Ionically Paired Layer-by-Layer Hydrogels: Water and Polyelectrolyte Uptake Controlled by Deposition Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Selin

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Despite intense recent interest in weakly bound nonlinear (“exponential” multilayers, the underlying structure-property relationships of these films are still poorly understood. This study explores the effect of time used for deposition of individual layers of nonlinearly growing layer-by-layer (LbL films composed of poly(methacrylic acid (PMAA and quaternized poly-2-(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (QPC on film internal structure, swelling, and stability in salt solution, as well as the rate of penetration of invading polyelectrolyte chains. Thicknesses of dry and swollen films were measured by spectroscopic ellipsometry, film internal structure—by neutron reflectometry (NR, and degree of PMAA ionization—by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR. The results suggest that longer deposition times resulted in thicker films with higher degrees of swelling (up to swelling ratio as high as 4 compared to dry film thickness and stronger film intermixing. The stronger intermixed films were more swollen in water, exhibited lower stability in salt solutions, and supported a faster penetration rate of invading polyelectrolyte chains. These results can be useful in designing polyelectrolyte nanoassemblies for biomedical applications, such as drug delivery coatings for medical implants or tissue engineering matrices.

Stability characteristics of compressible boundary layers over thermo-mechanically compliant walls

Science.gov (United States)

Dettenrieder, Fabian; Bodony, Daniel

2017-11-01

Transition prediction at hypersonic flight conditions continues to be a challenge and results in conservative safety factors that increase vehicle weight. The weight and thus cost reduction of the outer skin panels promises significant impact; however, fluid-structure interaction due to unsteady perturbations in the laminar boundary layer regime has not been systematically studied at conditions relevant for reusable, hypersonic flight. In this talk, we develop and apply convective and global stability analyses for compressible boundary layers over thermo-mechanically compliant panels. This compliance is shown to change the convective stability of the boundary layer modes, with both stabilization and destabilization observed. Finite panel lengths are shown to affect the global stability properties of the boundary layer.

Structure and stability of triglyceride monolayers on water and mica surfaces

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zdravkova, A.N.; van der Eerden, J.P.J.M.

2007-01-01

The structure and the stability of tripalmitin (PPP), tristearin (SSS), and triarachidin (AAA) monolayers at the air-water interface are investigated with the Langmuir method. The Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) layers obtained by deposition on mica were investigated with atomic force microscopy (AFM). Our

Stabilized vortices in layered Kerr media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montesinos, Gaspar D.; Perez-Garcia, Victor M.; Michinel, Humberto; Salgueiro, Jose R.

2005-01-01

In this paper, we demonstrate the possibility of stabilizing beams with angular momentum propagating in Kerr media against filamentation and collapse. Very long propagation distances can be achieved by combining the choice of an appropriate layered medium with alternating focusing and defocusing nonlinearities with the presence of an incoherent guiding beam which is itself stabilized in this medium. The applicability of the results to the field of matter waves is also discussed

Metal ion-specific thermal stability of bacterial S-Layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drobot, Bjoern; Raff, Johannes [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Div. Biogeochemistry; Fahmy, Karim [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Div. Biophysics

2016-07-01

Many bacteria are covered by a surface layer (S-layer), i.e., a para-crystalline two-dimensional array of proteins which control cell shape, act as molecular sieves and have potential applications as radionuclide-binding material for bioremediation of polluted areas. Knowledge and control of the metal-dependent stability of the purified proteins is required for their technical application. Here, we have explored by differential scanning calorimetry the thermal stability of the S-layer protein slp-B53 from Lysinibacillus sphaericus, a Gram-positive bacterium isolated from a uranium mining waste pile [1].

On the Stability of Three-Dimensional Boundary Layers. Part 1; Linear and Nonlinear Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Janke, Erik; Balakumar, Ponnampalam

1999-01-01

The primary stability of incompressible three-dimensional boundary layers is investigated using the Parabolized Stability Equations (PSE). We compute the evolution of stationary and traveling disturbances in the linear and nonlinear region prior to transition. As model problems, we choose Swept Hiemenz Flow and the DLR Transition Experiment. The primary stability results for Swept Hiemenz Flow agree very well with computations by Malik et al. For the DLR Experiment, the mean flow profiles are obtained by solving the boundary layer equations for the measured pressure distribution. Both linear and nonlinear results show very good agreement with the experiment.

Equilibrium stability of strained epitaxial layers on a rigid substrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Granato, E.; Kosterlitz, J.M.; Ying, S.C.

1987-07-01

A simple theory of the equilibrium stability of an strained epitaxial layer on a rigid substrate is presented. We generalise the Frankvan der Merwe model of a single layer and consider N layers of adsorbate on a substrate. Continuum elasticity theory is used to describe each layer, but the coupling between layers is treated ina discrete fashion. Our method interpolates between a few layers and the thick film limit of standard dislocation theory, and in this limit the standard results are obtained. In addition, we developed a variational approach which agrees well with our exact calculations. The advantage of our method over previous ores is that it allows to perform stability analyses of arbitrary superlattice configurations. (author) [pt

Stabilization of Leidenfrost vapour layer by textured superhydrophobic surfaces

KAUST Repository

Vakarelski, Ivan Uriev

2012-09-12

In 1756, Leidenfrost observed that water drops skittered on a sufficiently hot skillet, owing to levitation by an evaporative vapour film. Such films are stable only when the hot surface is above a critical temperature, and are a central phenomenon in boiling. In this so-called Leidenfrost regime, the low thermal conductivity of the vapour layer inhibits heat transfer between the hot surface and the liquid. When the temperature of the cooling surface drops below the critical temperature, the vapour film collapses and the system enters a nucleate-boiling regime, which can result in vapour explosions that are particularly detrimental in certain contexts, such as in nuclear power plants. The presence of these vapour films can also reduce liquid-solid drag. Here we show how vapour film collapse can be completely suppressed at textured superhydrophobic surfaces. At a smooth hydrophobic surface, the vapour film still collapses on cooling, albeit at a reduced critical temperature, and the system switches explosively to nucleate boiling. In contrast, at textured, superhydrophobic surfaces, the vapour layer gradually relaxes until the surface is completely cooled, without exhibiting a nucleate-boiling phase. This result demonstrates that topological texture on superhydrophobic materials is critical in stabilizing the vapour layer and thus in controlling-by heat transfer-the liquid-gas phase transition at hot surfaces. This concept can potentially be applied to control other phase transitions, such as ice or frost formation, and to the design of low-drag surfaces at which the vapour phase is stabilized in the grooves of textures without heating. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Stabilization of Leidenfrost vapour layer by textured superhydrophobic surfaces

KAUST Repository

Vakarelski, Ivan Uriev; Patankar, Neelesh A.; Marston, Jeremy; Chan, Derek Y C; Thoroddsen, Sigurdur T

2012-01-01

In 1756, Leidenfrost observed that water drops skittered on a sufficiently hot skillet, owing to levitation by an evaporative vapour film. Such films are stable only when the hot surface is above a critical temperature, and are a central phenomenon in boiling. In this so-called Leidenfrost regime, the low thermal conductivity of the vapour layer inhibits heat transfer between the hot surface and the liquid. When the temperature of the cooling surface drops below the critical temperature, the vapour film collapses and the system enters a nucleate-boiling regime, which can result in vapour explosions that are particularly detrimental in certain contexts, such as in nuclear power plants. The presence of these vapour films can also reduce liquid-solid drag. Here we show how vapour film collapse can be completely suppressed at textured superhydrophobic surfaces. At a smooth hydrophobic surface, the vapour film still collapses on cooling, albeit at a reduced critical temperature, and the system switches explosively to nucleate boiling. In contrast, at textured, superhydrophobic surfaces, the vapour layer gradually relaxes until the surface is completely cooled, without exhibiting a nucleate-boiling phase. This result demonstrates that topological texture on superhydrophobic materials is critical in stabilizing the vapour layer and thus in controlling-by heat transfer-the liquid-gas phase transition at hot surfaces. This concept can potentially be applied to control other phase transitions, such as ice or frost formation, and to the design of low-drag surfaces at which the vapour phase is stabilized in the grooves of textures without heating. © 2012 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Theoretical bases on thermal stability of layered metallic systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadyrzhanov, K.K.; Rusakov, V.S.; Turkebaev, T.Eh.; Zhankadamova, A.M.; Ensebaeva, M.Z.

2003-01-01

The paper is dedicated to implementation of the theoretical bases for layered metallic systems thermal stabilization. The theory is based on the stabilization mechanism expense of the intermediate two-phase field formation. As parameters of calculated model are coefficients of mutual diffusion and inclusions sizes of generated phases in two-phase fields. The stabilization time dependence for beryllium-iron (Be (1.1 μm)-Fe(5.5 μm)) layered system from iron and beryllium diffusion coefficients, and inclusions sizes is shown as an example. Conclusion about possible mechanisms change at transition from microscopic consideration to the nano-crystal physics level is given

The effect of a zinc–tin-oxide layer used as an etch-stopper layer on the bias stress stability of solution-processed indium–gallium–zinc-oxide thin-film transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chul Ho; Rim, You Seung; Kim, Hyun Jae

2014-01-01

We investigated the bias stress stability of solution-processed indium–gallium–zinc-oxide thin-film transistors (IGZO TFTs) using zinc–tin-oxide (ZTO) as the etch-stopper layer, the so-called dual-active-layered ZTO/IGZO TFT (DALZI TFT). The DALZI TFT can use a low-cost back-channel-etch structure because of the high chemical stability of the upper ZTO layer. The DALZI TFT exhibited only a threshold voltage shift of −1.86 V under negative bias illumination stress (NBIS) conditions (stress time = 1000 s), while the unpassivated IGZO TFT suffered from a threshold voltage shift of −19.59 V under NBIS conditions (stress time = 1000 s). The superior bias stress stability of the DALZI TFT is attributed not only to the densification effect by the multi-stacking process but also to the lower sensitivity to ambient gases (e.g., oxygen and water vapour) due to the low oxygen vacancy in the upper ZTO layer. (paper)

Stability analysis of a boundary layer over a hump using parabolized stability equations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gao, B; Park, D H; Park, S O, E-mail: sopark@kaist.ac.kr [Division of Aerospace Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Gusong-dong, Yusong-gu, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-10-15

Parabolized stability equations (PSEs) were used to investigate the stability of boundary layer flows over a small hump. The applicability of PSEs to flows with a small separation bubble was examined by comparing the result with DNS data. It was found that PSEs can efficiently track the disturbance waves with an acceptable accuracy in spite of a small separation bubble. A typical evolution scenario of Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) wave is presented. The adverse pressure gradient and the flow separation due to the hump have a strong effect on the amplification of the disturbances. The effect of hump width and height is also examined. When the width of the hump is reduced, the amplification factor is increased. The height of the hump is found to obviously influence the stability only when it is greater than the critical layer thickness.

Stability analysis of a boundary layer over a hump using parabolized stability equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, B; Park, D H; Park, S O

2011-01-01

Parabolized stability equations (PSEs) were used to investigate the stability of boundary layer flows over a small hump. The applicability of PSEs to flows with a small separation bubble was examined by comparing the result with DNS data. It was found that PSEs can efficiently track the disturbance waves with an acceptable accuracy in spite of a small separation bubble. A typical evolution scenario of Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) wave is presented. The adverse pressure gradient and the flow separation due to the hump have a strong effect on the amplification of the disturbances. The effect of hump width and height is also examined. When the width of the hump is reduced, the amplification factor is increased. The height of the hump is found to obviously influence the stability only when it is greater than the critical layer thickness.

Shear layer flame stabilization sensitivities in a swirling flow

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Foley

2017-03-01

Full Text Available A variety of different flame configurations and heat release distributions exist in high swirl, annular flows, due to the existence of inner and outer shear layers as well a vortex breakdown bubble. Each of these different configurations, in turn, has different thermoacoustic sensitivities and influences on combustor emissions, nozzle durability, and liner heating. This paper presents findings on the sensitivities of the outer shear layer- stabilized flames to a range of parameters, including equivalence ratio, bulkhead temperature, flow velocity, and preheat temperature. There is significant hysteresis for flame attachment/detachment from the outer shear layer and this hysteresis is also described. Results are also correlated with extinction stretch rate calculations based on detailed kinetic simulations. In addition, we show that the bulkhead temperature near the flame attachment point has significant impact on outer shear layer detachment. This indicates that understanding the heat transfer between the edge flame stabilized in the shear layer and the nozzle hardware is needed in order to predict shear layer flame stabilization limits. Moreover, it shows that simulations cannot simply assume adiabatic boundary conditions if they are to capture these transitions. We also show that the reference temperature for correlating these transitions is quite different for attachment and local blow off. Finally, these results highlight the deficiencies in current understanding of the influence of fluid mechanic parameters (e.g. velocity, swirl number on shear layer flame attachment. For example, they show that the seemingly simple matter of scaling flame transition points with changes in flow velocities is not understood.

Experimental research on the stability of armour and secondary layer in a single layered Tetrapod breakwater

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Jong, W.; Verhagen, H.J.; Olthof, J.

2004-01-01

Physical model tests were done on an armour of Tetrapods, placed in a single layer. The objective of the investigations was to study the stability of the secondary layer, and to see if the material of this secondary layer could be washed out through the single layer of Tetrapods. It was concluded

Spatial Atmospheric Pressure Atomic Layer Deposition of Tin Oxide as an Impermeable Electron Extraction Layer for Perovskite Solar Cells with Enhanced Thermal Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoffmann, Lukas; Brinkmann, Kai O; Malerczyk, Jessica; Rogalla, Detlef; Becker, Tim; Theirich, Detlef; Shutsko, Ivan; Görrn, Patrick; Riedl, Thomas

2018-02-14

Despite the notable success of hybrid halide perovskite-based solar cells, their long-term stability is still a key-issue. Aside from optimizing the photoactive perovskite, the cell design states a powerful lever to improve stability under various stress conditions. Dedicated electrically conductive diffusion barriers inside the cell stack, that counteract the ingress of moisture and prevent the migration of corrosive halogen species, can substantially improve ambient and thermal stability. Although atomic layer deposition (ALD) is excellently suited to prepare such functional layers, ALD suffers from the requirement of vacuum and only allows for a very limited throughput. Here, we demonstrate for the first time spatial ALD-grown SnO x at atmospheric pressure as impermeable electron extraction layers for perovskite solar cells. We achieve optical transmittance and electrical conductivity similar to those in SnO x grown by conventional vacuum-based ALD. A low deposition temperature of 80 °C and a high substrate speed of 2.4 m min -1 yield SnO x layers with a low water vapor transmission rate of ∼10 -4 gm -2 day -1 (at 60 °C/60% RH). Thereby, in perovskite solar cells, dense hybrid Al:ZnO/SnO x electron extraction layers are created that are the key for stable cell characteristics beyond 1000 h in ambient air and over 3000 h at 60 °C. Most notably, our work of introducing spatial ALD at atmospheric pressure paves the way to the future roll-to-roll manufacturing of stable perovskite solar cells.

Stabilization of the hypersonic boundary layer by finite-amplitude streaks

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Jie; Fu, Song; Hanifi, Ardeshir

2016-02-01

Stabilization of two-dimensional disturbances in hypersonic boundary layer flows by finite-amplitude streaks is investigated using nonlinear parabolized stability equations. The boundary-layer flows at Mach numbers 4.5 and 6.0 are studied in which both first and second modes are supported. The streaks considered here are driven either by the so-called optimal perturbations (Klebanoff-type) or the centrifugal instability (Görtler-type). When the streak amplitude is in an appropriate range, i.e., large enough to modulate the laminar boundary layer but low enough to not trigger secondary instability, both first and second modes can effectively be suppressed.

Experimental and computational analysis of the hot water layer for the radiological protection in swimming pool reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ribeiro, Rogerio.

1995-01-01

Pool reactors are research reactors, which allow easy access to the core and rare simple to operate. Reactors of this kind operating at power levels higher than about one megawatt need a hot water layer at the surface of the pool, in order to keep surface activity below acceptable levels and enable free access to the upper part of the reactor. An experimental apparatus was constructed to study the hot water layer stability. Thermocouples were used to measure the temperature field. A numerical analysis was conducted simultaneously. Regarding experimental results, representative temperature contour lines of the hot water layer were plotted. The temperature field was determined in the numerical analysis and temperature contour lines corresponding to those of the experimental results were plotted. The hot water layer kept stable for experimental and numerical results. Good agreement between the results for the hot water layer position and thickness has been obtained. (author). 21 refs., 40 figs., 15 tabs

Kapitza Resistance between Few-Layer Graphene and Water: Liquid Layering Effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alexeev, Dmitry; Chen, Jie; Walther, Jens Honore

2015-01-01

difference in the phonon mean free path between the FLG and water. Remarkably, RK is strongly dependent on the layering of water adjacent to the FLG, exhibiting an inverse proportionality relationship to the peak density of the first water layer, which is consistent with better acoustic phonon matching...... between FLG and water. These findings suggest novel ways to engineer the thermal transport properties of solid−liquidinterfaces by controlling and regulating the liquid layering at the interface....

Diblock Copolymer/Layered Silicate Nanocomposite Thin Film Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Limary, Ratchana; Green, Peter

2000-03-01

The stability of thin film symmetric diblock copolymers blended with layered silicate nanocomposites were examined using a combination of optical microscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Two cases were examined PS-b-PMMA (polystyrene-b-polymethylacrylate) blended with montmorillonite stoichiometrically loaded with alkyl ammonium ions, OLS(S), and PS-b-PMMA blended with montmorillonite loaded with excess alkyl ammonium ions, OLS(E). XRD spectra show an increase in the gallery spacing of the OLSs, indicating that the copolymer chains have intercalated the layered silicates. AFM images reveal a distinct difference between the two nanocomposite thin films: regions in the vicinity of OLS(S) aggregates were depleted of material, while in the vicinity of OLS(E) aggregates, dewetting of the substrate occurred. We show that the stability of the copolymer/OLS nanocomposite films is determined by the enthalpic driving force associated with intercalation of the copolymer chains into the galleries of the modified OLS layers and by the substrate/organic modifier interactions.

AC over-current characteristics of YBCO coated conductor with copper stabilizer layer considering insulation layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Du, H.-I.; Kim, M.-J.; Kim, Y.-J.; Lee, D.-H.; Han, B.-S.; Song, S.-S.

2010-01-01

Compared with the first-generation BSCCO wire, the YBCO thin-film wire boasts low material costs and high J c and superior magnetic-field properties, among other strengths. Meanwhile, the previous BSCCO wire material for superconducting cables has been researched on considerably with regard to its post-wire quenching characteristics during the application of an alternating over-current. In this regard, the promising YBCO thin-film wire has yet to be further researched on. Moreover, still lacking is research on the YBCO thin-film wire with insulating layers, which is essential in the manufacture of superconducting cables, along with the testing of the application of an alternating over-current to the wire. In this study, YBCO thin-film wires with copper-stabilizing layers were used in testing alternating over-current application according to the presence or absence of insulating layers and to the thickness of such layers, to examine the post-quenching wire resistance increase and quenching trends. The YBCO thin-film wire with copper-stabilizing layers has a critical temperature of 90 K and a critical current of 85 A rms . Moreover, its current application cycle is 5.5 cycles, and its applied currents are 354, 517, 712, and 915 A peak . These figures enabled the YBCO thin-film wires with copper-stabilizing layers to reach 90, 180, 250, and 300 K, respectively, in this study. These temperatures serve as a relative reference to examine the post-quenching wire properties following the application of an alternating over-current.

Effect of dielectric layers on device stability of pentacene-based field-effect transistors.

Science.gov (United States)

Di, Chong-an; Yu, Gui; Liu, Yunqi; Guo, Yunlong; Sun, Xiangnan; Zheng, Jian; Wen, Yugeng; Wang, Ying; Wu, Weiping; Zhu, Daoben

2009-09-07

We report stable organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) based on pentacene. It was found that device stability strongly depends on the dielectric layer. Pentacene thin-film transistors based on the bare or polystyrene-modified SiO(2) gate dielectrics exhibit excellent electrical stabilities. In contrast, the devices with the octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS)-treated SiO(2) dielectric layer showed the worst stabilities. The effects of the different dielectrics on the device stabilities were investigated. We found that the surface energy of the gate dielectric plays a crucial role in determining the stability of the pentacene thin film, device performance and degradation of electrical properties. Pentacene aggregation, phase transfer and film morphology are also important factors that influence the device stability of pentacene devices. As a result of the surface energy mismatch between the dielectric layer and organic semiconductor, the electronic performance was degraded. Moreover, when pentacene was deposited on the OTS-treated SiO(2) dielectric layer with very low surface energy, pentacene aggregation occurred and resulted in a dramatic decrease of device performance. These results demonstrated that the stable OFETs could be obtained by using pentacene as a semiconductor layer.

Experimental investigation of convective stability in a superposed fluid and porous layer when heated from below

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Falin; Chen, C. F.

1989-01-01

Experiments have been carried out in a horizontal superposed fluid and porous layer contained in a test box 24 cm x 12 cm x 4 cm high. The porous layer consisted of 3 mm diameter glass beads, and the fluids used were water, 60 and 90 percent glycerin-water solutions, and 100 percent glycerin. The depth ratio d, which is the ratio of the thickness of the fluid layer to that of the porous layer, varied from 0 to 1.0. Fluids of increasingly higher viscosity were used for cases with larger d in order to keep the temperature difference across the tank within reasonable limits. The size of the convection cells was inferred from temperature measurements made with embedded thermocouples and from temperature distributions at the top of the layer by use of liquid crystal film. The experimental results showed: (1) a precipitous decrease in the critical Rayleigh number as the depth of the fluid layer was increased from zero, and (2) an eightfold decrease in the critical wavelength between d = 0.1 and 0.2. Both of these results were predicted by the linear stability theory reported earlier (Chen and Chen, 1988).

An analysis for crack layer stability

Science.gov (United States)

Sehanobish, K.; Botsis, J.; Moet, A.; Chudnovsky, A.

1986-01-01

The problem of uncontrolled crack propagation and crack arrest is considered with respect to crack layer (CL) translational stability. CL propagation is determined by the difference between the energy release rate and the amount of energy required for material transformation, and necessary and sufficient conditions for CL instability are derived. CL propagation in polystyrene is studied for two cases. For the case of remotely applied fixed load fatigue, the sufficient condition of instability is shown to be met before the necessary condition, and the necessary condition controls the stability. For the fixed displacement case, neither of the instability conditions are met, and CL propagation remains stable, resulting in crack arrest.

Boundary layer transition observations on a body of revolution with surface heating and cooling in water

Science.gov (United States)

Arakeri, V. H.

1980-04-01

Boundary layer flow visualization in water with surface heat transfer was carried out on a body of revolution which had the predicted possibility of laminar separation under isothermal conditions. Flow visualization was by in-line holographic technique. Boundary layer stabilization, including elimination of laminar separation, was observed to take place on surface heating. Conversely, boundary layer destabilization was observed on surface cooling. These findings are consistent with the theoretical predictions of Wazzan et al. (1970).

H2O on Pt(111): structure and stability of the first wetting layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Standop, Sebastian; Michely, Thomas; Busse, Carsten; Morgenstern, Markus

2012-01-01

We study the structure and stability of the first water layer on Pt(111) by variable-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. We find that a high Pt step edge density considerably increases the long-range order of the equilibrium √(37)×√(37)R25.3°- and √(39)×√(39)R16.1°-superstructures, presumably due to the capability of step edges to trap residual adsorbates from the surface. Passivating the step edges with CO or preparing a flat metal surface leads to the formation of disordered structures, which still show the same structural elements as the ordered ones. Coadsorption of Xe and CO proves that the water layer covers the metal surface completely. Moreover, we determine the two-dimensional crystal structure of Xe on top of the chemisorbed water layer which exhibits an Xe-Xe distance close to the one in bulk Xe and a rotation angle of 90° between the close-packed directions of Xe and the close-packed directions of the underlying water layer. CO is shown to replace H 2 O on the Pt(111) surface as has been deduced previously. In addition, we demonstrate that tunneling of electrons into the antibonding state or from the bonding state of H 2 O leads to dissociation of the molecules and a corresponding reordering of the adlayer into a √3×√3R30°-structure. Finally, a so far not understood restructuring of the adlayer by an increased tunneling current has been observed. (paper)

Carbonation of lime and cement stabilized layers in road construction

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Netterberg, F

1984-04-01

Full Text Available The problem of deterioration of lime, lime-slag and cement stabilized pavement layers during curing, before sealing and in service is partly ascribed to carbonation of the stabilizer during curing and subsequent exposure to the atmosphere before...

Kink stability of a field-reversed ion layer in a background plasma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishida, A.; Sudan, R.N.; Rosenbluth, M.N.; Engquist, M.G.

1986-01-01

By means of the two-fluid energy principle, the kink stability boundary of a field-reversed ion layer of arbitrary thickness immersed in a dense low-temperature background plasma is investigated theoretically. This system is found to have a stability window against kinks. The dependence of the kink stability regime on the equilibrium properties of the system is also shown. In the thin layer limit, a comparison is made between the previous theories and the present theory

Stability conditions of stationary rupture of liquid layers on an immiscible fluid surface

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viviani, A. [Seconda Univ. di Napoli, Aversa (Italy). Facolta di Ingegneria; Kostarev, K.; Shmyrov, A.; Zuev, A. [Inst. of Continuous Media Mechanics, Perm (Russian Federation)

2009-07-01

The stationary equilibrium shape of a 3-phase liquids-gas system was investigated. The system consisted of a horizontal liquid layer with an upper free boundary placed on the immiscible fluid interface. The study investigated the stability conditions of rupture of the liquid layer surface. The dependence of rupture parameters on the experimental cuvette diameter and layer thickness was investigated, as well as the difference in the values of surface tension of the examined fluids. The 2-layer system of horizontal fluid layers was formed in a glass cylindrical cuvette. The liquid substrate was tetrachloride carbon (CCI{sub 4}), while upper layers included water, glycerine, ethyleneglycol, and aqueous solutions of 1,4-butanediol C{sub 4}H{sub 10}O{sub 2} and isopropanol C{sub 3H8L}. Initially, the surface of the substrate fluid was overlaid with a horizontal liquid layer. The rupture was formed by subjecting the layer surface to short-time actions of a narrow directional air jet. After rupture formation, the layer thickness increased gradually. The measurements demonstrated that the rupture diameter depends on the initial thickness of the upper layer as well as the diameter of the cuvette, and the difference in the values of the surface tension of the examined fluids. Analysis of the experimental relationships indicated that the critical thickness of the breaking layer is a constant value for any specific pairs of fluids. 4 refs., 7 figs.

The study of stress-strain state of stabilized layered soil foundations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sokolov Mikhail V.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Herein presented are the results of modeling and analysis of stress-strain state of layered inhomogeneous foundation soil when it is stabilised by injection to different depths. Produced qualitative and quantitative analysis of the components of the field of isolines of stresses, strains, stress concentration and the difference between the strain at the boundary of different elastic horizontal layers. Recommendations are given for the location of stabilised zones in relation to the border of different elastic layers. In particular, it found that stabilization of soil within the weak layer is inappropriate, since it practically provides no increase in the stability of the soil foundation, and when performing stabilisation of soil foundations, it is recommended to place the lower border of the stabilisation zone below the border of a stronger layer, at this the distribution of stresses and strains occurs more evenly, and load-bearing capacity of this layer is used to the maximum.

Stability of nanocrystalline electrochemically deposited layers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pantleon, Karen; Somers, Marcel A. J.

2009-01-01

have different microstructure and properties compared to bulk materials and the thermodynamic non-equilibrium state of as-deposited layers frequently results in changes of the microstructure as a function of time and/or temperature. The evolving microstructure affects the functionality and reliability......The technological demand for manufacturing components with complex geometries of micrometer or sub-micrometer dimensions and ambitions for ongoing miniaturization have attracted particular attention to electrochemical deposition methods. Thin layers of electrochemically deposited metals and alloys...... of electrodeposited components, which can be beneficial, as for the electrical conductivity of copper interconnect lines, or detrimental, as for reduced strength of nickel in MEMS applications. The present work reports on in-situ studies of the microstructure stability of as-deposited nanocrystalline Cu-, Ag- and Ni...

Influence of the density of placement on the stability of armour layers on breakwaters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van den Bosch, A.; D' Angremond, K.; Verhagen, H.J.; Olthof, J.

2002-01-01

Studies on the stability of the amour layer (d’Angremond et. al. [1999] revealed the importance of density of placement. The current research focuses on the influence of the density of placement on the stability of cubes in a double armour layer and tetrapods and rocks in a single armour layer. The

Vertically aligned carbon nanotubes/diamond double-layered structure for improved field electron emission stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, L., E-mail: qiaoqin.yang@mail.usask.ca; Yang, Q.; Zhang, C.; Li, Y.S.

2013-12-31

A double-layered nanostructure consisting of a layer of vertically aligned Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) and a layer of diamond beneath has been synthesized on silicon substrate by Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition. The synthesis was achieved by first depositing a layer of diamond on silicon and then depositing a top layer of vertically aligned CNTs by applying a negative bias on the substrate holder. The growth of CNTs was catalyzed by a thin layer of spin-coated iron nitride. The surface morphology and structure of the CNTs/diamond double-layered structure were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive X-ray spectrum, and Raman Spectroscopy. Their field electron emission (FEE) properties were measured by KEITHLEY 237 high voltage measurement unit, showing much higher FEE current stability than single layered CNTs. - Highlights: • A new double-layered nanostructure consisting of a layer of vertically aligned CNTs and a layer of diamond beneath has been synthesized by hot filament chemical vapor deposition. • This double-layered structure exhibits superior field electron emission stability. • The improvement of emission stability is due to the combination of the unique properties of diamond and CNTs.

Nonlinear Stability and Structure of Compressible Reacting Mixing Layers

Science.gov (United States)

Day, M. J.; Mansour, N. N.; Reynolds, W. C.

2000-01-01

The parabolized stability equations (PSE) are used to investigate issues of nonlinear flow development and mixing in compressible reacting shear layers. Particular interest is placed on investigating the change in flow structure that occurs when compressibility and heat release are added to the flow. These conditions allow the 'outer' instability modes- one associated with each of the fast and slow streams-to dominate over the 'central', Kelvin-Helmholtz mode that unaccompanied in incompressible nonreacting mixing layers. Analysis of scalar probability density functions in flows with dominant outer modes demonstrates the ineffective, one-sided nature of mixing that accompany these flow structures. Colayer conditions, where two modes have equal growth rate and the mixing layer is formed by two sets of vortices, offer some opportunity for mixing enhancement. Their extent, however, is found to be limited in the mixing layer's parameter space. Extensive validation of the PSE technique also provides a unique perspective on central- mode vortex pairing, further supporting the view that pairing is primarily governed perspective sheds insight on how linear stability theory is able to provide such an accurate prediction of experimentally-observed, fully nonlinear flow phenomenon.

Theoretical analysis of turbulent transport through the diffuse boundary layer in the dynamic stabilization of superimposed miscible liquids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerhauser, H.

1980-02-01

Two superimposed miscible liquids are separated by a diffuse boundary layer providing a steady transition of density. If the heavy fluid is on top of the light one, Rayleigh-Taylor-instabilities develop and cause a rapid interchange and eventually an intermixing. This process can be subjected to dynamic stabilization by enforcing vertical oscillations upon the whole system. However, since only part of the unstable mode spectrum is completely stabilized, the remaining weakly unstable modes lead to turbulent transport processes through the boundary layer ('anomalous diffusion'), so that only a quasistationary equilibrium is achieved. In the present paper, previous experimental results on the dynamic stabilization of water superimposed by an aqueous ZnJ-solution are theoretically interpreted, and the observed spatial structure as well as the time development of the density profiles are explained. There exists an analogy between these phenomena and turbulent transport processes in tokamak discharges such as the sawtooth oscillations of internal disruptions. (orig.) [de

Double-Layer Structured CO2 Adsorbent Functionalized with Modified Polyethyleneimine for High Physical and Chemical Stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Sunbin; Jung, Hyunchul; Kim, Sung Hyun; Lee, Ki Bong

2018-06-18

CO 2 capture using polyethyleneimine (PEI)-impregnated silica adsorbents has been receiving a lot of attention. However, the absence of physical stability (evaporation and leaching of amine) and chemical stability (urea formation) of the PEI-impregnated silica adsorbent has been generally established. Therefore, in this study, a double-layer impregnated structure, developed using modified PEI, is newly proposed to enhance the physical and chemical stabilities of the adsorbent. Epoxy-modified PEI and diepoxide-cross-linked PEI were impregnated via a dry impregnation method in the first and second layers, respectively. The physical stability of the double-layer structured adsorbent was noticeably enhanced when compared to the conventional adsorbents with a single layer. In addition to the enhanced physical stability, the result of simulated temperature swing adsorption cycles revealed that the double-layer structured adsorbent presented a high potential working capacity (3.5 mmol/g) and less urea formation under CO 2 -rich regeneration conditions. The enhanced physical and chemical stabilities as well as the high CO 2 working capacity of the double-layer structured adsorbent were mainly attributed to the second layer consisting of diepoxide-cross-linked PEI.

Effects of shock on hypersonic boundary layer stability

Science.gov (United States)

Pinna, F.; Rambaud, P.

2013-06-01

The design of hypersonic vehicles requires the estimate of the laminar to turbulent transition location for an accurate sizing of the thermal protection system. Linear stability theory is a fast scientific way to study the problem. Recent improvements in computational capabilities allow computing the flow around a full vehicle instead of using only simplified boundary layer equations. In this paper, the effect of the shock is studied on a mean flow provided by steady Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computations and simplified boundary layer calculations.

Design and construction control guidance for chemically stabilized pavement base layers.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-01

A laboratory and field study was conducted related to chemically stabilized pavement layers, which is also : referred to as soil-cement. Soil-cement practices within MDOT related to Class 9C soils used for base layers : were evaluated in this report....

Stability of hypersonic boundary-layer flows with chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Reed, Helen L.; Stuckert, Gregory K.; Haynes, Timothy S.

1993-01-01

The effects of nonequilibrium chemistry and three dimensionality on the stability characteristics of hypersonic flows are discussed. In two-dimensional (2-D) and axisymmetric flows, the inclusion of chemistry causes a shift of the second mode of Mack to lower frequencies. This is found to be due to the increase in size of the region of relative supersonic flow because of the lower speeds of sound in the relatively cooler boundary layers. Although this shift in frequency is present in both the equilibrium and nonequilibrium air results, the equilibrium approximation predicts modes which are not observed in the nonequilibrium calculations (for the flight conditions considered). These modes are superpositions of incoming and outgoing unstable disturbances which travel supersonically relative to the boundary-layer edge velocity. Such solutions are possible because of the finite shock stand-off distance. Their corresponding wall-normal profiles exhibit an oscillatory behavior in the inviscid region between the boundary-layer edge and the bow shock. For the examination of three-dimensional (3-D) effects, a rotating cone is used as a model of a swept wing. An increase of stagnation temperature is found to be only slightly stabilizing. The correlation of transition location (N = 9) with parameters describing the crossflow profile is discussed. Transition location does not correlate with the traditional crossflow Reynolds number. A new parameter that appears to correlate for boundary-layer flow was found. A verification with experiments on a yawed cone is provided.

Electrodeposited Ag-Stabilization Layer for High Temperature Superconducting Coated Conductors: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bhattacharya, R. N.; Mann, J.; Qiao, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Selvamanickam, V.

2010-11-01

We developed a non-aqueous based electrodepostion process of Ag-stabilization layer on YBCO superconductor tapes. The non-aqueous electroplating solution is non-reactive to the HTS layer thus does not detoriate the critical current capability of the superconductor layer when plated directly on the HTS tape. The superconducting current capabilities of these tapes were measured by non-contact magnetic measurements.

Water stability of soil aggregates in different systems of Chernozem tillage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaroslava Bartlová

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Effects of various agrotechnical measures on macrostructural changes in the ploughing layer and subsoil were studied within the period of 2008–2010. Soil macrostructure was evaluated on the base of water stability of soil aggregates. Altogether three variants of soil tillage were established, viz. ploughing to the depth of 0.22 m (Variant 1, deep soil loosening to the depth of 0.35–0.40 m (Variant 2, and shallow tillage to the depth of 0.15 m (Variant 3. Experiments were established on a field with Modal Chernozem in the locality Hrušovany nad Jevišovkou (maize-growing region, altitude of 210 m, average annual sum of precipitation 461 mm. In the first experimental year, winter rape was the cultivated crop and it was followed by winter wheat, maize and spring wheat in subsequent years. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of different methods of tillage on water stability of soil aggregates and on yields of individual crops. An overall analysis of results revealed a positive effect of cultivation without ploughing on water stability of soil aggregates. In the variant with ploughing was found out a statistically significant decrease of this stability. At the same time it was also found out that both minimum tillage and deep soil loosening showed a positive effect on yields of crops under study (above all of maize and winter wheat.

Effects of Wood Roughness, Light Pigments, and Water Repellent on the Color Stability of Painted Spruce Subjected to Natural and Accelerated Weathering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ladislav Reinprecht

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This study examined the color stability of painted Norway spruce (Picea abies samples subjected to natural and accelerated weathering, using Duncan’s tests and correlation analyses. The following effects were studied: (1 the different initial roughness of the wood; (2 use of transparent or lightly-pigmented top-coat layers; and (3 the presence of the final water-repellent layer. Natural weathering at a 45° slope in an industrial zone lasted 104 weeks, whereas accelerated weathering in Xenotest with 0.55 W/m2 UV irradiation at 340 nm and sprayed water lasted 12 weeks. The color stability of painted spruce, measured in a CIE-L*a*b* system, was not, in the majority of cases, significantly affected by the initial roughness of the wood, the type of top-coat (WoodCare UV or PerlColor layer, or presence of the final water repellent (AquaStop layer. The light pine or larch pigments in the top-coat layers had positive color stabilizing effects. In their presence, the darkening (-L* and total color differences (E* of the painted samples dropped ca. 2.5 times during exterior weathering and ca. 5 times during Xenotest weathering. Samples painted with transparent coatings turned a reddish shade (+a* during the Xenotest, while those exposed to the exterior absorbed dirt and became more blue (-b*.

Effect of a cathode buffer layer on the stability of organic solar cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Danbei; Zeng, Wenjin; Chen, Shilin; Su, Xiaodan; Wang, Jin; Zhang, Hongmei

2015-01-01

We present the effect of a cathode buffer layer on the performance and stability of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) based on a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Six kinds of cathode buffer layers, i.e. lithium fluoride, sodium chloride, NaCl/Mg, tris-(8-hydroxy-quinoline) aluminum, bathocuproine and 1,3,5-tris(2-N-phenylbenzimidazolyl)benzene, were inserted between the photoactive layer and an Al cathode, which played a dominant role in the device’s performance. Devices with the cathode buffer layers above exhibited improved performance. The degradation of these devices with encapsulation was further investigated in an inert atmosphere. The results indicated that devices with inorganic cathode buffer layers exhibited better stability than those with organic cathode buffer layers. (paper)

Relevance, Realization and stability of a cold layer at the plasma edge for fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-09-01

The workshop was dedicated to the realization and stability of a cold layer at the plasma edge for fusion reactors. The subjects of the communications presented were: impurity transport, and control, plasma boundary layers, power balance, radiation control and modifications, limiter discharges, tokamak density limit, Asdex divertor discharges, thermal stability of a radiating diverted plasma, plasma stability, auxiliary heating in Textor, detached plasma in Tore Supra, poloidal divertor tokamak, radiation cooling, neutral-particle transport, plasma scrape-off layer, edge turbulence

Mixed layers of sodium caseinate + dextran sulfate: influence of order of addition to oil-water interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Jourdain, Laureline S; Schmitt, Christophe; Leser, Martin E; Murray, Brent S; Dickinson, Eric

2009-09-01

We report on the interfacial properties of electrostatic complexes of protein (sodium caseinate) with a highly sulfated polysaccharide (dextran sulfate). Two routes were investigated for preparation of adsorbed layers at the n-tetradecane-water interface at pH = 6. Bilayers were made by the layer-by-layer deposition technique whereby polysaccharide was added to a previously established protein-stabilized interface. Mixed layers were made by the conventional one-step method in which soluble protein-polysaccharide complexes were adsorbed directly at the interface. Protein + polysaccharide systems gave a slower decay of interfacial tension and stronger dilatational viscoelastic properties than the protein alone, but there was no significant difference in dilatational properties between mixed layers and bilayers. Conversely, shear rheology experiments exhibited significant differences between the two kinds of interfacial layers, with the mixed system giving much stronger interfacial films than the bilayer system, i.e., shear viscosities and moduli at least an order of magnitude higher. The film shear viscoelasticity was further enhanced by acidification of the biopolymer mixture to pH = 2 prior to interface formation. Taken together, these measurements provide insight into the origin of previously reported differences in stability properties of oil-in-water emulsions made by the bilayer and mixed layer approaches. Addition of a proteolytic enzyme (trypsin) to both types of interfaces led to a significant increase in the elastic modulus of the film, suggesting that the enzyme was adsorbed at the interface via complexation with dextran sulfate. Overall, this study has confirmed the potential of shear rheology as a highly sensitive probe of associative electrostatic interactions and interfacial structure in mixed biopolymer layers.

Equilibrium and stability properties of relativistic electron rings and E-layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uhm, H.

1976-01-01

Equilibrium and stability properties of magnetically confined partially-neutralized thin electron ring and E-layer are investigated using the Vlasov-Maxwell equations. The analysis is carried out within the context of the assumption that the minor dimensions (a,b) of the system are much less than the collisionless skin depth (c/antiω/sub p/). The equilibrium configuration of the E-layer is assumed to be an infinitely long, azimuthally symmetric hollow electron beam which is aligned parallel to a uniform axial magnetic field. On the other hand, the electron ring is located at the midplane of an externally imposed mirror field which acts to confine the ring both axially and radially. The equilibrium properties of the E-layer and electron ring are obtained self-consistently for several choices of equilibrium electron distribution function. The negative-mass instability analysis is carried out for the relativistic E-layer equilibrium in which all of the electrons have the same transverse energy and a spread in canonical angular momentum, assuming a fixed ion background. The ion resonance instability properties are investigated for a relativistic nonneutral E-layer aligned parallel to a uniform magnetic field and located between two ground coaxial cylindrical conductors. The stability properties of a nonrelativistic electron ring is investigated within the framework of the linearized Vlasov-Poisson equations. The dispersion relation is obtained for the self-consistent electron distribution function in which all electrons have the same value of energy an the same value of canonical angular momentum. The positive ions in the electron ring are assumed to form an immobile partially neutralizing background. The stability criteria as well as the instability growth rates are derived and discussed including the effect of geometrical configuration of the system. Equilibrium space-charge effects play a significant role in stability behavior

Stability analysis of natural convection in superposed fluid and porous layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirata, S.C.; Goyeau, B.; Gobin, D.; Cotta, R.M.

2005-01-01

A linear stability analysis of the onset of thermal natural convection in superposed fluid and porous layers is called out. The resulting eigenvalue problem is solved using a integral transformation technique. The effect of the variation of the Darcy number on the stability of the system is analyzed. (authors)

Stability analysis of natural convection in superposed fluid and porous layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirata, S.C.; Goyeau, B.; Gobin, D. [Paris-11 Univ. - Paris-6, FAST - UMR CNRS 7608, 91 - Orsay (France); Cotta, R.M. [Rio de Janeiro Univ. (LTTC/PEM/EE/COPPE/UFRJ), RJ (Brazil)

2005-07-01

A linear stability analysis of the onset of thermal natural convection in superposed fluid and porous layers is called out. The resulting eigenvalue problem is solved using a integral transformation technique. The effect of the variation of the Darcy number on the stability of the system is analyzed. (authors)

Selective and reactive hydration of nitriles to amides in water using silver nanoparticles stabilized by organic ligands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawai, Koji; Kawakami, Hayato; Narushima, Takashi; Yonezawa, Tetsu

2015-01-01

Water-dispersible silver nanoparticles stabilized by silver–carbon covalent bonds were prepared. They exhibited high catalytic activities for the selective hydration of nitriles to amides in water. The activation of a nitrile group by the functional groups of the substrates and the hydrophobic layer on the nanoparticles influenced the catalyzed reaction were confirmed. Alkyl nitriles could also be selectively hydrated

Testing water pollution in a two layer aquifer

OpenAIRE

García León, Manuel; Lin Ye, Jue

2011-01-01

Water bodies around urban areas may be polluted with chemical elements from urban or industrial activities. We study the case of underground water pollution. This is a serious problem, since under- ground water is high qualified drinkable water in a world where this natural resource is increasingly reduced. This study is focused on a two-layer aquifer. If the superficial layer is contaminated, the deeper layer could be spoiled as well. This contribution checks the equality of the mean or c...

Layer-by-layer cell membrane assembly

Science.gov (United States)

Matosevic, Sandro; Paegel, Brian M.

2013-11-01

Eukaryotic subcellular membrane systems, such as the nuclear envelope or endoplasmic reticulum, present a rich array of architecturally and compositionally complex supramolecular targets that are as yet inaccessible. Here we describe layer-by-layer phospholipid membrane assembly on microfluidic droplets, a route to structures with defined compositional asymmetry and lamellarity. Starting with phospholipid-stabilized water-in-oil droplets trapped in a static droplet array, lipid monolayer deposition proceeds as oil/water-phase boundaries pass over the droplets. Unilamellar vesicles assembled layer-by-layer support functional insertion both of purified and of in situ expressed membrane proteins. Synthesis and chemical probing of asymmetric unilamellar and double-bilayer vesicles demonstrate the programmability of both membrane lamellarity and lipid-leaflet composition during assembly. The immobilized vesicle arrays are a pragmatic experimental platform for biophysical studies of membranes and their associated proteins, particularly complexes that assemble and function in multilamellar contexts in vivo.

Multi-Layer Self-Nanoemulsifying Pellets: an Innovative Drug Delivery System for the Poorly Water-Soluble Drug Cinnarizine.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahba, Ahmad Abdul-Wahhab; Ahmed, Abid Riaz; Alanazi, Fars Kaed; Mohsin, Kazi; Abdel-Rahman, Sayed Ibrahim

2018-04-25

Beside their solubility limitations, some poorly water-soluble drugs undergo extensive degradation in aqueous and/or lipid-based formulations. Multi-layer self-nanoemulsifying pellets (ML-SNEP) introduce an innovative delivery system based on isolating the drug from the self-nanoemulsifying layer to enhance drug aqueous solubility and minimize degradation. In the current study, various batches of cinnarizine (CN) ML-SNEP were prepared using fluid bed coating and involved a drug-free self-nanoemulsifying layer, protective layer, drug layer, moisture-sealing layer, and/or an anti-adherent layer. Each layer was optimized based on coating outcomes such as coating recovery and mono-pellets%. The optimized ML-SNEP were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), in vitro dissolution, and stability studies. The optimized ML-SNEP were free-flowing, well separated with high coating recovery. SEM showed multiple well-defined coating layers. The acidic polyvinylpyrrolidone:CN (4:1) solution presented excellent drug-layering outcomes. DSC and XRD confirmed CN transformation into amorphous state within the drug layer. The isolation between CN and self-nanoemulsifying layer did not adversely affect drug dissolution. CN was able to spontaneously migrate into the micelles arising from the drug-free self-nanoemulsifying layer. ML-SNEP showed superior dissolution compared to Stugeron® tablets at pH 1.2 and 6.8. Particularly, on shifting to pH 6.8, ML-SNEP maintained > 84% CN in solution while Stugeron® tablets showed significant CN precipitation leaving only 7% CN in solution. Furthermore, ML-SNEP (comprising Kollicoat® Smartseal 30D) showed robust stability and maintained > 97% intact CN within the accelerated storage conditions. Accordingly, ML-SNEP offer a novel delivery system that combines both enhanced solubilization and stabilization of unstable poorly soluble drugs.

Air, aqueous and thermal stabilities of Ce3+ ions in cerium oxide nanoparticle layers with substrates

KAUST Repository

Naganuma, Tamaki

2014-01-01

Abundant oxygen vacancies coexisting with Ce3+ ions in fluorite cerium oxide nanoparticles (CNPs) have the potential to enhance catalytic ability, but the ratio of unstable Ce3+ ions in CNPs is typically low. Our recent work, however, demonstrated that the abundant Ce3+ ions created in cerium oxide nanoparticle layers (CNPLs) by Ar ion irradiation were stable in air at room temperature. Ce valence states in CNPs correlate with the catalytic ability that involves redox reactions between Ce3+ and Ce4+ ions in given application environments (e.g. high temperature in carbon monoxide gas conversion and immersion conditions in biomedical applications). To better understand the mechanism by which Ce3+ ions achieve stability in CNPLs, we examined (i) extra-long air-stability, (ii) thermal stability up to 500 °C, and (iii) aqueous stability of Ce 3+ ions in water, buffer solution and cell culture medium. It is noteworthy that air-stability of Ce3+ ions in CNPLs persisted for more than 1 year. Thermal stability results showed that oxidation of Ce 3+ to Ce4+ occurred at 350 °C in air. Highly concentrated Ce3+ ions in ultra-thin CNPLs slowly oxidized in water within 1 day, but stability was improved in the cell culture medium. Ce 3+ stability of CNPLs immersed in the medium was associated with phosphorus adsorption on the Ce3+ sites. This study also illuminates the potential interaction mechanisms of stable Ce3+ ions in CNPLs. These findings could be utilized to understand catalytic mechanisms of CNPs with abundant oxygen vacancies in their application environments. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2014.

Water transport and desalination through double-layer graphyne membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Akhavan, Mojdeh; Schofield, Jeremy; Jalili, Seifollah

2018-05-16

Non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of water-salt solutions driven through single and double-layer graphyne membranes by a pressure difference created by rigid pistons are carried out to determine the relative performance of the membranes as filters in a reverse osmosis desalination process. It is found that the flow rate of water through a graphyne-4 membrane is twice that of a graphyne-3 membrane for both single and double-layer membranes. Although the addition of a second layer to a single-layer membrane reduces the membrane permeability, the double-layer graphyne membranes are still two or three orders of magnitude more permeable than commercial reverse osmosis membranes. The minimum reduction in flow rate for double-layer membranes occurs at a layer spacing of 0.35 nm with an AA stacking configuration, while at a spacing of 0.6 nm the flow rate is close to zero due to a high free energy barrier for permeation. This is caused by the difference in the environments on either side of the membrane sheets and the formation of a compact two-dimensional layer of water molecules in the interlayer space which slows down water permeation. The distribution of residence times of water molecules in the interlayer region suggests that at the critical layer spacing of 0.6 nm, a cross-over occurs in the mechanism of water flow from the collective movement of hydrogen-bonded water sheets to the permeation of individual water molecules. All membranes are demonstrated to have a high salt rejection fraction and the double-layered graphyne-4 membranes can further increase the salt rejection by trapping ions that have passed through the first membrane from the feed solution in the interlayer space.

Sensitivity of boundary-layer stability to base-state distortions at high Mach numbers

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Junho; Zaki, Tamer

2017-11-01

The stability diagram of high-speed boundary layers has been established by evaluating the linear instability modes of the similarity profile, over wide ranges of Reynolds and Mach numbers. In real flows, however, the base state can deviate from the similarity profile. Both the base velocity and temperature can be distorted, for example due to roughness and thermal wall treatments. We review the stability problem of high-speed boundary layer, and derive a new formulation of the sensitivity to base-state distortion using forward and adjoint parabolized stability equations. The new formulation provides qualitative and quantitative interpretations on change in growth rate due to modifications of mean-flow and mean-temperature in heated high-speed boundary layers, and establishes the foundation for future control strategies. This work has been funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) Grant: FA9550-16-1-0103.

