Materials

7211 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Calcium Sulfate with Stearic Acid as an Encouraging Carrier for Reindeer Bone Protein Extract

by Hanna Tölli, Elli Birr, Kenneth Sandström, Timo Jämsä and Pekka Jalovaara

Materials 2011, 4(7), 1321-1332; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma4071321 - 21 Jul 2011

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 6962

Various bone proteins and growth factors in specific concentrations are required for bone formation. If the body cannot produce sufficient quantities of these factors, bone trauma can be healed with an implant that includes the required factors in a carrier. This study was [...] Read more.

Various bone proteins and growth factors in specific concentrations are required for bone formation. If the body cannot produce sufficient quantities of these factors, bone trauma can be healed with an implant that includes the required factors in a carrier. This study was designed to evaluate various calcium salt candidates that can be used as carrier with reindeer bone protein extract to induce ectopic bone formation in the muscle pouch model of mouse. The bone protein extract was either impregnated into the disc form of carrier or mixed with carrier powder before implantation. The radiographic analysis indicated increased bone formation in all of the active groups containing the bone protein extract compared to the controls within 21 days follow-up. The highest bone formation was seen in the group with calcium sulfate with stearic acid where new bone and calcified cartilage were clearly visible. The greatest bone formation occurred in the groups that had bone protein extract readily available. This indicates that the bone forming factors in sufficient concentrations are required at the early stage of bone formation. The calcium sulfate with stearic acid was the most suitable and effective carrier for reindeer bone protein extract. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Orthopaedic Biomaterials)

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2072 KiB

Open AccessReview

Boronization and Carburization of Superplastic Stainless Steel and Titanium-Based Alloys

by Masafumi Matsushita

Materials 2011, 4(7), 1309-1320; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma4071309 - 18 Jul 2011

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6690

Abstract

Bronization and carburization of fine-grain superplastic stainless steel is reviewed, and new experimental results for fine grain Ti_88.5Al_4.5V₃Fe₂Mo₂ are reported. In superplastic duplex stainless steel, the diffusion of carbon and boron is faster than [...] Read more.

Bronization and carburization of fine-grain superplastic stainless steel is reviewed, and new experimental results for fine grain Ti_88.5Al_4.5V₃Fe₂Mo₂ are reported. In superplastic duplex stainless steel, the diffusion of carbon and boron is faster than in non-superplastic duplex stainless steel. Further, diffusion is activated by uniaxial compressive stress. Moreover, non-superplastic duplex stainless steel shows typical grain boundary diffusion; however, inner grain diffusion is confirmed in superplastic stainless steel. The presence of Fe and Cr carbides or borides is confirmed by X-ray diffraction, which indicates that the diffused carbon and boron react with the Fe and Cr in superplastic stainless steel. The Vickers hardness of the carburized and boronized layers is similar to that achieved with other surface treatments such as electro-deposition. Diffusion of boron into the superplastic Ti_88.5Al_4.5V₃Fe₂Mo₂ alloy was investigated. The hardness of the surface exposed to boron powder can be increased by annealing above the superplastic temperature. However, the Vickers hardness is lower than that of Ti boride. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Superplasticity and Superplastic Forming)

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1220 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Hardness and Strength Properties of WC-Co Composites

by Ronald W. Armstrong

Materials 2011, 4(7), 1287-1308; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma4071287 - 14 Jul 2011

Cited by 78 | Viewed by 11415

Abstract

The industrially-important WC-Co composite materials provide a useful, albeit complicated materials system for understanding the combined influences on hardness and strength properties of the constituent WC particle strengths, the particle sizes, their contiguities, and of Co binder hardness and mean free paths, and [...] Read more.

