Microspheres are a new type of drug carrier with great potential for development and application.Natural polymers have good biocompatibility,biodegradability,and are easily dispersed in living organisms,making them su...Microspheres are a new type of drug carrier with great potential for development and application.Natural polymers have good biocompatibility,biodegradability,and are easily dispersed in living organisms,making them suitable for preparing microspheres.Inorganic materials(mainly inorganic minerals)have excellent mechanical properties and are inexpensive and easy to obtain.Through the coupling and hybridization of natural polymers and inorganic materials,they can complement each other's advantages and synergistically enhance efficiency,resulting in many excellent physical and chemical properties.Inorganic materials/natural polymer composite microspheres can be prepared by modifying natural polymers with inorganic materials through various methods such as emulsification crosslinking,solution mixing,in-situ synthesis,extrusion,etc.The application of inorganic materials/natural polymer composite microspheres in drug delivery systems has significant sustained-release effects,is safe and non-toxic,and the cost of carrier materials is relatively low,which has certain significance for the development of new drug carriers.This article reviews the recent research on the preparation,drug loading and release properties of inorganic material/natural polymer composite microspheres,analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of commonly used preparation methods,and looks forward to the development direction of composite microspheres.展开更多
Solid state fermentation is an attractive process to produce cellulase economically due to its lower financial investment and lower operating costs. Generally available natural materials in our study included vinegar ...Solid state fermentation is an attractive process to produce cellulase economically due to its lower financial investment and lower operating costs. Generally available natural materials in our study included vinegar residue, wheat bran, rice bran and wheat straw. Cellulase production was carried out by solid state fermentation using these materials as the substrate of Trichoderma koningii. The ingredients of natural materials, associated with the effects of water content, time and nitrogen sources on cellulase synthesis were studied. A comparatively high cellulase activity （〉4 IU·g^-1 SDM） was obtained in the fermentation batch. The optimum culture time of vinegar residue, wheat bran and wheat straw were 72 hours, but that office bran was 60 hours. Total water contents of wheat bran, rice bran and wheat straw should not exceed 50% and that of vinegar residue should not be more than 60%. It was also shown that nitrogen salts contributed much to fermentation. （NH4）3PO4 and urea achieved good results in promoting enzyme activity.展开更多
This investigation and morphology analysis of porous structure of some kinds of natural materials such as chicken eggshell, partridge eggshell, pig bone, and seeds of mung bean, soja, ginkgo, lotus seed, as well as th...This investigation and morphology analysis of porous structure of some kinds of natural materials such as chicken eggshell, partridge eggshell, pig bone, and seeds of mung bean, soja, ginkgo, lotus seed, as well as the epidermis of apples, with SEM (Scanning Electronic Microscope) showed that natural structures’ pores can be classified into uniform pores, gradient pores and multi pores from the viewpoint of the distribution variation of pore density, size and geometry. Furthermore, an optimal design of porous bearings was for the first time developed based on the gradient configuration of natural materials. The bionic design of porous structures is predicted to be widely developed and applied in the fields of materials and mechanical engineering in the future.展开更多
In order to mitigate the risks stemming from the utilization of mineral and synthetic organic substances,consensus exists in the literature that additional efforts should be devoted to the identification of adequate e...In order to mitigate the risks stemming from the utilization of mineral and synthetic organic substances,consensus exists in the literature that additional efforts should be devoted to the identification of adequate equivalent natural(ecological)materials.This work presents the outcomes of a preliminary study where the physical,mechanical,chemical and thermal properties of natural fibers have been considered.Initially,areca,and materials such as Moroccan doum and jute are considered.As a case study,a brake pad based on natural fibers is critically assessed.展开更多
1 Technology of natural materials Early man used conveniently shaped stones as tools. ＂Workshop＂ areas have been found with large numbers of stones, some showing signs of being worked. However, organic materials li...1 Technology of natural materials Early man used conveniently shaped stones as tools. ＂Workshop＂ areas have been found with large numbers of stones, some showing signs of being worked. However, organic materials like wood will decay under normal wet conditions in the presence of oxygen, so we won＇t find the same sort of evidence for wooden tools. It is safe to assume that early man used sticks as probes and clubs, and maybe even for making some sort of nestlike protection against the elements and predators, since we see chimpanzees and other animals doing this sort of thing. So wood, and ahnost certainly other plant materials such as fibrous leaves, and bone and other materials gleaned from dead animals, would be used from the earliest times. We need to know this in order to establish the idea that Man can be expected to have a long history of the use and manipulation of natural materials. This needs skills in choosing materials for certain uses on the basis of their mechanical properties, whether those properties are to do with the ease of shaping the material or the effectiveness of that material in use. Occasionally the material was chosen simply because it was readily available. If we find that a particular material was always used for a certain job, it＇s reasonable to deduce that Man was exerting materials selection criteria through experience.展开更多
The environmental hazards and"carbon footprint"of oil and gas drilling can be significantly reduced by replacing traditional petroleum-based chemical additives with natural materials derived from plants and ...The environmental hazards and"carbon footprint"of oil and gas drilling can be significantly reduced by replacing traditional petroleum-based chemical additives with natural materials derived from plants and animals.This paper explored for the first time the interaction mechanism between natural rubber latex(NRL)and bentonite suspensions(BTs)through a series of characterization experiments,as well as the potential applications in water-based drilling fluids(WBDF).The gel viscoelasticity experiments showed that NRL could decrease the consistency coefficient(k)and flow index(n)of BTs,and enhance the shear thinning performance of BTs as pseudo-plastic fluids.In addition,0.5 w/v%NRL not only increased the critical yield stress and strengthened the structural strength between the bentonite particles,but also facilitated the compatibility of pressure loss and flow efficiency.The evaluation of colloidal stability and WBDF performance indicated that NRL particles could promote the hydration and charge stability on the surface of BTs particles,and optimize the particle size distribution and flow resistance of WBDF under the"intercalation-exfoliation-encapsulation"synergistic interaction.Moreover,NRL can improve the rheological properties of WBDF at high temperatures(<150.C),and form a dense blocking layer by bridging and sealing the pores and cracks of the filter cake,which ultimately reduces the permeability of the cake and the filtration loss of WBDF.展开更多
Triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)are promising electric energy harvesting devices as they can produce renewable clean energy using mechanical excitations from the environment.Several designs of triboelectric energy ...Triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)are promising electric energy harvesting devices as they can produce renewable clean energy using mechanical excitations from the environment.Several designs of triboelectric energy harvesters relying on biocompatible and eco-friendly natural materials have been introduced in recent years.Their ability to provide customizable self-powering for a wide range of applications,including biomedical devices,pressure and chemical sensors,and battery charging appliances,has been demonstrated.This review summarizes major advances already achieved in the field of triboelectric energy harvesting using biocompatible and eco-friendly natural materials.A rigorous,comparative,and critical analysis of preparation and testing methods is also presented.Electric power up to 14 mW was already achieved for the dry leaf/polyvinylidene fluoride-based TENG devices.These findings highlight the potential of eco-friendly self-powering systems and demonstrate the unique properties of the plants to generate electric energy for multiple applications.展开更多
Flexible electronic sensors composed of flexible film and conductive materials play an increasingly important role in wearable and internet information transmission.It has received more and more attention and made som...Flexible electronic sensors composed of flexible film and conductive materials play an increasingly important role in wearable and internet information transmission.It has received more and more attention and made some progress over the decades.However,it is still a great challenge to prepare biocompatible and highly transparent conductive films.Egg white is a pure natural protein-rich material.Hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose has a good compatibility and high transparency,which is an ideal material for flexible sensors.Here,we overcome the problem of poor mechanical flexibility and electrical conductivity of protein,and develop a high transparency and good flexibility hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose/egg white protein composite membrane-based triboelectric nanogenerator('X'-TENG).The experimental results show that the flexible pressure sensor based on'X'-TENG has a high sensitivity,fast response speed,and low detection limit.It can even be used as a touch/pressure sensing artificial electronic skin.It can also be made into an intelligent waffle keyboard for recording and tracking users of the keyboard.Our strategy may provide a new way to easily build flexible electronic sensors and move toward practical applications.展开更多
This first essay is about a pending marriage between biology and some of the technologies of engineering. It is a story of a long-standing flirtation that has been consummated a number of times, but never properly sol...This first essay is about a pending marriage between biology and some of the technologies of engineering. It is a story of a long-standing flirtation that has been consummated a number of times, but never properly solemnised, despite repeated attempts, and no one is quite sure how many of the offspring, if any, have been viable. Whether the union will be blessed in the near future is anyone’s guess. In the hope of helping the marriage on its way, I start with four lucky things the bride has to wear at the wedding for the marriage to succeed, at least in one of the more recent Western traditions.展开更多
Most multicellular organisms can be categorised by two words： hierarchy and composite. The underlying fractal geometry of nature - at least in terms of provision of infrastructure - provides much of the hierarchy, al...Most multicellular organisms can be categorised by two words： hierarchy and composite. The underlying fractal geometry of nature - at least in terms of provision of infrastructure - provides much of the hierarchy, although many materials for which infrastructure is not an integral factor are also strongly hierarchical. Plants can therefore be modelled using recursive computer programs which add structures as the size increases. However, problems with mechanical stability also increase as the structure grows, so the plant changes from deriving stiffness from intevaal pressure to cross-linking the cell wall components permanently. However, this compromises the ability of the plant to grow and repair itself.展开更多
Ideas from engineering have helped the understanding of biological organisms for thousands of years. However, the mechanical aspects of biological materials and structures can, if properly interpreted and analysed, le...Ideas from engineering have helped the understanding of biological organisms for thousands of years. However, the mechanical aspects of biological materials and structures can, if properly interpreted and analysed, lead to a deeper understanding of the biology of organisms. Such an approach, although always current in some form, is nevertheless subject to the vagaries of fashion and the availability of analytical techniques. At present we are in a period of upturn. Areas of interest are deployable structures （applications in aerospace）, palaeontology （how little do we need to know in order to create a credible biosphere） and food science （we need a rational approach to the mechanics of food）.展开更多
Energy-absorbing materials are widely used in transportations,sports,and the military applications.Particularly,porous materials,including natural and artificial materials,have attracted tremendous attentions due to t...Energy-absorbing materials are widely used in transportations,sports,and the military applications.Particularly,porous materials,including natural and artificial materials,have attracted tremendous attentions due to their light weight and excellent energy absorption capability.This review summarizes the recent progresses in the natural and artificial energy-absorbing porous materials.First,we review the typical natural porous materials including cuttlebone,bighorn sheep horn,pomelo peel,and sunflower stem pith.The architectures,energy absorption abilities,and mechanisms of these typical natural materials and their bioinspired materials are summarized.Then,we provide a review on the fabrication methods of artificial energy-absorbing porous materials,such as conventional foaming and three-dimensional(3D)printing.Finally,we address the challenges and prospects for the future development of energy-absorbing porous materials.More importantly,our review provides a direct guidance for the design and fabrication of energy-absorbing porous materials required for various engineering applications.展开更多
