Size Of Ligaments Research Articles

Ex vivo evaluation of the soft tissue components of the equine stifle using 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging under flexion, extension, and loading.

High-field MRI of the equine stifle provides high-resolution information about soft tissues that is useful in the diagnosis of stifle lameness. The aim of this prospective anatomic study was to describe the appearance, position, size, and shape of the equine femorotibial ligaments, meniscal ligaments, and menisci using 3 Tesla MRI under extended, extended-loaded, and flexed conditions. Additionally, histologic examination of the collateral and cruciate ligaments (CLs) of a single stifle was performed to compare with MRI images. In extension, mild variations in MRI signal intensity were apparent in the CLs, and the cranial had two distinct longitudinal regions indicating two ligament bundles. Flexion had minor effects on CL signal intensity and altered the tibial angles of attachment. Histology indicated that both CLs were comprised of two fiber bundles. The collateral ligaments were the same low-signal intensity. The medial collateral ligament had a smaller cross-sectional area than the lateral, and flexion increased the length of the medial collateral ligament and the cross-sectional area of the lateral. Low loads in extension did not affect the MRI appearance of stifle soft tissues. Flexion of the stifle impacted cruciate ligament insertion angles and the size and shape of collateral ligaments. This study provides support for the use of MRI to understand the anatomy and function of stifle ligaments.

Effect of precursor composition and heat-treatment on the morphology and physical properties of Ag nanosponges

Nanoporous silver (np-S) was prepared by free corrosion dealloying of a series of Ag–Al thin films containing between 25 and 73 at.% Al. It was found that precursor composition had an important influence on the nanostructures and morphologies of the np-S. In particular the size of the Ag ligaments systematically decreased from 32 to 13 nm as the Al content was increased over the series. In contrast, there was only a weak effect on pore size, which remained in the range 11–15 nm, with the maximum occurring at about 55 at.% Al. There was however a significant increase in the density of the pores as the Al content of the precursor was increased. The electrical resistivity of the np-S increases with the decrease in ligament size, changing from about 3 × 10−8 Ω m for sponges with ligaments of about 32 nm diameter rising to 30 × 10−8 Ω m for the sponge with the 13 nm ligaments. The surface area of the np-S was estimated by the electrochemical capacitance in KNO3 solutions and was estimated to increase by an order of magnitude compared to a smooth Ag surface. There was a systematic change in the optical properties of the sponges, with a trend towards less metallic behaviour as the ligament size decreased and pore density increased. These changes culminated in the sponge prepared from the 73 at.% Al precursor having non-metallic characteristics with regard to visible and near-infrared light. The volume fraction of metal was estimated to be of the order of 40 ± 5%. Prior annealing of the precursor inhibited dealloying.

Optimizing nanoporous metallic actuators through multiscale calculations and machine learning

Nanoporous materials (NMs) immersed in electrolytes can achieve approximately 1 % deformation at a low operating voltage of about 1 V. The actuation renders them promising artificial muscles. The actuation performance significantly hinges on the structure and size of nanopores and ligaments in NMs. Consequently, designing an optimal configuration is imperative for excellent performance. The actuation mechanism of NMs involves the coupling of multiple fields at various length scales, posing a formidable challenge to conventional simulation and design approaches. To surmount this challenge, we have developed a computational framework capable of conducting concurrent and sequential multiscale calculations. By utilizing artificial neural network (ANN) surrogate models trained on data obtained through the finite element method (FEM), the framework achieves optimized values for both actuation strain and effective Young's modulus within a designated design space. The constitutive model, which establishes the relationship between surface stress and charges in FEM, is derived from the surface eigenstress model and symbolic regression. This involves utilizing data calculated through joint density functional theory. This framework not only ensures the desired properties but also demonstrates its potential for effectively addressing other multiscale optimization problems.

Breaking Down SERS Detection Limit: Engineering of a Nanoporous Platform for High Sensing and Technology.

