Transport properties of bronchial mucus are investigated by two-stage experimental approach focused on: (a) rheological properties and (b) mass transfer rate through the stagnant layer of solutions of mucus components (mucine, DNA, proteins) and simulated multi-component mucus. Studies were done using thermostated horizontal diffusion cells with sodium cromoglycate and carminic acid as transferred solutes. Rheological properties of tested liquids was studied by a rotational viscometer and a cone-plate rheometer (dynamic method). First part of the studies demonstrated that inter-molecular interactions in these complex liquids influence both rheological and permeability characteristics. Transfer rate is governed not only by mucus composition and concentration but also by hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of transported molecules. Second part was focused on the properties of such a layer in presence of selected nanostructured particles (different nanoclays and graphene oxide) which may be present in lungs after inhalation. It was shown that most of such particles increase visco-elasticity of the mucus and reduce the rate of mass transfer of model drugs. Measured effects may have adverse impact on health, since they will reduce mucociliary clearance in vivo and slow down drug penetration to the bronchial epithelium during inhalation therapy.
Photoluminescence of HgCdTe epitaxial films and nanostructures and electroluminescence of InAs(Sb,P) light-emitting diode (LED) nanoheterostructures were studied. For HgCdTe-based structures, the presence of compositional fluctuations, which localized charge carriers, was established. A model, which described the effect of the fluctuations on the rate of the radiative recombination, the shape of luminescence spectra and the position of their peaks, was shown to describe experimental photoluminescence data quite reasonably. For InAs(Sb,P) LED nanoheterostructures, at low temperatures (4.2–100 K) stimulated emission was observed. This effect disappeared with the temperature increasing due to the resonant ‘switch-on’ of the Auger process involving transition of a hole to the spin-orbit-splitted band. Influence of other Auger processes on the emissive properties of the nanoheterostructures was also observed. Prospects of employing II–VI and III–V nanostructures in light-emitting devices operating in the mid-infrared part of the spectrum are discussed.
Preparation and properties of hierarchically structured porous silica monoliths have been discussed from the viewpoint of their application as continuous microreactors for liquid-phase synthesis of fine chemical in multi kilogram scales. The results of recent topical papers published by two research teams of Institute of Chemical Engineering Polish Academy of Sciences (ICE) and Department of Chemical Engineering and Process Design, Chemical Faculty, Silesian University of Technology (SUT) have been analyzed to specify the governing traits of microreactors. It was concluded that even enhancement factor of 100 in activity, seen in enzyme catalyzed reactions, can be explained by a proportional reduction of its physical constraints, i.e. huge enhancement of external mass transfer and micromixing. It is induced by very chaotic flows of liquid in tens of thousands of waving connected channels of ca. 25–50 mm in diameter, present in the skeleton. The scale of enhancement in the case of less active catalysts was smaller, but still large enough to consider the most practical applications.
One of the ways to decrease thermal conductivity is nano structurization. Cobalt triantimonide (CoSb3) samples with added indium or tellurium were prepared by the direct fusion technique from high purity elements. Ingots were pulverized and re-compacted to form electrodes. Then, the pulsed plasma in liquid (PPL) method was applied. All materials were consolidated using rapid spark plasma sintering (SPS). For the analysis, methods such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) with a laser flash apparatus (LFA) were used. For density measurement, the Archimedes’ method was used. Electrical conductivity was measured using a standard four-wire method. The Seebeck coefficient was calculated to form measured Seebeck voltage in the sample placed in a temperature gradient. The preparation method allowed for obtaining CoSb3 nanomaterial with significantly lower thermal conductivity (10 Wm–1K–1 for pure CoSb3 and 3 Wm–1K–1 for the nanostructured sample in room temperature (RT)). The size of crystallites (from SEM observations) in the powders prepared was about 20 nm, joined into larger agglomerates. The Seebeck coefficient, α, was about –200 µVK–1 in the case of both dopants, In and Te, in microsized material and about –400 µVK–1 for the nanomaterial at RT. For pure CoSb3, α was about 150 µVK–1 and it stood at –50 µVK–1 for nanomaterial at RT. In bulk nanomaterial samples, due to a decrease in electrical conductivity and inversion of the Seebeck coefficient, there was no increase in ZT values and the ZT for the nanosized material was below 0.02 in the measured temperature range, while for microsized In-doped sample it reached maximum ZT = 0.7 in (600K).
Already published data for the optical band gap (Eg) of thin films and nanostructured copper zinc tin sulphide (CZTS) have been reviewed and combined. The vacuum (physical) and non-vacuum (chemical) processes are focused in the study for band gap comparison. The results are accumulated for thin films and nanostructured in different tables. It is inferred from the re- view that the nanostructured material has plenty of worth by engineering the band gap for capturing the maximum photons from solar spectrum.
The article presents the results of investigation of ultra-strength nanostructured bainitic steel Fe-0.6%C-1.9%Mn-1.8%Si-1.3%Cr-0.7%Mo (in wt. %) subjected to shear and uniaxial compression under high strain rate loading. Steel of microstructure consisted of carbide-free bainite and carbon enriched retained austenite presents a perfect balance of mechanical properties especially strength to toughness ratio. Two retained austenite morphologies exist which controlled ductility of the steel: film between bainite laths and separated blocks. It is well established that the strain induced transformation of carbon enriched retained austenite to martensite takes place during deformation. Shear localisation has been found to be an important and often dominant deformation and fracture mode in high-strength steels at high strain rate. Deformation tests were carried out using Gleeble simulator and Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar. Shear and compression strength were determined and toughness and crack resistance were assessed. Susceptibility of nanostructured bainitic steel to the formation of adiabatic shear bands (ASBs) and conditions of the bands formation were analysed. The results suggest that the main mechanism of hardening and failure at the dynamic shearing is local retained austenite transformation to high-carbon martensite which preceded ASBs formation. In the area of strain localization retained austenite transformed to fresh martensite and then steel capability to deformation and strengthening decreases.
The electron field and photo-field emission from GaN nanostructures has been analyzed in this review. In order to explain the obtained experimental results, a model was proposed taking into account the change in carrier concentration distribution in the main and the satellite valley during the emission process. The lowering of work function (due to the increased number of carriers in the satellite valley) can explain the decrease in the Fowler-Nordheim plot slope. It was shown that the energy difference between the main and satellite valley in GaN was decreased in the case of quantum confinement, thus increasing the probability of electron transition from Γ to X valley at same electric fields.
Investigations of electron photo-field emission demonstrated that the Fowler–Nordheim plots of the emission current have different slopes for nonilluminated and illuminated devices. A model based on the electron emission from valleys having different specific electron affinities is proposed to explain the experimental results. In the absence of illumination the emission takes place only from the lower valley. Upon UV illumination and presence of a high electric field at the emitter tip, the upper valley of the conduction band appears to be occupied by electrons generated at the valence band.