Effects of film thickness and alkaline concentration on dissolution kinetics of poly(4-hydroxystyrene) in alkaline aqueous solution

The dissolution behavior of a simple combination of poly(4-hydroxystyrene) (PHS) films and tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) aqueous solution was analyzed to gain a fundamental understanding of the effects of film thickness and alkaline concentration on the dissolution kinetics of chemically amplified resists (CARs). Films of four different thicknesses, from thick (approximately 900 nm) to thin (approximately 50 nm), were developed in 22 different developers of different concentrations. The dissolution behavior of each combination was observed using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Differences in dissolution kinetics due to film thickness were observed even between relatively thick films such as 900- and 500-nm thick films in dilute developers. These differences were considered to be caused by the diffusion of the solution into the films. Thin films also showed characteristic behavior with dilution. This behavior was due to the interaction between the substrate and the films, unlike in the case of thick films.

Changes in Terrestrial Evaporation across Poland over the Past Four Decades Dominated by Increases in Summer Months

Given the importance of terrestrial evaporation (ET) for the water cycle, a fundamental understanding of the water quantity involved in this process is required. As recent observations reveal a widespread ET intensification across the world, it is important to evaluate regional ET variability. The specific objectives of this study are the following: (1) to assess annual and monthly ET trends across Poland, and (2) to reveal seasons and regions with significant ET changes. This study uses the ET estimates acquired from the Global Land Evaporation Amsterdam Model (GLEAM) dataset allowing for multi-year analysis (1980–2020). The Mann–Kendall test and the Sen’s slope were applied to estimate the significance and magnitude of the trends. The results show that a rising temperature, along with small precipitation increase, led to the accelerated ET of 1.36 mm/y. This was revealed by increased transpiration and interception loss not compensated by a decrease in bare soil evaporation and sublimation. The wide-spread higher water consumption especially occurred during the summer months of June, July, and August. Comparing the two subperiods of 1980–2020, it was found that in 2007–2020, the annual ET increased by 7% compared to the reference period of 1980–2006. These results can serve as an important reference for formulating a water resources management strategy in Poland.

Dynamic simulation and optimization of anaerobic digestion processes using MATLAB

Time series-based modeling provides a fundamental understanding of process fluctuations in an anaerobic digestion process. However, such models are scarce in literature. In this work, a dynamic model was developed based on modified Hill’s model using MATLAB, which can predict the biomethane production with time series. This model can predict the biomethane production for both batch and continuous process, across substrates and at diverse conditions such as total solids, loading rate, and days of operation. The deviation between literature and the developed model was less than ±7.6%, which shows the accuracy and robustness of this model. Moreover, statistical analysis showed there was no significant difference between literature and simulation, verifying the null hypothesis. Finding a steady and optimized loading rate was necessary to an industrial perspective, which usually requires an extensive experimental data. With the developed model, a stable and optimal methane yield generating loading rate could be identified at minimal input.

Thermodynamic controls on rates of iron oxide reduction by extracellular electron shuttles

Anaerobic microbial respiration in suboxic and anoxic environments often involves particulate ferric iron (oxyhydr-)oxides as terminal electron acceptors. To ensure efficient respiration, a widespread strategy among iron-reducing microorganisms is the use of extracellular electron shuttles (EES) that transfer two electrons from the microbial cell to the iron oxide surface. Yet, a fundamental understanding of how EES–oxide redox thermodynamics affect rates of iron oxide reduction remains elusive. Attempts to rationalize these rates for different EES, solution pH, and iron oxides on the basis of the underlying reaction free energy of the two-electron transfer were unsuccessful. Here, we demonstrate that broadly varying reduction rates determined in this work for different iron oxides and EES at varying solution chemistry as well as previously published data can be reconciled when these rates are instead related to the free energy of the less exergonic (or even endergonic) first of the two electron transfers from the fully, two-electron reduced EES to ferric iron oxide. We show how free energy relationships aid in identifying controls on microbial iron oxide reduction by EES, thereby advancing a more fundamental understanding of anaerobic respiration using iron oxides.

