Malvern Particle Size Research Articles

Experimental Investigation on Bituminite Dust Suppression Characteristics of a Bonding-Wetting Composite Dust Suppressant.

In order to reduce the occupational health hazard of coal dust to miners, surface tension and viscosity tests and bituminous coal powder sedimentation experiments were conducted. A composite dust suppressant with bonding-wetting effects was developed. Meanwhile, based on the FTIR test and peak-differentiating curve fitting, the changes of peak areas of coal samples before and after dust suppressant treatment were investigated, with quantitative analysis on hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. Gravity drop weight tests and Malvern particle size analyses were carried out. The particle size distribution was studied based on the Boltzmann function model. The characteristic particle size theory was adopted to analyze dust reduction performance and time's effect on the performance. Results show that the surface tension of the composite dust suppressant is 31.02 ± 0.09 mN/m with the viscosity being 84.60 mPa·s for the mixture of 0.1% SDS solution and 0.4% CMC-Na solution being 1:5. The ratio of the hydrophilic group of bituminous coal reaches 97.37% affected by the dust suppressant with a good wetting and cohesiveness effect. The characteristic particle size D 10 of dust increases by 11.77 and 46.67%, D 50 rises by 7.56 and 36.89%, and D 90 grows by 10.56 and 32.96%, respectively. The compressive strengths of the Shenmu coal sample and Lucun coal sample increase by 82.86 and 66.72% compared with that of raw coal after 48 h of dust suppressant treatment. The breakage degree at the end face of treated coal is smaller than that of raw coal. The composite dust suppressant makes the particles in coal more cohesive and effectively weakens the dust-producing property. Research results are of practical significance for improving the effect of water injection on dust reduction.

Calcium Ion Deposition with Precipitated Calcium Carbonate: Influencing Factors and Mechanism Exploration

In order to apply precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) in the detergent industry, its ability to deposit calcium ions in hard water is an important process. In this work, the calcium ion deposition in the presence of PCC from different sources is investigated to reveal the influencing factors and mechanism of nucleation and crystal growth of CaCO3. SEM, XRD, Malvern particle size analysis, and calcium electrodes are used to evaluate the effects of PCC morphology, saturation of Ca2+, and PCC additive amount on the deposition behavior of CaCO3. Through SEM and Malvern particle size analysis, it is found that the precipitation of calcium ions is obviously accelerated by PCC acting as seeds. Moreover, calcium ions are effectively adsorbed on (211) crystal facets, thus prismatic and scalenohedral PCC crystals exhibit better adsorption performance than irregular cubic PCC ones. In addition, XRD demonstrates that PCC reduces or even eliminates the formation of crystals such as vaterite, displaying high deposition capacity under complex water conditions (slightly acidic or highly alkaline pH, low magnesium ion concentration (<0.01 M), and temperatures of 0–60 °C), forming thermodynamically stable calcite in water, which significantly controls the instability of the washing process.

Study of Particle Size Measurement by the Extinction Method in Flame

The laser extinction method (LEM) is particularly suitable for measuring particle sizes in flames because this method, which is based on the Beer–Lambert law, is non-intrusive and easy to implement. In the LEM, the interpretation of the extinction data is usually developed under the assumption that light extinction due to scattering is a result of the superposition of single scattering by individual particles; however, this could be violated for flames with dense concentrations of particles in which multiple scattering could occur. Quantifying the effect of multiple scattering under general conditions is still a formidable problem. In this work, we carried out a series of careful measurements of the laser extinction using standard particles of various known sizes, number densities and optical path lengths, all under the condition that the acceptance angle of the detector was limited to nearly zero. Combined with a four-flux model, we quantitatively analyzed the effect of multiple scattering on the size measurement using the LEM. The results show that the effect of multiple scattering could be ignored when the optical thickness is less than two under strict restrictions on the detector acceptance angle. Guided by this, the size distribution of an alumina (Al2O3) particle sample was measured by the LEM with dual wavelengths. Parameterized distributions were solved with the help of graph plotting, and the results compared well with the measurement from the Malvern particle size analyzer. The same method was then used to measure the particle size distribution in the plume of a solid rocket motor (SRM). The use of an off-axis parabolic mirror in the experimental setup could suppress the jitter of light passing through the SRM plume, and the particle size in the plume of the measured SRM was in the order of microns.

