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Stress-strain and moment-curvature behavior of the reinforced concrete (RC) square columns have been analytically investigated according to different confined concrete models. The effect of transverse reinforcement diameter, transverse reinforcement spacing and concrete grade on the behavior of RC column models were investigated. For different confined concrete models, the confinement effectiveness coefficient, effective lateral confining stress, confined concrete compressive strength, strain at maximum concrete stress and ultimate concrete compressive strain values were calculated. In the second part, a parametric investigation was carried out for examining the effects of different design parameters on the moment-curvature relationships. Analytical moment-curvature relationships were obtained for RC cross-sections by using the TBEC (2018), Mander model (1988), Saatcioglu and Ravzi (1992) confined concrete models. The effects of the design parameters on the RC square column behavior were evaluated in terms of moment capacity and the curvature of the cross-section. In RC column models, stress-strain and moment-curvature relationships are obtained and compared according to different parameters. Confined concrete strength and the ultimate moment values obtained from the Mander model were higher than the Saatcioglu and Ravzi model when the transverse reinforcement close to the minimum spacing values. The results obtained from the Mander model and TBEC (2018) are close to each other.

In recent years, nanostructures and nanoarchitectures have attracted much attention in the development of biomedicine and nanomedicine. The plant-mediated synthesis of barium carbonate nanoparticles (BACN) has been performed using barium chloride and aqueous extract of natural sweetener (Stevia). In this study, the biosynthesis of BACN has been selected due to the useful medicinal potentials and suitable obtained biocompatibility of produced nanoparticles as well as its simplicity, lesser production steps, and cost-effectiveness. Barium carbonate nanostructures were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscope. The toxicity of BACN on U87 brain cancer cells was evaluated based on MTT assay. According to the results, the prepared nanostructures can be employed for biomedical applications, especially cancer therapy.

The aim of present study is to investigate the modification of poor kaolin by boehmite to produce zeolite A via fusion techniques. The processed kaolins containing considerable content of quartz, as a major impurity, were employed, and alkalinity, boehmite content, fusion temperature, and ageing time were changed to achieve zeolite A. Regardless of the starting material composition, the sodium hydroxide/kaolin ratio should be fixed in the range of 2.00–2.33 to delete quartz. Boehmite was added to material mixtures for compensating aluminum deficit followed by thermal treatment at 700, and 800 °C. The presence of boehmite in the precursors is very crucial for the formation of zeolite A. The maximum relative crystallinity was obtained by control of the boehmite/kaolin ratio at the level of 0.26. The zeolite A produced from clay containing illite + kaolinite + pyrophyllite indicated the semi-cubic particles with rounded edges, and lower surface area, 17.5 m2.g−1 while the application of kaolinite-rich clay resulted in the mesoporous product with an average pore size of 8 nm, and larger surface area of about 59.6 m2.g−1.

In this experiment, an original three-dimensional (3D) cubic of europium (Eu) 3+/cuprous oxide (Cu2O) with clover-like face-centered nanostructures (Eu3+/Cu2O CLFNs) was successfully synthesized to determine nevirapine (C15H14N4O), using electrochemical methods. The surface morphology of the Ns was correspondingly identified through different techniques, including energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In this sense, the synergistic influence of the Eu3+/Cu2O CLFNs enhanced the electrocatalytic capability of the electrode via a modified glassy carbon (GC) and raised the active site. Employing various approaches, the modified electrode was then analyzed through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Moreover, kinetic parameters and electrochemical ones were estimated by means of voltammetric methods. For the determination of nevirapine applying the Eu3+/Cu2O CLFNs/GC electrode (GCE), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was further utilized. Under optimized conditions, the range of linear responses was between 0.01 and 750.0 μM with the limit of detection (LOD) of 3.6 nM, whereas the recommended sensor sensitivity was equal to 0.1244 μA/μM. The response time of approximately 3.5 min and the reproducibility (inter- and intra-electrode reproducibility of 2.26% and 1.51%, respectively) were subsequently achieved. It was concluded that sensors have been thus far exploited to determine nevirapine in real samples with favorable outcomes, indicating that electrocatalysis modifier can be assumed as one of appropriate catalysts.

Epitaxial thin and thick lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films with the composition of PbZr0.7Ti0.3O3 were grown onto single-crystal SrTiO3 (100), (111), and (110) substrates using both microwave and conventional hydrothermal methods at 90–180°C from amorphous Zr-Ti hydrous oxide and lead acetate precursors. Different bases, such as KOH, NaOH, and tetramethylammonium hydroxide pentahydrate (TMAH) were used to study the effect of mineralizer type on the film quality and morphology. The impact of substrate surface modification on PZT nucleation and film growth was examined through chemical etching or pre-coating the substrate with a RF-sputtered thin PZT layer. Thick PZT film (~27 µm in thickness) was successfully synthesized by periodic replenishment of the reaction nutrient. Moreover, according to the collected kinetic data for microwave hydrothermal reactions, a microwave continuous-flow reactor operating at ≈ 300°C may be used to grow PZT films with the thickness of the order of 1 mm.

Pump it up Carbon nanotube yarns can be used as electrochemical actuators because infiltration with ions causes a contraction in length and an expansion in diameter. Either positive or negative ions can cause this effect. Chu et al. constructed an all-solid-state muscle that eliminated the need for an electrolyte bath, which may expand the potential for its use in applications. By infiltrating the yarns with charged polymers, the fibers start partially swollen, so the length can increase through the loss of ions. It is thus possible to increase the overall stroke of the muscle. Further, these composite materials show a surprising increase in stroke with scan rate. Science , this issue p. 494

