Al_2O_3–CaO–SiC-based ceramic composites with four different compositions were sintered at 1700℃ for 3 h in an air furnace. The phase analysis, microstructural characterization, and elemental composition determinat...Al_2O_3–CaO–SiC-based ceramic composites with four different compositions were sintered at 1700℃ for 3 h in an air furnace. The phase analysis, microstructural characterization, and elemental composition determination of the developed composites were performed by X-ray diffraction(XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray(EDAX) analysis, respectively. The shrinkage, thermal properties, and electrical resistivity of the composites were also studied. The experimental results showed the effects of adding silicon carbide and calcia to alumina on the thermal, electrical, and shrinkage properties of the resultant composites. Among the four investigated ceramic composites, the one composed of 99 wt% alumina, 0.5 wt% CaO, and 0.5 wt% SiC exhibited the best characteristics for use as a potting material in a dispenser cathode of a microwave tube. The material exhibited slight expansion instead of shrinkage during drying or firing. Other properties of the composite powder, such as its thermal properties and electrical resistivity, were comparable to those of a commercial alumina powder.展开更多
Currently,artificial-membrane lungs consist of thousands of hollow fiber membranes where blood flows around the fibers and gas flows inside the fibers,achieving diffusive gas exchange.At both ends of the fibers,the in...Currently,artificial-membrane lungs consist of thousands of hollow fiber membranes where blood flows around the fibers and gas flows inside the fibers,achieving diffusive gas exchange.At both ends of the fibers,the interspaces between the hollow fiber membranes and the plastic housing are filled with glue to separate the gas from the blood phase.During a uniaxial centrifugation process,the glue forms the“potting.”The shape of the cured potting is then determined by the centrifugation process,limiting design possibilities and leading to unfavorable stagnation zones associated with blood clotting.In this study,a new multiaxial centrifugation process was developed,expanding the possible shapes of the potting and allowing for completely new module designs with potentially superior blood flow guidance within the potting margins.Two-phase simulations of the process in conceptual artificial lungs were performed to explore the possibilities of a biaxial centrifugation process and determine suitable parameter sets.A corresponding biaxial centrifugation setup was built to prove feasibility and experimentally validate four conceptual designs,resulting in good agreement with the simulations.In summary,this study shows the feasibility of a multiaxial centrifugation process allowing greater variety in potting shapes,eliminating inefficient stagnation zones and more favorable blood flow conditions in artificial lungs.展开更多
Spruce (Picea Smithiana) is an evergreen tree and distributed through the temperate Himalaya at the elevation of 2000 - 3500 m. Natural regeneration of spruce (Picea smithiana) is generally slow and almost negligible ...Spruce (Picea Smithiana) is an evergreen tree and distributed through the temperate Himalaya at the elevation of 2000 - 3500 m. Natural regeneration of spruce (Picea smithiana) is generally slow and almost negligible due to a number of factors e.g. presence of un decomposed raw humus on forest floor low germinative capacity of seed and infrequent good seed years. In order to supplement natural regeneration through artificial means, nursery raising assumes significance. The present study aimed at optimizing the root trainer container size and the potting mixture ingredients and their proportion for the production of quality nursery stock of Picea smithiana. Nine combinations of potting mixture ingredients (Forest Soil, Garden Soil, Sand, FYM and Lake weed) were tested in various ratios for the optimization of potty mixture in different root trainer sizes. Simultaneously, three different volumes (150cc, 250cc and 300cc) of root trainers were tested for suitability of container size. Chemical and physical analysis of potting mixture ingredients was carried out for better understanding of nutrient status. The best seedling growth at seven month age in terms of height (5.53 cm), Collar diameter (1.57 mm), fresh shoot weight (0.34 g), dry shoot weight (0.10 g), fresh root weight (0.27 g) , dry root weight (0.03 g), root shoot ratio(2:52), and total fresh biomass (0.61 g) were observed when seedlings were raised in root trainer container size (300cc) filled with potting mixture of (M8) Soil:Sand:FYM (1:1:2) and the lowest growth parameters were observed in root trainer container size (150cc) filled with forest soil only. Plantable quality seedlings can be recovered within a period of 7 months using potting mixture of Soil, Sand and FYM (1:1:2) and Soil, Sand and Lake weed (1:1:2) ratios in root trainer container size 300cc.展开更多
This study evaluated the efficiency of different soilless growth media for sustainable basil cultivation compared to traditional potting mix with continuous monitoring.This paper presents a novel approach of continuou...This study evaluated the efficiency of different soilless growth media for sustainable basil cultivation compared to traditional potting mix with continuous monitoring.This paper presents a novel approach of continuous physicochemical monitoring of basil growth using Internet of Things(IoT)enabled smart growth cabinets.Six growth media combinations-sand,coir,and biochar(unsoaked and nutrient-enriched),sand,coir,and perlite,and potting mix with 10%and 20%biochar-were tested over 30 days under controlled conditions,with potting mix as the control.The pH,electrical conductivity and cation exchange capacity of growth mixes were analyzed before and after,along with key growth metrics such as root length,shoot length,leaf number,fresh and dry plant weight and leaf area index(LAI)were analysed.Results indicated that incorporating 10 to 20%biochar into potting mix optimally enhanced basil growth,with significant improvements in root development and the LAI of the plant.Biochar soaked in nutrient solution demonstrated three times higher plant weight compared to unsoaked biochar,indicating the potential of biochar as a slow-release nutrient matrix.Despite the high exchangeable potassium and sodium of biochar,calcium and magnesium remained dominant in the potting mix,indicating the need for optimising biochar use as a horticultural growth media according to the plant type chosen.Replacement of 10 to 20%of potting mix by biochar supports the circular economy goals by enhancing plant growth and sequestering carbon.展开更多
基金financial support of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India Through network Project (No. MTDDC-PSC0101)
文摘Al_2O_3–CaO–SiC-based ceramic composites with four different compositions were sintered at 1700℃ for 3 h in an air furnace. The phase analysis, microstructural characterization, and elemental composition determination of the developed composites were performed by X-ray diffraction(XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy(FESEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray(EDAX) analysis, respectively. The shrinkage, thermal properties, and electrical resistivity of the composites were also studied. The experimental results showed the effects of adding silicon carbide and calcia to alumina on the thermal, electrical, and shrinkage properties of the resultant composites. Among the four investigated ceramic composites, the one composed of 99 wt% alumina, 0.5 wt% CaO, and 0.5 wt% SiC exhibited the best characteristics for use as a potting material in a dispenser cathode of a microwave tube. The material exhibited slight expansion instead of shrinkage during drying or firing. Other properties of the composite powder, such as its thermal properties and electrical resistivity, were comparable to those of a commercial alumina powder.