Parametric study on the internal geometry affecting agricultural air induction nozzle performance

With recent advances in agricultural engineering, precision spraying has become of prime interest to avoid chemical drift or rebound and to minimize water and soil pollution. Air induction nozzles are reliable alternatives for conventional nozzles to overcome these challenges. A parametric study was designed both experimentally and numerically to investigate the effect of each design parameter on the performance of an air induction nozzle. A number of components were designed, manufactured, and tested. The spray structure was captured using a planer Mie scattering imaging system. The mean droplet size was measured using a Malvern particle sizer based on a laser diffraction technique. The results indicated the influence of each geometrical component on the resultant behavior. The internal geometry of the nozzle was found to significantly impact the stability and structure of the spray such as the fluid behavior inside the nozzles and the air-to-liquid mass flow ratio, as well as spray angle, droplet size, and uniformity. The key findings of this study indicate that pre-orifice inlet diameter primarily controls the flow behavior, air, and liquid inlet diameters of the ejector section impact mainly on the air-to-liquid mass flow ratio, the geometry of the mixing chamber mainly controls the stability of the resulting spray, and the geometry of the flat-fan tip essentially controls the spray angle and droplet size. The results can help nozzle designers optimize the design target, enhance atomization efficiency, and understand the effect of the various design parameters on the internal flow behavior of air induction nozzles.

Effect of nanoparticles of different stiffness combined with menthol/curcumol on mechanical properties of bEnd.3 cells

This study aimed to investigate the effects of nanoparticles PLGA-NPs and mesoporous silicon nanoparticles(MSNs) of different stiffness before and after combination with menthol or curcumol on the mechanical properties of bEnd.3 cells. The particle size distributions of PLGA-NPs and MSNs were measured by Malvern particle size analyzer, and the stiffness of the two nanoparticles was quantified by atomic force microscopy(AFM). The bEnd.3 cells were cultured in vitro, and the cell surface morphology, roughness, and Young's modulus were examined to characterize the roughness and stiffness of the cell surface. The changes in the mechanical properties of the cells were observed by AFM, and the structure and expression of cytoskeletal F-actin were observed by a laser-scanning confocal microscope. The results showed that both nanoparticles had good dispersion. The particle size of PLGA-NPs was(98.77±2.04) nm, the PDI was(0.140±0.030), and Young's modulus value was(104.717±8.475) MPa. The particle size of MSNs was(97.47±3.92) nm, the PDI was(0.380±0.016), and Young's modulus value was(306.019±8.822) MPa. The stiffness of PLGA-NPs was significantly lower than that of MSNs. After bEnd.3 cells were treated by PLGA-NPs and MSNs separately, the cells showed fine pores on the cell surface, increased roughness, decreased Young's modulus, blurred and broken F-actin bands, and reduced mean gray value. Compared with PLGA-NPs alone, PLGA-NPs combined with menthol or curcumol could allow deepened and densely distributed surface pores of bEnd.3 cells, increase roughness, reduce Young's modulus, aggravate F-actin band breakage, and diminish mean gray value. Compared with MSNs alone, MSNs combined with menthol could allow deepened and densely distributed surface pores of bEnd.3 cells, increase roughness, reduce Young's modulus, aggravate F-actin band breakage, and diminish mean gray value, while no significant difference was observed in combination with curcumol. Therefore, it is inferred that the aromatic components can increase the intracellular uptake and transport of nanoparticles by altering the biomechanical properties of bEnd.3 cells.

