US – Page 59 – TechConnect Briefs

PLA-PEG nanoparticles are suitable for effective maturation and uptake by dendritic cells for Chlamydia trachomatis outer membrane peptide-based vaccine

Dixit S., Sahu R., Singh S.R., Dennis V.A., Alabama State University, US

Chlamydia trachomatis is considered an important human pathogen because it is the most reported sexually transmitted bacterial infection globally. We showed that M278 (a peptide derived from the major outer membrane protein of C. trachomatis) [...]

Durable Superhydrophobic Coating

Nahum A. Panwar T., Dodiuk H., Kenig S., Barry C., Mead J., UMass Lowell, US

Bottom up cost-effective and durable superhydrophobic coatings were formulated using hydrophobic silica nanoparticles and epoxy binder at different epoxy-to-silica nanoparticle ratios. The localization of the silica nanoparticles in the dissolved epoxy oligomers before curing and [...]

Inherently Super-omniphobic Fibers and Fabrics

Truong Q., Zukas W., Welsh E., Stenhouse P., Brown P., Hoffman N., Mead J., Barry C., Mooney P., Sherer J., Panwar A., Koene B., Martin R., Cohen R., McKinley G., Kleingartner J., Chen D., U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research Development & Engineering Center, US

Work presented in this paper will introduce a process which modifies fiber geometry and its surface structure, and the resulting fabric’s weave structure with an additional structural level consisting of reentrant microtextural features that result [...]

Aligned HNT for Abrasion Resistance in Solar Cell Coatings

Song K., Polak R., Askar K.A., Rubner M.F., Cohen R.E., MIT, US

Halloysite nanotubes (HNT), a kind of naturally formed ceramics, encompass high aspect ratio, stiffness and low cost while remain understudied about their coating usage. Theoretical and experimental results have shown a modulus as high as [...]

Commercial Applications of Oleophobic and Superoleophobic Membranes

Ratnasinghe L., Lanza E., Cytonix, LLC, US

We will present data on the performance of oleophobic and superoleophobic surfaces for a variety of commercial membrane and filter applications. It is well known that oleophobic surfaces create oil resistant, anti-fingerprint surfaces that are [...]

Magnetically Aligned Nanotubes in Nanocomposite Membranes for High-Performance Filtration Applications

Ignacio-de Leon P., Chen X., Rabe E., Urgun-Demirtas M., Puga M., Zhou Z., Brotzman R., Argonne National Laboratory, US

Nanocomposite membranes, with magnetic nanotubes embedded in polyethersulfone (PES) membrane to form a permselective layer on microporous supports, are reported in this study for potential applications in wastewater treatment. Two new processes, alignment of nanotubes [...]

A Bulk, Low Energy Surface Treatment for Three Dimensional Substrates via CVD Processing

Smith D., Patterson L., SilcoTek Corporation, US

There are myriad potential applications and a significant need for low energy surfaces. The gas-phase modification of three dimensional structures, such as fittings, tubing, valves, or manifold blocks, in high volume, to give hydrophobic and [...]

Wettable Slippery Surfaces. Self-cleaning Effect and Mechanism

Law K-Y, Research and Innovative Solutions, US

The phenomenon of self-cleaning displayed by the Lotus leaf and many other plant and insect surfaces has attracted tremendous attention recently. Self-cleaning surface is usually superhydrophobic and non-wettable, and is characterized by a very large [...]

Environmentally Friendly Protective Coatings for Metals and Alloys

Ryabova E., Dawley J., Ryabov V., Ryabova E., Mah C., Advenira Enterprises, Inc., US

The operation and maintenance of machines and mechanisms, as well as outdoor structures, conducted by various industries across the board is a costly process due to corrosion of metals and/or alloys, from which the vast [...]

Facile Spray Coating in Preparing Anisotropic Composites

Song K., Polak R., Abdalla Askar K., Rubner M.F., Cohen R.E., MIT, US

Anisotropy has been taken advantage in composites to achieve specific mechanical, electrical, magnetic and other functional properties. In composite mechanics, orientation of fiber in polymer matrix will reinforce the composites to the greatest potential along [...]