Fault Detection Methods Suitable for Automotive Applications in Proton Exchange Fuel Cells

The fault conditions degrade the performance of proton exchange fuel cells and reduce their useful life. The prolonged existence of a fault condition can permanently damage the fuel cell. This paper proposes four methods for fault detection and fault type isolation. These methods were based on the coefficient of variance, ratios of change in output power to change in voltage and change in output voltage to the change in current, fuzzy membership values and Euclidian distance, and wavelet transform. These methods are non-invasive to the fuel cell and involve non-destructive testing. These methods were experimentally validated

Mechanical Properties of Glassy Polyethylene Nanofibers via Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The extent to which the intrinsic mechanical properties of polymer fibers depend on physical size has been a matter of dispute that is relevant to most nanofiber applications. Here, we report the elastic and plastic properties determined from molecular dynamics simulations of amorphous, glassy polymer nanofibers with diameter ranging from 3.7 to 17.7 nm. We find that, for a given temperature, the Young’s elastic modulus E decreases with fiber radius and can be as much as 52% lower than that of the corresponding bulk material. Poisson’s ratio ν of the polymer comprising these nanofibers was found to decrease from a value of 0.3 to 0.1 with decreasing fiber radius. Our findings also indicate that a small but finite stress exists on the simulated nanofibers prior to elongation, attributable to surface tension. When strained uniaxially up to a tensile strain of ε = 0.2 over the range of strain rates and temperatures considered, the nanofibers exhibit a yield stress σy between 40 and 72 MPa, which is not strongly dependent on fiber radius; this yield stress is approximately half that of the same polyethylene simulated in the amorphous bulk.DuPont MIT AllianceDuPont (Firm) (Young Professor Award

A Dual Fluorescence–Spin Label Probe for Visualization and Quantification of Target Molecules in Tissue by Multiplexed FLIM–EPR Spectroscopy

Simultaneous visualization and concentration quantification of molecules in biological tissue is an important though challenging goal. The advantages of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) for visualization, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy for quantification are complementary. Their combination in a multiplexed approach promises a successful but ambitious strategy because of spin label-mediated fluorescence quenching. Here, we solved this problem and present the molecular design of a dual label (DL) compound comprising a highly fluorescent dye together with an EPR spin probe, which also renders the fluorescence lifetime to be concentration sensitive. The DL can easily be coupled to the biomolecule of choice, enabling in vivo and in vitro applications. This novel approach paves the way for elegant studies ranging from fundamental biological investigations to preclinical drug research, as shown in proof-of-principle penetration experiments in human skin ex vivo

Synthetic Nanoparticles for Vaccines and Immunotherapy

The immune system plays a critical role in our health. No other component of human physiology plays a decisive role in as diverse an array of maladies, from deadly diseases with which we are all familiar to equally terrible esoteric conditions: HIV, malaria, pneumococcal and influenza infections; cancer; atherosclerosis; autoimmune diseases such as lupus, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. The importance of understanding the function of the immune system and learning how to modulate immunity to protect against or treat disease thus cannot be overstated. Fortunately, we are entering an exciting era where the science of immunology is defining pathways for the rational manipulation of the immune system at the cellular and molecular level, and this understanding is leading to dramatic advances in the clinic that are transforming the future of medicine.1,2 These initial advances are being made primarily through biologic drugs– recombinant proteins (especially antibodies) or patient-derived cell therapies– but exciting data from preclinical studies suggest that a marriage of approaches based in biotechnology with the materials science and chemistry of nanomaterials, especially nanoparticles, could enable more effective and safer immune engineering strategies. This review will examine these nanoparticle-based strategies to immune modulation in detail, and discuss the promise and outstanding challenges facing the field of immune engineering from a chemical biology/materials engineering perspectiveNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grants AI111860, CA174795, CA172164, AI091693, and AI095109)United States. Department of Defense (W911NF-13-D-0001 and Awards W911NF-07-D-0004

Hot pressing of electrospun membrane composite and its influence on separation performance on thin film composite nanofiltration membrane

10.1016/j.desal.2011.06.009Desalination2791-3201-209DSLN

Functionalized polymer nanofibre membranes for protection from chemical warfare stimulants

10.1088/0957-4484/17/12/021Nanotechnology17122947-2953NNOT

Aqueous two-phase extraction in combination with ultrafiltration for downstream processing of Ipomoea peroxidase

The partition behaviour of a plant peroxidase extracted from the leaves of Ipomoea palmetta was studied in aqueous two-phase systems. The influence of various parameters such as system pH, phase composition, phase polymer molecular weight and concentration of neutral salt on differential partitioning of the enzyme and cell debris into opposite phases were evaluated. Desirable conditions for differential partitioning were found in systems having polyethylene glycol of lower molecular weight 1550, where the enzyme partitioned to the bottom phase and the cell debris partitioned to the top phase. Optimum conditions for extraction of the enzyme were observed in a polyethylene glycol (PEG-1550)/KH2PO4 system having 2% NaCl. Hence, using this system, extraction, enrichment and purification of the enzyme was performed on a larger-scale (1-l scale) in combination with ultrafiltration to obtain about 76% recovery, 5.9-fold purity and 9.7-fold activity concentration of the enzyme