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We report laser cladding of pure titanium on a CoCrMo alloy using directed energy deposition. Using electron microscopy, the microstructural evolution upon varying the process parameters, especially laser power and powder feed rate, was investigated in relation with crack formation. Cladding layers showing dilution rates of more than 5% contained cracks due to the formation of the brittle Co2Ti intermetallic phase. The observed cracks could be ascribed to a mismatch in thermal expansion and a resulting stress of more than 440 MPa acting on the Co2Ti phase, as determined by density functional theory and nanoindentation. Furthermore, an excess laser energy caused chemical inhomogeneity and unmelted Ti powder particles, while a deficient laser energy resulted in lack of fusion. Neither cracks nor partially melted powders were observed for a powder feed rate of 3 g/min and a laser power of 225-300 W, for which the dilution rate was minimized to less than 5%. For such samples the cladding layers comprised pure α-Ti and a uniform CoTi interface with Co2Ti islands.

The continuous down-scaling of transistors has been the key to the successful development of current information technology. However, with Moore's law reaching its limits, the development of alternative transistor architectures is urgently needed. Transistors require a switching voltage of at least 60 mV for each tenfold increase in current, that is, a subthreshold swing (SS) of 60 mV per decade (dec). Alternative tunnel field-effect transistors (TFETs) are widely studied to achieve a sub-thermionic SS and high I60 (the current where SS becomes 60 mV/dec). Heterojunction (HJ) TFETs show promise for delivering a high I60, but experimental results do not meet theoretical expectations due to interface problems in the HJs constructed from different materials. Here, we report a natural HJ-TFET with spatially varying layer thickness in black phosphorus without interface problems. We achieved record-low average SS values over 4-5 dec of current (SSave_4dec = ~22.9 mV/dec and SSave_5dec = ~26.0 mV/dec) with record-high I60 (I60 = 0.65-1 uA/um), paving the way for application in low-power switches., 18 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Nature Nanotechnology

A bacteria-capturing platform is a critical function of accurate, quantitative, and sensitive identification of bacterial pathogens for potential usage in the detection of foodborne diseases. Despite the development of various nanostructures and their surface chemical modification strategies, relative to the principal physical contact propagation of bacterial infections, mechanically robust and nanostructured platforms that are available to capture bacteria remain a significant problem. Here, a three-dimensional (3D) hierarchically structured polyaniline nanoweb film is developed for the efficient capture of bacterial pathogens by hand-touching. This unique nanostructure ensures sufficient mechanical resistance when exposed to compression and shear forces and facilitates the 3D interfacial interactions between bacterial extracellular organelles and polyaniline surfaces. The bacterial pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enteritidis, and Staphylococcus aureus) are efficiently captured through finger-touching, as verified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. Moreover, the real-time PCR results of finger-touched cells on a 3D nanoweb film show a highly sensitive detection of bacteria, which is similar to those of the real-time PCR using cultured cells without the capturing step without any interfering of fluorescence signal and structural deformation during thermal cycling. Graphic Abstract

The interest in the seismic performance of nuclear power plants has increased worldwide since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant incident. In Korea, interest in the seismic safety of nuclear power plants has increased since the earthquake events in Gyeongju (2016) and Pohang (2017). In Korea, studies have been conducted to apply seismic isolation systems to ensure seismic safety while minimizing the design changes to nuclear power plants. Nuclear power plants with seismic isolation systems may have a higher seismic risk due to the failure of the piping system in the structure after a relatively large displacement. Therefore, it is essential to secure the seismic safety of pipes for the safe operation of nuclear power plants. The seismic safety of pipes is determined by seismic fragility analysis. Seismic fragility analysis requires many seismic response analyses because it is a statistical approach to various random variables. Typical numerical conditions affecting the seismic response analysis of pipes are the convergence conditions and mesh size in numerical analysis. This study examined the change in the seismic safety of piping according to the numerical conditions. The difference in the seismic response analysis results of the piping according to the mesh size was analyzed comparatively. In addition, the change in the seismic fragility curve of the piping according to the convergence conditions was investigated.