In this study, nanoporous gold (NPG) was synthesized by free corrosion dealloying of an amorphous precursor, Au20Cu48Ag7Pd5Si20 (at. %), in a mixture of nitric and hydrofluoric acid, starting from amorphous melt-spun ribbons. NPG revealed a 3D nanoporous structure composed of pores and multigrain ligaments of an average size of 60 nm. NPG was further anodized in oxalic acid at 8 V vs. Ag/AgCl reference electrode to obtain a bimodal morphology composed of ligaments disrupted in finer features. Both NPG and anodized samples (A-NPG) were found to be mechanically stable to bending and active for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). SERS activity of samples was investigated using 4,4′-bipyridine as a probe molecule. A detection limit of 10−16 M was found for both samples, but in A-NPG, the signal was strongly enhanced. The extremely high enhancement obtained for A-NPG is attributed both to the small size of ligaments and crystals of which they are made, as well as to the nanometric features resulting from anodization treatment. Such a microstructure showed homogenous SERS response in terms of average enhancement all across the surface, as demonstrated by mapping measurements. Furthermore, NPG and A-NPG were tested as electrodes for electrocatalytic applications, showing good properties. The engineering steps from the amorphous precursor to A-NPG led us to obtain a high-sensing platform, with extremely low detection limit and intrinsic properties, that might significantly contribute to the cutting-edge technology of the future.

Mechanism of coarsening and deformation behavior of nanoporous Cu with varying relative density

Abstract

Revealing Three-Dimensional Morphology in Nanoporous Gold Using Three-Dimensional X-Ray Fresnel Coherent Diffractive Imaging Tomography

Abstract Nanoporous metals fabricated by dealloying have a unique bi-continuous, sponge-like porous structure with ultra-high surface area. The unique properties of these materials, especially nanoporous gold, have numerous potential applications in sensors and actuators and in energy-related applications such as catalytic materials, super-capacitors, and battery supports. The degree of porosity and size of the metal ligaments are critical parameters that determine many properties and thus govern the functionalities of nanoporous metals in many applications including energy storage and conversion. We used Fresnel coherent diffractive imaging combined with tomographic reconstruction to quantify the nanoscale three-dimensional spatial distribution and homogeneity of the porosity and ligament size within a bulk sample of nanoporous gold. The average porosity and its standard deviation along the axial direction through the sample were determined, as well as the characteristic feature size and its standard deviation. The result shows that free corrosion is an effective way to create homogeneous nanoporous metals with sample sizes on the order of 1 µm.

Preparation of nanoporous CoCr alloy by dealloying CrCoNi medium entropy alloys

High/Medium entropy alloys (H/MEAs) represent a new strategy for the design of materials with properties superior to those of conventional alloys. Here, we show a new field of application where the uniform mixtures of multiple principal elements in H/MEAs is utilized to create new type nanoporous alloys by dealloying. By using equiatomic CrCoNi MEAs as a proto-type system, we developed three-dimensional bi-continuous open nanoporous CoCr alloys composed of single-phase solid-solution with equiatomic ratios by liquid-metal dealloying methods. The morphology and size of ligaments and pores could be tailored by controlling dealloying time. Structural evolution of the nanoporous CoCr alloy during dealloying can be well described by surface smoothening and ligament pinch-off mediated coarsening process. This study opens up a new promising pathway for development of new type nanoporous alloys-nanoporous high entropy alloys, which are expected to have unprecedented structural and functional properties due to a unique synergistic combination of nanoporous structure and high-entropy effect.

Electrochemical Design of Nanoporous Gold with Tunable Porosity Using Lead Underpotential Deposition

