components should overlap in such a way as to prevent drying of the separator and/or flooding of the hydrogen electrode.

A Facile Method for Separating and Enriching Nano and Submicron Particles from Titanium Dioxide Found in Food and Pharmaceutical Products.

PubMed

Faust, James J; Doudrick, Kyle; Yang, Yu; Capco, David G; Westerhoff, Paul

2016-01-01

Recent studies indicate the presence of nano-scale titanium dioxide (TiO2) as an additive in human foodstuffs, but a practical protocol to isolate and separate nano-fractions from soluble foodstuffs as a source of material remains elusive. As such, we developed a method for separating the nano and submicron fractions found in commercial-grade TiO2 (E171) and E171 extracted from soluble foodstuffs and pharmaceutical products (e.g., chewing gum, pain reliever, and allergy medicine). Primary particle analysis of commercial-grade E171 indicated that 54% of particles were nano-sized (i.e., < 100 nm). Isolation and primary particle analysis of five consumer goods intended to be ingested revealed differences in the percent of nano-sized particles from 32%‒58%. Separation and enrichment of nano- and submicron-sized particles from commercial-grade E171 and E171 isolated from foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals was accomplished using rate-zonal centrifugation. Commercial-grade E171 was separated into nano- and submicron-enriched fractions consisting of a nano:submicron fraction of approximately 0.45:1 and 3.2:1, respectively. E171 extracted from gum had nano:submicron fractions of 1.4:1 and 0.19:1 for nano- and submicron-enriched, respectively. We show a difference in particle adhesion to the cell surface, which was found to be dependent on particle size and epithelial orientation. Finally, we provide evidence that E171 particles are not immediately cytotoxic to the Caco-2 human intestinal epithelium model. These data suggest that this separation method is appropriate for studies interested in isolating the nano-sized particle fraction taken directly from consumer products, in order to study separately the effects of nano and submicron particles.

A Facile Method for Separating and Enriching Nano and Submicron Particles from Titanium Dioxide Found in Food and Pharmaceutical Products

PubMed Central

Yang, Yu; Capco, David G.; Westerhoff, Paul

2016-01-01

Recent studies indicate the presence of nano-scale titanium dioxide (TiO2) as an additive in human foodstuffs, but a practical protocol to isolate and separate nano-fractions from soluble foodstuffs as a source of material remains elusive. As such, we developed a method for separating the nano and submicron fractions found in commercial-grade TiO2 (E171) and E171 extracted from soluble foodstuffs and pharmaceutical products (e.g., chewing gum, pain reliever, and allergy medicine). Primary particle analysis of commercial-grade E171 indicated that 54% of particles were nano-sized (i.e., < 100 nm). Isolation and primary particle analysis of five consumer goods intended to be ingested revealed differences in the percent of nano-sized particles from 32%‒58%. Separation and enrichment of nano- and submicron-sized particles from commercial-grade E171 and E171 isolated from foodstuffs and pharmaceuticals was accomplished using rate-zonal centrifugation. Commercial-grade E171 was separated into nano- and submicron-enriched fractions consisting of a nano:submicron fraction of approximately 0.45:1 and 3.2:1, respectively. E171 extracted from gum had nano:submicron fractions of 1.4:1 and 0.19:1 for nano- and submicron-enriched, respectively. We show a difference in particle adhesion to the cell surface, which was found to be dependent on particle size and epithelial orientation. Finally, we provide evidence that E171 particles are not immediately cytotoxic to the Caco-2 human intestinal epithelium model. These data suggest that this separation method is appropriate for studies interested in isolating the nano-sized particle fraction taken directly from consumer products, in order to study separately the effects of nano and submicron particles. PMID:27798677

Flexible cue combination in the guidance of attention in visual search

PubMed Central

Brand, John; Oriet, Chris; Johnson, Aaron P.; Wolfe, Jeremy M.

2014-01-01

Hodsoll and Humphreys (2001) have assessed the relative contributions of stimulus-driven and user-driven knowledge on linearly- and nonlinearly separable search. However, the target feature used to determine linear separability in their task (i.e., target size) was required to locate the target. In the present work, we investigated the contributions of stimulus-driven and user-driven knowledge when a linearly- or nonlinearly-separable feature is available but not required for target identification. We asked observers to complete a series of standard color X orientation conjunction searches in which target size was either linearly- or nonlinearly separable from the size of the distractors. When guidance by color X orientation and by size information are both available, observers rely on whichever information results in the best search efficiency. This is the case irrespective of whether we provide target foreknowledge by blocking stimulus conditions, suggesting that feature information is used in both a stimulus-driven and user-driven fashion. PMID:25463553

Quality control considerations for size exclusion chromatography with online ICP-MS: a powerful tool for evaluating the size dependence of metal-organic matter complexation.

PubMed

McKenzie, Erica R; Young, Thomas M

2013-01-01

Size exclusion chromatography (SEC), which separates molecules based on molecular volume, can be coupled with online inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to explore size-dependent metal-natural organic matter (NOM) complexation. To make effective use of this analytical dual detector system, the operator should be mindful of quality control measures. Al, Cr, Fe, Se, and Sn all exhibited columnless attenuation, which indicated unintended interactions with system components. Based on signal-to-noise ratio and peak reproducibility between duplicate analyses of environmental samples, consistent peak time and height were observed for Mg, Cl, Mn, Cu, Br, and Pb. Al, V, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Se, Cd, Sn, and Sb were less consistent overall, but produced consistent measurements in select samples. Ultrafiltering and centrifuging produced similar peak distributions, but glass fiber filtration produced more high molecular weight (MW) peaks. Storage in glass also produced more high MW peaks than did plastic bottles.

In vitro culture and characterization of human lung cancer circulating tumor cells isolated by size exclusion from an orthotopic nude-mouse model expressing fluorescent protein.

PubMed

Kolostova, Katarina; Zhang, Yong; Hoffman, Robert M; Bobek, Vladimir

2014-09-01

In the present study, we demonstrate an animal model and recently introduced size-based exclusion method for circulating tumor cells (CTCs) isolation. The methodology enables subsequent in vitro CTC-culture and characterization. Human lung cancer cell line H460, expressing red fluorescent protein (H460-RFP), was orthotopically implanted in nude mice. CTCs were isolated by a size-based filtration method and successfully cultured in vitro on the separating membrane (MetaCell®), analyzed by means of time-lapse imaging. The cultured CTCs were heterogeneous in size and morphology even though they originated from a single tumor. The outer CTC-membranes were blebbing in general. Abnormal mitosis resulting in three daughter cells was frequently observed. The expression of RFP ensured that the CTCs originated from lung tumor. These readily isolatable, identifiable and cultivable CTCs can be used to characterize individual patient cancers and for screening of more effective treatment.

Evolution of size distribution, optical properties, and structure of Si nanoparticles obtained by laser-assisted fragmentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plautz, G. L.; Graff, I. L.; Schreiner, W. H.; Bezerra, A. G.

2017-05-01

We investigate the physical properties of Si-based nanoparticles produced by an environment-friendly three-step method relying on: (1) laser ablation of a solid target immersed in water, (2) centrifugation and separation, and (3) laser-assisted fragmentation. The evolution of size distribution is followed after each step by means of dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements and crosschecked by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The as-ablated colloidal suspension of Si nanoparticles presents a large size distribution, ranging from a few to hundreds of nanometers. Centrifugation drives the very large particles to the bottom eliminating them from the remaining suspension. Subsequent irradiation of height-separated suspensions with a second high-fluence (40 mJ/pulse) Nd:YAG laser operating at the fourth harmonic (λ =266 nm) leads to size reduction and ultra-small nanoparticles are obtainable depending on the starting size. Si nanoparticles as small as 1.5 nm with low dispersion (± 0.7 nm) are observed for the uppermost part after irradiation. These nanoparticles present a strong blue photoluminescence that remains stable for at least 8 weeks. Optical absorption (UV-Vis) measurements demonstrate an optical gap widening as a consequence of size decrease. Raman spectra present features related to pure silicon and silicon oxides for the irradiated sample. Interestingly, a defect band associated with silicon oxide is also identified, indicating the possible formation of defect states, which, in turn, supports the idea that the blue photoluminescence has its origin in defects.

Particle Morphology Analysis of Biomass Material Based on Improved Image Processing Method

PubMed Central

Lu, Zhaolin

2017-01-01

Particle morphology, including size and shape, is an important factor that significantly influences the physical and chemical properties of biomass material. Based on image processing technology, a method was developed to process sample images, measure particle dimensions, and analyse the particle size and shape distributions of knife-milled wheat straw, which had been preclassified into five nominal size groups using mechanical sieving approach. Considering the great variation of particle size from micrometer to millimeter, the powders greater than 250 μm were photographed by a flatbed scanner without zoom function, and the others were photographed using a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with high-image resolution. Actual imaging tests confirmed the excellent effect of backscattered electron (BSE) imaging mode of SEM. Particle aggregation is an important factor that affects the recognition accuracy of the image processing method. In sample preparation, the singulated arrangement and ultrasonic dispersion methods were used to separate powders into particles that were larger and smaller than the nominal size of 250 μm. In addition, an image segmentation algorithm based on particle geometrical information was proposed to recognise the finer clustered powders. Experimental results demonstrated that the improved image processing method was suitable to analyse the particle size and shape distributions of ground biomass materials and solve the size inconsistencies in sieving analysis. PMID:28298925

Block copolymer self-assembly derived ultrafiltration membranes: From science to start-up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiesner, Ulrich

In the last ten years a novel method to generate asymmetric ultrafiltration membranes has been established. It is based on the combination of block copolymer self-assembly with non-solvent induced phase separation (NIPS) and is now referred to as SNIPS. NIPS as an industry proven method for the formation of phase inversion membranes opening a pathway to scale up and commercialization of these membranes. The combination of NIPS with block copolymer self-assembly leads to asymmetric membranes with narrow pore size distributions in the top surface layer (so called isoporous membranes) as well as high pore densities, thereby potentially combining high resolution with high flux in membrane separation processes. Such membranes have potential applications in the biopharmaceutical industry where a large fraction of the costs are currently associated with time-consuming non-membrane based separation processes. This talk will describe a family of isoporous ultrafiltration membranes based on the self-assembly behavior of an ABC triblock terpolymer which has led to the formation of a start-up company out of Cornell University. After introduction of the SNIPS process in general, and its application to such ABC triblock terpolymers in particular, open scientific questions associated with the formation mechanisms of the top surface separation layer in such membranes is discussed, which is at the heart of enabling high performance separation behavior. Furthermore, challenges translating scientific work into industrial settings are highlighted.

Reading Speed Does Not Benefit from Increased Line Spacing in AMD Patients

PubMed Central

CHUNG, SUSANA T. L.; JARVIS, SAMUEL H.; WOO, STANLEY Y.; HANSON, KARA; JOSE, RANDALL T.

2009-01-01

Purpose Crowding, the adverse spatial interaction due to the proximity of adjacent targets, has been suggested as an explanation for slow reading in peripheral vision. Previously, we showed that increased line spacing, which presumably reduces crowding between adjacent lines of text, improved reading speed in the normal periphery (Chung, Optom Vis Sci 2004;81:525–35). The purpose of this study was to examine whether or not individuals with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) would benefit from increased line spacing for reading. Methods Experiment 1: Eight subjects with AMD read aloud 100-word passages rendered at five line spacings: the standard single spacing, 1.5×, 2×, 3×, and 4× the standard spacing. Print sizes were 1× and 2× of the critical print size. Reading time and number of reading errors for each passage were measured to compute the reading speed. Experiment 2: Four subjects with AMD read aloud sequences of six 4-letter words, presented on a computer monitor using the rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) paradigm. Target words were presented singly, or flanked above and below by two other words that changed in synchrony with the target word, at various vertical word separations. Print size was 2× the critical print size. Reading speed was calculated based on the RSVP exposure duration that yielded 80% of the words read correctly. Results Averaged across subjects, reading speeds for passages were virtually constant for the range of line spacings tested. For sequences of unrelated words, reading speeds were also virtually constant for the range of vertical word separations tested, except at the smallest (standard) separation at which reading speed was lower. Conclusions Contrary to the previous finding that reading speed improved in normal peripheral vision, increased line spacing in passages, or increased vertical separation between words in RSVP, did not lead to improved reading speed in people with AMD. PMID:18772718

Determination of free polysaccharide in Vi glycoconjugate vaccine against typhoid fever.

PubMed

Giannelli, C; Cappelletti, E; Di Benedetto, R; Pippi, F; Arcuri, M; Di Cioccio, V; Martin, L B; Saul, A; Micoli, F

2017-05-30

Glycoconjugate vaccines based on the Vi capsular polysaccharide directed against Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi are licensed or in development against typhoid fever, an important cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Quantification of free polysaccharide in conjugate vaccines is an important quality control for release, to monitor vaccine stability and to ensure appropriate immune response. However, we found that existing separation methods based on size are not appropriate as free Vi non-specifically binds to unconjugated and conjugated protein. We developed a method based on free Vi separation by Capto Adhere resin and quantification by HPAEC-PAD. The method has been tested for conjugates of Vi derived from Citrobacter freundii with different carrier proteins such as CRM 197 , Tetanus Toxoid and Diphtheria Toxoid. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changing Names with Changed Address: Integrated Taxonomy and Species Delimitation in the Holarctic Colymbetes paykulli Group (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)

PubMed Central

Drotz, Marcus K.; Brodin, Tomas; Nilsson, Anders N.

2015-01-01

Species delimitation of geographically isolated forms is a long-standing problem in less studied insect groups. Often taxonomic decisions are based directly on morphologic variation, and lack a discussion regarding sample size and the efficiency of migration barriers or dispersal/migration capacity of the studied species. These problems are here exemplified in a water beetle complex from the Bering Sea region that separates North America from Eurasia. Only a few sampled specimens occur from this particular area and they are mostly found in museum and private collections. Here we utilize the theory of integrated taxonomy to discuss the speciation of the Holarctic Colymbetes paykulli water beetle complex, which historically has included up to five species of which today only two are recognized. Three delimitation methods are used; landmark based morphometry of body shape, variation in reticulation patterns of the pronotum exo-skeleton and sequence variation of the partial mitochondrial gene Cyt b. Our conclusion is that the Palearctic and Nearctic populations of C. paykulli are given the status of separate species, based on the fact that all methods showed significant separation between populations. As a consequence the name of the Palearctic species is C. paykulli Erichson and the Nearctic species should be known as C. longulus LeConte. There is no clear support for delineation between Palearctic and Nearctic populations of C. dahuricus based on mtDNA. However, significant difference in size and reticulation patterns from the two regions is shown. The combined conclusion is that the C. dahuricus complex needs a more thorough investigation to fully disentangle its taxonomic status. Therefore it is here still regarded as a Holarctic species. This study highlights the importance to study several diagnosable characters that has the potential to discriminate evolutionary lineage during speciation. PMID:26619278

Ultrathin self-assembled anionic polymer membranes for superfast size-selective separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Chao; Zhang, Qiu Gen; Han, Guang Lu; Gong, Yi; Zhu, Ai Mei; Liu, Qing Lin

2013-10-01

Nanoporous membranes with superior separation performance have become more crucial with increasing concerns in functional nanomaterials. Here novel ultrahigh permeable nanoporous membranes have been fabricated on macroporous supports by self-assembly of anionic polymer on copper hydroxide nanostrand templates in organic solution. This facile approach has a great potential for the fabrication of ultrathin anionic polymer membranes as a general method. The as-fabricated self-assembled membranes have a mean pore size of 5-12 nm and an adjustable thickness as low as 85 nm. They allow superfast permeation of water, and exhibit excellent size-selective separation properties and good fouling resistance for negatively-charged solutes during filtration. The 85 nm thick membrane has an ultrahigh water flux (3306 l m-2 h-1 bar-1) that is an order of magnitude larger than commercial membranes, and can highly efficiently separate 5 and 15 nm gold nanoparticles from their mixtures. The newly developed nanoporous membranes have a wide application in separation and purification of biomacromolecules and nanoparticles.Nanoporous membranes with superior separation performance have become more crucial with increasing concerns in functional nanomaterials. Here novel ultrahigh permeable nanoporous membranes have been fabricated on macroporous supports by self-assembly of anionic polymer on copper hydroxide nanostrand templates in organic solution. This facile approach has a great potential for the fabrication of ultrathin anionic polymer membranes as a general method. The as-fabricated self-assembled membranes have a mean pore size of 5-12 nm and an adjustable thickness as low as 85 nm. They allow superfast permeation of water, and exhibit excellent size-selective separation properties and good fouling resistance for negatively-charged solutes during filtration. The 85 nm thick membrane has an ultrahigh water flux (3306 l m-2 h-1 bar-1) that is an order of magnitude larger than commercial membranes, and can highly efficiently separate 5 and 15 nm gold nanoparticles from their mixtures. The newly developed nanoporous membranes have a wide application in separation and purification of biomacromolecules and nanoparticles. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Synthesis and characterization of SPEK-C; effect of the sulfonation degree on membrane formation; structure and properties of the self-assembled membranes; separation of cyt.c by the self-assembled membranes; size-selective separation of gold nanoparticles by the self-assembled membranes; comparison with commercial flat sheet ultrafiltration membranes. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr03362g

Effect of particle size in preparative reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on the isolation of epigallocatechin gallate from Korean green tea.

PubMed

Kim, Jung Il; Hong, Seung Bum; Row, Kyung Ho

2002-03-08

To isolate epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) of catechin compounds from Korean green tea (Bosung, Chonnam), a C18 reversed-phase preparative column (250x22 mm) packed with packings of three different sizes (15, 40-63, and 150 microm) was used. The sample extracted with water was partitioned with chloroform and ethyl acetate to remove the impurities including caffeine. The mobile phases in this experiment were composed of 0.1% acetic acid in water, acetonitrile, methanol and ethyl acetate. The injection volume was fixed at 400 microl and the flow rate was increased as the particle size becomes larger. The isolation of EGCG with particle size was compared at a preparative scale and the feasibility of separation of EGCG at larger particle sizes was confirmed. The optimum mobile phase composition for separating EGCG was experimentally obtained at the particle sizes of 15 and 40-63 microm in the isocratic mode, but EGCG was not purely separated at the particle size of 150 microm.

Size selective isocyanate aerosols personal air sampling using porous plastic foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khanh Huynh, Cong; Duc, Trinh Vu

2009-02-01

As part of a European project (SMT4-CT96-2137), various European institutions specialized in occupational hygiene (BGIA, HSL, IOM, INRS, IST, Ambiente e Lavoro) have established a program of scientific collaboration to develop one or more prototypes of European personal samplers for the collection of simultaneous three dust fractions: inhalable, thoracic and respirable. These samplers based on existing sampling heads (IOM, GSP and cassettes) use Polyurethane Plastic Foam (PUF) according to their porosity to support sampling and separator size of the particles. In this study, the authors present an original application of size selective personal air sampling using chemical impregnated PUF to perform isocyanate aerosols capturing and derivatizing in industrial spray-painting shops.

Linkage map of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, based on RAPD markers

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

Hunt, G.J.; Page, R.E. Jr.

A linkage map was constructed for the honey bee based on the segregation of 365 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers in haploid male progeny of a single female bee. The X locus for sex determination and genes for black body color and malate dehydrogenase were mapped to separate linkage groups. RAPD markers were very efficient for mapping, with an average of about 2.8 loci mapped for each 10-nucleotide primer that was used in polymerase chain reactions. The mean interval size between markers on the map was 9.1 cM. The map covered 3110 cM of linked markers on 26 linkagemore » groups. We estimate the total genome size to be {approximately}3450 cM. The size of the map indicated a very high recombination rate for the honey bee. The relationship of physical to genetic distance was estimated at 52 kb/cM, suggesting that map-based cloning of genes will be feasible for this species. 71 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.« less

Particle Image Velocimetry Measurements of a Two/Three-dimensional Separating/Reattaching Boundary Layer Downstream of an Axisymmetric Backward-facing Step

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hudy, Laura M.; Naguib, Ahmed M.; Humphreys, William M.; Bartram, Scott M.

2005-01-01

Planar Particle Image Velocimetry measurements were obtained in the separating/reattaching flow region downstream of an axisymmetric backward-facing step. Data were acquired for a two-dimensional (2D) separating boundary layer at five different Reynolds numbers based on step height (Re(sub h)), spanning 5900-33000, and for a three-dimensional (3D) separating boundary layer at Re(sub h) = 5980 and 8081. Reynolds number effects were investigated in the 2D cases using mean-velocity field, streamwise and wall-normal turbulent velocity, and Reynolds stress statistics. Results show that both the reattachment length (x(sub r)) and the secondary separation point are Reynolds number dependent. The reattachment length increased with rising Re(sub h) while the secondary recirculation region decreased in size. These and other Re(sub h) effects were interpreted in terms of changes in the separating boundary layer thickness and wall-shear stress. On the other hand, in the 3D case, it was found that the imposed cross-flow component was relatively weak in comparison to the streamwise component. As a result, the primary influences of three dimensionality only affected the near-separation region rather than the entire separation bubble.

Fractionation of Forest Residues of Douglas-fir for Fermentable Sugar Production by SPORL Pretreatment

Treesearch

Chao Zhang; J.Y. Zhu; Roland Gleisner; John Sessions

2012-01-01

Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forest residues were physically fractionated through sieving. The bark and wood were separated for large-sized fractions (>12.7 mm), and their contents were determined. The chemical compositions of the large fractions were calculated based on the contents and chemical compositions of the bark and wood. The...

Directional charge separation in isolated organic semiconductor crystalline nanowires

DOE PAGES

Labastide, J. A.; Thompson, H. B.; Marques, S. R.; ...

2016-02-25

One of the fundamental design paradigms in organic photovoltaic device engineering is based on the idea that charge separation is an extrinsically driven process requiring an interface for exciton fission. This idea has driven an enormous materials science engineering effort focused on construction of domain sizes commensurate with a nominal exciton diffusion length of order 10 nm. Here, we show that polarized optical excitation of isolated pristine crystalline nanowires of a small molecule n-type organic semiconductor, 7,8,15,16-tetraazaterrylene, generates a significant population of charge-separated polaron pairs along the π-stacking direction. Charge separation was signalled by pronounced power-law photoluminescence decay polarized alongmore » the same axis. In the transverse direction, we observed exponential decay associated with excitons localized on individual monomers. We propose that this effect derives from an intrinsic directional charge-transfer interaction that can ultimately be programmed by molecular packing geometry.« less

Quantitative characterization of solid epoxy resins using comprehensive two dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Julka, Samir; Cortes, Hernan; Harfmann, Robert; Bell, Bruce; Schweizer-Theobaldt, Andreas; Pursch, Matthias; Mondello, Luigi; Maynard, Shawn; West, David

2009-06-01

A comprehensive multidimensional liquid chromatography system coupled to Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (LCxLC-ESI-MS) was developed for detailed characterization and quantitation of solid epoxy resin components. The two orthogonal modes of separation selected were size exclusion chromatography (SEC) in the first dimension and liquid chromatography at critical conditions (LCCC) in the second dimension. Different components present in the solid epoxy resins were separated and quantitated for the first time based on the functional groups and molecular weight heterogeneity. Coupling LCxLC separations with mass spectrometry enabled the identification of components resolved in the two-dimensional space. Several different functional group families of compounds were separated and identified, including epoxy-epoxy and epoxy-alpha-glycol functional oligomers, and their individual molecular weight ranges were determined. Repeatability obtained ranged from 0.5% for the main product to 21% for oligomers at the 0.4% concentration level.

Stability and Oil Migration of Oil-in-Water Emulsions Emulsified by Phase-Separating Biopolymer Mixtures.

PubMed

Yang, Nan; Mao, Peng; Lv, Ruihe; Zhang, Ke; Fang, Yapeng; Nishinari, Katsuyoshi; Phillips, Glyn O

2016-08-01

Oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions with varying concentration of oil phase, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT), were prepared using phase-separating gum arabic (GA)/sugar beet pectin (SBP) mixture as an emulsifier. Stability of the emulsions including emulsion phase separation, droplet size change, and oil migration were investigated by means of visual observation, droplet size analysis, oil partition analysis, backscattering of light, and interfacial tension measurement. It was found that in the emulsions prepared with 4.0% GA/1.0% SBP, when the concentration of MCT was greater than 2.0%, emulsion phase separation was not observed and the emulsions were stable with droplet size unchanged during storage. This result proves the emulsification ability of phase-separating biopolymer mixtures and their potential usage as emulsifiers to prepare O/W emulsion. However, when the concentration of MCT was equal or less than 2.0%, emulsion phase separation occurred after preparation resulting in an upper SBP-rich phase and a lower GA-rich phase. The droplet size increased in the upper phase whereas decreased slightly in the lower phase with time, compared to the freshly prepared emulsions. During storage, the oil droplets exhibited a complex migration process: first moving to the SBP-rich phase, then to the GA-rich phase and finally gathering at the interface between the two phases. The mechanisms of the emulsion stability and oil migration in the phase-separated emulsions were discussed. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Separation of malignant human breast cancer epithelial cells from healthy epithelial cells using an advanced dielectrophoresis-activated cell sorter (DACS).

PubMed

An, Jaemin; Lee, Jangwon; Lee, Sang Ho; Park, Jungyul; Kim, Byungkyu

2009-06-01

In this paper, we successfully separated malignant human breast cancer epithelial cells (MCF 7) from healthy breast cells (MCF 10A) and analyzed the main parameters that influence the separation efficiency with an advanced dielectrophoresis (DEP)-activated cell sorter (DACS). Using the efficient DACS, the malignant cancer cells (MCF 7) were isolated successfully by noninvasive methods from normal cells with similar cell size distributions (MCF 10A), depending on differences between their material properties such as conductivity and permittivity, because our system was able to discern the subtle differences in the properties by generating continuously changed electrical field gradients. In order to evaluate the separation performance without considering size variations, the cells collected from each outlet were divided into size-dependent groups and counted statistically. Following that, the quantitative relative ratio of numbers between MCF 7 and MCF 10A cells in each size-dependent group separated by the DEP were compared according to applied frequencies in the range 48, 51, and 53 MHz with an applied amplitude of 8 V(pp). Finally, under the applied voltage of 48 MHz-8 V(pp) and a flow rate of 290 microm/s, MCF 7 and MCF 10A cells were separated with a maximum efficiency of 86.67% and 98.73% respectively. Therefore, our suggested system shows it can be used for detection and separation of cancerous epithelial cells from noncancerous cells in clinical applications.

Ultrafast, efficient separations of large-sized dsDNA in a blended polymer matrix by microfluidic chip electrophoresis: A Design of Experiments approach

PubMed Central

Sun, Mingyun; Lin, Jennifer S.

2012-01-01

Double-stranded (ds) DNA fragments over a wide size range were successfully separated in blended polymer matrices by microfluidic chip electrophoresis. Novel blended polymer matrices composed of two types of polymers with three different molar masses were developed to provide improved separations of large dsDNA without negatively impacting the separation of small dsDNA. Hydroxyethyl celluloses (HECs) with average molar masses of ~27 kDa and ~1 MDa were blended with a second class of polymer, high-molar mass (~7 MDa) linear polyacrylamide (LPA). Fast and highly efficient separations of commercially available DNA ladders were achieved on a borosilicate glass microchip. A distinct separation of a 1 Kb DNA extension ladder (200 bp to 40,000 bp) was completed in 2 minutes. An orthogonal Design of Experiments (DOE) was used to optimize experimental parameters for DNA separations over a wide size range. We find that the two dominant factors are the applied electric field strength and the inclusion of a high concentration of low-molar mass polymer in the matrix solution. These two factors exerted different effects on the separations of small dsDNA fragments below 1 kbp, medium dsDNA fragments between 1 kbp and 10 kbp, and large dsDNA fragments above 10 kbp. PMID:22009451

Discontinuous pore fluid distribution under microgravity--KC-135 flight investigations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reddi, Lakshmi N.; Xiao, Ming; Steinberg, Susan L.

2005-01-01

Designing a reliable plant growth system for crop production in space requires the understanding of pore fluid distribution in porous media under microgravity. The objective of this experimental investigation, which was conducted aboard NASA KC-135 reduced gravity flight, is to study possible particle separation and the distribution of discontinuous wetting fluid in porous media under microgravity. KC-135 aircraft provided gravity conditions of 1, 1.8, and 10(-2) g. Glass beads of a known size distribution were used as porous media; and Hexadecane, a petroleum compound immiscible with and lighter than water, was used as wetting fluid at residual saturation. Nitrogen freezer was used to solidify the discontinuous Hexadecane ganglia in glass beads to preserve the ganglia size changes during different gravity conditions, so that the blob-size distributions (BSDs) could be measured after flight. It was concluded from this study that microgravity has little effect on the size distribution of pore fluid blobs corresponding to residual saturation of wetting fluids in porous media. The blobs showed no noticeable breakup or coalescence during microgravity. However, based on the increase in bulk volume of samples due to particle separation under microgravity, groups of particles, within which pore fluid blobs were encapsulated, appeared to have rearranged themselves under microgravity.

New technology for separating resin powder and fiberglass powder from fiberglass-resin powder of waste printed circuit boards.

PubMed

Li, Jia; Gao, Bei; Xu, Zhenming

2014-05-06

New recycling technologies have been developed lately to enhance the value of the fiberglass powder-resin powder fraction (FRP) from waste printed circuit boards. The definite aim of the present paper is to present some novel methods that use the image forces for the separation of the resin powder and fiberglass powder generated from FRP during the corona electrostatic separating process. The particle shape charactization and particle trajectory simulation were performed on samples of mixed non-metallic particles. The simulation results pointed out that particles of resin powder and particles of fiberglass powder had different detach trajectories at the conditions of the same size and certain device parameters. An experiment carried out using a corona electrostatic separator validated the possibility of sorting these particles based on the differences in their shape characteristics. The differences in the physical properties of the different types of particles provided the technical basis for the development of electrostatic separation technologies for the recycling industry.

Measuring local volume fraction, long-wavelength correlations, and fractionation in a phase-separating polydisperse fluid

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

Williamson, J. J., E-mail: johnjosephwilliamson@gmail.com; Evans, R. M. L.

