Worldwide, intense industrial and agricultural activities pose serious issues of land contamination. Soil microbial fuel cells (SMFCs) have great potential as a low-cost, self-powered solution to soil bioremediation, compatible with operations in remote areas. In this study, we propose novel tubular SMFC design, which ceramic tube acts the separator between air-cathode anode, while providing st...

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes point-of-use water treatment (PoUWT) technologies as effective means to improve water quality. This paper investigates long-term performance and social acceptance of a novel PoUWT technology, a silver-infused ceramic tablet, in Limpopo Province, South Africa. When placed in a water storage container, the silver-embedded ceramic tablet releases silv...

Novel carbon nanotubes±metal±ceramic nanocomposite powders and dense materials have been prepared and their microstructure and mechanical properties have been investigated. After a brief review on the structure, synthesis and physical properties of carbon nanotubes, we describe an original catalytic method that produces ceramic±matrix composite powders that contain in situ grown nanotubes. The ...

Tissue engineering strategies to construct vascularized bone grafts are now attracting much attention. Strontium-hardystonite-Gahnite (Sr-HT-Gahnite) is a strong, highly porous, and biocompatible calcium silicate based bio-ceramic that contains strontium and zinc ions. Adipose derived stem cells (ASCs) have been demonstrated to have the ability in promoting osteogenesis and angiogenesis. In thi...

BACKGROUND Many different techniques for obliterating open mastoid cavity have been described. The results after the application of alloplastic materials like Hydroxyapatite and Tricalciumphosphate were poor due to long-lasting resorption. Extrusion of those materials has been described. We investigated the applicability of a new high-porosity ceramic for obliterating large open mastoid cavitie...

This paper presents an integrated digitally controllable microfluidic system for continuous solution supply with a real-time concentration control. This system contains multiple independently operating mixing modules, each integrated with two vortex micropumps, two Tesla valves and a micromixer. The interior surface of the system is made of biocompatible materials using a polymer micro-fabricat...

The Centre for Fine Print Research at the University of the West of England has over five years experience in the 3D printing of ceramic materials. The first project undertaken was to investigate the use of 3D technologies for artists and resulted in the development of a patented ceramic body suitable for use in Z Corporation 3D printers. After bisque firing this material can be further process...

The fabrication of SiC ceramic materials with an ordered nanostructure through the direct pyrolysis of a self-assembled inorganic-organic block copolymer has generally been unsuccessful even though the versatile processibility has been demonstrated with organic-organic block copolymers. Here we report the synthesis of a novel polycarbosilane-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) diblock copolymer thr...