Semi-degradable poly(β-amino ester) networks with temporally controlled enhancement of mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Safranski, David L; Weiss, Daiana; Clark, J Brian; Taylor, W Robert; Gall, Ken

2014-08-01

Biodegradable polymers are clinically used in numerous biomedical applications, and classically show a loss of mechanical properties within weeks of implantation. This work demonstrates a new class of semi-degradable polymers that show an increase in mechanical properties through degradation via a controlled shift in a thermal transition. Semi-degradable polymer networks, poly(β-amino ester)-co-methyl methacrylate, were formed from a low glass transition temperature crosslinker, poly(β-amino ester), and high glass transition temperature monomer, methyl methacrylate, which degraded in a manner dependent upon the crosslinker chemical structure. In vitro and in vivo degradation revealed changes in mechanical behavior due to the degradation of the crosslinker from the polymer network. This novel polymer system demonstrates a strategy to temporally control the mechanical behavior of polymers and to enhance the initial performance of smart biomedical devices. Copyright © 2014 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nanosilicon properties, synthesis, applications, methods of analysis and control

CERN Document Server

Ischenko, Anatoly A; Aslalnov, Leonid A

2015-01-01

Nanosilicon: Properties, Synthesis, Applications, Methods of Analysis and Control examines the latest developments on the physics and chemistry of nanosilicon. The book focuses on methods for producing nanosilicon, its electronic and optical properties, research methods to characterize its spectral and structural properties, and its possible applications. The first part of the book covers the basic properties of semiconductors, including causes of the size dependence of the properties, structural and electronic properties, and physical characteristics of the various forms of silicon. It presents theoretical and experimental research results as well as examples of porous silicon and quantum dots. The second part discusses the synthesis of nanosilicon, modification of the surface of nanoparticles, and properties of the resulting particles. The authors give special attention to the photoluminescence of silicon nanoparticles. The third part describes methods used for studying and controlling the structure and pro...

Size-controlled in situ synthesis and photo-responsive properties of silver/poly(methyl methacrylate) nanocomposite films with high silver content

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Cheng; Li Junguo [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China); Luo Guoqiang, E-mail: qhy2013@163.com [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China); Xiong Yuanlu; Zhang Qiang; Shen Lianmeng [State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070 (China)

2012-10-01

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ag/PMMA nanocomposite films with high silver content are prepared by in situ synthesis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The size of Ag nanoparticles can be controlled by reaction time. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The electrical properties of Ag/PMMA nanocomposites films shows enhancement compared with the pure PMMA. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The recycle photo-responsive properties of Ag/PMMA nanocomposite films are proposed. - Abstract: Ag/PMMA nanocomposites have attracted much attention due to its superior mechanical, optical and electrical properties. In this article, Ag/PMMA nanocomposite films with high silver content (20 wt%) have been successfully in situ synthesized. UV-vis analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), current-voltage (I-V) analysis, hall effect measurement system and electrochemical workstation are used to characterize the nanocomposite films. The results reveal that silver nanoparticles (NPs) homogeneously distribute in PMMA films and the particles size of silver NPs which has been controlled from 1.68 to 6.98 nm. Ag/PMMA nanocomposite films show electrical properties due to the conduction paths created by Ag nanoparticles. With the increasing diameter of silver NPs, the current density decreases and resistivity increases, respectively. Photo-responsive properties of Ag/PMMA nanocomposite films indicate that conduction paths could be destroyed by illumination and rebuilt in dark condition.

Size-controlled in situ synthesis and photo-responsive properties of silver/poly(methyl methacrylate) nanocomposite films with high silver content

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Cheng; Li Junguo; Luo Guoqiang; Xiong Yuanlu; Zhang Qiang; Shen Lianmeng

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Ag/PMMA nanocomposite films with high silver content are prepared by in situ synthesis. ► The size of Ag nanoparticles can be controlled by reaction time. ► The electrical properties of Ag/PMMA nanocomposites films shows enhancement compared with the pure PMMA. ► The recycle photo-responsive properties of Ag/PMMA nanocomposite films are proposed. - Abstract: Ag/PMMA nanocomposites have attracted much attention due to its superior mechanical, optical and electrical properties. In this article, Ag/PMMA nanocomposite films with high silver content (20 wt%) have been successfully in situ synthesized. UV–vis analysis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), current–voltage (I–V) analysis, hall effect measurement system and electrochemical workstation are used to characterize the nanocomposite films. The results reveal that silver nanoparticles (NPs) homogeneously distribute in PMMA films and the particles size of silver NPs which has been controlled from 1.68 to 6.98 nm. Ag/PMMA nanocomposite films show electrical properties due to the conduction paths created by Ag nanoparticles. With the increasing diameter of silver NPs, the current density decreases and resistivity increases, respectively. Photo-responsive properties of Ag/PMMA nanocomposite films indicate that conduction paths could be destroyed by illumination and rebuilt in dark condition.

Alteration of dentin-enamel mechanical properties due to dental whitening treatments.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, B; Datko, L; Cupelli, M; Alapati, S; Dean, D; Kennedy, M

2010-05-01

The mechanical properties of dentin and enamel affect the reliability and wear properties of a tooth. This study investigated the influence of clinical dental treatments and procedures, such as whitening treatments or etching prior to restorative procedures. Both autoclaved and non-autoclaved teeth were studied in order to allow for both comparison with published values and improved clinical relevance. Nanoindentation analysis with the Oliver-Pharr model provided elastic modulus and hardness across the dentin-enamel junction (DEJ). Large increases were observed in the elastic modulus of enamel in teeth that had been autoclaved (52.0 GPa versus 113.4 GPa), while smaller increases were observed in the dentin (17.9 GPa versus 27.9 GPa). Likewise, there was an increase in the hardness of enamel (2.0 GPa versus 4.3 GPa) and dentin (0.5 GPa versus 0.7 GPa) with autoclaving. These changes suggested that the range of elastic modulus and hardness values previously reported in the literature may be partially due to the sterilization procedures. Treatment of the exterior of non-autoclaved teeth with Crest Whitestrips, Opalescence or UltraEtch caused changes in the mechanical properties of both the enamel and dentin. Those treated with Crest Whitestrips showed a reduction in the elastic modulus of enamel (55.3 GPa to 32.7 GPa) and increase in the elastic modulus of dentin (17.2 GPa to 24.3 GPa). Opalescence treatments did not significantly affect the enamel properties, but did result in a decrease in the modulus of dentin (18.5 GPa to 15.1 GPa). Additionally, as expected, UltraEtch treatment decreased the modulus and hardness of enamel (48.7 GPa to 38.0 GPa and 1.9 GPa to 1.5 GPa, respectively) and dentin (21.4 GPa to 15.0 GPa and 1.9 GPa to 1.5 GPa, respectively). Changes in the mechanical properties were linked to altered protein concentration within the tooth, as evidenced by fluorescence microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Variation of mechanical properties due to hygrothermal ageing and permanent changes upon redrying in clay/epoxy nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Hamim, Salah Uddin Ahmed

2011-12-01

Epoxy polymers are an important class of material for use in various applications. Due to their hydrophilic nature, epoxy resins tend to absorb moisture. Absorption of moisture degrades the functional, structural and mechanical properties. For polymers, moisture absorption can lead to both reversible and irreversible changes. In this study, the combined effect of moisture and elevated temperature on the mechanical properties of Epon 862 and its nanocomposites were investigated. The extent of permanent damage on fracture toughness and flexural properties of epoxy, due to the aggressive degradation provided by hygrothermal ageing, was determined by drying the epoxy and their clay/epoxy nanocomposites after moisture absorption. From the investigation it was found out that, clay can help in reducing the negative effect of hygrothermal ageing. Significant permanent damage was observed for fracture toughness and modulus, while the extent of permanent damage was less significant for flexural strength. Failure mechanism of this nanocomposites were studied by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Microstructural changes of AISI 316L due to structural sensitization and its influence on the fatigue properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sylvia Dundeková

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Mechanical and fatigue properties of material are dependent on its microstructure. The microstructure of AISI 316L stainless steel commonly used for the production of medical tools, equipment and implants can be easily influenced by its heat treatment. Microstructural changes and fatigue properties of AISI 316L stainless steel due to the heat treatment consisted of annealing at the temperature of 815°C with the dwell time of 500 hours were analyzed in the present paper. Precipitation of intermetallic phases and carbides was observed as a response of the material to the applied heat treatment. Small negative influence was observed in the case of fatigue region bellow 105 cycles; however the fatigue limit remains unchanged due to the structural sensitization.

Manufacturing of hydrogel biomaterials with controlled mechanical properties for tissue engineering applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Vedadghavami, Armin; Minooei, Farnaz; Mohammadi, Mohammad Hossein; Khetani, Sultan; Rezaei Kolahchi, Ahmad; Mashayekhan, Shohreh; Sanati-Nezhad, Amir

2017-10-15

Hydrogels have been recognized as crucial biomaterials in the field of tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery applications due to their specific characteristics. These biomaterials benefit from retaining a large amount of water, effective mass transfer, similarity to natural tissues and the ability to form different shapes. However, having relatively poor mechanical properties is a limiting factor associated with hydrogel biomaterials. Controlling the biomechanical properties of hydrogels is of paramount importance. In this work, firstly, mechanical characteristics of hydrogels and methods employed for characterizing these properties are explored. Subsequently, the most common approaches used for tuning mechanical properties of hydrogels including but are not limited to, interpenetrating polymer networks, nanocomposites, self-assembly techniques, and co-polymerization are discussed. The performance of different techniques used for tuning biomechanical properties of hydrogels is further compared. Such techniques involve lithography techniques for replication of tissues with complex mechanical profiles; microfluidic techniques applicable for generating gradients of mechanical properties in hydrogel biomaterials for engineering complex human tissues like intervertebral discs, osteochondral tissues, blood vessels and skin layers; and electrospinning techniques for synthesis of hybrid hydrogels and highly ordered fibers with tunable mechanical and biological properties. We finally discuss future perspectives and challenges for controlling biomimetic hydrogel materials possessing proper biomechanical properties. Hydrogels biomaterials are essential constituting components of engineered tissues with the applications in regenerative medicine and drug delivery. The mechanical properties of hydrogels play crucial roles in regulating the interactions between cells and extracellular matrix and directing the cells phenotype and genotype. Despite

Enhancement of mechanical properties of a TRIP-aided austenitic stainless steel by controlled reversion annealing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamada, A.S., E-mail: atef.hamada@suezuniv.edu.eg [Centre for Advanced Steels Research, Box 4200, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu (Finland); Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Petroleum & Mining Engineering, Suez University, Box 43721, Suez (Egypt); Kisko, A.P. [Centre for Advanced Steels Research, Box 4200, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu (Finland); Sahu, P. [Department of Physics, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032 (India); Karjalainen, L.P. [Centre for Advanced Steels Research, Box 4200, University of Oulu, 90014 Oulu (Finland)

2015-03-25

Controlled martensitic reversion annealing was applied to a heavily cold-worked metastable austenitic low-Ni Cr–Mn austenitic stainless steel (Type 201) to obtain different ultrafine austenite grain sizes to enhance the mechanical properties, which were then compared with the conventional coarse-grained steel. Characterization of the deformed and reversion annealed microstructures was performed by electron back scattered diffraction (EBSD), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The steel with a reverted grain size ~1.5 μm due to annealing at 800 °C for 10 s showed significant improvements in the mechanical properties with yield stress ~800 MPa and tensile strength ~1100 MPa, while the corresponding properties of its coarse grained counterpart were ~450 MPa and ~900 MPa, respectively. However, the fracture elongation of the reversion annealed steel was ~50% as compared to ~70% in the coarse grained steel. A further advantage is that the anisotropy of mechanical properties present in work-hardened steels also disappears during reversion annealing.

Using nonlinearity and spatiotemporal property modulation to control effective structural properties: dynamic rods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Jon Juel; Blekhman, Iliya I.

2007-01-01

What are the effective properties of a generally nonlinear material or structure, whose local properties are modulated in both space and time? It has been suggested to use spatiotemporal modulation of structural properties to create materials and structures with adjustable effective properties......, and to call these dynamic materials or spatiotemporal composites. Also, according to theoretical predictions, structural nonlinearity enhances the possibilities of achieving specific effective properties. For example, with an elastic rod having cubical elastic nonlinearities, it seems possible to control......, and exemplified. Then simple approximate analytical expressions are derived for the effective wave speed and natural frequencies for one-dimensional wave propagation in a nonlinear elastic rod, where the spatiotemporal modulation is imposed as a high-frequency standing wave, supposed to be given. Finally the more...

Kinetic Control of Aqueous Hydrolysis: Modulating Structure/Property Relationships in Inorganic Crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Neilson, James R.

2011-12-01

A grand challenge in materials science and chemistry revolves around the preparation of materials with desired properties by controlling structure on multiple length scales. Biology approaches this challenge by evolving tactics to transform soluble precursors into materials and composites with macro-scale and atomic precision. Studies of biomineralization in siliceous sponges led to the discovery of slow, catalytic hydrolysis of molecular precursors in the biogenesis of silica skeletal elements with well defined micro- and nano-scale architectures. However, the role of aqueous hydrolysis in the limit of kinetic control is not well understood; this allows us to form a central hypothesis: that the kinetics of hydrolysis modulate the structures of materials and their properties. As a model system, the diffusion of a simple hydrolytic catalyst (such as ammonia) across an air-water interface into a metal salt solution reproduces some aspects of the chemistry found in biomineralization, namely kinetic and vectorial control. Variation of the catalyst concentration modulates the hydrolysis rate, and thus alters the resulting structure of the inorganic crystals. Using aqueous solutions of cobalt(II) chloride, each product (cobalt hydroxide chloride) forms with a unique composition, despite being prepared from identical mother liquors. Synchrotron X-ray total scattering methods are needed to locate the atomic positions in the material, which are not aptly described by a traditional crystallographic unit cell due to structural disorder. Detailed definition of the structure confirms that the hydrolysis conditions systematically modulate the arrangement of atoms in the lattice. This tightly coupled control of crystal formation and knowledge of local and average structures of these materials provides insight into the unusual magnetic properties of these cobalt hydroxides. The compounds studied show significant and open magnetization loops with little variation with composition

Validation of neutron flux redistribution factors in JSI TRIGA reactor due to control rod movements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaiba, Tanja; Žerovnik, Gašper; Jazbec, Anže; Štancar, Žiga; Barbot, Loïc; Fourmentel, Damien; Snoj, Luka

2015-01-01

For efficient utilization of research reactors, such as TRIGA Mark II reactor in Ljubljana, it is important to know neutron flux distribution in the reactor as accurately as possible. The focus of this study is on the neutron flux redistributions due to control rod movements. For analyzing neutron flux redistributions, Monte Carlo calculations of fission rate distributions with the JSI TRIGA reactor model at different control rod configurations have been performed. Sensitivity of the detector response due to control rod movement have been studied. Optimal radial and axial positions of the detector have been determined. Measurements of the axial neutron flux distribution using the CEA manufactured fission chambers have been performed. The experiments at different control rod positions were conducted and compared with the MCNP calculations for a fixed detector axial position. In the future, simultaneous on-line measurements with multiple fission chambers will be performed inside the reactor core for a more accurate on-line power monitoring system. - Highlights: • Neutron flux redistribution due to control rod movement in JSI TRIGA has been studied. • Detector response sensitivity to the control rod position has been minimized. • Optimal radial and axial detector positions have been determined

Poly-Lactide/Exfoliated C30B Interactions and Influence on Thermo-Mechanical Properties Due to Artificial Weathering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wendy Margarita Chávez-Montes

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Thermal stability as well as enhanced mechanical properties of poly-lactide (PLA can increase PLA applications for short-use products. The conjunction of adequate molecular weight (MW as well as satisfactory thermo-mechanical properties, together, can lead to the achievement of suitable properties. However, PLA is susceptible to thermal degradation and thus an undesired decay of MW and a decrease of its mechanical properties during processing. To avoid this PLA degradation, nanofiller is incorporated as reinforcement to increase its thermo-mechanical properties. There are many papers focusing on filler effects on the thermal stability and mechanical properties of PLA/nanocomposites; however, these investigations lack an explanation of polymer/filler interactions. We propose interactions between PLA and Cloisite30B (C30B as nanofiller. We also study the effects on the thermal and mechanical properties due to molecular weight decay after exposure to artificial weathering. PLA blank and nanocomposites were subjected to three time treatments (0, 176, and 360 h of exposure to artificial weathering in order to achieve comparable materials with different MW. MW was acquired by means of Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC. Thermo-mechanical properties were investigated through Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC, X-ray Diffraction (XRD, Dynamic Mechanical Thermal Analysis (DMTA and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR.

Enhancement of transport properties of a Brownian particle due to quantum effects: Smoluchowski limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shit, Anindita; Chattopadhyay, Sudip; Chaudhuri, Jyotipratim Ray

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: By invoking physically motivated coordinate transformation into quantum Smoluchowski equation, we have presented a transparent treatment for the determination of the effective diffusion coefficient and current of a quantum Brownian particle. Substantial enhancement in the efficiency of the diffusive transport is envisaged due to the quantum correction effects. Highlights:: ► Transport of a quantum Brownian particle in a periodic potential has been addressed. ► Governing quantum Smoluchowski equation (QSE) includes state dependent diffusion. ► A coordinate transformation is used to recast QSE with constant diffusion. ► Transport properties increases in comparison to the corresponding classical result. ► This enhancement is purely a quantum effect. - Abstract: The transport property of a quantum Brownian particle that interacts strongly with a bath (in which a typical damping constant by far exceeds a characteristic frequency of the isolated system) under the influence of a tilted periodic potential has been studied by solving quantum Smoluchowski equation (QSE). By invoking physically motivated coordinate transformation into QSE, we have presented a transparent treatment for the determination of the effective diffusion coefficient of a quantum Brownian particle and the current (the average stationary velocity). Substantial enhancement in the efficiency of the diffusive transport is envisaged due to the quantum correction effects only if the bath temperature hovers around an appropriate range of intermediate values. Our findings also confirm the results obtained in the classical cases.

Fetal health locus of control: Scale properties and applications in preconception health programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Soliday, Elizabeth; Strahm, Anna; Mammenga, Stefani

2016-04-01

Preconception health programs have resulted in improved health behaviors among participants and have shown promise in reducing adverse birth outcomes. However, the role of health beliefs in preconception health program outcomes has been overlooked but warrants attention due to reported positive associations between women's views of control over fetal health and health behavior in pregnancy. Towards an ultimate aim of improving preconception health program reach and effectiveness, we examined properties of a fetal health locus of control (FHLC; Labs & Wurtele, 1986) measure in nulliparous, childbearing aged university women and men. Students (n=1467) completed an online survey that included the FHLC subscales maternal, powerful others', and chance control over fetal health. Factor analyses and correlations with related scales supported the soundness of FHLC constructs in both women and men. All participants rated maternal control in fetal health nearly twice as highly as powerful others' and chance. We therefore recommend that FHLC be integrated into preconception health program evaluation as personal agency in fetal health likely has an important role in women's and men's preconception health behavior and health behavior change. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sickness allowance histories among disability retirees due to mental disorders: A retrospective case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Laaksonen, Mikko; Blomgren, Jenni; Tuulio-Henriksson, Annamari

2016-05-01

The aim was to describe sickness allowance histories before disability retirement due to mental disorders and to examine whether receiving sickness allowance due to mental disorders and somatic conditions predicts future disability retirement. Pre-retirement sickness allowance histories were traced backwards for 7 years among Finnish residents aged 25-64 years who had retired due to mental disorders in 2011 (n=5.544). For each retiree, five sex- and age-matched controls were drawn from the non-retired population. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate the risk for disability retirement by sickness allowance history and to control for the effects of educational level, social class, marital status and the urbanisation level of the municipality. The proportion of sickness allowance recipients increased steadily during the years preceding disability retirement, and was highest among those who retired due to bipolar disorders or depression. Those who had received sickness allowance due to mental disorders 6-7 years earlier had 6.5 times higher risk and those with sickness allowance 1-2 years earlier 11.7 times higher risk for disability retirement. Sickness allowance due to somatic conditions increased the risk for disability retirement 1.6-1.9 times. Sickness allowance most strongly predicted retirement due to bipolar disorders and depression. Adjustment for covariates had little effect. Those who retired due to mental disorders more often had sickness allowance due to both mental disorders and somatic conditions, but in particular sickness allowance due to mental disorders predicted disability retirement due to mental disorders. © 2015 the Nordic Societies of Public Health.

Use of tracer tests to investigate changes in flow and transport properties due to bioclogging of porous media

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Seifert, Dorte; Engesgaard, Peter Knudegaard

2007-01-01

by up to three orders of magnitude. The hydraulic conductivity and dispersivity parameters were almost recovered after disinfection of the columns. Different models relating the changes of the hydraulic conductivity to the changes in the mobile porosity due to bioclogging were reviewed......Tracer tests were conducted in three laboratory columns to study changes in the hydraulic properties of a porous medium due to bioclogging. About 30 breakthrough curves (BTCs) for each column were obtained. The BTCs were analyzed using analytical equilibrium and dual-porosity models, and estimates...

Fish contamination with DDT due to malaria control in the Brazilian Amazon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Torres, J P.M.; Meire, R; Azeredo, A; Malm, O [Lab. de Radiosotopos Eduardo Penna Franca, IBCCF - UFRJ, RJ (Brazil); D' Amato, C [Programa de Pos Graduacao em Ciencias dos Alimentos, IQ-UFRJ, RJ (Brazil); Saldanha, G; Bastos, W [Lab. de Biogeoquimica, UNIR, Porto Velho (Brazil); Claudio, L [International Training Environmental Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Community and Preventive Medicine Dept., NY (United States); Markowitz, S [Center for Biology of the Natural Systems, Queens Coll. New York (United States)

2004-09-15

The DDT, a term used to refer to Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, is an organochlorine pesticide first synthesized in 1874, but its properties as insecticide were discovered only in the late 1930's by the chemist Paul Muller, who won the Nobel Prize in 1948. Since its discovery, DDT use revolutionized the control concepts against malaria and other tropical insect-borne diseases. A large-scale industrial production started in 1943 and it was used in great quantities mainly for the agricultural and forest pest control. A smaller quantity of the world production (20-30%) was used in tropical disease control. In 1946 it was established a regular system of DDT applications in Amazon houses. Its use became common in malaria vector control and other tropical diseases, like leishmaniasis. DDT began to be restricted after the discovery of its toxicity against wild animals, especially top predators and due to potential toxic effects against humans. The DDT restrictive measures in Brazil started in 19714. In 1985 DDT was prohibited for agricultural purposes, but continued to be use for Public Health Campaigns, under the responsibility of FUNASA, the Brazilian National Health Foundation. An investigation conducted by Vieira et al. detected {sigma}ODDT in soil, sediments and chicken eggs from an area seven and nine years after its last application for leishmaniasis vector control near the sprayed sites. Today DDT is recognized as one of the twelve Persistent Organic Pollutants - POPs. Concerning DDT in food, based on clinical observations as well as experimental animals, the annual Joint FAO/WHO Meetings on Pesticide Residues held in 20008 estimated a Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake (PTDI) for DDT in 0.01 mg/kg/day. Marien and Laflamme9 have proposed a Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for breast feedings infants of 5 x 10{sup -3}mg/kg/day, and conducted an assessment to evaluate the public health significance of eating {sigma}DDT contaminated fish, accomplished by establishing a

Fish contamination with DDT due to malaria control in the Brazilian Amazon

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Torres, J.P.M.; Meire, R.; Azeredo, A.; Malm, O. [Lab. de Radiosotopos Eduardo Penna Franca, IBCCF - UFRJ, RJ (Brazil); D' Amato, C. [Programa de Pos Graduacao em Ciencias dos Alimentos, IQ-UFRJ, RJ (Brazil); Saldanha, G.; Bastos, W. [Lab. de Biogeoquimica, UNIR, Porto Velho (Brazil); Claudio, L. [International Training Environmental Medicine, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Community and Preventive Medicine Dept., NY (United States); Markowitz, S. [Center for Biology of the Natural Systems, Queens Coll. New York (United States)

2004-09-15

The DDT, a term used to refer to Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, is an organochlorine pesticide first synthesized in 1874, but its properties as insecticide were discovered only in the late 1930's by the chemist Paul Muller, who won the Nobel Prize in 1948. Since its discovery, DDT use revolutionized the control concepts against malaria and other tropical insect-borne diseases. A large-scale industrial production started in 1943 and it was used in great quantities mainly for the agricultural and forest pest control. A smaller quantity of the world production (20-30%) was used in tropical disease control. In 1946 it was established a regular system of DDT applications in Amazon houses. Its use became common in malaria vector control and other tropical diseases, like leishmaniasis. DDT began to be restricted after the discovery of its toxicity against wild animals, especially top predators and due to potential toxic effects against humans. The DDT restrictive measures in Brazil started in 19714. In 1985 DDT was prohibited for agricultural purposes, but continued to be use for Public Health Campaigns, under the responsibility of FUNASA, the Brazilian National Health Foundation. An investigation conducted by Vieira et al. detected {sigma}ODDT in soil, sediments and chicken eggs from an area seven and nine years after its last application for leishmaniasis vector control near the sprayed sites. Today DDT is recognized as one of the twelve Persistent Organic Pollutants - POPs. Concerning DDT in food, based on clinical observations as well as experimental animals, the annual Joint FAO/WHO Meetings on Pesticide Residues held in 20008 estimated a Provisional Tolerable Daily Intake (PTDI) for DDT in 0.01 mg/kg/day. Marien and Laflamme9 have proposed a Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for breast feedings infants of 5 x 10{sup -3}mg/kg/day, and conducted an assessment to evaluate the public health significance of eating {sigma}DDT contaminated fish, accomplished by

25 CFR 900.54 - Should the property management system prescribe internal controls?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... System Standards § 900.54 Should the property management system prescribe internal controls? Yes. Effective internal controls should include procedures: (a) For the conduct of periodic inventories; (b) To... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Should the property management system prescribe internal...

Eco-friendly synthesis of size-controllable amine-functionalized graphene quantum dots with antimycoplasma properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Feng; Chen, Daiqin; Li, Ruimin; Wang, Yucheng; Zhang, Guoqiang; Li, Shumu; Zheng, Junpeng; Huang, Naiyan; Gu, Ying; Wang, Chunru; Shu, Chunying

2013-02-07

Size-controllable amine-functionalized graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are prepared by an eco-friendly method with graphene oxide sheets, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide as starting materials. Using a Sephadex G-25 gel column for fine separation, for the first time we obtain GQDs with either single or double layers. By atomic force microscopy characterization, we confirm that hydrogen peroxide and ammonia play a synergistic role on graphene oxide (GO), in which the former cuts the GO into small pieces and the latter passivates the active surface to give amine-modified GQDs. Due to the low cytotoxicity and excellent biocompatibility of the obtained amine-functionalized GQDs, besides the multiwavelength imaging properties of GQDs, for the first time we find that this kind of GQD exhibits good antimycoplasma properties. Given the superior antimycoplasma effect of the GQDs and their eco-friendly mass production with low cost, these new GQDs may offer opportunities for the development of new antimycoplasma agents, thus extending their widespread application in biomedicine.

Structure and Electromagnetic Properties of Cellular Glassy Carbon Monoliths with Controlled Cell Size

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrzej Szczurek

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Electromagnetic shielding is a topic of high importance for which lightweight materials are highly sought. Porous carbon materials can meet this goal, but their structure needs to be controlled as much as possible. In this work, cellular carbon monoliths of well-defined porosity and cell size were prepared by a template method, using sacrificial paraffin spheres as the porogen and resorcinol-formaldehyde (RF resin as the carbon precursor. Physicochemical studies were carried out for investigating the conversion of RF resin into carbon, and the final cellular monoliths were investigated in terms of elemental composition, total porosity, surface area, micropore volumes, and micro/macropore size distributions. Electrical and electromagnetic (EM properties were investigated in the static regime and in the Ka-band, respectively. Due to the phenolic nature of the resin, the resultant carbon was glasslike, and the special preparation protocol that was used led to cellular materials whose cell size increased with density. The materials were shown to be relevant for EM shielding, and the relationships between those properties and the density/cell size of those cellular monoliths were elucidated.

Metallurgical Mechanisms Controlling Mechanical Properties of Aluminum Alloy 2219 Produced By Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication

Science.gov (United States)

Domack, Marcia S.; Taminger, Karen M. B.; Begley, Matthew

2006-01-01

The electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) layer-additive manufacturing process has been developed to directly fabricate complex geometry components. EBF3 introduces metal wire into a molten pool created on the surface of a substrate by a focused electron beam. Part geometry is achieved by translating the substrate with respect to the beam to build the part one layer at a time. Tensile properties have been demonstrated for electron beam deposited aluminum and titanium alloys that are comparable to wrought products, although the microstructures of the deposits exhibit features more typical of cast material. Understanding the metallurgical mechanisms controlling mechanical properties is essential to maximizing application of the EBF3 process. In the current study, mechanical properties and resulting microstructures were examined for aluminum alloy 2219 fabricated over a range of EBF3 process variables. Material performance was evaluated based on tensile properties and results were compared with properties of Al 2219 wrought products. Unique microstructures were observed within the deposited layers and at interlayer boundaries, which varied within the deposit height due to microstructural evolution associated with the complex thermal history experienced during subsequent layer deposition. Microstructures exhibited irregularly shaped grains, typically with interior dendritic structures, which were described based on overall grain size, morphology, distribution, and dendrite spacing, and were correlated with deposition parameters. Fracture features were compared with microstructural elements to define fracture paths and aid in definition of basic processing-microstructure-property correlations.

Thermodynamic properties and transport coefficients of a two-temperature polytetrafluoroethylene vapor plasma for ablation-controlled discharge applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Haiyan; Qi, Haiyang; Wang, Weizong; Yan, Joseph D; Geng, Jinyue; Wu, Yaowu

2017-01-01

Ablation-controlled plasmas have been used in a range of technical applications where local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) is often violated near the wall due to the strong cooling effect caused by the ablation of wall materials. The thermodynamic and transport properties of ablated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) vapor, which determine the flowing plasma behavior in such applications, are calculated based on a two-temperature model at atmospheric pressure. To our knowledge, no data for PTFE have been reported in the literature. The species composition and thermodynamic properties are numerically determined using the two-temperature Saha equation and the Guldberg–Waage equation according to van de Sanden et al ’s derivation. The transport coefficients, including viscosity, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, are calculated with the most recent collision interaction potentials using Devoto’s electron and heavy-particle decoupling approach but expanded to the third-order approximation (second-order for viscosity) in the frame of the Chapman–Enskog method. Results are computed for different degrees of thermal non-equilibrium, i.e. the ratio of electron to heavy-particle temperatures, from 1 to 10, with electron temperature ranging from 300 to 40 000 K. Plasma transport properties in the LTE state obtained from the present work are compared with existing published results and the causes for the discrepancy analyzed. The two-temperature plasma properties calculated in the present work enable the modeling of wall ablation-controlled plasma processes. (paper)

Thermodynamic properties and transport coefficients of a two-temperature polytetrafluoroethylene vapor plasma for ablation-controlled discharge applications

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Haiyan; Wang, Weizong; Yan, Joseph D.; Qi, Haiyang; Geng, Jinyue; Wu, Yaowu

2017-10-01

Ablation-controlled plasmas have been used in a range of technical applications where local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) is often violated near the wall due to the strong cooling effect caused by the ablation of wall materials. The thermodynamic and transport properties of ablated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) vapor, which determine the flowing plasma behavior in such applications, are calculated based on a two-temperature model at atmospheric pressure. To our knowledge, no data for PTFE have been reported in the literature. The species composition and thermodynamic properties are numerically determined using the two-temperature Saha equation and the Guldberg-Waage equation according to van de Sanden et al’s derivation. The transport coefficients, including viscosity, thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, are calculated with the most recent collision interaction potentials using Devoto’s electron and heavy-particle decoupling approach but expanded to the third-order approximation (second-order for viscosity) in the frame of the Chapman-Enskog method. Results are computed for different degrees of thermal non-equilibrium, i.e. the ratio of electron to heavy-particle temperatures, from 1 to 10, with electron temperature ranging from 300 to 40 000 K. Plasma transport properties in the LTE state obtained from the present work are compared with existing published results and the causes for the discrepancy analyzed. The two-temperature plasma properties calculated in the present work enable the modeling of wall ablation-controlled plasma processes.

Identifying the changes of geo-engineering properties of dunites due to weathering utilizing electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ündül, Ömer; Tuğrul, Atiye; Zarif, İ Halil; Özyalın, Şenol

2015-01-01

Weathering phenomena have an important role in many construction facilities with varying depths and grades. Due to the anisotropic and heterogeneous nature of weathering profiles of some rocks, uncertainities exist in determining the geo-engineering properties. Geo-electrical studies have been utilized to overcome such uncertainities for various subsurface conditions including the determination of boundaries between weathered and unweathered parts of different rock types.In this study, the electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) results were correlated with conventional methods in determining the effects of weathering on the geo-engineering properties of dunites. During the research, weathering grades were determined by field studies including discontinuity spacings, aperture and properties of fill materials. The detailed petrographical studies, determination of petrophysical properties (e.g. water absorption and effective porosity) and mechanical properties (e.g. unconfined compressive strength (UCS)) constitute the laboratory studies. ERT studies were carried out in a row of sixty electrodes with electrode spacings of 0.5 m utilizing a Wenner–Schlumberger configuration. According to the comparison of the inversion model sections with the weathering profiles obtained by field and laboratory studies it is concluded that the use of ERT with a Wenner–Schlumberger configuration supplies comparable data for wider subsurface areas from the view of weathering and its effect on geo-engineering properties of dunites. In addition, ERT techniques are very useful where conventional techniques are inadequate in determining the full weathering profile. (paper)

Control properties of hybrid distillation processes for the separation of biobutanol

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sánchez-Ramírez, Eduardo; Alcocer-García, Heriberto; Quiroz-Ramírez, Juan José

2017-01-01

value decomposition technique and a closed-loop dynamic analysis was performed on several hybrid distillation processes including conventional, thermally coupled, thermodynamically equivalent and intensified designs. The results indicated that under the closed-loop control policy, an intensified design...... which is integrated for only two distillation columns instead of three distillation columns, showed good dynamic properties. In addition, thermally coupled sequence A showed better control properties under open-loop analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Using both SVD analysis and closed-loop tests the dynamics...

Controlled synthesis and electrochemical properties of vanadium ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Vanadium oxides (V3O7·H2O and VO2) with different morphologies have been selectively synthesized ... appeared at around 68 ◦C. Furthermore, the electrochemical properties of V3O7·H2O nanobelts, VO2(B) .... morphologies of shape-controlled orthorhombic V3O7·H2O ..... condition, as shown in figures S14i and j.

Analysis and Improvement of Control Algorithm for Operation Mode Transition due to Input Channel Trouble in Control Systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Myunghoon; Kim, Woogoon; Yim, Hyeongsoon

2016-01-01

The PI (Proportional plus Integral) controller, which is the essential functional block in control systems, can automatically perform the stable control of an important plant process while reducing the steady state error and improving the transient response. However, if the received input PV (Process Variable) is not normal due to input channel trouble, it will be difficult to control the system automatically. For this reason, many control systems are implemented to change the operation mode from automatic to manual mode in the PI controller when the failed input PV is detected. If the PI controller is in automatic mode for all the time, the control signal varies as the change of the input PV is continuously reflected in the control algorithm. In the other cases, since the controller changes into the manual mode at t=0, the control signal is fixed at the last PI controller output and thus the feedback control is not performed anymore until the operator takes an action such as the operation mode change. As a result of analysis and simulations for the controller’s operation modes in all the cases of input channel trouble, we discovered that it is more appropriate to maintain the automatic mode despite the bad quality in the PV. Therefore, we improved the control system algorithm reflecting the analysis results for the operator’s convenience and the stability of a control system

Analysis and Improvement of Control Algorithm for Operation Mode Transition due to Input Channel Trouble in Control Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Myunghoon; Kim, Woogoon; Yim, Hyeongsoon [KEPCO Engineering and Construction Co., Deajeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

The PI (Proportional plus Integral) controller, which is the essential functional block in control systems, can automatically perform the stable control of an important plant process while reducing the steady state error and improving the transient response. However, if the received input PV (Process Variable) is not normal due to input channel trouble, it will be difficult to control the system automatically. For this reason, many control systems are implemented to change the operation mode from automatic to manual mode in the PI controller when the failed input PV is detected. If the PI controller is in automatic mode for all the time, the control signal varies as the change of the input PV is continuously reflected in the control algorithm. In the other cases, since the controller changes into the manual mode at t=0, the control signal is fixed at the last PI controller output and thus the feedback control is not performed anymore until the operator takes an action such as the operation mode change. As a result of analysis and simulations for the controller’s operation modes in all the cases of input channel trouble, we discovered that it is more appropriate to maintain the automatic mode despite the bad quality in the PV. Therefore, we improved the control system algorithm reflecting the analysis results for the operator’s convenience and the stability of a control system.

Theoretical analysis and real time implementation of a classical controller with intelligent properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Essam Hendawi

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This paper presents theoretical analysis and experimental implementation of a classical controller with intelligent properties. The controller has constant parameters, but it performs as an intelligent controller. The controller design mimics the fuzzy logic controller in a classical form and combines the advantages of classical controllers and properties of intelligent controllers. The designed controller parameters force the controlled variable to behave such as a first order system with a desired time constant. DC motor practical system is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented controller. Root locus and frequency response using Bode diagram are used to help the design of the controller parameters. Simulation and experimental results verify the high performance of the presented controller. Keywords: Classical controller, DC motor, Root locus, Frequency response, Arduino microcontroller

Prediction of Spring Rate and Initial Failure Load due to Material Properties of Composite Leaf Spring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oh, Sung Ha; Choi, Bok Lok

2014-01-01

This paper presented analysis methods for adapting E-glass fiber/epoxy composite (GFRP) materials to an automotive leaf spring. It focused on the static behaviors of the leaf spring due to the material composition and its fiber orientation. The material properties of the GFRP composite were directly measured based on the ASTM standard test. A reverse implementation was performed to obtain the complete set of in-situ fiber and matrix properties from the ply test results. Next, the spring rates of the composite leaf spring were examined according to the variation of material parameters such as the fiber angles and resin contents of the composite material. Finally, progressive failure analysis was conducted to identify the initial failure load by means of an elastic stress analysis and specific damage criteria. As a result, it was found that damage first occurred along the edge of the leaf spring owing to the shear stresses

Phase controlled synthesis and cathodoluminescence properties of ZnS nanobelts synthesized by PVD

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Changqing; Zhu, Kexin; Peterson, George; Zhang, Zhihong; Jian, Zengyun; Wei, Yongxing; Zheng, Deshan

2018-01-01

Zinc sulfide (ZnS) nanobelts were synthesized via physical vapor deposition to explore the electronic properties of optoelectronic nano-devices. It was determined that the mass ratio of wurtzite (WZ) phase to zincblende (ZB) phase and the preferential orientation (100) are related to the carrier-gas flow rate. The high concentration of planar defects within the phase boundary enhances phase transition. Cathodoluminescence measurements show a red shift of the 337 nm band-gap emission due to stacking and twin faults. We find a direct correlation between the magnitude of the red shift and the mass ratio of ZB phase. With an increase in the ZB phase, there is an increase in the concentration of stacking and twin faults introduced by the phase transformation, as indicated by an increasing red shift in the data. The absorption peaks at 666 and 719 nm were found by UV-vis absorption spectrum, which is attributed to surface defects. This work would help to better understand the important roles of planar defects in the phase transition and also provide us with a feasible route to control phase ratio and cathodoluminescence properties of ZnS nanobelts and other II-VI semiconductor nanostructures.

Performance estimation of control rod position indicator due to aging of magnet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Je Yong; Kim, Ji Ho; Huh, Hyung; Choi, Myoung Hwan; Sohn, Dong Seong

2009-01-01

The Control Element Drive Mechanism (CEDM) for the integral reactor is designed to raise and lower the control rod in steps of 2mm in order to satisfy the design features of the integral reactor which are the soluble boron free operation and the use of a nuclear heating for the reactor start-up. The actual position of the control rod could be achieved to sense the magnet connected to the control rod by the position indicator around the upper pressure housing of CEDM. It is sufficient that the actual position information of control rod at 20mm interval from the position indicator is used for the core safety analysis. As the magnet moves upward along the position indicator assembly from the bottom to the top in the upper pressure housing, the output voltage increases linearly step-wise at 0.2VDC increments. Between every step there are transient areas which occur by a contact closing of three reed switches which is the 2-3-2 contact closing sequence. In this paper the output voltage signal corresponding to the position of control rod was estimated on the 2-1-2 contact closing sequence due to the aging of the magnet.

Mechanical Properties and Elastic Constants Due to Damage Accumulation and Amorphization in SiC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Fei; Weber, William J.

2004-01-01

Damage accumulation due to cascade overlap, which was simulated previously, has been used to study the changes of elastic constants, bulk and elastic moduli as a function of dose. These mechanical properties generally decrease with increasing dose, and the rapid decrease at low-dose level indicates that point defects and small clusters play an important role in the changes of elastic constants rather than topological disorder. The internal strain relaxation has no effect on the elastic constants, C11 and C12, in perfect SiC, but it has a significant influence on all elastic constants calculated in damaged SiC. The elastic constants in the cascade-amorphized (CA) SiC decrease about 19%, 29% and 46% for C11, C12 and C44, respectively. The bulk modulus decrease 23% and the elastic modulus decreases 29%, which is consistent with experimental measurements. The stability of both the perfect SiC and CA-SiC under hydrostatic tension has been also investigated. All mechanical properties in the CA-SiC exhibit behavior similar to that in perfect SiC, but the critical stress at which the CA-SiC becomes structurally unstable is one order of magnitude smaller than that for perfect SiC

Foam property tests to evaluate the potential for longwall shield dust control.

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, W R; Beck, T W; Zheng, Y; Klima, S; Driscoll, J

2018-01-01

Tests were conducted to determine properties of four foam agents for their potential use in longwall mining dust control. Foam has been tried in underground mining in the past for dust control and is currently being reconsidered for use in underground coal longwall operations in order to help those operations comply with the Mine Safety and Health Administration's lower coal mine respirable dust standard of 1.5 mg/m 3 . Foams were generated using two different methods. One method used compressed air and water pressure to generate foam, while the other method used low-pressure air generated by a blower and water pressure using a foam generator developed by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Foam property tests, consisting of a foam expansion ratio test and a water drainage test, were conducted to classify foams. Compressed-air-generated foams tended to have low expansion ratios, from 10 to 19, with high water drainage. Blower-air-generated foams had higher foam expansion ratios, from 30 to 60, with lower water drainage. Foams produced within these ranges of expansion ratios are stable and potentially suitable for dust control. The test results eliminated two foam agents for future testing because they had poor expansion ratios. The remaining two foam agents seem to have properties adequate for dust control. These material property tests can be used to classify foams for their potential use in longwall mining dust control.

Effectiveness of SCADA Systems in Control of Green Sands Properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ignaszak Z.

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The paper undertakes an important topic of evaluation of effectiveness of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems, used for monitoring and control of selected processing parameters of classic green sands used in foundry. Main focus was put on process studies of properties of so-called 1st generation molding sands in the respect of their preparation process. Possible methods of control of this processing are presented, with consideration of application of fresh raw materials, return sand (regenerate and water. The studies conducted in one of European foundries were aimed at pointing out how much application of new, automated plant of sand processing incorporating the SCADA systems allows stabilizing results of measurement of selected sand parameters after its mixing. The studies concerned two comparative periods of time, before an implementation of the automated devices for green sands processing (ASMS - Automatic Sand Measurement System and MCM – Main Control Module and after the implementation. Results of measurement of selected sand properties after implementation of the ASMS were also evaluated and compared with testing studies conducted periodically in laboratory.

Investigation on Failures of Composite Beam and Substrate Concrete due to Drying Shrinkage Property of Repair Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Pattnaik, Rashmi Ranjan

2017-06-01

A Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and an experimental study was conducted on composite beam of repair material and substrate concrete to investigate the failures of the composite beam due to drying shrinkage property of the repair materials. In FEA, the stress distribution in the composite beam due to two concentrate load and shrinkage of repair materials were investigated in addition to the deflected shape of the composite beam. The stress distributions and load deflection shapes of the finite element model were investigated to aid in analysis of the experimental findings. In the experimental findings, the mechanical properties such as compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, and load-deflection curves were studied in addition to slant shear bond strength, drying shrinkage and failure patterns of the composite beam specimens. Flexure test was conducted to simulate tensile stress at the interface between the repair material and substrate concrete. The results of FEA were used to analyze the experimental results. It was observed that the repair materials with low drying shrinkage are showing compatible failure in the flexure test of the composite beam and deform adequately in the load deflection curves. Also, the flexural strength of the composite beam with low drying shrinkage repair materials showed higher flexural strength as compared to the composite beams with higher drying shrinkage value of the repair materials even though the strength of those materials were more.

Facet-controlled synthesis and facet-dependent photocatalytic properties of SnO{sub 2} micropolyhedrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Gengxia [Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, MOE, Institute of Acoustics and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Wu, Xinglong, E-mail: hkxlwu@nju.edu.cn [Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, MOE, Institute of Acoustics and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Liu, Lizhe; Zhu, Xiaobin [Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, MOE, Institute of Acoustics and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhu, Xiaoshu [Center for Analysis and Testing, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Hao, Yanling [Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics, MOE, Institute of Acoustics and Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Chu, Paul K. [Department of Physics and Materials Science, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong (China)

2015-09-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • SnO{sub 2} micropolyhedrons with (1 0 1) and (1 0 0) facets at different ratios are fabricated. • The vapor–solid growth mechanism of micropolyhedrons is discussed. • SnO{sub 2} octahedrons with complete (1 0 1) facets show strong photocatalytic activity. • Enhanced photocatalytic activity stems from the facet-dependent surface states. - Abstract: The facet-dependent properties of SnO{sub 2} are of fundamental and practical importance. In this study, by adjusting the deposition temperature during chemical vapor deposition, octahedral SnO{sub 2} with the exposed (1 0 1) facet and two other kinds of SnO{sub 2} polyhedrons with (1 0 1) and (1 0 0) facets with different ratios are fabricated controllably based on the vapor–solid growth mechanism. A slight increase in the deposition temperature from 1030 to 1070 °C decreases the surface energy of the reduced (1 0 1) facet with Sn termination, leading to the formation of polyhedrons with different area ratios of (1 0 1) to (1 0 0) facets. By adopting the terephthalic acid fluorescent method, the SnO{sub 2} octahedrons are demonstrated to have the strongest photocatalytic activity due to the formation of surface states induced by 5s electrons of bivalent Sn on the (1 0 1) surface. The results reveal that the photocatalytic properties of SnO{sub 2} microcrystals can be enhanced by facet-controlled synthesis.

Two-dimensional tantalum disulfide: controlling structure and properties via synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Rui; Grisafe, Benjamin; Krishna Ghosh, Ram; Holoviak, Stephen; Wang, Baoming; Wang, Ke; Briggs, Natalie; Haque, Aman; Datta, Suman; Robinson, Joshua

2018-04-01

Tantalum disulfide (TaS2) is a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) that exhibits phase transition induced electronic property modulation at low temperature. However, the appropriate phase must be grown to enable the semiconductor/metal transition that is of interest for next generation electronic applications. In this work, we demonstrate direct and controllable synthesis of ultra-thin 1T-TaS2 and 2H-TaS2 on a variety of substrates (sapphire, SiO2/Si, and graphene) via powder vapor deposition. The synthesis process leads to single crystal domains ranging from 20 to 200 nm thick and 1-10 µm on a side. The TaS2 phase (1T or 2H) is controlled by synthesis temperature, which subsequently is shown to control the electronic properties. Furthermore, this work constitutes the first demonstration of a metal-insulator phase transition in directly synthesized 1T-TaS2 films and domains by electronic means.

Access and control of information and intellectual property

Science.gov (United States)

Lang, Gerald S.

1996-03-01

This paper introduces the technology of two pioneering patents for the secure distribution of information and intellectual property. The seminal technology has been used in the control of sensitive material such as medical records and imagery in distributed networks. It lends itself to the implementation of an open architecture access control system that provides local or remote user selective access to digital information stored on any computer system or storage medium, down to the data element, pixel, and sub-pixel levels. Use of this technology is especially suited for electronic publishing, health care records, MIS, and auditing.

Controllable Elastohydrodynamics With Examples

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Santos, Ilmar; Haugaard, Martin Asger

dynamic properties. The actively controlled bearing surface profiles can be generated by attaching any kind of actuator (hydraulic, electromagnetic or piezoelectric) to deformable bushes. In this paper the elastohydrodynamic model is used to investigate static and dynamic properties of a tilting-pad......Due to the development of high performance rotating machinery, growing attention has been paid to the design of new active (mechatronic) devices able to actively control vibrations and improve its dynamic behavior, i.e. magnetic bearings piezoelectric bearing pushers, hydraulic actuator journal...... journal bearing under hybrid elastohydrodynamics (open loop control) as well as controllable radial oil injection (closed loop control). The bearing dynamic coefficients are heavily influenced by the control parameters and pad compliance. Strong synergy between elastohydrodynamics and active control...

Towards an Integrated Workload Control (WLC) Concept : The Performance of Due Date Setting Rules in Job Shops with Contingent Orders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thuerer, Matthias; Stevenson, Mark; Silva, Cristovao; Land, Martin

2013-01-01

Workload control (WLC) is a production planning and control concept developed for make-to-order companies. Its customer enquiry management methodology supports due date setting, while its order release mechanism determines when to start production. For make-to-order companies, due date setting is a

Controlled change of transport properties of poly(ethylene terephthalate) track membranes by plasma method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kravets, L I; Dmitriev, S N; Drachev, A I; Gilman, A B; Lazea, A; Dinescu, G

2007-01-01

A process of plasma polymerization of dimethylaniline and acrylic acid vapours on the surface of poly(ethylene terephthalate) track membranes has been investigated. The surface and hydrodynamic properties of the composite membranes produced in this case have been studied. It is shown that the water permeability of the obtained polymeric membranes can be controlled by changing the filtrate pH. Membranes with such properties can be used for controllable drug delivery and in sensor control

48 CFR 2945.104 - Review and correction of contractors' property control systems.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Review and correction of... contractors' property control systems. When the Government's property administrator determines that review and... administrator must review the system to determine whether the contractor will be able to meet the requirements...

Rheological Properties of Extreme Pressure Greases Measured Using a Process Control Rheometer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glasscock, Julie; Smith, Robin S.

2012-01-01

A new process control rheometer (PCR) designed for use in industrial process flows has been used to measure the rheological properties of three extreme-pressure greases. The rheometer is a robust yet sensitive instrument designed to operate in an industrial processing environment in either in......-line or on-line configurations. The PCR was able to measure the rheological properties including the elastic modulus, viscous modulus, and complex viscosity of the greases which in an industrial flow application could be used as variables in a feedback system to control the process and the quality...

Controlling the competing magnetic anisotropy energies in FineMET amorphous thin films with ultra-soft magnetic properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ansar Masood

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Thickness dependent competing magnetic anisotropy energies were investigated to explore the global magnetic behaviours of FineMET amorphous thin films. A dominant perpendicular magnetization component in the as-deposited state of thinner films was observed due to high magnetoelastic anisotropy energy which arises from stresses induced at the substrate-film interface. This perpendicular magnetization component decreases with increasing film thickness. Thermal annealing at elevated temperature revealed a significant influence on the magnetization state of the FineMET thin films and controlled annealing steps leads to ultra-soft magnetic properties, making these thin films alloys ideal for a wide range of applications.

Evaluation of Detrimental Effects on Mechanical Properties of Zry-4 Due to Hydrogen Absorption by means of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) In-Situ Observation of Crack Propagation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fernandez, L; Fernandez, G.E; Bertolino, G; Meyer, G

2001-01-01

The study of mechanical properties degradation of zirconium alloys due to hydrides assumes fundamental importance in the nuclear industry.During normal nuclear reactors operation, structural parts absorbed hydrogen generated from radiolysis of water, causing detrimental effects on mechanical properties.As a consequence, these materials are easily cracked in the presence of mechanical solicitation due to loss of ductility of the hydride-phase.The presence of cracks indicates fracture mechanic as the most suitable methodology in the study of mechanical properties degradation.In this work we used the crack tip opening displacement (CTOD) criteria to evaluate the detrimental effects on mechanical properties with the observation in SEM of crack propagation.The samples used were SEN (B) of Zry-4 and cathodic homogenous charged with hydrogen concentrations lower than 400 ppm

Selection bias in population-based cancer case-control studies due to incomplete sampling frame coverage.

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Matthew C; Trentham-Dietz, Amy; Gangnon, Ronald E; Nieto, F Javier; Newcomb, Polly A; Palta, Mari

2012-06-01

Increasing numbers of individuals are choosing to opt out of population-based sampling frames due to privacy concerns. This is especially a problem in the selection of controls for case-control studies, as the cases often arise from relatively complete population-based registries, whereas control selection requires a sampling frame. If opt out is also related to risk factors, bias can arise. We linked breast cancer cases who reported having a valid driver's license from the 2004-2008 Wisconsin women's health study (N = 2,988) with a master list of licensed drivers from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WDOT). This master list excludes Wisconsin drivers that requested their information not be sold by the state. Multivariate-adjusted selection probability ratios (SPR) were calculated to estimate potential bias when using this driver's license sampling frame to select controls. A total of 962 cases (32%) had opted out of the WDOT sampling frame. Cases age <40 (SPR = 0.90), income either unreported (SPR = 0.89) or greater than $50,000 (SPR = 0.94), lower parity (SPR = 0.96 per one-child decrease), and hormone use (SPR = 0.93) were significantly less likely to be covered by the WDOT sampling frame (α = 0.05 level). Our results indicate the potential for selection bias due to differential opt out between various demographic and behavioral subgroups of controls. As selection bias may differ by exposure and study base, the assessment of potential bias needs to be ongoing. SPRs can be used to predict the direction of bias when cases and controls stem from different sampling frames in population-based case-control studies.

Analysis of influence on back-EMF based sensorless control of PMSM due to parameter variations and measurement errors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Z.; Lu, K.; Ye, Y.

2011-01-01

To achieve better performance of sensorless control of PMSM, a precise and stable estimation of rotor position and speed is required. Several parameter uncertainties and variable measurement errors may lead to estimation error, such as resistance and inductance variations due to temperature...... and flux saturation, current and voltage errors due to measurement uncertainties, and signal delay caused by hardwares. This paper reveals some inherent principles for the performance of the back-EMF based sensorless algorithm embedded in a surface mounted PMSM system adapting vector control strategy...

Aerosol-Assisted Fast Formulating Uniform Pharmaceutical Polymer Microparticles with Variable Properties toward pH-Sensitive Controlled Drug Release

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong Lei

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Microencapsulation is highly attractive for oral drug delivery. Microparticles are a common form of drug carrier for this purpose. There is still a high demand on efficient methods to fabricate microparticles with uniform sizes and well-controlled particle properties. In this paper, uniform hydroxypropyl methylcellulose phthalate (HPMCP-based pharmaceutical microparticles loaded with either hydrophobic or hydrophilic model drugs have been directly formulated by using a unique aerosol technique, i.e., the microfluidic spray drying technology. A series of microparticles of controllable particle sizes, shapes, and structures are fabricated by tuning the solvent composition and drying temperature. It is found that a more volatile solvent and a higher drying temperature can result in fast evaporation rates to form microparticles of larger lateral size, more irregular shape, and denser matrix. The nature of the model drugs also plays an important role in determining particle properties. The drug release behaviors of the pharmaceutical microparticles are dependent on their structural properties and the nature of a specific drug, as well as sensitive to the pH value of the release medium. Most importantly, drugs in the microparticles obtained by using a more volatile solvent or a higher drying temperature can be well protected from degradation in harsh simulated gastric fluids due to the dense structures of the microparticles, while they can be fast-released in simulated intestinal fluids through particle dissolution. These pharmaceutical microparticles are potentially useful for site-specific (enteric delivery of orally-administered drugs.

Modelling of Rotor-gas bearings for Feedback Controller Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Theisen, Lukas Roy Svane; Niemann, Hans Henrik

2014-01-01

Controllable rotor-gas bearings are popular oering adaptability, high speed operation, low friction and clean operation. Rotor-gas bearings are however highly sensitive to disturbances due to the low friction of the injected gas. These undesirable damping properties call for controllers, which ca...... and are shown to accurately describe the dynamical behaviour of the rotor-gas bearing. Design of a controller using the identied models is treated and experiments verify the improvement of the damping properties of the rotor-gas bearing.......Controllable rotor-gas bearings are popular oering adaptability, high speed operation, low friction and clean operation. Rotor-gas bearings are however highly sensitive to disturbances due to the low friction of the injected gas. These undesirable damping properties call for controllers, which can...... be designed from suitable models describing the relation from actuator input to measured shaft position. Current state of the art models of controllable gas bearings however do not provide such relation, which calls for alternative strategies. The present contribution discusses the challenges for feedback...

Frequency Properties Research of Elevator Drive System with Direct Torque Control-Pulse with Modulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. S. Koval

2008-01-01

Full Text Available In the article problems of frequency properties research for electric drive system with direct torque control and pulse width modulator are described. The mathematical description of elevator is present. Simplified mathematical description of direct torque control - pulse width modulator electric drive system is shown. Transfer functions for torque and speed loops are determined. Logarithmic frequency characteristics are computed. Damping properties of elevator drive system are estimated.

Comparison of biochemical properties of liver arginase from streptozocin-induced diabetic and control mice.

