Filters
total: 492
filtered: 376
Chosen catalog filters
Search results for: SUBSTRATE TEMPERATURE
-
Microfluidic SIW-Based Tunable Self-Diplexing Antenna for Sub-6 GHz Band Applications
PublicationThis work introduces a novel frequency tunable self-diplexing antenna (SDA) design based on substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology. A modified A-shaped slot is employed on the cavity’s top plane, which is excited by two independent 50 Ω microstrip feed lines to operate at each resonant frequency. The frequency flexibility of the proposed antenna allows for fine-tuning at each resonance frequency. The frequency flexibility...
-
Integration of the sulfate reduction and anammox processes for enhancing sustainable nitrogen removal in granular sludge reactors
PublicationThe Anammox and Sulfate Reduction Ammonium Oxidation processes were compared in two granular sequencing batch reactors operated for 160 days under anammox conditions. It was hypothesized that increasing the concentration of SO42− may positively influence the rate of N removal under anaerobic conditions and it was tested whether SO42− reduction and anammox occur independently or are related to each other. The cooperation of N-S...
-
Influence of alkali metal cations on the photoactivity of crystalline and exfoliated amorphous WO3 – photointercalation phenomenon
PublicationIn order to investigate the effect of photointercalation on photoelectrochemical properties, two types of WO3-based photoanodes, bulk and exfoliated have been prepared and investigated. An aqueous exfoliation method is introduced for the simple fabrication of amorphous and hydrated WO3 nanomaterial using commercial bulk WO3 precursor. The comparison of obtained material with bulk WO3 was performed using Raman, UV–vis, and XPS as...
-
Mechanical Behavior of Bi-Layer and Dispersion Coatings Composed of Several Nanostructures on Ti Substrate
PublicationThree coatings suitable for biomedical applications, including the dispersion coating composed of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), MWCNTs/TiO2 bi-layer coating, and MWCNTs-Cu dispersion coating, were fabricated by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) on Ti Grade II substrate. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and nanoindentation were applied to study topography, chemical, and...
-
The optimization of CuxO microwires synthesis for improvement in photoelectrochemical performance
PublicationOne of the most important challenges in the fabrication of CuxO microstructures via the electrochemical method is formation of long, regular and well-packed microwires with good adhesion on the Cu substrate and to achieve better photoelectrochemical properties, which can be potentially applied in solar-driven water splitting and CO2 conversion to light hydrocarbons. In this paper, Cu2O photoelectrode has been fabricated by direct...
-
The Hydrolysis of Slowly Biodegradable Substrate in Activated Sludge
PublicationIn a present work a novel procedure, based on the standard batch tests and pretreatment of wastewater sample with coagulation-flocculation method, was proposed to evaluate the effects of hydrolysis of slowly biodegradable substrate (Xs) on biological nutrient removal (BNR) processes in activated sludge systems. The study was conducted at two large BNR wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in northern Poland: "Wschod" in Gdansk and...
-
Design-Oriented Constrained Modeling of Antenna Structures
PublicationFast surrogate models are crucially important to reduce the cost of design process of antenna structures. Due to curse of dimensionality, standard (data-driven) modeling methods exhibit serious limitations concerning the number of independent geometry parameters that can be handled but also (and even more importantly) their parameter ranges. In this work, a design-oriented modeling framework is proposed in which the surrogate is...
-
Broadband Compact Single-Layer Magic-T Junction with Separation of DC Signals between All Ports
PublicationA novel structure for a four-port microstrip magic-T junction is presented. The device is composed of microstrip and slotline circuits etched onto two sides of a dielectric substrate. The device is extremely compact and occupies an area more than three times smaller than similar structures recently reported in the literature. The novelty of the device lies in the use of microstrip/slotline transitions for both input ports: summation...
-
Properties of ordered titanium templates covered with Au thin films for SERS applications
PublicationtCurrently, roughened metal nanostructures are widely studied as highly sensitive Raman scattering sub-strates that show application potential in biochemistry, food safety or medical diagnostic. In this workthe structural properties and the enhancement effect due to surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) ofhighly ordered nano-patterned titanium templates covered with thin (5–20 nm) gold films are reported.The templates are formed...