We dynamically simulate fractionation (partitioning of particle species) during spinodal gas-liquid separation of a size-polydisperse colloid, using polydispersity up to ∼40% and a skewed parent size distribution. We introduce a novel coarse-grained Voronoi method to minimise size bias in measuring local volume fraction, along with a variety of spatial correlation functions which detect fractionation without requiring a clear distinction between the phases. These can be applied whether or not a system is phase separated, to determine structural correlations in particle size, and generalise easily to other kinds of polydispersity (charge, shape, etc.). We measure fractionation in both mean size andmore » polydispersity between the phases, its direction differing between model interaction potentials which are identical in the monodisperse case. These qualitative features are predicted by a perturbative theory requiring only a monodisperse reference as input. The results show that intricate fractionation takes place almost from the start of phase separation, so can play a role even in nonequilibrium arrested states. The methods for characterisation of inhomogeneous polydisperse systems could in principle be applied to experiment as well as modelling.« less

CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMIC ACID SIZE FRACTIONS BY SEC AND MALS (R822832)

EPA Science Inventory

Latahco silt-loam humic acid was separated on a preparatory scale by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) on a gravity-fed Sepharose column. Four fractions from this separation were collected and further analyzed, along with whole humic acid, by high-performance SEC coupled with a...

Detection and cultivation of circulating tumor cells in malignant pleural mesothelioma.

PubMed

Bobek, Vladimir; Kacprzak, Grzegorz; Rzechonek, Adam; Kolostova, Katarina

2014-05-01

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive disease with very poor prognosis which tends to affect older patients. Progress in the management of this group of patients has been limited by the rarity of the disease and hence, difficulty in conducting randomized trials. The vast majority of cancer deaths occur due to metastasis of the primary tumor to distant sites via circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the circulation. CTCs are extremely rare and limits in technology used to capture these cells hamper our complete understanding over the metastatic process. In the present study we present a new method for detection and cultivation of CTCs isolated from peripheral blood of MPM patients. Patients with diagnosed MPM were enrolled into this study. A size-based separation method for viable CTC enrichment from unclothed peripheral blood has been introduced; MetaCell. The size-based enrichment process was based on filtration of peripheral blood (PB) through porous polycarbonate membrane. The separated CTCs are cultured on the membrane in vitro under standard cancer cell culture conditions and observed by an inverted microscope. The reported methodology allows for quick and easy enrichment of CTCs and their cultivation. The cultivated cells can be used for next specification of gene expression and histological/biological specificity of concrete mesothelioma.

Ion-Gated Gas Separation through Porous Graphene

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

Tian, Ziqi; Mahurin, Shannon M.; Dai, Sheng

Porous graphene holds great promise as an atom-thin, high-permeance membrane for gas separation, but to precisely control the pore size at three to five angstroms proves challenging. Here we propose an ion-gated graphene membrane comprising a monolayer of ionic liquid coated porous graphene to dynamically modulate the pore size to achieve selective gas separation. This approach enables the otherwise non-selective large pores on the order of 1 nm in size to be selective for gases whose diameters range from three to four angstroms. We show from molecular dynamics simulations that CO 2, N 2 and CH 4 all can permeatemore » through a 1-nm pore in graphene without any selectivity. But when a monolayer of [emim][BF 4] is deposited on the porous graphene, CO 2 has much higher permeance than the other two gases. We find that the anion dynamically modulates the pore size by hovering above the pore and provides affinity for CO 2 while the larger cation (which cannot go through the pore) holds the anion in place via electrostatic attraction. This composite membrane is especially promising for CO 2/CH 4 separation, with a CO 2/CH 4 selectivity of about 42 and CO 2 permeance ~105 GPU (gas permeation unit). We further demonstrate that selectivity and permeance can be tuned by the anion size. The present work points toward a promising direction of using the atom-thin ionic-liquid/porous-graphene hybrid membrane for high-permeance, selective gas separation that allows a greater flexibility in substrate pore size control.« less

Ion-Gated Gas Separation through Porous Graphene

DOE PAGES

Tian, Ziqi; Mahurin, Shannon M.; Dai, Sheng; ...

2017-02-10

Porous graphene holds great promise as an atom-thin, high-permeance membrane for gas separation, but to precisely control the pore size at three to five angstroms proves challenging. Here we propose an ion-gated graphene membrane comprising a monolayer of ionic liquid coated porous graphene to dynamically modulate the pore size to achieve selective gas separation. This approach enables the otherwise non-selective large pores on the order of 1 nm in size to be selective for gases whose diameters range from three to four angstroms. We show from molecular dynamics simulations that CO 2, N 2 and CH 4 all can permeatemore » through a 1-nm pore in graphene without any selectivity. But when a monolayer of [emim][BF 4] is deposited on the porous graphene, CO 2 has much higher permeance than the other two gases. We find that the anion dynamically modulates the pore size by hovering above the pore and provides affinity for CO 2 while the larger cation (which cannot go through the pore) holds the anion in place via electrostatic attraction. This composite membrane is especially promising for CO 2/CH 4 separation, with a CO 2/CH 4 selectivity of about 42 and CO 2 permeance ~105 GPU (gas permeation unit). We further demonstrate that selectivity and permeance can be tuned by the anion size. The present work points toward a promising direction of using the atom-thin ionic-liquid/porous-graphene hybrid membrane for high-permeance, selective gas separation that allows a greater flexibility in substrate pore size control.« less

Sizing of single fluorescently stained DNA fragments by scanning microscopy

PubMed Central

Laib, Stephan; Rankl, Michael; Ruckstuhl, Thomas; Seeger, Stefan

2003-01-01

We describe an approach to determine DNA fragment sizes based on the fluorescence detection of single adsorbed fragments on specifically coated glass cover slips. The brightness of single fragments stained with the DNA bisintercalation dye TOTO-1 is determined by scanning the surface with a confocal microscope. The brightness of adsorbed fragments is found to be proportional to the fragment length. The method needs only minute amount of DNA, beyond inexpensive and easily available surface coatings, like poly-l-lysine, 3-aminoproyltriethoxysilane and polyornithine, are utilizable. We performed DNA-sizing of fragment lengths between 2 and 14 kb. Further, we resolved the size distribution before and after an enzymatic restriction digest. At this a separation of buffers or enzymes was unnecessary. DNA sizes were determined within an uncertainty of 7–14%. The proposed method is straightforward and can be applied to standardized microtiter plates. PMID:14602931

[Preparation of large-pore silica microspheres using templating method and their applications to protein separation with high performance liquid chromatography].

PubMed

Niu, Mengna; Ma, Hongyan; Hu, Fei; Wang, Shige; Liu, Lu; Chang, Haizhou; Huang, Mingxian

2017-06-08

Large-pore silica microspheres were synthesized by utilizing weak cation exchange polymer beads as templates, N -trimethoxysilylpropyl- N,N,N -trimethylammonium chloride (TMSPTMA) as a structure-directing agent, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as a silica precursor, and triethanolamine as a weak base catalyst. The hydrolysis and condensation of the silica precursors occurred inside the templating polymer beads yielded polymer/silica composite microspheres. After the organic polymer templates were removed in the calcination step, large-pore silica microspheres were produced. The effects of different reaction conditions on the morphology, structure and dispersibility of the formed silica microspheres were investigated. It has been shown that when the volume ratio of TMSPTMA, TEOS and triethanolamine was 1:2:2, silica microspheres with pore size range of 50-150 nm and particle size around 2 μm were obtained. The as-prepared silica microspheres were then bonded with chlorodimethyloctadecylsilane (C18), packed into a 50 mm×4.6 mm column, and evaluated for the separations of some common standard proteins and soybean isolation proteins. The results showed that the large-pore silica spheres from this work have potentials for protein separation in HPLC.

Threading dynamics of a polymer through parallel pores: Potential applications to DNA size separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Åkerman, Björn

1997-04-01

DNA orientation measurements by linear dichroism (LD) spectroscopy and single molecule imaging by fluorescence microscopy are used to investigate the effect of DNA size (71-740 kilo base pairs) and field strength E (1-5.9 V/cm) on the conformation dynamics during the field-driven threading of DNA molecules through a set of parallel pores in agarose gels, with average pore radii between 380 Å and 1400 Å. Locally relaxed but globally oriented DNA molecules are subjected to a perpendicular field, and the observed LD time profile is compared with a recent theory for the threading [D. Long and J.-L. Viovy, Phys. Rev. E 53, 803 (1996)] which assumes the same initial state. As predicted the DNA is driven by the ends into a U-form, leading to an overshoot in the LD. The overshoot-time scales as E-(1.2-1.4) as predicted, but grows more slowly with DNA size than the predicted linear dependence. For long molecules loops form initially in the threading process but are finally consumed by the ends, and the process of transfer of DNA segments, from the loops to the arms of the U, leads to a shoulder in the LD as predicted. The critical size below which loops do not form (as indicated by the LD shoulder being absent) is between 71 and 105 kbp (0.5% agarose, 5.9 V/cm), and considerably larger than predicted because in the initial state the DNA molecules are housed in gel cavities with effective pore sizes about four times larger than the average pore size. From the data, the separation of DNA by exploiting the threading dynamics in pulsed fields [D. Long et al., CR Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. IIb 321, 239 (1995)] is shown to be feasible in principle in an agarose-based system.

Scalable and efficient separation of hydrogen isotopes using graphene-based electrochemical pumping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lozada-Hidalgo, M.; Zhang, S.; Hu, S.; Esfandiar, A.; Grigorieva, I. V.; Geim, A. K.

2017-05-01

Thousands of tons of isotopic mixtures are processed annually for heavy-water production and tritium decontamination. The existing technologies remain extremely energy intensive and require large capital investments. New approaches are needed to reduce the industry's footprint. Recently, micrometre-size crystals of graphene are shown to act as efficient sieves for hydrogen isotopes pumped through graphene electrochemically. Here we report a fully-scalable approach, using graphene obtained by chemical vapour deposition, which allows a proton-deuteron separation factor of around 8, despite cracks and imperfections. The energy consumption is projected to be orders of magnitude smaller with respect to existing technologies. A membrane based on 30 m2 of graphene, a readily accessible amount, could provide a heavy-water output comparable to that of modern plants. Even higher efficiency is expected for tritium separation. With no fundamental obstacles for scaling up, the technology's simplicity, efficiency and green credentials call for consideration by the nuclear and related industries.

Coherent optical monolithic phased-array antenna steering system

DOEpatents

Hietala, Vincent M.; Kravitz, Stanley H.; Vawter, Gregory A.

1994-01-01

An optical-based RF beam steering system for phased-array antennas comprising a photonic integrated circuit (PIC). The system is based on optical heterodyning employed to produce microwave phase shifting by a monolithic PIC constructed entirely of passive components. Microwave power and control signal distribution to the antenna is accomplished by optical fiber, permitting physical separation of the PIC and its control functions from the antenna. The system reduces size, weight, complexity, and cost of phased-array antenna systems.

A continuous high-throughput bioparticle sorter based on 3D traveling-wave dielectrophoresis.

PubMed

Cheng, I-Fang; Froude, Victoria E; Zhu, Yingxi; Chang, Hsueh-Chia; Chang, Hsien-Chang

2009-11-21

We present a high throughput (maximum flow rate approximately 10 microl/min or linear velocity approximately 3 mm/s) continuous bio-particle sorter based on 3D traveling-wave dielectrophoresis (twDEP) at an optimum AC frequency of 500 kHz. The high throughput sorting is achieved with a sustained twDEP particle force normal to the continuous through-flow, which is applied over the entire chip by a single 3D electrode array. The design allows continuous fractionation of micron-sized particles into different downstream sub-channels based on differences in their twDEP mobility on both sides of the cross-over. Conventional DEP is integrated upstream to focus the particles into a single levitated queue to allow twDEP sorting by mobility difference and to minimize sedimentation and field-induced lysis. The 3D electrode array design minimizes the offsetting effect of nDEP (negative DEP with particle force towards regions with weak fields) on twDEP such that both forces increase monotonically with voltage to further increase the throughput. Effective focusing and separation of red blood cells from debris-filled heterogeneous samples are demonstrated, as well as size-based separation of poly-dispersed liposome suspensions into two distinct bands at 2.3 to 4.6 microm and 1.5 to 2.7 microm, at the highest throughput recorded in hand-held chips of 6 microl/min.

Optimal performance of single-column chromatography and simulated moving bed processes for the separation of optical isomers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medi, Bijan; Kazi, Monzure-Khoda; Amanullah, Mohammad

2013-06-01

Chromatography has been established as the method of choice for the separation and purification of optically pure drugs which has a market size of about 250 billion USD. Single column chromatography (SCC) is commonly used in the development and testing phase of drug development while multi-column Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) chromatography is more suitable for large scale production due to its continuous nature. In this study, optimal performance of SCC and SMB processes for the separation of optical isomers under linear and overloaded separation conditions has been investigated. The performance indicators, namely productivity and desorbent requirement have been compared under geometric similarity for the separation of a mixture of guaifenesin, and Tröger's base enantiomers. SCC process has been analyzed under equilibrium assumption i.e., assuming infinite column efficiency, and zero dispersion, and its optimal performance parameters are compared with the optimal prediction of an SMB process by triangle theory. Simulation results obtained using actual experimental data indicate that SCC may compete with SMB in terms of productivity depending on the molecules to be separated. Besides, insights into the process performances in terms of degree of freedom and relationship between the optimal operating point and solubility limit of the optical isomers have been ascertained. This investigation enables appropriate selection of single or multi-column chromatographic processes based on column packing properties and isotherm parameters.

Superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic surface-enhanced separation performance of porous inorganic membranes for biomass-to-biofuel conversion applications

DOE PAGES

Hu, Michael Z.; Engtrakul, Chaiwat; Bischoff, Brian L.; ...

2016-11-14

A new class of inorganic-based membranes, i.e., High-Performance Architectured Surface Selective (HiPAS) membranes, is introduced to provide high perm-selective flux by exploiting unique separation mechanisms induced by superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic surface interactions and confined capillary condensation in enlarged membrane pores (~8 nm). The super-hydro-tunable HiPAS membranes were originally developed for the purpose of bio-oil/biofuel processing to achieve selective separations at higher flux relative to size selective porous membranes (e.g., inorganic zeolite-based membranes) and better high-temperature tolerance than polymer membranes (>250 C) for hot vapor processing. Due to surface-enhanced separation selectivity, HiPAS membranes can thus possibly enable larger pores to facilitatemore » large-flux separations by increasing from sub-nanometer pores to mesopores (2-50 nm) for vapor phase or micron-scale pores for liquid phase separations. In this paper, we describe an innovative membrane concept and a materials synthesis strategy to fabricate HiPAS membranes, and demonstrate selective permeation in both vapor- and liquid-phase applications. High permeability and selectivity were demonstrated using surrogate mixtures, such as ethanol-water, toluene-water, and toluene-phenol-water. The overall membrane evaluation results show promise for the future processing of biomass pyrolysis and upgraded product vapors and condensed liquid bio-oil intermediates.« less

a bare Nanocapillary for DNA Separation and Genotyping analysis in Gel-Free solutions without application of external electric field

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiayan; Wang, Shili; Veerappan, Vijaykumar; Byun, Chang Kyu; Nguyen, Han; Gendhar, Brina; Allen, Randy D.; Liu, Shaorong

2009-01-01

In this work, we demonstrate DNA separation and genotyping analysis in gel-free solutions using a nanocapillary under pressure-driven conditions without application of an external electric field. The nanocapillary is a ~50-cm-long and 500-nm-radius bare fused silica capillary. After a DNA sample is injected, the analytes are eluted out in a chromatographic separation format. The elution order of DNA molecules follows strictly with their sizes, with the longer DNA being eluted out faster than the shorter ones. High resolutions are obtained for both short (a few bases) and long (tens of thousands of base pairs) DNA fragments. Effects of key experimental parameters, such as eluent composition and elution pressure, on separation efficiency and resolution are investigated. We also apply this technique for DNA separations of real-world genotyping samples to demonstrate its feasibility in biological applications. PCR products (without any purification) amplified from Arabidopsis plant genomic DNA crude preparations are directly injected into the nanocapillary, and PCR-amplified DNA fragments are well resolved, allowing for unambiguous identification of samples from heterozygous and homozygous individuals. Since the capillaries used to conduct the separations are uncoated, column lifetime is virtually unlimited. The only material that is consumed in these assays is the eluent, and hence the operation cost is low. PMID:18500828

How do changes in parental investment influence development in echinoid echinoderms?

PubMed

Alcorn, Nicholas J; Allen, Jonathan D

2009-01-01

Understanding the relationship between egg size, development time, and juvenile size is critical to explaining patterns of life-history evolution in marine invertebrates. Currently there is conflicting information about the effects of changes in egg size on the life histories of echinoid echinoderms. We sought to resolve this conflict by manipulating egg size and food level during the development of two planktotrophic echinoid echinoderms: the green sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis and the sand dollar, Echinarachnius parma. Based on comparative datasets, we predicted that decreasing food availability and egg size would increase development time and reduce juvenile size. To test our prediction, blastomere separations were performed in both species at the two-cell stage to reduce egg volume by 50%, producing whole- and half-size larvae that were reared to metamorphosis under high or low food levels. Upon settlement, age at metamorphosis, juvenile size, spine number, and spine length were measured. As predicted, reducing egg size and food availability significantly increased age at metamorphosis and reduced juvenile quality. Along with previous egg size manipulations in other echinoids, this study suggests that the relationship between egg size, development time, and juvenile size is strongly dependent upon the initial size of the egg.

1.9 μm superficially porous packing material with radially oriented pores and tailored pore size for ultra-fast separation of small molecules and biomolecules.

PubMed

Min, Yi; Jiang, Bo; Wu, Ci; Xia, Simin; Zhang, Xiaodan; Liang, Zhen; Zhang, Lihua; Zhang, Yukui

2014-08-22

In this work, 1.9 μm reversed-phase packing materials with superficially porous structure were prepared to achieve the rapid and high efficient separation of peptides and proteins. The silica particles were synthesized via three steps, nonporous silica particle preparation by a modified seeded growth method, mesoporous shell formation by a one pot templated dissolution and redeposition strategy, and pore size expansion via acid-refluxing. By such a method, 1.9 μm superficially porous materials with 0.18 μm shell thickness and tailored pore diameter (10 nm, 15 nm) were obtained. After pore enlargement, the formerly dense arrays of mesoporous structure changed, the radially oriented pores dominated the superficially porous structure. The chromatographic performance of such particles was investigated after C18 derivatization. For packing materials with 1.9 μm diameter and 10 nm pore size, the column efficiency could reach 211,300 plates per m for naphthalene. To achieve the high resolution separation of peptides and proteins, particles with pore diameter of 15 nm were tailored, by which the baseline separation of 5 peptides and 5 intact proteins could be respectively achieved within 1 min, demonstrating the superiority in the high efficiency and high throughput analysis of biomolecules. Furthermore, BSA digests were well separated with peak capacity of 120 in 30 min on a 15 cm-long column. Finally, we compared our columns with a 1.7 μm Kinetex C18 column under the same conditions, our particles with 10nm pore size demonstrated similar performance for separation of the large intact proteins. Moreover, the particles with 15 nm pore size showed more symmetrical peaks for the separation of large proteins (BSA, OVA and IgG) and provided rapid separation of protein extracts from Escherichia coli in 5 min. All these results indicated that the synthesized 1.9 μm superficially porous silica packing materials would be promising in the ultra-fast and high-resolution separation of biomolecules. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Separation Mechanism Design for the Orion/Ares Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Konno, Kevin E.; Catalano, Daniel A.; Krivanek, Thomas M.

2008-01-01

As a part of the preliminary design work being performed for the Orion vehicle, the Orion to Spacecraft Adaptor (SA) separation mechanism was analyzed and sized, with findings presented here. Sizing is based on worst case abort condition as a result of an anomaly driving the launch vehicle engine thrust vector control hard-over causing a severe vehicle pitch over. This worst case scenario occurs just before Upper Stage Main Engine Cut-Off (MECO) when the vehicle is the lightest and the damping effect due to propellant slosh has been reduced to a minimum. To address this scenario and others, two modeling approaches were invoked. The first approach was a detailed 2-D (Simulink) model to quickly assess the Service Module Engine nozzle to SA clearance for a given separation mechanism. The second approach involved the generation of an Automatic Dynamic Analysis of Mechanical Systems (ADAMS) model to assess secondary effects due to mass centers of gravity that were slightly off the vehicle centerline. It also captured any interference between the Solar Arrays and the Spacecraft Adapter. A comparison of modeling results and accuracy are discussed. Most notably, incorporating a larger SA flange diameter allowed for a natural separation of the Orion and its engine nozzle even at relatively large pitch rates minimizing the kickoff force. Advantages and disadvantages of the 2-D model vs. a full 3-D (ADAMS) model are discussed as well.

Evaluation of Separation Mechanism Design for the Orion/Ares Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Konno, Kevin E.; Catalano, Daniel A.; Krivanek, Thomas M.

2008-01-01

As a part of the preliminary design work being performed for the Orion vehicle, the Orion to Spacecraft Adaptor (SA) separation mechanism mechanism was analyzed and sized, with findings presented here. Sizing is based on worst case abort condition as a result of an anomaly driving the launch vehicle engine thrust vector control hard-over causing a severe vehicle pitch over. This worst case scenario occurs just before Upper Stage Main Engine Cut-Off (MECO) when the vehicle is the lightest and the damping effect due to propellant slosh has been reduced to a minimum. To address this scenario and others, two modeling approaches were invoked. The first approach was a detailed Simulink model to quickly assess the Service Module Engine nozzle to SA clearance for a given separation mechanism. The second approach involved the generation of an Automatic Dynamic Analysis of Mechanical Systems (ADAMS) model to assess secondary effects due to mass centers of gravity that were slightly off the vehicle centerline. It also captured any interference between the Solar Arrays and the Spacecraft Adapter. A comparison of modeling results and accuracy are discussed. Most notably, incorporating a larger SA flange diameter allowed for a natural separation of the Orion and its engine nozzle even at relatively large pitch rates minimizing the kickoff force. Advantages and disadvantages of the Simulink model vs. a full geometric ADAMS model are discussed as well.

Evaluation of Separation Mechanism Design for the Orion/Ares Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Konno, Kevin E.; Catalano, Daniel A.; Krivanek, Thomas M.

2008-01-01

As a part of the preliminary design work being performed for the Orion vehicle, the Orion to Spacecraft Adaptor (SA) separation mechanism was analyzed and sized, with findings presented here. Sizing is based on worst case abort condition as a result of an anomaly driving the launch vehicle engine thrust vector control hard-over causing a severe vehicle pitch over. This worst-case scenario occurs just before Upper Stage Main Engine Cut-Off when the vehicle is the lightest and the damping effect due to propellant slosh has been reduced to a minimum. To address this scenario and others, two modeling approaches were invoked. The first approach was a detailed Simulink model to quickly assess the Service Module Engine nozzle to SA clearance for a given separation mechanism. The second approach involved the generation of an Automatic Dynamic Analysis of Mechanical Systems (ADAMS) model to assess secondary effects due to mass centers of gravity that were slightly off the vehicle centerline. It also captured any interference between the Solar Arrays and the Spacecraft Adapter. A comparison of modeling results and accuracy are discussed. Most notably, incorporating a larger SA flange diameter allowed for a natural separation of the Orion and its engine nozzle even at relatively large pitch rates minimizing the kickoff force. Advantages and disadvantages of the Simulink model vs. a full geometric ADAMS model are discussed as well.

Evaluation of Separation Mechanism Design for the Orion/Ares Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Konno, Kevin E.; Catalano, Daniel A.; Krivanek, Thomas M.

2008-01-01

As a part of the preliminary design work being performed for the Orion vehicle, the Orion to Spacecraft Adaptor (SA) separation mechanism was analyzed and sized, with findings presented here. Sizing is based on worst case abort condition as a result of an anomaly driving the launch vehicle engine thrust vector control hard-over causing a severe vehicle pitch over. This worst case scenario occurs just before Upper Stage Main Engine Cut-Off (MECO) when the vehicle is the lightest and the damping effect due to propellant slosh has been reduced to a minimum. To address this scenario and others, two modeling approaches were invoked. The first approach was a detailed Simulink model to quickly assess the Service Module Engine nozzle to SA clearance for a given separation mechanism. The second approach involved the generation of an Automatic Dynamic Analysis of Mechanical Systems (ADAMS) model to assess secondary effects due to mass centers of gravity that were slightly off the vehicle centerline. It also captured any interference between the Solar Arrays and the Spacecraft Adapter. A comparison of modeling results and accuracy are discussed. Most notably, incorporating a larger SA flange diameter allowed for a natural separation of the Orion and it's engine nozzle even at relatively large pitch rates minimizing the kickoff force. Advantages and disadvantages of the Simulink model vs. a full geometric ADAMS model are discussed as well.

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

Hu, Michael Z.; Engtrakul, Chaiwat; Bischoff, Brian L.

A new class of inorganic-based membranes, i.e., High-Performance Architectured Surface Selective (HiPAS) membranes, is introduced to provide high perm-selective flux by exploiting unique separation mechanisms induced by superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic surface interactions and confined capillary condensation in enlarged membrane pores (~8 nm). The super-hydro-tunable HiPAS membranes were originally developed for the purpose of bio-oil/biofuel processing to achieve selective separations at higher flux relative to size selective porous membranes (e.g., inorganic zeolite-based membranes) and better high-temperature tolerance than polymer membranes (>250 C) for hot vapor processing. Due to surface-enhanced separation selectivity, HiPAS membranes can thus possibly enable larger pores to facilitatemore » large-flux separations by increasing from sub-nanometer pores to mesopores (2-50 nm) for vapor phase or micron-scale pores for liquid phase separations. In this paper, we describe an innovative membrane concept and a materials synthesis strategy to fabricate HiPAS membranes, and demonstrate selective permeation in both vapor- and liquid-phase applications. High permeability and selectivity were demonstrated using surrogate mixtures, such as ethanol-water, toluene-water, and toluene-phenol-water. The overall membrane evaluation results show promise for the future processing of biomass pyrolysis and upgraded product vapors and condensed liquid bio-oil intermediates.« less

An Instrument Employing a Coronal Discharge for the Determination of Droplet-Size Distribution in Clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brun, Rinaldo J.; Levine, Joseph; Kleinknecht, Kenneth S.

1951-01-01

A flight instrument that uses electric means for measuring the droplet-size distribution in above-freezing clouds has been devised and given preliminary evaluation in flight. An electric charge is placed on the droplets and they are separated aerodynamically according to their mass. Because the charge placed on the droplets is a. function of the droplet size, the size spectrum can 'be determined by measurement of the charge deposited on cylinders of several different sizes placed to intercept the charged droplets. An expression for the rate of charge acquisition by a water droplet in a field of coronal discharge is derived. The results obtained in flight with an instrument based on the method described indicate that continuous records of droplet-size spectrum variations in clouds can be obtained. The experimental instrument was used to evaluate the method and was not refined to the extent necessary for obtaining conclusive meteorological data. The desirable features of an instrument based on the method described are (i) The instrument can be used in clouds with temperatures above freezing; (2) the size and the shape of the cylinders do not change during the exposure time; (3) the readings are instantaneous and continuous; (4) the available sensitivity permits the study of variations in cloud structures of less than 200 feet in extent.

MORPHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF Lyα EMITTERS AT REDSHIFT 4.86 IN THE COSMOS FIELD: CLUMPY STAR FORMATION OR MERGER?

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

Kobayashi, Masakazu A. R.; Taniguchi, Yoshiaki; Kajisawa, Masaru

2016-03-01

We investigate morphological properties of 61 Lyα emitters (LAEs) at z = 4.86 identified in the COSMOS field, based on Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) imaging data in the F814W band. Out of the 61 LAEs, we find the ACS counterparts for 54 LAEs. Eight LAEs show double-component structures with a mean projected separation of 0.″63 (∼4.0 kpc at z = 4.86). Considering the faintness of these ACS sources, we carefully evaluate their morphological properties, that is, size and ellipticity. While some of them are compact and indistinguishable from the point-spread function (PSF) half-light radius of 0.″07 (∼0.45 kpc),more » the others are clearly larger than the PSF size and spatially extended up to 0.″3 (∼1.9 kpc). We find that the ACS sources show a positive correlation between ellipticity and size and that the ACS sources with large size and round shape are absent. Our Monte Carlo simulation suggests that the correlation can be explained by (1) the deformation effects via PSF broadening and shot noise or (2) the source blending in which two or more sources with small separation are blended in our ACS image and detected as a single elongated source. Therefore, the 46 single-component LAEs could contain the sources that consist of double (or multiple) components with small spatial separation (i.e., ≲0.″3 or 1.9 kpc). Further observation with high angular resolution at longer wavelengths (e.g., rest-frame wavelengths of ≳4000 Å) is inevitable to decipher which interpretation is adequate for our LAE sample.« less

Particle analysis in an acoustic cytometer

DOEpatents

Kaduchak, Gregory; Ward, Michael D

2012-09-18

The present invention is a method and apparatus for acoustically manipulating one or more particles. Acoustically manipulated particles may be separated by size. The particles may be flowed in a flow stream and acoustic radiation pressure, which may be radial, may be applied to the flow stream. This application of acoustic radiation pressure may separate the particles. In one embodiment, the particles may be separated by size, and as a further example, the larger particles may be transported to a central axis.

Effects of size and temperature on metabolic rate.

PubMed

Gillooly, J F; Brown, J H; West, G B; Savage, V M; Charnov, E L

2001-09-21

We derive a general model, based on principles of biochemical kinetics and allometry, that characterizes the effects of temperature and body mass on metabolic rate. The model fits metabolic rates of microbes, ectotherms, endotherms (including those in hibernation), and plants in temperatures ranging from 0 degrees to 40 degrees C. Mass- and temperature-compensated resting metabolic rates of all organisms are similar: The lowest (for unicellular organisms and plants) is separated from the highest (for endothermic vertebrates) by a factor of about 20. Temperature and body size are primary determinants of biological time and ecological roles.

Automated Microfluidic Instrument for Label-Free and High-Throughput Cell Separation.

PubMed

Zhang, Xinjie; Zhu, Zhixian; Xiang, Nan; Long, Feifei; Ni, Zhonghua

2018-03-20

Microfluidic technologies for cell separation were reported frequently in recent years. However, a compact microfluidic instrument enabling thoroughly automated cell separation is still rarely reported until today due to the difficult hybrid between the macrosized fluidic control system and the microsized microfluidic device. In this work, we propose a novel and automated microfluidic instrument to realize size-based separation of cancer cells in a label-free and high-throughput manner. Briefly, the instrument is equipped with a fully integrated microfluidic device and a set of robust fluid-driven and control units, and the instrument functions of precise fluid infusion and high-throughput cell separation are guaranteed by a flow regulatory chip and two cell separation chips which are the key components of the microfluidic device. With optimized control programs, the instrument is successfully applied to automatically sort human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7 from 5 mL of diluted human blood with a high recovery ratio of ∼85% within a rapid processing time of ∼23 min. We envision that our microfluidic instrument will be potentially useful in many biomedical applications, especially cell separation, enrichment, and concentration for the purpose of cell culture and analysis.

