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Developing hollow components that integrate a large number of complex coolant channels for thermonuclear reactors remains a challenging task, owing to potential technical problems such as dissimilar metal connections, over-aging, and large welding areas (meter-scale). In this paper, CuCrZr/316L hollow components were manufactured using an improved explosive welding technique, where theoretical calculations and composite filling mold were used to achieve ideal welding conditions. Microstructure analysis showed that irregular waves of continuous and complete metallurgical bonding were detected at the bonding interface, and the defects at the corner of the flow channel were controlled at the hundred-micron level. The joint exhibited high shear strength (~ 292 MPa) under the given high-temperature conditions (200 ℃), whose peak strength, stress–distance curve, and failure mode were almost consistent with the experimental results at room temperature (25 ℃). Finally, under all conditions of the helium-leak test, the leak tightness of the CuCrZr/316L hollow component met the standard requirement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer microgels are smart materials used to fabricate and encapsulate different enzymes. Encapsulation of enzymes in the polymer gel particles prolong their life span, enhance and tune their activity in biomedical field to prevent cell damage and make possible tunable drug delivery. Enzymes are natural catalysts and have prodigious ability to make the reaction kinetically feasible. Enzymes encapsulated polymer microgels gained much attention due to their synergistic properties. Here, different methods adopted for the synthesis of enzyme encapsulated polymer microgels, their properties, and classification based on responsive behavior have been described in detail. Applications of these enzyme encapsulated polymer microgels in sensing, catalysis, environmental remediation, useful product formation, and biomedical field to prevent disabilities have also been elaborated with future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scaffolds offer a three-dimensional framework supporting cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation of cells which are used to repair and regenerate tissues. Recent advancements in scaffold technology have significantly exploited the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This comprehensive review provides in-depth exploration of scaffold materials, fabrication techniques, and their recent progress in applications. Composite scaffolds have promising applications in bone and dental tissue regeneration due to their greater mechanical properties and ability to promote cell growth. The inherent crosslinking present in hydrogels allows them to maintain their integrity and three-dimensional structure without dissolving. However, there is a growing interest in smart hydrogels which can respond to changes in their external surroundings like pH, ionic strength, temperature, or specific molecules. dECM scaffold is an alternative potential technique for reconstructing the functional organs/tissues by excluding the cell-associated antigens while maintaining the native ECM compositions like growth factors, basement membrane structural proteins, and GAG's. The degree of porosity in scaffolds can be increased by various fabrication techniques such as TIPS, SCPL, gas foaming, and freeze drying. GelMA hydrogels have shown promising potential in cell proliferation and tissue regeneration. In addition, graphene and its derivatives have been instrumental in the fabrication of bioactive scaffolds for cartilage regeneration. The introduction of additive manufacturing technologies, specifically 3D bioprinting, has significantly improved the precision and control of scaffold fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addressed the preparation of nanocomposites consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and titanium oxide (TiO2) for utilization in optoelectronics technologies. PVA/10%TiO2 nanocomposite samples with a mean thickness of 0.1mm were created using the solution casting method. The PVA/TiO2 films are irradiated with oxygen fluences of 0.4×1017, 0.8×1017 and 1.2×1017 ions/cm2. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR methodologies were employed to investigate the impact of ion bombardment on the structural characteristics and functional groups of PVA/TiO2 substrates. Diffraction peaks are 20.1° for PVA and 25.4° for TiO2, indicating the successful PVA/TiO2 nanocomposite construction. The absorbance (A) of unirradiated and irradiated samples was measured using UV–Vis spectroscopy within a wavelength range of 200–1100nm. Band gaps (Eg) were calculated using Tauc’s formula for PVA/TiO2 films, exhibiting a decrease from 4.56eV for unirradiated PVA/TiO2 film to 4.16, 3.95 and 3.88eV at ion fluences of 0.4×1017, 0.8×1017 and 1.2×1017 ions/cm2, respectively. Furthermore, the Ubrach tail has a rise of 1.23eV for unirradiated PVA/TiO2 to 1.28eV, 1.4eV and 1.77eV for irradiated films with ion fluences of 0.4×1017, 0.8×1017 and 1.2×1017 ions/cm2, respectively. Additionally, following ion irradiation, the PVA/TiO2 absorption edge Ee, which was 3.56eV, decreased to 3.48, 3.37 and 3.23eV, with increasing ion beam fluences. This study demonstrated that the optical behaviors of the PVA/TiO2 films were altered under bombardment, suggesting their potential applicability in optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a p-Si/ALD-Al2O3/Ti/Pt MOS (metal oxide semiconductor) device has been fabricated and used as a hydrogen sensor. The use of such a stack enables a reliable, industry-compatible CMOS fabrication process. ALD-Al2O3 has been chosen as it can be integrated into the back end of the line (BEOL) or in CMOS, post processing. The device response and recovery are demonstrated with good correlation between the capacitance variation and the hydrogen concentration. Detection down to 20 ppm at 140 °C was obtained and a response time of 56 s for 500 ppm was recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When providing eyewitness testimony, people sometimes fabricate lies that supplement the truth by embellishing or adding new information. This study investigated whether participants confuse their fabricated lies for actually witnessed events over time. In two experiments employing different eyewitness events, participants viewed an event and were then asked to lie about unseen details and events. Memory was assessed after either a 1‐week (E1a & E2) or a 4‐week (E1b & E2) retention interval. In both experiments, participants falsely reported witnessing their lies after a 4‐week retention interval, but only one experiment (E2) obtained evidence for these memory errors at the shorter retention interval of 1‐week. In addition, when assessed repeatedly, lies that participants correctly rejected as not witnessed at the 1‐week retention interval were later incorrectly endorsed as witnessed when tested again at the 4‐week retention interval, thus showing that distinguishing lies from truth became more difficult over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silk fibroin (SF), a natural protein derived from silkworms, has emerged as a promising biomaterial due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, degradation rate, and tunable mechanical properties. This review delves into the intrinsic attributes of SF that make it an attractive candidate for scaffold development in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. The distinctiveness of this comprehensive review resides in its detailed exploration of recent advancements in the fabrication techniques of SF‐based fibrous scaffolds, namely electrospinning, freeze‐drying, and 3D printing. An in‐depth analysis of these fabrication techniques is conducted to illustrate their versatility in customizing essential scaffold characteristics, such as porosity, fiber