National Physical Laboratory

About: National Physical Laboratory is a facility organization based out in London, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Dielectric & Thin film. The organization has 7615 authors who have published 13327 publications receiving 319381 citations.

Quantitative ion localization within Suaeda maritima leaf mesophyll cells

Abstract: Grown under saline conditions, Suaeda maritima accumulates Na+ and Cl- into its leaves, where individual mesophyll cells behave differently in their compartmentation of these ions. Measurements of ion concentrations within selected subcellular compartments show that freeze-substitution with dry sectioning is a valuable preparative technique for analytical electron microscopy of highly vacuolate plant material. Using this approach, absolute estimates were made of Na+, K+ and Cl- concentrations in the cytoplasm, cell walls, chloroplasts and vacuoles of leaf mesophyll cells.

Investigating lithium-ion battery materials during overcharge-induced thermal runaway: an operando and multi-scale X-ray CT study

Abstract: Catastrophic failure of lithium-ion batteries occurs across multiple length scales and over very short time periods. A combination of high-speed operando tomography, thermal imaging and electrochemical measurements is used to probe the degradation mechanisms leading up to overcharge-induced thermal runaway of a LiCoO2 pouch cell, through its interrelated dynamic structural, thermal and electrical responses. Failure mechanisms across multiple length scales are explored using a post-mortem multi-scale tomography approach, revealing significant morphological and phase changes in the LiCoO2 electrode microstructure and location dependent degradation. This combined operando and multi-scale X-ray computed tomography (CT) technique is demonstrated as a comprehensive approach to understanding battery degradation and failure.

The evaluation of key comparison data: determining the largest consistent subset

Abstract: Suppose a single stable travelling standard is circulated around the national metrology institutes (NMIs) participating in a key comparison. Consider the set of data consisting of a measurement result, comprising a measured value and the associated standard uncertainty, provided independently by each such NMI. Each measured value is the corresponding NMI's best estimate of a single stipulated property of the standard. The weighted mean (WM) of the measured values can be formed, the weights being proportional to the reciprocals of the squared standard uncertainties. If this WM is consistent with the measured values according to a statistical test, it can be accepted as a key comparison reference value for the comparison. Otherwise, the WM of a largest consistent subset (LCS) can be determined. The LCS contains as many as possible of those results of participating NMIs that are consistent with the WM of that subset. An efficient approach for determining the LCS having smallest chi-squared value is described, and applied to length, temperature and ionizing radiation comparisons.

Highly sensitive biofunctionalized mesoporous electrospun TiO(2) nanofiber based interface for biosensing.

Abstract: The surface modified and aligned mesoporous anatase titania nanofiber mats (TiO2-NF) have been fabricated by electrospinning for esterified cholesterol detection by electrochemical technique. The electrospinning and porosity of mesoporous TiO2-NF were controlled by use of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a sacrificial carrier polymer in the titanium isopropoxide precursor. The mesoporous TiO2-NF of diameters ranging from 30 to 60 nm were obtained by calcination at 470 °C and partially aligned on a rotating drum collector. The functional groups such as -COOH, -CHO etc. were introduced on TiO2-NF surface via oxygen plasma treatment making the surface hydrophilic. Cholesterol esterase (ChEt) and cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) were covalently immobilized on the plasma treated surface of NF (cTiO2-NF) via N-ethyl-N0-(3-dimethylaminopropyl carbodiimide) and N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC-NHS) chemistry. The high mesoporosity (∼61%) of the fibrous film allowed enhanced loading of the enzyme molecules in the TiO2-NF mat. The ChEt-ChOx/cTiO2-NF-based bioelectrode was used to detect esterified cholesterol using electrochemical technique. The high aspect ratio, surface area of aligned TiO2-NF showed excellent voltammetric and catalytic response resulting in improved detection limit (0.49 mM). The results of response studies of this biosensor show excellent sensitivity (181.6 μA/mg dL(-1)/cm(2)) and rapid detection (20 s). This proposed strategy of biomolecule detection is thus a promising platform for the development of miniaturized device for biosensing applications.