Using a facile hydrothermal procedure, hydrophilic NaYF4: Yb3+/Er3+ nanoparticles (NPs) have been prepared as lanthanide-doped upconversion (UC) materials exhibiting different morphologies, crystal phases and luminescence intensity. The upconversion nanoparticles (UCNP) were characterized by means of electron microscopy and spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence analysis. The molar concentration of reactants and volumes of NaF affect the shapes and uniformity of the synthesized NPs. These parameters also have influence on crystal phase and luminescence intensity of the NPs. Adjusting hydrothermal reaction time and dopant concentration also enable the synthesis of NPs with strong UC luminescence. The as-prepared UCNP showed cellular nontoxicity to HeLa cells, and thus they are capable as promising agents for biological imaging.

We prepared a high-concentration suspension of boron nitride (BN) nanoplates stabilized with benzyl alcohol (B-BN) in epoxy resin as a polymer composite adhesive for a highly efficient heat dissipation. At a BN concentration of 40 wt%, the polymer composite with B-BN exhibited a high thermal conductivity (κ = 1.51 W/m·K at 25 °C) comparable to that of a composite with bulk BN and significantly higher than that of a composite with a chemically modified BN (S-BN). Furthermore, the concentration of B-BN in the epoxy resin was increased to 46 wt% without a significant increase in viscosity, leading to a further improvement in the thermal conductivity to 2.11 W/m·K. The epoxy resin with B-BN exhibited a low coefficient of thermal expansion and high effective modulus owing to the strong affinity to the epoxy. Finally, we recycled benzyl alcohol more than 10 times for the preparation of B-BN, which may reduce the manufacturing cost and environmental pollution. Therefore, B-BN could be a promising filler for heat dissipation as well as starting material for additional modification.

The occurrence of excessive fluid sloshing during an earthquake can damage structures used to store fluids and can induce secondary disasters, such as environmental destruction and human casualties, due to discharge of the stored fluids. Thus, to prevent such disasters, it is important to accurately predict the sloshing behavior of liquid storage tanks. Tubular level gauges, which visually show the fluid level of a liquid storage tank, are easy to install and economical compared to other water level gauges. They directly show the fluid level and can be applied for various fluids because they can be constructed with various materials according to the fluid characteristics and the intended use. Therefore, in this study, the shaking table test was conducted to verify the validity of the method for measuring the water level response of the tubular level gauge installed on a liquid storage tank using image signals. In addition, image enhancement methods were applied to distinguish between the float installed in the tubular level gauge and the gray level of the background.

This study presents a combined strategy of bidisperse boron nitride (BN) and surface modification to improve the thermal conductivity (κ) of the BN-epoxy composite. Surface modification of hexagonal BN was carried out with benzoic acid (BA). The optimal weight ratio of large and small BN (BNl and BNs) was 8:2 for their connectivity in the epoxy matrix. For 50 wt% filler content, the BNl8s2-BA composite has a much higher κ of 2.71 W/m K (out-plane direction), which is 12.3, 1.32, and 1.50 times higher than that of the pure epoxy, and its composite with BNl10s0-BA and BNl8s2, respectively. The chemical-sensitive analyses indicate that carboxyl-carboxylate interaction occurred in partially deprotonated benzoic acid on BN during the epoxy curing process, resulting in in-situ formation of a continuously thermal conductive pathway, which is responsible for the improved κ.

Multifunctional nanocomposite has a huge potential for cell imaging, drug delivery, and improving therapeutic effect with less side effects. To date, diverse approaches have been demonstrated to endow a single nanostructure with multifunctionality. Herein, we report the synthesis and application of core-shell nanoparticles composed with upconversion nanoparticle (UCNP) as a core and a graphene oxide quantum dot (GOQD) as a shell. The UCNP was prepared and applied for imaging-guided analyses of upconversion luminescence. GOQD was prepared and employed as promising drug delivery vehicles to improve anti-tumor therapy effect in this study. Unique properties of UCNPs and GOQDs were incorporated into a single nanostructure to provide desirable functions for cell imaging and drug delivery. In addition, hypocrellin A (HA) was loaded on GOQDs for photo-dynamic therapy (PDT). HA, a commonly used chemotherapy drug and a photo-sensitizer, was conjugated with GOQD by π-π interaction and loaded on PEGylated UCNP without complicated synthetic process, which can break structure of HA. Applying these core-shell nanoparticles to MTT assay, we demonstrated that the UCNPs with GOQD shell loaded with HA could be excellent candidates as multifunctional agents for cell imaging, drug delivery and cell therapy.