Engineered small extracellular vesicles as a versatile platform to efficiently load ferulic acid via an “esterase-responsive active loading” strategy

As nano-drug carriers, small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) have shown unique advantages, but their drug loading and encapsulation efficiency are far from being satisfied, especially for the loading of hydrophilic small-molecule drugs. Inspired by the strategies of active loading of liposomal nanomedicines, pre-drug design and immobilization enzyme, here we developed a new platform, named "Esterase-responsive Active Loading" (EAL), for the efficient and stable drug encapsulation of sEVs. Widely used ferulic acid ester derivatives were chosen as prodrugs based on the EAL of engineered sEVs to establish a continuous transmembrane ion gradient for achieving efficient loading of active molecule ferulic acid into sEVs. The EAL showed that the drug loading and encapsulation efficiency were around 6-fold and 5-fold higher than passive loading, respectively. Moreover, characterization by nano-flow cytometry and Malvern particle size analyzer showed that differential ultracentrifugation combined with multiple types of membrane filtration methods can achieve large-scale and high-quality production of sEVs. Finally, extracellular and intracellular assessments further confirmed the superior performance of the EAL-prepared sEVs-loaded ferulic acid preparation in terms of slow release and low toxicity. Taken together, these findings will provide an instructive insight into the development of sEV-based delivery systems.

Effect of Hydrophilicity/Hydrophobicity of the Injector Wall on Atomization Performance

Hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity is a common physical property of the material. Water droplets roll on lotus leaf, and a lot of dust and dirt on the surface of the lotus leaf will be taken away, playing a certain cleaning role. The hydrophobic surface has drag reduction effect that would produce slip on the hydrophobic wall. There are some studies on hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity in channels, most of which focus on the effect of surface drag reduction and heat transfer on microchannels. However, few people pay attention to the effect of the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of the injector inner wall on the atomization performance. In this paper, three groups of the open-end swirl injector with different tangential channels were designed to study the effect of hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity on atomization performance. The hydrophobic coating was prepared and used on the inner wall of the injector, and the atomization experimental system was built. In the experiment, the liquid film thickness was measured using the conductance method. Details of the liquid film breakup and spray development were recorded with a high-speed camera. The average droplet diameter was measured by the Malvern particle size analyzer. The atomization performance of injectors with different tangential channels on the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity was compared, and the effect of the velocity profile on the jet stability is discussed.

Using Convolutional Neural Network as a Statistical Algorithm to Explore the Therapeutic Effect of Insulin Liposomes on Corneal Inflammation.

Aiming at the disadvantages of easy recurrence of keratitis, difficult eradication by surgery, and easy bacterial resistance, insulin-loaded liposomes were prepared, and convolutional neural network was used as a statistical algorithm to build SD rat corneal inflammation model and study insulin-loaded liposomes, alleviating effect on corneal inflammatory structure in SD rats. The INS/PFOB@LIP was developed by means of thin-film dispersive phacoemulsification, its structure was monitored using a transmission electron microscope, particle size and appearance potential were monitored using a Malvern particle sizer, and ultraviolet consumption spectrum was monitored using a UV spectrophotometer. The encapsulation rate, drug loading, and distribution of insulin liposomes in rat corneal inflammatory model were measured and calculated. The cytotoxicity of liposome materials was evaluated by CCK-8 assay, and the toxic effects of insulin and insulin liposomes on cells were detected. The cornea of SD rats was burned with NaOH solution (1 mol/L), and the SD rat corneal inflammation model was created. The insulin liposome was applied to the corneal inflammation model, and the therapeutic effect of insulin liposome on corneal inflammation was evaluated by slit lamp, corneal immunohistochemistry, corneal HE staining, and corneal Sirius red staining. Insulin-loaded liposomes were successfully constructed with an average particle size of (130.69 ± 3.87) nm and a surface potential of (−38.24 ± 2.57) mV. The encapsulation rate of insulin liposomes was (48.89 ± 1.24)%, and the drug loading rate was (24.45 ± 1.24)%. The SD rat corneal inflammation model was successfully established. After insulin liposome treatment, the staining area of corneal fluorescein sodium was significantly reduced, the corneal epithelium was significantly thickened, the content of corneal collagen was increased, the expression of inflammatory factors was significantly reduced, and new blood vessels (corneal neovascularization, CNV) growth was inhibited.