Science.gov (United States)

Spolarics, Z; Bond, J S

1989-11-01

Arginase activity is elevated in livers of diabetic animals compared to controls and there is evidence that this is due in part to increased specific activity (activity/mg arginase protein). To investigate the molecular basis of this increased activity, the physicochemical and kinetic properties of hepatic arginase from diabetic and control mice were compared. Two types of arginase subunits with molecular weights of 35,000 and 38,000 were found in both the diabetic and control animals and the subunits in these animals had similar, multiple ionic forms. Kinetic parameters of purified preparations of arginase for arginine (apparent Km and Vmax values) and the thermal stability of these preparations from diabetics and controls were also similar. Furthermore, no difference was found in the distribution of arginase activity among different subcellular liver fractions. Separation of basic and acidic oligomeric forms of arginase by fast-protein liquid chromatography resulted in a slightly different distribution of activity among the forms in the normal and diabetic group. The apparent Km values for Mn2+ of the basic form of the enzyme were 25 and 33 microM for the enzyme from normal and diabetic animals, respectively; for acidic forms, for which two apparent Km values were measured, the values were 8 and 197 microM for arginase from controls and 35 and 537 microM from diabetics. These results indicate that in diabetes, while no marked changes in the physicochemical characteristics of arginase are obvious, some changes are found in the interaction of arginase with its cofactor Mn.

Variation of physical properties of LDPE greenhouse films due to agrochemicals used during cultivation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evelia Schettini

2013-09-01

Full Text Available During protected cultivation, the use of agrochemicals influence the degradation of the greenhouse plastic films. A research was carried out to evaluate how agrochemicals contamination and solar radiation influence the physical properties of low density polyethylene (LDPE films. The LDPE films were manufactured on purpose adding different anti-UV stabilizer systems and were exposed to natural outdoor weathering at the experimental farm of the University of Bari (Italy; 41° 05’ N. Each film was tested as covering of two low tunnels: one was sprayed from inside with commercial agrochemicals containing iron, chlorine and sulphur while the other one was not sprayed and used as control. Radiometric tests were carried out on the new films and on film samples taken at the end of the trial. Analyses on absorption of the selected contaminants were carried out in laboratory on the samples taken at the end of the exposure in the field in order to compare the relative effectiveness of the stabilizing systems under evaluation. The experimental tests showed that the natural weathering together with the agrochemicals did not modify significantly the radiometric properties of the films in the solar and PAR wavelength range. Significant variations were recorded for the stabilised films in the LWIR wavelength range.

Observer-based attitude controller for lifting re-entry vehicle with non-minimum phase property

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenming Nie

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This article concentrates on the attitude control problem for the lifting re-entry vehicle with non-minimum phase property. A novel attitude control method is proposed for this kind of lifting re-entry vehicle without assuming the internal dynamics to be measurable. First, an internal dynamics extended state observer is developed to deal with the unmeasurable problem of the internal dynamics. And then, the control scheme which adopts output feedback method is proposed by modifying the traditional output redefinition technique with internal dynamics extended state observer. This control scheme only requires the system output to be measurable, and it can still stabilize the unstable internal dynamics and track attitude commands. Besides, because of the inherent property of extended state observer in rejecting uncertainties and disturbances, the control precision of the proposed controller is higher than the controller designed with traditional output redefinition technique. Finally, the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed attitude controller are demonstrated by the simulation results.

Establishing whether the structural feature controlling the mechanical properties of starch films is molecular or crystalline.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ming; Xie, Fengwei; Hasjim, Jovin; Witt, Torsten; Halley, Peter J; Gilbert, Robert G

2015-03-06

The effects of molecular and crystalline structures on the tensile mechanical properties of thermoplastic starch (TPS) films from waxy, normal, and high-amylose maize were investigated. Starch structural variations were obtained through extrusion and hydrothermal treatment (HTT). The molecular and crystalline structures were characterized using size-exclusion chromatography and X-ray diffractometry, respectively. TPS from high-amylose maize showed higher elongation at break and tensile strength than those from normal maize and waxy maize starches when processed with 40% plasticizer. Within the same amylose content, the mechanical properties were not affected by amylopectin molecular size or the crystallinity of TPS prior to HTT. This lack of correlation between the molecular size, crystallinity and mechanical properties may be due to the dominant effect of the plasticizer on the mechanical properties. Further crystallization of normal maize TPS by HTT increased the tensile strength and Young's modulus, while decreasing the elongation at break. The results suggest that the crystallinity from the remaining ungelatinized starch granules has less significant effect on the mechanical properties than that resulting from starch recrystallization, possibly due to a stronger network from leached-out amylose surrounding the remaining starch granules. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences in Nanosecond Laser Ablation and Deposition of Tungsten, Boron, and WB2/B Composite due to Optical Properties

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Tomasz Moscicki

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The first attempt to the deposition of WB3 films using nanosecond Nd:YAG laser demonstrated that deposited coatings are superhard. However, they have very high roughness. The deposited films consisted mainly of droplets. Therefore, in the present work, the explanation of this phenomenon is conducted. The interaction of Nd:YAG nanosecond laser pulse with tungsten, boron, and WB2/B target during ablation is investigated. The studies show the fundamental differences in ablation of those materials. The ablation of tungsten is thermal and occurs due to only evaporation. In the same conditions, during ablation of boron, the phase explosion and/or fragmentation due to recoil pressure is observed. The deposited films have a significant contribution of big debris with irregular shape. In the case of WB2/B composite, ablation is significantly different. The ablation seems to be the detonation in the liquid phase. The deposition mechanism is related mainly to the mechanical transport of the target material in the form of droplets, while the gaseous phase plays marginal role. The main origin of differences is optical properties of studied materials. A method estimating phase explosion occurrence based on material data such as critical temperature, thermal diffusivity, and optical properties is shown. Moreover, the effect of laser wavelength on the ablation process and the quality of the deposited films is discussed.

Ride control of surface effect ships using distributed control

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Asgeir J. Sørensen

1994-04-01

Full Text Available A ride control system for active damping of heave and pitch accelerations of Surface Effect Ships (SES is presented. It is demonstrated that distributed effects that are due to a spatially varying pressure in the air cushion result in significant vertical vibrations in low and moderate sea states. In order to achieve a high quality human comfort and crew workability it is necessary to reduce these vibrations using a control system which accounts for distributed effects due to spatial pressure variations in the air cushion. A mathematical model of the process is presented, and collocated sensor and actuator pairs are used. The process stability is ensured using a controller with appropriate passivity properties. Sensor and actuator location is also discussed. The performance of the ride control system is shown by power spectra of the vertical accelerations obtained from full scale experiments with a 35 m SES.

Controlling the optical properties of gold nanoparticles periodic arrays by changing their topologic shapes and substrate properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Ting; Yu Li; Lu Zhixin; Song Gang; Liu Bin

2011-01-01

We investigated the influence of extinction of gold nanoparticles periodic arrays by varying the substrate properties and the shapes of nanoparticles with the full vectorial three dimensional finite difference time domain method. Substrates of different thicknesses and dielectric constants and ten topologically different gold nanostructures including diamond, cycle ring, rectangle ring, pentagon ring, five-pointed star, flower shape, L, Y, T and X shapes are considered. The results show that substrate properties have a significant impact on the extinction spectrum due to coupling of the modes excited in substrates and the one excited by localized surface plasmon. The extinction spectra are changed with the different shapes of nanoparticles periodic array. However, with similar structure particles periodic arrays, the extinction spectra appear similar in the visible regime. Therefore we can find an eligible shape and substrate which can be used in integrated devises.

Hydrophilic magnetic nanoclusters with thermo-responsive properties and their drug controlled release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meerod, Siraprapa; Rutnakornpituk, Boonjira; Wichai, Uthai; Rutnakornpituk, Metha

2015-01-01

Synthesis and drug controlled release properties of thermo-responsive magnetic nanoclusters grafted with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (poly(NIPAAm)) and poly(NIPAAm-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) (PEGMA) copolymers were described. These magnetic nanoclusters were synthesized via an in situ radical polymerization in the presence of acrylamide-grafted magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). Poly(NIPAAm) provided thermo-responsive properties, while PEGMA played a role in good water dispersibility to the nanoclusters. The ratios of PEGMA to NIPAAm in the (co)polymerization in the presence of the MNPs were fine-tuned such that the nanoclusters with good water dispersibility, good magnetic sensitivity and thermo responsiveness were obtained. The size of the nanoclusters was in the range of 50–100 nm in diameter with about 100–200 particles/cluster. The nanoclusters were well dispersible in water at room temperature and can be suddenly agglomerated when temperature was increased beyond the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) (32 °C). The release behavior of an indomethacin model drug from the nanoclusters was also investigated. These novel magnetic nanoclusters with good dispersibility in water and reversible thermo-responsive properties might be good candidates for the targeting drug controlled release applications. - Highlights: • Nanoclusters with good water dispersibility and magnetic response were prepared. • They were grafted with thermo-responsive poly(NIPAAm) and/or poly(PEGMA). • Poly(NIPAAm) provided thermo-responsive properties to the nanoclusters. • Poly(PEGMA) provided good water dispersibilityto the nanoclusters. • Accelerated and controllable releases of a drug from the nanoclusters were shown

Properties of fresh and hardened sustainable concrete due to the use of palm oil fuel ash as cement replacement

Science.gov (United States)

Hamada, Hussein M.; Jokhio, Gul Ahmed; Mat Yahaya, Fadzil; Humada, Ali M.

2018-04-01

Palm oil fuel ash (POFA) is a by-product resulting from the combustion of palm oil waste such as palm oil shell and empty fruit bunches to generate electricity in the palm oil mills. Considerable quantities of POFA thus generated, accumulate in the open fields and landfills, which causes atmospheric pollution in the form of generating toxic gases. Firstly, to protect the environment; and secondly, having excellent properties for this purpose; POFA can be and has been used as partial cement replacement in concrete preparation. Therefore, this paper compiles the results obtained from previous studies that address the properties of concrete containing POFA as cement replacement in fresh and hardened states. The results indicate that there is a great potential to using POFA as cement replacement because of its ability to improve compressive strength, reduce hydration heat of cement mortar and positively affect other fresh and hardened concrete properties. The paper recommends that conducting further studies to exploit high volume of POFA along with other additives as cement replacement while maintaining high quality of concrete can help minimize CO2 emissions due to concrete.

Electrochemically Controlled Ion-exchange Property of Carbon Nanotubes/Polypyrrole Nanocomposite in Various Electrolyte Solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Daiwon [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard P.O. Box 999 Richland WA 99352 USA; Zhu, Chengzhou [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2920 United States; Fu, Shaofang [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2920 United States; Du, Dan [School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2920 United States; Engelhard, Mark H. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard P.O. Box 999 Richland WA 99352 USA; Lin, Yuehe [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard P.O. Box 999 Richland WA 99352 USA; School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington 99164-2920 United States

2016-09-15

The electrochemically controlled ion-exchange properties of multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWNT)/electronically conductive polypyrrole (PPy) polymer composite in the various electrolyte solutions have been investigated. The ion-exchange behavior, rate and capacity of the electrochemically deposited polypyrrole with and without carbon nanotube (CNT) were compared and characterized using cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It has been found that the presence of carbon nanotube backbone resulted in improvement in ion-exchange rate, stability of polypyrrole, and higher anion loading capacity per PPy due to higher surface area, electronic conductivity, porous structure of thin film, and thinner film thickness providing shorter diffusion path. Chronoamperometric studies show that electrically switched anion exchange could be completed more than 10 times faster than pure PPy thin film. The anion selectivity of CNT/PPy film is demonstrated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Compatibility of Safety Properties and Possibilistic Information Flow Security in MAKS

OpenAIRE

Bauereiss , Thomas; Hutter , Dieter

2014-01-01

Part 6: Information Flow Control; International audience; Motivated by typical security requirements of workflow management systems, we consider the integrated verification of both safety properties (e.g. separation of duty) and information flow security predicates of the MAKS framework (e.g. modeling confidentiality requirements). Due to the refinement paradox, enforcement of safety properties might violate possibilistic information flow properties of a system. We present an approach where s...

WOOD HEMICELLULOSE/CHITOSAN-BASED SEMI-INTERPENETRATING NETWORK HYDROGELS: MECHANICAL, SWELLING AND CONTROLLED DRUG RELEASE PROPERTIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muzaffer Ahmet Karaaslan

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The cell wall of most plant biomass from forest and agricultural resources consists of three major polymers, cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Of these, hemicelluloses have gained increasing attention as sustainable raw materials. In this study, novel pH-sensitive semi-IPN hydrogels based on hemicelluloses and chitosan were prepared using glutaraldehyde as the crosslinking agent. The hemicellulose isolated from aspen was analyzed for sugar content by HPLC, and its molecular weight distribution was determined by high performance size exclusion chromatography. Results revealed that hemicellulose had a broad molecular weight distribution with a fair amount of polymeric units, together with xylose, arabinose, and glucose. The effects of hemicellulose content on mechanical properties and swelling behavior of hydrogels were investigated. The semi-IPNs hydrogel structure was confirmed by FT-IR, X-ray study, and the ninhydrin assay method. X-ray analysis showed that higher hemicellulose contents yielded higher crystallinity. Mechanical properties were mainly dependent on the crosslink density and average molecular weight between crosslinks. Swelling ratios increased with increasing hemicellulose content and were high at low pH values due to repulsion between similarly charged groups. In vitro release study of a model drug showed that these semi-IPN hydrogels could be used for controlled drug delivery into gastric fluid.

Changes in the physico-chemical properties of Amazonian aerosols from background conditions due to urban impacts in Central Amazonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Artaxo, P.; Barbosa, H. M.; Brito, J.; Carbone, S.; Fiorese, C.; Andre, B.; Rizzo, L. V.; Ditas, F.; Pöhlker, C.; Pöhlker, M. L.; Saturno, J.; Holanda, B. A.; Wang, J.; Souza, R. A. F. D.; Machado, L.; Andreae, M. O.; Martin, S. T.

2016-12-01

The GoAmazon 2014/15 experiment (Observations and Modeling of the Green Ocean Amazon) was a great opportunity to study how urbanization can change aerosol properties under pristine conditions in a tropical rain forest. The experiment took place from January 2014 to December 2015 in the vicinity of Manaus, Brazil, where several sampling stations were operated. Natural biogenic aerosol properties were studied in 3 sampling stations upwind of Manaus (ATTO (T0a), ZF2 (T0z) and EMBRAPA (T0e)). Urban impacted aerosols were analysed in two downwind sampling stations at Tiwa (T2) and Manacapuru (T3). Properties analysed were size distribution, scattering and absorption, composition, vertical profiles and others. Remote sensing measurements were done using AERONET and MODIS, while extensive ground based measurements were done in all sampling stations. Remote sensing measurements shows important changes in aerosol optical depth (AOD), especially in the aerosol absorption component. It was also observed a reduction in cloud droplet size downwind of Manaus for liquid phase clouds. Changes in particle number and size were also very significant, that reflected in changes in the aerosol radiative forcing (RF) before and after Manaus plume. In the dry season, an average RF of -24 w/m² was observed upwind, while -17 w/m² was observed downwind, due to large scale biomass burning aerosols. Single scattering albedo (SSA) at 550 nm changed from a high value of 0.96 upwind to 0.84 downwind due to the increase in absorbing aerosols in the wet season. In the dry season, SSA at 550nm changed from 0.95 to 0.87. Aerosol composition showed a large dominance of organic aerosols for all sites, accounting for 65-75% of PM1 non refractory aerosol. Most of these were secondary organic aerosol (SOA), with very low sulfate and nitrate concentrations. The influence of the Manaus plume on aerosol properties was more intense during the wet season, because in the dry season a significant amount of

Electrical properties of ZnO nanorods and layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schlenker, Eva; Bakin, Andrey; Peters, Ole; Mofor, Augustine C.; Postels, Bianca; El-Shaer, Hamid; Wehmann, Hergo-Heinrich; Waag, Andreas [Institut fuer Halbleitertechnik, TU Braunschweig (Germany); Weimann, Thomas; Hinze, Peter [Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig (Germany)

2007-07-01

ZnO has attracted a lot of interest in the scientific community due to its outstanding properties. With a band gap of 3.37 eV and an exciton binding energy of 60 meV it is a promising candidate for micro- and optoelectronic applications. The growth of ZnO nanostructures and epitaxial layers is well under control and their optical and structural properties are already thoroughly characterized. However, due to contacting difficulties, less reports exist on the electrical properties of single ZnO nanostructures. In this contribution we present various contacting methods in order to explore the electrical properties of individual nanorods either grown by aqueous chemical growth or vapor phase transport. Current-Voltage characteristics were obtained by using an atomic force microscope with a conductive tip or by patterning contacts with e-beam lithography. The results are compared to the ones obtained from measurements on epitaxially grown ZnO layers and first applications are presented.

Local Government Planning Tool to Calculate Institutional and Engineering Control Costs for Brownfield Properties

Science.gov (United States)

This cost calculator is designed as a guide for municipal or local governments to assist in calculating their expected costs of implementing and conducting long-term stewardship of institutional controls and engineering controls at brownfield properties.

Controlling the Casimir force via the electromagnetic properties of materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Yaping; Chen Hong; Zeng Ran; Zhu Shiyao; Zubairy, M. Suhail

2010-01-01

The control of the Casimir force between two parallel plates can be achieved through adjusting the frequency-dependent electromagnetic properties of materials of the two plates. We show that, for different plate separations, the main contribution to the Casimir force comes from different frequency regions: For smaller (larger) separation, it comes from the higher (lower) frequency region. When the separation of the plates increases, the Casimir force can vary from attractive to repulsive and/or vice versa, by selecting the two plates with suitable electromagnetic properties. We discuss how a restoring Casimir force, which varies from repulsive to attractive by increasing the separation, can be realized and that the stable equilibrium is formed at zero Casimir force.

Chirality-controlled spontaneous twisting of crystals due to thermal topochemical reaction.

Science.gov (United States)

Rai, Rishika; Krishnan, Baiju P; Sureshan, Kana M

2018-03-20

Crystals that show mechanical response against various stimuli are of great interest. These stimuli induce polymorphic transitions, isomerizations, or chemical reactions in the crystal and the strain generated between the daughter and parent domains is transcribed into mechanical response. We observed that the crystals of modified dipeptide LL (N 3 -l-Ala-l-Val-NHCH 2 C≡CH) undergo spontaneous twisting to form right-handed twisted crystals not only at room temperature but also at 0 °C over time. Using various spectroscopic techniques, we have established that the twisting is due to the spontaneous topochemical azide-alkyne cycloaddition (TAAC) reaction at room temperature or lower temperatures. The rate of twisting can be increased by heating, exploiting the faster kinetics of the TAAC reaction at higher temperatures. To address the role of molecular chirality in the direction of twisting the enantiomer of dipeptide LL, N 3 -d-Ala-d-Val-NHCH 2 C≡CH (DD), was synthesized and topochemical reactivity and mechanoresponse of its crystals were studied. We have found that dipeptide DD not only underwent TAAC reaction, giving 1,4-triazole-linked pseudopolypeptides of d-amino acids, but also underwent twisting with opposite handedness (left-handed twisting), establishing the role of molecular chirality in controlling the direction of mechanoresponse. This paper reports ( i ) a mechanical response due to a thermal reaction and ( ii ) a spontaneous mechanical response in crystals and ( iii ) explains the role of molecular chirality in the handedness of the macroscopic mechanical response.

Decorative properties of annealed Ti N coatings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klubovich, V.V.; Rubanik, V.V.; Bagrets, D.A.

2012-01-01

The decorative properties of annealed TiN coatings on austenitic stainless steel which were formed by vacuum-arc deposition wen investigated. It was shown the principal possibility to control colour characteristics of TiN films due to heat treatment at different temperature and time that expand their usage as decorative coatings. (authors).

Thin film properties of triphenylamine-cored dendrimers: A molecular approach to control aggregation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vamvounis, George; Pivrikas, Almantas; Shaw, Paul E.; Burn, Paul L.

2013-01-01

The solid-state photophysical and charge transport properties of two first-generation dendrimers are presented. The dendrimers are comprised of a triphenylamine core, dendrons containing a phenyl branching unit with thiophene (Dendrimer 1) or bithiophene (Dendrimer 2) moieties, and dodecyl surface groups. For Dendrimer 1, the excited state is located within the center of the dendrimer giving rise to a moderate solid-state photoluminescence quantum yield (Φ pl ) (0.13) and significant charge trapping, with both observations due to the degree of overlap of the main electroactive chromophores on adjacent dendrimers. For Dendrimer 2, the excited state is located within the dendron and in the solid-state this leads to a strongly red-shifted and weakened emission (Φ pl ∼ 0.02) due to strong intermolecular chromophore interactions. For films of Dendrimer 2 the charge mobility was higher than Dendrimer 1 but was still limited by a low density of strongly interacting electroactive chromophores. The pronounced difference between the solid-state properties of the two dendrimers is simply engineered by the addition of an extra thiophene in each of the dendrons. - Highlights: • Photophysical and charge-transport properties of two dendrimers are investigated. • Excited-state is on the center for Dendrimer 1 and on the dendron for Dendrimer 2. • Film quantum yield of luminescence is higher for Dendrimer 1. • Dendrimer 1 displays greater charge trapping at high fields

Risk factors associated with sick leave due to work-related injuries in Dutch farmers: an exploratory case-control study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hartman, E.; Frankena, K.; Oude Vrielink, H.H.E.; Nielen, M.; Metz, J.H.M.; Huirne, R.B.M.

2004-01-01

Using data from an insurance company, the occurrence of sick leave among Dutch farmers due to work-related injuries, and the epidemiological risk factors were investigated. In this case-control study the cases had filed a sick leave claim for work-related injury from 19982001 and the controls had

DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION SIMULATION IN CALCULATION OF LATERAL AND TRANSVERSE-LONGITUDINAL BENDING OF FRAME STRUCTURES WITHOUT AND WITH DUE ACCOUNT OF VISCOELASTIC MATERIAL PROPERTIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. M. Ovsianko

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper reveals a brand-new direction in simulation of frame and continual structures while calculating static and dynamic loads and stability.  An electronic model has been synthesized  for an investigated object and then it has been analyzed not with the help of  specialized analog computing techniques but by means of high-performance software package for electronic circuit calculation using a personal computer.The given paper contains exact algebraic equations corresponding to differential equations for lateral bending calculation of frame structures without and with due account of viscoelastic material properties in compliance with the Kelvin model.The exact algebraic equation for a beam on elastic supports (or elastic Winkler foundation has been derived for quartic differential equation.The paper presents a number of exact algebraic equations which are equivalent to differential equations for transverse-longitudinal bending calculation of frame structures without and with due account of viscoelastic material properties when lateral and longitudinal loads are applied in the form of  impulses with any periods of their duration and any interchangeability. 

Control of Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomers by Restriction of Crystallization of Soft Segment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadaharu Nakamura

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomers based on either polyether or polycarbonate (PC-glycols, 4,4’-dipheylmethane diisocyanate (1,1’-methylenebis(4-isocyanatobenzene, 1,4-butanediol, were controlled by restriction of crystallization of polymer glycols. For the polyether glycol based-polyurethane elastomers (PUEs, poly(oxytetramethylene glycol (PTMG, and PTMG incorporating dimethyl groups (PTG-X and methyl side groups (PTG-L were employed as a polymer glycol. For the PC-glycol, the randomly copolymerized PC-glycols with hexamethylene (C6 and tetramethylene (C4 units between carbonate groups with various composition ratios (C4/C6 = 0/100, 50/50, 70/30 and 90/10 were employed. The degree of microphase separation and mechanical properties of both the PUEs were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic viscoelastic property measurements and tensile testing. Mechanical properties could be controlled by changing the molar ratio of two different monomer components.

Structure-function-property-design interplay in biopolymers: spider silk.

Science.gov (United States)

Tokareva, Olena; Jacobsen, Matthew; Buehler, Markus; Wong, Joyce; Kaplan, David L

2014-04-01

Spider silks have been a focus of research for almost two decades due to their outstanding mechanical and biophysical properties. Recent advances in genetic engineering have led to the synthesis of recombinant spider silks, thus helping to unravel a fundamental understanding of structure-function-property relationships. The relationships between molecular composition, secondary structures and mechanical properties found in different types of spider silks are described, along with a discussion of artificial spinning of these proteins and their bioapplications, including the role of silks in biomineralization and fabrication of biomaterials with controlled properties. Copyright © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thin film properties of triphenylamine-cored dendrimers: A molecular approach to control aggregation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vamvounis, George, E-mail: g.vamvounis@uq.edu.au; Pivrikas, Almantas; Shaw, Paul E.; Burn, Paul L.

2013-12-02

The solid-state photophysical and charge transport properties of two first-generation dendrimers are presented. The dendrimers are comprised of a triphenylamine core, dendrons containing a phenyl branching unit with thiophene (Dendrimer 1) or bithiophene (Dendrimer 2) moieties, and dodecyl surface groups. For Dendrimer 1, the excited state is located within the center of the dendrimer giving rise to a moderate solid-state photoluminescence quantum yield (Φ{sub pl}) (0.13) and significant charge trapping, with both observations due to the degree of overlap of the main electroactive chromophores on adjacent dendrimers. For Dendrimer 2, the excited state is located within the dendron and in the solid-state this leads to a strongly red-shifted and weakened emission (Φ{sub pl} ∼ 0.02) due to strong intermolecular chromophore interactions. For films of Dendrimer 2 the charge mobility was higher than Dendrimer 1 but was still limited by a low density of strongly interacting electroactive chromophores. The pronounced difference between the solid-state properties of the two dendrimers is simply engineered by the addition of an extra thiophene in each of the dendrons. - Highlights: • Photophysical and charge-transport properties of two dendrimers are investigated. • Excited-state is on the center for Dendrimer 1 and on the dendron for Dendrimer 2. • Film quantum yield of luminescence is higher for Dendrimer 1. • Dendrimer 1 displays greater charge trapping at high fields.

Fluorescence properties of valence-controlled Eu2+ and Mn2+ ions in aluminosilicate glasses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Tuyen, Ho; Nonaka, Takamasa; Yamanaka, Ken-ichi; Chau, Pham Minh; Quy Hai, Nguyen Thi; Quang, Vu Xuan; Nogami, Masayuki

2017-01-01

Controlling of valence states of metal ions doped in glasses has attracted considerable interest due to the possibility of looking toward optical applications. In this study, new Na 2 O-Al 2 O 3 -SiO 2 glasses were developed to dope Eu 2+ and Mn 2+ with well controlled valence states by heating in H 2 gas atmosphere, and the changes in the valence state of doped-ions and their fluorescence properties were investigated using visible and infrared optical absorption spectroscopies, X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Among Eu 3+ , Mn 3+ and Mn 2+ ions incorporated in the as-prepared glasses, the Eu 3+ and Mn 3+ ions were reduced to Eu 2+ and Mn 2+ ions, respectively, by heating in H 2 gas and OH bonds were concurrently formed. The fluorescence spectra of glasses heated in H 2 exhibited broad emission bands at 450 and 630 nm wavelength, assigned to the Eu 2+ and Mn 2+ , respectively, ions, in which the fluorescence intensity at 450 nm was observed to decrease with increasing Mn 2+ ion content. The increased fluorescence intensities were analyzed as the energy transfer from Eu 2+ to Mn 2+ ions and the energy transfer efficiency was estimated with a concentration of Eu 2+ and Mn 2+ ions.

Effect of Controlled Rolling and Cooling On Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of 30crmnti Wire Rod

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Shipeng; Dong, Qing; Zhang, Lei; Wang, Lijun

2017-09-01

The effect of controlled rolling and cooling on microstructure and mechanical properties of alloy structure steel 30CrMnTi wire rod with diameter 6.5mm was studied. The results show that the lower finish rolling temperature resulted in a decrease in tensile strength but an increase in elongation and reduction of area. When the finish rolling temperature decreases from 950°C to 850°C, the tensile strength value decreases from 750MPa to 660MPa, and the elongation increases from 21% to 30%, the reduction of area increases from 64% to 71%. The grain size also refines from 20μm to 9.9μm when the finish rolling temperature decreases from 950°C to 850°C. The decrease of tensile strength is due to the change of microstructure which evolved from more bainite to ferrite and pearlite.

Interface engineering for oxide electronics: tuning electronic properties by atomically controlled growth

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huijben, Mark

2006-01-01

The main aim of this thesis is to develop a controlled growth with atomic precision for the realization of artificial perovskite structures, to exploit the exceptional physical properties of complex oxide materials such as high-temperature superconductors and conducting interfaces between band

On the Structural and Electrical Properties of Metal-Ferroelectric ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

6

Click here to view linked References. 1 ... memory applications due to their unique electrical properties [1-2]. ... considerable attention for their application as the gate material for MFeIS ... and precisely controlled for a particular ferroelectric layer. ..... leading to decrease in the net polarization and memory retention capacity.

Biomaterial property-controlled stem cell fates for cardiac regeneration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanyi Xu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Myocardial infarction (MI affects more than 8 million people in the United States alone. Due to the insufficient regeneration capacity of the native myocardium, one widely studied approach is cardiac tissue engineering, in which cells are delivered with or without biomaterials and/or regulatory factors to fully regenerate the cardiac functions. Specifically, in vitro cardiac tissue engineering focuses on using biomaterials as a reservoir for cells to attach, as well as a carrier of various regulatory factors such as growth factors and peptides, providing high cell retention and a proper microenvironment for cells to migrate, grow and differentiate within the scaffolds before implantation. Many studies have shown that the full establishment of a functional cardiac tissue in vitro requires synergistic actions between the seeded cells, the tissue culture condition, and the biochemical and biophysical environment provided by the biomaterials-based scaffolds. Proper electrical stimulation and mechanical stretch during the in vitro culture can induce the ordered orientation and differentiation of the seeded cells. On the other hand, the various scaffolds biochemical and biophysical properties such as polymer composition, ligand concentration, biodegradability, scaffold topography and mechanical properties can also have a significant effect on the cellular processes.

Controlling the properties of graphene produced by electrochemical exfoliation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hofmann, Mario; D Nguyễn, Tuân; Chiang, Wan-Yu; Hsieh, Ya-Ping

2015-01-01

The synthesis of graphene with controllable electronic and mechanical characteristics is of significant importance for its application in various fields ranging from drug delivery to energy storage. Electrochemical exfoliation of graphite has yielded graphene with widely varying behavior and could be a suitable approach. Currently, however the limited understanding of the exfoliation process obstructs targeted modification of graphene properties. We here investigate the process of electrochemical exfoliation and the impact of its parameters on the produced graphene. Using in situ optical and electrical measurements we determine that solvent intercalation is the required first step and the degree of intercalation controls the thickness of the exfoliated graphene. Electrochemical decomposition of water into gas bubbles causes the expansion of graphite and controls the functionalization and lateral size of the exfoliated graphene. Both process steps proceed at different time scales and can be individually addressed through application of pulsed voltages. The potential of the presented approach was demonstrated by improving the performance of graphene-based transparent conductors by 30times. (paper)

Towards an adaptive model for greenhouse control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Speetjens, S.L.; Stigter, J.D.; Straten, van G.

2009-01-01

Application of advanced controllers in horticultural practice requires detailed models. Even highly sophisticated models require regular attention from the user due to changing circumstances like plant growth, changing material properties and modifications in greenhouse design and layout. Moreover,

Effect of Biometric Characteristics on the Change of Biomechanical Properties of the Human Cornea due to Cataract Surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xuefei Song

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. To determine the impact of biometric characteristics on changes of biomechanical properties of the human cornea due to standard cataract surgery using biomechanical analysis. Patients and Methods. This prospective consecutive cross-sectional study comprised 54 eyes with cataract in stages I or II that underwent phacoemulsification and IOL implantation. CH, CRF, IOPg, and IOPcc intraocular pressure were measured by biomechanical analysis preoperatively and at 1 month postoperatively. Changes (Δ were calculated as preoperative value versus postoperative value. Biometrical data were extracted from TMS-5 (CSI and SAI, IOLMaster (AL, and EM-3000 (CCT and ECC preoperatively. Results. The average values of the changes were ΔCH=-0.45±1.27 mmHg, ΔCRF=-0.88±1.1 mmHg, ΔIOPg=-1.58±3.15 mmHg, and ΔIOPcc=-1.45±3.93 mmHg. The higher the CSI the smaller the decrease in CH (r=0.302, P=0.028. The higher the CCT the larger the decrease in CRF (r=-0.371, P=0.013. The higher the AL the smaller the decrease in IOPg (r=0.417, P=0.005. The higher the AL, SAI, and EEC the smaller the decrease in IOPcc (r=0.351, P=0.001; r=-0.478, P<0.001; r=0.339, P=0.013. Conclusions. Corneal biomechanical properties were affected by comprehensive factors after cataract surgery, including corneal endothelium properties, biometry, and geometrical characteristics.

Closed-loop response properties of a visual interneuron involved in fly optomotor control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naveed eEjaz

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Due to methodological limitations neural function is mostly studied under open-loop conditions. Normally, however, nervous systems operate in closed-loop where sensory input is processed to generate behavioural outputs, which again change the sensory input. Here, we investigate the closed-loop responses of an identified visual interneuron, the blowfly H1-cell, that is part of a neural circuit involved in optomotor flight and gaze control. Those behaviours may be triggered by attitude changes during flight in turbulent air. The fly analyses the resulting retinal image shifts and performs compensatory body and head rotations to regain its default attitude. We developed a fly-robot interface to study H1-cell responses in a 1 degree-of-freedom image stabilization task. Image shifts, induced by externally forced rotations, modulate the cell’s spike rate that controls counter rotations of a mobile robot to minimize relative motion between the robot and its visual surroundings. A feedback controller closed the loop between neural activity and the rotation of the robot. Under these conditions we found the following H1-cell response properties: (i the peak spike rate decreases when the mean image velocity is increased, (ii the relationship between spike rate and image velocity depends on the standard deviation of the image velocities suggesting adaptive scaling of the cell’s signalling range, and (iii the cell’s gain decreases linearly with increasing image accelerations.Our results reveal a remarkable qualitative similarity between the response dynamics of the H1-cell under closed-loop conditions with those obtained in previous open-loop experiments. Finally, we show that the adaptive scaling of the H1-cell’s responses, while maximizing information on image velocity, decreases the cell’s sensitivity to image accelerations. Understanding such trade-offs in biological vision systems may advance the design of smart vision sensors for autonomous

Transport due to ion pressure gradient turbulence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connor, J.W.

1986-01-01

Turbulent transport due to the ion pressure gradient (or temperature drift) instability is thought to be significant when etasub(i)=d(ln Tsub(i))/d(ln n)>1. The invariance properties of the governing equations under scale transformations are used to discuss the characteristics of this turbulence. This approach not only clarifies the relationships between earlier treatments but also, in certain limits, completely determines the scaling properties of the fluctuations and the consequent thermal transport. (author)

36 CFR 1280.2 - What property is under the control of the Archivist of the United States?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 36 Parks, Forests, and Public Property 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What property is under the control of the Archivist of the United States? 1280.2 Section 1280.2 Parks, Forests, and Public Property NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION NARA FACILITIES USE OF NARA FACILITIES What Are the General...

EpideMiology and control measures of outBreaks due to Antibiotic-Resistant orGanisms in EurOpe (EMBARGO): a systematic review protocol

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nithya, B.R.; Gladstone, B.P.; Rodriguez-Bano, J.; Sifakis, F.; Voss, A.; Carmeli, Y.; Burkert, F.R.; Gkolia, P.; Tacconelli, E.

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Improving our understanding of outbreaks due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and their control is critical in the current public health scenario. The threat of outbreaks due to ARB requires multifaceted efforts. However, a global overview of epidemiological characteristics of

MnS spheres: Shape-controlled synthesis and its magnetic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qi, Kezhen [Institute of Catalysis for Energy and Environment, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang, 110034 (China); Key Laboratory of Advanced Energy Materials Chemistry (Ministry of Education), Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 (China); State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070 (China); Wang, Yan-Qin, E-mail: wangyanqin@tyut.edu.cn [Shanxi Key Lab. of Material Strength & Structural Impact, College of Mechanics, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan, 030024 (China); Rengaraj, Selvaraj, E-mail: srengaraj1971@yahoo.com [Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, 123 (Oman); Al Wahaibi, Bushra [Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, 123 (Oman); Mohamed Jahangir, A.R. [Biyaq Oil Field Services LLC, Mina Al Fahal, Muscat, 123 (Oman)

2017-06-01

Sphere-like MnS hierarchical microstructures were successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal approach, which are composed of the size tunable and self-assembled nanoparticles. These hierarchical microspheres are γ-MnS phase, which is confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) results, and the stoichiometry of MnS microspheres is checked by XPS measurement. Morphological studies performed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) method show that the as-prepared γ-MnS samples are hierarchical microspheres. The size and morphology of composed nanoparticles can be turned by the concentration of L-Cystein molecules. Here, L-Cystein not only plays a role of sulfur source but also capping agent. Furthermore, a rational mechanism about the formation and evolution of the products is proposed. The present work shows that the origin of the observed difference of magnetic properties is due to the morphology difference of MnS crystals. - Highlights: • Sphere-like MnS hierarchical microstructures were synthesized and characterized. • The size and morphology of MnS crystals can be turned by the concentration of L-Cystein molecules. • The morphology of MnS hierarchitectures exerts a remarkable effect on their magnetic property.

Age and Educational Inequalities in Smoking Cessation Due to Three Population-Level Tobacco Control Interventions: Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Netherlands Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Nagelhout, Gera E.; Crone, Matty R.; van den Putte, Bas; Willemsen, Marc C.; Fong, Geoffrey T.; de Vries, Hein

2013-01-01

This study aimed to examine age and educational inequalities in smoking cessation due to the implementation of a tobacco tax increase, smoke-free legislation and a cessation campaign. Longitudinal data from 962 smokers aged 15 years and older were used from three survey waves of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Netherlands Survey. The 2008…

Multichannel Selective Femtosecond Coherent Control Based on Symmetry Properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amitay, Zohar; Gandman, Andrey; Chuntonov, Lev; Rybak, Leonid

2008-01-01

We present and implement a new scheme for extended multichannel selective femtosecond coherent control based on symmetry properties of the excitation channels. Here, an atomic nonresonant two-photon absorption channel is coherently incorporated in a resonance-mediated (2+1) three-photon absorption channel. By proper pulse shaping, utilizing the invariance of the two-photon absorption to specific phase transformations of the pulse, the three-photon absorption is tuned independently over an order-of-magnitude yield range for any possible two-photon absorption yield. Noticeable is a set of ''two-photon dark pulses'' inducing widely tunable three-photon absorption

Health-related effects of early part-time sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiri, Rahman; Kausto, Johanna; Martimo, Kari-Pekka; Kaila-Kangas, Leena; Takala, Esa-Pekka; Viikari-Juntura, Eira

2013-01-01

Previously we reported that early part-time sick leave enhances return to work (RTW) among employees with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). This paper assesses the health-related effects of this intervention. Patients aged 18-60 years who were unable to perform their regular work due to MSD were randomized to part- or full-time sick leave groups. In the former, workload was reduced by halving working time. Using validated questionnaires, we assessed pain intensity and interference with work and sleep, region-specific disability due to MSD, self-rated general health, health-related quality of life (measured via EuroQol), productivity loss, depression, and sleep disturbance at baseline, 1, 3, 8, 12, and 52 weeks. We analyzed the repeated measures data (171-356 observations) with the generalized estimating equation approach. The intervention (part-time sick leave) and control (full-time sick leave) groups did not differ with regard to pain intensity, pain interference with work and sleep, region-specific disability, productivity loss, depression, or sleep disturbance. The intervention group reported better self-rated general health (adjusted P=0.07) and health-related quality of life (adjusted P=0.02) than the control group. In subgroup analyses, the intervention was more effective among the patients whose current problem began occurring part-time sick leave did not exacerbate pain-related symptoms and functional disability, but improved self-rated general health and health-related quality of life in the early stage of work disability due to MSD.

Magnetic properties of partially oxidized Fe films

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, Miguel Angel; Lopez-Dominguez, Victor; Hernando, Antonio

Hybrid magnetic nanostructures exhibit appealing properties due to interface and proximity effects. A simple and interesting system of hybrid magnetic nanomaterials are partially oxidized ferromagnetic films. We have fabricated Fe films by thermal evaporation and performed a partial oxidation to magnetite (Fe3O4) by annealing in air at different times and temperatures. The magnetic properties of the films evolve from those of pure metallic iron to pure magnetite, showing intermediate states where the proximity effects control the magnetic behavior. At some stages, the magnetization curves obtained by SQUID and MOKE magnetometry exhibit important differences due to the dissimilar contribution of both phases to the magneto-optical response of the system This work has been supported by the Ministerio Español de Economia y Competitividad (MINECO) MAT2013-48009-C4-1. V.L.D and M.A.G. acknowledges financial support from BBVA foundation.

Intelligent sensor in control systems for objects with changing thermophysical properties

Science.gov (United States)

Belousov, O. A.; Muromtsev, D. Yu; Belyaev, M. P.

2018-04-01

The control of heat devices in a wide temperature range given thermophysical properties of an object is a topical issue. Optimal control systems of electric furnaces have to meet strict requirements in terms of accuracy of production procedures and efficiency of energy consumption. The fulfillment of these requirements is possible only if the dynamics model describing adequately the processes occurring in the furnaces is used to calculate the optimal control actions. One of the types of electric furnaces is the electric chamber furnace intended for heat treatment of various materials at temperatures from thousands of degrees Celsius and above. To solve the above-mentioned problem and to determine its place in the system of energy-efficient control of dynamic modes in the electric furnace, we propose the concept of an intelligent sensor and a method of synthesizing variables on sets of functioning states. The use of synthesis algorithms for optimal control in real time ensures the required accuracy when operating under different conditions and operating modes of the electric chamber furnace.

A plasmonic fluid with dynamically tunable optical properties

KAUST Repository

Bhattacharjee, Rama Ranjan; Li, Ruipeng; Esté vez, Luis Antonio; Smilgies, Detlef Matthias; Amassian, Aram; Giannelis, Emmanuel P.

2009-01-01

We report the first synthesis of a gold nanorod (GNR)-based nanocomposite that exhibits solid-like plasmonic properties while behaving in a liquid-like manner. Tuning the degree of GNR clustering controls the material's responsiveness to external stimuli, such as mechanical shearing, due to the sensitivity of the localized surface plasmon resonance to interparticle interactions. © 2009 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

A plasmonic fluid with dynamically tunable optical properties

KAUST Repository

Bhattacharjee, Rama Ranjan

2009-01-01

We report the first synthesis of a gold nanorod (GNR)-based nanocomposite that exhibits solid-like plasmonic properties while behaving in a liquid-like manner. Tuning the degree of GNR clustering controls the material\\'s responsiveness to external stimuli, such as mechanical shearing, due to the sensitivity of the localized surface plasmon resonance to interparticle interactions. © 2009 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

Low temperature carrier transport properties in isotopically controlled germanium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Itoh, Kohei [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States)

1994-12-01

Investigations of electronic and optical properties of semiconductors often require specimens with extremely homogeneous dopant distributions and precisely controlled net-carrier concentrations and compensation ratios. The previous difficulties in fabricating such samples are overcome as reported in this thesis by growing high-purity Ge single crystals of controlled ⁷⁵Ge and ⁷⁰Ge isotopic compositions, and doping these crystals by the neutron transmutation doping (NTD) technique. The resulting net-impurity concentrations and the compensation ratios are precisely determined by the thermal neutron fluence and the [⁷⁴Ge]/[⁷⁰Ge] ratios of the starting Ge materials, respectively. This method also guarantees unprecedented doping uniformity. Using such samples the authors have conducted four types of electron (hole) transport studies probing the nature of (1) free carrier scattering by neutral impurities, (2) free carrier scattering by ionized impurities, (3) low temperature hopping conduction, and (4) free carrier transport in samples close to the metal-insulator transition.

Review of the status of nondestructive measurement techniques to quantify material property degradation due to aging and planning for further evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boyd, D.M.; Bruemmer, S.M.; Green, E.R.; Schuster, G.J.; Simonen, E.P.

1989-01-01

The materials used in nuclear reactors are inspected periodically during the service life of the power plant to detect degradation that might occur. These inspections follow the rules specified in Section XI of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. These inspections are designed to detect service-induced failure mechanisms. This program is designed not to look at the detection of defects but the marking of nondestructive measurements to quantify the material properties that a defect may reside in or the incipient condition(s) that may initiate a defect. This program is intended to provide an assessment of the technologies that are available to quantify with nondestructive measurements material properties or material property changes related to degradation due to aging of structural components in light water reactors. In addition, a program plan will be developed that describes the work necessary to create adequate engineering data bases for demonstrating and validating prototypic systems for making these measurements. The main thrust this year has been an extensive review of literature and an assessment of the technology. The second major activity was the planning of a workshop to bring together 30 leading experts in materials and NDE to discuss the state-of-the-art and to address where future work should go

Review of the status of nondestructive measurement techniques to quantify material property degradation due to aging and planning for further evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doctor, S.R.; Boyd, D.M.; Bruemmer, S.M.; Green, E.R.; Schuster, G.J.; Simonen, E.P.

1989-01-01

The materials used in nuclear reactors are inspected periodically during the service life of the power plant to detect degradation that might occur. These inspections follow the rules specified in Section XI of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. These inspections are designed to detect service-induced failure mechanisms. This program is designed not to look at the detection of defects but the making of nondestructive measurements to quantify the material properties that a defect may reside in or the incipient condition(s) that may initiate a defect. This program is intended to provide an assessment of the technologies that are available to quantify with nondestructive measurements material properties or material property changes related to degradation due to aging of structural components in light water reactors. In addition, a program plan will be developed that describes the work necessary to create adequate engineering data bases for demonstrating and validating prototypic systems for making these measurements. The main thrust this year has been an extensive review of literature and an assessment of the technology. The second major activity was the planning of a workshop to bring together 30 leading experts in materials and nondestructive evaluation to discuss the state-of-the-art and to address where future work should go

Arduino Due based tool to facilitate in vivo two-photon excitation microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Artoni, Pietro; Landi, Silvia; Sato, Sebastian Sulis; Luin, Stefano; Ratto, Gian Michele

2016-04-01

Two-photon excitation spectroscopy is a powerful technique for the characterization of the optical properties of genetically encoded and synthetic fluorescent molecules. Excitation spectroscopy requires tuning the wavelength of the Ti:sapphire laser while carefully monitoring the delivered power. To assist laser tuning and the control of delivered power, we developed an Arduino Due based tool for the automatic acquisition of high quality spectra. This tool is portable, fast, affordable and precise. It allowed studying the impact of scattering and of blood absorption on two-photon excitation light. In this way, we determined the wavelength-dependent deformation of excitation spectra occurring in deep tissues in vivo.

Controlling steady-state and dynamical properties of atomic optical bistability

CERN Document Server

Joshi, Amitabh

2012-01-01

This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the theoretical and experimental studies of atomic optical bistability and multistability, and their dynamical properties in systems with two- and three-level inhomogeneously-broadened atoms inside an optical cavity. By making use of the modified linear absorption and dispersion, as well as the greatly enhanced nonlinearity in the three-level electromagnetically induced transparency system, the optical bistablity and efficient all-optical switching can be achieved at relatively low laser powers, which can be well controlled and manipulated. Un

Preparation and hygrothermal properties of composite phase change humidity control materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Zhi; Qin, Menghao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A new kind of phase change humidity control material (PCHCM) was prepared. • The PCHCM can moderate both the indoor temperature and humidity. • The silicon dioxide shell can improve the thermal properties of the composite. • The PCM microcapsules can improve the moisture buffer ability of the composite. • The CPCM/vesuvianite composite has a better hygrothermal performance than pure hygroscopic material. - Abstract: A novel phase change humidity control material (PCHCM) was prepared by using PCM microcapsules and different hygroscopic porous materials. The PCHCM composite can regulate the indoor hygrothermal environment by absorbing or releasing both heat and moisture. The PCM microcapsules were synthesized with methyl triethoxysilane by the sol–gel method. The vesuvianite, sepiolite and zeolite were used as hygroscopic materials. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to measure the morphology profiles of the microcapsules and PCHCM. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) were used to determine the thermal properties and thermal stability. Both the moisture transfer coefficient and moisture buffer value (MBV) of different PCHCMs were measured by the improved cup method. The DSC results showed that the SiO 2 shell can reduce the super-cooling degree of PCM. The super-cooling degrees of microcapsules and PCHCM are lower than that of the pure PCM. The onset temperature of thermal degradation of the microcapsules and PCHCMs is higher than that of pure PCM. Both the moisture transfer coefficient and MBV of PCHCMs are higher than that of the pure hygroscopic materials. The results indicated the PCHCMs have better thermal properties and moisture buffer ability.

Quality Control and Due Diligence in Project Management: Getting Decisions Right by Taking the Outside View

OpenAIRE

Bent Flyvbjerg

2013-01-01

This paper explores how theories of the planning fallacy and the outside view may be used to conduct quality control and due diligence in project management. First, a much-neglected issue in project management is identified, namely that the front-end estimates of costs and benefits--used in the business cases, cost-benefit analyses, and social and environmental impact assessments that typically support decisions on projects--are typically significantly different from actual ex post costs and ...

Sticking properties of ice grains

Science.gov (United States)

Jongmanns, M.; Kumm, M.; Wurm, G.; Wolf, D. E.; Teiser, J.

2017-06-01

We study the size dependence of pull-off forces of water ice in laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. To determine the pull-off force in our laboratory experiments, we use a liquid nitrogen cooled centrifuge. Depending on its rotation frequency, spherical ice grains detach due to the centrifugal force which is related to the adhesive properties. Numerical simulations are conducted by means of molecular dynamics simulations of hexagonal ice using a standard coarse-grained water potential. The pull-off force of a single contact between two spherical ice grains is measured due to strain controlled simulations. Both, the experimental study and the simulations reveal a dependence between the pull-off force and the (reduced) particle radii, which differ significantly from the linear dependence of common contact theories.

Controlled synthesis and magnetic properties of monodispersed ceria nanoparticles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sumeet Kumar

2015-02-01

Full Text Available In the present study, monodispersed CeO2 nanoparticles (NPs of size 8.5 ± 1.0, 11.4 ± 1.0 and 15.4 ± 1.0 nm were synthesized using the sol-gel method. Size-dependent structural, optical and magnetic properties of as-prepared samples were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD, field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM, high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM, ultra-violet visible (UV-VIS spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM measurements. The value of optical band gap is calculated for each particle size. The decrease in the value of optical band gap with increase of particle size may be attributed to the quantum confinement, which causes to produce localized states created by the oxygen vacancies due to the conversion of Ce4+ into Ce3+ at higher calcination temperature. The Raman spectra showed a peak at ∼461 cm-1 for the particle size 8.5 nm, which is attributed to the 1LO phonon mode. The shift in the Raman peak could be due to lattice strain developed due to variation in particle size. Weak ferromagnetism at room temperature is observed for each particle size. The values of saturation magnetization (Ms, coercivity (Hc and retentivity (Mr are increased with increase of particle size. The increase of Ms and Mr for larger particle size may be explained by increase of density of oxygen vacancies at higher calcination temperature. The latter causes high concentrations of Ce3+ ions activate more coupling between the individual magnetic moments of the Ce ions, leading to an increase of Ms value with the particle size. Moreover, the oxygen vacancies may also produce magnetic moment by polarizing spins of f electrons of cerium (Ce ions located around oxygen vacancies, which causes ferromagnetism in pure CeO2 samples.

HYDRAULIC CONCRETE COMPOSITION AND PROPERTIES CONTROL SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. M. Pshinko

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Purpose. Scientific work aims at the development and testing of information system to meet the challenges of concrete composition design and control (for railway structures and buildings based on the physico-analytical method algorithm for hydraulic concrete composition calculation. Methodology. The proposed algorithm of hydraulic concrete composition calculation is based on the physicochemical mechanics and in particular on the rheology of elastic–viscous–plastic bodies. The system of canonical equations consists of the equations for concrete strength, absolute volume, concrete mix consistency as well as the equation for optimal concrete saturation with aggregates while minimizing cement content. The joint solution of these four equations related to composition allows determining for the materials the concrete composition of required strength, concrete workability with minimum cement content. The procedure for calculation of hydraulic concrete composition according to the physico-analytical method consists of two parts: 1 physical, which is laboratory testing of concrete mix components in different concrete compositions; 2 analytical, which represents the calculation algorithm for concrete compositions equivalent in concrete strength and workability that comply with the specific conditions of concrete placing. Findings. To solve the problem of designing the concrete composition with the desired properties for railway structures and buildings it was proposed to use the information technology in the form of a developed computer program whose algorithm includes the physico-analytical method for hydraulic concrete composition determination. Originality. The developed concrete composition design method takes into account the basic properties of raw materials, concrete mix and concrete, which are pre-determined. The distinctive feature of physico-analytical method is obtaining of a set of equivalent compositions with a certain concrete mix

Hydration Control of the Mechanical and Dynamical Properties of Cellulose

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petridis, Loukas; O’Neill, Hugh M.; Johnsen, Mariah [Ripon College, Ripon, Wisconsin 54971, United States; Fan, Bingxin [Department; Schulz, Roland [Department; Mamontov, Eugene; Maranas, Janna [Department; Langan, Paul [Department; Smith, Jeremy C. [Department

2014-10-13

The mechanical and dynamical properties of cellulose, the most abundant biomolecule on earth, are essential for its function in plant cell walls and advanced biomaterials. Cellulose is almost always found in a hydrated state, and it is therefore important to understand how hydration influences its dynamics and mechanics. Here, the nanosecond-time scale dynamics of cellulose is characterized using dynamic neutron scattering experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The experiments reveal that hydrated samples exhibit a higher average mean-square displacement above ~240 K. The MD simulation reveals that the fluctuations of the surface hydroxymethyl atoms determine the experimental temperature and hydration dependence. The increase in the conformational disorder of the surface hydroxymethyl groups with temperature follows the cellulose persistence length, suggesting a coupling between structural and mechanical properties of the biopolymer. In the MD simulation, 20% hydrated cellulose is more rigid than the dry form, due to more closely packed cellulose chains and water molecules bridging cellulose monomers with hydrogen bonds. This finding may have implications for understanding the origin of strength and rigidity of secondary plant cell walls. The detailed characterization obtained here describes how hydration-dependent increased fluctuations and hydroxymethyl disorder at the cellulose surface lead to enhancement of the rigidity of this important biomolecule.

Endogenous property rights

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dari-Mattiacci, G.; Guerriero, C.

2014-01-01

Albeit the relevance of property rights is well known, their determinants are still poorly understood. When property is fully protected, some buyers with valuation higher than that of original owners are inefficiently excluded from trade due to transaction costs. When protection of property is weak,

Net analyte signal based statistical quality control

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Skibsted, E.T.S.; Boelens, H.F.M.; Westerhuis, J.A.; Smilde, A.K.; Broad, N.W.; Rees, D.R.; Witte, D.T.

2005-01-01

Net analyte signal statistical quality control (NAS-SQC) is a new methodology to perform multivariate product quality monitoring based on the net analyte signal approach. The main advantage of NAS-SQC is that the systematic variation in the product due to the analyte (or property) of interest is

Some properties of Cerenkov radiation due to the finite thickness of the radiator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobzev, A.P.; Frank, I.M.

1981-01-01

The properties of Cerenkov radiation are analyzed for a small radiator thickness. It is shown that the directionality of the radiation, its threshold properties, and also the dependence on the electron energy and radiator thickness differ substantially from the well known characteristics of Cerenkov radiation corresponding to the case of an unlimited particle trajectory in an extended medium. We have experimentally studied the directionality and energy characteristics of radiation excited by electrons in a mica target of thickness 12 400 A at wavelength 4000 A. The experimental results are in good agreement with the calculations

25 CFR 900.58 - Do the same accountability and control procedures described above apply to Federal property?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Do the same accountability and control procedures described above apply to Federal property? 900.58 Section 900.58 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS... Organization Management Systems Property Management System Standards § 900.58 Do the same accountability and...

Nanomanufacturing of titania interfaces with controlled structural and functional properties by supersonic cluster beam deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Podestà, Alessandro; Borghi, Francesca; Indrieri, Marco; Bovio, Simone; Piazzoni, Claudio; Milani, Paolo

2015-01-01

Great emphasis is placed on the development of integrated approaches for the synthesis and the characterization of ad hoc nanostructured platforms, to be used as templates with controlled morphology and chemical properties for the investigation of specific phenomena of great relevance in interdisciplinary fields such as biotechnology, medicine, and advanced materials. Here, we discuss the crucial role and the advantages of thin film deposition strategies based on cluster-assembling from supersonic cluster beams. We select cluster-assembled nanostructured titania (ns-TiO 2 ) as a case study to demonstrate that accurate control over morphological parameters can be routinely achieved, and consequently, over several relevant interfacial properties and phenomena, like surface charging in a liquid electrolyte, and proteins and nanoparticles adsorption. In particular, we show that the very good control of nanoscale morphology is obtained by taking advantage of simple scaling laws governing the ballistic deposition regime of low-energy, mass-dispersed clusters with reduced surface mobility

Nanomanufacturing of titania interfaces with controlled structural and functional properties by supersonic cluster beam deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Podestà, Alessandro, E-mail: alessandro.podesta@mi.infn.it, E-mail: pmilani@mi.infn.it; Borghi, Francesca; Indrieri, Marco; Bovio, Simone; Piazzoni, Claudio; Milani, Paolo, E-mail: alessandro.podesta@mi.infn.it, E-mail: pmilani@mi.infn.it [Centro Interdisciplinare Materiali e Interfacce Nanostrutturati (C.I.Ma.I.Na.), Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Milano, via Celoria 16, 20133 Milano (Italy)

2015-12-21

Great emphasis is placed on the development of integrated approaches for the synthesis and the characterization of ad hoc nanostructured platforms, to be used as templates with controlled morphology and chemical properties for the investigation of specific phenomena of great relevance in interdisciplinary fields such as biotechnology, medicine, and advanced materials. Here, we discuss the crucial role and the advantages of thin film deposition strategies based on cluster-assembling from supersonic cluster beams. We select cluster-assembled nanostructured titania (ns-TiO{sub 2}) as a case study to demonstrate that accurate control over morphological parameters can be routinely achieved, and consequently, over several relevant interfacial properties and phenomena, like surface charging in a liquid electrolyte, and proteins and nanoparticles adsorption. In particular, we show that the very good control of nanoscale morphology is obtained by taking advantage of simple scaling laws governing the ballistic deposition regime of low-energy, mass-dispersed clusters with reduced surface mobility.