A cross-stacking MoS2/graphene hybrid patterns for the application to advanced flexible opto-electronic devices have been demonstrated by soft-lithographic patterning method. Well-defined MoS2/graphene hybrid pattern was fabricated simply by a soft lithographic patterning technique. In-depth exploration for the optical properties of diverse cross-stacking photodetectors based on MoS2/graphene patterns was carried out. In addition, cross-stacking MoS2/graphene was demonstrated onto a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate for the analysis of physical properties of devices. Substantially, this method should pave the way for realistic applications of transparent and flexible nano-electronic devices based on 2D materials.

The chemical and ultrastructural properties of cell walls were investigated to determine the effect of dilute acid pretreatment on the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass. Confocal Raman microscopy was used to gain a clear understanding of how dilute acid pretreatments destroy lignocellulosic cell walls. Total fermentable sugar (glucose and xylose) was high in oxalic acid hydrolysate (26.18 g/L) compared to that in sulfuric acid hydrolysate (24.34 g/L). Chemical composition of the pretreated biomass differed slightly according to the acid catalyst used. Oxalic acid pretreatment was effective for enzymatic hydrolysis, with 29.46 g/L of total fermentable sugar after 96 h. Optical microscopy showed that dilute acid pretreatment significantly changed cell wall structure, and broken and crushed cell walls could be clearly seen during pretreatment. Based on confocal Raman peak intensity, the ratio of lignin/cellulose [I(1600)/I(900)] was low for oxalic acid-pretreated biomass compared to sulfuric acid-pretreated biomass.

K-doped TiO2 nanowire networks were prepared by the corrosion reaction of Ti nanoparticles in an alkaline (potassium hydroxide: KOH) solution. The prepared nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra. Their sunlight-driven photocatalytic activity was also investigated with differently charged dye molecules, such as methylene blue, rhodamine B and methyl orange. The adsorption of the dye molecules on the photocatalyst surface would play a critical role in their selective photodegradation under sunlight illumination.

Graphene-based electrodes typically form a compact uniaxially oriented stacked structure during electrode preparation due to the highly anisotropic morphology. This leads to limited diffusion paths for the insertion of Li or Na when used as electrodes in rechargeable batteries. Here, we demonstrate that self-standing electrodes formed of randomly folded and/or crumpled graphene nanosheets can be obtained via a simple modified reduction process, and that the crumpled structure can significantly increase the power capability of graphene-based anodes of sodium-ion batteries. These electrodes can deliver a power density of approximately 20,000 W kg−1, which surpasses the Li storage capability of conventional graphene paper electrodes. Moreover, the specific capacity was stably maintained without a binder, conductive agent, or substrate for more than 500 charge/discharge cycles and 1000 cycles of repeated bending.

A seismic isolation system installed in a nuclear power plant will respond to the load caused by an earthquake. As a result, a larger displacement may occur in the presence of the system, compared to its absence. This increased displacement may involve higher seismic risks for some facilities. Probabilistic seismic fragility analysis is conducted to assess the seismic safety of the major elements and systems of a nuclear power plant that may be at increased seismic risk. The installation of piping systems that connect seismic-isolated and general structures may involve increased seismic risks because they are expected to have a large displacement. For the reliable analysis of the seismic fragility of piping systems, the failure modes and criteria that can represent actual failure must be defined. Therefore, in this study, the ultimate state of the elbow, the vulnerable part of piping systems, was defined as leakage, and an in-plane cyclic loading test was conducted. Moreover, an attempt was made to quantify the failure criteria for a 3-inch carbon steel pipe elbow using a damage index, which was based on the dissipated energy that used the moment-deformation angle relationship.