An investigation of a gas–liquid swirling flow with shear-thinning power-law liquids

A gas–liquid swirling flow with shear-thinning liquid rheology exhibits complex behavior. In order to investigate its flow characteristics, experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations are conducted based on dimensional analysis. A Malvern particle size analyzer and electrical resistance tomography are applied to obtain the bubble size distribution and section void fraction. A Coriolis mass flowmeter is applied to obtain the mixture flow rate and mixture density for an entrance gas volume fraction smaller than 7%. The CFD coupled mixture multiphase model and large eddy simulation model are applied, considering the liquid shear-thinning power-law rheology. The results show that the swirling flow can be divided into developing and decaying sections according to the swirl intensity evolution in the axial direction. A gas–liquid swirl flow with shear-thinning liquid prohibits a core-annulus flow structure. A smaller index n contributes to maintaining the development of the swirl flow field and its core-annulus flow structure so that the swirl flow can form over a shorter distance with a stronger intensity. For a more uniform distribution of the apparent viscosity, the gas column in the pipe center is thinner. On the other hand, a larger consistency k enlarges the stress tensor. The amplitude of the velocity and the pressure of the core-annulus flow structure are reduced. A weaker swirl intensity appears with a wider gas column appearing as a consequence. Furthermore, the swirl number decays with an exponential behavior with parameters sensitive to the consistency k and index n of the decaying section of the swirling flow field. These are beneficial to gas–liquid separator design and optimization when encountering the shear-thinning power-law liquid phase in the petroleum industry.

The Preparation of Gen-NH2-MCM-41@SA Nanoparticles and Their Anti-Rotavirus Effects.

Genistein (Gen), a kind of natural isoflavone drug monomer with poor water solubility and low oral absorption, was incorporated into oral nanoparticles with a new mesoporous carrier material, NH2-MCM-41, which was synthesized by copolycondensation. When the ratio of Gen to NH2-MCM-41 was 1:0.5, the maximum adsorption capacity of Gen was 13.15%, the maximum drug loading was 12.65%, and the particle size of the whole core–shell structure was in the range of 370 nm–390 nm. The particles were characterized by a Malvern particle size scanning machine, XRD, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption and desorption. Finally, Gen-NH2-MCM-41 was encapsulated by sodium alginate (SA), and the chimerism of this material, denoted as GEN-NH2-MCM-41@SA, was investigated. In vitro release experiments showed that, after 5 h in artificial colon fluid (pH = 8.0), the cumulative release reached 99.56%. In addition, its anti-rotavirus (RV) effect showed that the maximum inhibition rate was 62.24% at a concentration of 30 μM in RV-infected Caco-2 cells, and it significantly reduced the diarrhea rate and diarrhea index in an RV-infected-neonatal mice model at a dose of 0.3 mg/g, which was better than the results of Gen. Ultimately, Gen-NH2-MCM-41@SA was successfully prepared, which solves the problems of low solubility and poor absorption and provides an experimental basis for the application of Gen in the clinical treatment of RV infection.

Molecularly Imprinted Nanoparticles Synthesized by Electrochemically Mediated Atom Transfer Radical Precipitation Polymerization

AbstractNanometer molecularly imprinted polymers (nano‐MIPs) spherical particles with specific recognition of sialic acid (SA) are synthesized by electrochemically mediated atomic transfer radical polymerization combined with the precipitation method. SA is used as template molecules,4‐vinylphenylboronicacid as functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the crosslinking agent. The successful synthesis of spherical nano‐MIPs is verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and Malvern particle size instruments. The effects of the potential adjustment on the morphology, size, and particle size distribution of MIP particles are further investigated. By adjusting the potential for polymerization, nanoparticles with average sizes of 160.32, 275.87, and 331.99 nm are obtained. The recognition performance of nano‐MIPs for SA is characterized by a UV–vis spectrophotometer and the satisfactory imprinting factor is 1.54.

