Graphite and graphene electrodes are used to study two electrochemical processes: the decoration of these electrodes with Au metallic nanoparticles through the use of electrodeposition, and electrowetting, the potential-dependent change in hydrophobicity of a surface. Electrodeposition provides a useful route to electrode functionalisation, in particular to combine the enhanced properties of metallic nanoparticles with the advantageous features of carbon materials. A combination of cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and both ex situ and in situ atomic force microscopy are used to deduce the mechanism of Au electrodeposition on graphite and graphene. Notably, the mechanism of Au nanoparticle formation cannot be deduced from simple voltammetry alone, and the spontaneous formation of Au within the timescale of the electrodeposition experiment is confirmed. Electrowetting is a uniquely responsive method to manipulate the wetting properties of an electrode. However, a dielectric coating is commonly required to protect the surface from electrolysis, which in turn further increases the potentials needed to perform electrowetting. In contrast to this, here it is shown that bare graphite and graphene electrodes support electrowetting without the disadvantages of a dielectric coating, allowing an unprecedented combination of performance and efficiency. Furthermore, the ideal behaviour this system demonstrates is implemented as a platform to study electrowetting itself. The influence of electrolyte composition, surface defects and electrode-blocking dielectric-like films are investigated to determine the factors that impede electrowetting, a key step to understanding the phenomenon that is normally hindered by the use of the dielectric.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 1982. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING / Bibliography: leaves 48-50. / by Maura Elizabeth Donnelly. / M.S.

A parte superficial do músculo masseter, subdividido em três regiões - superior, média e inferior - foi estudado por meio da eletromiografia de superfície em pacientes com maloclusão dental classe III de Angle. Participaram deste estudo 14 pacientes (4 do sexo masculino, 10 do sexo feminino, com idade de 7 a 12 anos). Utilizou-se o “scan" nº. 9 do eletromiógrafo modelo K6-I/EMG Eight Channel Surface Electromyograph (Myo-tronics Co., Seatle, WA, EUA). Empregou-se na análise estatística não-paramétrica o teste de Wilcoxon para a comparação entre os lados, e o teste de Friedman para a comparação entre as regiões. Concluiu-se que: (1) nos movimentos de Abertura e Fechamento, Deglutição de Saliva, Oclusão Cêntrica Forçada e Mordida Molar Bilateral com Algodão, houve diferença estatística significante de atividade entre os lados, e o músculo masseter esquerdo apresentou maior atividade eletromiográfica que o músculo masseter direito; (2) a atividade da região superior predominou nas posições de Repouso e Repouso Pós-Exercícios, com diferença estatística significante, seguida pelas atividades das regiões média e inferior, respectivamente; (3) a atividade da região inferior predominou nos movimentos de Propulsão Livre, Deglutição de Água, Deglutição de Saliva e Desvio Lateral Esquerdo sem Contato, com diferença estatística significante, seguida pelas atividades das regiões média e superior, respectivamente; (4) a atividade da região inferior também foi predominante nos movimentos de Abaixamento Livre, Abertura e Fechamento, Abertura contra Resistência e Propulsão contra Resistência, com diferença estatística significante; e (5) a região média apresentou atividade intermediária às demais regiões nas posições de Repouso e Repouso Pós-Exercícios, e nos movimentos de Abertura e Fechamento, Abertura contra Resistência, Propulsão Livre, Deglutição de Água e de Saliva, e Desvio Lateral Esquerdo sem Contato, com diferença estatística significante. / The participation of superior, middle and inferior regions of superficial masseter was evaluated by surface electromyography of 14 patients, 04 male and 10 female, ranging in age from 7 to 12 years, with Angle’s class III dental malocclusion. The Scan #9 of the computerized program of K6-I/EMG Eight Channel Surface Electromyograph system (Myo-tronics Co., Seatle, WA, EUA) was employed with bipolar surface double electrodes. The non-parametric test of Wilcoxon was employed to the comparison between sides, and the non-parametric test of Friedman was employed to the comparison among regions. It was concluded that: (1) at the “opening and closing", “swallowing saliva", “centric occlusion" and “clenching with cotton rolls bilaterally at molar region", there was statistical differences between sides, and the left masseter developed more activity; (2) the superior region developed more activity with statistical differences at “rest" and “rest after exercises" positions, and was followed by the activity of middle and inferior regions, respectively; (3) the inferior region developed more activity with statistical differences at “free protraction of the jaw", “swallowing water", “swallowing saliva" and “lateral movement to the left side without occlusal contact", and was followed by the activity of middle and superior regions, respectively; (4) the inferior region developed more activity with statistical differences at “free opening", “opening and closing", “opening of the jaw against resistance" and “protraction of the jaw against resistance"; and (5) the middle region developed intermediary activity with statistical differences at “rest" and “resting after exercises", and at “opening and closing", “opening the jaw against resistance", “free protraction", “swallowing water", “swallowing saliva", and “lateral movement to the left side without occlusal contact".

