Polymethylmethacrylate Plates Research Articles

Two-dimensional modeling of high-velocity impingement of polymethylmethacrylate plates

Using modification of Maxwell model of viscoelastic medium, we have performed 2D simulations of the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) plates impingement at high velocities. Previously, we had investigated numerically the influence of the viscoelastic properties upon the dynamics of 1D shock-wave flows in PMMA. It was shown that, in a limit of weak shock waves, the accounting of the viscoelastic properties allows one to achieve a better agreement of calculated results and experimental data on the shock wave velocity magnitude than in the case of hydrodynamic calculations. In the present work, we make a generalization of the polymer material deformation model to the case of 2D stress state. The equation is written for the plastic deformation tensor, which describes the relaxation of the maximal shear stress.

Characterization of paraffin based breast tissue equivalent phantom using a CdTe detector pulse height analysis.

In this study, paraffin was selected as a base material and mixed with different amounts of CaSO4·2H2O and H3BO3 compounds in order to mimic breast tissue. Slab phantoms were produced with suitable mixture ratios of the additives in the melted paraffin. Subsequently, these were characterized in terms of first half-value layer (HVL) in the mammographic X-ray range using a pulse-height spectroscopic analysis with a CdTe detector. Irradiations were performed in the energy range of 23-35kVp under broad beam conditions from Mo/Mo and Mo/Rh target/filter combinations. X-ray spectra were acquired with a CdTe detector without and with phantom material interposition in increments of 1cm thickness and then evaluated to obtain the transmission data. The net integral areas of the spectra for the slabs were used to plot the transmission curves and these curves were fitted to the Archer model function. The results obtained for the slabs were compared with those of standard mammographic phantoms such as CIRS BR series phantoms and polymethylmethacrylate plates (PMMA). From the evaluated transmission curves, the mass attenuation coefficients and HVLs of some mixtures are close to those of the commercially available standard mammography phantoms. Results indicated that when a suitable proportion of H3BO3 and CaSO4·2H2O is added to the paraffin, the resulting material may be a good candidate for a breast tissue equivalent phantom.

One-Step Salvage of Infected Prosthetic Breast Reconstructions Using Antibiotic-Impregnated Polymethylmethacrylate Plates and Concurrent Tissue Expander Exchange.

Periprosthetic infection represents a major complication in breast reconstruction, frequently leading to expander-implant loss. Recent studies report variable success in the salvage of infected breast prostheses through systemic antibiotic therapy and surgical intervention. There is currently no consensus regarding a management algorithm for attempted salvage. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the early outcomes of a protocol using antibiotic-impregnated polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) implant placement with expander device exchange. A retrospective database was queried to identify all patients with infected implant-based breast reconstruction who were treated by the study authors and who underwent attempted salvage under the study protocol. All patients received intravenous antibiotics followed by surgical debridement of the infected pocket, insertion of antibiotic-impregnated PMMA plates and/or beads, device exchange, and postoperative antibiotics. After clinical resolution of infection, tissue expansion was performed with the PMMA implants remaining in situ until exchanged to permanent implants. All patients with infected prosthetic breast reconstructions achieved implant pocket sterilization using this method. At a mean follow-up of 8.2 months (range, 1-19 months), none of these patients have required reoperation for capsular contracture. One patient, while under treatment with prednisone for a rash, developed recurrent infection, which led to explantation of her implant. Two patients underwent radiation therapy while an antibiotic plate and tissue expander were in place, with no observed exposure or infection recurrence. Sustained local antibiotic delivery using PMMA implants and expander device exchange can successfully salvage an infected breast implant. Perceived benefits include shorter time to completed reconstruction, preserved skin envelope integrity, and possibly improved long-term aesthetic outcomes.