Nanoporous gold (NPG) is a metamaterial with unique physicochemical, mechanical, and plasmonic properties of interest for various applications in catalysis and electrocatalysis, energy conversion and storage, (bio)sensing, actuation, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering.1-3 A monolithic structure with the nanoscales size of ligaments and rich surface electrochemistry3 make the NPG materials promising for many energy applications such highly active electrocatalysts for energy conversion, and three-dimensional substrates for energy storage in supercapacitors and lithium ion batteries. The length scale of NPG porosity (ligaments & open pores) and its effect on the properties is an essential aspect for such a broad range of applications. The size of porosity can range from a few nanometres to several microns and can be controlled by parent alloy composition, the method of dealloying (chemical, electrochemical) as well as the temperature of dealloying and annealing. Using the electrochemical surface processes to change and fine-tune size, uniformity and hierarchy of the ligament network has been attracting attention as a possible tool for manipulation and design of new and improved NPG functionalities 4, 5 Here we present an all-electrochemical approach to creating NPG thin films with different size of porosity from AgxAu1-x alloys. AgxAu1-x alloys of various compositions were electrodeposited at the constant potential from a thiosulfate-based solution by controlling the potential and concentration of Ag+ and Au+ ions in solution6. Following the structural (SEM, AFM) and composition (XPS) characterisation of the electrodeposited alloys, the selective dissolution of Ag under electrochemical control was used to create NPG with different size of porosity (5 - 15 nm). A process of Pb monolayer underpotential deposition (UPD) has been shown to be an excellent analytical tool to measure the surface area of as created NPG structures7. In this work, we demonstrate that this UPD process featuring surface stress driven surface allying can also be used as an electrochemical tool to shape and change NPG structure. The in-situ STM and electrochemical studies on Au(111) have shown that Pb ML formation is accompanied by significant Au surface restructuring. The top-surface atoms get displaced by alloying at low Pb ML coverage, followed by dealloying at high Pb-coverage creating a highly mobile Au ad-island and vacancy islands that with repeated cycling can lead to a significant surface morphology changes8. We observed that repeated potential cycling of Pb UPD on NPG resulted in ‘coarsening’ of the nanoporous structure with the effect similar to a so called ‘electrochemical annealing’. Combining the electrochemical and structural characterisation were followed the evolution of porosity and showed that changes of the surface area and ligament/pore size could be controlled by the range of the potentials, scan rate and a number of cycles applied.

Tuning ligament shape in dealloyed nanoporous tin and the impact of nanoscale morphology on its applications in Na-ion alloy battery anodes

Control over the morphology of nanostructured materials is of primary importance in structure-property relationship studies. Although the size of ligaments and pores in dealloyed nanoporous metals can be controlled by thermal and/or (electro)chemical treatments, tuning the shape of those ligaments is much harder. In the present work, we use corroding media with different reactivity to effectively tailor the ligament shape in nanoporous tin (NP-Sn) during dealloying by free corrosion. NP-Sn architectures with nanowire and granular ligament shapes were made by controlling the pH of the corroding solution, and thus the rate of Sn oxidation relative to the etching rate of the sacrificial component. The standard nanowire structure was formed under acidic conditions where oxidation was slow, but a hierarchical granular structure was formed when fusion of the Sn nanocrystals was inhibited by surface oxidation. To demonstrate the advantages of this architectural control, these two materials systems were investigated as electrodes for Na-ion battery anodes. Similar initial Na storage capacities of $\ensuremath{\sim}500$ and 550 mAh/g were achieved in the nanowire and granular materials, respectively, but the cycle life of the two materials was quite different. NP-Sn with a granular ligament shape showed enhanced stability with a capacity retention of $\ensuremath{\sim}55%$ over 95 cycles at a specific current of 40 mA/g. By contrast, NP-Sn with a nanowire ligament shape showed very fast capacity fading within the first 10 cycles. This work thus demonstrates the dramatic impact of the nanoscale morphology on the electrochemical performance of nanoporous materials and highlights the need for both shape and size control in dealloyed nanoporous metals.

Fabrication of fine spongy nanoporous Ag-Au alloys with improved catalysis properties

Fine NP-AgAu (nanoporous AgAu) alloys with spongy structure was fabricated by chemical dealloying from rapidly solidified amorphous precursors Ag38.75−xCu38.75Si22.5Aux (x=0, 0.5, 1 and 5). The results indicate that the addition of small content Au in precursor can refine both the ligaments and pores obviously. Among the present components of the precursors, NP-AgAu alloys dealloying from Ag37.75Cu38.75Si22.5Au1 had the finest spongy structure. The size of pores was 5–10nm and the grain size of ligaments was 10–20nm. It also had the highest surface area of 106.83m2g−1 and the best catalytic activity towards electro-oxidation of formaldehyde with the peak current of 665mAmg−1.