Este trabalho estuda o processo de trefilação combinada do aço SAE 1045, que consiste nas etapas de pré-endireitamento com múltiplos rolos, jateamento, trefilação, corte e endireitamento por rolos, tendo como produto final barras acabadas trefiladas. Este produto final é empregado na fabricação de hastes de amortecedores para indústria automotiva. O Objetivo do estudo é de entender como são geradas e como se comportam as principais heterogeneidades mecânicas do material processado e a influência dos parâmetros do processo e das características do material na formação e modificação dessas heterogeneidades, buscando como resultado parâmetros otimizados para o processo. Foram variados no processo três parâmetros e avaliadas a interação existente entre eles. Os parâmetros modificados foram ângulo da ferramenta de trefilação (fieira), o ângulo de endireitamento e polimento por rolos cruzados (PERC) e a colocação de revestimento de carbo-nitreto de titânio (TiCN) no núcleo da ferramenta de trefilação (fieira). Foi realizada caracterização do aço, como microestrutura, composição química e microdureza. As tensões residuais superficiais das amostras foram caracterizadas utilizando o método de difração de raios-X. Após avaliação das tensões residuais superficiais, foi analisada a variação das tensões com a profundidade através do método do furo cego (hole-drilling), A classificação das inclusões foi de acordo com o método microscópico A (“piores campos”) da norma ASTM E45-97, feita através da maior severidade encontrada analisando o material aleatoriamente através de varredura com microscópio em sua superfície. Os resultados obtidos permitiram conhecer a combinação de ângulo de fieira e de endireitamento por rolos cruzados (PERC) mais favoráveis para gerar níveis baixos de tensões residuais. Além do ângulo, foi possível verificar que a geometria das zonas da ferramenta de trefilação (fieira) influência os níveis de tensões residuais após a trefilação. O núcleo da fieira com revestimento em todos os ensaios realizados apresentou menores níveis de tensões residuais, mostrando ser uma condição importante para a otimização do processo principalmente para a redução das tensões trativas após a trefilação. / This paper studies the process of cold drawing combined SAE 1045 steel, which consists of the steps with multiple pre-straightening rolls, sandblasting, drawing, cutting and straightening by rollers, with the final product finished extruded bars. This final product is used in the manufacture of rods of shock absorbers for the automotive industry. The objective of the study is to understand how they are generated and how they behave the main mechanical heterogeneities of the processed material and the influence of process parameters and material characteristics of the formation and modification of these heterogeneities, seeking as a result the optimized parameters for the process. We varied three parameters in the process and evaluated the interaction between them. The parameters were modified angle of wire drawing tool (spinneret), the angle of straightening and polishing rolls (PERC) and the placement of coating titanium carbo-nitride (TiCN) in the core of the wire drawing tool (spinneret). We performed characterization of steel, such as microstructure, chemical composition and microhardness. The surface residual stresses of the samples were characterized using the method of X-ray diffraction. After evaluation of surface residual stresses, we analyzed the variation of stress with depth by the method of blind hole (hole-drilling), Classification of inclusions was according to the microscopic method ("worst fields") of ASTM E45 -97, made more severe by analyzing the material found randomly through scanning with microscope on its surface. The results obtained allow us to know the combination of angle stringer and straightening by rollers (PERC) more favorable to generate low levels of residual stresses. In addition to the angle, we found that the geometry of the areas of wire drawing tool (spinneret) influence the levels of residual stress after wire drawing. The core of the spinneret clad in all tests had lower levels of residual stress, proving to be an important condition for the optimization of the process mainly to the reduction of tensile stress after wire drawing.

