117 research outputs found
Intelligent soft matter: towards embodied intelligence
No full textIntelligent soft matter is an emergent field.Intelligent soft matter lies at the intersection of materials science, physics, and cognitive science, promising to change how we design and interact with materials. This transformative field aims to create materials with life-like capabilities, such as perception, learning, memory, and adaptive behavior. Unlike traditional materials, which typically perform static or predefined functions, intelligent soft matter can dynamically interact with its environment, integrating multiple sensory inputs, retaining past experiences, and making decisions to optimize its responses. Inspired by biological systems, these materials leverage the inherent properties of soft matter such as flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness to perform functions that mimic cognitive processes. By synthesizing current research trends and projecting their evolution, we present a forward-looking perspective on how intelligent soft matter could be constructed, with the aim of inspiring innovations in areas such as biomedical devices, adaptive robotics, and beyond. We highlight new pathways for integrating sensing, memory and actuation with low-power internal operations, and we discuss key challenges in realizing materials that exhibit truly “intelligent behavior”. These approaches outline a path toward more robust, versatile, and scalable materials that can potentially act, compute, and “think” through their inherent intrinsic material properties—moving beyond traditional smart technologies that rely on external control.Intelligent soft matter is an emergent field.Intelligent soft matter lies at the intersection of materials science, physics, and cognitive science, promising to change how we design and interact with materials. This transformative field aims to create materials with life-like capabilities, such as perception, learning, memory, and adaptive behavior. Unlike traditional materials, which typically perform static or predefined functions, intelligent soft matter can dynamically interact with its environment, integrating multiple sensory inputs, retaining past experiences, and making decisions to optimize its responses. Inspired by biological systems, these materials leverage the inherent properties of soft matter such as flexibility, adaptability, and responsiveness to perform functions that mimic cognitive processes. By synthesizing current research trends and projecting their evolution, we present a forward-looking perspective on how intelligent soft matter could be constructed, with the aim of inspiring innovations in areas such as biomedical devices, adaptive robotics, and beyond. We highlight new pathways for integrating sensing, memory and actuation with low-power internal operations, and we discuss key challenges in realizing materials that exhibit truly “intelligent behavior”. These approaches outline a path toward more robust, versatile, and scalable materials that can potentially act, compute, and “think” through their inherent intrinsic material properties—moving beyond traditional smart technologies that rely on external control
Assembling Nano-Objects with Polymers: From Hybrid Nanoarchitecture to Functional Materials
Full text linkIn polymer-nanoparticles hybrids materials, functions can be imparted either through the clever design of new nano-building blocks or by gaining control over the manner those nano-building blocks organize. The main goal here was to develop new functional polymer-nanoparticles hybrid materials using both strategies. A new generation of functional materials was developed by expanding our library of functional nanoparticles and by the optimization of processing tools used to prepare hybrid materials by the assembly of nano-objects and polymers. In those new functional materials, function is conferred by the combination of chemical composition and structure.
In this thesis, two strategies have been used to fabricate assembled materials with new functions: 1) fabrication of new functional nano-building-blocks (nano-objects) and 2) processing of nano-building-blocks into hierarchical structured polymer/nanoparticle hybrid materials. To fulfill this goal, hybrid nanocapsules with damage self-reporting function (Chapter 3.1) and superparamagnetism (Chapter 3.5), disentangled single-chain polymer (Chapter 3.2), and inorganic nanoparticles with catalase-like activity and haloperoxidase-like activity (Chapter 3.3 and Chapter 3.4, respectively) have been synthesized and fabricated. Using processing methods allowing for the formation of complex hierarchical structures, such as Pickering emulsion followed by solvent evaporation (Chapter 3.1), electrospinning (Chapter 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4) or evaporation driven-assembly (Chapter 3.5) new functional materials based on the different nano-buildings blocks were prepared. The resulting nanoparticles/polymer hybrid materials, where functional nano-objects were dispersed in polymer matrices, were used to produce materials with “self-reporting”, wound healing and anti-biofouling functions. Moreover, a new assembly method, which combined evaporation assembly and magnetic assembly, has been developed to generate 3D anisotropic microstructures with superparamagnetic function. These new assemblies were able to be remotely controlled by a magnetic field and could find potential applications in micro-robotics (Chapter 3.5).