-
Metal-Organic Framework (MOF)/Epoxy Coatings: A Review
PublicationEpoxy coatings are developing fast in order to meet the requirements of advanced materials and systems. Progress in nanomaterial science and technology has opened a new era of engineering for tailoring the bulk and surface properties of organic coatings, e.g., adhesion to the substrate, anti-corrosion, mechanical, flame-retardant, and self-healing characteristics. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a subclass of coordinative polymers...
-
Photoinduced K+ Intercalation into MoO3/FTO Photoanode—the Impact on the Photoelectrochemical Performance
PublicationIn this work, thin layers of MoO3 were tested as potential photoanodes for water splitting. The influence of photointercalation of alkali metal cation (K+) into the MoO3 structure on the photoelectrochemical properties of the molybdenum trioxide films was investigated for the first time. MoO3 thin films were synthesized via thermal annealing of thin, metallic Mo films deposited onto the FTO substrate using a magnetron sputtering...
-
Sensing the onset of epoxy coating degradation with combined Raman spectroscopy/atomic force microscopy/electrochemical impedance spectroscopy
PublicationThe paper presents the results of investigation on epoxy resin durability upon 12-week exposure to UV radiation. The aim was early determination of the onset of epoxy degradation and for this purpose an epoxy film on steel substrate systems were periodically inspected using Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The behaviour of examined polymer could be divided into three periods: immunity,...
-
Modification of TiO2 nanotubes by graphene–strontium and cobalt molybdate perovskite for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction in acidic medium
PublicationHerein, we demonstrate that modification of TiO2 nanotubes with graphene–strontium and cobalt molybdate perovskite can turn them into active electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). For this purpose, a simple method of hydrothermal synthesis of perovskites was developed directly on the TiO2 nanotubes substrate. Moreover, the obtained hybrids were also decorated with graphene oxide (GO) during one-step hydrothermal...
-
Microstructure and Properties of Electroless Ni-P/Si3N4 Nanocomposite Coatings Deposited on the AW-7075 Aluminum Alloy
PublicationThe article presents the results of mechanical and tribological tests of Ni-P/Si3N4 nanocomposite coatings deposited on the AW-7075 aluminum alloy using the chemical reduction method. The influence of the chemical composition on the Vickers microhardness determined by the DSI method was examined. The nanocomposite layers were made of Si3N4 silicon nitride in a polydisperse powder with a particle size ranging from 20 to 25 nm. The...
-
Modelling of dark fermentation of glucose and sour cabbage
PublicationIn the article, modified Anaerobic Digestion Models 1 (ADM-1) was tested for modelling dark fermentation for hydrogen production. The model refitting was done with the Euler method. The new model was based on sets of differential equations. The model was checked for hydrogen production from sour cabbage in batch and semi-batch in 5 g VSS (volatile solid suspension)/L and at the semi-batch process from glucose at 5 and 10 g VSS/L....
-
Dual-Polarized Wideband Bandpass Metasurface-Based Filter
PublicationThis paper presents a novel metasurface-based bandpass filter. The structure is realized by simply patterning a double-sided AD250 substrate, and does not require any vias or insertion of lumped elements. The top layer is an annular- aperture-array with multiple inner conductors, whereas the bottom layer is a first-order Hilbert-curve array. FEM-based simulation results of the filter are obtained using HFSS. The experimental validation...
-
Digestate Quality Originating from Kitchen Waste
PublicationThis paper examines the influence of biomass directed to anaerobic digestion on the quality of digestate, specifically focusing on the presence of undesirable substances, such as plastics, including biodegradable ones. It analyses the susceptibility of selected bioplastics to degradation and addresses the problem of reliable identification of microplastics in both feedstock—directed to anaerobic digestion—and produced digestate....
