This paper introduces a closed-loop control strategy for maintaining consistency of liquid temperature in commercial Drop on Demand (DoD) inkjet printing. No additional sensors or additional actuators are installed in the printhead while achieving the consistency in liquid temperature. To this end, this paper presents a novel in situ sensing-actuation policy at every individual liquid-nozzle, where the jetting mechanism has three distinct roles. It is used for jetting liquid droplet onto the print media based on the print-job. It is used as a soft sensor to estimate the real-time liquid temperature of the jetting nozzle. While not jetting liquid, it is used as a heating actuator to minimize the gradient of liquid temperature among nozzles. The soft sensing based in situ controller is implemented in an experimentally validated digital twin that models the thermo-fluidic processes of the printhead. The digital twin is scalable and flexible to incorporate an arbitrary number of liquid-nozzles, making the control strategy applicable for future designs of the printhead.

A computational simulation of a PT6A gas turbine engine operating at off-design conditions is described in the present article. The model consists of a 0-dimensional thermo-fluidic description of the engine by applying the mass, linear momentum, angular momentum, and energy balances in each engine's component. The transient behavior of the engine is simulated for different blends of the original JET-A1 fuel with bio-diesel. Simulated thermodynamic variables of the air at each engine's component, as well as some performance parameters correspond to the reported experimental measurements. The numerical results also demonstrate the ability of the computational simulation to predict acceptable fuel blends, such that the efficiency of the engine is maximized and its structural integrity is maintained.

This paper discusses wind tunnel test results aimed at advancing active flow control technology to increase the aerodynamic efficiency of an aircraft during take-off. A model of the outer section of a representative civil airliner wing was equipped with two-stage fluidic actuators between the slat edge and wing tip, where mechanical high-lift devices fail to integrate. The experiments were conducted at a nominal take-off Mach number of M = 0.2. At this incidence velocity, separation on the wing section, accompanied by increased drag, is triggered by the strong slat edge vortex at high angles of attack. On the basis of global force measurements and local static pressure data, the effect of pulsed blowing on the complex flow is evaluated, considering various momentum coefficients and spanwise distributions of the actuation effort. It is shown that through local intensification of forcing, a momentum coefficient of less than c_μ = 0.6% suffices to offset the stall by 2.4°, increase the maximum lift by more than 10%, and reduce the drag by 37% compared to the uncontrolled flow.

In recent years, functional fluidic electrohydrodynamic (EHD) pumps have attracted considerable attention due to their remarkable features, such as simple structure, quiet operation, and energy-efficient utilization. EHD liquid pumps can be used in various industrial applications, like flow transfer, thermal management, and actuator drive. In this paper, the author reviewed EHD liquid pump research in these specific aspects: the first observation of the EHD effect, its mathematical modeling, and the choice of pump structure, electrode configuration, and working medium. Based on the review, a summary of the development and latest research on EHD pumps can be provided for the readers.

In implantology, among the key choices, to obtain predictable results, it is essential to establish, on the basis of radiographic examinations, the bone site where to insert the implants; these selected locations must be identified first on the mucosa and then on the cortical bone. Surgical guides represent a valid aid especially in complex cases with more than 3 or 4 implants, whereas in single implant cases they are rarely used. This study evaluates the clinical precision with which the implant sites, on the patient's mucosa, are identified in surgical procedures planned without any templates. The verification of this precision is carried out through thermo-printed templates with radiopaque references which could however help the clinician to identify these sites in a simple, rapid and economical way.

In Active Flow Control (AFC) applications, to activate the boundary layer the use of pulsating flow has notorious energy advantages versus constant blowing/suction jet injections. For a given AFC application, five parameters, jet location and width, inclination angle, frequency of injection and momentum coefficient need to be tuned. Two main devices are nowadays capable of injecting pulsating flow with the sufficient momentum coefficient to delay the boundary layer separation, these are the Zero Net Mass Flow actuators (ZNMFA) and the Fluidic Oscillators (FO). In the present research, a novel FO configuration is analyzed for the first time at relatively high Reynolds numbers, fluid is considered as incompressible. After obtaining the typical linear correlation between the incoming Reynolds number and the outlet flow oscillating frequency, the effect of outlet width and mixing chamber wedge inclination angle dimensional modifications is addressed, modifications of the outlet width are observed to create large variations on the FO performance. The origin of the self-sustained oscillations is also analyzed in the present manuscript and greatly helps in clarifying the forces acting on the jet inside the mixing chamber. In fact we can conclude saying that the current FO configuration is pressure driven although the mass flow forces appear to be a much more relevant than in previous FO configurations studied.

Current, application-driven trends towards larger-scale integration (LSI) of microfluidic systems for comprehensive assay automation and multiplexing pose significant technological and economical challenges to developers. By virtue of their intrinsic capability for powerful sample preparation, centrifugal systems have attracted significant interest in academia and business since the early 1990s. This review models common, rotationally controlled valving schemes at the heart of such “Lab-on-a-Disc” (LoaD) platforms to predict critical spin rates and reliability of flow control mainly based on geometries, location and liquid volumes to be processed, and their experimental tolerances. In absence of larger-scale manufacturing facilities during product development, the method presented here facilitates the provision of efficient simulation tools for virtual prototyping and characterization to greatly expedite design optimization according to key performance metrics. This virtual in silico approach thus significantly accelerates, de-risks and lowers costs along the critical advancement from idea, fluidic testing, bioanalytical validation and scale-up to commercial mass manufacture.

The article discusses the results of investigations performed during a thermo-mechanical treatment of forgings made of chromium-molybdenum 42CrMo4 grade steel. The treatment was realized during a regular series production. The forging process was combined with a heat treatment carried out directly after forging on a specially adapted station. Such a production technology will make it possible to eliminate the step of repeated heating of the forgings. On the example of an element of a steering gear, it was demonstrated how it is possible to perform an isothermal annealing process starting from the temperature at which the trimming of the forgings ends. During the cooling of the forgings, it is enough to maintain the temperature at the proper level in order for the exothermal phase transformation of austenite into pearlite to take place. With an appropriate design of the processing line, the heat released during the transformation could be used to maintain the applied temperature, thus limiting the consumption of energy needed to power the devices. The test results show that, with the properly selected temperature of isothermal annealing, it is possible to obtain an equilibrial ferritic-pearlitic structure in the required hardness scope. Introducing such a solution into the industrial practice would allow significant savings of the energy used for the heat treatment.