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and one of the deadliest cancers worldwide.According to the distribution of tumor tissue,breast cancer can be divided into invasive and non-invasive forms.The cancer ce...Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and one of the deadliest cancers worldwide.According to the distribution of tumor tissue,breast cancer can be divided into invasive and non-invasive forms.The cancer cells in invasive breast cancer pass through the breast and through the immune system or systemic circulation to different parts of the body,forming metastatic breast cancer.Drug resistance and distant metastasis are the main causes of death from breast cancer.Research on breast cancer has attracted extensive attention from researchers.In vitro construction of tumor models by tissue engineering methods is a common tool for studying cancer mechanisms and anticancer drug screening.The tumor microenvironment consists of cancer cells and various types of stromal cells,including fibroblasts,endothelial cells,mesenchymal cells,and immune cells embedded in the extracellular matrix.The extracellular matrix contains fibrin proteins(such as types Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ,Ⅵ,and Ⅹ collagen and elastin)and glycoproteins(such as proteoglycan,laminin,and fibronectin),which are involved in cell signaling and binding of growth factors.The current traditional two-dimensional(2D)tumor models are limited by the growth environment and often cannot accurately reproduce the heterogeneity and complexity of tumor tissues in vivo.Therefore,in recent years,research on three-dimensional(3D)tumor models has gradually increased,especially 3D bioprinting models with high precision and repeatability.Compared with a 2D model,the 3D environment can better simulate the complex extracellular matrix components and structures in the tumor microenvironment.Three-dimensional models are often used as a bridge between 2D cellular level experiments and animal experiments.Acellular matrix,gelatin,sodium alginate,and other natural materials are widely used in the construction of tumor models because of their excellent biocompatibility and non-immune rejection.Here,we review various natural scaffold materials and construction methods involved in 3D tissue-engineered tumor models,as a reference for research in the field of breast cancer.展开更多
Considering the increasing environmental pressure,environmentally friendly and high-performance water-based drilling fluids(WBDFs)have been widely studied in recent years to replace the commonly used oil-based drillin...Considering the increasing environmental pressure,environmentally friendly and high-performance water-based drilling fluids(WBDFs)have been widely studied in recent years to replace the commonly used oil-based drilling fluids(OBDFs).However,few of these drilling fluids are entirely composed of natural materials,which makes it difficult to achieve real environmental protection.Using laponite nanoparticles and various derivatives of natu ral mate rials,including cro sslinked starch,cellulose composite,gelatin ammonium salt,poly-l-arginine,and polyanionic cellulose,a kind of environmentally friendly water-based drilling fluid(EF-WBDF)was built for drilling in environment-sensitive areas.The properties of this EF-WBDF were evaluated by thermal stability tests on rheology,filtration,inhibition,and salt contamination.Besides,biological toxicity,biodegradability,heavy mental content and wheat cultivation tests were conducted to investigate the environmental factor of EF-WBDF.Results showed that EF-WBDF displayed satisfactory thermal resistance up to 150℃,and the rheological properties did not suffer significant fluctuation,showing potential application in high-temperature wells.The optimal rheological model of EF-WBDF was Herschel-Bulkley model.This EF-WBDF performed an eligible filtration of 14.2 mL at 150℃and a differential pressure of 3.5 MPa.This fluid could still maintain colloidal stability after being contaminated by 7.5%NaCl or 0.5%CaC1_(2).Meanwhile,rather low clay swelling degree of 2.44 mm and high shale recovery of more than 95%ensured the inhibitive capability of EF-WBDF.Furthermore,EF-WBDF presented a half maximal effective concentration(EC_(50))of51200 mg/L and a BOD/COD ratio of 47.55%,suggesting that EF-WBDF was non-toxic and easily biodegradable.The wheat cultivated in EF-WBDF could grow healthily,beneficial for reducing the adverse impact on ecological environment.The formed EF-WBDF has a promising future for drilling in environment-sensitive and high-temperature areas.展开更多
[Objective] The aim was to research property of maca and three plants＇ powders and process parameters of compound maca direct compression. [Method] Based on analysis data from SAS, bulk density, tap density, angle of...[Objective] The aim was to research property of maca and three plants＇ powders and process parameters of compound maca direct compression. [Method] Based on analysis data from SAS, bulk density, tap density, angle of repose and swelling of powders were studied as per single factor method and orthogonal exper- imental design. [Result] The test indicated that fillibilities of plant A and B, and maca powders are better and flowability plays an important role in fractional close of compound maca powder; plant A and B powders have a significant effect on bulk density of maca （P=0.0125）, an extremely significant effect on swelling volume ratio （P=0.008 9） and little effect on tap density （g/ml）; the optimal process condition of compound maca powder is as follows： A at 0.15 share; B at 0.10 share; C at 0.05 share; the optimal swelling volume ratio is at 2.459. [Conclusion] The technology is reasonable in formulation and satisfactory in fillibility, swelling ability, flowability, and it could serve as theoretical basis for the industrial production of maca tablets.展开更多
Aprovecho is a non-profit research and education center dedicated to living,learning,organizing and educating to inspire a sustainable culture.Located on a forty acre land trust in the Coast Range outside of Cottage ...Aprovecho is a non-profit research and education center dedicated to living,learning,organizing and educating to inspire a sustainable culture.Located on a forty acre land trust in the Coast Range outside of Cottage Grove,Oregon,Aprovecho’s campus features a living demonstration of sustainable human settlement,organized around five core areas:food,shelter,water,forests,and energy.Aprovecho offers educational opportunities in all five of its core areas,including shelter through the Natural Building program.The Aprovecho Natural Building program trains students in the use of locally-sourced,non-toxic building materials for the construction of energy-efficient,affordable,healthy homes that work within natural communities and that enrich local economies.展开更多