Correlation between mechanical behavior of protein films at the air/water interface and intrinsic stability of protein molecules

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Martin, A.H.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.; Bos, M.A.; Vliet, T. van

2005-01-01

The relation between mechanical film properties of various adsorbed protein layers at the air/water interface and intrinsic stability of the corresponding proteins is discussed. Mechanical film properties were determined by surface deformation in shear and dilation. In shear, fracture stress, σf,

FEBEX bentonite colloid stability in ground water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seher, H.; Schaefer, T.; Geckeis, H. [Inst. fuer Nukleare Entsorgung (INE), Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, 76021 Karlsruhe (Germany)]. e-mail: holger.seher@ine.fzk .de; Fanghaenel, T. [Ruprecht-Karls-Univ. Heidelberg, Physikalisch-Chemisches In st., D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany)

2007-06-15

Coagulation experiments are accomplished to identify the geochemical conditions for the stability of Febex bentonite colloids in granite ground water. The experiments are carried out by varying pH, ionic strength and type of electrolyte. The dynamic light scattering technique (photon correlation spectroscopy) is used to measure the size evolution of the colloids with time. Agglomeration rates are higher in MgCl{sub 2} and CaCl{sub 2} than in NaCl solution. Relative agglomeration rates follow approximately the Schulze-Hardy rule. Increasing agglomeration rates at pH>8 are observed in experiments with MgCl{sub 2} and CaCl{sub 2} which are, however, caused by coprecipitation phenomena. Bentonite colloid stability fields derived from the colloid agglomeration experiments predict low colloid stabilization in granite ground water taken from Aespoe, Sweden, and relatively high colloid stability in Grimsel ground water (Switzerland)

Prediction of unsaturated flow and water backfill during infiltration in layered soils

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Guotao; Zhu, Jianting

2018-02-01

We develop a new analytical infiltration model to determine water flow dynamics around layer interfaces during infiltration process in layered soils. The model mainly involves the analytical solutions to quadratic equations to determine the flux rates around the interfaces. Active water content profile behind the wetting front is developed based on the solution of steady state flow to dynamically update active parameters in sharp wetting front infiltration equations and to predict unsaturated flow in coarse layers before the front reaches an impeding fine layer. The effect of water backfill to saturate the coarse layers after the wetting front encounters the impeding fine layer is analytically expressed based on the active water content profiles. Comparison to the numerical solutions of the Richards equation shows that the new model can well capture water dynamics in relation to the arrangement of soil layers. The steady state active water content profile can be used to predict the saturation state of all layers when the wetting front first passes through these layers during the unsteady infiltration process. Water backfill effect may occur when the unsaturated wetting front encounters a fine layer underlying a coarse layer. Sensitivity analysis shows that saturated hydraulic conductivity is the parameter dictating the occurrence of unsaturated flow and water backfill and can be used to represent the coarseness of soil layers. Water backfill effect occurs in coarse layers between upper and lower fine layers when the lower layer is not significantly coarser than the upper layer.

Improvement of temperature-stability in a quantum well laser with asymmetric barrier layers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhukov, Alexey E.; Kryzhanovskaya, Natalia V.; Zubov, Fedor I.

2012-01-01

We fabricated and tested a quantum well laser with asymmetric barrier layers. Such a laser has been proposed earlier to suppress bipolar carrier population in the optical confinement layer and thus to improve temperature-stability of the threshold current. As compared to the conventional reference...

Hydrodynamic theory of convective transport across a dynamically stabilized diffuse boundary layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerhauser, H.

1983-09-01

The diffuse boundary layer between miscible liquids is subject to Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities if the heavy fluid is supported by the light one. The resulting rapid interchange of the liquids can be suppressed by enforcing vertical oscillations on the whole system. This dynamic stabilization is incomplete and produces some peculiar novel transport phenomena such as decay off the density profile into several steps, periodic peeling of density sheets of the boundary layer and the appearance of steady vortex flow. The theory presented in this paper identifies the basic mechanism as formation of convective cells leading to enhanced diffusion, and explains previous experimental results with water and ZnJ 2 -solutions. A nonlinear treatment of the stationary convective flow problem gives the saturation amplitude of the ground mode and provides an upper bound for the maximum convective transport. The hydrodynamic model can be used for visualizing similar transport processes in the plasma of toroidal confinement devices such as sawtooth oscillations in soft disruptions of tokamak discharges and anomalous diffusion by excitation of convective cells. The latter process is investigated here in some detail, leading to the result that the maximum possible transport is of the order of Bohm diffusion. (orig.)

Problems experiences with the construction of cement and lime stabilized layers and working solutions for these problems

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Botha, PB

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Stabilized layers are used extensively in South-Africa in the construction of roads. The layers are usually stabilized with hydrated road lime, cement, slag, fly-ash, bitumen emulsion, foamed asphalt or a combination of several of these agents...

Effects of Nose Bluntness on Hypersonic Boundary-Layer Receptivity and Stability Over Cones

Science.gov (United States)

Kara, Kursat; Balakumar, Ponnampalam; Kandil, Osama A.

2011-01-01

The receptivity to freestream acoustic disturbances and the stability properties of hypersonic boundary layers are numerically investigated for boundary-layer flows over a 5 straight cone at a freestream Mach number of 6.0. To compute the shock and the interaction of the shock with the instability waves, the Navier-Stokes equations in axisymmetric coordinates were solved. In the governing equations, inviscid and viscous flux vectors are discretized using a fifth-order accurate weighted-essentially-non-oscillatory scheme. A third-order accurate total-variation-diminishing Runge-Kutta scheme is employed for time integration. After the mean flow field is computed, disturbances are introduced at the upstream end of the computational domain. The appearance of instability waves near the nose region and the receptivity of the boundary layer with respect to slow mode acoustic waves are investigated. Computations confirm the stabilizing effect of nose bluntness and the role of the entropy layer in the delay of boundary-layer transition. The current solutions, compared with experimental observations and other computational results, exhibit good agreement.

Perovskite solar cells with CuSCN hole extraction layers yield stabilized efficiencies greater than 20%

Science.gov (United States)

Arora, Neha; Dar, M. Ibrahim; Hinderhofer, Alexander; Pellet, Norman; Schreiber, Frank; Zakeeruddin, Shaik Mohammed; Grätzel, Michael

2017-11-01

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with efficiencies greater than 20% have been realized only with expensive organic hole-transporting materials. We demonstrate PSCs that achieve stabilized efficiencies exceeding 20% with copper(I) thiocyanate (CuSCN) as the hole extraction layer. A fast solvent removal method enabled the creation of compact, highly conformal CuSCN layers that facilitate rapid carrier extraction and collection. The PSCs showed high thermal stability under long-term heating, although their operational stability was poor. This instability originated from potential-induced degradation of the CuSCN/Au contact. The addition of a conductive reduced graphene oxide spacer layer between CuSCN and gold allowed PSCs to retain >95% of their initial efficiency after aging at a maximum power point for 1000 hours under full solar intensity at 60°C. Under both continuous full-sun illumination and thermal stress, CuSCN-based devices surpassed the stability of spiro-OMeTAD-based PSCs.

Properties, ageing behavior and stability of bipolar films containing nano-layers of allylamine and acrylic acid plasma polymers

Science.gov (United States)

Aziz, Gaelle; Asadian, Mahtab; Declercq, Heidi; Morent, Rino; De Geyter, Nathalie

2018-06-01

In this work, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) has been used for the deposition of bipolar films containing alternating nano-layers of plasma polymerized allylamine (PPAam) and acrylic acid (PPAac). Various films were obtained by varying the single-layer thickness of each plasma polymer while maintaining a constant total film thickness and two kinds of films were fabricated via different depositing sequences (PPAam/Aac and PPAac/Aam). Films properties, ageing in air and stability in water over a 7 days period were investigated. Results showed that, COO- and NH3+ polar entities, generated from the interaction of PPAam and PPAac, are present in the bipolar films. Concerning the films stability, the different reaction mechanisms involved in the formation of each kind of films resulted in a higher amount of polar groups in the PPAam/Aac films; this conferred these films a higher stability than PPAac/Aam. Concerning the films ageing behavior, all prepared samples underwent some kind of ageing which was found to be dependent on the deposition sequence. Results also showed that bipolar coatings exhibited better cell-material interactions compared to PPAam and PPAac films; with a better cell viability observed on PPAam/Aac coatings after 1 and 7 days culture.

Stabilization of flux during dead-end ultra-low pressure ultrafiltration.

Science.gov (United States)

Peter-Varbanets, Maryna; Hammes, Frederik; Vital, Marius; Pronk, Wouter

2010-06-01

Gravity driven ultrafiltration was operated in dead-end mode without any flushing or cleaning. In contrary to general expectations, the flux value stabilized after about one week of operation and remained constant during an extended period of time (several months). Different surface water types and diluted wastewater were used as feed water and, depending on the feed water composition, stable flux values were in the range of 4-10 L h(-1) m(-2). When sodium azide was added to the feed water to diminish the biological activity, no stabilization of flux occurred, indicating that biological processes play an important role in the flux stabilization process. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed the presence of a biofouling layer, of which the structure changed over time, leading to relatively heterogeneous structures. It is assumed that the stabilization of flux is related to the development of heterogeneous structures in the fouling layer, due to biological processes in the layer. The phenomenon of flux stabilization opens interesting possibilities for application, for instance in simple and low-cost ultrafiltration systems for decentralized drinking water treatment in developing and transition countries, independent of energy supply, chemicals, or complex process control. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The alginate layer for improving doxorubicin release and radiolabeling stability of chitosan hydrogels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Jeong Il; Lee, Chang Moon; Jeong, Hwan Seok; Hwang, Hyo Sook; Lim, Seok Tae; Sohn, Myung Hee; Jeong, Hwan Jeong [Dept. of Nuclear Medicine and Therapeutic Medicine Research Center, Cyclotron Research Center, Institute for Medical Science, Biomedical Research Institute, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Chang Moon [Dept. of Biomedical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Yeosu (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

Chitosan hydrogels (CSH) formed through ionic interaction with an anionic molecule are suitable as a drug carrier and a tissue engineering scaffold. However, the initial burst release of drugs from the CSH due to rapid swelling after immersing in a biofluid limits their wide application as a drug delivery carrier. In this study, alginate layering on the surface of the doxorubicin (Dox)-loaded and I-131-labeled CSH (DI-CSH) was performed. The effect of the alginate layering on drug release behavior and radiolabeling stability was investigated. Chitosan was chemically modified using a chelator for I-131 labeling. After labeling of I-131 and mixing of Dox, the chitosan solution was dropped into tripolyphosphate (TPP) solution using an electrospinning system to prepare spherical microhydrogels. The DI-CSH were immersed into alginate solution for 30 min to form the crosslinking layer on their surface. The formation of alginate layer on the DI-CSH was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and zeta potential analysis. In order to investigate the effect of alginate layer, studies of in vitro Dox release from the hydrogels were performed in phosphate buffered in saline (PBS, pH 7.4) at 37 °C for 12 days. The radiolabeling stability of the hydrogels was evaluated using ITLC under different experimental condition (human serum, normal saline, and PBS) at 37 °C for 12 days. Formatting the alginate-crosslinked layer on the CSH surface did not change the spherical morphology and the mean diameter (150 ± 10 μm). FT-IR spectra and zeta potential values indicate that alginate layer was formed successfully on the surface of the DI-CSH. In in vitro Dox release studies, the total percentage of the released Dox from the DI-CSH for 12 days were 60.9 ± 0.8, 67.3 ± 1.4, and 71.8 ± 2.5 % for 0.25, 0.50, and 1.00 mg Dox used to load into the hydrogels, respectively. On the other hand, after formatting alginate layer, the percentage of the

Structural characterization of the phospholipid stabilizer layer at the solid-liquid interface of dispersed triglyceride nanocrystals with small-angle x-ray and neutron scattering

Science.gov (United States)

Schmiele, Martin; Schindler, Torben; Unruh, Tobias; Busch, Sebastian; Morhenn, Humphrey; Westermann, Martin; Steiniger, Frank; Radulescu, Aurel; Lindner, Peter; Schweins, Ralf; Boesecke, Peter

2013-06-01

Dispersions of crystalline nanoparticles with at least one sufficiently large unit cell dimension can give rise to Bragg reflections in the small-angle scattering range. If the nanocrystals possess only a small number of unit cells along these particular crystallographic directions, the corresponding Bragg reflections will be broadened. In a previous study of phospholipid stabilized dispersions of β-tripalmitin platelets [Unruh, J. Appl. Crystallogr.JACGAR0021-889810.1107/S0021889807044378 40, 1008 (2007)], the x-ray powder pattern simulation analysis (XPPSA) was developed. The XPPSA method facilitates the interpretation of the rather complicated small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) curves of such dispersions of nanocrystals. The XPPSA method yields the distribution function of the platelet thicknesses and facilitates a structural characterization of the phospholipid stabilizer layer at the solid-liquid interface between the nanocrystals and the dispersion medium from the shape of the broadened 001 Bragg reflection. In this contribution an improved and extended version of the XPPSA method is presented. The SAXS and small-angle neutron scattering patterns of dilute phospholipid stabilized tripalmitin dispersions can be reproduced on the basis of a consistent simulation model for the particles and their phospholipid stabilizer layer on an absolute scale. The results indicate a surprisingly flat arrangement of the phospholipid molecules in the stabilizer layer with a total thickness of only 12 Å. The stabilizer layer can be modeled by an inner shell for the fatty acid chains and an outer shell including the head groups and additional water. The experiments support a dense packing of the phospholipid molecules on the nanocrystal surfaces rather than isolated phospholipid domains.

Novel water filtration of saline water in the outermost layer of mangrove roots.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kiwoong; Seo, Eunseok; Chang, Suk-Kyu; Park, Tae Jung; Lee, Sang Joon

2016-02-05

The scarcity of fresh water is a global challenge faced at present. Several desalination methods have been suggested to secure fresh water from sea water. However, conventional methods suffer from technical limitations, such as high power consumption, expensive operating costs, and limited system durability. In this study, we examined the feasibility of using halophytes as a novel technology of desalinating high-concentration saline water for long periods. This study investigated the biophysical characteristics of sea water filtration in the roots of the mangrove Rhizophora stylosa from a plant hydrodynamic point of view. R. stylosa can grow even in saline water, and the salt level in its roots is regulated within a certain threshold value through filtration. The root possesses a hierarchical, triple layered pore structure in the epidermis, and most Na(+) ions are filtered at the first sublayer of the outermost layer. The high blockage of Na(+) ions is attributed to the high surface zeta potential of the first layer. The second layer, which is composed of macroporous structures, also facilitates Na(+) ion filtration. This study provides insights into the mechanism underlying water filtration through halophyte roots and serves as a basis for the development of a novel bio-inspired desalination method.

Reliability Evaluation of Armour Layer and Toe Berm Interaction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiani, E.; Burcharth, H. F.; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard

1995-01-01

Failure of various parts of a rubble mound breakwater can be crucial for the stability of the rubble mound breakwater as a whole. This is illustrated in Fig 1, showing the various failure modes. The primary failure modes which will be focused on in this investigation are failure in the armour layer...... and the toe berm. The main function of the toe berm, is to keep the main armour layer in place so that movement is restricted to a minimum. As the water depth is lowered at the breakwater, the stability of the toe will decrease. The armour layer is also more susceptable to damage when the water level...

ON STABILITY OF THE OIL DISPLACEMENT FRONT UNDER CONDITIONS OF THERMOGAS IMPACT ON THE OIL BEARING LAYER

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. V. Dobrego

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The method of thermogas impact on the oil bearing layer is a perspective one to improve oil recovery. It is now under experimental implementation in Belarus. Stability of the thermal front and that of the oil displacement is a point of principle for the given technology. The article offers solution based on the method of small perturbations for the problem of the oil-displacement front stability under thermogas impact on the oil layer. The perturbation growth increment is shown to be quite different from that of the gas filtration combustion. Being determined by the perturbation wave number (or wave length, by difference in speed of the blowing filtration and that of the heat development front, by the ratios of densities, filtration coefficients, compressibility of the displacement agent and the displaced oil mass, and by other parameters. The author analyses the main parameters influencing the stability of the front. Recommendations are given on possible methods and procedures improving stability of the displacement front (neutralizing perturbation growth. The mechanisms of suppression or compensation of the front perturbation growth are as follows: the crude oil viscosity reduction and increase of that of the displacement agent, the displacement agent compressibility increase, increase of the thermogas impact heat-front width in the first instance at the expense of the temperature growth and alteration in the chemism (low temperature catalysts utilization, etc., reduction in speed of the front propagation and/or correspondingly of the displacement agent feed. Utilization of the gas or water-gas displacement agent as well as the agent impregnation with hydrophobic gases provides a relatively better stability of the front as compared to that employing water based compounds. Analytical data and derived recommendations are offered for utilization within the framework of general techniques and procedures of the thermogas impact process management

Finite difference method for inner-layer equations in the resistive MagnetoHydroDynamic stability analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokuda, Shinji; Watanabe, Tomoko.

1996-08-01

The matching problem in resistive MagnetoHydroDynamic stability analysis by the asymptotic matching method has been reformulated as an initial-boundary value problem for the inner-layer equations describing the plasma dynamics in the thin layer around a rational surface. The third boundary conditions at boundaries of a finite interval are imposed on the inner layer equations in the formulation instead of asymptotic conditions at infinities. The finite difference method for this problem has been applied to model equations whose solutions are known in a closed form. It has been shown that the initial value problem and the associated eigenvalue problem for the model equations can be solved by the finite difference method with numerical stability. The formulation presented here enables the asymptotic matching method to be a practical method for the resistive MHD stability analysis. (author)

Experimental analysis of drainage and water storage of litter layers

Science.gov (United States)

Guevara-Escobar, A.; Gonzalez-Sosa, E.; Ramos-Salinas, M.; Hernandez-Delgado, G. D.

2007-06-01

Leaf litter overlying forested floors are important for erosion control and slope stability, but also reduces pasture growth in silvopastoral systems. Little information exists regarding the value of percolation and storage capacity parameters for litter layers. These estimates are needed for modelling better management practices for leaf litter. Therefore, this work measured the effect of four rainfall intensities: 9.8, 30.2, 40.4 and 70.9 mm h-1 on the hydrological response of layers of three materials: recently senesced poplar leaves, fresh grass and woodchips. Maximum storage (Cmax), defined as the detention of water immediately before rainfall cessation, increased with rainfall intensity. The magnitude of the increment was 0.2 mm between the lowest and highest rainfall intensities. Mean values of Cmax were: 1.27, 1.51, 1.67 and 1.65 mm for poplar leaves; 0.63 0.77, 0.73 and 0.76 for fresh grass and; 1.64, 2.23, 2.21 and 2.16 for woodchips. Drainage parameters were: 9.9, 8.8 and 2.2 mm-1 for poplar, grass and woodchips layers. An underlying soil matrix influenced the drainage flow from poplar leaf layers producing pseudo-Hortonian overland flow, but this occurred only when the rainfall intensity was 40.4 and 70.9 mm h-1 and accounted for 0.4 and 0.8‰ of total drainage. On the other hand, the presence of a poplar leaf layer had a damping effect on the drainage rate from the underlying soil matrix, particularly at intermediate rainfall intensities: 30.2 or 40.4 mm h-1.

Artificial neural networks versus conventional methods for boiling water reactor stability monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagen, T.H.J.J. van der

1995-01-01

The application of an artificial neural network (ANN) for boiling water reactor (BWR) stability monitoring was studied. A three-layer perceptron was trained on synthetic autocorrelation functions to estimate the decay ratio and the resonance frequency from measured neutron noise. Training of the ANN was improved by adding noise to the training patterns and by applying nonconventional error definitions in the generalized delta rule. The performance of the developed ANN was compared with those of conventional stability monitoring techniques. Explicit care was taken for generating unbiased test data. It is found that the trained ANN is capable of monitoring the stability of the Dodewaard BWR for four specific cases. By comparing properties such as the false alarm ratio, the alarm failure ratio, and the average time to alarm, it is shown that it performs worse than model-based methods in stability monitoring of exact second-order systems but that it is more robust (better resistant to corruptions of the input data and to deviations of the system at issue from an exact second-order system) than other methods. The latter explains its good performance on the Dodewaard BWR and is promising for the application of an ANN for stability monitoring of other reactors and for other operating conditions

Stability and performance improvement of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack by laser perforation of gas diffusion layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerteisen, Dietmar; Sadeler, Christian [Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE, Department of Energy Technology, Heidenhofstrasse 2, 79110 Freiburg (Germany)

2010-08-15

The performance and stability of a hydrogen-driven polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack (6-cell PEFC stack) are investigated with regard to pore flooding within the gas diffusion layers (GDLs). Two short stacks with various GDLs (Toray TGP-H-060 untreated and laser-perforated) were characterized at different operating conditions by several characterization techniques such as constant current load, polarization curve, chronoamperometry and chronovoltammetry. The experimental results reveal that the perforation of the cathode GDLs improves the water transport in the porous media and thus the performance as well as the stability of the operating stack in medium and high current density range. A reduced pore flooding is verified when using the customized laser-perforated GDLs. The GDL perforation has a huge potential to balance the inhomogeneous in-plane saturation conditions between the inlet and outlet area of the cell and to compensate to a certain degree the effects of temperature distribution within a stack regarding the water management. (author)

Stability and performance improvement of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack by laser perforation of gas diffusion layers

Science.gov (United States)

Gerteisen, Dietmar; Sadeler, Christian

The performance and stability of a hydrogen-driven polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell stack (6-cell PEFC stack) are investigated with regard to pore flooding within the gas diffusion layers (GDLs). Two short stacks with various GDLs (Toray TGP-H-060 untreated and laser-perforated) were characterized at different operating conditions by several characterization techniques such as constant current load, polarization curve, chronoamperometry and chronovoltammetry. The experimental results reveal that the perforation of the cathode GDLs improves the water transport in the porous media and thus the performance as well as the stability of the operating stack in medium and high current density range. A reduced pore flooding is verified when using the customized laser-perforated GDLs. The GDL perforation has a huge potential to balance the inhomogeneous in-plane saturation conditions between the inlet and outlet area of the cell and to compensate to a certain degree the effects of temperature distribution within a stack regarding the water management.

Hydrophobic Polystyrene Passivation Layer for Simultaneously Improved Efficiency and Stability in Perovskite Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Minghua; Yan, Xiaoqin; Kang, Zhuo; Huan, Yahuan; Li, Yong; Zhang, Ruxiao; Zhang, Yue

2018-06-06

The major restraint for the commercialization of the high-performance hybrid metal halide perovskite solar cells is the long-term stability, especially at the infirm interface between the perovskite film and organic charge-transfer layer. Recently, engineering the interface between the perovskite and spiro-OMeTAD becomes an effective strategy to simultaneously improve the efficiency and stability in the perovskite solar cells. In this work, we demonstrated that introducing an interfacial polystyrene layer between the perovskite film and spiro-OMeTAD layer can effectively improve the perovskite solar cells photovoltaic performance. The inserted polystyrene layer can passivate the interface traps and defects effectively and decrease the nonradiative recombination, leading to enhanced photoluminescence intensity and carrier lifetime, without compromising the carrier extraction and transfer. Under the optimized condition, the perovskite solar cells with the polystyrene layer achieve an enhanced average power efficiency of about 19.61% (20.46% of the best efficiency) from about 17.63% with negligible current density-voltage hysteresis. Moreover, the optimized perovskite solar cells with the hydrophobic polystyrene layer can maintain about 85% initial efficiency after 2 months storage in open air conditions without encapsulation.

Stability of an unsupported multi-layer surfactant laden liquid curtain under gravity

KAUST Repository

Henry, D.

2015-11-07

The industrial process of curtain coating has long been an important method in coating applications, by which a thin liquid curtain is formed to impinge upon a moving substrate, due to its highly lucrative advantage of being able to coat multiple layers simultaneously. We investigate the linear stability of an unsupported two-layer liquid curtain, which has insoluble surfactants in both liquids, which are widely used in industry to increase the stability of the curtain. We formulate the governing equations, simplified by making a thin film approximation, from which we obtain equations describing the steady-state profiles. We then examine the response of the curtain to small perturbations about this steady state to identify conditions under which the curtain is unstable, finding the addition of surfactants stabilizes the curtain. Our results are then compared to experimental data, showing a favourable trend and thereby extending the works of Brown (J Fluid Mech 10:297–305, 1960) and Dyson et al. (J Eng Math 64:237–250, 2009).

Simple single-emitting layer hybrid white organic light emitting with high color stability

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, C.; Lu, Z. H.

2017-10-01

Simultaneously achieving a high efficiency and color quality at luminance levels required for solid-state lighting has been difficult for white organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). Single-emitting layer (SEL) white OLEDs, in particular, exhibit a significant tradeoff between efficiency and color stability. Furthermore, despite the simplicity of SEL white OLEDs being its main advantage, the reported device structures are often complicated by the use of multiple blocking layers. In this paper, we report a highly simplified three-layered white OLED that achieves a low turn-on voltage of 2.7 V, an external quantum efficiency of 18.9% and power efficiency of 30 lm/W at 1000 cd/cm2. This simple white OLED also shows good color quality with a color rendering index of 75, CIE coordinates (0.42, 0.46), and little color shifting at high luminance. The device consists of a SEL sandwiched between a hole transport layer and an electron transport layer. The SEL comprises a thermally activated delayer fluorescent molecule having dual functions as a blue emitter and as a host for other lower energy emitters. The improved color stability and efficiency in such a simple device structure is explained as due to the elimination of significant energy barriers at various organic-organic interfaces in the traditional devices having multiple blocking layers.

Computational Study of Hypersonic Boundary Layer Stability on Cones

Science.gov (United States)

Gronvall, Joel Edwin

Due to the complex nature of boundary layer laminar-turbulent transition in hypersonic flows and the resultant effect on the design of re-entry vehicles, there remains considerable interest in developing a deeper understanding of the underlying physics. To that end, the use of experimental observations and computational analysis in a complementary manner will provide the greatest insights. It is the intent of this work to provide such an analysis for two ongoing experimental investigations. The first focuses on the hypersonic boundary layer transition experiments for a slender cone that are being conducted at JAXA's free-piston shock tunnel HIEST facility. Of particular interest are the measurements of disturbance frequencies associated with transition at high enthalpies. The computational analysis provided for these cases included two-dimensional CFD mean flow solutions for use in boundary layer stability analyses. The disturbances in the boundary layer were calculated using the linear parabolized stability equations. Estimates for transition locations, comparisons of measured disturbance frequencies and computed frequencies, and a determination of the type of disturbances present were made. It was found that for the cases where the disturbances were measured at locations where the flow was still laminar but nearly transitional, that the highly amplified disturbances showed reasonable agreement with the computations. Additionally, an investigation of the effects of finite-rate chemistry and vibrational excitation on flows over cones was conducted for a set of theoretical operational conditions at the HIEST facility. The second study focuses on transition in three-dimensional hypersonic boundary layers, and for this the cone at angle of attack experiments being conducted at the Boeing/AFOSR Mach-6 quiet tunnel at Purdue University were examined. Specifically, the effect of surface roughness on the development of the stationary crossflow instability are investigated

Influence of armour porosity on the hydraulic stability of cube armour layers

OpenAIRE

Medina Folgado, Josep Ramón; Molines Llodra, Jorge; GÓMEZ MARTÍN, MARÍA ESTHER

2014-01-01

Armour placement and packing density directly affect construction costs and hydraulic performance of mound breakwaters. In this paper, the literature concerning the influence of armour porosity on the hydraulic stability of single- and double-layer armours is discussed. Qualitative and quantitative estimations for the influence of armour porosity and packing density on the hydraulic stability are given for the most common concrete armour units. The analysis focuses on specific 2D hydraulic st...

Diverse and tunable electronic structures of single-layer metal phosphorus trichalcogenides for photocatalytic water splitting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Jian; Li, Xi-Bo; Wang, Da; Liu, Li-Min; Lau, Woon-Ming; Peng, Ping

2014-01-01

The family of bulk metal phosphorus trichalcogenides (APX 3 , A = M II , M 0.5 I M 0.5 III ; X = S, Se; M I , M II , and M III represent Group-I, Group-II, and Group-III metals, respectively) has attracted great attentions because such materials not only own magnetic and ferroelectric properties, but also exhibit excellent properties in hydrogen storage and lithium battery because of the layered structures. Many layered materials have been exfoliated into two-dimensional (2D) materials, and they show distinct electronic properties compared with their bulks. Here we present a systematical study of single-layer metal phosphorus trichalcogenides by density functional theory calculations. The results show that the single layer metal phosphorus trichalcogenides have very low formation energies, which indicates that the exfoliation of single layer APX 3 should not be difficult. The family of single layer metal phosphorus trichalcogenides exhibits a large range of band gaps from 1.77 to 3.94 eV, and the electronic structures are greatly affected by the metal or the chalcogenide atoms. The calculated band edges of metal phosphorus trichalcogenides further reveal that single-layer ZnPSe 3 , CdPSe 3 , Ag 0.5 Sc 0.5 PSe 3 , and Ag 0.5 In 0.5 PX 3 (X = S and Se) have both suitable band gaps for visible-light driving and sufficient over-potentials for water splitting. More fascinatingly, single-layer Ag 0.5 Sc 0.5 PSe 3 is a direct band gap semiconductor, and the calculated optical absorption further convinces that such materials own outstanding properties for light absorption. Such results demonstrate that the single layer metal phosphorus trichalcogenides own high stability, versatile electronic properties, and high optical absorption, thus such materials have great chances to be high efficient photocatalysts for water-splitting

Stability Analysis of Hypersonic Boundary Layer over a Cone at Small Angle of Attack

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Feng Ji

2014-04-01

Full Text Available An investigation on the stability of hypersonic boundary layer over a cone at small angle of attack has been performed. After obtaining the steady base flow, linear stability theory (LST analysis has been made with local parallel assumption. The growth rates of the first mode and second mode waves at different streamwise locations and different azimuthal angles are obtained. The results show that the boundary layer stability was greatly influenced by small angles of attack. The maximum growth rate of the most unstable wave on the leeward is larger than that on the windward. Moreover, dominating second mode wave starts earlier on the leeward than that on the windward. The LST result also shows that there is a “valley” region around 120°~150° meridian in the maximum growth rates curve.

Molecular layer deposition of APTES on silicon nanowire biosensors: Surface characterization, stability and pH response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, Yuchen; Huang, Jie; Zang, Pengyuan; Kim, Jiyoung; Hu, Walter

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: - Abstract: We report the use of molecular layer deposition (MLD) for depositing 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) on a silicon dioxide surface. The APTES monolayer was characterized using spectroscopic ellipsometry, contact angle goniometry, and atomic force microscopy. Effects of reaction time of repeating pulses and simultaneous feeding of water vapor with APTES were tested. The results indicate that the synergistic effects of water vapor and reaction time are significant for the formation of a stable monolayer. Additionally, increasing the number of repeating pulses improved the APTES surface coverage but led to saturation after 10 pulses. In comparing MLD with solution-phase deposition, the APTES surface coverage and the surface quality were nearly equivalent. The hydrolytic stability of the resulting films was also studied. The results confirmed that the hydrolysis process was necessary for MLD to obtain stable surface chemistry. Furthermore, we compared the pH sensing results of Si nanowire field effect transistors (Si NWFETs) modified by both the MLD and solution methods. The highly repeatable pH sensing results reflected the stability of APTES monolayers. The results also showed an improved pH response of the sensor prepared by MLD compared to the one prepared by the solution treatment, which indicated higher surface coverage of APTES

Molecular layer deposition of APTES on silicon nanowire biosensors: Surface characterization, stability and pH response

Science.gov (United States)

Liang, Yuchen; Huang, Jie; Zang, Pengyuan; Kim, Jiyoung; Hu, Walter

2014-12-01

We report the use of molecular layer deposition (MLD) for depositing 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) on a silicon dioxide surface. The APTES monolayer was characterized using spectroscopic ellipsometry, contact angle goniometry, and atomic force microscopy. Effects of reaction time of repeating pulses and simultaneous feeding of water vapor with APTES were tested. The results indicate that the synergistic effects of water vapor and reaction time are significant for the formation of a stable monolayer. Additionally, increasing the number of repeating pulses improved the APTES surface coverage but led to saturation after 10 pulses. In comparing MLD with solution-phase deposition, the APTES surface coverage and the surface quality were nearly equivalent. The hydrolytic stability of the resulting films was also studied. The results confirmed that the hydrolysis process was necessary for MLD to obtain stable surface chemistry. Furthermore, we compared the pH sensing results of Si nanowire field effect transistors (Si NWFETs) modified by both the MLD and solution methods. The highly repeatable pH sensing results reflected the stability of APTES monolayers. The results also showed an improved pH response of the sensor prepared by MLD compared to the one prepared by the solution treatment, which indicated higher surface coverage of APTES.

Three-dimensional boundary layer stability and transition

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, M. R.; Li, F.

1992-01-01

Nonparallel and nonlinear stability of a three-dimensional boundary layer, subject to crossflow instability, is investigated using parabolized stability equations (PSEs). Both traveling and stationary disturbances are considered and nonparallel effect on crossflow instability is found to be destabilizing. Our linear PSE results for stationary disturbances agree well with the results from direct solution of Navier-Stokes equations obtained by Spalart (1989). Nonlinear calculations have been carried out for stationary vortices and the computed wall vorticity pattern results in streamwise streaks which resemble remarkably well with the surface oil-flow visualizations in swept-wing experiments. Other features of the stationary vortex development (half-mushroom structure, inflected velocity profiles, vortex doubling, etc.) are also captured in our nonlinear calculations. Nonlinear interaction of the stationary amplitude of the stationary vortex is large as compared to the traveling mode, and the stationary vortex dominates most of the downstream development. When the two modes have the same initial amplitude, the traveling mode dominates the downstream development owing to its higher growth rate, and there is a tendency for the stationary mode to be suppressed. The effect of nonlinear wave development on the skin-friction coefficient is also computed.

Non-parallel stability of compressible boundary layers

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Chau-Lyan; Malik, Mujeeb R.

1993-01-01

Linear and nonlinear stability of compressible growing boundary layers is studied using parabolized stability equations (PSE). Linear PSE calculations are performed for Mach 1.6 and 4.5 plate-plate flow, and the results are compared with the predictions of the multiple-scales approach. In general, the nonparallel effect appears to be less significant for oblique waves near the lower neutral branch but it progressively becomes important at higher Reynolds numbers near the upper branch. In contrast, the nonparallel effect is more pronounced near the lower branch for two-dimensional first-mode waves. The PSE and multiple-scales results agree for the first mode waves, but in the first-second mode transition region, the latter approach tends to break down. Comparison with the first (oblique) and second mode growth rate data from Kendall's (1967) experiment shows good agreement; however, the peak second mode growth rate is over-predicted. Similar conclusions are drawn for the second mode experiment of Stetson et al. (1983) for Mach 8 flow past a sharp cone. We conjecture that the lower experimental growth rate is due to nonlinear saturation and provide supporting calculations.

Water-stabilized plasma generators

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Hrabovský, Milan

1998-01-01

Roč. 70, č. 6 (1998), s. 1157-1162 ISSN 0033-4545 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA102/95/0592; GA ČR GV106/96/K245 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z2043910 Keywords : thermal plasma, plasma torch, water-stabilized plasma Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics Impact factor: 1.677, year: 1998

A stability identification system for boiling water nuclear reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belblidia, L.A.; Chevrier, A.

1994-01-01

Boiling water reactors are subject to instabilities under low-flow, high-power operating conditions. These instabilities are a safety concern and it is therefore important to determine stability margins. This paper describes a method to estimate a measure of stability margin, called the decay ratio, from autoregressive modelling of time series data. A phenomenological model of a boiling water reactor with known stability characteristics is used to generate time series to validate the program. The program is then applied to signals from local power range monitors from the cycle 7 stability tests at the Leibstadt plant. (author) 7 figs., 2 tabs., 12 refs

Use of segmented constrained layer damping treatment for improved helicopter aeromechanical stability

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qiang; Chattopadhyay, Aditi; Gu, Haozhong; Liu, Qiang; Chattopadhyay, Aditi; Zhou, Xu

2000-08-01

The use of a special type of smart material, known as segmented constrained layer (SCL) damping, is investigated for improved rotor aeromechanical stability. The rotor blade load-carrying member is modeled using a composite box beam with arbitrary wall thickness. The SCLs are bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the box beam to provide passive damping. A finite-element model based on a hybrid displacement theory is used to accurately capture the transverse shear effects in the composite primary structure and the viscoelastic and the piezoelectric layers within the SCL. Detailed numerical studies are presented to assess the influence of the number of actuators and their locations for improved aeromechanical stability. Ground and air resonance analysis models are implemented in the rotor blade built around the composite box beam with segmented SCLs. A classic ground resonance model and an air resonance model are used in the rotor-body coupled stability analysis. The Pitt dynamic inflow model is used in the air resonance analysis under hover condition. Results indicate that the surface bonded SCLs significantly increase rotor lead-lag regressive modal damping in the coupled rotor-body system.

Thermal stability and high temperature polymorphism of topochemically-prepared Dion–Jacobson triple-layered perovskites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guertin, Stephen L.; Josepha, Elisha A.; Montasserasadi, Dariush; Wiley, John B., E-mail: jwiley@uno.edu

2015-10-25

The thermal stability of six Dion–Jacobson-related triple layered perovskites, ACa{sub 2}Nb{sub 3}O{sub 10} (A = H, NH{sub 4}, Li, Na, K, CuCl), was explored to 1000 °C. Each compound was produced topochemically by low-temperature (<500 °C) ion exchange from RbCa{sub 2}Nb{sub 3}O{sub 10}. The thermal behavior of the series was examined by variable temperature X-ray powder diffraction experiments in tandem with thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. Five of the species were found to be low temperature/metastable phases, decomposing below 900 °C, where the stability of the series decreased with decreasing interlayer cation size. The compounds, A = Li, Na, K, exhibited high temperature polymorphism, with a completely reversible transition evident for KCa{sub 2}Nb{sub 3}O{sub 10}. - Highlights: • Thermal stability of topochemically prepared triple-layered perovskites studied. • Clear correlation seen between stability and identity of interlayer cation. • Several in ACa{sub 2}Nb{sub 3}O{sub 10} series (A = Li, Na, K) exhibit high temperature polymorphism.

Stability of people exposed to water flows

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Martínez-Gomariz

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Our cities are formed by several elements which are exposed to floods of a magnitude according to the importance of the rainfall event and the design of the urban drainage system. The most important components in the cities are the pedestrians who develop various activities during rain events. Focusing on pedestrians, the research on their stability when they are exposed to water flows provides the necessary knowledge to understand and manage the associated hazard for them. In this research, several experiments with humans were carried out in order to determine the stability limits to pedestrians crossing through a water flow in a real scale platform. The results obtained and by comparing those with human stability criteria proposed by other authors and guidelines provide a more restrictive criterion.

Protein adsorption at the electrified air-water interface: implications on foam stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Engelhardt, Kathrin; Rumpel, Armin; Walter, Johannes; Dombrowski, Jannika; Kulozik, Ulrich; Braunschweig, Björn; Peukert, Wolfgang

2012-05-22

The surface chemistry of ions, water molecules, and proteins as well as their ability to form stable networks in foams can influence and control macroscopic properties such as taste and texture of dairy products considerably. Despite the significant relevance of protein adsorption at liquid interfaces, a molecular level understanding on the arrangement of proteins at interfaces and their interactions has been elusive. Therefore, we have addressed the adsorption of the model protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) at the air-water interface with vibrational sum-frequency generation (SFG) and ellipsometry. SFG provides specific information on the composition and average orientation of molecules at interfaces, while complementary information on the thickness of the adsorbed layer can be obtained with ellipsometry. Adsorption of charged BSA proteins at the water surface leads to an electrified interface, pH dependent charging, and electric field-induced polar ordering of interfacial H(2)O and BSA. Varying the bulk pH of protein solutions changes the intensities of the protein related vibrational bands substantially, while dramatic changes in vibrational bands of interfacial H(2)O are simultaneously observed. These observations have allowed us to determine the isoelectric point of BSA directly at the electrolyte-air interface for the first time. BSA covered air-water interfaces with a pH near the isoelectric point form an amorphous network of possibly agglomerated BSA proteins. Finally, we provide a direct correlation of the molecular structure of BSA interfaces with foam stability and new information on the link between microscopic properties of BSA at water surfaces and macroscopic properties such as the stability of protein foams.

Study on the integration of layered water injection technology and subdivision adjustment

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yancui

2018-06-01

With oil many infillings, thin and poor reservoir exploitation changes gradually to low permeability, thin and poor reservoir development characteristics of multiple layers thickness, low permeability, in the actual development process, the General Department of oil layers of encryption perforation long thin and poor mining, interlayer contradiction more prominent, by conventional layered water injection that can alleviate the contradiction between layers to a certain extent, by the injection interval and other factors can not fundamentally solve the problem, leading to the potential well area key strata or layers is difficult to determine, the layering test and slicing technology is difficult to adapt to the need of tap water control block. This paper through numerical simulation using the conceptual model and the actual block, it has a great influence on the low permeability reservoir of different stratified water permeability combination of permeability technology and application limits, profit and loss balance principle, low oil prices on the lower series of subdivision technical and economic limit, so the reservoir subdivision reorganization, narrow wells mining, reduce the interference between layers, from the maximum fundamental improvement of layered water injection efficiency. At the same time, in order to meet the needs of reservoir subdivision adjustment, subdividing distance with water, a small interlayer wells subdivision technology for further research in the pickup, solved using two ordinary bridge eccentric water regulator with injection of two layers, by throwing exercise distance limit card from the larger problem, the water distribution card size from 7.0m to 1.0m, and the testing efficiency is improved, and provide technical support for further subdivision water injection wells.

Stability and erosion of melt layers formed during plasma disruptions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanein, A.M.

1989-01-01

Melting and vaporization of metallic reactor components such as the first wall and the limiter/divertor may be expected in fusion reactors due to the high energy deposition resulting from plasma instabilities occuring during both normal and off-normal operating conditions. Off-normal operating conditions result from plasma disruptions where the plasma losses confinement and dumps its energy on parts of reactor components. High heat flux may also result during normal operating conditions due to fluctuations in plasma edge conditions. Of particular significance is the stability and erosion of the resulting melt layer which directly impacts the total expected lifetime of the reactor. The loss of the melt layer during the disruption could have a serious impact on the required safe and economic operation of the reactor. A model is developed to describe the behavior of the melt layer during the time evolution of the disruption. The analysis is done parametrically for a range of disruption times, energy densities and various acting forces

Physical stability, microstructure and micro-rheological properties of water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsions stabilized by porcine gelatin.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Qiaomei; Qiu, Shuang; Zhang, Hongwei; Cheng, Yongqiang; Yin, Lijun

2018-07-01

Water-in-oil-in-water (W/O/W) emulsions could be utilized for fat-reduced food formulation and delivery of bioactive nutrients. However, due to thermodynamic instability, it is difficult to prepare stable double emulsions. The purpose of this study was to improve the stability of W/O/W double emulsions containing 2.0 M MgCl 2 by adding porcine gelatin in the inner water phase. The impact of gelatin on the physical stability, microstructure and micro-rheological properties of W/O/W emulsions was investigated. It was found that, when the concentration of porcine gelatin exceeded 4.0 wt%, the stability of emulsions was improved, due to increased viscoelasticity of emulsion droplets. When MgCl 2 concentration increased to 2.0 M, the particle size of emulsions increased, due to the osmotic pressure gradient, and the presence of gelatin further increased the droplet size. Confocal microscopy results showed that the presence of gelatin could improve the stability of W/O/W emulsions against coalescence。. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Characteristics of water infiltration in layered water repellent soils

Science.gov (United States)

Hydrophobic soil can influence soil water infiltration, but information regarding the impacts of different levels of hydrophobicity within a layered soil profile is limited. An infiltration study was conducted to determine the effects of different levels of hydrophobicity and the position of the hyd...

Energetic basis of catalytic activity of layered nanophase calcium manganese oxides for water oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Birkner, Nancy; Nayeri, Sara; Pashaei, Babak; Najafpour, Mohammad Mahdi; Casey, William H; Navrotsky, Alexandra

2013-05-28

Previous measurements show that calcium manganese oxide nanoparticles are better water oxidation catalysts than binary manganese oxides (Mn3O4, Mn2O3, and MnO2). The probable reasons for such enhancement involve a combination of factors: The calcium manganese oxide materials have a layered structure with considerable thermodynamic stability and a high surface area, their low surface energy suggests relatively loose binding of H2O on the internal and external surfaces, and they possess mixed-valent manganese with internal oxidation enthalpy independent of the Mn(3+)/Mn(4+) ratio and much smaller in magnitude than the Mn2O3-MnO2 couple. These factors enhance catalytic ability by providing easy access for solutes and water to active sites and facile electron transfer between manganese in different oxidation states.

N-halamine biocidal coatings via a layer-by-layer assembly technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Cerkez, Idris; Kocer, Hasan B; Worley, S D; Broughton, R M; Huang, T S

2011-04-05

Two N-halamine copolymer precursors, poly(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl methacrylate-co-acrylic acid potassium salt) and poly(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidyl methacrylate-co-trimethyl-2-methacryloxyethylammonium chloride) have been synthesized and successfully coated onto cotton fabric via a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly technique. A multilayer thin film was deposited onto the fiber surfaces by alternative exposure to polyelectrolyte solutions. The coating was rendered biocidal by a dilute household bleach treatment. The biocidal efficacies of tested swatches composed of treated fibers were evaluated against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. It was determined that chlorinated samples inactivated both S. aureus and E. coli O157:H7 within 15 min of contact time, whereas the unchlorinated control samples did not exhibit significant biocidal activities. Stabilities of the coatings toward washing and ultraviolet light exposure have also been studied. It was found that the stability toward washing was superior, whereas the UVA light stability was moderate compared to previously studied N-halamine moieties. The layer-by-layer assembly technique can be used to attach N-halamine precursor polymers onto cellulose surfaces without using covalently bonding tethering groups which limit the structure designs. In addition, ionic precursors are very soluble in water, thus promising for biocidal coatings without the use of organic solvents.

Role of specific cations and water entropy on the stability of branched DNA motif structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Pascal, Tod A; Goddard, William A; Maiti, Prabal K; Vaidehi, Nagarajan

2012-10-11

DNA three-way junctions (TWJs) are important intermediates in various cellular processes and are the simplest of a family of branched nucleic acids being considered as scaffolds for biomolecular nanotechnology. Branched nucleic acids are stabilized by divalent cations such as Mg(2+), presumably due to condensation and neutralization of the negatively charged DNA backbone. However, electrostatic screening effects point to more complex solvation dynamics and a large role of interfacial waters in thermodynamic stability. Here, we report extensive computer simulations in explicit water and salt on a model TWJ and use free energy calculations to quantify the role of ionic character and strength on stability. We find that enthalpic stabilization of the first and second hydration shells by Mg(2+) accounts for 1/3 and all of the free energy gain in 50% and pure MgCl(2) solutions, respectively. The more distorted DNA molecule is actually destabilized in pure MgCl(2) compared to pure NaCl. Notably, the first shell, interfacial waters have very low translational and rotational entropy (i.e., mobility) compared to the bulk, an entropic loss that is overcompensated by increased enthalpy from additional electrostatic interactions with Mg(2+). In contrast, the second hydration shell has anomalously high entropy as it is trapped between an immobile and bulklike layer. The nonmonotonic entropic signature and long-range perturbations of the hydration shells to Mg(2+) may have implications in the molecular recognition of these motifs. For example, we find that low salt stabilizes the parallel configuration of the three-way junction, whereas at normal salt we find antiparallel configurations deduced from the NMR. We use the 2PT analysis to follow the thermodynamics of this transition and find that the free energy barrier is dominated by entropic effects that result from the decreased surface area of the antiparallel form which has a smaller number of low entropy waters in the first

Correlation between active layer thickness and ambient gas stability in IGZO thin-film transistors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Xu; Mao, Bao-Hua; Wang, Sui-Dong; Lin, Meng-Fang; Shimizu, Maki; Mitoma, Nobuhiko; Kizu, Takio; Ou-Yang, Wei; Tsukagoshi, Kazuhito; Nabatame, Toshihide; Liu, Zhi

2017-01-01

Decreasing the active layer thickness has been recently reported as an alternative way to achieve fully depleted oxide thin-film transistors for the realization of low-voltage operations. However, the correlation between the active layer thickness and device resistivity to environmental changes is still unclear, which is important for the optimized design of oxide thin-film transistors. In this work, the ambient gas stability of IGZO thin-film transistors is found to be strongly correlated to the IGZO thickness. The TFT with the thinnest IGZO layer shows the highest intrinsic electron mobility in a vacuum, which is greatly reduced after exposure to O 2 /air. The device with a thick IGZO layer shows similar electron mobility in O 2 /air, whereas the mobility variation measured in the vacuum is absent. The thickness dependent ambient gas stability is attributed to a high-mobility region in the IGZO surface vicinity with less sputtering-induced damage, which will become electron depleted in O 2 /air due to the electron transfer to adsorbed gas molecules. The O 2 adsorption and deduced IGZO surface band bending is demonstrated by the ambient-pressure x-ray photoemission spectroscopy results. (paper)

Soil-Water Characteristic Curves of Red Clay treated by Ionic Soil Stabilizer

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, D.; Xiang, W.

2009-12-01

The relationship of red clay particle with water is an important factor to produce geological disaster and environmental damage. In order to reduce the role of adsorbed water of red clay in WuHan, Ionic Soil Stabilizer (ISS) was used to treat the red clay. Soil Moisture Equipment made in U.S.A was used to measure soil-water characteristic curve of red clay both in natural and stabilized conditions in the suction range of 0-500kPa. The SWCC results were used to interpret the red clay behavior due to stabilizer treatment. In addition, relationship were compared between the basic soil and stabilizer properties such as water content, dry density, liquid limit, plastic limit, moisture absorption rate and stabilizer dosages. The analysis showed that the particle density and specific surface area increase, the dehydration rate slows and the thickness of water film thins after treatment with Ionic Soil Stabilizer. After treatment with the ISS, the geological disasters caused by the adsorbed water of red clay can be effectively inhibited.

Improved Gate Dielectric Deposition and Enhanced Electrical Stability for Single-Layer MoS2 MOSFET with an AlN Interfacial Layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Qingkai; Li, Baikui; Hua, Mengyuan; Zhang, Zhaofu; Lan, Feifei; Xu, Yongkuan; Yan, Ruyue; Chen, Kevin J

2016-06-09

Transistors based on MoS2 and other TMDs have been widely studied. The dangling-bond free surface of MoS2 has made the deposition of high-quality high-k dielectrics on MoS2 a challenge. The resulted transistors often suffer from the threshold voltage instability induced by the high density traps near MoS2/dielectric interface or inside the gate dielectric, which is detrimental for the practical applications of MoS2 metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). In this work, by using AlN deposited by plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) as an interfacial layer, top-gate dielectrics as thin as 6 nm for single-layer MoS2 transistors are demonstrated. The AlN interfacial layer not only promotes the conformal deposition of high-quality Al2O3 on the dangling-bond free MoS2, but also greatly enhances the electrical stability of the MoS2 transistors. Very small hysteresis (ΔVth) is observed even at large gate biases and high temperatures. The transistor also exhibits a low level of flicker noise, which clearly originates from the Hooge mobility fluctuation instead of the carrier number fluctuation. The observed superior electrical stability of MoS2 transistor is attributed to the low border trap density of the AlN interfacial layer, as well as the small gate leakage and high dielectric strength of AlN/Al2O3 dielectric stack.

Local environmental conditions and the stability of protective layers on steel surfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, J P [Technical Univ. of Denmark, Lyngby (Denmark); Bursik, A

1996-12-01

Local environmental conditions determine whether the protective layers on steel surfaces are stable. With unfavorable local environmental conditions, the protective layers may be subject to damage. Taking the cation conductivity of all plant cycle streams <0.2 {mu}S/cm for granted, an adequate feed-water and - if applicable - boiler water conditioning is required to prevent such damage. Even if the mentioned conditions are met in a bulk, the local environmental conditions may be inadequate. The reasons for this may be the disregarding of interactions among material, design, and chemistry. The paper presents many possible mechanisms of protective layer damage that are directly influenced or exacerbated by plant cycle chemistry. Two items are discussed in more detail: First, the application of all volatile treatment for boiler water conditioning of drum boiler systems operating at low pressures and, second, the chemistry in the transition zone water/steam in the low pressure turbine. The latter is of major interest for the understanding and prevention of corrosion due to high concentration of impurities in the aqueous liquid phases. This is a typical example showing that local environmental conditions may fundamentally differ from the overall bulk chemistry. (au) 19 refs.

