A Comparison of Various Chips Used for the Manufacture of Biosensors Applied in Non-Fluidic Array SPRi, Based on the Example of Determination of Cathepsin D

Non-fluidic array SPR imaging (SPRi) with appropriate biosensors is a new tool for the determination of various biomarkers in body fluids. Numerous biomarkers can be determined without signal enhancement or preliminarily preconcentration. The introduction of a new material solution of the chip may increase the scope of the application of this technique. Solutions with adhesive separating foil and an Ag/Au chip were compared with the previously used two-paint separating polymer and pure gold chip. These solutions were tested using the example of a biosensor for cathepsin D (Cath D), which consisted of pepstatin A (a Cath D inhibitor) immobilized via a cysteamine linker using the NHS/EDC protocol. Four material versions of the Cath D biosensor proved adequate in terms of range of linearity, LOQ, precision and recovery. All four versions of the biosensor were used for the determination of Cath D in the blood serum patients with glioblastoma and control samples, producing very similar results and showing an elevated biomarker concentration in the case of cancer. Therefore, the problem of determining the correct level of Cath D in the serum of healthy individuals has been resolved, correcting literature data which ranged over three orders of magnitude.

Increasing the Cost Effectiveness of Mechanically Lined Pipe for Risers Installed by Reel-Lay

The use of mechanically lined pipe (MLP) using a thin liner, i.e. 2.5mm, can provide a more cost effective linepipe material solution relative to a standard 3.0mm liner. This is especially the case for the more expensive liner materials with higher corrosion resistance, including Alloy 625. Thin liners, i.e. 2.5mm, can be used without compromising pipeline integrity and performance, whilst still fulfilling design requirements defined in most pipeline design standards, including DNVGL-ST-F101. The suitability of 2.5mm liner MLP has previously been demonstrated in service over a range of pipeline bundle projects installed with the controlled depth tow method, but not to date for risers installed by reel-lay. This paper presents the details and test results of the qualification programme to support its use for both flowlines and risers installed by reel-lay. The qualification MLP test pipes, which comprised an outer diameter (OD) 219.1mm × wall thickness (WT) 15.9mm X65 + 2.5mm Alloy 625, were manufactured using established manufacturing procedures and facilities. Reeling and fatigue test strings were fabricated using qualified welding solutions. The fabricated test strings were subject to internal visual inspection and dimensional measurement using laser metrology in order to provide a benchmark for comparison post reeling. The test strings were given a simulated reeling procedure using bending and straightening formers representative of a reel-lay vessel with the smallest reel hub diameter, this being a conservative material straining condition. An internal pressurisation technique, as per standard installation practice for the present pipe lay contractor for MLP, was applied during the simulated reeling procedure. Post reeling the internal laser metrology inspection procedure was repeated in order to confirm the integrity of the liner and to check for the presence of any evidence of liner wrinkling or damage. Subsequently, full scale fatigue testing was performed using the high frequency resonance bending procedure. Testing was performed to ultimate failure to determine the fatigue endurance limit of the thin liner MLP. Additionally Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was performed to further validate the satisfactory reeling performance of the thin liner MLP. The FE numerical analysis embraced manufacture of the MLP pipe and test samples coupled with the reeling procedure. Sensitivity analysis on pipe strength and geometrical mismatch was performed to demonstrate the robustness of the linepipe material solution and reeling procedure. All of the critical qualification activities were performed and verified by DNVGL and in accordance with the guidance of DNVGL-RP-A203 Technology Qualification process. The paper highlights the qualification programme performed to enable the cost effective use of thin liner MLP, specifically Alloy 625, for risers installed by reel-lay.

A Study on Lithium Hydroxide Recovery Using Bipolar Membrane Electrodialysis

Bipolar electrodialysis was used in a process of desalting a lithium sulfate solution, converting it to lithium hydroxide and sulfuric acid, and concentrating and recovering them. The effects of the experimental variables such as applied voltage, the concentration of electrode solution, the concentration of raw material solution, volume ratio, and impurity were confirmed. The optimum conditions were investigated by comparing the conversion(%) of lithium hydroxide and sulfuric acid, the process time, and energy consumption. As the applied voltage was increased, the energy consumption tended to increase, but the processing time decreased significantly. As the concentration of lithium sulfate in the raw material solution increased, the conversion(%) of lithium hydroxide decreased. As the concentration of lithium sulfate increased, the energy consumption did not increase linearly, and energy consumption increased significantly. When a raw material solution of 0.5 M Li₂SO₄ or more is used in the bipolar electrodialysis process, an applied voltage of 25 V is preferable. As the applied voltage increased at a constant process time, the conversion(%) of LiOH and H₂SO₄ increased. Regarding the effect of the electrode solution concentration, when a 5.0 wt% electrode solution was used rather than a 3.0 wt% electrode solution, energy consumption decreased by more than 10%. When the volume of the raw material solution was increased, the processing time required for desalting increased. By using a low concentration raw material solution, it was confirmed that it was simultaneously possible to recover and concentrate lithium hydroxide and sulfuric acid through volume ratio control. When the raw material solution contained Na as an impurity, it was converted to NaOH with a surface LiOH, and it was not possible to separate the lithium and sodium.

