Liquid Formation Research Articles

Black shale contamination and platinum group elements prospect of the Khandwa basalt, Eastern Deccan Volcanic Province (India) -an experimental approach

An experimental study at one atmospheric pressure was carried out with basalts of the Deccan Traps and black shale as a contaminant to assess the potentiality of the platinum group elements (PGEs) in the contaminated magma. The experiments involved 10%, 15% and 20% black shale as contaminants to understand the incremental concentration in the PGEs. The results show that Pd, Pt, Ru, Rh, Ir and Os substantially rise in the contaminated melt. Though the quantitative increase in the PGE content owing to contamination is evident, the increase is case-specific and related to the degree of black shale contamination, e.g. for Pt, Ru and Pd, 20% contamination yields maximum enrichment, whereas, for Rh and Ir, the maximum increment is obtained for 10% contamination; Os gives most significant increase for 15% contamination. Black shale contaminationleads to the sulfide supersaturation of the basaltic magma and the formation of the PGE-rich sulfide liquid due to immiscibility. The present experimental study revealed a significant role of black shale as a crustal contaminant for the flood basalt and consequent PGE enrichment in the contaminated magma. The findings of this study are important for the other Large Igneous Provinces of the world as well.

Modelling nematic liquid crystal in fractal dimensions

In this paper we present a fractal Berreman's model which account for azimuthal surface anchoring of nematic liquid crystals which play a leading role nowadays in biomedical field and pharmaceutical controlled release dosage forms. The model is based on the concept of "product-like fractal measure" in anisotropic media which permits to describe liquid crystals formation in terms of fractal dimensions. It was observed that fractal dimensions affect both the polar azimuthal angle and the Franck excess elastic energy density of the distortion. For fractal dimensions close to unity, our analysis reveals the emergence of fluctuations and large deformations in the dynamical variables of the theory which suggest the presence of non-linear elastic instabilities or emergence of defect structures in liquid crystals. These fluctuations fade away for fractal dimensions much less than unity. We have evaluated the elastic energy per unit of area which is found to depend on the square of the fractal dimension. This leads to a decrease of the saturation voltage which is necessary to reduce the elastic energy of liquid crystals films in order to minimize the elastic energy. This reduction may describe nematic liquid crystals free from deformations, singularities or weak anchoring surfaces.

A Cryo‐to‐Liquid Phase Correlative Light Electron Microscopy Workflow for the Visualization of Biological Processes in Graphene Liquid Cells

AbstractLiquid phase electron microscopy (LP‐EM) has emerged as a powerful technique for in situ observation of material formation in liquid. Especially the use of graphene as window material provides new opportunities to image biological processes because of graphene's molecular thickness and electron scavenger capabilities. However, in most cases the process of interest is initiated when the graphene liquid cells (GLCs) are sealed, meaning that the process cannot be imaged at early timepoints. Here, a novel cryogenic/liquid phase correlative light/electron microscopy workflow that addresses the delay time between graphene encapsulation and the start of the imaging, while combining the advantages of fluorescence and electron microscopy is reported. This workflow allows imaging to be initiated at a predetermined space and time by vitrifying and thawing at a selected time point. The workflow is demonstrated first by observing multiple day crystallization processes and subsequently highlight its potential by observing a biological process: the complexation of calciprotein particles. The ability to correlate the dynamic complexation observed in a GLC with cryogenic TEM and dynamic light scattering, confirms the validity of observations and underlines the exciting possibilities for LP‐EM in biology.

Mechanisms of Alternative Lengthening of Telomeres.

In recent years, significant advances have been made in understanding the intricate details of the mechanisms underlying alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT). Studies of a specialized DNA strand break repair mechanism, known as break-induced replication, and the advent of telomere-specific DNA damaging strategies and proteomic methodologies to profile the ribonucleoprotein composition of telomeres enabled the discovery of networks of proteins that coordinate the stepwise homology-directed DNA repair and DNA synthesis processes of ALT. These networks couple mediators of homologous recombination, DNA template-switching, long-range template-directed DNA synthesis, and DNA strand resolution with SUMO-dependent liquid condensate formation to create discrete nuclear bodies where telomere extension occurs. This review will discuss the recent findings of how these networks may cooperate to mediate telomere extension by the ALT mechanism and their impact on telomere function and integrity in ALT cancer cells.