Effect of interfacial layer on water flow in nanochannels: Lattice Boltzmann simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Yakang [State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266580 (China); College of Science, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, Shandong (China); Liu, Xuefeng, E-mail: liuxf@upc.edu.cn [College of Science, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, Shandong (China); Liu, Zilong [College of Science, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, Shandong (China); Lu, Shuangfang [Institute of Unconventional Oil & Gas and New Energy, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, Shandong (China); Xue, Qingzhong, E-mail: xueqingzhong@tsinghua.org.cn [State Key Laboratory of Heavy Oil Processing, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao, Shandong 266580 (China); College of Science, China University of Petroleum, Qingdao 266580, Shandong (China); National Production Equipment Research Center, Dongying 257064, Shandong (China)

2016-04-15

A novel interfacial model was proposed to understand water flow mechanism in nanochannels. Based on our pore-throat nanochannel model, the effect of interfacial layer on water flow in nanochannels was quantitatively studied using Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). It is found that both the permeability of nanochannel and water velocity in the nanochannel dramatically decrease with increasing the thickness of interfacial layer. The permeability of nanochannel with pore radius of 10 nm decreases by about three orders of magnitude when the thickness of interfacial layer is changed from 0 nm to 3 nm gradually. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the cross-section shape has a great effect on the water flow inside nanochannel and the effect of interfacial layer on the permeability of nanochannel has a close relationship with cross-section shape when the pore size is smaller than 12 nm. Besides, both pore-throat ratio and throat length can greatly affect water flow in nanochannels, and the influence of interfacial layer on water flow in nanochannels becomes more evident with increasing pore-throat ratio and throat length. Our theoretical results provide a simple and effective method to study the flow phenomena in nano-porous media, particularly to quantitatively study the interfacial layer effect in nano-porous media.

Layering of confined water between two graphene sheets and its liquid–liquid transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Xuyan; Duan Yunrui; Wang Long; Liu Sida; Li Tao; Li Yifan; Li Hui

2017-01-01

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed to explore the layering structure and liquid–liquid transition of liquid water confined between two graphene sheets with a varied distance at different pressures. Both the size of nanoslit and pressure could cause the layering and liquid–liquid transition of the confined water. With increase of pressure and the nanoslit’s size, the confined water could have a more obvious layering. In addition, the neighboring water molecules firstly form chain structure, then will transform into square structure, and finally become triangle with increase of pressure. These results throw light on layering and liquid–liquid transition of water confined between two graphene sheets. (paper)

The stability of the water column in french ponds (limousin region by the calculation of the wedderburn number

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

TOUCHART L.

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Oxygenation and biological life in lakes, reservoirs and ponds depend on the stability of the water column and on the rhythms of stratification and mixing periods. Slight thermal stratification in ponds often is regarded as the same as instability in shallow lakes. Nevertheless fetch in ponds is very short, what reduces the mixing. Wedderburn number (quotient of the buoyancy by the mixing is used to quantify the stability in shallow water bodies. We calculate it for some ponds in French region Limousin, due to original hourly water temperature measurements in all depths and wind data of Météofrance stations. First results show that very high values (above 10 are frequent in summer and spring period (during 41% of the total time of 2 336 hours from May to July in three ponds. That is why we may consider Limousin ponds as stable stratified bodies of water despite their shallowness. Continuous measurements allow to calculate the diurnal cycle and other time scales of the Wedderburn number, with periods of weakening, when air temperatures and surface water temperatures decrease, wind speed increases and when the wind blows in the same direction with the length of the pond. The most complex variable is the depth of the thermocline; a light increase of the breeze thickens the upper warm layer and strengthens the stability, but an important increase of the wind tends to destroy the stratification.

The Effects of Radiation on the Linear Stability of a horizontal layer ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of radiation on the onset of Rayleigh-Benard convection is studied in the case of a radiating Newtonian fluid in a fluid-saturated horizontal porous layer heated from below. The radiative heat transfer is treated using the differential approximation for optically thin limiting case. The linear stability theory is employed ...

Thermal stability of Dion-Jacobson mixed-metal-niobate double-layered perovskites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hermann, Andrew T.; Wiley, John B.

2009-01-01

The thermal stability and decomposition pathways of six Dion-Jacobson-related double-layered perovskites, ALaNb 2 O 7 (A = H, Li, Na, Ag) and (ACl)LaNb 2 O 7 (A = Fe, Cu), are investigated. These compounds are made by low temperature ( 2 O 7 . All the compounds are low temperature phases with some of them exhibiting decomposition exotherms consistent with metastability. Decomposition temperatures and reactions pathways vary with the identity of A with most decompositions resulting in the formation of a niobate (containing A) and LaNbO 4 . Results from differential scanning calorimetry and high temperature X-ray powder diffraction studies are presented and structural parameters pertinent to compound stability discussed

Biological stability of drinking water: controlling factors, methods and challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuelle ePrest

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Biological stability of drinking water refers to the concept of providing consumers with drinking water of same microbial quality at the tap as produced at the water treatment facility. However, uncontrolled growth of bacteria can occur during distribution in water mains and premise plumbing, and can lead to hygienic (e.g. development of opportunistic pathogens, aesthetic (e.g. deterioration of taste, odour, colour or operational (e.g. fouling or biocorrosion of pipes problems. Drinking water contains diverse microorganisms competing for limited available nutrients for growth. Bacterial growth and interactions are regulated by factors such as (i type and concentration of available organic and inorganic nutrients, (ii type and concentration of residual disinfectant, (iii presence of predators such as protozoa and invertebrates, (iv environmental conditions such as water temperature, and (v spatial location of microorganisms (bulk water, sediment or biofilm. Water treatment and distribution conditions in water mains and premise plumbing affect each of these factors and shape bacterial community characteristics (abundance, composition, viability in distribution systems. Improved understanding of bacterial interactions in distribution systems and of environmental conditions impact is needed for better control of bacterial communities during drinking water production and distribution. This article reviews (i existing knowledge on biological stability controlling factors and (ii how these factors are affected by drinking water production and distribution conditions. In addition, (iii the concept of biological stability is discussed in light of experience with well-established and new analytical methods, enabling high throughput analysis and in-depth characterization of bacterial communities in drinking water. We discuss how knowledge gained from novel techniques will improve design and monitoring of water treatment and distribution systems in order to

Biological Stability of Drinking Water: Controlling Factors, Methods, and Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Prest, Emmanuelle I.; Hammes, Frederik; van Loosdrecht, Mark C. M.; Vrouwenvelder, Johannes S.

2016-01-01

Biological stability of drinking water refers to the concept of providing consumers with drinking water of same microbial quality at the tap as produced at the water treatment facility. However, uncontrolled growth of bacteria can occur during distribution in water mains and premise plumbing, and can lead to hygienic (e.g., development of opportunistic pathogens), aesthetic (e.g., deterioration of taste, odor, color) or operational (e.g., fouling or biocorrosion of pipes) problems. Drinking water contains diverse microorganisms competing for limited available nutrients for growth. Bacterial growth and interactions are regulated by factors, such as (i) type and concentration of available organic and inorganic nutrients, (ii) type and concentration of residual disinfectant, (iii) presence of predators, such as protozoa and invertebrates, (iv) environmental conditions, such as water temperature, and (v) spatial location of microorganisms (bulk water, sediment, or biofilm). Water treatment and distribution conditions in water mains and premise plumbing affect each of these factors and shape bacterial community characteristics (abundance, composition, viability) in distribution systems. Improved understanding of bacterial interactions in distribution systems and of environmental conditions impact is needed for better control of bacterial communities during drinking water production and distribution. This article reviews (i) existing knowledge on biological stability controlling factors and (ii) how these factors are affected by drinking water production and distribution conditions. In addition, (iii) the concept of biological stability is discussed in light of experience with well-established and new analytical methods, enabling high throughput analysis and in-depth characterization of bacterial communities in drinking water. We discussed, how knowledge gained from novel techniques will improve design and monitoring of water treatment and distribution systems in order

Biological Stability of Drinking Water: Controlling Factors, Methods, and Challenges

KAUST Repository

Prest, Emmanuelle I.

2016-02-01

Biological stability of drinking water refers to the concept of providing consumers with drinking water of same microbial quality at the tap as produced at the water treatment facility. However, uncontrolled growth of bacteria can occur during distribution in water mains and premise plumbing, and can lead to hygienic (e.g., development of opportunistic pathogens), aesthetic (e.g., deterioration of taste, odor, color) or operational (e.g., fouling or biocorrosion of pipes) problems. Drinking water contains diverse microorganisms competing for limited available nutrients for growth. Bacterial growth and interactions are regulated by factors, such as (i) type and concentration of available organic and inorganic nutrients, (ii) type and concentration of residual disinfectant, (iii) presence of predators, such as protozoa and invertebrates, (iv) environmental conditions, such as water temperature, and (v) spatial location of microorganisms (bulk water, sediment, or biofilm). Water treatment and distribution conditions in water mains and premise plumbing affect each of these factors and shape bacterial community characteristics (abundance, composition, viability) in distribution systems. Improved understanding of bacterial interactions in distribution systems and of environmental conditions impact is needed for better control of bacterial communities during drinking water production and distribution. This article reviews (i) existing knowledge on biological stability controlling factors and (ii) how these factors are affected by drinking water production and distribution conditions. In addition, (iii) the concept of biological stability is discussed in light of experience with well-established and new analytical methods, enabling high throughput analysis and in-depth characterization of bacterial communities in drinking water. We discussed, how knowledge gained from novel techniques will improve design and monitoring of water treatment and distribution systems in order

Stability monitoring of a natural-circulation-cooled boiling water reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hagen, T.H.J.J. van der.

1989-01-01

Methods for monitoring the stability of a boiling water reactor (BWR) are discussed. Surveillance of BWR stability is of importance as problems were encountered in several large reactors. Moreover, surveying stability allows plant owners to operate at high power with acceptable stability margins. The results of experiments performed on the Dodewaard BWR (the Netherlands) are reported. This type reactor is cooled by natural circulation, a cooling principle that is also being considered for new reactor designs. The stability of this reactor was studied both with deterministic methods and by noise analysis. Three types of stability are distinguished and were investigated separately: reactor-kinetic stability, thermal-hydraulic stability and total-plant stability. It is shown that the Dodewaard reactor has very large stability margins. A simple yet reliable stability criterion is introduced. It can be derived on-line from thhe noise signal of ex-vessel neutron detectors during normal operation. The sensitivity of neutron detectors to in-core flux perturbations - reflected in the field-of-view of the detector - was calculated in order to insure proper stability surveillance. A novel technique is presented which enables the determination of variations of the in-core coolant velocity by noise correlation. The velocity measured was interpreted on the basis of experiments performed on the air/water flow in a model of a BWR coolant channel. It appeared from this analysis that the velocity measured was much higher than the volume-averaged water and air velocities and the volumetric flux. The applicability of the above-mentioned technique to monitoring of local channel-flow stability was tested. It was observed that stability effects on the coolant velocity are masked by other effects originating from the local flow pattern. Experimental and theoretical studies show a shorter effective fuel time constant in a BWR than was assumed. (author). 118 refs.; 73 figs.; 21 tabs

Long-term stability of a one-dimensional current-driven double layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hori, N.; Yamamoto, T.

1988-01-01

Long-term (>an electron transit time over the system) stability of a one-dimensional current-driven double layer is studied by numerical experiments using particles. In these experiments, the potential difference across the system is self-consistently determined by the space charge distributions inside the system. Each boundary of the system supplies a nondrifting half-Maxwellian plasma. The current density is increased by increasing the number density of the source plasma at the injection (right) boundary. A double layer can be developed by injection of a sufficiently high current density. For a fixed level of current injection, plasmas carrying no current with various densities (n/sup ts/ 0 ) are loaded on the left side of the system. Whether or not the generated double layer can maintain its potential drop for a long period depends on the density (n/sup ts/ 0 ) relative to the initial density (n/sup */ 0 ) near the injection boundary: (1) the double layer is found to grow when n/sup ts/ 0 = n/sup */ 0 ; (2) the steady double layer is seen for a long period when n/sup ts/ 0 approx. >n/sup */ 0 ; (3) the double layer is found to decay when n/sup ts/ 0 is even higher than n/sup */ 0 . A new concept of the current polarizability P/sub c/ = J/n/sup number/ is introduced for understanding these results, where J is the current density flowing through the double layer and n/sup number/ is the plasma density at the injection front, i.e., the low-potential edge of the double layer

High-efficiency/CRI/color stability warm white organic light-emitting diodes by incorporating ultrathin phosphorescence layers in a blue fluorescence layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miao Yanqin

2018-01-01

Full Text Available By incorporating ultrathin (80, low correlated color temperature of <3600 K, and high color stability at a wide voltage range of 5 V–9 V. These hybrid WOLEDs also reveal high forward-viewing external quantum efficiencies (EQE of 17.82%–19.34%, which are close to the theoretical value of 20%, indicating an almost complete exciton harvesting. In addition, the electroluminescence spectra of the hybrid WOLEDs can be easily improved by only changing the incorporating sequence of the ultrathin phosphorescence layers without device efficiency loss. For example, the hybrid WOLED with an incorporation sequence of ultrathin red/yellow/green phosphorescence layers exhibits an ultra-high CRI of 96 and a high EQE of 19.34%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first WOLED with good tradeoff among device efficiency, CRI, and color stability. The introduction of ultrathin (<0.1 nm phosphorescence layers can also greatly reduce the consumption of phosphorescent emitters as well as simplify device structures and fabrication process, thus leading to low cost. Such a finding is very meaningful for the potential commercialization of hybrid WOLEDs.

Water Transfer Characteristics during Methane Hydrate Formation Processes in Layered Media

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yousheng Deng

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Gas hydrate formation processes in porous media are always accompanied by water transfer. To study the transfer characteristics comprehensively, two kinds of layered media consisting of coarse sand and loess were used to form methane hydrate in them. An apparatus with three PF-meter sensors detecting water content and temperature changes in media during the formation processes was applied to study the water transfer characteristics. It was experimentally observed that the hydrate formation configurations in different layered media were similar; however, the water transfer characteristics and water conversion ratios were different.

Significance analysis of the leachate level in a solid waste landfill in a coastal zone using total water balance and slope stability alternatives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koo, Ja-Kong; Do, Nam-Young [Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1996-12-31

The K site near Seoul began landfilling in 1992. The landfilled wastes include municipal solid waste (66.4%), construction residues (20.4%), water and wastewater sludges (trace levels), and hazardous waste (trace levels). The water content of the municipal solid waste is very high (47.3%); as a result, the leachate level (average E.L.) of the landfill, the design value of which is 7.0 m, was measured at 10.3 m in January 1995 and is increasing. The increase of leachate level in the landfill site causes a problem with slope stability. The leachate level at each disposal stage divided by the intermediate cover layer was calculated with the HELP (Hydrologic Evaluation of Landfill Performance) model and calibrated with the data measured from February 1993 to June 1995. Also, the hydraulic conductivities of the waste layer and the intermediate cover layer in each stage were calibrated continuously with HELP model analysis. To verify these results, the total water balance in the landfill site was calculated using the infiltration rate calculated from HELP modeling. The leachate level was E.L. 10.0 m, which was close to the measured leachate level. To estimate the change of the leachate level in the future, the total water balances with different leachate discharge rates of 3,000, 3,500, and 5,000 m{sup 3}/day were analyzed. When the leachate discharge rate was 5,000 ton/day and the initial water content was decreased below 25%, the average leachate level was 10.8 m. This result satisfies the safety factor requirements (=1.3) for landfill slope stability. 4 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab.

Biochar impact on water infiltration and water quality through a compacted subsoil layer

Science.gov (United States)

Soils in the SE USA Coastal Plain region frequently have a compacted subsoil layer (E horizon), which is a barrier for water infiltration. Four different biochars were evaluated to increase water infiltration through a compacted horizon from a Norfolk soil (fine-loamy, kaolinitic...

Carbon-layer-protected cuprous oxide nanowire arrays for efficient water reduction

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Zhonghai

2013-02-26

In this work, we propose a solution-based carbon precursor coating and subsequent carbonization strategy to form a thin protective carbon layer on unstable semiconductor nanostructures as a solution to the commonly occurring photocorrosion problem of many semiconductors. A proof-of-concept is provided by using glucose as the carbon precursor to form a protective carbon coating onto cuprous oxide (Cu2O) nanowire arrays which were synthesized from copper mesh. The carbon-layer-protected Cu2O nanowire arrays exhibited remarkably improved photostability as well as considerably enhanced photocurrent density. The Cu2O nanowire arrays coated with a carbon layer of 20 nm thickness were found to give an optimal water splitting performance, producing a photocurrent density of -3.95 mA cm-2 and an optimal photocathode efficiency of 0.56% under illumination of AM 1.5G (100 mW cm-2). This is the highest value ever reported for a Cu 2O-based electrode coated with a metal/co-catalyst-free protective layer. The photostability, measured as the percentage of the photocurrent density at the end of 20 min measurement period relative to that at the beginning of the measurement, improved from 12.6% on the bare, nonprotected Cu2O nanowire arrays to 80.7% on the continuous carbon coating protected ones, more than a 6-fold increase. We believe that the facile strategy presented in this work is a general approach that can address the stability issue of many nonstable photoelectrodes and thus has the potential to make a meaningful contribution in the general field of energy conversion. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Physical and oxidative stability of fish oil-in-water emulsions stabilized with beta-lactoglobulin and pectin.

Science.gov (United States)

Katsuda, Marly S; McClements, D J; Miglioranza, Lucia H S; Decker, Eric A

2008-07-23

The oxidation of fatty acids can be inhibited by engineering the surface of oil-in-water emulsion droplets to decrease interactions between aqueous phase prooxidants and lipids. The objective of this research was to evaluate whether emulsions stabilized by a multilayer emulsifier systems consisting of beta-lactoglobulin and citrus or sugar beet pectin could produce fish oil-in-water emulsions that had good physical and oxidative stability. Sugar beet pectin was compared to citrus pectin because the sugar beet pectin contains the known antioxidant, ferulic acid. A primary Menhaden oil-in-water emulsion was prepared with beta-lactoglobulin upon which the pectins were electrostatically deposited at pH 3.5. Emulsions prepared with 1% oil, 0.05% beta-lactoglobulin, and 0.06% pectins were physically stable for up to 16 days. As determined by monitoring lipid hydroperoxide and headspace propanal formation, emulsions prepared with the multilayer system of beta-lactoglobulin and citrus pectin were more stable than emulsions stabilized with beta-lactoglobulin alone. Emulsions prepared with the multilayer system of beta-lactoglobulin and sugar beet pectin were less stable than emulsions stabilized with beta-lactoglobulin alone despite the presence of ferulic acid in the sugar beet pectin. The lower oxidative stability of the emulsions with the sugar beet pectin could be due to its higher iron and copper concentrations which would produce oxidative stress that would overcome the antioxidant capacity of ferulic acid. These data suggest that the oxidative stability of oil-in-water emulsions containing omega-3 fatty acids could be improved by the use of multilayer emulsion systems containing pectins with low metal concentrations.

Thermal stability of double-ceramic-layer thermal barrier coatings with various coating thickness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dai Hui; Zhong Xinghua; Li Jiayan; Zhang Yanfei; Meng Jian; Cao Xueqiang

2006-01-01

Double-ceramic-layer (DCL) coatings with various thickness ratios composed of YSZ (6-8 wt.% Y 2 O 3 + ZrO 2 ) and lanthanum zirconate (LZ, La 2 Zr 2 O 7 ) were produced by the atmospheric plasma spraying. Chemical stability of LZ in contact with YSZ in DCL coatings was investigated by calcining powder blends at different temperatures. No obvious reaction was observed when the calcination temperature was lower than 1250 deg. C, implying that LZ and YSZ had good chemical applicability for producing DCL coating. The thermal cycling test indicate that the cycling lives of the DCL coatings are strongly dependent on the thickness ratio of LZ and YSZ, and the coatings with YSZ thickness between 150 and 200 μm have even longer lives than the single-layer YSZ coating. When the YSZ layer is thinner than 100 μm, the DCL coatings failed in the LZ layer close to the interface of YSZ layer and LZ layer. For the coatings with the YSZ thickness above 150 μm, the failure mainly occurs at the interface of the YSZ layer and the bond coat

Structure and stability of spiro-cyclic water clusters

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Administrator

Abstract. The structure and stability of spiro-cyclic water clusters containing up to 32 water molecules have been ... due to its importance in various real life systems. 1–8. High level ... It is well-known from the crystal structure data- base that the ...

Incompressible boundary-layer stability analysis of LFC experimental data for sub-critical Mach numbers. M.S. Thesis

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, S. A.

1986-01-01

An incompressible boundary-layer stability analysis of Laminar Flow Control (LFC) experimental data was completed and the results are presented. This analysis was undertaken for three reasons: to study laminar boundary-layer stability on a modern swept LFC airfoil; to calculate incompressible design limits of linear stability theory as applied to a modern airfoil at high subsonic speeds; and to verify the use of linear stability theory as a design tool. The experimental data were taken from the slotted LFC experiment recently completed in the NASA Langley 8-Foot Transonic Pressure Tunnel. Linear stability theory was applied and the results were compared with transition data to arrive at correlated n-factors. Results of the analysis showed that for the configuration and cases studied, Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) amplification was the dominating disturbance influencing transition. For these cases, incompressible linear stability theory correlated with an n-factor for TS waves of approximately 10 at transition. The n-factor method correlated rather consistently to this value despite a number of non-ideal conditions which indicates the method is useful as a design tool for advanced laminar flow airfoils.

Power distribution effects on boiling water reactor stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Damiano, B.; March-Leuba, J.

1989-01-01

The work presented in this paper deals with the effects of spatial power distributions on the stability of boiling water reactors (BWRs). It is shown that a conservative power distribution exists for which the stability is minimal. These results are relevant because they imply that bounding stability calculations are possible and, thus, a worst-possible scenario may be defined for a particular BWR geometry. These bounding calculations may, then, be used to determine the maximum expected limit-cycle peak powers

Effects of bulk colloidal stability on adsorption layers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)/sodium dodecyl sulfate at the air-water interface studied by neutron reflectometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Richard A; Yanez Arteta, Marianna; Angus-Smyth, Anna; Nylander, Tommy; Varga, Imre

2011-12-29

We show for the oppositely charged system poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride)/sodium dodecyl sulfate that the cliff edge peak in its surface tension isotherm results from the comprehensive precipitation of bulk complexes into sediment, leaving a supernatant that is virtually transparent and a depleted adsorption layer at the air/water interface. The aggregation and settling processes take about 3 days to reach completion and occur at bulk compositions around charge neutrality of the complexes which lack long-term colloidal stability. We demonstrate excellent quantitative agreement between the measured surface tension values and a peak calculated from the surface excess of surfactant in the precipitation region measured by neutron reflectometry, using the approximation that there is no polymer left in the liquid phase. The nonequilibrium nature of the system is emphasized by the production of very different interfacial properties from equivalent aged samples that are handled differently. We go on to outline our perspective on the "true equilibrium" state of this intriguing system and conclude with a comment on its practical relevance given that the interfacial properties can be so readily influenced by the handling of kinetically trapped bulk aggregates. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Synthesis and characterization of Zn-doped MgAl-layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as PVC heat stabilizer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Gongling; Yang, Mei; Li, Zhiwen; Lin, Kaifeng; Jin, Quan; Xing, Chaojian; Hu, Zhudong; Wang, Dan

2013-01-01

Zn-doped MgAl-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with M 2+ /M 3+ = 2 and different molar ratios of Mg/Zn have been synthesized by modified homogeneous co-precipitation method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrum and thermogravimetry, and differential thermal analysis techniques. The thermal stabilizing effects of different LDHs on PVC were studied by Congo red test and thermal aging test. All of the nanoparticles show plate-like morphology and the average diameter of particles is around 90 nm. Results show that the introduction of Zn increased the average bond length and area of the layers of LDHs, therefore enhanced the adsorption ability on HCl gas which was generated during degradation of PVC to improve the thermal stability of PVC. LDHs with molar ratio of Mg/Zn = 1.0 shows the best thermal stabilizing effect on PVC

Synthesis and characterization of Zn-doped MgAl-layered double hydroxide nanoparticles as PVC heat stabilizer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Gongling; Yang, Mei [Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, Institute of Process Engineering (China); Li, Zhiwen; Lin, Kaifeng [Harbin Institute of Technology, Academy of Fundamental Interdisciplinary Sciences (China); Jin, Quan; Xing, Chaojian; Hu, Zhudong [Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, Institute of Process Engineering (China); Wang, Dan, E-mail: danwang@mail.ipe.ac.cn [Harbin Institute of Technology, Academy of Fundamental Interdisciplinary Sciences (China)

2013-09-15

Zn-doped MgAl-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with M{sup 2+}/M{sup 3+} = 2 and different molar ratios of Mg/Zn have been synthesized by modified homogeneous co-precipitation method and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectrum and thermogravimetry, and differential thermal analysis techniques. The thermal stabilizing effects of different LDHs on PVC were studied by Congo red test and thermal aging test. All of the nanoparticles show plate-like morphology and the average diameter of particles is around 90 nm. Results show that the introduction of Zn increased the average bond length and area of the layers of LDHs, therefore enhanced the adsorption ability on HCl gas which was generated during degradation of PVC to improve the thermal stability of PVC. LDHs with molar ratio of Mg/Zn = 1.0 shows the best thermal stabilizing effect on PVC.

Stability analysis of supercritical-pressure light water-cooled reactor in constant pressure operation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suhwan, JI; Shirahama, H.; Koshizuka, S.; Oka, Y.

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the thermal-hydraulic and the thermal-nuclear coupled stabilities of a supercritical pressure light water-cooled reactor. A stability analysis code at supercritical pressure is developed. Using this code, stabilities of full and partial-power reactor operating at supercritical pressure are investigated by the frequency-domain analysis. Two types of SCRs are analyzed; a supercritical light water reactor (SCLWR) and a supercritical water-cooled fast reactor (SCFR). The same stability criteria as Boiling Water Reactor are applied. The thermal-hydraulic stability of SCLWR and SCFR satisfies the criteria with a reasonable orifice loss coefficient. The decay ratio of the thermal-nuclear coupled stability in SCFR is almost zero because of a small coolant density coefficient of the fast reactor. The evaluated decay ratio of the thermal-nuclear coupled stability is 3,41 ∼ 10 -V at 100% power in SCFR and 0,028 at 100% power in SCLWR. The sensitivity is investigated. It is found that the thermal-hydraulic stability is sensitive to the mass flow rate strongly and the thermal-nuclear coupled stability to the coolant density coefficient. The bottom power peak distribution makes the thermal-nuclear stability worse and the thermal-nuclear stability better. (author)

A balanced water layer concept for subglacial hydrology in large-scale ice sheet models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Goeller

2013-07-01

Full Text Available There is currently no doubt about the existence of a widespread hydrological network under the Antarctic Ice Sheet, which lubricates the ice base and thus leads to increased ice velocities. Consequently, ice models should incorporate basal hydrology to obtain meaningful results for future ice dynamics and their contribution to global sea level rise. Here, we introduce the balanced water layer concept, covering two prominent subglacial hydrological features for ice sheet modeling on a continental scale: the evolution of subglacial lakes and balance water fluxes. We couple it to the thermomechanical ice-flow model RIMBAY and apply it to a synthetic model domain. In our experiments we demonstrate the dynamic generation of subglacial lakes and their impact on the velocity field of the overlaying ice sheet, resulting in a negative ice mass balance. Furthermore, we introduce an elementary parametrization of the water flux–basal sliding coupling and reveal the predominance of the ice loss through the resulting ice streams against the stabilizing influence of less hydrologically active areas. We point out that established balance flux schemes quantify these effects only partially as their ability to store subglacial water is lacking.

A balanced water layer concept for subglacial hydrology in large scale ice sheet models

Science.gov (United States)

Goeller, S.; Thoma, M.; Grosfeld, K.; Miller, H.

2012-12-01

There is currently no doubt about the existence of a wide-spread hydrological network under the Antarctic ice sheet, which lubricates the ice base and thus leads to increased ice velocities. Consequently, ice models should incorporate basal hydrology to obtain meaningful results for future ice dynamics and their contribution to global sea level rise. Here, we introduce the balanced water layer concept, covering two prominent subglacial hydrological features for ice sheet modeling on a continental scale: the evolution of subglacial lakes and balance water fluxes. We couple it to the thermomechanical ice-flow model RIMBAY and apply it to a synthetic model domain inspired by the Gamburtsev Mountains, Antarctica. In our experiments we demonstrate the dynamic generation of subglacial lakes and their impact on the velocity field of the overlaying ice sheet, resulting in a negative ice mass balance. Furthermore, we introduce an elementary parametrization of the water flux-basal sliding coupling and reveal the predominance of the ice loss through the resulting ice streams against the stabilizing influence of less hydrologically active areas. We point out, that established balance flux schemes quantify these effects only partially as their ability to store subglacial water is lacking.

Stability, structural and electronic properties of benzene molecule adsorbed on free standing Au layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Katoch, Neha, E-mail: nehakatoch2@gmail.com; Kapoor, Pooja; Sharma, Munish; Ahluwalia, P. K. [Physics Department, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India 171005 (India); Kumar, Ashok [Center for Physical Sciences, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, India, 151001 (India)

2016-05-23

We report stability and electronic properties of benzene molecule adsorbed on the Au atomic layer within the framework of density function theory (DFT). Horizontal configuration of benzene on the top site of Au monolayer prefers energetically over other studied configurations. On the adsorption of benzene, the ballistic conductance of Au monolayer is found to decrease from 4G{sub 0} to 2G{sub 0} suggesting its applications for the fabrications of organic sensor devices based on the Au atomic layers.

Fabrication of graphene/polyaniline composite multilayer films by electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cong, Jiaojiao; Chen, Yuze; Luo, Jing; Liu, Xiaoya

2014-01-01

A novel graphene/polyaniline composite multilayer film was fabricated by electrostatic interactions induced layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, using water dispersible and negatively charged chemically converted graphene (CCG) and positively charged polyaniline (PANI) as building blocks. CCG was achieved through partly reduced graphene oxide, which remained carboxyl group on its surface. The remaining carboxyl groups not only retain the dispersibility of CCG, but also allow the growth of the multilayer films via electrostatic interactions between graphene and PANI. The structure and morphology of the obtained CCG/PANI multilayer film are characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–visible absorption spectrum (UV–vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical properties of the resulting film are studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), which showed that the resulting CCG/PANI multilayer film kept electroactivity in neutral solution and showed outstanding cyclic stability up to 100 cycles. Furthermore, the composite film exhibited good electrocatalytic ability toward ascorbic acid (AA) with a linear response from 1×10 −4 to 1.2×10 −3 M with the detect limit of 5×10 −6 M. This study provides a facile and effective strategy to fabricate graphene/PANI nanocomposite film with good electrochemical property, which may find potential applications in electronic devices such as electrochemical sensor. - Graphical abstract: A novel graphene/polyaniline (CCG/PANI) film was prepared by layer-by-layer assembly. - Highlights: • A novel graphene/polyaniline (CCG/PANI) film was prepared by layer-by-layer assembly. • The water dispersible and negatively charged graphene (CCG) was used as building block. • CCG was achieved through partly reduced graphene oxide with carboxyl group on its surface. • CCG/PANI film kept electroactivity in

Convective instability in a time-dependent buoyancy driven boundary layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brooker, A.M.H.; Patterson, J.C.; Graham, T.; Schoepf, W. [University of Western Australia, Nedlands (Australia). Centre for Water Research

2000-01-01

The stability of the parallel time-dependent boundary layer adjacent to a suddenly heated vertical wall is described. The flow is investigated through experiments in water, through direct numerical simulation and also through linear stability analysis. The full numerical simulation of the flow shows that small perturbations to the wall boundary conditions, that are also present in the experimental study, are responsible for triggering the instability. As a result, oscillatory behaviour in the boundary layer is observed well before the transition to a steady two-dimensional flow begins. The properties of the observed oscillations are compared with those predicted by a linear stability analysis of the unsteady boundary layer using a quasi-stationary assumption and also using non-stationary assumptions by the formulation of parabolized equations (PSE). (Author)

The stability of second sound waves in a rotating Darcy–Brinkman porous layer in local thermal non-equilibrium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eltayeb, I A; Elbashir, T B A, E-mail: ieltayeb@squ.edu.om, E-mail: elbashir@squ.edu.om [Department of Mathematics and Statistics, College of Science, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat 123 (Oman)

2017-08-15

The linear and nonlinear stabilities of second sound waves in a rotating porous Darcy–Brinkman layer in local thermal non-equilibrium are studied when the heat flux in the solid obeys the Cattaneo law. The simultaneous action of the Brinkman effect (effective viscosity) and rotation is shown to destabilise the layer, as compared to either of them acting alone, for both stationary and overstable modes. The effective viscosity tends to favour overstable modes while rotation tends to favour stationary convection. Rapid rotation invokes a negative viscosity effect that suppresses the stabilising effect of porosity so that the stability characteristics resemble those of the classical rotating Benard layer. A formal weakly nonlinear analysis yields evolution equations of the Landau–Stuart type governing the slow time development of the amplitudes of the unstable waves. The equilibrium points of the evolution equations are analysed and the overall development of the amplitudes is examined. Both overstable and stationary modes can exhibit supercritical stability; supercritical instability, subcritical instability and stability are not possible. The dependence of the supercritical stability on the relative values of the six dimensionless parameters representing thermal non-equilibrium, rotation, porosity, relaxation time, thermal diffusivities and Brinkman effect is illustrated as regions in regime diagrams in the parameter space. The dependence of the heat transfer and the mean heat flux on the parameters of the problem is also discussed. (paper)

Importance of interlayer H bonding structure to the stability of layered minerals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Conroy, Michele; Soltis, Jennifer A.; Wittman, Rick S.; Smith, Frances N.; Chatterjee, Sayandev; Zhang, Xin; Ilton, Eugene S.; Buck, Edgar C.

2017-10-16

The exact atomic structures of layered minerals have been difficult to characterize because the layers often possess out-of-plane hydrogen atoms that cannot be detected by many analytical techniques. However, the ordering of these bonds are thought to play a fundamental role in the structural stability and solubility of layered minerals. We report a new strategy of using the intense radiation field of a focused electron beam to probe the effect of differences in hydrogen bonding networks on mineral solubility while simultaneously imaging the dissolution behavior in real time via liquid cell electron microscopy. We show the loss in hydrogens from interlayers of boehmite (γ-AlOOH) resulted in 2D nanosheets exfoliating from the bulk that subsequently and rapidly dissolved. However gibbsite (γ-Al(OH)3), with its higher concentration of OH terminating groups, was more accommodating to the deprotonation and stable under the beam.

Experimental Investigation of the Hot Water Layer Effect on Upward Flow Open Pool Reactor Operability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abou Elmaaty, T.

2014-01-01

The open pool reactor offers a high degree of reliability in the handling and manoeuvring, the replacement of reactor internal components and the suing of vertical irradiation channels. The protection of both the operators and the reactor hall environment against radiation hazards is considered a matter of interest. So, a hot water layer is implemented above many of the research reactors main pool, especially those whose flow direction is upward flow. An experimental work was carried out to ensure the operability of the upward flow open pool research reactor with / without the hot water layer. The performed experiment showed that, the hot water layer is produced an inverse buoyant force make the water to diffuse downward against the ordinary natural circulation from the reactor core. An upward flow - open pool research reactor (with a power greater than 20 M watt) could not wok without a hot water layer. The high temperature of the hot water layer surface could release a considerable amount of water vapour into the reactor hall, so a heat and mass transfer model is built based on the measured hot water layer surface temperature to calculate the amount of released water vapour during the reactor operating period. The effects of many parameters like the ambient air temperature, the reactor hall relative humidity and the speed of the pushed air layer above the top pool end on the evaporation rate is studied. The current study showed that, the hot water layer system is considered an efficient shielding system against Gamma radiation for open pool upward flow reactor and that system should be operated before the reactor start up by a suitable period of time. While, the heat and mass transfer model results showed that, the amount of the released water vapour is increased as a result of both the increase in hot water layer surface temperature and the increase in air layer speed. As the increase in hot water layer surface temperature could produce a good operability

Experimental Investigation of the Hot Water Layer Effect on Upward Flow Open Pool Reactor Operability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abou Elmaaty, T.

2015-01-01

The open pool reactor offers a high degree of reliability in the handling and manoeuvring, the replacement of reactor internal components and the swing of vertical irradiation channels. The protection of both the operators and the reactor hall environment against radiation hazards is considered a matter of interest. So, a hot water layer implemented above many of the research reactors main pool, especially those whose flow direction is upward flow. An experimental work was carried out to ensure the operability of the upward flow open pool research reactor with / without the hot water layer. The performed experiment showed that, the hot water layer produced an inverse buoyant force making the water to diffuse downward against the ordinary natural circulation from the reactor core. An upward flow-open pool research reactor (with a power greater than 20 Mw) could not wok without a hot water layer. The high temperature of the hot water layer surface could release a considerable amount of water vapour into the reactor hall, so a heat and mass transfer model is built based on the measured hot water layer surface temperature to calculate the amount of released water vapour during the reactor operating period. The effects of many parameters like the ambient air temperature, the reactor hall relative humidity and the speed of the pushed air layer above the top pool end on the evaporation rate is studied. The current study showed that, the hot water layer system is considered an efficient shielding system against gamma radiation for open pool upward flow reactor and that system should be operated before the reactor start up by a suitable period of time. While, the heat and mass transfer model results showed that, the amount of the released water vapour is increased as a result of both the increase in hot water layer surface temperature and the increase in air layer speed. As the increase in hot water layer surface temperature could produce a good operability conditions from

2D water layer enclathrated between Mn(II)-Ni(CN)4 coordination frameworks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ray, Ambarish; Bhowmick, Indrani; Sheldrick, William S.; Jana, Atish Dipankar; Ali, Mahammed

2009-01-01

A [Ni(CN) 4 ] 2- based two-dimensional Mn(II) coordination polymer {Mn(H 2 O) 2 [NiCN] 4 .4H 2 O}, in which the coordination layers are stacked on top of each other sandwiching 2D water layer of boat-shaped hexagonal water clusters has been synthesized. The complex exhibits high thermal decomposition temperature and reversible water absorption, which were clearly demonstrated by thermal and PXRD studies on the parent and rehydrated complex after dehydration. - Abstract: A coordination polymer, {Mn(H 2 O) 2 [NiCN] 4 .4H 2 O} n , showed that the coordination layers are stacked on top of each other sandwiching 2D ice layer of boat-shaped hexagonal water clusters . Display Omitted

Bioinspired, roughness-induced, water and oil super-philic and super-phobic coatings prepared by adaptable layer-by-layer technique

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Philip S.; Bhushan, Bharat

2015-01-01

Coatings with specific surface wetting properties are of interest for anti-fouling, anti-fogging, anti-icing, self-cleaning, anti-smudge, and oil-water separation applications. Many previous bioinspired surfaces are of limited use due to a lack of mechanical durability. Here, a layer-by-layer technique is utilized to create coatings with four combinations of water and oil repellency and affinity. An adapted layer-by-layer approach is tailored to yield specific surface properties, resulting in a durable, functional coating. This technique provides necessary flexibility to improve substrate adhesion combined with desirable surface chemistry. Polyelectrolyte binder, SiO2 nanoparticles, and silane or fluorosurfactant layers are deposited, combining surface roughness and necessary chemistry to result in four different coatings: superhydrophilic/superoleophilic, superhydrophobic/superoleophilic, superhydrophobic/superoleophobic, and superhydrophilic/superoleophobic. The superoleophobic coatings display hexadecane contact angles >150° with tilt angles superhydrophobic coatings display water contact angles >160° with tilt angles hydrophobic properties, whilst others mix and match oil and water repellency and affinity. Coating durability was examined through the use of micro/macrowear experiments. These coatings display transparency acceptable for some applications. Fabrication via this novel combination of techniques results in durable, functional coatings displaying improved performance compared to existing work where either durability or functionality is compromised. PMID:26353971

Experimental study of hot water layer in a model in scale of the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomaz, Gabriel Caio Queiroz

2017-01-01

The Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB) is a 30 MW open pool research reactor planned to be constructed in Brazil. Such type of reactor is built inside a deep pool of purified and demineralized water, providing radiological protection still keeping the core accessible for maintenance and refueling. However, dissolved ions become activated in the pool water due to the core neutron flux, releasing radiation in the reactor room when the activated elements reach the top. Thus high power open pool reactors, as RMB, have an auxiliary thermal-hydraulic circuit that creates a Hot Water Layer (HWL) on the pool’s top, keeping the activated water under the HWL and mitigating the dose rate to which the operators are exposed to. The Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear (CDTN) built a 1/10 scale experimental bench of the RMB’s pool for the HWL investigation. This work presents the results of the pool’s heating due to the reactor startup in the HWL stability. (author)

Stabilization of heavy metals in Tehran agricultural land

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torabian, A.; Sadeghi, Sh.

2001-01-01

In order to prevent contamination of heavy metals accumulation in soil, plant, and ground water, several methods of prevention are studied, and tested worldwide. One of the method which has not been studied and applied in Iran is stabilization of heavy metals in soil by using clay minerals. Clay minerals due to hydration properties can adsorb organic and inorganic substances. Two clay minerals were used in this research: Bentonite with chemical structure of 2 to 1 (Two layers of silica and one layer of Aluminium) with CEC equal to 85 m eq/100 grams and Kao line with chemical structure of one to one (one layer silica and one layer Aluminum) and CEC=3 m eq/100 grams of soil. The physical and chemical properties of these two kinds of clays were different. Stabilization of heavy metals with different percentages of these two clays (7%, 15%, 22%) with different p H (4,7,8,11.5) were studied. The results indicate that with increasing of stabilizing agent at p H=7.8 and greater, stabilization of heavy metals increased significantly. The results also indicate the stabilization of heavy metals decreased rapidly at p H 4 and lower. The results of this study agree with the work of pervious researchers

Metal–organic layers stabilize earth-abundant metal–terpyridine diradical complexes for catalytic C–H activation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Zekai; Thacker, Nathan C.; Sawano, Takahiro; Drake, Tasha; Ji, Pengfei; Lan, Guangxu; Cao, Lingyun; Liu, Shubin; Wang, Cheng; Lin, Wenbin (UNC); (UC); (Xiamen)

2017-10-30

Metal–organic layers stabilize Fe^IIor Co^II-terpyridine diradical complexes to catalyze alkylazide C_sp3–H amination and benzylic C–H borylation, respectively.

Evaluation of RSG-GAS purification system and pool warm water layer supplier performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sudiyono; Suhadi; Diah-Erlina-Lestari

2005-01-01

Function of RSG-GAS purification system and warm water supplier (KBE 02) are to pick up dissolve activation result and another dirts of warm water layer. To keep quality of water at the decided level. The system is equipped by heater to supply warm water layer on the reactor pool surface the distribution is to reduce radiation level in the operation hall area a speciality on the reactor pool surface. Line KBE 02 tomord beam tube headitty system supplies water necessary to be shielding to beam tube in use off time. Of the RSG-GAS purification system and pool warm water layer performance date can be shown north of water is always in good condition. To require the dechded requirement. Resin live time is two years and then months

Ground penetrating radar water content mapping of golf course green sand layers

Science.gov (United States)

Information on the spatial distribution of water content across the sand layer component of a golf course green can be important to golf course superintendents for evaluating drainage effectiveness and scheduling irrigation. To estimate the bulk water content of the sand layer at point locations ac...

Stability enhancement of P3HT:PCBM polymer solar cells using thermally evaporated MoO3 anode buffer layer

Science.gov (United States)

Ameen, M. Yoosuf; Shamjid, P.; Abhijith, T.; Radhakrishnan, Thulasi; Reddy, V. S.

2018-02-01

Polymer solar cells have been fabricated with thermally evaporated MoO3 as anode buffer layer (ABL). The stability of MoO3 and PEDOT:PSS based devices was examined under different test conditions. The MoO3 based device exhibited a slightly better efficiency and significantly higher stability compared to PEDOT:PSS based device. At a relative humidity of 45% the unencapsulated PEDOT:PSS based device degraded completely within 96 h. On the other hand, MoO3 based device retained more than 60% of its initial efficiency after 96 h. The reason behind stability enhancement was investigated by measuring time-evolution of reflectance and hole-current. Experimental results revealed that the stability enhancement for MoO3 based device originates from the reduction in degradation of anode/active layer interface.

Biological stability of drinking water : Controlling factors, methods, and challenges

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Prest, E.I.E.D.; Hammes, F.; Van Loosdrecht, M.C.M.; Vrouwenvelder, J.S.

2016-01-01

Biological stability of drinking water refers to the concept of providing consumers with drinking water of same microbial quality at the tap as produced at the water treatment facility. However, uncontrolled growth of bacteria can occur during distribution in water mains and premise plumbing, and

Effects of a layer of vegetative ash layer on wettable and water repellent soil hydrology

Science.gov (United States)

Bodí, Merche B.; Doerr, Stefan H.; Cerdà, Artemi; Mataix-Solera, Jorge

2010-05-01

Following a wildfire, a layer of vegetative ash often covers the ground until it is dissolved or redistributed by wind and water erosion. Much of the existing literature suggests that the ash layer temporally reduces infiltration by clogging soil pores or by forming a surface crust (Mallik et al., 1984; Onda et al., 2008). However, an increasing number of field-based studies have found that, at least in the short term, ash increases infiltration by storing rainfall and protecting the underlying soil from sealing (Cerdà and Doerr, 2008; Woods and Balfour, 2008). On the other hand, after a fire the soil may have produced, enhanced or reduced its water repellency (Doerr et al., 2000). Very few studies have been taken into account the interaction of the ash and the repellent soil. The layer of ash may have similar role as a litter layer in delaying runoff and reducing erosion by storing water. In order to examine this interaction, it was been made a series of experiments using a laboratory rainfall simulation. It has been assessed the effects of an ash layer i) on a wettable and water repellent soil (WDPT > 7200s), ii) with different ash thicknesses (bare soil and 5 mm, 15 mm and 30 mm of ash), iii) preceding and following the first rain after a fire when the ground is still wetted and after being partially dried. Three replicates were done, being a total of 40 simulations. The ash used was collected from a Wildfire in Teruel (Spain) during summer of 2009. The simulations were conducted in metal boxes of 30x30 cm and filled with 3 cm of soil. The slope of the box was set at 10° (17%) and the intensity applied was 78-84 mm h-1during 40 minutes. The splash detachment was determined also using four splash cups. Overland flow and subsurface drainage was collected at 1-minute intervals and the former stored every 5 min to allow determination of sediment concentrations, yield and erosion rates. Each sample was examined at the end in terms of water repellency, infiltration

Preparation and Application of Water-in-Oil Emulsions Stabilized by Modified Graphene Oxide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaoma Fei

2016-08-01

Full Text Available A series of alkyl chain modified graphene oxides (AmGO with different alkyl chain length and content was fabricated using a reducing reaction between graphene oxide (GO and alkyl amine. Then AmGO was used as a graphene-based particle emulsifier to stabilize Pickering emulsion. Compared with the emulsion stabilized by GO, which was oil-in-water type, all the emulsions stabilized by AmGO were water-in-oil type. The effects of alkyl chain length and alkyl chain content on the emulsion properties of AmGO were investigated. The emulsions stabilized by AmGO showed good stability within a wide range of pH (from pH = 1 to pH = 13 and salt concentrations (from 0.1 to 1000 mM. In addition, the application of water-in-oil emulsions stabilized by AmGO was investigated. AmGO/polyaniline nanocomposite (AmGO/PANi was prepared through an emulsion approach, and its supercapacitor performance was investigated. This research broadens the application of AmGO as a water-in-oil type emulsion stabilizer and in preparing graphene-based functional materials.

Single-layer ZnMN2 (M = Si, Ge, Sn) zinc nitrides as promising photocatalysts.

Science.gov (United States)

Bai, Yujie; Luo, Gaixia; Meng, Lijuan; Zhang, Qinfang; Xu, Ning; Zhang, Haiyang; Wu, Xiuqiang; Kong, Fanjie; Wang, Baolin

2018-05-30

Searching for two-dimensional semiconductor materials that are suitable for visible-light photocatalytic water splitting provides a sustainable solution to deal with the future energy crisis and environmental problems. Herein, based on first-principles calculations, single-layer ZnMN2 (M = Si, Ge, Sn) zinc nitrides are proposed as efficient photocatalysts for water splitting. Stability analyses show that the single-layer ZnMN2 zinc nitrides exhibit energetic and dynamical stability. The electronic properties reveal that all of the single-layer ZnMN2 zinc nitrides are semiconductors. Interestingly, single-layer ZnSnN2 is a direct band gap semiconductor with a desirable band gap (1.74 eV), and the optical adsorption spectrum confirms its optical absorption in the visible light region. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) calculations show that the catalytic activity for single-layer ZnMN2 (M = Ge, Sn) is better than that of single-layer ZnSiN2. Furthermore, the band gaps and band edge positions for the single-layer ZnMN2 zinc nitrides can be effectively tuned by biaxial strain. Especially, single-layer ZnGeN2 can be effectively tuned to match better with the redox potentials of water and enhance the light absorption in the visible light region at a tensile strain of 5%, which is confirmed by the corresponding optical absorption spectrum. Our results provide guidance for experimental synthesis efforts and future searches for single-layer materials suitable for photocatalytic water splitting.

Surface-stabilized gold nanocatalysts

Science.gov (United States)

Dai, Sheng [Knoxville, TN; Yan, Wenfu [Oak Ridge, TN

2009-12-08

A surface-stabilized gold nanocatalyst includes a solid support having stabilizing surfaces for supporting gold nanoparticles, and a plurality of gold nanoparticles having an average particle size of less than 8 nm disposed on the stabilizing surfaces. The surface-stabilized gold nanocatalyst provides enhanced stability, such as at high temperature under oxygen containing environments. In one embodiment, the solid support is a multi-layer support comprising at least a first layer having a second layer providing the stabilizing surfaces disposed thereon, the first and second layer being chemically distinct.

Experiences in stability testing of boiling water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

March-Leuba, J.; Otaduy, P.J.

1986-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to summarize experiences with boiling water reactor (BWR) stability testing using noise analysis techniques. These techniques have been studied over an extended period of time, but it has been only recently that they have been well established and generally accepted. This paper contains first a review of the problem of BWR neutronic stability, focusing on its physical causes and its effects on reactor operation. The paper also describes the main techniques used to quantify, from noise measurements, the reactor's stability in terms of a decay ratio. Finally, the main results and experiences obtained from the stability tests performed at the Dresden and the Browns Ferry reactors using noise analysis techniques are summarized

Role of water repellency in aggregate stability of cultivated soils under simulated raindrop impact

Science.gov (United States)

Kořenková, Lucia; Matúš, Peter

2015-07-01

Soil aggregate stability (AS) is an important indicator of soil physical quality. For the purpose of this research it was hypothesized that particular properties such as water repellency (WR) influence soil aggregation and AS. Directly after sampling, WR was detected for three soils, after a week of air-drying two of these soils still showed some resistance to penetration by a water drop placed on the surface (WDPT test). The study examines AS of air-dried texturally different aggregates of size 0.25-0.5 mm taken from surface layers (5-15 cm depth) of six agriculturally used soils. The procedure involves exposure of soil aggregates to direct impact of water drops. Results showed that soil AS increases in order: cutanic Luvisol (siltic) Chernozem < calcic mollic Fluvisol < mollic grumic Vertisol (pellic) < mollic Fluvisol (calcaric) < gleyic Fluvisol (eutric). Gradual increase in AS can be explained by the increase in soil organic matter content and its hydrophobic properties. Although WR has been most commonly observed in soils under forests and grass cover, the results confirmed that cultivated soils may also create water-stable aggregates, especially in the case when their organic matter induces WR under particular moisture conditions.

Experimental investigation of the stability of the floating water bridge

Science.gov (United States)

Montazeri Namin, Reza; Azizpour Lindi, Shiva; Amjadi, Ahmad; Jafari, Nima; Irajizad, Peyman

2013-09-01

When a high voltage is applied between two beakers filled with deionized water, a floating bridge of water is formed in between exceeding the length of 2 cm when the beakers are pulled apart. Currently two theories regarding the stability of the floating water bridge exist, one suggesting that the tension caused by electric field in the dielectric medium is holding the bridge and the other suggesting surface tension to be responsible for the vertical equilibrium. We construct experiments in which the electric field and the geometry of the bridge are measured and compared with predictions of theories of the floating water bridge stability. We use a numerical simulation for estimation of the electric field. Our results indicate that the two forces of dielectric and surface tensions hold the bridge against gravity simultaneously and, having the same order of magnitude, neither of the two forces are negligible. In bridges with larger diameters, the effect of dielectric tension is slightly more in the vertical equilibrium than surface tension. Results show that the stability can be explained by macroscopic forces, regardless of the microscopic changes in the water structure.

Biological stability in drinking water distribution systems : A novel approach for systematic microbial water quality monitoring

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Prest, E.I.E.D.

2015-01-01

Challenges to achieve biological stability in drinking water distribution systems Drinking water is distributed from the treatment facility to consumers through extended man-made piping systems. The World Health Organization drinking water guidelines (2006) stated that “Water entering the

Origin of the outer layer of martian low-aspect ratio layered ejecta craters

Science.gov (United States)

Boyce, Joseph M.; Wilson, Lionel; Barlow, Nadine G.