Nanomanufacturing of titania interfaces with controlled structural and functional properties by supersonic cluster beam deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Podestà, Alessandro; Borghi, Francesca; Indrieri, Marco; Bovio, Simone; Piazzoni, Claudio; Milani, Paolo

2015-12-01

Great emphasis is placed on the development of integrated approaches for the synthesis and the characterization of ad hoc nanostructured platforms, to be used as templates with controlled morphology and chemical properties for the investigation of specific phenomena of great relevance in interdisciplinary fields such as biotechnology, medicine, and advanced materials. Here, we discuss the crucial role and the advantages of thin film deposition strategies based on cluster-assembling from supersonic cluster beams. We select cluster-assembled nanostructured titania (ns-TiO2) as a case study to demonstrate that accurate control over morphological parameters can be routinely achieved, and consequently, over several relevant interfacial properties and phenomena, like surface charging in a liquid electrolyte, and proteins and nanoparticles adsorption. In particular, we show that the very good control of nanoscale morphology is obtained by taking advantage of simple scaling laws governing the ballistic deposition regime of low-energy, mass-dispersed clusters with reduced surface mobility.

Electrical Control of Metallic Heavy-Metal-Ferromagnet Interfacial States

Science.gov (United States)

Bi, Chong; Sun, Congli; Xu, Meng; Newhouse-Illige, Ty; Voyles, Paul M.; Wang, Weigang

2017-09-01

Voltage-control effects provide an energy-efficient means of tailoring material properties, especially in highly integrated nanoscale devices. However, only insulating and semiconducting systems can be controlled so far. In metallic systems, there is no electric field due to electron screening effects and thus no such control effect exists. Here, we demonstrate that metallic systems can also be controlled electrically through ionic rather than electronic effects. In a Pt /Co structure, the control of the metallic Pt /Co interface can lead to unprecedented control effects on the magnetic properties of the entire structure. Consequently, the magnetization and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of the Co layer can be independently manipulated to any desired state, the efficient spin toques can be enhanced about 3.5 times, and the switching current can be reduced about one order of magnitude. This ability to control a metallic system may be extended to control other physical phenomena.

Al/Cu Dissimilar Friction Stir Welding with Ni, Ti, and Zn Foil as the Interlayer for Flow Control, Enhancing Mechanical and Metallurgical Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, Prakash Kumar; Pal, Sukhomay; Pal, Surjya K.

2017-07-01

This research investigates the effects of Ni, Ti, and Zn foil as interlayer, inserted between the faying edges of Al and Cu plates, for controlled intermetallic compound (IMC) formation. The weld tensile strength with Ti and Zn as interlayer is superior to Al base metal strength. This is due to controlled flow of IMCs by diffused Ti interlayer and thin, continuous, and uniform IMC formation in the case of Zn interlayer. Improved flexural stress was observed with interlayer. Weld microhardness varied with different interlayers and purely depends on IMCs present at the indentation point, flow of IMCs, and interlayer hardness. Specimens with interlayer failed at the interface of the nugget and thermomechanical-affected zone (TMAZ) with complete and broken three-dimensional (3-D) grains, indicating transgranular fracture. Phase analysis revealed that Al/Cu IMCs are impeded by Ni and Ti interlayer. The minor binary and ternary IMC phases form adjacent to the interlayer due to diffusion of the material with Al/Cu. Line scan and elemental mapping indicate thin, continuous, and uniform IMCs with enhanced weld metallurgical and mechanical properties for the joints with Zn interlayer. Macrostructural analysis revealed IMC flow variations with and without interlayer. Variation in grain size at different zones is also observed for different interlayers.

Swelling and mechanical properties of physically crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, Atsushi; Sasaki, Saori

2015-12-01

Physically crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) gels are versatile biomaterials due to their excellent biocompatibility. In the past decades, physically crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(vinyl alcohol)-based hydrogels have been extensively studied for biomedical applications. However, these materials have not yet been implemented due to their mechanical strength. Physically crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) gels consist of a swollen amorphous network of poly(vinyl alcohol) physically crosslinked by microcrystallites. Although the mechanical properties can be improved to some extent by controlling the distribution of microcrystallites on the nano- and micro-scales, enhancing the mechanical properties while maintaining high water content remains very difficult. It may be technologically impossible to significantly improve the mechanical properties while keeping the gel's high water absorbance ability using conventional fabrication methods. Physical and chemical understandings of the swelling and mechanical properties of physically crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) gels are considered here; some promising strategies for their practical applications are presented. This review focuses more on the recent studies on swelling and mechanical properties of poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels, prepared using only poly(vinyl alcohol) and pure water with no other chemicals, as potential biomedical materials. © IMechE 2015.

Ultrafast control and monitoring of material properties using terahertz pulses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bowlan, Pamela Renee [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States). Lab. for Ultrafast Materials Optical Science (LUMOS)

2016-05-02

These are a set of slides on ultrafast control and monitoring of material properties using terahertz pulses. A few of the topics covered in these slides are: How fast is a femtosecond (fs), Different frequencies probe different properties of molecules or solids, What can a THz pulse do to a material, Ultrafast spectroscopy, Generating and measuring ultrashort THz pulses, Tracking ultrafast spin dynamics in antiferromagnets through spin wave resonances, Coherent two-dimensional THz spectroscopy, and Probing vibrational dynamics at a surface. Conclusions are: Coherent two-dimensional THz spectroscopy: a powerful approach for studying coherence and dynamics of low energy resonances. Applying this to graphene we investigated the very strong THz light mater interaction which dominates over scattering. Useful for studying coupled excitations in multiferroics and monitoring chemical reactions. Also, THz-pump, SHG-probe spectoscopy: an ultrafast, surface sensitive probe of atomic-scale symmetry changes and nonlinear phonon dymanics. We are using this in Bi₂Se₃ to investigate the nonlinear surface phonon dynamics. This is potentially very useful for studying catalysis.

Sticking properties of ice grains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jongmanns M.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available We study the size dependence of pull-off forces of water ice in laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. To determine the pull-off force in our laboratory experiments, we use a liquid nitrogen cooled centrifuge. Depending on its rotation frequency, spherical ice grains detach due to the centrifugal force which is related to the adhesive properties. Numerical simulations are conducted by means of molecular dynamics simulations of hexagonal ice using a standard coarse-grained water potential. The pull-off force of a single contact between two spherical ice grains is measured due to strain controlled simulations. Both, the experimental study and the simulations reveal a dependence between the pull-off force and the (reduced particle radii, which differ significantly from the linear dependence of common contact theories.

Analysis and evaluation of atom level composition variation and property change due to materials irradiation damage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furuya, Kazuo; Takeguchi, Masaki; Mitsuishi, Kazuki; Song Menhi; Saito, Tetsuya

2000-01-01

This study aims at general elucidation of atom level composition variation due to radiation damage and property change accompanied with this under intending to stressing application of the in-situ analysis and evaluation apparatus on material radiation damage. Then, by using the electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) capable of showing a power in composition analysis at microscopic region, measurement of EELS on crystal structure change after heat treatment of Xe precipitation was carried out under parallel of its high resolution observation. As a result, a precipitation with less than 30 nm in diameter was observed on a specimen inserted at 473 K. Xe precipitates in crystalline state began to change at 623 K, to be perfectly gassy state at 773 K. In an energy filter image (EFI) using low loss of Xe, distribution of crystalline and non-crystalline Xe was observed. In EELS, peaks at 14.6 and 15.3 eV were observed in 300 and 773 K, respectively, which were thought to be plasmon. And, difference of peak position at the core loss was thought to reflex difference of Xe state at 300 and 773 K. (G.K.)

Controlled growth of Au nanoparticles in co-evaporated metal/polymer composite films and their optical and electrical properties

Science.gov (United States)

Takele, H.; Schürmann, U.; Greve, H.; Paretkar, D.; Zaporojtchenko, V.; Faupel, F.

2006-02-01

Nanocomposite films containing Au nanoparticles embedded in a polymer matrix were prepared by vapour phase co-deposition of Au and polymers (Teflon AF and Poly(α -methylstyrene)) in high vacuum. The microstructure of the composite materials as well as metal content strongly depend on the condensation coefficient of the Au atoms, the deposition rates of the components, the substrate temperature, and the type of polymer matrix. The condensation coefficient, which varies between 0.03 and 1, was determined from energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) and surface profilometry. It is shown that the microstructure of nanocomposites (size, size distribution, and interparticle separation of metal clusters), which was determined by transmission electron microscopy, can be controlled by the deposition parameters and the choice of polymer matrix. The optical absorption in the visible region due to the particle plasmon resonance has a strong dependence on the metal filling factor. The correlation between the microstructure of nanocomposites and optical properties, studied using UV-Vis spectroscopy, was also established. Further more, the electrical properties of the composites were studied as a function of the metal volume fraction. It was observed that the nanocomposite films exhibit a percolation threshold at a metal volume fraction of 0.43 and 0.20 for gold nanoclusters in Teflon AF and Poly(α-methylstyrene), respectively.

Absenteeism due to mental health problems and systems for return to work: an internet-based unmatched case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Doki, Shotaro; Sasahara, Shinichiro; Hirai, Yasuhito; Oi, Yuichi; Matsuzaki, Ichiyo

2016-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for absenteeism due to mental health problems with regard to company characteristics and systems for return to work in Japan. This was an Internet-based unmatched case-control study. Two hundred and fifty-eight workers who experienced over 28 days of sick leave due to mental health problems (cases) and 258 workers who have not taken sick leave (controls) were recruited. Company characteristics and the awareness and presence of systems for return to work were analysed as indicators of absenteeism. A total of 501 workers were included in the analysis. Females were less likely to experience absenteeism when adjustments were made for both the awareness and presence of systems [odds ratio (OR) = 0.51 and 0.41, respectively]. Large companies showed an increased risk of having absentee workers than small companies. The awareness of a gradual resumption system and the presence of a sick pay system were related to absenteeism (OR = 2.75 and 2.40, respectively). The awareness and presence of systems for return to work are related to the long-term absenteeism. The predictors of sex and company size are also related to the experience of the long-term absenteeism. To understand the effect of systems for return to work on absenteeism due to mental problems, further studies are needed.

Tuning electronic properties of In2O3 nanowires by doping control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lei, B.; Li, C.; Zhang, D.; Tang, D.; Zhou, C.

2004-01-01

We present two effective routes to tune the electronic properties of single-crystalline In 2 O 3 nanowires by controlling the doping. The first method involves using different O 2 concentrations during the synthesis. Lightly (heavily) doped nanowires were produced by using high (low) O 2 concentrations, respectively, as revealed by the conductances and threshold voltages of nanowire-based field-effect transistors. Our second method exploits post-synthesis baking, as baking heavily doped nanowires in ambient air led to suppressed conduction and a positive shift of the threshold voltage, whereas baking lightly doped nanowires in vacuum displayed the opposite behavior. Our approaches offer viable ways to tune the electronic properties of many nonstoichiometric metal oxide systems such as In 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , and ZnO nanowires for various applications

Ultrafast optical control of the electronic properties of ZrTe5

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crepaldi, Alberto; Cilento, Federico [Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste (Italy); Manzoni, Giulia; Sterzi, Andrea; Diego, Michele [Universita degli Studi di Trieste (Italy); Kuhn, Timo; Gragnaniello, Luca; Fonin, Mikhail [University of Konstanz (Germany); Autes, Gabriel; Bugnon, Philippe; Magrez, Arnaud; Berger, Helmuth; Yazyev, Oleg; Grioni, Marco [EPFL (Switzerland); Zacchigna, Michele [C.N.R.-I.O.M. (Italy); Parmigiani, Fulvio [Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste (Italy); Universita degli Studi di Trieste (Italy)

2016-07-01

ZrTe5 has recently attracted considerable interest owing to some unique, albeit only partially understood, properties. The electrical resistivity exhibits a peak at a temperature where the nature of the charge carriers changes from holes to electrons. The observed negative magneto-resistance has been attributed to the presence of Dirac particles, either three-dimensional or two-dimensional and spin-polarized. Our time and angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (tr-ARPES) study has addressed the origin of the anomalous transport behavior of ZrTe5, while showing the possibility to control the electronic properties of this material via sub-ps IR laser pulses. These observations open the way to the exploitation of ZrTe5 as a platform for magnetoelectric optical and thermoelectric transport applications. Finally, by combining ab initio calculations, ARPES and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) we are contributing to shed light on the topological nature of ZrTe5, which is shown to be close to transition between strong and weak topological insulator phases.

Are there Traps in Quantum Control Landscapes?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pechen, Alexander N.; Tannor, David J.

2011-01-01

There has been great interest in recent years in quantum control landscapes. Given an objective J that depends on a control field ε the dynamical landscape is defined by the properties of the Hessian δ 2 J/δε 2 at the critical points δJ/δε=0. We show that contrary to recent claims in the literature the dynamical control landscape can exhibit trapping behavior due to the existence of special critical points and illustrate this finding with an example of a 3-level Λ system. This observation can have profound implications for both theoretical and experimental quantum control studies.

Control of amorphous films properties in the case of combined sputtering of targets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okunev, V.D.; Yurov, A.G.

1979-01-01

A possibility of controlling amorphous film properties produced by combined sputtering of two targets: was investigated one of the targets was made of a basis material-polycrystalline CdGeAs 2 , the other one was made of a material of additives. As the additives the Ni,Co elements with low chemical activity and the Cu,Te additives with high chemical activity were used. Besides, to study the effect of deviation from amorphous CdGeAs 2 stoichiometry on film properties, the Gd,Ge,As additives were investigated. The various additives influence on electric conductivity of amorphous films has been studied. It is shown that approximately 1 at% Ni or Co contents results in reducing film specific resistance by 6 orders. Cu and Te introduction results in the change of the structure and type of amorphous layer conductivity. The conclusion has been drawn, that introduction of the elements with high chemical activity can be used as the method of producing films with new physicochemical properties

The Functionalization, Size Control and Properties of Metal-Organic Frameworks

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Xu, Hui; Iversen, Bo Brummerstedt

Recent years, Metal-Organic Framework (MOF) materials have drawn great attentions due to their potential applications in gas sorption/separation and luminescent sensing. In this dissertation, the recent progress of MOF materials is reviewed, with specific focus on the functionalization, size....... A nanoscale MOF material with controllable size was realized whose morphology has been simulated base on the BFDH method, and the sensing of bacteria endospores was research in detail. We also report the synthesis and sensing of nitroaromatic explosives of a nanoscale MOF material....

Morphology and interdiffusion control to improve adhesion and cohesion properties in inverted polymer solar cells

KAUST Repository

Dupont, Stephanie R.

2015-01-01

© 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. The role of pre-electrode deposition annealing on the morphology and the fracture properties of polymer solar cells is discussed. We found an increase in adhesion at the weak P3HT:PCBM/PEDOT:PSS interface with annealing temperature, caused by increased interdiffusion between the organic layers. The formation of micrometer sized PCBM crystallites, which occurs with annealing above the crystallization temperature of PCBM, initially weakened the P3HT:PCBM layer itself. Further annealing improved the cohesion, due to a pull-out toughening mechanism of the growing PCBM clusters. Understanding how the morphology, tuned by annealing, affects the adhesive and cohesive properties in these organic films is essential for the mechanical integrity of OPV devices.

Experimental control of the beam properties of laser-accelerated protons and carbon ions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amin, Munib

2008-12-15

The laser generation of energetic high quality beams of protons and heavier ions has opened up the door to a plethora of applications. These beams are usually generated by the interaction of a short pulse high power laser with a thin metal foil target. They could already be applied to probe transient phenomena in plasmas and to produce warm dense matter by isochoric heating. Other applications such as the production of radioisotopes and tumour radiotherapy need further research to be put into practice. To meet the requirements of each application, the properties of the laser-accelerated particle beams have to be controlled precisely. In this thesis, experimental means to control the beam properties of laser-accelerated protons and carbon ions are investigated. The production and control of proton and carbon ion beams is studied using advanced ion source designs: Experiments concerning mass-limited (i.e. small and isolated) targets are conducted. These targets have the potential to increase both the number and the energy of laser-accelerated protons. Therefore, the influence of the size of a plane foil target on proton beam properties is measured. Furthermore, carbon ion sources are investigated. Carbon ions are of particular interest in the production of warm dense matter and in cancer radiotherapy. The possibility to focus carbon ion beams is investigated and a simple method for the production of quasi-monoenergetic carbon ion beams is presented. This thesis also provides an insight into the physical processes connected to the production and the control of laser-accelerated ions. For this purpose, laser-accelerated protons are employed to probe plasma phenomena on laser-irradiated targets. Electric fields evolving on the surface of laser-irradiated metal foils and hollow metal foil cylinders are investigated. Since these fields can be used to displace, collimate or focus proton beams, understanding their temporal and spatial evolution is crucial for the design of

Experimental control of the beam properties of laser-accelerated protons and carbon ions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amin, Munib

2008-12-01

The laser generation of energetic high quality beams of protons and heavier ions has opened up the door to a plethora of applications. These beams are usually generated by the interaction of a short pulse high power laser with a thin metal foil target. They could already be applied to probe transient phenomena in plasmas and to produce warm dense matter by isochoric heating. Other applications such as the production of radioisotopes and tumour radiotherapy need further research to be put into practice. To meet the requirements of each application, the properties of the laser-accelerated particle beams have to be controlled precisely. In this thesis, experimental means to control the beam properties of laser-accelerated protons and carbon ions are investigated. The production and control of proton and carbon ion beams is studied using advanced ion source designs: Experiments concerning mass-limited (i.e. small and isolated) targets are conducted. These targets have the potential to increase both the number and the energy of laser-accelerated protons. Therefore, the influence of the size of a plane foil target on proton beam properties is measured. Furthermore, carbon ion sources are investigated. Carbon ions are of particular interest in the production of warm dense matter and in cancer radiotherapy. The possibility to focus carbon ion beams is investigated and a simple method for the production of quasi-monoenergetic carbon ion beams is presented. This thesis also provides an insight into the physical processes connected to the production and the control of laser-accelerated ions. For this purpose, laser-accelerated protons are employed to probe plasma phenomena on laser-irradiated targets. Electric fields evolving on the surface of laser-irradiated metal foils and hollow metal foil cylinders are investigated. Since these fields can be used to displace, collimate or focus proton beams, understanding their temporal and spatial evolution is crucial for the design of

Advanced manufacturing of microdisk vaccines for uniform control of material properties and immune cell function.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Qin; Zhang, Peipei; Zeng, Xiangbin; Tostanoski, Lisa H; Jewell, Christopher M

2017-12-19

The continued challenges facing vaccines in infectious disease and cancer highlight a need for better control over the features of vaccines and the responses they generate. Biomaterials offer unique advantages to achieve this goal through features such as controlled release and co-delivery of antigens and adjuvants. However, many synthesis strategies lead to particles with heterogeneity in diameter, shape, loading level, or other properties. In contrast, advanced manufacturing techniques allow precision control of material properties at the micro- and nano-scale. These capabilities in vaccines and immunotherapies could allow more rational design to speed efficient design and clinical translation. Here we employed soft lithography to generate polymer microdisk vaccines with uniform structures and tunable compositions of vaccine antigens and toll like receptor agonists (TLRas) that serve as molecular adjuvants. Compared to conventional PLGA particles formed by emulsion, microdisks provided a dramatic improvement in the consistency of properties such as diameter. During culture with primary dendritic cells (DCs) from mice, microdisks were internalized by the cells without toxicity, while promoting co-delivery of antigen and TLRa to the same cell. Analysis of DC surface activation markers by flow cytometry revealed microdisk vaccines activated dendritic cells in a manner that depended on the level of TLRa, while antigen processing and presentation depended on the amount of antigen in the microdisks. Together, this work demonstrates the use of advanced manufacturing techniques to produce uniform vaccines that direct DC function depending on the composition in the disks.

Fluorescence properties of valence-controlled Eu{sup 2+} and Mn{sup 2+} ions in aluminosilicate glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Tuyen, Ho [Duy Tan University, 3 Quang Trung, Hai Chau, Da Nang (Viet Nam); Nonaka, Takamasa; Yamanaka, Ken-ichi [Toyota Central R& D Labs., Inc., Nagakute, Aichi (Japan); Chau, Pham Minh; Quy Hai, Nguyen Thi; Quang, Vu Xuan [Duy Tan University, 3 Quang Trung, Hai Chau, Da Nang (Viet Nam); Nogami, Masayuki, E-mail: mnogami@mtj.biglobe.ne.jp [Toyota Physical and Chemical Research Institute, Nagakute, Aichi (Japan); Ton Duc Thang University, Ho Chi Minh City (Viet Nam); Duy Tan University, 3 Quang Trung, Hai Chau, Da Nang (Viet Nam)

2017-04-15

Controlling of valence states of metal ions doped in glasses has attracted considerable interest due to the possibility of looking toward optical applications. In this study, new Na{sub 2}O-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-SiO{sub 2} glasses were developed to dope Eu{sup 2+} and Mn{sup 2+} with well controlled valence states by heating in H{sub 2} gas atmosphere, and the changes in the valence state of doped-ions and their fluorescence properties were investigated using visible and infrared optical absorption spectroscopies, X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Among Eu{sup 3+}, Mn{sup 3+} and Mn{sup 2+} ions incorporated in the as-prepared glasses, the Eu{sup 3+} and Mn{sup 3+} ions were reduced to Eu{sup 2+} and Mn{sup 2+} ions, respectively, by heating in H{sub 2} gas and OH bonds were concurrently formed. The fluorescence spectra of glasses heated in H{sub 2} exhibited broad emission bands at 450 and 630 nm wavelength, assigned to the Eu{sup 2+} and Mn{sup 2+}, respectively, ions, in which the fluorescence intensity at 450 nm was observed to decrease with increasing Mn{sup 2+} ion content. The increased fluorescence intensities were analyzed as the energy transfer from Eu{sup 2+} to Mn{sup 2+} ions and the energy transfer efficiency was estimated with a concentration of Eu{sup 2+}and Mn{sup 2+} ions.

Controlled release of antibiotics encapsulated in the electrospinning polylactide nanofibrous scaffold and their antibacterial and biocompatible properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Shu-Dong; Zhang, Sheng-Zhong; Liu, Hua; Zhang, You-Zhu

2014-01-01

In this research, the drug loaded polylactide nanofibers are fabricated by electrospinning. Morphology, microstructure and mechanical properties are characterized. Properties and mechanism of the controlled release of the nanofibers are investigated. The results show that the drug loaded polylactide nanofibers do not show dispersed phase, and there is a good compatibility between polylactide and drugs. FTIR spectra show that drugs are encapsulated inside the polylactide nanofibers, and drugs do not break the structure of polylcatide. Flexibility of drug loaded polylactide scaffolds is higher than that of the pure polylactide nanofibers. Release rate of the drug loaded nanofibers is significantly slower than that of the drug powder. Release rate increases with the increase of the drugs’ concentration. The research mechanism suggests a typical diffusion-controlled release of the three loaded drugs. Antibacterial and cell culture show that drug loaded nanofibers possess effective antibacterial activity and biocompatible properties. (papers)

Acido-basic control of the thermoelectric properties of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)tosylate (PEDOT-Tos) thin films

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khan, Zia Ullah; Bubnova, Olga; Jafari, Mohammad Javad

2015-01-01

study the variation in the thermoelectric properties by a simple acido-basic treatment. The emphasis of this study is to elucidate the chemical changes induced by acid (HCl) or base (NaOH) treatment in PEDOT-Tos thin films using various spectroscopic and structural techniques. We could identify changes...... in the nanoscale morphology due to anion exchange between tosylate and Cl- or OH-. But, we identified that changing the pH leads to a tuning of the oxidation level of the polymer, which can explain the changes in thermoelectric properties. Hence, a simple acid-base treatment allows finding the optimum...

Effect of the carbonyl iron particles on acoustic absorption properties of magnetic polyurethane foam

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Jialu; Wang, Caiping; Zhu, Honglang; Wang, Xiaojie

2018-03-01

Elastomeric matrix embedded with magnetic micro-sized particles has magnetically controllable properties, which has been investigated extensively in the last decades. In this study we develop a new magnetically controllable elastomeric material for acoustic applications at lower frequencies. The soft polyurethane foam is used as matrix material due to its extraordinary elastic and acoustic absorption properties. One-step method is used to synthesize polyurethane foam, in which all components including polyether polyols 330N, MDI, deionized water, silicone oil, carbonyl iron particle (CIP) and catalyst are put into one container for curing. Changing any component can induce the change of polyurethane foam's properties, such as physical and acoustic properties. The effect of the content of MDI on acoustic absorption is studied. The CIPs are aligned under extra magnetic field during the foaming process. And the property of polyurethane foam with aligned CIPs is also investigated. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to observe the structure of pore and particle-chain. The two-microphone impedance tube and the transfer function method are used to test acoustic absorption property of the magnetic foams.

Traffic Accident Propagation Properties and Control Measures for Urban Links Based on Cellular Automata

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xian-sheng Li

2013-01-01

Full Text Available With the rapid development of urban transport and the sharp increase in vehicle population, traffic accidents form one of the most important causes of urban traffic congestion other than the imbalance between traffic supply and demand. Traffic congestion causes severe problems, such as environment contamination and energy dissipation. Therefore, it would be useful to analyze the congestion propagation characteristics after traffic accidents. Numerical analysis and computer simulation were two of the typical methods used at present to study the traffic congestion propagation properties. The latter was more widespread as it is more consistent with the actual traffic flow and more visual than the former. In this paper, an improved cellular automata (CA model was presented to analyze traffic congestion propagation properties and to evaluate control strategies. In order to apply them to urban traffic flow simulation, the CA models have been improved and expanded on. Computer simulations were built for congestion not only extending to the upstream intersection, but also the upstream intersection and the entire road network, respectively. Congestion propagation characteristics after road traffic accidents were obtained, and controls of different severities and durations were analyzed. The results provide the theoretical foundation and practical means for the control of congestion.

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES STUDYS OF PEATLANDON VARIOUS LANDUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yondra Yondra

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Natural peat swamp forests converted can alter the soil chemical properties. This study aims to determine the extent to which changes in soil chemical properties that occur after the conversion of land from peat swamp forest to palm oil plantation, HTI Acacia crasicarpa, and sago plantation and to know which types of plants are sustainable on peatlands. The results showed that soil pH increased after the change of land function. While the water content decreased. Chemical properties such as C-organic, ash content, CEC, alkaline saturation, macro nutrients (NPK and bases can be changed also undergo changes after undergoing landuse changes, but no violations based on the law made by the government in pp No 25 of 2000 on the criteria of peatland damage and government regulation no. 150 of 2000 on the control of soil damage for biomass production. Sago is the most sustainable plant compared to others due to changes in soil chemical properties not too much different from other landuse although planted in the long term.

Study of power peak migration due to insertion of control bars in a PWR reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Affonso, Renato Raoni Werneck; Costa, Danilo Leite; Borges, Diogo da Silva; Lava, Deise Diana; Lima, Zelmo Rodrigues de; Moreira, Maria de Lourdes

2014-01-01

This paper aims to present a study on the power distribution behavior in a PWR reactor, considering the intensity and the migration of power peaks as is the insertion of control rods in the core banks. For this, the study of the diffusion of neutrons in the reactor was adopted by computer simulation that uses the finite difference method for numerically solving the neutron diffusion equation to two energy groups in steady state and in symmetry of a fourth quarter core. We decided to add the EPRI-9R 3D benchmark thermal-hydraulic parameters of a typical power PWR. With a new configuration for the reactor, the positions of the control rods banks were also modified. Due to the new positioning of these banks in the reactor, there was intense power gradients, favoring the occurrence of critical situations and logically unconventional for operation of a nuclear reactor. However, these facts have led interesting times for the study on the power distribution behavior in the reactor, showing axial migration of power peaks and mainly the effect of the geometry of the core on the latter. Based on the distribution of power was evident the increase of the power in elements located in the central region of the reactor core and, concomitantly, the reduction in elements of its periphery. Of course, the behavior exhibited by the simulated reactor is not in agreement with that expected in an actual reactor, where the insertion of control rods banks should lead to reduced power throughout the core as evenly as possible, avoiding sharp power peaks, standardizing the burning fuel, controlling reactivity deviations and acting in reactor shutdown

Bias due to differential participation in case-control studies and review of available approaches for adjustment.

Science.gov (United States)

Aigner, Annette; Grittner, Ulrike; Becher, Heiko

2018-01-01

Low response rates in epidemiologic research potentially lead to the recruitment of a non-representative sample of controls in case-control studies. Problems in the unbiased estimation of odds ratios arise when characteristics causing the probability of participation are associated with exposure and outcome. This is a specific setting of selection bias and a realistic hazard in many case-control studies. This paper formally describes the problem and shows its potential extent, reviews existing approaches for bias adjustment applicable under certain conditions, compares and applies them. We focus on two scenarios: a characteristic C causing differential participation of controls is linked to the outcome through its association with risk factor E (scenario I), and C is additionally a genuine risk factor itself (scenario II). We further assume external data sources are available which provide an unbiased estimate of C in the underlying population. Given these scenarios, we (i) review available approaches and their performance in the setting of bias due to differential participation; (ii) describe two existing approaches to correct for the bias in both scenarios in more detail; (iii) present the magnitude of the resulting bias by simulation if the selection of a non-representative sample is ignored; and (iv) demonstrate the approaches' application via data from a case-control study on stroke. The bias of the effect measure for variable E in scenario I and C in scenario II can be large and should therefore be adjusted for in any analysis. It is positively associated with the difference in response rates between groups of the characteristic causing differential participation, and inversely associated with the total response rate in the controls. Adjustment in a standard logistic regression framework is possible in both scenarios if the population distribution of the characteristic causing differential participation is known or can be approximated well.

Physical properties and consumer liking of cookies prepared by replacing sucrose with tagatose.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, T P; Fasina, O; Bell, L N

2008-04-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the suitability of tagatose, a minimally absorbed prebiotic monosaccharide, as a replacement for sucrose in cookies. A sucrose-containing cookie recipe was prepared as the control. Sucrose was replaced with tagatose at various levels ranging from 25% to 100%. Cookies containing fructose were also prepared for comparison due to the structural similarities between tagatose and fructose. The rheological properties of the dough were measured using texture profile analysis. The baked cookies were evaluated for spread, color, and hardness. For tagatose-containing cookies, the extent of likeness was evaluated by 53 untrained panelists using a 9-point hedonic scale. When sucrose was replaced by tagatose, doughs with similar rheological properties to the control resulted. The tagatose-containing cookies were harder and darker with a lower spread than the control. Sensory data indicated that panelists liked the brown color of the 100% tagatose cookies better than the control, but disliked their sweetness. Overall likeness scores of the control and cookies made by replacing half of the sucrose with tagatose were the same. Tagatose appears to be suitable as a partial replacer for sucrose in cookies based on similar dough properties, cookie properties, and likeness scores. Using tagatose to replace sucrose in foods would reduce the amount of metabolizeable sugars in the diet as well as provide the desirable prebiotic effect.

Controllable Tamm states in magnetophotonic crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merzlikin, A.M.; Vinogradov, A.P.; Dorofeenko, A.V.; Inoue, M.; Levy, M.; Granovsky, A.B.

2007-01-01

We study the Tamm states existing at the interface of a 1D magnetophotonic crystal made of magneto-optic material and a material with natural anisotropy. It is shown that in such a photonic crystal (PC) Yeh's band gap may exist, which causes a special type of the Tamm state. As this state is due to magneto-optic properties, it is controllable by an external magnetic field

Covalently-controlled properties by design in group IV graphane analogues.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Shishi; Arguilla, Maxx Q; Cultrara, Nicholas D; Goldberger, Joshua E

2015-01-20

CONSPECTUS: The isolation of graphene has sparked a renaissance in the study of two-dimensional materials. This led to the discovery of new and unique phenomena such as extremely high carrier mobility, thermal conductivity, and mechanical strength not observed in the parent 3D structure. While the emergence of these phenomena has spurred widespread interest in graphene, the paradox between the high-mobility Fermi-Dirac electronic structure and the need for a sizable band gap has challenged its application in traditional semiconductor devices. While graphene is a fascinating and promising material, the limitation of its electronic structure has inspired researchers to explore other 2D materials beyond graphene. In this Account, we summarize our recent work on a new family of two-dimensional materials based on sp(3)-hybridized group IV elements. Ligand-terminated Si, Ge, and Sn graphane analogues are an emerging and unique class of two-dimensional materials that offer the potential to tailor the structure, stability, and properties. Compared with bulk Si and Ge, a direct and larger band gap is apparent in group IV graphane analogues depending on the surface ligand. These materials can be synthesized in gram-scale quantities and in thin films via the topotactic deintercalation of layered Zintl phase precursors. Few layers and single layers can be isolated via manual exfoliation and deintercalation of epitaxially grown Zintl phases on Si/Ge substrates. The presence of a fourth bond on the surface of the layers allows various surface ligand termination with different organic functional groups achieved via conventional soft chemical routes. In these single-atom thick materials, the electronic structure can be systematically controlled by varying the identities of the main group elements and by attaching different surface terminating ligands. In contrast to transition metal dichalcogenides, the weaker interlayer interaction allows the direct band gap single layer

Cloud-Driven Changes in Aerosol Optical Properties - Final Technical Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogren, John A.; Sheridan, Patrick S.; Andrews, Elisabeth

2007-09-30

The optical properties of aerosol particles are the controlling factors in determining direct aerosol radiative forcing. These optical properties depend on the chemical composition and size distribution of the aerosol particles, which can change due to various processes during the particles’ lifetime in the atmosphere. Over the course of this project we have studied how cloud processing of atmospheric aerosol changes the aerosol optical properties. A counterflow virtual impactor was used to separate cloud drops from interstitial aerosol and parallel aerosol systems were used to measure the optical properties of the interstitial and cloud-scavenged aerosol. Specifically, aerosol light scattering, back-scattering and absorption were measured and used to derive radiatively significant parameters such as aerosol single scattering albedo and backscatter fraction for cloud-scavenged and interstitial aerosol. This data allows us to demonstrate that the radiative properties of cloud-processed aerosol can be quite different than pre-cloud aerosol. These differences can be used to improve the parameterization of aerosol forcing in climate models.

Composition control of low-volatile solids through chemical vapor transport reactions. III. The example of gallium monoselenide: Control of the polytypic structure, non-stoichiometry and properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zavrazhnov, A.; Naumov, A.; Sidey, V.; Pervov, V.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► This work is devoted to the composition control of solids with selective CVT method. ► Phase identity and non-stoichiometry of solids (GaSe, etc.) depend on CVT-temperatures. ► The interrelation between the properties of GaSe and CVT conditions is also found. ► For iodide transporting system the diagram of phase stability of solids is adjusted. ► High temperatures and Se-rich non-stoichiometry are necessary for γ-GaSe stability. - Abstract: By means of particular examples, the present work demonstrates the possibility of directed delicate non-destructive control of structure, composition and properties of inorganic solids using the method of selective chemical vapor transport (SCVT). Gallium monoselenide GaSe is the main model object. Additional, though less detailed, explanation is given by the example of gallium monosulfide GaS. Experimental evidences on the possibility of the control of polytypic structure, non-stoichiometry and properties of gallium monoselenide were obtained in non-isothermal variant of selective chemical vapor transport which has non-destructive character. Diagnostics of the phase (polytypic) composition and non-stoichiometry of GaSe was performed with the use of X-ray diffractometry as well as with the use of cathode luminescence spectra. It was experimentally found that there exists a connection of non-stoichiometry and the properties of gallium selenides with the determining conditions of selective chemical vapor transport: temperature of controlled sample (T 2 ) and the difference of temperatures between the hot and cold zones (ΔT). It is shown that the phase diagram of Ga–Se system needs to be partially revised near the composition of Ga 1 Se 1 . The reason for such revision is the fact that two polytypes (ε-GaSe and γ-GaSe) exist on this phase diagram as independent phases.

PEGylated lipid nanocapsules with improved drug encapsulation and controlled release properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Hervella, Pablo; Alonso-Sande, Maria; Ledo, Francisco; Lucero, Maria L; Alonso, Maria J; Garcia-Fuentes, Marcos

2014-01-01

Drugs with poor lipid and water solubility are some of the most challenging to formulate in nanocarriers, typically resulting in low encapsulation efficiencies and uncontrolled release profiles. PEGylated nanocapsules (PEG-NC) are known for their amenability to diverse modifications that allow the formation of domains with different physicochemical properties, an interesting feature to address a drug encapsulation problem. We explored this problem by encapsulating in PEG-NC the promising anticancer drug candidate F10320GD1, used herein as a model for compounds with such characteristics. The nanocarriers were prepared from Miglyol(®), lecithin and PEG-sterate through a solvent displacement technique. The resulting system was a homogeneous suspension of particles with size around 200 nm. F10320GD1 encapsulation was found to be very poor (<15%) if PEG-NC were prepared using water as continuous phase; but we were able to improve this value to 85% by fixing the pH of the continuous phase to 9. Interestingly, this modification also improved the controlled release properties and the chemical stability of the formulation during storage. These differences in pharmaceutical properties together with physicochemical data suggest that the pH of the continuous phase used for PEG-NC preparation can modify drug allocation, from the external shell towards the inner lipid core of the nanocapsules. Finally, we tested the bioactivity of the drug-loaded PEG-NC in several tumor cell lines, and also in endothelial cells. The results indicated that drug encapsulation led to an improvement on drug cytotoxicity in tumor cells, but not in non-tumor endothelial cells. Altogether, the data confirms that PEG-NC show adequate delivery properties for F10320GD1, and underlines its possible utility as an anticancer therapy.

Modeling mechanical properties of cast aluminum alloy using artificial neural network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jokhio, M.H.; Panhwar, M.I.

2009-01-01

Modeling is widely used to investigate the mechanical properties of engineering materials due to increasing demand of low cost and high strength to weight ratio for many engineering applications. The aluminum casting alloys are cost competitive material and possess the desired properties. The mechanical properties largely depend upon composition of alloys and their processing method. Alloy design involves controlling mechanical properties via optimization of the composition and processing parameters. For optimization the possible root is empirical modeling and its more refined version is the analysis of the wide range of data using ANN (Artificial Neural Networks) modeling. The modeling of mechanical properties of the aluminum alloys are the main objective of present work. For this purpose, some data were collected and experimentally prepared using conventional casting method. A MLP (Multilayer Perceptron) network was developed, which is trained by using the error back propagation algorithm. (author)

Price game and chaos control among three oligarchs with different rationalities in property insurance market.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Junhai; Zhang, Junling

2012-12-01

Combining with the actual competition in Chinese property insurance market and assuming that the property insurance companies take the marginal utility maximization as the basis of decision-making when they play price games, we first established the price game model with three oligarchs who have different rationalities. Then, we discussed the existence and stability of equilibrium points. Third, we studied the theoretical value of Lyapunov exponent at Nash equilibrium point and its change process with the main parameters' changes though having numerical simulation for the system such as the bifurcation, chaos attractors, and so on. Finally, we analyzed the influences which the changes of different parameters have on the profits and utilities of oligarchs and their corresponding competition advantage. Based on this, we used the variable feedback control method to control the chaos of the system and stabilized the chaos state to Nash equilibrium point again. The results have significant theoretical and practical application value.

Price game and chaos control among three oligarchs with different rationalities in property insurance market

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Junhai; Zhang, Junling

2012-12-01

Combining with the actual competition in Chinese property insurance market and assuming that the property insurance companies take the marginal utility maximization as the basis of decision-making when they play price games, we first established the price game model with three oligarchs who have different rationalities. Then, we discussed the existence and stability of equilibrium points. Third, we studied the theoretical value of Lyapunov exponent at Nash equilibrium point and its change process with the main parameters' changes though having numerical simulation for the system such as the bifurcation, chaos attractors, and so on. Finally, we analyzed the influences which the changes of different parameters have on the profits and utilities of oligarchs and their corresponding competition advantage. Based on this, we used the variable feedback control method to control the chaos of the system and stabilized the chaos state to Nash equilibrium point again. The results have significant theoretical and practical application value.

Controlled biomineralization of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) fibers to enhance their mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Jingwei; Zhong, Shaoping; Ma, Bing; Shuler, Franklin D; Lim, Chwee Teck

2013-03-01

Electrospun polymeric fibers have been investigated as scaffolding materials for bone tissue engineering. However, their mechanical properties, and in particular stiffness and ultimate tensile strength, cannot match those of natural bones. The objective of the study was to develop novel composite nanofiber scaffolds by attaching minerals to polymeric fibers using an adhesive material - the mussel-inspired protein polydopamine - as a "superglue". Herein, we report for the first time the use of dopamine to regulate mineralization of electrospun poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) fibers to enhance their mechanical properties. We examined the mineralization of the PCL fibers by adjusting the concentration of HCO(3)(-) and dopamine in the mineralized solution, the reaction time and the surface composition of the fibers. We also examined mineralization on the surface of polydopamine-coated PCL fibers. We demonstrated the control of morphology, grain size and thickness of minerals deposited on the surface of electrospun fibers. The obtained mineral coatings render electrospun fibers with much higher stiffness, ultimate tensile strength and toughness, which could be closer to the mechanical properties of natural bone. Such great enhancement of mechanical properties for electrospun fibers through mussel protein-mediated mineralization has not been seen previously. This study could also be extended to the fabrication of other composite materials to better bridge the interfaces between organic and inorganic phases. Copyright © 2012 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of solvent-controlled aggregation on the intrinsic emission properties of PAMAM dendrimers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jasmine, Maria J.; Kavitha, Manniledam; Prasad, Edamana

2009-01-01

Solvent-induced aggregation and its effect on the intrinsic emission properties of amine, hydroxy and carboxylate terminated, poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers have been investigated in glycerol, ethylene glycol, methanol, ethylene diamine and water. Altering the solvent medium induces remarkable changes in the intrinsic emission properties of the PAMAM dendrimers at identical concentration. Upon excitation at 370 nm, amine terminated PAMAM dendrimer exhibits an intense emission at 470 nm in glycerol, ethylene glycol as well as glycerol-water mixtures. Conversely, weak luminescence is observed for hydroxy and carboxylate terminated PAMAM dendrimers in the same solvent systems. When the solvent is changed to ethylene diamine, hydroxy terminated PAMAM exhibits intense blue emission at 425 nm. While the emission intensity is varied when the solvent milieu is changed, excited state lifetime values of PAMAM dendrimers remain independent of the solvent used. UV-visible absorption and dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments confirm the formation of solvent-controlled dendrimer aggregates in the systems. Comparison of the fluorescence and DLS data reveals that the size distribution of the dendrimer aggregates in each solvent system is distinct, which control the intrinsic emission intensity from PAMAM dendrimers. The experimental results suggest that intrinsic emission intensity from PAMAM dendrimers can be regulated by proper selection of solvents at neutral conditions and room temperature

RF control at transient beamloading for high-duty-factor linacs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chernogubovsky, M.A.; Sugimoto, Masayoshi [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

1998-08-01

An effective RF control with the transient beamloading is the major issue in the operation of the high-duty-factor linacs to suppress the undesirable beam loss. The RF control method is considered to obtain the control principle and the state equation, under the analysis of electrodynamical properties of the excitation in the resonator of the linac due to the transient beamloading. The concept of the directional selective coupling is applied for the RF system to define the main characteristics and to optimize the RF control parameters. (author)

Electronic properties of hafnium oxide: A contribution from defects and traps

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gritsenko, Vladimir A., E-mail: grits@isp.nsc.ru; Perevalov, Timofey V.; Islamov, Damir R., E-mail: damir@isp.nsc.ru

2016-02-15

In the present article, we give a review of modern data and latest achievements pertaining to the study of electronic properties of oxygen vacancies in hafnium oxide. Hafnium oxide is a key dielectric for use in many advanced silicon devices. Oxygen vacancies in hafnium oxide largely determine the electronic properties of the material. We show that the electronic transitions between the states due to oxygen vacancies largely determine the optical absorption and luminescent properties of hafnium oxide. We discuss the role of oxygen vacancies as traps that facilitate charge transport in hafnium oxide films. Also, we demonstrate the fact that the electrical conductivity in hafnium oxide is controlled by the phonon-assisted tunnelling of charge carriers between traps that were identified as oxygen vacancies.

Functionally-interdependent shape-switching nanoparticles with controllable properties

Science.gov (United States)

Halman, Justin R.; Satterwhite, Emily; Roark, Brandon; Chandler, Morgan; Viard, Mathias; Ivanina, Anna; Bindewald, Eckart; Kasprzak, Wojciech K.; Panigaj, Martin; Bui, My N.; Lu, Jacob S.; Miller, Johann; Khisamutdinov, Emil F.; Shapiro, Bruce A.; Dobrovolskaia, Marina A.

2017-01-01

Abstract We introduce a new concept that utilizes cognate nucleic acid nanoparticles which are fully complementary and functionally-interdependent to each other. In the described approach, the physical interaction between sets of designed nanoparticles initiates a rapid isothermal shape change which triggers the activation of multiple functionalities and biological pathways including transcription, energy transfer, functional aptamers and RNA interference. The individual nanoparticles are not active and have controllable kinetics of re-association and fine-tunable chemical and thermodynamic stabilities. Computational algorithms were developed to accurately predict melting temperatures of nanoparticles of various compositions and trace the process of their re-association in silico. Additionally, tunable immunostimulatory properties of described nanoparticles suggest that the particles that do not induce pro-inflammatory cytokines and high levels of interferons can be used as scaffolds to carry therapeutic oligonucleotides, while particles with strong interferon and mild pro-inflammatory cytokine induction may qualify as vaccine adjuvants. The presented concept provides a simple, cost-effective and straightforward model for the development of combinatorial regulation of biological processes in nucleic acid nanotechnology. PMID:28108656

Controllable Tamm states in magnetophotonic crystal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Merzlikin, A.M. [Institute for Theoretical and Applied Electromagnetics, Russian Academy of Science, 13/19 Izhorskaya ul., 125412 Moscow (Russian Federation); Vinogradov, A.P. [Institute for Theoretical and Applied Electromagnetics, Russian Academy of Science, 13/19 Izhorskaya ul., 125412 Moscow (Russian Federation)]. E-mail: a-vinogr@yandex.ru; Dorofeenko, A.V. [Institute for Theoretical and Applied Electromagnetics, Russian Academy of Science, 13/19 Izhorskaya ul., 125412 Moscow (Russian Federation); Inoue, M. [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Hibari-Ga-Oka, Tempaku, Toyohashi 441-8580 (Japan); Levy, M. [Department of Physics, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive Houghton, MI 49931-1295 (United States); Granovsky, A.B. [Faculty of Physics, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorob' evy Gory, 119992 Moscow (Russian Federation)

2007-05-15

We study the Tamm states existing at the interface of a 1D magnetophotonic crystal made of magneto-optic material and a material with natural anisotropy. It is shown that in such a photonic crystal (PC) Yeh's band gap may exist, which causes a special type of the Tamm state. As this state is due to magneto-optic properties, it is controllable by an external magnetic field.

Motion control of musculoskeletal systems with redundancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Hyunjoo; Durand, Dominique M

2008-12-01

Motion control of musculoskeletal systems for functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a challenging problem due to the inherent complexity of the systems. These include being highly nonlinear, strongly coupled, time-varying, time-delayed, and redundant. The redundancy in particular makes it difficult to find an inverse model of the system for control purposes. We have developed a control system for multiple input multiple output (MIMO) redundant musculoskeletal systems with little prior information. The proposed method separates the steady-state properties from the dynamic properties. The dynamic control uses a steady-state inverse model and is implemented with both a PID controller for disturbance rejection and an artificial neural network (ANN) feedforward controller for fast trajectory tracking. A mechanism to control the sum of the muscle excitation levels is also included. To test the performance of the proposed control system, a two degree of freedom ankle-subtalar joint model with eight muscles was used. The simulation results show that separation of steady-state and dynamic control allow small output tracking errors for different reference trajectories such as pseudo-step, sinusoidal and filtered random signals. The proposed control method also demonstrated robustness against system parameter and controller parameter variations. A possible application of this control algorithm is FES control using multiple contact cuff electrodes where mathematical modeling is not feasible and the redundancy makes the control of dynamic movement difficult.

Experimental study of geo-acoustic inversion uncertainty due to ocean sound-speed fluctuations.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Siderius, M.; Nielsen, P.L.; Sellschopp, J.; Snellen, M.; Simons, D.G.

2001-01-01

Acoustic data measured in the ocean fluctuate due to the complex time-varying properties of the channel. When measured data are used for model-based, geo-acoustic inversion, how do acoustic fluctuations impact estimates for the seabed properties? In May 1999 SACLANT Undersea Research Center and

Evaluation of control strategies in forming processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Calmano Stefan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Products of forming processes are subject to quality fluctuations due to uncertainty in semi-finished part properties as well as process conditions and environment. An approach to cope with these uncertainties is the implementation of a closed-loop control taking into account the actual product properties measured by sensors or estimated by a mathematical process model. Both methods of uncertainty control trade off with a financial effort. In case of sensor integration the effort is the cost of the sensor including signal processing as well as the design and manufacturing effort for integration. In case of an estimation model the effort is mainly determined by the time and knowledge needed to derive the model, identify the parameters and implement the model into the PLC. The risk of mismatch between model and reality as well as the risk of wrong parameter identification can be assumed as additional uncertainty (model uncertainty. This paper evaluates controlled and additional uncertainty by taking into account process boundary conditions like the degree of fluctuations in semi-finished part properties. The proposed evaluation is demonstrated by the analysis of exemplary processes.

Polymer structure-property requirements for stereolithographic 3D printing of soft tissue engineering scaffolds.

Science.gov (United States)

Mondschein, Ryan J; Kanitkar, Akanksha; Williams, Christopher B; Verbridge, Scott S; Long, Timothy E

2017-09-01

This review highlights the synthesis, properties, and advanced applications of synthetic and natural polymers 3D printed using stereolithography for soft tissue engineering applications. Soft tissue scaffolds are of great interest due to the number of musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and connective tissue injuries and replacements humans face each year. Accurately replacing or repairing these tissues is challenging due to the variation in size, shape, and strength of different types of soft tissue. With advancing processing techniques such as stereolithography, control of scaffold resolution down to the μm scale is achievable along with the ability to customize each fabricated scaffold to match the targeted replacement tissue. Matching the advanced manufacturing technique to polymer properties as well as maintaining the proper chemical, biological, and mechanical properties for tissue replacement is extremely challenging. This review discusses the design of polymers with tailored structure, architecture, and functionality for stereolithography, while maintaining chemical, biological, and mechanical properties to mimic a broad range of soft tissue types. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of soy-based bread with acceptable sensory properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivanovski, B; Seetharaman, K; Duizer, L M

2012-01-01

Consumption of soy protein has been associated with benefits related to numerous areas of health. Due to the widespread consumption of bread, one means of contributing to the health of individuals is through the incorporation of soy protein into bread. To this end, soy flour (SF) or soy protein isolates (SPIs) in 20% and 12% substitution levels, respectively, were added to flour during bread manufacture. The developed breads were tested using a consumer panel for acceptability, using a refined white bread as a control. These data were compared to attribute intensity data collected by the trained panel to identify specific flavor and texture characteristics affecting liking. The sensory profile of the 20% SF bread was acceptable and comparable to the control bread, despite a significantly stronger beany flavor. No significant differences in sensory properties of the SF and control breads were detected by the trained panel for many sensory attributes. The SPI bread, however, had a sensory profile that was significantly more firm, dense, sour, beany, bitter, and astringent with a strong aftertaste in comparison to the wheat control bread. Consumer liking scores for the SPI bread was significantly lower than the liking of the control and the SF added bread. Many soy-enriched foods, while contributing positively to health, are considered unacceptable by consumers. This is due to negative sensory properties, such as beany, painty, and astringent notes, often perceived by consumers. This study provides information on the level of SF that can be included in bread in an amount that does not detract from consumer acceptability. This level also allows for a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) health claim to be made. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

Gelatin Scaffolds with Controlled Pore Structure and Mechanical Property for Cartilage Tissue Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shangwu; Zhang, Qin; Nakamoto, Tomoko; Kawazoe, Naoki; Chen, Guoping

2016-03-01

Engineering of cartilage tissue in vitro using porous scaffolds and chondrocytes provides a promising approach for cartilage repair. However, nonuniform cell distribution and heterogeneous tissue formation together with weak mechanical property of in vitro engineered cartilage limit their clinical application. In this study, gelatin porous scaffolds with homogeneous and open pores were prepared using ice particulates and freeze-drying. The scaffolds were used to culture bovine articular chondrocytes to engineer cartilage tissue in vitro. The pore structure and mechanical property of gelatin scaffolds could be well controlled by using different ratios of ice particulates to gelatin solution and different concentrations of gelatin. Gelatin scaffolds prepared from ≥70% ice particulates enabled homogeneous seeding of bovine articular chondrocytes throughout the scaffolds and formation of homogeneous cartilage extracellular matrix. While soft scaffolds underwent cellular contraction, stiff scaffolds resisted cellular contraction and had significantly higher cell proliferation and synthesis of sulfated glycosaminoglycan. Compared with the gelatin scaffolds prepared without ice particulates, the gelatin scaffolds prepared with ice particulates facilitated formation of homogeneous cartilage tissue with significantly higher compressive modulus. The gelatin scaffolds with highly open pore structure and good mechanical property can be used to improve in vitro tissue-engineered cartilage.

Improved electrochemical properties of morphology-controlled titania/titanate nanostructures prepared by in-situ hydrothermal surface modification of self-source Ti substrate for high-performance supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Arghya Narayan; Anitha, V C; Joo, Sang W

2017-10-16

Ti substrate surface is modified into two-dimensional (2D) TiO 2 nanoplatelet or one-dimensional (1D) nanorod/nanofiber (or a mixture of both) structure in a controlled manner via a simple KOH-based hydrothermal technique. Depending on the KOH concentration, different types of TiO 2 nanostructures (2D platelets, 1D nanorods/nanofibers and a 2D+1D mixed sample) are fabricated directly onto the Ti substrate surface. The novelty of this technique is the in-situ modification of the self-source Ti surface into titania nanostructures, and its direct use as the electrochemical microelectrode without any modifications. This leads to considerable improvement in the interfacial properties between metallic Ti and semiconducting TiO 2 . Since interfacial states/defects have profound effect on charge transport properties of electronic/electrochemical devices, therefore this near-defect-free interfacial property of Ti-TiO 2 microelectrode has shown high supercapacitive performances for superior charge-storage devices. Additionally, by hydrothermally tuning the morphology of titania nanostructures, the electrochemical properties of the electrodes are also tuned. A Ti-TiO 2 electrode comprising of a mixture of 2D-platelet+1D-nanorod structure reveals very high specific capacitance values (~7.4 mF.cm -2 ) due to the unique mixed morphology which manifests higher active sites (hence, higher utilization of the active materials) in terms of greater roughness at the 2D-platelet structures and higher surface-to-volume-ratio in the 1D-nanorod structures.

Locust bean gum: processing, properties and food applications--a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Barak, Sheweta; Mudgil, Deepak

2014-05-01

Locust bean gum or carob gum is a galactomannan obtained from seed endosperm of carob tree i.e. Ceratonia siliqua. It is widely utilized as an additive in various industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, paper, textile, oil well drilling and cosmetics. Industrial applications of locust bean gum are due to its ability to form hydrogen bonding with water molecule. It is also beneficial in the control of many health problems like diabetes, bowel movements, heart disease and colon cancer due to its dietary fiber action. This article focuses on production, processing, composition, properties, food applications and health benefits of locust bean gum. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Controls on the spatial variability of key soil properties: comparing field data with a mechanistic soilscape evolution model

Science.gov (United States)

Vanwalleghem, T.; Román, A.; Giraldez, J. V.

2016-12-01

There is a need for better understanding the processes influencing soil formation and the resulting distribution of soil properties. Soil properties can exhibit strong spatial variation, even at the small catchment scale. Especially soil carbon pools in semi-arid, mountainous areas are highly uncertain because bulk density and stoniness are very heterogeneous and rarely measured explicitly. In this study, we explore the spatial variability in key soil properties (soil carbon stocks, stoniness, bulk density and soil depth) as a function of processes shaping the critical zone (weathering, erosion, soil water fluxes and vegetation patterns). We also compare the potential of a geostatistical versus a mechanistic soil formation model (MILESD) for predicting these key soil properties. Soil core samples were collected from 67 locations at 6 depths. Total soil organic carbon stocks were 4.38 kg m-2. Solar radiation proved to be the key variable controlling soil carbon distribution. Stone content was mostly controlled by slope, indicating the importance of erosion. Spatial distribution of bulk density was found to be highly random. Finally, total carbon stocks were predicted using a random forest model whose main covariates were solar radiation and NDVI. The model predicts carbon stocks that are double as high on north versus south-facing slopes. However, validation showed that these covariates only explained 25% of the variation in the dataset. Apparently, present-day landscape and vegetation properties are not sufficient to fully explain variability in the soil carbon stocks in this complex terrain under natural vegetation. This is attributed to a high spatial variability in bulk density and stoniness, key variables controlling carbon stocks. Similar results were obtained with the mechanistic soil formation model MILESD, suggesting that more complex models might be needed to further explore this high spatial variability.