Controlling surface-protein interaction during wastewater treatment is the key motivation for developing functionally modified membranes. A new biocatalytic thermo-responsive poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF)/nylon-6,6/poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAAm) ultrafiltration membrane was fabricated to achieve dual functionality of protein-digestion and thermo-responsive self-cleaning. The PVDF/nylon-6,6/PNIPAAm composite membranes were constructed by integrating a hydrophobic PVDF cast layer and hydrophilic nylon-6,6/PNIPAAm nanofiber layer where trypsin enzymes were covalently immobilized. The immobilization density of enzymes on the membrane surface decreased with increasing PNIPAAm concentration, due to the decreased number of amine functional sites. Through a ultrafiltration study using a model solution containing BSA/NaCl/CaCl₂, the PNIPAAm containing biocatalytic membranes demonstrated a combined effect of enzymatic and thermo-switchable self-cleaning. The membrane without PNIPAAm revealed superior fouling resistance and self-cleaning with an R_PD of 22%, compared to membranes with 2 and 4 wt% PNIPAAm with 26% and 33% R_PD, respectively, after an intermediate temperature cleaning at 50°C, indicating that higher enzyme density offers more efficient self-cleaning than the combined effect of enzyme and PNIPAAm at low concentration. The conformational volume phase transition of PNIPAAm did not affect the stability of immobilized trypsin on membrane surface. Such novel surface engineering design offer a promising route to severe surface-protein contamination remediation in food and wastewater applications.

In this work modeling and analysis of an integrated opto-fluidic sensor, with a focus on achievement of single mode optical confinement and continuous flow of micro particles in the microfluidic channel for Lab-on-a Chip (LOC) sensing application is presented. This sensor consists of integrated optical waveguides, microfluidic channel among other integrated optical components. A continuous flow of micro particles in a narrow fluidic channel is achieved by maintaining the two sealed chambers at different temperatures and by maintaining a constant pressure of 1Pa at the centroid of narrow fluidic channel geometry. The analysis of silicon on insulator (SOI) integrated optical waveguide at an infrared wavelength of 1550nm for single mode sensing operation is presented. The optical loss is found to be 0.0005719dB/cm with an effective index of 2.2963. The model presented in this work can be effectively used to detect the nature of micro particles and continuous monitoring of pathological parameters for sensing applications.

The large-scale processing of Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz.) generates significant quantities of solid wastes annually. Cassava peels (CP) account for 5 wt.% - 30 wt.% of wastes from the processing of cassava tubers. The poor disposal and management of CP pose risks to human health, safety and the environment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify and examine low cost, socially acceptable and environmentally friendly strategies to mitigate the immediate and long terms disposal and management challenges. Lack of such measures results in the accumulation of CP wastes, which are currently buried, combusted, or dumped in open fields. Therefore, this paper reviewed the potential routes for the biochemical, thermochemical, and plasma valorisation of CP. The literature reviewed revealed that biochemical technologies such as anaerobic digestion (AD) and fermentation are the most widely utilised approaches currently adopted for CP valorisation. AD produces biogas (methane 50-72 vol. % and carbon dioxide 25-45 vol. %), whereas fermentation yields bioethanol. However, the numerous challenges such as substrate-induced inhibition, associated with the biochemical processes hamper microbial degradation, methane formation, and process efficiency. Furthermore, the processes generate secondary wastes or digestate/sludge, which requires additional processing before disposal. Therefore, innovative thermal, thermochemical, and plasma technologies were proposed to valorise CP into syngas, biofuels, bioenergy, biochemicals, and fertilizers, among others. However, the waste products of fermentation cannot be effectively utilised as bio-fertilizers, whereas bioethanol causes corrosion in engines. Overall, the biochemical, thermal, thermochemical and plasma technologies can effectively valorise CP for effective net energy generation.

Novel multifunctional fluorescent chemosensors composed of electrospun (ES) nanofibers with high sensitivity toward pH, mercury ions (Hg²⁺), and temperature were prepared from poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide-co-N-methylolacrylamide-co-rhodamine derivative) (poly(NIPAAm-co-NMA-co-RhBN2AM)) by employing electrospinning process. NIPAAm and NMA moieties provide hydrophilic and thermo-responsive properties (absorption of Hg²⁺ in aqueous solutions), and chemical cross-linking sites (stabilization of the fibrous structure in aqueous solutions), respectively. The fluorescent probe, RhBN2AM is highly sensitive toward pH and Hg²⁺. Synthesis of poly(NIPAAm-co-NMA-co-RhBN2AM) with different compositions were carried on via free-radical polymerization. ES nanofibers prepared from sensory copolymers with a 71.1:28.4:0.5 NIPAAm: NMA: RhBN2AM ratio (P3 ES nanofibers) exhibited significant color change from nonfluorescent to red fluorescence while sensing pH or Hg²⁺, and high reversibility of on/off switchable fluorescence emission when Hg²⁺ and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were sequentially added. The P3 ES nanofibrous membranes had a higher surface-to-volume ratio to enhance their performance than did the corresponding thin films. In addition, the fluorescence emission of P3 ES nanofibrous membranes exhibited second enhancement above the lower critical solution temperature. Thus, the ES nanofibrous membranes prepared from P3 with on/off switchable capacity and thermo-responsive characteristics can be used as multifunctional sensory devise for specific heavy transition metal (HTM) in aqueous solutions.

This study proposes a redesign of asymmetric single-chamber microbial fuel cells (a-SCMFC) with the goal of optimizing energy production. The new approach is based on the introduction of an Intermediate Microfluidic Septum (IMS) as a relatively simple and inexpensive method to opti-mize both electrolyte flow and species transfer inside the devices. SCMFCs with the novel IMS, operated with sodium acetate as the carbon source, demonstrate to enhance the energy recovery (Erec) factor, defined as the ratio between the energy yield and the inner volume of electrolyte. In standard operative conditions, cells with IMS exhibit Erec value of (37±1) J/m3, with respect to (3.0±0.3) J/m3 of control cells. Furthermore, changing sodium acetate concentration the Erec values change accordingly. By monitoring the activity of a-SCMFCs for over one-year, beneficial impact of the IMS on both the initial inoculation phase and the long-term stability of electrical perfor-mance were observed. These improvements suggest the effectiveness of IMS to allow the de-velopment of efficient biofilms, likely due to the reduction in oxygen diffusion towards the anode. Electrochemical characterizations confirm that the presence of the IMS impacts the diffusion processes inside the electrolytic chamber, supporting the hypothesis of a beneficial effect on oxygen diffusion.

