Sharif Digital Repository

Since plasma is rich in many biomarkers used in clinical diagnostic experiments, microscale blood plasma separation is a primitive step in most of microfluidic analytical chips. In this paper, a passive microfluidic device for on-chip blood plasma separation based on Zweifach–Fung effect and plasma skimming was designed and fabricated by hot embossing of microchannels on a PMMA substrate and thermal bonding process. Human blood was diluted in various times and injected into the device. The main novelty of the proposed microfluidic device is the design of diffuser-shaped daughter channels. Our results demonstrated that this design exerted a considerable positive influence on the separation... 

Since plasma is rich in many biomarkers used in clinical diagnostic experiments, microscale blood plasma separation is a primitive step in most of microfluidic analytical chips. In this paper, a passive microfluidic device for on-chip blood plasma separation based on Zweifach–Fung effect and plasma skimming was designed and fabricated by hot embossing of microchannels on a PMMA substrate and thermal bonding process. Human blood was diluted in various times and injected into the device. The main novelty of the proposed microfluidic device is the design of diffuser-shaped daughter channels. Our results demonstrated that this design exerted a considerable positive influence on the separation... 

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are one of the preferred candidates for reinforcing polymeric nanobiocomposites, such as acrylic bone type of cement. In this study, at first, bulk samples of the reinforced polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) matrix were prepared with 0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 wt per wt% of MWCNTs by the casting method. Tensile and three-point bending tests were performed to determine the essential mechanical properties of bone cement, such as tensile and bending strengths. The tensile fracture surfaces were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The commercial software (Abaqus) was used to conduct finite element analysis (FEA) by constructing a representative volume... 

The biodegradation behavior of Mg, coated by polymethyl methacrylate as well as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)−bioactive glass (BG) composite was investigated. Electrophoretic deposition and dip coating techniques were adopted to prepare composite coating using a suspension of different percentages of the above two chemical materials. The deposited coatings were characterized using SEM, EDS, FTIR, and water contact angle measurements. Biodegradation behavior study of the coated Mg was performed using linear polarization, impedance spectroscopy, and immersion tests in simulated body fluid. The compact and homogeneous composite coating was developed as evidenced by electron microscopy results.... 

In this study, a low–cost microfluidic device from polymethyl methacrylate was fabricated by laser engraving technique. The device is consisted of a central chip unit with an aligned microchannel. Both sides of the engraved microchannel were sandwiched by two synthesized sheets from polyamide/titania (PA/TiO2) hollow nanofibers as extractive phases. The inlet and outlet of the device were connected to the polyether ether ketone tubes, while a peristaltic pump was used to deliver both sample and desorbing solvent through the microchannel. The recorded scanning electron microscopy images from the surface of the synthesized PA/TiO2 nanofibers, exhibit a good degree of homogeneity and porosity... 

In this study, a new magnetic nanocomposite was synthesized via radical polymerization of methyl acrylate onto modified magnetic nanoparticles followed by the functionalization of the methyl ester groups with ethylenediamine and sodium chloroacetate. The generated magnetic nanocomposite was characterized by FT-IR, TEM, SEM, TGA, VSM, XRD and elemental analysis. Its key role as an adsorbent for the removal of typical cationic dyes, methyl violet and malachite green was investigated in terms of pH, contact time and initial dye concentration. The resulted adsorbent displays excellent adsorption capacities for cationic dyes which are more effective than most of the adsorbents reported so far.... 

A novel multi stimuli-responsive silica nanocomposite with a core-shell structure is synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. The SiO2 nanoparticles are chemically modified via 3-(trimethoxylsilyl) propyl methacrylate (MPS) which they are used in the core of nanocomposite. The macro-RAFT agent is prepared by RAFT polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), spirooxazine acryloyl monomer (SOM), and 2-(dodecylthiocarbonothioylthio)-2-methylpropionic acid (DDMAT as a RAFT agent). Finally, the smart nanocomposite is prepared by reaction between the macro-RAFT agent and 2-(Dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) as a monomer. SOM as a... 

The impact strength of poly(methyl methacrylate)/caibon (long) fibre composites for denture prosthesis applications was improved by fibre surface treatment. The carbon fibre surfaces were modified by Nd:YAG laser irradiation at 1064 nm wavelength. Laser light intensity was adjusted at 100 mj per pulse that only changed the fibre surface roughness and did not lead to fibre rupture, as verified by scanning electron microscopy. Increased surface roughness of the fibres improved the adhesion of poly(methyl methacrylate) to the fibre surface. Adhesion between the fibres and poly(methyl methacrylate) was evaluated by a tear-off method and by scanning electron microscopy. The results also suggest... 

In this study, a new polymeric functionalized magnetic nanocatalyst containing a molybdenum Schiff base complex was prepared using a few consecutive steps. Poly (methylacrylate)-coated magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized via radical polymerization of methyl acrylate onto modified magnetic nanoparticles followed by the amidation of the methyl ester groups with hydrazine. Polymeric functionalization efficiently provides the advantage that more catalytic units can be grafted on the surface of magnetic nanoparticles. The functionalization process was continued with salicylaldehyde which introduced Schiff base groups on to the surface of the polymeric support. In the final step, the desired... 