Label-free cancer cell separation from human whole blood using inertial microfluidics at low shear stress.

PubMed

Lee, Myung Gwon; Shin, Joong Ho; Bae, Chae Yun; Choi, Sungyoung; Park, Je-Kyun

2013-07-02

We report a contraction-expansion array (CEA) microchannel device that performs label-free high-throughput separation of cancer cells from whole blood at low Reynolds number (Re). The CEA microfluidic device utilizes hydrodynamic field effect for cancer cell separation, two kinds of inertial effects: (1) inertial lift force and (2) Dean flow, which results in label-free size-based separation with high throughput. To avoid cell damages potentially caused by high shear stress in conventional inertial separation techniques, the CEA microfluidic device isolates the cells with low operational Re, maintaining high-throughput separation, using nondiluted whole blood samples (hematocrit ~45%). We characterized inertial particle migration and investigated the migration of blood cells and various cancer cells (MCF-7, SK-BR-3, and HCC70) in the CEA microchannel. The separation of cancer cells from whole blood was demonstrated with a cancer cell recovery rate of 99.1%, a blood cell rejection ratio of 88.9%, and a throughput of 1.1 × 10(8) cells/min. In addition, the blood cell rejection ratio was further improved to 97.3% by a two-step filtration process with two devices connected in series.

Mesoporous Cladophora cellulose separators for lithium-ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Ruijun; Cheung, Ocean; Wang, Zhaohui; Tammela, Petter; Huo, Jinxing; Lindh, Jonas; Edström, Kristina; Strømme, Maria; Nyholm, Leif

2016-07-01

Much effort is currently made to develop inexpensive and renewable materials which can replace the polyolefin microporous separators conventionally used in contemporary lithium-ion batteries. In the present work, it is demonstrated that mesoporous Cladophora cellulose (CC) separators constitute very promising alternatives based on their high crystallinity, good thermal stability and straightforward manufacturing. The CC separators, which are fabricated using an undemanding paper-making like process involving vacuum filtration, have a typical thickness of about 35 μm, an average pore size of about 20 nm, a Young's modulus of 5.9 GPa and also exhibit an ionic conductivity of 0.4 mS cm-1 after soaking with 1 M LiPF6 EC: DEC (1/1, v/v) electrolyte. The CC separators are demonstrated to be thermally stable at 150 °C and electrochemically inert in the potential range between 0 and 5 V vs. Li+/Li. A LiFePO4/Li cell containing a CC separator showed good cycling stability with 99.5% discharge capacity retention after 50 cycles at a rate of 0.2 C. These results indicate that the renewable CC separators are well-suited for use in high-performance lithium-ion batteries.

Microphase separation in random multiblock copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Govorun, E. N.; Chertovich, A. V.

2017-01-01

Microphase separation in random multiblock copolymers is studied with the mean-field theory assuming that long blocks of a copolymer are strongly segregated, whereas short blocks are able to penetrate into "alien" domains and exchange between the domains and interfacial layer. A bidisperse copolymer with blocks of only two sizes (long and short) is considered as a model of multiblock copolymers with high polydispersity in the block size. Short blocks of the copolymer play an important role in the microphase separation. First, their penetration into the "alien" domains leads to the formation of joint long blocks in their own domains. Second, short blocks localized at the interface considerably change the interfacial tension. The possibility of penetration of short blocks into the "alien" domains is controlled by the product χ Nsh (χ is the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter and Nsh is the short block length). At not very large χ Nsh , the domain size is larger than that for a regular copolymer consisting of the same long blocks as in the considered random copolymer. At a fixed mean block size, the domain size grows with an increase in the block size dispersity, the rate of the growth being dependent of the more detailed parameters of the block size distribution.

Micropore analysis of polymer networks by gas sorption and 129Xe NMR spectroscopy: toward a better understanding of intrinsic microporosity.

PubMed

Weber, Jens; Schmidt, Johannes; Thomas, Arne; Böhlmann, Winfried

2010-10-05

The microporosity of two microporous polymer networks is investigated in detail. Both networks are based on a central spirobifluorene motif but have different linker groups, namely, imide and thiophene units. The microporosity of the networks is based on the "polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIM)" design strategy. Nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide were used as sorbates in order to analyze the microporosity in greater detail. The gas sorption data was analyzed with respect to important parameters such as specific surface area, pore volume, and pore size (distribution). It is shown that the results can be strongly model dependent and swelling effects have to be regarded. (129)Xe NMR was used as an independent technique for the estimation of the average pore size of the polymer networks. The results indicate that both networks are mainly ultramicroporous (pore sizes < 0.8 nm) in the dry state, which was not expected based on the molecular design. Phase separation and network defects might influence the overall network morphology strongly. Finally, the observed swelling indicates that this "soft" microporous matter might have a different micropore size in the solvent swollen/filled state that in the dry state.

Development and fabrication of large vented nickel-zinc cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donnel, C. P., III

1975-01-01

A preliminary cell design for a 300AH vented nickel-zinc cell was established based on volume requirements and cell component materials selected by NASA Lewis Research Center. A 100AH cell configuration was derived from the 300AH cell design utilizing the same size electrodes, separators, and cell terminal hardware. The first cells fabricated were four groups of three cells each in the 100AH size. These 100AH experimental nickel-zinc cells had as common components the nickel positive electrodes (GFM), flexible inorganic separator (GFM) bags on the negative electrodes, pressed powder zinc oxide electrodes, and cell containers with hardware. The variations introduced were four differing electrolyte absorber (interseparator) systems used to encase the nickel positive electrodes of each cell group. The four groups of 100AH experimental vented nickel-zinc cells were tested to determine, based on cell performance, the best two interseparator systems. Using the two interseparator systems, two groups of experimental 300AH cells were fabricated. Each group of three cells differed only in the interseparator material used. The six cells were filled, formed and tested to evaluate the interseparator materials and investigate the performance characteristics of the 300AH cell configuration and its components.

Local-Field Distribution of Two Dielectric Inclusions at Small Separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siu, Yuet-Lun; Yu, Kin-Wah

2001-03-01

When two dielectric inclusions approach to each other in a composite medium, significant mutual polarization effects must occur. These effects are multipolar in nature and are difficult to treat from first principles(J. D. Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics), 2nd edition, (Wiley, New York, 1975).. In this work, we employ the discrete-dipole theory(B. T. Draine and P. J. Flatau, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 11) 1491 (1994). to account for the mutual polarization effects by dividing the inclusions into many small subparts. We begin the calculation at small inclusion sizes and large separation, where the point-dipole limit being valid, and proceed to larger inclusion sizes and small separation, for which the mutual polarization effect becomes important. Then, we apply the theory to determine the dipole moment of each subpart self-consistently. In this way, each dipole moment yields the local electric field, which in turn polarizes the neighboring dipoles. We also begin the calculation at small inclusion sizes and large separation, where the point-dipole limit being valid, and proceed to larger inclusion sizes and small separation. Our resluts indicate that convergence is achieved with moderate computational effects. The results produce valuable information about the local electric field distribution, which is relevant to optical absorption due to surface phonon-polaritons of ionic microcrystals.

Carbide derived carbon from MAX-phases and their separation applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffman, Elizabeth N.

Improved sorbents with increased selectivity and permeability are needed to meet growing energy and environmental needs. New forms of carbon based sorbents have been discovered recently, including carbons produced by etching metals from metal carbides, known as carbide derived carbons (CDCs). A common method for the synthesis of CDC is by chlorination at elevated temperatures. The goal of this work is to synthesize CDC from ternary carbides and to explore the links between the initial carbide chemistry and structure with the resulting CDCs properties, including porosity. CDC was produced from MAX-phase carbides, in particular Ti3SiC 2, Ti3AlC2, Ti2AlC, and Ta2AlC. Additionally, CDC was produced from Ta-based binary carbides, TaC and Ta 2C, and one carbo-nitride Ti2AlC0.5N0.5. The CDC structure was characterized using XRD, Raman microspectroscopy, and HRTEM. Porosity characterization was performed using sorption analysis with both Ar and N2 as adsorbates. It was determined the microporosity of CDC is related to the density of the initial carbide. The layered structure of the MAX-phase carbides lent toward the formation of larger mesopores within the resulting CDCs, while the amount of mesopores was dependent on the chemistry of the carbide. Furthermore, CDC produced from carbides with extremely high theoretical porosity resulted in small specific surface areas due to a collapse of the carbon structure. To expand the potential applications for CDC beyond powder and bulk forms, CDC membranes were produced from a thin film of TiC deposited by magnetron sputtering onto porous ceramic substrates. The TiC thin film was subsequently chlorinated to produce a bilayer membrane with CDC as the active layer. Both gases and liquids are capable of passing the membrane. The membrane separates based on selective adsorption, rather than a size separation molecular sieving effect. Two applications for CDC produced from MAX-phases were investigated: protein adsorption and gas separation. Sorbents capable of adsorbing large protein molecules efficiently are desirable for many medical applications, including the treatment of sepsis. Primarily mesoporous Ti2AlC-CDC and Ti3AlC2-CDC were proven to adsorb a significant amount of proteins compared to two current carbon adsorbents. When tested for gas separation, CDC was capable of selectively adsorbing gases including SF6, CO2, CH4, and H2. However, the gases were not separated based on their size, but rather on their interaction with the CDC surface.

Liquid Chromatography at Critical Conditions: Balancing size exclusion and adsorption in nanopores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdulahad, Asem; Amos, Jeffrey; Ryu, Chang

2009-03-01

Liquid chromatography at critical condition (LCCC) is a measure to identify thermodynamic conditions, in which polymers elute independently of molar mass during high performance liquid chromatography. Under these critical conditions the entropic exclusions that dominate size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and the enthalpic adsorption that governs adsorption-based interaction chromatography (IC) are said to negate one another resulting in simultaneous elution of the polymer of different molecular weights. Using multiple C18-bonded silica columns with different average nanopore sizes (from 5 nm to 30 nm), we will study the LCCC conditions of PS in methylene chloride/acetonitrile solvent mixture at different temperature. In addition, we will show that the separation of polystyrene can be fine tuned using a refined temperature gradient interaction chromatography (TGIC) that employs multiple columns of varying pore size in sequence.

Transition from a strong-yet-brittle to a stronger-and-ductile state by size reduction of metallic glasses.

PubMed

Jang, Dongchan; Greer, Julia R

2010-03-01

Amorphous metallic alloys, or metallic glasses, are lucrative engineering materials owing to their superior mechanical properties such as high strength and large elastic strain. However, their main drawback is their propensity for highly catastrophic failure through rapid shear banding, significantly undercutting their structural applications. Here, we show that when reduced to 100 nm, Zr-based metallic glass nanopillars attain ceramic-like strengths (2.25 GPa) and metal-like ductility (25%) simultaneously. We report separate and distinct critical sizes for maximum strength and for the brittle-to-ductile transition, thereby demonstrating that strength and ability to carry plasticity are decoupled at the nanoscale. A phenomenological model for size dependence and brittle-to-homogeneous deformation is provided.

Sorption of chlorobenzenes to cape cod aquifer sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, L.B.

1994-01-01

Sorption of tetra- and pentachlorobenzene by sediment from a glacial outwash aquifer on Cape Cod, MA, was evaluated. Particle size and mineralogical fractions (separated based on paramagnetic susceptibility) were characterized with respect to sediment organic carbon (SOC), mineralogy, surface area, metal oxide coatings, and spatial variability. SOC increases by a factor of 10 as particle size decreases from 500-1000 to ?? 25 % in the <63-??m fraction, and SOC is preferentially associated with the magnetic minerals. Sorption increases with decreasing particle size (increasing SOC, magnetic minerals, surface area, and metal oxyhydroxides), and the magnetic mineral fraction has greater sorption than the bulk or nonmagnetic fractions. Removal of SOC decreases sorption proportional to the decrease in SOC and results in a nonlinear isotherm.

Enhancement of dewatering performance of digested paper mill sludge by chemical pretreatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Y. Q.; Zeng, C.; Wu, H. H.; Zeng, B. X.

2016-08-01

The wide application of anaerobic digestion (AD) for waste sludge results in a huge amount of digested sludge, while the appropriate reuse of digested sludge depends on effective solid-liquid separation. Thus, chemical (acid/alkali) pretreatment effects on dewaterability of digested paper mill sludge (DPMS) for better downstream reuse based on enhanced solid- liquid separation were investigated in this research. The dewatering properties of paper mill sludge (PMS) were also investigated to elucidate the impact of AD on sludge dewaterability. The results indicated that a higher DPMS dewaterability was noted with acid pretreatment (pH5). A 41.37% moisture content and 74.41% dewatering efficiency were determined for DPMS after acid (pH5) pretreatment within 25 min. In addition, a 7.13 mg•g-1 VSS of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and 101.50 μm of average particle size were observed. It was also observed that both EPS concentrations and particle sizes were key parameters influencing DPMS dewaterability. Lower EPS concentrations with larger average particle sizes contributed to enhanced sludge dewaterability. Moreover, dewaterability of PMS was higher than that of DPMS, which illustrated that AD would decrease the sludge dewaterability.

Silica particles encapsulated poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) monolithic stationary phases for micro-high performance liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Bakry, R; Stöggl, W M; Hochleitner, E O; Stecher, G; Huck, C W; Bonn, G K

2006-11-03

In the paper we demonstrate a new approach for the preparation and application of continuous silica bed columns that involve encapsulation (entrapment) of functionalized silica microparticles, which can be used as packing material in micro high performance liquid chromatography (micro-HPLC) and capillary electrochromatography (CEC). Like traditional packed columns, these capillaries possess characterized silica particles that offer high phase ratio and narrow pore size distribution leading to high retention and separation efficiency, respectively. More importantly, immobilization of the microparticles stabilizes the separation bed and eliminates the need for retaining frits. The developed capillary columns were fabricated in exactly the same way as a packed capillary column (slurry packing) but with an additional entrapment step. This immobilization of the packed bed was achieved by in situ polymerization of styrene and divinylbenzene in presence of decanol as a porogen and azobisisobutyronitrile as thermal initiator. Silica particles with different particle sizes and pore sizes ranging from 60 to 4000 A were studied. In addition different modified silica was used, including C-18 reversed phase, anion exchange and chiral stationary phases. Efficient separation of polyphenolic compounds, peptides, proteins and even DNA mutation were achieved using the developed technique depending on the properties of the silica particles used (particles pore size). For example, using 3 microm ProntoSIL C-18 particles with 300 A pore size, separation efficiencies in the range of 120,000-200,000 plates/m were obtained for protein separation, in a 6 cm x 200 microm i.d. capillary column. Using encapsulated silica C-18 with 1000 A pore size, separation of DNA homo and hetero duplexes were achieved under denaturing HPLC conditions for mutation detection. In addition, nucleotides were separated using anion exchange material encapsulated with poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) (PS/DVB), which indicated that the chromatographic properties of the silica packing material were still active after polymerization. The prepared capillary columns were found to be stable and could easily be operated continuously up to a pressure of 350 bar without column damage and capillary can be cut to any desired length.

Wide size range fast integrated mobility spectrometer

DOEpatents

Wang, Jian

2013-10-29

A mobility spectrometer to measure a nanometer particle size distribution is disclosed. The mobility spectrometer includes a conduit and a detector. The conduit is configured to receive and provide fluid communication of a fluid stream having a charged nanometer particle mixture. The conduit includes a separator section configured to generate an electrical field of two dimensions transverse to a dimension associated with the flow of the charged nanometer particle mixture through the separator section to spatially separate charged nanometer particles of the charged nanometer particle mixture in said two dimensions. The detector is disposed downstream of the conduit to detect concentration and position of the spatially-separated nanometer particles.

Chromate content versus particle size for aircraft paints.

PubMed

LaPuma, Peter T; Rhodes, Brian S

2002-12-01

Many industries rely on the corrosion inhibiting properties of chromate-containing primer paints to protect metal from oxidation. However, chromate contains hexavalent chromium (Cr(6+)), a known human carcinogen. The concentration of Cr(6+) as a function of paint particle size has important implications to worker health and environmental release from paint facilities. This research examines Cr(6+) content as a function of particle size for three types of aircraft primer paints: solvent-based epoxy-polyamide, water-based epoxy-polyamide, and solvent-based polyurethane. Cascade impactors were used to collect and separate paint particles based on their aerodynamic diameter, from 0.7 to 34.1 microm. The mass of the dry paint collected at each stage was determined and an atomic absorption spectrometer was used to analyze for Cr(6+) content. For all three paints, particles less than 7.0 microm contained disproportionately less Cr(6+) per mass of dry paint than larger particles, and the Cr(6+)concentration decreased substantially as particle size decreased. The smallest particles, 0.7 to 1.0 microm, contained approximately 10% of the Cr(6+) content, per mass of dry paint, compared to particles larger than 7.0 microm. The paint gun settings of air to paint ratio was found to have no influence on the Cr(6+) bias.

3D-liquid chromatography as a complex mixture characterization tool for knowledge-based downstream process development.

PubMed

Hanke, Alexander T; Tsintavi, Eleni; Ramirez Vazquez, Maria Del Pilar; van der Wielen, Luuk A M; Verhaert, Peter D E M; Eppink, Michel H M; van de Sandt, Emile J A X; Ottens, Marcel

2016-09-01

Knowledge-based development of chromatographic separation processes requires efficient techniques to determine the physicochemical properties of the product and the impurities to be removed. These characterization techniques are usually divided into approaches that determine molecular properties, such as charge, hydrophobicity and size, or molecular interactions with auxiliary materials, commonly in the form of adsorption isotherms. In this study we demonstrate the application of a three-dimensional liquid chromatography approach to a clarified cell homogenate containing a therapeutic enzyme. Each separation dimension determines a molecular property relevant to the chromatographic behavior of each component. Matching of the peaks across the different separation dimensions and against a high-resolution reference chromatogram allows to assign the determined parameters to pseudo-components, allowing to determine the most promising technique for the removal of each impurity. More detailed process design using mechanistic models requires isotherm parameters. For this purpose, the second dimension consists of multiple linear gradient separations on columns in a high-throughput screening compatible format, that allow regression of isotherm parameters with an average standard error of 8%. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:1283-1291, 2016. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Anisotropic membranes for gas separation

DOEpatents

Gollan, Arye Z.

1987-01-01

A gas separation membrane has a dense separating layer about 10,000 Angstroms or less thick and a porous support layer 10 to 400 microns thick that is an integral unit with gradually and continuously decreasing pore size from the base of the support layer to the surface of the thin separating layer and is made from a casting solution comprising ethyl cellulose and ethyl cellulose-based blends, typically greater than 47.5 ethoxyl content ethyl cellulose blended with compatible second polymers, such as nitrocellulose. The polymer content of the casting solution is from about 10% to about 35% by weight of the total solution with up to about 50% of this polymer weight a compatible second polymer to the ethyl cellulose in a volatile solvent such as isopropanol, methylacetate, methanol, ethanol, and acetone. Typical nonsolvents for the casting solutions include water and formamide. The casting solution is cast in air from about zero to 10 seconds to allow the volatile solvent to evaporate and then quenched in a coagulation bath, typically water, at a temperature of 7.degree.-25.degree. C. and then air dried at ambient temperature, typically 10.degree.-30.degree. C.

Ultraselective Carbon Molecular Sieve Membranes with Tailored Synergistic Sorption Selective Properties.

PubMed

Zhang, Chen; Koros, William J

2017-09-01

Membrane-based separations can reduce the energy consumption and the CO 2 footprint of large-scale fluid separations, which are traditionally practiced by energy-intensive thermally driven processes. Here, a new type of membrane structure based on nanoporous carbon is reported, which, according to this study, is best referred to as carbon/carbon mixed-matrix (CCMM) membranes. The CCMM membranes are formed by high-temperature (up to 900 °C) pyrolysis of polyimide precursor hollow-fiber membranes. Unprecedentedly high permselectivities are seen in CCMM membranes for CO 2 /CH 4 , N 2 /CH 4 , He/CH 4 , and H 2 /CH 4 separations. Analysis of permeation data suggests that the ultrahigh selectivities result from substantially increased sorption selectivities, which is hypothetically owing to the formation of ultraselective micropores that selectively exclude the bulkier CH 4 molecules. With tunable sorption selectivities, the CCMM membranes outperform flexible polymer membranes and traditional rigid molecular-sieve membranes. The capability to increase sorption selectivities is a powerful tool to leverage diffusion selectivities, and has opened the door to many challenging and economically important fluid separations that require ultrafine differentiation of closely sized molecules. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Preparation of sponge-reinforced silica aerogels from tetraethoxysilane and methyltrimethoxysilane for oil/water separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ming; Jiang, Hongyi; Xu, Dong

2018-04-01

Polyurethane sponge-reinforced silica aerogels based on tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS) were fabricated by a facile method through sol-gel reaction followed by ambient pressure drying. In sponge-reinforced silica aerogels, nanoporous aerogel aggregates fill in the pores of polyurethane sponge. The sponge-reinforced aerogels are hydrophobic and oleophilic and show extremely high absorption for machine oil (10.6 g g‑1 for TEOS-based aerogel and 9.2 g g‑1 for MTMS-based aerogel). In addition, the sponge-reinforced aerogel composites exhibit notable improvements with regards to mechanical properties. The compressive strength was enhanced obviously up to about 349 KPa for TEOS-based aerogel and 60 KPa for MTMS-based aerogel. Specially, sponge-reinforced silica aerogels based on MTMS drastically shrank upon loading and then recovered to the original size when unloaded. The property differences of the sponge-reinforced silica aerogels caused by the two precursors were discussed in terms of morphologies, pore size distributions and chemical structure.

Impact of solvent granularity and layering on tracer hydrodynamics in confinement.

PubMed

Bollinger, Jonathan A; Carmer, James; Jain, Avni; Truskett, Thomas M

2016-11-28

Classic hydrodynamic arguments establish that when a spherical tracer particle is suspended between parallel walls, tracer-wall coupling mediated by the solvent will cause the tracer to exhibit position-dependent diffusivity. We investigate how the diffusivity profiles of confined tracers are impacted by the diameter size-ratio of the tracer to solvent: starting from the classic limit of infinite size-ratio (i.e., continuum solvent), we consider size-ratios of four or less to examine how hydrodynamic predictions are disrupted for systems where the tracer and solvent are of similar scale. We use computer simulations and techniques based on the Fokker-Planck formalism to calculate the diffusivity profiles of hard-sphere tracer particles in hard-sphere solvents, focusing on the dynamics perpendicular to the walls. Given wall separations of several tracer diameters, we first consider confinement between hard walls, where anisotropic structuring at the solvent lengthscale generates inhomogeneity in the tracer free-energy landscape and undermines hydrodynamic predictions locally. We then introduce confining planes that we term transparent walls, which restrict tracer and solvent center-accessibilities while completely eliminating static anisotropy, and reveal position-dependent signatures in tracer diffusivity solely attributable to confinement. With or without suppressing static heterogeneity, we find that tracer diffusivity increasingly deviates on a local basis from hydrodynamic predictions at smaller size-ratios. However, hydrodynamic theory still approximately captures spatially-averaged dynamics across the pores even for very small tracer-solvent size-ratios over a wide range of solvent densities and wall separations.

Description of male, pupa and larva of Psorophora (Grabhamia) paulli and redescription of the female (Diptera: Culicidae).

PubMed

Stein, Marina; Carlos Rossi, Gustavo; Ricardo Almirón, Walter

2013-01-01

The female of Psorophora (Grabhamia) paulli Paterson & Shannon is redescribed, and the pupa, fourth-instar larva and male genitalia are described and illustrated for the first time. Information about the distribution, bionomics and taxonomy is also included. Adults of Ps. paulli can be separated from the other species of the genus and subgenus by its small size. The larva of Ps. paulli is similar to that of Ps. varinervis Edwards and Ps. discolor (Coquillett) but can be separated based on the development of setae 1-X and 5-VIII, the length of the anal papillae and the comb on a sclerotized area.

Creaming enhancement in a liter scale ultrasonic reactor at selected transducer configurations and frequencies.

PubMed

Juliano, Pablo; Temmel, Sandra; Rout, Manoj; Swiergon, Piotr; Mawson, Raymond; Knoerzer, Kai

2013-01-01

Recent research has shown that high frequency ultrasound (0.4-3 MHz), can enhance milkfat separation in small scale systems able to treat only a few milliliters of sample. In this work, the effect of ultrasonic standing waves on milkfat creaming was studied in a 6L reactor and the influence of different frequencies and transducer configurations in direct contact with the fluid was investigated. A recombined coarse milk emulsion with fat globules stained with oil-red-O dye was selected for the separation trials. Runs were performed with one or two transducers placed in vertical (parallel or perpendicular) and horizontal positions (at the reactor base) at 0.4, 1 and/or 2 MHz (specific energy 8.5 ± 0.6 kJ/kg per transducer). Creaming behavior was assessed by measuring the thickness of the separated cream layer. Other methods supporting this assessment included the measurement of fat content, backscattering, particle size distribution, and microscopy of samples taken at the bottom and top of the reactor. Most efficient creaming was found after treatment at 0.4 MHz in single and double vertical transducer configurations. Among these configurations, a higher separation rate was obtained when sonicating at 0.4 MHz in a vertical perpendicular double transducer setup. The horizontal transducer configuration promoted creaming at 2 MHz only. Fat globule size increase was observed when creaming occurred. This research highlights the potential for enhanced separation of milkfat in larger scale systems from selected transducer configurations in contact with a dairy emulsion, or emulsion splitting in general. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A high gradient and strength bioseparator with nano-sized immunomagnetic particles for specific separation and efficient concentration of E. coli O157:H7

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jianhan; Li, Min; Li, Yanbin; Chen, Qi

2015-03-01

Sample pretreatment is a key to rapid screening of pathogens for prevention and control of foodborne diseases. Magnetic immunoseparation is a specific method based on antibody-antigen reaction to capture the target bacteria and concentrate them in a smaller-volume buffer. The use of nano-sized magnetic particles could improve the separation efficiency of bacteria but require much higher gradient and strength magnetic field. In this study, a strong magnetic bioseparator with a mean field strength of 1.35 T and a mean gradient of 90 T/m was developed with the use of the 30 nm and 180 nm magnetic particles to specifically separate and efficiently concentrate foodborne bacterial pathogens using Escherichia coli O157:H7 as a model bacterium. The polyclonal antibodies against E. coli were evaluated using Dot ELISA analysis for their good affinity with the target bacteria and then used to modify the surface of the magnetic nanoparticles by 1-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC·HCl) method and streptavidin-biotin binding. The magnetic particle concentrations were optimized to be 40 μg/ml and 100 μg/ml for the 30 nm and 180 nm particles, respectively, the immunoreaction time was optimized to be 45 min for both sizes of particles, and the separation times were optimized to be 60 min and 2 min for the 30 nm and 180 nm particles, respectively. The total magnetic separation time was 2 h and 1 h for the 30 nm and 180 nm particles, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that the bioseparator with the use of either 30 nm or 180 nm immunomagnetic particles could achieve a separation efficiency of >90% for E. coli O157:H7 at the concentrations ranging from 102 to 105 cfu/ml. No obvious interferences from non-target foodborne pathogens, such as SalmonellaTyphimurium and Listeria innocua, were found. For overall consideration of the consuming time, the cost, and the separation efficiency, the 180 nm magnetic particles are practical for rapid screening applications; however the 30 nm magnetic particles are preferable for specific detection applications. This immunomagnetic bioseparator can be integrated with either conventional culture methods or some rapid detection methods, such as biosensors and PCR, for more sensitive detection of foodborne pathogens.

Influence of shape and size of the particles on jigging separation of plastics mixture.

PubMed

Pita, Fernando; Castilho, Ana

2016-02-01

Plastics are popular for numerous applications due to their high versatility and favourable properties such as endurance, lightness and cheapness. Therefore the generation of plastic waste is constantly increasing, becoming one of the larger categories in municipal solid waste. Almost all plastic materials are recyclable, but for the recycling to be possible it is necessary to separate the different types of plastics. The aim of this research was to evaluate the performance of the jig separation of bi-component plastic mixtures. For this study six granulated plastics had been used: Polystyrene (PS), Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET-S, PET-D) and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC-M, PVC-D). Plastics mixtures were subjected to jigging in a laboratorial Denver mineral jig. The results showed that the quality of the jigging separation varies with the mixture, the density differences and with the size and shape of the particles. In the case of particles with more regular shapes the quality of separation of bi-component plastic mixtures improved with the increase of the particle size. For lamellar particles the influence of particle size was minimal. In general, the beneficiation of plastics with similar densities was not effective, since the separation efficiency was lower than 25%. However, in bi-component plastic mixtures that join a low density plastic (PS) with a high density one (PMMA, PET-S, PET-D, PVC-M and PVC-D), the quality of the jigging separation was greatly improved. The PS grade in the sunk was less than 1% for all the plastic mixtures. Jigging proved to be an effective method for the separation of bi-component plastic mixtures. Jigging separation will be enhanced if the less dense plastic, that overflows, has a lamellar shape and if the denser plastic, that sinks, has a regular one. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel microfluidic platform for size and deformability based separation and the subsequent molecular characterization of viable circulating tumor cells.

PubMed

Hvichia, G E; Parveen, Z; Wagner, C; Janning, M; Quidde, J; Stein, A; Müller, V; Loges, S; Neves, R P L; Stoecklein, N H; Wikman, H; Riethdorf, S; Pantel, K; Gorges, T M

2016-06-15

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) were introduced as biomarkers more than 10 years ago, but capture of viable CTCs at high purity from peripheral blood of cancer patients is still a major technical challenge. Here, we report a novel microfluidic platform designed for marker independent capture of CTCs. The Parsortix™ cell separation system provides size and deformability-based enrichment with automated staining for cell identification, and subsequent recovery (harvesting) of cells from the device. Using the Parsortix™ system, average cell capture inside the device ranged between 42% and 70%. Subsequent harvest of cells from the device ranged between 54% and 69% of cells captured. Most importantly, 99% of the isolated tumor cells were viable after processing in spiking experiments as well as after harvesting from patient samples and still functional for downstream molecular analysis as demonstrated by mRNA characterization and array-based comparative genomic hybridization. Analyzing clinical blood samples from metastatic (n = 20) and nonmetastatic (n = 6) cancer patients in parallel with CellSearch(®) system, we found that there was no statistically significant difference between the quantitative behavior of the two systems in this set of twenty six paired separations. In conclusion, the epitope independent Parsortix™ system enables the isolation of viable CTCs at a very high purity. Using this system, viable tumor cells are easily accessible and ready for molecular and functional analysis. The system's ability for enumeration and molecular characterization of EpCAM-negative CTCs will help to broaden research into the mechanisms of cancer as well as facilitating the use of CTCs as "liquid biopsies." © 2016 The Authors International Journal of Cancer published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of UICC.