Observation of the crossover between metallic and insulating regimes of the spin Hall effect

The physics of the anomalous and spin Hall effects is one of the most intriguing aspects of condensed matter physics. An important finding from a large collection of experimental and theoretical results is the universal scaling of the anomalous or spin Hall conductivity with the electric conductivity. This scaling has been successfully described by the intrinsic Berry curvature and extrinsic scattering mechanisms for metallic systems, revealing the topological nature of these effects. In contrast, the underlying physics in the opposite limit, the disordered insulating regime, is still unclear. In particular, it remains a major challenge, both experimentally and theoretically, to explore the spin Hall effect in the insulating regime. Here, we report the observation of the crossover between the metallic and insulating regimes of the spin Hall effect. The result demonstrates a direct correspondence between the spin and anomalous Hall effects, which will advance the fundamental understanding of spin transport.

A Review on Damage and Rupture Modelling for Soft Tissues

Computational modelling of damage and rupture of non-connective and connective soft tissues due to pathological and supra-physiological mechanisms is vital in the fundamental understanding of failures. Recent advancements in soft tissue damage models play an essential role in developing artificial tissues, medical devices/implants, and surgical intervention practices. The current article reviews the recently developed damage models and rupture models that considered the microstructure of the tissues. Earlier review works presented damage and rupture separately, wherein this work reviews both damage and rupture in soft tissues. Wherein the present article provides a detailed review of various models on the damage evolution and tear in soft tissues focusing on key conceptual ideas, advantages, limitations, and challenges. Some key challenges of damage and rupture models are outlined in the article, which helps extend the present damage and rupture models to various soft tissues.

Visualization and validation of twin nucleation and early-stage growth in magnesium

The abrupt occurrence of twinning when Mg is deformed leads to a highly anisotropic response, making it too unreliable for structural use and too unpredictable for observation. Here, we describe an in-situ transmission electron microscopy experiment on Mg crystals with strategically designed geometries for visualization of a long-proposed but unverified twinning mechanism. Combining with atomistic simulations and topological analysis, we conclude that twin nucleation occurs through a pure-shuffle mechanism that requires prismatic-basal transformations. Also, we verified a crystal geometry dependent twin growth mechanism, that is the early-stage growth associated with instability of plasticity flow, which can be dominated either by slower movement of prismatic-basal boundary steps, or by faster glide-shuffle along the twinning plane. The fundamental understanding of twinning provides a pathway to understand deformation from a scientific standpoint and the microstructure design principles to engineer metals with enhanced behavior from a technological standpoint.

Estimation of Turbulent Length Scales at a Turbocharger Inlet using Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry

Stereoscopic Particle Image Velocimetry measurements are carried out at the inlet of a turbocharger compressor at four different shaft speeds from 80,000 rpm to 140,000 rpm and over the entire range of flow rates from choke to mild surge. This paper describes the procedure used in processing the PIV data leading to the estimates of turbulent length scales - integral, Taylor, and Kolmogorov, to enhance the fundamental understanding and characterization of the compressor inlet flow field. The analysis reveals that at most operating conditions the three different length scales have markedly different magnitudes, as expected, while they have somewhat similar qualitative distributions with respect to the duct radius. For example, at 80,000 rpm and at a flow rate of 15.7 g/s (mild surge), the longitudinal integral length scale is of the order of 15 mm, the Taylor scale is around 0.5 mm, and the Kolmogorov scale is about 10 microns. With the onset of flow reversal, the turbulent kinetic energy and turbulent intensity at the compressor inlet are observed to increase rapidly, while the magnitudes of the Kolmogorov scale and to a certain extent, the Taylor scale are found to decrease suggesting that the increased turbulence gives rise to even smaller flow structures. The variation of length scales with compressor shaft speed has also been studied.

Toward a Fundamental Understanding of the Role of Lignin in the Biorefinery Process

As one of the main components in biomass, lignin plays a vital role in the biorefinery industry. Its unique structural feature increases the dose of cellulases during enzymatic deconstruction and is an attractive resource for many high valued products. The inhibition of lignin on cellulases is proposed to occur in several ways, with the most studied being nonproductive enzyme binding, which is attributed to hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic and/or electrostatic interactions. This review provides a comprehensive review of how lignin is transformed during various pretreatment methods as well as how these changes impact the cellulases inhibition. Future pretreatment directions for decreased cellulases inhibition are also proposed.