The combination of calcium phosphates (CaP) with bioactive glasses (BG) has received an increased interest in the field of bone tissue engineering. In the present work, biphasic calcium phosphates (BCP) obtained by hydrothermal transformation (HT) of cuttlefish bone (CB) were coated with a Sr-, Mg- and Zn-doped sol-gel derived BG. The scaffolds were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The initial CB structure was maintained after HT and the scaffold functionalization did not jeopardize the internal structure. The results of in vitro bio-mineralization after immersing the BG coated scaffolds in simulated body fluid (SBF) showed extensive formation of bone-like apatite onto the surface of the scaffolds. Overall, the functionalized CB derived BCP scaffolds revealed promising properties for their use in bone tissue engineering field.

Present study offers mathematical calculations of the roll-coating procedure lubricated with upper Convected Maxwell Fluid. An incompressible isothermal viscoelastic fluid is considered with roll and the porous web having uniform velocities. By employing Lubrication Approximation Theory, the desired equations of motion for the fluid concerned over porous web are modelled and analyzed. The suction rate on the web and injection rate at the roll surface are anticipated proportionate. Results for velocity profile and pressure gradient are obtained analytically. Fluid parameters of industrial significance i.e. detachment point, pressure, sheet /roll separating force, power contribution and coating thickness are also calculated numerically. Substantial and monotonic increase is witnessed in these quantities with the increase of flow parameters.

Food analysis demands fast methods for routine control and high throughput of samples. Chromatographic separation enables simultaneous determination of numerous compounds in complex matrices, several approaches increasing separation efficiency and speed of analysis were involved. In this work, modern types of column with monolithic rod or superficially porous particles were employed and compared for determination of eight synthetic food dyes, their chromatographic performance was evaluated. During method optimization, cyano stationary phase Chromolith Performance CN 100 × 4.6 mm and Ascentis Express ES-CN 100 × 4.6 mm, 5 µm were selected for the separation of polar colorants. The separation was performed by gradient elution of acetonitrile/methanol and 2% water solution of ammonium acetate at flow rate 2.0 ml min-1. Mobile phase composition and the gradients were optimized in order to enable efficient separation on both columns. The method using fused-core particle column provided higher separation efficiency, narrow peaks of analytes resulted in increased peak capacity and shortening of analysis time. After the validation, the method was applied for analysis of colored beers, soft drinks and candies.

This paper reveals the physical properties of Jeffery nanofluid flow past a moving plate embedded in porous medium under the existence of radiation and thermal diffusion. The analysis is carried out in three cases of moving plate, namely stationary plate λ = 0, forth-moving plate λ = 1, back-moving plate λ = −1. Finite difference method is applied to solve the governing equations of the flow and pointed out the variations in velocity, temperature and concentration with the use of graphical presentations. The impact of several parameters on local skin friction, Nusselt number and Sherwood number is also noticed and discussed. Enhancement of velocity is observed under the impact of Jeffery parameter for the cases of stationary plate and back-moving plate, whereas reverse nature is found in the case of forth-moving plate. The velocity enhances as the values of porosity parameter increases for the case of stationary plate and forth-moving plate but a reverse nature is noticed in the case of back-moving plate.

The numerical simulation of entropy generation at mixed natural free and forced convection flow in a square lid-driven cavity filled with an eletrically conducting binary fluids saturated porous media in the presence of a magnetic field is performed in this investigation. Both the top and bottom horizontal walls of the cavity are kept at constant and different temperatures while the left and right vertical walls are adiabatic and insulated. The magnetic field is applied in normal direction to the cavity. The Darcy model, including Brinkman term relative to viscous effects and Forchheimer term due to inertial forces, is used for the momentum equations, and the SIMPLER algorithm, based on the control volume finite-element method approach is used to solve the pressure –velocity coupling. The flow pattern and the heat transfer characteristics inside the cavity are presented in the form of isotherms, streamlines and isentropic lines and average Nusselt number trend. The entropy generation rate is determined for various values of Darcy number (10^-3 ≤ Da ≤ 1) and for a range of Hartmann number (0 ≤ Ha ≤ 10²). This study is limited to Pr = 7 which corresponds to water. It is observed that entropy generation is very affected by the variations of dimensionless control parameters considered.

This study introduces an efficient strategy for synthesizing polyhydroxyurethane-based multicomponent hydrogels with enhanced rheological properties. In a single-step process, 3D materials composed of Polymer 1 (PHU) and Polymer 2 (PVA or gelatin) were produced. Polymer 1, a crosslinked polyhydroxyurethane (PHU) grew within a colloidal suspension of Polymer 2, forming an interconnected network. The synthesis of Polymer 1 utilized a Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane (NIPU) methodology based on the aminolysis of bis(cyclic carbonate) (bisCC) monomers derived from 1-thioglycerol and 1,2-dithioglycerol (monomers MA and ME, respectively). This method, applied for the first time in Semi Interpenetrating Network (SIPN) formation, demonstrated exceptional orthogonality, since the functional groups in Polymer 2 do not interfere with Polymer 1 formation. Optimizing PHU formation involved a twenty-trial methodology, identifying influential variables such as polymer concentration, temperature, solvent (an aprotic and a protic solvent), and the organo-catalyst used [a thiourea derivative (TU) and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU)]. The highest molecular weights were achieved under near-bulk polymerization conditions using TU-protic and DBU-aprotic as catalyst-solvent combinations. ME-based PHU exhibited higher (M_w ) ̅ than MA-based PHU (34,100 Da and 16,400 Da, respectively). Applying the enhanced methodology to prepare ten multicomponent hydrogels using PVA or gelatin as the polymer scaffold revealed superior rheological properties in PVA-based hydrogels, exhibiting solid-like gel behavior. Incorporating ME enhanced mechanical properties and elasticity (with loss tangent values of 0.09 and 0.14). SEM images unveiled distinct microstructures, including a sponge-like pattern in certain PVA-based hydrogels when MA was chosen, indicating the formation of highly superporous interpenetrated materials. In summary, this innovative approach presents a versatile methodology for obtaining advanced hydrogel-based systems with potential applications in various biomedical fields.