Physical property control in core/shell inorganic nanostructures for fluorescence and magnetic targeting applications

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Stephen K.

Nanomaterials show immense promise for the future in numerous areas of application. Properties that are unique from the bulk material and are tunable allow for innovation in material design. This thesis will focus on controlling the physical properties of core/shell nanostructures to enhance the utility of the materials. The first focus is on the impact of different solvent mixtures during the shell growth phase of SILAR based core/shell quantum dot synthesis is studied. Gaining insight into the mechanism for SILAR growth of core/shell nanoparticles allows improved synthetic yields and precursor binding, providing enhanced control to synthesis of core/shell nanoparticles. The second focus of this thesis is exploring the use of magnetic nanoparticles for magnetic drug targeting for cardiovascular conditions. Magnetic targeting for drug delivery enables increased local drug concentration, while minimizing non-specific interactions. In order to be effective for magnetic targeting, it must be shown that low magnetic strength is sufficient to capture flowing nanoparticles. By demonstrating the binding of a therapeutic agent to the surface at medicinal levels, the viability for use as a nanoparticle drug delivery system is improved.

Influence of Surface Coating of Magnetic Nanoparticles on Mechanical Properties of Polymer Nanocomposites

Science.gov (United States)

Yarar, Ecem; Karakas, Gizem; Rende, Deniz; Ozisik, Rahmi; Malta, Seyda

Polymer nanocomposites have emerged as promising materials due to improved properties when compared with conventional bulk polymers. Nanofillers are natural or synthetic organic/inorganic particles that are less than 100 nm in at least one dimension. Even the addition of trace amounts of nanofillers to polymers may lad to unique combinations of properties. Among variety of inorganic nanofillers, iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles are of great interest due to their unique physical and chemical properties, such as low toxicity, biocompatibility, large magnetization and conductivity, owing to their extremely small size and large specific surface area. In this study, approximately 8-10 nm magnetic nanoparticles coated with either citric acid or oleic acid are synthesized and blended with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) or poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). The hydrophobicity/hydrophillicity of the polymer and the surface coating on the iron oxide nanoparticles are exploited to control the dispersion state of nanoparticles, and the effect of dispersion on mechanical and thermal properties of the nanocomposite are investigated via experimental methods such as dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. This material is based upon work partially supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. CMMI-1538730 and TUBITAK 112M666.

Adsorption properties of thermally sputtered calcein film

Science.gov (United States)

Kruglenko, I.; Burlachenko, J.; Kravchenko, S.; Savchenko, A.; Slabkovska, M.; Shirshov, Yu.

2014-05-01

High humidity environments are often found in such areas as biotechnology, food chemistry, plant physiology etc. The controlling of parameters of such ambiences is vitally important. Thermally deposited calcein films have extremely high adsorptivity at exposure to water vapor of high concentration. This feature makes calcein a promising material for humidity sensing applications. The aim of this work is to explain high sensitivity and selectivity of calcein film to high humidity. Quartz crystal microbalance sensor, AFM and ellipsometry were used for calcein film characterization and adsorption properties investigation. The proposed model takes into account both the molecular properties of calcein (the presence of several functional groups capable of forming hydrogen bonds, and their arrangement) and the features of structure of thermally deposited calcein film (film restructuring due to the switching of bonds "calcein-calcein" to "calcein-water" in the course of water adsorption).

Microfibrous silver-coated polymeric scaffolds with tunable mechanical properties

KAUST Repository

Kalakonda, Parvathalu.; Aldhahri, Musab A.; Abdel-wahab, Mohamed Shaaban; Tamayol, Ali; Moghaddam, K. Mollazadeh; Ben Rached, Fathia; Pain, Arnab; Khademhosseini, Ali; Memic, Adnan; Chaieb, Saharoui

2017-01-01

Electrospun scaffolds of poly(glycerol sebacate)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PGS/PCL) have been used for engineered tissues due to their desirable thermal and mechanical properties as well as their tunable degradability. In this paper, we fabricated micro-fibrous scaffolds from a composite of PGS/PCL using a standard electrospinning method and coated them with silver (Ag). The low temperature coating method prevented substrate melting and the Ag coating decreases the pore size and increases the diameter of fibers which resulted in enhanced thermal and mechanical properties. We further compared the mechanical properties of the composite fibrous scaffolds with different thicknesses of Ag coated scaffolds. The composite fibrous scaffold with a 275 nm Ag coating showed higher tensile modulus (E) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) without any post-processing treatment. Lastly, potential controlled release of the Ag coating from the composite fibrous scaffolds could present interesting biomedical applications.

Microfibrous silver-coated polymeric scaffolds with tunable mechanical properties

KAUST Repository

Kalakonda, Parvathalu.

2017-07-07

Electrospun scaffolds of poly(glycerol sebacate)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PGS/PCL) have been used for engineered tissues due to their desirable thermal and mechanical properties as well as their tunable degradability. In this paper, we fabricated micro-fibrous scaffolds from a composite of PGS/PCL using a standard electrospinning method and coated them with silver (Ag). The low temperature coating method prevented substrate melting and the Ag coating decreases the pore size and increases the diameter of fibers which resulted in enhanced thermal and mechanical properties. We further compared the mechanical properties of the composite fibrous scaffolds with different thicknesses of Ag coated scaffolds. The composite fibrous scaffold with a 275 nm Ag coating showed higher tensile modulus (E) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) without any post-processing treatment. Lastly, potential controlled release of the Ag coating from the composite fibrous scaffolds could present interesting biomedical applications.

Magnetic, structural and magnetocaloric properties of Ni-Si and Ni-Al thermoseeds for self-controlled hyperthermia.

Science.gov (United States)

Pandey, Sudip; Quetz, Abdiel; Aryal, Anil; Dubenko, Igor; Mazumdar, Dipanjan; Stadler, Shane; Ali, Naushad

2017-11-01

Self-controlled hyperthermia is a non-invasive technique used to kill or destroy cancer cells while preserving normal surrounding tissues. We have explored bulk magnetic Ni-Si and Ni-Al alloys as a potential thermoseeds. The structural, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of the samples were investigated, including saturation magnetisation, Curie temperature (T C ), and magnetic and thermal hysteresis, using room temperature X-ray diffraction and magnetometry. The annealing time, temperature and the effects of homogenising the thermoseeds were studied to determine the functional hyperthermia applications. The bulk Ni-Si and Ni-Al binary alloys have Curie temperatures in the desired range, 316 K-319 K (43 °C-46 °C), which is suitable for magnetic hyperthermia applications. We have found that T C strictly follows a linear trend with doping concentration over a wide range of temperature. The magnetic ordering temperature and the magnetic properties can be controlled through substitution in these binary alloys.

Radio-Frequency-Controlled Cold Collisions and Universal Properties of Unitary Bose Gases

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Yijue

This thesis investigates two topics: ultracold atomic collisions in a radio-frequency field and universal properties of a degenerate unitary Bose gas. One interesting point of the unitary Bose gas is that the system has only one length scale, that is, the average interparticle distance. This single parameter determines all properties of the gas, which is called the universality of the system. We first introduce a renormalized contact interaction to extend the validity of the zero-range interaction to large scattering lengths. Then this renormalized interaction is applied to many-body theories to determined those universal relations of the system. From the few-body perspective, we discuss the scattering between atoms in a single-color radio-frequency field. Our motivation is proposing the radio-frequency field as an effective tool to control interactions between cold atoms. Such a technique may be useful in future experiments such as creating phase transitions in spinor condensates. We also discuss the formation of ultracold molecules using radio-freqency fields from a time-dependent approach.

Epidemiology of camel trypanosomosis due to Trypanosoma evansi in Mauritania and its control strategies for sustainable livestock production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dia Mamadou Lamine [CNERV, Nouakchott (Mauritania)], E-mail: mldsb@hotmail.com

2009-07-01

Camel trypanosomiasis due to Trypanosoma evansi is mechanically transmitted by hematophagious diptera such as Tabanidae, Stomoxyinae, and Hippoboscidae. In its acute form, the disease results in a generalized weakness. The animal lies down as of the least effort; milk production falls with the abortion of females. At times, the animal dies after a prolonged decubitus. However, in 80% cases, the disease is observed in its chronic form, which is characterized by considerable economic losses resulting from abortions, reduction of milk production, loss weight, and cachexia. Due to its extremely dry conditions Mauritania remains a favourable environment for camels as preferred livestock species of considerable economic importance. The animals are kept by shepherds who are very mobile in the field in search of good pastures and water points. Unfortunately, this pastoral system is reported to expose dromedaries to numerous pathologic conditions, especially camel trypanosomiasis due to T. evansi. Our investigations from 1993 to 1997 showed that T. evansi is present in the dromedaries in Mauritania. According the haematocrit centrifuge technique the parasite prevalence rate ranged from 1.1 to 13.6 % while seroprevalence varied from 13% to 36.7% according to the CATT test. In the Trarza region, as consequence of a good rainy season we more recently observed an abundance of tabanids and stomoxes hence a favourable ecology of T. evansi vectors, and subsequently an outbreak of camel trypanosomosis. Prevalence rate was 17.6% using buffy coat examination and 58.8% with the CATT. In many herds, numerous abortions were recorded and all breeders registered very important milk production losses. In order to limit the infections due to T. evansi, two control strategies for camel husbandry could be practiced in the Trarza region. The first is 'northern strategy' with the potential of lowering pastures availability and usage. However, it has the advantage of avoiding the direct and

Regulatory properties of 6-phosphofructokinase and control of glycolysis in boar spermatozoa.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamp, G; Schmidt, H; Stypa, H; Feiden, S; Mahling, C; Wegener, G

2007-01-01

Glycolysis is crucial for sperm functions (motility and fertilization), but how this pathway is regulated in spermatozoa is not clear. This prompted to study the location and the regulatory properties of 6-phosphofructokinase (PFK, EC 2.7.1.11), the most important element for control of glycolytic flux. Unlike some other glycolytic enzymes, PFK showed no tight binding to sperm structures. It could readily be extracted from ejaculated boar spermatozoa by sonication and was then chromatographically purified. At physiological pH, the enzyme was allosterically inhibited by near-physiological concentrations of its co-substrate ATP, which induced co-operativity, i.e. reduced the affinity for the substrate fructose 6-phosphate. Inhibition by ATP was reinforced by citrate and H+. Above pH 8, PFK lost all its regulatory properties and showed maximum activity. However, in the physiological pH range, PFK activity was very sensitive to small changes in effectors. At near-physiological substrate concentrations, PFK activity requires activators (de-inhibitors) of which the combination of AMP and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (F2,6P2) was most efficient as a result of synergistic effects. The kinetics of PFK suggest AMP, F2,6P2, H+, and citrate as allosteric effectors controlling PFK activity in boar spermatozoa. Using immunogold labeling, PFK was localized in the mid-piece and principal piece of the flagellum as well as in the acrosomal area at the top of the head and in the cytoplasmic droplets released from the mid-piece after ejaculation.

Controlling the Electronic Properties in La1/3Sr 2/3FeO3-delta Complex Perovskite Oxides

Science.gov (United States)

Krick, Alex L.

For nearly 5 decades, the global semiconductor industry has followed Moore's law, which employs the iterative concept of transistor scaling in silicon-based technology. Though this approach has been massively successful at maintaining consistent increases in computational speed and power, silicon technology is quickly approaching its physical limitations with respect to continued scaling. In recent years, a growing effort has been adopted to pursue new materials and technologies as alternative platforms for information processing. Complex oxides are a potential candidate material system for next generation electronic devices due to their rich material properties such as metal-insulator transitions, high Tc superconductivity, and colossal magnetoresistance. In particular, there is growing interest to understand and control the unique electronic properties of complex oxides for applications in transistor-like devices. This dissertation is focused on understanding the growth, characterization and application of La1/3Sr2/3FeO3 (LSFO) thin films, which are known to undergo an abrupt charge ordering phase transition at 190 K in bulk materials. This phase transition is accompanied by an order of magnitude increase in resistivity going from a conductive to insulating state as well as the spontaneous ordering of charge and antiferromagnetic spin structure along the [111] direction. Isocompositional cation-ordered superlattices of LSFO were synthesized via oxygen-assisted molecular beam epitaxy and explored through synchrotron X-ray diffraction, electronic transport, and density functional theory modeling. By adjusting the cation ordering of LaFeO3 (LFO), an antiferromagnetic insulator, and SrFeO3 (SFO), a conductor with a helical magnetic ground state, three isocompositional systems of LSFO were investigated. The superlattices were found to exhibit a charge ordering phase transition similar to LSFO for two of the three structures, as measured by an abrupt discontinuity in

Magnetic tunnel structures: Transport properties controlled by bias, magnetic field, and microwave and optical radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkov, N.V.; Eremin, E.V.; Tarasov, A.S.; Rautskii, M.V.; Varnakov, S.N.; Ovchinnikov, S.G.; Patrin, G.S.

2012-01-01

Different phenomena that give rise to a spin-polarized current in some systems with magnetic tunnel junctions are considered. In a manganite-based magnetic tunnel structure in CIP geometry, the effect of current-channel switching was observed, which causes bias-driven magnetoresistance, rf rectification, and the photoelectric effect. The second system under study, ferromagnetic/insulator/semiconductor, exhibits the features of the transport properties in CIP geometry that are also related to the current-channel switching effect. The described properties can be controlled by a bias, a magnetic field, and optical radiation. At last, the third system under consideration is a cooperative assembly of magnetic tunnel junctions. This system exhibits tunnel magnetoresistance and the magnetic-field-driven microwave detection effect.

Biomimetic approaches for green tribology: from the lotus effect to blood flow control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maani, Nazanin; Rayz, Vitaliy S; Nosonovsky, Michael

2015-01-01

The research in Green tribology combines several areas including biomimetic tribomaterials and surfaces for controlled adhesion. Biomimetic surfaces mimic living nature and thus they are eco-friendly. The most famous biomimetic surface effect is the Lotus effect (reduction of water adhesion to a solid surface due to micro/nanostructuring of the solid surface). Several extensions of the Lotus effect have been discussed in the literature including the oleophobicity (repelling organic liquids such as oils), underwater oleophobicity to reduce fouling, and the shark skin effect (flow drag reduction due to specially oriented micro-riblets). Here we suggest a potentially important application of micro/nanostructured surfaces in the biomedical area: the micro/nanostructure controlled adhesion in blood flow. Blood is a suspension, and its adhesion properties are different from those of water and oil. For many cardiovascular applications, it is desirable to reduce stagnation and clotting of blood. Therefore, both the underwater oleophobicuity and shark-skin effect can be used. We discuss how computational fluid dynamics models can be used to investigate the structure–property relationships of surface pattern-controlled blood flow adhesion. (paper)

Work-focused cognitive behavioral intervention for psychological complaints in patients on sick leave due to work-related stress: Results from a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalgaard, Vita Ligaya; Andersen, Lars Peter Sønderbo; Andersen, Johan Hviid; Willert, Morten Vejs; Carstensen, Ole; Glasscock, David John

2017-08-22

Work-related stress is a global problem with negative implications for individuals and society. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate a stress management intervention for patients on sick leave due to work-related stress complaints using a three-armed randomized controlled design. Participants were patients referred from three municipalities to the regional Department of Occupational Medicine. Inclusion criteria were: 1) sick leave due to work-related stress complaints, 2) a diagnosis of adjustment disorder or reactions to severe stress (ICD 10 code: F43,2 - F 43,9 not PTSD) or mild depressive episode (F 32.0). Through a double randomization procedure patients (n = 163) were randomized to either an intervention group (n = 58), a 'control group A' receiving a clinical examination (n = 56), or 'control group B' (n = 49) receiving no offers at the department. The intervention comprised six sessions of individual cognitive behavioral therapy and the offer of a small workplace intervention. Questionnaire data were analyzed with multivariate repeated measurements analysis. Primary outcomes assessed were perceived stress and general mental health. Secondary outcomes were sleep quality and cognitive failures. Follow-up was at four and 10 months after baseline. Complaints were significantly reduced in all groups over time. No group effects were observed between the intervention group and control group A that was clinically assessed. Significant group effects were found for perceived stress and memory when comparing the intervention group to group B, but most likely not due to an intervention effect. Psychological complaints improved substantially over time in all groups, but there was no significant treatment effect on any outcomes when the intervention group was compared to control group A that received a clinical assessment. ISRCTN ISRCTN91404229. Registered 03 August 2012 (retrospectively registered).

Design and Performance of Property Gradient Ternary Nitride Coating Based on Process Control.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Pei; Chen, Kaijie; Wang, Yubin; Zhou, Han; Peng, Zeyu; Jiao, Li; Wang, Xibin

2018-05-09

Surface coating is an effective approach to improve cutting tool performance, and multiple or gradient coating structures have become a common development strategy. However, composition mutations at the interfaces decrease the performance of multi-layered coatings. The key mitigation technique has been to reduce the interface effect at the boundaries. This study proposes a structure design method for property-component gradient coatings based on process control. The method produces coatings with high internal cohesion and high external hardness, which could reduce the composition and performance mutations at the interface. A ZrTiN property gradient ternary nitride coating was deposited on cemented carbide by multi-arc ion plating with separated Ti and Zr targets. The mechanical properties, friction behaviors, and cutting performances were systematically investigated, compared with a single-layer coating. The results indicated that the gradient coating had better friction and wear performance with lower wear rate and higher resistance to peeling off during sliding friction. The gradient coating had better wear and damage resistance in cutting processes, with lower machined surface roughness Ra. Gradient-structured coatings could effectively inhibit micro crack initiation and growth under alternating force and temperature load. This method could be extended to similar ternary nitride coatings.

Synthesis and Analgesic Properties of Lidocaine Derivatives with Substituted Aminobenzothiazoles.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmadi, Abbas; Khalili, Mohsen; Mohammadinoude, Mohammad Kazem; Nahri-Niknafs, Babak

2016-01-01

Local anesthetics are the most widely consumed drugs in the practice of medicine which provide a loss of sensation in a certain body part without loss of consciousness or impairment of central control of essential functions. Lidocaine (I) is the most commonly local anaesthetic drug which is widely used in all species due to its fabulous diffusing and penetrating properties as well as prompt onset of surgical analgesia. In this study, new aminobenzothiazole (with many useful biological and pharmacological properties) analogues were synthesized by changing of amine moiety of I. Both acute and chronic pain properties of new compounds (II-VI) were studied by using the tail immersion and formalin tests on mice and the outcomes were compared with control and lidocaine groups. According to the results, aminobenzothiazole derivatives are better candidates than diethylamine group for replacement on amine moiety of I. Also, derivatives with electron-withdrawing groups on this amine (V and VI) could decrease pain better than electron-donating ones (II and III) (specially on position 6 of this amine, II and V) which may be of concern for blockade of specific sodium channels by these new compounds.

Asymptotic stability and disturbance attenuation properties for a class of networked control systems

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2006-01-01

In this paper, stability and disturbance attenuation issues for a class of Networked Control Systems (NCSs)under uncertain access delay and packet dropout effects are considered. Our aim is to find conditions on the delay and packet dropout rate, under which the system stability and H∞ disturbance attenuation properties are preserved to a desired level. The basic idea in this paper is to formulate such Networked Control System as a discrete-time switched system. Then the NCSs' stability and performance problems can be reduced to the corresponding problems for switched systems, which have been studied for decades and for which a number of results are available in the literature. The techniques in this paper are based on recent progress in the discrete-time switched systems and piecewise Lyapunov functions.

Magnetic Nanoparticles: Surface Effects and Properties Related to Biomedicine Applications

OpenAIRE

Issa, Bashar; Obaidat, Ihab M.; Albiss, Borhan A.; Haik, Yousef

2013-01-01

Due to finite size effects, such as the high surface-to-volume ratio and different crystal structures, magnetic nanoparticles are found to exhibit interesting and considerably different magnetic properties than those found in their corresponding bulk materials. These nanoparticles can be synthesized in several ways (e.g., chemical and physical) with controllable sizes enabling their comparison to biological organisms from cells (10–100 μm), viruses, genes, down to proteins (3–50 nm). The opti...

Functional properties of tropical banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus) protein hydrolysates.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Felicia G; Jones, Owen G; O'Haire, Marguerite E; Liceaga, Andrea M

2017-06-01

Recently, the benefits of entomophagy have been widely discussed. Due to western cultures' reluctance, entomophagy practices are leaning more towards incorporating insects into food products. In this study, whole crickets (Gryllodes sigillatus) were hydrolyzed with alcalase at 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0% (w/w) for 30, 60, and 90min. Degree of hydrolysis (DH), amino acid composition, solubility, emulsion and foaming properties were evaluated. Hydrolysis produced peptides with 26-52% DH compared to the control containing no enzyme (5% DH). Protein solubility of hydrolysates improved (p30% soluble protein at pH 3 and 7 and 50-90% at alkaline pH, compared with the control. Emulsion activity index ranged from 7 to 32m 2 /g, while foamability ranged from 100 to 155% for all hydrolysates. These improved functional properties demonstrate the potential to develop cricket protein hydrolysates as a source of functional alternative protein in food ingredient formulations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Information flow due to controlled interference in entangled systems

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. We point out that controlled quantum interference corresponds to measurement in an incomplete basis and implies a nonlocal transfer of classical information. A test of whether such a generalized measurement is permissible in quantum theory is presented.

Analysis of Liquid Zone Control Valve Oscillation Problem in CANDU Reactors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elnara Nasimi

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper looks at the existing challenges with steady-state Liquid Zone control at some CANDU (CANada Deuterium Uranium stations, where—contrary to expectations for equilibrium flow—Liquid Zone Control Valve oscillations have proven to be a chronic, unanticipated challenge. Currently, the exact causes of this behaviour are not fully understood, although it is confirmed that the Control Valve oscillations are not due to automatic power adjustment requests or zone level changes due to process leaks. This phenomenon was analysed based on a case study of one domestic nuclear power station to determine whether it could be attributed to inherent controller properties. Next, a proposal is made in an attempt to improve current performance with minimal changes to the existing system hardware and logic using conventional technologies. Finally, a proposal was made to consider Model Predictive Control-based technology to minimize the undesirable Control Valve oscillations at steady state based on the obtained simulation results and discussion of other available alternatives.

Nanotechnology-based polymeric bio(muco)adhesive platforms for controlling drug delivery - properties, methodologies and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvalho, Flavia Chiva; Chorilli, Marlus; Gremiao, Maria Palmira Daflon

2014-01-01

Studies using bio(muco)adhesive drug delivery systems have recently gained great interest, which can promote drug targeting and more specific contact of the drug delivery system with the various absorptive membranes of the body. This technological platform associated with nanotechnology offers potential for controlling drug delivery; therefore, they are excellent strategies to increase the bioavailability of drugs. The objective of this work was to study nanotechnology-based polymeric bio(muco)adhesive platforms for controlling drug delivery, highlighting their properties, how the bio(muco)adhesion can be measured and their potential applications for different routes of administration. (author)

Properties of Pervious Concrete Containing Scrap Tyre Tubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boon Koh Heng

2017-01-01

Full Text Available There is a huge quantity of waste tyre tubes generated every year due to the increasing of motorcycle user. Therefore, recycling of the waste tyre tubes is become mandatory. The aim of this research was to study the properties of pervious concrete containing scrap tyre tube (STT rubber particles with percentages of 3%, 5% and 7% of the cement content. The properties studied are void content, compressive strength measured at 7, 14 and 28 days, flexural strength and flow rate which were determined at 28 day. The experimental results showed that, there were increased in void content and flow rate of pervious concrete containing STT. Both compressive strength and flexural strength of pervious concrete containing STT showed a lower value compared to the control mix without STT. The reductions of the mechanical strengths are likely due to the increase of void content. Overall, pervious concrete which contains 7% STT has shown an increment of mechanical strengths and flow rate compared to other STT pervious concrete. Nonetheless, the results indicate that there are potentials for use of STT in pervious concrete, especially for use in pervious concrete applications such as pavements, driveways and parking lots.

Controlling In–Ga–Zn–O thin films transport properties through density changes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaczmarski, Jakub, E-mail: kaczmarski@ite.waw.pl [Institute of Electron Technology, al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland); Boll, Torben [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Fysikgränd 3, SE-412 96 Gothenburg (Sweden); Borysiewicz, Michał A. [Institute of Electron Technology, al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland); Taube, Andrzej [Institute of Electron Technology, al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland); Institute of Microelectronics & Optoelectronics, Warsaw University of Technology, ul. Koszykowa 75, 00-662 Warsaw (Poland); Thuvander, Mattias; Law, Jia Yan [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Fysikgränd 3, SE-412 96 Gothenburg (Sweden); Kamińska, Eliana [Institute of Electron Technology, al. Lotników 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw (Poland); Stiller, Krystyna [Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, Fysikgränd 3, SE-412 96 Gothenburg (Sweden)

2016-06-01

In the following study we investigate the effect of the magnetron cathode current (I{sub c}) during reactive sputtering of In–Ga–Zn–O (a-IGZO) on thin-films nanostructure and transport properties. All fabricated films are amorphous, according to X-ray diffraction measurements. However, High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy revealed the a-IGZO fabricated at I{sub C} = 70 mA to contain randomly-oriented nanocrystals dispersed in amorphous matrix, which disappear in films deposited at higher cathode current. These nanocrystals have the same composition as the amorphous matrix. One can observe that, while I{sub C} is increased from 70 to 150 mA, the carrier mobility improves from μ{sub Hall} = 6.9 cm{sup 2}/Vs to μ{sub Hall} = 9.1 cm{sup 2}/Vs. Additionally, the increase of I{sub C} caused a reduction of the depletion region trap states density of the Ru–Si–O/In–Ga–Zn–O Schottky barrier. This enhancement in transport properties is attributed to the greater overlapping of s-orbitals of the film-forming cations caused by increased density, evidenced by X-ray reflectivity, at a fixed chemical composition, regardless nanostructure of thin films. - Highlights: • Magnetron cathode current (I{sub C}) controls the transport properties of In–Ga–Zn–O (IGZO). • Low I{sub C} results in IGZO films with nanocrystalline inclusions in amorphous matrix. • High I{sub C} reduces the number of trap states in depletion region of Schottky contacts.

Montmorillonite/Poly (L-Lactide microcomposite spheres as reservoirs of antidepressant drugs and their controlled release property

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shalini Rajkumar

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This work evaluates intercalation of Nortriptyline (NT and Venlafaxine (VFX in an interlayer gallery of Na+-MMT (Montmorillonite, which was further compounded with Poly (L-Lactide (PLLA to form microcomposite spheres (MPs for oral controlled drug delivery. The XRD patterns, thermal and spectroscopic analyses indicated intercalation of drugs into the MMT interlayer that was stabilized by electrostatic interaction. No significant changes in structural and functional properties of drugs were found in the MMT layers. In vitro drug release studies showed controlled release pattern.

Microstructure and Properties of Polypropylene/Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimitrios Bikiaris

2010-04-01

Full Text Available In the last few years, great attention has been paid to the preparation of polypropylene (PP nanocomposites using carbon nanotubes (CNTs due to the tremendous enhancement of the mechanical, thermal, electrical, optical and structural properties of the pristine material. This is due to the unique combination of structural, mechanical, electrical, and thermal transport properties of CNTs. However, it is well-known that the properties of polymer-based nanocomposites strongly depend on the dispersion of nanofillers and almost all the discussed properties of PP/CNTs nanocomposites are strongly related to their microstructure. PP/CNTs nanocomposites were, mainly, prepared by melt mixing and in situ polymerization. Young’s modulus, tensile strength and storage modulus of the PP/CNTs nanocomposites can be increased with increasing CNTs content due to the reinforcement effect of CNTs inside the polymer matrix. However, above a certain CNTs content the mechanical properties are reduced due to the CNTs agglomeration. The microstructure of nanocomposites has been studied mainly by SEM and TEM techniques. Furthermore, it was found that CNTs can act as nucleating agents promoting the crystallization rates of PP and the addition of CNTs enhances all other physical properties of PP. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the existing literature related to PP/CNTs nanocomposite preparation methods and properties studies.

Experimental evaluation of reactivity constraints for the closed-loop control of reactor power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernard, J.A.; Lanning, D.D.; Ray, A.

1984-01-01

General principles for the closed-loop, digital control of reactor power have been identified, quantitatively enumerated, and experimentally demonstrated on the 5 MWt Research Reactor, MITR-II. The basic concept is to restrict the net reactivity so that it is always possible to make the reactor period infinite at the desired termination point of a transient by reversing the direction of motion of whatever control mechanism is associated with the controller. This capability is formally referred to as ''feasibility of control''. A series of ten experiments have been conducted over a period of eighteen months to demonstrate the efficacy of this property for the automatic control of reactor power. It has been shown that a controller which possesses this property is capable of both raising and lowering power in a safe, efficient manner while using a control rod of varying differential worth, that the reactivity constraints are a sufficient condition for the automatic control of reactor power, and that the use of a controller based on reactivity constraints can prevent overshoots either due to attempts to control a transient with a control rod of insufficient differential worth or due to failure to properly estimate when to commence rod insertion. Details of several of the more significant tests are presented together with a discussion of the rationale for the development of closed-loop control in large commercial power systems. Specific consideration is given to the motivation for designing a controller based on feasibility of control and the associated licensing issues

Morphology and mechanical properties of poly(β-hydroxybutyrate)/poly(ε-caprolactone) blends controlled with cellulosic particles.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jianxiang; Wang, Yuankun; Yin, Zeren; Tam, Kam C; Wu, Defeng

2017-10-15

The rigid microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) particles and semi-rigid ethyl cellulose (EC) were used to control phase morphology and mechanical properties of immiscible poly(β-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) blends. The interfacial properties were evaluated by the fiber retraction and contact angle methods MCC is incompatible with PHB and PCL, and dispersed independently in the two polymer phases in their blends. However, EC is more compatible with the two polymers, with a higher affinity for PCL. And EC prefers locating in PCL domains and at the phase interface. Selective localization of MCC and EC affects the mechanical properties and phase structure of PHB/PCL blends strongly. For the co-continuous samples, the presence of MCC and EC improves both the tensile and impact strengths. For the 'sea-island' ones, however, the changes of strengths depends strongly on the phase adhesion. This work will help focus efforts on moderating structure and properties of immiscible polymer blends using cellulose particles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Carbon-coated NiPt, CoPt nanoalloys: size control and magnetic properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Gendy, A.A. [Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, University of Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany); Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) Dresden (Germany); Hampel, S.; Leonhardt, A.; Khavrus, V.; Buechner, B. [Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research (IFW) Dresden (Germany); Klingeler, R. [Kirchhoff Institute for Physics, University of Heidelberg, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany)

2011-07-01

Controlled synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles with well-defined size and composition is always a challenge in material-based nanoscience. Here, we apply the high pressure chemical vapour deposition technique (HPCVD) to obtain carbon-shielded magnetic alloy nanoparticles under control of the particle size. Carbon encapsulated NiPt, CoPt (NiPt rate at C, CoPt rate at C) nanoalloys were synthesized by means of HPCVD starting from sublimating appropriate metal-organic precursors. Structural characterization by means of high resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray diffraction indicated the formation of coated bimetallic Ni{sub x}Pt{sub 100-x} and CoxPt{sub 100-x} nanoparticles. Adjusting the sublimation temperature of the different precursors allowed tuning the core sizes with small size distribution. In addition, detailed studies of the magnetic properties are presented. AC magnetic heating studies imply the potential of the coated nanoalloys for hyperthermia therapy.

Change of magnetic properties due to fluctuations of hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater in unconsolidated sediments

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Rijal, M. L.; Appel, E.; Petrovský, Eduard; Blaha, U.

2010-01-01

Roč. 158, č. 5 (2010), s. 1756-1762 ISSN 0269-7491 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z30120515 Keywords : hydrocarbon contamination * groundwater table fluctuation * magnetic properties * environmental magnetism Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography Impact factor: 3.395, year: 2010

Choosing the function of mechanical properties of grounds and rock formations due to their heterogeneity

Science.gov (United States)

Frolova, Irina; Agakhanov, Murad

2018-03-01

The development of computing techniques to analyze underground structures, buildings in high-rise construction that would fully take account of the conditions of their design and operation, as well as the real material properties, is one of the important trends in structural mechanics. For the territory in high-rise construction it is necessary to monitor the deformations of the soil surface. When high-rise construction is recommended to take into account the rheological properties and temperature deformations of the soil, the effect of temperature on the mechanical characteristics of the surrounding massif. Similar tasks also arise in the creation and operation of underground parts of high-rise construction, which are used for various purposes. These parts of the structures are surrounded by rock massifs of various materials. The actual mechanical characteristics of such materials must be taken into account. The objective property of nearly all materials is their non-homogeneity, both natural and technological. The work addresses the matters of building nonhomogeneous media initial models based on the experimental evidence. This made it possible to approximate real dependencies and obtain the appropriate functions in a simple and convenient way.

High actuation properties of shape memory polymer composite actuator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basit, A; L’Hostis, G; Durand, B

2013-01-01

The shape memory polymers (SMPs) possess two shapes: permanent shape and temporary shape. This property leads to replacement of shape memory alloys by SMPs in various applications. In this work, two properties, namely structure activeness and the shape memory property of ‘controlled behavior composite material (CBCM)’ plate and its comparison with the conventional symmetrical composite plate (SYM), are studied. The SMPC plates (CBCM and SYM) are manufactured using epoxy resin with a thermal glass transition temperature (T g ) of 130 °C. The shape memory properties of these composites are investigated (under three-point bending test) and compared by deforming them to the same displacement. Three types of recoveries are conducted: unconstrained recovery, constrained recovery, and partial recovery under load. It is found that by coupling the structure activeness (due to its asymmetry) and its shape memory property, higher activated displacement is obtained during the unconstrained recovery. Also, at a lower recovery temperature (90 °C) than the fixing temperature, a recovery close to 100% is obtained for CBCM, whereas for SYM it is only 25%. During constrained recovery, CBCM produces five times larger recovery force than SYM. In addition, higher actuation properties are demonstrated by calculating recovered work and recovery percentages during partial recovery under load. (paper)

Functionalized PLA polymers to control loading and/or release properties of drug-loaded nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Thauvin, Cédric; Schwarz, Bettina; Delie, Florence; Allémann, Eric

2017-11-15

Advantages associated with the use of polylactic acid (PLA) nano- or microparticles as drug delivery systems have been widely proven in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. These biodegradable and biocompatible carriers have demonstrated different loading and release properties depending on interactions with the cargo, preparation methods, particles size or molecular weight of PLA. In this study, we sought to show the possibility of influencing these properties by modifying the structure of the constituting polymer. Seven non-functionalized or functionalized PLA polymers were specifically designed and synthesized by microwave-assisted ring-opening polymerization of d,l-lactide. They presented short hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic groups thanks to the use of C20 aliphatic chain, mPEG1000, sorbitan esters (Spans ® ) or polysorbates (Tweens ® ), their PEGylated analogues, as initiators. Then, seven types of drug-loaded nanoparticles (NP) were prepared from these polymers and compared in terms of physico-chemical characteristics, drug loading and release profiles. Although the loading properties were not improved with any of the functionalized PLA NP, different release profiles were observed in an aqueous medium at 37 °C and over a period of five days. The presence of PEG moieties in the core of PLA-polysorbates NP induced a faster release while the addition of a single aliphatic chain induced a slower release due to better interactions with the active molecule. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Adaptive Gas Turbine Engine Control for Deterioration Compensation Due to Aging

Science.gov (United States)

Litt, Jonathan S.; Parker, Khary I.; Chatterjee, Santanu

2003-01-01

This paper presents an ad hoc adaptive, multivariable controller tuning rule that compensates for a thrust response variation in an engine whose performance has been degraded though use and wear. The upset appears when a large throttle transient is performed such that the engine controller switches from low-speed to high-speed mode. A relationship was observed between the level of engine degradation and the overshoot in engine temperature ratio, which was determined to cause the thrust response variation. This relationship was used to adapt the controller. The method is shown to work very well up to the operability limits of the engine. Additionally, since the level of degradation can be estimated from sensor data, it would be feasible to implement the adaptive control algorithm on-line.

Property change of advanced tungsten alloys due to neutron irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuda, Makoto; Hasegawa, Akira; Tanno, Takashi; Nogami, Shuhei; Kurishita, Hiroaki

2013-01-01

This study investigates the effect of neutron irradiation on the functional properties of pure tungsten (W) and advanced tungsten alloys (e.g., lanthanum (La)-doped W, potassium (K)-doped W, and ultra-fine-grained (UFG) W–TiC alloys) tested in the Japan Materials Testing Reactor (JMTR) or experimental fast reactor Joyo. The irradiation temperature and damage were in the range 804–1073 K and 0.15–0.47 dpa, respectively. TEM images of all samples after 0.42 dpa irradiation at 1023 K showed voids, black dots, and dislocation loops, indicating that similar damage structures were formed in pure W, La-doped W, K-doped W, and UFG W–0.5 wt% TiC. The electrical resistivity of all specimens increased following neutron irradiation. Nearly identical electrical resistivity and irradiation hardening were observed in pure W, La-doped W, and K-doped W. The electrical resistivity of UFG W–TiC was higher than that of other specimens before and after irradiation, which may be attributed to its ultra-fine-grain structure, as well as the presence of impurities introduced during the alloying process. Compared to the other specimens, the UFG W–TiC was more resistant to irradiation hardening

Effect of Welding Speed on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties due to The Deposition of Reinforcements on Friction Stir Welded Dissimilar Aluminium Alloys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baridula Ravinder Reddy

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The strength of the welded joint obtained by solid state stir welding process was found to be improved as compared to fusion welding process. The deposition of reinforcements during friction stir welding process can further enhance the strength of the welded joint by locking the movement of grain boundaries. In the present study, the aluminium alloys AA2024 and AA7075 were welded effectively by depositing the multi-walled carbon nanotubes in to the stir zone. The mechanical properties and microstructures were studied by varying the traverse speed at constant rotational speed. The results show that rotating tool pin stirring action and heat input play an important role in controlling the grain size. The carbon nanotubes were found to be distributed uniformly at a welding speed (traverse speed of 80mm/min. This enhanced the mechanical properties of the welded joint. The microstructure and Electron dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX studies indicate that the deposition of carbon nanotubes in the stir zone was influenced by the traverse speed.

Mechanical control of the electro-optical properties of monolayer and bilayer BC3 by applying the in-plane biaxial strain

Science.gov (United States)

Behzad, Somayeh

2017-11-01

Recently, a new two-dimensional (2D) material, the 2D BC3 crystal, has been synthesized. Here, the mechanical control of the electro-optical properties of monolayer and bilayer BC3 by applying the biaxial strain is investigated. The electronic structure calculations showed that the strain-free monolayer and bilayer BC3 are indirect band-gap semiconductors with band gap of 0.62 and 0.29 eV, respectively, where the conduction band minimum (CBM) is at the M point whereas the valence band maximum (VBM) is at the Γ point. The doubly degenerated bands in the monolayer BC3 are splitted in the bilayer BC3 due to the interlayer interactions. Both monolayer and bilayer BC3 remain indirect gap semiconductor under biaxial tensile strain and their band gaps increases with strain. On the other hand, by increasing the magnitude of tensile strain, the optical spectra shift to the lower energies and the static dielectric constant increases. These findings suggest the potential of strain-engineered 2D BC3 in electronic and optoelectronic device applications.

Pressure-dependent optical and vibrational properties of monolayer molybdenum disulfide

KAUST Repository

Nayak, Avinash P.

2015-01-14

Controlling the band gap by tuning the lattice structure through pressure engineering is a relatively new route for tailoring the optoelectronic properties of two-dimensional (2D) materials. Here, we investigate the electronic structure and lattice vibrational dynamics of the distorted monolayer 1T-MoS2 (1T′) and the monolayer 2H-MoS2 via a diamond anvil cell (DAC) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The direct optical band gap of the monolayer 2H-MoS2 increases by 11.7% from 1.85 to 2.08 eV, which is the highest reported for a 2D transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) material. DFT calculations reveal a subsequent decrease in the band gap with eventual metallization of the monolayer 2H-MoS2, an overall complex structure-property relation due to the rich band structure of MoS2. Remarkably, the metastable 1T′-MoS2 metallic state remains invariant with pressure, with the J2, A1g, and E2g modes becoming dominant at high pressures. This substantial reversible tunability of the electronic and vibrational properties of the MoS2 family can be extended to other 2D TMDs. These results present an important advance toward controlling the band structure and optoelectronic properties of monolayer MoS2 via pressure, which has vital implications for enhanced device applications.

Changes of contractile responses due to simulated weightlessness in rat soleus muscle

Science.gov (United States)

Elkhammari, A.; Noireaud, J.; Léoty, C.

1994-08-01

Some contractile and electrophysiological properties of muscle fibers isolated from the slow-twitch soleus (SOL) and fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles of rats were compared with those measured in SOL muscles from suspended rats. In suspendede SOL (21 days of tail-suspension) membrane potential (Em), intracellular sodium activity (aiNa) and the slope of the relationship between Em and log [K]o were typical of fast-twitch muscles. The relation between the maximal amplitude of K-contractures vs Em was steeper for control SOL than for EDL and suspended SOL muscles. After suspension, in SOL muscles the contractile threshold and the inactivation curves for K-contractures were shifted to more positive Em. Repriming of K-contractures was unaffected by suspencion. The exposure of isolated fibers to perchlorate (ClO4-)-containing (6-40 mM) solutions resulted ina similar concentration-dependent shift to more negative Em of activation curves for EDL and suspended SOL muscles. On exposure to a Na-free TEA solution, SOL from control and suspended rats, in contrast to EDL muscles, generated slow contractile responses. Suspended SOL showed a reduced sensitivity to the contracture-producing effect of caffeine compared to control muscles. These results suggested that the modification observed due to suspension could be encounted by changes in the characteristics of muscle fibers from slow to fast-twitch type.

Controlling the interparticle distance in a 2D molecule-nanoparticle network

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guedon, C M; Zonneveld, J; Van der Molen, S J [Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratorium, Leiden University, PO Box 9504, 2300 RA Leiden (Netherlands); Valkenier, H; Hummelen, J C [Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen (Netherlands)

2011-03-25

Mechanically controllable break junctions allow for an impressive level of control over the distance between two electrodes, but lack stability at room temperature. On the other hand, two-dimensional (2D) networks of nanoparticles bridged by molecules form a stable device structure for investigating molecular conductance properties. Here, we combine both techniques to create a robust platform for molecular charge transport with control over the inter-electrode distance on the picometer scale. The resistance change due to bending of our structures is dependent on the molecular species present between the nanoparticles.

Controlling the interparticle distance in a 2D molecule-nanoparticle network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guedon, C M; Zonneveld, J; Van der Molen, S J; Valkenier, H; Hummelen, J C

2011-01-01

Mechanically controllable break junctions allow for an impressive level of control over the distance between two electrodes, but lack stability at room temperature. On the other hand, two-dimensional (2D) networks of nanoparticles bridged by molecules form a stable device structure for investigating molecular conductance properties. Here, we combine both techniques to create a robust platform for molecular charge transport with control over the inter-electrode distance on the picometer scale. The resistance change due to bending of our structures is dependent on the molecular species present between the nanoparticles.

[Research progress on wind erosion control with polyacrylamide (PAM).

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuan Yuan; Wang, Zhan Li

2016-03-01

Soil wind erosion is one of the main reasons for soil degradation in the northwest region of China. Polyacrylamide (PAM), as an efficient soil amendment, has gained extensive attention in recent years since it is effective in improving the structure of surface soil due to its special physical and chemical properties. This paper introduced the physical and chemical properties of PAM, reviewed the effects of PAM on soil wind erosion amount and threshold wind velocity, as well as the effect differences of PAM in soil wind erosion control under conditions of various methods and doses. Its effect was proved by comparing with other materials in detail. Furthermore, we analyzed the mecha-nism of wind erosion control with PAM according to its influence on soil physical characteristics. Comprehensive analysis showed that, although some problems existed in wind erosion control with (PAM), PAM as a sand fixation agent, can not only enhance the capacity of the soil resis-tance to wind erosion, but also improve soil physical properties to form better soil conditions. Besides, we proposed that combination of PAM and plant growth would increase the survival rate of plants greatly, control soil wind erosion in wind-erosive areas, and improve the quality of the ecological environment construction. Thus, PAM has practically important significance and wide application prospect in controlling soil wind erosion.

Properties of microcement mortar with nano particles

Science.gov (United States)

Alimeneti, Narasimha Reddy

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) and Carbon nanofibers (CNF) are one of the toughest and stiffest materials in the world presently with extreme properties yet to be discovered in terms of elastic modulus and tensile strength. Due to the advanced properties of these materials they are being used in almost all fields of science at nanolevel and are being used in construction industry recently for improvement of material properties. Microcement is fine ground cement which as half the particle size of ordinary Portland cement. In this research the behavior of cement mortar of micro cement with the addition of nanoparticles is studied. Due to high aspect ratio and strong van der Waal forces between the particles of CNT and CNF, they agglomerate and form bundles when mixed with water, sonication method is used to mix nanoparticles with few drops of surfactant and super plasticizer. Mechanical properties such as compressive strength and flexural strength with CNT and CNF composites are examined and compared with control samples. 0.1% and 0.05 % of nanoparticles (both CNT and CNF) by the weight of cement are used in this research and 0.8% of super plasticizer by weight of cement was also used along with 0.4, 0.45 and 0.50 water cement ratios for making specimens for compression test. The compressive strength results are not satisfactory as there was no constant increase in strength with all the composites, however strength of few nanocomposites increased by a good percentage. 0.5 water cement ratio cement mortar had compressive strength of 7.15 ksi (49.3 MPa), whereas sample with 0.1% CNT showed 8.38 ksi (57.8 MPa) with 17% increase in strength after 28 days. Same trend was followed by 0.4 water cement ratio as the compressive strength of control sample was 8.89 ksi (61.3 MPa), with 0.05% of CNT strength increased to 10.90 ksi (75.2 MPa) with 23% increase in strength. 0.4 water cement ratio was used for flexural tests including 0.1%, 0.05% of CNT and 0.1%, 0.05% of CNF with 0

Texture and magnetic property evolution of non-oriented Fe–Si steel due to mechanical cutting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong, Xuesong; Hu, Shubing; Hu, Ke; Zeng, Siqi

2016-01-01

Microstructures and textures as well as magnetic properties of a non-oriented Fe–Si steel with thickness of 0.5 mm and medium silicon content after mechanical cutting were investigated. The results from electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis indicated that in the cut edge zone, mechanical cutting resulted in a significant increase in low-angle boundaries (LAGBs, 2°≤θ≤15°) and dislocation densities from both the upper surface (in the shear zone) and the lower surface (in the fracture zone). Mechanical cutting also led to a visible change in textures, such as, intensity decrease of λ fiber (<001>∥normal direction [ND]) and γ fiber (<111>∥ND) components from the upper surface as well as Goss texture ({110}<001>texture) from the lower surface. Microstructure and texture changes from the upper surface seem to be more obvious than these from the lower surface. The results from single sheet testing showed mechanical cutting induced an evident deterioration in magnetic properties and a clear change in hysteresis loop of the steel, and these variations became more obvious with increasing cutting length per mass from 0.86 m/kg to 2.57 m/kg. The largest increment of iron loss reached to 18.45% and 21.76% when the flux density was at 1.0 T and 1.5 T, respectively. The possible main reasons for the changes in magnetic properties and hysteresis loops were discussed in terms of the texture factor TF or residual stress. - Highlights: • Microstructures and textures in the cut edge zone were characterized via EBSD. • Microstructure and texture differences between different surfaces were analyzed. • Quantitative effect of mechanical cutting on magnetic properties was investigated.

Controlling the Local Electronic Properties of Si(553)-Au through Hydrogen Doping

Science.gov (United States)

Hogan, C.; Speiser, E.; Chandola, S.; Suchkova, S.; Aulbach, J.; Schäfer, J.; Meyer, S.; Claessen, R.; Esser, N.

2018-04-01

We propose a quantitative and reversible method for tuning the charge localization of Au-stabilized stepped Si surfaces by site-specific hydrogenation. This is demonstrated for Si(553)-Au as a model system by combining density functional theory simulations and reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy experiments. We find that controlled H passivation is a two-step process: step-edge adsorption drives excess charge into the conducting metal chain "reservoir" and renders it insulating, while surplus H recovers metallic behavior. Our approach illustrates a route towards microscopic manipulation of the local surface charge distribution and establishes a reversible switch of site-specific chemical reactivity and magnetic properties on vicinal surfaces.

Controlled optical properties via chemical composition tuning in molybdenum-incorporated β-Ga2O3 nanocrystalline films

Science.gov (United States)

Battu, Anil K.; Manandhar, S.; Shutthanandan, V.; Ramana, C. V.

2017-09-01

An approach is presented to design refractory-metal incorporated Ga2O3-based materials with controlled structural and optical properties. The molybdenum (Mo)-content in Ga2O3 was varied from 0 to 11 at% in the sputter-deposited Ga-Mo-O films. Molybdenum was found to significantly affect the structure and optical properties. While low Mo-content (≤4 at%) results in the formation of single-phase (β-Ga2O3), higher Mo-content results in amorphization. Chemically-induced band gap variability (Eg ∼ 1 eV) coupled with structure-modification indicates the electronic-structure changes in Ga-Mo-O. The linear relationship between chemical-composition and optical properties suggests that tailoring the optical-quality and performance of Ga-Mo-O films is possible by tuning the Mo-content.

Properties measurements of (U{sub 0.7}Pu{sub 0.3})O{sub 2-x} in PO{sub 2}-controlled atmosphere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kato, M.; Murakami, T.; Sunaoshi, T. [Advanced Nuclear System Research and Development Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Muramatsu Tokai-mura Ibaraki, 319-1194 (Japan); Nelson, A.T.; McClellan, K.J. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)

2013-07-01

The investigation of physical properties of uranium and plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) fuels is important for the development of fast reactor fuels. It is well known that MOX is a nonstoichiometric oxide, and the physical properties change drastically with the Oxygen-to-Metal (O/M) ratio. A control technique for O/M ratio was established for measurements of high temperature properties of uranium and plutonium mixed oxide fuels. Sintering behavior, thermal expansion and O/M change of (U{sub 0.7}Pu{sub 0.3})O{sub 2.00} and (U{sub 0.7}Pu{sub 0.3})O{sub 1.99} were investigated in PO{sub 2}-controlled atmosphere which was controlled by H{sub 2}/H{sub 2}O gas system. Sintering behavior changed drastically with O/M ratio, and shrinkage of (U{sub 0.7}Pu{sub 0.3})O{sub 2.00} was faster and more advanced at lower temperatures as compared with (U{sub 0.7}Pu{sub 0.3})O{sub 1.99}. Thermal expansion was observed to be slightly increased with decreasing O/M ratio. (authors)

Use of wiener nonlinear MPC to control a CSTR with multiple steady state

OpenAIRE

Lusson Cervantes, A.; Agamennoni, O.E.; Figueroa, J.L.

2003-01-01

In this paper a Nonlinear Model Predictive Control based on a Wiener Model with a Piecewise Linear gain is presented. The major advantages of this algorithm is that it retains all the interesting properties of the classical linear MPC and the computations are easy to solve due to the canonical structure of the nonlinear gain. The proposed control scheme is applied to a nonlinear CSTR that presents multiple steady states.

Cloud Scavenging Effects on Aerosol Radiative and Cloud-nucleating Properties - Final Technical Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogren, John A.; Sheridan, Patrick S.; Andrews, Elisabeth

2009-03-05

The optical properties of aerosol particles are the controlling factors in determining direct aerosol radiative forcing. These optical properties depend on the chemical composition and size distribution of the aerosol particles, which can change due to various processes during the particles’ lifetime in the atmosphere. Over the course of this project we have studied how cloud processing of atmospheric aerosol changes the aerosol optical properties. A counterflow virtual impactor was used to separate cloud drops from interstitial aerosol and parallel aerosol systems were used to measure the optical properties of the interstitial and cloud-scavenged aerosol. Specifically, aerosol light scattering, back-scattering and absorption were measured and used to derive radiatively significant parameters such as aerosol single scattering albedo and backscatter fraction for cloud-scavenged and interstitial aerosol. This data allows us to demonstrate that the radiative properties of cloud-processed aerosol can be quite different than pre-cloud aerosol. These differences can be used to improve the parameterization of aerosol forcing in climate models.

Acoustic profilometry of interphases in epoxy due to segregation and diffusion using Brillouin microscopy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueller, U; Bactavatchalou, R; Baller, J; Philipp, M; Sanctuary, R; Zielinski, B; Krueger, J K [Laboratoire de Physique des Materiaux, Universite du Luxembourg, 162A, Avenue de la Faiencerie, L-1115 Luxembourg (Luxembourg); Alnot, P; Possart, W [Laboratoire Europeen de Recherche Universitaire Saarland-Lorraine (Germany)], E-mail: mail@tauron.de

2008-02-15

Reactive network forming polymer systems like epoxies are of huge technological interest because of their adhesive properties based on specific interactions with a large variety of materials. These specific interactions alter the morphology of the epoxy within areas determined by the correlation length of these interactions. The changed morphology leads to interphases with altered (mechanical) properties. Besides these surface-induced interphases, bulk interphases do occur due to segregation, crystallization, diffusion, etc. A new experimental technique to characterize such mechanical interphases is {mu}-Brillouin spectroscopy ({mu}-BS). With {mu}-BS, we studied interphases and their formation in epoxies due to segregation of the constituent components and due to selective diffusion of one component. In the latter case, we will demonstrate the influence of changing the boundary conditions of the diffusion process on the shape of the interphase.

Degradation of the Mechanical Properties of Zirconium-base alloys due to Interaction with Hydrogen

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bertolino, Graciela

2001-01-01

Security aspects and the purpose to extend the nuclear power plants lifetime motivate the renovated interest on the influence of the environment and radiation on the mechanical properties of in-reactor materials.Zirconium based alloys are the family of alloys most extensively used in nuclear core components.A consequence of the interaction of the in-reactor environment with these alloys is the formation of brittle phase Zr hydride, a process that greatly affects the component integrity.In this work we present a experimental study of the hydrogen influence on the Z ry-4 mechanical properties at different temperatures.As a complement we also present results of a finite elements simulations of the fracture process.We performed standard metallurgical and mechanical characterization in commercial Z ry-4 samples to obtain their basic properties. Different hydrogen pickup techniques were applied to obtain H concentration of charged samples between 10 and 2000 ppm, homogeneous or mainly localized at the crack tip zone.To obtain the fracture toughness of the alloys specimens were tested using elastoplastic fracture mechanics techniques.Specifically we implement J-integral methodology with partial unloading compliance measurements.Tests were performed in a temperature range of 20 to 200 o C.The negative influence of the H content on material toughness probed to be important even at very small concentrations, with an effect that decreases when temperature increases.While there was observed no change in the fracture mechanism in homogeneous charged samples, specimens charged under a superimposed stress field fractured by brittle mode when were tested at 20 to 70 o C. SEM observations of the crack growth, the fracture surface morphology and precipitates content showed the influence of the precipitates on fracture at different H concentrations.At least three stages with different fracture behavior depending on H content were identified.Complementary to the experimental work we

Estimated crop loss due to coconut mite and financial analysis of controlling the pest using the acaricide abamectin.

Science.gov (United States)

Rezende, Daniela; Melo, José W S; Oliveira, José E M; Gondim, Manoel G C

2016-07-01

Reducing the losses caused by Aceria guerreronis Keifer has been an arduous task for farmers. However, there are no detailed studies on losses that simultaneously analyse correlated parameters, and very few studies that address the economic viability of chemical control, the main strategy for managing this pest. In this study the objectives were (1) to estimate the crop loss due to coconut mite and (2) to perform a financial analysis of acaricide application to control the pest. For this, the following parameters were evaluated: number and weight of fruits, liquid albumen volume, and market destination of plants with and without monthly abamectin spraying (three harvests). The costs involved in the chemical control of A. guerreronis were also quantified. Higher A. guerreronis incidence on plants resulted in a 60 % decrease in the mean number of fruits harvested per bunch and a 28 % decrease in liquid albumen volume. Mean fruit weight remained unaffected. The market destination of the harvested fruit was also affected by higher A. guerreronis incidence. Untreated plants, with higher A. guerreronis infestation intensity, produced a lower proportion of fruit intended for fresh market and higher proportions of non-marketable fruit and fruit intended for industrial processing. Despite the costs involved in controlling A. guerreronis, the difference between the profit from the treated site and the untreated site was 18,123.50 Brazilian Real; this value represents 69.1 % higher profit at the treated site.

Controlling the scattering properties of thin, particle-doped coatings

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, William; Corbett, Madeleine; Manoharan, Vinothan

2013-03-01

Coatings and thin films of small particles suspended in a matrix possess optical properties that are important in several industries from cosmetics and paints to polymer composites. Many of the most interesting applications require coatings that produce several bulk effects simultaneously, but it is often difficult to rationally formulate materials with these desired optical properties. Here, we focus on the specific challenge of designing a thin colloidal film that maximizes both diffuse and total hemispherical transmission. We demonstrate that these bulk optical properties follow a simple scaling with two microscopic length scales: the scattering and transport mean free paths. Using these length scales and Mie scattering calculations, we generate basic design rules that relate scattering at the single particle level to the film's bulk optical properties. These ideas will be useful in the rational design of future optically active coatings.