Prediction on fatigue life of U‐notched PMMA plate

AbstractIn this paper, fatigue life prediction of U‐notched polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) plate is numerically investigated based on the combination of fatigue damage mechanism and fatigue crack propagation mechanism. First, strength and stiffness degeneration criterions during the fatigue process are established on the basis of nonlinear progressive damage evolution, and the fatigue crack initiation life is estimated. Second, fatigue crack propagation phase is analysed through virtual crack closure technique. The fatigue crack propagation life before totally fracture is also predicted. Finally, finite element models of PMMA plate weakened by lateral symmetric U‐notch are built up using ABAQUS, and the total fatigue life of notched plate is calculated by combining the crack initiation life with the crack propagation life. These results will play an important role for evaluating the fatigue life of U‐notched PMMA plate.

A sensitive and compact mercury analyzer by integrating dielectric barrier discharge induced cold vapor generation and optical emission spectrometry

An environmentally friendly, low power consuming, sensitive and compact mercury analyzer was developed for the determination of mercury in water samples by integrating a thin film dielectric barrier discharge induced cold vapor reactor and a dielectric barrier discharge optical emission spectrometer into a small polymethyl methacrylate plate (10.5cm length×8.0cm width×1.2cm height). Mercury cold vapor was generated when standard or sample solutions with or without formic acid were introduced to the reactor to form thin film liquid and exposed to microplasma irradiation and subsequently separated from the liquid phase for transport to the microplasma and detection of its atomic emission. Limits of detection of 0.20μgL−1 and 2.6μgL−1 were obtained for the proposed system using or not using formic acid, respectively. Compared to the conventional microplasma optical emission spectrometry used for mercury analysis, this system not only retains the good limit of detection amenable to the determination of mercury in real samples, but also reduces power consumption, eliminates the generation of hydrogen and avoids the use of toxic or unstable reductant. Method validation was demonstrated by analysis of a certified reference material of water sample and three real water samples with good spike recoveries (88–102%).

Temperopareital Methyl Methacrylate Cranioplasty-A Preliminary Case Study And Technical Note

Temperoparietalcranioplasty are largely performed among all other varieties of craniolplasty and the role of Dental surgeon in these case is discussed in elaborate in restoring the defect with polymethyl methacrylate plate Post trauma cranial defects in 5 selected cases and their defect correction technique discussed in this paper.

Development of a microfluidic-chip system for liquid–phase microextraction based on two immiscible organic solvents for the extraction and preconcentration of some hormonal drugs

In the present study, for the first time, an on-chip liquid phase microextraction (LPME) coupled with high performance liquid chromatography was introduced for the analysis of levonorgestrel (Levo), dydrogesterone (Dydo) and medroxyprogesterone (Medo) as the model analytes in biological samples. The chip-based LPME set-up was composed of two polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) plates with microfabricated channels and a microporous membrane sandwiched between them to separate the sample solution and acceptor phase. These channels were used as a flow path for the sample solution and a thin compartment for the acceptor phase, respectively. In this system, two immiscible organic solvents were used as supported liquid membrane (SLM) and acceptor phase, respectively. During extraction, the model analytes in the sample solution were transported through the SLM (n-dodecane) into the acceptor organic solvent (methanol). The new set-up provided effective and reproducible extractions using low volumes of the sample solution. The effective parameters on the extraction efficiency of the model analytes were optimized using one variable at a time method. Under the optimized conditions, the new set-up provided good linearity in the range of 5.0–500µgL−1 for the model analytes with the coefficients of determination (r2) higher than 0.9909. The relative standard deviations (RSDs%) and limits of detection (LODs) values were less than 6.5% (n=5) and 5.0µgL−1, respectively. The preconcentration factors (PFs) were obtained using 1.0mL of the sample solution and 20.0µL of the acceptor solution higher than 19.9-fold. Finally, the proposed method was successfully applied for the extraction and determination of the model analytes in urine samples.

