Temperature Control Capability Research Articles

Study on the mechanical properties, thermal properties, and microstructure of phase change concrete (PCC): The application of active frost resistance of concrete in frozen soil areas

This paper addresses the issue of freezing damage to concrete structures in regions with frozen soil and overcomes the limitations of traditional frost resistance enhancement methods by integrating both active and passive frost resistance strategies. A novel low-temperature phase change concrete (PCC) is developed using specially designed phase change aggregates and fly ash to replace gravel and cement, respectively. Macroscopic mechanical tests are employed to investigate the evolution of the mechanical properties of PCC. The temperature control capabilities of PCC are quantitatively assessed through thermal physical parameters, heat storage and release curves, and infrared thermal imaging, alongside the introduction of a temperature damping indicator to elucidate the mechanisms underlying active frost resistance enhancement. Furthermore, XRD NMR, and SEM are utilized to further explore the influence of fly ash and phase change aggregates on the microstructural characteristics of PCC. The results show that the addition of phase change aggregates can reduce the strength, porosity, and ductility of concrete. The PCC prepared by mixing phase change aggregates with fly ash demonstrates effective temperature control performance while maintaining satisfactory mechanical properties. The noticeable temperature plateau around 0 °C in the heat storage and release curve, along with the multi-layered annular flare distribution observed in infrared thermal imaging, suggests that the temperature damping effect significantly mitigates the freeze-thaw impact experienced by PCC. Overall, the A-8 sample, with 20 % phase change aggregate and 30 % fly ash added, exhibits the most favorable comprehensive performance, showing reductions of 2.63 %, 39.57 %, and 33.04 % in uniaxial compressive strength, porosity, and maximum temperature difference, respectively, compared to the control group, along with a 75.62 % increase in relative temperature damping.

Photo-thermal effects initiate multi-level energy conversion in “solid-solid” phase-changing fibers

The current textiles primarily employ passive heat barriers to minimize heat loss and achieve effective thermal insulation for human beings. Accordingly, intelligent fibers with energy storage and temperature control capabilities have garnered significant attention due to their potential to revolutionize textile technology. The study integrates the photo-thermal effect and phase change energy storage materials onto a fiber, thereby fabricating a fully intelligent energy storage fiber. This innovation enables the multi-level conversion of sunlight: “Optical energy - Thermal energy - Phase transition energy - Thermal energy”. The intelligent fiber efficiently converts solar energy into heat energy through the photo-thermal coupling of CuNPs, subsequently inducing a spatial conformational change in the solid-solid phase change material within the fiber for effective heat storage. The hybrid fiber possesses enhanced mechanical properties but also exhibits a significantly high phase transition enthalpy value of 49.75 J g−1 and a phase transition temperature suitable for human body temperature (20.19–30.21 °C), especially the fiber is more durable. The photo-thermal conversion test vividly demonstrates the systematic transformation of four distinct forms of energy within the composite fiber. This approach holds significant potential for advancing the field of smart fiber technology.

A study on the performance of corn grain dryer using hybrid solar drying with liquefied petroleum gas

Corn is a widely produced and consumed agricultural product, used as fuel, staple food, and livestock feed. The high level of corn production can lead to potential post-harvest food losses. Drying methods offer a solution to extend the shelf life of a substance. Hybrid solar drying, which combines solar drying with additional heating, particularly using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), was introduced in this research to ensure faster and more efficient drying processes. The three drying methods compared in this study consist of open sun drying, natural solar drying, and hybrid solar drying. The research results show an average corn grain moisture content of 13.95% over 10.5 hrs, 13.75% over 6 hrs, 13.65% over 7 hrs, 13.45% over 5 hrs, and 13.65% over 4.5 hrs in open sun drying, natural solar drying, and hybrid solar drying with temperature variables of 40°C, 50°C, and 60°C. The average drying rates were 0.212 g/min, 0.364 g/min, 0.318 g/min, 0.439 g/ min, and 0.477 g/min, respectively. The average drying efficiency values for each variable were 2.968%, 4.719%, 5.358%, 5.271%, and 6.037%. In the proximate test, the corn grain moisture content in the hybrid solar drying variable at 60°C was 13.8%, ash was 1.24%, protein was 7.76%, fat was 4.40%, and carbohydrate was 72.8%. For the corn grain color test, the average values obtained were L = 46.48, a = 4.58, and b = 25.37. Meanwhile, the aflatoxin test for dried corn grains showed values of aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, and G2 <0.5 with a total aflatoxin content <2.00. Therefore, hybrid solar drying is recommended over open sun drying and natural solar drying because of its ability to operate even in unfavorable weather conditions, its temperature control capability, its ability to accelerate the drying process, and its capacity to maintain the quality of the material.