diameter, and mechanical strength. The article meticulously discusses process parameters, advantages, and challenges of each fabrication technique, highlighting the innovative advancements made in the respective field. Furthermore, the review goes beyond fabrication techniques to provide an overview of the latest biomedical applications and research endeavors utilizing SF‐derived scaffolds. From nerve regeneration and wound healing to drug delivery, bone regeneration, and vascular tissue engineering, the diverse applications underscore the versatility of SF in adopting various biomedical challenges. Finally, the article emphasizes the need for standardized characterization techniques, scalable manufacturing processes, and long‐term in vivo studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of wear resistance properties of newly emerging materials as complements to their mechanical properties is important to broaden their applications. This study focuses on wear resistance properties of particle-reinforced epoxy. Results obtained reveal that surface wear of the examined epoxy-based composites occurred by the crack initiation by the abrasive tips of the wear tester, crack propagation and/or crack pinning. Linear regression model has accuracies of 99.94, 99.92, 99.93, 99.88, 99.91 and 99.92% with respect to various grades of composites examined. Response surface two-functional interaction model exhibits a better goodness of fit than the response surface linear model that shows an outlier. The response surface linear model best fits the wear rates of AlnpUCSnp/epoxy and AlnpCCSnp/epoxy with respective adequate precision of 14.138 and 10.204 affirming the model's adequate signal. Hence, this study establishes that epoxy-based hybrid composite having 4.7%–82.47 nm-sized aluminium-5.76%–49.85 nm-sized carbonised coconut shell hybrid particles experiences a surface wear of 0.00272721 g per metre when it is in contact with a rough surface under an applied load of 16.71 N at a speed of 0.7 ms−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen has been regarded as a promising alternative to traditional fossil fuels, presenting itself as a viable and environmentally friendly energy choice. The design and fabrication of highly efficient hydrogen storage materials is crucial to the wide utilization of hydrogen‐based technologies. Magnesium‐based nanocrystalline materials have received significant interest in the field of hydrogen storage due to their remarkable hydrogen storage capabilities and release efficiency. This review emphasizes on the most useful techniques including vapor deposition, sol‐gel synthesis, electrochemical deposition, magnetron sputtering, and template‐assisted approaches used for the fabrication of Magnesium‐based nanocrystalline hydrogen storage materials (Mg‐NHSMs), stressing their advantages, limitations, and recent advancements. These cutting‐edge techniques demonstrate their significance in offering useful insights into the performance of Mg‐NHSMs. Further, this review describes various applications of Mg‐NHSMs. In addition, this review highlights the conclusion and future perspectives on the improvement of magnesium based nanocrystalline materials for efficient hydrogen storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of smart nanocomposites by reinforcing carbon nanomaterials into polymer composite materials has gained significant attention due to their extensive potential applications, especially in the field of monitoring of mechanical, aerospace and infrastructure systems. These smart nanocomposites exhibit excellent electro-mechanical sensing capability. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with outstanding electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties can be reinforced into polymer composite materials by appropriate dispersion to produce polymer/CNTs-based smart nanocomposites with excellent sensitivity. Understanding the processing, characterization and properties of the nanocomposites will help in yielding a deeper insight into the effect of incorporation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the matrix of the polymer composites. This study provides a comprehensive overview (primarily in the last 2 decades) of the major influencing factors on the underlying mechanisms involved in the fabrication and performance of nanocomposites which can cause a paradigm shift in instrumentation and sensing for structural health monitoring (SHM). Therefore, this review article presents the recent advancement in the development of CNTs-reinforced polymer nanocomposites-based sensors encompassing the mechanism for electrical conductivity/piezo properties, fabrication, applications for various types of sensing, and the futuristic application for smart sensing through appropriate tailoring of nanocomposites using CNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript proposes an enhanced technique for the friction stir welding (FSW) of ceramic particle‐reinforced aluminium‐related metal matrix composites. The proposed technique is the joint implementation of both the Aquila Optimizer and Pelican Optimization Algorithm. This proposed method aims is to enhance the welding efficiency, quality, and overall performance of the weld joints. The test is conducted in an all‐purpose machine at cutting speeds that permit temperatures that are comparable to the FSW of stainless‐steel, aluminium alloys and copper. Reaction–diffusion studies are conducted to better understand the diffusion‐control process under tool wear, and the tool wear rate is determined by the length of the cutting tool's nose tip. Rotational speed at 10 mm/min is examined. SiC exhibits the highest performance of aluminium and stainless steel. As the fraction of SiC increases to 18%, the axial force and rotational speed of FSW also increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resistant dextrin (RD) is a kind of glucan extracted and processed from starch. It has been approved as a Generally Recognized as Safe food which has a promising future. However, there is less comprehensive basic and applied information about RD. Therefore, this paper presents the progress of research on the preparation and purification methods, physicochemical properties, physiological activities and applications of RD, with a focus on highlighting its physiological activities and potential mechanisms of action. The aim is to provide theoretical references for the comprehensive development and utilization of RD in the fields of functional foods and medicinal foods, so that RD can be better applied in the treatment of chronic metabolic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trustworthy literature is an essential part of knowledge, evidence-based information, and science. However, publications can contain mistakes or have results from unreliable research, which may compromise their integrity. In this review, we discuss publication integrity, with a focus on our field of biomedicine, and how it could be improved. In our experience, compromised publication integrity is frequently poorly handled, and we, and others, have reported that responses to publication integrity concerns can be inefficient, inconsistent, slow, opaque, and incomplete. Checklists and tools are now available to assist in the assessment of publication integrity, but systemic changes are needed. However, this requires many of the key parties involved (journals, publishers, institutions, academic societies, and regulators) to acknowledge and engage with the problem. There is little evidence of a willingness to do this. We conclude that it has been recognised for many years that the system for dealing with publication integrity is broken, but currently, there appears little interest in trying to improve it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfaces with high aspect ratio microarray structures can implement sophisticated assignment in typical fields including microfluidics, sensor, biomedicine, et