With this work, it was clearly demonstrated how the combination of nanoparticle synthesis and processing methods can be used to prepare new functional materials with unique properties.In Polymernanopartikel basierten Hybridmaterialien, können Funktionen entweder durch ein cleveres Design neuer Nanobausteine oder durch die Kontrolle der Organisation solcher Nanobausteine eingeführt werden. Das Hauptziel hier war die Entwicklung neuer funktioneller Polymernanopartikel basierter Hybridmaterialien unter Verwendung dieser beiden Strategien. Eine neue Generation funktioneller Materialien wurde durch die Erweiterungen unserer Bandbreite funktioneller Nanopartikel und durch die Optimierung der Verarbeitungsmethoden zur Herstellung von Hybridmaterialien durch Anordnung von Nano-Objekten und Polymeren entwickelt. Diese neuen funktionellen Materialien erhalten ihre Funktion durch Kombination der chemischen Zusammensetzung und der Struktur.
In dieser Doktorarbeit wurden zwei Strategien verwendet, um angeordnete Materialien mit neuen Funktionen herzustellen: 1) Herstellung neuer funktioneller Nano-Bausteine (Nano-Objekten) und 2) Verarbeitung von Nano-Bausteinen zu hierarchisch strukturierten Polymernanopartikel basierten Hybridmaterialien. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen, wurden Hybridnanokapseln, die selbstständig eine Beschädigung anzeigen (Kapitel 3.1) oder mit Superparamagnetismus (Kapitel 3.5), nicht-verschlaufte Polymereinzelketten (Kapitel 3.2) und anorganische Nanopartikel mit catalaseähnlicher sowie haloperoxidaseähnlicher Aktivität (Kapitel 3.3 und 3.4) synthetisiert und verarbeitet. Durch die Verwendung von Verarbeitungsprozessen wie Pickeringemulsiierung (Kapitel 3.1), Elektrospinnen (Kapitel 3.2, 3.3 und 3.4) oder verdampfungsgetriebene Anordnung (Kapitel 3.5) wurden neue funktionelle Materialien basierend auf unterschiedlichen Nanobausteinen hergestellt. Die resultierenden Nanopartikel/Polymer-Hybridmaterialien, bei denen Nano-Objekte in einer Polymermatrix dispergiert sind, wurden zur Herstellung von Materialien mit “Selbstanzeige“, Wundheilung und Anti-Biofouling verwendet. Darüber hinaus wurde eine neue Methode zur Anordnung entwickelt, bei der verdampfungsgetrieben Anordnung und magnetische Anordnung kombiniert werden, um dreidimensionale anisotrope Mikrostrukturen mit superparamagnetischer Funktion herzustellen. Diese neuen Anordnungen konnten durch ein magnetisches Feld ferngesteuert werden und könnten Anwendung in der Mikrorobotik finden (Kapitel 3.5).