An In Vitro Artificial Wound Slough-Biofilm Model Developed for Evaluating a Novel Antibiofilm Technology.

Eschar and slough in wounds serve as a reservoir for microorganisms and biofilms, damaged/devitalised cells, and inflammatory chemokines/cytokines, which work to initiate and prolong persistent inflammation and increase the risk of infection. Biofilm-related inflammation and infections are considered to be highly prevalent in acute wounds and chronic wounds. As slough is known to harbour biofilms, measuring the efficacy of antimicrobials in killing microbes both within and under slough is warranted. This highlights the need for more clinically relevant wound biofilm models to address this significant clinical need. Consequently, in this study, we developed an in vitro artificial wound slough (AWS) biofilm model produced by forming a biofilm below a layer of AWS, the latter of which was composed of the main protein components reported in wound eschar and slough, namely collagen, elastin, and fibrin. The model was employed to investigate the antibiofilm and antibacterial efficacy of a new patented smart next-generation antibiofilm technology composed of silver-zinc EDTA complexes and designed as a family of multifunctional metal complexes referred to as MMCs, in a liquid format, and to determine both the performance and penetration through AWS to control and manage biofilms. The results demonstrated the ability of the AWS-biofilm model to be employed for the evaluation of the efficacy of a new antibiofilm and antimicrobial next-generation smart technology. The results also demonstrated the potential for the proprietary EDTA multifunctional metal complexes to be used for the disruption of biofilms, such as those that form in chronic wounds.

Electrospray modes of liquids in electrohydrodynamic atomization: A review

Liquid is sprayed from a capillary tube and further disperses into fine drops in various means, when subjected to an externally electric field, where the process of liquid jet formation and breakup into drops is usually named as electrohydrodynamic atomization or electrospray (ES). Electrospray has been extensively applied into many fields because uniform and highly charged drops, easy controllability in size and motion, and various ES modes are available to match the requirements of various applications. In present work, recent progresses in theory and numerical work to explain electrospray structure and drop formation were summarized. According to the geometry of liquid ejection and its further disintegration, main ES modes including dripping, micro-dripping, spindle, cone-jet, multi-jet, and simple-jet have been designated. The transformation of ES modes due to variation of electric potential, liquid flow rate, and physical parameters, the formation of curved liquid surface, and jet fragmentation behavior in these ES modes were also reviewed, as well as generated drops dynamics. In a rational range of flow rate, dripping, micro-dripping, spindle, cone-jet, multi-jet modes successively emerge with an increase in electric potential, and otherwise, an irregular instability may occur. In addition, the simple jet mode occurs in a relatively large flow rate. The insight into ES modes may fully understand mechanism and technology of electrospray and further promote more extensive application in industrial fields.

Clr4SUV39H1 ubiquitination and non-coding RNA mediate transcriptional silencing of heterochromatin via Swi6 phase separation

Transcriptional silencing by RNAi paradoxically relies on transcription, but how the transition from transcription to silencing is achieved has remained unclear. The Cryptic Loci Regulator complex (CLRC) in Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a cullin-ring E3 ligase required for silencing that is recruited by RNAi. We found that the E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme Ubc4 interacts with CLRC and mono-ubiquitinates the histone H3K9 methyltransferase Clr4SUV39H1, promoting the transition from co-transcriptional gene silencing (H3K9me2) to transcriptional gene silencing (H3K9me3). Ubiquitination of Clr4 occurs in an intrinsically disordered region (Clr4IDR), which undergoes liquid droplet formation in vitro, along with Swi6HP1 the effector of transcriptional gene silencing. Our data suggests that phase separation is exquisitely sensitive to non-coding RNA (ncRNA) which promotes self-association of Clr4, chromatin association, and di-, but not tri- methylation instead. Ubc4-CLRC also targets the transcriptional co-activator Bdf2BRD4, down-regulating centromeric transcription and small RNA (sRNA) production. The deubiquitinase Ubp3 counteracts both activities.