This study explores the dynamics of liquid holdup in a lab-scale co-current two-phase upflow moving packed bed reactor, specifically examining how superficial gas velocity influences the line average external liquid holdup at a fixed superficial liquid velocity. Utilizing Gamma-ray Densitometry (GRD) for precise measurements, this research extends to determining line average internal porosity within catalyst particles and the overall external bed porosity. Conducted with an air-water system within a bed packed with 3 mm extrudate porous particles, the study presents a novel methodology to calculate liquid holdup, grounded in Beer–Lambert's law. Findings reveal a decrease in liquid holdup corresponding with increased superficial gas velocity across axial and radial locations, with a notable transition from bubbly to pulse flow regime at a critical velocity of 3.8 cm/sec. Additionally, the lower sections of the packed bed exhibited higher external liquid holdup compared to the middle sections at varied gas velocities. The liquid holdup distribution appeared uniform at lower flow rates, whereas higher flow rates favored the middle sections.

In this research, a design method for the graded triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structures with lightweight, high-strength, and high sound absorption properties is proposed. The graded TPMS structures are controlled by linear, quadratic, and sine functions. Uniform TPMS and graded TPMS were manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) with AlSi7Mg powder, and an acoustic impedance tube test, compression test, and digital image correlation (DIC) test were ap-plied to obtain the sound absorption and compression properties. The sound absorption coefficient of a uniform Gyroid increases as the number of layers and surface thickness increase, and it in-creases as element size decreases. The sound absorption peak shifts to low frequencies as the number of layers increases. The sound absorption property of Type-Ⅰ graded TPMS is superior to the Type-Ⅱ, and the G-LinearⅠ has the highest sound absorption properties among the three functions. It reveals that the graded TPMS has superior sound absorption performance at low and medium frequencies. The compression and DIC results of graded TPMS also show excellent mechanical properties and energy absorption characteristics.

Porous ferroelectric lead zirconate-titanate (PZT) films are a promising material for various electronics applications. This study focuses on understanding how structure-directing agent (polyvinylpyrrolidone) can change structure and electrical properties of porous PZT films prepared by chemical solution deposition. The films with various porosity up to ~ 40 vol.% and pore connectivity changing from 3-0 to 3-3 were prepared and studied by capacitance-voltage, dielectric hysteresis, transient current, photocurrent, and local current techniques. We have found that the linear decrease in the material volume in a porous film is not the only factor governing film properties. The key role in changing electrical properties plays the creation of new internal grain boundaries. This research expands the understanding of physical phenomena in porous ferroelectric films and may enable the development of new materials and devices.

Polymers are one of the most widely used chemicals in the oil and gas industry. They are used for mobility control in enhanced oil recovery, in conformance control as a crosslinked plugging agent, as a fracking fluid for fracture propagation and proppant transportation, and in drilling fluids as an additive for drilling mud enhancement. In the majority of its applications in the petroleum industry, the polymer needs to be injected under high pressures and temperatures. This can impact the polymer structure significantly and compromises the possibility of reusing the injected polymer for cost reduction and material sustainability. This research characterizes the polymer injectivity in different pore sizes under different conditions and evaluates the polymer conditions after injection. Based on this, the ability to reinject the polymer in the porous media is discussed. The factors studied include the pore size, the polymer concentration, the polymer injection flowrate, and polymer injectivity. Results showed that the polymer usually undergoes four main degradations during injection including dehydration, syneresis, shearing, and excessive hydrolysis. The experimental results showed that one or more of the polymer degradations resulted in the inability to reinject the polymer in most cases.

Recently, there has been increasing attention toward inhaled nanoparticles (NPs) to develop in-halation therapies for diseases associated with the pulmonary system and investigate the toxic ef-fects of hazardous environmental particles on human lung health. Taking advantage of microfluidic technology for cell culture applications, lung-on-a-chip devices with great potential in replicating the lung air-blood barrier (ABB) have opened new research insights in preclinical pathology and therapeutic studies associated with aerosol NPs. Surprisingly, the air interface in such devices, which makes them tremendously unique among the other common liquid-based cellular mi-crosystems and enables exposure of cultivated cells to the drug/toxic aerosols, has been largely disregarded. Accordingly, there exists a significant research gap in the comprehensive under-standing of the NPs’ dynamics in the lung-on-a-chip devices, which is momentous to control the injection of aerosols to the target area and attain a desired physiochemical efficacy. To address this research gap, a numerical parametric study is presented to provide a deep insight into the dynamic behavior of the airborne NPs in a gas-liquid dual-channel lung-on-a-chip device with a porous membrane separating the channels. A finite element multi-physics model is developed to enable a particle tracing investigation simultaneously in both air and medium phases to replicate the in vivo conditions avoiding laborious and costly experimental trials. The results include the impact of fluid flow as well as geometrical properties on the distribution, deposition, and translocation of the NPs with diameters ranging from 10 nm to 900 nm in the lung-on-a-chip. The obtained results strongly suggest the aerosol injection of NPs instead of the aqueous solution for more efficient deposition on the substrate of the air channel and higher translocation to the media channel. The current study proposes to optimize the affecting parameters to control the injection and delivery of aerosol par-ticles into the lung-on-chip device depending on the objectives of biomedical investigations and provides optimized values for some specific cases. Therefore, this study can assist scientists and researchers in complementing their experimental investigation in future preclinical studies on pulmonary pathology associated with inhaled hazardous and toxic environmental particles, as well as therapeutic studies for developing inhalation drug delivery.

Three-dimensional porous nanostructures made of noble metals represent novel class of nanomaterials promising for nonlinear nanooptics and sensors. Such nanostructures are typically fabricated using either reproducible yet time-consuming and costly multi-step lithography protocols or less reproducible chemical synthesis that involve liquid processing with toxic compounds. Here, we combined scalable nanosecond-laser ablation with advanced engineering of the chemical composition of thin substrate-supported Au films to produce nanobumps containing multiple nanopores inside. Most of the nanopores hidden beneath the nanobump surface can be further uncapped using gentle etching of the nanobumps by an Ar-ion beam to form functional 3D plasmonic nanosponges. The nanopores 10-150~nm in diameter were found to appear via laser-induced explosive evaporation/boiling and coalescence of the randomly arranged nucleation sites formed by nitrogen-rich areas of the Au films. Density of the nanopores can be controlled by the amount of the nitrogen in the Au films regulated in the process of their magnetron sputtering assisted with nitrogen-containing discharge gas.