Optical metamaterials have presented an innovative method of manipulating light.Hyperbolic metamaterials have an extremely high anisotropy with a hyperbolic dispersion relation.They are able to support high-k modes an...Optical metamaterials have presented an innovative method of manipulating light.Hyperbolic metamaterials have an extremely high anisotropy with a hyperbolic dispersion relation.They are able to support high-k modes and exhibit a high density of states which produce distinctive properties that have been exploited in various applications,such as super-resolution imaging,negative refraction,and enhanced emission control.Here,state-of-the-art hyperbolic metamaterials are reviewed,starting from the fundamental principles to applications of artificially structured hyperbolic media to suggest ways to fuse natural two-dimensional hyperbolic materials.The review concludes by indicating the current challenges and our vision for future applications of hyperbolic metamaterials.展开更多
Development of simple methods for preparation of polymeric electrode materials with nanofibrous network structure is a perspective way toward cheap supercapacitors with high specific capacitance and energy density. In...Development of simple methods for preparation of polymeric electrode materials with nanofibrous network structure is a perspective way toward cheap supercapacitors with high specific capacitance and energy density. In this work one-pot synthesis of electroactive ternary composite based on polypyrrole, polyacrylamide and chitin nanofibers with beneficial morphology was elaborated. Ternary system demonstrates better electrochemical performance in comparison with both polypyrrole–polyacrylamide and polypyrrole–chitin binary composites. Possible mechanism of synergistic effect of simultaneous influence of polyacrylamide and chitin nanofibers on the formation of composite＇s structure is discussed.The highest attained specific capacitance of electroactive polypyrrole in ternary composite reached 249 F/g at 0.5 A/g and 150 F/g at 32 A/g. Symmetrical supercapacitor was assembled using the elaborated electrode material. High specific capacitance 89 F/g and good cycling stability with capacitance retention of 90% after 3000 cycles at 2 A/g were measured.展开更多
A meshless numerical model is developed for analyzing transient heat conductions in three-dimensional （3D） axisymmetric continuously nonhomogeneous functionally graded materials （FGMs）. Axial symmetry of geometry ...A meshless numerical model is developed for analyzing transient heat conductions in three-dimensional （3D） axisymmetric continuously nonhomogeneous functionally graded materials （FGMs）. Axial symmetry of geometry and boundary conditions reduces the original 3D initial-boundary value problem into a two-dimensional （2D） problem. Local weak forms are derived for small polygonal sub-domains which surround nodal points distributed over the cross section. In order to simplify the treatment of the essential boundary conditions, spatial variations of the temperature and heat flux at discrete time instants are interpolated by the natural neighbor interpolation. Moreover, the using of three-node triangular finite element method （FEM） shape functions as test functions reduces the orders of integrands involved in domain integrals. The semi-discrete heat conduction equation is solved numerically with the traditional two-point difference technique in the time domain. Two numerical examples are investigated and excellent results are obtained, demonstrating the potential application of the proposed approach.展开更多
The sound absorption and sound transmission loss performances of the natural woods,hard and soft processed woods with attachment of the various natural orwastematerials were investigated in the present study using imp...The sound absorption and sound transmission loss performances of the natural woods,hard and soft processed woods with attachment of the various natural orwastematerials were investigated in the present study using impedance tube with American Society for Testing Material(ASTM)standards.The sound absorption performances of all natural and all hard processed woods were very poor.It was found that filter mat made by the coconut fibre was the best material for sound absorption improvement of the hard processed woods.The sound absorption performance of the soft processed wood(cork)was better than all natural and all hard processed woods.Among all tested woods,it was found that the cork with attached tea bag made by corn fibre is the best selection for sound absorption application.The transmission loss performances of all natural woods were good.The effects of various materials on the transmission loss performances of all hard processed woods were not very significant.For cork with and without attachment of various materials,their transmission loss performances were not as good as the hard processed woods.Among all tested woods,it was found that Pterocarpus soyauxii and Quercus spp.(natural woods)are the best woods to be used in those applications when prevention of sound transmission is needed.It is recommended that cork is the best wood to be used in those applications where sound absorption and prevention of sound transmission are needed at the same time due to its good sound absorption performance while its ability on prevention of the sound transmission is also acceptable.展开更多
文摘Microspheres are a new type of drug carrier with great potential for development and application.Natural polymers have good biocompatibility,biodegradability,and are easily dispersed in living organisms,making them suitable for preparing microspheres.Inorganic materials(mainly inorganic minerals)have excellent mechanical properties and are inexpensive and easy to obtain.Through the coupling and hybridization of natural polymers and inorganic materials,they can complement each other's advantages and synergistically enhance efficiency,resulting in many excellent physical and chemical properties.Inorganic materials/natural polymer composite microspheres can be prepared by modifying natural polymers with inorganic materials through various methods such as emulsification crosslinking,solution mixing,in-situ synthesis,extrusion,etc.The application of inorganic materials/natural polymer composite microspheres in drug delivery systems has significant sustained-release effects,is safe and non-toxic,and the cost of carrier materials is relatively low,which has certain significance for the development of new drug carriers.This article reviews the recent research on the preparation,drug loading and release properties of inorganic material/natural polymer composite microspheres,analyzes the advantages and disadvantages of commonly used preparation methods,and looks forward to the development direction of composite microspheres.