Variable-aperture screen

DOEpatents

Savage, George M.

1991-01-01

Apparatus for separating material into first and second portions according to size including a plurality of shafts, a plurality of spaced disks radiating outwardly from each of the shafts to define apertures and linkage interconnecting the shafts for moving the shafts toward or away from one another to vary the size of the apertures while the apparatus is performing the separating function.

Alloy and heterostructure architectures as promising tools for controlling electronic properties of semiconductor quantum dots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vaxenburg, Roman; Lifshitz, Efrat

2012-02-01

Tunability of energy levels and wavefunctions of carriers in colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) has a marked effect on numerous physical aspects, such as Coulomb interactions and charge separation, which in turn has a direct impact on the functioning of CQD-based opto-electronic devices. The electronic properties of CQDs are conventionally controlled by variation of their size. Here we demonstrate a theoretical approach to engineer the electronic properties of IV-VI CQDs by introducing an alloy composition in core and core/shell heterostructures, having the general chemical formula PbSexS1-x/PbSeyS1-y (0 ≤ x ≤ 1, 0 ≤ y ≤ 1), while maintaining a constant size. The theoretical model considered an effective mass anisotropy and smooth potential step at the core/shell interface. The model revealed the influence induced by variation of chemical composition and core-to-shell division on the band-gap energy, remote states’ density, internal charge separation, electron-hole Coulomb interaction, and optical transition oscillator strength.

Size exclusion chromatography for analyses of fibroin in silk: optimization of sampling and separation conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pawcenis, Dominika; Koperska, Monika A.; Milczarek, Jakub M.; Łojewski, Tomasz; Łojewska, Joanna

2014-02-01

A direct goal of this paper was to improve the methods of sample preparation and separation for analyses of fibroin polypeptide with the use of size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The motivation for the study arises from our interest in natural polymers included in historic textile and paper artifacts, and is a logical response to the urgent need for developing rationale-based methods for materials conservation. The first step is to develop a reliable analytical tool which would give insight into fibroin structure and its changes caused by both natural and artificial ageing. To investigate the influence of preparation conditions, two sets of artificially aged samples were prepared (with and without NaCl in sample solution) and measured by the means of SEC with multi angle laser light scattering detector. It was shown that dialysis of fibroin dissolved in LiBr solution allows removal of the salt which destroys stacks chromatographic columns and prevents reproducible analyses. Salt rich (NaCl) water solutions of fibroin improved the quality of chromatograms.

A Highly Ion-Selective Zeolite Flake Layer on Porous Membranes for Flow Battery Applications.

PubMed

Yuan, Zhizhang; Zhu, Xiangxue; Li, Mingrun; Lu, Wenjing; Li, Xianfeng; Zhang, Huamin

2016-02-24

Zeolites are crystalline microporous aluminosilicates with periodic arrangements of cages and well-defined channels, which make them very suitable for separating ions of different sizes, and thus also for use in battery applications. Herein, an ultra-thin ZSM-35 zeolite flake was introduced onto a poly(ether sulfone) based porous membrane. The pore size of the zeolite (ca. 0.5 nm) is intermediary between that of hydrated vanadium ions (>0.6 nm) and protons (<0.24 nm). The resultant membrane can thus be used to perfectly separate vanadium ions and protons, making this technology useful in vanadium flow batteries (VFB). A VFB with a zeolite-coated membrane exhibits a columbic efficiency of >99 % and an energy efficiency of >81 % at 200 mA cm(-2), which is by far the highest value ever reported. These convincing results indicate that zeolite-coated membranes are promising in battery applications. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Semiclassical spatial correlations in chaotic wave functions.

PubMed

Toscano, Fabricio; Lewenkopf, Caio H

2002-03-01

We study the spatial autocorrelation of energy eigenfunctions psi(n)(q) corresponding to classically chaotic systems in the semiclassical regime. Our analysis is based on the Weyl-Wigner formalism for the spectral average C(epsilon)(q(+),q(-),E) of psi(n)(q(+))psi(*)(n)(q(-)), defined as the average over eigenstates within an energy window epsilon centered at E. In this framework C(epsilon) is the Fourier transform in the momentum space of the spectral Wigner function W(x,E;epsilon). Our study reveals the chord structure that C(epsilon) inherits from the spectral Wigner function showing the interplay between the size of the spectral average window, and the spatial separation scale. We discuss under which conditions is it possible to define a local system independent regime for C(epsilon). In doing so, we derive an expression that bridges the existing formulas in the literature and find expressions for C(epsilon)(q(+),q(-),E) valid for any separation size /q(+)-q(-)/.

Draft Tube Baffle (DTB) crystallizers: A study of stationary and dynamically behaving Crystal Size Distributions (CSD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deleer, B. G. M.

1981-11-01

Based on population balance, CSD behavior as a function of geometrical and operating variables was studied, using a crystallizer. A potash alum-water system, involving a separation technique which uses surface active agents and an apolar, organic liquid to separate potash alum crystals from mother liquid under the influence of gravity was used to check experimental findings against literature data. Results show action of annular settling spaces is strongly influenced by fluid velocities perpendicular to those directed upwards. The well-mixed volume decreases with increasing crystallizer size until a minimum effective volume is reached. As supersaturation is constant throughout the crystallizer volume under stationary operating conditions, the annular settling space behaves like a growth chamber for crystals in its volume. Swirl in the lower part of the annular volume introduces significant back mixing. Crystals within this space either grow and return to the well-mixed part, or withdraw from the annular volume permanently.

Redox active polymers and colloidal particles for flow batteries

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

Gavvalapalli, Nagarjuna; Moore, Jeffrey S.; Rodriguez-Lopez, Joaquin

The invention provides a redox flow battery comprising a microporous or nanoporous size-exclusion membrane, wherein one cell of the battery contains a redox-active polymer dissolved in the non-aqueous solvent or a redox-active colloidal particle dispersed in the non-aqueous solvent. The redox flow battery provides enhanced ionic conductivity across the electrolyte separator and reduced redox-active species crossover, thereby improving the performance and enabling widespread utilization. Redox active poly(vinylbenzyl ethylviologen) (RAPs) and redox active colloidal particles (RACs) were prepared and were found to be highly effective redox species. Controlled potential bulk electrolysis indicates that 94-99% of the nominal charge on different RAPsmore » is accessible and the electrolysis products are stable upon cycling. The high concentration attainable (>2.0 M) for RAPs in common non-aqueous battery solvents, their electrochemical and chemical reversibility, and their hindered transport across porous separators make them attractive materials for non-aqueous redox flow batteries based on size-selectivity.« less

Endotoxin in Size-Separated Metal Working Fluid Aerosol Particles.

PubMed

Dahlman-Höglund, Anna; Lindgren, Åsa; Mattsby-Baltzer, Inger

2016-08-01

Patients with airway symptoms working in metal working industries are increasing, despite efforts to improve the environmental air surrounding the machines. Our aim was to analyse the amount of endotoxin in size-separated airborne particles of metal working fluid (MWF) aerosol, by using the personal sampler Sioutas cascade impactor, to compare filter types, and to compare the concentration of airborne endotoxin to that of the corresponding MWFs. In a pilot field study, aerosols were collected in two separate machine halls on totally 10 occasions, using glass fibre and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) filters in parallel at each station. Airborne endotoxin was distributed over all size fractions. While a major part was found in the largest size fraction (72%, 2.5-10 µm), up to 8% of the airborne endotoxin was detected in the smallest size fraction (<0.25 µm). Comparing the efficiency of the filter types, a significantly higher median endotoxin level was found with glass fibres filters collecting the largest particle-size fraction (1.2-fold) and with PTFE filters collecting the smallest ones (5-fold). The levels of endotoxin in the size-separated airborne particle fractions correlated to those of the MWFs supporting the aerosol-generating machines. Our study indicates that a significant part of inhalable aerosols of MWFs consists of endotoxin-containing particles below the size of intact bacteria, and thus small enough to readily reach the deepest part of the lung. Combined with other chemical irritants of the MWF, exposure to MWF aerosols containing endotoxin pose a risk to respiratory health problems. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

Core lipid, surface lipid and apolipoprotein composition analysis of lipoprotein particles as a function of particle size in one workflow integrating asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

PubMed Central

Jones, Jeffery I.; Gardner, Michael S.; Schieltz, David M.; Parks, Bryan A.; Toth, Christopher A.; Rees, Jon C.; Andrews, Michael L.; Carter, Kayla; Lehtikoski, Antony K.; McWilliams, Lisa G.; Williamson, Yulanda M.; Bierbaum, Kevin P.; Pirkle, James L.; Barr, John R.

2018-01-01

Lipoproteins are complex molecular assemblies that are key participants in the intricate cascade of extracellular lipid metabolism with important consequences in the formation of atherosclerotic lesions and the development of cardiovascular disease. Multiplexed mass spectrometry (MS) techniques have substantially improved the ability to characterize the composition of lipoproteins. However, these advanced MS techniques are limited by traditional pre-analytical fractionation techniques that compromise the structural integrity of lipoprotein particles during separation from serum or plasma. In this work, we applied a highly effective and gentle hydrodynamic size based fractionation technique, asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation (AF4), and integrated it into a comprehensive tandem mass spectrometry based workflow that was used for the measurement of apolipoproteins (apos A-I, A-II, A-IV, B, C-I, C-II, C-III and E), free cholesterol (FC), cholesterol esters (CE), triglycerides (TG), and phospholipids (PL) (phosphatidylcholine (PC), sphingomyelin (SM), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylinositol (PI) and lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)). Hydrodynamic size in each of 40 size fractions separated by AF4 was measured by dynamic light scattering. Measuring all major lipids and apolipoproteins in each size fraction and in the whole serum, using total of 0.1 ml, allowed the volumetric calculation of lipoprotein particle numbers and expression of composition in molar analyte per particle number ratios. Measurements in 110 serum samples showed substantive differences between size fractions of HDL and LDL. Lipoprotein composition within size fractions was expressed in molar ratios of analytes (A-I/A-II, C-II/C-I, C-II/C-III. E/C-III, FC/PL, SM/PL, PE/PL, and PI/PL), showing differences in sample categories with combinations of normal and high levels of Total-C and/or Total-TG. The agreement with previous studies indirectly validates the AF4-LC-MS/MS approach and demonstrates the potential of this workflow for characterization of lipoprotein composition in clinical studies using small volumes of archived frozen samples. PMID:29634782

Optimal protein library design using recombination or point mutations based on sequence-based scoring functions.

PubMed

Pantazes, Robert J; Saraf, Manish C; Maranas, Costas D

2007-08-01

In this paper, we introduce and test two new sequence-based protein scoring systems (i.e. S1, S2) for assessing the likelihood that a given protein hybrid will be functional. By binning together amino acids with similar properties (i.e. volume, hydrophobicity and charge) the scoring systems S1 and S2 allow for the quantification of the severity of mismatched interactions in the hybrids. The S2 scoring system is found to be able to significantly functionally enrich a cytochrome P450 library over other scoring methods. Given this scoring base, we subsequently constructed two separate optimization formulations (i.e. OPTCOMB and OPTOLIGO) for optimally designing protein combinatorial libraries involving recombination or mutations, respectively. Notably, two separate versions of OPTCOMB are generated (i.e. model M1, M2) with the latter allowing for position-dependent parental fragment skipping. Computational benchmarking results demonstrate the efficacy of models OPTCOMB and OPTOLIGO to generate high scoring libraries of a prespecified size.

Foam separation of Rhodamine-G and Evans Blue using a simple separatory bottle system.

PubMed

Dasarathy, Dhweeja; Ito, Yoichiro

2017-09-29

A simple separatory glass bottle was used to improve separation effectiveness and cost efficiency while simultaneously creating a simpler system for separating biological compounds. Additionally, it was important to develop a scalable separation method so this would be applicable to both analytical and preparative separations. Compared to conventional foam separation methods, this method easily forms stable dry foam which ensures high purity of yielded fractions. A negatively charged surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), was used as the ligand to carry a positively charged Rhodamine-G, leaving a negatively charged Evans Blue in the bottle. The performance of the separatory bottle was tested for separating Rhodamine-G from Evans Blue with sample sizes ranged from 1 to 12mg in preparative separations and 1-20μg in analytical separations under optimum conditions. These conditions including N 2 gas pressure, spinning speed of contents with a magnetic stirrer, concentration of the ligand, volume of the solvent, and concentration of the sample, were all modified and optimized. Based on the calculations at their peak absorbances, Rhodamine-G and Evans Blue were efficiently separated in times ranging from 1h to 3h, depending on sample volume. Optimal conditions were found to be 60psi N 2 pressure and 2mM SDS for the affinity ligand. This novel separation method will allow for rapid separation of biological compounds while simultaneously being scalable and cost effective. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Optimizing dynamic downscaling in one-way nesting using a regional ocean model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Van Sy; Hwang, Jin Hwan; Ku, Hyeyun

2016-10-01

Dynamical downscaling with nested regional oceanographic models has been demonstrated to be an effective approach for both operationally forecasted sea weather on regional scales and projections of future climate change and its impact on the ocean. However, when nesting procedures are carried out in dynamic downscaling from a larger-scale model or set of observations to a smaller scale, errors are unavoidable due to the differences in grid sizes and updating intervals. The present work assesses the impact of errors produced by nesting procedures on the downscaled results from Ocean Regional Circulation Models (ORCMs). Errors are identified and evaluated based on their sources and characteristics by employing the Big-Brother Experiment (BBE). The BBE uses the same model to produce both nesting and nested simulations; so it addresses those error sources separately (i.e., without combining the contributions of errors from different sources). Here, we focus on discussing errors resulting from the spatial grids' differences, the updating times and the domain sizes. After the BBE was separately run for diverse cases, a Taylor diagram was used to analyze the results and recommend an optimal combination of grid size, updating period and domain sizes. Finally, suggested setups for the downscaling were evaluated by examining the spatial correlations of variables and the relative magnitudes of variances between the nested model and the original data.

Effects of comprehensive function of factors on retention behavior of microparticles in gravitational field-flow fractionation.

PubMed

Guo, Shuang; Qiu, Bai-Ling; Zhu, Chen-Qi; Yang, Ya-Ya Gao; Wu, Di; Liang, Qi-Hui; Han, Nan-Yin

2016-09-15

Gravitational field-flow fractionation (GrFFF) is a useful technique for separation and characterization for micrometer-sized particles. Elution behavior of micrometer-sized particles in GrFFF was researched in this study. Particles in GrFFF channel are subject to hydrodynamic lift forces (HLF), fluid inertial forces and gravity, which drive them to different velocities by carrier flow, resulting in a size-based separation. Effects of ionic strength, flow rate and viscosity as well as methanol were investigated using polystyrene latex beads as model particles. This study is devoted to experimental verification of the effect of every factor and their comprehensive function. All experiments were performed to show isolated influence of every variable factor. The orthogonal design test was used to evaluate various factors comprehensively. Results suggested that retention ratio of particles increases with increasing flow rate or the viscosity of carrier liquid by adjusting external forces acting on particles. In addition, retention ratio increases as ionic strength decreases because of decreased electrostatic repulsion between particles and channel accumulation wall. As far as methanol, there is no general trend due to the change of both density and viscosity. On the basis of orthogonal design test it was found that viscosity of carrier liquid plays a significant role in determining resolution of micrometer-sized particles in GrFFF. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Superficially porous particles columns for super fast HPLC separations.

PubMed

Ali, Imran; Al-Othman, Zeid A; Al-Za'abi, Mohammed

2012-08-01

Superficially porous silica particles columns (SPSPCs) are manufactured by different companies. The most common have the brand names Halo, Ascentis Express and Kinetex. These columns provide super fast, sharp peaks and moderate sample loading and back pressure. These are available in different chemistries such as C₈, C₁₈, RP Amide and Hilic. Normally, the silica gel particles have 2.7 and 1.7 µm total and inner solid core diameters with 0.5 µm thick outer porous layer, 90 Å pore size and 150 m²/g surface area. They have been used for the separation and identification of low and high molecular weight compounds. The present article describes the state of the art of superficially porous silica particles based columns with special emphasis on their structures, mechanisms of separation, applications and comparison. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Colorstratigraphy; A New Stratigraphic Correlation Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nanayakkara, N. U.; Ranasinghage, P. N.; Priyantha, C.; Abillapitiya, T.

2016-12-01

Here we introduce a novel stratigraphic technique namely colorstratigraphy for correlating sedimentary sequences. Minihagalkanda is about 1 km long amphitheater like sedimentary terrain, situated at the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka. It has Miocene sedimentary sequences, separated in to 10-12 m high small hillocks by erosion, and bounded by about 30 m high escarpment. Sandstone, yellowish sandy clay, greenish silty clay sequences are capped by 4-5 m limestone bed in these hillocks but not at the boundary escarpment. Stratigraphic profiles at two hillocks and the boundary escarpment, separated each other by 200-300 m, were selected to test the new colorstartigraphic correlation technique. Color reflectance (DSR) was measured at four samples in each sequence at every profile and hence altogether 36 reflectance measurements were taken using Minolta 2500D hand-held color spectrophotometer. The first-derivative of the reflectance spectra (dR/dλ) defines the "spectral shape" of the sample. Therefore, DSR data (360-740 nm) measured at 10 nm resolution were used to calculate a center-weighted, first-derivative spectra for each reflectance sample consisting of 39 channels. Particle size of each sequence was measured at all 03 profiles using laser particle size analyzer to verify the stratigraphic correlation. Mean reflectance spectrum for each sequence at all 03 profiles were plotted on the same graph for comparison. Same was done for the grain size spectrums. Discriminant function analysis was performed separately for dsr data and grain size data using a number assigned to each sedimentary sequence as the grouping variable Color spectrums of sandstone, yellowish sandy clay, and greenish silty clay sequences at all three profiles perfectly match showing clear stratigraphic correlation among these three stratigraphic profiles. Matching grain size distribution curves of the three sequence at the three profiles verify the stratigraphic correlation. Perfect 100 % discrimination of the three sequences with color reflectance data proves the accuracy of the correlation. Similar 100 % discrimination resulted with grain size data further verifies the results. Therefore, colorstratigraphy based on DSR can be introduced as a quick and easy technique for stratigraphic correlation of sedimentary sequences.

Fabrication and Wettability Study of WO3 Coated Photocatalytic Membrane for Oil-Water Separation: A Comparative Study with ZnO Coated Membrane.

PubMed

Gondal, Mohammed A; Sadullah, Muhammad S; Qahtan, Talal F; Dastageer, Mohamed A; Baig, Umair; McKinley, Gareth H

2017-05-10

Superhydrophilic and underwater superoleophobic surfaces were fabricated by facile spray coating of nanostructured WO 3 on stainless steel meshes and compared its performance in oil-water separation with ZnO coated meshes. The gravity driven oil-water separation system was designed using these surfaces as the separation media and it was noticed that WO 3 coated stainless steel mesh showed high separation efficiency (99%), with pore size as high as 150 µm, whereas ZnO coated surfaces failed in the process of oil-water separation when the pore exceeded 50 µm size. Since, nanostructured WO 3 is a well known catalyst, the simultaneous photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants present in the separated water from the oil water separation process were tested using WO 3 coated surfaces under UV radiation and the efficiency of this degradation was found to be quite significant. These results assure that with little improvisation on the oil water separation system, these surfaces can be made multifunctional to work simultaneously for oil-water separation and demineralization of organic pollutants from the separated water. Fabrication of the separating surface, their morphological characteristics, wettability, oil water separation efficiency and photo-catalytic degradation efficiency are enunciated.

Magnetic filtration of phase separating ferrofluids: From basic concepts to microfluidic device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzhir, P.; Magnet, C.; Ezzaier, H.; Zubarev, A.; Bossis, G.

2017-06-01

In this work, we briefly review magnetic separation of ferrofluids composed of large magnetic particles (60 nm of the average size) possessing an induced dipole moment. Such ferrofluids exhibit field-induced phase separation at relatively low particle concentrations (∼0.8 vol%) and magnetic fields (∼10 kA/m). Particle aggregates appearing during the phase separation are extracted from the suspending fluid by magnetic field gradients much easier than individual nanoparticles in the absence of phase separation. Nanoparticle capture by a single magnetized microbead and by multi-collector systems (packed bed of spheres and micro-pillar array) has been studied both experimentally and theoretically. Under flow and magnetic fields, the particle capture efficiency Λ decreases with an increasing Mason number for all considered geometries. This decrease may become stronger for aggregated magnetic particles (Λ ∝Ma-1.7) than for individual ones (Λ ∝Ma-1) if the shear fields are strong enough to provoke aggregate rupture. These results can be useful for development of new magneto-microfluidic immunoassays based on magnetic nanoparticles offering a much better sensitivity as compared to presently used magnetic microbeads.

PFB Coal Fired Combined Cycle Development Program. Advanced hot gas cleanup concept evaluation (Task 4. 3). Volume A. Aerodyne cyclone evaluation

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

Not Available

This report summarizes the results of testing of a rotary flow cyclone, manufactured by Aerodyne Development Corporation under license by Siemens Kraftwerk Union. This cyclone was selected for evaluation due to the unusually high separative efficiencies claimed by the manufacturer (based on developer data), and relative lack of open literature data. The most significant finding of this work was the observation that electrostatic forces could enhance or, in fact, dominate the separation process. Separative efficiencies, with electrostatic forces present, were found to be substantially independent of flow rate and, by inference, could be independent of unit size. Hence this findingmore » offers a major hope that large cyclones employed in the hot gas cleanup train of the CFCC system may not suffer the performance degradation compared to small cyclones, as projected from conventional inertial theory. The separative efficiencies of the Aerodyne cyclone separator were found from both the cold flow and the hot flow tests to be disappointingly poorer than expectations (in agreement with Westinghouse results), and even poorer than conventional cyclones. (LTN)« less

Dynamics of phase separation of binary fluids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ma, Wen-Jong; Maritan, Amos; Banavar, Jayanth R.; Koplik, Joel

1992-01-01

The results of molecular-dynamics studies of surface-tension-dominated spinodal decomposition of initially well-mixed binary fluids in the absence and presence of gravity are presented. The growth exponent for the domain size and the decay exponent of the potential energy of interaction between the two species with time are found to be 0.6 +/- 0.1, inconsistent with scaling arguments based on dimensional analysis.

Ground-water contamination by organic bases derived from coal-tar wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pereira, Wilfred E.; Rostad, Colleen E.; Garbarino, John R.; Hult, Marc F.

1983-01-01

A fluid sample from a shallow aquifer contaminated by coal-tar wastes was analyzed for organic bases. The sample consisted of a mixture of aqueous and oily-tar phases. The phases were separated by centrifugation and filtration. Organic bases were isolated from each phase by pH adjustment and solvent extraction. Organic bases in the oily-tar phase were further purified by neutral-alumina, micro-column adsorption chromatography. Separation and identification of the organic bases in each phase were achieved by using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-computer (GC-MS-COM) and probe distillation-high resolution mass spectrometry (PD-HRMS) techniques. Organic bases present in the aqueous phase included primary aromatic amines (such as aniline, alkylated anilines, and naphthylamines) as well as azaarenes (such as alkylated pyridines, quinolines, acridine, and benzoquinolines). The oily-tar phase contained acridine, benzacridines, dibenzacridines, and numerous other azaarenes, the elemental compositions of which were determined by PD-HRMS. Azaarenes in the oily-tar phase, varying in size from 6 to 12 rings, are reported for the first time. The origin and environmental significance of these compounds are discussed.

Groundwater contamination by organic bases derived from coal-tar wastes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pereira, W.E.; Rostad, C.E.; Garbarino, J.R.; Hult, M.F.

1983-01-01

A fluid sample from a shallow aquifer contaminated by coal-tar wastes was analyzed for organic bases. The sample consisted of a mixture of aqueous and oily-tar phases. The phases were separated by centrifugation and filtration. Organic bases were isolated from each phase by pH adjustment and solvent extraction. Organic bases in the oily-tar phase were further purified by neutral-alumina, micro-column adsorption chromatography. Separation and identification of the organic bases in each phase were achieved by using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-computer (GC-MS-COM) and probe distillation-high resolution mass spectrometry (PD-HRMS) techniques. Organic bases present in the aqueous phase included primary aromatic amines (such as aniline, alkylated anilines, and naphthylamines) as well as azaarenes (such as alkylated pyridines, quinolines, acridine, and benzoquinolines). The oily-tar phase contained acridine, benzacridines, dibenzacridines, and numerous other azaarenes, the elemental compositions of which were determined by PD-HRMS. Azaarenes in the oily-tar phase, varying in size from 6 to 12 rings, are reported for the first time. The origin and environmental significance of these compounds are discussed. ?? 1983.

Heavy section fracture toughness screening specimen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shannon, J. L., Jr.; Donald, J. K.; Brown, W. F., Jr.

1976-01-01

Size requirements for a pin loaded double edge notch + crack tension specimen proposed for fracture toughness screening heavy section alloys were studied. Ranking of eight selected alloys based on the specimen's net strength was compared with that based on the valid plane strain fracture toughness separately determined. Performance of the specimen was judged on the basis of that comparison. The specimen's net strength was influenced by three critical specimen dimensions: distance between the crack plane and the loading hole, specimen width, and specimen thickness. Interaction between the stress fields of the crack and the loading holes reduced the net strength, but this effect disappeared as the separation reached a dimension equal to the specimen width. The effects of specimen width and thickness are interrelated and affect the net strength through their influence on the development of the crack tip plastic zone.

Anomalous interface adhesion of graphene membranes

PubMed Central

He, Y.; Chen, W. F.; Yu, W. B.; Ouyang, G.; Yang, G. W.

2013-01-01

In order to understand the anomalous interface adhesion properties between graphene membranes and their substrates, we have developed a theoretical method to calibrate the interface adhesion energy of monolayer and multilayer graphene on substrates based on the bond relaxation consideration. Four kinds of interfaces, including graphene/SiO2, graphene/Cu, graphene/Cu/Ni and Cu/graphene/Ni, were taken into account. It was found that the membrane thickness and the interface confinement condition determine the adhesion energy. The relationship between the critical interface separation and the graphene thickness showed that the interface separation in the self-equilibrium state drops with decreasing membrane thickness. The size-dependent Young's modulus of graphene membrane and the interfacial condition were responsible for the novel interface adhesion energy. The proposed theory was expected to be applied to the design of graphene-based devices. PMID:24036502

A Heuristic Probabilistic Approach to Estimating Size-Dependent Mobility of Nonuniform Sediment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woldegiorgis, B. T.; Wu, F. C.; van Griensven, A.; Bauwens, W.

2017-12-01

Simulating the mechanism of bed sediment mobility is essential for modelling sediment dynamics. Despite the fact that many studies are carried out on this subject, they use complex mathematical formulations that are computationally expensive, and are often not easy for implementation. In order to present a simple and computationally efficient complement to detailed sediment mobility models, we developed a heuristic probabilistic approach to estimating the size-dependent mobilities of nonuniform sediment based on the pre- and post-entrainment particle size distributions (PSDs), assuming that the PSDs are lognormally distributed. The approach fits a lognormal probability density function (PDF) to the pre-entrainment PSD of bed sediment and uses the threshold particle size of incipient motion and the concept of sediment mixture to estimate the PSDs of the entrained sediment and post-entrainment bed sediment. The new approach is simple in physical sense and significantly reduces the complexity and computation time and resource required by detailed sediment mobility models. It is calibrated and validated with laboratory and field data by comparing to the size-dependent mobilities predicted with the existing empirical lognormal cumulative distribution function (CDF) approach. The novel features of the current approach are: (1) separating the entrained and non-entrained sediments by a threshold particle size, which is a modified critical particle size of incipient motion by accounting for the mixed-size effects, and (2) using the mixture-based pre- and post-entrainment PSDs to provide a continuous estimate of the size-dependent sediment mobility.

Utilization of Methacrylates and Polymer Matrices for the Synthesis of Ion Specific Resins

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

Czerwinski, Kenneth

2013-10-29

Disposal, storage, and/or transmutation of actinides such as americium (Am) will require the development of specific separation schemes. Existing efforts focus on solvent extraction systems for achieving suitable separation of actinide from lanthanides. However, previous work has shown the feasibility of ion-imprinting polymer-based resins for use in ion-exchange-type separations with metal ion recognition. Phenolic-based resins have been shown to function well for Am-Eu separations, but these resins exhibited slow kinetics and difficulties in the imprinting process. This project addresses the need for new and innovative methods for the selective separation of actinides through novel ion-imprinted resins. The project team willmore » explore incorporation of metals into extended frameworks, including the possibility of 3D polymerized matrices that can serve as a solid-state template for specific resin preparation. For example, an anhydrous trivalent f-element chain can be formed directly from a metal carbonate, and methacrylic acid from water. From these simple coordination complexes, molecules of discrete size or shape can be formed via the utilization of coordinating ligands or by use of an anionic multi-ligand system incorporating methacrylate. Additionally, alkyl methyl methacrylates have been used successfully to create template nanospaces, which underscores their potential utility as 3D polymerized matrices. This evidence provides a unique route for the preparation of a specific metal ion template for the basis of ion-exchange separations. Such separations may prove to be excellent discriminators of metal ions, even between f-elements. Resins were prepared and evaluated for sorption behavior, column properties, and proton exchange capacity.« less

Size exclusion chromatographic analysis of refuse-derived fuel for mycotoxins

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

Bicking, M.K.; Kniseley, R.N.

1980-11-01

A Styragel packing material is characterized in several solvent systems by using a series of test solutes and mycotoxins. Differences in interpretation with other work are discussed. Three different separation modes are generated on one stationary phase. An improved separation of mycotoxins from a compilcated matrix results by simultaneously using size exclusion and liquid-liquid partitioning. 4 figures, 3 tables.

Variable-aperture screen

DOEpatents

Savage, G.M.

1991-10-29

Apparatus is described for separating material into first and second portions according to size including a plurality of shafts, a plurality of spaced disks radiating outwardly from each of the shafts to define apertures and linkage interconnecting the shafts for moving the shafts toward or away from one another to vary the size of the apertures while the apparatus is performing the separating function. 10 figures.