Development of a continuous injection direct rolling imprint system for microstructure thin-plate

A prototype of a continuous injection direct rolling (CIDR) imprint system was developed and applied to CIDR tests to evaluate its feasibility for the large-area replication of an optical micro device. The developed system adopts the theories of injection compression and thermal imprinting and presents the capacity to fabricate a 200 mm-wide and over 10 m-long PMMA plate and to replicate ultra-precision structures on its surface at a rolling speed range of 1.1–11.5 mm/s. Under the given CIDR conditions (injection temperature, 280 °C; injection pressure, 6 MPa; rolling force, 13 MPa; roller temperature, 85 °C), complete fabricating of a 0.7 mm-thick Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) plate with 17.3 μm-deep and 35 μm-wide V-groove microstructures was achieved at a rolling speed of 3.4 mm/s. Finally, a light guide plate for a backlight panel was fabricated by CIDR. The light transmittance of this plate reached 90.8 %, the maximum birefringence was ~99 nm and its average haze was 0.51 %.

Protective hybrid coating containing silver, copper and zinc cations effective against human immunodeficiency virus and other enveloped viruses.

BackgroundHealthcare-acquired infections by pathogenic microorganisms including viruses represent significant health concern worldwide. Next to direct transmission from person-to-person also indirect transmission from contaminated surfaces is well documented and important route of infections. Here, we tested antiviral properties of hybrid coating containing silver, copper and zinc cations that was previously shown to be effective against pathogenic bacteria including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Hybrid coatings containing silver, copper and zinc cations were prepared through radical polymerization via sol-gel method and applied on glass slides or into the wells of polymethylmethacrylate plates. A 10 μl droplet of several viruses such as human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), influenza, dengue virus, herpes simplex virus, and coxsackievirus was added to coated and uncoated slides or plates, incubated usually from 5 to 240 min and followed by titer determination of recovered virus.ResultsScanning electron microscopy analysis showed better adhesion of coatings on glass surfaces, which resulted in 99.5–100 % HIV-1 titer reduction (3.1 ± 0.8 log10TCID50, n = 3) already after 20 min of exposure to coatings, than on coated polymethylmethacrylate plates with 75–100 % (1.7 ± 1.1 log10TCID50, n = 3) and 98–100 % (2.3 ± 0.5 log10TCID50, n = 3) HIV-1 titer reduction after 20 and 120 min of exposure, respectively. Slower virucidal kinetics was observed with other enveloped viruses, where 240 min exposure to coated slides lead to 97 % (dengue), 100 % (herpes simplex) and 77 % (influenza) reduction in virus titers. Interestingly, only marginal reduction in viral titer after 240 min of exposure was noticed for non-enveloped coxsackie B3 virus.ConclusionsOur hybrid coatings showed virucidal activity against HIV and other enveloped viruses thus providing further findings towards development of broad-spectrum antimicrobial coating suitable for surfaces in healthcare settings.

A Microfluidic Fluorescence Immunoassay Test Card for Rapid Detection of Heart-type Fatty Acid Binding Protein

Abstract A kind of easily assembly self-driving test card was developed for the rapid detection and quantification of heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) utilizing time-resolved fluorescence microspheres as signal probes. It was easy to make microfluidic channel structures with double-sided adhesive and cut out of test card substrate and cover based on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) material by the laser cutting technique. The membrane of polystyrene containing maleic anhydride functional groups was coated on PMMA plate surface by dip-coating method. Furthermore, the capture antibody was immobilized effectively on PMMA surface by covalent binding with maleic anhydride groups. The cover was treated with plasma treatment to improve the hydrophilic ability, so that the liquid could flow smoothly in the microchannel. The whole analysis process could be completed within 10 min. There was a very good linear correlation between response and H-FABP concentration in the range of 0.5−100 ng mL−1 (R2 = 0.9966), and the detection limit was 0.1 ng mL−1 (S/N = 3). The intra-assay precision was less than 10% and the inter-assay precision was less than 15%. This detection method has the advantages such as high sensitivity, fast detection and good accuracy.

