Microfabrication of Single-Cell Scale Sample Holder for Scanning Thermal Analysis

Author(s):  
Logan M. Compton ◽  
James L. Armes ◽  
Gary L. Solbrekken

Successful cryopreservation protocols have been developed for a limited number of cell types through an extensive amount of experimentation. To optimize current protocols and to develop more effective protocols for a larger range of cells and tissues it is imperative that accurate transport models be developed for the cooling process. Such models are dependent on the thermodynamic properties of intracellular and extracellular solutions, including heat capacity, latent heat, and the physical phase change temperatures. Scanning techniques, such as differential-scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential thermal analysis (DTA), are effective tools for measuring those thermodynamic properties. Conventional thermal scanning tools require sample sizes that are multi-celled in nature. An issue with tools that require multiple cells is that the measurements effectively average the behavior of the cell sample, masking individual cell behavior. Further, extracellular solution further dismisses the desired measurement signal. It is hypothesized that evaluating thermodynamic properties of individual cells will allow more fundamental understanding of cell-level transport, and lead to more effective cryopreservation protocols. To detect a phase change within a prototypical mouse oocyte cell (∼100 μm diameter) sample holders for the scanning tools must be on the same order of size as the cell to reduce the relative thermal mass of the sample holder and to ultimately improve the measurement sensitivity. A proof-of-concept DTA sample holder with a ‘bowl’ to cradle the cell has been designed and fabricated using micro-electrical mechanical systems (MEMS) manufacturing techniques. Control software has been developed which is capable of providing any desired heating or cooling profile within a humidity controlled environment. Repeatable scans using water samples have been demonstrated.

Author(s):  
Logan M. Compton ◽  
James L. Armes ◽  
Gary L. Solbrekken

Successful cryopreservation protocols have been developed for a limited number of cell types through an extensive amount of experimentation. To optimize current protocols and to develop effective protocols for a larger range of cells and tissues it is imperative that accurate transport models be developed for the cooling process. Such models are dependent on the thermodynamic properties of intracellular and extracellular solutions, including heat capacity, latent heat, and the physical phase change temperatures. Scanning techniques, such as differential-scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential thermal analysis are effective tools for measuring those thermodynamic properties. It is essential to understand the behavior of the in house fabricated differential-scanning calorimeter given different cooling and warming rates to reassure and validate the obtained experimental results. A 1-D transient CFD code was created in Matlab using Patankar’s theory to not only validate obtained experimental results but aid in optimizing the control system to produce linear cooling and warming rates. A freezing model was also implemented as a subroutine to numerically observe the effect of heat release and absorption of the sample during a run. The numeric model is composed of a multilayer scheme that incorporates a thermoelectric module which provides the primary temperature control along with the micron sized bridge with sample holder and thermocouple. An electric current profile is imported in from either an experimental run to validate results or from an optimization program to determine the optimum electrical current profile for a desired temperature profile. Numeric detection of heat capacity, latent heat, and thermal resistance has also been demonstrated.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (13) ◽  
pp. 6234
Author(s):  
Ciprian Neagoe ◽  
Ioan Albert Tudor ◽  
Cristina Florentina Ciobota ◽  
Cristian Bogdanescu ◽  
Paul Stanciu ◽  
...  

Microencapsulation of sodium nitrate (NaNO3) as phase change material for high temperature thermal energy storage aims to reduce costs related to metal corrosion in storage tanks. The goal of this work was to test in a prototype thermal energy storage tank (16.7 L internal volume) the thermal properties of NaNO3 microencapsulated in zinc oxide shells, and estimate the potential of NaNO3–ZnO microcapsules for thermal storage applications. A fast and scalable microencapsulation procedure was developed, a flow calorimetry method was adapted, and a template document created to perform tank thermal transfer simulation by the finite element method (FEM) was set in Microsoft Excel. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and transient plane source (TPS) methods were used to measure, in small samples, the temperature dependency of melting/solidification heat, specific heat, and thermal conductivity of the NaNO3–ZnO microcapsules. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and chemical analysis demonstrated the stability of microcapsules over multiple tank charge–discharge cycles. The energy stored as latent heat is available for a temperature interval from 303 to 285 °C, corresponding to onset–offset for NaNO3 solidification. Charge–self-discharge experiments on the pilot tank showed that the amount of thermal energy stored in this interval largely corresponds to the NaNO3 content of the microcapsules; the high temperature energy density of microcapsules is estimated in the range from 145 to 179 MJ/m3. Comparison between real tank experiments and FEM simulations demonstrated that DSC and TPS laboratory measurements on microcapsule thermal properties may reliably be used to design applications for thermal energy storage.


