Measuring the Compressibility of Cellulose Nanofiber-Stabilized Microdroplets Using Acoustophoresis

Droplets with a liquid perfluoropentane core and a cellulose nanofiber shell have the potential to be used as drug carriers in ultrasound-mediated drug delivery. However, it is necessary to understand their mechanical properties to develop ultrasound imaging sequences that enable in vivo imaging of the vaporization process to ensure optimized drug delivery. In this work, the compressibility of droplets stabilized with cellulose nanofibers was estimated using acoustophoresis at three different acoustic pressures. Polyamide particles of known size and material properties were used for calibration. The droplet compressibility was then used to estimate the cellulose nanofiber bulk modulus and compare it to experimentally determined values. The results showed that the acoustic contrast factor for these droplets was negative, as the droplets relocated to pressure antinodes during ultrasonic actuation. The droplet compressibility was 6.6–6.8 ×10−10 Pa−1, which is higher than for water (4.4×10−10 Pa−1) but lower than for pure perfluoropentane (2.7×10−9 Pa−1). The compressibility was constant across different droplet diameters, which was consistent with the idea that the shell thickness depends on the droplet size, rather than being constant.

The Composition of Saturated Vapor over 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate Ionic Liquid: A Multi-Technique Study of the Vaporization Process

A multi-technique approach based on Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry, gas phase chromatography, mass spectrometry, NMR and IR spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and quantum-chemical calculations was used to study the evaporation of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMImBF4). The saturated vapor over BMImBF4 was shown to have a complex composition which consisted of the neutral ion pairs (NIPs) [BMIm+][BF4−], imidazole-2-ylidene C8N2H14BF3, 1-methylimidazole C4N2H6, 1-butene C4H8, hydrogen fluoride HF, and boron trifluoride BF3. The vapor composition strongly depends on the evaporation conditions, shifting from congruent evaporation in the form of NIP under Langmuir conditions (open surface) to primary evaporation in the form of decomposition products under equilibrium conditions (Knudsen cell). Decomposition into imidazole-2-ylidene and HF is preferred. The vapor composition of BMImBF4 is temperature-depended as well: the fraction ratio of [BMIm+][BF4−] NIPs to decomposition products decreased by about a factor of three in the temperature range from 450 K to 510 K.

Atomization Control to Improve Soft Actuation Through Vaporization

Soft actuation through droplet evaporation has significantly improved the actuation speed of methods that utilize liquid vaporization. Instead of boiling bulk liquid, this method implements atomization to disperse small droplets into a heater. Due to the large surface area of the droplets, the liquid evaporates much faster even at small temperature changes. However, further analysis is required to maximize the performance of this complex multi-physics method. This study was conducted to provide further insight into the atomizer and how it affects actuation. Numerical simulations were used to inspect the vibration modes and determine how frequency and voltage affect the atomization process. These results were used to experimentally control the atomizer, and the droplet growth on the heater surface was analyzed to study the evaporation process. A cuboid structure was inflated with the actuator to demonstrate its performance. The results show that simply maximizing the atomization rate creates large droplets on the surface of the heater, which slows down the vaporization process. Thus, an optimal atomization rate should be determined for ideal performance.

Steam boiler transfer function through fuel supply - steam pressure at boiler outlet

The article provides an analytical relationship (mathematical model) between the steam pressure at the exit of the steam boiler and the fuel supplied to the boiler. The mathematical model was determined on the basis of the characteristics obtained experimentally through the channel "fuel - steam pressure in the boiler". The experimental data were processed by the method of M.P. Simo and E.P. Stephanie. The dynamics of the change in steam pressure in a steam boiler is simulated in the Matlab (Simulink) simulation environment. The resulting model will be used to develop an automatic control system for the vaporization process. In particular, when establishing the region of stable operation of the regulator, when choosing the optimal values of the tuning parameters of the regulator that satisfy the given quality indicators of technological processes.

Assessment of the surface and structure of elements produced in additive manufacturing technology after chemical treatment

Samples made of ABS material were produced on devices from three different manufacturers: Stratasys, Velleman, 3Novatica. The quality of the printed surface was improved by vaporization with acetone vapours. Roughness measurements were performed, which proved the improvement of the surface after vaporization. The structure of the produced samples was also tested using a computer microtomography. It has been shown that excessive exposure to the solvent significantly changes the geometrical dimensions of models exposed to the vaporization process.