Mit dieser Arbeit wurde klar gezeigt, wie die Kombination aus Nanopartikelsynthese und Verarbeitungsmethoden verwendet werden kann, um neue funktionelle Materialien mit einzigartigen Eigenschaften herzustellen.IV, 172 Seite
Multi-Responsive Microrobots Enabled by Chemistry and Materials Design
Full text linkAt the microscale, robotic intelligence cannot rely on circuits or processors; instead, it must emerge directly from responsive materials. Chemistry provides the means: polymers, catalytic and magnetic materials enable single responsive mechanisms such as propulsion and sensing, forming the foundations of physical intelligence. Yet these functions remain limited in isolation. The next step is multiple responsiveness, where combined mechanisms create richer, autonomous behaviours. Conventional monolithic designs often suffer from interference and poor tunability, but modular assembly strategies now offer a solution by integrating discrete functional units without cross-talk. This review traces the progression from single to modular multi-responsive microrobots and highlights how such systems could achieve life-like adaptability for biomedical and environmental applications
Assembling Nano-Objects with Polymers: From Hybrid Nanoarchitecture to Functional Materials
No full textIn polymer-nanoparticles hybrids materials, functions can be imparted either through the clever design of new nano-building blocks or by gaining control over the manner those nano-building blocks organize. The main goal here was to develop new functional polymer-nanoparticles hybrid materials using both strategies. A new generation of functional materials was developed by expanding our library of functional nanoparticles and by the optimization of processing tools used to prepare hybrid materials by the assembly of nano-objects and polymers. In those new functional materials, function is conferred by the combination of chemical composition and structure.
In this thesis, two strategies have been used to fabricate assembled materials with new functions: 1) fabrication of new functional nano-building-blocks (nano-objects) and 2) processing of nano-building-blocks into hierarchical structured polymer/nanoparticle hybrid materials. To fulfill this goal, hybrid nanocapsules with damage self-reporting function (Chapter 3.1) and superparamagnetism (Chapter 3.5), disentangled single-chain polymer (Chapter 3.2), and inorganic nanoparticles with catalase-like activity and haloperoxidase-like activity (Chapter 3.3 and Chapter 3.4, respectively) have been synthesized and fabricated. Using processing methods allowing for the formation of complex hierarchical structures, such as Pickering emulsion followed by solvent evaporation (Chapter 3.1), electrospinning (Chapter 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4) or evaporation driven-assembly (Chapter 3.5) new functional materials based on the different nano-buildings blocks were prepared. The resulting nanoparticles/polymer hybrid materials, where functional nano-objects were dispersed in polymer matrices, were used to produce materials with “self-reporting”, wound healing and anti-biofouling functions. Moreover, a new assembly method, which combined evaporation assembly and magnetic assembly, has been developed to generate 3D anisotropic microstructures with superparamagnetic function. These new assemblies were able to be remotely controlled by a magnetic field and could find potential applications in micro-robotics (Chapter 3.5).
With this work, it was clearly demonstrated how the combination of nanoparticle synthesis and processing methods can be used to prepare new functional materials with unique properties.In Polymernanopartikel basierten Hybridmaterialien, können Funktionen entweder durch ein cleveres Design neuer Nanobausteine oder durch die Kontrolle der Organisation solcher Nanobausteine eingeführt werden. Das Hauptziel hier war die Entwicklung neuer funktioneller Polymernanopartikel basierter Hybridmaterialien unter Verwendung dieser beiden Strategien. Eine neue Generation funktioneller Materialien wurde durch die Erweiterungen unserer Bandbreite funktioneller Nanopartikel und durch die Optimierung der Verarbeitungsmethoden zur Herstellung von Hybridmaterialien durch Anordnung von Nano-Objekten und Polymeren entwickelt. Diese neuen funktionellen Materialien erhalten ihre Funktion durch Kombination der chemischen Zusammensetzung und der Struktur.