Deformation based damage limits for reinforced concrete members, which weremandated in Turkish Building Earthquake Codes, 2018 were analyticallyinvestigated to be able to determine the earthquake performance of structuralmembers. Reinforced concrete beam models having different geometry andparameters were designed. The nonlinear behavior of reinforced concrete beamsections was investigated using the moment-curvature relationships obtainedbased on real material behavior. The failure stages and behavior of beam cross-sectionswere examined by using the data obtained from moment-curvature relations ofreinforced concrete beam models. Damage limit values given in Turkish BuildingEarthquake Codes, 2018 were calculated for the designed concrete beam models.The deformation limits were calculated for the levels of collapse prevention,controlled damage and limited damage performance levels as defined in TBDY2018. Three different damage limits for the beams and the correspondence strainlimits for these beams were investigated. Beam damages and damage limits wereevaluated for the corresponding displacement demands. Performance levels of thedesigned reinforced concrete beams were investigated by calculating the limitvalues of strains and plastic rotation values for the concrete and thereinforcing steel. Damage limits of plastic rotations for collapse preventionand controlled damage performance levels are functions of yield curvature,ultimate curvature, plastic hinge length, shear length and the diameter of thelongitudinal reinforcement., Yapısal elemanların deprem performansının belirlenmesi için bu çalışmada, Türkiye Bina DepremYönetmeliği 2018’de betonarme elemanlar için öngörülen şekil değiştirme esaslı hasar sınırları analitikolarak incelenmiştir. Farklı geometri ve parametrelerde betonarme kiriş modelleri tasarlanmıştır. Gerçekmalzeme davranışları esas alınarak elde edilen momenti-eğrilik ilişkilerinden kiriş kesitlerinin elastikötesi davranışları incelenmiştir. Betonarme kiriş modelleri için moment-eğrilik ilişkilerinden elde edilenveriler kullanılarak kiriş kesitlerinin kırılma durumları ve davranışları incelenmiştir. Türkiye BinaDeprem Yönetmeliği 2018’de verilen hasar sınır değerleri betonarme kiriş modelleri için hesaplanmıştır.Şekil değiştirme değerleri TBDY 2018’de tanımlanmış olan Göçmenin Önlenmesi, Kontrollü Hasar veSınırlı Hasar Performans seviyeleri için hesaplanmıştır. Betonarme kirişler için göz önüne alınan üç ayrıhasar sınırı ve bu hasar sınırlarına karşı gelen birim şekil değiştirme değerleri incelenmiştir. İlgili yerdeğiştirme taleplerine karşılık gelen kiriş hasarları gözlenmiş ve hasar sınırları değerlendirilmiştir.Betonarme kirişlerde farklı performans düzeyi için beton ve donatı çeliği birim şekil değiştirmeleri veplastik dönmeleri hesaplanarak performans düzeyleri araştırılmıştır. Göçmenin Önlenmesi ve KontrollüHasar performans düzeyleri için plastik dönmelerin hasar sınırları; akma eğriliği, kopma eğriliği, plastikmafsal uzunluğu, kesme açıklığı ve boyuna donatı çapının fonksiyonudur.

In this study we use a combination of ionic- and photo-cross-linking to develop a fabrication method for producing biocompatible microstructures using a methacrylated gellan gum (a polyanion) and chitosan (a polycation) in addition to lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP) as the photoinitiator. This work involves the development of a low-cost, portable 3D bioprinter and a customized extrusion mechanism for controlled introduction of the materials through a 3D printed microfluidic nozzle, before being cross-linked in situ to form robust microstructure bundles. The formed microstructures yielded a diameter of less than 1 μm and a tensile strength range of ∼1 MPa. This study is the first to explore and achieve GGMA:CHT microstructure fabrication by means of controlled in-line compaction and photo-cross-linking through 3D printed microfluidic channels.

The molecular mechanical interaction between the heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) and the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules is detected by employing a polyvinyl-di-chlorofluoride (PVDF) aluminum-coated microcantilever beams, considered as a mechanical transducer. Here the chaperone protein called HSP90 performs the interaction. The microcantilever beam will sense the molecular mechanical interaction between the HSP90 and ATP molecules. This protein forms a complex molecule with ATP, and because of this molecular interaction, the beam will deflect which is measured using the optical lever method. This optical technique is able to detect the biomechanical interaction of ATP and HSP90 at various concentrations. The response time and sensitivity of this technique are found to be superior to similar methods such as piezoresistive technology known to be used for studying biomolecules interaction. This work will enable the reader to understand the behavior of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) based microcantilever structure under the influence of different concentrations of HSP90. The work provides a methodological approach to develop point-of-care devices for the detection of biomolecules.

In this study, an electrochemical sensor was applied for the determination of theophylline, a bronchodilator drug, using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface was modified with the La2O3/MWCNT nanocomposite. The design is simplistic, efficient, greener and solvent-free microwave procedure for synthesizing La2O3/MWCNT nanocomposites. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques are used to characterize the features of the La2O3/MWCNT nanocomposite morphology and structure. The use of the modified sensor remarkably enhanced the current density and displayed a linear response ranging between 0.1 and 400.0 μM, with a limit of detection of 0.01 μM (S/N = 3). Using optimized conditions, the modified sensor demonstrated very good stability, selectivity and improved accuracy. Acceptable outputs were achieved in the analysis of real specimens, indicating that it is possible to use the modified sensor for practical analyses.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) particles as photocatalysts are known to be effective in the degradation of various organic pollutants. Here we use a simple way of preparing an active TiO2 thin film for Malachite Green (MG) elimination from an aqueous solution based on a combination of advanced oxidation processes (electro Fenton and photocatalytic degradation) under UV wavelengths irradiation. The TiO2 and ZnO as nano-photocatalytic material as thin layers on the glass surface are applied. For the characterization of synthesized ZnO and TiO2 paste, SEM, TEM and XRD were used. The effects of operational variables on the degradation of MG were studied by central composite design (CCD). The results showed that MG was degraded by the TiO2 and ZnO pastes in photoelectro-Fenton system under UV irradiation at optimum conditions with 79.4 and 97.5% degradation efficiency, respectively, which reaction constant of thin film ZnO was 1.96 times as high as that of the TiO2 paste in the mentioned system. The optimum degradation conditions for thin film ZnO were as follows: pH of 3, 30 mg/L of initial MG concentration, 200 mA of electrical current, 0.4 mmol/L of FeCl3, and 16 min of contact time. In addition, the degradation rates of MG by both photocatalysts in the photoelectro-Fenton system could be explained in terms of the Langmuir-Hinshelwood pseudo-first-order kinetic equation.

