A simple method for producing patterned forests of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) is described. An aqueous metal salt solution is spin-coated onto a substrate patterned with photoresist by standard methods. The photoresist is removed by acetone washing leaving the acetone-insoluble catalyst pattern on the substrate. Dense forests of vertically aligned (VA) MWCNTs are grown on the patterned catalyst layers by chemical vapour deposition. The procedures have been demonstrated by growing MWCNT forests on two substrates: silicon and conducting graphitic carbon films. The forests adhere strongly to the substrates and when grown directly on carbon film, offer a simple method of preparing MWCNT electrodes.

An animal model of Osteoarthritis (OA) was established to observe the influences of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) and nano magnet application (NMA) on Collagenase 3 (MMP-13) expression and the activation status of mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in rabbit. 24 experimental rabbits from New Zealand were randomly divided into four groups: LIPUS, NMA, LIPUS + NMA group, and control group. The experimental rabbit OA model was established in the right knee joint of rabbits received ACLT operation. Rabbits in LIPUS group received LIPUS treatment and rabbits in NMA group were given NMA treatment. In LIPUS + NMA group, both treatments were applied on experimental rabbits everyday. However, the rabbits in control group only underwent ACLT operation. Four weeks later all rabbits were killed and changes of histopathology in rabbit articular cartilage were assessed and evaluated using Mankin method (Modified Mankin Scale). The protein expressions of MMP-13 and MAPKs were estimated using Western Blot. The results showed that both LIPUS and NMA treatments could significantly decrease the Mankin scores and suppress the expression level of MMP-13. However, there were some inverse results of MAPKs expression in these two applications and imply their treatment mechanisms of OA were different from each other.

Catalytic pyrolysis of waste mandarin was performed using nanoporous catalysts. AI-MCM-41 and Meso-MFI, which had different acid characteristics, were used. In addition, the characteristics of Pt/Meso-MFI were compared with those of Meso-MFI. To analyze the characteristics of the catalyst samples, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, temperature programmed desorption of NH3, and N2 adsorption-desorption analyses were performed. In addition, pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to facilitate the direct analysis of the pyrolytic products. The products obtained from catalytic pyrolysis contained a greater amount of valuable components than did those obtained from non-catalytic pyrolysis, indicating that catalytic pyrolysis improved the quality of the bio-oil. Additionally, valuable products such as furan and aromatic compounds were produced in greater quantities when Meso-MFI was used. When Pt/Meso-MFI was used, the amounts of furan and aromatic compounds produced increased even further.

Platinum catalysts impregnated on different nanoporous materials, Meso-MFI, Si-SBA-15 and AI-SBA-15, were synthesized, and the hydroconversion of n-dodecane over these catalysts was performed. The catalytic characteristics were analyzed by Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area, X-ray diffraction, N2-adsorption-desorption and temperature programmed desorption of NH3. The effects of operation parameters, such as temperature and pressure, on the catalytic activities were investigated. The catalytic activities were affected considerably by the acidic properties of the catalysts, temperature and pressure. Higher acidity, high temperature and low hydrogen pressure resulted in higher hydroconversion and facilitated hydrocracking. The weak acidity, low temperature and high hydrogen pressure resulted in lower hydroconversion and higher selectivity to i-dodecane.

SnO2 thin films were fabricated using low-pressure thermal chemical vapor deposition. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the SiO2 layer with an O1S-binding energy of 531.2 eV was formed before the SnO2 layer with an O1S-binding energy of 530.5 eV was formed. In the beginning, the SnO2 thin film showed Sn3d5-binding energy peaks of 485 eV and 486.5 eV. Subsequently, it grew in the direction of 486.5 eV. The Sn3d5-binding strength of the SnO2+x thin film that was annealed in oxygen atmosphere was weaker than that of the SnO2 thin film. Additionally, the Sn3d5-binding strength decreased linearly as the depth of the thin film increased. The surface O1S-binding strength of the SnO2+x thin film annealed in oxygen atmosphere was stronger than that of the SnO2 thin film; however, this strength became weaker than that that of the SnO2 thin film when the depth of the thin film was 2500A or higher.