2015-01-01

Low-aspect ratio layered ejecta (LARLE) craters are one of the most enigmatic types of martian layered ejecta craters. We propose that the extensive outer layer of these craters is produced through the same base surge mechanism as that which produced the base surge deposits generated by near-surface, buried nuclear and high-explosive detonations. However, the LARLE layers have higher aspect ratios compared with base surge deposits from explosion craters, a result of differences in thicknesses of these layers. This characteristics is probably caused by the addition of large amounts of small particles of dust and ice derived from climate-related mantles of snow, ice and dust in the areas where LARLE craters form. These deposits are likely to be quickly stabilized (order of a few days to a few years) from eolian erosion by formation of duricrust produced by diffusion of water vapor out of the deposits.

Stability of low-carrier-density topological-insulator Bi2Se3 thin films and effect of capping layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salehi, Maryam; Brahlek, Matthew; Koirala, Nikesh; Moon, Jisoo; Oh, Seongshik; Wu, Liang; Armitage, N. P.

2015-01-01

Although over the past number of years there have been many advances in the materials aspects of topological insulators (TIs), one of the ongoing challenges with these materials is the protection of them against aging. In particular, the recent development of low-carrier-density bulk-insulating Bi 2 Se 3 thin films and their sensitivity to air demands reliable capping layers to stabilize their electronic properties. Here, we study the stability of the low-carrier-density Bi 2 Se 3 thin films in air with and without various capping layers using DC and THz probes. Without any capping layers, the carrier density increases by ∼150% over a week and by ∼280% over 9 months. In situ-deposited Se and ex situ-deposited poly(methyl methacrylate) suppress the aging effect to ∼27% and ∼88%, respectively, over 9 months. The combination of effective capping layers and low-carrier-density TI films will open up new opportunities in topological insulators

Tracking atmospheric boundary layer dynamics with water vapor D-excess observations

KAUST Repository

Parkes, Stephen

2015-04-01

Stable isotope water vapor observations present a history of hydrological processes that have impacted on an air mass. Consequently, there is scope to improve our knowledge of how different processes impact on humidity budgets by determining the isotopic end members of these processes and combining them with in-situ water vapor measurements. These in-situ datasets are still rare and cover a limited geographical expanse, so expanding the available data can improve our ability to define isotopic end members and knowledge about atmospheric humidity dynamics. Using data collected from an intensive field campaign across a semi-arid grassland site in eastern Australia, we combine multiple methods including in-situ stable isotope observations to study humidity dynamics associated with the growth and decay of the atmospheric boundary layer and the stable nocturnal boundary layer. The deuterium-excess (D-excess) in water vapor is traditionally thought to reflect the sea surface temperature and relative humidity at the point of evaporation over the oceans. However, a number of recent studies suggest that land-atmosphere interactions are also important in setting the D-excess of water vapor. These studies have shown a highly robust diurnal cycle for the D-excess over a range of sites that could be exploited to better understand variations in atmospheric humidity associated with boundary layer dynamics. In this study we use surface radon concentrations as a tracer of surface layer dynamics and combine these with the D-excess observations. The radon concentrations showed an overall trend that was inversely proportional to the D-excess, with early morning entrainment of air from the residual layer of the previous day both diluting the radon concentration and increasing the D-excess, followed by accumulation of radon at the surface and a decrease in the D-excess as the stable nocturnal layer developed in the late afternoon and early evening. The stable nocturnal boundary layer

Pore-Network Modeling of Water and Vapor Transport in the Micro Porous Layer and Gas Diffusion Layer of a Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Qin, C.; Hassanizadeh, S.M.; van Oosterhout, L.M.

2016-01-01

In the cathode side of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), a micro porous layer (MPL) added between the catalyst layer (CL) and the gas diffusion layer (GDL) plays an important role in water management. In this work, by using both quasi-static and dynamic pore-network models, water and vapor

White top-emitting OLEDs using organic colour-conversion layers for improved colour-stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schwab, Tobias; Hofmann, Simone; Thomschke, Michael; Luessem, Bjoern; Leo, Karl [Institut fuer Angewandte Photophysik, Technische Universitaet Dresden (Germany)

2011-07-01

In contrast to white organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) using several vertical stacked emitters, the principle of down-conversion gives the chance to achieve white light with a simplified layer structure and enhanced colour stability by preventing a colour shift over lifetime due to differential aging of dyes. We investigate an approach where the conversion material is integrated into a top-emitting OLED structure in a way, that only electrons can pass this layer. This assures optical excitation and avoids unwanted electrical recombination inside the conversion layer. The emission spectra, CIE-coordinates, efficiencies, and IV-characteristics depending on the conversion layer thickness have been determined and were compared to the non-emitting host-material with similar optical properties. Lifetime measurements show that these OLEDs have almost no colour change over an investigated period up to 2200 hours. It is shown that the external quantum efficiency of the OLED does not necessarily decrease with an increased conversion layer thickness, even if the photoluminescence quantum yield of these materials is below unity. This indicates that the efficiency is improved by out-coupling of isotropic re-emitted wave-guided modes.

46 CFR 178.340 - Stability standards for pontoon vessels on protected waters.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Stability standards for pontoon vessels on protected waters. 178.340 Section 178.340 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED) SMALL....340 Stability standards for pontoon vessels on protected waters. (a) The portion of the deck...

Atmospheric stability inside containments with a heated layer of liquid on the floor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vate, J.F. van de [Netherlands Energy Research Foundation, Petten (Netherlands)

1977-01-01

The study of atmospheric stability inside containments with a heated layer of liquid comprised derivation of the boundary condition for stable atmospheric stratifications and the experimental validation of the boundary condition for stable atmospheric stratification. This report includes description of the model for stirred aerosol deposition and the calculation results for maximum aerodynamic diameter of a confined aerosol remaining just well-stirred.

Nano-silver in drinking water and drinking water sources: stability and influences on disinfection by-product formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Tugulea, A-M; Bérubé, D; Giddings, M; Lemieux, F; Hnatiw, J; Priem, J; Avramescu, M-L

2014-10-01

Nano-silver is increasingly used in consumer products from washing machines and refrigerators to devices marketed for the disinfection of drinking water or recreational water. The nano-silver in these products may be released, ending up in surface water bodies which may be used as drinking water sources. Little information is available about the stability of the nano-silver in sources of drinking water, its fate during drinking water disinfection processes, and its interaction with disinfection agents and disinfection by-products (DBPs). This study aims to investigate the stability of nano-silver in drinking water sources and in the finished drinking water when chlorine and chloramines are used for disinfection and to observe changes in the composition of DBPs formed when nano-silver is present in the source water. A dispersion of nano-silver particles (10 nm; PVP-coated) was used to spike untreated Ottawa River water, treated Ottawa River water, organic-free water, and a groundwater at concentrations of 5 mg/L. The diluted dispersions were kept under stirred and non-stirred conditions for up to 9 months and analyzed weekly using UV absorption to assess the stability of the nano-silver particles. In a separate experiment, Ottawa River water containing nano-silver particles (at 0.1 and 1 mg/L concentration, respectively) was disinfected by adding sodium hypochlorite (a chlorinating agent) in sufficient amounts to maintain a free chlorine residual of approximately 0.4 mg/L after 24 h. The disinfected drinking water was then quenched with ascorbic acid and analyzed for 34 neutral DBPs (trihalomethanes, haloacetonitriles, haloacetaldehydes, 1,1 dichloro-2-propanone, 1,1,1 trichloro-2-propanone, chloropicrin, and cyanogen chloride). The results were compared to the profile of DBPs obtained under the same conditions in the absence of nano-silver and in the presence of an equivalent concentration of Ag(+) ions (as AgNO3). The stability of the nano-silver dispersions in

Influence of pH modifiers on the dissolution and stability of hydrochlorothiazide in the bi- and three-layer tablets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blatnik Sandra Urek

2015-12-01

Full Text Available During the past few years, the studies of bi- and multi-layered tablets increased due to the consumption of several different drugs per day by a patient and requests for appropriate patient compliance. The demographic shift toward older population increases the use of combination therapy as polypharmacy. Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, as a model drug, is most commonly used in the treatment of hypertension, congestive heart failure and as a diuretic. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of the local environment on dissolution and stability behaviour of HCTZ in fixed multilayered tablet combinations, which are commonly used in polypharmacy. For this purposes, three different systems were introduced: (i two conventional tablets (HCTZ and pH modifying placebo, (ii 2-layer tablets (HCTZ, pH modifying placebo and (iii 3-layer tablets (HCTZ, barrier and pH modifying placebo. Disintegration of tablets, dissolution of HCTZ from tablets and HCTZ related substances were monitored for all systems. Results showed that there was a significant difference between dissolution profiles of the conventional two-tablet system (HCTZ tablet and pH modifying tablet and the 2-layer and 3-layer tablets, which include the pH modifying layer. In the case of the conventional two-tablets system, 85 % of HCTZ was dissolved in less than 15 minutes. The dissolution profiles of HCTZ from 2-layered and 3-layered tablets showed a decrease in the dissolution rate. In addition, during the stability studies, it has been confirmed that the typical degradation product of HCTZ is formed, impurity B (4-amino-6-chloro-1,3-benzenedisulfonamide, which implies formation of formaldehyde as hydrolytic impurity not reported in the Ph. Eur. (16. Both impurities are particularly raised in 2-layered tablets with alkaline and neutral placebo layers. Stability of HCTZ was improved in the case of the 3-layer tablet, where the intermediate separation layer of glycerol monostearate was

Global stability analysis of axisymmetric boundary layer over a circular cylinder

Science.gov (United States)

Bhoraniya, Ramesh; Vinod, Narayanan

2018-05-01

This paper presents a linear global stability analysis of the incompressible axisymmetric boundary layer on a circular cylinder. The base flow is parallel to the axis of the cylinder at inflow boundary. The pressure gradient is zero in the streamwise direction. The base flow velocity profile is fully non-parallel and non-similar in nature. The boundary layer grows continuously in the spatial directions. Linearized Navier-Stokes (LNS) equations are derived for the disturbance flow quantities in the cylindrical polar coordinates. The LNS equations along with homogeneous boundary conditions forms a generalized eigenvalues problem. Since the base flow is axisymmetric, the disturbances are periodic in azimuthal direction. Chebyshev spectral collocation method and Arnoldi's iterative algorithm is used for the solution of the general eigenvalues problem. The global temporal modes are computed for the range of Reynolds numbers and different azimuthal wave numbers. The largest imaginary part of the computed eigenmodes is negative, and hence, the flow is temporally stable. The spatial structure of the eigenmodes shows that the disturbance amplitudes grow in size and magnitude while they are moving towards downstream. The global modes of axisymmetric boundary layer are more stable than that of 2D flat-plate boundary layer at low Reynolds number. However, at higher Reynolds number they approach 2D flat-plate boundary layer. Thus, the damping effect of transverse curvature is significant at low Reynolds number. The wave-like nature of the disturbance amplitudes is found in the streamwise direction for the least stable eigenmodes.

Logisnet: A tool for multimethod, multiple soil layers slope stability analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Legorreta Paulin, G.; Bursik, M.

2009-05-01

Shallow landslides and slope failures have been studied from several points of view (inventory, heuristic, statistic, and deterministic). In particular, numerous methods embedded in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) applications have been developed to assess slope stability. However, little work has been done on the systematic comparison of different techniques and the incorporation of vertical contrasts of geotechnical properties in multiple soil layers. In this research, stability is modeled by using LOGISNET, an acronym for Multiple Logistic Regression, Geographic Information System, and Neural Network. The main purpose of LOGISNET is to provide government planners and decision makers a tool to assess landslide susceptibility. The system is fully operational for models handling an enhanced cartographic-hydrologic model (SINMAP) and multiple logistic regression. The enhanced implementation of SINMAP was tested at regional scale in the Highway 101 corridor in Del Norte County, California, and its susceptibility map was found to have improved factor of safety estimates based on comparison with landslide inventory maps. The enhanced SINMAP and multiple logistic regression subsystems have functions that allow the user to include vertical variation in geotechnical properties through summation of forces in specific soil layers acting on failure planes for a local or regional-scale mapping. The working group of LOGISNET foresees the development of an integrated tool system to handle and support the prognostic studies of slope instability, and communicate the results to the public through maps.

Dendrimer ligands-capped CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals with delayed halide exchange and record stability against both moisture and water

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yiren; Xu, Shuhong; Shao, Haibao; Jiang, Han; Cui, Yiping; Wang, Chunlei

2018-06-01

CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) suffer from poor stability because of their high sensitivity to environmental moisture and water. To solve this problem, previous works mainly focus on embedding perovskite NCs into water-resistant matrix to form large composites (size of microns or larger). As an alternative solution without serious changing of NC size, enhancing the stability of perovskite NCs themselves by ligand engineering is rarely reported. In this work, we used hyperbranched polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers with two different generations (G0 and G4) to synthesize CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite NCs with high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields (QY) above 70% and a new record stability. A novel dendrimers generation-dependent stability of perovskite NCs was observed. The water-resistance time is 18 h (27 h) for perovskite NCs capped by G0 (G4) generation of PAMAM, which is 7 times (11 times) longer than that of traditional oleic acid-capped NCs. Similar PAMAM generation-related stability is also observed in moisture-resistance tests. The stability time against moisture is 500 h (800 h) for G0 (G4) generation of PAMAM-capped perovskite NCs, which is a new record stability time against moisture for CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite NCs. In addition, our results also indicate that PAMAM ligands outside perovskite NCs can dramatically slow down the speed of halide exchange. Even for the mixture of perovskite NCs with two different halide composition, the original luminescence properties of PAMAM-capped perovskite NCs can retain after mixing. In view of slow halide exchange speed, excellent water and moisture stability, PAMAM dendrimers-capped perovskite NCs and their mixture are available as color conversion single layer in fabrication of light-emitting diodes (LED).

Dendrimer ligands-capped CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals with delayed halide exchange and record stability against both moisture and water.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Yiren; Xu, Shuhong; Shao, Haibao; Jiang, Han; Cui, Yiping; Wang, Chunlei

2018-06-08

CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) suffer from poor stability because of their high sensitivity to environmental moisture and water. To solve this problem, previous works mainly focus on embedding perovskite NCs into water-resistant matrix to form large composites (size of microns or larger). As an alternative solution without serious changing of NC size, enhancing the stability of perovskite NCs themselves by ligand engineering is rarely reported. In this work, we used hyperbranched polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers with two different generations (G0 and G4) to synthesize CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 perovskite NCs with high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields (QY) above 70% and a new record stability. A novel dendrimers generation-dependent stability of perovskite NCs was observed. The water-resistance time is 18 h (27 h) for perovskite NCs capped by G0 (G4) generation of PAMAM, which is 7 times (11 times) longer than that of traditional oleic acid-capped NCs. Similar PAMAM generation-related stability is also observed in moisture-resistance tests. The stability time against moisture is 500 h (800 h) for G0 (G4) generation of PAMAM-capped perovskite NCs, which is a new record stability time against moisture for CH 3 NH 3 PbBr 3 perovskite NCs. In addition, our results also indicate that PAMAM ligands outside perovskite NCs can dramatically slow down the speed of halide exchange. Even for the mixture of perovskite NCs with two different halide composition, the original luminescence properties of PAMAM-capped perovskite NCs can retain after mixing. In view of slow halide exchange speed, excellent water and moisture stability, PAMAM dendrimers-capped perovskite NCs and their mixture are available as color conversion single layer in fabrication of light-emitting diodes (LED).

Formation and Characterization of Stacked Nanoscale Layers of Polymers and Silanes on Silicon Surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Ochoa, Rosie; Davis, Brian; Conley, Hiram; Hurd, Katie; Linford, Matthew R.; Davis, Robert C.

2008-10-01

Chemical surface patterning at the nanoscale is a critical component of chemically directed assembly of nanoscale devices or sensitive biological molecules onto surfaces. Complete and consistent formation of nanoscale layers of silanes and polymers is a necessary first step for chemical patterning. We explored methods of silanizing silicon substrates for the purpose of functionalizing the surfaces. The chemical functionalization, stability, flatness, and repeatability of the process was characterized by use of ellipsometry, water contact angle, and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). We found that forming the highest quality functionalized surfaces was accomplished through use of chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Specifically, surfaces were plasma cleaned and hydrolyzed before the silane was applied. A polymer layer less then 2 nm in thickness was electrostatically bound to the silane layer. The chemical functionalization, stability, flatness, and repeatability of the process was also characterized for the polymer layer using ellipsometry, water contact angle, and AFM.

Performance on Water Stability of Cement-Foamed Asphalt Cold Recycled Mixture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Junxiao

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Through designing the mixture proportion of foamed asphalt cold in-place recycled mixture combined with the water stability experiment, it shows that the addition of cement can obviously improve foamed asphalt mixture’s water stability and the best cement admixture is between 1% ~ 2%; Using digital imaging microscope and SEM technology, the mechanism of increasing on the intensity of foamed asphalt mixture resulted by adding cement was analyzed. It revealed that the cement hydration products contained in the foamed asphalt mixture hydrolyzed into space mesh structure and wrapped up the aggregate particle, this is the main reason that the cement can enhance the mixture’s intensity as well as the water stability. This research provides reference for cement admixture’s formulation in the designing of foamed asphalt cold in-place recycled mixture.

Stability study of cermet-supported solid oxide fuel cells with bi-layered electrolyte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Xinge; Gazzarri, Javier; Robertson, Mark; Deces-Petit, Cyrille [National Research Council, Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation, 4250 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC (Canada); Kesler, Olivera [Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, 5 King' s College Road, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2008-12-01

Performance and stability of five cermet-supported button-type solid oxide fuel cells featuring a bi-layered electrolyte (SSZ/SDC), an SSC cathode, and a Ni-SSZ anode, were analyzed using polarization curves, impedance spectroscopy, and post-mortem SEM observation. The cell performance degradation at 650 C in H{sub 2}/air both with and without DC bias conditions was manifested primarily as an increase in polarization resistance, approximately at a rate of 2.3 m{omega} cm{sup 2} h{sup -1} at OCV, suggesting a decrease in electrochemical kinetics as the main phenomenon responsible for the performance decay. In addition, the initial series resistance was about ten times higher than the calculated resistance corresponding to the electrolyte, reflecting a possible inter-reaction between the electrolyte layers that occurred during the sintering stage. In situ and ex situ sintered cathodes showed no obvious difference in cell performance or decay rate. The stability of the cells with and without electrical load was also investigated and no significant influence of DC bias was recorded. Based on the experimental results presented, we preliminarily attribute the performance degradation to electrochemical and microstructural degradation of the cathode. (author)

Stability study of cermet-supported solid oxide fuel cells with bi-layered electrolyte

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xinge; Gazzarri, Javier; Robertson, Mark; Decès-Petit, Cyrille; Kesler, Olivera

Performance and stability of five cermet-supported button-type solid oxide fuel cells featuring a bi-layered electrolyte (SSZ/SDC), an SSC cathode, and a Ni-SSZ anode, were analyzed using polarization curves, impedance spectroscopy, and post-mortem SEM observation. The cell performance degradation at 650 °C in H 2/air both with and without DC bias conditions was manifested primarily as an increase in polarization resistance, approximately at a rate of 2.3 mΩ cm 2 h -1 at OCV, suggesting a decrease in electrochemical kinetics as the main phenomenon responsible for the performance decay. In addition, the initial series resistance was about ten times higher than the calculated resistance corresponding to the electrolyte, reflecting a possible inter-reaction between the electrolyte layers that occurred during the sintering stage. In situ and ex situ sintered cathodes showed no obvious difference in cell performance or decay rate. The stability of the cells with and without electrical load was also investigated and no significant influence of DC bias was recorded. Based on the experimental results presented, we preliminarily attribute the performance degradation to electrochemical and microstructural degradation of the cathode.

Estimating amplitude ratios in boundary layer stability theory: a comparison between two approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Govindarajan, Rama; Narasimha, R.

2001-07-01

We first demonstrate that, if the contributions of higher-order mean flow are ignored, the parabolized stability equations (Bertolotti et al. 1992) and the ‘full’ non-parallel equation of Govindarajan & Narasimha (1995, hereafter GN95) are both equivalent to order R[minus sign]1 in the local Reynolds number R to Gaster's (1974) equation for the stability of spatially developing boundary layers. It is therefore of some concern that a detailed comparison between Gaster (1974) and GN95 reveals a small difference in the computed amplitude ratios. Although this difference is not significant in practical terms in Blasius flow, it is traced here to the approximation, in Gaster's method, of neglecting the change in eigenfunction shape due to flow non-parallelism. This approximation is not justified in the critical and the wall layers, where the neglected term is respectively O(R[minus sign]2/3) and O(R[minus sign]1) compared to the largest term. The excellent agreement of GN95 with exact numerical simulations, on the other hand, suggests that the effect of change in eigenfunction is accurately taken into account in that paper.

Hydraulic loading, stability and water quality of Nakivubo wetland ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nakivubo wetland, which has performed tertiary water treatment for Kampala city for the past 40 years, is ecologically stressed by agricultural and infrastructural developments. Field studies were carried out to assess the hydraulic loading, pollution profile, stability and water quality of this wetland. The upper and lower ...

Microstructure and thermal stability of nickel layers electrodeposited from an additive-free sulphamate-based electrolyte

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Anette Alsted; Møller, Per; Somers, Marcel A. J.

2006-01-01

and scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction; the Vickers hardness was measured in cross sections. The present is meant as a reference for forthcoming articles on the investigation of various strengthening mechanisms on the microstructure, hardness and thermal stability of Ni (alloys) electrodeposits.......The influences of the current density and the temperature on the microstructure and hardness of Ni layers electrodeposited from an additive-free sulphamate bath were investigated. The microstructure and thermal stability of the electrodeposits was investigated with a combination of transmission...

Effect of nose bluntness on boundary layer stability and transition

Science.gov (United States)

Malik, M. R.; Spall, R. E.; Chang, C.-L.

1990-01-01

The effect of nose bluntness on boundary layer instability is studied theoretically for a Mach 8 flow past a 7 degree semivertex cone. The basic flow is computed by solving the parabolized Navier-Stokes equations. Linear stability analysis of the basic flow reveals that, with small amount of bluntness, the critical Reynolds number for the onset of instability increases by an order of magnitude compared to the sharp cone value. The computed second mode frequencies are also in reasonable agreement with the experimental results. The results are used to explain the effect of unit Reynolds number on transition present in the quiet aeroballistic range data.

Stability and dewetting kinetics of thin gold films on Ti, TiOx and ZnO adhesion layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schaefer, Brian T.; Cheung, Jeffrey; Ihlefeld, Jon F.; Jones, Jacob L.; Nagarajan, Valanoor

2013-01-01

We present an in situ high-temperature confocal laser microscopy study on the thermal stability of 40 nm thick gold thin films grown on 40 nm Ti, TiO x and ZnO adhesion layers on (0 0 1) Si. In situ observation of the dewetting process was performed over a wide range of set temperatures (400–800 °C) and ramp rates (10–50 °C min −1 ) for each gold/adhesion layer combination. We found that significant dewetting and subsequent formation of gold islands occurs only at and above 700 °C for all adhesion layers. The dewetting is driven to equilibrium for gold/ZnO compared to gold/Ti and gold/TiO x as confirmed by ex situ X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy characterization. Quantification of the in situ data through stretched exponential kinetic models reveals an underlying apparent activation energy of the dewetting process. This energy barrier for dewetting is higher for gold/Ti and gold/TiO x compared to gold/ZnO, thus confirming the ex situ observations. We rationalize that these apparent activation energies correspond to the underlying thermal stability of each gold/adhesion layer system

The Effect of Oxygen Partial Pressure during Active Layer Deposition on Bias Stability of a-InGaZnO TFTs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Xiao-Ming; Zhu Hong-Bo; Wang Yong-Jin; Wu Chen-Fei; Lu Hai; Ren Fang-Fang

2015-01-01

The effect of oxygen partial pressure (P_O_2) during the channel layer deposition on bias stability of amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) is investigated. As P_O_2 increases from 10% to 30%, it is found that the device shows enhanced bias stress stability with significantly reduced threshold voltage drift under positive gate bias stress. Based on the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement, the concentration of oxygen vacancies (O_V) within the a-IGZO layer is suppressed by increasing P_O_2. Meanwhile, the low-frequency noise analysis indicates that the average trap density near the channel/dielectric interface continuously drops with increasing P_O_2. Therefore, the improved interface quality with increasing P_O_2 during the channel layer deposition can be attributed to the reduction of interface O_V-related defects, which agrees with the enhanced bias stress stability of the a-IGZO TFTs. (paper)

Fabrication of graphene/polyaniline composite multilayer films by electrostatic layer-by-layer assembly

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cong, Jiaojiao; Chen, Yuze; Luo, Jing, E-mail: jingluo19801007@126.com; Liu, Xiaoya

2014-10-15

A novel graphene/polyaniline composite multilayer film was fabricated by electrostatic interactions induced layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, using water dispersible and negatively charged chemically converted graphene (CCG) and positively charged polyaniline (PANI) as building blocks. CCG was achieved through partly reduced graphene oxide, which remained carboxyl group on its surface. The remaining carboxyl groups not only retain the dispersibility of CCG, but also allow the growth of the multilayer films via electrostatic interactions between graphene and PANI. The structure and morphology of the obtained CCG/PANI multilayer film are characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, Ultraviolet–visible absorption spectrum (UV–vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical properties of the resulting film are studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV), which showed that the resulting CCG/PANI multilayer film kept electroactivity in neutral solution and showed outstanding cyclic stability up to 100 cycles. Furthermore, the composite film exhibited good electrocatalytic ability toward ascorbic acid (AA) with a linear response from 1×10{sup −4} to 1.2×10{sup −3} M with the detect limit of 5×10{sup −6} M. This study provides a facile and effective strategy to fabricate graphene/PANI nanocomposite film with good electrochemical property, which may find potential applications in electronic devices such as electrochemical sensor. - Graphical abstract: A novel graphene/polyaniline (CCG/PANI) film was prepared by layer-by-layer assembly. - Highlights: • A novel graphene/polyaniline (CCG/PANI) film was prepared by layer-by-layer assembly. • The water dispersible and negatively charged graphene (CCG) was used as building block. • CCG was achieved through partly reduced graphene oxide with carboxyl group on its surface. • CCG/PANI film kept

Investigation on flow stability of supercritical water cooled systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, X.; Kuang, B.

2006-01-01

Research activities are ongoing worldwide to develop nuclear power plants with supercritical water cooled reactor (SCWR) with the purpose to achieve a high thermal efficiency and to improve their economical competitiveness. However, the strong variation of the thermal-physical properties of water in the vicinity of the pseudo-critical line results in challenging tasks in various fields, e.g. thermal-hydraulic design of a SCWR. One of the challenging tasks is to understand and to predict the dynamic behavior of supercritical water cooled systems. Although many thermal-hydraulic research activities were carried out worldwide in the past as well as in the near present, studies on dynamic behavior and flow stability of SC water cooled systems are scare. Due to the strong density variation, flow stability is expected to be one of the key items which need to be taken into account in the design of a SCWR. In the present work, the dynamic behavior and flow stability of SC water cooled systems are investigated using both numerical and theoretical approaches. For this purpose a new computer code SASC was developed, which can be applied to analysis the dynamic behavior of systems cooled by supercritical fluids. In addition, based on the assumptions of a simplified system, a theoretical model was derived for the prediction of the onset of flow instability. A comparison was made between the results obtained using the theoretical model and those from the SASC code. A good agreement was achieved. This gives the first evidence of the reliability of both the SASC code and the theoretical model

The Performance Evaluation of a Hot Water Layer using a Numerical Simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Jong Hark; Chae, Hee Taek; Kim, Heon Il; Jun, Byung Jin; Park, Cheol

2009-01-01

Most of all research reactors are immerged in the deep water pool to be a ultimate heat sink. At the neighbor of the reactor, some radio-active matters, such as Na-24, Ar-41, Mg-27, Al-28 and etc, may be generated by the neutron irradiation. Those radio-active isotopes may rise up to the pool water surface through the natural convection flow, which can make the radioactivity in the reactor hall rise high enough to concern about the health of people working in the reactor hall. When the irradiation test facilities are loaded or unloaded during a normal operation, the highly radio-activated primary coolant may flow out through the irradiation test holes on the top of the reactor. This also may be a main hazard source to make the working environment of the reactor hall bad. Making a hot water layer 1.5 ∼ 2.0 m thick at the top of reactor pool would be a good measure to resolve that problem. The hot water layer is formed by a thermal stratification of pool water, which can effectively suppress the ascending of the radio-active matters and primary coolant flowing out from the IR holes. In this study a performance evaluation of the hot water layer is conducted by a computational fluid dynamics technique. According to the results of the prediction the hot water layer is formed well about 1.5 m thick, and can suppress the flows containing radioactive matters ascending from the neighbor of the reactor

Stabilizing nanostructured solid oxide fuel cell cathode with atomic layer deposition.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Yunhui; Palacio, Diego; Song, Xueyan; Patel, Rajankumar L; Liang, Xinhua; Zhao, Xuan; Goodenough, John B; Huang, Kevin

2013-09-11

We demonstrate that the highly active but unstable nanostructured intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell cathode, La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-δ (LSCo), can retain its high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity with exceptional stability for 4000 h at 700 °C by overcoating its surfaces with a conformal layer of nanoscale ZrO2 films through atomic layer deposition (ALD). The benefits from the presence of the nanoscale ALD-ZrO2 overcoats are remarkable: a factor of 19 and 18 reduction in polarization area-specific resistance and degradation rate over the pristine sample, respectively. The unique multifunctionality of the ALD-derived nanoscaled ZrO2 overcoats, that is, possessing porosity for O2 access to LSCo, conducting both electrons and oxide-ions, confining thermal growth of LSCo nanoparticles, and suppressing surface Sr-segregation is deemed the key enabler for the observed stable and active nanostructured cathode.

A study on water infiltration barriers with compacted layered soils

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Umeda, Y.; Komori, K.; Fujiwara, A.

1993-01-01

In shallow-ground disposal of low-level radioactive wastes, water movements due to natural processes in the soil covering the disposal facility must be properly controlled. A capillary barrier with compacted layered soils can provide an effective means of controlling water movement in the soil covering placed on a low-level radioactive waste disposal facility. An experiment was performed to determine the effectiveness of a full-scale fill as a capillary barrier. The fill used in the experiment was constructed of compacted layers of clay, fine sand, and gravel. Man-made rain was caused to fall on the surfaces of the fill to observe the infiltration of rainwater into the fill and to measure the amount of water drained from within. The experiment established the effectiveness of the capillary barrier

Biochars impact on water infiltration and water quality through a compacted subsoil layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Novak, Jeff; Sigua, Gilbert; Watts, Don; Cantrell, Keri; Shumaker, Paul; Szogi, Ariel; Johnson, Mark G; Spokas, Kurt

2016-01-01

Soils in the SE USA Coastal Plain region frequently have a compacted subsoil layer (E horizon), which is a barrier for water infiltration. Four different biochars were evaluated to increase water infiltration through a compacted horizon from a Norfolk soil (fine-loamy, kaolinitic, thermic, Typic Kandiudult). In addition, we also evaluated biochars effect on water quality. Biochars were produced by pyrolysis at 500 °C from pine chips (Pinus taeda), poultry litter (Gallus domesticus) feedstocks, and as blends (50:50 and 80:20) of pine chip:poultry litter. Prior to pyrolysis, the feedstocks were pelletized and sieved to >2-mm pellets. Each biochar was mixed with the subsoil at 20 g/kg (w/w) and the mixture was placed in columns. The columns were leached four times with Milli-Q water over 128 d of incubation. Except for the biochar produced from poultry litter, all other applied biochars resulted in significant water infiltration increases (0.157-0.219 mL min(-1); pwater infiltration in each treatment were influenced by additional water leaching. Leachates were enriched in PO4, SO4, Cl, Na, and K after addition of poultry litter biochar, however, their concentrations declined in pine chip blended biochar treatments and after multiple leaching. Adding biochars (except 100% poultry litter biochar) to a compacted subsoil layer can initially improve water infiltration, but, additional leaching revealed that the effect remained only for the 50:50 pine chip:poultry litter blended biochar while it declined in other biochar treatments. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Surfactant-free carnauba wax dispersion and its use for layer-by-layer assembled protective surface coatings on wood

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lozhechnikova, Alina; Bellanger, Hervé; Michen, Benjamin; Burgert, Ingo; Österberg, Monika

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A facile sonication route to produce aqueous wax dispersions is developed. • The wax dispersion is naturally stable and free of surfactants or stabilizers. • Wax and ZnO particles are coated onto wood using layer-by-layer assembly. • The coating brings superhydrophobicity while preserving moisture buffering. • ZnO improves the color stability of wood to UV light. - Abstract: Protection from liquid water and UV radiation are equally important, and a sophisticated approach is needed when developing surface coatings that preserve the natural and well-appreciated aesthetic appearance of wood. In order to prevent degradation and prolong the service life of timber, a protective coating was assembled using carnauba wax particles and zinc oxide nanoparticles via layer-by-layer deposition in water. For this purpose, a facile sonication route was developed to produce aqueous wax dispersion without any surfactants or stabilizers. The suspension was stable above pH 4 due to the electrostatic repulsion between the negatively charged wax particles. The particle size could be controlled by the initial wax concentration with average particle sizes ranging from 260 to 360 nm for 1 and 10 g/L, respectively. The deposition of wax particles onto the surface of spruce wood introduced additional roughness to the wood surface at micron level, while zinc oxide provided nano roughness and UV-absorbing properties. In addition to making wood superhydrophobic, this novel multilayer coating enhanced the natural moisture buffering capability of spruce. Moreover, wood surfaces prepared in this fashion showed a significant reduction in color change after exposure to UV light. A degradation of the wax through photocatalytic activity of the ZnO particles was measured by FTIR, indicating that further studies are required to achieve long-term stability. Nevertheless, the developed coating showed a unique combination of superhydrophobicity and excellent moisture buffering

Surfactant-free carnauba wax dispersion and its use for layer-by-layer assembled protective surface coatings on wood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lozhechnikova, Alina [Department of Forest Products Technology, School of Chemical Technology, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076, Aalto (Finland); Bellanger, Hervé; Michen, Benjamin; Burgert, Ingo [Institute for Building Materials (IfB), Wood Materials Science, ETH Zürich, Stefano-Franscini-Platz 3, 8093 Zürich (Switzerland); Applied Wood Materials Laboratory, Empa − Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Testing and Research, 8600 Dübendorf (Switzerland); Österberg, Monika, E-mail: monika.osterberg@aalto.fi [Department of Forest Products Technology, School of Chemical Technology, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16300, FI-00076, Aalto (Finland)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • A facile sonication route to produce aqueous wax dispersions is developed. • The wax dispersion is naturally stable and free of surfactants or stabilizers. • Wax and ZnO particles are coated onto wood using layer-by-layer assembly. • The coating brings superhydrophobicity while preserving moisture buffering. • ZnO improves the color stability of wood to UV light. - Abstract: Protection from liquid water and UV radiation are equally important, and a sophisticated approach is needed when developing surface coatings that preserve the natural and well-appreciated aesthetic appearance of wood. In order to prevent degradation and prolong the service life of timber, a protective coating was assembled using carnauba wax particles and zinc oxide nanoparticles via layer-by-layer deposition in water. For this purpose, a facile sonication route was developed to produce aqueous wax dispersion without any surfactants or stabilizers. The suspension was stable above pH 4 due to the electrostatic repulsion between the negatively charged wax particles. The particle size could be controlled by the initial wax concentration with average particle sizes ranging from 260 to 360 nm for 1 and 10 g/L, respectively. The deposition of wax particles onto the surface of spruce wood introduced additional roughness to the wood surface at micron level, while zinc oxide provided nano roughness and UV-absorbing properties. In addition to making wood superhydrophobic, this novel multilayer coating enhanced the natural moisture buffering capability of spruce. Moreover, wood surfaces prepared in this fashion showed a significant reduction in color change after exposure to UV light. A degradation of the wax through photocatalytic activity of the ZnO particles was measured by FTIR, indicating that further studies are required to achieve long-term stability. Nevertheless, the developed coating showed a unique combination of superhydrophobicity and excellent moisture buffering

Nonlinear fluid dynamics of nanoscale hydration water layer

Science.gov (United States)

Jhe, Wonho; Kim, Bongsu; Kim, Qhwan; An, Sangmin

In nature, the hydration water layer (HWL) ubiquitously exists in ambient conditions or aqueous solutions, where water molecules are tightly bound to ions or hydrophilic surfaces. It plays an important role in various mechanisms such as biological processes, abiotic materials, colloidal interaction, and friction. The HWL, for example, can be easily formed between biomaterials since most biomaterials are covered by hydrophilic molecules such as lipid bilayers, and this HWL is expected to be significant to biological and physiological functions. Here (1) we present the general stress tensor of the hydration water layer. The hydration stress tensor provided the platform form for holistic understanding of the dynamic behaviors of the confined HWL including tapping and shear dynamics which are until now individually studied. And, (2) through fast shear velocity ( 1mm/s) experiments, the elastic turbulence caused by elastic property of the HWL is indirectly observed. Our results may contribute to a deeper study of systems where the HWL plays an important role such as biomolecules, colloidal particles, and the MEMS. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) Grant funded by the Korea government(MSIP) (2016R1A3B1908660).

Development of Low-Toxicity Wastewater Stabilization for Spacecraft Water Recovery Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Adam, Niklas; Mitchell, Julie; Pickering, Karen; Carrier, Chris; Vega, Letty; Muirhead, Dean

2014-01-01

Wastewater stabilization was an essential component of the spacecraft water cycle. The purpose of stabilizing wastewater was two-fold. First, stabilization prevents the breakdown of urea into ammonia, a toxic gas at high concentrations. Second, it prevents the growth of microorganisms, thereby mitigating hardware and water quality issues due to due biofilm and planktonic growth. Current stabilization techniques involve oxidizers and strong acids (pH=2) such as chromic and sulfuric acid, which are highly toxic and pose a risk to crew health. The purpose of this effort was to explore less toxic stabilization techniques, such as food-grade and commercial care preservatives. Additionally, certain preservatives were tested in the presence of a low-toxicity organic acid. Triplicate 300-mL volumes of urine were dosed with a predetermined quantity of stabilizer and stored for two weeks. During that time, pH, total organic carbon (TOC), ammonia, and turbidity were monitored. Those preservatives that showed the lowest visible microbial growth and stable pH were further tested in a six-month stability study. The results of the six-month study are also included in this paper.

Transient Growth Analysis of Compressible Boundary Layers with Parabolized Stability Equations

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes, Pedro; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Li, Fei; Chang, Chau-Lyan

2016-01-01

The linear form of parabolized linear stability equations (PSE) is used in a variational approach to extend the previous body of results for the optimal, non-modal disturbance growth in boundary layer flows. This methodology includes the non-parallel effects associated with the spatial development of boundary layer flows. As noted in literature, the optimal initial disturbances correspond to steady counter-rotating stream-wise vortices, which subsequently lead to the formation of stream-wise-elongated structures, i.e., streaks, via a lift-up effect. The parameter space for optimal growth is extended to the hypersonic Mach number regime without any high enthalpy effects, and the effect of wall cooling is studied with particular emphasis on the role of the initial disturbance location and the value of the span-wise wavenumber that leads to the maximum energy growth up to a specified location. Unlike previous predictions that used a basic state obtained from a self-similar solution to the boundary layer equations, mean flow solutions based on the full Navier-Stokes (NS) equations are used in select cases to help account for the viscous-inviscid interaction near the leading edge of the plate and also for the weak shock wave emanating from that region. These differences in the base flow lead to an increasing reduction with Mach number in the magnitude of optimal growth relative to the predictions based on self-similar mean-flow approximation. Finally, the maximum optimal energy gain for the favorable pressure gradient boundary layer near a planar stagnation point is found to be substantially weaker than that in a zero pressure gradient Blasius boundary layer.

Performance on Water Stability of Cement-Foamed Asphalt Cold Recycled Mixture

OpenAIRE

Li Junxiao; Fu Wei; Zang Hechao

2018-01-01

Through designing the mixture proportion of foamed asphalt cold in-place recycled mixture combined with the water stability experiment, it shows that the addition of cement can obviously improve foamed asphalt mixture’s water stability and the best cement admixture is between 1% ~ 2%; Using digital imaging microscope and SEM technology, the mechanism of increasing on the intensity of foamed asphalt mixture resulted by adding cement was analyzed. It revealed that the cement hydration products ...

Boundary layer stability on a yawed spinning body of revolution and its effect on the magnus force and moment

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobson, I. D.; Morton, J. B.

1972-01-01

The parameters are established which are important to the stability of a boundary layer flow over a yawed spinning cylinder in a uniform stream. It is shown that transition occurs asymmetrically in general and this asymmetry can be important for the prediction of aerodynamic forces and moments (e.g., the Magnus effect). Instability of the steady-state boundary layer flow is determined using small disturbance theory. Although the approach is strictly valid only for the calculation of the conditions for stability in the small, experimental data indicate that in many problems, it provides a good estimate for the transition to turbulence.

Low cost fuel cell diffusion layer configured for optimized anode water management

Science.gov (United States)

Owejan, Jon P; Nicotera, Paul D; Mench, Matthew M; Evans, Robert E

2013-08-27

A fuel cell comprises a cathode gas diffusion layer, a cathode catalyst layer, an anode gas diffusion layer, an anode catalyst layer and an electrolyte. The diffusion resistance of the anode gas diffusion layer when operated with anode fuel is higher than the diffusion resistance of the cathode gas diffusion layer. The anode gas diffusion layer may comprise filler particles having in-plane platelet geometries and be made of lower cost materials and manufacturing processes than currently available commercial carbon fiber substrates. The diffusion resistance difference between the anode gas diffusion layer and the cathode gas diffusion layer may allow for passive water balance control.

Influence of Saharan dust outbreaks and atmospheric stability upon vertical profiles of size-segregated aerosols and water vapor

Science.gov (United States)

Giménez, Joaquín; Pastor, Carlos; Castañer, Ramón; Nicolás, José; Crespo, Javier; Carratalá, Adoración

2010-01-01

Vertical profiles of aerosols and meteorological parameters were obtained using a hot air balloon and motorized paraglider. They were studied under anticyclonic conditions in four different contexts. Three flights occurred near sunrise, and one took place in the central hours of the day. The effects of North African dust intrusions were analyzed, whose entrance to the study area took place above the Stable Boundary Layer (SBL) in flight 1 and below it in flight 2. These flights have been compared with a non-intrusion situation (flight 3). A fourth flight characterized the profiles in the central hours of the day with a well-formed Convective Boundary Layer (CBL). With respect to the particle number distribution, the results show that not all sizes increase within the presence of an intrusion; during the first flight the smallest particles were not affected. The particle sizes affected in the second flight fell within the 0.35-2.5 μm interval. Under situations of convective dynamics, the reduction percentage of the particle number concentration reduces with increasing altitude, independently of their size, with respect to stability conditions. The negative vertical gradient for aerosols and water vapor, characteristic of a highly stable SBL (flight 3) becomes a constant profile within a CBL (flight 4). There are two situations that seem to alter the negative vertical gradient of the water vapor mixing ratio within the SBL: the presence of an intrusion and the possible stratification of the SBL based on different degrees of stability.

Ultra-thin fluoropolymer buffer layer as an anode stabilizer of organic light emitting devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Nam Chul; Lee, Jaeho; Song, Myung-Won; Ahn, Nari; Kim, Mu-Hyun; Lee, Songtaek; Chin, Byung Doo

2007-01-01

We have investigated the effect of thin fluoro-acrylic polymer as an anode stabilizer on the lifetime of an organic light emitting device (OLED). Surface chemical properties of commercial fluoropolymer, FC-722 (Fluorad(TM) of 3M), on indium-tin oxide (ITO) were characterized by x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. An OLED with 1 nm thick fluoropolymeric film showed identical brightness and efficiency behaviour and improved operational stability compared with the reference device with UV-O 3 treated ITO. The improvement in the lifetime was accompanied by the suppression of the voltage increase at the initial stage of constant-current driving, which can be attributed to the action of the FC-722 layer by smoothing the ITO surface. Fluoropolymer coating, therefore, improves the lifetime of the small molecular OLED by the simple and reliable anode-stabilizing process

Convective and global stability analysis of a Mach 5.8 boundary layer grazing a compliant surface

Science.gov (United States)

Dettenrieder, Fabian; Bodony, Daniel

2016-11-01

Boundary layer transition on high-speed vehicles is expected to be affected by unsteady surface compliance. The stability properties of a Mach 5.8 zero-pressure-gradient laminar boundary layer grazing a nominally-flat thermo-mechanically compliant panel is considered. The linearized compressible Navier-Stokes equations describe small amplitude disturbances in the fluid while the panel deformations are described by the Kirchhoff-Love plate equation and its thermal state by the transient heat equation. Compatibility conditions that couple disturbances in the fluid to those in the solid yield simple algebraic and robin boundary conditions for the velocity and thermal states, respectively. A local convective stability analysis shows that the panel can modify both the first and second Mack modes when, for metallic-like panels, the panel thickness exceeds the lengthscale δ99 Rex- 0 . 5 . A global stability analysis, which permits finite panel lengths with clamped-clamped boundary conditions, shows a rich eigenvalue spectrum with several branches. Unstable modes are found with streamwise-growing panel deformations leading to Mach wave-type radiation. Stable global modes are also found and have distinctly different panel modes but similar radiation patterns. Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Stability indicating high performance thin-layer chromatographic method for simultaneous estimation of pantoprazole sodium and itopride hydrochloride in combined dosage form

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepak Bageshwar

2011-11-01

Full Text Available A specific, precise and stability indicating high-performance thin-layer chromatographic method for simultaneous estimation of pantoprazole sodium and itopride hydrochloride in pharmaceutical formulations was developed and validated. The method employed TLC aluminium plates precoated with silica gel 60F254 as the stationary phase. The solvent system consisted of methanol:water:ammonium acetate; 4.0:1.0:0.5 (v/v/v. This system was found to give compact and dense spots for both itopride hydrochloride (Rf value of 0.55±0.02 and pantoprazole sodium (Rf value of 0.85±0.04. Densitometric analysis of both drugs was carried out in the reflectance–absorbance mode at 289 nm. The linear regression analysis data for the calibration plots showed a good linear relationship with R2=0.9988±0.0012 in the concentration range of 100–400 ng for pantoprazole sodium. Also, the linear regression analysis data for the calibration plots showed a good linear relationship with R2=0.9990±0.0008 in the concentration range of 200–1200 ng for itopride hydrochloride. The method was validated for specificity, precision, robustness and recovery. Statistical analysis proves that the method is repeatable and selective for the estimation of both the said drugs. As the method could effectively separate the drug from its degradation products, it can be employed as a stability indicating method. Keywords: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD, Itopride hydrochloride, Pantoprazole sodium, High performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC, Stability indicating, Forced degradation

The effect of small streamwise velocity distortion on the boundary layer flow over a thin flat plate with application to boundary layer stability theory

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, M. E.; Leib, S. J.; Cowley, S. J.

1990-01-01

Researchers show how an initially linear spanwise disturbance in the free stream velocity field is amplified by leading edge bluntness effects and ultimately leads to a small amplitude but linear spanwise motion far downstream from the edge. This spanwise motion is imposed on the boundary layer flow and ultimately causes an order-one change in its profile shape. The modified profiles are highly unstable and can support Tollmein-Schlichting wave growth well upstream of the theoretical lower branch of the neutral stability curve for a Blasius boundary layer.

Thermodynamical effects accompanied freezing of two water layers separated by sea ice sheet

Science.gov (United States)

Bogorodsky, Petr; Marchenko, Aleksey

2014-05-01

The process of melt pond freezing is very important for generation of sea ice cover thermodynamic and mass balance during winterperiod. However, due to significant difficulties of field measurements the available data of model estimations still have no instrumental confirmation. In May 2009 the authors carried out laboratory experiment on freezing of limited water volume in the University Centre in Svalbard ice tank. In the course of experiment fresh water layer of 27.5 cm thickness at freezing point poured on the 24 cm sea ice layer was cooled during 50 hours at the temperature -10º C and then once again during 60 hours at -20º C. For revealing process typical characteristics the data of continuous measurements of temperature and salinity in different phases were compared with data of numerical computations obtained with thermodynamic model which was formulated in the frames of 1-D equation system (infinite extension of water freezing layer) and adapted to laboratory conditions. The known surprise of the experiment became proximity of calculated and measured estimates of process dynamics that confirmed the adequacy of the problem mathematical statement (excluding probably process finale stage). This effect can be explained by formation of cracks on the upper layer of ice at sharp decreases of air temperature, which temporary compensated hydrostatic pressure growth during freezing of closed water volume. Another compensated mechanism can be migration of brine through the lower layer of ice under influence of vertical pressure gradient and also rejection of gas dissolved in water which increased its compressibility. During 110 hours cooling thickness of water layer between ice layers reduced approximately to 2 cm. According to computations this layer is not chilled completely but keeps as thin brine interlayer within ice body whose thickness (about units of mm) is determined by temperature fluctuations of cooled surface. Nevertheless, despite good coincidence of

Spinel-structured surface layers for facile Li ion transport and improved chemical stability of lithium manganese oxide spinel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hae Ri [Center for Energy Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Science Technology, Hwarang-ro 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of); Seo, Hyo Ree; Lee, Boeun; Cho, Byung Won [Center for Energy Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Science Technology, Hwarang-ro 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Kwan-Young [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Korea University, 145, Anam-ro, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Si Hyoung, E-mail: sho74@kist.re.kr [Center for Energy Convergence Research, Korea Institute of Science Technology, Hwarang-ro 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of)

2017-01-15

Graphical abstract: Strategically-designed spinel-structured nano-scale surface layer, LiM{sub x}Mn{sup IV}{sub 1−x}O{sub 4}, featuring a high Li{sup +} ion conductivity and a good chemical stability was applied on Al-doped LiMn{sub 2}O{sub 4} spinel for the drastic improvement of the electrochemical performance at the elevated temperature as a promising cathode material for lithium rechargeable batteries. - Highlights: • Spinel-structured surface layer with a high Li-ion conductivity and a good chemical stability was prepared. • Simple wet process was developed to apply nano-scale surface layer on aluminum doped lithium manganese oxide spinel. • The properties of nano-scale surface layer were characterized by analytical tools including GITT, HR-TEM and XAS. • Materials with surface coating layer exhibit an excellent electrochemical performance at the elevated temperature. - Abstract: Li-ion conducting spinel-structured oxide layer with a manganese oxidation state close to being tetravalent was prepared on aluminum-doped lithium manganese oxide spinel for improving the electrochemical performances at the elevated temperatures. This nanoscale surface layer provides a good ionic conduction path for lithium ion transport to the core and also serves as an excellent chemical barrier for protecting the high-capacity core material from manganese dissolution into the electrolyte. In this work, a simple wet process was employed to prepare thin LiAlMnO{sub 4} and LiMg{sub 0.5}Mn{sub 1.5}O{sub 4} layers on the surface of LiAl{sub 0.1}Mn{sub 1.9}O{sub 4}. X-ray absorption studies revealed an oxidation state close to tetravalent manganese on the surface layer of coated materials. Materials with these surface coating layers exhibited excellent capacity retentions superior to the bare material, without undermining the lithium ion transport characteristics and the high rate performances.

Water desalination with a single-layer MoS2 nanopore

OpenAIRE

Heiranian, Mohammad; Farimani, Amir Barati; Aluru, Narayana R.

2015-01-01

Efficient desalination of water continues to be a problem facing the society. Advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of a variety of nanoporous membranes for water purification. Here we show, by performing molecular dynamics simulations, that a nanopore in a single-layer molybdenum disulfide can effectively reject ions and allow transport of water at a high rate. More than 88% of ions are rejected by membranes having pore areas ranging from 20 to 60??2. Water flux is found to ...

Study of shifting of recombination zone in multi-emissive layer organic light emitting devices and its effect on color stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyagi, Priyanka; Srivastava, Ritu; Kumar, Arunandan; Tuli, Suneet; Kamalasanan, M.N.

