The microstructure and the mechanical properties of pure Fe after HPT-straining at a rotation-speed of 0.2 rpm under a compression pressure of 5 GPa were investigated. The elongated grains with 300 nm thick and 600 nm long were observed at r = 1.5 mm away from the disk center regions after HPT-straining for 5 turns ( εeq = 45). The obtained Vickers microhardness in the submicrocrystalline Fe after 5 turns was around Hv 3.6 GPa. The engineering tensile strength and total elongation of the HPT-processed Fe for 10 turns were 1.9 GPa and 30 %. These facts suggest that HPT-straining leads to significant refinement of microstructure and increase in strength with good ductility.

The tensile and fatigue properties of ultra-low carbon steel after HPT-straining at a rotation-speed of 0.2 rpm under a compression pressure of 5 GPa were investigated. Elongated grains with 300 nm thickness and 600 nm length with high dislocation density were formed by the HPT-straining. The obtained Vickers microhardness was around 3.6 GPa. The engineering tensile strength of the HPT-processed ultra-low carbon steel for 5 and 10 turns was 1.9 GPa, which is similar to the value of maraging high-alloy steels. The elongation increased with strain (at 5 to 10 turns). The increase in elongation is caused by the reduction of the stress concentration due to the existence of continuously recrystallized grains. The fatigue strengths of HPT-processed specimens were twice as high as those of the 90 % cold-rolled specimen in the low-cycle fatigue region, whereas in the high-cycle fatigue region the fatigue strengths were not so different due to the high notch sensitivity of the HPT-processed specimens.

We previously reported that conjugates of antimicrobial peptide fragment analogues and poly (lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) enhance antimicrobial activity and that the conjugated micelle structure is an effective tool for antimicrobial drug delivery. In recent years, the delivery of antimicrobial peptides to targets for antimicrobial activity has attracted attention. In this study, we targeted Candida albicans, a causative organism of catheter-related bloodstream infections, which is refractory to antimicrobial agents and is currently a problem in medical practice. We evaluated the antifungal activity of CKR12 (a mutant fragment of the human cathelicidin peptide, LL-37)-PLGA-miconazole (MCZ) micelles using nanotechnology with MCZ delivery. The prepared CKR12-PLGA-MCZ micelles were characterised by measuring dynamic light scattering, zeta potential, dilution stability, and drug release. CKR12-PLGA-MCZ micelles showed higher antifungal activity than CKR12-PLGA micelles and MCZ solution. Furthermore, scanning and transmission electron microscopy suggested that CKR12-PLGA-MCZ micelles disrupted both cell wall and cell membrane of C. albicans. Our results revealed a synergistic effect of antifungal activity using a combination of antimicrobial peptide fragment analogues and MCZ, and that MCZ is a promising tool for the delivery to target microorganisms.