Numerical Study on Droplet Splashing Behavior of Slag‐Splashing for Converter Protection Using Volume of Fluid‐Discrete Phase Model Two‐Way Conversion Model

Limited quantitative research exists on the complex phenomenon of slag splashing in converters. A comprehensive modeling framework is developed to fill this gap, integrating a 3D two‐phase flow model with a volume of fluid‐discrete phase model two‐way conversion model. This framework explores droplet behavior during splashing for converter protection, encompassing the mutual conversion between slag and discrete droplets induced by top‐blowing oxygen. It also tracks the trajectories of all droplets, enabling a detailed quantitative analysis of the splashing process. The Eulerian wall film model is used to simulate liquid film formation on the converter wall. Model predictions are validated against 1:10 scale experimental data from a 50 t converter. This assessment covers splashing rates, droplet locations, and size distribution under various operating conditions. Parametric studies identified an optimal top‐blowing flow rate of 8.80 Nm3 h−1 and an oxygen lance height of 233.2 mm, balancing splashing effectiveness with production cost and safety.

Noble metal-free tandem catalysis enables efficient upcycling plastic waste into liquid fuel components

The lack of effective approaches for upcycling waste plastic has led to severe environmental pollution and squandering of carbon resources. While hydrocracking macromolecular polyolefins over typical metal-zeolite catalyst produces high quality liquid fuel components, the limited activity of base metal and restricted accessibility of acid sites within microporous zeolite renders this process still not in practical scale. A tandem catalyst comprising Ni-WO3/Al2O3 and Beta zeolite was developed for consecutive hydrocracking polyolefins, achieving a yield of 86.2 % of primarily gasoline-jet ranged hydrocarbons (mainly C5-C16 and minor C16+) at 280 °C. The incorporation of tungsten species onto Ni/Al2O3 largely enhances the surface acidity and accelerates the primary cracking process that converts polyethylene (PE) into medium-sized intermediates, which would readily diffuse into the pore networks of Beta and undergo further cracking to yield desired liquid hydrocarbons. In addition, this tandem catalyst also promotes facile hydrocracking of consumer-grade plastic waste and maintains excellent stability over 5 recycling tests. The noble-metal-free catalyst achieves an impressive liquid formation rate of 5.74 g·gcat.−1·h−1, rivaling the noble metal-based catalyst and demonstrating high application prospects.

Enhancing strength and ductility of CuCrZr high-conductivity alloy via lamellar heterostructures on grain boundaries

Heterogeneous lamellar structure materials have attracted extensive attention due to their exceptional strength and ductility. In this study, Y element was introduced into CuCrZr alloys to adjust the liquid phase formation temperature of the CuZrY phase during the solution annealing process. By employing cold rolling deformation prior to annealing to elongate the grains, the liquid phase was promoted to wet the elongated grain boundaries during the annealing process, ultimately forming lamellar CuZrY heterostructures distributed along the grain boundaries. The heterogeneous lamellar structure, the grain boundary distribution characteristics, and the effect of Y on stacking fault energy enhanced the hetero-deformation induced working hardening, thereby improving both the strength and ductility of the CuCrZrY alloy. Besides, the investigated CuCrZrY alloy achieved an excellent combination of tensile strength, uniform elongation, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity, with values of 527 MPa, 10.66%, 83% IACS and 335.5 W/(m·K), respectively. Therefore, the method of controlling liquid phase temperature through composition adjustment and liquid phase infiltration path through grain deformation offers new possibilities for the design of heterogeneous lamellar structure materials.