Chronological skin aging is a complex process that is controlled by numerous intrinsic and extrinsic factors. One major factor is the gradual degradation of the dermal collagen fiber network. As a step toward understanding the mechanistic importance of dermal tissue in the process of aging, this study employs analytical and multiscale computational models to elucidate the effect of collagen fiber bundle disintegration on the mechanical properties and topography of skin. Here, human skin is modeled as a soft composite with an anisotropic dermal layer. The anisotropy of the tissue is governed by collagen fiber bundles with varying densities, average fiber alignments, and normalized alignment distributions. In all finite element models examined, collagen fiber bundle degradation results in progressive decreases in dermal and full-thickness composite stiffness. This reduction is more profound when collagen bundles align with the compression axis. Aged skin models with low collagen fiber bundle densities under compression exhibit notably smaller critical wrinkling strains and larger critical wavelengths than younger skin models, in agreement with in vivo wrinkling behavior with age. The propensity for skin wrinkling can be directly attributable to the degradation of collagen fiber bundles, a relationship that has previously been assumed but unsubstantiated. While linear-elastic analytical models fail to capture the postbuckling behavior in skin, nonlinear finite element models can predict the complex bifurcations of the compressed skin with different densities of collagen bundles.

Piezoelectric fibers have an important role in wearable technology as energy generators and sensors. A series of hybrid nanocomposite piezoelectric fibers of polyinylidene fluoride (PVDF) loaded with barium–titanium oxide (BT) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were prepared via the melt spinning method. Our previous studies show that high-performance fibers with 84% of the electroactive β-phase in the PVDF generated a peak output voltage up to 1.3 V and a power density of 3 W kg−1. Herein, the dynamic mechanical and creep behavior of these fibers were investigated to evaluate their durability and piezoelectric performance. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was used to provide phenomenological information regarding the viscoelastic properties of the fibers in the longitudinal direction. DSC and SEM were employed to characterize the crystalline structure of the samples. The storage modulus and the loss tangent increased by increasing the frequency over the temperature range (−50 to 150 °C) for all of the fibers. The storage modulus of the PVDF/rGO nanocomposite fibers had a higher value (7.5 GPa) in comparison with other fibers. The creep and creep recovery behavior of the PVDF/nanofillers in the nanocomposite fibers have been explored in the linear viscoelastic region at three different temperatures (10–130 °C). In the PVDF/rGO nanocomposite fibers, strong sheet/matrix interfacial interaction restricted the mobility of the polymer chains, which led to a higher modulus at temperatures 60 and 130 °C.

Although the effects of jet fires are often limited to rather short distances, if their flames impinge on a pipe or a vessel collapse can occur in very short times. In such cases, the heat flux on the affected equipment is very high and wall temperature can increase very rapidly. This can happen in parallel pipelines, if a release occurs and impinges on another one. Nevertheless, jet fire impingement has been scarcely studied. In this communication the results obtained from an experimental set-up are presented. Sonic jet fires impinged on a pipe containing stagnant air or water. The temperatures of the flames impinging on it were measured for the worst case (flame front-bright zone), as well as the evolution with time of the pipe wall temperature at different locations. Initial temperature increases up to around twenty degrees C/s were registered for the air inside, with maximum values of up to 600 degrees C reached in 2.5 min, and 800 degrees C in approximately 9 min. In the case of pipe containing water, in the zone of the wall in contact with the liquid the heating rates were much lower, the maximum temperature reached being up to approximately 150 degrees C. From the temperatures of the jet flames and of the pipe, the heat fluxes reaching the pipe and the corresponding heat transfer coefficients were obtained. The results obtained emphasized that safe distances are essential in pipelines, together with fire proofing and other safety measures.

The present work deals with the preparation of NiO/Co3O4 nanocomposites in presence of ultrasonic irradiation, and its use in electrochemical determination of Parkinson’s drugs. NiO/Co3O4 nanocomposites are prepared using ultrasound assisted method. The impact of ultrasonic irradiation power (0, 75, 150, 300 and 600 W) on the structure and morphology of NiO/Co3O4 nanocomposites was investigated. Various particle morphologies were attained because of the existence of ultrasonic irradiation. The nanoparticles’ structure exhibited more uniformity whilst the particles sizes and nanoparticle accumulation was reduced when ultrasonic irradiation power was increased. The NiO/Co3O4 nanocomposite was determined via X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy i.e. SEM as well as energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Drop casting NiO/Co3O4 nanocomposites suspension on glassy carbon electrode was employed to fabricate the modified glassy carbon electrode (NiO/Co3O4/GCE). The electrochemical studies on the NiO/Co3O4 nanocomposite towards droxidopa and carbidopa were experimented via cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CHA) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The CV examinations displayed increased catalytic behavior of droxidopa because of synergistic impact of the nanocomposite that was bolstered through enhanced material surface roughness. By using differential pulse voltammetry, the droxidopa detection limit and linear range was determined as 0.01 μM and 0.1–500.0 μM, respectively. Also, the adjusted electrode was implemented to ascertain droxidopa in the presence of carbidopa by differential pulse voltammetry. This sensor exhibited long term reproducibility and stability. Droxidopa and carbidopa quantification within biological specimens of fluids i.e. human urine and serum were conducted to validate the suitability in the application of this sensor.

Reinforced concrete columns are the criticalmembers of moment-resisting structural systems and have to be designedadequately in strength and ductility. Transverse reinforcement in concretecolumns plays an important role in the improvement of strength and ductility ofcolumns, especially when they are subjected to severe ground motion. Transversereinforcement in concrete columns can be used to delay the local buckling oflongitudinal bars, resist shear forces, avoid the sudden shear failure andconfine the concrete to improve the strength and ductility. The behavior ofreinforced concrete members subjected to seismic loads is mainly based on theultimate strength of concrete and its ductility. Reinforced concrete columnmodels having different cross-section have been designed to investigate theseparameters. The effects of the transverse reinforcement spacing and transversereinforcement diameter on the behavior of column models have been analyticallyinvestigated. Previously proposed analytical models were used to investigatethe behavior of the reinforced confined column models. Stress-strainrelationships were obtained for the confined concrete columns and the obtainedresults were compared and interpreted., Betonarmekolonlar taşıyıcı sistemlerin moment aktaran kritik yapısal sistemleridir ve yeterlidayanım ve süneklikte tasarlanmalıdır. Betonarme kolonların sargı donatısıözellikle depreme maruz kaldıkları durumlarda sargı etkisi ile kolonlarındayanım ve sünekliğinin artırmasında önemli rol oynar. Betonarme kolonlardasargı donatısı boyuna donatının yerel burkulmasını geciktirmek, kesme kuvvetinekarşı koymak, ani kesme kırılmasını önlemek ve sargı etkisi ile dayanım vesünekliği artırmak için kullanılır. Sismik yüklere maruz kalan betonarmeelemanların davranışı, esas olarak betonun nihai dayanımına ve sünekliğinebağlıdır. Bu parametreleri araştırmak için değişik geometride betonarme kolonmodelleri tasarlanmıştır. Sargı donatı çapının ve sargı donatı aralığının betonarmekolon modellerinin davranışına etkisi analitik olarak araştırılmıştır. Sargıdonatıları ile sarılmış betonarme kolon modellerinin davranışını araştırmakiçin literatüre sunulmuş olan analitik modeller kullanılmıştır. Farklı parametrelerdetasarlanan sargılı kolon modelleri için gerilme-birim şekil değiştirme eğrileriçizilmiş ve elde edilen sonuçlar karşılaştırılarak yorumlanmıştır.