Efficient heat management and control in optical devices, facilitated by advanced thermo-optic materials, is critical for many applications such as photovoltaics, thermal emitters, mode-locked lasers, and optical switches. Here, we investigate the thermo-optic properties of 2D graphene oxide (GO) films by precisely integrating them onto microring resonators (MRRs) with control over the film thicknesses and lengths. We characterize the refractive index, extinction coefficient, thermo-optic coefficient, and thermal conductivity of for the GO films with different layer numbers and degrees of reduction, including reversible reduction and enhanced optical bistability induced by photo-thermal effects. Experimental results show that the thermo-optic properties of 2D GO films vary widely with the degree of reduction, with significant polarization anisotropy, enabling efficient polarization sensitive devices. The versatile thermo-optic response of 2D GO substantially expands the scope of functionalities and devices that can be engineered, making it promising for a diverse range of thermo-optic applications.

Lightweight component design is effectively achievable through the sandwich structures, many past research studies in the aerospace and racing sectors (since 1920s) has proven it. To extend their application into automotive and other transport industries, the manufacturing cycle times must be reduced. This can be achieved by thermoplastic sandwich materials of continuous fibre-reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) cover layers and thermoplastic honeycomb cores. To widespread the application of flat thermoplastic-based sandwich panels into complex parts, a novel forming technology was developed by the Fraunhofer Institute of Microstructure of Materials and Systems (IMWS). For an increase in reproducibility of the sandwich component production and a decrease in manufacturing defects, numerical modelling methods and experimental validation are needed. The finite element (FE) modelling of this thermoforming process is a thermo-mechanical assignment with all three: material, geometry, and boundary non-linearities. In the scope of this work, the material behavior of different sandwich components (cover layers, honeycomb core, interface) under thermo-mechanical loads is characterized in detail, and a complex numerical model is developed to describe the thermoforming process of thermoplastic-based sandwich laminate. The critical forming condition like wrinkling that occurs due to friction in a sandwich or poor intra-ply shear in cross-ply studied, validated, and optimized. A thermoplastic sandwich made of polypropylene (PP) honeycomb core and polypropylene glass fibre (PP/GF) cross-ply as cover layers was used for this study, and numerical modelling was executed in LS-DYNA software.

The utilization and engineering of thermo-optic effects have found broad applications in integrated photonic devices, facilitating efficient light manipulation to achieve various functionalities. Here, we perform both an experimental characterization and theoretical analysis of these effects in integrated micro-ring resonators in high index doped silica (HIDS), which has had many applications in integrated photonics and nonlinear optics. By fitting the experimental results with theory, we obtain fundamental parameters that characterize their thermo-optic performance, including the thermo-optic coefficient, the efficiency for the optically induced thermo-optic process, and the thermal conductivity. The characteristics of these parameters are compared to those of other materials commonly used for integrated photonic platforms, such as silicon, silicon nitride, and silica. These results offer a comprehensive insight into the thermo-optic properties of HIDS based devices. Understanding these properties is essential for efficiently controlling and engineering them in many practical applications.

THz radiation has assumed a great importance thanks to the efforts in the development of technological tools used in this versatile band of the electromagnetic spectrum. Here we propose a reflecting bi-mirror axicon-like device with wavelength-independent long focusing performances in the THz band, by exploiting the high thermo-mechanical deformation of the elastomer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). This deformation permits to achieve significant optical path modulations in the THz band and effective focusing. The surface of a PDMS layer is covered with a gold thin film, acting as heater thanks to its absorption for wavelengths below ~500 nm . An invariance property of the Fresnel integral has been exploited to verify experimentally the THz performances of the device with an ordinary visible laser source, finding excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions at 1 and 3 THz. The same property allowed also to verify experimentally that the axicon focus has a longitudinal extension much greater than that one exhibited by a benchmark cylindrical mirror with the same optical power. The axicon is thermo-mechanically stable up to a heating power of 270 mW, although it might be potentially exploited at higher powers with a minor degradation of the optical performances.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of the citric acid on the properties of solid pine wood, which were submitted to thermomechanical treatment. A preliminary test was performed in a previous study to evaluate the influence of different temperatures of pressing and concentrations of citric acid over the physical properties of wood. After choosing the best treatments (170°C and 5% and 10% of citric acid) it was evaluated the effect of these on the chemical properties (SEM, FTIR and pH), on the density profile using an X-ray microtomography, and on the resistance to ageing through abrasion test. The result of the chemical analysis allowed to observe an increase of the presence of ester functional groups, as well as a better coverage and higher acidity of the surface. The density profile technique allowed to observe the formation of peaks of density on the surface where the acid was applied. Lastly, it was also possible to verify an increase in the resistance to abrasion because of the application of the citric acid.

Acetaldehyde decomposition was performed under heating at the temperature range of 25-125oC and UV irradiation on TiO2 doped by the metallic Ni powder and TiO2 supported on the nickel foam. Process was carried out in high temperature reaction chamber “The Praying MantisTM”, with simultaneous in situ FTIR measurements and UV irradiation. Ni powder was added to TiO2 in the quantity of 0.5 to 5.0 wt%. Photothermal measurements of acetaldehyde decomposition indicated, that the highest yield of acetaldehyde conversion on TiO2 und UV irradiation was obtained at 75oC. Doping of nickel to TiO2 did not increase its photocatalytic activity. Contrary to that, application of nickel foam as a support for TiO2 appeared to be highly advantageous, because increased decomposition of acetaldehyde from 31 to 52% at 25oC and then to 85% at 100oC by comparison with TiO2 itself. At the same time mineralisation of acetaldehyde to CO2 increased two times at the presence of nickel foam. However, oxidised nickel foam used as support for TiO2 was detrimental. Most likely, different mechanisms of electrons transfer between Ni-TiO2 and NiO-TiO2 occurred. Application of nickel foam greatly enhanced separation of free carriers in TiO2. As a consequence, high yields of the photocatalytic reactions were obtained.

This paper reports design of a 2 × 4 hybrid multimode interferometer-Mach-zehnder interferometer (MMI-MZI) configuration and compact thermo-optical switch consisting of slab waveguides on the silicon-on-insulator (SOI), platform. The device consisted of two identical MMIs as power splitters and couplers that are connected with two identical MMI-based phase shifters, and linear tapers at both ends of the MMIs to minimize the power coupling loss. A thin Al pad is used as a heating element, and a trench is created around this pad to prevent heat from spreading and to minimize loss. The calculated average thermo-optical switching power consumption, excess loss, and power imbalance are 1.4 mW, 0.9 dB, and 0.1 dB, respectively. The overall footprint of the device is 6 × 304 μm². The new heating method has advantages of compact size, ease of fabrication on SOI platform with the current CMOS technology, and offers low excess loss and power consumption as demanded by devices based on SOI technology. The device can act as two independent optical switches in one structure.