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is a synthetic DNA mimic that outperforms the properties of traditional oligonucleotides (ONs). On account of its outstanding features, such as remarkable binding affinity towards complementary DNA or RNA as well as high thermal and chemical stability, PNA has been proposed as a valuable alternative to the ON probe in gene-sensor design. In this study, a hybrid transducer made-up of graphene oxide (GO) nano-sheets covalently grafted onto a porous silicon (PSi) matrix has been investigated for the early detection of a genetic cardiac disorder, the Brugada syndrome (BS). A functionalization strategy towards the realization of a potential PNA-based device is described. A peptide nucleic acid (PNA), able to detect the SCN5A associated with the BS has been properly synthesized and used as a bioprobe for the realization of a proof-of-concept label-free optical PNA-biosensor. PSi reflectance and GO photoluminescence (PL) signals were simultaneously exploited for the monitoring of the device functionalization and response.

To address the severe distresses of asphalt pavement, a new type of pavement maintenance treatment, porous ultra-thin overlay (PUTO) with small particle size was proposed. The PUTO has a thickness of 1.5~2.5 cm and a large void ratio of 18~25%. As a newly asphalt mixture, the structure characteristics differ from traditional pavement. Therefore, it is necessary to investigated the fabrication schemes in laboratory and on-site, respectively. In this study, the optimal fabrication schemes, including compaction temperature and number of blows of PUTO were determined based on Cantabro test and volumetric parameters. Then, the corresponding relationship between laboratory and on-site compaction work was then established based on the energy equivalent principle. On this basis, the numbers of on-site rolling passes and the combination method were calculated. The results show that increased compaction temperature and number of blows reduce the height and enhance the compactness of the Marshall sample. With the same temperature and number of blows, the scattering resistance of coarse gradation (PAC-1) is better than that of fine gradation (PAC-2), and the increased asphalt viscosity significantly improves the scattering resistance of the asphalt mixture. To ensure the scattering resistance and volumetric characteristic, the initial compaction temperature of the PAC-1 and PAC-2 should not be lower than 150 °C and 165 °C, respectively. Then, the laboratory compaction work and on-site compaction work were calculated and converted based on the principle of energy equivalence. Consequently, the on-site compaction combination of rolling machines for four asphalt mixtures was determined. According to the volumetric parameters, the paving test section proved that the construction temperature and the on-site rolling combination determined by laboratory tests are reasonable, and ultra-thin overlay has good structural stability, drainage and skid resistance.

In our previous study, a novel barrier processing on a porous low-dielectric constant (low-k) film was developed: an ultrathin Mn oxide on a nitrogen-stuffed porous carbon-doped organosilica film (p-SiOCH(N)) as a barrier of the Cu film was fabricated. To form a better barrier Mn₂O_3-xN film, an additional annealing at 450°C was implemented. In this study, the electrical characteristics and reliability of this integrated Cu/Mn₂O_3-xN/p-SiOCH(N)/Si structure is investigated. The proposed Cu/Mn₂O_3-xN/p-SiOCH(N)/Si capacitors exhibited poor dielectric breakdown characteristics in the as-fabricted stage, although, less degradation was found after thermal stress. Moreover, its time-dependence-dielectric-breakdown electric-field acceleration factor slightly increased after thermal stress, leading to a larger dielectric lifetime in a low electric-field as compared to other MIS capacitors. Furthermore, its Cu barrier ability under electrical or thermal stress was improved. As a consequent, the proposed Cu/Mn₂O_3-xN/p-SiCOH(N) scheme is a promising integrity for back-end-of-line interconnects.

The detection of dopamine in a highly sensitive and selective manner is crucial for the early diagnosis of a number of neurological diseases/disorders. Here, a report on a new platform for the electrochemical detection of dopamine with a considerable accuracy that comprises a 3D porous graphene oxide (pGO)/gold nanoparticle (GNP)/pGO composite-modified indium tin oxide (ITO) is presented. The pGO was first synthesized and purified by ultrasonication and centrifugation, and it was then further functionalized on the surface of a GNP-immobilized ITO electrode. Remarkably, owing to the synergistic effects of the pGO and GNPs, the 3D pGO-GNP-pGO-modified ITO electrode showed a superior dopamine-detection performance compared with the other pGO- or GNP-modified ITO electrodes. The linear range of the newly developed sensing platform is from 0.1 μM to 30 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.28 μM, which is more precise than the other previously reported GO-functionalized electrodes. Moreover, the 3D pGO-GNP-pGO-modified ITO electrodes maintained their detection capability even in the presence of several interfering molecules (e.g., ascorbic acid, glucose). The proposed platform of the 3D pGO-GNP-pGO-modified ITO electrode could therefore serve as a competent candidate for the development of a dopamine-sensing platform that is potentially applicable for the early diagnosis of various neurological diseases/disorders.

This paper addresses the mixed convective flow and heat transfer in combustible third grade fluid through a slant channel that is filled with a permeable materials. The fluid layer in contact with the lower plate is exposed to convective heating with the ambient while at the upper plate, a constant heat flux is experienced. We employ the spectral quasilinearisation method (SQLM) to the coupled nonlinear flow governing equations. Fluid velocity and temperature profiles, local entropy generation and irreversibility ratio are computed and analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. A residual error analysis demonstrated high accuracy and convergence of the numerical method. The results on flow and thermal effects, entropy generation rate and Bejan number revealed fascinating manifestations that have profound implications in design of thermo-mechanical systems. In particular, the results of the thermal analysis are pertinent to optimal designs of systems that achieve efficient energy utilization.