Textile Dye Removal Using a Photocatalytic Cascade Disc Reactor Coated by ZnO Nanoparticles: Effects of Hydraulic Parameters

AbstractHydraulic parameters play an important role in mass transfer phenomena in photocatalytic reactors. These fundamental hydraulic parameters are flow rate, relative roughness, and Reynolds number. This research experimentally evaluates the effects of flow rate and artificial relative roughness in order to determine the factors influencing the removal efficiency and reaction rate constant of Reactive Yellow 81 (RY81). For this purpose, a cascade photocatalytic reactor is constructed which consists of similar polymethylmethacrylate plates coated by ZnO nanoparticles and with various types of roughness. Dye removal efficiency is calculated for different flow rates with and without considering relative roughness. Furthermore, this study also reveals main effective parameters increasing the mass transfer rate, and uses a decision tree model called M5-Pruned (M5P) for predicting dye removal efficiency. Therefore, simple relations are provided for calculation of dye removal efficiency that consider importan...

Template Transfer Nanoimprint for Uniform Nanopores and Nanopoles

A new methodology is developed for the fabrication of nanostructures on substrate based on anodized Al2O3(AAO) porous template transfer process. It includes (1) forming amorphous alloy, negative UV-resist resin (i.e., SU-8), or PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) plate nanorod arrays by hot-press molding amorphous alloy, negative UV-resist resin (i.e., SU-8), or PMMA plate into the anodized Al2O3porous substrates; (2) removing AAO templates by chemical etching process after suitable posttreatment (annealing and/or irradiation) to improve the mechanical strength of the nanorod arrays; (3) reforming nanopore films by hot-embossing the nanorod arrays into a thin layer of polymer film on substrates (e.g., silica); (4) cleaning the bottom residues in pores of the films by oxygen plasmon. The results indicate that the diameters of amorphous alloy (or negative UV-resist resin or PMMA) nanorod arrays can be ranged from 32 nm to 200 nm. The diameters of the imprinted ILR-1050 photoresist nanopores are about 94.5 ± 12.2 nm and the diameters of the imprinted or SU-8 resin on glass slides nanopores are about 207 ± 26.4 nm, which inherit the diameters of AAO templates. This methodology provides a general method to fabricate nanorods arrays and/or thin nanopore films by template transfer nanoimprint process.

Fabrication of microlens array and bifocal microlens using the methods of laser ablation and solvent reflow

Based on the techniques of laser microdrilling and solvent reflow, this study reports on a straightforward approach for fabricating plastic microlens arrays (MLAs). First, we use the ArF excimer laser to drill microholes on a polymethylmethacrylate plate for defining the lens number, initial depth, and diameter. The propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate solvent is then employed to regulate the surface profile that leads to a resulting negative (concave) MLA. The corresponding positive (convex), polydimethyl-siloxane MLA is obtained by the soft-replica-molding technique. Through varying the pattern size and period on the mask and the light intensity for laser drilling and regulating the solvent in the reflow process, we exhibit the feasibility of making MLAs with various sizes and shapes. By modifying the laser ablation step to drill two microholes with different diameters and depths at two levels, we fabricate a bifocal microlens. The obtained microlenses have excellent surface and optical properties: surface roughness down to several nanometers and focal lengths varying from hundreds to thousands of micrometers. This approach is flexible for constructing microlenses with various sizes and shapes and can fabricate MLAs with a high fill factor.

Absorber and self-cleaning surfaces on modified polymer plates for solar harvesting in the humid (sub)tropics

Mild winters in (sub)tropical climates generally do not require water heating to temperatures above 100°C for residential consumption. This allowed development of a cost-effective polymeric thermo-solar collector concept for all-year and low temperature operation. High absorptance in the solar spectrum (90%) was achieved with a carbon black coating on a transparent PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) plate, and low emissivity in the black body radiation range at 50°C (6–14μm) was provided by a polyester cover. Using the highest average absorber roughness attained (0.369μm) and a UV-filtered 300W Xe/Hg lamp, a 30°C water temperature increase in 80min was produced. In addition, superhydrophobicity was attained (contact angle of 158±1° and hysteresis of 2±1°) by deposition of SiO2 nanoparticles on the polymeric surface to allow self-cleaning in rainy conditions without significant transmittance loss in the solar spectrum.

