PT – Page 2 – TechConnect Briefs

High Deborah number flows through 3D contractions at the microscale

Oliveira M.S.N., Afonso A.M., Pinho F.T., Alves M.A., FEUP - Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, PT

In this work, we report a rich sequence of elastic transitions captured experimentally using a solution of polyethylene oxide in a water/glycerol mixture that exhibits shear-thinning and viscoelastic behavior. The experiments were carried out in [...]

Design of Optimized Microfluidic Devices for Viscoelastic Fluid Flow

Alves M.A., Universidade do Porto - Faculdade de Engenharia, PT

In this work we present a fully automated procedure for the design of microfluidic devices with optimal performance. The proposed approach combines an in-house finite-volume viscoelastic flow solver, an optimizer, and an automatic mesh generation [...]

Rapid one-step chemical synthesis of polyaniline-manganese ferrite nanocomposites without external initiator and mechanical agitation

Chimamkpam E.F.C., Schweizer T., Schilling A., Ferreira J.M.F., Centre for Research in Ceramics and Composite Materials, PT

We describe a rapid one-step, room temperature method to chemically synthesize bulk quantities of nanocomposites comprising specifically of manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) and polyaniline (conductive form). Typically a chemical agent, for example ammonium peroxydisulfate, is used [...]

Biomethane as a substitute for natural gas

Moreira N.A., Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, PT

The world’s energy consumption keeps its tendency to increase, and the natural gas stands out as one of fuels where this trend is more significant. The environmental benefits in the use of natural gas, comparing [...]

Biomethane as a substitute for natural gas

Moreira N.A., Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, PT

The world’s energy consumption keeps its tendency to increase, and the natural gas stands out as one of fuels where this trend is more significant. The environmental benefits in the use of natural gas, comparing [...]

Design of a lipid nanovesicle system encapsulating bacteriophages integrated in a multiple emulsion formulation: a proof-of-concept

Balcão V.M., Azevedo A.F., Castro L.M., Costa C.I., Santos S., Matos C.M., Moutinho C.G., Teixeira J.A., Azeredo J.C., University Fernando Pessoa and Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, PT

of the optimized bacteriophage-encasing nanovesicles encompassed determination of particle hydrodynamic size, size distribution and particle charge via DLS, surface morphology via CRYO-SEM, and thermal analysis via DSC, whereas antimicrobial activity of the nanoemulsions produced was [...]

AuAg-alloy-nanoprobes for specific nucleic acid detection

Doria G., Larguinho M., Dias J.T., Pereira E., Franco R., Baptista P., CIGMH/DCV & REQUIMTE/DQ, PT

Due to their unique optical properties, noble metal nanoparticles, and in particular gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), have been extensively used for the development of new molecular diagnostic assays[1]. These optical properties derive from the characteristic surface [...]

Nanohybrid silica/polymer subcritical aerogels

Fidalgo A., Ilharco L.M., Farinha J.P.S., Martinho J.M.G., Centro de Química-Física Molecular, Instituto Superior Técnico, PT

Novel nanohybrid silica/polymer aerogels were produced by the soft sol-gel process, under subcritical conditions. They are hydrophobic, monolithic, and with improved mechanical properties. These materials may well be the answer to low cost-high performance insulators. [...]

Chitosan as mucoadhesive agent to enhance absorption of therapeutic proteins encapsulated into solid lipid nanoparticles

Teixeira J., Júlio A., Castro C., Fonseca J., Martins S., Ferreira D., Sarmento B., University of Porto, PT

The aim of this work was to develop Witepsol 85E solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) containing insulin as biopharmaceutical, and to evaluate their potential for oral insulin administration. The new carrier was coated with chitosan in [...]

Colored nanoparticles:composition and application to protein fibres and hair

Gomes J., Sampaio S., Maia F., University of Minho, PT

The coloration of hair is usually done with dyes that need harsh post treatments with products such as ammonia, so as to have durability. In this work, we have developed nanoparticles (medium range 200 nm), [...]