Controlled Living Nanowire Growth: Precise Control over the Morphology and Optical Properties of AgAuAg Bimetallic Nanowires

Science.gov (United States)

2015-01-01

Inspired by the concept of living polymerization reaction, we are able to produce silver–gold–silver nanowires with a precise control over their total length and plasmonic properties by establishing a constant silver deposition rate on the tips of penta-twinned gold nanorods used as seed cores. Consequently, the length of the wires increases linearly in time. Starting with ∼210 nm × 32 nm gold cores, we produce nanowire lengths up to several microns in a highly controlled manner, with a small self-limited increase in thickness of ∼4 nm, corresponding to aspect ratios above 100, whereas the low polydispersity of the product allows us to detect up to nine distinguishable plasmonic resonances in a single colloidal solution. We analyze the spatial distribution and the nature of the plasmons by electron energy loss spectroscopy and obtain excellent agreement between measurements and electromagnetic simulations, clearly demonstrating that the presence of the gold core plays a marginal role, except for relatively short wires or high-energy modes. PMID:26134470

Recyclable crosslinked polymer networks with full property recovery made via one-step controlled radical polymerization

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Kailong; Li, Lingqiao; Torkelson, John

Rubber tires illustrate well the issues ranging from economic loss to environmental problems and sustainability issues that arise with spent, covalently crosslinked polymers. A nitroxide-mediated polymerization (NMP) strategy has been developed that allows for one-step synthesis of recyclable crosslinked polymers from monomers or polymers that contain carbon-carbon double bonds amenable to radical polymerization. Resulting materials possess dynamic alkoxyamine crosslinks that undergo reversible decrosslinking as a function of temperature. Using polybutadiene as starting material, and styrene, an appropriate nitroxide molecule and bifunctional initiator for initial crosslinking, a model for tire rubber can be produced by reaction at temperatures comparable to those employed in tire molding. Upon cooling, the crosslinks are made permanent due to the extraordinarily strong temperature dependence of the reverisible nitroxide capping and uncapping reaction. Based on thermomechanical property characterization, when the original crosslinked model rubber is chopped into bits and remolded in the melt state, a well-consolidated material is obtained which exhibits full recovery of properties reflecting crosslink density after multiple recycling steps.

Supersonic cluster beams: a powerful method for the deposition of nanostructured thin films with tailored properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milani, P.

2002-01-01

By using a pulsed micro-plasma cluster source and by exploiting aero-dynamical effects typical of supersonic beams it is possible to obtain very high deposition rates with a control on neutral cluster mass distribution, allowing the deposition of thin films with controlled nanostructure. Due to high deposition rates, high lateral resolution, low temperature processing supersonic cluster beams can also be used for the micro and nano-patterning of cluster-assembled films when little or no post-growth manipulation or assembly is required. For example the nano and meso-structure of films obtained by carbon cluster beam deposition can be controlled by selecting in the beam the elemental building blocks, moreover functional properties such as field emission can be controlled and tailored. The use of supersonic cluster beams opens also new perspectives for the production of nano-structured films with novel physico-chemical and topological properties such as nano-structured carbon matrices containing carbide and transition metal particles. (Author)

Electronic properties of mesoscopic graphene structures: Charge confinement and control of spin and charge transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rozhkov, A.V., E-mail: arozhkov@gmail.co [Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198 (Japan); Institute for Theoretical and Applied Electrodynamics, Russian Academy of Sciences, 125412, Moscow (Russian Federation); Giavaras, G. [Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198 (Japan); Bliokh, Yury P. [Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198 (Japan); Department of Physics, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000 (Israel); Freilikher, Valentin [Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198 (Japan); Department of Physics, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900 (Israel); Nori, Franco [Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351-0198 (Japan); Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1040 (United States)

2011-06-15

This brief review discusses electronic properties of mesoscopic graphene-based structures. These allow controlling the confinement and transport of charge and spin; thus, they are of interest not only for fundamental research, but also for applications. The graphene-related topics covered here are: edges, nanoribbons, quantum dots, pn-junctions, pnp-structures, and quantum barriers and waveguides. This review is partly intended as a short introduction to graphene mesoscopics.

Laser grade CaF2 with controllable properties: growing conditions and structural imperfection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mouchovski, J T; Temelkov, K A; Vuchkov, N K; Sabotinov, N V

2007-01-01

Optical properties of CaF 2 , grown by a controlled Bridgman-Stockbarger technique, are studied by CuBr and SrBr 2 vapour lasers. Absorption losses are determined as a function of the grown crystal volume, the crystallization front (CF), and the real crystallization rate. It is found that the absorption losses are relatively independent of the transmitted wavelengths in a wide spectral range from the deep ultraviolet (DUV) to the middle infrared (MIR) spectral region and their minimum corresponds to CF positions within the upper half of the adiabatic furnace zone, where the CR reaches a constant value slightly higher than the speed of crucible movement. The crystal quality conforms to laser grade CaF 2 for the DUV, visible and MIR spectral regions and may be controlled efficiently by introducing an appropriate systematic correction in the furnace temperature field, which shifts the CF position

Two-Stage Control Design of a Buck Converter/DC Motor System without Velocity Measurements via a Σ−Δ-Modulator

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Silva-Ortigoza

2013-01-01

differential flatness property of the DC-motor model is exploited in order to propose a first-stage controller, which is designed to achieve the desired angular velocity trajectory. This controller provides the voltage profiles that must be tracked by the Buck converter. Then, a second-stage controller is meant to assure the aforementioned. This controller is based on flatness property of the Buck power converter model, which provides the input voltage to the DC motor. Due to the fact that the two-stage controller proposed uses the average model of the system, as a practical and effective implementation of this controller, a Σ − Δ-modulator is employed. Finally, in order to verify the control performance of this approach, numerical simulations are included.

Microwave absorption properties of carbon nanocoils coated with highly controlled magnetic materials by atomic layer deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Guizhen; Gao, Zhe; Tang, Shiwei; Chen, Chaoqiu; Duan, Feifei; Zhao, Shichao; Lin, Shiwei; Feng, Yuhong; Zhou, Lei; Qin, Yong

2012-12-21

In this work, atomic layer deposition is applied to coat carbon nanocoils with magnetic Fe(3)O(4) or Ni. The coatings have a uniform and highly controlled thickness. The coated nanocoils with coaxial multilayer nanostructures exhibit remarkably improved microwave absorption properties compared to the pristine carbon nanocoils. The enhanced absorption ability arises from the efficient complementarity between complex permittivity and permeability, chiral morphology, and multilayer structure of the products. This method can be extended to exploit other composite materials benefiting from its convenient control of the impedance matching and combination of dielectric-magnetic multiple loss mechanisms for microwave absorption applications.

Thermal degradation of ethanolic biodiesel: Physicochemical and thermal properties evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, Wellington Costa; Castro, Maria Priscila Pessanha; Perez, Victor Haber; Machado, Francisco A.; Mota, Leonardo; Sthel, Marcelo Silva

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper was to study the thermal degradation of soybean biodiesel attained by ethanolic route. The soybean biodiesel samples were subjected to heating treatment at 150 °C for 24 h in a closed oven under controlled atmosphere. During the experiments, samples were withdrawn at intervals of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 24 h for physicochemical and thermophysical properties analysis. The biodiesel degradation was validated by Thermogravimetric analysis since their profiles for control and treated biodiesel were different. Also, "1H NMR confirmed this result due to a significant reduction at the signals related to the "1H located near to the double bonds in the unsaturated ethyl esters in agreement with an iodine index reduction and viscosity increase observed during degradation. Nevertheless, degraded biodiesel, under study conditions, preserved its thermophysical properties. These results may be relevant to qualify the produced biodiesel quality and collect physicochemical and thermophysical data important for applications in combustion studies including project of fuel injection systems. - Highlights: • Soybean biodiesel from ethanolic route was subjected to thermal degradation to verify its stability. • Thermal degradation of biodiesel was correlated with physicochemical properties. • Thermal effusivity, diffusivity and conductivity were estimate by photothermal techniques.

Optimization of mechanical properties, biocorrosion properties and antibacterial properties of wrought Ti-3Cu alloy by heat treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mianmian Bao

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Previous study has shown that Ti-3Cu alloy shows good antibacterial properties (>90% antibacterial rate, but the mechanical properties still need to be improved. In this paper, a series of heat-treatment processes were selected to adjust the microstructure in order to optimize the properties of Ti-3Cu alloy. Microstructure, mechanical properties, biocorrosion properties and antibacterial properties of wrought Ti-3Cu alloy at different conditions was systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, electrochemical measurements, tensile test, fatigue test and antibacterial test. Heat treatment could significantly improve the mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and antibacterial rate due to the redistribution of copper elements and precipitation of Ti2Cu phase. Solid solution treatment increased the yield strength from 400 to 740 MPa and improved the antibacterial rate from 33% to 65.2% while aging treatment enhanced the yield strength to 800–850 MPa and antibacterial rate (>91.32%. It was demonstrated that homogeneous distribution and fine Ti2Cu phase plays a very important role in mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties.

Optimization of mechanical properties, biocorrosion properties and antibacterial properties of wrought Ti-3Cu alloy by heat treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Mianmian; Liu, Ying; Wang, Xiaoyan; Yang, Lei; Li, Shengyi; Ren, Jing; Qin, Gaowu; Zhang, Erlin

2018-03-01

Previous study has shown that Ti-3Cu alloy shows good antibacterial properties (>90% antibacterial rate), but the mechanical properties still need to be improved. In this paper, a series of heat-treatment processes were selected to adjust the microstructure in order to optimize the properties of Ti-3Cu alloy. Microstructure, mechanical properties, biocorrosion properties and antibacterial properties of wrought Ti-3Cu alloy at different conditions was systematically investigated by X-ray diffraction, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, electrochemical measurements, tensile test, fatigue test and antibacterial test. Heat treatment could significantly improve the mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and antibacterial rate due to the redistribution of copper elements and precipitation of Ti 2 Cu phase. Solid solution treatment increased the yield strength from 400 to 740 MPa and improved the antibacterial rate from 33% to 65.2% while aging treatment enhanced the yield strength to 800-850 MPa and antibacterial rate (>91.32%). It was demonstrated that homogeneous distribution and fine Ti 2 Cu phase plays a very important role in mechanical properties, corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties.

Electrical resistivity due to electron-phonon scattering in thin gadolinium films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urbaniak-Kucharczyk, A.

1988-01-01

The contribution to the electrical resistivity due to the electron-phonon scattering for the special case of h.c.p. structure is derived. The numerical results obtained for the case of polycrystalline gadolinum films show the resistivity dependence on the film thickness and the surface properties. (author)

Magnetic nanoparticles: surface effects and properties related to biomedicine applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Issa, Bashar; Obaidat, Ihab M; Albiss, Borhan A; Haik, Yousef

2013-10-25

Due to finite size effects, such as the high surface-to-volume ratio and different crystal structures, magnetic nanoparticles are found to exhibit interesting and considerably different magnetic properties than those found in their corresponding bulk materials. These nanoparticles can be synthesized in several ways (e.g., chemical and physical) with controllable sizes enabling their comparison to biological organisms from cells (10-100 μm), viruses, genes, down to proteins (3-50 nm). The optimization of the nanoparticles' size, size distribution, agglomeration, coating, and shapes along with their unique magnetic properties prompted the application of nanoparticles of this type in diverse fields. Biomedicine is one of these fields where intensive research is currently being conducted. In this review, we will discuss the magnetic properties of nanoparticles which are directly related to their applications in biomedicine. We will focus mainly on surface effects and ferrite nanoparticles, and on one diagnostic application of magnetic nanoparticles as magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents.

Controlling the morphology and properties of solvothermal synthesized Cu2ZnSnS4 nanoparticles by solvent type

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bahramzadeh, Saeid; Abdizadeh, Hossein; Golobostanfard, Mohammad Reza

2015-01-01

Highlights: • CZTS nanoparticles are fabricated by solvothermal method with different solvents. • Different morphologies are achieved by EDA, TETA, EG, and OA solvents. • Property and chelating ability of the solvents have a key role on nanoparticles formation. • TETA and OA are strongly recommended for solar cell applications. - Abstract: The copper–zinc–tin sulfide Cu 2 ZnSnS 4 (CZTS) semiconductors are recently considered as one of the favorable materials for application as absorber layers in solar cells due to their appropriate direct band gap energy and high optical absorption coefficient. In this study, the effect of solvent type on properties of solvothermal synthesized CZTS nanoparticles has been investigated. Ethylenediamine (EDA), triethylenetetramine (TETA), ethylene glycol (EG), and oleic acid (OA) have been used as the solvent. X-ray diffraction technique and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the formation of crystalline CZTS nanoparticles with kesterite crystal structure in these solvents with the exception of EDA, which forms wurtzite crystal structure. Morphological characterizations show that several distinct morphologies including spherical (70–160 nm), nanoplates (∼45 nm thickness and more than 1 μm length), peculiar flower-like particles (with diameter of ∼0.4–1.5 μm), truncated hexagonal disks, irregular particles, and hexagonal microdisks are obtained by varying the solvent type. Optical studies revealed broad absorption of the CZTS particles in the visible region. Compared with other solvents, OA synthesized CZTS particles show higher absorption in the visible region. However, CZTS nanoparticles synthesized by TETA solvent show the most appropriate properties for application as an absorber materials in solar cells due to high crystallinity, low impurity phases, suitable size, and proper band gap energy

Study on Air-cooled Self-humidifying PEMFC Control Method Based on Segmented Predict Negative Feedback Control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhiyu, You; Tao, Xu; Zhixiang, Liu; Yun, Peng; Weirong, Cheng

2014-01-01

In order to obtain the optimal output performance of the air-cooled self-humidifying proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), the operating temperature, the air flow, purge interval and some other parameters must be controlled strictly. As a key factor, the operating temperature mainly determines the optimal output performance of the fuel cell. However, some intrinsic issues such as long adjusting time, over-shoot still exist inevitably for the traditional PID temperature-controlled method in circumstances of the load variation. Consequently, output performance of PEMFC decreases because the operating temperature of the fuel cell fails to reach, and the corresponding lifetime of PEMFC is also reduced. In this study, a segmented predict negative feedback control method, based on the advance proportional control one, is proposed and verified by experiments to overcome the shortcomings of PID temperature control. The results demonstrate that the optimal output performance of PEMFC can be realized by utilizing the proposed method for temperature control due to its excellent properties, simple controlling and small over-shoot

THE PROBLEMS OF ACCOUNTING AND CONTROL OF PROPERTY OF BUDGET LOW VALUE IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

OpenAIRE

Efimova S.B.; Sobachko A.I.

2012-01-01

Purpose. Consideration of the treatment facilities, which are debited from the balance, but continue to participate in the activities of the institutio. We used a systematic approach to the study of the issues, analysis, synthesis, observation, group, etc. The article focuses on the issues arising in the course of accounting and control system development. The key issues in this respect are property valuation and classification, ways of entity identification and writing them off from offbalan...

Orbital Disturbance Analysis due to the Lunar Gravitational Potential and Deviation Minimization through the Trajectory Control in Closed Loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonçalves, L D; Rocco, E M; De Moraes, R V

2013-01-01

A study evaluating the influence due to the lunar gravitational potential, modeled by spherical harmonics, on the gravity acceleration is accomplished according to the model presented in Konopliv (2001). This model provides the components x, y and z for the gravity acceleration at each moment of time along the artificial satellite orbit and it enables to consider the spherical harmonic degree and order up to100. Through a comparison between the gravity acceleration from a central field and the gravity acceleration provided by Konopliv's model, it is obtained the disturbing velocity increment applied to the vehicle. Then, through the inverse problem, the Keplerian elements of perturbed orbit of the satellite are calculated allowing the orbital motion analysis. Transfer maneuvers and orbital correction of lunar satellites are simulated considering the disturbance due to non-uniform gravitational potential of the Moon, utilizing continuous thrust and trajectory control in closed loop. The simulations are performed using the Spacecraft Trajectory Simulator-STRS, Rocco (2008), which evaluate the behavior of the orbital elements, fuel consumption and thrust applied to the satellite over the time

Relaxin reduces susceptibility to post-infarct atrial fibrillation in mice due to anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Beiert, Thomas; Tiyerili, Vedat; Knappe, Vincent; Effelsberg, Verena; Linhart, Markus; Stöckigt, Florian; Klein, Sabine; Schierwagen, Robert; Trebicka, Jonel; Nickenig, Georg; Schrickel, Jan W; Andrié, René P

2017-08-26

Relaxin-2 (RLX) is a peptide hormone that exerts beneficial anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects in diverse models of cardiovascular disease. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of RLX treatment on the susceptibility to atrial fibrillation (AF) after myocardial infarction (MI). Mice with cryoinfarction of the left anterior ventricular wall were treated for two weeks with either RLX (75 μg/kg/d) or vehicle (sodium acetate) delivered via subcutaneously implanted osmotic minipumps. RLX treatment significantly attenuated the increase in AF-inducibility following cryoinfarction and reduced the mean duration of AF episodes. Furthermore, epicardial mapping of both atria revealed an increase in conduction velocity. In addition to an attenuation of atrial hypertrophy, chronic application of RLX reduced atrial fibrosis, which was linked to a significant reduction in atrial mRNA expression of connective tissue growth factor. Transcript levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β were reduced in RLX treated mice, but macrophage infiltration into atrial myocardium was similar in the vehicle and RLX treated groups. Treatment with RLX in mice after MI reduces susceptibility to AF due to anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic properties. Because to these favorable actions, RLX may become a new therapeutic option in the treatment of AF, even when complicating MI. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Infiltration properties of covering soil into the void of buried concrete waste due to fluctuation of ground water level and its prevention

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takatsu, Tadashi; Tadano, Hideki; Abe, Satoshi; Imai, Jun; Yanagisawa, Eiji; Mitachi, Toshiyuki

1999-01-01

Low level radioactive concrete waste will be produced in future by breaking up the nuclear facilities, and the waste will be disposed in shallow depth of ground. In order to prepare for those situation, it is needed to clarify the infiltration properties of the covering soil into the void of buried concrete waste due to the fluctuation of ground water level and to develop the prevention methods against the infiltration of the covering soil. In this study, full-scale concrete structure specimens were broken up, and were compacted in large scale testing boxes and a series tests changing water level up and down in the concrete waste and covering soil were performed. From the test results, it was found that the appropriate filter installed between the covering soil and the concrete waste, enable us to prevent the infiltration of covering soil into the void of concrete waste. (author)

Comparative analysis of direct and indirect property investment ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Comparative analysis of direct and indirect property investment returns in Abuja. ... in property shares is more risky than commercial property due to the risk ... of the stock market, it was discovered that there is a strong positive relationship ...

Nuclide Release Behavior from a Repository for a Pyro-process HLW and SF due to Variation of the MWCF Properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Youn Myoung; Hwang, Yong Soo

2009-01-01

An assessment program for an optional evaluation of a repository both for disposal of such high-level wastes (HLWs) from various steps of pyro-processes of PWR spent nuclear fuel (SF) and for direct disposal of PWR and CANDU SFs has been developed by utilizing general purpose GoldSim developing tool, by which nuclide transports in the near- and far-field of a repository as well as a transport through a biosphere under various natural and manmade disruptive events affecting a nuclide release could be modeled and evaluated. KAERI has been in charge of modeling and developing assessment tools by which the above mentioned repository system could be assessed in accordance with various features, events, and processes (FEPs) that could happen in and around the repository system. To cope with such various natural and manmade disruptive FEPs as well as normal release scenarios, all the possible cases in view of the Korean circumstances should be modeled and have been evaluated even though we have not yet have any repository. A possible case, among many others, with the variation of such physical properties as the fracture width and the rock matrix diffusion depth, associated with the natural fractures in the geological rock media, along which nuclide could be transported preferentially with the flow of groundwater is considered in the current study. Due to whatever the reason, such as e,g., the earthquake or human intrusion, it is assumed that the physical properties of the major water conducting fault (MWCF) is changed resulting in the size of fracture width and the matrix diffusion depth. For such case another illustration is made for probabilistic evaluation of a hypothetical Korean HLW repository, as similarly done in the previous studies

Stooped Nanohairs: Geometry-Controllable, Unidirectional, Reversible, and Robust Gecko-like Dry Adhesive

KAUST Repository

Kim, Tae-il

2009-06-12

A study was conducted to demonstrate a simple method for fabricating stopped high-aspect-ratio (AR) nanohairs of polyurethane acrylate (PUA) material that utilized replica molding and post-electron-beam irradiation. The method offered a facile route to prepare angled polymer nanohairs without multistep processes or surface treatment. It was demonstrated that the PUA material was molded into a geometry controlled and high-density nanochair surface with an AR of up to 10 without facing self-matting problem, due to its favorable mechanical properties. The as-formed hairy structures also allowed for structural transformation into directional and angled nanohairs, while maintaining better adhesion capability. The nanohair surface also showed significant unidirectional adhesion properties and a higher shear adhesion due to its structural similarity to natural gecko foot hairs.

Cracking in reinforced concrete structures due to imposed deformations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagy, A.

1997-04-01

This thesis is concerned with modeling of the cracking process in reinforced concrete due to imposed deformations. Cracking is investigated both at early ages, during hydration, and at mature age when the final properties of the concrete are reached. One of the most important material characteristics of the concrete at early ages, the Young`s modulus is determined by means of a dynamic method called the resonance frequency method. 40 refs

Analysis on signal properties due to concurrent leaks at two points in water supply pipelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Young Sup

2015-01-01

Intelligent leak detection is an essential component of a underground water supply pipeline network such as a smart water grid system. In this network, numerous leak detection sensors are needed to cover all of the pipelines in a specific area installed at specific regular distances. It is also necessary to determine the existence of any leaks and estimate its location within a short time after it occurs. In this study, the leak signal properties and feasibility of leak location detection were investigated when concurrent leaks occurred at two points in a pipeline. The straight distance between the two leak sensors in the 100A sized cast-iron pipeline was 315.6 m, and their signals were measured with one leak and two concurrent leaks. Each leak location was described after analyzing the frequency properties and cross-correlation of the measured signals.

Analysis on signal properties due to concurrent leaks at two points in water supply pipelines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Young Sup [Dept. of Embedded Systems Engineering, Incheon National University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-02-15

Intelligent leak detection is an essential component of a underground water supply pipeline network such as a smart water grid system. In this network, numerous leak detection sensors are needed to cover all of the pipelines in a specific area installed at specific regular distances. It is also necessary to determine the existence of any leaks and estimate its location within a short time after it occurs. In this study, the leak signal properties and feasibility of leak location detection were investigated when concurrent leaks occurred at two points in a pipeline. The straight distance between the two leak sensors in the 100A sized cast-iron pipeline was 315.6 m, and their signals were measured with one leak and two concurrent leaks. Each leak location was described after analyzing the frequency properties and cross-correlation of the measured signals.

Quantifying Rock Weakening Due to Decreasing Calcite Mineral Content by Numerical Simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Wetzel, Maria; Kempka, Thomas; Kühn, Michael

2018-04-01

The quantification of changes in geomechanical properties due to chemical reactions is of paramount importance for geological subsurface utilisation, since mineral dissolution generally reduces rock stiffness. In the present study, the effective elastic moduli of two digital rock samples, the Fontainebleau and Bentheim sandstones, are numerically determined based on micro-CT images. Reduction in rock stiffness due to the dissolution of 10% calcite cement by volume out of the pore network is quantified for three synthetic spatial calcite distributions (coating, partial filling and random) using representative sub-cubes derived from the digital rock samples. Due to the reduced calcite content, bulk and shear moduli decrease by 34% and 38% in maximum, respectively. Total porosity is clearly the dominant parameter, while spatial calcite distribution has a minor impact, except for a randomly chosen cement distribution within the pore network. Moreover, applying an initial stiffness reduced by 47% for the calcite cement results only in a slightly weaker mechanical behaviour. Using the quantitative approach introduced here substantially improves the accuracy of predictions in elastic rock properties compared to general analytical methods, and further enables quantification of uncertainties related to spatial variations in porosity and mineral distribution.

Novel neural networks-based fault tolerant control scheme with fault alarm.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Qikun; Jiang, Bin; Shi, Peng; Lim, Cheng-Chew

2014-11-01

In this paper, the problem of adaptive active fault-tolerant control for a class of nonlinear systems with unknown actuator fault is investigated. The actuator fault is assumed to have no traditional affine appearance of the system state variables and control input. The useful property of the basis function of the radial basis function neural network (NN), which will be used in the design of the fault tolerant controller, is explored. Based on the analysis of the design of normal and passive fault tolerant controllers, by using the implicit function theorem, a novel NN-based active fault-tolerant control scheme with fault alarm is proposed. Comparing with results in the literature, the fault-tolerant control scheme can minimize the time delay between fault occurrence and accommodation that is called the time delay due to fault diagnosis, and reduce the adverse effect on system performance. In addition, the FTC scheme has the advantages of a passive fault-tolerant control scheme as well as the traditional active fault-tolerant control scheme's properties. Furthermore, the fault-tolerant control scheme requires no additional fault detection and isolation model which is necessary in the traditional active fault-tolerant control scheme. Finally, simulation results are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the developed techniques.

Pipeline integrity management: integration of geotechnical and mechanical assessment to control potential risks due to external forces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malpartida Moya, John E.; Sota, Giancarlo Massucco de la; Seri, Walter [Compania Operadora de Gas del Amazonas, Lima (Peru)

2009-07-01

Every pipeline integrity management system evaluates and controls various threats. On pipelines which have particular characteristics as it is the case of the Andean pipelines and pipelines crossing jungles, one of the main threats are the external forces. Even, this threat causes a greater number of failures than other threats like corrosion or the third part damage. Facing this situation, the pipeline integrity management system of TgP has achieved an important development in the use and suitable handling of the information provided by diverse techniques of pipeline mechanical inspection and geotechnical inspection of the right-of-way (ROW). This document presents our methodology, which interrelate information of the in-line inspection, information of geotechnical inspections of the ROW, instrumentation (Strain Gages), topographic monitoring, among others. All this information is supported in a Geographic Information System (GIS) which allows us to integrate the information. By means of the pipeline integrity management system we control potential risks due to external forces, we have been able to act before events become critical, with no occurrence of failures. This system allows us simultaneously to optimize efforts and preserve the mechanical integrity of our pipelines, not producing neither personal nor environmental nor economical affectation. (author)

Uncertainty in sap flow-based transpiration due to xylem properties

Science.gov (United States)

Looker, N. T.; Hu, J.; Martin, J. T.; Jencso, K. G.

2014-12-01

Transpiration, the evaporative loss of water from plants through their stomata, is a key component of the terrestrial water balance, influencing streamflow as well as regional convective systems. From a plant physiological perspective, transpiration is both a means of avoiding destructive leaf temperatures through evaporative cooling and a consequence of water loss through stomatal uptake of carbon dioxide. Despite its hydrologic and ecological significance, transpiration remains a notoriously challenging process to measure in heterogeneous landscapes. Sap flow methods, which estimate transpiration by tracking the velocity of a heat pulse emitted into the tree sap stream, have proven effective for relating transpiration dynamics to climatic variables. To scale sap flow-based transpiration from the measured domain (often area) to the whole-tree level, researchers generally assume constancy of scale factors (e.g., wood thermal diffusivity (k), radial and azimuthal distributions of sap velocity, and conducting sapwood area (As)) through time, across space, and within species. For the widely used heat-ratio sap flow method (HRM), we assessed the sensitivity of transpiration estimates to uncertainty in k (a function of wood moisture content and density) and As. A sensitivity analysis informed by distributions of wood moisture content, wood density and As sampled across a gradient of water availability indicates that uncertainty in these variables can impart substantial error when scaling sap flow measurements to the whole tree. For species with variable wood properties, the application of the HRM assuming a spatially constant k or As may systematically over- or underestimate whole-tree transpiration rates, resulting in compounded error in ecosystem-scale estimates of transpiration.

Enhancement of charge transport properties of small molecule semiconductors by controlling fluorine substitution and effects on photovoltaic properties of organic solar cells and perovskite solar cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Yun, Jae Hoon; Park, Sungmin; Heo, Jin Hyuck; Lee, Hyo-Sang; Yoon, Seongwon; Kang, Jinback; Im, Sang Hyuk; Kim, Hyunjung; Lee, Wonmok; Kim, BongSoo; Ko, Min Jae; Chung, Dae Sung; Son, Hae Jung

2016-11-01

We prepared a series of small molecules based on 7,7'-(4,4-bis(2-ethylhexyl)-4 H -silolo[3,2- b :4,5- b ']dithiophene-2,6-diyl)bis(4-(5'-hexyl-[2,2'-bithiophene]-5-yl)benzo[ c ][1,2,5]thiadiazole) with different fluorine substitution patterns ( 0F-4F ). Depending on symmetricity and numbers of fluorine atoms incorporated in the benzo[ c ][1,2,5]thiadiazole unit, they show very different optical and morphological properties in a film. 2F and 4F , which featured symmetric and even-numbered fluorine substitution patterns, display improved molecular packing structures and higher crystalline properties in a film compared with 1F and 3F and thus, 2F achieved the highest OTFT mobility, which is followed by 4F . In the bulk heterojunction solar cell fabricated with PC 71 BM, 2F achieves the highest photovoltaic performance with an 8.14% efficiency and 0F shows the lowest efficiency of 1.28%. Moreover, the planar-type perovskite solar cell (PSC) prepared with 2F as a dopant-free hole transport material shows a high power conversion efficiency of 14.5% due to its high charge transporting properties, which were significantly improved compared with the corresponding PSC device obtained from 0F (8.5%). From the studies, it is demonstrated that low variation in the local dipole moment and the narrow distribution of 2F conformers make intermolecular interactions favorable, which may effectively drive crystal formations in the solid state and thus, higher charge transport properties compared with 1F and 3F .

Controlling of morphology and electrocatalytic properties of cobalt oxide nanostructures prepared by potentiodynamic deposition method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hallaj, Rahman [Department of Chemistry, University of Kurdistan, P.O. Box 416, Sanandaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Akhtari, Keivan [Department of Chemistry, University of Kurdistan, P.O. Box 416, Sanandaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Research Center for Nanotechnology, University of Kurdistan, P.O.Box 416, Sanandaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Salimi, Abdollah, E-mail: absalimi@uok.ac.ir [Department of Chemistry, University of Kurdistan, P.O. Box 416, Sanandaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Research Center for Nanotechnology, University of Kurdistan, P.O.Box 416, Sanandaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Soltanian, Saied [Department of Physics, University of Kurdistan, P.O. Box 416, Sanandaj (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2013-07-01

Electrodeposited cobalt oxide nanostructures were prepared by Repetitive Triangular Potential Scans (RTPS) as a simple, remarkably fast and scalable potentiodynamic method. Electrochemical deposition of cobalt oxide nanostructures onto GC electrode was performed from aqueous Co(NO{sub 3}){sub 2}, (pH 6) solution using cyclic voltammetry method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to characterize the morphology of fabricated nanostructures. The evaluation of electrochemical properties of deposited films was performed using cyclic voltametry (CV) and impedance spectroscopy (IS) techniques. The analysis of the experimental data clearly showed that the variations of potential scanning ranges during deposition process have drastic effects on the geometry, chemical structure and particle size of cobalt oxide nanoparticles. In addition, the electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties of prepared nanostructures can be controlled through applying different potential windows in electrodeposition process. The imaging and voltammetric studies suggested to the existence of at least three different shapes of cobalt-oxide nanostructures in various potential windows applied for electrodeposition. With enlarging the applied potential window, the spherical-like cobalt oxide nanoparticles with particles sizes about 30–50 nm changed to the grain-like structures (30 nm × 80 nm) and then to the worm-like cobalt oxide nanostructures with 30 nm diameter and 200–400 nm in length. Furthermore, the roughness of the prepared nanostructures increased with increasing positive potential window. The GC electrodes modified with cobalt oxide nanostructures shows excellent electrocatalytic activity toward H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and As (III) oxidation. The electrocatalytic activity of cobalt oxide nanostructures prepared at more positive potential window toward hydrogen peroxide oxidation was increased, while for As(III) oxidation the electrocatalytic

Controlling of morphology and electrocatalytic properties of cobalt oxide nanostructures prepared by potentiodynamic deposition method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallaj, Rahman; Akhtari, Keivan; Salimi, Abdollah; Soltanian, Saied

2013-01-01

Electrodeposited cobalt oxide nanostructures were prepared by Repetitive Triangular Potential Scans (RTPS) as a simple, remarkably fast and scalable potentiodynamic method. Electrochemical deposition of cobalt oxide nanostructures onto GC electrode was performed from aqueous Co(NO 3 ) 2 , (pH 6) solution using cyclic voltammetry method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to characterize the morphology of fabricated nanostructures. The evaluation of electrochemical properties of deposited films was performed using cyclic voltametry (CV) and impedance spectroscopy (IS) techniques. The analysis of the experimental data clearly showed that the variations of potential scanning ranges during deposition process have drastic effects on the geometry, chemical structure and particle size of cobalt oxide nanoparticles. In addition, the electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties of prepared nanostructures can be controlled through applying different potential windows in electrodeposition process. The imaging and voltammetric studies suggested to the existence of at least three different shapes of cobalt-oxide nanostructures in various potential windows applied for electrodeposition. With enlarging the applied potential window, the spherical-like cobalt oxide nanoparticles with particles sizes about 30–50 nm changed to the grain-like structures (30 nm × 80 nm) and then to the worm-like cobalt oxide nanostructures with 30 nm diameter and 200–400 nm in length. Furthermore, the roughness of the prepared nanostructures increased with increasing positive potential window. The GC electrodes modified with cobalt oxide nanostructures shows excellent electrocatalytic activity toward H 2 O 2 and As (III) oxidation. The electrocatalytic activity of cobalt oxide nanostructures prepared at more positive potential window toward hydrogen peroxide oxidation was increased, while for As(III) oxidation the electrocatalytic activity decreased

Risk factors for hospital admission due to acute lower respiratory tract infection in Guarani indigenous children in southern Brazil: a population-based case-control study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso, Andrey M; Coimbra, Carlos E A; Werneck, Guilherme L

2013-05-01

To assess risk factors associated with hospital admission due to acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) in indigenous Guarani children <5 years of age in southern Brazil. Population-based matched case-control study from May 2007 to June 2008 in 81 Guarani villages. Cases were defined as hospital admissions due to confirmed ALRTI. Two controls free from acute respiratory infection, matched according to age, sex and place of residence, were selected for each case at the time of the case's hospitalisation. Both cases and controls were recruited by a surveillance routine established for the study. The analysis was performed on 120 cases and 201 controls. The risk factors that remained significantly associated with hospitalisation due to ALRTI in the hierarchical multivariate conditional logistic regression were: low stable monthly per capita household income (

Chemical process control using Mat lab

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kang, Sin Chun; Kim, Raeh Yeon; Kim, Yang Su; Oh, Min; Yeo, Yeong Gu; Jung, Yeon Su

2001-07-01

This book is about chemical process control, which includes the basis of process control with conception, function, composition of system and summary, change of laplace and linearization, modeling of chemical process, transfer function and block diagram, the first dynamic property of process, the second dynamic property of process, the dynamic property of combined process, control structure of feedback on component of control system, the dynamic property of feedback control loop, stability of closed loop control structure, expression of process, modification and composition of controller, analysis of vibration response and adjustment controller using vibration response.

Controlling the radiative properties of cool black-color coatings pigmented with CuO submicron particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonome, Hiroki; Baneshi, Mehdi; Okajima, Junnosuke; Komiya, Atsuki; Maruyama, Shigenao

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to design a pigmented coating with dark appearance that maintains a low temperature while exposed to sunlight. The radiative properties of a black-color coating pigmented with copper oxide (CuO) submicron particles are described. In the present work, the spectral behavior of the CuO-pigmented coating was calculated. The radiative properties of CuO particles were evaluated, and the radiative transfer in the pigmented coating was modeled using the radiation element method by ray emission model (REM 2 ). The coating is made using optimized particles. The reflectivity is measured by spectroscopy and an integrating sphere in the visible (VIS) and near infrared (NIR) regions. By using CuO particles controlled in size, we were able to design a black-color coating with high reflectance in the NIR region. The coating substrate also plays an important role in controlling the reflectance. The NIR reflectance of the coating on a standard white substrate with appropriate coating thickness and volume fraction was much higher than that on a standard black substrate. From the comparison between the experimental and calculated results, we know that more accurate particle size control enables us to achieve better performance. The use of appropriate particles with optimum size, coating thickness and volume fraction on a suitable substrate enables cool and black-color coating against solar irradiation. -- Highlights: • A new approach in designing pigmented coatings was used. • The effects of particles size on both visible and near infrared reflectivities were studied. • The results of numerical calculation were compared with experimental ones for CuO powders

Measurement properties of the upright motor control test for adults with stroke: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorgon, Edward James R; Lazaro, Rolando T

2016-01-01

The Upright Motor Control Test (UMCT) has been used in clinical practice and research to assess functional strength of the hemiparetic lower limb in adults with stroke. It is unclear if evidence is sufficient to warrant its use. The purpose of this systematic review was to synthesize available evidence on the measurement properties of the UMCT for stroke rehabilitation. Electronic databases that indexed biomedical literature were systematically searched from inception until October 2015 (week 4): Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, PEDro, Cochrane Library, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SPORTDiscus, LILACS, DOAJ, and Google Scholar. All studies that had used the UMCT in the time period covered underwent hand searching for any additional study. Observational studies involving adults with stroke that explored any measurement property of the UMCT were included. The COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments was used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. The CanChild Outcome Measures Rating Form was used for extracting data on measurement properties and clinical utility. The search yielded three methodologic studies that addressed criterion-related validity and contruct validity. Two studies of fair methodological quality demonstrated moderate-level evidence that Knee Extension and Knee Flexion subtest scores were predictive of community-level and household-level ambulation. One study of fair methodological quality provided limited-level evidence for the correlation of Knee Extension subtest scores with a laboratory measure of ground reaction forces. No published studies formally assessed reliability, responsiveness, or clinical utility. Limited information on responsiveness and clinical utility dimensions could be inferred from the included studies. The UMCT is a practical assessment tool for voluntary control or functional strength of the hemiparetic lower limb in standing in adults with stroke. Although different

The control of stoichiometry in Epitaxial semiconductor structures. Interfacial Chemistry: Property relations. A workshop review

Science.gov (United States)

Bachmann, Klaus J.

1995-01-01

A workshop on the control of stoichiometry in epitaxial semiconductor structures was held on August 21-26, 1995 in the hotel Stutenhaus at Vesser in Germany. The secluded location of the workshop in the forest of Thuringia and its informal style stimulated extensive private discussions among the participants and promoted new contacts between young scientists from Eastern and Western Europe and the USA. Topics addressed by the presentations were interactions of precursors to heteroepitaxy and doping with the substrate surface, the control of interfacial properties under the conditions of heteroepitaxy for selected materials systems, methods of characterization of interfaces and native point defects in semiconductor heterostructures and an in depth evaluation of the present status of the control and characterization of the point defect chemistry for one specific semiconductor (ZnGeP2), including studies of both heterostructures and bulk single crystals. The selected examples of presentations and comments given here represent individual choices - made by the author to highlight major points of the discussions.

Controlling the optical properties of monocrystalline 3C-SiC heteroepitaxially grown on silicon at low temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Colston, Gerard; Myronov, Maksym

2017-11-01

Cubic silicon carbide (3C-SiC) offers an alternative wide bandgap semiconductor to conventional materials such as hexagonal silicon carbide (4H-SiC) or gallium nitride (GaN) for the detection of UV light and can offer a closely lattice matched virtual substrate for subsequent GaN heteroepitaxy. As 3C-SiC can be heteroepitaxially grown on silicon (Si) substrates its optical properties can be manipulated by controlling the thickness and doping concentrations. The optical properties of 3C-SiC epilayers have been characterized by measuring the transmission of light through suspended membranes. Decreasing the thickness of the 3C-SiC epilayers is shown to shift the absorbance edge to lower wavelengths, a result of the indirect bandgap nature of silicon carbide. This property, among others, can be exploited to fabricate very low-cost, tuneable 3C-SiC based UV photodetectors. This study investigates the effect of thickness and doping concentration on the optical properties of 3C-SiC epilayers grown at low temperatures by a standard Si based growth process. The results demonstrate the potential photonic applications of 3C-SiC and its heterogeneous integration into the Si industry.

Properties of sintered glass-ceramics prepared from plasma vitrified air pollution control residues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roether, J.A.; Daniel, D.J.; Amutha Rani, D.; Deegan, D.E.; Cheeseman, C.R.; Boccaccini, A.R.

2010-01-01

Air pollution control (APC) residues, obtained from a major UK energy from waste (EfW) plant, processing municipal solid waste, have been blended with silica and alumina and melted using DC plasma arc technology. The glass produced was crushed, milled, uni-axially pressed and sintered at temperatures between 750 and 1150 deg. C, and the glass-ceramics formed were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Mechanical properties assessed included Vickers's hardness, flexural strength, Young's modulus and thermal shock resistance. The optimum sintering temperature was found to be 950 deg. C. This produced a glass-ceramic with high density (∼2.58 g/cm 3 ), minimum water absorption (∼2%) and relatively high mechanical strength (∼81 ± 4 MPa). Thermal shock testing showed that 950 deg. C sintered samples could withstand a 700 deg. C quench in water without micro-cracking. The research demonstrates that glass-ceramics can be readily formed from DC plasma treated APC residues and that these have comparable properties to marble and porcelain. This novel approach represents a technically and commercially viable treatment option for APC residues that allow the beneficial reuse of this problematic waste.

Optical properties of a defective one-dimensional photonic crystal containing graphene nanaolayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Entezar, S. Roshan; Saleki, Z.; Madani, A.

2015-01-01

The transmission properties of a defective one-dimensional photonic crystal containing graphene nanolayers have been investigated using the transfer matrix method. It is shown that two kinds of the defect modes can be found in the band gaps of the structure. One kind is the traditional defect mode which is created in the Bragg gaps of the structure and is due to the breaking of the periodicity of the dielectric lattice. The other one is created in the graphene induced band gap. Such a defect mode which we call it the graphene induced defect mode is due to the breaking of the periodicity of the graphene lattice. However, our investigations reveal that only in the case of wide defect layers one can obtain the graphene induced defect modes. The effects of many parameters such as the incident angle, the state of polarization and the chemical potential of the graphene nanolayers on the properties of the graphene induced defect modes are discussed. Moreover, the possibility of external control of the graphene induced defect modes using a gate voltage is shown.

Exposure due to radon in homes - an IAEA perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navratilova-Rovenska, K.; Boal, T.; Colgan, T.

2014-01-01

The results of miner and residential epidemiology studies provide statistically strong evidence of harmful effects of exposure due to radon and its progeny. With the publication of the fifth edition of the International Basic Safety Standards, of the World Health Organizations Handbook on Indoor Radon and new ICRP statement on radon, there is increased interest from the public health and radiation protection authorities on controlling exposure due to radon and its progeny.The IAEA Safety Requirements publication 'Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards' sets out requirements on governments for control of existing exposure situations, which includes exposure due to radon. The types of situation that are included in the scope of existing exposure situations include exposure in workplaces for which the exposure due to radon is not required by or directly related to the work and for which annual average activity concentrations due to 222 Rn must not exceed a maximum reference level of 1000 Bq/m 3 annual activity concentration, as well as exposure in dwellings and in other buildings with high occupancy factors for members of the public for which the reference level must not exceed a maximum value of 300 Bq/m 3 . These requirements include: collecting data on the activity concentrations of radon in dwellings and other buildings with high occupancy by the public; providing information on exposure due to radon and the associated health risks; and if necessary, to develop an action plan for controlling public exposure to radon. The IAEA has developed a Safety Guide to provide guidance on developing the radon action plan: 'Protection of the Public against Exposure Indoors due to Radon and Other Natural Sources of Radiation'. This presentation will summarize the information on the assistance that the IAEA is currently providing to IAEA Member States to develop radon action plans. These activities include

Analysis of physical properties controlling steady-state infiltration rates on tropical savannah soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mbagwu, J.S.C.

1993-10-01

A knowledge of physical properties influencing the steady-state infiltration rates (ic) of soils is needed for the hydrologic modelling of the infiltration process. In this study evidence is provided to show that effective porosity (Pe) (i.e. the proportion of macro pore spaces with equivalent radius of > 15 μm) and dry bulk density are the most important soil physical properties controlling the steady-state infiltration rates on a tropical savannah with varying land use histories. At a macro porosity value of ≤ 5.0% the steady-state infiltration rate is zero. Total porosity and the proportion of water-retaining pores explained only a small fraction of the variation in this property. Steady-state infiltration rates can also be estimated from either the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) by the equation, i c = 31.1 + 1.06 (Ks), (R 2 = 0.8104, p ≤ 0.001) or the soil water transmissivity (A) by the equation, i c = 30.0 + 29.9(A), (R 2 = 0.8228, ρ ≤ 0.001). The Philip two-parameter model under predicted steady-state infiltration rates generally. Considering the ease of determination and reliability it is suggested that effective porosity be used to estimate the steady-state infiltration rates of these other soils with similar characteristics. The model is, i c 388.7(Pe) - 10.8(R 2 = 0.7265, p ≤ 0.001) where i c is in (cm/hr) and Pe in (cm 3 /cm 3 ). (author). 20 refs, 3 figs, 4 tabs

On the Processing and Properties of Clay/Polymer Nanocomposites CPNC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Refat El-Sheikhy

Full Text Available AbstractAn experimental investigation followed by fundamental characterization and discussion on the effect of nanoclay filler on the mechanical and fracture properties of polymer matrix was carried out. The study was carried out on clay/polymer nanocomposite made of High Density polyethylene (HDPE M40060 produced by Saudi Arabian company SABIC and montimorillonite MMT nanoclay (Nanomer I.34TCN produced by Nanocore, USA. MMT nanomer I.34TCN is surface modified with organic surfactant to facilitate the bonding between nanoclay and HDPE. Current clay/polymer nanocomposite CPNC was produced by special technique of mixing, processing and molding. Samples of nanoclay, HDPE and nanocomposite were characterized by XRD, SEM and EDAX for investigating the chistillanity, distribution, desperion, intercalation, exfoliation, homogenity and defects. These aspects govern CPNC processing and bond between nanoclay and HDPE which controls the mechanical and fracture properties. Sheets of the produced CPNC were prepared for mechanical and fracture testing. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, yield stress and elongation were tested and compared for both of pure HDPE and CPNC using non standard test specimens of flat sheets for comparison purposes. Fracture mechanics tests for checking and comparing the critical stress intensity factor due to stress concentration at the crack tips for mode I crack (KIc were carried out using precracked non standard flat sheet specimens subjected to uniaxial uniform tensile stresses. Furthermore, standard experimental tests were conducted for both of HDPE and CPNC for investigating standard mechanical properties aspects based on ASTM D 638 using standard dumbbell-shaped specimen while for investigating standard fracture toughness standard single edge notch specimens SENB subjected bending moment due to effect of 3-point load based on ASTM D 5045 were carried out. The results showed that procedures of mixing, processing

Nanostructured composite films of ceria nanoparticles with anti-UV and scratch protection properties constructed using a layer-by-layer strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Songsong; Li, Jie; Guo, Xianpeng; Liu, Lianhe; Wei, Hao; Zhang, Yingwei

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The fabrication of LbL multilayers used functional nanoparticles. • The film structure can be controlled in the nanoscopic range. • The constructed multilayers were transparent in the visible spectral region and presented anti-UV properties. • The multilayers presented scratch protection properties. - Abstract: Rare earth cerium oxide (ceria) nanoparticles have attracted extensive research attention due to their advantageous anti-UV and anti-scratch properties. However, a general and facile method for the fabrication of composite films using ceria and possessing these advantages is still lacking. Here, we report the fabrication of multilayers of ceria and polymeric species poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and poly(diallyl-dimethyl ammonium) (PDDA) via the layer-by-layer deposition strategy. The thickness of the multilayers increased linearly with the number of bilayers, indicating accurate control of the film structure in the nanoscopic range. The constructed multilayers were transparent in the visible spectral region and at the same time presented anti-UV properties. In addition, the multilayers also presented scratch protection properties.

Development of international regulation of intellectual property

OpenAIRE

Schmitz Vaccaro, Christian

2013-01-01

In recent years we have seen a true internationalization of intellectual property laws. So today one can easily familiarize with foreign laws on intellectual property, due to their increasing uniformity and homogeneity. This is the result of numerous international treaties and two international organizations. At the multilateral level, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) administers 24 treaties on intellectual property, and for its part, the World Trade Organization (WTO) is i...

Thermo-mechanical and micro-structural properties of xylanase containing whole wheat bread

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Ghoshal

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Xylanase is a hemicellulase that can hydrolyses the complex polysaccharides. Hemicelluloses are main components of cell walls of cereal grains. Moreover, hemicelluloses are considered as potential sources of mono- and oligosaccharides. In this study, influence of xylanase on the physicochemical properties and sensory qualities of the whole wheat bread during storage was investigated. Studies of whole wheat bread on microstructure, texture, thermotics, Scanning Electron Microscopic (SEM, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD were conducted at ambient temperature of 25 and 4 °C respectively. During storage at different temperatures, bread containing xylanase exhibited less firmness but larger volume with whiter crumb color and longer shelf life as compared to control bread. Results of firmness, enthalpy, Fourier Transformation Infra Red (FTIR and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD studies suggested a lower staling rate of bread containing xylanase as compared to control one. Bread containing xylanase showed a smoother surface and more uniform pore size than the control. Significant differences in microstructure of control and bread containing xylanase were observed which might be attributed due to the change in water starch gluten interaction. These differences were also found to be interrelated to the textural properties of bread. Better sensory features were achieved in bread containing xylanase.

Photochemical modification of magnetic properties in organic low-dimensional conductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naito, Toshio; Kakizaki, Akihiro; Wakeshima, Makoto; Hinatsu, Yukio; Inabe, Tamotsu

2009-01-01

Magnetic properties of organic charge transfer salts Ag(DX) 2 (DX=2,5-dihalogeno-N,N'-dicyanoquinonediimine; X=Cl, Br, I) were modified by UV irradiation from paramagnetism to diamagnetism in an irreversible way. The temperature dependence of susceptibility revealed that such change in magnetic behavior could be continuously controlled by the duration of irradiation. The observation with scanning electron microprobe revealed that the original appearance of samples, e.g. black well-defined needle-shaped shiny single crystals, remained after irradiation irrespective of the irradiation conditions and the duration. Thermochemical analysis and X-ray diffraction study demonstrated that the change in the physical properties were due to (partial) decomposition of Ag(DX) 2 to AgX, which was incorporated in the original Ag(DX) 2 lattices. Because the physical properties of low-dimensional organic conductors are very sensitive to lattice defects, even a small amount of AgX could effectively modify the electronic properties of Ag(DX) 2 without making the original crystalline appearance collapse. - Graphical abstract: By UV irradiation with appropriate masks, a part of single crystal of organic conductors irreversibly turned diamagnetic retaining their original crystalline shapes.

Psychometric properties of the Danish versions of headache-specific locus of control scale and headache management self-efficacy scale

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Jacob Sander; Bendtsen, Lars; Jensen, Rigmor

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study is to test the cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric properties of a Danish version of the Headache-Specific Locus of Control Scale (HSLC) and the Headache Management Self-Efficacy Scale (HMSE) in a tertiary headache centre. HSLC and HMSE are headache-specific measures...... with other self-report measures concerning general distress, anxiety, depression, and health-related quality of life. Internal stability of the HSLC subscales and the HMSE were analysed using Chronbach's alpha coefficient. The psychometric properties of the Danish version of the HSLC and the HMSE were...

Intercalation and controlled release properties of vitamin C intercalated layered double hydroxide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, Xiaorui, E-mail: gxr_1320@sina.com [College of Science, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038 (China); School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China); Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA (United Kingdom); Lei, Lixu [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China); O' Hare, Dermot [Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA (United Kingdom); Xie, Juan [College of Science, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038 (China); Gao, Pengran [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189 (China); Chang, Tao [College of Science, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038 (China)

2013-07-15

Two drug-inorganic composites involving vitamin C (VC) intercalated in Mg–Al and Mg–Fe layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been synthesized by the calcination–rehydration (reconstruction) method. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy indicate a successful intercalation of VC into the interlayer galleries of the LDH host. Studies of VC release from the LDHs in deionised water and in aqueous CO{sub 3}{sup 2−} solutions imply that Mg{sub 3}Al–VC LDH is a better controlled release system than Mg{sub 3}Fe–VC LDH. Analysis of the release profiles using a number of kinetic models suggests a solution-dependent release mechanism, and a diffusion-controlled deintercalation mechanism in deionised water, but an ion exchange process in CO{sub 3}{sup 2−} solution. - Graphical abstract: Vitamin C anions have been intercalated in the interlayer space of layered double hydroxide and released in CO{sub 3}{sup 2−} solution and deionised water. - Highlights: • Vitamin C intercalated Mg–Al and Mg–Fe layered double hydroxides were prepared. • Release property of vitamin C in aqueous CO{sub 3}{sup 2−} solution is better. • Avrami-Erofe’ev and first-order models provide better fit for release results. • Diffusion-controlled and ion exchange processes occur in deionised water. • An ion exchange process occurs in CO{sub 3}{sup 2−} solution.

A novel case-control design to estimate the extent of over-diagnosis of breast cancer due to organised population-based mammography screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Beckmann, Kerri R; Lynch, John W; Hiller, Janet E; Farshid, Gelareh; Houssami, Nehmat; Duffy, Stephen W; Roder, David M

2015-03-15

Debate about the extent of breast cancer over-diagnosis due to mammography screening has continued for over a decade, without consensus. Estimates range from 0 to 54%, but many studies have been criticized for having flawed methodology. In this study we used a novel study design to estimate over-diagnosis due to organised mammography screening in South Australia (SA). To estimate breast cancer incidence at and following screening we used a population-based, age-matched case-control design involving 4,931 breast cancer cases and 22,914 controls to obtain OR for yearly time intervals since women's last screening mammogram. The level of over-diagnosis was estimated by comparing the cumulative breast cancer incidence with and without screening. The former was derived by applying ORs for each time window to incidence rates in the absence of screening, and the latter, by projecting pre-screening incidence rates. Sensitivity analyses were undertaken to assess potential biases. Over-diagnosis was estimated to be 8% (95%CI 2-14%) and 14% (95%CI 8-19%) among SA women aged 45 to 85 years from 2006-2010, for invasive breast cancer and all breast cancer respectively. These estimates were robust when applying various sensitivity analyses, except for adjustment for potential confounding assuming higher risk among screened than non-screened women, which reduced levels of over-diagnosis to 1% (95%CI 5-7%) and 8% (95%CI 2-14%) respectively when incidence rates for screening participants were adjusted by 10%. Our results indicate that the level of over-diagnosis due to mammography screening is modest and considerably lower than many previous estimates, including others for Australia. © 2014 UICC.

Spice use in food: Properties and benefits.

Science.gov (United States)

Jessica Elizabeth, De La Torre; Gassara, Fatma; Kouassi, Anne Patricia; Brar, Satinder Kaur; Belkacemi, Khaled

2017-04-13

Spices are parts of plants that due to their properties are used as colorants, preservatives, or medicine. The uses of spices have been known since long time, and the interest in the potential of spices is remarkable due to the chemical compounds contained in spices, such as phenylpropanoids, terpenes, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. Spices, such as cumin (cuminaldehyde), clove (eugenol), and cinnamon (cinnamaldehyde) among others, are known and studied for their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties due to their main chemical compounds. These spices have the potential to be used as preservatives in many foods namely in processed meat to replace chemical preservatives. Main chemical compounds in spices also confer other properties providing a variety of applications to spices, such as insecticidal, medicines, colorants, and natural flavoring. Spices provide beneficial effects, such as antioxidant activity levels that are comparable to regular chemical antioxidants used so they can be used as a natural alternative to synthetic preservatives. In this review, the main characteristics of spices will be described as well as their chemical properties, different applications of these spices, and the advantages and disadvantages of their use.

Mechanical and Durability Properties of Concrete Made with Used Foundry Sand as Fine Aggregate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Ganesh Prabhu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In recent years, the construction industry has been faced with a decline in the availability of natural sand due to the growth of the industry. On the other hand, the metal casting industries are being forced to find ways to safely dispose of waste foundry sand (FS. With the aim of resolving both of these issues, an investigation was carried out on the reuse of waste FS as an alternative material to natural sand in concrete production, satisfied with relevant international standards. The physical and chemical properties of the FS were addressed. The influence of FS on the behaviour of concrete was evaluated through strength and durability properties. The test results revealed that compared to the concrete mixtures with a substitution rate of 30%, the control mixture had a strength value that was only 6.3% higher, and this enhancement is not particularly high. In a similar manner, the durability properties of the concrete mixtures containing FS up to 30% were relatively close to those of control mixture. From the test results, it is suggested that FS with a substitution rate of up to 30% can be effectively used in concrete production without affecting the strength and durability properties of the concrete.

Study on the control of the compositions and properties of a biodegradable polyester elastomer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu Quanyong; Weng Jingyi; Zhang Liqun [Key Laboratory of Beijing City on Preparation and Processing of Novel Polymer Materials, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China); Tan Tianwei, E-mail: liu_quanyong@126.co, E-mail: zhanglq@mail.buct.edu.c [Key Laboratory of Bioprocess of Beijing, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029 (China)

2009-04-15

Biodegradable polyester elastomers are widely reported to be applied in varied biomedical fields. In this paper, we attempt to investigate how both the thermal-curing time and molar ratio of the monomers affect the final compositions and properties of the novel poly(glycerol-sebacate-citrate) (PGSC) elastomers. First, PGSC elastomers are obtained after the thermal curing of the moldable mixtures consisting of citric acid and poly(glycerol-sebacate) (PGS) prepolymers synthesized in the lab. Then further studies show that, on the one hand, the control of longer thermal-curing time results in elastomers with less sol, lower swelling degree, slower degradation, greater mechanical strength and higher glass transition temperature and, on the other hand, the crosslink with more citric acid is advantageous to greatly improving their mechanical strength and glass transition temperatures, simultaneously decreasing their sol contents, swelling degrees and degradation rates. The PGSC elastomers show thermosetting properties, certain strength, mass losses lower than 20% after 4-week degradation and durative water absorption during degradation. Thus they might be potentially used as degradable bio-coatings, varied soft biomedical membranes and drug delivery matrices.