2013-01-01

Color stability in multi-emissive layer organic light emitting devices (Me-OLEDs) has been investigated. Me-OLEDs were based on multiple emitters with a common host CBP doped with three dopants, BCzVBi, Ir(ppy) 3 and Ir(btp) 2 acac for blue, green and red emission. A major variation in CIE coordinates were found from (0.312, 0.294) to (0.236, 0.267) with increase in voltage from 6 to 9 V. This coordinate shift in Me-OLEDs has been attributed to the shifting of recombination zone with increase in voltage. In order to support our experimental observation, the EL spectrum of Me-OLEDs has been expressed as a linear combination of EL intensities of OLEDs with its individual constituting layers as emitters. In this way, the contribution of each layer in the EL spectrum of Me-OLEDs has been evaluated at each voltage. It has been observed from these calculations that the contribution of red emitter decreases from 47% to 33.33% and blue emitter increases from 38% to 51.67% with the increase in voltage from 6 to 9 V. This supports our hypothesis of shifting of recombination zone with the change in voltage. This shifting has been attributed to the field dependency of electron mobility in CBP. Me-OLED with CBP layers between the emitters was fabricated to improve the color stability. Significant improvement in color stability was achieved without changes in current efficiency in Me-OLED with interlayers. Highlights: ► Me-OLEDs have been fabricated by using three primary colors (RGB). ► CIE coordinates of these Me-OLEDs were voltage dependent. ► Analytical fitting has been performed to study the shifting of recombination zone. ► CBP interlayers have been introduced to improve the color stability. ► Color stability has been improved without any change in current efficiency

Interfacial Layer Engineering for Performance Enhancement in Polymer Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Zeng

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Improving power conversion efficiency and device performance stability is the most critical challenge in polymer solar cells for fulfilling their applications in industry at large scale. Various methodologies have been developed for realizing this goal, among them interfacial layer engineering has shown great success, which can optimize the electrical contacts between active layers and electrodes and lead to enhanced charge transport and collection. Interfacial layers also show profound impacts on light absorption and optical distribution of solar irradiation in the active layer and film morphology of the subsequently deposited active layer due to the accompanied surface energy change. Interfacial layer engineering enables the use of high work function metal electrodes without sacrificing device performance, which in combination with the favored kinetic barriers against water and oxygen penetration leads to polymer solar cells with enhanced performance stability. This review provides an overview of the recent progress of different types of interfacial layer materials, including polymers, small molecules, graphene oxides, fullerene derivatives, and metal oxides. Device performance enhancement of the resulting solar cells will be elucidated and the function and operation mechanism of the interfacial layers will be discussed.

Incorporating an Electrode Modification Layer with a Vertical Phase Separated Photoactive Layer for Efficient and Stable Inverted Nonfullerene Polymer Solar Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Zhenzhen; Liu, Hao; Wang, Yaping; Li, Jinyan; Bai, Yiming; Wang, Fuzhi; Bian, Xingming; Hayat, Tasawar; Alsaedi, Ahmed; Tan, Zhan'ao

2017-12-20

For bulk heterojunction polymer solar cells (PSCs), the donors and acceptors featuring specific phase separation and concentration distribution within the electron donor/acceptor blends crucially affect the exciton dissociation and charge transportation. Herein, efficient and stable nonfullerene inverted PSCs incorporating a phase separated photoactive layer and a titanium chelate electrode modification layer are demonstrated. Water contact angle (WCA), scanning kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques are implemented to characterize the morphology of photoactive layers. Compared with the control conventional device, the short-circuit current density (J sc ) is enhanced from 14.74 to 17.45 mAcm -2 . The power conversion efficiency (PCE) for the inverted PSCs with a titanium (diisopropoxide)-bis-(2,4-pentanedionate) (TIPD) layer increases from 9.67% to 11.69% benefiting from the declined exciton recombination and fairly enhanced charge transportation. Furthermore, the nonencapsulated inverted device with a TIPD layer demonstrates the best long-term stability, 85% of initial PCE remaining and an almost undecayed open-circuit voltage (V oc ) after 1440 h. Our results reveal that the titanium chelate is an excellent electrode modification layer to incorporate with a vertical phase separated photoactive layer for producing high-efficiency and high-stability inverted nonfullerene PSCs.

Identifying the effects of parameter uncertainty on the reliability of modeling the stability of overhanging, multi-layered, river banks

Science.gov (United States)

Samadi, A.; Amiri-Tokaldany, E.; Davoudi, M. H.; Darby, S. E.

2011-11-01

Composite river banks consist of a basal layer of non-cohesive material overlain by a cohesive layer of fine-grained material. In such banks, fluvial erosion of the lower, non-cohesive, layer typically occurs at a much higher rate than erosion of the upper part of the bank. Consequently, such banks normally develop a cantilevered bank profile, with bank retreat of the upper part of the bank taking place predominantly by the failure of these cantilevers. To predict the undesirable impacts of this type of bank retreat, a number of bank stability models have been presented in the literature. These models typically express bank stability by defining a factor of safety as the ratio of resisting and driving forces acting on the incipient failure block. These forces are affected by a range of controlling factors that include such aspects as the overhanging block geometry, and the geotechnical properties of the bank materials. In this paper, we introduce a new bank stability relation (for shear-type cantilever failures) that considers the hydrological status of cantilevered riverbanks, while beam-type failures are analyzed using a previously proposed relation. We employ these stability models to evaluate the effects of parameter uncertainty on the reliability of riverbank stability modeling of overhanging banks. This is achieved by employing a simple model of overhanging failure with respect to shear and beam failure mechanisms in a series of sensitivity tests and Monte Carlo analyses to identify, for each model parameter, the range of values that induce significant changes in the simulated factor of safety. The results show that care is required in parameterising (i) the geometrical shape of the overhanging-block and (ii) the bank material cohesion and unit weight, as predictions of bank stability are sensitive to variations of these factors.

Central-Upwind Schemes for Two-Layer Shallow Water Equations

KAUST Repository

Kurganov, Alexander

2009-01-01

We derive a second-order semidiscrete central-upwind scheme for one- and two-dimensional systems of two-layer shallow water equations. We prove that the presented scheme is well-balanced in the sense that stationary steady-state solutions are exactly preserved by the scheme and positivity preserving; that is, the depth of each fluid layer is guaranteed to be nonnegative. We also propose a new technique for the treatment of the nonconservative products describing the momentum exchange between the layers. The performance of the proposed method is illustrated on a number of numerical examples, in which we successfully capture (quasi) steady-state solutions and propagating interfaces. © 2009 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics.

Enhancement of efficiency and stability of phosphorescent OLEDs based on heterostructured light-emitting layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chin, Byung Doo, E-mail: bdchin@dankook.ac.kr [Department of Polymer Science and Engineering and Center for Photofunctional Energy Materials, Dankook University, Jukjeon-dong, Suji-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 448-701 (Korea, Republic of)

2011-03-23

The light-emitting efficiency and stability of a phosphorescent organic light-emitting device (OLED), whose emission characteristics are strongly dominated not only by the energy transfer but also by the charge carrier trapping influenced by heterostructured emissive layers, are studied. The variation of the material combination of the heterostructured emitter, both for mixed and double layer configuration, affects the charge injection behaviour, luminous efficiency and stability. Both double and mixed emitter configurations yield low-voltage and high-efficiency behaviour (51 lm W{sup -1} at 1000 cd m{sup -2}; 30 lm W{sup -1} at 10 000 cd m{sup -2}). Such an improvement in power efficiency at elevated brightness is sufficiently universal, while the enhancement of device half-lifetime is rather sensitive to the circumstantial layout of heterostructural emitters. With an optimal mixture of hole-transport type and electron-transport type, a half-lifetime of more than 2500 h at 4000 cd m{sup -2} is obtained, which is 8 times the half-lifetime of control devices with a single emitter structure. The origin and criterion for enhancement of efficiency and lifetime are discussed in terms of the carrier transport behaviour with a specific device architecture.

Deposition of yttria stabilized zirconia layer for solid oxide fuel cell by chemical vapor infiltration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

John, John T.; Dubey, Vivekanand; Kain, Vivekanand; Dey, Gautham Kumar; Prakash, Deep

2011-01-01

Free energy associated with a chemical reaction can be converted into electricity, if we can split the reaction into an anodic reaction and a cathodic reaction and carry out the reactions in an electrochemical cell using electrodes that will catalyze the reactions. We also have to use a suitable electrolyte, that serves to isolate the chemical species in the two compartments from getting mixed directly but allow an ion produced in one of the reactions to proceed to the other side and complete the reaction. For this reason cracks and porosity are not tolerated in the electrolyte. First generation solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) uses yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) as the electrolyte. In spite of the fact that several solid electrolytes with higher conductivities at lower temperature are being investigated and developed, 8 mol% yttria stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) is considered to be the most favored electrolyte for the SOFC today. The electrolyte should be present as a thin, impervious layer of uniform thickness with good adherence, chemical and mechanical stability, in between the porous cathode and anode. Efforts to produce the 8YSZ coatings on porous lanthanum strontium manganite tubes by electrochemical vapor deposition (ECVD) have met with unexpected difficulties such as impurity pick up and chemical and mechanical instability of the LSM tubes in the ECVD environment. It was also difficult to keep the chemical composition of the YSZ coating at exactly 8 mol% Yttria in zirconia and to control the coating thickness in tight control. These problems were overcome by a two step deposition process where a YSZ layer of required thickness was produced by electrophoretic coating from an acetyl acetone bath at a voltage of 30-300V DC and sintered at 1300 deg C. The resulting porous YSZ layer was made impervious by chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) by the reaction between a mixture of vapors of YCl 3 and ZrCl 4 and steam at 1300 deg C as in the case of ECVD for a short

Central-Upwind Schemes for Two-Layer Shallow Water Equations

KAUST Repository

Kurganov, Alexander; Petrova, Guergana

2009-01-01

We derive a second-order semidiscrete central-upwind scheme for one- and two-dimensional systems of two-layer shallow water equations. We prove that the presented scheme is well-balanced in the sense that stationary steady-state solutions

Modeling Nitrogen Decrease in Water Lettuce Ponds from Waste Stabilization Ponds

Science.gov (United States)

Putri, Gitta Agnes; Sunarsih

2018-02-01

This paper presents about the dynamic modeling of the Water Lettuce ponds as a form of improvement from the Water Hyacinth ponds. The purpose of this paper is to predict nitrogen decrease and nitrogen transformation in Water Lettuce ponds integrated with Waste Stabilization Ponds. The model consists of 4 mass balances, namely Dissolved Organic Nitrogen (DON), Particulate Organic Nitrogen (PON), ammonium (NH4+), Nitrate and Nitrite (NOx). The process of nitrogen transformation which considered in a Water Lettuce ponds, namely hydrolysis, mineralization, nitrification, denitrification, plant and bacterial uptake processes. Numerical simulations are performed by giving the values of parameters and the initial values of nitrogen compounds based on a review of previous studies. Numerical results show that the rate of change in the concentration of nitrogen compounds in the integration ponds of waste stabilization and water lettuce decreases and reaches stable at different times.

Tensiometry and dilational rheology of mixed β-lactoglobulin/ionic surfactant adsorption layers at water/air and water/hexane interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Dan, Abhijit; Gochev, Georgi; Miller, Reinhard

2015-07-01

Oscillating drop tensiometry was applied to study adsorbed interfacial layers at water/air and water/hexane interfaces formed from mixed solutions of β-lactoglobulin (BLG, 1 μM in 10 mM buffer, pH 7 - negative net charge) and the anionic surfactant SDS or the cationic DoTAB. The interfacial pressure Π and the dilational viscoelasticity modulus |E| of the mixed layers were measured for mixtures of varying surfactant concentrations. The double capillary technique was employed which enables exchange of the protein solution in the drop bulk by surfactant solution (sequential adsorption) or by pure buffer (washing out). The first protocol allows probing the influence of the surfactant on a pre-adsorbed protein layer thus studying the protein/surfactant interactions at the interface. The second protocol gives access to the residual values of Π and |E| measured after the washing out procedure thus bringing information about the process of protein desorption. The DoTAB/BLG complexes exhibit higher surface activity and higher resistance to desorption in comparison with those for the SDS/BLG complexes due to hydrophobization via electrostatic binding of surfactant molecules. The neutral DoTAB/BLG complexes achieve maximum elastic response of the mixed layer. Mixed BLG/surfactant layers at the water/oil interface are found to reach higher surface pressure and lower maximum dilational elasticity than those at the water/air surface. The sequential adsorption mode experiments and the desorption study reveal that binding of DoTAB to pre-adsorbed BLG globules is somehow restricted at the water/air surface in comparison with the case of complex formation in the solution bulk and subsequently adsorbed at the water/air surface. Maximum elasticity is achieved with washed out layers obtained after simultaneous adsorption, i.e. isolation of the most surface active DoTAB/BLG complex. These specific effects are much less pronounced at the W/H interface. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc

Preparation of silica stabilized biological templates for the production of metal and layered nanoparticles

Science.gov (United States)

Culver, James N; Royston, Elizabeth; Brown, Adam; Harris, Michael

2013-02-26

The present invention relates to a system and method providing for increased silica growth on a bio-template, wherein the bio-template is pretreated with aniline to produce a uniform silica attractive surface and yielding a significant silica layers of at least 10 nm, and more preferably at least 20 nm in thickness, thereby providing for a high degree of stability to the bio-template.

Stabilizing local boundary conditions for two-dimensional shallow water equations

KAUST Repository

Dia, Ben Mansour

2018-03-27

In this article, we present a sub-critical two-dimensional shallow water flow regulation. From the energy estimate of a set of one-dimensional boundary stabilization problems, we obtain a set of polynomial equations with respect to the boundary values as a requirement for the energy decrease. Using the Riemann invariant analysis, we build stabilizing local boundary conditions that guarantee the stability of the hydrodynamical state around a given steady state. Numerical results for the controller applied to the nonlinear problem demonstrate the performance of the method.

Conductometric method for determining water stability and nutrient leaching of extruded fish feed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Banjac Vojislav V.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Water stability of eight samples of extruded salmon feeds was first determined by applying two gravimetric methods developed by the authors: gravimetric static and wet sieving method. Then, the conductometric method, primarily developed for investigation of nutrient leaching of feed into the water by the authors, was used for each sample. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of the conductometric measurement as a technique for determining water stability of extruded fish feed. In order to find any correlation between the results of two gravimetric tests and conductometric method, correlation analysis was employed. The results of static and wet sieving method were expressed as water stability index, which was expressed as the percent of remained dry matter of sample after being disintegrated in the water. The results of conductometric method were shown as conductivity curves for each sample, giving the insight in rate of nutrient leaching during the time. The obtained values of water conductivity showed no significant (p < 0.05 correlation with the results of static water method, while there was a negative significant (p < 0.05 correlation with the results of wet sieving method during first four hours of pellets soaking in water. The highest correlation coefficients were obtained within the first hour of conductivity measurement, demonstrating that proposed conductometric method had a potential to be applied as a rapid and simple method for determination and relative comparison of salmon feed water stability.[ Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III46012 and Grant no. TR31011

Steady state and linear stability analysis of a supercritical water natural circulation loop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, Manish; Pilkhwal, D.S.; Vijayan, P.K.; Saha, D.; Sinha, R.K.

2010-01-01

Supercritical water (SCW) has excellent heat transfer characteristics as a coolant for nuclear reactors. Besides it results in high thermal efficiency of the plant. However, the flow can experience instabilities in supercritical water reactors, as the density change is very large for the supercritical fluids. A computer code SUCLIN using supercritical water properties has been developed to carry out the steady state and linear stability analysis of a SCW natural circulation loop. The conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy have been linearized by imposing small perturbation in flow rate, enthalpy, pressure and specific volume. The equations have been solved analytically to generate the characteristic equation. The roots of the equation determine the stability of the system. The code has been qualitatively assessed with published results and has been extensively used for studying the effect of diameter, height, heater inlet temperature, pressure and local loss coefficients on steady state and stability behavior of a Supercritical Water Natural Circulation Loop (SCWNCL). The present paper describes the linear stability analysis model and the results obtained in detail.

Formulation and stability of topical water in oil emulsion containing ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To formulate the water in oil (W/O) emulsion of corn silk (CS) extract and to evaluate its stability at various storage conditions. Methods: Ethanol CS extract was prepared using maceration (cold) technique. A 4 % CS emulsion was prepared using varying concentrations of liquid paraffin, ABIL EM90 and water.

Behavior of tungsten carbide in water stabilized plasma

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Brožek, Vlastimil; Matějíček, Jiří; Neufuss, Karel

2007-01-01

Roč. 7, č. 4 (2007), s. 213-220 ISSN 1335-8987 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA104/05/0540 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20430508 Keywords : water stabilized plasma * tungsten carbide * tungsten hemicarbide * decarburization Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics

Surface potential of methyl isobutyl carbinol adsorption layer at the air/water interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Phan, Chi M; Nakahara, Hiromichi; Shibata, Osamu; Moroi, Yoshikiyo; Le, Thu N; Ang, Ha M

2012-01-26

The surface potential (ΔV) and surface tension (γ) of MIBC (methyl isobutyl carbinol) were measured on the subphase of pure water and electrolyte solutions (NaCl at 0.02 and 2 M). In contrast to ionic surfactants, it was found that surface potential gradually increased with MIBC concentration. The ΔV curves were strongly influenced by the presence of NaCl. The available model in literature, in which surface potential is linearly proportional to surface excess, failed to describe the experimental data. Consequently, a new model, employing a partial charge of alcohol adsorption layer, was proposed. The new model predicted the experimental data consistently for MIBC in different NaCl solutions. However, the model required additional information for ionic impurity to predict adsorption in the absence of electrolyte. Such inclusion of impurities is, however, unnecessary for industrial applications. The modeling results successfully quantify the influence of electrolytes on surface potential of MIBC, which is critical for froth stability.

Stabilization of Hypersonic Boundary Layers by Linear and Nonlinear Optimal Perturbations

Science.gov (United States)

Paredes, Pedro; Choudhari, Meelan M.; Li, Fei

2017-01-01

The effect of stationary, finite-amplitude, linear and nonlinear optimal perturbations on the modal disturbance growth in a Mach 6 axisymmetric flow over a 7 deg. half-angle cone with 0:126 mm nose radius and 0:305 m length is investigated. The freestream parameters (M = 6, Re(exp 1) = 18 x 10(exp. 6) /m) are selected to match the flow conditions of a previous experiment in the VKI H3 hypersonic tunnel. Plane-marching parabolized stability equations are used in conjunction with a partial-differential equation based planar eigenvalue analysis to characterize the boundary layer instability in the presence of azimuthally periodic streaks. The streaks are observed to stabilize nominally planar Mack mode instabilities, although oblique Mack mode and first-mode disturbances are destabilized. Experimentally measured transition onset in the absence of any streaks correlates with an amplification factor of N = 6 for the planar Mack modes. For high enough streak amplitudes, the transition threshold of N = 6 is not reached by the Mack mode instabilities within the length of the cone; however, subharmonic first-mode instabilities, which are destabilized by the presence of the streaks, do reach N = 6 near the end of the cone. The highest stabilization is observed at streak amplitudes of approximately 20 percent of the freestream velocity. Because the use of initial disturbance profiles based on linear optimal growth theory may yield suboptimal control in the context of nonlinear streaks, the computational predictions are extended to nonlinear optimal growth theory. Results show that by using nonlinearly optimal perturbation leads to slightly enhanced stabilization of plane Mack mode disturbances as well as reduced destabilization of subharmonic first-mode disturbances.

Study on lithium/air secondary batteries - Stability of NASICON-type lithium ion conducting glass-ceramics with water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hasegawa, Satoshi; Imanishi, Nobuyuki; Zhang, Tao; Xie, Jian; Hirano, Atsushi; Takeda, Yasuo; Yamamoto, Osamu [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Mie University, 1577 Kurimamachiya-cho, Tsu, Mie 514-8507 (Japan)

2009-04-01

The water stability of the fast lithium ion conducting glass-ceramic electrolyte, Li{sub 1+x+y}Al{sub x}Ti{sub 2-x}Si{sub y}P{sub 3-y}O{sub 12} (LATP), has been examined in distilled water, and aqueous solutions of LiNO{sub 3}, LiCl, LiOH, and HCl. This glass-ceramics are stable in aqueous LiNO{sub 3} and aqueous LiCl, and unstable in aqueous 0.1 M HCl and 1 M LiOH. In distilled water, the electrical conductivity slightly increases as a function of immersion time in water. The Li-Al/Li{sub 3-x}PO{sub 4-y}N{sub y}/LATP/aqueous 1 M LiCl/Pt cell, where lithium phosphors oxynitrides Li{sub 3-x}PO{sub 4-y}N{sub y} (LiPON) are used to protect the direct reaction of Li and LATP, shows a stable open circuit voltage (OCV) of 3.64 V at 25 C, and no cell resistance change for 1 week. Lithium phosphors oxynitride is effectively used as a protective layer to suppress the reaction between the LATP and Li metal. The water-stable Li/LiPON/LATP system can be used in Li/air secondary batteries with the air electrode containing water. (author)

Harvesting Water from Air: Using Anhydrous Salt with Sunlight

KAUST Repository

Li, Renyuan

2018-04-02

Atmospheric water is abundant alternative water resource, equivalent to 6 times of water in all rivers on Earth. This work screens 14 common anhydrous and hydrated salt couples in terms of their physical and chemical stability, water vapor harvesting and release capacity under relevant application scenarios. Among the salts screened, copper chloride (CuCl2), copper sulfate (CuSO4) and magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) distinguish themselves and are further made into bi-layer water collection devices, with the top layer being photothermal layer while the bottom layer being salt-loaded fibrous membrane. The water collection devices are capable of capturing water vapor out of the air with low relative humidity (down to 15 %) and releasing water under regular and even weakened sunlight (i.e. 0.7 kW/m2). The work shines light on the potential use of anhydrous salt towards producing drinking water in water scarce regions.

Algae separation from urban landscape water using a high density microbubble layer enhanced by micro-flocculation.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shuwen; Xu, Jingcheng; Liu, Jia; Wei, Qiaoling; Li, Guangming; Huang, Xiangfeng

2014-01-01

Eutrophication of raw water results in outbreaks of algae, which hinders conventional water treatment. In this study, high density microbubble layers combined with micro-flocculation was adopted to remove algae from urban landscape water, and the effects of pressure, hydraulic loading, microbubble layer height and flocculation dosage on the removal efficiency for algae were studied. The greatest removal efficiency for algae, chemical oxygen demand, nitrogen and phosphorus was obtained at 0.42 MPa with hydraulic loading at 5 m/h and a flocculation dosage of 4 mg/L using a microbubble layer with a height of 130 cm. Moreover, the size, clearance distance and concentration of microbubbles were found to be affected by pressure and the height of the microbubble layer. Based on the study, this method was an alternative for algae separation from urban landscape water and water purification.

Dynamic Stabilization of Metal Oxide–Water Interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McBriarty, Martin E.; von Rudorff, Guido Falk; Stubbs, Joanne E.; Eng, Peter J.; Blumberger, Jochen; Rosso, Kevin M.

2017-02-08

The interaction of water with metal oxide surfaces plays a crucial role in the catalytic and geochemical behavior of metal oxides. In a vast majority of studies, the interfacial structure is assumed to arise from a relatively static lowest energy configuration of atoms, even at room temperature. Using hematite (α-Fe2O3) as a model oxide, we show through a direct comparison of in situ synchrotron X-ray scattering with density functional theory-based molecular dynamics simulations that the structure of the (1102) termination is dynamically stabilized by picosecond water exchange. Simulations show frequent exchanges between terminal aquo groups and adsorbed water in locations and with partial residence times consistent with experimentally determined atomic sites and fractional occupancies. Frequent water exchange occurs even for an ultrathin adsorbed water film persisting on the surface under a dry atmosphere. The resulting time-averaged interfacial structure consists of a ridged lateral arrangement of adsorbed water molecules hydrogen bonded to terminal aquo groups. Surface pKa prediction based on bond valence analysis suggests that water exchange will influence the proton-transfer reactions underlying the acid/base reactivity at the interface. Our findings provide important new insights for understanding complex interfacial chemical processes at metal oxide–water interfaces.

Hydraulic Properties of Porous Media Saturated with Nanoparticle-Stabilized Air-Water Foam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianglei Zheng

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The foam generated by the mixture of air and water has a much higher viscosity and lower mobility than those of pure water or gas that constitutes the air-water foam. The possibility of using the air-water foam as a flow barrier for the purpose of groundwater and soil remediation is explored in this paper. A nanoparticle-stabilized air-water foam was fabricated by vigorously stirring the nano-fluid in pressurized condition. The foam bubble size distribution was analyzed with a microscope. The viscosities of foams generated with the solutions with several nanoparticle concentrations were measured as a function of time. The breakthrough pressure of foam-saturated microfluidic chips and sand columns were obtained. The hydraulic conductivity of a foam-filled sand column was measured after foam breakthrough. The results show that: (1 bubble coalescence and the Ostwald ripening are believed to be the reason of bubble size distribution change; (2 the viscosity of nanoparticle-stabilized foam and the breakthrough pressures decreased with time once the foam was generated; (3 the hydraulic conductivity of the foam-filled sand column was almost two orders of magnitude lower than that of a water-saturated sand column even after the foam-breakthrough. Based on the results in this study, the nanoparticle-stabilized air-water foam could be injected into contaminated soils to generate vertical barriers for temporary hydraulic conductivity reduction.

Reaction of PFCs in water stabilized plasma

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mastný, L.; Horníček, J.; Živný, Oldřich; Brožek, Vlastimil; Sember, Viktor

2017-01-01

Roč. 13, č. 1 (2017), s. 161 ISSN 1336-7242. [Zjazd chemikov /69./. 11.09.2017-15.09.2017, Horný Smokovec] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GC17-10246J Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : Water stabilized plasma * tetrafluoromethane * corrosion resistance * boron nitride * titanium nitride Subject RIV: BL - Plasma and Gas Discharge Physics OBOR OECD: Fluids and plasma physics (including surface physics)

The role of interfacial water layer in atmospherically relevant charge separation

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharyya, Indrani

Charge separation at interfaces is important in various atmospheric processes, such as thunderstorms, lightning, and sand storms. It also plays a key role in several industrial processes, including ink-jet printing and electrostatic separation. Surprisingly, little is known about the underlying physics of these charging phenomena. Since thin films of water are ubiquitous, they may play a role in these charge separation processes. This talk will focus on the experimental investigation of the role of a water adlayer in interfacial charging, with relevance to meteorologically important phenomena, such as atmospheric charging due to wave actions on oceans and sand storms. An ocean wave generates thousands of bubbles, which upon bursting produce numerous large jet droplets and small film droplets that are charged. In the 1960s, Blanchard showed that the jet droplets are positively charged. However, the charge on the film droplets was not known. We designed an experiment to exclusively measure the charge on film droplets generated by bubble bursting on pure water and aqueous salt solution surfaces. We measured their charge to be negative and proposed a model where a slight excess of hydroxide ions in the interfacial water layer is responsible for generating these negatively charged droplets. The findings from this research led to a better understanding of the ionic disposition at the air-water interface. Sand particles in a wind-blown sand layer, or 'saltation' layer, become charged due to collisions, so much so, that it can cause lightning. Silica, being hydrophilic, is coated with a water layer even under low-humidity conditions. To investigate the importance of this water adlayer in charging the silica surfaces, we performed experiments to measure the charge on silica surfaces due to contact and collision processes. In case of contact charging, the maximum charge separation occurred at an optimum relative humidity. On the contrary, in collisional charging process, no

Dynamic Stabilization of Metal Oxide–Water Interfaces

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McBriarty, Martin E.; von Rudorff, Guido Falk; Stubbs, Joanne; Eng, Peter; Blumberger, Jochen; Rosso, Kevin M.

2017-02-08

Metal oxide growth, dissolution, and redox reactivity depend on the structure and dynamics at the interface with aqueous solution. We present the most definitive analysis to date of the hydrated naturally abundant r-cut (11$\\bar{0}$2) termination of the iron oxide hematite (α-Fe₂O₃). In situ synchrotron X-ray scattering analysis reveals a ridged lateral arrangement of adsorbed water molecules hydrogen bonded to terminal aquo groups. Large-scale hybrid-functional density functional theory-based molecular dynamics (DFT-MD) simulations show how this structure is dynamically stabilized by picosecond exchange between aquo groups and adsorbed water, even under nominally dry conditions. Surface pKa prediction based on bond valence analysis suggests that water exchange may influence the proton transfer reactions associated with acid/base reactivity at the interface. Our findings rectify inconsistencies between existing models and may be extended to resolving more complex electrochemical phenomena at metal oxide-water interfaces.

Photocatalytic property and structural stability of CuAl-based layered double hydroxides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lv, Ming; Liu, Haiqiang

2015-01-01

Three types of CuMAl layered double hydroxides (LDHs, M=Mg, Zn, Ni) were successfully synthesized by coprecipitation. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectrum (UV–vis) were used to confirm the formation of as-synthesized solids with good crystal structure. The photocatalytic activity of those LDH materials for CO 2 reduction under visible light was investigated. The experimental results show that CuNiAl-LDHs with narrowest band gap and largest surface areas behave highest efficiency for methanol generation under visible light compared with CuMgAl-LDHs and CuZnAl-LDHs. The CuNiAL-LDH showed high yield for methanol production i.e. 0.210 mmol/g h, which was high efficient. In addition, the influence of the different M 2+ on the structures and stability of the CuMAl-LDHs was also investigated by analyzing the geometric parameters, electronic arrangement, charge populations, hydrogen-bonding, and binding energies by density functional theory (DFT) analysis. The theoretical calculation results show that the chemical stability of LDH materials followed the order of CuMgAl-LDHs>CuZnAl-LDHs>CuNiAl-LDHs, which is just opposite with the photocatalytic activity and band gaps of three materials. - Graphical abstract: The host–guest calculation models and XRD patterns of CuMAl-LDHs: CuMgAl-LDHs (a), CuZnAl-LDHs (b) and CuNiAl-LDHs (c). - Highlights: • Three types of CuMAl layered double hydroxides (LDHs, M=Mg, Zn, Ni) has been synthesized. • CuMgNi shows narrower band gap and more excellent textural properties than other LDHs. • The band gap: CuMgAlstability and lowest photocatalytic activity, while CuNiAl just opposite

Enhanced stability of thin film transistors with double-stacked amorphous IWO/IWO:N channel layer

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Dong; Pi, Shubin; Yang, Jianwen; Tiwari, Nidhi; Ren, Jinhua; Zhang, Qun; Liu, Po-Tsun; Shieh, Han-Ping

2018-06-01

In this work, bottom-gate top-contact thin film transistors with double-stacked amorphous IWO/IWO:N channel layer were fabricated. Herein, amorphous IWO and N-doped IWO were deposited as front and back channel layers, respectively, by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The electrical characteristics of the bi-layer-channel thin film transistors (TFTs) were examined and compared with those of single-layer-channel (i.e., amorphous IWO or IWO:N) TFTs. It was demonstrated to exhibit a high mobility of 27.2 cm2 V‑1 s‑1 and an on/off current ratio of 107. Compared to the single peers, bi-layer a-IWO/IWO:N TFTs showed smaller hysteresis and higher stability under negative bias stress and negative bias temperature stress. The enhanced performance could be attributed to its unique double-stacked channel configuration, which successfully combined the merits of the TFTs with IWO and IWO:N channels. The underlying IWO thin film provided percolation paths for electron transport, meanwhile, the top IWO:N layer reduced the bulk trap densities. In addition, the IWO channel/gate insulator interface had reduced defects, and IWO:N back channel surface was insensitive to the ambient atmosphere. Overall, the proposed bi-layer a-IWO/IWO:N TFTs show potential for practical applications due to its possibly long-term serviceability.

Numerical simulations and linear stability analysis of a boundary layer developed on wavy surfaces

Science.gov (United States)

Siconolfi, Lorenzo; Camarri, Simone; Fransson, Jens H. M.

2015-11-01

The development of passive methods leading to a laminar to turbulent transition delay in a boundary layer (BL) is a topic of great interest both for applications and academic research. In literature it has been shown that a proper and stable spanwise velocity modulation can reduce the growth rate of Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves and delay transition. In this study, we investigate numerically the possibility of obtaining a stabilizing effect of the TS waves through the use of a spanwise sinusoidal modulation of a flat plate. This type of control has been already successfully investigated experimentally. An extensive set of direct numerical simulations is carried out to study the evolution of a BL flow developed on wavy surfaces with different geometric characteristics, and the results will be presented here. Moreover, since this configuration is characterized by a slowly-varying flow field in streamwise direction, a local stability analysis is applied to define the neutral stability curves for the BL flow controlled by this type of wall modifications. These results give the possibility of investigating this control strategy and understanding the effect of the free parameters on the stabilization mechanism.

The study of stability, combustion characteristics and performance of water in diesel emulsion fuel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Syafiq Zulkifli

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A single cylinder diesel engine study of water in diesel emulsions was conducted to investigate the stability effect of emulsion fuel on three different fuel blends and the water emulsification effect on the engine performance. Emulsified fuels contained 2% of surfactant including Span 80 Tween 80 and tested 10 HLB number. The blends also varied of 5%, 10% and 15% of water in diesel ratios namely as BSW5, BSW10 and BSW15. The fuel blends performance was tested using a single cylinder, direct injection diesel engine, operating at 1860 rpm. The results on stability reveal that high shear homogenizer yields more stability on emulsion fuel than mechanical stirrer and ultrasonic water bath. The engine performance results show that the ignition delay and peak pressure increase with the increment of water percentage up to 15%. However, the results indicate the increment of water percentage is also shows a significant decrease in engine power.

Distinguishing oil and water layers in a cracked porous medium using pulsed neutron logging data based on Hudson's crack theory

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xueang; Yang, Zhichao; Tang, Bin; Wang, Renbo; Wei, Xiong

2018-05-01

During geophysical surveys, water layers may interfere with the detection of oil layers. In order to distinguish between oil and water layers in porous cracked media, research on the properties of the cracks, the oil and water layers, and their relation to pulsed neutron logging characteristics is essential. Using Hudson's crack theory, we simulated oil and water layers in a cracked porous medium with different crack parameters corresponding to the well log responses. We found that, in a cracked medium with medium-angle (40°-50°) cracks, the thermal neutron count peak value is higher and more sensitive than those in low-angle and high-angle crack environments; in addition, the thermal neutron density distribution shows more minimum values than in other cases. Further, the thermal neutron count and the rate of change for the oil layer are greater than those of the water layer, and the time spectrum count peak value for the water layer in middle-high-angle (40°-70°) cracked environments is higher than that of the oil layer. The thermal neutron density distribution sensitivity is higher in the water layer with a range of small crack angles (0°-30°) than in the oil layer with the same range of angles. In comparing the thermal neutron density distribution, thermal neutron count peak, thermal neutron density distribution sensitivity, and time spectrum maximum in the oil and water layers, we find that neutrons in medium-angle (40°-50°) cracked reservoirs are more sensitive to deceleration and absorption than those in water layers; neutrons in approximately horizontal (0°-30°) cracked water layers are more sensitive to deceleration than those in reservoirs. These results can guide future work in the cracked media neutron logging field.

Radiological performance of hot water layer system in open pool type reactor

OpenAIRE

Amr Abdelhady

2013-01-01

The paper presents the calculated dose rate carried out by using MicroShield code to show the importance of hot water layer system (HWL) in 22 MW open pool type reactor from the radiation protection safety point of view. The paper presents the dose rate profiles over the pool surface in normal and abnormal operations of HWL system. The results show that, in case of losing the hot water layer effect, the radiation dose rate profiles over the pool surface will increase from values lower than th...

Water-stability of soil aggregates in relation to selected properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mbagwu, J.S.C.; Bazzoffi, P.; Unamba Oparah, I.

1995-03-01

The stability of soil aggregates in water is an important soil physical property for evaluating the potential of agricultural soils to erode and elucidating the mechanisms of soil erosion. In this study we used aggregates from 15 surface soil samples in Italy to evaluate the influence of intrinsic soil physical, chemical and mineralogical properties on aggregates stability (AS). The aim was to develop a model for predicting AS from a subset of these soil properties. The index of stability used is the mean-weight diameter of water-stable aggregates (MWD). The model developed with soil physical properties alone explained just 42% of variance in MWD and predicted AS in only 20% of test soils. The model developed with mineralogical properties alone explained 70% of variance in MWD and predicted AS in 60% of the test soils. The chemical properties - based model explained 90% of variance in MWD and predicted AS in 80% of the test soils. The best-fit model was developed with soil properties from the physical, chemical and mineralogical subsets. It explained 98% of variance in MWD and predicted AS in 100% of the test soils. This model shows that the most important soil properties which influence the AS of these soils include ratio of total sand to clay, concentrations of iron oxide, magnesium oxide, organic matter, silica/alumina ratio, chlorite, feldspar and muscovite. This indicates that fairly good estimates of the relative stability of these aggregates in water and hence of their potential to erode, requires a knowledge of the physico-chemical and mineralogical properties. (author). 40 refs, 4 tabs

Anti-fouling and high water permeable forward osmosis membrane fabricated via layer by layer assembly of chitosan/graphene oxide

Science.gov (United States)

Salehi, Hasan; Rastgar, Masoud; Shakeri, Alireza

2017-08-01

To date, forward osmosis (FO) has received considerable attention due to its potential application in seawater desalination. FO does not require external hydraulic pressure and consequently is believed to have a low fouling propensity. Despite the numerous privileges of FO process, a major challenge ahead for its development is the lack of high performance membranes. In this study, we fabricated a novel highly-efficient FO membrane using layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly of positive chitosan (CS) and negative graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets via electrostatic interaction on a porous support layer. The support layer was prepared by blending hydrophilic sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) into polyethersulfone (PES) matrix using wet phase inversion process. Various characterization techniques were used to confirm successful fabrication of LbL membrane. The number of layers formed on the SPES-PES support layer was easily adjusted by repeating the CS and GO deposition cycles. Thin film composite (TFC) membrane was also prepared by the same SPES-PES support layer and polyamide (PA) active layer to compare membranes performances. The water permeability and salt rejection of the fabricated membranes were obtained by two kinds of draw solutions (including Na2SO4 and sucrose) under two different membrane orientations. The results showed that membrane coated by a CS/GO bilayers had water flux of 2-4 orders of magnitude higher than the TFC one. By increasing the number of CS/GO bilayers, the selectivity of the LbL membrane was improved. The novel fabricated LbL membrane showed better fouling resistance than the TFC one in the feed solution containing 200 ppm of sodium alginate as a foulant model.

Comparison of Homogenous and Multi-layered Berm Breakwaters with Respect to Overtopping and Front Slope Stability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Thomas Lykke; Skals, K. T.; Burcharth, Hans F.

2009-01-01

A model test study was conducted to study overtopping and front slope stability of homogenous and multi-layered berm breakwaters. The two breakwater types are compared and cons and pros are listed. The study shows that the optimum number of stone classes might be significantly lower than what has...... previously been used in the Icelandic type of berm breakwater because it seems that the number of stone classes in the berm can be reduced from five to two without significantly influencing overtopping and stability performance. Moreover, the new results are compared to the design formulae established...

Stability of niclosamide in water under local conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Hindi, A.M.; Sidra, M.S.

1986-01-01

The stability of 14 C-labelled niclosamide was studied in distilled water at two different pH values and in canal water. 2 mg/1 niclosamide solutions were exposed to direct atmospheric conditions. The activity was followed by radioassay and the concentration of niclosamide was determined by GLC. The total activity was found to decrease to 46.0% in weakly acidic solution (pH 6.5), 45% in neutral solution (pH 7.0) and 16.7% in filtered canal water after three weeks. GLC analysis showed that niclosamide concentration had dropped to 0.05, 0.06 and 0.03 mg/1 in weakly acidic, neutral medium and canal water after the same period. GLC analysis as compared to radioassay indicated the presence of increasing amounts of degradation product(s), in the chloroform extracts of water with time, which were not detected by GLC

Liquid water transport mechanism in the gas diffusion layer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, P.; Wu, C.W. [State Key Laboratory of Structure Analysis for Industrial Equipment, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Faculty of Vehicle Engineering and Mechanics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024 (China)

2010-03-01

We developed an equivalent capillary model of a microscale fiber-fence structure to study the microscale evolution and transport of liquid in a porous media and to reveal the basic principles of water transport in gas diffusion layer (GDL). Analytical solutions using the model show that a positive hydraulic pressure is needed to drive the liquid water to penetrate through the porous GDL even consisting of the hydrophilic fibers. Several possible contributions for the water configuration, such as capillary pressure, gravity, vapor condensation, wettability and microstructures of the GDL, are discussed using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). It is found that the distribution manners of the fibers and the spatial mixed-wettability in the GDL also play an important role in the transport of liquid water. (author)

Improved helicopter aeromechanical stability analysis using segmented constrained layer damping and hybrid optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Qiang; Chattopadhyay, Aditi

2000-06-01

Aeromechanical stability plays a critical role in helicopter design and lead-lag damping is crucial to this design. In this paper, the use of segmented constrained damping layer (SCL) treatment and composite tailoring is investigated for improved rotor aeromechanical stability using formal optimization technique. The principal load-carrying member in the rotor blade is represented by a composite box beam, of arbitrary thickness, with surface bonded SCLs. A comprehensive theory is used to model the smart box beam. A ground resonance analysis model and an air resonance analysis model are implemented in the rotor blade built around the composite box beam with SCLs. The Pitt-Peters dynamic inflow model is used in air resonance analysis under hover condition. A hybrid optimization technique is used to investigate the optimum design of the composite box beam with surface bonded SCLs for improved damping characteristics. Parameters such as stacking sequence of the composite laminates and placement of SCLs are used as design variables. Detailed numerical studies are presented for aeromechanical stability analysis. It is shown that optimum blade design yields significant increase in rotor lead-lag regressive modal damping compared to the initial system.

Analytical and numerical stability analysis of Soret-driven convection in a horizontal porous layer: the effect of conducting bounding plates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ouattara, B; Khouzam, A; Mojtabi, A [Universite de Toulouse (France); INPT, UPS (France); IMFT (Institut de Mecanique des Fluides de Toulouse), Allee Camille Soula, F-31400 Toulouse (France); Charrier-Mojtabi, M C, E-mail: bouattar@imft.fr, E-mail: akhouzam@imft.fr, E-mail: mojtabi@imft.fr, E-mail: cmojtabi@cict.fr [PHASE, EA 810, UFR PCA, Universite Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse cedex (France)

2012-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of conducting boundaries on the onset of convection in a binary fluid-saturated porous layer. The isotropic saturated porous layer is bounded by two impermeable but thermally conducting plates, subjected to a constant heat flux. These plates have identical conductivity. Moreover, the conductivity of the plates is generally different from the porous layer conductivity. The overall layer is of large extent in both horizontal directions. The problem is governed by seven dimensionless parameters, namely the normalized porosity of the medium {epsilon}, the ratio of plates over the porous layer thickness {delta} and their relative thermal conductivities ratio d, the separation ratio {delta}, the Lewis number Le and thermal Rayleigh number Ra. In this work, an analytical and numerical stability analysis is performed. The equilibrium solution is found to lose its stability via a stationary bifurcation or a Hopf bifurcation depending on the values of the dimensionless parameters. For the long-wavelength mode, the critical Rayleigh number is obtained as Ra{sub cs}=12(1+2d{delta} )/[1+{psi} (2d{delta}Le+Le+1)] and k{sub cs}=0 for {psi}> {psi} {sub uni}> 0. This work extends an earlier paper by Mojtabi and Rees (2011 Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer 54 293-301) who considered a configuration where the porous layer is saturated by a pure fluid.

Influence of Adsorbed Water on the Oxygen Evolution Reaction on Oxides

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Siahrostami, Samira; Vojvodic, Aleksandra

2015-01-01

We study the interface between adsorbed water and stoichiometric, defect-free (110) rutile oxide surfaces of TiO2, RuO2, and IrO2 in order to understand how water influences the stabilities of the intermediates of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In our model the water is treated as explicitly...... molecules binding to bridging oxygens. The third chain interacts weakly and predominantly with the H2O molecules of the second layer, resembling bulk water. We find that the stability of the water layer close to the oxide surface is almost the same as the one found on flat metal surfaces, such as the Pt(111...... of RuO2 and IrO2, while it is increased by similar to 0.4 eV for TiO2....

Layered tin monoselenide as advanced photothermal conversion materials for efficient solar energy-driven water evaporation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Jiandong; Zheng, Zhaoqiang; Yang, Guowei

2018-02-08

Solar energy-driven water evaporation lays a solid foundation for important photothermal applications such as sterilization, seawater desalination, and electricity generation. Due to the strong light-matter coupling, broad absorption wavelength range, and prominent quantum confinement effect, layered tin monoselenide (SnSe) holds a great potential to effectively harness solar irradiation and convert it to heat energy. In this study, SnSe is successfully deposited on a centimeter-scale nickel foam using a facile one-step pulsed-laser deposition approach. Importantly, the maximum evaporation rate of SnSe-coated nickel foam (SnSe@NF) reaches 0.85 kg m -2 h -1 , which is even 21% larger than that obtained with the commercial super blue coating (0.7 kg m -2 h -1 ) under the same condition. A systematic analysis reveals that its good photothermal conversion capability is attributed to the synergetic effect of multi-scattering-induced light trapping and the optimal trade-off between light absorption and phonon emission. Finally, the SnSe@NF device is further used for seawater evaporation, demonstrating a comparable evaporation rate (0.8 kg m -2 h -1 ) to that of fresh water and good stability over many cycles of usage. In summary, the current contribution depicts a facile one-step scenario for the economical and efficient solar-enabled SnSe@NF evaporation devices. More importantly, an in-depth analysis of the photothermal conversion mechanism underneath the layered materials depicts a fundamental paradigm for the design and application of photothermal devices based on them in the future.

A Microfluidic Method to Assess Emulsion Stability in Crude-Oil/Water Separators

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krebs, T.; Schroën, C.G.P.H.; Boom, R.M.

2011-01-01

The control of emulsion stability and droplet size is of crucial importance for oil production, especially for the processes of crude/oil water separation and cleanup of produced water. To recover pure oil and water, coalescence between droplets needs to take place, the extent of which will depend

Numerical simulation of the free surface and water inflow of a slope, considering the nonlinear flow properties of gravel layers: a case study

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Bin; Yang, Tianhong; Xu, Zenghe; Liu, Honglei; Shi, Wenhao; Yang, Xin

2018-02-01

Groundwater is an important factor of slope stability, and 90% of slope failures are related to the influence of groundwater. In the past, free surface calculations and the prediction of water inflow were based on Darcy's law. However, Darcy's law for steady fluid flow is a special case of non-Darcy flow, and many types of non-Darcy flows occur in practical engineering applications. In this paper, based on the experimental results of laboratory water seepage tests, the seepage state of each soil layer in the open-pit slope of the Yanshan Iron Mine, China, were determined, and the seepage parameters were obtained. The seepage behaviour in the silt layer, fine sand layer, silty clay layer and gravelly clay layer followed the traditional Darcy law, while the gravel layers showed clear nonlinear characteristics. The permeability increases exponentially and the non-Darcy coefficient decreases exponentially with an increase in porosity, and the relation among the permeability, the porosity and the non-Darcy coefficient is investigated. A coupled mathematical model is established for two flow fields, on the basis of Darcy flow in the low-permeability layers and Forchheimer flow in the high-permeability layers. In addition, the effect of the seepage in the slope on the transition from Darcy flow to Forchheimer flow was considered. Then, a numerical simulation was conducted by using finite-element software (FELAC 2.2). The results indicate that the free surface calculated by the Darcy-Forchheimer model is in good agreement with the in situ measurements; however, there is an evident deviation of the simulation results from the measured data when the Darcy model is used. Through a parameter sensitivity analysis of the gravel layers, it can be found that the height of the overflow point and the water inflow calculated by the Darcy-Forchheimer model are consistently less than those of the Darcy model, and the discrepancy between these two models increases as the permeability

Impact of alginate concentration on the stability of agglomerates made of TiO{sub 2} engineered nanoparticles: Water hardness and pH effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Loosli, Frédéric, E-mail: frederic.loosli@unige.ch [University of Geneva, Section des Sciences de la Terre et de l’Environnement, Group of Environmental Physical Chemistry, F.-A. Forel Institute (Switzerland); Coustumer, Philippe Le, E-mail: philippe.le-coustumer@u-bordeaux1.fr [Université Bordeaux 3, EA 4592 Géoressources & Environnement, ENSEGID (France); Stoll, Serge, E-mail: serge.stoll@unige.ch [University of Geneva, Section des Sciences de la Terre et de l’Environnement, Group of Environmental Physical Chemistry, F.-A. Forel Institute (Switzerland)

2015-01-15

The stability of engineered nanoparticles in natural aquatic systems is of high interest for environmental risk assessment since an already important quantity of these reactive species is entering aquatic systems. In the present study, an important issue is addressed by investigating (i) the influence of divalent cations and water hardness (Mg{sup 2+} and Ca{sup 2+}) in agglomerate formation and (ii) alginate concentration effect on the stability TiO{sub 2} agglomerates formed in environmental freshwater conditions (pH and total hardness) representative of Lake Geneva, France/Switzerland. Our results indicate that the presence of alginate at typical natural organic matter concentration strongly modifies the stability of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticle agglomerates by inducing their partial disagglomeration. Significant TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles redispersion and formation of small fragments are expected to be induced by alginate adsorbed layer formed at the nanoparticle surfaces within the agglomerates.Graphical Abstract.

Photovoltaic performance and stability of fullerene/cerium oxide double electron transport layer superior to single one in p-i-n perovskite solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Zhou; Li, Shu-Hui; Wu, Bao-Shan; Wang, Xin; Wang, Lu-Yao; Wang, Tan; Liu, Hao-Ran; Zhang, Mei-Lin; Yun, Da-Qin; Deng, Lin-Long; Xie, Su-Yuan; Huang, Rong-Bin; Zheng, Lan-Sun

2018-06-01

Interface engineering that involves in the metal cathodes and the electron transport layers (ETLs) facilitates the simultaneous improvement of device performances and stability in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, low-temperature solution-processed cerium oxide (CeOx) films are prepared by a facile sol-gel method and employed as the interface layers between [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) and an Ag back contact to form PC61BM/CeOx double ETLs. The introduction of CeOx enables electron extraction to the Ag electrode and protects the underlying perovskite layer and thus improves the device performance and stability of the p-i-n PSCs. The p-i-n PSCs with double PC61BM/CeOx ETLs demonstrate a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 17.35%, which is superior to those of the devices with either PC61BM or CeOx single ETLs. Moreover, PC61BM/CeOx devices exhibit excellent stability in light soaking, which is mainly due to the chemically stable CeOx interlayer. The results indicate that CeOx is a promising interface modification layer for stable high-efficiency PSCs.

Solution processed transition metal oxide anode buffer layers for efficiency and stability enhancement of polymer solar cells

Science.gov (United States)

Ameen, M. Yoosuf; Shamjid, P.; Abhijith, T.; Reddy, V. S.

2018-01-01

Polymer solar cells were fabricated with solution-processed transition metal oxides, MoO3 and V2O5 as anode buffer layers (ABLs). The optimized device with V2O5 ABL exhibited considerably higher power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to the devices based on MoO3 and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) ABLs. The space charge limited current measurements and impedance spectroscopy results of hole-only devices revealed that V2O5 provided a very low charge transfer resistance and high hole mobility, facilitating efficient hole transfer from the active layer to the ITO anode. More importantly, incorporation of V2O5 as ABL resulted in substantial improvement in device stability compared to MoO3 and PEDOT:PSS based devices. Unencapsulated PEDOT:PSS-based devices stored at a relative humidity of 45% have shown complete failure within 96 h. Whereas, MoO3 and V2O5 based devices stored in similar conditions retained 22% and 80% of their initial PCEs after 96 h. Significantly higher stability of the V2O5-based device is ascribed to the reduction in degradation of the anode/active layer interface, as evident from the electrical measurements.

