Experimental and Computational Synthesis of TiO Sol-Gel Coatings.

During the experimental formation of sol-gel coatings, the colloid dispersions go through a drying process, and the structure of the coatings is formed as a result of complex chemical, colloidal, and capillary interactions. While computer simulations provide guidelines to tune and even design the nanomaterials synthesis, simulations of coating structure formation are hitherto unknown in the literature. Based on real experiments, we establish here a ReaxFF reactive force field-based molecular dynamics simulation protocol in order to investigate and determine the role of the experimental conditions on the pore structure formation in the coatings.

Chitosan nanocoatings N-acylated with decanoic anhydride: Hydrophobic, hygroscopic and structural properties.

Thin (ca. 340 nm) chitosan coatings were deposited onto glass substrates via dip-coating, then modified with the methanol solution of decanoic anhydride (0.17-56 mM).

XPS depth profiling of nano-layers by a novel trial-and-error evaluation procedure.

In spite of its superior chemical sensitivity, XPS depth profiling is rarely used because of the alteration introduced by the sputter removal process and the resulting inhomogeneous in-depth concentration distribution. Moreover, the application of XPS becomes increasingly challenging in the case of the analysis of thin layers, if the thickness is in the range of 2-3 inelastic mean free paths (IMFP) of the photoelectrons. In this paper we will show that even in these unfavorable cases the XPS depth profiling is applicable.

Chitosan-Surfactant Composite Nanocoatings on Glass and Zinc Surfaces Prepared from Aqueous Solutions.

Hydrophobic coatings from chitosan-surfactant composites (ca. 400 nm thick by UV-Vis spectroscopy) for possible corrosion protection were developed on glass and zinc substrates. The surfactants (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS or sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, and SDBS) were added to the chitosan by two methods: mixing the surfactants with the aqueous chitosan solutions before film deposition or impregnating the deposited chitosan films with surfactants from their aqueous solutions.

Tungsten Carbide Nanolayer Formation by Ion Beam Mixing with Argon and Xenon Ions for Applications as Protective Coatings.

A novel nanolayer is formed by means of ion irradiation applicable as protective coating. Tungsten carbide (WC)-rich nanolayers were produced at room temperature by applying ion beam mixing of various carbon/tungsten (C/W) multilayer structures using argon and xenon ions with energy in the range of 40-120 keV and fluences between 0.25 and 3 × 10 ions/cm.

Effect of Silver Modification on the Photoactivity of Titania Coatings with Different Pore Structures.

Nanostructured photoactive systems are promising for applications such as air and water purification, including self-cleaning coatings. In this study, mesoporous TiO sol-gel coatings with different pore structures were prepared and modified with silver by two methods: the "mixing" method by adding AgNO to the precursor sol, and the "impregnation" method by immersing the samples in AgNO solution (0.03 and 1 M) followed by heat treatment.

The inheritance of corneal endothelial cell density.

Background: Although it is known that some corneal diseases and degenerations have a significant heritable background, heritability on corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) has never been clearly determined. Our aim was to determine the heritability of corneal ECD.

Material And Methods: Corneal ECD of 114 eyes (66 eyes of 33 monozygotic and 48 eyes of 24 dizygotic pairs; mean age 49.

Genetic covariance between central corneal thickness and anterior chamber volume: a Hungarian twin study.

Background: Few, and inconsistent, studies have showed high heritability of some parameters of the anterior segment of the eye; however, no heritability of anterior chamber volume (ACV) has been reported, and no study has been performed to investigate the correlation between the ACV and central corneal thickness (CCT).

Methods: Anterior segment measurements (Pentacam, Oculus) were obtained from 220 eyes of 110 adult Hungarian twins (41 monozygotic and 14 same-sex dizygotic pairs; 80% women; age 48.6 ± 15.

Heritability of central blood pressure and arterial stiffness: a twin study.

Objective: Central blood pressure and aortic stiffness have been consistently reported as strong cardiovascular risk factors. Twin studies by comparing identical with nonidentical twins produce information on the relative contribution of genes and environment.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-four monozygotic (MZ) and 42 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs (age 43 ± 17 years) from Hungary and the United States underwent brachial and central augmentation index (AIx), brachial and central pressure, and aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements with the invasively validated Arteriograph device.