水滴奇遇記-蓮花效應的真面目
Lotus self-cleaning effect arises because the leaves have the superhydrophobic surfaces. When rain falls onto a lotus leaf, water beads up as a result of surface tension. The water drops promptly roll off the surface, taking every dirt with them. This phenomenon is called the lotus effect. With the aid of a light microscope and an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope, we observe and describe the morphology of the leaves of Nelumbo nucifera in detail. We successfully observe the real interface between air, water droplets and the papillae of a lotus leaf, and find the evidence of a composite surface that is formed by epicuticular wax crystals and air. These observations improve our understanding of the two-level composite surfaces that are formed by micro-scale papillae, nano-scale epicuticular wax crystals and air. We try the method of using the critical angle of a static drop beginning to roll on inclined surface to evaluate the self-cleaning ability. We then find out that it may be a more precise criterion compared to using the static contact angle for the evaluation of the lotus effect. Literature review shows that the earlier investigation lacks the height(H) and interval(I) of the projections on the lotus leaf surface. A close relationship between the self-cleaning property and the H/I ratio is found. In this study, we present the experimental data of the height and interval of the projections on four different species of plant leaves that all have lotus effect, which may be of great help to technological applications. 蓮花效應是指蓮葉表面具有超疏水性與自我潔淨的能力,當雨水落在葉面,因為表面張力的作用形成水珠,水滴迅速滾離葉面,把灰塵一起帶走。本實驗以光學顯微鏡和環境式掃描式電子顯微鏡觀察蓮葉,詳細描述其表面形態,成功的發現空氣、水滴和蓮葉乳突真實的接觸界面以及表面蠟和空氣構成複合表面的證據。實驗結果可以使乳突、奈米表面臘質和空氣構成的雙層次複合表面更容易被了解。我們嘗試以水滴傾斜滾動臨界角來評估自潔能力強弱,實驗結果比傳統使用靜止接觸角更為準確。表面高度和間距的比值與蓮花效應有很大的關係,查閱文獻顯示蓮葉缺乏這些資料,本研究提出四種有自潔能力的葉子的實驗數據,這些數據應該對科技應用有很大的幫助。
Comfortable Equipment for Pedestrians
The phenomenon of pedestrians nowadays is still found. Due to frequent walking, sometimes our legs feel tired and hard to move. This is become the basis for developing tools that are convenient for pedestrians. An easy tool for humans is needed for our activities, especially walking. The Synergy between our hands and feet provides a big and significant contribution to the appliance. Normally, the movement of our hand gets along with its motion with a different side of the foot. When the right foot step, then the left hand is swung forward, and vice versa. The tools can be developed by utilizing a variety of systems. The system includes the tools concentric wheel and axles system, spring system, and pulley system. The concentric wheel and axles system is useful in controlling the rope. Movement on the rope could activate the entire system on the appliance. Wheel that related with the hand is three times bigger than wheel that related with pulley that is applied on foot. Spring system is able to lighten the pressure of the foot with a given upward force, and able to provide downward force when the spring returned to its original position. While the pulley system on the tool used to provide mechanical advantage two times is also useful to lighten the pressure of the foot when walking. The tools can be designed with simple, and able to provide benefits to users. By trial and error, it shows that the tool is able to lighten human’s activity when they walk. The tool can be able to lighten the leg’s load by utilizing arm muscles work. Utilization of the arm muscles which helps to ease the pressure of the foot can provide more benefits. One of them is that it can strengthen the arm strength, so the tool can be used as sport equipment. Utilization of the tool can also be reserved for special people who have difficulty in walking due to an accident or birth with leg defect.
Filtered Light Frequencies versus Pigment Frequencies
Purpose of the research Experiments were performed to determine if the frequencies of the colours of pigment differ from the frequencies of the colours of filtered light. The third experiment was performed to determine whether the different colours of filtered light have an influence on plant growth. Procedures Experiments I and II were performed in sunlight and the temperatures of different colours of paper, as well as a white paper underneath different colours of transparencies, were measured by means of an infrared thermometer. The Stefan-Boltzmann equation was used for calculations. Experiment III was performed by placing ten spinach seedlings under each of the Code 40 red, green, blue and black/white shade nets. The control, 10 spinach seedlings, had no Code 40 shade net covering. All these spinach seedlings were grown under similar conditions and harvested after 4 weeks. Data In Experiment I the yellow paper was the only colour that did not perform according to the sequence of the white light spectrum (ROYGBIV). The temperature of the different colours of paper determined the amount of energy that was re-emitted. In Experiment II it was determined that the primary colours red, green and blue, as well as yellow of the filtered light, performed according to the white light spectrum. In Experiment III the spinach plants underneath the blue shade net have the highest average fresh mass (g), as well as the largest average leaf area (cm2), while the spinach plants underneath the red shade net have the lowest average fresh mass (g), as well as the smallest average leaf area (cm2). Conclusions In Experiment I the primary colours of the white light spectrum are red, green and blue. When red and green are combined, yellow is obtained. Therefore the temperature of the yellow paper was lower than expected, because only blue light was absorbed, while red, green and yellow light were reflected. In Experiment II all the colours of the transparencies performed according to ROYGBIV. By comparing the amount of energy of the colours of pigment to the colours of the filtered white light spectrum, it became apparent that there is a difference between the frequencies of the colours of pigment and the frequencies of the colours of filtered white light spectrum.
Carbon nanotubes as efficient nanosieve for controlled assembly of nanoparticles
In this work, techniques to explore the capabilities of multi-walled carbon nanotubes\r (MWNTs) in sorting nanoparticles (NPs) were presented. A droplet of a solution comprising of quantum dots (QDs) with various sizes was deposited on an aligned array of intertwined MWNTs. Photoluminescence (PL) and fluorescence microscopy (FM) revealed that MWNTs were effective nano-sieves that could effectively sort out QDs with a size difference of ~ 2.1 nm.\r Cadmium Selenide/Zinc Sulfide (CdSe/ZnS)core-shell QDs and Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) QDs were used to explore whether chemical properties of NPs affect the sieving capability of MWNTs. Further investigation on the effects of micro-patterning on the sieving ability of MWNTs was also carried out.PL and FM results suggested that micro-patterning could aid in separation of QDs and thus improve sieving capability of MWNTs. With the above findings, QDs emitting different colors as a result of size difference could efficiently be assembled onto the MWNTs en route to three-dimensional architectures with controlled assembly of NPs.\r Together with controlled laser power to remove desired amounts of QDs decorated MWNTs, a multi-colored display could be achieved. Further experiments were also carried out to determine the feasibility of introducing MWNTs as filters for NPs. Dilute solutions containing NPs such as gold colloid was run through these MWNTs filters by gravity. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) images of the samples showed that MWNTs were successful in trapping the nanoparticles. Explorations into the length dependent effect of using MWNTs as filters, suggested that 300μm MWNTs are better nano-sieves compared to 50μm MWNTs.