Integrated crop-livestock production (ILP) is an interesting alternative for more sustainable soil use. However, more studies are needed to analyze soil pore properties under ILP at the micrometer scale. Thus, this study proposes a detailed analysis of soil pore architecture at the micrometer scale in three dimensions. For this purpose, samples of an Oxisol under ILP subjected to minimum tillage (MT) and no-tillage (NT) with ryegrass as cover crop (C) and silage (S) were investigated. The soil micromorphological properties of the soil were analyzed using X-ray microtomography. The MT(C) system showed the highest values of porosity (c. 20.4%), connectivity (c. 32.8×103), volume (c. 26%), and number of pores (c. 32%) in a rod-like shape. On the other hand, the MT(S), NT(C), and NT(S) systems showed higher tortuosities (c. 2.2, c. 2.0, and c. 2.1) and lower pore connectivities (c. 8.3×103, c. 6.9×103, and c. 6.2×103), especially in S use. Ellipsoidal and rod-shaped pores predominated over spheroidal and disc-shaped pores in all treatments. The results of this study show that the use of ryegrass as a cover crop improves soil physical properties, especially in MT. For S use, the type of soil management (MT or NT) did not show any differences.

A new approach to fabricate TiNi surfaces combining the advantages of both monolithic and porous materials for implants is used in this work. New materials were obtained by depositing a porous TiNi powder onto monolithic TiNi plates followed by sintering at 1200°C. Then, further modification of the material surface with a high-current-pulsed electron beam (HCPEB) was carried out. Three materials obtained (one after sintering and two after subsequent beam treatment by 20 and 30 pulses, respectively) were studied by XRD, SEM, EDX, EIS methods, profilometry and OCP measurements. Structural and compositional changes caused by HCPEB treatment were investigated. Surface properties of the samples during their storage in saline for 10 days were studied and a model experiment with cell growth (MCF-7) was carried out for the sample unmodified with electron beam to detect cell appearance on different surface locations.

Lipophilicity can be measured with different methods, such as Shake-Flask or liquid chromatography. HPLC presents the advantage of overcoming solubility issues and therefore extending the range of lipophilicity to high values. A specific HPLC method, called ELogD, had been developed 20 years ago on a C₁₆-amide stationary phase, enhancing hydrophobic and hydrogen bond interactions to mimic octanol-water partition. The emergence of novel stationary phases added to the need for a less complex mobile phase has led to the development of a new HPLC assay called alphaLogD, applicable to neutral and basic compounds at pH 7.4, that combines superficially porous particles, a high number of equilibriums between solutes and stationary phase, and results in a lower number of isocratic methods to determine the logk’_w at a higher throughput. Statistical studies have been run to successfully evaluate the alphaLogD method compared to the Shake-Flask method and to allow this lipophilicity measurement into the so-called Beyond-Rule-of-5-molecules space.

A super-porous hybrid platform can offer significantly increased number of reaction sites for the analytes and thus can offer advantages in the biosensor applications. In this work, a significantly improved sensitivity and selectivity of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) cancer sensor is demonstrated by a super-porous hybrid CuO/Pt NP platform. The super-porous hybrid platform is fabricated by a physiochemical approach combining the physical vapor deposition of Pt NPs and electrochemical deposition of super-porous CuO structures by adopting a dynamic hydrogen bubble technique. Under an optimized condition, the hybrid CuO/Pt biosensor demonstrates a very high sensitivity of 2,205 µA/mM∙cm2 and a low limit of detection (LOD) of 140 nM with a wide range of H2O2 detection. This is meaningfully improved performance as compared to the CuO-based H2O2 sensors as well as to the previously reported metal oxide based H2O2 sensors. The hybrid CuO/Pt platform exhibits excellent selectivity against other interfering molecules such as glucose, fructose, dopamine, and ascorbic acid. Due to the synergetic effect of highly porous CuO structures and underlying Pt NPs, the CuO/Pt architecture offers extremely abundant active sites for the H2O2 reduction and electron transfer pathways.

Porous ceramics can be realized by different methods and are used for manifold applications, like cross-flow-membranes or wall-flow-filters, porous burners, solar receivers, structural design elements or catalytic supports. Within this paper three different alternative process routes are presented, which can be used to manufacture porous ceramic components with different properties or even graded porosity. The first process route bases on additive manufacturing (AM) of macro porous ceramic components, the second on AM of a polymeric template, which is used to manufacture porous ceramic components via replica technique. Finally, the third process route bases on an AM technology, which allows the manufacturing of multi-material or multi-property ceramic components, like components with dense and porous volumes in one complex shaped component.

Mass transfer restrictions of scaffolds are currently hindering the development of three-dimensional (3D), clinically viable, and tissue engineered constructs. For this situation, a 3D poly(lactide-co-glycolide)/hydroxyapatite porous scaffold, which was much favorable for transfer of nutrients to and waste products from the cells in the pores, was developed in this study. The 3D scaffold had an innovative structure, including macropores with diameters of 300−450 μm for cell ingrowth and microchannels with diameters of 2−4 μm for nutrition and waste exchange. The mechanical strength in wet state was strong enough to offer the structural support. The typical structure was more beneficial for the attachment, proliferation, and differentiation of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs). The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and calcium (Ca) deposition were evaluated on the differentiation of rBMSCs, and the results indicated that the microchannel structure was very favorable for differentiating rBMSCs into maturing osteoblasts. For repairing rabbit radius defects in vivo, there was rapid healing in the defects treated with the 3D porous scaffold with microchannels, where the bridging by a large bony callus was observed at 12 weeks post-surgery. Based on the results, the 3D porous scaffold with microchannels was a promising candidate for bone defect repair.

This research examines the fire resistance of geopolymer composites (GCs), formulated using alka-li-activated metakaolin and aluminum powder. The production method involves spray-coating carbon steel plates with fresh GCs, followed by a 28-day curing period at room temperature. Sub-sequently, fire performance and aging tests are conducted to evaluate fire resistance. The study investigates GC properties, including apparent density, bending strength, compression strength, thermal conductivity, porosity, and production cost. Morphological changes before and after fire and aging tests are analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results demonstrate GC foams' outstanding thermal insulation, providing up to 75 minutes of fire resistance with a 6 mm coating, reducing temperatures by 300 °C compared to uncoated steel. GCs exhibit a density of 670 kg/m³, thermal conductivity of 0.166 W/m·K, 68% porosity, and cost efficiency at 250 dollars per cubic meter. This study underscores the potential of foamed geopolymer coatings for effective and economical surface protection.

