Recent Developments In Surface Modification Research Articles

Nanocelluloses review: Preparation, biological properties, safety, and applications in the food field

AbstractFunctional diet and food safety requirements, as well as reducing the consumption of nonrenewable resources and environmental pollution are the important development themes on food processing. The development and application of edible nanocelluloses (NCs) is an urgent need in the current food field. NCs are divided into three types, including cellulose nanofibrils, and cellulose nanocrystals from natural fibers, as well as bacterial cellulose synthesized by bacteria. In this review, recent developments in surface modification, biological properties, safety issues, and their applications in the food industry were highlighted. NCs have application limits due to native hydrophilicity, surface modification strengthens their hydrophobicity and stability in the oil phase. NCs exhibit excellent physicochemical properties and successfully be used as edible coatings, emulsion stabilizers, and functional food ingredients. In particular, NCs and modified NCs can be used as low‐calorie fat substitutes and prebiotics for improving gut microbiota. However, the biological properties and safety assessments still require more attention, as well as establishing the regulations for food applications.

Modeling and simulation of frictional energy loss in mixed lubrication of a textured piston compression ring during warm-up of spark ignition engine

Road vehicles account for a substantial portion of energy consumed by transportation. A large amount of this energy is lost to overcome friction within vehicle engines, in which the piston compression rings are a major source of such parasitic losses. The internal losses of engines increase several times in the case of unfavorable warm-up conditions. Recent developments in surface modification showed promising results in improving the frictional behavior of piston rings. Analyses are often idealized, such as isothermal conditions and unrealistic engine operating conditions. This study presents a numerical investigation of the frictional behavior of mixed-hydrodynamic interaction in a textured piston compression ring–cylinder liner during the warm-up process. The transient Reynolds equation is solved with a mass-conserving cavitation algorithm, realistic oil rheology, and practical engine operating conditions. Several multigrade and monograde oils are considered to draw comprehensive conclusions. The results show that ring surface texturing substantially reduces energy loss during the entire warm-up phase.

Advances in biofouling mitigation: A review

ABSTRACTThe attachment of microbial biomass on solid surfaces is a universal phenomenon that occurs in natural and engineering systems and is responsible for various types of biofouling. Biological fouling, also referred to as biofouling, remains one of the most critical problems toward the durable application of materials. The eradication of this problem using sustainable and environmentally friendly techniques is still of critical importance and is therefore receiving significant interest from researchers worldwide. The authors start with a definition of processes that lead to biofouling and their relevance to various industrial applications. The most relevant findings from past research are presented and particular emphasis is focused on present research, where recent developments in surface modification receive specific attention.

Graft polymerization and plasma treatment of polymer membranes for fouling reduction: A review

This article presents a review of recent developments in surface modification of polymer membranes via graft polymerization and plasma treatment for reduction of fouling with organic compounds and microorganisms in pressure driven membrane processes. The factors affecting membrane fouling, such as membrane hydrophilicity, charge and surface roughness are discussed. The recent studies in which the reduction of organic fouling and biofouling by the modification of the membrane surface via ultraviolet/redox initiated surface grafting of hydrophilic polymers and low temperature plasma treatment are reviewed.

Quantum Dots for Cancer Diagnosis and Therapy: Biological and Clinical Perspectives

Quantum dots (QDs) are semiconductor nanocrystals that emit fluorescence on excitation with a light source. They have excellent optical properties, including high brightness, resistance to photobleaching and tunable wavelength. Recent developments in surface modification of QDs enable their potential application in cancer imaging. QDs with near-infrared emission could be applied to sentinel lymph-node mapping to aid biopsy and surgery. Conjugation of QDs with biomolecules, including peptides and antibodies, could be used to target tumors in vivo. In this review, we summarize recent progress in developing QDs for cancer diagnosis and treatment from a clinical standpoint and discuss future prospects of further improving QD technology to identify metastatic cancer cells, quantitatively measure the level of specific molecular targets and guide targeted cancer therapy by providing biodynamic markers for target inhibition.

Surface modification of textile fibers for improvement of adhesion to polymeric matrices: a review

Surface treatments have long been utilized to modify the chemical and physical structures of the surface layers of textile fibers, thus improving the properties of fibers in many applications. This review discusses the feasibility and characteristics of different methods of surface modification of polymeric textile fibers, focusing on tailoring fiber-matrix bond strength in fiber-reinforced composite materials. The influence of various treatments on the chemical and mechanical properties of different fibers is discussed. Some very recent developments in surface modification of textile fibers are highlighted.