Photocatalytic decomposition of ethylene was performed under UV-Led irradiation at the presence of nanocrystalline TiO2 (anatase, 15 nm) supported on the porous nickel foam. Process was carried out in the high temperature chamber with regulated temperature from ambient to 125°C under flow of reacted gas (ethylene in a synthetic air, 50 ppm) with simultaneous FTIR measurements of sample surface. Ethylene was decomposed with higher efficiency in elevated temperatures with maximum of 28% at 100-125°C. The nickel foam used as support for TiO2 allowed to enhance the ethylene decomposition at the temperature of 50°C. However, at 50°C the stability of ethylene decomposition was not retained within the following reaction run, but it was at 100°C. Performed photocatalytic measurements at the presence of some radicals scavengers indicated that higher efficiency of ethylene decomposition was obtained due to the improved separation of charge carriers and increased formation of superoxide anionic radicals, which were formed at the interface of thermally activated nickel foam and TiO2.

The paper focuses on two unconventional magnetic field-based treatment regimes applied to an alloyed steel before applying a thermochemical treatment. This study was conducted in order to improve the behavior of the chosen material during the wear process. Increasing the wear resistance and the micro-hardness of the superficial layer obtained from the treatments are a priority, as well as improving the mechanical properties of a Cr-Mo alloyed steel. Thermomagnetic treatment, applied before plasma nitriding treatment, improves the mechanical properties of the base material, especially in the case of a steel with a considerable chromium content (1,02%). This paper is a review of my own researches in the last years.

Thermal energy storage (TES) is a key technology to enhance the efficiency of energy systems as well as to increase the share of renewable energies. In this context, the present paper reports a literature review of the recent advancement in the field of adsorption TES systems. After a first introduction about different heat storage technologies, the adsorption TES working principle is explained and compared to the other technologies. Subsequently, promising features and critical issues at material, component and system levels are deeply analyzed and the ongoing activities to make this technology ready for marketing are introduced.

Technical components should be produced sustainably and are subject to growing demands in terms of durability and reliability. To meet these expectations, the development of thermochemical processes is auspicious. Titanium alloys, which have a comparatively high gas solubility, allow temporary hydrogen (H) loading, often called thermo hydrogen treatment (THT). THT causes lattice deformation and reduces the β transformation temperature. These effects enable an adjustment of the microstructure, which improves the mechanical properties as compared to those produced conventionally. Furthermore, the process is applicable to complex geometries that cannot be surface hardened by mechanical surface treatment techniques. The investigation presented intends to realize a local microstructure gradient in additively via laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) manufactured cylindrical Ti–6Al–4V specimens by changing the distribution and morphology of strengthening precipitates as well as the β grain size depending on the distance to the surface, which should improve the material fatigue properties. To evaluate the mechanical properties of such THT-induced microstructure gradients, the resulting change in fatigue life in the LCF and HCF range was determined by stress-controlled cyclic deformation tests. Besides, the resulting microstructure was characterized by means of XRD and TEM. In addition to the additively manufactured and thermo hydrogen treated cylindrical specimens, conventionally produced tube-like specimens were thermo hydrogen treated and examined. For the THT-induced microstructure gradients, numerically simulated H concentration profiles as well as experimentally determined hardness profiles were used for the evaluation of the THT process. The study shows that H-loading at 500°C and H-degassing at 750°C, followed by aging at 550°C, allows the establishment of a microstructure gradient that shows an 8% improvement in fatigue properties compared to a reference condition without THT. The reason for this improvement is an increased volume fraction secondary alpha phase in the near-surface area of the specimens. Moreover, the results show that the process is applicable a tube-like specimen with varying wall thicknesses.

This study examines the behavior of stearic acid (SA) and 12-hydroxystearic acid (12-HSA) aqueous mixtures as a function of temperature and 12-HSA/SA molar ratio (R). Whatever R, the system exhibits a morphological transition at a given threshold temperature, from multilamellar self-assemblies at low temperature towards small micelles at high temperature, as shown by a combination of transmittance measurements, Wide Angle X-ray diffraction (WAXS), small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments. Such transition originates from the melting of the crystallized fatty acids within the lamellar phase. The precise determination of the threshold temperature, which ranges between 20°C and 50°C depending on R, allows for the construction of the whole phase diagram of the system as a function of R. At high temperature the micelles that are formed are oblate for pure SA solutions (R = 0) and prolate for pure 12-HSA solution (R = 1). In the case of mixtures, there is a progressive continuous transition from oblate to prolate shape when increasing R, with micelles that are almost purely spherical for R = 0.33.

The photoelectric effect induced by blackbody radiation could be a mechanism to harvest ambient thermal energy at a uniform temperature. Here, I describe (without going too much into mathematical details) the theoretical model I developed starting from 2010 to study that phenomenon, and I summarize the results of the numerical simulations. Simulations tell us that the process must be there. Moreover, at least two experimental tests have been performed in the past years that seem to corroborate, although not definitely, the alleged functioning of the proposed mechanism. Unfortunately, at present, the obtainable power density is extremely low and inadequate for immediate practical applications.

Currently, efficient utilization of low-grade thermal energy is a great challenge. Thermoelectricity is an extremely promising method of generating electrical energy from temperature differences. As a promising energy conversion technology, thermo-electrochemical cells (TECs) have attracted much attention in recent years for their ability to convert thermal energy directly into electricity with high thermal power. Within TECs, anions and cations gain and lose electrons, respectively at the electrodes using the potential difference between the hot and cold terminals of the electrodes by redox couples. Additionally, the anions and cations therein are constantly circulating and mobile via concentration diffusion and thermal diffusion, providing an uninterrupted supply of power to the exterior. This review article focuses mainly on the operation of TECs, recent ad-vances in redox couples, electrolytes, and electrodes. The outlook for optimization strategies re-garding TECs is also presented in this paper.

The decreasing width, increasing aspect ratio RDL presents significant challenges to design for reliability (DFR) of advanced package. Therefore, this paper proposes a ML based RDL modeling and simulation method. In the method, RDL is divided into blocks and subdivided into pixels of metal percentage, and the RDL is digitalized as tensors. Then, an ANN-based surrogate model is built and trained by a subset of tensors to predict the equivalent material properties of each block. Lastly, all blocks are transformed into elements for simulations. For validation, line bending simulations were conducted on an RDL, with the reaction force as accuracy indicator. The results show that neglecting layout impact causes critical errors as substrate thins. By the method, the reaction force error is 2.81% and the layout impact can accurately be considered with 200×200 elements. For application, the TCT maximum temperature state simulation was conducted on a CPU chip. The simulation indicates that for advanced package the maximum stress more likely occurs in RDL rather than bumps, both RDL and bumps are critical impacted by layouts, and RDL stress is also impacted by vias/bumps. The proposed method precisely concerns layout impacts with little resources, presents an opportunity of efficiency improvement.