Microfluidic integration of parallel solid-phase liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Huft, Jens; Haynes, Charles A; Hansen, Carl L

2013-03-05

We report the development of a fully integrated microfluidic chromatography system based on a recently developed column geometry that allows for robust packing of high-performance separation columns in poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic devices having integrated valves made by multilayer soft lithography (MSL). The combination of parallel high-performance separation columns and on-chip plumbing was used to achieve a fully integrated system for on-chip chromatography, including all steps of automated sample loading, programmable gradient generation, separation, fluorescent detection, and sample recovery. We demonstrate this system in the separation of fluorescently labeled DNA and parallel purification of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplified variable regions of mouse immunoglobulin genes using a strong anion exchange (AEX) resin. Parallel sample recovery in an immiscible oil stream offers the advantage of low sample dilution and high recovery rates. The ability to perform nucleic acid size selection and recovery on subnanogram samples of DNA holds promise for on-chip genomics applications including sequencing library preparation, cloning, and sample fractionation for diagnostics.

Tessellated permanent magnet circuits for flow-through, open gradient separations of weakly magnetic materials

PubMed Central

Moore, Lee R.; Williams, P. Stephen; Chalmers, Jeffrey J.; Zborowski, Maciej

2017-01-01

Emerging microfluidic-based cell assays favor label-free red blood cell (RBC) depletion. Magnetic separation of RBC is possible because of the paramagnetism of deoxygenated hemoglobin but the process is slow for open-gradient field configurations. In order to increase the throughput, periodic arrangements of the unit magnets were considered, consisting of commercially available Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets and soft steel flux return pieces. The magnet design is uniquely suitable for multiplexing by magnet tessellation, here meaning the tiling of the magnet assembly cross-sectional plane by periodic repetition of the magnet and the flow channel shapes. The periodic pattern of magnet magnetizations allows a reduction of the magnetic material per channel with minimal distortion of the field cylindrical symmetry inside the magnet apertures. A number of such magnet patterns are investigated for separator performance, size and economy with the goal of designing an open-gradient magnetic separator capable of reducing the RBC number concentration a hundred-fold in 1 mL whole blood per hour. PMID:29104346

Tessellated permanent magnet circuits for flow-through, open gradient separations of weakly magnetic materials.

PubMed

Moore, Lee R; Williams, P Stephen; Chalmers, Jeffrey J; Zborowski, Maciej

2017-04-01

Emerging microfluidic-based cell assays favor label-free red blood cell (RBC) depletion. Magnetic separation of RBC is possible because of the paramagnetism of deoxygenated hemoglobin but the process is slow for open-gradient field configurations. In order to increase the throughput, periodic arrangements of the unit magnets were considered, consisting of commercially available Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets and soft steel flux return pieces. The magnet design is uniquely suitable for multiplexing by magnet tessellation, here meaning the tiling of the magnet assembly cross-sectional plane by periodic repetition of the magnet and the flow channel shapes. The periodic pattern of magnet magnetizations allows a reduction of the magnetic material per channel with minimal distortion of the field cylindrical symmetry inside the magnet apertures. A number of such magnet patterns are investigated for separator performance, size and economy with the goal of designing an open-gradient magnetic separator capable of reducing the RBC number concentration a hundred-fold in 1 mL whole blood per hour.

The structure of dilute combusting sprays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shuen, J. S.; Solomon, A. S. P.; Faeth, F. M.

1985-01-01

An experimental and theoretical study of drop processes in a turbulent flame is described. The experiments involved a monodisperse (105 and 180 micro m initial diameter) stream of methanol drops injected at the base of a turbulent methane-fueled diffusion flame burning in still air. The following measurements were made: mean and fluctuating phase velocities, mean drop number flux, drop-size distributions and mean gas-phase temperatures. Measurements were compared with predictions of two separated flow models: (1) deterministic separated flow, where drop-turbulence interactions are ignored; and (2) stochastic separated flow, where drop-turbulence interactions are considered using random-walk computations. The stochastic separated flow analysis yielded best agreement with measurements, since it provides for turbulent dispersion of drops which was important for present test conditions (and probably for most combusting sprays as well). Distinguishing the presence or absence of envelope flames around the drops, however, was relatively unimportant for present test conditions, since the drops spent most of their lifetime in fuel-rich regions of the flow where this distinction is irrelevant.

Optofluidic microscope with 3D spatial resolution.

PubMed

Vig, Asger Laurburg; Marie, Rodolphe; Jensen, Eric; Kristensen, Anders

2010-03-01

This paper reports on-chip based optical detection with three-dimensional spatial resolution by integration of an optofluidic microscope (OFM) in a microfluidic pinched flow fractionation (PFF) separation device. This setup also enables on-chip particle image velocimetry (PIV). The position in the plane perpendicular to the flow direction and the velocity along the flow direction of separated fluorescent labeled polystyrene microspheres with diameters of 1 microm , 2.1 microm , 3 microm and 4 microm is determined by the OFM. These results are bench marked against those obtained with a PFF device using conventional fluorescence microscope readout. The size separated microspheres are detected by OFM with an accuracy of

Behavior of a particle-laden flow in a spiral channel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sungyon; Stokes, Yvonne; Bertozzi, Andrea L.

2014-04-01

Spiral gravity separators are devices used in mineral processing to separate particles based on their specific gravity or size. The spiral geometry allows for the simultaneous application of gravitational and centripetal forces on the particles, which leads to segregation of particles. However, this segregation mechanism is not fundamentally understood, and the spiral separator literature does not tell a cohesive story either experimentally or theoretically. While experimental results vary depending on the specific spiral separator used, present theoretical works neglect the significant coupling between the particle dynamics and the flow field. Using work on gravity-driven monodisperse slurries on an incline that empirically accounts for this coupling, we consider a monodisperse particle slurry of small depth flowing down a rectangular channel that is helically wound around a vertical axis. We use a thin-film approximation to derive an equilibrium profile for the particle concentration and fluid depth and find that, in the steady state limit, the particles concentrate towards the vertical axis of the helix, leaving a region of clear fluid.

Simulations of hypersonic, high-enthalpy separated flow over a 'tick' configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moss, J. N.; O'Byrne, S.; Deepak, N. R.; Gai, S. L.

2012-11-01

The effect of slip is investigated in direct simulation Monte Carlo and Navier-Stokes-based computations of the separated flow between an expansion and a following compression surface, a geometry we call the 'tick' configuration. This configuration has been chosen as a test of separated flow with zero initial boundary layer thickness, a flowfield well suited to Chapman's analytical separated flow theories. The predicted size of the separated region is different for the two codes, although both codes meet their respective particle or grid resolution requirements. Unlike previous comparisons involving cylinder flares or double cones, the separation does not occur in a region of elevated density, and is therefore well suited to the direct simulation Monte Carlo method because the effect of slip at the surface is significant. The reasons for the difference between the two calculations are hypothesized to be a combination of significant rarefaction effects near the expansion surface and the non-zero radius of the leading edge. When the leading edge radius is accounted for, the rarefaction effect at the leading edge is less significant and the behavior of the flowfields predicted by the two methods becomes more similar.

Spacecraft nitrogen generation. [liquid hydrazine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, R. D.; Carlson, J. N.; Powell, J. D.; Kacholia, K. K.

1974-01-01

Two spacecraft nitrogen (N2) generation systems based on the catalytic dissociation of hydrazine (N2H4) were evaluated. In the first system, liquid N2H4 is catalytically dissociated to yield an N2 and hydrogen (H2) gas mixture. Separation of the N2/H2 gas mixture to yield N2 and a supply of H2 is accomplished using a polymer-electrochemical N2/H2 separator. In the second system, the N2/H2 gas mixture is separated in a two-stage palladium/silver (Pd/Ag) N2/H2 separator. The program culminated in the successful design, fabrication, and testing of a N2H4 catalytic dissociator, a polymer-electrochemical N2/H2 separator, and a two-stage Pd/Ag N2/H2 separator. The hardware developed was sized for an N2 delivery rate of 6.81 kg/d (15lb/day). Experimental results demonstrated that both spacecraft N2 generation systems are capable of producing 6.81 kg/d (15lb/day) of 99.9% pure N2 at a pressure greater than or equal to 1035 kN/m(2) (150 psia).

Plume effects on the flow around a blunted cone at hypersonic speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Atcliffe, P.; Kumar, D.; Stollery, J. L.

1992-01-01

Tests at M = 8.2 show that a simulated rocket plume at the base of a blunted cone can cause large areas of separated flow, with dramatic effects on the heat transfer rate distribution. The plume was simulated by solid discs of varying sizes or by an annular jet of gas. Flow over the cone without a plume is fully laminar and attached. Using a large disc, the boundary layer is laminar at separation at the test Reynolds number. Transition occurs along the separated shear layer and the boundary layer quickly becomes turbulent. The reduction in heat transfer associated with a laminar separated region is followed by rising values as transition occurs and the heat transfer rates towards the rear of the cone substantially exceed the values obtained without a plume. With the annular jet or a small disc, separation occurs much further aft, so that heat transfer rates at the front of the cone are comparable with those found without a plume. Downstream of separation the shear layer now remains laminar and the heat transfer rates to the surface are significantly lower than the attached flow values.

Method for producing size selected particles

DOEpatents

Krumdick, Gregory K.; Shin, Young Ho; Takeya, Kaname

2016-09-20

The invention provides a system for preparing specific sized particles, the system comprising a continuous stir tank reactor adapted to receive reactants; a centrifugal dispenser positioned downstream from the reactor and in fluid communication with the reactor; a particle separator positioned downstream of the dispenser; and a solution stream return conduit positioned between the separator and the reactor. Also provided is a method for preparing specific sized particles, the method comprising introducing reagent into a continuous stir reaction tank and allowing the reagents to react to produce product liquor containing particles; contacting the liquor particles with a centrifugal force for a time sufficient to generate particles of a predetermined size and morphology; and returning unused reagents and particles of a non-predetermined size to the tank.

Understanding the City Size Wage Gap*

PubMed Central

Baum-Snow, Nathaniel; Pavan, Ronni

2013-01-01

In this paper, we decompose city size wage premia into various components. We base these decompositions on an estimated on-the-job search model that incorporates latent ability, search frictions, firm-worker match quality, human capital accumulation and endogenous migration between large, medium and small cities. Counterfactual simulations of the model indicate that variation in returns to experience and differences in wage intercepts across location type are the most important mechanisms contributing to observed city size wage premia. Variation in returns to experience is more important for generating wage premia between large and small locations while differences in wage intercepts are more important for generating wage premia betwen medium and small locations. Sorting on unobserved ability within education group and differences in labor market search frictions and distributions of firm-worker match quality contribute little to observed city size wage premia. These conclusions hold for separate samples of high school and college graduates. PMID:24273347

Strategies for Tailoring the Pore-Size Distribution of Virus Retention Filter Papers.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Simon; Mihranyan, Albert

2016-06-08

The goal of this work is to demonstrate how the pore-size distribution of the nanocellulose-based virus-retentive filter can be tailored. The filter paper was produced using cellulose nanofibers derived from Cladophora sp. green algae using the hot-press drying at varying drying temperatures. The produced filters were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and N2 gas sorption analysis. Further, hydraulic permeability and retention efficiency toward surrogate 20 nm model particles (fluorescent carboxylate-modified polystyrene spheres) were assessed. It was shown that by controlling the rate of water evaporation during hot-press drying the pore-size distribution can be precisely tailored in the region between 10 and 25 nm. The mechanism of pore formation and critical parameters are discussed in detail. The results are highly valuable for development of advanced separation media, especially for virus-retentive size-exclusion filtration.

Size invariance of the granular Rayleigh-Taylor instability.

PubMed

Vinningland, Jan Ludvig; Johnsen, Øistein; Flekkøy, Eirik G; Toussaint, Renaud; Måløy, Knut Jørgen

2010-04-01

The size scaling behavior of the granular Rayleigh-Taylor instability [J. L. Vinningland, Phys. Rev. Lett. 99, 048001 (2007)] is investigated experimentally, numerically, and theoretically. An upper layer of grains displaces a lower gap of air by organizing into dense fingers of falling grains separated by rising bubbles of air. The dependence of these structures on the system and grain sizes is investigated. A spatial measurement of the finger structures is obtained by the Fourier power spectrum of the wave number k. As the size of the grains increases the wave number decreases accordingly which leaves the dimensionless product of wave number and grain diameter, dk, invariant. A theoretical interpretation of the invariance, based on the scaling properties of the model equations, suggests a gradual breakdown of the invariance for grains smaller than approximately 70 microm or greater than approximately 570 microm in diameter.

Understanding the City Size Wage Gap.

PubMed

Baum-Snow, Nathaniel; Pavan, Ronni

2012-01-01

In this paper, we decompose city size wage premia into various components. We base these decompositions on an estimated on-the-job search model that incorporates latent ability, search frictions, firm-worker match quality, human capital accumulation and endogenous migration between large, medium and small cities. Counterfactual simulations of the model indicate that variation in returns to experience and differences in wage intercepts across location type are the most important mechanisms contributing to observed city size wage premia. Variation in returns to experience is more important for generating wage premia between large and small locations while differences in wage intercepts are more important for generating wage premia betwen medium and small locations. Sorting on unobserved ability within education group and differences in labor market search frictions and distributions of firm-worker match quality contribute little to observed city size wage premia. These conclusions hold for separate samples of high school and college graduates.

Cyclone as a precleaner to ESP--a need for Indian coal based thermal power plants.

PubMed

George, K V; Manjunath, S; Rao, C V Chalapati; Bopche, A M

2003-11-01

Almost all coal based thermal power plants (CTPP) in India use electrostatic precipitator (ESP) for reduction of particulate matter (PM) in flue gas generated due to the combustion of Indian coal. This coal is characterized by high ash content, low calorific value and low sulfur content resulting in the generation of a very large amount of highly electrically-resistive fly-ash; thereby requiring a very large size ESP to minimize the fly-ash emissions. However, the flue-gas particle size distribution analysis showed that 60% of the particles are above 15 microm size, which can be conveniently removed using a low-cost inertial separator such as a cyclone separator. It is proposed that a cyclone be used, as a pre-cleaner to ESP so that the large size fraction of fly-ash can be removed in the pre-cleaning and the remaining flue-gas entering the ESP will then contain only small size particles with low dust loading, thereby requiring a small ESP, and improving overall efficiency of dust removal. A low efficiency (65%), high throughput cyclone is considered for pre-cleaning flue gas and the ESP is designed for removal of the remaining 35% fly-ash from the flue gas. It is observed that with 100% dust load, the ESP requires six fields per pass, whereas with cyclone as a pre-cleaner, it requires only five fields per pass. Introducing cyclone into the flue gas path results in additional head loss, which needs to be overcome by providing additional power to induced draft (ID) fan. The permissible head loss due to the cyclone is estimated by comparing the power requirement in the bag filter control unit and cyclone-ESP combined unit. It is estimated that a head loss of 10 cm of water can be permitted across the cyclone so as to design the same for 65% efficiency.

Recycle technology for recovering resources and products from waste printed circuit boards.

PubMed

Li, Jia; Lu, Hongzhou; Guo, Jie; Xu, Zhenming; Zhou, Yaohe

2007-03-15

The printed circuit board (PCB) contains nearly 28% metals that are abundant non-ferrous metals such as Cu, Al, Sn, etc. The purity of precious metals in PCBs is more than 10 times higher than that of rich-content minerals. Therefore, recycling of PCBs is an important subject not only from the treatment of waste but also from the recovery of valuable materials. Chemical and mechanical methods are two traditional recycling processes for waste PCBs. However, the prospect of chemical methods will be limited since the emission of toxic liquid or gas brings secondary pollution to the environment during the process. Mechanical processes, such as shape separation, jigging, density-based separation, and electrostatic separation have been widely utilized in the recycling industry. But, recycling of waste PCBs is only beginning. In this study, a total of 400 kg of waste PCBs was processed by a recycle technology without negative impact to the environment. The technology contained mechanical two-step crushing, corona electrostatic separating, and recovery. The results indicated that (i) two-step crushing was an effect process to strip metals from base plates completely; (ii) the size of particles between 0.6 and 1.2 mm was suitable for corona electrostatic separating during industrial application; and (iii) the nonmetal of waste PCBs attained 80% weight of a kind of nonmetallic plate that expanded the applying prospect of waste nonmetallic materials.

High-throughput DNA separation in nanofilter arrays.

PubMed

Choi, Sungup; Kim, Ju Min; Ahn, Kyung Hyun; Lee, Seung Jong

2014-08-01

We numerically investigated the dynamics of short double-stranded DNA molecules moving through a deep-shallow alternating nanofilter, by utilizing Brownian dynamics simulation. We propose a novel mechanism for high-throughput DNA separation with a high electric field, which was originally predicted by Laachi et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 2007, 98, 098106]. In this work, we show that DNA molecules deterministically move along different electrophoretic streamlines according to their length, owing to geometric constraint at the exit of the shallow region. Consequently, it is more probable that long DNA molecules pass over a deep well region without significant lateral migration toward the bottom of the deep well, which is in contrast to the long dwelling time for short DNA molecules. We investigated the dynamics of DNA passage through a nanofilter facilitating electrophoretic field kinematics. The statistical distribution of the DNA molecules according to their size clearly corroborates our assumption. On the other hand, it was also found that the tapering angle between the shallow and deep regions significantly affects the DNA separation performance. The current results show that the nonuniform field effect combined with geometric constraint plays a key role in nanofilter-based DNA separation. We expect that our results will be helpful in designing and operating nanofluidics-based DNA separation devices and in understanding the polymer dynamics in confined geometries. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Control of a Normal Shock Boundary Layer Interaction with Ramped Vanes of Various Sizes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sang; Loth, Eric

2017-11-01

A novel vortex generator design positioned upstream of a normal shock and a subsequent diffuser was investigated using large eddy simulations. In particular, ``ramped-vane'' flow control devices with three difference heights relative to the incoming boundary layer thickness (0.34 δ 0.52 δ and 0.75 δ were placed in a supersonic boundary layer with a freestream Mach number of 1.3 and a Reynolds number of 2,400 based on momentum thickness. These devices are similar to subsonic vanes but are designed to be more mechanically robust while having low wave drag. The devices generated strong streamwise vortices that entrained high momentum fluid to the near-wall region and increased turbulent mixing. The devices also decreased shock-induced flow separation, which resulted in a higher downstream skin friction in the diffuser. In general, the largest ramped-vane (0.75 δ) produced the largest reductions in flow separation, shape factor and overall unsteadiness. However, the medium-sized ramped vane (0.52 δ) was able to also reduce both the separation area and the diffuser displacement thickness. The smallest device (0.34 δ) had a weak impact of the flow in the diffuser, though a 10% reduction in the shape factor was achieved.

Microgravity Segregation in Binary Mixtures of Inelastic Spheres Driven by Velocity Fluctuation Gradients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, James T.; Louge, Michel Y.

1996-01-01

We are interested in collisional granular flows of dry materials in reduced gravity. Because the particles interact through collisions, the energy of the particle velocity fluctuations plays an important role in the physics. Here we focus on the separation of grains by properties - size, for example - that is driven by spatial gradients in the fluctuation energy of the grains. The segregation of grains by size is commonly observed in geophysical flows and industrial processes. Segregation of flowing grains can also take place based on other properties, e.g. shape, mass, friction, and coefficient of restitution. Many mechanisms may be responsible for segregation; most of these are strongly influenced by gravity. Here, we outline a mechanism that is independent of gravity. This mechanism may be important but is often obscured in terrestrial grain flows. It is driven by gradients in fluctuation energy. In microgravity, the separation of grains by property will proceed slowly enough to permit flight observations to provide an unambiguous measurement of the transport coefficients associated with the segregation. In this context, we are planning a microgravity shear cell experiment that contains a mixture of two types of spherical grains. The grains will be driven to interact with two different types of boundaries on either sides of the cell. The resulting separation will be observed visually.

Characterization and separation of Cryptosporidium and Giardia cells using on-chip dielectrophoresis.

PubMed

Narayanan Unni, Harikrishnan; Hartono, Deny; Yue Lanry Yung, Lin; Mah-Lee Ng, Mary; Pueh Lee, Heow; Cheong Khoo, Boo; Lim, Kian-Meng

2012-03-01

Dielectrophoresis (DEP) has been shown to have significant potential for the characterization of cells and could become an efficient tool for rapid identification and assessment of microorganisms. The present work is focused on the trapping, characterization, and separation of two species of Cryptosporidium (C. parvum and C. muris) and Giardia lambia (G. lambia) using a microfluidic experimental setup. Cryptosporidium oocysts, which are 2-4 μm in size and nearly spherical in shape, are used for the preliminary stage of prototype development and testing. G. lambia cysts are 8-12 μm in size. In order to facilitate effective trapping, simulations were performed to study the effects of buffer conductivity and applied voltage on the flow and cell transport inside the DEP chip. Microscopic experiments were performed using the fabricated device and the real part of Clausius-Mossotti factor of the cells was estimated from critical voltages for particle trapping at the electrodes under steady fluid flow. The dielectric properties of the cell compartments (cytoplasm and membrane) were calculated based on a single shell model of the cells. The separation of C. muris and G. lambia is achieved successfully at a frequency of 10 MHz and a voltage of 3 Vpp (peak to peak voltage).

Separation of human bone marrow by counterflow centrifugation monitored by DNA-flowcytometry.

PubMed

de Witte, T; Plas, A; Koekman, E; Blankenborg, G; Salden, M; Wessels, J; Haanen, C

1984-10-01

Human bone marrow was fractionated by counterflow centrifugation into 16 fractions with increasing cell size. Three distinct subpopulations could be recognized: small lymphocytic cells, medium-sized nucleated erythroid cells and large myeloid elements. DNA-flowcytometry and 3H-thymidine uptake showed that within the erythroid and myeloid cell populations counterflow centrifugation separates each population according to the cell cycle phase. Hypotonic treatment of bone marrow for removal of the erythroid nucleated cells resulted in a complete abrogation of the proliferating erythroid cell population. Counterflow centrifugation also separates the small non-proliferating myeloid and erythroid committed stem cells from the larger proliferating stem cells. It appeared feasible to separate the small lymphocytic cells from the majority of BFU-E and CFU-GM, due to the larger size of the proliferating normoblasts and the committed progenitor cells. Elimination of the mature lymphocytes from the haematopoietic stem cells by counterflow centrifugation may offer an alternative approach to the prevention of graft versus host disease (GvHD).

Binary Mixtures of Particles with Different Diffusivities Demix.

PubMed

Weber, Simon N; Weber, Christoph A; Frey, Erwin

2016-02-05

The influence of size differences, shape, mass, and persistent motion on phase separation in binary mixtures has been intensively studied. Here we focus on the exclusive role of diffusivity differences in binary mixtures of equal-sized particles. We find an effective attraction between the less diffusive particles, which are essentially caged in the surrounding species with the higher diffusion constant. This effect leads to phase separation for systems above a critical size: A single close-packed cluster made up of the less diffusive species emerges. Experiments for testing our predictions are outlined.

Automated synthesis of a 96 product-sized library of triazole derivatives using a solid phase supported copper catalyst.

PubMed

Jlalia, Ibtissem; Beauvineau, Claire; Beauvière, Sophie; Onen, Esra; Aufort, Marie; Beauvineau, Aymeric; Khaba, Eihab; Herscovici, Jean; Meganem, Faouzi; Girard, Christian

2010-04-28

This article deal with the parallel synthesis of a 96 product-sized library using a polymer-based copper catalyst that we developed which can be easily separated from the products by simple filtration. This gave us the opportunity to use this catalyst in an automated chemical synthesis station (Chemspeed ASW-2000). Studies and results about the preparation of the catalyst, its use in different solvent systems, its recycling capabilities and its scope and limitations in the synthesis of this library will be addressed. The synthesis of the triazole library and the very good results obtained will finally be discussed.

Separation control on the wing by jet actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karyakin, O. M.; Nalivaiko, A. G.; Ustinov, M. V.; Flaxman, Ja. Sh.

2018-05-01

Use of jet actuators to eliminate flow separation is experimentally investigated on a straight wing with a NACA 0012 airfoil. It is shown that under the influence of synthetic jets the size of separation zone greatly reduces and the flow separation point displaces downstream. In addition, lift coefficient increases by more than 10%.

Enhanced Wettability and Thermal Stability of a Novel Polyethylene Terephthalate-Based Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) Nanofiber Hybrid Membrane for the Separator of Lithium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Zhu, Chunhong; Nagaishi, Tomoki; Shi, Jian; Lee, Hoik; Wong, Pok Yin; Sui, Jianhua; Hyodo, Kenji; Kim, Ick Soo

2017-08-09

In this study, a novel membrane for the separator in a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery was proposed via a mechanically pressed process with a poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) nanofiber subject and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microfiber support. Important physical properties, such as surface morphology, wettability, and heat stability were considered for the PET-reinforced PVDF nanofiber (PRPN) hybrid separator. Images of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the PRPN hybrid separator had a homogeneous pore size and high porosity. It can wet out in battery electrolytes completely and quickly, satisfying wettability requirements. Moreover, the electrolyte uptake was higher than that of dry-laid and wet-laid nonwovens. For heat stability, no shrink occurred even when the heating temperature reached 135 °C, demonstrating thermal and dimensional stability. Moreover, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that the PRPN hybrid separator possessed a shutdown temperature of 131 °C, which is the same as conventional separators. Also, the meltdown temperature reached 252 °C, which is higher than the shutdown temperature, and thus can protect against internal cell shorts. The proposed PRPN hybrid separator is a strong candidate material for utilization in Li-ion batteries.

Asymmetric competition causes multimodal size distributions in spatially structured populations

PubMed Central

Velázquez, Jorge; Allen, Robert B.; Coomes, David A.; Eichhorn, Markus P.

2016-01-01

Plant sizes within populations often exhibit multimodal distributions, even when all individuals are the same age and have experienced identical conditions. To establish the causes of this, we created an individual-based model simulating the growth of trees in a spatially explicit framework, which was parametrized using data from a long-term study of forest stands in New Zealand. First, we demonstrate that asymmetric resource competition is a necessary condition for the formation of multimodal size distributions within cohorts. By contrast, the legacy of small-scale clustering during recruitment is transient and quickly overwhelmed by density-dependent mortality. Complex multi-layered size distributions are generated when established individuals are restricted in the spatial domain within which they can capture resources. The number of modes reveals the effective number of direct competitors, while the separation and spread of modes are influenced by distances among established individuals. Asymmetric competition within local neighbourhoods can therefore generate a range of complex size distributions within even-aged cohorts. PMID:26817778

Effect of the size of silver nanoparticles on SERS signal enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Rui Xiu; Liang, Robert; Peng, Peng; Norman Zhou, Y.

2017-08-01

The localized surface plasmon resonance arising from plasmonic materials is beneficial in solution-based and thin-film sensing applications, which increase the sensitivity of the analyte being tested. Silver nanoparticles from 35 to 65 nm in diameter were synthesized using a low-temperature method and deposited in a monolayer on a (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES)-functionalized glass slide. The effect of particle size on monolayer structure, optical behavior, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is studied. While increasing particle size decreases particle coverage, it also changes the localized surface plasmon resonance and thus the SERS activity of individual nanoparticles. Using a laser excitation wavelength of 633 nm, the stronger localized surface plasmon resonance coupling to this excitation wavelength at larger particle sizes trumps the loss in surface coverage, and greater SERS signals are observed. The SERS signal enhancement accounts for the higher SERS signal, which was verified using a finite element model of a silver nanoparticle dimer with various nanoparticle sizes and separation distances.

Absolute molecular sieve separation of ethylene/ethane mixtures with silver zeolite A.

PubMed

Aguado, Sonia; Bergeret, Gérard; Daniel, Cecile; Farrusseng, David

2012-09-12

Absolute ethylene/ethane separation is achieved by ethane exclusion on silver-exchanged zeolite A adsorbent. This molecular sieving type separation is attributed to the pore size of the adsorbent, which falls between ethylene and ethane kinetic diameters.

Size Matters: Individual Variation in Ectotherm Growth and Asymptotic Size

PubMed Central

King, Richard B.

2016-01-01

Body size, and, by extension, growth has impacts on physiology, survival, attainment of sexual maturity, fecundity, generation time, and population dynamics, especially in ectotherm animals that often exhibit extensive growth following attainment of sexual maturity. Frequently, growth is analyzed at the population level, providing useful population mean growth parameters but ignoring individual variation that is also of ecological and evolutionary significance. Our long-term study of Lake Erie Watersnakes, Nerodia sipedon insularum, provides data sufficient for a detailed analysis of population and individual growth. We describe population mean growth separately for males and females based on size of known age individuals (847 captures of 769 males, 748 captures of 684 females) and annual growth increments of individuals of unknown age (1,152 males, 730 females). We characterize individual variation in asymptotic size based on repeated measurements of 69 males and 71 females that were each captured in five to nine different years. The most striking result of our analyses is that asymptotic size varies dramatically among individuals, ranging from 631–820 mm snout-vent length in males and from 835–1125 mm in females. Because female fecundity increases with increasing body size, we explore the impact of individual variation in asymptotic size on lifetime reproductive success using a range of realistic estimates of annual survival. When all females commence reproduction at the same age, lifetime reproductive success is greatest for females with greater asymptotic size regardless of annual survival. But when reproduction is delayed in females with greater asymptotic size, lifetime reproductive success is greatest for females with lower asymptotic size when annual survival is low. Possible causes of individual variation in asymptotic size, including individual- and cohort-specific variation in size at birth and early growth, warrant further investigation. PMID:26730712

Size Matters: Individual Variation in Ectotherm Growth and Asymptotic Size.

PubMed

King, Richard B; Stanford, Kristin M; Jones, Peter C; Bekker, Kent

2016-01-01

Body size, and, by extension, growth has impacts on physiology, survival, attainment of sexual maturity, fecundity, generation time, and population dynamics, especially in ectotherm animals that often exhibit extensive growth following attainment of sexual maturity. Frequently, growth is analyzed at the population level, providing useful population mean growth parameters but ignoring individual variation that is also of ecological and evolutionary significance. Our long-term study of Lake Erie Watersnakes, Nerodia sipedon insularum, provides data sufficient for a detailed analysis of population and individual growth. We describe population mean growth separately for males and females based on size of known age individuals (847 captures of 769 males, 748 captures of 684 females) and annual growth increments of individuals of unknown age (1,152 males, 730 females). We characterize individual variation in asymptotic size based on repeated measurements of 69 males and 71 females that were each captured in five to nine different years. The most striking result of our analyses is that asymptotic size varies dramatically among individuals, ranging from 631-820 mm snout-vent length in males and from 835-1125 mm in females. Because female fecundity increases with increasing body size, we explore the impact of individual variation in asymptotic size on lifetime reproductive success using a range of realistic estimates of annual survival. When all females commence reproduction at the same age, lifetime reproductive success is greatest for females with greater asymptotic size regardless of annual survival. But when reproduction is delayed in females with greater asymptotic size, lifetime reproductive success is greatest for females with lower asymptotic size when annual survival is low. Possible causes of individual variation in asymptotic size, including individual- and cohort-specific variation in size at birth and early growth, warrant further investigation.