al. via regulating their deformation or the material properties. Inspired by natural materials and systems, for example sea cockroaches, water spiders, cacti, lotus leaves, rice leaves, and cedar leaves, many researchers have focused on microneedle functional surface studies. When the surface with high aspect ratio microarray structures is stimulated by the external fields, such as optical, electric, thermal, magnetic, the high aspect ratio microarray structures can undergo hydrophilic and hydrophobic switching or shape change, which may be gifted the surfaces with the ability to perform complex task, including directional liquid/air transport, targeted drug delivery, microfluidic chip sensing. In this review, the fabrication principles of various surfaces with high aspect ratio microarray structures are classified and summarized. Mechanisms of liquid manipulation on hydrophilic/hydrophobic surfaces with high aspect ratio microarray structures are clarified based on Wenzel model, Cassie model, Laplace pressure theories and so on. Then the intelligent control strategies have been demonstrated. The applications in microfluidic, drug delivery, patch sensors have been discussed. Finally, current challenges and new insights of future prospects for dynamic manipulation of liquid/air based on biomimetic surface with high aspect ratio microarray structures are also addressed. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Locally controlling the position of electrodes in 3D can open new avenues to collect electrochemical signals in complex sensing environments. Implementing such electrodes via an electrical network requires advanced fabrication approaches. This work uses corner lithography and Pt ALD to produce electrochemical 3D electrodes. The approach allows the fabrication of (sub)micrometer size Pt octahedra electrodes spatially supported over 3D fractal‐like structures. As a proof of concept, electrochemical sensing of ferrocyanide in biofouling environments, e.g., bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa), is assessed. Differences between before and after BSA addition show a reduction in the active electrode surface area (ΔAeff) ≈49% ± 7% for the flat electrode. In comparison, a ΔAeff reduction of 25% ± 2% for the 3D electrode has been found. The results are accompanied by a 24% ± 16% decrease in peak current for the flat Pt substrate and a 14% ± 5% decrease in peak current for the 3D electrode 24 h after adding BSA. In the case of P. aeruginosa, the 3D electrode retains electrochemical signals, while the flat electrode does not. The results demonstrate that the 3D Pt electrodes are more stable than their flat counterparts under biofouling conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is constantly challenged regarding managing environmental and ecological contamination due to human and industrial activities. This is because of the constant threat posed by pollution. Nowadays, membrane‐based technology is a growing field, making practically all the separation of foulant from wastewater possible. The membrane fouling resulting from the interaction between the foulant and the membrane surface presents a challenge for the technology in maintaining performance over extended periods of operation. As a result, there is a rising interest in research focusing mainly on creating patterned membrane surfaces that reduce fouling and effectively enhance the surface area. This article comprehensively overviews the most recent and cutting‐edge techniques that can be applied to modify and construct high‐performance patterned membranes suitable for ultrafiltration, microfiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis (UF, MF, NF, and RO) water purification processes. In this study, recent developments in membrane material are dissected, focusing on methods for improving surface chemistry, structure, and hydrodynamics, as well as the consequences of these characteristics on filtering performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work introduces a practical reinforcement learning (RL) techniques to address the complex scheduling challenges in producing Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode displays. Specifically, we focus on autonomous optimization of the photolithography process, a critical bottleneck in the fabrication. This provides an outperforming scheduling method compared with the existing rule-based approach which requires diverse rules and engineer experience on adapting dynamic environments. Our purposing RL network was designed to make effective schedules aligning with layered structures of the planning and scheduling modules for mass production. In the training phase, historical production data is utilized to create a representative discrete event simulation environment. The RL agent, based on the Deep Q-Network, undergoes episodic training to learn optimal scheduling policies. To ensure safe and reliable scheduling decisions, we further introduce action filters and parallel competing schedulers. The performance of RL-based Scheduler (RLS) is compared to the Rule-Based Scheduler (RBS) over actual fabrication in a year-long period. Based on key performance indicators, we validate the RLS outperforms the RBS, with a remarkable improvement in step target matching, reduced setup times, and enhanced lot assignments. This work also paves a way for the gradual integration of AI-based algorithms into smart manufacturing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to enhance the limited information on elevated temperature stability of MAX phase materials, Ti 2 AlN MAX phase composites were fabricated in a two-step procedure and subsequently tested regarding their oxidation and creep behavior. Furthermore, commentary testing on material enhanced with different amount of Al 2 O 3 fibers was performed. The compressive creep was investigated in the temperature range of 900–1200 °C under stresses ranging from 20 to 100 MPa, with a loading direction parallel and perpendicular to the compression direction during sintering. The oxidation behavior was characterized, demonstrating excellent oxidation resistance of the samples up to 1200 °C. Supported by microstructural investigations, the impact of the texturing of the matrix grains, the content and the orientation of Al 2 O 3 fibers, as well as that of the interfaces between matrix grains and the Al 2 O 3 fibers were investigated. De-cohesion and cracks formed at the triple junctions of the MAX phase grains indicate grain boundary sliding as predominant creep mechanism for the composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, hydroxylapatite (HA) nanoparticles were constructed through the ultrasound‐assisted dispersion method. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), we studied the preparation methods of HA nanoparticles, and spherical HA nanoparticles with a size of about 50 nm were prepared. Besides, we constructed the HA/PLA composite nanoparticles with polylactic acid (PLA) as the material. The effects of different composite proportions on the HA/PLA composite nanoparticles were investigated before Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), and SEM, were applied to preliminary evaluate the effects of the above‐mentioned nanoparticles on capsaicin release. Through an in vitro study, we found that the release rate of the drug could be influenced by various release media and different compounding ratios (of HA and PLA). Furthermore, the pharmacokinetics study of capsaicin powder and capsaicin‐loaded HA/PLA composite nanoparticles demonstrated marked increased Cmax, prolongation of Tmax to 8 h, increased T1/2 and mean retention time (MRT) by 6.7 and 5.6 times respectively, coupled with 9240.2 % increase in relative bioavailability. Of note, HA/PLA composite nanoparticles showed good biocompatibility and exhibited good long‐term controlled release carriers, coupled with the ability to improve the solubility and bioavailability of a lipophilic drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve Si‐free refractory ceramic matrix composites exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere at approximately 2000°C, a Ti–Zr–Mo ternary alloy melt‐infiltration (MI) method was developed for the production of carbon fiber‐reinforced refractory high‐entropy ceramic matrix composites (C/RHECs), with high‐entropy carbides serving as the matrix. This approach was designed using calculation phase diagrams (CALPHADs) and the calculation of thermodynamic parameters. The combination of CALPHAD and the calculation of alloy and carbon reactivity enabled the prediction of reaction and infiltration behavior into a preform comprising carbon fiber, carbon black, and transition metal carbide powders. Furthermore, C/RHECs featuring a (Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Nb, Mo)C matrix were experimentally fabricated through the Ti–Zr–Mo alloy MI method in accordance with the design. The arc‐wind tunnel tests on the C/RHECs conducted at approximately 2000°C revealed surfaces covered with complex oxides. The apparent oxidation rate of the C/RHECs was similar to that of Si‐containing ceramics and composites. These results indicate that complex oxides act as a barrier to oxygen diffusion toward unoxidized regions, making Si no longer essential for protecting materials from oxidation above 2000°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced manufacturing-a range of innovative, integrated, and controlled technological processes aimed at enhancing efficiency and optimizing outcomes-offers opportunities for rural economic development. However, the presence of advanced manufacturing and its related opportunities are not well understood in rural Canada, particularly at the local level. As part of a project exploring advanced manufacturing in the rural Kootenay region of British Columbia, researchers identified the need for a nuanced and rurally inclusive definition of advanced manufacturing and an accompanying assessment to assist in better understanding needs and opportunities. This article summarizes the case study and proposes the 'advanced manufacturing spectrum', a model illustrating and defining advanced manufacturing, with an accompanying assessment tool that aims to assist users to identify themselves within the advanced manufacturing sector and to better understand the current state of advanced manufacturing and potential for advancement. The application of the assessment tool to the case study demonstrates the potential of the spectrum as a diagnostic and planning tool, able to reveal placebased challenges and opportunities and to enable targeted action. However, given the range of rural contexts, we acknowledge potential limitations in the transferability of the spectrum and assessment tool. The purpose of this article is to share the proposed advanced manufacturing spectrum model for further discussion, testing, and refinement based on its application in other rural regions. We invite further testing of the proposed spectrum and assessment tool to better understand the size and scope of current advanced manufacturing activities across rural places, and to share observations and lessons around the transferability of the spectrum. This article highlights the complex dynamics between government policies, local capacities, and entrepreneurial initiatives in the context of rural development, offering valuable considerations for policymakers and researchers interested in advancing manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The latest research progress of ultrathin bismuth-based materials in the field of photocatalysis in recent years is reviewed, including pollutant degradation, photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, and reduction of carbon dioxide. As an innovative kind of semiconductor photocatalytic material, bismuth-based material is a kind of photocatalyst with moderate band gap, low cost, non-toxic and harmless. Its band gap adjust-ability and morphology adjustability provide the basic conditions for achieving good photocatalytic performance under ultrathin structure. The development of visible-light-responsive photocatalysts with two-dimensional layered structures has attracted extensive interest from scholars. Then, various bismuth-based photocatalytic materials that have been extensively studied are briefly introduced. The synthesis and modification methods of ultrathin bismuth-based photocatalysts are summarized, including sonication-assisted liquid exfoliation, ion intercalation-assisted liquid exfoliation, hydro/solvothermal synthesis, atomic layer deposition, etc. The problems existing in the preparation of ultrathin bismuth-based photocatalysts and the potential application value and development trend in the future are prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feasibility of a non‐stoichiometric synthesis strategy for uranium mononitride (UN) pellet fabrication is experimentally verified with spark plasma sintering of U2N3 powder in this study. The method removes the denitride process (reduction of U2N3 to UN powder) from the conventional UN pellet fabrication, and it still successfully provided near‐perfect UN stoichiometry and high density (94 %TD). During the spark plasma sintering of U2N3 powder, vacuum pressure increase and powder height, decrease were concurrently measured above ∼1173 K, which indicates the nitrogen gas emission and higher density UN powder formation from the in‐situ decomposition of lower‐density U2N3 powder. The X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis on the sintered pellets obtained directly from U2N3 powder showed an excellent match with the existing XRD reference data of UN. The measured density of U2N3‐sintered UN pellets was higher (85 %TD) than that of UN‐sintered UN pellets (79 %TD) at relatively low sintering temperature (1773 K). With a higher sintering temperature of 2073 K, high pellet densities (94 %TD) were obtained from both U2N3 and UN powders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an efficient processing route was developed to fabricate C f /(Ti 0.2 Zr 0.2 Hf 0.2 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.2)C-SiC composites via slurry infiltration lamination (SIL) combined with precursor infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP). The (Ti 0.2 Zr 0.2 Hf 0.2 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.2)C powder was initially synthesized at 1900 °C. Then the 2D C f /(Ti 0.2 Zr 0.2 Hf 0.2 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.2)C-SiC composites were obtained via SIL and PIP at temperatures no higher than 1100 °C. The as-fabricated composites show a density of 2.52 g/cm3 and an open porosity of 15.2 vol%, with a bending strength of 255 ± 15 MPa. The 2D C f /(Ti 0.2 Zr 0.2 Hf 0.2 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.2)C-SiC composites also present excellent ablation resistance, with the linear and mass recession rates of 0.33 µm/s and 0.60 mg/s after ablation at 2000 °C/300 s. This work provides a route for the efficient fabrication of C f /(Ti 0.2 Zr 0.2 Hf 0.2 Nb 0.2 Ta 0.2)C-SiC composites, and also inspires new strategies to develop high-entropy ceramic matrix composites with high performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research addressed studying the issue of complex consensus among fundamentalists and jurists, identifying the definition of this fundamentalist term linguistically and terminologically, and related terms or similar models. This was followed by a study of the validity of the complex consensus and an explanation of its relationship to some fundamentalist issues, such as the issue of fabrication and others, which the fundamentalists stipulated about its link to the complex consensus. Then, the research revealed some jurisprudential effects and applications on the problematic consensus. This is done by combining the methods of description and induction through observation, as some fundamentalists have stated in reasoning by complex consensus or some of its forms in jurisprudential applications. The research presented an introduction of several sections, the necessary requirements for each topic, a conclusion that included the most important results and recommendations, and an index of sources and references. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of mobility in Canada's history can hardly be overstated. The built waterways, railways, and roadways that allowed for the movement of peoples, goods, and ideas within the country have long been considered cultural icons conveying collective ideas of Canadian identity. Yet, little has been written on the history of the modern construction machines that made this mobility infrastructure possible after Confederation, along with their designers, manufacturers, and operators. This article helps fill that gap by examining the technological development, manufacturing, and commercialization of earthmoving equipment in Canada (especially Ontario) in the 1860s-1920s, a period of great construction activity, including two of the world's largest civil engineering and earthmoving projects and one of the fastest-expanding road networks in North America. It discusses the role of the federal, provincial, and municipal governments in developing, adopting, and disseminating this technology, and their ultimate reliance on American manufacturers despite the National Policy's protectionism. This article supports the argument that technological development in Canada during the Second Industrial Revolution was continentally integrated in ways that involved technological dialogue with American companies, associations, and publications. While this manufacturing sector became dominated by American corporations by the First World War, the extent to and manner by which that happened varied depending on the type of machinery and the construction sectors in which they were used. The technological transition from steam-powered machines to electric, gasoline, and diesel motors and how it impacted Canadian manufacturers are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, increasing demand of microstrip patch antennas have made them desirable prospects for applications in the wireless communications field. The rise in popularity is attributed to their miniature sizes, thereby proving effectiveness in the fabrication process. Despite all these features, major drawback of these structures is narrow bandwidth, that can be enhanced moderately using procedures like increasing patch width, substrate thickness reduction, slot introduction within patch and substrate selection with comparatively lesser dielectric constant. However, incorporating these methods alongside stacked arrangement causes significant enhancement in their bandwidths alongwith radiation pattern improvements. Keeping above advantages in mind, a stacked antenna is proposed in this paper that generates a broad impedance bandwidth (47.62%) for designated frequency range in S-band region (2–4 GHz). This arrangement typically comprises of a triple-layer arrangement with intermediate Rogers-RT/duroid-5880 substrate-layer having relatively lower dielectric constant (2.2). This is surrounded by double FR4 substrate-layers to comply with the stacked arrangement. Besides broad bandwidth, wide radiation intensity of 18 dB is achieved which is perfectly symmetrical. Furthermore, a very healthy gain of 6.17 dB is recorded at resonant frequency (2.625 GHz), with augmented gain-bandwidth-product (GBP) of 2650 MHz which facilitates broad bandwidth generation. The suggested design could prove to be useful in wireless applications like radar, Wi-Fi and 5G-network based implementations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium subrogated lanthanum strontium manganite LSMO (La0.5Sr0.5Mn1-xTixO3; Ti ratio = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) nanoparticles have been prepared based on an organic acid precursor pathway using glycine-nitrate as a fuel. The effectuation of Ti4+ ion concentration on the crystallo-aspects, microstructure as well as the optical features was scrutinized. Exemplary, orthorhombic perovskite LSMTO with a space group Pbnm were manifested at low annealing temperature 800 °C for period 2h. Further, insertion of Ti4+ ion instead of Mn4+ ion in LSMO commenced to increment the crystallite size from 14 to 24 nm. The FT-IR spectrum demonstrated that band around 600 cm−1 linked to Mn-O become broad imputed to Ti-O stretching modes. The morphology of all samples presented the spherical clusters with enhancing the grain size by incorporation of Ti4+ ion into the LSMO crystal. Band gap energy with boost of Ti4+ ion weight ratio was found to augment from 1.83 to 2.1 eV. Meanwhile, the refractive index was found to slightly minify from 2.78 to 2.66. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern industrialisation and the need for low-density material initiated the up-gradation of material for the necessity of sustainability, and the same goes for engineering materials as well. Right from ancient times, composites have an important place in the field of engineering materials, but now demand for such materials, especially fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites, proliferates just to improve the quality of materials as well as the quality of life. The present work provides a comprehensive literature review on hybrid FRP composites, techniques involved in its fabrication, machining and variation in mechanical properties due to hybridisation. The main focused fibre-reinforced composite are glass fibre, carbon fibre, basalt fibre and Kevlar fibre-reinforced polymeric composites. The paper includes recent work that showcases the hybridisation behaviour and their field of application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramic membranes offer considerable promise for future industrial applications due to their superior chemical, mechanical, and thermal stabilities, resistance to harsh operating conditions, and long‐term operating processes. However, several bottlenecks still limit their commercial scale‐up in filtration and separation applications, including brittleness, the high costs of conventional ceramic materials, and fouling. Despite several articles in the literature on ceramic membranes, this review focuses on recent progress, technical strategies, and methods to mitigate these limitations that significantly impact their separation and filtration performance. The use of alternative naturally occurring ceramic materials to mitigate the high costs of conventional ceramic materials is discussed, as well as strategies to improve the mechanical strength of brittle ceramic membranes by increasing sintering temperatures and using support materials. Additionally, advanced techniques to mitigate fouling accumulation and wetting in the pores and on the ceramic membrane surface, such as increasing membrane hydrophilicity and surface modification, are addressed. Despite progress in technical solutions for mitigating the bottlenecks of ceramic membranes, these limitations persist. Therefore, the present limitations and future research directions are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precision polishing using transition metal catalysts such as Pt and Ru, called catalyst-refereed etching, is employed to fabricate atomically smooth surfaces on optical devices, realizing the designed device performance. However, the catalyst surface is covered with post-processing products during processing, drastically decreasing the removal rate. To address this issue, this paper proposes using an Ru-based alloy catalyst. Density functional theory calculation results show that doping Ti to Ru significantly reduces the adsorption energy of post-processing products, suggesting that the active site of the catalyst is easily recovered. When polishing silica glass, the Ru 2 Ti catalyst significantly improves the removal rate stability and enables