Compressive Behavior of Some Balls Manufactured by 3D Printing from Ceramic-Polymer Composite Materials.

It is known that ceramic-polymer composite materials can be used to manufacture spherical bodies in the category of balls. Since balls are frequently subjected to compression loads, the paper presents some research results on the compression behavior of balls made of ceramic composite materials with a polymer matrix. The mathematical model of the pressure variation inside the balls highlights the existence of maximum values in the areas of contact with other parts. Experimental research was carried out on balls with a diameter of 20 mm, manufactured by 3D printing from four ceramic-polymer composite materials with a polymer matrix: pottery clay, terracotta, concrete, and granite. The same ceramic-polymer composite material was used, but different dyes were added to it. A gravimetric analysis revealed similar behavior of the four materials upon controlled heating. Through the mathematical processing of the experimental results obtained by compression tests, empirical mathematical models of the power-type function type were determined. These models highlight the influence exerted by different factors on the force at which the initiation of cracks in the ball materials occurs. The decisive influence of the infill factor on the size of the force at which the cracking of the balls begins was found.

Magnetic Removal of Candida albicans Using Salivary Peptide-Functionalized SPIONs.

Purpose: Magnetic separation of microbes can be an effective tool for pathogen identification and diagnostic applications to reduce the time needed for sample preparation. After peptide functionalization of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) with an appropriate interface, they can be used for the separation of sepsis-associated yeasts like Candida albicans. Due to their magnetic properties, the magnetic extraction of the particles in the presence of an external magnetic field ensures the accumulation of the targeted yeast. Materials and Methods: In this study, we used SPIONs coated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and functionalized with a peptide originating from GP340 (SPION-APTES-Pep). For the first time, we investigate whether this system is suitable for the separation and enrichment of Candida albicans, we investigated its physicochemical properties and by thermogravimetric analysis we determined the amount of peptide on the SPIONs. Further, the toxicological profile was evaluated by recording cell cycle and DNA degradation. The separation efficiency was investigated using Candida albicans in different experimental settings, and regrowth experiments were carried out to show the use of SPION-APTES-Pep as a sample preparation method for the identification of fungal infections. Conclusion: SPION-APTES-Pep can magnetically remove more than 80% of the microorganism and with a high selective host-pathogen distinction Candida albicans from water-based media and about 55% in blood after 8 minutes processing without compromising effects on the cell cycle of human blood cells. Moreover, the separated fungal cells could be regrown without any restrictions.

Tensile Behavior of Joints of Strip Ends Made of Polymeric Materials.

The strength of a joint between the ends of one or more strips can be improved by making the contours of the joint into the shape of either the Greek letter omega or of a dovetail. From the point of view of industrial practice, it is of interest to study the behavior of these joints under stretching demands. The emergence and development of additive manufacturing processes for parts made of polymeric materials has led to the idea of conducting experimental tests to highlight the behavior of omega and dovetail-type joints during the tensile test. For the tensile testing of some test samples in which omega and dovetail joints were used, a Taguchi array of type L18 was employed, with eight independent variables, one variable with a two-level variation, and seven variables with variations on three levels. As independent variables, the type of joint, the couple of polymer materials used to make the two components of the joint, some characteristic dimensions of the joint contours, and some input factors in the 3D printing process were established. The values of average force and average displacement at the peak were considered output parameters. The experimental results were mathematically processed, determining empirical mathematical models of the second-degree polynomial type. These models highlight the influence exerted by the considered input factors on the values of the output parameters.