Influence of a uniform transverse magnetic field on the thermo-hydrodynamic stability in water-based nanofluids with metallic nanoparticles using the generalized Buongiorno's mathematical model

Science.gov (United States)

Wakif, Abderrahim; Boulahia, Zoubair; Mishra, S. R.; Mehdi Rashidi, Mohammad; Sehaqui, Rachid

2018-05-01

The onset of nanofluid convection in the presence of an externally applied magnetic field is investigated numerically based on the non-homogeneous Buongiorno's mathematical model. In this study, we use the latest experimental correlations and powerful analytical models for expressing the thermo-physical properties of some electrically conducting nanofluids, such as copper-water, sliver-water and gold-water nanofluids, in which the Brownian motion and thermophoresis effects on slip flow in nanofluids are taken into account in this model ( i.e., two-phase transport model). In this paper, we assume that the nanofluid has Newtonian behavior, confined horizontally between two infinite impermeable boundaries and heated from below, in such a way that the nanoparticles tend to concentrate near the upper wall. Considering the basic state of the nanofluidic system, the linear stability theory has been successfully applied to obtain the principal stability equations, which are solved numerically for an imposed volumetric fraction of nanoparticles and no-slip impermeable conditions at the isothermal walls bounding the nanofluid layer. The linear boundary-value problem obtained in this investigation is converted into a pure initial-value problem, so that we can solve it numerically by the fourth-fifth-order Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method. The generalized Buongiorno's mathematical model proposed in this study allows performing a highly accurate computational analysis. In addition, the obtained results show that the stability of the studied nanofluidic system depends on several parameters, namely, the magnetic Chandrasekhar number Q , the reference value for the volumetric fraction of nanoparticles φ_0 and the size of nanoparticles d_p . In this analysis, the thermo-hydrodynamic stability of the studied nanofluid is controlled through the critical thermal Rayleigh number R_{ac} , which characterizes the onset of convection cells, whose size is L_c=2π/a_c . Furthermore, the effects

The role of adsorbed water on the friction of a layer of submicron particles

Science.gov (United States)

Sammis, Charles G.; Lockner, David A.; Reches, Ze’ev

2011-01-01

Anomalously low values of friction observed in layers of submicron particles deformed in simple shear at high slip velocities are explained as the consequence of a one nanometer thick layer of water adsorbed on the particles. The observed transition from normal friction with an apparent coefficient near μ = 0.6 at low slip speeds to a coefficient near μ = 0.3 at higher slip speeds is attributed to competition between the time required to extrude the water layer from between neighboring particles in a force chain and the average lifetime of the chain. At low slip speeds the time required for extrusion is less than the average lifetime of a chain so the particles make contact and lock. As slip speed increases, the average lifetime of a chain decreases until it is less than the extrusion time and the particles in a force chain never come into direct contact. If the adsorbed water layer enables the otherwise rough particles to rotate, the coefficient of friction will drop to μ = 0.3, appropriate for rotating spheres. At the highest slip speeds particle temperatures rise above 100°C, the water layer vaporizes, the particles contact and lock, and the coefficient of friction rises to μ = 0.6. The observed onset of weakening at slip speeds near 0.001 m/s is consistent with the measured viscosity of a 1 nm thick layer of adsorbed water, with a minimum particle radius of approximately 20 nm, and with reasonable assumptions about the distribution of force chains guided by experimental observation. The reduction of friction and the range of velocities over which it occurs decrease with increasing normal stress, as predicted by the model. Moreover, the analysis predicts that this high-speed weakening mechanism should operate only for particles with radii smaller than approximately 1 μm. For larger particles the slip speed required for weakening is so large that frictional heating will evaporate the adsorbed water and weakening will not occur.

Villous motility and unstirred water layers in canine intestine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mailman, D.; Womack, W.A.; Kvietys, P.R.; Granger, D.N.

1990-01-01

The possibility that villous motility reduces the mucosal unstirred water layer by mechanical stirring was examined. The frequency of contraction of villi was measured by using videomicroscopic techniques while a segment of anesthetized canine jejunum or ileum with its nerve and blood supply intact was maintained in a sealed chamber through which Tyrode solution was perfused. Radioisotopically labeled inulin, H 2 O, and butyric and lauric acid were used to measure net and/or unidirectional fluxes from the chamber. The unidirectional absorptive transport of H 2 O and butyric acid but not lauric acid by jejunal segments was significantly correlated with flow through the chamber. Plasma volume expansion increased villous motility but decreased the absorption of H 2 O and lauric acid. Absorption of butyric acid from the ileum was little different than from the jejunum although the degree of villous motility was less and net water absorption was greater from the ileum. Absorption of butyric acid into dead tissue indicated that passive diffusion into the tissue accounted for between 7 and 25%, depending on flow rate, of the absorption in intact tissue and that nonspecific binding was low. It was concluded that villous motility did not stir the unstirred water layers and was not directly associated with altered transport

Surface profile gradient in amorphous Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} semi conductive layers regulates nanoscale electric current stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cefalas, A.C., E-mail: ccefalas@eie.gr [National Hellenic Research Foundation, Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635 (Greece); Kollia, Z.; Spyropoulos-Antonakakis, N.; Gavriil, V. [National Hellenic Research Foundation, Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635 (Greece); Christofilos, D.; Kourouklis, G. [Physics Division, School of Technology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124 (Greece); Semashko, V.V.; Pavlov, V. [Kazan Federal University, Institute of Physics, 18 Kremljovskaja str., Kazan 420008 (Russian Federation); Sarantopoulou, E. [National Hellenic Research Foundation, Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Avenue, Athens 11635 (Greece); Kazan Federal University, Institute of Physics, 18 Kremljovskaja str., Kazan 420008 (Russian Federation)

2017-02-28

Highlights: • The work links the surface morphology of amorphous semiconductors with both their electric-thermal properties and current stability at the nanoscale (<1 μm). • Measured high correlation value between surface morphological spatial gradient and conductive electron energy spatial gradient or thermal gradient. • Unidirectional current stability is associated with asymmetric nanodomains along nanosize conductive paths. • Bidirectional current stability is inherent with either long conductive paths or nanosize conductive paths along symmetric nanodomains. • Conclusion: Surface design improves current stability across nanoelectonic junctions. - Abstract: A link between the morphological characteristics and the electric properties of amorphous layers is established by means of atomic, conductive, electrostatic force and thermal scanning microscopy. Using amorphous Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} (a-Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}) semiconductive layer, it is found that surface profile gradients (morphological gradient), are highly correlated to both the electron energy gradient of trapped electrons in interactive Coulombic sites and the thermal gradient along conductive paths and thus thermal and electric properties are correlated with surface morphology at the nanoscale. Furthermore, morphological and electron energy gradients along opposite conductive paths of electrons intrinsically impose a current stability anisotropy. For either long conductive paths (L > 1 μm) or along symmetric nanodomains, current stability for both positive and negative currents i is demonstrated. On the contrary, for short conductive paths along non-symmetric nanodomains, the set of independent variables (L, i) is spanned by two current stability/intability loci. One locus specifies a stable state for negative currents, while the other locus also describes a stable state for positive currents.

Stability analysis on natural circulation boiling water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metz, Peter

1999-05-01

The purpose of the study is a stability analysis of the simplified boiling water reactor concept. A fluid dynamics code, DYNOS, was developed and successfully validated against FRIGG and DESIRE data and a stability benchmark on the Ringhals 1 forced circulation BWR. Three simplified desings were considered in the analysis: The SWRIOOO by Siemens and the SBWR and ESBWR from the General Electric Co. For all three design operational characteristics, i.e. power versus flow rate maps, were calculated. The effects which different geometric and operational parameters, such as the riser height, inlet subcooling etc., have on the characteristics have been investigated. Dynamic simulations on the three simplified design revealed the geysering and the natural circulation oscillations modes only. They were, however, only encountered at pressure below 0.6 MPa. Stability maps for all tree simplified BWRs were calculated and plotted. The study concluded that a fast pressurisation of the reactor vessel is necessary to eliminate the possibility of geysering or natural circulation oscillations mode instability. (au)

Conduction and stability of holmium titanium oxide thin films grown by atomic layer deposition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castán, H., E-mail: helena@ele.uva.es [Department of Electronic, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid (Spain); García, H.; Dueñas, S.; Bailón, L. [Department of Electronic, University of Valladolid, 47011 Valladolid (Spain); Miranda, E. [Departament d' Enginyería Electrònica, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra (Spain); Kukli, K. [Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki (Finland); Institute of Physics, University of Tartu, EE-50411,Tartu (Estonia); Kemell, M.; Ritala, M.; Leskelä, M. [Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki (Finland)

2015-09-30

Holmium titanium oxide (HoTiO{sub x}) thin films of variable chemical composition grown by atomic layer deposition are studied in order to assess their suitability as dielectric materials in metal–insulator–metal electronic devices. The correlation between thermal and electrical stabilities as well as the potential usefulness of HoTiO{sub x} as a resistive switching oxide are also explored. It is shown that the layer thickness and the relative holmium content play important roles in the switching behavior of the devices. Cycled current–voltage measurements showed that the resistive switching is bipolar with a resistance window of up to five orders of magnitude. In addition, it is demonstrated that the post-breakdown current–voltage characteristics in HoTiO{sub x} are well described by a power-law model in a wide voltage and current range which extends from the soft to the hard breakdown regimes. - Highlights: • Gate and memory suitabilities of atomic layer deposited holmium titanium oxide. • Holmium titanium oxide exhibits resistive switching. • Layer thickness and holmium content influence the resistive switching. • Low and high resistance regimes follow a power-law model. • The power-law model can be extended to the hard breakdown regime.

Uncertainty of the Soil–Water Characteristic Curve and Its Effects on Slope Seepage and Stability Analysis under Conditions of Rainfall Using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo Method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Weiping Liu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available It is important to determine the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC for analyzing slope seepage and stability under the conditions of rainfall. However, SWCCs exhibit high uncertainty because of complex influencing factors, which has not been previously considered in slope seepage and stability analysis under conditions of rainfall. This study aimed to evaluate the uncertainty of the SWCC and its effects on the seepage and stability analysis of an unsaturated soil slope under conditions of rainfall. The SWCC model parameters were treated as random variables. An uncertainty evaluation of the parameters was conducted based on the Bayesian approach and the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC method. Observed data from granite residual soil were used to test the uncertainty of the SWCC. Then, different confidence intervals for the model parameters of the SWCC were constructed. The slope seepage and stability analysis under conditions of rainfall with the SWCC of different confidence intervals was investigated using finite element software (SEEP/W and SLOPE/W. The results demonstrated that SWCC uncertainty had significant effects on slope seepage and stability. In general, the larger the percentile value, the greater the reduction of negative pore-water pressure in the soil layer and the lower the safety factor of the slope. Uncertainties in the model parameters of the SWCC can lead to obvious errors in predicted pore-water pressure profiles and the estimated safety factor of the slope under conditions of rainfall.

Understanding the role of pore size homogeneity in the water transport through graphene layers

Science.gov (United States)

Su, Jiaye; Zhao, Yunzhen; Fang, Chang

2018-06-01

Graphene is a versatile 2D material and attracts an increasing amount of attention from a broad scientific community, including novel nanofluidic devices. In this work, we use molecular dynamics simulations to study the pressure driven water transport through graphene layers, focusing on the pore size homogeneity, realized by the arrangement of two pore sizes. For a given layer number, we find that water flux exhibits an excellent linear behavior with pressure, in agreement with the prediction of the Hagen–Poiseuille equation. Interestingly, the flux for concentrated pore size distribution is around two times larger than that of a uniform distribution. More surprisingly, under a given pressure, the water flux changes in an opposite way for these two distributions, where the flux ratio almost increases linearly with the layer number. For the largest layer number, more distributions suggest the same conclusion that higher water flux can be attained for more concentrated pore size distributions. Similar differences for the water translocation time and occupancy are also identified. The major reason for these results should clearly be due to the hydrogen bond and density profile distributions. Our results are helpful to delineate the exquisite role of pore size homogeneity, and should have great implications for the design of high flux nanofluidic devices and inversely the detection of pore structures.

Application of linearized model to the stability analysis of the pressurized water reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Haipeng; Huang Xiaojin; Zhang Liangju

2008-01-01

A Linear Time-Invariant model of the Pressurized Water Reactor is formulated through the linearization of the nonlinear model. The model simulation results show that the linearized model agrees well with the nonlinear model under small perturbation. Based upon the Lyapunov's First Method, the linearized model is applied to the stability analysis of the Pressurized Water Reactor. The calculation results show that the methodology of linearization to stability analysis is conveniently feasible. (authors)

Low-dielectric layer increases nanosecond electric discharges in distilled water

KAUST Repository

Hamdan, Ahmad; Cha, Min

2016-01-01

decreasing of the energy consumption are the main goals of today’s research. Here we present an experimental study of nanosecond discharge in distilled water covered by a layer of dielectric material. We demonstrate through this paper that the discharge

FUD - SALA. Stabilization of unbound layers on a road section; FUD - SALA. Provstraecka med stabilisering av obundna lager

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Svedberg, Bo; Ekdahl, Peter; Macsik, Josef; Maijala, Aino; Lahtinen, Pentti; Hermansson, Aake; Knutsson, Sven; Edeskaer, Tommy

2008-06-15

Stabilization of unbound layers is a method that enables the properties of road structures to be improved, for example the layer modulus of the sub base, by addition of binders. Traditional binders are cement, Merit 5000 (fine ground slag cement), lime and bitumen. The method is commonly in practice in Europe and has been also used occasionally for public roads in Sweden. Today there are examples where fly ashes (bio and coal based) have been used as binders in smaller roads for example in the counties of Uppsala, Soedermanland and also for other paved areas for heavy vehicles in the county of Vaestmanland and in Finland. These examples have mainly been carried out using an empirical approach. The objective of the project is to develop two applications as a base for full scale demonstration. One of them is a paved road and the other one is a private road with gravel as wearing course. The binders used are cement, Merit and fly-ash. Two sections of a road were used a reference. The work indicates that stabilization of unbound layers will improve the bearing capacity of the road construction significantly although the total depth of the structure is reduced. The design of the road structure was carried out in a conservative manner as there were no basis for a precise determination of the layer modulus. The developed applications are not frost lifting although their insulating properties are low and about the same as fine grained silt. The durability against frost and thaw cycles has been assessed and is expected to be acceptable. The fly ashes used will need addition of cement and Merit to perform well in frost and thaw tests. Applying both applications will result in a reduced depth of the structure and the sub-base layers can nearly be excluded. Life cycle cost calculations indicate that the cost of investment for a road construction using a stabilized layer are slightly higher than the cost of investment for the reference construction. This is probably due to the

The role of PEG conformation in mixed layers: from protein corona substrate to steric stabilization avoiding protein adsorption

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joan Comenge

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Although nanoparticles (NPs have been traditionally modified with a single ligand layer, mixture of ligands might help to combine different functionalities and to further engineer the NP surface. A detailed study of the competition between an alkanethiol (11-mercaptoundecanoic acid and SH-PEG for the surface of AuNPs and the resultant behaviors of this model nanoconjugate is presented here. As a result, the physicochemical properties of these conjugates can be progressively tuned by controlling the composition and especially the conformation of the mixed monolayer. This has implications in the physiological stability. The controlled changes on the SH-PEG conformation rather than its concentration induce a change in the stabilization mechanism from electrostatic repulsion to steric hindrance, which changes the biological fate of NPs. Importantly, the adsorption of proteins on the conjugates can be tailored by tuning the composition and conformation of the mixed layer.

Few-layer antimonene decorated microfiber: ultra-short pulse generation and all-optical thresholding with enhanced long term stability

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Yufeng; Liang, Zhiming; Jiang, Xiantao; Chen, Yunxiang; Li, Zhongjun; Lu, Lu; Ge, Yanqi; Wang, Ke; Zheng, Jilin; Lu, Shunbin; Ji, Jianhua; Zhang, Han

2017-12-01

Antimonene, a new type of mono/few-layer two-dimensional (2D) mono-elemental material purely consisting of antimony similar as graphene and phosphorene, has been theoretically predicted with excellent optical response and enhanced stability. Herein, we experimentally investigated the broadband nonlinear optical response of highly stable few-layer antimonene (FLA) by performing an open-aperture Z-scan laser measurement. Thanks to the direct bandgap and resonant absorption at the telecommunication band, we demonstrated the feasibility of FLA-decorated microfiber not only as an optical saturable absorber for ultrafast photonics operation, but also as a stable all-optical pulse thresholder that can effectively suppress the transmission noise, boost the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and reshape the deteriorated input signal. Our findings, as the first prototypic device of absorption of antimonene, might facilitate the development of antimonene-based optical communication technologies towards high stability and practical applications in the future.

Confined methane-water interfacial layers and thickness measurements using in situ Raman spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinho, Bruno; Liu, Yukun; Rizkin, Benjamin; Hartman, Ryan L

2017-11-07

Gas-liquid interfaces broadly impact our planet, yet confined interfaces behave differently than unconfined ones. We report the role of tangential fluid motion in confined methane-water interfaces. The interfaces are created using microfluidics and investigated by in situ 1D, 2D and 3D Raman spectroscopy. The apparent CH 4 and H 2 O concentrations are reported for Reynolds numbers (Re), ranging from 0.17 to 8.55. Remarkably, the interfaces are comprised of distinct layers of thicknesses varying from 23 to 57 μm. We found that rarefaction, mixture, thin film, and shockwave layers together form the interfaces. The results indicate that the mixture layer thickness (δ) increases with Re (δ ∝ Re), and traditional transport theory for unconfined interfaces does not explain the confined interfaces. A comparison of our results with thin film theory of air-water interfaces (from mass transfer experiments in capillary microfluidics) supports that the hydrophobicity of CH 4 could decrease the strength of water-water interactions, resulting in larger interfacial thicknesses. Our findings help explain molecular transport in confined gas-liquid interfaces, which are common in a broad range of societal applications.

Stability of CoP x Electrocatalysts in Continuous and Interrupted Acidic Electrolysis of Water.

Science.gov (United States)

Goryachev, Andrey; Gao, Lu; Zhang, Yue; Rohling, Roderigh Y; Vervuurt, René H J; Bol, Ageeth A; Hofmann, Jan P; Hensen, Emiel J M

2018-04-11

Cobalt phosphides are an emerging earth-abundant alternative to platinum-group-metal-based electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Yet, their stability is inferior to platinum and compromises the large-scale applicability of CoP x in water electrolyzers. In the present study, we employed flat, thin CoP x electrodes prepared through the thermal phosphidation (PH 3 ) of Co 3 O 4 films made by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition to evaluate their stability in acidic water electrolysis by using a multi-technique approach. The films were found to be composed of two phases: CoP in the bulk and a P-rich surface CoP x (P/Co>1). Their performance was evaluated in the HER and the exchange current density was determined to be j 0 =-8.9 ⋅ 10 -5  A/cm 2 . The apparent activation energy of HER on CoP x ( E a =81±15 kJ/mol) was determined for the first time. Dissolution of the material in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 was observed, regardless of the constantly applied cathodic potential, pointing towards a chemical instead of an electrochemical origin of the observed cathodic instability. The current density and HER faradaic efficiency (FE) were found to be stable during chronoamperometric treatment, as the chemical composition of the HER-active phase remained unchanged. On the contrary, a dynamic potential change performed in a repeated way facilitated dissolution of the film, yielding its complete degradation within 5 h. There, the FE was also found to be changing. An oxidative route of CoP x dissolution has also been proposed.

Water-in-oil Pickering emulsions stabilized by stearoylated microcrystalline cellulose.

Science.gov (United States)

Pang, Bo; Liu, Huan; Liu, Peiwen; Peng, Xinwen; Zhang, Kai

2018-03-01

Hydrophobic particles with static water contact angles larger than 90° are more like to stabilize W/O Pickering emulsions. In particular, high internal phase Pickering emulsions (HIPEs) are of great interest for diverse applications. However, W/O HIPEs have rarely been realized using sustainable biopolymers. Herein, we used stearoylated microcrystalline cellulose (SMCC) to stabilize W/O Pickering emulsions and especially, W/O HIPEs. Moreover, these W/O HIPEs can be further used as platforms for the preparation of porous materials, such as porous foams. Stearoylated microcrystalline cellulose (SMCC) was prepared by modifying MCC with stearoyl chloride under heterogeneous conditions. Using SMCC as emulsifiers, W/O medium and high internal phase Pickering emulsions (MIPEs and HIPEs) with various organic solvents as continuous phases were prepared using one-step and two-step methods, respectively. Polystyrene (PS) foams were prepared after polymerization of oil phase using HIPEs as templates and their oil/water separation capacity were studied. SMCC could efficiently stabilize W/O Pickering emulsions and HIPEs could only be prepared via the two-step method. The internal phase volume fraction of the SMCC-stabilized HIPEs reached as high as 89%. Diverse internal phase volume fractions led to distinct inner structures of foams with closed or open cells. These macroporous polystyrene (PS) foams demonstrated great potential for the effective absorption of organic solvents from underwater. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Numerical analysis of the stability of inhomogeneous slopes considering partially saturated conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pichler Patrick P.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available It is well accepted that rainfall could play a significant role in instability of slopes. The main objective of the presented study is to quantify the influence of varying characteristics of water flow, its associated changes of pore-water pressures and shear strength on the stability of simplified, but inhomogeneous, slope geometries. The commonly used van Genuchten model was used to describe the Soil Water Characteristic Curve (SWCC mathematically. In the context of this study, the influence of different hydraulic behaviour of soil layers, i.e. different SWCC, on the factor of safety (FoS is evaluated by means of fully coupled flow-deformation analyses employing the finite element method. To quantify the slopes’ factor of safety during rainfall events after specified times of infiltration or evaporation, the strength reduction method was applied. In addition to various combinations of soil layers, the influence of a water bearing high permeable soil layer between two less permeable soil layers, a situation which is often encountered in practice, on the factor of safety has been investigated.

Stabilization and fabrication of microbubbles: applications for medical purposes and functional materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Mina; Lee, Eun Yeol; Lee, Daeyeon; Park, Bum Jun

2015-03-21

Microbubbles with diameters ranging from a few micrometers to tens of micrometers have garnered significant attention in various applications including food processing, water treatment, enhanced oil recovery, surface cleaning, medical purposes, and material preparation fields with versatile functionalities. A variety of techniques have been developed to prepare microbubbles, such as ultrasonication, excimer laser ablation, high shear emulsification, membrane emulsification, an inkjet printing method, electrohydrodynamic atomization, template layer-by-layer deposition, and microfluidics. Generated bubbles should be immediately stabilized via the adsorption of stabilizing materials (e.g., surfactants, lipids, proteins, and solid particles) onto the gas-liquid interface to lower the interfacial tension. Such adsorption of stabilizers prevents coalescence between the microbubbles and also suppresses gas dissolution and resulting disproportionation caused by the presence of the Laplace overpressure across the gas-liquid interface. Herein, we comprehensively review three important topics of microbubbles: stabilization, fabrication, and applications.

Stability of stearic acid monolayers on artificial sea water

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brzozowska, A.M.; Duits, Michael H.G.; Mugele, Friedrich Gunther

2012-01-01

We studied the formation and stability of stearic acid (SA) based films on aqueous sub-phases via Langmuir trough and imaging ellipsometry experiments. The aqueous phase was based on Artificial Sea Water (ASW), a multicomponent salt solution with a total molarity of 0.53. The composition of this

Stabilization of antioxidant gallate in layered double hydroxide by exfoliation and reassembling reaction

Science.gov (United States)

Ansy, Kanakappan Mickel; Lee, Ji-Hee; Piao, Huiyan; Choi, Goeun; Choy, Jin-Ho

2018-06-01

As for the stabilization of chemically sensitive bioactive molecule in this study, gallic acid (GA) with antioxidant property was intercalated into interlayer space of layered double hydroxide (LDH), which was realized by exfoliation and reassembling reaction. At first, the pristine nitrate-type Zn2Al-LDH in solid state was synthesized via co-precipitation followed by the hydrothermal treatment at 80 °C for 6 h, and then exfoliated in formamide to form a colloidal solution of exfoliated LDH nanosheets, and finally reassembled in the presence of GA to prepare GA intercalated LDH (GA-LDH) desired, where the pH was adjusted to 8.0 in order to deprotonate GA to form gallate anion. According to the XRD analysis, GA-LDH showed well-developed (00l) diffraction peaks with a basal spacing of 1.15 nm, which was estimated to be larger than that of the pristine LDH (0.88 nm), indicating that gallate molecules were incorporated into LDH layers with perpendicular orientation. From the FT-IR spectra it was found that gallic acid was completely deprotonated into gallate, and stabilized in between LDH lattices via electrostatic interaction. The content of GA in GA-LDH was determined to be around 23 wt% by UV-vis spectroscopic study, which was also confirmed by HPLC analysis. According to the in-vitro release of GA out of GA-LDH in PBS solution (pH 7.4) at 4 °C, GA was sustainably released from GA-LDH nanohybrid up to 86% within 72 h. The antioxidant property of GA-LDH was almost the same with that of intact GA which was examined by DPPH. The photostability of GA-LDH under UV light irradiation was immensely enhanced compared to intact GA. It is, therefore, concluded that the present GA-LDH nanohybrid can be considered as an excellent antioxidant material with high chemical- and photo-stabilities, and controlled release property.

Effect of plate permeability on nonlinear stability of the asymptotic suction boundary layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Wedin, Håkan; Cherubini, Stefania; Bottaro, Alessandro

2015-07-01

The nonlinear stability of the asymptotic suction boundary layer is studied numerically, searching for finite-amplitude solutions that bifurcate from the laminar flow state. By changing the boundary conditions for disturbances at the plate from the classical no-slip condition to more physically sound ones, the stability characteristics of the flow may change radically, both for the linearized as well as the nonlinear problem. The wall boundary condition takes into account the permeability K̂ of the plate; for very low permeability, it is acceptable to impose the classical boundary condition (K̂=0). This leads to a Reynolds number of approximately Re(c)=54400 for the onset of linearly unstable waves, and close to Re(g)=3200 for the emergence of nonlinear solutions [F. A. Milinazzo and P. G. Saffman, J. Fluid Mech. 160, 281 (1985); J. H. M. Fransson, Ph.D. thesis, Royal Institute of Technology, KTH, Sweden, 2003]. However, for larger values of the plate's permeability, the lower limit for the existence of linear and nonlinear solutions shifts to significantly lower Reynolds numbers. For the largest permeability studied here, the limit values of the Reynolds numbers reduce down to Re(c)=796 and Re(g)=294. For all cases studied, the solutions bifurcate subcritically toward lower Re, and this leads to the conjecture that they may be involved in the very first stages of a transition scenario similar to the classical route of the Blasius boundary layer initiated by Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) waves. The stability of these nonlinear solutions is also investigated, showing a low-frequency main unstable mode whose growth rate decreases with increasing permeability and with the Reynolds number, following a power law Re(-ρ), where the value of ρ depends on the permeability coefficient K̂. The nonlinear dynamics of the flow in the vicinity of the computed finite-amplitude solutions is finally investigated by direct numerical simulations, providing a viable scenario for

Radiological performance of hot water layer system in open pool type reactor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amr Abdelhady

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the calculated dose rate carried out by using MicroShield code to show the importance of hot water layer system (HWL in 22 MW open pool type reactor from the radiation protection safety point of view. The paper presents the dose rate profiles over the pool surface in normal and abnormal operations of HWL system. The results show that, in case of losing the hot water layer effect, the radiation dose rate profiles over the pool surface will increase from values lower than the worker permissible dose limits to values very higher than the permissible dose limits.

The novel synthesis of highly water-soluble few-layer graphene nanosheets by a simple one-pot chemical route and without any modification

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tadjarodi, Azadeh, E-mail: tajarodi@iust.ac.ir; Ferdowsi, Somayeh Moazen

2016-11-01

In this study, a simple one-pot and scalable process including mild oxidation of graphite in mixture of H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}/KMnO{sub 4} at 60 °C was developed to synthesize water-soluble graphene. In this process, effects of the oxidant amount and reaction time on oxidation and exfoliation degree of graphite were explored. At this temperature, most oxygen-containing functional groups were introduced at the edges of graphite by preserving the pristine sp{sup 2}carbon-bonded structure. These functional groups were responsible for exfoliation of edge-functionalized graphite (EFG) sheets to edge-graphene oxide (EGO). Various techniques including atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) and direct-current measurements proved that resulting EGO was formed from few-layer graphene nanosheets (GNS) with sub-2 nm thickness, low-defect sites in basal plane owing good solubility in water from pH 6 to 11 through electrostatic stabilization, as determined by zeta-potentiometry. This low-cost and high-efficiency solution processing techniques has enabled to produce aqueous graphene dispersions without need to use polymeric or surfactant stabilizers for many technological applications. - Highlights: • Water-soluble graphene was synthesized by a simple one-pot and scalable process. • This process did not utilize any reduction agents, stabilizer and ultrasonication. • The effects of oxidant amount and reaction time on process were explored.

Stabilization of arsenic and chromium polluted soils using water treatment residues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Sanne Skov

water and can be used as a soil amendment to decrease the mobility of CCA in contaminated soil. Stabilization with Fe-WTR was tested at the Collstrop site in Hillerød, Denmark. The site has been polluted with a wide range of wood impregnation agents including CCA during 40 years of wood impregnating...... of contaminants. Arsenic, chromium and copper cannot be degraded and existing methods for cleaning the soil are rarely used as they are expensive and technically demanding. Chemical stabilization of polluted soil is an alternative method for soil remediation, especially metal contamination, and consists in adding...... or other sorbents. Iron water treatment residues mainly consist of ferrihydrite, an oxidized iron oxy-hydroxide with a high reactivity and a large specific surface area with a high capacity for adsorption. Iron water treatment residues (Fe-WTR) are a by-product from treatment of groundwater to drinking...

High-stability Ti{sup 4+} precursor for the TiO{sub 2} compact layer of dye-sensitized solar cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yi, Qinghua; Cong, Shan; Wang, Hao; Wang, Yun; Dai, Xiao; Zhao, Jie; Sun, Yinghui; Lou, Yanhui; Zou, Guifu, E-mail: zouguifu@suda.edu.cn

2015-11-30

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We developed an aqueous polymer-assisted deposition method to improve the chemical stability of the TiCl{sub 4} aqueous solution. • The Ti{sup 4+} is encapsulated by the polymer can maintain their initial performances for several months. • The film is dense, smooth and uniform, preparing by this method. • The power conversion efficiency of the DSSC based on P-TiO{sub 2} compact film is about 12.5% higher than that based on H-TiO{sub 2}. - Abstract: A compact layer (blocking layer) can effectively block the direct contact between the fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate and electrolyte in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The TiCl{sub 4} hydrolysis has been widely adopted for preparing the TiO{sub 2} compact layer (H-TiO{sub 2}). However, the TiCl{sub 4} aqueous solution is unstable for its high reactivity. To improve the chemical stability of TiCl{sub 4} aqueous solution, the Ti{sup 4+} is encapsulated by the polymer, polyethyleneimine (PEI). Experimentals show that the Ti-PEI precursor solution can maintain their initial performances for several months. The resulting TiO{sub 2} film (P-TiO{sub 2}) grown by the Ti-PEI precursor is dense, smooth and uniform without any visible and detectable cracks or voids. The P-TiO{sub 2} compact layer is even denser than the H-TiO{sub 2} compact layer, suggesting reducing the electron recombination and prolonging the electron lifetime in dye-sensitized solar cells. Indeed, the electron lifetime of the DSSC based on the P-TiO{sub 2} is 13.15 ms, which is longer than the 10.83 ms based on H-TiO{sub 2}. Meanwhile, the power conversion efficiency of the DSSC based on P-TiO{sub 2} compact film is about 12.5% higher than that based on H-TiO{sub 2}. Therefore, this encapsulation technology can not only improve the stability of the metal ions solution but also meet a large-scale fabrication demand of the TiO{sub 2} compact layer in future DSSCs.

Concurrent temporal stability of the apparent electrical conductivity and soil water content

Science.gov (United States)

Knowledge of spatio-temporal soil water content (SWC) variability within agricultural fields is useful to improve crop management. Spatial patterns of soil water contents can be characterized using the temporal stability analysis, however high density sampling is required. Soil apparent electrical c...

Growth and micro structural studies on Yittria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) and Strontium Titanate (STO) buffer layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Srinivas, S.; Bhatnagar, A.K. [Univ. of Hyderabad (India); Pinto, R. [Solid State Electronics Group, Bombay (India)] [and others

1994-12-31

Microstructure of Yittria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) and Strontium Titanate (STO) of radio frequency magnetron sputtered buffer layers was studied at various sputtering conditions on Si<100>, Sapphire and LaAlO{sub 3} <100> substrates. The effect of substrate temperatures upto 800 C and sputtering gas pressures in the range of 50 mTorr. of growth conditions was studied. The buffer layers of YSZ and STO showed a strong tendency for columnar structure with variation growth conditions. The buffer layers of YSZ and STO showed orientation. The tendency for columnar growth was observed above 15 mTorr sputtering gas pressure and at high substrate temperatures. Post annealing of these films in oxygen atmosphere reduced the oxygen deficiency and strain generated during growth of the films. Strong c-axis oriented superconducting YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 9}O{sub 7-x} (YBCO) thin films were obtained on these buffer layers using pulsed laser ablation technique. YBCO films deposited on multilayers of YSZ and STO were shown to have better superconducting properties.

Study on the Permeability Characteristics of Polyurethane Soil Stabilizer Reinforced Sand

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin Liu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A polymer material of polyurethane soil stabilizer (PSS is used to reinforce the sand. To understand the permeability characteristics of PSS reinforced sand, a series of reinforcement layer form test, single-hole permeability test, and porous permeability test of sand reinforced with PSS have been performed. Reinforcement mechanism is discussed with scanning electron microscope images. The results indicated that the permeability resistance of sand reinforced with polyurethane soil stabilizer is improved through the formation of reinforcement layer on the sand surface. The thickness and complete degree of the reinforcement layer increase with the increasing of curing time and PSS concentration. The water flow rate decreases with the increasing of curing time or PSS concentration. The permeability coefficient decreases with the increasing of curing time and PSS concentration and increases with the increasing of depth in specimen. PSS fills up the voids of sand and adsorbs on the surface of sand particle to reduce or block the flowing channels of water to improve the permeability resistance of sand. The results can be applied as the reference for chemical reinforcement sandy soil engineering, especially for surface protection of embankment, slope, and landfill.

High-performance hybrid pervaporation membranes with superior hydrothermal and acid stability

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Castricum, H.L. [Inorganic Materials Science, MESA Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede (Netherlands); Blank, D.H.A.; Ten Elshof, J.E. [Van ' t Hoff Institute for Molecular Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166, 1018 WV Amsterdam (Netherlands); Kreiter, R.; Van Veen, H.M.; Vente, J.F. [ECN Efficiency and Infrastructure, Petten (Netherlands)

2009-05-15

A new organic-inorganic hybrid membrane has been prepared with exceptional performance in dewatering applications. The only precursor used in the sol-gel synthesis of the selective layer was organically linked 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTESE). The microporous structure of this layer enables selective molecular sieving of small molecules from larger ones. In the dehydration of n-butanol with 5% of water, the membrane shows a high separation factor of over 4000 and ultra-fast water transport at a rate of more than 20 kg m{sup -2} h{sup -1} at 150C. This can be related to the high adsorption capacity of the material and the sub-micron thickness of the selective layer. The selectivity has now remained constant over almost one and a half years under continuous process testing conditions. Apart from the hydrothermal stability, the membrane exhibits a high tolerance for acid contamination. A slow performance decline in flux and separation factor is only observed at a pH lower than 2. The high stability and effective separation indicate a broad industrial application potential of the hybrid membrane material.

Improvement of water resistance and dimensional stability of wood through titanium dioxide coating

Science.gov (United States)

Qingfeng Sun; Haipeng Yu; Yixing Liu; Jian Li; Yun Lu; John F. Hunt

2010-01-01

Moisture absorption and dimensional distortion are the major drawbacks of wood utilization as building material. In this study, poplar wood coated with a thin layer of titanium dioxide (TiO2) was prepared by the cosolvent-controlled hydrothermal method. Subsequently, its moisture absorption and dimensional stability were examined. Scanning...

Pressure-dependent synthesis of high-quality few-layer graphene by plasma-enhanced arc discharge and their thermal stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, Rajesh; Singh, Rajesh Kumar; Dubey, Pawan Kumar; Kumar, Pradip; Tiwari, Radhey Shyam; Oh, Il-Kwon

2013-01-01

In this article, a simple and cost-effective method to produce high-quality few-layer graphene (FLG) sheets (∼4 layers) have been achieved by the direct current arc discharge under argon atmosphere, using pure graphite rods as the electrodes. Ar was used as a buffer gas with pure graphite rods as anode and cathode electrodes. We explored the suitable conditions for producing FLG by changing the Ar gas pressure inside the arcing chamber. This method has several advantages over the previous methods to produce graphene for research applications. No toxic and hazardous intercalant was used for producing FLG in this process. The optimum Ar pressure was 500 Torr, for producing minimum number of FLG and this also shows the good thermal stability. The FLG product so obtained has been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and electron microscopy, Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Thermal stabilities of FLG were determined by thermal gravimetric analysis

Stabilizing local boundary conditions for two-dimensional shallow water equations

KAUST Repository

Dia, Ben Mansour; Oppelstrup, Jesper

2018-01-01

In this article, we present a sub-critical two-dimensional shallow water flow regulation. From the energy estimate of a set of one-dimensional boundary stabilization problems, we obtain a set of polynomial equations with respect to the boundary

Sublayer of Prandtl Boundary Layers

Science.gov (United States)

Grenier, Emmanuel; Nguyen, Toan T.

2018-03-01

The aim of this paper is to investigate the stability of Prandtl boundary layers in the vanishing viscosity limit {ν \\to 0} . In Grenier (Commun Pure Appl Math 53(9):1067-1091, 2000), one of the authors proved that there exists no asymptotic expansion involving one of Prandtl's boundary layer, with thickness of order {√{ν}} , which describes the inviscid limit of Navier-Stokes equations. The instability gives rise to a viscous boundary sublayer whose thickness is of order {ν^{3/4}} . In this paper, we point out how the stability of the classical Prandtl's layer is linked to the stability of this sublayer. In particular, we prove that the two layers cannot both be nonlinearly stable in L^∞. That is, either the Prandtl's layer or the boundary sublayer is nonlinearly unstable in the sup norm.

Stability analysis on natural circulation boiling water reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metz, Peter

1999-05-01

The purpose of the study is a stability analysis of the simplified boiling water reactor concept. A fluid dynamics code, DYNOS, was developed and successfully validated against FRIGG and DESIRE data and a stability benchmark on the Ringhals 1 forced circulation BWR. Three simplified desings were considered in the analysis: The SWRIOOO by Siemens and the SBWR and ESBWR from the General Electric Co. For all three design operational characteristics, i.e. power versus flow rate maps, were calculated. The effects which different geometric and operational parameters, such as the riser height, inlet subcooling etc., have on the characteristics have been investigated. Dynamic simulations on the three simplified design revealed the geysering and the natural circulation oscillations modes only. They were, however, only encountered at pressure below 0.6 MPa. Stability maps for all tree simplified BWRs were calculated and plotted. The study concluded that a fast pressurisation of the reactor vessel is necessary to eliminate the possibility of geysering or natural circulation oscillations mode instability. (au) 26 tabs., 88 ills.

Study of Water-Oil Emulsion Breaking by Stabilized Solution Consisting of Anionic Surface Acting Agent - Soda Ash - Polymer (ASP)

Science.gov (United States)

Kulichkov, S. V.; Avtomonov, E. G.; Andreeva, L. V.; Solomennik, S. F.; Nikitina, A. V.

2018-01-01

The paper provides a laboratory research of breaking natural water-oil emulsions: - by non-stabilized ASP; by stabilized ASP; by mixture of stabilized and non-stabilized ASP in different proportions and production of refinery water of the required quality with the use of IronGuard 2495 as flocculant. Oil-in-water emulsion is stable. Classic methods are not suitable for residual water treatment: sediment gravity flow; filtration; centrifuge test. Microemulsion formed after ASP application has low boundary tension and high pH. It contributes to transfer of oil phase into a water one, forming oil-in-water emulsion. Alkaline condition has adverse effect on demulsifying ability of agents, flocculation and boundary tension. For breaking of water-oil emulsion at EBU before the interchanger water or water-oil emulsion from the wells that were not APS-treated in ratio of 1:9 shall be delivered. Residual water after EBU must be prepared in water tanks by dilution in great volume.

Quantitative characterization of water transport and flooding in the diffusion layers of polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Casalegno, A.; Colombo, L.; Galbiati, S.; Marchesi, R. [Department of Energy, Politecnico di Milano, via Lambruschini 4, 20156 Milano (Italy)

2010-07-01

Optimization of water management in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC) is a very important factor for the achievement of high performances and long lifetime. A good hydration of the electrolyte membrane is essential for high proton conductivity; on the contrary water in excess may lead to electrode flooding and severe reduction in performances. Many studies on water transport across the gas diffusion layer (GDL) have been carried out to improve these components; anyway efforts in this field are affected by lack of effective experimental methods. The present work reports an experimental investigation with the purpose to determine the global coefficient of water transport across different diffusion layers under real operating conditions. An appropriate and accurate experimental apparatus has been designed and built to test the single GDL under a wide range of operating conditions. Data analysis has allowed quantification of both the water vapor transport across different diffusion layers, and the effects of micro-porous layers; furthermore flooding onset and its consequences on the mass transport coefficient have been characterized by means of suitably defined parameters. (author)

Crystalline TiO₂: A Generic and Effective Electron-Conducting Protection Layer for Photoanodes and -cathodes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mei, Bastian Timo; Pedersen, Thomas; Malacrida, Paolo

2015-01-01

Stabilizing efficient photoabsorbers for solar water splitting has recently shown significant progress with the development of various protection layers. Suitable protection layers for tandem devices should be conductive, transparent, and stable in strongly acidic or alkaline solutions. This paper......O2 generally applicable for photoanode assemblies, and thus for protecting tandem devices, are outlined and quantitatively shown by band diagram calculations. The results presented here provide the understanding required for the design of highly efficient and stable photoelectrochemical water...

Rapid and controlled transformation of nitrate in water and brine by stabilized iron nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiong Zhong; Zhao Dongye; Pan Gang

2009-01-01

Highly reactive zero-valent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles stabilized with carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) were tested for reduction of nitrate in fresh water and brine. Batch kinetic tests showed that the pseudo first-order rate constant (k obs ) with the stabilized nanoparticles was five times greater than that for non-stabilized counterparts. The stabilizer not only increased the specific surface area of the nanoparticles, but also increased the reactive particle surface. The allocation between the two reduction products, NH 4 + and N 2 , can be manipulated by varying the ZVI-to-nitrate molar ratio and/or applying a Cu-Pd bimetallic catalyst. Greater CMC-to-ZVI ratios lead to faster nitrate reduction. Application of a 0.05 M HEPES buffer increased the k obs value by 15 times compared to that without pH control. Although the presence of 6% NaCl decreased k obs by 30%, 100% nitrate was transformed within 2 h in the saline water. The technology provides a powerful alternative for treating water with concentrated nitrate such as ion exchange brine.

Surf Zone Hydrodynamics and its Utilization in Biotechnical Stabilization of Water Reservoir Banks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petr Pelikán

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The water reservoir banks are eroded mainly by two factors. The first one is wave action (i.e. wave abrasion affecting the bank in direction from the reservoir. The second one is the influence of water flowing downward over the bank surface in direction from land into the reservoir (e.g. rainfall. The determination of regular altitudinal emplacement of proper designed particular biotechnical stabilization elements is the most important factor on which the right functionality of whole construction depends. Surf zone hydrodynamics solves the wave and water level changes inside the region extending from the wave breaking point to the limit of wave up-rush. The paper is focused on the utilization of piece of knowledge from a part of sea coast hydrodynamics and new approach in its application in the conditions of inland water bodies when designing the biotechnical stabilization elements along the shorelines. The “reinforced grass carpets” as a type of biotechnical method of bank stabilization are presented in the paper; whether the growth of grass root system is dependent on presence or absence of geomats in the soil structure and proceeding of their establishment on the shorelines.

Enhanced Column Filtration for Arsenic Removal from Water: Polymer-Templated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Immobilized on Sand via Layer-by-Layer Deposition

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Calvin Chia-Hung

Arsenic is ubiquitous in water sources around the world and is highly toxic. While precipitation and membrane filtration techniques are successfully implemented in developed cities, they are unsuitable for rural and low-resource settings lacking centralized facilities. This thesis presents the use of ultra-small iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles functionalized on sand granules for use as a house-hold scale adsorption filter. Water-stable alpha-Fe2O3 (hematite) nanoparticles (arsenic adsorption, with 147 +/- 2 mg As(III) per g Fe2O3 and 91 +/- 10 mg As(V) per g Fe2O3. The platform was also used to synthesize iron-based composites, including magnetite (Fe 3O4) and Fe-Cu oxide nanoparticles. For use as a column filter, Fe2O3-PAA nanoparticles were functionalized on sand granules using a layer-by-layer deposition method, with the nanoparticles embedded in the negative layer. The removal of As(III) by the Fe2O 3-PAA functionalized column was described by reversible 1st order kinetics where the forward and reverse rate constants were 0.31 hr -1 and 0.097 hr-1, respectively. Implemented as a passive water filter with 30 x 30 x 50 cm3 dimensions, the filter has an expected lifetime in the order of many years. By controlling the flow rate of the column depending on contamination levels, the filter effectively removes arsenic down to the safety limit of 0.01 mg/L. In a parallel project, the layer-by-layer deposition of Poly(diallydimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDDA) and poly(sodium 5-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) was exploited for a highly practical synthesis of discrete gradient surfaces. By independently controlling the concentration of NaCl in PDDA and PSS deposition solutions, a 2-dimensional matrix of surfaces was created in 96-well microtiter plates. Distinct non-monotonic dye adsorption patterns on the gradient surfaces was observed. Practical knowledge from this project was also used to enhance the nanoparticle surface functionalization described above. In all, a practical

Stabilization of heavy oil-water emulsions using a bio/chemical emulsifier mixture

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Farahbakhsh, A.; Taghizadeh, M.; Movagharnejad, K. [Chemical Engineering Department, Babol University of Technology, Babol (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Yakhchali, B. [National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2011-11-15

In this study, the viscosity reduction of heavy oil has been investigated through the formation of oil-water emulsion using a bio/chemical emulsifier mixture. Four bioemulsifiers from indigenous Rhodococcus ergthropolis and Bacillus licheniformis strains were used to stabilize a highly-viscous oil-in-water emulsion. The Taguchi method with an L{sub 9} orthogonal array design was used to investigate the effect of various control factors on the formation of the oil/water emulsions. An emulsion with lowest viscosity was formed using ACO4 strain. The substantial stability of the oil-in-water emulsion allows the heavy oil to be transported practically over long distances or remain stationary for a considerable period of time prior to utilization. As the result of Taguchi analysis, the temperature and concentration of the emulsifier had a significant influence on viscosity reduction of the emulsion. (Copyright copyright 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

A Study on Distribution Measurement and Mechanism of Deformation due to Water Loss of Overburden Layer in Vertical Shaft

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chunde Piao

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Based on FBG fiber Bragg grating technology and BOTDA distributed optical fiber sensing technology, this study uses fine sand to simulate overburden layer in vertical shaft model equipment. It studies the placing technique and test method for optical fiber sensors in the overburden layer, combined with MODFLOW software to simulate the change of the water head value when the overburden layer is losing water, and obtains the deformation features of overburden layer. The results show, at the beginning of water loss, the vertical deformation increases due to larger hydraulic pressure drop, while the deformation decreases gradually and tends to be stable with the hydraulic pressure drop reducing. The circumferential deformation is closely related to such factors as the distance between each drainage outlet, the variations of water head value, and the method of drainage. The monitoring result based on optical fiber sensing technology is consistent with the characteristics of water loss in overburden layer simulated by MODFLOW software, which shows that the optical fiber sensing technology applied to monitor shaft overburden layer is feasible.

Quantitative Collection and Enzymatic Activity of Glucose Oxidase Nanotubes Fabricated by Templated Layer-by-Layer Assembly.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Shouwei; Demoustier-Champagne, Sophie; Jonas, Alain M

2015-08-10

We report on the fabrication of enzyme nanotubes in nanoporous polycarbonate membranes via the layer-by-layer (LbL) alternate assembly of polyethylenimine (PEI) and glucose oxidase (GOX), followed by dissolution of the sacrificial template in CH2Cl2, collection, and final dispersion in water. An adjuvant-assisted filtration methodology is exploited to extract quantitatively the nanotubes without loss of activity and morphology. Different water-soluble CH2Cl2-insoluble adjuvants are tested for maximal enzyme activity and nanotube stability; whereas NaCl disrupts the tubes by screening electrostatic interactions, the high osmotic pressure created by fructose also contributes to loosening the nanotubular structures. These issues are solved when using neutral, high molar mass dextran. The enzymatic activity of intact free nanotubes in water is then quantitatively compared to membrane-embedded nanotubes, showing that the liberated nanotubes have a higher catalytic activity in proportion to their larger exposed surface. Our study thus discloses a robust and general methodology for the fabrication and quantitative collection of enzymatic nanotubes and shows that LbL assembly provides access to efficient enzyme carriers for use as catalytic swarming agents.

Water desalination with a single-layer MoS2 nanopore

Science.gov (United States)

Heiranian, Mohammad; Farimani, Amir Barati; Aluru, Narayana R.

2015-10-01

Efficient desalination of water continues to be a problem facing the society. Advances in nanotechnology have led to the development of a variety of nanoporous membranes for water purification. Here we show, by performing molecular dynamics simulations, that a nanopore in a single-layer molybdenum disulfide can effectively reject ions and allow transport of water at a high rate. More than 88% of ions are rejected by membranes having pore areas ranging from 20 to 60 Å2. Water flux is found to be two to five orders of magnitude greater than that of other known nanoporous membranes. Pore chemistry is shown to play a significant role in modulating the water flux. Pores with only molybdenum atoms on their edges lead to higher fluxes, which are ~70% greater than that of graphene nanopores. These observations are explained by permeation coefficients, energy barriers, water density and velocity distributions in the pores.

Tomographic Imaging of Water Injection and Withdrawal in PEMFC Gas Diffusion Layers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McGill U; Gostick, J. T.; Gunterman, H. P.; Weber, A. Z.; Newman, J. S.; Kienitz, B. L.; MacDowell, A. A.

2010-06-25

X-ray computed tomography was used to visualize the water configurations inside gas diffusion layers for various applied capillary pressures, corresponding to both water invasion and withdrawal. A specialized sample holder was developed to allow capillary pressure control on the small-scale samples required. Tests were performed on GDL specimens with and without hydrophobic treatments.

Foaming and adsorption behavior of bovine and camel proteins mixed layers at the air/water interface.

Science.gov (United States)

Lajnaf, Roua; Picart-Palmade, Laetitia; Attia, Hamadi; Marchesseau, Sylvie; Ayadi, M A

2017-03-01

The aim of this work was to examine foaming and interfacial behavior of three milk protein mixtures, bovine α-lactalbumin-β-casein (M1), camel α-lactalbumin-β-casein (M2) and β-lactoglobulin-β-casein (M3), alone and in binary mixtures, at the air/water interface in order to better understand the foaming properties of bovine and camel milks. Different mixture ratios (100:0; 75:25; 50:50; 25:75; 0:100) were used during foaming tests and interfacial protein interactions were studied with a pendant drop tensiometer. Experimental results evidenced that the greatest foam was obtained with a higher β-casein amount in all camel and bovine mixtures. Good correlation was observed with the adsorption and the interfacial rheological properties of camel and bovine protein mixtures. The proteins adsorbed layers are mainly affected by the presence of β-casein molecules, which are probably the most abundant protein at interface and the most efficient in reducing the interfacial properties. In contrast of, the globular proteins, α-lactalbumin and β-lactoglobulin that are involved in the protein layer composition, but could not compact well at the interface to ensure foams creation and stabilization because of their rigid molecular structure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Stabilization of aqueous nanoscale zerovalent iron dispersions by anionic polyelectrolytes: adsorbed anionic polyelectrolyte layer properties and their effect on aggregation and sedimentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Phenrat, Tanapon; Saleh, Navid; Sirk, Kevin; Kim, Hye-Jin; Tilton, Robert D.; Lowry, Gregory V.