the fabrication of an atomically well-ordered smooth surface, similar to that polished using a Pt or Ru catalyst. • An Ru-based alloy catalyst is proposed for precision polishing of optics components. • Density functional theory calculations were performed to verify its effectiveness. • The considered Ru 2 Ti catalyst significantly improves the removal rate stability. • Doping Ti to Ru reduces the adsorption energy of the post-processing products. • The catalyst also enables the fabrication of atomically well-ordered smooth surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most existing multi-channel spectrometers are constructed by physically stacking single-channel spectrometers, resulting in their large size, high weight, and limited number of channels. Therefore, their miniaturization is urgently needed. In this paper, a microlens array grating is designed for miniature multi-channel spectrometers. A transmissive element integrating microlens arrays and gratings, the MLAG, enables simultaneous focusing and dispersion. Using soft lithography, the MLAG was fabricated with a deviation of less than 2.2%. The dimensions are 10 mm × 10 mm × 4 mm with over 2000 available units. The MLAG spectrometer operates in the 400–700 nm wavelength range with a resolution of 6 nm. Additionally, the designed MLAG multi-channel spectrometer is experimentally verified to have independently valid cells that can be used in multichannel spectrometers. The wavelength position repeatability deviation of each cell is about 0.5 nm, and the repeatability of displacement measurements by the chromatic confocal sensor with the designed MLAG multi-channel spectrometer is less than 0.5 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new alloy Ti6Al4V/CrCFs synthesized from powder mixture Ti6Al4V and carbon fibers (CFs) coated of chromium (Cr) during direct energy deposition (DED) was investigated. The microhardness, wear properties, and microstructural characteristics of (Ti,Cr)xCy type carbides are determined. Samples Ti6Al4V/CrCFs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDS), respectively. The microhardness of matrix and single carbides (Ti,Cr)xCy of new alloy Ti6Al4V/CrCFs was 450 HV0.01 and 1000 HV0.01, respectively. The (Ti,Cr)xCy synthesized carbides in a sample of the Ti6Al4V/CrCFs alloy grown by the DED method assist to a partial decrease in the coefficient of friction by 1.75 times compared to the Ti6Al4V alloy. This investigation revealed the wear performance of the DEDed specimens Ti6Al4V/CrCFs and their new (Ti,Cr)xCy carbides, which could pave the way for producing components for wear-related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional composite laminated structures suffer from the absence of reinforcements in the thickness direction between the laminae and microfibers, which will result in poor interaction between the laminae, individual microfiber filaments, and the resin. In addition, out‐of‐the‐plane properties are generally dominated and controlled by poor matrix properties (e.g., mechanical, electrical, and thermal). Most prior investigations were focused on the use of straight carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene, or nanomaterials in particle forms to improve the resin properties. Our previous research has shown that CNTs with helical (Heli‐Coil) geometries (HCNTs) are more effective as a nanoscale reinforcement to improve the properties of polymeric resins. Because of their inertness, the interfacial bonding between CNTs and the resin is generally weak, and they can be easily pulled out of the resin (inefficient load transfer) if the CNTs are in their straight forms. However, the helical geometries of HCNTs can provide unique mechanical‐interlocking mechanisms between the constituents that can substantially improve their effectiveness as a nanoscale reinforcement, leading to improvements in composite performance, properties, and multifunctionality. In this research, HCNTs at low concentrations below 0.1 wt% were processed and then used to fabricate nanocomposite laminates. Tensile test specimens were carefully prepared following the ASTM D3039/D3039M standard and then tested, analyzed, and evaluated. Additionally, the fractured test specimens were inspected and analyzed using optical and 3D scanning laser‐confocal‐microscopy imaging. The test results showed improvements of 12.3%, 11.3%, and 17.5% for the tensile strength, modulus, and strain‐to‐failure, respectively. In conclusion, traditional fiber‐reinforced composites can considerably benefit from the helical forms of HCNTs. Highlights: The helical geometry of CNTs (HCNTs) is more effective for composite reinforcement.HCNTs provide unique interlocking mechanisms between the composite constituents.HCNTs can considerably improve the multifunctional characteristics of the composites.HCNTs can considerably improve the tensile properties of composite laminates.Traditional composites can substantially benefit from the helical forms of HCNTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geothermal power plants are complex systems, where the interplay between different metallic components transforms the enthalpy of hot brine in the form of electricity or usable heated water. The naturally occurring variety in brine chemistry, linked to the presence of specific key species, and its thermo‐physical properties, leads to the development of different power plant configurations. Key species and power plant configuration in turn determine the extent of damage experienced by each component in the power plant: erosion, corrosion, and/or scaling, often acting combined. Paints and coatings, compared to changing the component alloy, have represented a preferred solution to mitigate these issues due to advantages in terms of costs and repairability. This is reflected in the large number of publications on research and development in this area within the past ≈50 years, with even an increasing trend in the past 10–20 years, indicating the strong interest to develop this clean and sustainable energy source. Therefore, in this work, the first of its kind after 1980, an in‐depth review of all published work on research performed on paints and coatings for geothermal applications, subdivided by the material system, is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocompatible self-healing hydrogels are new-generation smart soft materials that hold great promise in biomedical fields. Chitosan-based self-healing hydrogels, mainly prepared via dynamic imine bonds, have attracted broad attention due to their mild preparation conditions, excellent biocompatibility, and self-recovery ability under a physiological environment. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the design and fabrication of chitosan-based self-healing hydrogels, and summarize their biomedical applications in tissue regeneration, customized drug delivery, smart biosensors, and three/four dimensional (3D/4D) printing. Finally, we will discuss the challenges and future perspectives for the development of chitosan-based self-healing hydrogels in the biomedical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1830s, George Catlin undertook several journeys to the American West to document, through painting, writing, and collecting, Native North American communities he perceived as vanishing. He later assembled the different media in his Indian Gallery, which he toured through the United States and Europe. In this article, I begin to redocument Catlin's Indian Gallery and his exhibitionary practice by paying attention to its largely overlooked material culture collection. Many items display signs of non‐Native modification, like imitations of Plains pictorial tradition and detachment and reattachment of quillwork. Moving beyond questions of (in)authenticity, I focus on the objects' role in his exhibition, taking them seriously as one of Catlin's material museological practices. Through close‐looking analysis, I identify patterns