Pore Diameter (pore + diameter)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Polymers and Materials Science

Kinds of Pore Diameter

  • average pore diameter


  • Selected Abstracts


    Vero Cell Growth and Differentiation on Poly(l -Lactic Acid) Membranes of Different Pore Diameters

    ARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 1 2001
    Arnaldo R. Santos Jr.
    Abstract: In the last few years, the demand has increased for research on polymeric materials, which can be used as substitutes for injured tissues and organs or to improve their regeneration. In this work, we studied poly(l -lactic acid) (PLLA) membranes, a resorbable biomaterial, which were either dense or had different pore diameters (less than 45 ,m, between 180 and 250 ,m, and between 250 and 350 ,m), in relation to stimulation of cell adhesion, growth, and differentiation in vitro. We used Vero cells, a fibroblastic cell line, as the biological model of investigation. We found that cells attached slowly to all PLLA membranes studied. On the other hand, once the adhesion occurs, the cells are able to grow and differentiate on the different polymers. The cells grew to form a confluent monolayer and were capable of producing collagen Type IV and fibronectin on different PLLA membranes. This behavior indicates that cells try to create a better environment to stimulate their growth. This also indicates that Vero cells alter their differentiation pattern once they are producing extracellular matrix molecules related to epithelial differentiation. [source]


    Characterization of Nanopore Electrode Structures as Basis for Amplified Electrochemical Assays

    ELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 19-20 2006
    Sebastian Neugebauer
    Abstract A nanopore electrode structure was fabricated consisting of ensembles of nanopores with separately addressable electrodes at the pore bottoms and the rims. A metal/insulator/metal layer structure allowed for adjusting the spacing between the bottom and rim electrodes to be in the range of about 200,nm. Pore diameters varied between 200 and 800,nm. The electrochemical properties of this electrode structure and its perspectives for applications in bioelectronics were studied using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry along with high-resolution scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) in constant-distance mode. It was possible to visualize the electrochemical activity of a single nanometric electrode using high-resolution SECM in a combination of sample-generation-tip-collection mode and positive feedback mode. The SECM images suggested an influence of the unbiased rim electrode on redox amplification which was used as a basis for evaluating the feasibility of current amplification by means of redox cycling between the bottom and rim electrodes. Amplification factors superior to those obtained with interdigitated array electrodes could be demonstrated. [source]


    Tris(2,2,-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II) Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence Sensor Based on Platinized Carbon Nanotube,Zirconia,Nafion Composite Films

    ELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 12 2010
    Hyun Yoon
    Abstract Mesoporous films of platinized carbon nanotube,zirconia,Nafion composite have been used for the immobilization of tris(2,2,-bipyridyl)ruthenium (II) (Ru(bpy)32+) on an electrode surface to yield a solid-state electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) sensor. The composite films of Pt,CNT,zirconia,Nafion exhibit much larger pore diameter (3.55,nm) than that of Nafion (2.82,nm) and thus leading to much larger ECL response for tripropylamine (TPA) because of the fast diffusion of the analyte within the films. Due to the conducting and electrocatalytic features of CNTs and Pt nanoparticles, their incorporation into the zirconia,Nafion composite films resulted in the decreased electron transfer resistance within the films. The present ECL sensor based on the Pt,CNT,zirconia,Nafion gave a linear response (R2=0.999) for TPA concentration from 3.0,nM to 1.0,mM with a remarkable detection limit (S/N=3) of 1.0,nM, which is much lower compared to those obtained with the ECL sensors based on other types of sol-gel ceramic,Nafion composite films such as silica,Nafion and titania,Nafion. [source]


    Voltammetric Antioxidant Analysis in Mineral Oil Samples Immobilized into Boron-Doped Diamond Micropore Array Electrodes

    ELECTROANALYSIS, Issue 12 2009
    Xiaohang Zhang
    Abstract Mineral oil microdroplets containing the model antioxidant N,N -didodecyl- N,,N, -diethyl-phenylene-diamine (DDPD) are immobilized into a 100×100 pore-array (ca. 10,,m individual pore diameter, 100,,m pitch) in a boron-doped diamond electrode surface. The robust diamond surface allows pore filling, cleaning, and reuse without damage to the electrode surface. The electrode is immersed into aqueous electrolyte media, and voltammetric responses for the oxidation of DDPD are obtained. In order to further improve the current responses, 20,wt% of carbon nanofibers are co-deposited with the oil into the pore array. Voltammetric signals are consistent with the oxidation of DDPD and the associated transfer of perchlorate anions (in aqueous 0.1,M NaClO4) or the transfer of protons (in aqueous 0.1,M HClO4). From the magnitude of the current response, the DDPD content in the mineral oil can be determined down to less than 1,wt% levels. Perhaps surprisingly, the reversible (or midpoint) potential for the DDPD oxidation in mineral oil (when immersed in 0.1 NaClO4) is shown to be concentration-dependent and to shift to more positive potential values for more dilute DDPD in mineral oil solutions. An extraction mechanism and the formation of a separate organic product phase are proposed to explain this behavior. [source]