MCT/LCT Mixed Oil Phase Enhances the Rheological Property and Freeze-Thawing Stability of Emulsion.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different oil phase compositions (medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) and long-chain triglyceride (LCT), the proportion of MCT is 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%, respectively) on the rheological properties and freeze-thaw stability of emulsions. The emulsions were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), rheometer, stability analyzer, Malvern particle size meter and confocal microscope. Results showed that all emulsions exhibited a gel-like characteristic with a storage modulus higher than the loss modulus. The elastic modulus and complex viscosity of the emulsions increased with the increase of MCT proportions. During the heating from 4 °C to 80 °C, the complex viscosity of all emulsions decreased first and then remained unchanged at a continuous high temperature, indicating that the emulsions had good stability and internal structural integrity during the cooling and high-temperature processes. With the increase of MCT proportions, the freeze-thaw stability of the emulsions increased first and then decreased, and showed the optimum with 10% MCT. That could be referred for the production of a product with better freeze-thaw stability and rheological property in the food and cosmetic industries.

Effects of the surface roughness on the separation efficiency of oil–gas mixture impingement on the vertical wall

This paper investigated the effect of the surface roughness (0.3 μm, 1.1 μm, 2.5 μm, and 4.5 μm) on the oil–gas separation efficiency. Through spraying the oil–gas mixture onto the vertical wall, the droplets impingement in inertial separators was imitated. The impact separation efficiency on a wall was calculated by comparing the volume of the collected oil flowing down from the wall with the volume of the impinging oil. Experiments were conducted three different impingement conditions. The impinging velocity and droplets size distributions on the impingement surface were characterized by the Malvern particle size analyzer and the particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique, respectively. The droplets impinging velocities varied in the range of 3−5 m/s, and the Sauter mean diameter was observed around 40 μm. The collecting process can be divided into the initial stage and the steady stage according to the film flow state. It was found that the surface roughness has both advantages and disadvantages effect on the film flow. These two opposite effects are of different importance at different roughness levels. Under the studied impingement conditions, the separation efficiency was all above 80%, and the surface of the middle roughness (1.1–2.5 μm) performed better than the smoothest 0.3 μm surface and the roughest 4.5 μm surface.

QbD-Based Development and Validation of Novel Stability-Indicating Method for the Assay and Dissolution of Garenoxacin in Garenoxacin Tablets.

Garenoxacin mesylate is a novel des-fluoro(6) quinolone, approved and marketed for human use in Japan under the name Geninax. In this current work, a simple and stability-indicating method for the assay and dissolution of garenoxacin in garenoxacin tablets 200 mg was performed. New method developed for the particle size measurement of Garenoxacin mesylate Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient using Malvern 2000. A quality by design (QbD)-based stability-indicating assay method was developed using 0.1% (v/v) formic acid in water and methanol (70:30). Using a photodiode array detector the peak purity of the garenoxacin peak for all degradation samples was studied. The biopharmaceutical classification system (BCS) solubility of garenoxacin mesylate active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) was studied by a modified shake flask method. A dissolution test method was developed using 0.1 N hydrochloric acid as the medium, United State Pharmacopoeia apparatus-II (paddle), revolution per minute (rpm) 50, temperature 37 ± 0.5°C and time 30 min. Liquid paraffin was used as the dispersant in the particle size measurement of garenoxacin mesylate API using the Malvern Mastersizer-wet method. The QbD-based RP-HPLC method was stability-indicating, simple, precise, and accurate. The assay method was linear over 12.5 to 75 µg/mL at the detection wavelength of 280 nm. A UV-based method was developed and validated for the dissolution of garenoxacin 200 mg tablets and the method was found to be linear over 2.9 to 34.2 µg/mL at 280 nm. Based on data, the dissolution tolerance for garenoxacin 200 mg tablets was proposed as Q not less than 80% at time 30 min (% drug released with respect to label claim (Q). The effect of garenoxacin mesylate API particle size in the tablet dosage form was studied using particles of 92 µm and 220 µm [90% of the total particles are smaller than this size (D90)] and it was found that there was no impact on the in vitro dissolution profile. The reported stability-indicating assay and dissolution test methods can be used in regular QC testing of garenoxacin 200 mg tablets. The Malvern particle size wet dispersion measurement method developed and validated for garenoxacin mesylate API is simple and robust. A QbD based RP-HPLC method (using Design Expert Software version 11) was developed and studied peak purity of Garenoxacin peak using Photo Diode Array detector (for all degradation samples, control sample and standard solution) and the same method is validated following USP and ICH guidelines.LC-MS compatible volatile buffer solution is used in the preparation of the mobile phase for the novel stability-indicating RP-HPLC assay method.