Analysis of spatial distribution of land cover maps accuracy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatami, R.; Mountrakis, G.; Stehman, S. V.

2017-12-01

Land cover maps have become one of the most important products of remote sensing science. However, classification errors will exist in any classified map and affect the reliability of subsequent map usage. Moreover, classification accuracy often varies over different regions of a classified map. These variations of accuracy will affect the reliability of subsequent analyses of different regions based on the classified maps. The traditional approach of map accuracy assessment based on an error matrix does not capture the spatial variation in classification accuracy. Here, per-pixel accuracy prediction methods are proposed based on interpolating accuracy values from a test sample to produce wall-to-wall accuracy maps. Different accuracy prediction methods were developed based on four factors: predictive domain (spatial versus spectral), interpolation function (constant, linear, Gaussian, and logistic), incorporation of class information (interpolating each class separately versus grouping them together), and sample size. Incorporation of spectral domain as explanatory feature spaces of classification accuracy interpolation was done for the first time in this research. Performance of the prediction methods was evaluated using 26 test blocks, with 10 km × 10 km dimensions, dispersed throughout the United States. The performance of the predictions was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic. Relative to existing accuracy prediction methods, our proposed methods resulted in improvements of AUC of 0.15 or greater. Evaluation of the four factors comprising the accuracy prediction methods demonstrated that: i) interpolations should be done separately for each class instead of grouping all classes together; ii) if an all-classes approach is used, the spectral domain will result in substantially greater AUC than the spatial domain; iii) for the smaller sample size and per-class predictions, the spectral and spatial domain yielded similar AUC; iv) for the larger sample size (i.e., very dense spatial sample) and per-class predictions, the spatial domain yielded larger AUC; v) increasing the sample size improved accuracy predictions with a greater benefit accruing to the spatial domain; and vi) the function used for interpolation had the smallest effect on AUC.

Size and deformability based separation of circulating tumor cells from castrate resistant prostate cancer patients using resettable cell traps.

PubMed

Qin, Xi; Park, Sunyoung; Duffy, Simon P; Matthews, Kerryn; Ang, Richard R; Todenhöfer, Tilman; Abdi, Hamid; Azad, Arun; Bazov, Jenny; Chi, Kim N; Black, Peter C; Ma, Hongshen

2015-05-21

The enumeration and capture of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are potentially of great clinical value as they offer a non-invasive means to access tumor materials to diagnose disease and monitor treatment efficacy. Conventional immunoenrichment of CTCs may fail to capture cells with low surface antigen expression. Micropore filtration presents a compelling label-free alternative that enriches CTCs using their biophysical rather than biochemical characteristics. However, this strategy is prone to clogging of the filter microstructure, which dramatically reduces the selectivity after processing large numbers of cells. Here, we use the resettable cell trap (RCT) mechanism to separate cells based on their size and deformability using an adjustable aperture that can be periodically cleared to prevent clogging. After separation, the output sample is stained and analyzed using multi-spectral analysis, which provides a more sensitive and unambiguous method to identify CTC biomarkers than traditional immunofluorescence. We tested the RCT device using blood samples obtained from 22 patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer while comparing the results with the established CellSearch® system. The RCT mechanism was able to capture ≥5 CTCs in 18/22 (82%) patients with a mean count of 257 in 7.5 ml of whole blood, while the CellSearch system found ≥5 CTCs in 9/22 (41%) patients with a mean count of 25. The ~10× improvement in the CTC capture rate provides significantly more materials for subsequent analysis of these cells such as immunofluorescence, propagation by tissue culture, and genetic profiling.

Selectivity trend of gas separation through nanoporous graphene

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

Liu, Hongjun; Chen, Zhongfang; Dai, Sheng

2014-01-29

We demonstrate that porous graphene can efficiently separate gases according to their molecular sizes using molecular dynamic (MD) simulations,. The flux sequence from the classical MD simulation is H 2>CO 2>>N 2>Ar>CH 4, which generally follows the trend in the kinetic diameters. Moreover, this trend is also confirmed from the fluxes based on the computed free energy barriers for gas permeation using the umbrella sampling method and kinetic theory of gases. Both brute-force MD simulations and free-energy calcualtions lead to the flux trend consistent with experiments. Case studies of two compositions of CO 2/N 2 mixtures further demonstrate the separationmore » capability of nanoporous graphene.« less

Predictions of spray combustion interactions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shuen, J. S.; Solomon, A. S. P.; Faeth, G. M.

1984-01-01

Mean and fluctuating phase velocities; mean particle mass flux; particle size; and mean gas-phase Reynolds stress, composition and temperature were measured in stationary, turbulent, axisymmetric, and flows which conform to the boundary layer approximations while having well-defined initial and boundary conditions in dilute particle-laden jets, nonevaporating sprays, and evaporating sprays injected into a still air environment. Three models of the processes, typical of current practice, were evaluated. The local homogeneous flow and deterministic separated flow models did not provide very satisfactory predictions over the present data base. In contrast, the stochastic separated flow model generally provided good predictions and appears to be an attractive approach for treating nonlinear interphase transport processes in turbulent flows containing particles (drops).

Industrial applications of metal-organic frameworks.

PubMed

Czaja, Alexander U; Trukhan, Natalia; Müller, Ulrich

2009-05-01

New materials are prerequisite for major breakthrough applications influencing our daily life, and therefore are pivotal for the chemical industry. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) constitute an emerging class of materials useful in gas storage, gas purification and separation applications as well as heterogeneous catalysis. They not only offer higher surface areas and the potential for enhanced activity than currently used materials like base metal oxides, but also provide shape/size selectivity which is important both for separations and catalysis. In this critical review an overview of the potential applications of MOFs in the chemical industry is presented. Furthermore, the synthesis and characterization of the materials are briefly discussed from the industrial perspective (88 references).

Geometrical separation method for lipoproteins using bioformulated-fiber matrix electrophoresis: size of high-density lipoprotein does not reflect its density.

PubMed

Tabuchi, Mari; Seo, Makoto; Inoue, Takayuki; Ikeda, Takeshi; Kogure, Akinori; Inoue, Ikuo; Katayama, Shigehiro; Matsunaga, Toshiyuki; Hara, Akira; Komoda, Tsugikazu

2011-02-01

The increasing number of patients with metabolic syndrome is a critical global problem. In this study, we describe a novel geometrical electrophoretic separation method using a bioformulated-fiber matrix to analyze high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles. HDL particles are generally considered to be a beneficial component of the cholesterol fraction. Conventional electrophoresis is widely used but is not necessarily suitable for analyzing HDL particles. Furthermore, a higher HDL density is generally believed to correlate with a smaller particle size. Here, we use a novel geometrical separation technique incorporating recently developed nanotechnology (Nata de Coco) to contradict this belief. A dyslipidemia patient given a 1-month treatment of fenofibrate showed an inverse relationship between HDL density and size. Direct microscopic observation and morphological observation of fractionated HDL particles confirmed a lack of relationship between particle density and size. This new technique may improve diagnostic accuracy and medical treatment for lipid related diseases.

Aerosol mobility size spectrometer

DOEpatents

Wang, Jian; Kulkarni, Pramod

2007-11-20

A device for measuring aerosol size distribution within a sample containing aerosol particles. The device generally includes a spectrometer housing defining an interior chamber and a camera for recording aerosol size streams exiting the chamber. The housing includes an inlet for introducing a flow medium into the chamber in a flow direction, an aerosol injection port adjacent the inlet for introducing a charged aerosol sample into the chamber, a separation section for applying an electric field to the aerosol sample across the flow direction and an outlet opposite the inlet. In the separation section, the aerosol sample becomes entrained in the flow medium and the aerosol particles within the aerosol sample are separated by size into a plurality of aerosol flow streams under the influence of the electric field. The camera is disposed adjacent the housing outlet for optically detecting a relative position of at least one aerosol flow stream exiting the outlet and for optically detecting the number of aerosol particles within the at least one aerosol flow stream.

Photophoretic velocimetry for the characterization of aerosols.

PubMed

Haisch, Christoph; Kykal, Carsten; Niessner, Reinhard

2008-03-01

Aerosols are particles in a size range from some nanometers to some micrometers suspended in air or other gases. Their relevance varies as wide as their origin and composition. In the earth's atmosphere they influence the global radiation balance and human health. Artificially produced aerosols are applied, e.g., for drug administration, as paint and print pigments, or in rubber tire production. In all these fields, an exact characterization of single particles as well as of the particle ensemble is essential. Beyond characterization, continuous separation is often required. State-of-the-art separation techniques are based on electrical, thermal, or flow fields. In this work we present an approach to apply light in the form of photophoretic (PP) forces for characterization and separation of aerosol particles according to their optical properties. Such separation technique would allow, e.g., the separation of organic from inorganic particles of the same aerodynamic size. We present a system which automatically records velocities induced by PP forces and does a statistical evaluation in order to characterize the particle ensemble properties. The experimental system essentially consists of a flow cell with rectangular cross section (1 cm(2), length 7 cm), where the aerosol stream is pumped through in the vertical direction at ambient pressure. In the cell, a laser beam is directed orthogonally to the particle flow direction, which results in a lateral displacement of the particles. In an alternative configuration, the beam is directed in the opposite direction to the aerosol flow; hence, the particles are slowed down by the PP force. In any case, the photophoretically induced variations of speed and position are visualized by a second laser illumination and a camera system, feeding a mathematical particle tracking algorithm. The light source inducing the PP force is a diode laser (lambda = 806 nm, P = 0.5 W).

Recovery of Anthocyanins Using Membrane Technologies: A Review.

PubMed

Martín, Julia; Díaz-Montaña, Enrique Jacobo; Asuero, Agustin G

2018-05-04

Anthocyanins are naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds and give many flowers, fruits and vegetable their orange, red, purple and blue colors. Besides their color attributes, anthocyanins have received much attention in recent years due to the growing evidence of their antioxidant capacity and health benefits on humans. However, these compounds usually occur in low concentrations in mixtures of complex matrices, and therefore large-scale harvesting is needed to obtain sufficient amounts for their practical usage. Effective fractionation or separation technologies are therefore essential for the screening and production of these bioactive compounds. In this context, membrane technologies have become popular due to their operational simplicity, the capacity to achieve good simultaneous separation/pre-concentration and matrix reduction with lower temperature and lower operating cost in comparison to other sample preparation methods. Membrane fractionation is based on the molecular or particle sizes (pressure-driven processes), on their charge (electrically driven processes) or are dependent on both size and charge. Other non-pressure-driven membrane processes (osmotic pressure and vapor pressure-driven) have been developed in recent years and employed as alternatives for the separation or fractionation of bioactive compounds at ambient conditions without product deterioration. These technologies are applied either individually or in combination as an integrated membrane system to meet the different requirements for the separation of bioactive compounds. The first section of this review examines the basic principles of membrane processes, including the different types of membranes, their structure, morphology and geometry. The most frequently used techniques are also discussed. Last, the specific application of these technologies for the separation, purification and concentration of phenolic compounds, with special emphasis on anthocyanins, are also provided.

Prawn Shell Derived Chitin Nanofiber Membranes as Advanced Sustainable Separators for Li/Na-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Zhang, Tian-Wen; Shen, Bao; Yao, Hong-Bin; Ma, Tao; Lu, Lei-Lei; Zhou, Fei; Yu, Shu-Hong

2017-08-09

Separators, necessary components to isolate cathodes and anodes in Li/Na-ion batteries, are consumed in large amounts per year; thus, their sustainability is a concerning issue for renewable energy storage systems. However, the eco-efficient and environmentally friendly fabrication of separators with a high mechanical strength, excellent thermal stability, and good electrolyte wettability is still challenging. Herein, we reported the fabrication of a new type of separators for Li/Na-ion batteries through the self-assembly of eco-friendly chitin nanofibers derived from prawn shells. We demonstrated that the pore size in the chitin nanofiber membrane (CNM) separator can be tuned by adjusting the amount of pore generation agent (sodium dihydrogen citrate) in the self-assembly process of chitin nanofibers. By optimizing the pore size in CNM separators, the electrochemical performance of the LiFePO 4 /Li half-cell with a CNM separator is comparable to that with a commercialized polypropylene (PP) separator. More attractively, the CNM separator showed a much better performance in the LiFePO 4 /Li cell at 120 °C and Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 /Na cell than the PP separator. The proposed fabrication of separators by using natural raw materials will play a significant contribution to the sustainable development of renewable energy storage systems.

Partitioning sparse matrices with eigenvectors of graphs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pothen, Alex; Simon, Horst D.; Liou, Kang-Pu

1990-01-01

The problem of computing a small vertex separator in a graph arises in the context of computing a good ordering for the parallel factorization of sparse, symmetric matrices. An algebraic approach for computing vertex separators is considered in this paper. It is shown that lower bounds on separator sizes can be obtained in terms of the eigenvalues of the Laplacian matrix associated with a graph. The Laplacian eigenvectors of grid graphs can be computed from Kronecker products involving the eigenvectors of path graphs, and these eigenvectors can be used to compute good separators in grid graphs. A heuristic algorithm is designed to compute a vertex separator in a general graph by first computing an edge separator in the graph from an eigenvector of the Laplacian matrix, and then using a maximum matching in a subgraph to compute the vertex separator. Results on the quality of the separators computed by the spectral algorithm are presented, and these are compared with separators obtained from other algorithms for computing separators. Finally, the time required to compute the Laplacian eigenvector is reported, and the accuracy with which the eigenvector must be computed to obtain good separators is considered. The spectral algorithm has the advantage that it can be implemented on a medium-size multiprocessor in a straightforward manner.

Recent advances in microparticle continuous separation.

PubMed

Kersaudy-Kerhoas, M; Dhariwal, R; Desmulliez, M P Y

2008-03-01

Recent advances in microparticle separation in continuous flow are presented. It is intended for scientists in the field of separation science in biology, chemistry and microsystems engineering. Recent techniques of micron-sized particle separation within microsystems are described with emphasis on five different categories: optical, magnetic, fluidic-only, electrical and minor separation methods. Examples from the growing literature are explained with insights on separation efficiency and microengineering challenges. Current applications of the techniques are discussed.

Chromatin conformation in living cells: support for a zig-zag model of the 30 nm chromatin fiber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rydberg, B.; Holley, W. R.; Mian, I. S.; Chatterjee, A.

1998-01-01

A new method was used to probe the conformation of chromatin in living mammalian cells. The method employs ionizing radiation and is based on the concept that such radiation induces correlated breaks in DNA strands that are in spatial proximity. Human dermal fibroblasts in G0 phase of the cell cycle and Chinese hamster ovary cells in mitosis were irradiated by X-rays or accelerated ions. Following lysis of the cells, DNA fragments induced by correlated breaks were end-labeled and separated according to size on denaturing polyacrylamide gels. A characteristic peak was obtained for a fragment size of 78 bases, which is the size that corresponds to one turn of DNA around the nucleosome. Additional peaks between 175 and 450 bases reflect the relative position of nearest-neighbor nucleosomes. Theoretical calculations that simulate the indirect and direct effect of radiation on DNA demonstrate that the fragment size distributions are closely related to the chromatin structure model used. Comparison of the experimental data with theoretical results support a zig-zag model of the chromatin fiber rather than a simple helical model. Thus, radiation-induced damage analysis can provide information on chromatin structure in the living cell. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Feature-based attentional modulation increases with stimulus separation in divided-attention tasks.

PubMed

Sally, Sharon L; Vidnyánsky, Zoltán; Papathomas, Thomas V

2009-01-01

Attention modifies our visual experience by selecting certain aspects of a scene for further processing. It is therefore important to understand factors that govern the deployment of selective attention over the visual field. Both location and feature-specific mechanisms of attention have been identified and their modulatory effects can interact at a neural level (Treue and Martinez-Trujillo, 1999). The effects of spatial parameters on feature-based attentional modulation were examined for the feature dimensions of orientation, motion and color using three divided-attention tasks. Subjects performed concurrent discriminations of two briefly presented targets (Gabor patches) to the left and right of a central fixation point at eccentricities of +/-2.5 degrees , 5 degrees , 10 degrees and 15 degrees in the horizontal plane. Gabors were size-scaled to maintain consistent single-task performance across eccentricities. For all feature dimensions, the data show a linear increase in the attentional effects with target separation. In a control experiment, Gabors were presented on an isoeccentric viewing arc at 10 degrees and 15 degrees at the closest spatial separation (+/-2.5 degrees ) of the main experiment. Under these conditions, the effects of feature-based attentional effects were largely eliminated. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that feature-based attention prioritizes the processing of attended features. Feature-based attentional mechanisms may have helped direct the attentional focus to the appropriate target locations at greater separations, whereas similar assistance may not have been necessary at closer target spacings. The results of the present study specify conditions under which dual-task performance benefits from sharing similar target features and may therefore help elucidate the processes by which feature-based attention operates.

New technology for recovering residual metals from nonmetallic fractions of waste printed circuit boards.

PubMed

Zhang, Guangwen; He, Yaqun; Wang, Haifeng; Zhang, Tao; Wang, Shuai; Yang, Xing; Xia, Wencheng

2017-06-01

Recycling of waste printed circuit boards is important for environmental protection and sustainable resource utilization. Corona electrostatic separation has been widely used to recycle metals from waste printed circuit boards, but it has poor separation efficiency for finer sized fractions. In this study, a new process of vibrated gas-solid fluidized bed was used to recycle residual metals from nonmetallic fractions, which were treated using the corona electrostatic separation technology. The effects of three main parameters, i.e., vibration frequency, superficial air flow velocity, and fluidizing time on gravity segregation, were investigated using a vibrating gas-solid fluidized bed. Each size fraction had its own optimum parameters. Corresponding to their optimal segregation performance, the products from each experiment were analyzed using an X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). From the results, it can be seen that the metal recoveries of -1+0.5mm, -0.5+0.25mm, and -0.25mm size fractions were 86.39%, 82.22% and 76.63%, respectively. After separation, each metal content in the -1+0.5 or -0.5+0.25mm size fraction reduced to 1% or less, while the Fe and Cu contents are up to 2.57% and 1.50%, respectively, in the -0.25mm size fraction. Images of the nonmetallic fractions with a size of -0.25mm indicated that a considerable amount of clavate glass fibers existed in these nonmetallic fractions, which may explain why fine particles had the poorest segregation performance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Size and surface effects on the magnetism of magnetite and maghemite nanoparticles

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

Nikiforov, V. N., E-mail: pppnvn@yandex.ru; Ignatenko, A. N.; Irkhin, V. Yu.

2017-02-15

The size effects of magnetite and maghemite nanoparticles on their magnetic properties (magnetic moment, Curie temperature, blocking temperature, etc.) have been investigated. Magnetic separation and centrifugation of an aqueous solution of nanoparticles were used for their separation into fractions; their sizes were measured by atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and electron microscopy. A change in the size leads to a change in the Curie temperature and magnetic moment per formula unit. Both native nanoparticles and those covered with a bioresorbable layer have been considered. The magnetic properties have been calculated by the Monte Carlo method for the classical Heisenbergmore » model with various bulk and surface magnetic moments.« less

Method and means for separating and classifying superconductive particles

DOEpatents

Park, Jin Y.; Kearney, Robert J.

1991-01-01

The specification and drawings describe a series of devices and methods for classifying and separating superconductive particles. The superconductive particles may be separated from non-superconductive particles, and the superconductive particles may be separated by degrees of susceptibility to the Meissner effect force. The particles may also be simultaneously separated by size or volume and mass to obtain substantially homogeneous groups of particles. The separation techniques include levitation, preferential sedimentation and preferential concentration. Multiple separation vector forces are disclosed.

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

Luňáček, J., E-mail: jiri.lunacek@vsb.cz

The present paper is devoted to detailed study of the magnetically separable sorbents based on a cerium dioxide/iron oxide composite annealed at temperatures T{sub a} = 773 K, 873 K, and 973 K. The X-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy are used to determine the phase composition and microstructure morphology. Mössbauer spectroscopy at room (300 K) and low (5 K) temperatures has contributed to more exact identification of iron oxides and their transformations Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4} → γ-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} (ε-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) → α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} in dependence on calcination temperature. Different iron oxide phase compositions andmore » grain size distributions influence the magnetic characteristics determined from the room- and low-temperature hysteresis loop measurements. The results are supported by zero-field-cooled and field-cooled magnetization measurements allowing a quantitative estimation of the grain size distribution and its effect on the iron oxide transformations. - Highlights: •Magnetically separable sorbents based on a CeO{sub 2}/Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} composite were investigated. •Microstructure of sorbents was determined by XRD, TEM and Mössbauer spectroscopy. •Magnetic properties were studied by hysteresis loops at room- and low-temperatures. •Phase transitions of iron oxides with increasing annealing temperature are observed.« less

Development and fabrication of large vented nickel--zinc cells. Final report. [300 Ah

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

Donnel, C.P.I.

1975-12-01

A preliminary cell design for a 300-Ah vented nickel--zinc cell was established based on volume requirements and cell component materials selected by NASA Lewis Research Center. A 100-Ah cell configuration was derived from the 300-Ah cell design utilizing the same size electrodes, separators, and cell terminal hardware. The first cells fabricated were four groups of three cells each in the 100-Ah size. These 100-Ah experimental nickel--zinc cells had as common components the nickel positive electrodes (GFM), flexible inorganic separator (GFM) bags on the negative electrodes, pressed powder zinc oxide electrodes, and cell containers with hardware. The variations introduced were fourmore » differing electrolyte absorber (interseparator) systems used to encase the nickel positive electrodes of each cell group. The four groups of 100-Ah experimental vented nickel--zinc cells were tested to determine, based on cell performance, the best two interseparator systems. Using the two interseparator systems, two groups of experimental 300-AH cells were fabricated. Each group of three cells differed only in the interseparator material used. The six cells were filled, formed and tested to evaluate the interseparator materials and investigate the performance characteristics of the 300-Ah cell configuration and its components. (auth)« less

Evaluation of the method of collecting suspended sediment from large rivers by discharge-weighted pumping and separation by continuous- flow centrifugation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moody, J.A.; Meade, R.H.

1994-01-01

The efficacy of the method is evaluated by comparing the particle size distributions of sediment collected by the discharge-weighted pumping method with the particle size distributions of sediment collected by depth integration and separated by gravitational settling. The pumping method was found to undersample the suspended sand sized particles (>63 ??m) but to collect a representative sample of the suspended silt and clay sized particles (<63??m). The success of the discharge-weighted pumping method depends on how homogeneously the silt and clay sized particles (<63 ??m) are distributed in the vertical direction in the river. The degree of homogeneity depends on the composition and degree of aggregation of the suspended sediment particles. -from Authors

Manipulating electronic phase separation in strongly correlated oxides with an ordered array of antidots

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Kai; Du, Kai; Liu, Hao; ...

2015-07-20

The interesting transport and magnetic properties in manganites depend sensitively on the nucleation and growth of electronic phase-separated domains. In this paper, by fabricating antidot arrays in La 0.325Pr 0.3Ca 0.375MnO 3 (LPCMO) epitaxial thin films, we create ordered arrays of micrometer-sized ferromagnetic metallic (FMM) rings in the LPCMO films that lead to dramatically increased metal–insulator transition temperatures and reduced resistances. The FMM rings emerge from the edges of the antidots where the lattice symmetry is broken. Based on our Monte Carlo simulation, these FMM rings assist the nucleation and growth of FMM phase domains increasing the metal–insulator transition withmore » decreasing temperature or increasing magnetic field. Finally, this study points to a way in which electronic phase separation in manganites can be artificially controlled without changing chemical composition or applying external field.« less

Polymer nanomechanics: Separating the size effect from the substrate effect in nanoindentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Le; Encarnacao, Lucas M.; Brown, Keith A.

2017-01-01

While the moduli of thin polymer films are known to deviate dramatically from their bulk values, there is not a consensus regarding the nature of this size effect. In particular, indenting experiments appear to contradict results from both buckling experiments and molecular dynamics calculations. In this letter, we present a combined computational and experimental method for measuring the modulus of nanoindented soft films on rigid substrates that reconciles this discrepancy. Through extensive finite element simulation, we determine a correction to the Hertzian contact model that separates the substrate effect from the thickness-dependent modulus of the film. Interestingly, this correction only depends upon a dimensionless film thickness and the Poisson ratio of the film. To experimentally test this approach, we prepared poly(methyl methacrylate), polystyrene, and parylene films with thicknesses ranging from 20 to 300 nm and studied these films using atomic force microscope-based nanoindenting. Strikingly, when experiments were interpreted using the computationally derived substrate correction, sub-70 nm films were found to be softer than bulk, in agreement with buckling experiments and molecular dynamics studies. This correction can serve as a general method for unambiguously determining the size effect of thin polymer films and ultimately lead to the ability to quantitatively image the mechanical properties of heterogeneous materials such as composites.

Preparation of novel carbon microfiber/carbon nanofiber-dispersed polyvinyl alcohol-based nanocomposite material for lithium-ion electrolyte battery separator.

PubMed

Sharma, Ajit K; Khare, Prateek; Singh, Jayant K; Verma, Nishith

2013-04-01

A novel nanocomposite polyvinyl alcohol precursor-based material dispersed with the web of carbon microfibers and carbon nanofibers is developed as lithium (Li)-ion electrolyte battery separator. The primary synthesis steps of the separator material consist of esterification of polyvinyl acetate to produce polyvinyl alcohol gel, ball-milling of the surfactant dispersed carbon micro-nanofibers, mixing of the milled micron size (~500 nm) fibers to the reactant mixture at the incipience of the polyvinyl alcohol gel formation, and the mixing of hydrophobic reagents along with polyethylene glycol as a plasticizer, to produce a thin film of ~25 μm. The produced film, uniformly dispersed with carbon micro-nanofibers, has dramatically improved performance as a battery separator, with the ion conductivity of the electrolytes (LiPF6) saturated film measured as 0.119 S-cm(-1), approximately two orders of magnitude higher than that of polyvinyl alcohol. The other primary characteristics of the produced film, such as tensile strength, contact angle, and thermal stability, are also found to be superior to the materials made of other precursors, including polypropylene and polyethylene, discussed in the literature. The method of producing the films in this study is novel, simple, environmentally benign, and economically viable. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Separation of sperm and epithelial cells based on the hydrodynamic effect for forensic analysis

PubMed Central

Liu, Weiran; Chen, Weixing; Liu, Ran; Ou, Yuan; Liu, Haoran; Xie, Lan; Lu, Ying; Li, Caixia; Li, Bin; Cheng, Jing

2015-01-01

In sexual assault cases, forensic samples are a mixture of sperm from the perpetrator and epithelial cells from the victim. To obtain an independent short tandem repeat (STR) profile of the perpetrator, sperm cells must be separated from the mixture of cells. However, the current method used in crime laboratories, namely, differential extraction, is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. To achieve a rapid and automated sample pretreatment process, we fabricated a microdevice for hydrodynamic and size-based separation of sperm and epithelial cells. When cells in suspension were introduced into the device's microfluidic channels, they were forced to flow along different streamlines and into different outlets due to their different diameters. With the proposed microdevice, sperm can be separated within a short period of time (0.5 h for a 50-μl mock sample). The STR profiles of the products in the sperm outlet reservoir demonstrated that a highly purified male DNA fraction could be obtained (94.0% male fraction). This microdevice is of low-cost and can be easily integrated with other subsequent analysis units, providing great potential in the process of analyzing sexual assault evidence as well as in other areas requiring cell sorting. PMID:26392829

Different Amounts of DNA in Newborn Cells of Escherichia coli Preclude a Role for the Chromosome in Size Control According to the "Adder" Model.

PubMed

Huls, Peter G; Vischer, Norbert O E; Woldringh, Conrad L

2018-01-01

According to the recently-revived adder model for cell size control, newborn cells of Escherichia coli will grow and divide after having added a constant size or length, ΔL , irrespective of their size at birth. Assuming exponential elongation, this implies that large newborns will divide earlier than small ones. The molecular basis for the constant size increment is still unknown. As DNA replication and cell growth are coordinated, the constant ΔL could be based on duplication of an equal amount of DNA, ΔG , present in newborn cells. To test this idea, we measured amounts of DNA and lengths of nucleoids in DAPI-stained cells growing in batch culture at slow and fast rates. Deeply-constricted cells were divided in two subpopulations of longer and shorter lengths than average; these were considered to represent large and small prospective daughter cells, respectively. While at slow growth, large and small prospective daughter cells contained similar amounts of DNA, fast growing cells with multiforked replicating chromosomes, showed a significantly higher amount of DNA (20%) in the larger cells. This observation precludes the hypothesis that Δ L is based on the synthesis of a constant ΔG . Growth curves were constructed for siblings generated by asymmetric division and growing according to the adder model. Under the assumption that all cells at the same growth rate exhibit the same time between initiation of DNA replication and cell division (i.e., constant C+D -period), the constructions predict that initiation occurs at different sizes ( Li ) and that, at fast growth, large newborn cells transiently contain more DNA than small newborns, in accordance with the observations. Because the state of segregation, measured as the distance between separated nucleoids, was found to be more advanced in larger deeply-constricted cells, we propose that in larger newborns nucleoid separation occurs faster and at a shorter length, allowing them to divide earlier. We propose a composite model in which both differential initiation and segregation leads to an adder-like behavior of large and small newborn cells.

A new look at the Lake Superior biomass size spectrum

USGS Publications Warehouse

Yurista, Peder M.; Yule, Daniel L.; Balge, Matt; VanAlstine, Jon D.; Thompson, Jo A.; Gamble, Allison E.; Hrabik, Thomas R.; Kelly, John R.; Stockwell, Jason D.; Vinson, Mark

2014-01-01

We synthesized data from multiple sampling programs and years to describe the Lake Superior pelagic biomass size structure. Data consisted of Coulter counts for phytoplankton, optical plankton counts for zooplankton, and acoustic surveys for pelagic prey fish. The size spectrum was stable across two time periods separated by 5 years. The primary scaling or overall slope of the normalized biomass size spectra for the combined years was −1.113, consistent with a previous estimate for Lake Superior (−1.10). Periodic dome structures within the overall biomass size structure were fit to polynomial regressions based on the observed sub-domes within the classical taxonomic positions (algae, zooplankton, and fish). This interpretation of periodic dome delineation was aligned more closely with predator–prey size relationships that exist within the zooplankton (herbivorous, predacious) and fish (planktivorous, piscivorous) taxonomic positions. Domes were spaced approximately every 3.78 log10 units along the axis and with a decreasing peak magnitude of −4.1 log10 units. The relative position of the algal and herbivorous zooplankton domes predicted well the subsequent biomass domes for larger predatory zooplankton and planktivorous prey fish.