-
Frequency-Reconfigurable Hybrid SIW-Based Self-Diplexing Antenna Using Solid and Liquid Dielectric Loading
PublicationThis paper presents a novel frequencyreconfigurable self-diplexing antenna (SDA) utilizing a hybrid substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW). The antenna comprises a radiating slot, a feeding network, and a hybrid SIW cavity featuring half-mode circular and half-mode rectangular SIW structures. The unique feature of this antenna lies in its fine-tuning capability of each resonant frequency by inserting or injecting solid and liquid...
-
Zero-pole approach to computer aided design of in-line siw filters with transmission zeros
PublicationThis paper presents a design of a new type of in-line pseudo-elliptic filters implemented in substrate integrated waveguide(SIW) technology. To realize transmission zeros in in-line topology,frequency-dependent couplings were used. Such dispersive couplingswere implemented as shorted stubs. The design process startswith the generation of a suitable starting point. To this end, anapproximation of SIW as a rectangular waveguide is...
-
Mathematical modelling of two-step nitrification-denitrification for treatment of sludge digester liquors: influence of nitrite (NO2-N) on the process kinetics
PublicationSeparate treatment of the sludge digester liquors is an alternative for expansion of the mainstream treatment line. In order to reduce the oxygen demand for nitrification and organic carbon demand for denitrification, a shortcut in the nitrogen conversion pathway has been promoted in recent years, i.e. nitrification-denitrification via NO2-N instead of NO3-N. Although NO2-N is a common intermediate product of nitrification and...
-
On Reduced-Cost Design-Oriented Constrained Surrogate Modeling of Antenna Structures
PublicationDesign of contemporary antenna structures heavily relies on full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulation models. Such models are essential to ensure reliability of evaluating antenna characteristics, yet, they are computationally expensive and therefore unsuitable for handling tasks that require multiple analyses, e.g., parametric optimization. The cost issue can be alleviated by using fast surrogate models. Conventional data-driven...
-
Engineering Au nanoparticle arrays on SiO2 glass by pulsed UV laser irradiation
PublicationWe study semi-regular arrays of Au nanoparticles (NP) obtained via UV laser irradiation of thin Au films on glass substrate. The NP structures are prepared from films of a thickness up to 60 nm produced by discharge sputtering or pulsed laser deposition, and annealed by nanosecond laser pulses at 266 or 308 nm, respectively, at fluencies in the range of 60-410 mJ/cm2. For the rare- and close-packed NP structures, consistent description...
-
Integration of protein tethering in a rapid and label-free SERS screening platform for drugs of abuse
PublicationSurface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a promising technique for the rapid and ultrasensitive detection of molecular species such as drugs of abuse in biofluids. Yet, it remains a significant challenge to create a viable screening tool for multiple drug classes, owing to the lack of affinity of certain species for the SERS substrate and to the matrix interference in complex media. Here we report a protein tethering...
-
Kriging metamodels and design re‐utilization for fast parameter tuning of antenna structures
PublicationThe paper addresses the problem of computationally efficient electromagnetic (EM)‐driven design closure of antenna structures. The foundations of the presented approach are fast kriging interpolation metamodels, utilized for two purposes: (a) producing a good starting point for further parameter tuning, and (b) yielding a reasonable Jacobian matrix estimate to jump‐start the optimization procedure. The models are rendered using...
-
Nanocrystalline diamond sheets as protective coatings for fiber-optic measurement head
PublicationFiber-optic sensors find numerous applications in science and industry, but their full potential is limited because of the risk of damaging the measurement head, in particular, due to the vulnerability of unprotected tips of the fiber to mechanical damage and aggressive chemical agents. In this paper, we report the first use of a new nanocrystalline diamond structure in a fiber-optic measurement head as a protective coating of...
-
Planar Microwave Bragg Reflector Resonant Dielectric Sensor
PublicationIn this paper, a periodic structure is used to design a microwave Bragg reflector with the help of hexagonal lattice, which provides a 5 GHz wide stopband between the low-pass band with cut-off frequency 2.6 GHz and the bandpass response with start and stop frequency 7.8 GHz and 10.5 GHz, respectively. A defect in lattice allows passing a narrowband signal at 6 GHz which is found, from the dispersion relation, to be in the region...