Author(s):  
Xusheng Wan ◽  
Changmao Zhong ◽  
Zhaohui Yang ◽  
Enxi Qiu ◽  
Mengfei Qu ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Fatahah Asyqin Zainal ◽  
Jean Marc Saiter ◽  
Suhaila Idayu Abdul Halim ◽  
Romain Lucas ◽  
Chin Han Chan

AbstractWe present an overview for the basic fundamental of thermal analysis, which is applicable for educational purposes, especially for lecturers at the universities, who may refer to the articles as the references to “teach” or to “lecture” to final year project students or young researchers who are working on their postgraduate projects. Description of basic instrumentation [i.e. differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TGA)] covers from what we should know about the instrument, calibration, baseline and samples’ signal. We also provide the step-by-step guides for the estimation of the glass transition temperature after DSC as well as examples and exercises are included, which are applicable for teaching activities. Glass transition temperature is an important property for commercial application of a polymeric material, e.g. packaging, automotive, etc. TGA is also highlighted where the analysis gives important thermal degradation information of a material to avoid sample decomposition during the DSC measurement. The step-by-step guides of the estimation of the activation energy after TGA based on Hoffman’s Arrhenius-like relationship are also provided.


Author(s):  
Kinga Tamási ◽  
Kálmán Marossy

AbstractThe paper deals with the study of seven selected natural plant oils. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermally stimulated discharge (TSD) methods were used. It has been found that most of the oils tested are in a glassy state at low temperature and have multiple transitions in the low temperature range. DSC shows complex melting-like processes or glass transition. For both DMA and TSD, the scaffold supportive method was used and found as a suitable one. DMA and TSD proved more sensitive than DSC and revealed at least two transitions between − 120 and − 40 °C. In the case of three oils (argan, avocado and sunflower), current reversal was observed by TSD; this symptom cannot be fully explained at the moment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shafiq Ishak ◽  
Soumen Mandal ◽  
Han-Seung Lee ◽  
Jitendra Kumar Singh

AbstractLauric acid (LA) has been recommended as economic, eco-friendly, and commercially viable materials to be used as phase change materials (PCMs). Nevertheless, there is lack of optimized parameters to produce microencapsulated PCMs with good performance. In this study, different amounts of LA have been chosen as core materials while tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as the precursor solution to form silicon dioxide (SiO2) shell. The pH of precursor solution was kept at 2.5 for all composition of microencapsulated LA. The synthesized microencapsulated LA/SiO2 has been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The SEM and TEM confirm the microencapsulation of LA with SiO2. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed better thermal stability of microencapsulated LA/SiO2 compared to pure LA. PCM with 50% LA i.e. LAPC-6 exhibited the highest encapsulation efficiency (96.50%) and encapsulation ratio (96.15%) through Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as well as good thermal reliability even after 30th cycle of heating and cooling process.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 107
Author(s):  
Evelyn Reyes-Cueva ◽  
Juan Francisco Nicolalde ◽  
Javier Martínez-Gómez

Environmental problems have been associated with energy consumption and waste management. A solution is the development of renewable materials such as organic phase change materials. Characterization of new materials allows knowing their applications and simulations provide an idea of how they can developed. Consequently, this research is focused on the thermal and chemical characterization of five different avocado seed oils depending on the maturity stage of the seed: 100% unripe, 25% mature-75% unripe, 50% mature-50% unripe, 75% mature-25% unripe, and 100% mature. The characterization was performed by differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The best oil for natural environments corresponded to 100% matured seed with an enthalpy of fusion of 52.93 J·g−1, and a degradation temperature between 241–545 °C. In addition, the FTIR analysis shows that unripe seed oil seems to contain more lipids than a mature one. Furthermore, a simulation with an isothermal box was conducted with the characterized oil with an initial temperature of −14 °C for the isothermal box, −27 °C for the PCM box, and an ambient temperature of 25 °C. The results show that without the PCM the temperature can reach −8 °C and with it is −12 °C after 7 h, proving its application as a cold thermal energy system.


Polymers ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 270
Author(s):  
Evgeniy V. Belukhichev ◽  
Vera E. Sitnikova ◽  
Evgenia O. Samuylova ◽  
Mayya V. Uspenskaya ◽  
Daria M. Martynova

Polymeric packaging materials are one of the factors of environmental pollution. Reducing the environmental burden is possible by increasing the environmental friendliness of packaging materials. In this work, we study polymer films based on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with a copolymer of 3-hydroxybutyrate with 3-hydroxyhexanoate P (3-GB) (3-GG) with different component ratios. The process of processing blends in the process of obtaining a packaging film is considered. The optical characteristics of the obtained films are determined. Thermal analysis of the obtained films was carried out using the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), TGA, and thermomechanical analysis (TMA) methods. The degree of gelling of the resulting mixture was determined. It is shown that PHB has miscibility with PVC.


2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 1932-1937 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Chrissafis ◽  
Theodora Kyratsi ◽  
K. M. Paraskevopoulos ◽  
Mercouri G. Kanatzidis

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