During the recent decades, global warming by greenhouse gas evolution has attracted worldwide attention and evermore strict regulations thereon have become institutionalized as international policies. In the process, more environment-friendly power generation technologies have been developed utilizing fossil fuels with a view to timely commercialization. As one of such “clean coal” technology, Integrated Gasification Fuel Cell system is a promising power generation means and COS hydrolysis reactor is installed downstream of coal syngas to remove acidic gas constituents such as H2S and COS. The most significant design parameters affecting performance of the COS hydrolysis reactor were selected to be GHSV, (catalytic) reaction temperature, and length ratio and numerical modeling was performed considering heat and fluid flow transfer as well as chemical reaction kinetics. Effect of the selected design parameters on the variation of conversion rate and reactant gas mixture concentration were comprehensively investigated to predict performance of COS hydrolysis reactor. Stochastic modeling of reactor performance was finally performed using Monte Carlo simulation and linear regression fitting.

Purpose: this paper evaluates the effect of thermo-formed aligners with complementary biomechanical attachments (CBA) on periodontal ligaments (PDL) during the expansion process of the maxillary arch using simulations based on the finite element method (FEM). Methods: four types of teeth (canine 3, premolar 4, premolar 5 and molar 6) were modeled using 3D CAD. In addition, aligners, CBAs and PDL were also 3D modeled. With this information, a FEM model was generated, and a clinical rehabilitation scenario was simulated. For the validation of the results, a comparison with medical records was performed. Results: for canine 3, the displacement was 0.134 mm with a maximum stress of 4.822 x10-3MPa in the amelocemental junction. For premolar 4, the displacement was 0.132 mm at a maximum stress of 3.273x10-3MPa in the amelocemental junction. Premolar 5 had a displacement of 0.129 mm and a stress of 1.358 x10-3MPa at 1 mm from the amelocemental junction. Molar 6 had a displacement of 0.124 mm and a maximum stress of 2.440 x10-3MPa. Conclusions: The simulations showed that the use of CBA reduces tooth tipping. The model with Vestibular CBA presented the best results in terms of the dental movement of expansion of the maxillary arch with the use of thermoformed aligners. Significance: Considering the difficulty of performing in vivo tests that evaluate the configuration effectiveness of the different CBA alternatives in thermoformed aligners, FEM techniques were used to reduce time and costs, and get accurate results with minimal errors.

In order to search possible residual minor phases in Y-Ba-Cu-O family, powdered mixtures of Y₂O₃ + BaCO₃ + CuO and, independently, superconducting compound YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x have been treated in evacuated cells and elevated temperatures.YBa₂Cu₃O_7-x was reduced to YBa₂Cu₃O₅ by use of the special home designed Taconis-Knudsen vacuum device. A subsequent doping by oxygen converts produced insulator YBa₂Cu₃O₅ to semiconductor or metal YBa₂Cu₃O_5+x (0<x<0.3). In addition to YBa₂Cu₃O₅, 0.05 volume percent of the minor delafossite phase Y₂Cu₂O₄ was being spotted in the powder mixture 1/2 Y₂O₃ + 2BaCO₃+6Cu₂O, heated up to 818 °C in an inert gas atmosphere. An attempt to prepare the insulating bulk delafossite samples was successful, and subsequent doping by oxygen produces novel metallic phases.

Silicon-based microchannel technology offers unmatched performances for cooling high energy physics silicon-pixels detectors. Although Si-Si direct bonding, used for the fabrication of cooling plates, meets the stringent requirements of this application, in particular high-pressure resistance (~200 bar), it is reported to be a challenging and expensive process. In this work, we have evaluated two alternative bonding methods towards a more cost-effective fabrication process: Si-Glass-Si anodic bonding (AB) with a thin-film glass and Au-Au thermocompression (TC). The bonding strength of the two methods were evaluated with destructive pressure burst tests (0 - 690 bar) on test structures, each made of a 1×2 cm² silicon die etched with a tank and an inlet channel and sealed with a plain silicon die using AB or TC bonding. The pressure resistance of the structures was measured to be higher for the TC sealed samples (max. 690 bar) than for the AB ones (max. 530 bar) but less reproducible. The failure analysis indicates that the AB structure resistance is limited by the adhesion force of the deposited layers. Nevertheless, both the TC and AB methods provided sufficient bond quality to hold the high pressure required for the high energy physics pixel detectors cooling application.

The aim of this paper is to expose the main involved physical phenomena underlying the alteration of convective heat transfer in a heat exchanger subjected to imposed vibrations. This technique seems to have interesting features and industrial applications, such as efficiency increase, heat transfer rate control and cleanliness action. However, a clear description and comprehension of how vibrations may alter the convective heat transfer coefficient in a heat exchanger is no still reached due to the complexity of the involved physical mechanisms. For this reason, after a presentation and a schematisation of the analyzed thermodynamic system, the fundamental alterations of the thermo-fluid dynamics fields are described. Then, the main involved physical phenomena are exposed for the three cases of gaseous, monophasic liquid and boiling liquid mediums. Finally, on the basis of the characteristics of these described phenomena, some considerations and indications of general validity are presented.

Interior permanent magnet motors (IPMSMs) are extensively used as traction motors today because of their exceptional torque and power density, and wide constant power operating range. Under real-world usage, an IPMSM rotor undergoes varying electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical loads. Under such conditions, fatigue life-based design criteria should be utilized over stress-based design criteria to ensure the structural integrity of the rotor. Moreover, the driving dynamics can change the rotor temperature continuously, which affects the electromagnetic, mechanical, and fatigue properties of rotor material. This paper proposes a robust thermo-mechanical rotor fatigue simulation workflow considering the significant loads acting on an IPMSM rotor and the temperature variation throughout a drive cycle. It discusses an accelerated fatigue life estimation approach based on peak valley extraction to reduce the simulation time significantly for stress and fatigue analysis. Then, it presents a method for stress-life curve generation for a variable loading. It also presents a sensitivity study with a median S-N curve, and a 90%-reliability 95%-confidence (R90C95) S-N curve.

Waste heat recovery stands out as a promising technique to tackle both energy shortages and environmental pollution. Currently, this valuable resource, generated from processes like fuel combustion or chemical reactions, is often dissipated into the environment, despite its potential to significantly contribute to the economy. To harness this untapped potential, a travelling-wave thermo-acoustic generator has been designed and subjected to comprehensive experimental analysis. Fifty-two data corresponding to different working conditions of the system were extracted to build ANN, ANFIS and ANN-PSO models. Evaluation of performance metrics reveals that the ANN-PSO model demonstrates the highest predictive accuracy (R^2=0.9959), particularly in relation to output voltage. This research demonstrates the potential of machine learning techniques for the analysis of thermo-acoustic systems. By doing so, it is possible to get an insight into nonlinearities inherent to thermo-acoustic systems. This advancement empowers researchers to forecast the performance characteristics of alternative configurations with a heightened level of precision.