-
Guided wave propagation in debonding detection in CFRP-reinforced steel plate-like structures
PublicationThe present study investigates the guided wave propagation in multilayered steel specimens reinforced with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) through theoretical, numerical, and experimental means. The effectiveness of externally bonded reinforcement (EBR) relies heavily on the bonding quality between the CFRP and the substrate. Premature debonding, a prevalent and hazardous defect, can arise from suboptimal manufacturing processes,...
-
Process zone in the Single Cantilever Beam under transverse loading. - Part II: Experimental
PublicationThis paper describes an experimental arrangement to evaluate stress/strain fields in the process zone of asymmetric adhesively bonded joints. A transparent polycarbonate flexible beam was bonded to an aluminium alloy rigid block with an epoxy adhesive in a Single Cantilever Beam (SCB) configuration. The flexible adherend was loaded in the direction parallel to the initial crack front at constant rate. To monitor strains induced...
-
Assessment of organic coating degradation via local impedance imaging
PublicationThe paper presents a new approach to organic coating condition evaluation at micrometer scale using localized impedance measurements. It is based on atomic force microscopy (AFM) in contact mode. Impedance is measured between conductive AFM tip and metal substrate covered with organic coating. A single-frequency voltage perturbation signal is applied between the electrodes and current response signal is registered. As the tip is...
-
Adhesive Monitoring with Instrumented Wedge Test
PublicationThe wedge test (sometimes called the Boeing wedge test) is amongst the most readily exploitable techniques for assessment of the rate-dependent fracture energy of adhesive materials when used to bond relatively rigid substrates. With its siblings: the double cantilever beam (DCB), and the tapered double cantilever beam (TDCB), a force is applied, essentially in cleavage, to provoke substrate separation perpendicularly to the bondline...
-
Triangulation-based Constrained Surrogate Modeling of Antennas
PublicationDesign of contemporary antenna structures is heavily based on full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulation tools. They provide accuracy but are CPU-intensive. Reduction of EM-driven design procedure cost can be achieved by using fast replacement models (surrogates). Unfortunately, standard modeling techniques are unable to ensure sufficient predictive power for real-world antenna structures (multiple parameters, wide parameter ranges,...
-
Production of Biogas from Distillation Residue as a Waste Material from the Distillery Industry in Poland
PublicationIn this paper, the possibility to obtain an alternative source of energy from methane fermentation, catalysed by biomass, has been discussed in detail. As a main substrate, the distillation residue from the distillery industry was taken in the case of mono-fermentation and its co-fermentation with sewage sludge. The results showed that higher biogas and methane production can be obtained in a mono-fermentation process. Fermentation...
-
Preparation and Characterization of Diamond-like Carbon Coatings for Biomedical Applications—A Review
PublicationDiamond-like carbon (DLC) films are generally used in biomedical applications, mainly because of their tribological and chemical properties that prevent the release of substrate ions, extend the life cycle of the material, and promote cell growth. The unique properties of the coating depend on the ratio of the sp3/sp2 phases, where the sp2 phase provides coatings with a low coefficient of friction and good electrical conductivity,...
-
Wear Resistance Enhancement of Al6061 Alloy Surface Layer by Laser Dispersed Carbide Powders
PublicationIn this paper, results of the experimental study on improving wear resistance in sliding friction of Al-based alloy are presented. The technique used involves the formation of a metal matrix composite (MMC) in the alloy surface layer by laser dispersion of carbide powders such as WC, TiC and SiC. For WC and TiC MMC surface coatings fabricated under conditions typical for most of the technologically relevant solid-state lasers (wavelength...