Heat storage and release performance of solar greenhouses made of composite phase change material comprising methyl palmitate and hexadecanol in cold climate

Solar greenhouses play a crucial role in winter crop cultivation in the cold regions of China. However, adverse weather conditions such as low temperatures can negatively affect their production. Therefore, improving the greenhouse thermal environment and energy utilisation is crucial for optimising greenhouse productivity. One effective method of storing energy is phase change technology. In this study, melt blending was used to prepare composite phase change materials (CPCMs), with methyl palmitate and hexadecanol as raw materials. In addition, ceramsite was encapsulated with a styrene-acrylic emulsion to form a shape composite phase change material (SCPCM). The results showed that the latent heat of phase change of the CPCMs was 221 J/g, with an initial phase change temperature of 23.48 ℃. The encapsulation of the SCPCM with a styrene-acrylic emulsion significantly reduced leakage. Phase-change ceramsite concrete slabs were developed by integrating the SCPCM into concrete. These slabs were used to construct phase-change and non-phase-change greenhouses. A temperature-testing system was installed in the greenhouses to examine the temperature variations and distributions under typical sunny and cloudy conditions. Results revealed that compared with the control greenhouse, the phase-change greenhouse exhibited a decrease of 3.0 ℃ in the maximum indoor temperature during sunny days and an increase of 3.2 ℃ in the minimum indoor temperature at night. This study highlights the effective temperature control capabilities of phase-change ceramsite concrete slabs for improving energy utilisation and provides valuable theoretical and technical insights for the future utilisation and widespread adoption of phase-change greenhouses.

Development of a 10 K automated sample exchange cryostat for SANS_CSNS

The Small-angle Neutron Spectrometer at China Spallation Neutron Source (SANS_CSNS) is a functional apparatus utilized for the examination of structures and inhomogeneities within the size range of 1 to 100 nm. The development of sample environments for in situ experiments at low temperatures at SANS_CSNS is urgent in order to address the increasing demands of users. The CSNS Sample Environment Group has successfully designed and constructed an automated sample exchange cryostat for SANS experiments, capable of operating in a temperature range of 10 ∼ 500 K. This cryostat has been specifically engineered to accommodate up to four samples simultaneously and exchange samples automatically in order to optimize the utilization of neutron beams by minimizing the downtime associated with manual sample handling. The results of simulation and temperature measurement proved that sample temperature could be accurately controlled from 10 K to 500 K through the incorporation of a 4 K GM cryocooler and a heater. Furthermore, neutron scattering studies conducted on SANS_CSNS proved that this cryostat exhibits commendable temperature control capabilities and minimal background interference. This automated sample exchange cryostat will be available to researchers of SANS_CSNS in the following user programs.

Urine Liquid Biopsies via Highly Integrated Digital PCR System for Accurate Detection of Bladder Cancer

AbstractBladder cancer (BC) is a prevalent urological tumor with high recurrence rates, requiring long‐term monitoring. Although cystoscopy is the primary diagnostic method, its invasiveness and cost hinder routine screening and follow‐up. This study aimed to develop a novel diagnostic tool utilizing newly developed on‐chip heating dPCR platform, which features integrated and rapid temperature control capabilities, for non‐invasive BC detection. The dPCR platform is improved by integrating a multi‐color detection system, enabling precise quantification of mutant allelic fraction (MAF) of TERT promoter mutations with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.29%. Diagnostic performance is enhanced by integrating the NRN1 methylation biomarker and employing machine learning to optimize biomarker weighting. Testing the model on urine samples from controls (n = 35) and BC patients (n = 41) yielded a sensitivity of 0.92, specificity of 0.94, and an AUC of 0.98, surpassing conventional cytology in sensitivity while maintaining comparable specificity. Furthermore, the model effectively differentiated between normal controls and different stages, achieving accuracies of 0.92, 0.71, and 0.79 for NC, stage I, and stage II+ respectively. These findings suggest the proposed dPCR assays could serve as a sensitive and non‐invasive approach for BC detection in clinical practice.