Advancements in the fabrication of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) for synthetic control can enable a broad range of applications in biomedical systems. Herein, we experimentally verified the role of the hydrothermal reaction (HR) time in the synthesis of NaYF4:20%Yb3+/3%Er3+ UCNPs on their morphological evolution and phase transformation at different temperatures. Characterizations of the as-prepared UCNPs were conducted using X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron microscopy and spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric and upconversion (UC) luminescence analysis. We demonstrated that determining the optimal HR time, also referred to here as the threshold time, can produce particles with good homogeneity, hexagonal phase, and UC luminescence efficiency. Subsequently, the polymer coated UCNPs maintained their original particle size distribution and luminescence properties, and showed improved dispersibility in a variety of solvents, cellular nontoxicity, in vitro bioimaging, and biocompatibility as compared to the bare UCNP. Besides this, polyacrylic acid conjugated UCNPs (UCNP@PAA) also revealed the strong anticancer effect by conjugating with doxorubicin (DOX) as compared to the free DOX. Based on these findings, we suggest that these particles will be useful in drug-delivery systems and as in vivo bioimaging agents synchronously.

Using a facile hydrothermal procedure, hydrophilic NaYF

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become one of the most popular methods to identify genomic information on cells and tissues as well as to solve crimes and check genetic diseases. Recently, the nanomaterials including nanocomposite and nanoparticles have been considered as a next generation of solution to improve both quality and productivity of PCR. Herein, taking into these demands, carbon-coated silica was synthesized using silica particles via polymerization of biocompatible dopamine (PD) to form polydopamine (PDA) film and carbonization of PDA into graphitic structures. For further investigation of the effects of as-prepared silica, PDA-coated silica (PDA silica), and carbonized PDA silica (C-PDA silica), two different types of genes were adopted to investigate the influences of them in the PCR. Furthermore, the strong interaction between the nanocomposites and PCR reagents including polymerase and primers enables regulation of the PCR performance. The effectiveness of the nanocomposites was also confirmed through adopting the conventional PCR and real-time PCR with two different types of DNA as realistic models and different kinds of analytical methods. These findings could provide helpful insight for the potential application in biosensors and biomedical diagnosis.

A CFPBS (Cone-type Friction Pendulum Bearing System) was developed to control the acceleration delivered to a structure to prevent the damage and degradation of critical communication equipment during earthquakes. This study evaluated the isolation performance of the CFPBS by numerical analysis. The CFPBS was manufactured in the shape of a cone differenced with the existing FPS (Friction Pendulum System), and a pattern was engraved on the friction surface. The natural frequencies of the CFPBS were evaluated from a free-vibration test with a seismic isolator system consisting of 4 CFPBS. To confirm the earthquake-resistant performance, a numerical analysis program was prepared using the equation of the CFPBS induced from the equations of motion. The equation reported by Tsai for the rolling- type seismic isolation bearings was proposed to design the equation of the CFPBS. Artificial seismic waves that satisfy the maximum earthquake scale of the Korean Building Code-Structural (KBC-2005) were created and verified to review the earthquake-resistant performance of the CFPBS by numerical analysis. The superstructural mass of the CFPBS and the skew angle of friction surface were considered for numerical analysis with El Centro NS, Kobe NS and artificial seismic waves. The CFPBS isolation performance evaluation was based on the numerical analysis results, and comparative analysis was performed between the results from numerical analysis and simplified theoretical equation under the same conditions. The validity of numerical analysis was verified from the shaking table test

A hybrid composite of gold-decorated graphene oxide (GO) was synthesized and applied as a PCR enhancer. The analysis of the results of PCR demonstrates that the gold and graphene oxide (Au/GO) hybrid composite improves PCR performance. The chemical interaction of the hybrid composite and the PCR components and the potential mechanism behind the hybrid composite-assisted PCR were also investigated and discussed.