Hard Protective Layers on Forging Dies—Development and Applications

The article presents a summary of many years of activities in the area of increasing the durability of forging dies. The results of comprehensive research work on the analysis of the destructive mechanisms of forging dies and the possibility of increasing their durability with the use of modern surface engineering methods are presented. Great possibilities in terms of shaping operational properties of forging dies by producing hybrid layers of the “Nitrided Layer + PVD Coating” (NL + PVD coating) type were confirmed. An analysis of changes in forging dies durability under various operating conditions was performed, i.e., forging—die—forging press—pressures. It has been shown that the variety of parameters of the forging process, including forgings’ geometry and weight, materials, precision, pressures applied, and, what is very important, quality of machines, makes it very difficult to compare the effectiveness of various PVD coating solutions in the process of increasing the durability of forging dies. Hybrid layers of the “NL + PVD coating” type create great possibilities in shaping the operational properties of tools and machine elements. However, in each application a precise diagnosis of the wear mechanism and the design of an individual PVD coating material solution is required.

Development of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastics for Mass-Produced Automotive Applications in Japan

The application of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTPs) for automotive mass production is attracting increasing attention from researchers and engineers in related fields. This article presents recent developments in CFRTPs focusing on the systematic development of lightweight CFRTP applications for automotive mass production. Additionally, a related national project of Japan conducted at the University of Tokyo is also introduced. The basic development demands, the specific requirements of CFRTPs for lightweight applications in automotive mass production, and the current development status and basic scientific outputs are discussed. The development of high-performance CFRTPs (chopped carbon fiber tape-reinforced thermoplastics (CTTs)) and functional CFRTPs (carbon fiber mat-reinforced thermoplastics (CMTs)) is also introduced. The fabrication process control of CTTs is evaluated, which demonstrates the extreme importance of the mechanical performance. The ultralight lattice, toughened structures, and orientation designable components of CMTs provide a flexible multi-material solution for the proposed applications. Moreover, highly efficient carbon fiber recycling technology is discussed, with recycled carbon fibers exhibiting outstanding compatibility with CFRTPs. A cost sensitivity analysis of carbon fiber and CFRTPs is conducted to guarantee the feasibility and affordability of their application. This article also discusses the trends and sustainability of carbon fiber and CFRTPs usage. The importance of the object-oriented optimal development of CFRTPs is emphasized to efficiently exploit their advantages.

Development of recyclable Fibre Metal Laminates (FML), their mechanical characterization and FE modelling, aiming at structural application in aeronautics

This study concerns with the optimisation of a fibre-reinforced composite material ply book and application to an aeronautical component. The presented material solution is a recyclable FML (Fibre Metal Laminate). Recyclable and structural PMCs (Polymeric Matrix Composites) developed up-to now in ENEA had to be improved to satisfy the high-demanding fire characteristics requirements in aeronautics, particularly for the case considered in ongoing project FireMat (www.firemat.it), namely a turbine-bonnet production. FireMat project objective is the combination of weight reduction and fire resistance, maximizing the use C2C recyclable, secondary and biomass derived raw materials. Aluminium layers were introduced inside the lamination, to act as oxygen barriers and improve fire-retardancy. FML were obtained starting from a fire-retardant biobased resin, which was associated with aeronautical grade basalt-derived mineral fabric, processed in the form of a prepreg and then coupled with aluminium foils. FE modelling was based on performed mechanical characterization of the single layers and inter- layer adhesive strength of the ply stack: a composite sandwich structure (including aluminium honeycomb) was optimised.

Experimental Investigation of Thin-Walled UHPFRCC Modular Barrier for Blast and Ballistic Protection

The static response of ballistic panels and also its resistance to blast and ballistic impact is investigated in the framework of this study. By connecting individual ballistic panels together, the protective barrier can be constructed. The protective barrier can be featured as a system with high mobility and versatility that is achieved by linking basic interlocking plate elements together. The resulting protective barrier can be shaped according to many possible scenarios in a wall with various possible opening angles and a small post with the tetragonal base or a larger post with the hexagonal ground plan. The material solution of the protective barrier benefits from the application of ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced cement-based composites (UHPFRCC), which meets the requirements for enhanced resistance against extreme loads such as blast or impact. Besides, by using UHPFRCC, thin and slender design can be adopted, which is advantageous in many ways. Slender design results in a lower weight, allowing for easy manipulation and replacement. To verify the behavior of the panels, the proposed barrier was subjected to various loadings at different strain rates. The experimental campaign demonstrated that the protective barrier has a reasonable load-bearing capacity and also sufficient resistance against projectile impact and blast effects.

Application of Multistage Concentration (MSC) Electrodialysis to Concentrate Lithium from Lithium-Containing Waste Solution

In order to manufacture lithium carbonate to be used as a raw material for a secondary lithium battery, lithium sulfate solution is used as a precursor, and the concentration of lithium is required to be 10 g/L or more. Electrodialysis (ED) was used as a method of concentrating lithium in a low-concentration lithium sulfate solution, and multistage concentration (MSC) electrodialysis was used to increase the concentration ratio (%). When MSC was performed using a raw material solution containing a large amount of sodium sulfate, the process lead time was increased by 60 min. And the concentration ratio (%) of lithium decreased as the number of concentration stages increased. In order to remove sodium sulfate, methanol was added to the raw material solution to precipitate sodium sulfate, and when it was added in a volume ratio of 0.4, lithium was not lost. Using a solution in which sodium sulfate was partially removed, fourth-stage concentration ED was performed to obtain a lithium sulfate solution with a lithium concentration of 10 g/L.