Phase-change gradient composites for variable thermal management

Phase-change composites attracted much attention on thermal management due to their excellent temperature-control capabilities based on reversible latent heat storage and release. However, current research mostly focuses on the uniform composite filled with individual phase-change molecule, which are subject to a limited temperature adjustment range and thus cannot meet the required variable heat flux. Herein, we fabricated a phase-change gradient composite by one-step incorporating either tetracosane or octacosane into graphene aerogel via followed by graphene-interfacial welding. The one-step preparation enhances the dispersion uniformity of phase-change in aerogel compared with traditional two-step loading. The phase-change process and thermodynamic properties of the gradient and uniform composite were investigated at different heating temperatures. According to simulation and experimental results, the temperature control capability of the gradient phase-change composite is much superior to that of the uniform composite due to the tunable heat storage at a temperature gradient. At a heating temperature of 86 °C, the gradient phase-change composite could maintain a temperature below 60 °C up to 1580 s, extending 306 and 112 s longer than that of uniform composite filled only with tetracosane or octacosane, respectively. Thus, gradient phase-change composite offers tailored solutions for tunable temperature control for high- and variable-power devices.

Construction of a Robust Radiative Cooling Emitter for Efficient Food Storage and Transportation.

Nowadays, food safety is still facing great challenges. During storage and transportation, perishable goods have to be kept at a low temperature. However, the current logistics still lack enough preservation ability to maintain a low temperature in the whole. Hence, considering the temperature fluctuation in logistics, in this work, the passive radiative cooling (RC) technology was applied to package to enhance the temperature control capability in food storage and transportation. The RC emitter with selective infrared emission property was fabricated by a facile coating method, and Al2O3 was added to improve the wear resistance. The sunlight reflectance and infrared emittance within atmospheric conditions could reach up to 0.92 and 0.84, respectively. After abrasion, the sunlight reflection only decreased by 0.01, and the infrared emission showed a negligible change, revealing excellent wear resistance. During outdoor measurement, the box assembled by RC emitters (RC box) was proved to achieve temperature drops of ∼9 and ∼4 °C compared with the corrugated box and foam box, respectively. Besides, the fruits stored in the RC box exhibited a lower decay rate. Additionally, after printing with patterns to meet the aesthetic requirements, the RC emitter could also maintain the cooling ability. Given the superior optical properties, wear resistance, and cooling capability, the emitter has great potential for obtaining a better temperature control ability in food storage and transportation.

Numerical study of phase change material partitioned cavities coupled with fins for thermal management of photovoltaic cells

To enhance the temperature control capability of photovoltaic-phase change material systems, a strategy involving the combination of fins and partitioned cavities is employed to enhance the heat transfer process. Thermal performance of four cavity arrangements including a rectangular cavity, a partitioned rectangular cavity, a finned rectangular cavity, and a partitioned rectangular cavity with fins at two tilt angles of 90° and 45° are numerically evaluated. By employing a partitioned cavity with fins, the entire melting time can be reduced by a maximum of 8.9% compared to the baseline case. Moreover, the results show that the individual or simultaneous utilization of the partition and fins at an inclination angle of 90° can not only effectively reduce PV panel temperature but also improve temperature uniformity of the PV panel. Reducing the inclination angle to 45° prolongs the melting time, and this also reduces the temperature control performance for the majority cavity structures. Compared with the baseline case, the temperature of the PV panel can be reduced by up to 5.0 K, and the temperature uniformity can be increased by a maximum of 35.0%. The partitioned cavity coupled with fins has the best overall thermal performance among all structures.

Flexible phase change materials based on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) surface modification and styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS)/low-density polyethylene (LDPE) crosslinking for battery thermal management applications

In battery thermal management (BTM), flexible phase change materials (FPCMs) emerge as highly promising substances, owing to their simple installment and low contact thermal resistance. However, FPCMs based on high thermal conductivity fillers and polymers always suffer from the enduring challenges of poor high-temperature resistance and poor filler-matrix compatibility. To solve these problems, a novel strategy is reported in this work, wherein FPCMs with excellent filler-matrix compatibility and satisfactory high-temperature resistance are synthesized by two steps: functionalizing the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) surface and inducing the inter crosslinking between Styrene-Butadiene-Styrene(SBS) and Low-density polyethylene(LDPE). Vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) molecules were introduced on the surface of raw hBN by hydroxylation and silanization surface modification to improve the compatibility of hBN with the matrix. Concluding from the results, the addition of 6.7 wt% LDPE doubled the high-temperature resistance of FPCMs, enabling them to maintain their structural integrity even at 200 °C for 1 h. The prepared FPCMs also exhibited higher thermal conductivity (increased by 20.5 %), low leakage rate (<0.6 wt% after 70 heating–cooling cycles), high enthalpy (122 J g−1), and strong adhesion (>0.1 MPa), etc. In terms of BTM performance, the FPCMs-based passive cooling BTM presents remarkable temperature control capabilities (maximum temperature reduction by 16.3 ℃) and uniform temperature performance (maximum temperature difference < 2.5 ℃). Collectively, this work will provide a promising approach for the fabrication of high-performance FPCMs in BTM and other thermal management applications for electronic devices.