A cell filtration platform that affords accurate size separation and minimizes fouling was developed. The platform features an ultra-thin porous membrane (UPM) filter, a pumping head for backflushing (PHB), and cell size measurement (CSM) software. The UPM chip is an ultrathin free-standing membrane with a large window area of 0.68 mm2, a pore diameter of 5 to 9 μm, and a thickness of less than 0.9 μm. The PHB prevents filter fouling. The CSM software analyzes the size distributions of the supernatants and subnatants of isolated cells and presents the data visually. The D99 particle size of cells of the chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) line K562 decreased from 22.2 to 17.5 μm after passage through a 5-μm filter. K562 cells could be separated by careful selection of the pore size; the recovery rate attained 91.3%. The method was compared to conventional blocking models by evaluating the mean square errors (MSEs) between the measured and calculated filtering volumes. The filtering rate was fitted by a linear regression model with a significance that exceeded 0.99 based on the R2 value. The platform can be used to separate various soft biomaterials and affords excellent stability during filtration.

Granulites and associated dykes from the less well studied southern Ivrea-Verbano Zone (IVZ; around Ivrea town) are characterized by combining field, macro, micro and chemical (major and trace-element mineral composition) data in order to identify chemical and rheological variations in the lower crust that could be relevant for geodynamic implications. The Ivrea granulites are similar to those belonging to the Lower Mafic Complex of the central IVZ. The mafic lithologies experienced a stealth metasomatism (pargasitic amphibole and An-rich plagioclase) that occurred at suprasol-idus conditions by a pervasive reactive porous flow of mantle-derived orogenic (hydrous) basaltic melts infiltrated along relatively few, likely deformation-assisted, channels. Similar metasomatic melts are already reported in the central and northern IVZ, suggesting a massive regional hydration of the lowermost Southalpine mafic crust during the Early Mesozoic. The plastic behavior of the lowermost part of the crust, induced by its metasomatic hydration, could have promoted the Tri-assic extension of the Variscan crust and the beginning of the Alpine cycle.

In this paper, we present an experimental procedure to enhance the dimensional accuracy of fabrication via Stereolithography (SLA) of features at the micro-scale. Using a custom benchmark part, deviations in feature dimensions (micro-pores diameters and depths) were detected and measured by confocal microscopy. Samples characterization and experimental observations allowed the identification of inaccuracy sources, mainly due to the laser beam scanning strategy and to the incomplete removal of uncured liquid resin in post-processing (i.e., IPA washing). As a technology baseline, the measured dimensional errors on pores diameters were up to -46%. A compensation method of the nominal laser spot diameter (85m) was defined and implemented resulting in relevant improvements in dimensional accuracy of 9.8% and 11.3% on full-open pores diameter and depth, respectively. Further investigation was performed on a customized test part to adjust the calibration procedure. The measurements revealed that the estimate of the laser beam spot size is 968m. Measurements on micro-pores having different sizes revealed that a constant compensation parameter (i.e., C=85, 96, 120m) is not fully effective at the micro-scale, where average errors still remain at -24%, -18.8%, and -16% for compensations equals to 85, 96 and 120m, respectively. A further experimental campaign allowed the identification of an effective nonlinear compensation law where the compensation parameter depends on the micro-feature size C= f (D). Results show a sharp improvement in dimensional accuracy on micro-pore fabrication, with errors consistently below +8.2%. The proposed compensation method can be extended for the fabrication of any micro-features without restrictions on the specific technology implementation. Concerning the inaccuracy introduced by the laser path, experimentation with a customized part allowed the optimization of the part orientation to reduce the errors and their differences along the X and Y machine axes.

Single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) has been used for particle size measurement of diverse types of individual nanoparticles and micrometer-sized carbon-based particles, such as microplastics. However, its applicability to the measurement of micrometer-sized non-carbon-based particles such as silica (SiO2) is unclear. In this study, the applicability of spICP-MS to particle size measurement of non-porous/mesoporous SiO2 micro-spheres with a nominal diameter of 5.0 µm or smaller was investigated. Particle sizes of these microspheres were measured using both spICP-MS based on a conventional calibration approach using an ion standard solution and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as a reference technique and the results were compared. The particle size distributions obtained using both techniques were in agreement within analytical uncertainty. The applicability of this technique to the detection of metal-containing protein-binding mesoporous SiO2 microspheres was also investigated. Bound iron (Fe)-containing proteins (i.e., lactoferrin and transferrin) of mesoporous SiO2 microspheres were detected using Fe as a presence marker for the proteins. Thus, spICP-MS is applicable to the particle size measurement of large-sized and non-porous/mesoporous SiO2 microspheres; it has considerable potential for element-based detection and qualification of bound proteins of mes-oporous SiO2 microspheres in a variety of applications.

Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) is a common pathogen with high prevalence of infection in human populations. Diagnosis of H. Pylori infection is critical for its treatment, eradication, and prognosis. Biosensors have been demonstrated to be powerful for rapid onsite detection of pathogens, particularly for point-of-care test (POCT) scenarios. In this work, we propose a novel optical biosensor, based on nanomaterial porous silicon (PSi) and photonic surface state Tamm Plasmon Polariton (TPP), for detection of cytotoxin-associated antigen A (CagA) antigen of H. Pylori bacterium. We fabricated the PSi TPP biosensor, analysed its optical characteristics and demonstrated through experiments towards sensing of CagA antigen, that TPP biosensor has sensitivity of 100 pm/(ng/ml), limit of detection of 0.01 ng/ml, and specificity in terms of positive-to-negative ratio of more than six. From these performance factors, it can be concluded that TPP biosensor can serve as an effective tool for diagnosis of H. Pylori infection, either in analytical labs or in POCT applications.