Graphene nanopatches (GNs) on graphene films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) were synthesized by Ni nanoparticle assembly and subsequent CVD growth to enhance their electrical conductivity. As a result, the sheet resistance of the hexagonally shaped GN-assembled graphene films decreased from 681.7 ± 11.2 to 527.2 ± 47.0 Ω sq−1 with 97.9% transparency. This improvement in electrical conductivity was the result of p-type doping of the GNs on graphene films and the generation of additional charge carrier conducting paths to diminish defect scattering, which was a result of the enhanced extracted-hole mobility of the GN-assembled graphene films.

Porous Au nanoplates (pAuNPs) were manufactured by a reducing agent-assisted galvanic replacement reaction on Ag nanoplates using a seed-mediated synthetic approach. Two core additives, poly(vinylpyrrolidone) and l-ascorbic acid, prevented fragmentation and proceeded secondary growth. By controlling the concentration of the additives and the amount of replacing ion AuCl4–, various nanostructures including nanoplates with holes, nanoframes, porous nanoplates, and bumpy nanoparticles with unity and homogeneity were synthesized. The present synthetic method is advantageous, because it can be used to manufacture pAuNPs with ease, robustness, and convenience. The prepared pAuNPs exhibited a highly efficient photothermal conversion effect and cargo loading capacity on exposed surfaces by Au-thiol linkage. By using dual cargo mixed loading of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) targeting gene drug DNAzyme and cell-penetrating peptide TAT onto the surface of the pAuNPs and photothermal conversion-mediated hyperthermic tr...

Rapid and convenient isolation of nucleic acids (NAs) from cell lysate plays a key role for onsite gene expression analysis. Here, this study achieves one-step and efficient capture of NA directly from cell lysate by developing a cationic surface-modified mesh filter (SMF). By depositing cationic polymer via vapor-phase deposition process, strong charge interaction is introduced on the surface of the SMF to capture the negatively charged NAs. The NA capturing capability of SMF is confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, fluorescent microscopy, and zeta potential measurement. In addition, the genomic DNAs of Escherichia Coli O157:H7 can be extracted by the SMF from artificially infected food, and fluorescent signal is observed on the surface of SMF after amplification of target gene. The proposed SMF is able to provide a more simplified, convenient, and fast extraction method and can be applied to the fields of food safety testing, clinical diagnosis, or environmental pollutant monitoring.

Graphene-based nanosheets (GNS) have been studied for use in electrochemical energy storage devices. A deeper understanding about the system is required for achieving enhanced power output and high energy storage. The effects of sulfur doping on the electrochemical properties of GNS are studied for their use as an anode material in lithium-ion batteries. Sulfur doping in GNS contributes to the high specific capacity by providing more lithium storage sites due to Faradaic reactions. In addition, superior rate performance of sulfur-doped GNS (S-GNS) is achieved through the improved electrical conductivity of S-GNS (1743 S m−1), which is two orders of magnitude higher than that of GNS (32 S m−1). In addition, good cyclic stability of S-GNS is maintained even after 500 cycles at a high current density of 1488 mA g−1 (4 C).

Graphene-decorated single crystalline V2O5 nanowires (G-VONs) have been synthesized by mixing graphene oxide (GO) and V2O5 suspensions at room temperature. In this process, V2O5 nanowires (VONs) are formed spontaneously from commercial V2O5 particles with the aid of GO. The as-formed one dimensional G-VONs were characterized by using a X-ray diffractometer, a X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, a scanning electron microscope, and a transmission electron microscope. GO plays a vital role in the VON formation with the simultaneous reduction of GO. A single G-VON showed superior electrical conductivity compared with that of the pure VONs obtained from the sol-gel method. This could be ascribed to the insertion of rGO sheets into the V2O5 layered structure, which was further confirmed by electron energy loss spectroscopy.

The energy-storage capacity of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is investigated in this study. The rGO used here was prepared by thermal annealing under a nitrogen atmosphere at various temperatures (300, 400, 500 and 600 °C). We measured high-pressure H 2 isotherms at 77 K and the electrochemical performance of four rGO samples as anode materials in Li-ion batteries (LIBs). A maximum H 2 storage capacity of ∼5.0 wt% and a reversible charge/discharge capacity of 1220 mAh/g at a current density of 30 mA/g were achieved with rGO annealed at 400 °C with a pore size of approximately 6.7 A. Thus, an optimal pore size exists for hydrogen and lithium storage, which is similar to the optimum interlayer distance (6.5 A) of graphene oxide for hydrogen storage applications.