Spray Combustion of Rocket-Grade-Kerosene-Based Nanofluids with Oxygen

The spray and spray combustion characteristics of rocket-grade kerosene (Isrosene) loaded with graphene nanoplatelets and aluminum nanoparticles are investigated in this study. A shear coaxial injector with recess was employed to generate the nanofluid spray flowing through the center orifice and 99.98% oxygen through the annular gap. The mass flow rate was maintained at for both the fuel and oxidizer streams, and the flame was nonconfined. Effect of nanoparticles on droplet size of the sprays, flame liftoff height, flame temperature, and CO emissions were measured. Droplet size measurement was conducted using a laser-based nonintrusive technique (MALVERN particle sizer). It was observed that for the same mass flow rates of the fuel and oxygen, the droplet size of the spray increased by 50% due to the addition of nanoparticles. The direct videography method was used to visualize the flame shape and size, and it was observed that the flame liftoff height decreased by 50 and 10% due to the addition of graphene and aluminum nanoparticles, respectively. The presence of nanoparticles enhanced the reaction rate, which was concluded based on the measurement of flame temperature and CO concentrations.

Agarose oligosaccharide- silver nanoparticle- antimicrobial peptide- composite for wound dressing

Marine polysaccharides or oligosaccharides have potential to promote wound healing due to their biocompatibility and physicochemical properties. However, microbial infection delays wound healing process, and novel antimicrobial wound dressings are urgently needed. Here, agarose oligosaccharides (AGO) obtained from marine red algae were used as a reducing and stabilizer for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), and further successfully connected with odorranain A (OA), one of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), to obtain a novel composite nanomaterial (AGO-AgNPs-OA). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Malvern particle size analyzer showed that AGO-AgNPs-OA was spherical or elliptic with average size of about 100 nm. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy showed that AGO-AgNPs stabilized the α-helical structure of OA. AGO-AgNPs-OA showed stronger anti-bacterial activities than AGO-AgNPs, and had good biocompatibility and significant promoting effect on wound healing. Our data suggest that AMPs conjugated marine oligosaccharides and AgNPs may be effective and safe antibacterial materials for wound therapy.

Study on the Spray Characteristics and Oscillation Mechanism of a Feedback-Free Internal Impinging Nozzle

Feedback-free internal impinging nozzle, which can generate fan-shape oscillating spray with constant pendulum angle, is well-suitable for flow control, as it has a wide range of operation frequency and does not require additional energy for moving parts. In this study, the spray characteristics of an internal impinging nozzle were investigated in an open atomization test bench by utilizing high-speed Schlieren technology and Malvern particle size analyzer. To better understand the jet oscillation mechanism and to evaluate its impact on the spray sweeping behaviors, a 3D CFD simulation was carried out, which takes the nozzle internal flow dynamics and the external spray morphology into account. The results indicate that the sweeping behavior of the emitted jet is caused by the impingement between two opposite internal jets inside the nozzle. A bi-model spray spatial flow distribution of the nozzle is observed with varying oscillating frequencies and constant spray pendulum angle at different injection pressures. The oscillation process can be divided into two stages depending on jet breakup processes, and the spray waveforms are influenced by the ratio of the durations of these two stages.

Fabrication of A Folic Acid-Modified Arsenic Trioxide Prodrug Liposome and Assessment of its Anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma Activity