The automotive industry needs to improve energy efficiency rapidly to achieve carbon neutrality while creating a safe, secure, comfortable driving environment for customers. Porous sound-absorbing materials and porous thermal insulators are typically used to satisfy these requirements despite limitations in mass and space. While these porous materials are similar, the microstructures they offer for high performance differ in the size and connectivity of their fluid phases, which enhances the difficulty of achieving excellent sound absorption and thermal insulation in the same material. In this study, a hydrophobic cellulose nanofiber–poly(methylsiloxane) xerogel composite was developed using computational microstructure modeling. This porous material has high porosity and excellent thermal insulation and sound absorption properties.

The study focuses on a novel porous TiNi-based material for ophthalmic orbital implants which was produced by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) and, after proper surface modification, possesses a specific microstructure of its surface pores, which makes it attractive for biomedical use in implants. After preparation via SHS, the obtained porous TiNi material was etched in acidic environment, to get rid of its surface Ti2Ni secondary-phase particles. This was found to improve the material’s surface morphology, adding micro-roughness to its macro-rough pores. As a result, cell growth tests conducted on the material demonstrated improved cell adhesion and growth kinetics on such a porous material with improved roughness. Finally, the material was tested in vivo as an ophthalmic orbital implant, demonstrating good biocompatibility, good degree of biointegration with surrounding eyeball tissues, and no signs of rejection after as long as 180 days. Thus, the novel porous TiNi-based material shows promise for its use in ophthalmic implantology, for instanse for manufacturing musculoskeletal stumps of the eyeball after evisceration, as it is biocompatible, has a high tissue-implant integration potential and demonstrates reduced risks of exposure and rejection of the implant.

Polymer-based (nano)composite foams, especially those having a microcellular structure, containing suitable conductive (nano)fillers, have been shown to act as good shielding materials, hence coming as promising to act as shields in electronic devices, limiting/avoiding electromagnetic interference (EMI) pollution. Nevertheless, due to their high (micro)structural complexity, related to their multiphase nature, there is still a lot of unawareness behind the shielding mechanisms acting in these materials, coming as a necessity to study their microstructure-cellular/porous structure-properties relations, especially in terms of their electrical conductivity and EMI shielding efficiency (EMI SE). To target and control the electrical conductivity through a controlled distribution/dispersion of conductive nanofillers, single or combined (nanohybrids), as there is a direct relation between electrical conductivity and EMI SE, as well as the main EMI shielding mechanisms working on the developed microcellular structure of the foams, which are expected to be absorption-dominated or absorption/multiple reflection-based, are two of the main objectives when combining polymer foaming with the addition of conductive nanofillers. The present review work considers the recent developments and trends on polymer-based foams containing conductive nanofillers, especially carbon-based such as carbon nanotubes or graphene-based materials, as well as similar porous structures created using trending technologies such as 3D printing, for EMI shielding applications. It is divided in different sections, starting with the strategy of microcellular foaming to develop polymer-based foams with enhanced EMI shielding characteristics, especially focusing on technologies and methods using supercritical CO2 (sCO2); continuing with the use of polymer foams as templates to synthesize carbon foams with improved EMI shielding performance for high use temperature applications; the recent strategy of combining different functional (nano)fillers to create hybrid nanofillers/nanohybrids to be used at lower amounts as conductive fillers in polymer foams; the control and selective distribution of the nanofillers in terms of favoring the formation of a more effective conductive network and hence promote the enhancement of the EMI SE; the very recent use of computational approaches to tailor the EMI shielding properties of composite foams; and the very trending possibility of creating cellular components with varied porous structures from these materials using 3D printing; to finish, some future perspectives are discussed.

This paper presents the concept of a novel adaptable sensing solution currently being developed under the EU Commission founded PHOTONGATE project. This concept will allow to quantify multiple analytes of the same or different nature (chemicals, metals, bacteria, etc.) in a single test with levels of sensitivity and selectivity at/or over those offered by current solutions. PHOTONGATE relies on two core technologies: a bio-chemical technology (molecular gates) which will confer the specificity and, therefore, the capability to be adaptable to the analyte of interest, and which combined with porous substrates will increase the sensitivity, and a photonic technology based on Local Surface Plasmonic Resonance (LSPR) structures serves as transducer for light interaction. Both technologies are in the micron range, facilitating the integration of multiple sensors within a small area (mm²). The concept will be developed for its application in health diagnosis and food safety sectors. It is thought as an easy-to-use modular concept, which will consist of the sensing module, mainly of a microfluidics cartridge that will house the photonic sensor, and a platform for fluidic handling, optical interrogation, and signal processing. The platform will include a new optical concept, fully Europe Union Made, avoiding optical fibers and expensive optical components.

We overview recent findings achieved in the field of model-driven development of additively manufactured porous materials for development of a new generation of bioactive implants for orthopedic applications. Porous structures produced of biocompatible titanium alloys by selective laser melting can present a promising material to design scaffolds with regulated mechanical properties and with capacity to be loaded with pharmaceutical products. Adjusting pore geometry, one could control elastic modulus and strength/fatigue properties of the engineered structures to be compatible with bone tissues, thus preventing the stress shield effect when replacing a diseased bone fragment. Adsorption of medicals by internal spaces would make it possible to emit the antibiotic and anti-tumor agents into surrounding tissues. We critically analyze the recent advances in the field featuring model design approaches, virtual testing of the designed structures, capabilities of additive printing of porous structures, biomedical issues of the engineered scaffolds and so on. A special attention is paid to highlight the current troubles in the field and the ways of their solutions.

Polymer flooding is one of the most successful chemical EOR methods, and is primarily implemented to accelerate oil production by sweep improvement. However, other benefits have extended the utility of polymers. During the last decade, it has been evaluated for an increasing number of fields, both offshore and onshore. This is a consequence of improved polymer properties, which extends the use to HTHS (high temperature high salinity) conditions and of improved understanding of flow mechanisms such as for heavy oil mobilization. A key issue in understanding polymer performance is to control and predict in-situ porous medium rheology. The first part of this paper reviews recent developments in understanding polymer flow in porous medium. Especially, polymer in-situ rheology and injectivity is discussed. The second part of this paper reports polymer flow experiments using the most applied polymer for EOR processes, HPAM (partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide). The experiments address high rate near-wellbore behavior (radial flow) as well as reservoir rate steady state flow (linear flow) and discuss differences observed in terms of flow conditions. In addition, impact of oil on polymer rheology was investigated, and compared to single-phase polymer flow in Bentheimer sandstone rock material. Presence of oil leads to a reduction in apparent viscosity.