The challenges of measuring in vivo knee collateral ligament strains using ultrasound

Ultrasound-based methods have shown promise in their ability to characterize non-uniform deformations in large energy-storing tendons such as the Achilles and patellar tendons, yet applications to other areas of the body have been largely unexplored. The noninvasive quantification of collateral ligament strain could provide an important clinical metric of knee frontal plane stability, which is relevant in ligament injury and for measuring outcomes following total knee arthroplasty. In this pilot cadaveric experiment, we investigated the possibility of measuring collateral ligament strain with our previously validated speckle-tracking approach, but encountered a number of challenges during both data acquisition and processing. Given the clinical interest in this type of tool, and the fact that this is a developing area of research, the goal of this article is to transparently describe this pilot study, both in terms of methods and results, while also identifying specific challenges to this work and areas for future study. Some challenges faced relate generally to speckle-tracking of soft tissues (e.g. the limitations of using a 2D imaging modality to characterize 3D motion), while others are specific to this application (e.g. the small size and complex anatomy of the collateral ligaments). This work illustrates a clear need for additional studies, particularly relating to the collection of ground-truth data and more thorough validation work. These steps will be critical prior to the translation of ultrasound-based measures of collateral ligament strains into the clinic.

3D numerical modelling of the propagation of radiative intensity through a X-ray tomographied ligament

In order to explain the macroscopic radiative behaviour of an open-cell ceramic foam, knowledge of its solid phase distribution in space and the radiative contributions by this solid phase is required. The solid phase in an open-cell ceramic foam is arranged as a porous skeleton, which is itself composed of an interconnected network of ligament. Typically, ligaments being based on the assembly of grains more or less compacted, exhibit an anisotropic geometry with a concave cross section having a lateral size of one hundred microns. Therefore, ligaments are likely to emit, absorb and scatter thermal radiation. This framework explains why experimental investigations at this scale must be developed to extract accurate homogenized radiative properties regardless the shape and size of ligaments. To support this development, a 3D numerical investigation of the radiative intensity propagation through a real world ligament, beforehand scanned by X-Ray micro-tomography, is presented in this paper. The Radiative Transfer Equation (RTE), applied to the resulting meshed volume, is solved by combining Discrete Ordinate Method (DOM) and Streamline upwind Petrov-Garlekin (SUPG) numerical scheme. A particular attention is paid to propose an improved discretization procedure (spatial and angular) based on ordinate parallelization with the aim to reach fast convergence. Towards the end of this article, we present the effects played by the local radiative properties of three ceramic materials (silicon carbide, alumina and zirconia), which are often used for designing open-cell refractory ceramic foams.

2015 Young Investigator Award Winner: Cervical Nerve Root Displacement and Strain During Upper Limb Neural Tension Testing: Part 2: Role of Foraminal Ligaments in the Cervical Spine.

A cross-sectional cadaveric examination of the mechanical effect of foraminal ligaments on cervical nerve root displacement and strain. To determine the role of foraminal ligaments by examining differences in cervical nerve root displacement and strain during upper limb neural tension testing (ULNTT) before and after selective cutting of foraminal ligaments. Although investigators have determined that lumbar spine foraminal ligaments limit displacement and strain of lumbosacral nerve roots, similar studies have not been conducted to prove that it is true for the cervical region. Because the size, shape, and orientation of cervical spine foraminal ligaments are similar to those in the lumbar spine, it is hypothesized that foraminal ligaments in the cervical spine will function in a similar fashion. Radiolucent markers were implanted into cervical nerve roots C5-C8 of 9 unembalmed cadavers. Posteroanterior fluoroscopic images were captured at resting and upper limb neural tension testing positioning before and after selective cutting of foraminal ligaments. Selective cutting of foraminal ligaments resulted in significant increases in inferolateral displacement (average, 2.94 mm [ligaments intact]-3.87 mm [ligaments cut], P < 0.05) and strain (average, 9.33% [ligaments intact]-16.31% [ligaments cut], P < 0.03) of cervical nerve roots C5-C8 during upper limb neural tension testing. Foraminal ligaments in the cervical spine limited cervical nerve root displacement and strain during upper limb neural tension testing. Foraminal ligaments seem to have a protective role, reducing displacement and strain to cervical nerve roots during tension events. 2.