    Macroporous monolithic chiral stationary phases for capillary electrochromatography: New chiral monomer derived from cinchona alkaloid with enhanced enantioselectivity

    ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 17 2003
    Michael Lämmerhofer
    Abstract A new chiral monomer derived from cinchona alkaloid, namely O -9-(tert -butylcarbamoyl)-11-[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethylthio]-10,11-dihydroquinine 1, was employed for the preparation of enantioselective monolithic capillary columns by an in situ copolymerization with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate 2 (HEMA), ethylene dimethacrylate 3 (EDMA) in the presence of cyclohexanol and 1-dodecanol as porogens (UV or thermal initiation of azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as radical initiator). The porous properties and the electrochromatographic behavior of the new chiral monoliths were comparatively evaluated with previously described analogs obtained from O -9-[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethylcarbamoyl]-10,11-dihydroquinidine 4 as chiral monomer. Despite close structural and physicochemical similarities of the both chiral monomers, the pore distribution profiles of the resulting monoliths were shifted typically towards larger pore diameters with the new monomer 1. Once more, it was confirmed that a low cross-linking (10 wt% related to total monomers) and a pore diameter of about 1 ,m in the dry state provides the best electrochromatographic efficiency as a result of lower resistance to mass transfer (smaller C-term contribution to peak broadening) and more homogeneous flow profile (smaller A-term). Most importantly, as expected the new poly(1 - co -HEMA- co -EDMA) monoliths showed enhanced enantioselectivities and in addition faster separations as compared to poly(4 - co -HEMA- co -EDMA) analogs, which represents a significant improvement. Further, the elution order was reversed owing to the pseudoenantiomeric behavior of quinine- and quinidine-derived monomers. Fluorescence-labeled 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (FMOC), dansyl (DNS), 7-dimethylaminosulfonyl-1,3,2-benzoxadiazol-4-yl (DBD), carbazole-9-carbonyl (CC) amino acids could be separated with resolution values between 2 and 4 (with efficiencies typically between 100,000 and 200,000 plates/m) and fluorescence detection (variable wavelength fluorescence detector in-line with UV) yielding routinely a gain in detection sensitivities up to two orders of magnitude without specific optimization of the conditions with regards to fluorescence efficiency. [source]


    Interaction of Osteoblasts with Macroporous Scaffolds Made of PLLA/PCL Blends Modified with Collagen and Hydroxyapatite,

    ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 8 2009
    Halil Murat Aydin
    To mimic natural bone, a tissue engineering scaffold was developed that combines inorganic and organic components of natural bone, its pore diameter, and its interconnected structure. Collagen was coated onto a PLLA/PCL scaffold and hydroxyapatite particles were delivered throughout the polymer matrix much more easily than with other techniques thanks to the porosity-forming method of combining two porogens, namely, salt leaching and supercritical CO2 extraction. Compared with other coating techniques, this procedure can be performed readily and homogeneous 3D hydroxyapatite coating was achieved. [source]


    Tensile Behaviour of Replicated Aluminium Foams,

    ADVANCED ENGINEERING MATERIALS, Issue 6 2004
    J.-F. Despois
    Abstract The replication process is used to produce open-cell 99.99,% pure aluminium foams of controlled pore diameter and solid volume fraction; each parameter is varied respectively from 40 to 400,,m and 10 to 30,vol. pct. The foam tensile behaviour is consistent with the small-strain compressive behaviour and shows a significant dependence on pore size. [source]