文摘Solid state fermentation is an attractive process to produce cellulase economically due to its lower financial investment and lower operating costs. Generally available natural materials in our study included vinegar residue, wheat bran, rice bran and wheat straw. Cellulase production was carried out by solid state fermentation using these materials as the substrate of Trichoderma koningii. The ingredients of natural materials, associated with the effects of water content, time and nitrogen sources on cellulase synthesis were studied. A comparatively high cellulase activity （〉4 IU·g^-1 SDM） was obtained in the fermentation batch. The optimum culture time of vinegar residue, wheat bran and wheat straw were 72 hours, but that office bran was 60 hours. Total water contents of wheat bran, rice bran and wheat straw should not exceed 50% and that of vinegar residue should not be more than 60%. It was also shown that nitrogen salts contributed much to fermentation. （NH4）3PO4 and urea achieved good results in promoting enzyme activity.
文摘This investigation and morphology analysis of porous structure of some kinds of natural materials such as chicken eggshell, partridge eggshell, pig bone, and seeds of mung bean, soja, ginkgo, lotus seed, as well as the epidermis of apples, with SEM (Scanning Electronic Microscope) showed that natural structures’ pores can be classified into uniform pores, gradient pores and multi pores from the viewpoint of the distribution variation of pore density, size and geometry. Furthermore, an optimal design of porous bearings was for the first time developed based on the gradient configuration of natural materials. The bionic design of porous structures is predicted to be widely developed and applied in the fields of materials and mechanical engineering in the future.
文摘In order to mitigate the risks stemming from the utilization of mineral and synthetic organic substances,consensus exists in the literature that additional efforts should be devoted to the identification of adequate equivalent natural(ecological)materials.This work presents the outcomes of a preliminary study where the physical,mechanical,chemical and thermal properties of natural fibers have been considered.Initially,areca,and materials such as Moroccan doum and jute are considered.As a case study,a brake pad based on natural fibers is critically assessed.
文摘1 Technology of natural materials Early man used conveniently shaped stones as tools. ＂Workshop＂ areas have been found with large numbers of stones, some showing signs of being worked. However, organic materials like wood will decay under normal wet conditions in the presence of oxygen, so we won＇t find the same sort of evidence for wooden tools. It is safe to assume that early man used sticks as probes and clubs, and maybe even for making some sort of nestlike protection against the elements and predators, since we see chimpanzees and other animals doing this sort of thing. So wood, and ahnost certainly other plant materials such as fibrous leaves, and bone and other materials gleaned from dead animals, would be used from the earliest times. We need to know this in order to establish the idea that Man can be expected to have a long history of the use and manipulation of natural materials. This needs skills in choosing materials for certain uses on the basis of their mechanical properties, whether those properties are to do with the ease of shaping the material or the effectiveness of that material in use. Occasionally the material was chosen simply because it was readily available. If we find that a particular material was always used for a certain job, it＇s reasonable to deduce that Man was exerting materials selection criteria through experience.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.51991361 and Grant No.51874329)。
文摘The environmental hazards and"carbon footprint"of oil and gas drilling can be significantly reduced by replacing traditional petroleum-based chemical additives with natural materials derived from plants and animals.This paper explored for the first time the interaction mechanism between natural rubber latex(NRL)and bentonite suspensions(BTs)through a series of characterization experiments,as well as the potential applications in water-based drilling fluids(WBDF).The gel viscoelasticity experiments showed that NRL could decrease the consistency coefficient(k)and flow index(n)of BTs,and enhance the shear thinning performance of BTs as pseudo-plastic fluids.In addition,0.5 w/v%NRL not only increased the critical yield stress and strengthened the structural strength between the bentonite particles,but also facilitated the compatibility of pressure loss and flow efficiency.The evaluation of colloidal stability and WBDF performance indicated that NRL particles could promote the hydration and charge stability on the surface of BTs particles,and optimize the particle size distribution and flow resistance of WBDF under the"intercalation-exfoliation-encapsulation"synergistic interaction.Moreover,NRL can improve the rheological properties of WBDF at high temperatures(<150.C),and form a dense blocking layer by bridging and sealing the pores and cracks of the filter cake,which ultimately reduces the permeability of the cake and the filtration loss of WBDF.