An advanced image processing method to improve the spatial resolution of ion radiographies

We present an optimization method to improve the spatial resolution and the water equivalent thickness (WET) accuracy of ion radiographies. The method is designed for imaging systems measuring for each actively scanned beam spot the lateral position of the pencil beam and at the same time the Bragg curve (behind the target) in discrete steps without relying on tracker detectors to determine the ion trajectory before and after the irradiated volume. Specifically, the method was used for an imaging set-up consisting of a stack of 61 parallel-plate ionization chambers (PPIC) interleaved with absorber plates of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) working as a range telescope.The method uses not only the Bragg peak position, but approximates the entire measured Bragg curve as a superposition of differently shifted Bragg curves. Their relative weights allow to reconstruct the distribution of thickness around each scan spot of a heterogeneous phantom.The approach also allows merging the ion radiography with the geometric information of a co-registered x-ray radiography in order to increase its spatial resolution. The method was tested using Monte Carlo simulated and experimental proton radiographies of a PMMA step phantom and an anthropomorphic head phantom. For the step phantom, the effective spatial resolution was found to be 6 and 4 times higher than the nominal resolution for the simulated and experimental radiographies, respectively. For the head phantom, a gamma index was calculated to quantify the conformity of the simulated proton radiographies with a digitally reconstructed radiography (DRR) obtained from an x-ray CT and properly converted into WET. For a distance-to-agreement (DTA) of 2.5 mm and a relative WET difference (RWET) of 2.5%, the passing ratio was 100%/85% for the optimized/non-optimized case, respectively. When the optimized proton radiography was merged with the co-registered DRR, the passing ratio was 100% at DTA = 1.3 mm and RWET = 1.3%. A special interpolation method allows to strongly reduce the dose by using a coarser grid of the measured beam spot position with a 5 times larger grid distance. We show that despite a dose reduction of 25 times (leading to a dose of 0.016 mGy for the current imaging set-up), the image quality of the optimized radiographies remains fairly unaffected for both the simulated and experimental case.

Development of a 3-dimensional dosimetry system for Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion

The purpose of our study is to develop a new, 3-dimensional dosimetry system to verify the accuracy of dose deliveries in Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion (LGKP) (Elekta, Norcross, GA, USA). The instrument consists of a moving head phantom, an embedded thin active layer and a CCD camera system and was designed to be mounted to LGKP. As an active material concentrically located in the hemispheric head phantom, we choose Gafchromic EBT3 films and Gd2O2S:Tb phosphor sheets for dosimetric measurements. Also, to compensate for the lack of backscatter, we located a 1-cm-thick poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) plate downstream of the active layer. The PMMA plate was transparent to scintillation light to reach the CCD with 1200 × 1200 pixels and a 5.2 µm pitch. With this system, 300 images with a 0.2-mm slice gap were acquired under each of three collimator setups, i.e. 4-mm, 8-mm, and 16-mm, respectively. The 2D projected images taken by the CCD camera were compared with the dose distributions measured by the EBT3 films under the same conditions. All 2D distributions were normalized to the maximum values derived by fitting peaks for each collimator setup. The differences in the full widths at half maximum (FWHM) of 2D profiles between CCD images and film doses were measured to be less than 0.3-mm. The scanning task for all peak regions took less than three minutes with the new instrument. So it can be utilized as a QA tool for the Gamma knife radiosurgery system instead of film dosimetry, the use of which requires much more time and many more resources.

Morphology Analysis of Cu Film Fractures in Sandwiched Methylmethacrylate Plates

Thin films of Cu were evaporated on solid plates of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). A polymerization process was made to realize sandwiched structure to protect the Cu films. Fracturing of the metal film surface was observed with several morphologies showing two different fracture systems. Surface film morphology was analysed in terms of the distribution area of the islands and contour fractal dimension. The island areas showed a maximum corresponding to 42 nm of the Cu thickness, it was also the threshold to observe the second fracture system. The fractures pattern resulted to be scale invariant with fractal dimensions between 1.55 and 1.7. The minimum fractal dimension also occurred at the film thickness corresponding to the maximum island area. The reported effects can be understood on the basis of different thermal expansion coefficients of the two materials and their thermally induced adhesion. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ms.21.2.6518

Breast tomosynthesis: Dosimetry and image quality assessment on phantom.