    Polysaccharide-Derived Carbons for Polar Analyte Separations

    ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 11 2010
    Robin J. White
    Abstract Highly mesoporous (Brunauer,Emmett,Teller surface area, SBET,>,200,m2,g,1; mesopore volume,>,1,cm3,g,1) carbonaceous materials are prepared in a truly sustainable manner, from the naturally occurring polysaccharide alginic acid. This approach yields large mesoporous materials (pore diameter,>,14,nm) significantly without the use of a template or carbonization catalyst. The direct thermal decomposition of mesoporous forms of the acidic polysaccharide allows for an extremely flexible material preparation strategy. Materials can be prepared at any desired carbonization temperature (e.g., 200,1000,°C), possessing similar textural properties, but progressively presenting more uniform surface functionality through this temperature range, from more oxygenated surfaces at low temperatures to increasingly aromatic/graphitic-like surfaces. The high-temperature material (i.e., 1000,°C), while predominantly amorphous, presents some short range (turbostratic) ordering, providing sufficiently polarizable surfaces on which to perform challenging liquid phase separations of polar sugar analytes. [source]


    Block-Copolymer-Templated Synthesis of Electroactive RuO2 -Based Mesoporous Thin Films

    ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 12 2009
    Capucine Sassoye
    Abstract RuO2 -based mesoporous thin films of optical quality are synthesized from ruthenium-peroxo-based sols using micelle templates made of amphiphilic polystyrene-polyethylene oxide block copolymers. The mesoporous structure and physical properties of the RuO2 films (mesoporous volume: 30%; pore diameter: ,30,nm) can be controlled by the careful tuning of both the precursor solution and thermal treatment (150,350,°C). The optimal temperature that allows control of both mesoporosity and nanocristallinity is strongly dependent on the substrate (silicon or fluorine-doped tin oxide). The structure of the resulting mesoporous films are investigated using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Mesoporous layers are additionally characterized by transmission and scanning electron microscopy and ellipsometry while their electrochemical properties are analyzed via cyclic voltammetry. Thick mesoporous films of ruthenium oxide hydrates, RuO2,·,xH2O, obtained using a thermal treatment at 280,°C, exhibit capacitances as high as 1000,±,100 F g,1 at a scan rate of 10,mV s,1, indicating their potential application as electrode materials. [source]


    Influence of pore size and geometry on peat unsaturated hydraulic conductivity computed from 3D computed tomography image analysis

    HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Issue 21 2010
    F. Rezanezhad
    Abstract In organic soils, hydraulic conductivity is related to the degree of decomposition and soil compression, which reduce the effective pore diameter and consequently restrict water flow. This study investigates how the size distribution and geometry of air-filled pores control the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of peat soils using high-resolution (45 µm) three-dimensional (3D) X-ray computed tomography (CT) and digital image processing of four peat sub-samples from varying depths under a constant soil water pressure head. Pore structure and configuration in peat were found to be irregular, with volume and cross-sectional area showing fractal behaviour that suggests pores having smaller values of the fractal dimension in deeper, more decomposed peat, have higher tortuosity and lower connectivity, which influences hydraulic conductivity. The image analysis showed that the large reduction of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity with depth is essentially controlled by air-filled pore hydraulic radius, tortuosity, air-filled pore density and the fractal dimension due to degree of decomposition and compression of the organic matter. The comparisons between unsaturated hydraulic conductivity computed from the air-filled pore size and geometric distribution showed satisfactory agreement with direct measurements using the permeameter method. This understanding is important in characterizing peat properties and its heterogeneity for monitoring the progress of complex flow processes at the field scale in peatlands. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Differences in egg size, shell thickness, pore density, pore diameter and water vapour conductance between first and second eggs of Snares Penguins Eudyptes robustus and their influence on hatching asynchrony

    IBIS, Issue 2 2005
    MELANIE MASSARO
    Brood reduction in birds is frequently induced by hatching asynchrony. Crested penguins (genus Eudyptes) are obligate brood reducers, but in contrast to most other birds, first-laid eggs are considerably smaller in size than second-laid eggs; furthermore, first-laid eggs hatch after their siblings. The mechanisms underlying this reversal in size and hatching order remain unclear. In this study, we tested whether the second-laid eggs of Snares Penguins Eudyptes robustus have a higher eggshell porosity allowing them to maintain a higher metabolic rate throughout incubation and to hatch before their first-laid siblings. We investigated differences in egg size, shell thickness, pore density, pore diameter and water vapour conductance between first and second eggs within clutches and examined the influence of these shell characteristics on hatching asynchrony. First-laid eggs of Snares Penguins were approximately 78% of the size of the larger second eggs. Second-laid eggs had considerably thicker shells and more pores per cm2 than first eggs, whereas pore diameter did not differ between eggs. Water vapour conductance was greater in second- (16.8 mg/day/torr) than in first-laid eggs (14.9 mg/day/torr). The difference in water vapour conductance between first- and second-laid eggs within clutches was related to hatching patterns. In nests where second eggs hatched before first-laid eggs, second eggs had a considerably greater water conductance than their sibling, whereas in nests where both eggs hatched on the same day, the difference in water conductance between eggs was very small, and in a few nests where small first eggs hatched before their larger sibling, they had a greater water conductance than their larger second-laid nestmate. Surprisingly few studies have investigated differences in shell characteristics between eggs within clutches and associated effects on hatching asynchrony. This study has demonstrated that such differences exist between eggs within clutches and that they can influence hatching patterns. [source]


