CHARACTERIZATION OF A MICROPUMP ACTUATED BY TERNARY TiNiCu SHAPE MEMORY THIN FILMS

ABSTRACT Thin film SMAs have the potential to became a primary actuating mechanism for micropumps. In this study, a micropump driven by TiNiCu shape memory thin film is designed and fabricated. The micropump is composed of a TiNiCu/Si bimorph driving membrane, a pump chamber and two inlet and outlet check valves. The thickness, surface morphology and phase transformation property of TiNiCu film have been characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), differential scanning calorimeters (DSC). Driving capacity of TiNiCu/Si biomorphic driving membrane has been investigated. The film surface shows a smooth and featureless morphology without any cracks, and the hysteresis width ∆T of TiNiCu film is about 10 ºC. By using the recoverable force of TiNiCu thin film, the actuation diaphragm realizes reciprocating motion effectively. Experimental results show that the micropump driving by TiNiCu film has good performance, such as high working frequency, stable driving capacity, and long fatigue life time

Impact of CRAMP-34 on Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms and extracellular metabolites

Biofilm is a structured community of bacteria encased within a self-produced extracellular matrix. When bacteria form biofilms, they undergo a phenotypic shift that enhances their resistance to antimicrobial agents. Consequently, inducing the transition of biofilm bacteria to the planktonic state may offer a viable approach for addressing infections associated with biofilms. Our previous study has shown that the mouse antimicrobial peptide CRAMP-34 can disperse Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) biofilm, and the potential mechanism of CRAMP-34 eradicate P. aeruginosa biofilms was also investigated by combined omics. However, changes in bacterial extracellular metabolism have not been identified. To further explore the mechanism by which CRAMP-34 disperses biofilm, this study analyzed its effects on the extracellular metabolites of biofilm cells via metabolomics. The results demonstrated that a total of 258 significantly different metabolites were detected in the untargeted metabolomics, of which 73 were downregulated and 185 were upregulated. Pathway enrichment analysis of differential metabolites revealed that metabolic pathways are mainly related to the biosynthesis and metabolism of amino acids, and it also suggested that CRAMP-34 may alter the sensitivity of biofilm bacteria to antibiotics. Subsequently, it was confirmed that the combination of CRAMP-34 with vancomycin and colistin had a synergistic effect on dispersed cells. These results, along with our previous findings, suggest that CRAMP-34 may promote the transition of PAO1 bacteria from the biofilm state to the planktonic state by upregulating the extracellular glutamate and succinate metabolism and eventually leading to the dispersal of biofilm. In addition, increased extracellular metabolites of myoinositol, palmitic acid and oleic acid may enhance the susceptibility of the dispersed bacteria to the antibiotics colistin and vancomycin. CRAMP-34 also delayed the development of bacterial resistance to colistin and ciprofloxacin. These results suggest the promising development of CRAMP-34 in combination with antibiotics as a potential candidate to provide a novel therapeutic approach for the prevention and treatment of biofilm-associated infections

Phase Equilibria in the System CaO-SiO₂-La₂O₃-Nb₂O₅ at 1400 °C

CaO-SiO2-La2O3-Nb2O5 system is of great significance for the pyrometallurgical utilization of Bayan Obo tailing resources. In the present work, the phase equilibrium of this quaternary system at 1400 °C was determined by a thermodynamic equilibrium experiment. On the basis of the recently determined CaO-La2O3-Nb2O5 phase diagram, some boundary surfaces of primary phase fields of CaO-SiO2-La2O3-Nb2O5 phase diagram were modified; then, the 1400 °C isothermal surface in the primary phase fields of SiO2, CaNb2O6, Ca2Nb2O7, and LaNbO4 was constructed, respectively. On this basis, CaO-SiO2-Nb2O5 pseudo-ternary phase diagrams with w(La2O3) = 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% were determined, respectively. Considering the importance of equilibrium crystallization reaction type, we proposed a new rule named Tangent Line Rule to judge the univariant reaction type in the quaternary phase diagram. By applying Tangent Line Rule and Tangent Plane Rule previously proposed, some univariant and bivariant crystallization reaction types in the CaO-SiO2-La2O3- Nb2O5 phase diagram were determined, respectively. The current work can provide original data for the establishment of a thermodynamic database of Nb-bearing and REE-bearing slag system; the proposed Tangent Line Rule will promote the application of a spatial quaternary phase diagram