Characterization of viscous biofuel sprays using digital imaging in the near field region

The atomization of biodiesel, vegetable oil and glycerin has been studied in an atmospheric spray rig by using digital imaging (PDIA). Images of the spray were captured in the near field, just 18 mm downstream of the atomizer, and processed to automatically determine the size of both ligaments and droplets. The effect of the spray structure in this region is of major interest for the combustion of biofuels in gas turbines. The sprays were produced by a pressure-swirl atomizer that originates from the multifuel micro gas turbine (MMGT) setup. Various injection conditions have been tested to investigate the influence of viscosity on the spray characteristics and to assess the overall performance of the atomizer. The spray measurements have been compared to combustion experiments with biodiesel and vegetable oil in the micro gas turbine at similar injection conditions. The results show that the primary breakup process rapidly deteriorates when the viscosity is increased. A higher viscosity increases the breakup length, which becomes visible at the measurement location in the form of ligaments. This effect leads to an unacceptable spray quality once the viscosity slightly exceeds the typical range for conventional gas turbine fuels. The SMD in the investigated spray region was not significantly affected by viscosity, but mainly influenced by injection pressure. The data furthermore indicate an increase in SMD with surface tension. It was found that the penetration depth of ligaments can have major impact on the combustion process, and that the droplet size is not always the critical factor responsible for efficient combustion. The measured delay in primary breakup at increased viscosity shows that pressure-swirl atomization is unsuitable for the application of pure pyrolysis oil in an unmodified gas turbine engine

Air-assisted atomization of liquid jets in varying levels of turbulence

AbstractAir-assisted primary atomization is investigated in a configuration where liquid is injected in a turbulent gaseous jet flow both within as well as outside of the potential core. Cases are studied where the injection point is moved within the flow to maintain a range of constant gaseous mean velocities but changing local fluctuating velocity root-mean-square (r.m.s.) levels. Over a range of mean conditions, this allows for a systematic understanding of both the effects of gas-phase turbulence and mean shear on primary break-up independently. Extensive data is obtained and analysed from laser Doppler anemometry/phase Doppler anemometry, high-speed microscopic backlit imaging and advanced image processing. It is found that the ratio of the turbulent Weber number $\mathit{We}^{\prime }$ to the mean Weber number $\mathit{We}$ is a relevant parameter as is the turbulence intensity. The primary break-up length is found to be heavily influenced not only by the mean velocity, but also by the turbulence level and the mass fuel to air ratio. Above a particular threshold intensity level the break-up time changes in proportion to the change in the integral time scale of the flow. In addition, it is found that regardless of diameter and turbulent flow conditions at the liquid jet, the final size of ligaments converges to a value which is of the order of the measured primary instability wavelength (${\it\lambda}_{1}$). In contrast, cases of different turbulence intensity show the mean of droplet sizes diverging as the spray is advected downstream and this is because droplets are generated from ligaments, the latter of which are subjected both to Rayleigh–Taylor instabilities and turbulent fluctuations. This contribution, for the first time, examines the theoretical applicability of the Rayleigh–Taylor instability in flows where the turbulence is substantial with respect to the mean flow. It is shown that for high turbulence intensities a full theoretical reconstruction of the measured final droplet size distribution is possible from a probability density function of model Rayleigh–Taylor wavelengths (${\it\lambda}_{RT}$). In agreement with the literature (Varga et al. J. Fluid Mech., vol. 497, 2003, pp. 405–434), mean droplet sizes are found to be equal to a mean theoretical Rayleigh–Taylor wavelength normalized by a particular constant value. This, however, is only true for local turbulence intensities less than ${\sim}25\,\%$, or for ratios of the turbulent Weber number to mean Weber number ($\mathit{We}^{\prime }/\mathit{We}$) of less than ${\sim}6\,\%$. Above this, the normalization value is no longer constant, but increases with $\mathit{We}^{\prime }/\mathit{We}$. Finally, the instability wavelengths can be used as part of an approximation that estimates the total number of objects formed after break-up, where the object number is found to be dictated by a balance of both mean flow conditions and local turbulence.

Association of Ultrasound and Anatomopathologic Findings of Equine Metacarpophalangeal Lesions

To determine the association between ultrasonographic (US) and anatomopathologic findings, an US examination was performed postmortem on the fetlock and associated structures of 37 equine forelimb specimens. All these specimens exhibited images suggestive of lesions on the ultrasound examination. Subsequently, these limbs were dissected and underwent an anatomopathologic study. Ultrasonographic changes in size, shape, architecture, and echogenicity of ligaments, tendons, joint capsule, articular cartilage, and bony surfaces of the metacarpophalangeal joint were associated with the anatomopathologic findings.