The Web-based Module of Changes in Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Triayomi, R.

2017-09-01

To understand the changes of substances contained in such a kind of substance and substance characteristics then need a deep study of the concept. In this concept is expected to understand the changes of objects such as substance type and substance characteristics. Types of substances and characteristics of substances through physical changes and chemical changes and means of separation consisting of two or more substances. The principle of separation of the mixture is based on differences in physical properties of its constituents, such as substances, particle size, melting point, boiling point, magnetic properties, solubility, and so forth. This study aims to produce a web-based module of changes in objects that are valid, practical, and have effectiveness of student learning outcomes and activities on natural science learning. The experiment was conducted on 30 children in South Sumatera. The case of the development of the learning module of change of the object is influenced by the child’s understanding of the concept. Expected to be adapted by world teachers.

Polymer-induced phase separation and crystallization in immunoglobulin G solutions.

PubMed

Li, Jianguo; Rajagopalan, Raj; Jiang, Jianwen

2008-05-28

We study the effects of the size of polymer additives and ionic strength on the phase behavior of a nonglobular protein-immunoglobulin G (IgG)-by using a simple four-site model to mimic the shape of IgG. The interaction potential between the protein molecules consists of a Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek-type colloidal potential and an Asakura-Oosawa depletion potential arising from the addition of polymer. Liquid-liquid equilibria and fluid-solid equilibria are calculated by using the Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo technique and the Gibbs-Duhem integration (GDI) method, respectively. Absolute Helmholtz energy is also calculated to get an initial coexisting point as required by GDI. The results reveal a nonmonotonic dependence of the critical polymer concentration rho(PEG) (*) (i.e., the minimum polymer concentration needed to induce liquid-liquid phase separation) on the polymer-to-protein size ratio q (equivalently, the range of the polymer-induced depletion interaction potential). We have developed a simple equation for estimating the minimum amount of polymer needed to induce the liquid-liquid phase separation and show that rho(PEG) (*) approximately [q(1+q)(3)]. The results also show that the liquid-liquid phase separation is metastable for low-molecular weight polymers (q=0.2) but stable at large molecular weights (q=1.0), thereby indicating that small sizes of polymer are required for protein crystallization. The simulation results provide practical guidelines for the selection of polymer size and ionic strength for protein phase separation and crystallization.

The separation of waste printed circuit board by dissolving bromine epoxy resin using organic solvent.

PubMed

Zhu, P; Chen, Y; Wang, L Y; Zhou, M; Zhou, J

2013-02-01

Separation of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs) has been a bottleneck in WPCBs resource processing. In this study, the separation of WPCBs was performed using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a solvent. Various parameters, which included solid to liquid ratio, temperature, WPCB sizes, and time, were studied to understand the separation of WPCBs by dissolving bromine epoxy resin using DMSO. Experimental results showed that the concentration of dissolving the bromine epoxy resin increased with increasing various parameters. The optimum condition of complete separation of WPCBs was solid to liquid ratio of 1:7 and WPCB sizes of 16 mm(2) at 145°C for 60 min. The used DMSO was vapored under the decompression, which obtained the regenerated DMSO and dissolved bromine epoxy resin. This clean and non-polluting technology offers a new way to separate valuable materials from WPCBs and prevent the environmental pollution of waste printed circuit boards effectively. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanoparticle separation with a miniaturized asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation cartridge

PubMed Central

Müller, David; Cattaneo, Stefano; Meier, Florian; Welz, Roland; de Mello, Andrew J.

2015-01-01

Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) is a separation technique applicable to particles over a wide size range. Despite the many advantages of AF4, its adoption in routine particle analysis is somewhat limited by the large footprint of currently available separation cartridges, extended analysis times and significant solvent consumption. To address these issues, we describe the fabrication and characterization of miniaturized AF4 cartridges. Key features of the down-scaled platform include simplified cartridge and reagent handling, reduced analysis costs and higher throughput capacities. The separation performance of the miniaturized cartridge is assessed using certified gold and silver nanoparticle standards. Analysis of gold nanoparticle populations indicates shorter analysis times and increased sensitivity compared to conventional AF4 separation schemes. Moreover, nanoparticulate titanium dioxide populations exhibiting broad size distributions are analyzed in a rapid and efficient manner. Finally, the repeatability and reproducibility of the miniaturized platform are investigated with respect to analysis time and separation efficiency. PMID:26258119

Nanoparticle separation with a miniaturized asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation cartridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Müller, David; Cattaneo, Stefano; Meier, Florian; Welz, Roland; deMello, Andrew

2015-07-01

Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) is a separation technique applicable to particles over a wide size range. Despite the many advantages of AF4, its adoption in routine particle analysis is somewhat limited by the large footprint of currently available separation cartridges, extended analysis times and significant solvent consumption. To address these issues, we describe the fabrication and characterization of miniaturized AF4 cartridges. Key features of the scale-down platform include simplified cartridge and reagent handling, reduced analysis costs and higher throughput capacities. The separation performance of the miniaturized cartridge is assessed using certified gold and silver nanoparticle standards. Analysis of gold nanoparticle populations indicates shorter analysis times and increased sensitivity compared to conventional AF4 separation schemes. Moreover, nanoparticulate titanium dioxide populations exhibiting broad size distributions are analyzed in a rapid and efficient manner. Finally, the repeatability and reproducibility of the miniaturized platform are investigated with respect to analysis time and separation efficiency.

Parametric Study of Synthetic-Jet-Based Flow Control on a Vertical Tail Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monastero, Marianne; Lindstrom, Annika; Beyar, Michael; Amitay, Michael

2015-11-01

Separation control over the rudder of the vertical tail of a commercial airplane using synthetic-jet-based flow control can lead to a reduction in tail size, with an associated decrease in drag and increase in fuel savings. A parametric, experimental study was undertaken using an array of finite span synthetic jets to investigate the sensitivity of the enhanced vertical tail side force to jet parameters, such as jet spanwise spacing and jet momentum coefficient. A generic wind tunnel model was designed and fabricated to fundamentally study the effects of the jet parameters at varying rudder deflection and model sideslip angles. Wind tunnel results obtained from pressure measurements and tuft flow visualization in the Rensselaer Polytechnic Subsonic Wind Tunnel show a decrease in separation severity and increase in model performance in comparison to the baseline, non-actuated case. The sensitivity to various parameters will be presented.

Chemical fabrication of heterometallic nanogaps for molecular transport junctions.

PubMed

Chen, Xiaodong; Yeganeh, Sina; Qin, Lidong; Li, Shuzhou; Xue, Can; Braunschweig, Adam B; Schatz, George C; Ratner, Mark A; Mirkin, Chad A

2009-12-01

We report a simple and reproducible method for fabricating heterometallic nanogaps, which are made of two different metal nanorods separated by a nanometer-sized gap. The method is based upon on-wire lithography, which is a chemically enabled technique used to synthesize a wide variety of nanowire-based structures (e.g., nanogaps and disk arrays). This method can be used to fabricate pairs of metallic electrodes, which exhibit distinct work functions and are separated by gaps as small as 2 nm. Furthermore, we demonstrate that a symmetric thiol-terminated molecule can be assembled into such heterometallic nanogaps to form molecular transport junctions (MTJs) that exhibit molecular diode behavior. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the coupling strength between gold and sulfur (Au-S) is 2.5 times stronger than that of Pt-S. In addition, the structures form Raman hot spots in the gap, allowing the spectroscopic characterization of the molecules that make up the MTJs.

Optimization of metals and plastics recovery from electric cable wastes using a plate-type electrostatic separator.

PubMed

Richard, Gontran; Touhami, Seddik; Zeghloul, Thami; Dascalescu, Lucien

2017-02-01

Plate-type electrostatic separators are commonly employed for the selective sorting of conductive and non-conductive granular materials. The aim of this work is to identify the optimal operating conditions of such equipment, when employed for separating copper and plastics from either flexible or rigid electric wire wastes. The experiments are performed according to the response surface methodology, on samples composed of either "calibrated" particles, obtained by manually cutting of electric wires at a predefined length (4mm), or actual machine-grinded scraps, characterized by a relatively-wide size distribution (1-4mm). The results point out the effect of particle size and shape on the effectiveness of the electrostatic separation. Different optimal operating conditions are found for flexible and rigid wires. A separate processing of the two classes of wire wastes is recommended. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preconcentration and separation of analytes in microchannels

DOEpatents

Hatch, Anson; Singh, Anup K.; Herr, Amy E.; Throckmorton, Daniel J.

2010-11-09

Disclosed herein are methods and devices for preconcentrating and separating analytes such as proteins and polynucleotides in microchannels. As disclosed, at least one size-exclusion polymeric element is adjacent to processing area or an assay area in a microchannel which may be porous polymeric element. The size-exclusion polymeric element may be used to manipulate, e.g. concentrate, analytes in a sample prior to assaying in the assay area.

Heat and Bleach: A Cost-Efficient Method for Extracting Microplastics from Return Activated Sludge.

PubMed

Sujathan, Surya; Kniggendorf, Ann-Kathrin; Kumar, Arun; Roth, Bernhard; Rosenwinkel, Karl-Heinz; Nogueira, Regina

2017-11-01

The extraction of plastic microparticles, so-called microplastics, from sludge is a challenging task due to the complex, highly organic material often interspersed with other benign microparticles. The current procedures for microplastic extraction from sludge are time consuming and require expensive reagents for density separation as well as large volumes of oxidizing agents for organic removal, often resulting in tiny sample sizes and thus a disproportional risk of sample bias. In this work, we present an improved extraction method tested on return activated sludge (RAS). The treatment of 100 ml of RAS requires only 6% hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) for bleaching at 70 °C, followed by density separation with sodium nitrate/sodium thiosulfate (SNT) solution, and is completed within 24 h. Extracted particles of all sizes were chemically analyzed with confocal Raman microscopy. An extraction efficiency of 78 ± 8% for plastic particle sizes 20 µm and up was confirmed in a recovery experiment. However, glass shards with a diameter of less than 20 µm remained in the sample despite the density of glass exceeding the density of the separating SNT solution by 1.1 g/cm 3 . This indicates that density separation may be unreliable for particle sizes in the lower micrometer range.

Method and apparatus for improved wire saw slurry

DOEpatents

Costantini, Michael A.; Talbott, Jonathan A.; Chandra, Mohan; Prasad, Vishwanath; Caster, Allison; Gupta, Kedar P.; Leyvraz, Philippe

2000-09-05

A slurry recycle process for use in free-abrasive machining operations such as for wire saws used in wafer slicing of ingots, where the used slurry is separated into kerf-rich and abrasive-rich components, and the abrasive-rich component is reconstituted into a makeup slurry. During the process, the average particle size of the makeup slurry is controlled by monitoring the condition of the kerf and abrasive components and making necessary adjustments to the separating force and dwell time of the separator apparatus. Related pre-separator and post separator treatments, and feedback of one or the other separator slurry output components for mixing with incoming used slurry and recirculation through the separator, provide further effectiveness and additional control points in the process. The kerf-rich component is eventually or continually removed; the abrasive-rich component is reconstituted into a makeup slurry with a controlled, average particle size such that the products of the free-abrasive machining method using the recycled slurry process of the invention are of consistent high quality with less TTV deviation from cycle to cycle for a prolonged period or series of machining operations.

Measurement of variation in soil solute tracer concentration across a range of effective pore sizes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harvey, Judson W.

1993-01-01

Solute transport concepts in soil are based on speculation that solutes are distributed nonuniformly within large and small pores. Solute concentrations have not previously been measured across a range of pore sizes and examined in relation to soil hydrological properties. For this study, modified pressure cells were used to measure variation in concentration of a solute tracer across a range of pore sizes. Intact cores were removed from the site of a field tracer experiment, and soil water was eluted from 10 or more discrete classes of pore size. Simultaneous changes in water content and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity were determined on cores using standard pressure cell techniques. Bromide tracer concentration varied by as much as 100% across the range of pore sizes sampled. Immediately following application of the bromide tracer on field plots, bromide was most concentrated in the largest pores; concentrations were lower in pores of progressively smaller sizes. After 27 days, bromide was most dilute in the largest pores and concentrations were higher in the smaller pores. A sharp, threefold decrease in specific water capacity during elution indicated separation of two major pore size classes at a pressure of 47 cm H2O and a corresponding effective pore diameter of 70 μm. Variation in tracer concentration, on the other hand, was spread across the entire range of pore sizes investigated in this study. A two-porosity characterization of the transport domain, based on water retention criteria, only broadly characterized the pattern of variation in tracer concentration across pore size classes during transport through a macroporous soil.

Carbon Dioxide Separation Using Thermally Optimized Membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, J. S.; Jorgensen, B. S.; Espinoza, B. F.; Weimer, M. W.; Jarvinen, G. D.; Greenberg, A.; Khare, V.; Orme, C. J.; Wertsching, A. K.; Peterson, E. S.; Hopkins, S. D.; Acquaviva, J.

2002-05-01

The purpose of this project is to develop polymeric-metallic membranes for carbon dioxide separations that operate under a broad range of industrially relevant conditions not accessible with present membrane units. The last decade has witnessed a dramatic increase in the use of polymer membranes as an effective, economic and flexible tool for many commercial gas separations including air separation, the recovery of hydrogen from nitrogen, carbon monoxide, and methane mixtures, and the removal of carbon dioxide from natural gas. In each of these applications, high fluxes and excellent selectivities have relied on glassy polymer membranes which separate gases based on both size and solubility differences. To date, however, this technology has focused on optimizing materials for near ambient conditions. The development of polymeric materials that achieve the important combination of high selectivity, high permeability, and mechanical stability at temperatures significantly above 25oC and pressures above 10 bar, respectively, has been largely ignored. Consequently, there is a compelling rationale for the exploration of a new realm of polymer membrane separations. Indeed, the development of high temperature polymeric-metallic composite membranes for carbon dioxide separation at temperatures of 100-450 oC and pressures of 10-150 bar would provide a pivotal contribution with both economic and environmental benefits. Progress to date includes the first ever fabrication of a polymeric-metallic membrane that is selective from room temperature to 370oC. This achievement represents the highest demonstrated operating temperature at which a polymeric based membrane has successfully functioned. Additionally, we have generated the first polybenzamidizole silicate molecular composites. Finally, we have developed a technique that has enabled the first-ever simultaneous measurements of gas permeation and membrane compaction at elevated temperatures. This technique provides a unique approach to the optimization of long-term membrane performance under challenging operating conditions.

Asymmetric flow field flow fractionation for the characterization of globule size distribution in complex formulations: A cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion case.

PubMed

Qu, Haiou; Wang, Jiang; Wu, Yong; Zheng, Jiwen; Krishnaiah, Yellela S R; Absar, Mohammad; Choi, Stephanie; Ashraf, Muhammad; Cruz, Celia N; Xu, Xiaoming

2018-03-01

Commonly used characterization techniques such as cryogenic-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and batch-mode dynamic light scattering (DLS) are either time consuming or unable to offer high resolution to discern the poly-dispersity of complex drug products like cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsions. Here, a size-based separation and characterization method for globule size distribution using an asymmetric flow field flow fractionation (AF4) is reported for comparative assessment of cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion drug products (model formulation) with a wide size span and poly-dispersity. Cyclosporine emulsion formulations that are qualitatively (Q1) and quantitatively (Q2) the same as Restasis® were prepared in house with varying manufacturing processes and analyzed using the optimized AF4 method. Based on our results, the commercially available cyclosporine ophthalmic emulsion has a globule size span from 30 nm to a few hundred nanometers with majority smaller than 100 nm. The results with in-house formulations demonstrated the sensitivity of AF4 in determining the differences in the globule size distribution caused by the changes to the manufacturing process. It is concluded that the optimized AF4 is a potential analytical technique for comprehensive understanding of the microstructure and assessment of complex emulsion drug products with high poly-dispersity. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Multiparametric fat-water separation method for fast chemical-shift imaging guidance of thermal therapies.

PubMed

Lin, Jonathan S; Hwang, Ken-Pin; Jackson, Edward F; Hazle, John D; Stafford, R Jason; Taylor, Brian A

2013-10-01

A k-means-based classification algorithm is investigated to assess suitability for rapidly separating and classifying fat/water spectral peaks from a fast chemical shift imaging technique for magnetic resonance temperature imaging. Algorithm testing is performed in simulated mathematical phantoms and agar gel phantoms containing mixed fat/water regions. Proton resonance frequencies (PRFs), apparent spin-spin relaxation (T2*) times, and T1-weighted (T1-W) amplitude values were calculated for each voxel using a single-peak autoregressive moving average (ARMA) signal model. These parameters were then used as criteria for k-means sorting, with the results used to determine PRF ranges of each chemical species cluster for further classification. To detect the presence of secondary chemical species, spectral parameters were recalculated when needed using a two-peak ARMA signal model during the subsequent classification steps. Mathematical phantom simulations involved the modulation of signal-to-noise ratios (SNR), maximum PRF shift (MPS) values, analysis window sizes, and frequency expansion factor sizes in order to characterize the algorithm performance across a variety of conditions. In agar, images were collected on a 1.5T clinical MR scanner using acquisition parameters close to simulation, and algorithm performance was assessed by comparing classification results to manually segmented maps of the fat/water regions. Performance was characterized quantitatively using the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC), sensitivity, and specificity. The simulated mathematical phantom experiments demonstrated good fat/water separation depending on conditions, specifically high SNR, moderate MPS value, small analysis window size, and low but nonzero frequency expansion factor size. Physical phantom results demonstrated good identification for both water (0.997 ± 0.001, 0.999 ± 0.001, and 0.986 ± 0.001 for DSC, sensitivity, and specificity, respectively) and fat (0.763 ± 0.006, 0.980 ± 0.004, and 0.941 ± 0.002 for DSC, sensitivity, and specificity, respectively). Temperature uncertainties, based on PRF uncertainties from a 5 × 5-voxel ROI, were 0.342 and 0.351°C for pure and mixed fat/water regions, respectively. Algorithm speed was tested using 25 × 25-voxel and whole image ROIs containing both fat and water, resulting in average processing times per acquisition of 2.00 ± 0.07 s and 146 ± 1 s, respectively, using uncompiled MATLAB scripts running on a shared CPU server with eight Intel Xeon(TM) E5640 quad-core processors (2.66 GHz, 12 MB cache) and 12 GB RAM. Results from both the mathematical and physical phantom suggest the k-means-based classification algorithm could be useful for rapid, dynamic imaging in an ROI for thermal interventions. Successful separation of fat/water information would aid in reducing errors from the nontemperature sensitive fat PRF, as well as potentially facilitate using fat as an internal reference for PRF shift thermometry when appropriate. Additionally, the T1-W or R2* signals may be used for monitoring temperature in surrounding adipose tissue.

Simulating thermal stress features on hot planetary surfaces in vacuum at high temperature facility in the PEL laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maturilli, A.; Ferrari, S.; Helbert, J.; D'Incecco, P.; D'Amore, M.

2011-12-01

In the Planetary Emissivity Laboratory (PEL) at the Institute for Planetary Research of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Berlin, we set-up a simulation chamber for the spectroscopic investigation of minerals separates under Mercurial conditions. The chamber can be evacuated to 10-4 bar and the target samples heated to 700 K within few minutes, thanks to the innovative inductive heating system. While developing the protocol for the high temperature spectroscopy measurements we discovered interesting "morphologies" on the sample surfaces. The powders are poured into stainless steel cups of 50 mm internal diameter, 8 mm height and 3 mm depth, having a 5 mm thick base (thus leaving 3 mm free space for the minerals), and rim 1 mm thick. We selected several minerals of interest for Mercurial surface composition and for each of them we analyzed various grain size separates, to study the influence of grain dimensions to the process of thermal stressing. We observed that for the smaller grain size separate (0-25 μm) the thermal stress mainly induces large depressions and fractures, while on larger grain sizes (125-250 μm) small depressions and a cratered surface. Our current working hypothesis is that these features are mainly caused by thermal stress induced by a radiatively quickly cooling surface layer covering the much hotter bulk material. Further investigation is ongoing to understand the processes better. The observed morphologies exhibit surprising similarities to features observed at planetary scale size for example on Mercury and even on Venus. Especially the high resolution images provided currently from MESSENGER'S Mercury Dual Imaging System (MDIS) instrument has revealed plains dominated by polygonal fractures whose origin still have to be determined. Our laboratory analogue studies might in the future provide some insight into the processes creating those features

Assessing the heterogeneity level in lipid nanoparticles for siRNA delivery: size-based separation, compositional heterogeneity, and impact on bioperformance.

PubMed

Zhang, Jingtao; Pei, Yi; Zhang, Hangchun; Wang, Lei; Arrington, Leticia; Zhang, Ye; Glass, Angela; Leone, Anthony M

2013-01-07

A primary consideration when developing lipid nanoparticle (LNP) based small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics is formulation polydispersity or heterogeneity. The level of heterogeneity of physicochemical properties within a pharmaceutical batch could greatly affect the bioperformance, quality, and ability of a manufacturer to consistently control and reproduce the formulations. This article studied the heterogeneity in the size, composition, and in vitro performance of siRNA containing LNPs, by conducting preparative scale fractionation using a sephacryl S-1000 based size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) method. Eight LNPs with size in the range of 60-190 nm were first evaluated by the SEC method for size polydispersity characterization, and it was found that LNPs in the range of 60-150 nm could be well-resolved. Two LNPs (LNP A and LNP B) with similar bulk properties were fractionated, and fractions were studied in-depth for potential presence of polydispersity in size, composition, and in vitro silencing, as well as cytotoxicity. LNP A was deemed to be monodisperse following results of a semipreparative SEC fractionation that showed similar size, chemical composition, in vitro silencing activity, and cytotoxicity across the fractions. Therefore, LNP A represents a relatively homogeneous formulation and offers less of a challenge in its pharmaceutical development. In contrast, LNP B fractions were shown to be significantly more polydisperse in size distribution. Interestingly, LNP B SEC fractions also exhibited profound compositional variations (e.g., 5 fold difference in N/P ratio and 3 fold difference in lipid composition) along with up to 40 fold differences in the in vitro silencing activity. The impact of LNP size and formulation composition on in vitro performance is also discussed. The present results demonstrate the complexity and potential for presence of heterogeneity in LNP-based siRNA drug products. This underscores the need for tools that yield a detailed characterization of LNP formulations. This capability in tandem with the pursuit of improved formulation and process design can lead to more facile development of LNP-based siRNA pharmaceuticals of higher quality.

Giant Enhancement in Radiative Heat Transfer in Sub-30 nm Gaps of Plane Parallel Surfaces.

PubMed

Fiorino, Anthony; Thompson, Dakotah; Zhu, Linxiao; Song, Bai; Reddy, Pramod; Meyhofer, Edgar

2018-06-13

Radiative heat transfer rates that exceed the blackbody limit by several orders of magnitude are expected when the gap size between plane parallel surfaces is reduced to the nanoscale. To date, experiments have only realized enhancements of ∼100 fold as the smallest gap sizes in radiative heat transfer studies have been limited to ∼50 nm by device curvature and particle contamination. Here, we report a 1,200-fold enhancement with respect to the far-field value in the radiative heat flux between parallel planar silica surfaces separated by gaps as small as ∼25 nm. Achieving such small gap sizes and the resultant dramatic enhancement in near-field energy flux is critical to achieve a number of novel near-field based nanoscale energy conversion systems that have been theoretically predicted but remain experimentally unverified.

Airline return-on-investment model for technology evaluation. [computer program to measure economic value of advanced technology applied to passenger aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

This report presents the derivation, description, and operating instructions for a computer program (TEKVAL) which measures the economic value of advanced technology features applied to long range commercial passenger aircraft. The program consists of three modules; and airplane sizing routine, a direct operating cost routine, and an airline return-on-investment routine. These modules are linked such that they may be operated sequentially or individually, with one routine generating the input for the next or with the option of externally specifying the input for either of the economic routines. A very simple airplane sizing technique was previously developed, based on the Brequet range equation. For this program, that sizing technique has been greatly expanded and combined with the formerly separate DOC and ROI programs to produce TEKVAL.

Clinical versus ultrasound examination of the thyroid gland in common clinical practice.

PubMed

Brander, A; Viikinkoski, P; Tuuhea, J; Voutilainen, L; Kivisaari, L

1992-01-01

In a prospective series of 72 patients, clinical and ultrasonographic examination of the thyroid gland were compared in detail. Normal-sized lobes were differentiated from enlarged ones both by inspection and by palpation. When lobar size was assessed by palpation, the estimate was most clearly influenced by increase in width. The correlation between two examiners in lobe size assessment was significant. In the classification of thyroid disease as diffuse, solitary, or multinodular, clinical examination and ultrasonography correlated significantly. However, only one third of the clinically solitary nodules proved to be solitary by ultrasound examination. Of 77 separate nodules, 43 escaped detection on clinical examination. Of these 43, 14 nodules exceeded 2 cm in diameter. It is concluded that the use of ultrasonography frequently alters the primary evaluation of thyroid nodularity based on palpation.

High lift selected concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henderson, M. L.

1979-01-01

The benefits to high lift system maximum life and, alternatively, to high lift system complexity, of applying analytic design and analysis techniques to the design of high lift sections for flight conditions were determined and two high lift sections were designed to flight conditions. The influence of the high lift section on the sizing and economics of a specific energy efficient transport (EET) was clarified using a computerized sizing technique and an existing advanced airplane design data base. The impact of the best design resulting from the design applications studies on EET sizing and economics were evaluated. Flap technology trade studies, climb and descent studies, and augmented stability studies are included along with a description of the baseline high lift system geometry, a calculation of lift and pitching moment when separation is present, and an inverse boundary layer technique for pressure distribution synthesis and optimization.

Turbulent flow separation control through passive techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lin, J. C.; Howard, F. G.; Selby, G. V.

1989-01-01

Several passive separation control techniques for controlling moderate two-dimensional turbulent flow separation over a backward-facing ramp are studied. Small transverse and swept grooves, passive porous surfaces, large longitudinal grooves, and vortex generators were among the techniques used. It was found that, unlike the transverse and longitudinal grooves of an equivalent size, the 45-deg swept-groove configurations tested tended to enhance separation.

Preparation and characterization of monodisperse large-porous silica microspheres as the matrix for protein separation.

PubMed

Xia, Hongjun; Wan, Guangping; Zhao, Junlong; Liu, Jiawei; Bai, Quan

2016-11-04

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is a kind of efficient separation technology and has been used widely in many fields. Micro-sized porous silica microspheres as the most popular matrix have been used for fast separation and analysis in HPLC. In this paper, the monodisperse large-porous silica microspheres with controllable size and structure were successfully synthesized with polymer microspheres as the templates and characterized. First, the poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate) microspheres (P GMA-EDMA ) were functionalized with tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) to generate amino groups which act as a catalyst in hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) to form Si-containing low molecular weight species. Then the low molecular weight species diffused into the functionalized P GMA-EDMA microspheres by induction force of the amino groups to form polymer/silica hybrid microspheres. Finally, the organic polymer templates were removed by calcination, and the large-porous silica microspheres were obtained. The compositions, morphology, size distribution, specific surface area and pore size distribution of the porous silica microspheres were characterized by infrared analyzer, scanning-electron microscopy, dynamic laser scattering, the mercury intrusion method and thermal gravimetric analysis, respectively. The results show that the agglomeration of the hybrid microspheres can be overcome when the templates were functionalized with TEPA as amination reagent, and the yield of 95.7% of the monodisperse large-porous silica microspheres can be achieved with high concentration of polymer templates. The resulting large-porous silica microspheres were modified with octadecyltrichlorosilane (ODS) and the chromatographic evaluation was performed by separating the proteins and the digest of BSA. The baseline separation of seven kinds of protein standards was achieved, and the column delivered a better performance when separating BSA digests comparing with the commercial one currently available. The high column efficiency and good reproducibility present that the large-porous silica microspheres obtained can be used as a matrix for peptide and protein separation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Dispersed and Dispersed Annular (rivulet or Thin Film) Flow Phase Separation in Tees.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCreery, Glenn Ernest

An experimental and analytical investigation of dispersed and dispersed-annular (rivulet or thin film) flow phase separation in tees has been successfully completed. The research was directed at, but is not specific to, determining flow conditions, following a loss of coolant accident, in the large rectangular passageways leading to vacuum buildings in the containment envelope of some CANDU nuclear reactors. The primary objectives of the research were to: (1) obtain experimental data to help formulate and test mechanistic analytical models of phase separation, and (2) develop the analytical models in computer programs which predict phase separation from upstream flow and pressure conditions and downstream and side branch pressure boundary conditions. To meet these objectives an air-water experimental apparatus was constructed, and consists of large air blowers attached to a long rectangular duct leading to a tee in the horizontal plane. A variety of phenomena was investigated including, for comparison with computer predictions, air streamlines and eddy boundary geometry, drop size spectra, macroscopic mass balances, liquid rivulet pathlines, and trajectories of drops of known size and velocity. Four separate computer programs were developed to analyze phase separation. Three of the programs are used sequentially to calculate dispersed mist phase separation in a tee. The fourth is used to calculate rivulet or thin film pathlines. Macroscopic mass balances are calculated from a summation of mass balances for drops with representative sizes (and masses) spaced across the drop size spectrum. The programs are tested against experimental data, and accurately predict gas flow fields, drop trajectories, rivulet pathlines and macroscopic mass balances. In addition to development of the computer programs, analysis was performed to specify the scaling of dispersed mist and rivulet or thin film flow, to investigate pressure losses in tees, and the inter-relationship of loss coefficients, contraction coefficients, and eddy geometry. The important transient effects of liquid storage in eddies were also analyzed.