In this research paper, response surface methodology (RSM), generalized regression neural network (GRNN), and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) were employed to develop prediction models for Triclosan (TCS) removal by a novel inclusion complex (host–guest complex). Hence, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) host–guest complex loaded on the multi walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT/PEG/β-CD) was prepared and characterized by Raman, NMR, TGA, XRD, SEM, TEM, and point of zero charge (pHpzc) technique. The effects of MWCNT/PEG/β-CD dose (g), temperature (°C), antibiotic concentration (mg L−1), and sonication time (min), each at five levels were investigated as independent factors. Central composite design (CCD) of RSM setup was applied in combination with ANFIS and GRNN training dataset for evaluation purposes. Moreover, the kinetic, isotherm equilibrium, and thermodynamic parameters of adsorption of TCS on MWNT–PEG/β-CD nanocomposite was examined. To assess the accuracy of results, several statistics such as R2, RMSE (root mean square error), mean squared error (MSE), MAE (mean absolute error), sum of the absolute error (SAE), %AAD (absolute average deviation), average relative error (ARE), hybrid fractional error function (HYBRID), Marquart’s percentage standard deviation (MPSD), and Pearson’s Chi–square measure (χ) were checked. The results of ANFIS approach were found to be more trustworthy than GRNN model since better statistical analysis were attained. However, it was known that the GRNN is easier and take a little time for modeling than the ANFIS approach.

Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) are considered as a group of compounds, either metal ions or clusters, harmonized with organic ligands to form one or some dimensional structures. In addition to resilient bonds between inorganic and organic units, reticular synthesis creates MOFs, accurate selection of constituents of which can produce high thermal and chemical stability and crystals of ultrahigh porosity. Other solids have not shown the same accuracy normally used in chemical modification and even the capability of increasing their metrics with no modification of the underlying topology. With shape of building units and chemical compositions multiplying based on specific structures, MOFs might result in compounds that propose a synergistic mixture of features. This study presents up to date advances in both synthesis methods of MOFs and structural characteristics. Furthermore, the use of MOFs in different fields such as the removal of absorption and separation of toxic substances from gas and liquid, catalysts, a variety of sensors, storage of clean energies and environmental applications, medical and biological applications, and optoelectronic equipment is included.

Wurster coater was utilized for coating glass beads with HPMC/PEG. The effects of design and operating parameters on the coating process were evaluated. It was found that the pressure drop decreases when spraying the coating solution into the bed, indicating that spraying prevents the particles from flowing easily in the draft tube. Moreover, it was observed that the minimum spouting velocity increases during the coating process. The results indicated that increasing the entrainment zone height and decreasing the distributor hole pitch increase the coating yield, while the draft tube height did not have a significant influence on the coating yield. These findings were confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The degree of agglomeration intensifies when increasing the entrainment zone height, increasing draft tube height and decreasing the distributor hole pitch. Finally, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses confirmed deposition of the coating material on the surface of particles.

The flow of pharmaceutical pellets in a Wurster fluid bed (WFB) was characterized by a frequency domain analysis of pressure fluctuations. Pellets with a diameter of 0.780 mm and density of 1.225 kg/m3 were used in the experiments. Different flow structures were identified in the bed, including bulk movement of pellets in the annulus (f

Since ZnO nanoparticles increase the electrical conductivity of the polypyrrole (PPy) coatings, an investigation was carried out to evaluate the effect of ZnO nanoparticles loading on the corrosion protection performance of PPy coatings on AA2024 Al alloy in 3.5% NaCl solution. At first, some measurements were carried out to find the best experimental conditions containing the electrodeposition method, electrosynthesis solvent composition, and ZnO nanoparticles’ concentration for preparing the optimum PPy coating on Al alloy2024. Three different methods of electrodeposition, namely: cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic, and potentiostatic techniques were analyzed. The anti-corrosion performance of the PPy coatings was evaluated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and Tafel polarization methods. The PPy prepared by potentiostatic method exhibited the best performance against corrosion of Al alloy2024 in 3.5% NaCl solution. Then, different mixtures of H2O/ethanol were tested as electrosynthesis solvents for preparation of PPy coatings on the alloy by optimized electrodeposition mode (i.e., potentiostatic). In evaluation of the prepared coatings, the pure water was introduced as the optimum solvent in electrodeposition of PPy. The investigation of different ZnO nanoparticles’ concentrations proved that the PPy coating containing 0.025% ZnO nanoparticles was the optimum coating against the corrosion of Al alloy in NaCl solution. Finally, the long-term evaluation of the corrosion protection performance of the coatings revealed that the optimum coating provided suitable protection against corrosion up to 14 days after immersion.

The present study was designed to synthesize lanthanum doped fern-like CuO nanoleaves (La3+-CuO fern-like nanoleaves), which were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) techniques. The mixing of fern-like La3+-CuO nanoleaves and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) modified carbon paste electrode (CPE) was used to construct La3+-CuO/MWCNTs/CPE. Subsequently, the experiments were continued by studying the electrochemical oxidation of morphine on fabricated La3+-CuO/MWCNTs/CPE so that the oxidation peak potential was found at 330 mV, meaning about 260 mV decrease of the overpotential than that on the traditional CPE, and about 4.9 times increase was observed for the oxidation peak current. A sensitive analytical approach was obtained by differential pulse voltammetry in accordance with the relationship between the oxidation peak current and the morphine concentration. The linear range of 0.05 to 325.0 μM was obtained for morphine determination with the 3σ detection limit of 8.0 nM. Moreover, this sensor proved favorable to simultaneously determine morphine and dopamine. The presence of morphine was also detected in real samples using our introduced approach as a selective, simple and precise electrochemical sensor.