On-Chip Micro Temperature Controllers Based on Freestanding Thermoelectric Nano Films for Low-Power Electronics

HighlightsDense and flat freestanding Bi2Te3-based thermoelectric nano films were successfully fabricated by sputtering technology using a newly developed nano graphene oxide membrane as a substrate.On-chip micro temperature controllers were integrated using conventional micro-electromechanical system technology, to achieve energy-efficient temperature control for low-power electronics.The tunable equivalent thermal resistance enables an ultrahigh temperature control capability of 100 K mW−1 and an ultra-fast cooling rate exceeding 2000 K s−1, as well as excellent reliability of up to 1 million cycles.

A Novel Leak-Proof Thermal Conduction Slot Battery Thermal Management System Coupled with Phase Change Materials and Liquid-Cooling Strategies

Electric vehicles (EVs) are experiencing explosive developments due to their advantages in energy conservation and environmental protection. As a pivotal component of EVs, the safety performance of lithium-ion batteries directly affects driving miles and even safety; hence, a battery thermal management system (BTMS) is especially important. To improve the thermal safety performance of power battery modules, first, a new leak-proof phase change material (PCM)-coupled liquid-cooled composite BTMS for large-scale battery modules is proposed in this research. Second, the numerical simulation analysis method was utilized to analyze the influences of the fluid flow channel shape, working fluid inlet temperature, inlet velocity, and reverse flow conditions on the BTMS. Eventually, the abovementioned performances were compared with the traditional PCM-coupled liquid-cooling strategy. The relative data indicated that the Tmax was reduced by 17.5% and the ΔTmax was decreased by 19.5% compared to the liquid-cooling approach. Further, compared with conventionally designed PCM composite liquid cooling, the ΔTmax was reduced by 34.9%. The corresponding data showed that, when using the e-type flow channel, reverse flow II, the inlet flow velocity was 0.001–0.005 m/s, and the inlet temperature was the ambient temperature of the working condition. The thermal performance of the anti-leakage system with a thermal conduction slot PCM-coupled liquid-cooling composite BTMS reached optimal thermal performance. The outcome proved the superiority of the proposed BTMS regarding temperature control and temperature equalization capabilities. It also further reduced the demand for liquid-cooling components, avoided the problem of the easy leakage of the PCM, and decreased energy consumption.

Research on thermal management system of lithium-ion battery with a new type of spider web liquid cooling channel and phase change materials

Phase change materials (PCM) possess outstanding temperature control capabilities; however, it is difficult for pure PCM to satisfy the thermal management requirements under high discharge rates (4C-5C) in electric vehicles. This study designs and numerically simulates a Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) that combines PCM with a spider web liquid cooling channel and compares it to pure PCM cooling. The results reveal that the new hybrid BTMS exhibits exceptional heat dissipation performance. Compared to pure PCM cooling, the hybrid cooling structure can maintain the Tmax of the battery module below 40 °C. Under a 5C discharge rate, the Tmax and ΔTmax of the battery module can be controlled at 39.6 °C and 4.9 °C. Based on this, the study analyzes the effects of coolant inlet Reynolds number, inlet temperature, and ambient temperature on the battery's Tmax, ΔTmax, coolant pressure drop, and PCM phase change rate under different discharge rates. This study aims to control the liquid phase rate at around 80 % and to minimize the pressure drop in the coolant as much as possible while meeting thermal management requirements. Finally, in a low temperature environment of −30 °C, with an inlet Re of 300 and an inlet temperature of 7 °C, the heating rate of the battery module with the newly designed hybrid cooling structure can reach 3.67 °C/min.