2008-01-01

Nanoscale zerovalent iron (NZVI) particles are 5-40 nm sized Fe 0 /Fe-oxide particles that rapidly transform many environmental contaminants to benign products and are a promising in situ remediation agent. Rapid aggregation and limited mobility in water-saturated porous media limits the ability to deliver NZVI dispersions in the subsurface. This study prepares stable NZVI dispersions through physisorption of commercially available anionic polyelectrolytes, characterizes the adsorbed polymer layer, and correlates the polymer coating properties with the ability to prevent rapid aggregation and sedimentation of NZVI dispersions. Poly(styrene sulfonate) with molecular weights of 70 k and 1,000 k g/mol (PSS70K and PSS1M), carboxymethyl cellulose with molecular weights of 90 k and 700 k g/mol (CMC90K and CMC700K), and polyaspartate with molecular weights of 2.5 k and 10 k g/mol (PAP2.5K and 10K) were compared. Particle size distributions were determined by dynamic light scattering during aggregation. The order of effectiveness to prevent rapid aggregation and stabilize the dispersions was PSS70K(83%) > ∼PAP10K(82%) > PAP2.5K(72%) > CMC700K(52%), where stability is defined operationally as the volume percent of particles that do not aggregate after 1 h. CMC90K and PSS1M could not stabilize RNIP relative to bare RNIP. A similar trend was observed for their ability to prevent sedimentation, with 40, 34, 32, 20, and 5 wt%, of the PSS70K, PAP10K, PAP2.5K, CMC700K, and CMC90K modified NZVI remaining suspended after 7 h of quiescent settling, respectively. The stable fractions with respect to both aggregation and sedimentation correlate well with the adsorbed polyelectrolyte mass and thickness of the adsorbed polyelectrolyte layers as determined by Oshima's soft particle theory. A fraction of the particles cannot be stabilized by any modifier and rapidly agglomerates to micron sized aggregates, as is also observed for unmodified NZVI. This non-dispersible fraction is

Chemical and morphological modifications of single layer graphene submitted to annealing in water vapor

Science.gov (United States)

Rolim, Guilherme Koszeniewski; Corrêa, Silma Alberton; Galves, Lauren Aranha; Lopes, João Marcelo J.; Soares, Gabriel Vieira; Radtke, Cláudio

2018-01-01

Modifications of single layer graphene transferred to SiO2/Si substrates resulting from annealing in water vapor were investigated. Near edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy evidenced graphene puckering between 400 and 500 °C. Synchrotron radiation based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed variation of sp2 and sp3C bonding configurations specially in this same temperature range. Moreover, oxygen related functionalities are formed as a result of water vapor annealing. Based on these results and complementary Raman and nuclear reaction analysis, one distinguishes three different regimes of water interaction with graphene concerning modifications of the graphene layer. In the low temperature range (200-400 °C), no prominent modification of graphene itself is observed. At higher temperatures (400-500 °C), to accommodate newly formed oxygen functionalities, the flat and continuous sp2 bonding network of graphene is disrupted, giving rise to a puckered layer. For 600 °C and above, shrinking of graphene domains and a higher doping level take place.

Feasibility of suspension spraying of yttria-stabilized zirconia with water-stabilized plasma torch

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mušálek, Radek; Bertolissi, Gabriele; Medřický, J.; Kotlan, Jiří; Pala, Zdeněk; Curry, N.

2015-01-01

Roč. 268, April (2015), s. 58-62 ISSN 0257-8972. [Rencontres Internationales de la Projection Thermique/6./. Limoges, 11.12.2013-13.12.2013] R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GPP108/12/P552 Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : Thermal spray coating * Suspension spray ing * Thermal barrier coating * Water-stabilized plasma * High enthalpy plasma Subject RIV: JK - Corrosion ; Surface Treatment of Materials Impact factor: 2.139, year: 2015 http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S025789721400680X

Temperature stability of c-axis oriented LiNbO3/SiO2/Si thin film layered structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomar, Monika; Gupta, Vinay; Mansingh, Abhai; Sreenivas, K.

2001-01-01

Theoretical calculations have been performed for the temperature stability of the c-axis oriented LiNbO 3 thin film layered structures on passivated silicon (SiO 2 /Si) substrate with and without a non-piezoelectric SiO 2 overlayer. The phase velocity, electromechanical coupling coefficient and temperature coefficient of delay (TCD) have been calculated. The thicknesses of various layers have been determined for optimum SAW performance with zero TCD. The presence of a non-piezoelectric SiO 2 overlayer on LiNbO 3 film is found to significantly enhance the coupling coefficient. The optimized results reveal that a high coupling coefficient of K 2 =3.45% and a zero TCD can be obtained in the SiO 2 /LiNbO 3 /SiO 2 /Si structure with a 0.235λ thick LiNbO 3 layer sandwiched between 0.1λ thick SiO 2 layers. (author)

Changes in soil aggregate stability under different irrigation doses of waste water

Science.gov (United States)

Morugán, Alicia; García-Orenes, Fuensanta; Mataix-Solera, Jorge; Arcenegui, Victoria; Bárcenas, Gema

2010-05-01

Freshwater availability and soil degradation are two of the most important environmental problems in the Mediterranean area acerbated by incorrect agricultural use of irrigation in which organic matter is not correctly managed, the use of low quality water for irrigation, and the inefficiency of dose irrigation. For these reasons strategies for saving water and for the restoration of the mean properties of soil are necessary. The use of treated waste water for the irrigation of agricultural land could be a good solution to these problems, as it reduces the utilization of fresh water and could potentially improve key soil properties. In this work we have been studying, for more than three years, the effects on soil properties of different doses of irrigation with waste water. Here we show the results on aggregate stability. The study is located in an agricultural area at Biar (Alicante, SE of Spain), with a crop of grape (Vitis labrusca). Three types of waters are being used in the irrigation of the soil: fresh water (control) (TC), and treated waste water from secondary (T2) and tertiary treatment (T3). Three different doses of irrigation have been applied to fit the efficiency of the irrigation to the crop and soil type: D10 (10 L m-2 every week during 17 months), D50 (50 L m-2 every fifteen days during 14 moths) and D30 (30 L m-2 every week during 6 months up to present day). The results showed a clear decrease of aggregate stability during the period we used the second dose (D50) independent of the type of water used. That dose of irrigation and frequency produced strong wetting and drying cycles (WD) in the soil, and this is suspected to be the main factor responsible for the results. When we changed the dose of irrigation to D30, reducing the quantity per event and increasing the frequency, the soil aggregate stability started to improve. This dose avoids strong drying periods between irrigation events and the aggregate stability is confirmed to be slowly

Structural Stability Of Detached Low Crested Breakwaters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burcharth, Hans F.; Kramer, Morten; Lamberti, Alberto

2006-01-01

The aim of the paper is to describe hydraulic stability of rock-armoured low-crested structures on the basis of new experimental tests and prototype observations. Rock armour stability results from earlier model tests under non-depth-limited long-crested head-on waves are reviewed. Results from new...... determining armour stone size in shallow water conditions is given together with a rule of thumb for the required stone size in depth-limited design waves. Rock toe stability is discussed on the basis of prototype experience, hard bottom 2-D tests in depth-limited waves and an existing hydraulic stability...... formula. Toe damage predicted by the formula is in agreement with experimental results. In field sites, damage at the toe induced by scour or by sinking is observed and the volume of the berm is often insufficient to avoid regressive erosion of the armour layer. Stone sinking and settlement in selected...

Stabilization of liquid crystal dispersions with acrylamide copolymers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, S.J.; Kim, M.H.; Lee, J.R. [Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1999-03-01

The effects of hydrophobic moieties(styrene and methyl methacrylate) on the stability of a liquid crystal(LC, E-7)-in-water dispersion stabilized by copolymers of hydrophilic acrylamide with hydrophobic monomers have been studied in terms of nematic curvilinear aligned phase(NCAP) system. It was observed that the preferential adsorption hydrophobic moieties onto LC droplet surface resulted in steric stabilization of the dispersion, due to increasing the interfacial tension of LC and reducing the LC droplet size. According to the interfacial tension, coalescence time, and sedimented layer thickness measurements, it was proposed that the presence of hydrophobic moieties allows to form the apolar microenvironment in the round of LC droplet and finally reduces the anchoring effect between LC and the polymeric wall. 16 refs., 10 figs.

Single-layer group IV-V and group V-IV-III-VI semiconductors: Structural stability, electronic structures, optical properties, and photocatalysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Jia-He; Zhang, Hong; Cheng, Xin-Lu; Miyamoto, Yoshiyuki

2017-07-01

Recently, single-layer group III monochalcogenides have attracted both theoretical and experimental interest at their potential applications in photonic devices, electronic devices, and solar energy conversion. Excited by this, we theoretically design two kinds of highly stable single-layer group IV-V (IV =Si ,Ge , and Sn; V =N and P) and group V-IV-III-VI (IV =Si ,Ge , and Sn; V =N and P; III =Al ,Ga , and In; VI =O and S) compounds with the same structures with single-layer group III monochalcogenides via first-principles simulations. By using accurate hybrid functional and quasiparticle methods, we show the single-layer group IV-V and group V-IV-III-VI are indirect bandgap semiconductors with their bandgaps and band edge positions conforming to the criteria of photocatalysts for water splitting. By applying a biaxial strain on single-layer group IV-V, single-layer group IV nitrides show a potential on mechanical sensors due to their bandgaps showing an almost linear response for strain. Furthermore, our calculations show that both single-layer group IV-V and group V-IV-III-VI have absorption from the visible light region to far-ultraviolet region, especially for single-layer SiN-AlO and SnN-InO, which have strong absorption in the visible light region, resulting in excellent potential for solar energy conversion and visible light photocatalytic water splitting. Our research provides valuable insight for finding more potential functional two-dimensional semiconductors applied in optoelectronics, solar energy conversion, and photocatalytic water splitting.

Impact of a silver layer on the membrane of tap water filters on the microbiological quality of filtered water

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruderek Juliane

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Bacteria in the hospital's drinking water system represent a risk for the acquisition of a nosocomial infection in the severely immunocompromised host. Terminal tap water filters may be used to prevent nosocomial Legionnaires' disease. We present data from water samples using an improved kind of tap water filters. Methods In a blinded study on an intermediate care unit of the thoracic surgery department, a modified type of the Germlyser water filter (Aqua-Free Membrane Technology with a newly-introduced silver layer on the filtration membrane was compared to its preceding type without such a layer on 15 water outlets. We determined growth of Legionella, other pathogenic bacteria, and the total heterotrophic plate count in unfiltered water and filtered water samples after filter usage intervals of 1 through 4 weeks. Results A total of 299 water samples were tested. Twenty-nine of the 60 unfiltered water samples contained Legionella of various serogroups (baseline value. In contrast, all samples filtered by the original water filter and all but one of the water samples filtered by the modified filter type remained Legionella-free. No other pathogenic bacteria were detected in any filtered sample. The total plate count in water samples increased during use of both kinds of filters over time. However, for the first 7 days of use, there were significantly fewer water samples containing >100 CFU per mL when using the new filter device compared with the older filters or taps with no filter. No advantage was seen thereafter. Conclusion The use of this type of terminal water filter is an appropriate method to protect immunocompromised patients from water-borne pathogens such as Legionella.

Fissures in rock under water pressure, implications on stability : 3 unusual cases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Helwig, P.C. [Helwig Hydrotechnique Ltd., St. John' s, NL (Canada)

2006-07-01

The presence of water in rock joints has important implications on the stability of rock foundations. Appropriate analyses are needed to assess the stability of dam foundations, abutments and rock walls. This paper presented 3 case studies in which the freezing of seepage flows in rock joints and transient pressure in rock walls were investigated: (1) an assessment of the effects of freezing water in rock joints at the Paradise River arch dam in Newfoundland; (2) stability of rock walls in the unlined power tunnel of the Cat Arm hydroelectric development in Newfoundland due to transient pressures; and (3) assessing the influence of fluctuating water pressures in a stilling basin excavated in rock. After an investigation of the Paradise River canyon walls, a drainage system comprised of peripheral drain holes was drilled into the foundation and walls at regular intervals to intercept seepage flows and to relieve uplift water pressures. However, no special treatment was found for the potential freezing of water in the joints of the dam walls and foundation. The Cat Arm tunnel was used to study the depth at which significant transient pressures can be used to assess rock stability. Rock properties, typical fracture apertures and spacing were assumed and joint deformability was taken into account. An axisymmetric solution was obtained by considering the continuity and flow through an annular element of the rock wall. A finite difference method was used to solve the resulting nonlinear differential equation. In the final case study, blast-damaged rock was undermining the toe of a spillway. A cut-off wall was constructed as a series of drilled, cast-in-place concrete caisson piles. Criteria for the design included extending the cut-off wall to a depth beyond the effects of fluctuating surface pressures. Depth was assessed by considering the transient behaviour of water penetrating a sub-vertical joint subject exposed to fluctuating pressures. Results of the calculations

Application of "The Water Layer Model" to self-compacting mortar with different size distributions of fine aggregate

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Midorikawa, T.; Pelova, G.I.; Walraven, J.C.

2009-01-01

Self-Compacting Concrete is a relatively new type of concrete. Up to now only a few models have been developed to explain its physical behaviour, like the Water Layer Model and the Excess Paste Model. In this paper, the difference between the Water Layer Model and the Excess Paste Model is

Modulation and Stabilization of Silk Fibroin-Coated Oil-in-Water Emulsions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhong-Min Chen

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to prepare and characterize stable oil-in-water emulsions containing droplets coated with silk fibroin. Silk fibroin, a native edible fibrous protein originating from silkworm cocoons, was used to prepare 10 % (by mass corn oil-in-water emulsions at ambient temperature (pH=7.0, 10 mM phosphate buffer. Emulsions with relatively small mean particle diameter (d32=0.47 μm and extremely good creaming stability (>7 days could be produced at silk fibroin concentration of 1 % (by mass. The influence of pH (2–8, thermal processing (60–90 °C, 20 min, and concentration of salt (c(NaCl=0–250 mM on the properties and stability of the emulsions was analyzed using ζ-potential, particle size, and creaming stability measurements. The isoelectric point of droplets stabilized with silk fibroin was pH~4. The emulsions were stable to droplet flocculation and creaming at any pH except intermediate value (pH=4.0 when stored at room temperature, which was attributed to their relatively low ζ-potential. Their ζ-potential went from around 25 to –35 mV as the pH was increased from 2 to 8. The emulsions were also stable to thermal treatment (60 and 90 °C for 20 min, pH=3 and 7, with a slight decrease in the magnitude of ζ-potential at temperatures exceeding 60 °C. The emulsions were unstable to aggregation and creaming even at relatively low salt concentrations (c(NaCl=0–250 mM, pH=3 and 7 as a result of electrostatic screening effects. These results suggest that bulk oil stabilized with silk fibroin has improved physical stability and may provide a new way of creating functional oil products and delivery systems.

Novel layered polyaniline-poly(hydroquinone)/graphene film as supercapacitor electrode with enhanced rate performance and cycling stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Ren, Lijun; Zhang, Gaini; Lei, Ji; Wang, Yan; Hu, Dengwei

2018-02-15

It is a challenge to fabricate polyaniline (PANI) materials with high rate performance and excellent stability. Herein a new special supercapacitor electrode material of polyaniline-poly(hydroquinone)/graphene (PANI-PHQ/RGO) film with layered structure was prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline and hydroquinone (H 2 Q) in the presence of RGO hydrogel film. The synergistic effect and loose layered structure of the composite film facilitate fast diffusion and transportation of electrolyte ions through unimpeded channels during rapid charge-discharge process, resulting in high rate capability and stable cycling performance. As a result, the PANI-PHQ/RGO-61 film electrode exhibited 356 F g -1 at a current density of 0.5 A g -1 and high capacitance retention of 83% from 0.5 to 30 A g -1 . Moreover, it presented an excellent cycling stability with 94% of capacitance retention in comparison with 60% of pure PANI electrode and an outstanding Coulombic efficiency of 99% after 1000 cycles of galvanostatic charge-discharge. These superior electrocapacitive properties make it one of promising candidates for electrochemical energy storage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Flexible ITO-free organic solar cells applying aqueous solution-processed V2O5 hole transport layer: An outdoor stability study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Anderson S. Lima

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Solution processable semiconductor oxides have opened a new paradigm for the enhancement of the lifetime of thin film solar cells. Their fabrication by low-cost and environmentally friendly solution-processable methods makes them ideal barrier (hole and electron transport layers. In this work, we fabricate flexible ITO-free organic solar cells (OPV by printing methods applying an aqueous solution-processed V2O5 as the hole transport layer (HTL and compared them to devices applying PEDOT:PSS. The transparent conducting electrode was PET/Ag/PEDOT/ZnO, and the OPV configuration was PET/Ag/PEDOT/ZnO/P3HT:PC60BM/HTL/Ag. Outdoor stability analyses carried out for more than 900 h revealed higher stability for devices fabricated with the aqueous solution-processed V2O5.

Quantum Chemical Study of Water Adsorption on the Surfaces of SrTiO3 Nanotubes.

Science.gov (United States)

Bandura, Andrei V; Kuruch, Dmitry D; Evarestov, Robert A

2015-07-20

We have studied the adsorption of water molecules on the inner and outer surfaces of nanotubes generated by rolling (001) layers of SrTiO3 cubic crystals. The stability and the atomic and electronic structures of the adsorbed layers are determined by using hybrid density functional theory. The absorption energy and the preferred adsorbate structure are essentially governed by the nature of the surface of the nanotube. Dissociative adsorption prevails on the outer nanotube surfaces. The stability of the adsorbed layers on the inner surfaces is related to the possibility of the formation of hydrogen bonds between water molecules and surface oxygen atoms, and depends on the surface curvature. The presence of water molecules on the inner surface of the nanotubes leads to an increase of the electronic band gap. Externally TiO2 -terminated nanotubes could be used for the photocatalytic decomposition of water by ultraviolet radiation. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Study on of Seepage Flow Velocity in Sand Layer Profile as Affected by Water Depth and Slope Gradience

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Z.; Chen, X.

2017-12-01

BACKGROUND: The subsurface water flow velocity is of great significance in understanding the hydrodynamic characteristics of soil seepage and the influence of interaction between seepage flow and surface runoff on the soil erosion and sediment transport process. OBJECTIVE: To propose a visualized method and equipment for determining the seepage flow velocity and measuring the actual flow velocity and Darcy velocity as well as the relationship between them.METHOD: A transparent organic glass tank is used as the test soil tank, the white river sand is used as the seepage test material and the fluorescent dye is used as the indicator for tracing water flow, so as to determine the thickness and velocity of water flow in a visualized way. Water is supplied at the same flow rate (0.84 L h-1) to the three parts with an interval of 1m at the bottom of the soil tank and the pore water velocity and the thickness of each water layer are determined under four gradient conditions. The Darcy velocity of each layer is calculated according to the water supply flow and the discharge section area. The effective discharge flow pore is estimated according to the moisture content and porosity and then the relationship between Darcy velocity and the measured velocity is calculated based on the water supply flow and the water layer thickness, and finally the correctness of the calculation results is verified. RESULTS: According to the velocity calculation results, Darcy velocity increases significantly with the increase of gradient; in the sand layer profile, the flow velocity of pore water at different depths increases with the increase of gradient; under the condition of the same gradient, the lower sand layer has the maximum flow velocity of pore water. The air-filled porosity of sand layer determines the proportional relationship between Darcy velocity and pore flow velocity. CONCLUSIONS: The actual flow velocity and Darcy velocity can be measured by a visualized method and the

Tradeoffs between water requirements and yield stability in annual vs. perennial crops

Science.gov (United States)

Vico, Giulia; Brunsell, Nathaniel A.

2018-02-01

Population growth and changes in climate and diets will likely further increase the pressure on agriculture and water resources globally. Currently, staple crops are obtained from annuals plants. A shift towards perennial crops may enhance many ecosystem services, but at the cost of higher water requirements and lower yields. It is still unclear when the advantages of perennial crops overcome their disadvantages and perennial crops are thus a sustainable solution. Here we combine a probabilistic description of the soil water balance and crop development with an extensive dataset of traits of congeneric annuals and perennials to identify the conditions for which perennial crops are more viable than annual ones with reference to yield, yield stability, and effective use of water. We show that the larger and more developed roots of perennial crops allow a better exploitation of soil water resources and a reduction of yield variability with respect to annual species, but their yields remain lower when considering grain crops. Furthermore, perennial crops have higher and more variable irrigation requirements and lower water productivity. These results are important to understand the potential consequences for yield, its stability, and water resource use of a shift from annual to perennial crops and, more generally, if perennial crops may be more resilient than annual crops in the face of climatic fluctuations.

Development of Nanoparticle-Stabilized Foams to Improve Performance of Water-less Hydraulic Fracturing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prodanovic, Masa [The University of Texas at Austin; Johnston, Keith P. [The University of Texas at Austin

2017-12-29

We have successfully created ultra dry carbon-dioxide-in-water and nitrogen-in-water foams (with water content down to 2-5% range), that are remarkably stable at high temperatures (up to 120 deg, C) and pressures (up to 3000psi) and viscous enough (100-200 cP tunable range) to carry proppant. Two generations of these ultra-dry foams have been developed; they are stabilized either with a synergy of surfactants and nanoparticle, or just with viscoelastic surfactants that viscosify the aqueous phase. Not only does this reduce water utilization and disposal, but it minimizes fluid blocking of hydrocarbon production. Further, the most recent development shows successful use of environmentally friendly surfactants at high temperature and pressure. We pay special attention to the role of nanoparticles in stabilization of the foams, specifically for high salinity brines. The preliminary numerical simulation for which shows they open wider fractures with shorter half-length and require less clean-up due to minimal water use. We also tested the stability and sand carrying properties of these foams at high pressure, room temperature conditions in sapphire cell. We performed on a preliminary numerical investigation of applicability for improved oil recovery applications. The applicability was evaluated by running multiphase flow injection simulations in a case-study oil reservoir. The results of this research thus expand the options available to operators for hydraulic fracturing and can simplify the design and field implementation of foamed fracturing fluids.

Methane oxidation and methane fluxes in the ocean surface layer and deep anoxic waters

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, B. B.; Kilpatrick, K. A.; Novelli, P. C.; Scranton, M. I.

1987-01-01

Measured biological oxidation rates of methane in near-surface waters of the Cariaco Basin are compared with the diffusional fluxes computed from concentration gradients of methane in the surface layer. Methane fluxes and oxidation rates were investigated in surface waters, at the oxic/anoxic interface, and in deep anoxic waters. It is shown that the surface-waters oxidation of methane is a mechanism which modulates the flux of methane from marine waters to the atmosphere.

A real-time BWR [boiling water reactor] stability measurement system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

March-Leuba, J.; King, W.T.

1987-01-01

This paper describes the characteristics of a portable, real-time system used for nonperturbational measurements of stability in boiling water reactors. The algorithm used in this system estimates the closed-loop asymptotic decay ratio using only the naturally occurring neutron noise and it is based on the univariate autoregressive methodology

Temperature, heat content, mixing and stability in Lake Orta: a pluriannual investigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luigi BARBANTI

2001-02-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the overall state of some physical phenomena occurring in Lake Orta, such as thermal stratification and destratification, accumulation and release of heat, vertical winter mixing, and stability of the water mass. The historical series of temperature distribution along the water column in the period 1984-1999, from which the holo-oligomictic character of Lake Orta emerges, is analysed. The monthly evaluation of the heat contents metre by metre from 0 to 143 m depth reveals how the complete winter mixing occurs only when the energy present within the whole column is less than 1,675 MJ m-2; above this value the circulation is only partial, as in the other deep subalpine lakes. A water layer in the deep hypolimnion has been shown to contain a climatic memory, which has generally increased since 1981. Walker’s stability analysis has revealed that when at a depth below 90 metres there is a level where 0.07 J m-2 are exceeded, total mixing cannot take place. In contrast, the Birgean work identifies, during the heating phase, the layers of the lake where energy is stored or lost.

Suspensions Plasma Spraying of Ceramics with Hybrid Water-Stabilized Plasma Technology

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mušálek, Radek; Medřický, Jan; Tesař, T.; Kotlan, Jiří; Pala, Zdeněk; Lukáč, František; Chráska, Tomáš; Curry, N.

2017-01-01

Roč. 26, 1-2 (2017), s. 37-46 ISSN 1059-9630. [ISTC 2016: International Thermal Spray Conference. Shanghai, 10.05.2016-12.05.2016] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-12145S Institutional support: RVO:61389021 Keywords : alumina * ceramics * dense * hybrid plasma torch * suspension plasma spraying * water-stabilized plasma * yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) Subject RIV: JK - Corrosion ; Surface Treatment of Materials OBOR OECD: Coating and films Impact factor: 1.488, year: 2016 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11666-016-0493-6

Chemical stabilization of subgrade soil for the strategic expeditionary landing field

Science.gov (United States)

Conaway, M. H.

1983-06-01

The Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field (SELF) is a military expeditionary-type airfield with an aluminum matted surface that is designed for sustained tactical and cargo airlift operations in an amphibious objective area. Because of the operational traffic parameters such as loads of the various types of aircraft, tire pressures and volume of traffic, a base layer must be constructed over subgrade soil support conditions which may be only marginal. The base layer could be constructed with conventional soil construction techniques (compaction) and yield the required strength. It would be difficult, however, to maintain this strength for the required one-year service life under many climatic conditions due to the degrading effects of water on the support capacity of many soils. Chemical soil stabilization with lime, portland cement and asphalt stabilizing agents could be used to treat the soil. These additives, when properly mixed with certain types of soils, initiate reactions which will increase soil support strength and enhance durability (resistance to the degrading effects of water). Technically, this procedure is quite viable but logistically, it may not be feasible.

The effect of viscoelasticity on the stability of a pulmonary airway liquid layer

Science.gov (United States)

Halpern, David; Fujioka, Hideki; Grotberg, James B.

2010-01-01

The lungs consist of a network of bifurcating airways that are lined with a thin liquid film. This film is a bilayer consisting of a mucus layer on top of a periciliary fluid layer. Mucus is a non-Newtonian fluid possessing viscoelastic characteristics. Surface tension induces flows within the layer, which may cause the lung's airways to close due to liquid plug formation if the liquid film is sufficiently thick. The stability of the liquid layer is also influenced by the viscoelastic nature of the liquid, which is modeled using the Oldroyd-B constitutive equation or as a Jeffreys fluid. To examine the role of mucus alone, a single layer of a viscoelastic fluid is considered. A system of nonlinear evolution equations is derived using lubrication theory for the film thickness and the film flow rate. A uniform film is initially perturbed and a normal mode analysis is carried out that shows that the growth rate g for a viscoelastic layer is larger than for a Newtonian fluid with the same viscosity. Closure occurs if the minimum core radius, Rmin(t), reaches zero within one breath. Solutions of the nonlinear evolution equations reveal that Rmin normally decreases to zero faster with increasing relaxation time parameter, the Weissenberg number We. For small values of the dimensionless film thickness parameter ɛ, the closure time, tc, increases slightly with We, while for moderate values of ɛ, ranging from 14% to 18% of the tube radius, tc decreases rapidly with We provided the solvent viscosity is sufficiently small. Viscoelasticity was found to have little effect for ɛ >0.18, indicating the strong influence of surface tension. The film thickness parameter ɛ and the Weissenberg number We also have a significant effect on the maximum shear stress on tube wall, max(τw), and thus, potentially, an impact on cell damage. Max(τw) increases with ɛ for fixed We, and it decreases with increasing We for small We provided the solvent viscosity parameter is sufficiently

Stability analysis of a heated channel cooled by supercritical water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magni, M. C.; Delmastro, D. F; Marcel, C. P

2009-01-01

A simple model to study thermal-hydraulic stability of a heated cannel under supercritical conditions is presented. Single cannel stability analysis for the SCWR (Supercritical Water Cooled Reactor) design was performed. The drastic change of fluid density in the reactor core of a SCWR may induce DWO (Density Wave Oscillations) similar to those observed in BWRs. Due to the similarities between subcritical and supercritical systems we may treat the supercritical fluid as a pseudo two-phase system. Thus, we may extend the modeling approach often used for boiling flow stability analysis to supercritical pressure operation conditions. The model developed in this work take into account three regions: a heavy fluid region, similar to an incompressible liquid; a zone where a heavy fluid and a light fluid coexist, similar to two-phase mixture; and a light fluid region which behaves like superheated steam. It was used the homogeneous equilibrium model (HEM) for the pseudo boiling zone, and the ideal gas model for the pseudo superheated steam zone. System stability maps were obtained using linear stability analysis in the frequency domain. Two possible instability mechanisms are observed: DWO and excursive Ledinegg instabilities. Also, a sensitivity analysis showed that frictions in pseudo superheated steam zone, together with acceleration effect, are the most destabilizing effects. On the other hand, frictions in pseudo liquid zone are the most important stabilizing effect. [es

Engineering the lipid layer of lipid-PLGA hybrid nanoparticles for enhanced in vitro cellular uptake and improved stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yun; Hoerle, Reece; Ehrich, Marion; Zhang, Chenming

2015-12-01

Lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (NPs), consisting of a polymeric core and a lipid shell, have been intensively examined as delivery systems for cancer drugs, imaging agents, and vaccines. For applications in vaccine particularly, the hybrid NPs need to be able to protect the enclosed antigens during circulation, easily be up-taken by dendritic cells, and possess good stability for prolonged storage. However, the influence of lipid composition on the performance of hybrid NPs has not been well studied. In this study, we demonstrate that higher concentrations of cholesterol in the lipid layer enable slower and more controlled antigen release from lipid-poly(lactide-co-glycolide) acid (lipid-PLGA) NPs in human serum and phosphate buffered saline (PBS). Higher concentrations of cholesterol also promoted in vitro cellular uptake of hybrid NPs, improved the stability of the lipid layer, and protected the integrity of the hybrid structure during long-term storage. However, stabilized hybrid structures of high cholesterol content tended to fuse with each other during storage, resulting in significant size increase and lowered cellular uptake. Additional experiments demonstrated that PEGylation of NPs could effectively minimize fusion-caused size increase after long term storage, leading to improved cellular uptake, although excessive PEGylation will not be beneficial and led to reduced improvement. This paper reports the engineering of the lipid layer that encloses a polymeric nanoparticle, which can be used as a carrier for drug and vaccine molecules for targeted delivery. We demonstrated that the concentration of cholesterol is critical for the stability and uptake of the hybrid nanoparticles by dendritic cells, a targeted cell for the delivery of immune effector molecules. However, we found that hybrid nanoparticles with high cholesterol concentration tend to fuse during storage resulting in larger particles with decreased cellular uptake. This problem is

Stability Proxies for Water-in-Oil Emulsions and Implications in Aqueous-based Enhanced Oil Recovery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehrnoosh Moradi

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Several researchers have proposed that mobility control mechanisms can positively contribute to oil recovery in the case of emulsions generated in Enhanced-Oil Recovery (EOR operations. Chemical EOR techniques that use alkaline components or/and surfactants are known to produce undesirable emulsions that create operational problems and are difficult to break. Other water-based methods have been less studied in this sense. EOR processes such as polymer flooding and LoSalTM injection require adjustments of water chemistry, mainly by lowering the ionic strength of the solution or by decreasing hardness. The decreased ionic strength of EOR solutions can give rise to more stable water-in-oil emulsions, which are speculated to improve mobility ratio between the injectant and the displaced oil. The first step toward understanding the connection between the emulsions and EOR mechanisms is to show that EOR conditions, such as salinity and hardness requirements, among others, are conducive to stabilizing emulsions. In order to do this, adequate stability proxies are required. This paper reviews commonly used emulsion stability proxies and explains the advantages and disadvantage of methods reviewed. This paper also reviews aqueous-based EOR processes with focus on heavy oil to contextualize in-situ emulsion stabilization conditions. This context sets the basis for comparison of emulsion stability proxies.

Photocatalytic Water Treatment on TiO2 Thin Layers.

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šolcová, Olga; Spáčilová, L.; Maléterová, Ywetta; Morozová, Magdalena; Ezechiáš, Martin; Křesinová, Zdena

2016-01-01

Roč. 57, č. 25 (2016), s. 11631-11638 ISSN 1944-3994. [International Conference on Protection and Restoration of the Environment /12./. Skiathos Island, 29.06.2014-03.07.2014] R&D Projects: GA TA ČR TA01020804 Institutional support: RVO:67985858 ; RVO:61388971 Keywords : water purification * endocrine disruptor * photocatalytic * TiO2 layers Subject RIV: CI - Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering; EE - Microbiology, Virology (MBU-M) Impact factor: 1.631, year: 2016

Ionization of water clusters by fast Highly Charged Ions: Stability, fragmentation, energetics and charge mobility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legendre, S; Maisonny, R; Capron, M; Bernigaud, V; Cassimi, A; Gervais, B; Grandin, J-P; Huber, B A; Manil, B; Rousseau, P; Tarisien, M; Adoui, L; Lopez-Tarifa, P; AlcamI, M; MartIn, F; Politis, M-F; Penhoat, M A Herve du; Vuilleumier, R; Gaigeot, M-P; Tavernelli, I

2009-01-01

We study dissociative ionization of water clusters by impact of fast Ni ions. Cold Target Recoil Ion Momentum Spectroscopy (COLTRIMS) is used to obtain information about stability, energetics and charge mobility of the ionized clusters. An unusual stability of the (H 2 O) 4 H ''+ ion is observed, which could be the signature of the so called ''Eigen'' structure in gas phase water clusters. High charge mobility, responsible for the formation of protonated water clusters that dominate the mass spectrum, is evidenced. These results are supported by CPMD and TDDFT simulations, which also reveal the mechanisms of such mobility.

Structure of mixed β-lactoglobulin/pectin adsorbed layers at air/water interfaces; a spectroscopy study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ganzevles, R.A.; Fokkink, R.; Vliet, T. van; Cohen Stuart, M.A.; Jongh, H.H.J. de

2008-01-01

Based on earlier reported surface rheological behaviour two factors appeared to be important for the functional behaviour of mixed protein/polysaccharide adsorbed layers at air/water interfaces: (1) protein/polysaccharide mixing ratio and (2) formation history of the layers. In this study complexes

Structure of mixed Beta-lactoglobulin/pectin adsorbed layers at air/water interfaces; a spectroscopy study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ganzevles, R.A.; Fokkink, R.G.; Vliet, van T.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.; Jongh, de H.H.J.

2008-01-01

Based on earlier reported surface rheological behaviour two factors appeared to be important for the functional behaviour of mixed protein/polysaccharide adsorbed layers at air/water interfaces: (1) protein/polysaccharide mixing ratio and (2) formation history of the layers. In this study complexes

Adhesion and thermal stability enhancement of IZO films by adding a primer layer on polycarbonate substrate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Xuan; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Yan, Yue; Zhong, Yanli; Li, Lei; Zhang, Guanli [Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials (BIAM), Haidian District, Beijing, 100095 (China)

2015-04-01

A silicone-based primer layer was developed to improve the adhesion and thermal stability of amorphous transparent indium zinc oxide (IZO) films on polycarbonate (PC). The IZO films deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering at room temperature on primer-treated and untreated PCs were evaluated ex situ in terms of surface morphology, adhesion, optical, and electrical properties during annealing at 120 C in air. Nano-scratch tests indicated the adhesion of IZO films on primer-treated substrates was superior to that on untreated PCs. This superior adhesion can be attributed to the strong Si-O-Si inorganic bonds abundant in the primer layer and better matches of the primer layer in the terms of thermal expansion to the IZO. Moreover, the electrical resistivity of IZO films prepared on primer-treated PCs remained stable during the annealing treatment, whereas those of IZO films on untreated PCs presented a continuously increasing trend, which was attributed to the decrease in carrier concentration that resulted from oxygen adsorption. (copyright 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Hydraulic Stability of Accropode Armour

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, T.; Burcharth, H. F.; Frigaard, Peter

The present report describes the hydraulic model tests of Accropode armour layers carried out at the Hydraulics Laboratory at Aalborg University from November 1995 through March 1996. The objective of the model tests was to investigate the hydraulic stability of Accropode armour layers...... with permeable core (crushed granite with a gradation of 5-8 mm). The outcome of this study is described in "Hydraulic Stability of Single-Layer Dolos and Accropode Armour Layers" by Christensen & Burcharth (1995). In January/February 1996, Research Assistant Thomas Jensen carried out a similar study...

The roll-up and merging of coherent structures in shallow mixing layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lam, M. Y.; Ghidaoui, M. S.; Kolyshkin, A. A.

2016-01-01

The current study seeks a fundamental explanation to the development of two-dimensional coherent structures (2DCSs) in shallow mixing layers. A nonlinear numerical model based on the depth-averaged shallow water equations is used to investigate the temporal evolution of shallow mixing layers, where the mapping from temporal to spatial results is made using the velocity at the center of the mixing layers. The flow is periodic in the streamwise direction. Transmissive boundary conditions are used in the cross-stream boundaries to prevent reflections. Numerical results are compared to linear stability analysis, mean-field theory, and secondary stability analysis. Results suggest that the onset and development of 2DCS in shallow mixing layers are the result of a sequence of instabilities governed by linear theory, mean-field theory, and secondary stability theory. The linear instability of the shearing velocity gradient gives the onset of 2DCS. When the perturbations reach a certain amplitude, the flow field of the perturbations changes from a wavy shape to a vortical (2DCS) structure because of nonlinearity. The development of the vertical 2DCS does not appear to follow weakly nonlinear theory; instead, it follows mean-field theory. After the formation of 2DCS, separate 2DCSs merge to form larger 2DCS. In this way, 2DCSs grow and shallow mixing layers develop and grow in scale. The merging of 2DCS in shallow mixing layers is shown to be caused by the secondary instability of the 2DCS. Eventually 2DCSs are dissipated by bed friction. The sequence of instabilities can cause the upscaling of the turbulent kinetic energy in shallow mixing layers.

Improvement of Electrical Characteristics and Stability of Amorphous Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Thin Film Transistors Using Nitrocellulose Passivation Layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Shin, Kwan Yup; Tak, Young Jun; Kim, Won-Gi; Hong, Seonghwan; Kim, Hyun Jae

2017-04-19

In this research, nitrocellulose is proposed as a new material for the passivation layers of amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide thin film transistors (a-IGZO TFTs). The a-IGZO TFTs with nitrocellulose passivation layers (NC-PVLs) demonstrate improved electrical characteristics and stability. The a-IGZO TFTs with NC-PVLs exhibit improvements in field-effect mobility (μ FE ) from 11.72 ± 1.14 to 20.68 ± 1.94 cm 2 /(V s), threshold voltage (V th ) from 1.85 ± 1.19 to 0.56 ± 0.35 V, and on/off current ratio (I on/off ) from (5.31 ± 2.19) × 10 7 to (4.79 ± 1.54) × 10 8 compared to a-IGZO TFTs without PVLs, respectively. The V th shifts of a-IGZO TFTs without PVLs, with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) PVLs, and with NC-PVLs under positive bias stress (PBS) test for 10,000 s represented 5.08, 3.94, and 2.35 V, respectively. These improvements were induced by nitrogen diffusion from NC-PVLs to a-IGZO TFTs. The lone-pair electrons of diffused nitrogen attract weakly bonded oxygen serving as defect sites in a-IGZO TFTs. Consequently, the electrical characteristics are improved by an increase of carrier concentration in a-IGZO TFTs, and a decrease of defects in the back channel layer. Also, NC-PVLs have an excellent property as a barrier against ambient gases. Therefore, the NC-PVL is a promising passivation layer for next-generation display devices that simultaneously can improve electrical characteristics and stability against ambient gases.

Drag crisis moderation by thin air layers sustained on superhydrophobic spheres falling in water

KAUST Repository

Jetly, Aditya

2018-01-22

We investigate the effect of thin air layers naturally sustained on superhydrophobic surfaces on the terminal velocity and drag force of metallic spheres free falling in water. The surface of 20 mm to 60 mm steel or tungsten-carbide spheres is rendered superhydrophobic by a simple coating process that uses commercially available hydrophobic agent. By comparing the free fall of unmodified spheres and superhydrophobic spheres in a 2.5 meters tall water tank, It is demonstrated that even a very thin air layer (~ 1 – 2 μm) that covers the freshly dipped superhydrophobic sphere, can reduce the drag force on the spheres by up to 80 %, at Reynolds numbers 105 - 3×105 , owing to an early drag crisis transition. This study complements prior investigations on the drag reduction efficiency of model gas layers sustained on heated metal spheres falling in liquid by the Leidenfrost effect. The drag reduction effects are expected to have significant implication for the development of sustainable air-layer-based energy saving technologies.

Asymmetric bi-layer PFSA membranes as model systems for the study of water management in the PEMFC.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Z; Peng, A Z; Morin, A; Huguet, P; Lanteri, Y; Deabate, S

2014-10-14

New bi-layer PFSA membranes made of Nafion® NRE212 and Aquivion™ E79-05s with different equivalent weights are prepared with the aim of managing water repartition in the PEMFC. The membrane water transport properties, i.e. back-diffusion and electroosmosis, as well as the electrochemical performances, are compared to those of state-of-art materials. The actual water content (the inner water concentration profile across the membrane thickness) is measured under operation in the fuel cell by in situ Raman microspectroscopy. The orientation of the equivalent weight gradient with respect to the water external gradient and to the proton flow direction affects the membrane water content, the water transport ability and, thus, the fuel cell performances. Higher power outputs, related to lower ohmic losses, are observed when the membrane is assembled with the lower equivalent weight layer (Aquivion™) at the anode side. This orientation, corresponding to enhanced water transport by back-flow while electroosmosis remains unaffected, results in the higher hydration of the membrane and of the anode active layer during operation. Also, polarization data suggest a different water repartition in the fuel cell along the on-plane direction. Even if the interest in multi-layer PFSA membranes as perspective electrolytes for PEMFCs is not definitively attested, these materials appear to be excellent model systems to establish relationships between the membrane transport properties, the water distribution in the fuel cell and the electrochemical performances. Thanks to the micrometric resolution, in situ Raman microspectroscopy proves to be a unique tool to measure the actual hydration of the membrane at the surface swept by the hydrated feed gases during operation, so that it can be used as a local probe of the water concentration evolution along the gas distribution channels according to changing working conditions.

Stabilized superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, J.

1975-01-01

The stable, high field, high current composite wire comprises multiple filaments in a depleted bronze matrix, each filament comprising a type II superconducting, beta-tungsten structure, intermetallic compound layer jacketing and metallurgically bonded to a stabilizing copper core, directly or via an intermediate layer of refractory metal

Nanoscopic characterization of the water vapor-salt interfacial layer reveals a unique biphasic adsorption process

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Liu; He, Jianfeng; Shen, Yi; Li, Xiaowei; Sun, Jielin; Czajkowsky, Daniel M.; Shao, Zhifeng

2016-08-01

Our quantitative understanding of water adsorption onto salt surfaces under ambient conditions is presently quite poor owing to the difficulties in directly characterizing this interfacial layer under these conditions. Here we determine the thickness of the interfacial layer on NaCl at different relative humidities (RH) based on a novel application of atomic force spectroscopy and capillary condensation theory. In particular, we take advantage of the microsecond-timescale of the capillary condensation process to directly resolve the magnitude of its contribution in the tip-sample interaction, from which the interfacial water thickness is determined. Further, to correlate this thickness with salt dissolution, we also measure surface conductance under similar conditions. We find that below 30% RH, there is essentially only the deposition of water molecules onto this surface, typical of conventional adsorption onto solid surfaces. However, above 30% RH, adsorption is simultaneous with the dissolution of ions, unlike conventional adsorption, leading to a rapid increase of surface conductance. Thus, water adsorption on NaCl is an unconventional biphasic process in which the interfacial layer not only exhibits quantitative differences in thickness but also qualitative differences in composition.

A two-dimensional hydrogen-bonded water layer in the structure of a cobalt(III) cubane complex.

Science.gov (United States)

Qi, Ji; Zhai, Xiang-Sheng; Zhu, Hong-Lin; Lin, Jian-Li

2014-02-01

A tetranuclear Co(III) oxide complex with cubane topology, tetrakis(2,2'-bipyridine-κ(2)N,N')di-μ2-carbonato-κ(4)O:O'-tetra-μ3-oxido-tetracobalt(III) pentadecahydrate, [Co4(CO3)2O4(C10H8N2)4]·15H2O, with an unbounded hydrogen-bonded water layer, has been synthesized by reaction of CoCO3 and 2,2'-bipyridine. The solvent water molecules form a hydrogen-bonded net with tetrameric and pentameric water clusters as subunits. The Co4O4 cubane-like cores are sandwiched between the water layers, which are further stacked into a three-dimensional metallo-supramolecular network.

Experimental research of "microcable in a microconduct" system stability to effect of freezing water

Science.gov (United States)

Andreev, Vladimir A.; Burdin, Vladimir A.; Nikulina, Tatiana G.; Alekhin, Ivan N.; Gavryushin, Sergey A.; Nikulin, Aleksey G.; Praporshchikov, Denis E.

2011-12-01

Results of experimental researches of "optical microcable in a microduct" system stability to effect of freezing water are presented. It is shown this system is steadier to water freezing in comparison to lighten optical cable in protective polymer tube.

Radiolytic stability of gibbsite and boehmite with adsorbed water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Huestis, Patricia; Pearce, Carolyn I.; Zhang, X.; N' Diaye, Alpha T.; Rosso, Kevin M.; LaVerne, Jay A.

2018-04-01

Aluminum oxyhydroxide (boehmite, AlOOH) and aluminum hydroxide (gibbsite, Al(OH)3) powders with adsorbed water were irradiated with -rays and 5 MeV He ions (α-particles) in order to determine overall radiation stability and chemical modification to the surface. No variation in overall phase or crystallinity due to radiolysis was observed with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy for doses up to 2 MGy with -rays and 175 MGy with α-particles. Temperature programed desorption (TPD) of the water from the surface to the gas phase indicated that the water was chemisorbed and strongly bound. Water adsorption sites are of similar energy for both gibbsite and boehmite. Observation of the water adsorbed on the surface of gibbsite and boehmite with diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) showed broad peaks at 3100-3600 cm-1 due to OH stretching that slowly decreased on heating to 500oC, which corresponds well with the water vapor evolution observed with TPD. Both materials were found to be amorphous following heating to 500oC. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) indicated surface reduction of Al(III) to Al metal on radiolysis with α-particles. Complete loss of chemisorbed water and the formation of bulk O atoms was observed following radiolysis with α-particles.

Enhancing the water stability of Al-MIL-101-NH2 via postsynthetic modification.

Science.gov (United States)

Wittmann, Thomas; Siegel, Renée; Reimer, Nele; Milius, Wolfgang; Stock, Norbert; Senker, Jürgen

2015-01-02

The resistance of metal-organic frameworks towards water is a very critical issue concerning their practical use. Recently, it was shown for microporous MOFs that the water stability could be increased by introducing hydrophobic pendant groups. Here, we demonstrate a remarkable stabilisation of the mesoporous MOF Al-MIL-101-NH2 by postsynthetic modification with phenyl isocyanate. In this process 86 % of the amino groups were converted into phenylurea units. As a consequence, the long-term stability of Al-MIL-101-URPh in liquid water could be extended beyond a week. In water saturated atmospheres Al-MIL-101-URPh decomposed at least 12-times slower than the unfunctionalised analogue. To study the underlying processes both materials were characterised by Ar, N2 and H2 O sorption measurements, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric and chemical analysis as well as solid-state NMR and IR spectroscopy. Postsynthetic modification decreased the BET equivalent surface area from 3363 to 1555 m(2)  g(-1) for Al-MIL-101-URPh and reduced the mean diameters of the mesopores by 0.6 nm without degrading the structure significantly and reducing thermal stability. In spite of similar water uptake capacities, the relative humidity-dependent uptake of Al-MIL-101-URPh is slowed and occurs at higher relative humidity values. In combination with (1) H-(27) Al D-HMQC NMR spectroscopy experiments this favours a shielding mechanism of the Al clusters by the pendant phenyl groups and rules out pore blocking. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Permeability test and slope stability analysis of municipal solid waste in Jiangcungou Landfill, Shaanxi, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Rong; Xu, Zengguang; Chai, Junrui; Qin, Yuan; Li, Yanlong

2016-07-01

With the rapid increase of city waste, landfills have become a major method to deals with municipal solid waste. Thus, the safety of landfills has become a valuable research topic. In this paper, Jiangcungou Landfill, located in Shaanxi, China, was investigated and its slope stability was analyzed. Laboratory tests were used to obtain permeability coefficients of municipal solid waste. Based on the results, the distribution of leachate and stability in the landfill was computed and analyzed. These results showed: the range of permeability coefficient was from 1.0 × 10(-7) cm sec(-1) to 6.0 × 10(-3) cm sec(-1) on basis of laboratory test and some parameters of similar landfills. Owing to the existence of intermediate cover layers in the landfill, the perched water level appeared in the landfill with heavy rain. Moreover, the waste was filled with leachate in the top layer, and the range of leachate level was from 2 m to 5 m in depth under the waste surface in other layers. The closer it gets to the surface of landfill, the higher the perched water level of leachate. It is indicated that the minimum safety factors were 1.516 and 0.958 for winter and summer, respectively. Additionally, the slope failure may occur in summer. The research of seepage and stability in landfills may provide a less costly way to reduce accidents. Landslides often occur in the Jiangcungou Landfill because of the high leachate level. Some measures should be implemented to reduce the leachate level. This paper investigated seepage and slope stability of landfills by numerical methods. These results may provide the basis for increasing stability of landfills.

Synthesis of Poly(cinnam-4'-yl methyl methacrylate) derivatives and their thermal stability as photoalignment layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Jong Woo; Kim, Hak Won; Kim, Hong Doo

2001-01-01

Photocyclizable poly(cinnam-4'-yl methyl methacrylate) derivatives bearing methoxy benzene (PMCMMA), anthracene (PACMMA), and coumarin (PCCMMMA) have been synthesized via Heck type reaction. Three different types of polymers are photoreactable using linearly polarized UV light and applicable as liquid crystal alignment layer. Anthracene and coumarin containing polymers (PACMMA, PCCMMA) have better thermal stability than PMCMMA. This observation may be attributed to the glass transition temperature elevation due to the bulky size and another photocrosslinking site provided by anthracene or coumarin group

Design and Analysis of A Spin-Stabilized Projectile Experimental Apparatus

Science.gov (United States)

Siegel, Noah; Rodebaugh, Gregory; Elkins, Christopher; van Poppel, Bret; Benson, Michael; Cremins, Michael; Lachance, Austin; Ortega, Raymond; Vanderyacht, Douglas

2017-11-01

Spinning objects experience an effect termed `The Magnus Moment' due to an uneven pressure distribution based on rotation within a crossflow. Unlike the Magnus force, which is often small for spin-stabilized projectiles, the Magnus moment can have a strong detrimental effect on aerodynamic flight stability. Simulations often fail to accurately predict the Magnus moment in the subsonic flight regime. In an effort to characterize the conditions that cause the Magnus moment, researchers in this work employed Magnetic Resonance Velocimetry (MRV) techniques to measure three dimensional, three component, sub-millimeter resolution fluid velocity fields around a scaled model of a spinning projectile in flight. The team designed, built, and tested using a novel water channel apparatus that was fully MRI-compliant - water-tight and non-ferrous - and capable of spinning a projectile at a constant rotational speed. A supporting numerical simulation effort informed the design process of the scaled projectile to thicken the hydrodynamic boundary layer near the outer surface of the projectile. Preliminary testing produced two-dimensional and three-dimensional velocity data and revealed an asymmetric boundary layer around the projectile, which is indicative of the Magnus effect.

Accounting for pore water pressure and confined aquifers in assessing the stability of slopes: a Limit Equilibrium analysis carried out through the Minimum Lithostatic Deviation method

Science.gov (United States)

Ausilia Paparo, Maria; Tinti, Stefano

2015-04-01

The model we introduce is an implementation of the Minimum Lithostatic Deviation (MLD) method, developed by Tinti and Manucci (Tinti and Manucci 2006; 2008), that makes use of the limit equilibrium (LE) theory to estimate the stability of a slope. The main purpose here is to analyse the role of a confined aquifer on the value of the Safety Factor (F), the parameter that in the LE is used to determine if a slope is stable or unstable. The classical LE methods treat unconfined aquifers by including the water pore pressure in the Mohr-Coulomb failure formula: since the water decreases the friction shear strength, the soil above the sliding surface turns out to be more prone to instability. In case of a confined aquifer, however, due to a presence of impermeable layers, the water is not free to flow into the matrix of the overlying soil. We consider here the assumption of a permeable soil sliding over an impermeable layer, which is an occurrence that is found in several known landslide cases (e.g. Person, 2008; Strout and Tjeltja, 2008; Morgan et al., 2010 for offshore slides; and Palladino and Peck, 1972; Miller and Sias, 1998; Jiao et al. 2005; Paparo et al., 2013 for slopes in proximity of artificial or natural water basins) where clay beds form the potential sliding surface: the water, confined below, pushes along these layers and acts on the sliding body as an external bottom load. We modify the MLD method equations in order to take into account the load due to a confined aquifer and apply the new model to the Vajont case, where many have hypothesised the contribution of a confined aquifer to the failure. Our calculations show that the rain load i) infiltrating directly into the soil body and ii) penetrating into the confined aquifer below the clay layers, in addition with the lowering of the reservoir level, were key factors of destabilization of the Mt Toc flank and caused the disastrous landslide.

Seasonal Effects on the Relationships Between Soil Water Content, Pore Water Pressure and Shear Strength and Their Implications for Slope Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, P. N.