Kinetics of nanoporous Au formation by chemical dealloying

Porous Au structures were synthesized starting from a crystalline Ag 70 Au 30 alloy by selectively dissolving Ag in a nitric acid solution for selected times. The size of ligaments and pores, the degree of porosity and the specific surface area of all structures were measured. The product between the total surface area and the average ligament size is invariably equal to about 3.5 times the total volume of the solid. This suggests that the porous Au structures are similar to single gyroids.

Refinement of Nanoporous Copper by Dealloying MgCuY Amorphous Alloys in Sulfuric Acids Containing Polyvinylpyrrolidone

Nanoporous Cu was fabricated by dealloying Mg65Cu25Y10 amorphous alloy in a mixed solution of poly-vinylpyrrolidone (PVP) and sulfuric acid. A significant change was observed in the pore and ligament size when dealloying in the mixed solution rather than in a 0.1 M H2SO4 solution free of PVP: in the mixed solution containing 10 g/L PVP the mean sizes of pores and ligaments were 10 nm and 14 nm, whereas they were 66 nm and 84 nm in the PVP-free solution. With increasing concentration of PVP in the dealloying solutions, the size of nanopores and ligaments decreased in the following manner: the decrease was small in the PVP concentration range of 0 to 0.1 g/L (Type I), and large in the 0.1 to 10 g/L range (Type II). A decrease in the surface diffusivity of more than three orders of magnitude was noted with the addition of 10 g/L PVP. This can be explained by the restrictions on free diffusion of Cu adatoms due to the adsorption of PVP macromolecules which force Cu adatoms to diffuse in a relatively narrower range, and thus smaller Cu ligaments and nanopores formed. The introduction of organic macromolecule into dealloying solution helps refine nanoporous structures.

Ultrafine nanoporous PdFe/Fe3O4 catalysts with doubly enhanced activities towards electro-oxidation of methanol and ethanol in alkaline media

Here, we report the fabrication of ultrafine nanoporous PdFe/Fe3O4 electrocatalysts by a facile dealloying strategy. The results show that the phase formation of the as-dealloyed samples is dependent upon the Pd : Fe atomic ratio in the Al–Pd–Fe ternary precursors. The size of ligaments is as small as ∼2 nm in the nanoporous structure of the as-dealloyed samples, which is the smallest among the literature data reported for nanoporous metals/alloys. The present nanoporous PdFe/Fe3O4 nanocomposites show excellent electrocatalytic activities towards the oxidation of methanol and ethanol in alkaline media due to the double enhancement from Fe3O4 and Fe in PdFe. In addition, the nanoporous PdFe/Fe3O4 sample dealloyed from the Al75Pd12.5Fe12.5 precursor exhibits the highest electrocatalytic activity. These materials are potential anode electrocatalysts for applications in direct alcohol fuel cells.

STANDING LOW-FIELD MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING APPEARANCE OF NORMAL COLLATERAL LIGAMENTS OF THE EQUINE DISTAL INTERPHALANGEAL JOINT

High- and low-field magnetic resonance (MR) imaging systems are available for clinical diagnosis of collateral desmopathy of the equine distal interphalangeal joint (DIJ). Knowledge of the normal appearance, size, shape,and signal variation of these ligaments on high- and low-field MR images is essential when assessing desmopathy detected by MR imaging. However, there are no descriptions of the normal features of DIJ collateral ligaments on images obtained with a standing low-field MR system. Low-field MR imaging characteristics of normal collateral ligaments of the DIJ of cadaver feet were corroborated with high-field MR imaging and histologic examination to exclude desmopathy. The size and shape of the collateral ligaments of the DIJ was similar among limbs; however, the signal pattern of the ligaments varied depending on the segment of the ligament being assessed and the MR sequence used. In limbs positioned within the magnet as recommended for clinical MR imaging, collateral ligaments of the DIJ have heterogeneous signal pattern with a peripheral region of increased signal intensity at the level of the middle phalanx that can be confused with a desmopathy.The MR imaging characteristics of normal collateral ligaments of the DIJ are related to their anatomy and fiber configuration. The results of this study support the presence of magic angle effect within the axial margin of the CL of the DIJ at the level of fiber divergence within the proximal to mid-portion of the ligament.