The industrially-important WC-Co composite materials provide a useful, albeit complicated materials system for understanding the combined influences on hardness and strength properties of the constituent WC particle strengths, the particle sizes, their contiguities, and of Co binder hardness and mean free paths, and in total, the volume fraction of constituents. A connection is made here between the composite material properties, especially including the material fracture toughness, and the several materials-type considerations of: (1) related hardness stress-strain behaviors; (2) dislocation (viscoplastic) thermal activation characterizations; (3) Hall-Petch type reciprocal square root of particle or grain size dependencies; and (4) indentation and conventional fracture mechanics results. Related behaviors of MgO and Al₂O₃ crystal and polycrystal materials are also described for the purpose of making comparisons. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hard Materials: Advances in Synthesis and Understanding)

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697 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cavitation During Superplastic Forming

by John Campbell

Materials 2011, 4(7), 1271-1286; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma4071271 - 8 Jul 2011

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 7576

Abstract

Cavitation is the opening of pores during superplastic forming, typically at grain boundary triple points or on second phase grain boundary particles during slip of grain boundaries. Theories for the initiation of cavitation are reviewed. It seems that cavitation is unlikely to occur [...] Read more.

Cavitation is the opening of pores during superplastic forming, typically at grain boundary triple points or on second phase grain boundary particles during slip of grain boundaries. Theories for the initiation of cavitation are reviewed. It seems that cavitation is unlikely to occur by processes intrinsic to metals such as dislocation mechanisms or point defect condensation. It is proposed that cavitation can only occur at non-bonded interfaces such as those introduced extrinsically (i.e., from the outside) during the original casting of the metal. These defects, known as oxide bifilms, are naturally introduced during pouring of the liquid metal, and are frozen into the solid, often pushed by dendritic growth into grain boundaries where they are difficult to detect because of their extreme thinness, often measured in nanometres. Their unbonded central interface acts as a crack and can initiate cavitation. Second phase precipitates probably do not nucleate and grow on grain boundaries but grow on bifilms in the boundaries, explaining the apparent association between boundaries, second phase particles and failure initiation. Improved melting and casting techniques can provide metal with reduced or zero bifilm population for which cavitation would not be possible, promising significant improvements in superplastic behaviour. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Superplasticity and Superplastic Forming)

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377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of the Distribution of Radiative Defects and Reabsorption of the UV in ZnO Nanorods-Organic Hybrid White Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs)

by Ijaz Hussain, Nargis Bano, Sajjad Hussain, Yousuf Soomro, Omer Nur and Magnus Willander

Materials 2011, 4(7), 1260-1270; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma4071260 - 8 Jul 2011

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 7447

Abstract

In this study, the low temperature aqueous chemical growth (ACG) method was employed to synthesized ZnO nanorods to process-organic hybrid white light emitting diodes (LEDs) on glass substrate. Electroluminescence spectra of the hybrid white LEDs demonstrate the combination of emission bands arising from [...] Read more.

In this study, the low temperature aqueous chemical growth (ACG) method was employed to synthesized ZnO nanorods to process-organic hybrid white light emitting diodes (LEDs) on glass substrate. Electroluminescence spectra of the hybrid white LEDs demonstrate the combination of emission bands arising from radiative recombination of the organic and ZnO nanorods (NRs). Depth resolved luminescence was used for probing the nature and spatial distribution of radiative defects, especially to study the re-absorption of ultraviolet (UV) in this hybrid white LEDs structure. At room temperature the cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra intensity of the deep band emission (DBE) is increased with the increase of the electron beam penetration depth due to the increase of defect concentration at the ZnO NRs/Polyfluorene (PFO) interface and probably due to internal absorption of the UV. A strong dependency between the intensity ratio of the UV to the DBE bands and the spatial distribution of the radiative defects in ZnO NRs has been found. The comparison of the CL spectra from the PFO and the ZnO NRs demonstrate that PFO has a very weak violet-blue emission band, which confirms that most of the white emission components originate from the ZnO NRs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Luminescent Materials 2011)

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404 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Migration Capacity and Viability of Human Primary Osteoblasts in Synthetic Three-dimensional Bone Scaffolds Made of Tricalciumphosphate

by Anika Jonitz, Jan Wieding, Katrin Lochner, Matthias Cornelsen, Hermann Seitz, Doris Hansmann and Rainer Bader

Materials 2011, 4(7), 1249-1259; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma4071249 - 8 Jul 2011

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6838

Abstract

In current therapeutic strategies, bone defects are filled up by bone auto- or allografts. Since they are limited by insufficient availability and donor site morbidity, it is necessary to find an appropriate alternative of synthetic porous bone materials. Because of their osteoconductive characteristics, [...] Read more.