This paper reports 2 × 4 hybrid Mach-zehnder interferometer (MZI) - multi-mode interferometers (MMI) based compact thermo-optical switch consisting of slab waveguides on silicon-on-insulator, SOI, platform. The device consists of two identical MMIs, each of 6 μm wide and 140 μm long connected with two phase shifters MMIs each with 2 μm wide and 8 μm long and linear tappers each 4 μm long, connected at both ends of the MMIs to minimize the power coupling loss. The loss for linear taper is found to be below 0.02dB. The footprint of the whole device is six 6 μm × 324 μm. This structure is based on unique multimode region shape, which leads optical switch to have less coupling loss and reduced cross-talk. The average thermo-optical switching power consumption is 1.4 mW, the excess losses are 0.8 dB, and the imbalances are 0.1 dB. Aluminum is used as a heating pad, and a trench is created around this pad to prevent from spreading of heat and reduce power loss almost by a factor of 2 to the adjacent phase shifter. Our new heating method has advantages of compact size and ease of fabrication with the current CMOS technology.

Development of load-bearing polymer composite constructions in civil engineering, such as industrial chimneys and gas ducts, requires filling some research gaps. These gaps are related to long-term behavior under mechanical and temperature loads, cyclic ones as well. Such conditions mean that viscoelasticity should be considered. First of all, viscoelastic parameters should be calculated, based on the used inner structure model. Then, due to the high working temperatures, thermal aging should be considered as well. This research is devoted to effects of thermal aging on viscoelastic behavior of polymers. Two sets of experiments were conducted: creep tensile tests and cyclic heating in constrained state. The Kelvin-Voigt viscoelasticity model was used to determine the rheological parameters of binder from experimental creep curves. Thermally-aged binder turned out to lose its viscous properties and became elastic. Cyclic heating was used to compare the behavior of normal and thermally-aged binder and to evaluate the possibility of temperature stress accumulation. Similar to creep tests, cyclic heating showed that aged binder lost viscosity and worked almost perfectly elastic. Non-aged binder was prone to stress accumulation much more. As a result, the rheological behavior of aged and non-aged binder was compared and showed a significant difference. In addition, the influence of temperature stress accumulation on stress—strain state was evaluated and turned out to be significant as well. The obtained results can be further used to predict the mechanical behavior of structures made of polymer composites operating for a long time at elevated temperatures, including those exceeding the glass transition temperature.

High-performance properties of interpenetration polymer network (IPN) hydrogels, based on physically crosslinked chitosan (CS) and chemically crosslinked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNiPAM), have been successfully developed. The IPN of CS/PNiPAM is proposed to overcome the limited mechanical properties of the single CS network. In this study, the viscoelastic behaviors of prepared materials in both solution and gel states have been extensively examined, considering the UV exposure time and crosslinker concentration as key factors. The effect of these factors on gel formation, hydrogel structures, thermal stabilities of networks, and HeLa cell adhesion were studied sequentially. The sol-gel transition was effectively demonstrated through the scaling law, which agrees well with Winter and Chambon's theory. By subjecting the CS hydrogel to the process operation in an ethanol solution, its properties can be significantly enhanced with increased crosslinker concentration, including the shear modulus, crosslinking degree, gel strength, and thermal stability in its swollen state. The IPN samples exhibit a smooth and dense surface with irregular pores, allowing for much water absorption. The HeLa cells were adhered to and killed using the CS surface cationic derivative, then released through hydrolysis by utilizing the hydrophilic/hydrophobic switchable property or thermo-reversible gelation of the PNiPAM network. The results demonstrated that IPN is a highly attractive candidate for anti-fouling materials.

Ni-Al alloys have good corrosion-resistant properties making them preferable as a material of choice compared to ordinary metals. A good understanding of the phase diagram and thermodynamic properties of the Ni-Al alloy binary system is essential in determining relevant industrial applications of the system. The Ni-Al phase diagram is being reassessed since those found in the literatures are based on very old experimental studies. The phase diagram and thermodynamic properties of the Ni-Al alloy is determined using the Thermo-Calc 2022b software over a temperature range of 200 K to 2000 K and 1 atm of pressure. A total of nineteen fields (including elemental Al and Ni) comprising of five single solid phases, one liquid phase, and twelve double regions was obtained from the equilibrium calculation. The thermodynamic calculation has six invariant reactions comprising of two eutectic reactions (914.83 ± 0.025 K and 1641.80 ± 0.025 K), three peritectic reactions (1123.55 ± 0.025 K, 1400.72 ± 0.025 K and 1642.65 ± 0.025 K), and one peritectoid reaction (913.96 ± 0.025 K). The solubility of Al in Ni is also determined. The Thermo-Calc temperature – composition of the Ni-Al alloy is compared with the existing experimental studies to identify the physical properties of the different thermodynamic properties of the Ni-Al alloy binary system.

Recently, Indium Tin Oxide, a highly transparent, well conductive, and CMOS-compatible material, has been paying strong attention to the thermo-optic controlled silicon photonics industry because it allows a miniature of the gap between the core silicon and the heater, thus enabling reducing the electric power consumption and enhancing the switching speed. In this article, we propose an ultralow loss and small-size ITO microheater for the phase shift tuning. The designated microheater is manipulated in realizing a numerical co-design of compact and high bandwidth three-mode converter and three-mode selective router. Simulation results illustrate the 3-dB bandwidth for the three-mode converter and three-mode selective router as much as 100-nm and 40-nm during crosstalk under -25 dB, respectively. Besides, co-designed devices attain relatively large fabrication tolerances corresponding to width and height tolerances of ±50 nm and ±5 nm. In addition, the proposed devices consumed less than 90 mW total power consumption and took a fast switching time below 8 μs. Moreover, both two co-designs can be integrated into an estimated compact footprint of 8 μm2160 μm. Such excellent performances demonstrate the attractive potential of ITO as low-loss thermo-optic phase shifters and open an alternative way for enabling ultrafast and high-speed mode division multiplexing systems and very large-scale photonic integrated circuits.

A formulation of nonequilibrium thermo field dynamics has been performed using the nonequilibrium statistical operator method by D.N. Zubarev. Generalized transfer equations for a consistent description of kinetics and hydrodynamics of the dense quantum-field system with strongly coupled states are derived.