Dynamic analysis of adsorbate behavior in nanopores: Liquid bridge formation, cavitation, and contact angle evaluation via molecular dynamics simulations

To explore the internal transport mechanisms and evolutionary processes within nanopore, molecular dynamic simulations were employed to explore the formation of liquid bridges and the evolution of menisci. The adsorption–desorption isotherms were obtained, and the dynamic behavior of the adsorbate was analyzed. Results revealed two distinct processes governing the behavior of the adsorbate within nanopore. At low pressure ratios, a molecular adsorption layer initially grows continuously on the pore surface. As the pressure ratio increases, an additional mechanism emerges, characterized by the formation of a liquid bridge near the nanopore mouth. This leads to pore filling as the liquid bridge expands and retreats towards the pore’s closed end. During desorption, cavitation occurs, which can be characterized as an activation process. Once initiated, cavitation intensifies, progressively increasing the number of cavities. The convergence of these cavities undermines the stability of the liquid bridge, ultimately resulting in its collapse and the rapid evaporation of the adsorbate molecules. Additionally, we further calculated the contact angle at the vapor–liquid interface using the Kelvin equation. The results indicated a deviation of less than 5 % compared to our simulations, suggesting that the Kelvin equation is applicable for materials with pore sizes of at least 3.6 nm.

Thermodynamic and computational approaches to the stability and structural transformation of Xe + large-molecule guest substance (LMGS) hydrates

In this study, the influence of different types of large-molecule liquid substances (LMGSs) and formation conditions on the stability and structural transformation of Xe + LMGS hydrates was investigated using phase equilibria, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), 129Xe NMR spectroscopy, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The phase equilibria of Xe hydrates in the presence of three different LMGS types (neohexane [NH], methylcyclopentane [MCP], and methylcyclohexane [MCH]) were measured in the pressure range of 0.1–1.0 MPa. The equilibrium curves of Xe + MCH and Xe + NH hydrates shifted away from that of pure Xe hydrate under low pressure, whereas they coincided with that of pure Xe hydrate under high pressure. Interestingly, the equilibrium curve of Xe + MCP hydrate aligned with that of pure Xe hydrate throughout the pressure range. PXRD and 129Xe NMR analyses demonstrated that the equilibrium curve shift under low pressure was caused by the formation of sH (Xe + LMGS) hydrates, which was attributed to the inclusion of NH or MCH. However, MCP did not participate in sH hydrate formation with Xe. MD simulations revealed that MCP in the large cages did not contribute to the thermodynamic or dynamic stability of sH hydrates. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the development of hydrate-based noble gas capture and storage.

Design and batch fabrication of anisotropic microparticles toward small-scale robots using microfluidics: recent advances.

Small-scale robots with shape anisotropy have garnered significant scientific interest due to their enhanced mobility and precise control in recent years. Traditionally, these miniature robots are manufactured using established techniques such as molding, 3D printing, and microfabrication. However, the advent of microfluidics in recent years has emerged as a promising manufacturing technology, capitalizing on the precise and dynamic manipulation of fluids at the microscale to fabricate various complex-shaped anisotropic particles. This offers a versatile and controlled platform, enabling the efficient fabrication of small-scale robots with tailored morphologies and advanced functionalities from the microfluidic-derived anisotropic microparticles at high throughput. This review highlights the recent advances in the microfluidic fabrication of anisotropic microparticles and their potential applications in small-scale robots. In this review, the term 'small-scale robots' broadly encompasses micromotors endowed with capabilities for locomotion and manipulation. Firstly, the fundamental strategies for liquid template formation and the methodologies for generating anisotropic microparticles within the microfluidic system are briefly introduced. Subsequently, the functionality of shape-anisotropic particles in forming components for small-scale robots and actuation mechanisms are emphasized. Attention is then directed towards the diverse applications of these microparticle-derived microrobots in a variety of fields, including pollution remediation, cell microcarriers, drug delivery, and biofilm eradication. Finally, we discuss future directions for the fabrication and development of miniature robots from microfluidics, shedding light on the evolving landscape of this field.