    Effect of the preparation conditions on the permeation of ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene/silicon dioxide hybrid membranes

    JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE, Issue 5 2010
    Nana Li
    Abstract Porous ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene/SiO2 membranes were prepared by thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) with white mineral oil as the diluent and SiO2 as an additive. Influential factors, including extraction method, SiO2 content, and cooling rate, were investigated. The results suggest that the both porosity and pure water flux of the membranes by extraction of the solvent naphtha in the tension state with alcohol were the best among our research. With increasing SiO2 content, the porosity, pure water flux, and pore diameter increased. However, with excessive SiO2 content, defects formed easily. Moreover, SiO2 improved the pressure resistance of the membranes. The cooling rate directly effected the crystal structure. A slow cooling rate was good for crystal growth and the integration of the diluent. Therefore, the porosity, pure water flux, and bubble-point pore diameter increased with decreasing cooling rate. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010 [source]


    Solvent/non-solvent sintering: A novel route to create porous microsphere scaffolds for tissue regeneration

    JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH, Issue 2 2008
    Justin L. Brown
    Abstract Solvent/non-solvent sintering creates porous polymeric microsphere scaffolds suitable for tissue engineering purposes with control over the resulting porosity, average pore diameter, and mechanical properties. Five different biodegradable biocompatible polyphosphazenes exhibiting glass transition temperatures from ,8 to 41°C and poly (lactide- co -glycolide), (PLAGA) a degradable polymer used in a number of biomedical settings, were examined to study the versatility of the process and benchmark the process to heat sintering. Parameters such as: solvent/non-solvent sintering solution composition and submersion time effect the sintering process. PLAGA microsphere scaffolds fabricated with solvent/non-solvent sintering exhibited an interconnected porosity and pore size of 31.9% and 179.1 ,m, respectively which was analogous to that of conventional heat sintered PLAGA microsphere scaffolds. Biodegradable polyphosphazene microsphere scaffolds exhibited a maximum interconnected porosity of 37.6% and a maximum compressive modulus of 94.3 MPa. Solvent/non-solvent sintering is an effective strategy for sintering polymeric microspheres, with a broad spectrum of glass transition temperatures, under ambient conditions making it an excellent fabrication route for developing tissue engineering scaffolds and drug delivery vehicles. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2008 [source]


    Hindered diffusion of residue narrow cuts through polycarbonate membranes

    AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 8 2010
    Zhentao Chen
    Abstract Hindered diffusion plays an important role in catalytic processing of residue and heavy oil because of large size molecules in these feedstocks. Vacuum residue of Athabasca oil sand bitumen was fractionated into 13 narrow fractions and an end-cut by supercritical fluid extraction and fractionation (SFEF). Diffusion transport of five SFEF cuts through four polycarbonate membranes was investigated using a diaphragm cell at 308 K. The results showed that diffusion coefficients of the five SFEF cuts decreased as the experiment proceeded, which illustrates that these cuts are polydisperse in size. The effective diffusion coefficients varied with molecular size and pore size. Hindered diffusion of the five SFEF cuts is significant in the membranes with nominal pore diameter of 15 nm, which is around the average pore size of typical hydrotreating catalyst. Comparisons between experimental data and theoretical prediction revealed that the actual hindered degree for diffusion of the five SFEF cuts is higher than that calculated by the Renkin equation. There were slight differences in diffusivity among saturate, aromatic, and resin constituents. © 2010 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2010 [source]


    Rapid production of a plasmid DNA encoding a malaria vaccine candidate via amino-functionalized poly(GMA- co -EDMA) monolith

    AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 11 2008
    Michael K. Danquah
    Abstract Malaria is a global health problem; an effective vaccine is urgently needed. Due to the relative poverty and lack of infrastructure in malaria endemic areas, DNA-based vaccines that are stable at ambient temperatures and easy to formulate have great potential. While attention has been focused mainly on antigen selection, vector design and efficacy assessment, the development of a rapid and commercially viable process to manufacture DNA is generally overlooked. We report here a continuous purification technique employing an optimized stationary adsorbent to allow high-vaccine recovery, low-processing time, and, hence, high-productivity. A 40.0 mL monolithic stationary phase was synthesized and functionalized with amino groups from 2-Chloro-N,N-diethylethylamine hydrochloride for anion-exchange isolation of a plasmid DNA (pDNA) that encodes a malaria vaccine candidate, VR1020-PyMSP4/5. Physical characterization of the monolithic polymer showed a macroporous material with a modal pore diameter of 750 nm. The final vaccine product isolated after 3 min elution was homogeneous supercoiled plasmid with gDNA, RNA and protein levels in keeping with clinical regulatory standards. Toxicological studies of the pVR1020-PyMSP4/5 showed a minimum endotoxin level of 0.28 EU/mg pDNA. This cost-effective technique is cGMP compatible and highly scalable for the production of DNA-based vaccines in commercial quantities, when such vaccines prove to be effective against malaria. © 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2008 [source]


    Reverse osmosis of nonaqueous solutions through porous silica-zirconia membranes

    AICHE JOURNAL, Issue 2 2006
    Toshinori Tsuru
    Abstract Porous silica-zirconia membranes with pore diameters from 0.8 to 2 nm were prepared by a sol-gel process, and applied to the separation of alcohols (hexanol, octanol, decanol) and alkanes (hexane, decane, tetradecane) in ethanol solutions by reverse osmosis over the temperature range from 25 to 60° C. A silica-zirconia membrane with a pore diameter of 1 nm showed a molecular weight-cut-off (MWCO) of 200 in ethanol solutions. Rejection increased with the applied pressure, for both alcohol and alkane solutes. However, the rejection of alcohols was found to decrease with temperature, while that for alkanes remained nearly constant. The separation characteristics were examined for the following membrane parameters: solvent permeability, Lp, reflection coefficient, ,, and solute permeability, P, based on the Spiegler-Kedem equation. The viscosity of solutions and the diffusivity of alkanes and alcohol solutes in nano-sized pores were found to show a larger temperature dependency than in bulk. The diffusivity of alkane solutes showed the same temperature dependency as the viscosity of ethanol in nano-sized pores, while the diffusivity of alcohol solutes showed a larger temperature dependency than the viscosity of ethanol, probably because of a larger interaction between alcohol solutes and the hydrophilic surface of silica-zirconia membranes. Diffusion experiments were carried out to confirm the temperature dependency of the diffusivities in nano-sized pores. A bilayer model verified that solute permeabilities by reverse osmosis and diffusion experiments were consistent with each other. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2006 [source]


    Triboelectrification of Spray-dried Lactose Prepared from Different Feedstock Concentrations

    JOURNAL OF PHARMACY AND PHARMACOLOGY: AN INTERNATI ONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCE, Issue 1 2000
    ORLA E. CASSIDY
    Powder systems may acquire electrostatic charge during various pharmaceutical processing operations and may give rise to difficulties in handling and powder flow, mainly due to adhesion/cohesion effects. We have investigated the electrostatic charging of spray-dried lactose prepared from different feedstock concentrations using a laboratory spray-dryer. Triboelectrification of the spray-dried lactose samples was effected through contact with the stainless steel surface of either a mixing vessel or a cyclone separator. Results from both techniques showed differences in charge accumulation and particle-steel adhesion between the spray-dried lactose samples. As the feedstock concentration used to produce the spray-dried lactose was increased in the range 10,50% w/v, the mean charge on the lactose decreased from ,20.8 to ,1.3 nC g,1 and ,54.9 to ,4.1 nC g,1 for the mixing vessel and cyclone separator, respectively, with a corresponding decrease in adhesion. In addition, as the feedstock concentration was increased from 10 to 50% w/v, decreases were obtained in surface area values (1.06 to 0.56 m2 g,1), pore diameter (198.7 to 83.5 ,m) and pore volume (1.09 to 0.75 cm3 g,1), and together with differences in crystal form correlated with the charge and adhesion results. The results suggested that the feedstock concentration could have a considerable influence on the charging and adhesional properties of spray-dried lactose. This may have relevance during pharmaceutical processing and manufacturing operations. [source]