An innovative and adept single-stage approach was created to synthesis lanthanum doped fern like CuO nanoleaves (La3+-CuO fern-like nanoleaves). The morphology and structure of fern like La3+-CuO nanoleaves are characterized by using the FT-IR, EDX, SEM, XPS and TEM techniques. Drop casting fern-like La3+-CuO nanoleaves suspension on MWCNTs/GC was used to fabricate the La3+-CuO/MWCNTs nanocomposites modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode. For electrochemical behavioral assessment of tramadol, differential pulse voltammetric analysis (DPV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) was implemented and the oxidation performance on MWCNTs/GC, La3+-CuO/MWCNTs/GC and bare GC was compared. The obtained results indicate that amalgamation of fern-like La3+-CuO nanoleaves and multiwall carbon nanotubes will entail a significant improvement of sensor sensitivity. A limit detection of 0.014 μM within a linear range of 0.5–900.0 μM was determined for obtaining the quantitative tramadol detection. Moreover, this sensor proved favorable to simultaneously determine tramadol and acetaminophen. Additionally, great sensitivity and stability was shown by the fabricated sensor which will be beneficial for tramadol and acetaminophen clinical assay.

Actuator materials capable of producing a rotational or tensile motion are rare and, yet, rotary systems are extensively utilized in mechanical systems like electric motors, pumps, turbines and compressors. Rotating elements of such machines can be rather complex and, therefore, difficult to miniaturize. Rotating action at the microscale, or even nanoscale, would benefit from the direct generation of torsion from an actuator material. Herein we discuss the advantages of using carbon nanotube (CNT) yarns and/or graphene (G) fibers as novel artificial muscles that have the ability to be driven by the electrochemical charging of helically wound multiwall carbon nanotubes or graphene fibers as well as elements in the ambient environment such as moisture to generate such rotational action. The torsional strain, torque, speed and lifetime have been evaluated under various electrochemical conditions to provide insight into the actuation mechanism and performance. Here the most recent advances in artificial muscles based on sheath-run artificial muscles (SRAMs) are reviewed. Finally, the rotating motion of the CNT yarn actuator and the humidity-responsive twisted graphene fibers have been coupled to a mixer for use in a prototype microfluidic system, moisture management and a humidity switch respectively.

Today we associate wearable technologies with electronic devices and novel approaches for powering these devices are being enabled by the advent of new piezoelectric materials and novel fabrication strategies. Mechanical energy harvesters are needed for such diverse applications as self-powered wireless sensors, structural and human health monitoring systems, and cheaply harvesting energy from human movements. Herein, we demonstrate novel triaxial braided PVDF yarn harvesters that piezoelectrically convert tensile mechanical energy into electrical energy. Compressing or bending braided PVDF yarns generated a maximum output voltage of 380 mV and a power density of 29.62 μW cm−3 which is ∼1559% higher than previously reported for piezoelectric textiles. It is found that the developed triaxial energy generator exhibits significantly higher sensitivity by a factor of 4 compared with the PVDF energy generator. Unlike other piezoelectric harvesters, the triaxial braided PVDF yarn achieves tensile energy harvesting and shows extreme durability which enables cycling with up to 50% strain for thousands of cycles with no changes in its performance. The production process is compatible with industrial, large-scale textile manufacturing and can be used for a variety of potential applications such as wearable electronic systems and energy harvesters charged from everyday body movements.

The current study was designed to develop a single-step and simple approach to effectively fabricate three-dimensional raspberry-like In3+/NiO hierarchical nanostructures (In3+/NiO RLHNSs) as a modifier, which was subsequently characterized by the techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The new prepared nano-modifier was practically used to co-detect electrochemically sunset yellow and tartrazine dyes. Potent sensitivity and acceptable selectivity were obtained for the produced In3+/NiO RLHNSs to co-detect both the food colorants, thus providing oxidation peaks in differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) with a peak potential separation of ca. 190 mV. The results showed a 5.14-fold and 8.07-fold increase in the electrochemical response of our modified electrode to sunset yellow and tartrazine, respectively, compared to the control (the unmodified electrode). Limits of detection of 2.7 and 3.1 nM were calculated for sunset yellow and tartrazine, respectively. The results from the interaction of common food additives showed satisfactory outcomes for the application of this method in determining sunset yellow and tartrazine in several beverage specimens. Other useful documentation was obtained for the production of portable food additive sensors.

We predict waterflood displacement on a pore-by-pore basis using pore network modelling. The pore structure is captured by a high-resolution image. We then use an energy balance applied to images of the displacement to assign an average contact angle, and then modify the local pore-scale contact angles in the model about this mean to match the observed displacement sequence. Two waterflooding experiments on oil-wet rocks are analysed where the displacement sequence was imaged using time-resolved synchrotron imaging. In both cases the capillary pressure in the model matches the experimentally obtained values derived from the measured interfacial curvature. We then predict relative permeability for the full saturation range. Using the optimised contact angles distributed randomly in space has little effect on the predicted capillary pressures and relative permeabilities, indicating that spatial correlation in wettability is not significant in these oil-wet samples. The calibrated model can be used to predict properties outside the range of conditions considered in the experiment.

High-resolution X-ray imaging combined with a steady-state flow experiment is used to demonstrate how pore-scale displacement affects macroscopic properties in an altered-wettability microporous carbonate, where porosity and fluid saturation can be directly obtained from the grey-scale micro-CT images. The resolvable macro pores are largely oil-wet with an average thermodynamic contact angle of 120°. The pore-by-pore analysis shows locally either oil or brine almost fully occupied the macro pores, with some oil displacement in the micro-porosity. We observed a typical oil-wet behaviour consistent with the contact angle measurement. The brine tended to occupy the larger macro pores, leading to a higher brine relative permeability, lower residual oil saturation, than under water-wet conditions and in a mixed-wet sandstone. The capillary pressure was negative and seven times larger in the carbonate than the sandstone, despite having a similar average pore size. These different displacement patterns are principally determined by the difference in wettability.