In current therapeutic strategies, bone defects are filled up by bone auto- or allografts. Since they are limited by insufficient availability and donor site morbidity, it is necessary to find an appropriate alternative of synthetic porous bone materials. Because of their osteoconductive characteristics, ceramic materials like tricalciumphosphate (TCP) are suitable to fill up bone defects. Another advantage of TCP implants is the ability of patient-specific engineering. Objective of the present in-vitro study was to analyze the migration capacity and viability of human primary osteoblasts in porous three-dimensional TCP scaffolds in a static cell culture. To obtain data of the cellular supply with nutrients and oxygen, we determined the oxygen concentration and the pH value within the 3D scaffold compared to the surrounding medium using microsensors. After eight days of cultivation we found cells on all four planes. During incubation, the oxygen concentration within the scaffold decreased by approximately 8%. Furthermore, we could not demonstrate an increasing acidification in the core of the TCP scaffold. Our results suggest that osteoblasts could migrate and survive within the macroporous TCP scaffolds. The selected size of the macropores prevents overgrowth of cells, whereby the oxygen and nutrients supply is sufficiently guaranteed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials 2011)

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859 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Surface Processing on the Biocompatibility of Titanium

by Kornelia Wirsching, Karla Lehle, Peter Jacob, Otto Gleich, Jürgen Strutz and Pingling Kwok

Materials 2011, 4(7), 1238-1248; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma4071238 - 6 Jul 2011

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6622

Abstract

Surface conditioning of titanium middle ear implants results in an improved biocompatibility, which can be characterized by the properties of fibroblasts cultured on conditioned surfaces. Titanium has been established as a favorable biomaterial in ossicular chain reconstruction. The epithelization of the surface of [...] Read more.

Surface conditioning of titanium middle ear implants results in an improved biocompatibility, which can be characterized by the properties of fibroblasts cultured on conditioned surfaces. Titanium has been established as a favorable biomaterial in ossicular chain reconstruction. The epithelization of the surface of the implants is important for their integration and stable positioning in the middle ear. Mouse fibroblast cells were cultured on platelets made from pure Grade 2 titanium. Platelets that had been etched along their production process were compared to unetched platelets. The DNA in the cell nuclei was stained with DAPI and the actin filaments of the cytoskeleton were stained with FITC-conjugated phalloidin in order to analyze the cells grown on etched and unetched platelets by fluorescence microscopy. SEM (scanning electron microscopic) images were used to compare the surface structure of etched and unetched titanium platelets. There was a statistically significant increase of the area covered by the cytoplasm and increased actin expression by fibroblasts grown on the etched titanium platelets. In addition, the area of the platelets covered by nuclei on the etched platelets exceeded on average the one on unetched platelets, although this difference was not significant. The SEM pictures comparing unetched and etched titanium platelets showed a clear difference in surface structure. Surface conditioning of titanium implants improved the epithelization by fibroblasts and consequently etched titanium should be the preferred biomaterial for reconstructive middle ear surgery. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomaterials 2011)

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748 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Defects Identification and Effects of Annealing on Lu_2(1-x)Y_2xSiO₅ (LYSO) Single Crystals for Scintillation Application

by Samuel Blahuta, Aurélie Bessière, Bruno Viana, Vladimir Ouspenski, Eric Mattmann, Julien Lejay and Didier Gourier

Materials 2011, 4(7), 1224-1237; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma4071224 - 1 Jul 2011

Cited by 51 | Viewed by 8779

Abstract

The nature, properties and relative concentrations of electronic defects were investigated by Thermoluminescence (TL) in Lu_2(1-x)Y_2xSiO₅ (LYSO) single crystals. Ce and Tb-doped single crystals, grown by the Czochralski technique (CZ), revealed similar traps in TL. LYSO:Ce single crystals [...] Read more.