    Extension of the C18 stationary phase knowledge by using the carotenoid test

    JOURNAL OF SEPARATION SCIENCE, JSS, Issue 19 2010
    Eric LesellierArticle first published online: 16 AUG 2010
    Abstract The carotenoid test for octadecylsiloxane-bonded stationary phases used in RPLC was developed some years ago. Additional experiments have now been performed with varied stationary phases. The effect of the bonding density and of the pore diameter on steric selectivity, polar surface activity and hydrophobicity was determined by using YMC series (J'Sphere and Pack ODSA). The test was also extended to estimate the phase evolution of several classical or hybrid silicas. The high loading phases were also studied, as well as the fused core silicas. The effect of the particle size reduction on the three previous phase properties was investigated in the goal to determine in which way this parameter could also modify the chemical properties of the phases. [source]


    Fast and Almost Complete Nitridation of Mesoporous Silica MCM-41 with Ammonia in a Plug-Flow Reactor

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 1 2010
    Fumitaka Hayashi
    The title reaction proceeded well to yield silicon (oxy)nitride at 973,1323 K using a plug-flow reactor. The degree of nitridation was studied as a function of temperature and time of nitridation, the sample weight, and the flow rate of ammonia. It was dependent on the reaction temperature and the amount of ammonia supplied per sample weight. The nitridation at 1273 K for 10,25 h yielded the oxynitride with 36,39 wt% nitrogen, which was very close to 40 wt% of Si3N4. Characterization with X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy measurements, and nitrogen adsorption revealed the conversion of MCM-41 to the corresponding oxynitride without essential loss of the mesoporous structure, the decrements of the lattice constant and the pore diameter by 20,35%, and the increments of the wall thickness by ca. 45%. Solid-state 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance spectra during the nitridation clearly showed fast decrease in SiO4 species and slow in SiO3(OH). Various intermediate species, SiOxNy(NH2 or NH)z, were observed to be formed and finally, ca. 70% SiN4 species, ca. 20% SiN3(NH2 or NH), and ca. 10% SiON2(NH2 or NH) were produced, being consistent with the results of the above mentioned elemental analysis. [source]


    A Novel Biphasic Bone Scaffold: ,-Calcium Phosphate and Amorphous Calcium Polyphosphate

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 4 2009
    Gaoxiang Chen
    Calcium polyphosphate (CPP) was added to hydroxyapatite (HA) to develop a novel biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP). The effects of varying CPP dosage on the sintering property, the mechanical strength, and the phase compositions of HA were investigated. Results showed that CPP reacted with HA and produced ,-calcium phosphate (,-TCP) and H2O and that an excessive dosage of CPP (>10 wt%) obtained a novel BCP of ,-TCP/amorphous-CPP, while a lesser dosage of CPP (<10 wt%) obtained a traditional BCP (HA/,-TCP). The porous ,-TCP/amorphous-CPP scaffolds (porosity of 66.7%, pore diameter of 150,450 ,m, and compressive strength of 6.70±1.5 MPa) were fabricated and their in vitro degradation results showed a significant improvement of degradation with the addition of CPP. [source]


    Investigation of the Structural Characterization of Mesoporous Molecular Sieves MCM-41 from Sepiolite

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 3 2007
    Shengming Jin
    Mesoporous molecular sieves, MCM-41, were synthesized from sepiolite using acid leaching, followed by hydrothermal reconstruction and then calcinations at 540°C for 5 h. The structures and the porosity of MCM-41 were investigated by means of small-angle X-ray diffraction patterns, Brunaer-Emmett-Teller (BET), 29Si MAS NMR, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM) methods. The results showed that the hexagonal MCM-41 was formed in an alkaline solution of pH 12, when crystallization was carried out at 100°C for 24 h. The specific surface area, pore diameter, and pore volumes of MCM-41 from sepiolite were 1036 m2/g, 2.98 nm, and 1.06 cm3/g, respectively. 29Si MAS NMR results revealed that amorphous silica decomposed into Si,O chains consisting of two layers of Si atoms, with Q3 configurations resulting in an increase in the fraction of Q3 configuration during the crystallization of post-Mg-extraction sepiolite. The IR results illustrated that the complex of ,,SiO,,CTA+ was formed during the synthesis of MCM-41 from post-Mg-extraction sepiolite. [source]


    Control of Phase and Pore Structure of Titania Powders Using HCl and NH4OH Catalysts

    JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 1 2001
    Ki Chang Song
    Porous titania powders were prepared by hydrolysis of titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) and were characterized at various calcination temperatures by nitrogen adsorption, X-ray diffraction, and microscopy. The effect of HCl or NH4OH catalysts added during hydrolysis on the crystallinity and porosity of the titania powders was investigated. The HCl enhanced the phase transformations of the titania powders from amorphous to anatase as well as anatase to rutile, while NH4OH retarded both phase transformations. Titania powders calcined at 500°C showed bimodal pore size distributions: one was intra-aggregated pores with average pore diameters of 3,6 nm and the other was interaggregated pores with average pore diameters of 35,50 nm. The average intra-aggregated pore diameter was decreased with increasing HCl concentration, while it was increased with increasing NH4OH concentration. [source]


    Structure of Polymer Brushes in Cylindrical Tubes: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation

    MACROMOLECULAR THEORY AND SIMULATIONS, Issue 7 2006
    Dimitar I. Dimitrov
    Abstract Summary: Molecular dynamics simulations of a coarse-grained bead-spring model of flexible macromolecules tethered with one end to the surface of a cylindrical pore are presented. Chain length N and grafting density , are varied over a wide range and the crossover from "mushroom" to "brush" behavior is studied for three pore diameters. The monomer density profile and the distribution of the free chain ends are computed and compared to the corresponding model of polymer brushes at flat substrates. It is found that there exists a regime of N and , for large enough pore diameter where the brush height in the pore exceeds the brush height on the flat substrate, while for large enough N and , (and small enough pore diameters) the opposite behavior occurs, i.e. the brush is compressed by confinement. These findings are used to discuss the corresponding theories on polymer brushes at concave substrates. Snapshot picture of a brush grafted inside of a cylinder, for , , displaying different chains in distinct colors in order to be able to distinguish them. Top shows a side view of the cylinder, and the lower part a view of the cross-section. Note that the particles forming the cylindrical wall are not displayed. [source]


    Reduced pore diameter fluctuations of macroporous silicon fabricated from neutron-transmutation-doped material

    PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI - RAPID RESEARCH LETTERS, Issue 7 2010
    Stefan L. Schweizer
    Abstract The precision of photo-electrochemical etching of perfectly-ordered macropores in single-crystalline silicon is limited by pore diameter fluctuations due to doping variations of the starting wafer (striations). The doping variation originates from the rotation during crystal growth in the float-zone or Czochralski process, respectively. Experimentally, variations of the pore diameter up to 7% can occur. These so-called striations limit performance of possible applications of macroporous silicon. As doping inhomogeneities are the reason for the striations, uniformly doped silicon wafers by neutron transmutation doping were used for the first time. Photoelectrochemical etching of neutron transmutated silicon has been carried out and the pore diameter fluctuation has been reduced by about 40% compared to standard doped float-zone wafers. (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Microstructured horizontal alumina pore arrays as growth templates for large area few and single nanowire devices

    PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI - RAPID RESEARCH LETTERS, Issue 2 2008
    Ying Xiang
    Abstract We demonstrate the fabrication of horizontally aligned and well-defined nanopore structures by anodic oxidation of aluminum thin films and micro stripes on a Si substrate. We are able to control both, the pore diameters and interpore distances from 10 nm to 130 nm and from 30 nm to 275 nm, respectively. The anisotropy of the system induces some deviations in the pore configuration from the typical honeycomb structure. By decreasing the dimensions of the Al structures, the final pore diameter and interpore distance remains constant, enabling the transition from multiple to a few nanowire porous structures. Finally, we successfully filled the nanopores by pulsed electroplating, as demonstrated both by Scanning Electron Microscopy and by current,voltage measurements. Having full control over the size, the density, the position and the orientation of the porous structure, our approach is promising for many exciting applications, including nanoelectronics and sensing. (© 2008 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Towards ideal hexagonal self-ordering of TiO2 nanotubes

    PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI - RAPID RESEARCH LETTERS, Issue 5 2007
    Jan M. Macak
    Abstract The present work reports on key factors that influence the degree of order in anodic TiO2 nanotube layers. We show that the anodization voltage and the Ti purity are of crucial importance for the ideality of self-organization within the nanotube layers and that repeated anodization can significantly improve hexagonal ordering. Optimizing each factor significantly reduces the variation in the average pore diameter and strongly reduces the areal density of polygon ordering/packing errors. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Rf glow discharge optical emission spectrometry for the analysis of arrays of Ni nanowires in nanoporous alumina and titania membranes

    PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 6 2006
    V. M. Prida
    Abstract Anodic alumina (Al2O3) and titania (TiO2) nanoporous oxide membranes are among the most widely studied self-organized nanopore templates, formed by uniform and well aligned arrays of synthetized nanometric pores or tubes. Here, we perform a comparative study of the depth profiling analysis in self-ordered alumina and titania nanoporous membrane templates by means of the radiofrequency glow discharge coupled to optical emission spectrometry (rf-GD-OES) technique. The densely packed columnar arrays of hexagonally self-ordered nanoporous alumina membranes investigated, with an average inner pore diameter of 35 nm and 105 nm interspacing, give an uniform thickness pore length about more than 5 µm, depending on the anodization time. Meanwhile, the analysis of the anodized titania nanotubes, with an average inner pore diameter of 100 nm and 40 nm wall thickness, shown to be about 300 nm in length. Each type of membranes were also studied in both cases, when the nanopores were empty and after filling with electrodeposited Ni. The direct analysis by rf-GD-OES reveals the ability of this technique to control the quality of these so synthesized nanocomposites formed by electrodeposited Ni nanowires into the alumina and titania nanoporous templates. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Gravimetric method to find internal surface of macroporous silicon membranes

    PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 6 2007
    A. A. Nechitailov
    Abstract A simple method to evaluate the internal surface area, porosity, pore diameter and pore density of macroporous silicon membranes has been proposed and tested. The porosity p is obtained from the mass loss under anodizing, and the surface area per unit volume Sv is determined from the mass of SiO2 formed on the pore surface as a result of thermal oxidation. The average pore diameter d and pore density N can be easily calculated from the obtained Sv and p. Experimental verification of d and N was performed by means of SEM and optical microscope images; Sv was checked by BET technique. Surface area and porosity on the resistivity of initial n-Si in the range , = 3,25 Ohm · cm have been studied for the samples with regular and self-organized macropore "lattices". The obtained values are within the limits p = 27,50%, Sv = 2800,6000 cm2/cm3, d = 1.9,6.5 ,m, N = 1.4,10 × 106 cm,2, and in a good agreement with the data of microscopic characterization. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


    Photopolymerization of alicyclic methacrylate hydrogels for controlled release

    POLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, Issue 7 2009
    Jing Han
    Abstract Alicyclic hydroxy methacrylate monomer, o -hydroxycyclohexyl methacrylate (HCMA), was synthesized and characterized by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-NMR). Photopolymerization kinetics of HCMA was investigated via real-time infrared spectroscopy (RT-IR). Polymeric network hydrogels based on hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and HCMA were prepared by using the photopolymerization technique. Mechanical strength, swelling characteristic, and controlled release behavior of hydrogels with various feed compositions were studied. Poly(HEMA-co-HCMA) hydrogel had higher storage modulus than that of poly(HEMA) hydrogel as investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Acid orange 8 was used as a model drug for the investigation of drug release behavior of copolymeric hydrogels. Results indicated that increase in HCMA ratio in hydrogel composition could reduce the swelling rate and prolong the release time. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was also utilized to study the surface morphology of hydrogels, and the results indicated that HCMA content influenced pore diameter on the hydrogel surface. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


    Analysis of native and chemically modified oligonucleotides by tandem ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

    RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY, Issue 7 2003
    Kenneth J. Fountain
    Ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (IP-RP-HPLC) was utilized in tandem with negative-ion electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOFMS) for the analysis of native and chemically modified oligonucleotides. Separation was performed on a 1.0,×,50,mm column packed with porous C18 sorbent with a particle size of 2.5,,m and an average pore diameter of 140 Å. A method was developed which maximizes both chromatographic separation and mass spectrometric sensitivity using an optimized buffer system containing triethylamine and 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol with a methanol gradient. The ESI-TOFMS tuning parameters were also optimized in order to minimize in-source fragmentation and achieve the best sensitivity. Analyses of native, phosphorothioate, and guanine-rich oligonucleotides were performed by LC/MS. Detection limits were at sub-picomole levels with an average mass accuracy of 125,ppm. The described method allowed for the LC/MS analysis of oligonucleotides up to 110mer in length with little alkali cation adduction. Since sensitive detection of oligonucleotides was achieved with ultraviolet (UV) detection, we utilized a combination of UV-MS for quantitation (UV) and characterization (MS) of oligonucleotides and their failure sequence fragments/metabolites. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]