No description available.

Interaction of a liquid droplet and a fiber or layer of fibers is ubiquitous in nature and in a variety of industrial applications. It plays a crucial role in fog harvesting, coalescence filtration, membrane desalination, self-cleaning and fiber based microfluidics, among many others. This work presents a quantitative investigation on the interactions of a droplet with a fiber or layers of fibers. More precisely, the present work is focused on 1) predicting the effects of fiber’s size and material on its ability to withhold a droplet against external forces and on the liquid residue left on the fiber after the droplet detachment, 2) predicting the outcome of two fibers competing to attract the same droplet, and 3) predicting the wetting stability of a droplet deposited on a layer of electrospun fibers. This work is comprised of series of computational and experimental studies for mutual validation and/or calibration. The simulations were conducted using the Surface Evolver code and the experiments were devised using a ferrofluid and a magnet. We also investigated the drag reduction performance of fibrous coatings because of its close connection with droplet-fiber interaction. We started by studying the drag reduction performance of a superhydrophobic granular coating because of its geometrical simplicity. We modeled the flow of water over the granular coating and studied the effects of hydrostatic pressure and microstructural properties on the drag reduction performance of the coating. We then examined the drag reduction performance of a lubricant infused surface with trapped air made of layers of parallel fibers (FLISTA). A mathematical model was developed to predict the shape of the water-lubricant interface and lubricant-air interface under a given hydrostatic pressure. This information was used to solve the flow field over the coating in a Couette configuration to find the effects of hydrostatic pressure and microstructural properties of the coating on its drag reduction performance.

Magister Chirurgiae Dentium (MChD) / There is a paucity of studies that make use of the alpha angle as a diagnostic tool to assist with the interceptive treatment, prognosis, treatment duration and surgical outcome of possible maxillary canine impaction in orthodontics. While the literature is replete with studies that utilise the sector method, the alpha angle is an alternative approach to assess the possible eruptive outcome of the unerupted canine. It has been reported that if the alpha angle is greater than 25°, there is the possibility of external root resorption. However, if the alpha angle is more than 31°, the prospect of canine eruption decreases even if the deciduous canine is extracted as an interceptive measure. The dental pantomograph has historically been used to predict canine eruption or possible impaction. The use of this method, however, is wrought with limitations. These limitations include magnification, distortion and blurred images. The use of cone-beam computed tomography has been advocated as a means to overcome these limitations.

Nasal sprays used for the treatment of cold and allergy symptoms use same device and formulation in children and adults. Owing to the obvious differences in nasal cavity dimensions between adults and children, the performance of nasal sprays products in children needs to be critically assessed. In an effort to evaluate the deposition patterns of nasal sprays administered to children, a nasal cast based on MRI images obtained from a 12-year-old child’s nasal cavity was developed using 3D printing technology. Glycerin-water mixtures providing sprays with a range of plume angles (26° - 62°), along with three additional commercial nasal sprays, were investigated by actuating the device into the cast under controlled conditions. Following spray administration, the cast was disassembled and subjected to image analysis followed by quantification of formulation deposition in each section of the cast using both chemical and image analysis. The results showed that nasal sprays impacted entirely in the anterior region of the 12-year-old child’s nasal cavity and limited amount of spray entered the turbinate region – the effect site for most topical drugs. Additional experiments were conducted to measure the deposition patterns of nasal sprays in the presence of a mucus layer on the surface of the nasal cast. In an effort to make the nasal deposition studies more relevant to human nasal conditions, the mucus coated nasal cast was tilted in order to induce a physical movement of the mucus layer from the anterior region to the nasopharynx. The presence of mucus did not result in a significant increase in the turbinate region deposition but tilting of the mucus coated nasal cast resulted in 20% - 40% deposition in the turbinate region, improving the posterior region deposition of sprays. Even with the enhanced posterior movement nearly 60% of the spray formulations remained in the anterior region, a site with poor absorption characteristics. The computational fluid dynamic simulations evaluated the impact of multiple parameters including plume angle, droplet diameter and administration conditions on the deposition of nasal sprays in the 12-year-old child’s nasal cavity. The simulations showed significant anterior deposition for all plume angles (10° – 50°) and droplet diameters (30 µm – 400 µm) tested, similar to the observations from the in vitro experiments. An additional parameter, the direction of nasal spray actuation in the nasal cavity, was identified as a critical factor improving the turbinate region deposition of sprays in the 12-year-old child’s nasal cavity in spite of the narrow nasal valve region.