文摘Currently,artificial-membrane lungs consist of thousands of hollow fiber membranes where blood flows around the fibers and gas flows inside the fibers,achieving diffusive gas exchange.At both ends of the fibers,the interspaces between the hollow fiber membranes and the plastic housing are filled with glue to separate the gas from the blood phase.During a uniaxial centrifugation process,the glue forms the“potting.”The shape of the cured potting is then determined by the centrifugation process,limiting design possibilities and leading to unfavorable stagnation zones associated with blood clotting.In this study,a new multiaxial centrifugation process was developed,expanding the possible shapes of the potting and allowing for completely new module designs with potentially superior blood flow guidance within the potting margins.Two-phase simulations of the process in conceptual artificial lungs were performed to explore the possibilities of a biaxial centrifugation process and determine suitable parameter sets.A corresponding biaxial centrifugation setup was built to prove feasibility and experimentally validate four conceptual designs,resulting in good agreement with the simulations.In summary,this study shows the feasibility of a multiaxial centrifugation process allowing greater variety in potting shapes,eliminating inefficient stagnation zones and more favorable blood flow conditions in artificial lungs.
文摘Spruce (Picea Smithiana) is an evergreen tree and distributed through the temperate Himalaya at the elevation of 2000 - 3500 m. Natural regeneration of spruce (Picea smithiana) is generally slow and almost negligible due to a number of factors e.g. presence of un decomposed raw humus on forest floor low germinative capacity of seed and infrequent good seed years. In order to supplement natural regeneration through artificial means, nursery raising assumes significance. The present study aimed at optimizing the root trainer container size and the potting mixture ingredients and their proportion for the production of quality nursery stock of Picea smithiana. Nine combinations of potting mixture ingredients (Forest Soil, Garden Soil, Sand, FYM and Lake weed) were tested in various ratios for the optimization of potty mixture in different root trainer sizes. Simultaneously, three different volumes (150cc, 250cc and 300cc) of root trainers were tested for suitability of container size. Chemical and physical analysis of potting mixture ingredients was carried out for better understanding of nutrient status. The best seedling growth at seven month age in terms of height (5.53 cm), Collar diameter (1.57 mm), fresh shoot weight (0.34 g), dry shoot weight (0.10 g), fresh root weight (0.27 g) , dry root weight (0.03 g), root shoot ratio(2:52), and total fresh biomass (0.61 g) were observed when seedlings were raised in root trainer container size (300cc) filled with potting mixture of (M8) Soil:Sand:FYM (1:1:2) and the lowest growth parameters were observed in root trainer container size (150cc) filled with forest soil only. Plantable quality seedlings can be recovered within a period of 7 months using potting mixture of Soil, Sand and FYM (1:1:2) and Soil, Sand and Lake weed (1:1:2) ratios in root trainer container size 300cc.
基金supported by a Seed Grant from Centre of Sustainable Bioproducts,Deakin University.
文摘This study evaluated the efficiency of different soilless growth media for sustainable basil cultivation compared to traditional potting mix with continuous monitoring.This paper presents a novel approach of continuous physicochemical monitoring of basil growth using Internet of Things(IoT)enabled smart growth cabinets.Six growth media combinations-sand,coir,and biochar(unsoaked and nutrient-enriched),sand,coir,and perlite,and potting mix with 10%and 20%biochar-were tested over 30 days under controlled conditions,with potting mix as the control.The pH,electrical conductivity and cation exchange capacity of growth mixes were analyzed before and after,along with key growth metrics such as root length,shoot length,leaf number,fresh and dry plant weight and leaf area index(LAI)were analysed.Results indicated that incorporating 10 to 20%biochar into potting mix optimally enhanced basil growth,with significant improvements in root development and the LAI of the plant.Biochar soaked in nutrient solution demonstrated three times higher plant weight compared to unsoaked biochar,indicating the potential of biochar as a slow-release nutrient matrix.Despite the high exchangeable potassium and sodium of biochar,calcium and magnesium remained dominant in the potting mix,indicating the need for optimising biochar use as a horticultural growth media according to the plant type chosen.Replacement of 10 to 20%of potting mix by biochar supports the circular economy goals by enhancing plant growth and sequestering carbon.