Preparation and characterization of phase change material microcapsules with carbon nanotubes loaded with Mg[sbnd]Al layered double hydroxides for controlling temperature in the building

Tubular structure embedding technique has promising applications in improving the thermal conductivity of phase change material microcapsules (PCMM). In this paper, the carbon nanotubes (CNT) were pretreated with flame retardant using magnesium‑aluminum layered double hydroxide (LDH) by co-precipitation method and then embedded in the shell of microcapsules. Thus, a phase change material microcapsule with both temperature control capability and flame retardancy was prepared. The microcapsules used capric acid (CA) as the core and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as the shell, and the particle size was 100 nm-1 μm. The successful composition of the samples was verified by TEM and FT-IR. DSC test proves that CNT and LDH-modified CNT have very positive performance in improving the thermal conductivity of microcapsules. The outcome of TGA analysis and cone calorimeter test showed that the incorporation of modified PCMM into the rigid polyurethane foam (RPUF) matrix had a significant effect on improving its thermal stability and flame retardancy. The infrared thermal image analysis and self-created mini-chamber model were set up to characterize the temperature control performance of the sample. The results showed that the modified phase change material microcapsules have broad prospects in the field of building material temperature control.

Performance optimization and scheme evaluation of liquid cooling battery thermal management systems based on the entropy weight method

Liquid cooling battery thermal management system (BTMS) is widely used in electric vehicles (EVs). A suitable liquid cooling BTMS scheme needs to be selected based on the magnitude of the weights for system performance. In this paper, thirty-six liquid cooling BTMS schemes involving the variables of cooling plate material types, flow channel layouts and inlet flow velocities are evaluated by using the entropy weight method (EWM) based on information theory. The weights and information entropies of the cooling performance, energy consumption performance and material cost of the system have been calculated and analyzed. The optimal scheme is selected considering global optimization based on the evaluation indicators. In addition, the cooling performance of the optimal scheme is examined under cyclic testing conditions (WLTC and US06). It is found that the flow channel layouts of the liquid cooling plate have a greater influence on the temperature control capability and temperature uniformity capability of the system. The liquid cooling system with a serpentine flow channel at an inlet flow velocity of 0.5 m·s−1, and aluminum as the cooling plate material exhibits the best cooling performance, energy consumption performance, and lowest material cost. The weights of material cost are 0.44, 0.32, and 0.34 under 1C discharge rate and cycle tests (WLTC and US06), respectively, which are the largest weight among the evaluation indicators. Material cost has the greatest degree of information dispersion because of the minimum information entropy, which plays a significant role in multi-attribute decision-making process. The temperature rise variation of the maximum temperature of the battery module under cyclic testing conditions is more reliable and dynamic compared with constant discharge rate conditions.

Performance analysis and comparison study of liquid cooling-based shell-and-tube battery thermal management systems

To meet the temperature control requirements of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) under high rate discharge conditions, this study designed two structurally similar shell-and-tube battery thermal management (BTM) schemes, namely air-cooled/liquid cooled coupling scheme and phase change material (PCM)/liquid cooled coupling scheme. By applying simulation methods to analyze and compare the battery temperature control performance of two schemes under different working conditions, and adopting structural optimization and heat dissipation strategies to decrease the maximum temperature and temperature difference of the battery. It can be concluded that the maximum temperature of the batteries in both cooling schemes remains below 333 K after the number of baffle plates is increased from 2 to 6 during 5C discharge. Among them, the PCM/liquid cooling scheme demonstrates superior temperature control capabilities. However, the air cooling/liquid cooling scheme can also effectively reduce the temperature difference of the battery pack to 4.7 K by frequently switching the ventilation direction. The temperature difference of the battery can be further reduced by enhancing the thermal conductivity of composite phase change materials (CPCM). It is worth noting that increasing the liquid cooling flow rate to 2.5 m/s no longer improves the cooling effect of the battery. Additionally, during each discharge stage of cyclic charging and discharging, intermittently turning off the water pump for 9 min results in the battery exhibiting favorable temperature cycling characteristics.

Development and application of the low Curie point positive temperature coefficient (PTC) electrothermal anti-icing material

The application of the positive temperature coefficient (PTC) materials in electrothermal anti-icing offers not only uniform heating of the anti-icing area, but also adaptive temperature control of the material. This study focuses on the preparation of a low Curie point PTC material with a Curie temperature point of 1 °C, using the in-situ polymerization method. The PTC behaviors of the material were extensively investigated by adjusting the component ratios and the microstructures of the materials were analyzed in correlation with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. Subsequently, adaptive temperature control and stability experiments were conducted to evaluate the material's performance. Eventually, the material was adopted to electrothermal anti-icing experiment for wind turbine blades. The results demonstrate that when the mass fraction of acetylene black is 9 wt%, the mass ratio of n-tetradecane/hydroxyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (HTPDMS) is 1:1, and the mass ratio of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)/HTPDMS is 1:2, the low-temperature resistivity of the low Curie point PTC material reaches an impressive value of only 5.37 Ω cm, the PTC intensity can reach 2.99, and the thermal conductivity can reach 0.778 W/(m·K). Furthermore, the material exhibits robust adaptive temperature control capability, effectively maintaining the temperature below 3 °C under different operating voltages and ambient temperatures. Even after 100 cyclic experiments, the material demonstrates superior PTC behavior, excellent temperature control ability, and exceptional stability. Additionally, under different operating voltages, ambient temperatures and wind speeds, the low Curie point PTC material exhibits excellent adaptive adjustment capability and maintains uniform heating of the anti-icing surface. These findings provide valuable insights for in-depth exploration of the low Curie point PTC electrothermal anti-icing materials.