Phase Equilibria in the System CaO-SiO2-La2O3-Nb2O5 at 1400 °C

CaO-SiO2-La2O3-Nb2O5 system is of great significance for the pyrometallurgical utilization of Bayan Obo tailing resources. In the present work, the phase equilibrium of this quaternary system at 1400 °C was determined by a thermodynamic equilibrium experiment. On the basis of the recently determined CaO-La2O3-Nb2O5 phase diagram, some boundary surfaces of primary phase fields of CaO-SiO2-La2O3-Nb2O5 phase diagram were modified; then, the 1400 °C isothermal surface in the primary phase fields of SiO2, CaNb2O6, Ca2Nb2O7, and LaNbO4 was constructed, respectively. On this basis, CaO-SiO2-Nb2O5 pseudo-ternary phase diagrams with w(La2O3) = 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% were determined, respectively. Considering the importance of equilibrium crystallization reaction type, we proposed a new rule named Tangent Line Rule to judge the univariant reaction type in the quaternary phase diagram. By applying Tangent Line Rule and Tangent Plane Rule previously proposed, some univariant and bivariant crystallization reaction types in the CaO-SiO2-La2O3- Nb2O5 phase diagram were determined, respectively. The current work can provide original data for the establishment of a thermodynamic database of Nb-bearing and REE-bearing slag system; the proposed Tangent Line Rule will promote the application of a spatial quaternary phase diagram

The complete chloroplast genome of Salix matsudana f. tortuosa

In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of Salix matsudana f. tortuosa was sequenced and analyzed. The genome of Salix matsudana f. tortuosa was 155,673 bp in length and was quadripartite in structure, containing a large single-copy region with a length of 84,447 bp, a small single-copy region with a length of 16,320 bp, and two inverted repeats of 27,453 bp in length. The chloroplast genome contains 130 genes, including 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The GC content is 36.64%. The phylogenetic tree shows that Salix matsudana f. tortuosa, Salix matsudana, and Salix babylonica are closely related and located on the same branch. The chloroplast genome of Salix matsudana f. tortuosa will provide important data for further systematic study of Salicaceae and the genus Salix

Stress Characteristic Analysis of Pump-Turbine Head Cover Bolts during Load Rejection Based on Measurement and Simulation

It is not uncommon for pump-turbine units in pumped storage power plants to experience load rejections due to the sudden disconnection of the generator from the power grid. Load rejection can suddenly increase the rotating speed of the pump-turbine and cause strong pressure fluctuations in the flow passage of the pump-turbine unit. During load rejection, the strong pressure fluctuations caused by the water hammer effect can cause strong structural vibrations, high stresses and even damage to the turbine runner, head cover, stay ring, bottom ring, head cover bolts and bottom ring bolts. In order to study, in detail, the flow-induced stress characteristics of the prototype pump-turbine unit, and the pressure variations during load rejection in a high-head pumped storage power plant were measured first. Then the measured data were used to set up computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations in the entire flow passage of the prototype pump-turbine and to calibrate the simulation results. The calculated pressure distributions in the flow passage during load rejection were exported and mapped on the finite element model of the stationary structures of the pump-turbine unit so that the flow-induced stresses on the head cover, stay ring, bottom ring, head cover bolts and bottom ring bolts can be calculated. The results of the analysis show that the maximum stresses in the head cover bolts and bottom ring bolts are located on the rounded corner of the bolt near the stay ring and that the stresses in the bolts vary with time during load rejection. The maximum stresses of the head cover bolts are higher than the maximum stresses of the bottom ring bolts, and the maximum stresses of the bolts are above two-thirds of the yield strength of the bolt material. It is recommended to use larger nominal diameter bolts to avoid damage to the connecting bolts of the pump-turbine unit

Stress Characteristic Analysis of Pump-Turbine Head Cover Bolts during Load Rejection Based on Measurement and Simulation

It is not uncommon for pump-turbine units in pumped storage power plants to experience load rejections due to the sudden disconnection of the generator from the power grid. Load rejection can suddenly increase the rotating speed of the pump-turbine and cause strong pressure fluctuations in the flow passage of the pump-turbine unit. During load rejection, the strong pressure fluctuations caused by the water hammer effect can cause strong structural vibrations, high stresses and even damage to the turbine runner, head cover, stay ring, bottom ring, head cover bolts and bottom ring bolts. In order to study, in detail, the flow-induced stress characteristics of the prototype pump-turbine unit, and the pressure variations during load rejection in a high-head pumped storage power plant were measured first. Then the measured data were used to set up computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations in the entire flow passage of the prototype pump-turbine and to calibrate the simulation results. The calculated pressure distributions in the flow passage during load rejection were exported and mapped on the finite element model of the stationary structures of the pump-turbine unit so that the flow-induced stresses on the head cover, stay ring, bottom ring, head cover bolts and bottom ring bolts can be calculated. The results of the analysis show that the maximum stresses in the head cover bolts and bottom ring bolts are located on the rounded corner of the bolt near the stay ring and that the stresses in the bolts vary with time during load rejection. The maximum stresses of the head cover bolts are higher than the maximum stresses of the bottom ring bolts, and the maximum stresses of the bolts are above two-thirds of the yield strength of the bolt material. It is recommended to use larger nominal diameter bolts to avoid damage to the connecting bolts of the pump-turbine unit