Curcumin, a nontoxic and cheap natural medicine, has high therapeutic efficacy for many diseases including diabetes and cancers. Unfortunately, its exceedingly low water-solubility and rapid degradation in the body severely limit its bioavailability. In this work, we prepare a series of biocompatible poly(vinyl anisole)@nonlinear poly(ethylene glycol) (PVAS@PEG) core-shell nanogels with different PEG gel shell thickness to provide high water solubility, good stability, and controllable sustained release of curcumin. The PVAS nanogel core is designed to attract and store curcumin molecules for high drug loading capacity and the hydrophilic nonlinear PEG gel shell is designed to offer water dispersibility and thermo-responsive drug release. The obtained nanogels are monodispersed in spherical shape with clear core-shell morphology. The size and shell thickness of the nanogels can be easily controlled by changing the core-shell precursor feeding ratios. The optimized PVAS@PEG nanogels display a high curcumin loading capacity of 38.0 wt%. The nanogels can stabilize the curcumin from degradation at pH =7.4 and release the curcumin in response to heat in the physiologically important temperature range. The nanogels can enter cells effectively and exhibit negligible cytotoxicity to both the B16F10 and HL-7702 cells at a concentration up to 2.3 mg/mL. Such designed PVAS@PEG nanogels have a great potential to be used for delicate drug delivery.

Steam boiler has a significant role in the industrial sector. The failure in boiler tubes significantly reduces the availability of the plant. Furthermore, deposits on the inner tube wall contribute to such failure by changing the thermal resistance of the wall, which causes a significant increase in the tube wall's temperature and, consequently, lower allowable stress. The presented thermal-fluid model is developed for the water tube. The model is implemented using ANSYS FLUENT to estimate the wall maximum water tube wall temperature considering the deposits layer and then determine the minimum thickness of the tube wall via ASME standards to assure safe operation. The model is verified via a mesh independence test. The minimum tube thickness is recommended and justified given the thermo-mechanical performance of the water tubes at several operating loads of 50, 75, and 100 %. These loads are implemented by different convective heat transfer coefficients of flue gases under different deposit thicknesses, thermal conductivity, and flue gas temperature. The present work contributes to the literature by recommending the minimum thickness of the water wall tubes and highlighting the thermo-mechanical effect of the deposits on water tube resilience under different operating conditions.

The Polyurethane (PU) mixture is a high−performance engineering material with different dynamic properties compared to a hot−mixed asphalt mixture (HMA). This paper analyzed whether the Kramers−Kronig (K−K) relation and thermo−rheological simple properties were applicable to the PU mixture. Based on the result discussion, the PU mixture exhibited thermo−rheological simple properties within the test conditions. The time−temperature superposition principle (TTSP) was applicable for the PU mixture to construct the dynamic modulus master curve using the standard logistic Sigmoidal (SLS) model, the generalized logistic sigmoidal (GLS) model, and the Havriliak−Negami (HN) model. The Hilbert integral transformed SLS and GLS models for the phase angle can accurately fit the measured phase angle data with newly fitted shift factors and predict the phase angle within the viscoelastic range. The Core−Core and black space diagrams both displayed single continuous smooth curves, which can be utilized to characterize the viscoelastic property of the PU mixture. The K−K relation is applicable for the PU mixture to obtain the phase angle master curve model, storage modulus, and loss modulus from the complex modulus test results. The phase angle of the PU mixture cannot be derived from the dynamic modulus data and currently needs to be derived from the laboratory measurement.

innate and adaptive immune responses lead to wound healing by regulating a complex series of events promoting cellular cross-talk. An inflammatory response is presented with its characteristic clinical symptoms: heat, pain, redness, and swelling. Some smart thermo-responsive polymers like chitosan can be used to create biocompatible and biodegradable scaffolds with 3D architectures similar to human structures, allowing their efficient and safe use as tissue engineering and drug delivery systems in chronic wounds. Locally heated tumors above polymer lower critical solution temperature can induce its conversion into a hydrophobic form, enhancing drug release until the thermal stimulus is gone, where a lower release is due to the swelling of the material. This paper integrates the relevant reported contributions of bioengineered scaffolds for thermo-responsive drug delivery in wound healing. Therefore, we present a comprehensive review that aims to demonstrate the capacity of these systems to provide spatially and temporally controlled release strategies for one or more drugs used in wound healing. In this sense, the novel manufacturing techniques of 3D-printing and electrospinning are explored for the tuning of their physicochemical properties to adjust therapies according to the patient’s convenience, as well as reduce drug toxicity and side effects.

The present study evaluates mold fungal resistance of newly developed loose-fill thermal insulation materials from wheat straw, corn stalk and water reed. Three different processing methods of raw materials was performed by mechanical crushing (Raw, ≤ 20 mm), thermal-mechanical pulping (TMP) using 4% NaOH and steam explosion pulping (SEP). An admixture of boric acid (8%) and tetraborate (7%) was applied to all processed substrates due to their anti-fungal properties. Additionally, the fourth sample group was prepared from SEPs of all raw species without boric acid and tetraborate (SEP*) as control. Samples from all treatments were separately inoculated by 5 different fungal species and incubated in darkness for 28 days at 28 ℃ and RH &gt;90%. The highest resistance to the colonization of mold fungi was achieved by TMP and SEP processing coupled with addition of boric acid and tetraborate, where molds infest only around 35% to 40% of the inoculated sample area. The lowest mold fungi resistance was detected for Raw and SEP* samples, each ~75% that was affected by rich amount of accessible nutrients, suggesting that boric acid and tetraborate additives alone did not prevent mold fungal growth as effective as in combination with TMP and SEP treatments. Together, the achieved fungal colonization scores after combined fungicide and pulping treatments are acceptable for the application of various renewable materials in future thermal insulation product development.

The contribution aims to bring forth a novel synthesis route in developing transparent UV-LED curable coatings accounting various exposure options. A selection of perfluoropolyether (PFPE)-urethane methacrylate and acrylate resins, free-radical photo-initiator Omnirad 2100, and two distinct silane based crosslinking agents were blended under a weight ratio of 75:20:5 (without crosslinker) and 70:15:5:10, respectively. The coatings were cured under a UV-LED 4 x 3 matrix light emitting source, in a chamber under controlled atmosphere, by means of an in-house developed conveyor belt type platform, at different conveyor belt speed (5, 50, 150, 250, and 500 mm/s). The morphologies of fabricated coatings were characterized by FTIR revealing high conversion rates (e.g., from 98 to 100%) for increased exposure time as resulted from the 5 or 50 mm/s values, on all combinations. Dynamic-mechanical and optical properties of UV-LED cured transparent coatings were also investigated. A negative shift of a glass transition temperature values with a decrease in exposure time, in all combinations, from about 60 °C to 30 °C, along with storage moduli lowering in the glassy plateau further favor on higher exposure times for curing. The refractive indices of polymers were from 1.38 to 1.40, whereas the thermo-optic coefficients are showing minor changes around value of 2.55∙10-4 K-1.