Venusian atmospheric and Magellan properties from attitude control data. M.S. Thesis

Science.gov (United States)

Croom, Christopher A.; Tolson, Robert H.

1994-01-01

Results are presented of the study of the Venusian atmosphere, Magellan aerodynamic moment coefficients, moments of inertia, and solar moment coefficients. This investigation is based upon the use of attitude control data in the form of reaction wheel speeds from the Magellan spacecraft. As the spacecraft enters the upper atmosphere of Venus, measurable torques are experienced due to aerodynamic effects. Solar and gravity gradient effects also cause additional torques throughout the orbit. In order to maintain an inertially fixed attitude, the control system counteracts these torques by changing the angular rates of three reaction wheels. Model reaction wheel speeds are compared to observed Magellan reaction wheel speeds through a differential correction procedure. This method determines aerodynamic, atmospheric, solar pressure, and mass moment of inertia parameters. Atmospheric measurements include both base densities and scale heights. Atmospheric base density results confirm natural variability as measured by the standard orbital decay method. Potential inconsistencies in free molecular aerodynamic moment coefficients are identified. Moments of inertia are determined with a precision better than 1 percent of the largest principal moment of inertia.

Change of mechanical properties of Norway Spruce wood due to degradation caused by fire retardants

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Kloiber, Michal; Frankl, Jiří; Drdácký, Miloš; Kučerová, I.; Tippner, J.; Bryscejn, Jan

2010-01-01

Roč. 55, č. 4 (2010), s. 23-38 ISSN 1336-4561 Grant - others:GAČR(CZ) GA103/07/1091 Program:GA Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20710524 Keywords : wood degradation * fire retardant * mechanical properties * tensile strength * hardness Subject RIV: JN - Civil Engineering Impact factor: 0.284, year: 2010

Propagation in a waveguide with range-dependent seabed properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Holland, Charles W

2010-11-01

The ocean environment contains features affecting acoustic propagation that vary on a wide range of time and space scales. A significant body of work over recent decades has aimed at understanding the effects of water column spatial and temporal variability on acoustic propagation. Much less is understood about the impact of spatial variability of seabed properties on propagation, which is the focus of this study. Here, a simple, intuitive expression for propagation with range-dependent boundary properties and uniform water depth is derived. It is shown that incoherent range-dependent propagation depends upon the geometric mean of the seabed plane-wave reflection coefficient and the arithmetic mean of the cycle distance. Thus, only the spatial probability distributions (pdfs) of the sediment properties are required. Also, it is shown that the propagation over a range-dependent seabed tends to be controlled by the lossiest, not the hardest, sediments. Thus, range-dependence generally leads to higher propagation loss than would be expected, due for example to lossy sediment patches and/or nulls in the reflection coefficient. In a few instances, propagation over a range-dependent seabed can be calculated using range-independent sediment properties. The theory may be useful for other (non-oceanic) waveguides.

Indecopi’s bureaucratic barriers control and economic fundamental rights guardianship

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César Ochoa Cardich

2013-12-01

Full Text Available This study analyzes the guardianship role on entrepreneurial freedom fundamental rights, non- discrimination in economic and property aspects exerted by the Elimination of Bureaucratic Barriers Commission from the National Institute for the Defense of Competition and IntellectualProperty (Indecopi developed throughout resolutions and administrative cases set up by the Defense of Competition Chamber #1. This role is particularly relevant in our legal system, due to their special functions the Elimination of Bureaucratic Barriers Commission is entitled by legal mandate to establish the non- application of rules in specific cases exercising legal control. This administrative function- initially misunderstood-has proved to be an efficient tool for the guardianship of economic rights due to our judicial system ineffectiveness in contentious administrative matters. The author considers the possibility of making a constitutional reform in order to provide specialized administrative bodies, such as INDECOPI, with the quality of “primary administrative jurisdiction” whose resolutions will only be reviewed by the State Council jurisdiction.

Improved dielectric properties, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity properties of polymer composites via controlling interfacial compatibility with bio-inspired method

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Mengnan; Yang, Dan; Guo, Wenli; Zhang, Liqun; Li, Shuxin; Shang, Yuwei; Wu, Yibo; Zhang, Min; Wang, Hao

2018-05-01

Surface functionalization of Al2O3 nano-particles by mussel-inspired poly(dopamine) (PDA) was developed to improve the dielectric properties, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity properties of nitrile rubber (NBR) matrix. As strong adhesion of PDA to Al2O3 nano-particles and hydrogen bonds formed by the catechol groups of PDA and the polar acrylonitrile groups of NBR, the dispersion of Al2O3-PDA/NBR composites was improved and the interfacial force between Al2O3-PDA and NBR matrix was enhanced. Thus, the Al2O3-PDA/NBR composites exhibited higher dielectric constant, better mechanical properties, and larger thermal conductivity comparing with Al2O3/NBR composites at the same filler content. The largest thermal conductivity of Al2O3-PDA/NBR composite filled with 30 phr Al2O3-PDA was 0.21 W/m K, which was 122% times of pure NBR. In addition, the Al2O3-PDA/NBR composite filled with 30 phr Al2O3-PDA displayed a high tensile strength about 2.61 MPa, which was about 255% of pure NBR. This procedure is eco-friendly and easy handling, which provides a promising route to polymer composites in application of thermal conductivity field.

Improvement of mechanical and biological properties of Polycaprolactone loaded with Hydroxyapatite and Halloysite nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, E; Fombuena, V; Vallés-Lluch, A; Ellingham, T

2017-06-01

Hydroxyapatite (HA) and Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) percentages have been optimized in Polycaprolactone (PCL) polymeric matrices to improve mechanical, thermal and biological properties of the composites, thus, to be applied in bone tissue engineering or as fixation plates. Addition of HA guarantees a proper compatibility with human bone due to its osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties, facilitating bone regeneration in tissue engineering applications. Addition of HNTs ensures the presence of tubular structures for subsequent drug loading in their lumen, of molecules such as curcumin, acting as controlled drug delivery systems. The addition of 20% of HA and different amounts of HNTs leads to a substantial improvement in mechanical properties with values of flexural strength up to 40% over raw PCL, with an increase in degradation temperature. DMA analyses showed stability in mechanical and thermal properties, having as a result a potential composite to be used as tissue engineering scaffold or resorbable fixation plate. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EFFECT OF CONTROLLED QUENCHING ON THE AGING OF 2024 ALUMINUM ALLOY CONTAINING BORON

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N. Khatami

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The presence of alloying elements, sometimes in a very small amount, affects mechanical properties one of these elements is Boron. In Aluminum industries, Boron master alloy is widely used as a grain refiner In this research, the production process of Aluminum –Boron master alloy was studied at first then, it was concurrently added to 2024 Aluminum alloy. After rolling and homogenizing the resulting alloy, the optimal temperature and time of aging were determined during the precipitation hardening heat treatment by controlled quenching (T6C. Then, in order to find the effect of controlled quenching, different cycles of heat treatment including precipitation heat treatment by controlled quenching (T6C and conventional quenching (T6 were applied on the alloy at the aging temperature of 110°C. Mechanical properties of the resulting alloy were evaluated after aging at optimum temperature of 110°C by performing mechanical tests including hardness and tensile tests. The results of hardness test showed that applying the controlled quenching instead of conventional quenching in precipitation heat treatment caused reduction in the time of reaching the maximum hardness and also increase in hardness rate due to the generated thermo-elastic stresses rather than hydrostatic stresses and increased atomic diffusion coefficient as well. Tensile test results demonstrated that, due to the presence of boride particles in the microstructure of the present alloy, the ultimate tensile strength in the specimens containing Boron additive increased by 3.40% in comparison with the specimens without such an additive and elongation (percentage of relative length increase which approximately increased by 38.80% due to the role of Boron in the increase of alloy ductility

Multi-muscle FES force control of the human arm for arbitrary goals.

Science.gov (United States)

Schearer, Eric M; Liao, Yu-Wei; Perreault, Eric J; Tresch, Matthew C; Memberg, William D; Kirsch, Robert F; Lynch, Kevin M

2014-05-01

We present a method for controlling a neuroprosthesis for a paralyzed human arm using functional electrical stimulation (FES) and characterize the errors of the controller. The subject has surgically implanted electrodes for stimulating muscles in her shoulder and arm. Using input/output data, a model mapping muscle stimulations to isometric endpoint forces measured at the subject's hand was identified. We inverted the model of this redundant and coupled multiple-input multiple-output system by minimizing muscle activations and used this inverse for feedforward control. The magnitude of the total root mean square error over a grid in the volume of achievable isometric endpoint force targets was 11% of the total range of achievable forces. Major sources of error were random error due to trial-to-trial variability and model bias due to nonstationary system properties. Because the muscles working collectively are the actuators of the skeletal system, the quantification of errors in force control guides designs of motion controllers for multi-joint, multi-muscle FES systems that can achieve arbitrary goals.

Material operating behaviour of ABB BWR control rods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rebensdorff, B.; Bart, G.

2000-01-01

The BWR control rods made by ABB use boron carbide (B 4 C and hafnium as absorber material within a cladding of stainless steel. The general behaviour under operation has proven to be very good. ABB and many of their control rod customers have performed extensive inspection programs of control rod behaviour. However, due to changes in the material properties under fast and thermal neutron irradiation defects may occur in the control rods at high neutron fluences. Examinations of irradiated control rod materials have been performed in hot cell laboratories. The examinations have revealed the defect mechanism Irradiation Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking (IASCC) to appear in the stainless steel cladding. For IASCC to occur three factors have to act simultaneously. Stress, material sensitization and an oxidising environment. Stress may be obtained from boron carbide swelling due to irradiation. Stainless steel may be sensitized to intergranular stress corrosion cracking under irradiation. Normally the reactor environment in a BWR is oxidising. The presentation focuses on findings from hot cell laboratory work on irradiated ABB BWR control rods and studies of irradiated control rod materials in the hot cells at PSI. Apart from physical, mechanical and microstructural examinations, isotope analyses were performed to describe the local isotopic burnup of boron. Consequences (such as possible B 4 C washout) of a under operation in a ABB BWR, after the occurrence of a crack is discussed based on neutron radiographic examinations of control rods operated with cracks. (author)

Identification of the unstable human postural control system

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Sungjae eHwang

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Maintaining upright bipedal posture requires a control system that continually adapts to changing environmental conditions, such as different support surfaces. Behavioral changes associated with different support surfaces, such as the predominance of an ankle or hip strategy, is considered to reflect a change in the control strategy. However, tracing such behavioral changes to a specific component in a closed loop control system is challenging. Here we used the joint input-output (JIO method of closed-loop system identification to identify the musculoskeletal and neural feedback components of the human postural control loop. The goal was to establish changes in the control loop corresponding to behavioral changes observed on different support surfaces. Subjects were simultaneously perturbed by two independent mechanical and two independent sensory perturbations while standing on a normal or short support surface. The results show a dramatic phase reversal between visual input and body kinematics due to the change in surface condition from trunk leads legs to legs lead trunk with increasing frequency of the visual perturbation. Through decomposition of the control loop, we found that behavioral change is not necessarily due to a change in control strategy, but in the case of different support surfaces, is linked to changes in properties of the plant. The JIO method is an important tool to identify the contribution of specific components within a closed loop control system to overall postural behavior and may be useful to devise better treatment of balance disorders.

Changes in mechanical properties due to gamma irradiation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE

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S. S. Cota

2007-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an experimental analysis of the effect of dose and dose rate parameters during gamma irradiation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE samples. Considerations concerning the influence of these parameters on HDPE mechanical strength properties as a result of the predominance of oxidative degradation or of cross-linking are presented. The experimental results show an improvement of HDPE mechanical strength as dose increases, indicating the predominance of cross-linking over oxidative degradation and that lower doses are necessary to obtain a similar change in resistance parameters when radiation is applied at lower dose rates, showing that gamma radiation affects the HDPE in a more efficient way at lower dose rates.

Changes in mechanical properties due to gamma irradiation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cota, S.S.; Vasconcelos, V.; Senne Junior, M.; Carvalho, L.L.; Rezende, D.B.; Correa, R.F.

2007-01-01

This paper presents an experimental analysis of the effect of dose and dose rate parameters during gamma irradiation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) samples. Considerations concerning the influence of these parameters on HDPE mechanical strength properties as a result of the predominance of oxidative degradation or of cross-linking are presented. The experimental results show an improvement of HDPE mechanical strength as dose increases, indicating the predominance of cross-linking over oxidative degradation and that lower doses are necessary to obtain a similar change in resistance parameters when radiation is applied at lower dose rates, showing that gamma radiation affects the HDPE in a more efficient way at lower dose rates. (author)

Electronic and magnetic properties of MoSe2 armchair nanoribbons controlled by the different edge structures

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hui; Zhao, Xu; Gao, Yonghui; Wang, Haiyang; Wang, Tianxing; Wei, Shuyi

2018-03-01

Tow-dimensional materials obviously have potential applications in next-generation nanodevices because of their extraordinary physical and chemical properties and the demands of the market. Using first-principle calculation based on density functional theory, we explore electronic and magnetic properties of the different nanoribbons with various edge structures, namely, with hydrogenation or not. In addition, we also calculate the binding energy to analyze the stability of the nanoribbon. Our calculations tell us that the passivated nanoribbons have the positive binding energies, which indicates the passivated nanoribbons are relative stable and hydrogenation can improve the stability of the bare nanoribbons due to the reduction of the dangling bonds. Among of them, full hydrogenation has the highest stability. We find all the nanoribbons with full and without hydrogenation are nonmagnetic semiconductors. It is worth mentioning that hydrogenation can induce the bare nanoribbons to transform gradually from indirect band gap semiconductor to direct band gap semiconductor, even to half-metal. In addition, the magnetic moment of the bare nanoribbon change bit by bit as the rate of hydrogenation increases. When the edge atoms are fully hydrogenated, the magnetic moment return to zero. What's more, our research results still confirm that electronic and magnetic properties of the nanorribons without and with different edge passivation are mainly contributed by the atoms at the edges. These studies about MoSe2 nanoribbons will shed light on the further development of the relevant nanodevices in versatile applications, such as spintronics and energy harvesting.

Analysis of thermoelectric properties of amorphous InGaZnO thin film by controlling carrier concentration

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Yuta Fujimoto

2015-09-01

Full Text Available We have investigated the thermoelectric properties of amorphous InGaZnO (a-IGZO thin films optimized by adjusting the carrier concentration. The a-IGZO films were produced under various oxygen flow ratios. The Seebeck coefficient and the electrical conductivity were measured from 100 to 400 K. We found that the power factor (PF at 300 K had a maximum value of 82 × 10−6 W/mK2, where the carrier density was 7.7 × 1019 cm−3. Moreover, the obtained data was analyzed by fitting the percolation model. Theoretical analysis revealed that the Fermi level was located approximately above the potential barrier when the PF became maximal. The thermoelectric properties were controlled by the relationship between the position of Fermi level and the height of potential energy barriers.

Geotechnical properties of municipal solid waste at different phases of biodegradation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, Krishna R.; Hettiarachchi, Hiroshan; Gangathulasi, Janardhanan; Bogner, Jean E.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Degraded synthetic municipal solid waste (MSW) anaerobically in controlled bench-scale reactors. → Performed laboratory tests to determine geotechnical properties of MSW at different phases of degradation. → Hydraulic conductivity decreased by two orders of magnitude due to degradation. → Compression ratio reduced from 0.34 for initial fresh waste to 0.15 for the mostly degraded waste. → Friction angle reduced, but cohesion increased with degradation. - Abstract: This paper presents the results of laboratory investigation conducted to determine the variation of geotechnical properties of synthetic municipal solid waste (MSW) at different phases of degradation. Synthetic MSW samples were prepared based on the composition of MSW generated in the United States and were degraded in bioreactors with leachate recirculation. Degradation of the synthetic MSW was quantified based on the gas composition and organic content, and the samples exhumed from the bioreactor cells at different phases of degradation were tested for the geotechnical properties. Hydraulic conductivity, compressibility and shear strength of initial and degraded synthetic MSW were all determined at constant initial moisture content of 50% on wet weight basis. Hydraulic conductivity of synthetic MSW was reduced by two orders of magnitude due to degradation. Compression ratio was reduced from 0.34 for initial fresh waste to 0.15 for the mostly degraded waste. Direct shear tests showed that the fresh and degraded synthetic MSW exhibited continuous strength gain with increase in horizontal deformation, with the cohesion increased from 1 kPa for fresh MSW to 16-40 kPa for degraded MSW and the friction angle decreased from 35 o for fresh MSW to 28 o for degraded MSW. During the triaxial tests under CU condition, the total strength parameters, cohesion and friction angle, were found to vary from 21 to 57 kPa and 1 o to 9 o , respectively, while the effective strength parameters, cohesion

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Controlling Coach Behaviors Scale in the sport context.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo, Isabel; Tomás, Inés; Ntoumanis, Nikos; Bartholomew, Kimberley; Duda, Joan L; Balaguer, Isabel

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research was to translate into Spanish and examine the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Controlling Coach Behaviors Scale (CCBS) in male soccer players. The CCBS is a questionnaire designed to assess athletes' perceptions of sports coaches' controlling interpersonal style from the perspective of the self-determination theory. Study 1 tested the factorial structure of the translated scale using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and provided evidence of discriminant validity. Studies 2 and 3 examined the invariance across time and across competitive level via multi-sample CFA. Reliability analyses were also conducted. The CFA results revealed that a four-factor model was acceptable, indicating that a controlling interpersonal style is a multidimensional construct represented by four separate and related controlling coaching strategies. Further, results supported the invariance of the CCBS factor structure across time and competitive level and provided support for the internal consistency of the scale. Overall, the CCBS demonstrated adequate internal consistency, as well as good factorial validity. The Spanish version of the CCBS represents a valid and reliable adaptation of the instrument, which can be confidently used to measure soccer players' perceptions of their coaches' controlling interpersonal style.

Control of persistent vesical bleeding due to radiation cytitis by intravesical application of 15(s) 15-methyl prostaglandin F2-alpha

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hemal, A.K.; Praveen, B.V.; Sankaranarayanan, A.; Vaidyanathan, S.

1989-01-01

A 45 year old female who received radiotherapy for stage II-B uterine cervical cancer four and half years ago, presented with persistent hematuria due to radiation cystitis. 15(S) 15-methyl prostaglandin F 2 -alpha (1 mg in 100 ml of normal saline) was instilled into the bladder daily for two days. The severity of bleeding decreased considerably. However, significant hematuria recurred 19 days later which continued despite bladder irrigation with normal saline, 1 mg of 15(S) 15-Me PGF 2 alpha mixed with hydroxyethyl cellulose gel to a volume of 10 ml was then instilled into the urinary bladder daily for three days and macroscopic hematuria ceased. Urinary frequency and urgency were the side effects which lasted for ten days. There has been no recurrence of macroscopic hematuria during the five months followup. In conclusion, 15(S) 15-Me PGF 2 - alpha may be administered intravesically to control moderate hematuria due to radiation cystitis. (author). 5 refs

Gas Exchange and Mechanical Properties of the Lung in Miners with Severe Concomitant Injury

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V. V. Moroz

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: to study the specific features of pulmonary gas exchange and mechanical properties in various manifestations of respiratory failure in miners with severe concomitant injury, who have a service length of 10 years or more, in order to optimize respiratory support.Subjects and methods. Pulmonary gas exchange and mechanical properties were studied over time in the presence of respiratory failure (acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome in 34 miners and 36 victims (a control group with severe concomitant injury who had no underground service length. Both groups were matched in age, severity and nature of traumatic lesions and surgical interventions. Pulmonary gas exchange and mechanical properties were evaluated by the following indices: oxygen fraction in an inspired gas mixture; hemoglobin saturation and partial arterial blood oxygen and carbon dioxide tension with the alveolar-arterial gradient being calculated by the oxygen level; oxygenation index; intrapulmonary shunting; statistical compliance and airways resistance.Results. The studies demonstrated that the miners, as compared with the controls, had more pronounced gas exchange changes within 5—7 post-traumatic days; later on (days 7—9 the above differences were undetectable. Impaired pulmonary mechanical properties in the miners persisted throughout the study while in the control group, their recovery started just on day 3. The course of respiratory failure in the miners was attributable to the baseline external respiratory function. Their respiratory support was performed during 14.5±1.4 days versus 9.5±1.9 days in the controls. In the miners, the mean bed-days at an intensive care unit were 18.5±2.2 whereas in the controls those were 12.3±2.1.Conclusion. More significant impairments of pulmonary gas exchange and mechanical properties are seen in the miners due to the background changes in external respiratory function in the development of respiratory

Interplay of activation kinetics and the derivative conductance determines resonance properties of neurons

Science.gov (United States)

Pena, Rodrigo F. O.; Ceballos, Cesar C.; Lima, Vinicius; Roque, Antonio C.

2018-04-01

In a neuron with hyperpolarization activated current (Ih), the correct input frequency leads to an enhancement of the output response. This behavior is known as resonance and is well described by the neuronal impedance. In a simple neuron model we derive equations for the neuron's resonance and we link its frequency and existence with the biophysical properties of Ih. For a small voltage change, the component of the ratio of current change to voltage change (d I /d V ) due to the voltage-dependent conductance change (d g /d V ) is known as derivative conductance (GhDer). We show that both GhDer and the current activation kinetics (characterized by the activation time constant τh) are mainly responsible for controlling the frequency and existence of resonance. The increment of both factors (GhDer and τh) greatly contributes to the appearance of resonance. We also demonstrate that resonance is voltage dependent due to the voltage dependence of GhDer. Our results have important implications and can be used to predict and explain resonance properties of neurons with the Ih current.

Controlling microstructure of pentacene derivatives by solution processing: impact of structural anisotropy on optoelectronic properties.

Science.gov (United States)

James, David T; Frost, Jarvist M; Wade, Jessica; Nelson, Jenny; Kim, Ji-Seon

2013-09-24

The consideration of anisotropic structural properties and their impact on optoelectronic properties in small-molecule thin films is vital to understand the performance of devices incorporating crystalline organic semiconductors. Here we report on the important relationship between structural and optoelectronic anisotropy in aligned, functionalized-pentacene thin films fabricated using the solution-based zone-casting technique. The microstructure of thin films composed of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) and 6,13-bis(triethylsilylethynyl)pentacene (TES-pentacene) is systematically controlled by varying the casting speed. By controlling the structural alignment, we were able to experimentally decouple, for the first time in these films, an intramolecular absorption transition dipole (at ∼440 nm) oriented close to the pentacene short axis and an intermolecular absorption transition dipole (at ∼695 nm) oriented predominantly along the conjugated pentacene-pentacene core stacking axis (crystallographic a-axis) in both films. Using the intermolecular absorption as a signature for intermolecular delocalization, much higher optical dichroism was obtained in TES-pentacene (16 ± 6) than TIPS-pentacene (3.2 ± 0.1), which was attributed to the 1D packing structure of TES-pentacene compared to the 2D packing structure of TIPS-pentacene. This result was also supported by field-effect mobility anisotropy measurements of the films, with TES-pentacene exhibiting a higher anisotropy (∼21-47, depending on the casting speed) than TIPS-pentacene (∼3-10).

Morphology-controlled synthesis of MoS2 nanostructures with different lithium storage properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Xiwen; Zhang, Zhian; Chen, Yaqiong; Qu, Yaohui; Lai, Yanqing; Li, Jie

2014-01-01

Highlights: • MoS 2 nanospheres, nanoribbons and nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method. • The surfactant and temperature control the shape and crystal structure of MoS 2 . • MoS 2 nanospheres exhibit the excellent lithium storage property. - Abstract: A one-step hydrothermal process was employed to prepare a series of MoS 2 nanostructures via simply altering the surfactant as soft template and hydrothermal reaction temperature. Three kinds of MoS 2 nanostructures (three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical nanospheres, one-dimensional (1D) nanoribbons, and large aggregated nanoparticles) were successfully achieved and investigated well by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis (BET). Electrochemical tests reveal that these MoS 2 samples could deliver high initial discharge capacities (higher than 1050.0 mA h g −1 ), but various cycling performances. The hierarchical MoS 2 nanospheres assembled by sheet-like subunits show the highest specific capacity of 1355.1 mA h g −1 , and 66.8% of which can be retained after 50 cycles. The good lithium storage property of hierarchical MoS 2 nanospheres can be attributed to the higher electrolyte/MoS 2 contact area and stable 3D layered structure

Programmable Nucleic Acid Based Polygons with Controlled Neuroimmunomodulatory Properties for Predictive QSAR Modeling.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Morgan Brittany; Halman, Justin R; Satterwhite, Emily; Zakharov, Alexey V; Bui, My N; Benkato, Kheiria; Goldsworthy, Victoria; Kim, Taejin; Hong, Enping; Dobrovolskaia, Marina A; Khisamutdinov, Emil F; Marriott, Ian; Afonin, Kirill A

2017-11-01

In the past few years, the study of therapeutic RNA nanotechnology has expanded tremendously to encompass a large group of interdisciplinary sciences. It is now evident that rationally designed programmable RNA nanostructures offer unique advantages in addressing contemporary therapeutic challenges such as distinguishing target cell types and ameliorating disease. However, to maximize the therapeutic benefit of these nanostructures, it is essential to understand the immunostimulatory aptitude of such tools and identify potential complications. This paper presents a set of 16 nanoparticle platforms that are highly configurable. These novel nucleic acid based polygonal platforms are programmed for controllable self-assembly from RNA and/or DNA strands via canonical Watson-Crick interactions. It is demonstrated that the immunostimulatory properties of these particular designs can be tuned to elicit the desired immune response or lack thereof. To advance the current understanding of the nanoparticle properties that contribute to the observed immunomodulatory activity and establish corresponding designing principles, quantitative structure-activity relationship modeling is conducted. The results demonstrate that molecular weight, together with melting temperature and half-life, strongly predicts the observed immunomodulatory activity. This framework provides the fundamental guidelines necessary for the development of a new library of nanoparticles with predictable immunomodulatory activity. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Properties of sintered glass-ceramics prepared from plasma vitrified air pollution control residues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roether, J.A.; Daniel, D.J. [Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Amutha Rani, D. [Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Deegan, D.E. [Tetronics Ltd., Swindon, Wiltshire SN3 4DE (United Kingdom); Cheeseman, C.R., E-mail: c.cheeseman@imperial.ac.uk [Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Boccaccini, A.R., E-mail: a.boccaccini@imperial.ac.uk [Department of Materials, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom)

2010-01-15

Air pollution control (APC) residues, obtained from a major UK energy from waste (EfW) plant, processing municipal solid waste, have been blended with silica and alumina and melted using DC plasma arc technology. The glass produced was crushed, milled, uni-axially pressed and sintered at temperatures between 750 and 1150 deg. C, and the glass-ceramics formed were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Mechanical properties assessed included Vickers's hardness, flexural strength, Young's modulus and thermal shock resistance. The optimum sintering temperature was found to be 950 deg. C. This produced a glass-ceramic with high density ({approx}2.58 g/cm{sup 3}), minimum water absorption ({approx}2%) and relatively high mechanical strength ({approx}81 {+-} 4 MPa). Thermal shock testing showed that 950 deg. C sintered samples could withstand a 700 deg. C quench in water without micro-cracking. The research demonstrates that glass-ceramics can be readily formed from DC plasma treated APC residues and that these have comparable properties to marble and porcelain. This novel approach represents a technically and commercially viable treatment option for APC residues that allow the beneficial reuse of this problematic waste.

Electrical properties of dislocations in III-Nitrides

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cavalcoli, D.; Minj, A.; Pandey, S.; Cavallini, A. [Physics and Astronomy Dept. University of Bologna, Italy viale C Berti Pichat 6/II, Bologna (Italy)

2014-02-21

Research on GaN, AlN, InN (III-N) and their alloys is achieving new heights due their high potential applications in photonics and electronics. III-N semiconductors are mostly grown epitaxially on sapphire, and due to the large lattice mismatch and the differences in the thermal expansion coefficients, the structures usually contain many threading dislocations (TDs). While their structural properties have been widely investigated, their electrical characteristics and their role in the transport properties of the devices are still debated. In the present contribution we will show conductive AFM studies of TDs in GaN and Al/In GaN ternary alloys to evidence the role of strain, different surface polarity and composition on their electrical properties. Local I-V curves measured at TDs allowed us to clarify their role in the macroscopic electrical properties (leakage current, mobilities) of III-N based devices. Samples obtained by different growers (AIXTRON, III-V Lab) were studied. The comparison between the results obtained in the different alloys allowed us to understand the role of In and Al on the TDs electrical properties.

Electrical properties of dislocations in III-Nitrides

Science.gov (United States)

Cavalcoli, D.; Minj, A.; Pandey, S.; Cavallini, A.

2014-02-01

Research on GaN, AlN, InN (III-N) and their alloys is achieving new heights due their high potential applications in photonics and electronics. III-N semiconductors are mostly grown epitaxially on sapphire, and due to the large lattice mismatch and the differences in the thermal expansion coefficients, the structures usually contain many threading dislocations (TDs). While their structural properties have been widely investigated, their electrical characteristics and their role in the transport properties of the devices are still debated. In the present contribution we will show conductive AFM studies of TDs in GaN and Al/In GaN ternary alloys to evidence the role of strain, different surface polarity and composition on their electrical properties. Local I-V curves measured at TDs allowed us to clarify their role in the macroscopic electrical properties (leakage current, mobilities) of III-N based devices. Samples obtained by different growers (AIXTRON, III-V Lab) were studied. The comparison between the results obtained in the different alloys allowed us to understand the role of In and Al on the TDs electrical properties.

Morphology-controlled synthesis of grass-like GO-CdSe nanocomposites with excellent optical properties and field emission properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xie, Pei, E-mail: peipeixie@163.com [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Xue, Shaolin, E-mail: slxue@dhu.edu.cn [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Wei, Jia, E-mail: Jojo.1125@hotmail.com [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Han, Junwei, E-mail: hjw0323@sina.com [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Zhou, Weikang, E-mail: dhuzwk@sina.com [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); Zou, Rujia, E-mail: rujiazou@dhu.edu.cn [College of Science, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China); State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620 (China)

2016-02-15

Four different morphologies of the CdSe semiconductor nanograss have been successfully grown on graphene oxide (GO) sheets via hydrothermal method at 220 °C for 12 h. The morphologies, structures, chemical compositions and optical properties of the as-obtained GO-CdSe nanocomposites were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, EDS, XPS and Raman spectra. It was found that the EDTA/Cd{sup 2+} molar ratio is important for the formation of morphology of GO-CdSe nanocomposites. The results of XRD revealed that all the as-obtained GO-CdSe nanocomposites have zinc blend structure. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) showed that the sample emits red light under different excitation wavelengths. The results of Raman spectra, EDS and XPS showed that the CdSe nanograss is grown on GO sheets. The results showed that GO-CdSe nanocomposites composed of nanorods have best field emission (FE) properties with a low turn-on electric field of 4.14 V μm{sup −1} and a high field enhancement factor of 3315 among all the samples. - Graphical abstract: SEM images of as-synthesized CdSe nanograss grown on GO sheets. Room temperature PL emission spectra of the as-synthesized CdSe nanograss grown on GO sheets. Field emission J–E curve of the as-synthesized CdSe nanograss grown on GO sheets. - Highlights: • Novel CdSe nanograsses are grown on graphene oxide sheets by hydrothermal method. • The morphology of CdSe nanograsses is controlled by adjusting EDTA/Cd{sup 2+} molar ratio. • The FE performance of sample is investigated. • Optimum morphology for FE performance is CdSe nanograsses composed of nanorods on GO.

Stability and electronic properties of silicene on WSe2

KAUST Repository

Zhu, Jiajie

2015-03-17

Many semiconducting substrates, such as GaS and MgBr2, have been explored for silicene. However, large lattice mismatches, complicated control of terminal layers and small band gaps are critical limiting factors. First-principles results on the stability and electronic properties of silicene on WSe2 show that the energy barriers for lateral translation between the two subsystems are very small due to weak van der Waals interactions. For the same reason, the Dirac physics of silicene is preserved. It turns out that the induced band gap is sufficient to withstand thermal fluctuations. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015.

Controllable growth and magnetic properties of nickel nanoclusters electrodeposited on the ZnO nanorod template

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang Yang; Zhao Dongxu; Shen Dezhen; Zhang Jiying; Wang Xiaohua

2009-01-01

The ZnO nanorods were used as a template to fabricate nickel nanoclusters by electrodeposition. The ZnO nanorod arrays act as a nano-semiconductor electrode for depositing metallic and magnetic nickel nanoclusters. The growth sites of Ni nanoclusters could be controlled by adjusting the applied potential. Under -1.15 V the Ni nanoclusters could be grown on the tips of ZnO nanorods. On increasing the potential to be more negative the ZnO nanorods were covered by Ni nanoclusters. The magnetic properties of the electrodeposited Ni nanoclusters also evolved with the applied potentials.

Controllable growth and magnetic properties of nickel nanoclusters electrodeposited on the ZnO nanorod template

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang Yang; Zhao Dongxu; Shen Dezhen; Zhang Jiying [Key Laboratory of Excited State Processes, Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16 East Nan-Hu Road, Open Economic Zone, Changchun 130033 (China); Wang Xiaohua, E-mail: dxzhao2000@yahoo.com.c [National Key Laboratory of High Power Semiconductor Laser, Changchun University of Science and Technology, 7089 WeiXing Road, ChangChun 130022 (China)

2009-12-09

The ZnO nanorods were used as a template to fabricate nickel nanoclusters by electrodeposition. The ZnO nanorod arrays act as a nano-semiconductor electrode for depositing metallic and magnetic nickel nanoclusters. The growth sites of Ni nanoclusters could be controlled by adjusting the applied potential. Under -1.15 V the Ni nanoclusters could be grown on the tips of ZnO nanorods. On increasing the potential to be more negative the ZnO nanorods were covered by Ni nanoclusters. The magnetic properties of the electrodeposited Ni nanoclusters also evolved with the applied potentials.

The effect of reaction temperature on the room temperature ferromagnetic property of sol-gel derived tin oxide nanocrystal

Science.gov (United States)

Sakthiraj, K.; Hema, M.; Balachandra Kumar, K.

2018-06-01

In the present study, nanocrystalline tin oxide materials were prepared using sol-gel method with different reaction temperatures (25 °C, 50 °C, 75 °C & 90 °C) and the relation between the room temperature ferromagnetic property of the sample with processing temperature has been analysed. The X-ray diffraction pattern and infrared absorption spectra of the as-prepared samples confirm the purity of the samples. Transmission electron microscopy images visualize the particle size variation with respect to reaction temperature. The photoluminescence spectra of the samples demonstrate that luminescence process in materials is originated due to the electron transition mediated by defect centres. The room temperature ferromagnetic property is observed in all the samples with different amount, which was confirmed using vibrating sample magnetometer measurements. The saturation magnetization value of the as-prepared samples is increased with increasing the reaction temperature. From the photoluminescence & magnetic measurements we accomplished that, more amount of surface defects like oxygen vacancy and tin interstitial are created due to the increase in reaction temperature and it controls the ferromagnetic property of the samples.

A new type of surface acoustic waves in solids due to nonlinear elasticity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mozhaev, V.G.

1988-12-01

It is shown that in nonlinear elastic semi-infinite medium possessing a property of self focusing of shear waves, besides bulk non-linear shear waves, new surface acoustic waves exist, localization of which near the boundary is entirely due to nonlinear effects. (author). 8 refs

Effects of instant controlled pressure drop process on physical and sensory properties of puffed wheat snack.

Science.gov (United States)

Yağcı, Sibel

2017-04-01

In this study, research on the development of a puffed wheat snack using the instant controlled pressure drop (DIC) process was carried out. Snack products were produced by expanding moistened wheat under various DIC processing conditions in order to obtain adequate puffing, followed by drying in a hot air dryer. The effects of operational variables such as wheat initial moisture content (11-23% w/w, wet basis), processing pressure (3-5 × 10 2 kPa) and processing time (3-11 min) on the physical (density, color and textural characteristics) and sensory properties of the product were investigated. The physical properties of the wheat snack were most affected by changes in processing pressure, followed by processing time and wheat moisture content. Increasing processing pressure and time often improved expansion and textural properties but led to darkening of the raw wheat color. The most acceptable snack in terms of physical properties was obtained at the lowest wheat moisture content. Sensory analysis suggested that consumer acceptability was optimal for wheat snacks produced at higher processing pressure, medium processing time and lower moisture content. The most desirable conditions for puffed wheat snack production using the DIC process were determined as 11% (w/w) of wheat moisture content, 5 × 10 2 kPa of processing pressure and 7 min of processing time. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Formal verification of complex properties on PLC programs

CERN Document Server

Darvas, D; Voros, A; Bartha, T; Blanco Vinuela, E; Gonzalez Suarez, V M

2014-01-01

Formal verification has become a recommended practice in the safety-critical application areas. However, due to the complexity of practical control and safety systems, the state space explosion often prevents the use of formal analysis. In this paper we extend our former verification methodology with effective property preserving reduction techniques. For this purpose we developed general rule-based reductions and a customized version of the Cone of Influence (COI) reduction. Using these methods, the verification of complex requirements formalised with temporal logics (e.g. CTL, LTL) can be orders of magnitude faster. We use the NuSMV model checker on a real-life PLC program from CERN to demonstrate the performance of our reduction techniques.

Limitations to private properties in the vicinity of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martini, L.E.

1978-01-01

This study, based on Argentine legislation, analyses the limitations to private property in the surroundings of nuclear power plants, due to public interest. A nuclear power plant could demand different kinds of property limitation, that could vary from restrictions to the absolute nature of property, to expropriation. Limitation of property is a different concept from restriction of property, the concept of limitation is wider. The author analyses for both concepts: validy requirements, competent bodies, and jurisdiction in case of conflict. He also explains the conditions and process of expropriation. Article 14 of the Constitution constitutes the positive legal basis for limitations of property. In the hypotheses of limitations to property due to vicinity of nuclear power plants, national legislation takes precedence over provincial law, since it is a matter of public national interest. (author)

Enhancement of Electrical Properties of Nanostructured Polysilicon Layers Through Hydrogen Passivation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, D; Xu, T; Lambert, Y; Cristini-Robbe; Stiévenard, D

2015-12-01

The light absorption of polysilicon planar junctions can be improved using nanostructured top surfaces due to their enhanced light harvesting properties. Nevertheless, associated with the higher surface, the roughness caused by plasma etching and defects located at the grain boundary in polysilicon, the concentration of the recombination centers increases, leading to electrical performance deterioration. In this work, we demonstrate that wet oxidation combined with hydrogen passivation using SiN(x):H are the key technological processes to significantly decrease the surface recombination and improve the electrical properties of nanostructured n(+)-i-p junctions. Nanostructured surface is fabricated by nanosphere lithography in a low-cost and controllable approach. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the successive annealing of silicon nitride films has significant effect on the passivation quality, resulting in some improvements on the efficiency of the Si nanostructure-based solar cell device.

Controlling Photoconductivity in PBI Films by Supramolecular Assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Draper, Emily R; Archibald, Lewis J; Nolan, Michael C; Schweins, Ralf; Zwijnenburg, Martijn A; Sproules, Stephen; Adams, Dave J

2018-03-15

Perylene bisimides (PBIs) self-assemble in solution. The solubility of the PBIs is commonly changed through the choice of substituents at the imide positions. It is generally assumed this substitution does not affect the electronic properties of the PBI, and that the properties of the self-assembled aggregate are essentially that of the isolated molecule. However, substituents do affect the self-assembly, resulting in potentially different packing in the formed aggregates. Here, we show that the photoconductivity of films formed from a library of substituted PBIs varies strongly with the substituent and demonstrate that this is due to the different ways in which they pack. Our results open the possibility for tuning the optoelectronic properties of self-assembled PBIs by controlling the aggregate structure through careful choice of substituent, as demonstrated by us here optimising the photoconductivity of PBI films in this way. © 2018 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Property rating potentials and hurdles: what can be done to boost property rating in Ghana?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elias Danyi Kuusaana

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Population growth in many of Africa’s towns and cities has outpaced local authority capacity to provide efficient management, infrastructure and financing. There is already debate over the capability and capacity of urban local governments to provide basic services to a growing population, due to budget constraints and inability to raise the required local-level revenue. This paper looks at how the potential of property rating can be harnessed to generate the bulk of revenue needed for local-level development, despite the huge default rates across Ghana. Focusing on Wa Municipality as a case study, the study finds that the major hurdles to property rating are poor property data systems, political interference, non-enforcement of the law, low budget deficit in financing revaluation, insufficient staffing, and insufficient technical capacity of the few staff available at the municipal valuation and rating divisions. Despite these constraints, however, field data still indicates that property rating in Ghana, and especially in Wa Municipality, can generate up to 30% of local government revenue needed. This is conditional on streamlining current challenges and improving resources for the rating and valuation units. There is extensive non-payment of property rates in Wa Municipality due to lack of awareness of the purpose of this tax, of how to pay and of the penalties for defaulting payees.

Intelligent Control and Health Monitoring. Chapter 3

Science.gov (United States)

Garg, Sanjay; Kumar, Aditya; Mathews, H. Kirk; Rosenfeld, Taylor; Rybarik, Pavol; Viassolo, Daniel E.

2009-01-01

Advanced model-based control architecture overcomes the limitations state-of-the-art engine control and provides the potential of virtual sensors, for example for thrust and stall margin. "Tracking filters" are used to adapt the control parameters to actual conditions and to individual engines. For health monitoring standalone monitoring units will be used for on-board analysis to determine the general engine health and detect and isolate sudden faults. Adaptive models open up the possibility of adapting the control logic to maintain desired performance in the presence of engine degradation or to accommodate any faults. Improved and new sensors are required to allow sensing at stations within the engine gas path that are currently not instrumented due in part to the harsh conditions including high operating temperatures and to allow additional monitoring of vibration, mass flows and energy properties, exhaust gas composition, and gas path debris. The environmental and performance requirements for these sensors are summarized.

Localized Tissue Surrogate Deformation due to Controlled Single Bubble Cavitation

Science.gov (United States)

2014-08-27

studies using ultrasound shock waves also support cavitation induced damage, e.g. hemorrhage and cellular membrane poration 26-28. In addition...SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: Cavitation -induced shock wave, as might occur in the head during exposure to blast waves, was investigated as a possible...damage mechanism for soft brain tissues. A novel experimental scheme was developed to visualize and control single bubble cavitation and its

A Generic Model Based Tracking Controller for Hydraulic Valve-Cylinder Drives

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anders Hedegaard; Schmidt, Lasse; Pedersen, Henrik Clemmensen

2016-01-01

in the entire range of operation, rather than reducing stationary errors, and may be parameterized from the desired gain margin, as well as linear model parameters. The proposed control design approaches are evaluated in an experimentally validated, nonlinear simulation model of a hydraulic valve-cylinder drive......The control of hydraulic valve-cylinder drives is still an active subject of research, and various linear and particularly nonlinear approaches has been proposed, especially in the last two-three decades. In many cases the proposed controllers appear to produce excellent tracking ability due...... generally has failed to break through in industry. This paper discusses the dominant properties necessary to take into account when considering position tracking control of hydraulic valve-cylinder drives, and presents two generally applicable, generic control design approaches that combines non...

The Effect of HCWA-PFA Hybrid Geopolymer Modification on the Properties of Soil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassian F.F.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the performance of the properties of foamed concrete when replacing volumes of cement of 10%, 15% and 20% by weight. A control unit of foamed concrete mixture made with Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC as well as samples containing 10%, 15% and 20% silica fume were prepared. Three mechanical property parameters of foamed concrete containing different percentages of silica fume were studied: compressive strength, flexural strength and splitting tensile strength. Silica fume is commonly used to increase the mechanical properties of concrete materials as well as for economic concerns. The foamed concrete in this study was cured at a relative humidity of 70% and a temperature of ±28°C. Improvements in the mechanical properties of foamed concrete were due to a significant densification in the microstructure of the cement paste matrix in the presence of silica fume hybrid supplementary binder as observed from micrographs obtained in the study. The overall results showed that silica fume has great potential to be utilized in foamed concrete as there was a noticeable enhancement in thermal and mechanical properties with the addition of silica fume.

Climate adaptation and policy-induced inflation of coastal property value.

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, Dylan E; Gopalakrishnan, Sathya; Smith, Martin D; Murray, A Brad

2015-01-01

Human population density in the coastal zone and potential impacts of climate change underscore a growing conflict between coastal development and an encroaching shoreline. Rising sea-levels and increased storminess threaten to accelerate coastal erosion, while growing demand for coastal real estate encourages more spending to hold back the sea in spite of the shrinking federal budget for beach nourishment. As climatic drivers and federal policies for beach nourishment change, the evolution of coastline mitigation and property values is uncertain. We develop an empirically grounded, stochastic dynamic model coupling coastal property markets and shoreline evolution, including beach nourishment, and show that a large share of coastal property value reflects capitalized erosion control. The model is parameterized for coastal properties and physical forcing in North Carolina, U.S.A. and we conduct sensitivity analyses using property values spanning a wide range of sandy coastlines along the U.S. East Coast. The model shows that a sudden removal of federal nourishment subsidies, as has been proposed, could trigger a dramatic downward adjustment in coastal real estate, analogous to the bursting of a bubble. We find that the policy-induced inflation of property value grows with increased erosion from sea level rise or increased storminess, but the effect of background erosion is larger due to human behavioral feedbacks. Our results suggest that if nourishment is not a long-run strategy to manage eroding coastlines, a gradual removal is more likely to smooth the transition to more climate-resilient coastal communities.

Contrasting optical properties of surface waters across the Fram Strait and its potential biological implications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pavlov, Alexey K.; Granskog, Mats A.; Stedmon, Colin A.

2015-01-01

radiation (PAR, 400-700nm), but does result in notable differences in ultraviolet (UV) light penetration, with higher attenuation in the EGC. Future changes in the Arctic Ocean system will likely affect EGC through diminishing sea-ice cover and potentially increasing CDOM export due to increase in river......Underwater light regime is controlled by distribution and optical properties of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and particulate matter. The Fram Strait is a region where two contrasting water masses are found. Polar water in the East Greenland Current (EGC) and Atlantic water in the West...... Spitsbergen Current (WSC) differ with regards to temperature, salinity and optical properties. We present data on absorption properties of CDOM and particles across the Fram Strait (along 79° N), comparing Polar and Atlantic surface waters in September 2009 and 2010. CDOM absorption of Polar water in the EGC...

Controllable Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Zwitterionic PBI Towards Tunable Surface Wettability of the Nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Yong; Lü, Baozhong; Cheng, Wenyu; Wu, Zhen; Wei, Jie; Yin, Meizhen

2017-05-04

Amphiphilic molecules have received wide attention as they possess both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties, and can form diverse nanostructures in selective solvents. Herein, we report an asymmetric amphiphilic zwitterionic perylene bisimide (AZP) with an octyl chain and a zwitterionic group on the opposite imide positions of perylene tetracarboxylic dianhydride. The controllable nanostructures of AZP with tunable hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface have been investigated through solvent-dependent amphiphilic self-assembly as confirmed by SEM, TEM, and contact angle measurements. The planar perylene core of AZP contributes to strong π-π stacking, while the amphiphilic balance of asymmetric AZP adjusts the self-assembly property. Additionally, due to intermolecular π-π stacking and solvent-solute interactions, AZP could self-assemble into hydrophilic microtubes in a polar solvent (acetone) and hydrophobic nanofibers in an apolar solvent (hexane). This facile method provides a new pathway for controlling the surface properties based on an asymmetric amphiphilic zwitterionic perylene bisimide. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

78 FR 45260 - Federal Property Suitable as Facilities To Assist the Homeless

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-26

... bldg., good conditions, contact AF for more info. Land New York FAA Radio Communication Link Adjacent... Landholding Agency: Navy Property Number: 77201330005 Status: Excess Comments: Due to anti-terrorism force... Agency: Navy Property Number: 77201330006 Status: Excess Comments: Due to anti-terrorism/force protection...

Which key properties controls the preferential transport in the vadose zone under transient hydrological conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Groh, J.; Vanderborght, J.; Puetz, T.; Gerke, H. H.; Rupp, H.; Wollschlaeger, U.; Stumpp, C.; Priesack, E.; Vereecken, H.

2015-12-01

% arrival time and potential key soil properties, site factors and boundary conditions will be presented in order to identify key properties which control the preferential transport in the vadose zone under transient hydrological conditions.

Mechanical properties of self-compacted fiber concrete mixes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mounir M. Kamal

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Increased productivity and improved working environment have had high priority in the development of concrete construction over the last decade. The major impact of the introduction of self-compacting concrete (SCC is connected to the production process. The productivity is drastically improved through the elimination of vibration compaction and process reorganization. The working environment is significantly enhanced through avoidance of vibration induced damages, reduced noise and improved safety. Additionally, SCC technology has improved the performance in terms of hardened concrete properties like surface quality, strength and durability. The main objective of this research was to determine the optimum content of fibers (steel and polypropylene fibers used in SCC. The effect of different fibers on the fresh and hardened properties was studied. An experimental investigation on the mechanical properties, including compressive strength, flexural strength and impact strength of fiber reinforced self-compacting concrete was performed. The results of the investigation showed that: the optimum dosage of steel and polypropylene fiber was 0.75% and 1.0% of the cement content, respectively. The impact performance was also improved due to the use of fibers. The control mix specimen failed suddenly in flexure and impact, the counterpart specimens contain fibers failed in a ductile manner, and failure was accompanied by several cracks.

Quantitative evaluation about property of thin-film formation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen Huawei [Department of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo (Japan) and School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University (China)]. E-mail: chen_hua_wei@yahoo.com; Hagiwara, Ichiro [Department of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1, O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo (Japan); Huang Tian [Department of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom); School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University (China); Zhang Dawei [School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University (China)

2006-03-15

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is gradually emphasized as one promising method for nanomaterial formation. Such growth mechanism has been mainly investigated on basis of experiment. Due to large cost of the equipment of experiment and low level of current measurement, the comprehension about authentic effect of formation condition on properties of nanomaterial is limited in qualitative manner. Three quantitative items: flatness of primary deposition, adhesion between cluster and substrate, and degree of epitaxial growth were proposed to evaluate the property of thin film. In this simulation, three different cluster sizes of 203, 653, 1563 atoms with different velocities (0, 10, 100, 1000, 3000 m/s) were deposited on a Cu(0 0 1) substrate whose temperatures were set between 300 and 1000 K. Within one velocity range, not only the speed of epitaxial growth and adhesion between thin film and substrate were enhanced, but also the degree of epitaxy increased and the shape of thin film became more flat with velocity increasing. Moreover, the epitaxial growth became well as the temperature of substrate was raised within a certain range, and the degree of epitaxy of small cluster was larger than larger cluster. The results indicated that the property of thin film could be controlled if the effect of situations of process was made clear.

Quantitative evaluation about property of thin-film formation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Huawei; Hagiwara, Ichiro; Huang Tian; Zhang Dawei

2006-01-01

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is gradually emphasized as one promising method for nanomaterial formation. Such growth mechanism has been mainly investigated on basis of experiment. Due to large cost of the equipment of experiment and low level of current measurement, the comprehension about authentic effect of formation condition on properties of nanomaterial is limited in qualitative manner. Three quantitative items: flatness of primary deposition, adhesion between cluster and substrate, and degree of epitaxial growth were proposed to evaluate the property of thin film. In this simulation, three different cluster sizes of 203, 653, 1563 atoms with different velocities (0, 10, 100, 1000, 3000 m/s) were deposited on a Cu(0 0 1) substrate whose temperatures were set between 300 and 1000 K. Within one velocity range, not only the speed of epitaxial growth and adhesion between thin film and substrate were enhanced, but also the degree of epitaxy increased and the shape of thin film became more flat with velocity increasing. Moreover, the epitaxial growth became well as the temperature of substrate was raised within a certain range, and the degree of epitaxy of small cluster was larger than larger cluster. The results indicated that the property of thin film could be controlled if the effect of situations of process was made clear

A propensity score approach to correction for bias due to population stratification using genetic and non-genetic factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Huaqing; Rebbeck, Timothy R; Mitra, Nandita

2009-12-01

Confounding due to population stratification (PS) arises when differences in both allele and disease frequencies exist in a population of mixed racial/ethnic subpopulations. Genomic control, structured association, principal components analysis (PCA), and multidimensional scaling (MDS) approaches have been proposed to address this bias using genetic markers. However, confounding due to PS can also be due to non-genetic factors. Propensity scores are widely used to address confounding in observational studies but have not been adapted to deal with PS in genetic association studies. We propose a genomic propensity score (GPS) approach to correct for bias due to PS that considers both genetic and non-genetic factors. We compare the GPS method with PCA and MDS using simulation studies. Our results show that GPS can adequately adjust and consistently correct for bias due to PS. Under no/mild, moderate, and severe PS, GPS yielded estimated with bias close to 0 (mean=-0.0044, standard error=0.0087). Under moderate or severe PS, the GPS method consistently outperforms the PCA method in terms of bias, coverage probability (CP), and type I error. Under moderate PS, the GPS method consistently outperforms the MDS method in terms of CP. PCA maintains relatively high power compared to both MDS and GPS methods under the simulated situations. GPS and MDS are comparable in terms of statistical properties such as bias, type I error, and power. The GPS method provides a novel and robust tool for obtaining less-biased estimates of genetic associations that can consider both genetic and non-genetic factors. 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Bone density does not reflect mechanical properties in early-stage arthrosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ding, Ming; Danielsen, CC; Hvid, I

2001-01-01

: medial arthrosis, lateral control, normal medial and normal lateral controls. The specimens were tested in compression to determine mechanical properties and then physical/compositional properties. Compared to the normal medial control, we found reductions in ultimate stress, Young's modulus, and failure...... cancellous bone and the 3 controls. None of the mechanical properties of arthrotic cancellous bone could be predicted by the physical/compositional properties measured. The increase in bone tissue in early-stage arthrotic cancellous bone did not make up for the loss of mechanical properties, which suggests...

Morphology controlled Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} nanophosphors with enhanced photoluminescence properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Deepak [School of Physics and Materials Science, Thapar University, Patiala 147003, Punjab (India); Sharma, Manoj, E-mail: manojnarad@sggswu.org [Department of Nanotechnology, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib 140406, Punjab (India); Pandey, O.P., E-mail: oppandey@thapar.edu [School of Physics and Materials Science, Thapar University, Patiala 147003, Punjab (India)

2015-02-15

Eu{sup 3+} doped Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} is prepared by a co-precipitation method using ammonium hydrogen carbonate as precipitating agent. In the present work we studied the effect of different molar concentrations of Poly vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and 1-Thio-glycerol (TG) as capping agents to enhance the optical and morphological properties of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} nanophosphors. In addition, variation of pH was studied to control the particle size of the synthesized product. The polymer concentration (TG and PVP) was also optimized at different pH to get higher luminescence of Eu{sup 3+} doped Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles (NPs). It was observed that pH of solution during synthesis and also its concentration affect the morphological and optical properties of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+}. The structural, morphological and optical properties were studied by an X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. XRD studies followed by Rietveld refinement confirmed the body-centered cubic structure of doped nanophosphors. It was observed that at optimized pH and polymer concentration the nanoparticles of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} have narrow size distribution and exhibited enhanced photoluminescent properties. - highlights: • Nano-sized Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} were synthesized by a co-precipitation method using PVP and TG as capping agents. • Effect of polymers (PVP and TG) on morphological properties of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} has been explained in detail. • Improvement in PL intensity for Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} prepared with polymers has been explained in detail.

Material properties of plasticized hardwood xylans for potential application as oxygen barrier films.

Science.gov (United States)

Gröndahl, Maria; Eriksson, Lisa; Gatenholm, Paul

2004-01-01

Free films based on glucuronoxylan isolated from aspen wood were prepared by casting from aqueous solutions and drying in a controlled environment. Addition of xylitol or sorbitol facilitated film formation and thus examination of the material properties of these films. The mechanical properties of the films were evaluated using tensile testing and dynamic mechanical analysis in a controlled ambient relative humidity. The strain at break increased, and the stress at break and Young's modulus of the films decreased with increasing amounts of xylitol and sorbitol due to plasticization. At high amount of plasticizer, it was found that films with xylitol gave lower extensibility. Wide-angle X-ray scattering analysis showed that xylitol crystallized in a distinct phase, which we believe contributes to the more brittle behavior of these films. The effect of the plasticizers on the glass transition temperature was determined using dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. An increased amount of plasticizer shifted the glass transition to lower temperatures. The effect of moisture on the properties of plasticized films was investigated using water vapor sorption isotherms and by humidity scans in dynamic mechanical analysis. Sorption isotherms showed a transition from type II to type III when adding plasticizer. The films showed low oxygen permeability and thus have a potential application in food packaging.

Effect of Al-doped YCrO3 on structural, electronic and magnetic properties

Science.gov (United States)

Durán, A.; Verdín, E.; Conde, A.; Escamilla, R.

2018-05-01

Structural, dielectric and magnetic properties were investigated in the YCr1-xAlxO3 with 0 cell volume of the orthorhombic structure without changes in the oxidation state of the Cr3+ ions. We discuss two mechanisms that could have a significant influence on the magnetic properties. The first is related to local deformation occurring for x structure. The local deformation is controlled by the inclination of the octahedrons and the octahedral distortion having a strong effect on the TN and the coercive field at low Al concentrations. On the other hand, the decreasing of the magnetization values (Mr and Hc) is ascribed to changes in the electronic structure, which is confirmed by a decreasing of the contribution of Cr 3d states at Fermi level due to increasing Al3+ content. Thus, we analyzed and discussed that both mechanisms influence the electronic properties of the YCr1-xAlxO3 solid solution.

