ALBERT

Description: With the deep integration of supply chain with Internet and Internet of things, it is an important way for enterprises to win market competition and seek sustainable development to develop green new products through external green supply chain integration (GSCI). This study established a unified research framework of external GSCI, knowledge spiral (KS), green new product development (NPD), and top management’s environmental awareness (TMEA). Structural equation modeling and analytic hierarchy process are used to explore the mechanism of the established research framework. The research results of this paper are as follows: (i) Green supplier integration (SI) and green consumer integration (CI) have significant positive effects on green NPD speed (GS), green NPD quality (GQ), and KS, and KS has a significant positive effect on GS and GS, respectively. Compared with green CI, green SI has a greater impact on KS, GS, and GQ. In addition, compared with GS, KS has a greater impact on GQ; (ii) KS has a significant partial mediating effect in the relationship between green CI, GS, and GQ. Compared with GS, KS has stronger mediating effect between green CI and GQ. Compared with green SI, the equivalent KS capability is more significant in integrating green customer information; (iii) TMEA has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between KS, and GQ and has no significant moderating effect on the relationship between KS and GS. Future research will analyze the mediating effect of the four dimensions of KS in the relationship between external GSCM and the green NPD speed and green NPD quality.

Description: For the degree of orderly arrangement of the molecular chains at the interface of nanocomposites, the static and sheared polyethylene (PE)/carbon nanotube (CNT) models and the sheared pure PE model were constructed, and molecular simulation experiments were carried out in comparison. The micro-mechanism of molecular chains orientation, synergistically induced by the carbon nanotube and shear flow in injection molding, was discussed by analyzing the radius of gyration, molecular chain motion, conformation evolution of molecular chains, bond orientation parameter, interface binding energy and atom distribution. The results show that, for the static composite system, the conformation adjustment of PE molecular chains induced by CNT is limited due to the hindrance from the surrounding chains. Thus, the orientation and radius of gyration of molecular chains increase slightly. For the sheared pure PE system, the orientation induced by shear flow is unstable. After the cessation of shear, the molecular chains undergo intense thermal movement and relax quickly. The disorientation is obvious, and the radius of gyration decreases considerably. It is worth noting that for the sheared composite system, shear flow and the CNT have a synergistic effect on the orientation of the molecular chains, which is due to the adsorption effect of the CNT on shear-induced oriented chains and the inhibition effect of CNT on the relaxation of shear-induced oriented chains. Thus, the orientation stability of PE chains is greatly improved, and interface crystallization is promoted. Moreover, because of the more regular arrangement of molecular chains in the sheared composite system, more H atoms and C atoms are close to the surface of the CNT, which increases the van der Waals force, and correspondingly increases the interface binding energy.

Description: Aimed at the molding of polymer nanostructure parts, the interface model between long- and short-chain polycarbonates (PC) and nickel mold inserts was established by the molecular dynamics method. The molecular mechanism of the replication capability of polymer nanostructure part molding was discussed by analyzing the migration and diffusion of the molecular chain, concentration profile, filling morphology evolution, interface binding energy, and filling rate of conventional injection molding (CIM) and rapid heat cycle molding (RHCM). The results show that nanostructures are filled mainly during the packing stage. A short-chain PC system has a low glass transition temperature (Tg) and viscosity, good fluidity, and a high filling rate, so the replication capability of its nanostructures is good. A long-chain PC system has a fast cooling rate in CIM, its molecular chain motion is blocked, the filling rate is low, and the interface binding energy is small, and so its nanostructures have poor replication capability. However, the high temperature at the nanostructures can be maintained for a long time in RHCM, which promotes Brownian motion in the molecular chains. Under the action of packing pressure, molecular chains can overcome entanglement barriers and viscous resistance. Thus, the polymer concentration profile and filling rate increase with increasing packing pressure, which can produce more van der Waals energy. Furthermore, the evolution process of polymer filling morphology is realized by the Brownian motion of chain segments under packing pressure; that is, the diffusion motion of the molecular chain along the direction of a tube composed of other chains around it. With the increase of temperature or pressure, the migration and diffusion of the molecular chain can be promoted; thus, the replication capability of nanostructure parts for mold cavities can be enhanced.

Description: In vitro hemolysis testing is commonly used to determine hemocompatibility of ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO). However, poor reproducibility remains a challenging problem, due to several unidentified influencing factors. The present study investigated potential factors, such as flow rates, the use of anticoagulants, and gender of blood donors, which could play a role in hemolysis. Fresh human whole blood was anticoagulated with either citrate (n = 6) or heparin (n = 12; 6 female and 6 male blood donors). Blood was then circulated for 360 min at 4 L/min or 1.5 L/min. Regardless of flow rate conditions, hemolysis remained unchanged over time in citrated blood, but significantly increased after 240 min circulation in heparinized blood (p ≤ 0.01). The ratio of the normalized index of hemolysis (NIH) of heparinized blood to citrated blood was 11.7-fold higher at 4 L/min and 16.5–fold higher at 1.5 L/min. The difference in hemolysis between 1.5 L/min and 4 L/min concurred with findings of previous literature. In addition, the ratio of NIH of male heparinized blood to female was 1.7-fold higher at 4 L/min and 2.2-fold higher at 1.5 L/min. Our preliminary results suggested that the choice of anticoagulant and blood donor gender could be critical factors in hemolysis studies, and should be taken into account to improve testing reliability during ECMO.