Coenzyme Q10-loaded lecithin nanocapsules (CoQ10-LNCs), composed of a CoQ10/lecithin/ GTCC/glycerol aqueous solution, were prepared by high-pressure homogenization. The zeta potential of the CoQ10-LNCs above -60 mV was determined on a Malvern Zetasize 2000 (Malvern Instruments, UK). The spherical shape of the CoQ10-LNCs was observed by using freeze-fracture transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM), and the particle size was found to be below 100 nm. The supercooled state of the CoQ10-LNCs was observed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In an oral bioavailability study, the CoQ10 plasma level after administering CoQ10-LNCs was higher than that after administering a CoQ10 tablet over 24 hours, and the relative bioavailability of CoQ10 was improved to 176.6% in mice. Based on the above results, the LNC delivery system might be a potential vehicle for improving the oral bioavailability of CoQ10.

Combinative one-pot Si-Si/Si-O dehydrocoupling of hydrosilanes with alcohols (1:1.5 mole ratio), mediated by a mixture of AgNO3-AuCl3 (100/1 mole ratio) rapidly produced poly(alkoxysilane)s in reasonably high yield. The addition of small amount of gold complex to the reaction mixture effectively accelerated the coupling reaction compared to the reaction rate with AgNO3 alone. The hydrosilanes include p-X-C6H4SiH3 (X = H, CH3, OCH3, F), PhCH2SiH3, and (PhSiH2)2. The alcohols include MeOH, EtOH, iPrOH, PhOH, and CF3(CF2)2CH2OH. The weight average molecular weight and polydispersity of the poly(alkoxysilane)s were in the range of 1,600-8,000 Dalton and 1.4-3.5, respectively. The dehydrocoupling reactions of phenylsilane with ethanol (1:3 mole ratio) in the presence of the Ag-Au complexes gave only triethoxyphenylsilane.

This study examined the bone formation ability and cell response on a phosphate (PO3(4-)) ion exchanged amine plasma polymerized titanium (Ti) surface. The enhanced bone-like apatite (hydroxyapatite, HAp)-forming ability was attributed to the PO3(4-) ion exchanged amine plasma polymerized Ti (P/NH2/Ti) surface, which was formed by the reduction of PO3(4-) ions. PO3(4-) ions promote HAp nucleation and growth on Ti in SBF, and PO3(4-) ions improve the crystallinity of the HAp deposited layer. The cell viability tests revealed significantly greater cell viability on the P/NH2/Ti surfaces than on the other surfaces.

ZnO nanoparticles were covalently wrapped by polystyrene (PS) through surface thiol-lactam initiated radical polymerization using the grafting from approach. The surface of ZnO nanoparticles was initially modified by 3-mercapto propyltrimethoxysilane to afford thiol functionalized ZnO nanoparticles (ZnO-SH). The controlled radical polymerization of styrene (St) was subsequently accomplished by using an initiating system of ZnO-SH and butyrolactam. FT-IR, XPS, XRD, TGA, DSC, TEM and DLS were employed to investigate the chemical structure, morphology, thermal properties, the size and size distribution of nanocomposites. The dispersibility of ZnO nanoparticles was observed to be significantly improved upon functionalization by PS brushes. The controlled nature of the surface initiated thiol-lactam aided polymerization of St from the ZnO nanoparticles surface was confirmed by GPC analysis.

Ni-W alloy coatings were prepared by electrodeposition technique with citric acid as a complexing agent. The influence of the main technical parameters on W content in the Ni-W alloy coatings were investigated by electron dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and the microstructure of the coatings was characterized and analyzed by employing X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results showed that bright and compact Ni-W alloy coatings with 25.78 wt% W were obtained when the concentration of Na2WO4 x 2H2O was 50 g/L, the concentration of NH4Cl was 20 g/L, the bath pH value was 8.0 and the bath temperature was 70 degrees C. The surface of Ni-W alloy coatings were bright, flat and compact, the mircostructure of the alloy coatings were nanocrystalline and the average grain size was about 38 nm by calculating using Scherrer Equation.