In dieser Doktorarbeit wurden zwei Strategien verwendet, um angeordnete Materialien mit neuen Funktionen herzustellen: 1) Herstellung neuer funktioneller Nano-Bausteine (Nano-Objekten) und 2) Verarbeitung von Nano-Bausteinen zu hierarchisch strukturierten Polymernanopartikel basierten Hybridmaterialien. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen, wurden Hybridnanokapseln, die selbstständig eine Beschädigung anzeigen (Kapitel 3.1) oder mit Superparamagnetismus (Kapitel 3.5), nicht-verschlaufte Polymereinzelketten (Kapitel 3.2) und anorganische Nanopartikel mit catalaseähnlicher sowie haloperoxidaseähnlicher Aktivität (Kapitel 3.3 und 3.4) synthetisiert und verarbeitet. Durch die Verwendung von Verarbeitungsprozessen wie Pickeringemulsiierung (Kapitel 3.1), Elektrospinnen (Kapitel 3.2, 3.3 und 3.4) oder verdampfungsgetriebene Anordnung (Kapitel 3.5) wurden neue funktionelle Materialien basierend auf unterschiedlichen Nanobausteinen hergestellt. Die resultierenden Nanopartikel/Polymer-Hybridmaterialien, bei denen Nano-Objekte in einer Polymermatrix dispergiert sind, wurden zur Herstellung von Materialien mit “Selbstanzeige“, Wundheilung und Anti-Biofouling verwendet. Darüber hinaus wurde eine neue Methode zur Anordnung entwickelt, bei der verdampfungsgetrieben Anordnung und magnetische Anordnung kombiniert werden, um dreidimensionale anisotrope Mikrostrukturen mit superparamagnetischer Funktion herzustellen. Diese neuen Anordnungen konnten durch ein magnetisches Feld ferngesteuert werden und könnten Anwendung in der Mikrorobotik finden (Kapitel 3.5).
Mit dieser Arbeit wurde klar gezeigt, wie die Kombination aus Nanopartikelsynthese und Verarbeitungsmethoden verwendet werden kann, um neue funktionelle Materialien mit einzigartigen Eigenschaften herzustellen
Vibro-fluidised bed drying of milk powders
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Topics in Walsh Semimartingales and Diffusions: Construction, Stochastic Calculus, and Control
Full text linkThis dissertation is devoted to theories of processes we call ``Walsh semimartingales" and ``Walsh diffusions", as well as to related optimization problems of control and stopping. These processes move on the plane along rays emanating from the origin; and when at the origin, the processes choose the rays of their subsequent voyage according to a fixed probability measure---in a manner described by Walsh (1978) as a direct generalization of the skew Brownian motion.
We first review in Chapter 1 some key results regarding the celebrated skew Brownian motions and Walsh Brownian motions. These results include the characterization of skew Brownian motions via stochastic equations in Harrison & Shepp (1981), the construction of Walsh Brownian motions in Barlow, Pitman & Yor (1989), and the important result of Tsirel'son (1997) regarding the nature of the filtration generated by the Walsh Brownian motion.
Various generalizations of Walsh Brownian motions are described in detail in Chapter 2. We formally define there Walsh semimartingales as a subclass of planar processes we call ``semimartingales on rays". We derive for such processes Freidlin-Sheu-type change-of-variable formulas, as well as two-dimensional versions of the Harrison-Shepp equations. The actual construction of Walsh semimartingales is given next.
Walsh diffusions are then defined as a subclass of Walsh semimartingales, described by stochastic equations which involve local drift and dispersion characteristics. The associated local submartingale problems, strong Markov properties, existence, uniqueness, asymptotic behavior, and tests for explosions in finite time, are studied in turn.
Finally, with Walsh semimartingales as state-processes, we study in Chapter 3 succesively a pure optimal stopping problem, a stochastic control problem with discretionary stopping, and a stochastic game between a controller and a stopper. We derive for these problems optimal strategies in surprisingly explicit from. Crucial for the analysis underpinning these results, are the change-of-variable formulas derived in Chapter 2.
Most of the results in Chapters 2 and 3 are based on two papers, [21] and [31], both cowritten by the author of this dissertation. Some results and proofs are rearranged and rewritten here
A new asymptotic series for the Gamma function
No full textAbstractThe famous Stirling's formula says that Γ(s+1)=2πs(s/e)seγ(s)=2π(s/e)seθ(s)/12s. In this paper, we obtain a novel convergent asymptotic series of γ(s) and proved that θ(s) is increasing for s>0
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