The nature, properties and relative concentrations of electronic defects were investigated by Thermoluminescence (TL) in Lu_2(1-x)Y_2xSiO₅ (LYSO) single crystals. Ce and Tb-doped single crystals, grown by the Czochralski technique (CZ), revealed similar traps in TL. LYSO:Ce single crystals were grown by the Floating-Zone technique (FZ) with increasing oxygen concentration in the growth atmosphere. TL intensity is strongly dependent on the oxygen content of the material, and oxygen vacancies are proven to be the main electronic defects in LYSO. The effects of oxidizing and reducing annealing post-treatment on these defects were investigated. While oxidizing treatments efficiently reduce the amount of electronic defects, reducing treatments increase the amount of existing traps. In a thermally assisted tunneling mechanism, the localization of oxygen vacancies around the dopant is discussed. They are shown to be in the close vicinity of the dopant, though not in first neighbor positions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Luminescent Materials 2011)

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1872 KiB

Open AccessReview

Micrograin Superplasticity: Characteristics and Utilization

by Farghalli A. Mohamed

Materials 2011, 4(7), 1194-1223; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma4061194 - 1 Jul 2011

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 7844

Abstract

Micrograin Superplasticity refers to the ability of fine-grained materials (1 µm d d is the grain size) to exhibit extensive neck-free elongations during deformation at elevated temperatures. Over the past three decades, good progress has been made in rationalizing this phenomenon. The present [...] Read more.

Micrograin Superplasticity refers to the ability of fine-grained materials (1 µm < d < 10 μm, where d is the grain size) to exhibit extensive neck-free elongations during deformation at elevated temperatures. Over the past three decades, good progress has been made in rationalizing this phenomenon. The present paper provides a brief review on this progress in several areas that have been related to: (a) the mechanical characteristics of micrograin superplasticity and their origin; (b) the effect of impurity content and type on deformation behavior, boundary sliding, and cavitation during superplastic deformation; (c) the formation of cavity stringers; (d) dislocation activities and role during superplastic flow; and (e) the utilization of superplasticity. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Superplasticity and Superplastic Forming)

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242 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Determination of the Fluorescence Quantum Yield of Semiconductor Nanocrystals

by Julien Laverdant, Willy Daney de Marcillac, Carlos Barthou, Vu Duc Chinh, Catherine Schwob, Laurent Coolen, Paul Benalloul, Pham Thu Nga and Agnès Maître

Materials 2011, 4(7), 1182-1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma4071182 - 30 Jun 2011

Cited by 46 | Viewed by 10922

Abstract

Many studies have considered the luminescence of colloidal II–VI nanocrystals, both in solution at a collective scale and at an individual scale by confocal microscopy. The quantum yield is an important figure of merit for the optical quality of a fluorophore. We detail [...] Read more.

Many studies have considered the luminescence of colloidal II–VI nanocrystals, both in solution at a collective scale and at an individual scale by confocal microscopy. The quantum yield is an important figure of merit for the optical quality of a fluorophore. We detail here a simple method to determine the quantum yield of nanocrystals in solution as a function of the absorption. For this purpose, we choose rhodamine 101 as a reference dye to measure the nanocrystal fluorescence quantum yield. The influence of the concentration on quantum yield is therefore studied for both the reference and the solutions of nanocrystals and is found to be critical for the acuity of the method. Different types of nanocrystals are studied to illustrate different quantum yield evolutions with the concentration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Luminescent Materials)

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Materials, Volume 4, Issue 7 (July 2011) – 10 articles , Pages 1182-1332

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