基金project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials,refs. UIDB/50011/2020 & UIDP/50011/2020financed by national funds through the FCT/MEC.S.K.and A.K.were partly supported by FCT (Portugal) through the project "BioPiezo"-PTDC/ CTM-CTM/31679/2017(CENTRO-01-0145-FEDER-031679)+3 种基金supported by FCT,through the grant reference SFRH/BPD/117475/2016partly supported by FCT through the project "SelfMED" (POCI-01-0145FEDER-031132)funded by national funds (OE),through FCT-Fundagao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia,I.P., in the scope of the framework contract foreseen in the numbers 4, 5,and 6 of the article 23,of the Decree-Law 57/2016,of August 29,changed by Law 57/2017,of July 19.supported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation in the framework of the Increase Competitiveness Program of NUST 《MISiS》 (No.K2-2019-015)
文摘Triboelectric nanogenerators(TENGs)are promising electric energy harvesting devices as they can produce renewable clean energy using mechanical excitations from the environment.Several designs of triboelectric energy harvesters relying on biocompatible and eco-friendly natural materials have been introduced in recent years.Their ability to provide customizable self-powering for a wide range of applications,including biomedical devices,pressure and chemical sensors,and battery charging appliances,has been demonstrated.This review summarizes major advances already achieved in the field of triboelectric energy harvesting using biocompatible and eco-friendly natural materials.A rigorous,comparative,and critical analysis of preparation and testing methods is also presented.Electric power up to 14 mW was already achieved for the dry leaf/polyvinylidene fluoride-based TENG devices.These findings highlight the potential of eco-friendly self-powering systems and demonstrate the unique properties of the plants to generate electric energy for multiple applications.
基金financially supported by the National Key R&D Project from Ministry of Science and Technology,China(2016YFA0202702,2016YFA0202701)the Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences,CAS(ZDBS-LY-DQC025)
文摘Flexible electronic sensors composed of flexible film and conductive materials play an increasingly important role in wearable and internet information transmission.It has received more and more attention and made some progress over the decades.However,it is still a great challenge to prepare biocompatible and highly transparent conductive films.Egg white is a pure natural protein-rich material.Hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose has a good compatibility and high transparency,which is an ideal material for flexible sensors.Here,we overcome the problem of poor mechanical flexibility and electrical conductivity of protein,and develop a high transparency and good flexibility hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose/egg white protein composite membrane-based triboelectric nanogenerator('X'-TENG).The experimental results show that the flexible pressure sensor based on'X'-TENG has a high sensitivity,fast response speed,and low detection limit.It can even be used as a touch/pressure sensing artificial electronic skin.It can also be made into an intelligent waffle keyboard for recording and tracking users of the keyboard.Our strategy may provide a new way to easily build flexible electronic sensors and move toward practical applications.
文摘This first essay is about a pending marriage between biology and some of the technologies of engineering. It is a story of a long-standing flirtation that has been consummated a number of times, but never properly solemnised, despite repeated attempts, and no one is quite sure how many of the offspring, if any, have been viable. Whether the union will be blessed in the near future is anyone’s guess. In the hope of helping the marriage on its way, I start with four lucky things the bride has to wear at the wedding for the marriage to succeed, at least in one of the more recent Western traditions.
文摘Most multicellular organisms can be categorised by two words： hierarchy and composite. The underlying fractal geometry of nature - at least in terms of provision of infrastructure - provides much of the hierarchy, although many materials for which infrastructure is not an integral factor are also strongly hierarchical. Plants can therefore be modelled using recursive computer programs which add structures as the size increases. However, problems with mechanical stability also increase as the structure grows, so the plant changes from deriving stiffness from intevaal pressure to cross-linking the cell wall components permanently. However, this compromises the ability of the plant to grow and repair itself.
文摘Ideas from engineering have helped the understanding of biological organisms for thousands of years. However, the mechanical aspects of biological materials and structures can, if properly interpreted and analysed, lead to a deeper understanding of the biology of organisms. Such an approach, although always current in some form, is nevertheless subject to the vagaries of fashion and the availability of analytical techniques. At present we are in a period of upturn. Areas of interest are deployable structures （applications in aerospace）, palaeontology （how little do we need to know in order to create a credible biosphere） and food science （we need a rational approach to the mechanics of food）.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.22075244)the Zhejiang Provincial Innovation Center of Advanced Chemicals Technology(No.ACTIC-2022-004)+2 种基金the Shanxi-Zheda Institute of Advanced Materials and Chemical Engineering(No.2021SZ-TD009)the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China(No.LZ22E030001)the Science and Technology Program of Institute of Zhejiang University-Quzhou(Nos.IZQ2021KJ2001 and IZQ2022KJ3013).