The major obstacles in gas separation by mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) are poor dispersion and poor affinity between polymers and fillers. The present study demonstrates that these challenges can be overcome appropriately by utilizing a series of synthesized stand-alone MMMs. The matrix used was polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and the MMMs were synthesized by in situ polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in the presence of UiO-66, NH2-UiO-66 and vinyl group attached UiO-66. In situ polymerization of MMA in the presence of vinyl attached UiO-66 resulted in PMMA grafted UiO-66 with a high degree of grafting. Microscopic analysis by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM)... 

Poly(butadiene-stat-styrene)/poly(methylmetacrylate), SBR/PMMA, structural latices were synthesized by using equal moles of different kinds of surfactants: anionic, nonionic, and anionic/nonionic mixture in a two-stage emulsion polymerization. The results indicate that the application of anionic surfactants for the first stage, accompanying sodium persulfate initiator, KPS, for both stages led to core/shell and raspberry morphologies depended upon the hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) of the surfactant. On the other hand, a core/shell structure was observed for structural latices which were synthesized via application of nonionic or anionic/non-ionic mixed surfactants along with... 

This paper reports the fabrication of electrospun polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes/scaffolds that are suitable for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture. Through modification the ratio between PDMS and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) as carrier polymer, we report the possibility of increasing PDMS weight ratio of up to 6 for electrospinning. Increasing the PDMS content increases the fiber diameter, the pore size, and the hydrophobicity. To our best knowledge, this is the first report describing beads-free, durable and portable electrospun membrane with maximum content of PDMS suitable for cell culture applications. To show the proof-of-concept, we successfully cultured epithelial lung... 

The use of solar concentrators can be an alternative for initial cost reduction in the PV systems. However, they suffer from high cell temperature that can be overcome by different active or passive cooling approaches. Spectral splitting and the elimination of high-energy solar photons are effective solutions for cell temperature reduction. In this study, we developed a Polymethyl methacrylate Spectral Splitting Fresnel Lens (SSFL) for linear concentration using a new design, which directs the desired portion of the spectrum towards the cell and diffracts the rest to eliminate the use of beam splitters or nanofluids in the spectral splitting system. Different SSFLs were considered for... 

A chemiresistive sensor is described for the lung cancer biomarker hexanal. A composite consisting of molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles and multiwalled carbon nanotubes was used in the sensor that is typically operated at a voltage of 4 V and is capable of selectively sensing gaseous hexanal at room temperature. It works in the 10 to 200 ppm concentration range and has a 10 ppm detection limit (at S/N = 3). The sensor signal recovers to a value close to its starting value without the need for heating even after exposure to relatively high levels of hexanal  

Recent research interest in two-dimensional (2D) materials has led to an emerging new group of materials known as transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), which have significant electrical, optical, and transport properties. MoS2 is one of the well-known 2D materials in this group, which is a semiconductor with controllable band gap based on its structure. The hydrothermal process is known as one of the scalable methods to synthesize MoS2 nanostructures. In this study, the gas sensing properties of flower-shaped MoS2 nanoflakes, which were prepared from molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) by a facile hydrothermal method, have been studied. Material characterization was performed using X-ray... 

This paper presents the prototype design, fabrication, and characterization of a magnetically actuated micropump. The pump body consists of three nozzle/diffuser elements and two pumping chambers connected to the ends of a flat-wall pumping cylinder. A cylindrical permanent magnet placed inside the pumping cylinder acts as a piston which reciprocates by using an external magnetic actuator driven by a motor. The magnetic piston is covered by a ferrofluid to provide self-sealing capability. A prototype composed of three bonded layers of polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) has been fabricated. Water has been successfully pumped at pressures of up to 750 Pa and flow rates of up to 700 μl min-1 while... 

Alumina flakes were prepared by solution combustion method and milled to provide powder. XRD and SEM data exhibited microsized flakes with 100 nm thickness and nanosized grains. Then the powders were dispersed in polystyrene (PS) and poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) matrixes and thin sheets of composites were produced by solution method. Mechanical properties of the composites were characterized using tensile test and their fracture surfaces, elemental composition and hydrophobic property were tested by SEM, EDX and contact angle techniques, respectively. The results exhibited better mechanical properties compared to pure polymer samples i.e. the elastic modulus in PMMA and PS composites,... 

Abstract Porous lead zirconate titanate-lead cobalt niobate 0.8Pb(Zr1/2Ti1/2)O3-0.2Pb(Co1/3Nb2/3)O3 (PZT-PCN) piezoelectric ceramics were fabricated by introducing pore-forming agent polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and the effect of sintering behavior on their microstructure, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties were investigated. The optimum sintering procedure was designed according to the thermogravimetric analysis of pore former. Finally the electrical properties were measured. The porosity of PZT-PCN ceramics decreased and the grain size increased with an increase in the sintering temperature at a fixed PMMA addition. "An increase in density with sintering temperature from 1050 to...