To evaluate using phantom study the average glandular dose (AGD) and image quality in breast tomosynthesis. The study was performed with a full-field digital mammography system (Mammomat Inspiration(®), Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) combined with tomosynthesis equipment (3D). For AGD evaluation, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) plates and a dosimeter were used to directly measure the absorbed doses in 2D and in 3D. The doses were then compared to the doses displayed on the equipment using the Mann-Whitney test. Three phantoms, accredited for 2D digital mammography (MTM 100, ACR RMI 156, BR3D), were imaged three times in 2D then in 3D. For each acquisition, the AGD was recorded. For image quality assessment, scores, defined by the rate of visible inserts, obtained for each acquisition both in 2D and in 3D, and for each phantom, were compared (Kruskall-Wallis and post-hoc Dunn tests). There was no significant difference between the measured and displayed AGD, both in 2D and in 3D imaging (P>0.05). With identical acquisition parameters, AGD were significantly greater in 3D than in 2D P<0.01). For phantoms MTM 100 and ACR RMI 156, there was no significant difference between the rate of visible inserts in 2D and in 3D (P=0.06 and P=0.36, respectively). However for phantom BR3D, the rate was significantly higher in 3D than in 2D (P<0.0001). Doses are significantly greater in 3D than in 2D. With tomosynthesis, out of the three phantoms tested, only phantom BR3D showed a higher rate of visible inserts.

An experimental study on the surface mechanisms formation during the laser milling of PMMA

Laser milling is a recent technology adopted in rapid prototyping to produce tools, molds, and polymer‐based microfluidic devices. In this process, a laser beam is used to machine a solid bulk, filling the area to be machined with a number of closely spaced parallel lines. Compared to traditional machining, this method has some advantages, such as: greater flexibility of use, no mechanical contact with the surface, reduction of industrial effluents, fine machining accuracy even with complex forms, and the possibility to work different kinds of materials. In the present article, an experimental study on poly‐methyl‐methacrylate (PMMA) laser milling is carried out with the aim to study the influence of the process parameters on the removed volume, depth and roughness. Laser milling tests were performed on a PMMA plate, using a 30 W CO2 laser source working in continuous wave or pulsed wave mode. To estimate the depth and the roughness of the milled pockets, a semi‐empirical model, based on energy considerations, was developed. The results showed a good agreement between the model and the experimental data. However, the results clearly show that the mechanisms of interaction change considerably in dependence of the processing parameters. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:1063–1071, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers

Polymethylmethacrylate-based luminescent solar concentrators with bottom-mounted solar cells

Luminescent solar concentrators offer an attractive approach to concentrate sunlight economically without tracking, but the narrow absorption band of luminescent materials hinders their further development. This paper describes bottom-mounted luminescent solar concentrators on dye-doped polymethylmethacrylate plates that absorb not only the waveguided light but also the transmitted sunlight and partial fluorescent light in the escape cone. A series of bottom-mounted luminescent solar concentrators with size of 78mm×78mm×7mm were fabricated and their gain and power conversion efficiency were investigated. The transport process of the waveguided light and the relationship between the bottom-mounted cells were studied to optimize the performance of the device. The bottom-mounted luminescent solar concentrator with cell area coverage of 9% displayed a cell gain of 1.38, to our best knowledge, which is the highest value for dye-doped polymethylmethacrylate plate luminescent solar concentrators. Power conversion efficiency as high as 5.03% was obtained with cell area coverage of 27%. Furthermore, the bottom-mounted luminescent solar concentrator was found to have a lowest cost per watt of $1.89 with cell area coverage of 18%. These results suggested that the fabricated bottom-mounted luminescent solar concentrator may have a potential in low-cost building integrated photovoltaic application.