-
Properties of Nanohydroxyapatite Coatings Doped with Nanocopper, Obtained by Electrophoretic Deposition on Ti13Zr13Nb Alloy
PublicationNowadays, hydroxyapatite coatings are the most common surface modification of long-term implants. These coatings are characterized by high thickness and poor adhesion to the metallic substrate. The present research is aimed at characterizing the properties of nanohydroxyapatite (nanoHAp) with the addition of copper nanoparticle (nanoCu) coatings deposited on the Ti13Zr13Nb alloy by an electrophoresis process. The deposition of...
-
Spectacular Oxygen Evolution Reaction Enhancement Through Laser Processing of the Nickel-Decorated Titania Nanotubes
PublicationThe selective, laser-induced modification of the nickel-decorated titania nanotubes provides remarkable enhancement toward oxygen evolution reaction. Particularly, the irradiation of the laterally spaced crystalline TiO2 nanotubes, results in the formation of the tight closure over irradiated end, preserving their hollow interior. The shape of the absorbance spectra is modulated along with applied energy, and the new absorption...
-
Spectacular Oxygen Evolution Reaction Enhancement through Laser Processing of the Nickel‐Decorated Titania Nanotubes
PublicationThe selective, laser‐induced modification of the nickel‐decorated titania nanotubes provides remarkable enhancement toward oxygen evolution reaction. Particularly, the irradiation of the laterally spaced crystalline TiO2 nanotubes, results in the formation of the tight closure over irradiated end, preserving their hollow interior. The shape of the absorbance spectra is modulated along with applied energy, and the new absorption...
-
Determination of phenol biodegradation pathways in three psychrotolerant yeasts, Candida subhashii A011, Candida oregonensis B021 and Schizoblastosporion starkeyi-henricii L012, isolated from Rucianka peatland
PublicationIn this study, three psychrotolerant phenol-degrading yeast strains Candida subhashii (strain A011), Candida oregonenis (strain B021) and Schizoblastosporion starkeyi-henricii (strain L012) isolated from Rucianka peatland were examined to determine which alternative metabolic pathway for phenol biodegradation is used by these microorganisms. All yeast strains were cultivated in minimal salt medium supplemented with phenol at 500,...
-
Simple 60 GHz Switched Beam Antenna for 5G Millimeter-Wave Applications
PublicationA new 60 GHz band single-input switched beam antenna is proposed for the fifth-generation (5G) millimeter-wave network applications. The presented design is capable of electronically switching the main beam in two different directions via a proposed microstrip-line-to-slotline single-pole dual-throw (SPDT) switch based on commercially available p-i-n diodes. The antenna is fabricated in a low-cost printed circuit board process...
-
Influence of hydrochloric acid concentration and type of nitrogen source on the electrochemical performance of TiO2/N-MoS2 for energy storage applications
PublicationIn this work, nitrogen-doped molybdenum sulfide was directly deposited on titanium dioxide nanotubes substrate (TiO2/N-MoS2) during hydrothermal synthesis. The study focuses on the influence of hydrochloric acid concentration used for the synthesis, with the results indicating its essential role in thioacetamide hydrolysis and thus in the effectiveness of the N-MoS2 deposition. The electrode material itself is characterized by...
-
Highly-Miniaturized Self-Quadruplexing Antenna Based on Substrate-Integrated Rectangular Cavity
PublicationThis paper introduces a novel self-quadruplexing antenna (SQA) architecture using a substrate-integrated rectangular cavity (SIRC) for compact size, wide-frequency re-designability, and high isolation responses. The proposed SQA is developed by engraving two U-shaped slots (USSs) on the top conductor of the SIRC. The USSs are excited by employing four microstrip feedlines to achieve self-quadruplexing antenna characteristics. The...
-
Endothelial Dysfunction Driven by Hypoxia—The Influence of Oxygen Deficiency on NO Bioavailability
PublicationCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. The initial stage of CVDs is characterized by endothelial dysfunction, defined as the limited bioavailability of nitric oxide (NO). Thus, any factors that interfere with the synthesis or metabolism of NO in endothelial cells are involved in CVD pathogenesis. It is well established that hypoxia is both the triggering factor as well as the accompanying factor...
