Bio-inks for 3D bioprinting : recent advances and future prospects

In the last decade, interest in the field of three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting has increased enormously. 3D bioprinting combines the fields of developmental biology, stem cells, and computer and materials science to create complex bio-hybrid structures for various applications. It is able to precisely place different cell types, biomaterials and biomolecules together in a predefined position to generate printed composite architectures. In the field of tissue engineering, 3D bioprinting has allowed the study of tissues and organs on a new level. In clinical applications, new models have been generated to study disease pathogenesis. One of the most important components of 3D bio-printing is the bio-ink, which is a mixture of cells, biomaterials and bioactive molecules that creates the printed article. This review describes all the currently used bio-printing inks, including polymeric hydrogels, polymer bead microcarriers, cell aggregates and extracellular matrix proteins. Amongst the polymeric components in bio-inks are: natural polymers including gelatin, hyaluronic acid, silk proteins and elastin; and synthetic polymers including amphiphilic block copolymers, PEG, poly(PNIPAAM) and polyphosphazenes. Furthermore, photocrosslinkable and thermoresponsive materials are described. To provide readers with an understanding of the context, the review also contains an overview of current bio-printing techniques and finishes with a summary of bio-printing applications

Inkjet Printing of Nickel and Silver Metal Solar Cell Contacts

With about 125,000 terawatts of solar power striking the earth at any given moment, solar energy may be the only renewable energy resource with enough capacity to meet a major portion of our future energy needs. Thin-fi lm technologies and solution deposition processes seek to reduce manufacturing costs in order to compete with conventional coal-based electricity. Inkjet printing, as a derivative of the direct-write process, offers the potential for low-cost, material-effi cient deposition of the metals for photovoltaic contacts. Advances in contact metallizations are important because they can be employed on existing silicon technology and in future-generation devices. We report on the atmospheric, non-contact deposition of nickel (Ni) and silver (Ag) metal patterns on glass, Si, and ZnO substrates at 180–220°C from metal-organic precursor inks using a Dimatix inkjet printer. Near-bulk conductivity Ag contacts were successfully printed up to 4.5 μm thick and 130 μm wide on the silicon nitride antirefl ective coating of silicon solar cells. Thin, high-resolution Ni adhesion-layer lines were printed on glass and zinc oxide at 80 μm wide and 55 nm thick with a conductivity two orders of magnitude less than the bulk metal. Additionally, the ability to print multi-layered metallizations (Ag on Ni) on transparent conducting oxides was demonstrated and is promising for contacts in copper-indium-diselenide (CIS) solar cells. Future work will focus on further improving resolution, printing full contact devices, and investigating copper inks as a low-cost replacement for Ag contacts

Artificial Antigen-Presenting Cell Topology Dictates T Cell Activation

Contains fulltext : 283270.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access

Solution Deposition of Amorphous IZO Films By Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis (Poster)

This study investigates atmospheric-pressure solution deposition routes as an alternative to these traditional high-vacuum techniques

Solution Deposition of Amorphous IZO Films by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis: Preprint

This study investigates atmospheric-pressure solution deposition routes as an alternative to these traditional high-vacuum techniques

Pricing in the hotel and catering sector

A model explaining gross margins in the hotel and catering sector is developed. A cost-mark-up model for the retail sector is used as a starting point. Although we have to reject the hypothesis of mark-up pricing in the hotel and catering sector, the model proves a useful instrument to discriminate between such influences as sales composition, costs and their various components, scale and demand conditions on price setting. Our empirical evidence stems from the Dutch hotel and catering sector (1977 through 1981)

Formation of Well-Defined, Functional Nanotubes via Osmotically Induced Shape Transformation of Biodegradable Polymersomes

Contains fulltext : 161997.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Direct-Write Contacts: Metallization and Contact Formation; Preprint

Using direct-write approaches in photovoltaics for metallization and contact formation can significantly reduce the cost per watt of producing photovoltaic devices. Inks have been developed for various materials, such as Ag, Cu, Ni and Al, which can be used to inkjet print metallizations for various kinds of photovoltaic devices. Use of these inks results in metallization with resistivities close to those of bulk materials. By means of inkjet printing a metallization grid can be printed with better resolution, i.e. smaller lines, than screen-printing. Also inks have been developed to deposit transparent conductive oxide films by means of ultrasonic spraying