The ubiquity of wearables, coupled with the increasing demand for power, presents a unique opportunity for nanostructured fiber-based mobile energy storage systems. When designing wearable electronic textiles, there is a need for mechanically flexible, low-cost and light-weight components. To meet this demand, we have developed an all-in-one fiber supercapacitor with a total thickness of less than 100 &mu, m using a novel facile coaxial wet-spinning approach followed by a fiber wrapping step. The formed triaxial fiber nanostructure consisted of an inner poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) core coated with an ionically conducting chitosan sheath, subsequently wrapped with a carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber. The resulting supercapacitor is highly flexible, delivers a maximum energy density 5.83 Wh kg&minus, 1 and an extremely high power of 1399 W kg&minus, 1 along with remarkable cyclic stability and specific capacitance. This asymmetric all-in-one fiber supercapacitor may pave the way to a future generation of wearable energy storage devices.

Artificial muscle plays an interesting role in science discoveries. Large scale torsional and tensile actuation is achieved by twisting and coiling of synthetic polymer fibres. Research reports to date have discussed the theoretical background of actuation of twisted monofilament yarn. Twisting and coiling of several yarns together is another approach to fabricate polymer actuators and here we present the experimental observations of performance of actuators fabricated with multiple number of yarns. The theoretical background for the reasons of decreasing the actuation performance with increasing number of yarns are critically analysed and presented in this study. This analysis concludes that a minor change in the length of the fibre can significantly affect the stroke and force values of the twisted polymer actuators.

Sonoelectrochemistry is the combination of ultrasound and electrochemistry which provides many advantages in electrochemistry, such as fast reaction rates, surface cleaning and activation, and increased mass transport at an electrode. Due to the advantages, some efforts have been made in order to benefit sonoelectrochemistry in the field of energy and environmental engineering. This review paper highlights the developed progress of the application of sonoelectrochemistry in the production of hydrogen, electrocatalyst materials and electrodes for fuel cells and semiconductor photocatalyst materials. This review also provides the experimental methods that are utilized in several sonoelectrochemical techniques, such as different set-ups generally used for the synthesis of energy-related materials. Different key parameters in the operation of sonoelectrochemical synthesis including ultrasonication time, ultrasound frequency and operation current have been also discussed. There are not many research articles on the sonoelectrochemical production of materials for supercapacitors and water electrolyzers which play crucial roles in the renewable energy industry. Therefore, at the end of this review, some articles which have reported the use of ultrasound for the production of electrocatalysts for supercapacitors and electrolyzers have been reviewed. The current review might be helpful for scientists and engineers who are interested in and working on sonoelectrochemistry and electrocatalyst synthesis for energy storage and energy conversion.

The demands for wearable technologies continue to grow and novel approaches for powering these devices are being enabled by the advent of new energy materials and novel manufacturing strategies. In addition, decreasing the energy consumption of portable electronic devices has created a huge demand for the development of cost-effective and environment friendly alternate energy sources. Energy harvesting materials including piezoelectric polymer with its special properties make this demand possible. Herein, we develop a flexible and lightweight nanogenerator package based on polyvinyledene fluoride (PVDF)/LiCl electrospun nanofibers. The piezoelectric performance of the developed nanogenator is investigated to evaluate effect of the thickness of the as-spun mat on the output voltage using a vibration and impact test. It is found that the output voltage increases from 1.3 V to 5 V by adding LiCl as additive into the spinning solution compared with pure PVDF. The prepared PVDF/LiCl nanogenerator is able to generate voltage and current output of 3 V and 0.5 &mu, A with a power density output of 0.3 &mu, W cm&minus, 2 at the frequency of 200 Hz. It is found also that the developed nanogenerator can be utilized as a sensor to measure temperature changes from 30 &deg, C to 90 &deg, C under static pressure. The developed electrospun temperature sensor showed sensitivity of 0.16%/&deg, C under 100 Pa pressure and 0.06%/&deg, C under 220 Pa pressure. The obtained results suggested the developed energy harvesting textiles have promising applications for various wearable self-powered electrical devices and systems.

Bu çalışmada Türkiye Bina Deprem Yönetmeliği 2018 ve Mander modellerine göre sargılı betonarme kolonların gerilme-şekil değiştirme ilişkileri incelenmiştir. Önerilen sargılı beton modelleri için çekirdek betonuna uygulanan basınç dayanımları, sargılı betonda beton basınç dayanımı ve gerilme-şekil değiştirme ilişkileri araştırılmıştır. Sargılı betonun davranışının daha iyi anlaşılabilmesi için gerilme-şekil değiştirme bağıntıları ve sargılı beton modelleri hakkında bilgi verilmiştir. Sargılı betonun davranışını araştırmak için farklı sargı donatı çapı ve farklı sargı donatı aralığına sahip kare en-kesitli betonarme kolon modelleri tasarlanmıştır. Sargı donatısı çapının ve aralıklarının sargılı beton basınç dayanımına etkisi araştırılmıştır. Kare en-kesitli kolonların farklı sargılı beton modelleri dikkate alınarak gerilme-şekil değiştirme ilişkileri araştırılarak karşılaştırılmıştır. Tasarlanan kare en-kesitli kolon modellerinde sargılı beton basınç dayanımları ve basınç birim şekil değiştirmeleri hesaplanarak gerilme-şekil değiştirme grafikleri elde edilmiştir. Analiz sonuçlarından elde edilen sonuçlar farklı parametrelere göre karşılaştırılarak yorumlanmıştır. Türkiye Bina Deprem Yönetmeliği 2018 ve Mander modeli ile elde edilen sonuçlar karşılaştırılarak yorumlanmıştır. Modellerde farklı çaplarda ve aralıklarda sargı donatısı kullanımının, farklı parametrelerde tasarlanan betonarme kolon kesitlerinde çekirdek betona uygulanan etkili yanal basınçları ve sargılı beton basınç dayanımlarını etkilediği sonucu elde edilmiştir., In this study, stress-strain relationships for confined reinforced concrete columns were investigated according to TBEC 2018 and Mander models. For the proposed confined concrete models, the lateral confining stress on core concrete, the compressive strength of confined concrete and stress-strain relations in the confined concrete were investigated. In order to better understand the behavior of the confined concrete, stress-strain relations and information about the confined concrete models are given. To investigate the behavior of confined concrete, square cross-section reinforced concrete column models with different transverse reinforcement diameters and transverse reinforcement spacing have been designed. The effect of the diameter and spacing of the transverse reinforcement on the confined concrete compressive strength was investigated. Stress-strain relations of square cross-section columns were investigated by considering the different confined concrete models. The stress-strain curves were obtained by calculating the confined concrete compressive strengths and strain at maximum concrete stress in the square cross-section column models designed. The results obtained from the analysis results were compared and interpreted according to different parameters. Results obtained with TBEC 2018 and Mander model were compared and interpreted. It has been concluded that the use of transverse reinforcement with different diameters and spacing in the models affects the lateral confining stress on core concrete from transverse reinforcement and compressive strength of confined concrete in reinforced concrete column sections designed with different parameters.