Study on integrated thermal management system of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles based on heat pump air conditioning

An integrated thermal management system (VITMS) of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) is proposed to solve the issues of poor temperature control and high energy consumption in current dispersed TMS. The vehicle energy integration is realized by coupling the key subsystems of cabin, fuel cell, power battery and motor through the waste-heat source heat pump (WSHP). The temperature control capability under extreme working conditions are analyzed. The energy consumption of three heating modes under extreme cold conditions is evaluated. The results show that VITMS has excellent thermal control performance and can realize fourteen work modes such as cooling, heating, preheating, defrosting and energy recovery, ensuring the optimal temperature ranges and temperature uniformity of fuel cell, power battery, motor, and cabin. VITMS using WSHP offers superior energy saving effect in extreme cold conditions, which can reduce equivalent hydrogen consumption by 12.21% and 3.6%, and increase maximum driving range by 29.34% and 8% compared to PTC and air-source heat pump (ASHP). The cabin heating time using WSHP can be reduced by 34.5% compared to ASHP, ensuring all-weather ride comfort and extending the vehicle's driving range in low temperatures. Annual CO2 emission is 52.13% and 36.17% lower than diesel and electric buses.

Detecting EGFR gene amplification using a fluorescence in situ hybridization platform based on digital microfluidics

Signal transduction mediated by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene affects the proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis of tumor cells. In particular, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with increased in copy number of EGFR gene are often sensitive to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Despite being the standard for detecting EGFR amplification in the clinic, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) traditionally involves repetitive and complex benchtop procedures that are not only time consuming but also require well-trained personnel. To address these limitations, we develop a digital microfluidics-based FISH platform (DMF-FISH) that automatically implements FISH operations. This system mainly consists of a DMF chip for reagent operation, a heating array for temperature control and a signal processing system. With the capability of automatic droplet handling and efficient temperature control, DMF-FISH performs cell digestion, gradient elution, hybridization and DAPI staining without manual intervention. In addition to operational feasibility, DMF-FISH yields comparable performance with the benchtop FISH protocol but reducing the consumption of DNA probe by 87 % when tested with cell lines and clinical samples. These results highlight unique advantages of the fully automated DMF-FISH system and thus suggest its great potential for clinical diagnosis and personalized therapy of NSCLC.

Performance analysis of paraffin microcapsules and phase change concrete based on microporous cenospheres

Combining concrete and phase change materials has created a novel method for building energy conservation. However, introducing phase change materials into the concrete will cause various impacts on its performance. This study explores a novel approach to enhance thermal energy storage in building materials by incorporating phase change materials (PCMs) into concrete. Microporous cenospheres were extracted from fly ash through a three-step process and used to produce composite PCM microcapsules containing paraffin as the core material. The produced PCM microcapsules were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and phase change cycle analysis. Phase change concrete was then formulated by substituting 0–25 % sand with these microcapsules. Effects of the addition of the PCM microcapsule on both the mechanical and thermal properties of concrete were experimentally examined. While the incorporation of microcapsules significantly improved concrete's thermal properties, it also led to a reduction in compressive strength (up to 19.65 % at 28 days), though still meeting specifications. The introduction of microcapsules notably enhanced the temperature control capabilities of concrete. In spring, the model room made with the phase change concrete exhibited a 2.2 °C lower indoor peak temperature 2 h 40 min later than the one room with the ordinary concrete. During active heating in winter, the phase change concrete demonstrated significantly lower indoor temperature fluctuations, with a maximum reduction of 45.39 %. Furthermore, the study found that the particle size of microcapsules had varying effects on concrete performance, with larger particles improving thermal properties and smaller particles enhancing mechanical properties. Overall, this research highlights the potential of composite phase change microcapsules and phase change concrete based on microporous cenospheres for effective temperature control and energy conservation in building applications.