Objective This study was designed to investigate the effects of Gamiygin-tang (GY) extract (GYE) and fermented solution (GYF) on body weight, serum lipid level and adipocyte differentiation in high fat diet-fed obese mice. Materials and Methods High fat diet-fed obese mice and 3T3-L1 adipocytes mice were treated with GYE and GYF and obesity related markers were assessed. A cytotoxicity assay was carried out by MTS assay. Inhibitory effects of GYE and GYF on adipocyte differentiation were carried out by Oil Red O staining. The effects of GYE and GYF on the expression of adipocyte differentiation regulatory factors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma () and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (CEBP-) were measured by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The effects of GYE and GYF on the expression of adipocyte differentiation regulatory factors were also determined in relation to protein production/protein levels by western blotting. The anti obesity effects of GYE and GYF were measured in high fat-diet induced obese mice. Various factors were measured from the serum of the high fat-diet mice. Results Though GYE did not show toxicity at the concentration of 1mg/ml, GYF showed toxicity at the concentration of 1mg/ml. The GYE at 0.1 and 1mg/ml inhibited the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells, and the GYF also inhibited the differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells. The effect of GYE on adipocyte differentiation factors including PPAR- and CEBP- was investigated and compared to the corresponding concentration levels of GYF. GYE and GYF both suppressed the RNA and protein levels of adipocyte differentiation factors. In the animal test both GYE and GYF reduced weight gain. GYE and GYF reduced blood cholesterol, TG and LDL levels. GYF better reduced blood cholesterol levels. Conclusions These results demonstrate that GYE and GYF exerts anti-obesity effect in 3T3-L1 cells and obese mice induced by high-fat diet.

We report a morphotropic phase transformation in vanadium dioxide (VO2) nanobeams annealed in a high-pressure hydrogen gas, which leads to the stabilization of metallic phases. Structural analyses show that the annealed VO2 nanobeams are hexagonal-close-packed structures with roughened surfaces at room temperature, unlike as-grown VO2 nanobeams with the monoclinic structure and with clean surfaces. Quantitative chemical examination reveals that the hydrogen significantly reduces oxygen in the nanobeams with characteristic nonlinear reduction kinetics which depend on the annealing time. Surprisingly, the work function and the electrical resistance of the reduced nanobeams follow a similar trend to the compositional variation due mainly to the oxygen-deficiency-related defects formed at the roughened surfaces. The electronic transport characteristics indicate that the reduced nanobeams are metallic over a large range of temperatures (room temperature to 383 K). Our results demonstrate the interplay between oxygen deficiency and structural/electronic phase transitions, with implications for engineering electronic properties in vanadium oxide systems.

Bridges are ones of fundamental facilities for roads which become social overhead capital facilities and they are designed to get safety in their life cycles. However as time passes, bridge can be damaged by changes of external force and traffic environments. Therefore, a bridge should be repaired and maintained for extending its life cycle. The working load on a bridge is one of the most important factors for safety, it should be calculated accurately. The most important load among working loads is live load by a vehicle. Thus, the travel characteristics and weight of vehicle can be useful for bridge maintenance if they were estimated with high reliability. In this study, a B-WIM system in which the bridge is used for a scale have been developed for measuring the vehicle loads without the vehicle stop. The vehicle loads can be estimated by the developed B-WIM system with the reaction responses from the supporting points. The algorithm of developed B-WIM system have been verified by numerical analysis.

Understanding the underlying mechanisms involved in graphene growth via chemical vapour deposition (CVD) is critical for precise control of the characteristics of graphene. Despite much effort, the actual processes behind graphene synthesis still remain to be elucidated in a large number of aspects. Herein, we report the evolution of graphene properties during in-plane growth of graphene from reduced graphene oxide (RGO) on copper (Cu) via methane CVD. While graphene is laterally grown from RGO flakes on Cu foils up to a few hundred nanometres during CVD process, it shows appreciable improvement in structural quality. The monotonous enhancement of the structural quality of the graphene with increasing length of the graphene growth from RGO suggests that seeded CVD growth of graphene from RGO on Cu surface is accompanied by the restoration of graphitic structure. The finding provides insight into graphene growth and defect reconstruction useful for the production of tailored carbon nanostructures with required properties.