2015-12-01

A soil's shear resistance is mainly dependent upon the magnitude of effective stress. For small to medium height slopes (up to 10m) in clay soils the total stress acting along potential failure planes will be low, therefore the magnitude of effective stress (and hence soil shear strength) will be dominated by the pore-water pressure. The stability of slopes on this scale through periods of increased precipitation is improved by the generation of negative pore pressures (soil suctions) during preceding, warmer, drier periods. These negative pore water pressures increase the effective stress within the soil and cause a corresponding increase in shearing resistance. The relationships between soil water content and pore water pressure (soil water retention curves) are known to be hysteretic, but for the purposes of the majority of slope stability assessments in partially saturated clay soils, these are assumed to be consistent with time. Similarly, the relationship between shear strength and water content is assumed to be consistent over time. This research presents a laboratory study in which specimens of compacted Glacial Till (typical of engineered slopes within the UK) were subjected to repeated cycles of wetting and drying to simulate seasonal cycles. At predetermined water contents, measurements of soil suction were made using tensiometer and dewpoint potentiometer methods. The undrained shear strength of the specimens was then measured using triaxial strength testing equipment. Results indicate that repeated wetting and drying cycles caused a change in the soil water retention behaviour. A reduction in undrained shear strength at corresponding water contents along the wetting and drying paths was also observed. The mechanism for the change in the relationship is believed to be a deterioration in the soil physical structure due to shrink/swell induced micro-cracking. The non-stationarity of these relationships has implications for slope stability assessment.

Vertical transport of water in the Martian boundary layer

Science.gov (United States)

Zent, Aaron P.; Haberle, R. M.; Houben, Howard C.

1993-01-01

We are continuing our examination of the transport of H2O through the martian boundary layer, and we have written a one-dimensional numerical model of the exchange of H2O between the atmosphere and subsurface of Mars through the planetary boundary layer (PBL). Our goal is to explore the mechanisms of H2O exchange, and to elucidate the role played by the regolith in the local H2O budget. The atmospheric model includes effects of Coriolis, pressure gradient, and frictional forces for momentum, as well as radiation, sensible heat flux, and advection for heat. The model differs from Flasar and Goody by use of appropriate Viking-based physical constants and inclusion of the radiative effects of atmospheric dust. We specify the pressure gradient force or compute it from a simple slope model. The subsurface model accounts for conduction of heat and diffusion of H2O through a porous adsorbing medium in response to diurnal forcing. The model is initialized with depth-independent H2O concentrations (2 kg M(exp -3)) in the regolith, and a dry atmosphere. The model terminates when the atmospheric H2O column abundance stabilizes at 0.1 percent per sol.

Oil-in-Water Emulsions Stabilized by Saponified Epoxidized Soybean Oil-Grafted Hydroxyethyl Cellulose.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xujuan; Li, Qiaoguang; Liu, He; Shang, Shibin; Shen, Minggui; Song, Jie

2017-05-03

An oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by saponified epoxidized soybean oil-grafted hydroxyethyl cellulose (H-ESO-HEC) was investigated. By using an ultrasonic method, oil-in-water emulsions were prepared by blending 50 wt % soybean oil and 50 wt % H-ESO-HEC aqueous suspensions. The influence of H-ESO-HEC concentrations on the properties of oil-in-water emulsions was examined. The H-ESO-HEC concentrations in the aqueous phase varied from 0.02 to 0.40 wt %. When the H-ESO-HEC concentration was 0.4 wt %, the emulsion remained stable for >80 days. The mean droplet sizes of the emulsions decreased by increasing the H-ESO-HEC concentration and extending the ultrasonic time. The adsorption amounts of H-ESO-HEC at the oil-water interface increased when the H-ESO-HEC concentrations in the aqueous phase increased. The rheological property revealed that the apparent viscosity of the H-ESO-HEC-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions increased when the H-ESO-HEC concentrations increased. Steady flow curves indicated an interfacial film formation in the emulsions. The evolution of G', G″, and tan η indicated the predominantly elastic behaviors of all the emulsions.

Stability of perovskite solar cells on flexible substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Tam, Ho Won; Chen, Wei; Liu, Fangzhou; He, Yanling; Leung, Tik Lun; Wang, Yushu; Wong, Man Kwong; Djurišić, Aleksandra B.; Ng, Alan Man Ching; He, Zhubing; Chan, Wai Kin; Tang, Jinyao

2018-02-01

Perovskite solar cells are emerging photovoltaic technology with potential for low cost, high efficiency devices. Currently, flexible devices efficiencies over 15% have been achieved. Flexible devices are of significant interest for achieving very low production cost via roll-to-roll processing. However, the stability of perovskite devices remains a significant challenge. Unlike glass substrate which has negligible water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), polymeric flexible film substrates suffer from high moisture permeability. As PET and PEN flexible substrates exhibit higher water permeability then glass, transparent flexible backside encapsulation should be used to maximize light harvesting in perovskite layer while WVTR should be low enough. Wide band gap materials are transparent in the visible spectral range low temperature processable and can be a moisture barrier. For flexible substrates, approaches like atomic layer deposition (ALD) and low temperature solution processing could be used for metal oxide deposition. In this work, ALD SnO2, TiO2, Al2O3 and solution processed spin-on-glass was used as the barrier layer on the polymeric side of indium tin oxide (ITO) coated PEN substrates. The UV-Vis transmission spectra of the prepared substrates were investigated. Perovskite solar cells will be fabricated and stability of the devices were encapsulated with copolymer films on the top side and tested under standard ISOS-L-1 protocol and then compared to the commercial unmodified ITO/PET or ITO/PEN substrates. In addition, devices with copolymer films laminated on both sides successfully surviving more than 300 hours upon continuous AM1.5G illumination were demonstrated.

Revegetation in abandoned quarries with landfill stabilized waste and gravels: water dynamics and plant growth - a case study

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Cheng-liang; Feng, Jing-jing; Rong, Li-ming; Zhao, Ting-ning

2017-11-01

Large amounts of quarry wastes are produced during quarrying. Though quarry wastes are commonly used in pavement construction and concrete production, in situ utilization during ecological restoration of abandoned quarries has the advantage of simplicity. In this paper, rock fragments 2-3 cm in size were mixed with landfill stabilized waste (LSW) in different proportions (LSW : gravel, RL), which was called LGM. The water content, runoff and plant growth under natural precipitation were monitored for 2 years using a runoff plot experiment. LGM with a low fraction of LSW was compacted to different degrees to achieve an appropriate porosity; water dynamics and plant growth of compacted LGM were studied in a field experiment. The results showed the following: (1) LGM can be used during restoration in abandoned quarries as growing material for plants. (2) RL had a significant effect on the infiltration and water-holding capacity of LGM and thus influenced the retention of precipitation, water condition and plant growth. LGM with RL ranging from 8:1 to 3:7 was suitable for plant growth, and the target species grew best when RL was 5:5. (3) Compaction significantly enhanced water content of LGM with a low RL of 2:8, but leaf water content of plants was lower or unchanged in the more compacted plots. Moderate compaction was beneficial to the survival and growth of Robinia pseudoacacia L. Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco and Medicago sativa L. were not significantly affected by compaction, and they grew better under a high degree of compaction, which was disadvantageous for the uppermost layer of vegetation.

Biodiversity links above and below the marine sediment-water interface that may influence community stability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Austen, M.C.; Lambshead, P.J.D.; Hutchings, P.; Boucher, G.; Snelgrove, P.V.R.; Heip, C.H.R.; King, G.; Koike, I.; Smith, C.

2002-01-01

Linkages across the sediment-water interface (SWI) between biodiversity and community stability appear to exist but are very poorly studied. Processes by which changes in biodiversity could affect stability on the other side of the SWI include carbon transfer during feeding, decomposition of organic

Electrochemical study of RuO2 and/or TiO2 pyrolytic films on titanium in the range of voltage corresponding to water stability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barral, Gerard

1988-01-01

This research thesis can be considered as a preliminary part of the investigation of electrocatalytic properties of ruthenium and titanium dioxides. It proposes a presentation of electrochemical properties of interfaces between these oxides and the aqueous electrolyte in a voltage range corresponding to thermodynamic stabilities of water and dioxides. After a bibliographical study of methods of preparation of these materials and on the influence of the preparation mode on their physical characteristics and transient electrochemical behaviours, the author reports a detailed study of the hydrogen atom electro-sorption reaction. He discusses the variation of the main electrostatic characteristics of the space charge layer of various semiconducting phases with respect to the initial electric potential between the ends of this layer. He reports the experimental study of electrodes with porous ruthenium and / or titanium dioxides formed by pyrolysis or co-pyrolysis of chlorides of these metals [fr

Magnetic stability under magnetic cycling of MgO-based magnetic tunneling junctions with an exchange-biased synthetic antiferromagnetic pinned layer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiang Hao

2016-02-01

Full Text Available We investigate the magnetic stability and endurance of MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs with an exchange-biased synthetic antiferromagnetic (SAF pinned layer. When a uniaxially cycling switching field is applied along the easy axis of the free magnetic layer, the magnetoresistance varies only by 1.7% logarithmically with the number of cycles, while no such change appears in the case of a rotating field. This observation is consistent with the effect of the formation and motion of domain walls in the free layer, which create significant stray fields within the pinned hard layer. Unlike in previous studies, the decay we observed only occurs during the first few starting cycles (<20, at which point there is no further variance in all performance parameters up to 107 cycles. Exchange-biased SAF structure is ideally suited for solid-state magnetic sensors and magnetic memory devices.

Fabrication, characterization and antimicrobial activities of thymol-loaded zein nanoparticles stabilized by sodium caseinate-chitosan hydrochloride double layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yaqiong; Niu, Yuge; Luo, Yangchao; Ge, Mei; Yang, Tian; Yu, Liangli Lucy; Wang, Qin

2014-01-01

Thymol-loaded zein nanoparticles stabilized with sodium caseinate (SC) and chitosan hydrochloride (CHC) were prepared and characterized. The SC stabilized nanoparticles had well-defined size range and negatively charged surface. Due to the presence of SC, the stabilized zein nanoparticles showed a shift of isoelectric point from 6.18 to 5.05, and had a desirable redispersibility in water at neutral pH after lyophilization. Coating with CHC onto the SC stabilized zein nanoparticles resulted in increased particle size, reversal of zeta potential value from negative to positive, and improved encapsulation efficiency. Both thymol-loaded zein nanoparticles and SC stabilized zein nanoparticles had a spherical shape and smooth surface, while the surfaces of CHC-SC stabilized zein nanoparticles seemed rough and had some clumps. Encapsulated thymol was more effective in suppressing gram-positive bacterium than un-encapsulated thymol for a longer time period. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical and physical stability of smectites and illite in electrolyte solutions: experimental study at 150 C

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boutiche, M.

1995-01-01

Chemical interactions between electrolytic solutions commonly used i drilling muds and clays have been studies under P-T conditions similar to those of drillings (150 deg C) in order to determine the eventual consequences on the stability of clay rich formations. The experimental work has been carried out using several solutions (water, NaOH (pH 8, 10, 12), KCI (0,1, 1 2 mol./l), sea water, and K 2 CO 3 ) and clay minerals with low to high amounts of swelling layers (smectite (Na, Na-Ca, Ca), mixed layered illite-smectite minerals). Run products are studied by X-ray diffraction and electronic microprobe. Smectite layers show series of mineralogical changes (cation exchange in the interlayer site, formation of non-swelling layers, hydrolysis), which, however, do not yield to the formation of new minerals, except in the case of the interaction with K 2 CO 3 at 150 deg C (zeolite crystallisation). Cation exchange in the interlayer depends on the nature of the cation, cation concentration in the solution, exchange constants, and liquid/solid ratio. In dilute solutions ( 1 mol./l), because they favour the collapse of swelling layers, and dispersion. Solutions of K 2 CO 3 at 150 deg C are at the origin of the transformation of smectite to zeolites, and high pH - highly saline solutions are rather aggressive, and would probably not stabilize the argilites. (author)

Investigation of Thin Layered Cobalt Oxide Nano-Islands on Gold

Science.gov (United States)

Bajdich, Michal; Walton, Alex S.; Fester, Jakob; Arman, Mohammad A.; Osiecki, Jacek; Knudsen, Jan; Vojvodic, Aleksandra; Lauritsen, Jeppe V.

2015-03-01

Layered cobalt oxides have been shown to be highly active catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), but the synergistic effect of contact with gold is yet to be fully understood. The synthesis of three distinct types of thin-layered cobalt oxide nano-islands supported on a single crystal gold (111) substrate is confirmed by combination of STM and XAS methods. In this work, we present DFT+U theoretical investigation of above nano-islands using several previously known structural models. Our calculations confirm stability of two low-oxygen pressure phases: (a) rock-salt Co-O bilayer and (b) wurtzite Co-O quadlayer and single high-oxygen pressure phase: (c) O-Co-O trilayer. The optimized geometries agree with STM structures and calculated oxidation states confirm the conversion from Co2+ to Co3+ found experimentally in XAS. The O-Co-O trilayer islands have the structure of a single layer of CoOOH proposed to be the true active phase for OER catalyst. For that reason, the effect of water on the Pourbaix stabilities of basal planes and edge sites is fully investigated. Lastly, we also present the corresponding OER theoretical overpotentials.

Theory of lidar method for measurement of the modulation transfer function of water layers.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolin, Lev S

2013-01-10

We develop a method to evaluate the modulation transfer function (MTF) of a water layer from the characteristics of lidar signal backscattered by water volume. We propose several designs of a lidar system for remote measurement of the MTF and the procedure to determine optical properties of water using the measured MTF. We discuss a laser system for sea-bottom imaging that accounts for the influence of water slab on the image structure and allows for correction of image distortions caused by light scattering in water. © 2013 Optical Society of America

Titanium-iridium oxide layer coating to suppress photocorrosion during photocatalytic water splitting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kwon, Yongwoo; Lee, Hyunjoo [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Kwon, Yongwoo; Lee, Hyunjoo [Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

Photocatalysts with a small band gap energy have received a great deal of interest due their high solar conversion efficiencies. Cuprous oxide (Cu{sub 2}O) has attracted attention because of its small bandgap energy, a direct bandgap structure, its suitable band structure for water splitting, high absorption coefficient, non-toxicity, and its large abundance. However, it has poor stability due to the fickle oxidation states of copper. To enhance the stability and the production rate of hydrogen and oxygen, a TiIrOX overlayer was successfully formed on the Cu{sub 2}O under various synthesis conditions. The composition and oxidation state of the Ir species in the overlayer were optimized through the control of the Ir precursor and the amount of water. The Ir/Ti precursor molar ratio was linearly related to the surface Ir/Ti molar ratio. The addition of water converted the Ir precursor to IrO{sub 2}. The thickness of the overlayer was controlled by differing the synthesis times of the coating. Then, the largest amounts of hydrogen and oxygen were produced through the optimization of the TiIrOX overlayer with a higher IrO{sub 2} fraction and a thicker overlayer.

High stability of few layer graphene nanoplatelets in various solvents

KAUST Repository

Xu, X; Zhou, Jian; Lubineau, Gilles

2017-01-01

Dispersion of few-layer graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in liquid media is a crucial step for various applications. Here, we highlight a simple, nondestructive method for preparing stable aqueous colloidal solutions with GNP powder quickly dispersed in 5 wt.% sodium–hypochlorite- (NaClO) and sodium-bromide- (NaBr) salted solvent by bath sonication. This method makes it possible to easily prepare a highly concentrated colloidal solution (1 mgcenterdotml−1) of GNPs that can easily be re-dispersed in water (treated GNPs). The aqueous suspension we prepared remained stable for longer than a few weeks. We made similar tests with various solvents and dispersibility appeared to decrease with decreasing polarity. High-concentration suspensions using our facile dispersion method could be of particular interest to the large community using graphene for a diversity of applications.

High stability of few layer graphene nanoplatelets in various solvents

KAUST Repository

Xu, X

2017-04-25

Dispersion of few-layer graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) in liquid media is a crucial step for various applications. Here, we highlight a simple, nondestructive method for preparing stable aqueous colloidal solutions with GNP powder quickly dispersed in 5 wt.% sodium–hypochlorite- (NaClO) and sodium-bromide- (NaBr) salted solvent by bath sonication. This method makes it possible to easily prepare a highly concentrated colloidal solution (1 mgcenterdotml−1) of GNPs that can easily be re-dispersed in water (treated GNPs). The aqueous suspension we prepared remained stable for longer than a few weeks. We made similar tests with various solvents and dispersibility appeared to decrease with decreasing polarity. High-concentration suspensions using our facile dispersion method could be of particular interest to the large community using graphene for a diversity of applications.

Role of water balance in the long-term stability of hazardous waste site cover treatments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnes, F.J.; Rodgers, J.C.; Trujillo, G.

1986-01-01

After the 30-year post-closure maintenance period at hazardous waste landfills, long-term stability must be assured without continued intervention. Understanding water balance in the established vegetative cover system is central to predicting such stability. A Los Alamos National Laboratory research project has established a series of experimental cover treatment plots on a closed waste disposal site which will permit the determination of the effects of such critical parameters as soil cover design, leaf area index, and rooting characteristics on water balance under varied conditions. Data from these experiments are being analyzed by water balance modeling and other means. The results show consistent differences in soil moisture storage between soil profiles and between vegetation cover treatments

The investigation of a two-layer fluid soliton pair using phase plane analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Momeni, M.; Moslehi-Fard, M.; Alinejad, H.; Mahmoodi, J.

2004-01-01

Nonlinear long waves theory in a two-layer fluid system has been studied. The dynamical equations according to the normalized heights in first order are obtained using the reductive perturbation method and the equations of shallow water in each fluid and taking boundary conditions appropriate into account. Conserve energy form by definition a independent variable is found. By definition a Lyapunov function, the condition for stability are shown. A new technique was used to prove stability as well as existence of soliton pair using phase plane analysis. (author)

A methodology to enlarge narrow stability windows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Araujo, Ewerton M.P.; Pastor, Jorge A.S.C.; Fontoura, Sergio A.B. [Pontificia Univ. Catolica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), RJ (Brazil). Dept. de Engenharia Civil. Grupo de Tecnologia e Engenharia de Petroleo

2004-07-01

The stability window in a wellbore design is defined by the difference between fracture pressure and collapse pressure. Deep water environments typically present narrow stability windows, because rocks have low strength due to under-compaction process. Often also, horizontal wells are drilled to obtain a better development of reservoirs placed in thin layers of sandstone. In this scenario, several challenges are faced when drilling in deep water. The traditional approach for predicting instabilities is to determine collapses and fractures at borehole wall. However, the initiation of rupture does not indicate that the borehole fails to perform its function as a wellbore. Thus, a methodology in which the stability window may be enlarged is desirable. This paper presents one practical analytical methodology that consists in allowing wellbore pressures smaller than the conventional collapse pressure, i.e., based upon failure on the borehole wall. This means that a collapse region (shear failure) will be developed around the borehole wall. This collapse region is pre-defined and to estimate its size is used a failure criterion. The aforementioned methodology is implemented in a user-friendly software, which can perform analyses of stress, pore pressure, formation failure, mud weight and mud salinity design for drilling in shale formations. Simulations of a wellbore drilling in a narrow stability window environment are performed to demonstrate the improvements of using the methodology. (author)

Relating the variation of secondary structure of gelatin at fish oil-water interface to adsorption kinetics, dynamic interfacial tension and emulsion stability.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Huihua; Wang, Bo; Barrow, Colin J; Adhikari, Benu

2014-01-15

The objectives of this study were to quantify the relationship between secondary structure of gelatin and its adsorption at the fish-oil/water interface and to quantify the implication of the adsorption on the dynamic interfacial tension (DST) and emulsion stability. The surface hydrophobicity of the gelatin solutions decreased when the pH increased from 4.0 to 6.0, while opposite tend was observed in the viscosity of the solution. The DST values decreased as the pH increased from 4.0 to 6.0, indicating that higher positive charges (measured trough zeta potential) in the gelatin solution tended to result in higher DST values. The adsorption kinetics of the gelatin solution was examined through the calculated diffusion coefficients (Deff). The addition of acid promoted the random coil and β-turn structures at the expense of α-helical structure. The addition of NaOH decreased the β-turn and increased the α-helix and random coil. The decrease in the random coil and triple helix structures in the gelatin solution resulted into increased Deff values. The highest diffusion coefficients, the highest emulsion stability and the lowest amount of random coil and triple helix structures were observed at pH=4.8. The lowest amount of random coil and triple helix structures in the interfacial protein layer correlated with the highest stability of the emulsion (highest ESI value). The lower amount of random coil and triple helix structures allowed higher coverage of the oil-water interface by relatively highly ordered secondary structure of gelatin. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-order non-uniform grid schemes for numerical simulation of hypersonic boundary-layer stability and transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhong Xiaolin; Tatineni, Mahidhar

2003-01-01

The direct numerical simulation of receptivity, instability and transition of hypersonic boundary layers requires high-order accurate schemes because lower-order schemes do not have an adequate accuracy level to compute the large range of time and length scales in such flow fields. The main limiting factor in the application of high-order schemes to practical boundary-layer flow problems is the numerical instability of high-order boundary closure schemes on the wall. This paper presents a family of high-order non-uniform grid finite difference schemes with stable boundary closures for the direct numerical simulation of hypersonic boundary-layer transition. By using an appropriate grid stretching, and clustering grid points near the boundary, high-order schemes with stable boundary closures can be obtained. The order of the schemes ranges from first-order at the lowest, to the global spectral collocation method at the highest. The accuracy and stability of the new high-order numerical schemes is tested by numerical simulations of the linear wave equation and two-dimensional incompressible flat plate boundary layer flows. The high-order non-uniform-grid schemes (up to the 11th-order) are subsequently applied for the simulation of the receptivity of a hypersonic boundary layer to free stream disturbances over a blunt leading edge. The steady and unsteady results show that the new high-order schemes are stable and are able to produce high accuracy for computations of the nonlinear two-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations for the wall bounded supersonic flow

Topology and stability of a water-soybean-oil swirling flow

Science.gov (United States)

Carrión, Luis; Herrada, Miguel A.; Shtern, Vladimir N.

2017-02-01

This paper reveals and explains the flow topology and instability hidden in an experimental study by Tsai et al. [Tsai et al., Phys. Rev. E 92, 031002(R) (2015)], 10.1103/PhysRevE.92.031002. Water and soybean oil fill a sealed vertical cylindrical container. The rotating top disk induces the meridional circulation and swirl of both fluids. The experiment shows a flattop interface shape and vortex breakdown in the oil flow developing as the rotation strength R eo increases. Our numerical study shows that vortex breakdown occurs in the water flow at R eo=300 and in the oil flow at R eo=941 . As R eo increases, the vortex breakdown cell occupies most of the water domain and approaches the interface at R eo around 600. The rest of the (countercirculating) water separates from the axis as the vortex breakdown cells in the oil and water meet at the interface-axis intersection. This topological transformation of water flow significantly contributes to the development of the flattop shape. It is also shown that the steady axisymmetric flow suffers from shear-layer instability, which emerges in the water domain at R eo=810 .

Effects of Forward- and Backward-Facing Steps on the Crossflow Receptivity and Stability in Supersonic Boundary Layers

Science.gov (United States)

Balakumar, P.; King, Rudolph A.; Eppink, Jenna L.

2014-01-01

The effects of forward- and backward-facing steps on the receptivity and stability of three-dimensional supersonic boundary layers over a swept wing with a blunt leading edge are numerically investigated for a freestream Mach number of 3 and a sweep angle of 30 degrees. The flow fields are obtained by solving the full Navier-Stokes equations. The evolution of instability waves generated by surface roughness is simulated with and without the forward- and backward-facing steps. The separation bubble lengths are about 5-10 step heights for the forward-facing step and are about 10 for the backward-facing step. The linear stability calculations show very strong instability in the separated region with a large frequency domain. The simulation results show that the presence of backward-facing steps decreases the amplitude of the stationary crossflow vortices with longer spanwise wavelengths by about fifty percent and the presence of forward-facing steps does not modify the amplitudes noticeably across the steps. The waves with the shorter wavelengths grow substantially downstream of the step in agreement with the linear stability prediction.

Electric field stabilization of viscous liquid layers coating the underside of a surface

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Thomas G.; Cimpeanu, Radu; Papageorgiou, Demetrios T.; Petropoulos, Peter G.

2017-05-01

We investigate the electrostatic stabilization of a viscous thin film wetting the underside of a horizontal surface in the presence of an electric field applied parallel to the surface. The model includes the effect of bounding solid dielectric regions above and below the liquid-air system that are typically found in experiments. The competition between gravitational forces, surface tension, and the nonlocal effect of the applied electric field is captured analytically in the form of a nonlinear evolution equation. A semispectral solution strategy is employed to resolve the dynamics of the resulting partial differential equation. Furthermore, we conduct direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the Navier-Stokes equations using the volume-of-fluid methodology and assess the accuracy of the obtained solutions in the long-wave (thin-film) regime when varying the electric field strength from zero up to the point when complete stabilization occurs. We employ DNS to examine the limitations of the asymptotically derived behavior as the liquid layer thickness increases and find excellent agreement even beyond the regime of strict applicability of the asymptotic solution. Finally, the asymptotic and computational approaches are utilized to identify robust and efficient active control mechanisms allowing the manipulation of the fluid interface in light of engineering applications at small scales, such as mixing.

Yttria-stabilized zirkonia / gadolinium zirconate double-layer plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coating systems (TBCs)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakan, Emine

2015-01-01

Thermal barrier coating (TBC) research and development is driven by the desirability of further increasing the maximum inlet temperature in a gas turbine engine. A number of new top coat ceramic materials have been proposed during the last decades due to limited temperature capability (1200 C) of the state-of-the-art yttria-stabilized zirconia (7 wt. % Y 2 O 3 -ZrO 2 , YSZ) at long term operation. Zirconate pyrochlores of the large lanthanides((Gd → La) 2 Zr 2 O 7 ) have been particularly attractive due to their higher temperature phase stability than that of the YSZ. Nonetheless, the issues related with the implementation of pyrochlores such as low fracture toughness and formation of deleterious interphases with thermally grown oxide (TGO, Al 2 O 3 ) were reported. The implication was the requirement of an interlayer between the pyrochlores and TGO, which introduced double-layer systems to the TBC literature. Furthermore, processability issues of pyrochlores associated with the different evaporation rates of lanthanide oxides and zirconia resulting in unfavorable composition variations in the coatings were addressed in different studies. After all, although the material properties are available, there is a paucity of data in the literature concerning the properties of the coatings made of pyrochlores. From the processability point of view the most reported pyrochlore is La 2 Zr 2 O 7 . Hence, the goal of this research was to investigate plasma-sprayed Gd 2 Zr 2 O 7 (GZO) coatings and YSZ/GZO double-layer TBC systems. Three main topics were examined based on processing, performance and properties: (i) the plasma spray processing of the GZO and its impact on the microstructural and compositional properties of the GZO coatings; (ii) the cycling lifetime of the YSZ/GZO double-layer systems under thermal gradient at a surface temperature of 1400 C; (iii) the properties of the GZO and YSZ coatings such as thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal expansion as well

Superhydrophobic Thin Films Fabricated by Reactive Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Azlactone-Functionalized Polymers.

Science.gov (United States)

Buck, Maren E; Schwartz, Sarina C; Lynn, David M

2010-09-11

We report an approach to the fabrication of superhydrophobic thin films that is based on the 'reactive' layer-by-layer assembly of azlactone-containing polymer multilayers. We demonstrate that films fabricated from alternating layers of the azlactone functionalized polymer poly(2-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone) (PVDMA) and poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) exhibit micro- and nanoscale surface features that result in water contact angles in excess of 150º. Our results reveal that the formation of these surface features is (i) dependent upon film thickness (i.e., the number of layers of PEI and PVDMA deposited) and (ii) that it is influenced strongly by the presence (or absence) of cyclic azlactone-functionalized oligomers that can form upon storage of the 2-vinyl-4,4-dimethylazlactone (VDMA) used to synthesize PVDMA. For example, films fabricated using polymers synthesized in the presence of these oligomers exhibited rough, textured surfaces and superhydrophobic behavior (i.e., advancing contact angles in excess of 150º). In contrast, films fabricated from PVDMA polymerized in the absence of this oligomer (e.g., using freshly distilled monomer) were smooth and only moderately hydrophobic (i.e., advancing contact angles of ~75º). The addition of authentic, independently synthesized oligomer to samples of distilled VDMA at specified and controlled concentrations permitted reproducible fabrication of superhydrophobic thin films on the surfaces of a variety of different substrates. The surfaces of these films were demonstrated to be superhydrophobic immediately after fabrication, but they became hydrophilic after exposure to water for six days. Additional experiments demonstrated that it was possible to stabilize and prolong the superhydrophobic properties of these films (e.g., advancing contact angles in excess of 150° even after complete submersion in water for at least six weeks) by exploiting the reactivity of residual azlactones to functionalize the surfaces of the films

Molecular dynamics simulation of heat transfer through a water layer between two platinum slabs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iype, E; Arlemark, E J; Nedea, S V; Rindt, C C M; Zondag, H A

2012-01-01

Heat transfer through micro channels is being investigated due to its importance in micro channel cooling applications. Molecular dynamics simulation is regarded as a potential tool for studying such microscopic phenomena in detail. However, the applicability of molecular dynamics method is limited due to scarcely known inter atomic interactions involved in complex fluids. In this study we use an empirical force field (ReaxFF), which is parameterized using accurate quantum chemical simulation results for water, to simulate heat transfer phenomena through a layer of water confined between two platinum slabs. The model for water seems to reproduce the macroscopic properties such as density, radial distribution function and diffusivity quite well. The heat transfer phenomena through a channel filled with water, which is confined by two platinum (100) surfaces are studied using ReaxFF. The model accurately predicts the formation of surface mono-layer. The heat transfer analysis shows temperature jumps near the walls which are creating significant heat transfer resistances. A low bulk density in the channel creates a multi-phase region with vapor transport in the region.

Thermal stability study of the insulator layer in NiFe/CoFe/Al2O3/Co spin-dependent tunnel junction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, C.C.; Ho, C.H.; Huang, R.-T.; Chen, F.-R.; Kai, J.J.; Chen, L.-C.; Lin, M.-T.; Yao, Y.D.

2002-01-01

Spin-dependent tunnel junction, NiFe/CoFe/Al 2 O 3 /Co//Si, was fabricated to investigate the thermal stability induced diffusion behaviors. The interfacial diffusion causes the degradation of the ratio of the TMR, the enhancement of the switching field of the two magnetic electrodes, the thickness decrease of the insulator layer, and the increase of the interfacial roughness. The outward diffusion of oxygen from the insulator layer is faster than that of aluminum for samples annealed below 400 deg. C. The degradation of the ratio of TMR is attributed to the disturbance of the spin polarization in the magnetic layers, and the increase of the pinholes and spin-flip effect in the insulator layer. The relative roughness between the two interfaces of the insulator induces the surface magnetic dipoles, and hence, increases the switching field of the ferromagnetic electrodes

Mathematical modelling of water and gas transport in layered soil covers for coal ash deposits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rasmussen, A; Lindgren, M [Kemakta Consultants Co, Stockholm (SE)

1990-12-17

In the present work the dry deposition alternative is investigated. In particular the design of soil covers is treated theoretically using mathematical models. The soil cover should primarily act as a barrier against infiltrating water. This is done by having soil cover materials with low permeabilities and sloping covers thereby diverting the infiltrating water in the lateral direction. An important design aspect is that overflow should be avoided since this may cause erosional problems. Thus the design of the cover should allow for lateral water flow within the cover. In the present work we use the computer code TRUST for calculating the flow rates and the moisture contents in two layer covers (till on top of clay) for varying conditions. The calculations so far show that the hydraulic conductivity of the clay layer should be smaller than 10{sup -8} m/s. However, for the simulated longer covers (50 m) a lower hydraulic conductivity gives overflow indicating that better lateral drainage must be provided for. This can be done by increasing the thickness or hydraulic conductivity of the till layer. Simulations for different slopes give little impact, while the hydraulic conductivity of the clay layer is of major importance. Gas transport through the soil cover may be of importance if the waste contains pyrite. In the presence of oxygen and water, pyrite is oxidized producing sulphuric acid. The lowered pH will accelerate the leaching of several heavy metals. The transport rate of gas through a porous material is very sensitive to the water content, decreasing rapidly with increasing water content. In the present work a model, where the unsaturated conditions are accounted for, is outlined. A previously developed method for calculating oxygen transport and oxidation rate of pyrite in connection with mine wastes is generalized from 1D to 2D. A sample calculation illustrates the feasibility of the method. (au) (43 refs.).

Stability Analysis and Stabilization of Miduk Heap Leaching Structure, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehdi Amini

2013-06-01

Full Text Available To construct copper heap leaching structures, a stepped heap of ore is placed over an isolated sloping surface and then washed with sulphuric acid. The isolated bed of such a heap consists of some natural and geosynthetic layers. Shear strength parameters between these layers are low, so they form the possible sliding surfaces of the heaps. Economic and environmental considerations call for studying such slides. In this study, firstly, results of the laboratory tests carried on the materials of the heap leaching structures bed are presented. Then, the instability mechanisms of such structures are investigated and proper approaches are summarized for their stabilization. Finally, stability of the Miduk copper heap is evaluated as a case history, and appropriate approaches and their effects are discussed for its stabilization.

Stability analyses of urban water supply systems with wastewater reuse; Toshi haisui no junkan riyo ni yoru mizu kyokyu anteika ni kansuru kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watanabe, H.; Zhang, S. [Meijo Univ., Nagoya (Japan); Okada, N. [Kyoto Univ., Kyoto (Japan). Disaster Prevention Research Inst.

1995-10-20

Wastewater reuse can be considered as a type of water resource development which is expected to improve the aquatic environment, as well as the stability and reliability of municipal water supply systems. To this extent, wastewater reuse has been taken into account in the planning of water supply systems in several Japanese cities. However, to date the effect of wastewater reuse on water supply system stabilization has not been discussed quantitatively, and the relation between waster water reuse rate and water supply system stability has not been analyzed. In this study, a stochastic model has been presented to evaluate the stability of water supply systems with optimal wastewater reuse rate. Some theoretical analyses and numerical studies were performed, and all of the results have shown that the model is reliable for not only basic studies on water supply system stability, but also for practical use as well. 5 refs., 5 figs., 3 tabs.

Effect of sorbitol and glycerol on the stability of trypsin and difference between their stabilization effects in the various solvents.

Science.gov (United States)

Pazhang, Mohammad; Mehrnejad, Faramarz; Pazhang, Yaghub; Falahati, Hanieh; Chaparzadeh, Nader

2016-01-01

The effect of glycerol and sorbitol on the stability of porcine pancreas trypsin was investigated in this work. Molecular dynamics simulation and thermostability results showed that trypsin has two flexible regions, and polyols (sorbitol and glycerol) stabilize the enzyme by decreasing the flexibility of these regions. Radial distribution function results exhibited that sorbitol and glycerol were excluded from the first water layer of the enzyme, therefore decrease the flexibility of the regions by preferential exclusion. Also, results showed that the stabilization effect of sorbitol is more than glycerol. This observation could be because of the larger decrease in the fluctuations of trypsin in the presence of sorbitol. We also examined the role of solvent's hydrophobicity in enzyme stabilization by sorbitol and glycerol. To do so, the thermostability of trypsin was evaluated in the presence of solvents with different hydrophobicity (methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and n-propanol) in addition to the polyols. Our results depicted that glycerol is a better stabilizer than sorbitol in the presence of hydrophobic solvents (n-propanol), whereas sorbitol is a better stabilizer than glycerol in the presence of hydrophilic solvents (methanol). © 2015 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Arctic Submarine Slope Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Winkelmann, D.; Geissler, W.

2010-12-01

Submarine landsliding represents aside submarine earthquakes major natural hazard to coastal and sea-floor infrastructure as well as to coastal communities due to their ability to generate large-scale tsunamis with their socio-economic consequences. The investigation of submarine landslides, their conditions and trigger mechanisms, recurrence rates and potential impact remains an important task for the evaluation of risks in coastal management and offshore industrial activities. In the light of a changing globe with warming oceans and rising sea-level accompanied by increasing human population along coasts and enhanced near- and offshore activities, slope stability issues gain more importance than ever before. The Arctic exhibits the most rapid and drastic changes and is predicted to change even faster. Aside rising air temperatures, enhanced inflow of less cooled Atlantic water into the Arctic Ocean reduces sea-ice cover and warms the surroundings. Slope stability is challenged considering large areas of permafrost and hydrates. The Hinlopen/Yermak Megaslide (HYM) north of Svalbard is the first and so far only reported large-scale submarine landslide in the Arctic Ocean. The HYM exhibits the highest headwalls that have been found on siliciclastic margins. With more than 10.000 square kilometer areal extent and app. 2.400 cubic kilometer of involved sedimentary material, it is one of the largest exposed submarine slides worldwide. Geometry and age put this slide in a special position in discussing submarine slope stability on glaciated continental margins. The HYM occurred 30 ka ago, when the global sea-level dropped by app. 50 m within less than one millennium due to rapid onset of global glaciation. It probably caused a tsunami with circum-Arctic impact and wave heights exceeding 130 meters. The HYM affected the slope stability field in its neighbourhood by removal of support. Post-megaslide slope instability as expressed in creeping and smaller-scaled slides are

Soil and surface layer type affect non-rainfall water inputs

Science.gov (United States)

Agam, Nurit; Berliner, Pedro; Jiang, Anxia

2017-04-01

Non-rainfall water inputs (NRWIs), which include fog deposition, dew formation, and direct water vapor adsorption by the soil, play a vital role in arid and semiarid regions. Environmental conditions, namely radiation, air temperature, air humidity, and wind speed, largely affect the water cycle driven by NRWIs. The substrate type (soil type and the existence/absence of a crust layer) may as well play a major role. Our objective was to quantify the effects of soil type (loess vs. sand) and surface layer (bare vs. crusted) on the gain and posterior evaporation of NRWIs in the Negev Highlands throughout the dry summer season. Four undisturbed soil samples (20 cm diameter and 50 cm depth) were excavated and simultaneously introduced into a PVC tube. Two samples were obtained in the Negev's Boker plain (loess soil) and two in the Nizzana sand dunes in the Western Negev. On one sample from each site the crust was removed while on the remaining one the natural crust was left in place. The samples were brought to the research site at the Jacob Bluestein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel (31˚08' N, 34˚53' E, 400 meter above the sea level) where they were exposed to the same environmental conditions. The four samples in their PVC tubes were placed on top of scales and the samples mass was continuously monitored. Soil temperatures were monitored at depths of 1, 2, 3, 5 and10 cm in each microlysimeter (ML) using Copper-Constantan thermocouples. The results of particle size distribution indicated that the crust of the loess soil is probably a physical crust, i.e., a crust that forms due to raindroplets impact; while the crust on the sand soil is biological. On most days, the loess soils adsorbed more water than their corresponding sand soil samples. For both soils, the samples for which the crust was removed adsorbed more water than the samples for which it was intact. The difference in daily water adsorption amount between crusted

The electric double layer at a metal electrode in pure water

Science.gov (United States)

Brüesch, Peter; Christen, Thomas

2004-03-01

Pure water is a weak electrolyte that dissociates into hydronium ions and hydroxide ions. In contact with a charged electrode a double layer forms for which neither experimental nor theoretical studies exist, in contrast to electrolytes containing extrinsic ions like acids, bases, and solute salts. Starting from a self-consistent solution of the one-dimensional modified Poisson-Boltzmann equation, which takes into account activity coefficients of point-like ions, we explore the properties of the electric double layer by successive incorporation of various correction terms like finite ion size, polarization, image charge, and field dissociation. We also discuss the effect of the usual approximation of an average potential as required for the one-dimensional Poisson-Boltzmann equation, and conclude that the one-dimensional approximation underestimates the ion density. We calculate the electric potential, the ion distributions, the pH-values, the ion-size corrected activity coefficients, and the dissociation constants close to the electric double layer and compare the results for the various model corrections.

Single layers and multilayers of GaN and AlN in square-octagon structure: Stability, electronic properties, and functionalization

Science.gov (United States)

Gürbüz, E.; Cahangirov, S.; Durgun, E.; Ciraci, S.

2017-11-01

Further to planar single-layer hexagonal structures, GaN and AlN can also form free-standing, single-layer structures constructed from squares and octagons. We performed an extensive analysis of dynamical and thermal stability of these structures in terms of ab initio finite-temperature molecular dynamics and phonon calculations together with the analysis of Raman and infrared active modes. These single-layer square-octagon structures of GaN and AlN display directional mechanical properties and have wide, indirect fundamental band gaps, which are smaller than their hexagonal counterparts. These density functional theory band gaps, however, increase and become wider upon correction. Under uniaxial and biaxial tensile strain, the fundamental band gaps decrease and can be closed. The electronic and magnetic properties of these single-layer structures can be modified by adsorption of various adatoms, or by creating neutral cation-anion vacancies. The single-layer structures attain magnetic moment by selected adatoms and neutral vacancies. In particular, localized gap states are strongly dependent on the type of vacancy. The energetics, binding, and resulting electronic structure of bilayer, trilayer, and three-dimensional (3D) layered structures constructed by stacking the single layers are affected by vertical chemical bonds between adjacent layers. In addition to van der Waals interaction, these weak vertical bonds induce buckling in planar geometry and enhance their binding, leading to the formation of stable 3D layered structures. In this respect, these multilayers are intermediate between van der Waals solids and wurtzite crystals, offering a wide range of tunability.

Rational design of a bi-layered reduced graphene oxide film on polystyrene foam for solar-driven interfacial water evaporation

KAUST Repository

Shi, Le

2016-12-20

Solar-driven water evaporation has been emerging as a highly efficient way for utilizing solar energy for clean water production and wastewater treatment. Here we rationally designed and fabricated a bi-layered photothermal membrane with a porous film of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) on the top and polystyrene (PS) foam at the bottom. The top porous rGO layer acts as a light absorber to harvest and convert light efficiently to thermal energy and the bottom PS layer, which purposefully disintegrates water transport channels, acts as an excellent thermal barrier to minimize heat transfer to the nonevaporative bulk water. The optimized bi-layered membrane was able to produce water evaporation rate as high as 1.31 kg m−2 h−1 with light to evaporation conversion efficiency as high as 83%, which makes it a promising photothermal material in the literature. Furthermore, the experiments and theoretical simulation were both conducted to examine the relationship between the overall energy efficiency and the depth of the photothermal material underwater and the experimental and simulations results coincided with each other. Therefore, this work provides systematic evidence in support of the concept of the interfacial heating and shines important light on practical applications of solar-driven processes for clean water production.

Temperature stability of c-axis oriented LiNbO{sub 3}/SiO{sub 2}/Si thin film layered structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tomar, Monika [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi (India)]. E-mail: mtomar@physics.du.ac.in; monikatomar@rediffmail.com; Gupta, Vinay; Mansingh, Abhai; Sreenivas, K. [Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi (India)

2001-08-07

Theoretical calculations have been performed for the temperature stability of the c-axis oriented LiNbO{sub 3} thin film layered structures on passivated silicon (SiO{sub 2}/Si) substrate with and without a non-piezoelectric SiO{sub 2} overlayer. The phase velocity, electromechanical coupling coefficient and temperature coefficient of delay (TCD) have been calculated. The thicknesses of various layers have been determined for optimum SAW performance with zero TCD. The presence of a non-piezoelectric SiO{sub 2} overlayer on LiNbO{sub 3} film is found to significantly enhance the coupling coefficient. The optimized results reveal that a high coupling coefficient of K{sup 2}=3.45% and a zero TCD can be obtained in the SiO{sub 2}/LiNbO{sub 3}/SiO{sub 2}/Si structure with a 0.235{lambda} thick LiNbO{sub 3} layer sandwiched between 0.1{lambda} thick SiO{sub 2} layers. (author)

Fluorescent layers for characterization of sectioning microscopy with coverslipuncorrected and water immersion objectives

KAUST Repository

Antonini, Andrea; Liberale, Carlo; Fellin, Tommaso

2014-01-01

We describe a new method to generate thin (thickness > 200 nm) and ultrathin (thickness < 200 nm) fluorescent layers to be used for microscope optical characterization. These layers are obtained by ultramicrotomy sectioning of fluorescent acrylic slides. This technique generates sub-resolution sheets with high fluorescence emission and uniform thickness, permitting to determine the z-response of different optical sectioning systems. Compared to the state of the art, the here proposed technique allows shorter and easier manufacturing procedure. Moreover, these fluorescent layers can be employed without protective coverslips, allowing the use of the Sectioned Imaging Property (SIP)-chart characterization method with coverslip-uncorrected objectives, water immersion objectives and micro-endoscopes. © 2014 Optical Society of America.

Linear and Weakly Nonlinear Instability of Shallow Mixing Layers with Variable Friction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Eglite

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Linear and weakly nonlinear instability of shallow mixing layers is analysed in the present paper. It is assumed that the resistance force varies in the transverse direction. Linear stability problem is solved numerically using collocation method. It is shown that the increase in the ratio of the friction coefficients in the main channel to that in the floodplain has a stabilizing influence on the flow. The amplitude evolution equation for the most unstable mode (the complex Ginzburg–Landau equation is derived from the shallow water equations under the rigid-lid assumption. Results of numerical calculations are presented.

A perfectly matched layer for the time-dependent wave equation in heterogeneous and layered media

KAUST Repository

Duru, Kenneth

2014-01-01

A mathematical analysis of the perfectly matched layer (PML) for the time-dependent wave equation in heterogeneous and layered media is presented. We prove the stability of the PML for discontinuous media with piecewise constant coefficients, and derive energy estimates for discontinuous media with piecewise smooth coefficients. We consider a computational setup consisting of smaller structured subdomains that are discretized using high order accurate finite difference operators for approximating spatial derivatives. The subdomains are then patched together into a global domain by a weak enforcement of interface conditions using penalties. In order to ensure the stability of the discrete PML, it is necessary to transform the interface conditions to include the auxiliary variables. In the discrete setting, the transformed interface conditions are crucial in deriving discrete energy estimates analogous to the continuous energy estimates, thus proving stability and convergence of the numerical method. Finally, we present numerical experiments demonstrating the stability of the PML in a layered medium and high order accuracy of the proposed interface conditions. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Calculated Pourbaix Diagrams of Cubic Perovskites for Water Splitting: Stability Against Corrosion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Castelli, Ivano Eligio; Thygesen, Kristian Sommer; Jacobsen, Karsten Wedel

2014-01-01

We use density functional theory calculations to investigate the stability of cubic perovskites for photo-electrochemical water splitting taking both materials in their bulk crystal structure and dissolved phases into account. The method is validated through a detailed comparison of the calculated...

Antioxidant activity and emulsion-stabilizing effect of pectic enzyme treated pectin in soy protein isolate-stabilized oil/water emulsion.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ping-Hsiu; Lu, Hao-Te; Wang, Yuh-Tai; Wu, Ming-Chang

2011-09-14

The antioxidant activity of pectic enzyme treated pectin (PET-pectin) prepared from citrus pectin by enzymatic hydrolysis and its potential use as a stabilizer and an antioxidant for soy protein isolate (SPI)-stabilized oil in water (O/W) emulsion were investigated. Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) was found to be positively associated with molecular weight (M(w)) of PET-pectin and negatively associated with degree of esterification (DE) of PET-pectin. PET-pectin (1 kDa and 11.6% DE) prepared from citrus pectin after 24 h of hydrolysis by commercial pectic enzyme produced by Aspergillus niger expressed higher α,α-diphenyl-β-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, TEAC, and reducing power than untreated citrus pectin (353 kDa and 60% DE). The addition of PET-pectin could increase both emulsifying activity (EA) and emulsion stability (ES) of SPI-stabilized O/W emulsion. When the SPI-stabilized lipid droplet was coated with the mixture of PET-pectin and pectin, the EA and ES of the emulsion were improved more than they were when the lipid droplet was coated with either pectin or PET-pectin alone. The amount of secondary oxidation products (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances) produced in the emulsion prepared with the mixture of SPI and PET-pectin was less than the amount produced in the emulsion prepared with either SPI or SPI/pectin. These results suggest that PET-pectin has an emulsion-stabilizing effect and lipid oxidation inhibition ability on SPI-stabilized emulsion. Therefore, PET-pectin can be used as a stabilizer as well as an antioxidant in plant origin in SPI-stabilized O/W emulsion and thus prolong the shelf life of food emulsion.

Responses of plant available water and forest productivity to variably layered coarse textured soils

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Mingbin; Barbour, Lee; Elshorbagy, Amin; Si, Bing; Zettl, Julie

2010-05-01

Reforestation is a primary end use for reconstructed soils following oil sands mining in northern Alberta, Canada. Limited soil water conditions strongly restrict plant growth. Previous research has shown that layering of sandy soils can produce enhanced water availability for plant growth; however, the effect of gradation on these enhancements is not well defined. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of soil texture (gradation and layering) on plant available water and consequently on forest productivity for reclaimed coarse textured soils. A previously validated system dynamics (SD) model of soil moisture dynamics was coupled with ecophysiological and biogeochemical processes model, Biome-BGC-SD, to simulate forest dynamics for different soil profiles. These profiles included contrasting 50 cm textural layers of finer sand overlying coarser sand in which the sand layers had either a well graded or uniform soil texture. These profiles were compared to uniform profiles of the same sands. Three tree species of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), white spruce (Picea glauce Voss.), and trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) were simulated using a 50 year climatic data base from northern Alberta. Available water holding capacity (AWHC) was used to identify soil moisture regime, and leaf area index (LAI) and net primary production (NPP) were used as indices of forest productivity. Published physiological parameters were used in the Biome-BGC-SD model. Relative productivity was assessed by comparing model predictions to the measured above-ground biomass dynamics for the three tree species, and was then used to study the responses of forest leaf area index and potential productivity to AWHC on different soil profiles. Simulated results indicated soil layering could significantly increase AWHC in the 1-m profile for coarse textured soils. This enhanced AWHC could result in an increase in forest LAI and NPP. The increased extent varied with soil

Fabrication of ultrathin multilayered superomniphobic nanocoatings by liquid flame spray, atomic layer deposition, and silanization

Science.gov (United States)

Sorvali, Miika; Vuori, Leena; Pudas, Marko; Haapanen, Janne; Mahlberg, Riitta; Ronkainen, Helena; Honkanen, Mari; Valden, Mika; Mäkelä, Jyrki M.

2018-05-01

Superomniphobic, i.e. liquid-repellent, surfaces have been an interesting area of research during recent years due to their various potential applications. However, producing such surfaces, especially on hard and resilient substrates like stainless steel, still remains challenging. We present a stepwise fabrication process of a multilayered nanocoating on a stainless steel substrate, consisting of a nanoparticle layer, a nanofilm, and a layer of silane molecules. Liquid flame spray was used to deposit a TiO2 nanoparticle layer as the bottom layer for producing a suitable surface structure. The interstitial Al2O3 nanofilm, fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD), stabilized the nanoparticle layer, and the topmost fluorosilane layer lowered the surface energy of the coating for enhanced omniphobicity. The coating was characterized with field emission scanning electron microscopy, focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, contact angle (CA) and sliding angle (SA) measurements, and microscratch testing. The widely recognized requirements for superrepellency, i.e. CA > 150° and SA < 10°, were achieved for deioinized water, diiodomethane, and ethylene glycol. The mechanical stability of the coating could be varied by tuning the thickness of the ALD layer at the expense of repellency. To our knowledge, this is the thinnest superomniphobic coating reported so far, with the average thickness of about 70 nm.

Stabilization of ideal plasma resistive wall modes in cylindrical geometry: The effect of resistive layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finn, J.M.

1995-01-01

A cylindrical model with finite beta having an external resonant ideal magnetohydrodynamic instability has been constructed. This resonant mode has a mode rational surface, where the safety factor q equals m/n, within the plasma. In this model, the perturbed radial magnetic field for the ideal mode is nonzero between the mode rational surface and the wall, even though it must vanish at the mode rational surface. This property of the mode is in common with the toroidal external kink. Results are presented showing that in the parameter range for which this ideal mode is stable with a conducting wall but unstable with the wall at infinity, a resistive wall mode persists. However, in the presence of plasma resistivity in a resistive layer about the mode rational surface, this resistive wall mode can be stabilized by a plasma rotation frequency of order a nominal resistive instability growth rate. Furthermore, the stabilization occurs in a large gap in wall position or beta. It is also shown that for the ideal resonant mode, as well as resistive plasma modes and nonresonant ideal plasma modes, there is a maximum value of plasma rotation above which there is no stability gap. Discussions are presented suggesting that these properties may hold for the toroidal external kink. copyright 1995 American Institute of Physics