Betonarme elemanların eğrilik sünekliğinin doğru tahmini, sismik yükler altında binaların kapasitesinin güvenilir bir tahminini sağladığı için her zaman çekici bir çalışma konusu olmuştur. Bu çalışmada; malzeme modelinin, eksenel yükün ve sargı donatı oranının betonarme kolonların davranışı üzerindeki etkisi analitik olarak araştırılmıştır. Kare kesitli kolon modelleri tasarlanmıştır. Kolonların davranışı, malzemelerin doğrusal olmayan davranışı dikkate alınarak moment-eğrilik ilişkisinden değerlendirilmiştir. Betonarme kolonların farklı eksenel yük seviyeleri ve sargı donatı oranları için moment eğrilik ilişkileri Mander modeli dikkate alınarak elde edilmiştir. Parametrelerin kolon davranışı üzerindeki incelenen etkileri kesitin mukavemeti, süneklik ve etkin rijitlik açısından değerlendirilmiştir. Tasarlanan betonarme kolon kesitlerde, farklı parametrelerin moment eğrilik ilişkisi, sünekliği ve etkin rijitlik üzerindeki etkisi hesaplanarak karşılaştırılmıştır. Eksenel yük ve sargı donatı oranının değişiminin, betonarme kolonların moment-eğrilik davranışı üzerinde önemli bir etkiye sahip olduğu gözlenmiştir. Çatlamış kesitin etkin rijitliği sabit olmasa da, sargı donatı oranı ve kesit üzerine etki eden eksenel kuvvet gibi parametrelere bağlı olarak değişmektedir., The correct estimate of curvature ductility of reinforced concrete members has always been an attractive subject of study as it engenders a reliable estimate of the capacity of buildings under seismic loads. In this study, the effect of the material model, axial load and transverse reinforcement ratio on the behavior of reinforced concrete columns were analytically investigated. Squared cross-section column models have been designed. The behavior of the columns were evaluated from the moment-curvature relation by taking the nonlinear behavior of the materials into account. The moment-curvature relationships for different axial load levels and transverse reinforcement ratios of the reinforced concrete column cross-sections were obtained considering the Mander confined model. The examined effects of the parameters on the column behavior were evaluated in terms of the strength of the cross-section, ductility and effective stiffness. In the designed column cross-sections, different parameters effecting the moment-curvature relationships, ductility and effective stiffness were calculated and compared. It is observed that the variation of the axial load and transverse reinforcement ratio have an important effect on the moment-curvature behavior, ductility and effective stiffness of the reinforced concrete columns. Although the effective stiffness of the cracked section is not constant, it varies depends on parameters such as the confining reinforcement and axial force acting on the section.

A pore-network model is an upscaled representation of the pore space and fluid displacement, which is used to simulate two-phase flow through porous media. We use the results of pore-scale imaging experiments to calibrate and validate our simulations, and specifically to find the pore-scale distribution of wettability. We employ energy balance to estimate an average, thermodynamic, contact angle in the model, which is used as the initial estimate of contact angle. We then adjust the contact angle of each pore to match the observed fluid configurations in the experiment as a nonlinear inverse problem. The proposed algorithm is implemented on two sets of steady state micro-computed-tomography experiments for water-wet and mixed-wet Bentheimer sandstone. As a result of the optimization, the pore-by-pore error between the model and experiment is decreased to less than that observed between repeat experiments on the same rock sample. After calibration and matching, the model predictions for capillary pressure and relative permeability are in good agreement with the experiments. The proposed algorithm leads to a distribution of contact angle around the thermodynamic contact angle. We show that the contact angle is spatially correlated over around 4 pore lengths, while larger pores tend to be more oil-wet. Using randomly assigned distributions of contact angle in the model results in poor predictions of relative permeability and capillary pressure, particularly for the mixed-wet case.

Bu çalışmada; eksenel yük seviyesi, boyuna donatı oranı, sargı donatı çapı ve sargı donatı aralığının değişiminin betonarme kolonların moment-eğrilik ilişkisine olan etkisi incelenmiştir. Bu amaçla, farklı parametrelere sahip betonarme dairesel kolon modelleri Türkiye Bina Deprem Yönetmeliği (2018) hükümlerine uyularak tasarlanmıştır. Betonarme kolonların davranışı, malzemelerin doğrusal olmayan davranışları göz önüne alınarak moment-eğrilik ilişkisi üzerinden elde edilmiştir. Betonarme kolon kesitlerinin moment-eğrilik ilişkileri farklı eksenel yük seviyeleri için yanal sargı basıncını göz önüne alan Mander modeli ile elde edilmiştir. Moment-eğrilik ilişkileri, malzemelerin doğrusal olmayan davranışlarını dikkate alan SAP2000 programı ile elde edilmiştir. Tasarlanan betonarme kesit modellerinin kabuk betonu, sargılı beton ve donatı çeliği olarak üç farklı unsurdan oluştuğu düşünülmüştür. Parametrelerin incelenen davranışsal etkileri, kesitlerin eğrilik ve moment taşıma kapasitesi kullanılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Elde edilen Moment-eğrilik ilişkilerinden, kabuk ve çekirdek betonunda çatlama ve kırılma, donatı çeliğinde akma ve pekleşme durumları hesaplanarak sonuçlar çizelgeler ve grafikler halinde sunulmuştur. Çekirdek betonundaki sargı etkisi hesaplarda gözönüne alınmıştır. Dairesel kesitli kolonlarının davranışı ve kırılma tipleri, kesitlerin moment-eğrilik ilişkisinden elde edilen sonuçlara göre yorumlanmıştır. Eksenel yükün, boyuna donatı oranının, sargı donatı çapının ve sargı donatı aralığının değişiminin betonarme kolonların moment-eğrilik davranışı üzerinde önemli bir etkiye sahip olduğu gözlemlenmiştir. Betonarme kolon kesitlerinin yük taşıma kapasitesi, çekirdek betonun ezilerek kırılması ile sona ermektedir. Kabuk betonun ezilmesinden önce donatı akması ile hasar gören betonarme kolon kesitleri daha fazla sünek davranış göstermektedir., In this study; the effect of axial load levels, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, transverse reinforcement diameter and transverse reinforcement spacing were investigated on the moment curvature relationships of reinforced concrete columns. For this purpose, circular reinforced concrete columns having different parameters were designed considering the regulations of the Turkish Building Earthquake Code (2018). The behavior of the columns were investigated from the moment-curvature relation, by considering the nonlinear behavior of the materials taken into account. The moment-curvature relationships of the reinforced concrete column cross-sections having different axial load levels have been obtained by considering Mander model, which considers the lateral, confined concrete strength. Moment-curvature relationships were obtained by SAP2000 Software, which takes the nonlinear behavior of materials into consideration. The designed reinforced concrete cross section models are considered to be composed of three components; cover concrete, confined concrete and reinforcement steel. The examined behavioral effects of the parameters were evaluated by the curvature and moment carrying capacity of the cross-sections. From the obtained moment-curvature relationship, cracking and destruction in cover and core concrete, yield and hardening conditions in reinforcement steel were calculated and the results were presented in charts and graphs. The confining effect in the core concrete is taken into account in the calculations. The behavior of the circular column sections and the types of refraction were interpreted according to the results obtained from the moment-curvature relationship of the sections. It is observed that the variation of the axial load, longitudinal reinforcement ratio, transverse reinforcement diameter and transverse reinforcement spacing have an important effect on the moment-curvature behavior of the reinforced concrete columns. The load bearing capacity of reinforced concrete column sections ends by destruction of the core concrete. Reinforced concrete column sections damaged by reinforcement yield before crushing of cover concrete exhibit more ductile behavior.