Measurements of atomic parity violation provide important cross-tests of the standard model of electroweak interactions by probing these interactions in the domain of low energies. The effects of parity nonconservation in atoms, both dependent and not dependent on nuclear spin, have been successfully measured in experiments. The existence of permanent electric dipole moment (EDM) of a quantum particle requires that fundamental parity (P) and time-reversal (T) symmetries are violated. By the CPT theorem, this would mean violation of the combined CP (charge conjugation-parity) symmetry as well. Studies of T and CP violation in nature provide valuable information for theories of baryogenesis, and for understanding of fundamental interactions in general. Recently, a new wave of experiments has been initiated to measure the effects of P and T violation in solid state materials. The possibility to substantially increase the experimental sensitivity lies in the larger number of particles compared to the atomic experiments and in the specific collective effects in solids. The downside is the typically larger level of systematics. In the present work, the following effects due to violation of T and P at fundamental level in solids are considered: (a) effects due to the nuclear weak charge (violation of P) in rare-earth trifluorides, a possibility exists to measure the Weinberg angle with high precision; (b) effects due to the nuclear anapole moment (nuclear spin-dependent violation of P) in praseodymium and thulium garnets, the NMR-type experiments can possibly be used to measure nuclear anapole moments of Pr and Tm; (c) effects due to the electron EDM in gadolinium garnets, increase of the experimental sensitivity to the electron EDM of several orders of magnitude is possible; (d) effects due to the nuclear Schiff moment of 207Pb in ferroelectric lead-titanate; this possibility looks particularly promising, offering a potential 10 orders of magnitude increase of sensitivity to the nuclear Schiff moment, which puts the standard model prediction for this value within experimental reach. Also discussed are several other possibilities for experimental observation of these effects and the impact of some possible systematic effects on the proposed measurements.

Aerodynamic devices, such as wings, are used in higher levels of motorsport (Formula-1 etc.) to increase the contact force between the road and tyres (i.e. to generate downforce). This in turn increases the performance envelope of the race car. However the extra downforce increases aerodynamic drag which (apart from when braking) is generally detrimental to lap-times. The drag acts to slow the vehicle, and hinders the effect of available drive power and reduces fuel economy. Wings, in automotive use, are not constrained by the same parameters as aircraft, and thus higher angles of attack can be safely reached, although at a higher cost in drag. Variable geometry aerodynamic devices have been used in many forms of motorsport in the past offering the ability to change the relative values of downforce and drag. These have invariably been banned, generally due to safety reasons. The use of active aerodynamics is currently legal in both Formula SAE (engineering compet ition for university students to design, build and race an open-wheel race car) and production vehicles. A number of passenger car companies are beginning to incorporate active aerodynamic devices in their designs. In this research the effect of ground proximity on the lift, drag and moment coefficients of inverted, two-dimensional aerofoils was investigated. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect ground proximity on aerofoils post stall, in an effort to evaluate the use of active aerodynamics to increase the performance of a race car. The aerofoils were tested at angles of attack ranging from 0° - 135°. The tests were performed at a Reynolds number of 2.16 x 105 based on chord length. Forces were calculated via the use of pressure taps along the centreline of the aerofoils. The RMIT Industrial Wind Tunnel (IWT) was used for the testing. Normally 3m wide and 2m high, an extra contraction was installed and the section was reduced to form a width of 295mm. The wing was mounted between walls to simulate 2-D flow. The IWT was chosen as it would allow enough height to reduce blockage effect caused by the aerofoils when at high angles of incidence. The walls of the tunnel were pressure tapped to allow monitoring of the pressure gradient along the tunnel. The results show a delay in the stall of the aerofoils tested with reduced ground clearance. Two of the aerofoils tested showed a decrease in Cl with decreasing ground clearance; the third showed an increase. The Cd of the aerofoils post-stall decreased with reduced ground clearance. Decreasing ground clearance was found to reduce pitch moment variation of the aerofoils with varied angle of attack. The results were used in a simulation of a typical Formula SAE race car.