A multiscale (micro-macro) approach is proposed for the establishment of the full thermal and induced stress fields in cracked composites that are subjected to heat flow. Both the temperature and stresses distributions are determined by the solution of a boundary value problem with one-way coupling. In the micro level and for combined thermomechanical loading, a micromechanical analysis is employed to determine the effective moduli, coefficients of thermal expansion and thermal conductivities of the undamaged composite. In the macro level, the representative cell method is employed according to which the periodic damaged composite region is reduced, in conjunction with the discrete Fourier transform, to a finite domain problem. As a result, a boundary value problem is obtained in the Fourier transform domain which is appropriately discretized and solved. The inverse transform and an iterative procedure provide the full thermal and stress fields. The proposed method is verified by comparisons with exact solutions. Applications are given for the determination of the thermal and stress fields in cracked fiber-reinforced polymeric composite, cracked porous ceramic material and cracked periodically layered ceramic composite caused by the application of heat flow. The presented formulation admits however the application of a combined mechanical and heat flux on cracked composites.

Porous β-tricalcium phosphate (Ca3(PO4)2; β-TCP) was prepared by freeze-drying and the effects of this process on pore shapes and sizes were investigated. Various samples were prepared by freezing β-TCP slurries above a liquid nitrogen surface at −180 °C with subsequent immersion in liquid nitrogen at −196 °C. These materials were then dried under reduced pressure in a freeze-dryer after which they were sintered by heating. Compared with conventional heat-based drying, the resulting pores were more spherical, which increased both the mechanical strength and porosity of the β-TCP. These materials had a wide range of pore sizes from 50 to 200 µm, with the mean and median values both approximately 100 µm regardless of the freeze-drying conditions. Mercury porosimetry data showed that the samples contained small, interconnected pores with sizes of up to 1.24 µm and macroscopic, interconnected pores up to 25.8 µm in size. The effects of non-ionic surfactants having different hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB) values on foaming and pore size were also investigated. Materials made with surfactants having lower HLB values exhibited smaller pores and lower porosity whereas higher HLB surfactants gave higher porosity and slightly larger macropores. Even so, the pore diameter could not be readily controlled solely by adjusting the HLB value. The findings of this work indicated that high porosity (75%) and good compressive strength (>2 MPa) can both be obtained in the same porous material and that foaming agents with HLB values between 12.0 and 13.5 were optimal.

The pore-throat radius of shale oil reservoir is extremely small, and it is difficult to accurately obtain the absolute permeability and oil-water two-phase relative permeability of actual oil reservoir through conventional core experiments. However, these parameters are very important for reservoir numerical simulation. In this paper, a method for characterizing flow parameters based on pore network model that considers differential pressure flow and diffusion flow is proposed. Firstly, a digital core was reconstructed using focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM) from the Gulong shale reservoir in the Songliao Basin, China, and a pore network model was extracted. Secondly, quasi-static single-phase flow and two-phase flow equations considering diffusion were established in the pore network model. Finally, pore throat parameters, absolute permeability, and oil-water two-phase permeability curves were calculated, respectively. The results show that the pore throat distribution of Gulong shale reservoir is mainly concentrated in the nanometer scale, the mean pore radius is 87 nm, the mean throat radius is 41 nm, and the mean coordination number is 3.97; The calculated permeability considering diffusion is 0.000124mD, which is approximately twice the permeability calculated without considering diffusion; The irreducible water saturation of the Gulong shale reservoir is approximately 0.26, and the residual oil saturation is approximately 0.73. The method proposed in this paper can provide an important approach for characterizing the flow parameters of similar shale oil reservoirs.

TiNi alloys are very widely used materials for implant fabrication. When applied as rib replacement, they are required to be manufactured as combined porous-monolithic structure, ideally with a thin porous part well-adhered to its monolithic substrate. Additionally, good biocompatibility, high corrosion resistance and mechanical durability are also highly demanded. So far, all these parameters were not achieved in one material, which is why active search in the field is still underway. In the present work, we prepared new porous-monolithic TiNi materials by sintering a TiNi powder (0-100 µm) on monolithic TiNi plates followed by surface modification with high-current pulsed electron beam. The obtained materials were evaluated by a set of surface and phase analysis methods, after which their corrosion resistance and biocompatibility (hemolysis, cytotoxicity, and cell viability) were evaluated. Finally, cell growth tests were conducted. In comparison with flat TiNi monolith, the newly-developed materials were found to have better corrosion resistance, also demonstrating good biocompatibility and potential for cell growth on their surface. Thus, the newly-developed porous-on-monolith TiNi materials with different surface porosity and morphology show promise as potential new-generation implants for rib endoprostheses.

Mesozoic-Palaeozoic marine carbonate rocks are important hydrocarbon reservoirs in the Central Uplift area of the South Yellow Sea Basin (SYSB). Due to the lack of boreholes and the great heterogeneity of carbonate reservoirs, the distribution of porous carbonate reservoirs and their related key controlling factors remain unclear. Based on seismic inversion and isotope analysis, this study explores the factors affecting the distribution of porous Carboniferous-Early Permian carbonate reservoirs in the SYSB. In this study, the log-seismic characteristics of porous carbonate reservoirs, sensitive lithology parameters, and physical property parameters are extracted and analyzed. The pre-stack simultaneous inversion technique is applied to predict the lithology properties and physical properties of the porous carbonate reservoirs. Moreover, the sedimentary of carbonate is analyzed using isotopes of carbon, oxygen, and strontium. The results indicate that porous carbonate reservoirs with porosities of 3%~5% mainly occur at the paleo-highland (Huanglong Formation and Chuanshan Formation) and the slope of paleo-highland (Hezhou Formation). The porous carbonate reservoirs of the Qixia Formation are only locally developed. In addition, the study area was dominated by a warm and humid tropical climate from the Carboniferous to Early Permian, with four sea-level eustatic fluctuation indicated by the negative and positive δ13C excursions. When the sea level fell, the study area was exposed and denuded, and the supply of terrigenous detrital was dominated, which significantly influenced the carbonate deposit and diagenesis. This study highlights that sedimentation was a key factor in controlling the quality of Carboniferous-Early Permian carbonate reservoirs. The methods proposed in this study can be used in other carbonate-dominated strata worldwide.