Aerosol Properties under Air Quality Control Measures of APEC 2014 in Beijing

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, X.; Xu, H.; Lv, Y.; Xie, Y.; Li, K.; Li, Z.; Li, D.; Ma, Y.; Mei, X.

2015-12-01

Because the economic and society were developing fast in the middle of last century, Los Angeles and London both were polluted by photochemical smog, which massacred thousands of people. Now, many regions are often covered by heavy haze in those large developing countries, especially in China and India. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was held in Beijing during 5-11 November 2014. Beijing, Hebei, Tianjin, Shandong, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia reduced air pollution emissions for the APEC 2014 meeting held in Beijing. Only in Hebei province, there were 1028 factories stopped or restricted and 881 construction sites stopped. Half of the cars were prohibited driving even in the Zibo city which is 400 km far from Beijing. For scientific aims, these control measures were indeed a huge and uncommon atmospheric experiment led by the government. During the experiment, what did the "APEC Blue" mean? We analyzed aerosol properties with the data of an AERONET site in Beijing which is located 500m far from the main reception hall of APEC 2014. The Cimel solar photometers can give a series parameters of aerosol and water vapor. In this paper, we used CE318 solar photometer which is the main instrument of NASA AERONET. The CE318 of RADI belongs to the Chinese SONET (Sun-sky radiometer Observation NETwork) too. We analyzed the total, coarse and fine Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), Fine-Mode Fraction (FMF) and Ångström exponent, Size Distribution and Real Refractive Index. In conclusion, the aerosol properties were analysed with the measurements of a sun photometer. During the APEC 2014, AOD decreased obviously with a 0.27 mean value compared with the annual mean 0.7. Around Beijing, the southern is polluted emission area including the cross part of Shandong, Shanxi, Hebei, Henan four provinces, and the northern is clean for less fine mode particles emission in the large Inner Mongolia province. In fact, during the APEC 2014, the weather condition was not good for the

Force control of a tri-layer conducting polymer actuator using optimized fuzzy logic control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itik, Mehmet; Sabetghadam, Mohammadreza; Alici, Gursel

2014-01-01

Conducting polymers actuators (CPAs) are potential candidates for replacing conventional actuators in various fields, such as robotics and biomedical engineering, due to their advantageous properties, which includes their low cost, light weight, low actuation voltage and biocompatibility. As these actuators are very suitable for use in micro-nano manipulation and in injection devices in which the magnitude of the force applied to the target is of crucial importance, the force generated by CPAs needs to be accurately controlled. In this paper, a fuzzy logic (FL) controller with a Mamdani inference system is designed to control the blocking force of a trilayer CPA with polypyrrole electrodes, which operates in air. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) method is employed to optimize the controller’s membership function parameters and therefore enhance the performance of the FL controller. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system model, which can capture the nonlinear dynamics of the actuator, is utilized in the optimization process. The optimized Mamdani FL controller is then implemented on the CPA experimentally, and its performance is compared with a non-optimized fuzzy controller as well as with those obtained from a conventional PID controller. The results presented indicate that the blocking force at the tip of the CPA can be effectively controlled by the optimized FL controller, which shows excellent transient and steady state characteristics but increases the control voltage compared to the non-optimized fuzzy controllers. (paper)

Focused-ion-beam induced interfacial intermixing of magnetic bilayers for nanoscale control of magnetic properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burn, D M; Atkinson, D; Hase, T P A

2014-01-01

Modification of the magnetic properties in a thin-film ferromagnetic/non-magnetic bilayer system by low-dose focused ion-beam (FIB) induced intermixing is demonstrated. The highly localized capability of FIB may be used to locally control magnetic behaviour at the nanoscale. The magnetic, electronic and structural properties of NiFe/Au bilayers were investigated as a function of the interfacial structure that was actively modified using focused Ga + ion irradiation. Experimental work used MOKE, SQUID, XMCD as well as magnetoresistance measurements to determine the magnetic behavior and grazing incidence x-ray reflectivity to elucidate the interfacial structure. Interfacial intermixing, induced by low-dose irradiation, is shown to lead to complex changes in the magnetic behavior that are associated with monotonic structural evolution of the interface. This behavior may be explained by changes in the local atomic environment within the interface region resulting in a combination of processes including the loss of moment on Ni and Fe, an induced moment on Au and modifications to the spin-orbit coupling between Au and NiFe. (paper)

Silver nanostructures with well-controlled shapes: synthesis, characterization and growth mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kan Caixia; Zhu Jiejun; Zhu Xiaoguang

2008-01-01

This paper describes a poly(vinylpyrollidone)-directed polyol synthesis method for the fabrication of silver (Ag) nanostructures with well-controlled shapes (such as nanorods and nanocubes) by adjusting the synthesizing parameters. The structure characterizations suggest that the Ag nanorods grow from the five-fold twinned decahedral crystal nuclei. The nature of the {1 1 1} planes of Ag crystal and the highly selective poly(vinylpyrollidone) adsorption on the {100} planes of Ag crystal nuclei are favourable for the formation of Ag nanorods and Ag nanowires. The single crystalline Ag nanocubes obtained at optimum conditions are perfect in shape and are enclosed by the {1 0 0} facets. The optical properties of the Ag nanostructures show an attractive plasma resonance, displaying a considerable dependence on the shape and size. The formation of the Ag nanostructures with well-defined shapes is probably due to the fact that the nanostructures are controlled thermodynamically and kinetically. The ability to generate shape-controlled Ag nanostructures also provides an opportunity to experimentally and systematically study the relationship between their properties and geometric shapes

Silver nanostructures with well-controlled shapes: synthesis, characterization and growth mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Kan, Cai-Xia; Zhu, Jie-Jun; Zhu, Xiao-Guang

2008-08-01

This paper describes a poly(vinylpyrollidone)-directed polyol synthesis method for the fabrication of silver (Ag) nanostructures with well-controlled shapes (such as nanorods and nanocubes) by adjusting the synthesizing parameters. The structure characterizations suggest that the Ag nanorods grow from the five-fold twinned decahedral crystal nuclei. The nature of the {1 1 1} planes of Ag crystal and the highly selective poly(vinylpyrollidone) adsorption on the {100} planes of Ag crystal nuclei are favourable for the formation of Ag nanorods and Ag nanowires. The single crystalline Ag nanocubes obtained at optimum conditions are perfect in shape and are enclosed by the {1 0 0} facets. The optical properties of the Ag nanostructures show an attractive plasma resonance, displaying a considerable dependence on the shape and size. The formation of the Ag nanostructures with well-defined shapes is probably due to the fact that the nanostructures are controlled thermodynamically and kinetically. The ability to generate shape-controlled Ag nanostructures also provides an opportunity to experimentally and systematically study the relationship between their properties and geometric shapes.

Analysis of RSG-GAS Control Rod Worth Due to Perturbation Reactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taswanda Taryo

2004-01-01

The control rod interaction effect of RSG-GAS typical working core was studied using a method based on the exact perturbation theory with three simplifying assumptions which require only N+1 criticality calculations. The interaction effect between two interacting rods reached up to 19 % while the interaction effect of multiple interacting rods reached up to 32 % for all (8) control rods involved. The accuracy of the adopted method were extensively investigated to determine the error sources and the magnitude of the error. Through comparison of the present results with ones of the simple summation method, it was obvious that the adopted method was superior in that a significant improvement on the accuracy of the calculated reactivity worth can be achieved with a small number of criticality calculations. (author)

Modifications in concrete superficial properties due to the use of different formworkrelease agents and plastic additives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beltramone, A.

2003-06-01

Full Text Available The actual research study, carried out in the Laboratory of Construction Materials of the ETSAM., analyses the modifications in superficial properties (regarding colour and texture of grey Portland cement mortars due to the use of different formworks release agents (car oil, mineral oil and paraffin and to the addition of plastic superplasticiser to the mixture (Bettor and Sika trademarks. Once the test samples were obtained, a digital registration was made by giving them values in terms of colour and texture observed changes using computer programmes, referring those values to the test specimen (only cement, no additives. A migration of the polymeric particles of the additives towards the surface was observed, presenting the following modifications: Colour: darker hues than those of the test specimen sample were registered in the specimens with additives. Texture: the texture of the test specimen containing additives such as modified polycarboxilic ethers, polycarboxilic ethers; modified organic polymers and modified synthetic melamine were much smoother than the one in test specimen. Test specimens containing melamine, condensed naftalensulphate and polycarboxilic derivatives were a bit rougher but still smoother than the test specimen. The same variation of results as for the colour properties was obtained for the texture as regards to the use of formworks release agents, varying from smoothest to roughest with the car oil.

El presente estudio experimental, realizado en las instalaciones del Laboratorio de Materiales de Construcción de la ETSAM, analiza las modificaciones de las propiedades superficiales observadas (en cuanto a color y textura en morteros de cemento portland gris, por la utilización de desencofrantes diversos (aceite de automóvil, aceite mineral y desencofrante parafínico, y la incorporación de aditivos superfluidificantes plásticos en la mezcla (de las marcas Bettor y Sika. Una vez obtenidas las diferentes

DNA origami compliant nanostructures with tunable mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Lifeng; Marras, Alexander E; Su, Hai-Jun; Castro, Carlos E

2014-01-28

DNA origami enables fabrication of precise nanostructures by programming the self-assembly of DNA. While this approach has been used to make a variety of complex 2D and 3D objects, the mechanical functionality of these structures is limited due to their rigid nature. We explore the fabrication of deformable, or compliant, objects to establish a framework for mechanically functional nanostructures. This compliant design approach is used in macroscopic engineering to make devices including sensors, actuators, and robots. We build compliant nanostructures by utilizing the entropic elasticity of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) to locally bend bundles of double-stranded DNA into bent geometries whose curvature and mechanical properties can be tuned by controlling the length of ssDNA strands. We demonstrate an ability to achieve a wide range of geometries by adjusting a few strands in the nanostructure design. We further developed a mechanical model to predict both geometry and mechanical properties of our compliant nanostructures that agrees well with experiments. Our results provide a basis for the design of mechanically functional DNA origami devices and materials.

Parameters controlling the performance of AA319-type alloys Part II. Impact properties and fractography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Z.; Samuel, A.M.; Samuel, F.H.; Ravindran, C.; Doty, H.W.; Valtierra, S.

2004-01-01

The Charpy impact energy of Al-Si-Cu AA319-type alloys was measured in terms of the total absorbed energy. The Charpy specimens were machined from end-chilled castings to incorporate the effect of cooling rate on the impact properties. Unnotched specimens were used to increase the accuracy of the measurements, and to emphasize the effect of microstructure. The influence of the microconstituents on the impact strength was investigated by adding various alloying elements (i.e. Sr, Fe, and P) to the AA319 base alloy, and applying two different heat treatments (T5, and T6). The results show that strontium-modification enhances the impact properties, so that the Sr-modified AA319 alloy exhibits the highest impact properties compared to the base, and other alloys at any given dendrite arm spacing (DAS). The impact energy increases with increase in cooling rate, while iron, and phosphorus additions have a detrimental influence due, respectively, to the formation of β-Al 5 FeSi, and phosphorus oxide particles during solidification. T6 treatment assists in the even distribution, and dissolution of the microconstituents (including the block-like CuAl 2 particles) into the aluminum matrix. With more Cu available for strengthening during aging, the impact toughness is greatly enhanced. In the unmodified AA319 base alloy, crack initiation, and propagation occur mainly through Si-particle fracture, and the mechanism of void coalescence. In the Sr-modified, 1.2% Fe-containing 319 alloys, however, crack initiation takes place through fragmentation of β-Al 5 FeSi, Si, and CuAl 2 or Cu 2 FeAl 7 particles. Crack propagation occurs through cleavage of the β-Fe platelets, and fracture of the Cu-intermetallics, and brittle Si particles. Such samples exhibit very low impact energies

Effect of Controlled Cooling on Microstructure and Tensile Properties of Low C Nb-Ti-Containing HSLA Steel for Construction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Fan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The thermo-mechanical control processing (TMCP of low carbon (C Nb-Ti-containing HSLA steel with different cooling rates from 5 to 20 °C/s was simulated using a Gleeble 3500 system. The samples’ microstructure was characterized and the tensile properties measured. The results show that a microstructure mainly consisting of quasi-polygonal ferrite (QPF, granular bainitic ferrite (GBF, and martensite/austenite (M/A constituent formed in each sample. Furthermore, the accelerated cooling led to a significant grain refinement of the QPF and GBF, and an increase in the density of dislocations, as well as suppressed the precipitation of nanoscale particles; however, the overall yield strength (YS still increased obviously. The accelerated cooling also brought about a decrease in amount of M/A constituent acting as a mixed hard phase, which weakened the overall strain-hardening capacity of the QPF + GBF + M/A multiphase steel and simultaneously elevated yield-to-tensile strength ratio (YR. In addition, the mechanisms in dominating the influence of controlled cooling on the final microstructure and tensile properties were discussed.

Due diligence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanghera, G.S.

1999-01-01

The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act requires that every employer shall ensure the health and safety of workers in the workplace. Issues regarding the practices at workplaces and how they should reflect the standards of due diligence were discussed. Due diligence was described as being the need for employers to identify hazards in the workplace and to take active steps to prevent workers from potentially dangerous incidents. The paper discussed various aspects of due diligence including policy, training, procedures, measurement and enforcement. The consequences of contravening the OHS Act were also described

A study on morphology control and optical properties of ZnO nanorods synthesized by microwave heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, M.K.; Huang, C.C.; Lee, Y.C.; Yang, C.S.; Yu, H.C.; Lee, J.W.; Hu, S.Y.; Chen, C.H.

2012-01-01

In this study, we present morphology control investigations on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods synthesized by microwave heating of a mixture of zinc nitrate hexahydrate and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) precursors in deionized water (DI water). To study the morphology and structural variations of the obtained ZnO nanorods in different molar ratio of zinc nitrate hexahydrate to HMTA, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were measured. XRD and SEM images are utilized to examine the crystalline quality as well as the morphological properties of the ZnO nanorods. It is found that morphology control can be achieved by simply adjusting the reactant concentrations and the molar ratio of zinc nitrate hexahydrate to HMTA. Raman scattering and PL spectroscopy measurements were demonstrated to study the size- and shape-dependent optical response of the ZnO nanorods. The Raman scattering result shows that the intensity of LO mode at around 576 cm -1 decreases with the increase in the molar ratio of zinc nitrate hexahydrate to HMTA, indicating the reduction of defect concentrations in the synthesized ZnO nanorods. Room temperature PL spectrum of the synthesized ZnO nanorods reveals an ultraviolet (UV) emission peak and a broad visible emission. An enhancement of UV emission appears in the PL spectra as the molar ratio of zinc nitrate hexahydrate to HMTA increases, indicating that the defect concentration of the synthesized ZnO nanorods can be reduced by increasing the molar ratio. - Highlights: → Morphology of ZnO nanorods can be controlled via microwave-heating synthesis. → Molar ratio of Zn(NO 3 ) 2 .6H 2 O to C 6 H 12 N 4 affects the aspect ratio of ZnO nanorod. → ZnO nanorod showing higher aspect ratio can exhibit better optical properties.

Impact of microstructure on the thermoelectric properties of the ternary compound Ce{sub 3}Cu{sub 3}Sb{sub 4}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Witas, Piotr, E-mail: pwitas@us.edu.pl [Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Uniwersytecka 4, Katowice 40-007 (Poland); Goraus, Jerzy; Zajdel, Paweł; Balin, Katarzyna; Koperski, Janusz [Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Uniwersytecka 4, Katowice 40-007 (Poland); Lelątko, Józef [Institute of Materials Science, University of Silesia, 75 Pułku Piechoty 1a, Chorzów 41-500 (Poland); Ślebarski, Andrzej [Institute of Physics, University of Silesia, Uniwersytecka 4, Katowice 40-007 (Poland)

2017-01-15

We present detailed structural and thermoelectric studies of the ternary compound Ce{sub 3}Cu{sub 3}Sb{sub 4}. This material is of interest due to previously reported considerable thermopower above room temperature (∼ 100 μV/K) and low thermal conductivity (2 W/(m K)). Here, we present detailed studies concerning microstructural and thermoelectric data, their variation across the samples and possible explanations for the observed behaviour. We have used X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) for microstructural analysis. The thermoelectric properties were examined using a physical property measurement system (PPMS). We analyse the impact of the sample quality on the thermoelectric properties. The most unstable parameter is the material resistivity which varies between 1.5 and 15 mΩ cm at room temperature. The properties variability is mainly due to structural defects caused by stresses during material preparation and also due to formation of foreign phases CeCuSb{sub 2} and CeSb. The figure of merit ZT is also strongly dependent on the quality of the sample. The largest value ZT ≈ 0.15 at 400 K is determined for the almost stoichiometric sample with small amounts of a impurity phases. - Highlights: •The Ce{sub 3}Cu{sub 3}Sb{sub 4} has considerable thermoelectric properties and potential for further chemical and/or structural modification. •The control over foreign phases formation is challenging. •The defects arising during arc melting process highly deteriorate ZT of material.

Research of the Electron Cyclotron Emission with Vortex Property excited by high power high frequency Gyrotron

Science.gov (United States)

Goto, Yuki; Kubo, Shin; Tsujimura, Tohru; Takubo, Hidenori

2017-10-01

Recently, it has been shown that the radiation from a single electron in cyclotron motion has vortex property. Although the cyclotron emission exists universally in nature, the vortex property has not been featured because this property is normally cancelled out due to the randomness in gyro-phase of electrons and the development of detection of the vortex property has not been well motivated. In this research, we are developing a method to generate the vortex radiation from electrons in cyclotron motion with controlled gyro-phase. Electron that rotates around the uniform static magnetic field is accelerated by right-hand circular polarized (RHCP) radiation resonantly when the cyclotron frequency coincides with the applied RHCP radiation frequency. A large number of electrons can be coherently accelerated in gyro-phase by a RHCP high power radiation so that these electrons can radiate coherent emission with vortex feature. We will show that vortex radiation created by purely rotating electrons for the first time.

Tuning of band gap due to fluorination of graphyne and graphdiyne

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharya, B; Singh, N B; Sarkar, U

2014-01-01

The electronic properties of graphyne and graphdiyne consisting of sp and sp 2 hybridized carbon atom have been investigated within the density functional theory (DFT) method. The corresponding changes in the electronic properties due to systematic functionalization by fluorine at different possible sites are reported. Our band structure calculations clearly infer that all fluorographyne are wide band gap semiconductor and the band gap can be tuned by fluorination and the possibility of modulating the band gap provides flexibility for its use in nanoelectronic devices. Projected density of state (PDOS) analysis provides the clear idea about the bonding nature of these novel materials in details and Crystal Orbital Hamilton Population (-COHP) analysis shed insight on the orbital participating in bonding and antibonding

Controllable synthesis and enhanced photocatalytic properties of Cu2O/Cu31S16 composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Xueqin; Li, Zhen; Zhang, Qiang; Li, Fei

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Facile sonochemical route. ► The content of Cu 31 S 16 in the Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 can be easily controlled. ► Structure and optical properties of Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 were discussed. ► Enhanced photocatalytic property of Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 . ► Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 core/shell structures were more stable than single Cu 2 O particles. -- Abstract: The controlled synthesis of Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 microcomposites with hierarchical structures had been prepared via a convenient sonochemical route. Ultrasonic irradiation of a mixture of Cu 2 O and (NH 2 ) 2 CS in an aqueous medium yielded Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 composites. The content of Cu 31 S 16 in the Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 can be easily controlled by adjusting the synthesis time. The Cu 31 S 16 layer not only protected and stabilized Cu 2 O particles, but also prohibited the recombination of photogenerated electrons–holes pair between Cu 31 S 16 and Cu 2 O. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra, ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy were used to characterize the products. Photocatalytic performance of the Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 hierarchical structures was evaluated by measuring the decomposition rate of methyl orange solution under natural light. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the preparation and photocatalytic activity of Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 microcomposite. Additionally, the Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 core/shell structures were more stable than single Cu 2 O particles during photocatalytic process since the photocatalytic activity of the second reused architecture sample was much higher than that of pure Cu 2 O. The Cu 2 O/Cu 31 S 16 microcomposites may be a good promising candidate for wastewater treatment.

Surface state modulation through wet chemical treatment as a route to controlling the electrical properties of ZnO nanowire arrays investigated with XPS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lord, Alex M.; Maffeis, Thierry G.; Allen, Martin W.; Morgan, David; Davies, Philip R.; Jones, Daniel R.; Evans, Jonathan E.; Smith, Nathan A.; Wilks, Steve P.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Direct measurement of the surface band bending exhibited by ZnO nanowires using monochromatic XPS. • Modulation of the surface depletion region using wet chemical treatment (EtOH, H 2 O 2 ). • The measured surface potential barrier agrees with electrical measurements of individual nanowires. • H 2 O 2 depletes the nanowire of charge carriers while EtOH donates electrons at the surface. • EtOH has the effect of restoring the surface potential barrier of oxidised nanowires. - Abstract: ZnO is a wide bandgap semiconductor that has many potential applications including solar cell electrodes, transparent thin film transistors and gas/biological sensors. Since the surfaces of ZnO materials have no amorphous or oxidised layers, they are very environmentally sensitive, making control of their semiconductor properties challenging. In particular, the electronic properties of ZnO nanostructures are dominated by surface effects while surface conduction layers have been observed in thin films and bulk crystals. Therefore, the ability to use the ZnO materials in a controlled way depends on the development of simple techniques to modulate their surface electronic properties. Here, we use monochromatic x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to investigate the use of different wet chemical treatments (EtOH, H 2 O 2 ) to control the electronic properties of ZnO nanowires by modulating the surface depletion region. The valence band and core level XPS spectra are used to explore the relationship between the surface chemistry of the nanowires and the surface band bending

Precise Control of Quantum Confinement in Cesium Lead Halide Perovskite Quantum Dots via Thermodynamic Equilibrium.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Yitong; Qiao, Tian; Kim, Doyun; Parobek, David; Rossi, Daniel; Son, Dong Hee

2018-05-09

Cesium lead halide (CsPbX 3 ) nanocrystals have emerged as a new family of materials that can outperform the existing semiconductor nanocrystals due to their superb optical and charge-transport properties. However, the lack of a robust method for producing quantum dots with controlled size and high ensemble uniformity has been one of the major obstacles in exploring the useful properties of excitons in zero-dimensional nanostructures of CsPbX 3 . Here, we report a new synthesis approach that enables the precise control of the size based on the equilibrium rather than kinetics, producing CsPbX 3 quantum dots nearly free of heterogeneous broadening in their exciton luminescence. The high level of size control and ensemble uniformity achieved here will open the door to harnessing the benefits of excitons in CsPbX 3 quantum dots for photonic and energy-harvesting applications.

Tip-Enhanced Raman Scattering Microscopy: A Step toward Nanoscale Control of Intrinsic Molecular Properties

Science.gov (United States)

Yano, Taka-aki; Hara, Masahiko

2018-06-01

Tip-enhanced Raman scattering microscopy, a family of scanning probe microscopy techniques, has been recognized as a powerful surface analytical technique with both single-molecule sensitivity and angstrom-scale spatial resolution. This review covers the current status of tip-enhanced Raman scattering microscopy in surface and material nanosciences, including a brief history, the basic principles, and applications for the nanoscale characterization of a variety of nanomaterials. The focus is on the recent trend of combining tip-enhanced Raman scattering microscopy with various external stimuli such as pressure, voltage, light, and temperature, which enables the local control of the molecular properties and functions and also enables chemical reactions to be induced on a nanometer scale.

Optoelectronic properties of PCPDTBT for photovoltaics : Morphology control and molecular doping

NARCIS (Netherlands)

von Hauff, Elizabeth; da Como, Enrico; Ludwigs, Sabine

2017-01-01

Donor–acceptor copolymers have recently been recognized as excellent materials for organic photovoltaic applications. Because of complex film formation properties, however, direct correlations between morphology and optical and electrical properties have yet to be established. Within our

High temperature properties and processes in ceramics: thermomigration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-01-01

The focus of this program is on the effects of large temperature gradients on the transport processes, the defect structure and resulting physical properties of ceramics. In particular, the transport of ions due to thermal gradients is one of the least understood phenomenon in materials science and is presumably based on fundamental understanding of thermodynamics, atomistic kinetic processes, and structure-property relationships. The purpose of this research is to systematically consider each of the elements of atomic transport due to driving forces other than composition gradients in a model ceramic system

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) coatings for controlled drug release--polymer modifications.

Science.gov (United States)

Schulze Nahrup, J; Gao, Z M; Mark, J E; Sakr, A

2004-02-11

Modifications of endhydroxylated poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) formulations were studied for their ability to be applied onto tablet cores in a spray-coating process and to control drug release in zero-order fashion. Modifications of the crosslinker from the most commonly used tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) to the trifunctional 3-(2,3-epoxypropoxy)propyltrimethoxysilane (SIG) and a 1:1 mixture of the two were undertaken. Addition of methylpolysiloxane-copolymers were studied. Lactose, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG) were the channeling agents applied. The effects on dispersion properties were characterized by particle size distribution and viscosity. Mechanical properties of resulting free films were studied to determine applicability in a pan-coating process. Release of hydrochlorothiazide (marker drug) was studied from tablets coated in a lab-size conventional coating pan. All dispersions were found suitable for a spray-coating process. Preparation of free films showed that copolymer addition was not possible due to great decline in mechanical properties. Tablets coated with formulations containing PEG were most suitable to control drug release, at only 5% coating weight. Constant release rates could be achieved for formulations with up to 25% PEG; higher amounts resulted in a non-linear release pattern. Upon adding 50% PEG, a drug release of 63% over 24 h could be achieved.

Evaluation of the effect of salts on chemical, structural, textural, sensory and heating properties of cheese: Contribution of conventional methods and spectral ones.

Science.gov (United States)

Loudiyi, M; Aït-Kaddour, A

2018-03-21

Chemical composition, sensory characteristics, textural and functional properties are among the most important characteristics, which directly relates to the global quality of cheese and to consumer acceptability. A number of factors including milk composition, processing conditions and salt content, influences these properties. The past decades many investigations were performed on the possibilities to reduce salt content of cheese due to its adverse health effects, the current lifestyle and the awareness of the consumers for nutrition quality products. Due to the multiple potential effects of reducing NaCl (simple reduction or substitution) on cheese attributes, it is of utmost importance to identify and understand those effects in order to control the global quality and safety of the final product. In the present review a collection of the different results and conclusions drawn after studying the effect of salts by conventional (e.g. wet chemistry) and instrumental (e.g. spectral) methods on chemical, structural, textural, sensory and heating properties of cheese are presented.

Resonant vibration control of wind turbine blades

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Martin Nymann; Krenk, Steen; Høgsberg, Jan Becker

2010-01-01

. The efficiency of the resonant controller is demonstrated for a representative turbine blade exposed to turbulent wind loading. It is found that the present explicit tuning procedure yields close to optimal tuning, with very limited modal spill-over and effective reduction of the vibration amplitudes.......The paper deals with introduction of damping to specific vibration modes of wind turbine blades, using a resonant controller with acceleration feedback. The wind turbine blade is represented by three-dimensional, two-node finite elements in a local, rotating frame of reference. The element...... formulation accounts for arbitrary mass density distributions, general elastic crosssection properties and geometric stiffness effects due to internal stresses. A compact, linear formulation for aerodynamic forces with associated stiffness and damping terms is established and added to the structural model...

Controlled swelling and adsorption properties of polyacrylate/montmorillonite composites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Natkanski, Piotr [Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Krakow (Poland); Kustrowski, Piotr, E-mail: kustrows@chemia.uj.edu.pl [Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Krakow (Poland); Bialas, Anna; Piwowarska, Zofia [Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Ingardena 3, 30-060 Krakow (Poland); Michalik, Marek [Institute of Geological Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Oleandry 2a, 30-063 Krakow (Poland)

2012-10-15

A series of novel polyacrylate/montmorillonite composites was synthesized by in situ polymerization in aqueous slurry of clay. Dissociated (obtained by adding ammonium or sodium hydroxide) and undissociated forms of acrylic acid were used as monomers in the hydrogel synthesis. The structure and composition of the samples were studied by powder X-ray diffraction, diffuse reflectance infra-red Fourier transform spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and elemental analysis. It has been found that the kind of monomer influences strongly the location of a polymer chain in the formed composite. Complete intercalation of hydrogel into the interlayer space of montmorillonite was observed for sodium polyacrylate, whereas polyacrylic acid and ammonium polyacrylate mainly occupied the outer surface of the clay. The position of hydrogel determined the swelling and adsorption properties of the studied composites. The important factor influencing the kinetics of Fe(III) cation adsorption was pH. The analysis of adsorption isotherms allowed to propose the mechanism of Fe(III) cation adsorption. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Polyacrylate hydrogels can be introduced into the interlayers of clay. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The position of hydrogel in the composite depends on the polymer type. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ammonium polyacrylate places outside the clay, sodium one is intercalated into it. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Swelling and adsorption capacities can be controlled by the polymer position. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer High adsorption efficiency in Fe(III) removal was observed.

Voltage control of ferromagnetic resonance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ziyao Zhou

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Voltage control of magnetism in multiferroics, where the ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity are simultaneously exhibiting, is of great importance to achieve compact, fast and energy efficient voltage controllable magnetic/microwave devices. Particularly, these devices are widely used in radar, aircraft, cell phones and satellites, where volume, response time and energy consumption is critical. Researchers realized electric field tuning of magnetic properties like magnetization, magnetic anisotropy and permeability in varied multiferroic heterostructures such as bulk, thin films and nanostructure by different magnetoelectric (ME coupling mechanism: strain/stress, interfacial charge, spin–electromagnetic (EM coupling and exchange coupling, etc. In this review, we focus on voltage control of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR in multiferroics. ME coupling-induced FMR change is critical in microwave devices, where the electric field tuning of magnetic effective anisotropic field determines the tunability of the performance of microwave devices. Experimentally, FMR measurement technique is also an important method to determine the small effective magnetic field change in small amount of magnetic material precisely due to its high sensitivity and to reveal the deep science of multiferroics, especially, voltage control of magnetism in novel mechanisms like interfacial charge, spin–EM coupling and exchange coupling.

Owning genetic information and gene enhancement techniques: why privacy and property rights may undermine social control of the human genome.

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, A D

2000-04-01

In this article I argue that the proper subjects of intangible property claims include medical records, genetic profiles, and gene enhancement techniques. Coupled with a right to privacy these intangible property rights allow individuals a zone of control that will, in most cases, justifiably exclude governmental or societal invasions into private domains. I argue that the threshold for overriding privacy rights and intangible property rights is higher, in relation to genetic enhancement techniques and sensitive personal information, than is commonly suggested. Once the bar is raised, so-to-speak, the burden of overriding it is formidable. Thus many policy decisions that have been recently proposed or enacted--citywide audio and video surveillance, law enforcement DNA sweeps, genetic profiling, national bans on genetic testing and enhancement of humans, to name a few--will have to be backed by very strong arguments.

Time-of-flight Measurement Of Hole-tunneling Properties And Emission Color Control In Organic Light-emitting Diodes

Science.gov (United States)

Kurata, K.; Kashiwabara, K.; Nakajima, K.; Mizoguchi, Y.; Ohtani, N.

2011-12-01

Hole transport properties of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with a thin hole-blocking layer (HBL) were evaluated by time-of-flight measurement. Electroluminescence (EL) spectra of OLEDs with various HBL thicknesses were also evaluated. The results clearly show that the time-resolved photocurrent response and the emission color strongly depend on HBL thickness. This can be attributed to hole-tunneling through the thin HBL. We successfully fabricated a white OLED by controlling the thickness of HBL.

Properties of Bc meson

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

sector with different charge and flavours, due to which its decay properties are ... For a heavy–heavy quark bound system such as c¯b we treat both the quarks c ... (4) gives the spin average masses of the system in terms of the power index ν.

Thickness controlled sol-gel silica films for plasmonic bio-sensing devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Figus, Cristiana, E-mail: cristiana.figus@dsf.unica.it; Quochi, Francesco, E-mail: cristiana.figus@dsf.unica.it; Artizzu, Flavia, E-mail: cristiana.figus@dsf.unica.it; Saba, Michele, E-mail: cristiana.figus@dsf.unica.it; Marongiu, Daniela, E-mail: cristiana.figus@dsf.unica.it; Mura, Andrea; Bongiovanni, Giovanni [Dipartimento di Fisica - University of Cagliari, S.P. Km 0.7, I-09042 Monserrato (Canada) (Italy); Floris, Francesco; Marabelli, Franco; Patrini, Maddalena; Fornasari, Lucia [Dipartimento di Fisica - University of Pavia, Via Agostino Bassi 6, I-27100 Pavia (PV) (Italy); Pellacani, Paola; Valsesia, Andrea [Plasmore S.r.l. -Via Grazia Deledda 4, I-21020 Ranco (Vatican City State, Holy See) (Italy)

2014-10-21

Plasmonics has recently received considerable interest due to its potentiality in many fields as well as in nanobio-technology applications. In this regard, various strategies are required for modifying the surfaces of plasmonic nanostructures and to control their optical properties in view of interesting application such as bio-sensing, We report a simple method for depositing silica layers of controlled thickness on planar plasmonic structures. Tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) was used as silica precursor. The control of the silica layer thickness was obtained by optimizing the sol-gel method and dip-coating technique, in particular by properly tuning different parameters such as pH, solvent concentration, and withdrawal speed. The resulting films were characterized via atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier-transform (FT) spectroscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). Furthermore, by performing the analysis of surface plasmon resonances before and after the coating of the nanostructures, it was observed that the position of the resonance structures could be properly shifted by finely controlling the silica layer thickness. The effect of silica coating was assessed also in view of sensing applications, due to important advantages, such as surface protection of the plasmonic structure.

10 CFR 600.323 - Property management system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Property management system. 600.323 Section 600.323 Energy....323 Property management system. The recipient's property management system must include the following... existence, current utilization, and continued need for the property. (d) A control system must be in effect...

The Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Entomopathogenic Fungi in Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fitzgerald L. Fabelico

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Entomopathogenicfungi (EPF are potential biocontrol agents against agricultural pests and insects. These fungi are also known to be a source of secondary metabolites and could be a potential source of antibiotic drugs in the future. This study aims to determine the phytochemical and antimicrobial properties of EPF isolated from different host insects and their larvae in the province of Nueva Vizcaya.The method employed in this study includes the collection of EPF from dead insects and their larvae, isolation and mass production of the fungi, identification of the different fungi, extraction of secondary metabolites from the fungi, phytochemical screening, and antimicrobial assay. The results revealed that the antimicrobial properties of the different EPF could be explained by their phytochemical properties.When compared to the positive control, the significantly high antifungal activities of the Pandora neoaphidis(EPF 1 against the Candida albicans can be due to the presence of sterols. Conversely, the significantly high antibacterial activities of Beauveria alba (EPF 5 against Bacillus subtiliscould be due to the presence ofsteroids, triterpenoids, glycosides, and fatty acids.These findings indicate that entomopathogenic fungi could be a potential source of antibiotic drugs against pathogenic microorganism in the near future. To realize this, future research is highly recommended for the isolation, elucidation, and evaluation of the safety of the bioactive compounds of entomopathogenic fungi responsible for the antimicrobial activities, prior to their use in humans.

Frequency-shaped and observer-based discrete-time sliding mode control

CERN Document Server

Mehta, Axaykumar

2015-01-01

It is well established that the sliding mode control strategy provides an effective and robust method of controlling the deterministic system due to its well-known invariance property to a class of bounded disturbance and parameter variations. Advances in microcomputer technologies have made digital control increasingly popular among the researchers worldwide. And that led to the study of discrete-time sliding mode control design and its implementation. This brief presents, a method for multi-rate frequency shaped sliding mode controller design based on switching and non-switching type of reaching law. In this approach, the frequency dependent compensator dynamics are introduced through a frequency-shaped sliding surface by assigning frequency dependent weighing matrices in a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) design procedure. In this way, the undesired high frequency dynamics or certain frequency disturbance can be eliminated. The states are implicitly obtained by measuring the output at a faster rate than th...

SPECIFIC DEGRADATION STRUCTURE FEATURES AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF FURNACE AND HEAT POWER EQUIPMENT ELEMENTS AFTER LONG-TERM OPERATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. I. Panteleenko

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents results of investigations on structure and mechanical properties of technological equipment elements made of heat-resistant steels. A scale of chrome and molybdenum steel microstructure degradation based on evaluation of  coagulated carbide size and material mechanical properties (a point from 0-operation without time limits, up to 4-operation prohibition has been proposed in the paper. It has been  established that an analysis of  steel microstructure directly on equipment elements by means of a portable microscope is an efficient express method for evaluation of equipment condition and structures due to control of material structure degradation rate of a diagnosed object.

Release Properties and Cellular Uptake in Caco-2 Cells of Size-Controlled Chitosan Nanoparticles.

Science.gov (United States)

Je, Hyun Jeong; Kim, Eun Suh; Lee, Ji-Soo; Lee, Hyeon Gyu

2017-12-20

The influences of particle size on the physicochemical, release, and cellular uptake properties of chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs) were investigated. Ionotropic CSNPs of different sizes (200-1000 nm) loaded with two model core materials (resveratrol or coumarin-6) were prepared using tripolyphosphate and carrageenan as cross-linkers. With an increase of particle size, zeta potential (34.6 ± 0.5 to 51.1 ± 0.9) and entrapment efficiency (14.9 ± 1.4 to 40.9 ± 1.9) of the CSNPs were significantly (p cellular uptake of CSNPs were significantly increased from 3.70 ± 0.03 to 5.24 ± 0.20 with an increase of particle size from 200 to 600 nm, whereas those significantly decreased from 5.24 ± 0.20 to 4.55 ± 0.2 for particles larger than 600 nm in transwell assay. Moreover, much the same uptake patterns were also observed in confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. Investigation of cellular uptake of CSNPs revealed positive correlations between ZP and EE and indicated the effects of complex factors of nanoparticles other than size. These results provide a better understanding of CSNPs absorption and raises the possibility of controlling alternative nanoparticle properties to enhance bioavailability.

Controlling photophysical properties of ultrasmall conjugated polymer nanoparticles through polymer chain packing

KAUST Repository

Piwonski, Hubert Marek

2017-05-16

Applications of conjugated polymer nanoparticles (Pdots) for imaging and sensing depend on their size, fluorescence brightness and intraparticle energy transfer. The molecular design of conjugated polymers (CPs) has been the main focus of the development of Pdots. Here we demonstrate that proper control of the physical interactions between the chains is as critical as the molecular design. The unique design of twisted CPs and fine-tuning of the reprecipitation conditions allow us to fabricate ultrasmall (3.0–4.5 nm) Pdots with excellent photostability. Extensive photophysical and structural characterization reveals the essential role played by the packing of the polymer chains in the particles in the intraparticle spatial alignment of the emitting sites, which regulate the fluorescence brightness and the intraparticle energy migration efficiency. Our findings enhance understanding of the relationship between chain interactions and the photophysical properties of CP nanomaterials, providing a framework for designing and fabricating functional Pdots for imaging applications.

Physicochemical properties and biocompatibility of chitosan oligosaccharide/gelatin/calcium phosphate hybrid cements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chiang, Ting-Yi [Department of Dental Laboratory Technology, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung 406, Taiwan (China); Ho, Chia-Che [Institute of Oral Biology and Biomaterials Science, Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Chen, David Chan-Hen [Institute of Veterinary Microbiology, National Chung-Hsing University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Lai, Meng-Heng [Institute of Oral Biology and Biomaterials Science, Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Ding, Shinn-Jyh, E-mail: sjding@csmu.edu.tw [Institute of Oral Biology and Biomaterials Science, Chung-Shan Medical University, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China); Department of Dentistry, Chung-Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung 402, Taiwan (China)

2010-04-15

A bone substitute material was developed consisting of a chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) solution in a liquid phase and gelatin (GLT) containing calcium phosphate powder in a solid phase. The physicochemical and biocompatible properties of the hybrid cements were evaluated. The addition of COS to cement did not affect the setting time or diametral tensile strength of the hybrid cements, whereas GLT significantly prolonged the setting time and decreased the strength slightly. The setting reaction was inhibited by the addition of GLT to the initial mixture, but not by COS. However, the presence of GLT appreciably improved the anti-washout properties of the hybrid cement compared with COS. COS may promote the cement's biocompatibility as an approximate twofold increase in cell proliferation for 10% COS-containing cements was observed on day 3 as compared with the controls. The combination of GLT and COS was chosen due to the benefits achieved from several synergistic effects and for their clinical applications. Cement with 5% GLT and 10% COS may be a better choice among cements in terms of anti-washout properties and biological activity.

Performance Improvement of tilting-pad journal bearings by means of controllable lubrication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cerda, Alejandro; Santos, Ilmar

2012-01-01

Tilting-Pad Journal Bearings (TPJB) are commonly used on high-performance turbomachinery due to their excellent stability properties at high speed when compared to other designs for oil film bearings. Hence, efforts have been made to improve the accuracy for the available models for these mechani...... is used to show the benefits of applying a controllable lubrication regime, by means of the modification of the thermal and dynamic behaviour of the bearing....

32 CFR 34.23 - Property management system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Property management system. 34.23 Section 34.23... Requirements Property Standards § 34.23 Property management system. The recipient's property management system... control system shall be in effect to insure adequate safeguards to prevent loss, damage, or theft of the...

Climate Adaptation and Policy-Induced Inflation of Coastal Property Value

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, Dylan E.; Gopalakrishnan, Sathya; Smith, Martin D.; Murray, A. Brad

2015-01-01

Human population density in the coastal zone and potential impacts of climate change underscore a growing conflict between coastal development and an encroaching shoreline. Rising sea-levels and increased storminess threaten to accelerate coastal erosion, while growing demand for coastal real estate encourages more spending to hold back the sea in spite of the shrinking federal budget for beach nourishment. As climatic drivers and federal policies for beach nourishment change, the evolution of coastline mitigation and property values is uncertain. We develop an empirically grounded, stochastic dynamic model coupling coastal property markets and shoreline evolution, including beach nourishment, and show that a large share of coastal property value reflects capitalized erosion control. The model is parameterized for coastal properties and physical forcing in North Carolina, U.S.A. and we conduct sensitivity analyses using property values spanning a wide range of sandy coastlines along the U.S. East Coast. The model shows that a sudden removal of federal nourishment subsidies, as has been proposed, could trigger a dramatic downward adjustment in coastal real estate, analogous to the bursting of a bubble. We find that the policy-induced inflation of property value grows with increased erosion from sea level rise or increased storminess, but the effect of background erosion is larger due to human behavioral feedbacks. Our results suggest that if nourishment is not a long-run strategy to manage eroding coastlines, a gradual removal is more likely to smooth the transition to more climate-resilient coastal communities. PMID:25806944

Climate adaptation and policy-induced inflation of coastal property value.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dylan E McNamara

Full Text Available Human population density in the coastal zone and potential impacts of climate change underscore a growing conflict between coastal development and an encroaching shoreline. Rising sea-levels and increased storminess threaten to accelerate coastal erosion, while growing demand for coastal real estate encourages more spending to hold back the sea in spite of the shrinking federal budget for beach nourishment. As climatic drivers and federal policies for beach nourishment change, the evolution of coastline mitigation and property values is uncertain. We develop an empirically grounded, stochastic dynamic model coupling coastal property markets and shoreline evolution, including beach nourishment, and show that a large share of coastal property value reflects capitalized erosion control. The model is parameterized for coastal properties and physical forcing in North Carolina, U.S.A. and we conduct sensitivity analyses using property values spanning a wide range of sandy coastlines along the U.S. East Coast. The model shows that a sudden removal of federal nourishment subsidies, as has been proposed, could trigger a dramatic downward adjustment in coastal real estate, analogous to the bursting of a bubble. We find that the policy-induced inflation of property value grows with increased erosion from sea level rise or increased storminess, but the effect of background erosion is larger due to human behavioral feedbacks. Our results suggest that if nourishment is not a long-run strategy to manage eroding coastlines, a gradual removal is more likely to smooth the transition to more climate-resilient coastal communities.

Montmorillonite polyaniline nanocomposites: Preparation, characterization and investigation of mechanical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soundararajah, Q.Y.; Karunaratne, B.S.B.; Rajapakse, R.M.G.

2009-01-01

The interest in clay polymer nanocomposites (CPN) materials, initially developed by researchers at Toyota, has grown dramatically over the last decade. They have attracted great interest, both in industry and in academia, because they often exhibit remarkable improvement in materials' properties when compared with virgin polymer or conventional micro- and macro-composites. These improvements can include high moduli, increased strength and heat resistance, decreased gas permeability and flammability, optical transparency and increased biodegradability of biodegradable polymers. Such enhancement in the properties of nanocomposites occurs mostly due to their unique phase morphology and improved interfacial properties. Because of these enhanced properties they find applications in the fields of electronics, automobile industry, packaging, and construction. This study aims at investigating the mechanical property enhancement of polyaniline (PANI) intercalated with montmorillonite (MMT) clay. The MMT-PANI nanocomposites displayed improved mechanical properties compared to the neat polymer or clay. The enhancement was achieved at low clay content probably due to its exfoliated structure. The increased interfacial areas and improved bond characteristics may attribute to the mechanical property enhancement

Mechanical and thermal properties of bulk ZrB{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakamori, Fumihiro [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University (Japan); Ohishi, Yuji, E-mail: ohishi@ms.see.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University (Japan); Muta, Hiroaki; Kurosaki, Ken [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University (Japan); Fukumoto, Ken-ichi [Research Institute of Nuclear Engineering, University of Fukui (Japan); Yamanaka, Shinsuke [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University (Japan); Research Institute of Nuclear Engineering, University of Fukui (Japan)

2015-12-15

ZrB{sub 2} appears to have formed in the fuel debris at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster site, through the reaction between Zircaloy cladding materials and the control rod material B{sub 4}C. Since ZrB{sub 2} has a high melting point of 3518 K, the ceramic has been widely studied as a heat-resistant material. Although various studies on the thermochemical and thermophysical properties have been performed for ZrB{sub 2}, significant differences exist in the data, possibly due to impurities or the porosity within the studied samples. In the present study, we have prepared a ZrB{sub 2} bulk sample with 93.1% theoretical density by sintering ZrB{sub 2} powder. On this sample, we have comprehensively examined the thermal and mechanical properties of ZrB{sub 2} by the measurement of specific heat, ultrasonic sound velocities, thermal diffusivity, and thermal expansion. Vickers hardness and fracture toughness were also measured and found to be 13–23 GPa and 1.8–2.8 MPa m{sup 0.5}, respectively. The relationships between these properties were carefully examined in the present study. - Highlights: • A ZrB{sub 2} bulk sample with 93.1% theoretical density was prepared by sintering ZrB{sub 2} powder. • We have evaluated mechanical and thermal properties such as Vickers hardness, fracture toughness and thermal conductivity. • The relationships between these properties were carefully examined.

Improvement of interface property for membrane electrode assembly in fuel cell

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujii, K.; Sato, Y.; Kakigi, T.; Matsuura, A.; Mitani, N.; Muto, F.; Li Jingye; Miura, T.; Oshima, A.; Washio, M.

2006-01-01

Membrane electrode assembly (MEA) in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) is consisted of proton exchange membrane (PEM), binder and Pt/C electrodes. In our previous work, partial-fluorinated sulfonic acid membranes were synthesized for PEMs using pre-EB grafting method. In the fuel cell (FC) operation, the dispersion of per-fluorinated sulfonic acid such as Nafion (DuPont de Nemours LTD.) was used for binder material. So, it is found that the trouble on conditions at three phase interface would occur at high temperature FC operation due to the differences of thermal properties. Thus, the control of interface property is important. In this study, in order to improve the interface properties, proton exchange membrane was synthesized from poly (tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoroalkylvinylether) (PFA), and then the obtained sulfonated PFA (s-PFA) was applied for binder material. PFA membranes were grafted in liquid styrene after EB irradiation under nitrogen atmosphere, and then sulfonated by chlorosulfonic acid solutions. The s-PFA membranes were milled to the powder in the mortar, and the average diameter was about 13 μm. S-PFA / Nafion blend dispersion was prepared by s-PFA mixed with Nafion dispersion with various ratios. MEAs were fabricated by using obtained binders, s-PFA membranes and Pt / C electrodes, followed by hot pressing at 110 degree C and at 8 MPa during 3 min. The properties of MEAs were measured by electrochemical analyses. In consequence, ion conductivities in MEA using obtained binders were about 1.3 times higher than those using Nafion dispersion. And, both power densities at 500 mA/cm 2 and maximum power densities were 1.1 times higher than those of Nafion dispersion. These are due to the improvement of the proton transfer at interface. (authors)

Flexural properties of treated and untreated kenaf/epoxy composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yousif, B.F.; Shalwan, A.; Chin, C.W.; Ming, K.C.

2012-01-01

Graphical abstract: Untreated kenaf fibre/epoxy composites. Treated kenaf fibre/epoxy composites. Highlights: ► Treatment of kenaf fibres with 6% NaOH has improved the flexural properties of epoxy composites. ► Interfacial adhesion of the natural fibres is controlled by the microstructure of the fibres. ► Kenaf fibres have a potential to replace glass fibres for flexural applications. -- Abstract: In the current work, flexural properties of unidirectional long kenaf fibre reinforced epoxy (KFRE) composites are studied. The kenaf fibres were prepared into two types as untreated and treated (with 6% NaOH). The failure mechanism and damage features of the materials were categorized with the surface observation by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results revealed that reinforcement of epoxy with treated kenaf fibres increased the flexural strength of the composite by about 36%, while, untreated fibres introduced 20% improvement. This was mainly due to the high improvement of the chemical treatment (NaOH) on the interfacial adhesion of the fibres and the porosity of the composites which prevented the debonding, detachments or pull out of fibres. For untreated KFRE, the fracture mechanisms were debonding, tearing, detachments and pull out of fibres. The developed composite exhibited superior properties compared to the previous composites based on natural and synthetic fibres.

Ground movement and deformation due to dewatering and open pit excavation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, B.; Yang, J.; Zhang, J.

1996-01-01

In the application of stochastic medium theory, it is assumed that ground movement process has the property of Markov Process. Based on superposition principle and rock consolidation principle, the ground movement and deformation due to dewatering and open pit excavation can be calculated. The comparison between the field measurements in Morwell Open Pit, Latrobe Valley (Victoria, Australia) and the calculated results shows the validity of the method in this paper. 5 refs

Power control method for load-frequency control operation in BWRs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ie, Shin-ichiroo; Ohgo, Yu-kiharu; Itou, Tetsuo; Shida, Tooichi

1991-01-01

The preliminary design of an advanced power control method for fast load-following [load frequency control (LFC)] maneuvers in a boiling water reactor (BWR) is described in this paper. Application of a multivariable control method using an optimal linear quadratic (LQ) regulator theory effectively improves control system performance when system variables have significant interactions such as in BWRs. The control problem, however, demands strict constraints on system variable from the standpoint of plant operation. These constraints require the control system to have a nonlinear property for better improvement. Therefore, the effectiveness of LQ control is limited by these constraints, because it is based on a linear model. A new method is needed to compensate for the nonlinear property. In this study, the authors propose a new method using fuzzy reasoning with LQ control to achieve nonlinear compensation

Case Study: A Bio-Inspired Control Algorithm for a Robotic Foot-Ankle Prosthesis Provides Adaptive Control of Level Walking and Stair Ascent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uzma Tahir

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Powered ankle-foot prostheses assist users through plantarflexion during stance and dorsiflexion during swing. Provision of motor power permits faster preferred walking speeds than passive devices, but use of active motor power raises the issue of control. While several commercially available algorithms provide torque control for many intended activities and variations of terrain, control approaches typically exhibit no inherent adaptation. In contrast, muscles adapt instantaneously to changes in load without sensory feedback due to the intrinsic property that their stiffness changes with length and velocity. We previously developed a “winding filament” hypothesis (WFH for muscle contraction that accounts for intrinsic muscle properties by incorporating the giant titin protein. The goals of this study were to develop a WFH-based control algorithm for a powered prosthesis and to test its robustness during level walking and stair ascent in a case study of two subjects with 4–5 years of experience using a powered prosthesis. In the WFH algorithm, ankle moments produced by virtual muscles are calculated based on muscle length and activation. Net ankle moment determines the current applied to the motor. Using this algorithm implemented in a BiOM T2 prosthesis, we tested subjects during level walking and stair ascent. During level walking at variable speeds, the WFH algorithm produced plantarflexion angles (range = −8 to −19° and ankle moments (range = 1 to 1.5 Nm/kg similar to those produced by the BiOM T2 stock controller and to people with no amputation. During stair ascent, the WFH algorithm produced plantarflexion angles (range −15 to −19° that were similar to persons with no amputation and were ~5 times larger on average at 80 steps/min than those produced by the stock controller. This case study provides proof-of-concept that, by emulating muscle properties, the WFH algorithm provides robust, adaptive control of level walking at

Properties of extended inorganic solids predicted/rationalized by ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

Due to the vastly complex nature of the problem, guidelines for the preparation of extended inorganic solids with specific electronic properties remain meagre. Here we present the use of First Principles LMTO band structure calculations for the rationalization of the properties of a number of interesting extended solids.

Elastic properties of spherically anisotropic piezoelectric composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

En-Bo, Wei; Guo-Qing, Gu; Ying-Ming, Poon

2010-01-01

Effective elastic properties of spherically anisotropic piezoelectric composites, whose spherically anisotropic piezoelectric inclusions are embedded in an infinite non-piezoelectric matrix, are theoretically investigated. Analytical solutions for the elastic displacements and the electric potentials under a uniform external strain are derived exactly. Taking into account of the coupling effects of elasticity, permittivity and piezoelectricity, the formula is derived for estimating the effective elastic properties based on the average field theory in the dilute limit. An elastic response mechanism is revealed, in which the effective elastic properties increase as inclusion piezoelectric properties increase and inclusion dielectric properties decrease. Moreover, a piezoelectric response mechanism, of which the effective piezoelectric response vanishes due to the symmetry of spherically anisotropic composite, is also disclosed. (condensed matter: structure, thermal and mechanical properties)

Ground state structures and properties of small hydrogenated silicon

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Unknown

To understand the structural evolutions and properties of silicon cluster due to hydrogenation ... partly due to the growing importance of these systems in applications like .... of the system. Using the Lagrangian (1), equations of motions for the.

41 CFR 109-1.5110 - Physical inventories of personal property.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

...-INTRODUCTION 1.51-Personal Property Management Standards and Practices § 109-1.5110 Physical inventories of... items indicates that this action is necessary for effective property accounting, utilization, or control... property records, and with applicable financial control accounts. (j) The results of physical inventories...

Introduction to geometric nonlinear control; Controllability and lie bracket

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jakubczyk, B [Institute of Mathematics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw (Poland)

2002-07-15

We present an introduction to the qualitative theory of nonlinear control systems, with the main emphasis on controllability properties of such systems. We introduce the differential geometric language of vector fields, Lie bracket, distributions, foliations etc. One of the basic tools is the orbit theorem of Stefan and Sussmann. We analyse the basic controllability problems and give criteria for complete controllability, accessibility and related properties, using certain Lie algebras of ve fields defined by the system. A problem of path approximation is considered as an application of the developed theory. We illustrate our considerations with examples of simple systems or systems appearing in applications. The notes start from an elementary level and are self-contained. (author)

Adaptive traffic control systems for urban networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radivojević Danilo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Adaptive traffic control systems represent complex, but powerful tool for improvement of traffic flow conditions in locations or zones where applied. Many traffic agencies, especially those that have a large number of signalized intersections with high variability of the traffic demand, choose to apply some of the adaptive traffic control systems. However, those systems are manufactured and offered by multiple vendors (companies that are competing for the market share. Due to that fact, besides the information available from the vendors themselves, or the information from different studies conducted on different continents, very limited amount of information is available about the details how those systems are operating. The reason for that is the protecting of the intellectual property from plagiarism. The primary goal of this paper is to make a brief analysis of the functionalities, characteristics, abilities and results of the most recognized, but also less known adaptive traffic control systems to the professional public and other persons with interest in this subject.

40 CFR 35.6335 - Property management standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... ASSISTANCE STATE AND LOCAL ASSISTANCE Cooperative Agreements and Superfund State Contracts for Superfund Response Actions Personal Property Requirements Under A Cooperative Agreement § 35.6335 Property management... the property; (5) Provisions for financial control and accounting in the financial management system...

A bezel of an automotive headlamp: scrap/virgin ratio effects on its physicochemical properties due to the use of recycled polycarbonate

OpenAIRE

Vega, Etzail; González-Calderón, J. A.; Villegas, Antonio; Montiel, Raúl; Pérez, Elías; Vallejo-Montesinos, Javier

2016-01-01

Abstract: Automotive bezels of polycarbonate (PC) were prepared in this work by varying the amount of recycled polymer in order to estimate an acceptable scrap/virgin ratio that maintains the material properties. Conducted tests allow us to define the limit to don't compromise the performance of recycled pieces. The studied properties were their chemical structure, molecular weight distribution, mechanical and surface properties of the samples. Results showed no change in the chemical structu...