ObjectiveTo reduce the toxicity and side effects of arsenic trioxide (ATO) and provide a new approach for the treatment of primary liver cancer, a folic acid-modified calcium arsenite liposomal “target-controlled” drug delivery system (FA-LP-CaAs) was fabricated using the reverse microemulsion method. MethodsA Malvern particle size analyzer and a transmission electron microscope were employed to determine the particle size, distribution, zeta potential and morphology of FA-LP-CaAs. Further, inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry was employed to determine the drug loading capacity, entrapment efficiency, and in vitro release behavior of FA-LP-CaAs. To determine its toxicity in human hepatoma cells (HepG2) and human normal hepatocytes (LO2) and its effect on HepG2 cell cycle and apoptosis, the MTT method was used. Laser confocal and flow cytometry were also employed to determine the uptake of FA-LP-CaAs by cells. After establishing a mouse liver cancer model, the in vivo distribution of the drug included in the formulation was investigated using in vivo fluorescence. To evaluate the liver cancer targeting and anti-tumor effects of FA-LP-CaAs in vivo, the distribution of ATO in tissues and changes in tumor volume and body weight after liposomal administration were investigated using hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained tumor sections. ResultsThe particle size, zeta potential and PDI of FA-LP-CaAs were (122.67 ± 2.18) nm, (12.81 ± 0.75) mV and 0.22 ± 0.01, respectively, while its drug loading capacity was 18.49% ± 1.14%. In vitro experimental results revealed that FA-LP-CaAs had a strong killing effect on HepG2 cells. Further, the cell uptake capacity of this formulation was found to improve. Based on in vivo assessments, FA-LP-CaAs could significantly increase the distribution of ATO in tumor sites and inhibit tumor growth. ConclusionsHerein, an FA-LP-CaAs formulation was successfully fabricated. This liposomal drug delivery system had a round appearance, uniform particle size, good polydispersity coeffi-cient, evident “core-shell” structure, high drug loading capacity and pH response, tumor targeted drug delivery and sustained drug release. These findings support further research and the application of ATO as an anti-liver cancer prodrug and provide a new method for the treatment of liver cancer.

Effects of the surface roughness on the entrainment heights of oil–gas mixture impingement on the vertical wall

The entrainment of oil–gas mixture from the wall significantly affects the performances of inertial separators. By spraying the oil–gas mixture onto a vertical wall, the effect of surface roughness on entrainment height is investigated in this study. The oil droplet size distribution on the impingement surface is measured using a Malvern particle size analyser, whereas the impingement velocity field is measured using particle image velocimetry technique. The impingement and entrainment profiles are captured through high-speed photography, and the entrainment height is identified from digital image processing. Results show that the entrainment heights range from 2 to 12 mm on the surface with a roughness of 0.3-4.5 μm when the impinge velocity is 3–5 m/s and the Sauter mean diameter of the impinging droplets is approximately 40 μm. The lowest entrainment height in all operating conditions is obtained at the surface roughness level of 1.1 μm.

Effect of Particle Size Distribution and Selective Alcohol Additives for Preparation of High Concentration Coal-Water Slurry

Background:The alternative of oil is highly essential in the present context due to the acute shortage of oil as well as increasing demand for it from different public and private sectors. Since 1980, attention has been focused on coal-water slurry as an alternative fuel for the power generation industry and a suitable substitute for oil in several industrial applications. One of the exciting areas in Coal Water Slurry (CWS) is coal–water-alcohol slurry in which different alcohol compound can act as a dispersant for the stabilisation of coal–water slurry.Objective:The objective of this paper is to prepare a high concentration coal–water-alcohol slurry using glycerol, glycol and ethanol as an additive, and different particle size distribution of coal. This will increase the surface activity of the coal thereby, decreasing the viscosity of the slurry.Method:Two bimodal samples are prepared in which coarse particles are (212 μm - 300 μm), (150 μm – 212 μm) and fine particle below 75 μm. Three types of alcohol additive namely glycerol, glycol and ethanol are used as a dispersant. Malvern Particle size analyzer is used to measure the particle size distribution of the coal samples. Rheological study of CWAS was conducted using HAAKE RHEO STRESS 1.Result:From the experiment, it has been concluded that the optimum addition of glycerol in water is taken as 90:10 of water and glycerol ratio because after that, there is no further decrease in the value of viscosity. An optimum value of glycol and ethanol mixed in water was determined and found as in the ratio of 86:14 and 82:18, respectively.Conclusion:From different parameter studies like coal concentration, pH, temperature, apparent viscosity and stability, it has been concluded that coal-water-glycerol slurry is better than other coal water- alcohol slurry. This is because of the presence of more OH- groups in glycerol. The static stability of this coal-water-alcohol slurry exists for the maximum period of 31 days.