Dissolution Behaviors of Recycled Cement Paste and Lime in EAF Slag Under Static Conditions

Recycled cement paste (RCP) is a CaO-rich resource that is recycled from waste concrete and waste cement. For reducing environmental impact and promoting comprehensive resource utilization, RCP could partially replace lime as flux in electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking process. In this study, the dissolution behaviors of RCP and lime in EAF slag at 1400 °C and 1500 °C were investigated using static dissolution experiments. The measured dissolution rate constant of lime at 1400 °C and 1500 °C is 3.12×10−5 and 8.42×10−5 m/s, respectively, while that for RCP is 1.37×10−4 and 2.91×10−4 m/s, respectively. For the lime dissolution, a dense dicalcium silicate (C2S) product layer was generated at the dissolution interface, with the diffusion of Ca2+ in the C2S layer being the limiting step for the lime dissolution. However, for the RCP dissolution, no product layer was observed at the dissolution interface. Instead, a dissolution intermediate layer forms due to slag penetration. During the dissolution of RCP, Ca2+ and SiO44− diffuse from RCP layer to slag, while Fe2+ and AlO45− diffuse from slag to RCP layer accumulating in the dissolution intermediate layer. Furthermore, a dissolution model was developed based on current experimental results, which helps to predict dynamic dissolution process of lime and RCP in EAF slag. In general, the dissolution rate of RCP in EAF slag was much higher than that of lime, partially adding RCP as flux in EAF could accelerate the liquid slag formation in EAF steelmaking process.

Coupled Discrete Phase and Eulerian Wall Film Models for Drug Deposition Efficacy Analysis in Human Respiratory Airways.

The current study explores the effectiveness of drug particle deposition into human respiratory airways to cure various pulmonary-bound ailments. It has been assumed that drug solutions are inhaled in the form of tiny droplets or mist, which after striking create a thin layer along the inner surface of airways where the virus initially resides to infect the human body. A coupled Eulerian wall film (EWF) and discrete phase model (DPM) based simulation approach is used to capture these dynamics. Here, the Lagrangian DPM technique tracks the dynamics of tiny droplets, while the liquid layer formation after striking is captured using the Eulerian thin film approximations or the EWF model. Previous studies in this field primarily employed only the DPM method, which is inadequate to predict the poststriking dynamics of drug layer deposition and their spread to neutralize the respiratory virus. The drug delivery effectiveness is characterized by three different particle sizes, 1, 5, and 10 μm at the inhalation rates of 15, 30, and 60 L per minute (LPM). It has been found that the size of the drug particles significantly influences drug delivery effectiveness. The film thickness increases monotonically with particle sizes and inhalation rates. However, this increase in averaged film thickness is prominent in the range 5 to 10 μm (≈60%) compared to 1 to 5 μm (≈10%) droplet sizes at generation level 4 (G4). The other deposition parameters, e.g., deposition fraction, deposition density, and area coverage) roughly show similar behavior with the increase in droplet sizes. Therefore, it is recommended to vary the droplet sizes between 5 and 10 μm for better deposition effectiveness. The sizes of more than 10 μm mostly stuck into the oral cavity and cannot reach the targeted generations. In contrast, less than 5 μm may reach much deeper generations than the targeted one.

Nanoheterogeneity in Protic and Aprotic Alkylimidazolium Bistriflimide Ionic Liquids

Many ionic liquids, including alkylimidazolium salts, form a nanoheterogeneous structure with polar and apolar domains in their liquid phase. Using molecular dynamics simulations, the influence of the structure of the cations of a series of aprotic ([CnC1Im][TFSI], [CnCnIm][TFSI]) and protic ([HCnIm][TFSI]) alkylimidazolium bistrilimides on the domain structure of their liquid phase was studied. The characteristic sizes of domains and the extent of domain segregation in different liquids have been compared. It has been shown that the latter, but not the former, is a key factor determining the magnitude of the Gibbs free energy of cavity formation in nanostructured ionic liquids, which in turn governs their solvation properties.

