RESUMO
Bioceramic is a kind of material which emits nonionizing radiation and luminescence, induced by visible light. Bioceramic also facilitates the breakup of large clusters of water molecules by weakening hydrogen bonds. Hydrogen bond weakening, which allows water molecules to act in diverse ways under different conditions, is one of the key mechanisms underlying the effects of Bioceramic on biophysical and physical-chemical processes. Herein, we used sound to amplify the effect of Bioceramic and further developed an experimental device for use in humans. Thirteen patients who suffered from various chronic and acute illnesses that severely affected their sleep patterns and life quality were enrolled in a trial of Bioceramic resonance (i.e., rhythmic 100-dB sound waves with frequency set at 10 Hz) applied to the skin surface of the anterior chest. According to preliminary data, a "Propagated Sensation along Meridians" (PSM) was experienced in all Bioceramic resonance-treated patients but not in any of the nine control patients. The device was believed to enhance microcirculation through a series of biomolecular and physiological processes and to subject the specific meridian channels of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to coherent vibration. This noninvasive technique may offer an alternative to needle acupuncture and other traditional medical practices with clinical benefits.
RESUMO
Various PVD (physical vapor deposition) hard coatings including nitrides and metal-doped diamond-like carbons (Me-DLC) were applied in plastic injection and die-casting molds to improve wear resistance and reduce sticking. In this study, nitrides hcp-AlN (hexagonal close-packed AlN), Cr2N, (CrAl)2N) and Me-DLC (Si-DLC and Cr-DLC) coatings were prepared using a closed field unbalanced magnetron reactive sputtering system. The coatings were annealed in air for 2 h at various temperatures, after which the anti-sticking properties were assessed using water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The as-deposited hcp-AlN, Cr2N and (CrAl)2N coatings exhibit hydrophobic behavior and exhibit respective WCAs of 119°, 106° and 101°. The as-deposited Si-DLC and Cr-DLC coatings exhibit hydrophilic behavior and exhibit respective WCAs of 74° and 88°. The annealed Cr2N and (CrAl)2N coatings exhibit hydrophobic behavior with higher WCAs, while the annealed hcp-AlN, Si-DLC and Cr-DLC coatings are hydrophilic. The increased WCA of the annealed Cr2N and (CrAl)2N coatings is related to their crystal structure and increased roughness. The decreased WCA of the annealed hcp-AlN, Si-DLC and Cr-DLC coatings is related to their crystal structures and has little correlation with roughness.
RESUMO
Visible-light-responsive layered titanium dioxide/tin indium oxide (TiO2/ITO) catalysts prepared on unheated glass slides by DC magnetron sputtering were investigated in this study. Transmittance spectra of the catalyst revealed that an interference pattern gradually appeared at wavelengths of 550-650 nm which indicated a strong light absorption up to this region. The red-shift may be ascribed to the difference in both compositions and phase structures of the layered catalyst. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) exhibited a strong columnar growth morphology with highly faceted grains and a distinct (211) texture. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) measurements also confirmed the crystalline nature of the layered catalyst. The SIMS elemental depth profiles showed that tin atoms permeated into the overlaid TiO2 film. This could be resulted from the diffusion of tin from the intercalated ITO thin film during the TiO2 deposition. It suggested that the tin atoms played an important role on the microstructure formation and on the catalytic property of the layered catalyst. This was also confirmed by the cross-sectional TEM images where a layer of crystalline anatase TiO2 grown epitaxially above the intercalated ITO thin film was observed. In addition, a better crystalline TiO2 film with larger grains of 120-180 nm and a higher specific surface area of 1.55 was obtained on successively coated ITO substrate. The layered catalysts showed significant photocatalytic activity on methylene blue (MB) degradation illuminated by ultra-violet (UV 365 nm) and visible light (420 < lambda < 620 nm) sources. A preliminary study on water splitting for hydrogen production showed that a noticeable amount of hydrogen was generated at Pt cathode by employing electrical potential (approximately 0.5 V) and UV-light and visible (lambda > 420 nm) sources via a TiO2/ITO anode.