of alteration and fabrications: replacement, repurposing, creating similarity and types, and emphasis on visual appeal. Based on these patterns, I suggest understanding Catlin's own approach to this material as a collection of props fabricated and employed to authenticate and support claims of cultural realism for his representations of Indigenous life. By studying this collection, we gain a deeper understanding of predisciplinary exhibitionary practices and how later ethnographic display technologies also relying on props, like dioramas, developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the high viscosity and poor fluidity of thermoplastic resin, it is easy to form voids in thermoplastic composites fabricated by traditional methods. The introduction of ultrasonic vibration into the fabrication of thermoplastic composites promotes the flow of thermoplastic resin and improve the quality of thermoplastic composites. In this study, continuous carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide 6 (CF/PA 6) composites were fabricated by ultrasonic vibration. The effects of ultrasonic amplitude and welding time on the temperature variations of the CF/PA 6 stack during the fabrication process were studied. Experimental results show that increasing the ultrasonic amplitude and welding time can increase the fiber volume fraction and decrease the void content of CF/PA 6 composites. The maximum fiber volume fraction is around 49.6%, and the minimum void content is around 0.09%. Meanwhile, the average diameter of single carbon fiber in CF/PA composites decreases from 7 μm of as-received carbon fiber to 6.03 ± 0.04 μm of composites fabricated at the welding time of 15 s and the ultrasonic amplitude of 90 μm. Additionally, the flexural strength of composites is improved within a limited window, while the flexural modulus increases with the increase of ultrasonic amplitude and welding time due to more compact CF fabrics in the composite laminates. The obtained maximum flexural modulus of CF/PA 6 composite laminates can reach up to 31.8 ± 3.9 GPa. The failure mode of composites is sensitive to the ultrasonic vibration parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic liquid scintillation detectors are widely used to measure the presence of radiation. With these devices, there are advantages in that they are easy to manufacture, large in size, and have a short fluorescence decay time. However, they are not suitable for gamma spectroscopy because they are composed of a low-atomic-number material. In this regard, alternative materials for the secondary solute used in basic organic liquid scintillators have been investigated, and the applicability of alternative materials, the detection characteristics, and neutron/gamma identification tests were all assessed. 7-Diethylamino-4-methylcoumarin (DMC), selected as an alternative material, is a benzopyrone derivative in the form of colorless crystals with high fluorescence, a high quantum yield in the visible region, and excellent light stability. In addition, it has a large Stokes shift, and solubility in a solvent is good. Through an analysis in this study, it was found that the absorption wavelength range of DMC coincides with the emission wavelength range of PPO, which is the primary solute used with DMC. Finally, it was confirmed that the optimal concentration of DMC was 0.08 wt%. As a result of performing gamma and neutron measurement tests using a DMC-based liquid scintillator, it was found to perform well (FOM = 1.42) compared to a commercial liquid scintillator, BC-501A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The contribution of dietary fibre to human gut health has been extensively studied, but there are many questions yet to be resolved in this regime. One of them that has recently caught attention is the physical form and structure of dietary fibre matrix towards gut microbiota modulation. This paper reviews the natural and fabricated fibre matrices for gut health with a focus on changes in gut microbiota and the resulting metabolite production. The fibre matrices reviewed in this study include naturally existing plant cell matrices and fabricated resistant starch (RS) matrices, starch‐entrapped fibre microspheres, water‐soluble cross‐linked arabinoxylan matrices, complex two or more‐component fibre matrices and dietary fibre‐based colon‐targeted delivery systems. Natural fibre matrices (i.e. plant cell wall) showed variations in shaping gut microbiome with the processing‐induced integrity and permeability changes of cell wall. The fabrication on fibre matrices increased structural complexity and decreased fermentation rate compared to individual and un‐fabricated fibres. It was hypothesised that the increases in structural complexity lines up with the increased specificity in boosting a narrow group of gut bacteria. More studies on physical structure of fibre matrices towards microbiota are necessary to foster fibre matrix design and fabrication for the purposes of promoting beneficial microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect patterns exhibited in wafer bin maps (WBMs) can provide essential clues about critical process failures to field engineers. In modern manufacturing processes, the automatic WBM defect pattern classification is critical for yield improvement. Although it is difficult to collect sufficient labels while a lot of unlabeled data is given, most existing studies have mainly used only labeled WBM data. Moreover, the unlabeled out-of-distribution (OOD) WBMs are inevitably collected. It degrades the performance of semi-supervised models. To this end, we propose a method for safe wafer bin map classification with self-supervised contrastive learning (SWaCo) to effectively exploit the unlabeled data with OOD. We propose a loss function to utilize label information in the pre-training step to learn more suitable representations for the downstream WBM classification task. The negative labeled examples of the same class as the anchor are used for additional positive examples. Moreover, we investigate proper data augmentation for WBM self-supervised contrastive learning. To evaluate the performance and the applicability of the proposed method, experiments are conducted on a public benchmark WBM dataset, WM-811K. The results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves better classification accuracy than existing methods, especially when only a small amount of class information is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitin, which may be the second-most common polymer after cellulose, is the raw material of chitosan. Chitosan has been infused with various plant extracts and subsidiary polymers to improve its biological and physiological properties. Chitosan's physicochemical properties are enhanced by blending, making them potential candidates that can be utilized in multifunctional areas, including food processing, nutraceuticals, food quality monitoring, food packaging, and storage. Chitosan-based biomaterials are biocompatible, biodegradable, low toxic, mucoadhesive, and regulate chemical release. Therefore, they are used in the biomedical field. The present manuscript highlights the application of chitosan-based composites in the food and biomedical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of skin wounds caused by trauma and pathophysiological disorders has been a growing healthcare challenge, posing a great economic burden worldwide. The use of appropriate wound dressings can help to facilitate the repair and healing rate of defective skin. Natural polymer biomaterials such as collagen and hyaluronic acid with excellent biocompatibility have been shown to promote wound healing and the restoration of skin. However, the low mechanical properties and fast degradation rate have limited their applications. Skin wound dressings based on biodegradable and biocompatible synthetic polymers can not only overcome the shortcomings of natural polymer biomaterials