Liquid crystal droplets formation and stabilization during phase transition process

Abstract The study of phase transition processes in liquid crystals (LCs) remains challenging. Most thermotropic LCs exhibit a narrow temperature range and a rapid phase transition from the isotropic (ISO) to the nematic (N) phase, which make it difficult to capture and manipulate the phase transition process. In this study, we observed the evolution of small droplets during the ISO–N phase transition in ferroelectric nematic (NF) LC RM734. After doping with metal nanoparticles (NPs), the temperature range of the phase transition broadened, and the droplets formed during the phase transition remained stable, with their diameter increasing linearly with temperature. In addition, droplets doped with NPs can be well controlled by an external electric field. This discovery not only aids in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of LC phase transitions but also provides a simple alternative method for preparing droplets, which is potentially valuable for applications in optoelectronic devices and sensors.

Calcined colemanite as an additive for iron ore sintering process

During sintering process, iron ores, fluxes and coke are agglomerated into a desirable blast furnace feed. The degrading iron ore quality and environmental norms has forced sinter producers to look for additives which can improve the sintering process efficiency. For the current work, use of calcined colemanite as an additive was studied by adding it from 0% to 4% within the sinter raw blend through lab-scale pot trials. During the sintering process, calcined colemanite forms a Calcium Borosilicate (Ca11B2Si4O22) phase at temperature above 400 °C which latter gets dissociated within the liquid melt thus increasing the liquid slag formation. Increasing calcined colemanite up to 2% increases tumbler index from 56.27% to 61.67%, decreasing thereafter to 55.33% at 4% of calcined colemanite. The sinter yield (+5 mm) is also found to be maximum of 89.39% at 2% of calcined colemanite. An increase in calcined colemanite from 0% to 4% increases sintering time from 20 to 26 min, decreasing the overall sinter productivity from 2.35 to 1.99 t/m2/h. Before integrating calcined colemanite within the sintering process at plant scale, its cost and efficacy must be considered. An alternate approach can be combining it with an organic binder where the two can complement each other in providing the required sinter properties.

Free Energy Evaluation of Cavity Formation in Metastable Liquid Based on Stochastic Thermodynamics.

Nucleation is a fundamental and general process at the initial stage of first-order phase transition. Although various models based on the classical nucleation theory (CNT) have been proposed to explain the energetics and kinetics of nucleation, detailed understanding at nanoscale is still required. Here, in view of the homogeneous bubble nucleation, we focus on cavity formation, in which evaluation of the size dependence of free energy change is the key issue. We propose the application of a formula in stochastic thermodynamics, the Jarzynski equality, for data analysis of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to evaluate the free energy of cavity formation. As a test case, we performed a series of MD simulations with a Lennard-Jones (LJ) fluid system. By applying an external spherical force field to equilibrated LJ liquid, we evaluated the free energy change during cavity growth as the Jarzynski's ensemble average of required works. A fairly smooth free energy curve was obtained as a function of bubble radius in metastable liquid of mildly negative pressure conditions.

Numerical Study of Liquid Water Formation and Transport in Porous Media

Fundamental understanding of liquid water formation and transport in fuel cells is of great importance for achieving high durability, reliability, and maximizing cell performance. For low temperature fuel cells, water may exist as vapor or liquid phase and is involved in various electrochemical reactions and transport mechanisms. The condensation process occurs when local water vapor pressure exceeds the saturation pressure. In this work, we first investigate the permeation of liquid water in the gas diffusion layer (GDL). To this aim, a two-dimensional isothermal model considering reconstructed GDL microstructure in conjunction with VOF model is implemented. The effects of mixed wettability of materials, operating temperature, and Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) loadings on liquid water transport in the porous media are investigated numerically. The liquid water breakthrough and the capillary fingering regime are captured and compared. The results show that liquid water saturation in the GDL increases with decreasing PTFE loadings. Moreover, the results demonstrated that the local microstructure in the GDL has a strong effect and can dominate the overall water distribution. To further study water condensation, the isothermal model is expanded to non-isothermal for including physics of phase change heat transfer and species transport. In addition, anisotropic thermal conductivity is incorporated to study its effect on temperature distribution and liquid water distribution. The results show that initially the liquid water is formed as micro droplets and then these micro droplets are combined to form large droplets. Moreover, the impacts of water generation rate, temperature gradient, operating pressure, and contact angle on condensation have been investigated. The findings of this work are expected to provide insights into designing more reliable GDL in fuel cells. Figure 1