Fabrics comprised of porous fibers could provide effective passive protection against chemical and biological (CB) threats whilst maintaining high air permeability (breathability). Here, we fabricate hierarchically porous fibers consisting of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) and activated-carbon (AC) prepared through two fiber spinning techniques in combination with ice-templating – namely cryogenic solution blow spinning (Cryo-SBS) and cryogenic wet-spinning (Cryo-WS). The Cryo-WS RSF fibers had exceptionally small macropores (as low as 0.1 µm) and high specific surface areas (SSAs) of up to 79 m2 g-1. The incorporation of AC could further increase the SSA to 210 m2 g-1 (25 wt. % loading) whilst also increasing adsorption capacity for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

This paper aims to investigate appropriate mathematical models devoted to optimization of some cleaning processes related to pharmaceutical contaminants removal. In our previous recent works has been reported that a possibility for removal from water sources of this type of micropollutants is to rehabilitate the existing cleaning plants by introducing efficient techniques such as adsorption on granulated active carbon filters, micro-, nano- or ultrafiltration. To have such processes under a better control and to pass from small to large scale treatment stations, specific mathematical models are necessary. Starting from Navier-Stokes equations and imposing proper boundary conditions, some mathematical physics problems are obtained for which adequate solving methods via variational methods and surjectivity results are proposed. The importance of these solution characterizations consists in their continuation in a numerical method and the possibility to visualize the result by using CFD program.

The shaft hydropower plant (SHPP) is a novel hydraulic concept for low-head hydropower sites with several environmental and operational advantages over conventional layouts. However, the first two projects implementing this concept have shown comparatively high construction costs and project risks. Therefore, further optimization is required to the economic attractiveness and enabling broader market adoption. Initial model tests recommend a square-shaped shaft inlet with a three-sided approach flow for low-loss and fish-friendly inflow conditions. Yet, this design requires significant space for structural implementation and may be unsuitable for use with multiple shafts or as an extension of non-powered dams and weirs. This research paper presents the application of a computational fluid dynamics simulation setup to evaluate the hydraulic per-formance of various design configurations, especially, alternative design layouts with one-sided approach flow without further physical model tests,. The simulation setup is calibrated against observations including head loss and velocity measurements from the physical model tests, and its satisfactory performance enables the analysis of alternative design layouts. This aims to derive the most significant design parameters for achieving the desired hydraulic conditions at the intake. Increasing the flow depth before the intake and enlarging the inlet area have the most significant impact, while increasing the overflow of the front gate has the least significant effect.. The chosen CFD application is deemed suitable for hydraulic design optimization and provides guidance on the key parameters to focus on for tailored site-specific design development.

The process of anaerobic digestion used for methane production can be enhanced by incorporating stimulating materials. The effects of these materials are dependent on various factors including the processed substrate, process conditions, and the type and amount of the stimulating material used. As part of the study, three different stimulating materials - iron powder, lime, and milled porous ceramic - were added to the 30-day anaerobic digestion of the brewer's spent grain to improve its performance. Different doses ranging from 0.2 to 2.3 gTS×L-1 were tested, and methane production kinetics were determined using the first-order model. The results showed that the methane yield ranged from 281.4±8.0 to 326.1±9.3 ml×gVS-1, while substrate biodegradation ranged from 56.0±1.6 to 68.1±0.7%. The addition of lime reduced methane yield at almost all doses by -6.7% to -3.3%, while the addition of iron powder increased methane yield from 0.8% to 9.8%. The addition of ceramic powder resulted in a methane yield change ranging from -2.6% to 4.6%. These findings suggest that the use of stimulating materials should be approached with caution, as even slight changes in the amount used can impact methane production.

We present the results on photothermal (PT) and heat conductive properties of nanogranular silicon (Si) films synthesized by evaporation of colloidal droplets (drop-casting) of 100 ± 50 nm sized crystalline Si nanoparticles (NP) deposited on glass substrates. Finite difference time domain (FDTD) and finite element mesh (FEM) modeling of absorbed light intensity and photo-induced spatial temperature distribution across the Si NP films were well correlated with the local temperatures measured by micro-Raman spectroscopy and used for determination of heat conductivities in the films of various thicknesses. Cubic-to-hexagonal phase transition in these films caused by laser heating was found to be heavily influenced by the film thickness and heat conductive properties of glass substrate, on which the films were deposited. Heat conductivities across the drop-casted Si nanogranular films were found to be in the range of lowest heat conductivities of other types of nanostructurely voided Si films due to enhanced phonon scattering across inherently voided topology, weak NP-NP and NP-substrate interface bonding within nanogranular Si films.

A numerical study for the effect of crest width, breaking parameter and trunk permeability on hydrodynamics and flow behavior in the vicinity of rubble-mound, permeable, zero-freeboard breakwaters (ZFBs) is presented. The modified two dimensional Navier-Stokes equations for two-phase flows in porous media with a Smagorinsky model for the subgrid scale stresses were solved numerically. An immersed-boundary/level-set method was used. The numerical model was validated for the cases of wave propagation over a submerged impermeable trapezoidal bar and over a low-crested permeable breakwater. Five cases of breakwaters were examined, and the main results are: (a) The size of the crest width, B, does not notably affect the wave reflection, vorticity and currents in the seaward region of ZFBs, while wave transmission, currents in the leeward side, and mean overtopping discharge, all decrease with increasing B. A non-monotonic behavior of the wave setup is also observed. (b) As the breaking parameter decreases, wave reflection, transmission, currents, mean overtopping discharge, and wave setup decrease. This observation is also verified by relevant empirical formulas. (c) As the ZFB trunk permeability decreases, an increase of the wave reflection, currents, wave setup, and a decrease of wave transmission and mean overtopping discharge is observed.