In this study, the nonlinear behavior of ductile reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls having different parameters was analytically investigated. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of axial load, longitudinal reinforcement ratio and transverse reinforcement ratios on the moment-curvature and lateral force-lateral peak displacement relationships of RC shear walls. RC shear walls that have various parameters were designed by taking into account the regulation of the Turkish Building Earthquake Code (TBEC, 2018). By considering the nonlinear behavior of the materials, behaviors of the RC shear walls were examined within the framework of the moment-curvature relation. The moment-curvature relations of RC shear walls with different parameters were obtained with the Mander model which takes into consideration the lateral confined concrete strength for different parameters. The effects of the analyzed parameters on the nonlinear behavior of the RC shear walls were evaluated in terms of curvature ductility, moment capacity, peak displacement, the angular displacement and displacement ductility values. It was seen that changes in the transverse reinforcement, longitudinal reinforcement, and axial load levels had important influence on the moment-curvature and lateral force-lateral peak displacement behavior of the RC shear walls.

Conductive biomaterials have recently gained much attention, specifically owing to their application for electrical stimulation of electrically excitable cells. Herein, flexible, electrically conducting, robust fibers composed of both an alginate biopolymer and graphene components have been produced using a wet-spinning process. These nanocomposite fibers showed better mechanical, electrical, and electrochemical properties than did single fibers that were made solely from alginate. Furthermore, with the aim of evaluating the response of biological entities to these novel nanocomposite biofibers, in vitro studies were carried out using C2C12 myoblast cell lines. The obtained results from in vitro studies indicated that the developed electrically conducting biofibers are biocompatible to living cells. The developed hybrid conductive biofibers are likely to find applications as 3D scaffolding materials for tissue engineering applications.

Electrochemically or electrothermally driven twisted/coiled carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn actuators are interesting artificial muscles for wearables as they can sustain high stress. However, due to high fabrication costs, these yarns have limited their application in smart textiles. An alternative approach is to use off-the-shelf yarns and coat them with conductive polymers that deliver high actuation properties. Here, novel hybrid textile yarns are demonstrated that combine CNT and an electroactive polypyrrole coating to provide both high strength and good actuation properties. CNT-coated polyester yarns are twisted and coiled and subjected to electrochemical coating of polypyrrole to obtain the hierarchical soft actuators. When twisted without coiling, the polypyrrole-coated yarns produce fully reversible 25 degrees mm(-1)rotation, 8.3x higher than the non-reversible rotation from twisted CNT-coated yarns in a three-electrode electrochemical system operated between +0.4 and -1.0 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The coiled yarns generate fully reversible 10 degrees mm(-1)rotation and 0.22% contraction strain, 2.75x higher than coiled CNT-coated yarns, when operated within the same potential window. The twisted and coiled yarns exhibit high tensile strength with excellent abrasion resistance in wet and dry shearing conditions that can match the requirements for using them as soft actuators in wearables and textile exoskeletons. Funding Agencies|Promobilia Foundation [F17603]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linkoping University (faculty grant SFO Mat LiU) [2009-00971]; Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research Council [2014-3079]; Carl Trygger Foundation [CTS:17-215]; European Unions Horizon 2020 research and innovation program [825232]; University of Wollongongs Visiting International Scholar Award

Experimental studies of the hydrodynamic performance of the draft tube conical spout-fluid bed (DCSF) were conducted using pharmaceutical pellets. The experiments were carried out in a DCSF consisted of two sections: (a) a conical section with the cross section of 120 mm × 250 mm and the height of 270 mm, (b) a cylindrical section with the diameter of 250 mm and the height of 600 mm. The flow characteristics of solids were investigated with a high speed camera and a pezoresistive absolute pressure transducer simultaneously. These characteristics revealed different flow regimes in the DCSF: packed bed at low gas velocities, fluidized bed in draft tube at higher gas velocities until minimum spouting, and spouted bed. The stable spouting was identified by the presence of two dominant frequencies of the power spectrum density of pressure fluctuation signature: (i) the frequency band 6–9 Hz and (ii) the frequency band 12–15 Hz. The pressure drops across the draft tube as well as the annulus measured in order to better recognize the flow structure in the DCSF. It was observed that the pressure drop across the draft tube, the pressure drop across the annulus, and the minimum spouting velocity increase with the increase in the height of draft tube and distance of the entrainment zone, but with the decrease in the distributor hole pitch. Finally, this study provided novel insight into the hydrodynamic of DCSF, particularly minimum spouting and stable spouting in the DCSF which contains valuable information for process design and scale-up of spouted bed equipment.