We have obtained high pressure H(2) isotherms with respect to the interlayer distance of multilayered graphene oxide (GO) modulated by thermal annealing. The maximum storage capacity is 4.8 (0.5) wt% at 77 K (298 K) and at 9.0 MPa pressure. We found the optimum GO interlayer distance for maximum H(2) uptake at 6.5 Å, similar to the predicted distances from first-principles calculations for graphite materials. Our results reveal that multilayered GO can be a practical material of choice to allow the use of graphene as a hydrogen storage material, provided that only small amounts of O and OH functional groups exist as spacers on GO sheets.

FPS(friction pendulum system) is an isolation system which is possible to isolate structures from earthquake by pendulum characteristic. Natural frequencies of the structures could be determined by designing the radius of curvature of FPS. Thus, response vibration could be reduced by changing natural frequency of structures from FPS. But effective periods of recorded seismic wave were various and estimation of earthquake characteristic could be difficult. If effective periods of seismic wave correspond to natural frequency of structures with FPS, resonance can be occurred. Therefore, CFPBS(cone-type friction pendulum bearing system) was developed for controlling the acceleration and displacement of structure by the slope of friction surfaces. Structural natural frequency with CFPBS can be changed according to position of ball on the friction surface which was designed cone-type. Therefore, superstructures on CFPBS could be isolated from earthquake. In this study, seismic performance of CFPBS was evaluated by numerical analysis and shaking table test.

In this study, a CFPBS (Cone-type Friction Pendulum Bearing System) was developed which controls the acceleration delivered to the structure to prevent damage and degradation of the critical communication equipment in case of an earthquake. The isolation performance of the CFPBS was evaluated by numerical analysis. The CFPBS was manufactured in the shape of a cone differenced from the existing FPS (Friction Pendulum System), and a pattern was engraved on the friction surface. The natural frequencies of the CFPBS were evaluated from a free-vibration test with the seismic isolator system consisting of four CFPBSs. In order to verify its earthquake-resistant performance, a numerical analysis program was created from the equation of the CFPBS induced from the equations of motion. A simplified theoretical equation of the CFPBS was proposed to manufacture the equipment which could demonstrate the necessary performance. Artificial seismic waves satisfying the maximum earthquake scale of the Korean Building Code-Structural (KBC-2005) were created and verified to review the earthquake-resistant performance of the CFPBS by numerical analysis. The superstructural mass of the CFPBS and skew angle of the friction surface were considered for numerical analysis with El Centro NS (1940), Kobe NS (1995) and artificial seismic waves. The CFPBS isolation performance evaluation was based on the results of numerical analysis and the executed comparative analysis between the results from numerical analysis and the simplified theoretical equation under the same conditions.

We have investigated the cytotoxic assay of Fe-aminoclay (FeAC) nanoparticles (NPs) and simultaneous imaging in HeLa cells by photoluminescent carbon nanodots (CD) conjugation. Non-cytotoxic, photostable, and CD NPs are conjugated with cationic FeAC NPs where CD NPs play a role in bio-imaging and FeAC NPs act as a substrate for CD conjugation and help to uptake of NPs into cancer cells due to positively charged surface of FeAC NPs in physiological media. As increase of CD-FeAC NPs loading in HeLa cell in vitro, it showed slight cytotoxicity at 1000 μg/mL but no cytotoxicity for normal cells up to concentration of 1000 μg/mL confirmed by two 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and neutral red (NR) assays, with further observations by 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) stained confocal microscopy images, possessing that CD-FeAC NPs can be used as potential drug delivery platforms in cancer cells with simultaneous imaging.Graphical abstractCD conjugation with organo-building blocks of delaminated FeAC NPs Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12951-015-0151-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.