but also possess favorable properties for applications in the treatment of skin wounds. Herein, we listed several biodegradable and biocompatible synthetic polymers used as wound dressing materials, such as PVA, PCL, PLA, PLGA, PU, and PEO/PEG, focusing on their composition, fabrication techniques, and functions promoting wound healing. Additionally, the future development prospects of synthetic biodegradable polymer-based wound dressings are put forward. Our review aims to provide new insights for the further development of wound dressings using synthetic biodegradable polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper aims to fabricate flexible PVA/Cs/TiO2 nanocomposite films consisting of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), chitosan (Cs), and titanium oxide (TiO2) for application in energy storage devices. The samples were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques. The impact of TiO2 on the electrical impedance, conductivity, permittivity, and energy efficiency of the PVA/Cs was determined in a frequency range of 100 Hz to 5 GHz. The XRD, FTIR, and EDX results showed the successful fabrications of the PVA/Cs/TiO2. The SEM and AFM images illustrated that the TiO2 was loaded and distributed homogenously in PVA/Cs chains. In addition, the electrical conductivity was enhanced from 0.04 × 10−7 S.cm−1 of PVA/Cs to 0.25 × 10−7 S.cm−1 and 5.75 × 10−7 S.cm−1, respectively, for the composite PVA/Cs/0.01TiO2 and PVA/Cs/0.1TiO2, and the dielectric constant grew from 2.46 for PVA/Cs to 7.38 and 11.93, respectively. These results revealed that modifications were made to the produced films, paving the way for using the composite PVA/Cs/TiO2 films in different energy applications, such as electronic circuits and supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Microparticles have been drawing extensive interests over recent years due to their unique shapes, complex structures, and the capability of incorporating various functions within a single entity. They have been demonstrated to have promising prospects in diverse fields such as biological analysis and diagnosis, tissue engineering, anticounterfeiting, mechanical engineering, and structural materials. Compared with the traditional preparation methods, microfluidic lithography has opened up a new way for the preparation of high precision, good monodispersity, and high throughput microparticles. There is a great need for a most comprehensive review that systematically summarizes the research findings emerging in recent years and also provides guidance for future development in this area. Here, the recent progress of microfluidic lithography methods and the obtained microparticle morphologies are discussed based on a comprehensive summarization of the basic elements used in microfluidic lithography (i.e., microfluidic devices, precursors, masks, and UV light). The postprocessing techniques including self-assembly and sintering are presented to potentially bridge microparticles with practical applications. Furthermore, the application prospects of microparticles are analyzed from the aspects of cell manipulation, bioassay, and anticounterfeiting. Finally, the limitations of functional microparticles are summarized and their future advances are prospected, aiming to provide help for the controllable preparation and application of functional microparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wearable thermoelectric generators are solid‐state devices that produce electric energy by harvesting thermal energy from human body or environments. They normally work at relatively mild temperatures that are suitable for human, being light, compact, deformable to the 3D surface, safe to human and environment, comfortable, durable, and cost‐effective. As the potential power suppliers for wearable or mobile microelectronic systems, they have attracted considerable attention. Herein, a critical overview and review of the state‐of‐the‐art wearable thermoelectric generators are presented, covering their operational principles, functional and structural materials, device structures, fabrication processes, and potential applications. Also theoretical aspects of their working mechanisms are included and the scientific and practical challenges are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machining fine patterns of hundreds of nanometers requires the use of 5-axis equipment and fine tools with precise control. In this study, the focused ion beam process was used to manufacture diamond tools for use with ultra-precision processing equipment. In order to reduce the influence of the Gaussian distribution of the beam during FIB milling machining, a lift-off process was performed. After coating the surface of the diamond with Pt up to 2.47 µm, FIB milling was carried out. In order to manufacture ultra-precision diamond tools, single-crystal diamond (SCD) was used as the tool tip and cemented carbide was used as the insert. A process study was conducted on the process of focused ion beam machining by applying the vector scan (rectangle type) and raster scan (cleaning type) methods in combination. As a result of conducting experiments according to each machining condition, a tool with a cutting-edge width of 486.76 nm was produced. We performed machining tests on Ni-plated material using a prepared tool with a 500 nm ultra-precision diamond tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: Polyolefin sheets are fabricated in the same manner as ethylene vinyl acetate sheets. The aim of this study was to examine the difference of vacuum‐formed mouthguard thickness according to each heating condition using ethylene vinyl acetate and polyolefin sheets. Materials and Methods: Mouthguard sheets of 3.0 mm ethylene vinyl acetate and polyolefin were vacuum‐formed on working models at three heating temperatures: 85, 95, and 105°C. The thickness of the mouthguard was measured at the labial surface of the central incisor, the buccal surface of the first molar, and occlusal surface of the first molar. Differences in the thickness of the mouthguards according to the sheet materials and the heating conditions were analyzed by two‐way analysis of variance. Results: Mouthguard thickness varied between the ethylene vinyl acetate and the polyolefin sheets (p <.01), and the thickness of the ethylene vinyl acetate sheet was greater than that of the polyolefin sheet at all heating conditions. The thicknesses of mouthguards fabricated using the ethylene vinyl acetate and the polyolefin sheets were not different for the three heating conditions in this study. Conclusions: The thickness was greater for mouthguards fabricated using ethylene vinyl acetate sheet than when polyolefin sheet was used. The thickness of the mouthguards was not different for the three heating temperatures for both the ethylene vinyl acetate and the polyolefin sheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTo increase the ubiquity and merging of Olfactory Interfaces (OIs) into daily scenarios seamlessly and aesthetically, we propose OlfacKit, a fully integrated pipeline, which consists of (1) an interactive design tool that enables novice users to quickly model the physical forms of OIs and automatically generate fabrication-ready designs; (2) a construction workflow with a series of assembly kits and a video tutorial; (3) a WebUI for rapidly testing and prototyping smell control through Wi-Fi communication. We tested the atomization performance with different voltages and aroma liquids and further guided the implementation of the WebUI. Six applications have been explored, showing the flexibility and scalability of our toolkit. We conducted a workshop to evaluate the feasibility and usability of OlfacKit, involving 15 participants who proposed 108 creative ideas and implemented 13 working prototypes. We reported the detailed findings and discussed the insights and implications for future design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]