Non-invasive SFG spectroscopy: a tool to reveal the conformational change of grafted chains due to bacterial adhesion

Science.gov (United States)

Bulard, Emilie; Dubost, Henri; Fontaine-Aupart, Marie-Pierre; Zheng, Wanquan; Herry, Jean-Marie; Bellon-Fontaine, Marie-No"lle; Briandet, Romain; Bourguignon, Bernard

2011-07-01

In many fields such as biomedical or food industry, surface colonization by micro-organisms leads to biofilms formation that are tridimentional biostructures highly resistant to the action of antimicrobials, by mechanisms still unclear. In order to deepen our understanding of the initial interaction of bacteria cells with a solid surface, we analyze by in situ vibrational Sum Frequency Generation (SFG) spectroscopy the effect of the adhesion of hydrophilic Lactoccocus lactis bacteria and its hydrophobic mutants in distilled water on a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of octadecanethiol (ODT) on a gold film. When a homogeneous bacterial monolayer is deposited on this ordered surface, SFG spectrum of the ODT SAM shows significant intensity changes from that in air or in water. Its modelling as a function of conformation allows to distinguish optical effects due to the water solution surrounding bacteria from conformational changes of the ODT SAM due to the presence of the bacteria cells. Futhermore, bacterial adhesion induces different measurable effects on the ODT SAM conformation, depending on the hydrophobic / hydrophilic character of the bacterial surface. Such a result deserves to be taken into account for the design of new materials with improved properties or to control biofilm formation.

Magnetic properties and recrystallization texture of phosphorus-added non-oriented electrical steel sheets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, I.; Yashiki, H.

2006-01-01

The effect of phosphorus on magnetic properties and recrystallization texture has been investigated in non-oriented electrical steel sheets to develop low core loss and high permeability core materials. Specimens with different phosphorus contents were cold-rolled to various thicknesses, i.e. with various cold-rolling reductions, and annealed for recrystallization and grain growth. Although magnetic induction of the steel with low phosphorus content dramatically dropped with reducing thickness, i.e. with increasing in cold-rolling reduction, that of the steel with high phosphorus content only slightly decreased. The most effective way to reduce core loss was to reduce thickness of electrical steel sheets. Therefore, phosphorus-added thin gauge non-oriented electrical steel sheets have achieved low core loss and high permeability. The typical magnetic properties of phosphorus-added non-oriented electrical steel sheets 0.27mm in sheet thickness were 16.6W/kg in W 10/400 and 1.73T in B 50 . These excellent magnetic properties were due to the recrystallization texture control. {111} component in recrystallization texture was suppressed by the phosphorus segregation at initial grain boundaries. Accordingly, phosphorus would greatly contribute to the improvement of magnetic properties

Mechanical properties, biological activity and protein controlled release by poly(vinyl alcohol)–bioglass/chitosan–collagen composite scaffolds: A bone tissue engineering applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pon-On, Weeraphat, E-mail: fsciwpp@ku.ac.th [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900 (Thailand); Charoenphandhu, Narattaphol; Teerapornpuntakit, Jarinthorn; Thongbunchoo, Jirawan; Krishnamra, Nateetip [Center of Calcium and Bone Research (COCAB), Faculty of Science, Mahidol University (Thailand); Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University (Thailand); Tang, I-Ming [ThEP Center, Commission of Higher Education, 328 Si Ayutthaya Rd. (Thailand); Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900 (Thailand)

2014-05-01

In the present study, composite scaffolds made with different weight ratios (0.5:1, 1:1 and 2:1) of bioactive glass (15Ca:80Si:5P) (BG)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (PVABG) and chitosan (Chi)/collagen (Col) (ChiCol) were prepared by three mechanical freeze–thaw followed by freeze-drying to obtain the porous scaffolds. The mechanical properties and the in vitro biocompatibility of the composite scaffolds to simulated body fluid (SBF) and to rat osteoblast-like UMR-106 cells were investigated. The results from the studies indicated that the porosity and compressive strength were controlled by the weight ratio of PVABG:ChiCol. The highest compressive modulus of the composites made was 214.64 MPa which was for the 1:1 weight ratio PVABG:ChiCol. Mineralization study in SBF showed the formation of apatite crystals on the PVABG:ChiCol surface after 7 days of incubation. In vitro cell availability and proliferation tests confirmed the osteoblast attachment and growth on the PVABG:ChiCol surface. MTT and ALP tests on the 1:1 weight ratio PVABG:ChiCol composite indicated that the UMR-106 cells were viable. Alkaline phosphatase activity was found to increase with increasing culturing time. In addition, we showed the potential of PVABG:ChiCol drug delivery through PBS solution studies. 81.14% of BSA loading had been achieved and controlled release for over four weeks was observed. Our results indicated that the PVABG:ChiCol composites, especially the 1:1 weight ratio composite exhibited significantly improved mechanical, mineral deposition, biological properties and controlled release. This made them potential candidates for bone tissue engineering applications. - Graphical abstract: Mechanical properties, biological activity and protein controlled release by poly(vinyl alcohol)–bioglass/chitosan–collagen composite scaffolds: A bone tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • Preparation of PVABG:ChiCol hybrid composites and their bioactivities • Mechanical

Mechanical properties, biological activity and protein controlled release by poly(vinyl alcohol)–bioglass/chitosan–collagen composite scaffolds: A bone tissue engineering applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pon-On, Weeraphat; Charoenphandhu, Narattaphol; Teerapornpuntakit, Jarinthorn; Thongbunchoo, Jirawan; Krishnamra, Nateetip; Tang, I-Ming

2014-01-01

In the present study, composite scaffolds made with different weight ratios (0.5:1, 1:1 and 2:1) of bioactive glass (15Ca:80Si:5P) (BG)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) (PVABG) and chitosan (Chi)/collagen (Col) (ChiCol) were prepared by three mechanical freeze–thaw followed by freeze-drying to obtain the porous scaffolds. The mechanical properties and the in vitro biocompatibility of the composite scaffolds to simulated body fluid (SBF) and to rat osteoblast-like UMR-106 cells were investigated. The results from the studies indicated that the porosity and compressive strength were controlled by the weight ratio of PVABG:ChiCol. The highest compressive modulus of the composites made was 214.64 MPa which was for the 1:1 weight ratio PVABG:ChiCol. Mineralization study in SBF showed the formation of apatite crystals on the PVABG:ChiCol surface after 7 days of incubation. In vitro cell availability and proliferation tests confirmed the osteoblast attachment and growth on the PVABG:ChiCol surface. MTT and ALP tests on the 1:1 weight ratio PVABG:ChiCol composite indicated that the UMR-106 cells were viable. Alkaline phosphatase activity was found to increase with increasing culturing time. In addition, we showed the potential of PVABG:ChiCol drug delivery through PBS solution studies. 81.14% of BSA loading had been achieved and controlled release for over four weeks was observed. Our results indicated that the PVABG:ChiCol composites, especially the 1:1 weight ratio composite exhibited significantly improved mechanical, mineral deposition, biological properties and controlled release. This made them potential candidates for bone tissue engineering applications. - Graphical abstract: Mechanical properties, biological activity and protein controlled release by poly(vinyl alcohol)–bioglass/chitosan–collagen composite scaffolds: A bone tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • Preparation of PVABG:ChiCol hybrid composites and their bioactivities • Mechanical

Multiphoton photochemical crosslinking-based fabrication of protein micropatterns with controllable mechanical properties for single cell traction force measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Tong, Ming Hui; Huang, Nan; Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Zhuo Long; Ngan, Alfonso Hing Wan; Du, Yanan; Chan, Barbara Pui

2016-01-01

Engineering 3D microstructures with predetermined properties is critical for stem cell niche studies. We have developed a multiphoton femtosecond laser-based 3D printing platform, which generates complex protein microstructures in minutes. Here, we used the platform to test a series of fabrication and reagent parameters in precisely controlling the mechanical properties of protein micropillars. Atomic force microscopy was utilized to measure the reduced elastic modulus of the micropillars, and transmission electron microscopy was used to visualize the porosity of the structures. The reduced elastic modulus of the micropillars associated positively and linearly with the scanning power. On the other hand, the porosity and pore size of the micropillars associated inversely and linearly with the scanning power and reagent concentrations. While keeping the elastic modulus constant, the stiffness of the micropillars was controlled by varying their height. Subsequently, the single cell traction forces of rabbit chondrocytes, human dermal fibroblasts, human mesenchymal stem cells, and bovine nucleus pulposus cells (bNPCs) were successfully measured by culturing the cells on micropillar arrays of different stiffness. Our results showed that the traction forces of all groups showed positive relationship with stiffness, and that the chondrocytes and bNPCs generated the highest and lowest traction forces, respectively.

Embrittlement of zircaloy cladding due to oxygen uptake (CBRTTL)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reymann, G.A.

1979-02-01

A model for embrittlement of zircaloy due to oxygen uptake at high temperatures is described. The model defines limits for oxygen content and temperature which, if exceeded, give rise to zircaloy cladding which is sufficiently embrittled to cause failure either on quenching or normal handling following a transient. A significant feature of this model is that the onset of embrittlement is dependent on the cooling rate. A distinction is made between slow and fast cooling, with the boundary at 100 K/s. The material property correlations and computer subcodes described in MATPRO are developed for use in Light Water Reactor (LWR) codes

[Cervical lymphoadenopathy due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa following mesotherapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Shaladi, Ali Muftah; Crestani, Francesco; Bocchi, Anna; Saltari, Maria Rita; Piva, Bruno; Tartari, Stefano

2009-09-01

Mesotherapy is a treatment method devised for controlling several diseases by means of subcutaneous microinjections given at or around the affected areas at short time intervals. It is used to treat a variety of medical conditions, amongst which all orthopaedic diseases and rheumatic pain. Mesotherapy is especially indicated for neck pain. The mechanism of action is twofold: a pharmacological effect due to the drug administered, and a reflexogenic effect, the skin containing many nerve endings that are sensitive to the mechanical action of the needle. Although this therapy is safe, like any other medical intervention it cannot be considered free of complications that may occur, such as allergies, haematomas, bruising, wheals, granulomas and telangiectasias. Infective complications are also possible, due to pathogenic bacteria that are inoculated through contamination of products, of the materials used for the procedure or even from germs on the skin. We present the case of a patient who had cervical lymphadenopathy due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa after mesotherapy treatment for neck pain.

Psychometric properties of the multidimensional health locus of control scale form C in a non-Western culture.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barna Konkolÿ Thege

Full Text Available Form C of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scales (MHLC-C was designed to investigate health-related control beliefs of persons with an existing medical condition. The aim of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties of this instrument in a culture characterized by external control beliefs and learned helplessness-contrary to the societal context of original test development. Altogether, 374 Hungarian patients with cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular and musculoskeletal disorders were enrolled in the study. Besides the MHLC-C, instruments measuring general control beliefs, anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, and health behaviors were also administered to evaluate the validity of the scale. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic techniques were used to investigate the factor structure of the scale. Our results showed that the Hungarian adaptation of the instrument had a slightly different structure than the one originally hypothesized: in the present sample, a three-factor structure emerged where the items of the Doctors and the Others subscales loaded onto a single common component. Internal reliability of all three subscales was adequate (alphas between .71 and .79. Data concerning the instrument's validity were comparable with previous results from Western countries. These findings may suggest that health locus of control can be construed very similarly to Western countries even in a post-communist society-regardless of the potential differences in general control beliefs.

Adhesion properties of an elastomer enhanced by the presence of liquid drops in its structure

Science.gov (United States)

Giustiniani, Anais; Drenckhan, Wiebke; Poulard, Christophe

Macro-cellular polymers present rich mechanical properties due to the internal structuration of the material, in which discrete cells are tightly packed within a continuous polymeric solid matrix. The size, shape, organisation and volume fraction of these cells have an important influence on the overall material properties. Here, we study a solid emulsion which consist of liquid polyethylene glycol drops in a crosslinked PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane). These present novel rheological and adhesive properties. Results show an important hysteresis of the normal stress in a compression/decompression cycle with a significant force at rupture when this force is close to zero for the bare PDMS. This was reported for 2D systems, and in this work we study the influence of the drop sizes inside the matrix, their density and the viscosity of the liquid on the adhesion energy of the 3D material. The overall motivation of this system is to allow to independently control the elastic and viscous properties of the matrix and the drops respectively, in opposition to the viscoelastic fluids commonly used as adhesives such as PSA and gels.

Return to work after early part-time sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders: a randomized controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Viikari-Juntura, Eira; Kausto, Johanna; Shiri, Rahman; Kaila-Kangas, Leena; Takala, Esa-Pekka; Karppinen, Jaro; Miranda, Helena; Luukkonen, Ritva; Martimo, Kari-Pekka

2012-03-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of early part-time sick leave on return to work (RTW) and sickness absence among patients with musculoskeletal disorders. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in six occupational health units of medium- and large-size enterprises. Patients aged 18-60 years with musculoskeletal disorders (N=63) unable to perform their regular work were randomly allocated to part- or full-time sick leave. In the former group, workload was reduced by restricting work time by about a half. Remaining work tasks were modified when necessary, as specified in a "fit note" from the physician. The main outcomes were time to return to regular work activities and sickness absence during 12-month follow-up. Time to RTW sustained for ≥4 weeks was shorter in the intervention group (median 12 versus 20 days, P=0.10). Hazard ratio of RTW adjusted for age was 1.60 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.98-2.63] and 1.76 (95% CI 1.21-2.56) after further adjustment for pain interference with sleep and previous sickness absence at baseline. Total sickness absence during the 12-month follow-up was about 20% lower in the intervention than the control group. Compliance with the intervention was high with no discontinuations of part-time sick leave due to musculoskeletal reasons. Early part-time sick leave may provide a faster and more sustainable return to regular duties than full-time sick leave among patients with musculoskeletal disorders. This is the first study to show that work participation can be safely increased with early part-time sick leave.

Controlling the size and magnetic properties of nano CoFe2O4 by microwave assisted co-precipitation method

Science.gov (United States)

Prabhakaran, T.; Mangalaraja, R. V.; Denardin, Juliano C.

2018-02-01

In this report, cobalt ferrite nanoparticles synthesized using microwave assisted co-precipitation method was reported. Efforts have been made to control the particles size, distribution, morphology and magnetic properties of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles by varying the concentration of NaOH solution and microwave irradiation time. It was observed that the rate of nucleation and crystal growth was influenced by the tuning parameters. In that way, the average crystallite size of single phase cobalt ferrite nanoparticles was controlled within 9-11 and 10-12 nm with an increase of base concentration and microwave irradiation time, respectively. A narrow size distribution of nearly spherical nanoparticles was achieved through the present procedure. A soft ferromagnetism at room temperature with the considerable saturation magnetization of 58.4 emu g-1 and coercivity of 262.7 Oe was obtained for the cobalt ferrites synthesized with 2.25 M of NaOH solution for 3 and 7 min of microwave irradiation time, respectively. The cobalt ferrite nanoparticles synthesized with a shorter reaction time of 3-7 min was found to be advantageous over other methods that involved conventional heating procedures and longer reaction time to achieve the better magnetic properties for the technological applications.

Physical and chemical properties of gels. Application to protein nucleation control in the gel acupuncture technique

Science.gov (United States)

Moreno, Abel; Juárez-Martínez, Gabriela; Hernández-Pérez, Tomás; Batina, Nikola; Mundo, Manuel; McPherson, Alexander

1999-09-01

In this work, we present a new approach using analytical and optical techniques in order to determine the physical and chemical properties of silica gel, as well as the measurement of the pore size in the network of the gel by scanning electron microscopy. The gel acupuncture technique developed by García-Ruiz et al. (Mater. Res. Bull 28 (1993) 541) García-Ruiz and Moreno (Acta Crystallogr. D 50 (1994) 484) was used throughout the history of crystal growth. Several experiments were done in order to evaluate the nucleation control of model proteins (thaumatin I from Thaumatococcus daniellii, lysozyme from hen egg white and catalase from bovine liver) by the porous network of the gel. Finally, it is shown how the number and the size of the crystals obtained inside X-ray capillaries is controlled by the size of the porous structure of the gel.

Ropivacaine alters the mechanical properties of hamstring tendons: In vitro controlled mechanical testing of tendons from living donors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ollivier, M; Sbihi, J; Sbihi, A; Pithioux, M; Parratte, S; Argenson, J-N

2017-11-01

Intraarticular or periarticular injection of ropivacaine (RI) is an element of current knee surgery practices. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of RI on the mechanical properties of hamstring tendons. We hypothesized that RI would have a detrimental effect on the mechanical properties of periarticular soft tissues METHODS: A tensile test to failure was performed on 120 hamstring tendon segments harvested during ACL reconstruction surgery in 120 patients. Two sets of tensile tests were done. The first evaluated the effect of RI itself on the mechanical properties of tendons: 30 samples were soaked for 1hour in a 2% RI solution and compared to 30 samples soaked in a saline solution (control group). The second evaluated the effect of RI concentration on the mechanical properties of hamstring tendons: 30 samples were soaked for 1hour in a 2% RI solution and 30 samples were soaked in a 7.5% RI solution. In the first test, 29 samples from each group were analyzed as two samples (one in each group) failed at the grip interface. The specimens exposed to 2% RI had lower ultimate tensile strength (Δ=4.4MPa, P=0.001), strain energy (Δ=13MPa, P=0.001) and Young's modulus (Δ=1.6MPa, P=0.02) than the specimens in the control group. There was no significant difference in the strain at failure between groups (Δ=5%, P=0.3). In the second test, one specimen from the 7.5% RI group failed during the preloading and was excluded. There was no significant difference in terms of the load at failure and ultimate tensile stress (Δ=0.45MPa, P=0.6) and strain energy (Δ=0.49MPa, P=0.49) between the two groups. There were significant differences in terms of elongation at failure (Δ=28%, P=0.0003) and Young's modulus (Δ=2.6MPa, P=0.005), with the specimens exposed to 7.5% RI undergoing greater deformation and having a lower Young's modulus. While local RI injections are widely performed in clinical practice, the results of this in vitro study point to short

Open noise barriers based on sonic crystals. Advances in noise control in transport infraestructures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peiro Torres, M.P.; Redondo Pastor, J.; Bravo Plana-Sala, J.M.; Sanchez Perez, J.V.

2016-07-01

Noise control is an environmental problem of first magnitude nowadays. In this work, we present a new concept of acoustic screen designed to control the specific noise generated by transport infrastructures, based on new materials called sonic crystals. These materials are formed by arrangements of acoustic scatterers in air, and provide a new and different mechanism in the fight against noise from those of the classical screens. This mechanism is usually called multiple scattering and is due to their structuring in addition to their physical properties. Due to the separation between scatterers, these barriers are transparent to air and water allowing a reduction on their foundations. Tests carried out in a wind tunnel show a reduction of 42% in the overturning momentum compared to classical barriers. The acoustical performance of these barriers is shown in this work, explaining the new characteristics provided in the control of noise. Finally, an example of these barriers is presented and classified according to acoustic standardization tests. The acoustic barrier reported in this work provides a high technological solution in the field of noise control. (Author)

Noise and saturation properties of semiconductor quantum dot optical amplifiers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Berg, Tommy Winther; Mørk, Jesper

2002-01-01

We present a detailed theoretical analysis of quantum dot optical amplifiers. Due to the presence of a reservoir of wetting layer states, the saturation and noise properties differ markedly from bulk or QW amplifiers and may be significantly improved.......We present a detailed theoretical analysis of quantum dot optical amplifiers. Due to the presence of a reservoir of wetting layer states, the saturation and noise properties differ markedly from bulk or QW amplifiers and may be significantly improved....

Evaluation of Loss Due to Storm Surge Disasters in China Based on Econometric Model Groups

OpenAIRE

Xue Jin; Xiaoxia Shi; Jintian Gao; Tongbin Xu; Kedong Yin

2018-01-01

Storm surge has become an important factor restricting the economic and social development of China’s coastal regions. In order to improve the scientific judgment of future storm surge damage, a method of model groups is proposed to refine the evaluation of the loss due to storm surges. Due to the relative dispersion and poor regularity of the natural property data (login center air pressure, maximum wind speed, maximum storm water, super warning water level, etc.), storm surge disaster is di...

Properties and CAPE

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gani, Rafiqul; O'Connell, J.P.

2001-01-01

The role of properties in the solution of Computer Aided Process Engineering (CAPE) problems is described in terms of current trend, future challenges and important issues. Three distinct roles of properties in CAFE have been identified - a service role, a service plus advice role and a service......, advice plus solve role. The CAFE problems solved under each of these roles are described together with simple illustrative examples. Finally, the paper describes how some of the future problems related to integration of synthesis, design and control might be dealt with efficiently and reliably through co......-operative CAFE and properties methodologies. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved....

Control of Ochratoxin A Production in Grapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sofía Chulze

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Ochratoxin A (OTA is a mycotoxin commonly present in cereals, grapes, coffee, spices, and cocoa. Even though the main objective of the food and feed chain processors and distributors is to avoid the extended contamination of plant-derived foods and animal feeds with mycotoxins, until now, complete OTA removal from foods and feedstuffs is not feasible. Prevention through pre-harvest management is the best method for controlling mycotoxin contamination. However, in the case that the contamination occurs after this stage, the hazards associated with OTA must be managed through post-harvest strategies. Due to the increasing number of fungal strains resistant to chemical fungicides and the impact of these pesticides on the environment and human health, maximum levels of chemical residues have been regulated in many products. Alternative methods are necessary to substitute or complement treatments with fungicides to control fungi under field or storage conditions. Yeasts are considered one of the most potent biocontrol agents due to their biology and non-toxic properties. Epiphytic yeasts are the major component of the microbial community on the surface of grape berries and they are evolutionarily adapted to this ecological niche. Nowadays, several yeast species included in different genera are considered as potential biocontrol agents to control both, growth of ochratoxigenic Aspergillus species and OTA accumulation.

Controllable synthesis and enhanced electrochemical properties of multifunctional Au(core)Co(3)O(4shell) nanocubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jianqiang; Wen, Zhenhai; Wang, Qiang; Yao, Xin; Zhang, Qian; Zhou, Jianhua; Li, Jinghong

2006-12-07

Multifunctional Au(core)Co(3)O(4shell) nanocubes were synthesized through the introduction of chloroauric acid (HAuCl(4)) into a typical hydrothermal system after a solvothermal process was completed to form metastable Co(3)O(4) hollow nanospheres in the presence of sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (SDBS), which served as the surfactant. The strategy suggested that HAuCl(4) played a vital role in the shape transformation and core/shell structure formation, and the sizes of the nanocubes can be tunable through control of the acid concentration. The core/shell structure of the nanocubes was demonstrated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and element analysis (EA) measurements. Moreover, Li ion battery measurement indicated that trace Au intercalation altered not only the size and shape of the Co(3)O(4) nanoparticles but also greatly increased their electrochemical properties. These multifunctional nanocubes will be not only helpful to study physical chemistry properties of magnetic nanocrystals but also are expected to find use in many fields such as biomolecular detection and analysis, sensor, electrochemistry, and Li ion batteries.

The Preparation of TiO₂ Film by the Sol-Gel Method and Evaluation of Its Self-Cleaning Property.

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Yu; Sun, Sijia; Deng, Tongrong; Ding, Hao; Chen, Wanting; Chen, Ying

2018-03-19

TiO₂ sol was produced by the sol-gel method through the hydrolysis and the aging of tetrabutyl titanate and the TiO₂ film was obtained by dipping and uniform lifting of the acid-treated and ultrasound-treated clean glass slides into the TiO₂ sol followed by aging, drying, and calcination. The effect of the hydrolysis control agents to the formed sol was researched and the crystalline state, the morphology, and the photocatalytic properties of the products after calcination were characterized. The structural morphology, the contact angles before and after illumination, and the self-cleaning properties of the TiO₂ film were characterized as well. The results showed that by using acetylacetone as the hydrolysis control agent, the formed TiO₂ sol had relatively high stability. The product after the calcination of the TiO₂ sol was of single anatase type with crystalline size of 18-20 nm and it could degrade nearly 100% of methylene blue after 90 min illumination. The formed TiO₂ film is compact, continuous, smooth, and had the properties of super-hydrophilicity (after 30 min illumination due to its contact angle decreasing from 21° to nearly 0°) and anti-fogging capability, which indicated its excellent self-cleaning property.

Stability, Power Sharing, & Distributed Secondary Control in Droop-Controlled Microgrids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simpson-Porco, John; Dorfler, Florian; Bullo, Francesco

2013-01-01

Motivated by the recent and growing interest in microgrids, we study the operation of droop-controlled DC/AC inverters in an islanded inductive microgrid. We present a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a synchronized steady state that is unique and locally exponentially stable....... We discuss a selection of controller gains which leads to a sharing of power among the generators, and show that this proportional selection enforces actuation constraints for the inverters. Moreover, we propose a distributed integral controller based on averaging algorithms which dynamically...... regulates the system frequency in the presence of a time-varying load. Remarkably, this distributed-averaging integral controller has the additional property that it maintains the power sharing properties of the primary droop controller. Finally, we present experimental results validating our controller...

Effects of stoichiometry on the transport properties of crystalline phase-change materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wei; Wuttig, Matthias; Mazzarello, Riccardo

2015-09-03

It has recently been shown that a metal-insulator transition due to disorder occurs in the crystalline state of the GeSb2Te4 phase-change compound. The transition is triggered by the ordering of the vacancies upon thermal annealing. In this work, we investigate the localization properties of the electronic states in selected crystalline (GeTe)x-(Sb2Te3)y compounds with varying GeTe content by large-scale density functional theory simulations. In our models, we also include excess vacancies, which are needed to account for the large carrier concentrations determined experimentally. We show that the models containing a high concentration of stoichiometric vacancies possess states at the Fermi energy localized inside vacancy clusters, as occurs for GeSb2Te4. On the other hand, the GeTe-rich models display metallic behavior, which stems from two facts: a) the tail of localized states shrinks due to the low probability of having sizable vacancy clusters, b) the excess vacancies shift the Fermi energy to the region of extended states. Hence, a stoichiometry-controlled metal-insulator transition occurs. In addition, we show that the localization properties obtained by scalar-relativistic calculations with gradient-corrected functionals are unaffected by the inclusion of spin-orbit coupling or the use of hybrid functionals.

Dielectric Characteristics of Microstructural Changes and Property Evolution in Engineered Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Clifford, Jallisa Janet

Heterogeneous materials are increasingly used in a wide range of applications such as aerospace, civil infrastructure, fuel cells and many others. The ability to take properties from two or more materials to create a material with properties engineered to needs is always very attractive. Hence heterogeneous materials are evolving into more complex formulations in multiple disciplines. Design of microstructure at multiple scales control the global functional properties of these materials and their structures. However, local microstructural changes do not directly cause a proportional change to the global properties (such as strength and stiffness). Instead, local changes follow an evolution process including significant interactions. Therefore, in order to understand property evolution of engineered materials, microstructural changes need to be effectively captured. Characterizing these changes and representing them by material variables will enable us to further improve our material level understanding. In this work, we will demonstrate how microstructural features of heterogeneous materials can be described quantitatively using broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BbDS). The frequency dependent dielectric properties can capture the change in material microstructure and represent these changes in terms of material variables, such as complex permittivity. These changes in terms of material properties can then be linked to a number of different conditions, such as increasing damage due to impact or fatigue. Two different broadband dielectric spectroscopy scanning modes are presented: bulk measurements and continuous scanning to measure dielectric property change as a function of position across the specimen. In this study, we will focus on ceramic materials and fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites as test bed material systems. In the first part of the thesis, we will present how different micro-structural design of porous ceramic materials can be captured

Functional Properties of Microorganisms in Fermented Foods

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jyoti Prakash Tamang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Fermented foods have unique functional properties imparting some health benefits to consumers due to presence of functional microorganisms, which possess probiotics properties, antimicrobial, antioxidant, peptide production, etc. Health benefits of some global fermented foods are synthesis of nutrients, prevention of cardiovascular disease, prevention of cancer, gastrointestinal disorders, allergic reactions, diabetes, among others. The present paper is aimed to review the information on some functional properties of the microorganisms associated with fermented foods and beverages, and their health-promoting benefits to consumers.

Enhancement of the thermo-optical response of silver nanoparticles due to surface plasmon resonance

Science.gov (United States)

Hashemi Zadeh, Sakineh; Rashidi-Huyeh, Majid; Palpant, Bruno

2017-10-01

Owing to their remarkable optical properties, noble metals' nanoparticles are proposed for many applications. Controlling the temperature dependence of these properties may then appear to be of great relevance. In this paper, we investigate the thermo-optical properties of silver nanoparticles. Different silver nanocolloids were prepared with different surface plasmon resonance modes. The thermo-extinction spectra of the colloidal solutions were then evaluated by measuring the extinction spectra at different temperatures. This reveals a typical peak-valley profile around each surface plasmon resonance mode. Mie theory was used to study theoretically the impact of nanoparticle size on the thermo-optical properties. The results allow us to interpret properly the experimental findings.

Enhancing the photoresponse and photocatalytic properties of TiO2 by controllably tuning defects across {101} facets

Science.gov (United States)

Wan, Piaopiao; Hood, Zachary D.; Adhikari, Shiba P.; Xu, Yunfan; Yang, Shize; Wu, Sujuan

2018-03-01

Introducing defects into semiconductors with well-controlled exposed facets offers an effective route for the development of photocatalytic materials with greatly improved properties. Here, we report a facile ethylene glycol reduction procedure to make anatase titanium dioxide (TiO2) with different concentrations of exposed {001} and {101} facets, leading to different surficial defects. TiO2 with increased concentrations of {101} facets shows a 5-fold improvement in photocurrent generation as well as improved photocatalytic activity towards water splitting under visible light irradiation. The improved activity is ascribed to the oxygen vacancies as well as the variable surface chemical states, which collectively induce a slower recombination rate of photo-induced electron-hole pairs. This work also highlights a feasible strategy to obtain the defective TiO2 and explore the synergistic effect of surface defects and different concentrations of exposed {001} and {101} facets for photocurrent and photocatalytic properties under visible light irradiation.

Interstitial Lung Disease due to Siderosis in a Lathe Machine Worker.

Science.gov (United States)

Gothi, D; Satija, B; Kumar, S; Kaur, Omkar

2015-01-01

Since its first description in 1936, siderosis of lung has been considered a benign pneumoconiosis due to absence of significant clinical symptoms or respiratory impairment. Subsequently, authors have questioned the non-fibrogenic property of iron. However, siderosis causing interstitial lung disease with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) pattern has not been described in the past. We report a case of UIP on high resolution computed tomography, proven to be siderosis on transbronchial lung biopsy in a lathe machine worker.

Characterization of thermal and hydrodynamic properties for microencapsulated phase change slurry (MPCS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Lin; Wang, Ting; Zhao, Yan; Zhang, Xin-Rong

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Microencapsulated phase change slurry (MPCS) is reviewed and characterized for heat transfer and storage systems. • Basic formation, materials, properties are categorized and systematically analyzed. • Generalization and modelization of complex MPCS properties are made. • MPCS is identified to be one promising substitute in future energy systems. • Future research topics and applications are also specified. - Abstract: Microencapsulated phase change slurry (MPCS) is a new kind of multi-phase fluid that are proposed and utilized in heat transfer and heat storage systems. Different from traditional organic (paraffin or non-parafin) or inorganic phase change slurries, MPCS is able to maintain both high latent heat capacity and heat transfer rate under controlled volume changes and safe operation conditions. Consequently, in recent decade, MPCS has been widely proposed and tested in textile, building, cooling and heating, solar and thermal storage systems, etc. Based on those recent findings and application developments, characterizations of thermal and hydrodynamic properties for MPCS are made in this study. The basic objective of this paper is to summarize the features of MPCS properties and the establishment of models for MPCS properties and morphologies. The review and analysis are based on recent representative experimental studies, which are categorized into: properties, heat transfer characteristics, stability and applications. Due to the various materials and methods and carry fluids properties, no single model can cover the properties for all MPCS. In this study, each property is reviewed with its specific model and application regions. Basic trends are compared with other kinds of phase change materials. Finally, by investigating those results the future trends of MPCS are presented

Effect of cutoff radius, long range interaction and temperature controller on thermodynamic properties of fluids: Methanol as an example

Science.gov (United States)

Obeidat, Abdalla; Jaradat, Adnan; Hamdan, Bushra; Abu-Ghazleh, Hind

2018-04-01

The best spherical cutoff radius, long range interaction and temperature controller were determined using surface tension, density, and diffusion coefficients of van Leeuwen and Smit methanol. A quite good range of cutoff radii from 0.75 to 1.45 nm has been studied on Coulomb cut-off and particle mesh Ewald (PME) long range interaction to determine the best cutoff radius and best long range interaction as well for four sets of temperature: 200, 230, 270 and 300 K. To determine the best temperature controller, the cutoff radius of 1.25 nm was fixed using PME long range interaction on calculating the above properties at low temperature range: 200-300 K.

Synthesis, characterization and photoluminescence properties of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Further, TEM image of azo-GO indicates some dark spots on the GO sheets due to azo functionalization. AFM ... Introduction. Photochromic compounds, which can easily undergo ... change in optical properties and morphologies.9,10.

Dietary self-control influences top?down guidance of attention to food cues

OpenAIRE

Higgs, Suzanne; Dolmans, Dirk; Humphreys, Glyn W.; Rutters, Femke

2015-01-01

Motivational objects attract attention due to their rewarding properties, but less is known about the role that top–down cognitive processes play in the attention paid to motivationally relevant objects and how this is affected by relevant behavioral traits. Here we assess how thinking about food affects attentional guidance to food items and how this is modulated by traits relating to dietary self-control. Participants completed two tasks in which they were presented with an initial cue (foo...

Tuning the Properties of Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells by Adjusting Fullerene Size to Control Intercalation

KAUST Repository

Cates, Nichole C.

2009-12-09

We demonstrate that intercalation of fullerene derivatives between the side chains of conjugated polymers can be controlled by adjusting the fullerene size and compare the properties of intercalated and nonintercalated poly(2,5-bis(3-hexadecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (pBTTT):fullerene blends. The intercalated blends, which exhibit optimal solar-cell performance at 1:4 polymer:fullerene by weight, have better photoluminescence quenching and lower absorption than the nonintercalated blends, which optimize at 1:1. Understanding how intercalation affects performance will enable more effective design of polymer:fullerene solar cells. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Tuning the Properties of Polymer Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells by Adjusting Fullerene Size to Control Intercalation

KAUST Repository

Cates, Nichole C.; Gysel, Roman; Beiley, Zach; Miller, Chad E.; Toney, Michael F.; Heeney, Martin; McCulloch, Iain; McGehee, Michael D.

2009-01-01

We demonstrate that intercalation of fullerene derivatives between the side chains of conjugated polymers can be controlled by adjusting the fullerene size and compare the properties of intercalated and nonintercalated poly(2,5-bis(3-hexadecylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (pBTTT):fullerene blends. The intercalated blends, which exhibit optimal solar-cell performance at 1:4 polymer:fullerene by weight, have better photoluminescence quenching and lower absorption than the nonintercalated blends, which optimize at 1:1. Understanding how intercalation affects performance will enable more effective design of polymer:fullerene solar cells. © 2009 American Chemical Society.

Turnpike theory of continuous-time linear optimal control problems

CERN Document Server

Zaslavski, Alexander J

2015-01-01

Individual turnpike results are of great interest due to their numerous applications in engineering and in economic theory; in this book the study is focused on new results of turnpike phenomenon in linear optimal control problems.  The book is intended for engineers as well as for mathematicians interested in the calculus of variations, optimal control, and in applied functional analysis. Two large classes of problems are studied in more depth. The first class studied in Chapter 2 consists of linear control problems with periodic nonsmooth convex integrands. Chapters 3-5 consist of linear control problems with autonomous nonconvex and nonsmooth integrands.  Chapter 6 discusses a turnpike property for dynamic zero-sum games with linear constraints. Chapter 7 examines genericity results. In Chapter 8, the description of structure of variational problems with extended-valued integrands is obtained. Chapter 9 ends the exposition with a study of turnpike phenomenon for dynamic games with extended value integran...

Silver nanostructures with well-controlled shapes: synthesis, characterization and growth mechanisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kan Caixia [College of Science, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211100 (China); Zhu Jiejun [Department of Physics, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China); Zhu Xiaoguang [Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031 (China)], E-mail: cxkan@nuaa.edu.cn

2008-08-07

This paper describes a poly(vinylpyrollidone)-directed polyol synthesis method for the fabrication of silver (Ag) nanostructures with well-controlled shapes (such as nanorods and nanocubes) by adjusting the synthesizing parameters. The structure characterizations suggest that the Ag nanorods grow from the five-fold twinned decahedral crystal nuclei. The nature of the {l_brace}1 1 1{r_brace} planes of Ag crystal and the highly selective poly(vinylpyrollidone) adsorption on the {l_brace}100{r_brace} planes of Ag crystal nuclei are favourable for the formation of Ag nanorods and Ag nanowires. The single crystalline Ag nanocubes obtained at optimum conditions are perfect in shape and are enclosed by the {l_brace}1 0 0{r_brace} facets. The optical properties of the Ag nanostructures show an attractive plasma resonance, displaying a considerable dependence on the shape and size. The formation of the Ag nanostructures with well-defined shapes is probably due to the fact that the nanostructures are controlled thermodynamically and kinetically. The ability to generate shape-controlled Ag nanostructures also provides an opportunity to experimentally and systematically study the relationship between their properties and geometric shapes.

Role of surfaces and interfaces in controlling the mechanical properties of metallic alloys.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Won-Jong; Chia, Wen-Jui; Wang, Jinliu; Chen, Yanfeng; Vaynman, Semyon; Fine, Morris E; Chung, Yip-Wah

2010-11-02

This article explores the subtle effects of surfaces and interfaces on the mechanical properties of bulk metallic alloys using three examples: environmental effects on fatigue life, hydrogen embrittlement effects on the ductility of intermetallics, and the role of coherent precipitates in the toughness of steels. It is demonstrated that the marked degradation of the fatigue life of metals is due to the strong chemisorption of adsorbates on exposed slip steps that are formed during fatigue deformation. These adsorbates reduce the reversibility of slip, thus accelerating fatigue damage in a chemically active gas environment. For certain intermetallic alloys such as Ni(3)Al and Ni(3)Fe, the ductility depends on the ambient gas composition and the atomic ordering in these alloys, both of which govern the complex surface chemical reactions taking place in the vicinity of crack tips. Finally, it is shown that local stresses at a coherent precipitate-matrix interface can activate dislocation motion at low temperatures, thus improving the fracture toughness of bulk alloys such as steels at cryogenic temperatures. These examples illustrate the complex interplay between surface chemistry and mechanics, often yielding unexpected results.

Control design methods for floating wind turbines for optimal disturbance rejection

Science.gov (United States)

Lemmer, Frank; Schlipf, David; Cheng, Po Wen

2016-09-01

An analysis of the floating wind turbine as a multi-input-multi-output system investigating the effect of the control inputs on the system outputs is shown. These effects are compared to the ones of the disturbances from wind and waves in order to give insights for the selection of the control layout. The frequencies with the largest impact on the outputs due to limited effect of the controlled variables are identified. Finally, an optimal controller is designed as a benchmark and compared to a conventional PI-controller using only the rotor speed as input. Here, the previously found system properties, especially the difficulties to damp responses to wave excitation, are confirmed and verified through a spectral analysis with realistic environmental conditions. This comparison also assesses the quality of the employed simplified linear simulation model compared to the nonlinear model and shows that such an efficient frequency-domain evaluation for control design is feasible.

Enhancement in transport properties of seeded melt-textured YBCO by Cu-site doping

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Yu X. [Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon (China); Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX (United States); Lo, W.; Salama, Kamel [Texas Center for Superconductivity and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX (United States); Tang, Tong B. [Department of Physics, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon (China)

2002-05-01

A significant research effort has been made worldwide to introduce nanometre-scale weak superconducting regions into seeded melt-textured superconductors to enhance their critical current density, trapped magnetic field and levitation force. The enhancement in these properties is dependent on the pinning forces exerted on the magnetic flux lines. In this paper we present a substantial improvement in the transport properties of these materials by optimizing the fabrication conditions, controlling the oxygen deficiency, as well as adjusting the doping level of Zn in YBa{sub 2}(Cu{sub 1-x}Zn{sub x}){sub 3}O{sub 7-}{delta} large grains. The enhancement is found to be as much as 30% by doping between about x=0.001 25 and 0.002 53. The results strongly indicate that the introduction of local nanometre-scale weak superconducting regions by Zn substitution for Cu in the CuO{sub 2} plane enhances the transport properties. Due to the simplicity of the processing conditions, these doping techniques can have a significant potential for a variety of engineering applications. (author)

How clear-cutting affects fire severity and soil properties in a Mediterranean ecosystem.

Science.gov (United States)

Francos, Marcos; Pereira, Paulo; Mataix-Solera, Jorge; Arcenegui, Victoria; Alcañiz, Meritxell; Úbeda, Xavier

2018-01-15

Forest management practices in Mediterranean ecosystems are frequently employed to reduce both the risk and severity of wildfires. However, these pre-fire treatments may influence the effects of wildfire events on soil properties. The aim of this study is to examine the short-term effects of a wildfire that broke out in 2015 on the soil properties of three sites: two exposed to management practices in different years - 2005 (site M05B) and 2015 (site M15B) - and one that did not undergo any management (NMB) and to compare their properties with those recorded in a plot (Control) unaffected by the 2015 wildfire. We analyzed aggregate stability (AS), soil organic matter (SOM) content, total nitrogen (TN), carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N), inorganic carbon (IC), pH, electrical conductivity (EC), extractable calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), and potassium (K), microbial biomass carbon (C mic ) and basal soil respiration (BSR). In the managed plots, a clear-cutting operation was conducted, whereby part of the vegetation was cut and left covering the soil surface. The AS values recorded at the Control site were significantly higher than those recorded at M05B, whereas the TN and SOM values at NMB were significantly higher than those recorded at M05B. IC was significantly higher at M05B than at the other plots. There were no significant differences in C/N ratio between the analyzed sites. Soil pH at M05B was significantly higher than the value recorded at the Control plot. Extractable Ca was significantly higher at NMB than at both M05B and the Control, while extractable Mg was significantly lower at M05B than at NMB. Extractable K was significantly lower at the Control than at the three fire-affected plots. C mic was significantly higher at NMB than at the Control. BSR, BSR/C and BSR/C mic values at the fire-affected sites were significantly lower than those recorded at the Control. No significant differences were identified in C mic /C. Overall, a comparison of the

Morphology-controlled synthesis of MoS{sub 2} nanostructures with different lithium storage properties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Xiwen; Zhang, Zhian, E-mail: zza75@163.com; Chen, Yaqiong; Qu, Yaohui; Lai, Yanqing; Li, Jie

2014-07-05

Highlights: • MoS{sub 2} nanospheres, nanoribbons and nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method. • The surfactant and temperature control the shape and crystal structure of MoS{sub 2}. • MoS{sub 2} nanospheres exhibit the excellent lithium storage property. - Abstract: A one-step hydrothermal process was employed to prepare a series of MoS{sub 2} nanostructures via simply altering the surfactant as soft template and hydrothermal reaction temperature. Three kinds of MoS{sub 2} nanostructures (three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical nanospheres, one-dimensional (1D) nanoribbons, and large aggregated nanoparticles) were successfully achieved and investigated well by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis (BET). Electrochemical tests reveal that these MoS{sub 2} samples could deliver high initial discharge capacities (higher than 1050.0 mA h g{sup −1}), but various cycling performances. The hierarchical MoS{sub 2} nanospheres assembled by sheet-like subunits show the highest specific capacity of 1355.1 mA h g{sup −1}, and 66.8% of which can be retained after 50 cycles. The good lithium storage property of hierarchical MoS{sub 2} nanospheres can be attributed to the higher electrolyte/MoS{sub 2} contact area and stable 3D layered structure.

Chloride ion addition for controlling shapes and properties of silver nanorods capped by polyvinyl alcohol synthesized using polyol method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Junaidi, E-mail: junaidi.1982@fmipa.unila.ac.id [Department of Physics, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281 (Indonesia); Department of Physics, Lampung University, Bandar Lampung (Indonesia); Yunus, Muhammad, E-mail: muhammad.yunus@mail.ugm.ac.id [Department of Physics, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281 (Indonesia); Triyana, Kuwat, E-mail: triyana@ugm.ac.id; Harsojo,, E-mail: harsojougm@ugm.ac.id; Suharyadi, Edi, E-mail: esuharyadi@ugm.ac.id [Department of Physics, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281 (Indonesia); Nanomaterials Research Group, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, 55281 (Indonesia)

2016-04-19

We report our investigation on the effect of chloride ions on controlling the shapes and properties of silver nanorods (AgNRs) synthesized using a polyol method. In this study, we used polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a capping agent and sodium chloride (NaCl) as a salt precursor and performed at the oil bath temperature of 140°C. The chloride ions originating from the NaCl serve to control the growth of the silver nanorods. Furthermore, the synthesized silver nanorods were characterized using SEM and XRD. The results showed that besides being able to control the growth of AgCl atoms, the chloride ions were also able to control the growth of multi-twinned-particles into the single crystalline of silver nanorods by micrometer-length. At an appropriate concentration of NaCl, the diameter of silver nanorods decreased significantly compared to that of without chloride ion addition. This technique may be useful since a particular diameter of silver nanorods affects a particular application in the future.

Chloride ion addition for controlling shapes and properties of silver nanorods capped by polyvinyl alcohol synthesized using polyol method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Junaidi; Yunus, Muhammad; Triyana, Kuwat; Harsojo,; Suharyadi, Edi

2016-01-01

We report our investigation on the effect of chloride ions on controlling the shapes and properties of silver nanorods (AgNRs) synthesized using a polyol method. In this study, we used polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as a capping agent and sodium chloride (NaCl) as a salt precursor and performed at the oil bath temperature of 140°C. The chloride ions originating from the NaCl serve to control the growth of the silver nanorods. Furthermore, the synthesized silver nanorods were characterized using SEM and XRD. The results showed that besides being able to control the growth of AgCl atoms, the chloride ions were also able to control the growth of multi-twinned-particles into the single crystalline of silver nanorods by micrometer-length. At an appropriate concentration of NaCl, the diameter of silver nanorods decreased significantly compared to that of without chloride ion addition. This technique may be useful since a particular diameter of silver nanorods affects a particular application in the future.

Dielectric properties of tantalum powder with broccoli-like morphology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baba, Masahiko [Department of Energy Science and Technology, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan); Suzuki, Ryosuke O [Department of Energy Science and Technology, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501 (Japan)

2005-04-19

Metallic tantalum powder with broccoli-like morphology, consisting of spherical fine particles and of long rods or thin plates, was prepared in a hundred gram scale by calcium reduction of Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} in molten CaCl{sub 2}. The properties as electrolytic capacitor were evaluated in comparison with commercial powder obtained by Na reduction and with powder consisting of only fine particles obtained by Ca reduction. The capacitance was larger than that of conventional powder with the same surface area, because the broccoli-like powder showed a strong resistance against shrinkage during high temperature annealing due to the framework of branches. The powder with new broccoli-like morphology can circumvent the conventional treatments for grain size control and gas removal.

Dielectric properties of tantalum powder with broccoli-like morphology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baba, Masahiko; Suzuki, Ryosuke O.

2005-01-01

Metallic tantalum powder with broccoli-like morphology, consisting of spherical fine particles and of long rods or thin plates, was prepared in a hundred gram scale by calcium reduction of Ta 2 O 5 in molten CaCl 2 . The properties as electrolytic capacitor were evaluated in comparison with commercial powder obtained by Na reduction and with powder consisting of only fine particles obtained by Ca reduction. The capacitance was larger than that of conventional powder with the same surface area, because the broccoli-like powder showed a strong resistance against shrinkage during high temperature annealing due to the framework of branches. The powder with new broccoli-like morphology can circumvent the conventional treatments for grain size control and gas removal

Ethanol vapor-induced fabrication of colloidal crystals with controllable layers and photonic properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Chuanqiang; Gong, Xiangxiang; Han, Jie; Guo, Rong

2015-04-07

A novel fabrication method for colloidal crystals has been proposed for the first time in this research. In this method, a suspension droplet containing colloidal particles was first spread onto a glass substrate placed in an ethanol vapor environment, and then the droplet was extracted from its center. In that case, the contact angle of the droplet reduced and the contact line receded toward the center, during which the colloidal particles self-assembled and immobilized forming a 2D colloidal crystal film on the substrate upon drying the liquid film. Alternately spreading and drying of suspension films could construct fine multi-layers of colloidal crystals, while the ethanol fraction in the suspension would be used to control roughly but rapidly the layer numbers of colloidal crystals. It was also found that the photonic properties of resultant colloidal crystal films were elevated by increasing their thickness.

Ethanolamine properties and use for feedwater pH control: A pressurized water reactor case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keeling, D.L.; Polidoroff, C.T.; Cortese, S.; Cushner, M.C.

1995-01-01

Ethanolamine (ETA) as a feedwater pH control additive has been recently used to minimize corrosion of secondary water components in the nuclear power industry pressurized water reactors (PWRs). The use of ETA is compared with ammonia. Relative volatility effects on various parts of the system are analyzed and chemistry changes are presented. Materials of construction and the use of existing plant equipment for ETA service are discussed. Properties of ETA as well as safety, storage and handling issues are compared with ammonia. Health d aquatic toxicity are reviewed. warnings, safety, handling guidelines, biodegradability an Diablo Canyon Power Plant used ammonia for pH control from 1985 until a change over to ETA in 1993/1994. Full flow condensate polishers that are required to protect the plant from saltwater cooling incursions limit the amount of pH additive. Iron levels in the secondary water systems are compared before and after changing to ETA and replacement of corrosion-susceptible piping. Iron reduction benefits are assessed along with other effects on the feedwater nozzles, low pressure turbine, polisher resin capacity and polisher regeneration system

Simultaneous control of emission localization and two-photon absorption efficiency in dissymmetrical chromophores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tretiak, Sergei

2009-01-01

The aim of the present work is to demonstrate that combined spectral tuning of fluorescence and two-photon absorption (TPA) properties of multipolar chromophores can be achieved by introduction of slight electronic chemical dissymmetry. In that perspective, two novel series of structurally related chromophores have been designed and studied: a first series based on rod-like quadrupolar chromophores bearing different electron-donating (D) end groups and a second series based on three-branched octupolar chromophores built from a trigonal donating moiety and bearing various acceptor (A) peripheral groups. The influence of the electronic dissymmetry is investigated by combined experimental and theoretical studies of the linear and nonlinear optical properties of dissymmetric chromophores compared to their symmetrical counterparts. In both types of systems (i.e. quadrupoles and octupoles) experiments and theory reveal that excitation is essentially delocalized and that excitation involves synchronized charge redistribution between the different D and A moieties within the multipolar structure (i.e. concerted intramolecular charge transfer). In contrast, the emission stems only from a particular dipolar subunit bearing the strongest D or A moieties due to fast excitation localization after excitation prior to emission. Hence control of emission characteristics (polarization and emission spectrum) in addition to localization can be achieved by controlled introduction of electronic dissymmetry (i.e. replacement of one of the D or A end-groups by a slightly stronger D(prime) or A(prime) units). Interestingly dissymmetrical functionalization of both quadrupolar and octupolar compounds does not lead to significant loss in TPA responses and can even be beneficial due to the spectral broadening and peak position tuning that it allows. This study thus reveals an original molecular engineering route strategy allowing major TPA enhancement in multipolar structures due to concerted

Mechanical and thermal property characterization of poly-L-lactide (PLLA) scaffold developed using pressure-controllable green foaming technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheng, Shen-Jun; Hu, Xiao; Wang, Fang; Ma, Qing-Yu; Gu, Min-Fen

2015-01-01

Poly-L-lactide (PLLA) is one of the most promising biological materials used for tissue engineering scaffolds (TES) because of their excellent biodegradability and tenability. Here, microcellular PLLA foams were fabricated by pressure-controllable green foaming technology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide angle X-ray diffraction measurement (WAXRD), thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, reflection-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, enzymatic degradation study and MTT assay were used to analyze the scaffolds' morphologies, structures and crystallinities, mechanical and biodegradation properties, as well as their cytotoxicity. The results showed that PLLA foams with pore sizes from 8 to 103 μm diameters were produced when the saturation pressure decreased from 7.0 to 4.0 MPa. Through a combination of StepScan DSC (SSDSC) and WAXRD approaches, it was observed in PLLA foams that the crystallinity, highly-oriented metastable state and rigid amorphous phase increased with the increasing foaming pressure. It was also found that both the glass transition temperature and apparent enthalpy of PLLA significantly increased after the foaming process, which suggested that the changes of microcellular structure could provide PLLA scaffolds better thermal stability and elasticity. Moreover, MTT assessments suggested that the smaller pore size should benefit cell attachment and growth in the scaffold. The results of current work will give us better understanding of the mechanisms involved in structure and property changes of PLLA at the molecular level, which enables more possibilities for the design of PLLA scaffold to satisfy various requirements in biomedical and green chemical applications. - Highlights: • Pressure-controllable green foaming technology is used. • The crystallinity and rigid amorphous fraction is calculated by using DSC and XRD. • We examine the changes of

Mechanical and thermal property characterization of poly-L-lactide (PLLA) scaffold developed using pressure-controllable green foaming technology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sheng, Shen-Jun [Center of Analysis and Testing, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023 (China); School of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Hu, Xiao [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028 (United States); Department of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028 (United States); Wang, Fang, E-mail: wangfang@njnu.edu.cn [Center of Analysis and Testing, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028 (United States); Ma, Qing-Yu [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronics of Jiangsu Province, School of Physics and Technology, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Gu, Min-Fen [Center of Analysis and Testing, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023 (China)

2015-04-01

Poly-L-lactide (PLLA) is one of the most promising biological materials used for tissue engineering scaffolds (TES) because of their excellent biodegradability and tenability. Here, microcellular PLLA foams were fabricated by pressure-controllable green foaming technology. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide angle X-ray diffraction measurement (WAXRD), thermogravimetric (TG) analysis, reflection-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, enzymatic degradation study and MTT assay were used to analyze the scaffolds' morphologies, structures and crystallinities, mechanical and biodegradation properties, as well as their cytotoxicity. The results showed that PLLA foams with pore sizes from 8 to 103 μm diameters were produced when the saturation pressure decreased from 7.0 to 4.0 MPa. Through a combination of StepScan DSC (SSDSC) and WAXRD approaches, it was observed in PLLA foams that the crystallinity, highly-oriented metastable state and rigid amorphous phase increased with the increasing foaming pressure. It was also found that both the glass transition temperature and apparent enthalpy of PLLA significantly increased after the foaming process, which suggested that the changes of microcellular structure could provide PLLA scaffolds better thermal stability and elasticity. Moreover, MTT assessments suggested that the smaller pore size should benefit cell attachment and growth in the scaffold. The results of current work will give us better understanding of the mechanisms involved in structure and property changes of PLLA at the molecular level, which enables more possibilities for the design of PLLA scaffold to satisfy various requirements in biomedical and green chemical applications. - Highlights: • Pressure-controllable green foaming technology is used. • The crystallinity and rigid amorphous fraction is calculated by using DSC and XRD. • We examine the changes of

Microstructure, mechanical properties and bio-corrosion properties of Mg-Si(-Ca, Zn) alloy for biomedical application.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Erlin; Yang, Lei; Xu, Jianwei; Chen, Haiyan

2010-05-01

Mg-Si alloy was investigated for biomedical application due to the biological function of Si in the human body. However, Mg-Si alloy showed a low ductility due to the presence of coarse Mg(2)Si. Ca and Zn elements were used to refine and modify the morphology of Mg(2)Si in order to improve the corrosion resistance and the mechanical properties. The cell toxicity of Mg, Zn and Ca metals was assessed by an MTT test. The test results indicated that increasing the concentrations of Mg, Zn and Ca ions did not cause cell toxicity, which showed that the release of these three elements would not lead to cell toxicity. Then, microstructure, mechanical properties and bio-corrosion properties of as-cast Mg-Si(-Ca, Zn) alloys were investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electronic microscopy, mechanical properties testing and electrochemical measurement. Ca element can slightly refine the grain size and the morphology Mg(2)Si phase in Mg-Si alloy. The bio-corrosion resistance of Mg-Si alloys was improved by the addition of Ca due to the reduction and refinement of Mg(2)Si phase; however, no improvement was observed in the strength and elongation. The addition of 1.6% Zn to Mg-0.6Si can modify obviously the morphology of Mg(2)Si phase from course eutectic structure to a small dot or short bar shape. As a result, tensile strength, elongation and bio-corrosion resistance were all improved significantly; especially, the elongation improved by 115.7%. It was concluded that Zn element was one of the best alloying elements of Mg-Si alloy for biomedical application. Copyright (c) 2009 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Output Feedback Adaptive Control of Non-Minimum Phase Systems Using Optimal Control Modification

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Nhan; Hashemi, Kelley E.; Yucelen, Tansel; Arabi, Ehsan

2018-01-01

This paper describes output feedback adaptive control approaches for non-minimum phase SISO systems with relative degree 1 and non-strictly positive real (SPR) MIMO systems with uniform relative degree 1 using the optimal control modification method. It is well-known that the standard model-reference adaptive control (MRAC) cannot be used to control non-SPR plants to track an ideal SPR reference model. Due to the ideal property of asymptotic tracking, MRAC attempts an unstable pole-zero cancellation which results in unbounded signals for non-minimum phase SISO systems. The optimal control modification can be used to prevent the unstable pole-zero cancellation which results in a stable adaptation of non-minimum phase SISO systems. However, the tracking performance using this approach could suffer if the unstable zero is located far away from the imaginary axis. The tracking performance can be recovered by using an observer-based output feedback adaptive control approach which uses a Luenberger observer design to estimate the state information of the plant. Instead of explicitly specifying an ideal SPR reference model, the reference model is established from the linear quadratic optimal control to account for the non-minimum phase behavior of the plant. With this non-minimum phase reference model, the observer-based output feedback adaptive control can maintain stability as well as tracking performance. However, in the presence of the mismatch between the SPR reference model and the non-minimum phase plant, the standard MRAC results in unbounded signals, whereas a stable adaptation can be achieved with the optimal control modification. An application of output feedback adaptive control for a flexible wing aircraft illustrates the approaches.

Robust Self Tuning Controllers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)