文摘Energy-absorbing materials are widely used in transportations,sports,and the military applications.Particularly,porous materials,including natural and artificial materials,have attracted tremendous attentions due to their light weight and excellent energy absorption capability.This review summarizes the recent progresses in the natural and artificial energy-absorbing porous materials.First,we review the typical natural porous materials including cuttlebone,bighorn sheep horn,pomelo peel,and sunflower stem pith.The architectures,energy absorption abilities,and mechanisms of these typical natural materials and their bioinspired materials are summarized.Then,we provide a review on the fabrication methods of artificial energy-absorbing porous materials,such as conventional foaming and three-dimensional(3D)printing.Finally,we address the challenges and prospects for the future development of energy-absorbing porous materials.More importantly,our review provides a direct guidance for the design and fabrication of energy-absorbing porous materials required for various engineering applications.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31670978)Fok Ying Tung Education Foundation(No.132027)+2 种基金State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals(No.KF1111)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Nos.DUT22YG213 and DUT22YG116)Basic and Applied Basic Research Major Program of Guangdong Province(No.2020B1515120001),China.
文摘Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and one of the deadliest cancers worldwide.According to the distribution of tumor tissue,breast cancer can be divided into invasive and non-invasive forms.The cancer cells in invasive breast cancer pass through the breast and through the immune system or systemic circulation to different parts of the body,forming metastatic breast cancer.Drug resistance and distant metastasis are the main causes of death from breast cancer.Research on breast cancer has attracted extensive attention from researchers.In vitro construction of tumor models by tissue engineering methods is a common tool for studying cancer mechanisms and anticancer drug screening.The tumor microenvironment consists of cancer cells and various types of stromal cells,including fibroblasts,endothelial cells,mesenchymal cells,and immune cells embedded in the extracellular matrix.The extracellular matrix contains fibrin proteins(such as types Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ,Ⅵ,and Ⅹ collagen and elastin)and glycoproteins(such as proteoglycan,laminin,and fibronectin),which are involved in cell signaling and binding of growth factors.The current traditional two-dimensional(2D)tumor models are limited by the growth environment and often cannot accurately reproduce the heterogeneity and complexity of tumor tissues in vivo.Therefore,in recent years,research on three-dimensional(3D)tumor models has gradually increased,especially 3D bioprinting models with high precision and repeatability.Compared with a 2D model,the 3D environment can better simulate the complex extracellular matrix components and structures in the tumor microenvironment.Three-dimensional models are often used as a bridge between 2D cellular level experiments and animal experiments.Acellular matrix,gelatin,sodium alginate,and other natural materials are widely used in the construction of tumor models because of their excellent biocompatibility and non-immune rejection.Here,we review various natural scaffold materials and construction methods involved in 3D tissue-engineered tumor models,as a reference for research in the field of breast cancer.
基金support from CNPC Chuanqing Drilling Engineering Company Limited,Chinathe“academic pass”of Southwest Petroleum Universitythe China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2022M712644)
文摘Considering the increasing environmental pressure,environmentally friendly and high-performance water-based drilling fluids(WBDFs)have been widely studied in recent years to replace the commonly used oil-based drilling fluids(OBDFs).However,few of these drilling fluids are entirely composed of natural materials,which makes it difficult to achieve real environmental protection.Using laponite nanoparticles and various derivatives of natu ral mate rials,including cro sslinked starch,cellulose composite,gelatin ammonium salt,poly-l-arginine,and polyanionic cellulose,a kind of environmentally friendly water-based drilling fluid(EF-WBDF)was built for drilling in environment-sensitive areas.The properties of this EF-WBDF were evaluated by thermal stability tests on rheology,filtration,inhibition,and salt contamination.Besides,biological toxicity,biodegradability,heavy mental content and wheat cultivation tests were conducted to investigate the environmental factor of EF-WBDF.Results showed that EF-WBDF displayed satisfactory thermal resistance up to 150℃,and the rheological properties did not suffer significant fluctuation,showing potential application in high-temperature wells.The optimal rheological model of EF-WBDF was Herschel-Bulkley model.This EF-WBDF performed an eligible filtration of 14.2 mL at 150℃and a differential pressure of 3.5 MPa.This fluid could still maintain colloidal stability after being contaminated by 7.5%NaCl or 0.5%CaC1_(2).Meanwhile,rather low clay swelling degree of 2.44 mm and high shale recovery of more than 95%ensured the inhibitive capability of EF-WBDF.Furthermore,EF-WBDF presented a half maximal effective concentration(EC_(50))of51200 mg/L and a BOD/COD ratio of 47.55%,suggesting that EF-WBDF was non-toxic and easily biodegradable.The wheat cultivated in EF-WBDF could grow healthily,beneficial for reducing the adverse impact on ecological environment.The formed EF-WBDF has a promising future for drilling in environment-sensitive and high-temperature areas.
基金Supported by Special Funds of National Technological and Basic Work(2006FY110700)Yunnan Province Improvement Project(2007C0219Z)Special Funds of Biological Industry of Yunnan Financial Development([2011]274)~~
文摘[Objective] The aim was to research property of maca and three plants＇ powders and process parameters of compound maca direct compression. [Method] Based on analysis data from SAS, bulk density, tap density, angle of repose and swelling of powders were studied as per single factor method and orthogonal exper- imental design. [Result] The test indicated that fillibilities of plant A and B, and maca powders are better and flowability plays an important role in fractional close of compound maca powder; plant A and B powders have a significant effect on bulk density of maca （P=0.0125）, an extremely significant effect on swelling volume ratio （P=0.008 9） and little effect on tap density （g/ml）; the optimal process condition of compound maca powder is as follows： A at 0.15 share; B at 0.10 share; C at 0.05 share; the optimal swelling volume ratio is at 2.459. [Conclusion] The technology is reasonable in formulation and satisfactory in fillibility, swelling ability, flowability, and it could serve as theoretical basis for the industrial production of maca tablets.