The use of native cation-exchange chromatography to study aggregation and phase separation of monoclonal antibodies

PubMed Central

Chen, Shuang; Lau, Hollis; Brodsky, Yan; Kleemann, Gerd R; Latypov, Ramil F

2010-01-01

This study introduces a novel analytical approach for studying aggregation and phase separation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The approach is based on using analytical scale cation-exchange chromatography (CEX) for measuring the loss of soluble monomer in the case of individual and mixed protein solutions. Native CEX outperforms traditional size-exclusion chromatography in separating complex protein mixtures, offering an easy way to assess mAb aggregation propensity. Different IgG1 and IgG2 molecules were tested individually and in mixtures consisting of up to four protein molecules. Antibody aggregation was induced by four different stress factors: high temperature, low pH, addition of fatty acids, and rigorous agitation. The extent of aggregation was determined from the amount of monomeric protein remaining in solution after stress. Consequently, it was possible to address the role of specific mAb regions in antibody aggregation by co-incubating Fab and Fc fragments with their respective full-length molecules. Our results revealed that the relative contribution of Fab and Fc regions in mAb aggregation is strongly dependent on pH and the stress factor applied. In addition, the CEX-based approach was used to study reversible protein precipitation due to phase separation, which demonstrated its use for a broader range of protein–protein association phenomena. In all cases, the role of Fab and Fc was clearly dissected, providing important information for engineering more stable mAb-based therapeutics. PMID:20512972

Optimal Integration of Departures and Arrivals in Terminal Airspace

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xue, Min; Zelinski, Shannon Jean

2013-01-01

Coordination of operations with spatially and temporally shared resources, such as route segments, fixes, and runways, improves the efficiency of terminal airspace management. Problems in this category are, in general, computationally difficult compared to conventional scheduling problems. This paper presents a fast time algorithm formulation using a non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA). It was first applied to a test problem introduced in existing literature. An experiment with a test problem showed that new methods can solve the 20 aircraft problem in fast time with a 65% or 440 second delay reduction using shared departure fixes. In order to test its application in a more realistic and complicated problem, the NSGA algorithm was applied to a problem in LAX terminal airspace, where interactions between 28% of LAX arrivals and 10% of LAX departures are resolved by spatial separation in current operations, which may introduce unnecessary delays. In this work, three types of separations - spatial, temporal, and hybrid separations - were formulated using the new algorithm. The hybrid separation combines both temporal and spatial separations. Results showed that although temporal separation achieved less delay than spatial separation with a small uncertainty buffer, spatial separation outperformed temporal separation when the uncertainty buffer was increased. Hybrid separation introduced much less delay than both spatial and temporal approaches. For a total of 15 interacting departures and arrivals, when compared to spatial separation, the delay reduction of hybrid separation varied between 11% or 3.1 minutes and 64% or 10.7 minutes corresponding to an uncertainty buffer from 0 to 60 seconds. Furthermore, as a comparison with the NSGA algorithm, a First-Come-First-Serve based heuristic method was implemented for the hybrid separation. Experiments showed that the results from the NSGA algorithm have 9% to 42% less delay than the heuristic method with varied uncertainty buffer sizes.

A microfluidic separation platform using an array of slanted ramps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risbud, Sumedh; Bernate, Jorge; Drazer, German

2013-03-01

The separation of the different components of a sample is a crucial step in many micro- and nano-fluidic applications, including the detection of infections, the capture of circulating tumor cells, the isolation of proteins, RNA and DNA, to mention but a few. Vector chromatography, in which different species migrate in different directions in a planar microfluidic device thus achieving spatial as well as temporal resolution, offers the promise of high selectivity along with high throughput. In this work, we present a microfluidic vector chromatography platform consisting of slanted ramps in a microfluidic channel for the separation of suspended particles. We construct these ramps using inclined UV lithography, such that the inclined portion of the ramps is upstream. We show that particles of different size displace laterally to a different extent when driven by a flow field over a slanted ramp. The flow close to the ramp reorients along the ramp, causing the size-dependent deflection of the particles. The cumulative effect of an array of these ramps would cause particles of different size to migrate in different directions, thus allowing their passive and continuous separation.

Pneumatic System for Concentration of Micrometer-Size Lunar Soil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKay, David; Cooper, Bonnie

2012-01-01

A report describes a size-sorting method to separate and concentrate micrometer- size dust from a broad size range of particles without using sieves, fluids, or other processes that may modify the composition or the surface properties of the dust. The system consists of four processing units connected in series by tubing. Samples of dry particulates such as lunar soil are introduced into the first unit, a fluidized bed. The flow of introduced nitrogen fluidizes the particulates and preferentially moves the finer grain sizes on to the next unit, a flat plate impactor, followed by a cyclone separator, followed by a Nuclepore polycarbonate filter to collect the dust. By varying the gas flow rate and the sizes of various orifices in the system, the size of the final and intermediate particles can be varied to provide the desired products. The dust can be collected from the filter. In addition, electron microscope grids can be placed on the Nuclepore filter for direct sampling followed by electron microscope characterization of the dust without further handling.

Ongoing Development of a Series Bosch Reactor System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abney, Morgan; Mansell, Matt; DuMez, Sam; Thomas, John; Cooper, Charlie; Long, David

2013-01-01

Future manned missions to deep space or planetary surfaces will undoubtedly require highly robust, efficient, and regenerable life support systems that require minimal consumables. To meet this requirement, NASA continues to explore a Bosch-based carbon dioxide reduction system to recover oxygen from CO2. In order to improve the equivalent system mass of Bosch systems, we seek to design and test a "Series Bosch" system in which two reactors in series are optimized for the two steps of the reaction, as well as to explore the use of in situ materials as carbon deposition catalysts. Here we report recent developments in this effort including assembly and initial testing of a Reverse Water-Gas Shift reactor (RWGSr) and initial testing of two gas separation membranes. The RWGSr was sized to reduce CO2 produced by a crew of four to carbon monoxide as the first stage in a Series Bosch system. The gas separation membranes, necessary to recycle unreacted hydrogen and CO2, were similarly sized. Additionally, we report results of preliminary experiments designed to determine the catalytic properties of Martian and Lunar regolith simulant for the carbon deposition step.

Ongoing Development of a Series Bosch Reactor System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abney, Morgan B; Mansell, J. Matthew; Stanley, Christine; Edmunson, Jennifer; DuMez, Samuel J.; Chen, Kevin

2013-01-01

Future manned missions to deep space or planetary surfaces will undoubtedly incorporate highly robust, efficient, and regenerable life support systems that require minimal consumables. To meet this requirement, NASA continues to explore a Bosch-based carbon dioxide reduction system to recover oxygen from CO2. In order to improve the equivalent system mass of Bosch systems, we seek to design and test a "Series Bosch" system in which two reactors in series are optimized for the two steps of the reaction, as well as to explore the use of in situ materials as carbon deposition catalysts. Here we report recent developments in this effort including assembly and initial testing of a Reverse Water-Gas Shift reactor (RWGSr) and initial testing of two gas separation membranes. The RWGSr was sized to reduce CO2 produced by a crew of four to carbon monoxide as the first stage in a Series Bosch system. The gas separation membranes, necessary to recycle unreacted hydrogen and CO2, were similarly sized. Additionally, we report results of preliminary experiments designed to determine the catalytic properties of Martian regolith simulant for the carbon formation step.

Cup-Shaped Superparamagnetic Hemispheres for Size-Selective Cell Filtration

PubMed Central

Kim, Hyonchol; Terazono, Hideyuki; Takei, Hiroyuki; Yasuda, Kenji

2014-01-01

We propose a new method of size separation of cells exploiting precisely size-controlled hemispherical superparamagnetic microparticles. A three-layered structure of a 2-nm nickel layer inserted between 15-nm silicon dioxide layers was formed on polystyrene cast spheres by vapor deposition. The polystyrene was then removed by burning and the hemispherical superparamagnetic microparticles, “magcups”, were obtained. The standard target cells (CCRF-CEM, 12 ± 2 μm) were mixed with a set of different sizes of the fabricated magcups, and we confirmed that the cells were captured in the magcups having cavities larger than 15 μm in diameter, and then gathered by magnetic force. The collected cells were grown in a culture medium without any damage. The results suggest that this method is quick, simple and non-invasive size separation of target cells. PMID:25219418

Effect of the Hartmann number on phase separation controlled by magnetic field for binary mixture system with large component ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heping, Wang; Xiaoguang, Li; Duyang, Zang; Rui, Hu; Xingguo, Geng

2017-11-01

This paper presents an exploration for phase separation in a magnetic field using a coupled lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) with magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The left vertical wall was kept at a constant magnetic field. Simulations were conducted by the strong magnetic field to enhance phase separation and increase the size of separated phases. The focus was on the effect of magnetic intensity by defining the Hartmann number (Ha) on the phase separation properties. The numerical investigation was carried out for different governing parameters, namely Ha and the component ratio of the mixed liquid. The effective morphological evolutions of phase separation in different magnetic fields were demonstrated. The patterns showed that the slant elliptical phases were created by increasing Ha, due to the formation and increase of magnetic torque and force. The dataset was rearranged for growth kinetics of magnetic phase separation in a plot by spherically averaged structure factor and the ratio of separated phases and total system. The results indicate that the increase in Ha can increase the average size of separated phases and accelerate the spinodal decomposition and domain growth stages. Specially for the larger component ratio of mixed phases, the separation degree was also significantly improved by increasing magnetic intensity. These numerical results provide guidance for setting the optimum condition for the phase separation induced by magnetic field.

Initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) of Highly Cross-Linked Polymer Films for Advanced Lithium-Ion Battery Separators.

PubMed

Yoo, Youngmin; Kim, Byung Gon; Pak, Kwanyong; Han, Sung Jae; Song, Heon-Sik; Choi, Jang Wook; Im, Sung Gap

2015-08-26

We report an initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) process to coat polyethylene (PE) separators in Li-ion batteries with a highly cross-linked, mechanically strong polymer, namely, polyhexavinyldisiloxane (pHVDS). The highly cross-linked but ultrathin pHVDS films can only be obtained by a vapor-phase process, because the pHVDS is insoluble in most solvents and thus infeasible with conventional solution-based methods. Moreover, even after the pHVDS coating, the initial porous structure of the separator is well preserved owing to the conformal vapor-phase deposition. The coating thickness is delicately controlled by deposition time to the level that the pore size decreases to below 7% compared to the original dimension. The pHVDS-coated PE shows substantially improved thermal stability and electrolyte wettability. After incubation at 140 °C for 30 min, the pHVDS-coated PE causes only a 12% areal shrinkage (versus 90% of the pristine separator). The superior wettability results in increased electrolyte uptake and ionic conductivity, leading to significantly improved rate performance. The current approach is applicable to a wide range of porous polymeric separators that suffer from thermal shrinkage and poor electrolyte wetting.

Separation of polycarbonate and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene waste plastics by froth flotation combined with ammonia pretreatment.

PubMed

Wang, Chong-Qing; Wang, Hui; Liu, Qun; Fu, Jian-Gang; Liu, You-Nian

2014-12-01

The objective of this research is flotation separation of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) waste plastics combined with ammonia pretreatment. The PC and ABS plastics show similar hydrophobicity, and ammonia treatment changes selectively floatability of PC plastic while ABS is insensitive to ammonia treatment. The contact angle measurement indicates the dropping of flotation recovery of PC is ascribed to a decline of contact angle. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrates reactions occur on PC surface, which makes PC surface more hydrophilic. Separation of PC and ABS waste plastics was conducted based on the flotation behavior of single plastic. At different temperatures, PC and ABS mixtures were separated efficiently through froth flotation with ammonia pretreatment for different time (13 min at 23 °C, 18 min at 18 °C and 30 min at 23 °C). For both PC and ABS, the purity and recovery is more than 95.31% and 95.35%, respectively; the purity of PC and ABS is up to 99.72% and 99.23%, respectively. PC and ABS mixtures with different particle sizes were separated effectively, implying that ammonia treatment possesses superior applicability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation of quaternary amine monolithic column for strong anion-exchange chromatography and its application to the separation of Enterovirus 71.

PubMed

Gu, Huimin; Yin, Dezhong; Ren, Jie; Zhang, Baoliang; Zhang, Qiuyu

2016-10-15

Large size virion is unable to diffuse into pores of conventional porous chromatography particles. Therefore, separation of virion by conventional column-packing materials is not quite efficient. To solve this problem, a monolithic column with large convective pores and quaternary amine groups was prepared and was applied to separate Enterovirus 71 (EV71, ≈5700-6000kDa). Cross-section, pore structure, hydrodynamic performance, adsorption property and dynamic binding capacity of prepared monolithic column were determined. Double-pore structures, macropore at 2472nm and mesopore at 5-60nm, were formed. The porosity was up to 63.3%, which enable higher permeability and lower back pressure of the monolithic column than commercial UNO™ Q1 column. Based on the breakthrough curves, the loading capacity of bovine serum albumin was calculated to be 42.0mg per column. In addition, prepared quaternary amine monolithic column was proved to be suitable for the separation of protein mixture by strong anion-exchange chromatography. As a practical application, prepared monolith column presents excellent performance to the separation of EV71 from virus-proteins mixture. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanoporous Membranes with Chemically-Tailored Pore Walls from Triblock Terpolymer Templates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulvenna, Ryan; Weidman, Jacob; Pople, John; Boudouris, Bryan; Phillip, William

2014-03-01

Membranes generated from self-assembled block polymers have shown promise as highly permeable and selective filters; however, current syntheses of such materials lack diverse pore wall chemical functionality. Here, we report the facile synthesis of polyisoprene- b-polystyrene- b-poly(N , N -dimethylacrylamide) (PI-PS-PDMA) using a controlled reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization mechanism to yield a macromolecule with an easily-tunable molecular weight and a narrow molecular weight distribution. The PI-PS-PDMA is then cast into an anisotropic membrane using the self-assembly and non-solvent induced phase separation process (SNIPS) protocol. These membranes can be used in size-selective separations for particles as small as 8 nm in diameter. Furthermore, the PDMA block can be converted to poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) readily in the solid state, and this PI-PS-PAA terpolymer membrane can separate particles as low as 2 nm in diameter while still retaining a relatively high flux. This is the smallest reported separation for a block polymer-based membrane to date. Additionally, the PAA-lined pores serve as a conversion platform to be tuned to any other pore chemistry, which allows the membrane to be of great utility in optimizing chemistry-specific separations.

Quantum modeling of ultrafast photoinduced charge separation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozzi, Carlo Andrea; Troiani, Filippo; Tavernelli, Ivano

2018-01-01

Phenomena involving electron transfer are ubiquitous in nature, photosynthesis and enzymes or protein activity being prominent examples. Their deep understanding thus represents a mandatory scientific goal. Moreover, controlling the separation of photogenerated charges is a crucial prerequisite in many applicative contexts, including quantum electronics, photo-electrochemical water splitting, photocatalytic dye degradation, and energy conversion. In particular, photoinduced charge separation is the pivotal step driving the storage of sun light into electrical or chemical energy. If properly mastered, these processes may also allow us to achieve a better command of information storage at the nanoscale, as required for the development of molecular electronics, optical switching, or quantum technologies, amongst others. In this Topical Review we survey recent progress in the understanding of ultrafast charge separation from photoexcited states. We report the state-of-the-art of the observation and theoretical description of charge separation phenomena in the ultrafast regime mainly focusing on molecular- and nano-sized solar energy conversion systems. In particular, we examine different proposed mechanisms driving ultrafast charge dynamics, with particular regard to the role of quantum coherence and electron-nuclear coupling, and link experimental observations to theoretical approaches based either on model Hamiltonians or on first principles simulations.

Exact and Heuristic Algorithms for Runway Scheduling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malik, Waqar A.; Jung, Yoon C.

2016-01-01

This paper explores the Single Runway Scheduling (SRS) problem with arrivals, departures, and crossing aircraft on the airport surface. Constraints for wake vortex separations, departure area navigation separations and departure time window restrictions are explicitly considered. The main objective of this research is to develop exact and heuristic based algorithms that can be used in real-time decision support tools for Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) controllers. The paper provides a multi-objective dynamic programming (DP) based algorithm that finds the exact solution to the SRS problem, but may prove unusable for application in real-time environment due to large computation times for moderate sized problems. We next propose a second algorithm that uses heuristics to restrict the search space for the DP based algorithm. A third algorithm based on a combination of insertion and local search (ILS) heuristics is then presented. Simulation conducted for the east side of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport allows comparison of the three proposed algorithms and indicates that the ILS algorithm performs favorably in its ability to find efficient solutions and its computation times.

The effects of solid rocket motor effluents on selected surfaces and solid particle size, distribution, and composition for simulated shuttle booster separation motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jex, D. W.; Linton, R. C.; Russell, W. M.; Trenkle, J. J.; Wilkes, D. R.

1976-01-01

A series of three tests was conducted using solid rocket propellants to determine the effects a solid rocket plume would have on thermal protective surfaces (TPS). The surfaces tested were those which are baselined for the shuttle vehicle. The propellants used were to simulate the separation solid rocket motors (SSRM) that separate the solid rocket boosters (SRB) from the shuttle launch vehicle. Data cover: (1) the optical effects of the plume environment on spacecraft related surfaces, and (2) the solid particle size, distribution, and composition at TPS sample locations.

Chemical-Reaction-Controlled Phase Separated Drops: Formation, Size Selection, and Coarsening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wurtz, Jean David; Lee, Chiu Fan

2018-02-01

Phase separation under nonequilibrium conditions is exploited by biological cells to organize their cytoplasm but remains poorly understood as a physical phenomenon. Here, we study a ternary fluid model in which phase-separating molecules can be converted into soluble molecules, and vice versa, via chemical reactions. We elucidate using analytical and simulation methods how drop size, formation, and coarsening can be controlled by the chemical reaction rates, and categorize the qualitative behavior of the system into distinct regimes. Ostwald ripening arrest occurs above critical reaction rates, demonstrating that this transition belongs entirely to the nonequilibrium regime. Our model is a minimal representation of the cell cytoplasm.

Fabrication of high-alloy powders consisting of spherical particles from ultradispersed components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samokhin, A. V.; Fadeev, A. A.; Sinayskiy, M. A.; Alekseev, N. V.; Tsvetkov, Yu. V.; Arzhatkina, O. A.

2017-07-01

It is shown that powders of a model high alloy consisting of spherical particles 25-50 μm in size can be synthesized from a starting ultradispersed powder, which is made of a mixture of the alloy components and is fabricated by the magnesiothermal reduction of metal chlorides in the potassium chloride melt. The synthesis includes the stages of microgranulation of an ultradispersed powder, heat treatment of microgranules, classification of the microgranules with the separation of microgranule fraction of 25-50 μm, spheroidization of the separated fraction in a thermal plasma flow, and classification with the separation of a fraction of micro- and submicrometer-sized particles.

Pinched flow coupled shear-modulated inertial microfluidics for high-throughput rare blood cell separation.

PubMed

Bhagat, Ali Asgar S; Hou, Han Wei; Li, Leon D; Lim, Chwee Teck; Han, Jongyoon

2011-06-07

Blood is a highly complex bio-fluid with cellular components making up >40% of the total volume, thus making its analysis challenging and time-consuming. In this work, we introduce a high-throughput size-based separation method for processing diluted blood using inertial microfluidics. The technique takes advantage of the preferential cell focusing in high aspect-ratio microchannels coupled with pinched flow dynamics for isolating low abundance cells from blood. As an application of the developed technique, we demonstrate the isolation of cancer cells (circulating tumor cells (CTCs)) spiked in blood by exploiting the difference in size between CTCs and hematologic cells. The microchannel dimensions and processing parameters were optimized to enable high throughput and high resolution separation, comparable to existing CTC isolation technologies. Results from experiments conducted with MCF-7 cells spiked into whole blood indicate >80% cell recovery with an impressive 3.25 × 10(5) fold enrichment over red blood cells (RBCs) and 1.2 × 10(4) fold enrichment over peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL). In spite of a 20× sample dilution, the fast operating flow rate allows the processing of ∼10(8) cells min(-1) through a single microfluidic device. The device design can be easily customized for isolating other rare cells from blood including peripheral blood leukocytes and fetal nucleated red blood cells by simply varying the 'pinching' width. The advantage of simple label-free separation, combined with the ability to retrieve viable cells post enrichment and minimal sample pre-processing presents numerous applications for use in clinical diagnosis and conducting fundamental studies.

Genotyping of alpha-thalassemia deletions using multiplex polymerase chain reactions and gold nanoparticle-filled capillary electrophoresis.

PubMed

Chen, Yen-Ling; Shih, Chi-Jen; Ferrance, Jerome; Chang, Ya-Sian; Chang, Jan-Gowth; Wu, Shou-Mei

2009-02-13

A gold nanoparticle-filled capillary electrophoresis method combined with three multiplex polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) was established for simultaneous diagnosis of five common alpha-thalassemia deletions, including the -alpha(3.7) deletion, -alpha(4.2) deletion, Southeast Asian (--(SEA)), Filipino (--(FIL)) and Thai (--(THAI)) deletions. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were used as a pseudostationary phase to improve the resolution between DNA fragments in a low-viscosity polymer. To achieve the best CE separation, several parameters were evaluated for optimizing the separation conditions, including the capillary coating, the concentrations of polymer sieving matrix, the sizes and concentrations of GNPs, the buffer concentrations, and the pH. The final CE method for separating a 200-base pair (bp) DNA ladder and alpha-thalassemia deletions used a DB-17 capillary, 0.6% poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) prepared in a mixture of GNP(32nm) solution and glycine buffer (25mM, pH 9.0) (80:20, v/v) as the sieving matrix with 1microM YO-PRO-1 for fluorescence detection; the applied voltage was -10kV (detector at anode side) and the separation temperature was 25 degrees C. Under these optimal conditions, 15 DNA fragments with sizes ranging from 0.2kb to 3.0kb were resolved within 11.5min. The RSDs of migration times were less than 2.81%. A total of 21 patients with alpha-thalassemia deletions were analyzed using this method, and all results showed good agreement with those obtained by gel electrophoresis.

The Effect on Treatment Adherence of Administering Drugs as Fixed-Dose Combinations versus as Separate Pills: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

van Galen, Katy A; Nellen, Jeannine F; Nieuwkerk, Pythia T

2014-01-01

Administering drugs as fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) versus the same active drugs administered as separate pills is assumed to enhance treatment adherence. We synthesized evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the effect of FDCs versus separate pills on adherence. We searched PubMed for RCTs comparing a FDC with the same active drugs administered as separate pills, including a quantitative estimate of treatment adherence, without restriction to medical condition. The odds ratio (OR) of optimal adherence with FDCs versus separate pills was used as common effect size and aggregated into a pooled effect estimate using a random effect model with inverse variance weights. Out of 1258 articles screened, only six studies fulfilled inclusion criteria. Across medical conditions, administering drugs as FDC significantly increased the likelihood of optimal adherence (OR 1.33 (95% CI, 1.03-1.71)). Within subgroups of specific medical conditions, the favourable effect of FDCs on adherence was of borderline statistical significance for HIV infection only (OR 1.46 (95% CI, 1.00-2.13)). We observed a remarkable paucity of RCTs comparing the effect on adherence of administering drugs as FDC versus as separate pills. Administering drugs as FDC improved medication adherence. However, this conclusion is based on a limited number of RCTs only.

Hybrid Ultra-Microporous Materials for Selective Xenon Adsorption and Separation

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

Mohamed, Mona H.; Elsaidi, Sameh K.; Pham, Tony

2016-05-30

The demand for Xe/Kr separation continues to grow due to the industrial significance of high-purity Xe gas. Current separation processes rely on energy intensive cryogenic distillation. Therefore, there is a need to develop less energy intensive alternatives such as physisorptive separation using porous materials. Here we show that an underexplored class of porous materials called hybrid ultramicroporous materials (HUMs) based upon inorganic and organic building blocks affords new benchmark selectivity for Xe separation from Xe/Kr mixtures. The isostructural materials, CROFOUR-1-Ni and CROFOUR-2-Ni, are coordination networks that exhibit coordinatively saturated metal centres and two distinct types of micropores, one of whichmore » is lined by CrO42- (CROFOUR) anions and the other is decorated by the functionalized organic linker. These nets offer unprecedented selectivity towards Xe, and also address processing and stability limitations of existing porous materials. Modelling experiments indicate that the extraordinary selectivity of these nets is tailored by synergy between the pore size, which is just above the kinetic diameter of Xe, and the strong electrostatics afforded by the CrO42- anions. Column breakthrough experiments demonstrate the potential of the practical use of these materials in Xe/Kr separation at low concentrations at the levels relevant to Xe capture from air and in nuclear fuel reprocessing.« less

Shock unsteadiness in a thrust optimized parabolic nozzle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, S. B.

2009-07-01

This paper discusses the nature of shock unsteadiness, in an overexpanded thrust optimized parabolic nozzle, prevalent in various flow separation modes experienced during start up {(δ P0 /δ t > 0)} and shut down {(δ P0/δ t < 0)} sequences. The results are based on simultaneously acquired data from real-time wall pressure measurements using Kulite pressure transducers, high-speed schlieren (2 kHz) of the exhaust flow-field and from strain-gauges installed on the nozzle bending tube. Shock unsteadiness in the separation region is seen to increase significantly just before the onset of each flow transition, even during steady nozzle operation. The intensity of this measure ( rms level) is seen to be strongly influenced by relative locations of normal and overexpansion shock, the decrease in radial size of re-circulation zone in the back-flow region, and finally, the local nozzle wall contour. During restricted shock separation, the pressure fluctuations in separation region exhibit periodic characteristics rather than the usually observed characteristics of intermittent separation. The possible physical mechanisms responsible for the generation of flow unsteadiness in various separation modes are discussed. The results are from an experimental study conducted in P6.2 cold-gas subscale test facility using a thrust optimized parabolic nozzle of area-ratio 30.

Low-Rank Matrix Recovery Approach for Clutter Rejection in Real-Time IR-UWB Radar-Based Moving Target Detection

PubMed Central

Sabushimike, Donatien; Na, Seung You; Kim, Jin Young; Bui, Ngoc Nam; Seo, Kyung Sik; Kim, Gil Gyeom

2016-01-01

The detection of a moving target using an IR-UWB Radar involves the core task of separating the waves reflected by the static background and by the moving target. This paper investigates the capacity of the low-rank and sparse matrix decomposition approach to separate the background and the foreground in the trend of UWB Radar-based moving target detection. Robust PCA models are criticized for being batched-data-oriented, which makes them inconvenient in realistic environments where frames need to be processed as they are recorded in real time. In this paper, a novel method based on overlapping-windows processing is proposed to cope with online processing. The method consists of processing a small batch of frames which will be continually updated without changing its size as new frames are captured. We prove that RPCA (via its Inexact Augmented Lagrange Multiplier (IALM) model) can successfully separate the two subspaces, which enhances the accuracy of target detection. The overlapping-windows processing method converges on the optimal solution with its batch counterpart (i.e., processing batched data with RPCA), and both methods prove the robustness and efficiency of the RPCA over the classic PCA and the commonly used exponential averaging method. PMID:27598159

Commissioning and quality assurance for the treatment delivery components of the AccuBoost system.

PubMed

Iftimia, Ileana; Talmadge, Mike; Ladd, Ron; Halvorsen, Per

2015-03-08

The objective for this work was to develop a commissioning methodology for the treatment delivery components of the AccuBoost system, as well as to establish a routine quality assurance program and appropriate guidance for clinical use based on the commissioning results. Various tests were developed: 1) assessment of the accuracy of the displayed separation value; 2) validation of the dwell positions within each applicator; 3) assessment of the accuracy and precision of the applicator localization system; 4) assessment of the combined dose profile of two opposed applicators to confirm that they are coaxial; 5) measurement of the absolute dose delivered with each applicator to confirm acceptable agreement with dose based on Monte Carlo modeling; 6) measurements of the skin-to-center dose ratio using optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters; and 7) assessment of the mammopad cushion's effect on the center dose. We found that the difference between the measured and the actual paddle separation is < 0.1 cm for the separation range of 3 cm to 7.5 cm. Radiochromic film measurements demonstrated that the number of dwell positions inside the applicators agree with the values from the vendor, for each applicator type and size. The shift needed for a good applicator-grid alignment was within 0.2 cm. The dry-run test using film demonstrated that the shift of the dosimetric center is within 0.15 cm. Dose measurements in water converted to polystyrene agreed within 5.0% with the Monte Carlo data in polystyrene for the same applicator type, size, and depth. A solid water-to-water (phantom) factor was obtained for each applicator, and all future annual quality assurance tests will be performed in solid water using an average value of 1.07 for the solid water-to-water factor. The skin-to-center dose ratio measurements support the Monte Carlo-based values within 5.0% agreement. For the treatment separation range of 4 cm to 8cm, the change in center dose would be < 1.0% for all applicators when using a compressed pad of 0.2 cm to 0.3 cm. The tests performed ensured that all treatment components of the AccuBoost system are functional and that a treatment plan can be delivered with acceptable accuracy. Based on the commissioning results, a quality assurance manual and guidance documents for clinical use were developed.

Dense arrays of millimeter-sized glass lenses fabricated at wafer-level.

PubMed

Albero, Jorge; Perrin, Stéphane; Bargiel, Sylwester; Passilly, Nicolas; Baranski, Maciej; Gauthier-Manuel, Ludovic; Bernard, Florent; Lullin, Justine; Froehly, Luc; Krauter, Johann; Osten, Wolfgang; Gorecki, Christophe

2015-05-04

This paper presents the study of a fabrication technique of lenses arrays based on the reflow of glass inside cylindrical silicon cavities. Lenses whose sizes are out of the microfabrication standards are considered. In particular, the case of high fill factor arrays is discussed in detail since the proximity between lenses generates undesired effects. These effects, not experienced when lenses are sufficiently separated so that they can be considered as single items, are corrected by properly designing the silicon cavities. Complete topographic as well as optical characterizations are reported. The compatibility of materials with Micro-Opto-Electromechanical Systems (MOEMS) integration processes makes this technology attractive for the miniaturization of inspection systems, especially those devoted to imaging.

Tiny, Dusty, Galactic HI Clouds: The GALFA-HI Compact Cloud Catalog

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saul, Destry R.; Putman, M. E.; Peek, J. G.

2013-01-01

The recently published GALFA-HI Compact Cloud Catalog contains 2000 nearby neutral hydrogen clouds under 20' in angular size detected with a machine-vision algorithm in the Galactic Arecibo L-Band Feed Array HI survey (GALFA-HI). At a distance of 1kpc, the compact clouds would typically be 1 solar mass and 1pc in size. We observe that nearly all of the compact clouds that are classified as high velocity (> 90 km/s) are near previously-identified high velocity complexes. We separate the compact clouds into populations based on velocity, linewidth, and position. We have begun to search for evidence of dust in these clouds using IRIS and have detections in several populations.