The aspirated hypersonic air-breathing propulsion system requires a large amount of power generation, but its special structure makes it impossible to adopt common power generation methods. The high-temperature gaseous hydrocarbon fuel thermal power generation (TPG) system was developed to solve the power generation problem for hypersonic air-breathing propulsion system. But off-design operating conditions of the hypersonic propulsion system results in a more complex process for both propulsion system and the TPG system. To better analyzing the dynamic thermos-physical characteristics of hypersonic airbreathing propulsion system considering thermal-mechanical coupling process among cooling/TPG system, a dynamic analytical model was developed, and the dynamic thermos-physical characteristics of TPG system under different off-design working conditions were conducted. It can be concluded from the analytical results that the dynamic process of thermos-physical characteristics shows a complex trend under the flight Mach number and fuel equivalence ratio off-design working conditions. Such complexity of dynamic characteristics brings difficulties in fuel supply for the propulsion system.

A heterograft copolymer with an alginate backbone, hetero-grafted by polymer pendant chains displaying different Lower Critical Solution Temperatures (LCSTs), combined with a pH-responsive Poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (P2VP-b-PEO) diblock copolymer forming micellar nanoparticles, was investigated in aqueous media at various pH. Due to its thermoresponsive side chains, the copolymer forms hydrogels with thermo–induced sol–gel transition, above a critical temperature, Tgel (thermo–thickening). However, by lowering pH of the medium in acidic regime, a remarkable increase of the elasticity of the formulation was observed. This effect was more pronounced in low temperatures (below Tgel) suggesting secondary physical crosslinking, which induces significant changes in the hydrogel thermoresponsiveness, transforming the sol–gel transition to soft gel–strong gel. Moreover, the onset of thermothickening shifted to lower temperatures followed by broadening of the transition zone, implying intermolecular interactions between the uncharged alginate backbone with the PNIPAM side chains, likely through H–bonding. The shear–thinning behavior of the soft gel in low temperatures provides injectability, which allows 3D–printing potential applications. Furthermore, the heterograft copolymer/nanoparticles composite hydrogel, encapsulating a model hydrophobic drug in the hydrophobic cores of the nanoparticles, was evaluated as pH-responsive drug delivery system. The presented tunable drug delivery system might be useful for biomedical potential applications.

This research is completed in development of researches devoted to relations between elastic modulus (MoE) and thermal expansivity (CTe) of different materials. This study experimentally confirmed the relation of MoE and CTe for thermosetting polymers and FRPs both under normal and heating temperatures. As the thermosetting polymers, the epoxy compositions were used and glass fiber and mineral additives for FRP. The experiment was based on dilatometric and elastic deformations’ testing. Also, the relaxation model of MoE/CTe was proposed, that is based on physical properties of polymers’ supramolecular structures. The comparative analyzing of MoE/CTes’ different models is done. The most accurate models are determined, and the relaxation model has demonstrated the high accuracy.

Antibody-mediated targeting is an efficient strategy to enhance the specificity and selectivity of polymer nanomedicines towards the target site, typically a tumor. However, direct covalent coupling of an antibody with a polymer usually results in a partial damage of the antibody binding site accompanied with a compromised biological activity. Here, an original solution based on well-defined non-covalent interactions between tris-nitrilotriacetic acid (trisNTA) and hexahistidine (His-tag) groups, purposefully introduced to the structure of each macromolecule, is described. Specifically, trisNTA groups were attached along the chains of a hydrophilic statistical copolymer based on N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA), and at the end or along the chains of thermo-responsive di-block copolymers based on N-isopropylmethacrylamide (NIPMAM) and HPMA; His-tag was incorporated to the structure of a recombinant single chain fragment of an anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody (scFv-GD2). Static and dynamic light scattering analyses confirmed that mixing of polymer with scFv-GD2 led to the formation of polymer/scFv-GD2 complexes; those prepared from thermo-responsive polymers formed stable micelles at 37 °C. Flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy clearly demonstrated antigen-specific binding of the prepared complexes to GD2 positive murine T-cell lymphoma cells EL-4 and human neuroblastoma cells UKF-NB3, while no interaction with GD2 negative murine fibroblast cells NIH-3T3 was observed. These non-covalent polymer protein complexes represent a new generation of highly specific actively targeted polymer therapeutics or diagnostics.

A major advance of drug discovery and targeted therapy directed to cancer cells may be achieved by exploitation and immunomodulation of their unique biological property. This re-view summarizes our efforts to develop novel chemo-thermo-immuno-therapy (CTI therapy) by conjugating a melanogenesis substrate, N-propionyl cysteaminylphenol (NPrCAP: amine analog of tyrosine), with magnetite nanoparticles (MNP). In our approach, NPrCAP provides a unique drug delivery system (DDS) because of its selective incorporation into melanoma cells. It also functions as a melanoma-targeted therapeutic drug because of its production of highly reactive free radicals (melanoma-targeted chemotherapy). Moreover, utilization of MNP is a platform to develop thermo-immunotherapy because of heat shock protein (HSP) generation upon exposure to an alternating magnetic field (AMF). The feasibility of our approach was successfully shown in experimental in vivo and in vitro mouse melanoma models and in preliminary clinical trials to a limited number of advanced melanoma patients.

Ground-based high-power lasers enable to, in principle, deorbit any kind of space debris object from the low Earth orbit (LEO) by remotely inducing laser-ablative momentum. However, the assessment of efficiency and operational safety depends on many factors like atmospheric constraints or the risk of debris disintegration during irradiation. We analyze laser momentum for a great variety of target geometries and sizes, and – for the first time in a large-scale simulation – include thermal constraints for laser irradiation configuration. Using a coherently coupled 100 kJ laser system at 1030 nm wavelength, 5 ns pulse duration in an optimized pointing elevation angle range, the pulse frequency should amount to less than 10 Hz to prevent fragment meltdown. For mechanically intact payloads or rocket bodies, repetition rates should be even lower. Small debris fragments sized between 10 and 40 cm can be de-orbited by around 100 to 400 station passes with head-on irradiation while objects exceeding 2 m typically require far more than 1000 irradiations for deorbit. Hence, laser-based debris removal cannot be considered a prime space sustainability measure tackling the top-risk large debris, yet it can provide for remediation of a multitude of small-sized debris using small networks of globally distributed laser sites.