-
The protective properties of graphene oxide coatings functionalized with phosphorus atoms.
PublicationRecently, electrophoretically deposited graphene oxide coatings are commonly applied as an anti-corrosion layer. However, improper adjustment of electrophoretic deposition (EPD) parameters as well as the hydrophilic nature of graphene oxide contribute to the formation of defects in the coatings and the increase in the wetting properties, respectively, and thus lead to a reduction of protective properties. The growth of wetting...
-
Highly-Miniaturized Microfluidically-Based Frequency Reconfigurable Antenna Diplexer Employing Half-Mode SIRW
PublicationThis article introduces a super-miniaturized frequency reconfigurable antenna diplexer based on microfluidic techniques. The proposed structure is developed using a half-mode substrate-integrated rectangular waveguide (HMSIRW). The antenna architecture consists of two HMSIRW cavities loaded with L-shaped slots, which are excited by two microstrip feedlines to realize two distinct radiating frequency bands. The footprint of the...
-
Novel Complementary Multiple Concentric Split Ring Resonator for Reliable Characterization of Dielectric Substrates with High Sensitivity
PublicationAccurate characterization of dielectric substrates with high sensitivity remains an important challenge in a variety of industrial applications. This paper proposes an innovative strategy to address this challenge by developing and optimizing a unique Complementary Multiple Concentric Split Ring Resonator (CMC-SRR). The major goal is to propose a sensor design with increased sensitivity and reliability for dielectric characterization....
-
Understanding the Dominant Physics Mechanisms on the p-i-n Perovskite Solar Cells Fabricated by Scalable Slot-Die Coating Process in Ambient Air
PublicationPerovskite solar cells (PSC) are emerging technologies that have shown continuous improvement in power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability. However, a very important aspect that has been seldom considered is the reproducibility of PCE of PSC devices. It is possible to achieve PCE from 10.21% to 17.05% using scalable slot-die-coating technique. However, a spatial distribution of performance is clearly observed for device samples...
-
Novel Complementary Resonator for Dielectric Characterization of Substrates Based on Permittivity and Thickness
PublicationThis paper presents a novel complementary resonator featuring high sensitivity, low fabrication cost, and improved performance. The proposed structure consists of a complementary concentric square and circular ring resonator (CCSCRR) with multiple splits to enhance the inductance of the resonator. The proposed CCSCRR is coupled to a microstrip transmission line with an impedance of fifty ohms to create a high-sensitivity sensor....
-
Mass Spectrometric Identification of 13C-Labeled Metabolites DuringAnaerobic Propanoic Acid Oxidation
PublicationBiowaste digestion is a possibility to gain biogas as a renewable fuel source. However, the anaerobic food chain may be disrupted by, e.g., substrate overload or by inhibitors, leading to the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs), predominantly of propanoic acid (PA). VFA Accumulation may cause a rapid pH decrease, less biogas production, or even a total inhibition. To maintain high biogas productivity or to prevent a collapse...
-
Dimensional Synthesis of Coupled-Resonator Pseudoelliptic Microwave Bandpass Filters with Constant and Dispersive Couplings
PublicationIn this paper, we propose a novel technique for the dimensional synthesis of coupled-resonator pseudoelliptic microwave filters with constant and dispersive couplings. The proposed technique is based on numerical simulations of small structures, involving up to two adjacent resonators, and it accounts for a loading effect from other resonators by replacing them with terminations coupled through appropriately scaled inverters. The...
-
Implication of the disulfide bridge in trypsin inhibitor SFTI-1 in its interaction with serine proteinases
PublicationFourteen monocyclic analogues of trypsin inhibitor SFTI-1 isolated from sunflower seeds were synthesized by the solid-phase method. The purpose of this work was to establish the role of a disulfide bridge present in inhibitor's side chains of Cys3 and Cys11 in association with serine proteinases. This cyclic fragment was replaced by the disulfide bridges formed by L-pencillamine (Pen), homo-L-cysteine (Hcy), N-sulfanylethylglycine...