文摘Aprovecho is a non-profit research and education center dedicated to living,learning,organizing and educating to inspire a sustainable culture.Located on a forty acre land trust in the Coast Range outside of Cottage Grove,Oregon,Aprovecho’s campus features a living demonstration of sustainable human settlement,organized around five core areas:food,shelter,water,forests,and energy.Aprovecho offers educational opportunities in all five of its core areas,including shelter through the Natural Building program.The Aprovecho Natural Building program trains students in the use of locally-sourced,non-toxic building materials for the construction of energy-efficient,affordable,healthy homes that work within natural communities and that enrich local economies.
基金POSCO-POSTECH-RIST Convergence Research Center program funded by POSCOPOSTECH-Samsung Semiconductor Research Center(IO201215-08187-01)funded by Samsung ElectronicsNational Research Foundation(NRF)grant(NRF-2019R1A2C3003129)funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT,Republic of Korea.
文摘Optical metamaterials have presented an innovative method of manipulating light.Hyperbolic metamaterials have an extremely high anisotropy with a hyperbolic dispersion relation.They are able to support high-k modes and exhibit a high density of states which produce distinctive properties that have been exploited in various applications,such as super-resolution imaging,negative refraction,and enhanced emission control.Here,state-of-the-art hyperbolic metamaterials are reviewed,starting from the fundamental principles to applications of artificially structured hyperbolic media to suggest ways to fuse natural two-dimensional hyperbolic materials.The review concludes by indicating the current challenges and our vision for future applications of hyperbolic metamaterials.
基金supported by Russian Foundation(grant 16-13-10164)financial support of Russian Ministry of Education within State Contract 14.W03.31.0014(megagrant)
文摘Development of simple methods for preparation of polymeric electrode materials with nanofibrous network structure is a perspective way toward cheap supercapacitors with high specific capacitance and energy density. In this work one-pot synthesis of electroactive ternary composite based on polypyrrole, polyacrylamide and chitin nanofibers with beneficial morphology was elaborated. Ternary system demonstrates better electrochemical performance in comparison with both polypyrrole–polyacrylamide and polypyrrole–chitin binary composites. Possible mechanism of synergistic effect of simultaneous influence of polyacrylamide and chitin nanofibers on the formation of composite＇s structure is discussed.The highest attained specific capacitance of electroactive polypyrrole in ternary composite reached 249 F/g at 0.5 A/g and 150 F/g at 32 A/g. Symmetrical supercapacitor was assembled using the elaborated electrode material. High specific capacitance 89 F/g and good cycling stability with capacitance retention of 90% after 3000 cycles at 2 A/g were measured.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.11002054)the Foundation of Hunan Educational Committee(Grant No.12C0059).
文摘A meshless numerical model is developed for analyzing transient heat conductions in three-dimensional （3D） axisymmetric continuously nonhomogeneous functionally graded materials （FGMs）. Axial symmetry of geometry and boundary conditions reduces the original 3D initial-boundary value problem into a two-dimensional （2D） problem. Local weak forms are derived for small polygonal sub-domains which surround nodal points distributed over the cross section. In order to simplify the treatment of the essential boundary conditions, spatial variations of the temperature and heat flux at discrete time instants are interpolated by the natural neighbor interpolation. Moreover, the using of three-node triangular finite element method （FEM） shape functions as test functions reduces the orders of integrands involved in domain integrals. The semi-discrete heat conduction equation is solved numerically with the traditional two-point difference technique in the time domain. Two numerical examples are investigated and excellent results are obtained, demonstrating the potential application of the proposed approach.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant 51908142)the Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant 11832009)the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(Grants 2019A1515012223).
文摘The sound absorption and sound transmission loss performances of the natural woods,hard and soft processed woods with attachment of the various natural orwastematerials were investigated in the present study using impedance tube with American Society for Testing Material(ASTM)standards.The sound absorption performances of all natural and all hard processed woods were very poor.It was found that filter mat made by the coconut fibre was the best material for sound absorption improvement of the hard processed woods.The sound absorption performance of the soft processed wood(cork)was better than all natural and all hard processed woods.Among all tested woods,it was found that the cork with attached tea bag made by corn fibre is the best selection for sound absorption application.The transmission loss performances of all natural woods were good.The effects of various materials on the transmission loss performances of all hard processed woods were not very significant.For cork with and without attachment of various materials,their transmission loss performances were not as good as the hard processed woods.Among all tested woods,it was found that Pterocarpus soyauxii and Quercus spp.(natural woods)are the best woods to be used in those applications when prevention of sound transmission is needed.It is recommended that cork is the best wood to be used in those applications where sound absorption and prevention of sound transmission are needed at the same time due to its good sound absorption performance while its ability on prevention of the sound transmission is also acceptable.
