Cells within the body are subject to various forces; however, the details concerning the way in which cells respond to mechanical stimuli are not well understood. We demonstrate that laser-induced shockwaves (LIS) combined with biosensors based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a promising new approach to study biological processes in single live cells. As “proof-of-concept,” using a FRET biosensor, we show that in response to LIS, cells release intracellular calcium. With the parameters used, cells retain their morphology and remain viable. LIS combined with FRET permits observation of the cells immediate response to a sudden shear force.

Calcium oxide (CaO)‐based sorbents for sorption enhanced steam methane reforming (SE‐SMR) that achieve stoichiometric capacity are synthesized via thermal and electrospinning methods. Small CaO crystallites (39 nm) and macroporous intrafiber networks imparted by electrospinning lead to stoichiometric capacities (0.79 normalgCO2 normalgsorbent−1) and uptake kinetics (first order rate constant, k = 8.9 × 10−4 ± 1.8 × 10−5 cm4 mol−1 s−1) at 873 K that are superior to CaO derived from thermal syntheses (0.05−0.7 normalgCO2 normalgsorbent−1 and k < 5.0 × 10−4 ± 2.5 × 10−6 cm4 mol−1 s−1). Al‐doped electrospun CaO samples (Al:Ca ratios of 3:10, 1:10 and 2:10) also exhibit high sorption capacities (0.35−0.74 normalgCO2 normalgsorbent−1 at 873 K) and are stable over multiple reaction‐regeneration cycles (<5% loss in initial capacity after 15+ cycles). X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis reveal that thermally stable Al‐Ca mixed phases (Ca12Al14O33) mitigate crystallite agglomeration and maintain macroporous structures imparted by electrospinning. Nanofibers and Al‐doped nanofibers (Al:Ca ═ 2:10) exhibit more than a factor of three longer CO2 breakthrough time compared to CaO from marble (1650, 6400, and 7500 mL gsorbent−1 for CaO‐marble, 2Al‐10Ca‐O‐nanofibers, and CaO‐nanofibers respectively) under reforming conditions, with Al‐doped CaO‐nanofibers retaining 94% of their initial performance after ten reforming‐regeneration cycles, indicating their potential as improved sorbents for SE‐SMR processes.